Cryptid Creator Corner from Comic Book Yeti

Cryptid Creator Corner | The Geek Collective

The Comic Book Yeti team interviews comic creators of all kinds on this one-of-a-kind podcast. Hosted by Byron O'Neal and Jimmy Gaspero. VO work by Minerva Fox. Yeti logo by Norm Konyu. New episodes every Friday and most Tuesdays. 2022 & 2023 Grantie Award Winner. read less

Our Editor's Take

Byron O'Neal and Jimmy Gaspero host Cryptid Creator Corner from Comic Book Yeti. The podcast targets fans of comic books and graphic novels.

The podcast's unusual name has a simple explanation. Comic Book Yeti is a website that publishes articles and reviews from the world of comic books. Byron and Jimmy are both involved with the website. A "cryptid" is an animal whose existence is unproven. The yeti is one of the world's most famous examples.

In Cryptid Creator Corner, Byron and Jimmy interview comic book creators. These conversations offer insight into the editorial and artistic process of making comics. Authors share where they get the inspiration for the stories and worlds they build. Artists known as letterers discuss designing and drawing a comic book's text.

Members of the larger comic book publishing community also appear on the podcast. Guests of the show include Daniel Chabon of Dark Horse Comics and Tiffany Babb of Popverse.

The podcast covers a wide range of comic book genres. Classic examples include "creature features," psychological horror, and cyberpunk. Listeners can also expect tales of witches, wizards, and anthropomorphic hamsters.

In one episode, Trevor Fernandes-Lenkiewicz and Ryan Best discuss their comic book RISE. Anthony D. Stokes, author of Intrusive Thoughts, also appears on the podcast. Eric Powell discusses his anthology Four Gathered on Christmas Eve in another episode. Byron, Jimmy, and their guests share many comic-book recommendations. The Cryptid Creator Corner podcast also covers Comic Book Yeti's annual Indy Comics Excellence Awards. Fans of comics may find inspiration in any episode.

The Cryptid Creator Corner from Comic Book Yeti podcast may appeal to comic book enthusiasts. New episodes of the podcast are available every Tuesday and on some Fridays. Most episodes are around an hour in length, and some are even longer.

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Scott Snyder & Dan Panosian talk Canary

Scott Snyder & Dan Panosian talk Canary

While I’m spending some family time in Disney World, Byron is making sure you don’t have to wait for new episodes of the Cryptid Creator Corner, and Great Scott this is a Dan(g) good episode with Dan Panosian and Scott Snyder. Dan and Scott make their way to the virtual Yeti Cave to talk about CANARY, a Comixology Original now published by Dark Horse Comics. The trade is out June 26th. This is a Western Horror story with elements of body horror and cosmic horror all brought to life by Dan’s masterful artwork and haunting colors. Canary takes place in the past but feels relevant for today. Dan and Scott get into their creative partnership and share some of the highlights of making this comic. As a fan of both this was a true joy for me. I hope this isn’t the last time these two gunslingers work together. Play TTRPG games? Make sure to check out our partner Arkenforge. They have everything you need to make your TTRPG more fun and immersive, allowing you to build, play, and export animated maps including in person fog of war capability that let’s your players interact with maps as the adventure unfolds while you, the DM get the full picture. Use the discount code YETI5 and get $5 off your order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episodes

Scott Snyder & Dan Panosian talk Canary

Scott Snyder & Dan Panosian talk Canary

While I’m spending some family time in Disney World, Byron is making sure you don’t have to wait for new episodes of the Cryptid Creator Corner, and Great Scott this is a Dan(g) good episode with Dan Panosian and Scott Snyder. Dan and Scott make their way to the virtual Yeti Cave to talk about CANARY, a Comixology Original now published by Dark Horse Comics. The trade is out June 26th. This is a Western Horror story with elements of body horror and cosmic horror all brought to life by Dan’s masterful artwork and haunting colors. Canary takes place in the past but feels relevant for today. Dan and Scott get into their creative partnership and share some of the highlights of making this comic. As a fan of both this was a true joy for me. I hope this isn’t the last time these two gunslingers work together. Play TTRPG games? Make sure to check out our partner Arkenforge. They have everything you need to make your TTRPG more fun and immersive, allowing you to build, play, and export animated maps including in person fog of war capability that let’s your players interact with maps as the adventure unfolds while you, the DM get the full picture. Use the discount code YETI5 and get $5 off your order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jim Krueger talks Hiroquest: Genesis and Double Helix

