Barb the Last Berzerker

Barb the Last Berzerker #1

by Dan Abdo, Jason Patterson (Illustrator), Dan & Jason

The action of Moana meets the humor of books like Dog Man in this sidesplitting graphic novel about a young Berzerker who has to rescue her fellow warriors from the evil villain Witch Head before he destroys the world!

Barb is a Berzerker, one of a group of warriors sworn to protect the land of Bailiwick from the scourge of monsters that plagues it. But the fearsome crew seem to have met their match in the nefarious Witch Head. Using power from his magical sword, he tricked the Zerks and took them captive. Only Barb was able to escape—and she took Witch Head’s Shadow Blade with her.

Now it’s up to Barb to free her fellow warriors so they can stop Witch Head from taking over Bailiwick. On the way, she’ll battle vampire goat fiends, snot goblins, and a giant with serious foot odor issues (but don’t mention that to him—he’s very sensitive about it). Luckily, she’s got her best friend, Porkchop the yeti, to help her.

But the power of the Shadow Blade has a mind of its own, and the deeper Barb gets into her quest, the harder it is to keep the blade’s awesome power under control.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Adventure, Humor, Childrens, Comics

256 pages, Hardcover

First published September 28, 2021

Reviews

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really fun book with lots of action and adventure. Barb and her yeti friend Pork Chop set out on a quest to save the rest of the Berserkers from the clutches of the powerful Witch Head. It is a long and arduous road that is crossed by all sorts of monsters. Barb and Pork Chop will have to fight hard and trust each other if they are going to have any chance of survival. A new guilty pleasure of mine!

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You're just a little kid."
"I'm a Berzerker, and protecting humans from monsters . . . is my DUTY!"

Despite her vow to destroy all things monstrous, little Barb discovers that there are a few monsters out there who might actually be kinda cool - like Porkchop the Yeti.

Together they go on a quest filled with danger, treachery, and yummy sausages.

Recommended to all who have a 10-year-old child buried deep inside of them, and to actual, living, breathing children who enjoy silly action/adventure, and occasional gross humor.

This one releases September 28th. Thanks be to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this boffo sneak preview.

[Mehsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book from the publisher/TBR and Beyond Tours in exchange of an honest review~

So I am very sparse with doing reviews for blog tours, but this one I just couldn’t resist. A graphic novel? Check. Fantasy setting with a seemingly awesome character? Check. A quest? Check. And I am so happy I had the chance to read this book because I had so much fun!

In this book we meet BARB, sorry I just have to put it in caps because she is that awesome. Barb is one of the last berzerkers.. the rest has sadly been captured by an evil (well, ish) wizard who was sick and tired of things. But Barb is not afraid, she’s got a sword, and she is meeting all sorts of friends. Including friends that she shouldn’t be making, like Porkchop a yeti. Monsters are not supposed to be friends but I love that Barb was finding out that monsters aren’t so bad. I loved following Barb as she goes on quests, adventures, and finds warriors to help her with the evil wizard in Witch’s Head. Barb was a really great character and I love that, despite the very not happy situation, she keeps on going. I loved seeing her in Shadow Blade mode, she looked so cool there.

There was a moment of confusion as we went from her escaping Witch’s Head to having a friend, but thankfully the authors give us a backstory in a fun way! One that fills up all the gaps. I do have to say I was a bit worried if we would get it, I have read plenty of GN with stuff like this and we the readers should just fill that hole ourselves, so I am very happy that we got that backstory.

I was surprised to find out that this was the first book in the series! Generally comics and GNs have numbering if it is part of a series so I thought this would be a complete story, but in fact it ends with Barb heading to Witch’s Head with a ragtag team! I was a bit disappointed by that, but I am also happy that there is going to be more. I want to see Barb kick some more asses. XD

The art in this book was so fun and playful and fitted so well with the the story. Love love love it!

All in all, if you are in a book filled with monsters, quests, evil guys doing evil things, and a kick-ass little girl… be sure to check out Barb the Last Berzerker!

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the purest thing I've read in ages. I'm a grown lady but I think I may need to collect this series for the pure serotonin. I would have LOVED this as a child.

[Reilly Ingleson · Rating 5 out of 5]

obsessed...yes these are childrens books leave me alone

[Taylor Rickett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A super fun romp in graphic form that follows Barb the Berserker as she traverses the realms in hopes of defeating the nefarious slimy one, Witch Head! Along the way Barb makes an unlikely group of friends and allies, snarfs some sausages and even finds that berserkers come in varied forms and fashion. Fun little book, looking forward to number two in the series.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

***I received an ARC of this book, courtesy of the publisher. All ideas expressed are my own.***

A young berserker coming into her own--fighting evil, befriending monsters, facing her past, and learning what it really means to protect others. This story doesn't take itself too seriously, and it's a fun romp through lots of confusion and a bit of potty humor to get to the end. I would recommend this to kids who like Captain Underpants and Princess Pulverizer, although the reading level is a bit easier than either of those series.

