David Sparks and Casey Liss join John and I to talk about getting into comics as an adult. It's a brisk listen, despite the runtime. This is yet another new sub-thread of show types, where we help people on the show off the top of our heads.
You have no idea how sweet, sensitive, and smart a comic book called Sex Criminals can be.
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Josh Ryan, Dave Marquez, and Tara Rhymes talk with us about 3D comics, a bit about their history in addition to making them. We also get a great look at how they all got in as fans and readers.
Merlin Mann joins John and I to talk about the X-Men and reboot/renumber our show about comics over on ESN, my new podcast network.
Subscribe to the show in iTunes or via RSS, or subscribe to the combined "channel" feed (links pending, check back), which includes Giant Size, uncut Artist Edition interviews, and Test Pattern pre- and post-shows in "canonical" (chronological) order. It turns out that there is a pre-show for the very first episode.
Here are a few recommendations based on books/trades/OGNs we discussed on the show.
All-New X-Men
Written by Brian Michael Bendis as one of the anchors for Marvel's "Marvel NOW!" initiative, the original X-Men from the 1960's come forward to the present, causing all manner of havoc. It is surprisingly easy to get into was a new reader, which is a testament to Bendis's strength as a writer.
Uncanny X-Men
Focusing on Cyclops's more militant X-Men group, including Magneto, Emma Frost, and Magik. We acknowledge that this one is had its ups and downs in certain ways (the stretch spent in Limbo is called out [even though I was fine with it -Meddling Moisés]), but it continues to be a very good (indispensable, really) companion to All-New X-Men. This is especially the case after the Battle of the Atom crossover concluded in late 2013.
Giant Size X-Men #1
We didn't actually talk about this one very much (expect that in the next X-Men episode), but it is referenced throughout. This 1980s reboot of the team was a big launching point, and remains one of the most accessible ways to get into the world.
Amazing X-Men
Dubbed "the Nightcrawler book", this one is only three issues in at the time of this posting, but is loads of swashbuckling fun, and is written by one of our favorite writers, Jason Aaron (Thor: God of Thunder). The book follows an interesting combination of X-Men going to rescue Nightcrawler from the afterlife.
Marvel Unlimited
This yearly subscription service is growing by leaps and bounds every few months. For example, the aforementioned Amazing X-Men had its first issue made free on the service when the series launched.
Days of Future Past
As iconic as this series is, people often forget that it takes place over the span of two comic book issues. There's an X-Men movie with this as a subtitle coming out this year, and we figure that it might be on many to-read lists this year. It is not an ideal entry point, because it needs some context before it can work very well for you. This is a great example of how concentrated major storylines could be 20+ years ago.
God Loves, Man Kills
The fifth "Marvel Graphic Novel" is steeped in the 1980s: religious extremism, jingoism, and other unmistakable themes of the era. Like Days of Future Past before it, this one is a much better contextual read. It may not work as a perfect jumping in point, but it's pretty close. This thing bleeds civil rights allegory that is all over the X-Men canon, ever since their creation. The art, from pencils to inks to color to lettering, is absolutely beautiful. This is one of those X-Men stories that delivers on all fronts in every way that it can. You just have to be into this sort of story. Interestingly enough, it is directly referenced in Bendis' current X-Men runs on All-New and Uncanny.
The Dark Phoenix Saga
This is the biggie, the top dog, the one that has been adapted as often as the X-Men have crossed into other media (movies, animated TV shows, and so on). Jean Grey acquires some major powers all of a sudden, things go very far south, and the effects are far-reaching throughout X-Men history. Her character arc student out as a more complex female comic book character than (many would argue) had been seen before. Without spoiling the who, the what, and the when of it (the cover seems to spoil something), some major death occurs that goes on to define many aspects of the next three decades of the X-Men in various respects.
You can subscribe to feeds via RSS until iTunes gets around to adding us. There's a nice handful of content already up, both tiny and full-sized.
