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Rat Queens (Collected Volumes) #7
Rat Queens, Vol. 7: The Once and Future King
A vengeful presence from the past forces the Rat Queens to face their own demons in order to save everything they've ever loved! Can the Queens hold their own legacy together when faced with their greatest challenge yet? A whole new era for the Rat Queens begins here, chronicled by a brand new creative team!
136 pages, Paperback
First published February 18, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
July 15, 2020
A welcome and very fun return to form for the Queens after the last volume, which left me furrowing my brow so hard said furrows were visible from the moon (though only on exceedingly clear nights, to be fair). And, stellar artwork by Priscilla Petraites.
More of this, please and thank you.
More of this, please and thank you.
July 13, 2020
That's it; I'm done with this series.
There's a moment early on where Betty asks 'Remember when this was fun?' I really can't.
Maybe I misinterpreted the first few volumes, with its rollicking action and over-the-top characters. Because ever since, this series has gone more up its own rear, fascinated with itself to the exclusion of its own audience. This book starts off with a decent reminder of what it used to be, as the gang has some adventures with unicorns and a slog chimp, but the main story manages to throw all that away as it uses every trope in a non-ironic manner (there is literally an intervention, a 12-step sponsor, a pointless quest to restore the team's 'soul', the return of a ridiculous character in overpowered form, and more) and does its level best to make every character the antithesis of who they started out as. Then it briefly gives them a moment of light before further sinking into the darkness. While there are a few moments of levity and action, the series had burned all of my goodwill. The art is good but that doesn't make up for a story that just gets less and less enjoyable.
There's a moment early on where Betty asks 'Remember when this was fun?' I really can't.
Maybe I misinterpreted the first few volumes, with its rollicking action and over-the-top characters. Because ever since, this series has gone more up its own rear, fascinated with itself to the exclusion of its own audience. This book starts off with a decent reminder of what it used to be, as the gang has some adventures with unicorns and a slog chimp, but the main story manages to throw all that away as it uses every trope in a non-ironic manner (there is literally an intervention, a 12-step sponsor, a pointless quest to restore the team's 'soul', the return of a ridiculous character in overpowered form, and more) and does its level best to make every character the antithesis of who they started out as. Then it briefly gives them a moment of light before further sinking into the darkness. While there are a few moments of levity and action, the series had burned all of my goodwill. The art is good but that doesn't make up for a story that just gets less and less enjoyable.
February 20, 2020
Still a pick, but I have to admit that the twisted timeline and some of the storyline shifts are still pulling me out of the pure fun of the originals.... here’s hoping that the next volume will start to pull the 2 timelines between the original and this world back together.
April 9, 2021
The original writer sort of drove the Rat Queens franchise into the ground, but a new writer and artist take up the banner and try to carry on . . . with little success and even less humor. Lifeless and dull, it is not helped by offering up an intervention and the major return of a very minor character.
February 19, 2020
Gary, now somehow a powerful warrior-king with an army, conquers Palisade and rules as a petty tyrant. Scrawny perpetual-fuck-up Gary from volume one. Who has a grudge against the admittedly abusive Rat Queens. That Gary.
The new creative team does a reasonably good job emulating series creator Kurtis Wiebe, but that’s not always a good thing. The Queens’ entertaining sass and brass is preserved, but The Once and Future King also embraces the incoherent plot thrombosis that derailed Wiebe’s initially terrific run as writer. I’d forgive much if Ferrier were simply tying up loose ends but nope, the worst plot threads continue to dangle unnecessarily.
Plot points:
The new creative team does a reasonably good job emulating series creator Kurtis Wiebe, but that’s not always a good thing. The Queens’ entertaining sass and brass is preserved, but The Once and Future King also embraces the incoherent plot thrombosis that derailed Wiebe’s initially terrific run as writer. I’d forgive much if Ferrier were simply tying up loose ends but nope, the worst plot threads continue to dangle unnecessarily.
Plot points:
November 16, 2020
The steam has well and truly run out of this series.
Not sure whether it's the artwork, the all-over-the-place-plot or the complete character departures but the new team has just lost the magic of the original Rat Queens for me. Vol 1 & 2 (1 in particular) will always be great comics with refreshing characters in my mind, but the series has been steadily losing its way for me. Won't be continuing on with future volumes.
Not sure whether it's the artwork, the all-over-the-place-plot or the complete character departures but the new team has just lost the magic of the original Rat Queens for me. Vol 1 & 2 (1 in particular) will always be great comics with refreshing characters in my mind, but the series has been steadily losing its way for me. Won't be continuing on with future volumes.
May 16, 2020
3.75 stars
February 10, 2020
actual rating: 3.5
Not quite as good as the previous volume but still miles better than the few before that. Definitely reminds me of the earlier issues in terms of tone and action and also brings back a couple old characters. Hopefully this series continues on this track in the future because when Rat Queens is good it's really good. I am sad about Violet not really being present though, even if the new Queens are great.
Not quite as good as the previous volume but still miles better than the few before that. Definitely reminds me of the earlier issues in terms of tone and action and also brings back a couple old characters. Hopefully this series continues on this track in the future because when Rat Queens is good it's really good. I am sad about Violet not really being present though, even if the new Queens are great.
August 8, 2022
3.5ish entertaining stars
Definitely enjoyed this more than the last one. The first chapter was the best though with the unicorns and chimp thing. The intervention for Betty was odd with the whole other self conscience thing.
The first couple volumes are still the best of the series and I am unsure overall about the change in writers but I'll still continue with the series as it's different and generally fun
Definitely enjoyed this more than the last one. The first chapter was the best though with the unicorns and chimp thing. The intervention for Betty was odd with the whole other self conscience thing.
The first couple volumes are still the best of the series and I am unsure overall about the change in writers but I'll still continue with the series as it's different and generally fun
January 2, 2021
4.5 maybe?
August 24, 2021
There are certainly aspects I enjoy about the series, but you can never tell what is going to be addressed in a volume and what kind of pacing and art it will have.
September 16, 2020
Real rating 3.5
New creative team, and it shows as it feels like actors on opening night still feeling out their roles. The characterization is pretty solid, and the art is fantastic, but the book was a bit...I don't know.
The first issue felt very much like the classic over-the-top fantasy+mockery-of-every-fantasy-cliche-ever that was the foundation of the first volume or two of the series, but every issue thereafter is a thoroughly linear story about Gary (loser Gary from vol. 1) returning as a king and invader. No explanation for how he got there, but he's sure enough pissed at the Rat Kings. To me it felt like a device to introduce a far more serious high fantasy/epic fantasy style plot via Dee's actions in the book vis-a-vis her status as a living god following previous volumes.
It's hard--really, really, really hard to pull off that kind of story while constantly winking at the audience and mocking your genre, because the bar for suspension of disbelief is so high. Thus for the Queens to be in their usual satiric humorous character, and for Gary--is a total loser even as he's winning--to be the villain just clashes with the deeper darker/higher story that the team seems to be laying the groundwork for. Now, I LOVE that kind of story, and would love for them to find the balance, and I'm intrigued by the plot promises laid down here, so I'm hopeful...but this volume also makes me nervous.
New creative team, and it shows as it feels like actors on opening night still feeling out their roles. The characterization is pretty solid, and the art is fantastic, but the book was a bit...I don't know.
The first issue felt very much like the classic over-the-top fantasy+mockery-of-every-fantasy-cliche-ever that was the foundation of the first volume or two of the series, but every issue thereafter is a thoroughly linear story about Gary (loser Gary from vol. 1) returning as a king and invader. No explanation for how he got there, but he's sure enough pissed at the Rat Kings. To me it felt like a device to introduce a far more serious high fantasy/epic fantasy style plot via Dee's actions in the book vis-a-vis her status as a living god following previous volumes.
It's hard--really, really, really hard to pull off that kind of story while constantly winking at the audience and mocking your genre, because the bar for suspension of disbelief is so high. Thus for the Queens to be in their usual satiric humorous character, and for Gary--is a total loser even as he's winning--to be the villain just clashes with the deeper darker/higher story that the team seems to be laying the groundwork for. Now, I LOVE that kind of story, and would love for them to find the balance, and I'm intrigued by the plot promises laid down here, so I'm hopeful...but this volume also makes me nervous.
June 29, 2020
At the end of my review of the previous volume,
The Infernal Path
, I wrote that I did not think I would have bothered about this volume, if I had not brought it home from the library together with the preceding one. To be honest, I am not sure that in and of itself would have been enough, but seeing as this volume sees a change in the creative team (letterer Ryan Ferrier taking over the writing duties from Wiebe, and Priscilla Petraites taking over the art duties from Gieni), I decided to at least check it out.
And the verdict?
Well, I have to confess that I was not sold on Petraites art, although I did find myself mellowing towards it over time (and potentially could come to appreciate it). Bits of the writing, however, I find downright grating, and the same goes for the plotting. Do not get me wrong; there are enjoyable moments in here, and I actually liked the very least bit at the end. I am unsure whether that is enough for me to actually bother about any future volumes though. For much of this volume, I kept feeling that I am done with this series now.
And the verdict?
Well, I have to confess that I was not sold on Petraites art, although I did find myself mellowing towards it over time (and potentially could come to appreciate it). Bits of the writing, however, I find downright grating, and the same goes for the plotting. Do not get me wrong; there are enjoyable moments in here, and I actually liked the very least bit at the end. I am unsure whether that is enough for me to actually bother about any future volumes though. For much of this volume, I kept feeling that I am done with this series now.
March 14, 2020
Honestly I think I'm done reading this series. The story doesn't really make linear sense anymore. The plot is just repeating itself over and over again. And I hate to say it, but the artwork in this volume in particular was not great. :/
April 23, 2020
More like a 2.5 because this was all over the place.
April 25, 2020
3.5* defs heading back into the right direction. Just another day in the world of the rat queens
September 9, 2020
The new team have done a great job with this new story ark, great plot, gorgeous artwork. Happy to see the Queens back on track.
June 16, 2022
Hm, I was a little less impressed by this one. While I appreciate the humor (unusual for me) I think it sometimes goes a little too far. The ableist language spewed by Hannah, relatively unchecked other than a few other characters being 'shocked' by her rants, to insult others started to get a little old for me. It's unnecessary. There are far more creative ways to insult people, especially in a fantasy setting, without resorting to ableism and body-shaming.
I did like the sub-plot concerning Betty and her sobriety, and there were moments of surprising tenderness with how that was handled, but overall I wasn't enamored with this volume. That said, I'll definitely finish the series to call it complete. I really hope the final volume is awesome!
I did like the sub-plot concerning Betty and her sobriety, and there were moments of surprising tenderness with how that was handled, but overall I wasn't enamored with this volume. That said, I'll definitely finish the series to call it complete. I really hope the final volume is awesome!
May 12, 2020
Ah, the star-crossed Rat Queens series -- a strong group of characters in an intriguing setting, consistently undercut by near-constant changes in the creative team, weird plot cul-de-sacs, and oddly truncated storylines.
With writer/creator Kurtis Wiebe gone, the creative group for this collection is entirely new. And the results are...middling. With Violet, my favorite of the Queens, completely sidelined, this version of the team has a different dynamic. The adventures are entertaining enough while they're going on, but I'm not sure they motivate me enough to keep reading further -- and I've read every single issue ever published. We'll see.
With writer/creator Kurtis Wiebe gone, the creative group for this collection is entirely new. And the results are...middling. With Violet, my favorite of the Queens, completely sidelined, this version of the team has a different dynamic. The adventures are entertaining enough while they're going on, but I'm not sure they motivate me enough to keep reading further -- and I've read every single issue ever published. We'll see.
December 13, 2020
This was the best Rat Queens that I have read in a while. It reconnects with what the Queens are truly about-- dysfunctional families and friendships, daring, mercenary adventures that take turns into high weirdness. The first story involves ex-party pals, the Slog Chimp and unicorns. It will be sung by the bards for a thousand years, and the Slog Chimp will make its way into the annals of legend. The second story begins with the Queens attempting an intervention for Betty, and Betty's recovery and Madeline's struggle for a more respected place among the Rat Queens make that story really stand out. There is even a sort of Marvel movie style Easter egg at the end.
April 22, 2020
I really liked this volume! I’m definitely feeling like this series is headed in the right direction, and I’m hoping it stays that way. It’s been up and down, but this volume was a good example of “up” for sure.
I enjoyed the “Swamp Romp Special,” and the main storyline was engaging and well-done. Watching Maddie develop as a character was awesome too. I also thought the artwork was great in this volume; that aspect has also been hit or miss over the lifetime of the series.
Overall, I think the new creative team is doing a great job so far, and I look forward to the next chapter of the story!
I enjoyed the “Swamp Romp Special,” and the main storyline was engaging and well-done. Watching Maddie develop as a character was awesome too. I also thought the artwork was great in this volume; that aspect has also been hit or miss over the lifetime of the series.
Overall, I think the new creative team is doing a great job so far, and I look forward to the next chapter of the story!
June 23, 2022
A pleasant surprise: this volume is a huge improvement compared to the previous 3. It was actually a fun read.
Ranking the Rat Queens volumes from very good to very bad (artwork & story) IMHO:
- Volume 1 - Sass & Sorcery
- Volume 2 - The Far Reaching Tentacles of N'rygoth
- Volume 3 - Demons
- Volume 7 - The Once and Future King
- Volume 4 - High Fantasies
- Volume 5 - The Colossal Magic Nothing
- Volume 6 - The Infernal Path
Ranking the Rat Queens volumes from very good to very bad (artwork & story) IMHO:
- Volume 1 - Sass & Sorcery
- Volume 2 - The Far Reaching Tentacles of N'rygoth
- Volume 3 - Demons
- Volume 7 - The Once and Future King
- Volume 4 - High Fantasies
- Volume 5 - The Colossal Magic Nothing
- Volume 6 - The Infernal Path
August 7, 2023
So much fun - I love being back in this world and with the Queens! I love how this subverts usual tropes, with unicorns being evil, etc!
The timelines were confusing, but still a good time.
TW for violence, animal death, blood, gore, viscera, drinking, alcohol abuse/attempted sobriety, pregnancy, war, death of people, beheadings, stabbing, swearing including use of the 'c' word, nudity.
The timelines were confusing, but still a good time.
TW for violence, animal death, blood, gore, viscera, drinking, alcohol abuse/attempted sobriety, pregnancy, war, death of people, beheadings, stabbing, swearing including use of the 'c' word, nudity.
January 18, 2022
The Rat Queens are back with a new creative team behind it! I genuinely liked this one. It felt like a bit of a comeback of the original first volume. The art is fantastic and the story is compelling enough. I'm looking forward to what the new creative team has in store for the series :D
March 28, 2024
(4 of 5 for getting kind of whole and new-ish nice story arc)
This volume follows the timeline and stories from the previous one but starts right off with a new story arc. And it manages to close it within the boog quite nicely. It's again more serious, thrilling and action-packed, but it was quite enjoyable. It moved and still carried on one previous storyline (I wish would finally close in the last volume). And I wondered how the change and obviously - Ferrier stepped in for Wiebe. I wish that happened sooner. Maybe even right after the very first volume.
This volume follows the timeline and stories from the previous one but starts right off with a new story arc. And it manages to close it within the boog quite nicely. It's again more serious, thrilling and action-packed, but it was quite enjoyable. It moved and still carried on one previous storyline (I wish would finally close in the last volume). And I wondered how the change and obviously - Ferrier stepped in for Wiebe. I wish that happened sooner. Maybe even right after the very first volume.
May 28, 2024
Fajny był ten komiks. Kreska mi się spodobała, znowu była jakaś taka dynamiczna i przyciągająca oko. Trochę się pośmiałem. Może czasami zdarzały się dziwne przeskoki w akcji i nie ogarniałem, ale rozrywka całkiem w porządku. Przede mną ostatani tom i żeganm się z Królowymi.
August 16, 2021
This is a pretty decent series most of the time. I enjoy the art, and I do like that we are getting more into the characters now. It's gotten better as it's gone along as well.
August 26, 2021
Gary is a jerk. Some major power shifts and interesting new characters.
October 22, 2021
While it still felt a little disjointed, it was much easier to follow than some of the previous ones.
March 11, 2022
This volume reminded me why i loved volume 1-2 so much before things got confusing and weird in volumes 3 - 6.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews