On This episode of Word Balloon, Hasan Minajh talks about his project Stand Up Planet, a documentary series that debuts Wed May 14th at 7pm on the cable channels LINK TV, PIVOT, The So Cal Public TV station KCET and streaming live at standupplanet.org. This 2 part docu takes an amazing look at stand up comedy in the third world, and is worth your attention. Featured in the show are comedians from India and South Africa, and words of wisodm from comedy legends Bill Cosby, Norman Lear (All In The Family) , and Carl Reiner (The Dick Van Dyke Show)

Comic Artist Steve Skroce joins us to talk about the return of Doc Frankenstien and his work with Filmmakers and Comic Book Vets The Wachowskis on his Burlyman Comics, and their films including The Matrix Trilogy, Cloud Atlas, V For Vendetta, and this summer's Jupiter Ascending. Plus insight in the 2007 aborted Justice League Film which was to be directed by George Miller (Mad Max Trilogy) 

We wrap up with a C2E2 Podcaters roundtable featuring Steve Dismie of Comic Book Queers Wendy Freeman of Double Page Spread , Chris Marshall of Collected Comic Library and John Mayo of Comic Book Page

514 Hasan Minahj Steve Skroce & C2E2 Podcater Roundtable

Judd Winick is back! We loved his superhero work for years at&nbsp;DC and Marvel (Batman: Under The Red Hood, Shazam, Exiles, The Outsiders, Green Lantern,) and running the alternate earth adventures of Marvel's Exiles, but it's been a long time since we've enjoyed the art and funny side of Winick's storytelling.
The man behind Frumpy The Clown and Barry Ween has put himself back behind the drafting table to draw and write this hilarious action adventure that will delight children and thoroughly entertain their parents with intense comic book style action .&nbsp;
We talk about his feelings on this series compared to his superhero work, his work on The Hulu superhero parody The Awesomes created by Seth Meyers, and more .
&nbsp;
Then Sci-Fi writer Duane Burghard brng his own military background into his new novel Gopto combining real world practicality with an alien conspiracy. Duane was also an online talk show host in the early pre-podcast net era, and he shares memories of some famous interviews he got to do in the sci-fi world

Judd Winick's Hilo The Boy Who Crashed to Earth & Duane Burghard Sci-Fi Conspiracy Gopto

Today on Word Balloon, legendary filmmaker Ralph Bakshi joins us to discuss his Kickstarter campaign for a new animated series called Last days Of Coney Island.


The series sees Bakshi return to familiar territory New York in the 1960's. Bakshi promises scenes and stories about police corruption, gangs, prostitutes and the enui of the decade as the country suffered urban decay and the losses of leaders like John and Robert Kennedy.

Bakshi also dorps news about making sequel scenes for some of his cult classic films after he completes The Last Days Project. He talks about making new sequences for his films Wizards Coonskin, and Heavy Traffic.


For yeras he's talked about a new sequence for the 1977 film Wizards, involving the character Peace saving a train boxcar filled with draves being taken to their death, ala the real life WW2  refugees taken by the Nazis to concentration camps. Says Bakshi " I love Peace...it's an incredible action sequence ...it's a violent scene... so (explitive)  if you want to see Wizards 2 get Last Days going."  Number 3, I'd do Coonskin 2 ..and then Heavy Traffic and what I'm saying is  I can contunie to do more with these films, and release them on the net. " Bakshi would release the films on his website and a Bakshi channel he's developing.


Bakshi also updates us on the potential live action Robert Rodgriguez remake of his 1983 film Fire and Ice co-concieved by Frank Frazetta and written by Gerry Conway and Roy Thomas. Says Bakshi "  I had spoke last week obver emails that he wants to shoot it next summer...I get a nice fee if he shoots it . He came to me and wanted to do it. He wants to make it live action which is fine, cause I'd never re do it. I said make it like Sin City and Frazetta (style) he's says he would ...He's says he's shooting it  next summer, he's now shooting Sin City 2, so unless he feels the need to lie to me, that's his intention." 
Bakshi also talks about his years at Terrytoon films which taught him the tricks to make animation at a cheaper cost. We also discuss his work on the Spider-Man Animated series, and his friendship with Frazetta.


