Jace welcomes sisters Chanda Bell and Krista Pitts, co-creators, along with their mother, Carol Aebersold, of Elf on the Shelf. They share how their family tradition became a global phenomenon, their unforgettable experience bringing the Elf to San Diego Comic-Con, and how fans everywhere have embraced the magic.
We also dive into exciting new projects in the Santa-verse:
🎄 Nicholas the Noble – the first-ever Elf on the Shelf novel, telling the origin story of Santa Claus (available Sept. 16).
🎮 The very first Elf on the Shelf video game, created with Outright Games, bringing the North Pole to life for families year-round.
Whether you grew up with the Elf or are just discovering the tradition, this interview is all about fandom, family, and creating joyful holiday memories.
Jace and Rocky chat about the DC Comics titles for the week of August 27, 2025. Mister Terrific: Year One continues it's excellent examincation and evolution of the character. The Peacemaker Double feature ends on a high note very reminiscent of the TV show while Absolute Wonder Woman and Absolute Martian Manhunter continue on an upward trajectory. Superman has a last page that has the gusy speculationg about what comes next and Justice League Unlimited ties in closely to the big Darkseid story that has been building for close to a year. Green Lantern also maintains it's high level of quality in both story and art. Finally, Immortal Legend Batman feels like the perfect balance of fresh and familiar. Join us to learn more about this titles and all the other DC books this week.
Jace welcomes Todd McFarlane back to the show to chat about the upcoming 50/50/50 Program to celebrate the 5oth issues of King Spawn, Gunslinger Spawn and The Scorched. Todd talks about the importance of consistency, building variety in the Spawn Universe to welcome in new readers, and why anniversary issues matter to both fans and retailers. He shares details on the special crossover story, unique covers, rare signed variants, and even how you can get some original art from Todd himself!. It’s a great conversation about celebrating comics, fandom, and giving back to the direct market that’s supported Spawn for over 30 years
Jace and Rocky are back with the DC Comics weekly spotlight. It's a great week in Jace's opinion, but Rocky was less impressed. Absolute Batman make both top five lists with an incredbile origin for Absolute Bane, Absolute Flash also impresses with it's best issue in quite awhile. Jace also thought that Carwoman has it's best issue of the current run, though Rocky remains disconnected with the story which is more of an ensemble than a Catwoman-centric story. New Gods continues to build and the invasion of Earth doesn't feel far off. We have two canine focused stories, Krypto and the lead feature in Detective Comics #1100th issue and Jace ranked them very highly. The other co-features in Detective were also excellent as was the debut issue of Justice League Red, Wonder Woman stays just as divisive as ever with a big chunk of the episode breakign down Tom King's writing style and why so many people may like or dislike it. There are a lot more titles and a lot more opinions in this episode so join us for all the details!
Jace welcomes Jimmy Palmiotti and Dan Panosian to chat about their upcoming Marvel Knights Punisher title. Punisher is a favorite of both of these veteran creators and they are pushing the envelope with this story, so it is not for the faint of heart. Expect tons of action and a fast-paced story, the kind of story that long-time Punisher fans will love. Jimmy drops some hints that Frank Castle will be in a very difficult spot, almost an impossible situation and he mentions that even he and Dan felt a little bad for putting Castle in such a bad spot. Dan talks about the interesting locales, weaponary and vehicles he gets to draw and it's clear that these guys are having a blast pulling this story together. Join us for a fun chat and be sure to pre-order the book by September 5th!
Jace welcomes cartoonist Shannon Wheeler to the show. Shannon talks about his career and how he eventually was able to fulfill a dream of doing cartoons for the New Yorker. He also is the creative mind behind the hit comic Too Much Coffee Man. Shannon's current project is the most personal project he has tackled to date as he explores the interesting life led by his father. Not only in terms of the events and choices Shannon's father made, but also how those, choices and expectations affected Shannon and the decisions he made in his own life. Join us for a very interesting conversatioin.
Jace is joined by Adam Huss and Nicole Maines to talk about Truth Man. Truth Man is a well-meaning but over-the-top superhero whose only real “power” is that he can’t help but tell the absolute truth at all times. That sounds noble, but in practice it leads to a lot of awkward, uncomfortable, and often hilarious situations where Truth Man blurts out things no one wants to hear. Adam talks about how the comic spun out of a film that was in development but then hit a snag due to the writers strike. Nicole talks about how she became involved in the project and there is pole
Jace is joined by Brian Volk-Weiss from the Nacelle Company. Brian is one of the creatives minds behind Nacelle and it's properties such as The Toys That Made Us, The Movies That Made Us and more. The guys chat about the Nacelle Company exhibiting at a booth during SDCC for the first time, sharing the joy and connection of the toys & shows or our childhood and Bringing Biker Mice From Mars to a new generations of fans. Biker Mice is back and more relevant thant ever with a new series currently coming out monthly from Oni Press, written by Melissa Flores with art by Daniel Gete. Also in production for a new animated series that is hopefully coming next year, join us to learn more about the comic and animated series and the Nacelle company in general
Jace welcomes Todd McFarlane, Daniel Henriques and Jonathan Glapion back to the show. Daniel and Jonathan are continuing to expand the mythos of the Spawn Universe with their Curse of Sherlee Johnson series. To add to the excitement, for the first time in 25 years, Frank Miller is returning to the Spawn Universe to do a cover for issue #3. Additionally, Todd McFarlane has done a B&W 1:25 variant of the cover with him inking over Frank Miller. The guys talk about the joy of collaboration and how leaving other members of the creative team space to flex their creative muscles leads to the best comics. Daniel tells us how he brought Frank on to do a cover and Todd talks about inking over Frank. Jonathan mentions setting their story in hell and the unique challenges that comes with. It's a great conversation so join us!
Jace and Rocky chat about the DC Comics titles for the week of August 13, 2025. We get 4 more varieties of Kryptonite, Fire and Ice face their worst fears in hell, Aquaman faces Dagon but it might just be the start of his battle. The emotions have been drained out of the universe and the Lantern Corps turns to unexpected allies for help. We find out who the mysterious figure who is that has been watching the Kents while Momento's full plans stand revealed. Finally in the Elseworlds tale, we find out the true villain of the Krptonian age who is more feared than Lex Luthor. Join us for details on these books and more.
Jace welcomes Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing back to the show to chat about Star Trek. The guys start off by looking back on the second act of their Star Trek run specially for the two big events that took place during it, Day of Blood and Lore War. Their is plenty of talk about legacy, emotion and character with Lore and Kahless specifically. Then the discussion pivots to the new era of Star Trek that will be the setting for The Last Starship. A Star Trek story set farther into the future than any Star Trek story has ever explored. It is a darker universe following the catastrophic event known as The Burn, wherein all dilithium has become enert and 96% of Starfleet personal, along with trillions of citizens galaxy-wide, have lost their lives due to this unforeseen occurence. Into the chaos of these events, perhaps the most legendary Starship captain of all time, James T. Kirk, will return. It's a wonderful place for someone who has never read Star Trek to jump on, just as it will excite long-time readers with a tone that Star Trek hasn't explored much in the past. There is incredibly textured art by Adrian Bonilla and to hear Jackson and Collin tell it, he is as passionate about Star Trek as they are, so expect great things artistically. Final Order Cut-Off for The Last Starship is August 18th, so let your comic shop know that you want a copy and be ready when it arrives in shops on September 24th.
Jace is joined by the incredibly talented artist Lewis LaRosa along with Hunter Gorinson and Warren Simons to chat about Lewis's art book, Carbon Based. Lewis is one of the most detailed artists working in comics today and he sacrifices none of his innate sense of storytelling when rendering his linework with such exquisite texture. Join the guys as they chat about Lewis's journey from his earliest work at Marvel to his comeback with Valiant and bringing all that work together in one volume. Lewis also talks about his evolution and how he continues to strive to improve. The book also contains essays from many of the collaborators Lewis has worked with over the years. There is no doubt this is a must-have for any fan of Lewis's work and comics in generall.
Jace welcomes writer Jim Zub to talk about Conan the barbarian as he begins his third year writing the adventures of Robert E. Howard's classic hero of the Hyborian Age. Jim talks about creating the balance between the classic prose of Howard's stories while still drawing from the classic Bronze Age of Conan stories. Regardless of which era of Conan is your favorite, there is something for everyone here. Jim has been building to the Scourage of the Serpent event for awhiile and Conan is going to be challenged as he never has been before, but that is only the beginning of what what Titan has planned for Conan for the remainder of 2025. We are also getting a fully painted issue #25. Also Jim hints at a brand new villain coming soon, Join us to get caught up on all things Conan.
