Robots From Tomorrow!
A comix podcast coming to you from somewhere in the multiverse. Stay safe and enjoy your funny books.
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Stan Sakai Spotlight @ BCC 2025
11/13/2025
Stan Sakai Spotlight @ BCC 2025
In this panel discussion Greg moderated from this year’s Baltimore Comicon, renowned cartoonist Stan Sakai discusses his celebrated career, particularly focusing on his iconic creation, Usagi Yojimbo. The conversation covers various aspects of Sakai's journey, from his early inspirations and the development of the character, to his unique storytelling techniques and processes. He also shares anecdotes about his collaborations, his publishing journey, and the importance of maintaining control over his work. Sakai offers insights into his meticulous research trips to Japan and hints at future storylines, while reflecting on his relationships with industry peers. The episode provides a deep dive into the life and work of a creator who has become a legend in the world of comics. [This episode is number 823 in a series.] CHAPTERS 00:00 Preamble 00:00 Introduction and Panel Setup 01:23 Stan's Early Career and Inspirations 03:38 The Creation of Usagi Yojimbo 06:15 Research and Real-Life Inspirations 10:29 Balancing All-Ages Storytelling 15:31 Crafting Stories and Artistic Process 19:43 Favorite Samurai Movies and Influences 20:31 Supporting Characters and Spin-offs 21:39 Creators and Publishers: A Journey 22:15 Ownership and Control: The Power of Owning a Character 23:19 Editorial Freedom and Marvel Collaborations 24:04 The Long Storyline of Usagi 25:12 The Role of Editors: A Tribute to Diana Schutz 28:35 Color vs. Black and White: Publishing Decisions 30:04 Returning to Dark Horse: Reasons and Relationships 32:45 The Evolution of Publishing Rights 38:03 Favorite Collaborations and Characters 39:50 Future Storylines and Inspirations 41:32 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
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Lettering: Drawing in a Different Way @ HeroesCon 2024
11/06/2025
Lettering: Drawing in a Different Way @ HeroesCon 2024
In this panel moderated by Greg at HeroesCon 2024, veteran comic book letterers Rick Parker, John Workman, and Kevin Nowlan, as well as coloring guru and production master Steve Oliff share their experiences and techniques as cartoonists working in the art of lettering. Here's how the show described the panel: GREG MATIASEVICH (Multiversity Comics) sits down with letterers JOHN WORKMAN, KEVIN NOWLAN, and RICK PARKER to talk about a job that involves much more than just typing with a pen. Listen to them swap stories about balancing their own careers as cartoonists; while placing word balloons, drawing sound effects, and designing logos for some of the best books in comics. PLUS: A special guest appearance by colorist (and cartoonist in his own right) STEVE OLIFF for a different perspective on the demands of comics production work. [This episode is number 822 in a series.] CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction and Panelist Introductions 00:45 Rick Parker’s Journey in Lettering 03:09 John Workman’s Lettering Insights 05:09 Kevin Nowlan’s Perspective on Lettering 07:01 Steve Oliff’s Experience and Contributions 09:10 Audience Q&A: Techniques and Tools 24:29 Critique of Winsor McCay’s Lettering 26:20 Personal Experience with Lettering 27:23 Techniques and Tools for Lettering 28:13 Anecdotes and Industry Stories 31:54 The Importance of Lettering in Comics 39:12 Challenges in Comic Book Production 42:46 Outro
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Tools of the Trade @ BCC 2025
10/31/2025
Tools of the Trade @ BCC 2025
In this panel discussion Greg moderated from this year’s Baltimore Comicon, cartoonists Zoe Thorogood, Jeff Smith, David Petersen, and Stan Sakai talk about the tools they use to bring their Eisner-winning comic book stories out of their heads and on to the page. From scouting art shops for discontinued pens to building architectural models to using school supplies and family members (two-legged or four-legged) and all points in-between, these four go far and wide with their advice on what helps them keep bringing the comic booking goodness to us all, page after page, and year after year. [This episode is number 821 in a series.] CHAPTERS 00:00 Preamble 02:17 Intro 03:36 Essential Tools for Comic Creators 06:20 Pencils vs. Inking: The Creative Process 11:05 Adapting to Changing Tools 17:45 Maintaining Consistency in Comic Settings 23:26 Setting the Scene: Drawing Techniques and Tools 24:20 Historical Research and On-Site Visits 25:16 Time Management Strategies for Artists 30:11 Balancing Creative and Business Responsibilities 35:54 Digital vs. Traditional Art: Making the Choice 37:20 Achieving Artistic Vision: Practice and Persistence 42:42 Emotional Challenges and Self-Care for Artists 47:08 Outro
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The Legacy and Lessons of BROWNSTONE
10/10/2025
The Legacy and Lessons of BROWNSTONE
