In this exclusive Back to Pop interview, we sit down with Jim Valentino, co-founder of Image Comics, creator of ShadowHawk, and the visionary who reimagined Guardians of the Galaxy for a new era. From his roots, to helping launch one of the most influential independent publishing movements in comic book history, Jim brings the receipts on four decades of boundary-pushing storytelling.
Inside the episode:
• How Guardians of the Galaxy became a cult classic under his pen
• The raw, behind-the-scenes energy of Image Comics, while everything around was chaotic during the early days, the guys were in stride!
• ShadowHawk and the darker themes that made it stand out in the ’90s
• The indie imprint Shadowline and its philosophy on creator-owned work
• The triumphant return of normalman in a 40th Anniversary Omnibus
• Reflections on creator rights, the digital comics frontier, and what’s next
Whether you’re a lifelong comics fan or just discovering the indie legends, this is a must-listen deep dive into one of the architects of modern comics.
Grab a copy of Normal Man here: https://imagecomics.com/comics/releases/normalman-40-th-anniversary-omnibus-hc
Subscribe, share, and don’t forget to rate the show if you believe in the power of creator-owned stories.
Hit play, rate the show, and subscribe for more deep dives into pop culture legends.
📱 Instagram: @backtopopmedia
🌐 Website: https://www.backtopopmedia.com
Audio by: Gabe Fletcher
Sound Design, Composition & Engineering
Editor, Back to Pop Podcast
If you’re looking for comics then stop by Sean’s shop here’s the link.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1700957263/custom-listing-mc-the-last-will-and?click_key=10e3b2dbec164f3e4e3998d180f71c4828a47e9c%3A1700957263&click_sum=732fa5f1&ref=shop_home_active_1&frs=1&sts=1
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!