What do you think?
Rate this book
The Sandman Presents #32
God Save the Queen
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN is a new hardcover that reunites acclaimed writer Mike Carey (CROSSING MIDNIGHT, LUCIFER) with renowned fantasy painter John Bolton (FABLES: 1001 NIGHTS OF SNOWFALL, THE SANDMAN PRESENTS: THE FURIES). Bolton's lush palette perfectly captures both the lurid underbelly of modern London and the haunting elegance of Faerie in a dark, compelling tale of decadence and desire that echoes the epic scope of BOOKS OF MAGIC and THE SANDMAN.
Set in both North London and the Faerie kingdom, GOD SAVE THE QUEEN tells the story of a rebellious teenager who falls in with a group of slacker faeries. She discovers that for faeries, the ultimate rush is Red Horse, a drug made from heroin and human blood. It's a dangerous high, and when she gets hooked she's drawn into a civil war that becomes a struggle to the death between Queen Titania and her predecessor, Queen Mab.
Don't miss this imaginitave, thought-provoking collaboration from two acclaimed creators!
Set in both North London and the Faerie kingdom, GOD SAVE THE QUEEN tells the story of a rebellious teenager who falls in with a group of slacker faeries. She discovers that for faeries, the ultimate rush is Red Horse, a drug made from heroin and human blood. It's a dangerous high, and when she gets hooked she's drawn into a civil war that becomes a struggle to the death between Queen Titania and her predecessor, Queen Mab.
Don't miss this imaginitave, thought-provoking collaboration from two acclaimed creators!
96 pages, Hardcover
First published April 18, 2007
2 people are currently reading
283 people want to read
About the author
Mike Carey
1,261 books2,968 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Mike Carey was born in Liverpool in 1959. He worked as a teacher for fifteen years, before starting to write comics. When he started to receive regular commissions from DC Comics, he gave up the day job.
Since then, he has worked for both DC and Marvel Comics, writing storylines for some of the world's most iconic characters, including X-MEN, FANTASTIC FOUR, LUCIFER and HELLBLAZER. His original screenplay FROST FLOWERS is currently being filmed. Mike has also adapted Neil Gaiman's acclaimed NEVERWHERE into comics.
Somehow, Mike finds time amongst all of this to live with his wife and children in North London. You can read his blog at www.mikecarey.net.
Mike Carey was born in Liverpool in 1959. He worked as a teacher for fifteen years, before starting to write comics. When he started to receive regular commissions from DC Comics, he gave up the day job.
Since then, he has worked for both DC and Marvel Comics, writing storylines for some of the world's most iconic characters, including X-MEN, FANTASTIC FOUR, LUCIFER and HELLBLAZER. His original screenplay FROST FLOWERS is currently being filmed. Mike has also adapted Neil Gaiman's acclaimed NEVERWHERE into comics.
Somehow, Mike finds time amongst all of this to live with his wife and children in North London. You can read his blog at www.mikecarey.net.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
September 16, 2012
Very much enjoyed it. Nice storytelling from Carey, and an interesting take on faerie.
I didn't like it as much as I dug Lucifer, but it's still a five star book in my opinion. Not everything Carey writes can be as good as Lucifer. That would be like complaining that every comic Gaiman's done isn't as good as Sandman.
Only Sandman is as good as Sandman. Them's the breaks, kid. Rub some dirt on it and get back into the game.
Normally I'm pretty indifferent to the art of comics. I'm mostly in it for the story. But Bolton's style absolutely complimented this story. It wouldn't have been as good with another artist.
I didn't like it as much as I dug Lucifer, but it's still a five star book in my opinion. Not everything Carey writes can be as good as Lucifer. That would be like complaining that every comic Gaiman's done isn't as good as Sandman.
Only Sandman is as good as Sandman. Them's the breaks, kid. Rub some dirt on it and get back into the game.
Normally I'm pretty indifferent to the art of comics. I'm mostly in it for the story. But Bolton's style absolutely complimented this story. It wouldn't have been as good with another artist.
