David Pepose talks Space Ghost

[00:00:00] Your ears do not deceive you. You have just entered the Cryptid Creator Corner brought to you by your friends at Comic Book Yeti.

[00:00:07] So without further ado, let's get on to the interview.

[00:00:11] Skirt of Good Muts sound like something spoken by a Cthulhu cultist for the name of a weird craft beer brand,

[00:00:17] but it's actually the shorthand for this new, wild, crowd-funding comics project,

[00:00:21] Super Kaiju Rock and Roll Derby Fun Time Go from creator David Hedgecock.

[00:00:26] This is a mashup of Jim and the Holograms meets Roller Derby with Kaiju with a twist of 70s pop culture thrown in.

[00:00:33] Harmony, Lyra, Melody, Cadence, and Biola are a struggling 20-something band

[00:00:39] and a Roller Dirty team flush with talent but broke as a joke.

[00:00:43] The burnouts are thrilling concertgoers with their killer looks and vibe until a music mishap,

[00:00:49] drops a curious ancient artifact into their hands. Cheeky, lighthearted and fun.

[00:00:54] It will be launching soon and there's an early bird special if you catch it in time.

[00:00:58] This scores you a discount and a VIP wristband. I'll drop the link of the show notes.

[00:01:02] I read the advance for this and honestly it reminds me of my own carefree days giggling on the road in the music industry,

[00:01:08] but with way better shower scenes. The only thing missing is more cowbell.

[00:01:16] Hello everybody and welcome to today's episode of the Cryptid Creator Corner.

[00:01:20] I'm Byron O'Neill, your host for a lovely little chat with returning guest David Pippos.

[00:01:25] David came on way back to promote Savage Avengers with me and since then he's been super busy working on, frankly,

[00:01:31] some of the coolest characters in the Marvel Universe.

[00:01:33] You've got Fantastic Four and Moon Knight and most recently in a book which I've enjoyed quite a bit, The Punisher.

[00:01:39] You might also remember him coming on and chatting with Jimmy last fall about the devil that wears my face from Mad Cave Studios.

[00:01:45] We're on issue five of that Delightly Diabolical series. Is that right, David?

[00:01:50] That's correct.

[00:01:51] Okay. And it's fair to say you've been super, super busy.

[00:01:54] So most recently we've all been getting hyped up for his new writing gig working for Dynamite Studios,

[00:02:00] launching another IP we all know and love, Space Ghost.

[00:02:03] So David, you're doing well.

[00:02:04] I'm doing great. Thank you so much for having me.

[00:02:07] Yeah, busy is exactly the right word to use to describe my last couple of years.

[00:02:13] You know, just kind of bouncing from project to project and new idea to new idea.

[00:02:18] And yeah, it's been a really wonderful experience and I'm so excited to get to talk with you about my brand new book, Space Ghost.

[00:02:26] Coming out May 1st, the Wednesday before free comic today.

[00:02:30] Yeah, I thought I'd try to do my best attempt that you know kind of the long cartoon intro.

[00:02:36] But I remembered I can't sing and nobody really wants to hear that.

[00:02:40] I have fondly remember the original animated TV series as a kid.

[00:02:45] You know, he's got his own wonderful version of a Rose Gallery similar to Batman because here's only as good as its villains, right?

[00:02:53] So you have Moultar and Brack and Zorak and Medalist.

[00:02:56] You know, like I love the mall.

[00:02:57] So did you grow up watching the like was it 1966?

[00:03:01] Was that when it was 1966?

[00:03:03] It was when it was when the original series came out.

[00:03:05] So I'm a little younger than that.

[00:03:07] But yeah, my introduction to Space Ghost was as a child of the 90s was coast to coast.

[00:03:13] Okay.

[00:03:14] And it wasn't until I got my first internship in the industry.

[00:03:17] I was an intern at DC Comics Final Crisis and Batman.

[00:03:22] And that's when I started to learn about like the history of comics and some of the leading figures in the industry.

[00:03:28] And so Alex Toth was one of those was one of those figures.

[00:03:32] And so I learned at that point that oh, Space Ghost actually got his start the same year as Adam West Batman.

[00:03:39] There was a traditional superhero take granted told in the style of the times, which was, you know, a lot of camp.

[00:03:46] But also just kind of like the crazy silver age excitement and all just kind of throwing concepts against the wall and see what sticks.

[00:03:53] But when you're working with Alex Toth, all those concepts are fastballs.

[00:03:57] And so like you said, so many of those characters and concepts and villains really did stick there.

[00:04:03] So I just based on sheer look and sheer design that there was a lot of longevity to the character.

[00:04:11] So yeah, the way I wound up getting approached about this series is I've known Nick Burucci at Dynamite for some time, even back to my earliest days in comics journalism.

[00:04:24] Okay.

[00:04:25] And so when I made the shift to becoming a writer, I would I would hit up certain publishers just be like, Hey, I've got a new book out, you know, would love to stay on your radar.

[00:04:34] And Dynamite was one of those. And it was having worked on I think Moon Knight City the Dead and Punisher back to back that it was Nate Cosby over there who said, you know, I think David would be a good fit on Space Ghost.

[00:04:49] And so he passed my portfolio to Joe Ryman, my editor on the book and Joe agreed.

[00:04:55] So it was around. It was New York Comic Con last year. And Dynamite had just announced that their new initiative with Warner Brothers where they're going to be doing a line of licensed books, starting with Declan Shelby and Drew Moss on

[00:05:06] ThunderCats. And Joe came up to my table at New York and said, Listen, you know, I know you've emailed us a lot.

[00:05:14] I don't know if you saw we have the rights to Space Ghost and you're the top of our list would you be interested.

[00:05:18] Sweet.

[00:05:19] Yeah, I was you know, so exciting being able to kind of tell the this really cool superhero story with all these amazing sci fi trappings.

[00:05:29] But as I dug more and more into the project, I realized this was a unique opportunity.

[00:05:34] This is a superhero story that isn't tied in any particular universe.

[00:05:40] So you can really kind of run with these characters and actually make lasting emotional through lines and actual character arcs.

[00:05:48] And I really as I started rewatching all the episodes, it became very clear to me that Oh, this is an ensemble.

[00:05:56] This is an ensemble piece. This is the story of Space Ghost and his sidekicks Jan, Jason, Blip and watching their dynamic evolve and how did they first meet and then watching them become

[00:06:07] trusted sidekicks and then trusted partners and then a surrogate found family in their own right.

[00:06:14] It just it struck me as the kind of superhero story that just by the nature of the industry is very difficult to tell anywhere else.

[00:06:23] If you're telling Batman, you have to tell that story for 60 plus years.

[00:06:27] So there winds up being relaunches and sort of a generational element, particularly in the sidekicks.

[00:06:33] But that's not the case for Space Ghost. Space Ghost, you really you don't you can't have another Jan and Jason.

[00:06:39] And so being able to play with that has been a really exciting opportunity and unlike anything I've been able to write before.

