Two Geeks Talking

Author and YouTuber Kyle Lawrence joins Two Geeks Talking to unpack how he thinks about story across prose, comics, manga, and film, and why “tricking” the reader is really about guiding them through an emotional experience you’ve already mapped out. He digs into the making of ICHI! Number One Baseball Robot and Crumple, the craft challenges of having “too much freedom” in prose, and the specific feedback that actually moved the needle on his writing. We also get into the origin of his King Rex Comics YouTube channel  @hailkingrex  , why knowing comics history (including the unsung creators) deepens your love of the medium, and how he navigates metrics, and self‑promotion without shouting into the void. If you write, read, or obsess over stories in any format, this episode is a masterclass in staying curious while still finishing the work.

Hasani Walker went from answering phones in a call centre to answering story notes in the animation industry, working with filmmakers like Guillermo del Toro along the way. A decade later, he’s taking everything he’s learned about character, performance, and visual storytelling and pouring it into his own project: Doris Doodle. Once a 1940s Hollywood cartoon star and now a washed‑up actress clawing her way back into relevance, Doris is his lens on fame, failure, and second chances. This conversation dives into how Hasani made the leap into animation, what he uses from studio life to build his own comic, and why Doris Doodle might be the most honest character he’s ever created based on real-life experience.

Felicia Day is an actor, producer, author, writer, podcaster, streamer, mother, and the creator of The Guild. Nineteen years later, she’s been part of many geekdoms, from Buffy and Supernatural to Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, Eureka, The Magicians, and more. This time, she’s bringing The Guild: Ren Faire'd movie to Kickstarter, making it THE FASTEST fan-funded movie in Kickstarter History! Thanks to the support of the amazing fans and community/audience that has championed her work for years.

Alex Schumacher returns to Two Geeks Talking to dissect how he and co-creator Aaron Cohen built Schticks & Stones—a smart, Jewish mystery comic that sits somewhere between Mel Brooks, Sherlock Holmes, and Clue. He breaks down the core engine of the series once you strip away the holiday hooks, how to stay “all the Jewish funny, none of the Jewish guilt” without leaning on clichés, and what Crime & Passover first issue taught him artstically when drawing the other holiday mysteries. You’ll also hear how Tales From The Cloakroom and Flash Gordon Adventures shaped his craft, the page layouts he relies on when a joke has to land, and why paying your success forward is non-negotiable in comics. If You Love Mel Brooks and Clue, This Jewish Mystery Comic Is For You

At 80, L.A. Lockehart decided to launch a whole new chapter, publishing her debut mystery novel The Garden Tender’s Cats after a lifetime as an award‑winning musician, actress, composer, and painter. In this conversation, she unpacks how character, setting, and “spaces with secrets” drive her approach to mystery, why habits from music and visual art shape the way she writes scenes, and what people get wrong about the genre. She also shares her take on AI and creativity, the first poem that sparked her artistic life, and why she’s still thinking in terms of future poetry collections and collaborative gallery shows instead of slowing down.

Tara Madison Avery and Michael Varrati break down how they built Four Seasons Of Fear a year‑long tour through queer horror with 24 LGBTQ+ comics creators, and why horror is one of the most flexible tools for talking about identity, community, and fear. They get tactical about choosing contributors, shaping stories around holidays and seasons, editing for emotional truth without losing the weird edges, and what thinking in panels and pages taught them after years of scripts and edits. You’ll also hear them unpack misunderstood assumptions about the horror genre, share the films and series that shaped their taste, spotlight niche queer horror comics and movies you should actually seek out, and walk through the Kickstarter campaign that’s turning this anthology into a reality.

Chris Stall, co‑founder of CHK Comics, breaks down how he and Kris Mendoza built AHA! (A Horror Anthology) as their flagship project—curating new indie horror voices, juggling creative and business brains, and running a Kickstarter that won’t become “another unfulfilled campaign.” He shares how they chose their creators, what this book says about the future brand of CHK Comics, and the hard truths he wishes more indie creators understood about deadlines, professionalism, and pitching. The conversation dives into horror influences, current “horror diet,” and introspective questions on success, failure, legacy, and what it really takes to make an anthology that actually ships.
 

Atom! Freeman has been playing the long game in comics market for 30+ years, and now he’s betting big on something everyone wanted but no one was executing: a physical magazine you actually pick up in your LCS. Comics The Magazine is the print-native answer to an overwhelmed direct market—giving retailers a plug‑and‑play discovery engine and giving potential customers and comic creators a real platform for interviews, previews, and business‑side insight Gen Z can actually act on. If you’re a creator, publisher, or shop owner who wants to stop complaining about algorithms and start owning attention—this episode breaks down how to partner with Prana, how to think about the next 10 years of comics, and why asking for help is the actual flex.

Dan Bethel, a comic creator, shares his perspective on the journey of "making comics" and the importance of simply starting. He discusses how the "fear of failure" often prevents creators from pursuing their passion, emphasizing that perseverance is key to "personal growth." This motivational conversation highlights that the biggest reward in "making a comic" is the act of creation itself, pushing you to do more.

Jeff Haas, host of Traversing The Stars, steps fully into creator mode with his brutal, mythic comic series M.A.L.E.K. Reigning Devil—think John Wick meets Dante’s Inferno. This episode dives into how Jeff blends high-octane action with literary and theological depth from an Atheist perspective. How Jeff has evolved as a writer, and builds a cosmic revenge story that still feels human. We also unpack the realities of indie comics, lessons learned from interviewing Star Trek Academy actors and Comic Legend Jeff Lemire. Finally the collaboration and self-promotion of the M.A.L.E.K. Kickstarter and how you can support Jeff’s work now and in the future.