Word Balloon Comics Podcast

The Boulet Brothers are celebrating a major milestone as The Boulet Brothers' Dragula turns 10 years old. Now heading into its seventh season, the series returns October 23rd on Shudder, continuing its singular mix of drag, horror, glamour, and the grotesque that has made it a cult phenomenon.But this conversation goes well beyond Dragula. Dracmorda and Swanthula are also lifelong comic-book fans, and we spend a lot of time digging into that side of their fandom. The characters, creators, horror comics, superheroes, and visual storytelling that helped shape their imaginations. We talk about the crossover between comics, horror, drag, and pop culture, along with what they've got planned as Dragula enters its second decade.

Marc Scott Zicree has spent decades thinking about science fiction. Where it's been, where it's going, and how you actually get it made.For generations of fans, Marc is perhaps best known as the author of The Twilight Zone Companion, the landmark guide to Rod Serling's classic series that helped establish serious episode-by-episode scholarship about The Twilight Zone.But Marc is also a veteran television writer whose credits stretch across genre television, including Star Trek: The Next Generation, where he originated the story for “First Contact,” and Deep Space Nine, where he wrote the story for the acclaimed “Far Beyond the Stars.”In recent years, Marc has put that experience into building his own science-fiction universe with Space Command, creating and producing ambitious independent productions such as Space Command: Redemption and Space Command: Forgiveness outside the traditional studio system.And now he's taking that idea even further with a new Kickstarter campaign for The Showrunners Network - a creator-led effort designed to produce original science-fiction television and films independently of the major studios and networks.The campaign is built around six original stories, bringing experienced filmmakers and actors together with the goal of proving that ambitious genre entertainment can reach audiences through a very different production model.So we're going to talk about the lessons Marc learned from The Twilight Zone, his years writing television and Star Trek, the long road of making Space Command, and whether independent, fan-supported production might offer a real alternative for creating the next generation of science-fiction.

These two titans of Horro combine their distinct styles to create a singular vision in their four volume adaptation of the Bram Stoker classic. We talk horror tv and more. 

Ushering in horror month with John McCrea, who has a new horror story with Garth Ennis coming out in November... and the return of Tommy Monaghan the funniest badd-ass of Noonan's Bar in a new untold Hitman one shot Xmas special with Garth, coming from DC 

In addition to talking about Mark's latest book, we also discuss several comic book artists that don't get their due 

In Part 2 of our conversation with comic book veteran Al Milgrom, we dig into the stories behind the pages , and beyond them. Al shares his memories of the legendary style of Wally Wood and offers insights into the creative genius of Murphy Anderson.Then, the spotlight shifts to the editorial trenches at Marvel. Al opens up about his collaborations and clashes with Jim Shooter, especially during the turbulent production of Secret Wars II. From late scripts to deadline disasters, you'll get the unfiltered truth from a man who was right there when it all went down. 

Remember waiting at the drugstore for the news distributor's truck, then watching the druggist fill the spinner rack with fresh comics? In this two-part Word Balloon conversation, Al Milgrom takes us from that thrill of discovering new books into the Marvel Bullpen, where he worked as a penciler, inker, editor, and writer during a pivotal era.In Part 1, Al remembers hand-delivering artwork to John Romita Sr. and Virginia Romita, the creative chaos and personality clashes of the bullpen, and Marvel's changes under Jim Shooter. He also tells the story behind launching Marvel Fanfare, his chance to showcase top talent and their stories on high-quality paper.

On this episode of Word Balloon, I'm talking with Eddie Muller, the host of Noir Alley on Turner Classic Movies. We get into his lifelong love of comic books and the connection he sees between comics and film noir: the crime stories, the striking visuals, and the characters who don't always make the right choices. Eddie also tells me about the Film Noir Foundation, which he founded to preserve and restore movies that might otherwise be lost. It's a conversation about two art forms we love and why their history is worth keeping alive.

It's another e-motion sickness Love Boat re-watch with Franco and Guest passengers Allison Baker and Gabriel Hardman In this episode, identical twins Ellen and Helen Edwards, both played by Diana Canova, have only one ticket and carefully take turns leaving their cabin, using an alarm wristwatch to keep their scheme straight, which leads to plenty of confusion for Doc, played by Bernie Kopell, as Helen comes on to him while Ellen repeatedly spurns him, leaving Doc completely baffled by her constantly changing attitude.Meanwhile, Julie, played by Lauren Tewes, is reunited with an old heartthrob, played by David Hedison, who is every bit as charming as she remembers, although when she knew him before he was married, giving their reunion a complicated romantic edge.And in the third story, Ray Bolger and Harriet Nelson play a delightful elderly couple who were married aboard the Titanic and survived, prompting Gopher, played by Fred Grandy, to repeat an old wives' tale that Titanic survivors bring bad luck, a superstition that suddenly seems possible when strange things begin happening to members of the crew one by one.

Exceutive Producer James Tucker talks about the secend season Of Batman Cape Crusader. Will there be a third season? 

Mike Gold and I relive the 70s and 80's in comics Chicago and broadcasting 

Batman 66, Hanna Barbera DC Crossovers, John Carter VS Mars Attacks and James Bond Origins  Talk with Jeff

Jay from the Tachyon Pulse Podcast was so frustrated by the latest episode of Sta Trek Starngew Worlds, he asked for a new talk. I obliged. I also convinced Jay to start his own audio podcast, checck it out https://www.spreaker.com/episode/star-trek-snw-what-is-the-point-live--75190493

Sanford previews next month's DC one shot he's made with Scott Snyder that tells us what Darkseid has been up to since DC KO We also get some Bitter Root news and Sanford had some major design contributions to the next Spider Verse animated film.

Kyle Starks is back, and as usual, he's got a lot going on.Right now on Kickstarter, Kyle is bringing Louise Sprouse Stole My Heart  (And I Have Two Hours to Get It Back)  to print. It's a 48-page, done-in-one story about a professional hitman on the run who returns to the vacation spot of his childhood and unexpectedly comes face-to-face with his first love.So, naturally, it's got romance, memories of growing up…and the kind of insane, over-the-top violence you expect from a Kyle Starks comic.And we'll also get into End of Life, Kyle's ongoing DC Vertigo series with artist Steve Pugh, reuniting the team behind Peacemaker Tries Hard! It's another story about a hitman in serious trouble, but underneath all the action, absurdity and very strange killers, there's a surprisingly emotional story about family, old relationships and dealing with a father who's running out of time.We'll talk about the return of Vertigo, working with Steve again, why Kyle keeps finding new things to say about assassins, and of course the Kickstarter.

With guest analysis from Lady V 

star trek author david mack discusses his strsnge new worlds novels and the star trek khan audio drama he co-wrote with kirtsen byers . we also clear up some uestions tying the story to star trek 2's wrath of khan 

Andrew and I go through some of his greatest moments on DS9 and other big roles in his past. 

Armin talks about DS9 his novels and other TV work. 

major kira of deep space nine checks in from 2024. 

Jonathan Frakes talks Next Generation Straange New Worlds The Orville and more . From 2022

Joined By Laarry Young and Scott Larson we breadown the latest SNW episode, and Nu Trek In General 

James is having a ball at Monstrous Books Bringing bak Kolchak The Night Stalker and Titles like the anthologies Ceepshow and Weird Tales. 

