A fun one-shot graphic novel about a child queen, a Canadian pilot trapped in the wrong galaxy and a magical kidney stone with mind-control powers.

A Fun Enough Shoot ‘Em Up Space Opera

Elida Al-feyr’s ancestors were … not very nice people. At the edge of a galaxy (not ours), they developed a mind-control device called the Bezoar of Kings. With it, they brainwashed the people of Arriopa into believing that they were gods, accepting their will without question. By the time Elida was crowned Queen of the Divine Monarchy – at the tender age of ten – the Bel-iors had not relied upon the amulet’s power for generations. Yet this doesn’t quell a popular, violent uprising, in which the monarchy is overthrown and replaced by a republic. Elida and her mother escape certain death, but barely – and the last two remaining members of the royal family are separated within the year.

Fast-forward fifteen years. Elida is in hiding, making a living by scavenging wrecks and reselling her finds. A not-so-chance encounter with an old frenemy named Isaac sends her in search of her mother, said to be imprisoned in the Monastery of Wix. But is Isaac double-crossing her, or triple-crossing someone else? Is the long-lost Bezoar of Kings merely myth, or is it out there, somewhere, just waiting to be found? And if it is, what responsibility does Elida bear for its misuse?

VAGRANT QUEEN is a fun, shoot ’em up space opera. There’s not a whole lot that’s noteworthy or especially memorable about the plot, but it’s a fun enough ride while it lasts. Some elements work better than others; Elida is a badass anti-hero, but Isaac’s bad boy schtick feels played out. That said, his facial hair is a thing of wonder. Ditto: Elida’s ‘do, which almost feels like a throwback to AEON FLUX. Ten-year-old Elida is a compelling character, and I’d love to see more of her in future issues. (And her fro? Even more glorious than her future self’s locks.)

While I love the diversity in this story, it feels a little weird to see a Black family enslave a bunch of white people. Like, is this progress? Just dessert? Post-racial, race-blind storytelling? Or maybe I’m just reading too much into it? Idk what to think.

http://www.easyvegan.info/2019/04/05/vagrant-queen-volume-1-by-magdalene-visaggio/

https://www.librarything.com/work/22970927/reviews/166433950

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2755452838

I received a digital edition of this from the publisher as well as a copy from Netgalley. Thank you to both of them for giving me the opportunity to review this in exchange for my open and honest review.


This story isn’t Firefly, and it isn’t trying to be. But it has bits and pieces of what made Firefly so beloved. This story is a straight-up space opera complete with quipping protagonist and smart and scheming “second in command”(he isn’t second yet – but you get the vibe). I love stories like this. Space opera is the guilty pleasure of the sci/fi loving crowd. Action, sex, humor, and excitement all rolled into a little sci/fi package. If Space Opera were a food, it would be a glazed donut.


Who the hell doesn’t like a glazed donut?


At least that is how I think about it. It doesn’t mean that space opera doesn’t have literary value or merit, quite the opposite. Star Wars is a space opera and where would we be without that. It just a genre type like anything else.

There are a few things (according to Wikipedia) that define what a space opera is. I am going to relate a few of them to Vagrant Queen.

“Colorful” – This story is colorful, both in dialog and commentary as well as the cast of characters. Multi-humanoid races are represented as well a smattering of alien races. It all makes for a rich stew of characters.


“Dramatic” – “Former child queen Elida was driven from her throne at age ten and forced to wander the galaxy, evading the revolutionary forces that wanted her dead.” Does this not sound like high drama to you?

“Large-scale science fiction adventure” – Again, multi-planet conquests spanning an entire generation searching for child queen Elida.

“Competently and sometimes beautifully written” – This written well. I enjoyed Elida quite a bit. She had a definite Han Solo/Malcolm Reynolds vibe to her. Being that I am a ride or die Firefly fan, this appealed to me.

“Usually focused on a sympathetic, heroic central character and plot action” – Elida is a sympathetic character without appearing weak. She can’t be weak; everyone is coming to get her. She needs to be wily, strong and intelligent – and she is. It is such a refreshing thing to see in graphic novels. Elida needs no one to save her; she can save her damn self.

“Characteristically optimistic in tone” – This isn’t a dystopia. The narrative of the story is not about the overarching problems of society and how they relate to Elida. It is about how Elida is going to escape past gunships that are blocking her way.

“Large stakes” – Elida is a former child queen being chased across the galaxy. The stakes are high.

