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RiYL

Episode 668: Buddy Bradley Returns (with Peter Bagge)

·43 min·4 clips
Peter Bagge explains how he and his wife never got COVID, even as everyone they knew caught it.
In this episode of RiYL, host Brian Heater interviews cartoonist Peter Bagge about the return of his comic Hate with a new miniseries. Bagge starts by sharing a personal anecdote about never getting COVID despite being surrounded by cases. He then discusses his disappointing experiences at recent Comic-Cons, where he made little money and felt out of place among non-cartoonist vendors. Bagge reveals he now sells original art through Heritage Auctions, earning three to four times more than at conventions, though he notes the unpredictability of auctions. The conversation shifts to the new Hate comic, with Bagge explaining the blend of flashbacks and present-day stories, including controversial elements like a MAGA hat on the cover and wacky strips written by his old roommate Dave Carino. He talks about character development, such as how parenthood stabilized Lisa and why he killed off Stinky. Bagge also delves into his libertarian political views, describing how they make him an outlier in the arts community and his frustration with misconceptions. He reflects on his career, including doing biographical comics for Reason Magazine and the financial challenges of longer projects. Bagge mentions considering a graphic novel on Brian Wilson but hesitates due to the subject being alive. Throughout, he shares insights on the comics industry, nostalgia, and balancing personal expression with audience expectations.

As heard by us

Peter Bagge makes Buddy Bradley's political exit plan funny, uneasy, and harder to dismiss.

Peter Bagge's conversation keeps Buddy Bradley fixed in a funny, slippery position: trying to become a political nothing. That premise opens into the pressure to choose sides, and into the odd comfort of stepping away from the whole argument.

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Why you'd press play

Press play for a cartoonist who lets one absurd write-in vote explain why Buddy Bradley wants to remove himself from the conversation.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →
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