Bill Willingham

In this episode, we sit down with legendary creator Bill Willingham to explore his remarkable journey from role-playing game artist to one of comics' most celebrated storytellers. Bill opens up about his early days working on RPGs and how that experience shaped his approach to worldbuilding in comics. From his 1980s creator-owned series Elementals to his 150+ issue, career-defining work on Fables, we dive deep into his storytelling career, while comparing the comics landscape of then versus now. Bill shares insights into his research process for incorporating folklore and mythology into his stories and reflects on his work with DC characters like Tim Drake's Robin and the supernatural heroes of Shadowpact. We also explore his approach to writing morally complex characters, ,the creative challenges of reimagining established heroes in the steampunk world of Legenderry, and how his background as an artist influences his collaboration with other creators.

You can follow Bill on X @BillWillingham or subscribe to his Substack here: billwillingham.substack.com.