The Faqs Project

Imagine you are the last human in existence and yet after Earth is no more you end up in another Galaxy...AS A STRANGER! Do you consider having everyone treat you as a Zoo animal and stare at you or do you dig into your talents and show other Alien worlds something that maybe they haven't seen before? MUSIC. This best describes Gil Silver and the band he is now headlining across the cosmos until unforeseen circumstances get in his way.

Today's episode I speak with Hayden Mears about his Sci-Fi Comedy made for music fans entitled...

Today's Episode, we speak with Christopher Ford about his smash indie Graphic Novel Dark Volume 2. The first Kickstarter campaign amassed and surpassed goals to reach $80k and immediately called for a follow up. At that point Christopher was a first time Comic writer, but as he tells it he was very strategic in playing his cards right. The story centers around Dara a young woman eager to start the Dark Pink Detective Agency as cases of the supernatural mysteriously start popping up all over New Orleans. Nola means a lot to Chris as he has family in Louisiana and...

Today we bring back Newton Lilavois to speak on the latest issue of one of my favorite books Crescent City Monsters #5 The Rise of Kingsley. Newton describes this as a prequel into the beginnings of the Overlord in the Monster Realm. Kingsley's Clan of the Grunch's as far as hierarchy in this world, Grunch's aren't respected taking up the same space as Vampires, Banshees, and Witches. Kingsley was different, stepping on the frontlines against enemy forces for the protection of the Order and other clans gaining respect. All the while his thirst for power heightened and the power of...

Today I get a chance to speak with Oliver Mertz for the new Hardcover Graphic Novel- A Ghost Arm made of Angry Ghosts for Oni Press. Ari Ackerman is a teenager in love with the DC punk scene with the likes of Fugazi and Jawbox, but also dealing with his Cancer stricken father. Adolescence has him still figuring the world out and in this world there are Super powered beings throughout the world that cause a state of confusion as he must lean on more grounded friends to aid him on this new found journey of grief. All the...

Today we are on the cusp of a big week in Comics as SDCC approaches and I was lucky enough to be joined by Amy Chase and Savanna Mayer to talk about the latest in the new IDW Crime Imprint with the murder mystery Fixation. This 42 page 1st issue bring us Taylor Van Owens and her best friend Karrah, Taylor won a contest as a Fan VIP to witness the reunion of her favorite book and series Blood Mountain complete with a reunion of all the past cast members. The Town in Vail where the series takes place isn't...

Today I get a chance to speak to Jamie S. Rich, Editor in Chief for Ignition Press and creator of the Romantic Comedy The Dogsitter. Fun Fact: before the birth of superheroes most comics thrived as romance comics. Jamie tells the story of Gemma who is in her gap year of veterinary school. She is hustling her way not only working at a florist, but utilizing the workspace at the florist siding as a Dogsitter. Gemma is immediately relatable to many students finding the mix between School and actually making money as a hardship in their social lives. Until...

Today I speak with Dr. Christopher Rhodes about First Volume of his Phenomenal Indie Comic Ten releasing the first 5 issues in its first trade paperback. It follows a group of unexpected superheroes from every corner of the globe ranging from Brazil all the way to Japan whose powers were given to them by extraterrestrial beings. Also, being released is what Christopher describes is Ten's Ultimate or Absolute Universe in Ten Max. Where you get to see the ideas outside of the writing credits being curated by his now 11 year old son.

Written by Christopher Rhodes

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Today I sit with Marc Glave to discuss Dark Sentinel Issue 2 on Kickstarter for Wise Acre Comics. A couple months back I had a discussion with the Wise Acre Comics family of creators to speak on the inner workings of their collective universes. Dark Sentinel brings a vigilante like no other as an 8 year old Daniel Stowers witnesses the murder of his family at a Black Lives Matter protest and in turn he was adopted and taken in by Percy Howard a militant activist who with his partner Tom Phillips they became Daniel's mentors built through an organization known...

