Saturday, July 12, 2014

Rat Queens Volume One: Sass and Sorcery


Rat Queens Volume One: Sass and Sorcery
Issues #1-5
Publisher: Image Comics
Story: Kurtis J. Wiebe
Art: Roc Upchurch
Rated: M/Mature
Genre: Fantasy
Price: $9.99

Who are the Rat Queens?

They're a pack of booze guzzling, death dealing battle maidens-for-hire and they're in the business of killing all the gods' creatures for profit. Meet Hannah the Rockabilly Elven Mage, Violet the Hipster Dwarven Fighter, Dee the Atheist Human Cleric and Betty the Hippy Smidgen Thief.

The modern spin on an old school genre is a violent, monster killing epic that is like Buffy meets Tank Girl in a Lord of the Rings world on crack!

This book serves as an introduction to a brand new cast of characters, not quite like anything you've seen before. They're irreverent and witty, with plenty of alluded to backstory and their own personalities. The reader is immediately thrust into an unfamiliar world where many bands of adventurers make their homes in the town of Palisade. Shenanigans ensue as the story ramps up and places the Rat Queens at odds with the town's constabulary, an 'old' woman, and a gigantic female troll.



The story contained in volume one moves at a break-neck pace, and the art does a great job of drawing the reader's eye through the story as intended, without being too distracting. Each of the four Rat Queens feels like an individual, making it easy for the reader to remember which character has what traits and style. Another thing to commend the authors on is the various body types possessed by the female characters, they're much more representative of actual bodies than your typical fantasy comic.

Conclusion: This one is definitely worth keeping up with. It serves as a good introduction to the world without seeming to overload the reader with information. There are many jokes that you have to really be paying attention for or they'll pass you by (a hipster dwarf who has shaved her beard?).The eclectic cast of characters and the hyperactive fantasy setting seem to promise some exciting things for the future of this book.

Rating: 7.25/10

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