The Last Queen
“The night the last queen dies, the age of darkness will be upon us.” It’s a refrain repeated throughout Rochette’s quiet 
epic of humanity and nature which rings more true each time it is spoken.
From publisher Self Made Hero and the co-creator of Snowpiercer, Jean-Marc Rochette, The Last Queen spans more than 100,000 years of history, with the core story following Édouard Roux, a World War One survivor adrift in a new world rapidly chasing modernity.
The broader narrative follows the history of a people who have lived close to the land, defending the existence of the bears they revere even as wars and human powers encroach, demanding tribute, seizing resources, and targeting outsiders for witchcraft. It is this tradition Édouard was born into. After the war, seeking an artist who can sculpt him a new face to cover his violent disfigurement, he crosses paths with a woman named Jeanne Sauvage. Their passionate relationship grows, as Édouard inspires Jeanne to craft her greatest sculpture, a monument to vibrant and untamed nature. However, in a world that prizes progress and profit, Jeanne and Édouard find themselves facing forces that seek to tame nature itself, and neither of them may be strong enough to stand against the rising tide.
Rochette’s name has immediate selling power from a comic as iconic as Snowpiercer, but The Last Queen is quite a different story narratively. There are still plenty of big themes to explore, but this historical drama takes its time and reads quite intimately in places, even with the grand timeline of events. There is a great deal going on here, from romance to art to war and conflict. The story unfolds, in danger of spiraling out of control but managing to weave all of these distinct parts into a meditation on humanity’s relationship with itself and with nature. The ideas underlying the text are bold and clear, but never feel forced. The scope is quite large, but Rochette keeps the reader grounded as the text moves back and forth across the centuries. And even the ending—not tied up neatly in a bow as it might have been—feels more honest for finding connection between all these pieces without forcing them to fit too tightly together.
Along with this often melancholy narrative exploration, the art features a wide palate of muted colors and heavy use of inks. There are clear visual similarities to Snowpiercer, but Rochette shapes the visual style to the story. We get close-up panels full of detail, capturing the vulnerability of the characters at their most difficult moments. Pages later, the colors lighten and the view pulls back to impressive views of wide landscapes untouched by human expansion. Throughout the book, the imagery is compelling, with the visuals capturing the feelings of freedom and looming oppression which underly so much of the narrative.
The Last Queen seems aimed at a mostly adult audience. Mature elements include violence against humans and animals, as well as the aftermath, occasional strong language, and on-page sexual content without significant, clear detail. Additionally, with a relatively thematic and character-driven story, younger readers may not feel as interested in the events taking place. However, for those teen readers interested in a historical fiction comic with strong environmental themes, the content should not be so objectionable as to pose a major issue. Overall, this book leans more in appeal to what some might call readers of “literary” comics, but with a deft hand and compelling storytelling, Rochette has created a rich and rough narrative that leaves the reader with plenty to ponder after the pages themselves are finished.
The Last Queen Vol.
By Jean-Marc Rochette
Self MadeHero, 2024
ISBN: 9781914224195
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+), Older Teen (16-18)
Creator Representation: French,
Character Representation: Prosthesis,