You might say "Giant-Sized"...
The first episodes of all shows ail be posting today, with second episodes hitting at the end of the week.
I thought I'd share some more details about my soon-to-launch little podcast network. All three shows (and two companion feeds) start the first week of February 2014, with new episodes posting weekly.
This post will be updated with info until the site launches at ESN.fm
When Screen Time went through a format overhaul, it transformed into what I'd wanted it to be all along (panel plus limited-length interview). That show about movies, TV, games, and "moving images on a glowing screen" is now Electric Shadow, which doubles as the signature branding of the new network as seen in the title of this post.
Electric Shadow is the original title I had pitched. It comes from a literal translation of the Chinese word for cinema. I wanted something evocative that bucked the trends seen in the names of other shows and publications dedicated to any of the above kinds of storytelling. Screen Time becomes the feed for the unedited, "director's cut" versions of the interviews that make up the back segment of Electric Shadow.
Episode 1
panel: Horace Dediu and Guy English
topic: TBD, but expect something about Nintendo wedged in
Episode 2
broadcasts live: Monday, 10 February 2014 at 11am CST
panel: David Loehr, Merlin Mann, and Matt Zoller Seitz
topic: Wes Anderson and Fantastic Mr. Fox (which is receiving a Blu-ray special edition release from Criterion on 18 February 2014)
Much like its most recent iteration on 5by5, this show also follows the same panel plus limited-length interview format as Electric Shadow, and will have its own "uncut interview" feed, probably called something like "Artist Edition". I have a few other ideas, but welcome suggestions.
Episode 1
panel: co-host John Gholson and Merlin Mann
topic: how to get into reading the X-Men
Episode 2
panel: co-host John Gholson, David Sparks, and Casey Liss
topic: getting in or back into comics as an adult, reading recommendations
This will be more conversational, and looser in style. Some weeks will be one-on-one, some will be panels. Addressing sub-topics within the Customer Service industry is something I think has the legs of a long, long, long-running series. People who work in customer service, whether retail, call center, chat support, or whatever else are encouraged to email or leave a voicemail [(240) 285-9623] to tell their story on future episodes of the show.
Episode 1
panel: Brent Simmons
topic: Network Solutions charging $1850 like a threat (see his blog for more updates), and supporting customers as an indie
Episode 2
panel: John Roderick, Lex Friedman, and Brent Billings
topic: airlines, why we hate them, who holds the power, and what to do
More to come later this week on a variety of fronts. Thank you so much to everyone who has been so supportive so far.
In the week since last I posted, I've been making big decisions about what and how I create the content I want to be making. These are decisions I've been mulling for a few months now for various reasons, but chief among them is that I want to chart my own course, sink or swim…you choose the metaphor.
Within the week, I am recording the final episodes of Screen Time and Giant Size that will be posted at 5by5. The shows are not ending, far from it.
There is no change to my co-hosting The Critical Path on 5by5 alongside Horace Dediu. We're recording a new episode this morning. He's about to do a pile of traveling (get your AirShow San Jose tickets for 30 January), so don't take any broadcast interruption to mean anything other than travel schedules complicating things vis-à-vis our show continuing for as long as Horace wants to do it.
Starting the first week of February, Screen Time and Giant Size will re-launch as a part of my new broadcast entity alongside the debut of Thank You For Calling, a show about customer service (pilot recorded and posted here). If you currently subscribe to the 5by5 feeds for Giant Size and Screen Time, you will have to subscribe to the new feeds on the new network.
Sorry to disappoint, but there is not some big drama behind the scenes that is worthy of being a subplot on Scandal. The infrastructure of 5by5 and what I wanted to do with my existing shows (and others that I have been developing) no longer match. This is a thing that happens. People's needs change and grow, respectively. At a certain point, Robin had to let Batman "do Batman" and go off to be Nightwing.
Apologies for the comic book reference.
