Dadless Podcast Group
Discussions - and debates, about all things nerdy! Together, we cover topics such as anime, gaming, TV, movies, and so much more! Rate, review, subscribe; tell a friend, tune in and last, but not least; stay weird!
Dadless Podcast Group
Dadless Podcast Group Ep. 36 - Wannabes w/ Mitchell Martinez
Prepare for our discussion with Mitchell Martinez, the phenomenal creator of the comic book series, Wannabes! Mitchell's journey to finally seeing his work published by Scout Comics is inspiring. His unique creation weaves a fascinating tapestry of creativity and perseverance. This episode takes the intriguing contrast between the superheroes Walter and Jordan. Mitchell breaks down the reflective nature of his comic series and the implications of being a superhero. We promise it's not all just about capes and superpowers! But that's not all. We expand the conversation to embrace and explore the parallels between Mitchell's creative process and the evolution of Wannabes. We delve into discussing the trends and nostalgia in the comic book and film industry. Experience this intriguing convergence of passions, challenges, and the art of storytelling!
Special Thanks to Mitchell Martinez -
WANNABES | Scout Comics
Wannabescomic | Facebook
@wannabescomiccreator | Instagram
Wannabes Paperback – September 12, 2023 | PRE-ORDER
Music & Additional Effects -
Way Home by Tokyo Music Walker | https://soundcloud.com/user-356546060
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/
Creative Commons CC BY 3.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
StudioKolomna | Pixabay
Sound Effects | Pixabay
Sound Effects By Mixkit
[Disclaimer: The Dadless Podcast Group and subsidiaries do not reserve the rights to specific audio clips featured in this broadcast. Allowance is meant for criticism, comment, and research examples. All rights and credit go directly to their rightful owners.]
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Hey there, kids, how's it going? Welcome back. This is the Dallas Podcast Group. I am the Elder. Thank you for tuning in. As I've mentioned in our recent episodes, I've done a little bit of networking and it seems like my networking has paid off Today's episode. I am very excited for it. He's a young man that I met recently at the StockinCon summer event of 2023. I am very excited. I hope everybody enjoys the discussion. Let's go ahead and get into the interview. This is my discussion with Mitchell Martinez, the writer and creator of Wanna Peace.
Speaker 2:I really appreciate you having me on here.
Speaker 1:I am actually very appreciative of you. I've mentioned in our most recent episodes that it was very out of my comfort zone to start networking as I've been kind of visiting the local Comic-Cons in the area. Oh really, networking, especially now within a creative space with so many things like YouTube and social media, I think it's just such a broad arena that different mediums kind of operate in. I feel like it's kind of a dime, a dozen that people actually reach out and follow up with you. I am very appreciative that you reached out.
Speaker 2:You're welcome. Personally, in my experience, I find that whether you're interested in a proposal or not, I feel that the least that can be done is to actually give a definitive answer. I really don't think it's right to leave anybody hanging.
Speaker 1:I don't disagree with you. In a recent episode with one of our co-hosts, I pretty much said the same thing the worst that could happen through networking, I give my little spiel, I explain who I am and who I represent, then the team that I represent when I go out to these events, and the worst thing that can happen is, at the end of the day, the worst thing is, as opposed to someone not getting back to you at all, is just that it doesn't happen. At least I'm going forward and trying to make the effort to try to connect with people. You know what I mean.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. I know definitely what it feels like to try and step out of your comfort zone. Trust me, I'm 32 and I'm still struggling with that. I can pretty easily do that here and there, but sometimes I wonder if it's more because I'm introvert or more because I have Asperger's syndrome. It can be a challenge, but I do usually find that it is normally worth it. I really hope that things like Do-Especially go well over more of your show. I actually did listen to your recent episode and you were talking about how you guys apparently have a really big following over in Germany. Hey, what happened.
Speaker 1:Yeah, surprisingly it is kind of like the inside joke that I share with everybody is that here locally, within California, we have sporadic followings here and there, but I found that internationally, through just kind of trying to run more promotion for us, germany stuck.
Speaker 2:You never really know what other territories or countries are really going to gravitate towards.
Speaker 1:It could just be something completely unexpected, wanna Bees is currently running under Scout Comics.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, it is. Scout Comics is my publisher. Issue one of Wanna Bees has been out since last June and coming up in September, on the 13th I believe. The trade paperback collection is currently scheduled to come out in both comic shops as well as Amazon, barnes, noble and other stores. It'll be a collection of issues one, two, three and four on one book and it'll be $14.99.
Speaker 1:First of all, are you the only writer currently for this work?
Speaker 2:Yes, I am the writer and creator of this particular comic. I came up with the story, the characters, the universe, everything. The only things that I did not do are the artwork. I unfortunately was not gifted when it comes to art, as I am with writing. Fortunately, though, I have been able to find some very talented pencil-less inkers and colorists who have worked with me. I especially need to give a big shout out to Samir Samau, who was my artist for Issue one, two, three and four, the first story arc. He just did phenomenal work, and Mike Stefan, who was my colorist, also did fantastic as well. I would just give character descriptions and reference material for the characters to be like, and, lo and behold, they would just be brought to life.
Speaker 1:So, right off the bat, glad that you pronounced your artist's last name. I have to give major flowers to your artist, samir. I've read this comic Issue one front to back about four times. Writing and the artwork is so well done. It is such a comic in every sense of the word. Thank you. I have to tell you I've been out of the comic game for quite some time. I was a major collector, an avid consumer of comics way back my middle school and high school was peak comics for me. I had a ferocious consumption for comics, you know, in my time. But this comic is, it's great, I have to tell you. I'm not just trying to kiss your ass or anything.
Speaker 2:But thank you, hearing that really does honestly mean a lot to me.
Speaker 1:So let me ask where are you from, mitchell?
