Editor-in-Chief Adrian Wassel didn’t hesitate when Post Malone pitched the idea to vault a cartoon about a demonic medieval Europe that received its miracle in the form of a fully mounted 18-wheeler.
“Even if this wasn’t post-Malone, I would love to read this manga,” Wansel said. “This is amazing.”
Released on July 9th, Big Rig is a double-length debut that brings together the first two chapters of a true wild comic. The story follows a former priest excommunicated from the secret denomination of the Templars, who becomes a truck driver, a hellish rig driver who crashes into during the Dark Ages. The concept was conceived by Post Malone, who co-authored with Wassel, and was portrayed by Naisangudden (Wildbar, Dark Knights of Steel).
I sat down with Wassel and Gooden to talk about collaborations with the Post, the serious historical research behind the comics’ insanity, and the unexpected emotional core that anchors the series’ as metal assumptions in other topics and little things.
For the full interview, don’t miss the AIPT Comics Podcast episode published on June 1st!
Courtesy of Vault Comics.
“He had a bar on the table.”
As mentioned before, the Big Rig idea came directly from Post Malone.
Spark came entirely from the mail,” Wassel said. And the 18-wheeled vehicles fall on Earth. ”
When the team met the Post in Los Angeles, they were struck by his true enthusiasm for the medium.
“He had a lot of wild things on the table. He was a huge fan of Nathan (Goodden),” Wanner said.
That fanboy energy has been transformed into a work relationship by actively shaping the story, characters, and in particular the nominal rig itself.
“He’s a very real nerd,” added Wassel. “He loves games, comics, magic. A gathering. None of these are stretches.”
Monster construction (and phors)
Juggling the obligations of art between the wild bar and the large rig, Gooden described the unique rhythm of drawing both books.
“A very different kind of whirl,” Gooden said. “It’s a bit of a good break to get back and forth.” Despite the workload, Gooden is working on drawing the entire series, adding, “If you don’t get paid, you’ll be drawing for free.”
Designing a rig and making it believe was not a small feat.
“We have to watch a million videos,” Gooden said. “How the engine works, how it can turn, how it can be moved…it has to look heavy. It has to look scary.”
Malone had a clear idea on his part about what he shouldn’t include on his rig.
“He was very stubborn,” Gooden said. “What is there on this rig and what can’t be done… he wants to make the rig into its main weapon, the 18 death circle.”
The rig evolves over the course of the story. It has been fortified, customized and decorated with trophies from the murder of the devil.
“They kill giant bulls… they take the horns and are now abused,” Gooden said. “Trucks become like creatures.”
Courtesy of Vault Comics.
Devil, Theology, Trauma, Teenager
The book may have started with the premise of metal AF, but Wassel knew it was a heart.
“The emotional anchor really has become. What happens when you stab three people inside the truck?” Wassel said. These three are truck drivers who are passive warrior priests. Batu, Mongol horse archer. And Eda is a teenage witch who leads to resistance to hell.
Clashes of culture and beliefs – Vikings, Catholic priests, warriors of the sky worship – promote emotional tension in the book.
“They certainly don’t agree with the basics of heaven or hell,” Wassel said. “There’s a lot of friction between these characters.”
In particular, Eda provides a spark of chaotic energy.
“She’s a teenager in a long car,” Gooden said. “She’s intentionally going to get on people’s nerves.”
But Eda also has deep trauma and responsibility, and Gooden’s art captures her duality.
“She goes to these vulnerable moments that you like because it’s funny in animation,” Gooden said. “Is anyone checking out her?”
“The post had more ideas than it could fit into one volume.”
Despite the fast-paced chaos of the big rig, all details are rooted in deep research. A self-proclaimed history nerd, Wassel spent months delving into medieval wars, crusaders’ geography, and ancient spiritual practices.
“Even with the bows our archers use, the Eda of magic… plays everything (are) based on real-world traditions,” Wassel said.
That commitment extends to every panel.
“There’s a scene where kids play games. We looked into what Mongolian kids played and used,” Gooden said.
Visually, the team drew inspiration from the manga.
“We wanted to bring about that acceleration,” Wassel said. “The rig is always moving, unless there’s a reason,” as Gooden added, “You should read it quickly, and think, ‘I have a million questions.’ That’s what we wanted. ”
“The only thing we can change is the moments of great pain.”
Despite its monster battles, Gore, and the looming threats of hell, Big Rig is at its heart about survival and transformation.
“It’s about people trying to survive in insane circumstances,” Wassel said. “What do you believe when the world is over?”
And while the big rig is rooted in the sight of chainsaws, sacred relics and CB radio, which may lead to God, its soul lies in the humanity of its cast.
“Truck drivers wear hats,” Wassel said. “That’s our Peter Parker moment. That’s when the story really begins.”
Certainly, some of the stories are driven by Malone’s involvement in Big Rig. But when there is magic, no one can deny it. ”
“We’ve seen a lot of celebrity cartoons,” Wassel said. “But you can feel it’s real, and this is true.”
Big Rig #1 arrives on July 9th from Vault Comics. (The cut-off for the last order is Monday, June 9th.)
Variant cover by Daniel Warren Johnson. Courtesy of Vault Comics.
