Back Issue Bloodbath Archives - Geek Hard

Welcome friends to Back Issue Bloodbath, a comics-centric podcast presented by Geek Hard. Join host Andrew Young and special guests as they get down and dirty in the four-colour world of comic books, focusing on classic stories, new issues, comic creators and hot button topics.

Back by popular demand, Andrew is joined by comic creator J. Torres to talk about a comic that’s near and dear to his heart. J. made an appearance on the show about a month ago and there was a large outcry from listeners to have him back to talk about the comic that affected him so much as a child that he wrote a comic story about his reaction to it: Alpha Flight. Alpha Flight is Canada’s premiere super team in the Marvel Universe. Making their first appearance in Uncanny X-Men #120, during the coveted Claremont/Byrne run on the series, Alpha Flight would eventually get their very own comic and deliver exciting adventures for over a decade. This week, we take a look at the first 12 issues of this run which came out all the way back in 1983. Written and drawn by John Byrne, Andrew and J look at the innovative story elements used in the series as wells as some of the overt political commentary of the times. There’s also some critique of comic writing from that era as well.

Join us as we get a little patriotic regarding the “True North Strong and Free!” in the lastest episode of Back Issue Bloodbath. Come for the Canadian Superheroes. Stay for the drama as these two fanboys hold nothing back.

Have an idea for a certain topic we should cover? Have an indie comic book you’d like us to review? Send us an email at [email protected] with “Back Issue Bloodbath” in the subject line. We’d love to hear from you.

If you’re gonna geek out, GEEK HARD!

Welcome friends to Back Issue Bloodbath, a comics-centric podcast presented by Geek Hard. Join Andrew Young and friends as they get down and dirty in the four-colour world of comic books, focusing on classic stories, new issues, comic creators and hot button topics.

This week, we take another trip into the recent past with some comic creator interviews. First up, Andrew takes you to the Toronto Comic Arts Festival of 2015 where he got to talk with the creative team of Babs Tarr, Cameron Stewart and Brenden Fletcher. This trio of talented folks have a new book, Motor Crush, coming this December from Image. Back then they were making some noise with their work on Batgirl. They talk about the book and the process of making it as well as chat a bit about some of Fletcher and Stewart’s other work (Black Canary & Fight Club 2 respectively). It’s a fun time and these cats are a blast.

Our second interview is a short one and takes place in a hotel bathroom. Andrew got to go to the 2nd annual ZDARSCON, an event that celebrates comics – specifically the works of Chip Zdarsky – that went down this past Fan Expo Canada Weekend. Andrew discusses Chip’s recent work involving Canadian Prime Minister Justin Tredeau and Alpha Flight and even gets him to talk a little bit about his upcoming Star Lord comic. Chip is funny but slightly distracted as he’s in the middle of running an ENTIRE CONVENTION in a bathrobe. A difficult job to say the least.

Take a listen to the latest Back Issue Bloodbath!

Have an idea for a certain topic we should cover? Have an indie comic book you’d like us to review? Send us an email at [email protected] with “Back Issue Bloodbath” in the subject line. We’d love to hear from you.

If you’re gonna geek out, GEEK HARD!

Welcome friends to Back Issue Bloodbath, a comics-centric podcast presented by Geek Hard. Join hosts Andrew Young and Gavin Stephens as they get down and dirty in the four-colour world of comic books, focusing on classic stories, new issues, comic creators and hot button topics.

This week, Andrew apologizes as he wasn’t able to deliver us the return of Gavin. Who knows when (or if) he’ll be back! For now, Andrew makes up for getting your hopes up by giving you two great interviews with comic creators. First up, Andrew got the chance to chat with Comic Book Legend Klaus Janson. Listen as they talk about the what an inker brings to penciled artwork, the importance of storytelling visually, Klaus’ work on DKIII and even a short look back on his work with Frank Miller on Daredevil. A gentleman and a teacher, Klaus gives us some entertaining insight on the world of making comics.