[00:06:47] Yeah, I mean, I picked up one of the that was mid 80s, you know, cartoon re relaunches couple weeks back.

[00:06:55] I gotta say that particular one was not my favorite.

[00:06:58] Right? I'm not going to mention it because I know everyone has their own tastes and I'm not about squashing anybody else's joy.

[00:07:04] But I feel like sometimes it can be a bit tricky to get that balance right when you know, between respecting the legacy and doing something inventive with it.

[00:07:12] So there's that consideration here because Space Ghost doesn't have, you know, 60 70 years of like entrenched mythology, you know.

[00:07:23] But you have Space Ghost goes to coast, which you were that was your introduction point, which has a very different tone than like the original cartoon.

[00:07:33] So yeah, well, you know, I think for me, the way that I wanted to approach this was I was acutely aware that there's a whole generation of people who have no ideas or they only know the look or they only know him as a talk show host,

[00:07:48] but they don't realize that the original vision was that of a traditional superhero.

[00:07:53] And so from our very my very first discussions with Dynamite Warner Brothers, we were all pretty much in agreement that we wanted to reclaim Space Ghost and bring him back to his roots.

[00:08:03] But while that original cartoon, like I said, was very much in the style of the time, you know, out of West Batman, you know, high camp.

[00:08:11] What I wanted to do was kind of take all the amazing concepts and energy and vibes from the original Space Ghost and bring it into the 21st century.

[00:08:20] How do we kind of tell these these stories with these characters in it with the storytelling sensibilities of 2024.

[00:08:27] So the tone that I kind of likened this book to is somewhere in between a Batman the animated series and Batman the Long Hollow.

[00:08:36] Okay. So we're it's a more serious take but it's not I wouldn't say it's a grim take.

[00:08:42] It's definitely if anything I would consider this book really a study in contrast where you have the moments of drama and the moments of tension and action and cosmic high flying adventure,

[00:08:55] but also thanks to the thrust of the book being about Space Ghost dynamic with Jan Jason Blip.

[00:09:03] You have the humor and you have the heart and you have the moments of warmth and wonder.

[00:09:08] And so I think for me as a storyteller, I keep saying the word gift but that's exactly what it is is that you're able to kind of run the gamut of the the the tones you can play with and the sort of genres you can tap into and the various

[00:09:24] tones you can you can play between and it all feels organic and it all feels true to the book.

[00:09:29] And so I think for me as somebody who tends to get restless while writing as particularly if I have to stay in any one lane.

[00:09:36] This really gives me the opportunity to kind of follow my heart and it doesn't feel out of place.

[00:09:44] Okay. Yeah, I'm sort of blown away at times the amount of legwork comics writers do know the ins and outs of like continuance of different characters.

[00:09:53] I was re listening to your chat with Jimmy about devil wears my face and listening to all of the background that you went into in the research with all the popes and and such.

[00:10:04] So I'm just assuming you went back and like watched all the old cartoons.

[00:10:08] I rewatched every episode.

[00:10:10] I rewatched every episode of the original 60s run I rewatched every episode of the 80s revival and space stars even watched a Space Ghost team up with Batman and the brave bold.

[00:10:20] I reread every comics appearance that I could get my hands on also including Joe Kelly and Ariel already Batman begins style origin of the character.

[00:10:30] Yeah, what Jeff Parker and Doc Shanner did in future quest as well as future quest presents even Mark Evanier and Steve root did an amazing Space Ghost one shot for comic co back

[00:10:45] today and I managed to get my hands on a copy of that.

[00:10:48] And so the only thing longer than the pitch document I sent to dynamite which was some 30 something pages was my was the notes I took there's a 40 something page document that I have in my Google Docs where every single episode I took detailed notes.

[00:11:05] And so that way, like it really kind of helped me get a sense of like the rhythm of Space Ghost but also it was a great way to look at particularly his rogues gallery with like a fresh set of eyes.

[00:11:17] Yeah.

[00:11:18] Okay, like what about Zorak really stands out to me.

[00:11:21] So for me, you know, I see him as he's it's reductive to calm the Joker to Batman or to space goes Batman.

[00:11:31] But he is the villain that like, he's his arch nemesis. He's the one that like space ghost of any if he's afraid out of any of them it's probably Zorak.

[00:11:40] And I see it as you know he's a homicidal praying mantis like he inherently looks at the world in an alien way to you and I where Space Ghost is the guy who like he's playing it being a monster, just by virtue of his name and it's and the way that he moves.

[00:11:57] Zorak is a monster. And so like things like that and how do we kind of what wrinkles can we add to that character to really highlight something that that alien way of thinking.

[00:12:08] Okay, or something like like Brack, for example who I love Brack because he strikes me he reminds me a little a taskmaster over Marvel, and that he's not looking to conquer the universe or anything he's he's almost blue collar he's like he's he's a mercenary

[00:12:25] pirate he's he's a guy who's looking for the paycheck he just wants to rob the next gold frider. And so like things like that like okay how do we add new wrinkles that play up to Brack's opportunistic stream.

[00:12:39] Okay, so being able to do stuff like that with each of the characters, or even the widow, something as I was writing her that really stood out to me was, Oh she's the only woman in the Council of Doom.

[00:12:51] And meanwhile, Jan is the only woman, the only girl and sort of the surrogate family. What's somehow that the widow kind of finds this like sick maternal streak, you know, like almost a weird bond.

[00:13:05] She sees something in Jan that she sees in herself and so you know things like that have been like a really cool way to explore space ghosts, rogues gallery who I you hit it on the head.

[00:13:16] I think it's everybody's iconic as Batman or Spider-Man or the flash. And so the fact that nobody's really been able to get into those in a deep way. You know, Zorak has like a quick appearance in Joe Kelly's run.

[00:13:31] And, and the you know metallic shows up and like in future quest presents. But we've never been able to do the long Halloween of it all where we're able to kind of do the world tour of space ghost rogues.

[00:13:44] And so I think that's a cool way though to kind of rack up adventures very very quickly. And so for all those people who don't know who space ghost is they're going to quickly figure out who he is and what he's about.

[00:13:57] Were there any, I guess, hiccups in sort of the creative process right so how much control that dynamite give you because you've got you got a whole bunch of comic iterations right you have goal key and Archie and DC and now dynamite so yeah.

[00:14:13] Yeah, so just try to get a.

[00:14:16] No, if anything, the freedom is the word that I would use to describe every single bit of this process. I think that's part of the reason why I'm so excited about this book is, you know, I've written at Marvel for for several years at this point and you know going in that like there is a flow of

[00:14:35] that's already happening, you know there are other people using all sorts of different characters and you have no idea.

[00:14:41] That's what your editors are there for is they know where all the bodies are very. And so sometimes that that restriction is kind of fun but it's also part of the challenge is you don't always get all the characters you want and and you sort of have to tell the story in the way that you've envisioned it but you have to be smart about

[00:14:59] you have to kind of think things through and have backup.

[00:15:03] The space ghost if anything, I really kind of get to follow my true north because there's no other books that I have to that I have to navigate.

