Writer Jonathan Hickman joins the show to talk about this phase in his career and the varying projects he’s working on. Hickman discusses his love of the World Cup, the phase he finds himself in, his current reality versus his previous one, why Imperial is a focus, his project mix, whether he has to think differently because the current market, promotional materials, working with artists, the origins of Aliens vs. Avengers, notable pitches, the space side of Marvel, Imperial’s roots, finding new corners to work in, editorial experiences, the type of writer he is, Ultimate Spider-Man’s timeline, delivering what people don’t expect, creator-owned versus for-hire, the lasting feelings of his X-Men run, leeping things fresh, how he finds the right fit for himself, and more.

You can find Hickman’s work in Aliens vs. Avengers, Ultimate Spider-Man, and the upcoming Imperial at Marvel as well as 3 Worlds/3 Moons on Substack.

You can download the episode directly here on Libsyn.

Big thanks to Deanna Chapman for editing this episode, as per usual.

Subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts or follow it on its LibSyn page. The show is also on Spotify, YouTube, and wherever else you listen to podcasts. Don’t forget to rate and review Off Panel wherever you choose to listen, but five stars only!

You can find Off Panel on Patreon! Support the show on there and get early access to each week’s podcast.

Thanks to the sponsor of this week’s podcast: 2000 AD! If you love sci-fi, horror, fantasy and action, then 2000 AD is the greatest comic you’re not reading! 2000 AD has a whole universe of characters, from Judge Dredd and Strontium Dog through to Rogue Trooper, Zenith, Shakara and many more. In every weekly issue you get five action-packed stories from incredible creators including Garth Ennis, Rob Williams, Alex de Campi and Dan Abnett. Get a print subscription and it’ll arrive at your door every week – and your first issue is free! Or subscribe digitally, get free back issues, and download DRM-free copies of each issue – for just $9 a month. That’s 128 pages of incredible comics every month for less than $10! And all subscribers get amazing offers, like money off vouchers and exclusive products! Head to 2000AD.com and click on ‘subscribe’ now – or download the 2000 AD app and start reading today!

Thanks to the show’s other sponsor, Oni Press! Oni Press presents a monstrous new milestone in the immortal legacy of the one and only EC Comics with Blood Type #1 this June! Crawling out of the pages of EC’s best-selling anthology Epitaphs from the Abyss, Hugo Award-nominated writer Corinna Bechko and superstar artist Andrea Sorrentino are biting deep for EC’s first-ever standalone horror series! Meet Ada, an immortal vampire who has just washed ashore on a tropical island paradise teeming with wealthy tourists and superstitious locals – the perfect getaway for a cunning bloodsucker with nothing left to lose. But as Ada stalks the boundaries of her new hunting ground, she’ll soon become embroiled in a deadly game of cat and mouse by moonlight . . . as an older, wiser, and entirely different kind of monster reveals that this island is already spoken for. Who will survive when this brand-new kind of BLOOD TYPE decides a vampire is the perfect prey? Pre-order with your local comics retailer by May 19th – and look for BLOOD TYPE #1 in comic shops everywhere June 11th, only from Oni Press and EC Comics.

Also, big thanks to my patrons, including – but not limited to – Aaron Bussey, AC, Simon Birch, Austin, Sion, T.S. Luther, Megan Marsden, Comic Book Couples Counseling Podcast, Scott Carpenter, Gus, MKFreigeist, Saunter, Brian, Chris Robinson, David Byrne, Milton Lawson, Benjamin Wilkins, Chris Hacker, John NeSmith, Jon Auerbach, Dustin Weaver, Brandon Hayman, Aaden Hamann, Faith Erin Hicks, Ben Wroe, Cameron Brown, Jonathan Breen, Charlie Stickney, Tom Drennen, Jeremy Thomas Burke, Jared Schwab, Scott Dunn, Chip Mosher, Seth Pomeroy, James McEwan, Andrew Leamon, Christina Merkler, Scott Place, Travis Gibb, Darcy Van Poelgeest, Tom Evans, Reid Beaman, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Max Wood, Jeremy Lambert, Bryan, Nir Levie, Jason Hussa, Kieron Gillen, Jonathan Kent-Uritam, Henry Johnston, Dennis Hoffmann, Django Bohren, James Tynion IV, Chris Lankford, Jason Wood, Tom Peachey, Ben Damstedt, Ram V, Nick Walker, Patrick Coyle, Isaac Orin, Klaas Van de Ven, Submet Industries, Jack Mulqueen, Karl Kerschl, Robert Masella, Elsa Charretier, Luc Nakashoji, Dr. Luke, Scott Haselwood, CanadianByProxy, Bradley Roeder, Carl Choi, Brandon De Pillis, Patrick Brower, Declan Shalvey, Dan Gearino, Atom Freeman, Ben Wild, Brian Klein-Q, Liana Kangas, Nick Bennett, Susana Polo, Reed Hinckley-Barnes, Mario Tiambeng, Robert Wilson IV, Andrew Kurita, Stefan Hull, Phillip Maira, Chris Bachalo, Torunn Grønbekk, FuzBubbles, Christopher Ta, Transmitterdown, Walt’s Comics & Books, Akil Wilson, Alex Dimitropolous, Terry Dodson, Wesley Gift, Shawn Kirkham, Julio Anta, Brett A. Schmidt, Jason Goodmanson, Paul Reinwand, Vita Ayala, Akylle, Phillip Sevy, Al Ewing, David Kelley, Jason Nassi, Adam Bogert, Matthew Taylor, Nick Pitarra, Jacob Sareli, Ford Gilmore, David Baroldy, Nick Hall, Bjorn Basen, John Hendrick, Ian Maxfield, Cliff Chiang, Colin McMahon, Adam Highfill, Fiona Staples, Mark Abnett, Michael Shirley, Tom Barnett, Jim Demonakos, Norbert, Nick Lowe, James Kaplan, and Mission: Comics and Art in San Francisco. You’re all the best.

Have a question for Off Panel? You can reach David by email or Bluesky.

Header photo is Marco Checchetto’s cover to Imperial #1. Off Panel’s opening theme music is Vulfpeck’s “Outro,” used with permission from the band (and thanks from me for them doing so!), with the rest of the music being an original track by custom music agency Upright T-Rex Music, written and performed specifically for the podcast. A huge thanks to Ross and Cody from Upright T-Rex Music for putting the track together!