Shaky start, terrible wardrobe, but a promising series

This was a fun start to a graphic series and I’ll probably check out the second volume just to see where the story goes and if the writing continues to get stronger. I almost put this one down after a couple of pages, but I’m glad I stuck with it because it definitely improved.

The Rat Queens are a group of 4 women working as for-hire monster killers. They’re a diverse group. There’s Hannah the slightly unhinged Elven mage, Dee the human who left a crazypants religion behind, Violet the dwarf with mad fighting skills, and Betty the tiny lesbian hobbit with superb deduction and thieving prowess. They look out for each other and only occasionally cause mayhem in the process of monster fighting. The series really finds its stride as it delves into the individual backstories of these women. They become more interesting as a whole when you understand the women as individuals.

I knocked off a star because of the real weak spot in Rat Queens: the artwork. The style, though nothing special, is perfectly serviceable, but I just can’t with male creators making their female characters wear completely impractical clothing. You might find boob chestplates, miniskirts, thin cotton camisoles, and flowy loincloths sexy, but there’s no way these gals wouldn’t die in 2.5 seconds due to their poor fashion choices. There was a lot of eye rolling.