Transcending Comics had our first ever live show at Flame Con 2024! We were lucky enough to be joined by some incredible panelists, including Maia Kobabe (Gender Queer: A Memoir), Kim Wang (Of Thunder & Lightning), Ben Kahn (Elle Campbell Wins Their Weekend, Renegade Rule), and Daniel Falco (Transphoria)! We absolutely loved the input from each of our panelists, and the audience had some great questions for the creators. We also want to give a special shoutout to our friend Sadie for capturing and editing the footage of this event, she even managed to good audio of the audience questions, which we couldn't have managed without her! Stay tuned for more from our trip to Flame Con!   Music: Intro: A Little Soul by Carlsin Outro: You've Been Starrin by Carlsin Check out more of his music on Carlsin.com

This week, Eri and Tomi dive headfirst into the vat of comedy chemicals that is The People's Joker! We discuss everything we love about Vera Drew's incredible indie film, and how it changes our viewpoints on what we expect to see from trans representation in comic book films going forward.  You can buy The People's Joker on DVD, Blu-ray, and VHS from DiabolikDVD or Amazon today! Don't forget to support our own first comic, When We Transform, currently live on Kickstarter! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tomitrembath/when-we-transform

In this episode, we dive deep into DC’s newest YA graphic novel, Bad Dream: A Dreamer Story, written by none other than Nicole Maines, the actress who brought Dreamer to life on the Supergirl TV show! We chat about Dreamer's journey from the small screen to the colorful pages of her very own comic, and how Maines continues to impress us with her storytelling prowess. We also explore the exciting world of queer and trans representation in comics, from Dreamer's groundbreaking presence in the DC universe to her interactions with other beloved characters like Galaxy, the Prettiest Star. Plus, we share our thoughts on potential future crossovers and dream (pun intended) up some epic team-ups we'd love to see. For those looking to avoid spoilers, our plot summary section begins at 6:54 and ends at 10:58. So, whether you're a seasoned comic book reader or new to the world of superheroes, grab your cape and join us as we continue transcending boundaries and celebrating the vibrant world of trans, non-binary, and genderqueer representation in comics. 🎨💖 Also don't forget to check out our own first comic, When We Transform, live now on Kickstarter! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tomitrembath/when-we-transform

Big news and big changes incoming! My first comic, When We Transform, launches on Kickstarter this Thursday, August 1st! Sign up to get notified at launch by going to WhenWeTransform.com or by visiting our pre-launch page on Kickstarter! If you're a fan of the comics we cover on either of our podcasts, you're going to love this book! We're also bringing the show to FlameCon in New York City on August 17th! Come see the live panel for "Transcending Comics: A Trans & Non-Binary Comic Creators Q&A" featuring panelists like Maia Kobabe, Jay Edidin, Kim Wang, Dan Falco, and Ben Kahn! Also, be on the lookout for our upcoming Patreon for Keymaster Collective, our parent company encompassing Transcending Comics, When We Transform, Giant Sized Violence, and our other ongoing creative projects and collaborations!

This is a cross-post of this week's episode of Giant Sized Violence. This week, we're joined by writer and tabletop game designer Sarah Kennedy to talk about one of our favorite comics, Kaijumax by Zander Cannon! Kaijumax is a highly acclaimed kaiju-prison drama comic, unlike anything we've seen before. It's chock full of fun Tokusatsu references, and plays with the tropes of both prison dramas and monster movies in ways we never would have imagined! Our guest, Sarah Kennedy, has worked on over 70 tabletop games, including Sentai & Sensibility, RPGs for Power Rangers, GI Joe, and Star Trek, as well as Werewolf the Apocalypse. She also has a Tokusatsu inspired comic of her own that she's working on that we can't wait to see come to life!

