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Rat Queens (Collected Volumes) #2
The Far Reaching Tentacles of N'rygoth
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Graphic Novels & Comics (2015)This booze-soaked second volume of RAT QUEENS reveals a growing menace within the very walls of Palisade. And while Dee may have run from her past, the bloated, blood-feasting sky god N'rygoth never really lets his children stray too far.
Collects RAT QUEENS #6-10.
Collects RAT QUEENS #6-10.
136 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 6, 2015
89 people are currently reading
7754 people want to read
About the author
Kurtis J. Wiebe
181 books770 followersKurtis Wiebe is a Vancouver, Canada based author. The founder and CEO of Vast Vision Publishing, he comes from a two decades long career in comics and games. He is the co-creator of over ten original comic series and a content creator spanning podcasts, live streams and other digital media. His stories have garnered multiple industry awards including two coveted Shuster’s for best writer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,747 reviews
September 22, 2015
If anything, I liked the second volume of Rat Queens even more than the first. (Something that is rarely the case.)
It focuses more on the backstories of the characters without sacrificing the fun and action of the first book, and features art from one of my favorite artists: Stjepan Šejić. (Who writes and illustrates Sunstone, among other things.)
Is the series worth your time? Yes.
You're extra likely to enjoy it if you're into: tabletop RPG (like D&D) strong female characters, humor/satire, and qua-cthulian baddies.
It focuses more on the backstories of the characters without sacrificing the fun and action of the first book, and features art from one of my favorite artists: Stjepan Šejić. (Who writes and illustrates Sunstone, among other things.)
Is the series worth your time? Yes.
You're extra likely to enjoy it if you're into: tabletop RPG (like D&D) strong female characters, humor/satire, and qua-cthulian baddies.
May 3, 2015
This volume opens after a party. Major party. Lots of smexy times happening.
Once they get up and get over being pissed about who they hooked up with they begin our story.
This one could be a tad confusing if it's been awhile, and it had for me, since you've read the first book. There are several characters I didn't really remember from the first volume so it took me a few minutes to get adjusted.
There is more backstory on the wonderful Rat Queens in this edition. Such as:
Vi's being used as a lower female by her father until she says fuck tradition!
Dee's secret from the past comes to light.
We even get some of Hannah's backstory.
You have to read it to figure out what! I can't tell you spoilers. DUH!
Then you have Sawyer needing rescuing. No damsel in distress in this series!
Plus you get to see some graphic novel peen!! Don't let the kiddies get this one when you stash it under your mattress.
Once they get up and get over being pissed about who they hooked up with they begin our story.
This one could be a tad confusing if it's been awhile, and it had for me, since you've read the first book. There are several characters I didn't really remember from the first volume so it took me a few minutes to get adjusted.
There is more backstory on the wonderful Rat Queens in this edition. Such as:
Vi's being used as a lower female by her father until she says fuck tradition!
Dee's secret from the past comes to light.
We even get some of Hannah's backstory.
You have to read it to figure out what! I can't tell you spoilers. DUH!
Then you have Sawyer needing rescuing. No damsel in distress in this series!
Plus you get to see some graphic novel peen!! Don't let the kiddies get this one when you stash it under your mattress.
June 5, 2020
I really appreciated that this volume gave me more backstory, which was my main criticism about volume 1.
But I didn't love this one quite as much as the first. I can’t point to what exactly I didn’t like—maybe Dee didn’t show up enough times for me?
I just found myself confused a lot of the time, but there were parts that I still liked. Particularly the family bonds. I really appreciated Violet’s story with her mother.
This review and more can be found on my blog.
May 22, 2020
My reaction after reading Rat Queens, vol 1:
My reaction after reading Rat Queens, vol. 2:
► I'm in mourning right now. I loved volume 1. LOVED it. I fangirled over it like a damn 15-year-old. The release date for volume 2 kept being pushed back and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. I waited anxiously. And waited. And waited. I waited all this time… for this?! Seriously?!
► What the hell happened?! ◄
Gone is the spark, gone is the humour, gone is the excitement. The story is flat, confusing, disjointed. The first part of this volume isn't that bad. But the second half? Ugh. The already dull plot is further weakened by constant, uninspired flashbacks. And a 1-second resolution. And a freaking cliffhanger.
► What the hell happened?! ◄
I used to LOVE these girls. They were snarky, they were crazy, they were fun, they were hilariously offensive, they were nothing short of amazing. Now they're just a bunch of uninteresting, clichéd characters with mushy personalities. And frankly, I don't give a damn about them anymore. If the Rat Queens from volume 1 saw the way they were portrayed here, I'm pretty sure they'd find it all pathetically ridiculous.
► What the hell happened?! ◄
The graphics. Damn. Roc Upchurch stopped illustrating the series after issue 8 and Stjepan Šejić took over. And it shows. A lot. And I don't like it. At all. Which is why I didn't even bother to include some of the art in this review.
►► In my review for volume 1 I said that the characters were so cool I didn't even care if there wasn't much of a plot. Well now the characters are everything but cool. And the plot is fairly non-existent. And totally lackluster. So what happens now? I'll tell you what's *not* going to happen: me reading volume 3. Unless I get the old Rat Queens back. Which seems highly unlikely at this point. Bloody hell, who would have thought?
