SiDEBAR - COMICS, ART & POP CULTURE

Podcast Episode 188 :: NIC KLEIN

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Nic Klein has the goods, baby. He draws his ass off, paints traditionally and digitally, and he friggin’ rocked it on Viking, his 2009 Image Comics mini-series with writer Ivan Brandon (Secret Invasion, NYC Mech). Oh. And he’s about to do it again with his next book, Dancer. 

We've never met Nic face-to-face, but we know people who know him. He hails from Germany (Kassel, to be exact), and is pals with former Marvel Comics exclusive artist Marko Djurdjevic. As a matter of fact, Nic was part of the staff for Marko’s MADE symposium back in 2010. In the interview, he tells us all about the experience and doesn’t spare any of the funny bits. HIGH-larious!

Nic is also boys with Wizard of Oz artist Skottie Young. Skottie told me in an email that Nic was the first guy he knew of (other than Jon Foster) who could paint digitally and make it look just like his traditional stuff. And Nic all but confirms this in our talk with him.

After a slew of covers for New Warriors and other Marvel titles, and after getting much fan love for the conquering Viking (see what I did there?) — here comes Dancer. Due out tomorrow, it’s an espionage tale (of sorts) with full art by Klein and script by Nathan Edmondson (Who is Jake Ellis, Olympus). We’ve seen the previews and it's really killer. Very different, too, from Nic’s other work.

See, told you he had the goods. You gotta change it up or get stale. Go, Nic.

- SWAiN

**Below is a page of interior art from Nic's new book, Dancer.

Podcast Episode 187 :: THE AVENGERS (a b-side movie review)

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Around these parts, we don't usually do movie reviews. But Marvel's The Avengers was so top notch, and so well done, that we had to make an exception. Joss rocked it, the cast rocked it, and the Siblings had to gush! There ain't much more to it than that, partner.

Excelsior!

**Spoilers a-plenty. Consider yourself warned!

Podcast Episode 186 :: BROM

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Gerald Brom has something in common with Prince, Madonna and Sting. No, he’s not a musician (that we know of). But his art so singularly represents him that one name, his last name, is all he needs to go by, really. And it’s a kick-ass name, too, by the way!

Born here in Georgia, but raised all over the world (a military brat), Brom has gone on in his creative endeavors to become a fantasy writer and artist almost without peer. The author of amazing books like The Plucker, The Child Thief, and his upcoming Krampas the Yule-Lord, his fans are legion. You can count all three of us in that group, too.

In today’s interview, we cover some background on Brom, TSR and life in rural Wisconsin, working traditionally, picking up the writer handle, and everything in between.

Plus, we talk a bit about him being a special guest at Spectrum Fantastic Art Live which is going down in just over a week in Kansas City, MO. We’ll be there as well and hopefully we can grab a beer with the guy. He was awesome.

Can. Not. Wait.

- Swain

**By the way, I'm loving that spiffy jacket he's wearing in this shot!

ARTHUR ADAMS Interview is Live!

 

(99¢)

The chat we've all been waiting for is up and available for download in our store: Arthur Adams. Longshot, Uncanny X-men, New Mutants, Fantastic Four, Monkeyman and O'Brien, Ultimate X — you know his hits! Arthur joined us on the mics and we had an absolute blast with him.

In the interview, we cover some background, breaking into comics, working on Longshot, the Speculator Boom, drawing fast vs. drawing good, his love of Godzilla and monsters, and the "rarefied air he breathes" as a sought-after illustrator who still wants to make comics.

Adams gave it all up and cracked us up while he was doing it, too (something we didn't expect). Our thanks to him for taking the time out to come on the show.

**There's a little Easter Egg at the end of this one. Don't miss it!

Also, the picture above was taken by Eddy Choi at Wondercon earlier this year. We thank him as well for letting us use it.

Podcast Episode 185 :: 20 Years of IMAGE COMICS

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Recently, the fellas and myself realized that this year, 2012, marked the 20th anniversary of Image Comics. In 1992, seven former Marvel artists struck out on their own to make the kinds of books that they wanted to make, and inadvertently started a revolution.

Now I can imagine the eye-rolling going on from those of you who remember chromium covers and every other Image title called Blood (fill-in-the-blank). And that sort of derision is deserved to some extent. But putting aside all the gimmickry, it cannot be denied that Image Comics changed the industry forever in ways, ultimately, for the better.

As you'll hear on the roundtable, back in 1993, it would have taken a triple gatefold cover to contain my excitement for that initial line of Image books. That period was my personal 'Golden Age'. And Swain and Dwight both temper the conversation righteously with some great recollections of those days pulled from their memory banks.

From comic book millionaires to having an underground garage of exotic sports cars, to the direct market crash to becoming a respected independent publisher; we cover the gamut of Image's history — to the extreme.

-ADRiAN

'The Seven' in 1992: (clockwise from left, top row) Erik Larsen, Rob Liefeld, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri, Jim Valentino, Jim Lee and Whilce Portacio.

'The Seven' in 2007 (below).

Naughty and Nice: The Good Girl Art of BRUCE TIMM

Bruce Timm is good, yo. Not great, but really good. And his new book, Naughty and Nice: The Good Girl Art of Bruce Timm, is a worthy purchase for long time fans and new ones. It's obviously a departure from the kinda stuff we're used to seeing him do for Warner Brothers Animation, but it is strong. I had a few problems here and there as my opening line implies, but overall, I'm glad I plunked down my dollars.

Published by the steady and sturdy Flesk Publications, Timm’s tome is a 304 page, full-color, “t & a” extravaganza. Lots of ladies; not a lot of clothing. And that’s actually one of my issues. Playboy Magazine got it right years ago by posing their models with props: shoes, boots, belts, outfits, placing them in environments — what have you. Parlor tricks to elevate the fantasy. They figured out early on that you’ll bore your reader to tears if you just shoot a naked woman.

“Here you go, guys, she’s naked.”

Don't get me wrong, Timm doesn't go for bawdy or lewd. And he draws elegant female characters, for sure. He just didn’t put a lot into some of the set-ups. For my taste, there are way too many shots of girls who are simply, disrobed.

That aside, I have to agree with Adrian on Timm's approach: his color game is always on-point. He made gorgeous choices in the book as far as palette is concerned. Bruce is one of the few guys out there that can make local color come off with real mood and intent.

The introduction for Naughty and Nice was written by the ever humble Jim Steranko and it’s about what you would expect. The word “babe” is used to no end. (As a matter of fact, I think babe is in his title!) Still, it was probably smart for Timm and Flesk to get a nod from a guy like Steranko. This isn’t a book exploring strong, capable women as equals in our society; it’s good girl art. A tip of the hat to an era-gone-by (kinda like Steranko himself).

Overall, I recommend this one. Flesk does a solid job with their art books, and Bruce Timm, despite my crits, has the goods.

- SWAiN

**I meant to review Timm's book earlier this year when it first came out (lazy). And I borrowed the pic above from Parka Blogs. Hope they don't mind.

Podcast Episode 184 :: Deep Focus with Filmmaker ERNEST DICKERSON

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If you listen to this show with any regularity, you know that 1) we are comic book fans, 2) we are art nerds, and 3) we are huge pop culture junkies with an unending fascination for TV and movies. So, of course, a conversation with filmmaker Ernest Dickerson was right up our alley. 

Ernest made his name as a respected cinematographer for years before finally planting himself down in the director’s chair. Brother From Another Planet, Krush Groove and several of Spike Lee’s first feature films (Do the Right Thing, Mo’ Better Blues, Malcolm X) all bear his lush but tasteful style. Dickerson and Lee actually met as students at NYU film school where they became friends and eventual collaborators. 

Ever since his 1992 directorial debut, Juice, which starred then unknowns Omar Epps and Tupac Shakur, Ernest has been “calling his own shots”. And over the last eight years, his presence as a director and storyteller have been felt exclusively on television shows like The Wire, Heroes and Dexter, and more recently on HBO’s Treme and AMC’s The Walking Dead.

Adrian and I chatted with Dickerson at length about his craft, choices, the business as a whole, and the kinds of projects that he would like to produce. And it was like that.

-SWAiN

**Our sincere thanks to Ernest for coming on the show with us. He was awesome! Also, many thanks to his manager Jennifer Levine and storyboard artist Warren Drummond (BFAM) for making this interview happen.

And check for the Easter Egg at the end. We play some "Either Or" with our guest and it ends with a surpising Hollywood horror story.

Spectrum Fantastic Art Live Presents :: ANDREW JONES

This was the piece that brought me fully over to being a fan of Andrew Jones. He am awesome!

See the man at Spectrum next month. See us at Spectrum next month. See tons of original art, prints, sculptures, books, toys, 3D art and more at the show, too. It's gonna be a party, ya'll.

- SWAiN

Our chat with Andrew from November of 2009.

Spectrum Fantastic Art Live Presents :: PHIL HALE

SiDEBAR recorded an interview with this man a few months ago, and if you're attending SFAL next month, he's gonna be there. Click here to go to our new store and download the chat. It was epic (no pun).

Spectrum Fantastic Art Live is going down May 18 - 20 in Kansas City, MO and is a "live" extension of the amazing art annuals that come out every year from Underwood Books. Over a hundred exhibitors, live art, original art, prints, scultures, lectures, discussion pieces and portfolio reviews are just part of what you can expect at the inaugural year for this event. Three-day and single-day memberships are available right now.

Other special guests of the show include Mike Mignola, Andrew Jones, Iain McCaig and BROM. Be there!

Podcast Episode 183 :: Spousal Support

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For every whole, there is a better half. At least we’re sure that’s what that saying is supposed to imply. And that brings us to Spousal Support.

Over the last five years, we have talked to a ton of creators. During that time, we’ve heard tales of incredible triumph, and in some cases, incredible challenge — and everything in between. We thought it would be fun to see, well, how the other half lives. So, we did. We sat down with four women who are married to, and/or, committed to creators and geeks, and had a blast doing it. The chosen four (as it were) were very open, honest and forthcoming, and we think you’ll really enjoy hearing what they had to say. Here they are:

Kellie Warring of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia chatted about life over the last year and a half with her beau, Darren Yeow. Darren is a concept artist and has a company called Stylus Monkey Design. Janis Renzi of Charlotte, North Carolina shared some of her story. She’s married to colorist Rico Renzi, who is also the creative director of the Charlotte-based Heroes Convention. Atlantan Samantha Johnson talked to us about living with none other than our own, Adrian Johnson. Adrian is obviously one of the hosts of this podcast, but is also an artist himself. And last up is Monica Torres, a former New Jerseyian who now makes her home here in Atlanta. Monica is married to Wilfredo Torres, a working comic book artist whose star is on the rise.

