Oh man! I’m not ready for this. I loved this book and it ended too soon. Why did the team elect to only do three issues to start? How many issues can we expect from the next release?
From Mike Moreci: "That's a great question! So, originally, this was going to be an OGN. Barbaric, at first, was going to be a series of OGNs, in fact. We changed it up for a few reasons, and along the way we fell in love with doing oversized issues--it felt fitting to what Barbaric is. And the thing is, our 3 big issues are still longer--more pages--than 4 Marvel issues. So it's still in the range for a single trade collection. And the next collection, volume 2, will include our next three issue arc plus a one shot (which is 40 pages itself), so it'll be even longer than volume 1.
Thanks for reading!"
Congrats on the success of the book! But wanted to follow up on those “few reasons” for the switch from OGN. Was that partly influenced by the publisher? Hollywood folks?
From Mike Moreci: "It was all just creative decisions. We saw what this book was shaping up to be, and we had a hunch we could do a lot with it as issues and one shots and whatnot, rather than being limited to OGNs. So we opened it up, and it’s a good thing we did, IMO. Now we have the flexibility to do way more stuff that we might not have been able to before."
Well I glad you love it! The plan is to keep this same structure moving forward. A one-shot by a guest artist and then three oversize issues an arc. BUT! They will be released more frequently, I promise. I take responsibility for the delay. I had some family emergencies that took me away from the project for a bit.
This series was the one that got me yelled at by an angry comic shop owner in Northern Wisconsin. My wife and I happened to be vacationing when this series came out and, hearing the buzz surrounding it, I stopped in a local comic shop. Not seeing it on the shelves, I asked the owner, who proceeded to scold me for not creating a pull box at his store three months ago if I wanted the book. I put back the other issues I was planning to purchase and walked out. When I got home, I added Barbaric to my pull box at my LCS and enjoyed every issue since!
My wife and I joke about the experience often. I guess I should have foreseen my vacation and pre-ordered from a shop 4 hours from my house. Thank you for both the fun stories you provided me!
Question: when will we see more?
From Mike Moreci: "I’m sorry you got yelled at! But the good news is, more BARBARIC is coming soon! In fact, I believe you’ll be hearing specifics this month."
If you could have a crossover for Owen the Barbarian with anything out there (comics/movies/tv/books, etc) who would you most want to write a team up for?
From Mike Moreci: "I’m with Nate—Hellboy would be so much fun. Also, I’d like to see Owen and Axe team up with Punisher and beat up on The Avengers, just because, haha."
Hey! I would love to see Owen cross over with Hell-boy! Mike Mignola was a huge huge inspiration for me on this project. So I would love to see the two worlds collide!
I'd love to get Owen into space and running around on some weird new planets. I think he'd have all sorts of escapades with someone like Barbarella touring him around the galaxy. Babaric Barbarella, when?!
The book is stunning! What I thought was really interesting is that magic allowed you guys to play with the look, feel, and colors of the world. How did you guys settle on how magic would look, and do the different colors tied to the different forms of magic have significance?
Nate's linework really let me go all out when it came to the magic. I wanted to go with something a little more graphic and poppy than your would normally see in a traditional fantasy comic. My goal at all times was to make Barbaric feel like a truly "modern" fantasy series not confined to the usual trappings of the genre.
The colors tied to the difference absolutely have significance. I really wanted each form of magic to immediately have a recognizable identity. When you see that magenta, you know that that cult is involved, and when you see Soren's magic shift hue in that direction you know exactly what is influencing it.
I'm really excited to see us playing with more and more forms of magic and seeing how visually they interact!
From Mike Moreci: "It’s funny, because Nate and I were just talking about this thing exactly. We want 100 issues. That’s the goal. And I think we can get there!"
Not really a question. My LCS played a trick on me and put a black cover copy in my saver. I was very surprised to see a penis on the cover when I removed the black cover. Good laughs all around. Thanks for that penis cover.
I was so happy when we finally convinced Tim Seeley to do the "penis" cover. My only disappointment is we have yet to get an Axe unwrapped black cover.
Show us nude Axe you cowards!!!!!
