Word Balloon Podcast

Word Balloon Podcast – Paul Cornell on Knight and Squire, Action Comics and More

Show Notes

On this episode of Word Balloon writer Paul Cornell is back to talk about his DC books. We'll discuss today's release of Knight and Squire #3 plus Cornell's three issue run on Batman and Robin and his continuing story in Action Comics starring Lex Luthor.

We also discuss his work on Soldier Zero from Boom! Studios. Paul talks about writing under the editorial eye of Stan Lee who is not just lending his name to the project but as Paul says "…half of the first issue's script are Stan's words." How does the 21st century Lee oversee a comic script for a modern audience?

Plus there's a full discussion about writing for television and the role of the "show runner " producer.  We discuss last week's news about The Walking Dead producers firing their season one writing staff and adopting a British model of freelance writers for season two. It's the system Cornell has worked under for shows like Doctor Who, Primeval, and others. Paul claims no inside information about the AMC/Walking Dead situation, but explains the differences between having a writers room to lean on, versus the solitary life of a freelancer.

Then the conversation goes in depth discussing Doctor Who, from the current success of producer Steven Moffat and star Matt Smith to a look back at the 1969-1978 Terrence Dicks show runner era. We talk about the episodes of Doctor Who that Paul wrote and other Brit-TV, like the Moffat produced Sherlock series, Primeval, and others.

 

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Comments

  1. Damned good episode. Loved both your observations on television.

  2. It would be really nice if my shop would stop selling out of Knight and Squire before I’m able to purchase a copy.

    Mr. Cornell is doing a fantastic job in the DCU.  Keep up the good work. 

  3. @stuclach  Do you tell them to order you a copy? Most shops will do that.

  4. Paul Cornell is up there in my top 5 writers…
    Actually, top 3…
    Top 2?
    Yeah. Top 2.

  5. @josh – I do, but he doesn’t seem to pull issues for individual customers until the end of the day.  I have no idea why.  I can come to the shop at 11:00am (I did today) and this book will already be sold out. (Congrats to Mr. Cornell.)  I’m guessing he will up his orders, but since this is a limited run it may be too late.  Perhaps I will just have to grab the trade.

  6. I adore Paul Cornell (and Paul Cornell’s voice.  Come on, don’t tell me it’s not awesome).  Can’t wait to listen to this (I usually save up WB until I can get through an entire shift at work). 

  7. Awesome interview with a really great writer. And, maybe it’s just me, but does Paul sound an awful lot like Neil Gaiman to anyone else?

  8. I think Paul sounds more like a sedate Robin Leach.

  9. I can’t wait to listen to this, Paul Cornell is pretty amazingly fantastic.

  10. Bottom of the barrel Lex Luthor comic writer.  Cant wait til the Lex run in Action is over–Action is a Superman comic.

    Matthew

  11. @mguy77  ACTION has always featured an spotlighted many characters who are not Superman.

  12. I wish there were more new Supes titles on the stands . That said, the Lex story in Action is a shit ton of fun!

  13. @conor  I remember the Action Comics Weekly days but still after all the WONK, LSofNK,War of the Superman mini events and him NOT being in his own books for over a year prior to Grounded. I just want Siperman in Action Comics again & Superman back in Metropolis sooner rather later.

    Matthew 

  14. i greatly enjoy Lex in Action Comics, but i’m looking forward to Superman taking it back as its rightful owner. 

  15. Great interview, as always John. I liked his thoughts on comics when he went off on a tangent. Thanks.

  16. @fatespears  tangents are what we try to do best here at word balloon.

  17. I seriously hope the rumors of him writing an episode in series 6 or 7 of Doctor Who are true.

  18. Wow, I loved this word ballon. I love word ballon john. Thanks.

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