The following is an interview with Comic Book Couples Counseling co-hosts Brad and Lisa Gullickson regarding about their recent return to the YouTube series, The Stacks, for a second season. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with the Gullicksons about their biggest takeaways from the series following its first season, the creators that they’re most excited to hear from in the new season, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congrats on your recent return to The Stacks for Season 2! In the show, contemporary comics creators celebrate the comics that they find on the shelves of Third Eye Comics in Annapolis, MD. What did you most value about your experience with the first season, and what do you hope to bring to viewers in season two?
Lisa Gullickson: We are so grateful for Steve Anderson and Trish Rabbit at Third Eye Comics. The whole staff, really. Not only were they excited for the project, they were incredibly accommodating, unlocking the doors for us and letting us play around well before they opened. And sometimes, they had to hunt down the comics requested by the creators. Best booksellers in America.
Brad Gullickson: The creators, too! A few needed the concept explained to them, but most got it immediately and really got excited celebrating their fave comic creators. All of them took time out of their busy schedules for us and often before a long signing day.
LG: It’s a fun psychological exercise, seeing what people pick off the shelves. It’s more vulnerable and revealing than you’d think. And seeing what picks get chosen over and over is fascinating.
BG: So much love for Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’s Criminal. And Darwyn Cooke. Both The New Frontier and his Parker comics have come up in multiple episodes. GOATed.
LG: Although, it’s the seemingly left-field picks that are always my favorite. Chip Zdarsky explaining how James Kochalka’s American Elf influences him is so obvious in retrospect, but we needed him to point that out.
BG: In terms of what we hope to bring with season two? A lot more! More comics, more unique perspectives. More enthusiasm for this beloved art form. We want to throw some curveballs.
LG: Christian Ward will record the first Stacks video outside of Third Eye at Secret Identity Comics in Chester, England. His comic book picks are so him but I bet you could only guess one.
BG: *cough* Arkham Asylum *cough*
BD: Are there any upcoming guests that have been stand-outs for you or that you would otherwise like to highlight for our readers?
BG: We just published the Tyler Boss episode and it absolutely proves him to be the coolest indie comix guy. He gives a lot of love to Love and Rockets, Black Hole, and Rusty Brown. But his most exciting pick might be The New 52 version of Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. written by Jeff Lemire. We did not see that coming.
After that we have an episode with Nick Dragotta of Absolute Batman fame. Again, you might anticipate some of his selections, but there are several others that will be a surprise.
LG: We have an episode with three creators all at once coming up. Shawn Crystal, Matteo Scalera, and Jim Mahfood – the InkPulp crew. They’re so much fun together. A lot of humor and silliness and passion for comics. Finally, someone mentions Akira in The Stacks. That took too long.
BD: What do you hope that viewers will take away from the series in the weeks and months to come?
LG: An insurmountable to-read pile, the itching need to sit down and read some comics — and the realization that the stories we love make us who we are. Brad and I find it so motivating to watch these creators get lit up from the inside talking about the books that inspire them and are touchstones for their creative process. It refills our artistic well.
BD: How frequently can viewers anticipate new episodes of the series?
BG: Every Tuesday, bright and early. This may change as the year progresses and shoots become less frequent. Although, we’ve built up quite the back catalogue for season two already and are currently planning shoots with some major comic creators.
LG: Third Eye Comics just announced an April signing with the previously mentioned Jeff Lemire, for example. We’d love to get him in The Stacks for an episode.
BD: Are there any other updates that you would like to share regarding your work with Comic Book Couples Counseling this year?
BG: 2025 was the biggest year yet for Comic Book Couples Counseling. We doubled our audience, premiered The Stacks on YouTube, recorded our first live podcast at Now or Never Comics in San Diego. Hosted the Harvey Awards at New York Comic Con for the second year in a row.
For 2026, we just want to keep that momentum going and we know that there are still so many comic book readers who have no idea of who we are. We want to meet them!
LG: We’re three months into the year so far – we’ve released 12 podcast episodes, and only 4 of them have had repeat guests.
BG: And a few comic icons in that group. Wendy and Richard Pini giving us their full love story, which began in the letters pages of ’60s-era Marvel Comics. Stephen Bissette told us about the heartbreak of having to leave comics while creating his masterpiece, Tyrant. And now, in 2026, Tyrant is getting a new life! We even argued with Brad Meltzer about the true meaning of “With Great Power There Must Also Come Great Responsibility.”
LG: There are so many amazing people making comics right now, and we could keep releasing episodes every week for the rest of our natural lives and never talk to all of them. We just love talking and celebrating comics, and we feel totally spoiled that we have the opportunity to discuss them with the source.
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for readers to learn more about Comic Book Couples Counseling and to follow along with each new episode of The Stacks?
BG: Well, you gotta subscribe to the Comic Book Couples Counseling YouTube channel and hit that bell icon.
LG: *groan*
BG: But, of course, you can find everything at www.comicbookcouplescounseling.com.
