Mouse Guard Vol. 3: The Black Axe

Mouse Guard #0.5

by David Petersen

This is the third collected volume in the continuing saga of the Eisner Award-winning and critically acclaimed fantasy comic series, Mouse Guard, serving as a prequel to the two previous volumes. Set in 1115, this is the story of how the Guardmouse Celanawe's paw first touched the legendary weapon, the Black Axe. The arrival of distant kin takes Celanawe on an adventure that will carry him across the sea to uncharted waters and lands, all while unraveling the legend of Farrer, the blacksmith who forged the mythic axe. This hardcover collection will include an epilogue, pinups, a 22-page section of maps, guide pages, and cutaways, as well as reprinting the 2010 Free Comic Book Day story as a prologue to the tale.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Fantasy, Adventure, Fiction, Animals, Graphic Novels Comics

206 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 21, 2013

About the author

Note: There are more than one David Petersen on GR's database. For catch-all profile, see here (dissambiguated via 7 spaces).

David Petersen was born in 1977. His artistic career soon followed. A steady diet of cartoons, comics, and tree climbing fed his imagination and is what still inspires his work today. David won the 2007 Russ Manning Award for Most Promising Newcomer. In 2008, David won the Eisners for Best Publication for Kids (Mouse Guard Fall 1152 & Winter 1152) and Best Graphic Album – Reprint (Mouse Guard Fall 1152 Hardcover). He is the creator of the Mouse Guard series and is excited to be working on projects he dearly loves doing. David and his wife Julia reside in Michigan with their dog Autumn.

Reviews

[Lukas Sumper · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cute and brutal Mouse adventure continues or lets say expands and I am glad! You gotta love the art and detail put into this, sure the writing is a bit shallow but we are talking about mice here. There are some blatant references (or some might say ripped off elements) from the lord of the rings, to the point where the black axe becomes more than just an axe… but I guess that it's hard to avoid that trap in this genre.

If you don’t want to read something overly deep and complex this is perfect to just switch off and get entertained. 4.0 out of 5.0 stars

[Drew Canole · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Mouse Guard universe gets expanded slightly. This is the story of The Black Axe, which really is the entire story of the three Mouse Guard books.

I enjoyed the characters but the plot is lacking quite a bit. As a library rental, this was worth it, but I couldn't justify spending money on the book.

The font used for the text was horrible. I found it hard to read.

[CS · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bullet Review:

Who said that mice were wimps? One mouse (whose name is impossible for me to remember) is approached by his cousin, Em, to hunt down the family "Black Axe". It's a cute little fantasy story with mice. The art was pleasant, the story was pretty typical but decent, the text was a pain to read - but overall, I had a good time reading this.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Think of Lord of the Rings, mixed up with a bit of Game of Thrones with maybe even a dash of The Odyssey...with mice as the main characters. It sounds silly, but let me assure you, it's not nearly as silly as it sounds. This is a pretty serious fantasy adventure, and using mice, ferrets, and other animals as characters enhanced rather than detracted from the story. This serves as a prequel to the very first Mouse Guard series, and we get to see a great quest. The quest is a time honored tradition of great fantasy, and this series lives up to it. As always, the art is fantastic and the coloring is great. Really helps tell the story the right way.

It's probably hard to see how stories starring mice could be as good as people say it is, but the only way for you to find out is to try it for yourself. You still may not like it, but there's a good chance you will be pleasantly surprised.

UPDATE: I did a re-read of this one and was shocked at just how much emotion was in this story. I think I missed some of the impact on the first reading, but on the re-read I really noticed how much the author made us feel for these characters, whether hero or villain. The fact the characters were talking animals only made this more impressive. Pretty deep for what at first glance looks like a children's book, but actually has much broader appeal.

[F.D. Gross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well. This is it. The final read book of the year for me. This three volume adventure series was a good run, complete with compelling mouse characters, secret carrying mice, and the coming and fall of certainly brave heroes. The black axe, respectively a prequel to Fall and Winter 1152, was nothing short of amazing. It’s as if David Petersen kicked it up a notch with story development and panel design. The story journeys you back to the time of 1108 (I think) when Celenawe goes on a daring adventure to reclaim the fabled Black Axe, forged by the the family Farrer. He journeys to an island ruled by ferrets and manages to survive the fair and just king. The story in the beginning starts with a recap from Gwendolyn, the matriarch of Lockhaven, and then recounting the lives of the guard mice. The boom serves as a memoir of Celenawe travels and exploits, read by Lieam, who now bears the burden of the black axe present day. Lessons are taught, lessons are learned, and the lives of Mouse Guard live on in prosperity.

