Stay ConnectedA weekly comics interview podcast hosted by David Harper of SKTCHD that gets the story behind the stories and creators we love, as well as the broader comic book industry.
Website: SKTCHD.com
Patreon: Patreon.com/OffPanel
Instagram: @slicedfriedgold/@SKTCHDcomic
Bluesky: @davidharper.bsky.social/@SKTCHD.bsky.social
Email: david@sktchd.com
Cartoonist Declan Shalvey joins Off Panel to talk about what he's been up to and his upcoming Image series, Old Dog. Shalvey discusses embracing different models, the nature of the market, the origins of Old Dog, production value, why he wanted to tell his own story, spy details, pushing yourself, soloing the series, promoting your work, the title's lead, finding a balance in your career, and more.
Marvel Editor Sarah Brunstad joins Off Panel for a discussion about the wider world of editing comics. Brunstad discusses her path to comics, continuity's impact on editing, editorial divisions, relationship building, the importance of communication, story versus sales, supporting creators, the impact of format, misconceptions about editors, her favorite part of the job, and more.
Jordan Blum and Patton Oswalt join the show to talk about C-list villains and their upcoming Dark Horse mini-series, Minor Threats. Blum and Oswalt discuss their love of the lovable losers of comics, the origins of Minor Threats, the book's cast, narrative freedoms, the greatness of Scott Hepburn, villain bars, legacy, building a vibe, creative processes, why comics are always such a draw for them, and more.
Retailer Brian Hibbs joins the show to talk about the world of comic shops. Hibbs discusses the year at his shop, Comix Experience, online stores, different paths to success, the speculator market, what's working at his shop, the major problems facing comics retail right now, Diamond Comic Distributors' issues, serialization, selling single issue comics, product vs. process, his graphic novel clubs, the impact of those, and more.
Comics journalist Graeme McMillan joins the show to talk about the world of writing about comics and five topics or trends of note in the comics space. McMillan discusses the evolution of writing about nerd culture, how it's gotten better and worse, the origins of Popverse, single issue comics distribution, supply chain issues, the dominance of the book market, the shift that's on, manga's success, Marvel's lack of cohesion, DC's big smart plan, digital disruption, the ComiXology mess, the state of Webtoon, creators as publishers and brands, Substack takes, what it does, who is interesting in this space, and more.
Writer Brian K. Vaughan joins the show to chat about his career, collaborators, Saga, and Spectators over on Substack. Vaughan discusses the return of Saga, his breaking in story, how Y the Last Man changed things, his artistic collaborators, atypical routes, being surprised by the work, how Spectators works, finding new approaches, sensitive subjects, making the single issue valuable, Saga's hiatus, fan theories, Saga's longevity, finite stories, why he always comes back to comics, and more.
Cartoonist Tillie Walden joins Off Panel this week to chat about her career, craft, and the upcoming Clementine: Book One. Walden discusses managing workloads, comics vs. video games, the areas in-between, big influences, a fateful comic book workshop, teaching comics, making choices in your art, the origins of Clementine: Book One, the focus of the book, Clem's agency, her process as a creator, operating within boxes, accessibility, and more.
Writer Tini Howard joins Off Panel this week to chat about her new series on Substack, Phenomenocity. Howard discusses the interesting wrinkles to Substack, risks, launching off Knights of X, dialing back on social media, social media's role in Phenomenocity, collaborating with readers, real estate as a reward, her fascination with magic, being reader funded, the glory of Phillip Sevy, creating supporting content, what she learned from her previous work, the power of teammates, and more.
Writer James Tynion IV joins Off Panel this week to dive deep into his views on comics and the business of being a creator. Tynion discusses how he balances his work, finding ideas, the collector market's value, playing the game of comics, building hits, leaving Batman at an apex, the work outside of comics, the value of Substack, managing relationships, building and sustaining excitement, The Closet's guinea pig nature, balancing art and business, The Nice House on the Lake, how the comic industry is changing, and more.
Cartoonist Daniel Warren Johnson returns to Off Panel this week to chat about his past few years and the upcoming Do a Powerbomb at Image. Johnson discusses Jurassic League's name, whether his audience has grown, getting back to telling his own stories, the origins of Do a Powerbomb, merging ideas, foster connections, trying to do new things with his art, the impact of commissions, building stakes, finite stories, the move to Image, writing for other artists, and more.
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