Podcast
Word Balloon Comics Podcast
Hosted by John Siuntres · EN
1 on 1 interview show featuring the creative minds behind Comics TV Film Novels & Animation. Hosted by Chicago Pop Culture expert, John Siuntres
73episodes
Episodes
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Grilling With Howard Chaykin
2w ago01:19:21Tap to summarizeHoward Chaykin is back for a casual chat that includes detais of his Zorro run at Dynamite with Jorge Fornes,but mostly we go through obsevations on his brief stint at Atlas Seaboard creating The Scorpion, then going to Marvel with Dominick Forutne. plus toughts on film tv and books .You'll also hear some shocking accounts of his time at National Lampoon Magazine. Strong Language advisory
Transcribe →The Mandolorian and Grogu and The Boys Reviews
2w ago01:59:05Tap to summarizeNo description available
Transcribe →War Comics with Garth Ennis pt 2
2w ago00:57:52Tap to summarizeFrom Feb, Barth talks about 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.
Transcribe →War Comics With Garth Ennis pt 1
2w ago00:44:36Tap to summarizeGarth discusses his comics Tankies originally published by Battle in The UK, and by Dead Reckoning in the US
Transcribe →Garth Ennis The Boys pt 2
2w ago01:02:47Tap to summarizeIn this Terrficon Panel Garth Joe Ryband and I discuss the Boys comics and at the time the wrap up to season 3
Transcribe →Garth Ennis The Boys pt1
2w ago00:53:56Tap to summarizeThe first of two interviews with Garth about The Boys. In psrt one from October 2020 Dynamite Editor Joe Ryband interviews Garth during the covid era. They also discuss Garth's Graphic novel Sara from TKO.
Transcribe →The King Kirby Podcast Drama
2w ago01:15:37Tap to summarizeIn 2020, playwrights Crystal Skillman and Fred Van Lente joined me to talk about transforming their acclaimed stage play King Kirby into an ambitious audio drama. The original play explored the life, imagination, and complicated legacy of comics legend Jack Kirby — from the birth of the Marvel Universe to the battles over credit, ownership, and artistic identity that followed him throughout his career.In this conversation, Crystal and Fred discuss the challenge of adapting such a visually explosive story into a purely audio experience. They break down how sound design, voice performance, and narrative structure became tools to recreate Kirby’s cosmic imagination for listeners, while still grounding the story in the emotional realities of Jack’s life, his partnership and conflicts with Stan Lee, and the larger history of the comics industry. We also get into the timing of the project during the pandemic-era rise of audio storytelling, why Kirby’s struggles over creator rights remain relevant today, and how the medium of audio drama unexpectedly mirrored the intimacy and imagination of old-time radio adventures that inspired Kirby himself. It’s a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at honoring one of comics’ greatest visionaries while reinventing his story for a new audience.Here's a link to the series https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/king-kirby/id1543433086
Transcribe →Kirby Vs Lee On-Stage Pt 2 Mark Pracht
2w ago01:09:06Tap to summarizeFrom 2024 Chicago Playwright Mark Pracht, and his actors who playedd Stan Lee and Jack Kirby discuss his play The House Of Ideas.
Transcribe →Larry Lieber’s Chirps: From Marvel Heroes To A Talking Mutant Budgie?
3w ago01:24:37Tap to summarizeToday on Word Balloon, comics legends Larry Lieber and Danny Fingeroth join us for a fun and imaginative conversation about Larry’s new prose novel Chirps. The story centers on Chirps, a mutant budgie who can think and speak like a human being. Alongside his billionaire industrialist friend, Chirps finds himself pursued by dangerous forces determined to capture him and exploit the secrets behind his extraordinary intelligence. The novel blends science fiction adventure, humor, and old-school pulp storytelling in a way that feels very true to Larry’s classic comic book roots.And what roots they are. Larry was one of the foundational writers of the early Marvel Universe, scripting the very first adventures of Iron Man, Thor, and Ant-Man. He also wrote countless giant monster stories during Marvel’s pre-superhero era, including the first appearance of Groot, and chronicled dozens of western adventures starring Rawhide Kid. Larry talks about creating the world and personality of Chirps, writing prose instead of comics, and building suspense around a tiny feathered hero caught between powerful allies and ruthless enemies.Danny Fingeroth helps provide additional context throughout the conversation, including stories about working under Larry during their time together in the Marvel UK office and firsthand observations of Larry’s quiet but enormously influential role in Marvel history. Along the way, the conversation naturally drifts into comics history, Marvel memories, editorial war stories, and Larry’s remarkable body of work as one of the key creative figures from the early Marvel era.
Transcribe →Comicpalooza With Stanford Carpenter
3w ago00:48:48Tap to summarizeToday on Word Balloon, we welcome educator, writer, and pop culture historian Stanford Carpenter to talk about this year’s Comicpalooza happening Memorial Day weekend in Houston.Stanford gives us a preview of some of the convention’s standout programming, including an exciting panel on the history and cultural impact of Blaxploitation cinema featuring acclaimed writer David F. Walker and legendary film icon Pam Grier. From films like Coffy and Foxy Brown to the influence those movies still have on comics, action films, music, and modern genre storytelling, the discussion promises to be one of the weekend’s highlights.We also talk about Comicpalooza’s growing reputation as one of the country’s most eclectic fan conventions, blending comics, film, television, gaming, and academic pop culture discussion into one massive event. Stanford shares what makes the show unique and why these kinds of historical and cultural conversations matter just as much as the celebrity appearances and entertainment news.
Transcribe →