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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Hazel Newlevant on QUEER AND HOW WE GOT HERE: A (PERSONAL) HISTORY
07/09/2026
Hazel Newlevant on QUEER AND HOW WE GOT HERE: A (PERSONAL) HISTORY
Hazel Newlevant is a Brooklyn-based cartoonist known for creating and editing comics about queer history, bisexuality, polyamory, and reproductive rights. Their cartoonist CV highlights start off with the Xeric Grant-funded mini comic Ci Vediamo in 2012 and the Prism Comics Grant-funded biography of Harlem Renaissance blues singer Gladis Bentley called If This Be Sin in 2013.They decided to branch out into anthology editing in 2016 with Chainmail Bikini, which collected experiences of female and nonbinary gamers in a male-dominated space. The success of that led them to keep a foot in both worlds moving forward. The anthology side racked up co-editing titles like 2017’s Comics for Choice, 2019’s Puerto Rico Strong, and 2024’s Becoming Who We Are: Real Stories About Growing Up Trans. Back on the strictly cartoonist side, they put out the 2017 graphic novella Sugar Town and the 2019 graphic novel No Ivy League. This body of work over the first decade of their career, give or take, has earned them the Ignatz Award, the Eisner Award, and the GLAAD Media Award. But that is all prelude to their new book, released last month, which brings them here today. Queer and How We Got Here: A (Personal) History blends the creator’s personal history with their growing understanding of the larger landscape of queer identity THAT history is unfolding in. By sharing both parts of that journey equally in such a clear and effective narrative, they have made a book that belongs in every library, bookstore, and home. [This episode is number 838 in a series.] CHAPTERS 00:00 – Intro 04:38 – Queer History or Personal History - Which Came First? 07:12 – Choosing The Moments 11:42 – Who This Book Is For 20:01 – Identity Categories and History 25:48 – Color Palette Choices 29:08 – Workflow and Archival Process 33:17 – Outlining and Structuring the Puzzle 44:25 – Outro
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Greg Pak and Dr. Dan Cassino on STOP PROJECT 2025
07/03/2026
Greg Pak and Dr. Dan Cassino on STOP PROJECT 2025
Going into the 2024 US presidential election, a group of close to 50 comic book creators got together and put out the STOP PROJECT 2025 webcomic -- a non-fiction anthology that broke down the 900-page conservative wishlist that was Project 2025's MANDATE FOR LEADERSHIP into understandable chunks and readers know what they were really voting for if they supported it, or why they needed to vote against it if they didn't. Organized by Scott Dunbier and Steve Lieber, contributors included folks like Jen Van Meter, Lila Sturgis, Gene Ha, Cully Hamner, Greg Pak, Matt Fraction, Mark Russell, Sarah Ryan, Zoe Tennant, Rick Veitch, Greg Rucka, and more. Unfortunately, the comic's goal of stopping Project 2025 was not successful, but there are lessons to be learned from it, and today's episode has two guests (political scientist/pollster Dan Cassino and comics writer/STOP PROJECT 2025 contributor Greg Pak) to help Greg and listeners do exactly that. [This episode is number 838 in a series.] CHAPTERS 00:00 – Intro 01:00 – Preface 09:35 – Project 2025 Explained 14:04 – A Crisis of Information 25:36 – Comics as Instructions 28:11 – AI and Apathy Atrophy 31:08 – Action Absorbs Anxiety 37:20 – The Zine Tradition 40:40 – Four Page Storycraft 45:38 – Comics Community and Comics in the Community 50:57 – Outro
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Chris Anderson and Corrine Halbert on POWER PULP COMICS
06/11/2026
Chris Anderson and Corrine Halbert on POWER PULP COMICS
Readers go to the comic shop to get their comics, but the road those comics take from the creator's drawing tables to the shops has changed a lot in the last 100 years or so. Greg talked with documentary filmmaker Wes Eastin back in February about the comic shop/retailer side of things, but today he's flipping the dial and going to the creative side because this episode features two members of the Comics Collective and Distribution -- CEO Chris Anderson and cartoonist Corinne Halbert --and dives right in to how Power Pulp is their growing answer to the question every creator has to face in their career: "How do I get my work out there?"
