#484 Badguys and Atomic Sheep

Two interviews this week:

First, Luke Lancaster and Orlando Caicedo on their comic “The Badguys.” How did they got together (without actually getting together) and get their comic into Webtoons? And, are Webtoons actually comics?
Then, UK-based artist and writer Sally Jane Thompson, author of the graphic novel “Atomic Sheep”, explains why a creator with South African and Canadian roots sees the UK as a better place to be, how comics can be used in conjunction with an art exhibit, and more.

#483 Think Pink! Mark Arnold on DePatie-Freling, Li’l Jinx, and more

Pink PantherIf you’re listening to this podcast, you’ve probably at some point encountered (if not read) a history of DC or Marvel. But how about Harvey Comics? or Cracked Magazine? And if you’re into animation, perhaps you’d like a history of DePatie-Freling or Total Television Productions?

Comics and animation historian Mark Arnold has been compiling info on these companies and more. He also discusses Joe Edwards’ Li’l Jinx strip, that time when Blondie had a comic book, why Wonderful World of Disney seldom showed cartoons, and the storage challenges inherent in his chosen profession!

#481 Digital comics!

Comixology & WebtoonThe digital comics universe continues to expand. This week, Tim looks at two different platforms.

If you’re into American comics at all, you no doubt know of Comixology. Since we last talked to company co-founder John Roberts, Comixology has joined the Amazon family, and their integration is starting to become visible on both companies’ sites. John talks about this, the penetration of digital in the market, how to get your comics into Comixology, and more.

South Korean Web giant Naver started Webtoon in that country back in 2004, and since then its reach has grown in Asia and around the world — the English version is called Line Webtoon. We meet Webtoon content manager David Lee and New Mexico-based creator Stephen McCranie (whose Space Boy is available through Webtoon) to discuss the site’s reach and business model, the differences between making a comic for print and making one that the reader scrolls through, and how to get your comics into Webtoon.

#478 We ask Question No. 6!

Question No 6

Inspired by the ’60s and a variety of British TV shows of a geeky variety (including The Prisoner), Japanese artist Question No. 6 is turning heads with her Dr. Who variant covers, and her drawings and articles on UK shows for Japan’s AXN cable network. This week Tim catches up with her to discuss her comic Cupcake and Astronaut, the reasons many Japanese creators use pen names, her plans for exhibiting and drawing in 2016, and more.

#477 Craig Thompson reaches for the stars

Space Dumplins

If you read Craig Thompson‘s Blankets and Habibi, you probably weren’t expecting his next book to be an all-ages space comedy with poop jokes — but that’s what Space Dumplins is — along with a message on the environment and class, and a good helping of inside jokes! This week Craig is here to tell us how this work came about, as well as his approach to writing for kids, working with colorist Dave Stewart, what bums him out about the Muppets, and the changing definition of “mainstream comics.”

#476 Ten Years, Eleven Guests

DCP 10th AnniversaryYes, somehow it’s been ten whole years since Tim, Brandon, and Mulele sat down together and recorded the first episode of Deconstructing Comics! Rather than get the gang back together again, this time we present eleven past DCP interviewees all answering the same question: “Name an important development you see happening in comics now, good or bad, and say why you think it’s important.” Tim gets answers to this question from Stephen Bissette, Shaenon Garrity, Dan Jurgens, Chris Bachalo, Natalie Nourigat, and many more! (see entire list below)


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#475 International Comics Fest 2015, pt 2

Kaigai 2015

This week our coverage of Tokyo’s International Comics Festival concludes with creators from Finland, Brazil, France, Japan, Indonesia, and the U.S., including a chat with podcast co-founder Mulele on what he’s learned in the past year of convention tabling.

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#474 International Comics Fest 2015, pt 1

Kaigai easelThis year’s International Comics Festival (Kaigai Manga Festa) in Tokyo was bigger than ever! Plenty of familiar faces from past years gave it a sense of community (long sought by many foreign comics creators feeling rather isolated in Japan), but there were plenty of new faces, too, many of whom flew in from Europe and North America to be here. Tim once again procured a media pass and went booth-to-booth gathering interviews! Photos and Web links for all interviewees are below.

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#473 Matt Seneca on sports, hate, and religion

Matt Seneca from AffectedYou may have heard Matt Seneca on the podcast Comic Books are Burning in Hell (and, hey, he was on our show once, in the persona of a mild mannered comics shop manager!), but he’s also a comics creator in his own right. His comics are deep, dark, and very honest in expressing his opinions. This week he talks with Tim about the lack of sports in American comics, why he needs to feel hate for something to make a good comic, and more.

#473 Matt Seneca on sports, hate, and religion

Matt Seneca from AffectedYou may have heard Matt Seneca on the podcast Comic Books are Burning in Hell (and, hey, he was on our show once, in the persona of a mild mannered comics shop manager!), but he’s also a comics creator in his own right. His comics are deep, dark, and very honest in expressing his opinions. This week he talks with Tim about the lack of sports in American comics, why he needs to feel hate for something to make a good comic, and more.