Joe Casey talks about the comic book reboot of Ben 10 by the Men Of Action for Dynamite.He's also re-releasing his and Ashley Wood's mind bending Automatic Kafka for Image in November.We also talk about his DC mini series Knee Before Zod and his Skybound series with Robert Kirkman Terminal 

some hot debate about trek, in the first hour

Today we're heading back to Terrificon 2024 for a Star Trek: Strange New Worlds panel featuring Ethan Peck,Mr Spock, and Celia Rose Gooding, who plays Uhura.At the time, Season Two had wrapped, and fans were still buzzing over that very strange and very funny “Four and a Half Vulcans” teaser scene that Paramount had just unveiled at San Diego Comic-Con.Ethan and Celia took my questions and plenty from a packed room of eager Trek fans, talking about their characters, the evolving relationships aboard the Enterprise, and where the series might be headed next.And listening back now, with Seasons Three and Four in the rearview mirror, it's fascinating how much they actually revealed ,sometimes deliberately, (sometimes almost prophetically) about stories and character directions that were still to come.And along with plenty of new podcasts, Word Balloon will also be celebrating Star Trek's 60th anniversary, which arrives on September 8th .Sixty years to the day since the original series first premiered in 1966.

This is Part One of The Milestone Story, looking at the history, legacy, and continuing evolution of one of the most important comic book companies of the last thirty-plus years.We begin with Reginald Hudlin, filmmaker, producer, writer, and one of the driving forces behind the modern revival of Milestone Media.Reggie talks about his relationship with Milestone's original founders, and how the company changed the comics landscape when it launched in the early 1990s.We also get into the challenge of bringing Milestone back for a new generation, his work on characters like Icon, Rocket, Hardware, and Static, and the balance between honoring what McDuffie and the original team created while finding new directions for the Dakotaverse.It's a conversation about comics, representation, ownership, Hollywood, and why the ideas behind Milestone still matter today.listen to part 2 with Denys Cowan 

This is Part Two of The Milestone Story, and this time the spotlight is on Denys Cowan ,Milestone co-founder, artist, editor, and one of the most distinctive visual storytellers in comics.We continue the story of Milestone from Denys's perspective: how the company came together, what he and the other founders wanted to change about the comics business, and why the characters they created still resonate more than thirty years later.But this conversation also goes well beyond Milestone.Denys looks back at his own art career, from his early days breaking into comics to major work on characters like The Question, Deathlok, and Batman, and the artists, editors, and experiences that helped shape his unmistakable style.We talk about the craft of drawing comics, the evolution of his work, and how being both an artist and a co-founder gave him a unique perspective on what Milestone could become.

Ram V and Mike Perkins have started a new vertigo series.He  joined us to talk about it

Today, it's long overdue new conversation with Rick Remender, and we've got a lot of ground to cover.We talk about his latest creator-owned books, including Hammerfist, Escape, and The Sacrificers, and how Rick continues to mix genres, build new worlds, and find the right artistic voice for each project.Rick also looks back at his years at Marvel and explains why, despite some major successes there, working inside that system ultimately wasn't the right fit for him creatively.And we get into his time as showrunner on Deadly Class for Syfy, the challenges of adapting his own comic for television,  and what he learned from seeing that world transformed into live action.It's a wide-ranging conversation about comics, television, creative freedom, and the path Rick has taken from working within the Big Two to building his own body of creator-owned work.

Pornsak is back to talk about the mystery he's spinning regarding the death of Oliver Queen in the Absolute DC universe , and who is this Green Arrow? 

Jay from the Tachyon Pulse Podcast Joins me to talks about Star Trek Strange New Worlds and Nu Trek in genral, it's future plus some Stargate and Docotor Who Talk. 

Reviewing the Trek SNW episode Off Hour and Lanterns ep 3, plus my thoughts on Coyote Vs Acme. 

Today, I've got a conversation with Emmy Award-winning writer Stan Berkowitz and his wife, Tegan Clive. Two people with fascinating careers that have taken them through some very different corners of popular culture.Stan is a veteran of television animation, with credits on Batman Beyond, Superman: The Animated Series, Justice League, and many other shows that helped define a generation of superhero storytelling.Tegan came out of the world of competitive bodybuilding and went on to a career in film and television, including the post-apocalyptic adventure Interzone and Fred Olen Ray's cult science-fiction movie Alienator, where she played the unstoppable title character.We talk about their careers, Hollywood, animation, bodybuilding, genre movies, and the unexpected paths that brought the two of them together.

This time, we're joined by Alex Ross for a conversation about Fantastic Four: Full Circle, his graphic novel that reaches directly back to the imagination and visual energy of Jack Kirby.Alex talks about revisiting the classic Fantastic Four, drawing inspiration from the Lee and Kirby era, and finding a way to honor that groundbreaking work .We'll get into the design, the storytelling, the psychedelic science-fiction imagery, and what Kirby's Fantastic Four still represents to one of comics' most acclaimed artists.

We're continuing our celebration of Jack Kirby's incredible legacy with two conversations that explore very different corners of the worlds he helped create.First, we go back to the Baltimore Comic-Con's virtual 2020 convention, held during the COVID lockdown, for a discussion of Kirby's Fourth World. Writer Tom King and Cecil Castellucci join moderator Robert Meyer Burnett to talk about the ideas, characters, mythology, and lasting impact of Kirby's sprawling New Gods saga.Then we jump back to 2012 for a Marvel press conference featuring writer Kathryn Immonen and editor Lauren Sankovitch, discussing Lady Sif stepping into the spotlight as the lead of Journey Into Mystery. Sif may come from Norse mythology, but her Marvel identity was shaped in large part by the creative imagination of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and this run gave her a chance to carry a book of her own.Two generations of creators, two very different takes on Kirby's characters and concepts, all part of the continuing conversation about the King of Comics.This is Voices of Kirby, Part Three, on Word Balloon.

Three conversations with 3 writers who took Kirby's 4th World ideas to new places.Ram V Talks New GodsCecil Castalucci On The Female FuriesWalt Simonson on Thor and Orion 

Celebrating Kirby's 109th Birthday today. From 2025 Comic book writer and editor Jim Beard joins the show to discuss his new book JACK OF ALL COMICS — Tales Inspired by the Master, a tribute collection featuring essays by top comic creators influenced by Jack Kirby's groundbreaking work at Marvel and DC.  Also joining us is longtime DC Comics writer Paul Kupperberg, who dives deep into Kirby's experimental 1970s DC magazine projects like Spirit World and In the Days of the Mob.Paul also wrote Kirby's last monthly comic DC SUPER POWERS featuring The Justice League against Darkseid Sadly right before the show we learned that Comics Legend Jim Shooter had passed away. We spent some time reflecting on his incredible career. 

Green Arrow Superman The Coffin Firebreather, The Bionic Man. Just a few of the books we discuss from Phil's 40 yar career in comics. Happy Birthday too Phil!

Phillip teases as much he can about the new Midnight Spider-Man coming in October and The Coming Infernal Hulk War with the Marvel Universe, starting with Wolverine Sept 9th. 

we review the trek muppet episode, but also talk about the Lanterns HBO serries. 

Thane Benson combines comic book story telling with multiple games in each story/graphic novel. His latest is a choose your own adventure Pirate Myster called Murder On The High Seas. The kickstarter runs through Thursday. 

We continue the Superman Unlimited chat started in part 1 

Dan Slott is back on Word Balloon for a two-part conversation, and we start with a big thank-you to the Spider-Man fans who showed up for Spectacular Spider-Man: Brand New Day and made sure the book was waiting for them on their comic-shop pull lists.Dan talks about the response to the series, revisiting that corner of Spider-Man history, and what it means to see readers supporting the book at the store level.Then we cross over to Metropolis for Dan's other major current project, Superman Unlimited. We get into his approach to Superman, the ideas he's been exploring in the series, and how it all feeds into DC's current House of Zod event , with the Superman family facing a growing Kryptonian threat and some major developments still ahead.We continue the conversation in part 2 

Zack Kruse is one of the talking heads in the Talasq Art Acedemy's documentary Steve Ditko Beyond The Myth that I narrated on youtube but he's been studying Ditko for decades. He wrote Mysterious Travelers: Steve Ditko and the Search for a New Liberal Identity , and had numerous letter conversations . We do a deep dive including previewing Zack's own doc DITKO coming later this year. 

Brett gives us his origin story and his take on the D&D fantsy world in this Terrificon Spotlight panel