The Corner Box

Kirt Burdick and His Epic Doujinshi on The Corner Box - S3Ep34

Kirt Burdick returns to talk Death of Power, the upcoming finale of his gloriously unhinged bootleg-superhero epic, and the creator realities of trying to turn Kickstarter momentum into something resembling an actual career. Along the way, the conversation veers hard into outsider comics like New York City Outlaws, Hayden Sherman’s Batman work, Scott Snyder’s hit-or-miss post-Batman output, Frank Miller’s weird sequel era, and whether readers are just done with short miniseries pretending to be ongoing books. Then things get thoughtful, with a real discussion about ambition, wealth, artistic freedom, and why longform storytelling still matters. You know… between all the penis jokes. Captions: “To make a true independent comic, you have to draw a penis.” — Kirt Burdick explaining the sacred laws of indie comics “It’s almost like a mind-altering experience to watch them. So it’s not so much you’re watching a film, you’re imbibing a drug.” — Kirt on Outsider VHS cinema “Scott Snyder’s writing frequently leaves me pretty cold.” — Chase with zero hesitation “The Corner Box is officially canceled!” — David after talking wealth inequality “I’m sure I’m blacklisted from DC.” — Kirt on his future in mainstream superheroes SPLASH PAGE [00:08:09] – Welcome to the Outsider Art Rabbit Hole: David discovers New York City Outlaws and absolutely loses his mind. [00:17:24] – The Scott Snyder Debate: Chase gives a brutally honest take on Snyder outside Batman. [00:19:52] – Are Miniseries Dead?: The gang debates whether readers still want short-form comics. [00:22:47] – Hollywood vs Comics: Chase breaks down how publishers use comics as TV pitch decks. [00:31:56] – Frank Miller’s 9/11 Pivot: David explains why Dark Knight Strikes Again became two different books. [00:42:37] – Death of Power Gets Real: Kirt talks Kickstarter growth and the path toward making comics sustainable. [00:44:31] – The Indie Comics Penis Manifesto: A sentence nobody expected but everybody will remember. [00:51:13] – The Finale Is Coming: Kirt reveals Death of Power ends with a double-sized final Kickstarter. SUPPORT THE CORNER BOX David Hedgecock (https://funtimego.com) - The Corner Box Co-Host John Barber (https://www.pugworldwide.com) - The Corner Box Co-Host The Corner Box (https://www.thecornerbox.club) - Official Website DIVE DEEPER INTO THE BACK ISSUE BIN Kirt Burdick (https://www.instagram.com/kirtburdick/) - Creator of Death of Power and this episode’s featured guest Ken Landgraf (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Landgraf) - Outsider comics creator behind New York City Outlaws Scott Snyder (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Snyder) - Writer discussed extensively in the Batman/creator-owned debate Hayden Sherman (https://www.instagram.com/cleanlined/) - Artist praised repeatedly for innovative Batman work Frank Miller (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Miller_(comics)) - Central to the Batman sequel discussion David Mazzucchelli (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Mazzucchelli) - Referenced via Asterios Polyp Mark Waid (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Waid) - Praised for current DC superhero storytelling Chris Samnee (https://www.chrissamnee.com/) - Highlighted for Batman and Robin Year One James Tynion IV (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Tynion_IV) - Referenced in creator-output discussion Mike Richardson (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Richardson_(publisher)) - Dark Horse founder discussed during publishing talk NOT DEEP ENOUGH? WE'RE JUST LONG BOX UNDER THE TABLE DIVING NOW?! Death of Power (https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/kirtburdick) - Kirt Burdick’s ongoing bootleg-superhero indie saga discussed throughout the episode Absolute Batman (https://www.dc.com/comics/absolute-batman-2024/absolute-batman-1) - Major point of discussion during the Batman segment Absolute Wonder Woman (https://www.dc.com/comics/absolute-wonder-woman-2024/absolute-wonder-woman-1) - David’s pick for best current Big Two book Dark Spaces: Dungeon (https://www.idwpublishing.com/) - Scott Snyder crime comic debated by the panel Batman and Robin: Year One (https://www.dc.com/) - Referenced in the Frank Miller/Batman influence conversation Dark Knight Returns (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Knight_Returns) - Foundation of the Frank Miller discussion The Dark Knight Strikes Again (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Knight_Strikes_Again) - Examined as Miller’s post-9/11 creative pivot Asterios Polyp (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asterios_Polyp) - Mazzucchelli’s acclaimed graphic novel Dark Horse Comics (https://www.darkhorse.com/) - Discussed heavily in the publishing/business conversation Titan Comics (https://titan-comics.com/) - Current Conan publisher Heroic Signatures (https://www.heroicsignatures.com/) - Conan rights holder David and Chase work with Something Is Killing the Children (https://www.boom-studios.com/series/something-is-killing-the-children/) - Referenced during creator-output discussion Lone Wolf and Cub (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lone_Wolf_and_Cub) - Mentioned in the Dark Horse manga conversation The Warriors (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Warriors_(film)) - Core comparison for New York City Outlaws Bleeding Skull (https://www.bleedingskull.com/) - Referenced during outsider VHS cinema discussion Cartoonist Kayfabe (https://www.youtube.com/@CartoonistKayfabe) - Mentioned as inspiration in the Death of Power origin story

The Most Charming Failure in Comics on The Corner Box - S3Ep33

This episode, things get spicy fast as Kickstarter loyalty gets tested. David lays out a frustration that hits a nerve: paying more, waiting longer, and watching cheaper versions hit shelves first. From there, the guys pivot into creator mode—John’s secretly drawing comics again, Chase is juggling screenplays, and everyone’s got projects they can’t quite talk about (yet). Frank Miller creeps back into the conversation, setting up what might be a full-on deep dive in a future episode. And just when you think it’s under control… The Fly shows up, lights his ass, and still doesn’t save the day.  Captions “Less yuck more yums, dude. Let’s go.” — Chase pushing back on fake positivity culture “It’s an insult to the audience.” — David on identical Kickstarter books hitting stores cheaper and sooner “He lights his ass… and it still doesn’t work.” — John describing The Fly’s most effective move “She saves the day. Twice. The Fly does nothing.” — John breaking down the most useless superhero ever Splash Page [03:15] – Kickstarter Betrayal: David breaks down the frustration of paying more for less [06:58] – Retail Before Backers: The moment that crosses the line for everyone [10:34] – Barber Returns to the Board: John reveals he’s drawing comics again [13:05] – Moebius High-Wire Act: The chaos and brilliance of making it up as you go [19:42] – Enter The Fly: A superhero who might be completely useless [23:13] – One Page Masterpiece: The most insane splash-page monologue ever written [01:05:18] – The Anti-Spider-Man: Why The Fly might be the most charming failure in comics Support the Corner Box David Hedgecock (https://funtimego.com) - The Corner Box Co-Host John Barber (https://www.pugworldwide.com) - The Corner Box Co-Host The Corner Box (https://www.thecornerbox.club) - Official Website Dive Deeper Into the Back Issue Bin Frank Miller (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Miller_(comics)) - Central to the episode’s ongoing reading obsession and future deep dive tease David Mazzucchelli (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Mazzucchelli) - Referenced in discussion of Daredevil and Batman: Year One Moebius / Jean Giraud (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moebius_(comics)) - Cited as inspiration for improvisational storytelling Paul Pope (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Pope) - Referenced for speed and stylistic experimentation Jonathan Maberry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Maberry) - Writer on recent project David and Chase worked on Paul Pelletier (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Pelletier) - Artist collaborator on recent miniseries Walt Simonson (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Simonson) - Mentioned in Savage Sword of Conan discussion John Buscema (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Buscema) - Featured artist in Conan material Robert Loren Fleming (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Loren_Fleming) - Writer of the over-the-top Nightmare monologue Marat Mychaels (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marat_Mychaels) - Artist behind Nightmare and Extreme Studios work Rob Liefeld (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Liefeld) - Referenced in Extreme Studios and Archie revival attempts Jerry Siegel (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Siegel) - Creator appearing in Archie digest reprints Jack Kirby (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Kirby) - Identified in early Shield story artwork Wally Wood (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wally_Wood) - Featured artist in Archie digest Tom DeFalco (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_DeFalco) - Credited with accidentally inventing his own Greek myth

All the Cool Kids Listen to The Corner Box - S3Ep32

Things gets weird when David decides he’s one of the cool kids now and starts reading the hot books everyone’s chasing. Join David and John as they get into D’orc, Tigress Island, White Sky, and Florida Hippopotamus Cocaine Massacre, weighing which books have real legs and which ones are riding the heat wave. There’s a sharp little debate about speculation, blind bags, first printings, and whether indie launches are a better kind of market chase. The guys also detour through One Piece work ethic, public domain Batman schemes, Skottie Young’s artistic family tree, and Lobo jokes that may or may not land. By the end, the Corner Box may have accidentally created a new recurring feature: Wired or Tired. Captions “Yeah, it’s like we’re editors and we know what a deadline means.” — David on never missing a weekly episode “Once Batman hits public domain, it’s anybody’s game.” — David on the weird future of superhero ownership “I’m unquestionably more into new indie number ones than I am maybe [for a] Robert Downey Jr. drawn Iron Man on my Daredevil comic.” — John on hot indie books versus blind-bag gimmicks “Whatever gets good comics, I can live with a lot of the other stuff.” — David on speculation helping readers find strong books “A novel, John, is a comic book but there’s no pictures.” — David explaining a novel with maximum disrespect “It’s just goofy Lobo shit.” — John giving the cleanest possible Lobo review “The title is exactly what it is.” — David on Florida Hippopotamus Cocaine Massacre delivering the promised insanity Splash Page [00:00] – Deadline Warriors: David and John kick things off by bragging, accurately, that The Corner Box still hasn’t missed a week. [00:55] – The Oda Machine: One Piece sends the guys into manga production envy and the mystery of how weekly comics even happen. [02:35] – Public Domain Batman Schemes: David lays out his future plan for using Superman and Batman without putting the names on the cover. [06:45] – The Cool Kids Read Comics: David admits the show is getting popular, so naturally he had to start reading the hot books. [08:06] – Speculation With a Pulse: John argues that hot indie number ones are a healthier trend than blind bags and gimmick covers. [11:22] – D’orc Gets Graded: David gives the batch a rock-solid B and calls D’orc a fun, art-forward fantasy comedy still finding its quest. [21:49] – Tigress Island Takes the Crown: John and David both land on Tigress Island as the strongest book of the bunch. [28:58] – Cocaine Hippo Chaos: Florida Hippopotamus Cocaine Massacre arrives with cult-movie energy, social commentary, and exactly the level of madness promised. Support the Corner Box David Hedgecock (https://linktr.ee/funtimego [https://linktr.ee/funtimego]) - The Corner Box Co-Host John Barber (https://www.pugworldwide.com [https://www.pugworldwide.com]) - The Corner Box Co-Host The Corner Box (https://www.thecornerbox.club [https://www.thecornerbox.club]) - Official Website Dive Deeper Into the Back Issue Bin Eiichiro Oda (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eiichiro_Oda) - Creator of One Piece, brought up as the impossible weekly-comics workhorse. David Harper (https://sktchd.com) - Comics journalist behind SKTCHD, mentioned for his thoughts on which comics may still exist 50 years from now. Brett Bean (https://brettbean.substack.com) - Creator of D’orc, discussed for bringing Skottie Young-flavored fantasy comedy energy to Image. Skottie Young (https://www.skottieyoung.com) - Artist and writer whose influence becomes a whole side quest in the D’orc discussion. Jorge Corona

Groo Boat Rules and Other "Hot" Takes on The Corner Box - S3Ep31

David admits that his comic collecting is a full-blown lifestyle problem, complete with eBay piles, office deliveries, and one gloriously baffling Rob Liefeld ashcan. John and David then bounce from a weirdly amazing 1972 fanzine packed with future legends to Marvel Knights: The World to Come, a book that asks for patience before it finally starts paying off. From there, it’s straight into Groo territory, where the art still rules, the coloring looks sharp as hell, and one impossible boat-sinking moment throws the whole universe slightly off its axis. Along the way, there’s talk of Al Milgrom, Jim Starlin, Christopher Priest, Joe Quesada, and Sergio Aragonés. Then the mood turns when the guys issue a call to arms regarding a massive $1 million art heist from Mark Evanier’s collection. Captions “We’re not popular… but we’re headed in that direction.” - David “We’re getting less not popular.” - John "Everything is there by the time you get to the end, but your tolerance for getting to the end is really dependent on your level of buy-in in the beginning." - John "These pieces of original art are history, and they need to be treated with respect." - David "I don’t think either one of those influenced the other one in terms of the name." - John Barber (on D'rok vs. D'orc) Splash Page [00:01] – Vacation Mailbox of Doom: David returns from Hawaii to a mountain of comic packages. [02:06] – Ashcan School: David breaks down what ashcans are and why they matter. [09:18] – The Lost Fanzine Files: John cracks open a strange 1972 comic called Title. [18:13] – Future Wakanda, Rough Start: David digs into Marvel Knights: The World to Come. [31:56] – Groo Rules Are Meant to Break?: A new Groo mini sparks one very specific continuity crisis. [37:11] – Missing Masterpieces: The guys react to Mark Evanier’s stolen original art. [41:03] – Less Not Popular: The episode closes with a very Corner Box way to celebrate growth. Support the Corner Box David Hedgecock [https://funtimego.com/] - The Corner Box Co-Host John Barber [https://www.pugworldwide.com/] - The Corner Box Co-Host The Corner Box [https://www.thecornerbox.club/] - Official Website Dive Deeper Into the Back Issue Bin Rob Liefeld (https://robliefeldcreations.com/ [https://robliefeldcreations.com/]) Al Milgrom (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Milgrom [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Milgrom]) Jim Starlin (https://www.instagram.com/jimstarlin/ [https://www.instagram.com/jimstarlin/]) Tom Orzechowski (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Orzechowski [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Orzechowski]) Christopher Priest (https://www.christopherpriest.com/ [https://www.christopherpriest.com/]) Joe Quesada (https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Joe_Quesada [https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Joe_Quesada])  Sergio Aragonés (https://www.sergioaragones.com/ [https://www.sergioaragones.com/]) Mark Evanier (https://www.newsfromme.com/ [https://www.newsfromme.com/]) Acrobats (https://imagecomics.com/creators/rob-liefeld [https://imagecomics.com/creators/rob-liefeld]) Title #1 (https://www.comics.org/issue/253965/ [https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.comics.org/issue/253965/]) Groo the Wanderer (https://www.darkhorse.com/Search/Groo [https://www.darkhorse.com/Search/Groo])

