Dollar Bin Bandits

Brazilian creator Sam Fonseca joins us to discuss his journey from discovering comics to becoming a distinctive voice in the cartooning community. We explore his early days self-publishing in São Paulo's independent scene and how those formative experiences shaped his creative perspective. Sam walks us through his acclaimed works including the HQMix Prize-nominated Age of Rust and the lighthearted...

Today we welcome acclaimed Australian comic book artist Nicola Scott to discuss her journey from Sydney theater and costume design to becoming one of the most celebrated artists in the American comic book industry. With a history in theater and costume design, Nicola started pursuing a comics career in 2001 and by 2006 was the first Australian to become a staple of the U.S. mainstream, establishin...

Today, we've got accomplished Marvel artist and character creator Tom Rasch to explore his diverse career spanning film, video games, and comics. Tom shares his journey from penciling titles like Punisher 2099 to becoming a sought-after concept artist for video games and film projects, including his redesign of the Hardy Boys for Nancy Drew Games and his work on Sony PlayStation Network titles. To...

In this episode, we sit down with veteran writer/editor Tom Peyer for a career-spanning conversation that traces his remarkable journey from underground cartoonist to one of today's most innovative publishers. Beginning with his early years in underground papers and the Syracuse New Times , we delve into his pivotal editorial years at DC and Vertigo during the transformative 90s era. Tom shares in...

3...2...1...Ignition! Today, we welcome Filip Sablik and Jeremy Haun to discuss their ambitious new venture, Ignition Press . Launched in late 2024, the company represents a bold new chapter for Filip, who departed his role as President of Publishing & Marketing at BOOM! Studios after 12 years, and Jeremy, the acclaimed creator known for works like The Beauty . Joined by former IDW Editor-in-Chief...

In this episode, we sit down with legendary artist-writer Phil Jimenez for an in-depth conversation spanning his remarkable three-decade career. From his early discovery of comics to his incredible break into the industry with four pages in DC's War of the Gods crossover, Phil shares his journey of sequential art success. We explore his evolution from artist to artist-writer with Tempest , his rel...

In this episode, we dive deep into the creative mind of Eisner Award-winning artist Gideon Kendall , whose diverse career has spanned books, illustrations, comics, and animation for a few outfits you might have heard of: MAD Magazine , Penguin/Putnam, Disney, Comixology/Kitchen Sink, IDW, Dark Horse , Cartoon Network, Scholastic, and The New York Times . Gideon has made significant contributions t...

He's baaaaaaaaack! The legendary Roy Thomas returns to the DBB hot seat, and Oren gets his crack at the writer/editor's career. It's a deep dive into Roy's writing approach, style, and craft, so get to listening, Banditos! Support the show ___________________ Check out video versions of this and other episodes on YouTube : youtube.com/dollarbinbandits ! If you like this podcast, please rate, revie...

Dan "The Man" Brereton is back with the Bandits, this time talking up his new art book, Nocturnals 31 . Just in time for the "Halloweeniversary" of Dan's hit monster noir comic, The Nocturnals , this book is chock full of all the supernatural goodness you've come to expect. It's got the monsters, it's got the babes, it's got that haunting atmosphere that takes your breath away. You've got only a f...

This week, we're joined by acclaimed comic book writer Todd Dezago ! Known for his character-driven storytelling and gift for collaboration, Todd takes us behind the scenes of his influential run on Sensational Spider-Man with Mike Wieringo that redefined Peter Parker for a generation of readers. We explore the creation of their creator-owned fantasy epic Tellos , a vibrant world of swashbuckling...

Jim Roche might have the coolest job as one of the executive producers on the hit show Svengoolie . In that time on the program, he and Rich Koz (Svengoolie) have become extremely close friends. But did you know Jim is also a huge comic book fan? He’s practically another Dollar Bin Bandit with his love of old and modern books found in those treasured bins.  Support the show ___________________ Che...

This week, we're thrilled to welcome legendary comic book inker Bob Almond ! With over three decades of experience for Marvel, DC, and independent publishers, Bob takes us deep into the process of transforming rough pencils into print-ready illustrations. From his early days working on Warlock and the Infinity Watch to high-profile projects including Black Panther, Annihilation: Conquest - Quasar,...

