Two episodes in one calendar week. You know what that means…time is of the essence!
You have just a couple more weeks to once again lend support to West of Oz! Sean Benner and Nick Winand have been on the show before and we have used the Nerds United Bump to aid in getting two Kickstarter campaigns successfully funded.
The Kickstarter is for the Volume 2, issues 4-5-6, of the 9-part series of this original interpretation of Frank L Baum’s Wizard of Oz story. In this episode, Greg talks with Sean and Nick about this section of the overall narrative, creating on a schedule, travelling to various cities for comic cons (it’s coming, Scottsbluff, Nebraska), and more.
Hey, it’s me. Greg. I’m a big believer in this project. I’ve been on board since Day One, Campaign One. I have supported this venture both in promotion and financially. I’m one of those that wants to see this story’s end. So help me get this project funded. Your $10, $20, or $30 can go a long way.
I thank you. Sean, Nick, Amanda, and Danielle thank you. Now enjoy some artwork they shared with me during our chat.
It’s a brand new episode with the one and only Jay Peteranetz. Jay is fresh off a weekend at Denver Comic Con and is in the process of shipping out the rewards from the successful Kickstarter Campaign for the original comic book Broderick, for which he did the art (Ron “Booth Babe” Bryce providing the story).
https://www.instagram.com/p/BjzjGhZH7Zt/
The show begins with me singing a song, and Jay promptly asking me to stop. We talk about some of the keys to a successful Kickstarter, like reasonable goals, and turning down offers to sell Broderick to maintain control of the IP.
Jay had a good time at Denver Comic Con, so we talk about some of the high points from his weekend there.
And at the end we have a little fun talking about Susan Storm and other superheroes on the beach (see featured image).
Follow Jay on instagram (see above) and Twitter. Remember to rate and review the podcast on your favorite listening app. And don’t forget that I’m still trying to get Kevin Smith on the show for the first week of July. Go back and read this entry from last year as I hope it will better explain why Kevin has been such a huge part of my life, and why he’s responsible for you being here as well.
Chris is from the St. Louis, MO area, but spent eight years in the US Army. His creative writing, in fact the early ideas for this story, go back to his high school days. And his love of comics dates back even further.
In this episode, we’ll learn about Chris and his origin story, as it were. We talk about Chris’ take on the apocalypse and the Four Horsemen and the quest they find themselves on in an effort to save the world.
The book is available to order on Kickstarter. I definitely recommend looking it over and throwing a few dollars their way. Support Indy Comics! I really can’t stress that enough!
In this brand-new episode, I’m joined by Stache Publishing’s Anthony Mathenia and writer Alex Wills as we talk about comics, creating comics, publishing comics, shipping comics, and getting comics funded on Kickstarter.
Stache currently has a new anthology live on Kickstarter, and you have until the end of April to support this *gigantic* project…because they’re giant monsters and robots and such. Get it?
Alex contributes a story to the book, titled Attack on Bug City (see the featured photo), a unique twist on the whole kaiju genre. I talk with him about his life in comics both from the fan perspective and as a writer.
And then, point blank, I ask the guys how one would start to write a comic book. You see, I have a story in my head that I want to tell. So Alex and Anthony give me some pointers and a brief idea of what I – or anyone looking to become a writer – should do at the start of the process.
Remember to check out Colossal Chaos, the fourth anthology in the Out of the Blue series from Stache Publishing. As I said at the end of the episode, I gave them some of my money, and I encourage you to do the same!
Next week, I’m bringing in another guest in Tom Skull of Tom and Jim’s Top 5 Podcast and we’re reviewing the following movie…so be ready!
Nerds United Episode 89: Gunpowder Witch Creator Jordan Williams[ 1:31:17 | 0.01 MB ]Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (680)
Welcome to the first Nerds United episode of 2018. It’s been almost two months since the last episode. Hope you had some good holidays there.
My guest for episode 89 has been on the podcast before (it’s in the archives…somewhere between Numbers 1 and 88). Jordan Williams is a cornerstone of Stache Publishing, frequently discussed here on the show. Jordan has written, drawn, and released two issues of his book Gunpowder Witch already. But all during the month of February, you can support his Kickstarter campaign to fund his entirely finished four-issue graphic novel for Gunpowder Witch.
Gunpowder Witch, in its simplest form, takes the historical accounts of the Salem Witch Trials and fictionalizes them by making the “witches” super-powered individuals who are misunderstood by their Puritan peers.
The conversation also takes a tangential turn to talk briefly about religion, but not in any way that is condescending. In other words…there’s a little something for everyone.
But the main thing is to support the Kickstarter. And I’ll update this post with the link tomorrow. In the meantime, enjoy the show!
You remember Return to Oz, right? Well in Episode 84, I’m joined by two previous guests, Sean Benner and Nick Winand, we return to their project West of Oz.
I backed their Kickstarter in the Spring for Issue 1 and read it upon its delivery. It’s a fun read, and when I talked with the pair, they emphasized that they wanted to keep the book light-hearted and steer clear of any “gritty” filters commonly used.
We hear about the reception to West of Oz #1 both from fans and other creators. Hear tales about taking the book to various comic cons (and a great story from me about Cape Comic Con), including Portland this past weekend.
Now you have the opportunity to back the next two chapters of the story – Issues 2 & 3 – in trade paperback form.
http://kck.st/2gcTXd6
This project is mostly funded and you can help push them over the edge. You have until Sunday September 24 to back this book. It’s right there. Help them see it through.
And stay tuned to the end for a brief tragedy and the recovery. All is well.
It’s the podcast three or four months in the making. Hear the tale about why it took us so long to hook up for a recording and why the night we did record was so disadvantageous (but we made the best of it, because Jackie rocks).
We talk about Jason’s early years as a reader of comics, and how he went to art school and the advice he was given. Anthology work begat an opportunity to work with one of the best writers in the business on Daredevil (seen in the featured photo…DD #33, for you readers there).
We get more info on Kill All Monsters – available now pretty much everywhere – and what Jason has been doing since Kill All Monsters wrapped up.
Jason did a three-issue stint on IDW’s Judge Dredd:
Issues 3-5
And now he’s working on writing a story of his own for which he will also do the art, so there’s a great opportunity to have him on the show again in the future to talk about Full Tilt.
Enjoy the show. Like, Comment, Share, and rate/review on iTunes. Your support is greatly appreciated.
I put out the call for your questions and you came through. In this episode, I field questions about Image Comics’ Cowboy – Ninja – Viking (coming to a theater near you in 2019), Ready Player One (coming to a theater near you in March), and my overall thoughts on the DC Cinematic Universe. There’s also a question about books I would recommend that aren’t of the comic book variety, and I provide a dramatic reading of my son’s favorite book.
Be sure to check out Kickstarter for the “Project We Love,” West of Oz.
http://kck.st/2gcTXd6
And as promised, here’s the trailer to Ready Player One.
Nerds United Episode 81: Michael May and Kill All Monsters[ 1:18:41 | 0.01 MB ]Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (729)
Episode 81 is here and I’m thrilled to sit down with writer Michael May. I get a bit of Michael’s own origin story as well as some good conversation about Kill All Monsters, available now wherever comics and most other books are sold, as well as the interwebs.
Kill All Monsters started as an idea May had with artist Jason Copland (my chat with him in the very near future). How’d the project begin? Where was it originally found? And how did a successful Kickstarter campaign help these two see their creation get picked up by Dark Horse comics?
Michael and I also talk about the current state of the comic book industry, and why it’s important to support stories you love and their creators. Like Captain Planet would say:
What’s next for Michael? Working on Kill All Monsters Vol. 2, naturally. You can check out Volume 1 using the link below.
Broderick is already a success story. The Kickstarter launched and has met its initial goal.
Now I’m thrilled to sit down with Ron Bryce, the writer of Broderick. Fun fact: Ron has known longtime friend of the show (and current record holder of most guest appearances) Jay Peteranetz from the very beginning. So after Ron wrote and published his novel (Thirty Days from Sunday), he started working on a novella, and thus, Jack Broderick was born!
From comic cards to Kickstarter, come with us on the secret origin of Ron Bryce.
And if you’re going to Denver Comic Con this weekend, be sure to stop by Booth M20, see Ron and Jay, and give them a dollar. I want this project to be fully funded, but I need your help!!! Hardcover, t-shirt, all four issues…it can all be ours! And it could only cost you $1!
It’s new episode day! Jay Peteranetz returns to talk about his new project on Kickstarter, Broderick.
Broderick is an original comic drawn by Jay, written by Ron Bryce, and colored by Tony Zollo. It’s a noir story about a mob hitman who is “too violent” (Jay’s words) for the mafia. That’s saying something. I mean, the mafia was notoriously violent. YOU’VE SEEN THE MOVIES! YOU KNOW WHAT THEY WERE CAPABLE OF!
But I digress. I’ve read the Broderick preview, available now on the Kickstarter site. In it, Broderick wakes up in Trinity, New Mexico (the real site of the first ever atomic bomb test) – having been dropped there by the mafia overlords he used to serve. Getting a firsthand account of that first blast also comes with, as we come to find out, some damn radiation poisoning.
So – what does Broderick do with his remaining time? Revenge or redemption? And did I open up an existential can of worms with my interpretation? WHO KNOWS?!?
So – check out the Kickstarter. Throw a few dollars their way. Check out all the reward levels. Let’s SUPERFUND this book!
It’s a story you’re so familiar with…or maybe not. What if I told you that in the beloved 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz, you were only getting 2/3 of the story? What if I told you that over the course of nine issues, you’d get three new creators’ take on the full story?
Cover for West of Oz #1
Meet Sean Benner, Nick Winand, and Cat Luong. They are the creative force behind West of Oz, a re-imagining of the beloved L Frank Baum story. In Episode 73, I talk with all three about their own personal origin stories, about the source material and how they all got attached to this project.
This show wouldn’t be possible without three-time guest and longtime friend of the show Jay Peteranetz. And in our discussion, we’ll learn how he played such a critical part in the creation of West of Oz.
So don’t click your heels. You don;t find any ruby slippers here. Just enjoy the show and SUPPORT THE KICKSTARTER!
Nerds United Episode 61: Magicians Must Die, But Will They?[ 34:06 | 46.84 MB ]Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (973)
A record-breaking third appearance for comic artist Jay Peteranetz, artist of the Magicians Must Die series.
The box art for Magicians Must Die #5
Join us as we discuss the very successful Kickstarter campaign for Magicians Must Die #5, the finale of the world’s only comic book printed on playing cards. We also talk about the reception of this innovative medium of storytelling.
Learn what helps make a successful Kickstarter campaign, find out where Jay will be this Comic Con season, and learn a bit more about the mastermind behind Magicians Must Die, De’Vo (what we’re at liberty to discuss, anyway).
Magicians Must Die #1, opened up and displayed on my kitchen table.
Magicians Must Die has already reached its goal on Kickstarter, but you have two weeks to help them attain their stretch goals, and we’ll learn from Jay what those entail.
It’s 2016, but we recorded at my house, so naturally it sounds like the 1950’s. If you can overlook that, you will really enjoy this new episode with three-time guest and my friend, Jay Peteranetz.
After a January off, I’m back with the first interview of 2016.
This episode, I’m talking with Micah Myers, a letterer and occasional writer. We learn about lettering, and we’re all on board that letterers deserve more recognition.
We also talk about The Disasters #1, an original comic that Micah wrote as well as lettered. Listen to the episode to hear about that story, and support it on Kickstarter here:
You have just under three weeks left to support this campaign. And as I always do, I highly encourage you to support it. But I’m also biased and want to know more about this guy.
His name is Snow Globe. And his head is a snow globe.
I feel like there’s a lot of story left to be told and I’m excited to bring it to you.
So kick back and enjoy the show. Leave a comment here or possibly even a review on iTunes. You are the vehicle by which this podcast drives towards success.
This week’s #ToughCallTuesday is a very special article, as I reached out to a past guest (something I look forward to doing more in the future…or you’ll get a lot of “Flintstones vs Jetsons” posts in the future).
Ten days into a month-long Kickstarter campaign, I sought out newlywed and soon-to-be father Kino Beeler (my guest in Episode 48) to tell us all about Grand Arc Designs’ “Memories of Aeldaria.”
On the day that massive mega-hit Fallout 4 was released, I implore you to consider Memories of Aeldaria as a David in an industry controlled by Goliaths.
– GM
——————————–
Like any story worth telling this one is full of passion, adventure, trials, & hope. Memories of Aeldaria is a 3D, third person, action-adventure / role-playing game being developed by our staff here at Grand Arc Designs.
All of what exists today was merely a dream two and a half years ago. Countless hours were spent pouring over statistics, building conceptual designs, developing our first Game Design Document, and searching for the right talent to join our ranks. After months planning we established Grand Arc with a goal to create games we love based on solid standards and fair principals to be a force for good in this industry.
If there is one word that could describe our project, it would be ambitious. We have lofty dreams for Aeldaria and have put a lot of time into developing our partnerships to try and set us apart from an increasingly saturated Indie market. Too far from the path have a lot of companies strayed led by greed and sacrificing meaningful content for a bottom line. At least, that’s how we perceive the state of things. We truly care about making a quality product and delivering what we promise when we promise it. We will distinguish ourselves not just by the stories we tell and the worlds that we create, but also leading by example, delivering a completely realized product at fair market prices.
Trust is missing between many consumers with the publishers they once followed to what they swore would be the end and it is a shame how many of those loyal consumers are now treated. Die-hard gamers feel betrayed investing so much of their hard-earned cash into often disappointing and unrealized potential. This has to stop and both developers and publishers really need to focus on what their consumers want, and the answer is not having to spend often nearly $100 USD for a game, a season pass, possibly unreasonably long delays with little interaction between fans and developers, far less content than promised, broken or unplayable elements on day 1, and often much more.
When we see this problem and can really open our eyes to it, hopefully then understanding why change needs to happen is so important. And this is where we come in!
The Game:
We are developing potentially a 30~50+ hour experience with familiar elements from classic titles that are simply meant to be polished. While we want to introduce some new ideas to the mix we feel there are enough companies trying to find new ways to re-invent the wheel. We think the wheel works just fine and we understand how the wheel works. Instead the most unique part of Aeldaria is how we intend to bring these elements together.
The Story:
The player will journey as a young heroine who has temporarily lost her memory upon being thrust through space and time to crash land in the mysterious and surreal land of Aeldaria. The world and its mysteries will unfold to the player just as it unravels to her; allowing a touching glance at the once mighty Kingdom of Aeldaria as both learn together. Powerful allies and terrifying foes will be lying in wait as decisions you make alter the intricate strings of the web, ultimately leading to your chosen fate.
Why should you care?
If all of this simply isn’t enough to convince you, let’s take a look at some awesome facts about the project, about us, and about what we can accomplish together:
We will be building a game with tons of content that you can essentially pre-order today for only $25.00
Your contributions via liking, sharing, and donating to our campaign will increase our visibility and our chances of being funded. No matter how large or small your contribution is; we will be truly grateful.
Your contribution will support not just this project becoming a reality, but you will also be helping to create jobs for nearly 20 individuals and their families.
We have worked for the last year and a half diligently on a working budget of $0.00. While development will continue to churn, it will do so at a much slower pace if we cannot obtain necessary funding to enter a full production schedule.
We are dedicated to our goals and will continue moving forward with strong resolve despite learning curves or hurdles we may encounter.
This week’s show is a home show and I explain all of that in the early minutes of the episode.
I’m talking Star Wars, Gotham, The Flash, Arrow, The Walking Dead, Man of Steel, and Supergirl.
I also talk about Grant Morrison’s 18 Days (see featured image), another regrettable heroes, and a passionate plea to DC Comics!
And though I forgot to mention it in the episode, PLEASE head over to Kickstarter and help my friends from Grand Arc Designs find their independent video game, Memories of Aeldaria.
I don’t even know what that means. But I laughed. It may be the medication.
It’s Episode 52 and I’m joined by a comic book fan, creator, follower of all things nerdy, and Moderator of /r/comicbookcollabs, Ryan Burst.
Ryan and I talk about his gig as reddit moderator, writer on Stache Publishing’s Aporkalypse Anthology (see video), father, movie connoisseur, and all-around nerd.
What a great chat with a new guest who WILL be back.
You hear “Supreme” in reference to comics books. And if you’re like me…you think of “The Supreme Sorcerer,” Doctor Strange.
But we’re going in a different direction. Meet Seth Ferranti, writer of The Supreme Team. He has been working with Stache Publishing’s Anthony Mathenia to transform his book into a graphic novel.
Hear Seth’s own gripping tale about his life and how he came to learn the stories he shares in his writing.
You can help Seth, Anthony, and artist Joe Wills’ work to reach fruition by supporting the Kickstarter, going on all through the month of August.
Also – as promised, details about a brand new contest. AND…a new logo by Joe Dodd! WOW! I am thrilled with his work.
Seriously…that’s LEGIT!
So enjoy the 50th Episode of Nerds United. Thanks for tuning in, subscribing on iTunes or Stitcher or Pod Directory.
Episode 35 brings with it the return of the Skyped guest, as I visit with Ross Cavins, writer of Barry vs The Apocalypse, A Novel of Epic Proportions. So naturally we talk about that, but also Ross’ days reading Terry Brooks, being inspired by Elmore Leonard, why college beats high school every day of the week, and more. Arrested Development gets discussed a LOT!
Learn about Ross’ interconnected collection of short stories, Follow The Money (inspired by Elmore Leonard himself), and about the Claymore Award. Ross also discusses why he is seeking self-publishing on Barry rather than the traditional publishing route.
AND…Ross had challenged me to an Announce Off…so we have that going for us as well. Just kick back and laugh. This one was a lot of fun.
And I can’t stress this enough…go to Kickstarter and support Barry vs The Apocalypse.
I not-so-briefly describe/review Justice League: Throne of Atlantis. You remember JL: Throne of Atlantis, right? RIGHT?!?
I have to believe that the film took its cues and plot from the New 52 Aquaman story, which is on my to-read list.
Gotham, Arrow, the Flash, and Constantine get some mentions in this episode. Also – and I know I’ve said it before but I’m saying it again – Matt Ryan IS John Constantine and if WB/DC ever makes a Justice League Dark movie, he better play Constantine or WE RIOT!
Also, how about a pre-emptive plug for next week’s guest, Ross Cavins, who will be on the show to discuss Barry VS The Apocalypse, on Kickstarter!
In this episode, international wrestling star Nigel McGuinness shares his ideas on a new concept for professional wrestling genre. He’s about half way through a KickStarter campaign to raise $370,000 to fund the first six episodes of LA Fights. Nigel is working with producers, writers and wrestlers to make this a reality. Fans can support the project at LAFights.com.
Kevin also gives his thoughts on the 2015 Royal Rumble card and the induction of “Macho Man” Randy Savage into the WWE Hall of Fame.
Nerds United Episode 109: West of Oz Strikes Back [ 1:06:28 | 0.01 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (580)
