I thought that is was only fair since I make use of iTunes and comics podcasts throughout my week that I devote one of the reviews this month to one of their best.
Wordballoon. The Comic Book Podcast.
www.wordballoon.blogspot.com
Twitter - @johnwordballoon
Facebook - John Siuntres.
Wordballoon is the brainchild of John Siuntres. Now in it's eigth year it is primarily an interview show and gets some great names and talent. John is a radio presenter from Chicago and always the proffessional. He has built up quite the porfolio of interviews and I have lost count of how many hundreds of great episodes he has notched up. (You might even spot him as the Principal of Peter's school in Ultimate Spider-Man a few years ago).
He has strands of regular guests. The Bendis Tapes, The Rucka Debrief, Fireside Chat with Matt Fraction, amongst numerous others. He loves the history of the medium and it is well worth looking out interviews with Marty Pasko (one is due soon I think), Mark Waid, John Ostrander and Dave Gibbons (a truly great interview as he mentions my LCS). There are too many great guests to name. I can only suggest listening in.
It's not just a show for us fans but also for professionals. You often hear artists and writers saying what a thrill it is to get on there. John is a real gentleman and clearly an interviewer of insight and ability.
Over especially the last few years it is commonplace to turn on a podcast and hear that the presenters haven't really 'read much lately' or you can tell that they are ill prepared for the subject matter. None of this with Mr Siuntres. He is a fanboy like us all (although both he and I are no longer boys!). His knowledge in this and realted fields is flawless and he speaks constantly with huge enthusiasm.
He drifts a little bit on occasion into film, TV and radio. Well worth a listen are the 'Ape Talk' strands where he talks about that subject - mostly with Gabriel Hardman and Corine Bechko.
I had the pleasure of meeting John briefly at the 2011 New York Comicon. He is as friendly and enthusiatic in person as he is on my iPod. He is however a one man band. So if you do listen and can spare a couple of quid or dollars or euros (or whatever) drop some in his paypal account. I have sent him a few quid over the last year and he even sent me an email thanking me. You gotta love the comics community right?
NIA.
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