Speaker 2:Well, I was born and raised in Stockton, california, spent the first 20 something years of my life there, you know just, you know, as I grew up with my mom and my sister primarily, and after a while, once I, like you know, got some, got some of my college years done at Delta College, the community college in Stockton. I then transferred to California State University in Sacramento and while I was up there, it was in Sacramento that I really started to get down the path to creating this book. Like, I had the idea for this for my superhero, zapster, the main character for wannabes. I had the idea for him like all the way back when I was in junior high. Actually, at one point I was like 12 or 13. I don't remember exactly when, but at one point I just like started thinking to myself like, okay, if I was going to create my own superheroes, what would they be like? And, like you know, most of my ideas were just completely terrible. Like you know, it was just like, basically like, oh, seem to your like, oh, this character, but a different color or this or that, or just like, no, I still remember some of those ideas and I'm just like, oh, my God. I mean I was like, yeah, I want kids, I have to give myself a little slack. But you know, it was just for fun at first. But then at one point I was walking home from school and then, like a bolt of lightning, it hit me, like I just saw everything, the costume, the name of the character, it all just like came to me. I mean, mind you, zapster did originally have like a different name, although the name that I originally wanted to go with him I was later told that I couldn't use because, well, scout Comics found out that someone else somewhere was already using that name. So just, you know, just like a quick change of the name and little alteration of the logo on his costume, and just it was no big deal.
Speaker 2:But anyway, while I was up in Sacramento, I actually took an intro to creative writing class, which like actually pushed me to basically write out what would turn out to be a rough version of issue number one's plot. And then, while I was up there, I started looking into seeing how I could possibly make this book a reality and I found this company in Elk Grove called Scattered Comics, run by this really awesome guy, jason Dubb. Jason, if you're listening, just I cannot thank you enough for helping me get this far. Basically, he represented a lot of freelance artists and it was through him that I, like, found mine. I originally worked with another artist, but but well, after getting him to draw like I want to say, like maybe seven or eight pages or something, I don't know what happened, but he just suddenly dropped off the face of the earth. So I basically had to start over, and that's when I started working with Samir, which really turned out to be for my benefit.
Speaker 2:And so my plan was to get enough material to where I had at least two issues done. And once I once I did that, I got. I got in touch with a small printing company and actually printed physical copies of my book and then started sending them out to other and to, like some independent publishers, see if any of them would be interested in. And while getting back to what we were saying earlier about how I feel that, whether you're interested or not, a response is still warranted, I think only one or two of them actually got back to me at first, and well, most of them said no, but then Jason, and actually got me in touch with a fork, with a colleague of his Andrea Molinari, who then became my editor and he's actually an editor and a writer for Scout Comics as well and well, he took a look at my project and showed it to, and showed it to Know what one of the higher-ups at Scout, richard Rivera, and basically they liked what I had, but they did have, like you know, some notes that they wanted me to like, you know, to improve my work because, well, my original pitch for the comic was well, I originally wanted to like, pitch it to like older teens and adults.
Speaker 2:So what you're seeing right now is like, definitely something aimed more at like and, like you know, the target demographic is about 9 to 12 and my original version definitely had, like you know, a lot more, a lot more relentless violence, more Swearing, just kind of like something, and that the inner angsty teen and me wrote you saying that now, and you know, since reading the comic, I see that within the pages and within the writing, the sort of vibe that it's been giving me Since reading it.
Speaker 1:I really get almost like a vibe, like kick-ass. Oh my god.
Speaker 2:I was hoping you would say that I'm sorry to interrupt, sorry to interrupt you but I just want to. But I just wanted to say that that, andrea, my editor, he has constantly said that my book is. Basically he says that the elevator pitch for it is kick-ass, but for kids.
Speaker 1:I Sort of understand that you have to pitch Almost sort of below what your target demographic is, only because it sells more. You know, it's all. It's almost something comparable to stand-up comedy. You know, the big thing back in the day was that clean comics made the money. Mm-hmm and edgier comics, you know, sort of Depending on how, on how seasoned they were within the craft of comedy it's. You know some of them made it but not everybody made it, but I definitely do see.
Speaker 2:You know that there is sort of like this underlying tone within the comic yeah, basically, when I started speaking with Andrea and Richard, that their logic it was that, since my title is a superhero book, well, no matter, no matter who you are, where you're from, the fact of the matter is kids are always interested in, like you know, superheroes and, at the same time, a lot of Older comic collectors and readers. They do tend to, like you know, stick to, like you know, the characters that they know, like you know, the ones that have been around for a long time or the ones that have major blockbuster movies and all that stuff. So, basically, basically, they helped me realize that I had a better chance of finding an audience if I were to just it's like you know aim specifically at that demographic, because the story that I'm telling is still the one I want to tell. It's just it, just like it just has some of the edges smoothed out. I'm so, like you know, there's like no swearing, no being, like no blood or anything like that, which you know.
Speaker 2:Honestly, when I came to realize that I was still telling the story that I wanted, it was easy for me to really get on board that, and I do. I do think that that my book is better than ever now. Plus, my original drafts were also a lot more wordy than what they are now. Like, like when they like my original script. When I first saw the text bubbles being like added on to the art, andrea helped me realize like okay, you're like covering up the entire page and panels here with this stuff, like you can't see any of the artwork.
Speaker 1:I don't know if you would agree or not. You you know it is definitely a compliment I it also has an air of like invincible. You know what I mean oh. I like that it really does have like a very Specific tone, especially this first issue.
Speaker 3:Why did you make me do this? You're fighting so you can watch everyone around you die. Thank, mark. You'll outlast every fragile, insignificant being on this planet. You live to see this world crumble to dust and blow away.
