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“Vagrant Queen: A Planet Called Doom” #1

By | January 31st, 2020
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With a live-action TV series debuting on Syfy later this year, “Vagrant Queen: A Planet Called Doom” #1 is a nice refresher for those who want to reconnect with the comic series or an introduction for those looking to get on board. (Warning: may contain minor spoilers.)

Cover by Jason Smith
Written by Magdalene Visaggio
Illustrated by Jason Smith
Colored by Harry Saxon
Lettered by Zakk Saam

Get ready – “Vagrant Queen” is BACK! Elida Al-feyr has finally managed to build a happy life . . . until a mysterious man in an ancient white ship shows up and takes it all away. And hey, where the hell is Isaac?

Elida Al-feyr (aka Eldaya XXIII of the House of Bel-ior, aka The Vagrant Queen), just wants to be left in peace and allowed to tend her garden. Of course, if she could do that, it wouldn’t be much of a story. Therefore, inevitably, forces beyond her control have conspired to make sure that doesn’t happen. She may have convinced herself that she could disappear on Crovax, a backwater desert planet for people who don’t want to be found, but it’s clearly not that simple. Destiny will find her. Probably within the first 20 pages of this debut issue. I mean, let’s be real here: whether it’s Shakespeare, Tolkien or “Star Wars,” if there’s one inescapable fact in the world of heroic fiction, it’s that a rightful heir will eventually ascend to the throne.

Or maybe not.

With Eisner and GLADD nominated writer Magdalene Visaggio at the helm, it’s anybody’s guess. Volume one concluded without Elida fulfilling her predetermined birthright, maybe she can do it again.

Visaggio excels at remixing and riffing on familiar pop culture tropes, while infusing plenty of snark and refusing to play it straight – in every sense of the word. Refreshingly, despite all the madcap hijinks, sass and shenanigans, Visaggio’s characters always remain well grounded, compelling and likable. Elida Al-feyr is a perfect example of this. No wonder Syfy is producing a live-action series that will drop later this year.

Visaggio’s dialogue sets the tone right off the bat, adding layers of playfulness and irreverence that signal we shouldn’t try to take any of this too seriously. We can’t help but smirk, for example, when a customer at a market stall that almost looks like it could’ve been lifted right from the streets of Mos Eisley indignantly says to the shopkeeper, “Are you insane? Twelve krannits for a scutterbite?” There’s no need to really explain what the heck a ‘scutterbite’ is, let alone justify whether this one is worth the price, we know it’s all in good fun, not a detail we need to remember. It gives things a sci-fi vibe, but only for effect.

A few moments later, the mysterious Man in White makes his dramatic entrance and immediately announces that he’s looking Elida. As the crowd stares with mouths agape, he adds as an afterthought, “She’s the future’s only hope.” On the one hand, absolutely. He authentically believes that. On the other hand we know Visaggio’s just goofing off, playing with one of the most famous lines in all moviedom.

Jason Smith’s illustrations also work on multiple levels. His spaceships, for example, clearly reference iconic fighters from “Star Wars,” “Star Trek,” and others, but there’s also an air of whimsy that rewrites the visual grammar of the classic Space Opera canon. They’re both stylishly geometric and stubbornly impractical. Elsewhere, organic materials like a typical cardboard box, thatched roofs, and large, melty wax candles suggest that the high tech universe in which the story takes place is not all that different from our own. Similarly, Smith’s deft command of facial expressions, hand gestures and body language, reminds us that these are people with relatable emotions, not soulless high tech robots or creatures that have evolved past the point of feelings over the millennia. There’s a human element here, and it keeps things well grounded and real, contrary to the larger-than-life plotline.

Similarly, Harry Saxon’s work on colors helps us to stay focused on the characters and their emotions. After the opening sequence, set against a gorgeous deep blue space-scape punctuated by fuzzy white stars, many of the layouts feature plenty of white space or solid color backgrounds. Together, Smith and Saxon forgo unnecessary details in favor of close-up framings and generally warm swaths of color that reiterate the hot, dry desert setting and the hazy glow of a distant star.

Ultimately, Visaggio’s compact scenes and tightly written dialogue keep things moving along, swiftly bringing this first installment to a dramatic conclusion that feels like it could have been written for a typical third or fourth issue. Without a whole lot of prompting, seemingly on a whim, Elida takes a stand and throws it all on the line. It’s not entirely out of the blue or completely unfounded, but a daring choice nonetheless. Whether or not the creator’s ultimately pull it off depends on what happens next. Isaac is still out there somewhere, if the solicit can be believed, so I can only imagine, this thing is just getting started. No doubt there’s a ton of action and hijinks to come.

Final Verdict: 7.7 With a fast moving plot and likable protagonist, “Vagrant Queen: A Planet Called Doom” #1 is a solid debut that leaves the future wide open.


John Schaidler

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