Amanda Deibert Interview - TaleSpin

[00:00:00] - [Speaker 0]
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[00:00:11] - [Speaker 1]
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[00:00:55] - [Speaker 2]
Hello, and welcome to Comic Book Yeti's cryptid creator corner podcast. I am one of your hosts, Jimmy Gasparo, and I am very excited to talk to today's guest. I cannot believe that it has been three and a half years since she was last on the podcast. That was right. November 2022.

[00:01:11] - [Speaker 2]
Darkwing Duck hadn't, even come out yet when, we sat down with this guest, but you will, know her because she has written star wars, hyperspace stories, DC superhero girls, Batman and Scooby Doo, teen titans go, a wonder woman 77, a dark winged duck, as I just mentioned. She's done stuff with storm king comics. She's written for television, and we have a a new series to talk about where just recently announced with dynamite, they're dipping back into the Disney, afternoon cartoon block with tailspin. She is reuniting with Carla Laro, the superstar team from dark winged duck. But please welcome back to the podcast, Amanda Diver.

[00:01:59] - [Speaker 2]
Amanda, how are you doing today?

[00:02:01] - [Speaker 3]
Hi. I'm great. I can't believe it's actually been that long. That's wild. I did not realize that.

[00:02:09] - [Speaker 2]
Yeah. I was I was shocked myself because it did not seem like it was that long that you and I had had had spoken. And, yeah, I was I was like, I kept doing the math. I'm like, November '22. Like, that's oh, yeah.

[00:02:23] - [Speaker 2]
That's I think dark winged duck had, like, just recently been announced and your your your book, like, you know, your, your kind of, your journal that was was coming out. I I think had recently, you know Mhmm. Was coming out. And yeah. Yeah.

[00:02:38] - [Speaker 2]
Three and a half years. It's, shocking to me. But Wild.

[00:02:41] - [Speaker 3]
Thanks for coming back. Thanks for having me back.

[00:02:44] - [Speaker 2]
I mean, you've done so many different things in in terms of your comic work. Like, it's amazing, the amount of stuff. Like, comics take a long time to make, but also it seems like, you know, when you're doing freelance stuff and working on different properties, you have a lot of different stuff coming out, you know, in that in that three and a half year span, but, you had a very successful, at least I thought, dark wing duck run. And, yeah, I just I wanna kinda start there because the last time

[00:03:12] - [Speaker 3]
we had

[00:03:13] - [Speaker 2]
spoken, it had just come out. So, overall, what did you think of the response to, you know, dark winged duck? You have this property from the nineties that was beloved, but, you know, you're dealing a little bit with nostalgia, but you also have to make it work for a new audience. And, what did you think of the response to it?

[00:03:36] - [Speaker 3]
I was I was really overwhelmed by the response, in a good way, which is what you want. But I I, you know, I mean, I knew I know how I feel nostalgic about things and things I enjoyed. And I guess sometimes you forget that, you know, then the entire generation that you grew up with feels that same way. And so there was such a number one, just such a massive response to it. Like, was so big that I I you know, I've been fortunate enough to work on large IPs, many times in my career.

[00:04:09] - [Speaker 3]
And so I didn't really think that Darkwing was going to be like the thing that had the most massive response I had ever seen, and but it was. People were just so excited about it. And so, still, I mean, still to this day, I was at a convention two weeks ago, and someone had me sign, a dark wing duck themed tennis shoe that they were, like, mounting up on their wall.

[00:04:38] - [Speaker 2]
And saw that because it had that Jim Cummings and that Jim Cummings had had already signed, like, across the top of the sneaker. Yeah. That was really cool.

[00:04:49] - [Speaker 3]
So it's like, you know, I mean, it's just one of those things that people love and they're very excited So it was it was a massive response. I feel I feel fortunate because, it's been overwhelmingly positive. I think people, really liked what I did, which I was I was happy about. When you're dealing with something so beloved and nostalgic, you're right. You do have to you really have to walk a fine line of you want to make sure that you respect what it is that we all loved about it in the first place.

[00:05:16] - [Speaker 3]
So you're not trying to make, like, the new edgier thing or the new whatever. But at the same time, you do have to kind of bring it into our modern sensibilities. We're not quite in the same world, and we're not quite the same, you know, readers and watchers that we were in the nineteen nineties. So we have to make it accessible to everyone now as well. Like, you wanna hit the sweet spot where it hits the nostalgia, and someone new coming into it could also just pick it up and enjoy it.

[00:05:43] - [Speaker 3]
And, that's what I was trying to do, and it seems like, people responded really well to it, so I was happy.

[00:05:50] - [Speaker 2]
Yeah. It is kind of remarkable when you're you never, you know, you're never sure, like, what might what might hit or or what might take off. And, I've been really impressed with a lot of the stuff, dynamite has been doing in terms of their in the the comic properties. I mean, dark like, dark winged duck and, what David Pepos and Jonathan Lauve done with space ghost. Like, it it is so remarkable that hitting on that nostalgia a little bit, but really reinventing the properties to a certain extent.

[00:06:26] - [Speaker 2]
And, yeah, it's been it's been really great to see the response to series like that. I felt dark winged duck was just a ton of fun. Carla Lara's art was just amazing. It just had this, I mean, perfect balance of, that evoked the imagery of the show, but it really felt new and fresh. It was kind of remarkable.

