The United States Department of Nerds PodcastMichael Tivey: Designing Worlds Across Comics, Wrestling & Entertainment
Michael Tivey's work has helped shape the visual identity of stories across Image Comics, DC Comics, professional wrestling, music, theater, and motorsports.
In this episode of The USDN Podcast, The Chairman sits down with graphic designer Michael Tivey to discuss the craft of comic-book design, his longtime creative relationship with writer Chris Condon, and a career that has taken him from the pages of Image and DC Comics to the world of professional wrestling.
Michael's comics work includes That Texas Blood, The Enfield Gang Massacre, News from the Fallout, and Of the Earth for Image Comics, along with The Peril of the Brutal Dark: An Ezra Cain Mystery for DC Comics.
We go beyond the credits page to explore what a graphic designer actually contributes to a comic book, how design becomes part of storytelling, and how Michael finds a unique visual identity for projects that can look and feel completely different from one another.
We take a deeper look at News from the Fallout and its extraordinary world-building. Set against the backdrop of 1962, the experience extends beyond the pages through an in-universe Department of Defense portal and interactive elements designed to bring readers inside the story.
Michael also discusses his longtime friendship and creative collaboration with Chris Condon, how that relationship eventually brought him into comics, and his journey from early work on That Texas Blood and The Enfield Gang Massacre to News from the Fallout and Of the Earth.
Then we're leaving the comic shop and stepping into the squared circle.
Michael serves as Co-Producer and Lead Designer of AEW Presents The Last Match: A Pro-Wrestling Rock Experience, helping build the visual identity of an entire fictional wrestling world, including its championship titles.
With experience spanning AEW, WWE, comics, music, theater, and motorsports, Michael explains what moving between completely different creative industries has taught him about visual storytelling and how those experiences influence his work.
Most importantly for the Council, we bring those lessons back to independent comics.
When should an indie creator start thinking about design? What separates a comic that simply looks finished from one that feels professional? And when money is limited, where should independent creators focus their resources?
Because great comic-book storytelling doesn't stop at the edge of the panel.
Sometimes the work you barely notice is the work making you believe in the world.
🎨 MICHAEL TIVEY
🌐 Portfolio:
http://tiveyart.com
📸 Instagram:
http://instagram.com/tivey_art
🦋 Bluesky:
https://bsky.app/profile/tivey.bsky.social
📚 Image Comics:
https://imagecomics.com/creators/michael-tivey
🤼 AEW PRESENTS THE LAST MATCH: A PRO-WRESTLING ROCK EXPERIENCE
🌐 Official Site:
https://www.thelastmatch.com/
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🎙️ ABOUT THE USDN PODCAST
The USDN Podcast puts independent comic creators, writers, artists, publishers, and storytellers in front of the Council to discuss the stories, craft, challenges, and people behind creator-owned comics.
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📧 Contact:
thechairman@usdnpodcast.com
The USDN Podcast - Where Indie Comics Come to Life.