Speaker 2:I've always been into super heroes, like ever since I was a kid, like pretty much like one of my earliest memories is like Is my cousin introducing me to Batman, the animated series, and well, just it, just really, I just like went down the rabbit hole after that and I just like never came back. Like there's like so many different characters there's that I just, like you know, gravitated towards, and just like so many comics and shows and movies that I've enjoyed, I mean like it like since then and but yeah, up until a certain point, I never really like thought about trying to write like for like anything like other than fun. I mean like. I mean like, like like a lot of people I've, like you know, tried my hand at like fanfiction here and there, but, of course, like you know, that's like nothing compared to this. I actually originally wanted to be an actor at one point and I actually originally intended to major in that until, basically, one day, my, my mother, like you know, pulled me aside and just said that while she, and while she does believe in me, she really wanted me to Shoot for a degree that was like a little more practical. Like you know, she wants me to pursue my dreams, but she also doesn't want me to struggle, which I absolutely do understand now and appreciate it, even if it was kind of hard to hear at first.
Speaker 2:So then, when that happened, I then decided to switch my major to English.
Speaker 2:So so I was like okay, like this is more practical and if this can help me improve my writing skills, while I would still get some enjoyment out of this.
Speaker 2:So, and like I said, when I took that intro to writing class, that was like when I really first started to see that this could possibly be something. I really wanted to just find some way to Express myself, like you know, creatively, like I wanted to actually create something that could both entertain people and like really just like Put my stamp out there, like you know, just like really show, okay, this is something I made, something that I enjoyed it making, and I hope you will too. So that's really really what pushed me to like try and see if this could actually become a reality. And just the fact that I actually did pay, like you know, did find, like you know, and like a publisher and people who genuinely believe in what I'm trying to accomplish, it's just it's just like really hard for me to believe that, like after all, this time, that and that the trade is like really coming out.
Speaker 1:I think it is something to kind of relish in that feeling of knowing that you've accomplished something and that it's off the ground and you know, although you're still working hard, I think it's great that you can sit back and you can see all of this come to fruition and it's it really is cool to hear about it. I was very overtaken with a sense of urgency and With interest at the opening fight scene that takes place within the comic, because it really invoked that sense of well, why are they fighting? What is the context of this fight and what do they mean by this? And you know, as you lead into the comic, you know you see both Protagonists, or, you know, protagonist and antagonist. You, you really see what the story develops for them within just sort of the Opening, introduction of the story. What was the process for the writing? Is there something that sort of maybe you see, or something that you think of and you sort of develop it, for you know how the sequences go within the comic or within your writing anyway.
Speaker 2:Well, typically, when I try a writing, the first thing I just like want to know is like okay, okay, like what's the central thing I want?
Speaker 2:I want to feature in the plot with, obviously, with the first issue, like the first thing that I had to get across right out the bat is okay, I want to, I want to show people why they should be picking this up.
Speaker 2:So that's why issue number one starts off in media res with with the two characters there's, like you know, zapster and and who, and the character who later be called the drench, and basically fighting against, against each other, and then, as the comic goes, then and shortly afterwards, we get to flashback and see what exactly brought them into. This Is because this first story arc is going as you, as you'll see when the trade comes out, or like you might even have, like on the sense from just this first issue is that and this is really about how to and two boys is like really learning what, what it truly means to be a superhero. So and well and well, we get, we get to see how, in some ways, they're two sides of the same coin, but but we also get to see how they differ. I and well, I don't want to get too much away, but you've probably seen for yourself just exactly some of what that looks like.
Speaker 1:What was the connection to San Francisco as far as the setting?
Speaker 2:Well, I wanted to like really find a location and that just like really that I felt really demanded superhero action Because, like you know, one of the main things that I love about the superheroes that I like is that they're always, like you know, set in these like humongous cities, whether it's like New York or made up locations like Gotham or Metropolis, just like you know, just like something about, like you know, just like the tall buildings and a ton of people while there, it's just, it's just so.
Speaker 2:It's just that kind of imagery is just so evocative of superhero. Those, for me, and like, anytime I'm in like a big city, like whether I've been to York or like even when I go to like downtown Sacramento or something like that, I just I don't know, I just like feel like a rush or something when I'm just like surrounded by tall buildings. And as for San Francisco, well, I chose that location and because, over the years I've like taken several trips to there and just I came to realize that that like with it's like not only sprawling but really unique architecture, like you could like take a look at like any section of San Francisco and not get it confused with like any other city. It's just so distinctive. I was also really drawn to it because of these locations and features in the city just, and also a lot of great locations that would really lend themselves to action.
Speaker 1:I think making San Francisco the setting for the story and the dots it really does evoke that sort of darker tone of how we initially meet the characters within the comic. So what I will tie it in with. I had an immediate connection to Walter. I thought Walt's character was developed in such a great way. I love how we saw other than his personality but we saw that he's a product of his environment, you know he doesn't he develops in such a distinct way in comparison to Jordan.
Speaker 1:I felt that Walter really was the center of how we developed this first issue. I don't know if it was purposely done that way, the writing, but I you know. Again, I was immediately drawn to him and so was that the idea going into issue one, or was it? Is it a matter of perception for the readers?
Speaker 2:It could possibly be a matter of perception, or it could also be, like I'm reminded of, like something that I believe Stan Lee once said, where when you're trying to develop a new hero, the first thing you really need to get down right is the villain, because if the villain isn't compelling well, then the action and the story is just is just not gonna be very exciting to to check out.
Speaker 1:The contrast between both characters. Every hero and villain are the same character, just drawn on separate lines of this spectrum of what is good and what is evil. Why is it that they're drawn the ways that they're drawn? Because of their morals, because of their environment, because of something that pushes them in a certain direction. I think it is maybe just the fact that I saw a lot of my own personality within Walter and within sort of his, his morals and how he saw the world within issue one. But I will say that, in stark contrast to that, it leaves so much up to anticipation and interest in what we'll see from Jordan leading up into the next couple of issues.