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Josh Dysart on THE HAB
05/28/2026
Josh Dysart on THE HAB
Josh Dysart returns to the show for a third time to talk about his newest miniseries from Bad Idea, The Hab. Created with David Lapham, Bill Sienkiewicz, Jacob Phillips, colorists Matt Hollingsworth and Crabtree, and letterer Simon Bowland, and printed on old school newsprint-esque paper, The Hab shows us all what happens when a billionaire and his circle of family and staff survive a nuclear holocaust in his high-tech bunker…only to find a worse fate waiting for him. Find out about this something-for-everyone horror story fits in today’s climate, where billionaire Tuttle Barrows sits on the continuum of characters from his career to this point, horror’s necessity as a genre, how all these production pieces fit together, why letterers should be valued more across the board, and what Hong Kong action pillar gets another off-the-cuff watch guide from Josh himself. [This episode is number 836 in a series.] CHAPTERS 00:00 – Intro 04:25 – From Bad Idea to The Hab 18:36 – The Bad Idea Dilemma 24:29 – Lettering & Post Production 32:42 – Pitching The Hab 34:18 – Why Horror Now 37:34 – Comics Horror vs Prose Horror 41:47 – Satire and Tuttle Barrows 46:41 – Catharsis vs Horror 50:20 – Humanizing The Villains 56:33 – Why Harada Doesn’t Work Anymore 01:04:07 – Comics For Peace Fallout 01:07:44 – John Woo Starter Guide 01:17:29 – Hollywood vs Hong Kong 01:23:18 – Outro
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Josh Dysart on GOODNIGHT PARADISE and UNKNOWN SOLDIER
05/27/2026
Josh Dysart on GOODNIGHT PARADISE and UNKNOWN SOLDIER
[This episode is a remastered version of number 664 in a series, originally released on April 30, 2020.] The last time writer Josh Dysart was on the show, back in 2017, the conversation focused on his run as ongoing writer for Swamp Thing. But for this deep-dive talk, the topics range from his latest book with TKO Studios (Goodnight Paradise), his Eisner-nominated work on Vertigo’s Unknown Soldier, his relationship with both books’ artist Alberto Ponticelli, how much fear and panic is a part of his work process then and now, why new publisher Bad Idea is actually a good idea, traveling the world, and why Jackie Chan is such a comfort in these trying times! CHAPTERS 00:00 - Intro 06:45 - Freelance life in lockdown 09:41 - Joining TKO Studios 11:54 - Goodnight Paradise 28:42 - Enlisting the Unknown Soldier 37:04 - Fear-driven craft 40:16 - Working with Alberto Ponticelli 47:51 - Guest artists and authenticity 53:05 - Real-world inspirations 58:48 - Could the war have continued? 01:05:26 - Vertigo's creative wave 01:12:53 - Why Bad Idea works 01:14:26 - Comics For Peace Pakistan 01:18:25 - Mentorship and travel 01:21:33 - Jackie Chan essentials 01:26:05 - Hong Kong action DNA 01:36:53 - Art as conversation 01:37:34 - Outro
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Halpern + Faste on INFECTED FOR SCIENCE
05/21/2026
Halpern + Faste on INFECTED FOR SCIENCE
Today's episode has Greg chatting with Sydney Halpern, a historical sociologist from the University of Chicago who has written extensively about twentieth-century American medical institutions and biomedical science, including 2021’s Dangerous Medicine: The Story Behind Human Experiments with Hepatitis, and Trigvy Faste, an Associate Professor in the Department of Product Design at the University of Oregon, as well as an illustrator and designer in his own right. Their book, Infected for Science, coming out May 26th from Graphic Mundi, looks at religious pacifist David Miller and a group of conscientious objectors who took on an extraordinary mission during World War II: signing up for government-sponsored medical experiments that intentionally infected them with hepatitis to help scientists understand a disease that was sickening American soldiers fighting on the front lines. It also looks at the project’s aftermath and legacy almost 80 years later. [This episode is number 835 in a series.] CHAPTERS 00:00 - Intro 01:22 - Discovering the Archives 03:45 - Trygve Finds Comics Again 05:33 - Meeting Through Comics Class 07:31 - Comics Influences and Models 08:34 - Trygve Comic Origins 12:30 - Building Dual Timeline Story 15:15 - Miller Cartoons Tone 18:56 - Art Style and Accent Color 23:14 - Publisher Pitch and Feedback 28:38 - Page Design and Lettering 31:03 - Seamless Reading Flow 32:12 - Internal Logic Design 33:08 - Dance With Death Spread 38:12 - Creative Nonfiction Boundaries 38:54 - Ethics And Compensation 42:51 - Who Gets Harmed 45:58 - Why Comics Worked 49:14 - Collaboration And Outreach 52:52 - Moral Complexity And Empathy 59:17 - Outro