· Volume 1: Sass & Sorcery ★★★★★
My reaction after reading Rat Queens, vol. 2:
► I'm in mourning right now. I loved volume 1. LOVED it. I fangirled over it like a damn 15-year-old. The release date for volume 2 kept being pushed back and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. I waited anxiously. And waited. And waited. I waited all this time… for this?! Seriously?!
► What the hell happened?! ◄
Gone is the spark, gone is the humour, gone is the excitement. The story is flat, confusing, disjointed. The first part of this volume isn't that bad. But the second half? Ugh. The already dull plot is further weakened by constant, uninspired flashbacks. And a 1-second resolution. And a freaking cliffhanger.
► What the hell happened?! ◄
I used to LOVE these girls. They were snarky, they were crazy, they were fun, they were hilariously offensive, they were nothing short of amazing. Now they're just a bunch of uninteresting, clichéd characters with mushy personalities. And frankly, I don't give a damn about them anymore. If the Rat Queens from volume 1 saw the way they were portrayed here, I'm pretty sure they'd find it all pathetically ridiculous.
► What the hell happened?! ◄
The graphics. Damn. Roc Upchurch stopped illustrating the series after issue 8 and Stjepan Šejić took over. And it shows. A lot. And I don't like it. At all. Which is why I didn't even bother to include some of the art in this review.
►► In my review for volume 1 I said that the characters were so cool I didn't even care if there wasn't much of a plot. Well now the characters are everything but cool. And the plot is fairly non-existent. And totally lackluster. So what happens now? I'll tell you what's *not* going to happen: me reading volume 3. Unless I get the old Rat Queens back. Which seems highly unlikely at this point. Bloody hell, who would have thought?
· Volume 1: Sass & Sorcery ★★★★★
June 1, 2015
I think it's fair to actually call this 4.5 Stars.
Oh, Rat Queens...what can I say about you?
Betty--It's like Calvin of Calvin and Hobbes fame has become a lady, aged but not grown, and transformed into a drug-crazed sexual omnivore. But a sweet one.
Hannah--Well, I know she likes well-endowed men. I also know she's pretty messed up and kind of a badass. And she's got some secrets (one of which is not her love for well-endowed men).
Violet--Am I the only one who thinks Violet's kinda hot (watch your back, Dave)? Maybe I just have a thing for formerly bearded ladies. Keep me away from the circus retirement home, I guess.
Dee--I just read a 5-issue arc in which Dee played a central role and we found out about her husband...why do I still feel like she's something of a tabula rasa? Maybe it's just that she's being crowded out by the bigger personalities around her. I'm still waiting for her to emerge as a stronger character.
This series is delightful good fun--fast-paced, funny, full of action, and surprisingly heartfelt at times. Looking forward to more.
Oh, Rat Queens...what can I say about you?
Betty--It's like Calvin of Calvin and Hobbes fame has become a lady, aged but not grown, and transformed into a drug-crazed sexual omnivore. But a sweet one.
Hannah--Well, I know she likes well-endowed men. I also know she's pretty messed up and kind of a badass. And she's got some secrets (one of which is not her love for well-endowed men).
Violet--Am I the only one who thinks Violet's kinda hot (watch your back, Dave)? Maybe I just have a thing for formerly bearded ladies. Keep me away from the circus retirement home, I guess.
Dee--I just read a 5-issue arc in which Dee played a central role and we found out about her husband...why do I still feel like she's something of a tabula rasa? Maybe it's just that she's being crowded out by the bigger personalities around her. I'm still waiting for her to emerge as a stronger character.
This series is delightful good fun--fast-paced, funny, full of action, and surprisingly heartfelt at times. Looking forward to more.
August 17, 2017
Direct continuation of Volume 1. I recommend to read Vol. 1 and Vol 2. in one go. The setting is at the same city and using the same recurring characters.
I cannot say much without spoiler. Let's say there are more inner struggles on volume 2 than previous volume. There are glimpses of backgrounds of these independent ladies and they blended to the plots nicely.
I cannot say much without spoiler. Let's say there are more inner struggles on volume 2 than previous volume. There are glimpses of backgrounds of these independent ladies and they blended to the plots nicely.
November 23, 2015
Bilford Bogin, it’s been a while since Rat Queens Volume 1!
The Queens are back and thank gods they haven’t changed. The book opens the morning after a heavy night out. They’ve got hangovers, some are embarrassed over who they hooked up with, and one of the statue’s in Palisade is missing its stone penis! Things are about to get more fun though as Lovecraftian monsters begin appearing in the sky as a damaged man attempts to wipe Palisade off the map - Rat Queens to the rescue!
I mention the length of time since the first volume because you might want to re-read it, or at least skim it, in order to get the most out of Volume 2. Remember Gerrig Lake from the first book? Me neither but he’s the Big Bad of this story. That’s the only failing of this book: it assumes the reader is a megafan who knows everything about the series and I’m definitely more of a casual fan.
