HARD AGREE

Hard Agree

Hard Agree is a pop culture podcast hosted by journalist/editor/presenter Andrew Sumner between April 2021 and December 2022 - with an annual December edition that continues to this day. Hard Agree features Sumner chatting with various artists, creators and media professionals about art, passion, popular culture and that moment of instinctive, connective agreement he calls a HARD AGREE. © 2021-2026 Andrew Sumner. All Rights Reserved.

  1. Jan 6

    32. A Hard Agree Christmas Carol 2025

    In this annual festive charity edition of Hard Agree from Friday December 19th 2025, Andrew Sumner is joined by the egg-nog-sipping Hard Agree Yuletide Players, recruited from the worlds of comics, movies, TV and theatre: legendary fantasy author Michael Moorcock; BBC presenter & wine expert Olly Smith (BBC’s Saturday Kitchen, Olly Smith’s Home Cocktail Bible); author, actor & MCU star Evangeline Lilly (Lost, The Hobbit, Ant-Man and The Wasp); comic book legend Dave Gibbons (Watchmen, Kingsman, The Originals); West End theatre star Julie Stark (Chess, Les Misérables, We Will Rock You, Sister Act); comics editor & creator David Leach (Psycho Gran, David Leach Conquers the Universe); comics PR guru Will O’Mullane (Titan Comics, Establishing Shots) and designer, artist & comics creator Kelly Yates (Amber Atoms, MonstHer, Doctor Who - Kelly also donated our annual Hard Agree Yuletide Players illustration). A Hard Agree Christmas Carol is the December 2025 edition of Hard Agree’s annual yuletide charity podcast and features Sumner and his guests performing Charles Dickens’ live version of his festive classic A Christmas Carol (in support of Comic Books for Kids). As Sumner says: “ComicBooks for Kids is a wonderful charity founded by Mark Weiss that does amazing work getting comic books into the hands of children in long-term hospital care on both sides of the Atlantic. Myself and Kenric Regan & John Horsley have always admired Dickens’ timeless seasonal message of empathy & civic responsibility, and thought ‘what better way to underline & amplify ComicBooks for Kids’ mission than to return to the words of Charles Dickens himself, the great believer in human society pulling together?’ Please visit their website CB4K.org, please check them out and please do what you can to help.” You can donate to Comic Books for Kids HERE: https://www.comicbooksforkids.org/donatestart You can check out everything Comic Books for Kids does at these links: https://CB4K.org https://www.comicbooksforkids.org/home https://twitter.com/Comicbooks4kids https://twitter.com/CB4KUK https://www.facebook.com/comicbooksforkids https://www.instagram.com/cb4kuk/ https://www.instagram.com/comicbooks4kids/ Check out Andrew Sumer's interviews with the cast here at Hard Agree and at Forbidden Planet TV on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLct3NgjqopMP45kVzdeb8cFsBC6G8UrPW&si=ygPvXZKTfW0bo4Qe Follow Evangeline Lilly online: https://www.instagram.com/evangelinelillyofficial/ Follow Michael Moorcock on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/buggerly.otherly Follow Dave Gibbons on Instagram: https://twitter.com/davegibbons90 Follow Olly Smith online: https://ollysmith.com/ https://twitter.com/jollyolly https://www.instagram.com/ollysmith/ Follow Julie Stark online: https://www.juliestark.co.uk/ https://twitter.com/juliejuliestark Follow David Leach online: https://twitter.com/davidleach2000 Follow Will O’Mullane online: https://twitter.com/willomullane https://establishingshotcomic.wordpress.com/ Follow Kelly Yates online: https://twitter.com/kellyyates_art https://subscribe.kellyyatesart.com/ © 2021-2026 Andrew Sumner. All Rights Reserved.

