We here at Comics Experience are very excited about the new host lineup for our podcast, Make Comics! The comic book editors Nicole Boose (who is also Comics Experience’s general manager), Heather Antos, and Jim Gibbons have taken the reins from Andy Schmidt, who started the podcast in 2011.
Make Comics will continue to provide listeners with content about writing, drawing, and reading comics — as well as tips for working in the industry. With three new hosts, however, there’s a greater opportunity to offer different perspectives on these subjects.
The new Make Comics is available now, beginning with episode #151. Listeners can subscribe on iTunes or listen straight from the Comics Experience website.
We talked to Heather, Nicole, and Jim about what their plans for Make Comics are in the coming weeks.
What, for you, is the main purpose of the Comics Experience podcast, Make Comics?
Heather Antos: Podcasts are all about building a community – and what better community is there than one filled with comic fans and creators? There is much to be learned about the industry – about making comics – from discussing our experiences as readers, retailers, publishers, creators, you name it. The best part of comic conventions, to me, are getting to catch up and share these experiences in person, but with this podcast, we’ll get to share those experiences with you every week.
Nicole Boose: For me, it’s mostly about building community among comic creators and readers, in a way that benefits all of us. I’ve learned new things from listening to the podcast, and hopefully, my own thoughts and experiences will be useful to listeners as well. I’m also really proud of the fact that this is one of the resources CE offers that’s totally free, so everyone who wants to learn about making comics can do that, regardless of their budget.
Jim Gibbons: Life is hectic. While CE offers amazing courses and a valuable community in the Creators Workshop, I love that Andy and Joey have built this incredible free resource that you can listen to on the go—while commuting, while you cook dinner—that can help you improve your skills and gain knowledge while you do the things you have to do daily. So many of us live and breath comics, and I think being able to scratch that itch in an easy-to-consume podcast format is so beneficial.
What can listeners expect from Make Comics with you as the new hosts?
HA: A group of comics pros sharing stories, thoughts, experiences, and mostly learning more on how to Make Comics! Though the industry is small, the experiences one has when creating each issue, comic strip, and graphic novel can be VASTLY different. Making comics is a lot like alchemy – and we’re going to do our best to help listeners as they try and make comic gold.
NB: We’ll offer some of the same things listeners have come to appreciate: thoughtful discussion, takeaway info that you can put right to use on your own projects, plus the encouragement and inspiration to stay motivated. Only now, with three of us co-hosting, you’ll get a broader range of perspectives. Heather, Jim, and I have all been in comics for a while, but our experiences are varied enough that I think we’ll always have something new to share! And we’ll always take listener suggestions and questions, so feel free to reach out if you want to suggest a topic: info@comicsexperience.com.
JG: New perspective. Much like no one writes or draws comics the exact same way, no editor does things exactly like another. Andy’s experience has overlap with Nicole’s, Heather’s, and mine, but all of our experiences are completely different, as well. It’s a pooling of editorial and comics knowledge that I think will form a well-rounded, even more expansive collection of insights, tips, tricks, and information on how to make the best comics you possibly can. I’m excited to be one of the co-hosts, but I’m also thrilled to be a listener of the new format! I think continuing education on your craft is essential and I’m looking forward to adding Nicole and Heather’s knowledge to my personal experience and to everything I learned from the previous incarnation of the podcast.