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Scottish singer-songwriter James Graham of The Twilight Sad joins Dave to discuss It's The Long Goodbye, the band's sixth album, on Rock Action Records. Graham shares the solitary writing process that led him through the grief of losing his mother to dementia, and bandmate Andy MacFarlane's role as collaborator and anchor during the process. The two discuss Graham's friendship with Robert Smith, helping people with Dementia thorugh music, touring with The Cure, Scott Hutchison,  the impossible economics of touring, and his lifelong love of comics from the 90s X-Men cartoon and beyond. Listen to  ⁨@twilightsadofficial⁩   Check out Playlist For Life, helping people living with Dementia -  https://www.playlistforlife.org.uk/ Find Me: ------------------------------------------- My Website : directeditionpodcast.com PATREON https://www.patreon.com/DavengersDirectEdition Instagram:   https://www.instagram.com/directeditionpodcast/ Send us Fan Mail Support the show

Cartoonist Sanford Greene (Bitter Root) returns to Direct Edition to discuss Darkseid vs. The World, his upcoming DC All-In saga with Scott Snyder.  He explains how a retailer's offhand suggestion inspired a two year pitch-to-page journey, and how his admiration for Jack Kirby's Hunger Dogs shaped his take on Darkseid, and the instincts that keep things simple.  Sanford talks about being immortalized on Czarface's "Omega Beam", selling out the Ink Alliance Teen Titans variant cover,  and his character-design work on Spider-Verse 3. Keep up with Sanford here: https://www.instagram.com/sanfordgreene/?hl=en Find Me: ------------------------------------------- My Website : directeditionpodcast.com PATREON https://www.patreon.com/DavengersDirectEdition Instagram:   https://www.instagram.com/directeditionpodcast/ Send us Fan Mail Support the show

Legendary cartoonist Stan Sakai returns to Direct Edition to discuss The Art of Stan Sakai, his first-ever Kickstarter: an oversized art book collecting five decades of work.  Sakai shares his lifelong love of physical media, the trial-and-error watercolor technique that gives his paintings their glow, and the Koh-I-Noor pen he stockpiled 20 years ago when it was discontinued.  The two discuss Sakai's 40-year friendship with Sergio Aragonés, broadening Usagi’s world with the Kagemusha project, Kaito 84, and Kurosawa's cinematic influence on his panels. KICKSTARTER LINK https://tinyurl.com/mp45pcm https://www.stansakai.com/ directeditionpodcast.com Join My Patreon https://www.patreon.com/davengersdirectedition Send us Fan Mail Support the show

Artist Eric Zawadzki joins Dave to discuss Assorted Crisis Events, the ambitious, award-winning anthology co-created with writer Deniz Camp.  Zawadzki talks visual reinvention, his innovative Pixar-style drafting process, and the impostor syndrome that flared up after winning an Eisner.  The two discuss the word-of-mouth momentum that helped quadruple the book's sales, meeting Scott McCloud at San Diego, and why Michael Mann's Collateral sits in his all-time top ten films. Subscribe to Eric's channel https://inkxscribes.com/ https://www.ericxyz.com/ directeditionpodcast.com Support the channel, join the Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/davengersdirectedition Buy Direct Edition apparel https://www.teepublic.com/user/west-coast-davengers Send us Fan Mail Support the show

Writer Chris Condon joins Dave to discuss the return of That Texas Blood (Image Comics), his Indiana Jones-esque pulp adventure Ezra Cain (Vertigo), and Of the Earth (Image), his collaboration with Charlie Adlard.  Condon shares his love of slow-burn storytelling, how trust fuels his ongoing creative partnerships, and the 70s cinema (Alien & Jaws) that shapes his writing. The two discuss the FX TV option in the works for That Texas Blood, his upcoming Thor project with Jesse Lonergan, and why the alien and the shark were never doing anything wrong. That Texas Blood : Hell Comes To Allison Ranch 1 is in comic stores 9/23 and you can find collected volumes 1, 2 & 3 everywhere, or order from your LCS. Follow Chris on BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:wmhnwos4zdjf6dtjl3dfvfyf directeditionpodcast.com Join the community over at Patreon : https://www.patreon.com/davengersdirectedition Send us Fan Mail Support the show

Matteo Scalera returns to Direct Edition to discuss his fill-in on Batman issues 13 and 14, part of Matt Fraction's Bad Seeds event.  Scalera talks about saying yes after years of turning down DC, collaborating with colorist Tomeu Morey, and bringing choreographed intensity to the book's fight scenes inspired by movies like The Raid. The two discuss the passion fueling DC's current renaissance, the long journey of The Fourth Father to backers' hands, and Scalera's upcoming return to working with Mark Millar. Look for an additional video with Matteo on West Coast Davengers looking at Todd McFarlane's Spider-Man! https://www.youtube.com/@WestCoastDAVEngers directeditionpodcast.com Join the Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/davengersdirectedition Send us Fan Mail Support the show

Cartoonist Steve Skroce joins Dave to discuss Tales of Wonder, his new five-issue series with Image comics. Skroce shares how comedic films like Galaxy Quest and Tropic Thunder shaped the book's DNA, the creative falling out that inspired its themes, and why creative collaboration is always worth protecting.  The two discuss Skroce’s years storyboarding all four Matrix films with the Wachowskis, how Geof Darrow's mentorship transformed his artistic approach, and the current resurgence of energy in comics. directeditionpodcast.com Join the Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/davengersdirectedition Send us Fan Mail Support the show

Cartoonist and musician Nick Thorburn (Islands, The Unicorns) joins Dave to talk about his new book Pear Shape from Fantagraphics, and Taste of Cherry, the debut album from his band The Creem.  Thorburn talks about his creative approach to writing both comics and songs, the lifelong pull toward gallows humor and tenderness, and the freedom of letting stories reveal themselves as he works.  The two discuss the early influence of Fantagraphics, the power of light-and-dark contradictions in art, Canada, and why comics remain a limitless medium for creators. https://www.fantagraphics.com/collections/nick-thorburn?srsltid=AfmBOormMRB3XNjyWlPg_44AF2xYoGQEakXLr68FTaqcHA0FfeV235Bs Join My patreon! https://www.patreon.com/DavengersDirectEdition directeditionpodcast.com Send us Fan Mail Support the show

Jim Ward returns to talk with Dave about Sparta's new album Cut a Silhouette, out now on Equal Vision Records.  Ward shares how a manager's blunt critique sparked three of the record's best songs, working with Jawbox founder and producer J. Robbins as a shepherd and mentor, and bridging his earliest work with who he is now.  The two discuss the ticket price fatigue reshaping the touring industry, co-founding the Girls Rock camp in El Paso, Hayley Williams, and the elusive "Jims" supergroup featuring Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World. https://www.sparta.band/ directeditionpodcast.com Join The Patreon - www.patreon.com/davengersdirectedition Send us Fan Mail Support the show

Writer and Filmmaker Che Grayson joins Dave to discuss Absolute Catwoman, the DC project they're co-writing with Scott Snyder and artist Bengal.  Grayson shares how their indie roots and pandemic-era Zoom calls with Snyder led to the collaboration, and the creative energy that has allowed the Absolute line to resonate.  The two discuss Easter eggs hidden in the first two issues, the essential role of horror films in shaping their creative voice, and why great art should always have something to say. Plus, Bagels. Follow Che on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/chehaunts/?hl=en https://directeditionpodcast.com/ Join my Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/DavengersDirectEdition Send us Fan Mail Support the show

Cartoonist Daniel Warren Johnson joins Dave to announce Chainkata, his ambitious, decade-in-the-making new sci-fi series from Image. Chicks with chainsaws!  Johnson shares the origin of the book's chainsaw-wielding heroine and the experimental color techniques that brought it to life.  The two discuss inspiration drawn from Richard Corben and manga masters, the emotional weight of his Eisner winning Absolute Batman Annual, and the meditative pull of the golf course. Plus, Long Island Bagels, Joe Madureira, Original art, and Frank Thorne's Red Sonja. Chainkata will be available through Image comics in November 2026.  Join the Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/davengersdirectedition directeditionpodcast.com Send us Fan Mail Support the show

Award-winning author and cultural critic Ytasha Womack joins Dave to discuss Spider-Man: Miles Morales, An Exploration, her new book from the Marvel Age of Comics series examining the character's cultural significance.  Womack shares how her work on Afrofuturism led her to Miles, why the character's vulnerability resonates far beyond superhero fandom, and the layered symbolism baked into everything from his hoodie to the number 42.  The two discuss the deep ties between Brooklyn hip-hop and comics storytelling, why cities shape kids into fluid identity-shifters, and the musical DNA that connects Miles Morales to Miles Davis. https://www.ytashawomack.com/ directeditionpodcast.com https://www.patreon.com/DavengersDirectEdition Send us Fan Mail Support the show

Legendary writer Brian Michael Bendis joins Dave to discuss his return to Marvel, and the upcoming animated series of Powers in development at Netflix.  Bendis reflects on co-creating Miles Morales, Jessica Jones, and Riri Williams (Ironheart), the Jewish roots of American comics from Kirby to Eisner, and the early-2000s Marvel bullpen with Joe Quesada.  The two discuss the nuances of Bendis' process, the importance of collaboration, and how independent horror films like Obsession are echoing the scrappy independent films that reshaped Hollywood in the 1970s. Check out Brian's work - https://www.jinxworld.com/ Follow Brian on IG https://www.instagram.com/brianmbendis Directeditionpodcast.com https://www.patreon.com/davengersdirectedition Send us Fan Mail Support the show

Cartoonist and author Abby Denson joins Dave to discuss 'My Tokyo Summer', her new graphic memoir, illustrated by Utomaru from Scholastic .Denson talks about the early influence of the DIY punk scene on her work, how a zine she made in the 90s sparked a lifelong friendship, the vastness of Japan's doujinshi culture, and the power of art and friendship to transcend barriers. The two talk about their shared love of Japan and the differences in everyday life and culture between Japan and America. https://www.abbydenson.com/https://www.authorsagainstbookbans.com/ Send us Fan Mail Support the show

Legendary artist Geof Darrow joins Dave to discuss Shaolin Cowboy: Stayin' A.I.Live, the latest installment of his cult series from Dark Horse. They discuss some of the amazing artists tapped for variant covers including Peach Momoko, Daniel Warren Johnson, and Ryan Ottley.Darrow talks about his refusal to work digitally, the why-not philosophy that fuels his art, and working at a pace fit for a mangaka. The two discuss Darrow’s possibly upcoming New York City art show, his love affair with Asian action cinema (Furious, The Night Comes For Us) , Moebius, and the dump-taking dogs that remain his go-to for any quiet panel.See Geof at San Diego Comic Con this year with his daughter Alice, who put a great book out called Tramps Of The Apocalypse! Send us Fan Mail Support the show