I love the real world treasures that exist as physical charms that connect us to Dr. Baer! Extra points for cool glowy effects. Were these artifacts created before, after, or in tandem with the story?

In response I share my thoughts on how everything changed for me the moment I let go of the title cartoonist and embraced the word artist. That was the moment I became a lot more aware of what I call the Curiosity Loop.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• My month-long journey to creating a story of a train full of mummies
• Exploring Doctor Baer in-world artifacts
• Doctor Baer talks about the cat talismans in The Case of the Mummy Express
• Find talismans in the Doctor Baer store

• Learn more about The Inscrutable Doctor Baer and the Case of the Two-Faced Statue
• Suggest a topic for TPD here
• TPD theme music by Eliott Drozd
• Intro VO by Tara Platt

What are some of your favourite stories (movies/comics/shows/games, etc.) that have stuck with you– the ones you still find yourself thinking about randomly from time to time, even years later?

So I share five stories (films, cartoons, comic books, prose) that have moved me over the years, and why.

Links mentioned:

• My Transformers podcast where I go on and on about The Burden Hardest to Bear
• A Christmas Carol on Libravox
• Scrooge
• The Wizard of Speed and Time
• Dinner in America
• Justice League of America #58
• One Cut of the Dead

• Learn more about The Inscrutable Doctor Baer and the Case of the Two-Faced Statue
• Suggest a topic for TPD here
• TPD theme music by Eliott Drozd
• Intro VO by Tara Platt

How do you feel the modern expectation of artists being entertainers (YT, TikTok, Reels, Twitch, etc.) has affected your comics?

My hot take is, I’m not thinking being an entertainer, but I am thinking about offering presence. And I offer some important context to my perspective.

Links mentioned:

• Tony Cliff’s Delilah Dirk webcomic

• Learn more about The Inscrutable Doctor Baer and the Case of the Two-Faced Statue
• Suggest a topic for TPD here
• TPD theme music by Eliott Drozd
• Intro VO by Tara Platt

• Learn more about The Inscrutable Doctor Baer and the Case of the Two-Faced Statue
• Suggest a topic for TPD here
• TPD theme music by Eliott Drozd
• Intro VO by Tara Platt

To count down to the book’s release, I’m putting some of those reflections into the Thunder Punch Daily feed. Please note: the book was titled Baron von Bear and the Case of the Two-Faced Statue at the time of this recording. But baronvonbear.com does take you to the book’s landing page. Here’s the original post:

Another thoughtful question from the Doctor Baer ask me anything form led me to think about my weaknesses as a Teaching Artist/Cartoonist. And finally ask for what I need from you to support The Inscrutable Doctor Baer and the Case of the Two-Faced Statue:

This is a two-parter: 1) making comics for public/wider consumption today involves a lot of things that maybe aren’t necessarily the things that one excitedly looks forward to (or is even thinking about) as they are headlong and heart-deep in the thick of making their comic — things like marketing, and promoting, and keeping somewhat of a social media presence. How do you balance the joyful, flow-state, lost-and-in-love-with-the-making-of-the-comic side of things with the more business orientated part of the process? Is it something that you don’t even think about until after the book is made? When does that side of things start popping up on your radar? And how do you feel about it? and 2) What is the best way to support you when BvB releases? Pre-order at my local comic shop? Order on Amazon? Put an order request in at the local library? What actionable steps will help the most?

• Learn more about The Inscrutable Doctor Baer and the Case of the Two-Faced Statue
• Suggest a topic for TPD here
• TPD theme music by Eliott Drozd
• Intro VO by Tara Platt

To count down to the book’s release, I’m putting some of those reflections into the Thunder Punch Daily feed. Please note: the book was titled Baron von Bear and the Case of the Two-Faced Statue at the time of this recording. But baronvonbear.com does take you to the book’s landing page. Here’s the original post:

Once again I go back 20 years to explore some themes that show up in Baron von Bear and the Case of the Two-Faced Statue. Recognizing our interdependence seems like an obvious thing to me, but it’s easy to lose sight of it in adventure fiction.

• Learn more about The Inscrutable Doctor Baer and the Case of the Two-Faced Statue
• Suggest a topic for TPD here
• TPD theme music by Eliott Drozd
• Intro VO by Tara Platt

To count down to the book’s release, I’m putting some of those reflections into the Thunder Punch Daily feed. Please note: the book was titled Baron von Bear and the Case of the Two-Faced Statue at the time of this recording. But baronvonbear.com does take you to the book’s landing page. Here’s the original post:

This time I share what it’s like to be in the part of the process I call the Tunnel: when I know I’ll be finished soon, yet I feel lost and impatient to be done.

• Learn more about The Inscrutable Doctor Baer and the Case of the Two-Faced Statue
• Suggest a topic for TPD here
• TPD theme music by Eliott Drozd
• Intro VO by Tara Platt

To count down to the book’s release, I’m putting some of those reflections into the Thunder Punch Daily feed. Please note: the book was titled Baron von Bear and the Case of the Two-Faced Statue at the time of this recording. But baronvonbear.com does take you to the book’s landing page. Here’s the original post:

I’m answering another prompt from the Thoughts/Questions/Wonderings form:

Having a collection of cursed items in your book is rife for pop culture references. What’s the cultural reference you’re most excited about, but are afraid people won’t get?

This one kind of goes in a lot of directions, but my hope is that it provides context to why BvB doesn’t have many easter eggs.

• Learn more about The Inscrutable Doctor Baer and the Case of the Two-Faced Statue
• Suggest a topic for TPD here
• TPD theme music by Eliott Drozd
• Intro VO by Tara Platt

To count down to the book’s release, I’m putting some of those reflections into the Thunder Punch Daily feed. Please note: the book was titled Baron von Bear and the Case of the Two-Faced Statue at the time of this recording. But baronvonbear.com does take you to the book’s landing page. Here’s the original post:

Another one from the Thoughts/Questions/Wonderings form!

I’ve noticed animals are a shortcut to mean ‘wholesome’. Do you think storytelling tropes like this have an effect on the types of children’s stories made?

So today I talk about why I chose to make the characters in my book talking animals.

And I talk a bit about Michael Meade’s Living Myth podcast, which is terrific!

• Learn more about The Inscrutable Doctor Baer and the Case of the Two-Faced Statue
• Suggest a topic for TPD here
• TPD theme music by Eliott Drozd
• Intro VO by Tara Platt

To count down to the book’s release, I’m putting some of those reflections into the Thunder Punch Daily feed. Please note: the book was titled Baron von Bear and the Case of the Two-Faced Statue at the time of this recording. But baronvonbear.com does take you to the book’s landing page. Here’s the original post:

Another question from the Thoughts/Questions/Wonderings form!

How do you deal with personal, non-constructive, negative feedback about your completed work?

Which leads me to tell a story about this drawing and why it hurt:

• Learn more about The Inscrutable Doctor Baer and the Case of the Two-Faced Statue
• Suggest a topic for TPD here
• TPD theme music by Eliott Drozd
• Intro VO by Tara Platt