Leinil Francis Yu busted on the comics scene in the early 90s and never looked back! After initially being recognized and mentored by Wildstorm's Whilce Portacio, Leinil broke it big at Marvel. There, he took on major titles like Wolverine , X-Men , Fantastic Four , and Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk (written by Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof). Leinil has worked with a murderer's row of top writers, including Mark Waid on Superman: Birthright , Brian Michael Bendis on New Avengers and Secret Invasi...
Nov 29, 2023•47 min•Season 3Ep. 83
The original Secret Wars is back! In this retro mini-series semi-sequel to 1984's Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars , former Marvel EIC (and editor of the original series) Tom DeFalco and his Spider-Girl collaborator Pat Olliffe take us back to the era of the Beyonder and Spider-Man's black costume for another adventure. We get the inside scoop on it all, from the relationship of anchor characters Spider-Man and the Human Torch, to how it feels to write and draw the entire Marvel universe. The fir...
Nov 22, 2023•51 min•Season 3Ep. 82
The man known throughout intertubes as the Uncanny Omar sits down to talk with the Bandits about his popular YouTube channel, Near Mint Condition . If you haven't watched, you're in for a treat, as Omar collects, reviews, and celebrates all manner of collected editions, from plain old trade paperbacks to the awe-inspiring omnibuses that have taken over the industry (and caused plenty of back pain)! After the interview, check out Near Mint Condition here: youtube.com/nearmintcondition . _________...
Nov 17, 2023•52 min•Season 3Ep. 81
Craig Miller's career may be a bit hard to categorize, but there's geeky goodness around every corner! He started as a Hollywood publicity and promotion guy, working with a who's who of studios (Lucasfilm, Disney, Universal, Warner Bros, Henson Associates, etc.) and on an amazing array of projects: Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Superman II, The Dark Crystal, and The Muppets Take Manhattan , to name but a few. He then went into animation, tackling a number of favorites, like The Smurfs , Tr...
Nov 15, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Season 3Ep. 80
As a writer who wore many hats, Scott Edelman has storytelling in his blood. From writing and editing at Marvel to working on various science fiction magazines and even a professional wrestling publication, his narrative skills set him apart. At Marvel, he created their Scarecrow and edited X-Men , Avengers , Fantastic Four and more. Check out Scott's website: scottedelman.com . _____________________ If you like this podcast, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts . And if you real...
Nov 10, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Season 3Ep. 79
Dan Panosian does it all: pencilling, inking, writing, advertising, video game designing... the list goes on. But like most of our guests, he's a comics guy at heart. Starting with Neal Adams at Continuity and Walt Simonson and Ralph Macchio at Marvel , Dan's inking work soon caught the eye of the X-Men editors, and he was off to the races! After runs on Uncanny X-Men and Alpha Flight (among others), he was recruited to Image , where he worked on the big guns like Spawn , Cyberforce , PITT , Pro...
Nov 08, 2023•51 min•Season 3Ep. 78
The man with the sparkly name, Keith Champagne , is an inker-turned-writer with professional credits galore, many at DC! As an inker, his work is featured in titles including JSA , Firestorm , Superboy , Aztek , and the Stranger Things adaptation from Dark Horse. As for scripts, Keith was the writer behind World War III , Countdown: Arena , Ghostbusters (IDW), and Adolescent Radioactive Black Belt Hamsters (!). This guy's got the receipts, as the young people say! You can follow Keith on Instagr...
Nov 04, 2023•51 min•Season 3Ep. 77
In this special Halloween episode, we sit down with the dream team of Matt Wagner and Kelley Jones to talk about the first part of their epic vampire tale, Dracula Volume 1: The Impaler . The Kickstarter project is already raking in the support, and it's easy to see why. This is a story only Matt and Kelley could bring to (undead) life, with their signature narrative and visual flares. We get into it all, from the origins of the project to the nuts and bolts of the pals working together for the ...
Oct 31, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Season 3Ep. 76
All hail the Chichester renaissance! Not only is D.G. returning to Daredevil for a retro story set during his 90s heyday, but he's Kickstarting his new, creator-owned comic, Axles Infernal right now! Daredevil: Black Armor reunites the writer with the character (and costume) that brought us so many memorable storylines. And Axles Infernal is the rock 'em, sock 'em, hell on wheels adventure that only D.G. could tell! We get deep into both projects and uncover the inner workings of this returning ...
Oct 27, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Season 3Ep. 75
Like the phoenix rising, Bernard Chang is back on the show to talk his series with Louise Simonson about the original comic book Phoenix, Jean Grey . We get into the hows, whys, and wherefores of his collaboration with Simonson, why the X-Men hold a special place in his heart, and how he pulled off that amazing double-page spread from issue #1! Then we hit the rewind button and pick up where we left off in the last episode, delving into the second half of his career. We talk his advertising work...
Oct 25, 2023•1 hr 19 min•Season 3Ep. 74
Michael T. Gilbert resurrected Mr. Monster and became one of the greatest independent comic creators in doing so! With humor, action and phenomenal art, the book keeps finding new life with readers. He’s also worked with DC and other companies throughout the years. _____________________ If you like this podcast, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts . And if you really like this podcast, support what we do as a member of the Dollar Bin Boosters : buzzsprout.com/1817176/support . L...
Oct 20, 2023•34 min•Season 3Ep. 73
Writer, colorist, filmmaker... foodie?! Gregory Wright dabbles in a bit of everything, but his heart is always with comics. He got his start at Marvel, first in editorial, but then writing and/or coloring big books like Deathlok , Silver Sable and the Wild Pack , Morbius , and X-Men: The Hidden Years . Other coloring gigs included the first three issues of Savage Dragon , DC's Zero Hour crossover, and a handful of Richard Starkings' Elephantmen issues. And just wait until you hear him talk about...
Oct 18, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Season 3Ep. 72
NYCC 2023 is upon us! What better time to talk about the good, the bad, and the cosplay of comic book conventions? Joining Bandit Mike in a tour around the aisles is the New York Times ' George Gustines. George has attended his fair share of cons and shares his thoughts on how they've evolved, what to do (and not do) in artists' alley, and the best ways to plan your time. So put on your Hulkbuster armor, grab a stack of books to be signed, and wallow in the sea of humanity that is today's show. ...
Oct 13, 2023•35 min•Season 3Ep. 71
This is the true story... nope, that's a total hack intro for someone who has more than transcended his appearance on MTV's The Real World San Francisco . Yes, we're talking about Judd Winick : cartoonist, writer, and creator on some of the best comics in the last 30 years. We rewind all the way back before Real World, where he and someone named Brad Metzer were slumming it in Boston, trying to get their careers going. We talk about the development of Pedro & Me , his award winning first gra...
Oct 11, 2023•1 hr 43 min•Season 3Ep. 70
How many people can say they worked with the legendary Neal Adams and wrote a 1980s horror film? Well, Steve Mitchell can! From getting a job at DC by being a frequent visitor to being the production manager at Atlas Comics, he’s had an incredible comics career. On top of that, he co-wrote the film Chopping Mall along with working on other films. _____________________ If you like this podcast, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts . And if you really like this podcast, support wha...
Oct 06, 2023•1 hr 23 min•Season 3Ep. 69
How to describe the career of Joseph Illidge ? He doesn't fit squarely in one box, but "ringmaster" may be the best word. Joe thrives on bringing teams together and executing projects, which is what he's done his entire career. Starting at Milestone Media , where he was mentored in the ways of story editing by the late, great Dwayne McDuffie and others, Joe has overseen a huge amount of comics projects. Highlights include his shepherding of the Batman line for DC and the founding of Lion Forge's...
Oct 04, 2023•1 hr 21 min•Season 3Ep. 68
In this special Mike & Mike on the Mic episode, we talk to writer Mike Baron about his creations past and present. You probably know Mike from co-creating Nexus (with Steve Rude) and ushering Badger into the world. But of course, that's not all! In the late 80s, Mike's runs on The Flash and The Punisher were legendary, and he redefined Deadman (with Kelley Jones) in Action Comics . He was even at Valiant during the heady days of the early 90s. Since then, Mike's mostly worked on his own mate...
Sep 29, 2023•47 min•Season 3Ep. 67
INTERVIEW: A master of his craft, Josef "Joe" Rubinstein has inked more pages and over more pencillers than perhaps anyone else in the business. He started early, inking the first pencilling assignment of his friend (and past guest) Mike Nasser at age 17. Joe was mentored by Dick Giordano in and out of Continuity Associates and maintained a working relationship with him the rest of his life. Among his extensive credits, he's known for inking the first Wolverine limited series (Claremont/Miller) ...
Sep 27, 2023•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 66
INTERVIEW: Busting onto the comics scene during the heyday of Valiant Comics, Sean Chen is a journeyman penciller who also happens to design toys and remodel homes. He was brought into Valiant by the legendary Barry Windsor-Smith and was mentored by Bob Layton while tackling titles like X-O Manowar , Rai and the Future Force , and Harbinger . Then it was off to Marvel, where his run on Iron Man is still his most recognized. Stints on Wolverine , Elektra , X-Men: The End , and Nova soon followed....
Sep 20, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Season 3Ep. 65
One of the pioneering women cartoonists of the 20th century, Trina Robbins was a founding member of the underground comix scene, using alternative press in New York and San Francisco to publish her work. Along the way, she designed Vampirella's costume, adapted various novels, and created Misty (an update of Millie the Model) for Marvel's Star Comics. She may be best known for her work with Wonder Woman, especially her The Legend of Wonder Woman mini-series (written by Kurt Busiek) and the graph...
Sep 15, 2023•43 min•Season 3Ep. 64
Colorist Glenn Whitmore and Superman are pretty much synonymous for comic fans. His skills have brought the Man of Steel into living color for decades! His colors have also made The Flash, Justice Society and more even more awesome over the years. You can follow Glenn on X and Instagram and check out what’s he’s been working on (and even order a piece of art) at: https://catskillcomics.com/artistgalleryroom.asp?artistid=16#:~:text=Glenn%20Whitmore%20has%20been%20a,his%20examples%20and%20rates%20...
Sep 13, 2023•53 min•Season 3Ep. 63
Artist Bob Quinn wasn't always an artist. He started his career in video game development, working at places like Disney, THQ, and Activision. But he could never quite shake the comic book bug, and so now he's flexing his artistic muscles throughout the industry. You may know him from gigs at Marvel, including some X-Men issues and Captain America (with Ta-Nehisi Coates), or his extensive work with Dynamite on properties like Lone Ranger, James Bond, Green Hornet, and he Spirit. His newest book,...
Sep 08, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Season 3Ep. 62
INTERVIEW: You know Ron Marz. We know Ron Marz. So what's Ron Marz talking about for his fourth appearance on this podcast? Oh, just a little mini-series called Silver Surfer Rebirth: Legacy ! That's right, the Rebirth Trilogy concludes with another cosmic tale by Rons Marz and Lim, this time focusing on Legacy (Genis-Vell), son of the original Captain Marvel. While Ron Lim couldn't make this session, Marz certainly holds his own, answering all of our intrusive questions about Legacy, the new st...
Sep 06, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 3Ep. 61
BONUS INTERVIEW: Artist Dan Lawlis is in the hot seat as we explore his 30+ year career! Since the 80s, Dan has lent his unique skills to titles including Dr. Strange , Shadowmasters , Starlord (with Star Wars Thrawn Trilogy writer Timothy Zahn), and Midnight Sons . Oh, and let's not forget his long run on Dark Horse's Barb Wire ! Dan dishes on everything, including his love for Conan and all things barbarian. You can follow Dan on his site, danlawlis.com , on Twitter @danlawlis , and on Instagr...
Sep 01, 2023•55 min•Season 3Ep. 60
INTERVIEW: All welcome the Dude himself, Steve Rude ! If you're not already familiar with his work (really?!), start with Nexus , the long-recurring scifi series he created with writer Mike Baron in the early 80s. That masterpiece should be enough, but he also did quite a bit of work for the big two, including World's Finest , The Incredible Hulk vs. Superman , X-Men: Children of the Atom , and Captain America: What Price Glory . Steve continues to churn out art, both illustrations and painting,...
Aug 30, 2023•57 min•Season 3Ep. 59
INTERVIEW: Equal parts artist and writer, Phil Hester has been doing the comic book thing for 30 years now! He broke into the mainstream via his work with Kevin Smith on an adaptation of the film Clerks . That connection got him noticed in the DC offices, and soon it was off to the races, penciling Swamp Thing and more. Phil's art is perhaps best known from a long run on Green Arrow , where he collaborated with A-list writers like Smith, Brad Meltzer, and Judd Winick. More interesting work follo...
Aug 25, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 3Ep. 58
INTERVIEW: Joe and Oren sit down with a king of coloring, Anthony Tollin! Anthony started with DC in the early 70s, and by the early 80s was coloring nearly all the covers in the DC line. Although the majority of his career was spent at DC, he's worked with other publishers as well, and has done a lot of work with The Shadow. The boys dig into his crazy work schedule, his favorite artists to work with, his Shadow love, and much more! _____________________ Dollar Bin Bandits is the official podca...
Aug 23, 2023•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 57
INTERVIEW: Like many of his peers coming up in comics in late 80s across the pond, Mike Collins fell in with the Marvel UK crew, drawing the likes of Spider-Man , Transformers , Doctor Who and Zoids . Of course, no UK comics career is complete without work on 2000 A.D. , so you'll find his work there too. But things really took off when Mike moved to the US in the 90s, where he tackled many of DC's heavy hitters, like Superman, Batman, Teen Titans and Justice League. He only did a bit more work ...
Aug 18, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Season 3Ep. 56
Yes, THE Roger Stern! It took months of work to get this storytelling master to sit down for an interview, and we hope you agree that it was worth it. We dug into as much of his career as we could, starting with the fanzine CPL with Bob Layton, moving through the Charlton Bullseye , and on to his big break as editor and then writer at Marvel. And that's only the first 10 minutes! Of course, we had to get to Captain America , Incredible Hulk , Avengers (original and West Coast varieties), and the...
Aug 16, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Season 3Ep. 55
INTERVIEW: We welcome artist/creator Ray-Anthony Height, who is currently Kickstarting a collected edition of his creator-owned comic, Midnight Tiger. Midnight Tiger: The Complete Origin collects the first four issues (the origin story) of the series, providing a foundation for a saga that Ray has planned out for the next decade! You may also recognize his work from stints at Marvel ( Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur , Star Wars: Doctor Aphra ), DC (Milestone), and in animation ( Guardians of the ...
Aug 11, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 3Ep. 54