Many thanks to these ladies for braving the geek waters and joining us on Spousal Support. We know we have a reputation for being silly and a bit cheeky, and we're pretty sure we maintained that rep solidly throughout all of these talks (ha).

- SWAiN

Spectrum Fantastic Art Live Presents :: IAIN MCCAIG

One of the special guests attending this event that we're as giddy as schoolgirls about finally meeting is illustrator and concept artist Iain McCaig. Iain's work in film includes classics like Terminator II and Interview with a Vampire, as well as more contemporary things like the Harry Potter movies and John Carter. And we're pretty sure at SFAL, he’ll be lecturing and sharing about his film work, and art in general. We've been told the man can inspire like no other!

This is the inaugural year of Spectrum Fantastic Art Live, and if you don't have plans to be there, you need to make some now. Go here to purchase three-day and single-day memberships. They’re still available, folks. 

We had the unique opportunity to interview McCaig back in July of 2010, and if you like, you can download the audio here from our new store. It’ll give you a taste of what you can expect in May.

SFAL is going down May 18 - 20 in Kansas City, MO in the Grand Ballroom of the Bartle Hall Convention Center.

The SiDEBAR Store: NOW OPEN!

    The Los Bros SiDEBAR are pleased to announce the opening of our NEW online store at Payloadz.com!

    You can find our store at this link: SiDEBAR Store

    Right now, you can purchase Premium Episodes from our Barchives! Enjoy select conversations with Phil Hale, Iain McCaig, Lois Van Baarle, Marko Djurdjevic, Kekai Kotaki, Drew Struzan, Adam Hughes and MORE for only $0.99 per episode! 

    And keep an eye peeled for our Pod Packs that will bundle 4 episodes in one convenient package for just $2.99! The first Pod Pack featuring our talks with the mighty Massive Black™ crew is now available in the store!

    Be sure to bookmark the store as we'll soon be offering t-shirts, stickers, and exclusive episodes not available anywhere else. You can access the store from this here blog by clicking the 'Shopping Cart' on the right hand column. And purchase Premium Episodes directly from the original episode posting by clicking the 'Buy Now' button.

    A big thanks to those who have purchased episodes from the store thus far! You guys rock!

    And thank you ALL for your continued support of SiDEBAR!

    - DWiGHT, SWAiN and ADRiAN

Podcast Episode 182 :: DAVID GROVE

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I do not believe in providence. Not at all. Doesn’t matter that we’ve been fans of illustrator David Grove for forever. Doesn’t matter that out of nowhere, a friend of the show emailed us and basically offered to hook us up with him. Doesn’t matter that while he wasn’t a podcast guy (at all), David graciously agreed to chat not knowing what it would entail. And it doesn’t matter that a wonderful career-spanning art book on Grove came out not four months ago. Nope, that ain’t providence. 

Okay, thinly-veiled sarcasm aside, this interview was a coup. If you’re at all a student of illustration, and by that I mean the hey-day of it, you know David Grove. He worked throughout the 1970s and ‘80s and left a trail of broken art-loving hearts when he finally retired from commercial work in the ‘90s.

Book covers, editorial illustration, national ad campaigns and movie posters were his bread and butter — and he knocked them all out, folks! The Outsiders, Pale Rider, Something Wicked This Way Comes and Vision Quest are just a few of the films Grove painted posters for. And they made him a star of his industry. 

We would be telling a big fat lie if we said we didn't have an awesome time on this one. David was witty, warm and charming, and he told terrific stories. And if you know anything about his life, you know he’s got a few. Last year, Norfolk Press put out an art book called David Grove – An Illustrated Life. It is chocked full of drawings, sketches, color illustrations, photographs, and yes, tales from Grove’s past that will curl your hair. 

Do grab a copy of the book from his site. It’s well worth the asking price ($35). And while I don’t believe in providence, I do love and believe in great art. David Grove’s kind of art. 

- SWAiN 

**First things first. The fella who made this interview happen is artist Ray Bonilla, and we owe him a huge debt. Ray, good lookin’ out, pal.

Second, that's David on the right undoubtedly enjoying an adult beverage. On the left is his friend and former student, Greg Manchess. Titans, they are.

Podcast Episode 181 :: ERIC FORTUNE

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The fortunate son makes his debut on SiDEBAR (okay, that’s a little too cheesy even for me).

Former illustrator and now fine artist Eric Fortune stopped by to hang out with us and we’re happy that he did. We’ve known this young lad for a couple of years now, so it was 'bout time. Eric is an Ohio-based artist and a graduate of the Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD). He tells us in the interview that being an Ohio resident has had its unintended perks. Over the years, he’s become friends and colleagues with two other local guys, who at one time, were his artistic heroes: Chris "C.F." Payne and John Jude Palencar. Payne is the dean of illustration at CCAD where Eric received his BFA, and Palencar has been a visiting speaker and lecturer at the school (both are awesome, by the way).

Take a looksee at Fortune’s beautiful and ethereal paintings and we’re sure you’ll agree with us when we say, "they are the stuff that dreams are made of". Gorgeous!

And check him out on-line at his blog and website, or at Muddy Colors, the art blog he contributes to with other lauded painters like Justin Sweet, Greg Manchess, Jesper Ejsing and Daniel Dos Santos (just to name a few).

Yeah, it’s like that.

- SWAiN

**As fate would have it, we recorded our talk with Eric the day after legendary illustrator and designer Ralph McQuarrie passed away. At the end of the episode, there's an Easter egg discussion between us on the life and career of McQuarrie. It wasn't something we really prepped for, but it was from the heart.

Podcast Episode 180 :: The Return of Bookshelf Babble-On

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Welcome to the return of Bookshelf Babble-On. It's been right at a year since we've done one of these and it feels good to get back. On these episodes, we do what the title suggests — run off at the mouth. But for good reasons! We each pick a book off our shelves and do a quick, little mini-review. Very laymen in approach, but we try to keep it interesting. Check it:

Swain’s pick was Kent Williams’ Amalgam: Paintings and Drawings 1992 - 2007. If you know me at all, you know there is a certain brand of painter I adore, and Kent fits that bill in spades. He’s one of the Fab Four (he was college roommates with George Pratt, John Van Fleet and Mark Chiarello), started out in comics, and has since became a fine artist and part-time teacher. Amalgam was published in 2008 and collects about 15 years worth of personal work by Williams. It’s a beautiful book that definitively showcases his visceral and provacative approach to picture-making. And it was well worth the three years I waited for it to be discounted on-line before buying it. Hell, I’m patient if nothing else!

Dwight’s weapon of choice was a graphic novel called Transient by our friend, Justin “Coro” Kaufman. Coro is the co-founder of ConceptArt.Org and Massive Black Inc, but is also a brilliant artist in his own right. He’s been a guest on the esteemed SiDEBAR microphones before, and during our chat with him, he spoke at length about the process of making Transient. The book wasn’t finished yet, but he had us salivating with descriptions of the tale and teaser images. Well, our appetites have been satiated. Transient is here, it’s hot, and Dwight Clark has it. And Coro’s work on the story is quite good both as writer and artist. We highly recommend you put your eyeballs on it. Go here, true believers.

Closing it out is Adrian with a collection of art by Spanish artist, Sanjulian. If you don’t know Sanjulian’s work, you need to. Truly, one of the best painters and illustrators of the last 40 years — be it fantasy or any other genre. Adrian snagged his pick recently at a local comic convention here in Atlanta, and is to be applauded for doing so (it's amazing). The book was put together by European publisher, Glenat, and it's all in French. But we'll be the first ones to say that great art surmounts all language barriers. In other words, we feel Sanjulian! This tome (named after the artist) covers everything he excels in — fantasy, adventure, romance, horror, sci-fi — everything. Sanjulian’s name gets compared to guys like James Bama and Frank Frazetta during our discussion, and that is not hyperbole. He’s that good. Check his stuff out wherever you can.

- SWAiN

Jean Giraud (Moebius): 1938-2012

 

 

Thanks.

 

- Dwight, Swain and Adrian

 

Podcast Episode 179 :: English 101 - Legendary Illustrator MARK ENGLISH Holds Class

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We used the word "legendary" in the tagline on this one, and for good reason. Mark English has earned it. After years of brilliance in his chosen field, and after influencing an incalcuable number of younger artists — it applies. Period.

Mark is someone who has been on our radar for a very long time. Dwight and I (and now, Adrian) delayed asking him on the podcast until now because we wanted to make sure that we were ready for such a talk. That our collective skills for gab were up to the task. That (and this is being completely honest), that we wouldn't sound like three chickenshit art nerds with nothing of substance to say to an artistic hero. After all, Mark is someone who entered a field where guys like Austin Briggs, Al Parker and Bernie Fuchs were already doing it real big. And he not only held his own with those fellas, but made his own mark (no pun).

Over his career, clients like RCA Records, GE, Ford Motors, Redbook, McCall's, TIME and Sports Illustrated were all well served by English’s talents. And he went on to receive hundreds of awards for his work, at one point being the most awarded illustrator in the history of the Society of Illustrators. Also important to note, in 1983, Mark was elected to The Illustrators Hall of Fame in New York alongside venerated predecessors like Maxfield Parrish, N. C. Wyeth and Frederick Remington.

Nowadays, Mark is retired from the illustration game. After three decades of knocking them out of the park, he decided to start painting for himself. And yes, he kicks ass at that, too. Have you seen his personal work? Geez.

We hope you enjoy our interview with the legendary Mark English. Again, he’s earned that title.

- SWAiN

**Mark will once again join the students and staff at Illustration Academy this summer for four weeks of intense "arting" and visual literacy. It’s all going down in Kansas City, MO, so click the link above for more details.

And below are some examples of Mark's current work. The fine art painting he's been doing since he retired. Check out how he employs seemingly random patterns and colors to create very distinct figures and landscapes.

A Legend Of The Force

    Ralph McQuarrie was an Illustrator par excellence and perhaps best known for his concept design work on the Star Wars franchise circa 1970s and early 1980s.

