Rat Queens: These Women are Not to be Trifled With
I wanted to read Rat Queens because it seemed to tick a few boxes that made it seem like something I would enjoy: Women you don’t want to mess with (bonus for seeming like all the principles are women) Irreverent humor Fantasy Tropes Looked like it might be quest-y like Magic Knight Rayearth, RPGWorld, or Slayers Well, it certainly encompassed nearly all of those. There are a lot of fantasy tropes hit: dwarves, elves, magic, skimpy female outfits - but there’s one key trope that it does not touch upon: a band of heroes (or anti-heroes) thrown together who have to learn about each other and how to get along. When Rat Queens starts the women already know each other. In fact, we quickly learn they are one of five adventuring groups operating out of the city of Palisade. The world of Rat Queens is one in which cities pay these adventuring groups to go out and protect the city or go on other quests. In fact, as a huge fan of the traditional jRPG, it’s very easy to see Palisade as the quest giver and then we get to follow the women around while they work through the quest before they return to Palisade to get another. As of the time at which I am writing this up, issue #6 has been released and the women have been on two quests and saved the city from attack, but the main storyline or super-arc is still resolving itself. (Compare to Buffy the TV show and the Big Bad and the little skirmishes that happen until the final battle with said Big Bad)