Off Panel #533: Hips Don't Lie with Patrick Brower

Off Panel #533: Hips Don't Lie with Patrick Brower

Author: SKTCHD January 5, 2026 Duration: 1:21:58

Retailer Patrick Brower returns to the show to talk about the year that was in his Chicago-based comic shop, Challengers Comics + Conversation. Brower discusses his weird year, the year in Challengers itself, the consistent nature of 2025, what drove the year's success, Absolute Martian Manhunter's surprising heat, the performance of the Absolute Batman Annual, managing different printings, Marvel's "terrible" year, where non-Big Two comics are, the complicated environment for creators, new readers, how they're behaving, other trends from 2025, struggles from the year, systemic problems, what could be done on the marketing side, Universal Distribution, sales charts, how he's feeling about 2026, and more.


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 #374: The Gentle Bus with Chip Zdarsky [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:26:26
Writer and cartoonist Chip Zdarsky joins Off Panel this week to chat about his vast slate of current projects. Zdarsky discusses his Substack's impact on his promotional approach, the origins of Public Domain, the idea o…
Off Panel #373: No Sleep 'Til Rutherford with Kyle Starks [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:44:01
Writer Kyle Starks joins Off Panel this week to chat about his Skybound horror series, I Hate This Place. Starks discusses I Hate This Place's origins, the subjectivity of horror and comedy, confronting realities, connec…
Off Panel #372: Freestylin' with Gale Galligan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:21:19
Cartoonist Gale Galligan joins Off Panel for an extended chat about their work and their just released graphic novel, Freestyle. Galligan discusses the intersection of drawing and comics as a youth, the impact of comic s…
Off Panel #371: Spam I Am with Marjorie Liu [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:28:30
Writer Marjorie Liu joins the show for a career-spanning chat with a slight focus on her latest graphic novel, The Night Eaters: She Eats the Night. Liu discusses time traveling in writing, never being off the clock, her…
Off Panel #370: Man with a Hat with Tom Brevoort [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:46:56
Marvel's Senior VP of Publishing and Executive Editor Tom Brevoort joins Off Panel for an expansive chat about his career at Marvel. Brevoort discusses his email newsletter, his internship at Marvel, working with artists…
Off Panel #369: Chaos Energy with Heidi MacDonald [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:35:58
The Beat's Heidi MacDonald joins Off Panel for a chat about the return of conventions and where the comics industry is right now. MacDonald discusses how cons are ramping up, how they're performing after much time off, t…
Off Panel #368: PRED Talk with Ed Brisson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:19:06
Writer Ed Brisson returns to the show to dive deep into our mutual love, and his current writing of the Marvel series, Predator. Brisson discusses his recent promotional road trip, his Predator origin story, blending hor…
Off Panel #367: Cool World with Ryan Stegman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:51
Artist Ryan Stegman joins the show the week his new Image series Vanish debuts, as we talk about that title's development and more. Stegman discusses his love of Wizard and Image growing up, the pursuit of cool, antihero…
Off Panel #366: Superheroes...Are...Good? with Oliver Sava [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:23:18
Comics journalist Oliver Sava returns to Off Panel, as it's once again time for our annual Superhero State of the Union! In this episode, we discuss how we're feeling about superheroes right now, the current events (mean…
Off Panel #365: Opening at the Close with Wes Craig [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:31
Cartoonist Wes Craig joins Off Panel for a conversation about his upcoming Image series, Kaya. Craig discusses the ending of Deadly Class, balancing projects, the biggest things he learned during that project, the origin…