On this month’s episode of The Comic Cast we’re joined by Irish Times journalist Patrick Freyne to help us review Celtic Warrior The Legend of Cú Chulainn by Will Sliney, Dockwood by Jon McNaught, Adventures of a Japanese Business Man by Jose Domingo and Blackstar #1 by Mike Lynch/Dwayne Moloney/Trystan Mitchell. Also on the show: Children’s literature enthusiast Kim Harte joins us to review the latest picture books for kids, Stephen Mooney talks about his inspiration for his upcoming creator owned comic Half Past Danger, Co-founder of Nobrow Sam Arthur gives us a tour of the British comics publishing house in London, we crash the launch of The Extraordinaires Design Studio to chat with Rory O’Connor, Anita Murphy, Brenb and Chris Judge about the new product design game and on the line from Spain we have Irish comic books legend Bob Byrne to get the latest on the new Amperduke prequel.

Download link: The Comic Cast – April 2013

Subscribe via iTunes

Show Links:

Comics Reviewed

Celtic Warrior The Legend of Cú Chulainn by Will Sliney

Dockwood by Jon McNaught

Adventures of a Japanese Business Man by Jose Domingo

Blackstar #1 by Mike Lynch/Dwayne Moloney/Trystan Mitchell.

Guests

Patrick Freyne

Kim Harte

Stephen Mooney (Half Past Danger)

Sam Arthur (Nobrow)

Rory O’Connor / Anita Murphy of The Creativity Hub (The Extraordinaires Design Studio)

Chris Judge

Brenb

Bob Byrne

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This week Declan Shalvey (Thunderbolts, 28 Days Later, Northlanders) and Stephen Mooney (Angel, Half Past Danger) sit down for a frank, honest discussion about the comic book industry. They shed light on everything from how social media benefits comic book artists to the changes they’ve witnessed in the emerging comic book scene in Ireland.

Download Link: The Comic Cast 28/11/12

also available through iTunes

Declan Shalvey’s blog

Stephen Mooney’s Blog (and his excellent Half Past Danger blog)

Eclectic Micks Blog

Marvel have released a new ‘Marvel Now!’ teaser (see above) and guess whose name is on it!? It’s only bloomin’ Cork artist Will Sliney! We rang him up to see if we coax a little more info out of him. Have a listen.

Download Show: Will Sliney 01/11/2012

also available through iTunes

This weeks episode of the Comic Cast is guaranteed Irish! Well, like, it’s recorded in Dublin so what do you expect but what we’re getting at is on this edition of the show we review a ton of new Irish comic books including Nestor by Martin Greene, Mike Lynch and Paul McCallan, And The Blood Flowed Green by Alan Nolan,  MacGyver by David Lee Zlotoff, Tony Scott and Will Sliney,  Stray Lines – an Irish comic book anthology from Paddy Lynch, Gus Hughes, Andrew Judge, Philip Barrett, Chris Judge and Barry Hughes and also Luke Pearson’s Hilda and the Bird Parade and Uncanny Avengers #1 by Rick Remender and John Cassada. We also review James Bond’s latest motion picture outing SKYFALL. Enjoy!

Download Link: The Comic Cast 25/10/12

also available through iTunes

With Halloween fast approaching it’s only fitting that on this weeks Comic Cast we review Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie! And speaking of bringing dead dogs back to life – we also review Dredd. In Irish comics we inspect At War with the Empire by Gerry Hunt, Ghost of Shandon by Alan Corbett and Tales from the Void by Darrin O’Toole and A. Kaviraj. Also up for review on this weeks show is Daredevil: End of Days by Brian Michael Bendis/David W. Mack/Klaus Janson. Not forgetting all the comics news that’s fit to waffle about! Enjoy!

Download Link: The Comic Cast 09/10/12

also available through iTunes

Show Links

Frankenweenie trailer

Dredd trailer

Irish comics reviewed

At War with the Empire by Gerry Hunt

Ghost of Shandon by Alan Corbett

Tales from the Void by Darrin O’Toole and A. Kaviraj

Comics reviewed

Daredevil: End of Days

We’re back from our summer holliers! Regular scheduling begins now! So lets get right to it – on this weeks episode we review Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles Ultimate Collection by Kevin B. Eastman and Peter Laird and Hark! A Vagrant by Kate Beaton. We wax lyrical on what would happen if Michael Bay made a Turtles movie and we have bucket loads of news. Crank up the volume – we’re back!

Download Link: The Comic Cast 02/10/12

also available through iTunes

Download Link: The Comic Cast 25/07/12

also available through iTunes

Show Links

The Dark Knight Rises trailer

Was a Spidey reboot really worth the effort? Is it just too soon? Does the suit fit Andrew Garfield better than Tobey Maguire!? The Comic Cast answers all these questions and more in our epic review of The Amazing Spider-Man 3D which we saw this week. Also on this delicious bonus podcast we talk with cartoonist Paddy Lynch about Stray Lines – a comic book anthology featuring new work from Philip Barrett, Barry Hughes, Gus Hughes, Chris Judge & Andrew Judge as well as Lynch himself and how you can help fund the project and get killer rewards on Fund it. Enjoy.

Download Link: The Comic Cast 30/06/12

also available through iTunes

SHOW LINKS

Stray Lines on Fund it (click here to help fund what promises to be an amazing comic book anthology)

The Amazing Spider-Man (the trailer sucks but does the film? Listen to our podcast review to find out!)

Download Link: The Comic Cast talks to Phil Barrett 26/06/12

also available through iTunes

Show Links

Where’s Larry? (official page on O’Brien Press site)

Blackshapes (Phil’s online homestead)

Where’s Larry? (on Amazon.co.uk)

We’re just gonna come right out and say this. We liked Prometheus. Seriously. We did. And on this weeks episode of The Comic Cast we explain why. Not only that, but Thunderbolts / Northlanders artist Declan Shalvey joins us to say why he DIDN’T like it.  In comics, we review a whole host of new Irish comic books including Where’s Larry by Philip Barrett, Destination Homicide by Alan Nolan, League of Volunteers: Black Scorpion by Rob Curley and Stephen Downey, Holy Numbers by Tommie Kelly and Two Lives by John Connor and Una Gallagher. We also give our candid thoughts on Before Watchmen by Darwyn Cooke. It’s a belter of a show! Enjoy!

