- Barbarian Rage
- Published by Nacelle
- by Scott Cherry
- Edited by Adam Cherry & Christopher Ryder
So what’s a creative person to do? There’s an idea, a love of comics, and a desire to unite them both in the act of creation… but there’s all that art to be done. If you’re Scott Cherry, creator of this little piece of love-inspired mayhem and sculptor of custom-made action figures, you take what gifts you do have and you run with them.
Oh so very appropriately published under the Nacelle banner (producers of The Toys that Made Us for Netflix), Barbarian Rage is the kind of comic that can only be described as a “labor of love”. I don’t know what kind of skills in the more traditional comic book arts Scott Cherry may have, but in the realm of custom figure design he’s going to be the king of the indie comic scene. Based on that alone, this title should be getting some attention as it follows the… I dunno, “adventures” seems a little disingenuous and “misadventures” just doesn’t cover it. Call it what you want, but as we wander along in the chaotic wake of the warrior Kilgarr and sorcerous Leech, there’s an inkling of some greater truth that pokes at the back of your brain.
And then it hits… THIS is what the average D&D gaming session actually sounds like. It’s way less Epic of Gilgamesh, and a lot more Monty Python’s Flying Circus. Sure, at times the back & forth ranting between the two characters might lay a little heavy, but for the most part this is what a pair of mismatched companions might actually sound like as they seek their ever elusive fortune and glory. Or even just lunch.
At the end of the day, the dialogue does its job as we follow Kilgarr & Leech from one mess to another. That’s because the real joy in Barbarian Rage is in the images. Cherry has found a niche in the ever expansive indie comic kingdom, using his sculpting skills and abundant imagination to create a unique comic book. The end result is a title that I’m more than happy to add to my indie gem longbox, if for no other reason than the sheer originality and the obvious love that went into it.
Available in print form through Barnes & Noble, Amazon, or direct from the Barbarian Rage website, this comic should find its way into the collection of fantasy fans, or anyone looking to dip into the more obscure realms of independent comics. Although, Barbarian Rage may not be all that obscure for too much longer, backed as it is by producers of the popular Toys/Movies/Cartoons That Made Us series on Netflix. Check it out.
Final Score: 10/13
