Nerdy Mewzings

James Foster

A weekly comic book interview podcast where host & artist James chats with comic industry pros, collectors, creators, & average nerds about all things comics, art, & more. Keep it nerdy! Website: nerdymewzings.com/podcast Video version of episodes: youtube.com/@nerdymewzings Patreon: patreon.com/nerdymewzings X (Twitter) - Instagram - TikTok @nerdymewzings

  1. 5d ago

    Artist Jin Han on Diversifying Across Comics, Toys & Concept Art

    Concept and Comic Artist Jin Han joins Nerdy Mewzings to discuss his career which has spanned comics (Spawn coloring and fill-in work), McFarlane Toys (lead concept artist), animation, and running Yellow Tracksuit Entertainment, which consults and designs for Hasbro, Mattel, Jazwares, Playmates Toys, Disney, Universal, and Sony. Jin and James talk about the importance of creative diversification, how original art collecting taught him scale and the penciler-inker relationship, and why he’s been moving back toward traditional work after years of digital. They cover Whilce Portacio’s early digital pioneering, Brian Haberlin’s advice to hide brush strokes, Travis Charest’s constant evolution, Mike Mignola’s economy of form, and the realities of the original art and collectibles markets. The conversation closes with a discussion about Marvel Studios laying off nearly its entire creative team, Disney’s AI partnerships, and how creators need to be prepared to pivot in ever changing times! If you work in comics, toys, or concept art — or just love hearing how artistic veterans stay working — Leave a 5 STAR Review, share with friends, & Keep it Nerdy! Follow Jin: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jinhan.art YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@jinhan_art Official Website: https://www.yellowtracksuit.com/ Patreon Nerdy Insider Members receive each week's episode 48 hours early, a shoutout on the show, and other perks. Join them there for only $5 per month: https://patreon.com/nerdymewzings Timestamps 0:00 - Intro & Why Diversification Matters 4:00 - Original Art Collecting & Learning from Pages 10:00 - Traditional vs Digital Process 17:00 - Whilce Portacio, Brian Haberlin & Adaptable Artists 21:00 - Travis Charest, Mignola & Artistic Evolution 25:00 - Artists Jin Collects 29:00 - Emotional Value vs Market Value 35:00 - Collectibles Speculation, FOMO & Human Nature 44:00 - Yellow Tracksuit Studio & Going Independent 51:00 - Marvel Studios Layoffs, Disney & AI 1:02:00 - Where to Find Jin & Outro

    Artist Jin Han on Diversifying Across Comics, Toys & Concept Art
  2. Sep 7

    Ghost Man Haunts Again: Comic Creator Raymar Brunson Returns to Nerdy Mewzings

    Independent Comic Book Creator Raymar Brunson ( ⁨@artofbrunson⁩ ) returns to Nerdy Mewzings more than a year after his first appearance with a packed slate: Ghost Man Haunts Again (issue 3, 56 pages, out October from Cosmic Lion Productions), self-published Gatling Boy with Kevin Anthony Catalan, Pickle PI, Damu, and an upcoming flip-book collab with Erwin Papa. Raymar talks about jumping into comics in 2023 after years of photography and music videos, living at home to grind, networking with people already doing the work, and treating Ghost Man as a fun testing ground for his art. He breaks down digital pencils + traditional inks, tight thumbnails inspired by Chris Samnee, favorite tools, and influences from Bruce Timm and James Harren to Frank Miller, Jordi Bernet, and Alex Toth. We also cover printing for self publishing, saying yes to almost everything, and why he still loves the Punisher-inspired vigilante at the heart of Ghost Man (now with sidekick Head Hauntcho). If you love indie action comics, black-and-white storytelling, or creators who just keep shipping — Leave a 5 STAR Review, share with your friends, & Keep it Nerdy! Follow Raymar: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/artofbrunson X - https://x.com/artofbrunson TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@artofbrunson Buy Raymar's Comics: https://cosmiclionproductions.com/comics-shop/ols/search?keywords=brunson Snag Raymar's original art: https://www.panelpunk.com/collections/raymar-brunson Join the Nerdy Insider Club on Patreon for early episode access, a shout out on the pod, and bonus content: https://patreon.com/nerdymewzings Timestamps 0:00 - Intro & Raymar Brunson Returns 2:00 - Ghost Man 3, Gatling Boy & Current Work 8:00 - Collaborations, Mixam Printing & Kickstarter Plans 15:00 - Process: Digital Pencils, Traditional Inks & Tools 22:00 - Speed, Quality & Working Multiple Projects 28:00 - Art Origins, Influences & Switching from Film 36:00 - Photography/Cinematography Influence on Comics 43:00 - Ghost Man Premise, Head Hauntcho & New Issue 50:00 - Distribution, Upcoming Projects & Saying Yes 56:00 - Dream Big Two Characters & Composition Tips 63:00 - Where to Follow Raymar & Outro

