For the first entry in this two-part Book Club featuring The Sacrificers, vol. 1, Jimmy Teigen joins host Mark Ohrenberger to discuss cultural stories exploring the value of a single human life when weighed in the balance against the welfare of an entire community, the meaning of sacrifice, the demand for sacrifice, and what these stories might have to say about the individual, the community, and even God. Part 1 of this Book Club covers issues 1-2 of The Sacrificers. Next week, Part 2 will cove...
Jun 29, 2025•1 hr 14 min
In episode 33 of the podcast, host Mark Ohrenberger raved about a new horror illustrated novella, from writer Dan Baillie and artist Tim Bradstreet, published by AWA, in partnership with Vertigo Entertainment. Now, writer Dan Baillie joins the show to talk about how a little short story he started to write for a horror audience on Reddit became a fully illustrated and published one-shot novella on shelves in your local comics shop. Check out more of Dan's short prose work on Reddit under his use...
May 26, 2025•31 min
Co-host of The Intake Podcast, and pal of GNA host Mark Ohrenberger, Carson Miller joins the show for a Book Club episode taking a deep dive into the otherworldly sci-fi series King of Nowhere. Mark and Carson discuss the wild things crawling around inside the mind of author W. Maxwell Prince, react to the fitness of Tyler Jenkins' abstract art style for this particular story, and consider the ways the main characters' substance abuse disorders impact their perspectives and their decision-making...
May 19, 2025•1 hr 39 min
For this mini episode, host Mark Ohrenberger felt compelled to record and publish a rare mid-week podcast to tell listeners about a terrifying new illustrated novella, Look Out, written by Dan Baillie, with art by Tim Bradstreet. This prose and pictures horror one-shot serves as the first offering from AWA and Vertigo Entertainment's multimedia project, Future of Fear. And it is a doosey! Give us listen, and then go check out Look Out ... if you dare! And while you're at it, don't forget to give...
May 14, 2025•18 min
We continue our series on Batman: The Long Halloween with issue 6, which takes place on St. Patrick's Day in Gotham City. Following the events of issue 5, Bruce Wayne remains under Poison Ivy's irresistible influence, but to what end? Meanwhile, Falcone mob enforcer (who is also the Roman's daughter) Sophia Falcone is home from prison and ready to carry out her father's plan for a hit on the Maroni gang. And who will the idiosyncratic killer at the center of our mystery, Holiday, attack this St....
Apr 28, 2025•17 min
After a two-month hiatus, the Graphic Novel Apostle podcast is back! It's April, so we have some catching up to do on our Batman: The Long Halloween series. In Gotham City, it's St. Valentine's Day, and there's murder in the air! In this episode, Batman faces off with Carmine Falcone in front of Alberto Falcone's grave, Selina Kyle might have just figured out Batman's secret identity, and another colorful member of Batman's infamous rogues gallery makes her first appearance in our mystery. We sh...
Apr 14, 2025•21 min
Mark's pal Seth Borin joins the show for this Book Club episode to discuss beer brewing, moonshining, Prohibition era bootlegging, gangsters, hillbillies, southern magic, werewolves, and all the things that can go wrong deep in the woods of West Virginia. It's Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso's shadow-drenched 1920s crime noir/horror tale, Moonshine, vol. 1. Moonshine, vol. 1 Writer: Brian Azzarello Art & Colors: Eduardo Risso Letters: Jared H. Fletcher Publisher: Image Comics Let us know w...
Feb 10, 2025•1 hr 23 min
On this special episode, I'm joined by some of my favorite kids (including my own!) between the ages of 6 and 12 to talk all about Dog Man. We discuss the characters and what we like best about the world of Dog Man from Dav Pilkey's best selling graphic novel series. Then, we take a break an go watch the Dog Man movie before regrouping to share what we thought about the animated adaptation. This was such a fun episode, and it gave me a chance to spend the day with two of my favorite dads and our...
Feb 03, 2025•39 min
On this week's Book Club episode, the GNA's dad, Kevin Ohrenberger, joins the show to discuss the exciting, brutal, and humorous anti-hero tale, Dead Eyes, vol. 1. Family medical debt (and maybe boredom with ordinary life) brings Boston's legendary criminal from the 1990s, who is known as Dead Eyes for this black mask with red XXs over his eyes, out of a twenty-year retirement and back into the bank robbery game. Unfortunately for Dead Eyes, a top Boston mod boss has been waiting these many year...
Jan 13, 2025•1 hr 33 min
As Gotham City celebrates New Year's Eve, the Joker sets out over the city in a crop duster laden with Joker gas to poison the revelers. While Batman tries to stop the Joker, Holiday prepares to take his next victim aboard a luxury yacht in Gotham Harbor, and DA Harvey Dent learns some new information about the relationship between Bruce Wayne and Carmine Falcone. Join the Graphic Novel Apostle podcast for our January installment of our Batman: The Long Halloween series. Batman: The Long Hallowe...
Jan 01, 2025•12 min
In part 3 of our Batman: The Long Halloween series (see Episode 19 for part 1 and Episode 23 for part 2), it's Christmas in Gotham City. The Joker has escaped from Arkham Asylum and is on a mission to find and eliminate the serial killer that has come to be known as "Holiday." As he puts it, "This town isn't big enough for two homicidal maniacs." Meanwhile, Batman and Captain Gordon visit Arkham to see whether the similarly theme villain Calendar Man can offer them any insight. Batman: The Long ...
Dec 25, 2024•15 min
It's guest's choice this week, as Mark's friend Craig Brukardt joins the show and introduces Mark to the highly acclaimed comic series, Saga. This episode covers volume 1, which consists of series issues 1-6. Saga, vol. 1 Writer: Brian K. Vaughn Artist: Fiona Staples Letters: Fonografiks Publisher: Image Comics Let us know what you think. Questions? Comments on the show? Comments on the book we covered? Recommendations for other comic collections or graphic novels? Email: Graphicnovelapostle@gma...
Dec 09, 2024•1 hr 25 min
We welcome the Christmas season on this mini episode of the Graphic Novel Apostle podcast with a heartwarming tale of Peter Parker struggling in the final days before Christmas to acquire just the right gift to show his Aunt May how much he loves her. Credits: Marvel Adventures Spider-Man, issue 46 (Dec. 2008) Writer: Todd Dezago Pencils: Roberto Castro Inks: Greg Adams and Kris Justice Colors: Sotocolor's A-Street Letters: Dave Sharpe Cover Art: Francis Tsai and Skottie Young Publisher: Marvel ...
Dec 02, 2024•17 min
In part 2 of our Batman: The Long Halloween series (see Episode 19 for part 1), it's Thanksgiving in Gotham City. In addition to continuing their search for gangster Johnny Viti's murderer, Batman and Captain Gordon seek to discover who was responsible for the bombing of District Attorney Harvey Dent's house on Halloween night. In the midst of it all, the Holiday Killer strikes again! Batman: The Long Halloween, Issue 2 Writer: Jeph Loeb Artist: Tim Sale Colors: Gregory Wright Letters: Richard S...
Nov 27, 2024•11 min
Something a little different for this episode of the Graphic Novel Apostle podcast. Think of this as an addendum to last week's Trve Kvlt episode, which also included my guest Michael Crump. During our discussion of Trve Kvlt, we took a detour ... for about 45 minutes ... to discuss our "40 From 20" playlists, that is - playlists with 2 tracks each from our 20 favorite albums. In the end, we decided to cut that discussion out of our Trve Kvlt episode and share it this week as a bonus episode. I ...
Nov 18, 2024•51 min
Host Mark Ohrenberger's long-time friend Michael Crump joins the podcast to discuss the hilarious, absurdist, burger-flipping, heist-pulling, devil cult thriller Trve Kvlt. This 5-issue miniseries is nothing but fun from start to finish. Trve Kvlt Writer: Scott Bryan Wilson Artist: Liana Kangas Colors: Gab Contraras Letters: DC Hopkins Publisher: IDW Publishing (IDW Originals) And come back next week for a bonus episode where Mark and Michael break down their personal all-time top 20 records ......
Nov 11, 2024•1 hr 8 min
On this week's mini episode, host Mark Ohrenberger begins by recapping his experience at the Memphis Comic Expo last weekend. After that, the episode focuses on the new Ghost Machine horror universe and specifically Hyde Street, issue 1, and the one-shot It Happened on Hyde Street: Devour. Hyde Street, issue 1 Storytellers: Geoff Johns & Ivan Reis Inks: Danny Miki Colors: Brad Anderson Letters: Rob Leigh Publisher: Ghost Machine/Image Comics It Happened on Hyde Street: Devour (one-shot) Crea...
Nov 05, 2024•24 min
On this episode, host Mark Ohrenberger starts a new monthly series covering Batman: The Long Halloween, the 13-issue noir mystery series in which an early-career Batman pursues a serial killer on the loose in Gotham City who strikes every month on the holiday falling on that page of the calendar. One week out of each month from this October to next October, we'll examine one issue from the series as Batman closes in on the mystery Holiday Killer! Batman: The Long Halloween #1 Writer: Jeph Loeb A...
Oct 28, 2024•21 min
On this week's mini episode, GNA host Mark Ohrenberger offers a "State of the Union" on horror anthology titles in comic books. Specifically, we discuss: Creepshow , from Skybound/Image Comics Epitaphs from the Abyss , from EC/Oni Press and Hello Darkness , from Boom! Studios In the second half of the episode, we'll discuss a great Halloween tale from Creepshow , vol. 1, issue 1 (Sept. 2022): "Take One" Writer/Artist: Chris Burnham Colors: Adriano Lucas Letters: Pat Brosseau This week, I also wa...
Oct 14, 2024•18 min
On this episode, Mark's most Halloween-loving friend, Jake Jones, joins the show to discuss his annual celebrations of Halloween, the impact of the Universal Monsters on mid-twentieth century America, and what happens when a horror film festival presents Basil Saxon's long-lost cursed film God of Monsters and accidentally unleashes Dracula, the Necro Wolf, Frankenstein, mummy Amon Razar, and the Dweller on small town Cedar Bluffs, Missouri in The Midnite Show! The Midnite Show Writer: Cullen Bun...
Oct 07, 2024•1 hr 5 min
On this episode, Mark welcomes Sean Golding, writer of the new punk rock zombie fighting series, Guns of Brixton. Sean discusses his love of live music, especially rock, punk, and metal, and the idea of pitting an all-girl punk rock band, empowered by a drug that sharpens their reactions and abilities, against a general populace of South London that has been turned to zombies by an airborne toxin. Sean also discusses his experience as a first-time comic writer navigating the opportunities and pi...
Sep 30, 2024•25 min
This week, Mark's long-time friend, Parish Pollard, joins the show to discuss the haunting New Orleans-based supernatural family crime drama, Bone Parish, vol. 1, and to talk about Mark and Parish's first spooky visit to New Orleans all the way back in 2001. Bone Parish, vol. 1 Writer: Cullen Bunn Artist: Jonas Shcarf Colors: Alex Guimaraes Letters: Ed Dukeshire Cover Artist: Lee Garbett Publisher: Boom! Studios Let us know what you think. Questions? Comments on the show? Comments on the book we...
Sep 23, 2024•1 hr 14 min
On this week's mini episode, we examine the pros and cons of various digital comics subscription services, focusing on four specific services: Marvel Unlimited DC Universe Infinite GlobalComix Gold Hoopla Spoiler: Mark likes them all! Next week, Mark's buddy Parish Pollard joins the podcast to discuss Bone Parish, vol. 1, written by Cullen Bunn, with art by Jonas Scharf, published by Boom! Studios. Let us know what you think. Questions? Comments on the show? Comments on the book we covered? Reco...
Sep 18, 2024•22 min
On this episode, host Mark Ohrenberger and his friend Gary Marts discuss The Department of Truth, vol. 1: The End of the World. This sci-fi/alternate history/cloak-and-dagger secret government agency story examines the history, impacts, and possible impacts of popular conspiracy theories on American culture and politics as well as the very nature of reality. The Department of Truth, vol. 1: The End of the World Writer: James Tynion, IV Artist: Martin Simmonds Letterer: Aditya Bidikar Publisher: ...
Sep 09, 2024•1 hr 45 min
On this week's mini episode, Mark features two recent books: Stand Still, Issue 1 Story & Color: Lee Loughridge Art: Andrew Robinson Design & Lettering: Rob Tweedie Publisher: Image Comics and Jane Jet, Book 1: Nuclear Shadows Writer/Letterer/Co-Creator: Amal Desai Artist/Co-Creator: Paul Essenson Colorist: Giuliana La Malfa Publisher: Markosia Amal Desai (IG: @comicsbyamaldesai) also joined the show to discuss his collaboration with Paul Essenson in the creation and development of Jane ...
Sep 02, 2024•23 min
On this episode, Mark's artist/art teacher friend, Hannah, joins the show to discuss styles in fine art, stories from art history, and how W. Maxwell Prince and Martin Morazzo brilliantly incorporated both into their surrealistic detective procedural based in (and behind!) the world of fine art, Art Brut. If you have any interest in understanding distinct art styles, influences on artistic movements, how the art is made, or the masterful but unsettling storytelling of the creative team behind th...
Aug 26, 2024•1 hr 51 min
On this week's episode, GNA host Mark Ohrenberger welcomes Tomi Trembath, a podcaster and first-time comic writer, whose upcoming comic When We Transform: A Superhero Tale of Transition, issue 0, is currently crowdfunding on Kickstarter. Tomi discusses her two podcasts: Giant Size Violence: A Toku Comics Podcast and Transcending Comics, a podcast dedicated to covering trans, non-binary, and gender queer representation in comics, manga, and webtoons. She also discusses combining the subject matte...
Aug 19, 2024•27 min
Host Mark Ohrenberger continues his mission to share great stories from comics and graphic novels with his friends who don't read comics. GNA focuses primarily on comics and graphic novels from outside the superhero genre. On this episode, Mark welcomes his HIS MOM, Karen Ohrenberger! to discuss: Friday, Book One: The First Day of Christmas Writer: Ed Brubaker Art: Marcos Martin Colors: Muntsa Vicente Publisher (Digital): panelsyndicate.com Publisher (Print): Image Comics Let us know what you th...
Aug 12, 2024•1 hr 4 min
On this week's mini episode, Graphic Novel Apostle Mark Ohrenberger discusses two books from his pull list - The Big Burn and Falling in Love on the Path to Hell. The Big Burn, Issue 1 Writer: Joe Henderson Artist: Lee Garbett Colors: Lee Loughridge Letters: Simon Bowland Publisher: DSTLRY Falling in Love on the Path to Hell, Issues 1-2 Writer: Gerry Duggan Artist: Garry Brown Colors: Chris O'Halloran Letters: Joe Sabino Publisher: Image Comics On next week's full episode, Karen Ohrenberger will...
Aug 05, 2024•12 min
Host Mark Ohrenberger continues his mission to share great stories from comics and graphic novels with his friends who don't read comics. GNA focuses primarily on comics and graphic novels from outside the superhero genre. On this episode, Mark welcomes his friend Steven Hovater to discuss: Gideon Falls, Vol. 1: The Black Barn Writer: Jeff Lemire Art: Andrea Sorrentino Colors: Dave Stewart Letters: Steve Wands Publisher: Image Comics Let us know what you think. Questions? Comments on the show? C...
Jul 29, 2024•2 hr 23 min
