The outstanding comic book series Rat Queens is returning on March 1, 2017, according to writer/creator Kurt Wiebe. The book has been on hiatus since May 2016. Owen Gieni will be the new Rat Queens artist.
If you’re not familiar with Rat Queens, the comics tell the adventures of four very different friends that are outcasts, but have found love and acceptance in each other. The setting is swords-and-sorcery fantasy, but with a hilarious satirical edge. The swords are sharp, but the humor is even sharper. The way it pokes fun at Dungeons & Dragons and fantasy conventions is fantastic. Beyond that, the books have a lot of heart and portray four strong women. The humor and satire are Rat Queens’ obvious hooks, but the portrayal of their friendship is touching.
In the press release, Image Comics has described the return of Rat Queens as a “soft reboot.” The original books told the tales of four adventurers — atheist cleric Dee, hipster dwarf warrior Violet, foul-mouthed demon/elf mage Hannah, and lovable hallucinogen-loving halfling thief Betty. The splash art for the return (posted below) shows Braga in the mix. A supporting character in the book’s original run, it appears that the transgender orc barbarian with a heart of gold will have a much bigger role in the new run.
I’m incredibly psyched for the triumphant return of Rat Queens. The original run was my favorite new comic book series in the last decade. I rarely stray from mainstream DC and Marvel comics, but Kurt Wiebe’s writing is so good and the characters are so refreshingly entertaining that I instantly became a fan. My love of Rat Queens is so deep that it was my stocking stuffer of choice for Christmas 2015. I adore these books and love sharing them with anyone that’s remotely into comics or fantasy. While many people have labeled 2016 as a crap year, 2017 is shaping up to be exponentially better. The return of Rat Queens will help 2017 rock!