A character called Bernadette plays a minor role at the start and I had to stop and pick up Volume 1 to remind myself who she was before going back to the book. This won’t be a problem to anyone reading these books back to back sometime in the future but for those of us reading them as they come out, there’s loooong stretches of time in between them so it’s tricky to keep everything straight.
But there is a sad reason for this delay. Roc Upchurch, the artist of the series, was arrested for domestic abuse in November 2014. Writer Kurtis Wiebe made the choice to fire Upchurch - the only one he could make really, given that RQ is a feminist comic and having a wifebeater onboard as principal artist is contradictory to that spirit, not to mention being repellant in itself - so the series went on hiatus for several months while Wiebe looked for a replacement: Stjepan Sejic, who took over from RQ #9.
Getting back to the book: the story is as fun as ever. Wiebe flawlessly switches from adult humour to fantastical action to straight drama from one scene to the next. Handily the Lovecraft monsters feed on displaced reality so the Queens have flashbacks, giving us more of their backgrounds.
The Violet issue was the best in the book. Tradition excluded her from taking part in tournaments despite being a better fighter than her brother while her dad insisted she model his armour for his leering customers. She takes a stand and changes her life in keeping with the tone and theme of progressive societal attitudes.
The female empowerment continues as Hannah’s on again/off again boyfriend Sawyer is kidnapped and she has to save him - the man is the damsel in distress for a change. Hannah’s origins are more truncated but we find out why she’s got that Amy Winehouse beehive do and (of course - she’s the daughter of necromancers) we see her teen goth phase in magic high school!
Credit where its due and Upchurch’s art is as wonderful as ever. Lola’s fight scene (had to look up who she was too!) is amazingly rendered and the characters’ facial expressions are still incredibly evocative - basically all of his pages and covers look awesome. Shame he turned out to be such a horrible person.
Sejic is no slouch either and though his art is different, the quality is no less brilliant. The Queens going up against Gerrig’s forces, Betty in action, Hannah, Tizzie and a whole mess of magic users throwing out colourful spells and that cool splash page of Vi and Dave snogging before battle - all of it is really, really good!
The story is a bit of a hodgepodge plot-wise jumping from one thing to another and Gerrig seems like a very one-dimensional baddie who you never really believe is going to accomplish his plans - he’s very obviously there for the Queens to defeat. Also the non-superfans are going to find this a little confusing regarding the characters because Wiebe takes it as read that you instantly remember who everyone is, and I also feel Lovecraftian monsters are so overplayed these days.
Otherwise, I’d say this is an excellent second volume in the series. Rat Queens continues to entertain whether you’re a fan of fantasy stories or not - the humour and delightful characters transcend the genre and makes the series unique and contemporary all at once, and the art is a real treat throughout. Here’s hoping Volume 3 doesn’t take over a year to materialise!
The Queens are back and thank gods they haven’t changed. The book opens the morning after a heavy night out. They’ve got hangovers, some are embarrassed over who they hooked up with, and one of the statue’s in Palisade is missing its stone penis! Things are about to get more fun though as Lovecraftian monsters begin appearing in the sky as a damaged man attempts to wipe Palisade off the map - Rat Queens to the rescue!
I mention the length of time since the first volume because you might want to re-read it, or at least skim it, in order to get the most out of Volume 2. Remember Gerrig Lake from the first book? Me neither but he’s the Big Bad of this story. That’s the only failing of this book: it assumes the reader is a megafan who knows everything about the series and I’m definitely more of a casual fan.
A character called Bernadette plays a minor role at the start and I had to stop and pick up Volume 1 to remind myself who she was before going back to the book. This won’t be a problem to anyone reading these books back to back sometime in the future but for those of us reading them as they come out, there’s loooong stretches of time in between them so it’s tricky to keep everything straight.
But there is a sad reason for this delay. Roc Upchurch, the artist of the series, was arrested for domestic abuse in November 2014. Writer Kurtis Wiebe made the choice to fire Upchurch - the only one he could make really, given that RQ is a feminist comic and having a wifebeater onboard as principal artist is contradictory to that spirit, not to mention being repellant in itself - so the series went on hiatus for several months while Wiebe looked for a replacement: Stjepan Sejic, who took over from RQ #9.
Getting back to the book: the story is as fun as ever. Wiebe flawlessly switches from adult humour to fantastical action to straight drama from one scene to the next. Handily the Lovecraft monsters feed on displaced reality so the Queens have flashbacks, giving us more of their backgrounds.
The Violet issue was the best in the book. Tradition excluded her from taking part in tournaments despite being a better fighter than her brother while her dad insisted she model his armour for his leering customers. She takes a stand and changes her life in keeping with the tone and theme of progressive societal attitudes.
The female empowerment continues as Hannah’s on again/off again boyfriend Sawyer is kidnapped and she has to save him - the man is the damsel in distress for a change. Hannah’s origins are more truncated but we find out why she’s got that Amy Winehouse beehive do and (of course - she’s the daughter of necromancers) we see her teen goth phase in magic high school!
