Cryptid Creator Corner from Comic Book Yeti - A Comic Book Interview Podcast

It's a brand new Cryptid Creator Corner with guest Jay Faerber. Jay and I sat down to chat a little while ago and I'm excited for folks to finally listen to this episode. Jay wrote one of my favorite comics (illustrated by Scott Godlewski) Copperhead, and I was excited to nerd-out about that. Jay has co-created and written comics like Elsewhere, Noble Causes, Dynamo 5, and Near Death. Plus, Jay has written for some iconic television shows like Ringer, Zoo, and Supergirl. It was great hearing Jay's perspective on collaboration both in comics and in a writers' room. I also loved talking about Jay's other passion: 70s and 80s television! This was such a great conversation.  Check out Jay's website here: http://www.jayfaerber.com. From the publisher Welcome to Copperhead, a grimy mining town on the edge of a backwater planet. Single mom Clara Bronson is the new sheriff, and on her first day she'll have to contend with a resentful deputy, a shady mining tycoon, and a family of alien hillbillies. And did we mention the massacre? NEW PATREON We have a new Patreon, CryptidCreatorCornerpod. If you like what we do, please consider supporting us. We got two simple tiers, $1 and $3. I’ll be uploading a story every Sunday about some of the crazy things I’ve gotten into over the years. The first one dropped last week about me relocating a drug lord’s sharks. Yes, it did happen, and the alligators didn’t even get in the way. Want to know more, you know what to do. Our episode sponsors Arkenforge 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 delighted to introduce first time guest, Jeff Morris, on the show with me today to talk about his new crowdfunding project, True Believer, a collection of three short comics about his journey through grief. Each story draws inspiration from his personal experiences with loss and is bound to make you cry. I know personally, grief is a weird thing. I’ve had to deal with more than my fair share of it recently learning to come to grips with the loss of who I was with my disability. Identity is such a fragile thing and the exploration of grief is something I typically avoid because it channels as a downer but these stories do not, they all plot a clear path through it in very different ways. Jeff and I met on line and became fast friends. When he reached out about potentially coming on the show, zero hesitation on my part even though I don't cover many crowdfunding projects these days. I can assure you that this is a comics debut you don't want to miss. The project is fully funded and it's ready to roll to the printer when the campaign ends. True Believer on Kickstarter Jeff's website NEW PATREON We have a new Patreon, CryptidCreatorCornerpod. If you like what we do, please consider supporting us. We got two simple tiers, $1 and $3. I’ll be uploading a story every Sunday about some of the crazy things I’ve gotten into over the years. The first one dropped last week about me relocating a drug lord’s sharks. Yes, it did happen, and the alligators didn’t even get in the way. Want to know more, you know what to do. Our episode sponsors From Within on Kickstarter From Within is a martial arts revenge graphic novel about a slave fighting his way through a deadly tournament where the rules shift at the whims of a tyrannical emperor. It's a mash-up of the high-impact action sequences of Bruce Lee's films with the paranoid thriller undercurrent found in Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips' Sleeper series. Late pledges are enabled if you happen to hear about it after the campaign officially ends. Arkenforge 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 met Jeremy Whitley at this year's Baltimore Comic-Con and picked up a copy of Navigating With You at the Mad Cave Studios booth. I had read a few things Jeremy had written and was excited to dig into this new graphic novel published by Maverick, a Mad Cave imprint. I absolutely fell in love with the characters of Neesha and Gabby and had to get Jeremy on the podcast to talk about them. We also chat about The Dog Knight, The Cold Ever After, and School for Extraterrestrial Girls.  I had a great conversation with Jeremy that I know you're going to love. He also joined the editorial team for Lifeline Comics and a new Asexual & Aromantic Comic Book Anthology. They are accepting submissions until November 24th: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScTtQJCwFJTsxZ7_dLCxNb_c_6CdnRck_wh55_eXqv3OFGJfQ/viewform Navigating With You: https://madcavestudios.com/maverick/navigating-with-you/?srsltid=AfmBOoqjHw5tUYXJqgBV_CgU-jz3ovLPrNFHH1w-if50RhGOOBWv8eap From the Maverick website A charming POC-led WLW romance where two new friends hit the road in search of the missing volumes of their favorite manga. Neesha Sparks is a disabled, vocal community activist with a passion for costume design. Gabby Graciana is an optimistic surfer – and, like Neesha, a new kid at school. When the two girls discover that they like the same manga series, Navigator Nozomi, they become more than just fellow new kids. But it was more than just having read the same book series–neither of them had finished it! Soon, they become new friends on a mission – to track down the remaining Navigator Nozomi books. This slice-of-life romance follows the two girls as they adventure across North Carolina to find each book, with their story intercut with the tales of Navigator Nozomi. Neesha and Gabby find more than just the books though—they find acceptance, friendship, understanding, and love.  NEW PATREON We have a new Patreon, CryptidCreatorCornerpod. If you like what we do, please consider supporting us. We got two simple tiers, $1 and $3. I’ll be uploading a story every Sunday about some of the crazy things I’ve gotten into over the years. The first one dropped last week about me relocating a drug lord’s sharks. Yes, it did happen, and the alligators didn’t even get in the way. Want to know more, you know what to do. Our episode sponsors From Within on Kickstarter From Within is a martial arts revenge graphic novel about a slave fighting his way through a deadly tournament where the rules shift at the whims of a tyrannical emperor. It's a mash-up of the high-impact action sequences of Bruce Lee's films with the paranoid thriller undercurrent found in Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips' Sleeper series. Late pledges are enabled if you happen to hear about it after the campaign officially ends. Arkenforge 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 got the gang together for a very special episode today. Both hosts, Jimmy Gaspero and Byron O'Neal, are joined by the Cryptid Creator Corner's number one most dedicated listener, Jimmy's brother Bobby, to make some comics recommendations to add to your Spooky Season reading list. If something we talked about sounded interesting, we'd sure be grateful if you'd click on the link that heads over to our Amazon store with all the books we talked about today. As an affiliate shop, we make a little bit of money to help us keep the lights on, but if you buy them from the LCS we won't get mad. Thank you! Halloween Comics Recommendation List NEW PATREON We have a new Patreon, CryptidCreatorCornerpod. If you like what we do, please consider supporting us. We got two simple tiers, $1 and $3. I’ll be uploading a story every Sunday about some of the crazy things I’ve gotten into over the years. The first one dropped last week about me relocating a drug lord’s sharks. Yes, it did happen, and the alligators didn’t even get in the way. Want to know more, you know what to do. Our episode sponsors From Within on Kickstarter From Within is a martial arts revenge graphic novel about a slave fighting his way through a deadly tournament where the rules shift at the whims of a tyrannical emperor. It's a mash-up of the high-impact action sequences of Bruce Lee's films with the paranoid thriller undercurrent found in Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips' Sleeper series. Late pledges are enabled if you happen to hear about it after the campaign officially ends. Arkenforge 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 today by two newcomers to the show, writer Helen Mullane and artist Tula Lotay to talk about their new series, Groupies, being released on Comixology. Having spent over a decade and a half working with bands, I was excited to hear about the release which is certainly in my wheelhouse as I might know a thing or two about them. This is definitely as advertised, a story about sex, drugs, and rock and roll. We get a chance to talk about some of our own artist obsessions and the ideas that make up the fabric of the story. From the publisher On a wild night out at the Fox Club, the hottest girls on the Sunset Strip meet the cutest up-and-coming band in town, and sparks fly. As The Moon Show celebrate getting signed to legendary Asmodeus Records, they share a magical night, a night that nobody wants to end. NEW PATREON We have a new Patreon, CryptidCreatorCornerpod. If you like what we do, please consider supporting us. We got two simple tiers, $1 and $3. I’ll be uploading a story every Sunday about some of the crazy things I’ve gotten into over the years. The first one dropped last week about me relocating a drug lord’s sharks. Yes, it did happen, and the alligators didn’t even get in the way. Want to know more, you know what to do. Our episode sponsors From Within on Kickstarter From Within is a martial arts revenge graphic novel about a slave fighting his way through a deadly tournament where the rules shift at the whims of a tyrannical emperor. It's a mash-up of the high-impact action sequences of Bruce Lee's films with the paranoid thriller undercurrent found in Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips' Sleeper series. Late pledges are enabled if you happen to hear about it after the campaign officially ends. Arkenforge 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

HOLY COW! I've got not one but two comics legends hanging out with me today on the podcast, Matt Wagner and Kelley Jones. I've been a fan of Matt's Grendel work for decades, geez that's a long time, and Kelley is the definitive Batman artist in my mind. They are crowdfunding the second volume of their new series Dracula: The Brides, redefining the classic mythology both narratively and visually in a way I've never seen before. This is truly a dream come true for me as a comics fan and one of the most unique interview experiences I've ever had, they are such pros that I was just pretty much along for the bloody ride. I was a backer for Volume One: The Impaler and I've got my pledge in already for Volume Two: The Brides. Crowdfunding is the only way you can get these in hardcover so don't miss out, and if you don't trust me.... "Wow-in a good way, and I'm a Dracula snob so that's saying something. This is a wild ride that sails beyond the Borgo Pass--and I believe this may well be the book Kelley Jones was born to draw. Here is all the mood and horror I would expect from him, but also a level of crazy (good crazy) that I've never seen from him before. --- Mike Mignola From the campaign The first volume of Wagner and Jones’s DRACULA saga was a runaway hit, breaking the Top 20 in Kickstarter’s all-time most successful graphic novel campaigns.  DRACULA: BOOK II—THE BRIDES presents 120 pages of sexy and sinister story and art, almost 30 pages longer than BOOK I. Wagner and Jones are once again joined for this creepy foray into the shadows of Castle Dracula by the stellar talents of José Villarrubia on colors and lettering by Rob Leigh. This campaign is the only source for these beautiful, European-album sized hardcover editions of this book as well as our other exceptional rewards tiers. Back this project today and ensure your copy of these incredible exclusive editions! BACK IT HERE: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/draculatheimpaler/dracula-book-ii-the-brides NEW PATREON We have a new Patreon, CryptidCreatorCornerpod. If you like what we do, please consider supporting us. We got two simple tiers, $1 and $3. I’ll be uploading a story every Sunday about some of the crazy things I’ve gotten into over the years. The first one dropped last week about me relocating a drug lord’s sharks. Yes, it did happen, and the alligators didn’t even get in the way. Want to know more, you know what to do. Our episode sponsors From Within on Kickstarter From Within is a martial arts revenge graphic novel about a slave fighting his way through a deadly tournament where the rules shift at the whims of a tyrannical emperor. It's a mash-up of the high-impact action sequences of Bruce Lee's films with the paranoid thriller undercurrent found in Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips' Sleeper series. Late pledges are enabled if you happen to hear about it after the campaign officially ends. Arkenforge 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

On today's episode of the Cryptid Creator Corner we're getting in the Halloween spirit with horror writer J. Michael Donohue. J. recently wrapped a successful Kickstarter campaign for Graveyard Shift (don't worry you can still back it if you hurry through the Late Pledge feature: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jmichaeldonohue/graveyard-shift-an-addison-grove-tale).  Graveyard Shift is an Addison Grove story, which would be part of a connected universe J. and his collaborators, like Colleen Palmer, are building. From the Kickstarter campaign page:  Parades, monthly bake sales, mom and pop stores, and hot apple pie from the local diner, are all the ingredients for the perfect American small-town. A place where the kids run wild and everyone knows their neighbor. Addison Grove is all of these things on the surface, but underneath is something quite darker. It's an odd town that remains hidden in plain sight and blends the natural with the supernatural. Once you find your place in Addison Grove you won't want to leave...ever!  I've followed J. on social media for a quite some time and I could tell we have a few things in common, like our love of Vault Comics Resonant and the tv show Eerie, Indiana. I also loved hearing about how he's starting to introduce his 2 kids to some of his favorite horror movies and getting to see those things anew through his kids' eyes. You can also hear me struggle to remember Flukeman from the 2nd episode of the 2nd season of The X-Files. Shortly after we recorded this episode I noticed my LCS is selling the McFarlane Toys action figure of Flukeman and I am very tempted to buy it.  NEW PATREON We have a new Patreon, CryptidCreatorCornerpod. If you like what we do, please consider supporting us. We got two simple tiers, $1 and $3. I’ll be uploading a story every Sunday about some of the crazy things I’ve gotten into over the years. The first one dropped last week about me relocating a drug lord’s sharks. Yes, it did happen, and the alligators didn’t even get in the way. Want to know more, you know what to do. Our episode sponsors From Within on Kickstarter From Within is a martial arts revenge graphic novel about a slave fighting his way through a deadly tournament where the rules shift at the whims of a tyrannical emperor. It's a mash-up of the high-impact action sequences of Bruce Lee's films with the paranoid thriller undercurrent found in Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips' Sleeper series. Late pledges are enabled if you happen to hear about it after the campaign officially ends. Arkenforge 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

Since I started this comics journalism journey, I've been lucky enough to meet some truly amazing people. One of those is comics writer and fellow native East Tennessean Dakota Brown. Dakota was a guest at the beginning, before the podcast, when I started doing interviews on Twitter Spaces. We were talking about his upcoming project Death Comes For The Toymaker from Scout Comics back in 2021 which was set to be released as individual issues. As it sometimes goes, in the end he had to find a different publisher and happily it has found a new home in trade paperback format with Magma Comix. When he reached out to chat about it again, I jumped at the chance to have him back on to hear all about the labor of love it's taken to get this thing out into the world for people to read. It's a great book. I have a rare signed copy of the first issue with the Scout label hanging on my wall and the trade would make a great holiday gift for the comics lover in your life. From the publisher Death comes for us all. But for Gil the Toymaker, the visit is an eternal tragedy! Every year the holiday gift giver visits children all over the world on a special night, but Gil’s immortality comes at a cost. Forced to do the work of Death, carrying a list of ready-to-harvest souls alongside his naughty and nice lists, Gil gives toys AND takes souls all in one night! But as the Toymaker reflects on the relationship he’s had with Death for several millennia, an associate reveals a scheme that may just put an end to Death’s contract (and, perhaps, Death himself!) An epic twist on the legend of Santa Claus from writer Dakota Brown (Grandma Tilly’s Hell-Tech Mech) and artist Ryan Cody (Family Tree)! NEW PATREON We have a new Patreon, CryptidCreatorCornerpod. If you like what we do, please consider supporting us. We got two simple tiers, $1 and $3. I’ll be uploading a story every Sunday about some of the crazy things I’ve gotten into over the years. The first one dropped last week about me relocating a drug lord’s sharks. Yes, it did happen, and the alligators didn’t even get in the way. Want to know more, you know what to do. Our episode sponsors From Within on Kickstarter From Within is a martial arts revenge graphic novel about a slave fighting his way through a deadly tournament where the rules shift at the whims of a tyrannical emperor. It's a mash-up of the high-impact action sequences of Bruce Lee's films with the paranoid thriller undercurrent found in Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips' Sleeper series. Late pledges are enabled if you happen to hear about it after the campaign officially ends. Arkenforge 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 were trying to figure out what to do to celebrate Halloween on the podcast and fortuitously Dark Horse marketing reached out and asked if we had anything planned. I cooked up the idea to have an episode featuring horror movie recommendations from some of the best comics writers in the business chatting about the movies that have inspired and scared them the most, plus to promote their new books of course. Both Kyle Starks (Peacemaker Tries Hard, Sex Castle, Where Monsters Lie) and John Harris Dunning (Wiper, Summer Shadows, Ripperland) have been on the show previously but we brought in a sacrificial... I mean newbie, award winning horror writer and filmmaker David Ian McKendry (Barstow, Found, All The Creatures Were Stirring) into the fray. I don't think I've ever had this much fun hosting an episode which was honestly more like herding cats, but it was an absolute blast and a privilege to get a glimpse into how the genre has influenced them and their work. Make sure to check out their projects: Kyle's Those Not Afraid A new crime series from three-time Eisner nominee Kyle Starks for fans of true crime and murder fiction.  Two serial killers discover they are within reach of the state record for kills and enter a terrible competition to see who gets there first. Featuring amazing and stylish noir art from Patrick Piazzalunga (Monsters Are My Business) and incredible covers from the legendary Glenn Fabry (Preacher, Hellblazer). John Harris Dunning's Ripperland The year is 2188 and Jack the Ripper has returned to London. For the last century, a shattered post-Brexit England has operated as a massive Victorian theme park in exchange for American military and financial protection. But when an American mogul’s grandson is killed in the heart of London, the delicate status quo is threatened. Is the killer a brilliant maniac? Americans taking advantage of their superior technology? Or the English Underground Resistance, wishing to throw off the yoke of American oppression and re-join the modern world? American Special Agent Jesse Holden and local British Police Detective Edwin Fogg must overcome their clashing ideologies in order to find the truth in the foggy streets of 22nd Century London. David Ian McKendry's Barstow At the center of the Mojave Desert, at the crossroads between hell and gone, lies Barstow. Agent Miranda Diaz is in this godforsaken land on the trail of a missing agent. He’s a man she’s never met, and yet her name was the only clue he left behind. Something dark . . . something demonic . . . lurks beneath this oddball town, but can Miranda unravel the mystery before all hell breaks loose? • Award-winning horror writing and filmmaking team David Ian McKendry and Rebekah McKendry team-up with Eisner-nominated artist Tyler Jenkins for this all-new comedy-horror series! NEW PATREON CryptidCreatorCornerpod Our episode sponsors From Within on Kickstarter From Within is a martial arts revenge graphic novel about a slave fighting his way through a deadly tournament where the rules shift at the whims of a tyrannical emperor. It's a mash-up of the high-impact action sequences of Bruce Lee's films with the paranoid thriller undercurrent found in Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips' Sleeper series. Late pledges are enabled if you happen to hear about it after the campaign officially ends. Arkenforge 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

Bryan and I have been Comics Twitter friends for some time now, so it was incredibly exciting to have him on the podcast to discuss his first series Milk Run being published through Scout Comics. Oh, and it's set in Philadelphia AND it's described as a comic fans of Back to the Future and Minority Report will love. Bryan & I discussed his influences for this series, what it was like writing and pitching his first series, working with artist Jarret Katz, colorist Robert Nugent, letterer Rob Jones, and editor James B. Emmett. I love being able to interview some of my favorite creators, but it's also great being able to introduce listeners to new creators, who just may become your next favorite writer or artist. I had a great time chatting with Bryan and I'm excited to check out more of Milk Run. Issue #1 was great and you can read it when it comes out on November 27th. Make sure you add it to your pull list before FOC on October 21st.  Here is how the publisher describes Milk Run:  Zack Morgan has a simple life: he works from home, has a nice apartment, loves living in Philadelphia, and can also create a magical portal that lets him travel through time up to ten years into the past. What seemed like a blessing quickly turned into just another part of his mundane life, becoming a way for Zack to save money on groceries by jumping to the past to pick up his milk, eggs, and other necessities. That all changes when a true crime podcast shines a light on a mystery he's wondered about for a long time: an unsolved murder he knows his powers can help solve if he just stopped thinking about himself for once.    NEW PATREON We have a new Patreon, CryptidCreatorCornerpod. If you like what we do, please consider supporting us. We got two simple tiers, $1 and $3. I’ll be uploading a story every Sunday about some of the crazy things I’ve gotten into over the years. The first one dropped last week about me relocating a drug lord’s sharks. Yes, it did happen, and the alligators didn’t even get in the way. Want to know more, you know what to do. Our episode sponsors From Within on Kickstarter From Within is a martial arts revenge graphic novel about a slave fighting his way through a deadly tournament where the rules shift at the whims of a tyrannical emperor. It's a mash-up of the high-impact action sequences of Bruce Lee's films with the paranoid thriller undercurrent found in Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips' Sleeper series. Late pledges are enabled if you happen to hear about it after the campaign officially ends. Arkenforge 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 pumped about this show because it gives me a first on the podcast to be able to talk about the transection of two visual mediums that I love, photography and comics and I couldn’t ask for a better guest to discuss all that with than Gerry Duggan (Deadpool, Uncanny Avengers, the Hulk, and the X-Men.) Gerry has a new photography book coming out this Fall called Timing/Luck which contains over 200 pages of material covering two decades of writing and green rooms, city streets around the world, and documenting part of his own journey during COVID as a non-clinical volunteer. We also chat about some of his various photographic influences, different cameras, AI, and about his creator owned project The Dark Room and bit about the new West Coast Avengers launch with Marvel. It's one of my favorite episodes and getting to share his passion about both mediums is a gift. Make sure to follow Gerry's Substack. A few things we talked about in the episode: Vivian Maier Photographer documentary on Disney + Salvation Mountain NEW PATREON We have a new Patreon, CryptidCreatorCornerpod. If you like what we do, please consider supporting us. We got two simple tiers, $1 and $3. I’ll be uploading a story every Sunday about some of the crazy things I’ve gotten into over the years. The first one dropped last week about me relocating a drug lord’s sharks. Yes, it did happen, and the alligators didn’t even get in the way. Want to know more, you know what to do. Our episode sponsors From Within on Kickstarter From Within is a martial arts revenge graphic novel about a slave fighting his way through a deadly tournament where the rules shift at the whims of a tyrannical emperor. It's a mash-up of the high-impact action sequences of Bruce Lee's films with the paranoid thriller undercurrent found in Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips' Sleeper series. Late pledges are enabled if you happen to hear about it after the campaign officially ends. Arkenforge 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

It's the second episode of my new series Let's Talk Shop on the Cryptid Creator Corner podcast. My first three jobs, not including mowing lawns, were in comic book shops and the community and friendships I made there have lasted a lifetime. As the format goes, each episode features a favorite shop from comics creators I’ve talked to on the podcast. This one is brought to you courtesy of friend of the show and Michigan State University Comic Art and Graphic Novel professor Ryan Claytor. Ryan said there was only one place to start and that’s Vault of Midnight who have been a feature in the area since 1996 with three retail locations in Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, and Detroit. Owner Curtis Sullivan joins me to talk about their journey as a company and his philosophy of comics retail, how a visit from Good Morning America can make the parents proud, why mystery boxes are such a hit, how your layout can effect your sales numbers, expansion, and creating a destination environment as a comic book store. Thanks for joining me on this new endeavor. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Special thanks to the donated voice talents of Dave Gafner, Miranda & Aiden Kucera, Cody from Keeping It Geekly, and my co-host Jimmy Gaspero NEW PATREON We have a new Patreon, CryptidCreatorCornerpod. If you like what we do, please consider supporting us. We got two simple tiers, $1 and $3. I’ll be uploading a story every Sunday about some of the crazy things I’ve gotten into over the years. The first one dropped last week about me relocating a drug lord’s sharks. Yes, it did happen, and the alligators didn’t even get in the way. Want to know more, you know what to do. Our episode sponsors From Within on Kickstarter From Within is a martial arts revenge graphic novel about a slave fighting his way through a deadly tournament where the rules shift at the whims of a tyrannical emperor. It's a mash-up of the high-impact action sequences of Bruce Lee's films with the paranoid thriller undercurrent found in Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips' Sleeper series. Late pledges are enabled if you happen to hear about it after the campaign officially ends. Arkenforge 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

Brad and Lisa are comics 2nd most famous dynamic duo as the hosts of Comic Book Couples Counseling, a fantastic podcast they started in 2018 that explores "the various dynamics of comic book relationships throughout pop culture and publishing history." CBCC has maintained its roots while simultaneously becoming an incredible creator interview podcast. Brad & Lisa come on the Cryptid Creator Corner to discuss their first comic that they've written together which will be in the upcoming Pots & Panels Anthology. The anthology is a unique blend of 50 food themed stories and recipes. Brad & Lisa have a story about a vegetable-based food phobia Brad has, but the story also deals with Lisa's anxiety. Brad & Lisa are incredible hosts and storytellers and I'm looking forward to reading their first comic. The Kickstarter campaign goes live October 8th. I've been lucky enough to meet Brad & Lisa in person at Baltimore Comic-Con. They are such a positive force in comics and it was an honor to have them on the Cryptid Creator Corner.  Check out their website here: https://www.comicbookcouplescounseling.com/podcast Here is the website for the Pots & Panels Anthology: https://potsandpanels.com/ Our episode sponsors From Within on Kickstarter From Within is a martial arts revenge graphic novel about a slave fighting his way through a deadly tournament where the rules shift at the whims of a tyrannical emperor. It's a mash-up of the high-impact action sequences of Bruce Lee's films with the paranoid thriller undercurrent found in Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips' Sleeper series. Late pledges are enabled if you happen to hear about it after the campaign officially ends. Arkenforge 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

More than any other episode in our 275 plus now, this one hits home for me and is the most personal version of me you are likely ever to get on the show. If you’ve listened to our commercials over the month of September, you should already be familiar with the UnSeen/UnHeard Anthology on Kickstarter, a 64-page anthology that collects 12 new comic short stories about dealing with disabilities or being neurodivergent. I fall into both those camps and rarely get to chat with comics creators who do so it should be no surprise that I’m excited to talk with today's first time guests, co-editors Aubrey Lyn Jeppson and C.K. Carpenter. The challenges that creators with disabilities face is numerous, I've personally turned down quite a few comics projects as a colorist I'd love to have worked on because I didn't want to commit and ultimately let people down and regular listeners will know that from time to time I have to take a break and Jimmy kindly makes sure to keep us on a regular release schedule here on the podcast. These are our stories and this is a unique window into a rare opportunity many disabled creators have to tell them. Please consider backing the project at the link below. unSEEN/unHEARD Anthology on Kickstarter Need a PFP? Make sure to hit up Lane Lloyd Synopsis From the editors that brought you Scott Snyder Presents Tales from the Cloakroom vol. 1 and the Ringo-nominated creator of Etheres comes unSEEN/unHEARD: Disability & Neurodivergence, a 64-page anthology that collects 12 new slice of life, romance, sci-fi, fantasy, and horror short comics about dealing with disabilities or being neurodivergent.   It was vital to us that stories about neurodivergent people and those with disabilities be told by people with those conditions. Similarly, creators with these conditions often find it difficult to make comics consistently, from financial barriers to constant interruptions to the creative process because their energy must go to simply...existing. As such, we wanted to produce this anthology to give those who might not usually get to tell their stories a platform to do so.  The anthology covers a wide spectrum of conditions: AuDHD, Ankylosing Spondilitis, Traumatic Brain Injury, Dyslexia, Spinal Cord Injury, Misophonia associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Tourette Syndrome, Blindness, Fibromyalgia, CPTSD, and more. Furthermore, intersectionality and representation of other marginalized communities is a pillar of Unseen Alchemy Publishing. As such, expect to see 2SLGBTQIA+ and BIPOC representation in our stories.  Anas Abdulhak, Aubrey Lyn Jeppson, and C.K. Carpenter comprise the editorial team. All three of us either have a disability ourselves or are neurodivergent, which was important to us in the formation of this anthology. All three have experience running crowdfunding campaigns: Aubrey Lyn Jeppson and C.K. Carpenter produced the first volume of Scott Snyder Presents Tales from the Cloakroom, and Anas Abdulhak has handled campaigns for such comics as Kill My Boyfriend and Objects in the Mirror. Our episode sponsors From Within on Kickstarter From Within is a martial arts revenge graphic novel about a slave fighting his way through a deadly tournament where the rules shift at the whims of a tyrannical emperor. It's a mash-up of the high-impact action sequences of Bruce Lee's films with the paranoid thriller undercurrent found in Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips' Sleeper series. Late pledges are enabled if you happen to hear about it after the campaign officially ends. Arkenforge 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

Mark London returns! Mark London the CEO/CCO of Mad Cave Studios returns to the podcast and we have so much to discuss. Mark and I talk about some of the amazing series Mad Cave has published this past year for their 10th anniversary, as well as the announcements about Nakama Press and Joe Quesada's Amazing Comics. Mark tells me about the Battlecats Kickstarter, which you can back here until October 22nd. I was also excited to hear more about the Underworld Universe with 3 new series written by Mark, the first of which Revolution 9 is out September 25th. These 3 new series will culminate in a crossover called Endless Night in 2025. I cannot believe how much ground we covered. If you listen to this podcast on any kind of regular basis you know that I am a huge Mad Cave fan so this was a real joy to get to talk about all of these things with Mark. I really think you're gonna love this episode. Be sure to check out Mad Cave's website here: https://madcavestudios.com/ You can follow Mad Cave Studios on Twitter here: https://x.com/MadCaveStudios  Revolution 9 synopsis from the publisher After years as an assassin for the Order of Nine—an ancient order dating back almost 3,000 years—Velveteen has turned her back on the very organization that saved her. Tasked with the murder of otherwise innocent hacker Jasper Dean, she sets off to save his life and discover the terrible secret that marked him for death. With the entire Order after them, Velveteen and Jasper must escape their grasp and prevent them from toppling society as we know it. Revolution 9 is the first thrilling title in Underworld, an all-new universe created by Mark London (Hunt. Kill. Repeat., Battlecats, Knights of the Golden Sun). Each miniseries set within can be savored as a standalone serial, while serving as a stepping stone towards ENDLESS NIGHT, the must-read crossover guaranteed to blow your mind in 2025! Our episode sponsors From Within on Kickstarter From Within is a martial arts revenge graphic novel about a slave fighting his way through a deadly tournament where the rules shift at the whims of a tyrannical emperor. It's a mash-up of the high-impact action sequences of Bruce Lee's films with the paranoid thriller undercurrent found in Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips' Sleeper series. Late pledges are enabled if you happen to hear about it after the campaign officially ends. Arkenforge 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