Mouse Guard: Dawn of the Black Axe -- David Petersen, Hardcover

The origins of the legendary Black Axe and its first mouse wielder revealed for the first time!

Eisner Award-winning creator David Petersen joins forces with Eisner-nominated artist Gabriel Rodríguez to bring a brand new prequel chapter in the epic Mouse Guard saga to life--just in time to celebrate the series 20th anniversary!

Set at the earliest point in the series' timeline, this epic reveals the origin of the legendary weapon and the courageous mouse to first wield it--Bardrick. As darkness encroaches and monstrous serpents threaten the fragile peace of the Territories, Bardrick must rise to a duty greater than himself and embark on a perilous journey of sacrifice, bravery, and legacy. But with such immense stakes at hand, can the first Black Axe survive the toll of his quest?

Featuring stunning sequential art from Rodríguez paired with colors by Petersen himself, this hardcover volume beautifully expands the Mouse Guard mythos with the untold history of its earliest heroes.

Collects Mouse Guard: Dawn of the Black Axe #1-3.

Author: David Petersen
Publisher: Archaia
Published: 01/20/2026
Pages: 96
Binding Type: Hardcover
ISBN: 9798892157247

About the Author
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. He is a three-time Eisner Award winner for his work on his Mouse Guard series. David received his BFA in printmaking from Eastern Michigan University where he met his wife Julia. They continue to reside in Michigan with their dogs, Autumn and Bronwyn.