Speaker 2:And that was definitely intentional right there. It's one of the main reasons why this book is called wannabes, because it literally is about two wannabe superheroes, and the series is going to show just how different their approaches is. Isn't to that Like issue one is supposed to get across as a fact? They're like Jordan is like, definitely someone who is far, like you know, is far more traditional and optimistic when it comes to, like you know, being a superhero. He definitely, like you know, aspires to do the right thing but also, you know, knows what his limits are, Whereas Walt's, on the other hand, and definitely doesn't see any point in having restraint Like he doesn't see. He doesn't, like you know, see like why you should show mercy to anyone and that you're trying to stop.
Speaker 1:I think that detail, especially within the ending of the issue, the way that it was left off, it left me wanting more. I wanted to know more of the story. I needed to know more of the story. I needed, you know, I need the follow up. It was, I think it was, you know again, and not to kiss your ass, it's just I think it was just so well done because I wanted to keep reading.
Speaker 2:Well, you know what, hearing that and just like, really it really is making me grin and grin ear to ear and hopefully you don't mind waiting about a month and a half to get the entire rest of the story when the trade comes out.
Speaker 1:Oh no, I can't wait. I'm such a fan. After reading it there was a detail that I found very interesting. It just stuck out to me and I'm wondering if we will see more of that develop as the comic goes on. But here has been real since World War II. Will we see more of that detail come to light within the comic?
Speaker 2:Oh yes, absolutely. Even a later issue in this very arc in the trade is going to show that yeah, aside from those heroes that they saw briefly on the news, we are going to be seeing more, and that is something that I do wanna feature more in the comic as well. Basically, jordan and Walter's world is one where superheroes have been around for decades and decades and decades, which is kind of reflective of our world, except in their world superheroes are actually wheel and not just thought up to sell comics and everything.
Speaker 1:It's something almost akin to I don't know how familiar you are with anime or with manga, but my Hero Academia is. It's almost very akin to the idea of heroes existing or individuals with powers existing well before the story takes place and it's that sort of detail that really draws you in. I wanna know more about that. Just kind of reading, especially with the panels that mentioned the preexisting heroes and villain Blue Blur, alpha man, dr Maschino. I wanna know more about that.
Speaker 2:And we definitely, hey, Will. My approach is that. Well, first of all, first of all, I do really love my Hero Academia, so I do like that comparison. My thought is that, okay, a world that already has an established history, something that really makes it stand out from ours like, in this case, a world that has had superheroes for quite a while that, to me, is far more interesting than anything that you might see in our world, and also it's basically a way of me to really approach a realistic viewpoint for my characters.
Speaker 2:Okay, so superheroes have literally been in comics since the late 30s, so there's been thousands and thousands and thousands of different heroes and villains and all that. So now here I come, along with my own characters. So, whether we're talking about the heroes that exist in my universe or the heroes that are published by other companies, one way or another, my guys are literally the new kids on the block. So I decided to just lean into that approach and just throw them into the deep end and see how they handle suddenly becoming a part of this world.
Speaker 1:It's interesting that you say that because it raises the question of as far as the development of the story and where it goes from issue one is will that present itself as a repercussion later on as the story develops? Because the reality and the duality of being a superhero and what it means to the individual, there are pros and cons and it's a double-edged sword riding that wave of being a hero.
Speaker 2:Yes, absolutely. Again, this series is really going to showcase the difference between expectations and reality. Like as you saw in issue one, when the flashback started, we saw that Jordan and Walt literally thought that they could try being crime fighters by just knowing basic martial arts and throwing on ski masks and hoodies. And well, as you plainly saw, that did not work out well for them. And I mean it definitely helps that they're both teenagers. They're 15 and years old. So I mean, even though they do think things through, they don't always think everything through. So just because an idea sounds good in your head, that doesn't automatically mean that it's going to work out.
Speaker 2:By the time the next issues began, it's really going to show okay, this is really how things are going to go, and now the circumstances you're stuck with. So what are you going to do? And issue two is going to like, really, when you read issue two in the trade, it's going to really show specifically what the inciting incident was that made them decide that they wanted to do this. Because I mean, like I speak from experience, especially with like I used to like hang out with guys who would like try and imitate jackass stunts, like, if you remember, that stuff. We all kind of grew up in that same time. But yeah, I mean, usually it doesn't like take much For, like you know, some people to like try something really ridiculous and dangerous, but in their case there is a specific moment that you'll see an issue too of the trade that really you put them down this path like really made them seriously think we should try and fight crime.
Speaker 1:Again, and I think this first issue really does do an amazing job of building anticipation for the followup, for the reader, as far as followups, the contents that we see within this mystery crate of issue one, without giving too many spoilers. Will we see that again and how significant is that going to be moving forward?
Speaker 2:Oh, we will definitely be seeing it again. Like I'm currently working on issue number five of the series and well, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that things with the trade and then issue five, it take off. So, if all goes according to plan, by the time issue six comes around we will see more of that, creates contents and more of what it can do. And well, basically, the truth behind that stuff that caused the moment that you're thinking of is going to be both a major factor that surrounds Jordan Walt and a new character that I will introduce in issue six, and again it's going to like really add another layer to this world's history and just show how things are a lot more complicated than what they originally thought.
Speaker 1:You've mentioned issue five and you've now mentioned issue six. It was something that I had noted. How far developed are we as far as like kind of ballpark for the story? Do you have like quite a bit, you know, kind of in the pocket?
Speaker 2:I have several more scripts written and written out, but, as of right now, the issues that are going to be in the trade have been finished for a while. And so there's that issue five is still in the process of being drawn. Things are about halfway through. I want to say it's just that, well, art takes time and just I have given my you know my artist the schedule that I would like him to stay on, so, and he is turning in his good work. I'm working with a new artist for issue number five, so, and so far I'm liking what he's turning out. So, again, and if all goes according to plan, then after that, hopefully issue six will be worked on sooner than later, and I do have the script finished for that, but it would still need to go through, go through my editor and just see what he thinks first and then it's just one step at a time.
