Dollar Bin Bandits

Our latest episode features independent toy designer and comic book creator Peter Goral , whose childhood immersion in Masters of the Universe , G.I. Joe , and Star Wars launched him to the forefront of the bootleg art toy movement. Peter shares his journey from an avid toy collector and gifted artist to creating paintings to kitbashing existing toys to make new creations, before learning to make...

We're back, baby! And so is the powerhouse creative team of Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their groundbreaking series Powers , which debuted in 2000 and helped establish the modern creator-owned comics landscape! The duo reflects on how they first met, how they developed the distinctive visual style and noir sensibilities that made Powers stand o...

The Bandits are taking this week off, but in case you didn't catch our live YouTube special a few weeks ago, here it is in all its audio glory!  It's a raw recording, so no intro or outro. But it's like what you get when we post uncut episodes on our new Patreon. Check it out: patreon.com/DollarBinBoosters ! And we'll be back next week with more episodes, including a big one to kick us off next We...

Independent comic creator Nicholas Casbarro is creating every aspect of his Vitalerium project. Blending music, animation, and comics together, his project is truly mind blowing. He’s also done double duty, writing both a novel and comic for Vitalerium. Check it out at vitaleriumseries.com .  Support the show ___________________ Check out video versions of this and other episodes on YouTube : yout...

Today, we welcome acclaimed writer Devin Grayson to discuss her groundbreaking career that began with her first published script "Like Riding a Bike" in Batman Chronicles in 1997 and led to her becoming the first woman to create, launch and write an ongoing Batman title with Batman: Gotham Knights . Devin shares her journey from studying creative writing at Bard College to becoming one of DC's mos...

In what may be a first for the podcast, we talk to a real, live comic shop owner! It's Nathan Machado , owner and manager of Blackhole Comics in Norwood, MA. Nate shares his comic origin story and how he went from a manager at one of New England Comics' other locations to taking over and rebranding this one. He opens up about the realities of comics retail, from dispelling misconceptions about run...

In our latest episode, we sit down with veteran comic book artist Mark Pennington to explore his remarkable career spanning four decades in the industry. Mark shares his journey from graduating the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art in 1985 to starting his career doing designs for iconic toy lines like G.I. Joe  at Hasbro before transitioning to comic book inking in 1988. We dive into hi...

Since he was a child, Travis Landry has been part of the auction and antique community. Today, you can find him appraising treasures on the hit PBS show Antiques Roadshow , where he works in pop culture, comics, cards, toys and more. All the things we love, he loves too, and it comes across in this interview and on screen. Check out his own auction house, Landry Pop Auctions , here: landrypop.com...

Independent comic creator and veteran Michael Oden has created worlds of fantasy and action, including his latest project Elysian Fields: Reborn ! This tale features beautiful art set during mythical Ancient Rome. Michael has also created titles such as The Embrace , Judex, SPQR's Bizarre Adventure , American Bliss: Father's Pride ,and others under his 9 Realms Publishing imprint. You can follow M...

Our latest is a deep dive with acclaimed comic book writer Steve Orlando , exploring his journey from 12-year-old aspiring writer to becoming one of the most prominent voices in superhero comics. Steve discusses his breakthrough work launching the 2015 Midnighter series and its sequel Midnighter and Apollo , both of which earned GLAAD Media Award nominations, and how he approached writing those ch...

The terrific man behind Terrificon is back! That's right, we welcome Mitch Hallock to talk all things Terrificon 2025 , as he prepares for the convention's milestone 10th anniversary celebration at Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino from August 8-10 . Mitch discusses how his Big Fedora Marketing is bringing more guests, more surprises, and more fun to Connecticut's premier comic convention for this ann...

Today, we welcome legendary alternative comics creator Evan Dorkin for a wild and woolly interview that (sometimes) explores his unique career and projects. He shares his origin story of discovering comics as a kid growing up in Brooklyn and Staten Island, working at comic retailer Jim Hanley's store during high school, and his transition from wanting to study animation at the School of Visual Art...

In this episode, we sit down with veteran writer Glenn Greenberg to explore his diverse career spanning comic books, journalism, and fiction writing. Glenn shares his journey from becoming a regular Marvel Comics writer, penning stories for iconic titles like The Spectacular Spider-Man , The Rampaging Hulk , The Silver Surfer , and Dracula , to his transition into broader entertainment writing. We...

Legendary comic writer Mike Baron is back to discuss the beginning! That's right, we're talking about the origins of his and Steve Rude's landmark Nexus series to celebrate the Kickstarter campaign for the Nexus Deluxe Hardcover Omnibus Volume One . Mike opens up about the deluxe reprint collection of the Eisner Award-winning series, which Newsarama has hailed as "the greatest superhero comic of a...

Mark Waid is back with the Bandits for his fourth solo appearance, as we dive into his latest projects and thoughts on the current state of Superman. First we jump into James Gunn's recently released Superman film and get Mark's takes, specifically on the approach to Jor-El and Lara's portrayal and whether the movie successfully captures the optimism that defines the character. The core of the con...

In this audio-only episode, we sit down with Canadian-Brazilian filmmaker Marcus Alqueres to explore his unique journey from visual effects artist to acclaimed director and his innovative approach to superhero storytelling. Marcus shares his background working in visual effects on blockbusters like 300 , Rise of The Planet of The Apes , and Tintin before transitioning to directing with his breakth...

In this episode, we sit down with legendary creator Bill Willingham to explore his remarkable journey from role-playing game artist to one of comics' most celebrated storytellers. Bill opens up about his early days working on RPGs and how that experience shaped his approach to worldbuilding in comics. From his 1980s creator-owned series Elementals to his 150+ issue, career-defining work on Fables...

In this episode, we sit down with Dan Greenfield , editor-in-chief of 13th Dimension and veteran comic book journalist, to explore his journey from a 5-year-old Batman fan to becoming one of the most respected voices in comics journalism today. Dan shares the origin story behind 13th Dimension and its mission covering comics, creators, and culture. We also discuss how comic journalism has evolved...

In this episode, we sit down with multi-talented comic creator Sam J. Royale to explore his diversity of work spanning anthology comics, graphic design, and paranormal storytelling. Sam breaks down his anthology series Dishoom , discusses his creative decision-making process across projects like Pariah: Many Lands and the paranormal zine Kala Jadoo (complete with trading card set), and reveals how...

In this conversation with legendary writer Gerry Conway , we explore what makes his stories so compelling. From character development and inspirations to what he considers his best work, the noted scribe opens up about his creative process and more! Support the show ___________________ Check out video versions of this and other episodes on YouTube : youtube.com/dollarbinbandits ! If you like this...

We're delivering the fireworks early, as we sit down with acclaimed artist Terry Dodson to explore his remarkable 30+ year career! From the early days breaking in during the 90s to his current collaboration with Matt Fraction on the pulp-inspired Adventureman , Terry opens up about developing his signature style, his creative partnership with wife Rachel, and the challenges of drawing some of comi...

In this episode, we welcome back legendary comic book artist and writer Jerry Ordway to celebrate and discuss the 30th anniversary of his defining work on DC's The Power of Shazam! The graphic novel and subsequent ongoing series helped revitalize the World's Mightiest Mortal for a new generation, and Jerry shares the creative challenges of modernizing the classic Fawcett Comics characters while ma...

In this episode, we welcome comic book creators Vince Sunico and Terry Kavanagh to talk about their exciting new Kickstarter project, Heroes Be Damned . Vince, known for his dynamic artwork and storytelling, teams up with Terry, whose extensive career includes work on major Marvel titles like X-Men and Spider-Man , to bring fans a dark and gritty tale that turns the superhero genre on its head. Th...

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Jaws , we're joined by Marty Milner to discuss his work on Steven Spielberg's legendary thriller. Marty takes us behind the scenes of one of cinema's most influential films, sharing insights into the production challenges, the infamous mechanical shark "Bruce," and the innovative filmmaking techniques that helped create a summer blockbuster phenomenon. We...

Writer Mark Russell joins us to discuss his path into comics, beginning with his breakthrough work God Is Disappointed in You , a satirical retelling of the Bible with cartoons by Shannon Wheeler that launched his unique career. We explore Mark's knack for breathing new life into seemingly impossible properties, from the reboot Prez and his surprising take on The Flintstones to his bold reimaginin...