THE TOWER PODCAST - AN INTRODUCTION

Wanna hear me wax poetic on all things New Teen Titans? Then check out my new CGS Presents spin-off podcast, the Tower. The introductory episode can be found as a website exclusive on the Comic Geek Speak homepage.

Letting me be behind the mic solo is just asking for trouble...

PS/Image above was created by Drew M

VOICES IN MY HEAD!

Chris Crank, DC artist Mike Norton and special guest Kevin Mellon (artist on Thirteen Steps, Gearhead) engage in a great "behind the scenes" type discussion on the latest Crank Cast episode. It's an honest, open discussion about what it's like to be a freelance artist in the comic business. They touch on everything from the difficulties in balancing work and a life, payment and pay scales, publisher shenanigans, realities of freelance and creator owned work and more.

It's an interesting off-the-cuff chat that really points out the difference between "those in the know" and "those that assume they're in the know" - myself included. It could go a long way to inform message board discussions, blogs and other podcasts when they start to try and speak from an uninformed sense of authority, especially in terms of sales numbers, creator motivations/decisions and a very base position of working in a field that seems to want to be both secretive and out in the open at the same time.

Give Crank Cast Episode 167 a listen. You wont be disappointed.

FROM THE MOUTH OF...

...Mike Carey on the next big X-Men event potentially arriving in 2010:

"If you see Messiah Complex as being like the story that was made inevitable by House of M - if you see House of M and Messiah Complex to some extent as bookends - this is the story that Messiah Complex makes inevitable. It's a direct sequel to Messiah Complex. With some, I think, amazing character stuff, character development. A very very powerful payoff. And I think it's going to be as good as Messiah Complex if not slightly better."

- Uncanny X-Cast Episode 51 (timestamp: 1:32:28)

SAN DIEGO PODCASTING PANEL!

On Thursday July 24th:
5:00-6:00 The Third Annual Comics Podcasting Panel— The best of the best in comics podcasting returns to San Diego for the third annual discussion of comics podcasting and how it's affected the comics media. A no-holds-barred discussion with comics podcasters Bryan Deemer and Peter Rios (Comic Geek Speak), Charlito and Mr. Phil (Indie Spinner Rack), Joe Gonzalez and Jimmy Aquino (Comic News Insider), Josh Flanagan and Conor Kilpatrick (iFanboy), and John Mayo and Bob Bretall (Comic Book Page). Room 32AB

From what I understand, now to be moderated by Fred Van Lente instead of Rick Remender. Only five podcasts represented? I thought for sure there'd be more.

Anyway - stop by, wear your CGS shirt and come with good questions. Frankly, you hear us talk all the time - what more could we possibly say? I want to hear from YOU! We may also use this night as a good time to gather everyone for an impromptu listener meetup/dinner.

See you there!

VOICES IN MY HEAD!

Podcasts I've listened to this week:
Uncanny X-Cast 40. 11 oClock Comics 3 & 4. Pipeline 174. Q!PAW 44. Birds of Geek 36. Poptopia 120 & 121. Comic Book Noise 121. Phantom Power Comics Podcast 10. Burning Trash 4.

Podcasts I need to catch up on:
Indie Spinner Rack. CNI. Around Comics. Four Color Heroines. Half Hour Wasted. I Read Comics. Look at His Butt.

Podcasts I'm dreadfully behind on:
Crankcast. Geek Syndicate. Comic Book Queers. Raging Bullets. Marvel Noise. KomicsKast. Amazing Spider-Cast. Geek Savants. N3rdCast.

Podcasts I want to listen to:
Only the Valiant. Eye of the Storm. KryptonCast. Comic Tube.

Podcasts I want to find:
Something on Philly. Something on Theatre. Something covering News.

COMICS NOW!

So many of you probably don't know about my "side-project" as co-host/producer of the popular Comic Geek Speak podcast. What's a podcast? Think "online radio" but it gets downloaded directly to your ipod for free as we update with each episode so you can listen to each episode whenever/wherever you want.

We're coming up on our third year anniversary and if doing 3-4 episodes a week isn't enough, we finally put together our new comics magazine, Comics Now!. It ships next week to comic stores and into the hands of many many waiting listeners. My Co-Host Bryan is the mastermind behind it all and I know he's proud as hell. Instead of bitching about what we want in a magazine about comics, we put one out ourselves.

It's pretty exciting. It's fairly crazy. But hey - it's out there.

Check it out.
www.iwantmycomicsnow.com

STANDIN' ON THE CORNER...

...anyone recognize that song those three words kick off?

So I've been in Philly for a month a week and I'm so loving it. The South Philly neighborhood I'm in, now starting to put up every lovely Woolworth Christmas doodah that I thought only existed in my mom's house during the 70s and 80s, is quiet and cute. I live superclose to the subway and to the famous Melrose Diner (been there every 2-3 days. I got a crush on a waitress there. I'm like Frankie and Johnny). If need be I can even walk to Center City - which I did the other day when it was nice out. My roommate is ultra-cool, laid back and fun and has been great about having a boy live with her. I haven't left the toilet seat up yet. Yay me. She has two dogs, Walter and Blanche - boxers just like Rosco back home - that are hysterical. It's been a sweet deal all around.

I start choreographing the Fantasticks next weekend. Tony Braithwaite - the funniest actor in Philly - is directing. It's performing at the Kimmel Center in their black box theatre. I performed there in 2002 with the "world premiere" of I'll be Seein' Ya. I'm fairly certain we were the first show to be put up in that space back then. I love the music in the Fantasticks but it's a tricky book. I'm curious to see what Tony will do with it.

Since I've been in Philly, I managed to see a couple theatre productions. Into the Woods at Temple, a new show at the Prince (it was like a melding of Fiddler on the Roof, Light in the Piazza and Faust. I kid you not) and also Being Alive at the new space for the Phila. Teatre Co. That show was amazing. Created by Billy Porter, it's a revue of Sondheim pieces but mixed with Shakespeare dialogue featuring an all black cast. It was incredibly powerful - both emotionally and theatrically - and weaved 3-4 loose stories through different stages of "man" from youth to death. And the band kicked ass. We were seated in one of the upper boxes to the side so I had a good overview of the audience during the show. Oh by the way - Sondheim himself was there taking notes. Yes he was. I was invited to go by a friend who got us in for free. How cool is that.

Anyway, the audience was made up of mostly older people and they were so boring! They hardly emoted or responded during numbers, waiting instead for them to end. The show and performers (and direction) practially screams out "Live! Laugh! Love!". It's in one of the songs. It's a piece that's meant to be interactive. And the audience sat there like lumps. I read a review of the show where the critic, commenting on the humor of the show, said something like "the audience didn't really laugh". That's because they probably didn't get it. I get so tired of lazy audiences that turn their brains off the minute they sit their asses in a seat. When we met the cast afterwards, they were so thankful for our responses during the show and during the curtain call. It's called energy, people. An audience can make or break even the best of shows. Don't be afraid to respond when warranted. The person on stage will love you for it.

Anyway, I've been going back and forth to Reading to record episodes of CGS. And I just started a new podcast, DC Noise, discussing all things DC Comics (that's Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, etc. for those not in the know). As if I needed a new project right? But I'm excited about possibilities for upcoming shows. I've come to really enjoy and respect the podcasting medium - and if I was set up properly, I'm sure I would create a third podcast to talk about all the things I don't talk about on my other shows. We'll see.

I'm looking forward to spending more time with my friends in the area - from college or from other shows. They make me laugh, they make me drink and are just good fun people.

Yea. I love living in Philly.

(Oh. The title of this post is in reference to the fact that my apartment is on a corner. So ummmm... yea).

WOW

The weekend is over and our Episode 300 was a success. It's crazy to think that over 150 people traveled to Reading Pa. from all over the country (and one guy from the UK) to come and celebrate comics with our podcast. It's an amazing community of people that I consider friends. Surprisingly, the weekend wasn't too quick and it didn't drag. It moved along at a great pace while we set up, signed people in, made the creators feel comfortable, talked, laughed, etc. Everyone seemed to be incredibly excited and happy and the money was flowing which was great for Lem at Golden Eagle Comics. I met new people, saw old friends, finally talked with people I only talk with through our forums. My co-host Bryan busted his ass to make this a worthwhile event and it happened.

During the actual Episode 300 recording, I think I teared up at least five times. It's not just about people hanging out. It's about people wanting to share their joy and their excitement and their passion for a similar interest. That's no different than coming together for a sporting event, a business, music - whatever. I have no regrets about the weekend and hell - I walked out of there with an iPod Nano from Bryan. How awesome is that.

We're already making plans for next year - bigger and better - so I hope to see even more new people attend.

If anyone would've told me in March'05 that by Sept'07 we'd be running our own convention, I would've scoffed. But here we are.

Bravo.

YOU HAVE REACHED...

...Most likely I will be away from my computer for a good solid three days - Friday thru Sunday - as I romp around with my comic geek friends at our annual celebration. We've hit 300 Episodes for our podcast and we're doing it up big time at our local comic shop here in Reading, Pa. We have 130 people coming from all over the country to shop, meet, talk, laugh, drink, etc. Also, we've invited 25+ creators to help make the weekend special. All in all, we're looking at close to 175 people just because of a podcast. How cool is that?

So if you're near Reading, come to the Episode 300 bash at Golden Eagle Comics at the Fairgrounds Square Mall, Saturday Sept. 22 from 9 to 6:00.

Rock on.