What inspired you to come back to the comic now?
But I had to own it to sell it in the first place.
Scott Rosenberg contacted Image Comics, we got back together and had a great time.
We cut a new arrangement.
Like you said, the last time I did Youngblood, Barack Obama is on the cover.
That is a place in time; that is a marker of history.
Now, here we are, 16 years later.
The minute I started drawing them, I was just blown away.
I started doing two different Youngblood stories at the same time.
They were competing with each other.
And I said, “You know what?
And I went forward with the book that’s coming out Wednesday at Golden Apple.
Custom image by Simone Ashmoore
Those books don’t exist anymore, and let me tell you something, I miss them.
There’s a different dynamic.
They don’t approach these books in the same way.
I will not reveal this.
You will see it for the first time at the store.
I walked into the store, and there were no preview catalogs to tease the death of Elektra.
I didn’t know Elektra was dying!
But the element of surprise has been lost nowadays.
“Here’s the entire PDF of my comic book, order it.”
“Hey, everybody, I’ve put 15 pages online.
But there are only 20 pages in the whole comic book.”
We’re giving away the farm now so that the stores order comics at whatever discount.
I’m like, “Screw that.
Rob Liefeld: Youngblood #1 starts a storyline, but it is actually is 92nd issue of Youngblood.
In eight issues, it will be the hundredth issue.
You should consider that going into it.”
It’s a brand new storyline.
As issue #2 will reveal, there are some big consequences coming.
Then each character has a “get to know me” moment.
The great thing about having a 40-year career is that every 10 years, you get to reintroduce yourself.
This way, fans new and old can jump on and enjoy the same story.
That’s the standalone story that I think people are going to totally dig.
It will be out in the Summer.
It’s funny that now I’m an old man.
Well, then it’s a promotional item.
No, I’m going to give you the box office.
ScreenRant: Which Youngblood character was the most fun for you to revisit in this modern context?
Rob Liefeld: Diehard.
I view X-Force as my test template.
But I’ve got to tell you, there’s something about these characters that look so good together.
Here’s the funny thing: Diehard was the very first character I ever designed.
When I was a kid, his name was the Mighty Ion.
I have pages, and he looks just like him.
It’s a very basic design: he has a stripe down his face and some eyes.
But seeing him red, white, blue, yellow, and drawing him again?
I may or may not have given him extra pages because I was having so much fun.
I was like, “I’m not ready to stop, let’s keep going.”
I didn’t really anticipate it, but I love drawing him.
Part of it is that I haven’t drawn him for 16 years, but he’s a blast.
And I think I went big for his moments.
Also, in that 2009 comic book, I introduced Chapel’s son very briefly.
He was on Barack Obama’s Secret Service detail - because we killed the real Chapel.
We make reference to that, so the Chapel that you’re seeing here is the son of Chapel.
You’ll understand that in the book very quickly.
It’s just fun doing some of this legacy stuff.
But when people say, “Hey, are they older?”
I’m like, “Not really.”
Peter Parker never ages.
We’re picking up where we left off, and we’re just having a blast.
From beginning to end, you will have a blast.
It plays to all my strengths, and I try and give you a lot of fun character bits.
What makes that the ultimate way to experience the series?
Rob Liefeld: That’s taking you all the way back to the original.
These hardcovers are really hard to obtain.
It was supposed to be out this week, but tariffs delayed it by a week.
Thank you, tariffs.
You get to see directors do it in film all the time, right?
It’s like a director’s cut of Youngblood.
I think it’s a perfect storm of having something new with the classic material.
Trust me, there are more exciting Youngblood merchandise and licensed products to come.
Those comics exceeded all expectations, even though I was just making them for myself.
Rob Liefeld: Taking pages from the opening of issue #2, where we introduced Prophet.
So many characters came to life through this run.
It really became kind of a showcase book.
Bloodstrike, Brigade… All of these were introduced in these pages.
It was a really great opportunity to reshuffle some moments and give the characters a little more impact.
Honestly, it’s wild what a fresh coat of paint will do for anything.
Now we’re going to recollect them all over again, so it’ll be fun.
This marks 33 years at Image Comics.
Looking back at 1992, could you have imagined thatYoungbloodwould be making waves in 2025?