Writer Samuel Teer is back to finish out the RFT trilogy dedicated to Brownstone, his collaboration with cartoonist Mar Julia. Since his last visit, Brownstone won the prestigious Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature, and Samuel goes into detail about the impact that accolade has had on his career and mental health. The discussion doesn’t shy away from the darker aspects, including Samuel’s tumultuous relationship with HarperCollins, the industry’s shortcomings in supporting creators of color, and the emotional toll of navigating publisher gaslighting. Samuel also sheds light on his upcoming projects, like Castles to Cholos with Alex Moore and Pok-ta-Pok, a three-volume sports manga series with Abrams, as well as give some other recommended Latinx reads for Latino Heritage Month. Through it all, Samuel’s resilience and dedication to improving the comics landscape shine through, making this a must-listen in-depth exploration of his fight to make his voice heard and make the comics world better than he found it. [This episode is number 820 in a series.] CHAPTERS 00:00 - Preamble 03:18 - Winning an Award But Leaving HarperCollins 09:24 - Printz Award Pedigree 10:18 - Challenges with HarperCollins 18:39 - The Printz Award Ceremony31:46 - The Speech 46:46 - ALA Conference, Post-speech 54:22 - Depression 55:38 - The Call 01:04:30 - Fallout and Support 01:06:26 - Mental and Physical Health Struggles 01:08:42 - Understanding Harper Collins' Structure01:09:45 - Larry Young Recharge01:12:32 - Latino Heritage Snub01:15:18 - Advice for Young Creators 01:23:39 - Creatives versus Labor01:34:28 - The Value of a Good Literary Agent01:39:47 - Book Recommendations and the Importance of Buying Books 01:42:09 - Outro
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COPRA's Last Round @ HeroesCon 2025
09/25/2025
COPRA's Last Round @ HeroesCon 2025
In this panel discussion that Greg moderated back in June from this year's HeroesCon, cartoonist Michel Fiffe reflects on finishing his acclaimed indie comic COPRA with the release of issue 50 earlier on the week. Fiffe discusses the emotional journey of concluding the series after 12+ years, his inspirations, his creative process, the X-Men and Ninja Turtle impact on the book, the challenges and rewards of being an independent creator, how close we came to having a Batman show up, and much, much more! [This episode is number 819 in a series.]
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A CRISIS of Infinite Options
09/18/2025
A CRISIS of Infinite Options
Greg welcomes DC3Cast’s Brian Salvatore back to the show to help out with this Shelf Bound look at DC’s 1985 blockbuster event CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS. After catching up on Brian’s busy post-Multiversity life, balancing different passions including music, baseball, and family, and various podcasts, it’s time for some CRISIS management to figure out the optimal way to tackle the monumental and sprawling story Marv Wolfman and George Perez unleashed. Do you stick to JUST the 12-issue maxiseries? Do you throw caution to the wind and read EVERY red sky tie-in? Do you go even further and include the various “Crisis” JLA/JSA precursors and the LEGENDS mini follow-up? What about Marvel’s CRISIS parodies like MIGHTY MOUSE’s “Mices on Infinite Earths”? It’s a biiiiiig question, but these are the two lads willing to walk into the anti-matter to answer that question, and many more. [This episode is number 818 in a series.] CHAPTERS 00:00 Preamble 02:17 Brian's Busy Life Post-Multiversity 04:21 Rediscovering Comics as a Hobby 05:51 Missing the Multiversity Experience 07:01 The Churn of Comics and Baseball 09:44 Balancing Work and Passion Projects 17:47 The DC3 Cast and Patreon Experience 28:54 Crisis on Infinite Earths: A Deep Dive 39:36 Infinity Inc and Roy Thomas 41:49 Post-Crisis DC Universe 44:57 Defining a Crisis Event 49:52 Essential Crisis Experience 53:37 Collecting Crisis and Beyond 01:14:39 Final Thoughts on Crisis 01:15:54 Outro
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Ricky Miller on AVERY HILL PUBLISHING
09/11/2025
Ricky Miller on AVERY HILL PUBLISHING
There’s an ecosystem to comics publishing, like everything else. You’ve got your Marvel & DC/Big Two on one end of things, your single cartoonist stapling their first minizines that they ran 20 copies off of the printer at their day jobs at the other, and many points in-between. And it’s one of those intermediate options, Avery Hill Publishing out of South London, England, that is the focus of today’s show. Going back to the earlier example, Avery Hill is probably much closer to the cartoonist than the corporations. And this makes sense when you look at their output. On their website, the publisher described itself as: “Helping aspiring creators reach their potential and … a home to the geniuses that the mainstream has yet to recognise ... Our canon includes psychogeographical mappings, eco-anarchist wizards, boat-shaped coffins, an all-female/non-binary construction crew (in space), a bad canine named Greasy, and much more." Avery Hill has positioned itself to be an option for up & coming creators, a model that has worked for them with many cartoonists, including Tillie Walden, who published the first works of an Ignatz- and Eisner-lauded career, THE END OF SUMMER and I LOVE THIS PART, at Avery Hill almost ten years ago. To find out more about Avery Hill’s place in the comics landscape, what that landscape looks like for them in 2025 and beyond, and to talk about their newest release, Kit Anderson’s sci-fi graphic novel SECOND SHIFT just out last month, today's episode is a chat with Avery Hill co-publisher Ricky Miller. [This episode is number 817 in a series.] CHAPTERS 00:00 - Preamble 01:37 - Early Days and Inspirations 05:50 - Transition to Publishing 09:15 - Discovering New Talent 18:05 - Kickstarter and Business Model 20:11 - Day-to-Day Operations at Avery Hill 22:30 - Balancing Creativity and Practicality 23:03 - Impact of the Internet on Talent Discovery 23:48 - Challenges of Social Media for Creators 24:37 - Finding New Talent in the Modern Era 27:52 - Kit Anderson's Journey with Avery Hill 30:19 - The Appeal of Sci-Fi in Comics 36:43 - Avery Hill's Editorial Approach 38:59 - Upcoming Projects and Future Plans 42:54 - Avery Hill at Comic Shows 44:46 - Outro