    He passed yesterday at the age of 82.

    To understand the incredible passion and virility of this man's designs is to truly know that he spawned a industry of entertainment artists that now call themselves CONCEPT ARTISTS. But at the time, there wasn't a proper name for what McQuarrie did for George Lucas on his movies or even subsequently on the original Battlestar Galactica.  He is undoubtedly one of the godfathers of concept design for films and entertainment. In his career, many beloved films received the contribution of his vision. 'Raiders of The Lost Ark', 'Star Trek: The Movie', 'Back to the Future', 'Batteries Not Included', 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind', 'Cocoon' and many more felt the extensive skills at McQuarrie's disposal.

    Ralph's design sensibilities crept into my psyche as a kid and motivated me to want to become a artist. He created so many iconic visions that felt real and usable in a world a long long time ago in a galaxy far far away...

 

 

    I remember seeing this image (above) on the front of 'The Art of Star Wars' portfolio when I was a kid and being blown away by its portent. It focused on a scene in my young mind that should have happened in 'A New Hope', but didn't actually occur until 'The Empire Strikes Back' (in which McQuarrie made a cameo appearance by the way). Amazed yet confused, I HAD to have that book.

    Now here's where it gets personal: My parents had just split up. And my mother, while well-meaning, simply couldn't afford it at the time. So I scraped together every quarter I could to get it. But by the time I could afford it, it was gone from the shelves. This was obviously pre-Internet mind, so I could never find a copy that I could afford. Coupled with distractions and changes of taste as you get older and its all too easy to lose focus on those things which really matter most.

    That said, I will definitely try to find a copy again this year! To say McQuarrie's work has profoundly added to my visual expectation and learning is also belied by the massive amounts of other creatives and dreamers his work has influenced as well. Artists. Directors. Writers. Musicians. Doctors. Presidents. The list can go on and on.

    Several years ago, Swain and I wanted to have him on the show. We made contact with individuals that tried to help us in this endeavor.  However, by the time we came into our own as a show, McQuarrie was no longer interested or even able to conduct interviews. I've lamented this fact for many years, to the point that he will ALWAYS be the one that got away for me personally.

But as consolation, I discovered that there is a video bio-pic out there to be obtained called Ralph McQuarrie: Illustrator.

 

Rest In Peace, General.

 

May the Force be with You Always.

 

-DWiGHT

Podcast Episode 178 :: Who Supports 'BEFORE WATCHMEN'?

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... and other news.

It’s generally not like us to be so topical on our discussion shows, but the Gary Friedrich matter and the announcement of Before Watchmen brought out some pretty ripe opinions. I think everyone who reads comics and/or is interested in them as a hobby has at least heard about both situations.

Marvel Comics counter-suing Gary for $17K is just plain sad to hear (although for the most part, we get it). And DC finally pulling the trigger on new Watchmen stories after 26 years sounds abysmal. Not to mention the whole "Screw Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons! We're gonna retain this IP at all costs!" attitude.

But hey, who knows? Dan DiDio and company might come up with some fun stuff. I’ll never know because I won’t be reading any of it. Not sure any of us will. So, there you go!

Hope you enjoy the jaw-jackin'. We did.

- SWAiN

Podcast Episode 177 :: Storyboard Artist WARREN DRUMMOND Does It with Stylus

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BFAM: Brother From Another Mother. It's a crazy little term somebody came up with to describe a person that you have SO much in common with, you MUST be related. THIS guy is one of those guys.

I first “met” my pal Warren Drummond via this podcast in early 2010. Well, I should clarify that. While he and I have become the best of buddies over the last two years, I've still never met the guy in person (due time). Warren was a listener to the show, wrote us a very kind note, and has been a friend and supporter of SiDEBAR ever since. The three of us owe him a debt of gratitude for being the hook-up on several terrific interviews we conducted.

Over time and many emails and phone calls, I've come to find out a few things about my boy, Warren — so, here goes. He's a former New Yorker, a long time comic book fan, a dedicated family man, and he’s worked the last 12 years as an L.A. based storyboard artist. And if you take a look below, you'll see just how strong his kung fu is (that joke will make more sense after you hear our talk). Warren has boarded over 60 feature films with some of the biggest names in Hollywood, and yet — he remains a humble, decent person. See, Hollywood doesn't corrupt everybody (ha).

Our conversation with Mr. Drummond covers quite a bit as far as his background, his opinions on freelancing in the film business, his complete love of martial arts, and his true calling, writing.

- SWAiN

Straight from IMDb: Analyze This, Major Payne, School for Scoundrels, Mr. Woodcock, Antwone Fisher, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Evan Almighty, Lackawanna Blues, Rush Hour 3, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, You Don't Mess with Zohan, Mr. Popper's Penguins, The A-Team, X-Men: First Class, and The Amazing Spider-Man (2012). I know, right?

PHIL HALE :: The Sequel (sort of)

As an addendum to our podcast interview, here’s a little extra Phil Hale love for ya. In prep for our talk with him, Phil generously shared some of his latest and greatest with us. And now, we’re sharing them with you! Scroll and drool (doesn’t have to be in that order).

Oh! And front and center is the cover to Monocyte #4 from IDW. Monocyte is the creative brainchild of artist, Menton Matthews III (ZvR: Aventure, Silent Hill), and co-writer, Kasra Ghanbari. Our pal Kasra tells us that it was their dream to get some Phil Hale art on one of their covers. Especially since Phil hasn't been seen in comics in over ten years. See, dreams do come true.

Issue #4 of Monocyte will be in comic shops everywhere this April. Look for it!

Podcast Episode 176 :: PHIL HALE

 

(.99)

Making the transition into a new phase of our lives is always a challenging proposition. Even in our professions, attachments get made, bonds are formed, and none of these connections are easily severed. Sometimes, it can take years. Ask Phil Hale.

Phil worked as an illustrator early on in his young career, and that wasn’t something he set out to do. After being mentored by his friend, artist Rick Berry, moving the paintbrush for art directors just sort of happened. A “validation thing”, he says in our talk. And yet, it didn’t go unrewarded. His clients, we’re sure, must have been happy with his work. They continued to give him assignments. And his name became a very popular one amongst art collectors as well as fans. But in his time doing illustration, Phil grew weary of it and longed for other things.

Over the course of the next decade or so, his career focus shifted from working illustrator to working portrait painter. As it turns out, Phil comes from a long line of artists, specifically portrait artists, on both sides of his family tree. And his own work in this field received international notoriety in 2007, when he was commissioned by the House of Commons to paint a portrait of (then) Prime Minister, Tony Blair.

These days, however, if you wanna see a new Phil Hale image, don’t look for it on a book cover or in some portrait gallery. Your best bet is to seek out his next gallery show either here or abroad. Phil has fully and finally returned to personal work and he’s all the better for it. In a recent email exchange I had with him, he did share that while his exodus from illustration has been on-going, he still loves it. But judging from the breadth and depth of his personal work, clearly, he’s right where he should be.

Hope you enjoy the interview.

- SWAiN

*Our conversation with Phil covers some of his background, his friendship with Rick Berry, his thoughts about picture-making, and his plans to attend Spectrum Fantastic Art Live! this summer as one of its special guests.

The image above is an old fave (Swampy), and the one below is an example of Phil's newer work.

Podcast Episode 175 :: CHRIS SAMNEE

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Pronounced like "Omni".

It’s 2012, so I’ll let you all in on a little SiDEBAR secret. Most of the blog posts we write as companion pieces to the podcasts are written ahead of time. Not all, but most. I can’t speak for Dwight and Adrian, but for me, I sometimes get an angle on a guest or topic that I think will be interesting, and I try to run with it. Doesn’t always work out, but hey, where there’s a spark, there could be flame, right? So, here’s what I have to say about today’s guest, Chris Samnee, and how I think things will go with him. 

I first heard Chris' name a few years ago on the Around Comics podcast. He was probably drawing Capote in Kansas at the time. Then, in early 2009, I attended the very first C2E2 in Chicago, ran into Sal and the AC gang on the floor of the con, and Sal showed me a commission he’d just gotten from Samnee — who was in artist alley. It was an awesome little piece with this serious chiaroscuro thing going on. Very noir, very well composed.  I hightailed it over to Chris’ table, never said hello (asshole), and after rifling through his originals, just fell in love with what I saw. His stuff was reasonable, too. 

Since C2E2, Samnee has gone from working on smaller projects to working very much in the mainstream. He did a great job on Marvel’s limited series, Thor the Mighty Avenger (2010), with Roger Langridge and Matt Wilson. And he just finished up on the monthly series, Captain America and Bucky, with Ed Brubaker, Marc Andreyko, and Bettie Breitweiser (both the Thor and Cap projects were just in time for the films).

All of this means Chris' star is most certainly on the rise with fans and art nerds alike. Which is a good thing.

So, how do I think the interview with him is gonna go, you ask? Quite well. Chris Samnee is a young guy, seems pretty laid back, and his work oozes a love for his job. I suspect we’ll hear that much of what he’s learned about drawing and mark-making, he learned by observing and self-educating. I think we’ll hear some classic comics names as well as a few names from his youth as influences. And I think we’ll get an inkling from the conversation that even bigger things are on the horizon for this remarkable talent. And that, too, is a good thing. 

Listen in and find out if my powers of prognostication are on or off. As I said earlier, I’ve been wrong before. 

-SWAiN

**Below are a few of my favorite Samnee one-offs.

SPECTRUM FANTASTIC ART Comes Alive!

As we’ve mentioned on the podcast here recently, Spectrum Fantastic Art Live! is coming up this summer and looks to be all that. Tons of exhibitors, bunches of original art, books and prints, a plethora of artists, art dealers and collectors, and lots of just plain ol’ art nerding in general.

Special guests at the inaugural year of this event include BROM, Mike Mignola, Iain McCaig, Phil Hale, and Andrew Jones (I know, right?). Plus, SiDEBAR will have the honor of being in the house and bringing you the “art funky” like we do. We’ll be conducting interviews from the floor of the show, as well as handling panels and other kinds of discussion pieces. Should be a blast!

The event date is May 18 – 20, 2012, and it will all go down in Kansas City, MO at the Bartle Hall Convention Center. Three day memberships are available right now. Just click here.

