Back in September last year, David Hyde (founder of Superfan Promotions), Christian Gossett (story artist, Eyes of Wakanda, The Red Star), and Kristen Simon (executive editor at Mad Cave Studios’ Nakama Press) launched The Superfan Podcast, delving into what creators love beyond their investment in comics. How do their pasts, relationships, and hobbies play into how they approach their work? Speaking with everyone from Rodney Barnes (Killadelphia), Kelly Sue DeConnick (Wonder Woman Historia), Marc Guggenheim (Star Wars: Jedi Knights), and more, The Superfan Podcast gave listeners a more intimate deep-dive into the hearts of comic creators usually not heard or highlighted.
And Season 2 looks to be just as packed with a who’s who of top tier comic creators, featuring everyone from Jim Rugg to Elsa Charretier and more for a stacked guest list coming to the podcast party.
I spoke with David Hyde, Kristen Simon, and Christian Gossett recently about the guests of Season 2 of the Superfan Podcast, the reception the hosts had for Season 1, their approach to Season 2, and their favorite part of working on the show.
The Superfan Podcast logo, designed by Criswell Lappin
FreakSugar: So, Season 2! Congratulations! Before getting into the season itself, what was the reception like for Season 1?
David Hyde: That’s a great question. There are a lot of podcasts about comics, so when the three of us set out to make the Superfan Podcast we wanted an approach that was a little left-of-center that would stand out from the pack. That’s how we landed on the idea of a pod where the people who make the comics you love talk about the things they love… that aren’t comics.
I’d say that the most rewarding feedback has come from the guests themselves. It’s not often that Jim Rugg gets interviewed about wrestling or Maia Kobabe interviewed about K-pop. When creators appear on the Superfan Podcast, it’s a very different kind of conversation for them to have and they’ve really responded to the format and the conversation style. A few times we’ve been told it’s one of the best interviews that they’ve been a part of. I really can’t imagine more rewarding feedback than that.
Kris Simon: I feel like the reception for Season 1 was what joyfully led us into Season 2. We booked some amazing guests that had really diverse audiences, and they got to hear someone they’re a huge fan of divulge something about themselves they probably didn’t know. I mean, how cool is that? I think it went over very well!
Season 2 portraits by Chris Gossett
FS: Following up on that, did that reception inform how you approach Season 2?
DH: If you listened to season one of the Superfan Podcast, you’ll notice we did not stray far from our formula with season two. That’s by design. We have had conversations about how we might riff on the formula in upcoming seasons, but before you stay from a formula, you need to establish it. So we did introduce a few things – like mocktails that are paired with the conversations, in addition to cocktails and dessert, and a few surprise “call-in questions” – but we don’t want to spoil those. Mostly we set out to keep the good vibes and momentum from season one.
We do some prep for each episode of the show – including research about the guest and their career as well as the topic at hand. But we were routinely blown away by the amount of preparation and insight each guest brought to the show. In the season two pilot, we talk with Jim Rugg about wrestling and he knows so much. The conversation touches on iconic wrestlers – like Roddy Piper, Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin, and CM Punk – and ranges to topics from lucha libre to the ancient history of the sport. I learned a ton from that conversation.
One of the really rewarding parts of the podcast is doing these deep dives into topics that the three of us might not initially know a lot about. I didn’t know much about K-Pop before we recorded with Maia Kobabe, I had never read Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels before we recorded with Erica Henderson, and I had never even heard of the guitarist Rowland S. Howard before we recorded with Paul Pope. But each of our guests proved to be wonderful, generous guides.
KS: There’s always a learning curve. And you can’t have the three of us in a room together without having a debrief on how it went, what could have gone better, what we could do next time to elevate it.
FS: You had a stacked list of interviewees in Season 1. What can you tell us about who you talk to in Season 2?
Christian Gossett: I can say, having been blown away by each of them, that I’m honored to have met and spoken to all of them. The Superfan Podcast has given me a new and deep admiration for the people that make comics. Which—for someone like me who has been making comics as a pro since 1988—I didn’t know there was any deeper said admiration could go. But here it is. The incredible legitimacy of anyone who commits to this medium at this point in its history is so evident when you listen to them. Especially when you hear them given the chance to get rhapsodic in expressing something that is at the core of what they do.