[Cori Hutchinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC from a goodreads giveaway all opinions are my own

This was super cute and the artwork was fantastic.
I was surprised how much I enjoyed it as a light read when I am definitely not the target audience which would be more like middle graders who enjoy some gross jokes.
But Barb is spunky and likeable and has good morals in a fun way, if I had a child I would definitely have them read this book which is why I gave it a high rating. Also her best friend is a yeti named porkchop and that’s freaking cute!

[Brooke W · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much fun!! Time flew by as I read this!

I loved Barb! She was an entertaining character to read and I loved her sidekick, Porkchop. A human trained to fight monsters and a yeti?! Iconic. The beginning was so powerful and shows readers the real power of the Shadow Blade. The humorous banters between the characters never got old and I can't wait for book 2! (Which has already been announced 🥳)

I loved the art style! It had so many unique elements! I fully recommend this book to anyone! Especially reluctant readers who enjoyed the movies Abominable and Small Foot.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book through Goodreads First Reads. Thank you!

I thought this was so cute and funny! Barb and Porkchop are a great team. Witch Head is decently creepy, and Recurring Sausage Guy made me laugh.

I was reading an ARC so I am not sure if the final version also had some non-colored pages. They didn't detract much from the book but they did seem kind of random, so I will be curious to see the finished copy.

[Jaimes_Mystical_Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun and action packed middle grade graphic novel. I loved following Barb throughout this story. This book has great artwork and an excellent, vibrant color palette that helps bring the story to life and makes it a captivating middle grade read.

Thank you Simon Kids for this gifted book.

[Dr. T Loves Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - Goofy fun. Definitely written for younger readers - although there's a lot of "violence", no one ever seems to get particularly hurt. Could use a bit more diversity. But not bad. And it has the good lesson that we should not judge others because they belong to a particular group, but rather treat everyone well and assume good intent until proven otherwise.

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75?? The art was just so good. Some of the jokes had me actually laugh out loud. This one was really a lot of fun. I think at times the plot and dialogue could’ve been much more clear, but it was super charming nonetheless! I’ll pickup more from this series!

[Anmiryam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute start to a middle reader graphic novel series.

[Tasha Birckhead · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is really cute, full of adventure and fun. This is definately for those who like Adventure Time or fantasy books with quests. I enjoyed it.

[Barb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I rather like Barb! She is a sweet character, and especially for a Berzerker! Her sidekick Porkchop cracks me up. I am looking forward to more adventures with Barb.

[Ro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really, really good book.

[Ricky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading because my little loves them. I absolutely get it

[Jacqui · Rating 5 out of 5]

We love Barb! She’s strong and brave and the whole cast of characters are magical and hilarious.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Graphic Novel
I received an electronic ARC from Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing through NetGalley.
Highly detailed artwork brings this story to life. Readers meet Barb right away as the Berzerkers fight monsters. They don't let her be part of the battle even though she wants to be. After they are tricked by a witch, Barb is the last one who is free. She sets out on a quest to get help. Along the way, she pairs with a Yeti and interacts with monsters of various kinds. The obvious theme of learning about each other comes through clearly. The story ends as a new quest begins. Readers get a hint of what will come in the epilogue. Looking forward to the next book in this series.
Plenty of humor and action for middle grade readers. They will appreciate the body humor and the fight scenes.

[Princess Cordelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a ruckus adventure starring Barb, the last berzerker who must go on a quest to save the rest of her berzerker family. A playful yet extremely high stakes adventure perfect for younger readers of adventure, humor, and Dave Pilky books. They will love reading about Barb, a small yet mighty berzerker who uses compassion (and also a magic sword) to make enough friends to form a small band that is on their way to battle the evil Witch Head who is holding the other berzerkers captive as we speak.

[Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The description had me when it Said She-Ra meets Dog Man. If only it had lived up to that. The art lives up to it, but the story line is just so-so. Barb is small. She is constantly looked over by the other Berserkers who are big and full of muscle, and ready to fight. During a fight with Witch Head most of her warrior friends are captured and she must defeat them on her own with her trusty Shadow Blade. This is supposed to be a comedy, but it is too much comedy for the reader. I found myself rolling my eyes and wondering when it was going to end. No thank you.

