QUEEN OF SWORDS #1 / Script by MICHAEL MORECI / Art by CORIN HOWELL / Colors by KIKE DIAZ / Letters by JIM CAMPBELL / Published by VAULT COMICS

Deadheart is a barbarian who has literally been through Hell and back again. Ka is an ex-assassin with an agenda all her own. And Serra is a tattooed witch with a dark secret. Three women united by a common enemy and a magic sword containing the soul of a misogynist demon, who is REALLY not happy about being wielded by a woman. Unfortunately, Ga’Bar is the least of their problems when their pasts come back to haunt them…

Spinning out of the latest Barbaric mini-series, Hell To Pay, Queen of Swords promises more of the same high-action and humor. This first issue focuses on the sorceress Serra, who was presented as having a checkered past and not being trusted by the other adventurers. The tale proves engaging and Michael Moreci continues to impress and amuse, as he fleshes out his fantasy setting and the more interesting side-characters introduced in the first four Barbaric books.

The artwork, this time provided by Corin Howell and Kike Diaz, proves equally intricate. Howell’s style is more animated than the stoic aesthetic of the earlier series, but it suits the story given that Serra and Deadheart are more openly expressive characters than Owen, the main protagonist of Barbaric. The colors match the classic look, however, and show a great sense of contrast between the characters and the backgrounds.

If you’ve had the good fortune to enjoy Barbaric, you’ll love Queen of Swords just as much. And if you haven’t read Barbaric yet, you can jump into this book without any issue. A must read for all fans of dark fantasy and dark humor!

Queen of Swords #1 releases on June 14, 2023.