Jim Krueger talks Hiroquest: Genesis and Double Helix

Today I'm joined by a new guest on the show, Jim Krueger. Jim is an Eisner Winner, was a creative director with Marvel, has worked on many a comics property including Star Wars, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Batman, Superman, the Earth X Trilogy, and is now collaborating with Grammy Nominated EDM megastar Steve Aoki on a new hybrid comics/prose graphic novel called Hiroquest: Genesis and Double Helix. Hiroquest follows teen Hiro, pronounced hero, a genetically augmented human who is bouncing around the multiverse four hundred years into the future to save planet Earth from impending doom. He’s looking for ten rings from ten separate worlds and he’s got a set of superpowers to help him out courtesy of a group of doctors that augmented him: flight, super strength, and a sort of ESP or special insight courtesy of the third eye. Switching back and forth between prose and comics, this is one of the more unique projects I've seen in some time. The chapters correspond to Steve's album of the same name and there are many Easter Eggs in the text referencing it. Make sure to check it out as it is in stores now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An Interview with Brent Fisher

An Interview with Brent Fisher

It's another special episode of the Cryptid Creator Corner and this time I'm chatting with Brent Fisher. Brent is the Creative Director of Dauntless Stories and the Chief Diversity Officer of Band of Bards. We chat about Dauntless and Band of Bards joining forces to be a worker-owned cooperative and what that means as well as Brent's roles in both organizations. I also get to learn more about Brent's own comics origin story and they tell me about the upcoming Kickstarter (launching June 18th) for Unbroken. Listen to the episode and sign up for Dauntless Stories' newsletter for more details and so you don't miss the KS campaign. Brent was such a joy to chat with. Their love for comics is effusive and I can't wait for the Unbroken Kickstarter campaign. Check out Brent's website to learn more: https://www.brentfisher.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Milton Lawson talks Orson Welles: Warrior of the Worlds

Milton Lawson talks Orson Welles: Warrior of the Worlds

It was Orson Welles that once said about Twitter: "We live in a snake pit here... I hate it but I just don't allow myself to face the fact that I hold it in contempt because it keeps on turning out to be the only place to go." Maybe Orson Welles wasn't talking about Twitter, I'm not sure, but you know who could tell me what Orson Welles was talking about, today's guest: Milton Lawson. Milton makes his triumphant return to the Cryptid Creator Corner to chat about the trade of Orson Welles: Warrior of the Worlds. This is such a fun, outlandish, sci-fi, historical fiction, adventure. I loved it and I loved chatting more with Milton about it. Be sure to check out Milton's website: https://miltonlawson.com/ and do yourself a favor and after picking up the trade (due to be out in mid-July) go watch some Orson Welles' films! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Boum talks The Jellyfish

Boum talks The Jellyfish

I'm chatting with comics creator Boum on the show today. She's a new guest with an amazing new graphic novel, The Jellyfish, dropping with Montreal based Pow Pow Press. As a disabled person myself, I'm trying to get more creators with disabilities on the show and this book absolutely blew me away. It was my first 10/10 reading experience in 2024. The story follows Odette, a young woman slowly loosing her sight which Boum was also dealing with over the course of working on the project. It's a very honest slice of life story that embraces the real joys and sadness in our lives. As you progress through the book, the ever increasing number of small jellyfish slowly begins to dominate the panels creating a sense of what it is like to loose your vision over time. It's a novel way of approaching the topic I've never seen before. I don't have enough glowing adjectives to portray my adoration of this project and it's why I love hosting creators on the show who may not get as much attention in mainstream outlets to give projects like this an opportunity to shine. Please consider asking your local comic shop or bookstore to order you a copy if they don't have it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Harper talks SKTCHD

David Harper talks SKTCHD

I really enjoy interviewing creators for the podcast, but I also love listening to other interview podcasts as well, and I'm hard-pressed to think of anyone that does it better than David Harper. David is the guy behind SKTCHD and Off Panel: A Comics Interview Podcast. David brings his natural curiosity to interviewing and it makes for some of the most thoughtful, interesting, and wonderful conversations about the creation of comic books. We dive into David's origin story as an interviewer and talk about the things he likes to write about for SKTCHD. Be sure to check out SKTCHD BOOK 2023 and if you like this podcast you're gonna love David's Off Panel (I really enjoyed this chat from 2022 with Matthew Rosenberg. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rich Douek talks Heartpiercer

Rich Douek talks Heartpiercer

The third time is certainly the charm as Rich Douek returns to CBY's Crytpid Creator Corner to chat about Heartpiercer from Dark Horse Comics. Rich has teamed with artist Gavin Smith for this dark, fantasy story about Atala, a warrior who thought she was saving the World but ultimately doomed it. Issue #1 hits your LCS May 15th. Rich and I chat about the origins of this story, working with Gavin Smith, mixing fantasy and horror, and what he learned working on the Road-Sea-Breath trilogy. I'm a big fan of Rich's writing and it's always a treat when he's on the podcast to chat about comics. Make sure to check out our monthly crowdfunding comics feature book: Super Kaiju Rock n Roller Derby Fun Time Go! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wells Thompson talks SMUT

Wells Thompson talks SMUT

It is a rare treat because both hosts are on the show today to chat with fellow Yeti and comics writer Wells Thompson about his new NSFW project SMUT funding on Kickstarter. Smut is an erotic comedy about three friends facing relationship problems, the promises they make to resolve them, and the sex they have along the way so what better way to discuss it than three friends on a podcast. Issue one follows Dakota, a personal trainer attempting to clean up her act and get to know her date before jumping his bones. There's just over a week left so make sure to get on over to Kickstarter to back SMUT. You know you want to. Make sure to check out our monthly crowdfunding comics feature book: Super Kaiju Rock n Roller Derby Fun Time Go! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michael Avon Oeming talks William Of Newbury

Michael Avon Oeming talks William Of Newbury

Comics creator and Eisner Winning illustrator Michael Avon Oeming (Blue Book, The Mice Templar, Powers) joins me on the show today to discuss his new Dark Horse Comics project, William of Newbury. I've been a fan of his work for years now and following his process videos on TikTok inspired me to take this interview in that direction. We talk about how he pulled from English history, specifically the Anarchy, and why he adapted the English historian William into a raccoon cause who would see that coming? The anthropomorphic sandbox is always an interesting one and its motivation here might surprise you. William of Newbury drops in late May. Don't miss it. Make sure to check out our monthly crowdfunding comics feature book: Super Kaiju Rock n Roller Derby Fun Time Go! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tyler Chin-Tanner & Jarred Lujan talk MEZO: Trial of the Roden

Tyler Chin-Tanner & Jarred Lujan talk MEZO: Trial of the Roden

It's a double dose of awesome in today's Cryptid Creator Corner with Tyler Chin-Tanner and Jarred Lujan!!! Both are returning guests to the podcast, but this is my first time getting to interview Jarred and it's something I've been looking forward to for a long time. I'm a full-fledged member of the Jarred Lujan Fan Club and can't say enough good things about the comics he and his collaborators have created like Dry Foot, All the Devils are Here, Crash & Troy, The Twin Blades, Southbound. Imagine my excitement that Tyler and A Wave Blue World have brought Jarred on to help with the 3rd volume of MEZO: The Trial of Roden. If you aren't familiar with MEZO, it is a Mesoamerican-inspired fantasy series and it's freakin' amazing with phenomenal characters and beautiful, action-packed artwork by Val Rodrigues. I am so excited for the beginning of this 3rd volume. Issue 1 is in shops May 1st so make sure to tell your LCS to order you a copy. Make sure to check out our monthly crowdfunding comics feature book: Super Kaiju Rock n Roller Derby Fun Time Go! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arnaud Lapeyre and Steve Morger talk the Lake Como Comic Art Festival

Arnaud Lapeyre and Steve Morger talk the Lake Como Comic Art Festival

As an original comic art collector, I’m excited because we are going to dive today into a different corner of the comics collectable market today. There’s been a bit of an upheaval in recent weeks with the exodus of artists from Cadence Comic Art. As many arts look for new representation or in some cases for collaborative opportunities to share the burdens of operating a direct-to-consumer model over the internet, the tried-and-true convention continues to provide a unique pathway not only for purchasing artwork but for interacting with the artists as well. Enter my guests today. Arnaud Lapeyre and Steve Morger are the co-founders of the Lake Como Comic Art Festival, a unique, curated event designed to streamline the traditional convention experience and focus solely on the comic artists and their artwork. This is a one of a kind comic art festival in I guarantee what has to be the most idyllic of locations for something like this. Fandom never got treated so good. With around a month left before the show kicks off, make sure to visit their website for all the details. Make sure to check out our monthly crowdfunding comics feature book: Super Kaiju Rock n Roller Derby Fun Time Go! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ray Fawkes talks Sanction

