Word Balloon Comics Podcast
1 on 1 interview show featuring the creative minds behind Comics TV Film Novels & Animation. Hosted by Chicago Pop Culture expert, John Siuntres
Episodes
October 7, 2025 • 44 mins
Comics writer Jim Zub returns to Word Balloon to discuss his work on Conan the Barbarian #25 for Titan Comics, a milestone issue that celebrates both the Cimmerian’s legacy and the current Titan era of storytelling. Zub talks about honoring Robert E. Howard’s classic voice while keeping Conan fresh for modern readers, balancing sword-and-sorcery action with character depth. The conversation also dives into how this special issue br...
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October 6, 2025 • 79 mins
In this 2013 Word Balloon conversation, artist Rags Morales discusses his pivotal work on Action Comics during DC Comics’ New 52 relaunch. Morales reflects on collaborating with writer Grant Morrison to redefine Superman for a new generation—depicting a younger, more grounded Man of Steel in his early years as a social crusader. The discussion explores the creative process behind redesigning the character’s look, the artistic chall...
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October 5, 2025 • 58 mins
This week on The Kinescope Podcast, John and the panel revisit the gripping 1957 Studio One production “The Night America Trembled.” Hosted by Edward R. Murrow and featuring a remarkable early cast — including Warren Beatty, Ed Asner, Warren Oates, James Coburn, and John Astin — the teleplay dramatizes the nationwide panic sparked by Orson Welles’ infamous 1938 War of the Worlds broadcast. While the story amps up the hysteria for t...
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October 4, 2025 • 110 mins
I embark on an off-ship solo mission to explore the first four episodes of Star Trek: Khan. The discussion dives into the heated fan debate over whether this Secret Hideout–produced audio drama truly belongs in Trek canon. Along the way, Me, Larry Young and memebers of the League weigh continuity questions, franchise history, and the larger implications of re-framing Khan’s story within modern Star Trek lore.
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October 3, 2025 • 89 mins
In this dark and thrilling episode, I sit down with comics legends Matt Wagner and Kelley Jones to talk about their gothic team-up on a new Dracula graphic novel series — a fresh, nightmarish take on the Lord of the Undead that blends Hammer horror, classic literature, and modern comics craft. We also dive deep into their iconic Batman work. Matt Wagner reflects on his acclaimed retellings of the Dark Knight’s formative years in Ba...
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October 2, 2025 • 81 mins
In this haunting episode of Scene Missing, we dive deep into Charles Laughton's singular directorial masterpiece, The Night of the Hunter (1955). From its expressionist visual style to Robert Mitchum’s chilling performance as the murderous preacher Harry Powell, we break down what makes this Southern Gothic thriller a one-of-a-kind cinematic experience.
We explore the film’s dreamlike atmosphere, the fairy tale overtones, and how it...
We explore the film’s dreamlike atmosphere, the fairy tale overtones, and how it...
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October 1, 2025 • 62 mins
On this episode, we're joined by legendary comics historian, animation writer, and pop culture expert Mark Evanier to discuss his latest project from Abrams Books: The Essential Peanuts Collection. This beautifully curated volume brings together decades of Charles Schulz’s iconic Peanuts comic strips, paired with insightful commentary and historical essays that spotlight the creative genius behind Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the res...
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September 30, 2025 • 72 mins
On this episode of Word Balloon, I sit down with writer Chip Zdarsky to dig into his bold, current run on Captain America. Chip explains his vision for the Star-Spangled Avenger, including the introduction of a new Cap born in the wake of 9/11, during the years when Steve Rogers was still frozen in ice. We also dive into his celebrated DC work on Batman, where he created the relentless Failsafe, repositioned Vandal Savage as a core...
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September 29, 2025 • 35 mins
From February 2013, visionary animator Ralph Bakshi joined me to discuss his then-new project Last Days of Coney Island, now streaming on YouTube and Vimeo. The series marked Bakshi’s return to gritty 1960s New York, promising raw stories of police corruption, gangs, prostitution, and the decade’s disillusionment following the assassinations of John and Robert Kennedy.
Bakshi also teased potential new sequences for cult favorites li...
Bakshi also teased potential new sequences for cult favorites li...
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September 28, 2025 • 80 mins
Legendary writer John Ostrander takes us on a tour of his greatest comic book triumphs. From co-creating The Modern Suicide Squad—and later seeing his creations explode onto the big screen—to redefining The Spectre, reviving Heroes for Hire, and crafting the sweeping Western saga The Kents, Ostrander’s impact is undeniable.
He also dives into his years shaping the Star Wars expanded universe, launching Grimjack and breaking new grou...
He also dives into his years shaping the Star Wars expanded universe, launching Grimjack and breaking new grou...
