Episodes
Thursday Aug 10, 2023
SDCC 2023: Todd McFarlane
Thursday Aug 10, 2023
Thursday Aug 10, 2023
During this year's San Diego Comic-Con International, finding someone working harder or as urgently as Todd McFarlane would be difficult. He was everywhere, announcing numerous projects one after the other. His partnership with Warner Bros. shows no signs of weakening as they unveiled numerous DC Multiverse figures, including a definitive cinematic Batman six-pack. McFarlane and Count Crowley creator David Dastmalchian revealed their Knights vs. Samurai series. He announced not one but five new Spawn comic book titles. And, yeah, he promised some big future news regarding his original character's big screen return.
We were prepared to break it down with McFarlane when we met him inside the Image Comics booth on Saturday. He was probably excited to do the same, but something immediately shifted as we sat across from each other. He leaned into the Comic Book Couples Counseling concept and got vulnerable with us.
Undoubtedly, you've read some Spawn comics. You know the character; you know his deal. You may not know or appreciate the philosophy driving the creation, however. Todd McFarlane puts it all out there in our conversation, leading to unexpected avenues regarding "chaos and consequence" and why he's so often disappointed by other comic books.
We reflect on Marvel's Silver Age and Stan Lee's "The World Outside Your Window." Todd McFarlane challenges our idealized notions of this classic era and explains what he believes catapulted those characters into the public consciousness they preoccupy today.
This episode is one of those episodes you wish could go on for a few more hours. There's never enough time. Maybe he'll join us again, and we can further follow these threads. Perhaps he won't. We're eager for you to hear this chat, though, and we think you haven't heard one quite like it from Todd McFarlane before.
If you want to continue this discussion with McFarlane, you can find him on Twitter and Instagram, as well as his Website. Follow McFarlane Toys through Twitter and Instagram.
Listen to our previous conversation with Todd McFarlane and Greg Capullo talking all things Batman/Spawn HERE.
Other Relevant Links:
And, if you haven't already, now's the time to join our Patreon, where superstar cartoonist Daniel Warren Johnson just recorded an epic chat with us about his favorite single-issue comic, The 'Nam #9. It's all part of our new Patreon podcast series, where we ask cool comic book creators to choose their favorite floppy comic.
FINAL ROUND OF PLUGS (PHEW):
Don't forget to grab your tickets for our August 27th Alamo Drafthouse Winchester screening of The Mask, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies and featuring a Tradd Moore in-person introduction.
Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.
And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.
Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.
Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.
Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.
Monday Aug 07, 2023
Monday Aug 07, 2023
The path Mother Nature took to its sequential form is beautifully compelling. When Jamie Lee Curtis was nineteen, an angry story of global catastrophe and corporate greed took root. Time would pass, and along with her co-writer Russell Goldman, she would mold it into a potential movie. Her eventual friendship with New Yorker cartoonist (and former CBCC guest) Karl Stevens would ultimately yield the new graphic novel from Titan Comics.
Curtis never imagined herself as a comic creator, but here she is, and she couldn't have been more thrilled to attend the San Diego Comic-Con International as one. We spoke with all three Mother Nature collaborators on the convention's second day. They were eager to share the book with us, making sure we had a physical copy in our hands, not satisfied with our PDF preview experience. It's one thing to see a comic on a screen; it's another to hold within your mitts.
Mother Nature is a violently urgent comic. It's a supernatural revenge story in which a young woman goes on the attack against the oil organization that casually killed her father. Stevens illustrates numerous bits of bloody gore, and we chat with the creators about why this story had to be as gnarly as it is.
The world is on fire, and she's furious. Don't believe the corporate narrative, maternity is defensive, and when it needs to be, it's vicious. While we devour the ground beneath our feet, the ground retaliates, and Earth's vengeance is as brutal as anything you've seen in a horror movie.
Also, in this episode, we discuss our time inside the San Diego Comic-Con Museum, reviewing the current Animation Academy and Stan Lee exhibits. We extensively discuss our time outside the convention, visiting the best comic book shops in San Diego.
Mother Nature arrives in comic shops on August 8th. You can find your nearest store HERE.
You can find Karl Stevens on Twitter HERE and on Instagram HERE. Jamie Lee Curtis is on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can find Russell Goldman on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website.
Check out our previous conversation with Karl Stevens HERE, discussing his graphic novel, Penny.
