The Corner Box

This episode, things get spicy fast as Kickstarter loyalty gets tested. David lays out a frustration that hits a nerve: paying more, waiting longer, and watching cheaper versions hit shelves first. From there, the guys pivot into creator mode—John’s secretly drawing comics again, Chase is juggling screenplays, and everyone’s got projects they can’t quite talk about (yet). Frank Miller creeps back...

Things gets weird when David decides he’s one of the cool kids now and starts reading the hot books everyone’s chasing. Join David and John as they get into D’orc, Tigress Island, White Sky, and Florida Hippopotamus Cocaine Massacre , weighing which books have real legs and which ones are riding the heat wave. There’s a sharp little debate about speculation, blind bags, first printings, and whethe...

David admits that his comic collecting is a full-blown lifestyle problem, complete with eBay piles, office deliveries, and one gloriously baffling Rob Liefeld ashcan. John and David then bounce from a weirdly amazing 1972 fanzine packed with future legends to Marvel Knights: The World to Come , a book that asks for patience before it finally starts paying off. From there, it’s straight into Groo t...

David survives a once-in-a-century storm in Hawaii, and it’s back to business as John and David break down the creative DNA of comics — including the return of the “ Top 10 Hottest Artists ” list! From a Silver Age deep dive into Don Heck and the surprisingly bold Avengers #32 , to the wild discovery of a pre- Fantastic Four appearance of Ben Grimm as a WWII flying ace, it’s equal parts nostalgia,...

A new segment hits The Corner Box this week as John and David roll out “Here’s What We Read This Week!” John dives into Alien: Salvation , arguing that Mike Mignola and Kevin Nowlan teaming up is just plain unfair, while David revisits Dark Knight Returns and DK2 , wondering if Frank Miller’s chaos is actually the point — and loving it either way. Along the way: DSTLRY’s return, Ditko Artist’s Edi...

Guest Dave Baker stops by the show as David and John dig into the industry shake-up following Mike Richardson’s exit from Dark Horse and ask: is the “one guy” publisher era over? The conversation hits the rise of indie collectives and webtoons, then Dave’s new OGN, Punk’n Heads , and wraps with a deep-cut dive into Stephen R. Bissette’s Tyrant. Also, the zen of marathon tattoo sessions. Captions &...

John breaks down the final chapter of a decades-long war that makes the Avengers Civil War look like a playground spat. That’s right! We are back in the archives to wrap up the "Anything Goes" saga, tracking the fallout of the most infamous punch in science fiction history and a legal feud that just wouldn't die. The  Recap John digs deeper into the rabbit hole to close the book on...

David and John break down the fallout of a massive industry earthquake and step back in time to the most surreal courtroom drama in comic book history. It’s the kind of "inside comics" that reminds you why the business is just as wild as the pages we print. The  Recap The era of the "comic book guy" CEO is officially on life support as Mike Richardson exits Dark Horse, leaving...

In this episode, Anything Goes! John rises from the dead (again) to team up with David, for a deep dive into the wildest comics scandal of the 1980s: the Harlan Ellison interview that sparked a $2 million libel lawsuit and divided the comic book industry. Stay tuned for Part 2: Everything Went! Timestamp Segments [01:11] Warner gets bought… again. [06:33] Anything Goes! [08:04] Byron Preiss: The T...

David and John dive into the state of comics, using insights only decades in the industry can provide, and yet another Corner Box prediction comes true. At this point, should we be worried? David reads and reviews all three Breed miniseries (yes, all of them), there’s renewed excitement around the epic Superman VS Spider-Man crossover, M.A.S.K. gets a facelift, and more importantly, Captain Underp...

David is joined by Editor-in-Chief of Fun Time Go, Inc., Chase Marotz, for a free-dive into the wild world of comics, from their weekend adventures with snare drums, cold beers, and tall stacks of comics, to the wild world of comic book publishing rights and the decades-long saga of Miracleman, one of the industry’s most infamous legal nightmares. Then, Chase steps into the ring to do the unthinka...

David and John "Transformers Hall-of-Famer" Barber are joined by regular guest, Chase Marotz, for a deep dive into the wild and wonderful frontier of public domain. This is where expired copyrights mean anything goes (kind of)! They wade through the murky rules of public domain reuse, highlight some exciting new and upcoming properties, and uncover David’s master plan to rejuvenate centu...

John and David put on their reading glasses and get into Jack Kirby’s Galactic Bounty Hunters, Steve Ditko’s Art, The Conan Revolution, The Return of Bill Schanes, and the Uncertain Future of the Will Eisner Library. Timestamp Segments [00:33] John can see clearly now. [02:21] It IS possible to collect all of G.I. Joe. [05:01] Jack Kirby: Galactic Bounty Hunters. [13:29] How to get through Invinci...