Spectrum Fantastic Art Live! is obviously an extension of the incredible Spectrum art annuals put out every year by Cathy & Arnie Fenner, and published by the mighty Underwood Books. This live event is brought to you not only by the Fenners, but also by Bob Self of Baby Tattoo. And just in case you're not exactly sure what SFAL! is, below is an excerpt/mission statement taken straight from their site:

We envision Spectrum Fantastic Art Live! as a fantasy-focused art fair, one in which creators will be able to sell originals and prints while promoting their work to patrons, collectors, and potential clients. Presentations, panels and displays will help broaden the public’s awareness of and appreciation for our field; art directors will be invited to meet new talent and conduct portfolio reviews; workshops and educational opportunities will be offered; and there will be the chance to network, socialize, and share.

-SWAiN

**Many apologies to Peter Frampton

Podcast Episode 174 :: The Year in Booty (2011)

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2011. The year that was. And yes, there was some phat booty. We acquired tons of comics, OGNs, trades and artbooks over this past year. The goodness flowed freely! Somebody came up with the idea of us celebrating our year's take on the show (me), so here we are. Don't judge us too harshly.

We also cover some highlights and memorable moments on this one. 2011 was not without its peaks and valleys. For the most part, though, it was all good. 

A sincere thank you to every single person who downloaded an episode this year. Thank you to every guest who came on with us this year. Thank you to everyone who followed us on various social media, or took the time to drop an email or comment on our blog. All the great discussion, laughs, and plain old camaraderie were very much appreciated. Thank you to all the convention promoters who extended us courtesies.

And last, but never ever least, an extra special thanks to our sponsor, GRAHAM CRACKERS COMICS, for eternally being the best damn sponsor around! What's up, John?!

We hope your holidays have been fantastic so far, and here's to an awesome 2012!

-DWiGHT, SWAiN & ADRiAN (The Three Amigos)

 

Podcast Episode 173 :: HOWARD CHAYKIN Revealed

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Howard V. Chaykin.

Comic book writer/artist. Illustrator. TV writer/producer. And eternal digressionist. OK, I made that last one up, but it aptly applies. He’s quite the talker.

I’ve been a fan of Chaykin’s ever since I was a teenager. I met him in person briefly at a comic book convention here in Atlanta back in the 1980s. He was there with his then-wife, and it was during the apex of American Flagg! fever. I didn’t really talk to him. I just sort of stood back and watched him interact with fans. He was gregarious, very professional, and very direct. The exact impression of him I had gotten from his print interviews.

Before that con, I had just started following his work after having read several of his graphic novels: The Stars My Destination, Empire, The Swords of Heaven, The Flowers of Hell. All of them were full color, mixed media, and very sophisticated stuff. Some of the first works of their kind here in America.

I proceeded to pick up loads of his comics later on (though I wasn’t a Star Wars guy, per se). I did, however, become a complete fiend for Flagg!, The Shadow, Blackhawk, and so on.

Going back to Howard’s interviews for a minute — as a kid — I'm pretty sure I read them all. At that particular time in my youth, I found him to be a fascinating figure in comics. And not just because of the material he was working on. As a person, he seemed to be well read, had an acerbic wit, and was opinionated as all get out (I related strongly to that last one).

Plus, from where I sat, Chaykin came off like an adult. Once he stepped up as writer and artist on his stuff, it became glaringly apparent that he wasn't guided by a 14 year-old's idea of heroism and benevolence. His work was layered with themes like politics, sex, death, betrayal, and guilt. And usually at the center of it all, was a protagonist with questionable motives and feet of clay (just like in real life). This was completely diametric to my pals and I who, back then, well — we were still very much into punching and saving the day!

The other thing about his interviews that intrigued me were these little tidbits he would drop. Things about himself, his background and his profession that he never really expounded upon much until recently. Chaykin has always been a good soldier when it comes to promoting projects (an aspect of his professionalism that I’m sure his publishers adore). Yet I’m quite certain his comments in print have gotten him as much buzz as the work he creates.

And that’s why we chose to call this interview Revealed. The goal wasn’t to be sensational or provocative — in fact, not at all. We genuinely love Howard’s stuff, but were curious if the perception that many fans may have of him is at all accurate or justified. And frankly, he surprised us.

After nearly four decades in the business, you won't find a smarter writer or more graphic designer of the comic page than Howard Chaykin. However, the meat of our discussion with him today reveals more about his background, the person he is, and more importantly, the professional that he is. I, myself, find those things almost as interesting as the stories he tells. And I hope you do too.

- SWAiN

Podcast Episode 172 :: JOE PHILLIPS

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Like the legendary hip-hop group, Whodini, said back in 1984, "Friends, how many of us have them?" I've got a few. And you're about to meet one of them right now.

I first got to know Joe Phillips years ago, 'Nation. I won't embarrass him or I by telling you how many years — just know it was a lot! We were both drawing at the time. I clearly remember Joe, me and four other buddies sitting around on his living room floor drawing. And drawing. And drawing (though I've since become more art lover than art maker).

Even then, Joe was really good and already an entrepreneur in his own right. He had his own small comic book company, his own characters and super team — the whole nine. We were all like, “Daaamn!”.

Fast forward a few years, and Joe's working in comics full-time. A year after that, he co-founds a very popular Atlanta-based art collective, Gaijin Studios. Oh yeah, and he starts ballin' outta control (my words, not his).

He's penciling tons of mainstream comics (Green Lantern, Justice League, X-men), doing crazy trading cards, and straight makin' bank. It was the well-documented era of the early '90s known as 'The Speculator Boom'. And of course, it didn't last.

But Joe did.

He and I fell out of contact by that point. And as he shares in today’s interview, he ended up leaving the studio and starting anew by “going west, young man”. Over the course of the next decade plus, it was t-shirt designs, an apparel company, a magazine, illustration work, animation, calendars, and yes, some comics here and there. Dude kept busy!

Now, all the stuff that happened in between the highs and lows (there was a lot) kinda gets covered in our conversation with him. Kinda. Our chat with Joe was very much just that — a chat. Old pals reconnecting. It's not in any way formal, so do your best to keep up.

I saw Joe again recently for the first time in about 15 years. It was at this year's Dragon*Con. And it was all good. Obviously, we'd both changed a bit, but he seemed to be enjoying his time back home.

I told him right there on the con floor, that while I had proudly followed all of his successes from the sidelines — the comics, The Heretic, the Joe Boys stuff, the national ad campaigns — I never stopped thinking of him as anything other than my boy. That same talented, but humble kid sitting on the living room floor drawing and cracking jokes. 'Cause in my mind, that's where it all started.

Friends. How many of us have them, indeed.

- SWAiN

Podcast Episode 171 :: JAMES TUCKER

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Hey, when it's good, it's good. You gotta give it up. And that's exactly what I had to do with Cartoon Network's Batman: The Brave and The Bold.

When I first heard that there was gonna be a new, new Batman animated TV show, I was like, "First of all, it's gonna have huge shoes to fill coming behind the incredible Batman: The Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures. And second, the tone is gonna be that campy, over-the-top Dick Sprang vibe? That's gonna suck."

Of course, I was dead wrong. And I told James Tucker, the producer of Batman: The Brave and The Bold, as much in my interview with him. Thing is, he said the potential Silver Age campiness was partially why he agreed to help develop the project in the first place.

Apparently, the 1950's era DC comic book of the same name was one of James' very first comics as a kid. It was geek providence that he got offered the chance to bring some of that flavor to animated life. When Sam Register approached him with the idea a few years ago, James says he liked the fact that this cartoon incarnation of Batman would be very different from Batman: The Animated Series.

I knew Tucker's name and face from the behind-the-scenes extras on my other Warner Bros. animated DVDs. Superman, Justice League, Batman Beyond — he worked on all of them— either in the art department, or as he did on BTBaTB, as a producer.

And he mentions in our talk that he learned much of the craft of producing under the wing of animator extraordinaire, Bruce Timm. Timm, along with Alan Burnett, Glen Murakami, Paul Dini, and Michael Jelenic, are just a few of the talented collaborators that James has worked with since he got his start at Warner Bros. Animation.

Batman: The Brave and The Bold debuted back in November of 2008, and the series just ended with its triumphant final episode on August 1, 2011. It was a delightful show that captured all the adventure and whimsy of those old Silver Age comics without ever slavishly paying homage to them. Tucker and crew cleverly pulled classic elements together, and then pushed them through a modern day filter — thus, making their show very much its own thing. Well done, folks!

- SWAiN

**It's just me asking the questions on this one, but I had a ball. Hope you dig it.

Podcast Episode 170 :: Shine On — KYLE BAKER

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Hello, 'Nation. Swain and Adrian here. The two of us have a saying that we use around these parts. It goes like this — lay off the hyperbole! Say it from the gut and with meaning, or don't say it at all. And don't get us wrong. Hyperbole has its place in this world. But you just don't wanna reside there, ya know?

That said, here goes. Harvey Kurtzman. Mort Drucker. Don Martin. Sergio Aragones. Jack Davis. These men are considered cartooning gods. And if you're of a certain age, you know that all of them wrote and drew pictures for MAD magazine. MAD was co-founded in 1952 by William Gaines and the aforementioned Mr. Kurtzman as a humor anthology, and continues to be published to this day.

The work that these gentlemen did for MAD (some of them for almost five decades) was beyond remarkable. It redefined what cartooning was to become for later generations with its outrageous parodies and lampooning of pop culture.

So, with that kind of preamble, is it hyperbole to say that we see Kyle Baker in a similar light? Not completely. If you look at the breadth of his work on a practical level, Kyle is clearly working in their same tradition of "cartoonist". He writes, draws, colors, letters, and does the design work for most of his projects. He's an auteur.

Baker as a writer is a humorist/satirist at heart — again, just like his MAD predecessors. His gags are always clever, caustic, and clear. They can range from family-friendly slices of life to sharp observations of the sexes. And his dialoguing is some of the most natural that you'll find in comics.

Without question, the humor and attitude in Baker's stuff reflects the city from which he hails: New York. New York has been the backdrop for many of his stories, most especially, the one that made us die-hard fans — Why I Hate Saturn.

First published in 1990 by Piranha Press, Saturn is a smart, funny, and by most accounts, accurate representation of urban single life in the late '80s/early '90s. It's an early example of a non-comic book publisher, in this case, Doubleday, seeing a comic book story as a viable publishing option.