January 11, 2018
God Save the Queen is a curious romp through time proven fairytale characters and the archetypes that have sustained them for millennia with a definite post-modern twist. Much like the ferocity of the Sex Pistol's eponymous song (which is delightfully referenced within) the narrative charges with the speed deserving of a medieval Destrier (even though they are conspicuously/curiously absent from this fairy tale). This energy laden tempo continues with little respite until the very end.
What starts as (presumably enough) a standard fairy tale intro (good queen, bad witch, yadda, yadda, yadda) shortly thereafter swiftly dissolves into a frame story. Surprisingly enough, the (pseudo-)frame reasserts itself not as a corral for the story but rather a concurrent stream running beside the modern one. And thus a tale set in our modern era takes off and then flows down the third eye happily along the Other's actions running underneath.
As above so Below.
The (seemingly, at first) illusory world ever so forcefully trickles forth into the foreground as our main character decides to shoot up Heroin (really!) with her newfound friends. Further (hard) drug use is followed by a spate of vignettes of a less then pleasant home/school-life replete with a derelict dad, juvenile delinquency, and more fun stuff like that. Meanwhile, peeks and snippets of going-ons in the other-world pop up occasionally to remind us whats going on elsewhere.
Needless to say the junkies their newfound friend (our (no-so?) beloved protagonist) find themselves in a bind. A sudden dearth of (magic) powder leaves them high and dry causing them to search elsewhere for this fix. So of course they go to Magic World! Where else?!
Spooky characters and imagery (though none of it is particularly memorable however) materialize and shoo the junkies away leaving our protagonist to fend for her self (flesh wound included). Following help for a mystical figure more magic-laden figures show up and the already swift story gets kicked into high gear.
From there I cant really divulge too much without giving away the story (not-to-mention lotsa [sic] plotholes). Revelations are spoken. Truth are revealed. Magic battles between good and evil happen. Typical fairy-tale palbum, yadda, yadda, yadda.
THE END
And they all lived happily ever after...
Well, not necessarily quite but definitely some analysis is in order.
- The thing that struck out to me the most, surprisingly enough, was the lack of a male main character. It's almost exclusively (actually it totally is upon a cursory re-read) driven by strong female leads. So if that's your cup of tea, drink on!
- The art style swerves between photo-realism, dense water colors, and numerous (argueably masturbatory) full page spreads (replete with tons signatures by the artists! No lack of self-aggrandizement here, that's for sure!) Some might dig it. And some might not. Irregardless, I think your personal preferences for are style(s) will play a huge role in your star ratings for this book.
- The story, while enjoyable, is choppy, annoyingly vague and just dumb at points. While not as dumb as another book I absolutely despised,or its even worse sequel the sheer lack of logical progression might be off putting to some. I know its fairy-tale stuff, and magic (and religion for that matter) have their own logicks in place but, its no excuse for, "just 'cause."
So if a strong female lead who shoots up heroin to fight against the battles in fairytaleland get you tingly, give it a whorl! And if you're not, well, don't read it. Duh.
Kinda thumb up.
What starts as (presumably enough) a standard fairy tale intro (good queen, bad witch, yadda, yadda, yadda) shortly thereafter swiftly dissolves into a frame story. Surprisingly enough, the (pseudo-)frame reasserts itself not as a corral for the story but rather a concurrent stream running beside the modern one. And thus a tale set in our modern era takes off and then flows down the third eye happily along the Other's actions running underneath.
As above so Below.
The (seemingly, at first) illusory world ever so forcefully trickles forth into the foreground as our main character decides to shoot up Heroin (really!) with her newfound friends. Further (hard) drug use is followed by a spate of vignettes of a less then pleasant home/school-life replete with a derelict dad, juvenile delinquency, and more fun stuff like that. Meanwhile, peeks and snippets of going-ons in the other-world pop up occasionally to remind us whats going on elsewhere.
Needless to say the junkies their newfound friend (our (no-so?) beloved protagonist) find themselves in a bind. A sudden dearth of (magic) powder leaves them high and dry causing them to search elsewhere for this fix. So of course they go to Magic World! Where else?!
Spooky characters and imagery (though none of it is particularly memorable however) materialize and shoo the junkies away leaving our protagonist to fend for her self (flesh wound included). Following help for a mystical figure more magic-laden figures show up and the already swift story gets kicked into high gear.
From there I cant really divulge too much without giving away the story (not-to-mention lotsa [sic] plotholes). Revelations are spoken. Truth are revealed. Magic battles between good and evil happen. Typical fairy-tale palbum, yadda, yadda, yadda.
THE END
And they all lived happily ever after...
Well, not necessarily quite but definitely some analysis is in order.
- The thing that struck out to me the most, surprisingly enough, was the lack of a male main character. It's almost exclusively (actually it totally is upon a cursory re-read) driven by strong female leads. So if that's your cup of tea, drink on!
- The art style swerves between photo-realism, dense water colors, and numerous (argueably masturbatory) full page spreads (replete with tons signatures by the artists! No lack of self-aggrandizement here, that's for sure!) Some might dig it. And some might not. Irregardless, I think your personal preferences for are style(s) will play a huge role in your star ratings for this book.
- The story, while enjoyable, is choppy, annoyingly vague and just dumb at points. While not as dumb as another book I absolutely despised,or its even worse sequel the sheer lack of logical progression might be off putting to some. I know its fairy-tale stuff, and magic (and religion for that matter) have their own logicks in place but, its no excuse for, "just 'cause."
So if a strong female lead who shoots up heroin to fight against the battles in fairytaleland get you tingly, give it a whorl! And if you're not, well, don't read it. Duh.
Kinda thumb up.
October 3, 2022
Really wonderful painted artwork by John Bolton, which is the reason I checked it out - so hard to be disappointed.
I'm not usually one for tales of fairies... but I have to say this was alright! It reminded me a bit of the movie Requiem for a Dream with the depiction of drug-use. Here a group of teenage faeries start using Heroin mixed with human blood.
I'm not usually one for tales of fairies... but I have to say this was alright! It reminded me a bit of the movie Requiem for a Dream with the depiction of drug-use. Here a group of teenage faeries start using Heroin mixed with human blood.
June 29, 2018
Mike Carey at his best. and John Bolton as always is unforgettable!
December 28, 2016
This review originally appeared on my blog, Books Without Any Pictures:
http://bookswithoutanypictures.com/20...
I stumbled upon God Save the Queen at my local Friends of the Library book sale, and it looked so intriguing that I had to give it a shot. It's a graphic novel written by Mike Carey and illustrated by John Bolton.
God Save the Queen alternates between our own world and the kingdom of the fae. In the fae kingdom, Queen Titania has been overthrown (but not killed) by the deranged Queen Mab. Mab is frightening and 100% evil. She's also extremely powerful, so resistance is futile.
In modern day London, a rebellious teenager named Linda is going through a rough patch. She lives with her mother, and her dad walked out on them. Linda becomes part of the punk scene, and eventually falls in with a group of "teens" who are shooting up heroin. Except they aren't just any teens, and it's not just any heroin. Mixing heroin with Linda's blood just so happens to be a unique high for the fae, and they'll do anything they can to get their next fix. When their supply runs out, Linda goes with them to the fae realm, where she finds herself caught up in the fae civil war.
This was an interesting little gem for several reasons.
It's a standalone. Yay!
The art has a psychedelic influence, and is lovely.
Sensitive treatment of drug addiction. We can empathize with Linda and see how she got into the mess that she does. We can see the very real negative impact that drugs have on her life, but it isn't just a "drugs are bad" kind of story. There's nuance and understanding, and Linda's experiences with heroin are treated as a complex situation.
The fae are dark and scary and wonderful.
Fantastic storytelling.
Did I mention angry fae?
I'm so glad that I came across God Save the Queen, and recommend it without hesitation.
http://bookswithoutanypictures.com/20...
I stumbled upon God Save the Queen at my local Friends of the Library book sale, and it looked so intriguing that I had to give it a shot. It's a graphic novel written by Mike Carey and illustrated by John Bolton.
God Save the Queen alternates between our own world and the kingdom of the fae. In the fae kingdom, Queen Titania has been overthrown (but not killed) by the deranged Queen Mab. Mab is frightening and 100% evil. She's also extremely powerful, so resistance is futile.
