AIPT Comics

We’re talking to the team behind Final Boss Comics, a shop that’s been quietly building something special for nearly two decades. Owner Floyd and manager Griffin join us to talk about their upcoming expansion into a second-floor space, how they’ve turned their shop into a true community hub, and what it actually takes to run a successful comic store in 2026. We get into what’s selling right now, why creator-focused recommendations still matter, how events and book clubs keep readers engaged, and why they’ve chosen to prioritize in-person connection over chasing online sales. If you’ve ever wondered what makes a comic shop work, or why some continue to grow while others struggle, this is a great conversation to dig into.

Angélique Roché’s upcoming graphic novel First Freedom arrives February 10 and tells the powerful story of Dr. Opal Lee and the decades-long fight to establish Juneteenth as a national holiday. Ahead of our full written feature next week, we’re sharing something special. It’s a candid, wide-ranging conversation that explores the creative and emotional core of First Freedom, offering early insight into the themes, challenges, and storytelling choices behind one of the year’s most meaningful graphic novels.

We’re thrilled to bring you the full, unedited conversation with Gene Luen Yang, the writer currently steering IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles through one of its most emotional and surprising arcs in years. If you’ve been reading the book, you know the stakes have never been higher. With the shocking reveal of Ujigami’s true identity and the return of Splinter casting a long shadow over the Turtles, Gene joins us to unpack the heart of the story and why this arc is really about family, fear, and the consequences of overprotection.

Today’s episode is a big one for symbiote fans, as we’re joined by Jordan D. White, editor on Venom and more, to talk about everything from Mary Jane’s evolution as Venom to the massive Spider-Symbiote event Death Spiral kicking off 2026 in a big way. This is the full, uncut version of Venom Unleashed #15, where Jordan dives deep into the thinking behind MJ as the most heroic Venom yet, teases the terrifying new villain Torment, breaks down how Venom and Amazing Spider-Man are colliding for the event, and even settles—once and for all—whether Buddies is better than Friends.

In this final episode of the year, David Brooke is joined by Chris Coplan and Alex Schlesinger to break down the Best Comics of 2025, from standout single issues and series to creators who defined the year, the best art and lettering, horror highlights, big-screen adaptations, and more than a few wild card categories. There are surprises, disagreements, hot takes, and a couple of well-earned victory laps around the medium.

This week on the AIPT Comics Podcast, we're joined once again by Benjamin Percy, returning for his fourth appearance—and this one’s a big one. We run the gamut in this interview, first talking about one of the most fascinating projects Percy has ever worked on: The End Times. We also unpack his Punisher Red Band series, and what's to come in 2026 for Punisher!

We’re going full craft-nerd with a deep-dive interview you will not want to miss: Christos Gage joins us to unpack the making of Battleworld. We get into how the project came together (“Hank Pym and Marcus To” were basically the magic words), what it’s like playing with timelines instead of planets, how he balances deep-cut fan service (Starbrand! New Universe! CrossGen!) with accessibility, and why he built those text-heavy “tech pages” as a love letter to Marvel history.

We’re bringing you the full, uncut interview with legendary cartoonist Paul Pope—the visionary creator behind Batman: Year 100 and Total THB. Pope joins us to talk about returning to Total THB after 30 years, how his early ideas about “small things exploding into big things” shaped his storytelling philosophy, and what readers can expect from the definitive edition hitting shelves on November 11. If you caught our written interview, you’ll want to tune in for this one—the podcast includes extended discussion about his creative process, artistic influences, and the craft of making comics that didn’t make it to print.