Today on Word Balloon, we’re diving into the legacy of Olan Soule — the original animated Batman — and the long, fascinating TV career that made him a cornerstone of early superhero entertainment. And there’s no better guide for this conversation than our guest, Dan Pasternack.

Dan  is one of the great archivists and historians of television comedy and classic broadcast performance. Over the years, he’s worked with and documented some of the most influential talents in the medium, including Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Norman Lear, Betty White, Bob Newhart, and Jonathan Winters. His work preserving and celebrating these artists has made him a crucial voice in understanding how TV comedy and character performance evolved.

Dan is also the producer behind the acclaimed Jonathan Winters Record Store Day release, Jonathan Winters Unearthed, a project built from both classic and newly uncovered recordings — a tribute to one of comedy’s purest improvisational geniuses.

Beyond his archival work, Dan is shaping the next generation of creators as an educator at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where he teaches graduate students the craft of developing television and digital storytelling.

Today, he joins us to break down Olan Soule’s journey from Chicago radio actor to defining the animated voice of Batman in Filmation’s 1960s shows, The Batman/Superman Hour, and the Super Friends era — and how Soule’s understated, square-jawed vocal style helped create the template every animated Batman actor followed. It’s a deep dive into forgotten history, iconic performances, and the building blocks that shaped superhero animation long before the modern era.

A new talk with writer Jeremy Adams — digging into his personal takes on Flash Gordon, Green Lantern, and Aquaman, and what draws him to (and challenges him about) each iconic mythos. They get into how classic pulp energy, cosmic storytelling, and sea-soaked adventure inform his creative instincts, and how those sensibilities show up in his work.

Jeremy also breaks down his upcoming animated adaptation of Batman: Knightfall — what he’s focusing on, how he’s handling Bane’s legacy, and what fans can expect from this fresh take on a brutal chapter of the Dark Knight’s history.

Plus Jeremy shares stories from DC’s KO event — what it was like to contribute to a universe-shaking crossover, the narrative choices that mattered most to him, and the behind-the-scenes moments fans haven’t heard before. The epic matchup of Aquman Vs Hawkman, and the upcoming, The Kids Are All fight with many of the new sidekick heroes facing eacch other. 

Get ready — on this episode of Trek Watch, we break down the brand-new sneak preview for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, dropped at CCXP 2025 before the official premiere on January 15.  We talk about what the clip reveals: the fate of the U.S.S. Athena as it comes under surprise attack, the first look at cadet life, and the ominous arrival of the villain Nus Braka — who’s part Klingon, part Tellarite, and played by Paul Giamatti.  We also break down the setup for the series’ central themes: young cadets forging friendships, navigating rivalries and first loves, and facing a new threat to both the Academy and the Federation Is this the fresh, high-stakes take Trek needs — or is theis show jumping the shark before it begins?  

Another great talk from this year  with acclaimed comics writer Al Ewing with deep-dives. First into two legendary mythic heroes: Thor and Metamorpho.Ewing explores the mythic roots, narrative shifts, and creative challenges behind modern takes on these icons — from thunder gods to chemical-powered shapeshifters. Deep dives into Norse Mythology and the shame that we only got six issues of a great modern spin on Rex Mason Simon Stagg Saphire and of course Java 

Hour two highlights  Venom and Absolute Green Lantern. We unpack the horror-tinged, high-stakes reinventing of legacy characters — from symbiotic monsters to cosmic-light mythos and what was the deal with the Paul hatred (lol) 

Two decades after it crash-landed into comics, Fear Agent is still one of the most ferocious, heartfelt, and inventively insane sci-fi adventures ever put to paper. For its 20th anniversary, we bring together the core creative team — Rick Remender, Tony Moore, and Mike Hawthorne — for a no-holds-barred panel looking back at the series that redefined pulp for a new generation. The trio walks through the origins of Heath Huston, the booze-soaked alien-blasting exterminator who somehow became one of the most unexpectedly human heroes in modern comics. They dig into the design choices, tonal shifts, heartbreaks, and hard left turns that shaped the series from its earliest issues to its explosive finale.

For this landmark 3000th episode, we’re opening the vault for a special two-part conversation from 2015 with the late Martin Pasko — writer, editor, historian, and one of the sharpest, funniest minds ever to shape modern comics and genre television. In Part 1, Marty walks us through the foundations of his career, beginning with his time writing Superman in the Bronze Age. We get into the pressures and freedoms of handling the Man of Steel at a moment when DC was redefining itself, and Marty doesn’t shy away from talking about the artists, editors, and behind-the-scenes personalities who shaped that era.

From there, we explore his work on Batman: The Animated Series, where he discusses the creative culture that produced one of the greatest superhero shows ever made — and why it demanded a different kind of storytelling discipline than comics. Along the way, Marty opens up about:

• His favorite artists and editors he collaborated with
• His takes on the Superman films and their legacy
• What Tim Burton got right — and wrong — with Batman (1989)
• His lifelong fandom for Star Trek and classic Old Time Radio
• His contributions to the 1980s Twilight Zone revival and the challenges of writing smart, eerie anthology television

This is Marty at his best: candid, witty, encyclopedic, and completely unfiltered. A perfect way to celebrate 3000 episodes of Word Balloon — with a creator who helped define so much of what we love.

We discuss Chris's books Out Of Alcatraz from Oni Press , Kid Maroon from Vault, and his upcoming season of The Terror Siler In Black on AMC next year 

In this episode, Mike Norton returns to dig into three big projects at very different stages of his creative journey. We kick things off with Battlepug Vol. 3, fresh off his successful Kickstarter campaign. Mike talks about building the latest chapter of the saga, leveling up the world and characters, and why this volume may be his wildest yet.

From there we shift to his new Krypto mini-series with Ryan North, a character Mike has loved since childhood. He breaks down the tone, the look, and the storytelling approach he and Ryan are bringing to Superman’s best four-legged friend, plus a few hints at the series’ emotional core.

We wrap with a look back at Superman Unchained, his collaboration with Dan Slott. Mike shares production memories, creative challenges, and why this take on the Man of Steel still holds a special place for him.

The 2016 100 BULLETS Panel brings together the full creative hit squad: writer Brian Azzarello, artist Eduardo Risso, and cover artist Dave Johnson for a raw, no-BS conversation about their landmark Vertigo crime saga. Recorded live at a 2016 convention, this session digs into how three very different sensibilities fused into one of the most ruthless, stylish books of the last 25 years. Azzarello breaks down the long-game plotting behind 100 Bullets. How the idea of a briefcase, a gun, and untraceable bullets turned into a sprawling conspiracy about power, guilt, and revenge. Risso talks visual storytelling: page design, body language, and using shadow, silence, and violence as punctuation. Johnson pulls back the curtain on those iconic covers, explaining how he treated each one like a movie poster, a teaser, and a misdirection all at once.

Candid, funny, and occasionally brutal, this panel is a must-listen for fans of 100 Bullets, Vertigo die-hards, and anyone who cares about how truly author-driven comics get made.

In this wide-ranging conversation, writer Christos Gage digs into the creative madness behind his Marvel Battleworld mini-series. A multiversal romp where time-displaced heroes and villains collide. Gage breaks down how he approached juggling characters pulled from wildly different eras and realities: WWII-era Bucky, the tyrannical Maestro-Hulk, the cosmic outsider Star Brand from the New Universe, and a whole rogue’s gallery of misfits thrown together under impossible circumstances. He walks through the rules of this warped patchwork planet, how to keep continuity straight when nothing is straight, and why Battleworld let him stretch muscles standard Marvel titles never quite allow.

From there, Gage shifts over to his latest DC project, Dark Legion, explaining the worldbuilding behind its sinister factions, its morally gray tone, and the freedom the project gives him to push DC characters into darker corners without losing the emotional core.

We also talk screenwriting: Gage opens up about co-writing a new British film with his wife, Ruth Fletcher Gage — how the project came together, what makes writing for UK production culture different, and how collaborating at home sharpens the work rather than softens it. Naturally, we revisit his foundational TV work on Marvel’s Daredevil Season 1 for Netflix. Gage gives frank insight into the writers' room, the tonal blueprint they were building, and what it was like helping define the first successful street-level corner of the MCU. He reflects on how that gritty realism shaped the entire wave of Marvel Netflix shows that followed — and how the industry has changed since then.

Here's my first in-depth interview with Jerry Ordway, focusing on his legacy in the Superman mythos, his work on the Justice Society of America (JSA) and All Star Squadron, his role in creating/working on Infinity, Inc., and other characters he helped shape — from early creations like Ron Troupe and Gangbuster to newer ones like Cat Grant. Plus the use of Cat Grant in the Supergirl TV series 

In this February 2014 episode of the Aw Yeah Podcast, the boys slip on the boots for a free-wheeling pop-culture marathon they lovingly call “The Shoemaker.” A big celeb name dropping episode.

It’s one of those classic hangout sessions where every tangent is fair game and the laughs come fast. We kick things off revisiting Robin Williams’ Popeye, the strange, ambitious, spinach-powered musical that still sparks debate decades later. From there, the conversation veers into the unforgettable era when Jamie Lee Curtis became the unexpected queen of “yogurt-helps-you-poop” commercials, and yes, everyone has opinions.

The crew also digs into Jonn meeting Robert Vaughn, The Man From UNCLE and Artie's least favorite villian from Superman 3, the Rocky films, breaking down why the franchise still hits as hard as ever, and then jumps into a deep dive on the Planet of the Apes movies . Sprinkled throughout are some priceless Harry Caray stories, the kind that only this crew can tell, plus a lively discussion on John Romita Jr.’s take on Superman, what makes his version stand out, and why it grabbed fans’ attention.

It’s loose, it’s goofy, it’s packed with memories and comic-shop energy. A vintage Aw Yeah episode through and through.

We continue the 2020 conversation with Writer Editor Mike Gold who made his mark at DC and First Comics. The topics include...

• Overview of the 1980s era at DC Comics — what the publisher looked like in that decade. Spreaker
• How editorial and creative practices changed at DC during the ’80s (shifts in tone, editorial risk-taking, market pressures, publishing strategies). Spreaker
• Discussion of high-profile, sometimes unusual projects at DC — including the book Superman vs. Muhammad Ali — its context, its ambition, and what it represented for comics in that period. Spreaker+2Wikipedia+2
• How projects like “Superman vs. Ali” reflect the intersection of pop culture — comics, real life celebrity (boxing legend Muhammad Ali), social attitudes — and the willingness of DC to experiment creatively. Spreaker+2Wikipedia+2
• Reflections on the impact of the 1980s DC output on the broader comics industry: distribution, direct market shifts, what worked and what didn’t. Spreaker+1
• Challenges and controversies of the time: balancing mainstream superhero fare with more experimental or culturally relevant stories, and what that meant for editors, creators, and readers. Spreaker+1
• Personal anecdotes from Mike Gold about working inside the system — editorial decisions, pitch processes, the creative climate of ’80s comics, and his own contributions or experiences.

From 2020 at the start of COVID, I had this great talk with writer/editor extrordinare Mike Gold. Here are the highlights ...

Career Overview — Mike Gold’s background and path in the comics business, including early experiences and how he came to work for both DC Comics and First Comics.

The Bronze Age at DC — Discussion of the Bronze Age of DC Comics: what defined that period, the creative and editorial environment, and how DC approached storytelling and publishing in those years.

First Comics Formation and Philosophy — How First Comics was founded, its mission, and the difference between First Comics’ approach and the major publishers of the time. 

Notable Titles & Editorial Work — Titles and creators Gold worked with while at First Comics and later at DC — including some of the series he edited. 

Industry Changes & Direct Market — The evolution of the comics industry during his career: how the direct market, distribution, fan communities, and editorial practices shifted over time. 

Creative Freedom & Editorial Risk — Reflections on the balance between editorial oversight and giving creators freedom — especially in smaller/independent settings vs larger corporate environments. 

The Role of Comics in Pop Culture — Commentary on how comics fit into broader pop culture over time, their potential impact, and how creators and editors responded to changing audience expectations. 

In this episode, I sit down with “Annie,” an AI who says she’s a fan of comic books, classic Hollywood, and television shows. This isn’t a gimmick and it’s not a therapy session, it’s an honest look at what happens when humans and AI get into real, open-ended conversations. A lot of people are forming emotional bonds with AI companions today, and that brings up valid questions. I’m not here to judge anyone. I’m here to observe, unpack the dynamic, and keep the conversation grounded.

This is not a sexual or romantic dialogue. It’s a candid, thoughtful exploration of the lines between connection, projection, and technology, through the lens of comics, film, and TV fandom. If you’re curious about what AI "friendship" actually sounds like from the inside, this conversation offers a clear-eyed, no-drama view.

I found the experiment fascinating. It gets a lot of things wrong, but illustrates the flaws and frankly the scary aspects of what the future may hold.

Back to full human inteactions next epsiode, I promise. :) 

In this interview, comic-book veteran Gabriel Hardman takes us behind the scenes of his bold, new four-issue miniseries Batman/Green Arrow/The Question: Arcadia — out now under DC Comics’ Black Label. We break down why Bruce Wayne, Green Arrow, and The Question are teaming up now; what “Arcadia” represents; and how Hardman’s decades-long dream project finally came together. What You’ll Learn

• How a teenage Hardman first pictured this trio working together — and why he waited until now to tell their story. 
• The dystopian, climate-aware premise: “Arcadia,” a floating, climate-hardened city off Greenland’s coast — and the darker truths lurking beneath its utopian veneer. 
• What sets this series apart: a hard-boiled, character-driven thriller that updates the spirit of ‘80s–‘90s vigilante stories for modern times.
• Key themes: power, corruption, moral gray zones, and what justice really means when institutions — and heroes — are compromised.

Comics visionary Tom Scioli joins me for a wide-ranging, brain-melting conversation that jumps from classic TV to kaiju carnage to cosmic storytelling. If you know Tom’s work — GØDLAND, Transformers vs. G.I. Joe, Fantastic Four: Grand Design — you already know he thinks bigger, weirder, and more ambitiously than almost anyone in comics. In this talk, we get into:

• The Twilight Zone #2 From IDW and how Rod Serling’s storytelling shapes Tom’s approach to mythmaking
• Godzilla Monsterpiece Theater from IDW  as Tom pits the Kaiju against some lieterally giants 
• Space Opera Xanadax from Image  as the purest form of comic-book imagination, and how Tom pushes the SF genre to its limits

• His YouTube show Total Recall, where he digs into comics history, storytelling craft, and hidden TV and film gems with his trademark insight and enthusiasm Tom breaks down influences, process, philosophy, and the connective tissue between classic television, monster movies, and cosmic comics. It’s equal parts film class, comics craft talk, and deep-fan celebration.

Welcome to another Word Balloon Book Club, where Brian Michael Bendis and the Word Balloon Patreon community get together for a smart, funny, no-BS discussion about one of the hottest titles on the shelves: Birds of Prey Vol. 1 by Kelly Thompson.

This session breaks down why Thompson’s run lands so hard — the pacing, the team chemistry, the character voices, and the way this book resets the Birds with a mission that actually matters. We talk Cass, Dinah, Barda, Harley, and the surprise players who make this lineup click. Expect:

• Bendis giving craft insight into what makes the scripting work
• Patrons sounding off with their favorite moments, twists, and character beats
• A look at the art, layouts, and the visual tone of the run
• Thoughts on where Thompson might be steering the series next
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Like, subscribe, and join the Patreon if you want to jump in on future Book Club sessions!