Today we sit down with artist and writer Rae Allen to discuss her new series Carmen Red Claw: Belly of the Beast, co-written with Mike Mignola and set in the Hellboy Universe. Rae shares how she built Carmen, a supernatural gun-for-hire in the 1870s Southwest, from a tiny piece of Lobster Johnson lore that caught Mignola's attention, discussing her striking visual design and shoulder demon, her research into Lakota folklore, and the experience of creating inside the beloved Hellboy Universe.

Issue #2 drops today (2/18/26), so go get it! You can follow Rae on her site, raeallenart.com, and on Instagram and X @raeallenart.

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Indie creator Russ Kazmierczak is back on the Bandits, celebrating his crossing the 55-issue milestone of Amazing Arizona Comics, reflecting on how the series has evolved since his last appearance, and the challenges of maintaining a long-running independent series. Russ also dives deep into his 10th year participating in the 24-Hour Comic Challenge, explaining the concept, his process of balancing planning versus spontaneous creation during the grueling 24-hour window, and how his efficiency has improved over a decade. We also discuss this year's challenge issue specifically—including moments when he doubted he'd finish—while sharing advice for aspiring challengers and teasing what's next for his series.

Check out back issues of Amazing Arizona Comics here: etsy.com/shop/KaraokeFanboyPress.

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In this middle episode of Indie Week, Snake (Scott Matthew Watson) discusses his journey from discovering comics to developing his own distinctive voice as a creator to detailing his new series Grinding Against the Marrow, a dark and visceral story that defies easy genre classification. Watson breaks down the striking title's meaning, introduces the series' key characters and their driving motivations, and discusses his collaboration with artist Mauro De Falco as well as the challenges and rewards of operating as a fully independent creator. He touches on his crowdfunding efforts, his own imprint, the reception the book has received within the indie comics community, and shares his long-term vision for the series.

You can follow Snake on Instagram and Threads @snake87smw. And check out Grinding Against the Marrow here: globalcomix.com/read/43484e15-2bcb-4cfc-853d-201474665cb5/1.

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In today's interview, indie creator Marvin Wynn discusses creating The Edge, a series blending elements of The Bourne Identity, The Fugitive, and Justice League of America that centers on characters with varied superpowers gained through exposure to a mysterious genetic-altering substance spreading globally. Marvin details his collaboration with Philippines-based artist Mark Vuycan Kiat since 2012, balancing comics creation between a second job and hobby, his involvement with the ComicsBurgh collective, and how the series has evolved from a planned 25-issue run to an ongoing story he'll continue as long as readers remain engaged.

You can follow Marvin and The Edge on his site, theedgecomic.com, and on Instagram @theedgecomic.

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Vintage toy collector and pop culture historian Brian Heiler pops by to discuss his collecting journey, explaining how his fascination with 70s and 80s ephemera led him to create Plaid Stallions, an extensive online archive that has become an invaluable resource for researchers and nostalgic fans alike. Heiler shares his process for acquiring and digitizing rare materials, reveals some of the weirdest and most obscure toy lines he's uncovered, and explores the deep connection between toy marketing and comic book characters during the golden age of action figures. He reflects on his favorite eras and toy lines, the holy grail items still on his wish list, and how the internet has transformed toy collecting communities.

You can follow Brian on the Plaid Stallions website, plaidstallions.com, on YouTube @brickmantooth, or on Instagram @plaidstallions.

Get his book, Knock-Offs: Totally Unauthorized Action Figures, on Amazon or wherever you get your books.

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In this interview celebrating the 25th anniversary of Ultimate Spider-Man, legendary artist Mark Bagley reflects on his career from winning the Marvel Try-Out Book contest through defining runs on New Warriors, Amazing Spider-Man, Thunderbolts, and his iconic collaboration with Brian Michael Bendis on Ultimate Spider-Man. Mark discusses the creative rhythm of working with Bendis for 111 issues, redesigning Peter Parker for a new generation, the groundbreaking decompressed storytelling that influenced his layouts, and the emotional depth that set the series apart. We also get into what makes his renditions of Spider-Man, Venom, and Carnage resonate with audiences, how his artistic process has evolved over the years, and his pride in Ultimate Spider-Man's lasting impact on comics.

You can follow Mark on Facebook @MarkBagleyOfficial and Instagram @officialmarkbagleyart.

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In this episode, we welcome Keith Finch to discuss his journey from #comics fan to creator, the founding of Full Service Comics, and his ambitious project adapting the obscure 1985 Morphodroids toy line into a comic book series. Finch explains the meta-narrative where the toys existed within the comic's universe, distinguishing Morphodroids from Transformers, and how he assembled an international team of twenty artists led by Sergio Ríos. He also describes how he connected with the toy line's creator to digitize vintage footage while incorporating extensive backmatter and crowdfunding through Kickstarter to bring this passion project to life.

You can follow Keith on Instagram @realkeithfinch.

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In our second editors roundtable episode, DC Comics veterans Paul Levitz, Mike Carlin, and Jack C. Harris discuss the realities of editorial work, from assembling creative teams and managing personalities, to the daily struggles that fans sometimes romanticize about the job. The three editors reflect on decisions they knew would be debated for decades, highlight each other's editorial strengths, and examine how DC's legacy characters and continuity both served and complicated storytelling over the years.

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In the final installment of One of Us Week, Chris Piers of the Comic Tropes YouTube channel discusses his journey from a former real-life superhero to launching his educational and entertaining video series covering comic book trends and themes, creator histories, and lesser-known series and storylines. Chris details his research process, how he balances insightful analysis with comedy, and reflects on the show's evolution from focusing on recurring storytelling devices to broader comic analysis all while addressing the challenges of running a #comics YouTube channel.

You can find Chris and Comic Tropes on YouTube (of course!), on Facebook @ComicTropesShow, on Instagram @comic_tropes, and on X @CTropes.

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In our second edition of One of Us Week, hosts Robb Milne, Bryan Stratton, and Jamie Wenger of the Marvel by the Month podcast drop by to discuss their ambitious chronological journey through Marvel Comics history. They explain how they came together to launch the show, their approach to tackling Marvel's publication timeline month by month, their research process and selection criteria, and how chronological reading has reshaped their understanding of Marvel's creative evolution. We also discuss balancing guest interviews with monthly comic coverage,  favorite eras, surprising discoveries, and the practical challenges of their format—from handling months with varying publication densities to navigating complex crossovers.

Follow their adventures at marvelbythemonth.com and anywhere you get podcasts!

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