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Comic Book Historians — Arts
Comic Book Historians

As featured on LEGO.com, Marvel.com, Slugfest, NPR, Wall Street Journal and the Today Show, host & series producer Alex Grand, author of Understanding Superhero Comic Books (with various co-hosts such as Bill Field, David Armstrong, N. Scott Robinson, Ph.D. and Jim Thompson) and guests engage in a Journalistic Comic Book Historical discussion between professionals, historians and scholars in determining what happened and when in comics, from strips and pulps to the platinum age comic book, through golden, silver, bronze and then toward modern

Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians.
Read Alex Grand’s Understanding Superhero Comic Books published by McFarland & Company here at: https://a.co/d/2PlsODN
Series directed, produced & edited by Alex Grand
All episodes ©Comic Book Historians LLC.

Copyright: ℗ & © 2019 Comic Book Historians

Latest Episodes:

Frank Frazetta Phone Interview by Steve Ringgenberg Nov 01, 2024

In today's special episode, Alex Grand and Bill Field delve into a fascinating phone conversation from August 27, 1994, between comic book historian and writer, Steve Ringgenberg and the legendary fantasy artist Frank Frazetta. Steve Ringgenberg, known for his deep knowledge and contributions to the comic book industry, chats with Frazetta about his then-upcoming projects and his return to comics, albeit in a supervisory role.

Frank Frazetta, whose iconic "Death Dealer" paintings have left an indelible mark on the fantasy genre, shares insights into his collaboration with Glenn Danzig and Simon Bisley for Verotik comics. They discuss Frazetta’s transition from comics to painting, his influence on the sword and sorcery genre, and his unique approach to creativity in art that continues to inspire artists worldwide.

The conversation also touches on Frazetta's frustrations with creating statues, particularly his experiences working with Randy Bowen and the challenges of capturing the three-dimensionality well from all angles. Additionally, Frazetta reflects on his collaboration with Ralph Bakshi on the animated film "Fire and Ice," discussing his contributions to character creation and action scenes. Frazetta also expresses his frustration with the high art world for looking down on comic artists, despite their significant contributions to visual arts. Join us as we explore this rare and candid exchange, shedding light on the creative genius of Frank Frazetta and his impact on the world of fantasy art.
Frazetta interview ©1994 Steve Ringgenberg

Tiny Bar Chats

Chats with influential, inspiring, prolific and community oriented folks.

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Rob Liefeld Marvel Origins Interview 2024 by Alex Grand Oct 01, 2024

Alex Grand interviewed Rob Liefeld for the Comic Book Historians Podcast, a key figure in the revolution of comic books in the 1990s, known for his intense storytelling and artistic impact. The conversation focuses on Liefeld’s approach to comics, particularly his efforts to inject fun and boldness into his work, drawing inspiration from his inner child and childhood influences like Jack Kirby. Liefeld discusses how his passion for comics is reflected in his art, sharing anecdotes about his career, including his influence on the creation of X-Force and characters like Deadpool, emphasizing his commitment to staying true to the excitement and action-packed style of classic comic books. Additionally, he shares thoughts on the challenges he faced working in the industry, his interactions with other iconic figures, and the enduring appeal of action-driven, visually dynamic storytelling.
#xforce #deadpool #wolverine #robliefeld #newmutants #xmen #weaponx #youngblood #cannonball
©2024 Comic Book Historians

Tiny Bar Chats

Chats with influential, inspiring, prolific and community oriented folks.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Support the show

Jim Mooney & Marv Levy interviews by David Armstrong Sep 02, 2024

David Armstrong interviewed Golden & Silver Age great, Jim Mooney in 1997 on set at San Diego Comic Con about his entry into pulp magazines like Weird Tales, meeting Julius Schwartz and Mort Weisinger, entering comic books in the early 1940s with Fiction House, Ace Magazines and Timely, meeting Golden Age publishers like Victor Fox, entering DC Comics under Whitney Ellsworth, his friendship with Stan Lee, working on Spider-Man, and independent comics of the 1990s. Armstrong also interviewed Golden Age great, Marv Levy in 1998 on set at Long Island, New York about his entry into comic books in the early 1940s while in high school, working for Harry Chesler, Leon Harvey at Harvey Comics, Lloyd Jacquet, Bernard Baily, analyzing the Lou Fine comics vs the Jack Kirby style, serving in the military and leaving comic books for newspaper comic strips and advertising. Interview conducted, recorded and copyrighted to David Armstrong. Remastered, edited, timestamped and postproduction by Alex Grand.

Tiny Bar Chats

Chats with influential, inspiring, prolific and community oriented folks.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

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Irwin Hasen & Harry Lampert interviews by David Armstrong Aug 01, 2024

David Armstrong interviewed Golden Age great, Irwin Hasen in 1999 on set at San Diego Comic Con about his entry into comic books in the late 1930s, illustrating sports figures for newspapers including an interesting experience at the Daily Worker, working for Harry Chesler, covers for DC Comics, rivalry with Shelley Mayer, contributing to the Justice Society of America, working with Bill Finger, Alex Toth and a tense situation at a syndicate that caused him to walk away from a strip before creating Dondi. Armstrong also interviewed Golden Age great, Harry Lampert in 2000 on set at San Diego Comic Con about his entry into Max Fleischer's animation studio, entering comic books with Sheldon Mayer at All-American comics, working under Max Charles Gaines, co-creating the Flash with Gardner Fox, his humor approach to comics, penciling the Justice Society of America, joining the Army, working with Siegel and Shuster, Harry Donenfeld, Irwin Hasen, and DC filler pages after World War 2, until starting his own very successful advertising agency. Interview conducted, recorded and copyrighted to David Armstrong. Remastered, edited, timestamped and postproduction by Alex Grand.

Tiny Bar Chats

Chats with influential, inspiring, prolific and community oriented folks.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

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Audiobook Announcement for Understanding Superhero Comic Books by Alex Grand Jul 17, 2024

I'm thrilled to share something truly special with you. Writing my book was a seven-year journey, culminating not just in publication but also in an audiobook that's now available, thanks to an option I discovered with my publisher. Encouraged by my friend, Eric Bailey, I decided to lend my voice to the project. Leveraging years of experience from producing and audio engineering the Comic Book Historians podcast, I poured every ounce of my patience and expertise into recording and editing this audiobook over four months. It was a labor of love to get every detail just right. I'm delighted to announce that it's now available across all major platforms, including Audible, Google Play, and Chirp. For those who love comic history and prefer their reading on the go, this is for you.

audible link: https://a.co/d/4n7qXVJ

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Tom Palmer, Inker & Illustrator Interview Part 2 by Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Jul 01, 2024

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Tom Palmer about his extensive career as both inker and illustrator starting at the Frank Reilly school, learning from Jack Kamen, illustration for advertising, then inking various Marvel comic book pencilers in the Silver Age like Gene Colan, Neal Adams, John and Sal Buscema, and eventually others like Howard Chaykin, Walt Simsonson, and Ron Frenz on characters & properties like Dr. Strange, X-Men, Avengers, Dracula, Thor, Star Wars, Batman, Wonder Woman and more. Learn about his first 1968 penciling job with Stan Lee plotter, Roy Thomas writer, and inked by Dan Adkins and move forward in time to inking John Romita Jr's Kick-Ass. Tom was also friends with Stan Drake and gives interesting details of the car accident that killed Alex Raymond. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Interview ©Comic Book Historians 2020.

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Tom Palmer, Inker & Illustrator Interview Part 1 by Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Jun 03, 2024

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Tom Palmer about his extensive career as both inker and illustrator starting at the Frank Reilly school, learning from Jack Kamen, illustration for advertising, then inking various Marvel comic book pencilers in the Silver Age like Gene Colan, Neal Adams, John and Sal Buscema, and eventually others like Howard Chaykin, Walt Simsonson, and Ron Frenz on characters & properties like Dr. Strange, X-Men, Avengers, Dracula, Thor, Star Wars, Batman, Wonder Woman and more. Learn about his first 1968 penciling job with Stan Lee plotter, Roy Thomas writer, and inked by Dan Adkins and move forward in time to inking John Romita Jr's Kick-Ass. Tom was also friends with Stan Drake and gives interesting details of the car accident that killed Alex Raymond. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Interview ©Comic Book Historians 2020.

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Steve Rude The Dude biographical interview by Alex Grand & Bill Field May 02, 2024

Join Alex Grand and Bill Field as they sit down with legendary comic artist Steve Rude in an enlightening episode of the CBH podcast. Dive deep into Rude's early influences, from his passion for 1960s Marvel to the impact of artists like Jack Kirby and Gene Colan on his style. Discover the pivotal moments of his career, from his initial challenges in the business to his successful partnership in creating Nexus with Mike Baron, his dislike of Marvel of DC in the 1980s, and his impression of the corporate side of comic books. Explore his artistic evolution and the personal stories behind his work, including his venture into fine art and the narrative of his documentary on bipolar disorder. Tune in for a masterful blend of art, storytelling, and personal struggle, reflecting over four decades of comic artistry.

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Nick Cardy interview part 2 by David Armstrong Apr 01, 2024

David Armstrong interviewed Nick Cardy for a second round on set in 2005 about his time at the Eisner shop, Fiction House, illustrator influences, Lou Fine, anatomy, reference, army sketch book, his Paris exhibit, Science Fiction stories, design, page rates, Brushwork, advertising, his sense of religion, and a sex comic experience at comic con. Interview conducted, recorded and copyrighted to David Armstrong. Remastered, edited, timestamped and postproduction by Alex Grand.

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Joe Kubert interview by David Armstrong Mar 01, 2024

David Armstrong interviewed Golden, Silver, and Bronze Age great, Joe Kubert in 1997 on set at San Diego Comic Con discussing his childhood strip and pulp influences, entering comic books in the early 1940s as a high school student, working with Harry Shorten & Frank Z. Temerson, his professional relation with Norman Maurer, his first job at DC, the 3D Comic book craze of the 1950s, working with Will Eisner, the Green Berets daily strip, functioning as an Editor at DC under Carmine Infantino, the Joe Kubert school, his graphic novels and his pride over his two talented sons, Andy and Adam Kubert. Interview conducted, recorded and copyrighted to David Armstrong. Remastered, edited, timestamped and postproduction by Alex Grand.

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Carol Tyler: Comic Writer & Artist Interview Part 2 by Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Feb 01, 2024

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview painter, autobiographical comics pioneer and 11-time Eisner nominee Carol Tyler, author of Soldier's Heart: The Campaign to Understand My WWII Veteran Father: A Daughter's Memoir (You'll Never Know), Fab4 Mania, and Late Bloomer in the second of a two parter. We cover her early work for Weirdo, Wimmen’s Comix and Twisted Sister to her current project, as well as her marriage to Justin Green (Binky Brown Meets the Holy Virgin Mary), her friendship with the Crumbs, the controversy over her accepting the first Dori Seda Memorial Award, Leonardo DiCaprio’s babysitting skills and her life’s most tragic losses and greatest triumphs. Part 2 of 2. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand.
#Beatles #CarolTyler #Eisner
©Comic Book Historians 2020

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Carol Tyler: Comic Writer & Artist Interview Part 1 by Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Jan 01, 2024

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview painter, autobiographical comics pioneer and 11-time Eisner nominee Carol Tyler, author of Soldier's Heart: The Campaign to Understand My WWII Veteran Father: A Daughter's Memoir (You'll Never Know), Fab4 Mania, and Late Bloomer in the first of a two parter. We cover her early work for Weirdo, Wimmen’s Comix and Twisted Sister to her current project, as well as her marriage to Justin Green (Binky Brown Meets the Holy Virgin Mary), her friendship with the Crumbs, the controversy over her accepting the first Dori Seda Memorial Award, Leonardo DiCaprio’s babysitting skills and her life’s most tragic losses and greatest triumphs. Part 1 of 2. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand.
#Beatles #CarolTyler #Eisner
©Comic Book Historians 2020

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Nick Cardy interview part 1 by David Armstrong Dec 01, 2023

David Armstrong interviewed Golden and Silver Age great, Nick Cardy in 1998 on set at San Diego Comic Con about his entry into comic books in 1940, working with the Eisner & Iger shop, his influences like Gary Cooper, Noel Sickles, working at Fiction House, drafted into the Army, Tarzan and Casey Ruggles daily comic strips, entering DC Comics, interacting with Alex Toth, Jack Kirby, Neal Adams and Mike Sekowsky, working with Julius Schwartz and Carmine Infantino, working on animation, illustration and movie posters for New Line Cinema. Interview conducted, recorded and copyrighted to David Armstrong. Remastered, edited, timestamped and postproduction by Alex Grand.

