Off Panel #531: One World Under Beetle with Brandon Burpee

Off Panel #531: One World Under Beetle with Brandon Burpee

Author: SKTCHD December 22, 2025 Duration: 1:54:11

My pal Brandon Burpee returns to the podcast for our annual look at the year in comics before we count down our 20 favorite comics of the year. Burpee discusses the year in comics, the state of the Big Two, where the X-Men are, older comics that might have previous lists, anticipated comics from 2026, ancient Star Wars takes, and more, before we share our honorable mentions from the year in comics and then count down our 20 favorites comics and graphic novels from 2025.

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For those that are looking for a list of our 20 favorite comics, here they are.

David Harper's 20 Favorite Comics of 2025
1. Beetle Moses
2. Hirayasumi
3. Sleep
4. Land Vol. 1
5. Do Admit! The Mitford Sisters and Me
6. Cannon
7. The Fables of Erlking Wood
8. Good Devils: Don't Play Fair with Evil
9. Ionheart
10. Lucas Wars
11. Out of Alcatraz
12. A Garden of Spheres
13. Tongues Vol. 1
14. Assorted Crisis Events
15. Flip
16. The Knives
17. Raised by Ghosts
18. Tokyo Alien Bros.
19. Absolute Wonder Woman
20. Absolute Batman

Brandon Burpee's 20 Favorite Comics of 2025
1. One World Under Doom
2. Green Lantern
3. Batman and Robin: Year One
4. Deadpool/Wolverine
5. Superman
6. X-Men
7. JSA
8. Absolute Superman
9. Justice League Unlimited
10. Exquisite Corpses
11. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 12. Geiger
13. Storm
14. Absolute Wonder Woman
15. Redcoat
16. Captain America
17. Invincible Universe: Battle Beast
18. Green Lantern Corps
19. Escape
20. History of the DC Universe


Each week on Off Panel: A Comics Interview Podcast, host David Harper of SKTCHD sits down for a conversation that goes deeper than the usual press cycle. This isn't just about promoting the latest project; it's about understanding the people and the processes that shape the comic book industry. You'll hear from writers, artists, editors, and other key figures in a way that reveals the personal journeys, creative struggles, and collaborative triumphs behind the pages we love. The discussions are thoughtful and meandering, often touching on craft, industry shifts, and the simple love of the medium itself. By focusing on the human stories, this podcast builds a more complete picture of comics culture, from the indie scene to the major publishers. It's for anyone who has ever finished a great comic and immediately wondered about the minds that built it. New episodes arrive weekly, offering a consistent and engaging look into this vibrant world. For more, you can find David Harper and SKTCHD across various social platforms.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 560

Off Panel: A Comics Interview Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Off Panel #394: The Woods with Torunn Grønbekk [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:43
Writer Torunn Grønbekk joins the show to talk about her path to comics and her work on comics like Thor and Red Sonja. Grønbekk discusses the greatness of Nic Klein, her natural art lean, the Norway comic scene, how comi…
Off Panel #393: Sunshine & Rainbows with Steve Anderson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Off Panel #392: Blurred Lines with Deb Aoki [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Manga journalist Deb Aoki joins the podcast this week to chat about the explosion in manga sales the past few years and what has led to it. Aoki discusses her Emerald City Comic Con experience, making connections for man…
Off Panel #391: Family Video with John Allison [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:54
Writer/artist John Allison returns for a conversation about the upcoming The Great British Bump-Off and his larger views on comics right now. Allison discusses the origins of The Great British Bump-Off, its evolution, pa…
Off Panel #390: The Corner with Al Ewing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:23:05
Writer Al Ewing joins the show to chat about his approach to writing comics like X-Men Red, Wasp, Venom, and more. Ewing discusses managing the work, what drives his schedule, where pitches fit in, dealing with external…
Off Panel #389: Comics Pro with Filip Sablik [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:24:18
BOOM! Studios' President of Publishing & Marketing, Filip Sablik, joins the show to discuss what BOOM! is up to as we head into ComicsPRO's annual meeting. Sablik discusses the ComicsPRO experience, what he's looking for…
Off Panel #388: Reality Bites with Jamie McKelvie [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:11
Artist Jamie McKelvie joins the show to discuss his past few years and his work in Batman: One Bad Day - Catwoman. McKelvie discusses his work schedule, taking on more small projects, the challenges of a long run, his fl…
Off Panel #387: In the Vault with Gerry Duggan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:55
Writer Gerry Duggan joins the show to chat about his most recent work, amongst other things. Duggan discusses what his new series The Giant Kokjü does, its origins, how the state of the world has impacted him as a storyt…
Off Panel #386: Different Strokes with Clayton Cowles [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:34
Letterer Clayton Cowles joins the show for a conversation about his career and approach to lettering titles like Batman, Immortal X-Men, Daredevil, and more. Cowles discusses managing his expansive workload, where his lo…
Off Panel #385: Kang and Friends with Susana Polo [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:37:05
Polygon's Entertainment Editor Susana Polo returns to the show for a free-flowing chat about the wider world of comics. Polo discusses Polygon's content development process, how much of the focus is on what works, whethe…