On this episode of Word Balloon we presenty a double feature with two artistc masters.

First up, part one of a conversation with John Romita Jr. We talk about his current run on Avengers
with Brian Bendis and Kick Ass 2 with Mark Millar. John also previews a creator owned series in the works
with Howard Chaykin. A 1970's New York crime/fantasy pastiche called Schmuggy anfd Bimbo.

Then Milestone founder Denys Cowan heads a panel recorded at this past weekend's Summit City Comioc Con
with fellow artists Angel Gabriel and Jeff Newman. Cowan and company recall their early days assiting Deathlok
creator Rich Buckler when Denys was 14.

Our reaserch exposed a dark secret to the audience, forcing Gabriel and Cowan to confess to their time in the 80's
in regional TV Wrestling on a show called POWERSLAM with infamous stars like Dick The Bruiser and Ox Baker.Gabriel was known as
THe Dark Angel, and Denys was a manager (check you tube)

Then Denys talks about his days on titles like The Question, Black Panther, Power Man
and Iron Fist, and a classic Batman run with Sam Hamm (the screenwriter of the 1989 Tim Burton Batman film).
He also tells the story of the formation of Milestone and the creation of their line of multi-racial heroes.

He reminices about his friend the late Dwayne McDuffie, who was the first creator he approached to join the venture,
and talks about the succeses and struglles that came after the company debuted. The panel talk about the creation of
Hardware and the symbolic metaphor of the glass celing struggle the creators dealt with.

Then Denys hints at 2 new upcoming projects a 5 part Batman story about the 5 phases of accepting death by Paul Levitz,
and a new Vertigo mini series with Selwyn Hinds, who worked on Case 21 with Cowan in the recent STRANGE ADVENTURES anthology.