Comics critic Tiffany Babb joins the show to talk about her comics zine, The Comics Staple, and the world of comics journalism. Babb discusses pre-Kickstarter feelings, the joy of creating, her fearless nature, the importance of failure, why comics needs something like The Comics Staple, the importance of tastemakers, the contributors to the zine, the Staple’s audience, what differentiates it, why she enjoys prints so much, the impact of her previous work, the state of comics journalism, what’s missing in that space, the Eisner judge experience, her read of the industry, convention panel tips, and more.

You can find Babb on Bluesky and her work in The Comics Staple, her currently being Kickstarted ongoing zine about comics.

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 Tiffany Babb 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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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 a stacked April lineup you’re going to want on your radar. It starts with Punk’n Heads by Dave Baker and Nicole Goux, which arrives on April 7th. It’s messy. It’s loud. It’s painfully real. A struggling artist, a punk band, bad decisions, and even worse hookups. This is a brutally honest, darkly funny look at chasing your dreams when your life is absolutely not going according to plan. Then on April 14th is The Art of Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which features 300 pages of concept art, character design, and behind-the-scenes insight from one of the boldest, most visually unique TMNT shows ever. If you love animation, design, or just the Turtles at their most stylish. This is a must-have. Finally on April 22nd is Event Horizon: Inferno #1, which is Aliens meets Dante’s Inferno in a story that features a doomed ship, a demonic force, and a new crew about to find out that hell isn’t a metaphor…it’s real, and it’s waiting. If you like your sci-fi with a heavy dose of nightmare fuel, this one’s for you. Three wildly different vibes. One very good month for comics. Hit your local shop, pre-order now, and don’t miss out.

Big thanks to all of my existing patrons, including Brian Hans, Hunter Gorinson, Tony Holdsworth, Alejandro Toro, 5Myllyon, 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, 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 the logo for The Comics Staple. 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!