The Faqs Project

Joseph Illidge is a multi-hyphenated Writer/Editor/CEO/Thought Leader someone many in the industry proclaim as a champion in the Medium of Comics. Today's Episode is special as I get the opportunity to speak about his new series in the Spawn Universe- Bloodletter. We meet Tasha Thornwall, a former CIA Operative who was outed by Al Simmons better now know as Spawn. So even under the new terms in finding that Al Simmons is no longer who she once, she still and must find a way to pit her revenge. You see, Tasha has been preparing in the shadows. Joseph formulated a mix between Espionage from her CIA former life and the Supernatural, something that has helped shape her greatest foe. Joseph also speaks that culturally being of Haitian and South American descent she has learned Street Magic and in the physical sense her pain was transformed into a protection spell drawn by the Tattoos riddled throughout her body.

2025 has been the year where many Spawn spinoffs have taken shape whether it was Rat City, Sam & Twitch, Misery, Book of Nyx, and now Bloodletter in stores June 18th.

Joseph also brings us into his newest venture as the CEO of Illuminous bringing together innovative creators and distinctive intellectual properties to produce high-concept multimedia stories. Illuminous is developing projects for film, TV, animation and print.

Bloodletter in Stores June 18th

Written by Joseph Illidge and Tim Seeley (Hack/Slash)

Art by Christian Rosado

Colors by DC Alonso

For those that watch the Faqs Project Youtube Channel, I've had a chance to cover the first 3 issues of Dark Pyramid for Mad Cave Studios. The Story centers around the disappearance of a Exploring Social Media Influencer named Hooky Hidalgo whom as he was livestreaming lost connection in the Denali mountain ranges of Alaska until his girlfriend Becca arrives only to find this town in the Foothorn territory where he went missing is tight lipped and want nothing to do with outsiders.

Today I get to sit down with both Paul Tobin and PJ Holden about that process in creating this act of conspiracy based on some true events in this section of the world. Paul gives us the means on why he chose to center this story into its particular setting in Alaska. PJ illustrates the setting as another character as the landscape he creates become larger than life. The Construction of the creature they created in Eve, they both didn't think she'd stay long enough but they made this being Multidimensional as a tool to the military operation led by General Cho, whom doesn't seem like a villain but more as someone under strict orders to contain this area.

I've had more questions outside of issue 3 than issue 1 where this ride leads from influencer parties to Goats with Human faces. This series is a must read.

Written by Paul Tobin

Artwork by PJ Holden and Sara Colella

Letters by Taylor Esposito

Today we sit down with Parker Newman for Wise Acre Comics and the new Crime Noir- City of Demons soon to be live on Zoop mid-June. It tells the story of Lucas Short a WW1 Veteran starting his career as a cop in 1924 Los Angeles in a time where there weren't many African-Americans on the Police. A situation takes place as mysterious killer is loose on the city targeting a Crime Boss Family who want to play politics in the current climate of violence on the city. Parker also talks about how the indie scene that was impacted by Diamond Distributions bankruptcy affected him personally and why he chose Wise Acre Comics to publish this book.

Written by Parker Newman

Illustrated by Kingsley Ezeh

Lettering by Nikki Powers

Welcome back to another episode of the FAQs Project, today I had a chance to talk about the Supernatural Tale Bytchcraft by the late Aaron Reese who passed earlier this year after his lifelong battle with Sickle Cell Anemia. I speak with his good friend and Nubia Author Stephanie Williams as well as Senior Editor for Mad Cave Studios James Emmett.

The Story focuses on a queer coven of Wytches who each powerful in their own way discover they are bound by an ancient prophecy. They are synced in cosmic guidance by an entity known to them as MTHR.

There is a distinction in the tale that focuses an internal battle between Religion and the power of miracles against Spirituality and the power of the coven. Through their togetherness and friendship can they rectify a disruption in the cosmic equilibrium.

Written by the Late Aaron Reese

Artwork by Lema Carrill and Bex Glendining

Letters by Morgan Martinez

Today I Sit with Zander Cannon on the release of the Horror Mystery tale for Image Comics- Sleep #1. It tells the story of Jonathan, a very mild mannered introvert living in a small town who happens to wake up one day to his cat missing and front door wide open to nothing but dead cattle parts all over his front yard. Jonathan lives alone in a small town and the community is centered around his church where he and his good friend Tabby have just had an old friend reenter their lives named Hipp, who has seemed to make a name for himself since leaving town.

Jonathan can't explain whats happening with him. Zander who writes and illustrates stays very cryptic from each page as the entire comic is in greyscales except one other distinct color- Blood Red. This color is depicted in very subtle ways that leaves the mystery in leading you to conspiracy theories in this as you fail to see the monster causing the destruction, but you know he is there.

Written and Illustrated by Zander Cannon

Welcome back to the Faqs Project as we talk with Emeka Nkwo about the 1st issue of the latest offering for Wise Acre Comics- Vibrant.

The Story centers around Chris Okofor, a child living in a family of superhumans, but it seems Chris is a late bloomer as everyone in his family now has powers especially his sister. They all look up to the Patriarch of the family Nchuk as he stands as the most popular and polarizing superhero in the world, until he wasn't. Corruption and failure fuel their father's motivations after a jarring defeat and an offer he couldn't refuse.

Unfortunately, they aren't the only siblings burdened by their Family dynamic. Mark and Rae Polaris live a very privileged life growing up with their butler and barely any lack of a personal family relationship. They've started on their own.

All Parties are left to defend the planet from The Don. A take charge "never judge a book by his cover" as he doesn't seem menacing but uses the underestimations to his advantage

Today we have the pleasure of having Tiffany Babb on the pod to discuss a topic that I hold high interest in and that is Comic Book Journalism and Critics and outlets that speak through their love of Comics as a medium. Tiffany created The Comics Courier, a newspaper formatted living, breathing document filled with reviews and essays curated by not only established Comic Journalist, but literary scholars who hold the art form in high regard.

Tiffany emphasizes as well on her love of baseball and I do my best to point out the similarities of Baseball and Newspapers with and how this Project is developed in editorials about specific characters in comics. In the same fashion as the sports section does about particular Baseball players.

Tiffany takes the reigns as Editor of this project, the same way she did for PanelxPanel. As we discuss, comic review sites and how they managed to stay afloat in an ever changing internet age.

The Comics Courier Issue 2 is live on Kickstarter

Today I speak with Christopher Curtis as we check into the third of Hex, Mute, Nova, Beatz, and Killswitch and the city of Neo Haven as portals have been releasing Kaiju type Monsters into the city. The Mayor is instructed to relay any info he has through a heavily influenced Cabal who shadow run the metropolis. Killswitch in Issue 2 is surprisingly attacked by the Mayor's Chief of staff who has a secret familiarity to her and the team has slightly disbanded. Christopher and I also have a discussion about the Indie Manga space as popular youtubers may feel the exposure online allows them to skip a step into anime. We continue by discussing the difference between Traditional Japanese Manga and American styled Manga.

Todays episode is a special one as have David F. Walker Co-Creator of Bitter Root and Author of The Black Panther Party: A Graphic Novel History as he brings his latest project to life on Kickstarter. An Homage to the Great Donald Goines with the Death of Bobby Hart. Donald Goines was a literary movement in a genre aptly known as Street Literature and unfortunately was killed in 1974. A cautionary tale of a writer who was completely unfiltered in his tellings of black life in the early 70's. David brings this to life with the help of Dietrich Smith, Chris Johnson, and Chris Sotomayor. We speak on a time when Blaxploitation grew in popularity in cinema but it wasn't always as reserved and served in Literature as well. David tells in this book in the portrayal as Bobby although widely popular and creating close 6-7 books in one year was also addicted to heroin and how this may have caught up with him. As with Bobby Hart, Donald Goines company who published his books was called the Holloway House and brought not only Goines, but Iceberg Slim, and a consistent open door to black writers.

Later in the Pod, we talk about the continuation of his most popular work Bitter Root that after 15 issues or 16 if you count Red Summer Special brings the Gang back together in Chuck Brown and Sanford Greene to produce Bitter Root the Next Movement for Image Comics. To which then David speaks on Ownership and something that is constantly lacking at Marvel and DC and the realization to continue to publish creator owned franchise IP's that he chooses to do and how to move.

The Death of Bobby Hart is now Live on Kickstarter

Today I am back with Wells Thompson to speak on his latest project, the Urban Fantasy By Appointment Only. Which tells the tale of Alice, a neighborhood witch whose wearing herself too thin she wants to help everyone and her heart is too big. From potions to heal the sick or conjuring a a recently deceased pet so the owner can see them one more time. This mental drain is being observed by her friend and business partner Scarlet who wants to see her take a break. That is Until, an unexpected mysterious visitor named Jaime need assistance in the disappearance of her boyfriend Lucas. Clearly by something of the supernatural.

This Issue is live on Kickstarter