I still consider Dan Benjamin not only a very dear friend, but the whole reason I'm doing podcasts in the first place, after "meaning to get serious about" doing a show for years. I owe Dan in ways I can't ever repay.
Listening to Dan's show Quit! is part of what made me want to jump into the insanely hard work that is not only producing content, but selling my own ads and sponsorships. Both parts of that equation have been elements of my career in the past, and it feels great to unify them on behalf of my own thing rather than those of others.
Due in large part to the people I've met, befriended, and been blessed to have as listeners and supporters while doing these shows on 5by5, I already have a few sponsorship deals closed or in the works.
Dan and I are totally cool. I'm still doing a show for him with Horace. Dan will guest on my new shows as time and topic permit. I'll do the same for him. I think I'm going on a BBQ run with him later this week. We had coffee this morning. We're cool.
All three shows will be broadcast live as they record. There will be an IRC-based chat room where you can suggest and up-vote titles. John Gholson has agreed to remain my better-than-I-deserve co-host on Giant Size. I've begun curating a sort of revolving co-host chair for what was called Screen Time. Giant Size and the show most recently known as Screen Time will remain panel-format focused, with short talent interviews plugged on the end. Longer versions of those interviews will be available too.
Much more information will be available in the coming days, but I wanted to cover some points I knew people would wonder about.
I'm focusing on these three shows, and should they do well, a few others that I've been developing.
I'm still using "Screen Time" as a show title, but I'm peeling it off of the signature panel-format show. I originally pitched it with a completely different name, a name that is bolted into the branding of the network. I'm not sharing that just yet, because there are a couple of things I need to lock up that I haven't secured just yet.
Screen Time has had a weird, complicated life that has taught me a great deal. It began as, predominantly, an interview show. Most of the episodes I recorded of it are done in that format. The new Screen Time feed will include the "Extended Cut" versions of interviews that will otherwise be cut down for the main "anchor" show.
The "new name show" will be more like Screen Time episodes 39, 40, 41, 42, 44, 46, 49, 52, and 53 (and very rarely #50) than any others in that back catalogue. It will have guests very much like those found in those episodes, as well as others from both the tech and entertainment industries.
The first panel on the relaunched show will be return guests Horace Dediu and Guy English.
First and foremost, if you love the shows I've done on 5by5, subscribe to the new feeds when they're posted, and please rate/review the shows like crazy once they're in iTunes. Listen to the shows, continue to give me great feedback, and enjoy them. Tell a few thousand friends.
On the financial side of things, if your company is interested in sponsoring the shows, please get in touch. By "your company", I also don't necessarily mean a corporation with an enormous overall ad budget. That includes everything from one-person app developers to independent comics creators.
If you host a podcast and would like to have me on as a guest in the coming days and weeks, let me know.
If you work or have worked in any sort of customer service job, have a horror story, or a company you can't get to solve your issue, send an email and I might have you on Thank You For Calling.
Thanks for reading this, listening to any of the shows I've been on, and supporting what I do in any way ever.
I'll have more next week. Wish me luck.
This post will be updated with ReadingList recommendations soon.
John and I plowed through an enormous list of books in our own special way of looking back at 2013. Before finding a book to spend money on, consider giving instead to the magnificent cause that is the Hero Initiative.
If you don't want to take John and I at our word for how worthy a cause it is, for the love of the multiverse, listen to this episode's interview with Dennis O'Neil. His verve and passion for supporting and providing for creators is beyond inspiring.
Think of this as an appetizer for the year-ending #37, where John and I look back at the year 2013 in comics from our own particular angle. Back on Comic Shack #27, we did our "intro to Batman". I chose to plug this "reprint variant cover" episode here, squarely between #35, where I spoke to Neal Adams, and the interview with the equally Bat-legendary Dennis O'Neil in #37.
In what is definitely the most unique interview-focused episode of the show, I speak with comics legend Neal Adams. John and I spend a few minutes giving a primer as to who Adams is and why new readers should know, because the interview itself is off in its own solar system, barely talking about comics at all. Click on the cover art to order recommended reading material listed further down.