Credit where its due and Upchurch’s art is as wonderful as ever. Lola’s fight scene (had to look up who she was too!) is amazingly rendered and the characters’ facial expressions are still incredibly evocative - basically all of his pages and covers look awesome. Shame he turned out to be such a horrible person.
Sejic is no slouch either and though his art is different, the quality is no less brilliant. The Queens going up against Gerrig’s forces, Betty in action, Hannah, Tizzie and a whole mess of magic users throwing out colourful spells and that cool splash page of Vi and Dave snogging before battle - all of it is really, really good!
The story is a bit of a hodgepodge plot-wise jumping from one thing to another and Gerrig seems like a very one-dimensional baddie who you never really believe is going to accomplish his plans - he’s very obviously there for the Queens to defeat. Also the non-superfans are going to find this a little confusing regarding the characters because Wiebe takes it as read that you instantly remember who everyone is, and I also feel Lovecraftian monsters are so overplayed these days.
Otherwise, I’d say this is an excellent second volume in the series. Rat Queens continues to entertain whether you’re a fan of fantasy stories or not - the humour and delightful characters transcend the genre and makes the series unique and contemporary all at once, and the art is a real treat throughout. Here’s hoping Volume 3 doesn’t take over a year to materialise!
August 29, 2015
Read my review of Rat Queens, Vol. 1: Sass & Sorcery if you want a run-down on the plot.
Long story short: four kickass females (a smidgen, a dwarf, an elf, and a Cthulu priestess) form an adventuring group. Crazy stuff happens.
It's SUPER-AWESOME.
And Orc Dave is in this! I have such a crush on him. And he kisses Violet in here! Full-page kissing! KISSING! With Orc Dave!!!! <3 *Carmen draws little hearts in her notebook*
READ IT. I mean, read Volume One first, but this series is amazing. Highest recommendation.
Not available in Spanish.
Long story short: four kickass females (a smidgen, a dwarf, an elf, and a Cthulu priestess) form an adventuring group. Crazy stuff happens.
It's SUPER-AWESOME.
And Orc Dave is in this! I have such a crush on him. And he kisses Violet in here! Full-page kissing! KISSING! With Orc Dave!!!! <3 *Carmen draws little hearts in her notebook*
READ IT. I mean, read Volume One first, but this series is amazing. Highest recommendation.
Not available in Spanish.
March 9, 2021
There's seriously nothing I don't love about this series. The characters, the sass, the storylines and the world... all of it! In volume 1 I fell in love with the characters, this time around we got an interesting development to the story along with the backstory of two of them. These girls are all so different and packed full of personality, set in a high fantasy world, but are still seriously REAL and teach me a thing or two about swearing. And I'm Welsh, believe me I'm not new.
How will I survive the wait until Volume 3?! *WAIL*
*Reread in 2021 to continue the series, HOW HAS IT BEEN 6 YEARS WHERE WAS I?!?!*
How will I survive the wait until Volume 3?! *WAIL*
*Reread in 2021 to continue the series, HOW HAS IT BEEN 6 YEARS WHERE WAS I?!?!*
March 2, 2023
Vol. 1: Sass & Sorcery ★★★★★
Bilford Bogin! It's with a heavy heart that I must inform you that Rat Queens, Vol. 2 did not live up to Vol. 1. The magical D&D vibe was missing. There wasn't nearly enough Betty for my liking. Two of the chapters felt so much like fillers, that they hardly had anything to do with the main story of this collection.
Overall, it was a good story, I just wasn't blown away like in Vol. 1: Sass & Sorcery. I will still auto buy Vol. 3: Demons when it comes out next month. And I still have to recommend this series to any fantasy lover, because it's really worth it, especially if you're just starting out with graphic-novels. Also, this installment was still focused on strong, diverse fighters and their even stronger friendships. That alone makes me able to look past the not as great art, and not as developed story, because I need much more girl-power in myreading life.
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Bilford Bogin! It's with a heavy heart that I must inform you that Rat Queens, Vol. 2 did not live up to Vol. 1. The magical D&D vibe was missing. There wasn't nearly enough Betty for my liking. Two of the chapters felt so much like fillers, that they hardly had anything to do with the main story of this collection.
Overall, it was a good story, I just wasn't blown away like in Vol. 1: Sass & Sorcery. I will still auto buy Vol. 3: Demons when it comes out next month. And I still have to recommend this series to any fantasy lover, because it's really worth it, especially if you're just starting out with graphic-novels. Also, this installment was still focused on strong, diverse fighters and their even stronger friendships. That alone makes me able to look past the not as great art, and not as developed story, because I need much more girl-power in my
Blog | Twitter | Tumblr | Instagram | Youtube | Twitch
June 17, 2015
Character History…. Character histories E’rywhere!
Rat Queens, Volume 2 jumps around between present day and history quite a bit.
When a ghost from Dee’s past shows up on our band of misfits front door this issue launches into the histories of how these ladies got to be the adventure seeking creatures they are today.
