PORTLAND, Ore. 04/14/2026 — From the Eisner Award winning team behind The Private Eye, Brian K. Vaughan (Spectators, Pride of Baghdad, Saga) and Marcos Martín (Friday) explore a shockingly prescient drama about violence, language, and illegal immigration in Barrier. This Harvey Award winning story presents readers with some of the most provocative, hard-hitting topics of our day through a spectacular sci-fi twist. It will be available in trade paperback from Image Comics this Spring.
When the lives of Texas rancher Liddy and Honduran immigrant Óscar collide at the U.S.-Mexico border, neither can understand the other’s words, but both are forced to rely on trust when they’re thrust into an unimaginable encounter.
Told in English and Spanish without translation, Barrier is a visually stunning, emotionally fraught tale that explores the walls we build between nations, cultures, and each other. Collected for the first time in its original "widescreen" format—and perfectly complementing Image's new paperback edition of The Private Eye—this gorgeous new edition collects the complete miniseries originally published digitally on Panel Syndicate and then in single issues in 2018.
Barrier trade paperback (ISBN: 9781534331457) will be available at local comic book shops on Wednesday, May 20 and independent bookstores, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Indigo, and Waterstones on Tuesday, June 16.
Select praise for Barrier:
“Marcos Martín is one of the best artists in comics, and Barrier is an outstanding spotlight for his storytelling skills.” —The AV Club
“Stands out as a genuinely significant story for its time.” —ComicBook.com
“Provocative and challenging, this work rewards patient readers and will make a good addition to graphic novel collections interested in socially engaged, formally inventive storytelling.” —Library Journal (Starred Review)
“Barrier is a science fiction comic that America needs right now.” —io9
“This book comes highly recommended. Give it a read.” —Bleeding Cool
“A fascinating mix of topical immigration issues, drug cartels, and something wholly unexpected.” —Newsarama
“Barrier successfully blends a story about immigration, language, and violence into a sci-fi package. It’s a must-read.” —ComicsVerse
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