Today we bring back our good friend of the Pod, Lesly Julian of Headcases and Savage Wizard as he collabs with Daimon Hampton (Milestone Initiative Recipient) to bring hilarious mystery revolving around a young 11 year old street detective on the case when a Hotep scammer starts taking advantage of people in his neighborhood. Dr. Onyx Whitestone has a fixation for money and women, no one can tell if his doctorate is real, or if the donations going to the New Africa Foundation are even causing a dent in social justice. Lesly and Daimon mix Humor with Mystery as well...

Today I speak with James Patrick about his latest series with Mad Cave Studios, The Omega Book. We meet Brady Parsons, a Priest who is inherited pages from a Book with secrets of the Universe in it from his recently deceased father. Now everyone wants to get their hands on it. What questions will you have when you hold that much knowledge in your hands. Brady has long despised his father who was a scientist which probably provoked his decision to become a priest in spite of his father. Will he weave through regret beyond an unresolved issue?

Today we bring Eisner Winning Writer Mark Russell back onto the Pod to talk about his latest project for Ahoy Comics and their first on Kickstarter: The Forgotten Divine. Where we meet Rodney Coleman a former EOD Veteran, unhoused but in Therapy. He tells his Therapist of a recurring dream he has of an alien world that seems too real. While some may have made his vision seem as a delusion, he finds that he is not the only one having these visions. This spirals into the indoctrination of many people with different personalities being haunted by their distrust...

Today I get a chance to talk to Brian Wickman to discuss Grit Trade Paperback Vol. 1 for Mad Cave Studios as the project is reimagined as it was a 3 issue release on Scout Comics in 2020. With Kevin Castaniero doing artwork we see the tale of Old Man Barrow an aged Monster Hunter paired with a Witch named Ari who's conventional Magic is a little too much for the Aged Hunter's liking as he is set in his ways. We have Goblin Gang's, Talking Birds, and Comedy as this tale can shift on a dime from straight violence to hilarity...

Today we bring back a favorite as Joseph Illidge returns to us to talk about the Eisner Nominated Anthology: Noir is the New Black that started as a Trade Graphic Novel Anthology in 2020 with 40 Black Creators and 16 stories all based around the genre of Crime Noir. The past couple of years Fairsquare Graphics has released the anthology adding more stories in a yearly short stories Anthology and Joseph Illidge teaming up with artist ChrisCross gave us a tale birthed in Black Wall Street Tulsa Oklahoma and raised in the Harlem Renaissance in The Winterfields.

Written by Joseph...

Today we bring back a favorite to the podcast as Damien Becton returns with an homage to Recess, Dexter's Laboratory, and 00's era Cartoons with the All ages Graphic Novel Ruth Avenue Raiders vs. The Robots of Sector 7. This project is personal as Damien's Father grew up on Ruth Avenue in Akron, Ohio and his football team was the Raiders. Every character in the book symbolizes his friends that he grew with on that team. The Raiders as a collective are of the same personality as Damien puts it the 2012 Patriots. Undefeated, great talents, maybe a lil arrogant. In...

Todays Episode I get to talk to Dave Wielgosz as he brings us the revenge tale Showdown for Ignition Press. As a Editor for DC Comics for over 10 years and also has had the chance to intern at both Marvel and DC, jumping into the writers chair was always in the cards. In this book, Trish Sullivan returns to her hometown with a goal in redeeming the man who she says is to blame for her younger brother's death. Harvey Harlowe is just reeling from the death of his father, so grief is playing deep in the minds of...

Today I speak with Kenny Porter and Tyrell Cannon about IDW Dark's soon to be released Horror Smash Operation: Iron Coffin. When you think Dracula vs Nazi's you commit to a terror between Morality and Monstrosity. WWII 1945, the British unleash a secret weapon into the back of a Cargo Train as Terror fills this Labyrinth from car to car with a vengeance. Kenny and Tyrell control this fast paced grindhouse thriller with precision as Dracula is killing with a PURPOSE seeking redemption or face eternal damnation.