I have to admit that I am NOT the graphic novel girl, I’m not, so when I say that these histories seemingly came out of left field I mean it from a novel-reader’s point of view. I have NO IDEA how histories or flashbacks are normally integrated into a story of this style. I simply found it a bit disjointing jumping from mid-real time battle to the past off and on this whole volume.
(Now, I know that this is a part of every character’s creation – and I have SEVERAL written character histories for different roleplay characters I’ve enacted over the last couple of years, I am simply curious as to if it generally feels as out of nowhere as it does here?)
That being said, I LOVED the insight into these characters I’ve come to know and love! From the bearded days of our resident dwarf, Violet, to the challenges that our mixed breed Mage, Hannah, has come across over the years; I really did love getting to know these characters better! I just don’t really get WHY these stories fit into the overall story going on in this volume, as entertaining and moving as they were.
Of course the art is still GORGEOUS and the wit and sarcasm are still spot on! RAT QUEENS!!!
Rat Queens, Volume 2 jumps around between present day and history quite a bit.
When a ghost from Dee’s past shows up on our band of misfits front door this issue launches into the histories of how these ladies got to be the adventure seeking creatures they are today.
I have to admit that I am NOT the graphic novel girl, I’m not, so when I say that these histories seemingly came out of left field I mean it from a novel-reader’s point of view. I have NO IDEA how histories or flashbacks are normally integrated into a story of this style. I simply found it a bit disjointing jumping from mid-real time battle to the past off and on this whole volume.
(Now, I know that this is a part of every character’s creation – and I have SEVERAL written character histories for different roleplay characters I’ve enacted over the last couple of years, I am simply curious as to if it generally feels as out of nowhere as it does here?)
That being said, I LOVED the insight into these characters I’ve come to know and love! From the bearded days of our resident dwarf, Violet, to the challenges that our mixed breed Mage, Hannah, has come across over the years; I really did love getting to know these characters better! I just don’t really get WHY these stories fit into the overall story going on in this volume, as entertaining and moving as they were.
Of course the art is still GORGEOUS and the wit and sarcasm are still spot on! RAT QUEENS!!!
June 1, 2015
(Received from Netgalley for review.)
It's been a long time since the first volume of Rat Queens. That's for a good reason, which I won't really get into here. Long and short is that Wiebe elected to change artists, from Upchurch to Sejic, for a really really good reason. The result is, as far as art quality goes, kind of a lateral move. Upchurch is talented, and so is Sejic, and their styles aren't terribly different on this book. It also meant considerable delay in producing the individual issues. So if you haven't read any of this book since the first volume came out, brushing up may be in order.
See, the story here builds considerably on what happened in the previous volume. Not just the personalities of the main characters, but the supporting cast, small details, all kinds of things end up playing much larger parts here. Which is kind of satisfying, if you are up to date. I feel the need to re-read both volumes back to back, to see what I might have missed.
I liked that we got more background on the main characters. Violet's flashback was the best, as far as I'm concerned, but it was also quite interesting to see Hannah's. Of course, this wouldn't be Rat Queens if it were entirely serious, and this volume has the same sense of humor as the previous one.
Volume two of Rat Queens is every bit as good as the first, which was kind of a relief. It has great fantasy action, characters I really like, and enough humor to keep the narrative from getting bogged down in itself. Definitely looking forward to volume three even more now.
It's been a long time since the first volume of Rat Queens. That's for a good reason, which I won't really get into here. Long and short is that Wiebe elected to change artists, from Upchurch to Sejic, for a really really good reason. The result is, as far as art quality goes, kind of a lateral move. Upchurch is talented, and so is Sejic, and their styles aren't terribly different on this book. It also meant considerable delay in producing the individual issues. So if you haven't read any of this book since the first volume came out, brushing up may be in order.
See, the story here builds considerably on what happened in the previous volume. Not just the personalities of the main characters, but the supporting cast, small details, all kinds of things end up playing much larger parts here. Which is kind of satisfying, if you are up to date. I feel the need to re-read both volumes back to back, to see what I might have missed.
I liked that we got more background on the main characters. Violet's flashback was the best, as far as I'm concerned, but it was also quite interesting to see Hannah's. Of course, this wouldn't be Rat Queens if it were entirely serious, and this volume has the same sense of humor as the previous one.
Volume two of Rat Queens is every bit as good as the first, which was kind of a relief. It has great fantasy action, characters I really like, and enough humor to keep the narrative from getting bogged down in itself. Definitely looking forward to volume three even more now.
March 9, 2016
I want to marry these girls. The story is so,so,so good and I enjoyed every minute of it. Loved the action scenes and loved that we got to see more of Rat Queens' childhood. And it's amazing that we got to see a bit of Hannah's body insecurity. She's an awesome lady and she deserves to be fucking respected. Also...
LOOK AT MY BABIES! Asdfghjkl. Love these two!
September 17, 2015
So, as many of you probably know by now, the art of this series changed during the making of this volume due to the arrest of the old illustrator for domestic abuse.
And I think Wiebe (the writer and creator of the series) sums it up pretty well.
You and me both pal. I loved that art. LOVED it. And I am so angry and disappointed now.
