In what’s turning out to be a near pitch-perfect game, Rat Queens delivers one of the best reads this month. Again.

Here’s the official word from Image:

“GOLD, GUTS, AND GROG,” Part Four: Holy vengeance can be a real headache, but it’s so much worse when it’s coming from a fifteen foot tall lady troll who’s just lost her dad. In this blood-splattered issue, the Rat Queens find out that every action has some sort of hilariously brutal consequence!

So many writers fail at trying to do what Kurtis J. Wiebe seems to be doing nearly effortlessly — creating a book that’s funny, but not overdone; violent, but not gratuitous; and sexy, but not sexist. How this man does it is beyond me, but with Rat Queens #4 he once again demonstrates that all these things are possible in one simple title. Yes, the mystery of who’s been trying to kill the Rat Queens gets revealed here, but almost immediately we pivot towards the next drama which includes a giant she-troll looking for vengeance. While the plot for this particular issue is paper thin, the comedy is rich, well timed, and simply delightful. God help me but I didn’t want this issue to end.

Roc Upchurch once again proves his style is perfect for this title; the characters are fluid, sassy, and do as much with a facial expression as they do with a line of dialogue.

Listen everyone: Rat Queens is a must have. If you want guts, magic, and a lovely overdose of femme fatale, go grab this thing today.

5/5