Other Relevant SDCC Links:
- Erik Burnham on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
- Julie Sakai and Stan Sakai on Usagi Yojimbo
- Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips on The Enfield Gang Massacre
- Adrian Tomine on Shortcomings
- Paul Cornell on Con and On
And, if you haven't already, now's the time to join our Patreon, where superstar cartoonist Daniel Warren Johnson just recorded an epic chat with us about his favorite single-issue comic, The 'Nam #9. It's all part of our new Patreon podcast series, where we ask cool comic book creators to choose their favorite floppy comic.
FINAL ROUND OF PLUGS (PHEW):
Don't forget to grab your tickets for our August 27th Alamo Drafthouse Winchester screening of The Mask, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies and featuring a Tradd Moore in-person introduction.
Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.
And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.
Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.
Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.
Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.
Friday Aug 04, 2023
SDCC 2023: Erik Burnham on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Friday Aug 04, 2023
Friday Aug 04, 2023
For most of us, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series is where our shellshocked obsessions began. Now, IDW Publishing returns to this glorious era with their Saturday Morning Adventures offshoot with writer Erik Burnham and artists Tim Lattie, Jack Lawrence, and Dan Schoening busting out all the best Playmates action figures. The new series tickles nostalgic pleasures while keeping itself grounded in the now.
Last week, we unleashed an onslaught of creator content to coincide with the San Diego Comic-Con International. And we are not done. On the west coast, we spoke with numerous comic artists about an eclectic batch of titles. This episode with Erik Burnham is part one, recapping our unique Comic-Con experience while also celebrating Turtle Mania 2023 with IDW and the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem film leading the charge.
Burnham has worked in the Turtle trenches for years, but operating within the Saturday Morning Adventures realm is a tricky balancing act. In addition, since many found their Turtle love with the cartoons, there's an extra sting of responsibility that comes with it. From inside the SDCC IDW Booth, we chat with Erik Burnham about the joys and burdens of playing with these particular toys. We also discuss his new, secret TMNT project and what he'd still love to do within this universe.
We adore any chance to dig deep into the mythology built by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman. This chat is just the next chapter in an ongoing Comic Book Couples Counseling/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles conversation, one that began with our Kevin Eastman interview and hit hyperdrive with our sibling counseling sessions. CLICK HERE to find all those CBCC/TMNT episodes.
You can continue this conversation with Erik Burnham by following his Twitter, Instagram, and Website. Saturday Morning Adventures: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is now available in comic book shops. Find your local store HERE.
As mentioned above, this episode is part of our San Diego Comic-Con International celebration. Listen to our Day One episode with Paul Cornell HERE. Listen to our Day Two episode with Adrian Tomine HERE. Listen to our Dary Three episode with Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips HERE. Listen to our Day Four Episode with Julie Sakai and Stan Sakai HERE.
And get ready for our upcoming discussions with Jamie Lee Curtis, Karl Stevens, Todd McFarlane, Robert Kirkman, and more. You better get subscribed to Comic Book Couples Counseling.
And, if you haven't already, now's the time to join our Patreon, where superstar cartoonist Daniel Warren Johnson just recorded an epic chat with us about his favorite single-issue comic, The 'Nam #9. It's all part of our new Patreon podcast series, where we ask cool comic book creators to choose their favorite floppy comic.
Sunday Jul 23, 2023
SDCC 2023: Stan Sakai and Julie Sakai on Dogu Publishing
Sunday Jul 23, 2023
Sunday Jul 23, 2023
In September, Usagi Yojimbo returns to Dark Horse Comics with the new mini-series Ice and Snow. However, that's just the warm-up. Stan Sakai and Julie Sakai have massive plans for their Dogu Publishing imprint, and we're eager to break it all down with them.
Their creative partnership began on a short strip featured in Peanuts: A Tribute to Charles M. Schulz. We go back to their beginning and trace a path to where they are today, creatively and as a romantic couple. How did they know they would work well together? How do they navigate two unique perspectives to produce a singular work?
Dogu Publishing is a family affair, and that larger collaboration kicked off with Chibi Usagi's publication. Previously, we've dismissed this offshoot as cute and clever. However, upon re-examination this week, we discovered it's an essential entry in the Usagi Yojimbo story. And, yeah, it's brilliantly connected to the Usagi-Verse, which includes Space Usagi and a few other splinters you may still need to be aware of.
This episode is part of our more extensive San Diego Comic-Con coverage, and since we're releasing on Sunday, we can reveal some new Usagi Yojimbo stories here. You should know, though, that at the 41:18 minute mark, we spoil a critical element from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Usagi Yojimbo: Wherewhen #4. We've dropped a warning within the audio, don't worry.