So, we have a new illustrator and the art is leaner and grittier. You can check a panel by panel comparison here:
The plot and pacing are also different, we get a lot more character development mostly with flashbacks to past situations. We get to see Violet with a beard, which was AWESOME, but I have to admit that some of the flashbacks were a bit... sudden, and disrupted the pacing of the story.
I also read the Braga side story (reviewing in a bit) and I HOPE they keep Šejić as an illustrator. I do NOT like Tess Fowler. :(
And I think Wiebe (the writer and creator of the series) sums it up pretty well.
"This is a difficult and upsetting statement to write. I couldn't have imagined something I love so dearly would become connected to domestic violence…"
You and me both pal. I loved that art. LOVED it. And I am so angry and disappointed now.
So, we have a new illustrator and the art is leaner and grittier. You can check a panel by panel comparison here:
The plot and pacing are also different, we get a lot more character development mostly with flashbacks to past situations. We get to see Violet with a beard, which was AWESOME, but I have to admit that some of the flashbacks were a bit... sudden, and disrupted the pacing of the story.
I also read the Braga side story (reviewing in a bit) and I HOPE they keep Šejić as an illustrator. I do NOT like Tess Fowler. :(
June 16, 2016
Not as funny as the first volume but still super entertaining. I actually think I liked it better than the first.
And hey, Gary helped.
Random, but - trypophobia alert!
Pictures like that^ make the back of my head itch and I feel super uncomfortable looking at it. Some sort of uncanny valley type of thing. The Weavess is extra upsetting because she has bugs crawling in and out of the holes.
Now I'm thinking about eyeholes and Eyehole Man.
"Get on up out of here, with my eyeholes."
Sorry, my reviews have been extra off-topic and ramble-y lately.
...
Yay! Rat Queens!
And hey, Gary helped.
Random, but - trypophobia alert!
Pictures like that^ make the back of my head itch and I feel super uncomfortable looking at it. Some sort of uncanny valley type of thing. The Weavess is extra upsetting because she has bugs crawling in and out of the holes.
Now I'm thinking about eyeholes and Eyehole Man.
"Get on up out of here, with my eyeholes."
Sorry, my reviews have been extra off-topic and ramble-y lately.
...
Yay! Rat Queens!
July 14, 2015
Loved it. Still, I found some transitional between panels/pages confusing but overall, I fucking loved this. I liked how we learned more about the queens and this storyline was pretty good.
December 10, 2015
Revenge is coming in a supernatural sort of way.
The Far Reaching Tentacles of N'Rygoth just wasn't a hit for me. The nudity was increased and believe it or not seeing a nude penis drawing wasn't on my list of things to do today. The comedy wasn't quite there either although there were a few moments.
In the end I just wasn't feeling this volume as much as the first one.
This is definitely for anyone looking for a lewd and bloody time.
The Far Reaching Tentacles of N'Rygoth just wasn't a hit for me. The nudity was increased and believe it or not seeing a nude penis drawing wasn't on my list of things to do today. The comedy wasn't quite there either although there were a few moments.
In the end I just wasn't feeling this volume as much as the first one.
This is definitely for anyone looking for a lewd and bloody time.
August 31, 2019
Better than the first volume, there's actually some story here. I enjoyed the backstories, although the main story needed to be fleshed out more.
Read
June 25, 2015What is Rat Queens? Rat Queens is a gender-swapped Lord of the Rings, if Tolkien had dropped f-bombs instead of elven poetry. Rat Queens is coming home after a night of partying with your girlfriends and playing Dungeons & Dragons. Rat Queens is a NSFW Discworld novel.
The series follows the adventures of a band of mercenaries: Hannah is a rockabilly elven mage, Violet is a hipster dwarf, Dee is an atheist cleric from a cult that worships a Cthulu-like god, and Betty is a hippie Smidgen thief.
This trade paperback, which includes issues 6-10 of the comic, follows Dee’s story as she struggles with her faith. And by “struggles,” I mean “battles,” because her family’s god, N’Rygoth, comes to visit.
I have been waiting for this book since I finished the first Rat Queens trade paperback, Sass and Sorcery, months ago. Volume Two was everything I hoped it would be: laugh-out-loud funny, diverse, visually beautiful, and always surprising. If you love fantasy and like seeing genres subverted, check this series out. — A.J. O’Connell
from The Best Books We Read In May: http://bookriot.com/2015/06/02/riot-r...
The series follows the adventures of a band of mercenaries: Hannah is a rockabilly elven mage, Violet is a hipster dwarf, Dee is an atheist cleric from a cult that worships a Cthulu-like god, and Betty is a hippie Smidgen thief.
This trade paperback, which includes issues 6-10 of the comic, follows Dee’s story as she struggles with her faith. And by “struggles,” I mean “battles,” because her family’s god, N’Rygoth, comes to visit.
I have been waiting for this book since I finished the first Rat Queens trade paperback, Sass and Sorcery, months ago. Volume Two was everything I hoped it would be: laugh-out-loud funny, diverse, visually beautiful, and always surprising. If you love fantasy and like seeing genres subverted, check this series out. — A.J. O’Connell
from The Best Books We Read In May: http://bookriot.com/2015/06/02/riot-r...