In modern day London, a rebellious teenager named Linda is going through a rough patch. She lives with her mother, and her dad walked out on them. Linda becomes part of the punk scene, and eventually falls in with a group of "teens" who are shooting up heroin. Except they aren't just any teens, and it's not just any heroin. Mixing heroin with Linda's blood just so happens to be a unique high for the fae, and they'll do anything they can to get their next fix. When their supply runs out, Linda goes with them to the fae realm, where she finds herself caught up in the fae civil war.
This was an interesting little gem for several reasons.
It's a standalone. Yay!
The art has a psychedelic influence, and is lovely.
Sensitive treatment of drug addiction. We can empathize with Linda and see how she got into the mess that she does. We can see the very real negative impact that drugs have on her life, but it isn't just a "drugs are bad" kind of story. There's nuance and understanding, and Linda's experiences with heroin are treated as a complex situation.
The fae are dark and scary and wonderful.
Fantastic storytelling.
Did I mention angry fae?
I'm so glad that I came across God Save the Queen, and recommend it without hesitation.
January 6, 2019
3.5 . The art is a 5 but it seemed like it needed a few more pages to help the story along . It was choppy towards the middle . The main character was unlikable for 3 quarters of the book and just marginally likeable at the end . It was entertaining though and worth a look .
November 11, 2014
It took me a while to get use to the surreal nature of the artwork, but I suppose any adventuring into the realm of the Faerie kingdom (drug-induced or otherwise) ought to be somewhat surreal. I definitely enjoyed the story. Two thumbs up. :)
October 13, 2016
"Slacker faeries" like to do drugs, "Red Horse" is heroin mixed with human blood. Faeries also like to fight...but you don't want to be in the middle of their war. Very original GN written by Mike Carey (Lucifer) and drawn by John Bolton (The Books of Magic).
May 16, 2016
Gorgeous art in this graphic novel! A somewhat gritty fairy tale involving a fairy despot, heroin, and modern day London. Recommend -- especially for the visuals.
March 3, 2016
First off, major props to John Bolton's art - this book is definitely his style, with both stylized elements and realistic sections, and some absolutely gorgeous full page images. This is all the more impressive considering almost the entirety of the book takes place in a grey, dreary modern-day London. Bolton manages to make it pop, even when it shouldn't.
Now, the story. I shouldn't have liked this - unpleasant people, raves, lots of drug use, and a world focusing on the mundane within the amazing. But the story works; I genuinely felt the growth and changing of Linda through the story, and the impact of the characters around her on her life, and vice versa. The use of Faerie in the story works well as background, but it is definitely Linda's story. And I do think there was a cameo from another Vertigo series at one point.
It's a hard book to describe, and even harder to define why it worked for me, but it really did. It's dark and beautiful, unpleasant and moving, expected and unpredictable. It's a very different creation, and definitely worth revisiting.
Now, the story. I shouldn't have liked this - unpleasant people, raves, lots of drug use, and a world focusing on the mundane within the amazing. But the story works; I genuinely felt the growth and changing of Linda through the story, and the impact of the characters around her on her life, and vice versa. The use of Faerie in the story works well as background, but it is definitely Linda's story. And I do think there was a cameo from another Vertigo series at one point.
It's a hard book to describe, and even harder to define why it worked for me, but it really did. It's dark and beautiful, unpleasant and moving, expected and unpredictable. It's a very different creation, and definitely worth revisiting.
August 16, 2012
Beautiful art that looks like paintings and an interesting new story combine to make this short graphic novel a pleasure to read. Sandman fans may recognise a few minor unnamed characters such as Nuala, Lucien, and, I am pretty sure, Daniel, but knowledge of the Sandman comics in not essential as this is about an unrelated character.
God Save the Queen is abou Linda. Her father left recently and her mother is drinking. She is going to clubs and finding more dangerous ways to forget. When she meets a group of people who invite her to shoot up her blood mixed with heroin, which they call 'red horse', she discovers the ultimate high. Little does she know what it may cost her, or that these people are not from our world.
A fresh and enjoyable urban fantsy graphic novel that combines modern issues like drug use and strained familial relationships with legends of faerie. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys urban fantasy and the art of graphic novels.
