Ariel (The Little Mermaid) released a four-issue "The Little Mermaid Limited Series" comic book series. In 1994 Marvel Comics released its own title, "Disney's The Little Mermaid", which ran for twelve issues. All these comics are prequels to the film, and feature Ariel a mermaid living under the sea having adventures with Flounder and Sebastian, and thwarting villains that wish to take over or destroy Atlantica. In 2000, Ariel became an official member of the newly launched Disney Princess line, an umbrella franchise that includes various Disney princesses under its banner. Ariel is one of the original 8 characters that were included at the
Ursula (The Little Mermaid) as "A total success" despite sharing some similarities with previous Disney villains. Janet Maslin of "The New York Times "described Ursula as "a fabulously campy creation embodying the film's well-developed sense of mischief." Describing the character as an "inventive high-camp villainess," the "New York Daily News"' Kathleen Carroll cited Ursula as a prime example of the film's "outstanding" animation. Hailing the character as "a visual feast," "Variety" considered Ursula to be among "the film’s more inspired inventions". William Thomas of "Empire" described Ursula as "truly quake-inducing", while "Time"'s Eliana Dockterman enjoyed the fact that, unlike previous Disney villains, "Ursula doesn’t