Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
GUNGNIR Publishing founder and publisher Matthew Medney joins The A.R.C. writers Tim Disney and JC Lacek at San Diego Comic-Con 2026 to discuss provocative storytelling, satire, censorship, misinformation and GUNGNIR’s growing publishing universe.
The conversation begins with The A.R.C., a satirical graphic novel built around a pandemic of dishonesty. Lacek explains that the idea emerged during the COVID-era pandemic as misinformation, conflicting narratives and questions about truth became impossible to ignore. The resulting story imagines a virus with no symptoms until someone lies, at which point the consequences are immediate and deadly.
Tim Disney discusses developing the story over several years as reality continually began catching up with what they had written. The creative team ultimately decided not to soften the satire, replacing fictional analogues with recognizable public figures and committing fully to the book’s provocative approach.
The creators also explore how social media, artificial intelligence and misinformation have complicated our relationship with truth. Rather than approaching those subjects through a grim pandemic drama, The A.R.C. uses comedy and satire to allow readers to reflect on uncomfortable ideas while still laughing.
Medney explains GUNGNIR’s philosophy of giving creators room to tell challenging stories without unnecessary interference. That commitment was tested when a printer in mainland China refused to print material involving the Dalai Lama, forcing GUNGNIR to locate another printing facility in Korea within roughly 72 hours rather than remove the material.
Disney and Lacek emphasize that The A.R.C. targets dishonesty across ideological lines rather than approaching misinformation as a partisan issue. They also discuss the importance of protecting satire and resisting creative self-censorship.
The team dives into the artwork from illustrator Vincent Dorg, whose ability to move between light comedy and darker material made him an ideal fit for the project. Medney describes the finished aesthetic as evoking a polished, modern version of classic MAD Magazine satire.
Medney also introduces Badd, Gram-mar, GUNGNIR’s weekly YouTube comedy series designed to build a larger community around books and discovery. He describes it as essentially The Office meets a book club, alternating between GUNGNIR titles and books from the broader cultural conversation while helping audiences discover creators they may not already know.
The conversation expands into why entertainment companies need to continuously develop new creative voices rather than relying only on creators who already have massive audiences. Medney argues that great storytelling should be evaluated as creative work first, not simply as a piece of marketing.
The A.R.C. is available now, including a deluxe edition featuring premium physical presentation and a graphic novel running more than 300 pages.
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Intro
0:26 GUNGNIR returns to San Diego Comic-Con
0:50 Introducing The A.R.C.
1:33 A pandemic where lying can kill you
3:38 Turning pandemic trauma into satire
4:25 Using real public figures in the story
5:14 How much of The A.R.C. comes from real life?
7:14 AI, social media and the nature of truth
8:08 Using comedy to process uncomfortable topics
9:50 How far can satire go?
10:10 GUNGNIR faces censorship from a printer
11:14 Satirizing every side equally
12:29 Creating The A.R.C.’s artwork
14:07 Why GUNGNIR knew The A.R.C. was special
15:45 Has social media ruined discovery?
18:00 What is Badd, Gram-mar?
19:22 Building a community around new creators
20:10 Why entertainment needs new talent
22:05 Why you should read The A.R.C.
22:53 First look at the deluxe edition
24:12 Final thoughts
#GUNGNIR #TheARC #SDCC2026
GUNGNIR Publishing founder and publisher Matthew Medney joins The A.R.C. writers Tim Disney and JC Lacek at San Diego Comic-Con 2026 to discuss provocative storytelling, satire, censorship, misinformation and GUNGNIR’s growing publishing universe.
The conversation begins with The A.R.C., a satirical graphic novel built around a pandemic of dishonesty. Lacek explains that the idea emerged during the COVID-era pandemic as misinformation, conflicting narratives and questions about truth became impossible to ignore. The resulting story imagines a virus with no symptoms until someone lies, at which point the consequences are immediate and deadly.
Tim Disney discusses developing the story over several years as reality continually began catching up with what they had written. The creative team ultimately decided not to soften the satire, replacing fictional analogues with recognizable public figures and committing fully to the book’s provocative approach.
The creators also explore how social media, artificial intelligence and misinformation have complicated our relationship with truth. Rather than approaching those subjects through a grim pandemic drama, The A.R.C. uses comedy and satire to allow readers to reflect on uncomfortable ideas while still laughing.
Medney explains GUNGNIR’s philosophy of giving creators room to tell challenging stories without unnecessary interference. That commitment was tested when a printer in mainland China refused to print material involving the Dalai Lama, forcing GUNGNIR to locate another printing facility in Korea within roughly 72 hours rather than remove the material.
Disney and Lacek emphasize that The A.R.C. targets dishonesty across ideological lines rather than approaching misinformation as a partisan issue. They also discuss the importance of protecting satire and resisting creative self-censorship.
The team dives into the artwork from illustrator Vincent Dorg, whose ability to move between light comedy and darker material made him an ideal fit for the project. Medney describes the finished aesthetic as evoking a polished, modern version of classic MAD Magazine satire.
Medney also introduces Badd, Gram-mar, GUNGNIR’s weekly YouTube comedy series designed to build a larger community around books and discovery. He describes it as essentially The Office meets a book club, alternating between GUNGNIR titles and books from the broader cultural conversation while helping audiences discover creators they may not already know.
The conversation expands into why entertainment companies need to continuously develop new creative voices rather than relying only on creators who already have massive audiences. Medney argues that great storytelling should be evaluated as creative work first, not simply as a piece of marketing.
The A.R.C. is available now, including a deluxe edition featuring premium physical presentation and a graphic novel running more than 300 pages.
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Intro
0:26 GUNGNIR returns to San Diego Comic-Con
0:50 Introducing The A.R.C.
1:33 A pandemic where lying can kill you
3:38 Turning pandemic trauma into satire
4:25 Using real public figures in the story
5:14 How much of The A.R.C. comes from real life?
7:14 AI, social media and the nature of truth
8:08 Using comedy to process uncomfortable topics
9:50 How far can satire go?
10:10 GUNGNIR faces censorship from a printer
11:14 Satirizing every side equally
12:29 Creating The A.R.C.’s artwork
14:07 Why GUNGNIR knew The A.R.C. was special
15:45 Has social media ruined discovery?
18:00 What is Badd, Gram-mar?
19:22 Building a community around new creators
20:10 Why entertainment needs new talent
22:05 Why you should read The A.R.C.
22:53 First look at the deluxe edition
24:12 Final thoughts
#GUNGNIR #TheARC #SDCC2026