Download Link: The Comic Cast 12/06/12

also available through iTunes

Show Links

Neil Patrick Harris as Spider-Man at the Tony Awards 2012

Comics Reviewed

Where’s Larry? by Philip Barrett

Destination Homicide by Alan Nolan

League of Volunteers: Black Scorpion by Rob Curley and Stephen Downey

Holy Numbers by Tommie Kelly

Two Lives by John Connor and Una Gallagher

and of course the trailer for Prometheus

This week on the Comic Cast, we talk to Irish illustrator Matthew Griffin who loves, in equal parts, the traditional and the futuristic and occasionally likes to combine the two. His work is a mixture of ink and digital methods. Here he talks about how he got started, why it’s so important to hang in there for the first two years of starting a career in illustration and his work. Enjoy!

Download Link: The Comic Cast 24/05/12

also available through iTunes

Show Links

Matthew Griffin’s site

Matthew’s blog

Matthew’s Twitter

Matthew on Facebook

This is our 100th episode.

We review the movie on everyones lips – Avengers Assemble. In a vertiable comic book reviewing storm we talk Avengers Vs X-Men, Avengers Vs X-Men Vs,  New Avengers #25 by Bendis/Deodato, Americas Got Powers by Johnaton Ross/Bryan Hitch, Echo by Terry Moore, Spider-Man: Spider Island by Dan Slott/Humberto Ramos, Kick Ass 2 by Mark Millar/John Romita Jr., Supercrooks by Mark Millar/Leinil Yu. In Irish comics we review Romantic Mayhem Pocket Book edited by Gar Shanley, The Whole World by Brian Naughton and Cupid’s Last Arrows by Seán De Swann. We also give you the skinny on everything from the latest comic book kick starters and The Walking Dead video game. Did we mention this is our 100th episode?

Download Link: The Comic Cast 100th Episode

also available through iTunes

Show Links

Irish comics

Romantic Mayhem Pocket Pocket (slick deluxe edition on Blurb)

The Whole World by Brian Naughton (Brian’s blog and tumblr)

Cupid’s Last Arrows (Seán De Swann’s site)

This week on the Comic Cast we talk to Alan Dunne – a Dublin based Irish graphic designer and illustrator. He works for RTÉ Television and regularly exhibits with Brainbelt Illustration Collective. Alan talks about his current work on his first graphic novel ‘Get Off That Ship’ which sets out to chronicle the true story of Frank Browne, a member of the Jesuit order in Ireland and a prolific photographer who travelled from Southampton to Queenstown on the ill-fated Titanic and the twist of fate that saved his life. Enjoy.

Download Link: The Comic Cast 17/04/12

also available through iTunes

Show Links

Get Off That Ship – (read the first chapter of Alan’s graphic novel)

Alan Dunne.ie

Father Brownes Original Titanic Photos

Shiver your timbers, avast your hearties and get you rodgers jolly with this weeks episode of The Comic Cast. Climb aboard as we review Aardman Animations latest film The Pirates! In An Adventure with Scientists. In comic books we review Saga #1 byBrian K. Vaughan/Fiona Staples, Ultimates #1-7 by Jonathan Hickman/Esad Ribic, Ultimate hawkeye #1-4 by Jonathan Hickman/Rafa Sandoval and The Darkness Origins by Garth Ennis/Marc Silvestri. We also get our mitts on the leaked Deadpool movie script and decide wheter it’s worth making, not to mention all the latest comic book news. Arrrr!

Download Link: The Comic Cast 20/03/12

also available through iTunes

Show Links:

The Pirates! In an Adventure With Scientists trailer

Eoin Coveney has been illustrating professionally in Dublin for more than 16 years, working on everything from storyboards for ad campaigns to book covers and press and magazines. In this podcast he discusses his work, the importance of being adaptable in illustration styles and being trained by Will Eisner in Dublin (yes, THAT Will Eisner!). He also talks about his upcoming graphic novel with writer Neil Kleid called American Caesar set against the banking industry in NY post-credit crunch. Enjoy.

Download Link: The Comic Cast 06/03/12

also available through iTunes

To see some exclusive concept stuff, character development and a couple of pages from American Caesar click below:

Show Links:

Eoin Coveney – (illustration site)

Neil Kleid – (find other comics written by Neil Kleid on Rant Comics)

Concept stuff, character development and a couple of pages from American Caesar – drawn by Eoin Coveney:

CLICK TO ENLARGE:

This week on the Comic Cast we talk with artist Christian Kotey who has worked as a comic book artist drawing covers for characters such as Judge Dredd, Batman and various other European titles. Christian co-founded DNA Swamp, a Belfast-based comic anthology in 1997. He has worked in the TV and film industry for over 15 years working in various roles as a make up artist, director and concept artist but now is making a return to comics with a painted  vampire graphic novel called DEAD CELLS due out later this year. Enjoy.

Download Link: The Comic Cast 16/02/12

also available through iTunes

Show Links

LA Make Up Academy (Christians bio)

Irish Comics Wiki (Christian’s entry)

Mr. Donkey (Trailer for the upcoming comedy directed by Christian)

Liam interviews Mr. Donkey (take a look at a clip of Liam interviewing the characters from Mr. Donkey for 103.2 Dublin City FM)

2012. Right. Let’s do this. On our first episode of the new year we review Moon Knight by Brian Bendis/Alex Maleev, Whispers by Joshua Luna, Ultimate Spider-Man issues 1-6 by Brian Bendis/Sara Piehelli and Wolverine and the X-Men by Jason Aaron/Chris Bachalo. We talk to Belfast artist Stephen Downey about his work on Slaughterman’s Creed and Jennifer Wilde and upcoming projects. To top it all off we wax lyrical on the Best Animated Feature nominees at this years Oscars, the possibility of a Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark documentary and so much more that couldn’t possibly fit into a short paragraph describing the show. Ahem. Enjoy!

