Creator Talks proudly presents the husband and wife team of writer Paul Tobin and artist Colleen Coover.  Together they created the costumed teen cat burglar Bandette.

Bandette began as a digital publication in 2012 on Comixology through Monkeybrain Comics. It was nominated for four Eisner’s Awards in 2013.  

Not long after, Dark Horse Comics collected the single issues into soft and hard cover editions.

The next Bandette hard cover collection will be released by Dark Horse Comics on July 7th 2021 is Volume 4: The Six Finger Secret.

I discuss with Colleen how she illustrates Bandette and the reason for her bold primary color choices.

It would not be Creator Talks if I did not get personal with my guests so I ask the happy couple how they met. Did Cupid’s arrow strike and was it love at first sight?

Paul and Colleen once managed a comic book store in Iowa. Paul shares how he managed to build his comic book collection while he worked there as an employee and how comic shops have changed since the 1980s.

He is also an avid comic art collector. Paul talks about some of his favorite pieces of art and why he considers himself lucky to have them. What is it about these artists’ work that appeals to Paul? Which ones tuned him off as a youth but now from whom he has great admiration. His answers may surprise you.

How has collecting art become an education itself for Paul and Colleen as creators?

Paul and Colleen made several trips to France, which is the setting of Bandette’s adventures. They share some of their special memories of France and later their decision to move from Iowa to Portland, Oregon for the sake of their careers.

In closing I ask Paul and Colleen my Final Nine Questions including what they like to do for recreation, beverage of choice, pet peeve, missed opportunities and when they took a risk.

Fini

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Samuel George London is a comic book writer and podcast host based in the U.K.

We discuss why he developed his relatively recent interest in comic books and how he conceived and launched his popular Victorian space adventure series Milford Greene.

The focus of our conversation though will be his latest work being published through Action Lab Comics, The S-Factor.

It is a four-part series launching in June about an under-appreciated super hero sidekick, Greyfox, who decides to re-brand him self through a new reality TV series for super heroes called The S-Factor.  Twelve super heroine contestants must fight for his affection.

Samuel shares which show inspired The S-Factor as well as his own personal experience taking part in a reality TV show. 

His insight into the machinations and manipulations by associate producers to heighten emotions and tensions among contestants was fertile ground for the development of The S-Factor.

Samuel also goes behind the scenes of the making of The S-Factor: the good fortune that lead to the book deal with Action Lab Comics and the artist of the series Chris Panda. Samuel reveals the series rags to riches story and why he selected Chris to illustrate it.

Samuel is also the host of Comics for the Apocalypse.  We talk about his imaginative interview podcast, one which ye old host has even made an appearance.  Don’t let that stop you though; it is well worth you time to give his podcast a listen.

As we conclude our discussion I ask Samuel my Final Nine Questions, which include when he took a risk, his island book, recommended reading for comic book newbies and all about that missed opportunity.

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Ibrahim Mustafa joins Creator Talks to discuss his latest graphic novel Count being published through Humanoids. 

This sci-fi revenge story is based on the Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas.  

The original is not the swashbuckling tale those who have not read it may think it is.

Why did Ibrahim decide to make this story the foundation for his graphic novel? 

Why does the coloring and lettering fit so well with Ibrahim’s art style?

And why is this graphic novel more satisfying for Ibrahim than a comic series or fill-in issue he has drawn?

Growing up Ibrahim’s favorite superhero was Superman, and he talks about how seeing Alex Ross’ Man of Steel influenced his own art style.

Ibrahim reveals his favorite to comic art tutorial books, and why he has decided not to launch a how-to YouTube Channel.

We also talk about his work on James Bond: Origin and Solstice for Dynamite comics, and why he thinks Timothy Dalton is the best James Bond.

Why does Ibrahim think Dalton’s James Bond was initially unjustly maligned by audiences but grew to be more appreciated as Agent 007.

We touch upon his 2017 Eisner Nominated digital comic Jaeger, the story of a World War II allied spy bent on revenge against his Nazi captors. The book is only available in print from Ibrahim’s website. 

