Today, we welcome six-time New York Times bestselling comics writer Fred Van Lente to discuss his career, starting with Action Philosophers, moving throughhis acclaimed Marvel and Valiant work, and focusing on his ambitious new project The Future is ******. We get into his early work with Platinum Studios, Marvel titles like Marvel Zombies and his acclaimed Incredible Hercules run with Greg Pak, plus his Harvey Award-nominated Archer & Armstrong at Valiant. We then dive into the new work, a 60-issue cyber-sci-fi epic that fuses elements from Mr. Robot, The Matrix, and Ghost in the Shell. We discuss working with Rekcah Comics, why he committed to such a massive story, and balancing creator-owned work with other projects. 

You can follow Fred on his site, fredvanlente.com, or on all the socials @fredvanlente.

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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].

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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've got writer and publisher Dennis Mallonee, who moved from CalTech economics to #comics by pitching story ideas to Bill Mantlo and helping develop the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe with Rick Hoberg. Dennis recounts launching The Champions at a 1985 SDCC panel, first publishing through Eclipse, and then forming his own imprint that evolved into Heroic Publishing. We dig into the complicated licensing history with Hero Games, the disputes over tone and pinup art that led to revoked rights and renamed characters (Marksman → Huntsman, Foxbat → Flying Fox), and the 1988 ruling confirming Marvel had abandoned the Champions trademark. Dennis also touches on publishing 100+ comics, his 2009–2012 Flare newspaper strip, and building a unique #superhero universe.

You can follow Dennis and his Heroic exploits on his site, heroicmultiverse.com, on X @heroicpublish, and on his own YouTube interview show, The Heroic Voice.

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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 sit down with legendary cartoonist Gilbert Hernandez, who was inducted into the Will Eisner Hall of Fame in 2017, to discuss his newest Love and Rockets book, Lovers and Haters. First, we explore the early years of L&R, and how Gilbert and his brothers, Jaime and Mario, created a world unlike any other in comics. We talk about Gilbert's Palomar saga as well as his standalone graphic novels that adapt fictional B-movies in this world. Gilbert then shares why and how he put together Lovers and Haters, a "sleazy" collection of Palomar stories, focusing on 50-year-old cult movie actress Fritz as she battles alcoholism, a controlling lover, a jealous rival, Fritz imitators, a sex cult, and mad scientists. 

You can find Lovers and Haters, as well as many other Love and Rockets collections and more, at Fantagraphics: fantagraphics.com.

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 animation writer and story editor Stan Berkowitz to discuss his career spanning decades of superhero animation. Stan shares his experiences working on the DC Animated Universe including Superman: The Animated Series, The New Batman Adventures, and Batman Beyond, where he served as series story editor. He also worked on shows like Static Shock, Justice League, and Justice League Unlimited, and even wrote the animated movie Superman/Batman: Public Enemies. We explore his work beyond DC including multiple Ben 10 series, The Super Hero Squad Show, G.I. Joe: Renegades, Avengers Assemble, and Transformers: Robots in Disguise. We get into his approach to story editing, the evolution of superhero animation, and what it's like to be nominated for an Emmy.

You can pick up Stan's book, Beyond the Bat, on Amazon or wherever you get books!

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 writer Stephanie Williams as the second issue of her debut creator-owned comic Roots of Madness launches today through Ignition Press. Stephanie discusses the cosmic horror series loosely inspired by Madame C.J. Walker that combines alternate history with the supernatural, illustrated by artist Letizia Cadonici. We also get into her previous projects like Nubia: Queen of the Amazons, My Little Pony, and Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. Stephanie discusses how her background in scientific research influences her world-building, her approach to incorporating folklore and mythology into her stories, and her upcoming new book Temporal from Mad Cave Studios. 

You can follow Stephanie on her website, whysteph.com, on Instagram @steph_i_will, or on Bluesky @stephwilliams. 

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.

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.