Citywide Bytes-Ryan Estrada shares some heartfelt stories in his new comics

The newest guest on the Citywide Bytes live show has worked on award-winning titles such as “Banned Book Club,” “Occulted,” and is here to talk about two great new titles.

Ryan Estrada joins me to dive into “The Silver City,” the second part in the “Student Ambassador” series, which features a new adventure with main character Joseph Bazan. We talk about Joseph and how he came to be as well as how he fares in the newest mystery. This comic is based on a very real place and Ryan goes into how he world-built the newest comic.

For “No Rules Tonight,” Ryan worked once again with his wife Kim Hyun Sook on this very real look at South Korea in the 1980s. We talk about what the country was like in this time period and how this influenced the story. Ryan shares the collaboration process with his wife and how this continues the story found in “Banned Book Club.”

Citywide Bytes-Nick Roberts sinks his teeth into “Mean Spirited”

They say you should never judge a book by its cover, but in the case of Nick Roberts’ new release, “Mean Spirited,” it’s that wonderfully terrifying art that captures the feel of this new horror story. The book is released through Crystal Lake Entertainment.

Released just a day before this recording, the story centers on how an alcoholic teacher and father’s world spirals out of control when a former student is killed and he is left with her dog and the dark presence that follows it.

Nick and Max talk about the creation of Matt Matheny and why Nick went this type of character, as well as how he handles the challenges that await. His ex-wife, Lucy, also plays a role and we look at how the two work together to unravel what is going on. 

We discuss the dog, Conehead, and get a glimpse into the darkness that follows him. Nick also talks about the amazing cover art and the different aspects of the book that it captures.

Heerraa talks awards, virtual tours, and helping students find their path

After hearing international singer-songwriter Heerraa's new single “Feel Alive,” I knew that had to learn more about her. And the more I learned, that more I was interested in her being a guest on Citywide, so here we are! In this episode, we dive into the new song and what inspired the upbeat sound in a time when things can look pretty grim. Heerraa talks about the different people she's met in her music career and the lessons they've had for her.

In addition to music, Heerra's a co-founder of nationwide youth movement, Ascendance. To date, the team has impacted over 13,000 students through their programs, student-led conferences, monthly web series and more. We talk about how the organization got started, what it's done so far, and plans for the future.

Following this, enjoy the new single, “Feel Alive.” I was so hooked by the song that I listened to the rest of her work and I hope you do too.