CROM Update 062 with Raph Cornford’s Thrilling Suspense Fantasy
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In this episode of CROM Updates, Kurt Brugel interviews indie comic artist and audio narrator Raph Cornford, whose captivating Clark Ashton Smith audiobook on YouTube inspired Kurt to reach out. The conversation explores Raph’s background in printmaking, fantasy literature, and his love for pulp fiction and sword & sorcery storytelling. Raph shares how his father introduced him to the genre during its 1970s revival, and how his fascination with Clark Ashton Smith's poetic language eventually led to the creation of over 70 YouTube audiobooks. His series Thrilling Suspense Fantasy emerged from a desire to merge writing, illustration, and his deep connection to the romantic and weird fiction traditions.
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Raph dives into the creative structure behind TSF #1, discussing the dual protagonist dynamic—a thief and a gladiatorial barbarian—set in a richly imagined city inspired by both fantasy and Moorish Spain. With influences like Fritz Leiber’s Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, Raph constructed a narrative that blends pulp storytelling with philosophical undertones. He also highlights how his martial arts background shaped his vivid fight scenes. The story's success encouraged him to build a series, and he’s since expanded into RPG artwork and music-related illustration work, drawing on a nostalgic aesthetic connected to heavy metal, early hip-hop, and Golden Age comics.
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Throughout the episode, Kurt and Raph reflect deeply on comics as a unique storytelling art form, where the reader bridges the visual “gutters” to create meaning. They connect their personal artistic philosophies to ideas like spleen, a concept from French Decadent literature describing alienation in the modern age. Both men express a desire to push past nostalgia into something transformative, embedding emotional and creative intensity into their work. By the end of the podcast, Raph agrees to contribute to a future CROM Anthology, signaling the beginning of a collaborative relationship grounded in mutual respect and shared artistic values.
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Watch the CROM Update 062 video on YouTube:
3 Educational Highlights:
Understanding the Reader's Role in Comics – Through Scott McCloud’s "gutter theory," Raph explains how readers actively participate in visual storytelling.
Clark Ashton Smith’s Literary Legacy – The podcast explores how Smith’s baroque language and artistic vision influenced both pulp fiction and modern creatives.
Printmaking & Illustration Crossover – Raph shares how traditional lithographic techniques inform his modern fantasy and comic work, enriching both visual and narrative depth.
Use these links to find out more about Raph Cornford and Kurt Brugel.
