Welcome to a special edition of Word Balloon, doubling as a new installment of The Big Bout Podcast, where I get to scratch that old boxing reporter itch and dive deep into the sweet science.

This time, I’m joined by one of the most respected voices in boxing journalism: Bill Detloff. A longtime writer and editor for The Ring magazine, Bill’s been ringside for some of the sport’s most pivotal moments and has chronicled both its legends and its lost souls with unmatched insight.

We’ll be talking about his latest book, Ring Theory, a sharp, thought-provoking collection of essays that digs into boxing’s culture, characters, and contradictions.

From reflections on heavyweight mythology to the changing face of modern pugilism, Bill brings decades of experience and a genuine love for the fight game to the conversation. Whether you’re a hardcore historian or just catching up on the current scene, this one’s for anyone who still believes in the power of two fighters and one ring. Let’s talk fights.

Garth Ennis has never been interested in playing it safe, and this conversation is a perfect snapshot of why his work still cuts deeper than just about anyone in comics. We dig into Babs from Ahoy Comics, his savage sword-and-sorcery riff that weaponizes absurdity, blood, and pitch-black humor to skewer genre clichés while still delivering the kind of brutal action Ennis fans crave. It’s funny, ferocious, and very deliberately unserious, until it suddenly isn’t.

From there, we shift gears into war stories, both old and new. Ennis talks about his long-running love affair with Johnny Red, the WWI and WWII aerial combat hero he’s revived through graphic novels with a historian’s respect and a storyteller’s bite. We also break down Battle Action, the modern revival of the classic British war anthology, and why those stripped-down, morally thorny combat tales still matter.

Finally, Garth looks ahead to what’s coming next, teasing new projects and directions slated for 2026, proof that he’s nowhere near done challenging readers, genres, or expectations.

we debate the school debate episode

Recorded live at Cincy Comic Con in September 2014, this panel captures Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky at the height of their breakout Image Comics hit Sex Criminals, a book that smashed expectations by blending raunchy comedy, emotional honesty, and high-concept crime storytelling.

Fraction and Zdarsky dig into how Sex Criminals came together, why Image was the perfect home for a book this personal (and this weird), and how humor became a Trojan horse for deeper conversations about intimacy, shame, and connection. It’s an unfiltered, funny, and thoughtful discussion about creative trust, collaboration, and what happens when a comic refuses to play by anyone else’s rules.

With Sex Criminals now officially greenlit as a new television series for Amazon Prime Video, this panel feels even more essential, a snapshot of the moment when a risky, deeply human comic proved it could punch through the medium and reach far beyond it.

Today on Word Balloon, I’m joined by Jim McCann, a creator whose career spans stylish indie storytelling and major superhero runs, and he’s back with something new. Jim joins me to talk about The Other Half, his brand-new detective comic from Ignition Press. It’s a sharp, modern homage to the high-society sleuths of the 1930s and ’40s. Very much in the tradition of Nick and Nora Charles, where glamour, wit, and mystery collide. We dig into the tone of the book, the appeal of that classic era, and how Jim updates the form without losing its elegance.

We also look back at Jim’s Eisner Award–winning graphic novel Return of the Dapper Men, his time at Marvel Comics writing Hawkeye & Mockingbird, and his years working behind the scenes as Marvel’s marketing director. It’s a wide-ranging conversation about craft, career pivots, and why some styles, and some stories...never go out of fashion.

Today on Word Balloon, I’m joined by two writers who know their way around both classic deduction and deep-cut science fiction as we talk about the Kickstarter for their new novel, Sherlock Holmes: The Southwark Stigmata. This is a project that leans hard into atmosphere, mystery, and character, re-examining Holmes through a darker, more psychologically charged lens, and the Kickstarter is giving readers a chance not just to support the book, but to be part of its launch in a meaningful way.

My guests are Michael Jan Friedman and Christopher Abbott. Mike brings decades of storytelling experience and an encyclopedic command of Star Trek, shaped by his many Trek novels and his work on Star Trek: Voyager. Chris is equally steeped in Trek lore, having written thoughtful Star Trek essays for Film Threat, and together they share a genuine love for canon, continuity, and bold reinterpretation. We dig into the origins of The Southwark Stigmata, how their collaboration came together, and why Sherlock Holmes still has new stories worth telling today.

Mark Waid is back to preview his Superman Spiderman crossover. We talk about Mister Terrific's time dislaced team in Justice League Unlimited with a Tim Drake Batman and Blue Superman . Action Comics and the Superboy Saga , plus The World's Finest team of Superman and Batman and Mark's return to the Flash co-writing with Christopher Cantwell

For years, Word Balloon has celebrated comics, pop culture, and the creative voices that shape them. Now, I want to turn the spotlight home, to Chicago radio comedy, a tradition that doesn’t always get its due.

Other cities produced comedy collectives that broke out nationally—groups like The Credibility Gap, The Committee, Ace Trucking Company, and The Firesign Theater. They built reputations that went far beyond their local airwaves. Chicago took a different path. Our radio comedy was more idiosyncratic, more personality-driven, and deeply rooted in the city itself. But make no mistake—we had stars, innovators, and voices that mattered.

This series of Word Balloon episodes will explore that history by talking directly to the people who lived it. Writers, performers, hosts, and producers who made Chicago radio funny, fearless, controversial, and unforgettable. 

Today’s episode starts on a personal note. During my years at WSCR The Score, I was lucky enough to contribute parody songs and character voices during a time when bland sports radio stiffness made room for sketch comedy. I learned the sports street chatter from some of the best like Mike North and Dan McNeil but a guy who's persona stood out most was Terry Boers, one of the great Chicago newspaper men and radio voices.A mentor whose impact on this city’s airwaves can’t be overstated.

Terry passed away last week, and on Tuesday, WSCR The Score aired a tribute show in his honor. I was deeply touched to be asked to participate. That led to this conversation. I sat down with Matt Spiegel, someone I worked closely with during those years. Someone who helped me shape those parody songs as both a performer and a comedy writer, and who has since become one of the most recognizable voices on Chicago sports radio. What followed was a warm, honest conversation about the creative chaos, the laughs, and the influence of a man who helped define an era.

This episode is about remembering Terry Boers, celebrating Chicago radio comedy, and setting the stage for a deeper dive into a pop culture scene that deserves to be documented, and remembered.

Welcome back to E-Motion Sickness, the Love Boat rewatch podcast where we chart the smooth seas, the rough waters, and the truly baffling creative decisions behind one of television’s most unlikely hits.

Today we’re tackling the third Love Boat pilot film,the one where things finally start to feel like The Love Boat we remember. This time around, the puzzle pieces are coming together. Gavin MacLeod and Lauren Tewes finally join the other regular crew members, and for the first time the show feels like an actual ensemble instead of a rotating experiment. The chemistry improves, the tone settles down, and you can sense the producers getting closer to the formula that would eventually make the series a monster hit. That doesn’t mean everything works, far from it. 

Some storylines still wobble, some guest stars are clearly testing the limits of what this show wants to be, and there are creative choices that didn’t survive the voyage. But this pilot is fascinating because it’s the turning point. It’s where The Love Boat stops guessing and starts committing. We’ll break down what finally clicks, what still doesn’t, which performances rise above the material, and how this pilot set the course for the series going forward. So grab your captain’s hat, steady your sea legs, and join us as we revisit a crucial moment in Love Boat history. All aboard.

The IDW Editors of The Twilight Zone Ellen Boener and Nic Nino talk to me about the new series. It's a great collection of one and done stories that honor the tone and spirit of the iconic show.

Technical issues really messed up the majority of the talk.

Apologies, the arctic weather has been screwing with my streaming ability