The Comic Source Podcast

Brightburn director David Yarovesky joins Jace at San Diego Comic-Con 2026 to talk about IT DEMANDS SACRIFICE, the new BAD IDEA survival-horror series he co-writes with Philip Gelatt. Yarovesky explains the wonderfully twisted premise of following a family of goats marked for ritual sacrifice, why tiny runt Bronson may become one of the most unexpected horror heroes in comics, and how working in comics gives him the freedom to put virtually anything he can imagine onto the page. He also discusses developing the story over several years, finding the right tone, working with BAD IDEA, and the collaborative process with artist Adam Pollina and colorist Dean White. IT DEMANDS SACRIFICE #1 arrives October 7, 2026.
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Morgan Hampton joins Jace at the DC booth during San Diego Comic-Con 2026 to talk about his run on Green Lantern Corps and the character-first approach that has helped him put a new spotlight on Guy Gardner. Morgan explains why Guy's abrasive personality is really a mask, how digging into the character's history completely changed the way he feels about writing him, and why he wanted to explore what exists underneath all that attitude. They also dive into the ambitious landscape-format issue, the black-hole concept that allowed Morgan to experiment with space and time on the page, expanding the emotional spectrum and turning its entities into characters rather than abstract concepts, the challenge of juggling Green Lantern Corps' enormous cast and why the series could be an accessible entry point for new readers discovering the Green Lantern universe.
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CHAPTERS
00:00 – Morgan Hampton at SDCC 2026 00:30 – Green Lantern Corps Fan Reaction 01:45 – How Morgan Hampton Changed Guy Gardner 02:30 – Morgan's Personal Connection to Guy 03:30 – "The Asshole Is His Mask" 04:08 – Creating the Landscape-Format Issue 05:35 – Bringing the Emotional Entities to Life 06:18 – Making Green Lantern Corps His Own 06:50 – Building a Book New Green Lantern Fans Can Read 07:18 – Morgan's Message to Readers

Amazing Spider-Man #1000 has been delayed after a printer issue pushes Marvel's landmark issue back two weeks, while DC may have revealed the assassination of Bruce Wayne months ahead of schedule and is threatening consequences for retailers who spoil the secrets of Batman Day. Jace also looks at Baron Karza's surprise arrival in the Energon Universe, Witchblade's Image-wide cover takeover, Chachu #1 selling out, new Ghost Machine developments, the return of Ocean and Automatic Kafka, Archie in Hell, The Smart Division's breakout reception, The Hab's expanded Director's Cut, Hello Kitty's massive 75,000-copy preorder number and the latest development in the Diamond bankruptcy. Then it's time for What Hit, the Prana Top 10 and last week's Comic Source picks sweep the Top Four — followed by a huge Final Order Cutoff rundown for August 10.
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CHAPTERS
0:00 — Hook 0:19 — Intro / This Week's Comic News
2:24 — Marvel Expands Its Compact Line
3:19 — Amazing Spider-Man #1000 Delayed
4:26 — Did DC Spoil Bruce Wayne's Assassination?
5:56 — DC Locks Down Batman Day
7:34 — Celebrating Joe Kubert at 100
8:52 — Baron Karza Joins the Energon Universe
10:37 — Witchblade Takes Over Image Covers
11:31 — Chachu #1 Sells Out 12:34 — Tales of Wonder / Jorge Fornés Variants
13:01 — Ghost Machine's Next Phase
13:40 — Ocean Returns to Print 14:30 — Automatic Kafka Returns
15:14 — Archie in Hell First Look 16:12 — The Smart Division Breaks Out
17:18 — The Hab Gets a Director's Cut
17:59 — Hello Kitty Hits 75,000 Orders
18:54 — Diamond Bankruptcy Update
21:26 — What Hit
25:57 — Prana Top 10 Bestsellers
32:47 — Final Order Cutoff — August 10
40:46 — Outro

The Energon Universe isn't slowing down. At San Diego Comic-Con 2026, The Comic Source went inside the Skybound press room for an extended conversation with Robert Kirkman, Void Rivals artist Conor Hughes and Skybound publisher Sean Mackiewicz about the past, present and future of the interconnected universe.
Kirkman discusses rebuilding ROM for a new continuity, including the research he did into the character's Marvel history and why he worried ROM's damaged appearance could be interpreted the wrong way. Hughes explains why that damage represents sacrifice and "scars of war," while Mackiewicz details how ROM and M.A.S.K. became part of Skybound's larger Energon plans.
The conversations also reveal that Matt Trakker was included in Skybound's original pitch to Hasbro and was once intended to appear in Duke before Clutch ultimately filled that role. Mackiewicz and Kirkman both tease major developments beginning in M.A.S.K. #3, while Kirkman discusses the Energon Universe animated project currently in development and his hope that the comics may eventually reach their own version of the story represented by 1986's The Transformers: The Movie.
And when asked whether there's a limit to how far the Energon Universe can expand, Mackiewicz's answer is simple: "no limits."
 
00:00 – Kirkman Teases the Energon Universe's Transformers: The Movie
00:12 – Sean Mackiewicz on M.A.S.K., ROM & Expanding Energon
02:40 – How ROM & M.A.S.K. Fit Into the Energon Universe
05:20 – Why Skybound's Comics Are Connecting With Readers
07:20 – G.I. Joe, Lara Croft & Expanding Beyond Nostalgia
11:25 – Finding New Creators & Building Skybound's Future
12:15 – Matt Trakker Was Originally Going to Be in Duke 13:25 – M.A.S.K. #3 Has a Surprising Energon Connection
14:35 – Does the Energon Universe Have Any Limits?
15:20 – Robert Kirkman & Conor Hughes Reinvent ROM
19:15 – Kirkman Went to "ROM School"
21:20 – Building ROM & Void Rivals Together
23:40 – M.A.S.K. Was in the Original Energon Universe Pitch
25:45 – Kirkman Takes Over Transformers 27:55 – The Energon Universe Animated Series
29:20 – Could Energon Reach Its Own Transformers: The Movie?

Robert Kirkman is building an expansive new superhero universe with Terminal, and at San Diego Comic-Con Jace from The Comic Source sat down in the press room with Kirkman, Andy Kubert, Arthur Adams and David Finch to talk about what makes the series different. Kirkman discusses the influence of '90s X-Men and the desire to bring that same bold, in-your-face energy back to superhero comics, while creating two opposing factions where readers may not immediately know who the heroes and villains actually are. The conversation explores Kirkman and Joe Casey's long-term plans for a story designed to dramatically evolve by issues #12, #25 and even #50, Arthur Adams returning to interior work, David Finch tackling a different visual world after Skinbreaker, and Andy Kubert balancing the energy of his classic X-Men work with everything he has learned since. Kirkman also explains why Terminal may be his most collaborative individual comic yet, with Kubert, Adams and Finch contributing character designs, influencing one another's work and being given the freedom to change pacing, layouts and even expand moments from the script when they see a better visual solution. Plus, Kirkman addresses comparisons to The Walking Dead, why he wants Terminal to become its own thing rather than "the next" anything, and why making the best comic possible will always come before thinking about potential film, television or animation adaptations.
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00:00 Robert Kirkman Wants Terminal to Bring Back '90s Comic Energy 01:04 What Is Terminal? The '90s X-Men Inspiration 03:01 Arthur Adams Returns to Interior Comics 04:54 David Finch on Terminal After Skinbreaker 06:12 Who Are the Good Guys in Terminal? 07:56 Kirkman's Long-Term Plans for Issues 25, 50 & Beyond 09:14 Building Terminal With Multiple Artistic Voices 11:26 Kirkman Calls Terminal His Most Collaborative Comic 12:04 Andy Kubert Recreates the Energy of His X-Men Era 14:50 Is Terminal the Next Walking Dead? 16:05 Why Kirkman Isn't Designing Terminal for Hollywood 17:28 Giving Artists Freedom to Change the Script 19:12 Cliffhangers, Surprises & Keeping Readers Coming Back 20:04 Kubert, Adams & Finch on Designing Terminal Characters 21:58 David Finch on Drawing His Favorite Artists' Designs