Jim Rugg on VEEFRIENDS, TYRANT, WEAPON X, & More!

Greg welcomes cartoonist/designer Jim Rugg back to the show for the first recorded conversation since 2014! Last time, Jim talked with Greg AND Mike about the return of Street Angel through AdHouse Books, among other things. But for 2026, Jim brings a whole slew of new projects to the discussion: Becoming a Creative Producer at VeeFriends Writing VeeFriends #11 + #12 Writing AND drawing VeeFriends #13 Joining the creator-owned distribution co-op Power Pulp Designing new collections of Stephen Bissette's long-out-of-print Tyrant Writing a monograph for Bloomsbury Publishing on Barry Windsor-Smith's Weapon X Being back on YouTube in various places talking comics. The years may have passed, but Jim continues to be passionate about comics in all shapes & forms and even more passionate about making them. Find out about all of that and more on today's episode! [This episode is number 828 in a series.]     CHAPTERS   00:00 - Intro 02:28 - Twelve Years Later 03:16 - Joining VeeFriends  06:38 - Writing VeeFriends  09:10 - Farm Fights Origins  13:21 - Bullpen Comics Talk  16:51 - Writing For Other Artists  25:14 - Script Style And Process  29:12 - Teaching And New Ideas  31:50 - Power Pulp Explained  34:37 - Distribution Then And Now  39:40 - Power Pulp Interviews  40:54 - Unearthing Leo Derek 43:51 - Sharing Comics Gems  46:58 - Designing Tyrant Editions 51:12 - Working With Steve Bissette  56:01 - Writing About Weapon X  01:05:19 - Research Fuels Creativity 01:10:34 - Outro