Word Balloon Comics Podcast

Few artists in comics have brought the kind of elegance, imagination, and sheer visual storytelling that P. Craig Russell has delivered throughout his remarkable career. From his groundbreaking work on Marvel's Killraven with writer Don McGregor to his unforgettable interpretations of Doctor Strange, including the classic annual "What Is It That Disturbs You, Stephen?", Russell has always approached comics with a unique blend of fantasy, mythology, and fine art.

Now Craig is returning to his acclaimed Night Music series with a new Kickstarter campaign, revisiting the kind of personal, beautifully illustrated storytelling that has defined so much of his work.In this conversation, we'll discuss the new project, look back at his interpretations of Marvel's characters, and explore his creative process and the influences that have made his work so distinctive for more than five decades.

Time for another Sunday Conversation. Richard Starkings is back, and this time he's joined by his longtime collaborator, artist Abigail Jill Harding, to talk about their gothic horror fantasy, Parliament of Rooks, and its upcoming sequel, The White Rook, which launches on Kickstarter this October.

Richard and Abigail have been working together for years, beginning with Abigail's contributions to Richard's epic science-fiction series Elephantmen, and continuing with Ask for Mercy, their wild supernatural adventure that mixes monsters, World War II, horror, and science fiction.

Now, with Parliament of Rooks, they're exploring a different kind of horror, filled with gothic atmosphere, dark secrets, and beautifully unsettling artwork. We'll discuss the story, Abigail's distinctive visual style, and where they plan to take things in The White Rook.

Monstrous Books is revititaizing the Universal film Crossovers, in Comic Book Form. James Aqulilone and JK Woodward Discuss, plus JK's Kickstarter on his series Behemoth

Welcome to Scene Missing, where we revisit classic films and discover how their stories hold up today. This time, Lady Vee and I take a look at the 1970 science fiction thriller Colossus: The Forbin Project, directed by Joseph Sargent.

Eric Braeden stars as Dr. Charles Forbin, the creator of Colossus, a massive supercomputer designed to control America's nuclear defenses and eliminate the possibility of human error. But when Colossus establishes contact with its Soviet counterpart, Guardian, the two machines begin making decisions of their own, concluding that humanity can't be trusted with its own survival.Made more than half a century ago, Colossus is remarkably relevant to today's conversations about artificial intelligence.

Lady Vee and I discuss the film's Cold War paranoia, its chilling vision of technology taking control, and the uncomfortable parallels to modern fears about AI, automated warfare, surveillance, and the possibility of machines making decisions beyond human control.

We also dig into the performances, the film's surprisingly realistic approach to computer technology, and that unforgettable ending. Was Colossus simply a cautionary tale of its time, or did it anticipate some of the biggest technological questions we're confronting today?