Nimona Review: ND Stevenson's Modern Graphic Classic 2026

Every so often a graphic novel comes along that seems to charm absolutely everyone — kids, teens, adults, critics, and people who don’t even read comics. Nimona is one of those books. Written and drawn by ND Stevenson, it began life as a webcomic in 2012, was collected by HarperCollins in 2015, won a slew of awards, and eventually became a hit Netflix animated film in 2023. It’s funny, it’s heartbreaking, it’s a clever send-up of fantasy tropes, and underneath the jokes it’s one of the most quietly moving stories about identity you’ll read. This is our full review.

What is Nimona?

Nimona is a complete, self-contained graphic novel written and illustrated by ND Stevenson, the cartoonist and showrunner also known for Lumberjanes and the acclaimed She-Ra and the Princesses of Power reboot. It started as a webcomic Stevenson made while studying at the Maryland Institute College of Art, ran online from 2012 to 2014, and was collected into a single roughly 270-page volume in 2015. The paperback typically sells for around US$18, and it reads comfortably in a single sitting.

The setup mashes together medieval fantasy and science fiction with gleeful abandon. In a kingdom that has both knights and laser guns, dragons and mad science, a young shapeshifter named Nimona shows up and volunteers to be the sidekick of the kingdom’s most notorious supervillain, Lord Ballister Blackheart. Nimona is chaotic, gleeful, and enormously powerful — she can turn into anything from a shark to a cat to a dragon — and she wants to help Blackheart get revenge on the Institution and its golden-boy hero, Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin. What follows is funnier, stranger, and far sadder than its premise suggests.

The story: villains, sidekicks, and the truth about heroes

On the surface, Nimona is a comedy about a supervillain and his overenthusiastic new sidekick. But Stevenson uses that setup to interrogate the whole hero-villain framework. Blackheart, the “villain,” has a personal code and refuses to kill; the Institution, which frames itself as the force of good, turns out to be doing something far more sinister. As the plot unfolds, the comfortable labels start to peel away, and the book asks harder questions: Who decides who the monster is? What happens to the people society labels dangerous? And is the person everyone fears actually the one who’s been most wronged?

The pacing, a legacy of its webcomic origins, is brisk and punchy — short scenes, sharp jokes, and cliffhangers that keep you turning pages. But Stevenson gradually shifts the tone from broad comedy toward genuine tragedy without ever losing the humor, and the final act lands with surprising force.

The heart of it: Nimona herself

The book lives or dies on its title character, and Nimona is unforgettable. She’s loud, impulsive, hilarious, and clearly carrying deep pain beneath the bravado. Her shapeshifting is played for fun and for action, but it’s also a rich metaphor — for identity, for the parts of ourselves we hide, and for the way the world reacts to people who don’t fit its categories. That resonance is a big part of why the book has been embraced so strongly by LGBTQ readers, and why it sits comfortably on our best LGBTQ comics list. Stevenson never turns Nimona into a lecture; she’s a fully realized character first, and the themes emerge naturally from who she is.

The art and humor

Stevenson’s art is loose, expressive, and packed with personality. Early pages carry the rougher energy of a self-published webcomic, and the linework noticeably grows in confidence as the story goes — which, rather than being a flaw, gives the book a lovely sense of an artist finding their voice in real time. The color work is warm and inviting, the character designs are instantly readable, and the comic timing is impeccable. This is a genuinely funny book, with jokes that range from quick sight gags to sharp, character-driven wit.

Who is Nimona for?

This is one of the most broadly appealing books we review. It’s clean enough for younger teens — expect fantasy violence and some emotional intensity, but nothing explicit — while being smart and moving enough to floor adult readers. It’s an ideal pick for reluctant readers, for fans of shows like She-Ra or Avatar: The Last Airbender, and for anyone who wants a fantasy story with real heart. It’s a mainstay of our best graphic novels for teens guide for exactly these reasons.

Pros and cons

Pros

Genuinely funny and genuinely moving in equal measure
A clever, fresh spin on fantasy and superhero tropes
Broadly accessible — great for teens and adults alike
A complete, self-contained story in one volume

Cons

Early art is rougher (a charming feature, but worth noting)
The fast webcomic pacing can feel abrupt in places
The tonal shift to tragedy may surprise readers expecting pure comedy

Nimona vs. the film

The 2023 Netflix animated film, released after a famously troubled production, is excellent in its own right — but it makes significant changes to the story, characters, and ending. Both versions are worth your time, and they complement each other well, but the graphic novel is the original vision and, for our money, the more emotionally complex of the two. If you loved the movie, the book will feel familiar but meaningfully different; if you read the book first, the film becomes a fascinating alternate take. For more on screen adaptations of comics, see our roundup of comic adaptations coming soon.

Which edition should you buy?

Nimona is refreshingly simple to buy — it’s one complete book — but there are a couple of options depending on your budget and how you like to read.

Edition	Format	Approx. price	Best for
Standard paperback	Softcover, complete	~US$18	Most readers
Hardcover edition	Hardcover, complete	~US$25	A durable gift copy
Original webcomic	Free, archived online	Free	Sampling before you buy

For most people the paperback is perfect. The hardcover makes a lovely gift, and it’s worth knowing the original webcomic can still be sampled online if you want a taste before committing.

AmazonCheck price on Amazon

The verdict

Nimona is the rare book that works on every level at once: as a comedy, as an action-fantasy, as a tearjerker, and as a genuinely thoughtful story about identity and belonging. It’s accessible without being shallow and heartfelt without being cloying, and it belongs on any shelf of essential modern graphic novels. Whether you come to it for the jokes, the shapeshifting, or the story behind the hit film, it’s an easy and enthusiastic recommendation — and a highlight of both our best fantasy comics and our best graphic novels for teens guides.

Frequently asked questions

Is Nimona appropriate for kids?

It’s best for tweens, teens, and up. There’s fantasy violence and real emotional intensity, but nothing explicit. Many younger readers enjoy it, and it’s a frequent pick in our best graphic novels for teens guide.

Is the Nimona graphic novel different from the movie?

Yes, meaningfully. The 2023 Netflix film changes the plot, several characters, and the ending. Both are great, but they tell notably different versions of the story, so it’s worth experiencing both.

Is Nimona a complete story?

Yes. It’s a self-contained standalone graphic novel that collects the entire original webcomic in one volume, with a definite beginning, middle, and end. There’s no sequel to track down.

Did Nimona start as a webcomic?

It did. ND Stevenson serialized it online from 2012 to 2014 while in art school, and it was collected into the graphic novel in 2015. You can see the art visibly grow in confidence across the book as a result — and if you love that origin story, our best webcomics guide has more gems that made the leap to print.

Looking for more like it? Browse our best LGBTQ comics and our best fantasy comics guides for your next read.