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J. Marshall Smith on TESTAMENT
05/14/2026
J. Marshall Smith on TESTAMENT
J. Marshall Smith is a cartoonist, illustrator, and educator based in Baltimore (making us de facto neighbors) who came up through the disciplines of painting and printmaking before finding his way to comics. And that background shows, because his work doesn’t look like it comes from someone who learned to draw from comics, but rather from someone who developed a way of looking at things and then figuring out what comics could do with that. He’s built his readership carefully and honestly – self-publishing collections of comics and art through Kickstarter, mailing drawings to his Patreon supporters, teaching, tabling at festivals, doing the quiet unglamorous work of caretaking that relationship between creator and audience. He recently tabled at the MoCCA festival in New York, launching a new collaborative comic called The Vanishing Man with illustrator Katherine Lams – about running into your bad ex in a nursing home, about frailty and memory and what we do and don’t owe each other. But it’s the topic of his debut graphic novel Testament, published by Bulgilhan Press (think bull-gee-lan) and available now, that brings him to the show today. Testament follows an android caretaker – designation: Testament – designed to tend to the members of the Order of the Abundant Grace of the Cosmic Christ during their monastic and scholarly existence studying a distant planet. As the all-female Order dwindles and only one Sister remains, Testament is left to reckon with faith, grief, memory, and the prospect of immortality in a solitary but spiritual infinity. [This episode is number 834 in a series.] CHAPTERS 00:00 – Intro 01:59 – MoCCA Festival Recap 03:35 – The Vanishing Man Collaboration 09:53 – Teaching Life And Time 11:51 – An Unprecious Art Philosophy 16:25 – Designing Testament Faces 29:04 – Origins And Faith Questions 36:40 – What’s In A Name? 41:59 – Faith and Science 52:22 – Designing the Plots 01:02:31 – Revisiting the Setting 01:05:00 – What’s Next Projects 01:07:37 – Freelance Life 01:28:21 – Outro
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Aditya Bidikar on IN YOUR SKIN
05/07/2026
Aditya Bidikar on IN YOUR SKIN
Aditya Bidikar, back on the show after 4 years, is a man of letters in the most literal sense. In the more than a decade he has been plying the lettering trade, he has worked with every major North American comics publisher and formed strong collaborations with several groups of creators, none more so than with writer Ram V and artist Anand K. In the words of Multiversity Comics alum and SKTCHD guru David Harper, it is a career consisting of “all bangers”. But he is on the show today to talk about IN YOUR SKIN, his first major work as a comics writer. IN YOUR SKIN, with artist SOM and colorist Francesco Segala for Image Comics and Tiny Onion and released on April 22nd, combines Bollywood culture with body horror and erotic fiction. The solicitation also name-checks David Cronenberg and THE SUBSTANCE. We would throw in some Scorsese and Satoshi Kon as well, but… we will get into that. Aditya is at a fairly unique point in comics: a first-time comics writer with years of experience making comics, a letterer making his own words fit onto the page of his own story, a perennial collaborator stepping into a lead role…however you want to look at it, this is a fascinating time to be Aditya Bidikar, and today’s chat dives into just why that is the case. [This episode is number 833 in a series.] CHAPTERS 00:00 - Intro 05:42 – Bollywood & Dance 17:19 – Influences and PERFECT BLUE 18:12 – Male Gaze and Patriarchy 24:19 – Wanting to Be vs Be With 29:13 – Parasocial Horror and Identity 38:07 – Writing Sympathy for Priyanka 42:13 – Drama First Genre Second 45:11 – Priyanka Redefined 47:10 – Script as Blueprint 51:02 – Rewriting to the Finale 53:04 – Ownership and Fingerprints 54:29– The Showrunner Mindset 01:04:28 – Personal Stakes and Finishing 01:10:11 – Lettering and Burnout 01:12:55 – Finding Theme While Writing 01:18:06 – Stories Not Essays 01:21:18 – Outro
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John Workman & Aditya Bidikar on The (in)Visible Art of Lettering, Part 2
05/03/2026
John Workman & Aditya Bidikar on The (in)Visible Art of Lettering, Part 2
