If you ask me, good fantasy is hard to come by, so when a one-shot like Barbaric: The Black Knight arrives, you buy it and tell everyone to get it too. That’s because fantasy is a hard sell most days, but when it’s written with great action, stories within stories invoking a new myth you’ve just uncovered, there’s nothing else like it.
When you crack Barbaric: The Black Knight open, you might ask yourself, “So who is the Black Knight?” But fear not, as the story gets there…eventually. It takes its time, introducing villains to be defeated, confrontations to avoid, and near-death situations that capture your interest and keep you invested in the characters’ stories. It’s so good at leading you on adventure after adventure. When the Black Knight does appear, you’ll realize you forgot all about him, but be thankful for it because you’ll get lost in this one-shot and won’t want to put it down.
The story follows Deadheart, Serra, and Ka, who were last seen in Queen of Swords. The story opens with a story of an elven warlord who keeps a full bar interested, as well as the reader. Writer Michael Moreci does well to weave in the various characters and their internal thoughts while the story takes place, leading to the idea that if you’re a violent person, does it eventually catch up with you? Hold that idea in place as you read the issue, and violence does indeed chase down our characters.
From there, the story shifts to the interest of Flail, a talking flail. Unlike Owen’s Axe in Barbaric, this weapon is quite innocent and uninterested in hurting others. An odd personality for a talking weapon. Soon, a bunch of baddies show up, and a battle ensues. From there, our heroes must flee, though they are now in possession of this dangerous artifact, Flail.
What a goofy weapon.
Credit: Vault
Customary of the Barbaric universe, Flail is immediately interesting. There’s nuance in the dialogue and expressions that make you ponder what other weapons are out there talking and killing.
The story moves forward from there, involving witches, great wars, and solid twists. It all builds towards a battle you won’t see coming, and our heroes have to make a choice in murdering what seems to be an innocent person. Moreci makes us feel for our heroes, who are burdened with siblings, curses, and the heavy weight of taking lives. Even if you haven’t read their previous adventures, I dare you not to care for them by the end, and look forward to their further adventures.
Art by Gui Balbi with colors by Fabi Marques is great, with a warmth in color that keeps it within the Barbaric universe. Blur effects help lift up the action, with interesting lighting effects. There’s a quality here, especially in the action, that you don’t normally see in indie comics. In a showstopper of a double-page splash, we see heads flying, blurry shadows darting, and a lot to take in. Fans of gore will be pleased with the level of ferocity as well.
Barbaric: The Black Knight is a masterclass in modern fantasy storytelling. It’s brutal, heartfelt, and layered with mythic weight. It’s the rare sword-and-sorcery comic that makes you feel something between the bloodshed, proving Moreci’s Barbaric universe is still the best fantasy series in comics today.
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