Rat Queens Special: Braga #1
Writer: Kurtis J. Wiebe
Art: Tess Fowler
Letters: Ed Brisson
Edits: Laura Tavishati
Troll Boy: Jim Valentino
Publisher: Image Comics
Purchase: https://imagecomics.com/comics/releases/rat-queens-special-braga-1
You may have felt it: that odd hole in your heart. Like a tiny piece of you has gone missing. You may have noticed that you’re not alone. Almost as if your local comic book store is a little quieter, sadder even. Sound on Sight is feeling it. That is, until this week when we held a copy of Rat Queens Special: Braga #1 in our sweaty palms. Suddenly the sadness was gone, replaced by a sense of joy and wonder and that’s when we knew; we need Rat Queens.
After taking a bit of a hiatus to switch out artists, Kurtis J. Wiebe (Peter Panzerfaust) throws us hungry fans a bone with a lovely little one-shot. This special focuses on Braga, the transgendered Orc. What may seem as a bit of an odd choice given her lack of screen time, Wiebe succeeds in fleshing her out in classic Rat Queens fashion. Braga, like all people, is more than meets the eye. She started as a prince, heir to the orc kingdom yet always longed for something more. Its a classic tale blessed with Wiebe’s wit and reverence. One comic truly worthy of the Rat Queens title.
Its no secret that Wiebe and Image had to put Rat Queens on hold following original artist Roc Upchruch’s domestic abuse arrest. The decision, not in any way unwarranted, left Rat Queens fans in a lurch. Luckily the book is placed in confident hands as Tess Fowler (Doc Wilder and the Mad Skull) manages to craft a book that is both simultaneously Rat Queens, yet totally unique. Fowler puts an amazing amount of detail into her work. From the Orcish armour to the sprawling battlefields, she leaves no stone unturned. Hopefully Wiebe can scrounge up some more stories for this gifted artist.
After what seemed like an eternity, Rat Queens has finally returned. Rat Queens Special: Braga #1 is a great tale showcasing a character we never knew we cared about. More than that, Weibe and Fowler show that Rat Queens is truly a world loaded to the gunwales with story telling potential. Welcome back old chum.
-Sean