Word Balloon Comics Podcast

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 

Dtar Trek The Last Starship #10 out today, plus a new IDW Dark series In October and They debut on Dungeons and Dragons from Dark Horse n November 

we recap the two eps and wayne has a trek vegas con report, while we also talk about terrificon and fan expo chicago conventions

JK and I talk about a new sci-fi noir , plus painting Peter David's final story. We also talk abou Star Trek Comics and books.

From 2015So glad to welcome Gabe and Corinna back to praise their latest efforts. Green Lantern Earth One is a great new spin on the GL origin, with real surprises suspense and a great launching point tpo tell future stories. We also get into their first 3 volumes of Invisible Republic a great complex political sci-fi story that despite first coming out in 2015 resonates more in today's US climate. 

We talk Hush Civil War : Fallen Son, Agents Of Shield, and Michael J Fox and Schwarzenegger movie tales. Lots more. 

Dan talks Superman and Spider-Man and takes great audience questions in this lively panel. 

I sit down with one of my oldest friends in comics. Tim has a new mini series from Dark Horse, The Big Shakedown, with Jordan Blum and Scott Koblish. We also look at his career and talk GI Joe Money Shot, He-Man, Godzilla, Turning Dick Grayson into a Super-Spy, The Revival Comic and TV show (Syfy) and X-Force. 

At Terrificon, three legendary X-Men writers Chris Claremont, Louise Simonson, and Fabian Nicieza came together for a wide-ranging conversation about the history, evolution, and controversies surrounding Marvel's mutantsaWhat do they tink of the recent eras? John Byrne's new 3 volume story, and more.

From Terrificon Bader talks about hs Batman roles In The Brave and Bold and Batman Caped Crusader. We go deep with hilarious stories about The Drew Carey show, Napoleon Dynamite Office Space, The Beverly Hilbilies and more. 

Producer Sal  Abbinanti discusses his film about legendary comic artist, and friend of the show Bill Sienkiewicz. Sal also reps Alex Ross and we compare Sal's previous film, The Legend Of Kingdom Come 

From 2010 a great chat with Brave and Bold Producers James Tucker and Michael Jelenic This weekend at Terrificon, I'll have a chat with the star of Batman: The Brave And Bold Dedrich Bader 

In part 2 we discuss Steve Darnall's new prose novelization of Alex and Kurt Busiek's landmark series Marvels, along with Jack Kirby and the Fantastic Four, Superman, superhero movies, public-domain characters, artificial intelligence, and the changing relationship between comics and Hollywood.As always with Alex, the conversation is thoughtful, candid, passionate, and filled with the kind of artistic insight that only he can provide.

In this special two-part conversation, Alex joins me to discuss his brand-new graphic novel, Marvel Dimensions, written and fully illustrated by Alex for Marvel and Abrams ComicArts. It's his second book in the Marvel Arts line, following Fantastic Four: Full Circle, and it arrives September 1st.The story begins as a sweeping journey through the classic origins of the Marvel Universe. Spider-Man, the Hulk, Iron Man, Wolverine, and many more appear in dramatic painted sequences that deliberately echo their earliest adventures. A mysterious narrator guides us through these familiar moments. But gradually, the voice behind the story, and its reasons for telling it, become much less familiar.From there, the book turns darker and more unpredictable. Familiar stories begin changing, characters behave in unexpected ways, and the consequences spread across the Marvel Universe. Alex uses those classic characters and origins as the foundation for a much larger mystery, including new character concepts and a final act designed to make readers reconsider everything they have just seen. The hardcover also includes a separate 32-page comic that is pivotal to the overall story.

Brian Volk Weiss of The Nacelle Company discusses his seminal Netflix series The Toys That Made us, now in the midst of a Kickstarter Campain for a 2 volume book set The Art Of The Toys That Made Us. Brian also tells us what to expect in seasons 3 and four of the series, coming soon. We talks abot that and his other great series Icons Unearthed and teases new series of those.He also holds the rights to a bunch of favorite IPs from the 80s like Robo Force and Biker Mice From Mars, being printed by ONI press, and details new anumated series in the works. 

In Part Two, Judd Winick explains how he parlayed his fame from MTV's The Real World into a meeting with editor Bob Schreck and an invitation to write for DC Comics. He discusses bringing Jason Todd back from the dead in Batman: Under the Hood, contributing to major DC events including Infinite Crisis, and his memorable runs on Green Arrow, Batwing, and Catwoman. Plus, we look at Judd's hit all-ages series Hilo and preview the new Hilo holiday special coming this October.

Judd is back with a new Hilo Holiday special coming in October. We talk about his run on Marvel's Exiles, and his early days breaking into comics with his comic strip Frumpy the Clown. He looks back on his unlikely path into comics, from breaking into newspaper strips with guidance from his mentor, Cathy creator Cathy Guisewite, to meeting legendary Peanuts cartoonist Charles M. Schulz. He also reflects on his life-changing experience as a cast member on MTV's The Real World and how his acclaimed graphic novel Pedro and Me, chronicling his friendship with Pedro Zamora, brought him to the attention of DC Comics and launched the next chapter of his career.

The title says it all

pt 2 of our talk where Scott took fan questions. 

From 2025 Scott lays out the origins of the  DC Absolute Universe 

Tom King and Dave Gibbons share storytelling tips. 

