Interviews with writers & artists who create comic books and graphic novels
Episodes
Thursday Nov 12, 2020
Thursday Nov 12, 2020
My guest Zack Keller is the writer of Cuphead Volume 1: Comic Capers and Curios released July 2020 and Cuphead Volume 2: Cartoon Chronicles and Calamities coming in February 2021 (Dark Horse Comics).
Based on the wildly popular and very challenging video game, Cuphead is illustrated in the rubber hose style of animation used in cartoons of the 1930s produced by Fleischer Studios and Walt Disney Animation Studios.
Shawn Dickinson illustrates both books and the second volume introduces a new character Miss Chalice.
In addition to discussing the new adventures of Cuphead, Zack talks about his early work writing adventure video games for the Tell-Tale Series and his multi-award winning YouTube animated series that he co-created with Ed Skidder titled Dick Figures.
When I Kick Back With The Creator, learn how Zack has been spending his off time fishing, baking bread, brewing beer, about the wonderful caffeinated drink he discovered during a trip to Japan and the what comic work he has planned for 2021.
Creator Talks Theme Song: "Jazz Relax" from LoopsLab
Creator Talks logo by The Design Punk
Audio Clips:
Dick Figures episode #25 Planet A$$Hole
Theme music from Cuphead Announcement Trailer for Xbox
Thursday Oct 29, 2020
Thursday Oct 29, 2020
I bid you… welcome... to Creator Talks 2020 Halloween Special!
My special guest is Kerry Gammill, perhaps best known for his illustration of Power Man and Iron Fist and Superman comics in the 1980s and 1990s.
We start our conversion discussing the comic legends’ work he admired as a youth and the conversations he later had as an adult with Jack Kirby and John Buscema.
Kerry reveals why he decided it was time to move on from comics and work as a special effects concept designer and storyboard artist for television and film.
Learn which television project was Kerry’s favorite and why.
Kerry is also a big fan of classic Universal Horror movies.
Growing up in Texas in the 1950s he would catch them on television and Saturday evenings watch his favorite local horror show Nightmare Theater hosted by Bill Camfield as Gorgon.
We discuss why Kerry thought Gorgon was the one of best horror show hosts ever.
Did you know Kerry has written and illustrated several horror works since leaving the world of monthly comics?
Learn about his book with J. David Spurlock The Famous Monster Movie Art of Basil Gogos and why Basil did not want one of his illustrations included in the book.
Kerry also took a stab his own comic series in the spirit of the now classic Creepy and Eerie black and white horror magazines titled Bela Lugosi’s Tales from the Grave, which ran four issues and is available on Comixology.
His latest work is Bram Stoker’s Dracula Starring Bela Lugosi, which he served as art director and is illustrated by El Garing.
Find out Kerry’s role as art director on Dracula then Kick Back With the Creator as I ask Kerry’s the fun questions I ask all my guests plus a few other surprises.
Creator Talks Theme Song: "Jazz Relax" from LoopsLab
Creator Talks logo by The Design Punk
Audio Clips:
Dracula (1931)
Nightmare Theater (Late 1950s)
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)
The Three Stooges Idle Roomers (1944)
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About Bram Stoker’s Dracula Starring Bela Lugosi
About Kerry Gammill
Thursday Oct 22, 2020
Thursday Oct 22, 2020
Dave Baker is a writer living in Los Angels and co-creator of Action Hospital, F*ck Off Squad and contributed one of the stories contained in Star Trek: Waypoint (IDW).
Dave is a big fan of the Star Trek franchise and is the writer of the forthcoming mini-series in November Star Trek Voyager: Seven's Reckoning (IDW).
This is the first Star Trek Voyager series in nearly 10 years and set within Voyager continuity. Dave's co-collaborator is artist Angel Hernandez (Star Trek: Picard Countdown and Star Trek /Green Lantern).
Dave discusses the critical role of his co-collaborators on the titles he writes and his issue with some journalists and publishers placing the all emphasis on the writer of a title.
We discuss some of Dave's favorite comics, including Jack Kirby's Captain Victory. Learn why of all Kirby's creations, Jack's later work from the mid-80 and early 90s are Dave's favorite.
Dave also explains his theory why bad movies are so popular, and it not because people particularly like bad movies.
When we get into the mini-series Seven's Reckoning, Dave tells us why Seven of Nine was first introduced into the Voyager television series, what her place is in his comic mini-series and the new alien race Dave created for it.
When I Kick Back With The Creator, Dave reveals which Star Trek movie was his favorite growing up, and it wasn't The Wrath of Khan! What was it about his pick that had him so obsessed with it?
Creator Talks Theme Song: "Jazz Relax" from LoopsLab
Creator Talks logo by The Design Punk
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More about Dave Baker's comics
More about Star Trek Discovery Seven's Reckoning
Thursday Oct 08, 2020
Thursday Oct 08, 2020
Steve Ditko was a legendary artist and storyteller who co-created such characters as Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, The Question and The Creeper.
Join me for this special interview with David Currie, author of the upcoming book published through Hermes Press Ditko Shrugged: The Uncompromising Life of The Artist Behind Spider-Man and The Rise of Marvel Comics.
It is the first in depth biography of comics-legend Steve Ditko, in his own words, taken from many years of correspondence with author and endorsed by the Ditko family.
In his book, David Currie tells the stories of Steve Ditko’s contemporaries, from Jack Kirby to Wally Wood, and the struggles they all faced working in the comic industry.
David describes some of the topics he discussed with Steve Ditko in their correspondence as well as some of Ditko’s well-known, and not so well-known, comic work.
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More about Ditko Shrugged: The Uncompromising Life of The Artist
Thursday Sep 24, 2020
Thursday Sep 24, 2020
My guest Leah Moore is the daughter of Alan Moore who is known for such titles as V for Vendetta, The Killing Joke, Swamp Thing and From Hell.
Leah has written comic series with her husband John Reppion including The Trial of Sherlock Holmes and Sherlock Holmes-The Liverpool Demon (Dynamite Entertainment).
Leah is writing the graphic novel Morrison Hotel, a celebration of The Doors album by the same name. The book is due for released in October. The anthology is written in collaboration with the surviving members of The Doors Robby Krieger and John Densmore.
Artists from around the world including Colleen Doran, Marguerite Sauvage and more are illustrating the book.
Leah describes her reaction as a teenager in the early 90s listening to The Doors music she discovered among her parent’s vinyl record collection.
Co-founding member of The Doors Ray Manzarek once said, “Jim Morrison wasn’t a showman, he was a shaman.”
Leah Moore describes what made Jim Morrison and The Doors distinct among rock bands of the 1960s and how they were at the forefront the decade’s a social and cultural revolution.
We also talk about how the album Morrison Hotel was a departure from their previous album The Soft Parade.
Morrison Hotel was a return to their earlier roots as a blues rock band playing at clubs such as The Whiskey a Go-Go.
Leah explains how the Morrison Hotel GN is a concerted effort to go beyond simply translating each track into its own short story. Stories include will also provide historical context for the songs included on Morrison Hotel.
As we conclude our interview I Kick Back with The Creator and ask Leah about her favorite birthday, beverage of choice and if she could, the one question she would ask Jim Morrison.
The Doors Song Clips:
“People Are Strange”- Strange Days
“Wishful Sinful” – The Soft Parade
“You Make Me Real” – Morrison Hotel
“Peace Frog” – Morrison Hotel
“Roadhouse Blues” – Morrison Hotel
Creator Talks Theme Song: "Jazz Relax" from LoopsLab
Creator Talks logo by The Design Punk
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Thursday Sep 10, 2020
Thursday Sep 10, 2020
In less than 60 days the United States 2020 Election will take place and there could be no better time to present my next two guests.
Cynthia and Sanford Levinson are the authors of Fault Lines in the Constitution: The Framers, Their Fights, and The Flaws That Affect Us Today.
Their book will be as part of a line of civics graphic novels from the acclaimed publisher First Second.
Alley Shwed illustrated the 228-page graphic novel edition of Fault Lines on sale September 22nd.
Cynthia and Sanford explain how despite the Framers of the Constitution's best intentions, there are faults in the Constitution that still impact and impede our political process today.
Among the issues we discuss are the Electoral College system, the disproportionate representation between small and large states and a lack of representation of states' population diversity within the Senate.
With the current back the drop of the Black Lives Matter movement, I am very fortunate to have Cynthia also discuss two of her other books We've Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children's March and The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks.
Cynthia explains what compelled her to write these two books and how children made a difference in Black America's fight for equality and civil rights in the 1960s.
On a lighter note when I Kick Back With the Creator, I learn Cynthia and Sanford's island book and their beverage of choice. Pay attention, there are some great drink recipes I know I'm going to try!
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About Fault Lines In The Constitution
Creator Talks Theme Song: "Jazz Relax" by LoopsLab
Monday Sep 07, 2020
Monday Sep 07, 2020
September starts out strong for Creator Talks with another bonus podcast for the Labor Day Holiday.
Award-winning Australian writer/artist Chris Gooch joins me to discuss the making of his graphic novel Under-Earth through Top Shelf/IDW on sale October 2020. This is the second of two graphic novels Certified Cool by Diamond Previews I teased on previous shows.
Diamond Preview's description of Under-Earth reads:
"The inmates of an expansive underground prison struggle to build meaningful lives in a broken system, in the most ambitious graphic novel to date from rising indie star Chris Gooch...Equal parts sincerity an violence, Under-Earth explores humanity's inextinguishable drive to find meaning, connection, and even family-and how fragile such constructions can be"
Chris' other notable and award-winning work includes Bottled and Deep Breaths. I discuss these works with Chris as well, and how he works on multiple projects in different stages of development, simultaneously, to keep his work fresh as he grinds through the finishing details.
We also talk about whom Chris considers his mentors, learning to work digitally and the movie that changed the way he thinks.
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Creator Talks Theme Song: "Jazz Relax" by LoopsLab
Tuesday Sep 01, 2020
Tuesday Sep 01, 2020
Sean Chen (artist of X-O, Iron Man, Wolverine and Batman Beyond) joins Creator Talks to discuss the September 1st only 24-hour digital drop of Wingman: Compendium of an Artist's First Writing Experience.
The book was inspired by the 1957 classic Swedish art film The Seventh Seal directed by Ingmar Bergman.
The digital version of Sean's book is available free and in it's entirety on Nextchapter's Instagram @NextChapterPost. The physical copy will not only contain the story but also a page-by-page look at Sean's creative process.
Why did Sean decide to post the story on Instagram and partner with NextChapter for the physical edition rather than a launching a Kickstarter campaign?
Don't worry if you are listening to our interview too late to get a physical copy. There is still a plenty of discussion of Sean's career, from Valiant to Marvel, and the lessons he has learned about making comics.
We talk about the first time I meet Sean during the Delaware Valley CBRI One Day Tour that was held Saturday February 27, 1993. He was promoting his first comic work for Valiant Rai and The Future Force.
How did Sean get his first break working for Valiant Comics?
Sean learned a great deal at Valiant and tells how his art developed under the guidance of Art Director Barry-Windsor Smith and Editor-In-Chief Bob Layton.
When Sean made the jump to Marvel Comics 1998 to illustrate Iron Man for the launch of Marvel's Heroes Return, he had the opportunity to work with writer Kurt Busiek. Sean explains how writer/artist collaborations back then were different than how they are commonly done today.
Kick Back With the Creator to learn how Sean likes to relax, his island book and the oddest job he ever had.
Plus: Sean reveals what he considers his missed opportunities that comic artists should take heed.
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Learn about NextChaptersPosts one-day sale!
Creator Talks Theme Song: "Jazz Relax" by LoopsLab
Thursday Aug 27, 2020
Thursday Aug 27, 2020
Koren Shadmi is an award winning writer/artist who has provided cover illustrations for Newsweek, LA Weekly, The Village Voice and other magazines.
He studied and now teaches at the Visual School of Arts in New York City.
As a teacher, Is Koren able to tell which of his students have the best chance of making a living as an artist? What skills do they need to develop to survive in the business world?
Koren has two graphic novels being released.
The Twilight Man: Rod Serling and The Birth of Television published by Humanoids. This 168 page black and white graphic novel will be available again in print this October.
Koren talks about the life of Rod Serling, the successes he achieved in television and the struggles he faced.
What makes the The Twilight Zone a timeless classic?
Koren's other work coming this October is Bionic, a full color 192-page graphic novel being published by Top Shelf / IDW.
Bionic is a near future coming-of-age story for the digital generation. Victor is geek and wants to win the love of the gorgeous Patricia – but she returns from a horrible accident with new robotic parts-and both their lives are changed, forever!
As our discussion comes to close, I Kick Back with the Creator to ask Koren about his favorite birthday, beverage of choice, that missed opportunity and more.
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About The Twilight Man: Rod Serling and The Birth of Television
Creator Talks Theme Song: "Jazz Relax" by LoopsLab
Thursday Aug 20, 2020
Thursday Aug 20, 2020
Vali Chandrasekaran is a producer and comedy writer living in Los Angeles. His first work for NBC was writing television scripts for My Name is Earl.
Two other programs he wrote for were 30 Rock and Modern Family, both Emmy nominated multiple times for Best Comedy Series.
I discuss with Vali how he landed his first television work and how breaking into screen writing can be very competitive.
Vali spent some time in front of the camera on an episode of the The Office.
We go behind the scenes to learn how he landed the role and what the experience was like working with cast.
He has written his own comic, Genius Animals, which is available for free and in it’s entirety online at genuisanimals.net
Genius Animals is a comedic mystery about that situation where you think your relationship is going well, then one day your significant other disappears. When you try to figure out what happened, you can’t tell if you have been ghosted or have to save all of humanity.
Why did Vali decide to go from Hollywood scriptwriter to comic book writer?
What is his connect to the web comic’s artist Jun-Pierre Shiozawa?
What is the difference between writing for 30Rock characters and comics?
How is making a graphic novel both exactly like and very different from running a TV show?
All this plus a discussion on television shows screened before a live studio audience and the use of laugh tracks in a comedy series.
Creator Talks Theme Song: "Jazz Relax" by LoopsLab
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