Comics Are Great! 71 – Spongebob and Podcasting with Gregg Schigiel

Spongebob, work-for-hire, the importance of comics podcasting, and more!

We’re thrilled to have Gregg Schigiel, the artist behind many of the ever-present images of Spongebob Squarepants in comics and on products, for a talk on working on a beloved children’s character. Is it all fame and candy-eating, or is there a certain work ethic that goes into working on such a highly-visible property?

We also talk about Gregg’s excellent Stuff Said podcast and the thoughts behind it. What does it take to make a podcast, and how do you know if you’re ready to dive into this medium?

Note: This episode is part of a 3-episode crossover between Gregg’s show, the Kids’ Comics Revolution! podcast, and Comics Are Great! You can check out Part 1 on KCR!, featuring a talk on the power of superhero stories, Part 2 on Stuff Said, featuring an interview with me, and conclude with this very episode.

We’re joined at the end by Sharon Iverson of the Ann Arbor District Library for some more book recommendations!

Links mentioned in this episode (thanks to Eric Klooster for collecting them!):

• The Marvel Bullpen
• Spongebob Comics #1
• Joe Staton
• James Kochalka
• Bill Morrison
• Floyd Gottfredson
• Carl Barks
• Jack Kirby
• The Marvel Comics Bankruptcy
• Elementals
• Gregg’s Stand Up Comics
• Bullseye (podcast)
• WTF Podcast
• Cats with glasses

Comics Recommendations:

• Legends of Zita the Spacegirl
• The Antler Boy and Other Stories
• Astronaut Academy
• Far Arden
• The Mighty Skullboy Army
• G-Man

Live streams every other Wednesday at Comicsaregreat.tv and on Google+!

Audio hosting provided by Ka-Blam Digital Printing. This episode was recorded live at the Ann Arbor District Library.

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Comics Are Great! 70 – Skype Author Visits with Stephen McCranie

Author visits, marketing your book, Mal and Chad, and more!

Whether you’re self-publishing or working with a publisher, a cold hard reality we cartoonists face is getting the word out about your book. This time I’m joined by author Stephen McCranie for a discussion on how he used a special promotion on his site offering free Skype visits to schools to inspire kids and help spread awareness of his graphic novels.

Links mentioned in this episode (thanks to Eric Klooster for collecting them!):

• Mal & Chad: Food Fight!
• Colby Sharp on Twitter
• Kids’ Comics Revolution! episdoe 6
• Willie Loman
• Skype in the Classroom
• Stephen’s Skype lessons
• Google Forms
• Manga Studio
• We Transfer
• Doodle Alley
• The AADL Summer Game

Comics Recommendations:

• Poopy Claws
• Dirty Candy
• The Nao of Brown
• Gail Simone’s Batgirl
• Secret Science Alliance
• Doraemon
• Astronaut Academy
• Cooking Up Comics

Live streams every other Wednesday at Comicsaregreat.tv and on Google+!

Audio hosting provided by Ka-Blam Digital Printing. This episode was recorded live at the Ann Arbor District Library.

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Thunder Punch Daily 147 – Avoiding Urgency

TPD returns with some thoughts on writing in the medium that works for you and how urgency can be the inspiration killer!

Links mentioned:

• The Lean Into Art Cast with David Seah
• Young-ha Kim’s Ted talk: Be An Artist, Right Now!
• David Seah

Music for this show is by Eliott Drozd.
Audio hosting provided by Ka-Blam Digital Printing and IndyPlanet Digital

Voiceover by Tara Platt

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KCR! 07 – Superheroes with Gregg Schigiel

Spider-Man! Avengers! Hulk Smash! Stuff Said, and more!

For a long time superheroes were synonymous with kids’ comics. Many of us fell in love with the medium through the genre. But why are superheroes so compelling? Is it wish fulfillment? Do they operate as modern mythology? Or is it as simple as the joy of watching big muscley characters punch and blast each other?

We sort it out with the help of Gregg Shigiel of the Stuff Said podcast, as well as some other kids who lend their thoughts with more book talks on their favorite superheros old and new.

Book Recommendations:

• Avengers vs X-Men
• Maximum Ride
• X-Babies: Stars Reborn
• The Mighty Skullboy
• The Intrepid Escapegoat
• Defenders
• Tiny Titans
• Superman Family Adventures
• The Olympians
• Superman and Human Torch I’m With Stupid

Audio hosting and production provided by the Ann Arbor District Library.

Theme music by Harry and the Potters. This episode also featured the songs We Are Superheroes by Robbert Bobbert and the Bubble Machine , (We Wear) Capes by Uncle Monsterface, and Super Hero Me by Let’s Audio.

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Comics Are Great! 69 – Talking Drama with Raina Telgemeier

Drama! Smile! Baby-Sitters Club! Raina Telgemeier!

We close out the 2012 broadcast schedule with a special event! I’m joined by guest co-host Cassie, who helps me interview Raina Telgemeier about her latest graphic novel Drama. Together we talk about how Drama is a “spiritual sequel” to Smile, how an author might use their own experiences to inform their stories, and whose work most inspired Raina.