Ibrahim is also the Art Director for Colorcubic, consulting on job ranging from art designs to video games.  What has been his greatest challenge working as Art Director?

I conclude our interview with my Final 9 Questions, in which we learn about his hobby of making amazing custom action figures, his favorite once-in-a-lifetime birthday experience, and one of his pet peeves that involves smartphones.

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More about Ibrahim Mustafa

This episode is being released on Memorial Day.  In honor all service men and women who gave their lives in defense of their country, I am very pleased to welcome my special guest writer Garth Ennis.

Garth Ennis’ body of work includes Judge Dredd stories for 2000 AD, The Punisher and Hitman.  His comic book series Preacher and The Boys were both adapted for television.

He has been an avid reader of military comics and history since a young age. He has written several war-based comics including Battlefields, Johnny Red, War Stories, and Dreaming Eagles.

His latest collection now available is The Tankies. The book is published through Dead Reckoning which is an imprint of The Navel Institute Press.  

The Tankies is the story of British armored forces that fought during World War II and Koren War.  The connection among the three stories contained within this graphic novel is the British tank crews lead by Corporal Stiles.

Many of the sequences in the book were taken from actual historical events.

I ask Garth why both the British and American tanks were at a disadvantage against the German King Tiger Tanks.

Why were tanks crews prohibited from clearing out tanks that fell in battle?

I discuss with Garth his favorite Battle comics he grew up reading and as a professional getting the chance to work with one of his favorite artists, Carlos Ezquerra. The co-creator of Judge Dread and Strontium Dog, Carlos also penciled the gritty art for The Tankies. 

Carols Ezquerra died in 2018. Garth shares his memories of Carols and the special contribution his art style made to The Tankies. 

I conclude my interview asking Garth my Final 9 Questions including about that missed opportunity and the time he took a risk.

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There is much banter and merriment when Eric Grissom joins Creator Talks!

Eric is a comic book author and co-host of The Old Doctor Who Show podcast.

Eric has a new middle grade graphic novel titled Goblin coming soon through Dark Horse Comics. The art is by Will Perkins who also collaborated on Eric's Gregory Suicide. 

Goblin will be available through comic shops May 26 and June 8th wherever fine books are sold.

How did Valiant editor and former guest Heather Antos help Eric with his story pitch?  

And when did The Wonder Twins Paige and Claire Connelly, also former guests of this show, work with Eric?

Eric relates the story of finding the person whose work inspired his fantasy writing and why that discovery meant so much to him.

He has also developed companion game for the book The Realm of Goblin: Beware the Dark Sisterhood.

This is Eric first time ever attempting to create a game.  

How did he make sure the game would meet the high standard of frequent gamers?

Eric resides in Red Bank, New Jersey, which coincidently is also the location of The Secret Stash seen in AMCs The Comic Book Men.

Eric shares his thoughts about the cast and ye old host describes his appearance on the show (-eh hem Home Town Heroes, Season 5 Episode 13 now available through Amazon Prime :)

I discuss with Eric his podcast The Old Doctor Who Show and we share our thoughts on our favorite classic Doctor Who episodes.

To wrap up our interview I ask Eric the Final 9 Questions I ask my guests, including when Eric took a risk. Warning: this is hilarious! Don't drink milk while listening or it will shoot out of your nose!

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Creator Talks proudly presents: Alan Cowsill who worked as both a writer and editor for Marvel U.K. / Panini and Eagle Moss publishing.  

We begin our discussion with how Alan started in the business as a young comic book dealer. 

What did valuable experience did he gain dealing in comics? What were some of his most profitable acquisitions?

Would he become a comic retailer in current state of today's market?

The breaking news, however, is Alan's latest work The Martial Way: Marvel's Mightiest Martial Artists.

In this hardcover book chock full of art from the comic books, discover the fighting styles, training techniques, and secret disciplines of Marvel Comics' mighty martial artists.  The book is slated for release on May 4, 2021.

