Episode 054 • NEAR MINTerview w/ Bill Willingham

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2013 is upon us and we’re kicking off the new year with one of our biggest guests to date. Bill Willingham is the Eisner Award-winning creator of Fables and he joined us for an in-depth conversation about the series and it’s ever-growing universe.

Willingham reveals his secret origin as an MP before breaking into comics as a penciler. Then, we discuss the latest Fables collection (vol. 18, “Cubs in Toyland”) and why you might need an english lit lesson before you read it. We also talk about the spinoff series, Fairest and the recent original graphic novel, Werewolves of the Heartland, and find out what character he couldn’t bear to turn over to another writer.

Later in the conversation we learn about Fabletown and Beyond, a 3-day convention coming to Minnesota, March 22-24 to celebrate Fables and other comics from the “mythic fiction” genre. Willingham gives his perspective on the departure of longtime Vertigo editor, Karen Berger and what it means for the future of the imprint. Finally, we wrap things up with a preview of the 2012 Minty Awards. What is Bill Willingham’s “Oh shit” Moment to the Year? Listen and find out.

Music in this episode by: Sara Bareilles

Dark Horse’s Dystopian Epic Wraps w/ Issue #12

It’s Inauguration day in the U.S. – this year coinciding with the celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, leaving many Americans home from work and looking for a good read to turn to inbetwixt politically-rousing TV. Dark Horse Comics’ Orchid, by Tom Morello and Scott Hepburn, offers up just the right amount of social criticism to be fitting of this civic holiday, while packing in all the action set-pieces and mutant creatures you look for in a day off work.

Orchid, which earned a Minty Award last year for best new series, concludes with Issue #12 (on shelves January 30th). We’ve been big fans of this book from day one and if you ignored our previous recommendations, you can catch up with the first two trade paperbacks (also on sale). Throughout the 12 issue series, we’re brought into a world ravaged by cataclysmic floods, genetic mutation and the rise of a tyrant autocracy. Generations have lived in the throws of dystopia, inspired only by a small band of rebels and legends of their supernatural champion, General China. Just as things seem at their bleakest, the fledgling rebellion is given new hope in the form of a former slave girl named Orchid.