Home » Products

AADL-produced Podcasts

We also have digitized event videos available online. You can subscribe to the event podcasts at:
Audio: http://www.aadl.org/video/feed/audio
Video (ipod compatible): http://www.aadl.org/video/feed/video
Submitted by andrewjmac on Wed, 12/07/2011 - 2:56pm

Comics Are Great! 41 – Digital Painting

After a failed attempt at some digital painting, I enlisted the help of Brandon Dayton, celebrated cartoonist behind Green Monk and concept designer for EA Games, for a discussion and demonstration on how to paint with pixels. Lots of great material in the video this time as Brandon shares some terrific tips and tricks!

We’re later joined by Eli Neiburger of the Ann Arbor District Library for a discussion on micropayment systems like BitCoin, Flattr, and YouTipIt, followed by another round of great comics recommendations!

Links mentioned in this episode (thanks to Eric Klooster for collecting them!):

Book recommendations this week:

To download the episode right-click link below and save link as...

Attachment Size
CAG41HQ.mp4 362.4 MB
CAG41AUDIO.mp3 60.5 MB
Submitted by andrewjmac on Wed, 11/30/2011 - 2:56pm

Comics Are Great! 40 – Jim Henson Was Complicated

WARNING: If you wish to avoid spoilers or opinions on The Muppets movie, I suggest that you save this episode until after you’ve seen the film.

In this special audio-only episode of Comics Are Great! I’m joined by Dave Roman for a talk about the new Muppets film. We discuss some of the unique storytelling tricks used in the film, revisit some of our thoughts on the Mary Sue character (which we first broached in Comics Are Great! episode 03), and examine some of the special considerations one encounters when approaching storytelling with characters like the Muppets. Throughout our discussion we tackle complicated topics such as author intent, whether or not a franchised intellectual property must be frozen in time, and interpreting the mind of a brilliant creator.

Links mentioned in this episode:

To download the episode right-click link below and save link as...

Attachment Size
CAG40AUDIO.mp3 44.2 MB
Submitted by andrewjmac on Wed, 11/30/2011 - 8:56am

Comics Are Great! 39 – The Delilah Dirk Fan Club

This week we’re joined by Paul Storrie and Tony Cliff for a talk on doing your research when making a comic placed in a specific place or time–that is, when Paul and I aren’t too busy gushing over Tony’s Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant.

We start off with some talk on creating a premise for your story. How do you create a situation that propels your characters forward? We then kick into some discussion on research methods for creating a plausible sense of place and time for a comic story. But how deep into the reference materials or special collections should you dive? Is there a middle ground between verisimilitude and accuracy?

We’re joined at the end by Sharon Iverson of the Ann Arbor District Library, who shares this week’s book recommendations.

Links mentioned in this episode (thanks to Eric Klooster for collecting them!):

This week’s book recommendations:

To download the episode right-click link below and save link as...

Attachment Size
CAG39HQ.mp4 315 MB
CAG39AUDIO.mp3 52.3 MB
Submitted by andrewjmac on Wed, 11/23/2011 - 2:56pm

Comics Are Great! 38 – Ideas are Crap

This week we address the time-honored topic of ideas and how a storyteller turns them into something useful. If ideas are a dime a dozen, then how do you know a good one from a bad one? If execution is everything, how do you execute? We’re joined by Norwegian cartoonist Kim Holm and local artist Jono Balliett, who share some insights on how they’ve combined non-trivial time restraints and a spirit of play to take crummy ideas and turn them into gold.

We’re joined once again by Eli Neiburger of the Ann Arbor District Library, who shares some closing thoughts and great book recommendations!

Links mentioned in this episode (thanks to Eric Klooster for collecting them!):

This week’s book recommendations:

To download the episode right-click link below and save link as...

Attachment Size
CAG38HQ.mp4 315.5 MB
CAG38AUDIO.mp3 50 MB
Submitted by andrewjmac on Wed, 11/16/2011 - 2:39pm

Comics Are Great! 37 – Adobe Illustrating

We’ve got two super cartoonists in the studio this week for a discussion on digital vs analog tools, with a demonstration on how to draw with what might be the program that perplexes the most cartoonists–Adobe Illustrator!

And who better to demo than Jannie Ho, children’s book illustrator and comics artist, widely known for her work on The Great Reindeer Rebellion, Light the Menorah, and Lily’s Lucky Leotard.

Also in studio we have Ryan Estrada, author of Aki Alliance, The Kind You Don’t Take Home to Mother, and Chillin’ Like Villains (or you can just download the Complete Ryan Estrada Collection to get them all–for free!). Ryan was recently included in the next Machine of Death collection as well.

