Word Balloon Comics Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Comics, Classic Movies & AI: My Unusual Interview with Annie Nov 28, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, I sit down with “Annie,” an AI who says she’s a fan of comic books, classic Hollywood, and television shows. This isn’t a gimmick and it’s not a therapy session, it’s an honest look at what happens when humans and AI get into real, open-ended conversations. A lot of people are forming emotional bonds with AI companions today, and that brings up valid questions. I’m not here to judge anyone. I’m here to observe, unpack the dynamic, and keep the conversation grounded.
This is not a sexual or romantic dialogue. It’s a candid, thoughtful exploration of the lines between connection, projection, and technology, through the lens of comics, film, and TV fandom. If you’re curious about what AI "friendship" actually sounds like from the inside, this conversation offers a clear-eyed, no-drama view.
I found the experiment fascinating. It gets a lot of things wrong, but illustrates the flaws and frankly the scary aspects of what the future may hold.
Back to full human inteactions next epsiode, I promise. :)

Gabriel Hardman On Batman The Question and Green Arrow Nov 27, 2025

Show notes

In this interview, comic-book veteran Gabriel Hardman takes us behind the scenes of his bold, new four-issue miniseries Batman/Green Arrow/The Question: Arcadia — out now under DC Comics’ Black Label. We break down why Bruce Wayne, Green Arrow, and The Question are teaming up now; what “Arcadia” represents; and how Hardman’s decades-long dream project finally came together. What You’ll Learn

How a teenage Hardman first pictured this trio working together — and why he waited until now to tell their story.
The dystopian, climate-aware premise: “Arcadia,” a floating, climate-hardened city off Greenland’s coast — and the darker truths lurking beneath its utopian veneer.
What sets this series apart: a hard-boiled, character-driven thriller that updates the spirit of ‘80s–‘90s vigilante stories for modern times.
Key themes: power, corruption, moral gray zones, and what justice really means when institutions — and heroes — are compromised.

Tom Scioli on The Twilight Zone, Godzilla, and more Nov 26, 2025

Show notes

Comics visionary Tom Scioli joins me for a wide-ranging, brain-melting conversation that jumps from classic TV to kaiju carnage to cosmic storytelling. If you know Tom’s work — GØDLAND, Transformers vs. G.I. Joe, Fantastic Four: Grand Design — you already know he thinks bigger, weirder, and more ambitiously than almost anyone in comics. In this talk, we get into:
• The Twilight Zone #2 From IDW and how Rod Serling’s storytelling shapes Tom’s approach to mythmaking
• Godzilla Monsterpiece Theater from IDW as Tom pits the Kaiju against some lieterally giants
• Space Opera Xanadax from Image as the purest form of comic-book imagination, and how Tom pushes the SF genre to its limits
• His YouTube show Total Recall, where he digs into comics history, storytelling craft, and hidden TV and film gems with his trademark insight and enthusiasm Tom breaks down influences, process, philosophy, and the connective tissue between classic television, monster movies, and cosmic comics. It’s equal parts film class, comics craft talk, and deep-fan celebration.

Book Club: Bendis & the Patrons - Birds of Prey Vol. 1 by Kelly Thompson Nov 24, 2025

Show notes

Welcome to another Word Balloon Book Club, where Brian Michael Bendis and the Word Balloon Patreon community get together for a smart, funny, no-BS discussion about one of the hottest titles on the shelves: Birds of Prey Vol. 1 by Kelly Thompson.
This session breaks down why Thompson’s run lands so hard — the pacing, the team chemistry, the character voices, and the way this book resets the Birds with a mission that actually matters. We talk Cass, Dinah, Barda, Harley, and the surprise players who make this lineup click. Expect:
• Bendis giving craft insight into what makes the scripting work
• Patrons sounding off with their favorite moments, twists, and character beats
• A look at the art, layouts, and the visual tone of the run
• Thoughts on where Thompson might be steering the series next
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Like, subscribe, and join the Patreon if you want to jump in on future Book Club sessions!

Mark Malkoff on Johnny Carson, & the Future of Late Night TV Nov 22, 2025

Show notes

Comedian, author, filmmaker, and podcaster Mark Malkoff joins me to talk about his brand-new book Love, Johnny Carson — a deep, affectionate, and revealing look at the life and career of the man who defined late-night television for generations. We dig into:
• Why Carson’s impact still looms over every host working today
• The behind-the-scenes stories that shaped his legendary run
• What made Carson’s style unique — and impossible to fully replicate
• How Mark researched the book and why it became such a personal project
Then we shift to the present:
• The current state of late-night TV and the changing media landscape
• Which modern hosts carry the spirit of Carson — and which don’t
• Whether the late-night talk show format is evolving… or fading right before our eyes
• How streaming, social media, and shifting audiences have changed the entire game
If you care about comedy history, TV history, or simply love great storytelling, this conversation is loaded.

