Off Panel: A Comics Interview Podcast

Writer Matthew Rosenberg returns to the show to talk about his past few years in comics. Rosenberg discusses his podcast Ideas Don't Bleed, what he gets from it, what his Substack Pro Grant ultimately allowed him to do, the power of time, figuring out what's next, work/life balance, what kind of swing guy he is, collaboration, his humor, the marriage of ideas in his new series We're Taking Everyone Down with Us, its origins, long titles, how the creator-owned space has evolved, how that evolution is changing what he wants for himself, and more.

Writer Kyle Higgins joins the show to talk about his career and his work on Radiant Black and The Massive-Verse. Higgins discusses the power of curiosity, how creating changes your relationship with the creation, Radiant Black as a response to his career to date, the importance of other people, his journey as a creator, the origins of Radiant Black, how The Massive-Verse became what it is, its improvisational nature, its leads, the biggest things they've gotten right and wrong to date, what makes comics such a draw, and more.

Writer Deniz Camp joins the show to talk about his career and his current slate of projects. Camp discusses creator realities, being a Barnes and Noble kid, JLA's impact, the power of restrictions, the impact of experiencing different cultures, varied influences, what made him want to make comics, 20th Century Men's impact, working on PanelxPanel, collaborating with artists, what guides him as he decides on projects, figuring Ultimates out, swinging for the fences, the upcoming Assorted Crisis Events, how he approaches his own writing, being musical with his work, the book's title, navigating the darker side of comics, what he wants his future to look like, and more.

The writer and artist behind the recently launched The Lucky Devils, Charles Soule and Ryan Browne, join the show to talk about the year their new Image Comics series and the path to bringing it to life. Browne and Soule discuss new release anticipation, how their projects evolve, the rules of these worlds, what they learned from Eight Billion Genies, how they balance each other out, the structure of 8BG, its Wishworld one-shot, what made them want to develop The Lucky Devils, its leads, the darkness of the series, how their collaborations evolve, the sins that tempt them, promotional efforts, how they continue to build, and more.

Retailer Patrick Brower joins the show to talk about the year that was in his Chicago comic shop, Challengers Comics + Conversation. Brower discusses the slow open to years, the top comics of the year at Challengers, stimulating foot traffic, the year that was at Challengers, Saga's immortal nature, Absolute learnings, what else is moving the needle at Challengers, the impact of handselling, how customer behaviors have changed, the world of comics distribution, behind the scenes work, managing the amount of product, his view on the broader world of comics retail, the evolution of that space, and more.

Writer Wyatt Kennedy joins the show to talk about his career and his work on the Image Comics series, Nights. Kennedy discusses managing stress, his comic origins, finding your things, influences outside of comics, figuring things out in real time, comic book rules, the origin of Nights, his artistic collaborators, the world of Nights, its season model, the work of making a comic, what he wants to do next, and more.

Guillaume Singelin, a talented cartoonist known for his graphic novel "Frontier," shares insights into his creative journey and the vibrant comic culture in France. He reflects on his evolution from a reluctant artist to a solo creator, detailing how his love for animation and personal experiences shaped his work. The conversation dives into the themes of freedom and resource exploitation in "Frontier," exploring the interplay between captivating visuals and narrative. Singelin also discusses the politics embedded in his characters and what lies ahead for his future projects.

My pal Brandon Burpee returns to the show for Off Panel's annual year in review episode. Burpee joins me to discuss the year that was in comics, the different flavors of comics, how we read these days, the appeal of micro lines, where the Big Two are, the From the Ashes era for the X-Men, surprise standout moments for us, and more, before we both count down our 20 favorite comics of the year. Also, by popular demand, you can find Brandon and I's lists below. David 1. Hirayasumi 2. Frontier 3. Nights 4. Public Domain 5. The Library Mule of Córdoba 6. Self-Esteem and the End of the World 7. Local Man 8. Tokyo These Days 9. The Strange Tales of Oscar Zahn 10. The Jellyfish 11. Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees 12. The Power Fantasy 13. Marriage Toxin 14. Lunar New Year Love Story 15. Dog Days 16. Fantastic Four 17. Ultimate Universe 18. Helen of Wyndhorn 19. Kaya 20. In Utero Brandon 1. Batman & Robin: World's Finest 2. Grommets 3. Falling in Love on the Path to Hell 4. Batman 5. Wolverine 6. NYX 7. Redcoat 8. Radiant Black 9. Avengers Twilight 10. Cobra Commander 11. Ultimate Spider-Man 12. Local Man 13. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 14. Batman: Dark Age 15. Geiger 16. Spider-Man: Reign 2 17. X-Men 18. Uncanny X-Men 19. Wolverine Deep Cut 20. Green Arrow

In this week's episode of Off Panel, writers Scott Snyder, Kelly Thompson, and Jason Aaron join the show to talk about their work in the Absolute Universe at DC with Absolute Batman, Absolute Wonder Woman, and Absolute Superman respectively. Snyder kicks things off, as he discusses the roots of Absolute DC, events as the thing before the thing, the environment Absolute grew in, and the power of jumping on points, before Thompson and Aaron join to talk about taking on this type of project, the idea of competition, collaboration, figuring out how varying pieces fit, the "big" of it all, their favorite art so far, the most challenging part, trying to make something sustainable, and more.

In a special year end episode of Off Panel, we look at the defining themes of 2024 in comics with the help of retailer Steve Anderson from Third Eye Comics, The Beat's Heidi MacDonald, and writer Joshua Williamson. Up first is Anderson (1:12), who talks about a time of struggle for Marvel in comic shops, the area of effect that can have on other publishers, what seems to be fueling those struggles, his hopes for the future, and more. After that is MacDonald (29:26), who discusses "The Big Lie," which is all about the intersection of comic publishers and media rights, the focus publishers have on media rights these days, the new publishers chasing IP plays, the impact that has on the rest of the industry, and more. And to close is Williamson (1:01:02), who talks a year defined by the phrase "go big or go home," varying examples of that thinking, why that's so important, the importance of big swings, how that affects creators and publishers alike, and more.