Our Best of 2025 continues! We find out which comics and artists made it on to the comics industry’s most prestigious (and accurate!) awards list: The Corner Box Best of 2025! This week's awards include Best Original Graphic Novel, Best Collection and Archival Collection, Best New Series, Favorite Comeback, Favorite Artist and Cover Artist, and Best Continuing Series. Timestamp Segments [00:5...

John and David bring us their BEST OF 2025! They take a look at the comics that took the world by storm, the stories that shaped the industry, the artists that made it all possible, and a few honorable mentions (some maybe not from 2025... the fellas got a little excited).  Timestamp Segments [00:38] The true 2025 review. [04:00] John’s Favorites: New Material. [08:10] The story of Prometheus. [09...

Heroic Signatures Editor, Chris Butera, joins David and John to talk about all things Conan the Barbarian! They get into Jim Zub’s mastery of Conan lore, the expansion of the Howard-verse, the importance of a good writer-artist pairing, and fitting stories into a modern context, and David learns about comics without pictures. Timestamp Segments [01:14] This is the Barbarian. [02:51] How Chris fell...

Challengers Comics + Conversation’s Patrick Brower joins John and David for part 2 of this year-end conversation about all things comics in 2025. They get into why David can’t get all the variant covers, the Marvel/DC crossovers, what made the Absolute Line so successful, the good and the bad of 2025, and looking ahead at the comics industry in 2026, and Patrick makes a prediction – will it come t...

Challengers Comics + Conversation’s very own Patrick Brower joins John and David for a 2-part year-end conversation about all things comics in 2025. They get into how Diamond’s fall reshaped the entire industry, what it takes to run a comic bookstore, the disappearance of customer service, and a week in the life of a Challengers comic book. Stay tuned for Part 2 of The Corner Box vs Patrick Brower...

The one and only real Jim McCann joins John and David to talk about his secret careers in music and flower arranging, the truth behind the success of the podcast, a peek the behind-the-scenes in comic book publishing offices, and how to put a double-page spread to good use. Also, David wets himself, Jim wets his comics, and John gets a rock. Timestamp Segments [00:48] David’s leaky pipes. [04:28]...

Superguy creator and Comics and Chronic cohost, Anthony Iannaccio, joins John and David to talk about his career arc, from WWE arenas to writing comedy superhero comics, the super team behind Superguy, the state of comedy in comics, and the best comics of the moment. Relevant Links MrTonyNacho Timestamp Segments [00:43] Comics and Chronic. [02:08] The secret to longevity. [03:09] Anthony career ar...

John, David, and Everybody Else (aka Mason Rabinowitz) return for Part 2 of the "Top 5 Runs in All of Marvel Comics"! They get into the Top 3, make some honorable mentions, add a few titillating surprises, and then the trio faces-off for the True #1 Marvel Comic Run. Relevant Links Behind the Panels of Marvel’s Secret Wars Timestamp Segments [00:00] Check out This Secret Wars Kickstarter...

Everybody Else (aka Mason Rabinowitz) joins John and (eventually) David for Part 1 of their "Top 5 Runs in All of Marvel Comics"! They get into what makes a run truly great, some iconic collaborations and runs that didn’t make the lists, the exciting Behind the Panels of Secret Wars , and Batman’s new logo. Also, David makes a surprise appearance on today’s episode. Stay tuned for Part 2...

John and David go undercover in search of the answer to the ultimate question: Why? They get into the magic of great creators and their stories, do a deep dive on the recent Batman/Deadpool comic by Grant Morrison and Dan Mora, and discuss David’s unchecked comics spending. Also, John has a revelation. Timestamp Segments [01:06] Why? [02:07] David’s Why? Salvation Run. [05:46] John’s Why? Youngblo...

Rob Worst cheats death once again and joins John and David to talk about the art of collecting comics, the value of original art, the rise of AI and digital comics, and the importance of artists supporting other artists. SUPPORT THE SHOW! DO FUN THINGS! John has a Kickstarter | Behind the Panels of Marvel’s Secret Wars Rob Worst has a podcast | Not Near Mint Timestamp Segments [00:00] Check out Th...

Former Marvel editor and Behind the Panels writer, Ellie Pyle, joins John and David to talk about the upcoming Behind the Panels of Marvel’s Secret Wars ! They get into Ellie’s career path through every known form of media, the ins and outs of working at big companies, the process of creating the Behind the Panels book, and collaborating with the nicest people in comics. Relevant Links Women of Ma...