Daniel Warren Johnson Praised His Book! John Mungiello on EVE, Art, & Indie Comics

In this heartfelt Nerdy Mewzings Podcast episode, host James Foster sits down with comic artist and writer John Mungiello for his very first podcast ever! John shares his incredible journey from taping 90s X-Men episodes on VHS (with mom's help!) to discovering bold artists like Erik Larsen, Frank Miller, and Daniel Warren Johnson — then pivoting through fine arts school, teaching high school art, and reigniting his comic art passion during COVID to create his own stories. We dive deep into: -Childhood comic shop hunts and 90s influences -Fine art vs. comics stigma and how teaching kids manga/comics changed everything -Creative process: rhythm in panels/writing, following "feelings," leaving room for imagination -Daily drawing habits to beat burnout/ADHD while juggling teaching and family -His breakout graphic novel EVE: a wild, bloody holiday epic uncovering Mrs. Claus's dark origin—vengeance, broken marriage, black metal hellscapes (praised by Daniel Warren Johnson!) -Upcoming: The Deadly Dozen, Crawler, and more creator-owned work If you love indie comics, creator-owned stories, art journeys, or just inspiring creator chats, this one's for you! Grab EVE on Amazon or direct from John's Official Website: https://www.johnmungiello.com/ Follow John Mungiello: -Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jmungiello -X/Twitter https://x.com/JMungielloArt Follow Nerdy Mewzings for more comic creator interviews, live draws, and nerdy chats! Leave a review and share with a friend to support indie creators. Keep it nerdy! Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome to Nerdy Mewzings: Meeting Artist/Writer John Mungiello 01:02 Connecting Through Instagram & Curating an Art-Only Feed 02:26 Early Influences: Cartoons, X‑Men, Batman, and the VHS Era 04:25 First Comic Shop Finds: Preacher Covers & Erik Larsen’s Spider‑Man 06:34 Nineties Style DNA: Hatching, Kirby Roots, and Favorite Artists 09:28 From Hellboy to Sin City: Miller, O’Barr, and Finding a Voice 10:32 Leveling Up: Copying, Inking Experiments, and Discovering Max Ernst 12:07 Art School to Teaching: Mixing Fine Art with Comics (and Dropping the Stigma) 16:27 Getting Serious About Comics: Early ComiXology Issues, Then a Pause for Teaching 18:40 COVID Reset & the Comeback: Posting Art, Building Skills, and Landing an Editor 21:51 Writing as Part of the Process: Poetry, Rhythm, and Creator-Owned Inspiration 24:10 YouTube University & Online Classes: Proko, Watts, and New Learning Access 27:47 Less Is More: The Power of Omission in Art & Storytelling 29:26 Influences & Breakthrough: Daniel Warren Johnson Buys a Page 31:30 The Book Reveal: From a Santa Sketch to a 160-Page Graphic Novel 36:03 Publishing & What’s Next: Deadly Dozen, Crawler, and New Collaborations 39:12 Creative Process: Writing From Images, Feelings, and “Puzzle Pieces” 42:26 Time Management & Workflow: Drawing Every Day, iPad Layouts, and Staying Human 47:35 Selling the Book, Pricing Sketches, and Where to Follow (Wrap-Up)