Podcast / Sifu Mimi Chan

126. Greg Rucka on comics, politics, and social media

As many of you know, I love comic books. One of my favorites is Lazarus by Greg Rucka and Michael Lark. I met Greg at San Diego Comic Con, You can imagine my excitement when Greg invited me to interview him in Portland at his home. I met his lovely wife Jen, and his dog Marlowe, who makes a few cameos in this interview on my youtube channel.

[Rebroadcast] Margaret Suzy Wong Chan: Breast Cancer survivor on tai chi and Jamaican culture

125. Diana Schutz on her life in comics

Diana Schutz worked as an editor at Comico and Dark Horse Comics for many years. Some of the best-known works she has edited are Frank Miller’s Sin City and 300, Matt Wagner’s Grendel, Stan Sakai’s Usagi Yojimbo, and Paul Chadwick’s Concrete.

124. Dan John on why we should reread great books, plus more Sword in the Stone!

Dan John and I have redefined tangent today. Our discussions take us in many different directions, but they are all worth listening to. We talk about his personal and family mission statements, musicals (and how they show excellence), but mostly the importance of rereading books. Dan discusses the benefits of rereading great books at different stages of your life. In addition to being a world-class fitness coach, best-selling author, and professor.

123. Gene Ha, Eisner award winner, on comics, art and geeking out

Gene Ha is a NY Times bestselling comic book artist and Eisner Award winner, which is the highest award in American comics. Today I speak with Gene about his journey as an artist, and also about his newest creation, Mae. I enjoyed reading about the world he creates in this sci-fi action-adventure story! It has girl power, epic battles, and even monsters. Some of Gene’s art includes work in the DC and Marvel Universe, Fables, and Alan Moore’s Top 10. I enjoyed my conversation with Gene today, especially after meeting him at San Diego Comic-Con!

122. James Hong on working in tv and films

I feel fortunate that James Hong took time to interview with me today. He is an actor who has starred in over 500 film and tv roles during his 60+ year career. At age 90, he isn’t slowing down. It was great to have a little Mulan reunion with James, as we discussed our thoughts on the upcoming live-action film. James shared his stories on Hollywood through the years, and the challenges Asian Americans face in cinema. He is hopeful for the future after the success of Crazy Rich Asians, however, still feels we have a long way to go.

121. Iron Tamer Dave Whitley on bending steel

Iron Tamer Dave Whitley is a motivational speaker and strongman based in Nashville, TN. Dave combines incredible feats of strength and a powerful message to inspire and motivate audiences. He performs astounding feats of strength such as: bending steel wrenches, ripping decks of cards and driving a nail through a board with his hand. The feats he performs are used as an illustration of the mindset needed to accomplish the impossible. His purpose is to inspire the audience to leave their limitations behind and become the SUPERHUMAN version of themselves. Dave is the author of the book Superhuman YOU and the Vice President of Dennis Rogers’ Oldtime Strongman University. We discuss his feats of strength, his work method as well as his martial arts background.

120. Bill Willingham on Fables, Game of Thrones, and writing

Bill Willingham has been writing and drawing comics for more than twenty years. During that time, he’s had work published by nearly every comics publisher in the business and he’s created many critically acclaimed comic book series, including Elementals, Coventry, Day Of Vengeance, and the Eisner Award-winning Vertigo series, FABLES. I had a fun conversation with him today on the world of Fables and his opinions on Game of Thrones. We shared laughs, theories, and stories about his youth, writing, and the creative process.

119. Jessi Fisher, stunt double

I had the pleasure of speaking with stunt woman Jessi Fisher, who recently doubled Linda Hamilton for Terminator: Dark Fate. We discuss her journey as a performer from Cirque du Soleil to working in Hollywood. We also candidly speak about the challenges that face women in the stunt industry. I enjoyed my conversation with Jessi, as it brought back memories of my good old stunt days! Today I live vicariously through incredible stunt performers like Jessi.

118. Shelly Bond on her life

It is a good day when I get to sit down and talk comics with someone as knowledgeable as Shelly Bond. Shelly is an award-winning DC/Vertigo and Black Crown editor. She began her career in comics in 1988 and hasn’t stopped since. It was so much fun to chat with her today about her experiences in the industry.

117. Chief Rolón on City of Orlando, immigration and community

My guest today is Chief Rolón. My father, Grandmaster Chan, was also excited to host him at the Wah Lum Temple and Culture Center. It was his first visit to our location, and we were honored to share a part of our history and culture with him.

116. San Diego Comic Con

Please note the blog and podcast are different! This week’s podcast is a wrap-up session with Oscar Agramonte, where we discuss all things SDCC and our experiences on the panel and at the con. Tune in! I just got back from the whirlwind that is San Diego Comic-Con.