Word Balloon Comics Podcast

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Fantastic Four Legends & Today: A Creator Roundtable Aug 25, 2025

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At Terrificon, I moderated an unforgettable panel with four generations of Fantastic Four voices — Humberto Ramos, Walter Simonson, Steve Englehart, Chris Claremont, and C.B. Cebulski.
Humberto Ramos, now illustrating Marvel’s current Fantastic Four with writer Ryan North, shared how he’s balancing the Kirby legacy with his energetic, modern style. He spoke about designing new adventures while keeping the Richards family’s emotional core intact.
Walter Simonson reflected on his late ’80s run, when he boldly reshaped Reed Richards, experimented with the lineup, and injected the series with the same cosmic energy that defined his acclaimed Thor.
Steve Englehart recalled his 1980s stories full of Skrull intrigue, soap-opera tension, and attempts to modernize the FF amid Marvel’s editorial shifts.
Chris Claremont, best known for X-Men, discussed his early 2000s tenure exploring Sue Richards’ evolution as leader and giving fresh dimension to Ben Grimm’s humanity.
C.B. Cebulski, Marvel’s Editor-in-Chief, rounded out the conversation by talking about the FF’s place in Marvel’s publishing future and the responsibility of shepherding “The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine” in today’s marketplace.
Together, the panel offered candid stories, behind-the-scenes context, and a sweeping look at how the Fantastic Four has endured — and evolved — across decades of creators.

the origin of diana schutz Aug 24, 2025

Show notes

In this 2014 career deep-dive, Dark Horse Executive Editor Diana Schutz walks us through four decades in comics—with zero varnish. We trace her start behind the counter in Vancouver and at Comics & Comix in Berkeley, where she leveled up from retail to publishing, then the blink-and-you-miss-it Marvel stint and the formative Comico years shepherding creator-owned work.
Finally, Diana lands at Dark Horse in 1990, rising to executive editor, championing auteurs, and launching the creator-driven Maverick imprint. Along the way we hit milestone collaborations—Frank Miller’s Sin City and 300, Matt Wagner’s Grendel, Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo, Harvey Pekar’s American Splendor —and unpack her editor’s playbook: protecting voice, negotiating deadlines without killing the art, and why “editor” means partner, not policeman. It’s a masterclass in how careers are built, catalogs are curated, and why creator rights matter—told by someone who helped shape the modern indie era.

Happy Birthday Susan Eisenberg Aug 23, 2025

Show notes

It's the Animated Amazon's Birthday week. To celebrate here's my first interview with Susan from 2014, which coinsided with word balloon's 11th anniversary week in 2016.
lot's of justice league cartoon talk in this conversation.

Joe Kelly: Spider-Man in Two Worlds & Challenges in Animation Aug 22, 2025

Show notes

Joe Kelly and I unpack a lot in this one on one at Terrificon
Part 1: Back to Spider-Man—"Amazing Spider-Man" Relaunch & Multidimensional Stakes

Kelly explains why relaunching Amazing Spider‑Man with a fresh #1 isn’t a reset—it’s the next natural chapter in Peter’s journey
He teases bold new arcs that pull from Peter’s adolescence—pre‑high school—to recalibrate how we see him, emotionally and psychologically
Kelly gets real about the dual storyline hitting in September 2025, where Spider‑Man splits across two frontiers: one grounded on Earth, the other traversing the cosmic reaches—frankly, “there are two Spider‑Men now,” he confirms

Part 2: Animation Landmark—Man of Action & The Evolution of the Medium

He reflects on the early days of Man of Action Studios and the wild success of Ben 10: co-creating universally beloved characters and building stories that bridge generations.
Kelly doesn’t sugarcoat how different today’s landscape is—from the golden age of cable to today’s streaming-dominated, content-saturated ecosystem. He talks about how creative freedom has evolved, from strict network pitches to the flexibility—and fierce competition—of streaming platforms and short length content.

The World of Comic Books Lost 1979 documentary Aug 21, 2025

Show notes

This was my first con panel discussing “The Comic Books” part of a 1978 (or possibly early 1979) Canadian TV documentary called The World of Comic Books, narrated by Jonathan Winters. The doc features insihts from Stan Lee, Archie Goodwin, Neal Adams Denny O'Neil,, Julie Schwartz, John Romita Jr Jack C Harris Mike Gold, Trevor Von Eden Frank Giacoia, Jim Steranko, and more.

The Art of Troublemaking: Howard Chaykin in Conversation Aug 20, 2025

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Marvel Fall Preview C.B. Cebulski, Jonathan Hickman, Joe Kelly & Charles Soule Aug 19, 2025

Show notes

No fluff—just the roadmap. Marvel EIC C.B. Cebulski hosts a sharp Fall preview anchored by headline books. Jonathan Hickman lays out the architecture and character heartbeat of Ultimate Spider-Man—how this relaunch reframes Peter, the scale of the new Ultimate line, and what’s next. Joe Kelly digs into Spider-Man—voice, velocity, and how to keep the wall-crawler surprising without losing the core. Charles Soule covers three fronts: the moral grind of Daredevil, the horror-thriller pulse of Carnage, and galaxy-shaping storytelling in Star Wars—why each book matters now and six months from now.
Expect first-look pages, honest craft talk, and a candid Q&A. If you want where Marvel is headed this Fall and beyond, this is the map

Paul Wesley’s Kirk vs. the Legend Strange New Worlds Review Aug 18, 2025

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On this episode of Trek Watch, we review episodes 5 and 6 of SNW , and the attempt at a backdoor pilot for a TOS year one series.

Batman At 75 (2014) Seeley Jones Templesmith and Haun Aug 17, 2025

Show notes

From Cincy Comic Con 2014 A celebratory, no-BS look at 75 years of the Dark Knight through four very different lenses.
Tim Seeley digs into the controlled chaos of the weekly Batman Eternal writers’ room—how you pace Gotham for 52 issues and still land character beats that matter.
Kelley Jones brings the gothic: big capes, bigger shadows, and why horror belongs at the heart of Batman.
Ben Templesmith talks painting Gotham’s monsters and miracles with washes and texture, previewing the occult-crime vibe he brought to Gotham by Midnight.
Jeremy Haun zeroes in on Arkham—madness, architecture, and the Jeremiah Arkham era he helped visualize—arguing that Gotham’s institutions are as potent as its villains. Together they chart how Batman flexes across tones—

Rick Remender 2007 Sci-Fi: Fear Agent, The End League, and Beyond Aug 16, 2025

Show notes

In this 2007 conversation, writer Rick Remender opens up about his breakout creator-owned work and his forays into iconic franchises. He discusses the pulp-fueled intensity of Fear Agent, blending sci-fi adventure with personal tragedy, and the haunting horror of Sorrow, a tale of possession and small-town dread.
Remender also previews The End League, his dark, subversive spin on the superhero genre, where flawed champions struggle to hold society together after the fall of the world.
Alongside his creator-owned projects, he reflects on his contributions to beloved universes like Battlestar Galactica and Star Trek, sharing how he approached telling new stories in such well-established mythologies. Candid, energetic, and filled with creative insight, this talk captures Remender at a pivotal moment, on the cusp of becoming one of comics’ most daring voices.

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