Free Comic Book Day was a fantastic way to help bring people into the world of comics and get them into comic book stores. But for those operating in the digital space it was also a great opportunity to pick up new readers at a time when comics have never been cooler. One of the small publishers looking to make to the most of FCBD are Norwegian publishers Outré Press. The first issue of their anthology of themed comic stories was released this Saturday via their website as a PDF, CBR or CBZ file. Featuring a fantastic mix of diverse and enthralling art and stories this first issue, based around the theme of ‘responsibility’, features work from writers and artists from all over the world – as well as featuring an interview with Saga artist Fiona Staples.  To find out more about the launch of this exciting new project we contacted editor Glenn Møane to get the bottom of just what Outré Press was all about – including that enigmatic name!What inspired you to create Outré Press and what does it mean to you?

GM: Outré came about when me and Magnus shared a table at last year’s Oslo Comix Xpo, one of the few comic conventions in Norway. Since we’re both fans of short stories, we started talking about comic book anthologies and how the really good ones were few and far between – so why not create one ourselves? We decided to go for a theme-oriented book, in order to make each issue a coherent unit. Also, since anthologies are a hard sell in the current comics market (for reasons I can’t fathom), we decided to offer it for free on the web. That way there shouldn’t be any barriers in front of readers who would think twice about checking it out. It’s also a great way to showcase the work of new, up and coming creators.

To call the anthology Outré was Magnus [Aspli, Outré’s co-editor]’s idea. It’s a French (and cool-sounding) word that means to “go beyond”, “to pass boundaries” – which was in tune with our mission statement for the book. The Outré anthology should look and feel different from most of the other anthologies out there in the digital landscape.

How did you get together the team of writers and artists?

GM: We asked for submissions through message boards like Digital Webbing, and we also reached out to creators we already knew and had collaborated with before (both me and Magnus write comics). Sometimes we even contacted artists directly, after checking out their online portfolio. Then, when each script was ready after a few drafts, we teamed the writers and artists up and had them produce a solid 8-pager.

How has the growth of digital comics helped small publishers like yourself?