Ray Fawkes talks Sanction

Mad Cave Studios has been putting out some fantastic comics as they celebrate their 10 year anniversary and today's guest's newest comic is no exception. Writer Ray Fawkes is here to chat about Sanction. This is the story of 2 very different detectives tasked with investigating a dead body in 1987 Leningrad. Ray talks about working with artist Antonio Fuso, why he wanted to set this story in the U.S.S.R. towards the closing of the Cold War, and what he hopes readers will take away from the differences between Pavel and Boris. This is an incredible first issue and I loved chatting comics with Ray. Issue #1 will be at your LCS on May 15th, but make sure to add it to your pull list now (this not only helps out you, but your LCS, and the creative team). Be sure to check out Ray's website too (https://www.rayfawkes.com) so you can check out some of his other work we discuss in the episode like One Soul, One Line, and The People Inside. Make sure to check out our monthly crowdfunding comics feature book: Super Kaiju Rock n Roller Derby Fun Time Go! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Pepose talks Space Ghost

David Pepose talks Space Ghost

I was a huge Space Ghost fan as a kid and was super excited to see that Dynamite Entertainment managed to secure the rights to bring him back to the comics medium again. With a rogues gallery that rivals Batman: Moltar, Brak, Zorak, Metallus... there's so much for a creative team to develop and explore in terms of a modern interpretation. Added bonus, it is written by returning guest David Pepose who stopped by to tell me all about it. We get into the process and potential pitfalls of writing an iconic IP like this, how important Jan, Jace, and Blip are to this new storyline, and who our own ideal casting would be if Space Ghost were ever made into a live action movie. Space Ghost will be released in stores on May 1st. Make sure to call your local shop and reserve you a copy . With advance orders of over 67K, this is going to be a big one y'all. Make sure to check out our monthly crowdfunding comics feature book: Super Kaiju Rock n Roller Derby Fun Time Go! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Travis B. Hill and Ben Humeniuk talk A Last Goodbye

Travis B. Hill and Ben Humeniuk talk A Last Goodbye

One of my favorite past podcast guests has returned and he's brought a friend. It's none other than fellow Star Trek: TNG fan and, in my opinion, the kindest gentleman in indie comics: Ben Humeniuk and he's brought along his collaborator, voted the least guardable baller in indie comics, Travis B. Hill and they are on the podcast today chatting about their comic with Band of Bards : A Last Goodbye. This is a great conversation about the journey of this story from prose to an 11 page comic to adding an additional 30 pages of story! I loved hearing how this all came together. Ben and Travis have a deep love of comics and knowledge of the medium, plus it's just cool hearing friends talking about comics and how much they enjoy working with each other. A Last Goodbye will be out June 26, 2024. Make sure to check out our monthly crowdfunding comics feature book: Super Kaiju Rock n Roller Derby Fun Time Go! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonathan Marks Barravecchia talks Bear, Pirate, Viking, Queen

Jonathan Marks Barravecchia talks Bear, Pirate, Viking, Queen

I am hype about this project y'all. It's the most visually stunning thing I've seen thus far in 2024 by a country mile. Today I'm chatting with artist Jonathan Marks Barravecchia about his new Image Comics series that he's co-creating with writer Sean Lewis Bear, Pirate, Viking, Queen. This thing is a straight up visual feast. It's poetic carnage and something you just have to see. I've been wanting to do more deep dives into the artistic process and this was a perfect chance to engage with a daring mixed media illustrator pushing the boundaries of the comics medium. Oh, and I got to nerd out talking about watercolor paper choices. Make sure to check out our monthly crowdfunding comics feature book: Super Kaiju Rock n Roller Derby Fun Time Go! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zack Quaintance talks Death of Comics Bookcase

Zack Quaintance talks Death of Comics Bookcase

Today on the podcast is none other than Mr. Comics Bookcase himself Zack Quaintance and he's here to talk about the current Kickstarter campaign for Death of Comics Bookcase, vol. 1, which goes live today, April 2nd! Zack ran his comics site Comics Bookcase for a number of years, with many wonderful articles and deep dives into comics, but, as the folks here at Comic Book Yeti know well, managing a comics website is tough. Zack has decided to hang up his keyboard as far as new content goes on the website (although plenty of great articles are still archived there) and focus his time writing comics. He has collaborated with some incredibly talented folks to create Death of Comics Bookcase, vol. 1, featuring 6 different stories throughout its 48 pages. Zack and I discuss Comics Bookcase as well as the stories in the anthology (which is great by the way). It was a lot of fun and a great conversation. Check it out and check out the anthology as well. Make sure to check out our monthly crowdfunding comics feature book: Super Kaiju Rock n Roller Derby Fun Time Go! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brian Level and Kurt Belcher talk The Unsleeping Eye

Brian Level and Kurt Belcher talk The Unsleeping Eye

Horror fans assemble. Today I am chatting with comics creators Brian Level and Kurt Belcher about their new crowdfunding horror comics project The Unsleeping Eye funding on Kickstarter. The town of Mercurial is under siege from a ghoulish group of Satan worshipping intruders called the Oddfellows. Churches are burned, animals mutilated, and a few folks are producing of all things a newspaper about it all amidst the chaos, but circulation is limited as it seems as though the town is cut off from the rest of the world. If you are a fan of oddball horror, this is the easiest layup of a recommendation you are likely to get from me. I was a backer on day one. Beyond the book itself, we dive into a mutual love of the cult film the Cemetery Man (possibly too much), I drop a recommendation for one of the most diabolical books I've ever read, and we discuss why all Appalachian people have big water cups. They really do. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alex Segura talks Dick Tracy

Alex Segura talks Dick Tracy

I'm back talkin' Mad Cave comics with the incredibly talented Alex Segura! The Mad Cave Studios 10th Anniversary Celebration continues with another comic that I cannot wait for you to check out on April 24th: it's a brand new Dick Tracy #1. I think everyone from long time Dick Tracy fans to brand new readers are going to love this from the superstar creative team of Alex Segura, Michael Moreci, Geraldo Borges, Chantelle Aimee Osman, Mark Englert, and Jim Campbell. Alex and I talk about how this comic landed at Mad Cave, co-writing with Michael Moreci, wanting to appeal to fans and new readers, but really just wanting to make a really great crime comic, and the sensational artwork of Geraldo Borges. Alex and I had such a wonderful conversation, I can't wait to have him back on the podcast. I think this is a book folks are going to be talking a lot about as soon as it hits your LCS, so don't miss it. Be sure to check out Alex's website for all of the other great stuff he's written like Secret Identity and the follow-up Alter Ego, out later this year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michele Abounader and David Booher talk When I Was Young

Michele Abounader and David Booher talk When I Was Young

Today I’ve got two amazing comics creators on to chat with me. Comics writer David Booher is a regular to the show at this point and we have a new guest joining him, Michele Abounader. Michele has cooked up a new crowdfunding project on Backerkit called When I Was Young, a 100+ page queer comics anthology featuring short stories of inspiration, advice, and triumph where all profits will be donated to The Trevor Project to benefit LGBTQIA+ youth. David and Michele both are contributing pieces to the project along with some of comics big heavy hitters like Heather Antos, Christopher Cantwell, Stephanie Williams, and Jadzia Axelrod. Michele is playing the jill of all trades role as the editor as well. Each of these stories is deeply personal. When I saw the original solicitation for it, I jumped at the opportunity to support it as a backer and knew I wanted to have Michele on to chat about it. David was a delightful late add who was kind enough to come on to talk about his story Blue illustrated by yeti friend Jack Foster that will be a part of the anthology. Click the link here to back the project. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Son M talks Something Crawled Out

Son M talks Something Crawled Out

Podcast dreams do come true as I get to interview Son M. and we have a great conversation, which includes chatting about Something Crawled Out , a fantastic new comic from Vault with art by Madcursed. I first became aware of Son through the Death's Diner twitter thread, which is, without a doubt, one of the best things I've ever read. Son and I chat about games and comics and so much more, including the upcoming graphic novel Thief of the Heights. This was such a fun conversation. Be sure to check out Son's website so you don't miss out on these great comics. Make sure to check out our monthly crowdfunding comics feature book: BattleMex. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices