Better Than Fiction

Episode #531! Comic reads for our bunker! Scenario time: It's the end of the world as we know it. Assuming our bunkers are already stocked with the essentials, we ask ourselves what comics would we take to our bunker if need be. This week we each give our top five bunker books we could re-read if needed. Give it a listen!

Episode 530! This week we are back with more cool stuff. My Favorite Thing Is Monsters vol.2 finally dropped on the graphic novel buying public. DL has reread vol.1 and devoured vol.2 in a week. Now he brings both volumes to the podcast. Also this week Scott dives into many books covering the history of comics including Crawford’s Encyclopedia of Comic Books, The Great Comic Book Heroes and Golden Age Treasury. Check it out!

Episode #529! This week we are back with more Cool Stuff! First up, DL spotlights the Image comics series Ice Cream Man. Items brought to the table include the Sundae Edition vol. 1, issue #32 with it's M.C. Escher homage variant cover and decompressed car wreck issue #39. Scott brings two books to the table. First is X-Men Mutant Empire by Christopher Golden then is the Raiders of the Lost Ark movie adaption by Campbell Black. Check it out!

Episode #528! Movie episode! This week we each talk about some recently watched films. First up Scott talks about Godzilla movies and action serials from the '30's and '40's. He also brings Doctor Who Day of the Daleks to the show. After that, DL talks about new releases Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes and Mad Max prequel Furiosa. Check it out!

Episode #527! Scott spent his free time watching a few movies this week. He tells us about two non-ape Charlton Heston classics with Soylent Green and The Omega Man. He also talks about '68's Danger: Diabolik. Ed Piskor was murdered by internet trolls. On this episode DL embraces hip hop culture and dives into Piskor's crowning achievement Hip Hop Family Tree. Check it out!

Episode #526! War for the Planet of the Apes! We continue our trek through the Planet of the Apes film franchise. Although this is movie number 9 overall, it is number 3 in the current cycle of movies. These movies feature modern storytelling with special effects that get progressively better with each film. War for the Planet of the Apes moves the story even further into the future where disease is taking an even greater toll on the remaining human population. Check it out!

Episode #525! This week we talk movies. Continuing with our goal to watch all the Planet of the Apes movies, we watch and discuss Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. After that Scott tells us about the tennis film 7 Days In Hell. Our third film we bring to the podcast is Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer. Check it out!

Episode #524! Rise of the Planet of the Apes and The Human Centipede! We continue our trek through the Planet of the Apes franchise. In Rise of the Planet of the Apes we witness the events that lead to the end of mankind and the rise of the apes. Also this episode The Human Centipede! Check it out!

Episode #523! In the 70's and 80's John Carpenter made many of our favorite movies. He wrote, directed and scored several thrillers that are still talked about to this day. This week we focus on one of his lesser talked about titles 1980's The Fog. After watching the film, we sit down to discuss it. Give it a listen!

Episode #522! Peanuts By The Decade, Ferrari and Dracula! This week we bounce back after last weeks downer of an episode. Scott brings a movie and a box set to this episode. First up Scott talks about a favorite comic strip. Peanuts By The Decade is a box set housing the three volume The Big Book of Peanuts which includes all the daily strips from the '50's, '60's and '70's. Scott also tells us about Ferrari starring Adam Driver. And to close down this episode DL talks about the Topps collected edition of Francis Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula with Mike Mignola art. Check it out!

Episode #521! RIP Ed Piskor. Ed Piskor was a talented comic book creator and host of the popular YouTube channel Cartoonist Kayfabe. This week we talk about his untimely death (murder by the hands of internet scumbags). We also spotlight the impressive body of work he left behind.

Episode #520! Night Train to Munich, Lore & Legends and a Batman Treasury! This week Scott tells us about the thriller Night Train to Munich. A Nazi spy and a British agent both try to capture a Czech inventor during the beginning of WWII. In the early 1970's writer Denny O'Neil and artist Neal Adams breathed new life into Batman after his 60's comedic period. Collected in the new Batman Treasury facsimile edition is his first adventures with new villain Ra's Al-Ghul. Also this episode we look at Lore & Legends. This impressed book showcases plenty of the art, products and extras of Dungeons and Dragons fifth edition. Check it out!

Episode #519! Works by Corben, Comics Scene and Hot Tips! This week we are back with even more Cool Stuff! Up first is The Incredible Hulk vol.1. This HC features stories written by Bruce Jones and Brian Azzarello with art by John Romita Jr, Lee Weeks and Richard Corben. Scott brings Hot Tips From Top Comics Creators and Artists On Comic Artists to the table. DL shows off a Comics Scene magazine with a Jean Giraud Blueberry article. To close down this episode, we look at New Tales of the Arabian Nights also by Richard Corben! Check it out!

Episode #518! Planet Comic Con '24! Kansas City's Planet Comic Con has come and gone this year. This week DLNelson talks about his experience at the con. Highlights include panels attended and celebrity sightings. Check it out!

Episode #517! Meow Wolf Santa Fe! This week Scott tells us about his recent trip to Santa Fe. Among the highlights is entering into the "Twilight Zone" reality of Meow Wolf. Listen as his dives deep into his complete experience. Check it out!

Episode #516! California '24! This week DL talks about his recent family trip to Cali. Highlights of the trip include Disneyland with Rise of the Resistance in Star Wars Galaxy's Edge and Radiator Springs in California Adventure. The Academy Awards Museum, Hollywood and Amoeba Music are also discussed. Check it out!

Episode #515! The Iron Claw, Frankenstein and X-Men! We are finally back with new episodes. This week Scott continues his trek through X-Men Epic vol. 5 with issue #103. In his Frankenstein, Junji Ito overshadows the title character with his six tales of Oshikiri. We also talk about the biopic The Iron Claw and wrestling's Von Erich family. Check it out!

Episode #514! Our Best of '23! Better late than never! After compiling all our data we are finally ready to talk about our favorite things from '23. Listen as we talk about five things we read, watched or experienced that we ranked above everything else.

Episode #513! Planet Of The Apes 2001! This week we jump back into the world of the post apocalyptic Apes. This time the film is the one-off Tim Burton Planet of the Apes. In the year 2029 Captain Leo Davidson (Mark Wahlberg) attempts to rescue his chimpanzee pilot trainee. When he crash lands in a jungle things take an unexpected turn. Check it out!

Episode #512! This week we focus on Sci-Fi entertainment with a book and a TV series. First up DL has The History of Science Fiction: A Graphic Novel Adventure. Writer Xavier Dollo along with artist Djibril Morissette-Phan take the reader on trip through the history of Sci-Fi from before the term Sci-Fi existed through modern books, movies, TV series, video games and comics. Also this week Scott tells us about the Netflix reboot of Lost in Space! Check it out!

Episode #511! Science Fiction and Fantasy paintings have been featured on book covers for decades from artist Michael Whelan. This week Scott brings three of Whelan's art books to the table to show off some of those unbelievable covers. Also this week we talk a little about Loki season 2. Check it out!

Episode #510! This week we feature two biographies. First up is The Twilight Man - Rod Serling and the Birth of Television. Written and drawn by Koren Shadmi, The Twilight Man is a heavily researched biography of Serling from a paratrooper in WWII to a creative force in television. We also take a look at The Twilight Zone Companion by Marc Scott Zicree. After that, Scott talks about Geddy Lee's new autobiography My Effin' Life. Check it out!

Episode #509! This week DL brings Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips newest book to the table. Where The Body Was focuses on the lives of nine people on Pelican Road in the summer of '84. Scott tells us about his recent trip to Tulsa including comic shops he hit and purchases. We have brief sports talk on professional wrestling and college football. Also, Scott talks about his holiday tradition. Check it out!

Episode #508! This week DL brings the latest book from Manga creator Junji Ito to the podcast. Mimi's Tales of Terror contains eight horror stories written by Hirokatsu Kihara and Ichiro Nakayama all illustrated by Ito. Scott continues his trek through the X-Men Epics with issue #102. He also talks about some Paul Smith X-Men and Kitty Pryde work. We speak briefly on Godzilla Minus One also. Check it out.

Episode #507! This week Scott bring a new hardcover edition of The Lord of the Rings to the table. This all-in-one volume also includes art by author J.R.R. Tolkien. Next up, DL has an absolutely huge hardcover to show off. Mad Dreams and Monsters covers the career of special effects titan Phil Tippett and the Tippett Studio. Scott continues his journey in X-Men Epic Second Genesis with issue #101. And to close down this episode we talk a little about Ridley Scott's Napoleon. Check it out!

Episode #506! Welcome back. This week DL has a pair of Clint Eastwood movies to talk about. First up Clint portrays injured Union soldier John McBurney in The Beguiled then he is an out-of-his-element sheriff in Coogan's Bluff. Scott talks about a couple of Christmas themed books including a story in Hard Boiled Christmas Stories. After that, DL talks in-depth (with spoilers) about Daniel Clowes' newest book Monica. Check it out!

Episode #505! After a long break, we are back with more Cool Stuff! This week Scott has a holiday themed story to share. From the "good Duck artist" Scott brings Carl Barks' Christmas on Bear Mountain to the table. DL has the bloody-violent Ax-Wielder Jon by Nick Pitarra. Also on this episode we check out the long out of print Star Trek Concordance!

Episode #504! More great Cool Stuff this week! First up Scott has "Leave The Gun, Take The Cannoli". In his book Mark Seal combines information from interviews and other sources to document the creation of the film The Godfather. DLNelson has the horror graphic novel Disciples from David Birke, Nicholas McCarthy and Benjamin Marra. Also on this episode Scott walks us through X-Men #100 and DL has another Artisan Edition. Check it out!

Episode #503! Welcome back listeners. This week DLNelson shows off three sketchbooks he picked up at NYCC. Loaded with pencil drawings of Marvel and DC characters, first up is the Alex Ross 2019 Sketchbook. The Laurence Campbell Drawings & Commissions Sketchbook contains tons of spotted blacks amid finished inked images of Batman, The Punisher, Judge Dredd and many others. Also brought to the table is week is The Art of Juanjo Guarnido containing plenty of images from the world of Blacksad. Scott has two X-Men Cool Things. First is X-Men: The Audio Drama Podcast. And Scott also continues his walk through classic X-Men with issue #99. Check it out!

Episode #502! New York Comic Con '23! DLNelson is back from his trip to NYC. This week DL not only talks about his time at New York Comic Con, but also a few experiences that were had during his time in the Empire State. Check it out!

Episode #501! Superman For All Seasons, Eight Billion Genies and X-Men 98! Welcome back! Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale's Superman For All Seasons is finally available in absolute form. This week DL spotlights this personal favorite of his and looks at the other stories and extras included in this over-sized slipcase edition. Also on this episode, DL brings Eight Billion Genies by Charles Soule and Ryan Browne to the table. And Scott continues his walk through X-Men Epic vol.5 with issue #98! Plus extras. Check it out!

Episode #500! Bernie Wrightson - The FPG Years, Haunthology and classic X-Men! First up, DL brings the large hardcover book Bernie Wrightson The FPG Years to the table. Produced over a two-year period, this book collects over 150 paintings Bernie completed for the two card sets from '93 and '94. Since it's the frightful month of October, DL has Haunthology by writer/artist Jeremy Haun. Scott continues his walk through Marvel Epic X-Men vol. 5 with X-Men #97. Plus extras. Check it out!

Episode #499! This week we talk about two TV series' and a completed comic book series. First up we talk a little bit about Ahsoka and Disney's continuing adventures in the Star Wars galaxy. For a look into the behind the scene "dirt" on professional wrestling, Scott brings the TV series Dark Side of the Ring to the podcast. Finally, since it's October, DL brings Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino's horror series Gideon Falls to the table! Check it out!

Episode #498! We have a short episode this week where our focus is on two incredible comic book runs. First up, DL brings a copy of Dark Horse Comics new Creepy vol. 1 softcover. Originally published in 1964, this square-bound magazine-sized trade contains the first five issues complete with stories, ads and letter pages. After that, Scott continues his trek through Marvel Comics X-Men Epic collection vol. 5. This week he tells us about issue #96 "Night of the Demon!". Check it out!

Episode #497! OAF Con '23! We recently attended OAF Con. On this episode we talk about this year's con and the importance of OAF Con to us and our collecting. Scott tells us about his Shadow book collecting and what he scored at the show. Both of us also bring a book we picked up at the show to the podcast. Check it out!

Episode #496! Battle For The Planet Of The Apes! Prior to recording this episode, Scott Sackett and DLNelson took some time to watch the the final entry of the original Apes saga. Set hundreds of years before Charlton Heston's Taylor made landfall in the world of Ape, we see Man and Ape in a battle for species supremacy. After their viewing, they sit down for a conversation about the last movie in the series. Listen as they talk plot and other aspects of the film. Give it a listen!

Episode #495! This week we focus on film versus books. First up Scott tells us about a documentary. However it's a documentary that DL would actually consider watching. Memory: The Origins Of Alien sheds some light on the early thoughts and process that went into creating the sci-fi / horror fan-favorite. After that, DL talks about the new film Gran Turismo. Like ten's of thousands of other people, Jann Mardenborough had a passion for simulator racing on PlayStation's Gran Turismo. With countless hours racing on the world's most high profile tracks, Mardenborough beat out 1000's of real-world wannabes to realized his dream of becoming a real professional racer. Give it a listen!

Episode #494! This week we focus on two books. First up, Scott has a book by Hugo Award winning author Philip K. Dick. Time Out of Joint tells the story of Ragle Gumm and the strange things that happen in his small town. After that DL has the latest Brubaker/Phillips graphic novel. In Night Fever, Jon Webb can't sleep after a business flight to France. During his bout of insomnia, Jon lies his way into a private party which sets him on a path of crime and murder. Check it out!

Episode #493! Conquest of the Planet of the Apes! Prior to recording this episode, DLNelson and Scott Sackett watched the fourth movie of the classic Apes series. After their viewing, they sit down for a conversation about the film. Listen as they talk about various scenes from the movie and give their thoughts about the story. Give it a listen!

