The Structural Framework
The entire structural framework of this book is built upon irony. The story is an ironic analysis and commentary on the subject of heroes and villains and the ambiguous gray space existing in between. The centerpiece of the “good guys” calls itself the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics, yet persistently behaves more like villains. The supervillain that is the Institution’s nemesis, by contrast, lives by a code of honor which prohibits killing other people and usurping power. In other words, the heroes ironically behave like villains and the villains ironically behave like heroes.
Sarcasm
A great deal of the humor in this very funny book comes courtesy of ironic dialogue. For instance, when Nimona relates the backstory about how she became a shapeshifter by helping a witch escape from a hole. She confesses that to Ballinger that she wasn’t a very good witch. To which Ballinger replies, “Well, I’d guess that much from her brilliant plan of `get out of the hole by turning the six-year-old into a dragon.’” The irony with which Ballinger says this is not just funny because of the sarcasm, however. Ballinger’s ironic stance toward the details of Nimona’s shapeshifter origin story serves to further real his complexity as a villain who lives a strict code of moral conduct.
Comic Book Body Shapes
Nimona is a shapeshifter of incredible ability. Throughout the story she is able to fool other people by creating a perfect transformation. Nimona is also the heroine of this story of superheroes and supervillains. With her ability, she could easily transform herself so that her “everyday” appearance resembles that of the stereotypical female protagonist associated with this medium. In other words, instead of presenting herself as a large-breasted, long-maned, spectacularly beautiful young woman, Nimona ironically chooses to present herself as a short, gawky and somewhat stocky adolescent with a hairstyle many would describe using the term “interesting” with negative connotations.
Subverting Stereotypes
Irony is also put to use to subvert certain stereotypical physical attributes associated with the hero/villain duality. Ambrosius sports Thor-like long golden tresses and is equipped with golden armor to underline the stereotype of the adventure story hero. By contrast, Ballinger is almost a Bond-style villain with his mechanical hand and pronounced scar down the right side of his face. Their respective behavior ironically subverts the expectations set up by these stereotypical physical presentations.
Pizza Delivery
Stories of supervillains generally do not address the mundane aspects of daily life. The author introduces this element into the story by exploiting the irony in the juxtaposition between the insane things that supervillains (not to mention shapeshifters) can do, and readers cannot, and the everyday things that readers can do which the villains cannot. For instance, Nimona wants to order a pizza for dinner only to be told by Ballinger they cannot have pizza because the restaurant charges too high a fee to deliver all the way out to their lair.