KS: All I can say is that you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you don’t follow Paul Pope’s heartfelt directive and give Rowland S. Howard a listen.
DH: Can I tell you a secret? We have really lovely guests. OK, maybe that’s not a secret – these are some of the most respected and popular people working in comics. But they are really great. Each guest’s personal enthusiasm is so charming, you just might end up discovering a new favorite novelist or guitarist. Or maybe Elsa Charretier will convince you to teach your dog some new tricks, after you hear her talk about her love of game-based dog training.
The Superfan Podcast co-hosts. Left to right: Christian Gossett, Kristen Simon, and David Hyde. Photo by Alan Amato.
FS: What has been your favorite part of working on the podcast?
KS: My favorite part of working on this podcast is that these guests are all promoting things they are superfans of, for nothing in return. It’s all about the love. Love that they want to share with whoever wants to listen! When I was at C2E2, two professionals voluntarily told me what they would want to talk about if they were invited to be on. Isn’t that amazing?
DH: My favorite part of the podcast is the moment when a guest’s eyes light up as they reflect on something that they love. That enthusiasm is infectious. Season two mostly features topics that I didn’t know about previously and it was a delight to have such thoughtful conversations about a wide array of topics.
CG: I’ll make it unanimous. To listen to the Superfan podcast is to gain another opportunity to look at your love for comics with fresh eyes. If you read comics, your passion has brought you to them, and to meet our guests is to know that you’re not alone.
FS: What have you learned about producing a podcast in between Seasons 1 and 2? Do you have any lessons you are applying to this season?
DH: Some listeners to season one’s episodes applauded us for really giving the floor to our guests. The guests – and their enthusiasm – are why listeners will tune in and we wanted to be extra respectful. But a few podcast veterans also encouraged us to share a little more of our own takes and we leaned into that. Sometimes, it’s an easy segue. For instance, in the Johnnie Christmas episode, I had just finished watching Midnight Mass on Netflix so I was ready with my hot takes. Other times, it’s about finding the right moments to interject an off-the-cuff question that might completely change the course of the conversation, like when our chat with Erica Henderson shifted into the merits of reading the classics.
KS: I have learned it is not easy! The recording part is fun. Listening to yourself after, and giving edits to Bryant at Fanbase Press, and figuring out the cold opens, and where the ad goes…man, it’s a lot. It’s definitely worth it in the end, when you get the final result. It’s definitely a team effort, and I think we’re all grateful for each other, for sure.
FS: I know you still have to get through Season 2, but is Season 3 in your sights?
DH: Right now we’re all really focused on making the very best second season possible, while also growing our audience. We have an amazing editor – Bryant Dillon of Fanbase Press – and he’s working on finalizing edits for the back half of the season with Christian. Meanwhile Kris Simon is polishing the show notes for the Superfan Signal. This is where readers get fun extras, like the recipes for the deserts, cocktails, and mocktails that we pair with each episode, as well as links to articles and playlists discussed on the podcast. And I’m working to get the word out, with a fresh round of interviews and news stories so that more listeners can discover the show.
FS: If you had a final pitch for season 2 and the podcast in general, what would it be?
DH: We set out to create a podcast that feels like a great conversation at a big party: one that’s unexpected and exciting. Sometimes it’s a conversation with someone you know really well, sometimes it’s with someone you know of, but don’t yet know well. There’s a joy about celebrating the things we love. Especially with everything going on in the world, taking the time to celebrate creativity and inspiration feels essential.
CG: A comics-loving television-making friend of mine said that for her, we are the “Fantagraphics of podcasts,” and I love that.
KS: I mean, I honestly can’t add anything to what these two said; they summed it up really nicely!
Season 2 of The Superfan Podcast launched today! You can listen to the first episode of the season on the Superfan Podcast Substack, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, and the Superfan website.
From the official press release about Season 2:
What fascinates, captivates, and influences the people who create comics and graphic novels? In Season Two of the Superfan Podcast co-hosts Kristen Simon (Executive Editor at Mad Cave Studios’ Nakama Press), Christian Gossett (Story Artist, Eyes of Wakanda, The Red Star), and Superfan Promotions founder David Hyde will talk with some of the biggest stars of the comic book industry to find out what they’re passionate about — outside of comics.