How did Alan decide which iconic art work included in the book and how did he make every effort to ensure the content was up to date with current Marvel continuity?

Alan also wrote a handy reference guide DC Comics Year by Year.

What is the underlying benefit of this book for the new or lapsed DC comic reader?

We also talk about Alan's writing of the Spider-Man strip included in Spider-Man Adventures magazine.

Why did Alan offer to write the script and why was the strip needed for the book in the first place? 

Alan is a podcast host and I ask about the status of his show The Last Geek in Space and discuss some of his previous guests. 

We discuss the  martial arts since Alan is a practitioner. We both share experience about the art of fighting without fighting, martial arts philosophy and health benefits. 

As we conclude our interview, I ask Alan my Final 9 Questions including his guilty pleasure, a missed opportunity and when he took a risk. 

Audio Clip: "Kung Fu Fighting" (1974) - Carl Douglas

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More about The Way of the Warrior

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The Last Geek in Space Podcast

Christopher welcomes returning guest Pornsak Pichetshote, the award-winning author of the Infidel (Image Comics). 

Pornsak's sophomore comic effort The Good Asian is a nine-part series being published through Image Comics. 

The creative team consists of Alexander Tefenkgi on interior art, color by Lee Loughridge and lettering by Jeff Powell.  The first issue goes on sale May 5th. 

The Good Asian is an noir mystery set in 1936 Chinatown featuring Edison Hark a Chinese-American detective from Hawaii and the first generation of Chinese Americans to come of age under an immigration ban. 

We discuss the real life influence behind the character Edison Hark, Hawaiian Detective Chang Apana who influenced the silver screen portrayal of Charlie Chan.

Today, Charlie Chan movies are considered racist because of its use of Asians sterotypes.  I ask Pornsake about the current cancel culture and its impact on books and movies. 

Should Charlie Chan movies, or any racist material, be erased from history?

Pornsake has taken great care to get the historical details of the period correct working with historical consultant Grant Din.

We discuss the historical background of the story including the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, processing of Chinese immigrants through San Francisco's Angel Island and the formation of Paper Sons.   

As we conclude our interview, I ask Pornsake about his guilty pleasure, a missed opportunity and when he took a risk. 

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Returning guest Laszlo Tamasfi discusses his new book, an English translation of the screenplay of and related articles about Dracula's Death.

It is the first motion picture to feature the character Dracula. This Hungarian silent film made in 1921 does not adhere to Bram Stoker's novel Dracula. It was an original story about a young woman, who encounters the famous vampire during her stay at a mental asylum. 

The film is long lost but a prose adaptation was published in 1924 that Laszlo has translated.

Learn how national record keeping rules made it possible for the script to survive, and how Laszlo undertook his research and translation of the book.

The book is published through Strangers From Nowhere and contains new illustrations by Jozsef Svab. 

I discuss with Lazlo the reason why he decide to self-publish Dracula's Death though his own imprint rather than secure a publisher to do all of the heavy lifting involved in book's editing, printing, distribution, and promotion.

What are the benefits of working through a publisher, and what compromises must be made for a book to be printed?

How hard should a book's creator push back against changes required by the publisher? 

We discuss these questions and more.

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About the author

To obtain a copy of Dracula's Death

KickStarter Corner - Past Guest's New Projects!

The Milford Green Saga - Samuel George London

ThoughtScape Comics Anthology - Matt Mair Lowery

----more----March is Women’s History Month and there is no better time to welcome my three guests Lauren Burke, Hanna K. Chapman and Kaley Bales, the creative team behind Why She Wrote.

Their book examines 18 of the greatest women authors of the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. Some are familiar favorites; others have undeservedly fallen into obscurity. Their hardcover book is being published by Chronicle Books and will available on April 20th.

Chapters written by Lauren Burke and Hanna K. Chapman include an introduction to author, fun facts, a bibliography of selected works and a comic followed by the artist Kaley Bales.  

Why She Wrote will explore:

Why did Jane Austin struggle to write for the first five years before her first novel was ever published?

How did Edith Maude Eaton’s writing change the narrative around Chinese immigrant workers in North American?

Why did the Brontë sisters choose to write under male pen names, and Anne Lister write her personal diaries in code?

Also, we will learn the origin of Lauren and Hanna first meeting, how it led developing their podcast Bonnets at Dawn and ultimately their book Why She Wrote. 

We will also learn about Lauren’s other recent work It’s Her Story: Rosa Parks, Hanna’s Comic Book Slumber Party anthology and Kaley’s illustrations and prints.

I close out our interview asking my 9 Questions which include: their pet peeves, missed opportunities and when each took a risk.

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More about and how to order Why She Wrote

Bonnets At Dawn Podcast

Kaley Bales' Store

Ezekiel “Zeke” King is back for another Midnight Mystery!

Returning guest Bernie Gonzalez is the creator, writer and artist of his horror noir comic Midnight Mystery.  

Originally published through Alterna Comics, Bernie has gripped the reins and is now handling Midnight Mystery's printing and distribution. 

Bernie explains why he stepped away from Alterna, took a break from making comics and felt it was the right time for Zeke's return.

His previously published Midnight Mystery comics are re-mastered and collected in 8" x 10 1/2" trade paperbacks and expanded with additional material. 

By day, Bernie works in marketing. Although he is passionate about making comics, he finds self-promotion more of a chore. 

As we discuss why this is the case, Bernie also shares his thoughts on what it takes to makes a great comic, and even a great podcast. 

Discover how Bernie uses social media to share with followers what interest him, and how helps with soft promotion of Midnight Mystery.

We share thoughts on our favorite classic horror TV series Kolchak: The Night Stalker, Dark Shadows and more.

Warning: be sure to have a box of tissues near by before listening. We tell painful stories of culling our physical media collections, upgrading DVDs, and the uniqueness of those old VHS tapes used to record broadcast television shows.  

What forgotten treasures might be found on these analogue recordings not available on retail DVDs and Blu-ray disks?  

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Gregg Schigiel began his professional career in 1997 working as an assistant editor for Marvel Comics, was character artist for Nickelodeon in 2000, and from 2010-2018 was a regular contributor to SpongeBob Comics.  One would think with such an impressive resume and experience, people would know how to pronounce his name. But no.

We begin our discussion with an easy way to remember the correct pronunciation of Schigiel.

With the formalities out of the way, things get personal.  I recall with Gregg the circumstances under which we first met, and the impact his work has had on my two boys.  

Why are kids, and adults, attracted to Gregg's comics? How does he do it?

In part, it's because Gregg never forgot what it was like to be a kid.  

But there are things we do forget, and we recount some of the memories that come flooding back when we re-discover books that we read many, many years ago as kids. 

Turning our attention to Gregg's books, we talk about his coloring books Zooperhero Universe and Uniquecorns.

Why does Gregg make coloring books now? 

We also discuss his latest graphic novels Pix: One Weird Weekend and Pix: Too Super For School.

How is Pix like Spider-Man crossed with fairy princess? Why would Gregg create such a character since, as we learn, he not a big fan of "hard" fantasy? And what does Gregg eschew had fantasy.

In addition to comic shops and bookstores, Gregg explains why libraries are such an important brick and mortar location to reach, and teach, kids about making art and sharing his work.

Gregg also has a podcast all about Tom Cruise movies titled Crusin' Together. We share about some of our favorite, and not so favorite, Tom Cruise films.

Did you know that Gregg's art is also wearable? He has a creative tee-shirt line celebrating the films and many characters of an American treasure, Tom Hanks. 

I close our interview with Gregg answering the fun questions I ask all my guest including the toughest of them all for Gregg, what would be his one his island book.

Only one book, and Tom Hank's is not on the island as a source of entertainment. "Wilson!!!"

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Gregg Schigiel's comics & coloring books

Gregg Schigiel's Hanks A Lot Tees

Gregg's Podcast Crusin' Together