Today, we sit down with comedy legend Bruce Vilanch for a wide-ranging career retrospective, tracing his path from early days as a writer for the Chicago Tribune and Hollywood Squares to becoming one of the most in-demand joke writers in show business. Vilanch reflects on decades of crafting sharp one-liners for the Oscars, Emmys, and Tonys, his work with icons like Bette Midler and Whoopi Goldberg, and his own turn in the spotlight as both a performer and pop culture fixture. With his trademark wit and candor, he offers behind-the-scenes stories, reflections on how comedy has evolved, and insights into what it takes to keep audiences laughing across generations.

You can follow Bruce on his site, wegotbruce.com.

Support the show

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Check out video versions of this and other episodes on YouTube: youtube.com/dollarbinbandits!

If you like this podcast, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you found this episode. And if you really like this podcast, become a member of the Dollar Bin Boosters on Patreon: patreon.com/DollarBinBoosters.

You can follow us @dollarbinbandits on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky, or @DBBandits on X. You can email us at dollarbinbandits@gmail.com.

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Dollar Bin Bandits is the official podcast of TwoMorrows Publishing. Check out their fine publications at twomorrows.com.

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Thank you to Sam Fonseca for our theme music, Sean McMillan for our graphics, and Pat McGrath for our logo.

Today, we explore the career of Sweeney Boo, from studying graphic design in southwest France to becoming a sought-after artist and writer in mainstream comics. We discuss her early work as a letterer and colorist for French publishers and her bold decision to move to Canada in 2015 to pursue her comic book dreams. We then get into her deeply personal work on Eat, and Love Yourself, which she launched via Kickstarter to tackle subjects like eating disorders, depression, and body dysmorphia, her mainstream debut in Image Comics' Rat Queens, and her defining run on Harley Quinn with writer Tini Howard. There's also her Marvel work, including costume designs for Marvel Rising and Marvel Action: Captain Marvel, as well as her more recent creator-owned Over My Dead Body graphic novel. Finally, we talk about her distinctive artistic style and the importance of representation in the projects she chooses.

You can follow Sweeney on her site, sweeneyboo.com, on Instagram @sweeney_boo, and on Bluesky @sweeneyboo.

Support the show

___________________

Check out video versions of this and other episodes on YouTube: youtube.com/dollarbinbandits!

If you like this podcast, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you found this episode. And if you really like this podcast, become a member of the Dollar Bin Boosters on Patreon: patreon.com/DollarBinBoosters.

You can follow us @dollarbinbandits on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky, or @DBBandits on X. You can email us at dollarbinbandits@gmail.com.

___________________

Dollar Bin Bandits is the official podcast of TwoMorrows Publishing. Check out their fine publications at twomorrows.com.

___________________

Thank you to Sam Fonseca for our theme music, Sean McMillan for our graphics, and Pat McGrath for our logo.

Today, we welcome back legendary comic writer J.M. DeMatteis to discuss the impressive array of recent reprints celebrating his diverse career, starting with Moonshadow - The Definitive, Expanded Edition, where he reflects on his introspective collaboration with Jon Muth and how Marvel's Epic line was crucial to realizing this unique narrative. We also explore:

• His acclaimed run on Doctor Fate, discussing how he brought humanity to the cosmic mystical character while balancing magical concepts with intimate moments
• His beloved Spectacular Spider-Man Omnibus, featuring classics like "The Child Within" and his collaboration with artist Sal Buscema
• The re-release of his autobiographical Brooklyn Dreams through Dark Horse that blends reality with fantasy
• The 20th anniversary complete collection of Hero Squared, his satirical superhero series with Keith Giffen coming back through Boom!

And there's even more, with a collection of Scooby Apocalypse and others on their way! As always, you can find J.M. on his own site, jmdematteis.com, or on Bluesky @JMDeMatteis and Instagram @JM.DeMatteis.

Support the show

___________________

Check out video versions of this and other episodes on YouTube: youtube.com/dollarbinbandits!

If you like this podcast, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you found this episode. And if you really like this podcast, become a member of the Dollar Bin Boosters on Patreon: patreon.com/DollarBinBoosters.

You can follow us @dollarbinbandits on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky, or @DBBandits on X. You can email us at dollarbinbandits@gmail.com.

___________________

Dollar Bin Bandits is the official podcast of TwoMorrows Publishing. Check out their fine publications at twomorrows.com.

___________________

Thank you to Sam Fonseca for our theme music, Sean McMillan for our graphics, and Pat McGrath for our logo.