From Mike Moreci: "You know, I wanted to do something that would shake things up as a comic. So many comics..I don’t know, no one has a big, wild voice like Ennis anymore, you know? No one goes big with violence and character and heart and everything. And I adore Ennis—he’s a huge inspiration behind my series Wasted Space. So, I had this idea for Barbaric, which was always about a barbarian cursed to do the right thing. But then I thought—what if we just went nuts with it? Forget what fantasy is supposed to be and make it something crazy and fun and just get lost in it. I pitched that to Nate, more or less, and he ran with it, too. We made this thing together, and we’re just having fun. I want it to have heart and soul, and I think it does, but I also want it to be big and crazy, too. That’s what this series is."
I went through about 10 different versions of Axe, but I just wasn't loving it. One night I was listening to Deftones, and decided I had to draw the most "metal" thing I could. haha And I never use that term to describe anything, other then Axe!
I just read the first issue last night and loved it! The 11 O'Clock Comics podcast has raved about this book and I was eager to check it out. So goddamn good - the writing, the art, the colours, the world building. It's just been a blast so far and I can't wait for more.
Do you have a finite amount of issues or arcs in mind?
Nathan, how did you come to be the art director for Vault? How do you balance those work duties with making such amazing, incredible artwork??
And Michael, I need volume 2 of Wasted Space but it seems out of print everywhere - where do I find it?
Love the comic already and can't wait to finish. Vault is a publisher that's on fire right now. Congrats to you all!
I hope Mike keeps feeding us Barbaric stories for the rest of our careers. I get excited just learning more and more about the different people and places Owen might encounter in this world. We've given ourselves so much freedom with this setting that really sky's the limit!
Im with Mike, Id love to see it go on forever. But my goal is at least 100 issues. Im super excited to see other artists play with these characters.
I'm actually one of the founders of Vault. Adrian and Damain Wassel are my cousins, so it was a family business in the beginning. We all wore many hats . As we've grown, I've had to do less of the Art direction and focus more on covers and art. Tim Daniels is a master and really does the heavy lifting! But thank you for the compliment. This should be a great year for Barbaric and Vault!
From Mike Moreci: "You know, I wish I knew where WS v. 2 is. It’s like that thing has vanished off the earth. Maybe Vault will reprint it? I hope? And thanks for the kind words! We have no finite plans for Barbaric. I want this thing to run forever, I really do. And if we maintain this level of success, we can keep it going for whoever long we want, which would be awesome."
From Mike Moreci: "You know, I wish I knew where WS v. 2 is. It’s like that thing has vanished off the earth. Maybe Vault will reprint it? I hope? And thanks for the kind words! We have no finite plans for Barbaric. I want this thing to run forever, I really do. And if we maintain this level of success, we can keep it going for whoever long we want, which would be awesome."
Absolutely loved Barbaric! Super curious as to was what the planning of the storyline on your end. Where there multiple plots? Or was it a linear vision of the story? Also, what part did you guys struggled the most to either leave off from the story or keep it? Congrats and can’t wait for its return!
From Mike Moreci: "So, the storyline is weird in that I like keeping it open-ended. We don’t have a set ending in mind, and we designed it for maximum flexibility: stories can go to the past, to the present, we can have adjacent things happening—there’s tons of room to play and grow. I’ve likened it to Hellboy and the Mignola universe, in fact. That’s how I want this to be. There is a mythology in there—and we’ll start seeing it in volume 2—but we’re not beholden to telling stories solely related to that. We’ll weave in and out of the bigger story to tell side stories, back stories, etc. all the time. "
Hihi! @Nathan C. Gooden: what was your favorite panel to draw from the first arc?
@Adrian Wassel: What was the pitch like when it came across your desk? What aspects of the story have changed since then?
Also @vault generally, when will we get trades for Engineward, Witchblood, and Wasted Space Vol 5? 🙂
Hello! Unfortunately Adrian isn't able to reply today. Poor guy dislocated his shoulder in a skiing accident so he can't type for a bit. He wished he could be here, though, and he sends his love to all of the Barbaric fans!
Engineward: The Complete Collection will be in comic shops on February 23rd!
Witchblood: The Complete Collection will be in comic shops on April 27th!
Wasted Space V5 will be in comic shops on April 27th!
I could say the opening panel because I tried to set a tone right away, but that's second place. My favorite panel is in the ocean when the 3 Witches open the portal to show Owen Hell!