[This episode is a remastered version of number 776 in a series, originally released on April 21, 2022.] Now you can hear the second half of the two-part chat Greg had with letterers extraordinaire Aditya Bidikar and John Workman! The shop talk continues, as well as thoughts on more recent work like John’s take on the HBOMax Doom Patrol series (after lettering almost the entire Morrison run back in the day) and Aditya’s review of Barry Windsor-Smith’s Monsters! CHAPTERS 00:00 – Intro 02:32 – Workman’s Monsters? 04:25 – Joining Shutter 05:31 – Balloon Shapes Craft 07:11 – Little Nemo Tribute 10:39 – Redoing Pages Lessons 13:37 – Art Size Shrink Era 19:09 – Pens And Markers 22:45 – Workload And Ethics 27:52 – Doom Patrol-ing 31:42 – Fanzines To Pros 33:26 – Chasing Perfect Letterforms 34:47 – Orzechowski X-Men Mastery 36:56 – Hand Lettering Magic 37:24 – Learning On The Page 38:23 – Barry Windsor Smith’s Monsters 43:59 – Restoring Classic Colors 48:01 – Relettering Marvel History 50:36 – Design Roles In Comics 53:33 – Cover Lettering And Logos 55:57 – Upcoming Projects Roundup 58:29 – 3D Models And Built Sets 1:01:01 – Outro
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John Workman & Aditya Bidikar on The (In)Visible Art of Lettering, Part 1
05/03/2026
John Workman & Aditya Bidikar on The (In)Visible Art of Lettering, Part 1
[This episode is a remastered version of number 775 in a series, originally released on April 14, 2022.] Today's show has two of the best letterers in comics on for a two-part chat about their craft: Multiversity Comics's 2021 Favorite Letterer winner Aditya Bidikar and legendary letterer/cartoonist John Workman! The generation gap evaporates immediately as the two fellows start talking about digital vs analog approaches, collaboration amongst a creative team, visible vs invisible lettering, being the responsible one in the group, artist integration, and much more! CHAPTERS 03:44 - Learning the Craft 05:47 - Breaking Panel Borders 12:12 - Digital vs Analog 15:28 - Balloon Shapes Simplified 19:26 - Sound Effects Secrets 26:51 - Hybrid Workflow Talk 34:31 - Gaspar Saladino and Logo Tales 37:42 - Finding Your Own Style 40:18 - Precision vs Personality 42:44 - Organic Letterforms 44:32 - Analog Imperfection 45:42 - Blue and Green Workflow 48:59 - iPad Hand Lettering 52:47 - Color and Production 57:16 - Print Quality Pitfalls 58:33 - Lettering Pet Peeves 01:01:54 - Remembering John Paul Leon 01:06:59 - Sound Effects as Art 01:12:12 - Cover Logos in Motion 01:15:01 - Career Balance Advice 01:18:07 - Learn Every Craft 01:20:51 - Reader First Revisions 01:21:20 - Working with Demanding Writers 01:28:42 - Outro
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Steve Bissette on TABOO and Publishing Horror
04/30/2026
Steve Bissette on TABOO and Publishing Horror
In part two of their discussion, Steve Bissette lays out the late-1980s self-publishing moment after his run on Swamp Thing, tracing how Dave Sim’s Mid-Ohio Con outreach and critique of corporate profit flows led Bissette and John Totleben to launching the horror anthology Taboo and all points in-between: the Cerebus/Diamond Distribution "phone book" controversy, the Puma Blues fallout, the Creator Summits and the Bill of Rights that came from them. From there to topic focuses on Taboo itself and the creative pitfalls he had to navigate to get out even the short run that eventually saw print. The topic of comics as creative protest, then and now, is brought up and run through its paces: what would something like Mad Love's Aargh! look like today? Where does ego sit in the publisher's toolbox? The importance of creatives learning business before the business teaches it to them is just one of the threads in this back-half of the epic Steve Bissette conversation! [This episode is number 832 in a series.] CHAPTERS 00:00 - Intro 04:41 - Meeting Dave Sim at Mid-Ohio 05:44 - The Inverted Pyramid Lesson 09:40 - Collaboration Complications 11:55 - Launching The October Project 14:11 - Diamond vs the Cerebus Phone Books 20:17 - Taboo Goes Independent 21:29 - Creator Summits and Bill of Rights 27:52 - Modern Contracts and Creator Traps 36:12 - Promotion Is Still on You 40:41 - Curating Disturbing Horror 45:34 - Taboo Shock Factor 46:35 - Rick Grimes Defense 47:48 - Lost Girls Risks 48:58 - From Hell Origins 49:51 - Eddie Campbell Choice 52:49 - Cover Art Rivalry 55:14 - Midwife Ego Lesson 58:35 - Aargh! and Activist Comics 59:59 - Sticks and Stones Fallout 01:04:20 - Anthology Survival Advice 01:12:33 - Budgets Page Rates 01:20:49 - Business Truths Teaching 01:23:10 - Huckster Hat Plug 01:26:45 - Outro
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Joana Mosi on PHYSICAL EDUCATION