[Ash · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Review kind of for all 4 published books because I struggle to separate them in my mind*

This is an excellent comic series for the tricky ages between 6-10 when kids may still be struggling to read at all OR struggling to enjoy reading OR they enjoy reading but are still young for dense chapter books. My boys have enjoyed this series for the last year. They're ages 7 and 9 as of this month. They're both excellent readers. They have short attention spans but also fixate on particular books. They gravitate towards this series and have read the books over and over and over, sometimes not even starting at the beginning, but picking up in the story wherever they want. Sometimes they read for the jokes, or for the artwork, or to follow only a side character, or they do truly love the stories and will read cover to cover enjoying it as a whole.

With that said, here are my thoughts:

Each book contains obvious inspiration from the world of Tolkien, which I love. The books read like the authors love Middle Earth so much that they couldn't help but have an overflow of that passion into their own work.

The world building is rich for a kids book!!! The characters have some complexity and depth. It's a good, gentle introduction to that "morally gray" concept: that sometimes what we think is evil is just something different from us that we don't understand, and with a little understanding, we can see it's not evil at all.

Major themes of friendship, confessing wrongdoing and fixing how you hurt others--not just saying sorry, grief of parents leaving for work for extended periods of time then later parent death, anxiety and fear, and while there's lots and LOTS of fighting and violence, it's always for good and not with the desire to kill.

The writing is excellent! While I could do with less "slang," it feels pretty real. But especially, the WORD PLAY!!!! is so good!!!! There's lots of potential for learning excellent new vocab, turns of phrase, pun, proverbial phrases, callbacks, and more. The chapter titles are worked into the story in a neat way.

Each panel pushes forward to the next brilliantly and invites readers to enjoy all the details. There's so much movement in the illustrations that's a delight to read! The illustrations are great; it looks human created and the colors are beautiful, not like much of the computer generated and over-bright slop I see in other comics for this age group--the art has heart!

Each book also features flashbacks that give context to a character or event, or is a mini-story within the story.

Content warnings to consider:
Violence and fighting, parent death, war, an evil villain that is demon-like, Barb doesn't like listening to orders and doesn't always receive consequences, name calling but usually silly stuff, potty humor but nothing like Dog Man--it's very minor and usually word play.

[Mark Buxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Rajiv · Rating 5 out of 5]

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I loved reading “Barb the Last Berzerker.” The story is adventurous, cute, funny, and thrilling at the same time.

I can easily see this becoming a hit animated TV series on Netflix. There is so much that Barb goes through to save the other Berzerkers. Barb is awesome! Although she is small in size, her bravery and confidence shine in the tale. I loved her adventures with her adorable sidekick Porkchop, whether they go to find berries at the Bear Beast cave or step onto the Razor Beak Ridge. It was also lovely to see how the two became friends in the flashbacks. Similarly, the tale’s villain, Witch Head, is also so deliciously evil and keeps the story exciting by the numerous ways to retrieve the Sword.

Moreover, the story is so creative in terms of world-building. I loved reading about mer-goblins, shadow bats, snot goblins, and much more. One of my favorite moments is when Barb encounters the Grom and has to fight it. Another magical moment is the scenes that Barb shares with her mother. I loved how the book made me go through various emotions.

Also, the creators blended the story and characters beautifully with eye-catching illustrations. The graphics are vibrant yet straightforward that will make you appreciate the comic. I also laughed out loud at many moments, like when the monsters referred to Barb as Brenda. Moreover, the story ends in a shocking cliffhanger that makes you want to immediately pick up the next book and find out what happened.

Overall, “Barb the Last Berzerker” is a brilliant graphic novel filled with humor, action, and adventure, memorable lead characters. I loved reading every minute of the story.

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Furious action and humor collide in super-fun adventure with a heroine full of spunk and determination.

Barb is a Berzerker, and the smallest one, who always is told to stay behind when the rest of the Berzerkers attack the monsters. When they attack an especially evil monster, Barb doesn't listen to orders, but this time, it's good since the rest of the Berzerker's are taken captive. Barb manages to escape with the sword, and now, it's up to her to find the Northern Berzerkers, bring them back to free her group.

This is a fast-paced tale, packed with adventure, quirky moments, monsters, unexpected surprises, a powerful sword, and friendship. Barb might be small, but she has the heart of a true Berzerker...actually, even a bigger one than that. She's brave, kind, and never bows from a fight which needs to be fought. And yet, she's horribly kind to anyone and everyone, who needs it. In other words, she is an awesome heroine, who simply loves to fight, too.

There are tons of fun fight scenes...the kind with the 'Whoosh', 'Bang' and such. Monsters need to fear when she appears with her sword, but yet, there's never a shortage on heart. This book is as much about friendship, standing up for those who need help, standing to your own mistakes, and judging creatures for who they are and not what they are. So, there are tons of good messages in here too.

