Bandit Mike sits down with friend, ex-boss, and veteran comic book editor Ben Abernathy to explore his vast editorial career. From breaking in at Dark Horse in 1998 through stops at DC and Marvel, his editorial work at Wildstorm and pioneering DC Digital projects before becoming EIC and founder at Madefire in 2012, we get into it all! We discuss his return to DC where he became Group Editor of the Batman books, hiring major talent like Chip Zdarsky and Jorge Jimenez, his promotion to Executive Editor, and his recent 2025 move to join Skybound, where he now serves as Executive Editor. Ben shares his insights on editorial philosophy, identifying emerging talent, and what excites him about Robert Kirkman's creator-focused company.

You can find and follow Ben on Instagram @_ben_abernathy_, on X @Ben_Abernathy, and on Bluesky @benabernathy.

Support the show

___________________

Check out video versions of this and other episodes on YouTube: youtube.com/dollarbinbandits!

If you like this podcast, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you found this episode. And if you really like this podcast, become a member of the Dollar Bin Boosters on Patreon: patreon.com/DollarBinBoosters.

You can follow us @dollarbinbandits on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky, or @DBBandits on X. You can email us at [email protected].

___________________

Dollar Bin Bandits is the official podcast of TwoMorrows Publishing. Check out their fine publications at twomorrows.com.

___________________

Thank you to Sam Fonseca for our theme music, Sean McMillan for our graphics, and Pat McGrath for our logo.

One of our favorite cartoonists returns, as Jamar Nicholas gets back in the hot seat! He's giving us a preview of the next book in his popular Leon series, which is still in the works and doesn't have a name yet. We get into all the details, exploring Jamar's approaches to character development and creating stories for kids.

As always, you can follow him on his site, jamarnicholas.weebly.com, on Instagram @jamar_nicholas_cartoonist or on X and Bluesky @jamarnicholas. 

Support the show

___________________

Check out video versions of this and other episodes on YouTube: youtube.com/dollarbinbandits!

If you like this podcast, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you found this episode. And if you really like this podcast, become a member of the Dollar Bin Boosters on Patreon: patreon.com/DollarBinBoosters.

You can follow us @dollarbinbandits on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky, or @DBBandits on X. You can email us at [email protected].

___________________

Dollar Bin Bandits is the official podcast of TwoMorrows Publishing. Check out their fine publications at twomorrows.com.

___________________

Thank you to Sam Fonseca for our theme music, Sean McMillan for our graphics, and Pat McGrath for our logo.

Today is Pop Mhan Day on the Dollar Bin Bandits! Pop, who was born in Thailand, broke into comics under Jim Lee at Wildstorm Productions in San Diego, and then really broke out on SpyBoy with writer Peter David. Since then, his extensive career included stops at Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, and other publishers with titles including Batgirl, Robin, Bionicles, and World of Warcraft. Pop shares how his multicultural background and influences from Japanese manga artists helped him develop a distinctive style bridging Eastern and Western aesthetics, his work as a storytelling consultant, and his recent gig on Josh Blaylock's The Disavowed.

You can follow Pop on his website, pophman.com, and on Instagram and X @popmhan. 

Support the show

___________________

Check out video versions of this and other episodes on YouTube: youtube.com/dollarbinbandits!

If you like this podcast, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you found this episode. And if you really like this podcast, become a member of the Dollar Bin Boosters on Patreon: patreon.com/DollarBinBoosters.

You can follow us @dollarbinbandits on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky, or @DBBandits on X. You can email us at [email protected].

___________________

Dollar Bin Bandits is the official podcast of TwoMorrows Publishing. Check out their fine publications at twomorrows.com.

___________________

Thank you to Sam Fonseca for our theme music, Sean McMillan for our graphics, and Pat McGrath for our logo.

Today we welcome legendary comics writer Joe Kelly to explore his remarkable career! We get into the joint Marvel/NYU Stan-Hattan Project that gave him his start, his redefining run on Deadpool, his acclaimed Spider-Man work, and his time on Uncanny X-Men and Action Comics. Joe reflects on co-founding Man of Action Studios and creating the global phenomenon Ben 10, how he balances solo comics writing with collaborative animation work, his current run on Amazing Spider-Man with artists Pepe Larraz and John Romita Jr., and his approach to storytelling across comics, animation, and film.

You can find and follow Joe on all the major socials @thatjoekelly.

Support the show

___________________

Check out video versions of this and other episodes on YouTube: youtube.com/dollarbinbandits!

If you like this podcast, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you found this episode. And if you really like this podcast, become a member of the Dollar Bin Boosters on Patreon: patreon.com/DollarBinBoosters.

You can follow us @dollarbinbandits on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky, or @DBBandits on X. You can email us at [email protected].

___________________

Dollar Bin Bandits is the official podcast of TwoMorrows Publishing. Check out their fine publications at twomorrows.com.

___________________

Thank you to Sam Fonseca for our theme music, Sean McMillan for our graphics, and Pat McGrath for our logo.

We sit down with veteran comics artist Howard Simpson (who also works under the pen name Poppy) to explore his diverse career that began after earning his BFA from Tyler School of Arts and working as a commercial artist during the 1980s for major clients including Action News, Bantam Books, Sony, and various Fortune 500 companies. Howard shares his transition from commercial work and fanzine contributions to breaking into professional comics with DC, working on titles like Green Lantern, The Outsiders, Secret Origins, and Young All-Stars, as well as inking Dark Horse's Captain Crusader. We dive into his prolific 1990s work across multiple publishers including First Publishing's Grimjack and Munden's Bar, Heroic Comics' Captain Thunder and Blue Bolt, Icicle, and League of Champions, Topps' Ray Bradbury Comics: Martian Chronicles, and his extensive contributions as penciller, inker, and background artist for Acclaim's Valiant imprint series like Turok, plus his work illustrating Timon and Pumbaa stories for Disney Adventures. Howard discusses the differences between commercial art and comics, working across so many different publishers and genres, the craft of inking versus pencilling, and how the comics industry evolved from the 80s through the 90s.

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Support the show

___________________

Check out video versions of this and other episodes on YouTube: youtube.com/dollarbinbandits!

If you like this podcast, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you found this episode. And if you really like this podcast, become a member of the Dollar Bin Boosters on Patreon: patreon.com/DollarBinBoosters.

You can follow us @dollarbinbandits on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky, or @DBBandits on X. You can email us at [email protected].

___________________

Dollar Bin Bandits is the official podcast of TwoMorrows Publishing. Check out their fine publications at twomorrows.com.

___________________

Thank you to Sam Fonseca for our theme music, Sean McMillan for our graphics, and Pat McGrath for our logo.

Acclaimed comics writer Mike Carey joins the show to take us through his remarkable career! While working as a teacher for 15 years, Mike began breaking into comics with heavy metal biographies and 2000 AD stories, before moving into mainstream with a Lucifer miniseries that unexpectedly became a critically lauded 75-issue run! We dive into his Marvel work on a slew of Ultimate titles and a lengthy X-Men tenure, where he collaborated with some of the most sought-after artists. We also get into Mike's creator-owned series, The Unwritten, with Peter Gross, which explores the power of stories and fiction, his work on Wetworks and Hellblazer, and his Felix Castor prose novels blending detective fiction with supernatural elements. 

You can follow Mike on X @michaelcarey191. 

Support the show

___________________

Check out video versions of this and other episodes on YouTube: youtube.com/dollarbinbandits!

If you like this podcast, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you found this episode. And if you really like this podcast, become a member of the Dollar Bin Boosters on Patreon: patreon.com/DollarBinBoosters.

You can follow us @dollarbinbandits on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky, or @DBBandits on X. You can email us at [email protected].

___________________

Dollar Bin Bandits is the official podcast of TwoMorrows Publishing. Check out their fine publications at twomorrows.com.

___________________

Thank you to Sam Fonseca for our theme music, Sean McMillan for our graphics, and Pat McGrath for our logo.

In today's exclusive interview, we sit down with legendary creator Rick Veitch to discuss the groundbreaking NYCC 2025 announcement that has Swamp Thing fans celebrating after more than three decades! Rick shares how it came to be that DC will finally publish Swamp Thing #88 as part of a Swamp Thing 1989 miniseries, completing his epic run that was abruptly halted when DC refused to publish a story featuring Jesus Christ. We explore the history of the controversy, how this deal came together after 36+ years, and the emotional experience of finally getting closure on this unfinished chapter. We also delve into some of his other titles, including his early work on Sgt. Rock, The One miniseries, and self-published stories like Brat Pack, The Maximortal, and Rare Bit Fiends.

You can follow Rick and purchase his latest stuff on rickveitch.com, and you can look for the man himself on Facebook. 

Support the show

___________________

Check out video versions of this and other episodes on YouTube: youtube.com/dollarbinbandits!

If you like this podcast, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you found this episode. And if you really like this podcast, become a member of the Dollar Bin Boosters on Patreon: patreon.com/DollarBinBoosters.

You can follow us @dollarbinbandits on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky, or @DBBandits on X. You can email us at [email protected].

___________________

Dollar Bin Bandits is the official podcast of TwoMorrows Publishing. Check out their fine publications at twomorrows.com.

___________________

Thank you to Sam Fonseca for our theme music, Sean McMillan for our graphics, and Pat McGrath for our logo.

Franco's back on the pod! And he's talking his latest collaboration with Art Baltazar on the hilarious Flash Gordon Adventures! series from Papercutz and Mad Cave Studios. Franco shares his approach to bringing a fun, all-ages take on the classic Flash Gordon property, exploring he and Art balance humor with sci-fi action to make the legendary space hero accessible to young readers. We dive into the upcoming Flash Gordon Adventures! Vol. 2: The Anthology Odyssey, releasing next month, which features an impressive lineup of cartoonists including John Patrick Green, Stan Sakai, Mike Cavallaro, Chris Giarrusso, Mike Kunkel, Chris Eliopoulos, and many more. 

You can listen to our first interview with Franco here: buzzsprout.com/1817176/episodes/12270898. 

Support the show

___________________

Check out video versions of this and other episodes on YouTube: youtube.com/dollarbinbandits!

If you like this podcast, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you found this episode. And if you really like this podcast, become a member of the Dollar Bin Boosters on Patreon: patreon.com/DollarBinBoosters.

You can follow us @dollarbinbandits on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky, or @DBBandits on X. You can email us at [email protected].

___________________

Dollar Bin Bandits is the official podcast of TwoMorrows Publishing. Check out their fine publications at twomorrows.com.

___________________

Thank you to Sam Fonseca for our theme music, Sean McMillan for our graphics, and Pat McGrath for our logo.

Today we welcome Duncan Rouleau to discuss his remarkable career spanning comics and animation, from discovering comics as a young reader to breaking into the big leagues in the 90s with Venom: The Hunted and working with Larry Hama on various X-books. Duncan shares the origin story of co-founding Man of Action with Steve Seagle, Joe Kelly, and Joe Casey, discussing his unique perspective as the only writer in the group with a visual arts background. We get into how the collective landed their first video game gig writing for X-Men: Legends before creating the global phenomenon Ben 10. We explore how Duncan balances working in animation versus comics and his creator-owned work including The Nightmarist graphic novel and The Great Unknown. He also reflects on his continuing comics work including his 2008 Metal Men series and various DC and Marvel projects, how his art style has evolved over the years, and his approach to visual storytelling and developing new characters.

You can follow Duncan on Instagram @rouleaumoa and on X @rouleau1. 

Support the show

___________________

Check out video versions of this and other episodes on YouTube: youtube.com/dollarbinbandits!

If you like this podcast, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you found this episode. And if you really like this podcast, become a member of the Dollar Bin Boosters on Patreon: patreon.com/DollarBinBoosters.

You can follow us @dollarbinbandits on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky, or @DBBandits on X. You can email us at [email protected].

___________________

Dollar Bin Bandits is the official podcast of TwoMorrows Publishing. Check out their fine publications at twomorrows.com.

___________________

Thank you to Sam Fonseca for our theme music, Sean McMillan for our graphics, and Pat McGrath for our logo.

Today we welcome veteran comic book journalist and publicity agent Rik Offenberger to explore his multifaceted career, where he started as a retailer before transitioning to writing for Comics Buyer's Guide in 1992 and pioneering Internet-based comics journalism. Rik discusses his work as interviewer and senior feature editor at Silver Bullet Comic Books (now Comics Bulletin) and his interviews for Newsarama and Comic Book Resources, before succeeding Alex Segura as Public Relations Coordinator of Archie Comics in December 2005. We explore his founding of Super Hero News in 1998 and his 2010 co-founding of First Comics News, his decade of service on the Inkwell Awards Nominating Committee, earning him their 2023 Above & Beyond Award, and his newest venture, G-Man Comics, a guild-style publisher featuring traditional superheroes in a shared universe.

You can follow Rick on Facebook.

Support the show

___________________

Check out video versions of this and other episodes on YouTube: youtube.com/dollarbinbandits!

If you like this podcast, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you found this episode. And if you really like this podcast, become a member of the Dollar Bin Boosters on Patreon: patreon.com/DollarBinBoosters.

You can follow us @dollarbinbandits on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky, or @DBBandits on X. You can email us at [email protected].

___________________

Dollar Bin Bandits is the official podcast of TwoMorrows Publishing. Check out their fine publications at twomorrows.com.

___________________

Thank you to Sam Fonseca for our theme music, Sean McMillan for our graphics, and Pat McGrath for our logo.