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Heroes on the Air

Join radio historian Steve Darnall as he showcases heroes who transitioned from comic strips and comic books to radio in the 1930s. Signup required.

Join radio historian Steve Darnall as he showcases heroes who transitioned from comic strips and comic books to radio in the 1930s. Signup required.

Speaker Bio: Steve Darnall discovered the Golden Age of Radio at age 12 when his father tuned into Chuck Schaden's Those Were the Days and heard Fibber McGee and Molly, spar a lifelong passion.

He began his radio career in high school at WLTL in LaGrange, Illinois, initially as a newsreader but quickly hosted his own two-hour show, Radio's Golden Age. This sparked his love for radio amidst his theater interests.

Steve dabbled in acting and voiced Klondike Ice Cream commercials, even jokingly interacting with Gary Coleman. He eventually formed a band called Steve Darnall and the Ultimate Career Move.

Steve's writing career launched in 1984 with an article for Trouser Press Magazine. He contributed to Nostalgia Digest in 1993 and became a writer/editor for Hero Illustrated. In 1994, he started publishing comics with Empty Love Stories and founded Funny Valentine Press. 

In the late '90s, he wrote for various publications, including the Chicago Tribune, interviewing notable figures like Chuck Schaden. In 2005, he became the publisher of Nostalgia Digest Magazine and took over as the host of Those Were the Days in 2009. 

Steve produced the Nostalgia Digest Podcast from 2012-2020, focusing on topics from the magazine. As of Fall 2023, he revived Radio's Golden Age on KXEL-AM in Waterloo, IA, airing Sundays. Learn more about Steve Darnall at NostalgiaDigest.com

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