Our second interview comes to us from the 2015 Toronto Comic Arts Festival (TCAF) as Andrew catches up with cartoonist Ed Piskor. Ed is the man responsible for Hip Hop Family Tree, a series of graphic novels (and now monthly issues) chronicling the history of Hip Hop in an art style that’s very reminiscent of 70s Marvel. This interview took place a couple months before the release of the third graphic novel and Andrew not only picks Ed’s brain about that but also his process at the drawing table. There’s also a brief discussion about a comic book recreation of the Rob Liefeld “501 Button Fly” Jeans ad from the early 90s that Ed did for Free Comic Book Day. Ed’s an interesting cat.

So take a listen to these interviews and enjoy the latest episode of Back Issue Bloodbath.

Have an idea for a certain topic we should cover? Have an indie comic book you’d like us to review? Send us an email at [email protected] with “Back Issue Bloodbath” in the subject line. We’d love to hear from you.

If you’re gonna geek out, GEEK HARD!

Welcome friends to Back Issue Bloodbath, a comics-centric podcast presented by Geek Hard. Join hosts Andrew Young and Gavin Stephens as they get down and dirty in the four-colour world of comic books, focusing on classic stories, new issues, comic creators and hot button topics.

This week, Andrew is once again joined by a panel of comic experts to talk all things of a sequential art nature. James Cooper and Yaw Attuah of The Development Slate podcast come on the show to participate in a variation on their own show. The guys each pick a comic character from the Marvel or DC comic universe, and pair them with a creative team (artist and writer) who could bring the character back to four colour glory. Andrew also gives his picks and surprisingly, nobody picks a character with superpowers. It’s Character Returns Pitch Session Madness!

The conversation also leads to talk of the recently announced Runaways Hulu series and the relevance of high-numbered comic book runs. There’s even an appearance by Filthy Stan Lee and Grant the Golden Host. It’s a great way to spend a half our if you ask me. Also, be sure to listen right to the end for a very special annoucement. It’s all coming your way on an ALL NEW Back Issue Bloodbath.

Be sure to give it a listen and check out Andrew and Mr. Green of Geek Hard’s guest spot on The Development Slate (available today on iTunes and over at Dorkshelf.com).

Have an idea for a certain topic we should cover? Have an indie comic book you’d like us to review? Send us an email at [email protected] with “Back Issue Bloodbath” in the subject line. We’d love to hear from you.

If you’re gonna geek out, GEEK HARD!

Welcome friends to Back Issue Bloodbath, a comics-centric podcast presented by Geek Hard. Join hosts Andrew Young and Gavin Stephens as they get down and dirty in the four-colour world of comic books, focusing on classic stories, new issues, comic creators and hot button topics.

This week marks a very special episode as Andrew sat down with comic writer (and longtime Geek Hard supporter) J Torres at Fan Expo Canada to talk about his first published work, The Copybook Tales. Originally released in the mid-ninties, The Copybook Tales is about Jamie, a young man trying to make it as a comic writer and finding inspiration from the journals he kept in his teenage years in the eighties. A semi-autobiographical indie comic, the series was released through Slave Labor Graphics and eventually was released as a trade paperback collected edition from Oni Press. With art by Tim Levins, the book remains a cult classic for the comic fans lucky enough to find this gem.

Take a listen as Andrew talks with Torres about his inspirations for the book as well as his begrudging commitment to buying the works of John Byrne, his real life high school group of friends that had too many Craigs, and his undying love for Phoebe Cates. Strap yourselves in for a fun, nostalgic revisiting of The Copybook Tales, the comic that started J Torres career on an ALL NEW Back Issue Bloodbath!

Have an idea for a certain topic we should cover? Have an indie comic book you’d like us to review? Send us an email at [email protected] with “Back Issue Bloodbath” in the subject line. We’d love to hear from you.

If you’re gonna geek out, GEEK HARD!

Welcome friends to Back Issue Bloodbath, a comics-centric podcast presented by Geek Hard. Join hosts Andrew Young and Gavin Stephens as they get down and dirty in the four-colour world of comic books, focusing on classic stories, new issues, comic creators and hot button topics.

Andrew is once again joined by Young Boy James and Mr. Kris Johnson for another rousing discussion on the four colour world of comics! This week, we bring you a Creator Spotlight on a writer that has wowed the Geek Hard crew many times and has even won a Froggy Award for being such a great guest: Greg Rucka. Greg Rucka’s comics career began in 1998 when Oni Press published a little mini series called Whiteout, a police procedural meets murder mystery that takes place in Antarctica. It would be the first of many tales from him that stars a female protagonist who must use equal parts brains and brawn to find answers. Since then, Greg has worked a plethora of companies including DC, Marvel, Image and Dark Horse to name a few. Whether it’s been super heroes, mystical beings, cops, secret agents or private detectives, Rucka has always brought us fantastically flawed characters that we can’t help but follow.

Listen as the guys take a look back on some of Greg’s greatest comic stories and relive their favourites. And you’ll get to hear the man himself as many a clip from past Geek Hard interviews are featured. If you’re a fan of Greg Rucka, you’re gonna enjoy this dissection of the creator. If you’ve never read any of his work before, you’ll have a new reading list by the end of the episode. Either way, you’ll have a good time with an ALL NEW Back Issue Bloodbath.

Have an idea for a certain topic we should cover? Have an indie comic book you’d like us to review? Send us an email at [email protected] with “Back Issue Bloodbath” in the subject line. We’d love to hear from you.

If you’re gonna geek out, GEEK HARD!

Welcome friends to Back Issue Bloodbath, a comics-centric podcast presented by Geek Hard. Join hosts Andrew Young and Gavin Stephens as they get down and dirty in the four-colour world of comic books, focusing on classic stories, new issues, comic creators and hot button topics.

As Gavin is still away, Andrew and his panel of comic “experts” will play. Joining Andrew once again is the man known as Young Boy James, a boy trapped in a man’s body. Also returning to the program is Andrew’s Co-writer on the New Comics blog, Kris Johnson! Three men forever trapped in discussions about comics and pop culture share one of those discussions with you once again. This time, that discussion is about the DC instant classic known as Sinestro Corps War.

The Sinestro Corps War is an event book that was told in the pages of Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps in the Summer and Fall of 2007. Seen as the sequel to Green Lantern: Rebirth and known to most GL fans as the Empire Strikes Back of writer Geoff Johns’ run on the comic, The Sinestro Corps War is considered a crown jewel in DC continuity. With amazing character develop of all the Earthbound Lanterns (Hal Jordan, Kyle Rayner, John Stewart and Guy Gardner) as well as Sinestro himself, this series holds a very special place in Andrew, James and Kris’ hearts. Listen as they discuss what made the book so special and explain why no other Green Lantern story has lived up to it since on an ALL NEW Bloodbath.

Have an idea for a certain topic we should cover? Have an indie comic book you’d like us to review? Send us an email at [email protected] with “Back Issue Bloodbath” in the subject line. We’d love to hear from you.

If you’re gonna geek out, GEEK HARD!

Welcome friends to Back Issue Bloodbath, a comics-centric podcast presented by Geek Hard. Join hosts Andrew Young and Gavin Stephens as they get down and dirty in the four-colour world of comic books, focusing on classic stories, new issues, comic creators and hot button topics.

This week, Andrew delves back into the vault to bring you some classic interviews with great comic creators. First up is a conversation with Jimmy Palmiotti at the 2012 edition of Fan Expo Canada. Andrew hadn’t seen Jimmy in years and the last time they had talked, he had told him about a very special box of comics. Andrew gets him to retell that story as well as give his thoughts on creator owned comics vs. doing work for “The Big Two”. One lesson is made very clear during this discussion: You should always listen to Jimmy ’cause it’s good for your health.

Our second interview is from Andrew’s time at the 2015 Toronto ComiCon where her caught up with Becky Cloonan. The two chat about her Image title Southern Cross. The first issue had just come out at the time and she had lots to say about it. Andrew also asks her about “the Future of Comics” and where the industry is headed as it pertains to what readers are looking for these days. Becky gives some very thoughtful answers and gives a little insight from a creator’s perspective.

Two great interviews for the price of free! Not a bad way to spend your time. Give the show listen and enjoy. Next week, we bring you more comics discussion from Andrew and our illustrious panel of comic experts.

Have an idea for a certain topic we should cover? Have an indie comic book you’d like us to review? Send us an email at [email protected] with “Back Issue Bloodbath” in the subject line. We’d love to hear from you.

If you’re gonna geek out, GEEK HARD!

Welcome friends to Back Issue Bloodbath, a comics-centric podcast presented by Geek Hard. Join hosts Andrew Young and Gavin Stephens as they get down and dirty in the four-colour world of comic books, focusing on classic stories, new issues, comic creators and hot button topics.

Andrew, Young Boy James and Sammy Younan (of Girth Radio) return to bring you yet another Bloodbath and this time, the battlefield is their own childhood. Join the guys as they travel back through their personal histories and reveal a very special moment in each of their lives: Their first time…….getting invested in a comic story. What did you think we were gonna talk about here? This isn’t the story of the first comic each of them ever read. No, instead we’re talking about the first comic they still remember reading for the first time. Listen as Andrew explains his love for single character stories thanks to an issue of G.I.Joe, James falls in love with the work of Alan Moore and Sammy explains how Grant Morrison almost ruined Batman for him.

Exciting stories lay ahead. There’s talk of birthday party loot bags and Marvel’s original Secret Wars mini….there’s even a shout out to Andy Runton’s Owly. No stone is left un-turned and no childhood memory left untouched……that didn’t come out right. Regardless, it’s another fun and exciting episode of Back Issue Bloodbath. SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Give it a listen RIGHT NOW! First Comic Memories await!

Have an idea for a certain topic we should cover? Have an indie comic book you’d like us to review? Send us an email at [email protected] with “Back Issue Bloodbath” in the subject line. We’d love to hear from you.

If you’re gonna geek out, GEEK HARD!

Welcome friends to Back Issue Bloodbath, a comics-centric podcast presented by Geek Hard. Join hosts Andrew Young and Gavin Stephens as they get down and dirty in the four-colour world of comic books, focusing on classic stories, new issues, comic creators and hot button topics.

Some bad news for all you Gavin fans out there. Gavin Stephens will be unable to appear on BIB until the end of the summer. But fear not! He will return in September. In the meantime, Andrew keeps bringing you the goods from the four-colour world of comics with some special friends to help him along the way. Returning once again will be last week’s panel of awesome: Sammy Younan of Girth Radio and the newly christened Young Boy James (who sounds a fair bit like Mr. Green, but whatever). What magical series will they be talking about this week? The answer does not lie in magic but in science……Black Science if you will.

Black Science is an Image title that launched back in November of 2013. Since then, 22 issues have hit the comic stands (with issue #23 out today!) and nothing has ever been the same. From the hyper-kinetic storytelling style of Rick Remender to the Frazetta-like illustrations of Mateo Scalara to the aggressive colours of Dean White, there is nothing quite like this graphic series. The story of a group of scientists lost as they travel through various dimensions is nothing new in the realm of sci-fi and pulp fiction. What makes this book special is the complex characters that Remender and co. have offered up for us as they travel through exotic and hostile environments. Find out what Andrew and his guests have to say about this modern classic.

Have an idea for a certain topic we should cover? Have an indie comic book you’d like us to review? Send us an email at [email protected] with “Back Issue Bloodbath” in the subject line. We’d love to hear from you.

If you’re gonna geek out, GEEK HARD!