God Save the Queen is abou Linda. Her father left recently and her mother is drinking. She is going to clubs and finding more dangerous ways to forget. When she meets a group of people who invite her to shoot up her blood mixed with heroin, which they call 'red horse', she discovers the ultimate high. Little does she know what it may cost her, or that these people are not from our world.
A fresh and enjoyable urban fantsy graphic novel that combines modern issues like drug use and strained familial relationships with legends of faerie. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys urban fantasy and the art of graphic novels.
November 23, 2008
Queen Mab and Queen Titania are at war - and it gets Ugly. Linda is the girl who thinks she's normal and gets swept up in the fairy war - but only when the death toll hits close to home. All the usual cast - Titania, Mab, Puck, Oberon, the love struck mortal - are here, but any story with such a high volume of needles, drugs, weapons and unprotected sex is going to be dark.
Mab is truly wicked in the things she does - she really buys into the "take no prisoners" philosophy, but the blow she lashes against Titania is very clever. She knows exactly what Titania holds most dear - and takes it away.
The drawings are done in photorealism style - with a twist. The style works perfectly for the dream sequences and supernatural aspects, but makes the story as a whole slightly had to follow in its frantic pace and music video-esque surrealsim.
The spoon is a nice touch.
Mab is truly wicked in the things she does - she really buys into the "take no prisoners" philosophy, but the blow she lashes against Titania is very clever. She knows exactly what Titania holds most dear - and takes it away.
The drawings are done in photorealism style - with a twist. The style works perfectly for the dream sequences and supernatural aspects, but makes the story as a whole slightly had to follow in its frantic pace and music video-esque surrealsim.
The spoon is a nice touch.
March 5, 2008
Wow! This is a book that took me by surprise because I couldn't recall what it was about when it came into the library. I soon discovered that it's a dark tale about teens who use heroin laced with the blood of a changeling, half faerie/half human, in order to get high.
The main character and her best friend enter into this depressing scenario and strange things begin to happen. Apparently Queen Mab has ousted Titania from Faerie and it's this struggle between good and evil that drives the story.
The artwork is unusual and eye-catching with some of the illustrations appearing to be almost computer generated while others are more like paintings.
My description is not doing justice to the arresting artwork so all I can advise is to take a look at it yourself.
The main character and her best friend enter into this depressing scenario and strange things begin to happen. Apparently Queen Mab has ousted Titania from Faerie and it's this struggle between good and evil that drives the story.
The artwork is unusual and eye-catching with some of the illustrations appearing to be almost computer generated while others are more like paintings.
My description is not doing justice to the arresting artwork so all I can advise is to take a look at it yourself.
May 2, 2016
This is a hard cover graphic novella involving the DC Vertigo version of Faerie and its denizens, including a dethroned Titania. Written by Mike Carey (whose Lucifer spin-off from Gaiman's Sandman is something of a must-read) and beautifully painted by John Bolton, this story oscillates between North London and Faerie, mixing urban youth with ancient myth in a very appealing manner, and quite clearly builds upon the Faerie mythology as presented in The Sandman and The Books of Magic in particular.
Fans of this vein of Vertigo stories would do well to check this out, as would people interested in urban fantasy in general. And it should be said that Carey's writing and Bolton's paintings work very well together.
Fans of this vein of Vertigo stories would do well to check this out, as would people interested in urban fantasy in general. And it should be said that Carey's writing and Bolton's paintings work very well together.
August 12, 2018
John Bolton, ladies and gentlemen: I will read anything this man draws or paints. I'm missing his work of late.
Mike Carey and artist Bolton deliver a fine collision of fairie and flea-bitten London. My only qualm, preventing me from marking this a five-star review, is the dramatic portrayal of heroin use, here combined with blood into "red horse." It works dramatically, but, yuck.
Also: the cover to this hardcover edition, an original graphic novel from Vertigo, is graphically cobbled together from Bolton's painting, the introduction of the villain, Queen Mab, rather than an original image. Two points off for chintz.
Still, recommended, with these caveats. Not for children.
