In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl sits down with David Gallaher, transmedia storyteller, writer, and creative executive whose career spans Marvel Comics, DC, Ubisoft, and immersive live experiences.

From breaking into Marvel with a hand-drawn comic strip resum to pioneering early interactive "cyber comics" and developing narrative systems for games and live events, David's journey is anything but conventional. With a background in neuroscience and a deep love for comics, old time radio, and role-playing games, he has built a career exploring how stories evolve across platforms.

At the heart of this conversation is a powerful idea: your brand is not a campaign. It is a universe.

We explore immersion, audience agency, transmedia storytelling, and how meaningful participation turns consumers into co-authors.

• How David broke into Marvel by faxing a comic strip resume
• What early interactive comics taught him about digital storytelling
• Why comics and old-time radio are inherently participatory mediums
• How video games blend multiple storytelling formats into one immersive experience
• The psychology of choice and why meaningful decisions matter in narrative design
• How to design stories specifically for the platform they live on
• Why immersion breaks the moment friction interrupts flow
• How Creatures and Cocktails blends live theater, Dungeons and Dragons, and hospitality
• The power of physical artifacts in a digital world
• Why brands that create universes build deeper fandom

"Your brand isn't a campaign. It's a universe." – David Gallaher

David reframes storytelling as something expansive and interconnected. When narratives stretch across comics, games, live experiences, and digital platforms, audiences stop being passive viewers and become participants. That participation builds ownership, emotional investment, and long-term loyalty. The more immersive and intentional the design, the stronger the connection.

Special Shout Out

David gives a heartfelt shout-out to Kurt McClung, Co-founder of Taliespin, whose mentorship and visionary leadership in immersive storytelling and business innovation opened the door to bolder narrative experiments and creative growth, and he recognizes Alistair Barrett, his collaborator on Creatures and Cocktails, whose creativity and enthusiasm infuse every immersive experience they build together. Last but not least, he acknowledges Steve Ellis, artist of High Moon.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• David Gallaher on LinkedIn
• Taliespin
• Creatures and Cocktails: David Gallaher & Allistar Barrett
• Academy Center of the Arts
• Steve Ellis: High Noon
• Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud
• Old-time Radio (OTR): Era when broadcast radio was the dominant form of home entertainment in the United States, roughly from the early 1920s through the 1950's
• Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara
• Bluefishing by Steve Sims

If this episode resonated with you, share it with a storyteller, game designer, or brand builder in your orbit.

Until next time, ✌️ – Carl

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