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Steve Ditko Biographical Interview with Pat & Patrick Ditko by Alex Grand Nov 01, 2023

Explore the life and genius of Steve Ditko, Spider-Man's co-creator, in a special 2-hour interview featuring his family. Discover his early years, creative process, and love for science and Batman, shaping his superhero creations. Dive into his youthful influences, like Tarzan and Charles Bronson, and how Ayn Rand's philosophy impacted his work and comic industry relations. Known for his privacy and humor, Ditko's ethos was to let his work speak for itself, focusing on the present and future. This intimate family perspective highlights Ditko's legacy and enduring impact on the comic world.
#SpiderMan #Marvel #DCComics #StanLee #DrStrange #Batman #SteveDitko
#ComicStrips #JackKirby #WW2
©2023 Comic Book Historians

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Jack Keller, Western Artist 1973 Interview by John A. Mozzer Oct 02, 2023

In 1973, John A. Mozzer, lover of pop culture interviewed 6 people in Reading, Pennsylvania to track down the history of Jim Steranko. The 6th person was Western/Kid Colt and Hot Rod comic artist, Jack Keller who worked in comics since the Golden Age for companies like Quality, Fawcett, Atlas/Marvel, Charlton and more who went into detail into the history of his comics career as well as discussing meeting a young impressionable Jim Steranko as well as Stan Lee, Dick Giordano and Sal Gentile. John was gracious to share these files with the world and CBH from his soundcloud, so the first 5 were given a massive audio restoration treatment by Alex Grand and are located and transcribed at the interview section of comicbookhistorians.com, and the 6th one, Jack Keller is digitally restored and audio engineered by Alex Grand and presented here. John A. Mozzer also provided great imagery of these encounters located both at the CBH website, his flickr and as the thumbnail image for the recording presented here.

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John Romita Sr. interview by David Armstrong Sep 01, 2023

David Armstrong interviewed Silver & Bronze Age great, John Romita Sr. in 2001 on set at San Diego Comic Con about his entry into comic books with Les Zakarin, first meeting Stan Lee at Timely, his suspense science fiction stories like IT!, working for Famous Funnies, his relationship with Stan Lee in the 1950s, and again in the 1960s, getting inking advice from Joe Maneely, why he joined DC Comics to work on Romance Comics with Zena Brody and Robert Kanigher, discussing Alex Toth, the editorial culture at DC compared to Marvel, Jack Kirby, Martin Goodman, terrible distribution through Independent News, and DC Comics' achilles heel.
Interview conducted, recorded and copyrighted to David Armstrong.
Remastered, edited, timestamped and postproduction by Alex Grand.

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Who was Steve Ditko? SDCC 2023 panel Aug 01, 2023

Everyone should know that Steve Ditko was the co-creator of Spider-Man and the creator of Dr. Strange, The Question, Mr A., and many others. But most people do not know who he was, let alone know anything about him. Who was he as a person? Did he have a family? What type of person was he? Mark Ditko (Ditkoverse; Steve's nephew), Lenny Schwartz (writer, Ditko the Play; filmmaker, The Haunted and the Hunted), Jackie Estrada (Eisner Awards administrator; correspondent with Steve), Alex Grand (Comic Book Historians; author, Understanding Superhero Comic Books), and Marci Singel (Steve's first cousin) dispel those strange rumors and provide more information about Steve Ditko than you've ever believed possible.
Moderated by Tyler McPhail (The Grand Geek Gathering).
Recorded and post-production by Alex Grand
Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians, LLC. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians.

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José Villarrubia Biographical Interview by Alex Grand Jul 03, 2023

A sit down chat between Alex Grand and Jose Villarrubia, Eisner nominated Comics colorist and Professor of Art at various colleges, universities & museums on various key aspects of his life and career including renovating Richard Corben's Den for Darkhorse. His personal and working relationships with Corben and Alan Moore are discussed, as well as his childhood reading comic books in Spain, moving to the USA in 1980, working as a photographer in the 1980s, entering comics with Jae Lee in the 1990s at Image Comics, working on Neil Gaiman's Wheel of World's, coloring for Marvel, DC Comics, Vertigo on titles such as X-Men, Batman, Spider-Man, Sentry, Sweet Tooth, Promethea, Tom Strong, Cuba, My Revolution, Django Unchained and more . Edited & Produced by Alex Grand.
Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Music ©Lost European

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Understanding Superhero Comic Books with Alex Grand & N. Scott Robinson, Ph.D. Jun 26, 2023

Today we are joined by special guest-host and resident CBH book Editor and Globo Comico social media founder, N. Scott Robinson, Ph.D., who interviews Alex Grand, author of the new book, Understanding Superhero Comic Books A History of Key Elements, Creators, Events and Controversies , delving into its in-depth exploration of the origin, growth, and major influences of superhero comic books. The discussion illuminates how iconic characters such as Batman, Wonder Woman, and Captain America are more than just fictional characters, but reflections of their societal contexts. Further, they delve into the contributions of pivotal creators like Julius Schwartz, Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, Jim Starlin, John Byrne, and Alan Moore, highlighting their unique takes on superhero realism, design, revitalization, and deconstruction.
Understanding Superhero Comic Books can be found at:
click: Amazon, the book's publisher, McFarland & Co, Barnes & Noble, Wal-Mart,
Target and more...
Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians, LLC. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Music ©Lost European

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Jesse Simon on Joe Simon & SHIELDMASTER interview by Alex Grand Jun 12, 2023

Alex Grand interviews Jesse Simon, the grandson of Captain America creator, Joe Simon on his creative and influential grandfather and his family's new comic series, SHIELDMASTER found on Kickstarter. Jesse discusses his grandfather's career at Timely Comics with figures like Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Martin Goodman, DC Comics, Harvey Comics with Al Harvey, Crestwood, SICK magazine and more. You can get SHIELDMASTER at this link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/simonstudios/shieldmaster-3.
Photo © Jesse Simon. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians, LLC. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Music ©Lost European

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Bill Field interviews Hashman authors Alex Grand & Joshua S. Berman Jun 01, 2023

Bill Field returns from the exciting life of television production to host and interview comics historian Alex Grand & medical marijuana pioneer Joshua S. Berman about their award-winning graphic novel, Hashman about real-life raconteur 'Joey Berkowitz' and his life in the vice world of the illegal and legalized cannabis trade.
Hashman available on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble and other online retailers.
Hashman Trailer here: https://youtu.be/0j2FALN9KbQ
Hashman synopsis: Award-winning graphic novel about Criminal-turned-psychologist Joey Berkowitz whose complicated past, extends through East Coast mobs, the psychedelic 60s, the New York celebrity drug culture, Berkeley Peace movement, the Paris riots, Altamont, Woodstock, laundering money in Southeast Asia, and sitting meditation courses in Tibet. Join Joey as he manages to escape prosecution time and time again by the seat of his pants, ultimately becoming a noteworthy shrink in Seattle where he manages to find himself as a central figure in the worldwide cannabis legalization scene as its most notorious authorizing doc, dispensary financier, and industry stalwart. Will he make it thru? Or will the law finally catch up with him?
Hashman is important because it offers a true snapshot of life as a hustler in the late 20th century American pop culture landscape, and how he enters the modern era, offering a view of the underground world of cannabis, and how it evolved for the last 5 decades from its seedy roots to a sterile and legalized corporate venture. Get a front row seat in how the massive need for security, rooted in a childhood trauma, can mix with greed and an obsession for vice to eventually lead to one's personal destruction.
Based on a series of interviews with eye witnesses, court reports, and newspaper articles carefully used to construct an authentic and visually visceral ride through the life of a well connected cannabis pioneer.
Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians.

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The Bud Plant biographical interview part 2 by Alex Grand or (When Berkeley Conquered COMIX) Apr 30, 2023

A sit down chat between Alex Grand and Bud Plant discussing his early years in 1960s fandom, Rocket Blast Comic Collector, Golden Age Timely, Quality and Fiction House comics, EC Comics, Carl Barks, Julius Schwartz comics, Jules Fei¦er's Great Comic Book Heroes, business in the ﬁrst comic book shops, Sci-Fi Bay Con 1968, 1960s Fanzines, meeting Steranko at New York Comic Con 1970, starting Bud's Mail order, co-founding Comics and Comix and its various stages, ﬁnding the Tom Reilly Collection at 1973 Bay Area Comics Convention, from meeting Phil Seuling, starting the direct market, New Media/Irjax lawsuit, Seuling's death, encountering Gary Groth at Fantagraphics, business with Kirby and Eisner, getting into the comic direct distribution business from 1982-1988, publishing Alfredo Alcala and Jack Katz, encountering Steve Geppi at Diamond which decided the course of comic history, getting the inkpot award in the 1990s, and phasing out of San Diego Comic-Con.
©Comic Book Historians, LLC.

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The Bud Plant biographical interview part 1 by Alex Grand or (When Berkeley Conquered COMIX) Apr 17, 2023

A sit down chat between Alex Grand and Bud Plant discussing his early years in 1960s fandom, Rocket Blast Comic Collector, Golden Age Timely, Quality and Fiction House comics, EC Comics, Carl Barks, Julius Schwartz comics, Jules Fei¦er's Great Comic Book Heroes, business in the ﬁrst comic book shops, Sci-Fi Bay Con 1968, 1960s Fanzines, meeting Steranko at New York Comic Con 1970, starting Bud's Mail order, co-founding Comics and Comix and its various stages, ﬁnding the Tom Reilly Collection at 1973 Bay Area Comics Convention, from meeting Phil Seuling, starting the direct market, New Media/Irjax lawsuit, Seuling's death, encountering Gary Groth at Fantagraphics, business with Kirby and Eisner, getting into the comic direct distribution business from 1982-1988, publishing Alfredo Alcala and Jack Katz, encountering Steve Geppi at Diamond which decided the course of comic history, getting the inkpot award in the 1990s, and phasing out of San Diego Comic-Con. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. ©2021 Comic Book Historians.
Vote Bud Plant for Eisner Hall of Fame here: https://form.jotform.com/230927489799177

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Professor William H. Foster III & African-Americans in Comics Part 2 by Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Apr 03, 2023

As featured in Roy Thomas’ Alter Ego Magazine, Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Professor William H. Foster III, published comic book historian, former Eisner judge and award-winning museum exhibit curator on the evolving roles of African Americans in Comics. William discusses his early forays into reading comics in the 1960s and 70s, then goes into a fascinating discussion of the portray and involvement of African American characters and creators in comics starting from the Yellow Kid, Krazy Kat, Ebony in Spirit, World's Finest, Sgt Fury, Fantastic Four's Black Panther, Luke Cage, Black Lightning, Black Vulcan, Fast Willie Jackson, Robert Crumb in Zap Comics, Storm of the X-Men, Sabre, Hypno Hustler, Milestone Comics, Trading Cards, Captain America, Thunder and ending into present day comic books. Originated, Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Transcript available in Alter Ego 174.
Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Music ©Lost European

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Professor William H. Foster III & African-Americans in Comics Part 1 by Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Mar 01, 2023

As featured in Roy Thomas’ Alter Ego Magazine, Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Professor William H. Foster III, published comic book historian, former Eisner judge and award-winning museum exhibit curator on the evolving roles of African Americans in Comics. William discusses his early forays into reading comics in the 1960s and 70s, then goes into a fascinating discussion of the portray and involvement of African American characters and creators in comics starting from the Yellow Kid, Krazy Kat, Ebony in Spirit, World's Finest, Sgt Fury, Fantastic Four's Black Panther, Luke Cage, Black Lightning, Black Vulcan, Fast Willie Jackson, Robert Crumb in Zap Comics, Storm of the X-Men, Sabre, Hypno Hustler, Milestone Comics, Trading Cards, Captain America, Thunder and ending into present day comic books. Originated, Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Transcript available in Alter Ego 173.
Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Music ©Lost European

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Julius Schwartz Interview by David Armstrong Feb 01, 2023

David Armstrong interviewed Golden, Silver and Bronze Age great, Julius Schwartz in 1999 on set at San Diego Comic Con about his work as a Science Fiction pulp writer agent in the 1930s, his friendship with Mort Weisinger, working with Alfred Bester & Shelley Mayer at All American Comics, M.C. Gaines, Harry Donenfeld, Science Fiction comic books of the 1950s, Strange Adventures, Gorilla covers, jumpstarting the Silver Age with the Flash, Green Lantern's oath, the JLA, Adam Strange, contributing to the Batman TV show, the Superman film, meeting and influencing Marvel's Editor, Stan Lee, Gardner Fox, and comics of the late 1990s.
Interview conducted, recorded and copyrighted to David Armstrong.
Remastered, edited, timestamped and postproduction by Alex Grand.

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Carmine Infantino Interview by David Armstrong Jan 02, 2023

David Armstrong interviewed Golden & Silver Age great, Carmine Infantino in 1999 about his entry into comic books with Fox Comics and Timely, meeting Harry Chesler, working at DC Comics with Sheldon Mayer, meeting Alex Toth and Joe Kubert, his favorite inkers & movies, his DC covers, the business side of DC, corporate shakeups, Sol Harrison, Irwin Donenfeld, Jack Liebowitz, the buyout from Kinney, Mike Sekowsky, All-American Comics, Mario Puzo, Robert Kanigher, merchandising and why he left DC Comics.
Interview conducted, recorded and copyrighted to David Armstrong.
Remastered, edited, timestamped and postproduction by Alex Grand.

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Roy "the Boy" Thomas’ Marvel Age Interview with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Dec 01, 2022

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson join former Marvel writer and second Editor-In-Chief of the Marvel Age after Stan Lee about his origins. Roy discusses how he left his job as a history teacher to move to New York working at DC Comics with Mort Weisinger, leaving DC for Marvel's Stan Lee, applying his English degree to the Marvel Method, meeting Jack Kirby & Steve Ditko, bringing the pulps like Conan to comics, his political leanings from early 1970s Tom Wolfe to Rolling Stone Magazine, the Rutland Parade and the first cosplay parties at Tom Fagan's house, and his nude scenes in both National Lampoon magazine and Crazy in the context of the post sexual revolution. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand.
Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians.

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Tom Brevoort Interview, Marvel Editor & VP: Part 2 by Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Nov 01, 2022

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Tom Brevoort, Executive Editor and Vice President of Publishing of Marvel Comics discussing his childhood reading comics off the 7-11 spinner rack, his 1989 internship at Marvel with Bob Budiansky & Dwayne McDuffie, the highs and lows of Marvel in the 1990s including the Image Revolution, bankruptcy, ToyBiz acquisition, getting ready for the new century in the 2000's and beyond with Digital comics and the Disney acquisition. This is the second of a two parter. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand.
Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Music ©Lost European

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Tom Brevoort Interview, Marvel Editor & VP: Part 1 by Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Oct 01, 2022

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Tom Brevoort, Executive Editor and Vice President of Publishing of Marvel Comics discussing his childhood reading comics off the 7-11 spinner rack, his 1989 internship at Marvel with Bob Budiansky & Dwayne McDuffie, the highs and lows of Marvel in the 1990s including the Image Revolution, bankruptcy, ToyBiz acquisition, getting ready for the new century in the 2000's and beyond with Digital comics and the Disney acquisition. This is the first of a two parter. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand.
Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Music ©Lost European

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Tony Puryear Afro-Futurism Interview Part 2 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Sep 01, 2022

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Tony Puryear, Hollywood screenwriter and Comic book writer/artist, discussing key phases of his diverse career, from his childhood encounters with Jack Kirby & Phil Seuling, his advertising career under the mentorship of James Patterson, directing music videos for 80s hip hop stars, becoming the first African-American screenwriter to pen a $100 million grossing film, Schwarzenegger’s “Eraser,” intertwining his art with political activism in the 2008 Hillary Clinton campaign, partnering with post-Marvel Stan Lee, and co-writing, drawing, coloring and lettering the critically acclaimed Afro-futuristic comic series, Concrete Park. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand.

Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians.

#afrofuturism #concretepark #eraser

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Tony Puryear Afro-Futurism Interview Part 1 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Aug 01, 2022

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Tony Puryear, Hollywood screenwriter and Comic book writer/artist, discussing key phases of his diverse career, from his childhood encounters with Jack Kirby & Phil Seuling, his advertising career under the mentorship of James Patterson, directing music videos for 80s hip hop stars, becoming the first African-American screenwriter to pen a $100 million grossing film, Schwarzenegger’s “Eraser,” intertwining his art with political activism in the 2008 Hillary Clinton campaign, partnering with post-Marvel Stan Lee, and co-writing, drawing, coloring and lettering the critically acclaimed Afro-futuristic comic series, Concrete Park. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand.

Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians.

#afrofuturism #concretepark #eraser

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The Larry Hama: Early Years Interview by Alex Grand Jul 01, 2022

CBH's Alex Grand interviews comic book writer, penciler and entertainment property creator, Larry Hama discussing his early years including his childhood comics, his time at Manhattan's High School of Art and Design, learning how to draw from Bernard Krigstein, working with Larry Ivie and Bhob Stewart on Castle of Frankenstein, working with Ralph Reese as Wally Wood's assistance for the Overseas Weekly, illustrating for Esquire and Rolling Stone, underground comics like Drool #1 and Gothic Blimp works, training under Neal Adams at Continuity Associates, penciling Iron First, working at Atlas/Seaboard, Big Apple Comix with Flo Steinberg, getting hired by Jenette Kahn at DC Comics, joining Marvel in 1978, creating Bucky O'Hare with Michael Golden, bringing Underground cartoonists into Marvel's Crazy magazine, creating the characters for GI Joe: A Real American Hero, creating Spider-Ham, editing Savage Tales, Reading Kurtzman's Two-Fisted Tales and editing The 'NAM, overseeing antiheroes like Nth Man and Wolverine, and his advice on creating properties for the entertainment industry.

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Gary Groth Interview: Publisher, Comics Critic, Historian part 2 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Jun 01, 2022

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Fantagraphics publisher, The Comics Journal co-founder, and Genius in Literature Award recipient Gary Groth, in part 2 of a 2 parter covering his full publishing career starting at age 13, his greatest accomplishments and failures, feuds and friends, journalistic influences and ideals, lawsuits and controversies. Learn which category best describes ventures like Fantastic Fanzine, Metro Con ‘71, The Rock n Roll Expo ’75, Amazing Heroes, Honk!, Eros Comics, Peanuts, Dennis the Menace, Love and Rockets, Jacques Tardi, Neat Stuff and the famous Jack Kirby interview; and personalities like Jim Steranko, Pauline Kael,Harlan Ellison, Hunter S. Thompson, Kim Thompson, CC Beck, Jim Shooter, Alan Light and Jules Feiffer. Plus, Groth expresses his opinions ... on everything! Edited & Produced by Alex Grand.
Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, Photo ©Chris Anthony Diaz CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Music - standard license, Lost European.
CBH Interview Series
Comic Book Historians Podcast
#TheComicsJournal #GaryGroth #Fantagraphics

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Gary Groth Interview: Publisher, Comics Critic, Historian part 1 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson May 02, 2022

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Fantagraphics publisher, The Comics Journal co-founder, and Genius in Literature Award recipient Gary Groth, in Part 1 of a 2 parter covering his full publishing career starting at age 13, his greatest accomplishments and failures, feuds and friends, journalistic influences and ideals, lawsuits and controversies. Learn which category best describes ventures like Fantastic Fanzine, Metro Con ‘71, The Rock n Roll Expo ’75, Amazing Heroes, Honk!, Eros Comics, Peanuts, Dennis the Menace, Love and Rockets, Jacques Tardi, Neat Stuff and the famous Jack Kirby interview; and personalities like Jim Steranko, Pauline Kael,Harlan Ellison, Hunter S. Thompson, Kim Thompson, CC Beck, Jim Shooter, Alan Light and Jules Feiffer. Plus, Groth expresses his opinions ... on everything! Edited & Produced by Alex Grand.
Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, Photo ©Chris Anthony Diaz CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Music - standard license, Lost European.
CBH Interview Series
Comic Book Historians Podcast
#TheComicsJournal #GaryGroth #Fantagraphics

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Alex Segura, Comics Writer and Crime Novelist of Secret Identity Mar 15, 2022

Alex Grand sits down with crime and science fiction writer, Alex Segura who discusses his new book, Secret Identity, a noir mystery thriller based in the 1975 New York Comic Book Industry as well as his personal history in comics starting as a reader as a Cuban American child in Miami of the 1980s, joining Wizard as an associate editor, DC as Director of Publicity, Co-President of Archie Comics and now Senior VP at Oni Press. He also discusses his career in writing comic books including a Halloween special at DC, editor of the Dark Circle line at Archie Comics, writing Archie Meets the Ramones, Archie Meets Kiss and The Archies while also editing publications such as Archie Meets Batman '66 and Katy Keene. We also discuss his Anthony Award-nominated Peter Fernandez mystery series, his co-creation of the Lethal Lit Podcast mystery, contributing to Image Comics' Where We Live, co-writing the Black Ghost, and writing the novel, Poe Dameron: Free Fall.

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Scott Shaw! Interview, the king of cartoons part 2 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Mar 01, 2022

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview animation wizard and cartoonist, Scott Shaw! talking about his involvement in Underground Comics in the late 60s, early 70s, co-creating the San Diego Comic Con, Hanna Barbera Comics, creating and producing Saturday Morning Cartoons like the Flintstones, Muppet Babies, Camp Candy, Ed Grimley, etc, making Saturday Morning Cereal Commercials, contributing to Disney Films, his 40 year career span as a Comic Historian researching Oddball Comics, and his conversations with people like Rod Serling and Chester Gould. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. #ScottShaw #Flintstones #MartinShort #HannaBarbera

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Scott Shaw! Interview, the king of cartoons part 1 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Feb 01, 2022

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview animation wizard and cartoonist, Scott Shaw! talking about his involvement in Underground Comics in the late 60s, early 70s, co-creating the San Diego Comic Con, Hanna Barbera Comics, creating and producing Saturday Morning Cartoons like the Flintstones, Muppet Babies, Camp Candy, Ed Grimley, etc, making Saturday Morning Cereal Commercials, contributing to Disney Films, his 40 year career span as a Comic Historian researching Oddball Comics, and his conversations with people like Rod Serling and Chester Gould. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. #ScottShaw #Flintstones #MartinShort #HannaBarbera

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Mary Fleener, Queen of Comic Cubism with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Jan 03, 2022

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview comic cubist queen Mary Fleener from her early days as a teenager reading Zap Comix, her first comics in college, joining Weirdo Magazine under editors Peter Bagge, Robert Crumb and Aline Kominsky-Crumb, creating for Slutburger, Drawn and Quarterly, and her graphic novels including Billie The Bee. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians

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Chuck Dixon: Crime Comics Writer with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Dec 01, 2021

Alex Grand and Jim Thompson interview comic writer and 90s Batman thinktank, Chuck Dixon discussing his comic origins in the 80s independent circuit with Evangeline and Airboy, working for Archie Goodwin & Carl Potts on Epic & Marvel Comics, working with Denny O'Neill on Gotham City & the Batman comics of the 1990s creating properties utilized in movies, animation & Cartoons, leaving DC Comics for Crossgen comics, writing Simpsons & Transformers comics, his work with Sylvestor Stallone, and the more polarizing aspects of the author’s current projects, his collaborators and associations, and his views of the contemporary comics industry. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians.

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Steve Ditko presented by Mark Ditko, Carl Potts, and more! by Alex Grand at DITKO-CON 2021 Nov 01, 2021

CBH's Alex Grand travels to Johnstown, PA for the 2021 Ditko Comic Convention hosted by the Bottleworks Ethnic Art Center and the Ditko Family. Steve Ditko, his Bottleworks art exhibit and the Ditko convention is discussed here with Ditkoverse coordinator and nephew, Mark Ditko as well as comics editor and writer Carl Potts, writer-artist Javier Hernandez, visuaLecturist Arlen Schumer, and former senior VP at MGM David Armstrong. Each one shares an aspect or anecdote about Steve Ditko that most people don't know about. Where do Ditko hands come from?
🎬 Edited & Produced by Alex Grand, ©2021 Comic Book Historians.

