JLI Podcast – Meanwhile… Joe Phillips Interview and Justice League International Special #1

Professional artist Joe Phillips joins The Irredeemable Shag to chat about Justice League International Special #1 featuring Mister Miracle! Joe happens to know a thing or two about this comic, BECAUSE HE WAS THE PENCILLER!! In the issue, Mister Miracle is forced into an intergalactic promotional tour because Funky Flashman made a secret deal with Manga Khan! In addition to discussing the issue, we also take time to interview Joe about his career in-and-out of comics!

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13 responses to “JLI Podcast – Meanwhile… Joe Phillips Interview and Justice League International Special #1

  1. Well, looks like I’m the first in…
    Awesome episode, great to hear from Joe, and let me tell you, I did come across his later work in several gay media, and for a while I wondered if he was the same guy from early nineties DC (until his style became really impossible to miss on both). Love both facets of his career, probably cause I’m in both market targets.
    Really looking forward to So I married a Superhero!
    Also great insights on the Special times, from the Giffen style of working to Joe’s shouting out to the work of editors.
    FInally, loved your focusing on the fashions. I remember at the time really noticing that special attention had been payed to the clothes.

  2. Great episode. Mr. Phillips was a great guest! It was awesome how you guys were cracking each other up. It was so cool to hear about his career and his work on Mr. Miracle. It’s motivating me to go back and read that run again!

  3. Wonderful episode, Shagg! You’re a great interviewer and you and Joe had an awesome rapport. He’s an amazing guy and it was so great to hear all about his career. I first came across Joe’s work in one of his Boys Will Be Boys calendars I found in a gay bookstore back in the 90s. Like he said, the market back then was pretty much just erotic stuff, so it was very refreshing to see his illustrations of cute guys in all shapes, sizes, and colors just having fun and being playful. I forgot Joe Boys was in XY too, but the interview brought those memories back. I had no idea he was an industry artist until I saw his work a couple years later in Adventures of Superman #574. I fell in love with his work all over again and it was great to see someone I only knew as a gay artist doing Superman… it was really inspiring. Funny he said he couldn’t get a handle on Superman; I loved that issue and thought he was a great Superman artist. I’m definitely looking forward to So I Married A Superhero too… sounds like a lot of fun. Thanks so much for bringing Joe to the embassy, Shag!

  4. Impressive podcast. Most Impressive. Hey you got the artist to review it. Cool. He’s a talented artist. But, yeah the styles in it are very 80s. Fire kissing Oberon. Not sure if that’s romantic or just her see ya latter kiss. Never know with her. She was a passionate person. Though like her Ace like Jacket. With all the pins and every thing. Sigh Scott Why oh why would he trust Funky Flashman? Pour Stan Lee. This bit on him will never go away.

    Ah well if he likes Oreos and caviar cool. Some people have different styles. And weird foods. Like Ice Cream and Peanut Butter. Milk and Pepsi. Ah Booster and Blue in suits of the time. It works. Fire’s dress works and Ice’s dress fits her. The Mr. Miracle slash page is great. Oberon as a clown lol, Ah Manga Khan taking Scott on a tore. Ah Scott replaced by a bot…. when Barda finds out I worry for Flash Man. Ah Guy fliping out., Funny, but Glad MM was the voice of reason. And Huntress there is pretty cool. Along with PG.

    So she came all the way from Europe to watch the show? Cool. Whaaat ? He didn’t get Supes…. aggh. Sh well glad he got a hang on who he is latter. My Supes fan ness shines threw to much for me to not be wow supes! I can’t give the artist to much crap… after all THE DCAU has no idea what to do with Supes either… oy the Snider cut. It just sounds wrong. But, glad he has an idea now. And yeah every one gets burn out. Sorry that happened.

    Ah cool glad to see the artist found new work. Yeaaah I hear Scott Lobdell is an ok Guy. But, wasn’t a fan of his writing. And he’s handling of North Star coming out wasn’t…. well it was a bit hammer fisted. But, then again though Bryne did it well in the comics with North Star. His handling of Maggie” Sawyer was a little on the nose as well. Not as bad as the Super Girl tv show… but, still. Still Marvel did give North Star a wedding. As did Archie for Kevin. And Dc…. oh. Moving right along.

