Rat Queens #8 Review

Writer: Kurtis J. Wiebe Artist: Roc Upchurch Billford Boggins, y’all. RAT QUEENS. This issue is probably one of my favorite reads of the year thus far, and it’s most definitely my favorite of the series. It’s so incredibly written that despite being tossed head first into a Violet centric backstory, I’m not complaining. Like, I ain’t even mad. Weibe can play with my emotions anytime if this is what he’s capable of. Lawd yes. We begin (and end) focused on Vi. We’re clearly not in Kansas Palisade anymore, we’re in the lush bedroom of a bearded and pre-Queens Violet, daughter of the mighty (and wealthy) Blackforge clan. From the second page on one theme is apparent for this issue. Tradition. She really is sexy with a beard. Vi made reference to her glorious beard in prior issues, once remarking that she was thinking about allowing hers to grow back. Clearly she wasn’t playing. Not only did she sport one, but her mother and presumably other dwarven women do as well. Later in the issue her mother recalls feeling proud when Vi first became stubbly as beards are revered as a sign of womanhood and maturity. If I’m being honest, the whole set up of this flashback is extra Meridia a la Brave, sans the Mommy issues. We find out Vi is sporting this fancy smancy gear because her father is throwing a huge tournament in which her twin brother is expected to battle for the honor of their clan while she models armor. BRUH. If you know anything about Violet by this point, you should know how …