“The first great woman in history of whom we are informed.” – Egyptologist Henry Breasted
Buy the book (free shipping in Aust/US): https://queeniechan.com/shop/
Read sample: https://queeniechan.com/history/hatshepsut/
History buffs such as myself (and hopefully you) are in abundance, but unfortunately, graphic novels that scratch that itch are not. When comic book writers and artists are given full permission to produce work in a medium where there are no limits to one’s imagination, most tend to aim for the whimsical and the fantastical. Others tend to plumb their more personal moments, or the lives of those around them for inspiration. People who look to the past, and especially those who try to do so with an objective eye for factual details, are not common. When it comes to the distant past of those from cultures halfway around the world, there’s even less.
But why shouldn’t a comic book writer/artist create what they want, but don’t see on the shelves? That’s how many a niche genre was started, after all. Why shouldn’t I combine my personal interests – ancient history, political intrigue, powerful women, compelling real-life stories — and make something that I want to read? I’ll finally have an excuse to educate myself about famous women I’ve always wanted to know more about, and will even be able to share my knowledge with curious readers of all ages in a tightly-paced, sumptuously-illustrated, 32-page package. And thus, the graphic novel series “Women Who Were Kings” (Ages 10+) was born.
Choosing “HATSHEPSUT”, the greatest of all female pharaohs in Ancient Egypt, to be the first queen in my journey to catalogue the lives of awesome queens everywhere was quite easy. She, the most foremost of noble ladies, was simply the first we know of – heralding from 3500 years from before our time. Filling in the gaps of her life wasn’t easy, since her legacy was erased after her death, but she left an indelible mark on Ancient Egyptian life and culture that is still visible over several millennia later. Besides, the ancient Egyptians were the most stylish of ancient civilisations, and no one is going to turn down being able to draw it in full-colour glory.
When I finished the graphic novel “Hatshepsut: Women Who Were Kings” #1, it proved to be fairly popular. Perhaps this shouldn’t be so surprising: the public are interested in powerful and interesting women from antiquity – they just have to be presented in a way that engages them. Other people seem to agree with this sentiment – the book is now available to be ordered from Scholastic (for schools) and James Bennett/ALS (for libraries).
These positive results gave me confidence about the series, and I now have a list of queens whose lives I plan to work through. You can follow me and the results of my journey here on my blog.