Mike Carey and artist Bolton deliver a fine collision of fairie and flea-bitten London. My only qualm, preventing me from marking this a five-star review, is the dramatic portrayal of heroin use, here combined with blood into "red horse." It works dramatically, but, yuck.
Also: the cover to this hardcover edition, an original graphic novel from Vertigo, is graphically cobbled together from Bolton's painting, the introduction of the villain, Queen Mab, rather than an original image. Two points off for chintz.
Still, recommended, with these caveats. Not for children.
December 23, 2016
Surprisingly entertaining, considering the writer. (I'm not a fan because of what he did to Gaiman's Lucifer. And no, I've not read the long series bearing his name. The limited series was enough of a turn off.) Main protagonist is a bit of a turn off but her surroundings and revelations make up for it. Can't help but think that a few more pages could have helped the book. The art is amazing, though. Nothing to complain there.
July 19, 2007
A troubled young girl starts her night by telling her best friend that they will say yes to everything as she drags him to her favorite club. So begins a dark descent into drugs, mysterious bad boys, and...a war between the fairies?
Queen Mab vs. Titania in a drag-down fight. Old world vs. new. I think you'll like it.
Queen Mab vs. Titania in a drag-down fight. Old world vs. new. I think you'll like it.
October 2, 2016
I was impressed by this. The narrative was engaging and deep on many levels. The art work was original, being a conglomerate of photography and paint. It worked. God Save the Queen was a superb example of a modern graphic novel.
September 27, 2009
gorgeous artwork by john bolton and an intriguing story about a civil war in the faerie kingdom. a teenage rebel discovers that her mother is not the boring alcoholic she had originally thought and finds herself pulled into a dark world of faeries, drugs and subterfuge.
September 9, 2013
first off I love the use of straight up paintings for a comic, I think it looks really interesting and engaging. I found this delve into clubbing, drugs, and fairy lore to be pretty compelling. I generally dislike disaffected teen stories, but it serves this story really well.
June 28, 2014
Found this in a bulk bookshop- blown away - merges elements of SHakespearean faerie lore with a modern teen coming of age tale- illustrations magnificent... Puck and queen mab are terrifying- loved.
December 11, 2014
I found this graphic novel at the comic book store and had to buy it because I love stories about the fey. I didn't know anything about it or the authors so I didn't know if it was going to be any good. It turned out to be a great graphic novel. It has great artwork and a great story.
February 16, 2017
3.5 stars for the story itself (which was definitely enjoyable, but not all that unique, really), rounded up to four because the art is GORGEOUS.
June 28, 2015
Loved it. Great story and stunning art.
May 20, 2021
I surprisingly liked this stand alone. Picked it up randomly at a comic book store because I thought the artwork was interesting and unique. Didn't expect much from the story but the storytelling and dialogue were well done, and I liked the protagonist. She reminded me of myself when I was a teen; always wanting the next best most extreme adventure. It's a fun easy read for an afternoon in the park.
August 13, 2014
God Saves The Queen is a high concept story about fairy heroin, a mythic revolution and the 70s punk scene (well, it's supposed to be about the modern punk scene-but really, the author didn't have time for any research). Unfortunately, its concept falls flat on its face. This is partly due to Carey's writing, and partly due to Bolton's illustrations.
Let's get this out of the way- Bolton's illustrations are gorgeous. They're like paintings, really-but they have no movement. This doesn't lie solely in Bolton's hands, of course, as he wasn't given much room to make them move (even the climatic battle scene hardly starts). I felt that if Bolton could have added a little more movement, it would've made the entire book better, though there could have been a better distinction between Fairy and... the real world?
The lettering certainly doesn't help things. I hate any font I have to strain to read, which includes literally every handwriting font ever. Seriously, who writes in those things? I would've preferred Comic Sans for her diary.
As for the story? It just... didn't click. There were so many individual elements I should've loved (seriously, heroin with half-human half-fairy blood in? That's so out there it's in a league of its own), but when packed together into a 92-page comic didn't feel deep enough. I wanted to know more about... horse, or whatever the drug was called. I wanted to know more about the previous revolution. I wanted to know more about the inhabitants of Fairy. I'm sure some sort of author could have balanced these elements, but Carey isn't that author (which is strange, as I thought the first Tommy Taylor volume- I haven't got onto the rest-was pretty great). Also, I was fairly sure it was supposed to be about punk at first, but it kind of discarded that element pretty quickly, and left us with an outdated relic of a title.
