Since its launch in November 2015, Fresh is the Word has been a documentation of for sorts for music/pop culture journalist Kelly “K-Fresh” Frazier, as they journey through their love of music and pop culture, as well as using this platform to share they growth on topics important to women, people of color and the LGBTQ community through the artistic lens of pop culture. As an ever evolving podcast, K-Fresh is going back to his roots focusing more on the music artists they are passionate about from the past and present. From the classic hip-hop artists they grew up on, to the new faces of dance, and from the metal bands they’ve long appreciated to the indie pop artist stealing their heart, Fresh is the Word aims to tell the stories of those who need their contributions to music known, while also exposing their audience to the next artists to watch out for (sometimes before they blow up!).
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For this episode, we are talking about the new graphic anthology Dead Beats 2, released by A Wave Blue World, an independent publisher of high-quality graphic novels, anthologies, and art books, focusing on socially conscious storytelling and providing a platform for a multitude of creative voices. Joining me for this discussion is A Wave Blue World co-founders Wendy and Tyler Chin-Tanner, who started the company over 15 years ago. Dead Beats 2: London Calling, is a continuation after a successful campaign for the first volume which also received high acclaim for both its art direction and storytelling.
For those unaware, Dead Beats is a full-color anthology of music-themed horror comics centered around the curiosities for sale at one peculiar record store managed by the enigmatic Shoppe Keeper. Think Tales From the Crypt, but in a record store. For London Calling, we travel to the new Dead Beats location across the pond in London.
The original editors, Joe Corallo (Oh S#!t, It’s Kim & Kim, Lost On Planet Earth) and Eric Palicki (All We Ever Wanted, Maybe Someday), are back for more Dead Beats featuring over twenty new comics stories and more than forty creators. Lisa Sterle (Long Lost, Witchblood) returns to provide the cover with our interstitial narrative illustrations by Val Halvorson (Finger Guns, The Sequels).
During our discussion, Wendy and Tyler share how the idea of Dead Beats got started, the process of putting together an anthology, how they picked creators for the stories, along with the founding of A Wave Blue World, running this publishing company for over 15 years, how Wendy’s training in sociology informs her work with A Wave Blue World, and their favorite types of music.
Pledge to Dead Beats 2: kck.st/3fCD2gw
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Twitter: twitter.com/AWaveBlueWorld
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THEME MUSIC
Courtesy of STEVE O. Check out more music at eyeamsteveo.bandcamp.com.
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