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Rick Parker on DRAFTED
09/04/2025
Rick Parker on DRAFTED
In his latest graphic novel Drafted, readers can see how math did cartoonist Rick Parker absolutely no favors in trying to stay out of the military during the height of the Vietnam War. The 256-page book, which is the first of Parker's career that he has written AND illustrated, covers that three year period of his time in the U.S. Army in autobiographical detail both funny and heartbreaking. After being honorably discharged, the cartoonist would eventually get a job at Marvel Comics as a letterer for such titles as G.I. Joe and the Spider-Man line for most of the 1980's. In 1994 he took on full cartooning duties for the Beavis & Butthead series for Marvel, producing 28 issues of humor in that particular vein until the title was unceremoniously cancelled in 1996. Later work ranged from books at Papercutz and work at the Morgan Stanley bank creative services department, among other spots in between. Today Greg is talking with cartoonist Rick Parker about his book Drafted, the career leading up to it, and hopefully a little bit about what’s coming up next. Fingers crossed there will be no math. [This episode is number 816 in a series.] CHAPTERS 00:00 - Preamble 01:37 - When did you start thinking about the book? 08:38 - When did you start working on it officially? 13:38 - How did you go about researching the book? 16:39 - How much work does Rick Parker the writer do before Rick Parker the artist starts working? 30:26 - What did your time in the Army reveal to you about yourself? 41:20 - How did Drafted get from your drawing table to Abrams? 45:01 - What is the editor’s role in a project like this? 49:34 - What’s on your drawing table right now? 52:37 - Comics can be a lonely job and a communal job at the same time. Talk about maintaining industry connections over the length of your career. 54:46 - Outro
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Andrew Aydin and GOOD TROUBLE COMICS
07/01/2025
Andrew Aydin and GOOD TROUBLE COMICS
We live in troubling times. Turn on the news or your phone and that seems to be all there is: trouble. But according to John Lewis, the late U.S. Congressman from Georgia’s 5th District, trouble… doesn’t always HAVE to be bad. In fact, there can be GOOD trouble that helps you deal with all the bad. Carrying the Congressman’s message of GOOD trouble into these times we find ourselves in, is the Congressman’s former staffer, writing partner, and steadfast ally Andrew Aydin. Andrew’s publishing venture Good Trouble Productions is built on the foundation of that message of GOOD trouble, and is the focus of today’s episode. Good Trouble Productions, through its Appalachia Comics imprint, is running a Kickstarter campaign for ISLANDS IN THE SKY, a 112-page comics anthology to benefit the survivors of last year’s Hurricane Helene that pairs actual survivors with comics writers like Brian Michael Bendis, Matt Fraction, Gene Leun Yang, Greg Pak, Alex Segura, and more to capture their own accounts on the storm and its aftermath. The Good Trouble Comics imprint is home to titles like the LGBTQ anthology RECOGNIZED, the historical reprint series COMICS OF THE MOVEMENT, and REGISTER! a new series about history and an extraordinary group of teens. And finally, talks swings back to Appalachia Comics for MONSTER APPRECIATION SOCIETY, where Andrew and artist Johnathan Marks Barravecchia delve into the horror genre with all manner of monsters lurking in the namesake mountains: Bigfoot, The Moon-Eyed People, and the worst monsters of them all: real estate developers! [This episode is number 815 in a series.] ****************************** CHAPTERS 00:00 – Preamble 00:46 – Intro 03:12 – ISLANDS IN THE SKY Kickstarter Campaign 04:04 – Pairing Survivors With Comics Writers To Tell Their Stories 10:57 – Hurricane Helene From Andrew's POV 17:06 – Getting The Word Out About Appalachia and Helene 22:25 – Alternate Distribution Models with Etsy & Kickstarter 28:33 – The Beginnings of Good Trouble Productions 33:16 – What Makes a Comic a Good Trouble Comic 38:07 – Register! (With An Exclamation Point) 40:20 – MONSTER APPRECIATION SOCIETY 47:07 – Outro ****************************** Go to the episode page at: https//robotsfromtomorrow.net/andrew-aydin-good-trouble
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Spotlight on Colleen Doran @ HeroesCon 2024
12/09/2024
Spotlight on Colleen Doran @ HeroesCon 2024
Today’s episode comes directly from this year’s HeroesCon in lovely Charlotte, NC. Greg had the opportunity to host a few panels this year; the first of which was this spotlight on cartoonist/illustrator Colleen Doran. As described in the show programing guide: Her work has garnered more nominations and awards than we have space to list here, but trust us, it’s a looong list. Eisners, Bram Stokers, Harveys, Hugos, inclusion in the Best American Comics series… when discussing COLLEEN DORAN’s career as a cartoonist and illustrator, there are so many highlights only the bravest of souls would try and host a panel looking to take stock of them all. Thankfully for HeroesCon, GREG MATIASEVICH (Multiversity Comics) has taken up the challenge. Come see how he does in conversation with one of the best artists working in comics, or any other field, today! [This episode is number 814 in a series.] ****************************** CHAPTERS 00:00 – Preamble 01:26 – Intro 02:52 – How has it been adapting Gaiman’s prose work to comics? 08:41 – What’s your process like when you’re working from someone else’s material? 21:48 – What is the status of A DISTANT SOIL, and how different do you think your career would have been if you hadn’t had a creator-owned project like it to start your career with? 22:51 – Which word is more important for a creator to know – yes or no? 24:12 – What are some working tips from your freelance career that you think every creator should know? 39:53 – Remembering Keith Giffen 42:23 – Who was the last big art revelation you had? 44:06 – Is it possible to divorce illustration from storytelling? 45:19 – Do you think the American market will ever appreciate how much of comics ‘writing’ is done by the artist? 51:15 – Outro ****************************** Go to the episode page at: https//robotsfromtomorrow.net/colleen-doran-hc24
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Paul Gravett: At Comica's Crossroads
11/21/2024
Paul Gravett: At Comica's Crossroads
"The cycle of renewal in art is peddled by the periodic influx of stuff from somewhere else. That’s why you need a man at the crossroads… He will be the purest, most fresh faced wee fellow you have ever met. His ingenuous enthusiasm will beam from his cheery countenance." -- Eddie Campbell on Paul Gravett, Alec: How To Be An Artist Today’s guest is Campbell’s Man at the Crossroads, and he has been observing, studying, and directing comics traffic for over 40 years. As this fellow’s understanding of its ebbs and flows has grown over that time, so has his endeavors in making sense of it for himself. And thankfully, Comics fans around the globe. He’s written at least seven books, including Mangasia: The Definitive Guide to Asian Comics, which has been transformed and translated into reality as the touring exhibition: ASIAN COMICS: EVOLUTION OF AN ART FORM. The Barbican website describes the exhibit at The Bowers Museum in Los Angeles, CA as "with a team of more than 20 international advisors, ASIAN COMICS features over 500 works, the largest selection of artworks from the continent, including Japanese woodblock prints, Hindu scroll paintings, digital media, printed comics, and contemporary illustrations. This unique exhibition is a gateway to an unexplored world of graphic storytelling and its artistic value." He’s also an accomplished editor and anthology curator. Among the books he’s assembled have been 2011’s 1001 Comics You Must Read Before You Die, which is a fantastic title, and The Mammoth Book of Best Crime Comics. He’s contributed to countless periodicals and documentaries about comics. He’s published one of the best comics magazines of the 1980s, Escape, with partner Peter Stanbury, giving a platform to such creators as James Robinson, Dave McKean, and Neil Gaiman. He started Comica, the London International Comics Festival with John Harris Dunning in 2003. He gives lectures, he hosts panels, and he continues to be one of the most respected comics patrons of his generation. Frankly, it’s been exhausting just narrowing down his endeavors to a reasonable summary for this blog post. He's Paul Gravett and he joins Greg today to talk about comics in all their wonderful forms and many varied locations. [This episode is number 815 in a series.] ****************************** CHAPTERS 00:00 - Preamble 02:50 - Intro 05:40 - “I want to know about everything…” 06:17 - What was the first thing you learned that gave you your paradigm shift of what comics could be? 08:28 - Shonen Magazine / Fishing Crazy Senpai 10:32 - “No nostalgia, no loyalties, no limits” 12 36 - How do you keep all these perpendicular lines of comics in your head? 17:52 - "An unlimited multiversity to comics" 19:53 - Photo comics & Gregory Crewdson 22:11 - Jayme Cortez 24:18 - Comics 1964-2024 27:20 - Sawwaf Collection 29:31 - Lusanne / Taiwan 32:27 - Lodz Poland 33:19 - Posy Simmonds 35:40 - ASIAN COMICS 37:10 - Talk about your growing understanding of Asian comics as you were working on the books and the exhibition. 41:38 - Is the diversity of Asian comics and inspiration to you about the future of comics? 44:05 - Comics preservation in the Philippines and Mexico 50:41 - How important is humility (or lack thereof) when putting together an anthology or exhibition? 57:25 - Talk about your working relationship with your partner Peter Stanbury. 1:02:25 - Comica 1:06:00 - Outro ***************************** Go to the episode page at: https://robotsfromtomorrow.net/paul-gravett-at-comicas-crossroads/
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Joseph Illidge on THE SHADOW CABINET
11/13/2024
Joseph Illidge on THE SHADOW CABINET
Today's guest is making his SIXTH appearance on the show, which means he's the most returned non-Multiversity guest in the history of the show. Previous episodes have had us talk about various aspects of his almost-30-year career in comics, from intern to editor at such publishers as Valiant, Humanoids, Heavy Metal, A Wave Blue World, and of course, DC Comics. But Joseph Illidge is here now as the writer of that company's Milestone Universe: The Shadow Cabinet #1, a four-issue limited series bringing him back to Milestone Comics, where his professional journey began. Issue #1 debuts on November 20th with art by Darryl Banks and Artigun Ilhan. [This is episode 814 in a series.] ****************************** CHAPTERS 00:00 - Intro 02:10 - The Shadow Cabinet Pitch 02:57 - The Shadow Cabinet Working on Shadow Cabinet 05:52 - What brought you back in the Milestone fold? 08:38 - What was it like being back? 13:27 - What kind of script / art collaboration do you prefer? 16:51 - How was working with editor Marquis Draper, aka your generational echo? 23:48 - For writing Rocket, how do you dial into her and speak for her? 28:27 - Anything you want to tease about the rest of the mini? 30:33 - Outro ****************************** Go to the episode page at: https://robotsfromtomorrow.net/joseph-illidge-on-the-shadow-cabinet/
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Michel Fiffe on the Life and DEATH OF COPRA
11/07/2024
Michel Fiffe on the Life and DEATH OF COPRA
Today we're talking about Copra, the indie comics darling that fuses 80s mainstream comic sensibilities with modern execution to give us an adventure story that looks familiar... up until it doesn't. In the 12 years since its inception, Copra has taken readers on a journey both on the page and off. This year saw the publication of Creating Copra, the definitive guide to making and self publishing comics. A 64-page reference guide to... well, you know. But all things must come to an end, and Copra is no exception. The four-issue limited series titled Death of Copra starts on January 8th of next year, with final order cut off on December 2nd. To cover this comic's beginning and probable end, we have cartoonist/creator Michel Fiffe in the studio to talk about all things Copra. [This episode is number 813 in a series.] ****************************** CHAPTERS 00:00 - Intro 01:48 - How do you pitch Copra? 04:08 - Are you done with the series yet? 11:44 - Have you always had this work ethic? 13:08 - How did working on other comics during Copra help? 15:06 - Who is Annie Koyama and how did she help Copra out? 23:03 - If someone else had published Copra singles, how do you think that would have changed your experience? 35:20 - How has having to engage with retailers directly helped you? Or has it? 39:29 - Lettering 43:47 - How do you keep your creative & publishing mindsets separate? 48:32 - What does life after Copra look like? 52:12 - Outro * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Go to the episode post at:
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November 2024 Update
11/05/2024
November 2024 Update
Neither your eyes nor your ears are deceiving you -- we're back! Rested, reconfigured, and ready to return to ongoing Robot-ing! Listen to this byte-sized bonus episode to find out where we were and where we're headed!
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Mar Julia + Samuel Teer on Building BROWNSTONE
06/26/2024
Mar Julia + Samuel Teer on Building BROWNSTONE
The topic of today's episode is Brownstone, the new YA graphic novel from writer Samuel Teer and artist Mar Julia, about a 14-year-old girl spending the summer with a father she's never known as they fix up the titular dilapidated brownstone. If that name sounds familiar, it's because Samuel was just on the show last episode talking about the trials and tribulations of bringing this story from his head to our bookshelves. Now we get to hear from the other side of the Brownstone creation equation. Mar's work is absolutely in the wheelhouse of the type of comicbooking we love to see here on this show. When we read Brownstone, we saw Tillie Walden, we saw Carla Speed McNeil, we saw grounded situations portrayed with enough exaggeration to make this comic an engaging story being told rather than a mere rendition of plot points. Greg was thrilled to get the opportunity to talk to them about their process for this book and their work in general. And maybe ask the writer a question or two, if there was still time... [This is episode 812 in a series.] ****************************** Go to the episode page at: https://robotsfromtomorrow.net/julia-teer-brownstone/
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Samuel Teer on the Road to BROWNSTONE
04/29/2024
Samuel Teer on the Road to BROWNSTONE
Returning to the show today after a nearly eight-year absence is comics writer Samuel Teer. His new book, Brownstone, about a teenage girl connecting with her Latin heritage and her estranged father without speaking a word of each other’s language as they renovate the title structure, hits shelves on June 11th. The road from his last OGN, 2015’s Veda: Assembly Required and this one is the topic for today’s conversation. Samuel & Greg talk about collaboration, the differences between the two different markets for this thing we call comix, the importance of context, breakout panels, ominous texts, and a detailed look into the relationship between a comics creative and the agent (or agents) they pair up with to help bring their ideas to market. [This is episode 811 in a series.] ****************************** Go to the episode page at: https://robotsfromtomorrow.net/the-road-to-brownstone/
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The Greatest Bronze Age Batman Stories, Part 1
04/25/2024
The Greatest Bronze Age Batman Stories, Part 1
Having finished with the Man of Steel, today’s episode is the first of three looking at the best Caped Crusader stories of the Seventies to the mid-Eighties with the DC3Cast’s very own Vince Ostrowski! Come for the Neal Adams, stay to find out more about double-threat Frank Robbins, the mad genius of Bob Haney, Ra’s Al Ghul, Bruce Wayne and Sgt. Rock teaming up to fight Nazis, Batman’s Congressional career, and much more. All that, and just what the hell a hellgrammite is! [This is episode 810 in a series.] __________ The specific comics referred to in this episode are: The Brave and the Bold (v1) #79-86, 93, 94 Batman (v1) #217, 232, 234, 237, 242-244, 250, 251 Detective Comics (v1) #400, 402, 404, 407, 420, 421, 429 Swamp Thing (v1) #7 All these are available as individual issues on the DC Universe Infinite service, except for Batman 242 and 250. Batman 242 is reprinted in the Batman: Tales of the Demon collection, and Batman 250 is reprinted in the first volume of The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told collection series.
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A Few Words About Team-Ups
04/01/2024
A Few Words About Team-Ups
Today’s show is not a joke, not a hoax, not an imaginary story! Greg gives his take on the upcoming Marvel & DC crossover omnibi coming later this year, and then dives into the larger waters of comic book team-ups that absolutely totally happened . . . Find out all kinds of things about the crossovers you know about and the crossovers you had no idea actually existed! [This is episode 809 in a series.] ****************************** Go to the episode page at: https://robotsfromtomorrow.net/a-few-words-about-team-ups/
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Pow Pow Press Roundtable
03/17/2024
Pow Pow Press Roundtable
Today’s show has not one, not two, but THREE Canadian cartoonists on the mics ready to chat with Greg. Luc Bossé, cartoonist of Gary, King of the Pick-Up Artists and publisher of Pow Pow Press, Thom, cartoonist of such Pow Pow works as VII, Casa Rodeo, and the upcoming Botanica Drama, and returning guest François Vigneault, a cartoonist whose Pow Pow work includes the French language edition of his sci-fi classic Titan, but is here today in his capacity as Pow Pow’s Marketing Manager. As you can probably guess, the connection here is Pow Pow. More specifically, Editions Pow Pow, a Montreal-based publisher with the goal of spreading the work of Quebec cartoonists to bookshelves of French- or English-speaking readers across the globe. Pow Pow came to our attention thru François, but it KEPT out attention with books like the ones previously mentioned, but also Cathon’s The Pineapples of Wrath, Sophie Bedard’s Lonely Boys, and Éloïse Marseille’s Naked: The Confessions of a Normal Woman. The goal of today’s chat is to be nothing less than the best English-language primer on Pow Pow – how it came to be, what it is, and where it’s going. [This is episode 808 in a series.] ****************************** Go to the episode page at: https://robotsfromtomorrow.net/pow-pow-press-roundtable/
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The Greatest Bronze Age Superman Stories, Part 3
03/14/2024
The Greatest Bronze Age Superman Stories, Part 3
Today’s episode is the third of three looking at the best Superman stories of the Seventies to the mid-Eighties with ! Vince & Greg dive into what makes the Superman of this era different than his more modern incarnation and give you gem after gem of Super-Tales of the post-Silver Age / pre-Crisis Man of Steel. Crises at last! Birthday presents! Planets exploding! Planets not exploding! Team-ups great and small! All that plus one last imaginary tale on today’s episode! [This is episode 807 in a series.] ****************************** CHAPTERS 00:00 - Intro 44:39 - Wrap-up / Outro ****************************** AVAILABILITY All comics are available as individual issues on DC Universe Infinite except for Superman(v1) #385-386 and 400, and Action Comics (v1) #544-546. Action Comics (v1) #544-546 and 400 are collected, either in full or excerpts, in the Adventures of Superman: Gil Kane or Superman: A Celebration of 75 Years collections. ****************************** Go to the episode page at:
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Alex de Campi on FULL TILT BOOGIE
03/04/2024
Alex de Campi on FULL TILT BOOGIE
Having just talked about the early days of 2000AD, we thought it would be fun to chat with someone with a strip running in the Progs right now. Starting with Prog 2367 was Book Two of the strip “Full Tilt Boogie”, the continuing adventures of teen bounty hunter Tee, her grandmother, and their cat as they criss-cross the galaxy. Drawn by Eduardo Ocana, colored by Eva de la Cruz, lettered by Annie Parkhouse, and written by today’s guest. She is a multi-hyphenate creator whose CV would take the entire show to lay out in detail, so with her indulgence I will paraphrase. A writer of prose, comics, poetry, film and television, she is also a director and collaborator and obviously a multi-tasker of the highest order. She has mashed up the Archie gang with the Predator, worked with Duncan Jones, and edited an anthology of soldiers autobiographical stories about their deployments. While not afraid to roll up her sleeves and do all manner of creative jobs herself, her eye for collaboration has led her to working with such talents as Carla Speed McNeil (on No Mercy) and Erica Henderson (on the pulp horror Dracula Motherf**ker and the more recent Parasocial), as well as the aforementioned Ocana even prior to “Full Tilt Boogie”. Greg tried to keep this episode’s conversation coherent but because today’s guest is Alex de Campi, with so many avenues for questions and straight-shooting answers, it was no mean feat. Find out how he did and more on today’s chat! [This is episode 806 in a series.] ****************************** Go to the episode page at: https://robotsfromtomorrow.net/alex-decampi-on-full-tilt-boogie/
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The Greatest Bronze Age Superman Stories, Part 2
02/29/2024
The Greatest Bronze Age Superman Stories, Part 2
