One of Valiant’s deadliest villains continues to wage war wherever she goes! 

Heartbreak and violence as the woman known as War-Monger meets her match in the deserts of Mongolia. Seeking vengeance, Vexana the War-Monger finds a kindred spirit in the man who would become to be known as Dracula – Vlad Tepes, warlord of Wallachia!

The Forgotten Queen #3 has a wonderfully understated plot that is able to keep the reader utterly engaged as it divides its time between the past and the present, tying together both stories as the issue progresses.

I’ve been enjoying the series so far, but this issue has been the highlight for me as Tini Howard gives you a surprisingly deep insight into what had been a fairly two dimensional character. I had never felt that War Monger ever had the depth to be considered anything other than a threat (unlike, say the villains who could be heroes, or the villains who at least have understandable motives), but as The Forgotten Queent has progressed, Howard has been able to change my perception of the character slowly and organically as we learn more about the immortal hell raiser as she moves through the years.

There’s also a slight growth to the character over the seven hundred years the story spans; a maturing of sorts that opens a door for further character growth to be explored. If the goal of this series was to flesh out Vexana, the War Monger, then Tini Howard has certainly succeeded; and with an issue still to come, I’m excited to see how she caps off the miniseries after the final page’s casual revelation.

Amilcar Pinna and Ulises Arreola once again are give a variety of different times and locales to flex their collective artistic muscles. Whether intentional or not the colour pallet begins to form a cohesiveness as the time periods in the comic close up, subconsciously allowing the reader to make the distinction between time periods without being explicitly told; it’s a brave choice that pays off as the issue comes to a satisfying close.

The Forgotten Queen #3 has none of the quibbles I had regarding the previous issue, instead surpassing my expectations with what I thought would be possible with a series focusing on War Monger. If you’re a Valiant fan, then it’s absolutely worth reading this series – whether War Monger will play a larger part in the future of Valiant, I don’t know, but it never hurts to gain an additional insight into a character that hasn’t had the spotlight in recent years.

Story: Tini Howard Art: Amilcar Pinna
 Colours: Ulises Arreola Letters: Jeff Powel 
Story: 8.6 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Read

Valiant provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

All’s fair in love and war!

True to the name she’s been called throughout history, the War-Monger knows how to get a good fight going among even the best of friends. The outcome of the battle never mattered to her – at least, not until she fell head over heels for the Mongol Empire’s most fearsome warrior. She can poison hearts against one another…but can she win one for herself?

The Forgotten Queen #2 focuses more on the motivations of Vexana, the War Monger, as we glimpse her trying to win the heart of a warrior queen in the late 13th century. Though not explicitly a flashback sequence, the glimpses into the past are told as a story within a story as the research team learn more about the mysterious armour that they’ve retrieved from the sea bed.

This issue seems to fall somewhere between good and really good; it’s a comic of moments that almost blend together seamlessly, but like a slide at a water park, you can feel the edges even if you don’t necessarily see them as you zip down the covered tube. Tini Howard peels away a couple of layers on the onion that is Vexana, but the lack of cohesive flow to the comic detracts a little from the story’s characterization of its lead. The ideas and intent present in the comic are very interesting, but the ridges on the slide are a touch distracting.

Amilcar Pinna and Ulises Arreola to flex their collective artistic muscles with sweeping vistas and vibrant colours across land and sea, but, to return to the previous analogy, you can still feel the ridges in the slide. Facial expressions, body language and the figures themselves do feel a little off at times. Nothing hugely distracting, but certainly noticeable when it comes to your eyes following the page.

Ultimately, this is still a solid entry in the series, though it falls far from being a Must Read, it is still worth checking out if you’ve read the first issue. Yes, there’s still room for improvement over the next two issues, but even if things continue as they’re going, Forgotten Queen will remain an above average read.

Story: Tini Howard Art: Amilcar Pinna
 Colours: Ulises Arreola Letters: Jeff Powel 
Story: 8.1 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.0 Recommendation: Read

Valiant provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review