Written by Kenny Porter

Artwork by Tyrell Cannon

Today we bring back Justin Coke to talk SWAT or Secret Wizard Assault Team a cross in urban fantasy mixed between the angst of Law enforcement. Larry Slaughter leads this group of Wizard Detectives that are on the verge of being laid off until they find a way to set up a Vampire for mass murder to keep their jobs. Justin adds Humor with the assortment of title characters. You might even find a Homeless Garden Gnome looking for Weed. Live on Kickstarter May 15th.

Written by Justin Coke

Artwork by Rachel Distler

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Today we have the return of Benjamin Hunting to the podcast as we talk about the Sci-Fi Thriller Dead Air live on Kickstarter built around 90's College Radio culture. A huge aspect in many lives as through different sub-genres the music brought them together. Benjamin creates a story of a group of friends whose trajectory in their adolescence is changed forever by the so called death of their friend Josie. In the same time period a prototype is introduced to the market where once a year through text you can speak to someone who has died. Michelle (the eyes...

Today I am joined by Jordan Clark (Milestone Initiative Recipient) and Creator of Ancestral Recall for Ahoy Comics. I've been wanting to talk about this book for sometime now I've heard many of my peers rave about the story. Melvin Waring is at an age where he is set in his ways. He has a loving wife June who takes a solid interest in his artwork and his business and their dynamic is a force in this book because one day Melvin wakes up to June missing as people go missing in his neighborhood by a mysterious corporation. Trapped...

Very Special exciting episode as I am joined by one of the best publishers in Indie Comics none other than the team of Wise Acre Comics. The Panel is heavy as we are met with 9 members of the Wise Acre Team.

Frederick Little- CEO and Creator of Magnus Jakuta

Marc Glave- Creator of Dark Sentinel

Nigel Lynch- Creator of Critical Task Force Ops/Neon Ghost/Diary of the Stray Dogs

Monica Ginder- Creator of Hybrid Theory

Owen Ratliff- Creator of Black Salt

Emeka Nkwo- Creator of Vibrant<...

Today we bring back a favorite of mine as Chris Condon (Ultimate Wolverine, News From The Fallout) gives us a peek into the Hitchcockian Eco Horror Of The Earth for Image Comics co-written by Andrew Ehrich and artwork by the legendary Charlie Adlard (The Walking Dead) and Pip Martin. Tabby Black returns to her silenced town of Solitude, Texas to find that her Grandmother that raised her isn't who she once was and neither is the town she left. We get into Chris approach to horror as well as character development in his recent books like Otis Fallows in...

Today we travel to India to speak with Aditya Bidikar upon the release of his anticipated Tiny Onion produced Mini Series-In Your Skin. The story centers around the culture of celebrity and the obsession that an overzealous fan can create while idolizing their Hero without knowing that their favorite person may be torn themselves. We meet Priyanka who loves Bollywood star Ayesha, but feels at a loss when she suddenly announces her retirement. Sensing a void, Priyanka makes a choice she feels may be the only way to step In her Skin (pun intended). Aditya has lettered some of...

Todays Guest on the Pod we bring you Aaron Cohen and the all too humorous Schticks & Stones Holiday Special Live on Kickstarter. Aaron's work in this particular book started within Scott Snyder's Best Jackett Workshops where he developed the comic strip styling of Schticks & Stones as a Hilarious Passover special into the anthology The Cloak Room books on Kickstarter. The book highlights the Fineman Family mainly our young protaganist Ben whom within each book designed around 3 Jewish Holidays: Passover, Hannakuh, and Purim and in the spirit of Sunday morning Comic strips. The Stories (Crime and Passover, Eight, and Rich...

Today's Guest: Matthew Rosenberg spent the course last year finishing up his great Spy Thriller We're Taking everyone down with us to excellent critical acclaim. At the time of the scheduling the interview, it was announced that Matthew will be passed the torch as head writer for the Iconic series Spawn from the one and only Todd McFarlane which we get into later in the Podcast.

If Destruction be our Lot for Image Comics brings forth a post human society where the Robots created by humanity now run the world. We meet Abe (a robotic Abraham Lincoln...

Today I get to talk with one of my heroes once again with the return of Eisner winning Co-Creator of Bitter Root David F. Walker for his retelling of 1973's Blackstein because in David'd own words it was the worst movie he had ever seen and he wanted to bring it to life and make it better. His telling brought the intersectionality of the Classic Horror Monster and 70's Blaxploitation Films. A school driver maliciously and mistakenly murdered by the police is awakened in an experiment by a Medical School Dropout named Blake N. Styne and once brought to...

Today's brings back Jimmy Gaspero of Cryptid Creator Corner Podcast and Comic Book Yeti as well Cartoonist, Illustrator and Educator Amber Akin to talk about the Papercutz original Children's story Penny and the Yeti which will be released April 21st. The main character in this tale Penny (named after Jimmy's daughter) whose best friend is a Yeti who appears from her older sisters drawings. The support of the Yeti is to help her manage ways for her parents to stop fighting. The storyline combines Humor and empathy and even both Jimmy and Amber found ways to insert portions of...

Today we celebrate this episode of the Faqs Project with 2 Milestones this is Episode 200 a great feat for this small but mighty Comic Book Podcast. Our Guests are Lloyd and Natosha Jones of Midnight Comics who are also celebrating 5 years as an Indie Comic Publisher as I've been a fan of their books since 2021's The Unbeloved.

Midnight Comics currently has a Kickstarter live that is a 5 year Omnibus of all their works without leaving an ounce of their creativity out. Such titles as The Grey, Sol, The Unbeloved, Dogma, Last Day, Admoni, Raven's Omen and Powers...

Today the Faqs Project crosses the Atlantic to speak with Joe Palmer about a Dystopian London in Destination Kill for Oni Press. Gina Serene is a burned out Police Detective who is relying on medication to relieve her stress as she is disillusioned by the system and her role in it. There's been a mass displacement of human workers in Central City where automation has left large portions of the population unemployed and desperate and end up creating a violent resistance movement. A coordinated attack is imminent on the corporation Overcon and their celebration of the Paradise Loop-A speed...

Today we have Joseph Illidge back on the pod. Mr. Illidge is someone I hold in high regard as one of the many architects that gave us Milestone Comics with characters such as Hardware, Icon, Rocket, The Blood Syndicate, and Static. The New History of the DC Universe was release in late February, but around late January Mr. Illidge put on a 100k unit selling challenge to embolden the many fans of Milestone to come and show support for a book that some may deem the powers that be may be against. Joe, breaks down the miseducation of comic...

Todays Guest Monty Nero brings us his Cyberpunk tale Chrome Roses from across the pond in Scotland. A world aptly named the Tract where society was broken in half by a pandemic, no law enforcement, decisions are made by social media polls and ratings, physical touch has abandoned for Husks-an advance way of feeling because of fear from the outside world. A rogue detective named Kramm freelances his way at solving a murder although solving a crime in this world is transactional and monetary. Gig economies and Digital Identity are the way. Monty provides the artwork of this vast...

To close Black History Month, I talk to a Faqs Project favorite Anthony Stokes (Tap or Die) and AJ Ampadu (Ninjak vs Roku) to the Football Epic Silent as a Non-Verbal Quarterback overcomes his obstacles to pressure his team to victory. First, the task alone to create one of your main characters totally using American sign language brings forth the challenge of linguists within your art, because now the emotions have been heightened all within this violent gridiron game. This is a Unicorn of sorts as you usually see sports in manga really than American Comics especially Football which...

Todays guests are 2 of the most prominent Comic Book podcasters in the industry as I speak to Brad and Lisa Guillickson of the Comic Book Couples Counseling Podcast as they now enter Season 2 of their spinoff series on Youtube known namely as The Stacks. Filmed at Third Eye Comics in Annapolis it has pulled from the example of being a Criterion Closet for Comics as some of our favorite Comic Book Creators such as Rodney Barnes (Killadelphia), Sanford Greene (Bitter Root), Benjamin Percy (X Lives of Wolverine), and David Brothers with Chip Zdarsky (Time Waits) have all paid a...

Today we get to sit down with Jeff Haas of Vector Comics as he weaves 3 issues of this Dark Fantasy tale driven by Angelic Mythology. Malek is an Archangel tricked and sent to Hell to defeat Lucifer and in doing so the throne is empty. All the while Malek is beginning to change as a physical manifestation of a demon incarnate himself becoming the thing he destroyed, The New king in Hell. Even as such fellow Archangels such as Gabriel and Michael are now looking to pursue for their own gain. Readers of Dante's Inferno and Spawn will love...

Doug Marcaida of Forged in Fire on the History Channel brings the Filipino Martial art of Kali to the world of comics in Lineage. Estranged Brothers Miguel and Virgil are reunited by the death of their father and the trauma of a mysterious cult that has haunted them since they were children. Miguel and Virgil must remember the training given to to them by their father as the Blades passed down by generation are very distinct to their culture. The story not only brings the action you would expect from a martial arts comic, but the studies and philosophies...

Strong off the reception of his wonderful book Spectrum which ended up on many readers Top of 2025 list. I bring Dave Chisholm back to discus his follow up project in the form of a dystopian work where the world is designed through workplace culture to keep everyone compliant and working. Here we meet Ted, someone who is an excellent worker as far as productivity, but he is under constant surveillance assigned to a young woman named Sarah who not only sees something wrong. She feels she knows this diagnosis far too well and her empathy is telling her to...

Fred Kennedy cooked up an entire recipe of nostalgia of the 80's, seasoned with satire, blended finely with a dose of Humor, and added a finishing touch of rampaging Cocaine raged Hippos. The book starts as those old DARE videos did in the 1980's where this satire driven take on the War on Drugs reaches the Epicenter as characters like Detective Miguel Senecoza, Clarke Nebraska, and Jans M'jor "Disco" Discau lead the hilarity that ensues as a Hippo Sanctuary is led by Mr. Discau to disguise his enormous cocaine operation. Clarke Nebraska has been keeping Discau under surveillance with...

Zander Cannon has renewed a lot of faith in single issue comics with Sleep an 8 issue limited series through Image Comics. I've managed to review each episode on my Youtube Channel because the entire story has kept me in suspense. We've gone 7 parts into this story without actually seeing what Jonathan Reason becomes when he goes to sleep. Destruction, Murder, Conspiracy, and all out mystery are what makes this a great Horror story. This small town reminiscent to Zander's remote college town in the middle of Iowa paints a portrait of how things can go silent in a small...

Today, I sit with Kenny Meyers to talk with him about Sweet Shop the newest hub for Digital Comics Marketplace. Along with Bindings Comic Marketing made easy and Find your Comic Store its one thing to say that you love Comic Books but to say make your entire ecosystem in helping creators makes you really wanna fight for this guy. Kenny in the last year or so has taken on more than 24 publishers honed in on his launch any day now from Image, IDW, Fantagraphics, and Dark Horse to name a few. The Comic Creator feels slighted by the...

Happy New Year as a new season begins for the Faqs Project in 2026. As we get a chance to talk to Randy Stone about his latest project on Kickstarter. The Supernatural Horror based in the Nanavut Region of the Northwest Territories of Canada near the Arctic Ocean in FROST BITTEN. A Stranger arrives at a remote town with a population of less than 200 people wounded as he is being hunted. A Sheriff and his Pregnant Wife who have hopes to one day leave this town with no connected roadways to the mainland with child on the way. Until creatures...

Where do I start as to first thank everyone listening to the Faqs project in 2025. Today's Pod I talk about not only the Comics that moved me for 2025, but also some of the news stories that moved the needle on the industry. Creator owned comics may have not seen as much trickle down dollar wise as their mainstream predecessors, but there were many great stories to choose from whether you frequent Image, Boom, Mad Cave, Oni Press, Dark Horse, or even Kickstarter Indies. There are many standouts that I know I may have missed a few and they are...