Warning: Potential Spoilers
After taking the time about a week ago to finally catch up on all things Barbaric from Vault that’s come out since the first story, I greatly enjoyed myself and Axe… As ever, is still very much Axe and I doubt that’s ever gonna change. No matter who has him! Them? That’d probably be one Hell of a conversation to have with Axe! I love that with the essential Immortality that Owen has thanks to his Curse that Axe is very much apart of, Michael Moreci and Nathan Gooden can essentially place Owen in any time period they choose and go nuts if they so chose. And the same can be said for Owen’s old friend Steel considering his Vampiric nature, which as we see in the second story arc and the beginning of the third, is quite conflicted about himself due to his Vampire side. Making me wonder if he had killed his Sire if it’d have been over with for the poor guy. Something we may never know unless Michael chooses to explore that at some point in the future. And though Steel isn’t present in this one-shot, a character we meet in the second arc by the name of La’Kandra very much is.
One that Owen met a number of years before the first story arc began that he met Soren in. Though clearly the time period between the two wasn’t too huge of a gap considering it doesn’t appear La’Kandra is immortal. A bit vengeful and looking to rain down Righteous Hell on her enemies though and someone Owen is naturally of course, attracted too. Though is La’Kandra kind of a play on Marvel’s Shi’ar Empress Lilandra? As Michael and Nathan certainly do love their homages/parodies that we tend to see in the pages of Barbaric. And though Addison Duke is handling Coloring duties as wonderfully ever, Harvest Blades’ art is curiously being handled by a different Artist in the form of Robert Wilson IV. I’m assuming that perhaps Nathan himself was too busy on other things to be a part of this but I did like Robert’s art none the less. And anyone wanting to know what Axe knows… Is a bad idea. Like, seriously, a really bad, bad idea.
Not because it could potentially spell Doom but well… Its Axe and Owen knows how they are once they get going thanks to their Motor Mouth Syndrome. Enjoyable for us but not so much for him and even Soren! Again, I enjoyed seeing Owen in an earlier time period and one that wasn’t necessarily filled with a crap load of heart break and I look forward to seeing the potential his Curse provides for him being in later time periods. That Michael and Nathan have a lot in store for the world of Barbaric in the coming months is something I’m excited for, I know that much! I’m also looking forward to seeing more of La’Kandra in the main storyline given Owen’s current situation.
Barbaric: Harvest Blades – (One-Shot)
Vault Comics
Creators: Michael Moreci and Nathan Gooden
Writer: Michael Moreci
Artist: Robert Wilson IV
Colorist: Addison Duke
Letterer: Jim Campbell
Color Assistant: Andrew Misisco
Reviewer: Rob Wrecks
Summary: Like a punch in the privates, BARBARIC is back! Bloodier and more irreverent than ever. In this one-shot, Owen, the barbarian cursed to do good, is forced out of hiding and back to his old B.S.! A whole bunch of violence, ethically approved, of course, by his moral compass, the talking Axe! Find out for yourself why Entertainment Weekly, Thrillist, Screen Rant, and a whole bunch of other people called BARBARIC one of the best comics of 2021.
The first of many one-shots that further explore the world of Barbaric, whose second arc, Axe To Grind, arrives in July!