Putting Saturn in perspective — right smack dab in the middle of mutant fever and "gimmick" covers — comes this long form graphic novel about a neurotic writer, her platonic friendship with a bar-hopping guy pal, and sibling rivalry. All with little-to-no action. And it is hilarious! We highly recommend this book if you haven't read it.

Why I Hate Saturn, sadly, has never been a huge hit. And it's perhaps indicative of Kyle's status in the comics industry — critically lauded by dedicated fans and peers for his inventiveness, craftsmanship, and humor, yet mainstream readers at large have never responded in droves (or dollars) to his projects.

However, should the uninitiated wise up and seek out works by Kyle, there are plenty that we think deserve your attention: The Cowboy Wally Show, The Shadow with writer Andy Helfer, Dick Tracy, You Are Here, Plastic Man, Nat Turner, I Die at Midnight, his Hawkman tale in Wednesday Comics, and all of his self-published collections like Cartoonist and The Bakers.

After his Wednesday Comics gig ended, Kyle got a call from Marvel to work on Deadpool: MAX. That's pretty much where he's been comics-wise for the last two years. We both admit that his MAX stuff is not our favorite stuff by him (by any stretch), but it's still great to see him on something regular.

And again, we don't mean to be sacrilegious in comparing Baker to the giants listed above. Kurtzman and company are all esteemed quite highly by fans and critics alike, and deservedly so. However, what they all share in common is the distinction of being creators of timeless quality and perpetual verve. A Kyle Baker book will absolutely never fail to entertain. And that's the TRUTH (pun intended).

There's much more to Kyle than we're laying out here — trust. We're just trying not to give too much away in this blog post. The two of us have been champing at the bit to give Baker some shine on these mics, so this one was a long time coming.

Hope you enjoy the exchange. We damn sure did.

- SWAiN & ADRiAN

**Our thanks to Eric Nolen-Weathington of TwoMorrows Publishing for doing a terrific interview with Kyle as part of their Modern Masters series. That issue (along with Comics Journal # 219) was an invaluable resource to us in our prep for this episode.

We also wanna thank Seth Kushner of Graphic NYC for letting us use that sweet shot of Baker he took for their article. GNYC is an awesome site with tons of great interviews featuring many of your favorite comic book creators (Brian Azzarello, Frank Miller, Chris Claremont).

Podcast Episode 169 :: Monsters as Heroes (A Very Special Halloween-Themed SiDEBAR)

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Pixie, kobold, elf, and sprite,
All are on their rounds tonight;
In the wan moon's silver ray,
Thrives their helter-skelter play.
- Joel Benton

Okay, now that's hot!

With Halloween creeping up on us (no pun), we thought it was high time we did an episode celebrating the scary. And why not go the route of scary comic book characters, yeah? Comics going back to the 1950s have always featured "tales of terror", and that tradition continues on to this day.

The '70s being what they were for horror films seemed like a good place to start. Movies like The Omen, Jaws, The Exorcist, Carrie, Amityville Horror, Willard, Audrey Rose and others, set that period apart as "the" decade of horror. So, many of the characters/heroes we dug up for this roundtable (no pun) were birthed around that same time.

Our theme is Monsters as Heroes. Creepy, weird, and just plain awful-looking folks who, at their core, are heroic. They wanna do the right thing — often times they do do the right thing — but damn if they don't frighten the sh*t out of people! And their actions can sometimes end with grave results (no pun).

We hit all the main ones you can think of, and threw a few surprises in there, too. The images we've showcased with this blog post will offer a few clues as to who made the final cut (no pun).

It's a FEAR FRAUGHT FRANTIC EPISODE!!!

-SWAiN

**Above are Vampirella by Boris Vallejo and The Demon by Jason Latour. A brief digression: Vampy with the one boot off is killer sexy to me. I have NO idea why (yes I do).

Below we've got Man-Thing by Art Adams (left) and Mystique by Mike Mayhew (right).

And finally, Ghost Rider by Paolo Rivera (left) and Swamp Thing by Simon Bizley (right).

On this episode, we played portions of Michael Jackson's "Thriller", "People Are Strange" by The Doors, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince's "Nightmare on My Street", and "Devil Woman" by Cliff Richards.

Podcast Episode 168 :: Survival of the Artist

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A poor play on Charles Darwin's Natural Selection, but hey — it sounded better than all the other stuff we came up with (ha).

The impetus of this episode was the mystery as to why some of our favorite comic artists aren't doing more work. Why aren't they more visible in the marketplace from month to month? Well, we attempt to answer that question on this one.

Surviving (and succeeding) in the world of comics is probably just as challenging as it is in any other industry. Not unlike other fields, I'm sure it comes down to a few simple rules — show up, create and foster good relationships, do great work, and finish the job — on time.

The rules above are universal in most trades, but from where we sit, they're not always universally applied within comics.

For example, if you're popular in comics, all can be forgiven pretty quickly if you miss a deadline. Editors and fans have certainly been known to turn their heads when "superstars" are late.

What if you're good at your job, but can't strike a solid rapport with those that will hire you? You can end up out of sight and out of mind.

Here's another one. What if you're an older artist with a style that's seen as "old school"? It can probably be a struggle to get assignments. Ageism exists everywhere (sadly).

And last, what about the possibilities of embracing an all-digital workflow to meet the demand by companies for quicker turnarounds of production? The needs of the business beckon.

Opinions and theories abound on this one, 'Nation. And with the comic book industry evolving in nearly every other facet in terms of production, now more than ever is a good time to discuss the challenges of maintaining a fruitful comics career in the 21st Century.

- SWAiN & ADRiAN

Podcast Episode 167 :: Review of STERLING HUNDLEY'S Blue Collar / White Collar

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The return of the B-side — short, but very sweet.

We here at the 'Bar were fans of illustrator and fine artist, Sterling Hundley, long before he appeared on these esteemed microphones back in 2009. He was one of the guys we knew we wanted to talk to. And he was quite the astute guest. Knowledge by the pound was dropped that day.

So, guess what? His new art book, Blue Collar/White Collar, will be available everywhere on November 15th from Adhouse Books. We got our grubby mitts on an advanced review copy — and it is wonderful! A gorgeous collection of images that thoroughly covers his illustration career as well as some of his recent fine art pieces. And presented with some very special touches to reflect the artist's taste and sensibilities.

Dwight and I definitely give this one the big thumbs up. Blue Collar/White Collar is worthy of your time, and your dollars. To paraphrase Dwight on the episode, "It's a much needed addition to any art lover's collection".

- SWAiN

**It's just dos amigos on this episode. Adrian was away on assignment in New Genesis.

Podcast Episode 166: Comic Shop Confidential

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The comic shop. The LCS. The funny book store.

That last one was what my grandmother and aunts used to call my favorite hangout spot when I was growing up in Chicago. I hated it. Superheroes weren't funny to me. Dudes got socked in the eye! People got killed (Gwen Stacy, Bucky, Captain Marvel)!

Anyway, I'm over it now. And I still got love for my brick and mortar stores. So, welcome to Comic Shop Confidential.

Dwight, Adrian and myself recently sat down for a celebration of the venerable brick and mortars. Specifically our collective experiences here in the Atlanta area over the last three decades. And even though we reference names and places that you all don't know, chances are the experiences are universal. We all come from the same place, right?

We hope you enjoy listening in and don't get too bored. While the battle between digital vs. print rages on, it was nice to pay simple tribute to the guys and gals who've been holding it down for the last 25 years. Salute!

- SWAiN

**This episode is dedicated to Graham Crackers Comics — our official sponsor and the largest chain of comic shops IN THE COUNTRY.

 

Podcast Episode 165: Run for Your Life (pick a run in comics...and go!)

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Finally, a fangirl has crashed the clubhouse! I’m Erika Peterman, co-founder of Girls-Gone-Geek.com, and the woman behind the high-pitched voice you’ll hear on this lively episode.

Long before I officially met Dwight, Swain and Adrian, a mutual friend suggested I check out the Sidebar podcast. At the time, I was sampling a truckload of comics-related podcasts for education as much as entertainment, and frankly, only a handful held my interest. But when I heard these guys, I was not only impressed by their depth of knowledge but also struck by how much fun they were having. I instantly felt like I knew them, and I was kinda mad that I wasn’t in the room. It was a bit like eavesdropping on the cool kids’ conversation in the cafeteria and desperately wanting to join in. 

So when they invited me to be part of the “Run for Your Life” installment during Dragon*Con, I was thrilled — and a little nervous. I mean,these three really know what they're talking about, and I didn't want to come off like a seventh-grader among Ph.D. candidates. However, recording this episode turned out to be one of the highlights of my weekend. It was just as much fun as I'd imagined when I discovered Sidebar a year ago. 

Our task was to discuss a series whose run we enjoyed from beginning to end. My pick was Brian Wood and Ryan Kelly's New York Four/NewYork Five miniseries, an absorbing story about a group of young women in their freshman year at NYU. Wood's writing and Kelly's art are so perfect for each other, which makes for a deeply satisfying read. When people ask me for suggestions of good comics, this is always near the top of the list.

The others chose books I never would have considered but am now eager to read. I only knew Micronauts as old-school action figures, but Dwight totally sold it as a complex, exciting series that still holds up. Who knew that a toy could inspire a comic that touches on heavy-duty topics like genetic engineering? Next, Swain put the spotlight on Dave McKean's Cages, a graphic novel with hauntingly beautiful illustrations. The book's themes of creativity and inspiration are very close to home. Finally, Adrian convinced me that I need to get up on some Jack Kirby, immediately. That's a real gap in my education, and Adrian's passionate commentary on Kirby's classic New Gods epic was mighty compelling — as was the eye-popping art. 

I hope you enjoy listening to this installment as much as I enjoyed being part of it. And many thanks to my brothers in geek for inviting me to share the Sidebar microphones!

**The New Gods image used here is the one Adrian references in the conversation. It's Jack Kirby's original drawing with Alex Ross' painting on top of it.

Podcast Episode 164: Dragon*Con Panel featuring MIKE GRELL

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American Flagg, The Rocketeer, Jon Sable Freelance. Those were just a few of the titles I cut my teeth on as a young comics reader. Amongst many others, they were indicative of the new wave of American comic books in the early 1980s. There was a palpable excitement in the air as scores of great books hit the shelves.

