Kurtis Wiebe & Roc Upchurch “Rat Queens Vol
1: Sass & Sorcery” (Image, 2014)
I’ve had a hard time writing some thoughts about this
book. Every time I sit down & start
to write, I decide that I really need to reread the book! Thinking about it makes me want to put myself
back in that world!
Not that I *really* want to be in the world of the Rat
Queens. The story takes place in &
around the town of Palisade. Palisade is
the small town on the edge of adventure.
Sure there are shopkeepers, bar maids, and other normal townfolk. But it’s also the place where parties of
adventurers hang out. They get missions
there, and drink and brawl when they’re not questing. If you’ve ever played D&D (or
practically any similar RPG) you KNOW this town.
The Rat Queens are just one of several bands of adventurers
in Palisade. There’s Hannah the Elven
mage, Violet the Dwarven warrior (she shaved her beard before it was cool), Dee
the human cleric (she’s running away from a family of Lovecraftian cultists),
and Betty the Smidgen thief (who loves her psychedelics).
The various bands of adventurers have pissed off too many
people in Palisade with their drunken brawling and antics. If they don’t complete a few low level quests,
then they will not be welcome in the city any longer. Of course these quests lead to a larger story….
Kurtis Wiebe jumps into the RPG sandbox and immediately
starts playing with all the toys.
Everything is both simultaneously exactly what it is and yet totally not
the normal version of that at all. It’s
a madhouse created by drunken teenage D&D players. And it is so much fun!
Roc Upchurch’s art is an excellent fit. His work here reminds me in some ways of the
old Elfquest books. There’s an
underlying cuteness to this world that acts as a counterpoint to the crazy
violence and foul language. Upchurch
handles all of this well while still creating easily distinctive characters.
In short, The Rat Queens are awesome! If you have an interest in fantasy, D&D,
or just crazy comics they are well worth your time.