Today’s episode is the second of three looking at the best Superman stories of the Seventies to the mid-Eighties with ! Vince & Greg dive into what makes the Superman of this era different than his more modern incarnation and start giving you gem after gem of Super-Tales of the post-Silver Age / pre-Crisis Man of Steel. Intercompany crossovers! Intracompany crossovers! History lessons! Horror on a superhero scale! All that plus a REALLY big missile and more on today’s episode! [This is episode 805 in a series.] ****************************** CHAPTERS 00:00 – Intro 02:24 – Overview 05:44 – Superman vs Spider-Man + Spider-Man vs Superman 12:40 – DC Comics Presents (v1) #1-4 23:54 – DC Comics Presents Annual #1 27:32 – Superman Special (v1) 1 + Superman Annual (v1) #9 30:23 – World of Krypton (v1) + The Phantom Zone (v1) 39:53 – Closing Thoughts ****************************** AVAILABILITY The Phantom Zone and World of Krypton minis, as well as the DC Comics Presents issues, are available as individual issues on DC Universe Infinite. Superman Annual #9 is not available digitally or collected in any English-language reprint. The two DC/Marvel crossovers are also unavailable digitally, though they were reprinted at standard comic book size in both the Crossover Classics vol. 1 collection from 1992 and as individual reprints in 1996. They will both be included in the upcoming DC Versus Marvel Omnibus, and presumably available digitally at some point afterwards. ****************************** Go to the episode page at:
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2000AD - The First Dozen!
02/19/2024
2000AD - The First Dozen!
As part of his Someday Reading Project, Greg takes a look at the first dozen programmes of The Galaxy’s Greatest Comic: 2000AD! Do those early installments still hold up? Was Dredd the leader of the pack… or the runt of the litter? What controversial boys’ adventure comic paved the way for Tharg and all that Thrill-Power? All that and more on today’s bite-sized episode! [This is episode 804 in a series.] ****************************** CHAPTERS 00:00 - Intro 01:30 - Picking 2000AD 02:24 - 2000AD's Origins 05:14 - Following Along At Home 05:54 - My Rankings 08:17 - Outro ****************************** SUPPLEMENTAL READING & VIEWING ****************************** Go to the episode page at:
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The Greatest Bronze Age Superman Stories, Part 1
02/15/2024
The Greatest Bronze Age Superman Stories, Part 1
Today’s episode is the first of three looking at the best Superman stories of the Seventies to the mid-Eighties with the DC3Cast’s very own Vince Ostrowski! Vince & Greg dive into what makes the Superman of this era different than his more modern incarnation and start giving you gem after gem of Super-Tales of the post-Silver Age / pre-Crisis Man of Steel. Kryptonite No More! Must There Be A Superman! The Great One and the Greatest of All Time! Whiz Wagons! Clones! The Sweet Science! The Wedding of the Century! Hippie Bikers! More quotemarks than you can shake a stick at! All that and more on today’s episode! [This is episode 803 in a series.] ****************************** CHAPTERS 00:00 - Intro 03:42 - What does "Bronze Age Superman" mean to you?06:32 - Which Superman do you prefer? 10:27 - Superman (v1) #232 11:17 - Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen (v1) #133-139 + 141 and Forever People (v1) #1 14:08 - Kirby Faces 20:42 - Superman (v1) #233-242 26:00 - Individual Moments 30:07 - Superman (v1) #247 31:14 - Action Comics (v1) #484 33:44 - Superman vs Muhammad Ali 37:36 - "Gloriously goofy and absolutely earnest" 42:25 - The Cover 44:39 - Closing Thoughts ****************************** Superman (v1) #232, 247, and Action Comics (v1) #484 are not available digitally as individual issues. Action Comics (v1) #484 is available digitally in the Lois Lane: A Celebration of 75 Years and Action Comics: 80 Years of Superman: The Deluxe Edition collections. Superman (v1) #247 and the main story from #232 (originally from Superman (v1) #141) are available digitally in the Superman: A Celebration of 75 Years collection. Superman vs Muhammad Ali is available digitally but not through DC Universe Infinite. The rest of the comics are available as individual issues or in the Kryptonite No More, Jack Kirby’s Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen, or Jack Kirby’s The Forever People collections on DC Universe Infinite. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Go to the episode page at:
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WORMY by David A. Trampier
02/05/2024
WORMY by David A. Trampier
Greg kicks off The Someday Project looking at one of his early comics influences: a magazine-sized mind-bender (at least for someone of his age to read it) unlike anything else on the stands. HEAVY METAL? Nope. 2000 AD? Negative. Those are coming soon enough, but today Greg talks about the impact of David A. Trampier's "Wormy" from DRAGON magazine. Does it still hold up? How can you get a hold of it today? All that and more in today's episode! [This is episode 802 in a series.] * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * "Wormy" ran in DRAGON issues: 9-20 29-34 36, 39, 42-44 47-52 54-58 60-128 130-132 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Go to the episode page at: https://robotsfromtomorrow.net/wormy-by-david-a-trampier/
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What is... THE SOMEDAY PROJECT?