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Bill Stout: Illustrator and Creative Architect part 2 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Oct 01, 2021

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview comic artist, fantasy illustrator and creative architect Bill Stout, discussing Conan the Barbarian and the Destroyer, Masters of the Universe, his work with Roger Corman, his Dinosaur art career with museums, murals and education books, and his journey to Antarctica. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians.

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Bill Stout: Illustrator and Creative Architect part 1 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Sep 01, 2021

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview comic artist, fantasy illustrator and creative architect Bill Stout, discussing his early work in the comic fanzines, bootleg album covers, record label designer, his apprenticeship to Russ Manning on Tarzan and also to Harvey Kurtzman/Will Elder for Little Annie Fanny, Movie Posters, production design and storyboarding for films like Raiders of the Lost Ark. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians.

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Who is Steve Ditko? with Mark Ditko by Alex Grand Aug 02, 2021

A sit down chat between Alex Grand & Steve Ditko's nephew, Mark on various key aspects of the Spider-Man co-creators life, characters and motivations in this career spanning interview. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand.
Interview ©2021 Comic Book Historians
Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians.

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Peter Sanderson: Comics' Archivist part 2 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Jul 01, 2021

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview comic archivist, author, critic and historian, Peter Sanderson who discusses the end of his Marvel tenure, Mark Gruenwald's death, the circumstances of the layoffs during the 1995 bankruptcy era, working with Bill Jemas, working for IGN for Comics in Context, later for Kevin Smith, and publishing various works on Marvel history and continuity like Marvel Vault 2006 with Roy Thomas, Marvel Travel Guide to New York City 2007, and curating an exhibition on Stan Lee for Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians.

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Peter Sanderson: Comics' Archivist part 1 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Jun 01, 2021

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview comic archivist, author, critic and historian, Peter Sanderson who was a regular contributer to Julius Schwartz' Flash Grams in the 1960s, to Omniverse with Mark Gruenwald, DC Universe's Who's Who making Crisis on Infinite Earth's possible with Marv Wolfman. In the first of a two parter, he also discusses joining Marvel indexing and writing biographies and assessing strengths in the Handbook of the Marvel Universe, writing the Marvel Saga, the Wolverine Saga, and working under Jim Shooter and Tom DeFalco. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians.

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Don McGregor Career Interview part 2 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson May 01, 2021

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview comic writer Don McGregor, in a second parter on his road to Black Panther, discussing how he moved from Warren Magazines to Marvel in the early 1970s, his first writing job with Gardner Fox, Amazing Adventures with Killraven with P. Craig Russell, his Black Panther run with Rich Buckler, Gil Kane, Billy Graham and his sincere fondness for Gene Colan. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians.

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Don McGregor Career Interview part 1 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Apr 01, 2021

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview comic writer Don McGregor, in the first of a multi-parter on his road to Black Panther, discussing his childhood, jobs out of high school, his first experience with social justice at a Hopalong Cassidy fan meeting, Phil Seuling Comic Convention, introducing himself to Jim Steranko in 1969, heckling Jim Warren into a job, meeting collaborator Billy Graham, and writing the first interracial kiss in newsstand comics. Don also discusses the comics and book writers and artists that influenced his writing as a kid in this kick off episode including Bill Gaines, Al Feldstein, Jim Steranko, and Reed Crandall. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians.

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Ken Quattro Interview: Invisible Men by Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Mar 01, 2021

“Comics Detective” Ken Quattro talks in detail with Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson about his terrific new book, “Invisible Men:The Trailblazing Black Artists of Comic Books.” The lives of pre-Golden Age figures are examined such as Adolph Barreaux who contributed to the first DC and Harvey Comics, Matt Baker, Orrin Evans, George Evans, Hollingsworth, and Calvin Massey. Learn about some behinds the scene information on Will Eisner, Stan Lee, Walter Gibson, Harry Donnenfeld and more. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand.
#InvisibleMen #KenQuattro #MattBaker #StanLee

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Ron Frenz: Marvelous Comic Artist part 3 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Feb 01, 2021

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview comic artist, Ron Frenz in the third of a 3 parter discussing his run on the Mighty Thor with Tom DeFalco co-creating characters like Mongoose, Quicksand, Earthforce, Code Blue, the Celtic Gods, Stellaris, the New Warriors, starting up and ending Thunderstrike amidst the Marvel Bankruptcy, leaving Marvel to work on Superman/Blue with Dan Jurgens, co-creating Spider-Girl and the MC2 Universe, making the second Thunderstrike volume, drawing for Outdoors life and his current project, The Blue Baron inked by the legendary Sal Buscema. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians.

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Ron Frenz: Marvelous Comic Artist part 2 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Jan 11, 2021

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview comic artist, Ron Frenz in the second of a 3 parter discussing his run on Spider-Man with Roger Stern and Tom DeFalco, working under editor Danny Fingeroth and then Jim Owsley, co-creating characters like Black Fox and Puma, the circumstances of leaving Spidey, and ending up with The Mighty Thor for 5 years co-creating a pantheon of characters and places. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians.

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Ron Frenz: Marvelous Comic Artist part 1 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Dec 21, 2020

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview comic artist, Ron Frenz in a first of a 3 parter discussing his childhood in Pittsburgh,his favorite comics as a kid, meeting Marie Severin at a local convention, reading How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way by John Buscema, giving art samples to Jim Shooter at a later convention, his work in animation working on the Creepshow 1982 film, starting work at Marvel on Ka-Zar with Bruce Jones and Louise Jones, Star Wars with Tom Palmer, Marvel Team Up with Tom DeFalco and the beginning of his comics career on Spider-Man. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians.

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Joe Staton Career Interview: Detective Comic Artist part 2 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Dec 01, 2020

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview comic artist, Joe Staton in a second of a 2 parter discussing his DC Career with All Star Comics, The Justice Society of America, Earth 2 Superheroes, Green Lantern, Omega Men, collaborations with Paul Levitz & Marv Wolfman, conflict with Sol Harrison, his art director career with First Comics working with guys like Mike Gold and Howard Chaykin, over 100 issues of Scooby Doo comics, and his current Harvey Award winning project with the Dick Tracy comic strip. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians.

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Joe Staton Career Interview: E-Man Comic Artist part 1 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Nov 14, 2020

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview comic artist, Joe Staton, from his early fanzine days in the 60s, to starting his professional comic's career with Jim Warren Magazines, Charlton with their bullseye fanzine and the CPL gang, co-creating E-Man with Nick Cuti, Space: 1999, Six Million Dollar Man, inking Sal Buscema on the Avengers and Herbe Trimpe on the Hulk in the mid 1970s, the Marvel black and white magazines and his work on Mike Friedrich's Star Reach in this first of a 2 parter. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians.

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Kim Munson & the History of Comic Art in Museums Interview by Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Oct 30, 2020

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview author & Comic Art Museum curator Kim Munson, the editor of the Comic Art in Museums anthology and the exhibition catalogs Dual Views: Labor Landmarks of San Francisco and On Reflection: the Art of Margaret Harrison, as well as many contributions to academic books, journals, magazines, and other publications. She is also the co-curator with her cohort, Trina Robbins Society of Illustrators museum in New York, the Women in Comics: Looking Forward and Back exhibition. We discuss her museum exhibition as well as the history of Comic Art in Museums going back 100 years. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand.

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Lev Gleason American Daredevil Interview with Brett Dakin by Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Oct 15, 2020

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Lawyer and writer Brett Dakin, about his new book, a biography of his grand-uncle Lev Gleason of Lev Gleason Comic Publications discussing his formation of the first modern comic book with Charles Max Gaines, starting the Golden Age Daredevil and Crime Comics with Charles Biro and Bob Wood, his political battles with the House of Unamerican Activities Committee, the FBI, Frederick Wertham, Estes Kefauver, and the Comics Code of America. Explore the life of both Lev Gleason and Lev Gleason Publications. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand.
CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Music ©Lost European

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David Anthony Kraft: Comic Writer and Publisher Part 2 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Oct 01, 2020

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview David Anthony Kraft discussing his Defenders run, then dive into his character defining run on She-Hulk in her first series, his Music references like Blue Oyster Cult, his Beatles Marvel Super Specials, his Children Books with Marvel Special Projects under Sol Brodsky, why he left Marvel and DC Comics in 1983, publishing his Comics Interview Magazine from 1983-1995, publishing sci fi books by authors like Don McGregor, his work in animation for shows like GI Joe Extreme, his recent work Yi Soon Shin, and his 3 mentors, Leigh Brackett, Stan Lee and E. Hoffman Price in this second of a 2 parter. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians

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David Anthony Kraft: Rock N Roll Journalist and Comic Writer Part 1 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Sep 15, 2020

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview David Anthony Kraft from his humble beginnings in the late 1960s becoming the agent of the Otis Adelbert Kline, Publisher of Fictioneer Science Fiction Books, his early 1970s Marvel work with Roy Thomas, his work at Atlas Comics in 1975 with Chip and Martin Goodman, Giant Size Dracula with Marvel new comer John Byrne, working under Gerry Conway at DC Comics, his editing run on FOOM under Sol Brodsky, his Marvel Defenders run under Stan Lee working with Keith Giffen and Carmine Infantino all discussed in this first part of a 2 parter. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians

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Mort Weisinger's Legacy and Hendre Weisinger with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Sep 01, 2020

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Hendre Weisinger, son of former DC editor Mort Weisinger, discussing his legacy and career as science fiction author and agent, former editor of Thrilling Wonder Stories for Standard Magazines, DC Comics editor from 1941-1970, with a variety of concepts that came about under his editorship: Supergirl, Krypto, Phantom Zone, Kandor, Legion of Superheroes and having more than 1 kryptonite, the Yellow vs Red sun, Imaginary Stories, Superman Annuals. Co creator of Johnny Quick, Vigilante, Tarantula, Green Arrow and Aquaman, story edit the George Reeves TV Superman series, and was Jim Shooters child hood mentor in comics. Who was his favorite Superman Artist? What did he think of Neal Adams or Jack Kirby? How was his working relationship with Julius Schwartz, Forrest Ackerman or Jack Schiff? Alot to find out! Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians

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Carl Potts: Editor, Artist & Professor Part 2 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Aug 14, 2020

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview former Marvel Executive Editor and Epic Imprint Editor in Chief, Writer, Artist & Professor Carl Potts in part 2 of a 2 parter, where we discuss his later work at Marvel including building up the Punisher from a side character into his own character, with the Punisher Mini Series with Mike Zeck, creating the Punisher War Journal with Jim Lee, working with Mark Gruenwald, editing under Jim Shooter and Tom DeFalco, why he left Marvel, his work on his own creator owned Alien Legion, and his work as a Professor at various universities including the School of Visual Arts. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians

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Carl Potts: Editor, Artist & Professor Part 1 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Aug 03, 2020

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview former Marvel Executive Editor and Epic Imprint Editor in Chief, Writer, Artist & Professor Carl Potts in part 1 of a 2 parter, where we discuss his early days at San Diego Comic Con 1973, breaking into DC Comics with fellow fanzine artist, Jim Starlin, assisting and learning comic book production with Neal Adams & Dick Giordano at Continuity Studios, his Advertising work, and starting as an Editor at Marvel comics working with artists like John Byrne and Bill Sienkiewicz. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians

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Erik Larsen: Comic Book Maker Part 3 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Jul 15, 2020

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Erik Larsen in this third of a three parter, discussing his development of Savage Dragon, the Savage Dragon cartoon series for the USA network, Marvel in-jokes present in the series, working with Steve Gerber on pulling Howard the Duck out of the Marvel Universe, the corporate structure of Image Comics and the organizing styles of Larry Marder, then publisher Jim Valentino and then Erik himself as Image publisher, working with Alan Moore, the partner shakeups with Rob Liefeld & Jim Lee, finally working on Nova at Marvel, going to Savage Dragon full time, his Inkwell Awards, Captain America The End, and Savage Dragon 250. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians

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Erik Larsen: Comic Book Maker Part 2 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Jul 01, 2020

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Erik Larsen, in the second of a three parter, discussing his run on Spider-Man, working with various writers like David Michelinie, trying his hand at a Nova comic book series, starting Image Comics with its cofounders, publishing material from his Highbrow Entertainment, creating the Savage Dragon comic book series, working with writers like Keith Giffen and artists like Dave Johnson, along with commentary on Marvel and the industry in general. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians

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Erik Larsen: Comic Book Maker Part 1 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Jun 15, 2020

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Erik Larsen, in the first of a three parter, from his childhood reading his dad's Golden Age comics like Captain Marvel, creating the Savage Dragon as a kid, his early Fanzine Graphic Fantasy, his run in the Independent Comics like AC Comics for Sentinels of Justice and Eclipse for DNAgents, then breaking into DC Comics working on various titles like Doom Patrol and then his early work at Marvel Comics like Punisher & Excalibur before Spider-Man. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians

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Steve Geppi: The Godfather of Comics Part 2 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Jun 01, 2020

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson chat with Steve Geppi head of Diamond Comics Distribution about the second half of the interview via livestream. We continue from his role as distributor, to various decisions positioning him as the president of the main comics distribution company in North America and the United Kingdom, with various expansions into games and publishing. Steve also goes through in detail how he’ll help the modern comic book industry from the economic collapse of COVID19! Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Video © Comic Book Historians 2020

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Steve Geppi: The Godfather of Comics Part 1 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson May 15, 2020

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson sit down with Steve Geppi, head of Diamond Comics Distributors, formed 1982 discussing various phases of his comics career via livestream. We start from his humble beginnings as a comics dealer, comics retailer, sub distributer, distributor, to various decisions positioning him as the president of the main comics distribution company in North America and the United Kingdom, with various expansions into games and publishing. Steve also goes through in detail how he’ll help the modern comic book industry from the economic collapse of COVID19! Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Audio © Comic Book Historians 2020

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Bill Sienkiewicz & Howard Chaykin's Vulgar Shenanigans May 01, 2020

Esteemed guests from the professional comics world, illustrator Bill Sienkiewicz and writer-artist Howard Chaykin present their work at Design History of Comics and Animation class at ArtCenter College of Design, in the Ahmanson Auditorium on the Hillside Campus in Pasadena, CA at 7pm on Monday, February 25th, 2019. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Michael Dooley

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Michael Dooley, Adjunct Professor of Comics with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Apr 15, 2020

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Michael Dooley, Adjunct Professor of Comics and Animation History at Pasadena’s ArtCenter College of Design and Print Magazine Contributing Editor for the past 20 years. Born in 1948, he discusses his youth as a New Yorker, reading Mad Comics and following the careers of Harvey Kurtzman and his disciples, Robert Crumb and Art Spiegelman. He earned his Design Degree at Pratt, entered his feld of graphic design, and launched a career teaching Comic Art history as well as curating Museum exhibits on the topic. He was involved with Comic Fandom in the ’80s, contributing to The Comics Journal. In this episode he covers a variety of topics, including Kurtzman, Steranko, Sienkiewicz, magazine cartoons, editorial cartoons, political comics, comic strips, adventure comics, alternative comics, graphic novels, and the profession and business of Comics. He also discusses his ArtCenter lectures, which include guests like Howard Chaykin and Bill Sienkiewicz, as well as an updating of his 2005 book, The Education of a Comics Artist. Plus, he recommends great comic academic sources like the Comic Book Historians podcast and YouTube channel videos, wink wink ;). Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians

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Tom DeFalco: Consummate Professional Part 3 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Apr 01, 2020

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview former Marvel Editor in Chief, Tom DeFalco in a third of a three parter, where we discuss his reign as Marvel as Editor-in-Chief, his run on the Fantastic Four with artist Paul Ryan, the original vision for the Spider-Man Clone Saga, the Marvel bankruptcy of the mid 1990s, the Clone Saga ending that led to his co-creation of the Amazing Spider-Girl, working with Pat Oliffe, the creation of the MC2 timeline, and his post Marvel work, and returning the Archie. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians

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Tom DeFalco: Consummate Professional Part 2 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Mar 15, 2020

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview former Marvel Editor in Chief, Tom DeFalco in the second of a three parter, where we discuss his creative contributions to GI Joe, Transformers, Marvel Two In One Thing with Sandman, Peter-Porker/Spider-Ham, Machine Man with Herb Trimpe and Barry Windsor-Smith, writing Amazing Spider-Man with artist Ron Frenz, the Mighty Thor, working under Jim Shooter as Marvel as Editor-in-Chief, his replacement by Tom DeFalco, and the sale of Marvel to Revlon by New World, and Marvel going public. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians

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Tom DeFalco: Consummate Professional Part 1 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Mar 01, 2020

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview former Marvel Editor in Chief, Tom DeFalco from his early days reading comics, his comic strip work in college, his meetings with John Goldwater, Louis Silberkleit working at Archie Comics, creating the Archie Digests in 1973, his work at DC with E. Nelson Bridwell including Jimmy Olsen, Superman Family, Starfire, his initial meetings with Denny O'Neil, Marvel Two-In-One at Marvel Comics, Avengers and creating Dazzler with John Romita Jr. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians

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Bob Camp & George Lowe: Maestros of Animation with Alex Grand Feb 14, 2020

Alex Grand moderates an Animation Panel at Dallas Fantasy Fair 2018 interviewing two titans of cartoons, Bob Camp and George Lowe with an overview of their careers. Bob Camp talks about starting at Marvel Comics working with John Buscema and Larry Hama, moving onto animation, working on cartoons like Thundercats, Real Ghostbusters, Tiny Toon Adventures and Ren and Stimpy. George Lowe discusses his work as a DJ then as a voice over actor including his work as the main voice in Space Ghost Coast to Coast. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Ren & Stimpy ©Viacom, Space Ghost ©Warner Bros, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians

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Frank Thorne: Wizard of the Comic Arts Part 2 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Feb 02, 2020

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Frank Thorne, born in 1930, he discusses his past and current works, with a career that spans from the late 1940s, utilizing and expanding on inspirations like Alex Raymond, Hal Foster, and Neil O'Keefe, a late 1940s graduate of the Art Career School in Manhattan, working at Dell, Gold Key and DC Comics with an explosion of fan activity in the 1970s and 80s with his comic work centered around strong beautiful female characters like Red Sonya. This episode finishes after his work on Red Sonya and we explore his famous other femme fatales like Ghita, Lann for Heavy Metal, Ribit for Comico, Danger Rangerette for National Lampoon, Moonshine McJuggs for Playboy, his working relationship with Hugh Hefner, his interactions with other prominent comic figures like Alex Toth, Gary Groth, Jim Steranko and Neal Adams. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians

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Frank Thorne: Wizard of the Comic Arts Part 1 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Jan 15, 2020

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Frank Thorne, born in 1930, he discusses his past and current works, with a career that spans from the late 1940s, utilizing and expanding on inspirations like Alex raymond, Hal Foster, and Neil O'Keefe, a late 1940s graduate of the Art Career School in Manhattan, working at Dell, Gold Key and DC Comics with an explosion of fan activity in the 1970s and 80s with his comic work centered around strong beautiful female characters like Red Sonya. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians

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Jonny Harvey on The Legacy of Harvey Comics with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Jan 01, 2020

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson discuss the history of Harvey Comics with the grandson of Leon Harvey, Jonny Harvey, documentary filmmaker. From its humble beginnings in 1939, Al Harvey started Harvey comics from a business deal with Irving Manheimer and Worth Carnahan. His two brother’s, Robert and Leon Harvey joined and this family found success licensing characters for comics like the Green Hornet, Dick Tracy, Flash Gordon and Paramount Picture's Casper the Friendly Ghost. Harvey developed Casper into what we know today and also created original characters like Richie Rich. In 1958, Harvey purchased the rights to Casper, and got more characters like Hot Stuff printing comics for young kids. Despite its huge pop cultural success, The Harvey Family ceased publishing comics, and then sold the company in 1989. How did this mighty empire collapse and leave us the legacy of Casper the Friendly Ghost? Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians

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Paul Levitz: Publisher & President Part 2 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Dec 16, 2019

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Paul Levitz, former President and Publisher of DC Comics, In this second of a 2-parter, we discuss his writing and editing Batman in 1978, working with Julius Schwartz, the changes in the 1980s that he and Jenette Kahn brought to DC Comics, Jim Shooter's effect on both companies, the payment of royalties to artists and creators, publishing Will Eisner's work, the effect of the DC Movies on DC Comic's corporate identity, growth of the Direct Market, hiring Frank Miller, John Byrne, Alan Moore, Karen Berger's Vertigo, his role as President and his new project for Valiant Comics, The Visitor. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians

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Paul Levitz: Comics Fan, Writer & Editor Part 1 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Dec 02, 2019

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Paul Levitz (currently writing his Visitor run for Valiant). Paul is former President and Publisher of DC Comics, who started in the Fanzines in 1971, assistant to Joe Orlando, working under Carmine Infantino then Jenette Kahn as Publisher, and Freelance writer, to full time Editor and writer in 1976, working on All Star Comics with Wally Wood, Stalker with Steve Ditko, and promotion to upper management, Vice President in the 1980s with a lengthy run on the Legion of Superheroes and co-creating many characters like Huntress. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians

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Attorneys vs Historians 2: Howard the Duck Cease and Desist with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Nov 15, 2019

A very special podcast, Alex Grand and lawyer/panel originator Jim Thompson, team up with attorney Daniel Barer, and entertainment law professor Marc Greenberg at San Diego Comic Con 2019 Comics Art Conference to discuss how Cease and Desist changes the narrative of stories in the comics world using examples from the late 1970s to early 1980s, Steve Gerber's Howard the Duck, Destroyer Duck and Dave Sim's Cerberus. How is Jim Shooter involved in all three cases? how does this relate to Spider-Ham? what about that odd Howard the Duck appearance at the end of the Guardian's of the Galaxy movie? Does any of this change the price of custard in china? Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians

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Film Critic, Lauren Veneziani and the Comic Age of Movies with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Nov 01, 2019

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Lauren Veneziani, also known by her social media handle, dcfilmgirl, knowledgable Film Critic based in Washington DC seen every Saturday on NBC Baltimore. We discuss the Comic Age of Movies dissecting the Richard Donner, Bryan Singer and Zack Snyder's Superman films, Tim Burton's and Chris Nolan's Batman, Blade, X-Men, Raimi's, Webb's and MCU's Spider-Man, Superhero deconstruction films like Special, Super, Kick-Ass, Deadpool, the Robert Downey Jr MCU, and the Alan Moore adaptation films. How did each film contribute to the art of comic book adaptation to film, as well as the implementation of the Super Hero genre onto the big screen? Captain Marvel, yay or nay? Listen and decide! Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians

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Mark Chiarello: Art Director Behind the Curtain Part 2 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Oct 15, 2019

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Mark Chiarello, former painter, art director and editor in the comics business. As a painter, he has worked on such projects as the Batman story Batman/Houdini: The Devil's Workshop and Clive Barker's Hellraiser. As an editor for DC Comics, he co-created the Batman: Black & White mini-series (for which he received Eisner Awards in 1997 and again in 2003) and fan favorite series like Solo and Wednesday Comics. In this episode we discuss the second half of his career discussing his work with creators like Darwyn Cooke, Tim Sale, on projects like Solo and Wednesday Comics and some details around his leaving DC Comics in 2019. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians

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Mark Chiarello: Art Director Behind the Curtain Part 1 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Oct 01, 2019

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Mark Chiarello, illustrator, former art director and editor in the comics business. As a painter, he has worked on such projects as the Batman story Batman/Houdini: The Devil's Workshop and Clive Barker's Hellraiser. As an editor for DC Comics, he co-created the Batman: Black & White mini-series (for which he received Eisner Awards in 1997 and again in 2003) and fan favorite series like Solo and Wednesday Comics. In this episode we discuss the first half of his career starting at Disney World, then Animation, then Marvel Comics Epic imprint under Archie Goodwin, and his initial works at DC Comics. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians

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All Star 3: Anthony Tollin, Whilce Portacio, Jimmie Robinson, Benton Jew, & Jim Cheung with Alex Grand. Sep 16, 2019

Alex Grand goes to San Diego Comic Con 2019 and interviews Anthony Tollin, Whilce Portacio, Jimmie Robinson, Benton Jew, and Jim Cheung for an All Star CBH Podcast special.
Anthony Tollin was a prolific comic colorist influenced by comics from the Golden and Silver Age, who started working at DC Comics in the early 1970s discussing his influences and co-workers like Sol Harrison, Irv Novick, Jack Adler, Jim Aparo, Bob Oksner, Walter Gibson, Lee Falk, Jack Kirby, Joe Simon, George Perez and John Byrne. He also discusses his involvement in Pulp history with the Shadow and Radio involvement with the Lone Ranger. While Portacio, comic artist influenced by Neal Adams, Jack Kirby and Alex Nino, grew up on a variety of genres in comic books especially fantasy and sci fi, got his start at Marvel inking projects like Longshot in 1985, discovered by Carl Potts and worked on titles like Punisher, X-Men and X-Factor before moving to Image Comics in the 90s. Jimmie Robinson, comic artist who grew up on a variety of genres in comic books, inspired by Neal Adams, got his start in independent comics, discovered by Jim Valentino and created Bomb Queen for Image Comics. Benton Jew, comic artist and story board artist who has worked on various characters like She Hulk, Wolverine, Agents of Atlas, Venom, Wonder Woman and independents like Monster Verse. Jim Cheung, comic artist for the 90s who was artist for variety of superhero teams like Force Works, X-Force, Avengers, and DC's Justice League. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Sound FX - Standard License. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, images used for academic purpose only.