04/23/2026
Joana Mosi on PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Joana Mosi is an award-winning Portuguese cartoonist whose work is only recently becoming available in English. And that timing matters — because until Pow Pow Press started publishing her books, The Mongoose and now Physical Education, internationally, there was basically no way for English-language readers to come across it unless they happened to be at the right European festival at the right time. She is part of the growing Lisbon comics scene in Portugal. Paul Gravett called her previous book, The Mongoose, a “formally experimental yet powerful affecting narrative” She draws, she writes, she teaches. Physical Education has already been published in Portugal and was the first-ever graphic novel to be a National Illustration Award of Portugal Highlight Book, but is getting its English language release through Pow Pow Press on May 5th. The work is fictional yet emotionally true, centered on detachment, expressed through sparse characterization, missing facial features, and flexible page design. [This episode is number 831 in a series.] CHAPTERS 00:00 – Intro 01:54 – Portugal’s Comics Scene 04:38 – Found in Translation 07:17 – Revisiting Finished Books 10:50 – Finding Pow Pow Press 12:42 – Going Global via Festivals 18:35 – Style Shift and Critiques 25:32 – Comics Lessons 31:16 – Teaching With Empathy 32:43 – Letting Students Fail 33:55 – Reaching Out To Mentors 35:34 – Fiction vs Autobiography 39:20 – Drawing Detachment 44:41 – Color Choices 45:40 – Motifs And Mundanity 48:20 – Page Layout Decisions 53:21 – Process 55:57 – Getting Feedback 01:01:58 – Outro
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Henry Barajas on DEATH TO PACHUCO
04/10/2026
Henry Barajas on DEATH TO PACHUCO
Reading today's guest's interviews, listening to his podcasts, and looking at his resume, already packed with highlights at a relatively young age, it becomes clear that he does not shy away from conflict or controversial opinions because he does the research to back up his words. He leans into the smart side of smart-ass and we're all much better for it. This Tucson-native has already been a banker, bill collector, marketing manager, jazz festival co-organizer, pizza delivery guy, radio DJ, stand-up comedian, and Director of Operations at Top Cow Productions. But it's the jobs of journalist and comics writer that we are probably going to focus on the most in today's chat, because that, to me, is where he has really come into his own. He's worked with J Gonzo on La Voz de Mayo, a graphic novel about his activist great-grandfather who helped Arizonan Native American tribes gain federal recognition and save their land from being taken over for freeway construction. He was commissioned by the New York City Public Schools to work on comic about Dolores Huerta and her work organizing and unionizing farm workers in California He's been writing the daily syndicated newspaper comic strip Gil Thorpe since 2022, only the fourth writer in the strip's 67-year history. He's contributed to comics benefit anthologies like The Good Fight and Where We Live. He's written for DC Comics, Marvel Comics, and IDW. He's written an epic fantasy story with a Mesoamerican base rather than the traditional European one called Helm Greycastle from Image Comics. "What if Middle Earth had a southside?" That's him. And on top of all that, he's the Los Angeles chapter president of the National Cartoonist Society. But today he's here to talk about his latest work from Image Comics, a Chicano noir story set in Los Angeles during the Zoot Suit Riots of 1943 and centered around the Sleepy Lagoon murder. Drawn by Gil Thorpe collaborator Rachel Merrill, Death to Pachuco follows private eye Ricky Tellez as he tries to get justice for his client in a town where that is in short supply on a good day. The trade paperback collection of the series was released on March 18th, and you can read the entire first issue over at imagecomics.com. Writer Henry Barajas may end the first issue with the line "Now's not a good time to be a Mexican", but over the course of this episode, Henry tells Greg about why it's not a bad time to be in his shoes right now. [This episode is number 830 in a series.] CHAPTERS 00:00 - Intro 03:32 - Zoot Suit Style Talk 07:09 - Ricky Tellez 11:13 - Collaborating with Rachel Merrill 14:47 - From Research to Writing 19:00 - Standup Stage to Comics Craft 22:26 - Top Cow Origins + Lessons Learned 26:35 - Cover Artists, Collaborators, and David Lapham 30:55 - Working on Daily Strips 33:44 - Henry's Role in the Cartoonist Society 36:00 - Lettering Your Own Comics 38:40 - Benefit Anthology Work 40:16 - MorrisonCon Memories 43:32 - The Future of Ricky Tellez 47:09 - Dolores Huerta and Civics Education Comics 52:37 - Outro
