On this episode of Word Balloon, Greg Rucka returns for the start pf a new 2 part Rucka debrief. In part one, we talk about Rucka's latest novel ALPHA from Mulholland Books. Greg introduces a new action hero Jad Bell, and his challenge is a terrorist threat in a huge theme park with personal and professional stakes on the line. Greg talks about his world building here and creating this new hero who differs in many ways from Greg's past comic and novel heroes. (part 2 will cover Greg's comic doings)

Jeff Parker is back to talk about the  transition form his run on Thunderbolts to the title becoming Dark Avengers with T-Bolt artists Kev Walker and Declan Shalvey . Parker's run on the Red Hulk continues with Haunted Hulk, featuring Red exploring the monster corner of the Marvel U. We also talk about Bucko Jeff and Erika Moen's webcomic, soon to be released in a September trade collection by Dark Horse Comics. Jeff's been busy with a diverse run of short works too like his work with Colleen Coover in CREEPY #8, an upcoming DC digital Batman story with Gabe Hardman, and a short feature in the BOOM! Planet Of The Apes Annual in August.

Finally comic artist Sal Abbinanti is back to promote a live panel he'll be doing to benefit Chicago Public Radio this weekend. The subject: Have Hollywood and TV drastically changed the mythologies behind Superhero origins?

On This episode of Word Balloon Jeph Loeb is back with a new edition of The Loeb Report. The Vice president Of Marvel TV is here to talk about the 1-hour block of Ultimate Spider-Man and Avengers Earth’s Mightiest heroes on Disney XD. Loeb talks about the obvious positive impact THE AVENGERS film has had on the TV side of Marvel’s live action shows in development including THE HULK and addresses the rumors that the Avengers current cartoon might be cancelled after this current season.

Then Dean Haspiel and Seth Kushner return to Word Balloon to discuss the TRIP CITY website, a multimedia hub for many Brooklyn creative artists.  Dean has been co-hosting the Trip City podcast featuring peer-to-peer conversations between comic book creators.

Seth contributes to the podcast and site, but also here to talk about his photographic work in the new comics history book Leaping Tall Buildings written by Christopher Irving. He and Kushner created an excellent look at creators from golden age stalwarts like Joe Simon Irwin Hassen and Jerry Robinson, to today’s web comic innovators. From mainstream to underground no era or genre of comics is ignored, and the profiles presented by Irving and Kushner are unparalled.

Kushner also talks about his

Haspiel also talks about current projects like making the 6 page digital comic for THE DOORS mobile app, which depicts the band’s official point of view of the infamous Miami concert of March 1^st, 1969. Dean also has a Godzilla Legends issue this month from IDW written by Bobby Kurnow, and a quirky upcoming 8 page Spider-Man story for Marvel later this year.

The guys also discuss the Before Watchmen- Jack Kirby Avengers controversies, digital comics and more.

Finally Steve Bryant joins us to discuss his breaking good news as BOOM! Studios announced his appointment as the artist on their new ongoing Steed and Mrs. Peel series starting with a zero issue in August written by Mark Waid. Bryant is also preparing an Athena Voltaire Omnibus volume for Dark Horse’s 

On this episode of Word Balloon Fred Van Lente discusses the IDW release of The Comic Book History Of Comics, written by Fred and drawn by Ryan Dunleavy . The talk leads to the debate about fine artist Roy Lichenstien' s pop art paintings that were based on real comic book panels. Were these painting fine art celebrating design , like Andy Warhol's Campbell's Soup Can paintings, or outright plagiarizing comic artists like Mike Sekowsky and Russ Heath? Van Lente is also part of the Valiant Comics revival writing Archer and Armstrong coming out in August. We also talk about Fred's upcoming Hulk work, on the HULK Season One OGN with Tom Fowler , to this month's HULK SMASH #5 with Mike Oeming. 

Then the team behind Vertigo's new war OGN Shooters writers Eric Trautmann Brandon Jerwa and artist Steve Lieber join us to talk about the complicated life of a corporate contract soldier working for the US in current forgien conflicts. It's a very personal story for Trautmann, who based the story on his brother-in-law Dave. he trio talk about the book, and discuss their other recent projects including Jerwa's comic book film documentary, he and Trautmann's Dynamite books like Flash Gordon and Vamperella, and Lieber talks about the piracy experience he and Jeff Parker had with their Oni press mini series Underground.