Rat Queens Returns To Ass-Kicking This Spring!
According to a release from Image Comics, the popular and profane comic series Rat Queens returns to regular issues beginning in March 2017.
The release characterizes it as a “soft-reboot” which restarts the numbering at VOL. 2, #1. Returning to the town of Palisade is the core team of Betty, Violet, Dee and Hannah, and they are joined by the orc Braga. A transgender orc who was once intended to be a prince, Braga received her own one-shot special issue in 2015, and transitioned from an enemy to become a part of the team in the Spring of 2016.
Writer and co-creator Kurtis J. Wiebe will be joined by new artist Owen Gieni, the artist and co-writer of web comic Wicked Powered, as well as the colorist on the Image title Manifest Destiny. In the release, Weibe said of Gieni:
“Owen’s style brings a real return to high adventure, insane action and character comedy. He has an amazing talent for crafting a world and when his characters act, they feel genuine and real. Writing scripts for Owen is the most fun I’ve had on the series in a very long time. Our new start with Rat Queens is getting back to the basics. Four friends who kill monsters for money. Except it’s even weirder.”
Rat Queens has been struggling with artist issues. The illustrator of the first eight issues, Roc Upchurch, was dropped after issue #8 following his arrest for battery against his then wife. Upchurch was replaced with popular artist Stjepan Sejic, who was best known at the time for his adult-leaning DeviantArt superhero web comic-like shorts. However Sejic had to bow out after just two issues due to health reasons. Tess Fowler took over as of issue #11, and continued in that role up to the most recent issue, #16 published in May.
There are conflicting tales of why Fowler left Rat Queens and why Wiebe put the book on hiatus. The Mary Sue has an article that shows many tweets and statement from both Fowler and Wiebe that seems to show she left because Wiebe was continuing to support Upchurch.
From the release: “RAT QUEENS, VOL. 2 #1 will ship with two covers and will hit stores on Wednesday, March 1st.”
