Best Kyle Bylin Podcasts (2024)

1
Intro to Bylines in Blood & Creator Spotlight: Erica Schultz, Van Jensen, and Aneke 1:05:29

1d ago1:05:29

1:05:29

Welcome to a new season of Storied Arcs! For this outing, Mike and Alex will be diving into their (and perhaps last, question mark?) series from AfterShock Comics, Bylines in Blood (issues #1-4) by Erica Schultz, Van Jensen, and Aneke. They start by pitching you on why they love this comic, including the way it balances multi-genre storytelling and…

1
Creator Interview: Kyle Starks 1:11:56

8d ago1:11:56

1:11:56

This week, Mike and Alex are super excited to be joined by Kyle Starks, the writer of their most recent discussion, Assassin Nation, along with so many other great comics. They cover a wide range of topics, including how Kyle got started working in comics (and why that might be Matt Fraction's fault) and how he was able to find his niche in the ind…

1
Assassin Nation 1:13:18

15d ago1:13:18

1:13:18

"So, what's the best way to stay safe from a hitman? Hire a bunch of better hitmen." Mike and Alex are here for another season of Storied Arcs, and this week they're discussing Kyle Starks and Erica Henderson's Assassin Nation (issues #1-5) from Image Comics. The guys jump right into things, looking at this story through the lens of the kinds of st…

1
Intro to Assassin Nation & Creator Spotlight: Kyle Starks and Erica Henderson 1:01:38

22d ago1:01:38

1:01:38

For this season of Storied Arcs, Mike and Alex are diving head first into the crazy world of assassins and hitmen with Kyle Starks and Erica Henderson's Assassin Nation from Image Comics. They guys discuss a little about what drew them to this book and then give some background on both Starks and Henderson and the other comic work you might know th…

1
Creator Interview: Justin Madson 1:00:01

30d ago1:00:01

1:00:01

In this special episode, Mike and Alex were fortunate to chat with cartoonist Justin Madson, the creative force behind Breathers. They discuss Justin's origin in comics, and how and why he began writing and drawing his own stories. Then they dive into Breathers, from its initial conception back in 2007 to its eerie prescience in 2024. Justin talked…

1
Breathers Part 2 1:14:02

1M ago1:14:02

1:14:02

"Nothing's really all that different, is it? I mean, sure, we don't have to wear our breathers anymore, but we still have our scars. No amount of vaccines is ever gonna change that." Mike and Alex are back in the world of Justin Madson's Breathers with Part 2 of the extra-long discussion. As they being to wrap things up, the guys take a step back a…

1
Breathers Part 1 58:04

1M ago58:04

58:04

"Show me an idea that's not a little bit dangerous, and I'll show you a bad idea." Welcome to Part 1 of our discussion of Breathers from cartoonist Justin Madson! In the first part of this extra-long deep dive, Mike and Alex start by taking a look at Madson's storytelling approach and style, touching on the short story cycle-ness of the mini-storie…

1
Intro to Breathers & Creator Spotlight: Justin Madson 58:34

2M ago58:34

58:34

Welcome to another season of Storied Arc! For this installment, Mike and Alex are going about as indie comic as they can get as they get ready to discuss Breathers by Justin Madson. They guys get you familiar with cartoonist Justin Madson, someone they understand is probably not that well known, if at all, by most comic readers, even the most dedic…

1
Creator Interview: Sarah Gailey 1:30:06

2M ago1:30:06

1:30:06

In a special bonus episode, Mike and Alex jump back one season and revisit their discussion of Eat The Rich and Know Your Station because they had the privilege of chatting with the writer and co-creator of those comics, Sarah Gailey! They start as usual with Sarah's introduction to comics and discuss how they made the move from writing prose to wr…

1
Velvet Volume 03: The Man Who Stole The World 1:13:47

2M ago1:13:47

1:13:47

"And if I learned anything from Damian Lake's betrayal, it's that every move I make from now on has to be two moves. So I'm not just sneaking back to the U.S.; I'm lighting a signal fire." The adventures of Velvet Templeton come to a close in Velvet Volume 2 The Man Who Stole The World (issues #11-15) and Mike and Alex are here to wrap up the serie…

1
Velvet Volume 02 The Secret Lives of Dead Men 1:16:06

2M ago1:16:06

1:16:06

"All these weeks on the run, I've just been angry... self-righteous. And it's so stupid... I know... but I'd actually forgotten to be afraid." Mike and Alex are back on the hunt for the most dangerous woman in the world as they jump into Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting's Velvet Volume 2 The Secret Lives of Dead Men (issues #6-10). They start by examin…

1
Velvet Volume 01 Before the Living End 1:23:03

3M ago1:23:03

1:23:03

"A group of highly-trained spies and killers. And she'd played each of us... with ease. That was when I realized just how dangerous Velvet Templeton actually was." Welcome to another season of Storied Arcs! Mike and Alex are here to plunge head first into the world of espionage and intrigue as they break down Velvet Volume 1 Before the Living End (…

1
Intro to Velvet & Creator Spotlight: Steve Epting 1:16:03

3M ago1:16:03

1:16:03

For the next season of Storied Arcs, Mike and Alex are once again revisiting the work of one of their favorite creators. This time, it's writer Ed Brubaker as the guys get ready break down Velvet, the noir spy thriller from Image Comics by Brubaker and comics legend Steve Epting. First, they give an intro to the book and tease a little bit about wh…

1
Creator Interview: Liana Kangas 1:04:21

3M ago1:04:21

1:04:21

This week, Mike and Alex are pleased to be joined by artist and illustrator Liana Kangas to chat about their work on Know Your Station and all manner of other things! They start with Liana's origins as an artist and learn how they went from selling comics in an LCS to making them. Then they move to Know Your Station, touching on how they got involv…

1
Know Your Station 1:42:25

3M ago1:42:25

1:42:25

"They controlled every aspect of our lived on Earth... and they used that power to make it so being up here, waiting on them hand and foot, was the best future we could reach for. We're not people to them. We're punching bags, scapegoats, and test subjects. We're disposable." Mike and Alex are back and ready to dive right into Boom Studios' Know Yo…

1
Eat The Rich 1:26:29

4M ago1:26:29

1:26:29

"Ever since that first day, I keep trying to be the right kind of girl so you'll approve of me. But I'm not the right kind of girl, am I?" How does the saying go again- when the people shall have nothing more to eat, they will eat the rich? Seems like a more than appropriate title for Mike and Alex's next discussion, Eat The Rich (issues #1-5) by S…

1
Intro to Eat The Rich & Know Your Station & Creator Spotlight: Sarah Gailey, Pius Bak, and Liana Kangas 1:09:09

4M ago1:09:09

1:09:09

New year, new season of the Storied Arcs podcast! And to kick things off, Mike and Alex will be covering two books by the same writer, the Hugo Award winning and up-and-coming comic star Sarah Gailey- Eat The Rich (with artist Pius Bak) and Know Your Station (with artist Liana Kangas), both published by Boom Studios. The guys talk about what drew t…

1
Annual: Best Of 2023 1:18:52

4M ago1:18:52

1:18:52

We've reached the end of another calendar year and once again, Mike and Alex have come up one week short on stories to talk about. But fear not! Earlier this month, Mike, Alex, and great friend of the show Andy took a quick road trip up Interstate 71 to attend GalaxyCon Columbus 2023 and decided that was a perfect opportunity to record a podcast ep…

1
Ascender Volumes 03 & 04 1:24:20

4M ago1:24:20

1:24:20

"-I mean, after everything you have seen, it is so hard to believe there may be a design to the universe? -A design? All I see is chaos and death." We've reached the conclusion of Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen's space epic, and Mike and Alex are here to break it all down as they jump into Ascender Volumes 3 and 4, The Digital Mage and Star Seed (is…

1
Ascender Volumes 01 & 02 1:44:13

5M ago1:44:13

1:44:13

"There is no magic in the galaxy that I do not oversee. No power I do not control. I am Mother and the universe is mine." The cover may say "Ascender" but these collections might as well just be Descender Volumes 7 and 8, and Mike and Alex are here to break it all down, starting with Ascender Volumes 1 and 2, The Haunted Galaxy and The Dead Sea (is…

1
Descender Volumes 05 & 06 1:21:22

5M ago1:21:22

1:21:22

"But do you know the irony of that, Doctor? Robots never lied before you created the Tim series... before you gave robotkind the upgrades that made us more human and more like you." In this finale that's not really a finale, Mike and Alex are here to discuss the last chapters of Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen's Descender in Volumes 5 and 6, Rise of …

1
Descender Volumes 03 & 04 1:27:24

5M ago1:27:24

1:27:24

"What does it look like, Creator? I'm doing that you programmed me to do. I'm eliminating waste... just like a human." Mike and Alex are here to jump right back into Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen's Descender as they dive deep into Volumes 3 and 4, Singularities and Orbital Mechanics. The guys debate and discuss the choice Lemire and Nguyen made wit…

1
Descender Volumes 01 & 02 1:09:02

5M ago1:09:02

1:09:02

"Because they fear us, Tim-21. Because they were hurt and they wanted to hurt something back. Because they are human." We've arrived at a brand new season of Storied Arcs and Mike and Alex are diving right into Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen's space opera epic Descender Volumes 1 and 2, Tin Stars and Machine Moon (issues #1-11). The guys discuss how…

1
Intro to Descender/Ascender & Creator Spotlight: Dustin Nguyen 57:09

5M ago57:09

57:09

For the next season of Storied Arcs, Mike and Alex are revisiting the works of Jeff Lemire (aka Mike's literal favorite creator in comics) as they plan to dive head first into a pair of books by Lemire and superstar artist Dustin Nguyen, Descender and Ascender from Image Comics! The guys give a quick tease of this epic, two-part space opera and giv…

1
The Apocalyptic Trilogy Part 3: Eugenic 1:16:05

6M ago1:16:05

1:16:05

"And what if I could make it so race would never be a part of the equation again? That the way the world views us would never rely on how much melanin our ancestors needed to protect themselves from the sun? I could make us all the same. I could make us better." The final installment of the James Tynion IV and Eryk Donovan's Apocalyptic Trilogy, Eu…

1
The Apocalyptic Trilogy Part 2: Cognetic 1:34:03

6M ago1:34:03

1:34:03

"You were always selfish. You rallied us together to stop him all those years ago because you were afraid of losing one life you treasured more than the whole. You convinced us that life was all about those little glories. The little loves. And we believed you. And here, you've done it again." The end of the world, take two! Humanity meets its demi…

1
The Apocalyptic Trilogy Part 1: Memetic 1:39:42

6M ago1:39:42

1:39:42

"So the fate of the world rests in the hands of the maniac who decided to end it with a weird picture of a sloth." Storied Arcs is back with another great season as Mike and Alex get ready to talk about the end of the world three times over. First up is part one of James Tynion IV and Eryk Donovan's Apocalyptic Trilogy from Boom Studios, Memetic (i…

1
Pluto Volumes 7 & 8 with Tankobon Podcast 1:34:08

6M ago1:34:08

1:34:08

"No matter where we hide, we die. But, even if they know they will die... even if they know they will die no matter what they do, they do not abandon hope. That's what it means to be a human." At last, we have arrived at the epic conclusion of Naoki Urasawa's Pluto and of the Storied Arcs/Tankobon Podcast crossover event! Mike, Alex, and Cole are h…

1
Intro to The Apocalyptic Trilogy & Creator Spotlight: James Tynion IV and Eryk Donovan 1:08:19

6M ago1:08:19

1:08:19

For the next season of Storied Arcs, Mike and Alex invite you to join them at the end of the world as they get ready to dive into the Apocalyptic Trilogy, a spiritual and thematic trilogy of comics from Boom Studios by James Tynion IV and Eryk Donovan consisting of the books Memetic, Cognetic, and Eugenic. As usual with these zero episodes, the guy…

1
Pluto Volumes 5 & 6 with Tankobon Podcast 1:11:45

6M ago1:11:45

1:11:45

"If the stronger man wins, someone even stronger will just take him out. That's all there is to it." The Storied Arcs/Tankobon Podcast crossover continues! In this penultimate episode, Mike, Alex, and Cole examine Pluto Volumes 5 and 6 (chapters 32-47) and discuss how Naoki Urasawa is able to masterfully juggle a murder mystery detective story-turn…

1
Creator Interview: K. Lynn Smith 56:28

7M ago56:28

56:28

This week, Mike and Alex sit down and chat with the creator of Plume, K. Lynn Smith! They discuss her artistic and storytelling influences and look back at her origins posting her first work to the webcomic community. Then they dive into Plume, looking at why the Western genre was an appealing setting for her. They also examine how the immediate fe…

1
Pluto Volumes 3 & 4 with Tankobon Podcast 1:05:26

7M ago1:05:26

1:05:26

"A.I.? An A.I. is not created. It is raised. Terrible sadness, frustration... these are what nurture and A.I." Welcome back to the Storied Arcs/Tankobon Podcast crossover, where Mike, Alex, and special guest Cole are jumping right into the next volumes of Naoki Urasawa's Astro Boy-inspired manga, Pluto Volumes 3 and 4 (chapters 16-31). The guys dis…

1
Plume Volumes 3 & 4 58:12

7M ago58:12

58:12

"Revenge is for the selfish, justice is for the brave." In this episode, Mike and Alex head back to the wild, wild West and dive deep into the concluding arc of Plume by K. Lynn Smith with Volumes 3 and 4 (issues #10-17). They revisit the litany of Western-genre story tropes and discuss how Smith was able to once again subvert those genre expectati…

1
Pluto Volumes 1 & 2 with Tankobon Podcast 1:41:59

7M ago1:41:59

1:41:59

"He kept waving his hand until I could no longer see him. It filled my hard with emotion. My robot heart." Welcome to the Storied Arcs/Tankobon manga crossover event! This week, Mike, Alex, and Cole from the Tankobon Podcast dive right into Pluto Volumes 1 and 2 (Chapters 1-15) by Naoki Urasawa. The guys talk about the origins of Pluto, its ties to…

1
Plume Volumes 1 & 2 1:10:52

7M ago1:10:52

1:10:52

"My father once told me that revenge was like a plume of black smoke. It seems tangible... but when you reach for it... you're grasping nothing but air." In this first episode of the new season, Mike and Alex head to the Old West to discuss Plume Volumes 1 and 2 (issues #1-9) by cartoonist K. Lynn Smith. They look into the history of the Western as…

1
Announcement: Manga Crossover with the Tankobon Podcast 8:00

7M ago8:00

8:00

And now time for a special announcement! On Tuesdays in the month of October, we will be dropping some bonus content on this feed that we're super excited about. We have teamed up with the Tankobon podcast for a manga crossover event to discuss Pluto by Naoki Urasawa, a story inspired by the classic manga Astro Boy by Osamu Tezuka. There are eight …

1
Intro to Plume & Creator Spotlight: K. Lynn Smith 53:24

7M ago53:24

53:24

Mike and Alex are back for another season of Storied Arcs, and for this outing, they are diving into the world of webcomics as they get ready to discuss Plume by artist/writer K. Lynn Smith, originally published on the internet (RIP Smack Jeeves) and then in print by Devil's Due Comics. The guys get you primed for this supernatural-tinged western s…

1
Creator Interview: Will Morris 1:01:34

8M ago1:01:34

1:01:34

Mike sits down with the writer, penciler, colorist, and letterer for Gospel... Will Morris! They discuss the book's meaning, especially the ending, and how/why there was a change from the single-issue release to the trade paperback. Will also settles the score on the debate Mike and Alex had during their discussion of Gospel- which pop culture theo…

1
Gospel by Will Morris 1:26:18

8M ago1:26:18

1:26:18

"Joan of Arc never sought to be martyred, nor to be venerated. She wanted only to deliver France from oppression. That is what I want. To deliver my friends from danger." Mike and Alex are back for another one-shot episode, this time discussing Will Morris' book from Image Comics, Gospel. The guys take time to praise Morris' wonderful artwork befor…

1
Intro to Gospel & Creator Spotlight: Will Morris & Ver 42:03

8M ago42:03

42:03

Welcome to a new season of Storied Arcs! In this entry, Mike and Alex will be diving into the Gospel from cartoonist Will Morris and Image Comics. They'll talk about what drew them to the book (and maybe why Alex missed it when it was initially released) and also give some big picture thoughts on the story to set-up the discussion. Then as usual, t…

