Why Rob Liefeld Jetted to Arizona for His Latest Comic Pickup

Several weeks back, Rob Liefeld traveled to Arizona to witness his newest comic directly from the printing presses. Grasping the volumes, he marveled at their craftsmanship, appreciating both the texture of the pages and the binding’s sturdiness. After spending a few hours there, he got on a plane heading back to California, clutching 80 copies spanning five distinct versions of the comic.
Youngblood
the debut title that established Image Comics in 1992.

It\’s rare for an author to personally oversee each aspect of a book’s creation, let alone handle transporting the physical copies. However, Liefeld aimed to do something different with this 33rd project.

^rd

anniversary of
Youngblood
, with each issue of this comic being purchasable solely through him.
website
, or at a one-day-only signing event on Wednesday at Golden Apple Comics in Los Angeles.

The concept came up at the last moment for Liefeld, who opted to mark the celebration in late February.
Youngblood
anniversary with a new book, but noted there\’d be no way to go through the normal production process with a publisher.

Every release coming out on his website will only be accessible for one day before vanishing forever and not being displayed again.

Ultimately, an edition of the book will be released through Image Comics, coinciding with their 33rd anniversary.

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anniversary on Wednesday. But a few of the interior pages may change, as will the covers. And of course, the economics of mass publishing dictate that the paper and other qualities won\’t be as top shelf as the small batch.

\”I wouldn\’t be able to give this product through traditional means. It\’s heavy card stock and the nicest interior paper that you\’ve ever seen. ‘To quote John Hammond in
Jurassic Park
, ‘we spared no expense,\’\” says Liefeld.

Liefeld also says that he will be reporting his grosses on this book, just like a movie studio reports box office numbers.

The creator, known for characters such as Deadpool and Cable, helped upend the comic book industry in 1992 when he and six other artists left Marvel to launch Image, the publisher that pioneered the idea of creators retaining rights to their work. Now, Liefeld notes the industry is at another shifting point, amid challenges with the print market. He sees going directly to fans for custom books as one avenue.

Liefeld states, \”I\’m merely here for experimentation. Why not?\”