So far the maps published for the Known World, the setting of Artesia and the forthcoming novel The Barrow, have focused on the lands and kingdoms centered around the Mera Argenta, the "Silver Scale Sea" that sits nestled amongst the key realms in the ongoing drama (and is something of a rough analogue for the Mediterranean). I've always had ideas and notes about what the rest of the map would look like but had never finished out a final map. I got the chance to do that when preparing the maps for The Barrow; I started with the map of the entire world, and then focused in closer and closer to the region...

Wendy at The BiblioSanctum was kind enough to interview Lou Anders (Pyr's Editorial Director), Gene Mollica (who did the cover of The Barrow as well as some of the portrait pieces used on this site), and myself about the making of the cover. I hope you enjoy the read, it includes a nice behind-the-scenes photo from the model shoot that Gene did for the cover.

Hello and welcome to the inaugural post for the Sword & Barrow website. For fans of the Artesia comic series, I realize that this may come as a sort of good news/bad news kind of thing, but for several years now trying to figure out how to continue with the story of Artesia and the Known World has been a tricky one.  Archaia, the company that I founded to publish Artesia after leaving my first publisher, Sirius, has continued to grow and expand (most recently becoming an imprint at BOOM! Studios, where we now have our new home), and finding time to draw while continuing to participate...