Creator spotlight: Chip Zdarsky on his career, Substack, & more

Chip Zdarsky joins the show in a special interview-only episode to discuss his career. We dig into Batman, the ongoing crossover Gotham War, and talk about his creator-owned projects. We also get to know Chip like never before as we run through the Colbert Questionnaire! Plus, what is the greatest moment from his career? Find out here!

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State of the Substack:

1. You launched your Substack back in August 2021 with weekly insights into your process, humor of course, and also PDFs of your work, what is it about connecting with fans in this way that works so well for you?
2. As part of the Substack you also produced some hilarious how-to videos posted to YouTube, how fun was it crafting those?
   1. Might we see more in the future?
3. If Masterclass or a similar style online course approached you, would you take them up on it?
   1. Alan Moore certainly had a presence in his with candles, any ideas on how you’d set up the scene around you?
4. You said in your latest Substack, which again I think folks should sign up for, you had a new idea. Considering your past creator-owned titles, do you find the process of idea to in-print comic has a certain length of time?

Standout KAPOW moment of the career! 

Sex Criminals #1 Daredevil #25

Segment: Interview: Comics!

1. Having written multiple titles for some time, do you prefer working on multiple stories at once? Why or why not?
2. About how long are you writing each week, or each day?
3. Do you write differently depending on the artist?
4. Pace of a story is so intriguing to me, how do you approach getting pacing right with something like Newburn vs Batman, or Kaptara?
5. Do you think you’d be a good detective?
6. Kaptara is so weird and out there, I love the soap opera aspects, the fact that it’s so eclectic, be it character or setting. Having grown up watching General Hospital as a little kid I can’t help but love it. How do you approach plotting an issue and get that effect?
7. The conflict in Gotham War feels very natural given where you’ve taken Batman and where Catwoman has been in the last few years, was this a crossover a long time in the making?
8. What you're doing with Batman of Zur-En-Arrh is truly exciting, what is the appeal of the character for you?
9. Having written Daredevil for a number of years, has working on that book influenced your writing on Batman? Rory 1:01
10. As a writer known for humor, do you struggle with not making Batman or DD smarmy? Colin
11. In the mount rushmore of superheroes to write, I feel like you’ve done them all, Chip! Is there any hero in particular you still have on your bucketlist?

Rapid Fire Question Round (Stolen from Stephen Colbert so that a guest is “known”):

• Best sandwich?
• What's one thing you own that you really should throw out?
• Apples or oranges?
• What is the scariest animal?
• Have you ever asked someone for their autograph?
• What do you think happens when we die?
• Favorite action movie?
• Favorite smell?
• Least favorite smell?
• Flat or sparkling?
• Most used app on your phone?
• If you could have dinner with any three characters you’ve written before, who would they be and why?
• You get one song to listen to for the rest of your life: what is it?
• What number am I thinking of?
• Describe the rest of your life in 5 words?