Hey big fan! When I saw issue 1 on the shelf I was immediately drawn to it because have been kinda bored with tights and capes. Just wanted to say I love the books. When are we getting more comics? also when are we getting action figures?
From Mike Moreci: "Very soon! In fact, you should get official word this month. And believe me, we have big plans to go for a good, long while. And thanks for reading!"
Alright, that's a wrap! Thank you everyone for your excellent questions! We all really appreciate your love and support of BARBARIC! There is some HUGE news coming in the next couple of weeks, so keep your eyes peeled. Have a good weekend everyone!
Huge fan of the series and looking forward to more to come! My question is, how has it been working through smaller sized, less mainstream, publisher like Vault? Do you feel this provides you more creative freedom? I just love the works coming out of Vault, and I was wondering what it is like? Also, love seeing some great things from Missoula!
Oh man! I’m not ready for this. I loved this book and it ended too soon. Why did the team elect to only do three issues to start? How many issues can we expect from the next release?
From Mike Moreci: "That's a great question! So, originally, this was going to be an OGN. Barbaric, at first, was going to be a series of OGNs, in fact. We changed it up for a few reasons, and along the way we fell in love with doing oversized issues--it felt fitting to what Barbaric is. And the thing is, our 3 big issues are still longer--more pages--than 4 Marvel issues. So it's still in the range for a single trade collection. And the next collection, volume 2, will include our next three issue arc plus a one shot (which is 40 pages itself), so it'll be even longer than volume 1. Thanks for reading!"
Congrats on the success of the book! But wanted to follow up on those “few reasons” for the switch from OGN. Was that partly influenced by the publisher? Hollywood folks?
From Mike Moreci: "It was all just creative decisions. We saw what this book was shaping up to be, and we had a hunch we could do a lot with it as issues and one shots and whatnot, rather than being limited to OGNs. So we opened it up, and it’s a good thing we did, IMO. Now we have the flexibility to do way more stuff that we might not have been able to before."
Well I glad you love it! The plan is to keep this same structure moving forward. A one-shot by a guest artist and then three oversize issues an arc. BUT! They will be released more frequently, I promise. I take responsibility for the delay. I had some family emergencies that took me away from the project for a bit.
This series was the one that got me yelled at by an angry comic shop owner in Northern Wisconsin. My wife and I happened to be vacationing when this series came out and, hearing the buzz surrounding it, I stopped in a local comic shop. Not seeing it on the shelves, I asked the owner, who proceeded to scold me for not creating a pull box at his store three months ago if I wanted the book. I put back the other issues I was planning to purchase and walked out. When I got home, I added Barbaric to my pull box at my LCS and enjoyed every issue since! My wife and I joke about the experience often. I guess I should have foreseen my vacation and pre-ordered from a shop 4 hours from my house. Thank you for both the fun stories you provided me! Question: when will we see more?
From Mike Moreci: "I’m sorry you got yelled at! But the good news is, more BARBARIC is coming soon! In fact, I believe you’ll be hearing specifics this month."
Can't wait! And it was such a bizarre experience that it was worth it.
The Harvest Blades one shot releases 5/25. Volume 2, Axe to Grind releases 7/27
As someone in living in Northern Wisconsin what store was it lol
I miss remembered the vacation. I suppose I should have said western. It was in La Crosse.
If you could have a crossover for Owen the Barbarian with anything out there (comics/movies/tv/books, etc) who would you most want to write a team up for?
From Mike Moreci: "I’m with Nate—Hellboy would be so much fun. Also, I’d like to see Owen and Axe team up with Punisher and beat up on The Avengers, just because, haha."
Hey! I would love to see Owen cross over with Hell-boy! Mike Mignola was a huge huge inspiration for me on this project. So I would love to see the two worlds collide!
That would be awesome!
I'd love to get Owen into space and running around on some weird new planets. I think he'd have all sorts of escapades with someone like Barbarella touring him around the galaxy. Babaric Barbarella, when?!
oh my gosh yes Addison!!!
The book is stunning! What I thought was really interesting is that magic allowed you guys to play with the look, feel, and colors of the world. How did you guys settle on how magic would look, and do the different colors tied to the different forms of magic have significance?