[00:15:14] And if anything I was told, you know pretty explicitly, you know, this is its own continuity, you know, it's a brand new publisher. I didn't think it was right to try to crib off of like what Joe Kelly or Jeff Parker did over at DC.

[00:15:30] I didn't think it was right but also I didn't even I wasn't sure what the legality of all that would be. Yeah.

[00:15:35] So this is brand new continuity. You know, all you have to do to get into this story is read issue. You don't have to do any home.

[00:15:43] Okay. But yeah, I think that the thing that we all kind of recognize pretty quickly. The original space ghost those episodes are like five or six minutes of pop there's no continuity so to speak there's no back story.

[00:15:55] Space ghost arrives fully formed fighting a lava monster and Jan and Jason blip are already there there's really no explanation as to like how they met up or you know how did they become sign kicks.

[00:16:09] And you know there's been the occasional stab at like explaining who Space Ghost is. But for me, I feel like space ghost. If anything his origin feels very simple to me. You know it's it's this is a guy who has been spurred on to fight crime across the galaxy.

[00:16:27] What would drive somebody to do that probably some degree of personal tragedy. Yeah, you know, in that you know his planet was attacked by by space pirates he's the sole survivor of ghost planet.

[00:16:41] He's going to try to stop what happened him from happening to anybody else.

[00:16:46] But at the same time I think what's been so cool about space ghost and particularly his dynamic with with Jan and Jason blip is when we meet space ghost he's he's been pretty isolated for a while.

[00:16:58] Now he's been on this crusade, you know he's really good at fighting pirates but at the same time I think emotionally he's been in kind of an arrest of development.

[00:17:06] You know he hasn't, he's never moved on from any of us. You know and and moreover he's never had an opportunity to heal because he's not really interacting.

[00:17:17] And as you'll see in our first issue as the circumstances unfold that he has to take in Jan and Jason blip.

[00:17:27] It's it's an interesting dynamic in that for Jan and Jason their tragedy is pretty fresh. And at the same time their kids and kids are can be pretty resilient, and they have each other which I think is something that I think sets them apart from

[00:17:42] somebody like Swain who it was just him, you know he kind of collapsed it on himself in terms of personal tragedy.

[00:17:50] But seeing the way that all these characters do react to tragedy I think is really interesting. Space ghost is at least at first kind of gruff, you know he has his own way of doing things and he is not.

[00:18:03] He is not open to any interference in that whereas Jan Jan's the response. She's the one who I think like a lot of only girls in a family.

[00:18:15] She's the one who like she has to think through, you know her brother is not going to do it. And space ghost can be kind of tunnel visioned so she has to think that's being responsible is how she feels she can keep the family together.

[00:18:27] Okay, but she's also tough. She's feisty like I don't think she she knows that this is the role that she's in but I she's not she doesn't love that.

[00:18:36] And so that does kind of give her a feisty streak she's the one will tell off space ghost was face. Yeah, you know she's a crack shot with a blaster to which I think kind of adds a little bit of weight when when Jan wants something, you know it gets done.

[00:18:51] Whereas Jace, you know he's kind of like, he's like Tim from Jurassic Park, and you know if Jan is like lacks.

[00:19:01] He's impulsive. He's the one who kind of will leap before he looks, he's got the great sense of humor.

[00:19:08] Jace feels like if he can kind of keep morale up if you can keep people laughing telling jokes that's how he keeps the family together. So I think there's an inherent sweetness to him even if like he runs his mouth.

[00:19:25] Like, I love that Jace, while he probably wasn't like, great in school. He's like a natural. But he's good with his hands he knows how to pilot things and he's got this. He brings a lot of the joy to all of this that he's like we get to be superheroes

[00:19:43] and how cool is this. And so watching Jan and Jace's contrast with each other and then watching how they play off a space ghost. It really, you know this whole business is about like investment character.

[00:19:56] Right. Like I know that you can tell all the cool exciting spectacle all you want but if you don't feel anything for these characters it doesn't mean anything.

[00:20:05] And I feel like a book like Space Ghost were really able to double down issue to issue. Why should we care about these people? Like, you know, who are they? Like what are their personalities and their dynamics with one another?

[00:20:17] And I think I see it as, you know, the story of kind of the ultimate cosmic single dad.

[00:20:23] Okay.

[00:20:24] And how he's in over his head a little bit but how he starts to roll with it and how he starts to grow and heal from it and how kind of all these characters start to learn from each other and sometimes there will be setbacks and then but those setbacks sort of, you know one step back two steps forward.

[00:20:41] And I think ultimately like all of my favorite books that I've written, it's all about the redemptive climb. And I think that the way they do it is through each other.

[00:20:51] Okay.

[00:20:52] What about blip because you have kind of a it's a free swing always with an animal, like, you know, or or co for that matter right like.

[00:21:02] Yeah, well, you know, it's funny. I, you know, blip is so important. I think, you know, when I was rewatching all the original Space Ghost episodes, there were a lot of things that stood out.

[00:21:12] You know, there was his his his frankly astonishing array of power. He's got the power bands that have lasers and fire and ice and force fields and he's got the invisible belt that lets them turn invisible.

[00:21:25] And I think the thing that really stood out to me was Batman has one sidekick, you know, and so that means you can tell stories with or without the sidekick it kind of feels almost a little like an accessory.

[00:21:36] Space Ghost has three. And you know, it's like it's like once is a happenstance twice as coincidence three times as a pattern, like it, it's a it's clearly like an important part of the text that Space Ghost is not alone, fighting with the whole team of people.

[00:21:52] And I remember a little while, you know, I was like, well, we have Jan and Jason of course as human beings like, you know that it's fun to play with them. But I thought from a little bit I was like, you know, what about blip like is is is is blip passe you know can you tell a story with blip in the year 2024.

[00:22:07] And as I thought more about it I was like, you have to you know blip is such a specific choice, you know, it could have been a dog it could have been you know any normal pet.

[00:22:19] It's true. Yeah. And so if anything I kind of view blip as the cherry on top of the sun, like it just wouldn't look right without. And so without spoiling too much I'd say blip is kind of the linchpin of our whole series.

[00:22:34] Okay, he's very important.

[00:22:38] He kind of I think provides the impetus for our entire narrative. And yeah, he's a fun character in that like a little of blip goes along. You know, he can't talk. So you have to really like, I write blip very differently than I do anybody else because it is it's a lot of it is in our artists Jonathan

[00:22:59] and the lousy hands of like, yeah. All right, you got to make blip look funny or you got to have him do something that's funny looking. But I love that he's you know, he's mischievous, he's food driven.

[00:23:10] He's loyal to these kids to a fault and he's smarter than the average, the average Abe. But, you know, he's still he's a little bit of a wild card I mean sometimes, you know, it's going to sound weird but I'll explain it.

[00:23:23] And it reminds me of like, Wolverine circa the Hellfire Club. You know where like before the Hellfire Club like, that's Wolverine that guy gets like thrown around all the time you know he got chucked at like the first adventure with Krakow.

[00:23:38] But then, you know, he's the last man standing. He's the one who has to kind of like even the odd. And that was often blips roll in the cartoons was that you know everybody's captured except for blip and nobody thinks any better of blip because he's just a monkey.

[00:23:52] They don't even they don't even bother to capture him half the time. And so blips can have a few moments like that in our series where the chips are down and, you know, never send a kid to do a monkey's job I guess.

[00:24:06] But we do have a blip centric issue coming up that I'm very excited that I think like if we nail it, it'll be my favorite of the whole run.

[00:24:16] So yeah, you know it's just it's one of those things I think when you're when you're doing your project.

[00:24:22] When there's a very specific element like something like blip. You really want to pay attention to that and you want to figure out a way to kind of fold that in because otherwise like it doesn't, you know, same way that it wouldn't feel like a space ghost book without Jan and Jase, please to me.

[00:24:38] I've come around the line of thinking it wouldn't be a space ghost book.

[00:24:44] All right, let's take a quick break.

[00:24:46] Hey comics fam.

[00:24:48] Itty comic book publisher Banda bars just got a level up and announced it is now a cooperative.

[00:24:54] This heralds a new era for them, including a partnership with Dallas stories.

[00:24:58] And they added several new members to the ownership group.

[00:25:01] Marcus Jimenez is now chief operating officer Brent Fisher takes on the role of chief diversity officer.

[00:25:07] And Joey Galvez is introduced as head of Kickstarter ops and social media manager, which is sure to increase their capabilities overall as a publisher.

[00:25:16] And it further promotes their mission statement of advancing representation, inclusion and diversity in the media.

[00:25:23] They also established a new board of directors to help chart the new path of their journey with new projects in the works like Alaska by dropping in June.

[00:25:31] Unbroken soon launching on Kickstarter and pond coming up with Dallas.

[00:25:35] Stay tuned to this space for more exciting news from the growing Bards family.

[00:25:43] Let's get back to the show.

[00:25:45] From a dialogue perspective, it sounds like a very interesting character and really the onus on the letter knocking it out of the park.

[00:25:52] Yeah, it is really, really important there.

[00:25:54] If he's an pivot point.

[00:25:56] Yeah, I mean he you know it's it's it.

[00:25:59] Yeah, I mean it's blip is very much a team effort in this book because yeah he's he's got a very it's a limited vocabulary.

[00:26:07] Right.

[00:26:08] It's just you know it's it's very degrees of free.

[00:26:13] So yeah, you know it's it's it's about like oh well you know what's the expression you're going to give.

[00:26:19] Yeah.

[00:26:20] Or what's the situation that we put it in or you know, you know, you know, what is this dynamic with any of the kids, you know, can we do something funny with that.

[00:26:31] And so yeah, it's been he's been a real treat to write, but it is a challenge because like I said, you have to tell a lot with very little and a little for blip also goes a long way you don't want to overdo it.

[00:26:46] Right.

[00:26:47] And so yeah, it's but every every issue and I feel like I've been pretty good about it so far.

[00:26:52] Every issue like we're finding something for blip today.

[00:26:56] Because yeah, you know I think I got that practice and Savage Avengers is that like you have a team.

[00:27:02] I think it's on you to have them do something and every issue, even if it's just like one thing, like, if they if weapon age has like done something this issue great like then I've justified as present.

[00:27:16] So yeah, I think I've been able to take that same approach with space ghost but it is a little easier with only four characters in a villain per issue rather than juggling 10.

[00:27:28] Yeah, I would imagine so.

[00:27:30] But I wasn't super familiar with you know Jonathan Lau's work you know so I checked out his Insta and do work as stellar you know.

[00:27:37] Yeah, it reminds me though more of Greg Capullo than Alex Toth, I guess you know you're thinking about some of that stuff you know it.

[00:27:45] And as a writer, when you're kind of playing around with your your co creator strengths in a script and I really don't know how much of that really factors in right because I'm new to the trying to write scripts myself.

[00:27:58] Yeah, so how much do you conceptualize yourself kind of the visuals when you're laying a script out.

[00:28:04] Well, you know, I think especially when you're working on a license project like this.

[00:28:09] Oftentimes you've you've already written your first or second issue before you get an artist on board.

[00:28:14] So we're, it's very much for me. I've been a fan of Jonathan's for a long time.

[00:28:20] I was keyed into his work. He did a run on Green Hornet with Kevin Smith back in the day.

[00:28:27] And so I love how dynamic his work is and, and you know I'm trying to think of like an artist who he reminds me of like, I'm just going to look up this guy real quick to see if that's, if that's a similar artist in mind.

[00:28:43] And no, doesn't look anything like it. So I'm not going to say it. But yeah, Jonathan, you know, I love that, you know, he's able to kind of toggle between like the moody elements to like the big explosive action scenes to then these like very endearing characters.

[00:29:03] We have a bit in issue two and you'll know it when you see it.

[00:29:09] I wrote it. Or you know what, I'll explain it. Yeah, I'll go a little bit so you know one spot issue to we have like a very brief kind of quick montage of space ghost sword.

[00:29:23] Okay, you know, it's one of those things I don't feel like the need to belabor the point because like I said I think is his origin feels pretty simple.

[00:29:31] And I wrote it with a kind of a fun action hook to it. And I thought, okay, this will be fun like you know, like it's a cool it's cool but like nothing that I was going to be like oh this is like the top moment in my career.

[00:29:43] And then Jonathan drew it and I said oh I think this is the top moment in my career like it's beautiful.

[00:29:49] And then he switches gears to watching like Jan and Jayce like hanging out on a ghost play. And I'm like I'd step into traffic for those kids.

[00:29:57] And so that has been like a really cool.

[00:30:01] That's been very cool to work with having an artist who's as versatile as Jonathan, because like I said you know this series is very much as a study in contra and there's a lot of things that have to get done.

[00:30:14] You want to make sure that you've got the drama and you've got the tension and stakes that come with a story, but also you don't want it to get too dour.

[00:30:23] You don't want it this is not Robert Pattinson's Space Ghost.

[00:30:27] You know, and so you want to kind of cut that that drama with warmth and humor.

[00:30:35] And on top of that you also want to make sure that like you know you're introducing all these villains in a way that they're recognizable, but also that you can add in little surprises here and there.

[00:30:43] And also to kind of give Jonathan room to interpret these characters in his own.

[00:30:49] Because you know it can't just be me who's allowed to say okay I'm going to interpret Space Ghosts and his villains in this way.

[00:30:57] Jonathan also deserves a chance to kind of put his own twist on some of these villains.

[00:31:04] So yeah, you know he's been a real pro to work with and he's humanly fast.

[00:31:11] He's drawing. He's trying about a page a day.

[00:31:15] Okay, wow.

[00:31:16] You know we are he's about.

[00:31:22] I want to say he's he's he's about a third of the way through issue three already.

[00:31:28] You know like moving very very fast.

[00:31:31] So it's all I can kind of do to stay ahead of him.

[00:31:34] But that's been like it's been such a treat to see how how professionally like he's he's putting together all these pages.

[00:31:43] And the thing that I also really admire and appreciate about working with him is that he understands this is an ensemble book.

[00:31:50] It would be so easy to just be like well it's just Space Ghosts, and we're going to put these kids in a corner somewhere.

[00:31:58] And then I think the thing that really struck me is that Jonathan gives every character their, their, their, their just spotlight.

[00:32:07] And I think that that makes this book feel so different from other takes on Space Ghosts that we've seen in the past which I think have been solely focused on Space Ghosts or primarily focused on Space Ghosts or it's been Space Ghosts and a supporting cast having to share room with

[00:32:22] other supporting casts like the Herculoids or anything else in future quest.

[00:32:27] And so, yeah, I think Jonathan does a lot of heavy lifting for us and that he he knows that we're able to do like the cool action and spectacle, but he never forgets that there are like characters under all of this.

[00:32:41] That's been a really wonderful collaborative environment.

[00:32:48] So as a writer, how do you, how do you paste something like this in your scripts because you're, you're given an IP with all this range, right?

[00:32:56] And I think one of the things that the recent book that I read that didn't work for me was because they were trying to pack too much of like the original villains the original storyline into the first issue so it felt very rushed.

[00:33:10] So how do you paste it properly.

[00:33:12] It's a great question. You know, something the thing that I really took to doing, you know Batman along Halloween was a big influence on this book in the way that it was structured.

[00:33:21] And even looking at what I consider to be the most successful books right now, you look at books like what Ryan North is doing at Fantastic Four.

[00:33:30] You see what Steve Orlando is doing in Scarlet Witch you see which Ed McKay is doing at Luna.

[00:33:35] It's a lot of done in one adventures. And so for me, particularly and I don't think this is because I would hope that you expect this in a space ghost book is that if we're going to have the Council of Doom show up.

[00:33:47] That means we need to introduce the members of the Council first.

[00:33:51] And so being able to kind of do a lot of done in one adventures. It means that like we're able to kind of first off give readers a satisfying chunk.

[00:34:00] You know, every month they get a self contained story and they get to learn a little bit more about who Space Ghost is and get to learn you know who the next villain is and every issue.

[00:34:11] But in so doing that also means that when we do do the occasional two parter. That means we've given our cliffhangers like the maximum punch because we know that if this story is not wrapped up in 22 pages.

[00:34:22] Space Ghost is really on his heels like there's something dire going on that is going to make his comeback in the next issue hopefully feel that much more satisfying.

[00:34:31] Similar to the way that I structured by Fantastic Four two part whereas sort of you know everything everything's a mess by the end of issue one and it's okay like that means that means they're they are in real deep by the time issue two starts and then they got to work that much harder to get their themselves out of it.

[00:34:49] But yeah I think for me it's about focusing on you know it's one villain at a time, at least at least for starters. And so that way you can kind of quickly figure out okay what's the deal with each of the characters.

[00:35:01] You can kind of give them a little bit more backstory and a little bit more development. And then it's also you know what I consider I guess to be the B plot, which is what's up with Space Ghost Jan and Jace.

[00:35:13] You know how's their dynamic evolving. You know so we have one issue for example, it's Jan and Jace's first night on Ghost Planet. And what does that mean you know this place that is clearly not meant for children.

[00:35:27] You know or another example is you know if Space Ghost says listen this this villain is too dangerous I need you to stay behind. And the kids whether through you know sheer impulsiveness or just by happenstance wind up directly in this guy's cross hairs.

[00:35:45] What does that mean? You know what does that mean for just how do these kids get out alive but also what does that mean for their dynamic moving forward.

[00:35:52] And so being able to kind of figure out okay this is the A story and here's the B story every single issue. It's actually been a lot of fun. You know it's actually I think it's the kind of pacing that I wish that I wish I could do on more projects.

[00:36:09] You know I think dynamite being so generous with our runway with this I think is very helpful and that you know I've pitched and there's room for more of course but I've pitched them 12 issues in an annual.

[00:36:22] Okay.

[00:36:23] You know this is you know knock on wood you know I mean the industry's in a volatile place but you know are in any catastrophe. This will be my longest run in a book ever today and so having that long runway but also being very aware that like we don't want to overstay our welcome.

[00:36:39] It means that I kind of I'm able to have a beginning middle and end and I'm able to kind of say okay here's here's the landmarks that I want to hit over this kind of crazy road trip.

[00:36:50] But I know that here's how I chopped that up into 13 parts and then have a distinct beginning middle and end for each one of those 13 parts.

[00:36:59] So yeah I think if anything this is honestly been a dream project in a lot of ways where I'm able to kind of take the biggest possible swings without really having to worry about you know whether or not something whether whether or not we're going to wrap up

[00:37:19] book or what anybody else is working.

[00:37:22] So it really is it's kind of all the fun of a superhero book with all the freedom of a creator.

[00:37:27] Okay yeah that's amazing like 12 issues really gives you some range you know I was thinking in my head six right like you know 12 that's awesome.

[00:37:37] And you know I think that was a big selling point for me for taking on the book was when Joe approached me he was like you know do you have any ideas for about a year and I was like could we do 12 in an annual like if we could I think I think we could do something really need.

[00:37:51] And so yeah I think it's been it's nice to have a run with that.

[00:37:58] I think it also gives me time to kind of get to know these characters better.

[00:38:03] Yeah, and I think it also helps that it kind of gives you a little bit of time to sort of dole out more and more character.

[00:38:11] And I mean I just came off of a for issue Punisher mini where like I knew from the jump we have got to like get things in fast.

[00:38:20] There's really no room to slow down because we only have, I guess that was 90 pages.

[00:38:27] We only have 90 pages to explain like what's the deal with this Punisher.

[00:38:33] You know what's the deal with Joe Garrison and his origin and how does he do this whole character art while fighting villains.

[00:38:40] You know I it's a challenge you know and so being able to do something like Space Ghost where you're you know you've got these four characters that you get to kind of hang out with for over a year and just kind of every issue be like okay how do they change a little bit.

[00:39:00] And that it sticks and then it's permanent.

[00:39:03] That's like something that's very cool and I think it's that was a big reason why I took on this assignment was I realized that this is an opportunity that does not come very often, particularly in this industry particularly in the genre.

[00:39:16] Yeah, and so yeah let's run with it.

[00:39:20] Yeah for sure.

[00:39:22] There's an aside here but did you hear George Lowe's voice in your head when you were wanting to write dialogue you know I would for sure.

[00:39:29] I, you know, George Lowe. Yeah he's got that iconic voice. You know it's funny for me.

[00:39:36] You know after I made that little joke about Robert Pattinson, you know, you know who's voice honestly felt like like Space Ghost to me think I think I channeled a lot while writing this was Michael Keith.

[00:39:50] Okay, you know in that like he's a little gruff but also like he's got a like there is a little bit of a sense of humor. But like with an edge, you know, particularly dealing with these kids who like I think we can tell pretty early on at first they are very annoying.

[00:40:09] He is not happy that like, like he it's an eight heroism that that led him led him to reach out and say like, stay with me.

[00:40:20] But also like, I don't think he realized what what kind of commitment he was signing up for and kind of how badly these kids would cramp his style.

[00:40:29] And so, you know, having that kind of like, you know, having that kind of voice where it isn't.

[00:40:37] It's not one dimensional hero.

[00:40:40] Not to say that George Lowe was that but like George Lowe had that kind of you know he he he was a TV announcer.

[00:40:48] And that was sort of the voice he had to it.

[00:40:51] Yeah, we're trying to human everybody up I guess is the best way to describe it.

[00:40:57] And so yeah, we're adding a little bit of some rough edges to space ghost voice.

[00:41:02] So yeah, Michael Keaton was really I think like the North Star for me and that like that's a guy who's got a lot of range as somebody who kind of inhabited that same archetype as space ghost.

[00:41:15] Yeah, it felt it felt very appropriate to the role I think.

[00:41:19] So if you had to you mentally played with the character quite a bit now.

[00:41:23] So if you were casting a live action movie, would you want to blame?

[00:41:28] You know I saw somebody mentioned John Hamm a week or so ago and I was like, that's a good one.

[00:41:35] That's a good one.

[00:41:36] I could see that.

[00:41:37] Yeah, John Hamm I think would be.

[00:41:39] I mean granted I think it's all based on like how do they look in the suit but like and and frankly I have no idea if the space ghost suit whatever work in a live action capacity or not.

[00:41:50] But yeah, that would definitely be I think he'd be a fun character.

[00:41:56] Yeah, I like Alexander Skarsgard.

[00:41:59] Oh yeah.

[00:42:01] Yeah, that would be to me.

[00:42:07] Yeah, you might be right.

[00:42:10] Either of those.

[00:42:11] You're playing with the character this is just me like that's not bad casting that rips actually.

[00:42:19] So yeah I don't think I don't think there's no wrong answer to that one.

[00:42:24] Okay, well Warner Brothers you heard it here first like if you cast him.

[00:42:28] I need my check because I gave the suggestion.

[00:42:32] Well one of the things I've been curious about with you know kind of up and coming writers in the medium is is juggling project load you know, and I know better than most how much time these things take to develop so I know you're not writing them all at once, but you still have you know multiple things on the shelf so it

[00:42:47] still seems like a lot so do you have a daily writing routine or how do you.

[00:42:51] Yeah, well, you know for me that the toughest parts of the development.

[00:42:56] I think it's certain projects that take longer than others, and it also that that gets compounded by your workload.

[00:43:03] I'm working on an outline for a new assignment right now that like I was hoping that done a few weeks ago but I needed to turn in another space ghost script and I needed to do some lettering passes on another space ghost issue and I also needed to do lettering lettering

[00:43:17] and that's the final issue of the devil where's my face.

[00:43:20] So, you know that part is always like the trickiest part for me because you never know how long that's going to take you try to make sure that you can get stuff done in like my goal is to is to try to have an outline done in no later than four weeks, and usually two to three

[00:43:36] kind of really the sweet spot I'm aiming for.

[00:43:39] But yeah, I mean it's definitely depending on the length of the project and whether how familiar you are with it.

[00:43:48] You know that that that's all part of the variables that you're juggling.

[00:43:52] When I was writing, you know last summer was I think that the hardest that I had pushed myself in a long time.

[00:43:58] I was writing Moon Knight City the dead and Punisher and the devil that wears my face simultaneously.

[00:44:05] And so I was basically you know I'd write an issue of Moon Knight and then I'd sleep for a day, and then I would write an issue of devil and then I'd sleep per day and then I would write an issue of Punisher.

[00:44:17] And usually I can write a script.

[00:44:22] You know if I usually I can write a script.

[00:44:26] There about five days.

[00:44:28] You know, sometimes sometimes it's a little more sometimes it's a little less it depends on if there's any narration involved.

[00:44:35] Space ghost does not have narration involved because I I've written a lot of that lately and I wanted to switch gears a little bit.

[00:44:42] But yeah, I think it's just a matter of triage.

[00:44:45] You know, ultimately the I think the overriding concern is you don't want your artists sitting on or you want to make sure that whatever artist is is in the chair that they are always fed.

[00:44:57] And so that's always the top priority is just like what's the what's the closest deadline and then if there's something in development like in theory that can hold on a little bit because there's no artist attached at the moment so nobody's waiting.

[00:45:11] But yeah, for me it's always granted I break up my scripts in a little bit of a different way and that I do my paneling first.

[00:45:20] And so usually I can knock out the paneling of a script.

[00:45:23] You know, it's usually a day if it's two if it's like a little more or if like I'm kind of running up against it in terms of space and I need to figure out I need to come up with some creative ways to make a shortcut.

[00:45:38] Dialogue for me, I try to do five pages a day.

[00:45:45] You know, and knowing that like I will often take a hacksaw to my dialogue as soon as the art comes in anyway.

[00:45:52] I tend to be very I have an involved process when it comes to lettering lettering pass script so.

[00:46:01] So at least that I have the dialogue that feels you know if it's 80% you know of what I think the final is I feel pretty good about that, knowing that I'm going to be tweaking it a lot.

[00:46:14] So yeah, if I try to wrap up a script, you know, if I can do it every five days I'm in a good spot.

[00:46:21] It's easier if it's say like if I'm doing something for Marvel or like I know those characters like backwards.

[00:46:28] Yeah.

[00:46:30] You know, although you know there are some characters I know better than others I mean I'm working on something for the big two right now that like it's a character that's a little more complicated and so like that means there's more there's there's more research that has to be done you know

[00:46:46] similar to what I had to do for Space Ghost in that the biggest challenge to be writing Space Ghost was figuring out how his powers work because you watch those original cartoons and like he's just got like a million powers and and he's just blasting all the time and you throw him into any

[00:47:01] situation and like if it's not one of the core powers somehow another power shows up.

[00:47:08] And so you know for me it was like how do I break it down into okay one of his power bands controls temperature. And so that's how he does, you know, or is like ambient particles where like, you know one of them controls, you know, fire and ice and laser beam.

[00:47:24] And the other power band controls atmosphere and pressure. That's how you get the force field, and then it's invisible belt. You know, it refracts the visible wavelength the electromagnetic spectrum and also provides localized anti gravity so that explains the flight and the suit.

[00:47:41] This is so complicated compared to when I was watching it as a kid like you have to.

[00:47:46] Yeah, these things.

[00:47:47] Yeah. And granted, you know, we're not going to be similar to the origin. We're not belaboring the point on any of that. It's just for me in my head as a writer trying to figure out okay how does this tech work.

[00:47:58] So that way you can kind of figure out how to choreograph a scene but also how to give him limitations in that like, you know what happens if his weapons fail or are not available to him.

[00:48:11] You know, and then you kind of get some interesting stories of like how does space goes to operate when he's at diminished capacity.

[00:48:19] So anyway going back to that is, yeah, you know, if I have to like do a bunch of research in the Vatican, you know, I'm not going to be writing that week script that week will probably be research.

[00:48:33] And so, yeah, it's a matter of just kind of you know, you're staying on top of the pressing deadlines and then trying to chip away at the not as present deadlines.

[00:48:43] But yeah, it's tricky. I mean, it's something that I'm constantly refined, constantly trying to figure out like how do I kind of have the maximum amount of energy to do what I need to be doing.

[00:48:54] And so, you know, I've been focusing a lot. You know, I go to the gym multiple times a week. I'm focusing on my hydration and focusing sleep in my vitamins.

[00:49:03] And even just the food that I'm eating because I know that this job is kind of like being like an athlete where you have to just kind of be on and also then conversely forgiving yourself when you're not.

[00:49:16] Yeah. You know, like if you put your butt in the chair and you write something even if you know it's crappy and even if you know you're going to toss all of it tomorrow, like, it's cool.

[00:49:27] You got the crappy stuff out. So that's sort of my work in progress process.

[00:49:34] Nice.

[00:49:35] Yeah. You know, I constantly am thinking about like how do I get faster at this? Because I see, you know, it's very kind of you to say that I'm working on a lot of stuff.

[00:49:47] But you know, I see other creators all the time who I'm like, I don't know how they do that. I don't know how Josh Williamson writes the number to the Josh Williams or Romney or, you know, or or or Jed McKay for that matter.

[00:50:01] You know, like they have to have clones of themselves in the basement or something. Like I just don't know how they do it.

[00:50:06] But you know, that's that's a that's I think something that I really like about my own journey as a creator is this knowing that like you can still get better at this.

[00:50:18] And so every project that I do I'm always thinking like, OK, how do I do this in a better way than I did the previous project?

[00:50:25] And I think that growth as a creator is what kind of keeps me stimulated and excited about the work.

[00:50:32] Awesome. Yeah, it's very interesting to going back and listening to your interview with Jimmy because you were talking about being influenced by other things and that might give you an idea that is like, OK, now here's

[00:50:44] here's my bucket list or my checklist with comics. So so what if you can what would Space Ghost be like what it what do you checkbox with with Space Ghost?

[00:50:55] Well, let's see. There are a few things.

[00:50:59] Well, a couple of influences. You know, I mentioned Batman on Halloween.

[00:51:03] Yeah. You know, being able to do something with like a long rogues gallery. That's cool because I've never really had an opera.

[00:51:10] I've never had a book where I've worked with a character that's had like a big iconic rogues gallery before. Yeah, there's a lot.

[00:51:17] Yeah, like Moon Knight is not exactly known for like his deep bench of villains.

[00:51:22] And and you know, that was half the challenge on coming up with our Punisher run is that, you know, like there's a reason that like the Punisher doesn't have a rogues gallery is because they tend not to survive.

[00:51:33] The first fight. So having like, like basically being gifted like a Batman level rogues gallery. Like, yes, that's that rules.

[00:51:42] I think also the ability to reimagine a little bit, you know, JJ Abrams of Star Trek is one of my favorite movies because I didn't grow up as as I grew up with next generation.

[00:51:54] Which I always view as like Claremont's X-Men in space. But I think I never really grew up with with Shatner.

[00:52:03] And so watching that that Star Trek movie, I was like, I get it. I get it now.

[00:52:09] You know, it was able to take those core elements of those iconic characters and kind of bring them to the forefront in a very dynamic way but one and a way that was also very accessible for new for new viewers that you didn't have to watch.

[00:52:24] So just our track to appreciate, oh, James Kirk, like I get it. He's he's he's Al Jordan, you know, in a lot of ways.

[00:52:33] And so being able to kind of like, you know, really think about that for these characters, I think is a way that I certainly approached it.

[00:52:43] Yeah, I'm trying to think what other stories that really even like, you know, like kind of the lone wolf and cub of it all.

[00:52:50] I've touched into it a little bit like Spencer and Locke and recently Moon Knight City of the Dead.

[00:52:57] But I think having like an ongoing story of like a hero proving that he's a hero by, you know, he's protecting the little guy.

[00:53:07] And in this case, it's it's it's, you know, a pair of orphaned teenagers.

[00:53:11] And granted, like it's cool to have them as sidekicks and Jan and Jace are certainly very active in this book.

[00:53:17] I made it a point that like, I want to make sure that they have their own agency here, that they're not just like a boy and girl hostage.

[00:53:24] But you know, I think I think being able to do an extended run on that is something I've never been able to do.

[00:53:31] We're so often and this is a criticism of my own work that I have is that, you know, I have I have Detective Locke protecting his daughter hero or I have Moon Knight protecting Khalil and their hostages.

[00:53:43] You know, like you don't have the room to make them much more than a hostage.

[00:53:49] And so being able to like, no, be like, oh, these kids have agency too.

[00:53:54] Like that's that's cool.

[00:53:55] I've never really been able to do that.

[00:53:58] So yeah, I'm trying to think of some other bucket list things for this.

[00:54:05] Well, there are certain things I don't want to spoil.

[00:54:08] Of course.

[00:54:09] You know, there's there's there's definitely like there's certain archetypes, certain villain archetypes that I've wanted to write for a while that I just never found the right fit for that.

[00:54:18] That fits where space goes that fits, you know, Zorak in particular.

[00:54:25] I am in the middle of writing a story involving him and like that.

[00:54:30] I'm like, oh, OK, like that.

[00:54:34] That's a type of villain that I've never written before, but I really like.

[00:54:38] And same thing for Metalis coming up.

[00:54:41] Immediately I'm like, oh, that's a villain that like.

[00:54:46] I've come close.

[00:54:47] I guess writing Ultron is sort of the closest thing I've gotten to that type of villain.

[00:54:51] But even that was not quite the same.

[00:54:54] And so like being able to kind of dig into that a little deeper.

[00:54:57] Oh yeah, that's super fun.

[00:55:01] Yeah, I'm trying to think.

[00:55:03] You know, I think also just I think Bucket List was, you know, I wanted to do more sci fi for a long time.

[00:55:09] It's one of those things that it's, you know, it's the natural bumps in the road when it comes to being a comics creator.

[00:55:16] Like, you know, I have a book called Grand Theft Astro that has been in development for much longer than I would like for it to be.

[00:55:23] It's been long written.

[00:55:24] It's just, you know, it's trying to fit in time.

[00:55:28] Our artist schedule to draw enough of it that we could then release it or Kickstarter and what have you.

[00:55:36] And I'm like, oh, that's like a real fun sci fi swing that nobody but me.

[00:55:41] And I have Savage Avengers, which I think was kind of like science fantasy, you know, and had some sci fi components to it.

[00:55:50] But I've been thinking for a long time.

[00:55:52] And I guess, you know, my Avengers Guardians team up in event Avengers Unlimited had some degree of sci fi.

[00:55:59] But I was like, I've never really done like a big swing sci fi project.

[00:56:03] You know, and so Space Ghost, you know, it's basically if you don't know who Space Ghost is, imagine Batman and Flash Gordon's universe.

[00:56:12] And so being able to do something in that kind of environment and being able to kind of lean into my favorite genre, which is superheroes and being able to do it in this big kind of crazy sci fi world.

[00:56:26] Yeah, that's something that like I said, it's rare.

[00:56:30] You know, I mean, especially, you know, especially a Marvel, you know, I mean, how many books do you have that kind of fit that that realm of Guardians?

[00:56:37] Right.

[00:56:38] And Nova, you know, and maybe the Silver Surfer.

[00:56:44] Yeah, those books, those books are always like an acquired taste as well.

[00:56:48] Like, you know, those those those books are never the marquee books.

[00:56:52] And, you know, you see it on the other side of the street at DC where like Superman is kind of like that.

[00:56:58] But he's still he's operating in the real world.

[00:57:00] It's not always in space.

[00:57:02] The Legion of superheroes kind of comes and goes. I love the lead.

[00:57:03] You know, it's like Green Lantern, I guess Green Lantern is probably like the next best thing.

[00:57:12] Sure.

[00:57:14] And real talk like I like my villains better.

[00:57:17] So I should tease Jeremy Adams next time I see him because he's doing such a great job on Green Lantern.

[00:57:26] But if I had to choose one or the other, I would choose.

[00:57:29] Yeah, my definitive sci-fi for me is like the original Lobo run.

[00:57:36] Yeah.

[00:57:38] And I'm picturing a lot of yeah, yeah, a lot of these elements that in my head I'm thinking probably will be touched on here.

[00:57:44] You know, just off planet stuff on planet stuff hopping around here and there all over the place.

[00:57:49] So that's at least where my brain went.

[00:57:51] But yeah, yeah, absolutely.

[00:57:53] Absolutely.

[00:57:55] Yeah, no, Lobo's a great.

[00:57:56] That's a character I would love to write someday.

[00:57:58] But at the same time, I kind of feel like I might have scratched that itch a little bit.

[00:58:04] I always ask people what they got coming up before they wrap up and I typically don't include a wish list.

[00:58:09] But I'm personally hoping that Dynamite can pick up a few more rights and you get to write space stars because I'm a huge Herkloids fan.

[00:58:17] Right? They need their time in the sun.

[00:58:19] So I'm manifesting this into the reality.

[00:58:21] So who do I need to talk to?

[00:58:22] If I had a nickel for every time somebody asked for the Herkloids.

[00:58:27] Really?

[00:58:29] Oh boy, I probably get something about the Herkloids at least once a week on Twitter ever since we announced this book often multiple times a week.

[00:58:37] Okay.

[00:58:39] There's no plans at the moment and part of that is it's a separate license.

[00:58:43] And also part of it is Jeff Parker did such a good job in future quest throwing together Space Ghost and the Herkloids and Johnny Quest.

[00:58:52] And Birdman and Frankenstein Junior and Mighty My Tour.

[00:58:59] I don't know if I could compete with that.

[00:59:03] It's a great book.

[00:59:07] It already exists.

[00:59:09] There would certainly have to be a lot more homework done because even when I was rewatching my Space Stars, I ordered the DVD.

[00:59:19] I was just watching Space Ghost.

[00:59:22] It was very much like I have to focus on just this thing.

[00:59:25] I can't buddy the waters too much because I'll forget something.

[00:59:29] But yeah, I mean, never say never.

[00:59:33] My thinking is Warner Brothers has done this license and granted I don't know how the licensing thing works over there.

[00:59:44] I've just been fortunate enough to kind of read notes just for my project.

[00:59:47] But yeah, I would love to see a team up with like Thundercats.

[00:59:53] I mean, you know, Devin Javi and Drew Moss are doing such a great job.

[00:59:57] I would love to see if Space Ghost is a space Batman, I want to know who is Space Superman.

[01:00:04] I want to see that team up.

[01:00:06] So yeah, something like Thundercats would be real neat.

[01:00:11] Yeah, I'm trying to think what else is under the licensing agreement.

[01:00:18] Yeah, I mean we've already seen him with Johnny Quest and I don't know if he would fit with Powerpuff Girls but Thundercats Space Ghost Trio sign me right up.

[01:00:27] Declan, have your people call my people.

[01:00:30] There you go.

[01:00:32] Well, what else you got dropping?

[01:00:34] Yeah, I know there's that Punisher trade is May if I'm not mistaken, right?

[01:00:38] Let's see.

[01:00:42] That might be right.

[01:00:45] Yeah, that book comes out the last week of May.

[01:00:48] So yeah, you can pre-order our Punisher trade through your local comic shop.

[01:00:56] You can also pre-order the last issue of the Devil to Where's My Face?

[01:00:59] Issue six comes out May 8th.

[01:01:01] So the Wednesday after Space Ghost number one.

[01:01:04] But yeah, Space Ghost.

[01:01:05] That's really our, my big swing for 2024.

[01:01:10] You can pre-order issue one at your local comic shop.

[01:01:13] Issue two should be up for pre-orders I think by next week.

[01:01:18] And we've got some great covers for both of those.

[01:01:21] But yeah, tell them to add Space Ghost to your poll list.

[01:01:24] Like I said, we've got a pretty long runway planned and room for more stories if the demand is there.

[01:01:29] But yeah, you know, and just came out recently the trade paperback for Moon Knight City the Dead that came out end of February.

[01:01:40] So you can also order that wherever possible.

[01:01:43] Awesome. Yeah, those Francesco Mattina covers are crazy for the Space Ghost stuff.

[01:01:49] Yeah, that issue to cover in particular is I think he's given Alex Ross a run for his money.

[01:01:56] And that is exactly what I told my editor.

[01:01:59] So yeah, I'm very excited.

[01:02:01] We've got we've got some amazing cover artists.

[01:02:04] We've got Jay Lee who did an amazing cover with Zorak for our second issue.

[01:02:09] Although full disclaimer Zorak is showing up a little bit later in the series.

[01:02:14] And then we've got Bjorn Barrens who did the teaser image that we did for right before our official announcement.

[01:02:21] And and then Michael Cho who's doing these amazing retro gold key inspired covers.

[01:02:27] I love those. They're very cool.

[01:02:30] And I know he has mentioned that he used to 12 issues.

[01:02:35] So yeah, we got him for a good long while.

[01:02:37] And I hope to say the same for everybody else because they are really just brushing up.

[01:02:42] All right. Well, thanks so much for hanging out with me again on the show, David.

[01:02:46] Thanks. Thank you so much for having me.

[01:02:47] And thank you for everyone listening.

[01:02:50] Call your local comic shop pre-order space goes.

[01:02:52] Pre-order the double the words my face pre-order punisher because my puppies kibble does not cheat.

[01:02:57] Yeah, big May for you. Hopefully hopefully she gets a nice new collar or something.

[01:03:02] All right. Well, this is Barron O'Neill on behalf of all those comment book yeti.

[01:03:07] Thanks for tuning in and we will see you next time. Take care everybody.

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