New things were also going down behind the scenes. Royalties and incentives were finally being paid for the first time ever. Independent publishers began wooing seasoned creators away from the Big Two with opportunities to tell the types of stories they'd always wanted to tell. And one of those creators was Mike Grell. 

I actually found Mike (or maybe he found me) in the mid '70s on The Warlord at DC Comics. Warlord was a Verne-esque tale about a modern-day Air Force pilot "lost in a lost world". I was also quite fond of Mike's work on Legion of Super-Heroes from a few years earlier. Super-powered teens in the 30th century? What was not to like?!

Later, I was floored to find out those Legion stories had been written by a then-teenage Jim Shooter (he started writing them when he was twelve). To paraphrase Mike from today's panel audio, Legion of Super-Heroes was a book aimed at young readers that was being written by (at the time) a very young reader.

After Warlord and Legion, I pretty much checked out everything the guy did — the aforementioned Jon Sable, Starslayer, Green Arrow - The Longbow Hunters and even some of his rare Marvel work.

Moving forward, our hometown convention, Dragon*Con, brought Mike to Atlanta this year as a special guest. I had the pleasure of moderating a panel with him. Grell was funny and in great spirits, and the crowd was full of enthusiastic fans.

All of the above was covered in the sit-down, but we also got an ear full on the writer-artist's background, how he broke into the business, and the scoop on his latest project, The Pilgrim (with writer, Mark Ryan). Good times.

Thanks to Mike for his candor and humor, thanks to the crowd for being all kinds of awesome, and thanks to the promoters of Dragon*Con for having me as a moderator.

- SWAiN

**The picture of Grell above was borrowed from maggiethompson.com. Thank you, Maggie.

Podcast Episode 163 :: A Discussion on "Oeuvre" and "The Art of DREW STRUZAN"

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I wish I could say this roundtable was full of nothing but insightful comments and informed opinions. It isn't. Oh, some of that stuff is in there. You just have to listen for it in between the gushing and awe. When Drew Struzan's art is the topic of conversation, gushing and awe abound.

One of our first, and I mean very first interviews on this here podcast, was with Drew (Episode 16, September 2007). It was magical. Dwight and I, to this day, are floored that he made time for us. He was and still is — "The Man". We were just two art nerds in the basement talking on the phone. Still, he did do it and we will always be forever grateful to him for that.

If you don't know Drew's work, you suck (you really do, trust me on this one). He's a master illustrator of over 40 years, primarily having worked in movie posters. He's retired now, but without a doubt, his bibliography will smite you: Blade Runner, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Back to the Future, Police Academy, The Thing, Big Trouble in Little China, Cannonball Run, Masters of the Universe, The Green Mile, The Shawshank Redemption, Harry Potter... The list is glorious and it is legion.

Back in 2005, an artbook of Struzan's work came out called Oeuvre and I scooped it up right before we spoke to him. Great book, beautifully put together. Sadly though, it never made the splash in the mainstream that was intended. Dreamwave, Oeuvre's publisher, went bankrupt before the book ever made it into stores.

Well, a new version of this collection will be available as of October 4, 2011. This time from Titan Books, the company that brought us 2010's brilliant The Art of Drew Struzan. Titan and Drew have "re-mastered" Oeuvre (if you will) and it features a new cover design, 50 new pages, and text written by Drew himself and his wife, Dylan.

With both books being released in such close proximity, we got super excited and decided to chat about them. Sort of. We only had the older version of Oeuvre, so some supposition takes place in our conversation. Still, Drew and his art were celebrated mightily and we had an awesome time doing so. We hope you enjoy it.

And please — whatever you do — get yourself copies of these two books. No art lover's shelf should be without them. That would be a crime.

- SWAiN

**Photo courtesy of Mark Berry.

Podcast Episode 162 :: JOHN PICACIO

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First, a confession: Prior to last year's Dragon*Con, I had absolutely no idea who John Picacio was.

None.

Rewinding back to that particular convention, I remember Dwight strongly urging Swain and myself to check out the Art Gallery, post-haste. After much hemming and hawing (all by me), I followed Dwight over to take a look.

Now, speaking honestly, I've never been a sci-fi/fantasy art fan — by any stretch. But after we stopped by Picacio's booth and I saw his work for the first time, those words no longer rang true.

Dwight and I ogled his original drawings for Michael Moorcock's legendary hero, Elric, and let me say, they were something to behold. Seeing those grayscale images up close was an experience unto itself. And it was made more so by John's eloquence and giving spirit.

We had the good fortune of having him sit down and join us for a quick chat at our booth (as chronicled on Episode 136). Turned out he was an avid listener to SiDEBAR and we all became fast friends.

Picacio's lauded resume of over ten years includes illustration for all the major publishers of science-fiction, fantasy and horror. And at this year's San Diego Comic-Con, he debuted his latest project from Random House: the 2012 George R. R. Martin calendar for A Song of Ice and Fire.

John says the Martin fans at Comic-Con absolutely loved it and this was his best year ever. He describes them as "hardcore and beyond passionate". We believe him!

Our conversation covers the creation of the Ice and Fire calendar, as well as a look back at Picacio's formative years as a young artist. We also get into his thoughts of the ever-changing landscape of contemporary illustration, some process talk, and his amazing artbook, Cover Story.

Cover Story was published by Monkeybrain Books in 2006. And after meeting John at Dragon*Con, I promptly went home and ordered myself a copy. It's a treat for fans of sci-fi/fantasy illustration. Awww hell, fans of illustration period. Trust.

Lastly, from August 17-21, John will be set up at Worldcon in Reno, Nevada. The con also hosts the annual Hugo and Chesley Awards. This year, he's nominated for a Hugo for Best Professional Artist and three (!) Chesleys for his cover and interior illustrations. Good luck to John and the rest of the nominees!

Picacio's Blog

** Stay tuned after the interview for an extra special Easter Egg celebrating Dwight's recent birthday!

-ADRiAN

 

Podcast Episode 161: DUNCAN FEGREDO

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I've been a Duncan Fegredo fan ever since his American comics debut on DC's 1991 Kid Eternity series. The original Kid Eternity was (at best) a book featuring a forgettable, tertiary Golden Age hero. However, the '90s makeover it received from Duncan and writer Grant Morrison was extraordinary, and KE ended up being a precursor to what we now call the Vertigo line.

One of the things over the years that's kept me locked in on Fegredo's art is simply watching it evolve (as it should be with any artist). He wore some heavy duty influences on his young sleeves when he first broke into comics, but his stuff quickly crystallized into something singular and all his own.

If you wanna see some great drawing by the man, scoop up back issues of Enigma, GIRL or a story in Spider-man's Tangled Web called "Flowers for Rhino".

The Rhino tale is a charming, little riff on Daniel Keyes' "Flowers for Algernon" — one of my favorite short stories as a kid. On it, Duncan teams up with his then-frequent collaborator, writer Peter Milligan, for some "romper suit" fun.

And let's not forget his cover work. Fegredo absolutely crushed it covering for books like Lucifer, Books of Magick, Shade the Changing Man and various Star Wars titles.

Having spent the last four years exclusively telling Hellboy stories over at Dark Horse Comics, we caught up with Duncan as he was finishing up "The Fury", his final run on the series. Mike Mignola, the book's well known creator, will be back to take over art chores on the new arc.

So, what's next for Duncan Fegredo you ask? Listen in and see, folks. But also covered in our chat with him are his opinions on formal art training for comics, how he and Milligan began their working relationship, and those early days at DC/Vertigo.

We also find out how he feels about working traditionally vs. digitally, bad coloring jobs, and Intersections, his experimental artbook mash-up with fellow artist and pal, Sean Phillips.

- SWAiN

**This episode is cheerfully dedicated to our friend, John Robinson, at Graham Crackers Comics. Graham Crackers has been our sponsor for almost two years now, and John's always been super supportive.

Podcast Episode 160: JEFF PRESTON

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Jeff Preston is many things. He's an illustrator. He's southern. He's old school. He's also our pal and a fun guy to hang out with!

Dwight and I met him at a Dragon*Con a few years ago (Adrian has yet to) and we've all been buds ever since. It's cool being friends with someone who's been doing this for 26 years, and whose artistic lineage goes back to Howard Pyle (yep, that's right).

Looking at his gallery, you'll notice Jeff has a penchant for the macabre — monsters, ghouls, zombies. Basically anything that goes bump in the proverbial night. Which is funny considering many of the assignments he's gotten over his career have come from religious publishers (drawing Jesus by day, and Dracula by night).

And hey, don't let the old school comment fool you. This man does work traditionally (his marker technique — oh my God!), but he also rocks the digital tools. He taught Photoshop courses for a while at a college in his native Tennessee.

Prepare to regaled by Preston's rich stories and tall tales. I say tall tales in jest. Jeff's experiences are all honest and real. In some cases pretty funny, too. He was a hoot!

And we do get into some process for all you tech-heads out there. Jeff wields a Copic marker like Thor wields his hammer — and there's just as much thunder and lightning as a result. You can quote me on that!

- SWAiN

His partial client list: Famous Monsters of Filmland, Darkhorse Comics, Lifeway Christian Resources, The United Methodist Publishing House, MGM/UA Home Video, Haunted Hill Productions, Spencer Gifts, Harcourt Publishing, McDonalds, Flynn/Sabitino/Day Advertising, Fantasy Flight Games, 5/3rd Bank, U.S. Post Office and more.

Here's a link to Amdale Media's latest in their Masters of Art Video Tutorial series. A DVD featuring Jeff and his incredible marker technique. Gobble it up, folks.

Below is an assortment of Preston goodies. The first one (left) is called Apparition Abolishers; a more recent piece. Dwight refers to it as Cyberpunk Ghostbusters. I'm fond of both titles!

 

  

 

Podcast Episode 159: Tying Up "Loose Ends" with JASON LATOUR

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Lately, I've become a huge fan of crime fiction in comics. I'm lovin' me some Criminal by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, and Scalped by Jason Aaron and R. M. Guerra. And it looks like Loose Ends, the new 4-issue limited series from 12 Gauge Comics, is on its way to joining those gully ranks.