[00:06:50] - [Speaker 2]
So, yeah, I I really enjoyed it.

[00:06:52] - [Speaker 3]
When when, when I found out that we were teaming up again for this, I was very happy because, like you said, he really hits that sweet spot of making something feel fresh and modern while still it looks the way you want it to look. You know? It's not so different that you don't have that good nostalgic vibe. Plus, he he infuses a lot of humor. He puts in a lot of, like, visual Easter eggs for people you know, like, just little like, some things are Easter eggs that I write in, and some things are things that he adds on its own and that just elevates.

[00:07:26] - [Speaker 3]
You know? Like, it's he's a great person to create with because everything that he does elevates everything and makes me look better, which, you know, that's what you want.

[00:07:36] - [Speaker 2]
No. Absolutely. No. I I feel like dynamite, you know, has really lucked out with a lot of the teams they're putting together, but especially in terms of the the the Disney afternoon, you know, cartoon block that, had, like, I think, stranglehold on a certain demographic between, what was it, like, 1990 or '91 and nineties. Mhmm.

[00:08:05] - [Speaker 2]
In particular, having read a number of the things that that you've written and I have two daughters. They're 13, and my youngest just turned nine, but we've read a lot of the DC super hero hero girls books, and and and they've they've had a number of wonderful creative teams on it, you've which been involved in. I really feel like you you in particular kinda have, like, the perfect sense of humor, at least in terms of your writing and and your approach to these properties. Really feel like you get I really feel like I really feel like your humor really gets the tone right for these these types of books. I mean, not and not that you can't do other things because you've done, like, wonderful stuff, especially you and and and Cat Staggs with, your what you've done with Storm King comics and, you know, totally different vein.

[00:08:54] - [Speaker 2]
Very. But when very. Right. But when but when but when you work on these, on stuff like this, like dark wig duck and what I'm I I I bet tailspin's gotta be the exact same way and, like, the DC superhero girls books or teen titans go, you really have, like, the the right sense of humor and and really capture the tone right. And what do you think is your biggest influences to be able to to do that, to write things that are fun and engaging, but also, you know, humor is subjective, but you you really, I I think, nail it when it comes to those types of books.

[00:09:32] - [Speaker 3]
Thank you. First of all, thank you very much. I appreciate that. I I started my writing career in comedy, and I think that might be part of it. You know, I started doing, like like late night things and writing comedy for comedians.

[00:09:48] - [Speaker 3]
And so I think that really honed my my humor, you you know, my my humor writing in a way that it carries with me. And I think, you know, I know that even myself when I'm reading something, when I'm watching something, even if it's something heavy, even if it's something very serious, if if humor is infused in it, then I'm enjoying it more. So I think it's always kind of on in the forefront of my mind and kind of just the way I live my life, honestly. Like if there's a moment where I could make a joke, then I'm gonna take that moment no matter what. So I think part of that is just like that's who I am.

[00:10:26] - [Speaker 3]
If there's if if it's like, look at this and like, oh, this is a good story. Oh, but here's a way that there can be a joke, whether it's like a full on, you know, pratfall joke joke, or just kind of a wink at the audience tongue in cheek. Oh, if you get it, you get it moment. Like, I I love to throw in as much as I can.

[00:10:45] - [Speaker 2]
Oh, that's that's awesome. Who who were your biggest influences in terms of, comedy? Either, like, comedic films or stand up comedy.

[00:10:55] - [Speaker 3]
Oh gosh. Well, I grew up, like, really like, I was very into, like, Monty Python, and that kind of stuff. I'm a big I I was a big, like, SNL person growing up as a kid. And, like, my favorite movie still of all time is Clue, which I think gives a lot of insight into the way my brain works.

[00:11:19] - [Speaker 2]
It does. Better than get works. It. I I get it. It's a fantastic film, and it's it's it's very funny.

[00:11:32] - [Speaker 2]
You know? Who knew a movie based off of a board game would

[00:11:35] - [Speaker 3]
Right. Well Right.

[00:11:36] - [Speaker 2]
It's it's just so it's so well written. It's so well acted. It's it's one of those films that is definitely high up on on on my list. It when I I saw it, you know, very young, of course, and enshrined a love of, of Tim Curry, without a doubt. Yeah.

[00:11:54] - [Speaker 3]
Yeah. I think, you know, who if you don't love Tim Curry, then that's it. Then we're probably not gonna be well aligned. You know? It's a good it's a good indicator of whether or not I can be friends with somebody.

[00:12:04] - [Speaker 2]
Oh, absolutely. No. Definite red flag. If somebody's like, oh, I just don't care for Tim Curry. I'm like, oh, okay.

[00:12:10] - [Speaker 3]
Well Well, bye.

[00:12:11] - [Speaker 2]
I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go. See you.

[00:12:14] - [Speaker 3]
Meow. Come. Exactly. Exactly.

[00:12:16] - [Speaker 2]
So so well, so let's talk about tailspin. So now

[00:12:20] - [Speaker 3]
that you've come

[00:12:21] - [Speaker 2]
in, you're teaming up with with with Carlo again for tailspin. I this was a cartoon that I I loved. I love dark winged duck. I I really love tailspin. I think Kit Cloudkicker, one of the best names in cartoons.