The illustrations are bright and bold and full of power. It's fun to go through each scene and watch Barb's tales unfold. The text is great for the intended audience and balances nicely with the illustrations.
It's just fun to read as tension and laughs combine into a fury of fun. Luckily, this is only the beginning of Barb's adventures, too. I received an ARC and loved the fun in these pages.

[Amy Moreno · Rating 3 out of 5]

Barb is a young Berzerker, the last one left fighting in the human/monster war after all of the big Berzerkers are captured. On her epic quest to save her people, she meets new friends and enemies and sausage salesman. Will she be able to save the day?

I don't know. And you won't either. This book is all lead up with a cliffhanger at the end. It is cute-adjacent in a "you know exactly where they are going with this" sort of every-epic-quest-ever-trope" sort of way. The two big things that put me on the fence about whether I will finish the series is 1: The humor sort of relies on quips to try to be funny, but you can only read so many four-word thought bubbles before you just want to glaze over them and read anything with ACTUAL substance. And they aren't even great quips. 2: I sort of dislike books that only serve as a means to build up to the second book. No resolution, heaping conflict after conflict, ending with a cliffhanger that is just the buildup to the next book. And It just didn't quite hit the mark for me of being funny or cute enough to make me want to work my way through another one to see where the next cliff hanger will take me...

It was a great premise, who doesn't love a good Berzerker, but it just fell a little short of the mark for me.

I received an ARC from NetGalley, but my opinions are all mine.

[April Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a lot of fun! Barb lives in a world filled with magic and monsters, and runs with a gang of Zerks, berzerkers who protect the land from monsters. When her gang gets double-crossed by a disguised Witch Head while searching for the legendary Shadow Blade, Barb is the only one to escape, taking the sword with her. She must reach the Northern Zerks so she can bring back help to rescue her friends, and on her way she meets Porkchop, a yeti. The two initially are enemies, but neither really wants to hurt anyone, and after rescuing each other from a couple of jams, the two become friends. Together they set off to get help for Barb's friends, having adventures and forming new alliances along the way. Meanwhile, the Witch Head has evil plans to use her captives to get her sword back....
This was a fun adventure, with lots of action, laughs, and warm moments of friendship. Barb battles bullies and takes them down, but never finishes them off- she even saves one's life! The ending cliffhanger has Barb finding unexpected help in her quest to save her comrades. The art has a squiggly, kiddish vibe that goes well with the wild fun of the story, and the villain is creepy and campy in equal measure. Looking forward to the next book!

#BarbtheLastBerzerker #NetGalley

[Olivia Thames · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much like "Garlic & the Vampire" by Bree Paulsen, and "Ham Helsing: Vampire Hunter" by Rich Moyer, one look at the cover of Dan Abdo's, "Barb the Last Berzerker" will cause fans of both graphic novels and fantasy role-playing to want to at it to their To-Read List (TRL).

Given the genre, illustration style, and plot, I thought that Abdo's graphic novel would be a good way to prep (aka, pregame) for my first experience as a Dungeon Master (DM) in a Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) campaign. Although Barb's quest offered a few ideas for creative and collaborative storytelling, I may require more from the series (as a reader, a writer, and as a DM) to truly bring a similar band of heroes to life. It succeeded with the comedic element of RPGs, and coming-of-age tales, and for those chuckles I thank Abdo.

"Barb" offers us a heroine whose curiosity is both her greatest strength, and at times her greatest weakness. However, she teaches us all to face the consequences bravely and with confidence, and you just may be surprised by how creative you can be when your back is to a wall (and your sword is outshining your inner strength). Her tale is one that we can all learn from.

Although Abdo's fantasy graphic novel will, personally, be remembered more for the imagery rather than the plot (as of volume one, that is): "Barb" is hardly a drag!

[Jordan Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars

Pretty fun for a children’s book and an excellent introduction I think to reading longer books for young kids. I read the first few chapters with my daughter (who is 3 years old) and she was a bit too scared to want to continue. A few days later I decide to sit down and finish reading it because it’s due back at the library soon and I had a pretty good time with it. Of course my daughter walks in when I’m about 75% through and decides she wants to read with me, so we finished it together and she had a lot more fun once the main villain wasn’t on every page.

What this book really nails is the art style which brings me back into such a comfortable nostalgia, perfectly evoking that Nickelodeon look from the 90’s. Specifically I’m remembering Kablam, but I’m sure there’s other shows that used it too. And there’s probably shows that use it today too, I just don’t really watch kids shows anymore. It’s so colorful and zany and every page pops and draws you in.

The story is decent and actually goes for a few tender/tragic moments which not every kids book goes for and I appreciate it. As a dad who does all the voices, I appreciate the distinct character designs which makes my job easier. Overall excellent book and worth a read for any kid or dad with a kid.