BARBARIC: THE LONG DEATH #1 / Script by MICHAEL MORECI / Art by NATHAN GOODEN / Colors by FABIANA MARQUES / Letters by JIM CAMPBELL / Covers by NATHAN GOODEN, PETE CARROLL, JIM MAHFOOD, CORIN HOWELL, LUANA VECCHIO & BRETT BEAN / Published by VAULT COMICS

Once upon a time, Owen was an amoral barbarian, who cared little for anything but fighting and fornicating. Then he was cursed with a magic weapon; a sentient axe called Axe, who would only be wielded in the name of righteous causes. Then Owen met a witch named Soren, who had a curse of her own, who was the only other person who could hear Axe’s complaining. Since then the trio have been through Hell (literally) and forced to deal with all manner of nonsense tied to their pasts.

Now, they are focused on the future and trying to find a way to end their respective curses. This leads them to Toro; a woodland fawn and master detective with amnesia, who also can hear Axe. The search for answers leads them to Soren’s home village (which tried to burn her at the stake) and another group of peasants in need. The problem is they want our heroes’ help even less than they want to give it!

It’s been over a year since the last chapter of Barbaric, but time has not dulled the creative teams’ talents. Michael Moreci continues to satirize the standards of sword and sorcery, while telling a touching story that fleshes out the characters beyond the jokes they started out as. Looking back, the development of Owen and Soren reminds me of how the characters were honed over the course of The Order of the Stick.

The artwork has evolved too. Nathan Gooden’s artwork remains intricate, but the action sequences seem more economical this time around. Fabian Marques’ palettes seem a bit more varied, with fades among the shades that make the stronger colors common to past chapters stand out all the stronger.

Four years after it started, Barbaric remains the best comedy fantasy series in all of comics. The only thing that keeps me from recommending Barbaric The Long Death #1 without reservation is that it reads so much better as part of the longer saga. If you’re not already reading it, do yourself a favor and check out the first volume, Murderable Offenses.

Barbaric: The Long Death #1 arrives in comic shops on December 17, 2025.