About a year ago, I reworked and refocused my regular podcast, Fantastic Comic Fan. I felt like I was doing too many things and that the podcast was getting watered down from what I wanted to do. As a result, I stopped covering a lot of indie creators and stopped bringing guests on for GoFundMe campaigns.
The regular podcast is sort of like thumbing through those unsorted long boxes at your comic shop, hoping to find some hidden gem or something that caught your eye. I believe there are countless fantastic comic books from all ages, and I try to spotlight those comics. I felt indie creators might get lost in the shows. As fans might skip over something they have never heard about and listen to something they know about. That wasn’t fair to those indie creators.
GoFundMe campaigns had several problems. First, they had an expiration date because the campaign ends. I wanted episodes where a fan could pick any episode, and it would feel timeless. The other problem is I moved to taping and scheduling shows a few months in advance. Right now, I’m well into July, and trying to put in a campaign would mean reshuffling those other shows.
Still, both types of shows mattered to me, and it was something I had done right from when I started bringing guests on to the show. I had an idea of something—maybe this sometime this summer. Enter: Michael Katz. If this were a Game Show, the question would be, “Which indie writer has also worked with Ron Marz, Darryl Banks, and Keith Champagne, among others?” Michael Katz, the lawyer from Pennsylvania, would probably not be your first choice.
I reached out to Michael, and he mentioned he and Keith Champagne were planning to launch two new campaigns. Both had been on the podcast multiple times, and it didn’t feel right to say, “No”. At the same time, I couldn’t say “yes” because that would be unfair to other people who would have campaigns going on in the future.
So, launching today is Fantastic Comic Showcase. A podcast highlighting the newest crowdfunding comic book projects that every comic book fan should check out in their search for the next fantastic read. The first episode has Keith talking about his sequel to his graphic novel, Electricia. Michael talks about Riot Earp. It’s a soft sci-fi action book that takes place in 2055, where the country is fragmented into red and blue provinces. Riot Earp is an officer on the California Highway Patrol. And he just gets exposed to different provinces and different countries, and we see what life would be like in 2055. Give it a listen, wherever you listen to your podcasts.
I also thought about using Showcase to feature indie creators, but, again, I was worried about scheduling problems. Instead, I went in a different direction, with another podcast launching today, Fantastic Fan Presents. It is about indie creators reimagining what comics can be about. Every episode will look at the creators redefining the boundaries of comic book storytelling. It is also available on various podcast platforms.
The show features long-time creator Randy Reynaldo talking about his Rob Hanes Adventures. Rob Hanes, born into privilege but drawn to risk and adventure, is one of Justice International’s newest agents—a spy-for-hire with a conscience. JI operates as a private investigation, security, and intelligence agency, often seen as mercenaries or spies for hire. With clients ranging from individuals to corporations and governments, they deploy agents worldwide in an instant—if the price is right. Though some veteran agents doubt Rob, lacking traditional training, he’s quickly become JI’s modern face.
I hope you check out both new shows, because indie creators put so much creative energy into their projects. And, for the comic industry to grow, all fans need to look beyond this month’s hottest titles at your comic shop.
About Author