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Josef Rubinstein, Comic Book Inker of All Part 2 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Sep 01, 2019

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Josef Rubinstein, famous comic book inker that has inked over more characters and more pencilers than anyone else in comic book history. Josef discusses his inks on the Wolverine Limited Series on Frank Miller's layouts, his inks on Justice League, his favorite Inker on both Jack Kirby and Carmine Infantino, and philosophically discusses the potential death of the role of an inker in comics, and some fun conflicts with Alex Toth and Gil Kane. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians

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Josef Rubinstein: Comic Book Inker of All Part 1 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Aug 16, 2019

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Josef Rubinstein, famous comic book inker that has inked over more characters and more pencilers than anyone else in comic book history. Josef takes us into his early life in Germany, immigrating to the USA , being hired at Continuity Comics under Neal Adams and Dick Giordano, working with comic book greats like Jack Abel and Wally Wood during his time at the Overseas Weekly, his early comic assignments on Kamandi with Michael Nasser, Warlock with Jim Starlin, John Byrne on Captain America, and working for editor Jim Shooter at Marvel Comics in the early 1980s. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians

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Danny Fingeroth: Editor & Writer Part 3 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Aug 02, 2019

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Danny Fingeroth, former editor and writer of Marvel Comics for close to two decades in a third parter. Danny takes us into his Darkhawk series and his final days at Marvel as Tom DeFalco was removed as editor in chief, and other changes that took place that caused him to leave the company, his time with Byron Preiss in new comics media, Whirl Girl for Showtime, his publications for TwoMorrows WriteNow! and Stan Lee Universe, his scholarly comics work Superman on the Couch, Disguised as Clark Kent, Rough Guide to Graphic novels, his time promoting Will Eisner awareness, his coordination of Wizard World Convention Panels and his upcoming book, A Marvelous Life, The Amazing Story of Stan Lee. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians

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Danny Fingeroth: Editor & Writer Part 2 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Jul 16, 2019

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Danny Fingeroth, former editor and writer of Marvel Comics for close to two decades in a second parter. Danny takes us into his initial days as editor of the Spider-Man line of comics in 1983, writing Dazzler, editing writing other titles like Marvel Saga with Pete Sanderson, Star Wars, his hiatus as staff in comics to freelance, the cultural change switching from Jim Shooter to Tom DeFalco as Marvel's Editor in Chief 1987 and returning as staff 1989 in full force working on Alpha Flight, Amazing Spider-Man, The New Warriors and Moon Knight working with artists like Ron Frenz, Erik Larsen, Mark Bagley, etc and how the 1980s Marvel creator incentive program caused the Image Revolution. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians

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Danny Fingeroth: Editor & Writer Part 1 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Jul 01, 2019

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Danny Fingeroth, former editor and writer of Marvel Comics for close to two decades, Danny takes us into his early life, being hired in comics under Larry Lieber, then working with various editors, Archie Goodwin, Louise Simonson, Jim Shooter, Tom DeFalco, and Sol Brodsky working on Captain Britain for Marvel UK, Marvel Reprints, Dazzler, Uncanny X-Men, Micronauts and the Amazing Spider-Man in the early 80s. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians

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Howard Chaykin, Dark Prince of Comics part 2 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Jun 15, 2019

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview the Prince of Comics, Howard Chaykin part 2 discussing his work on American Flagg, the Shadow, Time Square, Blackhawk, Alan Moore, Frank Miller, Black Kiss, Cyberella with Don Cameron, his Television career including the 1990s Flash TV show, Legend with Russ Heath, Hawkgirl with Walt Simsonson, his Marvel career in 2012, Black Kiss 2, the controversy surrounding the Divided States of Hysteria, and finally his ode to comic history, Hey Kids! Comics! Should Batman fight crime wearing a ball gag? Find out here. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Music - Standard License. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians

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Howard Chaykin, Dark Prince of Comics part 1 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson May 31, 2019

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Howard Chaykin, discussing his life from when he was born in 1950 through his childhood comic book reading of 1960s Marvel, his training under Gil Kane, Wally Wood and Neal Adams in the late 1960s through the 1970s, his early Marvel, DC, Atlas Seaboard Comics, Byron Press Graphic Novels, Heavy Metal and on into American Flagg for First Comics. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Music - Standard License. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians

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Trina Robbins, Superstar Part 2 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson May 15, 2019

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview the illustrious Trina Robbins in our sequel to episode 34, where we dovetail into 1985 and the beginning of her comic history career examining her evolving Women and Comics book that explores various women in comic history, A Century of Women Cartoonists, The Great Women Superheroes, Nell Brinkley, Women Who Kill, Goddesses with Attitude, The Golden Age of Chinese Nightclubs in San Francisco, Miss Fury, Lily Renee, and her autobiography Last Girl Standing discussing figures like Forrest Ackerman and Vaugh Bode. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Find out more about underground women's comic pioneer and comic book historian, Trina Robbins, Superstar. Music - Standard License. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
Podcast and Audio ©℗ 2019 Comic Book Historians

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Tim Sale: The Gentleman's Artist part 2 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Apr 30, 2019

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Tim Sale, discussing his life and career in a second of a 2 parter which covers his work from his Marvel Color series and his involvement in the Heroes TV show in 2005, Superman Confidential with Darwyn Cooke, the Captain America White series which changed the way he and Jeph Loeb worked together, his run ins with various pop cultures figure like Joss Whedon, his artistic influences like Steve Ditko, Alex Toth, Neal Adams, Normal Rockwell, Mark Chiarello and more! Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Music - Standard License. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorian

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Tim Sale: The Gentleman's Artist part 1 with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Apr 12, 2019

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Tim Sale, discussing his life from when he was born in 1956, through his childhood comic book reading of 1960s Marvel, his training under John Buscema in the late 1970s, his 1980 inks of Mythadventures, his working relationship with Jeph Loeb on 1990s Marvel and DC like Batman Long Halloween and Superman for All Seasons, his Marvel Color series and his involvement in the Heroes TV show in 2005. This is the first of a two parter interview that covers the life and times of Tim Sale from 1956 to 2005. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Music - Standard License. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Thumbnail Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians

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Hey Kids! Donald Duck & Superheroes! with Alex Grand, Jim Thompson and Peter Coogan Mar 29, 2019

Alex Grand and co-hosts Jim Thompson and Peter Coogan discuss various Comic History archival works in a Second Look podcast. Alex discusses Howard Chaykin's Hey Kids! Comics!, Jim talks about How to Read Donald Duck and the comics presence in South America, and Pete Coogan discusses his book on Superheroes as a Genre. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Music - Standard License. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
Podcast and Audio ©℗ 2019 Comic Book Historians

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1978: A Hard Year for Adult Storytelling in Graphic Novels & Film Mar 15, 2019

Alex Grand and guest co-host Larry King discuss the attempts at adult story telling in the comic industry in the year 1978. The urge for the industry to start to shift toward graphic novels and serious filmmaking is discussed with A Contract with God, Jack Kirby and Stan Lee's Silver Surfer, Don McGregor and Gulacy's Sabre, the Richard Donner Superman 1, the 1984 Warren Magazine, and the made for TV marvel productions like Dr. Strange and Spider-Man. There is also a highlight on adult consequences in the comic industry with the 1978 DC Implosion. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Music - Standard License. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
Podcast and Audio ©℗ 2019 Comic Book Historians

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1975 Atlas Seaboard Comics, Revenge of the Goodmans!! with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Mar 01, 2019

Alex Grand and Jim Thompson discuss the upstart comics line, Atlas Seaboard that ran from 1974-1975, the motivations behind the scenes with Martin and his son, Chip Goodman, as well as the various comics creators that did some early work there like Walt Simonson and Larry Hama as well as big names of the time like Steve Ditko, Wally Wood and Alex Toth. What was Atlas' place in comic history? What long term effects did it have on the industry? Why did Martin Goodman want Marvel Comics to suffer? Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Music - Standard License. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
Podcast and Audio ©℗ 2019 Comic Book Historians

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All In Color for a Dime (Novel) with Alex Grand & Jim Thompson Feb 15, 2019

Alex Grand, Jim Thompson and guest co-host Larry King discuss books that remark on Comic History and give those books and those segments of comic history a second look, discussing science fiction pulp history written in Astounding by Alec Nevala Lee in 2018, commentary on The Great Comic Heroes by Jules Feiffer in 1965, and the representation of color and mood in comics like Mike Mignola's 1992 Bram Stoker's Dracula. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Music - Standard License. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians

Podcast and Audio ©℗ 2019 Comic Book Historians

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Trina Robbins, Superstar Part 1 with Alex Grand and Jim Thompson Feb 01, 2019

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview the illustrious Trina Robbins, underground women's comic pioneer, comic book historian, and defender of social justice as we discuss her life and times from her childhood in the 1940s, Sci-Fi Fandom in the 1950s, her underground comics work in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as her mainstream comics work in the 1980s. Various topics include Steve Ditko, Wally Wood, Harlan Ellison, Stan Lee, Roy Thomas and more! Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Music - Standard License. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
Podcast and Audio ©℗ 2019 Comic Book Historians

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Robert Beerbohm's Comic Store Wars with Alex Grand and Jim Thompson Jan 18, 2019

Alex Grand and co-host Jim Thompson interview Robert Beerbohm, who continues off his and Alex's Dark Comics Mystery panel at the 2018 Dallas Fantasy Fair (found at the CBH Youtube Channel Panel series playlist), discussing his Comic Book Store life and times from 1975 to 1992, with some discussion of his involvement in the Overstreet price guide and his discovery of the first comic book from the 1840's The Adventures of Obadiah Oldbuck. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Music - Standard License. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
Podcast and Audio ©℗ 2019 Comic Book Historians
The link for the Dark Comics Mystery Panel with Robert Beerbohm and Alex Grand is found here: https://youtu.be/2mb-CM7iT6s

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The Steranko Experience Part 2 with Jim Steranko & Alex Grand Jan 04, 2019

Alex Grand interviews Steranko in a sequel to the Steranko Experience, discussing his life from when he finished out his term at Marvel Comics with Stan Lee 1970, creating the fanzine, FOOM, writing his 2 Volume History of Comics, starting his SuperGraphics publication company, his magazine series from Comixscene to Mediascene to Prevue, his 1975 Graphic Novel Red Tide, his 1981 Outland adaptation for Heavy Metal, his visual creator design of Indiana Jones for Lucas and Spielberg, his piece in the 1984 Superman 400 anniversary issue for Julius Schwartz, his collaboration with Francis Ford Coppola for 1992 Bram Stoker's Dracula, the end of Prevue Magazine in 1996 and beyond into his present projects. This is the second of a two parter interview that covers the life and times of Steranko 1967-Present. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Music - Standard License. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Thanks to Steranko associate J. David Spurlock for making the introductions. Interview ©2018 Alex Grand. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
Podcast and Audio ©℗ 2019 Comic Book Historians

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The Steranko Experience Part 1 with Jim Steranko & Alex Grand Dec 21, 2018

Alex Grand interviews Jim Steranko, discussing his life from when he was born in 1938, through his childhood comic book and strip fascinations, his teenage Magician and Rock and Roll years with Billy Haley, where he created the first Go Go dancer, his Advertising career in his early 20s, his 1965 stint with Harvey (with Joe Simon) and Tower Comics (with Wally Wood), a meeting with Ralph Bakshi, eventually landing at Marvel Comics with Stan Lee in 1966. This is the first of a two parter interview that covers the life and times of Steranko 1938-1966. Music - Standard License. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Artwork ©Comic Book Historians. Interview ©Alex Grand 2018. Thanks to Steranko associate J. David Spurlock for making the introductions. Interview ©2018 Alex Grand. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
Podcast and Audio ©℗ 2019 Comic Book Historians

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Mike Royer, Inker of the Greats with Alex Grand Dec 07, 2018

Join us from the Dallas Fantasy Fair, November 25, 2018 as Alex Grand interviews the famous inker, Mike Royer. Mike discusses his career starting out assisting Russ Manning on various projects like Tarzan in the early 1960s, Magnus Robot Fighter, then working in Animation making over 1/3rd of the work that went into the first 1966 Amazing Spider-Man season, inking Jack Kirby for Marvelmania 1969, and then DC and Marvel Comics for 10+ years, Plastic Man with Ramona Fradon, and his career at Disney starting in 1979 for over 20 years working on many projects including the redesign of the Winnie the Pooh character. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Music - Standard License. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
Podcast and Audio ©℗ 2019 Comic Book Historians

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1950: Goodbye Superheroes? with Alex Grand & Bill Field Nov 26, 2018

Alex Grand, Somber Bill Field and guest co-host, Peter Coogan, PhD discuss 1950, the changing tide as American's get more domestic, and other non superhero genre's became much more in demand like Westerns, Romance, Humor, etc. The birth of the DC Comics editorial fiefdoms, Martin Goodman chasing genre comics, and the rest of the industry (mostly) says goodbye to Superheroes. The gang also says goodbye to Stan Lee, on the week of his death. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Music - Standard License. Images used in artwork ©Their Respective Copyright holders , CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
Podcast and Audio ©℗ 2019 Comic Book Historians

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1984: Corporate Shift, Creator Rights & The End of an Era. Nov 08, 2018

Alex Grand , Bill Field and special guest host, Comic Book Ph.D, Peter Coogan discuss 1984 as the year of Marvel and DC shifting toward corporate multimedia cross pollination with Secret Wars and Super Powers. Zot! by Scott McCloud and TMNT by Eastman and Laird and the larger independent 80s comic books markets as a trend toward recognition of creator rights, the 1960s Marvel co-creators getting their original art back, as well as four notable deaths in the industry, Pacific Comics, Sol Brodsky, Don Newton and Phil Seuling. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. TMNT ©Eastman, Zot! ©McCloud, Secret Wars ©Marvel, Super Powers ©DC Comics, Continuity ©Adams, Photos ©Their Copyright holders. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
Podcast and Audio ©℗ 2019 Comic Book Historians

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1960: The Silver Age Takes Shape!! with Alex Grand & Bill Field Oct 15, 2018

Alex Grand and Bill Field discuss DC Comics, pre-Marvel Comics and Charlton in 1960, the year that the Silver Age takes shape. Superheroes assert their dominance as Green Lantern, Aquaman and the JLA solidify their comic book presence under the guidance of Julius Schwartz while Mort Weisinger puts together the first Superman Annual. Did the JLA influence Kirby and Lee to make the Fantastic Four? The pre-Marvel Monster Comics by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee with memorable monsters with some familiar Marvel names, and Rawhide Kid, the first ongoing character collaboration between this dynamic creative duo. Steve Ditko assists Charlton comics in dabbling with both the Superhero and Monster genres. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Music - Standard License. Tales to Astonish, and Journey into Mystery ©Marvel Comics, Captain Atom, Green Lantern, Showcase, and Justice League of America ©DC Comics, CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
Podcast and Audio ©℗ 2019 Comic Book Historians

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1973: A Year of Comic Book Death... and Rebirth!!! Sep 30, 2018

Alex Grand and Bill Field discuss comic book goings on in 1973, a true year of Comic Book Death and Rebirth as events unfold like Dell Comics, Bill Everett, Syd Shores and Gwen Stacy dies as Jim Starlin, Steve Englehart, Steve Gerber create new work and new characters including the cosmic Marvel Death entity. How does the Berkeley Con of 1973 figure into this? The Shadow and Shazam? What about the Son of... Shaytan??? Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Music - Standard License. Thanos, Shang-chi, Spider-man, Marvel Spotlight, Fear, Black Panther ©Marvel Comics, Shazam, Superfriends ©DC Comics, Conan ©CPI, Shadow ©Conde Nast CBH Podcast ©Comic Book Historians. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
Podcast and Audio ©℗ 2019 Comic Book Historians

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9/11 2001 and its Impact on Comic Books and the Film Industry Sep 07, 2018

Alex Grand, Jim Thompson, and Bill Field return for this special episode on 9/11, its direct impact on New York City, its Comic Creators, as well as the resulting film industry. The background of Marvel's return from Bankruptcy, change in management, its published reaction to 9/11, DC Comics reactions, and the psychologically polarized reactions of Art Spiegelman and Frank Miller in Shadow of No Towers and Holy Terror. How did the comic pros react to an attack on their home turf? How did these events change movies forever? Where were you during 9/11? Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Music - Standard License. Spider-Man ©Marvel Comics, Superman ©DC Comics, Holy Terror ©Frank Miller, Shadow of No Towers ©Spiegelman. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
Podcast and Audio ©℗ 2019 Comic Book Historians

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We Owe the Marvel and DC Universe's to Jack Kirby & Julius Schwartz by Alex Grand Aug 15, 2018

A first in a sub-series of the CBH Podcast, Splash-Page! In this episode, Alex Grand reviews the importance of Jack Kirby to the co-creation of the Marvel Universe including Thor, Hulk, Ant-Man, Iron Man, the X-Men, Avengers, and Marvel Villains. This is also discussed side by side with Julius Schwartz, the sci-fi creative dynamo who co-created the DC Universe like Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman, and many more. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Green Lantern ©DC Comics, Captain America ©Marvel Comics, Robot Coupe - Lost European, Standard License Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
Podcast and Audio ©℗ 2019 Comic Book Historians

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Attorneys vs Historians 1: Who Authors The Authorship Narrative? With Alex Grand and Jim Thompson Aug 02, 2018

A very special podcast, Alex Grand and Jim Thompson along with Danny Barer presented this panel at the SDCC2018 Comic Arts Conference. Jim Thompson originated and led this panel, and discussed Joe Simon's ownership lawsuit over Captain America against Marvel. Alex was recruited to discuss Jack Kirby vs Stan Lee and Marvel for ownership of the Fantastic Four. Danny discussed Bill Finger vs Bob Kane and the creator credit of Batman. Special additional guest Marc Greenberg reveals his own discussions and tussles with Bob Kane and Jerry Robinson. By comparing various narratives from different characters, we see that the history text books are written or rewritten. But are they written by Historians or Attorneys? raw mp3 credited to Jamie Coville. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Robot Coupe - Lost European - Standard License. Statements of each person does not necessarily reflect the opinon of the CBH Podcast. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
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Neal Adams: Balls of Steel with Alex Grand and Bill Field. Jul 30, 2018

Alex Grand and Bill Field interview the chief comic book illustrator himself, Neal Adams. We discuss his life and times starting when he graduated from the School of Industrial Art in 1959, his news strip and advertising work in the early 60s, his late 60s Superhero books, through the 70s with Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster and Superman Muhammad Ali, through his Continuity era during the 1980s and beyond. Who was Green Lantern and Green Arrow based on? Was Christopher Reeve his favorite Superman? How did Neal get his start? Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Robot Coupe - Lost European - Standard License. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
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All Stars 2: Rand Hoppe, Mark Texeira, Jimmy Palmiotti, Nicky Wheeler-Nicholson, and Scott Robinson with Alex, Bill & Jim. Jul 19, 2018

Live from SDCC 2018 your favorite Comic Book Historians, Alex Grand, Bill Field and Jim Thompson walk around the Convention Floor in the second of a 2 parter discussing Comic Book History with Rand Hoppe from the Jack Kirby Museum with a crash course of Jack Kirby circa 1958, Mark Texeira Illustrator for both Marvel and DC, Jimmy Palmiotti inker and writer for Marvel and DC as they discuss their illustrator inspirations and encounter with Frank Frazetta, Nicky Wheeler-Nicholson, published Comic Book Historian and granddaughter of the creator of DC Comics in 1934, Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson and N. Scott Robinson, head of Globo Comico International. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Images Logo ©Jack Kirby Museum,Cover ©Hermes Press, Marvel Characters ©Marvel, Globo Comico ©Robinson, Robot Coupe - Lost European - Standard License. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
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All Stars 1: Dan Parsons, Larry Houston, Athena Finger, Chris Burnham, Ron Lim, and Ger Appeldoorn with Alex Grand & Bill Field Jul 18, 2018

Live from SDCC 2018 your favorite Comic Book Historians, Alex Grand and Bill Field walk around the Convention Floor in the first of a 2 parter discussing Comic Book History with Star Wars and ERB Illustrator, Dan Parsons, Larry Houston the creator of the 90s X-Men TV Show, Athena Finger the granddaughter of the co-creator of Batman, Chris Burnham from Batman Incorporated, Ron Lim from the Infinity Gauntlet, and Ger Appeldoorn from Behaving Madly. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. X-Men ©Marvel, Batman ©DC Comics, Star Wars ©Disney, Robot Coupe - Lost European - Standard License. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
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Arlen Schumer, Provocateur on 1965-1968 Marvel Comics Jul 17, 2018

Join us Live at San Diego Comic Con 2018 with your favorite CBHer's Alex Grand, Jim Thompson and Bill Field for a sit down podcast interview with Arlen Schumer, published Comic Book Historian and Silver Age expert as we discuss Marvel Comics 1965 to 1968 ranging from Jim Steranko to Jack Kirby, to Nick Cardy to Wally Wood to Neal Adams and many others. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Robot Coupe - Lost European - Standard License, The Silver Age of Comic Book Art ©Schumer. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
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Rick Marschall Career Interview, Strip Historian Part 2: 1978 Marvel Comics to Hogans Alley Apr 21, 2018

Artsy Alex Grand, Jazzy Jim Thompson, and Bill Fantastic Field continue the Rick Marschall Interview starting when he first starts in Marvel Comics Magazines in 1978 and meets Jim Shooter for the first time, discussing his working with various comic book superstars of the time like Chris Claremont, Rudy Nebres, John Buscema, Dough Moench, Marv Wolfman and Len Wein, Tony DeZuniga, Don McGregor, Bob Larkin, Earl Norem, Frank Frazetta, Gil Kane, Marie Severin, John Severin, Stan Lee, Archie Goodwin, Howard the Duck and more. The circumstance of his Marvel departure in 1980 as he creates Epic Magazine, and his portion of the Jim Shooter purge of eliminating 70s Marvel talent from the bullpen is discussed, as well as his later assignments at Disney Comics, Nemo Magazine with Fantagraphics, Nemo Strip Reprints, Plotting the Thundercats cartoon, starting Hogan's Alley with Tom Heintjes, working with Milton Caniff, Dr. Seuss, and writing his many entries or books on comic history. There are so many sticks of butter you'll need for this one, it will make your head spin! Again, it's the cat's meow. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. No Sense Remix - Standard License. Marvel Magazines ©Marvel Comics. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
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Rick Marschall Career Interview, Strip Historian Part 1: 1900s Newspaper Strips to 1978 Marvel Comics Apr 07, 2018

Alex Googly Eyes Grand, Jim Snuffy Smith Thompson, and Little Orphan Bill Field interview Rick Marschall as we go through his life and times from being a teenage sidekick to veterans of the National Cartoonist Society like Rube Goldberg, to being an Editor at United Feature Syndicate working over more comic strip super stars like Charles Schulz, to co-writing the The World Encyclopedia of Comics with Maurice Horn, to meeting with Stan Lee and becoming an Editor at Marvel Comics. So grab your stick of butter as we discuss part 1 of the Life and Times of Rick Marschall exploring Comic History from the Strips to late 1970s Marvel Comics. It's the Cat's Meow. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. No Sense Remix - Standard License. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
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1956: Atlas Comics, From Knights to the Year Atlas Shrugged Mar 15, 2018

Alex Galahad Grand, Sir Billiam Field, and Jim the Bright Knight Thompson discuss Atlas Comics from 1955 Knights through 1956, to 1957, when Atlas shrugged. Why was Atlas the rising comic book company star of 1956? What brought Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko and Joe Maneely to work there along with a good chunk of the EC Comics artists? Why were Knights so popular in 1955 and how did the comics code shape this genre? What factors around this year and the next set course to later create Marvel Comics? How did the flood at Charlton push Ditko to work at Atlas? Should we start paying each other in meat balls? Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Joe Maneely, Stan Lee, Wally Wood and more! Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. EC Comics ©Gaines, Adventures of Superman ©Warner Bros, Astro Boy ©Tezuka, No Sense Remix - Standard License. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
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1953: EC Science Fiction! with Superman and Astro Boy! Mar 02, 2018

Alex Galactic Grand, Bill Assteroid Field, and Jim Jupiter Thompson discuss 1953 and the science fiction genre. Was EC Comics the King of Science Fiction? Who invented Science Fiction Comics and why were they popular at this time? Why did traditional Science Fiction die out as a comic book genre. What was the relationship between Bill Gaines and Wally Wood, and who are the best science fiction comic book artists of the time? Which science fiction author jumped on the comic book bandwagon? How did the Superman TV show bury Shazam and trigger Martin Goodman? Who pulls the biggest boner this episode? Harry Harrison, Wally Wood, Joe Orlando and more! Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. No Sense Remix - Standard License, EC Comics ©Gaines, Adventures of Superman ©Warner Bros, Astro Boy ©Tezuka. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
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1953: Horror!!! Freedom of Screech or Speech? Tales of the Crypt and Wertham Feb 17, 2018

Alex Gravedigger Grand, Bill Field of Screams, and Jim Empty Tomb Thompson discuss 1953 and the horror genre. Was EC Comics the King of Horror? Who invented horror comics? What other comics made horror and were they any good? Why did Crime Comics naturally lead into Horror? What was the relationship between Bill Gaines and Al Feldstein, and who are the best horror comic book artists of the time? Why did Wertham write anti-comics articles for the Ladies Home Journal? What psychologically led toward such a morbid interest in horror at this time in the USA? Why are we called Tripod? Jack Davis, Howard Nostrand, Reed Crandall, Joe Orlando and more! Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. No Sense Remix - Standard License, EC Comics ©Gaines. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
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1968: The Super Silver Age with J. David Spurlock Feb 03, 2018

Alex Grand, Bill Field, Jim Thompson and special guest, Vanguard Publisher, Pop Culture Author-Historian, and Creator Rights Advocate, J. David Spurlock discuss 1968, the Silver Age, and its possible creative and design peak with Jim Steranko. In great detail, J. David Spurlock goes over Steranko's life before 1968, his music band, career in advertising, his comic book work in the late 1960s at Marvel Comics culminating in an incredibly celebrated run in comic books that peaked in 1968, his intense relationship with Stan Lee, his later life in publishing, and beyond. Get the inside scoop on the life and times of Jim Steranko. All while Jim Thompson also discusses his fondness for guns in holsters. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. SHIELD & X-Men ©Marvel, No Sense Remix - Standard License. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
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1976: Marvel Bicentennial with Editor clashes and DC Publisher Changes Jan 06, 2018

Alex Grand, Bill Field, and Jim Thompson discuss 1976 with the pertinent goings on at Marvel and DC. Marvel Editor-In-Chief plays music chairs, and DC has their own backdoor shake ups as Carmine Infantino is out and Jenette Kahn is in. Jack Kirby returns to Marvel to celebrate the bicentennial, Marv Wolfman creates Nova, and Steve Gerber shakes up the Marvel Universe with a Howard the Duck presidential run, as Vance Astro and Nikki copulate to prevent a universe wide cataclysm, and Phoenix first appears in X-Men as Chris Claremont solo starts his X-Men run. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. Howard the Duck ©Marvel, Nova ©Marvel, Superman vs Spider-Man ©DC/Marvel, Shazam ©DC, X-Men ©Marvel, No Sense Remix - Standard License. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
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CBH Christmas Special: Our Top 5 Christmas Comics! Dec 25, 2017

Alex Grand, Bill Field, and Jim Thompson celebrate the Holidays and Dawn of the New Year by going over each of their top 5 Christmas Comics of all time. Bill and Jim come up with their theories on why Stan Lee hardly ever wrote a Christmas story, Bill wrestles a gay bear, Alex brings up a yuletide christmas Superman tale that reaks of a prison (g)rape scene, and Jim weeps and mourns... for Starman!? Is the best comic story of all time found in a comic strip or comic book? You decide! Topics range from Strips, to Marvel to DC Comics, to Harvey Kurtzman, Walt Kelly and More! Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. ©Comic Book Historians, Vault of Horror ©Gaines, Fallin Remix - Standard License. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
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Tom Orzechowski Career Interview Part 2: Spawn Letterer Dec 17, 2017

Alex Grand, Bill Field, and Jim Thompson interview legendary Marvel, Image and Darkhorse Comics Letterer, Tom Orzechowski discussing the history of Comic Books alongside his personal and professional involvement in comics, in part 2 starting with why he left Marvel Comics and started working with Todd McFarlane on Spawn, as well as his heavy involvement with Manga, and the change from manual to digital lettering. Alex asks Tom about Jim Shooter’s editorial involvement in the X-Men, and more fun specifics about his professional involvement with Chris Claremont. Jim asks more about Tom’s Silver Age influences, which artist Tom wishes he could have worked with, and who Tom feels was the very best letterer of all time. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. ©Comic Book Historians, Spawn ©McFarlane/Image Comics, Dirty Pair ©Dark Horse, The Advance Team ©Tor Books, No Sense Remix - Standard License. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
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Tom Orzechowski Career Interview Part 1: X-Men Letterer Dec 14, 2017

Alex Grand, Bill Field, and Jim Thompson interview legendary Comics Letterer, Tom Orzechowski discussing the history of Comic Books alongside his personal and professional involvement in comics starting in 1958, through the impression that Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko and Artie Simek made in the Silver Age, through to the Detroit Fan Fair Comic Convention that united him, Jim Starlin, Arvell Jones, Rich Buckler, Al Milgrom and Mike Vosburg as they entered Marvel Comics with a passion pushing the company into the Bronze Age. Tom also describes his career lettering over 6000 pages of Chris Claremont's run on the Uncanny X-Men through the series' best years, and why they left it in 1992. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. ©Comic Book Historians. Uncanny X-Men ©Marvel Comics, No Sense Remix - Standard License. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
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1986: The Year Comics Grew Up or Turned Out the Lights Nov 29, 2017

Alex Grand, Bill Field, and Jim Thompson discuss 1986 as the year comics grew up, or became modern, or just became dark while discussing some of the creative achievements of Alan Moore, Frank Miller, and Jim's not personal favorite, John Byrne. How did Frank Miller and Alan Moore change comics forever? Did John Byrne break a new creative height or did he jump the shark that year? What did Mark Gruenwald have to do with DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths? Did Maus popularize the serious adult themed graphic novel? How did Jim Shooter permanently affect DC Comics and how did Cadence selling Marvel to New World Entertainment change the Marvel we all knew and loved? Where did the Bison head go? Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. ©Comic Book Historians, Dark Knight Returns ©DC Comics, Tropical House / Yuriy Bespalov - Standard License. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
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1934: Comics' Born Identity Nov 11, 2017

Alex Grand, Bill Field, and Jim Thompson discuss the 1934 newspaper comic industry specifically the decline of the old guard like Windsor McCay, and the upsurge of the new guys who would end the newspaper golden age with a bang including Milton Caniff and Alex Raymond. How did Milton Caniff and Alex Raymond change the choreography of Newspaper Strips and how did that affect the buddening Golden Age of Comic Books? Why do Newspaper Comic Strips at this time matter? What was the comic book industry doing at this time? Who is Major Malcom Wheeler-Nicholsen and what did he bring to comic books when he created National Allied Periodicals, the company that would later change its name to DC Comics? Where is the Bison head? Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. ©Comic Book Historians, Flash Gordon ©King Feature Syndicate. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
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1972: Marvel Horror Comics Halloween Special!!! Oct 31, 2017

Alex Grand, Bill Field, and Jim Thompson discuss the 1972 Marvel Horror comics movement pushed mainly by Roy Thomas for our Halloween podcast extra spooky extravaganza. How does DC's exploration into horror in 1968, effect Marvel in 1972? How do the Universal Monsters fit into Marvel? Marvel experiments with monster anti-hero's with Werewolf by Night, Tomb of Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, Tales of the Zombie with Simon Garth, Man-Thing, etc. What was Roy Thomas' vision for the horror genre at Marvel when he became editor in chief? Bill tells a great story of his grandmother's run in with... Frederic Wertham?!? Find out Jim's conversational kryptonite! What is the secret of the Bison Head?? Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. ©Comic Book Historians, Frankenstein ©Universal, Marvel ©Marvel Comics. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
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1968: The Decline of Both Batmania, Old D.C, and the Rise of Carmine Infantino Oct 07, 2017

Alex Grand, Bill Field, and Jim Thompson wrap up 1966 as Batmania declines and the Superhero glut is shown not to be the significant cash cow it used to be, Carmine Infantino uses corporate change at old DC, as an opportunity to change the creative face of their comics line by enabling the release of the old guard and replacing them with the new artists and writers that would transition into the bronze age. What were the creative titles in 1968 that echoed these internal changes? What does it mean for DC when its old pulp writer editors are replaced with next generation artists? Can DC tap into nonsuperhero genres to soften the superhero crash after the moneymaking glut? Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. ©Comic Book Historians, Deadman ©DC Comics. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
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1966 part 4: Tower Comics, Charlton, and Harvey Comics Sep 23, 2017

Alex Grand, Bill Field, and Jim Thompson discuss more aspects to 1966 and the superhero glut as it strikes Tower Comics, Charlton and Harvey Comics. This episode also goes over where Wally Wood and Steve Ditko went after leaving Marvel in 1966, and how successful those lines showed to be, as well as Charlton Superhero comics and their relation to the Watchmen graphic novel series. What was Joe Simon doing at Harvey Comics? What are Bill and Jim's pet peeves? Do we need lawyers yet? Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. ©Comic Book Historians, Thunder Agents ©IDW Publishing. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
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1966 part 3: The Marvel Age with guest historian, Barry Pearl, The Forbush Man Sep 16, 2017

Alex Grand, Bill Field, Jim Thompson, and special guest, Marvel historian and 4 time published author / co-author, Barry Pearl discuss more aspects to 1966 and its place in the 1960s Marvel Age. This episode goes over the 1954 Comic Code Authority, the 1957 Atlas Implosion, and the 1966 Batman TV's effect on Martin Goodman, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Stan Lee and other freelancers in the "bullpen" and their adaptability and creativity in the market that left Marvel as the ultimate winner of the Silver Age. There's a segment discussing why Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko and Wally Wood left Marvel. Also the weekly rant evolves into a discussion of our current 2017 Superhero glut and how pop culture history will likely repeat itself. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. ©Comic Book Historians, marvelmania ©marvel comics. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
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1966 part 2: Dell, Gold Key, Mighty Comics, ACG: The Me-Too Superheroes Sep 09, 2017

Alex Grand, Bill Field and Jim Thompson discuss more aspects to 1966 and its place in the Silver Age of Comic Books. This episode goes beyond Superhero TV shows discussing how there was a Superhero glut this year flooding the market and children’s living rooms creating a whole host of me-too Superhero comics including Dell Superhero Monsters, Gold Key, King Comics, ACG, Myron Fass enterprises, the superhero Archie comics, its subsidiary Mighty Comics Group, Charlton, Tower Comics and the new era of Blackhawk. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. ©Comic Book Historians, Frankenstein ©Universal. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
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1966 part 1: Batmania, Cartoons and Merchandise Sep 02, 2017

Alex Grand, Bill Field and Jim Thompson discuss 1966 and its place in the Silver Age of Comic Books as well as Animation and Television Pop Culture in general. Topics include the Batman 1966 show, the Spider-Man animated show, Dell Superhero Monsters, Captain Action, and more. Edited & Produced by Alex Grand. ©Comic Book Historians,Batman ©DC Comics. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/comicbookhistorians
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