Various creators and amateurs alike
I've mentioned before about buying comics I've heard about listening to comic-themed podcasts. I'm a bit of a late-comer to the whole podcast thing. My lovely wife got me my first iPod a few years ago as a gift. Then it was several months after receiving it before I tried to use it -- I'm a bit of a techno-phobe when it comes to new gadgets. But once I did finally try to use the iPod, I quickly began finding podcasts I thought I might like, loading them onto my iPod and listening to them when out walking the dog or doing household chores.
My first podcast was the excellent Word Balloon by John Siuntres, and my interest in that show predates my iPod gift. I discovered this interview-style show through the Newsarama website and had been listening to it at work during slow periods whenever a new episode was uploaded there.
I very much appreciated the interview format of the show where Siuntres asks creators about their current and past projects. Of course, my interest in the show was greatest when the featured creator was someone whose work I enjoyed or who had a forthcoming project I was looking forward to. But over time, I came to appreciate Siuntres' style and professionalism and gave episodes a listen even if I knew little about a specific guest.
Once I got my iPod (and got brave enough to try it out), I quickly came across other shows I liked. One of the first of these was Comic Zone Radio, hosted most often by Vincent Zurzolo. I didn't always like Zurzolo's interview style as much, as he sometimes tended to talk over his guests, interrupting their recollections with his own, but the show was still entertaining to listen to, and I enjoyed several of them a great deal.
I tend to favor the interview-style podcasts rather than story reviews of current comics. I like hearing the insights of the creators responsible for books I've collected and enjoyed, and some of the podcasts I listened to early on included not only current creators, but legends in the field from previous decades. I've still never been to a comics convention large enough to have big-name creators present, so this was a chance to hear some of their thoughts and musings.
There's another reason I mostly avoid review-style programs, and it requires an admission about the anal nature of my geekiness: each time I find a new podcast, I have to download and start listening from the earliest episode available. Hence, I haven't heard many current episodes; the bulk of what I am listening to most recently comes from the end of 2007 and the beginning of 2008! From time to time there might be an episode that talks about some big book from the past I'm curious to hear thoughts about, but I'm less interested in a show that talks solely about whatever books came out the week the episode in question was released. I just don't have enough time to listen to everything if I'm ever going to get caught up to the more recent shows!
Another type of show I discovered and liked are ones similar to this very blog, only in audio form -- programs where the podcaster(s) in question simply talks about comics or pop culture in general, his or her love of the medium and other related themes. Some great examples of this kind of podcast are Fire & Water: The Official Podcast of The Aquaman Shrine and Firestorm Fan, Half Hour Wasted and Views From the Longbox. The folks who do these shows are easy to listen to, generally around my age (though often a little younger) and therefore often fans of some of the same comics I like.
Most of the shows I subscribe to are downloaded through iTunes, but there are some new links to the left for some of the shows that have their own websites. The list at left is not a complete list by any means, but there are some great shows among the ones available through these sites.
Now (to paraphrase Bill Cosby), I told you all of that to give you a little background for another story, for which you'll have to wait until next time. Hope to "see" you then.
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