[00:12:37] - [Speaker 2]
Hands down.

[00:12:38] - [Speaker 3]
Absolutely. Absolutely. I mean, definitely definitely an a nod to Luke Skywalker, but love it. Love it.

[00:12:45] - [Speaker 2]
But it it's a great name.

[00:12:47] - [Speaker 3]
It's a fantastic

[00:12:48] - [Speaker 2]
name. So what what it what it what, I mean, do you kinda hope to do with, like, Talespin? Are you excited to to do this? And what is it you hope the, you know, the the fan response will be to your version of TaleSpin?

[00:13:04] - [Speaker 3]
Well, mean, I hope like, I I hope the response is positive. I hope that people, come away with it being like, oh, this is a brand new adventure with these characters that we know and love, this world that we know and love. That's, you know, I'm I'm I wanna do something. As always, if you try to think about how are you gonna please everybody, then you have a panic attack and you fall apart. So what you have to do instead is go, like, what's the story that I wanna tell in this world with these characters?

[00:13:36] - [Speaker 3]
So, I've come up with something that I think is really fun and really interesting. I have a new character that I've created that I'm introducing, and that's gonna be a part of the arc. But then a lot of characters that we know and love. I mean, I don't know that I'll get every single in this first run anyway, if they wanna give me more. I don't know that I'll be able to get every single person we love know and love from TaleSpin in there, a lot.

[00:14:03] - [Speaker 3]
And I've even figured out an incredibly fun way to get in a pretty cool wink for Darkwing fans in issue two that I think is gonna be extremely fun because, you know, they're slightly different timelines. But there's a fun thing that I love that I'm really excited about, but that I'm not gonna spoil because I think people are gonna be super into it. But, yeah, it's gonna be fun. It's a lot of obviously, we've got a lot of flight action happening. We've got a lot of plane stunts.

[00:14:42] - [Speaker 3]
We've got a lot of, like, cool visuals because that's the world that we get to be in, and a lot of humor because, you know, Baloo is a funny guy. Yeah. It'll be great.

[00:14:54] - [Speaker 2]
Yeah. Awesome. You know, there was a tendency, I think, probably more so in the late nineties, maybe the early two thousands to take, you know, something from the seventies or eighties, and we're gonna reinvent it. And the instantly, the answer was, it's gritty. It's dark now.

[00:15:12] - [Speaker 2]
Mhmm. Mhmm. Uh-huh. And I really love what's happening right now where we have these properties that are nostalgic but aren't always just trading on that. And, what do you think is the most important thing in terms of taking something that that that has been, you know, 30 is 30 years old or or 35 years old and to make it new and fresh without just making let's make it dark or let's make it more realistic or you know?

[00:15:42] - [Speaker 3]
Right. Right. It's like and now he's a serial killer or whatever. You know? Or his whole family is he's his whole family has been slaughtered, and he's vigilante justice or whatever.

[00:15:51] - [Speaker 3]
Right.

[00:15:51] - [Speaker 2]
It's gonna be Right. Right.

[00:15:53] - [Speaker 3]
Situation. Yeah.

[00:15:54] - [Speaker 2]
Baloo is now Baloo is now an alcoholic, and his wife has left him.

[00:15:59] - [Speaker 3]
Oh, so you read the first issue. Great.

[00:16:02] - [Speaker 2]
Oh, no. Spoiled it.

[00:16:07] - [Speaker 3]
Just, no. But I it I think for me, the way that I approach it, I think everybody, you know, has their own approach. But for me, like, I like to to kind of figure out, you know, like, what's the spirit of this? And then try to stay true to the spirit of it. Because I don't it's one of those things that when I'm approaching something, I don't go like, how am I gonna, like, modern sensibility this?

[00:16:32] - [Speaker 3]
Because I already know, you know, I'm coming at this from the perspective of a writer in 2026. You know what I mean? Like, I was a kid when I watched the first incarnation, and now I'm an adult, and I've become, you know, sophisticated and savvy in the same way that we all have. Like, I'm living in this world now. So I know that when I'm approaching things, as long as I'm not, like, attempting to approach it in a dated way, I'm I'm not going to, if that makes sense.

[00:16:59] - [Speaker 3]
So for me, it's like, stay true to the spirit of it. Tell the tell a story that I want us like, what's a cool story that we haven't seen? Like, what's something that they didn't do then either because that wasn't what was going on in the nineties or it just didn't occur to people or whatever. You know, like, what's the story that I wanna see told in this world with these characters? And that that's how kind of I approach it becoming, you know, relevant to modern audiences is I just go, well, I'm a modern audience.

[00:17:27] - [Speaker 3]
What do I want? What do I wanna see? Yeah. Which I think you know, I mean, that's writing. Right?

[00:17:33] - [Speaker 3]
It's it tells a story that that you wanna that you wanna read, that you wanna see, that you wanna watch, because there's no way you're gonna be able to, like, crystal ball predict what everybody else wants anyway. So, you know, write for yourself and know that if if you love it, then probably other people will too, you hope. You know? Yeah. Or they don't, but at least you're proud of

[00:17:55] - [Speaker 2]
it. Yeah. At least at least you made yourself happy. Right. You when I asked you about, you know, your sense of humor and your influences, you mentioned SNL and and Monty Python.

[00:18:06] - [Speaker 2]
But I was in particular a huge, but I still am a huge fan of SNL, but a huge SNL fan, you know, as a kid. Like, just loved the sketches, watched it as much as I could, like like, idolized the writing on it, the sketch comedy even from, a young age. And I always felt like as a kid that I had a more, like, adult sense of humor be because of that. Mhmm. Now that it's you know, now that I'm old, or 47 and, at least older.

[00:18:41] - [Speaker 2]
I I hate saying that I'm old, but, and I with my kids, to see what they find funny now and to try and, like, relate to them on a humor level and to see if there's anything that I loved as a kid that they still find funny is I don't know. I feel like I'm I'm conducting some type of sociological experiment, and I don't mean to. I'm just trying to be a parent, but I'm fascinated by, like, what we find funny as human beings, like, generationally.

[00:19:09] - [Speaker 3]
Uh-huh.

[00:19:10] - [Speaker 2]
How how much do you think, like, being a parent, like, affects, you know, how you're writing in in both in tone and in humor?

[00:19:21] - [Speaker 3]
Very much. I I I think that's a great question. Yes. I have I have an 11 year old, and I it's it's great because I kind of have like a foot in the door of Jen Alpha as well. You know what I mean?

[00:19:34] - [Speaker 3]
And I guess that keeps me a little more current than maybe I would be otherwise, because when I'm hanging out with her and her friends and, like, I'm also, like, their girl scout troop leader and very active in a bunch of this. Like, I spend a lot of time. I spend a lot of time with tweens. But it does. Like you said, like, it's it's kind of interesting to see, like, what translates?

[00:19:55] - [Speaker 3]
Like, what's funny to us that's also funny to them? What's funny to them that we're going, like, wait. Why is this funny? Like and and I do also like like you said, it is kind of like an experiment, but that's interesting to me as well because when I'm writing something, you know, that appeals to their age group like, right now, I can't talk about it yet, but I'm writing a graphic novel that is related to, my child's favorite video game. And it's really great to have access to the way that she and her friends talk about it and find out like what it is about the characters in this game that they love.

[00:20:35] - [Speaker 3]
Because then when I'm writing it, it's like, oh, right. Like, this is the trait of this character that like is the thing that the kids are into. So yeah, I think it I think it informs probably more realize, about the way that I approach writing, the way that I, you know, sense of humor, especially when I'm writing for a a younger audience or something like this that I hope bridges a gap between you know, because it's it's for us nostalgically, and it's also for a young audience. And when you're doing something, know, it's the same thing that I was aware of in Darkwing of, like, I want my child to enjoy this book, but I also wanna make sure that my peers who love this character enjoy this book. And it's it's nice to have the cheat of having a, you know, part of that demographic at home.

[00:21:22] - [Speaker 2]
Yeah. No. I think it makes sense. Somewhat unrelated, but you mentioned the girl scouts. My oldest daughter, she was in the girl scouts for a little bit, but then they either didn't have enough girls or didn't have a troop leader.

[00:21:34] - [Speaker 2]
But my youngest has been in the girl scouts now for a few years.

[00:21:38] - [Speaker 3]
Uh-huh.

[00:21:38] - [Speaker 2]
Can I just say, I love the girl scouts? My youngest Right. My has never shown any interest in terms of going camping or anything along those lines, but she has gone two or three times now with her girl scout troop, and she loves it, doing, you know, doing archery and, you know, spending two nights in the woods in in New Jersey. I I will say, though, along the lines of the the girl scouts, we we did show them one of my wife's favorite movies, Troop Beverly Hills, and they liked it. So

[00:22:13] - [Speaker 3]
I, I live, I live in the Los Angeles area, and my girls can be a little, they can be they do camp, but they can be a little glam. And so I often often feel like I am the leader through that relate ills. Like, it's a it I found it deeply relatable.

[00:22:31] - [Speaker 2]
Yeah. That's funny. Hey. Look. You can have you can have worse role models than Shelley Long in that movie.

[00:22:38] - [Speaker 2]
Right?

[00:22:38] - [Speaker 3]
Right. I was like, you know, if I have to be Shelley Long, I have to be Shelley Long. I'll twist my arm. You know? Not the worst.

[00:22:50] - [Speaker 2]
Just to kinda to to turn a little bit to talk about something completely different, I wanted to to have a chance to talk to you a little bit about your work on on storm king comics at dark and twisted. I know there's death mask volume one and two. It's something that you've been able to work with Kat on. And I just like what has that experience been like?

[00:23:15] - [Speaker 3]
Oh, it's so fun. You know, it's Kat and I both really love horror, we also do John Carpenter's Tales for Halloween Night. We do a story in that every volume every year, which which are short horror comics, which is how we started working in Storm King. And then Kat's done a bunch of other books with them, and then we started doing Death Mask. We're working on volume three now, which is very exciting.

[00:23:40] - [Speaker 3]
But it's been it's great. It's great to do something that's so dark, And it sometimes means that I'm forcing her to draw really disturbing things, and that her, you know, when she's looking at references, her she's probably on a watch list now because it's so misstep because I've I've really enjoyed coming up with really creative kills for that one. But then sometimes it's like she's trying to figure out the logistics of like, okay, if someone gets killed like that, like, what does that look like? And then she's, you know, searching and she's like, thanks a lot. I'm sorry.

[00:24:16] - [Speaker 3]
So it's fun, though. It's it's been great.

[00:24:20] - [Speaker 2]
In terms of the the two of you and both having a love of horror and working on, you know, different horror properties, but have you found that you're like, the types of horror you like, is that in line, or, like, is one of you a slasher and the other is, you know, more psychological horror?

[00:24:42] - [Speaker 3]
That's a great question. For the most part, we align. And then we both have our areas that we don't. Like for me, if anything, anything bad is happening to kids, I'm out. Like, I can't like, that's my, like, I can't do it.

[00:25:05] - [Speaker 3]
I think it's like, I'm a mom now, I just am like, nope. Never mind. Like, kid can get a paper cut, and I'm like, I'm out. I'm done. And then and then, I probably shouldn't tell, but, like, she's really, like, like zombies really scare her.

[00:25:22] - [Speaker 3]
And so, like, that's her least favorite type of of horror. I definitely shouldn't probably give people this fun fact. But, so like, there there are areas but mostly we align. Like, we both like, with Def Nask, you know, there's a it's a the the Dark and Twisted line is more for, like, reality based horror. And by reality, I mean, like, things that are not supernatural.

[00:25:49] - [Speaker 3]
And so it's like, Death Mask is very much it, you know, in the serial killer, in the human on human horrors kind of way versus like, you know, we've summoned a demon and now we're all gonna die, which I also love. I I I love I love a supernatural horror as well. But like, we both like, Kat and I are both really into, like, in general, if we have an evening where we just wanna, like, chill and relax, like, we love to find, like, a good detective show, like, a murder mystery. Like, you know, we we both love a good murder. So doing, like, a a serial killer thing and a detective thing is definitely, very much in line with what we both enjoy.

[00:26:33] - [Speaker 2]
Awesome. No. That's great. Not not not great that you both love murder, but you know you know what I mean. Listen.

[00:26:39] - [Speaker 2]
You know, you you

[00:26:40] - [Speaker 3]
get a balance. Right? Like, I do the nostalgic kid stuff and then a little murder, and then, you know, you gotta keep it

[00:26:46] - [Speaker 2]
Yeah.

[00:26:47] - [Speaker 3]
Well rounded.

[00:26:47] - [Speaker 2]
Is there ever part of you when is is there ever a part of you when you're writing something, you know, something like death mask or, you know, something else like the the the the Halloween, you know, short that you you your comic that you do every year and, you know, doing so much stuff that's geared towards a younger audience. Are you ever just like, oh, yeah. I am gonna let loose. Everybody's dying. Like, does you is there ever that sense of freedom maybe?

[00:27:13] - [Speaker 2]
Is I don't know if that's

[00:27:14] - [Speaker 3]
the right word. You know, what it what it actually is nice is that, like, they both like, it it pleases different parts of my brain. If that like, different parts of my creative side. So it's not like it gets mixed up or that I wanna, like, necessarily bring one part into another, but it's more like I always have, you know, part of the the freelance hustle of life is that you've always gotta have multiple projects going because inevitably, something gets paused, for things out of your control. Right?

[00:27:45] - [Speaker 3]
Like, you think a project's gonna go, and then it doesn't for a couple years, or you're waiting for approvals if you're working on an IP, and it's gotta go through, like, the the, say, the comic book company, but then also, like, whatever company owns the IP if it's related to, like, a TV show or a movie or whatever. And so, like, things can sometimes get stalled. So usually, I'm working on I would say I've usually got, like, four projects going at any one time in different stages. So one might be in pitch, one might be in revisions, when I'm writing, when I'm in outline or whatever. And that's basically just to stay alive.

[00:28:22] - [Speaker 3]
But what it also does is it gives me, kind of this great creative way to bounce back and forth, which keeps, keeps me from being stuck. Know, if I'm doing something that's like very kid friendly and fun and funny, then that's using like one part of my brain and playful creativity. And then when I'm, doing something that's horror and dark, that's activating like a very different part of my brain, which is still fun, but sometimes can be kind of disturbing and kind of upsetting. And sometimes I have to, like, really think about things that that are awful about the world and, you know, and churn up stuff. And so being able to kind of bounce around, I think, keeps it all fresh, keeps me from feeling burnt out on any of it.

[00:29:08] - [Speaker 3]
And it's one of those things that's like, oh, I'm stuck on this. Okay. I'm gonna go play with this for a little while, and then come back to it. And then usually just using a totally different side of my brain kind of sorts it out. Because it's like, you know, you've always got the stuff going on in the back of your head too.

[00:29:22] - [Speaker 3]
Like, when you're when you can't quite figure out how you're gonna write something, if I go do something else, there is a part of my brain that I'm not even conscious of that's still untangling that thread. So I I I like I like having different genres that I'm working in, different worlds that I'm that I'm playing with. I think it helps.

[00:29:41] - [Speaker 2]
Oh, yeah. I mean, that, yeah, that definitely makes sense. I I find that, you know, when I'm stuck on something, I I do something totally unrelated, and it it tends to, you know, unlock Mhmm. Whatever the the whatever's stuck.

[00:29:57] - [Speaker 4]
Jimmy is too humble to do this. So as his stalwart ride or die, I wanted to tell you about his new graphic novel, Penny and the Yeti with artist Amber Aiken. What started as a comic short with his daughter that I've known about for ages now, and it's evolved and has become one of those annoying can't talk about it in comics things for too damn long. Yes. I'm predisposed to be supportive but after reading an advanced copy of it, I have to admit it's way better than I anticipated.

[00:30:25] - [Speaker 4]
No shade but it's really good, remarkably so. Does it have a yeti? Yeah. Is it cute and adorable? Yeah.

[00:30:33] - [Speaker 4]
But it streak lies in effectively tapping into the all too familiar family dynamics that we all are facing in 2026 and approaching it in a way that doesn't insult the book's target audience. Kids. They are way smarter and perceptive than we adults give them credit for. So I really appreciated Jimmy's narrative approach tapping into his own experiences as a dad and a spouse. I can hear his wife saying, get off your phone, Jimmy, through the pages.

[00:30:58] - [Speaker 4]
She's gonna kill me for saying that. It's hitting shelves on April 21, and I dropped the link in the show notes where you can preorder a copy today. Getty or not, here we come with Penny, Perry, Fenton, Maxine, and the magical, mythical, magnificent, Yeti. On behalf of us both, we appreciate your support. Yahua.

[00:31:20] - [Speaker 2]
And and speaking of another world that you you get to play in, I think I think masters of the universe, is it legends of eternity? It's coming out July 29, which is a a manga styled tie in Mhmm. To the masters of the universe, film. Yes. So can you tell me about that?

[00:31:39] - [Speaker 2]
Is this like forgive me, but is this like one of the first times that you've, like, written like like a a manga style as opposed to like a a western comic or It's graphic not

[00:31:49] - [Speaker 3]
the very first time that I've done it. So I'm very excited about it. It's very cool. And but not the first time I've done He Man. So I wrote

[00:31:57] - [Speaker 2]
Right.

[00:31:58] - [Speaker 3]
I wrote a He Man comic for Scholastic, and then I also wrote, He Man and the Masters the Universe. I wrote on the series for Netflix, not the Kevin Smith series, but the other one that was geared toward, younger kids. So I've been in the He Man world a lot. But, this is the first time getting out of Western comics, is really exciting for me. Yeah.

[00:32:21] - [Speaker 3]
And I I can't wait for it to come out. I also I was lucky enough that because it is a tie in with the film, I got to read the script of the film. And, I can't wait to see it. It's really good. That the script is really good.

[00:32:40] - [Speaker 3]
If the movie is as scripted, it's fantastic. And then got to play in the universe of that film, and, it's really it it was very fun.

[00:32:52] - [Speaker 2]
Oh, that's awesome. Yeah. I- I'm I'm I'm excited to I'm excited to see the film. I mean, I had you know, that was I was the I'm the right age in terms of when those

[00:33:00] - [Speaker 3]
things were

[00:33:01] - [Speaker 2]
out

[00:33:01] - [Speaker 3]
in the

[00:33:01] - [Speaker 2]
eighties when I was a kid. And my my brother and I Bobby shout out to my brother Bobby, the cryptid creator corner's number one most dedicated fan. Bobby listens to all my episodes. Hi, Bob. Yeah.

[00:33:12] - [Speaker 2]
We we collected He Man. I I bet somewhere in my parents' basement, there is still, like, a milk crate or something filled filled with with them. I mean, I know that, like, I still remember seeing the much maligned 1987 film in the theater, but I I had look. I had a fun time. And so, yeah, I'm looking forward to this one.

[00:33:35] - [Speaker 2]
I just like the I think it looks it looks so in terms of the trailer, it just it looks so bright. I mean, the 1987 film, as much as there were things I enjoyed about it as a kid, it was very dark. Not not in tone necessarily. It it just looked like it was shot dark. Mhmm.

[00:33:53] - [Speaker 2]
But this one looks bright. It looks fun. I kinda love, you know, I love the cast in it. So Mhmm. I'm excited to see it.

[00:34:02] - [Speaker 2]
I mean, I'm excited to I'm excited to read what you've done, with legends of Eternia. It it it sounds really cool, and there it looks like there's some characters that I'm not, you know, familiar with, not having been really involved in He Man in a while. So I'm excited to see who who they are.

[00:34:19] - [Speaker 3]
Yeah. I had I got to, without being spoilery, I took something that's basically was written into, like, the background of the film and kind of got to create three I've I created three characters that are new to the universe for this that I am obsessed with and love very And I and I think they're awesome. And I think I I hope that people love them as much as I love them because I started writing them, I was like, oh my god. I'm obsessed. I love this so much.

[00:34:49] - [Speaker 3]
So I'm really excited about Hopefully, other people will be too.

[00:34:54] - [Speaker 2]
What do you think was the biggest, you know, challenge or, you know, I mean or if there was one with kind of did you have to do anything to, like, adapt your script to more of, a a manga style story? Like, what what was the biggest difference in terms of the the writing of it, if there was one?

[00:35:14] - [Speaker 3]
So the the biggest difference, I think, as far as, you know, writing wise because obviously, like, the art style difference. Yeah. But it's more sparse on dialogue, so you're thinking more visual with fewer words to tell the story. So you so, which luckily the it's not a huge shift because comics is already a very visual medium. Right?

[00:35:42] - [Speaker 3]
So you're already thinking in, like, how to visually how to tell visually impactful stories, you know, as a comic writer anyway. And also, like, honestly, in in TV and animation writing, it's all, like, very show, don't tell. But this is, like, taking that, even further.

[00:36:00] - [Speaker 2]
And Okay.

[00:36:00] - [Speaker 3]
That was that's the biggest, from from a writing point of view. It was thinking about that. And then also, you know, just while I'm envisioning it, I'm thinking about how to lend my descriptions more to that art style if there is something, you know, visually that I'm thinking about describing it in a way or thinking about setting it in a way that, kind of favors the art style. But other than that, you know, you're still you're still trying to tell a good story with good heart, interesting things with the character, staying true, you know, to the to the universe of the film, which was also so the other thing, because I had written an animated He Man series, and some of the characters were very different in that series. It was then having to kind of, like, go, okay.

[00:36:52] - [Speaker 3]
It's not that version of this character, or it's not that version of He Man, and, like, staying true to, like, the the cinematic world that's being created for this film. Because some of the things for our He Man at Netflix, we changed some of the characters. Like, some of the characters changed gender. Some of the characters, Cringer wasn't, as cringer, and, like, he wasn't as scared in that in the version on in Netflix. And so it was just, like, kind of, you know, adjusting to that as well.

[00:37:23] - [Speaker 2]
Okay. Yeah. Well, I mean, I I was sure sure part of you is probably, you know, used to that, especially in terms of the superhero universe. Like, when you come in to write a superhero character, I mean, there I you know, we talk about, like, the the history of Wonder Woman or

[00:37:39] - [Speaker 3]
Right.

[00:37:40] - [Speaker 2]
Or Batman or Superman or Dick Grayson, you know, whoever it might be, but but different writer and and art teams that come in. They Mhmm. There are there are changes. There are, like, a a signature type of character. And if you're coming in to write, you know, a a particular character and if it's, a in continuity story, you know, you gotta keep it you know?

[00:38:02] - [Speaker 2]
So I'm I'm sure to a certain extent, you're, you know, you're used to that for the different superhero work that you've done over the years.

[00:38:09] - [Speaker 3]
Yes. Absolutely. I mean, obviously, like, if you're doing Teen Titans Go versus, like, DC Doomed and the Damned, like, you're you're doing very different like, you're doing very different character work. So It's Sure. You're right.

[00:38:22] - [Speaker 3]
It's it is something that I that I have to do a lot, that I enjoy getting to do a lot, which is, you know, our characters have their core essences, but the tone of the kind of project that you're doing could change pretty drastically.

[00:38:36] - [Speaker 2]
Yeah. Yeah. With, like, your your your DC work and and even, you know, the some of the stuff that you've you've done for Marvel as well, and being involved in comic book writing as long as you have. Like, do you still have characters that, like, you're desperate to write one day? Like, is there still, you know, to invoke Moby Dick, like, your white whale out there that one day you're, like, gonna put your your stamp on?

[00:39:03] - [Speaker 2]
And and if you don't wanna say who it is, that's fine. I just wanted to I'm just kinda curious.

[00:39:08] - [Speaker 3]
I mean, there's still I still have a a list of characters that I would love to get to write. For a long time, my answer, was actually to do something for Archie comics because that was the first, the first comics that I ever started reading as a kid. So for me, it was like, oh, since that was my, like, gateway into comics as a little girl. But then I got to do something for Archie. And so then that was like, because for years, that was my answer, but then it was, I guess, a year or two ago, I finally got to do one.

[00:39:40] - [Speaker 3]
So I was, I've kinda I kinda got that one. So now I have to figure out my new I mean, I have a list of characters, but I have to figure out, like, my new, like, oh, this is the one I really, really wanna write.

[00:39:52] - [Speaker 2]
Oh, okay. Well, I I speaking of, your your your Archie work, because that was the Archie is is mister justice. Mhmm. Uh-huh. Because I I talked to a few folks when when that was coming out.

[00:40:05] - [Speaker 2]
I know, Kenny Porter was on at one point, to talk about that. What was that experience like? I because I I thought I don't have a huge, like, knowledge of Archie comics. I know when I was a kid, it was always something that was around, but I've not read a lot of Archie comics. But I've read a few more recently really for the podcast and, you know, not having a huge knowledge of, like, the whole history of the character, but but coming in and, like, reading that that four issue series, Archie is mister justice.

[00:40:37] - [Speaker 2]
I thought I thought it was really great. Thought the artwork was fantastic. I thought the stories were very interesting. I liked the approach that each creative team for an issue kinda does a a spotlight and a focus on a on a different character in in the Archie universe. How did you did you find working, you know, in that type of experience where you have different teams kind of doing their own issue and then working towards, like, the to tell the the totality of that story?

[00:41:05] - [Speaker 3]
It was fun. It was, it reminded me, kind of more of, like, a TV writer's room situation because we had, you know, each of us had our our issue, and but we were trying to also you know, they needed to overlap. We and we were including parts of like, you know, I had panels in mine that included bits of other people's stories, I had to find out you know, we all had to kind of keep communicating about, like, okay, what's happening in this because I wanna reference it in this thing. And so it's kind of fun to get to, in a way, collaborate together on, like, the bigger picture, but then we were all able to just do our own standalone, story and do what want. So it was, it was really fun, and the artwork was gorgeous, and it was it was kind of a blast.

[00:41:56] - [Speaker 3]
And for me, I was, like, so excited to get to to work in that universe. And so it was it was great. I super enjoyed it.

[00:42:05] - [Speaker 2]
Awesome. Yeah. It was a great series. I I I loved it. I'm trying to trying to I'm going going through my list here in terms of my notes.

[00:42:15] - [Speaker 2]
Is there anything else you wanna let listeners know to check out that you have coming out? I want to make sure we we touched on all of them.

[00:42:23] - [Speaker 3]
Let's see. I mean, He Man is the big thing coming up, and then, obviously, Talespin, I'm very excited about. I've got a few other things going on with Dynamite that I can't talk about yet, but I'm very excited, because I love working with Dynamite. And I'm doing this it's for young kids, Marshupalamis, is a it's a graphic novel that it's Nickelodeon is now it was a it's been a it was a French comic strip and cartoon. It's very big in in France.

[00:43:01] - [Speaker 3]
Now Nickelodeon is doing it as like, an American cartoon series as well, and then I'm doing the graphic novel that ties in with the show. And it's really fun and cute, and if Especially, like, for younger kids, it's, like, very zany, very, like it's it's very sweet and kind of mythological animals causing mayhem, you know, and you have kind of, like, hiding them from bad guys. Like, it's very, it feels very nostalgic to like kind of the zanier cartoons of our of our youth, almost some Looney Tunesque vibes in some areas. Like that one's that one's really fun as well. Try to think if there's anything else.

[00:43:48] - [Speaker 3]
And like I said, we're working on, Death Mask volume three, which is definitely not for your children. See, a little bit of everything.

[00:44:00] - [Speaker 2]
Not yet. Not not yet. I I will say my 13 year old has recently gotten into Stephen King. So

[00:44:06] - [Speaker 3]
Nice.

[00:44:07] - [Speaker 2]
So she's she's, you know, gotten the the horror bug a a little bit. And so Yep.

[00:44:14] - [Speaker 3]
That sounds about right.

[00:44:16] - [Speaker 2]
Yeah. Yeah. I think that was the that was the age I I first started, reading a little bit of Stephen King. And then I got away from Stephen King stuff for a while, and now I'm back. And just recently, I've read a couple more things.

[00:44:28] - [Speaker 2]
Just finally read the dark half, which I don't know why it took you that long. It was a fantastic book. But yeah. So I hope well, I I I mean, there's there's still a couple other series if if dynamite is gonna do, you know, the rest of the the Disney cartoon afternoon block.

[00:44:47] - [Speaker 3]
Listen. If they want me to do the whole lineup, I'm here.

[00:44:53] - [Speaker 2]
Yeah. There there's still I think there's still a still a few they they they haven't done yet. I think I had stopped watching cart really, like, those the afternoon cartoons. I was in high school by the time, like, the quack pack came out, but I I do I do remember catching a couple of episodes. I I think that's the one with the teenage Huey Dewey and Louie driving Donald nuts.

[00:45:15] - [Speaker 3]
Mhmm. But

[00:45:17] - [Speaker 2]
in any event, I there I'm gonna have links in the show notes so listeners can follow you on social media and so they'll know where to go so they can, they won't forget. If you haven't read dark winged duck yet, I think there's two collected volumes of of the work that you you did with Carlo Laro. And, yeah, the the, death mask volumes one and two, you said you're working on three. Tailspin will be out in August. Masters of the universe, legends of eternity at number one will be out July twenty ninth of, this summer.

[00:45:52] - [Speaker 2]
Marsu Polamis and, yeah, Amanda, thank you so much for coming to the podcast. Listeners, rate and review us. Please do all the stuff they tell you to do about podcast. It really does help. Just wherever you listen, just say, yeah.

[00:46:06] - [Speaker 2]
We we like this. We like listening because we love doing it. We're we're by the end of the year, I think we're closing in on episode 500 for the podcast, but I believe that, because it doesn't feel like we've been doing it that long. Also feels like we've been doing it forever. But, yeah, thank you so much for listening.

[00:46:23] - [Speaker 2]
You can find me on Blue Sky and TikTok, and let me know what comics you're reading, especially if you've read any of Amanda's stuff. I'd love to talk to you about it. And, yeah, thank you, so much for listening. Good night, and I'll see you next time.

[00:46:36] - [Speaker 4]
This is Byron O'Neil, one of your hosts of the Cryptic Creator Corner brought to you by Comic Book Yeti. We hope you've enjoyed this episode of our podcast. Please rate, review, subscribe, all that good stuff. It lets us know how we're doing, and more importantly, how we can improve. Thanks for listening.

[00:46:56] - [Speaker 0]
If you enjoyed this episode of the Cryptid Creator Corner, maybe you would enjoy our sister podcast, Into the Comics Cave. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.