David Dastmalchian on Through

To create is to submit. Here’s my story, this is me. Filmmaker, actor, and comic book writer David Dastmalchian returns to the podcast this week. He’s discussing his new graphic novel Through, made in collaboration with artist Cat Staggs and letterer Adam Wollet. It’s a deeply intimate story about an orphan who cracks her head and enters a fantastical realm as a result. There are direct allusions to Lewis Carroll and several other classics and not-so-classics. However, ultimately, Through is David Dastmalchian revealing a piece of himself to the reader, and hoping the reader finds a piece of themselves within, too. As with his films and the characters he inhabits, David Dastmalchian’s comics are acts of self-reflection. While telling an engaging, scary, thrilling adventure into wonderland, Through is also a chronicle of an anxious moment in Dastmalchian’s life. We’re grateful he was willing to join us for a thoughtful discussion about mental health and the pursuit of understanding via artistic expression. Not every creator wants to go there, but David Dastmalchian delights in the internal plunge. On the show this week, we discuss David Dastmalchian’s inspirations, how Through differs from other comics work like Count Crowley, and what this medium offers that others do not. Through is currently available from Z2 Comics in multiple editions. Please, continue the conversation with David Dastmalchian by following his Instagram and Website. This Week's Sponsors The Future is Calling! 2000 AD is the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic, with new issues published every single week! Every 32-page issue of 2000 AD brings you the best in sci-fi and horror, featuring characters like Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper, and more. Get a print subscription to 2000 AD and it’ll arrive to your mailbox every week - and your first issue is free! Or subscribe digitally, and you can download DRM-free copies of each issue for only $9 a month. That’s 128 pages of incredible comics every month for less than $10! Head to 2000AD.com and click on ‘subscribe’ now – or download the 2000 AD app and start reading today! Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode: Subscribe to the Comic Book Couples Counseling YouTube Channel Watch The Stacks, Comic Creators Name Their Favorite Comics Previously on CBCC: David Dastmalchian on Count Crowley Comic Book Club: My Boyfriend is a Bear at Meanwhile...Coffee in Herndon, Virginia, on 2/1 at 3:30 PM Final Round of Plugs (PHEW): Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.