Just as there's room for more than one superhero in comics, there's room for more barbarian. And on July 1, cartoonist Matt Smith makes his graphic novel debut with a story about a farmer who trades his plow for a sword and ax to become Barbarian Lord.

Originally serialized online, Barbarian Lord is being expanded and honed like a sword on the proverbial smith's anvil for the Clarion Books release. Mixing the standard-bearer for barbarism that is Conan with elements of Hellboy, Norse mythology, Icelandic sagas and the timeless story of a farm boy becoming a man, Barbaric Lord looks to be a combination of big action and sly humor.

Although Barbarian Lord is Smith's first graphic novel, he's worked as a cartoonist for years, contributing to children's magazines such as Cricket and Highlights, and winning a Xeric grant in 1995.

You can see a few pages from the Barbarian Lord hardcover below, and even more on Smith's blog.