    1h 20m
  2. Jan 6

    31. A Hard Agree Christmas Carol 2024

    In this annual festive charity edition of HARD AGREE from Wednesday December 18th 2024, Andrew Sumner is joined by the merry Hard Agree Yuletide Players, all hailing from the worlds of comics, movies, TV and theatre: legendary fantasy author Michael Moorcock; BBC presenter & wine expert Olly Smith (BBC’s Saturday Kitchen, Olly Smith’s Home Cocktail Bible); author, actor & MCU star Evangeline Lilly (Lost, The Hobbit, Ant-Man and The Wasp); comic book legend Dave Gibbons (Watchmen, Kingsman, The Originals); West End theatre star Julie Stark (Chess, Les Misérables, We Will Rock You, Sister Act); comics editor & creator David Leach (Psycho Gran, David Leach Conquers the Universe); comics PR guru Will O’Mullane (Titan Comics, Establishing Shots) and designer, artist & comics creator Kelly Yates (Amber Atoms, MonstHer, Doctor Who - Kelly also donated our annual Hard Agree Yuletide Players illustration). A Hard Agree Christmas Carol is the December 2024 edition of Hard Agree’s annual yuletide charity podcast and features Sumner and his guests performing Charles Dickens’ live version of his festive classic A Christmas Carol (in support of Comic Books for Kids). As Sumner says: “ComicBooks for Kids is a wonderful charity founded by Mark Weiss that does amazing work getting comic books into the hands of children in long-term hospital care on both sides of the Atlantic. Myself and Kenric Regan & John Horsley have always admired Dickens’ timeless seasonal message of empathy & civic responsibility, and thought ‘what better way to underline & amplify ComicBooks for Kids’ mission than to return to the words of Charles Dickens himself, the great believer in human society pulling together?’ Please visit their website CB4K.org, please check them out and please do what you can to help.” You can donate to Comic Books for Kids HERE: https://www.comicbooksforkids.org/donatestart You can check out everything Comic Books for Kids does at these links: https://CB4K.org https://www.comicbooksforkids.org/home https://twitter.com/Comicbooks4kids https://twitter.com/CB4KUKhttps://www.facebook.com/comicbooksforkids https://www.instagram.com/cb4kuk/ https://www.instagram.com/comicbooks4kids/ Follow Evangeline Lilly online: https://www.instagram.com/evangelinelillyofficial/ Follow Michael Moorcock on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/buggerly.otherly Follow Dave Gibbons on Instagram: https://twitter.com/davegibbons90 Follow Olly Smith online: https://ollysmith.com/ https://twitter.com/jollyollyhttps:// www.instagram.com/ollysmith/ Follow Julie Stark online: https://www.juliestark.co.uk/ https://twitter.com/juliejuliestark Follow David Leach online: https://twitter.com/davidleach2000 Follow Will O’Mullane online: https://twitter.com/willomullane https://establishingshotcomic.wordpress.com/ Follow Kelly Yates online: https://twitter.com/kellyyates_art https://subscribe.kellyyatesart.com/ © 2021-2026 Andrew Sumner. All Rights Reserved.

    1h 20m
  3. Jan 6

    30. A Hard Agree Christmas Carol 2023

    In this Christmas charity edition of HARD AGREE from Tuesday December 19th 2023, Andrew Sumner is joined by eight special guests from the worlds of comics, movies, TV and theatre: legendary fantasy author Michael Moorcock; BBC presenter & wine expert Olly Smith (BBC’s Saturday Kitchen, Olly Smith’s Home Cocktail Bible); author, actor & MCU star Evangeline Lilly (Lost, The Hobbit, Ant-Man and The Wasp); comic book legend Dave Gibbons (Watchmen, Kingsman, The Originals); West End theatre star Julie Stark (Chess, Les Misérables, We Will Rock You, Sister Act); comics editor & creator David Leach (Psycho Gran, David Leach Conquers the Universe); marketing guru & ComicBooks for Kids UK director Will O’Mullane (Titan Comics) and designer, artist & comics creator Kelly Yates (Amber Atoms, MonstHer, Doctor Who - Kelly also donated our annual Hard Agree Yuletide Players cartoon). A Hard Agree Christmas Carol is the December 2023 edition of Hard Agree’s annual yuletide charity podcast and features Sumner and his guests performing Charles Dickens’ live version of his festive classic A Christmas Carol (in support of Comic Books for Kids). As Sumner says: “ComicBooks for Kids is a wonderful charity founded by Mark Weiss that does amazing work getting comic books into the hands of children in long-term hospital care on both sides of the Atlantic. Myself and Kenric Regan & John Horsley have always admired Dickens’ timeless seasonal message of empathy & civic responsibility, and thought ‘what better way to underline & amplify ComicBooks for Kids’ mission than to return to the words of Charles Dickens himself, the great believer in human society pulling together?’ Please visit their website CB4K.org, please check them out and please do what you can to help.” You can donate to Comic Books for Kids HERE: https://www.comicbooksforkids.org/donatestart You can check out everything Comic Books for Kids does at these links: https://CB4K.org https://www.comicbooksforkids.org/home https://twitter.com/Comicbooks4kids https://twitter.com/CB4KUK https://www.facebook.com/comicbooksforkids https://www.instagram.com/cb4kuk/ https://www.instagram.com/comicbooks4kids/ Follow Evangeline Lilly online: https://www.instagram.com/evangelinelillyofficial/ Follow Michael Moorcock on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/buggerly.otherly Follow Dave Gibbons on Instagram: https://twitter.com/davegibbons90 Follow Olly Smith online:https://ollysmith.com/ https://twitter.com/jollyolly https://www.instagram.com/ollysmith/ Follow Julie Stark online: https://www.juliestark.co.uk/ https://twitter.com/juliejuliestark Follow David Leach online: https://twitter.com/davidleach2000 Follow Will O’Mullane online: https://twitter.com/willomullane https://establishingshotcomic.wordpress.com/ Follow Kelly Yates online: https://twitter.com/kellyyates_art https://subscribe.kellyyatesart.com/ © 2021-2026 Andrew Sumner. All Rights Reserved.

    1h 20m
  4. Jan 6

    29. A Hard Agree Christmas Carol 2022

    In this Yuletide charity edition of HARD AGREE from Friday December 23rd 2022, Andrew Sumner is joined by seven special guests from the worlds of comics, movies, TV and theatre: legendary fantasy author Michael Moorcock; BBC presenter & wine expert Olly Smith (BBC’s Saturday Kitchen, Olly Smith’s Home Cocktail Bible); author, actor & movie star Evangeline Lilly (Lost, The Hobbit, Ant-Man and The Wasp); comic book legend Dave Gibbons (Watchmen, Kingsman, The Originals); West End theatre star Julie Stark (Company, Chess, Les Misérables, We Will Rock You); comics editor & creator David Leach (Psycho Gran, David Leach Conquers the Universe) and marketing guru & ComicBooks for Kids UK director Will O’Mullane (Titan Comics). A Hard Agree Christmas Carol is the Christmas 2022 edition of Hard Agree’s annual yuletide charity podcast and features Sumner and his guests performing Charles Dickens’ live version of his Yuletide classic A Christmas Carol (in support of Comic Books for Kids). Our annual Hard Agree Players cartoon was donated by artist supreme Kelly Yates (Doctor Who, Amber Atoms, MonstHer). As Sumner says: “ComicBooks for Kids is a wonderful charity founded by Mark Weiss that does amazing work getting comic books into the hands of children in long-term hospital care on both sides of the Atlantic. Myself and my co-producers Kenric Regan & John Horsley have always admired Dickens’ timeless seasonal message of empathy & civic responsibility, and thought ‘what better way to underline & amplify ComicBooks for Kids’ mission than to return to the words of Charles Dickens himself, the great believer in human society pulling together?’ Please visit their website CB4K.org, please check them out and please do what you can to help.” You can donate to Comic Books for Kids HERE: https://www.comicbooksforkids.org/donatestart You can check out everything Comic Books for Kids does at these links: https://CB4K.org https://www.comicbooksforkids.org/home https://twitter.com/Comicbooks4kids https://twitter.com/CB4KUK https://www.facebook.com/comicbooksforkids https://www.instagram.com/cb4kuk/ https://www.instagram.com/comicbooks4kids/ Follow Evangeline Lilly online: https://www.instagram.com/evangelinelillyofficial/ Follow Michael Moorcock on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/buggerly.otherly Follow Dave Gibbons on Instagram: https://twitter.com/davegibbons90 Follow Olly Smith online: https://ollysmith.com/ https://twitter.com/jollyolly https://www.instagram.com/ollysmith/ Follow Julie Stark online: https://www.juliestark.co.uk/ https://twitter.com/juliejuliestark Follow David Leach online: https://twitter.com/davidleach2000 Follow Will O’Mullane online: https://twitter.com/willomullane https://establishingshotcomic.wordpress.com/ Follow Kelly Yates online: https://twitter.com/kellyyates_art https://subscribe.kellyyatesart.com/ © 2021-2026 Andrew Sumner. All Rights Reserved.

    1h 20m
  5. Jan 6

    28. Professor Ed Catto - Always Ready for Action

    In this twenty-eighth episode of HARD AGREE from Tuesday October 18th 2022, Andrew Sumner is joined by his old comics industry pal, Professor Ed Catto. The always-cheerful-and-upbeat Ed has fulfilled many roles in the comics business: illustrator, marketeer, entrepreneur, founder & managing director at the Agendae consulting agency, co-owner of Captain Action Enterprises, pop culture columnist at Comic Mix and professor & instructor at Ithaca College. He’s also one of the nicest guys Sumner has ever met - and their freewheeling conversation in this episode covers: Ed’s diverse career history; his lifelong love of comics; working with Stan Lee; working with the Bonfire Agency; teaching at Ithaca College; working with Joe Ahearn and his business partners on Captain Action, DC Comics’ classic short-lived 1960s Captain Action series (created by Jim Shooter, Wally Wood & Gil Kane) and IDW’s beautiful collected edition of those comics (edited by the mighty Scott Dunbier), the ongoing brilliance of comics writer Mark Waid, the beauty & brilliance of James Robinson’s Starman and Giffen, DeMatteis & Maguire’s Justice League and Brubaker & Phillips’ Reckless, the majesty of Will Eisner; Michael T Gilbert’s groundbreaking research into the life of Eisner’s supernaturally-gifted letterer on The Spirit: Abe Kanegson; Ed’s own tireless work as a leading comics journalist & historian – and the power & importance of aspirational positivity. Follow Ed online: https://www.facebook.com/edcatto https://twitter.com//EdCatto/ https://www.instagram.com/edcatto3/ Read Ed’s With Further Ado column: https://popculturesquad.com/tag/with-further-ado/ Check out Captain Action Enterprises: https://www.captainaction.com/ “Golden – The Hard Agree Theme” written and recorded for the podcast by DENIO © 2021-2026 Andrew Sumner. All Rights Reserved.

    1h 22m
  6. Jan 6

    27. Paul Levitz - Five Decades at DC Comics

    In this twenty-sixth episode of HARD AGREE from Tuesday September 27th 2022, Andrew Sumner is joined by the renowned long-term president and publisher of DC Comics: Paul Levitz. Paul talks with Sumner about his unique career and his amazingly eventful 48 years on the payroll at DC, where he was involved with a massive amount of positive change that affected both DC and the entire US comics industry. Paul discusses working on DC’s war books, particularly Men of War (starring Gravedigger) and Star Spangled War Stories (starring The Unknown Soldier); enjoying My Favorite Martian and Get Smart; loving Mort Weisinger’s Superman line; working with the legendary Steve Ditko and co-creating with Steve the Prince Gavyn Starman and Stalker (inked by the unique Wally Wood); the brilliance of James Robinson’s Starman, working with his hero Will Eisner on DC’s complete The Spirit Archives; the acclaimed comic-book alumnae of DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx; working with the illustrious Joe Kubert; the importance of family life and the delights of parenthood; working with the great Gerry Conway; his long association with the Justice Society of America; the underrated-but-abiding creative power of the Milestone Comics line; the brilliance of Curt Swan; the amazing publishing team at BOOM! Studios and Ram V’s best-selling, critically-lauded The Many Deaths of Laila Starr. If you dig listening to these guys chat, you can watch another, earlier hour of conversation between Paul & Andrew at Sumner’s Forbidden Planet TV show on YouTube :https://youtu.be/bcdhgZ2c-TU Follow Paul online: https://twitter.com/paul_levitz https://www.facebook.com/paul.levitz https://paullevitz.com/ “Golden – The Hard Agree Theme” written and recorded for the podcast by DENIO © 2021-2026 Andrew Sumner. All Rights Reserved.

    1h 10m

About

Hard Agree is a pop culture podcast hosted by journalist/editor/presenter Andrew Sumner between April 2021 and December 2022 - with an annual December edition that continues to this day. Hard Agree features Sumner chatting with various artists, creators and media professionals about art, passion, popular culture and that moment of instinctive, connective agreement he calls a HARD AGREE. © 2021-2026 Andrew Sumner. All Rights Reserved.