Nerdy Mewzings

Writer and Comedian Ryan Crowe joins Nerdy Mewzings to discuss his new comic book 'This Land Is Old and Dark', a three-issue horror miniseries from Invader Comics featuring stunning art by Abel Garcia.
Set in the late 18th century during westward expansion, the story explores themes of land ownership, the untamable wilderness, and humanity’s folly against primordial nature — all rendered in a striking black, red, and sepia palette born from smart creative constraints. Ryan shares how Scott Snyder mentored him through the Substack community, the economic and artistic choices that shaped the book’s unique look, discovering Abel Garcia on Instagram, and landing variant covers from legends like Michael Kaluta and Simon Bisley.
We also delve into his comedy background (Drunk Theater), lifelong love of writing and comics (from Superman and Spawn to Moebius and underground work), and what’s next after issue one (releasing late August) already broke sales records for the publisher!
If you love indie horror, thoughtful storytelling, or Scott Snyder — Leave a 5 STAR Review, Share with a Friend, & Keep it Nerdy!
Follow Ryan:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/doctorcrowe
Publisher - https://www.instagram.com/invadercomics
Become a Nerdy Insider on Patreon and receive each week's episode 48 hours early, a shoutout on the show, and more to come: https://patreon.com/nerdymewzings
Timestamps
0:00 - Intro & Ryan Crowe Joins Nerdy Mewzings
2:00 - Abel Garcia’s Art & Limited Color Choices
7:00 - Elevator Pitch for This Land Is Old and Dark
11:00 - Meeting Invader Comics & Choosing the Path
16:00 - Early Writing Roots & First Comics
22:00 - Comedy Career & Finding Time for Comics
28:00 - Collecting, Influences & Favorite Artists/Writers
35:00 - Release Plans, Covers & Kickstarter Trade
42:00 - Future Ideas & Advice for Creators
48:00 - Where to Follow Ryan & Outro

Maddax Mendonca (maddaxdraws), the young comic art prodigy, joins Nerdy Mewzings for his first podcast appearance to talk about starting to draw as a toddler, putting in endless hours of practice, and creating his own comic Infimind inspired by his brother's health struggles.
Maddax shares how Marvel, DC, Invincible, X-Men, and artists like Ryan Ottley, David Finch, and Todd McFarlane shaped him. He details putting in eight-hour drawing days as a kid, mastering colored pencil pieces that take 25–30+ hours, and studying Bridgman the way David Finch recommends.
We cover his SDCC booth experiences (including news coverage since age 11), meeting pros like Todd Beats, Jim Lee, and Wil Shrike, art trades, live TikTok streams every night, and the inspiration behind his creator owned comic book Infimind — a story about his brother gaining superpowers after an eye-surgery mishap. He’s already writing AND drawing the interiors for issue two!
If you love inspiring creators, colored pencil art, Invincible, or original comics — Leave a 5 STAR review & Keep it Nerdy!
Follow Maddax:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/maddaxdraws
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@maddax.draws (LIVE most nights around 7:30pm)
Subscribe to Maddax on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@maddaxdraws
Grab Infimind at https://www.maddaxdraws.com/
Become a member of the Nerdy Mewzings Patreon and get each week's episode 48 hours EARLY, a shoutout in each episode, and more to come: https://patreon.com/nerdymewzings
Timestamps
0:00 - Intro & Maddax Mendonca Joins Nerdy Mewzings
2:00 - Marvel, Invincible, Ottley & Finch Influences
8:00 - Starting Young & Putting in the Hours
14:00 - YouTube Learning, Mediums & Colored Pencil Focus
20:00 - SDCC Booth, News Clips & Meeting Pros
28:00 - Creating Infimind & Brother’s Inspiration
35:00 - Anatomy Study: Bridgman, Finch & Visual Library
42:00 - Comic-Con Experiences & Art Community
50:00 - Current Comics, Commissions & Second Issue
55:00 - Where to Follow Maddax & Outro

