Barry Lyga on Outsiders, Origins, and Writing Superheroes for the Page Podcast By cover art

Barry Lyga on Outsiders, Origins, and Writing Superheroes for the Page

Barry Lyga on Outsiders, Origins, and Writing Superheroes for the Page

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 In this episode of Geek Freaks Interviews, Frank sits down with acclaimed author Barry Lyga to explore his multifaceted writing career spanning comics, YA thrillers, and prose adaptations of iconic superhero stories. Barry opens up about his journey from comics to novels, his work on the I Hunt Killers trilogy, how he crafted Thanos' backstory for Marvel Studios, and what it was like building an alternate DC Universe through The Flash book series. From creating Free Comic Book Day to writing some of the darkest scenes of his career, Barry brings insight, humor, and a deep love for the medium.Timestamps and Topics:00:00 Intro and Barry Lyga’s career overview00:32 From comics to novels: The origin of Fanboy and Goth Girl02:07 Common theme: Writing from the outsider’s perspective03:37 Writing Wolverine: Worst Day Ever and the young outsider angle04:24 How comics shaped his prose style and genre-blending06:27 Switching genres with I Hunt Killers08:11 Making dark characters likable09:15 Challenges writing from a new POV and writing Superman11:15 Behind the scenes of The Flash tie-in novels14:17 Using obscure DC characters like Ambush Bug18:14 Capturing Barry Allen’s voice and injecting science20:52 Writing Thanos: Titan Consumed for the MCU23:00 The challenge of creating Thanos without key Marvel characters27:17 Matching the tone of Infinity War without seeing it28:43 Thanos’ logic and why doubling resources wouldn't work29:32 The origin of Free Comic Book Day33:11 Modern comic book accessibility and barriers35:53 The limits of digital comics today38:16 The release of Before the Hunt and going indie40:31 Final thoughts and where to find Barry’s booksKey Takeaways:Barry Lyga’s stories consistently center around outsiders, a reflection of his own childhood.His novel Wolverine: Worst Day Ever explores being an outsider among outsiders.Writing Thanos: Titan Consumed required building a full backstory that matched the MCU without relying on comic continuity.The Flash book series was set in an alternate timeline to allow more creative freedom while respecting CW’s canon.Free Comic Book Day began as a brainstorm to unite the comic book industry and increase visibility for local shops.Barry's newest release, Before the Hunt, is a self-published anthology of prequel stories to I Hunt Killers.Memorable Quotes:“I think outsiders typically have a really interesting perspective on what’s going on.”“Creation is harder than destruction—that’s why Thanos didn’t double resources.”“You don’t have to be one kind of writer. It’s all about the story.”“I almost jumped out of my seat when I saw Infinity War. I thought, that’s my Thanos.”“Stop recommending Watchmen to new readers.”Call to Action:Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and share the podcast using #GeekFreaksPod. Help us grow the show and bring on more amazing guests like Barry Lyga!Links and Resources:🔗 GeekFreaksPodcast.com – Your source for all the news we discuss📖 BarryLyga.com – See Barry’s full body of work📘 Before the Hunt – Order Barry’s latest release nowFollow Us:Instagram: @geekfreakspodcastTwitter: @geekfreakspodThreads: @geekfreakspodcastFacebook: facebook.com/thegeekfreakspodcastPatreon: patreon.com/GeekFreakspodcastListener Questions:Got a question for our next guest or a topic you want covered? Message us on any platform or email contact@geekfreakspodcast.com.Apple Podcast Tags:Barry Lyga, I Hunt Killers, Thanos Titan Consumed, Wolverine Worst Day Ever, The Flash CW, comic book adaptations, superhero novels, writing tips, Marvel books, DC Universe books, Free Comic Book Day
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