See you should read this! Action, adventure, power struggles, history, it is all here. Is it perfect? Not yet. The story just started, and the writing and art are getting their proverbial feet under them. But it has a ton of promise.

I had high hopes for this one because the synopsis sounded really interesting, but unfortunately it didn't work for me. I found some parts to be rather corny. This art style didn't work for me either.

I am a huge sci-fi nerd so I had to read this graphic novel about a queen on the run after a revolution overthrew her monarchy. I really enjoyed the space travel in this and the glimpses into Elida's childhood as a child Queen. I didn't like this as much as I wanted to, perhaps because I would have liked her to regain what was rightfully hers. After seeing a flashback where she questioned the way that the empire worked, I thought maybe she could make a difference if she can just make decisions for herself instead of being a puppet queen. I wish Elida had a reliable sidekick or friend to rely on, especially since she seems to continually team up with a guy that has betrayed her multiple times (she should have left him in the dust). I would have liked to see her explore her ancestors more since it's mentioned so often. She has a strong connection to her ancestors that seems to be built into her DNA, so I would have liked to see her explore that more. I'm not sure if I'm interested in a second volume at the moment. [Some spoilers] Based on the ending, it looks like she'll go on an adventure with that untrustworthy guy to look for his home planet, Earth... I will say that Elida is a badass queen who seems to be a fair and just woman with a tough past. It was awesome to see a Black woman as a Queen of an empire.

Thanks to NetGalley for an eARC of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.

'Vagrant Queen Vol. 1' by Magdalene Visaggio with art by Jason Smith is a space opera about an exiled queen being hunted throughout the galaxy.

Elida is on the run and trying to stay free. As a child, she was driven from her kingdom and the whereabouts of her mother are unknown. When a bounty hunter/friend/antagonist finds her, he claims to know where Elida's mother is. He is also looking for Earth and his wife, which is a lever someone else has on him. This leads to betrayals and lost secrets.

I really had hope for this one. I like the premise a lot. Maybe if this story had been a 5-issue story instead of 6 it wouldn't have felt like it unraveled for me. I liked it up to a certain point. The art was interesting at times, but then some characters would be drawn with weird eyes or cartoonish features. I'm still uncertain whether I liked the art. I'm hopeful that this could be a more interesting series going forward.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Vault Comics, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

So, first thanks to Netgalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review. There is so much to say, yet words escape me. I did love the artwork, it's amazing, I love the usage of the colors and I appreciate the complexity of some of the scenes. Some of the speech is a little corny but I suppose that was the point, however, it doesn't really fit into the realm of "purposely corny", more so "awkward writing corny". I cringed a couple times, and overall wouldn't purchase for our library but I may recommend it to patrons in the future.

This was fun read. I enjoyed the plot and the art. I enjoyed Elida as a character and was rooting for her the whole time. I was hoping for some things that didn’t happen. I hope to continue to find out what happens next.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an eARC.

I received an ARC copy of Vagrant Queen by Magdalene Visaggio in exchange for an honest and fair review.

Rating: 4 stars

I am fairly new to the world of graphic novels.

However, I throughly enjoyed this!This story follows a girl named Elida (who is a major bad ass female lead not to mention a POC, which I love!). Elida comes from a royal family who was overthrown when she was only a child. The story follows her in her later years of life as she travels from galaxy to galaxy. She has been recently been tricked and lured back into the kingdom she has been exiled from.

This story is fast paced and a bit hard to follow in the beginning. However by the end I couldn’t put it down. The plot has so many twist and turns as well has witty banter between characters. This sci-if is a great read! I cannot wait for the sequel.

In a recent string of tweets about the evolution of artistic ethos the Vagrant Queen creator says, “My goal is always… to toss the reader into the deep end and get on with the story. It worked for Star Trek, it worked for Star Wars, and that’s good enough for me.” This deep space adventure saga about idolatry, betrayal, and searching for home starts with a vessel named Lucy Maxson and an unnamed pilot. The complicated entanglements between the titular Vagrant Queen of Arriopa Elida Al-Feyr and the pilot unwind for readers in a timeline that slides forward and backward like the shuttle loom on a weaving machine until the full tapestry of their involvement is revealed. Dynamic illustrations rendered in a combination of backgrounds that resemble technically elevated crayon etching in contrast with structures and figures drawn in a mix of gray/green/blue scale and primary colors with some pastel accents clearly convey the narrative arc, almost making the crisp, succinct lettering obsolete. Switching backgrounds from black to white to indicate planetary shifts also aids comprehension and enjoyment.

