Although Thrud himself is a parody of Conan the Barbarian,[1][3] particularly as depicted in the Arnold Schwarzenegger films, inspiration for the character's adventures and adversaries has been drawn from several fantasy sources.

[5] In 2002, continued interest in the character from role-playing enthusiasts and a desire to be free to experiment with a new artistic style[6] prompted Critchlow to self-publish a series of award-winning[7] full-length Thrud the Barbarian comics.

[11] Dead 'Ard also featured a strip titled The Black Currant, subsequently re-published in the 26th and final issue of the Warrior comic anthology.

[17] Once the Thrud strip had run its course in White Dwarf, Critchlow worked on other comics including the Judge Dredd/Batman crossover story The Ultimate Riddle, first published in 1995.

When one of the children shoots him with a pea shooter, Thrud's reaction is to kill and maim twenty-seven pupils and three teachers, leading to his expulsion from the school.

Endowed with the strength of a rhinoceros, the speed and agility of a jungle cat and the intelligence of a garden snail,[2] Thrud is a one-dimensional character[1] who engages in mindless slaughter and strikes Frank Frazetta-style poses[3] while remaining ignorant of plot points.

[4] Thrud is also a heavy drinker, frequenting The Hobbit's Armpit tavern and regularly causing mayhem when he is unable to have his desired flavour of crisps.

[11][23] These and other annoyances often cause Thrud to invoke the author of the Conan the Barbarian books with the battle cry, "By the sacred jockstrap of Robert E. Howard you'll pay for this, Hellspawn!

In this story, The Black Currant is the leader of a horde of warriors who attack a small village, looting the homes, burning the women, raping the livestock and eating the babies.

[26] The Black Currant returned again in issue 3 of Critchlow's self-published Thrud the Barbarian comic as the leader of a group of bandits laying siege to a small town.

When Croneman returns to join a group of mercenaries fighting The Black Currant in Thrud the Destroyer, he is depicted with a line of sutures running down the middle of his face and chest.

Thinking her to be a damsel in distress, Thrud storms the tower, killing Lymara's father, five brothers, two uncles, ten cousins and fiance in the process.

To-Me Ku-Pa (a name phonetically similar to that of British comedian Tommy Cooper) is an evil necromancer who regularly crosses paths with Thrud and is depicted as a bald man wearing a large cloak.

[30] In Thrud the Destroyer, To-Me Ku-Pa is revealed as being in service to The Black Currant and is providing him with an army of warriors drawn from throughout time, including daleks[32] and Imperial stormtroopers.

[5] Long-term fans of Thrud were excited and nostalgic to see him return in his own full-length comic, but were concerned that the idea would not stretch to 24 pages.

In reviewing issue 1, Jez Higgins, writing on TRS2, and Robert Clark of Strike to Stun, considered the comic a success that was more than one joke spread thin[3] and which was not limited by the single page brevity of the original strip.

Higgins, recalling the heavy blacks and bold outlines of the original strip, found Critchlow's new style to be much more open and expressive.

[3] Maxwell also praised Critchlow's development as an artist, judging the comic to be beautifully drawn and coloured with a clear line style.

Tooth & Claw was praised for its character designs[47] while Critchlow's style in The Agony & the Ecstasy was said to be easily recognisable, having "volume, colour and verve".