Speaker 1:So, with wannabes, is this your only work at the moment? Yes, do you aspire or see yourself. You know, maybe sometime down the line moving forward with another work?
Speaker 2:I could definitely, like you know, see myself, maybe he dipping my toe into like, into like, maybe something or something else. Like I have so many different ideas. Who wannabes that I did. I wanted, like you know, see it going on for like, issue after issue after issue. I mean I do do, like you know, have an idea about where it could eventually end, but that's not for quite a while.
Speaker 2:My editor has actually suggested that it might be a good idea for me to Think about putting together a horror comic book, like he always tells me how, how much horror books, including in some of the horror titles that scout publishes Really do sell. And I actually did pitch him in a pitch him one idea that well, I haven't finished the script for it yet, but it might be something that I might want to pursue. It's sort of a horrific take on mermaids. Basically, I've just like, always, like, had the idea of like, okay, like, if mermaids actually did exist, let's be, like you know, let's try and be quote-unquote real here. Chances are they would not be, like you know, the They'd be, like you know, shining and beautiful Maidens of the sea that we think of.
Speaker 2:No, no, let's like, go back to like how mermaids were originally depicted in, like you know, ancient Greek it myths and everything. How they were like literally monstrous sirens that would. They were like you know, six ships and drag people down into the depths. Because my mentality is that, like if mermaids were real, they would basically be like. They basically be Sharks that can think and act like people. They would want to eat humans.
Speaker 1:So let me go with that, because it answers one of my questions Are you a horror fan?
Speaker 2:I am definitely. I mean, for the longest time I wasn't. I was like one of those kids who was like it was, like you know, scared of just like anything horror related. Like I remember, like back in the 90s, even like goosebumps would give me the willies.
Speaker 1:Oh, you're telling me. I was very coddled as a child. I didn't watch a horror movie up until Whatever year dawn of the dead, the reboot from George A Romero came out. I think I was maybe in seventh or eighth grade when I really clicked that, hey, these are cool, I like horror, you know. And I became more. But it took me a long time to really get into the genre and I love it now.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I do too. Definitely. Like I'm just looking at my blue ray collection, or like some of my DVDs is on here and I've definitely seen, like you know, some of the horror titles I like. Like John Carpenter is the thing, or or like the old 50s version of the Phantom of the Opera from Universal, where they took some major liberties, so that's about like the Phantom is basically a slasher killer, or or, oh, this is a good one.
Speaker 2:Have you heard of an alien movie called the McPherson tape? Well, basically it was like a found footage movie that I think this predates the Blair Witch project. Like you know, it's one of those movies that are like shot, shot, like you know, like it's being, but being like out from like a camcorder, and it's about, and it's about a family that is basically being harassed and abducted by aliens, and like this might just be like online chatter, just like people having fun, but I've seen the movie and like it is, like you know, honestly so good that some people have claimed that when they saw this Like air on TV or whatever, years ago, they thought the footage was real.
Speaker 1:I definitely have seen it. I remember when it aired and it was almost like a double feature. It was the X-Files crossover with cops, the McPherson case or the tape it aired right after. I definitely remember I watched it with my dad. My dad and I sat down and watch this whole thing. Mediums like found footage, I have to say I'm such a big fan I know they don't hold, you know, good graces with a lot of people or in general. Now let's you know we're being honest, it's, it's very, I don't want to say saturated, I don't want to say watered down either. I think it's just horror doesn't hold that same sort of tone. And when you do find a good horror movie, it's it's you hold, you hold it close and you say, hey, have you watched this movie?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think it's just like really easy for like a lot of well, let's be honest here snobby people to like really dismiss horror. Like you know, they just like think it's like oh, it's just teens being killed in like a summer camps, it's all exploitative and it's not real art, and yada, yada, yada. Like they just automatically think that like horror is all trash. I mean, there are trashy horror movies out there, but there's trashy movies in like every single genre let's be honest here. But there are also some legitimate classic. It's like like. Like I mean like, why do you think people still talk about like the original Frankenstein or Dracula movies? I mean like, yeah, those aren't scary to us now, but there's a reason they've lasted the test of time and there's like so many different horror films out there that, for whatever reasons, like you know, both scare and really entertain people like, oh, this is another really great one. Do you have you ever seen the 1982 film creep show?
Speaker 1:Of course, mitchell. Coming soon. Jolting tales of horror, I Creep show.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I've got the. I've got the screen factory blue blue ray right here on my shelf. I cannot get enough of that, especially like if you love comics and if you love horror. That thing is just Chef's kiss.
Speaker 1:It really is. It's creep show as a Creep show one and two, let's, let's be honest, I would say as a franchise. But creep show one and two are.
Speaker 2:I mean, like I saw the second one, I thought that was like okay, but I mean just you can just like really tell that like Some of the passion was gone, along with like half their budget for that, but but the creep show TV series that made that like came out on shutter now. That is just. That is fentanyl. That's the follow-up We've needed this whole time. Oh, what one movie that I guess falls into like well, I don't know if this could technically horror, but it's definitely falls into the monster movie that I wish people talked about more Tremors. I don't really care for the seat, carefully, the sequels, but the original movie I could like we don't really watch this every day and not get tired of it. Yeah, and I mean, like people like always talk about like a footloose when they talk about Kevin Bacon, I'm like forget, forget, that tremors is my favorite one of his.
Speaker 1:Tremors. You know if we're talking the hierarchy of Kevin Bacon, filmography tremors, and then you know whatever else Aside from comics. Now that you know that we're talking about movies, what's your opinion on the current state of film, in that we are seeing a lot more investing in reboots as opposed to Original IP?
Speaker 2:I definitely do think that there is an overabundance of Of like reboots, and there has been for a while. I mean like I mean because I mean well, for some things I definitely do understand and like like the appeal of Adapting like previously established IPs is because they can really be great. I mean, like you know, for the longest time and like I have enjoyed, like so many difference and superhero movies and shows that have been coming out, or, like you know, even like there's, there's even been cases where Some of those are like the rare, rare occasions where, in my opinion, the adaptation and beats out the source material, like Amazon series, the boys. I think the TV show is far, far better than the comic. I hated the boys comp.
Speaker 2:The comic book never liked it, no matter and no matter what, just. But the show, like it takes, like like what the comic was Supposedly trying to say and like actually says it and just really makes it entertaining While still keeping things extremely violent and disturbing, just as you would expect. But there's an actual point to it. It's not just there for shock value, like in the book.
Speaker 1:I've read and I've heard that opinion more than once. I'm not familiar with the actual comic I mean I grew to know of it but I feel like the series really overshadowed what the actual source material was.
Speaker 2:Well, here's what it basically boils down to. The source material is just basically Garth NS shouting at the top of his lungs for 70 plus issues. I hate superheroes Like he just yeah, he just goes out of his way to create proxy after proxy of our established characters. It's like ooh, here's a version of Superman, but he's evil and eats babies. Or like here's a version of the Flash, but he like, oh, kills people. Or here's a version of Batman who's a serial killer. It's just like, oh my God.
Speaker 2:And again, it's mostly just shock value for his characters, for his characters of the boys to just come along and mess with them because they're only slightly less terrible than the actual quote, unquote superheroes. But the show, on the other hand, and takes the bare bones and actually creates a point to it, because the show is mainly about a lot of things like how corrupt corporations can be the kind of stuff celebrities these are people with enough power can get away with absolute power, corrupts absolutely. And just like how people's public perception, public perception of something can be vastly different to what the actual reality is.
Speaker 1:As a writer and creator of a comic, I would assume that you are a fan, at least at the bare minimum, of some of the movie adaptations that we've seen thus far.
Speaker 2:Oh, yes, I definitely am. There are some that definitely do rub me the wrong way, but anyone's that I do genuinely like I make sure to go out of my way to not only see them but also buy them on physical media, unless, of course, the company who makes them doesn't provide physical media and only releases a case that has a download code in it. But anyway, I'm not gonna get into that right now.
Speaker 1:So what are your thoughts on some of the series that are out currently?
Speaker 2:Well, let's see. Has the new season of Invincible come out?
Speaker 1:yet.
Speaker 2:That.
Speaker 1:I'm not quite sure.
Speaker 2:I was about to tell you, yes, but I also am not sure, because I know they released that special about Adam Eve, but I haven't checked that out yet because that's definitely another adaptation where I personally feel that I think the Invincible show does everything that the comic did and like elevates it. That's definitely another case where I enjoy the adaptation more than the source material, just like because I find that it's like more focus and eat, more digestible and easy to follow.
Speaker 1:Something that I would have enjoyed seeing. At some point. I was a big fan of Hellboy. It was a very niche and fringe, almost sort of a franchise for some people, almost like the Sandman oh, I'll go on for hours about Sandman but Hellboy was something that I always had hoped to see more of. I know that there were some one-off, straight to DVD specials that had come out in the past. They also premiered, like on Adult Swim at points in time, or Toonami maybe but Hellboy was a franchise that I wish we could have seen more of because, just like you said, it was definitely more digestible and I feel like it's a franchise and a story that could be very easily developed into, maybe like a long running series.
Speaker 2:Oh, without a doubt. I mean I only really liked the first Hellboy movie that came out, the first Ron Perlman movie Like I have that one in DVD. I didn't really care that much for the sequel, but I will say I do wish that we had gotten a third in that series, as opposed to that botched reboot that came out a couple of years ago. Like I didn't see that, but I did enough research to know how badly they messed that up.
Speaker 1:I watched it and I tried to be very receptive to online reviews and from written reviews that come out about movies. And then I try to connect the dots once I actually consume the movie once or twice, to understand what reasons what gripes people have or why it received the rating that it did. But that Hellboy movie, that reboot, really it was hard. It was hard to avoid outside reviews that weren't negative. You definitely aren't the first person to give sort of a appointed, appointed of a interpretation of how it was how it turned out.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's unfortunate. And getting back to another adaptation of a comic media that I'm enjoying right now, I'm definitely really digging the adult swim and series my Adventures with Superman. Have you been watching that?
Speaker 1:So I know of it. I know of it, but I myself have not. I'll be honest, I didn't have an interest in watching it at first, just because I'm not, like, a huge DC fan. But I've read some pretty good reviews.
Speaker 2:Well, let me put it to you this way you mentioned earlier that you enjoy my hero academia, right? Yes, do you enjoy anime in general? Oh, buddy, a lot. Well, let me tell you this this show takes heavy inspiration from anime, in all of the best ways. I mean seriously, we're talking action scenes, tone, comedy, dramatic, the expressions of people's faces. It's like I mean, like you can still tell that it's obviously made by Americans and everything, but you can definitely see the anime influence in it and it's just such a delight Like I'm like grinning ear to ear, just like watching every episode. The jokes just have me slapping my knees like so hard. Yeah, if you have Max, it's on there as well.
Speaker 1:Have you been keeping up with any of the MCU, any of the shows streaming at the moment?
Speaker 2:I used to like follow every single thing with the MCU, just like everything for like the first three phases, and I've enjoyed some things in phase four, but just, and I did watch, like some of the shows as well, and I am looking forward to the new season of Loki, but I purposely skipped on Secret Invasion and such, because the last couple of projects, whether it be on Disney Plus or in the movies, just I have been disappointed in a number of ways.
Speaker 2:I mean, like I am still hoping, because of like some like recent corporate shakeups, that they can pull themselves back up.
Speaker 2:Like I'm not ready to like you know, like dismiss them entirely or jump on the bandwagon of like people saying, oh, it's superhero fatigue, the genre is gonna die out, and I'm like, oh, it's not going anywhere.