Subtle spins on references to east of Eden in the Christian Bible, a truly reprehensible villain, threads about oligarchy, nepotism, and abuse of power, plus a snarky tit-for-tat repartee between unlikely cohorts create a reading experience consistent with Vault’s “it’s safe to be different” space. Looking forward to many more intergalactic adventures with Elida.

Vagrant Queen: Volume 1 is a rip-roaring adventure across space, presenting a badass queen who has been on the run from revolutionaries for most of her life. From the start, we see her fighting her way through villains and foes, working like a master to keep her freedom. I love how powerful the main character is. She never backs down from a fight and is always able to hold her own. The instance of her donning a smile before taking down a whole group of robots is a testament to how much she rocks.

The history of her planet is pretty interesting. This is a world ruled for a thousand years by a single family. Their origins have been forgotten by many, but one man seeks to steal the artifact that made them rulers in the first place. Where once the people worshipped them like gods, the royal family eventually finds themselves deposed by revolution and replaced by a parliamentary government. There are clearly many secrets to be found in the royal family’s past and I hope future issues delve deeper into them.

The artwork shines during the fight scenes. Large panels show a classic fighting style, illustrated in a stunning variety of color schemes. I always enjoy the inclusion of the classic fighting noise bubbles, and there’s no shortage of them. The wonders of space are rendered brilliantly by the artist from front to back.

Vagrant Queen is a series that’s chock-full of science fiction adventure. With space stations, interstellar chases, and intrigue around every corner, this is sure to be a series that continues to entertain.

Surprisingly, this turned out to be an enjoyable read. I like the premise, though the setting is a bit confusing. It needs more world-building, in my opinion. The characters are also great. Elida is a strong female lead and I wouldn't mind following her journey. The art is okay. I appreciate the chapter pages but other than that, the rest are not for my liking. Still, it is a solid introduction to Elida's story.

Wow, I really enjoyed this. This was a nice spin on the long-lost and exiled royal theme and the French Revolution. I liked that the characters were morally grey and that the villain has a strong personal motive. I’m looking forward to the sequel.

I got an ARC of this book.

I am not a huge sci-fi person, that is slowly changing. In the past few years I have actually found sci-fi books I enjoy. This just happens to be the newest addition to the list. I wanted to give it a chance, because the black female lead that in the promos looked like a super bad-ass. The story itself sounded like something I would read, so why not read it set in space?

The art is a bit off for me. There were times where the art was drastically off and it pulled me from the story. I have rarely felt the art detracts from a story before. This time it did. The main character, Elida, would have these close ups on her face that were just so shockingly not like the rest that it was noticeable. Suddenly her chin would be a triangle and the features wouldn't look anything like her. This happened often enough that I remember it. There were other characters that morphed enough throughout the book that at times I wasn't sure who was who. 

I loved the story. There were layers on layers on layers of plot. There is the plot of the uprising, there is the plot of how the kingdom was made, there is the plot of space fugitives, there is plot of a LOST PLANET (HOW DO YOU LOSE A PLANET?), and so much more. I was there for all of it. I 

I will be keeping my eye out for a second volume. I have so many questions that I need answered. Consider me hooked.

This sounded a super cool premise but I finished the 2nd issue and felt that there was no point continuing as this was pretty mediocre. The art style was okay but it could have looked better as it was not very attractive in places.

Vagrant Queen is the story of Elida, a galaxy exploring warrior (if you couldn't tell from the cover image). Clearly, she can take any enemy down and keep her cosmic composure in the process. The story is told through the vivid colors and imagery that graphic novels afford us.

The book carries with it the kind of fun that the title might imply. It's propulsive, cinematic, and chock full of images of other worlds, battles, and planetary travel. There's also an element of violence that comes with the reading.

In short, it's the kind of text I would have loved as a pre-teen and teenager...and sometimes still do.

All of this cool factor is not to say that there aren't complex semiotic things happening. The artists behind this book tell a story through the panel work and fascinating use of word bubbles and language effects that make graphic novels fascinating.

actual rating: 3.5

This was a really fun read, although I feel like the plot got a bit ridiculous there towards the end. Still, Elida is a really cool protagonist and the art was very good for the most part [I loved most of the designs but for some reason hated the main villain's face lol]. I think this is a really neat short sci-fi story but not necessarily something to take too seriously.

Okay I'm so glad I picked this up because I loved this graphic novel/comic a lot.


It's pretty badass and wow I loved it and the cover and the title????
5/5 stars for me