The 159th episode of AQUAMAN AND FIRESTORM: THE FIRE AND WATER PODCAST is now available for your listening pleasure! A proud member of the FIRE AND WATER PODCAST NETWORK!

Famed comics writer Gerry Conway visits the Fire and Water Podcast Network to discuss his new Firestorm story appearing in the Legends of Tomorrow anthology series from DC Comics!

You can find the 159th episode of AQUAMAN AND FIRESTORM: THE FIRE AND WATER PODCAST on iTunes. While you’re there, please drop us a review on the iTunes page. Every comment helps! Alternatively, you may play the podcast using the player below or by right-clicking “download”, choosing “Save Target/Link As”, and selecting a location on your computer to save the file (36 MB)

Opening theme, “That Time is Now,” by Michael Kohler. Special thanks to Daniel Adams and Ashton Burge with their band The Bad Mamma Jammas for our fantastic original closing theme!

Have a question or comment? Looking for more great content?

• Leave comments on our FIRE & WATER PODCAST website – http://fireandwaterpodcast.com/podcast/fire-water-159/
• THE AQUAMAN SHRINE – http://www.aquamanshrine.net
• E-MAIL: firewaterpodcast@comcast.net

This podcast is a proud member of the FIRE AND WATER PODCAST NETWORK:

• Visit the Fire & Water WEBSITE: http://fireandwaterpodcast.com
• Follow Fire & Water on TWITTER – https://twitter.com/FWPodcasts
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• Use our HASHTAG online: #FWPodcasts

Thanks for listening! Support Firestorm and Aquaman! Fan the Flame and Ride the Wave!

Remember, to leave comments visit our FIRE & WATER PODCAST website – http://fireandwaterpodcast.com/podcast/fire-water-159/

The 125th episode of THE FIRE AND WATER PODCAST is now available for your listening pleasure! THE FIRE AND WATER PODCAST is the official podcast of FIRESTORM FAN and THE AQUAMAN SHRINE.

Comics legend Gerry Conway joins Shag and Rob to discuss his current concerns with DC Comics over “Creator Equity” for THE FLASH TV series, and a host of other topics. Part of the massive “Conway’s Corner Crossover” podcasting event! #ConwayXover

You can find the 125th episode of THE FIRE AND WATER PODCAST on iTunes. While you’re there, please drop us a review on the iTunes page. Every comment helps! Alternatively, you may play the podcast using the player below or by right-clicking “download”, choosing “Save Target/Link As”, and selecting a location on your computer to save the file (134 MB).

As always, thanks to my co-host Rob Kelly, Sea King of THE AQUAMAN SHRINE, for doing all the post-production on these episodes! Opening theme, “That Time is Now,” by Michael Kohler. Special thanks to Daniel Adams and Ashton Burge with their band The Bad Mamma Jammas for our fantastic original closing theme!

Have a question or comment? Looking for more great content?

• Check out Gerry Conway’s Tumblr: gerryconway.tumblr.com
• Send us an e-mail: firewaterpodcast@comcast.net
• Check our Tumblr: fireandwaterpodcast.tumblr.com
• Visit The Aquaman Shrine: www.aquamanshrine.net
• or leave a comment below!

Thanks for listening! Support Firestorm and Aquaman! Fan the Flame and Ride the Wave!

The twenty-seventh episode of our WHO’S WHO podcast is now available — the show that dares to tackle one of DC Comics’ greatest publications! With the first volume of Who’s Who behind us, we celebrate by taking a victory lap! We conclude this run with a look at Ambush Bug #3, a couple Amazing Heroes articles, and a special bonus… an interview with Who’s Who artist Dan Jurgens! We wrap up the show with your Listener Feedback! This episode sponsored in part by InStockTrades.com!

Be sure to check out our Tumblr site for several pages from this Who’s Who episdoe: FireandWaterPodcast.Tumblr.com!

Have a question or comment? Send us an e-mail at: firewaterpodcast@comcast.net

You can find the twenty-seveth episode of WHO’S WHO: THE DEFINITIVE PODCAST OF THE DC UNIVERSE on iTunes. Each episode is released as part of THE FIRE AND WATER PODCAST feed. While you’re on iTunes, please drop us a review. Alternatively, you may play the podcast using the player below or by right-clicking “download”, choosing “Save Target/Link As”, and selecting a location on your computer to save the file (123 MB).

