A woman scientist, who is a descendent of Genghis Khan awakens a warrior who is able to bring out the bloodlust within anyone in her vicinity. By assembling her armor with lives lost and a sunken ship, the scientist Sarnai brings Vexana back to life. And the war-bringer has a story to tell. It seems that the immortal Vexana cared for Khutulun, niece to Khan and that’s where things began to fall apart.
Issue three of ‘The Forgotten Queen’ expands and deepens the history of the Valiant universe. For one thing why does Sarnai want to resurrect a woman who seems to be carnage incarnate? More importantly, the more Vexana tells her history, the more complex and mysterious her life seems to be. This isn’t a new way of storytelling, rather writer Tini Howard makes the reader care about an immortal, who’s on the surface a selfish woman who does anything to get what and who she wants. Vexana appears to have fallen in love with Khutulun and in doing so became myopic and loyal to the point of compromising her own set of rules. But time moves differently for Vexana. And after many years she comes across a ruler who has a request that has Vexana come face to face with her recent past. Earlier on in the comic-book Khutulun points out that having a coalition of immortals and mortals heading towards a common objective of peace is better than trying to single-handedly conquer the world. Of course in the mix is Gilad, the Eternal Warrior. He’s always involved when it comes to earth being on the edge of annihilation. It also seems to be the first incarnation of UNITY, a team that has been in Valiant comics since the beginning. What Sarnai reveals to Vexana about Gilad is exciting. For too longthe mainstay of characters such as Gilad have been treading the same ground for decades. ‘The Forgotten Queen’ reinvigorates the regular band of characters. It’s always good to dig in the archives to find out how to introduce new narratives into an established setting. The reader becomes not only invested in Vexana’s story, but now everyone in Gilad’s orbit also gets put into new context.
What’s more the artwork is alive and pulsates off the page. Amilcar Pinna, Ulises Arreola, and Jeff Powell leave a visual impression that will leave you wanting the fourth issue in your hands immediately after reading this one. Vexana in particular looks as if she could be an immortal. Her stance, mannerisms and unapologetic disposition all show someone who has lived for centuries. There’s also the distinction between the past and the present. Vexana shows her inexperience when confronting Khutulun, yet there is a feeling of jadedness once she is brought out of her imprisonment.
Overall, ‘The Forgotten Queen’ is a miniseries that will hopefully have long lasting repercussions for the current ongoing storylines in the Valiant universe.
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