Let's Talk Comics

We're kicking off the new year of Let's Talk Comics with creator Brett Bean. Brett joins the show to talk about the long road that led him back to comics. He shares how working in video games, animation, and other creative industries helped shape his approach, and why he ultimately chose to start over and focus on the medium he always loved most. We talk a lot about process and treating art like problem solving instead of waiting around for inspiration. We also dig into Brett's new Image Comics series D'orc. Brett breaks down the heart of the book and the balance between humor and violence. There's also talk about why character always comes first for him. He closes out talking about what the the bloodthirsty enchanted shield is all about but also, building a fantasy world that doesn't take itself too seriously. Then he ends with what he hopes readers connect with in the story. It's a laid-back, honest conversation about making comics and finally betting on yourself.

This episode of Let's Talk Comics is a little different. Instead of a single guest, Jim Viscardi looks back at a year of conversations with some of the most influential creators in comics and the lessons those conversations revealed. From Marjorie Liu on never stopping your creative momentum, to Will Maxwell Prince and Deniz Camp on vulnerability and risk, to Sanford Greene on finding your own path into comics, this episode explores what success can look like in comics. Jim also reflects on conversations with Robert Kirkman, Rob Liefeld, and Marc Silvestri, breaking down why owning your work changes how creators approach risk, failure, and longevity. The episode wraps with listener Q&A, comic recommendations, and a look ahead at why 2026 may be one of the most exciting years yet for creator-owned comics. Whether you are a reader, creator, retailer, or someone thinking about breaking into comics, this episode is about why comics thrive when creators take chances.

Marc Silvestri helped build Image Comics from the ground up and changed what comics could look like while doing it. From Cyberforce to Witchblade to The Darkness, his work inspired an entire generation of artists and fans. In this episode, Jim Viscardi sits down with Marc to talk about those early Image days, the creative chaos that shaped Top Cow, and how mentoring artists like Michael Turner and David Finch helped push the medium forward. Then we get into The Darkness and what it's like returning to Jackie Estacado after all these years. We talk legacy, worldbuilding, and what makes this new series feel like both a homecoming and something completely new.

W. Maxwell Prince (Ice Cream Man) and Deniz Camp (Assorted Crisis Events), two of the most inventive writers in comics today, sit down for a conversation about friendship, craft, and the chaos of creativity. It's NOT the epsiode of Let's Talk Comics you were expecting, but absolutely need to listen to.  They talk about breaking into comics, surviving rejection, writing through vulnerability, and how structure can become meaning in storytelling. Prince reveals how Ice Cream Man: The Mortal Coil evolved from a deck of cards into an existential experiment, while Camp digs into how Assorted Crisis Events turns superhero storytelling inside out. It's a rare, funny, and heartfelt talk about empathy, experimentation, and the joy of making weird comics for readers who want to feel something real.

Writer Ryan Parrott (Rogue Sun, Power Rangers, Revolution) joins the show to talk about his wild career path, from film school to Bad Robot to Image Comics. We dive into breaking into Hollywood, finding your voice as a storyteller, and how collaboration shaped the Massive-Verse. Ryan shares the origins of Rogue Sun, the magic of working with artist Abel, and how a chance conversation with Todd McFarlane led to the unthinkable, writing Medieval Spawn.