Writers (and comics journalism legends) Laura Hudson and Tim Leong join the show to talk their new Mad Cave series Exploit and their journeys to it. Hudson and Leong discuss the power of honesty, publishing their first comic, the evolution of Exploit, whether they always wanted to make comics, how the series developed, the impact of collaboration, Exploit’s origins, channeling frustrations into the work, the book’s energy, the importance of looking cool, print journalism trends, looking at comics from the outside, and more.

You can find Leong on Bluesky and Instagram, Hudson on Bluesky, and Exploit #1 from Mad Cave Studios and at comic shops everywhere.

You can download the episode directly here on Libsyn.

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!

Want to watch a video version of this interview, albeit mostly unedited? This chat with Laura Hudson and Tim Leong is available on the SKTCHD/Off Panel YouTube! Go watch it over there, and if you enjoy it, make sure to subscribe to the channel when you do.

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SKTCHD and Off Panel are now also on Ko-Fi, and if you want to send a tip my way because you’re enjoying the show, feel free!

Thanks to one of the sponsor of this week’s podcast: 2000 AD! America, the Future is calling you – the weekly 2000 AD will hit shelves across the USA this May! This is the comic which discovered Alan Moore, Grant Morrison, Garth Ennis, Al Ewing, DaNi and more – and it’s coming to a shelf near you! 2000 AD has never been available to read weekly in America before, so if you’ve always wanted to try out The Galaxy’s Greatest Comic — now is your chance! Every 32-page issue of 2000 AD brings you the best in sci-fi and horror, and this May will feature new stories like Judge Dredd, Brink, Nightmare New York, The Fall of Deadworld and more. All you need to do is order from your local comic store, and issues of 2000 AD will be available for you to pick up every single week! It’s never been easier to read 2000 AD – so what’re you waiting for, Earthlets? Add 2000 AD to your pull list today.

Thanks to another of the show’s sponsors, Oni Press! This May, Oni Press is proud to present Destination Kill #1, the first, 40-page chapter of a visually arresting and stylishly addictive comics thrillride written, illustrated, and lettered by British comics virtuoso Joe Palmer. In the footsteps of Judge Dredd, V for Vendetta, and Tank Girl, the UK’s next great milestone in dystopian science fiction starts here . . . as rendered by one of the most incendiary visual storytellers in comics today. The year is 2125. Welcome to London. An all-powerful mega-corporation is remaking England’s Central City with a new class of robot drones… and the few human workers still on the job are in the throes of an all-out rebellion. Now, the only thing standing between them and full-blown chaos is a stressed-out, pill-popping police detective and a runway train on a collision course with a metropolis that’s ready to explode. The future is a riot in Joe Palmer’s Destination Kill #1 – on sale in May, only from Oni Press.

Lastly, thanks to the show’s final sponsor in IDW. IDW has an incredible March coming for readers, and it all starts with two big debuts. Up first is Phil Hester and Ryan Kelly’s A Quiet Place: Storm Warning #1.
The world ended in silence…but in Pearl, Iowa, they think they’re safe. They’re wrong. Set in the terrifying world of the hit films, this has tension you can feel building panel by panel. Then, it’s Hannah Rose May and Kelsey Ramsay’s The Exorcism at Buckingham Palace #1. First it was America. Now it’s England. The royal family is missing, Parliament is panicking, and a playboy heir may be next in line to the throne — if his demons don’t take him first. Political horror, possession, and palace intrigue collide. Finally on March 17^th is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Saturday Morning Adventures — On The Go: Half-Shell Shenanigans, which gives readers over 300 pages of totally radical Turtle chaos in a compact, digest-sized edition. It’s pure ’90s cartoon energy you can throw in your bag and take anywhere. Horror. Possession. Turtle Power. February at IDW has it all, so hit up your local comic shop and get in on it.

Big thanks to all of my existing patrons, including W James, Joe Crohn, Zo Thompson, Brian Garside, Rand Hall, Christopher Landvick, Stephen Tramontana, Gavin O., Robert Negrete, Mr. Spriggs, Robert Pettinato, Tim Leong,  Ethan Spanja, Chris Partin, Ninja Assassin Love Story Webcomic, Mark Florio, Epic Broccoli, Kevin Bankston, Rick Yankosky, Chestin Pullard, Bobby Tomio, RK, Croc_Meow, Eric Palicki, eoBrodie Duncan, Scott Chua, Paul Lai, Gene Queens, Chad Lawrence, James Ferguson, Tiffany Babb, Nerdy Mewzings Podcast, Ian A., Hassan Thalji, Pinoywonder, Toni DeBoer, Nick Friar, James Shields, Michael DiGiovanni, Pete Ficken, Patrick McGlynn, Jose Perez, Ross Binder, Chris Tanforan, Joey Riccio, Ruben Jackson, Alfa, Keith Friedlander, Adriel Moreland, Garrett Lawton, Mike Novello, Jaime Espinoza, Ruben Cantu, Detective 27, JJ Mack, Comic Shop Assistant, Rob Guillory, Justin Pearson, Gianni Palumbo, Oliver Sava, P. Sanger, Wilson Garrett, Ben O’Grady, Mark Tweedale, Ben Allen, Zack Quaintance, Kazu Kibuishi, Tyler Crook, Patrick Horvath, Omega Slice, John Walsh, Brandon Paul, Aaron Bussey, Simon Birch, Austin Pribble, Sion, Megan Marsden, T.S. Luther, Comic Book Couples Counseling Podcast, Gus, Saunter, Brian, Chris Robinson, David Byrne, 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, Seth Pomeroy, James McEwan, Andrew Leamon, Christina Merkler, Scott Place, Travis Gibb, Darcy Van Poelgeest, Reid Beaman, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Max Wood, Jeremy Lambert, Bryan Stratton, 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, Bradley Roeder, Carl Choi, Brandon De Pillis, Patrick Brower, Declan Shalvey, Dan Gearino, Atom Freeman, Brian Klein-Q, 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, 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 guys are all the best.

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

Header photo is from Emiliana Pinna’s cover to Explot #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!