Comic Book Club Bonus: Brandt&Stein
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In this special bonus episode of Comic Book Club, hosts Alex and Justin welcome the dynamic art duo Brant and Stein—known collectively as a single creative force—to discuss their debut graphic novel, *Worst Man*, set for release on August 25th from Titan Comics. The book blends rom-com, action, and farce, following a wedding-breakup specialist forced to sabotage a high-stakes wedding while navigating a flirtatious relationship with the Best Man. The creators reveal their meticulous, collaborative process—treated as one artist with four hands—where every panel, pacing, and word is planned with precision, drawing inspiration from films like *Death at a Funeral* and the structural rhythms of rom-coms and farces. They also reflect on their controversial scratch-and-sniff Harley Quinn issue, which sparked online outrage despite being a humorous, heartfelt exploration of queer love. The conversation underscores their belief that LGBTQ+ stories don’t have to be serious to be valid, and that joy, absurdity, and emotional depth can coexist in comics.
Treat your creative partnership as a single artistic entity—Brant and Stein function as one cartoonist with four hands, ensuring a seamless, unified visual style.
Plan your pacing like a filmmaker: break down scenes by duration and page count to control reader experience, even in a medium where readers can go at their own pace.
Write with visuals in mind from the start—every dialogue bubble and panel is designed for efficiency and emotional impact, not just narrative.
Queer stories can be fun, farcical, and romantic—there’s room for joy and absurdity alongside serious themes.
Controversy doesn’t mean failure: the scratch-and-sniff Harley Quinn issue was mocked online, but its humor and heart resonated with fans.
Introducing Brant and Stein: The Duo Behind 'Worst Man'
“We're really big fans of proper farce media, stuff like the British movie Death at a Funeral and stuff like that. That was another thing that we really wanted to get in.”
The Birth of 'Worst Man': From Dog Walk to Debut Novel
“Why isn't there a worst man? And then that was it. Like it all came from that.”
The Art of Collaboration: One Artist, Four Hands
Brant and Stein describe their seamless creative process—how they work as a unified team, with constant back-and-forth on layouts, pencils, inks, and color, ensuring no single hand is identifiable.
Pacing and Paneling: Controlling the Reader’s Journey
“It's all in panel choices and we're very careful about the way any given moment is split up.”
Queer Joy in Comics: Why 'Worst Man' Isn't Just Serious
“We are queer and we like rom-coms. There should be some.”
“If we were going to be doing a fetish book, we'd go for the furries. That's where the money is.”
“Why isn't there a worst man? And then that was it. Like it all came from that.”
“We are queer and we like rom-coms. There should be some.”
Hosts
Guest
Brant and Stein
person
Worst Man
book
Alex
person
Comic Book Club
media
Justin
person
Harley Quinn Fartacular
book
Titan Comics
other
DC Comics
other
Death at a Funeral
media
Library
place
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