Word Balloon Comics Podcast: Daily Summaries Delivered

Sunday Conversation: S. Craig Zahler — Bone Tomahawk Filmmaker and Comic Creator

This week on Word Balloon's Sunday Conversation, we're revisiting my 2020 discussion with writer, filmmaker, and comic book creator S. Craig Zahler, a storyteller who has never been afraid to venture into some very dark territory.We look back at his brutal and unconventional Western horror film Bone Tomahawk, starring Kurt Russell, and explore his graphic novel The Forbidden Surgeries of the Hideous Dr. Divinus, a gritty, disturbing blend of crime noir, pulp fiction, and body horror.Zahler has carved out a unique place in independent filmmaking, working with an impressive roster of Hollywood talent, including Kurt Russell, Mel Gibson, Vince Vaughn, Don Johnson, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox, and Richard Jenkins. Whether he's making a brutal Western, a prison thriller, or a gritty crime drama, Zahler brings an uncompromising sensibility to his storytelling.Zahler talks about his lifelong love of comic books, the creative freedom of the medium, and the challenges of bringing his uncompromising visions to the screen. We also discuss filmmaking, storytelling influences, and what life and creative work were like during the COVID pandemic.

The Bendis Tapes pt 2 Watch and Listen Recommends

Documentaries, Star Wars Star Trek, Poscasts and more in the relaxing part 2 portion of Thursday's conversation.

The Bendis Tapes pt 1 ALIAS returns

Bendis has a big December coming up with Volume two of The Ones, with Jacob Edgar and ALIAS with Michael Gaydos and David Mack. We also discuss the changes at DC and Marvel at the comics and movie studio level.

the past and present of skottie young

Today, we're catching up with one of the most distinctive voices in modern comics, Skottie Young, a writer and artist whose wildly imaginative style, outrageous humor, and surprising emotional depth have made him a fan favorite for more than two decades.We're talking about his latest work on DC's Lobo, bringing his own brand of mayhem and irreverent comedy to the Main Man. But we're also taking a deep dive into Skottie's career, going all the way back to his earliest days breaking into the comics business.We revisit his early Marvel work on characters like Venom, the Human Torch, and the X-Men, and trace his evolution as an artist, including his beautiful and inventive adaptations of L. Frank Baum's Oz books with writer Eric Shanower.And of course, we spend plenty of time talking about I Hate Fairyland, Skottie's gloriously twisted creator-owned fantasy series that turned the conventions of children's storybooks upside down and became one of his signature creations.Along the way, we discuss his creative influences, the evolution of his art, his move into writing, and how he's managed to carve out such a unique place for himself in the comics industry.

Ram V Killing more Gods and Supernatural Espionage

Today, I'm joined by one of the most imaginative and thought-provoking writers working in comics, Ram V, whose work on The Many Deaths of Laila Starr, These Savage Shores, Detective Comics, Swamp Thing, and The New Gods has established him as a storyteller who's never afraid to explore big ideas.We're talking about two fascinating new projects.First, Deicidium, his ambitious new science fiction and fantasy graphic novel series from Image Comics, created with artists Evan Cagle and Anand RK. It's set in a future where religion and corporate power have become intertwined, and ancient gods are returning to Earth in human form. It's a story about mythology, faith, power, and what happens when humanity decides its gods have become a threat.Then there's Black Tower: The Raven Conspiracy, Ram's new DC Vertigo series with artist Mike Perkins. The two reunite for a supernatural espionage thriller involving British intelligence, secret societies, occult warfare, and a hidden world of magic operating behind the scenes of international politics.We discuss the inspirations behind both stories, Ram's approach to world-building, his collaborations with these incredible artists, and the creative freedom of telling stories outside the traditional superhero universe.

What's Next For DC Studios Godzilla and Visionquest reviews

Phil LaMarr The 1st John Stewart

For comic book fans, he's the voice of John Stewart, the Green Lantern, in Justice League and Justice League Unlimited, and the title character in Static Shock. Animation fans know him as Hermes Conrad on Futurama and Samurai Jack.But Phil LaMarr's career goes well beyond the recording booth.He was an original cast member of MADtv, appeared in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, and has spent decades moving effortlessly between sketch comedy, live-action performances, and some of the most memorable voices in animation.In this conversation, originally recorded in May of 2020, we look back at Phil's remarkable career, the craft of voice acting, and the comedy and characters that have made him such a familiar presence in pop culture.

sunday conversation- joe rubenstein inking classic marvel

Today we're spending time with one of the great inkers in comic book history, Joe Rubinstein, whose incredible career spans more than five decades and includes collaborations with some of the biggest names in the business.Joe's work helped define the look of some of Marvel and DC's most memorable stories, including Frank Miller's groundbreaking Wolverine miniseries, his work with Jim Starlin on The Infinity Gauntlet, and his contributions to The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, where he inked an astonishing gallery of characters drawn by many of the industry's finest artists.But Joe is much more than an inker. He's a storyteller, an artist, a historian of the craft, and a guy who's never been shy about expressing his opinions on the comic book business.