In Barbaric #1 from Vault Comics, we’re introduced to Owen the Barbarian, and his blood drinking axe, Axe!  Cursed by a trio of witches to do only good, Owen saves a witch and decides to invade a monastery.  How does it go?  Find out in your next mighty Major Spoilers review!

BARBARIC #1

Writer: Michael Moreci
Artist: Nathan Gooden
Colorist:  Addison Duke
Letterer:  Jim Campbell
Publisher: Vault Comics
Price: $3.99
Release Date: June 30th, 2021

PREVIOUSLY in Barbaric:  Owen the Barbarian was a prince amongst barbarians, a rack ‘em up, knock ‘em down, kill them all type who wallowed gleefully in all the violence, all the drink, and all the women (of whatever species) he could bed.  That was up until a trio of witches trapped him in a curse that forced him to do only good.  Now possessing the blood drinking axe, Axe, Owen wanders the Earth, in search of good things to do, and witches to find and slay…

KNOW, OH YE PRINCE…

Druss the Legend had Snaga the Sender, a demon possessed axe.  Elric of Melnibone had Stormbringer, a Prince of Chaos embodied in a sword.  And Morgaine had Changeling, a sword once unsheathed it became a voracious black hole.  Add to that formidable list… Owen the Barbarian, and his axe named…Axe!

Writer Michael Moreci wears his influences on his sleeve – no more so than in the many nods to Conan the Barbarian, in terms of the title of the comic, the imagery on display, and the general ethos.  But he also makes them his own.  While Conan could be a moody wretch, caught up, as was his creator, in the ennui of existence, Owen is very much his own man, seeking vengeance on the witches who cursed him to only do good.  A man who lived most of his life wenching, drinking and slaughtering is forced to look outside himself and help the hapless.

Of course, Barbaric #1 is much more than that.  It is a rousing tale of violence, more violence and a heaping of even more violent violence.  It is a fun book to read, with everyone thinking Owen is touched in the head because they see him talking to an inanimate axe, where in reality, the demon possessed weapon is real and addicted to blood.  Their conversations are filled with the sort of dour humor that is endlessly attractive and amusing, and they make a great double act.

BY THE PRICKING OF MY THUMBS

The true heroes of Barbaric #1 is artist Nathan Goode and colorist Addison Duke.  Goode, as his name suggests, is bloody good.  He brings an expressiveness to his characters that is impressive.  Every effort, every muscle, every facial expression is rendered in strong tones, giving the issue its signature feel.  This is a world where survival takes every fiber of a person’s being, where the act of violence is rendered lovingly in lopped limbs, agonised faces, and dismembered bodies.  Owen’s world is a world of casual violence, of casual nudity; a carnal world where every pleasure is on display, but whose consequences are often bloody and violent.  It is probably the best artwork I’ve seen all year, and is worth the price of purchasing Barbaric #1 alone.  And when you add to it Duke’s deft handling of the coloring, with lashings of red and green and purple, you have a vivid world brought even more vividly to life.

Moreci makes good use of flashbacks to tell Owen’s origin story.  There’s nothing new here – a hero (or is he an anti-hero?) burdened with a curse he desperately seeks to escape while being forced to act within its strictures.  But within these confines, Moreci tells his tale confidently, assuredly, and with a sense of brio lesser adventure comics would kill to have.

BOTTOM LINE:  BLOOD DRINKINGLY GOOD!

Barbaric #1 isn’t subtle or nuanced.  It doesn’t shy away from offending sensibilities, or displaying the often horrific consequences of brutal violence.  It is, however, astoundingly entertaining, a book that is propulsive and kinetic, filled with touches of humor amidst the shocking bloodlust.  Owen is a lineal descendent of Conan, a man with a code of honor all his own, driven to experience life to the fullest.  He’s a great creation and very much a man for our times!

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Barbaric #1

90%

90%

Entertaining

The opening salvo in Barbaric #1 is brutal, amusing and exciting. It is unabashedly designed to appeal to the most basic instincts of the reader - ribald humor, naked flesh, astounding violence and just a keen awareness that the issue exists to ensure the reader has a heck of a good time. If you’re not all in on Barbaric #1, you’re missing out!

• Writing

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• Art

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• Coloring

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