Rather than pepper him with the same series of Batman and Green Lantern/Green Arrow questions he's been asked for decades, I handed him the reins to explain his beliefs regarding the nature of the Earth and the universe, and how he believes they are growing (not "expanding"!).
Conducted at Dallas Comic Con's Fan Days show, I left in multiple interactions with fans who paid him for signatures at his table. I feel it adds some color in general, on top of how laser-precise Adams' mind is, such that he can pick up right where he left off from essentially every time. Mid-interview, there is a special appearance by Toadies drummer and Buzzkill co-creator Mark Reznicek.
John and I will double back on some of Adams' most prominent work in a near-future episode that will include an already-recorded interview with his collaborator Dennis O'Neil, one of the most important living legends in comics.
Green Lantern/Green Arrow
Until I read these, I didn't really care about Green Arrow. This run from the 1970's is one of the most iconic in terms of directly focusing a comics narrative on social justice issues of the day on top of intergalactic threats and so on. Some of the writing, as quoted by John toward the end of the episode, is a bit creaky now, but at the time, was extremely progressive. They make t-shirts of some of these covers, and I would wear them all.
Batman: Illustrated by Neal Adams Vol. 2
The redefinition of the character to counter the Adam West TV series' camp tone occurred on the watch of publisher Carmine Infantino, with the look coming from the pencil of Neal Adams. The reason I recommend skipping the first and starting with this one is that this is where the real gold from his Batman work begins, the stuff that is most-fondly remembered, including his work on some absolutely gorgeous issues of The Brave and the Bold (which undoubtedly is part of the creative influence on the recent Brave and the Bold animated series). Grab Volume 3 while you're at it, which picks up roughly just after the issues found here.
Superman vs. Muhammad Ali (Deluxe Hardcover)
Even if it were just for the novelty value of the Last Son of Krypton boxing The Greatest, the ~$15 you pay for this is pretty reasonable. There's some really outstanding background detail in Adams' art here, and the hardcover has extras in the form of development sketches and additional content of that sort. This is one of the coolest "X Meets Y" crossover one-shots of its kind not just due to historical significance, but because it's some of Adam's absolute best artwork.
The Art of Neal Adams (Hardcover)
If you are into art books, this is a pretty solid collection of a cross-section of Adams' work, runs under $40, and makes a good gift if there's an Adams art fan in your life. His Conan covers are still to die for.
John and I discuss various and sundry things we're thankful for in comics from 2013 thus far. I also commit to a series of around 17 future show topics and gimmicks.
This week's interview is with the insanely talented Cary Nord, whom I spoke with at the recent Dallas Comic Con Fan Days. See the show notes page for a laundry list of links, including Matt Fraction's outstanding "Halloween" Twitter name.
I've embedded a couple of mentioned TPBs at left (which I'll update as some more come out). Support your local comic shop by ordering and subscribing to series from them. You'd be surprised how many back issues they can find for you.
While you're in the buying mood, spread the unholy brilliance (except on iBooks) gospel of Sex Criminals. Apple pulled it completely from ComiXology. Even though buying from Image results in no DRM whatsoever, pay for it because you nasty like that. This entire paragraph will make sense if you listen to the show, promise.
<-- Ghosted is a ghost heist series, first mentioned on the show by John on our "Not Saga" episode.
Comics pro Antony Johnston returns to Giant Size and joins Drobo CEO Geoff Barrall to properly school me in the various worlds and characters of the UK's 2000AD , with a particular focus on one-man judge/jury/executioner Judge Dredd. One of my favorite bits of this episode is listening to the two of them enthuse about their childhood discoveries of various stories through 2000AD's ultra-violent (and thoroughly satirical) lens.
This week's interview with colorist extraordinaire Elizabeth Breitweiser begins at the 01:44:52 mark. Pick up Velvet #1 (written by Ed Brubaker, penciled by Steve Epting, and colored by Elizabeth) and add it to your pull list.