July 26, 2015
*4.5 actual rating*
This ladies are so much fun - I liked getting more backstories and learning more about them. I didn't love this one quite as much as the first though! Can't wait for more volumes :)
This ladies are so much fun - I liked getting more backstories and learning more about them. I didn't love this one quite as much as the first though! Can't wait for more volumes :)
August 17, 2016
Disappointed by this installment. The art changed halfway through and the plot was confusing.
October 19, 2023
This book was just a bit too hip for me. The storyline didn't interest me and most of the dialogue and character development seems ham-fisted to me. The issue where the dwarf girl cuts off her beard because "fuck tradition" (also boob sweat) was especially rough. I just think that the plot and story was slave to Wiebe's (well intentioned) social commentary.
The art switch was pretty rough as well. (Yeah, I know the other guy beat up his wife so was fired, but that doesn't make me accept the shit replacement any better). I'm reasonably confident that the new guy will get better as he gets into it.
I was also wondering, since its a creator owned series wouldn't the first artist have rights to his character designs? I guess either he's still getting a cut or it was agreed to begin with that the series belongs to Wiebe.
The art switch was pretty rough as well. (Yeah, I know the other guy beat up his wife so was fired, but that doesn't make me accept the shit replacement any better). I'm reasonably confident that the new guy will get better as he gets into it.
I was also wondering, since its a creator owned series wouldn't the first artist have rights to his character designs? I guess either he's still getting a cut or it was agreed to begin with that the series belongs to Wiebe.
January 27, 2016
4.5!
I am so in love with this series. I liked seeing more character development in this volume but the first volume just grabbed me more!
I am so in love with this series. I liked seeing more character development in this volume but the first volume just grabbed me more!
January 9, 2017
3.5 stars
May 10, 2015
4.5 bloody stars
Don't you know your mythology, girl? Rats are the harbingers of impeding destruction.
And the adventure continue with Hannah, Dee, Vi and Betty, not your average heroines in a fantasy world on crack. They are multicultural, multi-sized and multi-shaped, and talk without reservations nor filter. (i.e. sweard, fight, drink, and had sex).
They are cliche, and make fun of that. And in a bizarre way that works.
We have some sneak-peaks in the past of Vi, Hannah, and some information about Vi. And of course the action never end.
**SPOILERS**
But I'm a sucker for cute couples; and I'm talking of Sawyer, and awww Vi/OrcDave.
Anyway, these mercs stand their ground.
Minus issues:
-Some sudden cut/change in pace, that let me think that I lost some pages or something.
(I think I found something a bit weird with Hannah,and then I learn that they switched the artist.)
Note: I read this in my pc, and if I found pdf reader annoying, well, electronic adobe is a pain in the ass.
*Courtesy of Netgalley. Thank you*
Don't you know your mythology, girl? Rats are the harbingers of impeding destruction.
And the adventure continue with Hannah, Dee, Vi and Betty, not your average heroines in a fantasy world on crack. They are multicultural, multi-sized and multi-shaped, and talk without reservations nor filter. (i.e. sweard, fight, drink, and had sex).
They are cliche, and make fun of that. And in a bizarre way that works.
We have some sneak-peaks in the past of Vi, Hannah, and some information about Vi. And of course the action never end.
**SPOILERS**
But I'm a sucker for cute couples; and I'm talking of Sawyer, and awww Vi/OrcDave.
Anyway, these mercs stand their ground.
Minus issues:
-Some sudden cut/change in pace, that let me think that I lost some pages or something.
(I think I found something a bit weird with Hannah,and then I learn that they switched the artist.)
Note: I read this in my pc, and if I found pdf reader annoying, well, electronic adobe is a pain in the ass.
*Courtesy of Netgalley. Thank you*
May 6, 2016
Reviews for Rat Queens 1-3 & Outcast Vol. 1 here on my blog- http://angelerin.blogspot.com/2016/05...
Hannah, Hannah, Hannah...oh how I love her sarcasm and sass! I am so glad that after I finished the first volume I immediately went out and bought volumes 2&3.
#BackToTheBookstore
We got to see more of Dee and her backstory in this one. Which made me happy since Dee is my second favorite character! There was also more backstory for Hannah and Violet as well. I hope we get more backstory for Betty soon. I just love all of the characters. They are each so full of personality and humor. There were so many parts that had me laughing out loud for real in this volume as well. This series has such a great blend of fantasy and comedy.
#GreatCharacters
So the comic book store clerk was telling my husband and I that this series has had a lot of artist changes. I don't recall all of the details, but you can definitely tell there have been changes. The first volume had better artwork. Unfortunately it is what it is and at least the story in this one was just as good as the first.
#ArtistChanges
Overall the second volume of Rat Queens was just as good as the first. You may have to hang in there as far as the artwork goes. Hopefully it will get settled and then at least be consistent with one artist. The series is worth it though.
#HangInThere
Hannah, Hannah, Hannah...oh how I love her sarcasm and sass! I am so glad that after I finished the first volume I immediately went out and bought volumes 2&3.