Usagi Yojimbo: Ice and Now #1 hits shelves on September 9th. We did get a preview of that issue, expect a review on the site very soon. Make sure you have it in your pull box at your local comic book store. If you don't have a local comic book store, you can find the nearest one HERE.
Follow Stan Sakai on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Follow Dogu Publishing on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Most importantly, visit www.stansakai.com and get yourself some comics.
Listen to our previous Stan Sakai episode, discussing all things Samurai Rabbit.
As mentioned above, this episode is part of our San Diego Comic-Con International celebration. Listen to our Day One episode with Paul Cornell HERE. Listen to our Day Two episode with Adrian Tomine HERE. Listen to our Dary Three episode with Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips HERE. Next week, we'll return with some in-person interviews, including Jamie Lee Curtis, Karl Stevens, Todd McFarlane, Robert Kirkman, and more. You better get subscribed to Comic Book Couples Counseling.
And, if you haven't already, now's the time to join our Patreon, where superstar cartoonist Daniel Warren Johnson just recorded an epic chat with us about his favorite single-issue comic, The 'Nam #9. It's all part of our new Patreon podcast series, where we ask cool comic book creators to choose their favorite floppy comic.
Saturday Jul 22, 2023
SDCC 2023: Chris Condon & Jacob Phillip on The Enfield Gang Massacre
Saturday Jul 22, 2023
Saturday Jul 22, 2023
When we first started That Texas Blood by Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips, we enjoyed it as a nifty, nasty, clever Western Noir. Now, we're three trade paperbacks in and one issue into their spin-off series, The Great Enfield Gang Massacre, and we think we're reading an epic mythology saga exploring notions of lowercase evil and uppercase Evil. Friends, this is their Hellboy, whether they want to admit it or not.
The Enfield Gang Massacre #1 hits shelves courtesy of Image Comics on August 9th. If this is your first entry into their world, it works magnificently as a Western mystery exploring the sins of a "Print the Legend" history. If you've read every issue of That Texas Blood, it works on a whole other level.
Condon and Phillips' spin-off returns readers to Ambrose County 150 years ago, when outlaw Montgomery Enfield and his gang are accused of a grotesque murder. In issue one, the posse forms and comes gunning for these criminals. They'll find a fight on their hands. Maybe.
In this episode, we chat with Condon and Phillips about the types of evil they're examining in The Enfield Gang Massacre and That Texas Blood. We consider how their brains morph to meet the needs of this particular story and why it demands a different aesthetic than their previous collaborations. We also consider together just how far back they can explore regarding the Ambrose County land. Cave dwellers and dinosaurs? Yes, please.
You can continue this chat with the That Texas Blood creators by following Chris Condon on Twitter and Instagram and following Jacob Phillips on Twitter and Instagram.
This episode is part of our San Diego Comic-Con International celebration. Listen to our Day One episode with Paul Cornell HERE. Listen to our Day Two episode with Adrian Tomine HERE. Tomorrow, Julie Sakai and Stan Sakai will be on the podcast talking about Usagi Yojimbo and all things Dogu Publishing. A week later, we'll return with some in-person interviews, including Jamie Lee Curtis, Karl Stevens, Todd McFarlane, and more. You better get subscribed to Comic Book Couples Counseling.
Friday Jul 21, 2023
SDCC 2023: Adrian Tomine on Shortcomings
Friday Jul 21, 2023
Friday Jul 21, 2023
Most people cringe a little when they look at their younger selves. Cartoonist Adrian Tomine certainly doesn't love revisiting his older work, but he was challenged to do so when adapting his own graphic novel, Shortcomings, for director Randall Park. We're ecstatic to have Tomine on the podcast today, discussing his recent revisitation of a work that gripped both of us when we cracked the page. The creator is generous with his time, process, and internal life.
Shortcomings is - what did TNT use to call them - a new classic. It focuses on Ben Tanaka, a viciously judgemental twenty-something whose long-time relationship has suddenly erupted into uncertainty. Hit up your Google machine and find a classic review; no doubt the critic tackling the comic will address the likability issue. We certainly bring it up with Adrian Tomine in our conversation, and his answer is so beautifully Comic Book Couples Counseling.
After this conversation, be sure to follow Adrian Tomine on his Instagram and through his Website. Purchase Shortcomings via Drawn & Quarterly or wherever fine comic books are sold. You can find your local shop HERE. The Shortcomings movie arrives in theaters on August 4th from Sony Pictures Classics.