I do hope Mr. Petersens resumes writing more Mouse Guard series. I would read them in a heart beat, and add them to my collection. For what is life without books and fantasy? A dull one I believe.

Happy new year to all, 2022 bring us into a new light.

5 out of 5 stars
F. D. Gross

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, the story gets better and better, writing too. The prequel about the mythic weapon and how it was found was really well-written. But what stands out is the lore, which is given in full at the end of each volume with great visuals and texts.

[Shaun Stanley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mouse Guard: The Black Axe collects issues 1-6 of the Archaia comic series written and drawn by David Petersen.

Black Axe is a prequel story detailing how Celanawe becomes the wielder and protector of the legendary Black Axe and its history as it is passed down to Kenzie and Saxon.

Another beautiful story set in this gorgeous fantasy world. I love the medieval and rustic setting to these tales featuring brave mice. This book features some unique settings and characters that sets it apart from the previous books. I believe the Mouse Guard books will go down as one of the most beautifully illustrated fantasy stories of all time.

[[Name Redacted] · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily the best entry in the series to date. A simultaneous prequel to the main series and a follow-up to Mouse Guard: Winter 1152, it is also both the most emotional and the most engaging story I've read this year. I was literally moved to tears more than once while reading it.

[Charlos · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's nice to have a full volume of Petersen artwork and story again.

[Dani Shuping · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC provided by NetGalley

The Mouse Guard has faced one of it’s greatest challenges, treason from within, and managed to survive thanks to the actions of other brave mice of the guard…and the Black Axe a lost hero. In this prequel Celanawe, the Black Axe, tells the story he promised to tell Lieam...the story of how he came by the Black Axe. Celanawe is a one of the guard, one of the bravest there is, and is happy to serve for as long as he is able. Until a relative, Em, comes to take him on a journey away from all he knows into new dangers across the sea to find the lost Black Axe. An ancient weapon of the mouse guard and one that is needed once again to help defend the kingdom. Only Celanawe can wield the axe, but can he find it in time?

The artwork is probably my favorite part of this story. Don’t get me wrong the story is great as well, but the artwork is still stunning. Beautiful watercolor drawings that just capture enough detail in the characters and their surrounding to make them seem real, especially the depiction of the fur of all of the various creatures that appear. In this book David brings his skill to depicting some of the larger four legged hunters for the first time. I love the depiction of their armor and how its made up of skulls of dead animals, crab shells, and even fish and the little details that David adds to the depictions to make it come to life. I especially like the level of detail in the duck that shows up to help them escape, it’s absolutely beautifully done. I don’t think I’ve discussed it before, but David captures the movement of the characters well…those little details that help the characters feel real and alive that help us connect with them better. The little movements as they try to make their way silently away from the weasels are done fantastically. This is still the type of book that I can just sit down with for hours on end and look at all of the details in the illustrations.

This again is a gripping tale and has just the right mix of drama to keep readers interested without being overwhelming with so much going on. David creates a pace to the tale that is pitch perfect, always making you want more. And that subtle tension that we see in the previous two volumes remains and is there at the very beginning of the story and continues to build throughout the book.This tale is a bit darker and younger readers might be a bit upset about what happens to a couple of the characters, but they should still enjoy it and finding out about the Black Axe.

This is just a fantastic story and I would recommend it for all ages, because it has a little bit of something for everyone to enjoy. I can’t wait to read the next volume in the series.

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Celanawe is a mouse and a trusted guard in the medieval world of Mouse Guard. The world is populated by many intelligent animals, including the dangerous ferrets and foxes. When Celanawe is sent on a quest with the elder Em, it takes him on a journey over land and sea that will leave him forever changed.

This is my first exposure to the world of Mouse Axe, but I was struck by such a well written story. This book works as a stand alone. There are references to previous stories, but I was able to jump right in. The characters are multi-faceted and there is real emotion and complexity in their choices.

The art by David Petersen (who also wrote the book) is amazing and detailed. My only slight complaint was that it was sometimes hard to read Celanawe's narration as it was done with a Celtic calligraphy nod and there are some extra embellishments on some of the letters. Speaking of embellishments, each chapter opens with a full page of ornamentation, but this I really loved. There is some great creativity in here, and I'll be visiting the world of Mouse Guard again soon.

[Ctgt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy the whole package Petersen puts together, a great little adventure story surrounding the legendary Black Axe and a fantastic realistic art style combined with a fairly somber color palatte.

