Today on Word Balloon, legendary filmmaker Ralph Bakshi joins us to discuss his Kickstarter campaign for a new animated series called Last days Of Coney Island.

The series sees Bakshi return to familiar territory New York in the 1960's. Bakshi promises scenes and stories about police corruption, gangs, prostitutes and the enui of the decade as the country suffered urban decay and the losses of leaders like John and Robert Kennedy.

Bakshi also dorps news about making sequel scenes for some of his cult classic films after he completes The Last Days Project. He talks about making new sequences for his films Wizards Coonskin, and Heavy Traffic.

For yeras he's talked about a new sequence for the 1977 film Wizards, involving the character Peace saving a train boxcar filled with draves being taken to their death, ala the real life WW2  refugees taken by the Nazis to concentration camps. Says Bakshi " I love Peace...it's an incredible action sequence ...it's a violent scene... so (explitive)  if you want to see Wizards 2 get Last Days going."  Number 3, I'd do Coonskin 2 ..and then Heavy Traffic and what I'm saying is  I can contunie to do more with these films, and release them on the net. " Bakshi would release the films on his website and a Bakshi channel he's developing.

Bakshi also updates us on the potential live action Robert Rodgriguez remake of his 1983 film Fire and Ice co-concieved by Frank Frazetta and written by Gerry Conway and Roy Thomas. Says Bakshi "  I had spoke last week obver emails that he wants to shoot it next summer...I get a nice fee if he shoots it . He came to me and wanted to do it. He wants to make it live action which is fine, cause I'd never re do it. I said make it like Sin City and Frazetta (style) he's says he would ...He's says he's shooting it  next summer, he's now shooting Sin City 2, so unless he feels the need to lie to me, that's his intention."
Bakshi also talks about his years at Terrytoon films which taught him the tricks to make animation at a cheaper cost. We also discuss his work on the Spider-Man Animated series, and his friendship with Frazetta.

Then we catch up with Rick Remender who's taking bold direction in his 2 Marvel Now! books Captain America and Uncanny Avengers. We talk about the ideas in the comics that have polarizing reactions from fans  but Rick is quick to say these are long story arcs that will reveal themselves over time. Rick also talks about the delightful success the Fear Agent Onibus is having , and announces some new creator owned projects for 2013.

Chris Roberson talks about his Dynamite mini series Masks featuring a crossover of pulp heroes like The Shadow, The Green Hornet & Kato Zorro The Spider and more. We also talk about how Chris and his wife Allison Baker's digital imprint MonkeyBrain Comics has been doing since it's July 2012 launch. We talk about the state of the company, it's critical response and Chris's own MB book, Edison Rex.

Then Dave Elliot joins us to talk about his creator own plans for 2013. Chris has been editing and packaging recent issues of Heavy Metal (259 & 260) as a dress rehersal for the return of his A1 comics anthology, debuting this June from Titan Books.

Finally we wrap up our conversation with Jason aaron, with non comics subjects like TV Music and Sports.

On this episode of Word Balloon, 4 great conversations about books that are on the racks and coming up in the weeks ahead.

Brad Meltzer joins us to discuss his latest novel The Fifth Assassin out this week. It explores the 4 US presidential asassinations from Lincoln to JFK  and postulates a serial killer connection to them all.

Brad also has an update on his History Channel show Decoded and talks about an upcoming childrens book project he has collaborating with cartoonist Chris Elliopolis .

We go behind the scenes with a nother Marvel Now Press Conference as Brian Michael Bendis and Editor Steve Wacker discuss the new Guardians Of The Galaxy comic which debuts in February, drawn by Steve McNiven.

Artist David Marquez talk about jumping from Bendis's Ultimate Spider-Man to All New X-Men starting with this week's issue #6. We also discuss his new Archaia graphic novel with writer RJ Ryan called The Joyners In 3-D.

Finally, Jay Faerber is here to talk about his new digital comic for MonkeyBrain Comics that debuts next week. Denali with artist John Broglia . A post apocalyptic setting with a female warrior and her minions on a mission. The book is a one-shot pilot concept that could become an ongoing series. Jay also talks about the upcoming trade for his Image mini-series Point Of Impact and we talk about the current television season.