#BackToTheBookstore
We got to see more of Dee and her backstory in this one. Which made me happy since Dee is my second favorite character! There was also more backstory for Hannah and Violet as well. I hope we get more backstory for Betty soon. I just love all of the characters. They are each so full of personality and humor. There were so many parts that had me laughing out loud for real in this volume as well. This series has such a great blend of fantasy and comedy.
#GreatCharacters
So the comic book store clerk was telling my husband and I that this series has had a lot of artist changes. I don't recall all of the details, but you can definitely tell there have been changes. The first volume had better artwork. Unfortunately it is what it is and at least the story in this one was just as good as the first.
#ArtistChanges
Overall the second volume of Rat Queens was just as good as the first. You may have to hang in there as far as the artwork goes. Hopefully it will get settled and then at least be consistent with one artist. The series is worth it though.
#HangInThere
February 1, 2016
This is the best review of this volume I read, by Sam Quixote: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Volume two is almost as good as volume one. Wild, clearly definable characters that you care about. Non stop violent action by the badass rat queens, with fun dialogue, lots of sex and almost non-stop drinking. A (very) bloody party, this!
I think this is meant more for wild women readers than men, which is always a nice thing for me to find in comics, of course (so I can show my wife and women students, and hey, I have a daughter who I hope will have plenty to read, but really, everyone would like to read this! I did!).
So it's fun, a little raunchy, women-centric. As to gratuitous nudity, here's a switch, there's none of women and some of men! Penis jokes! A statue with a missing penis, and so on.
I can't tell you much about the action, truthfully, as it is one thing after another of rat queens killing baddies, so the plot isn't the feature, it's the action, but it is a romp to read, finally. I liked it quite a bit. Maybe 3.5, rounded up, and I will read on.
Volume two is almost as good as volume one. Wild, clearly definable characters that you care about. Non stop violent action by the badass rat queens, with fun dialogue, lots of sex and almost non-stop drinking. A (very) bloody party, this!
I think this is meant more for wild women readers than men, which is always a nice thing for me to find in comics, of course (so I can show my wife and women students, and hey, I have a daughter who I hope will have plenty to read, but really, everyone would like to read this! I did!).
So it's fun, a little raunchy, women-centric. As to gratuitous nudity, here's a switch, there's none of women and some of men! Penis jokes! A statue with a missing penis, and so on.
I can't tell you much about the action, truthfully, as it is one thing after another of rat queens killing baddies, so the plot isn't the feature, it's the action, but it is a romp to read, finally. I liked it quite a bit. Maybe 3.5, rounded up, and I will read on.
September 12, 2015
Story
Maybe not quite as good as the first volume, but awfully close! Everyone should read Rat Queens. This is especially true for any D&D/RPG players out there.
The story is excellent, the humor is hilarious, the action is fun and the characters are memorable. This is true not only of the Rat Queens themselves, but also the supporting cast. Betty continues to be my favorite though. She always makes me smile.
I think the highlight of this volume is insights into the backstory of 3 of the Queens. There is some really great character development in the form of flashbacks.
Overall this is a ton of fun, and I can't wait for the next volume!
Artwork
It's been a bit since I read volume 1, but the artwork isn't quite as good here. Either way, it's still pretty good, just noticeable that the artist changed.
Given my understanding of the issues with the previous artist, I can totally understand the change though. I'm sure it won't take long for me to get used to the slight changes in style as this series goes on.
Maybe not quite as good as the first volume, but awfully close! Everyone should read Rat Queens. This is especially true for any D&D/RPG players out there.
The story is excellent, the humor is hilarious, the action is fun and the characters are memorable. This is true not only of the Rat Queens themselves, but also the supporting cast. Betty continues to be my favorite though. She always makes me smile.
I think the highlight of this volume is insights into the backstory of 3 of the Queens. There is some really great character development in the form of flashbacks.
Overall this is a ton of fun, and I can't wait for the next volume!
Artwork
It's been a bit since I read volume 1, but the artwork isn't quite as good here. Either way, it's still pretty good, just noticeable that the artist changed.
Given my understanding of the issues with the previous artist, I can totally understand the change though. I'm sure it won't take long for me to get used to the slight changes in style as this series goes on.
April 4, 2018
SO GOOD! There was a long gap between me reading volume 1 and 2 but I still got what was going on. I LOVE the characters and it was excellent seeing some more of their backstories. The fights are so cool and the story was just so much fun. I love the humour and just everything about this. 10/10!
May 17, 2015
Sky tentacles! Blood-splattering sword fights! Sex! Happiness! And, flapjacks!
What's not to love?
You get all THIS, plus backstory on some of the ladies and Betty eating dead mushroom people!
Not as good as the first go-round, but tons of female fightin' fun, nonetheless.
AND - 3, count 'em, 3 pictures of Sawyer's penis - YOWZA!
What's not to love?
You get all THIS, plus backstory on some of the ladies and Betty eating dead mushroom people!
Not as good as the first go-round, but tons of female fightin' fun, nonetheless.
AND - 3, count 'em, 3 pictures of Sawyer's penis - YOWZA!
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