1800+ weekly issues strong, 2000AD has never shied away from political subject matter and the topical since its inception in 1977. What follows is a US-focused reading list of how to get your hands on the biggest, most iconic and interesting stories we discussed in this week's show.
Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files #02 (progs 61-115)
includes "The Cursed Earth" and "The Day the Law Died" and more
$15 TPB or $10 Kindle Edition
Dredd goes over land from Mega City One (east coast) to Mega City Two (west coast), with a life-saving vaccine and a convict in tow. Immediately spilling out of that, one of his biggest early nemeses arises and gives him hell.
Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files #05 (progs 208-270)
includes "Block Mania" and "The Apocalypse War" and more
$16 TPB or $10 Kindle Edition
The most iconic, go-to classic Dredd story sees major, lasting implications for the planet and world of Dredd, replete with Cold War imagery.
The above three collections, for a remarkably reasonable price, collect some of the most definitive early Dredd stories. If you grab #03, you'll get the first appearances of both Judge Death and Judge Anderson, and a bunch of self-contained stories.
The US has only seen six print volumes of the "Complete Case Files" released, whereas they've released 21 of them in the UK. The good news is that they are all available in the 2000AD Newsstand app for iOS. Alternately, you could import the UK editions from Amazon UK.
Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files #07 (progs 322-375)Antony was very into some of these weirder, horror-tinged stories. How can you resist a story that starts with a cover showing Dredd turning into a werewolf?
Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files #08 (progs 376-423)Time travel finds its way into Dredd stories here, where Dredd and Judge Anderson travel to the future. The story serves as a continuation of "The Judge Child", so make sure you read that one first. For the record, it precedes Chris Claremont's "Days of Future Past" by four years.
Unfortunately, many of the other characters we discussed either haven't been reprinted in the US (like Sam Slade Robo-Hunter), or they're out of print (Strontium Dog).
Rogue Trooper: Tales of Nu Earth 1 ($16)
Rogue Trooper: Tales of Nu Earth 2 ($15)
A genetically-engineered soldier on his own against an endless war, the good people at IDW recently announced a new ongoing Rogue Trooper series. These collections are similar in style to the Dredd Complete Case Files.
The Complete Nemesis the Warlock, Volume 1
Put by Kieron Gillen to Matt Fraction as something along the lines of "this is how messed up what we grew up on is", I'm chomping at the bit to devour Kevin O'Neill art that I've never seen.
Sláine : The Horned God ($18 HC)
Sláine: Warriors Dawn ($14 TPB)
Sláine: Book of Invasions Volume 1 ($16)
Described as a Celtic Conan the Barbarian, he was controversial as an addition to what was considered a sic-fi-only publication. He's proven to stay immensely popular in retrospect. I've no context for the above collections, but they're all that's available in the US.
The Ballad of Halo Jones ($15 TPB)
A rare female main character, Alan Moore's work here has eluded me thus far, but now I have little excuse. I'm especially ashamed to have not read this, considering how highly acclaimed it is.
The Complete Alan Moore Future Shocks ($15 TPB)
Including Abelard Snazz and all of Moore's other short stories aside from the bigger scale of both Halo Jones and D.R. and Quinch.
The Complete D.R. and Quinch ($15 TPB)
Dredd goes across the Cursed Earth and eventually off into space to find a prophesized savior for Mega City One. We spoil a twist about this one during the show. includes , , and and more or $14 on iOS Newsstandincludes and moreAlan Moore's pair of ne'er-do-well college troublemakers is all collected in one neat little trade.
Harry 20 on the High Rock ( $13)
A wrongly accused man ends up on an orbital prison, and he's forced to survive against the odds.
I'm amazed I got this show recorded and this all written. I'm sick as a dog…a Strontium Dog.
The following Reading List post encompasses both "Unraveling Craziness" and "Heavy Metal Album Cover", which make up a full look at the entire Marvel NOW! line, which is half a year into its life. These episodes also feature interviews with artists Phil Noto and Jim Cheung (in his first-ever interview, according to him). Recommendations for their respective work can be found at the tail end of this post.
Unlike typical Reading Lists, these recommendations are predominantly one-line summaries of what each title is, including spoiler-free teases of the twists given to many iconic characters. The list proceeds chronologically alongside the flow of both episodes' conversation.
A significant amount of time and work goes into collecting links and compiling these posts. Even though referral revenue from the Amazon links help support the show and these posts, I always encourage you to support local comic shops, who can (generally) help you find everything you could want, including back issue special orders.
Read MoreFor a while, there have been two comics-focused podcasts on 5by5: Giant Size and The Comic Shack.
We cancelled The Comic Shack last night, and in the same breath, we relaunched Giant Size.
I teased the cancellation/reboot on Twitter and got a pile of dismayed, upset tweets in response. Many moaned "but I liked Comic Shack better than Giant Size!"
I'm an awful person for toying with the emotions of those wonderful human beings.
The good news for those listeners is that Comic Shack is dead...so that its panel discussion format can merge into Giant Size and open each show.
This is the version of Giant Size I've wanted to do since the beginning, and it's how the show was originally developed. With my pal Jim starting 'Shack almost simultaneously to GS (which I wasn't aware of), I didn't want to step on his toes or "flood the market", so to speak.
Equally if not more problematic was that I needed more time and infrastructure to support the more complex, ideal Giant Size show format. This infrastructure included a regular co-host.
Except on rare occasion, that co-host is John Gholson, who has joined me for the final few Comic Shacks while we hammered out a rhythm and feel for the "All-New All-Different" Giant Size.
Last night, we recorded the opening of Giant Size #26, in which we discussed Man of Steel and Superman origin story retellings. The Giant-Size-traditional chat with Brandon from Austin Books and Comics will get wedged in after, and the show will close with the also-regular creator/industry interview.
The logic behind this format is that the tightly-moderated panel/jumping-on-point discussion is the welcome mat, which leads into "what's cool/new/new-to-you this week", and closes with an interview with a creator whom you may or may not be interested in at first. As often as possible, the guest will be directly tied to the panel discussion. This is a dastardly trick designed to turn you into a fan of these people before you even hear their voice(s).
Extra-long interviews will get chopped, with the overage going in the After Dark feed. Each show will be under 90 minutes, ideally hitting around 75 minutes, but this will vary as we break in the new structure.
The goal is for all segments to be open to the widest possible audience of listeners, whether you know how many times and in what issues Jean Grey died, you hate superhero comics, or have never read a single comic book. This is the comics show I've been wanting to do since day one, and it should hopefully appeal to everyone who liked either previous show.
The goal of Giant Size remains the same: we want to bring new and lapsed readers into reading, enjoying, and discussing comics. There are some fun comics-dedicated podcasts out there already, but none of them hit this precise cross-section, nor do many (if any) seem geared toward new or non-readers.
I also think we can achieve three shows worth of content in the time usually taken up by one.
No one needs one more podcast just like six others to listen to each week, especially one that runs two or three hours. This is something All-New and All-Different, and I hope you like it.
I mentioned that Screen Time is getting an overhaul too, right? More soon.
I've made regular mention of having a "list of ten" pie-in-the-sky guests that I wrote out when I started Giant Size. I'm thrilled to check this particular name off that list. A fellow Texan (and raised in Dallas to boot), Terry Moore disrupted comics in the early 90's with a book that was about people who had no capes nor superpowers, and whom he plotted into what he calls a "mis-cast love triangle" in the interview. Moore's writing has been a major touchstone for me when it comes to writing balanced characters, and not just women, whom he's so well-known for writing so well.
