Legendary Comics and Webtoon are running a new comic series called Acursian rooted in Celtic lore.
Fresh from the minds of storytellers John Barrowman, Carole Barrowman and Erika Lewis, this new endeavor is stimulating readers who can watch it on an app on their various devices.
"Acursian" means "one consigned to destruction, misery, or evil by a curse." Charlie Stewart, played by Barrowman, falls victim to a curse on his birthday. He sets out on adventure after discovering his ancestor made a deal with a god of war creating this curse.
Many will know Barrowman from Doctor Who and the spinoff Torchwood on BBC1, where he played Captain Jack Harkness. His role as Malcolm Merlyn in the CW drama Arrow, The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow landed him more loyal fans over the years.
His cinematic roles include Zero Dark Thirty, The Producers and De-Lovely. Musical theater credits include Sunset Boulevard, Anything Goes and Miss Saigon.
He just released a new movie called Fireman Sam for children, playing a villain, and is currently in the middle of releasing Acursian to the masses. Also, Barrowman is slated to be at the Chicago pop-culture expo C2E2 next March in McCormick Place.
Windy City Times: Where in the world are you calling from?
John Barrowman: I am sitting in my kitchen in Palm Springs.
WCT: Talk about this new comic series Acursian.
JB: It is a collaboration between myself, my sister Carole Barrowman and Erika Lewis. After Carole and I did the Merlyn comic for DC, we wanted to do another series. Erika and I met when I was hosting the G4 Attack of the Show! While I was running around working, Carole and Erika were having wine and talking about Celtic stuff. We decided to collaborate on something together.
Carole and I were born in Glasgow, Scotland. I have a passion for legends that happen on that side of the pond. It is based on the battle of Culloden and centers around Bonnie Prince Charlie. It has Celtic gods and we have created our own characters.
The life of Charlie Stewart is ruined at one of his birthdays. It goes back to Bonnie Prince Charlie who made a deal with the Celtic God of War, Bregon. it changes the course of time. Every one of Charlie's descendants at their primary birthday has their life collapse around them because of this curse. That is why it's called Acursian.
WCT: I don't want this curse!
JB: You don't, because if you have this curse three very powerful women will come into your life and destroy everything around you. You will have no clue why.
WCT: Are there plans for other seasons?
JB: Depends on how successful it is. We have decided to add to music to it and created a score. My hope is that it jumps to the television or cinema.
WCT: What LGBT characters are in it?
JB: One of the main characters, Nate, is best friends with Charlie—and is gay.
You don't know the sexuality of the sisters because what we wanted to be ambiguous with the rest of the characters. We have tried to make the sisters genderfluid. They are not all skinny waifs either. Not everyone has muscles.
We flipped the cards a bit because the women objectify the men in this, which is kind of fun. We tried to cover everything. I am outspoken for the LGBTQ community in anything that I do. Anything we put out is going to represent the community in any way we can.
WCT: How do people keep up with this series?
JB: We are on chapter eight right now. It is free. They download the app and subscribe. They will get it every week.
WCT: When did you start reading comics?
JB: I started when I was living in Aurora, Illinois. I used to go to the Town & Country Drug Store and there were three spinning racks in the middle. There was one DC, one Marvel and the other was independent stuff. I would take them home, read them and put them in plastic sleeves.
WCT: I felt like a nerd buying a dirty magazine in my hometown drugstore when I would purchase comic books as a kid.
JB: I am a nerd myself and a geek. We would play in the basement with our Mego action figures. We would hide when we played unless it was sports, which was accepted by people at the time.
I am thrilled to go to conventions where it is not embarrassing anymore. I see thousands of people celebrating their nerdishness on a weekly basis when I travel all over the country. It is just amazing.
WCT: Any crazy requests from fans?
JB: The amount of threesomes I have been invited to is unbelievable. It's always the wife that instigates it with their husband just standing there in disbelief. Lesbians have come up to me and said they would turn just for me.
I love that they respect the work I do, but still want to do me!
