Graphic Novel Roundup: Rat Queens, Figments, and China Miéville

Rat Queens, Vol. 2, by Stjepan Sejic and  Kurtis J. Wiebe
The Rat Queens are back and continuing their booze-fueled adventures as mercenaries who fight threats in the town of Palisade (for a price, naturally). Conan’s got absolutely nothing on these tough, hard-partying girls. Things take a personal turn in this volume when a vengeful businessman summons the dark god N’rygoth. The tentacled deity wants Dee, and he’ll destroy everyone and everything in Palisade if he can’t have her. This series is funny and proudly feminist, if not for kids.

Dial H Deluxe Edition (The New 52), by China Miéville, Alberto Ponticelli, and Mateus Santolouco
When one of the best living science fiction writers jumps into the world of DC Comics, the result is weird, scary, and funny. The premise is simple: a mysterious telephone dial grants users a variety of different temporary superpowers, some freaky, some silly. Our hero is Nelson Jent, a largely unexceptional, middle-aged, overweight guy who gets caught up by the power of the dial. This edition collects the entire series (including a brief epilogue that ran in a tough-to-track-down issue of Justice League, and it’s genuinely like nothing else in comics. Plus: who can’t relate to the story of a likable schlub who wants superpowers? Or is that just me?

Forever Evil, by Geoff Johns, David Finch, and Richard Friend
They’re not just bad…they’re FOREVER EVIL! Duh-duh-duh. OK, so, yes…it’s another mega-crossover event, but this one’s actually a little bit smarter and a lot more fun. Old-school super-team the Crime Syndicate arrives on our planet and immediately subdues the heroes of Earth. With no one else left to stop them, Lex Luthor steps up to defend mankind with the help of his newly formed Injustice League. The villain vs. villain premise is unique and kinda cool, and the story has had some lasting consequences for the D.C. universe (which is a thing that they always say, but ain’t always true). This one’s new in paperback.

Green Lantern Vol. 6: The Life Equation (The New 52), by Robert Venditti and Billy Tan
Darkseid has been a looming threat to the D.C. heroes since the whole New 52 thing began, and with the Darkseid War event coming in June, he’s becoming even more of a presence. In this latest GL volume, the New Gods are planning to seize the Lantern rings in order to forge a new, powerful weapon against the big guy. Of course, the Lanterns and their leader, Hal Jordan, don’t take kindly to the idea of having their rings smashed, but they might not stand much of a chance against an army of living gods.

Figment, by Jim Zub and Filipe Andrade
Now that Disney and Marvel are in the same family, we’re seeing a few more all-ages books, which is never a bad thing. In Figment, a talented creative team takes on the backstory of the inventor Dreamfinder and purple dragon Figment, both characters that readers may recognize from Disney’s Epcot Center theme park. Though I’ve only seen a sample of the whole book, it’s immediately clear that a lot of effort went into making what could have been a simple cash-in into a comic that can stand on its own. There’s a weird sci-fi adventure at the book’s core, with really stunning art from Andrade.
What’s on your pull list?