Hall H Show host Aaron Nabus talks to good friend of the show, Rylend Grant, who makes his return to chat about his new comic book, Suicide Jockeys. This episode is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, iHeart Radio, Deezer, Amazon Music, and Spotify. The Hall H Show is hosted by Aaron Nabus and Alex Benedicto and is the “Voice of Independent Creators.”

Show Notes:

Hello fellow nerds, geeks and supporters of indie pop culture creators! Aaron Nabus here and thanks for tuning into this episode of the Hall H Show!

If I were to tell you that I would be interviewing on this episode, a fellow podcaster, an ordained Soto Zen Buddist monk, a screenwriter that has sold the film rights to one of his stories to Justin Lin and has developed other film and TV projects with JJ Abrams, Ridley Scott, John Woo, and Penelope Cruz (just to name a few), a Ringo Award winning coming book creator, a poker player that has won a ton of online and in person tournaments, and a former American Ninja Warrior contestant, you probably say, “Wow, where did Aaron find all these guests? And man, is this going to be a five hour show?”

Well guess what, they are all the same person (and it only was a two hour show)!

That’s right…the one…the only, Rylend Grant is back!

From past episodes you’ll know that we share a love for the Detroit Pistons, chef, Dave Chang and karaoke. He’s also been mentioned multiple times by other guests as one of their “Super Hero Shout-outs” for his support of other indie creators and his insightful panels at comic conventions.

In the indie comic scene, he is well known for his comic books Aberrant, Banjax, The Jump, and The Peacekeepers. On this episode, we’ll be discussing his newest comic book, Suicide Jockeys, currently in Previews and slated to be released on August 26, 2021 – so make sure to pre-order it at your local comic book shop!

Welcome back to the Hall H Show, Rylend!

About Suicide Jockeys:

“Ten years after a catastrophic mission gone wrong, Denver Wallace, leader of the Suicide Jockeys – a poor, usually drunken, almost certainly mentally ill crew of monster-fighting, tank-and-aircraft-piloting suckers – must pick himself up off of the proverbial and literal floors, slap his estranged, desperately-fractured team back together and right what once went wrong. ”

In Previews now (will be released on August 26, 2021). Pre-order from your local comic book store.

Opening Round Questions:

• You’re a versatile writer with one toe in Hollywood and another in the indie comic scene. Can you talk about how you’ve been able to find success in both areas?
• Why are creating comic books important to you?
• Why do you feel the need to help other comic book creators (or people who are thinking about making comics like one of our past guests, Omar Mora) with the panels you moderate at comic conventions?
• How do you stay motivated to create? Do you have a daily routine to help you get in the right mindset (I’m sure your daughter probably has a say in how you structure your schedule)?
• What would the grad school version of you think about your current career?
• Can you give us some insight on how you come up with ideas for stories? Do you have a process for brainstorming initial concepts? How do you keep track of everything? What is your research process like?

Suicide Jockey Questions:

• “Tokusatsu” It sounds so similar to “Tonkatusu” which is a Japanese breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet dish that I love to eat. What will I love about your take on “Tokusatsu” and why did you decide to tackle this genre?
• Tell me about the main character, Denver Wallace. How did you come up with this name?
• Who are the other key characters?
• Without giving too much away, what can we expect from issue 1?
• How many issues do you have planned?
• You’ve published comics through ActionLab and independently, through your own company, Half Evil Comics, why did you decide to go through SourcePoint for Suicide Jockeys?
• You are well known for working with creative talent from other countries. For this book, did you look for your creative team on other planets?
• Do you have any recommended Tokusatsu genre books, TV shows or movies for our audience to eat as an appetizer before they devour your comic book?
• Are you planning on attending any in-person comic conventions to promote your new book this year?

Thunder Round Questions:

• What kaiju is your spirit animal?
• What was it like going to Golf n’ Stuff Family Fun Center, one of the places showcased in the Karate Kid movie? 
• What 1980’s fictional universe would you want to be a character in?
• Like a basketball player shooting countless free throws when not playing, consistently practicing your craft makes you better. As a creative well versed in different writing styles, what does practice look like for you?
• What’s something that you regret?
• You’re at a comic book shop and thumbing through the back issue bins. What kind of comics would you look for?
• If you could describe yourself with one word, what would it be? Why did you choose this word? What word do you think Steve Prince would use to describe you?
• Speaking of Steve, I saw that he posted this question on Twitter this morning – so I thought I would add it to this Thunder Round: What 5 movies are you confident you’ve seen at least 10 times?
• Okay, this next question might be one of the most important questions I’ve ever asked. Do you like using Oxford Commas?
• Has Skeet Ulrich paid you back yet?
• What’s something new that you learned recently?
• If you were a college professor, what would you be teaching?
• What’s something on your bucket list that would surprise people?
• You’ve been in L.A. for a while now, what are some of your favorite restaurants there? I’m going to start compiling a list of places to check out – thinking about doing a road trip in the next couple of months.

Closing Question:

What are some helpful pieces of advice from a zen buddhist’s perspective?

Follow Rylend Grant:

Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
“Skeet Ulrich Owes Me $37”
Amazon Store
Writers Block Podcast

Thank YOU:

Thank YOU for listening to the Hall H Show podcast! I’m happy and humbled when I find out people support a project or start to follow one of our guests because of one of our episodes. So thank you so much for your continued support.

And, thanks to my guest, Rylend Grant. Don’t forget to pre-order his newest comic book, Suicide Jockeys at your local comic book shop. It will be hitting the streets on August 26, 2021. Make sure to use the code: JUN211785.

We love putting the spotlight on independent pop culture creatives, like Greg. If you have a suggestion for a potential guest, please let us know!

If you believe in our mission to be the voice of independent pop culture creators, don’t be scared to give us a five star rating and a comment on Apple Podcasts. You can also find this podcast on Google Podcasts, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, Deezer, Amazon Music, and even Spotify!

Peace, cheers, stay safe out there and if you have a story you’ve been itching to tell, consider creating a movie with your smartphone!

If you would like to recommend a guest that you feel deserves more attention, please reach out to us on any of our social media accounts or the contact form on our contact form.

The post Ep. 110 – Rylend Grant (Suicide Jockeys) appeared first on Hall H | Hall H Show.