Speaker 2:I'm just hoping that it's some, hoping that sooner than later, that we can get back to things that are like that like, have a bit more time and quality on it, and aren't just like things that are like, okay, these six episodes set up something else, or like this movie, this movie was like mainly a set up for like the next Avengers or this, or that is just like, because, honestly, ever since phase four. A lot of these projects have like mainly felt like for a set up and just it's been so long, it's like where's the payoff? And I mean once in a while you do get a good thing, good thing going like like Loki or Spider-Man, no way home, and something like that. But the fact that those have become exceptions, just it's just made me, it's just like made me a lot more selective with what I spend my time and money on. I also have to like temper my expectations of what's to come until the strikes in Hollywood are resolved.
Speaker 1:That is definitely as a fan of the goings on of nerd culture and sort of like the landscape, especially as a fan of like the superhero movies that are out. Definitely, you know, being specific about the MCU is interesting to see how that develops and how it's going to affect the movies. Moving forward On that sort of note of creation and development as I'm winding down with these questions, what sort of spark or inspiration you know helps to fuel the creative process for your story currently?
Speaker 2:Honestly, indulging in my passions really does drive my desire to write, like, whether I'm reading a comic or watching a show or a movie that I like, or even listening to a particularly good song, something just like, something in that just like makes my subconscious just go like, ooh, this would be a really good idea. Or, or, or, or ooh, what if? What, if you like had a character say this or do this, like I don't know why my brain works like that. I don't know why my brain does a lot of things. I've asked myself that question my entire life. But that's honestly just like how it works for me Just getting into a stage where I'm just like you know, just indulging in the things that that I like really enjoy, and then just ideas just like really start, start to like spark up.
Speaker 1:So it is a customary question around this show that we ask what is currently trending for everybody. You know, what are you currently watching, reading, playing anything else that you're? You know that's taking up your time outside of your writing, work, home, life.
Speaker 2:Oh geez, you got a couple more hours. Well, well, let's, let's see as far as like what I'm reading. I actually just came from my favorite comic shop in Sacramento, empire's Comics Vault in Arden Arcade. Just been going there ever since I was like up there for college and just I picked up a couple of titles that I'm following, like the current IDW Sonic the Hedgehog comic, which is like still fantastic, got some follow-ups to the last Ronin, and I also did. I also did pick up this other scout book that I that I really like, called Impossible Jones, and it's like another. It's another superhero title, but with the pretty interesting twist of it's about a supervillain who gets mistaken for a superhero, and the art and writing on this book is like also, just I can't get enough of it. So, as far as what I'm reading, that's like you know, that's how it goes.
Speaker 2:As far as, like when I'm watching, let's see, I mentioned my and my adventure is with Superman and, and, let's see, I've also. I've also been like. I've also been like trying to like work through some things on my anime, like you know, to watch lists that had like been there for a while, like I've got a couple of the old Tenshi Muiyo shows that I that I want to finally check out. I've never seen those advertised on Toonami so much back in the nineties, but for whatever reason I never decided to watch them. But so now that I have them on one of my streaming services, I'm definitely taking that opportunity.
Speaker 4:A boy turns diligently, soon he will become a man. His name is Tenshi Masaki. The most important discovery you'll make is that six crazy women all have the hots for him. The universe needs a new champion.
Speaker 2:Tenshi needs some peace and quiet and as far as what I'm playing, well, I don't really have like anything like that. That's like that, that recent like I would say that I'm looking forward to playing the next Spider-Man game. But but first I'm like hoping that Sony at some point releases a somewhat more affordable and smaller version of the PS5 first, before I do that. But definitely.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but I think that. But I think the last thing I was playing was I was doing a replay of Sonic Frontiers. When they released that DLC that celebrated Sonic's 32nd anniversary.
Speaker 1:Something that I've talked about recently, in recent episodes, but I have nostalgic franchises that I'm very into, examples that I've said before Transformers, after seeing Rise of the Beast, or you know, let's just call it Beast Wars.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I was honestly surprised by how good that movie was. I didn't have much faith in it going going in but when I heard like how respectable it like it actually was, like I was generally surprised by how much I liked it. Although, no offense to Ron Perlman, he did, he did good as Optimus Primal, but I wish they could have gotten Gary Chod and Beast Wars to voice him and instead, because I mean like, come on, if you've got Peter Cullen as Optimus for all these movies, why can't you throw at least one of the Beast Wars guys a bone?
Speaker 1:It's true. I mean I'm glad that I heard, you know, maximals Maximize I was flipping out me and the other, you know, 30 something year old guys were in the room celebrating that and then, especially now, with the newest edition of TMNT. I've been, you know, a TMNT fan since I was a kid, obviously growing up in the early 90s, you know, the mid 90s. You and I are the same age, so we, you know, we come from that timeframe of good cartoons. Hearing the reviews now for Mutant Mayhem, I want to go see it, but I also, you know, I want to experience that with my kids as well.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm definitely glad that they, like you, have that opportunity to get to experience it with them. I personally hope to be a father myself one of these days. I just haven't found the right woman yet, and just just like you know, can be tough.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:So I hope that you guys like that movie. Personally, I'm just not I'm just like not interested in the new film, for whatever reason. I would. I would much rather like, much rather buy the something that I've waited so long to finally come out, and now it has. I want to buy the full DVD set of the 2003 Ninja Turtles series because for me, I didn't grow up watching the original cartoon. The 2003 series was my Ninja Turtles and although the first iteration I ever saw was the 1990 movie and I actually watched that like about a week before the 2003 cartoon premier because my mom had a video tape for whatever, for whatever reason and when I heard about the new show coming out, I was like, okay, I mean, I need to finally watch this thing, and I've been a Turtles fan ever since.
Speaker 1:Funny that we should talk about that is at the recent Turlock Comic Con that I went to the original stunt double, for Mikey was there with the original suit. Oh, nice, that is so awesome and that was actually pretty cool to experience the cost not so much but the yeah yeah, like I was gonna say, was it like still like like in shape?
Speaker 2:Because like I've seen pictures of like the the Donald Tell costume from like a third movie and what it looks like now, and just I've had nightmares about that thing.
Speaker 1:It definitely wasn't. It definitely wasn't cool to see. But knowing that, you know just some fragment of that movie was there and you know the actual stunt guy put it on and you know was kind of talking explaining how they coordinated the stunts and how some sort you know the functionality of the suit, it was cool but it was also, it was also like nightmare fuel.
Speaker 2:So oh man, and that does sound really cool. It kind of reminds me of like this one time I think it was back in 2016 when I was at Stockton Con. Just like, just as like, just as like an attendee. This was like years before, or like I was like I was like, you know, doing what I was doing, like, yeah, when we met at Stockton Con, like when I went to the one in 2016, I actually got to meet a got to meet Kevin Nash. Do you know who he is? He's a wrestler.
Speaker 1:Oh, buddy, I have been a wrestling fan for years.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so. So like I'm not really in that, not really into wrestling, but I just like had to like meet him, mainly because of, like, some of the movies he's been in. So I just had to ask him what role did you like playing better Super Shredder in the second intertrolls movie or the Russian in the Thomas Jane Punisher movie? I?
Speaker 1:knew that was the question before you even asked.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and and believe it or not, he actually said Super Shredder. He said that part was really near and dear to him because that was his first movie.
Speaker 1:So I have a funny story about that. When I was a kid and this was years ago for fans of wrestling, especially within, like, the Central Valley area the then WWF before it transitioned to WWE when they would hold shows in like the Fresno, sacramento, los Angeles, in that sort of little tours that they do of California, they used to hold signings at, like Toys R R Us. I don't know if it was every store, but they would hold signings. And so I used to go religiously to all of these signings at the local Modesto Toys R Us and I met Kevin Nash at one of the signings and as I'm making my way through the little panel of different guests, I just happened to have on a Ninja Turtle shirt and I tell you I was maybe eight years old, nine years old, I knew Kevin Nash the wrestler.
Speaker 1:I didn't know that Kevin Nash was Super Shredder. As I approached him he, you know, did his little, his little two sweet, you know NWO gesture and he shook my hand and he's signing and he looks up in my shirt and he says Ninja Turtles, huh. And I didn't know what to say to him because you know he's just such this kind of domineering character and I thought yes, kevin Nash, ninja Turtles. And he poked my chest, my little fat adolescent chest, and he was like hey, I really like that you wore that shirt today. And I was like do you like Ninja Turtles? And he looked at me and he said I'm Super Shredder. And I was like okay. And it wasn't until years later that I was like oh my God, kevin Nash told me he was Super Shredder. I was. I was a teenager when it finally clicked and I was like Jesus Christ, the power of hindsight I?
Speaker 1:I've been kicking myself in the ass, you know, for years about it. I was like damn it, Kevin Nash, if I own that's one of those things that I hang on to him like man.
Speaker 4:it was a funny story, and then you know years later I'm like God damn, he wants to drink all of it. It's a Super Shredder.
Speaker 3:Now, what are we supposed to do? Shredder, you gotta listen to reason. You're going to destroy us all.
Speaker 1:Well, Mitchell, I have greatly enjoyed this conversation. So am I, as it's customary. Please give us your shout outs, promote your comic, give our listeners any last words, any last messages that you would like.
Speaker 2:All right. Well, again, the title of my book is wannabes. It's published by Scout Comics, currently issue number one, and the official t shirts are available on Scout Comicscom. If you search under their titles for wannabes, it's right there. I also have a Facebook and Instagram set up for the book. You can find me under wannabes creator for either of those platforms. And again, the trade collection comes out on September 13th and I'm also. I'm also going to be at Lodi Comic Con fall on September 30th to further help promote it and I'm going to try and set up some possible book signings wherever I can Like. I'm definitely going to be at one later this year at Empire's Comics Vault in Sacramento. I'm going to try and see if I can land some with Barnes and Noble and anything that does has come up. I will definitely be posting about my comic social media platforms.
Speaker 1:Again, I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this comic as someone who has been consuming this sort of medium. The overall feeling that I got reading it, it really it was refreshing and I really am looking forward to the trade paper back end and I plan on following the story. I am very invested.
Speaker 2:Thank you very, very much again. One last thing I just really want to say is that my approach for any time I try and sit down to write something, and this is really what I think is like the main key for creating something that that you'll not only be satisfied with, but others will is that you should try and write something that you yourself would it would enjoy. You shouldn't go in trying to like appease everybody, or trying to appease like a certain crowd or anything. Just write what you know, write what you love and enjoy, and hopefully everything will fall into place.
Speaker 1:That was my discussion with Mitchell Martinez. I'm very impressed with this comic. I'm so happy that it reached out and that he did more of a favor to me. He has a project that is coming to fruition and that is is showing success. Honestly and truly, I am a very small part of the overall feeling that is meant to be conveyed through this podcast. You know I'm carrying a very large banner with me and I mean to represent it very well. I think you know, to no credit to myself, I'm not trying to gas myself up, but I think it's all a part of not only myself but the effort put forward through our group why Mitchell even chose to reach out to us. It's very cool. You know that this networking actually paid off, because I can't tell you how fucking embarrassing it was trying to just talk to people like, hey, we got this podcast. It's very cool. I'm very happy with this discussion. I hope that everyone enjoys it as well.
Speaker 1:I'm going to be linking all of Mitchell's mentions as social media where his trade paperback will be posted, all his info. I'm going to be posting it. All of our info, our social media, everything will be included in our social link. Is our link in the bio. Shout out to everybody in the DPG I am the elder. Thank you so much for tuning in. Take care, have a good one, drink a lot of water because it's hot, and don't talk to strangers. We will see you soon.