Hello, My name is Jason Cumcio and I'm Rosie Night, and.

Hello, My name is Jason Cumcio and I'm Rosie Night, and.

Welcome back to X ray Vision at our new home for the podcast. This is the podcast where we're still diving deep into your favorite shows, movies, comics, and pop culture. We're coming to you now from iHeartRadio, where we will be bringing you two episodes a week every Tuesday and Thursday, and we're starting with a giant sized episode celebrating Free Comic Book Day with DC and indie comic giant James Tynan.

Welcome back to X ray Vision at our new home for the podcast. This is the podcast where we're still diving deep into your favorite shows, movies, comics, and pop culture. We're coming to you now from iHeartRadio, where we will be bringing you two episodes a week every Tuesday and Thursday, and we're starting with a giant sized episode celebrating Free Comic Book Day with DC and indie comic giant James Tynan.

In today's episode.

In today's episode.

In the previously on we are talking about that wild Deadpool and Wolverine trailer, which is.

In the previously on we are talking about that wild Deadpool and Wolverine trailer, which is.

Gonna have us saying the word life out's feet.

Gonna have us saying the word life out's feet.

We're gonna have a new section called back Maha where I'm explain what's Free Comic Book Day? Why are we talking about it? Can you really get free comics? The answer is yes. And we'll also be talking about Professor X, that cheeky little man, that cheeky little.

We're gonna have a new section called back Maha where I'm explain what's Free Comic Book Day? Why are we talking about it? Can you really get free comics? The answer is yes. And we'll also be talking about Professor X, that cheeky little man, that cheeky little.

Guy, sneaky Useing Bostard Charles, and of course Magneto and his fate and all of those X Men things as we catch up with X Men ninety seven weekly.

Guy, sneaky Useing Bostard Charles, and of course Magneto and his fate and all of those X Men things as we catch up with X Men ninety seven weekly.

Because of course, we have to do it come on?

Because of course, we have to do it come on?

Well, the long awaited project Deadpool and Wolverine, it has met Sean Levy, It has a name, the third installment in the Wild Deadpool series and the one that is going to introduce a whole bunch of X characters to our larger MCU framework. The trailer has dropped and it's time to talk about it.

Well, the long awaited project Deadpool and Wolverine, it has met Sean Levy, It has a name, the third installment in the Wild Deadpool series and the one that is going to introduce a whole bunch of X characters to our larger MCU framework. The trailer has dropped and it's time to talk about it.

Rosie Wow crazy, And they went fully into this kind of thesis that they have, which seems to be that.

Rosie Wow crazy, And they went fully into this kind of thesis that they have, which seems to be that.

You know, Deadpool has to recruit a version of Wolverine from a different universe.

You know, Deadpool has to recruit a version of Wolverine from a different universe.

It seems where he let everyone down and they.

It seems where he let everyone down and they.

All died, so it's logan esque, but in Logan he dies obviously, and we get the classic blue and yellow costume.

All died, so it's logan esque, but in Logan he dies obviously, and we get the classic blue and yellow costume.

We get the typical.

We get the typical.

Recruitment at a bar. It's very meta and referential. Of course, we get some Deadpool humor with his branded gun.

Recruitment at a bar. It's very meta and referential. Of course, we get some Deadpool humor with his branded gun.

This looks like a lot of fun.

This looks like a lot of fun.

And obviously for comic book fans, there was a huge silly easter egg that we were all dying over, which is the life Failed Feet Store.

And obviously for comic book fans, there was a huge silly easter egg that we were all dying over, which is the life Failed Feet Store.

Oh god, that's that's the big one.

Oh god, that's that's the big one.

Because obviously everyone in comics history, who I have to say, I'm a I disagree on this.

Because obviously everyone in comics history, who I have to say, I'm a I disagree on this.

But people used to rag on Rob Liifelf for not having feet. But if you've actually.

But people used to rag on Rob Liifelf for not having feet. But if you've actually.

Read those old Rob Liefel comics, he was like an abstract genius in his twenties.

Read those old Rob Liefel comics, he was like an abstract genius in his twenties.

Those comics are not supposed to look like.

Those comics are not supposed to look like.

Real anatomy feet antimal, but it is hilarious.

Real anatomy feet antimal, but it is hilarious.

It is hilarious. Let me just first say it is a little overblown. The thing about the feet is that either one they're kind of not in the picture often, yes, you look back at the old, original life old stuff, or the characters are so bulky and top heavy with all the muscles and cargo pouches on their uniforms that it makes the feet look tiny in comparison.

It is hilarious. Let me just first say it is a little overblown. The thing about the feet is that either one they're kind of not in the picture often, yes, you look back at the old, original life old stuff, or the characters are so bulky and top heavy with all the muscles and cargo pouches on their uniforms that it makes the feet look tiny in comparison.

Yeah, like Bruce tim feet, you know, like, yeah, man, the anime. It's serious figurines that you can never ever ever stand up.

Yeah, like Bruce tim feet, you know, like, yeah, man, the anime. It's serious figurines that you can never ever ever stand up.

But the truth is, I think if you go back and you look at like Depo's first appearance the New Mutants ninety eight, which hilariously was like a dollobang comic when we were growing up, but it's now obviously like a very collectible comic, I actually think Lifefeld is like a bit of an abstract genius like his Aye is so strange and different, and I think that's part of the reason that people completely fell for it in the nineties.

But the truth is, I think if you go back and you look at like Depo's first appearance the New Mutants ninety eight, which hilariously was like a dollobang comic when we were growing up, but it's now obviously like a very collectible comic, I actually think Lifefeld is like a bit of an abstract genius like his Aye is so strange and different, and I think that's part of the reason that people completely fell for it in the nineties.

I think it's it's you touched on it. The thing which is like his twenties, He was like nineteen, he was a baby when he became a best selling comic artist, superstar artist, and I think it's impossible to overstate what a breath of fresh air he felt like at the time. And while it's easy to kind of mock his style because it is so recognizable, it also felt like a very necessary break with the past. At the time. It felt like, Oh, this is new, this is like a new energy in comics. Anyway, the easter egg that I personally loved was the huge Hank Pym skull out of which our characters come in one scene from the trailer that appears to me to be a kind of reference to Pim Falls, which is a detail from Old Man Logan, the series which the movie Logan was adapted.

I think it's it's you touched on it. The thing which is like his twenties, He was like nineteen, he was a baby when he became a best selling comic artist, superstar artist, and I think it's impossible to overstate what a breath of fresh air he felt like at the time. And while it's easy to kind of mock his style because it is so recognizable, it also felt like a very necessary break with the past. At the time. It felt like, Oh, this is new, this is like a new energy in comics. Anyway, the easter egg that I personally loved was the huge Hank Pym skull out of which our characters come in one scene from the trailer that appears to me to be a kind of reference to Pim Falls, which is a detail from Old Man Logan, the series which the movie Logan was adapted.

Well, I was gonna say, I actually think we in a meta kind of way. I think this actually might be more of a close adaptation of Old Man Logan, because Logan wasn't really that it was kind of a complete it was take Logan, he's old, He's in the post apocalypse, what do you do?

Well, I was gonna say, I actually think we in a meta kind of way. I think this actually might be more of a close adaptation of Old Man Logan, because Logan wasn't really that it was kind of a complete it was take Logan, he's old, He's in the post apocalypse, what do you do?

But this has some real nods towards it.

But this has some real nods towards it.

I mean they talk about how Logan let down his whole team, he let down the X Men.

I mean they talk about how Logan let down his whole team, he let down the X Men.

Obviously in Old Men, Logan he kills all of the.

Obviously in Old Men, Logan he kills all of the.

X Men with an because of RP and spoiler alert for an old comic, because he is kind of tricked by a magneto. And we also get some stuff here that just looks like it could be more into that wasteland space. We get the Red Skull car, which kind of could hint that maybe the Red Skull has killed the Avengers, which is another thing from Old Man Logan. So it's very interesting and it's just full of Easter eggs. And I also think one of the biggest things is everything we've seen from this movie has probably been from like ten minutes.

X Men with an because of RP and spoiler alert for an old comic, because he is kind of tricked by a magneto. And we also get some stuff here that just looks like it could be more into that wasteland space. We get the Red Skull car, which kind of could hint that maybe the Red Skull has killed the Avengers, which is another thing from Old Man Logan. So it's very interesting and it's just full of Easter eggs. And I also think one of the biggest things is everything we've seen from this movie has probably been from like ten minutes.

Of the movie. That's how it really.

Of the movie. That's how it really.

Feels, and that's how it always and I feel like here it's extra obvious, and I think that's why for some people I was really interested to see. Like for some people, this trailer didn't hit whereas like in our discord and in my kind of circles, everyone.

Feels, and that's how it always and I feel like here it's extra obvious, and I think that's why for some people I was really interested to see. Like for some people, this trailer didn't hit whereas like in our discord and in my kind of circles, everyone.

Was like loving it.

Was like loving it.

I did see for some people they were kind of like, oh, you know, I'm not sure if this is for me. Sean Levy said, it's a no homework movie, so you can just go in and enjoy it. Though obviously I think it's funny when people say that because also I'm like, Cassandra Nova is in this movie.

I did see for some people they were kind of like, oh, you know, I'm not sure if this is for me. Sean Levy said, it's a no homework movie, so you can just go in and enjoy it. Though obviously I think it's funny when people say that because also I'm like, Cassandra Nova is in this movie.

Yea, it is clearly like a big part of the plot.

Yea, it is clearly like a big part of the plot.

Like you could argue that the amt Man head or the Hank Pim head is also like that could be from what because we saw the Giant Zombie and you know, but we do get some other fun mutants here.

Like you could argue that the amt Man head or the Hank Pim head is also like that could be from what because we saw the Giant Zombie and you know, but we do get some other fun mutants here.

We get to see Lady death Strike, probably Callisto.

We get to see Lady death Strike, probably Callisto.

I think, so we're gonna see those Fox characters as Zazel's.

I think, so we're gonna see those Fox characters as Zazel's.

In there, and I do think that we were kind of right.

In there, and I do think that we were kind of right.

Will see when the movie comes out, but we'd kind of proposed this theory of our live show at like Comic Con, that it was going to be Deadpool kills the Fox universe, and it does kind of seem like that, but it also seems like he's gonna have to save it. We also get dog Pool, which I loved, and they're doing a lot of teleporting Doctor Strange's style.

Will see when the movie comes out, but we'd kind of proposed this theory of our live show at like Comic Con, that it was going to be Deadpool kills the Fox universe, and it does kind of seem like that, but it also seems like he's gonna have to save it. We also get dog Pool, which I loved, and they're doing a lot of teleporting Doctor Strange's style.

So basically it's completely bonkers and we'll have to wait to see what happens.

So basically it's completely bonkers and we'll have to wait to see what happens.

Now, the question which we it feels like we asked all the time on our old show, and I think which is quite present with the release of this trailer, is what does this mean for the X Men? How do we get the X Men into the MCU? The Time Variance Authority gives us one version where they're from an altered universe, but how do you how do you think it happens? How do you think they do it?

Now, the question which we it feels like we asked all the time on our old show, and I think which is quite present with the release of this trailer, is what does this mean for the X Men? How do we get the X Men into the MCU? The Time Variance Authority gives us one version where they're from an altered universe, but how do you how do you think it happens? How do you think they do it?

So I think that the end of this movie will probably be that all the Fox versions of the X Men are dead, right? Will they be able to get you know, Santa Stark to come back after a.

So I think that the end of this movie will probably be that all the Fox versions of the X Men are dead, right? Will they be able to get you know, Santa Stark to come back after a.

Much maligned performance. I don't know. It depends how good Sean Levy.

Much maligned performance. I don't know. It depends how good Sean Levy.

Is a schmoozing, but I think that we'll end up in a position where we can have entirely new X Men and probably where like only Deadpool and Logan remember that any of this ever happened. So the MCU is basically a clean slate for a new generation of X Men, which I do think will likely be similar to the X Men ninety seven lineups that we've seen, because those are reflected in those new X Men comics, which we talked about on our X Men ninety seven episode. So I do think this is gonna pave the way. But also, what do they do if it's a billion dollar movie and they want to kind of continue both worlds? I don't know.

Is a schmoozing, but I think that we'll end up in a position where we can have entirely new X Men and probably where like only Deadpool and Logan remember that any of this ever happened. So the MCU is basically a clean slate for a new generation of X Men, which I do think will likely be similar to the X Men ninety seven lineups that we've seen, because those are reflected in those new X Men comics, which we talked about on our X Men ninety seven episode. So I do think this is gonna pave the way. But also, what do they do if it's a billion dollar movie and they want to kind of continue both worlds? I don't know.

It's kind of a can they have their cake and eat it scenario? What do you think?

It's kind of a can they have their cake and eat it scenario? What do you think?

Ah?

Ah?

Well, I agree, I agree with us that this is going to be some version of killing off the various variants that are the five X Men universe. Then I think there's gonna be some sort of singularity that brings Deadpool, Wolverine and others into our universe. And the question is, then is there an off ramp for the illustrious mister Hugh Jackman, who is playing Wolverine now for twenty years for and while I think he is fantastic and obviously iconic, is the character we probably need somebody new and how do you get him off? And I think that how you get him off is how you introduce the other X Men. Yeah, speaking of the X Men, let's just talk a little bit about a joy in our life, right, now X Men ninety seven on Disney Plus. We talked about it at length in our preview episodes, and we have to keep talking about it because, Uh, it is just going so hard.

Well, I agree, I agree with us that this is going to be some version of killing off the various variants that are the five X Men universe. Then I think there's gonna be some sort of singularity that brings Deadpool, Wolverine and others into our universe. And the question is, then is there an off ramp for the illustrious mister Hugh Jackman, who is playing Wolverine now for twenty years for and while I think he is fantastic and obviously iconic, is the character we probably need somebody new and how do you get him off? And I think that how you get him off is how you introduce the other X Men. Yeah, speaking of the X Men, let's just talk a little bit about a joy in our life, right, now X Men ninety seven on Disney Plus. We talked about it at length in our preview episodes, and we have to keep talking about it because, Uh, it is just going so hard.

Yeah, I don't believe.

Yeah, I don't believe.

It's unbelievable. And to tie it back to our conversation about Deadpool, I am kind of wondering how much X Men ninety seven. To what degree X Men ninety seven is like a stress test for certain storylines. I think for the introduction of the X Men to the MCU, I think so.

It's unbelievable. And to tie it back to our conversation about Deadpool, I am kind of wondering how much X Men ninety seven. To what degree X Men ninety seven is like a stress test for certain storylines. I think for the introduction of the X Men to the MCU, I think so.

I think it's I think it's re upping people's recognition of these characters and reminding them who they are. This is their powers, this is the different team members, these are the kind of law that has built them, and also seeing how people respond to certain stuff. I wouldn't be surprised if we got a reimagining of Genosha in Them See You because of how hard episode five hit, you know, I think that episode six, which was your cosmic Shia episode, which is what we've kind of been theorizing they would do.

I think it's I think it's re upping people's recognition of these characters and reminding them who they are. This is their powers, this is the different team members, these are the kind of law that has built them, and also seeing how people respond to certain stuff. I wouldn't be surprised if we got a reimagining of Genosha in Them See You because of how hard episode five hit, you know, I think that episode six, which was your cosmic Shia episode, which is what we've kind of been theorizing they would do.

I would love to see them do that.

I would love to see them do that.

But I also think that they probably should have switched Life def Part two, which was your shear episode and switched that with episode seven because I feel like episode seven felt like a more obvious continuation of episode five, and I think it would have kept people more engaged.

But I also think that they probably should have switched Life def Part two, which was your shear episode and switched that with episode seven because I feel like episode seven felt like a more obvious continuation of episode five, and I think it would have kept people more engaged.

So I think that Shear Stuff might be a little further off.

So I think that Shear Stuff might be a little further off.

I think that that didn't hit as hard for those of us who maybe didn't already know about it, But it has been fun to see people learn that Charles Xavier kind of sucks some.

I think that that didn't hit as hard for those of us who maybe didn't already know about it, But it has been fun to see people learn that Charles Xavier kind of sucks some.

Bad guy, and I'm like, babe, is Charles is Charles a kind of a bad guy? Let me tell you.

Bad guy, and I'm like, babe, is Charles is Charles a kind of a bad guy? Let me tell you.

And everyone's like, well, let us tell you. But yeah, I think I loved seeing that she are stuff. But I do think this is a stress test. I do think they're going to see how people deal with it. I do think that after this series, Gambit is much more likely to show up in these movies, which I kind of didn't really think would happen, but they did good Gambit propaganda in this. I think we're definitely going to get a version of the original five. I think we're gonna get your Scott, your.

And everyone's like, well, let us tell you. But yeah, I think I loved seeing that she are stuff. But I do think this is a stress test. I do think they're going to see how people deal with it. I do think that after this series, Gambit is much more likely to show up in these movies, which I kind of didn't really think would happen, but they did good Gambit propaganda in this. I think we're definitely going to get a version of the original five. I think we're gonna get your Scott, your.

Gene, your Wolverine.

Gene, your Wolverine.

But I think that if they're smart and they follow what Bodomeo and the team did, they're definitely going to play into the love triangle of it all.

But I think that if they're smart and they follow what Bodomeo and the team did, they're definitely going to play into the love triangle of it all.

They need that, you need that, and you know.

They need that, you need that, and you know.

I would be interested to see them expand on Storm. I think Storm hasn't been as central as I would have made her in this series. But also I think if your smart Storm is probably your entry point to the X Men in the MCU. But yeah, I mean, it's just continues to deliver. I thought episode seven was up there with the best episodes that they've done, and it was just a total, you know, joy to see these characters. And I mean, we just got a huge introduction of a comic book character that a lot of people have probably never even heard of in Bastion.

I would be interested to see them expand on Storm. I think Storm hasn't been as central as I would have made her in this series. But also I think if your smart Storm is probably your entry point to the X Men in the MCU. But yeah, I mean, it's just continues to deliver. I thought episode seven was up there with the best episodes that they've done, and it was just a total, you know, joy to see these characters. And I mean, we just got a huge introduction of a comic book character that a lot of people have probably never even heard of in Bastion.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I mean one of the another weird product of the late nineties early two thousand's Bastion is a sentiententirely of vol machine Man yeah, who is at Killer.

I mean one of the another weird product of the late nineties early two thousand's Bastion is a sentiententirely of vol machine Man yeah, who is at Killer.

Yeah, And it's this thing Operation zero Tolerance. So I would be interested to see if we maybe get something from that, Scott Lobdell, which is like I was surprised to see them draw from this, but like Uncanny X Men three f three, that kind of era of mutants being a truly targeted population, and then that could set up as we've always been asking how.

Yeah, And it's this thing Operation zero Tolerance. So I would be interested to see if we maybe get something from that, Scott Lobdell, which is like I was surprised to see them draw from this, but like Uncanny X Men three f three, that kind of era of mutants being a truly targeted population, and then that could set up as we've always been asking how.

Are mutants hated and feared?

Are mutants hated and feared?

And that's been one of the big questions in a world where you have like Avengers, Action figures, how do you have a time where mutants and superheroes are feared? And I think that having something like Operation Zero Tolerance, essentially like a militia group who want to kill mutants, that's a good way to establish that. So it'll be interesting to see if that comes through in the MCU.

And that's been one of the big questions in a world where you have like Avengers, Action figures, how do you have a time where mutants and superheroes are feared? And I think that having something like Operation Zero Tolerance, essentially like a militia group who want to kill mutants, that's a good way to establish that. So it'll be interesting to see if that comes through in the MCU.

I'm glad you brought that up because I think the one thing that has been so effective about X Men ninety seven when we say it's going hard and all those things, and I think what that means is the X Men are perfect anti hero in the Marvel mums, which I didn't you know, as the X Men were my favorite team, my favorite characters, so I always saw them as heroes, flat out heroes. But within the larger MCU, they're kind of they're not the bad guys, they're not the good guys. They're outlaws. Certainly outlaws, I think is the way to put it. That is the central tension between the X Men and the Avengers in the Marvel Universe, which is the Avengers are great, they're heroes, they're by the book, they're the lawful ones, and they have a lot of excuses about why they couldn't be there when mutants were being wiped out, or they could they were they didn't know about this government program that's actually working on a weapon to destroy mutants, and the mutants are like, well, then we're going to have to do things ourselves. And I think that dynamic where you've got this group of superpower people who are just like, well, we have to protect ourselves and we have to do something about this threat that we are under, and we're going to do something. Is It's such a great way to drive tension and potentially generate anger at these characters in the world, fear of them. And I hope that that is a thing that they can capture because the X Men are a diversity metaphor. They are a metaphor about out groups. They are a metaphor about oppression, and that is central to who they are. And if they could figure out a way to capture that, that will be the thing that injects new life into the MCU.

I'm glad you brought that up because I think the one thing that has been so effective about X Men ninety seven when we say it's going hard and all those things, and I think what that means is the X Men are perfect anti hero in the Marvel mums, which I didn't you know, as the X Men were my favorite team, my favorite characters, so I always saw them as heroes, flat out heroes. But within the larger MCU, they're kind of they're not the bad guys, they're not the good guys. They're outlaws. Certainly outlaws, I think is the way to put it. That is the central tension between the X Men and the Avengers in the Marvel Universe, which is the Avengers are great, they're heroes, they're by the book, they're the lawful ones, and they have a lot of excuses about why they couldn't be there when mutants were being wiped out, or they could they were they didn't know about this government program that's actually working on a weapon to destroy mutants, and the mutants are like, well, then we're going to have to do things ourselves. And I think that dynamic where you've got this group of superpower people who are just like, well, we have to protect ourselves and we have to do something about this threat that we are under, and we're going to do something. Is It's such a great way to drive tension and potentially generate anger at these characters in the world, fear of them. And I hope that that is a thing that they can capture because the X Men are a diversity metaphor. They are a metaphor about out groups. They are a metaphor about oppression, and that is central to who they are. And if they could figure out a way to capture that, that will be the thing that injects new life into the MCU.

And you can also, like you said, the diversity angle, you can actually use it to like have that meta critique and conversation about the conversations that people have been having about these movies.

And you can also, like you said, the diversity angle, you can actually use it to like have that meta critique and conversation about the conversations that people have been having about these movies.

Yeah, the way that that the really fantastic.

Yeah, the way that that the really fantastic.

Scott Pilgrim show, which we'll talk about in a different episode, but that basically was in conversation with everyone who'd been talking about the comics and the movies for like a decade plus.

Scott Pilgrim show, which we'll talk about in a different episode, but that basically was in conversation with everyone who'd been talking about the comics and the movies for like a decade plus.

And I think that the X Men could.

And I think that the X Men could.

Allow they could be the in characters for us saying like whoaa, whoa wa, why would you work with the government if they're the ones who create at the sentinels, Like, there's no compromise here. It's and especially in a world where we are getting a TV show with X Men ninety seven that essentially consistently says Magneo was right.

Allow they could be the in characters for us saying like whoaa, whoa wa, why would you work with the government if they're the ones who create at the sentinels, Like, there's no compromise here. It's and especially in a world where we are getting a TV show with X Men ninety seven that essentially consistently says Magneo was right.

Again, hone, He's still alive. Wonderful.

Again, hone, He's still alive. Wonderful.

Up next to our conversation with James Tynan, James Tynan is the Eyes Are and Glad Award winning mastermind behind The Nice House in the Lake, Something's Killing the Children, Batman, The Department of Truth, the Crazy Department of Truth, that many many more. With the announcement of a sequel to The Nice House in the Lake, The Nice House by the Sea. We're incredibly excited to have James Makers X Ray Vision debut on our comeback episode. James, thank you so much for joining us.

Up next to our conversation with James Tynan, James Tynan is the Eyes Are and Glad Award winning mastermind behind The Nice House in the Lake, Something's Killing the Children, Batman, The Department of Truth, the Crazy Department of Truth, that many many more. With the announcement of a sequel to The Nice House in the Lake, The Nice House by the Sea. We're incredibly excited to have James Makers X Ray Vision debut on our comeback episode. James, thank you so much for joining us.

Thank you so much for having me. I'm really really happy to be here.

Thank you so much for having me. I'm really really happy to be here.

Yeah, it's gonna be a delightful We're so happy you could join us. So when we have folks on the show, we often begin by just asking them kind of like it's a big question for people like us, but what's your comic book origin story? Like, what was the comic that made you fall in love with comics? What was the moment when you thought, oh, this is something I want to do, or what's just a comic that kind of sparked your love.

Yeah, it's gonna be a delightful We're so happy you could join us. So when we have folks on the show, we often begin by just asking them kind of like it's a big question for people like us, but what's your comic book origin story? Like, what was the comic that made you fall in love with comics? What was the moment when you thought, oh, this is something I want to do, or what's just a comic that kind of sparked your love.

So it's honestly kind of of the moment right now now that we're in the heyday of X Men ninety seven. But the first comic I ever remember picking up in a comic book shop was an issue of X Men Adventures, the comic book tie in series two, the animated series, when I must have been about five or six years old.

So it's honestly kind of of the moment right now now that we're in the heyday of X Men ninety seven. But the first comic I ever remember picking up in a comic book shop was an issue of X Men Adventures, the comic book tie in series two, the animated series, when I must have been about five or six years old.

Wow, And.

Wow, And.

I remember picking it up and it was a Mojo issue, a very bizarre entry point into the X Men franchise, but it made me like I was. I was dragged in you know, the both the X Men animated series in the Batman animated series were the things that pulled me into an interest in superheroes, which then pulled me into a comic shop and then made me a fan of the medium, and then I've been here ever since.

I remember picking it up and it was a Mojo issue, a very bizarre entry point into the X Men franchise, but it made me like I was. I was dragged in you know, the both the X Men animated series in the Batman animated series were the things that pulled me into an interest in superheroes, which then pulled me into a comic shop and then made me a fan of the medium, and then I've been here ever since.

What was it like to then, I mean, I'm gonna go with skipping forward a little bit here, but like you mentioned Batman the animated series, So what was it like to then get to write Batman after that being one of your entry points?

What was it like to then, I mean, I'm gonna go with skipping forward a little bit here, but like you mentioned Batman the animated series, So what was it like to then get to write Batman after that being one of your entry points?

Incredibly intimidating, Like just the most wildly intimidating thing. My career started a little unusually where I had been the writing assistant to Scott Snyder when he before he had actually started writing comic books. It was when he had been my professor at Sarah Lawrence College, and I was helping him do research for a novel that he had been working on. But I was a big comic book eek. So once he actually started talking to you know, DC and Marvel and started getting work through them, he eventually like was like, Hey, they just asked me if I could do backup stories on this thing, would you be willing to co write them with me, and I was like, yes, absolutely, peace. But it was like the early on, I was like I'm not allowed to write Batman, like I will write any supporting character in all of that. But there was an annual that we wrote together, This would have been in twenty twelve that like I was just like, I will write all of the Mister Freeze bits, I will write everything else, but you actually have to write the dialogue for Batman because I'm not allowed to do that yet. And Scott had to very patiently like get me on the phone and just be like, James, I brought you on because my schedule's insane right now, and I really really need you to write the Batman bits as well, like that is part of the assignment. And I just like I had like a panic attack, and then I just had to sort of center myself and sort of you know, find the voice of Batman and me, which was the voice of Kevin Conroy. So it was the you know, I was able to sort of channel the voice of Batman that really spoke to me and then try to bring it to life on the page. And yeah, but very intimidating, very very intimidating to walk into Gotham City for the first time.

Incredibly intimidating, Like just the most wildly intimidating thing. My career started a little unusually where I had been the writing assistant to Scott Snyder when he before he had actually started writing comic books. It was when he had been my professor at Sarah Lawrence College, and I was helping him do research for a novel that he had been working on. But I was a big comic book eek. So once he actually started talking to you know, DC and Marvel and started getting work through them, he eventually like was like, Hey, they just asked me if I could do backup stories on this thing, would you be willing to co write them with me, and I was like, yes, absolutely, peace. But it was like the early on, I was like I'm not allowed to write Batman, like I will write any supporting character in all of that. But there was an annual that we wrote together, This would have been in twenty twelve that like I was just like, I will write all of the Mister Freeze bits, I will write everything else, but you actually have to write the dialogue for Batman because I'm not allowed to do that yet. And Scott had to very patiently like get me on the phone and just be like, James, I brought you on because my schedule's insane right now, and I really really need you to write the Batman bits as well, like that is part of the assignment. And I just like I had like a panic attack, and then I just had to sort of center myself and sort of you know, find the voice of Batman and me, which was the voice of Kevin Conroy. So it was the you know, I was able to sort of channel the voice of Batman that really spoke to me and then try to bring it to life on the page. And yeah, but very intimidating, very very intimidating to walk into Gotham City for the first time.

I mean, speaking of voice, I mean we have to talk about the Nice House on the Lake, which I think we've just been gushing about Rosie and I It's so good. I mean reading it, you're like, oh, this is going to be one of those classic graphic novels that even people who don't collect comics or aren't at the comic shop on a weekly basis, will have like on their bookshelf next to like Sandman and Watchmen, et cetera. It's so great and one of the you talking about voices, one of the things that stands out for me writing is your ability to capture the voices of your characters and make them feel so visort of and real. And Nice House in the Lake is an incredible example of that. How do you generate that? How do you how do you find the voices of all of those characters, specifically in Nice House and the Lake, in order to make that story feel so emotionally powerful.

I mean, speaking of voice, I mean we have to talk about the Nice House on the Lake, which I think we've just been gushing about Rosie and I It's so good. I mean reading it, you're like, oh, this is going to be one of those classic graphic novels that even people who don't collect comics or aren't at the comic shop on a weekly basis, will have like on their bookshelf next to like Sandman and Watchmen, et cetera. It's so great and one of the you talking about voices, one of the things that stands out for me writing is your ability to capture the voices of your characters and make them feel so visort of and real. And Nice House in the Lake is an incredible example of that. How do you generate that? How do you how do you find the voices of all of those characters, specifically in Nice House and the Lake, in order to make that story feel so emotionally powerful.

I mean, so Nice House is a very personal comic to me. It's something that you know, I think when people look at a picture of me or see me, they can kind of see that there's a little bit of Walter in me just keep generally speaking, and the character is very much based on me in my voice and how I interact with the world, and a lot of the characters that are around Walter in the house, there are sort of hybrids of a few of my friends that have sort of like you know, blended together, as you know, and then changed to fit into a fictional universe. But it is something where it's like I already always have a kind of true north of like what I'm trying to accomplish with these characters and like, and then on top of that, I have a real sense of the like the emotional relationships between all of the characters and their dynamics. Like I wanted to in building out that house, I wanted to make sure we had a real blend of personalities because otherwise you have you do like, you can't do a an eleven person cast when every every character sounds exactly the same. And then on top of that, that's just not all that interesting. As a writer, you want to have characters who are going to react very differently in different situations and sort of being able to lean into those specific voices and try to capture something real, Like that's the you know, that's the joy of being a writer. It's like, this is the book that I try to make the real like honestly the realist of any of the books that I do. Uh, it's you know, it's the book Like I've said this before, but it's like it's the book that I write to scare my therapist. Like yeah, like there's a joy in trying to scare your therapist and a book that you're doing.

I mean, so Nice House is a very personal comic to me. It's something that you know, I think when people look at a picture of me or see me, they can kind of see that there's a little bit of Walter in me just keep generally speaking, and the character is very much based on me in my voice and how I interact with the world, and a lot of the characters that are around Walter in the house, there are sort of hybrids of a few of my friends that have sort of like you know, blended together, as you know, and then changed to fit into a fictional universe. But it is something where it's like I already always have a kind of true north of like what I'm trying to accomplish with these characters and like, and then on top of that, I have a real sense of the like the emotional relationships between all of the characters and their dynamics. Like I wanted to in building out that house, I wanted to make sure we had a real blend of personalities because otherwise you have you do like, you can't do a an eleven person cast when every every character sounds exactly the same. And then on top of that, that's just not all that interesting. As a writer, you want to have characters who are going to react very differently in different situations and sort of being able to lean into those specific voices and try to capture something real, Like that's the you know, that's the joy of being a writer. It's like, this is the book that I try to make the real like honestly the realist of any of the books that I do. Uh, it's you know, it's the book Like I've said this before, but it's like it's the book that I write to scare my therapist. Like yeah, like there's a joy in trying to scare your therapist and a book that you're doing.

Oh so, how do you come to DC Comics right and say, Hey, so I want to do a book that's not superheroes, that is going to not be tied to your universe, and I want it to scare my therapist. And also it is an apocalypse book and it's an alien book. But most of it just takes place in a house, and there's a lot of talking like what is the pitch like? Because it seems like it's a hard sell, even though once you and Alvaro are like working on it, it's so readable, it's so engaging.

Oh so, how do you come to DC Comics right and say, Hey, so I want to do a book that's not superheroes, that is going to not be tied to your universe, and I want it to scare my therapist. And also it is an apocalypse book and it's an alien book. But most of it just takes place in a house, and there's a lot of talking like what is the pitch like? Because it seems like it's a hard sell, even though once you and Alvaro are like working on it, it's so readable, it's so engaging.

How did this How did it come about? That ended up at DC?

How did this How did it come about? That ended up at DC?

So, I mean, you know, it always started with that kind of the core conceit it's just like that, you have this dynamic friend who invites ten of ten of his closest friends to a house on a lake for a nice, fun weekend over summer, and then once they get there, they realize that it's the end of the world outside, that they're never leaving that house, and that their friend is actually a part of some non human form of being that has trapped them there and is involved with the entire destruction of humanity in the apocalypse outside of it. Like that was in the original one page pitch, and it was a description of the first issue, even though it would be about two or three years until I wrote it. And honestly, when I pitched it the first time, it was at a moment where I wasn't sure what the future of Creator Owned at DC was going to look. Like it was sort of the start of DC Black Label, and they had kind of wound down the Vertigo imprint over there, and you know, but like I was exclusive at DC, so like contractually I needed to like pass things along. But the other thing before I was i'd be able to take them out of house. But the you know, the thing that had changed is that the editor who had originally paired Olvaro and myself together on Batman Eternal and then Detective Comics, and then that all leading into our work on Justice League Dark. You know, was it was suddenly the person you know, making the decisions over at at DC Black Label, and he really really loved the book. And then around that time, it was also when I launched my my Boom series Something Is Killing the Children, which really sort of set off a new chapter in my career. And you know, I remember, like I remember sitting with uh, you know, the publisher of d C at the time, and he was just like, you know, I want you to bring that kind of horror energy that you're bringing over there to d C. And I'm like, you have a bitch. And then we got it up and running and you know, and thankfully, and d C has been an incredibly good steward for this book, and you know, it's an incredible honor, like the you know that it's I'm I'm incredibly incredibly happy with it. I don't know.

So, I mean, you know, it always started with that kind of the core conceit it's just like that, you have this dynamic friend who invites ten of ten of his closest friends to a house on a lake for a nice, fun weekend over summer, and then once they get there, they realize that it's the end of the world outside, that they're never leaving that house, and that their friend is actually a part of some non human form of being that has trapped them there and is involved with the entire destruction of humanity in the apocalypse outside of it. Like that was in the original one page pitch, and it was a description of the first issue, even though it would be about two or three years until I wrote it. And honestly, when I pitched it the first time, it was at a moment where I wasn't sure what the future of Creator Owned at DC was going to look. Like it was sort of the start of DC Black Label, and they had kind of wound down the Vertigo imprint over there, and you know, but like I was exclusive at DC, so like contractually I needed to like pass things along. But the other thing before I was i'd be able to take them out of house. But the you know, the thing that had changed is that the editor who had originally paired Olvaro and myself together on Batman Eternal and then Detective Comics, and then that all leading into our work on Justice League Dark. You know, was it was suddenly the person you know, making the decisions over at at DC Black Label, and he really really loved the book. And then around that time, it was also when I launched my my Boom series Something Is Killing the Children, which really sort of set off a new chapter in my career. And you know, I remember, like I remember sitting with uh, you know, the publisher of d C at the time, and he was just like, you know, I want you to bring that kind of horror energy that you're bringing over there to d C. And I'm like, you have a bitch. And then we got it up and running and you know, and thankfully, and d C has been an incredibly good steward for this book, and you know, it's an incredible honor, like the you know that it's I'm I'm incredibly incredibly happy with it. I don't know.

Just what, right, Yeah, the second cycle to The Nice House in the Lake is coming out this summer. What if anything can you tell us?

Just what, right, Yeah, the second cycle to The Nice House in the Lake is coming out this summer. What if anything can you tell us?

I mean, at core, like the Nice House saga in general is defined by its mysteries and its twists and its turns. So you know what we're saying, like right out the gate, like you know, yes, we're we're introducing a new house. Yes, there's a whole bunch of new characters. And how does this connect to everything that you've known and loved from the first cycle. You're going to have to read the book like it is the you know that is uh, that's sort of what I'm laying out there, but it is just like it Like one thing that was very something that I really wanted to tap into is the first cycle deals with basically a friend group coming together in a house and the dynamics and the tensions that come from people who have known each other decades in some case, and then some of them have only known each other for like they may have been to five parties together ever. But it's just like, and how did those dynamics when they all center around one person who is then no longer really there to be the center of the that experience? The you know, that was sort of what drove me in that first volume. For this volume, I wanted to come at it from the exact opposite angle where we are now seeing kind of the ideal version of what Walter was supposed to do with his house. He was supposed to go out there and find ten of the most exceptional people in each of their fields and then put them all in a house together. But the issue is is that once you put ten people who do not know each other, that are all like, very prominent in their individual fields and all that, and you throw them in a house together, there is no guarantee that those people are going to like each other. In fact, it's most likely that they're not going to And so we're going to kind of be able to see the ways in which Walter may have been right in how he built his house the first time. And that is the hint at some of the stuff that's coming in the series.

I mean, at core, like the Nice House saga in general is defined by its mysteries and its twists and its turns. So you know what we're saying, like right out the gate, like you know, yes, we're we're introducing a new house. Yes, there's a whole bunch of new characters. And how does this connect to everything that you've known and loved from the first cycle. You're going to have to read the book like it is the you know that is uh, that's sort of what I'm laying out there, but it is just like it Like one thing that was very something that I really wanted to tap into is the first cycle deals with basically a friend group coming together in a house and the dynamics and the tensions that come from people who have known each other decades in some case, and then some of them have only known each other for like they may have been to five parties together ever. But it's just like, and how did those dynamics when they all center around one person who is then no longer really there to be the center of the that experience? The you know, that was sort of what drove me in that first volume. For this volume, I wanted to come at it from the exact opposite angle where we are now seeing kind of the ideal version of what Walter was supposed to do with his house. He was supposed to go out there and find ten of the most exceptional people in each of their fields and then put them all in a house together. But the issue is is that once you put ten people who do not know each other, that are all like, very prominent in their individual fields and all that, and you throw them in a house together, there is no guarantee that those people are going to like each other. In fact, it's most likely that they're not going to And so we're going to kind of be able to see the ways in which Walter may have been right in how he built his house the first time. And that is the hint at some of the stuff that's coming in the series.

I love that, and obviously like a big part of the first cycle is this kind of unbelievable the way Alvarro would bring the house to life, right the chitet troll beauty of the house and the location, and also these kind of incredible double page spreads that have a hyper amount of panels but not a lot of action.

I love that, and obviously like a big part of the first cycle is this kind of unbelievable the way Alvarro would bring the house to life, right the chitet troll beauty of the house and the location, and also these kind of incredible double page spreads that have a hyper amount of panels but not a lot of action.

So could you sort of talk tease.

So could you sort of talk tease.

A little bit of how Alvro's work is going to kind of expand or play into that in the new cycle.

A little bit of how Alvro's work is going to kind of expand or play into that in the new cycle.

Honestly, the development process of both series was so fun because there's a whole part of it where we're just sending each other Zillow listings like these beautiful elaborate.

Honestly, the development process of both series was so fun because there's a whole part of it where we're just sending each other Zillow listings like these beautiful elaborate.

Homes millennial friendship. I lived it.

Homes millennial friendship. I lived it.

It was like, honestly, the you know it was it set some goals you know, long off in the future, but the you know, but this time around. Initially, what I was thinking when I originally pitched out a nice house by the sea, I was sort of picture picturing a kind of Caribbean esthetic that sort of like beach house vibe. And Aldro was the one who sort of came in, Like Alvro was based in Spain, and he was just like, I have the idea of this kind of like Mediterranean via like and like trying to really capture that kind of aesthetic, which is so like fundamentally different than how I initially was approaching it. But then once he started sending in these reference images of what he wanted to capture in this space, like it was just like, yes, please, like I want to, I want to go visit there.

It was like, honestly, the you know it was it set some goals you know, long off in the future, but the you know, but this time around. Initially, what I was thinking when I originally pitched out a nice house by the sea, I was sort of picture picturing a kind of Caribbean esthetic that sort of like beach house vibe. And Aldro was the one who sort of came in, Like Alvro was based in Spain, and he was just like, I have the idea of this kind of like Mediterranean via like and like trying to really capture that kind of aesthetic, which is so like fundamentally different than how I initially was approaching it. But then once he started sending in these reference images of what he wanted to capture in this space, like it was just like, yes, please, like I want to, I want to go visit there.

I would love to.

I would love to.

I would definitely love to stay in that house. And I mean like that's the that's always the push in the pull. It's like, this is need you know, we are establishing these uh, these little paradises for these characters to be trapped inside of and uh, you know, and it needs to feel like paradise. And so you know, thankfully Alvro loves that kind of design work and building these spaces. And then on top of that, like you know, Olvera and I have worked together so long and we've always liked dense storytelling, and that is key in nice House. And it's something that like I've always wanted when you pick up one of my comic books for it to be a kind of dense experience. I don't want it to be a sort of especially a single comic book issue can be an awful value at the store where it's just like here's twenty five pages and if you can read the whole thing in two minutes, like you know what, you know, what's the point. I want you to sit with it, especially because we're doing horror. I want to you know, really pace you through it. And so the density of panels, the density of dialogue, and a density of information on the page, slows down the reading process and allows us to control more of the tension and how we build the tension. It's one of my favorite tricks, and I like, you know, I use it in my other books too, but it is the you know like it. I think it's it's really fundamental to how the series works. Is especially because Ulvaro is such a talented artist. He is able to get so much information across even when you're on a double page spread that has you know, somewhere between twelve to sixteen panels.

I would definitely love to stay in that house. And I mean like that's the that's always the push in the pull. It's like, this is need you know, we are establishing these uh, these little paradises for these characters to be trapped inside of and uh, you know, and it needs to feel like paradise. And so you know, thankfully Alvro loves that kind of design work and building these spaces. And then on top of that, like you know, Olvera and I have worked together so long and we've always liked dense storytelling, and that is key in nice House. And it's something that like I've always wanted when you pick up one of my comic books for it to be a kind of dense experience. I don't want it to be a sort of especially a single comic book issue can be an awful value at the store where it's just like here's twenty five pages and if you can read the whole thing in two minutes, like you know what, you know, what's the point. I want you to sit with it, especially because we're doing horror. I want to you know, really pace you through it. And so the density of panels, the density of dialogue, and a density of information on the page, slows down the reading process and allows us to control more of the tension and how we build the tension. It's one of my favorite tricks, and I like, you know, I use it in my other books too, but it is the you know like it. I think it's it's really fundamental to how the series works. Is especially because Ulvaro is such a talented artist. He is able to get so much information across even when you're on a double page spread that has you know, somewhere between twelve to sixteen panels.

Speaking of the tensions, Nice House is incredibly tense, wonderfully thrilling, just really spooky with the twist and turns. But there's this really unique speaking of your tricks, there's a really unique sense of playfulness too that is sprinkled throughout. That made me think, please don't hate me. This is crazy to quote Walder, but it made me think of like the reality show Big Brother or the video game The Sims. You know, this kind of like godlike view of characters trapped in a house so you can do things too. And I'm wondering, does that resonate it off? Is there anything to that?

Speaking of the tensions, Nice House is incredibly tense, wonderfully thrilling, just really spooky with the twist and turns. But there's this really unique speaking of your tricks, there's a really unique sense of playfulness too that is sprinkled throughout. That made me think, please don't hate me. This is crazy to quote Walder, but it made me think of like the reality show Big Brother or the video game The Sims. You know, this kind of like godlike view of characters trapped in a house so you can do things too. And I'm wondering, does that resonate it off? Is there anything to that?

I think I think that that's a great read. Like it is something that we always have a kind of fascination with people who are sort of contained in space, and there is some like you know, with Walter, like I initially you know in a way that this is sort of an alien zoo story without it really being like it is just you know, like we've we have a little sample set of humanity that's sort of living out its days and they're but they are being watched. They are being uh, they aren't just alone out there and they don't fully understand what's like recording them or watching them, but they know that they're being watched and recorded. So there is absolutely that element, you know, And I think in that like, you know, I've I've done my time with all of the reality shows, but I think like the Truman Show would have been like the foundational piece of media for me that sort of would tit me in that direction. And then like and then yeah, the Sims the idea of it's just like build this kind of perfect place and then just see what happens when your little toys have to like start living in it. And it's just like that kind of disconnect that Walter has between these people that you know, he genuinely loves he genuinely really really cares about but they're is a deep coldness and distance between Walter and and all of these people he's been around his entire life, and that kind of you know, how he navigates both his warm feelings and his very cold feelings. It's like, is you know, absolutely core to the character.

I think I think that that's a great read. Like it is something that we always have a kind of fascination with people who are sort of contained in space, and there is some like you know, with Walter, like I initially you know in a way that this is sort of an alien zoo story without it really being like it is just you know, like we've we have a little sample set of humanity that's sort of living out its days and they're but they are being watched. They are being uh, they aren't just alone out there and they don't fully understand what's like recording them or watching them, but they know that they're being watched and recorded. So there is absolutely that element, you know, And I think in that like, you know, I've I've done my time with all of the reality shows, but I think like the Truman Show would have been like the foundational piece of media for me that sort of would tit me in that direction. And then like and then yeah, the Sims the idea of it's just like build this kind of perfect place and then just see what happens when your little toys have to like start living in it. And it's just like that kind of disconnect that Walter has between these people that you know, he genuinely loves he genuinely really really cares about but they're is a deep coldness and distance between Walter and and all of these people he's been around his entire life, and that kind of you know, how he navigates both his warm feelings and his very cold feelings. It's like, is you know, absolutely core to the character.

Yeah, it's very simuous, like then you remove the doors and they can't leave. Actually, it's like a really great read. So, speaking of horror and that kind of new or newer part of your career, you've got Spectrograph coming out with Christian Wards soon from Distillery actually this week, right, So what can you kind of tell us about that and kind of this this kind of ghost story that you to have created together.

Yeah, it's very simuous, like then you remove the doors and they can't leave. Actually, it's like a really great read. So, speaking of horror and that kind of new or newer part of your career, you've got Spectrograph coming out with Christian Wards soon from Distillery actually this week, right, So what can you kind of tell us about that and kind of this this kind of ghost story that you to have created together.

Oh, I'm really excited about this one. I mean, for one, Christian Ward is just one of the best artists working in the comics medium, and you know, we got to do a few short stories together over at DC. We did a swamp thing story, we did a poison ivy story, like you know, we got you know, we got to play with some of the big toys. But during that entire time we were talking about doing this comic and you know, the sort of central pitch there, you know, which is the first few pages of the first issue, so I don't mind spoiling it, but it's basically, you know, it starts with a flashback to the nineteen sixties and you see this man who's you know, walking into this occult club in New York City. He is obviously hated by the other figures in that club, and he basically walks up in front of the club and it's just like, I've spent the first half of my life and half in the first half of my fortune trying to prove that ghosts exist, and I am ready here to say that they do not exist, but they should. And I'm going to spend the next half of my life and the next half of my money making ghosts exist. And that is that is the setup of Spectograph. And then you know, the then we jump into the present day and we meet the actual a central characters of the story. And you know, our lead Jane Uh, you know, has has a very very human drive to get out of that house when she's trapped inside of it. But we wanted to do an unconventional haunted house story, and part of my email pitching this to Christian right at the beginning, it wasn't you know, first it was all of that that I just said, But then the other thing that I just said is like, Christian, I just want to see you draw ghosts. And it turns out turns out he's great at it, Like he's absolutely great, and you know that that's part of the fun of it too. It's just like us coming up with some very unconventional types of ghosts and then unleashing them on our core cast and you know, it's a great, big mystery, and you know, and then on top of that, it's going to you know, a lot of my series are very sprawling over many years, but Spectrograph is a tight story. It's you know, it's gonna be told in four oversight forty six page issues in that kind of album format, so it's like larger pages and the print quality is amazing, Like it's a gorgeous, gorgeous book. So it's just like I am, I'm very very excited for people to pick this up. It's uh, it's gonna be it's gonna be something special.

Oh, I'm really excited about this one. I mean, for one, Christian Ward is just one of the best artists working in the comics medium, and you know, we got to do a few short stories together over at DC. We did a swamp thing story, we did a poison ivy story, like you know, we got you know, we got to play with some of the big toys. But during that entire time we were talking about doing this comic and you know, the sort of central pitch there, you know, which is the first few pages of the first issue, so I don't mind spoiling it, but it's basically, you know, it starts with a flashback to the nineteen sixties and you see this man who's you know, walking into this occult club in New York City. He is obviously hated by the other figures in that club, and he basically walks up in front of the club and it's just like, I've spent the first half of my life and half in the first half of my fortune trying to prove that ghosts exist, and I am ready here to say that they do not exist, but they should. And I'm going to spend the next half of my life and the next half of my money making ghosts exist. And that is that is the setup of Spectograph. And then you know, the then we jump into the present day and we meet the actual a central characters of the story. And you know, our lead Jane Uh, you know, has has a very very human drive to get out of that house when she's trapped inside of it. But we wanted to do an unconventional haunted house story, and part of my email pitching this to Christian right at the beginning, it wasn't you know, first it was all of that that I just said, But then the other thing that I just said is like, Christian, I just want to see you draw ghosts. And it turns out turns out he's great at it, Like he's absolutely great, and you know that that's part of the fun of it too. It's just like us coming up with some very unconventional types of ghosts and then unleashing them on our core cast and you know, it's a great, big mystery, and you know, and then on top of that, it's going to you know, a lot of my series are very sprawling over many years, but Spectrograph is a tight story. It's you know, it's gonna be told in four oversight forty six page issues in that kind of album format, so it's like larger pages and the print quality is amazing, Like it's a gorgeous, gorgeous book. So it's just like I am, I'm very very excited for people to pick this up. It's uh, it's gonna be it's gonna be something special.

Oh wow, I can't wait. You recently launched Tiny Onion Studios tell us about that.

Oh wow, I can't wait. You recently launched Tiny Onion Studios tell us about that.

Yeah, so you know, at at its core, like the like we we announced ourselves just a couple of months ago, and you know, right now we're doing all of the secret stuff that you know, everyone's not really gonna find out what we're doing like for another year or two. But there are a lot of very exciting things that like the boulders have been pushed down the hill and now they're rolling and that is very very exciting. But you know, really in my entire career, I've I've liked being I like, I've liked operating independently, and I've liked being able to sort of drive my you know, let my the create a vision of the books, sort of drive how we bring them to the market and who we bring them through. And the nice thing is is like I have a footprint now at I think like four of the five largest comic publishers right now, and it's just like and so now we're able to sort of be like, Okay, is this book an image book? Is this book a dark horse book? Is this book?

Yeah, so you know, at at its core, like the like we we announced ourselves just a couple of months ago, and you know, right now we're doing all of the secret stuff that you know, everyone's not really gonna find out what we're doing like for another year or two. But there are a lot of very exciting things that like the boulders have been pushed down the hill and now they're rolling and that is very very exciting. But you know, really in my entire career, I've I've liked being I like, I've liked operating independently, and I've liked being able to sort of drive my you know, let my the create a vision of the books, sort of drive how we bring them to the market and who we bring them through. And the nice thing is is like I have a footprint now at I think like four of the five largest comic publishers right now, and it's just like and so now we're able to sort of be like, Okay, is this book an image book? Is this book a dark horse book? Is this book?

You know?

You know?

Uh like and then like you know, it's the fifth year anniversary if something is killing the children, and the tenth year anniversary of all my work with Boom Studios, and you know, the biggest question that I got from you know, retailers and from my publishers was just like are you a publisher? Now? What are are you? And it's just like, no, no, we're It's like, imagine an independent film studio and we are. We go and we work with like all of our great friends and all of these different distributions, like all the different distributors, but we're like we sort of we build things independently on our own and then we bring them into the publishing system. And you know, it's a kind of new, new way to approach it, but it's also you know, it's both and it's also very similar to how the initial studios that comprised image, So it is just the like basically, this allows me to kind of set the groundwork for what I want to build over the next five ten years. And then on top of that, it allows us to sort of pull together our resources as we approach bringing these works into into multimedia, into film and television and animation, and we have a lot of ambitions there. So that's and it's you know, and it's been exciting because you know, I've been able to watch the process as something is Killing the Children has been in development over at Netflix for the last few years, and it's like it's in a very good place. I can't say anything more than that, but it's a things are moving very well and then you know, very exciting things are happening behind the scenes with Department of Truth right now that I really wish I could hint that, but I can't say more than that. But it is just like we have, you know, It's it's been really really nice to sort of see how these you know, how the system works and the way in which I want my work to live on in other media, while still making sure that the heart of what I do and the core reason that I'm making all of these comics is to make really really good comics. Like that is the that is my number one concern, you know, and especially when I talk to retailers. I want to make really good comics that do well for retailers because I want I need them to sell well enough so that they want to buy more from me. Yeah, it's the curse of being a high output writer is that it's just like I need them to buy a lot of my comics. So it's just like they have to keep I have to keep making sure that they're good and that they sell, and I'm gonna do my damndest to make that happen.

Uh like and then like you know, it's the fifth year anniversary if something is killing the children, and the tenth year anniversary of all my work with Boom Studios, and you know, the biggest question that I got from you know, retailers and from my publishers was just like are you a publisher? Now? What are are you? And it's just like, no, no, we're It's like, imagine an independent film studio and we are. We go and we work with like all of our great friends and all of these different distributions, like all the different distributors, but we're like we sort of we build things independently on our own and then we bring them into the publishing system. And you know, it's a kind of new, new way to approach it, but it's also you know, it's both and it's also very similar to how the initial studios that comprised image, So it is just the like basically, this allows me to kind of set the groundwork for what I want to build over the next five ten years. And then on top of that, it allows us to sort of pull together our resources as we approach bringing these works into into multimedia, into film and television and animation, and we have a lot of ambitions there. So that's and it's you know, and it's been exciting because you know, I've been able to watch the process as something is Killing the Children has been in development over at Netflix for the last few years, and it's like it's in a very good place. I can't say anything more than that, but it's a things are moving very well and then you know, very exciting things are happening behind the scenes with Department of Truth right now that I really wish I could hint that, but I can't say more than that. But it is just like we have, you know, It's it's been really really nice to sort of see how these you know, how the system works and the way in which I want my work to live on in other media, while still making sure that the heart of what I do and the core reason that I'm making all of these comics is to make really really good comics. Like that is the that is my number one concern, you know, and especially when I talk to retailers. I want to make really good comics that do well for retailers because I want I need them to sell well enough so that they want to buy more from me. Yeah, it's the curse of being a high output writer is that it's just like I need them to buy a lot of my comics. So it's just like they have to keep I have to keep making sure that they're good and that they sell, and I'm gonna do my damndest to make that happen.

I love that.

I love that.

And also speaking of retailers, finally, this is so this is going to be our Free Comic Book Day episode because it's gonna come out just before Free Comic Book Day. So what's your favorite free comic book Bay memory?