I don't know what made God Saves The Queen fall so flat to me while others loved it. Maybe it was the characters, or the art, or even the lettering. All I know is that it just never fully clicked.
Rating: one star out of six
Also found here
Let's get this out of the way- Bolton's illustrations are gorgeous. They're like paintings, really-but they have no movement. This doesn't lie solely in Bolton's hands, of course, as he wasn't given much room to make them move (even the climatic battle scene hardly starts). I felt that if Bolton could have added a little more movement, it would've made the entire book better, though there could have been a better distinction between Fairy and... the real world?
The lettering certainly doesn't help things. I hate any font I have to strain to read, which includes literally every handwriting font ever. Seriously, who writes in those things? I would've preferred Comic Sans for her diary.
As for the story? It just... didn't click. There were so many individual elements I should've loved (seriously, heroin with half-human half-fairy blood in? That's so out there it's in a league of its own), but when packed together into a 92-page comic didn't feel deep enough. I wanted to know more about... horse, or whatever the drug was called. I wanted to know more about the previous revolution. I wanted to know more about the inhabitants of Fairy. I'm sure some sort of author could have balanced these elements, but Carey isn't that author (which is strange, as I thought the first Tommy Taylor volume- I haven't got onto the rest-was pretty great). Also, I was fairly sure it was supposed to be about punk at first, but it kind of discarded that element pretty quickly, and left us with an outdated relic of a title.
I don't know what made God Saves The Queen fall so flat to me while others loved it. Maybe it was the characters, or the art, or even the lettering. All I know is that it just never fully clicked.
Rating: one star out of six
Also found here
November 9, 2013
I was all set to love this book. It has everything in it on paper that I should love. It's got urban fantasy, a war in fairy, and weird mortal-fae drugs. The art looked gorgeous so out of all the comics I got at the library that day, I read this book first.
Maybe my expectations were too high or I'm just too picky about fae books. I enjoyed the contrast between Titania and Mab, particularly interesting given that a lot of people are content to make them separate but equal. The art is beautiful and the colors were rich, creating that fantasy feel. I went looking for inspiration for a novel and game and while I didn't find as much of that as I wanted, I do think it's an interesting twist rahter than just saying "Mab is Unseelie, Titania is Seelie" (though I do enjoy that as well!). I especially think this could be a great book for storytellers for games like Changeling: the Lost. You get a feel for just how crazy the True Fae can be and how that crazy interacts with the real world.
Doing a one-shot comic is a hard act to balance. On the one hand, you want to have enough time to develop characters and make plot happen, but you've only got one book and unless you want to make it longer like "Blankets" or "Habibi" your space is pretty limited. Sometimes it feels really satisfying to finish a one-shot. You know you aren't going to get stuck on a cliffhanger or plot that could drag on indefinitely. At the same time, which I feel God Save the Queen rand into, you may not always get the satisfying build up and character development. God Save the Queen almost feels like it ends too quickly. I felt like I wanted more, particularly around the main character's origins. This may be because I've played too many Fae based role playing games but it felt like her origin should have been more (though I found the Red Horse plot interesting, it was a bit hard to follow as well, but your milage may vary).
Maybe my expectations were too high or I'm just too picky about fae books. I enjoyed the contrast between Titania and Mab, particularly interesting given that a lot of people are content to make them separate but equal. The art is beautiful and the colors were rich, creating that fantasy feel. I went looking for inspiration for a novel and game and while I didn't find as much of that as I wanted, I do think it's an interesting twist rahter than just saying "Mab is Unseelie, Titania is Seelie" (though I do enjoy that as well!). I especially think this could be a great book for storytellers for games like Changeling: the Lost. You get a feel for just how crazy the True Fae can be and how that crazy interacts with the real world.
