Tony interviews local talent who exhibited at Free Comic Book Day Festival 2017. FCBD Festival is Empire's Comics Vault's annual comic book celebration, featuring local comic book creators, writers, artists, food trucks, and community groups. This episode features the following individuals and groups:

• Sac City Rollers
• West Coast Avengers (Facebook)
• Jared Konopitski, Artist
• Supreme Pro Wrestling (Facebook)
• Graphics & Growlers (Facebook)
• Kyrun Silva of Big Tree Comics, Comics Creator and Publisher
• Jen Monson, Artist
• John Marcotte, HeroicGirls.com
• Julie Okahara, Artist
• Dan Bethel, Long John comic, Comics Creator, Artist
• Eben Burgoon, Comics Creator, Writer
• Melissa Pagluica, Artist, Comics Creator
• Justin Orr, Artist
• Hainanu "Nooligan" Saulque, Arist
• Eric Nguyen, Artist
• Hanna Moore, Ghost Thunder Collective
• Sean Gregory Miller (Twitter)
  
• Mach Yeager, Artist
• Kristine Balog, Artist, Writer, Comics Creator

Tony Asaro and Patrick Clarke open with suggestions for a few trade paperback and hardcover gems you might want to think about snagging at the FCBD sale, followed by a thorough run-down of the guests, the festivities, and the free comic books you will be able to find at Empire's Comics at this Saturday's FCBD Festival, capped, as usual, with our Picks & Pulls of The Week (for the comics week of May 3rd)!

Tony sits down with local writer, artist, publisher Kyrun Silva, founder of Big Tree Comics, to chat about a great many things -- the most important of which is Kyrun's ongoing Kickstarter for Shaman's Destiny! Picks & Pulls of The Week (for the comics week of March 15th) are at the end of the episode, as usual.

Local writer/artist team, Ben Schwartz and Hainanu "Nooligan" Saulque recently launched their Kickstarter for their book Union St. Choir. We sit down with Ben to talk about it.

Thanksgiving may be over but our thankfulness is not. In this belated episode, we share what we're thankful for in comics. You'll hear from Ben, Amy, Tony, and Patrick. Then we wrap up with an interview of Sacramento band Ghoul School. See them play in the shop on December 16.

Ben interviews the crew of Cracking the Vault to get the real scoop about the members of Sacramento's awesomest geek podcast. You'll go deeper into the minds of the CTV crew than you ever imagined possible.

With our 50th episode behind us and a new name for the podcast, we're turning our attention to the secret origins of our podcasters. Now you'll find out the freaky truth behind each member of the podcast, Amy, Jacob, Patrick, and Tony. 

Find us online at: www.EmpiresComics.com

Follow Cracking the Vault on Facebook.

Superstar alternate, alternate tertiary guest host Tony Asaro leads Patrick Clarke and Matt Traverso in a jaunty discussion of their favorite webcomics, Empire's Comics Vault's monthly book club (and segue into a Brian K. Vaughn discussion), Sac-Anime adventures, comic book picks for the week and so much more.

It's like dominoes. Or a comic book author chain gang. Well, maybe we'll let Tony explain -- and please note: Tony is not angry; he just really loves all caps: "WE EACH CHAT ABOUT WHERE EXACTLY WE STARTED WITH SOME OF OUR MOST FAVORITE CREATORS, ON WHICH BOOKS AND UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES, AND WHERE THOSE WONDERFUL WALKABOUTS WOUND UP LEADING US." That being said, enjoy this episode that features Patrick Clarke at the guest-hosting reins and Tony and Amy pulling the sled! Onward Dancer and Prancer! Recorded on an iPad Mini 2 using Hindenburg's Field Recorder.

#Name3Artists and we do

Gail Simone started a conversation online, #Name3Artists, to find out which artists' works move you to buy a book even if you don't know or like the writer or subject matter. Permanent guest host Jacob DeSersa and guests share their favorite artists. With Jake are Tony Asaro, Patrick Clarke, John Thomason, and Cameron Mosbarger.