On this episode of Word Balloon, Amanda Conner joins us to talk about her Before Watchmen series Silk Spectre co-written and drawn by Darwyn Cooke. We also talk about Amanda's work on DC's digital Ame Comi Girls Wonder Woman.

Author Rob Salkowitz discusses his new book Comic=-Con and the Business Of Pop Culture from McGraw-Hill. Rob is a business futurist and a hard core comics fan who uses the prisim of Comic-Con to explore where the comic business is today. He also give ssveral scenarios of what the future may hold for publishers retailers creators and consumers as we enter the digital age of comics.

Finally we listen in to last week's Marvel telephone press conference announcing changes for the Daredevil creator line-up. Mark Waid Paulo Rivera, Chris Samnee Mike Allred and Editor Steve Wacker give us the details.

First up Mike Perkins talks about drawing Astonishing X-Men. today's issue #51 is a classic marvel marriage moment that has cracked thru to the mainstream media world. mike tells us what's like to draw this kind of major release when everyone is looking over his shoulder. Perkins also talk about finishing the art choress on the adaptation of Stephen King's The Stand comic seres, and what it was like during the title's four year run, catering to the King-Bookstore patrons as well as the comics buying direct market.

Then we wrap up the latest Matt Fraction Fireside Chat. This week Matt give 's us his point of view on The Avenger's film impact on this summer's other upcoming superhero films. Fraction wonders if the lighter action tone of The Avengers will hurt the mainstream audience reaction to The Dark Knight Rises ?

Finally Ed Catto of The Bonfire Agency joins us. Catto is part of the team that is reviving the Captain Action franchise through new toys and the upcoming Dynamite comic book series . Catto also talks about Bonfire, and some of the ways he's bringing advertisers to the consumers of genre fiction and the geek market.

On this edition of Word Balloon, we talk with DC vice presidents Bob Wayne and John Cunningham about the Diamond Top 10 sales numbers of comic books from May, plus the first reactions to DC's 2nd Wave titles, Before Watchmen and further details about the Zero Issues and 3rd Wave of new DC books coming in September.

Then we start a 2 part Matt Fraction Fireside Chat. Matt shares insight on the current and future storylines of Thor, Iron Man and The Defenders. There are trippy dreamwalking moments and self realization ideas happening in all three books, but Fraction is adressing the same plot devices in very different ways in each of these titles.

Finally JK Woodward joins us to talk all things Trek and Whovian, as we discuss IDW's Star Trek TNG-Doctor Who crossover mini series.