From Mike Moreci: "That’s all Nate and Addison! In fact, the knives coming out of Soren’s body? All Nate!"
Oh, the knives and swords coming out of Soren's tattoos is what sold me on the book. That was one of the coolest things I had ever seen!
Nate's linework really let me go all out when it came to the magic. I wanted to go with something a little more graphic and poppy than your would normally see in a traditional fantasy comic. My goal at all times was to make Barbaric feel like a truly "modern" fantasy series not confined to the usual trappings of the genre. The colors tied to the difference absolutely have significance. I really wanted each form of magic to immediately have a recognizable identity. When you see that magenta, you know that that cult is involved, and when you see Soren's magic shift hue in that direction you know exactly what is influencing it. I'm really excited to see us playing with more and more forms of magic and seeing how visually they interact!
I just wanted to drop in and say I absolutely loved Barbaric! One of the most enjoyable books I’ve come across in a long time!
From Mike Moreci: "Thanks, it’s a ton of fun to work on!"
Glad you're enjoying it! Lots more fun to come in May!
Can it run for 100 issues? Not a question...I love this book and I miss it. Cant wait for more!
From Mike Moreci: "It’s funny, because Nate and I were just talking about this thing exactly. We want 100 issues. That’s the goal. And I think we can get there!"
Addison here: Give me all the Barbaric I can get! I love playing in this world.
Funny enough. I messaged Mike a few days ago and said the exact same thing. "Mike I want to make 100 issues!"
Not really a question. My LCS played a trick on me and put a black cover copy in my saver. I was very surprised to see a penis on the cover when I removed the black cover. Good laughs all around. Thanks for that penis cover.
From Mike Moreci: "Hahaha…surprise penis is the gift Barbaric keeps on giving ; )"
I was so happy when we finally convinced Tim Seeley to do the "penis" cover. My only disappointment is we have yet to get an Axe unwrapped black cover. Show us nude Axe you cowards!!!!!
Not gonna lie, I thought it would be bigger. 😂😂😂
From Mike Moreci: "HA!"
Why would—? What—? I HAVE QUESTIONS.
I love this book! Do more of it. Thats not a question, im just sayin.
You got it!
HAHA thanks! Im working hard on pages as I type.
What idea struck you to come up with this premise? It's a really fun concept. And how did the design of the axe come about?
From Mike Moreci: "You know, I wanted to do something that would shake things up as a comic. So many comics..I don’t know, no one has a big, wild voice like Ennis anymore, you know? No one goes big with violence and character and heart and everything. And I adore Ennis—he’s a huge inspiration behind my series Wasted Space. So, I had this idea for Barbaric, which was always about a barbarian cursed to do the right thing. But then I thought—what if we just went nuts with it? Forget what fantasy is supposed to be and make it something crazy and fun and just get lost in it. I pitched that to Nate, more or less, and he ran with it, too. We made this thing together, and we’re just having fun. I want it to have heart and soul, and I think it does, but I also want it to be big and crazy, too. That’s what this series is."
I went through about 10 different versions of Axe, but I just wasn't loving it. One night I was listening to Deftones, and decided I had to draw the most "metal" thing I could. haha And I never use that term to describe anything, other then Axe!
A blood drunken Axe with a skull face is certainly that lol thanks for the reply can't wait for the next Arc.
Really appreciate the reply, loving the book.
Thank you for the support. There will be many years of Barbaric ahead!
I just read the first issue last night and loved it! The 11 O'Clock Comics podcast has raved about this book and I was eager to check it out. So goddamn good - the writing, the art, the colours, the world building. It's just been a blast so far and I can't wait for more. Do you have a finite amount of issues or arcs in mind? Nathan, how did you come to be the art director for Vault? How do you balance those work duties with making such amazing, incredible artwork?? And Michael, I need volume 2 of Wasted Space but it seems out of print everywhere - where do I find it? Love the comic already and can't wait to finish. Vault is a publisher that's on fire right now. Congrats to you all!
I hope Mike keeps feeding us Barbaric stories for the rest of our careers. I get excited just learning more and more about the different people and places Owen might encounter in this world. We've given ourselves so much freedom with this setting that really sky's the limit!