Thanks to my co-host Rob Kelly, Sea King of THE AQUAMAN SHRINE, for doing all the post-production on this episode! Special thanks to Daniel Adams and Ashton Burge with their band The Bad Mamma Jammas for our fantastic Who’s Who theme song!

Below you’ll find the cover to Ambush Bug #3 drawn by Keith Giffen and Bob Oksner.

Come back next month when we tackle the first issue of Who’s Who Update ’87!

Support Firestorm (and the WHO’S WHO podcast)! Fan the flame!

DC RPG: THE HERO POINTS PODCAST, Episode 02 – The Atlas of the DC Universe

The second episode of our HERO POINTS podcast is now available — the show that tackles role-playing games set in the DC Universe! This time around Shag and Siskoid chat about The Atlas of the DC Universe, from Mayfair Games released in 1990. First, we interview comics legend and author of the Atlas, Paul Kupperberg. Then, we provide an overview of the Atlas pointing out some favorite bits. Finally, we wrap up the show with your Listener Feedback!

Find the second episode of DC RPG: THE HERO POINTS PODCAST on iTunes. Each episode is released as part of THE FIRE AND WATER PODCAST feed. While you’re on iTunes, please drop us a review. Alternatively, you may download the podcast by right-clicking here, choosing “Save Target/Link As”, and selecting a location on your computer to save the file (55 MB).

Have a question or comment? Looking for more great content?

• Send us an e-mail: firewaterpodcast@comcast.net
• Check our Tumblr for 15+ pages from the Atlas: fireandwaterpodcast.tumblr.com
• Visit Siskoid’s Blog of Geekery: siskoid.blogspot.com
• Drop by Paul Kupperberg’s website: paulkupperberg.com
• Order The Charlton Arrow: morttodd.com/charlton.html
• Tour The Aquaman Shrine: www.aquamanshrine.net
• Writeups.org: WriteUps.org
• DC Heroes Yahoo Group: groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/dc-heroes
• Siskoid’s own DC Heroes write-ups (circa 2001): siskoid.com/RPG/DCHeroes
• Online Atlas of the DC Universe: karridian.net/dcatlas.html
• Listen to DC RPG: The Hero Points Podcast, Episode 1
• or leave a comment below!

Just to whet your appetite, here is a map of the United States indicating where all the fictitious cities are in the DCU! Click the image to enlarge. For lots more pages from this book, be sure to check out our Tumblr site: FireAndWaterPodcast.Tumblr.com!

Thanks for listening! Support DC Comics Role-playing Games! Let’s Roll!

You can find the 85th episode of THE FIRE AND WATER PODCAST on iTunes. While you’re there, please drop us a review on the iTunes page. Every comment helps! Alternatively, you may download the podcast by right-clicking here, choosing “Save Target/Link As”, and selecting a location on your computer to save the file (23 MB).

As always, thanks to my co-host Rob Kelly, Sea King of THE AQUAMAN SHRINE, for doing all the post-production on these episodes! Opening theme, “That Time is Now,” by Michael Kohler. Special thanks to Daniel Adams and Ashton Burge with their band The Bad Mamma Jammas for our fantastic original closing theme!

Have a question or comment? Looking for more great content?

• Send us an e-mail: firewaterpodcast@comcast.net
• Check our Tumblr: fireandwaterpodcast.tumblr.com
• Visit The Aquaman Shrine: www.aquamanshrine.net
• Visit Dan’s website: danjurgens.com
• For our previous interview with Dan, check out episode 33 of this show!
• or leave a comment below!

Below you’ll find the Aquaman & The Others #1 variant cover by Dan Jurgens, as well as the cover to The New 52 – Futures End #1 by Ryan Sook. Click the images to enlarge!

Thanks for listening! Support Firestorm and Aquaman (and Dan Jurgens)! Fan the Flame and Ride the Wave!

With just two weeks before the release of JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #7.2: KILLER FROST, Sterling Gates took time out of his busy schedule for a chat with FIRESTORM FAN! You may be familiar with his work on Supergirl, War of the Supermen, Justice League of America’s Vibe, or one of his many other projects. Sterling is a rising star in the world of comics and he’s bringing his passion and creativity to the Nuclear Man’s #1 nemesis!

FIRESTORM FAN: How did you first get interested in reading comics and what were some of your favorites?

