Today, Vault Comics announced that fans won’t have to wait long for more stories set in the Barbaric Universe. Owen and Axe will be back next February in Barbaric: Born in Blood written by Michael Moreci, drawn by Nathan Gooden, colored by Fabi Marques, lettered by Jim Campbell, and designed by Tim Daniel. 

The series will feature a line of stellar variants from superstar artists Corin Howell, Adam Cahoon, Ed Luce, Angela Wu, and Patrick Gañas. Barbaric: Born in Blood #1 hits shelves February 14th, 2024 and keep scrolling for a first look at the debut issue below. The publisher shared a tease on what readers can expect from this new arc:

Meet Orrick, the tortured barbarian now turned master torturer, who will take us deep into Owen's past, revealing secrets that should have stayed buried...like Axe in a chest cavity slurping up that sweet, delicious blood. Will the cursed-to-do-good barbarian finally do some actual good? Probably not! But some much worse guys will almost certainly lose their heads. Yummy!

“I’m so thrilled to announce the next big arc of Barbaric,” said Gooden. “This new arc is a deep dive into the history of Owen and the Barbarian clans. Readers get to see Owen as a child and how he becomes the ruthless Barbarian we all love. Friendships and alliances are splintering while Owen pushes against his curse. New characters and a brand new adventure will dramatically expand the world!” 

"This is our darkest and most brutal volume of Barbaric yet,” added Moreci. “We're really digging deeper into these characters and what, exactly, it means to be a barbarian."

Official Press Release

Missoula, MT (11/20/2023) - Vault is thrilled to announce that a new era of Barbaric is about to begin in a brand new series, Barbaric: Born In Blood, written by Michael Moreci, drawn by Nathan Gooden, colored by Fabi Marques, lettered by Jim Campbell, and designed by Tim Daniel. 

Worried Axe is going to find out you fell behind on a few issues? Scared to admit that despite all your friends raving about Barbaric for years, you still haven't joined in on the fun? Rejoice! For Barbaric: Born in Blood begins the next season of Owen, Axe, and Soren's tale. Yes, that's right! We did it...the thing everyone says they're doing, even when they're lying through their teeth: a genuinely good jumping on point. How, you ask? Well, it all starts with a compelling new bad guy.

Meet Orrick, the tortured barbarian now turned master torturer, who will take us deep into Owen's past, revealing secrets that should have stayed buried...like Axe in a chest cavity slurping up that sweet, delicious blood. Will the cursed-to-do-good barbarian finally do some actual good? Probably not! But some much worse guys will almost certainly lose their heads. Yummy!

“I’m so thrilled to announce the next big arc of Barbaric,” said Gooden. “This new arc is a deep dive into the history of Owen and the Barbarian clans. Readers get to see Owen as a child and how he becomes the ruthless Barbarian we all love. Friendships and alliances are splintering while Owen pushes against his curse. New characters and a brand new adventure will dramatically expand the world!” 

"This is our darkest and most brutal volume of Barbaric yet,” added Moreci. “We're really digging deeper into these characters and what, exactly, it means to be a barbarian."

Barbaric is co-created by writer Michael Moreci and artist Nathan Gooden. Among Vault’s best-selling series, Barbaric has sold hundreds of thousands of copies worldwide and was named one of the best comics of 2021 by Entertainment Weekly, Thrillest, CBR, Comics Beat, & more. The story follows Owen, a bloodthirsty barbarian and his drunk axe as they roam an untamed, mythic realm battling supernatural cultists, hungry giants, creatures of the night, and more in their quest to somehow, amidst all this chaos, do some good.

Barbaric: Born in Blood will feature a line of stellar variants from superstar artists Corin Howell, Adam Cahoon, Ed Luce, Angela Wu, and Patrick Gañas. Issue #1 will hit store shelves on February 14th, 2024.