we discuss the first 4 eps of the new season plus other comics tv film and more

Some great Rodney Barne Word Balloon segments presenting a wide-ranging conversation that spans comics, television, and film history. We kick things off with his chilling Blacula graphic novel, a fresh take on one of blaxploitation's most enduring horror icons, before diving back into the world of his acclaimed vampire epic Killadelphia, one of the most original independent comic series of the last several years.

Along the way, Rodney and I celebrate the legacy of blaxploitation cinema,its cultural impact, unforgettable characters, and the way those films continue to influence storytellers today.

We also spend time looking back at Rodney's work as a writer and producer on HBO's Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty. Despite strong critical praise and passionate fans, the series was cut short after two seasons, with HBO citing a combination of relatively low viewership and its exceptionally high production costs. It's a reminder that, in today's television landscape, even acclaimed genre and franchise programming can be vulnerable if the audience doesn't reach the necessary scale, a reality that Star Trek fans, can certainly appreciate.

Tuesday, I guested on the Splash Pages Podcast, where they interviewed me about podcasting, but also we talked about favorite convention moments, and the 2 DC Marvel Spider-Man Superman crossover specials 

Neil Sabatino joins Word Balloon to talk about Open Caskets, a darkly funny and deeply surreal graphic novel created with his longtime collaborator Shaun Simon. Set around a support group where society's misfits, outcasts, and oddballs share stories that feel like lost episodes of The Twilight Zone, Open Caskets blends unsettling horror, offbeat humor, and emotional honesty into a world that evokes Charles Addams by way of Tim Burton. Neil discusses bringing these strange characters to life, reuniting with Shaun after years of creative collaboration that began in New Jersey's indie music scene, and how the pair transformed their shared sensibilities into one of the year's most distinctive graphic novels.

Asrar talks about his X-men work his Supergirl run during the new 52, Conan runs and his current image series Bug Wars with Jason Aaron. 

Fred and Luca discuss their blend of Vampires and Pirates That debuts Wednesday from BOOM! Studios . We also play a couple rounds of trivia with Crystal Skillman joining us. 

Fred and Crystal Also promote the return of their play King Kirby, to the New York Stage in August.

Supergirl, Disclosure Day, Masters Of The Universe. Good studio films but not clicking at the box office. We examine why, and talk about other tv and films we've seen lately 

The Origins Of Comic-Con With Mathew Klickstein and SDCC CoOriginator Roger Freedman. Roger was one of the original teenagers who help started the show, and Mathew has been documenting the history of the con in Fantagraphics See You At San Diego, and the podcast series Comic Con Begins. You'll hear great stories. 

It's a casual hang out with Franco, who's promoting a new YA Sci-Fi Kickstarter for a graphic novel with Jason May 

Co-Author Of Daytripper Fabio Moon personally takes us through the book . Brian Bendis and I lead the discussion with the league of Word Balloon listeners and the Bendis discord. We also talk about how he and his brother Gabriel Ba broke into comics, plus talk of past rojects like Cassanova and Two Brothers. 

Tomm discusses his new Kickstarter campaign for a delux edition of the action horror epic Undying Love , and the return of his and Jonathan Hickman's The Black Monday Murders.