STERLING GATES: Well, my parents owned a comic store in Tulsa, OK when I was growing up, so comics have always been a part of my life in one form or another. We sold the store when my dad passed away in 1998, and then in college I became the weekend manager of a comic book store called Speeding Bullet Books and Comics. My final thesis was writing and drawing a 20-page comic. I graduated college in 2005 and moved to Los Angeles. Through the help of Geoff Johns, I got a job as a production assistant on Blade: The Series. Comics have played a huge role in almost all of the different areas of my life so far, and hopefully they’ll continue to do so for a long time coming!

When I was a kid, I was chubby and slow. As a result, the Flash was my favorite hero, because he could always outrun the bullies! I actually found an old script the other day I wrote when I was a senior in high school. In it, Kid Flash teaches a young boy (who suspiciously looks a lot like me) how to be faster and outrun the bullies who chase him after school. I was a really, really big Flash fan when I was a kid.

I was also really into Batman (and Tim Drake Robin!), Superman, the Justice League and Spider-Man when I was a kid, and then as I got older I got really into slice-of-life comics. Adrian Tomine, Craig Thompson, that kind of thing.

FF: How familiar were you with Killer Frost and Firestorm before receiving this assignment? Any particular appearances stick out in your memory?

SG: Very familiar. In 2010, I developed a huge Firestorm pitch for DC post-Brightest Day, so I spent a lot of time going through Firestorm’s rogues and figuring out things to do with all of them. I think Frost is probably the most important Firestorm villain, the most iconic. Their subplot in Crisis on Infinite Earths made sure of that!

I also think her inclusion in the Injustice video game marks a pretty big development in the character’s life and profile. She’s got such an interesting look and is so powerful, I think she should be put up there with the great DCU villains.

FF:  Congratulations on being the first to write a Killer Frost solo story! What can you tell us about the one-shot?

SG: Is this the first Killer Frost solo story ever? Like, ever ever?! I had no idea! That’s awesome!

This one-shot is Killer Frost’s secret origin, a brief history of her time in the New 52 DCU, and her reaction to the events in FOREVER EVIL #1.

FF:  Killer Frost appeared in the recent Firestorm series, but we still don’t know much about her. Will we learn about her past in your story? Can you tell us some of the differences between the original Killer Frost and the New 52 version?

SG: One of the exciting things about the New 52 Universe is that we can explore familiar stories and characters but update them in different ways. In our story, we’re introducing Caitlin Snow as if she’s never existed in the universe before (outside of her two appearances in Dan Jurgens’ recent Firestorm run), so we’re getting to know her before she became the powerful villainess, Killer Frost. Caitlin was a brilliant young scientist before the events of her secret origin, and I wanted to really emphasize just how smart and…well, innocent she was before she became this monster.

Whereas Gerry Conway wrote evil and bitterness in the first Killer Frost as an extension of her personality, I wanted to flip it, so that Frost is the polar opposite of Caitlin’s normal existence. That almost Jekyll-and-Hyde approach gave me a lot to play with in this issue, and it’s a slightly different take on Killer Frost than we’ve seen in the past.

One of my editors, Kate Stewart, said she really appreciated that Caitlin is this very relatable, smart, independent young woman before she changes into the villain we all know and love….or know and hate, I guess. Depends on your point-of-view! [laughs]

FF:  What aspects of Killer Frost have you found most enjoyable to write? What aspects are the most challenging?

SG: Well, Caitlin’s very, very well read and intelligent, whereas I am not. [laughs] She’s a young S.T.A.R. Labs scientist with a head full of science and scientific theories…stuff that I didn’t study in art school. I read a lot about perpetual motion machines and thermodynamics to try and prep myself for writing her, but I ended up just skimming the surface of all the hard science in her narration. And then once she’s frosted up, she’s like a shark or an energy junkie. She just has one thought in mind: “Hungry.” Once she gets her fix, though, she relaxes and can think through things a little better.

I like that dichotomy, and I liked developing a character who is (hopefully) very sympathetic and interesting to the reader, then letting her cut loose mentally and physically and watching her tear things up.

I was also very happy to reference a Peter Stark article about freezing to death in the issue. He wrote this great article about the cold for Outside magazine twenty years ago, and it’s easily one of the scariest things I’ve ever read. If you get a chance, look it up, it’s fascinating.

FF:  You’ve only got 20 pages to tell Killer Frost’s tale. If you were given the opportunity, where would you take her story after this one-shot?

SG: Well, I cheated, because Geoff told me where Killer Frost’s story goes after this one-shot in FOREVER EVIL. Since I knew what would happen to her, I knew where I needed to leave the character. I’d love a proper shot at writing more of her and Firestorm some day. The scenes between the two of them are really quick in the issue, so I didn’t get to do too much with them.

FF:  What comic books are you reading nowadays?

SG: Oh, geez. A lot…? [laughs] I’d have to actually look at the stack on my desk and I’m on vacation right now. I don’t read a lot of comics anymore, but I try to always stay up on Marvel and DC stuff.

At Marvel, I’m all about Mark Waid and Chris Samnee’s Daredevil. I think it’s one of the best superhero books on the market, and delivers the perfect amount of character, action, and tone. I’m reading a few of the main X-Men books, All-New and Uncanny and Wolverine & the X-Men. I’m rereading all of the old Len Wein Thor stuff from the ‘70s, just because I’m so pumped for a new Thor movie.

With DC, I’m reading all of Geoff’s Justice League books, all of Jeff Lemire’s books. I LOVE Aquaman. Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s Batman.

A couple Image books, like Saga, I read in trade and really enjoy them. Duffy Boudreau’s BlackAcre is awesome if you haven’t checked it out yet. Buffy season nine. Anything Jen Vaughn draws, anything Adrian Tomine puts out. Optic Nerve #13 was PHENOMENAL. Anything Frank Cho draws….Man, that’s a tough question when you’re not sitting in your office and can just look around and talk about what you’re seeing. [laughs]

FF:  Besides Killer Frost & Vibe, are there any other projects you are currently working on or have coming up?

SG: I’ve got a bunch of stuff happening in the fall. I scripted a superhero webseries called The Posthuman Project and the trailer for that hit last month. I think you’ll be hearing more about that as time goes on.

I’m co-teaching an online comics writing class for LitReactor.com. That’s a fun, six-week course that covers the basics of comic writing, everything from how to start a script, to how to structure a story, to why it’s important to number word balloons and captions. Bree and I have a lot of experience in various aspects of the comic industry, so it should be a cool class to check out.

I’m developing a couple other comic projects and working on a novel, but I probably shouldn’t talk about them until they’re further along.

Oh, and JLA: VIBE comes out every month! Vibe’s dimension hopping through several famous DCU dimensions in issue 8, and then issues 9 and 10 are a big throwdown with the supervillain, Rupture…which, if you’re reading the book, you know how big that battle could potentially be.

People call things “Earth-shattering.” When Vibe and Rupture fight, it’s potentially “universe-shattering.” Hope you guys check it out.

FF:  Who would win in a fight: Dale Gunn or Archer?

SG: Oh, Gunn, all the way. Alllll the way. I gotta rep my Vibe guys.

Thanks a lot for the opportunity to chat, and I hope you guys enjoy the Killer Frost one-shot!

My thanks to Sterling Gates for donating his time to this interview! JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #7.2: KILLER FROST goes on sale September 11, 2013. If you haven’t already, be sure to reserve a copy now with your local comic shop! To keep up with Sterling Gates, be sure to visit his website and follow him on Twitter!

Support Firestorm (and Killer Frost & Sterling Gates)! Fan the flame!

You can find the 33rd episode of THE FIRE AND WATER PODCAST on iTunes. While you’re there, please drop us a review on the iTunes page. Every comment helps! Alternatively, you may download the podcast by right-clicking here, choosing “Save Target/Link As”, and selecting a location on your computer to save the file (31 MB).

As always, thanks to my co-host Rob Kelly, Sea King of THE AQUAMAN SHRINE, for doing all the post-production on these episodes! Intro theme, “That Time is Now,” by Michael Kohler. Special thanks to Daniel Adams and his band The Bad Mamma Jammas for our fantastic original closing theme!

Have a question or comment? Send us an e-mail at firewaterpodcast@comcast.net. Visit our Tumblr site at fireandwaterpodcast.tumblr.com.

To keep up with Dan, be sure to check out his website and look for him on Twitter!

As promised on the podcast, here is a photo of a recent Booster Gold cosplay spotted at DragonCon 2012! Hats of to cosplayer Shelley for wearing her Legion flight ring! Nice attention to detail!

Support Firestorm and Aquaman (and Dan Jurgens)! Fan the Flame and Ride the Wave!

Firestorm Fan: How did you first get interested in reading comics and what were some of your favorites?
Dustin Koetsch: When I was 12 or 13 I would always buy those assorted comic book packs in Toy’s R’ Us on birthdays, holidays or with my allowance. My favorites were Batman and X-Men (I happened to start reading around the year they did Death of Superman and Knightfall in the DC Universe and X-Men just got “Rebooted” by Jim Lee.) Now my love for comics has grown exponentially and I even have Swamp Thing #1 cover tattooed on my forearm and the old Green Lantern issue #49 tattooed on my Bicep.

FF: What started you on the DC Comics minimalist poster project?
DK: Honestly it was out of trying something new and because I had seen this one guy get attention for it for doing Marvel minimalist posters and I thought, “Well I can do that and probably do it better” so I did.

FF: Do you have any favorites of your DC Comics minimalist posters?  Were there any characters you had difficulty adapting for the minimalist posters?
DK: Favorite is probably the Sinestro one as it was the basis for starting the whole project, from there I did the Lantern Corps individually, then went to do any character I could think of. Anti Monitor was the hardest I would say.

FF: Have you done any further minimalist posters that weren’t incorporated into the collage (or as I like to think of it — the quilt)?
DK: I haven’t done any others recently no. I have been thinking about doing more of those faux covers with characters still, since there are SO many I could do still.

FF: Total nerdy question here… what did you use for reference when you created you Firestorm minimalist poster?
DK: I can’t recall because it was about a year ago but if I had to guess I would say a comic cover where the logo is prominently displayed, it was definitely an older issue though I know that.

FF: Your faux Firestorm cover is sheer genius! What inspired your technique and how did you go about selecting Firestorm images?
DK: Well when I was doing the faux covers I though it would be a cool idea to have the concept be “what if it was an anniversary issue culminating the years of the character in one silhouette” So I believe the first one I did was The Flash and just kept doing them from there, sometimes the reference pictures were more difficult than others but in the end they came out pretty unique.

FF: Would you consider yourself a Firestorm fan? If so, how did you discover the character and do you have any favorite storylines?
DK: I really really loved what Geoff Johns did with the character in Blackest Night/Brightest Day but with the New 52 I felt like they lost a lot of the promise that character had built up from that. I stopped reading after the first story arc because it felt too cheesy.

FF: Are there any other projects you are currently working on or have coming up?
DK: Mostly in my spare time I’m a graphic designer and when I’m not touring I make shirt designs for bands. So I haven’t had any really unique or cool ideas just yet but I’m always thinking of something to create, especially things Swamp Thing related now!

FF: Who would win in a fight – Lockjaw or Krypto?
DK: Since I’m a DC guy I have to say Krypto

My thanks to Dustin Koetsch for making time for this interview! Be sure to check out Dustin on his website, deviantART, Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook, and numerous other locations on the web! Tell him FIRESTORM FAN sent you!

Support Firestorm (and Dustin)! Fan the flame!

This episode we’re dipping into the vault, presenting an interview from 2009 with the legendary Gerry Conway, co-creator of the Firestorm The Nuclear Man! Gerry Conway was one of the most prolific comic book writers of the 1970s and 80s. His writing credits go on for miles! He’s probably best known for co-creating the Punisher and scripting the death of Gwen Stacy in the Amazing Spider-Man. He also wrote for and produced such TV series as Law & Order and Diagnosis Murder. Back in 1977, Gerry created Firestorm the Nuclear Man along with artist Al Milgrom. Gerry continued to write the character of Firestorm for about nine years. During the interview we cover Firestorm’s creation, artists, the writing process, creator rights, the DC Implosion, merchandise, where the character has journeyed since his involvement, and much more!

You can find the 19th episode of THE FIRE AND WATER PODCAST on iTunes. While you’re there, please drop us a review on the iTunes page. Every comment helps! Alternatively, you may download the podcast by right-clicking here, choosing “Save Target/Link As”, and selecting a location on your computer to save the file (38 MB).

As always, thanks to my co-host Rob Kelly, Sea King of THE AQUAMAN SHRINE, for doing all the post-production on these episodes! Intro theme, “That Time is Now,” by Michael Kohler. Special thanks to Daniel Adams and his band The Bad Mamma Jammas for our super-cool original outro theme!

Have a question or comment? Send us an e-mail at: firewaterpodcast@comcast.net

Support Firestorm and Aquaman! Fan the Flame and Ride the Wave!