⚠️ Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of death, domestic violence, substance use, and strong language related to grief. Please listen with care. In this powerful and deeply vulnerable season closer, we welcome a guest whose story holds the weight of every parent’s worst fear. One year ago, Tammy received a call that shattered her wo…

In this week's road show episode of Off Panel, cartoonist Kazu Kibuishi, writer Ryan North, and cartoonist Lucy Knisley join the show to talk about why they love comics so much, albeit in individual segments. Up first, Kibuishi discusses the original appeal of comics, what stood out about the medium, comic strips and picture books, his reader self …

In the landmark, hologram-covered 500th episode of Off Panel, my pal Brandon Burpee returns to the show to hand out some awards and to answer questions from friends of the podcast. We discuss favorites and surprises from the first 500 episodes, the comics that aged the best and worst from the past decade, comic book crushes, advice for our previous…

Writer/editor Alejandro Arbona joins the show to talk about his shift towards writing and his upcoming Kickstarter for his new graphic novel Lake Yellowwood Slaughter. Arbona discusses how he views himself these days, shifting how he's perceived, navigating the current publisher landscape, how he decides which projects to take on, the big things he…

This Mother’s Day, we’re celebrating YOU—the heart of your home—with something special. In this episode of Families Matter Most, we’re gifting you a behind-the-scenes look at one of our favorite sessions from the No More Yelling course. It’s a powerful, grace-filled sneak peek that offers real tools to help you respond—not react—when parenting gets…

By Lisa MacDonald - Steel Pixel Studios

Writer Jonathan Hickman joins the show to talk about this phase in his career and the varying projects he's working on. Hickman discusses his love of the World Cup, the phase he finds himself in, his current reality versus his previous one, why Imperial is a focus, his project mix, whether he has to think differently because the current market, pro…

Writer/artist Sophie Campbell joins the show to talk about her career in comics and her work on the upcoming Supergirl at DC Comics. Campbell discusses her comic origins, the SCAD experience, her evolving relationship with comics, her writer/artist lean, how Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles became her for-hire home, the project she learned the most fro…

This week, we’re honored to spotlight the launch of Shelter Movers Regina, led by the incredible Lisa Williams. As the 11th chapter of Shelter Movers in Canada, this life-saving service is opening a path to safety for women and children fleeing abuse—right here in our community. Shelter Movers began in Toronto in 2016 with one father, Marc Hull-Jac…

Cartoonist Craig Thompson joins the show to chat about his comics career and life before diving into his upcoming graphic novel, Ginseng Roots. Thompson discusses his journeys as a creator, the people he meets, his comics connection, his lean towards black and white, his relationship with Blankets, how memoir work changes relationships, the Space D…

The Beat's Heidi MacDonald returns to the show to chat about a particularly wild time in the comic industry. MacDonald discusses the insanity of this moment, staying on top of everything, the Diamond Comic Distributors bankruptcy mess (note: This was recorded before the final decision of who won was in), the varying players, why Diamond may have fa…

"The age I get the MOST phone calls for is seven-year-olds—but do you know what age comes in second? Nine. That’s right. Nine-year-olds are often underestimated and misunderstood, and today we’re diving deep into why this age is such a turning point." In this episode, I unpack the beautiful complexity of parenting nine-year-olds—a stage that often …

Writer James Tynion IV and artist Michael Walsh join the show to share the story behind their upcoming Image Comics series Exquisite Corpses. They discuss their recent travel, convention experiences, the origins of Exquisite Corpses, it as a game, the book's summits, how they shaped the book, its iterative nature, the people and killers in the stor…

Cartoonist Zander Cannon joins the show to chat about the post-Kaijumax life and his upcoming Image Comics series, Sleep. Cannon discusses how he decides what projects to take on, the consolidation of art roles, coming off Kaijumax, losing momentum, his gap between big projects, palate cleansers, projects as business cards, the origins of Sleep, co…

Parenting isn’t just about keeping up with schedules and snack times—it’s about leading with confidence, making quick decisions under pressure, and managing the mental load of home, work, and social life. Sound familiar? These are the same skills top performers in the NFL, FBI, and Fortune 500 companies need to succeed! In this episode, internation…

Writer Matt Fraction joins the show to chat about the past few years of his life as a writer and storyteller. Fraction discusses what exactly happened to Matt Fraction, how we perceived creators, the Monarch: Legacy of Monsters experience, what he missed about comics, collaboration and control, what made their approach on AdventureMan the right one…

Cartoonist Daniel Warren Johnson joins the show to chat about his recent stretch on comics like Transformers and The Moon is Following Us. Johnson discusses managing the moment, physical media, the physical act of drawing, the phase he's in, original art's impact, whether Transformers has changed how he's viewed, engaging with fans, Transformers' l…

Ever feel like you and your partner are playing for different teams when it comes to parenting? Maybe one of you is the Rock—firm, structured, and all about discipline—while the other is the Marshmallow, always giving in to avoid conflict. Or perhaps you’re the Tennis Ball- flexible and somewhere in the middle. In this episode, we’re breaking down …

Retailer Katie Pryde joins the show to discuss the recent annual meeting for ComicsPRO and what's happening at her comic shop in Portland, Oregon, Books with Pictures. Pryde discusses this moment in time, separating from the job, the realities of owning a comic shop, the ComicsPRO experience, the standouts of the event, how the perception of Comics…

Artist Klaus Janson joins the show to discuss his legendary career and his approach and viewpoints on art. Janson discusses his introspective nature, a recent gallery show that celebrated his career, where artists are these days, where they were when he first started, what the 1970s and 1980s felt like for creators, learning from collaborations, th…

Is Parenting Hurting Your Health? Parenting in 1985 looked nothing like it does today. We might have even said it was on the verge of neglect- kick the kids outside and don't come back until I say you can. Fast forward to now – we’re working longer hours, juggling endless homework, shuttling kids to extracurriculars, and feeling the pressure to be …

Kenny Meyers joins the show to discuss his work at Sweet, a company that makes software for comics folk like Bindings, a marketing tool, Find Your Comic Shop, and the upcoming digital comic store, Sweet Shop. Meyers discusses what Sweet is exactly, his starting point for new projects, the complicated nature of his work, why he wanted to focus his s…

Writer/artist Tradd Moore joins the show for a sprawling chat about his life, art, and work on projects like Doctor Strange: Fall Sunrise. Moore discusses being social media free, external pressures, knowing yourself, his intentional nature, whether he always wanted to make comics, going to Savannah College of Art and Design, influences, his holist…

Welcome back to the Families Matter Most podcast! This week, I have a special guest, Dr. Node, joining me to unpack a topic every mom can relate to—mom guilt. You know that feeling—the stress builds, the pressure mounts, and before we know it, we explode. Then comes the regret, the guilt over everything we just unleashed on our family. But what if …

Polygon's Susana Polo joins the show to talk about the upcoming slate of comics adaptations and to highlight things in comics we didn't get to write about but would like to talk about. Polo discusses fandom, what she reps for, her coverage of comic adaptations, the shift in interest in them, how we're feeling about comic movies and shows, flaws fro…

Writer Matthew Rosenberg returns to the show to talk about his past few years in comics. Rosenberg discusses his podcast Ideas Don't Bleed, what he gets from it, what his Substack Pro Grant ultimately allowed him to do, the power of time, figuring out what's next, work/life balance, what kind of swing guy he is, collaboration, his humor, the marria…

Imagine you have a bucket that represents your needs in intimacy—what does that bucket look like? Is it overflowing, half-empty, or maybe even bone-dry? In this episode, we're diving deep into the idea of "sex buckets"—our unique needs, emotions, and thoughts around intimacy and connection. We’re talking about how everyone has different "buckets" w…

Writer Kyle Higgins joins the show to talk about his career and his work on Radiant Black and The Massive-Verse. Higgins discusses the power of curiosity, how creating changes your relationship with the creation, Radiant Black as a response to his career to date, the importance of other people, his journey as a creator, the origins of Radiant Black…

Writer Deniz Camp joins the show to talk about his career and his current slate of projects. Camp discusses creator realities, being a Barnes and Noble kid, JLA's impact, the power of restrictions, the impact of experiencing different cultures, varied influences, what made him want to make comics, 20th Century Men's impact, working on PanelxPanel, …

Are you a busy parent secretly dreaming of fitting into your old 18 or 22-year-old jeans? Those pre-kid days where you had the time to meal prep and hit the gym for hours might feel like a distant memory—but don’t lose hope! This week, we’re tackling how to lose weight and get healthy without needing endless hours or unrealistic routines. It’s not …

The writer and artist behind the recently launched The Lucky Devils, Charles Soule and Ryan Browne, join the show to talk about the year their new Image Comics series and the path to bringing it to life. Browne and Soule discuss new release anticipation, how their projects evolve, the rules of these worlds, what they learned from Eight Billion Geni…

Retailer Patrick Brower joins the show to talk about the year that was in his Chicago comic shop, Challengers Comics + Conversation. Brower discusses the slow open to years, the top comics of the year at Challengers, stimulating foot traffic, the year that was at Challengers, Saga's immortal nature, Absolute learnings, what else is moving the needl…

Writer Wyatt Kennedy joins the show to talk about his career and his work on the Image Comics series, Nights. Kennedy discusses managing stress, his comic origins, finding your things, influences outside of comics, figuring things out in real time, comic book rules, the origin of Nights, his artistic collaborators, the world of Nights, its season m…

Cartoonist Guillaume Singelin joins the show to talk about one of my comics of the year, his graphic novel Frontier, and his career in comics. Singelin discusses his origins as a comic reader, France's relationship with comics, the works he originally connected with, what he originally wanted to do, his love animation, where inspiration comes from,…

Are you feeling exhausted trying to teach your kids responsibility while keeping the peace? You’re not alone! Many parents hit a point where they say, “I’ve tried everything, and nothing works.” It feels like no matter what you do—setting rules, following through, or refusing to cave—things just don’t click. In this episode, we’ll explore: ✅ Why tr…

My pal Brandon Burpee returns to the show for Off Panel's annual year in review episode. Burpee joins me to discuss the year that was in comics, the different flavors of comics, how we read these days, the appeal of micro lines, where the Big Two are, the From the Ashes era for the X-Men, surprise standout moments for us, and more, before we both c…

In this week's episode of Off Panel, writers Scott Snyder, Kelly Thompson, and Jason Aaron join the show to talk about their work in the Absolute Universe at DC with Absolute Batman, Absolute Wonder Woman, and Absolute Superman respectively. Snyder kicks things off, as he discusses the roots of Absolute DC, events as the thing before the thing, the…

In this episode, I sit down with a special guest, my good friend and basketball coach- Phoebe, to explore what it means to lead with integrity at work and at home. Together, we dive into the vital role integrity plays in leadership, both on the court and in our everyday lives. Whether you're managing a team, raising kids, or mentoring others, this …

In a special year end episode of Off Panel, we look at the defining themes of 2024 in comics with the help of retailer Steve Anderson from Third Eye Comics, The Beat’s Heidi MacDonald, and writer Joshua Williamson. Up first is Anderson (1:12), who talks about a time of struggle for Marvel in comic shops, the area of effect that can have on other pu…

Writer Alex Segura joins the show to talk about his busy dance card and about how his different roles and mediums interact. Segura discusses his marketing brain, handling promotion, trend chasing, deciding on projects, prioritizing mediums, the origins of The Question: All Along the Watchtower, its cast, Renee Montoya's appeal, the core murder myst…

Enjoy something different as we share a recorded lesson from our Strong Family Program this week on Self- Sabotage. In this episode, we explore the three main causes of self-sabotage: negative words, limiting beliefs, and assuming intentions. Discover how the language you use shapes your mindset, how deeply rooted beliefs can hold you back, and how…

Cartoonist Jamie McKelvie joins the show to talk about his new DSTLRY series One for Sorrow and his journey to making it happen. McKelvie discusses the coloring process for One for Sorrow, figuring out new collaborations, how The Killing Horizon shaped him, his perception as a creator, going to DSTLRY, his story in The Devil's Cut, deciding which p…

Writer Geoff Johns joins the show to talk about his career and his work at his Image Comics imprint, Ghost Machine. Johns discusses his average day, the appeal of collaboration, the advantages to doing your own thing, his art background, starting out hot in comics, the most influential people from his comic journey, the projects he learned the most…

In today’s episode, we’re exploring the art of balancing leadership and management as a parent. Parenting goes beyond daily tasks; it’s about inspiring and guiding your family toward growth and unity. We’ll share simple, practical strategies to help you lead and manage your home effectively, plus a free downloadable worksheet to start implementing …

Retailer and distributor Christina Merkler joins the show to talk about the year at Discount Comic Book Service (or DCBS), In-Stock Trades, and Lunar Distribution. Merkler discusses her New York Comic Con experience, wearing multiple hats, the advantages of being a retailer and a distributor, the weird year at DCBS and In-Stock Trades, finding new …

Writer Ryan North joins the show to talk about his career and relationship with comics, as well as his work on Fantastic Four and the upcoming The Rise of Emperor Doom. North discusses his busy travel schedule, balancing his life, how he got into comics, the origins of Dinosaur Comics, the advantages of constraints, the impact of his computer scien…

On today's Families Matter Most podcast, we're diving into Marriage and Fighting, featuring a special guest—my husband, Sean! We'll explore the common parenting battles that arise at different stages of raising kids. First, we tackle the preschool years when life feels chaotic, finances are tight, you're overworked, and the kids seem to never liste…

Designer Tim Leong joins the show to talk about his recently released book, Marvel Super Graphic: A Visual Guide to the Marvel Comics Universe. Leong discusses his comic origins, the lasting nature of comics, the comics that hooked him, how his Eisner-nominated comics magazine Comic Foundry came together, his journalism background, the design of ma…

Artist Michael Allred joins the show to talk about his life and career in comics and his soon-to-be-Kickstarted art book, The Marvel Art of Michael Allred. Allred discusses the importance of having non-comic outlets, his early journey with comics and art, his quiet influences, the impact of his passions, time as a restricting factor, what goes into…

The Big 3: Three Things that will Transform Your Family This week, we have a special bonus episode from our online course Building Connection! Have you ever wondered how to strengthen family bonds, reduce sibling squabbles, or manage your own stress and anger as a parent? If so, this episode is for you. We're diving into one powerful part of the co…