Episode #492! Welcome back listeners. First up, DL brings the complete Sword of the Atom trade to the podcast. Written by Jan Strnad and drawn by Gil Kane this tale places Ray Palmer in the Amazon Rainforest helping a tribe of small humanoid aliens. After that Scott talks about various works by Manga legend Masamune Shirow and illustrator extraordinaire Geof Darrow. Check it out!

Episode #491 This week we are back with two high-profile runs from Marvel Comics and a great "Best Of" book. First up, Scott brings the really nice The Best of Simon and Kirby from Titan Books. Inside the book you'll find some forgotten stories from the '40's-'60's. Next, DL talks about Ed Brubaker's 40 issue run on Daredevil The Man Without Fear. And to wrap up this week's episode, Scott continues his travels through 1970's X-Men comics with issue #95! Check it out!

Episode #490! Escape From The Planet Of The Apes! Prior to recording this episode, Scott Sackett and DLNelson watched the 1971 follow-up to Beneath The Planet Of The Apes. After their viewing, they sit down for a conversation about the third movie of the series. Listen as they talk about various scenes from the movie and give their thoughts about the story. Give it a listen!

Episode #489! This week we have comics, a documentary and car talk(?). To begin this episode, Scott lets us know about a documentary we should definitely check out. Dave Stevens: Drawn to Perfection focuses on Stevens and his art as told by people who knew and admired him. Scott also continues his stroll through 1970's X-Men with issue #94. DL has the beautiful hardcover Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons by DeConnick, Jimenez, Ha and Scott. Plus car talk! Check it out!

Episode #488! This week Scott is back with an important issue from the history of the X-Men comics. Available from the Marvel X-Men Epic Collection: Second Genesis, listen as he talks about the issue which forever changed the X-Men and lead to the characters and stories everyone knows today. After that, DL has a new movie round-up with three movies currently available at the theater or streaming. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny puts Indy and friends back in action to stop a Nazi threat. Asteroid City is a movie right? or is it? 5/25/77 was the day Star Wars was released. It's also the title of writer/director Patrick Read Johnson's movie about his high school days trying to make his own movies and get the word out about a future blockbuster. Check it out!

Episode #487! This week we are back with works by two absolute legends. First up Scott surprises DL with Otomo The Complete Works vol.s 21 & 22. These volumes collect the complete storyboards of Otomo's animated masterpiece Akira. After that DL talks about two books by Will Eisner. First, is The Plot The Secret Story of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Deeply researched, this book tells of the early 1900's Russian "plot" against Jews to discredit an advisor to Tsar Nicholas II. Also this episode we check out Eisner's story and art in The Spirit Artisan Edition! Check it out!

Flashback of episode #325! This week your hosts are busy with other commitments. Because of that, we are reposting our episode focusing on two works by the great Jack Kirby. First up is his fantastic war comic "The Losers". Featured in "Our Fighting Forces" #151-162, these WWII comics feature some of his best '70's DC work. Next up, we check out Kirby's adaptation of Stanley Kubrick's "2001 A Space Odyssey". Packed with over-sized art, this Marvel treasury edition is truly worth checking out. Give us a listen!

Episode #486! Beneath The Planet Of The Apes! Prior to recording this episode, Scott Sackett and DLNelson watched the sequel to the Charlton Heston classic. After their viewing, they sit down for a conversation about the 1970 follow-up movie. Listen as they discuss scenes from the movie and the unnecessary concept from a director who had to tell his story, as strange as it might be. Give it a listen!

Episode #485! This week Scott Sackett and DLNelson talk about entertainment from the Distinguished Competition. First up, DL has the new hardcover Superman Space Age by Mark Russell and Mike Allred. Scott talks about Justice League The Flashpoint Paradox and Batman Ninja which are available to watch on Max. Night Force, by Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan, was a short-lived 80's series. DL brings the collected hardcover to the table this episode. Also this week, we spotlight a couple of books with work from John Romita. Check it out!

Episode #484! This episode we discuss the original Planet Of The Apes film. Prior to this episode we watched the Charlton Heston classic from 1968. After our viewing, we sit down for a conversation about the sci-fi movie that spawned a franchise that has given us several sequels and continues to this day. Give it a listen.

Episode #483! This episode we cover a whole mess of Cool Stuff! First up, DL brings the newest issue of Cinema Retro Magazine featuring an article on the movie The Omega Man. Scott tells us about James Dean - A Short Life by Venable Herndon which was a new find at NYC's The Strand bookstore. Scott also brings a few more books he scored in NYC to the table. After that, DL talks a little about the American Born Chinese Disney+ show from Gene Luen Yang and the three volume manga Crazy Food Truck by Rokurou Ogaki. Check it out!