The legend of King Arthur is one that’s been told—and reworked—countless times before. But a new comic from Dark Horse re-imagines it as a journey across time, one that has everything from an LGBTQ romance to portals full of trolls, and even Merlin in a spacesuit. And you can read the first issue right now!
Written by Adam P. Knave and D.J. Kirkbride with art by Nick Brokenshire and lettering from Frank Cvetkovic, The Once and Future Queen introduces us to Rani Arturus, a budding chess genius who accidentally discovers she’s the descendant of the legendary King Arthur after flunking out of a tournament. Back in her hometown of Portland, Oregon, Rani realizes she’s not just inherited a magical legend, but a brewing war with some sinister, dark forces.
Although The Once and Future Queen has been around since earlier this year, only two issues of the five-part miniseries actually made it to print. The series was then re-focused as a standalone graphic novel that’s only just been made available, including the last three issues in print for the first time. You can check out the first full issue of the miniseries in its entirety below, exclusively on io9.
Once and Future Queen is available both in bookstores and digitally now.