Rob Duenas (Sketchcraft) joins James on Nerdy Mewzings for a wide-ranging conversation about his self-taught path, major career breaks from having a presence on DeviantArt and Instagram, to drawing Spawn Kills after a direct DM from Todd McFarlane!
Rob shares about his childhood, growing up in San Diego with comics from Circle K and 7-Eleven racks, learning by watching portfolio reviews at Comic-Con as a teen, and how Gnomon Workshop DVDs (especially Scott Robertson’s perspective) transformed his skills. He details landing Toys for Bob work on Crash Bandicoot and Spyro from a single DeviantArt post, the unexpected TMP outreach, and going wild designing endless Spawn variants for the book.
His influences range from Carlos Meglia and Bill Watterson to early Image and Mirage Ninja Turtles. He is currently streaming on Whatnot, prepping an art book, and stockpiling creator-owned scripts, Rob offers honest insights on Artist Alley changes, consistency, and never quitting!
If you love Spawn, game art, self-taught journeys, or Whatnot creators — Leave a 5 STAR REVIEW, share with a friend, & Keep it Nerdy! 
Visit Rob's Official Website: https://www.sketchcraft.com/
Subscribe to the Sketchcraft YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/Sketchcraft
Follow Rob AKA Sketchcraft:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sketchcraft/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/RealSketchcraft/
Whatnot - https://www.whatnot.com/user/sketchcraft
Become a Nerdy Mewzings Insider on Patreon and gain access to each week's episode 48 hours EARLY, a shoutout on each show, and more to come: https://patreon.com/nerdymewzings
Timestamps
0:00 - Intro & Rob Duenas (Sketchcraft) Joins
2:00 - San Diego Roots, Circle K Comics & Early Influences
8:00 - Self-Taught Path: Portfolio Reviews & Gnomon DVDs
15:00 - Mad Engine T-Shirts & Early Freelance Comics
22:00 - DeviantArt Break: Toys for Bob & Crash Bandicoot
30:00 - Todd McFarlane DM & Drawing Spawn Kills
38:00 - Carlos Meglia Influence & Artistic Identity
45:00 - Whatnot Streams, Artist Alley Changes & Consistency
52:00 - Art Book, Creator-Owned Plans & Upcoming Covers
57:00 - Where to Follow Sketchcraft
59:00 - Outro & Support Nerdy Mewzings

Dan Farruggia (Marvel sketch card artist, NiFe WARS variant cover creator) joins Nerdy Mewzings to share his path from childhood drawing and gaming to art school, a graphic design career, and a passionate return to illustration.
Dan talks about growing up with Spider-Man, Batman, and X-Men animated series, the influence of Dragon Ball Z and Akira Toriyama, and how video games like Earthworm Jim sparked his creativity. He details his BFA in illustration, early concept art work, the five-year hiatus, and the epiphany that brought him back to drawing full-force. Now creating licensed Marvel one-of-one sketch cards for Topps, taking commissions, and celebrating his first published variant cover for NiFe WARS (out in September), Dan also dives into traditional Copic marker techniques, the pull of physical art in a digital age, Absolute Batman’s cultural impact, and Ryan Ottley’s Battle Beast.
If you love sketch cards, variant covers, traditional comic art, or creator comeback stories — Tune in, share with a friend, & Keep it Nerdy!
Follow Dan Farruggia:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/danfarruggia_art
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/dan.farruggia
WhatNot - https://www.whatnot.com/user/danfarruggia_art
Subscribe to Dan's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@danfarruggia_art
NiFe WARS variant cover arriving in September!
Become a Nerdy Mewzings Insider on Patreon and receive each week's episode 48 hours EARLY, your name shouted out on the pod, and more: https://patreon.com/nerdymewzings
Timestamps
0:00 - Intro & Dan Farruggia Joins Nerdy Mewzings
2:00 - Childhood Drawing, Gaming & Comic Gateways
8:00 - Art School, Concept Art Dreams & Graphic Design Path
15:00 - The Five-Year Hiatus & Return to Drawing
21:00 - Marvel Sketch Cards for Topps & Upper Deck
28:00 - Navigating Perfectionism & Building a Visual Library
35:00 - First Published Cover: NiFe WARS Variant
42:00 - Absolute Batman, New Readers & Industry Impact
50:00 - Ryan Ottley, Battle Beast & Current Inspiration
57:00 - Traditional vs Digital & the Pull of Physical Art
64:00 - Where to Follow Dan & Upcoming Projects
69:00 - Outro & Support Nerdy Mewzings

