histories

Our next guest was just nominated for 3 Eisner Award's and deservedly so in the eyes of our host, one of his biggest fans.Mark Russell broke free of a fundamentalist religious upbringing and used that knowledge to write a novel that skewered the Bible in a deeply comedic a fashion. This opened a path towards a career in comics that began with Prez and lead to The Flintstones, which despite it's simplistic origins was an incredibly intelligent book that dissected the concepts and institutions we follow today through their origins in a primitive society. A unique and thought provoking author his newest book Superman: Space Age is a masterpiece of superhero narratives exploring the idea of hope in the face of the direst of situations.André and Mark discussed staying off the "weirdo" list at the local Library, the importance of perspective when it comes to navigating our complex society, Existential Dread mixed with curiosity and the endurance of hope.

After a brief hiatus we are back with a new episode and it's a doozy! Adam Gorham has made a real splash across almost every company creating mainstream comics today!Working and residing in Mississauga, Ontario, his career in comics began in 2008 with work on various indie efforts. In recent years he's worked for publishers like Valiant Entertainment, IDW Publishing, Archie Comics, and Marvel Comics (Rocket, New Mutants: Dead Souls).André and Adam discuss the proper Lex Luthor, overcoming laziness to achieve a successful career in comics, which companies provided the nicest rejection letters and connecting with his daughters through Godzilla research!

André talks to a Halifax based film director, one who directed our very host in the Swearnet original film "Turnbuckles"Dave Mullins fell in love with film at an early age being shepherded by his cinephile parents. Each representing a different side of the movie viewing spectrum. Falling in love with horror and classic film while pursuing a career in graphic design created a twisty road that lead Mullins to the industry he works in to this day.Discover how a cult classic fell into his hands and lead to revelations about what is possible in low budget film making and how André followed a similar path. The two discuss horror movies, film noir and a mutual love of many facets of nerdom all in oversized fun filled episode!

It's rare our host gets a chance to talk wrestling with a guest who also has a unique career in film and television as well!Robert Maillet is a Canadian actor and retired professional wrestler. He is known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation from 1997 to 1999, where he performed under the ring name Kurrgan and was a member of The Truth Commission and The Oddities. He is also known for his roles in films such as 300, Sherlock Holmes, Immortals , Pacific Rim, Brick Mansions, Hercules), Becky and Deadpool 2. André and Robert talk about the cutthroat world of professional wrestling, working with Guillermo Del Toro and the empathetic nature of his character which make him open to diverse and interesting roles and transferred to his new career in corrections.

Our host chats with a fellow veteran of the comic con artists alley circuit and a man who brimming with positivity and the creative spirit.Hugh Rookwood is a freelance artist and owner of an illustration and design studio called “Chozen Studios”. For over 20 years he has incorporated his love of comics and comic art into his profession and developed an extensive portfolio. Hugh was an original founding member of Draxhall Jump Studios created by Artist/CEO Ken Lashley of Marvel Comics fame, which gave him the opportunity to do work for companies such as Hasbro,Mattel, Image Comics and Darkhorse.Our guest discusses his unlikely artistic influences in surrealist painters, finding a love of Marvel comics at an early age and using his early teachings in animation to create an award winning children's book about an unlikely Canadian folk hero.

Part 2 of an in depth conversation with Marvel Comics creator David Cullen!The second section of this conversation delves into the "hustle" required to get a foot in the door at Marvel Comics. He talks about how a fun idea about Keith Richards leading the Fantastic Four led to a two page spread in a What If comic!The discussion leads to David's storyboard work and how he worked very closely with Robert Eggers on the amazing cult film The Lighthouse. Leading to the revelation that of all his storyboard work it stands as the one that was closest to his original drawings

André chats with a friend of a friend and a creator for Marvel Comics who through sheer tenacity made it to the House of Ideas!David Cullen is a self-employed artist and the sole proprietor of Quinline Graphics. He was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada and studied at Halifax's Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD). During this time, he pursued work at Marvel and DC Comics in New York. His career as a self-employed artist began with a drawing assignment from Marvel Comics editor, Craig Anderson. The resulting product saw print in Marvel's 'What If ...?' V2 and was his first mass-published, professional work.While continuing with Marvel, David began finding storyboard work in Halifax's film industry and beyond. His work as a storyboard artist has been widely utilized in television commercials, feature films, TV movies, children's tv animation and live-action production, as well as in comics and cartoons for periodicals.David and André chat about growing up in Texas, maneuvering his school trip to meet with Marvel Comics and working towards his dream in part 1 of this 2 part series.

André and Frank finish their epic conversation with themes of heartbreak, mental health issues, creativity and existential horror.The second part of the conversation with Frank Forrestall delves into his short film JackenJill and his regrets about not "killing his darlings" and making it a shorter offering. How he entered into the Canadian film world and how the drudgery of the work and his own personal issue led to a mental breakdown and how using that experience lead to building a career in painting and finding his own voice in a medium already peppered with the work of his father.

When André was first trying to break into film acting many years ago he was lucky to stumble upon a role in a small independent horror short directed by this weeks guest!Frank Forrestall was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1973. Youngest son of celebrated Canadian artist Tom Forrestall, Frank attended NSCAD before working in the entertainment industry (Art Department, Animation, Visual Effects, Digital Art) for nearly 20 years. In 2017 Frank returned to painting and began to apply himself full-time to his Fine Art endeavors.Part 1 of this 2 part conversation focuses on growing up with a famous father, breaking into film and animation with a beloved documentary of Fairies and getting a call from Dreamworks to be a part of their experimental animation website and how that became erased from every vestige of the internet after it failed.