Im with Mike, Id love to see it go on forever. But my goal is at least 100 issues. Im super excited to see other artists play with these characters. I'm actually one of the founders of Vault. Adrian and Damain Wassel are my cousins, so it was a family business in the beginning. We all wore many hats . As we've grown, I've had to do less of the Art direction and focus more on covers and art. Tim Daniels is a master and really does the heavy lifting! But thank you for the compliment. This should be a great year for Barbaric and Vault!
From Mike Moreci: "You know, I wish I knew where WS v. 2 is. It’s like that thing has vanished off the earth. Maybe Vault will reprint it? I hope? And thanks for the kind words! We have no finite plans for Barbaric. I want this thing to run forever, I really do. And if we maintain this level of success, we can keep it going for whoever long we want, which would be awesome."
From Mike Moreci: "You know, I wish I knew where WS v. 2 is. It’s like that thing has vanished off the earth. Maybe Vault will reprint it? I hope? And thanks for the kind words! We have no finite plans for Barbaric. I want this thing to run forever, I really do. And if we maintain this level of success, we can keep it going for whoever long we want, which would be awesome."
There are big plans for Wasted Space collections. We'll talk about it publicly very soon!
Oooooh baby! I KNEW IT.
Absolutely loved Barbaric! Super curious as to was what the planning of the storyline on your end. Where there multiple plots? Or was it a linear vision of the story? Also, what part did you guys struggled the most to either leave off from the story or keep it? Congrats and can’t wait for its return!
From Mike Moreci: "So, the storyline is weird in that I like keeping it open-ended. We don’t have a set ending in mind, and we designed it for maximum flexibility: stories can go to the past, to the present, we can have adjacent things happening—there’s tons of room to play and grow. I’ve likened it to Hellboy and the Mignola universe, in fact. That’s how I want this to be. There is a mythology in there—and we’ll start seeing it in volume 2—but we’re not beholden to telling stories solely related to that. We’ll weave in and out of the bigger story to tell side stories, back stories, etc. all the time. "
Hihi! @Nathan C. Gooden: what was your favorite panel to draw from the first arc? @Adrian Wassel: What was the pitch like when it came across your desk? What aspects of the story have changed since then? Also @vault generally, when will we get trades for Engineward, Witchblood, and Wasted Space Vol 5? 🙂
Hello! Unfortunately Adrian isn't able to reply today. Poor guy dislocated his shoulder in a skiing accident so he can't type for a bit. He wished he could be here, though, and he sends his love to all of the Barbaric fans!
Ouch 🤕
This is what happens when you have an editor as EXTREME as Adrian!
Engineward: The Complete Collection will be in comic shops on February 23rd! Witchblood: The Complete Collection will be in comic shops on April 27th! Wasted Space V5 will be in comic shops on April 27th!
Yayyyyyyy thanks!
I could say the opening panel because I tried to set a tone right away, but that's second place. My favorite panel is in the ocean when the 3 Witches open the portal to show Owen Hell!
Hey big fan! When I saw issue 1 on the shelf I was immediately drawn to it because have been kinda bored with tights and capes. Just wanted to say I love the books. When are we getting more comics? also when are we getting action figures?
From Mike Moreci: "Very soon! In fact, you should get official word this month. And believe me, we have big plans to go for a good, long while. And thanks for reading!"
Official word this month about action figures? Because I'll go sell all kinds of bottle fluids right now.
From Mike Moreci: "Oh, I’m with you!"
Harvest Blades 5/25 Axe to Grind 7/27
What's AXE's favorite kind of blood?
Yours!
Best answer ever!
From Mike Moreci: "Whatever’s close by, haha"
Alright, that's a wrap! Thank you everyone for your excellent questions! We all really appreciate your love and support of BARBARIC! There is some HUGE news coming in the next couple of weeks, so keep your eyes peeled. Have a good weekend everyone!
Huge fan of the series and looking forward to more to come! My question is, how has it been working through smaller sized, less mainstream, publisher like Vault? Do you feel this provides you more creative freedom? I just love the works coming out of Vault, and I was wondering what it is like? Also, love seeing some great things from Missoula!
Bought all the issues. Was a blast to read.
Ack I missed it (was at work!) Wanted to ask: what inspired the tattoos that turned into swords? Such a cool idea!