Today, we’re showcasing a comic series from an artist who brings a unique twist to Viking culture Viking Comics.’ Yoav Tirosh a researcher specializing in sagas and Icelandic history creates comics that blend Vikings, dragons Icelandic life and puns with humor that’s both quirky and intellectual. Check out his most recent works and dive deeper into the inspiration behind the series with our interview.
Yoav shared with us the inspiration for starting his comic journey I began making comics in 2017 while studying at Aarhus University in Denmark. I was procrastinating on my PhD thesis and started creating odd comics where characters from the Icelandic sagas would say controversial or absurd things jokes that only people familiar with the sagas would appreciate. Over time, I realized that despite not being the best at drawing, I really enjoyed it so I began experimenting with colors in my art.
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In 2020, just before COVID hit, Yoav got his hands on a refurbished iPad Pro from a friend in the U.S. and began experimenting with digital drawing using Procreate. He mentioned, I only started posting my work on Instagram after my wife, Natalia Soler Huici,who’s way more talented and funny than me, encouraged me to share my comics there.
Around two years ago, he decided to take on a new project a long-form comic about an Icelandic shepherd who undergoes Viking Bootcamp and joins a Norse occupation of the Isle of Mann. He found the process fun but as the wars of the past year became harder to handle, particularly the portrayal of violence, Yoav started rethinking his approach. I wanted to make a Viking comic where the Vikings didn’t do anything that would trigger me, he explained. We live in exciting times.
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When asked about the recurring themes in his comics, Yoav shared What initially started as simple Viking jokes has gradually evolved into a mix of many different themes, all of which I love and can’t seem to abandon. In addition to Vikings I’m also a huge fan of pop culture references and puns, so I often use the Viking setting as a way to make light of movies or TV shows. Occasionally, I’ll just draw a character I like saying something silly. It’s not just for fun I don’t feel like I draw well, so it’s good practice for me but I also enjoy experimenting with different styles of drawing.
He added While I feel like I have a pretty distinct style in most of my comics, I also enjoy making The New Yorker–style black-and-white cartoons or exploring abstract artwork. I even have three recurring storyworlds that are usually completely separate from anything Viking-related.
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Yoav explained more about the characters in his comics I also have autobiographical comics where I share funny experiences with my wife and son. Then there’s Mundi, the Viking ghost, who’s kind of mean but hilarious in a South Park-Cartman-meets-Reddit-ghost kind of way. And Klaus he used to look like a well let’s say he looked a bit inappropriate, and I lost some followers because of it, so I just made him an oval. He’s German loves saying the wrong things at the wrong time and has a particular fondness for butt jokes. I mean who doesn’t, right.
He went on to share a new direction in his comics. Lately, I’ve been exploring UFOs and aliens because I’m all about pro-disclosure. I feel like not enough serious material is being made on the subject without ridiculing it. But it’s tough especially when it comes to avoiding probing jokes.
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