Word Balloon Comics Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Gabriel Hardman Batman GI JOE Rocketeer & Twilight Zone Jun 30, 2026

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Gabriel Hardman returns to Word Balloon with a packed lineup of projects that showcase why he's one of comics' best writer-artists.We kick things off with the finale of Arcadia, DC Black Label's acclaimed team-up featuring Batman, Green Arrow, and The Question, as Gabriel discusses bringing the mystery to its conclusion.
From there, we shift to the world of G.I. Joe with his dialogue-free Silent Missions one-shot, Crimson Guard, where Hardman tells an intense espionage story through nothing but visuals, a perfect showcase for his cinematic storytelling.
Then it's over to The Twilight Zone from IDW, as Gabriel breaks down issue #8, a standalone tale that's both a loving tribute to Roger Corman and a celebration of the wonderfully scrappy giant-monster movies of the 1950s.
Finally, we look ahead to his newest adventure with longtime collaborator Dean Kotz: The Rocketeer: Infiltrator. The four-issue series sends Cliff Secord and Betty undercover on the set of a German film production in 1944, blending pulp action, wartime intrigue, espionage, and classic Hollywood glamour in true Rocketeer fashion.

One On One Ralph Macchio Jun 28, 2026

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For more than four decades, Ralph Macchio has been one of the guiding hands behind some of Marvel Comics' greatest stories. Rising from an editorial assistant to Editor Emeritus, Ralph helped shape generations of readers' experiences, overseeing everything from The Avengers, Daredevil, and Spider-Man to Marvel's acclaimed line of graphic novels and collected editions. Along the way, he worked with legendary creators including Frank Miller, Walt Simonson, John Byrne, Roger Stern, Mark Gruenwald, and countless others.Today, Ralph joins us to look back on his remarkable career. We'll talk about breaking into Marvel in the Bronze Age, the evolution of the Marvel Bullpen, the creators and characters that defined his tenure, preserving Marvel history through its collected editions, and the lessons he learned from spending a lifetime helping tell some of comics' greatest stories.

scene missing 1959 on the beach Jun 27, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Word Balloon Scene Missing, we're taking a deep dive into one of the most haunting films of the Cold War era, Stanley Kramer's 1959 masterpiece On the Beach.Joining me are Gabriel Hardman, Ian Brill, and Jeff Parker as we revisit this unforgettable adaptation of Nevil Shute's novel.
Starring Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire, and Anthony Perkins, On the Beach imagines humanity's final days after a global nuclear war, as the last survivors in Australia await the inevitable arrival of deadly radioactive fallout. More than 65 years later, its themes of fear, hope, denial, and human dignity remain as powerful as ever.
We discuss Stanley Kramer's restrained direction, the remarkable performances, the film's lingering emotional impact, and why this somber science-fiction drama still feels unsettlingly relevant.

good trouble comics with barajas ayden and sankovich Jun 26, 2026

Show notes

Henry Barajas (Gil Thorp Comic Strip) has two new comic stories coming in August under the Good Trouble Lable. We discuss them with GT Publisher Andrew Ayden (March) and Editor Lauren Sankovich (Ultimate Spider-Man) .
We discuss Huelga which documents the plight of migrants and underprivilaged hispanics in 1960s california, and Islands In The Sky about the real stories of the Smoky Mountain peopele.
Good Trouble works with communities to provide educational entertainment to raise awareness about social issues.

Shelly Bond Celebrates Sub Culture Jun 25, 2026

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Shelly Bond has a new anthology bieng kickstarted called subCulture which looks at trends of fashion comics music at the club scenes through the decades. with creators like Peter Milligan and The Hernanez Brothers, with a bunch of today's indie creatives

Mark Russell Talks Firefly and Dog Tag Jun 24, 2026

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Plus Racer X and a kickstarter for a new sci-fi book The Forgotten Divine

Mark Waid's empire of stories Jun 23, 2026

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Mark is back ro talk about JLU, Superboy in Acrtion Comics, and World's Finest. Plus 3 days left for his and Barry Kitson's EMPIRE crowd funder.
He also previews Batman and Robin Dynamic Dous with Chris Samnee a Batman Superman Weird Al team up, and clears up his viral video comment about the quality of new comics being made today vs old comics of the past.

Frank Miller The Word Balloon Interview Jun 22, 2026

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Frank has a new autobiography coming out. We discuss highlights of his seminal career,

E-motion Sickness Love Boat Ep 4 Jun 21, 2026

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We continue our Love Boat Re-watch podcast.
Our guest passenger Chris Giarusso joins us to discuss Charro's debut as recurring character April Lopez , the stowaway, who lept into our hearts for 9 future episodes.
Plus, Bill Bixby pre-Hulk in a weird attempt at a dramatic story, and the first king of variety tv Milton Berle as a Practical Joker who never knows when to quit.

Darth Vader Vs Superman Alex Ross Jun 20, 2026

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From 2020 Alex discusses his UNSEEN art book featuring crossovers that were proposed but didn't happen Star Wars and The DC Universe, Star Trek Vs Star Wars, and many more.
We also talk about his MARVEL anthology series festuring stories by fols like Sal Abinanti Steve Darnall and Alan Weiss.

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