In the latest Giant Size, we talk about everything from his love of comedy duo Nichols & May to how he considers himself an out-of-work guitarist who makes comics. You also find out what he would think of a Broadway-style stage musical version of Strangers in Paradise. Pre-order the Omnibus edition of SiP and get a limited edition print while you still can.
My guest for the most recent Giant Size (titled "Mahnke Mentoring", and soon to post in the feed) is artist Tom Nguyen, best known for his inking work for DC Comics.
I've listed a few collections that include what I consider great examples of his work. It's all Green Lantern, so consider this a mini-GL crash course. If you're getting into GL for the first time, you should start with Geoff Johns & Ivan Reis' Green Lantern: Secret Origin, which retells the origin of Hal Jordan and is designed to let you jump into the world of GL. As always, I recommend preferring and supporting your Friendly Local Comic Shop to Amazon or ComiXology if possible, but it's all a matter of choice. Choose where you shop wisely.
Original inked art of first-ever Muslim GL Simon Baz in Green Lantern.
My guest for both Screen Time and Giant Size this week is Kevin Munroe, who directed TMNT (2007), was lead designer/animator on Shiny Entertainment's Wild 9, and has a diverse and deep geek creative résumé. We talk about game design, animation, chasing the creative work you want to be doing, and...working directly with George Lucas.
In another 5by5 first, the recording of one creator interview show lead directly into an episode of another. I should have planned it this way. Both episodes should be up in the feed soon (subscribe to Screen Time and Giant Size if you don't already.
Munroe's Splinter in TMNT was played by the great Mako, in one of his final released performances.
Jennifer de Guzman is Marketing & PR Coordinator for Image Comics.
She was EIC of Slave Labor Graphics for over 10 years, and has written some great editorials and gotten into some outstanding internet debates over gender equality and acceptance in the comics industry (linked on the 5by5 show page).
We finally catch back up with Brandon at Austin Books & Comics, looking back at 2012 and forward to the insanity of 2013.
I talked with Emma Rios for a good long while (iTunes link), to the point that I didn't have space for another interview. This chat is very much worth it. The fact that English is not her first language is really not an issue, either, and she got comfortable after a while.
This discussion is a great look at the creative process and how you go from one "job" into the creative career that you really want to do.
Marvel and DC are not the only two comics publishers out there. On this episode of Giant Size, I talk with two people from non-Big Two companies.
Branwyn Bigglestone works for Image Comics by day as their Accounts Manager, and by night freelance edits some of their comics.
The featured interview this week is with Ted Adams, the CEO of IDW Publishing. We delve into the history of the company and the extremely diverse array of comics and books they make, from republishing classic runs of Bloom County, TMNT, and Transformers to brand-new books based on licensed properties to some of the most unique and interesting original stories of recent years, like Locke & Key.
In my weekly chat with Brandon form Austin Books & Comics, we not only talk about the week's comics, but we also seethe with anger at the abrupt dismissal of fan and personal favorite writer Gail Simone from DC's Batgirl.
Subscribe to Giant Size in iTunes here.
I should also mention here that I am now booking sponsors directly for both Giant Size and Screen Time. Drop me a line through the contact form if you or your company are interested in sponsoring these shows. We can accomodate varying levels of budget and placement.
I launched a new show this week on 5by5. It features interviews with comic creators. I'm crazy for the theme music.
The first episode includes chats with these people:
Stan Lee
Co-creator of some among the most popular characters in comic book history, mostly-official Ambassador of the form, day player in Marvel movies
Humberto Ramos
Spider-fan and the penciler on the current and outstanding run of Amazing Spider-Man, whose work is truly Amazing
Hope Larson
Writer/artist who uses a manga-inspired B/W plus spot-color style, just released her excellent graphic novel adaptation of A Wrinkle In Time
Brian Posehn & Gerry Duggan
The team writing the new Marvel NOW! Run of Deadpool, which finds the merc with a mouth mowing down evil undead US Presidents
Topics include things they like to read, Star Wars, the piracy "thing", and many others!
