The guys sit down with David Pepose as The O.Z. heads toward its third and final Kickstarter chapter, turning the Wizard of Oz into a war-torn fantasy battlefield with Dorothy Gale’s granddaughter at the center of the wreckage. Pepose breaks down the long wait between issues, why keeping Ruben Rojas on the book mattered, and how trauma, reinvention, and redemption became the spine of his work from Spencer & Locke to Space Ghost. Things get especially sharp when the conversation turns to “cheap heat” retellings, why a grim hook is worthless without a real human story, and how Kickstarter gave Pepose both creative control and a life-changing payday. David and John also dig into Space Ghost’s breathless pacing, the value of done-in-one adventures, the brutal usefulness of editor notes, and why licensed comics can be freeing when the right people stay out of the way. Plus, Speed Racer goes full volcano madness, Pepose reveals he’s stepping away after his planned run, and fatherhood starts looming over the whole episode like the ultimate deadline.

Captions:

“Comics are ultimately all about playing the long game. This one was a little bit of a longer game than I had anticipated.” — David Pepose on the long road to finishing The O.Z.

“What if Mad Max took place in the Wizard of Oz?” — David Pepose explaining the killer hook behind The O.Z.

“I owe him my career, but not in the way that he expected.” — David Pepose on Bobby Kurnow accidentally steering him away from editing and toward writing.

“We were turning sacred cow into Tasty Hamburger.” — David Pepose on the gamble of Spencer & Locke.

“Shock can get your foot in the door once. But I’m playing the long game here.” — David Pepose on why grim retellings need more than cheap heat.

“Superheroes are not superheroes because they punch out a bad guy.” — David Pepose sharing the Tom Brevoort rule that shaped his Space Ghost.

“Sequels are another opportunity to screw up.” — David Pepose on why he won’t extend a story unless the timing and reason are right.

Splash Page:

[00:24] – Enter Pepose, Exit Safe Choices: John introduces David Pepose, from Spencer & Locke to Speed Racer, Space Ghost, Cable, Punisher, Fantastic Four, Moon Knight, and Captain Planet.

[01:07] – The Long Road to the Occupied Zone: Pepose explains why The O.Z. #3 took years, why Ruben Rojas stayed on the book, and why the finale had to feel consistent instead of rushed.

[02:41] – Mad Max Meets the Yellow Brick Road: Pepose lays out The O.Z. as Dorothy Gale’s granddaughter entering a brutal power vacuum in Oz after the “happy ending” fell apart.

[05:21] – The Editor Who Scared Him Straight: Pepose talks DC internships, comics criticism, Comics Experience, and realizing he was absolutely not built for the editor’s chair.

[07:09] – Sacred Cow, Tasty Hamburger: Spencer & Locke becomes the career gamble that proves Pepose can take an outrageous premise and make it hurt in the right way.

[20:07] – Cheap Heat Gets Exposed: Pepose draws the line between a lazy grim retelling and a real story with emotional investment.

[27:02] – The Brevoort Rule: Pepose shares the superhero lesson that shaped Space Ghost: it’s not about punching villains, it’s about protecting people.

[55:29] – Speed Racer Hits the Finish Line: Pepose reveals he’s stepping away from Speed Racer after his planned run, with fatherhood and a packed workload forcing the baton pass.

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Dive Deeper Into the Back Issue Bin:

David Pepose (https://www.davidpepose.com/) - The guest of the episode and writer of The O.Z., Spencer & Locke, Space Ghost, Speed Racer, Savage Avengers, Punisher, Moon Knight, and more.

Ruben Rojas (https://www.davidpepose.com/the-oz/) - Artist of The O.Z., whose work Pepose waited on to keep the finale visually consistent with the rest of the series.

Whitney Cogar (https://www.instagram.com/smashpansy/) - Colorist on The O.Z., part of the finale team Pepose praises near the end of the episode.

DC Hopkins (https://hopkinsletters.myportfolio.com/) - Letterer on The O.Z., credited as part of the book’s creative team.

Jonathan Lau (https://www.instagram.com/jonathanalau/) - Artist on Space Ghost, described by Pepose as drawing “like a damn Terminator.”

Andrew Dalhouse (https://www.instagram.com/adalhouse/) - Colorist on Space Ghost, praised as part of the book’s consistent creative engine.

Taylor Esposito (https://www.ghostglyphstudios.com/) - Letterer on Space Ghost and owner of Ghost Glyph Studios, called an unsung hero by Pepose.

Davide Tinto (https://www.instagram.com/tintodavideart/) - Artist on Speed Racer, part of the team bringing Pepose’s high-speed Mad Cave run to life.

Kenneth Wagnon (https://www.patreon.com/Kennethjwagnon/about) - Artist behind the fully illustrated map of The O.Z. mentioned as a Kickstarter stretch goal.

Tom Brevoort (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Brevoort) - Marvel editor whose advice about superheroes defending the little guy became a major storytelling rule for Pepose.

C.B. Cebulski (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._B._Cebulski) - Marvel figure Pepose mentions while discussing how Spencer & Locke helped get him on Marvel’s radar.

Bobby Kurnow (https://idwpublishing.com/blogs/news/behind-the-scenes-with-bobby-curnow-interview) - Editor whose class visit helped Pepose realize editing was not his path.

Dan Slott (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Slott) - Writer praised during the conversation as someone who can love Spider-Man without being trapped by that fandom.

Daniel Warren Johnson (https://danielwarrenart.com/) - Mentioned as a creator who helped blow open what licensed comics could be.

Ryan North (https://www.ryannorth.ca/) - Mentioned as part of the modern wave of done-in-one and short-arc superhero storytelling Pepose looked at while building Space Ghost.

Steve Orlando (https://www.steveorlando.com/) - Mentioned alongside Scarlet Witch as another example of current superhero pacing and structure.

Jed MacKay (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jed_MacKay) - Mentioned in connection with Moon Knight and modern superhero structure.

Joe Kelly (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Kelly_(comics)) - Writer of the Space Ghost miniseries that introduced Pepose to a more serious superhero version of the character.

Ariel Olivetti (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ariel_Olivetti) - Artist on the 2005 Space Ghost miniseries referenced during the conversation.

Heidi MacDonald (https://www.comicsbeat.com/author/heidi/) - Comics journalist mentioned for the “satisfying chunk” idea about single issues earning their keep.

George Marston (https://www.gamesradar.com/author/george-marston/) - Pepose’s friend who helped him frame Space Ghost as “Batman in space.”

The O.Z. (https://www.davidpepose.com/the-oz/) - Pepose’s Ringo Award-winning fantasy war story and the emotional center of this episode.

The O.Z. #1-3 Kickstarter (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/theozcomic/the-oz-3) - The campaign for the third and final issue discussed throughout the episode.

Spencer & Locke (https://www.davidpepose.com/spencer-and-locke/) - Pepose’s breakout “Calvin and Hobbes grew up in Sin City” comic and the project that helped put him on the map.

Scout’s Honor (https://www.davidpepose.com/scouts-honor/) - Pepose’s AfterShock series that helped build the critical momentum leading to Marvel work.

Space Ghost (https://www.davidpepose.com/space-ghost/) - Pepose’s Dynamite series and the major craft conversation point for pacing, done-in-one stories, and emotional superhero storytelling.

Speed Racer (https://madcavestudios.com/product/speed-racer-issue-0/) - Pepose’s Mad Cave run, discussed here as it heads toward the end of his planned arc.

Savage Avengers (https://www.marvel.com/comics/series/32776/savage_avengers_2022_-_2023) - The Marvel book where Pepose turns a Conan idea into a sword-and-sorcery Deathlok chase.

Punisher (https://www.marvel.com/comics/series/36917/punisher_2023_-_2024) - Pepose talks about the challenge of creating a Punisher-adjacent book while dealing with modern baggage around the iconography.

Captain Planet (https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/viewProduct.html?PRO=C72513034110501011) - One of Pepose’s licensed projects and an example of an idea he had been carrying for years.

The Devil That Wears My Face (https://www.davidpepose.com/the-devil-that-wears-my-face/) - Pepose’s Mad Cave horror book, brought up as his supernatural take on Face/Off-style body-swapping.

Astro City (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astro_City) - The Confession arc comes up as an influence on how Pepose approached Space Ghost through Jan and Jace.

Batman: The Long Halloween (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman:_The_Long_Halloween) - Pepose uses it as a tonal and structural comparison point for Space Ghost.

Space Ghost Coast to Coast (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Ghost_Coast_to_Coast) - The version of Space Ghost many fans know, and one Pepose had to work around while rebuilding the hero.