“Once upon a time, there was a lovely young princess who suffered under her cruel stepmother…that is, until a children's clothing designer is reborn as the evil queen! All Her Majesty, Abigail Friedkin, wants to do is dote on the adorable Princess Blanche and give her the happy childhood she deserves. The problem is, the previous Abigail has garnered a reputation for being extremely jealous and materialistic-and to top it off, her smile is the stuff of children's nightmares! Will Abigail be able to convince her stepdaughter that she might not be so wicked after all?” (Ize Press)
Adding to the already romance-focused line-up of Ize Press releases, “Not-Sew Wicked Stepmom” adds to the already impressive line-up of historical fiction under the Yen Press manhwa imprint. Part Isekai, part comedy, and (potentially) part romantic redemption story, the inaugural volume packs quite a lot of humor into its simplistic presence.
At face value, the work is a switch up on the wicked step-mom story but with the once reviled matriarch turning over a new leaf when an isekaied soul inhabits her body. What works abundantly well in the series is how heavily it leans into the comedy, with the protagonist's obsession over the royal princess bordering on pathological. Abigail Friedkin's constant dotting and obsessive internal monologue on making the princess as cute as possible keeps the book moving swiftly as comedic moments flow into one another under the frantic reasoning of its protagonist.
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Conversely, Abigail's relationship with the King, her husband, shows her determination not to be undermined in her desire to spoil Princess Blanche. The king's cold exterior going up against the outspoken and unapologetic Abigail allows for variance in the tone and type of humor while also adding depth to her character. The interaction with Princess Blanche is where the most entertainment value lies. Still, the interactions with the king offer a nice break from the frantic preoccupation with adorning the youth with gifts and affection.
The focus on spoiling Princess Blanche and the emphasis on comedy result in a visual style that is both polished and prone to over-exaggeration for humorous effect. Moreover, artist Mo9Rang even takes time to utilize backgrounds to make the world feel fully realized, an element often overlooked under the scheduling and digital-focused approach of the WebToon format. For their part, Ize Press seems to be bringing works to print with that visual flair that works in both physical and digital releases, as “Not-Sew-Wicked Stepmom” is sleek and fashion conscience with its visuals.
While tonally different than the two other standouts in Ize Press's catalog of historical fiction, “Villains Are Destined to Die” and “The Remarried Empress,” “Not-Sew-Wicked Stepmom” brings with it similar highlights via solid storytelling and a sharp visual direction using royal fashion to highlight the beauty in the character designs. If you have already enjoyed those series, “Not-Sew-Wicked Stepmom” is an easy pick-up. Conversely, if the previously mentioned titles did not click because of a lack of comedy, this release delivers abundant laughs.