1
Creator Interview with LumeBento (manga publisher) 51:24

8M ago51:24

51:24

In this one-shot, Mike sits down with Javon Harris. Javon has dreamt of writing and publishing manga (Japanese comics) since the 3rd grade. Now, he's making it happen. In 2022, he founded what is now an international collaboration of creators and he's trying to get the word out. Know someone who is a manga fan? Be sure to share this episode with th…

1
Creator Interview: Lee Loughridge 1:08:48

9M ago1:08:48

1:08:48

[Content note, the language in this interview get a little spicy, but hey, it happens sometimes.] After speaking with both the artist (Alexandre Tefenkgi) and writer (Pornsak Pichetshote) of The Good Asian, Mike and Alex had to keep it moving and snag the colorist as well, the great Lee Loughridge! We talk about his lengthy career to date and go ba…

1
Creator Interview: Pornsak Pichetshote 48:18

9M ago48:18

48:18

In this episode, Mike and Alex are proud to present an exclusive interview with the Eisner Award-winning writer of The Good Asian, Pornsak Pichetshote! We discussed his origin in the comics industry, including his time as an editor at Vertigo Comics where he worked on such books as The Unwritten, Daytripper, Sweet Tooth, and many, many more iconic …

1
The Good Asian Volume 02 1:10:26

9M ago1:10:26

1:10:26

"You pay attention. When they're nervous. Whey they're relieved. All the different ways they think the world owns them happiness. They'll tell you everything about how they want to be treated. You just have to pay attention." Mike and Alex are back with another episode of Stories Arcs, this time discussing The Good Asian Volume 2 (issues #5-10) by …

1
The Good Asian Volume 01 1:10:18

9M ago1:10:18

1:10:18

"Chasing perfect's normal- it's the ones who get there you have be wary of. The perfect smile. Posture. Part in their hair... perfection takes sacrifice, so you have to be suspicious of anyone sad enough to go through with it." In this episode, Mike and Alex dive right into The Good Asian Volume 1 (issues #1-4) by Pornsak Pichetshote and Alexandre …

1
Intro to The Good Asian & Creator Spotlight: Pornsak Pichetshote 44:46

9M ago44:46

44:46

After getting the chance to talk with Eisner-award winning artist Alex Tefenkgi last week, Mike and Alex felt it was only appropriate to focus the next season of Storied Arcs on the comic that won him that Eisner, The Good Asian from Image Comics. The guys discuss what makes this book special and why it stood out to them in a sea of new comics that…

1
Creator Interview: Alexandre Tefenkgi 47:42

10M ago47:42

47:42

In the special episode, we have an exclusive interview with the great Alexandre Tefenkgi, the artist behind Outpost Zero, who was kind enough to chat with us all the way from his home in France. We discussed his origin in comics and how he got into the industry, then dove into his mindset when approaching projects. We also talked about his thought …

1
Outpost Zero Volume 03 The Only Living Things 1:09:35

10M ago1:09:35

1:09:35

"You guys are asking questions I don't think anyone's asked in a long time. It's dangerous, what you're doing... but someone should be doing it." Mike and Alex are here once again to break down the finale of Outpost Zero Volume 3 The Only Living Things (issues #10-14). The guys give their overall impressions of the book before jumping into the endi…

1
Outpost Zero Volume 02 Follow It Down 1:09:13

10M ago1:09:13

1:09:13

"When all is said and done, when it's all over... would you want to say you lived your life waiting to die? Or would you want to say something different?" In this episode, Mike and Alex return with you to Outpost Zero in Volume 2 Follow It Down (issues #5-9) and dive deep into the story as the characters dive deep into their home. The guys discuss …

1
Outpost Zero Volume 01 The Smallest Town in the Universe 1:20:01

10M ago1:20:01

1:20:01

"I wish I could be there. Wish I could see all the incredible alien things. If you're watching this... I guess you were lucky." Welcome to Outpost Zero and to another season of Storied Arcs! In this opening episode, Mike and Alex gravity-jump straight into Volume 1 The Smallest Town in the Universe (issues #1-4) of the Skybound comic and consider i…

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