Whether it’s Power Records , Peter Pan Records , or other companies that produced kid friendly albums from the 50s through 80s, Brian Washington is the guy to talk to! With his incredible collection, he’s a walking encyclopedia for these audio treasures.  Support the show ___________________ Check out video versions of this and other episodes on YouTube : youtube.com/dollarbinbandits ! If you like...

Today, we welcome acclaimed graphic novelist Craig Thompson to discuss his latest tome, Ginseng Roots . In this deeply personal book, Thompson returns to his rural Wisconsin roots to explore the fascinating world of ginseng cultivation that shaped his childhood. The conversation spans Craig's artistic evolution since his breakthrough memoir Blankets , his research trips to China that informed the...

This week on Dollar Bin Bandits , we sit down with the multi-talented Tom Marvelli , a powerhouse creative whose fingerprints are all over some of the biggest superhero franchises of the last two decades. From his days at Marvel during its post-bankruptcy rebirth to shaping the futures of Hasbro’s legendary action brands, Tom’s career has been nothing short of epic. Tom is now turning the page—lit...

Ralph Macchio spent over four decades at Marvel Comics , serving as a writer, editor, and eventually Executive Editor during some of the company's most transformative periods. Beginning his career in the 1970s as an assistant to Roy Thomas, Ralph went on to edit many of Marvel's flagship titles including Daredevil , Thor , and The Avengers , overseeing Frank Miller's revolutionary run on Daredevil...

In this episode, we roll out with Bob Budiansky and Simon Furman , the legendary minds behind the original Transformers comics from Marvel and Marvel UK respectively. With Skybound 's massive compendiums reigniting interest in both series, we dive deep into how a Japanese toy line transformed into a pop culture juggernaut. Bob shares how Transformers first landed on his desk at Marvel and the chal...

It’s a project of epic proportions as writers and artists in the world of comics are taking part in a new comic featuring the creations of Don Simpson . Multimensions will see Megaton Man and other Simpson characters in the hands of various writers and artists in a new Kickstarter campaign! Contributors Bob Kroll and Joe Ely Carrales III join the show to talk about their contributions and more. Ch...

Matt Wagner , creator of the legendary independent titles Grendel and Mage , shares his journey to become one of comics' most respected writer-artists. Our conversation explores the origins and complex publication history of his signature character Grendel, which debuted in Comico Primer #2, as well as the creative process and development behind the more personal Mage trilogy. Beyond his creator-o...

The works of Jon Dexter are varied and wonderfully written. From the canine adventures Alpha Dogs to the noir Dime-Store Detective , fans revel in his imaginative stories. You can find the complete Alpha Dogs graphic novel from Simon & Shuster or wherever books are sold: simonandschuster.com/books/Alpha-Dogs . And soon, you'll be able to catch up on the Detective series and back issue 5 with Jon's...

Brett Booth has established himself as one of the industry's most dynamic and energetic artists, known for his kinetic action sequences and distinctive character designs that have graced the pages of numerous titles for both DC and Marvel. Beginning his career at Jim Lee's Homage/Wildstorm studio in the early 90s, Brett co-created Backlash and had a long run on his solo series before moving on to...

Keith Arem and Chris Yates join us to discuss their new Kickstarter project, Frost Road , a visually stunning psychological thriller. Keith, known for his extensive work directing video game performances for franchises like Call of Duty and Titanfall , and Chris explain how they developed this atmospheric tale of horror, illustrated by Christopher Shy . Frost Road tells of a desperate search for s...

Jim Calafiore has established himself as one of comics' most distinctive and versatile artists over a career spanning three decades. Known for his dynamic layouts and expressive character work, Jim first gained recognition at Valiant in the early 90s, working on titles like Armorines and Magnus, Robot Fighter . From there, it was on to DC and Marvel, where he contributed to series including Aquama...

Larry Lieber , the legendary artist and writer who contributed to the early Marvel Universe alongside his brother Stan Lee, joins us to discuss his new book CHIRPS . After briefly touching on his storied career—which includes co-creating Iron Man, Thor, and Ant-Man , and his long run on The Rawhide Kid —Larry dove into this ambitious literary departure that combines elements of fantasy, family sag...

Ed Catto is back, this time talking about the 2025 edition of Ithacon ! It's coming up this weekend, April 5-6, at Ithaca College , and Ed get into all the details: the guests, the panels, the swag, and more. You can follow Ed on X @EdCatto and Instagram @EdCatto3 , and find out more about Ithacon and get tickets here:  ithacon.org ! Support the show ___________________ Check out video versions of...