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Steve Bissette on TYRANT and Comics in Vermont
03/27/2026
Steve Bissette on TYRANT and Comics in Vermont
Cartoonist / writer / scholar / educator (and now Comics Laureate) Stephen R. Bissette joins Greg for the first part of their two-part talk about all things Tyrant and more as the Kickstarter campaign to bring his long out-of-print series back to life has roared past its funding goal and continues to smash any stretch goal in its path! Bissette goes into why Vermont is such a good place to be a cartoonist, what his plans are for his tenure as the state's sixth Comics Laureate, why repressive eras seem to spur on transcendent works of horror, and how Zap Comix #0 changed his life. He dives deep into his fifteen years as an instructor at James Sturm's Center for Cartoon Studies, including some of the difficulties in teaching the history of the medium when some of the pioneers' work is held in disdain by the current generation. Finally, Bissette details how the 1990s direct-market distribution collapse aborted Tyrant and how today’s crowdfunding and print-on-demand landscape—aided by Lighthouse publisher Chris Stevens and advocate/designer Jim Rugg—enabled Tyrant’s Kickstarter-fueled revival. [This episode is number 829 in a series.] CHAPTERS 00:00 - Intro 02:48 - Why Vermont Loves Comics 06:57 - Saying Yes To Laureate 08:30 - Vermont Cartooning Legacy 13:22 - Arts In Regressive Times 17:17 - Underground Comics Awakening 19:04 - Kubert School v CCS 24:25 - Teaching Comics History Debates 28:01 - Never Go Away Philosophy 33:48 - Tyrant Returns And Distribution 38:34 - Print On Demand Revolution 41:57 - Ads Reviews Retailers 42:45 - Direct Market Collapse 43:57 - Crowdfunding Changes Everything 45:46 - Perks Backstock Ceramics 47:40 - Success Fears Next Steps 51:50 - Life In The Zone 01:00:20 - Why Trust Stevens And Rugg 01:04:44 - Past Projects Credibility 01:11:10 - Lighthouse Team Scanning 01:13:31 - Momentum And Final Thoughts
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Jim Rugg on VEEFRIENDS, TYRANT, WEAPON X, & More!
03/06/2026
Jim Rugg on VEEFRIENDS, TYRANT, WEAPON X, & More!
Greg welcomes cartoonist/designer Jim Rugg back to the show for the first recorded conversation since 2014! Last time, Jim talked with Greg AND Mike about the return of Street Angel through AdHouse Books, among other things. But for 2026, Jim brings a whole slew of new projects to the discussion: Becoming a Creative Producer at VeeFriends Writing VeeFriends #11 + #12 Writing AND drawing VeeFriends #13 Joining the creator-owned distribution co-op Power Pulp Designing new collections of Stephen Bissette's long-out-of-print Tyrant Writing a monograph for Bloomsbury Publishing on Barry Windsor-Smith's Weapon X Being back on YouTube in various places talking comics. The years may have passed, but Jim continues to be passionate about comics in all shapes & forms and even more passionate about making them. Find out about all of that and more on today's episode! [This episode is number 828 in a series.] CHAPTERS 00:00 - Intro 02:28 - Twelve Years Later 03:16 - Joining VeeFriends 06:38 - Writing VeeFriends 09:10 - Farm Fights Origins 13:21 - Bullpen Comics Talk 16:51 - Writing For Other Artists 25:14 - Script Style And Process 29:12 - Teaching And New Ideas 31:50 - Power Pulp Explained 34:37 - Distribution Then And Now 39:40 - Power Pulp Interviews 40:54 - Unearthing Leo Derek 43:51 - Sharing Comics Gems 46:58 - Designing Tyrant Editions 51:12 - Working With Steve Bissette 56:01 - Writing About Weapon X 01:05:19 - Research Fuels Creativity 01:10:34 - Outro
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Jim Rugg Talks STREET ANGEL
02/28/2026
Jim Rugg Talks STREET ANGEL
[This episode is a remastered version of number 104 in a series, originally released on July 21, 2014.] We usually follow up a spotlight episode with either a Previews exploration or a free-for-all. But this week is different because Jim Rugg himself stopped by our center-of-the-earth recording studio to drop some truth about Street Angel and his career. Jim is one of the most flat-out creative talents working in comics and design today, and we couldn't be more thrilled to bring you this wide-ranging conversation. His latest book is a re-release of his first published work: Street Angel. It's <a href="http://www.adhousebooks.com/books/streetangel.html">available from Ad House Books</a> and finer comic shops everywhere. CHAPTERS 00:00 - Intro 03:06 - Street Angel Returns 04:42 - AdHouse Reprint Plan 09:20 - Design as Object 11:10 - Paper Stock Deep Dive 15:55 - Street Angel's Influences 20:30 - Lettering and Sound Effects 25:57 - From Mini Comics to Slave Labor 34:13 - Pink Upfront, Homage In The Back 39:20 - Fight Scenes and Page Chaos 44:45 - Scaling Line Weight 45:06 - Gallery Viewing Distance 44:45 - Books vs Wall Pieces 47:23 - Why Make Zines? 50:09 - Zines Inform Everything 51:08 - Work Zine Production 52:47 - Silhouette Zine Aftermath 54:52 - Free Online vs Print Costs 56:47 - Funding Big Ideas 57:38 - Copacetic Archive Book 01:02:04 - Jason Karnes Collection 01:04:01 - Finding New Cartoonists 01:08:03 - Internet Shelf Life 01:11:32 - Locust Moon Nemo Design 01:12:41 - Adventure Time House Style 01:18:28 - Outro
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Kit Anderson on SECOND SHIFT
02/19/2026
Kit Anderson on SECOND SHIFT
Cartoonist Kit Anderson’s first graphic novel Second Shift was first mentioned on the back back in episode 817, where Avery Hill co-publisher Ricky Miller talked about working with her and bringing the book to his London-based company. But today’s episode dives into the book with the author herself, which is good news for Greg because he read the book multiple times getting ready for this interview and…he has questions. Second Shift was preceded by a number of short stories and mini-comics, including the Ignatz-nominated “Weeds”. “Weeds” and that other work has been collected in the anthology Safer Places, also out from Avery Hill. She has an MFA from the Center for Cartoon Studies and has, among other things, also worked as the Production Manager for friend of the show Josh O’Neill’s BEEHIVE BOOKS. So suffice it to say that Kit Anderson knows her way around a comic book, and that is definitely on display with Second Shift. (We’re not the only ones who think that – the New York Public Library put Second Shift on their list of 50 Best New Comics for Adults in 2025!) [This episode is number 827 in a series.] CHAPTERS 00:00 - Intro 03:52 - Getting Into Comics 07:17 - CSC Days 09:07 - Finding a Home at Avery Hill Publishing 10:48 - Visual Scripting 20:54 - Refining SECOND SHIFT 23:43 - Ambiguity vs. Missing Pieces 30:40 - The ALIEN In The Room 32:39 - Is SECOND SHIFT a Horror Book? 35:07 - The Bradbury Of It All 37:07 - Birdie's Arc 39:08 - Analog vs. Digital 40:53 - Color 43:14 - Building TerraCorps 47:13 - Ranking the ALIEN Films 51:20 - What's Next 52:54 - Outro
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Wes Eastin on SHOPPING FOR SUPERMAN
02/05/2026
Wes Eastin on SHOPPING FOR SUPERMAN
Today's guest is on the show to pick up a conversation we started last October when he screened his first feature film, SHOPPING FOR SUPERMAN, at Baltimore Comicon. He is a filmmaker - director / writer / editor / showman / dreamer / and many other things. His nearly 20 years in the film business has produced a CV too extensive to list here, so just take my word for it, this man knows his way around getting things out of the ether and on to the screen. SHOPPING FOR SUPERMAN, a documentary that took almost a decade to see to fruition, is a love letter to the friendly neighborhood comic store and is both a wonderful reminder for some, and instruction to others, at just how important these places have been for getting comics to this point AND in taking comics into the future we all know they can reach. The film is available to watch on various streaming platforms and on Blu-Ray from , and it goes without saying we highly recommend you do so. The director is Wes Eastin, and this episode has him sitting down with Greg to talk about the film and its subject matter so near and dear to both their hearts: the local comic book store. [This episode is number 826 in a series.] CHAPTERS 00:00 - Preamble 02:16 - Roles in Film Production 05:26 - The Passion Behind the Project 08:13 - Building the Documentary 13:25 - Interviewing Comic Shop Owners 17:14 - Creating a Comic Book Shop Set 23:03 - Challenges and Changes 25:59 - Future Projects and Reflections 36:12 - Remote Filmmaking and Technological Advances 36:54 - Building a Film on a Budget and Friendships 38:16 - Challenges and Experiences of Remote Interviews 41:07 - Incorporating Historical Elements in the Film 47:22 - The Role of Comic Shops in the Industry 55:16 - Personal Comic Shop Experiences 01:10:43 - Future Projects and Reflections 01:15:00 - Outro
