Barb: The Last Berzerker #1 by Dan Abdo and Jason Patterson

My name is Barb, and I was tired of being excluded from battling alongside the other Berzerkers. Everything changed when I got my hands on the Shadow Blade. It gave me incredible strength in battle, but now I must use it to rescue my friends. Porkchop and I are venturing to get help from the Northern Zerks, but we never could have expected how our fortunes would turn.

What worked:

Berzerkers are from Norse mythology, and they were said to go into a wild, killing frenzy during battles. Contrast that description with Barb, a smallish girl wanting to become a brave warrior. The prologue finds her friends captured by Witch Head, while Barb retrieves the legendary Shadow Blade. Barb is able to summon its powers and transform into a Berserker, although she becomes exhausted after the energy wears off. The rest of the book describes her quest to locate the Northern Zerks, so they can help with rescuing her friends. Barb has several mini-adventures along the way, and she shares the tale of how she met her sidekick, Porkchop the blue yeti. The plot offers twists, turns, and surprises that keep the whole book entertaining.

Barb’s character is brave, virtuous, and loyal, and she is an admirable main character. Berzerkers are meant to fight and kill monsters, but that’s not in her nature. Sure, she battles them when it’s called for, but she has empathy for many of her enemies. She tries to understand them and show them compassion, and her character finds some of her foes aren’t that bad. Just like humans, not all monsters are evil, and some of them can become friends and allies.

The book is full of humor and gross descriptions that might offend some readers. Young readers will surely love it! Barb and Porkchop face vampire goats, mergoblins, snot goblins, and the grub of death. Porkchop is constantly hungry, although he often lets out loud burps and sometimes can’t keep food in his stomach. Barb first meets Porkchop after he steals all of the sausages, even the kielbasa, from a peddler. They later have a pillow fight before their first night sleeping in actual beds. The dialogue includes witty comments from characters that add to the amusement. When Barb speaks directly to readers, she wonders when she started talking to herself.

What didn’t work as well:

The graphic novel doesn’t provide detailed storytelling and relies on pictures to fill in some of the gaps. The dialogue offers a general description of the plot, but it doesn’t have time to include specifics of the events or to fully develop character relationships. An underlying story with Barb’s mother adds some depth to the story. An exciting adventure enhanced by colorful illustrations and characters is the charm that attracts lovers of graphic novels.

The final verdict:

Great heroes come in different sizes. Overall, Barb’s character and her quest to save others create a delightful and perilous story. The illustrations creatively contribute to an eventful journey that will entertain young readers. It’s highly recommended that you read this first book in an exciting new series.