Andre chats with Jeff Blyth a man who has had a hand in all aspects of film making with integral parts in cinematic history!A director, writer and producer whose film experience has taken him and his audiences to every corner of the globe. Millions of visitors to Disney theme parks have seen Blyth's artistry and technical expertise in Circle-Vision 360-degree films shot throughout America, Canada, China and Europe. His film-making skills also span an impressive range of media including IMAX films, theatrical motion pictures, television documentaries, episodic television and video-based computer games.Jeff discusses a very personal documentary he recently created about his father's experiences in WW2, Working with wild animals on the set of Disney's Cheetah, Spending 2 years in China to film Disney's first Circle-Vision film and finding light in the themes of cinema which often turn towards the dark!

André sits down with another creator for Marvel Comics and the mastermind behind what may be the most Canadian superhero ever created Toronto-based superhero The Pitiful Human-Lizard.Jason Loo is co-Creator and artist on the 2020 Eisner Award-Winning digital series Afterlift for Comixology Originals, with comic writer Chip Zdarsky. The series also won a Joe Shuster Award for best digital series and nominated for a 2020 Harvey Award. Other projects include Star Wars Adventures and Star Wars: High Republic Adventures (IDW); X-Corp, Fantastic Four, and Marvel Voices (Marvel); Kill Shakespeare (IDW); and Black Hammer Visions (Dark Horse Comics). Jason and our host discuss a childhood related connection to Multiple Man a character he currently works on for Marvel unlimited, Why the term he penned "Made in Chinatown" had a newfound relevance later in life and how making the city of Toronto a real character in his book may have been the key to his early independent comics success.

After a brief hiatus André returns with Season 4 of the show and boy did we come back with a bang! With twenty books published internationally and nineteen feature movies in worldwide distribution, John Russo has been called a "living legend." He began by co-authoring the screenplay for Night of the Living Dead, which has become recognized as a "horror classic." His three books on the art and craft of movie making have become bibles of independent production, and one of them, Scare Tactics, won a national award for Superior Nonfiction. Quentin Tarantino and many other noted filmmakers have stated that Russo's books helped them launch their careers.André and John talk about how a lack of faith in humanities ability to work together lead to the idea of Night of the Living Dead, his work on it's restoration, the odd way he first met George Romero and his passion for writing, directing and editing.

André connects with a kindred spirit in Jim Rugg a fellow Graphic Designer who transitioned far more successfully into comic books!Jim is a Pittsburgh based, comic book artist, book maker, illustrator, and designer. His books include Street Angel, the PLAIN Janes, Afrodisiac, Notebook Drawings, Rambo 3.5, Supermag and The Incredible Hulk: Grand Design. He has a deep love of comic books, zines, lettering, podcasts, running, pro-wrestling, pizza, and cats. His work has earned Eisner and Ignatz Awards and continues to innovate in a medium that seemed to have grown stale in visual experimentationJim discusses how comics may have saved his life as he grew up in a small town., transitioning to comics through graphic design, a deep sighted love of genre cinema, categorizing The Hulk with Universal Monsters, being surprisingly free while working for Marvel and using Professional Wrestling as an avenue to tell a visual story through violence!

Continuing a trend of finding interesting stories from the owners / operators of comic stores, André speaks with Jeff Smith creator of The Comic Hunter in Charlottetown and it's expansions in New Brunswick.Jeff was born in raised in Charlottetown, PEI and walks our host through his life of collecting by using key issues from his collection to spark memories of his journey from a table at a mall selling comics to purchasing a new building in Moncton, new Brunswick for his sprawling expansion store.Having the nickname Star Wars in high school, a love of Eddie Campbell, getting in early with the distributor network, deciding what to sell and what to keep and ultimately the joy of bringing order to collecting chaos and helping others fill their collections. All are discussed in another fun episode!

André's past as an onstage performer with the Geeks vs Nerds comedy debate show comes to the forefront as he talks with good friend and creator of that program John RoyJohn talks about finding a love of comics from his local pharmacy in Fall River, Nova Scotia. Growing up immersed in geek culture and leaving the Maritimes for jolly old England.Learn about the fast paced lifestyle of an IT worker on the United Kingdom's Stock Exchange and how quickly a paycheck can disappear at the local pub! Listen in as the two discusses the built in connections that come with nerd culture and the lengths some people go for the perfect cosplay!

André catches up with an old friend from the comic cons! The creator of Indy comic Jurassic Warp, Don Watson!Born and raised in New Brunswick, Don Watson is a Canadian artist who has a passion and love of all things creative and artistic. From illustrating for companies like Red Leaf Comics, to designing brands for local identities, Don has applied his knowledge from NBCCD (New Brunswick College of Craft and Design) to creating a lifestyle and career in art.Don recounts the social issues that still plague parts of Canada, staying in the sketchiest hotel of all time while moving back to the maritimes and how time traveling dinosaurs can be used as a colorful metaphor for racism alongside the continuing immigrant debate.

André upgrades his Zoom just in time to speak with Janet Hetherington, a Canadian writer and artist. She was a winner of a Prix Aurora Award for Canadian science fiction excellence in 1999 for her work in co-curating a "60 Years of Superman" exhibit. She also worked on The Elvira comic book series and went on to a career as a screenwriter creating several fun-filled genre films.Hear our host and his guest discuss the importance of representation for young girls, being inspired by Lois Lane to pursue an education in journalism and teaching her baby brother his first words "I'm Batman!"