Download Link: The Comic Cast 31/01/12

also available through iTunes

Show Links:

Stephen Downey

Offset 2012

Download Link: The Comic Cast Christmas Special 2011

also available on iTunes

Mega thanks to our favourite American gal Jordie Bellaire (interviewed on our previous episode) for the amazeballs illustration for this years Chrimbo show!

Show Links

Comics Reviewed

Hilda and the Midnight Giant by Luke Pearson

Klaus by Richard Short

Bad Island by Doug TenNapel

The Adventures of Hergé by Bocquet/Fromental/Stanilas

Holy Terror by Frank Miller

Happiness is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown!

Interviewees

Declan Shalvey’s Blog

BRENB’s site

Offset 2011

This week the Comic Cast chats with colourist, cartoonist & illustrator Jordie Bellaire! Jordie has coloured everything from The Fantastic Four to Hellraiser and is currently the colourist for  Betrayal of the Planet of the Apes from BOOM!. Most recently she coloured Roger Langridge’s tale ‘Old Nick and The Peddler’ in Jim Henson’s The Storyteller edited by Nate Cosby. Here she discusses the path that led her to become a colourist, where that roles fits in to the creation and direction of a comic book and the creator owned projects she’s currently working on. Enjoy!

Download Link: The Comic Cast 06/12/11

also available through iTunes

Show Links:

Jordie on Twitter

Jordie’s Tumblr

Jordie’s Blog

This week on the Comic Cast we talk to Seán Michael Wilson – a Scottish comic book writer living in Japan.  Seán edited the collection ‘AX: alternative manga’ which was selected by Publishers Weekly as one of the ‘best ten comic books of 2010′, and nominated for a Harvey Award. His other work includes ‘The Story of Lee’ with art by Chie Kutsuwada, ‘Yakuza Moon: the manga edition with art by Michiru Morikawa and several Classical Comics volumes including Sweeney Todd with art by Declan Shalvey.  Enjoy.

Download Link: The Comic Cast 21/11/11

also available through iTunes

Show Links

Seán Michael Wilson’s Blog

Seán Michael Wilson on Amazon (all of his comics listed on one handy page!)

This week on the Comic Cast we dedicate an entire show to Hergé’s Tintin. Illustrator BRENB joins us as a guest reviewer of Steven Spielberg’s film The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn, we visit the official Irish home of Tintin – International Books in Dublin, where proprietor Brendan Storey tells us how the boy reporter saved his business and we review The Art of the Adventures of Tintin by Chris Guise. What else can we say but “Billions of bilious blue blistering barnacles in a thundering typhoon!” Enjoy.

Download Link: The Comic Cast 03/11/11

also available through iTunes

Show Links:

International Books (official site for Brendan Storey’s book shop)

Storey Books (Brendan Storey’s Tintin site – it’ll be launched in a couple of weeks)

Tintin in Ireland Fanclub (Facebook page)

BRENB (illustrator)

The Art of The Adventures of Tintin by Chris Guise

Tintin in the New World: A Novel by Frederic Tuten

(PHOTO: Entertainment.ie)

We are genuinely surprised and thrilled to have won the Best Independent Podcaster award at the 2011 Irish Web Awards last night in the Mansion House. The Comic Cast began life back in 2008 and since then we’ve knocked out a show every two weeks (give or take a week – you know what we’re like!). We’ll continue reviewing comics and interviewing artists and just generally having a laugh. We hope you’ll continue to join us.

- Liam & Craig (Bad Boys for Life)

Listen to the moment Rick O’Shea announced the award here: The Comic Cast

Show Link: The Comic Cast 17/10/11

also available through iTunes

Show Links

Daybreak by Brian Ralph

Animal Man #2 by Jeff Lemire/Travel Foreman

Isle of 100,000 Graves by Jason/Fabien Vehlmann

The Great Northern Brotherhood of Canadian Cartoonists by Seth

Game of Thrones #1 by  Daniel Abraham/Tommy Patterson

The Big Break Dectectives Casebook by Alan Nolan

Finn & Fish#2 by Leeann Hamilton

The Wild Rover by Fabio Rosati (available in Forbidden Planet Dublin)

The Well Below and Other Stories by John Robbins/Sean MacRoibin

Batman: Year One (trailer)

This week we invite comics writer, graphic designer, artist and co-creator of the horror series Sancho Alan Nolan back on the show to talk about his new series of  comics with the O’Brien Press. Here he talks about creating The Big Break Detectives Casebook, a graphic novel for younger readers, and the Murder Can Be Fatal mysteries, what it’s like working with an editor and his favourite gems of spin-off merch!

Download Link: The Comic Cast 26/09/11

also available through itunes

Show Links

Alan Nolan (official site)

O’Brien Press

The Big Break Detectives

Murder Can Be Fatal

In part 2 of our mini-interview with Will Sliney, the Cork artist reveals that his next project, to be written and drawn by himself, will be about the Irish mythological hero Cú Chulainn!

Download Link: The Comic Cast – Will Slney part 2

also available through iTunes

Show Links:

Will Sliney’s Blog

The wait is over. DC have begun releasing their new 52. Is this the most exciting thing to happen in comics or has it been the ultimate let-down? Find out as we review EVERY SINGLE ONE of the 14 of the 52 released so far. From Animal Man #1 to Swamp Thing #1, we rate them all. As if that wasn’t enough we talk to illustrator Chris Judge about his first ever Fund it project – Alphabeast, and we also review Atomic Diner’s Roisin Dubh #1 & Jennifer Wilde #1, Death by Chocolate by Alan Nolan, Forming by Jesse Moynihan and Sally Go Round the Stars by Steve McCarthy. All that and so much more that we’re not even going to bother to write it all down here!

Download Link: The Comic Cast 13/09/11

also available through iTunes

BONUS: Click below to read our print interview with Declan Shalvey on doing art for Northlanders.

The planets had not alinged for us to be able to interview Declan Shalvey in time for this podcast so here’s an exclusive online chat we had with the man himself. (We’ll be talking to him on the next talkie podcast.)

Comic Cast: Declan! We’re very excited that you’re to do a three issue arc on Brian Wood’s Northlanders. Are you excited as us?

Declan Shalvey: I’m not sure; let’s compare nipple-hardness! I am very excited about it, truth be told. I’m delighted I get to work on one of my favourite books with one of my favourite writers, one of my favourite colourists and one of my favourite cover artists. I’ve always wanted to do something for Vertigo too. So yes, quite excited.
CC: Were you a fan of the series?

DS: Yes, very much so. I’d heard OF it for a long time, but a good few months ago I read the first trade and got completely hooked. The writing is absolutely brilliant, and there’s been so many fantastic artists on the series; it was a huge honour just to be asked. Being one of the last artists to work on the book before it wrapped up is even more of an honour.

CC: Have you started working on it yet?

DS: Actually, I’ve JUST finished the first issue. Back on Thunderbolts for Marvel until I wrap up the current issue, then I’ll get started on the second Northlanders issue.
CC: Northlanders is all about vikings. You’ve previously drawn zombies in 28 Days Later. Can we expect viking zombies anytime soon?

DS: No. Though I might get so tired that vikings end up in Thunderbolts.

CC: We know you’re a very busy man, how in Gods name are you able to work on so much?

DS: I….. DON’T….. KNOW! Well, I share art duties on Thunderbolts with Kev Walker, so I had a *little* bit of room in my schedule outside of T-Bolts. If it was more than a 3-issue arc, I don’t think I could have managed it. It’s still a hell of a lot of work but it was such a fantastic opportunity, I just had to accept, then find a way to make it work. You might have noticed I haven’t been posting elaborate sketches online in the past few weeks. Now you know why.

CC: As a Comic Cast exclusive, we would like to know what colour underwear you’re wearing?

DS: Today it’s black. Not boxers, not Y-fronts; something inbetween.

Show Links

DC: The New 52

Chris Judge’s Fund it page

Death by Chocolate by Alan Nolan

Roisin Dubh

Jennifer Wilde

Forming by Jesse Moynihan

Sally Go Round the Stars by Steve McCarthy

Arrietty trailer

Tove Jansson at the Tate

Blank Slate graphic novel for charity

*Declan Shalvey txt interview coming shortly*

Via Twitter I jokingly suggested she try another one such as a mash-up of Magneto and Totoro.  A Totoro obsessive she claimed “Totoro is too perfect to recreate as anything!” Here’s where illustrator Brian Coldrick stepped in. A day after I tweeted the suggestion he had come up with this genius illustration.

Brian was kind enough to post me the original drawing for this, but not only that he included an additional comic strip to make up for the Totoro piece being “not as good without the photoshop colours” – his words, not mine! Trust me – it’s amazeballs either way! So anyway, the back story to the comic strip is basically this: A few weeks ago while me and Craig were out boozing in Dublin one Friday night, we were walking through Temple Bar at a very ungodly hour when we heard a voice call “is that the Comic Cast?” Delighted that someone had recognised us we turned around and a dashing young man walked up and began chatting with us. He was very friendly, talking away almost as if we knew him so about five minutes into our conversation brazen Craig blurted out, “I’m sorry, do we know you?” “It’s me!” the chap exclaimed, “Brian Coldrick!” And so it was.

We had interviewed Brian over a year ago for the podcast (listen here) or to be more exact, I had interviewed him. Craig wasn’t able to make it that day. So it was perfectly fine for Craig not to have knew it was him as he’d never met him before. Much to my embarrassment I failed to realise it was Brian. In my defence, I did have a few drinks on me. Well maybe more than a few. In fact, as Brian introduced us to his mate Alan Butler, I was heard to utter “Alan Butler off Twitter!?” (I had been following him.) But I digress. Brian had included an additonal comic strip along with his Totoro sketch and they arrived this morning.  The strip is a take on that very night and is, as we here at the Comic Cast like to say, awesome! (Click it to enlarge in all it’s glory)

In the first of a two-part mini-interview with artist Will Sliney, he talks to us about the end of Farscape, joining IDW to work on Killing Shakespeare and doing a cowboy comic-book with Dave Hendrick.

Download Link: The Comic Cast 01/09/11

also available through iTunes

Show Links:

Will Sliney – Official page

On this weeks mammoth show we review Everything We Miss by Luke Pearson (and ask is Pearson the new comics heavyweight?)  and we lock heads over wheter Radio: An Illustrated Guide by Jessica Abel and Ira Glass should have been made as a comic book at all. Also reviewed are The New Ghost by Robert Hunter, Ultimate Spider-Man: The Death of Spider-Man by Brian by Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley, Ultimate Comics Fallout #1 by Brian Michael Bendis and Jonathan Hickman, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Volume III: Century #2  1969  by Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill. In Irish comics we review The League of Volunteers #2 by Robert Curley and Barry Keegan, War of the Two Kings by Dermot Poyntz and Lee Grace, Underground by Cliodhna Lyons and If Only I was a Waterproof Watch by John Currivan and David Mooney. In movies we reveal why The Green Lantern did it for us, we declare wheter or not Captain America: The First Avenger is worth a watch and as for The Amazing Spider-Man trailer? We’re split right down the middle! So saddle up, settle down and get your listen on!

Download Link: The Comic Cast 02/08/11

also available through iTunes

On June the 18th 2011 Squarebound: an Irish comics creators convention took place in the Irish Writers Centre, Dublin. The Comic Cast was invited to speak at the event and so we decided to create a special video where we asked three Irish comics creators – Maeve Clancy, Philip Barrett and Paddy Lynch – totalk about five comic panels or pages that they liked and to tell us why. We also decided to talk about several illustrations that had been drawn of us since we began this podcast several years ago.  The result is the above video which was screened at the event.

Squarebound also staged some very interesting panel discussions, three of which we recorded and are available to download below.

Panels:

The O’Brien Press Panel featuring Ivan O’Brien (managing director) & Alan Nolan (cartoonist) in discussion about Nolans upcoming comics with the publisher.

Download MP3: The O’Brien Press Panel

The Atomic Diner Panel featuring Robert Curley, Maura McHugh and Barry Keegan in discussion about Róisín Dubh, The League Of Volunteers and other comics from Atomic Diner along with the processes involved in creating them.

Download MP3: Atomic Diner Panel

The Gerry Hunt Panel featuring Squarebound organiser Pádraig Ó Méalóid in conversation with cartoonist Gerry Hunt (In Dublin City, Streets of Dublin and  Blood Upon the Rose – a retelling of the events of the 1916 Easter Rising published by The O’Brien Press.)

Download MP3: Gerry Hunt panel

Squarebound was organised by Pádraig Ó Méalóid

This week there’s no messing about as we review Flashpoint by Geoff Johns/Andy Jubert, Paying For It by Chester Brown and Astonishing Spider-Man and Wolverine by Jason Aaron/Adam Kubert. We interview Pádraig Ó Méalóid – organiser of SQUAREBOUND: An Irish Comics Creators Convention on what to expect at the event this Sat 18th June in Dublin. In movies we’re all over X-Men: First Class and Green Lantern and in news we ponder over DC Comics reboot in Sept and lots, lots more.

Download Link: The Comic Cast 14/06/11

also available through iTunes

Full SquareBound timetable (inlcuding when the Comic Cast will be on) after the jump:

Show Links

SquareBound – An Irish Comics Creators’ Convention

Time: Saturday, June 18 · 10:00am – 6:00pm

This week we got on the blower to Chicago-based cartoonist Paul Hornschemeier just a few hours before the launch party of his latest graphic novel Life With Mr. Dangerous.  Hornschemeier’s previous award-nominated comics include The Three Paradoxes, Let Us Be Perfectly Clear and Mother, Come Home. Here we talk about how he got into comics, the pros and cons of collaboration, his greatest influences including Jim Henson and of course his latest comic – Life With Mr. Dangerous. Enjoy.

Download Show: The Comic Cast 24/05/11

also available through iTunes

Show Links

Paul Hornschemeier’s website & blog

Animated trailer for Life With Mr. Dangerous

Paul’s work at Fantagraphics

Fornlorn Funnies Shop (Original artwork as well as Limited and Ultra Limited editions of Life With Mr. Dangerous available to buy)

Ireland is on lock down with the arrival of the Queen and President Obama, right? Wrong. This weeks podcast has been deemed so explosive that the army have been checking every manhole (snigger) in Dublin to find it. On this weeks dangerous (and highly illegal) show we review Mr. Wonderful by Daniel Clowes, The Muppet Show Comic Book: Muppet Mash by Roger Langridge, The Littlest Pirate King by David B./Pierre Mac Orlan, Mighty Thor by Matt Fraction/Oliver Colpel, Fear Itself by Matt Fraction/Stuart Immonen, Ultimate Thor by Jonathin Hickman/Carlos Pacheco. We also mull over the Thor movie and discuss the latest on Irish events -  Offset and Squarebound. One is not amused, but perhaps you might be.

Download Link: The Comic Cast 17/05/11

also available through iTunes

Show Links

COMING SHORTLY

Download Link: The Comic Cast – John R. Dilworth 03/05/11

also available through iTunes

Show Links

Stretch Films (official site for John R. Dilworth’s studio where you can watch many of his shorts including ‘Life In Transition’)

Official Courage the Cowardly Dog site (Cartoon Network)

Opening to Courage the Cowardly Dog (strange things happen in the middle of no-where!)

“We have to see this.” Never has a phrase been more apt for when the Comic Cast first heard that Bono and The Edge would be writing the music for a broadway musical about Spider-Man. Not only that, but it would be directed by Julie Taymor who had directed The Lion King musical – currently the 8th longest-running show in history. Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark. How could it not be the Best Thing Ever? Fraught with problems from the start, the show closes this month for several weeks hiatus in an attempt to salvage what some claim to be unsalvageable.  Liam & Craig ventured to New York to see it with their own eyes and review it with their, eh, own mouths. THWIP!

Download Link: The Comic Cast – Twip! A Spidey Special

also available through iTunes

Show Links

Official Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark site

Video montage of Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark

Stan Lee discusses Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark

Recorded outside Madison Square Garden the morning after LCD SOUNDSYSTEM’s final ever gig, Liam and Craig present a mixtape of songs about New York while musing about the greatest city on earth (mainly because of its bars that open until 4am).

Download Link: The Comic Cast Mixtape #4

also available through iTunes

Playlist

INTRO “N.Y.C.” From the Broadway musical Annie

A-Punk – Vampire Weekend

Broadway – The Clash

Ballad of NYC – Fun Lovin’ Criminals

Across 110th Street – Bobby Womack

Alphabet Town – Elliot Smith

I’ll Take New York – Tom Waits

Desolation Row – Bob Dylan

Coney Island – Death Cab for Cutie

Girl From NYC (Named Julia) – Of Montreal

The Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side – The Magnetic Fields

Chelsea Hotel – Leonard Cohen

The Chelsea Hotel Oral Sex Song – Jeffrey Lewis

An Open Letter to NYC – Beastie Boys

The Message – Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five

Metrocard – Le Tigre

NYC Ghosts & Flowers by Sonic Youth

NYC’s Like a Graveyard  -The Moldy Peaches

I and Love and You – The Avett Brothers

OUTRO New York I Love You – LCD Soundsystem

BONUS New York State of Mind – (Billy Joel) performed by Rowlf the Dog (Jim Henson)

Download Link: The Comic Cast 15/03/11

also available through iTunes

Show Links

Comics Reviewed

Scenes from an Impending Marriage by Adrian Tomine

The Wild Kingdom by Kevin Huizenga

Slaughterman’s Creed by CyDethan/Stephen Downey

Amazing Spiderman #655 by Dan Slott/Marcos Martin

The League of Volunteers #1 by Robert Curley/Barry Keegan

The Novak Seven by Archie Templar

Interview

Chris Judge (official site)

The Lonely Beast (official site)

Beast in Hotel Painting (see the painting we talk bout in the interview)

News

2D Festival

Squarebound (Irish Comics creators convention)

Spiderman: Turn off the Dark (trailer)

Declan Shalveys Blog

Marvel Vs. Capcom (trailer)

The Musical Hour (Liams new weekly live radio show starts April 6th)

Download Link: The Comic Cast 01/03/11

Also available through iTunes

Show Links:

The Sorrow Putto of Prague

AJ Bernardo

Music

Big Monster Love – the end track on this show – ‘Free Gaff Forever’ -  is by our good friend and Dublin songsmith genius Big Monster Love whose debut album is out now.

Download Link: The Comic Cast MP3 25/01/11

also available through iTunes

Show Links

Comics Reviewed

Pebble Island by Jon McNaught

A Graphic Cosmogony

Hildafolk by Luke Pearson

Temporama by Clayton Junior

Infinite Vacation issue 1

Kick Ass 2: Balls to the Wall

Superior

Spiderman: The Clone Saga

Movies

Tron Legacy

Irish Comic Book News

The Lonely Beast (launch of Chris Judges’ first kids book)

Dublin Comic Jam

Tomm Moore joins the Eclectic Micks

Comic Book News

Batman casting – Tom Hardy as Bane (yah!)

Batman casting – Anne Hathaway as Catwoman (boo!)

Spiderman casting – Andrew Garfield as Spiderman (yah!)

Spiderman casting – Tobey Maguire (boo!)

Andy Williams had one. Cliff Richard too. And by golly we’re ten times better than Cliff Richard. So fall on your knees, hear the angels voices – it’s the Comic Cast Christmas Special! Where, from beside a roaring fire, we review Lint by Chris Ware, The Little Prince by Joann Sfar, My New New York Diary by Julie Doucet and Michel Gondry as well as the lastest in Irish comics – Windells’ Supernatural Showcase by Gar Shanley and Cathal Duggan, Finn and Fish by Leeann Hamilton, Eclectic Micks Sketchbook Volume 2, Something Wonderful Eats Babies by Tommie Kelly and Other Work by John Cullen. After dinner we’ll be watching (and reviewing) A Town Called Panic on DVD and MegaMind 3D. And what would Christmas be without family? Cartoonist extraordinaire Bob Byrne joins us direct from his villa in Spain to talk about his latest book  Dr. Moku’s Hiragana Mnemonics and his current online comic saga Today we worship Michael Landon. As Gary Allan once said “Be naughty and save Santa the trip.”

Download Show: The Comic Cast Christmas Special 2010

also available through iTunes

Special thanks to the amazingly talented Stephen Byrne (currently ripping Fade Street a new one) for the amazing Chrimbo-tastic image of us above.

SHOW LINKS

Comics Reviewed

Lint by Chris Ware

The Little Prince by Joann Sfar

My New New York Diary by Julie Doucet and Michel Gondry

Windells’ Supernatural Showcase by Gar Shanley and Cathal Duggan

Finn and Fish by Leeann Hamilton

Other Work by John Cullen

Eclectic Micks Sketchbook Volume 2

Splunc! from Comhluadar

Something Wonderful Eats Babies by Tommie Kelly

DVD & Film Reviewed

A Town Called Panic

MegaMind 3D

Interview with Bob Byrne

Bob’s official site

Dr. Moku

Hear Liam as Dr. Moku!

News

ISA CON 2011

Hibernia Comics

DC Universe beta

V For Vendetta Gunman

Official Thor trailer

Billions of blue blistering barnacles! On this weeks Comic Cast we review Seth’s Palookaville #20, the first collected volume of Marvels’ Strange Tales, Straczynski/Davis’ Superman: Earth One, Brubaker/Phillips’ Incognito and we try to decode the Tintin references in Charles Burns X’ed Out. In films we discuss Adam Eilliots debut stop-motion feature Mary & Max and the big screen adaptation of Warren Ellis’ Red as well as the BFI’s DVD release of the 1961 live action film ‘Tintin and the Mystery of the Gold Fleece‘ as well as the re-release of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. With Christmas closing in fast we also give you a whole sack full of gift ideas for the nerd in your life.  And ten thousand thundering typhoons if we don’t have all the latest on Spielbergs’ Tintin movie as well as a roundup of all things comicy. And relax.

Download Link: The Comic Cast 16/11/10

also available through iTunes

Show Links

Comics Reviewed

X’ed Out

Superman Earth One

Strange Tales

Incognito

Palookaville #20

Films/DVDs Reviewed

Mary & Max (also get your hands on Adam Elliots shorts on DVD)

Red

Tintin and the Mystery of the Golden Fleece DVD

Beauty and the Beast Diamond Edition DVD

Comic Cast Top Christmas Gift List

Rory’s Story Cubes

Superman Earth One (a great comic for those new to Superman)

Custom Story Books

SodaStream (SodaStream is back according to Craig…)

Get in Toon custom comic book cover

Xbox Kinect Sensor

Michel Gondry DVD & personal sketch of you

The Secret of Kells & personal watercolour sketch by Tomm Moore

This week the Comic Cast ventured to Monster Truck Studios to have  a lovely chat with one of our favourite illustrators, mr steve mccarthy. In it steve discusses how he moved from animation to illustration, doing graffiti as a corporate job, drawing ‘live’ at music gigs and life as an illustrator in Dublin amongst many other things. Enjoy.

Download Link: The Comic Cast 02/11/10

also available through iTunes

Show Links:

mr steve mccarthy’s blog

Monster Truck Gallery & Studios

News

Bruce Block Masterclasses at Ballyfermott College

Independents Day

Mary & Max at the IFI (we’ll be reviewing this on the next show but it’s only being screened in the IFI until Thurs 4th Nov so go see it or grab the American DVD here)

Comic Cast Tees (what everyone wants for Christmas!)

About this time of year Linus likes to sit in a pumpkin patch waiting for the arrival of The Great Pumpkin. Well we can’t all spend October sitting around in pumpkin patches, can we? So we’ve decided to stay snug in doors and review comics. And those comics are Jen Wang’s Koko Be Good, Andi Watson’s Breafast After Noon, Tim Beedle/Armand Villavert Jr.’s Muppet Robin Hood, Roger Langridge/Amy Mebberson’s Muppet Family Reunion and new Irish comic Curse of Cromwell: The Seige by Dermot Poyntz and Lee Grace. Instead of having fireworks thrown at us we also talk about the new Iron Man anime,  Genndy Tartakovsky’s latest animated series Sym-Bionic Titan and all the latest casting in all the latest superhero movies. Did I mention we have all the freshest news from the Irish comics scene? Are you sure? I think I mentioned it. Happy listening!

Download Link: The Comic Cast 19/10/10

also available through iTunes

Show Links

Comics Reviewed

Koko Be Good

Muppets Robin hood

Breakfast after Noon

Curse of Cromwell: The Seige

Animation

Iron Man Anime (and all it needs now is a soundtrack by Daft Punk)

Sym-Bionic Titan (they don’t make em’ like this anymore. oh wait.)

Irish News

Independents Day Fair blog (Sunday 7th Nov – be there!)

Dr. Sketchys Dublin (30th October)

Punt (the new mag WE edit comics for and only €2!)

Dublin Comic Con Facebook page

News

X-Men Arcade re-release (old skool)

Walking Dead (TV show trailer – oh yes!)

Rhys Ifans in Spiderman Reboot (catch Rhys in this fantastic film biopic of Peter Cook & Dudley Moore)

Annotated Sandman

Romeo and Juliet : The War (Stan the man is back!)

When we’re not reading comics, we’re playing video games. And when we’re not perpetuating the nerd stereotype we’re recording a mixtape of our favourite video game music! And who better to join us than fellow video game devotee – Vinny of Adebisi Shank and The Vinny Club! Controllers at the ready!

(Get tickets for the Adebisi gig in the Button Factory on the 20th November here.  Yahhh!)

Download Link: Comic Cast Mixtape #3

also available through iTunes

Show Links:

The Vinny Club

Adebisi Shank

Parappa the Rappa ( “I don’t just play the game normally, I actually get creative and cool with the rapping.” )

Minibosses (Download their entire super awesome album for free)

Maestro! Jum in Music DS (Liams favourite game / Craigs least favourite game)

Portal song (Forget to mention that this song was written by Jonathan Coulton)

This week we are delighted to talk to Pablo Mayer – a Brazilian comic book artist living in Dublin to learn english.  Pablo’s hilarious comic strip ‘Brabos Comics’ is published daily in A Notícia newspaper, he has illustrated the graphic novel ‘The House Next Door” with Diogo Cesar and he’s one of the developers of the Brazilian version of MAD magazine. Most recently he was one of 50 artists chosen to give his own take on the characters of Mauricio de Sousa (arguably Brazils most famous cartoonist) in a new anthology. His work has also be published by Top Shelf Online.  As mentioned, he’s here to learn english so this show is quite short but we’ve also included a text version of the interview which you can read by clicking here.  Enjoy.

Download Link: The Comic Cast 5/10/10

also availble through itunes

An Interview with Pablo Mayer

What comic books did you read when you were a child?

Until I was 12 or 13 years old, I’d only read Spider-Man comics. After that I started reading Eisner, Frank Miller, Alan Moore and my head exploded! (he, he, he)

Were you always drawing since you were a child?

Yes! But I never thought about being a cartoonist until I was 18 years old.

Who are your comic book / illustration influences?

I have a lot of influences: Laertes, Angeli, Samuel Casal, Enrique Fernandez, Gabriel Hernandez, Mignola, John Romita Jr. Mike Mignola,  Skottie Young, Dice Tsutsumi, Denis Zilber, Erwin Madrid and the list goes on…
What is the comic book scene like in Brazil?

The 80′s was our peak. There was a bunch of magazines publishing stuff nationwide. Names like Angeli, Laerte and Luiz Gê became well-known and now they are the main artists referenced when the subject is Brazilian comics. During the last few years the scene has been getting better. Brazil has excellent artists. Publishers are getting into the comics scene. Furthermore, some Brazilians are having great success in the U.S. like the twins Fabio Moon and Gabriel Bá, Rafael Albuquerque Rafael Grampá …
How would you describe your drawing style?

I would say it’s more cartoon than anything else. I like to watch animated cartoons on TV and read comic strips in newspapers but I don’t know how to define it. I’ve always used a lot of contrast in my drawing, but lately I’ve really enjoyed coloring the entire stuff.
Tell me about your comic strip series Brabos Comics?

It is published daily in the newspaper A Notícia in Brazil. I do some strips of the characters “The Franco Show” and “The Age Idle” and I do some one shot comic strips. Actually, I do what I want… he he he.
Brabos Comics has a lot of references to popular culture like Batman, E.T. etc Are you a big movie fan?

I am. When I’m not making comics or breathing, I’m watching movies,

TV series and all. I use all this as a reference when creating a joke.

You’re part of the Brazilian version of MAD magazine – how did you get involved with that?

I met the editor Raphael Fernandes in a comic convention. He liked my work and asked me to send him a comic strip for publication. This happened and every month I do something new for the magazine.

You illustrated the graphic novel “The House Next Door”. What is it about? Did you enjoy working on a longer comic?

It’s about conspiracy, zepelins and an ancient love. I really love working on long projects.
What are you currently working on now?

I’m working on a series called Walkers, written by Ricardo Giassetti. At the same time, I’m working on my first comic written and illustrated by me, where the story happens in Dublin. It’s a long comic too and still at its early stages.
Do you like Dublin? You have a comic on sale in Dublin comic book shops – tell me about this.

I’m loving Dublin! I did a fanzine and it’s in all the comics shops in the city. It has 24 pages and includes a comic that will come out soon on the website of Top Shelf. Buy, folks!

Show Links

Pablo Mayer (official site)

Pablo’s Blog

Punt Magazine (One of Pablos comic strips features in the October issue of Punt of which we are the comics editor of! Hooray!)

It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, it’s a new Comic Cast and we’re feeling good. Reviewed on this weeks show is Irish artist Declan Shalvey‘s Marvel debut as artist on Thunderbolts #148 (written by Jeff Parker), Fantagraphics latest anthology – MOME Summer 2010, Book One of The Abominable Charles Christopher by Karl Kerschl as well as Mark Millar’s new comic book magazine CLiNT featuring Turf #1 by Jonathon Ross/Tommie Lee, Kick Ass 2 and stand-up comic Frankie Boyle‘s foray into comics with Rex Royd.  We also give our verdict on Alan Moore’s Unearthed – a box set featuring an audio biography (read by Moore) of his  comic book contemporary Steve Moore. We take a trip to the movies to review Sylvain Chomet‘s latest animated feature The Illusionist as well as the DVD release of Defendor starring Woody Harrelson.  We also chat with BrenB about Offset 2010 - Ireland’s biggest creativity conference. Not to mention all the latest comic book news.  Go ahead and download – your ears will thank you.

Download Link: The Comic Cast

Subscribe via iTUNES

Show Links

Comics Reviewed

Thunderbolts #148

MOME Summer 2010

The Abominable Charles Christopher

CLiNT magazine

Unearted boxset

Films Reviewed

The Illusionist

Denfendor

Tamara Drewe

Interview

BrenB

Offset

News

Spiderman musical song on Good Morning America

Graphic.ly

Inís magazine (featuring reviews of childrens comics by Liam)

Dublin Comic Book Jam

Dublin Comic Con

Comic Cast Nokia app. (get us on your phone for FREE!)

Moon. Us. Over. We’ve been nominated on the long-list for Best Independent Podcaster at the 2010 Irish Web Awards and we are flippin’ delighted.  We also made it onto the short list for last years awards and we have to say it’s nice to be noticed after producing a podcast every two weeks for over two years now.

An Irish podcast about comic books, animation and illustration is, as you’ll have gathered, a pretty niche area but the e-mails from listeners all over the country (and indeed abroad!) thanking us for introducing them to the  Irish comics scene and making it a little more accessible is what we’re all about and aim to continue to do so.

After two years on the go we feel it’s time to shake things up a little so we’ll be re-launching the site with a bang on Sept 21st.

In the meantime you may or may not enjoy this music video of Schmackey and the Salads (Craigs band!) co-directed by our own Liam:

Hey there. How are you? Geez, its been like forever, right? The real world kinda bit us on the ass with all its responsibilites and such but we’re back with a vengeance now! Or back with some comic reviews anyway. Speaking of which, on this weeks show we rate the Amazing Spiderman: One Moment in Time by Joe Quesada/Paolo Rivera, Astonishing X-Men Xenogenesis by Warren Ellis/Kaare Andrews and Red by Warren Ellis/Cully Hammer. Did I forgot to mention that we’ve got our review of Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World? On top of that we’ve got all the best Michael Cera gossip from the Irish premiere and wax lyrical on the news that the Amazing Spider-man is now Bi-Weekly. We’re back and everythings going to be ok, baby.

Download Link: The Comic Cast 25/08/10

also available through itunes

Show Links

Comics Reviewed

Amazing Spiderman: One Moment in Time

Astonishing X-Men Xenogenesis

Red

Movies Reviewed

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World

If Carlsberg did comic book podcasts they’d probably be rubbish, so that’s why the Comic Cast do them instead. On this weeks electric show we review The Complete Tales of Mugland by Ronan Kennedy, X-Force Sex & Violence by Craig Kyle, Christopher Yost and Gabriele Dell’Otto, X-Men #1 by Victor Gischler & Paco Medina as well as two World War Hulks issues -   Wolverine Vs. Captain America by Paul Tobin & Jacopo Camagni and Spider-Man vs Thor by Kieron Gillan & Jorge Molina. We report live from the comics/zine fair Summer Edition in Temple Bar, Dublin where we talk with a whole plethora of comics writers/artists including Declan Shalvey, Stephen Mooney, Patrick Brown and Ciaran Lucas to name a few. In animation we ask is Toy Story 3 the Return of the Jedi of trilogies or The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of trilogies? We also review Inception: The Cobol Job - the comic book prequel to Christopher ‘The Dark Knight’ Nolan’s latest movie (and even review the movie while we’re at it!). Top that with all the latest news on everything from Scott Pilgrim to Alan Moore and you’re laughing.

Download Link: The Comic Cast 27/07/10

also available on iTunes

SHOW LINKS

Comics Reviewed

The Complete Tales of Mugland

X-Force Sex & Violence

X-Men #1

World War Hulks – Wolverine Vs. Captain America

World War Hulks – Spider-Man vs Thor

Inception: The Cobal Job

Movies Reviewed

Toy Story 3 (trailer)

Inception (trailer)

Report

Summer Edition

where we talked to:

Declan Shalvey

Stephen Mooney

Stephen Byrne

Ciaran Lucas

Paddy Lynch

Cliodhna Lyons

Kyle Rogers

Alan Nolan

Patrick Brown

News

Dublin City Comic Con (Facebook page)

Free Scott Pilgrim iphone app.

It was fitting that this week, underneath brooding skies of pouring rain and rolling thunder, the Comic Cast met up to talk with writer/artist Alan Nolan, the creator of paranormal comic book adventurer  Sancho. Here he talks about the birth and growth of Sancho, working with Ian Whelan (co-writer), his forthcoming comic projects – Thunderbags and The 4 Fathers -  with Belfast’s Davy Francis as well as how his contribution to the Irish language comic RíRá – The Big Break Detectives -  is now being turned into a comic book series by the O’Brien Press, not to mention life as a self-employed  graphic designer.  Enjoy.

Download Link: The Comic Cast22/07/10

also available through itunes

Show Links

Alan Nolan’s site

20000 Leagues (home of Sancho)

Rí Rá

Thunderbags