In 1964 Sean Connery, fresh off of the first 2 James bond films made 3 films, including Goldfinger.But before the 3rd Bond film shocked the world he made 2 soap opera mysteries, Marnie with Alfred Hitchcok, and the movie my guest Lady V and I discuss today on Scene Missing A Woman Of Straw With Sir Ralph Richardson and Gina Lolabrigida It's an interesting film with Connery as Ralph's scheming nephew who wants to kill his uncle and bed his new much younger wife Gina.V also gives her thoughts on Christopher Nolan's The Odyessy 

Eoin McAuley of Tasqart Academy in Dublin is making a documentary that will dispell many myths about the man who co-created dr strange and spider-man, among other great charcters and stories.I am narrating the doc. It will be out soon. 

Grindhouse Comics Presents Raine is a kickstarter coming in mid August. It's 200 plus pages will feature a 92 page lead story about the title charcter and several shorter stories introducing a host of action heroes inspired by 70s grindhouse classics like Shaft and Cleopatra Jones. Michael discuss the book it's inspirations, and has a ton of stoires of his own adventures in making film and comics.

Morgan Hampton takes us from his beginings breaking into DC with the Milestone writers program, and writing a Cyborg mini series before coming on the Green Lantern Corps . First he co-wrote with Jeremy Adams , but has been soloing since issue 10, and we're getting an epic story as Guy Gardner and a team of rainbow rings are facing the Mahunters in an epic battle. He also has a cool IDW Serries Sons Of Star Trek featuring Jake Sisko, Nog, Worf's son Alexander and Q2 

more talk about comics tv movies and more with sal crivelli of comic pop.note-this was recorded before the news broke about stephen wacker takng over as marvel's new editor in chief 

Sal, of The COMIC POP youtube channel joins me to take stock of comics tv and films.We talk about- The rise of DC Supergirl and Spider Noir, Sony and Disney Marvel, and tips for other podcasters. 

Big news out of Marvel Comics today: Stephen Wacker has been named the company's new Editor-in-Chief. Given all the executive changes Marvel has gone through in recent years, it's encouraging to see someone with deep comic book experience taking the reins of the publishing line.Wacker's résumé extends well beyond editing comics. In addition to overseeing some of Marvel's biggest publishing initiatives, he also served as Vice President of Marvel Animation and later as Vice President of Marvel New Media, helping guide projects like the Marvel Audio Universe on SiriusXM, including Wolverine and other serialized Marvel audio dramas.To celebrate the news, we're going back to this 2012 Word Balloon conversation with Stephen. It's a fascinating snapshot of Marvel during one of its most creative periods. We talk about the birth of Spider-Man's Brand New Day era, Dan Slott's early run on Amazing Spider-Man, Greg Rucka's Punisher, and Mark Waid's acclaimed Daredevil. Stephen also gets into the weeds on major crossover events like Spider-Island, Shadowland, and DC's The New 52, while pulling back the curtain on Marvel's creator retreats and the collaborative process behind building the Marvel Universe.Ok, yes, this conversation is now more than a decade old, but I think it still provides a valuable window into how Steve Wacker thinks about comics—how he approaches storytelling, editorial decisions, and working with creators. Until I have the chance to sit down with him again, this interview answers a lot of the questions newer readers may have about the philosophy and instincts of the man now leading Marvel Comics. Enjoy this 2012 conversation with Marvel's new Editor-in-Chief, Stephen Wacker.

Of course we discus Russ working ion the boys with Garth Ennis, and other war comics, but did you now he pencilled the first Batman story about the venom drug? Did you also know he learned storytelling on the job from Joe Orlando Carmine Infantino, and a few other masters?Not to mention his Disney animation career on some of their biggest films.Listen, and find out. 

Chris si back to promote a new kickstarter coming in August about Joe Unknown, the adventures of a comic book horror host after hours ( Think a cross between the look of Kolchak The Night Stalker, in the role of The Crypt Keeper Of EC Comics) But then we discuss a lot of his acedemic comic book historian work  dispelling rumors and long held myths, like how and why kryptonite was created for the Superman radio show and more. 

we discuss the first 4 eps of the new season plus other comics tv film and more

Some great Rodney Barne Word Balloon segments presenting a wide-ranging conversation that spans comics, television, and film history. We kick things off with his chilling Blacula graphic novel, a fresh take on one of blaxploitation's most enduring horror icons, before diving back into the world of his acclaimed vampire epic Killadelphia, one of the most original independent comic series of the last several years.Along the way, Rodney and I celebrate the legacy of blaxploitation cinema,its cultural impact, unforgettable characters, and the way those films continue to influence storytellers today.We also spend time looking back at Rodney's work as a writer and producer on HBO's Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty. Despite strong critical praise and passionate fans, the series was cut short after two seasons, with HBO citing a combination of relatively low viewership and its exceptionally high production costs. It's a reminder that, in today's television landscape, even acclaimed genre and franchise programming can be vulnerable if the audience doesn't reach the necessary scale, a reality that Star Trek fans, can certainly appreciate.

Tuesday, I guested on the Splash Pages Podcast, where they interviewed me about podcasting, but also we talked about favorite convention moments, and the 2 DC Marvel Spider-Man Superman crossover specials