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September 27, 2025 • 55 mins
A Conversation With The Creators of the new Time Traviling Audio Drama, and their Kickstarter Campaign.
Hear the pilot now https://media.rss.com/cheating-history/feed.xml
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cheatinghistory/cheating-history-season-one
Bios Of The Creators... Jennifer Sterner is a screenwriter and producer with a mix of academic and creative experience. she’s developed a manga for Seven Seas Entertainment, created the ...
Hear the pilot now https://media.rss.com/cheating-history/feed.xml
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cheatinghistory/cheating-history-season-one
Bios Of The Creators... Jennifer Sterner is a screenwriter and producer with a mix of academic and creative experience. she’s developed a manga for Seven Seas Entertainment, created the ...
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September 26, 2025 • 85 mins
In this exclusive Word Balloon conversation, I sit down with writer David Pepose to talk about his exciting new projects bringing back some of the most iconic heroes of all time. Pepose is tackling Speed Racer, Space Ghost, and Captain Planet, reimagining these classic characters for today’s audience while honoring the legacy that made them timeless.
We dig into how he balances nostalgia with fresh storytelling, the challenges of up...
We dig into how he balances nostalgia with fresh storytelling, the challenges of up...
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September 25, 2025 • 76 mins
On this episode of Scene Missing, I sit down with writer–artist and filmmaker Gabriel Hardman to dive into the legendary film and television work of Robert Redford. From his breakout charm in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid to his understated power in The Way We Were , and his later turns as both actor and director, Redford has carved out a career that blends charisma, craft, and cultural impact. Gabriel and I share our personal...
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September 24, 2025 • 120 mins
In this edition of the Word Balloon / Bendis Discord Book Club, we dive deep into 100 Bullets Vol. 1 by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso. First published in 1999, this groundbreaking Vertigo series set a new standard for crime comics with its hard-boiled storytelling and stark, cinematic visuals.
We break down the writing choices that made Azzarello’s scripts so sharp and dangerous, the noir-infused art style that Eduardo Risso bro...
We break down the writing choices that made Azzarello’s scripts so sharp and dangerous, the noir-infused art style that Eduardo Risso bro...
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September 23, 2025 • 63 mins
In this conversation, I sit down with comic writer and filmmaker Rylend Grant, the force behind Half Evil Comics. Rylend is currently running a Kickstarter campaign for an all-new Evel Knievel comic, created with artist Dave Acosta, and he takes us inside the creative spark and daredevil energy fueling the project.
But Rylend’s storytelling doesn’t stop with comics—we also dive into his film career, including his work on movies star...
But Rylend’s storytelling doesn’t stop with comics—we also dive into his film career, including his work on movies star...
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September 22, 2025 • 66 mins
In Part Two of our conversation, Greg Pak takes us back to one of the defining stories of his career — the original Planet Hulk saga. He shares behind-the-scenes insights into crafting the epic that redefined the Green Goliath, and teases a brand-new chapter arriving this fall, reuniting the full creative team that launched the original classic.
We also dive into the origins of Amadeus Cho, the boy genius who would become the Totall...
We also dive into the origins of Amadeus Cho, the boy genius who would become the Totall...
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September 22, 2025 • 53 mins
Few writers move as seamlessly between genres and mediums as Greg Pak. In this special two-part conversation, we dive deep into the latest chapters of his ever-expanding career. First, Greg walks us through his brand-new Dungeons & Dragons run for Dark Horse, where he blends his gift for character-driven storytelling with the boundless imagination of tabletop fantasy.
From there, we shift to his work on Dynamite’s Supernatural c...
From there, we shift to his work on Dynamite’s Supernatural c...
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September 21, 2025 • 60 mins
In this conversation, veteran animation writer and producer Alan Burnett reflects on his groundbreaking work shaping Batman: The Animated Series, the show that redefined superhero storytelling for television. Burnett walks us through the creative challenges of translating Gotham City’s noir-infused atmosphere and complex characters into a format that spoke to both kids and adults, setting a new standard for superhero animation in t...
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September 20, 2025 • 65 mins
Today on Word Balloon, we’re joined by a voice familiar to anyone who loves smart, insightful pop culture commentary — Glen Weldon, longtime NPR contributor and co-host of Pop Culture Happy Hour. Glen is also the author of The Caped Crusade: Batman and the Rise of Nerd Culture, a sharp, witty, and deeply researched look at how the Dark Knight has evolved across comics, TV, and film — and how fandom itself has grown right alongside ...
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September 19, 2025 • 101 mins
Plus Star Trek Khan, Spinal Tap 2 Gen V Season 2 ep 1 and other tv and film tthoughts
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