Adrian Has Issues

This week's episode features writer Vita Ayala (Bitch Planet: Triple Feature, Wonder Woman Annual) and illustrator Emily Pearson (Cult Classic). Our conversation covers a plethora of topics including their artistic origins and how a possible case of mistaken identity may have lead to their collaboration on the comic book series The Wilds from Black Mask Studios. We also cover the title's themes of self-care and individuality and how they inform not only the story itself but society as a whole. What is abundantly clear from the very beginning of this episode is Vita and Emily's chemistry and how well they compliment each other. This is evident in how well they respect each other as creators and as individuals, which is the cornerstone of any collaborative effort.

Mags Visaggio is an Eisner and GLAAD Award-nominated writer of comics such as Kim & Kim and Quantum Teens Are Go for Black Mask Studios, the upcoming miniseries Eternity Girl from DC Comics arriving in March and Transformers Vs. Visionaries from IDW Publishing. In her second appearance on the Adrian Has Issues podcast, Mags and Adrian discuss and debate a plethora of topics including: A breakdown of Mags' comic book script-writing process. The inspiration and concepts of behind Eternity Girl and Transformers Vs. Visionaries. Telling personal stories within larger, genre-specific comics. The challenges of comic book marketing and outreach.

Jennie Wood is a writer and musician born and raised in North Carolina and currently resides in Boston, MA. She is the author of the YA novel, A Boy Like Me, which is a Next Generation Indie Book Awards finalist, an INDIEFAB Book of the Year finalist, and one of Foreword Reviews’ 10 Best Indie YA novels for 2014. A frequent contributor to the acclaimed anthology series FUBAR by Jeff McComsey Jennie is perhaps best known as the creator and writer of the critically acclaimed, award-winning Flutter, a graphic novel series published by 215 Ink. The trilogy has received numerous accolades from The Advocate, Bleeding Cool and the Virginia Library Association. In this episode, Adrian and Jennie discuss the real-life inspirations behind the conclusion of the Flutter series and how much of the story reflects American society in the wake of Trump's presidency. The conversation tackles subjects such as sexism, racism and the continuing need for indie comics to be a voice of positive change in uncertain times. Plus, Jennie gives listeners insight into how musicians like Courtney Love, Lorde and Veruca Salt inform the world of Flutter.

Recorded on location at AnimeNYC 2017 at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City, this episode features two great interviews with independent creators: Nat Roze is the creator of the webcomic Weird Sisters, which tells the story of a sorority of witches loosely based on characters from Shakespeare's tragedies. Anna Giovannini is an illustrator and CEO of Immagina Press. Under Immagina Press, Anna has produced and published several titles including Mercenaries and Anima.

Recorded on location at AnimeNYC 2017 at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City, this episode features three interviews with some rising stars in the world of anime and manga. Created by a dedicated group of men and women of color, both Noir Caesar and Saturday-AM aim to create groundbreaking and innovative projects that incorporate anime, manga and hip-hop culture.

Jeremy Simser is an illustrator and storyboard artist currently residing in Vancouver after working for 15 years in the Toronto area. Some of his storyboard credits include both television and film projects such as Game of Thrones, The Flash, Supergirl and the upcoming 2018 film, Deadpool 2. In this episode, Jeremy gives listeners an in-depth look into the role a storyboard artist plays in producing TV shows and movies. Plus, Jeremy details his work with writer/illustrator Kelley Brack and making the transition into becoming a comic book creator.

Jerome Walford is a Brooklyn-based writer, illustrator and publisher. Under the banner of Forward Comix, his past works include the sci-fi action/adventure series Nowhere Man and the Gwan Anthology. titles have received critical acclaim as well as awards from the Glyph Comics Awards, Society of Illustrators and the Urban Action Showcase Comic Awards. Following the success of Gwan, Jerome outlines the next step for his company, which includes a Kickstarter campaign that will see the creation of four unique titles spanning various formats and genres. In this episode, Jerome lays out the details behind Forward Comix's titles for 2018. He also explains how in order for his company to grow and expand, he enlisted in the help of an editorial team comprised of Maya Rock and Rebecca Griffin Greene.

Calbert Warner is a NYC based music composer, gamer and photographer. Under the moniker Schematist, Cal has crafted musical projects that incorporate numerous subgenres of electronic music such as World Fusion, Breakbeat and Glitch-Hop. Schematist's latest release, Anireal, is a biographical musical journey of Jessica Fong, the founder of Lonely Egg Studios. The album tells the story of Jessica's experiences in dealing with depression and mental health and serves to bring to light subjects that are often overlooked or even ignored throughout society. In this episode, Cal and Adrian engage in a thought-provoking conversation on the power of music and the influence it has played in both of their lives. Additionally, both individuals express a mutual love of videogame soundtracks and the brilliance of Final Fantasy 9 and other role playing games.

This week's episode features comic book writers Kim Gaines and Shawn Lanier, the co-creators of the upcoming comic book series Eventide. The ongoing series focuses on a group of youths with extraordinary abilities who do battle with evil spirits that plague their town. The book also features art by Sean Dillon and letters by Marcus Kiser. Kim and Shawn discuss the origins and inspiration behind Grub Machine and Eventide. There's also great discussions and observations on animated series such as Batman: The Animated Series, Avatar: The Last Airbender and the hit anime series Bleach.

Mark Torres is a New York-based radio personality and comic book writer. He is perhaps best known as the host of It Came From The Radio, a syndicated sci-fi/fantasy themed call-in radio show. In this episode, Mark tells his story of his rise as a comic book creator and how it coincided with his work as a radio host/podcaster. Mark and Adrian also discuss effective strategies for show hosts, movie sequels/trailers and a spirited debate on whether or not Star Wars Episode VII is secretly a dud.