Word Balloon Comics Podcast

Today on Word Balloon, we’re diving into the legacy of Olan Soule — the original animated Batman — and the long, fascinating TV career that made him a cornerstone of early superhero entertainment. And there’s no better guide for this conversation than our guest, Dan Pasternack.Dan  is one of the great archivists and historians of television comedy and classic broadcast performance. Over the years, he’s worked with and documented some of the most influential talents in the medium, including Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Norman Lear, Betty White, Bob Newhart, and Jonathan Winters. His work preserving and celebrating these artists has made him a crucial voice in understanding how TV comedy and character performance evolved.Dan is also the producer behind the acclaimed Jonathan Winters Record Store Day release, Jonathan Winters Unearthed, a project built from both classic and newly uncovered recordings — a tribute to one of comedy’s purest improvisational geniuses.Beyond his archival work, Dan is shaping the next gene