On this week's episode, we're remembering one of the most important figures in the history of trans comics, Rachel Pollack. Rachel was the first openly trans writer working in mainstream comics, and the creator of Coagula from the Doom Patrol. She was also a major figure in the realms of Tarot and spiritualism, on top of being an award winning science fiction writer. Joining us today to discuss Rachel's work is her friend and collaborator, Joe Corallo. Joe also contributed an original story to last month's DC Pride: A Celebration of Rachel Pollack, in which he brought DC's first trans superhero back into ongoing continuity. We also want to dedicate this episode to Liara Kaylee Tsai, an incredible DJ who was kind enough to let us feature her music in the second episode of our show. She was a pillar of our local trans communities, and we miss her dearly. This week's opening song is her untitled sample from 15 Mar 21, and our outro is her song Tesselation Matrix. You can listen to more of her music on soundcloud at https://soundcloud.com/vutall

Today, we're chatting with the brilliant minds behind Transphoria, an incredible trans & non-binary comic book anthology from Lifeline Comics. Tomi is joined by Lifeline Comics founders Kat Calamia and Phil Falco, plus writer and lead-editor Daniel Falco, as well as returning guest Ben Kahn! They're here to share insights on the successful Kickstarter campaign that hit its $26,000 goal in just 25 hours, and the 19 inspiring stories that make up this anthology. Our discussion ranges from the origins of Transphoria to the unique challenges and joys of curating such a diverse collection, and what aspiring creators can do to create appealing story-pitches to submit to future comic anthologies. Don't forget to check out the ongoing Kickstarter campaign for Transphoria and support these incredible creators before June 27th! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/comicuno/transphoria

This week on Transcending Comic's, we're joined by Tiktok's "Just Nausicaa" for a discussion about trans representation in on of our favoire anime, Neon Genesis Evangelion! We'll be discussing how we came across this series, what it's meant to us over the years, and examining its characters and themes through a trans and queer lens. We discuss Shinji's journey and its resonance with the trans experience, the unique character dynamics, and the impact of the series on our lives. We also delve into the Rebuild films and their portrayal of trans themes, as well as the evolution of our own perspectives as we revisit this iconic anime post-transition. This episode is a deep dive into how media can reflect and shape our understanding of identity, trauma, and self-discovery.

Today we're joined by multi-talented creator, Ben Khan, as they share their creative processes, influences, and experiences throughout their comic career. From their work with Ubisoft tie-ins like "Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix: Crushing Love" and "Immortals Fenyx Rising," to indie comics like "Renegade Rule" and "Heavenly Blues,"  or even their new young adult novel "Elle Campbell Wins Their Weekend!" If you're not familiar with Ben from their incredible work in comics, you might recognize them from the Progressively Horrified podcast!  Ben does an incredible job both playing with and subverting established tropes, and they have a knack for world building that we've rarely seen elsewhere!  We get into the creative origins behind these stories, and gush about the films that have inspired their work.

To celebrate Free Comic book Day 2024, we're doing a special cross-posted episode of Transcending Comics and Giant Sized Violence. Eri and Tomi go back and forth discussing their free comic picks, and have a quick discussion on a great graphic novel find, Princess Knight by Osamu Tezuka (to be covered in a future episode of Transcending Comics). Eri's Picks: Monster High Mad Magazine: FCBD 2024 Special Edition Unico: The Awakening   Tomi's Picks: Gatchaman #0 UltraDuck Energon Universe Special

This week we're joined by Niki Smith and Ollie Hicks, two incredible creators currently  collaboration on a trans-inclusive sapphic comics anthology 'Succulent', which is currently live on Kickstarter!  https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/khaoskreator/succulent-trans-inclusive-sapphic-comics-anthology?ref=discovery We learn about the origins of the upcoming project, and get into the inspirations of Niki and Ollie's previous works. You may recognize Niki from books like 'The Deep and Dark Blue,' 'Crossplay,' and 'Golden Hours." Ollie also has some incredible comics under their belt, like 'Grand Slam Romance,' 'Butch Bros,' and 'Henchman's Day Off.'

We're back this week to finally return to our Invisible Community College Book Club series, where Tomi and Eri are covering The Invisibles by Grant Morrison one volume at a time! We'll be covering issues #13-25, as found in the second collected edition of the series. We also be discuss some of Grant Morrison's Substack essays that get into the writing process for the series, as well as their real-life experiences that inspired the events of these issues! It's a trippy conversation on an even trippier book, that leads us through musings on our own experiences of gender exploration, as well as the magic of storytelling!

