Cryptid Creator Corner from Comic Book Yeti

Today I’m joined by a newcomer to our show, Dan Watters. Dan’s portfolio includes writing credits for Home Sick Pilots, Loki, Lucifer, a personal favorite of mine The Seasons Have Teeth, Six Fingers, and the recently released Creature from the Black Lagoon among others, and now he’s turned his attention helping Skybound launch the Energon Universe mashing up the world of the classic GI Joe and Transformers franchises with the Destro mini-series which along with Scarlett kicks off the next phase of their book releases. I got a chance to read an advance copy of Destro and, no surprise, it's a fantastic addition to the Energon Universe Skybound is creating. I think the true credit on this book and the others in that universe is how well they can stand alone without the need of their brethren to carry them. It makes it easy to jump in for new readers and feedback is fantastic from the shops I've talked to. They are excited that it's bringing new, younger faces in the store which is no small feat when relaunching older IPs. From the publisher: Acclaimed writer Dan Watters (Loki, Universal Monsters: Creature from the Black Lagoon Lives!) and artist Andrei Bressan (Dark Ride, Birthright) change the balance of power in the Energon Universe forever in Destro #1, launching June 19, 2024. James McCullen Destro XXIV is the man behind M.A.R.S. Industries, the undisputed leader in providing high-tech weapons to world powers…for the right price. But the emergence of Energon has changed everything. As Destro’s ambitions grow, the “Crimson Twins” Tomax and Xamot Paoli emerge to destroy their competition, and Cobra Commander realizes his current ally could be his future greatest enemy. Our episode sponsor Play TTRPG games? Make sure to check out our partner Arkenforge. They have everything you need to make your TTRPG more fun and immersive, allowing you to build, play, and export animated maps including in person fog of war capability that let’s your players interact with maps as the adventure unfolds while you, the DM get the full picture. Use the discount code YETI5 to get $5 off your order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're talking about Old Dog and ThunderCats today on the Cryptid Creator Corner as I welcome Declan Shalvey to the podcast. I was lucky enough this past March to celebrate my 45th birthday in Ireland and as part of the celebration go to Dublin Comic Con and meet Declan. I knew once I was back home I had to get Declan on the podcast to chat about comics. We discuss his early days in comics, Dublin Comic Con, plus some of his work like Savage Town, Bog Bodies, Time Before Time, Old Dog, and ThunderCats. It was great hearing about Declan's approach to storytelling, both writing and art. I could have chatted with Declan for another 2 hours, but Penny came upstairs while recording to tell me the laundry room "smells like burning" and I had to wrap things up to investigate. Be sure to check out Declan's website and sign up for his very excellent newsletter. I've been very lucky recently to chat with some of my favorite creators working in comics right now and I think you're going to enjoy listening to this episode as much as I enjoyed recording it.  Thundercats from the publisher: Fleeing through space to escape their dying home world, the ThunderCats were attacked en route by their mortal enemies, the Mutants of Plun-Darr. After diverting their damaged flagship to a planet called Third Earth, the surviving ThunderCats now strive to rebuild their society in harmony with the new world's natives. But the Mutants, determined to possess the ThunderCats' mystical gem, the Eye of Thundera, have tracked them down - and they've also forged an alliance with Mumm-Ra, the devil-priest of Third Earth! Now the ThunderCats, led by an inexperienced Lion-O, must band together as never before to protect their legacy from this combined enemy. But will they be able to withstand the onslaught of Mumm-Ra the Ever-Living, once he sets his eyes upon them? The triple-threat talents (writers, artists, and ThunderCats superfans) of DECLAN SHALVEY and DREW MOSS join forces to bring this exciting new entry in the ThunderCats canon to life!  Old Dog from the publisher: Jack Lynch was a once-promising CIA operative. On the eve of retirement, looking back at a failed career, he is tasked with one final mission...that goes horribly wrong. He wakes years later to a changed world and deeper changes within him. When a shadow group offers Lynch a second chance at a life of adventure, he's paired with the last person he could ever imagine. In order to adjust, this old dog will have to learn some new tricks... OLD DOG is a striking new spy-fi series by DECLAN SHALVEY, the accomplished and innovative creator behind books such as Moon Knight, X-Men Unlimited, INJECTION, and TIME BEFORE TIME. Our episode sponsor Play TTRPG games? Make sure to check out our partner Arkenforge. They have everything you need to make your TTRPG more fun and immersive, allowing you to build, play, and export animated maps including in person fog of war capability that let’s your players interact with maps as the adventure unfolds while you, the DM get the full picture. Use the discount code YETI5 to get $5 off your order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’m joined by a new guest today. Megan Hutchison is a Mistress of the Dark Comic Arts, if today’s book is any indication, with an amazing new project coming out soon Archie Comics: Judgement Day written by Aubrey Sitterson with colors by Matt Herms and letters from Jack Morelli. This is the flagship of the Archie Premium Event, a new mini-series formatting designed to take readers beyond the one-shot with cardstock covers, improved interior paper stock, basically it’s longer and prettier and it’s kind of a big deal as it is there first mini-series in five years. Lots of process and design chat in this one, we dive into the visual inspirations of the demons in the book and the imprint of Aleister Crowley and Jack Parsons while carving out time to speak on the power of music and bats. This book surprised me honestly with how good it is. I'm a fairly new returning reader to Archie Comics Universe and this has me excited about seeing what's in store down the road. I came in thinking, yeah, how far are they really gonna take this demon hunter thing. Turns out, pretty much all in. It’s a lavish visual read that turns the Riverdale world on its head and asks questions of Archie as a character that have never been explored before which is exciting and it’s a novel approach in the horror genre to provide this much tapestry. Very visceral and in your face. It's out in stores as of this week so make sure to snag it before they are gone. From the publisher: Written by Aubrey Sitterson (Archie vs. The World, No One Left to Fight) with art by Megan Hutchison (Rockstars), JUDGMENT DAY sets Archie Andrews on a daring quest to cleanse an alternate version of Riverdale overrun by demons. After claiming some destructive powers of his own, Archie is forced to destroy corrupted versions of the people closest to him, ostensibly in the name of the greater good. As questions about his own morality and the sacrifices he’s made start to pile up, Archie must confront the question: are his efforts truly good, or the work of pure evil? JUDGMENT DAY places Archie Andrews squarely at the center, acting as our hero—but with the power to choose who lives and who dies, can he truly remain a hero through and through?” said Archie Comics’ Jesse Goldwater. “This miniseries raises the stakes more than any title we’ve ever done before. The fate of the entire world is in Archie’s hands. Our episode sponsor Play TTRPG games? Make sure to check out our partner Arkenforge. They have everything you need to make your TTRPG more fun and immersive, allowing you to build, play, and export animated maps including in person fog of war capability that let’s your players interact with maps as the adventure unfolds while you, the DM get the full picture. Use the discount code YETI5 and get $5 off your order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’m delighted to introduce first time visitor Kelly Thompson on the show. Kelly is an Eisner Award winning comics writer with big title credits on Jem and the Holograms, Hawkeye, Black Widow, and Birds of Prey amongst quite a few more and recently has been diving into the creator owned space with personal favs of mine The Cull and Black Cloak. She’s working with a new publisher now helping Skybound revitalize the GI Joe franchise with the forthcoming Scarlett mini-series bringing Jane to Gi Joe. We recorded the day she heard about the five 2024 Eisner nominations which as you imagine we celebrated a little bit and carved out a little time to touch on more girl power with the forthcoming Power Puff Girls release from Dynamite Entertainment, and also got a little sidetracked chatting about the real life location featured in The Cull. Kelly has to be one of the most delightful and open guests I've ever had on the show. Make sure to sign up for her Substack to stay up to date on all the happenings and look for Scarlett hitting your LCS in early June. From the publisher: Red-hot writer Kelly Thompson (Black Widow, Birds of Prey) and artist Marco Ferrari (Frontiersman) introduce some of the most anticipated characters to the Energon Universe in ways you’ll never expect in Scarlett #1, launching June 5, 2024. Shana “Scarlett” O’Hara is about to take on the most dangerous black ops mission of her career: infiltrating the mysterious rising power in Japan known as the Arashikage Clan. Her one lead is her former partner—Jinx—turned Arashikage enforcer. Now, Scarlett must use her skills to survive undercover… and discover a shocking weapon that could change the balance of power on Earth. Our episode sponsor Play TTRPG games? Make sure to check out our partner Arkenforge. They have everything you need to make your TTRPG more fun and immersive, allowing you to build, play, and export animated maps including in person fog of war capability that let’s your players interact with maps as the adventure unfolds while you, the DM get the full picture. Use the discount code YETI5 and get $5 off your order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I just love chatting with folks that love comics and one thing I can tell you about today's guest on the Cryptid Creator Corner, is that Paul Tobin LOVES comics. Paul is on the podcast today discussing the new Mad Cave Studios series The Mammoth. The Mammoth is a fantastic new horror mystery series. Arjuna Susini's artwork is incredible. Paul and I chat about the development of the series, his journey creating comics, as well as his own comic book collection, plus I got to tell him how much I loved Heist or How to Steal a Planet. Paul was such a joy to talk to and I feel like I learned so much, not just about Paul, but about writing comics. I'm already looking forward to having Paul on again and he has some other great projects coming out. Be sure to check out his website so you don't miss any of them: https://www.paultobin.net. From the publisher Something is wrong in the deep forests of Broke Tree Valley. Something deadly. Something mammoth. The legends speak of something larger than human comprehension…A monstrous phantom that disappears for decades at a time. Now, it’s back, and things are about to go Very Bad if four people—Olivia, Jess, Kokoro, and Mason, scientists who have come to the small city of Kasbro to investigate a bizarre series of seismic activities in this heavily forested valley—can’t put the Mammoth to rest. One real problem with this is…Olivia’s dead. Our episode sponsor Play TTRPG games? Make sure to check out our partner Arkenforge. They have everything you need to make your TTRPG more fun and immersive, allowing you to build, play, and export animated maps including in person fog of war capability that let’s your players interact with maps as the adventure unfolds while you, the DM get the full picture. Use the discount code YETI5 and get $5 off your order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's always a good chat when returning guest Amit Tishler drops in to chat with me and today he's brought along his co-writer and friend Elliot Sperl to talk about their new Mad Cave Studios mini-series The Last Wardens. I got a sneek peek at this book, and it is wild. Set in the 1970s, what starts out more as a sad slice of life family drama quickly ratchets up into bloody grindhouse bedlam starting the Doom Patrol from hell. We dive deep into the writing process and construction of this fast paced narrative and its clear stylistic 1970s influences. Dropping in mid-July, make sure to get your pre-orders in for this exciting new horror/oddball series. From the publisher: With an alcoholic father and a hole in her wallet, Danielle Pryer’s life in the rustic town of Bleakwood goes from bad to worse when her long-lost brother, Bruce, returns from the Vietnam War. While Bruce is being plagued by a mysterious and monstrous mutation, he is also being hunted by an incompetent team of paranormal misfits, which leads to Bleakwood quickly becoming ground zero of a supernatural battle that forces Danielle to choose between everything she holds dear and the fate of the world as a whole. Art from Rui Silveira Colors from Francesco Segala Lettering from Frank Cvetovic Our episode sponsor Play TTRPG games? Make sure to check out our partner Arkenforge. They have everything you need to make your TTRPG more fun and immersive, allowing you to build, play, and export animated maps including in person fog of war capability that let’s your players interact with maps as the adventure unfolds while you, the DM get the full picture. Use the discount code YETI5 and get $5 off your order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While I’m spending some family time in Disney World, Byron is making sure you don’t have to wait for new episodes of the Cryptid Creator Corner, and Great Scott this is a Dan(g) good episode with Dan Panosian and Scott Snyder. Dan and Scott make their way to the virtual Yeti Cave to talk about CANARY, a Comixology Original now published by Dark Horse Comics. The trade is out June 26th. This is a Western Horror story with elements of body horror and cosmic horror all brought to life by Dan’s masterful artwork and haunting colors. Canary takes place in the past but feels relevant for today. Dan and Scott get into their creative partnership and share some of the highlights of making this comic. As a fan of both this was a true joy for me. I hope this isn’t the last time these two gunslingers work together.  Play TTRPG games? Make sure to check out our partner Arkenforge. They have everything you need to make your TTRPG more fun and immersive, allowing you to build, play, and export animated maps including in person fog of war capability that let’s your players interact with maps as the adventure unfolds while you, the DM get the full picture. Use the discount code YETI5 and get $5 off your order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I'm joined by a new guest on the show, Jim Krueger. Jim is an Eisner Winner, was a creative director with Marvel, has worked on many a comics property including Star Wars, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Batman, Superman, the Earth X Trilogy, and is now collaborating with Grammy Nominated EDM megastar Steve Aoki on a new hybrid comics/prose graphic novel called Hiroquest: Genesis and Double Helix. Hiroquest follows teen Hiro, pronounced hero, a genetically augmented human who is bouncing around the multiverse four hundred years into the future to save planet Earth from impending doom. He’s looking for ten rings from ten separate worlds and he’s got a set of superpowers to help him out courtesy of a group of doctors that augmented him: flight, super strength, and a sort of ESP or special insight courtesy of the third eye. Switching back and forth between prose and comics, this is one of the more unique projects I've seen in some time. The chapters correspond to Steve's album of the same name and there are many Easter Eggs in the text referencing it. Make sure to check it out as it is in stores now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's another special episode of the Cryptid Creator Corner and this time I'm chatting with Brent Fisher. Brent is the Creative Director of Dauntless Stories and the Chief Diversity Officer of Band of Bards. We chat about Dauntless and Band of Bards joining forces to be a worker-owned cooperative and what that means as well as Brent's roles in both organizations. I also get to learn more about Brent's own comics origin story and they tell me about the upcoming Kickstarter (launching June 18th) for Unbroken. Listen to the episode and sign up for Dauntless Stories' newsletter for more details and so you don't miss the KS campaign. Brent was such a joy to chat with. Their love for comics is effusive and I can't wait for the Unbroken Kickstarter campaign. Check out Brent's website to learn more: https://www.brentfisher.net/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was Orson Welles that once said about Twitter: "We live in a snake pit here... I hate it but I just don't allow myself to face the fact that I hold it in contempt because it keeps on turning out to be the only place to go." Maybe Orson Welles wasn't talking about Twitter, I'm not sure, but you know who could tell me what Orson Welles was talking about, today's guest: Milton Lawson. Milton makes his triumphant return to the Cryptid Creator Corner to chat about the trade of Orson Welles: Warrior of the Worlds. This is such a fun, outlandish, sci-fi, historical fiction, adventure. I loved it and I loved chatting more with Milton about it. Be sure to check out Milton's website: https://miltonlawson.com/ and do yourself a favor and after picking up the trade (due to be out in mid-July) go watch some Orson Welles' films!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm chatting with comics creator Boum on the show today. She's a new guest with an amazing new graphic novel, The Jellyfish, dropping with Montreal based Pow Pow Press. As a disabled person myself, I'm trying to get more creators with disabilities on the show and this book absolutely blew me away. It was my first 10/10 reading experience in 2024. The story follows Odette, a young woman slowly loosing her sight which Boum was also dealing with over the course of working on the project. It's a very honest slice of life story that embraces the real joys and sadness in our lives. As you progress through the book, the ever increasing number of small jellyfish slowly begins to dominate the panels creating a sense of what it is like to loose your vision over time. It's a novel way of approaching the topic I've never seen before. I don't have enough glowing adjectives to portray my adoration of this project and it's why I love hosting creators on the show who may not get as much attention in mainstream outlets to give projects like this an opportunity to shine. Please consider asking your local comic shop or bookstore to order you a copy if they don't have it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I really enjoy interviewing creators for the podcast, but I also love listening to other interview podcasts as well, and I'm hard-pressed to think of anyone that does it better than David Harper. David is the guy behind SKTCHD and Off Panel: A Comics Interview Podcast. David brings his natural curiosity to interviewing and it makes for some of the most thoughtful, interesting, and wonderful conversations about the creation of comic books. We dive into David's origin story as an interviewer and talk about the things he likes to write about for SKTCHD. Be sure to check out SKTCHD BOOK 2023 and if you like this podcast you're gonna love David's Off Panel (I really enjoyed this chat from 2022 with Matthew Rosenberg. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The third time is certainly the charm as Rich Douek returns to CBY's Crytpid Creator Corner to chat about Heartpiercer from Dark Horse Comics. Rich has teamed with artist Gavin Smith for this dark, fantasy story about Atala, a warrior who thought she was saving the World but ultimately doomed it. Issue #1 hits your LCS May 15th. Rich and I chat about the origins of this story, working with Gavin Smith, mixing fantasy and horror, and what he learned working on the Road-Sea-Breath trilogy. I'm a big fan of Rich's writing and it's always a treat when he's on the podcast to chat about comics.  Make sure to check out our monthly crowdfunding comics feature book: Super Kaiju Rock n Roller Derby Fun Time Go! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It is a rare treat because both hosts are on the show today to chat with fellow Yeti and comics writer Wells Thompson about his new NSFW project SMUT funding on Kickstarter. Smut is an erotic comedy about three friends facing relationship problems, the promises they make to resolve them, and the sex they have along the way so what better way to discuss it than three friends on a podcast. Issue one follows Dakota, a personal trainer attempting to clean up her act and get to know her date before jumping his bones. There's just over a week left so make sure to get on over to Kickstarter to back SMUT. You know you want to. Make sure to check out our monthly crowdfunding comics feature book: Super Kaiju Rock n Roller Derby Fun Time Go! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Comics creator and Eisner Winning illustrator Michael Avon Oeming (Blue Book, The Mice Templar, Powers) joins me on the show today to discuss his new Dark Horse Comics project, William of Newbury. I've been a fan of his work for years now and following his process videos on TikTok inspired me to take this interview in that direction. We talk about how he pulled from English history, specifically the Anarchy, and why he adapted the English historian William into a raccoon cause who would see that coming? The anthropomorphic sandbox is always an interesting one and its motivation here might surprise you. William of Newbury drops in late May. Don't miss it. Make sure to check out our monthly crowdfunding comics feature book: Super Kaiju Rock n Roller Derby Fun Time Go! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a double dose of awesome in today's Cryptid Creator Corner with Tyler Chin-Tanner and Jarred Lujan!!! Both are returning guests to the podcast, but this is my first time getting to interview Jarred and it's something I've been looking forward to for a long time. I'm a full-fledged member of the Jarred Lujan Fan Club and can't say enough good things about the comics he and his collaborators have created like Dry Foot, All the Devils are Here, Crash & Troy, The Twin Blades, Southbound. Imagine my excitement that Tyler and A Wave Blue World have brought Jarred on to help with the 3rd volume of MEZO: The Trial of Roden. If you aren't familiar with MEZO, it is a Mesoamerican-inspired fantasy series and it's freakin' amazing with phenomenal characters and beautiful, action-packed artwork by Val Rodrigues. I am so excited for the beginning of this 3rd volume. Issue 1 is in shops May 1st so make sure to tell your LCS to order you a copy.  Make sure to check out our monthly crowdfunding comics feature book: Super Kaiju Rock n Roller Derby Fun Time Go! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As an original comic art collector, I’m excited because we are going to dive today into a different corner of the comics collectable market today. There’s been a bit of an upheaval in recent weeks with the exodus of artists from Cadence Comic Art. As many arts look for new representation or in some cases for collaborative opportunities to share the burdens of operating a direct-to-consumer model over the internet, the tried-and-true convention continues to provide a unique pathway not only for purchasing artwork but for interacting with the artists as well. Enter my guests today. Arnaud Lapeyre and Steve Morger are the co-founders of the Lake Como Comic Art Festival, a unique, curated event designed to streamline the traditional convention experience and focus solely on the comic artists and their artwork. This is a one of a kind comic art festival in I guarantee what has to be the most idyllic of locations for something like this. Fandom never got treated so good. With around a month left before the show kicks off, make sure to visit their website for all the details. Make sure to check out our monthly crowdfunding comics feature book: Super Kaiju Rock n Roller Derby Fun Time Go! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mad Cave Studios has been putting out some fantastic comics as they celebrate their 10 year anniversary and today's guest's newest comic is no exception. Writer Ray Fawkes is here to chat about Sanction. This is the story of 2 very different detectives tasked with investigating a dead body in 1987 Leningrad. Ray talks about working with artist Antonio Fuso, why he wanted to set this story in the U.S.S.R. towards the closing of the Cold War, and what he hopes readers will take away from the differences between Pavel and Boris. This is an incredible first issue and I loved chatting comics with Ray. Issue #1 will be at your LCS on May 15th, but make sure to add it to your pull list now (this not only helps out you, but your LCS, and the creative team). Be sure to check out Ray's website too (https://www.rayfawkes.com) so you can check out some of his other work we discuss in the episode like One Soul, One Line, and The People Inside.   Make sure to check out our monthly crowdfunding comics feature book: Super Kaiju Rock n Roller Derby Fun Time Go! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I was a huge Space Ghost fan as a kid and was super excited to see that Dynamite Entertainment managed to secure the rights to bring him back to the comics medium again. With a rogues gallery that rivals Batman: Moltar, Brak, Zorak, Metallus... there's so much for a creative team to develop and explore in terms of a modern interpretation. Added bonus, it is written by returning guest David Pepose who stopped by to tell me all about it. We get into the process and potential pitfalls of writing an iconic IP like this, how important Jan, Jace, and Blip are to this new storyline, and who our own ideal casting would be if Space Ghost were ever made into a live action movie. Space Ghost will be released in stores on May 1st. Make sure to call your local shop and reserve you a copy . With advance orders of over 67K, this is going to be a big one y'all. Make sure to check out our monthly crowdfunding comics feature book: Super Kaiju Rock n Roller Derby Fun Time Go! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of my favorite past podcast guests has returned and he's brought a friend. It's none other than fellow Star Trek: TNG fan and, in my opinion, the kindest gentleman in indie comics: Ben Humeniuk and he's brought along his collaborator, voted the least guardable baller in indie comics, Travis B. Hill and they are on the podcast today chatting about their comic with Band of Bards : A Last Goodbye. This is a great conversation about the journey of this story from prose to an 11 page comic to adding an additional 30 pages of story! I loved hearing how this all came together. Ben and Travis have a deep love of comics and knowledge of the medium, plus it's just cool hearing friends talking about comics and how much they enjoy working with each other. A Last Goodbye will be out June 26, 2024.   Make sure to check out our monthly crowdfunding comics feature book: Super Kaiju Rock n Roller Derby Fun Time Go! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices