Dracula Batman, Deadman Kelley Jones and Matt Wagne

Word Balloon Comics Podcast - A podcast by John Siuntres

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In this dark and thrilling episode, I sit down with comics legends Matt Wagner and Kelley Jones to talk about their gothic team-up on a new Dracula graphic novel series — a fresh, nightmarish take on the Lord of the Undead that blends Hammer horror, classic literature, and modern comics craft. We also dive deep into their iconic Batman work. Matt Wagner reflects on his acclaimed retellings of the Dark Knight’s formative years in Batman and the Monster Men and Batman and the Mad Monk, grounded updates of the original Detective Comics stories that shaped Gotham’s early shadows. Meanwhile, Kelley Jones revisits his unforgettable Batman: Red Rain, a horror-infused Elseworlds classic that reimagines Batman as a literal creature of the night — a vampire battling Dracula himself. Plus: Kelley’s eerie, emotional Deadman mini-series, their shared love of horror as mythmaking, and what it means to push iconic characters into darker, more psychological terrain. A must-listen for fans of Batman, monsters, and the art of gothic reinvention.