Opinions May Vary

I learned a lot this week. In addition to learning that I'm hopelessly outnumbered when it comes to the "how to tape your comic bags" debate, I learned that Mike and Nick of the I Read Comic Books podcast are two of the raddest people we've had the pleasure of interviewing. I also learned that being interviewed is a whole different ballgame when it comes to the pressures of recording a show. You might be questioning that last sentence and we wouldn't blame you. But you'll be surprised to learn this episode is actually just one part of a collaboration between IRCB and OMV and if you take a peek at their latest episode you might see some familiar names and voices associated with it (Hint: It's Alex and me). That's right, sportsfans, not only were Mike and Nick our guests this week but Alex and I were guests on their show as well! We're thrilled that the IRCB crew was kind enough to have us on their show and it goes without saying that Alex and I had a blast chatting with them about what comics we've been reading, what books we're looking forward to, and how OMV got started. Plus, in our episode we got to dust off a classic and hit them with some Flash Questions before we got the inside scoop on IRCB and how they've assembled such a great crew over the years. If you haven't already, give them a follow and check out their work. If you're craving pure comic book content week in and week out, IRCB is the way to go. Enjoy! -Jr.

It's been a minute since we talked comics. So let's talk comics. Specifically with someone who makes comics. Literally takes ideas out of his brain and, with the help of some artists/letterers/editors, brings them to life for others to enjoy on a monthly basis. That someone is Johnnie Christmas! Johnnie is the #1 New York Times Bestselling artist of Margaret Atwood's Angel Catbird, the writer of ComiXology's Crema and currently he's on writing duties for his new book Tartarus from Image Comics. Check out our chat with him as we take a dive into his world building process and his experiences publishing comics both online and in print. The first collected volume of Tartarus hits shelves on September 30th (yes, that's next week!) so if you haven't been snagging the floppies over the last few months, now is your chance to hop on board this wild space opera that Johnnie and his team are putting together. Enjoy! -Jr.

This year has certainly been...a year. I don't think it's unfair to say we've gone through an unprecedented amount of change and adjustment over the last 6 months with little sign of things returning to "normal" any time soon. There is some light on the metaphorical horizon, though. While PAX West and PAX Aus were both cancelled this year, we are getting something in their place: PAX Online. And even though Alex and I aren't covering the show in any formal capacity, we figured talking with some people involved with it would be a great way to kick off the groundbreaking festivities. First up is game developer Chris McQuinn! Chris is one half of the creative team behind WashBear Studio and their game "Parkasaurus" has been selected as one of the titles to be featured in this year's PAX Online Indie Showcase! In other words, the PAX team reviewed over 350 indie games on Steam and picked 20 that they considered original and compelling. This year, they decided the WashBear's dinosaur tycoon management sim was worthy to be one of those 20 games. Check out the first portion of the episode as we chat with Chris about the creation of their game, the importance of listening to criticism, and how a game about dinos can seem so simple yet surprise you with its depth. Our second guest is someone more directly involved with the running of PAX Online. Travis Eriksen is the Executive Director of Child's Play Charity and also dabbles as the Chief Omegeatech at all the various PAX shows. I've rambled at length about how much I enjoy the Omegathon in the past so to get a behind the scenes look is exciting to say the least. In addition to running intense gaming contests, Travis' work with the Child's Play Charity has helped improve the lives of children and teens in over 180 children's hospitals around the world. They're going to have a big presence at PAX Online this year so be sure to check out their schedule and tune in throughout the week! We can't thank Chris and Travis enough for giving us the opportunity to chat with them right before such a huge and revolutionary show. PAX Online officially kicked off today (depending on when you're reading this) and there's a ton of fun to be had over the next week. It might not be the same as the big show in Seattle, but unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures. Enjoy! -Jr.

Are you a fan of fine art? How about pins? Mythology? Do you frequent cemeteries? Are you looking for a new tarot card set? Maybe you're fascinated by the Salem Witch Trials? You might not believe it but if you answered "Yes!" to all of those questions above then I have to tell you: You're in for a treat because in our chat with artist Sara Richard we managed to touch on every single one of those topics in just over an hour's time. For those not "in the know", Sara is a fine artist and illustrator who has done work for companies like IDW, Marvel, Oni Press and Dynamite Comics to name a few. She was nominated for an Eisner for her work on Kitty & Dino and was nominated for two Ringo Awards last year in the Best Cover Artist and Best Original Graphic Novel categories! Like I mentioned above: this episode takes a bunch of turns but in the end it was a blast to talk with Sara about her creative process, her style, and her volunteer work that she does alongside her mother with The Graveside Ladies. Check out her website, socials, and Patreon to keep up to date on her latest works, her shop, and future appearances! Enjoy! -Jr.

(You have no idea how excited I am to use that image that Seymour made for us.) It's just Alex and me this week. The last 5 months have been rough. You probably don't need me to go into details. But it's been rough. Many of our past "justice" episodes focus on news and various tidbits from around the comic, TV, and gaming world and it would have been real easy to just dive into that format and discuss all the awful things currently going on throughout those mediums. But we didn't feel like doing that. We wanted to try and be positive. So we went with a different route. This week Alex and I sat down and went through all the various ways we've been keeping ourselves busy over the past 20-ish weeks. From videogames, to TV shows, to thousands upon thousands of plastic building bricks; we've been doing our best to keep calm, occupied, and most importantly: stay healthy. This has without a doubt been one of the strangest and most challenging times of our lives with no real end in sight but we've made it this far so I guess the only option is to just keep going. We hope you've been able to stay healthy through all of this and if you've taken up a new hobby or learned a new skill, be sure to let us know in the comments; we're psyched to hear about what you've been up to. Enjoy! -Jr.

It's been a while since we dove into the world of designer toys so why don't we just go careening head first into the deep end and talk with a designer we had the pleasure of meeting at The Five Points Festival? Sound good? Good. Because joining us this week is artist and designer Brandon Leach of Motley Miscreations! For those unaware, Brandon is the man behind the 2019 Designer Toy Award finalist "Belfry" and he's currently crowdfunding his latest design "The Kraken" on Kickstarter right this very minute. Despite his humble beginnings in the designer toy world, Brandon showed us that with enough determination and raw talent, wonderful things can happen. Like 12" tall tentacle monsters. Check out Brandon's Instagram to see what I'm talking about and consider taking a peek at his Kickstarter if there's still time left. If this is your first glimpse into the world of designer toys, you really couldn't have picked a better project. I ramble at length during the episode but I mean it when I say that Brandon really does provide something for everyone. Enjoy! -Jr.

We went a little longer than usual between episodes but I promise this one was worth the wait because this week we were joined by one of my favorite people in comics: Daniel Warren Johnson! Daniel is the writer and artist of Image Comics' Extremity and Murder Falcon and currently he's pulling double duty again on DC's Wonder Woman: Dead Earth as a part of their Black Label line of books. I've been a huge fan of Daniel and his work ever since picking up issue one of Extremity a few years ago and after having the chance to chat with him at last year's New York Comic Con, it was clear that not only is he a fantastic writer and artist; but he's also kind and generous to his fans. Needless to say we're thrilled to have had the opportunity to talk with him this week! Recently, Daniel launched his own YouTube channel and has started giving fans a look behind the scenes at his processes, tools, and thoughts. He's done live Q&A, pencilling & inking sessions, and even tours of his old sketchbooks. It's the perfect blend of informative artistic content mixed with chill, "just come and hang out" drawing videos; check it out and subscribe! If you haven't had a chance to read Daniel's work, I highly recommend doing so. We get into it a bit during the episode, but his stories are both fun and emotional and the art is fresh and dynamic. As of this episode the 3rd book of Wonder Woman: Dead Earth had recently hit the stands so if you're looking for the latest stuff, now's your chance! (Just please, please wear a mask when you head to your local comic shop!) Enjoy! -Jr.

Hey everyone, Alex here shooting out a quick reminder to please fill out this survey I put together for "The StarWell Foundation". The pilot episodes dropped earlier this year and if you haven't checked them out already, do us a favor and give them a listen. Over a dozen different voice actors lent their talents to this project alongside the countless people who helped with tech support, feedback, and sound/music design. Now that the pilot is out and you've had some time to digest it, I'm looking to you for your feedback so I can plan out the future of "The StarWell Foundation" accordingly. Check out this quick clip I put together, listen to the pilot episodes of StarWell if you haven't already and let us know what you think by clicking the link below! https://www.poll-maker.com/QSGYGED -Alex

Sometimes I'll sit here and stare at the screen for what feels like hours just trying to figure out how to word a single sentence so that it doesn't seem like a child wrote it. It usually doesn't end well. Today, I'm trying to figure out a sophisticated way of saying "Making something for a really long time is actually really hard" but the words aren't coming to me. They're in my brain somewhere, but I can't find them...must be because my vacation is almost over. Anyway. You might've noticed we just released an episode last week (which was great, btw. Check it out if you haven't already) and we have another episode for you this week. No, we're not going back to the old weekly schedule. But we figured since this episode and last week's were on the shorter side, we'd just say screw it and make 3 episodes this month. Why not? This week, we have the return of Jason Ginsburg! You might recognize the name from the last time we had Jason on in 2019 or you might just know him as the creator of the amazing @FakeThemePark. We heard through the grapevine that the FakeThemePark is celebrating its 10 year anniversary next month so Jason came back on to tell us all about the festivities he has planned to mark the occasion! If you're not already following the park, be sure to do so on both Twitter and Facebook. It's pretty much the gold standard for satire (especially if you have theme park experience) and even after 10 years Jason is showing no signs of slowing down. Enjoy! -Jr.

Having the desire to create something can be equally as stressful as it is exciting. It's a wild ride of motivation and determination with a bit of self-doubt sprinkled in and the process of creation is almost always going to be riddled with speed bumps. One of the most common bumps is simply having the space or resources to bring your idea to life. Take it from two guys who have spent plenty of time recording out of their respective parents' basements with equipment bought off of Craigslist: having a space to make your thing is important. That's where people like Ian come in. Ian is the co-owner and marketing director of the newly launched content creation studio in Springfield, Massachusetts: Studio Vibez. Alongside his partners, Ian has created a space for people to come and bring their ideas to life whether it's photography, video, editing, music videos, wedding photos, parties, or events. You name it, they can probably help you create it. You never know when the next idea to create something might hit. And having a space to act on that idea could mean the difference between having massive regrets or creating the next big thing. If you've got an idea and you need a space to get it going, check out Studio Vibes and see if they're the right place for you. Enjoy! -Jr.