#602 Mike Baron

Nexus

Mike Baron has been a presence in comics for 35 years, from his own creations Nexus and Badger, to mainstream work like the Flash and the Punisher. Recently he’s turned to thriller and horror novels as a creative outlet, while still keeping Nexus and Badger going. He talks to Tim in this episode about switching from comics writing to prose, balancing grimness and comedy in a story, and more.

#601 Katie Lane talks publishing contracts

Katie Lane

If you’re talking with a publisher about putting out your work, or you hope to be in the future, attorney Katie Lane is here to put you on the right track! In this episode, she talks to Tim about maddening contract stipulations (why they’re there and what to do about them), deciding when you need a lawyer (or an agent? or both?), what to do if you’ve already signed a bad contract (and didn’t mean to!), and more.

#600 “Sky Doll: Sudra” and DCP history!

Six hundred episodes! How’d we do that?

A double-header to celebrate. First, Tim and Eugenia discuss the long-, long-awaited next installment of the Sky Doll saga, Sky Doll: Sudra. Alessandro Barbucci and Barbara Canepa continue to astound with their beautiful artwork and colors. But is the story a satisfying next chapter?

Then, in honor of the big, round number on this episode, we present audio of Tim’s presentation on the history of Deconstructing Comics at the Tokyo Sequential Art Meetup last February 15!

Critiquing Comics #138: “Hajime”

Hajime is an anthology (the first in a proposed series from new group Tokyo Collective, or ToCo) presenting four-page stories from seven artists about their first impressions upon arriving in Tokyo. Longtime Tokyo residents Tim and Mulele discuss.

#599 Steven Gilbert

Colville

Steven Gilbert is not only a comics creator (of the crime comic Colville), he’s also a comics retailer. In this episode, he talks to Koom about how elements of real-life criminals and their crimes have sometimes gotten into his comic (which sometimes were so gruesome that he was reluctant to draw them!), and explains his approaches to retailing, drawing, and self-publishing.

#598 Dylan Horrocks looks back at “Hicksville”

Hicksville

Twenty years after the first collection of Hicksville was released, creator Dylan Horrocks talks to Emmet about how the comic looks to him now. Some of the work’s commentary on the comics industry turned out to presage subsequent developments, and in some cases he ended up not going far enough! Also, his source for a Jack Kirby quote that many experts were unaware of; the public’s misinterpretation of the term “graphic novel”; the explosion of female and minority comics creators, especially outside of the Big Two; and more.