Written by Jason Latour, and illustrated by artist Chris Brunner and colorist Rico Renzi (aka the Kickstand Kids), Loose Ends delivers big time. So, why not have the writer and co-creator of the book on to chat about career and his new project, right?

Though coming into his own as a writer, you'll probably know Jason best as an artist whose star is fast on the rise. His partial resume is listed below with more to come, but by all means, please pick up Loose Ends #1 (out right now). It's Southern-fried crime noir, but it's served up scattered, smothered and covered — just the way we like it!

Chris and Rico, Latour's collaborators, are doing some of the best work of their careers on the art and Jason's dialogue in the script is dead on.

As alluded to above, the story takes place in the Dirty South with specific mentions of some Atlanta landmarks. And since the entire SiDEBAR crew lives in the metro Atlanta area, we've figuratively met these characters before and literally been to several of these places (... no, we weren't slangin' in "the trap").

In the interview, we get some background on Jason's upbringing, how he broke into comics, how he almost broke out (ha), and how Noche Roja, an OGN from Vertigo's recently departed "Crime Noir" line, turned it all around for him.

Hats off to JLa and the Kickstand Kids for putting it down with their first creator-owned book. A lot of people in comics talk about doing one, and while Ends was a long time coming, they did it.

Nuff respect, fellas.

- SWAiN

Jason's partial resume: Battle Pope, The Expatriate, Pop Gun, Daredevil B&W, Wolverine, Noche Roja, Captain America and Loose Ends.

 

  

I've loved this classic Spidey image that Jason did from day one!

 

Podcast Episode 158: KEKAI KOTAKI

 

(.99)

Hey, 'Nation!

When I met Kekai Kotaki (or 'Cake' as we call him here at the 'Bar) several years ago at the 2005 Concept Art Workshop, I was amazed and inspired by his talent and his awesome sketchbooks. Though he was a fresh face to the scene, I knew for certain that his skills would take him far. And that they have.

Since 2004, Kekai has worked consistently in the gaming industry, starting as a texture artist, and making his way briskly up the internal ladders of NCSoft and ArenaNet, to become the lead concept designer on GuildWars 1 and 2.

Yet even with the demands of his day job, he still finds time to do freelance work for clients like Tor Books and their art director, Irene Gallo.

Kekai is an artist of rare acuity and vision. The images he creates immediately immerse you in the realms illustrated. Some fantasy artists require a suspension of disbelief or a familiarity with the subject matter at the very least, in order to make you believe. Kekai provides you with immediate recognition — regardless of your situation.

Even though his method is abstraction, he assaults your senses with his evocative character designs, atmospheres and solid compositions. The majesty of his landscapes and environments are beyond reproach. The images we've presented here are a select few, but they will leave you in awe.

As we discuss in the interview, Kotaki has created so much content that's been used in promo adverts by the gaming industry, that you may recognize them all, and never have known they were his. As such, we recommend you check out his site and blog for a bigger piece...of 'Cake'.

- DWiGHT

Below is a small gallery of Kekai's images. There's a distinct "wow" factor at work!

 

 

This is one of the images mentioned in the interview. The one Cake said Daniel Dociu kinda art directed him on (to good results).

 

Podcast Episode 157: PRINCE Trivia Cage Match ft. BROHAWK and JASON PALMER

 
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Pretty much says it all, right? I don't even have 2 sell this sh*t, 'cause this sh*t sells itself!

Die-hard Prince fans, David 'Brohawk' Williams and Jason Palmer, both agreed 2 come on the show around the same time and chat about art and career. Die-hard Prince fan and podcaster, Swain, said "Hey, while U all R here, let's get our purple on!" And it was on!

Seriously, one of the best times I've ever had doing this show. I've loved Prince's music since I was fifteen, and 2 find 2 dudes who share that love with an equal amount of enthusiasm, was the coolest.

Dwight and Adrian were sitting in awe as me, J and Brohawk geeked out over the man from Minneapolis. I don't think they suspected how deep it was gonna go though. Pretty f*ckin' deep!

And the best part about it was they had mad fun watching Jason and David willfully follow me N2 purple madness.

Hope U dig this 1, folks! I did!

- SWAiN O(+->

Podcast Episode 156: JASON PALMER

 
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The eye of an illustrator is a real particular thing. When I was a youngster, I didn't pay that much attention to what was what in art — comics, cartoons, movie posters, an image on a lunchbox — it was all just cool pictures to me.

But after a few years of maturing and taking a closer look at what falls under the artistic umbrella, illustration, as with all the disciplines, has its own lane. And it requires a very specific skill set, too. You gotta have the "magic eye" like Denzel Washington tells Ethan Hawke in the movie 'Training Day'. Our pal, Jason Palmer, has the magic eye.

Jason lives out on the west coast in California, where he was born and raised, and has been a professional illustrator for over 20 years. He's worked on a variety of projects in his career: Star Trek comic books, prop art for various TV shows, licensed artwork for Warner Bros., Universal Studios and Lucasfilm properties, storyboards, ad designs, and more.

And as we cover in our interview, he recently worked on the new Wonder Woman television show that was in production over at NBC. This was the one, of course, being helmed by David E. Kelley and featured actress, Adrianne Palicki.

Other than commercial gigs like the ones mentioned above, Jason creates images for his own business featuring the liknesses of many of his favorite sci-fi, fantasy and pop culture icons. If you go to his store or if you see him at a convention, you'll likely see merch with characters from Star Wars, Star Trek, Tron, Smallville, Firefly and The Matrix.

When we first met Jason and his wife Yelena at Dragon*Con a few years ago, we ended up being their booth neighbors. Jason told us he was a fan of the podcast and how much he enjoyed it. And we were floored at how good his art was. After about ten minutes, we became bestest buddies and the rest of the weekend was a complete hoot!

In our chat with Mr. Palmer, we get to hear about everything — his early days working in an art store, his encounters with guys like LeRoy Neiman and Dave Stevens, becoming a professional illustrator, and what it's like to be considered Drew Struzan's protege (yes, that is correct).

- SWAiN

**Below are two classic Indy images. The one on the left I happen to own as a print — a gift from the Palmers!

 

Here, Jason does a terrific version of Morpheus, Neo and Trinity; then an homage to his late friend, Dave Stevens' character, the Rocketeer.

 

And last, two of my favorite Padmes. Jason did a gazillion of them and they're all brilliant.

  

Podcast Episode 155: A Discussion on the Life, Art and Recent Passing of JEFFREY CATHERINE JONES (1944 - 2011)

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"The artist does not see things as they are, but as he or she is." - Alfred Tonnelle

Since hearing the news that Jeffrey Catherine Jones passed away yesterday (May 19, 2011), I keep coming back to one thing — I'll never again be able to refer to her as "my favorite living painter". That's a change I never thought I'd have to make. A simple one, but still tough.

I will miss Jeffrey greatly. Her life's work awakened something wonderous in me many years ago, and I owe her a debt of gratitude.

Marvin Gaye said, and I'm paraphrasing the hell out of it, "If one is a true artist, their singular goal is to open the minds of men and women". With Jeff, we've most certainly witnessed the passing of a true artist.

That's all I got for now, I guess. The real stuff is in the show. And trust when I say Dwight's story is the one. Listen for that! I envy him for having that brief, but moving exchange with Jones. And at the same time, since it happened to my man, I get to share in it, too. So really, I'm good.

Bye, Jeff. Sleep peacefully, rest easy...

- SWAiN

**I chose the picture above because it was featured in The Studio book by Dragon's Dream, and it made me wanna be that smooth, bohemian, artist type. Ha!

The 2004 Sequential Tart interview with Jeffrey Catherine Jones conducted by Laurie J. Anderson.

Hazy Shade of Winter written by Paul Simon

Time, time, time, see what's become of me
While I looked around
For my possibilities
I was so hard to please
But look around, leaves are brown
And the sky is a hazy shade of winter

Hear the Salvation Army Band
Down by the riverside, it's bound to be a better ride
Than what you've got planned
Carry your cup in your hand
And look around, leaves are brown now
And the sky is a hazy shade of winter

Hang on to your hopes, my friend
That's an easy thing to say, but if your hopes should pass away
Simply pretend
That you can build them again
Look around, the grass is high
The fields are ripe, it's the springtime of my life

Ahhh, seasons change with the scenery
Weaving time in a tapestry
Won't you stop and remember me

But look around, leaves are brown now
And the sky is a hazy shade of winter

Look around, leaves are brown
There's a patch of snow on the ground...

Podcast Episode 154: DAVID 'BROHAWK' WILLIAMS

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Your bro' with the mo'. And he's no poser either.

Comic artist David Williams was rockin' a mohawk long before it came back en vogue a few years ago. He and the odious Puff Daddy actually started wearing one around the same time.

Puffy adopted the look as publicity for his run in the 2004 New York City Marathon. David's reasons were a bit more personal. Peep the interview, please...

While preparing to speak with him, we took a look at David's timeline in comic books and found that to be a point of interest unto itself. He started out as a penciler, worked into the '90s, went into animation and consumer products for about 10 years, and thankfully, is back doing more comics stuff than ever before.

If you wanna "see what he got", check out his pencil and brushwork on characters like The Authority, Batman, Hulk and Power Pack, She-Hulk and Uncanny X-men. And his current assignment doing covers for IDW's G.I. Joe title is straight up monthly eye-candy.

David says his time in animation pushed him and made him a more well-rounded artist. I agree, although my first introduction to his stuff wasn't until 2008 (tardy to the party, I know). And I have my buddy, colorist Rico Renzi (Loose Ends, Frenemy of the State), to thank for it.

Rico not only put me on to his work, but also shared one of Dave's dirty little secrets — he's a big Prince fan, just like me.

As a matter of factoid, back in '94, David illustrated a book called Prince and the New Power Generation: Three Chains of Gold. It was pubbed by Piranha Press/DC Comics and was penned by the recently deceased, Dwayne McDuffie.

*I have this book, by the way, but more on all that later.*

Renzi and McDuffie aren't the only 'creator-badasses' Williams has rolled with in his time. Over his career, he's been mentored and/or friended by guys like Darick Robertson (The Boys), the late Dave Stevens (The Rocketeer), Bruce Timm and Glen Murakami (Justice League, Batman Beyond) and Frank Espinosa (Rocketo). Yeah, I know, right?

