Word Balloon Comics Podcast

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How do new writers break into comics ? Louis Southard Nov 04, 2026

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Louis has just completed a sucessful kickstarter and has an upcoming X-O Manofwar story coming up, but mostly he's here to discuss his new column at the beat , where he tells his observations about how breaking into writing comics has changed in the post covid studio consolidation era.

visionquest eps 5 and 6 reviews Nov 03, 2026

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plus other movie and tv talk?

Sunday Conversation With JMS Nov 01, 2026

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Fall back with me to 2019. Welcome to another Word Balloon Sunday Conversation. Today, we're reaching back to 2019 for an in-depth conversation with writer J. Michael Straczynski, better known to fans as JMS.At the time, Joe was promoting his autobiography, Becoming Superman: My Journey from Poverty to Hollywood, a remarkably candid account of a difficult childhood, personal struggles, and his determination to build a life as a storyteller.
We go down strange career paths, like his writing the 1970s radio drama Alien Worlds, and hosting the lost sci-fi nerd talk show Hour 25, featuring Icons on the genre
We also dive into his extraordinary career in comics, from his groundbreaking run on The Amazing Spider-Man with John Romita Jr., to Thor, Fantastic Four, Supreme Power, and his creator-owned work on Rising Stars and Midnight Nation. We discuss his approach to character, the challenges of writing iconic superheroes, and the creative decisions that defined his years at Marvel DC and beyond
.And naturally, there's plenty to say about his work in television, including the creation of the landmark science fiction series Babylon 5, but also The Real Ghostbusters and his time scripting and being the story editor on the 1980's Twilight Zone.

Patrick Stewart Memories Oct 31, 2026

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More discussion about Patrick Stuart's passing and his impact on nerd culture with Trek Author Keith RA DeCandido and Larry Young

Kinescope Boris Karloff The Monster On Live TV Oct 30, 2026

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Gabriel Hardman Jeff Parker and I talk about Boris Karloff's many performances on live network tv in the 1950s

A Tribute To Patrck Stewart Oct 30, 2026

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Star Trek Scribe Michael Jan Friedman joins the Trek Watch Regulars to honor the life and career of Sir Patrick Stewart

Ed Brisson Unleashes Hammer Head Slasher Horror Oct 29, 2026

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Ed Brisson returns to discuss his latest project, Hammer Head, a new five-issue horror series from Mad Cave Studios, with artist Damian Couceiro.Brisson takes us back to the bloody world of 1980s slasher movies, with a seemingly unstoppable killer who returns again and again.
At the center of the story is Jules, the sole survivor of a massacre twenty years earlier, who's spent her life trying to escape the trauma of that night. But some nightmares refuse to stay buried.We'll talk about Ed's love of crime and horror storytelling, and how he and Damian are putting their own spin on the familiar slasher formula.
Then we shift gears to some classic Saturday morning animation franchises. Ed discusses his work on ThunderCats and SilverHawks for Dynamite Entertainment, including ThunderCats: Lost, SilverHawks, and the ambitious ThunderCats- SilverHawks crossover. We get into the challenges of bringing these beloved 1980s characters to modern comic books while staying true to what made them popular in the first place.

Voting and Comics with Yoe Greene and Ferris Oct 28, 2026

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Today we're looking at the 2020 graphic novel- Voting Is Your Superpower, a fascinating collection of political comics assembled by comics historian and publisher Craig Yoe.The book takes us on a journey through decades of American comic book history, from the pioneering work of Little Nemo's Winsor McCay to the Silver Age, with examples from publishers like Harvey and Marvel.
These are comics that weren't necessarily meant to be sold on newsstands. Many were distributed free, with a specific mission: encouraging Americans to exercise their right to vote.It's an intriguing look at the intersection of comics, politics, and American history, and a reminder that the funny pages and comic books have often had something serious to say.
Joining us for the conversation are two extraordinary, award-winning cartoonists who contributed to the collection with new works: Sanford Greene, the acclaimed DC and Marvel artist and co-creator of Image's Bitter Root, and Emil Ferris, the brilliant writer and artist behind My Favorite Thing Is Monsters.We'll explore this unusual corner of comics history, the artists who contributed to it, and the power of cartooning to communicate ideas beyond simple entertainment.

Walter Koenig Eric Bauza RIP Clayface Visionquest Reviews Oct 27, 2026

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Scene Missing: The Making and Legacy of Gargoyles (1972) Oct 26, 2026

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In this Scene Missing panel, we dive deep into the 1972 made-for-TV movie Gargoyles .A cult classic that helped define the early wave of ’70s creature features. Joining the discussion are Gabriel Hardman, Jeff Parker, Ian Brill, and Allison Baker, each bringing their sharp insight into the film’s production, themes, and its influence on modern genre storytelling.
The panel explores the film’s eerie desert setting and its surprising critical success, including an Emmy Award for Outstanding Makeup that launched the career of Stan Winston, who went on to create the iconic creatures of Aliens and Predator. We spotlight the performances of Cornel Wilde as anthropologist Mercer Boley, Jennifer Salt (Sisters, Soap) as his daughter Diana, and Bernie Casey as the noble Gargoyle leader . It's one of television’s earliest sympathetic monster roles. We also examine the creative team behind the movie: director Bill L. Norton, later known for Cisco Pike and Law & Order, and writer-producers Steve and Elinor Karpf, who blended mythology, horror, and social reflection into an unexpectedly thoughtful TV thriller.

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