Then we catch up with Rick Remender who's taking bold direction in his 2 Marvel Now! books Captain America and Uncanny Avengers. We talk about the ideas in the comics that have polarizing reactions from fans  but Rick is quick to say these are long story arcs that will reveal themselves over time. Rick also talks about the delightful success the Fear Agent Onibus is having , and announces some new creator owned projects for 2013.

2013 Animation Legend Ralph Bakshi

Sanford Greene &amp; David Walker are killing it on Marvel's new Power Man &amp; Iron Fist comic. Greene joins us to talk about the excitement and responsibility they feel to make this a memorable run. They want it to feel fresh,but also hit the right notes of the past great runs featuring the Heroes For Hire. Sanford answers many questions about the series. The book debuts this Wednesday the 17th.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Then Phil Hester and Brent Peeples join us to talk about THEIR reboot of popular characters, The Gold Key Alliance coming in April from Dynamite, Magnus Robot Fighter Dr Solar, Mighty Sampson and Turok join forces in a modern "real world" story. Hester also has a new Image book Mythic with John McCrea.&nbsp;

Word Baloon Sanford Greene On Power Man and Iron Fist's Return-Phil Hester and Brent Peeples Reboot The Gold Key Alliance

This is not the Hall H presentation. This was a press invite only session at the Bayfront Hilton after Hall H.&nbsp; A great Q &amp; A featuring The Executive Producers of Star Trek Discovery Bryan Fuller Heather Kadin &amp; Rod Roddenberry and former cast memebers William Shatner Brent Spiner Michael Dorn Scott Bakula &amp; Jeri Ryan.&nbsp;

Word Balloon Podcast SDCC Star Trek 50th Anniversary Press Conference

A watershed moment in comics. On this 2008 edition of the word balloon podcast, host John Siuntres engages in a friendly debate with writer Robert Kirkman. Yesterday, Kirkman released a video message explaining some of his reasons for leaving Marvel Comics, and becoming a partner at Image Comics. He's decided to focus on his creator owned original books, like Invincible, The Astounding Wolfman , and The Walking Dead. Beyond that the video is a call to arms for fellow creators to focus soley on their original stories, instead of the licesened work from the big 2 comic book companies, Marvel and DC. He explains further, that DC and Marvel should gear their main titles and stories on the younger end of the comic reading audience and should leave more mature stories to smaller publishers. He's calling on the industry as a whole to come together and figure out a new publishing strategy for the entire business. Kirkman came to Word Balloon to expand on some of these ideas.

Word Balloon -The Robert Kirkman Manifesto August 14th 2008

The legendary filmmaker and satirist joins me for a fun conversation to talk about some of his recent works including a new free mockumentary posted at his website plymptoons.com "Hitler's Folly", which imagines the dictator never giving up his art and following a path of animation and amusement parks. As Plympton says he sees the similarities of conquering the world thru warfare, and Hollywood's publicity machine.&nbsp; We talk about the way Bill raises money for his animation thru crowdfunding, and collaborations with fellow animators like Jim Lujan, and talk about his many animated and live action films including his famous 25 Ways To Quit Smoking which was shown many times in the 90's on MTV.&nbsp;

Animator Bill Plympton

Spencer And Locke is a very funny but also straight forward comic mash up of a grown up Calvin and Hobbes duo solving grisly crimes in a sin city world. The book is from Action Lab's Danger Zone Mature imprint and a very good time. Writer David Pepose joins us to talk about the book, its influences and more.&nbsp;

Crime Comics Mashup Spencer and Locke With David Prepose

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar joins us to talk about his new graphic novel from Titan Mycroft Holes and The Apocalypse Handbook. He's a longtime Sherlock Holmes fan and we talk about his take at the elder Holmes backstory, something Arthur Conan Doyle barely hinted at in few of Sherlock's adventures. Kareem has created an exciting steampunk backdrop and envisions the young Mycroft as a dashing hero rubbing shoulders with many famous people of the 19th century. This is a great read for Holmes and steampunk fans.&nbsp; We also go full blast into Kareem's life long love of comcs from buying them at his local candy store as a child, to his adult appreciation of the books today. You'll hear about encounters with comic book luminaries, adventures at san diego comic cons, and much more.&nbsp;

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Reflections Of A Lifelong Comic Book Fan

Phil Proctor played Howard DeVille on Rugrats television and films for 14 years . You'll hear about his adventures in voice over animation, but that's only Phil's recent history&nbsp; He also revolutionized subversive sketch comedy with his co members of The Firesign Theater doing counter culture anti establishment bits long before Monty Python or Cheech and Chong . Their ground breaking style of improvisations first played on live radio then they signed with Columbia &amp; later Rhino Records to create almost 20 albums from the 60s thru the 2000s.&nbsp; Phil has a new autobiography WHERE'S MY FORTUNE COOKIE which documents his adventures living the Hollywood Rock N Roll lifestyle of the 60s-70s with crazy adventures in TV Film and making comedy.&nbsp;

Phil Proctor On The Firesign Theater and The 60's Evolution Of Sketch Comedy

We close out the year live at 4 Stars Studio kicking back with Mike Norton who tell us about the initial lark of&nbsp; creating the comic strip Lil Donnie and it taking over a portion of his working life. It's syndicated by Go Comics home of Doonsebury Peanuts Calvin and Hobbes strips.&nbsp;  We also talk about his new DC monthly Mystic U written by&nbsp;Alisa Kwitney his first web comic series&nbsp;Battlepug and more.

Happy New Year Mr President Mike Norton's Lil Donnie Mystic U Battlepug and more

Imagine of we thought only about Joe Frazier when talking about the Ali Frazer fights? Ali won the 2nd and 3rd fights. Gene Tunney lived that sort of frustration. He won both matches against Jack Dempsey decisively yet we mostly remember Dempsey's 7th round kockdown of Tunney that produced "The Long Count Moment" . Tunney biographer Jack Cavanaugh is here to set the record straight and remind of Gene's overall greatness beyond those 14 seconds on the mat against Dempsey.

Boxing History-Gene Tunney A Closer Look With Tunney Biographer  Jack Cavanaugh

Great to catch up with Marc on his latest projects. First we discuss his fantastic John Constantine  Animated Film City Of Demons, that even got it's own prime time special on the CW to promote John's involvement on Legends Of Tomorrow . We talk about Matt Ryan's undying loyalty to the fun of playing John on 2 tv series and several animated films! 
Then we get into Marc's creator owned books like the fun Dr Who-esque Impossible Inc from IDW, and the very Vertigo esque The Girl In The Bay From Karen Berger's Dark Horse Imprint Berger Books, the re-release of Moonshadow coming in 2019 and more.

Comic Books JM DeMatties Constantine Film New IDW and Dark Horse Books

Ten years ago this month George Carlin passed away . His daughter Kelly joins us to talk about her father's incredible career and the release of a new DVD box set the explores the comedian's comedic evolution. From his "Mad Men" clean cut persona in the early 60s, his seven dirty words observational period of the 70s and 80s to his eventual "angry old man" pieces and of the 90s thru the 2000s. 

The set also contains never released material from all the various eras of Carlin's career fom 60s variety shows to 80s tv pilots and live footage from the 2000s of Carlin working out material at comedey clubs.

Kelly is a fellow podcaster and gives us her unique observations of her father's legacy.

The Legacy Of George Carlin-With Kelly Carlin

Great new chat with Tim about his new Aftershock book, Dark Red which centers on a vampire living in rural America.. We also look back at Revival, His new Swamp Thing DC book, his X-men series Apocalypse and the X-Tracts, and more.

Comic Books Tim Seeley On X-men Swamp Thing and Aftershock's Dark Red

Ed is back to talk about the latest edition of Criminal. his graphic novel All My Heroes Have Been Junkies both with art from Sean and Jacob Phillips. Plus Ed's adventures writing for HBO's Westworld and Jonathan Nolan, and his new Amazon Prime collaboration with filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn (Drive)

Comic Books Ed Brubaker Criminal and TV writers room 101

The Weekly Pop Culture Audio Podcast Featuring In-Depth One On One Interviews and Discussions From The Entertainment Worlds Of Genre Fiction- Comic Books, Novels, Television, Film, Video Games And More. Created In 2005 By Chicago Radio/TV Host John Siuntres For the full archive of interviews, go to the website wordballoon.com

wordballoon podcast

Popular tracks