She evolved for love, but what did she trade off in the process? Will the little mermaid ever bridge the gap between beast and human? 

This graphic rendition of the classic children's story by Hans Christian Andersen illustrates my reading of the dark, masochistic tale of unrequited love and pubescent angst, which few today even know this tale to be. 

As a young child reader, I had the good fortune of being introduced to the Little Mermaid, not through Disney, but through Freya Littledale and Daniel San Souci . I processed unspeakable feelings through San Souci’s gorgeous illustrations of the Little Mermaid’s grief stricken countenance. I hope to return to today's readers some of that long forgotten catharsis of the tale of heroic suffering and the dark night of the soul. 

“The Little Mermaid” is a 4-page, comic. Written and illustrated by Mary Bluestocking. Based on the short story by Hans Christian Andersen.

  • “The Little Mermaid” © Mary Bluestocking. 2023. All rights reserved.

    4- page comic. Written and illustrated by Mary Bluestocking. Based on the short story by Hans Christian Andersen.

    Title text design by Julia Sloan

Change anthology cover design by Joe Stone

Published in Change by WiP Comics.

  • Comix anthology.

    Print edition: Book, color, A5, 180 pages.

    Digital Edition: PDF

    Publisher: WiP Comics, London, UK

    Edited by Joe Stone

    Cover design by Joe Stone

    Anthology features 53 contributors.

    Mary’s contribution: “The Little Mermaid” (first edition)

    Anthology released at Thought Bubble Comic Convention, North Yorkshire, UK. November 11-12, 2023

    Special thanks to the backers of the Kickstarter campaign which funded this project.

  • Print edition SOLD OUT

    Purchase digital edition HERE.

“The Little Mermaid” print edition in the Change anthology by WiP was a small print run and is already sold out. Mary retains all rights to “The Little Mermaid”.

I would love to expand this comic into a much longer version. There is so much emotional intensity to build up. Hans Christian Andersen writes numerous details which I find baffling and mysterious. I would love to explore how to interpret these details further. Most importantly, there is so much in the original text that I never see in other adaptations. As the story teller, I attempted to tell the most that I thought I could within the 4-page limit given me by the Change anthology, but I feel I could express this story much more fully in a longer form.

Interested in publishing “The Little Mermaid” or BETTER YET backing the development of an expanded, 6+ page M. Bluestocking edition of “The Little Mermaid”?

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