EPISODE · May 25, 2025 · 1H 23M
Mark Russell on 'Polis', Protopias, and 'X-Factor' lost stories
from AIPT Comics · host David Brooke
Visit our Patreon page to see the various tiers you can sign up for today to get in on the ground floor of AIPT Patreon. We hope to see you chatting with us on our Discord soon!NEWSNew ‘X-Men Hellfire Gala Vigil’ #1 costume designs revealedMarvel Comics Solicitations August 2025!Doctor Strange #450 milestone issue!Venom symbiote increases the danger in 'Godzilla Destroys the Marvel Universe' #2 Marvel teases a rock will save the Marvel universe in 'Fantastic Four' #1Ultimate Hawkeye scores one-shot in September 2025Frank Castle returns in 'Punisher: Red Band' #1DC GO! is leveling up this July with six bold new digital-first webcomicsEXCLUSIVE: 'Blink and You'll Miss It' unravels romance and reality this summerDC and Gaylord Texan Unite for ‘Universe of Light: Lost in the Pages’ comic experienceFind Krypto’s Golden Biscuit, win a trip to the ‘Superman’ premiereNew space opera ‘Red Vector’ announced for August 2025Skybound reveals new Act 4 Wally Wood and Hellboy Artist EditionsOur Top Books of the WeekDave:Amazing Spider-Man #4 (Pepe Larraz, Joe Kelly)Into the Unbeing (2024): Part Two #4 (Zac Thompson, Hayden Sherman)Alex:Absolute Flash #3 (Jeff Lemire, Nick Robles)Doom Academy #4 (Mackenzie Cadenhead, Pasqual FerryJoao M.P. Lemos)Standout KAPOW moment of the week:Alex - Fantastic Four #34 (Ryan North, Cory Smith)Dave - Robowolf #1 Jake SmithTOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEKAlex: We’re Taking Everyone Down With Us #3 (Rosenberg, Landini) and Magik #5 (Allen, Peralta)Dave: Mr. Terrific Year One #1 (Al Letson, Valentine De Landro)JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.Dave: Absolute Wonder Woman #8 (Stephanie Hans)Alex: Martian Manhunter #3 (Shawn Crystal Variant)Interview: Mark Russell Interview:Polis is out this week from AWA, can you tell us what it’s about?Polis is part of The Protopias Collection. Could you elaborate on the concept of 'protopia' and how it influences the narrative and themes within Polis?How did your collaboration with artist Laci and colorist Marco Lesko shape the visual storytelling of Polis? Were there specific elements you emphasized to bring the floating city of Miragua to life?AWA Studios future projects?On the reverse side your X-Factor run has also had satirical elements from current events like social media and corporate negligence, are there any other themes you explored in X-Factor I’m missing?There’s some new mutants in X-Factor as well, went went into creating them with Bob Quinn?Your run on X-Factor balanced biting commentary with genuine emotional depth—was there a theme or character arc you didn’t get to fully explore in the ten issues that you wish you had more time with?Out May 07, each issue of Vanishing Point is a standalone story—how did that format influence the way you approached worldbuilding and character development in the first issue, particularly with Jim’s psychological arc?The story captures the emotional toll of isolation and obligation in a haunting way—were there any personal experiences or real-world parallels that shaped Jim’s descent or the overall tone of the series?
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What this episode covers
On this week’s episode of the AIPT Comics Podcast, writer Mark Russell joins the show to talk about Polis, his new one-shot from AWA Studios that imagines a hopeful path through climate catastrophe. We dig into the concept of protopias, the real-world science behind floating cities, and why sci-fi remains the most vital genre for our time. Plus, Russell reflects on his X-Factor run, including the storylines he didn’t get to finish—and the immortal grandma who stole every scene.
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Mark Russell on 'Polis', Protopias, and 'X-Factor' lost stories
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