This week on Transcending Comics, we're joined by an up-and-coming writer of LGBTQ YA horror comics, Lorry Jamison! We discuss their anthology series, Nightshade, which so far includes Party Animals and Blush. We also get into the many inspirations behind their comics, including our shared nostalgia for Goosebumps and Young Avengers, as well as real-world local haunts!

Join us this week for a conversation with an absolute icon in the world of queer superheroes, Jadzia Axelrod! Creator of one of the most prominent trans superhero comics, Galaxy: The Prettiest Star, as well as the latest Hawkgirl miniseries from DC Comics! Our conversation isn't just about her comics though, we also get into Jadzia's colorful backstory and her dabblings with circus performance, puppeteering, and costume design! We also discuss her long history with podcasting, going all the way back to 2005, and how that influenced the way she would later write comics.

In this special episode of Transcending Comics, we warmly welcome renowned writer and artist, Kel McDonald, to discuss their adventures in the vibrant world of web comics and traditional print comics. Listeners of the show may recognize Kel from print comics like Buffy - The High School Years, Misfits of Avalon, and Adventure Time, or their long running web comics like The City Between, You Are the Chosen One, and Sorcery 101. We also dive into Kel's unique fascination with folklore and werewolves, as we discuss their Kickstarter campaign for their latest comic, Murky Water - a futuristic urban fantasy story from their popular series, The City Between. Join us as we delve into the techniques behind creating multi-dimensional characters while considering today's dynamic political climate, narratives that inspire, and the charm and complexities of web comics. This episode is a treasure trove for comic enthusiasts seeking a deeper understanding of the stories behind their favorite series. Please support Kel's latest Kickstarter for Murky Water at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1495959227/murky-water

This week on Transcending Comics, we're joined by comic book scholar Charlotte Fierro! We dive into Loki's recent and increasingly queer character development in popular stories like Marvel's 'Loki, Agent of Asgard,' 'Young Avengers,' And 'Loki: Season 2.' We delve into the specifics of Loki's deviation from the stereotype of a villain, their relationship with ego death, and their steps into the realms of queer resonance and evolving gender fluidity. As a bonus, we reminisce over another beloved mythological character – Percy Jackson! With a nostalgic discussion of one of our favorite book series and its on-screen adaptation. Join us for a discussion about mythology, fiction, and continuity in the ever-evolving Marvel Universe.

In the latest episode of Transcending Comics, join us as we delve into the world of Emma Grove, acclaimed author and artist of the graphic novel memoir, 'The Third Person'. Learn about Emma's journey through navigating the mental health care system during her transition, her inspirations, writing process, and upcoming projects.

We're joined by Maria Ingrande Mora (Fragile Remedy, The Immeasurable Depth of You) to discuss their comic writing debut with Ranger Academy! Maria tells us about making the leap from writing YA novels to the world of comics, and the challenges that come with switching mediums. We also learn a bit about their love of fan fiction and transformative works, as well as their history with the Power Rangers franchise. Note: This episode was previously posted on the Giant Sized Violence feed.

Today we're joined by an award winning novelist and podcaster, and a newcomer to the world of writing comics, Charlie Jane Anders! She's the writer of Marvel's most recent New Mutants run, and the co-creator of Escapade, a transgender superhero! Charlie Jane is most well known for her sci-fi novels like All the Birds in the Sky, Even Greater Mistakes, and The Unstoppable Trilogy. Podcast fans may know her from her Hugo Award winning show, Our Opinions Are Correct! In this episode, we get into the difficulties of switching writing mediums between novels, TV, and comics, and the challenges of joining an ongoing series in the middle of a run. We also discuss the origins of one of Marvel's most prominent new transgender heroes, and what makes her stand out among other trans characters.

We're back for part 2 of our Silver Sprocket series, and today we're joined by the team's publicist, Kyle Daileda! Kyle shares their insight from years of working as a comics professional, both in the realm of publishing and event organizing for comic fairs. We also hear a bit about their favorite books of the year, the manga that inspired them growing up, and some Silver Sprocket selections to look forward to next year!