This episode is part of our San Diego Comic-Con International celebration. Our chat with Adrian Tomine aligns with Day Two. Listen to our Day One episode with Paul Cornell HERE. Tomorrow, Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips will join us to discuss The Enfield Gang Massacre. On Sunday, Julie Sakai and Stan Sakai will be on the podcast talking about Usagi Yojimbo and all things Dogu Publishing. You better get subscribed to Comic Book Couples Counseling.
And, if you haven't already, now's the time to join our Patreon, where superstar cartoonist Daniel Warren Johnson just recorded an epic chat with us about his favorite single-issue comic, The 'Nam #9. It's all part of our new Patreon podcast series, where we ask cool comic book creators to choose their favorite floppy comic.
- CBCC Counseling Invincible's Mark & Eve
- Brad gust-stars on the Missing Frames podcast
- Adrian Tomine on Recommend If You Like
Thursday Jul 20, 2023
SDCC 2023: Paul Cornell on Con and On
Thursday Jul 20, 2023
Thursday Jul 20, 2023
The San Diego Comic-Con International is back, and just like last year, we're determined to bring the celebrations to our Comic Book Couples Counseling podcast feed. Whether you're attending the show or not, we aim to bring the con experience to your ears. All week long.
Every day of the con, we're dropping one new, rad creator conversation episode. We're kicking things off strong today (Thursday), chatting with celebrated science fiction, television, and comics writer Paul Cornell. His new Ahoy Comics series, Con and On, is the perfect concept to launch our Comic-Con festivities as it celebrates and challenges everything we love about convention culture.
Paul Cornell's new book focuses on the Vista Al Mar Comics Festival over five years, spanning three decades. Each chapter in the series covers a different year, returning to various characters as they succeed and fail in the industry. You'll recognize some faces, cheer at their victories, and cringe at their losses.
Con and On pulls no punches, but it's not a heavyweight bloodbath either. Only someone who loves this world as much as Paul Cornell could write this book. While there is comedy and heart throughout, there is some anger, frustration, and a drive to advance beyond the tired, old ways.
You can follow Paul Cornell on Blue Sky, Instagram, and his Website. Also, check out his Hammer House podcast.
Make sure you're subscribed to the Comic Book Couples Counseling feed. Tomorrow, Adrian Tomine joins us to discuss his classic graphic novel Shortcomings and its upcoming adaptation directed by Randall Park. On Saturday, Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips return to the pod, breaking down their new That Texas Blood spin-off series, The Enfield Gang Massacre. Finally, on Sunday, Julie Sakai and Stan Sakai arrive on the pod and show all of us creative couples how to do collaboration right. These convos are the best panels around, and no standing in line is required.
And, if you haven't already, now's the time to join our Patreon, where superstar cartoonist Daniel Warren Johnson just recorded an epic chat with us about his favorite single-issue comic, The 'Nam #9. It's all part of our new Patreon podcast series, where we ask cool comic book creators to choose their favorite floppy comic.
- CBCC Counseling Invincible's Mark & Eve
- Decoder Ring Parmasean Cheese Episode
- Our Victoria Grace Elliot Interview
Monday Jul 17, 2023
CBCC 92: Invincible & Atom Eve - The End of All Things
Monday Jul 17, 2023
Monday Jul 17, 2023
Thursday Jul 13, 2023
Tyler Crook on The Lonesome Hunters: The Wolf Child
Thursday Jul 13, 2023
Thursday Jul 13, 2023
Nearly to the day, Tyler Crook returns to Comic Book Couples Counseling to discuss The Lonesome Hunters, this time digging into its follow-up series, The Wolf Child. As he proved during his last session, Crook is eager to crack open his story and root around inside. There is life here, and we need to know what makes it tick.
Centered in this conversation is a paraphrased Jack Kirby quote. In these notes, we'll present it in full as it was spoken during an interview on The Masters of Comic Book Art, introduced by the equally radical Harlan Ellison. You can watch the whole thing HERE.
"I'm a guy that lives with a lot of questions. I say, 'What's out there?' and I try to resolve that. And I never can. I don't think anybody can. Who's got the answers? I sure would like to hear the ultimate one. But I haven't yet. And so I live with a lot of questions. And I find that entertaining...If my life were to end tomorrow, it would be fulfilled in that manner. I would say, 'The Questions have been terrific.'"
Tyler Crook's comics, especially these first two Lonesome Hunters volumes, are all about scratching at those questions and bumping against unknowable answers. The Lonesome Hunters: The Wolf Child #1 is Tyler Crook on a plate. His script, his art, his letters, his everything.
The comic is an out-there horror/fantasy adventure with a powerfully compelling intergenerational friendship at its core. You can read it as straight escapist entertainment, but it invites you to press down a little deeper and consider your reflection within its pages. Yes, it's absolutely a Comic Book Couples Counseling book.
We're extremely thankful to Tyler Crook for joining us once again on the show and being so generous with his process and philosophy. Our conversation is about as in-depth as you can get without spoiling every little detail about the narrative. However, we'll probably need Crook back on the podcast so we can have one of our epic Ultimate breakdown conversations about The Lonesome Hunters.
The Lonesome Hunters: The Wolf Child #1 is now available from Dark Horse Comics, wherever fine comic books are sold (Click HERE to find the nearest one to you). You can continue your conversation with Tyler Crook via his Twitter, Instagram, and Website. Also, you can listen to his music through his Bandcamp page (although it's also available on Spotify, Apple Music, and the like).
If you haven't already, you can listen to our previous Lonesome Hunters conversation HERE.
Technically, this episode is Part Two of our two-week-long San Diego Comic-Con celebration. Click HERE to catch up on Part One: our chat with Shannon and Luke Lieberman, the Red Sonja licensors.
Other Relevant Links:
FINAL ROUND OF PLUGS (PHEW):
Don't forget to grab your tickets for our July 30th Alamo Drafthouse Winchester screening of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.
Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.
Also, JOIN OUR PATREON before we re-launch Married to Singles, episode 1: Daniel Warren Johnson on The 'Nam #9.
And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.
Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.
Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.
Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.
Sunday Jul 09, 2023
50 Years of Red Sonja: Shannon and Luke Lieberman
Sunday Jul 09, 2023
Sunday Jul 09, 2023
Let the festivities begin! This year, Red Sonja celebrates her fiftieth anniversary, and as caretakers and licensors of the character, Shannon and Luke Lieberman are determined to transform 2023 into a massive birthday bash. A movie is on the horizon. Gail Simone has penned a new book, and a comics series is launching with a new number one written by Torunn Grønbekk and illustrated by Walter Geovani. It's set to release next week (7/19), which just so happens to coincide with the San Diego Comic-Con.
Red Sonja, Shannon, and Luke Lieberman will be in attendance in San Diego in a major way, hosting a fiftieth-anniversary panel on Friday at 11:30 AM in Room 5AB. Joining them will be Amy Chu, Jimmy Palmiotti, Amanda Conner, Dan Panosian, Mark Canton, and several other significant Red Sonja creators.
Do you know who else will be at Comic-Con next week? Comic Book Couples Counseling! In fact, this week's episode launches our San Diego Comic-Con podcast blowout! As you'll hear within, we have some major plans for this year's convention, and our feeds will be stacked for the next two weeks.
It all starts here with Shannon and Luke Lieberman discussing their unique relationship with Red Sonja, the responsibility they wield as legacy caretakers, and the special set of skills they both bring to this fascinatingly creative task. And, of course, we chat about the challenges and joys of working alongside your romantic partner.
Stay up to date on all things Red Sonja by following them on Twitter, Instagram, and their Website. Also, be sure to check out our previous conversation with Luke Lieberman discussing his graphic novel collaboration, Alliances: Orphans.
If you're attending San Diego Comic-Con, come find our Lisa Gullickson on the Comics Journalism: Looking at Panels Beyond the Page panel on Thursday at 4:30 PM in Room 24ABC. She'll be joined by Heidi MacDonald (The Beat), Jimmy Aquino (Comic News Insider), Brett Schenker (Graphic Policy), Avery Kaplan (The Beat), and Chris Arrant (Popverse).
Other Relevant Links:
- Lisa Guest-Stars on Spec Tales
- CBCC Guest-Stars on Comic Book Keepers
- CBCC Guest-Stars on The Amazing Spider-Talk (Patreon)
FINAL ROUND OF PLUGS (PHEW):
Don't forget to grab your tickets for our July 30th Alamo Drafthouse Winchester screening of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.
Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.
Also, JOIN OUR PATREON before we re-launch Married to Singles, episode 1: Daniel Warren Johnson on The 'Nam #9.
And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.
Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.
Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.
Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.