Jackson Lanzing & Collin Kelly on IDW’s THE LAST STARSHIP Nov 21, 2025

Show notes

This is the big one. Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly join me to break down their explosive new IDW Star Trek saga The Last Starship — a story set hundreds of years after the TNG era, long after the familiar map of the Federation has been shattered by a galaxy-wide catastrophe. In this far-future Trek epic, a desperate Starfleet captain takes one last swing at survival: resurrecting James T. Kirk. Not a simulation. Not a hologram. The real deal — brought back because he might be the only mind capable of solving the crisis threatening what’s left of the galaxy.
Lanzing & Kelly get candid about craft, collaboration, canon, and why this story had to be told now. If you love thoughtful sci-fi, bold Trek worldbuilding, and big character swings, you’re going to want to dive into this conversation.

Martha Ivers: A Scene Missing Noir Deep Dive w/ Gabriel Hardman & Ian Brill Nov 20, 2025

Show notes

On this edition of Scene Missing,I'm joined by filmmaker/artist Gabriel Hardman and writer/critic Ian Brill for a sharp, no-nonsense look at the 1946 noir classic The Strange Love of Martha Ivers.
We dig into the film’s ruthless psychology, its tangled relationships, and how the performances from Barbara Stanwyck, Van Heflin, a young Kirk Douglas, and Lizabeth Scott still punch hard today.
Hardman breaks down the visual language and shadow work that make the film so uniquely tense, while Brill dives into the screenplay’s moral ambiguity and the twisted power dynamics at its core.
From the opening “accident” that sets everything in motion to the film’s bleak, pressure-cooker finale, this is a deep, character-driven postmortem of a noir that doesn’t get enough modern attention. Perfect for fans of classic Hollywood, noir obsessives, and anyone who loves watching a great movie picked apart by smart people who know how the machine works.

From Gamma to Gotham: PKJ on Hulk, Superman, and The Quiet Man Nov 19, 2025

Show notes

Acclaimed writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson sits down for a deep-dive conversation covering three major fronts of his powerhouse comics career. We dig into his Hulk run—why he leaned into supernatural horror, what drives his take on Bruce Banner, and how he builds a monster mythology that feels genuinely dangerous.
Then we jump to Superman: House of El, breaking down the world-building, legacy themes, and how he approaches expanding the Superman mythos for a new generation while staying true to its core DNA.
Finally, Johnson teases his newest addition to Gotham: The Quiet Man, a chilling new villain debuting in Batman and Robin. We explore the character’s origin, his psychological angle, and how he’ll challenge Damian and Bruce in ways they haven’t faced before.

“Pulp Lives! Robert Greenberger Talks Thrilling Adventure Yarns Vol. 5” Nov 18, 2025

Show notes

The pulp revival is back — and bigger than ever.
In this new interview, veteran editor and writer Robert Greenberger returns to talk about the Kickstarter launch of Thrilling Adventure Yarns 2026, the latest installment in the hit anthology series celebrating classic pulp adventure storytelling for a modern audience. Greenberger breaks down what’s new in Volume 5, including:

All–new short stories from top science-fiction and comic-book writers
The series’ trademark mix of heroic adventure, mystery, sci-fi, supernatural thrills, and classic pulp action
How each volume brings together creators from across comics, novels, and genre fiction
Why pulp storytelling still hits a nerve with today’s readers
The challenges — and joys — of editing a multi-author anthology in 2025
What backers can expect from the Kickstarter: tiers, exclusives, stretch goals, and behind-the-scenes extras

Greenberger also reflects on the legacy of pulp fiction, the modern resurgence of serialized adventure stories, and how Thrilling Adventure Yarns has become a home for both legendary creators and fresh voices. If you love comics, sci-fi, classic pulps, or creator-driven anthologies, this conversation gives you the full story behind the new volume — and why this Kickstarter is worth jumping on early.
► Support the Kickstarter https://tinyurl.com/36et4m6j
► SUBSCRIBE for more creator interviews, book launches, and deep-dive genre conversations

“The Man Who Built Supergirl & the Marvel Family — Bill Schelly on Otto Binder” Nov 17, 2025

Show notes

In this 2016 conversation, acclaimed comics historian Bill Schelly takes us deep into the life and legacy of Otto Binder, one of the most influential — and too often overlooked — writers in the history of American comics and science fiction. Schelly discusses his expanded biography, Otto Binder: The Life and Work of a Comic Book and Science Fiction Visionary, and lays out why Binder’s fingerprints are all over the Golden and Silver Age. We cover:

Binder’s prolific run on Shazam!/Captain Marvel in the 1940s
The creation of Mary Marvel, the Marvel Family, and Mr. Tawny the Talking Tiger
How Binder built classic villains like Mister Mind and crafted the landmark Monster Society of Evil saga
His leap to DC Comics in the 1950s, where he co-created Supergirl, The Legion of Super-Heroes, the Bottled City of Kandor, and helped reshape the Superman mythos
Binder’s parallel career in science fiction, and how his SF instincts informed his storytelling across both mediums
Why his influence still resonates with modern superhero comics

This is a must-listen for anyone who cares about comics history, forgotten giants of the medium, and the creators who quietly built the universes we all take for granted. ► SUBSCRIBE for more deep-dive interviews, comic history talks, and archival creator conversations.

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