Rob Liefeld: I would not have imagined that.
We opened the day with the big signing at Golden Apple, which is a legacy store.
It’s been serving people for so long.
There are police helicopters, news choppers, and thousands of people in line.
It really opened Image Comics with a giant exclamation mark.
But at the time, when you’re young, you don’t really think ahead.
I was 25, so I wasn’t thinking about 30, 20, or even 10 years ahead.
But that’s why we started that company, so that we could determine our fate.
Here’s the deal: I created this entire library of characters, which I called the Extreme Universe.
The proudest thing about Image Comics is what me and my fellow founders did.
If you walk in with a comic book creation, you walk out owning that book.
Image still does not take a piece of your media or your licensing; you own it.
They are there to facilitate the publishing.
So, to be reunited is a blast.
ScreenRant: When Image Comics launched, it really disrupted the industry.
In what way do you think that same energy is still alive today in comics?
Rob Liefeld: What’s not changed?
One was Youngblood #0.
We became the number two biggest comic company.
DC was putting out 50 comics, Marvel was putting out 60, and we had 7.
We became the number two comic company, and our market share just rocked the industry.
The pre-sales that I have done on Youngblood have floored me.
I’ve said that before.
We are synonymous with these creations.
This is a giant movement.
If I can be honest, they said we would fail.
They said, “These guys are going to go out of business in nine months.”
The beauty of it is that we all knew what we wanted out of it.
I always am very keen to listen to what they’re saying.
What does that legacy of collaboration mean to you?
Rob Liefeld: It’s badass.
And that doesn’t happen unless I leave Marvel, launch Image, and create my own stuff.
You just sit there and go, “Why didn’t I appreciate this more at the time?”
These are giants, and each of them was eager.
None of them was a hard sell.
Each of them showed up with a very distinct pitch.
And I don’t think we’re done.
But people are already calling: “Can I do this?
Can I do that?”
Based on the response, we will have opportunities to expand.
He’s a different animal himself.
Just too much damn fun.
But it’s just a blast.
I have had a career that exceeded the career I dreamt about.
This is a different world.”
I think my greatest legacy, which I share with my partners, was Image Comics.
It continues to be bigger than the characters.
And it is a terrific legacy.
ScreenRant: You’ve been a vocal advocate for creator rights since the Image revolution.
How do you see that movement evolving today?
Rob Liefeld: I wish it would evolve more.
I believe the Big Two do not adequately treat creators in the way that we deserve to be treated.
We are the George R.R.
We are the Stephen Kings.
Unless I put Deadpool on paper, you’re not making a movie.
You’re not making toys.
I was 20 years old when I negotiated these contracts, and they have kicked all sorts of ass.
I was a good little businessman.
If you write a Deadpool comic, I got paid for it.
That’s a pretty damn good deal.
That’s what I left when I left Marvel.
But I knew that there was so much more.
They should be so much kinder.
It costs nothing to treat the families of these creators better.
Regardless, I don’t wake up anything other than so excited every day.
But what does it benefit me to be quiet?
I don’t need anything from Marvel.
They hold nothing over me.
But she said, “Finish it.
You’ll want it collected and completed.
You owe it to yourself.
Then walk away and don’t look back.”
She gave me great wisdom, so I shut my mouth and did my work.
I thinkthe best Deadpool comics we gotlast year were the ones I did, period.
But when it was over, we were done.
I will always hope that they treat the next guy better, though.
I understand how difficult it is out there for creators.
No one’s asking for more money; this is not a financial situation.
“If you’re doing a Spider-Man issue that’s outselling, maybe it’s time.”
This is what Todd [McFarlane] and I said to each other in 1992.
“Bud, if we screw this up, there’s always DC Comics.
Maybe Marvel will never hire us again, but DC will.”
The big two exist to play.
I saw everybody play them off each other my entire career, so stop being so scared.
You are the talent.
You’re the special voice.
You are a great writer who is wowing us, so know your worth.
That’s all I’m saying.
That’s called management.
Now, that period of my life is over, but I’ve got all these other characters.
Youngblood#1 arrives on April 16 and is available for pre-order at robliefeldcreations.com.
