RAT QUEENS VOL. 2 #9 REVIEW
Summary: An unexpected twist.
4
Say what?
Reality is a big ball of wibbly wobbly, timey wimey stuff.
Dee discovers the shocking truth behind the mysterious reality wizard, with an unexpected twist that will leave you slack jawed and slightly bewildered.
Focusing on Dee, this issue follows a disjointed timeline which begins when she was young and carefree, enjoying her first love. The story then progresses to key moments in her life, ranging from when she first joined the Rat Queens to when she saw Hannah for the last time. As an older woman and after a chance encounter with a ghost from her past, Dee realises that it is she alone who can change the past and fix the mistakes that she and the Queens made when they were young. The question is, does she actually fix things, or make them worse?
OK, so this is the issue where things start getting complicated. There is a lot going on, from the disjointed timelines which shows fragmented snippets of Dee’s life to a rather huge and unexpected reveal. I really loved the ambiguity in this issue, as we delve straight into what feels like a completely new narrative. I found that I initially felt suspicious at first, not quite knowing what was going on but, nonetheless allowing myself to be taken along for the ride. This is where Kurtis J. Wiebe’s writing shines, as we are taken on a magical mystery tour of Dee’s life, that is both compelling and intriguing. I found the overall tone of this issue to be more serious, as the narrative takes a darker and more sinister turn. Of course there is still the wonderful quips and ever-entertaining gags and banter but underlying this is something that is deeply ominous and foreboding. We are getting down to the nitty-gritty parts of the story, where we will no doubt see some explosive events unfold in the future.
Like I mentioned earlier, there is a lot going on in this issue and that includes the art. Owen Gieni’s illustrations are expansive and diverse, exploring some interesting landscapes and taking us on a peculiar visual adventure. I noticed that the art was a little different in this issue, with Gieni experimenting with textures and retro-like dot shading. I found it to be an interesting step away from what I’m used to seeing in a Queen’s story. I also really liked some of the more personal scenes, where we see some cleverly framed drawings, bringing an altogether fresh perspective. There were also some highly emotional scenes in this issue, which I found Gieni captured beautifully, making these touching moments more impactful and have a lasting impression. The colouring is quite vibrant, making this world feel rich and alive. I especially love the electric pops of colour that we see when magic is used.
Overall, I like this issue, finding it to be a cleverly crafted story. From the first few pages I was intrigued and curious as to what was really going on. I’m really looking forward to seeing where all of this will lead and what Dee will do next.
I’m giving this issue 4 out of 5 stars!
COMIC DETAILS
CREATIVE TEAM: Kurtis J. Wiebe, Owen Gieni, Ryan Ferrier
PUBLISHER: Image Comics/Shadowline Comics
GENRE: High fantasy
PUBLICATION DATE: May 16, 2018
REVIEWER: Dana Folkard
About the Author
Dana Folkard An absolute nerd with a passion for all things sci-fi! Lover of comics, coffee and Geralt of Rivia. Mother of Dragons!
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