Thrud the Barbarian

Carl Critchlow’s long-running, self-penned and -painted fantasy spoof finally received a proper comic-book showcase from Titan in 2016. This single-issue one-shot collects the hilariously dim-witted, axe-happy barbarian’s earliest adventures from the 1980s fanzine Twisted Tales, all rendered in Critchlow’s lush, detailed watercolors. It’s a compact, affectionate tribute to the character’s origins and a must for fans of British indie comics and genre parody.