#287 Jeff Parker interview

Red HulkJeff Parker‘s profile as a writer at Marvel is gradually increasing, due to his work on Agents of Atlas, Hulk, and Thunderbolts. This week we get his take on some of the characters he’s writing and story choices he’s made, as well as his approach to writer’s block, mistakes new writers make, and more. Why do his stories tend to move so quickly? How does a mainstream writer deal with “events” like Fear Itself derailing his story plans? Find out in this episode!

#286 Herge’s “The Adventures of Tintin”

TintinPerhaps the most famous comic to come out of Europe is The Adventures of Tintin, by the Belgian known as Hergé. It’s known the world over and has appeared in more than 80 languages. Tim and Kumar discuss the comic’s appeal, Hergé’s expert cartooning, and some of the controversies that have swirled around the strip and its creator. Also, Kumar has some observations about the trailer for the upcoming Tintin movie.

#285 Comics Cooperatives (pt 1)

Comics CooperativesAre you in a comics cooperative? Would you like to be? What are the various things a group might offer its members?

This week we take a look at three different groups of comics creators in the US:

  • Dale Wilson and Vince Moore talk about The Antidote Trust in Los Angeles
  • Natalie Nourigat in Portland, Oregon, describes how Periscope Studio has helped her launch her comics career
  • Curt Gettman explains why he chose Pittsburgh to start Unicorn Mountain, a collective with a number of anthology books under its belt. Their latest is The Black Forest.

#284 Doug TenNapel: from Neverhood to Ghostopolis

Power UPDoug TenNapel’s name is known in a wide variety of media in the U.S., from video games to animation to, of course, comics. His Neverhood game is worshiped by, among many others, our own Kumar. His graphic novels have won acclaim but also some controversy, in part because of the statements on spirituality that are made in some of them, such as Black Cherry, the most spiritual book that you’ll never see in a Christian bookstore. (Could it be the nudity and F-bombs?)

Tim takes an hour of Doug’s scant free time to discuss storytelling media, how each fiction genre tends to tell certain stories, and inconsequential alien landings.

Web comic: Ratfist

YouTube: Making Comics with Doug TenNapel