The Weird Western Savage Sword of … Harland Buck Freesword #1

As a kid, I enjoyed the wide range of comic genres in the mainstream comics of the 70’s and early 80’s. I read GI Combat, Jonah Hex, Micronauts, Star Wars and others but the one genre that always had me coming back for more was the sword and sorcery books like Conan and Krull. My absolute favourite of the bunch was Mike Grell’s Warlord and the first issue of Harland Buck Freesword reminds me quite a bit of those old Warlord comics. More sword than sorcery so far with a nice dash of Western/Cowboy thrown in, Harlan Buck Freesword #1 introduces us to the world of Alor-vyr. A land where the heroes, and the villains I suspect, are either Freesword mercenaries working for profit or Realmguard soldiers having pledged allegiance to the King.

As writer Scott Weldon puts it … “Harland Buck is a tough, cynical mercenary swordsman burdened with a conscience he sometimes wishes he didn’t have. Join him as he plies his trade in a world of hard men, tough women, frontier wilderness, myth, magic and adventure.”

The first issue opens up with Harland Buck lamenting about signing up to escort a supply wagon train carrying gold from a mine. On the trek, he and a Realmguard named Kendall Obassa become separated from the rest of the group and must fight the elements and the other dangers lurking in the woods. Scott Weldon writes a great first issue with a bit of action, some suspense and enough introductory plot threads to entice you to come back for the next issue. Dino Agor’s line work and Fredrick Allison Jr’s digital colours are clean and professional giving the book a nice polish on an independent title that would look right at home with a mainstream publisher like Dark Horse Comics. Dino’s panel layouts pay attention to the details of the narration making following the story very fluid and easy.

Good stuff all around and I am looking forward to reading the unfolding story of Harland Buck and specifically the history of his mysterious Marat Blade sword. Pick up you copy directly from Weldon Studios at http://www.weldonstudio.com

Issue: Harland Buck Freesword #1 | Publisher: Weldon Studios
Writers: Scott Weldon | Artists: Dino Agor & Fredrick Allison Jr.
Price: $5.00

About Author

Martin Boruta

Martin Boruta has been reading comic books and graphic novels for 50+ years (he reads books without pictures too, just sayin’). A lifelong fan of Captain Canuck, Martin is the curator of The Unofficial Yet Definitive Captain Canuck Comicography website. Since 2016, Martin has been reviewing comic books and highlighting great new Kickstarter projects at First Comics News. Martin’s writting has also been featured in Sequential Magazine. For over two-hundred episodes, Martin enjoyed teaming up with his pals and sharing hosting duties on The Hey Kids Comics Radio Show broadcast on Trent Radio 92.7 CFFF FM in lovely Peterborough, ON Canada, and still available at The Hey Kids Comics Radio Show website. Martin is a founding member of the Canadian Comic Book Alliance. In his various adventures, Martin has demonstrated an innate ability to spell “Erik Larsen” incorrectly.

Martin’s “day job” is owner of Shaw Computer Systems Inc., an Information Technology consultancy firm in Peterborough, ON, specializing in Managed Services for small to mid-sized businesses since 1980.

In the past, Martin served in the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve as a member of the Cadet Instructors List (Cadre), reaching the Queen’s Commissioned rank of Captain, was awarded a Baronship of Sealand, and was ordained as a Reverend in the Universal Life Church while watching an episode of Monster Garage.

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