The Corner Box

Team Tyrant Fall, Max Davenport and C. Brennan Knight, join hosts John and David to talk about all things comic book, how Brennan wrote a pro-level first comic, perfecting the writing process, building the world and characters, merging traditional and digital art, and Heavy Metal’s influence on Tyrant Fall. Also, John manages to get back into the U.S. after his vacation, and David discovers why he’s not a big DC guy (or is he?!)

Tim...

Comic book great Todd Nauck joins the show to talk about his work on Pooluminati, Young Justice, his big break into comics, working at Extreme Studios, keeping the drive through the decades, leveling up with digital, beating the Imposter Syndrome, the Mount Rushmore of comic artists, and Todd’s wish list of characters he has yet to draw. Also, John finds out he’s old, David takes over the interview, and a call to assist writer Pete...

John and David talk about the financial struggles of comic book creators, how freelancers can effect lasting change, and the sad business practices of corporate comics companies. Also, David pays creators more than Marvel, and John writes an inspired James Bond movie script.

Timestamp Segments

• [01:10] The show’s newfound popularity.
• [01:37] The financial problems at Marvel.
• [10:14] How change will happen.
• [12:43] Join the FunTimeGo ...

Writer and comic historian Stephanie Williams joins the show! John and David talk with Stephanie about swapping her electron microscope for a career in comics, how the best butts in Marvel gave her a big break, increasing comics access with fewer bookstores, the nature of corporate comics, building momentum in the industry, and Stephanie's exciting upcoming projects. Also, John reveals his true origin.

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Tony Fleecs joins The Corner Box to talk about his "meteoric" rise within the industry, his upcoming work on The Thing, the lack of institutional knowledge at the "Big 2", how to create evergreen characters, focusing on creator-owned work, how Stray Dogs changed the face of comics, and building a winning creative team. Also, the podcast becomes a dog show, Tony shares a Corner Box Exclusive, and there's a &...

Pat Shand returns with hosts John and David to drop a metric ton of self publishing knowledge! Pat talks about finding his place in self-publishing, embracing horror and sexy comics, Kickstarter vs Direct Market publishing, and how to launch and run a successful campaign. Also, Pat teases some upcoming comics, David considers nuclear physics, and John learns how to spell “Miami.”

Notable Quotes

• “I don’t know how it’s even humanly...

Comic book disruptor and entrepreneur Pat Shand joins John and David to talk about his journey into becoming a comic book professional, comic books being a lucrative creative endeavor, working with difficult licensors, the reality of having a prolific workload, and the good side of fandom. Also, John remembers to pay people.

Part One of Two.

Timestamp Segments

• [01:38] What got Pat hooked on comics?
• [05:07] Making more money in comi...

Elizabeth Brei returns with hosts John and David for Part 2 of this Valentine’s Day Special to talk about all things NANA, visual art choices, emotional depth in comic writing, comics that should be in print but aren’t, and Ai Yazawa’s manga being released in English for the first time. Also, David discovers a new rabbit hole, John learns how wrong he did the pandemic, and Elizabeth goes to Jackson Hole.

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• [00:56...

Boom! Studios Editor, Elizabeth Brei, joins the show! Elizabeth joins John and David for this Valentine’s Day Special to talk about the gatekeepers of the comics industry, where new comic readers should (and definitely shouldn’t) get started, making comics more accessible, and John and Elizabeth’s shared love of the manga, NANA. Also, David apologizes (once again), and John tries to explain industry BS.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of The ...

Writer Rich Douek (Batman, Edge of Spiderverse, Drive Like Hell, Heartpiercer) joins hosts John & David to talk about how Rich found his way into comics from prose-writing, turning ideas into stories, the ripple effects of tariffs and Diamond’s bankruptcy, succeeding with a great writer/artist team, and how marketing could save comic books. Plus, David has some thoughts on Infinity Comics, and Rich cooks with comics.

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Episode Summary

John & David discuss the state of the comics industry after losing Diamond, the possible future of the TMNT license, what taxes and tariffs could mean for the industry, reminisce about their fondest memories of reading comics while sick, then David goes down the rabbit hole of luchador films from the 1970s. Also, John has an epiphany about Walt Simonson.

Timestamp Segments

• [00:36] Reminiscing about being sick.
• [...

The show gets its first archenemy! John & David talk about their successful Kickstarter campaigns, David’s new and expensive collector bug, Jim Lee’s return, and David dives into the DC Creature Commandos limited series from 1999 by Truman & Eaton (the FIRST Creature Commandos #1).

Timestamp Segments

• [00:49] David and John’s mutual printer.
• [04:34] The show gets its first archenemy.
• [05:02] David’s shiny and metallic reward...

Kirt Burdick joins hosts John and David to talk about Kirt’s new and extended Death of Power series, the problematic marketing of superhero comic tropes, how Batman memes will cause a nuclear meltdown, the future of digital art, and how extended copyright stifles creativity. Also, the podcast gets a new listener, Kirt dislikes musicals, David has his heart broken, and John takes down Diamond.

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• [00:39] Kirt’s new...

John & David dive into the 1974 Famous First Edition facsimile reprint of Sensation Comics #1, the clumsy progressive attempts found in the book, and all the unhinged storylines. Then, John toots his own horn as we discuss the consequences of Diamond’s bankruptcy, and the damning Neil Gaiman report. Also, David finds a potential fart joke.

Timestamp Segments

• [01:21] John is Nostradamus.
• [02:28] The end of the Diamond era.
• [07:1...

The Corner Box goes INTO THE FUTURE (waver your voice and wiggle your hands when you read that)! John & David make their predictions for comics in 2025, talk about the different directions the big publishers are taking, the state of superhero movies, Rob Liefeld’s upcoming record-breaking comic, and the fall of Diamond! Also, John gets bleeped and David takes a vacation in the sun.

Timestamp Segments

• [01:26] John’s Nosferatu ...

John & David wrap up 2024 with their Top 3s (or 8s), and talk about John’s uncanny impressions, the new version of Jonathan Hickman, John’s disappointment in non-sex comics, the end of David’s Dog (Man) Days, and John revives a “classic” Corner Box joke.

Timestamp Segments

• [00:50] Kraven the Hunter.
• [03:39] John has fallen behind.
• [05:00] A spin on Top 3s.
• [05:58] All-time Top 3 Comics.
• [12:47] Top Image Books.
• [20:47] Top Marvel ...

This week on The Corner Box, hosts John & David do a deep dive into some Famous Firsts, and talk about navigating the racism in some very old stories, the most appropriate ways to solve crimes, skipping comics with no pictures, what an anthology would look like today, and the crazy original gun ads in the books. Also, David launches another successful Kickstarter campaign, the podcast listeners get visuals, and John teases the ...

On this episode of The Corner Box, hosts John & David gather round the fire to reminisce about the past year in comics, and get into the reinvigoration of older properties, how different publishers approach existing properties, DC and Marvel’s Absolute and Ultimate Lines, DC’s $10 books, and PRH’s disruption of the industry by purchasing Boom! Studios. Also, most definitely not in the spirit of the Season, David is mean to seve...

John & David wrap up their deeper dive into Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E.! The guys make a noble attempt at trying to explain The Captain’s drunken origin, Machine Man’s dark origins, Elsa’s childhood training origins, Forbush Man’s pot, the magic of the Warren Ellis/Stuart Immonen collaboration, the Crayon Butchery Variant, Nextwave’s crazy covers, fun Easter eggs in each issue, and the greatest line in all comics. Also, David ...