Showing posts with label graphic novels/comics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label graphic novels/comics. Show all posts
‘Being
unhappy with what we are, or have may seem frivolous but it is inherently human’
I.D. begins mid-sentence of the three meeting for the first time. They don’t know the other’s backgrounds, and nor do we. We are introduced to the characters the same way the characters are introduced to each other. As the graphic novel is so short, little is revealed about the characters as the story progresses; however we are presented with a short snippet of their lives and their reasons for considering the body transplant. We’re forced to focus on the characters in that present moment, on the immediacy of their reactions, thoughts and feelings about their planned transplants, rather than extensive character development. It’s an approach that’s true to life, in the sense that you don’t get an automatic backstory for every person you encounter in life, you meet them at a specific time in their life and can only gather what they choose to reveal. It’s an interesting approach and definitely one to make you think.
The characters include Noa, a Trans man, Mike, an ex-convict, and Charlotte, a seemingly bored woman with a history of depression. They’re thrown together through their mutual consideration of the body transplant. Their interactions are humorous, as are their contrasting personalities. Whilst they are only together for a short time, we get a real sense of their personality thought their actions, which is emphasised through Rio’s amazing art and attention to detail.
The entire graphic novel is completed in shades of red. Whilst this is sometimes a little confusing during some of the few action scenes, it works well. The hues of red depict a sense of mystery and urgency, making this graphic novel feel really unique. If there’s one thing I absolutely loved, it’s the layout of this graphic novel. Rios overlays the wider image with smaller and cleverly placed boxes, often in sequences of squares and circles, depicting smaller details, especially facial expressions, through which we learn a lot about the characters. They give little inklings of their personality and inner workings that otherwise go unexpressed.
Whilst this graphic novel does not go into huge detail, it also throws up some questions about the ethics of procedures by big medical corporations and meshes a largely unexplained and unexplored dystopian and sci-fi setting with questions of identity. I.D is a brief but interesting read.
🌟🌟🌟🌟
Thanks to NetGalley for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review: Rat Queens Vol 2: The Far Reaching Tentacles of N'rygoth by Kurtis J. Weibe
Monday, 6 July 2015
Author: Kurtis J. Wiebe.
Publisher: Image Comics
Publication Date: 6th May 2015
Genre: Comics/Fantasy
Rating: ★★★★
Summary:
This booze-soaked second volume of RAT QUEENS reveals a growing menace within the very walls of Palisade. And while Dee may have run from her past, the bloated, blood-feasting sky god N’rygoth never really lets his children stray too far.
Wow, what a follow up! Rat Queens Volume 2, collects
issues 6-10 and picks up light-heartedly after the celebratory party thrown in
issue 5. Following a blast from the past and the disappearance another
character, the Rat Queens undertake another epic adventure full of sass,
action, mushrooms, and the almost end of the world!
So much more is revealed about the characters in this
volume. The inclusion of flashbacks and back stories give us a glimpse at
Hannah, Violet, and Dee’s lives before joining the Rat Queens. The characters
are even more developed and distinct which makes them all the more enjoyable to
read about. Despite seeming a little disjointed and confusing at first, the
flashbacks are cleverly woven into the story and add more depth and intrigue to
the characters. Dee however, is still shrouded with some mystery, although
the exploration of her faith (or lack of) was done well in this volume.
Violet’s back story was particularly interesting. One detail
I loved was Violet adding a dash of eye liner after suiting up in her armour. We
find out more about Violet’s family and her relationship with them. It is both
very amusing and captured in a way that is very reflective of real and genuine family
relationships anddynamics. Another aspect I really appreciated was Violet’s
appropriate slaying whilst dealing with inappropriate comments from creepy old men
(slay, violet, slay!)
Plot wise, the story is quite formulaic and typical of
questing style plots. However, multiple character’s personal histories and
interests are entwined with the main plot and villain’s scheme, in an
interesting way. The formulaic nature of the plot does not detract from the overall
enjoyment of this volume, as the Rat Queens retain their sassy sense of humour and
distinctive personalities. It does not take long to re-familiarise yourself
with the characters and they really are the force which makes
this series so entertaining to read. Additionally, the continuing ‘Gary’ jokes never
fail to amuse.
The art style has changed slightly with the switching of
the illustrator, but it still retains a similar style. The lines and especially
the noses are a lot sharper and pointier than before but overall, it is a small
change and does not detract from the enjoyment of the story.
I really enjoyed this volume. The characters are
diverse, complex and all round awesome which really makes reading Rat Queens so
enjoyable. Rat Queens combines complex female characters with a brilliant sense
of friendship and humour in an action packed fantasy world. This second volume
definitely lives up to expectations.
Title: Rat Queens Vol 1: Sass and Sorcery
Author: Kurtis J. Wiebe, Illustrated by Roc Upchurch.
Publisher: Image Comics
Publication Date: 8th April 2014
Genre: Comics/Fantasy
Rating: ★★★★
Summary:
Who are the Rat Queens?
A pack of booze-guzzling, death-dealing battle maidens-for-hire, and they're in the business of killing all god's creatures for profit.
It's also a darkly comedic sass-and-sorcery series starring Hannah the Rockabilly Elven Mage, Violet the Hipster Dwarven Fighter, Dee the Atheist Human Cleric and Betty the Hippy Smidgen Thief. This modern spin on an old school genre is a violent monster-killing epic that is like Buffy meets Tank Girl in a Lord of the Rings world on crack!
In a nutshell: Three dimensional female mercenaries kicking butt, sass galore, goblins, assassins, a fantasy, RPG style quest ensues.
Rat Queens takes place in a RPG style, medieval fantasy setting, following the eponymous Rat Queens, an all-female group of mercenaries and the shenanigans and mayhem that ensue as they pay back their debts to the city and get pulled into investigating recent assassinations. This first volume collects issues 1-5 and works well as an introduction to the characters and world setting but also incorporates a humorous and fast paced plot.
The rat queens include: Hannah, the rockabilly elf mage (and probably the sassiest of the Rat Queens) Betty, the hippy smidgen thief, Dee, the atheistic human cleric and, Violet the Hipster dwarven Fighter. The characters are my favourite thing about this series for the following reasons:
- First up, the main cast of characters are all female.
- Second, the characters are very diverse; there is body diversity and the characters are of different races, sexualities, and beliefs.
- Thirdly, they each have distinctive personalities and styles, the dialogue and interaction between characters really allows for a definite sense of their personalities and of their friendship. Yay for female friendships!
- And finally, they kick butt and defy traditional gender stereotypes.
There is also a glimpse of character’s back stories which are likely to be explored in later issues but the inclusion of which adds dimension of the characters. Whilst the character development is not the most extensive, in my opinion, the distinctive personalities make up for this shortcoming.
It’s also refreshing to see women portrayed as heroes, regardless of their physical strength. There is a definite sense of diversity in their power and physical strength, for instance, Hannah relies more on her magic, whilst Violet relies more on her physical strength, but they are all portrayed as valuable assets to the team and heroes equally. To round up my feminist appraisal, Rat Queens really does a good job at presenting complex female characters that break the mould.
Plot wise, Rat Queens is fast paced with two main plot lines, one involving goblins and the other involving assassins! It's action packed and combines a good mixture of action, mystery and humour. In fact, humour and sass is abundant in Rat Queens. It’s very sassy, as hinted at by ‘Sass and Sorcery’ and did indeed make me laugh out loud, multiple times! *gasp* The humour is also quite crude at times, which although is not my preferred style of humour, I found it worked well. It wasn't too overbearing and worked well in combination with the sass; it fits quite well with the adventuring and questing types.
The fantasy style setting, combined with the questing was quite reminiscent of RPG video games, something which I really enjoyed. There’s not a lot of reference of the world which was a little disappointing as I wanted to know more about the Rat Queens world than I was given. However, I would recommend Rat Queens to those who may not read a lot of fantasy as whilst the plot is driven by fantasy elements, the characters are really diverse and distinctive!
The artwork is really fitting of the fantasy setting and the colouring of pages was really pretty and appropriate to the mood of the story. Depicting sass through facial expressions was one of my favourite elements of the art style (so much sass.)
Overall, I would very much enjoyed Rat Queens and I'm really excited to read and the next volume! If you’re looking for a comic series with a great cast of diverse and complex female characters, abundant with sass and goblin slaying action, Rat Queens is a must read! My only real complaint is that I want more!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Social Icons