Bong Abad (Artist, sculptor, Gawakoto brand, Hellboy Sofubi collaborator) returns to the Nerdy Mewzings podcast to discuss his path from Jiu-Jitsu apparel and comic art to creating stunning Sofubi toys, including his major new Hellboy figure for Dark Horse.
Bong shares how Mike Mignola’s work (especially Daredevil #208 and Hellboy) profoundly influenced him, his transition from resin to digital sculpting, and the story behind his unique Hellboy prototype — blending Mignola’s essence with Bong’s style.
He talks about collaborating with David Mack on a BJJ gi, the challenges of sculpting, and how the Hellboy project evolved from an initial idea to an exclusive limited edition sofubi (vinyl) figure (only 200) launching at San Diego Comic-Con!
If you love toy sculpting, Mike Mignola, or Sofubi figures, please share with a friend and Keep it Nerdy!
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/gawakoto (process, figures, updates)
Visit Bong's Website: https://www.gawakoto.com/
Hellboy Sofubi: Watch for SDCC reveal and Dark Horse details!
Become a Nerdy Mewzings Insider member on Patreon for only $5 per month to receive each week's episode 48 hours early, your name shouted out on the pod, and more: https://patreon.com/nerdymewzings
Timestamps
0:00 - Intro & Bong Abad Joins Nerdy Mewzings
2:00 - Jiu-Jitsu Apparel Brand Gawakoto & Comic Art Roots
7:00 - Early Sculpting: From Resin to Digital
13:00 - Mike Mignola Influence & Daredevil 208
19:00 - David Mack Collaboration & Gi Designs
25:00 - Hellboy Sofubi Prototype & Evolution
32:00 - Challenges of Sculpting & Digital Tools
38:00 - SDCC Launch Plans & Future Projects
44:00 - Where to Follow Bong & Hellboy Updates
48:00 - Outro & Support Nerdy Mewzings

Travis Hymel (creator/writer/artist of Start Your Engines) joins Nerdy Mewzings to discuss his journey from childhood comics obsession to graphic design, anthologies, licensed gigs (TMNT, Trailer Park Boys), and launching his creator-owned Kickstarter!
Travis shares how his mom fostered his love of comics at grocery store spinner racks, his path through art school and graphic design, and learning the hard way through early anthology work. He breaks down influences like Phil Hester, Alex Toth, and Mike Parobeck, why he’s going all-in on his own book, and the challenges of wearing every hat (writing, penciling, inking, coloring) on a creator-owned project. Start Your Engines is a fun, Saturday-morning-cartoon-style prestige format with two complete stories (racing action + dinosaur adventure) in one book — no waiting for the next issue!
Share with a friend, leave a 5 STAR REVIEW, & Keep it Nerdy!
Back the Kickstarter Live July 14th: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1218790823/start-your-engines-1-a-48-page-action-adventure
Prestige format, exclusive variants, original art tiers, early bird deals
Follow Travis Hymel:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/travis_hymel
X AKA Twitter - https://x.com/travis_hymel
Subscribe to Travis' YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/travishymel
Become a Nerdy Mewzings Insider on Patreon for only $5 a month and receive access to each week's episode 48 HOURS EARLY, a shoutout on the podcast, and more: https://patreon.com/nerdymewzings
Timestamps
0:00 - Intro & Travis Hymel Joins Nerdy Mewzings
2:00 - Childhood Comics, Grocery Store Spinner Racks & Early Art
8:00 - Graphic Design, Anthologies & Learning the Hard Way
14:00 - Licensed Work: TMNT Covers & Trailer Park Boys
21:00 - Influences: Phil Hester, Alex Toth & Mike Parobeck
27:00 - Why Creator-Owned? Challenges of Wearing Every Hat
34:00 - Start Your Engines: Racing + Dinosaurs in One Book
42:00 - Kickstarter Details, Tiers & July 14 Launch
49:00 - Storytelling, Composition & Thinking Projects Through
56:00 - Where to Follow Travis & Back the Campaign
61:00 - Outro & Support Nerdy Mewzings