Together we talk a bit about Ryan’s recent adventures in South America and finding out he was a Google Plus star upon his return home. After revisiting some talk on social networking we started in Comics Are Great! episode 17, we move on to some drawing demos from Ryan and Jannie.

We’re joined once again by Eli Neiburger of the Ann Arbor District Library, who shares some closing thoughts and great book recommendations!

This week’s book recommendations:

To download the episode right-click link below and save link as...

Attachment Size
CAG37HQ.mp4 319.2 MB
CAG37AUDIO.mp3 52.7 MB
Submitted by dubaym on Wed, 11/16/2011 - 1:39pm

Comics Are Great! 36 – Inking Foo

If you’ve ever wondered about “analog” inking techniques and tools, this is the episode for you! I’m joined this week by Michigan cartoonists Joe Foo and Mike Roll for a talk on why and how they use the brush to ink their comics. You might want to watch the video of this week’s episode, as Joe and Mike lead some really terrific demos of how they do what they do so well.

We’re joined once again by Eli Neiburger of the Ann Arbor District Library, who shares some closing thoughts and great book recommendations!

Links mentioned in this episode (thanks to Eric Klooster for collecting them!):

This week’s book recommendations:

To download the episode right-click link below and save link as...

Attachment Size
CAG36HQ.mp4 289.1 MB
CAG36AUDIO.mp3 47.4 MB
Submitted by dubaym on Wed, 11/16/2011 - 12:39pm

Comics Are Great! 35 – Gender Identity

It’s a discussion on the positive power of fantasy stories on this week’s Comics Are Great! podcast, as I’m joined by Joamette Gil and Brian Denham for a discussion on their new comic, Exile. Gil and Denham’s story features a transgender protagonist who faces cosmic challenges while also dealing with her own gender identity. But this raises a question–why deal with these issues in a fantasy tale, rather than a memoir or slice-of-life story? How does a fantasy story change one’s approach in dealing with these issues?

We’re joined at the end by Sharon Iverson of the Ann Arbor District Library, who shares some terrific book recommendations with us.

Links mentioned in this episode:

This week’s book recommendations:

To download the episode right-click link below and save link as...

Attachment Size
CAG35HQ.mp4 299.9 MB
CAG35AUDIO.mp3 49.5 MB
Submitted by dubaym on Wed, 11/16/2011 - 11:39am

Comics Are Great! 34 – Did Somebody Say Topic?

It’s a bit of a silly episode with a special surprise topic at the end. I’m joined by Paul Storrie, Alice Hunt, and Tracy Williams for a discussion on the physical hazards of making comics, the Captain America movie, My Little Pony, and finally some talk on writing. Thankfully Eli Neiburger joins us at the end to tie some of our randomness into some kind of usable thoughts, along with some more great book recommendations.

Links mentioned in this episode (thanks to Eric Klooster for collecting them!):

This Week’s Book Recommendations:

To download the episode right-click link below and save link as...

Attachment Size
CAG34HQ.mp4 324.3 MB
CAG34AUDIO.mp3 53 MB
Submitted by pkooger on Fri, 11/11/2011 - 10:28am

AADL Talks To Jim Toy and Jackie Simpson

November 18 marks the 40th anniversary of the University of Michigan’s Spectrum Center, making it the oldest LGBT student organization in the country. I spoke with Jackie Simpson, the director of the Spectrum Center, and Jim Toy, one of the two people who founded the organization in 1971. Jackie and Jim talked about the beginning of the organization, its history and ongoing development, and the challenges and joys of the center today. Make sure to visit the Spectrum Center’s website to check out all the great events planned for the anniversary weekend!

Attachment Size
AADL_Talks_To-James_Toy_and_Jackie_Simpson.mp3 23.1 MB
Submitted by amy on Tue, 11/08/2011 - 11:10am

AADL Talks To Josie Parker

In June, Ann Arbor District Library director, Josie Parker, attended the second UNESCO World Forum on Culture and Cultural Industries, whose "Focus 2011" was "The Book Tomorrow: The Future of the Written Word". In our conversation, Josie discusses what she brought back from her experience in this international arena, as well as her views - and those of fellow librarians, publishers, and authors around the world - on the future of digital publishing.

Attachment Size
AADL_Talks_To-Josie_Parker.mp3 40.6 MB
Syndicate content

Featured Events

Film & Discussion: Room 237

AADL screens documentary Room 237 on Thurs., June 6 from 6-8:30 PM at the Downtown AADL. Professor Geoffrey Cocks, expert featured in documentary, will answer audience questions after the screening. This film focuses on the theories of hidden symbols in the movie The Shining.

pictureAnnArbor

Featured Products

pictureAnnArbor

Our online photo collection of Ann Arbor past and present. Browse through the albums created by other Ann Arborites, search for images of your favorite places, and make the collection bigger by adding some of your own.

Navigation