For this episode, the Bandits welcome cartoonist, educator, and comics historian Jim Rugg for a wide-ranging discussion about his career, his love of comics history, and his latest book, Wolverine: Weapon X from Bloomsbury's Marvel Age of Comics series. Jim reflects on discovering comics, balancing creative work with criticism and education, and the lasting impact of Cartoonist Kayfabe on the comics community. The conversation then turns to Barry Windsor-Smith's legendary Weapon X storyline, exploring its groundbreaking storytelling, horror influences, artistic innovations, and enduring legacy in Wolverine mythology. Jim also discusses the process of analyzing a classic work from both a creator's and scholar's perspective, offering readers fresh insights into one of Marvel's most influential comics and why it remains essential reading decades after its original publication.

You can pick up Wolverine: Weapon X wherever you get your books and much of Jim's other work at his site, jimrugg.com. Follow him on Instagram @jimruggart.

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Joe Staton Returns

Joe Staton returns to the Bandits, discussing his work from comic strips to comic books. Joe explores character design, reflecting on his contributions to Green Lantern and Guy Gardner. He discusses collaborating with writers over the years and speaks to the improvisational nature of monthly comics. Joe also expands on world building and mentions his work on the Dick Tracy comic strip, as well as his work in books like Batman and Robin Adventures.

And if you're in the Charlotte, NC area this weekend (June 12-14), you can catch Joe at HeroesCon!

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Paul Jenkins, multimedia writer extraordinaire, is back on the Bandits to discuss his highly anticipated return to Marvel Comics, including new stories featuring two of the publisher's most complex heroes: The Sentry and Captain Marvel. Paul reflects on revisiting Bob Reynolds more than two decades after co-creating the character and less than a year after his MCU debut, explores the psychological themes that continue to make The Sentry unique, and shares insights into working with artist Christian Rosado on the latest chapter of the Golden Guardian of Good. The conversation also dives into Captain Marvel: Dark Past, examining Carol Danvers' evolving legacy, the challenges of writing powerful heroes with deeply human flaws, and the themes that connect these new projects. Along the way, Paul looks back on his celebrated Marvel career, discusses characters he'd still love to revisit, and offers fans a glimpse into this exciting new chapter of his storytelling journey.

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For this episode, we sit down with acclaimed cartoonist and graphic novelist Anders Nilsen to discuss his remarkable career and the ambitious graphic novel, Tongues. Known for award-winning works such as Big Questions, Dogs and Water, and The End, Nilsen shares how Tongues represents the culmination of years of artistic growth, blending mythology, philosophy, and deeply personal storytelling into his most expansive project yet. Along the way, we explore his creative process, the challenges of long-form comics, the influence of grief and personal experience on his work, and why he continues to push the boundaries of what comics can achieve as an art form.

You can follow Anders on his site, andersbrekhusnilsen.com, and on Instagram @andersbrekus.

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Today we welcome Brian Haberlin for a deep dive into his remarkable career as an artist, writer, innovator, and publisher. We start the conversation by shining a spotlight on the currently crowdfunding Aria Omnibus, the definitive collection of the fan-favorite fantasy series co-created by Brian, exploring the origins of the character, the book’s blend of mythology and modern storytelling, and why Aria continues to resonate with readers decades after its debut. Brian also reflects on his early work at Top Cow, his contributions to titles such as Witchblade (which he co-created) and Spawn, and his pioneering efforts in digital coloring and comic-book production technology. Along the way, Brian discusses balancing fine art with #comics work, world-building, and the lessons learned from a career spent pushing the boundaries of storytelling.

Back the Aria Omnibus project on Kickstarter until June 25: kck.st/4dcJUPD. You can follow Brian on his site, haberlin.com, or on Instagram @brianhaberlinofficial.

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Today we're welcoming Shea Fontana for a fun and insightful conversation about her career writing across #comics, animation, and all-ages storytelling. Shea discusses her journey from screenwriting to comics, including her work on DC Super Hero Girls and the challenges of crafting stories for younger readers while remaining engaging for longtime fans. The discussion spotlights her latest projects, including the magical underwater adventures of Mermicorno: Starfall - Game On! and the return to one of her most beloved creations with DC Super Hero Girls: High School Reunion. Along the way, Shea reflects on character-driven storytelling, the importance of creating accessible entry points for new readers, and how the next generation of comic fans continues to shape the industry.

You can follow Shea at her website, sheafontana.com, or on Instagram @sheafontana.

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Returning guest Corrisa Grant is back to discuss the latest chapter in the Worthy Chaos Comics universe with the launch of Worthy Chaos: Damnation #1. Corrisa dives into the origins of the new project, the darker themes and mythology driving the story, and the challenges of continuing to build an ambitious independent comics universe through crowdfunding and creator-owned publishing. The conversation also explores the realities of running an indie comics company in today’s market, balancing creative ambition with business demands, and how Worthy Chaos continues expanding its world and fanbase one project at a time.

You only have until June 4 to back this project, so get to it: http://kck.st/4uPruKu!

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The Dollar Bin Bandits welcome back returning guests Joe Pruett and legendary artist Mike Deodato Jr. to discuss The Book of Deodato Jr., the massive retrospective celebrating Mike’s decades-long career across the #comics industry. The conversation dives into Mike’s artistic evolution from his early superhero work to the darker, cinematic storytelling style that defined acclaimed runs on titles like New Avengers and Dark Avengers, while Joe shares insight into assembling the oversized hardcover packed with rare artwork, archival material, and behind-the-scenes stories from Mike’s career. Along the way, the discussion explores changing eras of the comics business, the enduring appeal of physical art books and collectibles, and what fans may discover about Mike’s body of work that they never fully appreciated before.

You have until June 11 to back The Book of Deodato Jr. Kickstarter here: http://kck.st/4dCiL8K.

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