Release Date: January 15th, 2014
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Publisher: Image Comics
Written By: Kurtis J Wiebe
Art By: Roc Upchurch
Price: 3.50, Digital – 2.99
Review:
Rat Queens is one of the best new books on the market right now in my opinion. The series is just starting and its packed full of comedy and action front to back. It’s like Lord of the Rings meets Bridesmaids. While it may not be the easiest issue to hop into the series, it should serve as motivation to go pick up the previous 3 and catch up on the awesomeness that is Bett, Hannah, Violet, and Dee.
We follow the story of four rough and tumble battle maidens for hire who drink, cuss, and kill for profit. Sometimes in that order. This is probably the funniest comic book out right now. It’s genuinely and naturally funny instead of forced, artificial, or contrived. Issue 4 has some of the most hilarious dialog in the series so far and plenty of action as well. Bett, the little hobbit with a big inappropriate mouth, snitches to the Captain of the Guard on the culprit behind the recent events leading up to the next few pages. This time the Rat Queens spark an all out invasion of Palisades by a troll army. They are being led by an angry girlfriend of a troll the Queens recently killed. As told by Gary. You have to read this book. The dialog is so spot on and naturally flowing that I forget I’m reading a book set in a medieval type world full of trolls and sorcerers and knights. I have to warn you that there is very strong language but it isn’t gratuitous or for shock value. Wiebe knows exactly when to use a curse word and which one to use to get the maximum effect and hilarity out of a moment.
The art is beautiful to look at and unlike anything else being published. It seriously doesn’t resemble any books I read. There is a uniqueness to it. Upchurch has perfected facial expressions down to a fine tuned science and a viewer can read the frowns and raised eyebrows just as well as the word balloons. It’s minimalist and detailed all at the same time. There’s an adorable cuteness to the Rat Queens but also a rugged, tough feeling most likely gained from the jagged, sharp pencils and outlines used.
I highly recommend this book. I genuinely don’t have any complaints other than it doesn’t come out once a week instead of once a month. Jokes aside, Rat Queens is a breath of brand new, fresh air. Its a light-hearted jab at several genres in geekdom without overtly taking shots and is a welcome breakup of the world-shattering events in superhero comics.
And one more image just for the lulz. Look at the dialog…LoL