    Now Scott did get the Ok to do it. Just it wasn’t suddel. But, rep feels differently from person to person. Not my own representation in the same book Wanda Langkowski. Ware Dr. Walter Langkowski ends up taking over the body of Snow bird after she dies. Granted she had to kill his old body when Tanaraq, who took control of Sasquatch. And she had to kill him. Any way that can work as a trans woman like me. Or from the fact that Walter wanted to go back to being a man. Can be looked at as a Trans Man.

    I.E. some one born a woman, but realizes inside they’re a man. And trying to fix that. Either way either way it was an important part of their character …. till They were put back in Walters body…. some how. Any way it was an import part of their character, but wasn’t the focus of it. Sasquatch had a life other than trans. Don’t know about North Star. Since he was off the team at this point. Heather was team leader. Purple Girl, Man Kind, And others were there. And Heather was team leader.

    Any way. Sorry I missed the JLI comic and Mr. Miracle. I was in a small town in 91, Or Texas. And was getting the Supes Titles first and every thing else second, When I came back Fire was there and was Atom Smasher. And this was pre JSA Atom Smasher… so he wasn’t as cool. Sorry from Infinity Inc I liked Mr. Bones better. Hour Man or Dr. Midnight. (Note she spelled it that way and not Mid-nite) Though due to Star Girl Beth Chapel maybe the best know Dr. Midnight at the moment.

    Any Way can’t wait to hear the next pod cast. Ya’ll did a great job on this one. The artists cameo with Lien Wine and co was cool.

  5. Well, that episode was an instant winner, what a lovely chap Joe is. And so ruddy talented.

    I love Joe’s idea of the Justice Society finding new purpose in the later years, perhaps they could be mentors – or doing lots of community things like on Golden Age comics covers.

    Does Joe know that Alan Scott is now gay, and there will probably be stuff exploring that when the JSA a strip returns? There’s some really sweet stuff with his boyfriend in the digital Injustice: Year Zero series?

    I still think Ted looks great in his 90s tuxedo and criss cross bow tie!

    So Shagg, are you tracking down Cool Baseball Lady for a Find Your Joy episode?

  6. I’m pretty comfortable saying this was the best episode of the Bwahaha-Podcast since the first one. Terrific interview, Shag. Joe’s story was full of energy and enthusiasm and humor, like his artwork. I’m really excited to see the original So I Married a Superhero, too. That sounds great!

    Excellent show!

  7. It was great to hear from Joe Phillips! I loved to hear his industry knowledge of not just this book, the industry in general. I don’t think I ever got this comic when it came out, even though I was big into JLI at this point, because Mister Miracle was never my favourite character but after listening to this interview, I really want to track this down and read it!

    This was a great interview and you guys knocked it out of the park. The talk of the fashions made me laugh out loud (Corey Haim?! Bwahahaha!). I would love to hear more stories of Mr.Phillips working in the industry. Well done, gentlemen! Keep up the great work!

  8. Great interview/conversation, Shagg! Having Joe discuss not only this specific issue, but also his experiences of working in the industry was fascinating. I love to hear the perspective of someone involved in a book I read ‘back in the day.’ On one hand, I thought all of the late 80’s early 90’s references were hilarious. On the other hand, it reminded me of how old I am.
    Keep up the great work!

  9. What a delightful interview! Joe was so much fun to listen to. I have a lot of affection for that Mister Miracle series, and it’s fantastic to get him for the JLI Special. Excellent job, Shag!

  10. That episode was absolutely delightful. Great interview with a lot of laughs and insight into Joe’s career and the industry. It was also a delight to reread the issue for the 1st time in 30 years and remember how fun it was and how much I enjoyed his work at the time. Might have to go in on a Mister Miracle reread now.

  11. I’m way behind with my listening but I have to join in on the praise of this episode. This was a fantastic interview. Joe is clearly a great guy as well as a great artist and has a similar sense of humour to Shag. I loved Joe’s work right from his first issue of Mister Miracle and I’m delighted that he’s still producing comics.

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