Top Ten Hottest Artists - April 2026 on The Corner Box - S3ep30

David survives a once-in-a-century storm in Hawaii, and it’s back to business as John and David break down the creative DNA of comics — including the return of the “Top 10 Hottest Artists” list! From a Silver Age deep dive into Don Heck and the surprisingly bold Avengers #32, to the wild discovery of a pre-Fantastic Four appearance of Ben Grimm as a WWII flying ace, it’s equal parts nostalgia, disbelief, and appreciation. Add in John’s latest indie finds and you’ve got a packed, can’t-miss episode. Super Kaiju Rock and Roller Derby Fun Time Go will be launching soon. Visit get.funtimego.com [http://get.funtimego.com] for more details. Captions * "Don Heck is the guy who should have sued Harlan Ellison and Gary Groth." — John Barber * “If anybody ever says that Stan Lee and Marvel weren't forward-thinking and aggressively progressive... they're wrong." — David Hedgecock * "Nick Dragotta on Absolute Batman continues to dominate." — David Hedgecock Splash Page * [00:01:25] – Storming the Set: David reports on the Hawaii tropical storm that wrecked the Jurassic Park sets. * [00:03:22] – “What John and David Read This Week”: John and David recap this week’s reads. * [00:04:15] – Avengers Time Capsule: David hits issue #32 and finds modern relevance * [00:13:05] – The Leatherneck Raiders: John discusses Captain Savage #7 and the bizarre visual of soldiers on surfboards. * [00:18:45] – The Thing’s Flight School: Discussing Ben Grimm’s history as a World War II air ace. * [00:25:35] – The Grading Shift: News on CBCS shutting down and the differences in signature verification. * [00:28:20] – The Hottest Artists: David dishes out this month’s Top 10 Hottest Artists. * [00:33:45] – The One to Watch: David spotlights Pye Parr and the upcoming M.A.S.K. comic from Skybound. * [00:44:20] – The Absolute Champion: LISTEN IN TO FIND OUT WHO takes the number one spot on the Hottest Artists list. Support the Corner Box David Hedgecock (https://linktr.ee/funtimego [https://linktr.ee/funtimego]) - TCB Co-Host John Barber (https://www.pugworldwide.com [https://www.pugworldwide.com/]) - TCB Co-Host The Corner Box (https://www.thecornerbox.club [https://www.thecornerbox.club/]) - Official Website Dive Deeper Into the Back Issue Bin * Don Heck (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Heck [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Heck]) - Silver Age Marvel artist known for Avengers and Iron Man. * Stephen McArdle (Vendetta Holy Vindicator [https://shop.floatingworldcomics.com/products/vendetta-holy-vindicator?pr_prod_strat=e5_desc&pr_rec_id=fe66b02a3&pr_rec_pid=6837405941814&pr_ref_pid=9858882404661&pr_seq=uniform]) - Creator of Vendetta: The Holy Vindicator and Crowbar 9. * Ken Landgraf (https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Ken_Landgraf [https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Ken_Landgraf]) - Veteran artist who provided a new pinup for the Crowbar 9 revival. * Archie Goodwin (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archie_Goodwin_(comics [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archie_Goodwin_(comics)]) - Legendary writer/editor mentioned for his work on Captain Savage.