▁was ▁based . ▁ ▁A irc el ▁bl ended ▁historical ▁and ▁fut ur istic ▁fant asy ▁from ▁different ▁cult ures ▁as ▁the ▁underlying ▁theme ▁for ▁each ▁com ic ▁series . ▁It ▁featured ▁high - quality ▁colour ▁covers ▁with ▁black - and ▁white ▁inter iors . ▁Canadian ▁artists ▁such ▁as ▁Dave ▁Cooper , ▁Den is ▁Beau va is , ▁and ▁D ale ▁Ke own ▁got ▁their ▁start ▁at ▁A irc el . ▁Charles ▁de ▁L int ▁also ▁script ed ▁several ▁com ic ▁books ▁for ▁A irc el ▁in ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 8 0 s . ▁ ▁Company ▁history ▁ ▁A irc el ▁was ▁originally ▁a ▁manufact urer ▁of ▁fo am ▁ins ulation . ▁When ▁the ▁government ▁dis cont in ued ▁its ▁contract ▁with ▁the ▁company , ▁employee ▁Barry ▁Bla ir ▁convinced ▁the ▁owner ▁to ▁shift ▁the ▁company ' s ▁focus ▁to ▁com ic ▁book ▁publishing , ▁which ▁was ▁experien cing ▁a ▁bo om . ▁Bla ir ▁ran ▁the ▁publishing ▁operations , ▁and ▁A irc el ' s ▁initial ▁talent ▁line - up ▁included ▁him , ▁Dave ▁Cooper , ▁Patrick ▁Mc E own , ▁and ▁Gu ang ▁Y ap . ▁ ▁A irc el ▁released ▁its ▁first ▁books ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 : ▁Sam ur ai , ▁Dragon ring , ▁and ▁El fl ord , ▁all ▁of ▁which ▁featured ▁line ▁art ▁in ▁a ▁style ▁borrow ed ▁from ▁m anga , ▁which ▁was ▁fairly ▁new ▁to ▁the ▁North ▁American ▁market . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁illustr ator ▁Den is