Odoric was created by Kris Verwimp in 1984. The name probably came from the Ancient Visigothic names Theodorik and Odoaker. Originally it was spelled Odoarik, but it was soon changed to a more pronouncable "Odoric".

In 1985, Kris Verwimp started drawing the first Chronicle "Het Zwaard Van Kürr" (The Sword Of Kürr, 46 pages B&W)

This book told the tale of a lone warrior on a quest to free a land from the tyranny of the usurper Kürr. The warrior's name is Odoric... When Odoric tries to free the slaves of Kürr from the dungeons of Kürr's powerful Keep, built in the heart of a vulcano, he gets imprisoned himself.

When Kürr's kingdom is being attacked by the Dacians and his son Stilicho is being kept hostage in Kidish, he calls Odoric back from the mines where he has been forced to work as a slave. Kürr wants Odoric to infiltrate in the armies of Dacia in order to free his son. To succeed on his mission, Odoric gets an ancient Sword from Kürr... it is the Serpent Sword!

Kris Verwimp finished drawing the book in 1986. There were 20 copies made of this book for friends and family who requested it.

Almost immediately, work began on the next Chronicle "De Ondergang Der Daciërs" (The Decline Of The Dacians, 50 pages B&W). This book would tell the continuing adventures of Odoric.

After the events in "The Sword Of Kürr", Odoric travels to his native country in order to free his father from an evil warlord. With the help of the peasants and his powerful Sword, Odoric succeeds on his mission. In the second half of the book, Odoric raises an army to stand against the conquering Dacians. After a long and hard campaign, he succeeds in destroying the power of the Dacians and crushes the city of Kidish under his heels.

The book was completed in 1988 and was also copied 20 times for friends and family.

At the end of the second book, Odoric leaves his Empire behind to wander across the Capac-wastelands. In reality the same was going on with his comic-book adventures. Kris Verwimp started on a few short stories that never got completed. These stories are all about the wandering Odoric. The settings are very different from the first two albums because the adventures take place beyond the vast Capac-desert. Below you can see some pages of these stories.

Odoric : "Lord Of The Mountaintops"

Odoric : "The Legend"

Odoric : "The Riders Of Doom"

After creating these short stories, Kris Verwimp decided that it was time for a new epic. In 1989 he started working on a new story called "De Slavenjagers" ( The Slavehunters", 50 pages B&W ).

This story takes place at the end of Odoric's journey through the Capac-wastelands. He reaches a moutainrange where he encounters a girl called Tarina who is travelling together with an old hooded man. Beyond the mountains lies the land of the Slavehunters. Tarina's people has been hunted for years by the warriors of Dragoth. Most of the slaves are sold to the Skythians but few are also sacrificed to the god Dragoth. The warriors of Dragoth never put off their helmets in public... people think they are demons. Their leader is called "The Master". Odoric, Tarina and the old man succeed in penetrating the mountainkeep of the Dragoth-worshippers. In a fight to the death against the elite guard of the Master, Tarina gets killed. Odoric is left wounded... When all seems lost, the old man turns out to be something more than expected...

The book was completed in 1991 and this time 30 photocopies were made for friends and family.

After completing this third chapter in the Odoric-Saga, Kris Verwimp started experimenting with shadows and colours.

These drawings were all done in 1992:

In the meantime, during his studies he was encouraged in his work by fellow-student and friend Filip Keunen. On a historical trip to Paris, Kris and Filip exchanged Conan-comic books and started talking about the Odoric-Saga. Because of  Filip's love for Classic Roman and Greek history and mythology, he proposed to write the next chapter for Odoric. He also talked Kris Verwimp into painting the next Odoric book in full colour. Soon it was discovered that the paintings of Kris exceeded all expectations...

The new Odoric chapter "The Wall Of Doom" was created in full colour and would be the first to be published officially.