In celebration of ten years of Rick and Morty comic books and graphic novels, Oni Press (in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products) brings a massive Omnibus collection to Kickstarter.
The Rick and Morty 10th Anniversary Deluxe Omnibus Library features a box set stuffed with five oversized, hardcover omnibus volumes, capturing the first 100 issues of the comic series in complete chronological order.
As if that wasn’t enough comics for fans of the zany duo, the Kickstarter campaign will also include a new Unreprintable Rick and Morty #1 and 2 comic by Kyle Starks and Troy Little.
We spoke to Starks and Little about the new comic and their return to the series in this exclusive interview.
You are both making your return to Rick and Morty, but how did you both originally become involved with Rick and Morty?
Kyle Starks: I got asked to do five issues of Rick and Morty after my first book, Sexcastle, was nominated for the Eisner Award for Best Humor Publication. After I did those five, the showrunners asked if I would do five more, and after that five they said, “let him do it until he doesn’t want to anymore.” Well, I did the rest of the run of that main series, 48 total issues over nearly five years!
Troy Little: They said it couldn’t be done but when IDW teamed up with Oni for the Rick & Morty VS Dungeons & Dragons series I must have rolled a Nat 20 without trying. Which is to say Jim Zub had me in mind for the project and asked if I’d be interested. I got up to speed on all things Rick & Morty to see if I’d be a good fit and ended up really liking the series once it got going.
What can you tell us about the “Unreprintable” story and why it will never be reprinted?
Starks: We can tell you it’s amazing! And it’s not being reprinted to lend this Kickstarter something really special. More special than 100 crazy dope Rick and Morty comics made by a cavalcade of great creators. You’ll have to back the Kickstarter to see what that book is but I can tell you I’ve been away for five years and this was the story I had been sitting on this whole time. It’s spectacular and Troy does a KILLER job on it.
Little: I swoop in at the last second once more and hog the spotlight with this Unreprintable gig. Gotta shout out to Marc Ellerby who drew the vast majority of the books you’ll enjoy in this amazing box set, he’s the real hero! I’m happy to have been able to work with Kyle and contribute a little bit of highly sought after collectability that was super fun to draw!
The issue is printed with a foil cover. Any flashbacks to the days when the foil and other other specialty covers reigned supreme?
Starks: It takes you back to the 90s for sure, but I think people love these types of things. It adds an element of fun to the book – which is already chockful of fun!
Little: It’s a better choice than going with scratch-and-sniff methinks.
Which character do you feel is more important to the success of the series: Rick or Morty?
Starks: I mean, the answer is Rick solely because Morty is just a normal kid and there’s a ton of normal kid stories out there that haven’t been near as successful as the Rick and Morty property. But it wouldn’t have been near as successful without Morty. Without Morty it’s the story of a moral-less, psychopathic mad scientist. What Morty brings to Rick is what makes this world so much fun.
Little: You need the straight man for the agent of chaos to bounce off or it will all fall apart. Rick’s a blast to draw / act on the page because he contrasts so much with hapless Morty. It’s a great dynamic.
Thoughts on the Omnibus edition and ten years of RICK AND MORTY?
Starks: I’m, personally, thrilled to see this collection. I think it’s going to make the series visible to a lot of people who love Rick and Morty, but didn’t know there were comics. I’m stoked all those Rick and Morty fans are going to read these great comics for the first time and I’m stoked for all the fans of the comic series to get it collected in such a cool way.
Little: I’m counting on Oni to send me a box of these so I can get caught up! I have a handful of these issues here and there but to be able to have the whole shebang in a set as glorious as this? I imagine the Rick and Morty comics existing as their own legit Omniverse of adventures running parallel to the show and any fan is going to eat this up.
Upcoming projects for the both of you?
Starks: I am wrapping up my series Those Not Afraid for Dark Horse comics about two serial killers going into competition with each other to break the state record for murders. My book with Patton Oswalt, Barfly, just came out collected in trade paperback and I have several exciting things coming out this year I, unfortunately, can’t talk about yet!
Little: I’m about to get rolling on Cult of the Lamb: Verse 2 shortly and I keep busy making and publishing comics under Pegamoose Press with my wife Brenda Hickey (My Little Pony, Adventure Time). Making comics by any means necessary!
The Rick and Morty Omnibus Set Kickstarter campaign is available to back until May 6.
