Time for a Confrontation in Rat Queens #19
If you’ve been reading Rat Queens as of late, then you know there have been many changes going on. And it all seems to have led us to this point in Rat Queens #19. This was a dramatic issue, bringing about more change and addressing what already occurred.
Last we saw, the Rat Queens were on a quest to free Palisade of a new sort of evil. You see, a total jerk has overrun the city, one who has made his vendetta against the Rat Queens his top priority.
And that’s where this issue begins, with our girls ready to take their town back. Or so they’re hoping, at any rate. But you know this crew; nothing seems to go quite as planned. The real question is, how bad is it going to get before they manage to resolve it?
Writing
Ryan Ferrier has not been afraid to make some extreme changes for our Rat Queens. And while our heroines may be struggling with those changes, I’ve got to admit that it’s made for an interesting few plot arcs. And this whole plot has been building up to this moment.
Rat Queens #18 built up our girls, making them feel more confident and ready for this fight. It gave them back much of what they’d felt they’d been missing. That might have resulted in fans thinking this whole issue would be one glorious boot-stomping issue.
And to be fair, there was quite a lot of that, especially in the sass and monologue department. But there was a lot more to this issue. The tension in this issue was palpable, with a few heartbreaking or concerning moments that forced us to realize that our Rat Queens still have a long way to go on their journey.
Rat Queens #19 was a poignant reminder that the Rat Queens can always surprise the readers. It was intense, shocking, and emotional. And it’s only just begun. The end of this issue will leave readers eager to get their hands on the next one.
Art
Rat Queens #19 is an issue with a lot to look at. There’s some truly outstanding violence and gore, as well as some emotionally dynamic moments. In short, there’s a whole lot to write about regarding this issue’s visual elements.
Priscilla Petraites was the artist behind the lines and inks for this issue, so she should get the credit for how badass our heroines looked. And for how scrawny the enemy looked. His design was intended to starkly contrast our leading characters and was an effective choice.
Meanwhile, Marco Lesko’s colors were simply to die for. He brought out so many amazing elements in Petraites’ work. The color palette for Rat Queens has always been lovely, but Lesko brought it to new levels in this issue.
And finally, Ferrier didn’t just write this issue; he also did the lettering. And you can tell he had a little fun with the sound effects, but it worked perfectly with what was happening.
Conclusion
Rat Queens #19 is perhaps the series’ most emotional and shocking issue. Name an emotion, and there’s a good chance this issue will compel you to feel that way at some point. It does make me wonder what we can expect from the next issue!
This review was originally written for Word of the Nerd, but has been ported over to Quirky Cat’s Fat Stacks now that the site has shut down.
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