Frank Miller on Frank Miller

Frank Miller on Frank Miller

Author: Brad & Lisa Gullickson July 1, 2026 Duration: 1:09:50
No one is more surprised than we are. Frank Miller, the legendary comics maker behind Daredevil: Born Again, Ronin, Batman: Year One, Sin City, and The Dark Knight Returns, which celebrates its fortieth anniversary this year, joins us this week to discuss his career as he filtered it through his new memoir/self-help book, Push The Wall: My Life, Writing, Drawing, and The Art of Storytelling. His latest creation floored us. Broken into sixteen lessons, Push the Wall sees Frank Miller excavate his past to understand his pursuit of storytelling. He attempts to explain his rebellious nature and a need to throw himself against opposing forces, but in the process, reveals the awesome, unbeatable power of change. He treats the reader as his mentors did, like Neal Adams and Dick Giordano. Push the Wall works not only as motivation for the struggling artist, but also for the struggling human. The aggression and fascination for violence are present, but more importantly, Push the Wall contains a great softness or vulnerability. Frank Miller is not a creator who doubles down on past mistakes; he admits regret and offers encouragement to everyone who must fail to grow. We’re beyond delighted to have Frank Miller on the podcast. We discuss how “The City” was the first to change him, why The Dark Knight Returns should not be the template for all Batman stories, and whether or not Robocop 2 is an essential ingredient in his vocation. Push the Wall: My Life, Writing, Drawing, and the Art of Storytelling arrives in bookstores everywhere on July 14th. Make sure you’re following Frank Miller on Instagram and his website. 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 Watch Matt Fraction in The Stacks Previously on CBCC: Klaus Janson on Daredevil, The Dark Knight Returns, and More Jim Rugg's 1986 Zine Comic Book Film Club: Punisher: War Zone at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia on 7/12 at 5:00 PM. Co-Sponsored by Four Color Fantasies. Comic Book Club: The Complete Persepolis at Meanwhile...Coffee in Herndon, Virginia, on 7/5 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. 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! The charming town of Orchard has everything you could ever need: walkable streets, friendly residents, and no escape. But why would you want to leave? The world outside is a nuclear wasteland! It's much better to stay in the warm confines of Orchard and ignore the deep secrets it holds. After all, it's a safe place to live. Free on Webtoon, Winston Gambro’s A Safe Place to Live is the dystopian horror comic you’ve been waiting for. It’s Severance meets Archie. Support human-made art!. If you are a fan of the legendary artwork of Michael Turner, y

Ever wonder what keeps Lois Lane and Clark Kent together, or why the Joker and Harley Quinn’s dynamic is so endlessly dissected? That’s the kind of territory you’ll find in Comic Book Couples Counseling Podcast. Hosted by real-life married couple Brad and Lisa Gullickson, this isn’t just a rundown of famous pairs. Instead, they use their own relationship as a lens to examine the loves, feuds, and complicated bonds that define our favorite characters. Each episode feels like a lively conversation between two passionate fans who happen to share a life, digging into the psychology, history, and narrative impact of relationships across comic book publishing and wider pop culture. You’ll hear them analyze everything from classic Golden Age partnerships to the messy modern entanglements in contemporary graphic novels, always with a mix of deep knowledge and genuine curiosity. This podcast offers a uniquely personal and thoughtful way to engage with the stories you love, moving beyond powers and plot twists to ask what these fictional connections really say about us. Tune in for a smart, often funny, and always insightful look at the heart of the narratives.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Comic Book Couples Counseling Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Stephanie Williams on Street Sharks [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:09
As far as mantras go, Street Sharks have one about as good as they come. They fight. They bite. They stand for everything right. You can read it on the opening page of each issue of the IDW Publishing series, and as we d…
Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips on The Peril of the Brutal Dark [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:14
Those in the know have been (im)patiently waiting for The Peril of the Brutal Dark: An Ezra Cain Mystery. Of course, no one has been waiting as long as the comic’s creators, Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips. The series or…
Exclusive! Brad Meltzer on Spider-Man/Superman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:23
Immediately after we recorded our last conversation with Brad Meltzer, we recorded a secret second episode. He was aching to discuss his next project, but he couldn’t quite let the cat out of the bag until Marvel Comics…
Dave Chisholm on Is Ted OK [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:52
No one makes comics like Dave Chisholm, and we don’t allow him to make one without first making a stop at the podcast. His latest, Is Ted OK?, reveals an artist pushing himself to his very limit, built on an incredible r…
Brad Meltzer on The Viper [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22:01
When you read The Viper, the new Zig and Nola novel from Brad Meltzer, it doesn’t take long to see how comics inform the author’s creativity. As he says during our conversation, “It’s Superman and Batman. It’s Spider-Man…
The Stampies: Best Comics of 2025 (Part Two) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:58:10
Welcome back, friend. Our end-of-the-year celebration concludes with The Stampies: Best Comics of 2025 (Part Two). If you missed the Part One party, click here, and discover the comics we considered the saddest of 2025,…
The Stampies: Best Comics of 2025 (Part One) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:41:49
Friends, let’s celebrate. We’ve made it through another year, and no matter how you felt about the world outside your local comic book shop, you certainly read some great comics. Welcome to our annual award show, The Sta…
Jock on Absolute Batman 15 - Oh, that Joker [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:29
With the release of Absolute Batman #15 and the big reveal of Absolute Joker, we’re excited to welcome artist Jockonto the show for the first time. We would consider this comic an event even without the gnarly origin sto…