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The Greatest Bronze Age Batman Stories, Part 2
01/22/2026
The Greatest Bronze Age Batman Stories, Part 2
Greg and continue their dive into gem after Caped Crusader gem of the best Batman stories of the Seventies to mid-Eighties! Come for the Archie Goodwin goodness, stay to find out more about the artistic evolution of Walt Simonson, which of the two hosts is coolest on Marshall Rogers, the correct length of the Bat-Ears, what happens when the Bruces of two different comic book universes collide, the one-stop-comicbooking-shop that is Jim Aparo, Joe Staton and the Justice Society, just how hard Dick Giordano is to pronounce, and much more. All that, and the man who stalks the most dangerous game alive in today’s episode! [This episode is number 825 in a series.] CHAPTERS 00:00 – Preamble 03:29 – Part 2 Manifesto 10:51 – Goodwin on DETECTIVE COMICS 13:40 – Jim Aparo and The Ears 23:00 – Using Every Tool in the Toolbox 25:20 – A Batman Story vs A Story With Batman In It 32:41 – MANHUNTER and Walt Simonson 48:06 – Englehart & Rogers’ DARK DETECTIVE 57:28 – I Now Pronounce You Bat-Mite! 01:00:45 – DEATH STRIKES AT MIDNIGHT AND THREE 01:04:37 – Joe Staton and the Earth-2 Batman/Huntress 01:11:14 – Untold Legends of Byrne and Aparo 01:17:22 – Thompkins, Brennert, Simonson, Giordano 01:27:14 – When Bruces Collide (BATMAN VS THE INCREDIBLE HULK) 01:34:39 – Recap and The DC3Cast 01:43:00 – Outro AVAILABILITY The specific comics referred to in this episode are: Adventure Comics #461-463 Batman #321 Detective Comics #437-443, 457, 469-476, 478, 482, 500 DC Super-Stars #17 DC Special Series #15 The Untold Legend of Batman #1-3 Batman versus The Incredible Hulk All these are available as individual issues on the DC Universe Infinite service, except for DC Special Series #15 and Batman versus The Incredible Hulk. The two relevant stories from DC Special Series #15 are available in the Batman Arkham: Ra’s Al Ghul collection (“I Now Pronounce You Batman and Wife!”) and Tales of the Dark Knight: Marshall Rogers collection (“Death Strikes at Midnight and Three”), Batman versus The Incredible Hulk is not available online but was reprinted most recently in the 2025 DC Versus Marvel Omnibus.
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JLU: "For The Man Who Has Everything" (Commentary Only)
01/08/2026
JLU: "For The Man Who Has Everything" (Commentary Only)
Join Greg and Zach Wilkerson, one-third of the DC3Cast, as they delve deep into the Justice League Unlimited episode 'For the Man Who Has Everything,' adapted from Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' classic Superman Annual #11. How deep you ask? Well, audio commentary-level deep!
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JLU: "For The Man Who Has Everything"
01/08/2026
JLU: "For The Man Who Has Everything"
Join Greg and Zach Wilkerson, one-third of the DC3Cast, as they delve deep into the Justice League Unlimited episode 'For the Man Who Has Everything,' adapted from Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' classic Superman Annual #11. How deep you ask? Well, audio commentary-level deep! The two's discussion topics range from major differences between the episode and the original comic, to continuity within the DCAU, to the story's emotional impact. Was removing Robin for the JLU episode a smart move? What could this story have looked like if it showed up during Justice League, when each story was a 44-minute two-parter instead of a 22-minute bullet train of an animated episode? Additionally, they take the opportunity to reflect on the DC3Cast's 10-year (and counting) journey, favorite projects, and upcoming plans. **The commentary-only version of this episode can be found here: ** [This episode is number 824 in a series.] CHAPTERS 00:00 Preamble 00:12 Special Guest Introduction 00:32 Catching Up with Zach 02:14 Discussing DC Three Cast 03:33 Reflecting on Podcasting Journey 16:48 Parenthood and Comics 19:52 Justice League Unlimited Commentary 37:44 The Beginning of the End 38:11 Superman's Perfect World Shattered 39:56 Wonder Woman's Role and Adaptation Choices 42:21 Superman's Emotional Climax 43:46 Batman's Best Day and the Black Mercy 44:50 The Final Battle and Conclusion 56:01 Reflections on Adaptation and Comic Comparisons 01:02:10 The DC3Cast and Future Projects
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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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