Doing a one-shot comic is a hard act to balance. On the one hand, you want to have enough time to develop characters and make plot happen, but you've only got one book and unless you want to make it longer like "Blankets" or "Habibi" your space is pretty limited. Sometimes it feels really satisfying to finish a one-shot. You know you aren't going to get stuck on a cliffhanger or plot that could drag on indefinitely. At the same time, which I feel God Save the Queen rand into, you may not always get the satisfying build up and character development. God Save the Queen almost feels like it ends too quickly. I felt like I wanted more, particularly around the main character's origins. This may be because I've played too many Fae based role playing games but it felt like her origin should have been more (though I found the Red Horse plot interesting, it was a bit hard to follow as well, but your milage may vary).
September 24, 2018
Faerie Queen Titania is attacked and dethroned by her archrival, Mab. The new Queen steals everything from Titania, including her husband, leaving her weak, defenseless and vulnerable. Titania can only turn to one person, a former companion currently exiled to live in the human world. The offspring of said companion is a rebellious teenager, Linda who promises to serve the former Queen only once and soon finds herself caught up in a civil war that could cost her her life.
My top three thoughts on ‘God Save the Queen’:
1. The story is entertaining enough but the lovely illustrations are the real appeal in this graphic novel. The full page illustrations and the surreal art are really something else. ‘God Save the Queen’ has so much in it despite being such a slim book - A faerie war, mortal-fae drug trips, relatable situations from the contemporary world, urban fantasy with the right dose of realism, and of course, the striking art.
2. I felt the story ended too quickly and there could have been more time spent on the actual war scenes as well the origin story of both Linda and her mother. There was a huge build up to the grand faceoff but it was wrapped up in a blink.
3. I really do wish there was less about objectifying Linda. Her hair, clothes, stance - everything was designed to make her desirable; almost forcibly so.
My top three thoughts on ‘God Save the Queen’:
1. The story is entertaining enough but the lovely illustrations are the real appeal in this graphic novel. The full page illustrations and the surreal art are really something else. ‘God Save the Queen’ has so much in it despite being such a slim book - A faerie war, mortal-fae drug trips, relatable situations from the contemporary world, urban fantasy with the right dose of realism, and of course, the striking art.
2. I felt the story ended too quickly and there could have been more time spent on the actual war scenes as well the origin story of both Linda and her mother. There was a huge build up to the grand faceoff but it was wrapped up in a blink.
3. I really do wish there was less about objectifying Linda. Her hair, clothes, stance - everything was designed to make her desirable; almost forcibly so.
December 25, 2020
I will be honest. John Bolton, I merely tolerate in comics. His work is too static and seems weird whenever there is supposed to be movement. The Furies has been the worst to date, but this one comes in as a close second.
However, this is also one of Carey's worst comics. The protagonist is unlikable, selfish trash and falls into the role of a "chosen" simply by virtue of her birth. Also the solution she literally stumbles into is a level of Mary Sue that almost physically hurts.
That pretty much ruined the comic for me, although there are two redeeming qualities: (a) what the Red Horse that the Fae are shooting up ACTUALLY is and (b) Ava, the protagonist's mother, who turns into a major badass during the last dozen pages.
In general, though, you should really skip this one.
However, this is also one of Carey's worst comics. The protagonist is unlikable, selfish trash and falls into the role of a "chosen" simply by virtue of her birth. Also the solution she literally stumbles into is a level of Mary Sue that almost physically hurts.
That pretty much ruined the comic for me, although there are two redeeming qualities: (a) what the Red Horse that the Fae are shooting up ACTUALLY is and (b) Ava, the protagonist's mother, who turns into a major badass during the last dozen pages.
In general, though, you should really skip this one.
July 26, 2010
The idea for the story was pretty fun but the spoiled cooler-than-though protagonist filled me with such rage I had trouble getting through it.
I am never a fan of manipulated photos for artwork (except maybe comedy). Some of the panels were layered with enough "paint' to disguise this fact and be pretty, but most looked to be nothing more than stiff actors clipped onto new backgrounds.
I am never a fan of manipulated photos for artwork (except maybe comedy). Some of the panels were layered with enough "paint' to disguise this fact and be pretty, but most looked to be nothing more than stiff actors clipped onto new backgrounds.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews