Over the weekend, Neal updated our version of WordPress for the AudioShocker blog, and everything went to hell. Neal got it fixed within a few hours. The only thing we lost was 1 gig worth of podcasts that we’ve recorded since October of 2007 (well, more like “deleted from our webspace” than “lost”).
It took me from Saturday to Monday to get the old podcasts back up, but I was glad. Why? Along with making some minor file naming changes, I was able to remaster two of our favorite comic book creator interviews in the process:
- Our 2-plus-hour talk with Ross Campbell, creator of Wet Moon and Water Baby, has been remastered. Ross is finishing up Wet Moon 4 as we speak, and we should have him back on our show very soon.
- I also remastered our chat with Brandon Thomas, creator of Miranda Mercury and writer of Ambidextrous. This episode was originally a bit rough in terms of levels, but that’s all been fixed.
But I’m not just writing this post about tech issues and old episodes. I’m also here to let you know about two new regular contributors who have joined the AudioShocker:
- First up is Shannon, our new books expert, who has already written two fantastic posts for the blog.
- Next up is Conrad, who is currently podcasting with me about the AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Movies list. The next episode of this series will be up on Friday, July 18, 2008.
Finally, I’m going to be rolling out a new feature on the AudioShocker starting this Sunday, July 20, 2008. It’s basically going to be the “AudioShocker Song of the Week.” Everything we post will be originally music by artists like Nik Furious, the Unlicensed Attorneys at Law (UAL), Dirty Weekend, Nutsack Supernova, and more. This Sunday will debut a new Nik Furious beat for the upcoming UAL album.
An interview with Brandon Thomas, writer and co-creator of the comic book series The Many Adventures of Miranda Mercury from Archaia Studios Press. We talk about the series debut, clues for future issues, Lee Ferguson pencils, Marc Deering inks, Felix Serrano colors, Matty Ryan letters, Joe Illidge edits, character design, pitching to publishers, New York Comic Con NYCC, Newsarama, comic book fans, superhero demographics, working with Rob Liefeld, Youngblood, getting name dropped by Mark Millar, and way more. P.S. What you hear is not true. We love you, Neal.
AudioShocker #22 [69:35m]:
Play Now |
Download
I love to write ComicShocker columns that pose big questions. But sometimes I read a comic that’s so good, I feel compelled to promote it rather than let loose with a “Why does Galactus eat the whole planet when the core probably gives him heartburn?” type of query. The Many Adventures of Miranda Mercury #295 is that type of comic. That’s why it’s one of my Reads You Need.
I’ve followed writer Brandon Thomas’ online column, Ambidextrous, for years. Seeing his Miranda Mercury comic book on the racks at the comic shop today was an accomplishment that I envied in the most benevolent sense. Yet the entire conceptual package of this comic is so strong that I would love this book just as much if I’d only discovered the author for the first time. The intergalactic adventures of Miranda are mind-bending. And don’t be fooled by the #295 on the cover – this is the first issue of the series. The increased numeration is to enhance the reading experience.
Lee Ferguson’s pencils are future psychedelic with a strong sense of coherent storytelling. His work is a beautiful blend of the definite and the geometrically abstract. Marc Deering’s inks do a fantastic job capturing the range of textures that make this visual package so distinctive. The quality colors by Felix Serrano are integral to the success of this issue, as they elevate the art from smart to stunning. The letters by Matty Ryan look great and work very well, only slipping when they use an unclear font for certain alien language.
The creators of this comic book are lucky I just finished the first volume of Jack Kirby’s Black Panther. I can see King Kirby’s adventurous influence dripping off of the pages of this comic. And that’s a good thing because I was hungry for more of this sort of storytelling the moment that I completed my Black Panther TPB today.
Basically, go grab this issue. It’s a fun romp through a sci-fi superhero future that poses big questions (you know, the kind I like) while doling out both psychological and physical action. Check out MirandaMercury.com for more (but since the site takes way too long to load, just try going to the Miranda Mercury downloads page instead).
Recent Comments