The Superfan Podcast season two debuts on March 13, 2026 with a conversation about professional wrestling with Eisner and Ignatz Award winning cartoonist, designer, zinemaker, and illustrator Jim Rugg (True Crime Funnies, Hulk Grand Design). In the freewheeling, no-holds-barred episode, Rugg reflects on who has the best gimmick in wrestling, the appeal of heels and heroes, and the art of kayfabe.
Season Two of the Superfan Podcast features an all-star line-up of award-winning writers and artists, including Gender Queer cartoonist Maia Kobabe on the appeal of K-pop, #1 New York Times bestselling cartoonist Johnnie Christmas (Swim Team) on the mystery of Mike Flanagan’s Midnight Mass, Eisner Award-winning artist/designer Paul Pope (THB) on the glorious career of guitarist Rowland S Howard, Eisner Award-winning artist Erica Henderson (The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl) on her love of Terry Pratchett’s seminal, satirical Discworld novels and acclaimed artist Elsa Charretier (Love Everlasting) on the many merits of game-based dog training. For each episode, the co-hosts also share a dessert recipe and a recommended cocktail and mocktail inspired by the conversation.
“As AI continues to creep into our lives, it’s arguably more important than ever to celebrate the people who make the art we love,” said co-host David Hyde. “It’s been tremendously rewarding to talk with creative people that we admire about the things that they’re deeply passionate about.”
“When I listen to my favorite creators speak, what I’m hoping for are insights about the moments that we so rarely hear described,” said co-host Christian Gossett, who was the writer, artist, and creator of the hit Image Comics series The Red Star before working on movies for George Lucas, Peter Jackson, and Tim Burton, and directing television episodes for the CW network. “How is what creators love built into what they do? What is it they are trying to bring to their chosen genres? What cultural gap are they unknowingly attempting to fill? The Superfan Podcast has helped inspire these kinds of conversations, and that’s very exciting for us.”
Gossett is best known for his radical concept drawing of a double-bladed lightsaber, which was personally approved by George Lucas and was later introduced as the signature weapon of Darth Maul. For both season one and two of the Superfan Podcast, he has drawn portraits of each of the guests. Season one features Rodney Barnes on Stephen King, Marc Guggenheim on Billy Joel, , Kelly Sue DeConnick on Alan Alda, Matt Kindt on John le Carré, Marjorie Liu on gardening, and Patrick McDonnell on Frank Zappa.
“Especially with everything going on in the world, it feels extra important to celebrate joy and creativity,” said co-host Kris Simon. “The conversations on the Superfan Podcast are deep dives into fandom. It’s a genuine thrill to chart someone’s fandom and how it’s evolved over time, whether we’re talking with Maia Kobabe on eir favorite K-Pop songs and K-pop fan fiction or chatting with Johnnie Christmas about the catharsis of Mike Flanagan’s Midnight Mass.”
The Superfan Podcast is a production of Superfan Media. Season Two’s episodes have been edited by Bryant Dillon with production help by Fanbase Press, who are title sponsors of Season Two’s episodes. The Superfan Podcast theme song is performed by the band Low in the Shag, featuring Daniel Shulman on bass, Sasha Brustinov on keyboards, Ziv Fisher on drums, Eric Garcia on guitar, Jacob Shulman on saxophone, and Derek Zimmerman on percussion. The song was written by Daniel Shulman, who has played bass for Garbage and is currently performing with The Halloween Jack, alongside Gilby Clarke (Guns N’ Roses), Stephen Perkins (Jane’s Addiction), and Eric Dover (Alice Cooper). The Superfan Podcast logo is designed by Criswell Lappin, former Creative Director of the legendary Metropolis Magazine, whose design work can be seen at criswelllappin.com.
For more information, follow the Superfan Podcast on Substack, Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube and visit https://superfanmedia.net. For show notes, behind-the-scenes information, dessert and cocktail recipes, and round table fandom conversations and interviews, follow the Superfan Signal.