Word Balloon Comics Podcast

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...

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 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...

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.

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....

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. 

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 Templesm...

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 gen...

Live from Terrificon, this panel reunites Ralph Macchio, Ann Nocenti, and John Romita Jr. to revisit one of Daredevil’s most memorable creative periods. Ralph sets the stage with behind-the-scenes stories of the handoff from writer Denny O’Neil to Frank Miller, and ultimately to Ann Nocenti, charting the evolution of the Man Without Fear through shifting creative visions. Ann and John share how th...

Recorded live at Terrificon, this dynamic discussion brings together two of comics’ most celebrated storytellers — Dan Jurgens, the writer/artist behind defining eras of Superman, and Tom King, the Eisner Award–winning author of Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. Jurgens reflects on shaping the Man of Steel’s modern mythology, from “The Death of Superman” to guiding his evolution across decades, while...

In this wide-ranging conversation, Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly explore their latest adventures in storytelling across the worlds of Star Trek and Marvel Comics. We begin with IDW's Star Trek: The Last Frontier, delving into the aftermath of “The Burn” and their bold revival of Captain James T. Kirk. The discussion then turns to Marvel’s Thunderbolts, where Bucky Barnes faces off against the f...

Comics power couple Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner sit down for a lively, career-spanning chat. Jimmy shares details on his upcoming Marvel Knights run on The Punisher with artist Dan Panosian, offering a peek at what fans can expect from this gritty new chapter. The duo reflect on their acclaimed collaborations, from their fan-favorite run on Power Girl to their industry-shaking Harley Quinn s...

In this exclusive Terrificon one-on-one, legendary artist and writer Mark Silvestri takes the audience through his remarkable comics journey. He shares how he first broke into the industry at DC Comics under the guidance of editor Joe Orlando, then moved to Marvel where his dynamic art left its mark on Uncanny X-Men and other titles.  Silvestri recalls becoming one of the original Image Comics fou...

Recorded live at Terrificon, this conversation brings together three of Marvel’s most influential Bronze Age creators—Jim Starlin, Steve Englehart, and Al Milgrom—to share stories from the wild, experimental days of the 1970s comic book industry. From Starlin’s cosmic epics with Captain Marvel and Warlock, to Englehart’s politically charged Captain America and groundbreaking Avengers and Batman ru...

This episode features acclaimed comics editor Will Dennis, whose career has been defined by bold storytelling and unforgettable collaborations. Will reflects on his longtime partnership with Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo, from the noir stylings of Joker and Luthor, to the provocative, supernatural edge of Batman: Damned for DC’s Black Label, and the early days of Batman/Deathblow at WildStorm. W...

Filmmaker Ken Viola joins us to discuss his rare 1987 documentary The Masters of Comic Book Art—a raw, unfiltered snapshot of comics history featuring candid interviews with legends like Jack Kirby, Harvey Kurtzman, Neal Adams, Will Eisner, Art Spiegelman, Dave Sim, Frank Miller, and Bernie Wrightson. Narrated by Harlan Ellison, this film captures the voices of visionary creators at a turning poin...

n this episode, we dive into the most talked-about—and polarizing—installment of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: “An Adventure in Space and Time.” Was it a lighthearted homage to Trek’s origins, gently poking fun at William Shatner and Gene Roddenberry, or a snarky commentary dressed in retro cosplay? We debate whether the satire lands with love or leans too hard into mockery. We also unpack the in...

More details of Bnedis and Oeming's nreturn to Powers, Fraction's upcoming Batman run, their thoughts and impt on Superman and Fantastic Four First steps, and the concerns about AI 

In Part 1 of this epic creator roundtable, Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming dive into their long-awaited return to Powers, now published by Dark Horse. They reflect on the legacy of the groundbreaking series, why now was the right time to bring it back, and what's in store for Deena Pilgrim and a new generation of police officers. Meanwhile, Matt Fraction joins the conversation to shar...

In this offbeat edition of Word ,Balloon's SCENE MISSING  Gabriel Hardman and I peel back the curtain on the gloriously chaotic making of Beat the Devil (1953), the cult classic that blended noir, comedy, and adventure long before it was fashionable. With a script co-written on the fly by Truman Capote, a sardonic performance from Humphrey Bogart, and the directing flair of John Huston, Beat the D...

A surprisingly polarizing episode. Were they loving parodies of Shatner and Roddenberry or mean swipes? Also, Spock is getting more romance action than Kirk on this show. 

In this episode, we catch up with legendary writer James Robinson to talk about his current Kickstarter campaign, Rogues' Kingdom, an epic new fantasy adventure created with artist Jeff Johnson — and with less than a week left to support, now’s the time to back it! We also dive into his latest Dark Horse Comics projects and take a retrospective look at some of his landmark work, from The Golden Ag...

On this episode of Trek Watch, we’re diving into the highs and lows of the current Star Trek landscape. First, we tip our hats to Strange New Worlds for delivering a surprisingly fun and freaky zombie episode—proving once again that Trek can still get weird in the best ways. But it’s not all warp core breezes: we’re scratching our heads at that baffling Season 4 teaser, where Captain Pike is… a pu...

In Part 4 of our conversation with comics veteran Al Milgrom, we spotlight his collaboration with Jim Shooter on Secret Wars II—digging into how the massive crossover was shaped behind the scenes, what it was like coordinating with dozens of creators, and how editorial challenges turned into creative opportunities. We also go inside Al’s time as editor of Marvel Fanfare, a title often misunderstoo...