RAYNA: The Bastard Queen #1 (REVIEW)

First, let me start by saying that I NEED Mr. Cummins to DM my next D&D campaign, we meet on Tuesday sir and would love to have you show Richard how it’s done!

Polished and brutal, Skeletal Press’ Rayna: The Bastard Queen is everything I’d want from the start of a good D&D campaign. From the opening page Stan Yak’s illustrations transports readers to a land that is both and equal parts enchanting and horrifying, a world where large demonic creatures walk the earth and SPEAK with reason (trust me, those are the most dangerous kind, monsters without the mental capacity to formulate or strategize are statistically easier to dispatch!) and purpose. 

The story Ryan Cummins presents interlaces perfectly with the art and readers will instantly understand characters motivations and personalities with just a few lines of dialogue. The name sake of the comic Rayna unleashes her brutality on one of the aforementioned monsters and I actually felt bad for the creature…or what was left of it, sure he probably had it coming and he did indeed proceed to F around and thusly completely found out, but….damn Sis‘. It’s clear that Rayna is working through some inner demons and personal issues as well, struggling to keep a darkness at bay as she does what she does best…KILL MONSTERS!!!

The saying, how long can you fight the darkness before you find it, within yourself definielty seems to apply here in Rayna’s world..
It would appear that very darkness and prehaps just a tensy wensy sliver of desired revenge is pulling Rayna toward a mission that she becomes bound and determined to take up, after hearing tale of a witch who lords over a enormous treasure, Rayna pleads her case to her surrogate father convincing him that tracking down and ultimately slaying this foul witch is a worthwhile endeavor for the riches and loot alone, in what her familial group of fellow warriors more than likely think a unnecessary side quest.