We caught up with Brohawk at his hidden lair in Alburquerque, New Mexico and ran it all down. From the rooter to the tooter, as we say! His background, his start in comics, some great stories from his past, and what lies ahead for him (can you say creator-owned?).

It's all in there. Hope you enjoy.

- SWAiN

**Below is a Cobra-esque Joe image David calls 'Endless Love' (left) and a somber 'Cap's Back' image (right).

  

Two creatures of the night: Batman from the DCU proper (left) and Midnighter from the Wildstorm side of things (right). Notice the blood on Trent's nightsticks.

  

An older piece called 'Heroic Trio' (left) and a pencil drawing of the Man of Steel in up, up and away mode (right).

 

Podcast Episode 153: Roundtable Free-for-All (TV, Movies and Random Art Talk)

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With the veritable glut of action-packed comic book movies waiting to assault our senses this summer, we took a breather from interviews and decided to chat about a few of 'em. Along with some TV and art talk, too. Gotta get some art talk in there, right?

On the television front, the focus was mainly on the new Wonder Woman show being written and produced by David E. Kelley (Ally McBeal, Boston Legal). He cast a fairly unknown, Adrianne Palicki (Friday Night Lights), as Diana Prince, and here recently, the studio released some production stills of her in the new costume.

Was. Not. Good.

The geek community blew a 'nerd gasket' when they saw them. And from the looks of of the latest batch of shots, the suits acquiesced and changed the design. Smart move, suits!

On the chopping block for films was Green Lantern starring Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively, Captain America: The First Avenger starring Chris Evans and Tommy Lee Jones, X-Men: First Class starring James McAvoy, and Thor starring Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman.

We had a little bit more to go on with these four properties. The trailers have all, for the most part, been pretty outstanding. Hopes are definitely high. Granted, a trailer is a big-budget commercial to get butts in seats, so the studios could still be fooling our asses (uh-oh, I made a funny). We'll see.

And we ended things by giving shine to some of our favorite and more recent 'art makers'. Guys and gals we've been checking for who can hold a pencil, brush or stylus — well.

Lots of names came up in this segment that you've never heard mentioned on this show before — Barbara Canepa, Nathan Fowkes and Greg Tocchini, just to name a few.

As to digressions: The Cape, Chris Benoit, Andy Kaufman got slammed, Fringe, the cancellation of Sym-Bionic Titan (Dwight: "Damn you, Cartoon Network!"), Superman II, The Little Rascals, Natalie Portman's tookus (that means booty), Watchmen, Sucker Punch, Deadlock, Terrance Stamp and Anthony Hopkins are 'who-errs', The Last Dragon and Action Jackson, Vanity, Bane, Buster Douglas and the impending wackness that is likely to be the Spider-man reboot.

More great interviews to come, folks, but thanks for checking out the roundtable.

- SWAiN

Podcast Episode 152: DAVE STEWART Colours Our World

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None of us here at SiDEBAR are exactly sure when we first noticed Dave Stewart's work and said, "Damn, he's puttin' that down". But clearly, at some point, we all did.

In the twelve years that he's been in comics, Dave has rapidly ascended to the top of many an artist's and editor's preferred list of colorists. This man knows his stuff.

He's laid his stylus to tons of regular books — B.P.R.D., Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Detective Comics, New Avengers, Superman, The Goon, Hellboy. And he's no stranger to special projects and limited series' like Greendale, Joe the Barbarian and 2003's breakout hit, DC: The New Frontier.

I think New Frontier was probably my baptism into the gospel of Stewart. I found the color choices in each scene were at once sophisticated, and just as much fun as the tale Darwyn Cooke was weaving.

With the variety of stories thrown at him every month, Dave's intuitive ability to adapt has become a precious and sought-after commodity in comics. And that's important to note.

No matter what one's discipline, be it writing, penciling, inking, lettering — what have you — everyone working on a comic book is a storyteller. Or at least they should be whether one knows it or not. Dave certainly knows it and shows it with much panache.

This modern day 'Peter Paul Rubens' hails from Portland, Oregon; the home of Dark Horse Comics, the company that gave him his professional start. Portland is also the home of Greg Manchess — painter, illustrator and Dave Stewart fan, just like the rest of us (more on that connection covered in our talk).

We ran Dave down at his home studio and chatted with him about those early days at Dark Horse, his process (lots of process), the joys and the rigors of his gig, and some of the incredible artists he's had the pleasure to embellish — Cliff Chiang, Darwyn Cooke, Guy Davis and Mike Mignola.

Thank you, Dave, for making time for the Boys at the 'Bar. We appreciate it. And thank you, 'Nation, for checking back in once more.

- SWAiN

**The title of this episode is a clumsy reference to the 1970 ballad, 'Colour My World', recorded by Chicago and written by band member, James Pankow. Great song!

Below is a 'creeplicious' Richard Corben Hellboy image (left) and a 'bootylicious' Frank Cho image (right).

  

A couple of cool comic pages — one from The Goon penciled by Eric Powell (left) and another from DC: The New Frontier by the aforementioned Darwyn Cooke (right).

   
Dave adds hue and value to Sean Gordon Murphy for a Joe the Barbarian cover (left), and to Guy Davis for B.P.R.D. (right)

 

Podcast Episode 151: LAUREN MONTGOMERY

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"Patience, young grasshopper." That's what Master Po said years ago. And he was right, too.

I came to know director and storyboard artist Lauren Montgomery's work through our mutual friend, Eric Canete. She and Eric are buds and her name came up, I believe, when we interviewed him back in 2008. I started looking around, found her blog and became an instant fan.

Hit the button and fast forward to February of 2009 at the New York Comic Con. Dwight and I are in an auditorium teeming with geeky fans. We're all waiting for Lauren, Bruce Timm, Michael Jelenic and Gregory Noveck to take the stage.

The convention is holding a panel discussion and a screening of the then, newly animated Wonder Woman movie (Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion). Lauren directed it, Bruce produced it, Michael wrote the script and Gregory is a Senior VP of Creative over at DC. There's maybe 2000 people in the room. It's nuts!

Anyway, the panel goes off without a hitch and audience members get to ask a pant load of questions. As you'll hear in the interview, one question in particular that Lauren answered, elicited an excited shout from one lone fan. Hmmm...

Oh, and Wonder Woman was fantastic! If you haven't seen it, you should. Outstanding job by all. It might be my favorite of Montgomery's films.

She went on to direct Green Lantern: First Flight, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths and Superman/Batman: Apocalypse. All for Warner Brothers' direct-to-DVD line and all, equally as good.

Well, after two years of pursuing her, she finally agreed to come on the show for a chat. Finally. Way to show and prove, grasshopper!

What a bright star, she is. What a cool person she turned out to be (seriously). And with the kind of excitement Lauren's generated thus far, I can only imagine what goodness lies ahead from her.

(Green Lantern: Emerald Knights and Batman Year One, but don't tell anybody I told ya).

- SWAiN

**Below are the box covers for Crisis, First Flight and Superman Doomsday, her first crack at directing for a feature.

 

This is a Supergirl image Lauren did that I just love! I got it from her blog, This Sucks, Not Yo' Mama's Blog.

 

Her rendition of Harley Quinn. You can just hear that annoyingly cute voice, can't you?

A cover Lauren did for an issue of Avatar. Niiice!

 

And some old sketchbook pages also grabbed from her blog. I really dig seeing this kinda stuff.

 

Podcast Episode 150: CLIFF CHIANG

 
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Some four years into SiDEBAR, Dwight, Adrian and myself are proud to present our 150th episode. Wow! Aren't you glad you stuck around to see it?!

*Don't answer that.*

And what better way to celebrate a milestone than to feature a talk with the always formidable comic artist, Cliff Chiang (Human Target, Green Arrow/Black Canary, Zatanna).

Cliff was great. We've met him in person twice — once at the Heroes Con in Charlotte and again at the New York Comic Con. Both times he was affable and generous as all get out (he gave me one of those Batgirl/Purple Rain 'album' covers like the one below).

Our thanks to him for coming on the show and chatting. The conversation takes an interesting turn towards the end there, but it's all good. Not your average comic book interview stuff.

"So...so when you drew Batman...that was pretty cool, huh?!"

Nahhh, not average at all. But we hope you enjoy it none the less. Take care!

- SWAiN

**Here are four of my favorite GA/BC covers by the Cliffster:

   

Next are Cliff's covers for Greendale and Dr. 13. Greendale is an original graphic novel that came out in 2010. It's based on a concept album bearing the same name recorded by rocker, Neil Young. And if you haven't read Dr. 13 by Cliff and Brian Azzarello, do so. HIGH-larious!

 

These are some fun '80s themed mash-ups Chiang made. If you're old enough, you'll get the refs:

 

And last up, the Archies gang. Only re-imagined as an indie rock band! A slight tip of the chapeau to one of Cliff's artistic heroes, Jaime Hernandez:

 

Podcast Episode 149: NORM BREYFOGLE

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Dynamic. Energetic. Classic.

All these words come to mind when I think of artist Norm Breyfogle. 

However, to most, 'Batman' comes to mind at the mention of Breyfogle's name. Norm was THE Batman artist for an entire generation of comic book readers in the late 1980s and early 1990s. We cover all that and more in our talk with him.

Norm details his beginnings as an artistic prodigy in his native Michigan, his discovery by Mike Frederich at the 1984 San Diego Comic Con, and his meteoric rise to penciling the Batman titles (below). This was at the height of 'Batmania' with the release of Tim Burton's titular 1989 movie.

 
As Norm himself quotes, comics were "berry berry good" to him and got even better with the release of Prime, the flagship title of Malibu's Ultraverse line in 1993.

Conversely, we discuss the lean side of comics freelancing in the years following the bust of the speculative boom of the early '90s. Breyfogle regards his travails to publish his creator-owned project 'Metaphysique', his efforts to garner regular work from his previous publisher DC Comics and the career rebound he's made through independent publishers and freelancing outside of comics.

Then we cap things off with a look at his recent projects, not the least of which is his current stint as an artist for Archie Comics and their line of 'New Look' books for the gang from Riverdale.

-ADRiAN

**Speaking of Riverdale, check out these model sheets by Norm for the 'New Look' Archie and Jughead:

 

Powerful images from Norm's creator-owned book, Metaphysique:

   
 

Some illustrations he's done outside of corporate comics:

 

'Prodigy' Breyfogle in 1974 at age 14: