Welcome to the True North Country Comics Podcast — dedicated to celebrate Canadian comic book and graphic novel creators and supporters.

On this episode, I chat with George Michail about his new graphic novel Knight Terror published by Renegade Arts Entertainment.

Proudly hailing from Kelowna, British Columbia, George Michail is a lifelong aficionado of comics. From his early days, sketching at the kitchen table with How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way, to his foray into filmmaking and frequent appearances at comic conventions across North America, George has garnered acclaim for his published works and award-winning narratives. His previous work includes graphic novels such as Cover of Darkness, Resilient, Fantasy Quest and more. For his newest graphic novel, Knight Terror, published by Renegade Arts Entertainment, George is joined by artist Vinz El Tabanas who brings a unique blend of creativity and technical skill.

The story of Knight Terror goes like this: When a startup goes on a team building retreat at a secluded campground, the company’s mascot goes on a killing spree. Described as part ‘Friday the 13th’ and part ‘Office Space’, this murder mystery comic has been adapted into a feature length movie that is slated for release in 2027.

You can discover more about George Michail at GeorgeMichail.com and on Instagram @the_george_michail

You can discover more about Knight Terror at RenegadeArtsEntertainment.com

Listen to a previous conversation with George here  

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Here’s my chat with Malcolm Derikx about the Pit Of Eden comic anthology available on Kickstarter.

Malcolm Derikx is a comics writer, based in Toronto, Ontario having created comics for over ten years, with the Toronto Comics Anthology, Hogtown Horror Anthology and other publications. In addition to working professionally as an editor in the animation industry for ‘Work It Out Wombats!’ and ‘Alma’s Way’, Malcolm has received nominations for the Joe Shuster Award based on many comic book contributions. Edited by Emily Stewart, Malcolm’s current effort is the Pit Of Eden comic anthology available through Kickstarter.

Featuring 14 stories of black and white comics illustrated by creators around the world including Canada, the Pit Of Eden story goes like this: “Outside a small town somewhere in North America, a seemingly bottomless pit filled with an unidentified liquid has been discovered. Experts are baffled, and as the Eden substance spreads, strange incidents begin to occur: voices sing in dead languages, bodies morph into unexpected forms, old gods arise and make themselves known…”

You can discover more about Malcolm online at MalcolmDerikx.com

You can discover the Pit Of Eden comic anthology online on Kickstarter and on Instagram at @pit_of_eden

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Welcome to the True North Country Comics Podcast — dedicated to celebrate Canadian comic book and graphic novel creators and supporters.

On this episode, I chat with Adriano Ariganello about his new comic book series From Parts Unknown.

Adriano Ariganello, a native of Toronto, is a comic book aficionado who graduated from a film school that’s now a pizza restaurant. He’s been writing short stories, screenplays and comic books for over 20 years – finally hitting his stride in the past few. When he’s not writing, you can find him strapping on skates and hitting the ice like any good Canadian. Adriano is a writer of crowdfunded comics, such as Brad(s), Crazy Latte Thing Called Love, Unlimited Udo, and Stay Cool for which he was nominated for the 2023 Sequential Magazine awards in the categories of Best Comic and Favourite Letterer. His latest comic book series is entitled From Parts Unknown.

The story of From Parts Unknown goes like this “Brothers Bruno and Pietro are a pro-wrestling tag team drawn to a remote where something is amiss. The locals don’t take kindly to wrestlers, yet their stadium is packed with spectators from near and far to see muscle-bound heels and babyfaces toss one another around the squared-circle. There’s more than just glory on the line– –it’s a fight for their lives!”

You can discover more about Adriano at PestoComics.com and on Instagram at @pestocomics

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Welcome to the True North Country Comics Podcast — dedicated to celebrate Canadian comic book and graphic novel creators and supporters.

On this episode, I chat with Howard Wong about making the comic book series Reponaut.

Based in Toronto, Ontario, Howard Wong has worked with industry leaders such as Bandai Namco, Bungie Inc., Marvel Comics, National Geographic, and Threezero. Currently, he’s working on several exciting projects, including client work in animation, comics and new media development, as well as developing creator-owned IPs including a YA graphic novel, horror series and an interactive narrative experience. His newest comic books series, with co-creator Keith Grachow, is Reponaut.

Reponaut is a new comic book mini-series that tells the tale of a family drama set in space, with lots of humour, horror and action. The family is led by Rennx, a father struggling to keep his life on track, who finally gets the big repo job that could be a new start. 

You can discover more about Howard Wong online at TheRealHowardWong.Blogspot.com and on Instagram at @TheRealHowardWong

Listen to a previous chat with Howard Wong here

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Welcome to the True North Country Comics Podcast — dedicated to celebrate Canadian comic book and graphic novel creators and supporters.

On this episode, I chat with Dominique Rea-Parent about co-organizing the 2026 Ottawa Comic Arts Festival.

Dominique Rea-Parent is a 2d animator and artist based in Ottawa, Ontario. Additionally Dominique is the co-organizer of the 2026 Ottawa Comic Arts Festival otherwise known as OCAF.

OCAF is a one day event where comic artists and readers can come together and celebrate their passion for the visual narrative arts. The goal of the festival is to provide a platform for the diverse and talented creators of visual narrative arts within Ottawa and beyond. By showcasing a range of creators in both comic books and zines, OCAF hopes to highlight the assortment of voices in the field and present them to new audiences. OCAF is seeking to connect unique comic artists with readers, amplifying comics and zines in the cultural space of Ottawa. The event’s ambition is to ultimately be a dedicated space for comics and zines, fostering a broader community, and allowing anyone to engage with the social and educational opportunities of the arts. The inaugural edition of OCAF will be held on April 4th, 2026 at the Glebe Community Centre in Ottawa, Ontario.

You can discover more about the Ottawa Comic Arts Festival online at OttawaComicsFestival.com

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Welcome to the True North Country Comics Podcast — dedicated to celebrate Canadian comic book and graphic novel creators and supporters.

On this episode, I chat with Frances Lee about her middle-grade graphic novel Ami Moon and the Galactic Peacekeepers published by Levine Querido.

Frances Lee is a Canadian-Korean artist who loves to write and draws stories mostly at night. As a retired tattoo artist, she often finds herself pondering about the cosmos and wishing for the ability to teleport. Ami Moon and the Galactic Peacekeepers is Frances’ debut middle-grade graphic novel.

Called ‘a vibrant, quirky, out-of-this-world journey’ by Kirkus, Ami Moon and the Galactic Peacekeepers is the first book in a irrepressible and breathtaking graphic novel trilogy about a lost human girl, her fellow crew of Peacekeeper aliens, and their missions all across the galaxy — all while Ami tries to get back home to Earth and the mom and dog she left behind.

You can discover more about Frances Lee online at Leetropolis.com and on Instagram at @leetropolis

You can discover more about Ami Moon and the Galactic Peacekeepers at LevineQuerido.com

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Welcome to the True North Country Comics Podcast — dedicated to celebrate Canadian comic book and graphic novel creators and supporters.

On this episode, I chat with Eric Olcsvary about his various comic book projects including a panel appearance at C2E2.

C2E2 is all about cosplay, gaming, wrestling, anime and comic books in the only pop culture convention in the heart of Downtown Chicago. The three day event gathers favourite celebrities, unique exhibitors, incredible comic artists, and larger-than-life literary authors all into one place to celebrate everyone’s loved fandoms. Attendees also have the opportunity to check out panel discussions with comic book creators including Eric Olcsvary.

Hailing from Southwestern Ontario, Eric Olcsvary has been an artist for as long as he can remember (and says that stick figure comics count). He started his comic book production company/ artist community, AllsCherry, in 2021. Eric has worked extensively in the comic scene with many local creators around South-Western Ontario.  He says that working alongside such amazing artists has given him the opportunity to learn so many new things and create so many unique projects. To prove his output of work, Eric has produced 10 books, a film, and two seasons of podcast in the span of just four years. Currently Eric is the artist on a variety of independent comic projects including Time and Amoxiae while building on his inking techniques and taking on new challenges. One of his more recent comics books is Monster of the Abyss with Scott Wojcik.

The story of Monster of the Abyss goes like this: “When a young boy named Joseph receives a sleepy-eyed doll he names Sleepy Joe, for his birthday, the two form an unbreakable bond. Joe becomes Joseph’s protector, silent cheerleader, and midnight guardian. But that innocence shatters the night something stares out from under the bed—a shape too dark to belong to shadows, and too hungry to be imagined. That something… is The Gloom King.”

You can discover more about Eric Olcsvary online at at AllsCherry.com and on Instagram at @greymetal_art

You can discover more about Eric’s panel session at C2E2 here

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Welcome to the True North Country Comics Podcast — dedicated to celebrate Canadian comic book and graphic novel creators and supporters.

On this episode, I chat with Georgia Webber about her podcast Drawing Health.

Based in Newfoundland and Labrador, Georgia Webber is a comics artist and teacher, exploring comics from a health-centred perspective under the name, Drawing the Inside Out. She is the author of Dumb: Living without a Voice (Fantagraphics 2018), and co-author of Vivian Chong’s memoir, Dancing After TEN (Fantagraphics 2020). Her short comics have been published in The Believer, Taddle Creek, and Irene, among others. She co-founded the Downtown Comics Book Club and Kids Love Comics!, a children’s focused comics project, with Kerri Claire Neil, owner of Downtown Comics. She is a comics mentor through the Sequential Artists Workshop, where she is the Artist in Residence for their Graphic Novel Intensive program in 2025. Her current comic-in-progress is a great departure from her graphic medicine work: Dark Whole is an epic work of fiction, blending horror, erotica, and philosophy.

Drawing Health is a podcast about the intersection of comics and health, also called Graphic Medicine.  Through community interviews and guided audio practices, the podcast explores the worlds within ourselves and without, nurturing creative practice, inspiration, and personal health journey.  The motto of the podcast is that ‘Health and creativity are not at odds, they are two expressions of you’.

You can discover more about Georgia Webber online at GeorgiaWebber.com and at DrawingTheInsideOut.ca

You can subscribe to the ‘Drawing Health Podcast’ on Apple Podcasts and on YouTube

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On this episode, I chat with Audra Balion about her new graphic novel Flight Nineteen.

Based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Audra Balion is an award-winning interdisciplinary artist. In 2013 she earned a BFA in Studio Art with Great Distinction from the University of Saskatchewan where she studied in both the Fine Art and Drama departments and has since continued to work in many art spaces. In the world of fine art, she has studied drawing with traditional and digital mediums, painting in acrylic and watercolour, several forms of sculpture, printmaking, mixed media, comics, performance art, and wearable art. In the world of theatre, she has experience in theatre design areas of props, set, and costumes, acting, writing, directing, dance choreography, stage combat, and the making of and performing with puppets and masks. She has also worked as a graphic designer for over seven years, using her knowledge of visual art to inform her designs, to create designs that are eye-catching and beautiful while conveying the correct tone and message. Previously, she provided illustrations for Crown of Horns and was awarded Sequential Magazine’s Favourite Colourist in 2021 Her current work is the graphic novel Flight Nineteen.

Flight Nineteen is a silent graphic novel that combines elements of steampunk, dieselpunk, and fantasy while exploring a world of twisted machinery, mutants, and magic. The story is shared without words, allowing the gesture, expression, and artwork itself to tell the tale. The result is a unique experience, quite unlike most comics, where the reader’s interpretation plays into the story just as much as the artist’s intent. Everyone will take away something different, and with each reading, different nuances come to the surface.  Readers will follow the journey of Andromache as she joins the bio-mechanical revolution. Hoping to help her family, she instead discovers there is something far more ominous and dangerous going on. The revolution’s ambitious leader, Oil, chooses progress over safety, and Andromache must decide if she will go free to protect herself, or stay to save everyone else.

You can discover more about Audra Balion online at Audra.Balion.ca and on Instagram at @audrabalionart

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Welcome to the True North Country Comics Podcast — dedicated to celebrate Canadian comic book and graphic novel creators and supporters.

On this episode, I chat with Sam Noir about comic book creation and his plans for Toronto Comicon 2026.

Toronto Comicon is a spectacular three-day Sci-Fi, Horror, Anime, and Gaming event in Canada that attracts thousands of people to come to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, in Toronto, Ontario, taking place from March 20 to 22. Every year, Toronto Comicon offers exciting family-friendly attractions, events, world-renowned celebrities and a variety of comic creators including Sam Noir.

Sam Noir is a writer, cartoonist, toy maker and editor/publisher based in Toronto. He is best known for his work in RAID Anthology: KLAATU, Cauldron Magazine, Ballyskillen, Cauldron: Forbidden Appetites from RAID press and FANdemonium Webcomic. He is a vintage toy collector and created a Captain Canuck retro action figure.

Cauldron: Forbidden Appetites is a deluxe high quality archival hardcover anthology that’s described as ‘arthouse meets grindhouse’. Published by RAID Press as an homage to the Creepy and Eerie magazines of the past, this anthology collects the edgy contemporary supernatural tales found in Cauldron Magazine into one complete offering for mature readers.

You can discover more about Sam Noir online at Facebook.com/SamNoirComics/ and on Instagram at @heysamnoir

Listen to a previous conversation with Sam here

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