Jace is joined by George Northy to talk about Yuletide, the upcoming three issue series from Oni set in the fiction town of Christmas. As it's name suggests, the town of Christmas is indeed in love with Christmas, but not all it's residents want to celebrate the holiday. When events lead to the reappearnce of many Yuletide monsters of myth, it is up to the young residents of Christmas to find a way to defeat them and prevent save both their town and the holiday season of Christmas. George chats about the recent announcement of the story being optioned for an animated or live-action feature, finding the voices fo the characters and the incredible art of his collaborator and the series artst, Rachele Aragno.
Jace and Rocky chat about the DC Comics titles for the week of August 6, 2025. Batgirl fights alongside her newfound brother while Poison Ivy makes a brutal decision possible fueled by the revelation of consequences from a past decision. The Birds of Prey make a final play to free Barda and speaking of final, the outcome of Jon and Jay's relationship is revealed in Secret Six #6. Justice League vs Godzilla vs Kong has next level art and the same all-out action we have come to expect from the series. Meanwhile Resurrection Man has entire past explained so that it all makes sense and it is brilliant storytelling from Ram V. Absolute Superman has an incredible betrayal revealed while the incredible restraint Superman shows is a prime example of what makes him a hero. It's a great week of books so join us for all the details. Plus our rankings of all the books, a run down of what collections are dropping this week and a live opening of Fleer Brilliant Superman cards!
Iron Man and His Awesome Friends - Debuts on Disney Jr. on August 11th and airs on Disney+ the following day. Jace is joined by James Eason-Garcia, co-executive producer and story editor for this new cartoon aimed at a preschool audience. There's plenty there for older fans also. The guys talk about the choice to surround Tony Stark with other heroes who are just as intelligent as him and how they all have a unique look and power. This cartoon origins are somewhat rooted in the successs of Spidey and His Amazing Friends, but it stands all on it's own with endearling versions of familiar characters and their dog Gamma who will steal your heart. Join us to learn more.
Jace and Rocky chat about the DC Comics titles for the week of June 30, 2025. It's a fifth Tuesday of the month so we get tons of Annuals, a Special and even an anthology. The anthology collects a ton of Superman family stories that are quite diverse in tone and a couple of them have what may the next up and coming artists at DC. The Long Halloween continues with some great art in it's own right and the ending of Gotham City Sirens is very satisfying. The Nightwing Annual gives us the origin of Olivia Pearce and Justice League Dark Tomorrow stars a mysterious time traveler who is working to stop the Omega Energy from destabilizign time. Finally the Titans Annual is an absolute masterclass character piece starrint Donna Troy and a must-read for any DC fan.
Jace is joined by writer Timmy Heague to chat about the most unlikely of crossovers! Archie Andrews is entering the world of Minor Threats. When Sabrina the Teenage Witch hatches a scheme to recover a powerful magical artifact from Twilight City, many of the students from Riverdale High are caught up in her plans. What will happen when Frankie Follis, aka Playtime mistakes Archie and the rest of the Riverdale gang for her new henchmen? Join us as Timmy shares how he joined the project, balancing these two universes which are very different in tone and teases what's to come.
RELEASE DATES -
Murder Podcast - Sept 10, 2025
Voyeur - Sept 17, 2025
No Place - September 2025
Roots of Madness - Oct 1, 2025
Deluge - October 8, 2025
October 29,2025
Arcadia - TBA
Jace got a chance to chat with the executive team behind the new publisher Ignition Press. Their motto is " Doing things Differently" and it is clear from their presence at SDCC 2025, creator feedback and the incedible quality of their initial titles that they are living to that adage. Focused on giving creators the time to give their best iteration of stories both narratively and artistically, the launch titles coming throughout the remainder of the year certainly reflect the quality that comes from taking their time. With events at SDCC not just foced on industry insiders, but also the fans, Ignition Press is strving to build an egaged community of readers also. Finally, in addition to the creative timelines which allow them to actively market their books to help retailers, Ignition Press also has several other initiatives to help the direct market as well. Join us to hear about the launch titles and so much more in this chat.
RELEASE DATES -
Murder Podcast - Sept 10, 2025
Voyeur - Sept 17, 2025
No Place - September 2025
Roots of Madness - Oct 1, 2025
Deluge - October 8, 2025
October 29,2025
Arcadia - TBA
Jace got a chance to chat with the executive team behind the new publisher Ignition Press. Their motto is " Doing things Differently" and it is clear from their presence at SDCC 2025, creator feedback and the incedible quality of their initial titles that they are living to that adage. Focused on giving creators the time to give their best iteration of stories both narratively and artistically, the launch titles coming throughout the remainder of the year certainly reflect the quality that comes from taking their time. With events at SDCC not just foced on industry insiders, but also the fans, Ignition Press is strving to build an egaged community of readers also. Finally, in addition to the creative timelines which allow them to actively market their books to help retailers, Ignition Press also has several other initiatives to help the direct market as well. Join us to hear about the launch titles and so much more in this chat.
Jace joins Robert Kirkman and David Finch at the press room for Skinbreaker at SDCC 2025. This is a project that is over 7 years in the making. The success Robert has had with other long-term series such as Walking Dead and Invincible has allowed this project to unfold at a slower pace and give David the chance to take his time and put as much detail into the art as he wanted. Plenty of talk about the process, detail and collaboration as well as the decision to release the project as single issues rather than the initial over-sized one-shot originally planned. The creators were a bit cagey about details of the story, but only because they want the story to be discovered by the audience on its own.
Jace sits down with Phillip Kennedy Johnson at SDCC 2025 to chat about his upcoming series, Adventures of Superman: Book of El. A lot of the ideas in the book are going to be a continuation of what we got in Phillips Action Comics run as well as building on the foundations we got in his Future State Superman stories. We will see the return of the Super-Twins Otho & Osul and we will get 2 text pages from the Book of El itself in each issue. Can't wait to see Phillip bring more of his incredible world-building talents to Superman. Also, the guys touch on Phillip's excellent Batman & Robin series which is, in a way, the most personal project Phillip has done. Being the father to a son himself, he is doing an incredible job of exploring the dynamic between Bruce and Damian while still delivering a fantastic story with deep roots into the Wayne family. Plus the Gotham City Irregulars! Can they get a mini-series of their own ASAP? Join us for all the fun.
Jace chats with comic creator Phillip Sevy live from the floor at SDCC 2025 about his current Mad Cave Studios Project with Eliot Rahal, Don't Forget Your Briefcase. A crazy story where the briefcase containing all the nuclear launch codes for the United States is lost. Tons of action in the first issue, a big plot twist at the end and more to come after a great first issue. Phillip chats about his collaboration with Eliot and how his creative process changes based on whether he is writing a story, drawing it or both. Join us for the quick chat and be sure to pick up Don't Forget Your Briefcase!
Jace sits down with writer Mark Waid to talk DC Comics at SDCC 2025. Mark is writing a ton of books for DC currently, too many to cover in their brief chat. The guys do touch on Justice League Unlimited and how it ties into DC KO. Plus Mark reveals just what Mister Terrific and the time-displaced "shadow: heroes will be up to during the event. When it comes to story & collaboration, Batman & Robin Year One is a dream project for Chris Samnee and Mark talks about the importance of bringing emotion to that story. Mark also discusses his love of working in different time periods and having a mix of projects that tie in closely to the overall universe but also having books that stand on their own, such as what he is building in Action Comics as we see Clark and the Kents learn what it means to be Superboy and grow into Superman. Finally the guys finish up talking about Mark's return to The Flash with Christopher Cantwell and how Impulse is living up to his name. There's a ton packed inot this chat so don't miss it.
Jace joins Mad Cave Studios CEO/CCO Mark London live from their booth on the floor of SDCC 2025 to chat about how the con went, winning an Eisner and continuing to build a community around Mad Cave titles and creators. The guys also give a little peek behind the scenes on how important SDCC is in terms of meeting with creators and building out future projects and plans. Mad Cave is an up and coming studio that has really grown in the past few years, but continues to push and it's clear they won't rest on past success. In short, it's a publisher you should be paying attention to.