Toward the end of the episode we’re visited by Erin Helmrich of the Ann Arbor District Library for another round of great book recommendations!

Links mentioned in this episode (thanks to Eric Klooster for collecting them!):

• The Royal Christmas Message
• Video trailer for Drama
• The Princess Diaries
• The Kids’ Comics Revolution podcast
• The Far Side
• Fox Trot
• Go Comics
• Calvin and Hobbes
• Dumbo
• The Little Mermaid
• Pinnocchio
• Oliver & Company
• The Hunchback of Notre Dame
• Mulan
• Hercules
• The Princess & the Frog
• The Lion King
• Toy Story 3

Comics Recommendations (some affiliate links):

• Fishing with Gubby
• For Better or Worse
• Luann
• Zebrafish
• Nightschool, Vol. 1
• Mal and Chad: Food Fight!
• The Baby-Sitters Club: Kristy’s Great Idea
• X-Men: Misfits

Live streams every other Wednesday at Comicsaregreat.tv and on Google+!

Audio hosting provided by Ka-Blam Digital Printing. This episode was recorded live at the Ann Arbor District Library.

Follow Jerzy and New Paradigm Studios on Twitter!
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Comics Are Great! 68 – Watson and Holmes

Sherlock Holmes, Rick Leonardi, Brandon Perlow, Paul Mendoza, and more!

This time we talk with the team behind the new Watson and Holmes comic about iterating on public domain stories, new publishing strategies, and how a cartoonist might think about “acting” through their characters.

And we’re joined once again by Sharon Iverson of the Ann Arbor District Library for a nautically-themed round of book recommendations!

Links mentioned in this episode (thanks to Eric Klooster for collecting them!):

• New Paradigm Studios
• Techdirt article on Holmes’ status as a public domain character
• Jim Zub’s article on the economics of indie comics publishing
• Brandon and Paul’s appearance on Comicast episode 44
• ComicsPlus iOS and Android app
• Rick Leonardi
• Brandon Perlow’s career as a visual effects artist
• Keith Giffen
• Pippi Longstocking
• Comixology
• Epic Illustrated

Comics Recommendations (some affiliate links):

• Habibi
• Northlanders Vol. 1: Sven The Returned
• Cap’n Cat: Former Shark Hunter
• Salt Water Taffy: Calderas Revenge!
• Mr. Big: A Tale of Pond Life
• Sailor Twain: Or: The Mermaid in the Hudson
• Rasl Volume 1: The Drift
• Steve Canyon Volume 1: 1947-1948
• The Goon Collection
• Winters in Lavelle
• Pickman’s Model

Live streams every other Wednesday at Comicsaregreat.tv and on Google+!

Audio hosting provided by Ka-Blam Digital Printing. This episode was recorded live at the Ann Arbor District Library.

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KCR! 06 – School and Library Visits with Jarrett Krosoczka

Fullmetal Alchemist, Giants Beware!, Lunch Lady Comics, and more!

We’ve talked about the importance of book launch parties in the past, but what about taking your show on the road? But how do you break into doing school and library visits? And how do you condense a lifetime of skill-building into an hour of presentation and performance?

We’ve got Jarrett Krosoczka of Lunch Lady Comics, who shares his experience in leading author visits. Together we explore the narrative of an author’s presentation, how the author visit promotes one’s work, and also helps get more kids excited about comics.

We’ve also got more book talks from teen contributors Randall and Kaprice, who demonstrate that it’s already here. It’s happening. It’s the Kids’ Comics Revolution!

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Dan Santat
• Tomie dePaola
• Jeff Kinney
• Jack Gantos
• Lawrence Lessig
• The Star Wars Episode IV “pointer scene” in Powerpoint
• Mummenschanz

Book Recommendations (affiliate links):

• Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 1
• Giants Beware!

Audio hosting provided by Ka-Blam Digital Printing and IndyPlanet Digital.

Theme music for this episode is by Harry and the Potters. Special thanks to Recess Monkey for the Lunch Lady Comics theme song. And extra-special thanks to Alyson Beecher for arranging one of the book talks for this episode.

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Comics Are Great! 67 – Scary Stories

Writing horror with Jon David Guerra, Paul Storrie, and Dave Carter.

It’s a Halloween-themed episode with a talk on what characterizes a scary story, and we’ve got a full roundtable of people well-suited for the job! I’m joined by Jon David Guerra, Paul Storrie, and Dave Carter, who help to draw the line between “disturbing” and “frightening,” and how telling a story visually presents a unique challenge when creating scary stories.

We close, as always, with a bunch of great comics recommendations when we’re joined by Erin Helmrich of the Ann Arbor District Library.

Links mentioned in this episode (thanks to Eric Klooster for collecting them!):

• RL Stine video on what makes a scary story
• The Saturday Supercast Halloween specials, Part 1 | Part 2
• Dr. Zaius
• It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
• Ben Cooper Costumes
• Zatara
• The William Shatner Mask is Michael Myers’ mask!
• The Steve Miller “Spider” mask
• The Jump Scare
• Horror Manga
• The Woman in Black
• Resident Evil
• H.P. Lovecraft
• Invasion of The Bodysnatchers
• Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
• The Horror, Etc. Podcast
• The Ring
• Jon Lovitz as the Devil
• Parents
• Buffy the Vampire Slayer
• The Mist
• Titanic
• John Carpenter
• Soylent Green
• Planet of The Apes
• Werewolf by Night
• The Shining
• Twisted Journeys
• My Boyfriend is a Monster
• Bram Stoker’s Dracula
• Creepshow
• Doc Macabre
• Ted Cassidy
• 30 Days of Night
• Anathema
• Gravity Falls
• Magic
• The Hunger

Comics Recommendations (some affiliate links):

• Peculia and the Groon Grove Vampires
• Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
• The Rick Geary series of non-fiction comics
• Uzumaki

Live streams every other Wednesday at Comicsaregreat.tv and on Google+!

Audio hosting provided by Ka-Blam Digital Printing. This episode was recorded live at the Ann Arbor District Library.

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Comics Are Great! 66 – The Difference Between Story and Backstory

World building! Backstory! Writing! With Dave Roman, Brandon Dayton, and Paul Storrie.

What’s the difference between story and backsory? It’s a tricky question, so I was lucky to assemble a rather impressive roundtable of comics people to help sort this one out. Brandon Dayton, Dave Roman, and Paul Storrie all return to the show to help determine how to know what information belongs within and supports your story, and what information is world building material to inform the choices you make when constructing your story.

Sharon Iverson of the Ann Arbor District Library shows up later to share some more book recommendations and comics events happening in the Southeast Michigan area.

Links mentioned in this episode (thanks to Eric Klooster for collecting them!):

• Steel Cut Oats
• Romney vs Big Bird
• Wikipedia’s definition of Backstory
• Wikipedia’s definition of Exposition
• The Incredibles
• Batman’s origin
• Dungeon Masters
• Memento
• Spidey’s Uncle Ben
• Finding Nemo
• John Carter
• The Emperor’s New Groove
• Lost
• American Flagg!
• Orson Scott Card
• Goofus & Gallant
• The Silmarillion
• Jaws
• The Empire Strikes Back
• Aang (Avatar: The Last Airbender)
• Zuko (Avatar: The Last Airbender)
• The Legend of Korra
• Supernatural
• The Name of the Wind
• Game of Thrones S1
• The Paper Wings Podcast
• Kevin Costner
• Ben-Day Dots
• Dear Teen Me (and check out Dave’s appearance in the trailer video)

Comics Recommendations (some affiliate links):

• The Dreamer
• Robyn of Sherwood
• Three Shadows
• Hilda and the Midnight Giant
• Broxo
• Binky the Space Cat (A Binky Adventure)
• City of Spies
• Anne Frank: The Anne Frank House Authorized Graphic Biography
• Ernest and Rebecca
• Jax Epoch and the Quicken Forbidden

Live streams every other Wednesday at Comicsaregreat.tv and on Google+!

Audio hosting provided by Ka-Blam Digital Printing. This episode was recorded live at the Ann Arbor District Library.

Follow Jerzy, Brandon, Dave, and Paul on Twitter!
Find us on Google+

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Comics Are Great! 65 – Behind the Scenes of Publishing with Gina Gagliano

Publishing, Pitching, First Second Books!

Some of us have come face-to-face with the grim reality of getting our work published. It’s not quite as glamorous and easy as the fantasy we might have constructed as a kid. But Gina Gagliano of First Second Books stops by the show to lend a bunch of great insights on what happens behind the scenes at one of the top-flight comics publishers in order to better equip those of us who wish to see our books shelved along side of graphic novels like Laika, Vampire Love, Koko Be Good, and Feynman.

Check out Gina’s Behind the Scenes blog for even more terrific and useful info!

Erin Helmrich of the Ann Arbor District Library shows up later to share some more book recommendations and comics events happening in the Southeast Michigan area.

Links mentioned in this episode (thanks to Eric Klooster for collecting them!):

• First Second Serials: Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong
• The First Second Books FAQ
• First Second Top Sellers
• Editorial Anonymous
• Order of the Stick
• Gina’s post on Publishing vs. Kickstarter

Comics and Book Recommendations (some are affiliate links):

• Mr. Big: A Tale of Pond Life
• A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel
• Lio: There’s a Monster in My Socks
• Sailor Twain: Or: The Mermaid in the Hudson
• Friends with Boys
• Broxo

Live streams every other Wednesday at Comicsaregreat.tv and on Google+!

Audio hosting provided by Ka-Blam Digital Printing. This episode was recorded live at the Ann Arbor District Library.

Follow Jerzy and First Second on Twitter!

The CAG! Google+ Page
Subscribe through iTunes
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