Show Notes

On this Word Balloon, we begin with a 2008 interview with outgoing Vertigo editor, Karen Berger. At the time, Berger was starting her 15th year leading the groundbreaking imprint. The interview serves as a profile of her editorial philosophy and experimentation, resulting in green lighting many provocative comic books over the last two decades.

Then, we talk to members of the creative team behind the upcoming anthology Bad Karma, with writers Jeremy Haun (The Leading Man, The Beauty), B. Clay Moore (Hawaiian Dick, Battle Hymn, JSA Liberty Files: The Whistling Skull), Alex Grecian (Proof, The Yard) and Seth M Peck (X-Men, Wolverine:Fear Itself, 76). The Bad Karma volume will contain 5 comic book stories and supplemental short stories and art featuring stand alone crime/supernatural stories set in various time periods with subtle  connecting themes and characters that tell a larger story about the Bad Karma universe. Here are some art examples from their stories…

Jeremy Haun and Mike Tiserand’s Chaos Agent

Alex Grecian and Phil Hester’s Middleton

B Clay Moore and Chris Mitten’s Old Dog

Seth M Peck And Tigh Walker’s Hellbent

And all four writers collaborate on The Ninth Life Of Solomon Gunn, with art by Haun

Their Kickstarter campaign is here.

We wrap up with 2 recent Marvel NOW! press conferences that give us details on books that are shaking up the way superhero stories are told and made. First Dennis Hopeless gives us the lowdown on Avengers Arena. The series takes a page from the Battle Royale template of pitting 15 heroes against each other in death matches. Then, Kieron Gillen, Jamie McKelvie, and editor Lauren Sankovich talk about Young Avengers. The former team from Image’s Phonogram (including co-art chores from Mike Norton and Colorist Matt Wilson) take the YA team in a new direction with Kid Loki joining the roster, and a dynamic layout of action scenes.