Category: Interview

#623 Remembering Ed; Asking retailers

Chicago Ed, Retailers

When someone you know, someone who had an impact on your life, leaves us too soon, it can be tough to process. Struggling to accept the 2017 death of comics creator and all-around renaissance man Ed Siemienkowicz (who appeared in DCP episodes 227 and 393) at age 43, Tim spent part of his recent visit to Chicago meeting some of Ed’s friends and family, to commiserate and share memories — and check the progress of Ed’s comic that his friends are finishing for him.

Also, Tim talks to Hamster Rage creator Brian Crowley about his ongoing Kickstarter and the state of the U.S. comics industry, and visits three Chicago comics retailers to see how healthy the comics market seems from their perspective, and how it could be better.

Challengers Comics

Graham Crackers Comics

G-mart Comics

Ed’s cousin Kristen, drawing group friend Garry Vettori, sister Renee, brother Bob, Tim, aunt Carol, online gaming friend Darrell Degreve

Tim, Kristen, Carol, Brian Crowley

Ed carved this Cesar Romero Joker into cardboard, and then spray-painted it green!

Ed with a bus he designed when he was employed by the Golf Channel.

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#621 Denny O’Neil and Sam Agro

Denny O'Neil (r) and Sam Agro
Denny O’Neil (r) and Sam Agro

Our own Koom recently attended the Toronto Comicon, leading to this episode’s two interviews! First, Denny O’Neil talks about his experiences and collaborations in the comics industry, why he imagines Gotham City to be in New Jersey, and more. Then cartoonist and animator Sam Agro talks animation, superhero movies, the evolution of comics conventions, and more.

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#619 Cowboys and Ninjas in Comics

Cowboys and Ninjas

How one culture perceives aspects of another culture is always interesting to observe. Our old friend Patrick Iijima-Washburn has been looking at how American comics portray ninja warriors and, conversely, how Japanese comics portray cowboys. Tim gets his observations on the matter.

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#616 Rob Walton and “Ragmop”

Rob Walton

This week Koom interviews Rob Walton, who created the graphic novel Ragmop in the 1990s and is now releasing a sequel through Vault Comics. How does one approach continuing a series based in the morés and political situation of the ‘90s? Also, Rob’s love of old Marvel comics and how he fused those stories onto modern ideas in his own work; the development of his politics; his management style, and more.

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#614 Rick Parker: An Energetic Interview

Rick Parker

While the majority of Rick Parker‘s comics jobs have been lettering, he’s also known as an artist and writer, including on Marvel’s Beavis and Butt-Head comics in the 1990s and Papercutz’ Tales from the Crypt. In this episode, Koom asks Rick about the experience of working at Marvel in the ’70s (including that time he was in a physical altercation in the office!), working as a New York taxi driver pre-Marvel, what was involved in old-school hand lettering of comics, and more.

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#610 Michael Kupperman gives us “All the Answers”

All the Answers

Michael Kupperman, best known for the likes of Snake ‘n’ Bacon and Tales Designed to Thrizzle, decided to go with a more serious and narrative-driven approach with his latest work, All the Answers. It’s the true story of how his father, Joel Kupperman, became famous on the radio and TV show Quiz Kids during and after World War II, an experience which not only scarred him for life, but had implications for Michael’s life as well.

In this episode, Michael Kupperman talks about his use of silhouette, the pointers he took from reading Grant Morrison’s work, and the common graphic-novel misfires that he tried hard to avoid. Then, Tim and Kumar review All the Answers, and identify other potential book topics hiding in its narrative!

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#608 JH Williams III talks “Promethea”

Promethea

A few months back, Kumar and Emmet discussed Alan Moore and JH Williams‘ Promethea on the show, which led to a Twitter contact with Williams. In this episode, Emmet talks with Williams about the process of making Promethea with Moore in the early 2000s and the definition of “the end of the world”, as well as getting Williams’ thoughts on how DC has brought back the Promethea character.

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#605 Audio “MIND MGMT” & 20 years of “Jane’s World”

MIND MGMT & Jane's World

Matt Kindt (creator of Super Spy, Revolver, and more) recently ran a Kickstarter for an audio comic — on a vinyl record! — set in the MIND MGMT universe. He talks to Tim in this episode about how it went, why he wanted to do this project, and what’s coming next from him.

Then, Jason McNamara joins Tim to discuss Love Letters to ‘Jane’s World’, a 20th-anniversary collection of Paige Braddock‘s Eisner-nominated strip.

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#604 Ho Che Anderson and “Godhead”

Godhead

Why does Ho Che Anderson, who has had several projects (including his latest, Godhead) published by Fantagraphics, call himself a “failed” comics creator? What does he wish he’d done differently, early in his career? In this episode, he talks to Koom about going to art school vs. making your comics mistakes in public (and how Frank Miller succeeded despite doing the latter), Godhead, his film work, and more.

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#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.

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