01/14/2024
What is... THE SOMEDAY PROJECT?
The winter break is over, and Greg returns to give listeners a peek behind the curtain in this quick preview of what 2024 has in store for the show, including and most importantly, the lowdown on what has been referred to in hushed whispers around the office as... THE SOMEDAY PROJECT! What new devilry is this? All is revealed in today's episode!
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Jose Villarrubia on Restoring SWAMP THING and THE CORBEN LIBRARY
11/23/2023
Jose Villarrubia on Restoring SWAMP THING and THE CORBEN LIBRARY
Today's guest is someone listeners of this show will be familiar with, as he name is mentioned often and in tones of reverence. For almost 30 years he has worked with such artists as Jae Lee, Jeff Lemire, Bill Sienkiewicz, JH Williams III, and BERNIE WRIGHTSON to bring color into their art in a way that always enhances, never detracts - no mean feat there. He's also been a teacher/presenter/lecturer of art and illustration at such institutions as Towson University, Johns Hopkins University, the Institute for Contemporary Art in London, and MICA the Maryland Institute College of Art, where he currently a professor. Two of his most recent projects are his recoloring of the Bernie Wrightson's Swamp Thing run for the recent Absolute Edition, and the second volume of Dark Horse Comics' "Richard Corben Library", which collects Den: Neverwhere with his gorgeous restoration work giving it new life. He's Jose Villarrubia, and Greg is thrilled to have him on the show to talk about all of that and more.
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Howard Chaykin on Mentoring and FARGO
11/09/2023
Howard Chaykin on Mentoring and FARGO
Today's guest needs no introduction, but we have episode post space to fill so we're doing one anyway. He's a creator whose balance of romanticism and pragmatism has kept him in the business and thrall of comics for almost 50 years. As an artist, a writer, and a cartoonist, he has almost certainly forgotten more about comics, history and storytelling than most of us will ever know. But thankfully, two of his latest projects are about giving that knowledge back to the comics community. The first is Hey Kids! Comics!, a roman a clef work from Image about the history of mainstream comics whose final issue just came out last month and whose trade collection is due next month. The other is COMIC BOOK U, a series of in-person seminars with writer/editor Mark Waid kicking off next Saturday, November 18th at UCLA that looks to give attendees "an immersive tutorial into the process and craft of creating comic books" . In addition to all of that, he is reviving John Benteen's early 20th Century soldier-of-fortune creation Fargo with an upcoming 96-page adaptation through the crowdfunding platform ZOOP. We are, of course, talking about Howard Chaykin, and Greg got a chance to chat with him about comic book know-how, the collision of past & future, musical theater as comic book inspiration, just how neat Jason Bernard was, and a lot more on today's episode!
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Josh O'Neill and BEEHIVE BOOKS
10/12/2023
Josh O'Neill and BEEHIVE BOOKS
The last time today's guest was here for his own episode, it was July 2014, during the final days of the Kickstarter campaign for Little Nemo: Dream Another Dream, the Eisner-winning anthology title assembling a truly dream-worthy roster of creators to pay tribute to Windsor McCay's seminal comic strip. In the nearly ten years since then, he has gone on to found Beehive Books, where he and creative partner Maielle Doliveux continue to put out book after book, work after work that seem like artifacts from some other, better timeline. From Illuminated Editions pairing such literary classics as Crime and Punishment, Peter Pan, and The Kwaidan Collection with artists like Dave McKean, Brecht Evans, and Kent Williams, to documenting the continuing works of cartoonist Ronald Wemberly, to blanket tapestries from the likes of Michael DeForge, Jim Woodring, Yuko Shimizu, to a literal suitcase of period-accurate text & ephemera for the epistolarian horror classic Dracula, and so much more, my guest apparently hears the word NO as an invitation, not an obstacle. He is Josh O'Neill, and Greg is thrilled to have him back on the show after much too long an absence to talk about all things Beehive Books.
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Tillie Walden on CLEMENTINE, BOOK TWO
09/28/2023
Tillie Walden on CLEMENTINE, BOOK TWO
There are many days working in the show that Greg is grateful to be an observer of comix rather than a creator of them, because the level of craft and skill his hypothetical output would have to measure up against already gives him the willies. That being said, today’s guest has already put together such a formidable resume and body of work (all before the age of 30) it makes even this comix-adjacent host wonder what the hell he's been doing with his life. With nearly 10 published works to her credit, Tillie Walden has already won 2 Eisner Awards, 2 Ignatz Awards, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, AND a Hugo Award nomination. She remains a faculty member at her alma mater, the Center for Cartoon Studies, and is currently in her first of three years as Vermont's Cartoonist Laureate. This episode has Greg peppering the cartoonist with a myriad of questions about her new book, the second volume in her Walking Dead trilogy about fan-favorite queer teen survivor Clementine, the boundaries of YA horror, how nothing brings out generation gaps like an apocalypse, just what it is in Vermont's water that makes it a cartoonist mecca, and much more!
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