Reviews: The Nasty & Queen Of Swords
From Vault Comics
Out this week from Vault Comics, The Nasty continues with its series, and a Barbaric spinoff begins with Queen Of Swords.
The Nasty #3
Meera Malik has known Thumper since they were kids. If she's going to write the script for their horror movie, and come to grips with the unsettling happenings on-set, she'll need to search for answers in her own history, both with the genre she loves and the friendship they share. Elsewhere, a moral puritan with sinister intentions is whipping up fresh hysteria against the video nasties.
(W) John Lees (A) George Kambadais (A/CA) Adam Cahoon
This issue moves things along really well. Building on the established characters. Not only are we looking at their relationships, but also the past. I love some of these scenes, with the young characters starting on the road that they are on now.
The issues with the imaginary friend are playing out well, and it seems that we have established what the majority of the rules are here, and I wonder if there will be a twist with this part of the story.
Adding to that, with the making of their video nasty, there is a spoiler on the horizon. Not introduced fully yet, but we get a good look at her methods and her strange ways (very strange). This looks to be a potential for a lot of fun!
This continues on as an excellent series, with some brilliant art and some crazy scenes.
Queen Of Swords #1
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!
(W) Michael Moreci (CA) K.J. Diaz (A/CA) Corin Howell
Although I haven’t read any of the Barbaric series, I am happy to report that you don’t need to have read it before jumping in here.
This issue has a lot here to kick us off as well. We’ve got magic, assassins, barbarians, ghosts and more.
The introduction is well played out, with a simple raid to get some gold. The build towards this, and what comes out of it, is very well put together. I like the banter between the three (or four?), and there is some good conversation that adds to what comes next.
The build towards the main quest is very well played out, with links to the characters’ past, as well as a look towards what we will get in future issues.
There is some clever artwork here and a special note towards the colouring, making the big events special.
