REVIEW: 'Queen of Swords' #1 by Michael Moreci, Corin Howell, and Kike Diaz

 

QUEEN OF SWORDS #1

Writer: Michael Moreci

Artist: Corin Howell, Kike Diaz

Letters: Jim Campbell

Publisher: Vault Comics

Release Date: June 14, 2023

Cover Price: $4.99

Spinning out of the pages of BARBARIC comes an all-new, standalone, rip-roaring fantasy adventure, filled with mayhem, humor, and a bloodthirsty weapon that just won't stop talking! Serra is a witch with a checkered past; Ka is an assassin with an agenda all her own, and Deadheart is a barbarian who wants to bash everyone in her path. They'll have to unite their unique skills to track down a powerful foe who's tied their lives together. Get ready to meet your new favorite instrument of death-the evil Ga'Bar, whose spirit is now trapped in Deadheart's sword!

Discover the origin of the dark magic that turned Soren into the tattooed witch she is today, in this totally new story, the perfect place to step into the world of BARBARIC for the first time!

Score: 

 ★★★★★ (5/5)

Whether you’re a fan of Vault’s ‘Barbaric’ by Michael Moreci, Nathan Gooden, and Addison Duke, or new to its universe, ‘Queen of Swords’ is every bit as exciting, cheeky, and entertaining. Moreci returns to write this spin-off with artists Corin Howell and Kike Diaz. As introduced in ‘Barbaric: Hell to Pay,’ Deadheart the Barbarian, Ka the Assassin, and Serra the Witch, are a ragtag group of adventurers with their own dynamics and agendas. And like 'Barbaric,’ Deadheart has a talking weapon of her own. Whereas Owen’s axe is a sarcastic bloodthirsty moral compass, Deadheart’s sword, Ga’Bar, carries the evil spirit of a shit-talking misogynist.

The affable Deadheart is a fierce warrior with revenge on her mind. Ka doesn’t trust Serra at all so there’s constant friction throughout the issue. Serra has her own baggage and some of that gets explored. With the luxury of thirty-six pages, ‘Queen of Swords’ is a satisfying debut that never feels rushed or wanting. The character development feels fluid and measured without the heavy-handedness of exposition even during Serra’s flashback. Everything fans love about ‘Barbaric’ is in ‘QoS’ with all the swashbuckling action, tavern brawls, and supernatural enemies you could fit in a first issue. The execution is so well done I don’t know how the creators will keep this up.

Howell and Diaz are a nice complement to Gooden and Duke as they don’t veer too far from the ‘Barbaric’ style but put their own stamp with great detail, sharp line work, and less saturated colors. The action is well-paced and well-choreographed. Scenes never feel congested with plenty of spacing to allow a sort of cinematic approach to the composition. And Howell’s incredible talent for emotive facial expressions conveys so much in a single panel. Along with Jim Campbell’s versatility as a letterer, the issue flows and reaches new heights of adventure and conflict that are befitting of the genre.

‘Queen of Swords’ is the culmination of great storytelling and a symbiotic relationship between art and script. Moreci delivers another swashbuckling tale that reinvigorates the swords and sorcery genre once again. ‘QoS’ is not only a worthy companion to ‘Barbaric,’ it may even surpass it. This is a solid piece of thrilling entertainment that readers won’t be able to get enough of.