[Johan Haneveld · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a child I read the books about gnomes by Dutch painter Rien Poortvliet - they contained detailed illustrations of buildings and engineering projects of the gnomes, like constructions to ward of snakes or elaborate constructions to use pneumatics to carve out tunnels - but on a small scale. I had to think about those leafing through the extra's at the back of this book, with pictures of mouse cities and buildings, just as lovingly portrayed. This is one of the attractions of this graphic novel - the depiction of mouse life - a medieval people living among giant predators and carving out a niche for themselves.
I had read the previous two volumes some time ago, but it turned out I had never bought the third of David Petersens collections. Which was a shame. I think I thought a prequel would not be as interesting, but boy, was I wrong about that! This is a fantastic story telling the story of Guard Mouse Celanawe, who is contacted by his last surviving family member, who asks his help in locating the legendary Black Axe, that was last seen on a far away island over the sea ... What follows is a perilous journey that competes with the most epic of tales. It is lovingly rendered by Peterson, who's deceptively simple drawings evoke strong emotions. The composition of each panel is masterful (it was drawn to be published in black and white originally), and the coloring is beautiful. It all serves to absorb the reader in the story.
I found the characters here even more involving than those in the previous volumes. They are surprisingly complex - showing hidden courage and hidden flaws. Even the ferrets, ordinarily enemies of mice, are given layers. And the heroic exploits of the main characters are given given moral shading, by showing the costs also (e.g. the two fox kits).
This is a graphic novel to read and savor again. Everyone should read this, but especially fantasy fans enjoying detailed world building. There's no magic here as such, but this world is a magical place ...

[Mayank Agarwal · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book yet in the series, fantastic illustrations and an engaging story.

The book can be read as a standalone.

The story itself is straightforward but does have good plotting, pacing and emotions. If you are interested in a fantasy book with medieval theme and adventures, look no further. Even thou it centres around mice, it is not silly but serious.

I have always loved the artwork in this series and it only seems to be getting better, Peterson's art is cleaner and more detailed from before, in-depth sketches for all the many animals used were incredible, from their furs, feathers to their clothes and accessories, even their movements and the change of weather and daylight, it all seemed realistic. Only complain is the use of calligraphy as fonts, although it adds to the feel of lore, it is hard to read.

I am looking forward to the next adventure of the Mouse Guards.

PS: I read a digital version of the comic.

[Wing Kee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good prequel that explains a lot of the history behind the Black Axe. Good stuff!

I usually don't like prequels as if I know whose gonna survive and what the end is going to be I feel like cheated into taking this journey. There are some cases where prequels work (Forward and Prelude to Foundation by Asimov come to mind) but mostly they don't really. That's why I was a bit hesitant picking up Black Axe knowing what it was. I was very much surprised and had loads of fun as a result:

World: The world of Mouse Guard is fun but littered with call back to many similar tales of talking mice and other animals (Brian Jacques and Beatrix Potter come to mind) but what set's Petersen's world apart is of course his art. The art is beautiful, it looks classic with it's line work and color pallet, like a book you've found in a dark corner of a cave or an abandoned ruin. The art lends itself to pull itself apart from the rest of the above mentioned series and makes it a thing on it's own. I can't say enough about his art, stunning. The narrative world building is still very strong but mostly due to the nature of the stories that Petersen's telling it merely acts as a background to the immediate story at hand.

Story: Straight forward and full of charm. Much like his other works in the series, this arc is very self contained and paced well for new and old readers. It is very easy to pick up and get into the story. The story is fairly standard adventure fare and does feel similar to his other works, but hey more of the same (knowing that it takes a long time for every release) is a good thing.

Characters: This time around we get a look at Celanawe from the previous two arcs and we learn how he came to be the Black Axe. His arc is fairly simple and basic and his motivations easy to understand. It's enjoyable in that way that things are not too convoluted and rationale does not need to be disected. It's a good palate cleaners and harkens back to old heroes quest troupes which is not necessarily a bad thing.

It was an enjoyable book, even if it was a prequel. I enjoyed the process and the journey so the fact that I know where the book would end up was not that much of a thing for me. Now please continue Lieam's tale!

Onward to the next book!

[Fran · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've waited a long time for all the issues to be out so I could read them in succession (two years and three months for six issues!). It was worth the wait, I think The Black Axe is possibly the best Moust Guard story yet. The art is much improved since Mouse Guard: Fall 1152. David Petersen's work is much cleaner and more detailed now and that makes the story even better. Personally, I loved the foxes that appear in this volume, they're stunningly beautiful (and such a sad part of the story).

The story is excellent too. Fits in nicely with the Mouse Guard mythology and timeline, even though it's a prequel. I liked the first volume well enough to carry on reading the series, even though I felt the first volume was good but not outstanding. I'm glad I did, because this has definitely become an outstanding series now.

Looking forward to the next Legends of the Guard series, and whatever comes next in the narrative!

[The Sapphic Nerd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn't find a copy of volume 2 so I skipped ahead to The Black Axe and it's improved since volume 1. This storyline is more interesting, with the classic adventure feel to it. There are also less characters to keep in mind, which is always a plus for me. Characters and character development could still use some work. I didn't get as attached to the characters as I could have because there wasn't much to latch onto.

The art has been consistently lovely. The whole series has a Medieval look, from the fonts and colours, to the technology, to the clothing.

If you enjoy books about animal characters, you'll like this series. It's similar to Redwall.

[A Fan of Comics · Rating 4 out of 5]

A history lesson.

We have a glance at the past and learn the legend of the black ax. The black ax has been passed down to only those worthy enough to control its power. A family tree is at its end and only a weasel can help them. Is the weasel trust worthy? Can a mouse really defeat a fox? This one felt a little slower pace than the last book. Which isn’t a bad thing, but there were less surprising moments and more heart break. Overall great story, really feel for the black ax mouse and am excited to see where he is on our next venture.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

The artwork was masterful and was accompanied by classic storytelling.

[Jason Dark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third graphic novel by David Petersen which I have read. There are a total of eight planned for this series, but also other series within the same world. It is exceptionally rare to find a graphic novel where just one person does all the art and story.

Peterson has combined the best elements of Redwall and Dragonlance, creating a very real world, deep with rich history, and one very much dangerous to the characters involved. Like other works I've read which emloy anthropomorphism, such as The Wind in the Willows, this is not a children's book. Nay, this third installment, much like the previous two, is a page turner fraught with dire situations, leaving the heroes to carry on in woeful circumstances, some of which only an adult would understand. However, these books all have the perfect balance of lightheartedness and tense atmosphere.

I only have praise for Peterson's art style and storytelling. I wish I had known about his work years before I stumbled upon the first Mousegaurd at my local comic shop back in 2016. I absolutely love these books and look forward to reading the rest of his material.

[Dustin (dragonarmybooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third and final entry in the traditional Mouse Guard graphic novel series is a prequel story telling the tale of how the mouse Celanawe became the Black Axe.

Like the preceding volumes, the highlights here are the artwork, characters, worldbuilding, and storytelling. It's all so dang good. Two things caused a bit of a struggle here, one new and one old. The new frustration was one of the font choices that made some dialogue difficult to read. The old frustration is the difficult and numerous names of the mice. It's so hard to remember!

All of that being said, Mouse Guard: The Black Axe and the entirety of the Mouse Guard series is super special to me and will always hold a place in my heart.

[Valdemar Lenschow · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read this, it had been a while since I read the last one in the series, and I was beginning to doubt, whether it had truly been that good, or if I had been charmed by the pretty drawings. But after finishing the third one is the series, I can only say, that Petersen is a pretty great storyteller as well. This volume is mostly a self-contained story and it introduces multiple new characters who only exist in this volume, but it handles them very elegantly and meaningfully. The Black Axe is very nice indeed.

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tempted to give only four stars, but my reservations are kind of nit picky--Some of the hand lettered text is tough to read, as is the "narrator" typeface, which has a bunch of uneccessary lines over various letters.
But overall, the story is just wonderfully imaginative. And the illustration is amazing.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Black Axe acts as a prequel to Fall and Winter, detailing how the fabled weapon came into possession of Celanawe. While I didn't enjoy it as much as Winter, it is still a gripping tale of a mouse's odyssey to reclaim his birthright and set history into motion.

[Aro Rusco · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most beautiful Mouse Guard book yet. David Petersen truly blew me away with this one; by far my favourite Mouse Guard book.

[Jakub Kvíz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Black Axe je pro Mouse Guard to samy, co je Hobit pro Pana Prstenu. Paradni zalezitost!

[Freya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come :)

[Jeffrey E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything really came together with this volume. Great storytelling, fantastic art, vibrant colours.

[Lucas Lima · Rating 5 out of 5]

On this one, we read about Celanawe's story and how he became The Black Axe and what it supposed to means. Just another amazing book, but i believe the second one is still my favorite.

[Gio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Una storia dentro la storia. Bellissimo volume dedicato a questa particolare figura, eroe fra i topi.