Manuel Martinez (creator of Red Tape, freelance comic artist & illustrator) joins Nerdy Mewzings for a heartfelt conversation about his path into comics, meeting at Emerald City Comic Con, and his dark comedy Red Tape.
Manuel shares how comics have been a constant in his life since childhood, from discovering Daredevil #208 (Mazzucchelli) to influences like Greg Capullo, Walter Simonson, Bill Sienkiewicz, and Pepe Larraz. He discusses teachers who nurtured his creativity (even non-art ones), the shift from fine art aspirations to freelance illustration, and why small cons feel more personal than massive pop culture events.
He breaks down his creative process, the challenges of self-publishing, and the story behind Red Tape — a hilarious dark comedy about angels, bureaucracy in Heaven, and a lost soul.
If you love comic creator journeys, indie books, or artist spotlights — Leave a 5 STAR review, share with a friend, and Keep it Nerdy!
Visit Manuel's Official website: https://manuelmartinezart.com/
Follow Manuel Martinez:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/manuelmartinezart/
Become a Patreon member and receive each week's episode 48 hours EARLY, your name mentioned on the pod, and more: https://patreon.com/nerdymewzings
Timestamps
0:00 - Intro & Manuel Martinez Joins Nerdy Mewzings
2:00 - Emerald City Comic Con Experiences & Shifting Vibes
7:00 - Early Art Love & Influential Teachers
13:00 - Discovering Comics: Daredevil 208 & Mazzucchelli
19:00 - High School Journalism, Cartography & Project Management Skills
26:00 - Freelance Illustrator Life & Layout/Concept Work
33:00 - Red Tape: Dark Comedy About the Afterlife
41:00 - Self-Publishing, Ten Ton Press & Cons
48:00 - Artistic Influences: Capullo, Simonson, Sienkiewicz & More
55:00 - Collecting Original Art & Artist Editions
62:00 - Where to Follow Manuel & Red Tape Updates
67:00 - Outro & Support Nerdy Mewzings

Tom Martin joins Nerdy Mewzings for a fun, no-holds-barred chat about digital comics creation, Clip Studio Paint mastery, his Kubert School days, and the wild world of social media art advice. Tom shares his journey from traditional art school and Hasbro Star Wars packaging design to becoming a go-to creator for Clip Studio tutorials and vector workflows.
He breaks down his clever process for converting complex raster line art to clean vectors, why inking in Illustrator often fails, Procreate vs. Clip Studio Paint debates, and the frustrations of dealing with overconfident commenters. He also discusses lettering, favorite artists (Chris Samnee, Cory Walker, David Mazzucchelli, Jack Davis, Russ Wooton), and his new Patreon with in-depth tutorials and monthly group inking workshops (first one with Ed McGuinness pencils!).
If you love Clip Studio tips, digital inking workflows, or comic creator stories — Leave a 5 STAR review, share with a friend, and Keep it Nerdy!
Subscribe to Tom's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@undeadwizardart
Follow Tom:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/undead_wizard_art
Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/tommartin.bsky.social
Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@undead_wizard
Visit his Official Website: https://www.undeadwizard.com/
Signup for Tom's Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/UndeadWizard (in-depth CSP tutorials, group workshops, direct Q&A)
Join Nerdy Mewzing's Patreon now for access to each week's episode 48 hours EARLY, your name mentioned, and more: https://patreon.com/nerdymewzings
Timestamps
0:00 - Intro & Tom Martin (Undead Wizard Art) Joins
2:00 - Dealing with Instagram Commenters & Vector Debates
6:00 - The Vector Conversion Process for Complex Line Art
11:00 - Kubert School Experience & Joe Kubert Stories
17:00 - Transition from Traditional to Digital & Hasbro Star Wars
23:00 - Manga Studio / Clip Studio Paint Journey
28:00 - Procreate vs Clip Studio Paint Workflow Comparison
34:00 - Actions, Quick Shape & Time-Saving Tips in CSP
40:00 - Favorite Artists: Samnee, Mazzucchelli, Cory Walker & More
47:00 - Patreon, Group Inking Workshops & Ed McGuinness
53:00 - Reading Habits, Battle Beast & Current Comics
58:00 - Where to Follow Tom & Patreon Details
62:00 - Outro & Support Nerdy Mewzings

Yevgeny Sokolov (fine arts instructor turned pro comic book artist) joins Nerdy Mewzings once again to discuss his transition from traditional fine art and high school teaching, drawing professional comic book covers, and the creative process behind his work.
Yevgeny shares how he started drawing as a child, pursued fine arts in college, and made the leap to comics during the pandemic by studying David Finch tutorials and building comic-style fundamentals. He talks about his creative process, using photo reference for hands and poses, and why planning thumbnails is crucial. We chatted about influences on his style, including Mike Mignola’s use of heavy blacks, Frank Miller studies, and the importance of dramatic lighting in comics vs. fine art.
He also opens up about balancing commissions, teaching, and professional cover gigs for Ripperverse, the value of community (Uncanny Art-Men streams), and advice for aspiring artists: draw every day, study masters, and don’t be afraid to scrap work that isn’t right.
If you love comic process breakdowns, artist stories, or art tutorials — Leave a 5 STAR review, share with a friend, and Keep it Nerdy!
Follow Yevgeny:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/yevgeny_sokolov_art
X - https://x.com/YVSokolovArt
Become a Patreon member to receive each week's episode 48 HOURS EARLY, a mention on the show, and more: https://patreon.com/nerdymewzings
Timestamps
0:00 - Intro & Yevgeny Sokolov Returns to Nerdy Mewzings
1:30 - Towering 6'10" Artist & Con Reactions
5:00 - Early Art Love & Fine Arts Background
9:00 - Pandemic Pivot: David Finch Tutorials & Comic Fundamentals
13:00 - Workflow: From Rough Thumbnails to Traditional Inking
17:00 - Influences: Mignola, Frank Miller & Dramatic Lighting
22:00 - Ripperverse Covers & Pro Break
27:00 - Balancing Teaching, Commissions & Personal Projects
32:00 - Advice for Aspiring Artists: Daily Practice & Community
37:00 - Comic Convention Plans & Where to Follow Yevgeny
42:00 - Outro & Support Nerdy Mewzings

Noah Goins (TikTok and Instagram comic artist spotlight creator, writer on I Feel Doomed) joins Nerdy Mewzings to discuss his path from childhood comics fan to building a massive following by celebrating artists, his writing journey, and heading to Heroes Con.
Noah shares how comics were always part of his life through Mark Bagley, Humberto Ramos, and Batman: The Animated Series, and how rediscovering them as an adult led him to start creating content that highlights the unsung heroes behind the pages. He talks about his process for researching and scripting short videos, balancing humor and insight, and why focusing on artists (not just covers) filled a missing niche. Noah also opens up about writing his first comic story in the I Feel Doomed anthology (launching at Heroes Con), his love for deep-cut characters, and the thrill of discovery through channels like Cartoonist Kayfabe and Robservations.
If you love comic artist spotlights, indie comics, or creator hustle stories — Leave a 5 STAR review, share with a friend, and Keep it Nerdy!
Follow Noah Goins:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/noahgoinscomics/
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@noahgoinscomics
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@NoahGoinsComics
Become a Patreon member to get each week's episode 48 HOURS EARLY plus bonus perks: https://patreon.com/nerdymewzings
Timestamps
0:00 - Intro & Noah Goins Joins Nerdy Mewzings
1:30 - Childhood Comics Love: Mark Bagley, Umberto Ramos & Batman Animated
5:00 - Starting Social Media to Spotlight Artists
9:00 - Video Process: Research, Scripting & Highlighting Deep Cuts
13:00 - Influences: Cartoonist Kayfabe, Robservations & Jim Lee
17:00 - Writing I Feel Doomed & Heroes Con Debut
22:00 - Balancing Content Creation with Day Job
27:00 - Advice for Aspiring Creators: Just Put It Online
32:00 - Current Projects & Future Aspirations
37:00 - Where to Follow Noah Goins
40:00 - Outro & Support Nerdy Mewzings