Close Menu
  • Login
  • Support Us
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Video Games
      • Previews
      • PC
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X/S
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Xbox One
      • PS4
      • Tabletop
    • Film
    • TV
    • Anime
    • Comics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse Comics
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Indie Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • Oni-Lion Forge
      • Valiant Comics
      • Vault Comics
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Event Coverage
    • BWT Recommends
    • RSS Feeds
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Support Us
But Why Tho?
RSS Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Trending:
  • Features
    Marvel's Spider-Man Secret Lair promotional image

    Get a Look At the Secret Lair x Marvel’s Spider-Man Superdrop

    09/08/2025
    Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions gameplay still

    Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions Is All About Adventure (with Friends)

    09/08/2025
    Chord in Persona 5 The Phantom X

    Now Is The Perfect Time To Jump Back In ‘Persona 5: The Phantom X’

    09/05/2025
    Cosmic Spider-Man card details

    [EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW] The Spider-Man Set Gets A 5-Color Legendary Spider

    09/02/2025
    Lee Corso from College Football GameDay in EA Sports games

    EA Sports Always Understood Lee Corso’s Legacy

    09/01/2025
  • Indie Games
  • K-Dramas
  • Netflix
  • Apple TV+
But Why Tho?
Home » Vault Comics » ADVANCED REVIEW: ‘Barbaric: Axe to Grind,’ Issue #1

ADVANCED REVIEW: ‘Barbaric: Axe to Grind,’ Issue #1

Charles HartfordBy Charles Hartford08/16/20223 Mins Read
Barbaric: Axe to Grind #1
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

Barbaric: Axe to Grind #1

Barbaric: Axe to Grind #1 is published by Vault Comics, written by Michael Moreci, art by Nathan Gooden, colors by Addison Duke, and letters by Jim Campbell. Owen, his talking axe, and Soren are faced with new challenges and more bloodshed than they could ask for. But the stakes are high for the group as they prepare to meet an old foe from Owen’s past. But before that can happen, they need to pick up another body to add to the party.

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Having not read the previous Barbaric series, I wasn’t sure exactly what I was getting into beyond the obvious swords and sorcery vibe of the cover. What I found was an entertaining opening chapter that threw me into the middle of the bloody mayhem from the word go while also building up the story to come. With its opening moments, Barbaric: Axe to Grind #1 does a great job of establishing the tone of its story. Beyond the blood everywhere, the reader is showered with loads of harsh language and more than one giant vampire nipple. This hard R rating energy never lets up through the course of the book. So, if this isn’t your style of fantasy, you should probably jump ship now.

While the brutal visuals and crude language may leave the strongest impression, that’s not all this book sets out to deliver. As the opening battle passes and the story settles into its true focus, Barbaric: Axe to Grind #1 offers some solid character moments as Owen and others are allowed to showcase who they are beyond the means to shed blood. These moments are well handled and provide a nice contrast to the wilder side of the narrative.

The line art provided by Gooden does a great job of leaning into the book’s wilder moments. When the carnage comes calling, Gooden shows an excellent grasp of how to create kinetic, action-packed art. While the action parts of the story are incredibly strong, the story’s quiet moments don’t land as well. They are good, and they get their points across well, but they just feel a bit more basic in the framing and point of view than in the more exciting moments.

The coloring in Barbaric: Axe to Grind #1 shows plenty of skill as well. Duke has a great eye for when to let a scene’s natural colors shine in a panel and when to override those colors with something more fitting to the emotions of the characters. This helps a couple of moments pick up a little extra oomph in their delivery. Lastly, we have the lettering. Campbell’s letters deliver a strong clarity to the story’s flow while also bringing a bit of extra flair to the proceedings. The letterer does a particularly good job scaling the sound effects throughout the story. This scaling keeps all the crashing and growing intensity of certain moments clean, allowing the reader to appreciate just how big a bang, crash, or slash really is.

When all is said and done, Barbaric: Axe to Grind #1 is off to a solid start. If you like your fantasy tales with a bit of edge to them, this series could be something worth checking out.

Barbaric: Axe to Grind #1 is available on August 17th wherever comics are sold.

Barbaric: Axe to Grind #1
4

TL;DR

When all is said and done, Barbaric: Axe to Grind #1 is off to a solid start. If you like your fantasy tales with a bit of edge to them, this series could be something worth checking out.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
Previous ArticleREVIEW: ‘The Flash,’ Issue #785
Next Article REVIEW: ‘Harley Quinn,’ Issue #20
Charles Hartford
  • X (Twitter)

Lifelong geek who enjoys comics, video games, movies, reading and board games . Over the past year I’ve taken a more active interest in artistic pursuits including digital painting, and now writing. I look forward to growing as a writer and bettering my craft in my time here!

Related Posts

Lunar Room #4 - But Why Tho

REVIEW: ‘Lunar Room’, Issue #4

09/19/2022
End After End #1

REVIEW: ‘End After End,’ Issue #1

08/24/2022
Lunar Room #3

REVIEW: ‘Lunar Room,’ Issue #3

03/23/2022
We Ride Titans #2 - But Why Tho

REVIEW: ‘We Ride Titans,’ Issue #2

02/23/2022
Lunar Room #2

REVIEW: ‘Lunar Room,’ Issue #2

01/21/2022
Lunar Room #1

REVIEW: ‘Lunar Room,’ Issue #1

01/18/2022

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here
TRENDING POSTS
The Long Walk (2025) film review promotional image
9.5
Film

REVIEW: ‘The Long Walk’ Is The Most Heartfelt And Heartbreaking Stephen King Adaptation

By Kate Sánchez09/11/2025Updated:09/11/2025

The Long Walk is a brutal watch. Equally heartfelt and heartbreaking, it’s one of the best adaptations of Stephen King’s work.

EA Sports FC Icons Match promotional image from Nexon News

2025 Icons Match Returns With Football Legends Bridging The Pitch And Video Games

By Kate Sánchez09/03/2025Updated:09/03/2025

NEXON has announced the return of the ‘2025 Icons Match,’ a live event that brings a full roster of legendary players to the pitch.

Black Women Anime — But Why Tho (9) BWT Recommends

10 Black Women in Anime That Made Me Feel Seen

By LaNeysha Campbell11/11/2023Updated:12/03/2024

Black women are some of anime’s most iconic characters, and that has a big impact on Black anime fans. Here are some of our favorites.

DanDaDan Season 2 Episode 11
8.5
Anime

REVIEW: ‘DanDaDan’ Season 2 Episode 11 – “Hey, It’s a Kaiju”

By Allyson Johnson09/11/2025

The ragtag group faces down the mysterious kaiju in the thrilling and beautifully animated DanDaDan Season 2 Episode 11.

But Why Tho?
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest RSS YouTube Twitch
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Review Score Guide
Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small contribution.
Written Content is Copyright © 2025 But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

But Why Tho Logo

Support Us!

We're able to keep making content thanks to readers like YOU!
Support independent media today with
Click Here