    Ghost Man Haunts Again: Comic Creator Raymar Brunson Returns to Nerdy Mewzings
  3. Aug 31

    Artist Colm Griffin on Directing, Radiant Black, & Variant Covers

    Artist Colm Griffin stops by Nerdy Mewzings and becomes the fourth Irish comic creator on the show! We talked about how he is balancing a thriving film directing career along with his lifelong passion for comic books. Colm shares about growing up in a small Irish town with limited comic access, the chance encounters that sent him into animation instead of fine art, and how versatility (penciling, inking, coloring, Adobe After Effects, editing) opened every door for his career. We cover his 225-page self-made comic he worked on during a production lull, early IDW work on Beast Wars, the game-changing Radiant Black “Tron cover” for Kyle Higgins, current Power Rangers and upcoming Ninja Turtles covers, and a newly signed (still secret) project. He also discusses studying artist editions, real-time feedback from Irish peers like Danny Earls and Declan Shalvey, treating art like a blue-collar job, and why he still draws for himself after a long day of directing. If you love variant cover artists, Irish comics talent, or creators who wear multiple hats — Leave a 5 STAR Review, Share with a Friend, & Keep it Nerdy! Follow Colm: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/artofcolmgriffin X - https://x.com/Colgriff84 Currently nominated for a Ringo Award (Best Cover Artist – Power Rangers) Become a Nerdy Mewzings Patreon member for early episode access, a shoutout on the show, and bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/NerdyMewzings Timestamps 0:00 - Intro & Colm Griffin Joins Nerdy Mewzings 3:00 - Directing Career vs. Comic Passion 10:00 - Animation Path & Chance Encounters 16:00 - Early Comic Influences & Limited Access 22:00 - Artistic Influences & Style 28:00 - Breaking Into Comics: Beast Wars & Radiant Black 35:00 - Versatility in Film & Animation 42:00 - Studying Artist Editions & Mentors 50:00 - Storytelling from Film to Comics 55:00 - Upcoming Work, Ringo Nomination & Where to Follow 59:00 - Outro & Support Nerdy Mewzings

    Artist Colm Griffin on Directing, Radiant Black, & Variant Covers
  4. Aug 24

    Artist Nate Myers on Creator Owned Comics, Kickstarter & Self-Taught Art

    Nate Myers joins Nerdy Mewzings to talk about his creator-owned series 'Predation', the joys and challenges of doing every creative role yourself, and launching successful Kickstarters from the Pacific Northwest. Nate shares childhood inspirations from Batman ’89, Ninja Turtles, ThunderCats, and Todd McFarlane’s Spider-Man/Spawn, plus later influences like Andy Kubert and Erik Larsen. A lifelong doodler who taught himself through practice and YouTube, he walks the long path from a 2000s Kinko’s made comic to finally feeling ready to publish. We dive into Predation’s story (hero Talis vs. overlord Ramus in a sci-fi/fantasy world blending Conan and ThunderCats vibes), his full-size thumbnail-to-Bristol process, traditional pencils/inks into digital color and lettering, and the lessons from his first successful Kickstarter. Issue 2 is nearly complete, with a new Kickstarter planned right after Pacific Nerdwest and ashcan editions ready for the show https://pacificnerdwest.com If you love solo creator-owned comics, process talk, or the indie comic book scene — Leave a 5 STAR review, Share with a friend, & Keep it Nerdy!  Follow Nate: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/natescottart Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/nate.myers.942 TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@therealrealmcgarymyers Become a Patreon Nerdy Mewzings Insider and receive each week's episode 48 hours early, a shoutout on the show, and more perks to come: https://patreon.com/nerdymewzings Timestamps 0:00 - Intro & Nate Myers Joins Nerdy Mewzings 3:00 - Childhood Influences: Batman, Turtles & McFarlane 10:00 - Favorite Artists & How Tastes Evolve 15:00 - Early Drawing Days & Self-Taught Path 20:00 - Deciding to Create Predation 25:00 - Elevator Pitch for Predation 30:00 - Solo Creator Process: Pencils, Inks, Color & Lettering 38:00 - Page Layout, Eye Flow & Tools 45:00 - Digital vs Traditional & Procreate Tips 52:00 - First Kickstarter Lessons & Issue 2 Plans 58:00 - Pacific Nerdwest, Printing & Where to Follow 61:00 - Outro & Support Nerdy Mewzings

    Artist Nate Myers on Creator Owned Comics, Kickstarter & Self-Taught Art
  5. Aug 17

    Ryan Crowe on This Land Is Old and Dark, Scott Snyder & Horror

    Writer and Comedian Ryan Crowe joins Nerdy Mewzings to discuss his new comic book 'This Land Is Old and Dark', a three-issue horror miniseries from Invader Comics featuring stunning art by Abel Garcia. Set in the late 18th century during westward expansion, the story explores themes of land ownership, the untamable wilderness, and humanity’s folly against primordial nature — all rendered in a striking black, red, and sepia palette born from smart creative constraints. Ryan shares how Scott Snyder mentored him through the Substack community, the economic and artistic choices that shaped the book’s unique look, discovering Abel Garcia on Instagram, and landing variant covers from legends like Michael Kaluta and Simon Bisley. We also delve into his comedy background (Drunk Theater), lifelong love of writing and comics (from Superman and Spawn to Moebius and underground work), and what’s next after issue one (releasing late August) already broke sales records for the publisher! If you love indie horror, thoughtful storytelling, or Scott Snyder — Leave a 5 STAR Review, Share with a Friend, & Keep it Nerdy! Follow Ryan: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/doctorcrowe Publisher - https://www.instagram.com/invadercomics Become a Nerdy Insider on Patreon and receive each week's episode 48 hours early, a shoutout on the show, and more to come: https://patreon.com/nerdymewzings Timestamps 0:00 - Intro & Ryan Crowe Joins Nerdy Mewzings 2:00 - Abel Garcia’s Art & Limited Color Choices 7:00 - Elevator Pitch for This Land Is Old and Dark 11:00 - Meeting Invader Comics & Choosing the Path 16:00 - Early Writing Roots & First Comics 22:00 - Comedy Career & Finding Time for Comics 28:00 - Collecting, Influences & Favorite Artists/Writers 35:00 - Release Plans, Covers & Kickstarter Trade 42:00 - Future Ideas & Advice for Creators 48:00 - Where to Follow Ryan & Outro

    Ryan Crowe on This Land Is Old and Dark, Scott Snyder & Horror
  6. Aug 10

    Maddax Mendonca: 12 Year Old Comic Book Art Prodigy & Creator of Infimind

    Maddax Mendonca (maddaxdraws), the young comic art prodigy, joins Nerdy Mewzings for his first podcast appearance to talk about starting to draw as a toddler, putting in endless hours of practice, and creating his own comic Infimind inspired by his brother's health struggles. Maddax shares how Marvel, DC, Invincible, X-Men, and artists like Ryan Ottley, David Finch, and Todd McFarlane shaped him. He details putting in eight-hour drawing days as a kid, mastering colored pencil pieces that take 25–30+ hours, and studying Bridgman the way David Finch recommends. We cover his SDCC booth experiences (including news coverage since age 11), meeting pros like Todd Beats, Jim Lee, and Wil Shrike, art trades, live TikTok streams every night, and the inspiration behind his creator owned comic book Infimind — a story about his brother gaining superpowers after an eye-surgery mishap. He’s already writing AND drawing the interiors for issue two! If you love inspiring creators, colored pencil art, Invincible, or original comics — Leave a 5 STAR review & Keep it Nerdy! Follow Maddax: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/maddaxdraws TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@maddax.draws (LIVE most nights around 7:30pm) Subscribe to Maddax on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@maddaxdraws Grab Infimind at https://www.maddaxdraws.com/ Become a member of the Nerdy Mewzings Patreon and get each week's episode 48 hours EARLY, a shoutout in each episode, and more to come: https://patreon.com/nerdymewzings Timestamps 0:00 - Intro & Maddax Mendonca Joins Nerdy Mewzings 2:00 - Marvel, Invincible, Ottley & Finch Influences 8:00 - Starting Young & Putting in the Hours 14:00 - YouTube Learning, Mediums & Colored Pencil Focus 20:00 - SDCC Booth, News Clips & Meeting Pros 28:00 - Creating Infimind & Brother’s Inspiration 35:00 - Anatomy Study: Bridgman, Finch & Visual Library 42:00 - Comic-Con Experiences & Art Community 50:00 - Current Comics, Commissions & Second Issue 55:00 - Where to Follow Maddax & Outro

    Maddax Mendonca: 12 Year Old Comic Book Art Prodigy & Creator of Infimind
  7. Aug 3

    Rob Duenas (Sketchcraft) on Spawn Kills, Todd McFarlane & Career

    Rob Duenas (Sketchcraft) joins James on Nerdy Mewzings for a wide-ranging conversation about his self-taught path, major career breaks from having a presence on DeviantArt and Instagram, to drawing Spawn Kills after a direct DM from Todd McFarlane! Rob shares about his childhood, growing up in San Diego with comics from Circle K and 7-Eleven racks, learning by watching portfolio reviews at Comic-Con as a teen, and how Gnomon Workshop DVDs (especially Scott Robertson’s perspective) transformed his skills. He details landing Toys for Bob work on Crash Bandicoot and Spyro from a single DeviantArt post, the unexpected TMP outreach, and going wild designing endless Spawn variants for the book. His influences range from Carlos Meglia and Bill Watterson to early Image and Mirage Ninja Turtles. He is currently streaming on Whatnot, prepping an art book, and stockpiling creator-owned scripts, Rob offers honest insights on Artist Alley changes, consistency, and never quitting! If you love Spawn, game art, self-taught journeys, or Whatnot creators — Leave a 5 STAR REVIEW, share with a friend, & Keep it Nerdy!  Visit Rob's Official Website: https://www.sketchcraft.com/ Subscribe to the Sketchcraft YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/Sketchcraft Follow Rob AKA Sketchcraft: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sketchcraft/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/RealSketchcraft/ Whatnot - https://www.whatnot.com/user/sketchcraft Become a Nerdy Mewzings Insider on Patreon and gain access to each week's episode 48 hours EARLY, a shoutout on each show, and more to come: https://patreon.com/nerdymewzings Timestamps 0:00 - Intro & Rob Duenas (Sketchcraft) Joins 2:00 - San Diego Roots, Circle K Comics & Early Influences 8:00 - Self-Taught Path: Portfolio Reviews & Gnomon DVDs 15:00 - Mad Engine T-Shirts & Early Freelance Comics 22:00 - DeviantArt Break: Toys for Bob & Crash Bandicoot 30:00 - Todd McFarlane DM & Drawing Spawn Kills 38:00 - Carlos Meglia Influence & Artistic Identity 45:00 - Whatnot Streams, Artist Alley Changes & Consistency 52:00 - Art Book, Creator-Owned Plans & Upcoming Covers 57:00 - Where to Follow Sketchcraft 59:00 - Outro & Support Nerdy Mewzings

    Rob Duenas (Sketchcraft) on Spawn Kills, Todd McFarlane & Career
  8. Jul 27

    Comic Artist Dan Farruggia: Marvel Sketch Cards, Absolute Batman & More

    Dan Farruggia (Marvel sketch card artist, NiFe WARS variant cover creator) joins Nerdy Mewzings to share his path from childhood drawing and gaming to art school, a graphic design career, and a passionate return to illustration. Dan talks about growing up with Spider-Man, Batman, and X-Men animated series, the influence of Dragon Ball Z and Akira Toriyama, and how video games like Earthworm Jim sparked his creativity. He details his BFA in illustration, early concept art work, the five-year hiatus, and the epiphany that brought him back to drawing full-force. Now creating licensed Marvel one-of-one sketch cards for Topps, taking commissions, and celebrating his first published variant cover for NiFe WARS (out in September), Dan also dives into traditional Copic marker techniques, the pull of physical art in a digital age, Absolute Batman’s cultural impact, and Ryan Ottley’s Battle Beast. If you love sketch cards, variant covers, traditional comic art, or creator comeback stories — Tune in, share with a friend, & Keep it Nerdy! Follow Dan Farruggia: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/danfarruggia_art Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/dan.farruggia WhatNot - https://www.whatnot.com/user/danfarruggia_art Subscribe to Dan's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@danfarruggia_art NiFe WARS variant cover arriving in September! Become a Nerdy Mewzings Insider on Patreon and receive each week's episode 48 hours EARLY, your name shouted out on the pod, and more: https://patreon.com/nerdymewzings Timestamps 0:00 - Intro & Dan Farruggia Joins Nerdy Mewzings 2:00 - Childhood Drawing, Gaming & Comic Gateways 8:00 - Art School, Concept Art Dreams & Graphic Design Path 15:00 - The Five-Year Hiatus & Return to Drawing 21:00 - Marvel Sketch Cards for Topps & Upper Deck 28:00 - Navigating Perfectionism & Building a Visual Library 35:00 - First Published Cover: NiFe WARS Variant 42:00 - Absolute Batman, New Readers & Industry Impact 50:00 - Ryan Ottley, Battle Beast & Current Inspiration 57:00 - Traditional vs Digital & the Pull of Physical Art 64:00 - Where to Follow Dan & Upcoming Projects 69:00 - Outro & Support Nerdy Mewzings

    Comic Artist Dan Farruggia: Marvel Sketch Cards, Absolute Batman & More

Ratings & Reviews

4.7
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

A weekly comic book interview podcast where host & artist James chats with comic industry pros, collectors, creators, & average nerds about all things comics, art, & more. Keep it nerdy! Website: nerdymewzings.com/podcast Video version of episodes: youtube.com/@nerdymewzings Patreon: patreon.com/nerdymewzings X (Twitter) - Instagram - TikTok @nerdymewzings

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