Direct Edition

Jim Ward returns to talk with Dave about Sparta's new album Cut a Silhouette, out now on Equal Vision Records.
Ward shares how a manager's blunt critique sparked three of the record's best songs, working with Jawbox founder and producer J. Robbins as a shepherd and mentor, and bridging his earliest work with who he is now.
The two discuss the ticket price fatigue reshaping the touring industry, co-founding the Girls Rock camp in El Paso, Hayley Williams, and the elusive "Jims" supergroup featuring Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World.
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Writer and Filmmaker Che Grayson joins Dave to discuss Absolute Catwoman, the DC project they're co-writing with Scott Snyder and artist Bengal.
Grayson shares how their indie roots and pandemic-era Zoom calls with Snyder led to the collaboration, and the creative energy that has allowed the Absolute line to resonate.
The two discuss Easter eggs hidden in the first two issues, the essential role of horror films in shaping their creative voice, and why great art should always have something to say.
Plus, Bagels.

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Cartoonist Daniel Warren Johnson joins Dave to announce Chainkata, his ambitious, decade-in-the-making new sci-fi series from Image. Chicks with chainsaws!
Johnson shares the origin of the book's chainsaw-wielding heroine and the experimental color techniques that brought it to life.
The two discuss inspiration drawn from Richard Corben and manga masters, the emotional weight of his Eisner winning Absolute Batman Annual, and the meditative pull of the golf course. Plus, Long Island Bagels, Joe Madureira, Original art, and Frank Thorne's Red Sonja.
Chainkata will be available through Image comics in November 2026.
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Award-winning author and cultural critic Ytasha Womack joins Dave to discuss Spider-Man: Miles Morales, An Exploration, her new book from the Marvel Age of Comics series examining the character's cultural significance.
Womack shares how her work on Afrofuturism led her to Miles, why the character's vulnerability resonates far beyond superhero fandom, and the layered symbolism baked into everything from his hoodie to the number 42.
The two discuss the deep ties between Brooklyn hip-hop and comics storytelling, why cities shape kids into fluid identity-shifters, and the musical DNA that connects Miles Morales to Miles Davis.

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Legendary writer Brian Michael Bendis joins Dave to discuss his return to Marvel, and the upcoming animated series of Powers in development at Netflix.
Bendis reflects on co-creating Miles Morales, Jessica Jones, and Riri Williams (Ironheart), the Jewish roots of American comics from Kirby to Eisner, and the early-2000s Marvel bullpen with Joe Quesada.
The two discuss the nuances of Bendis' process, the importance of collaboration, and how independent horror films like Obsession are echoing the scrappy independent films that reshaped Hollywood in the 1970s.
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