The Comics Canon

What was all that stuff about "incursions" in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness? The answer lies in these first six issues (plus one) of Jonathan Hickman's run on New Avengers, drawn by the incomparable Steve Epting (and Mike Deodato), published by Marvel Comics! Black Panther calls on the clandestine cabal known as the Illuminati to help confront a menace that threatens the entire multiverse: Alternate universes are colliding into each other with Earth as the focal point! And the only options are to let both universes die, or destroy one Earth so that both universes can live! Can this covert conclave prevent disaster while keeping their consciences intact? And can they survive that Crisis on Infinite Earths known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode: AVX: Avengers vs. X-Men Black Swan, Pilates instructor Reed Richards gives the best PowerPoint presentations War of the Realms Three Thousands Years of Longing We need to make Blade: Pig in the City happen Thor: Love and Thunder Avengers: The Gatherers Saga Join us in two weeks as our two-parter continues with New Avengers Vol. 4: A Perfect World! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, we cram for the Aug. 18 release of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law on Disney+ by reviewing the case of She-Hulk: Single Green Female, collecting issues 1-6 of the Marvel Comics series by Dan Slott, Juan Bobillo and Paul Pelletier. (We also throw in issues 7-8 pro bono!) Everyone's favorite green-skinned lawyer-slash-superhero is offered the job of a lifetime, only to find that it's not exactly what it seems! As she deals with trials and tribulations including a surly teenager and a superpowered prison break, the jade jurist must come to grips with an opponent more fearsome than any jury ... her alter ego, Jennifer Walters! Can our avenging attorney win a summary judgment from that living tribunal known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode: The behind-the-scenes origin of She-Hulk Some thoughts on the first episode of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law She-Hulk (2014): Law and Disorder The Sandman on Netflix Supernatural Law Thor: The Goddess of Thunder Join us in two weeks as we discuss New Avengers (2013) Vol. 1: Everything Dies! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

(Explicit content warning: A swear word slips through.) A couple of Americans on a road trip find themselves caught in a summer snowstorm and are forced to seek shelter in a bigger-on-the-inside inn peopled with faerie folk, a centaur and other strange customers in The Sandman Vol. 8: World's End by Neil Gaiman and a host of artists, published by Vertigo/DC Comics! Our assemblage of travelers from diverse worlds and time periods waits out a "reality storm" by swapping stories about dreaming cities, sea monsters, a boy president and other wonders -- until they witness a heavenly funeral procession of ominous import! Can these Canterbury-inspired tales score a reservation at that Restaurant at the End of the Universe known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode: Verisimilitude in Snoopy vs. the Red Baron Douglas Adams and Clive Barker (Super) Power to the People A Canterbury Tale Drowning on Dry Land Highlander FFast Times in Comic Book Editing on Kickstarter The Nazz on Indiegogo Join us in two weeks as we switch gears for a date with She-Hulk: Single Green Female! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, we get ready for the Aug. 5 debut of Netflix's The Sandman with the latest in our ongoing series of Sandman arcs, this time discussing Vol. 7: Brief Lives published by Vertigo/DC Comics! The Lord of Dreams, recovering from a painful breakup, agrees to help his younger sister, Delirium, search for their missing brother, the embodiment of Destruction. But what Dream sees as a harmless diversion soon turns deadly, claiming the lives of mortals and immortal beings alike! Can our mismatched siblings find Destruction before death (or Death) finds them? And can this stirring meditation on mortality gain entrance to that temple of Delight and Delirium known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode: Dream and Delirium: buddy cops What is Delirium's job, exactly? What's the deal with Tiffany? The offhand cruelty of The Endless Cerebus: High Society and Church and State Tasha Robinson's interview with Dave Sim for the AV Club Filth & Grammar Join us in two weeks as our ongoing Sandman series continues with World's End! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, we look ahead to the July 29 debut of Paper Girls on Amazon Prime with a look at Paper Girls Vol. 1, collecting the first five issues of the comics series by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang, published by Image Comics! When four 12-year-old girls join forces to deliver the Cleveland Preserver on the dark pre-dawn morning of Nov. 1, 1988, they find themselves riding their bikes straight into a nightmare of terrifying pterodactyl creatures, menacing, armored "old-timers," and time-traveling, tech-scavenging teenagers! Can our preteen paper-slingers keep their idyllic suburb from meeting its final deadline? And can they finish their rounds in time to make that extra-special edition known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode: "Stranger Things" and the Kids on Bikes genre Writing for the trade and the "Lost" mystery box The Hood: Blood From Stones. Gary Larson's The Far Side Yellowjackets on Showtime Star Trek: Strange New Worlds on Paramount Plus Super 8 Join us in two weeks as we get ready for the Aug. 5 debut of The Sandman on Netflix with the next installment of our Sandman read-through, Brief Lives! (And you can prepare for the show with our episodes on Preludes and Nocturnes and The Doll's House!) Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, we wrap up our True Stories miniseries on nonfiction and autobiographical comics with a look at Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Biography, published by Drawn & Quarterly! Writer and artist Chester Brown (Yummy Fur) chronicles the career of Riel, the Canadian political leader and freedom fighter, in a flat, dispassionate style that holds the reader at arm's length, blunting some of the story's natural drama. The result is nonetheless a fascinating portrait of an important figure in Canadian history. But is that enough to gain entry into that House of Commons known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode: The return of The Quizzical Canonical (Canadian bands edition)! Mr. X by Dean Motter The Revolutions podcast 2 versions of 1 song about Louis Riel We Stand on Guard Steve Skroce Join us in two weeks as we review Paper Girls Vol. 1! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

(Content warning: At least one swear word; sexual exploitation) After a brief pause, our True Stories miniseries returns with Joe Sacco's The Fixer: A Story From Sarajevo, published by Drawn and Quarterly! Part character study, part history lesson, The Fixer examines the bloody Bosnian War of the 1990s, mainly through the character of Neven, a former soldier who spins eyebrow-raising tales of his own exploits while shepherding journalist Sacco through a recovering Sarajevo at the tail end of the conflict. Exactly how much of what Neven says can be trusted? And can this account of life during wartime plant its flag in that No Man's Land known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode: Hanging out with your pot dealer Neven's ridiculously cinematic backstory Is this really two different books? Fax From Sarajevo: A Story of Survival The espionage novels of Alan Furst War's End: Profiles From Bosnia 1995-96 Join us in two weeks as our True Stories miniseries concludes with Chester Brown's Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Biography! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, we take a short break from our current True Stories miniseries for a look at Thor: The God Butcher by Jason Aaron and Esad Ribic, published by Marvel Comics! This five-issue story kicks off writer Jason Aaron's epic run of Thor stories, and provides some inspiration for this summer's Thor: Love and Thunder. Hurtling back and forth through time between the 9th century, the present and the far, far future, this ambitious tale pits the Odinson against Gorr, the titular god butcher, whose name and occupation sport a very extreme 90s vibe! Will Marvel's God of Thunder prevail against this cosmic serial killer? And can he survive his time on that butcher's block known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode: Does Thor have more "good" stories than other Marvel characters? Reconciling Thor's mythological and superhero roots Cosmic Home of the Cronut! Thor #126-130 New Avengers (2013) Vol. 1: Everything Dies Grendel, Kentucky Daredevil (2019) Vol. 1: Know Fear Curt makes a shocking revelation Join us in two weeks as our True Stories miniseries returns with Joe Sacco's The Fixer! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

(Content warning: Slavery, rape, and execution) True Stories continues with a spirited discussion of Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts, by Rebecca Hall and Hugo Martinez. This captivating graphic novel from 2021 follows Rebecca Hall's efforts to shed light on the unheralded role of Black women in slave uprisings in the early 18th century and the institutional obstacles she faced along the way. Aided by the inventive artwork of Hugo Martinez, she gives voice to women who sacrificed so much for the cause of freedom. In This Episode: Treason against the state Spoiler alert for Toni Morrison's "Beloved" The evolution of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade Louis Riel by Chester Brown Atlanta Season 3 Episode 4: "The Big Payback" Comics for Ukraine: Sunflower Seeds Join us in two weeks as we take a short break from our True Stories miniseries with a look at Thor: The God Butcher! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

True Stories, our series on autobiographical and nonfiction comics, continues with Lynda Barry's emphatically punctuated One! Hundred! Demons! This collection of vignettes finds the acclaimed cartoonist grappling with such demons as a horrible boyfriend, teenage regrets, a difficult mother, a bad acid trip and the 2000 presidential election. The results are alternately charming, hilarious, melancholy, insightful and heartbreaking. But are they good enough to score a landslide victory at that ballot box known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode! The eagerly anticipated return of Kevin's Secret Shame! Snuffy Smith cosplay Lynda Barry invents doomscrolling! The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist by Adrian Tomine Apollo 10 ½: A Space Age Childhood Giant Days Vol. 1 Join us in two weeks as True Stories continues with Rebecca Hall's Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

We kick off True Stories, a series on autobiographical and nonfiction comics, with a look at Harvey Pekar's American Splendor! While not the first comics work to chronicle the real-life exploits of its creator, American Splendor broke ground as an ongoing series that told an impressively diverse range of stories within the confines of an autobiographical, slice-of-life title. Along the way, it also made him a minor celebrity—first through a series of appearances on Late Night With David Letterman and later via a 2003 feature film starring Paul Giamatti as Harvey. From observational musings about everyday moments to warts-and-all depictions of Pekar's obsessions, grudges and personal foibles, American Splendor helped to redefine what comics could be and do. But is that enough to help it survive on those mean streets known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode! "You're doing a bit!" "This guy's a huge JERK!" What can Wallace Shawn do for ME?!! American Splendor, Crumb and Ghost World Our Cancer Year Join us in two weeks as True Stories continues with Lynda Barry's emphatically punctuated One! Hundred! Demons! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

Today marks the debut of the new Moon Knight series on Disney+, and to mark the occasion, we're diving into the career of everyone's favorite multiple-personality Avenger with a look at a few different eras of Moon Knight comics, published by Marvel Comics. First, we review 1980's Moon Knight #1 Doug Moench and Bill Sinkiewicz, followed by a two-part team-up with the Werewolf By Night in Moon Knight #29-30! Then it's a look at 2011's 12-issue run by Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev, and we wrap up with the mysterious Mr. Knight as depicted by Warren Ellis and Declan Shalvey. Join us as we ask the burning questions: Why hasn't the Fist of Khonshu broken into the A-list of Marvel heroes? And can any of these stories break into that subterranean tomb of the comic-book gods known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode! The worst Moon Knight premise EVER A note about Warren Ellis The Midnight Mission and Lunatic Makhno: Ukranian Freedom Fighter Doc Savage Vol. 2 (1975-77) The Shadow: Blood and Judgment Synchronic Once Upon a Monster of the Week Join us in two weeks as we kick off True Stories, a new miniseries, with a look at selected works from Harvey Pekar's American Splendor! Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

Our Batman two-parter concludes with a discussion of Batman: The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale, published by DC Comics! This popular miniseries serves as a de facto sequel to Batman: Year One, despite marked differences in size, tone and style, as a serial killer known as Holiday terrorizes Gotham City's underworld over the course of a tumultuous year, providing the backdrop for a shift in the city's criminal power balance from organized crime toward garish supervillains like the Joker, Scarecrow and Poison Ivy. Can District Attorney Harvey Dent bring down Carmine "The Roman" Falcone with his sanity intact? (Spoiler alert: No.) And can this influential tale survive a night in that haunted house of crime capers known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode! The January Man The Godfather and other movie reverences Solomon Grundy not have salad fork! Batman: Dark Victory and Batman: Joker War The Penny Plunderers The Big Heat Tales of the Batman: Steve Englehart Join us in two weeks as we get ready for Moon Knight on Disney+ with: The Moon Knight Episode! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

We're back, baby! Just in time for the March 4 release of The Batman, we discuss Batman Year One by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli, published by DC Comics! Following on the heels of 1986's acclaimed The Dark Knight Returns and DC's post-Crisis on Infinite Earths reboot, this four-part origin story (originally published in Batman #404-407) is steeped in the hard-boiled atmospherics of pulp, noir and gritty 70s crime flicks. Will grizzled police detective Jim Gordon prevail against Gotham City's corrupt police force? Will a newly returned Bruce Wayne become the Dark Knight Detective we all know and love? And will this bare-knuckled take on Batman's beginnings take flight in that dimly lit back alley known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode! Was the bat all in Bruce Wayne's head? The Roman: A missed opportunity Selina Kyle's apartment Daredevil: Born Again The City of Glass graphic novel adaptation The Batman: Year One animated movie Curt likes The Batman Join us in two weeks as we extend our stay in Gotham City with a discussion of Batman: The Long Halloween! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

(Content warning: Sexual assault) Our two-parter on comics legend George Perez continues with a look at The Incredible Hulk: Future Imperfect, published by Marvel Comics! Eisner Award-winning writer Peter David brings a light touch to this alternate-future tale set in the appropriately named Dystopia, where a warlord known as The Maestro rules with an iron fist. A band of rebels travels to the past (and our present) to bring back the one "studly" who can take down the Maestro—the Hulk! Oh, and did we mention that the Maestro and the Hulk are one and the same? Can Future Imperfect overcome outdated future slang and some rather problematic elements to leap feet-first into that shining citadel of post-apocalyptic periodicals known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode! Can we make the "Perez Pebble" a thing? RAKOVLAM! Jim Valentino's Guardians of the Galaxy A Peter David/Mark Millar Venn diagram Curt gets a surprise visitor Hulk: Heart of the Atom The Immortal Hulk Join us in two weeks as we look ahead to the March 4 release of The Batman with a story we've been wanting to do forever: Batman: Year One! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

(Content warning: Sexual assault) In the first of a two-part series on George Perez, we discuss one of his most famous runs as a creator, the 1987 reboot of DC Comics' Wonder Woman! Spinning out of the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths (also drawn by Perez), the series redefined the character in ways that are still felt today, from the comics to the recent Wonder Woman movies. And as plotter as well as penciller, Perez was the driving creative force behind these changes. These groundbreaking comics gave Wonder Woman new depth and cemented her ties to Greek mythology. Can they also lasso their way into that Paradise Island known as ... The Comics Canon? Discussed in This Episode! "Snakebeard makes a lot of sense!" A Wonder Woman/Watchmen connection? Kevin's Great Shame Peacemaker on HBO Max Wonder Woman Vol. 2: Challenge of the Gods Two Moons Vol. 1: The Iron Noose Join us in two weeks as we discuss Peter David and George Perez's alternate future two-parter The Incredible Hulk: Future Imperfect! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

In N.K. Jemisin and Jamal Campbell's Far Sector (from DC Comics' Young Animal imprint), Green Lantern Sojourner "Jo" Mullein is assigned to the City Enduring, a sprawling megalopolis of some 20 billion souls at the far end of space, where she becomes embroiled in a twisty plot involving politics, corruption and murder. Can this timely sci-fi thriller, with its scenes of voter suppression and peace officers firing on protestors, blast off to that galaxy far, far away known as ... The Comics Canon? Discussed in This Episode! Green Lantern/Green Arrow Forget it, Jo, it's The City Enduring Chekhov's armory Several People Are Typing by Calvin Kasulke Usagi Yojimbo: Grasscutter Maniac of New York Vol. 1: Death Train My Bad Join us in two weeks as we visit one of the seminal works in the career of legendary artist George Perez: The 1987 reboot of Wonder Woman! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

Larfleeze Navidad! Just in time for the holidays, we unwrap not one but TWO tales featuring everyone's ... favorite? ... DC Comics ring-slinger, Larfleeze, with a look at Green Lantern Vol 4 #39-42 and Green Lantern: Larfleeze Christmas Special! First, Hal Jordan struggles to wield the blue light of hope as he and the rest of the space cops in the Green Lantern Corps face off against the menacing (and somewhat comical) Larfleeze, wielder of the orange light of greed! Next, in a lighthearted change of pace, Larfleeze seeks vengeance on Santa Claus when the jolly old elf skips his house on Dec. 25! Can Hal Jordan unlock the sinister secret of his avaricious new adversary—and teach him the true meaning of Christmas? And can these salmon-tinged stocking stuffers find their way under the tree of graphic goodness known as ... The Comics Canon? Discussed in This Episode! Larfleeze and a certain Lord of the Rings character Don't get Hal Jordan for your Secret Santa Larfleeze by Keith Giffen, J. M. DeMatteis and Scott Kolins L'il Santa by Thierry Robin and Lewis Trondheim George Perez's recent cancer diagnosis New Teen Titans Vol. 4 Glen Weldon's beautiful appreciation of George Perez Join us in two weeks as we ring in 2022 with a look at another Green Lantern story: Far Sector by N.K.Jemisin and Jamal Campbell! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

Author and podcaster Douglas Wolk (Reading Comics; Voice of Latveria) joins us to discuss his excellent new book, All of the Marvels, which examines the Marvel Universe as one single connected narrative that unfolds over six decades and 27,000+ issues. We also look at a pivotal moment in Marvel Comics history from three different vantage points: Avengers (1963) #16, Thunderbolts (1997) #9 and Avengers (2016) #1.1! Issues Addressed in This Episode: The surprising central character of the Marvel Universe The Life of Reilly The prescience (and odd timing) of Dark Reign How will we look back on the comics of 2021? New Avengers Vol. 6: Revolution Radioactive Man comics The French Dispatch House to Astonish and The Lightning Round The Marvels by Kurt Busiek and Yildiray Cinar Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons #1 Join us in two weeks as we ring in the holiday season with ... wait, this can't be right, can it? What's that? It is? Okay. Join us in two weeks as we ring in the holiday season with Green Lantern: Larfleeze Christmas Special #1 and Green Lantern: Agent Orange! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

In an exclusive deleted scene from last week's Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? discussion, Curt surprises Kevin with a pop quiz covering the first 150 episodes of The Comics Canon!

In 1986, after decades of sneering supervillains, mad scientists and interplanetary despots, the Man of Steel was finally confronted with a foe even he couldn't defeat—an editorially mandated reboot! But before he could fly off into the post-Crisis on Infinite Earths sunset, he'd have to deal with deadly new versions of some of his classic foes in the two-part farewell Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?, courtesy of superstar writer Alan Moore, quintessential Superman artist Curt Swan and legendary editor Julius Schwartz! (Content warning: Things get a bit dark.) And as if that weren't enough story for our landmark 150th episode, we also crack open The Superman Super-Spectacular from 1963's Action Comics #309, featuring a guest appearance by none other than President John F. Kennedy! Can 60s Superman protect his secret identity from Lois Lane and Lana Lang for the umpteenth time? Can 80s Superman protect his friends—and himself—when his rogues gallery gets a lethal upgrade? And can these stories survive a trip to that Bottle City of Comic-Book Candor known as ... The Comics Canon? Discussed in This Episode! The unfortunate timing of Action Comics #309 The bottle city of Kandor's greatest foe! Let's just say we briefly mention the website Does the Dog Die?, if you catch our drift Lloyd Llewellyn Don Rickles and Goody Rickels in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen Superman Breaks Loose from Superman (Vol. 1) #233 Join us in two weeks, when we hope to welcome a very special guest! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

In anticipation of the eagerly awaited Spider-Man: No Way Home, we look back at one of the most universally reviled stories in comics history: 2007's Spider-Man: One More Day by J. Michael Straczynski and Joe Quesada, published by Marvel Comics! Quesada, then Marvel's editor in chief, wanted to reset everyone's favorite wisecracking wall-crawler and magically undo his longstanding marriage to Mary Jane Watson. So of course what better way to return Spidey to his roots than to ... shoot Aunt May and have ol' web-head make a deal with the devil??! Can this poorly conceived, editorially mandated event possibly be as bad as its reputation? Or can it somehow rise above its bad rap and swing its way into that Brand New Day known as ... The Comics Canon? Discussed in This Episode! The last gasp of '90s superhero comics Comics' complicated and confusing numbering system What happened to, you know ... that one more day? Curt breaks down the Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer Silver Surfer (1968) #3 Make Way for Tomorrow Batman: Sword of Azrael Knighted by Gregg Hurwitz and Mark Texeira Join us in two weeks as we celebrate 150 episodes of The Comics Canon with a look at Alan Moore and Curt Swan's Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

(Content warning: Lots of people get buried alive.) Greetings, boos and ghouls! Gather 'round the campfire as the Curtkeeper and Kevin From the Black Lagoon wrap up The Tomb of the Crypt, their miniseries on horror comics, with a handpicked selection of spooky stories from EC Comics' Tales From the Crypt! Join us as we dig up The Curse of the Full Moon, The Maestro's Hand, Ghost Ship, The Hungry Grave, A Fatal Caper, A Shocking Way to Die, and The Thing From the Grave, from The EC Archives: Tales From the Crypt Vol. 1, published by Dark Horse Comics! How scary are these stories, really? And do they belong in that Vault of Horror known as ... The Comics Canon? Discussed in This Episode! The thinner the moustache, the more evil the person? The Bad Werewolf Friend Marvel By the Month: The Comics Code of 1954 All of the Marvels by Douglas Wolk The Crossroads at Midnight by Abby Howard P. Lovecraft's The Hound and Other Stories by Gou Tanabe Join us in two weeks as we prepare for Spider-Man: No Way Home with a look at a Spider-Man story with a different three-word title: One More Day! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

(Content warning: This story contains references to rape by deception and incest.) Our horror-comics miniseries The Tomb of the Crypt continues with Swamp Thing: Love and Death—specifically, Swamp Thing Vol. 2 issues #29-31 and Swamp Thing Annual #2 by Alan Moore, Stephen Bissette, John Totleben and others, published by DC Comics! Swamp Thing's nemesis, the evil scientist/warlock Anton Arcane, returns from the dead in one of the most horrific revelations in mainstream superhero comics—making 1984's Swamp Thing #29 the first mainstream comic not to carry the seal of the Comics Code Authority since the 1950s! Eager for revenge against our muck-encrusted hero, Arcane unleashes a cadre of undead serial killers upon Southeast Louisiana, and casts his own niece—Swamp Thing's friend and not-so-secret crush Abigail Arcane—down into the depths of Hell itself! Can Swamp Thing prevail against the hordes of Hell and rescue the woman he loves from eternal damnation? And will this chilling slice of contemporary horror fantasy take root in that Garden of Earthly Delights known as ... The Comics Canon? Discussed in This Episode! Previously, in the pages of Swamp Thing ... James Bond, for some reason The Phantom Stranger's David Caruso sunglasses moments Swamp Thing #34: Rite of Spring The Empty Man Swamp Thing #32: Pog Edgar Allen Poe's Snifter of Death #1 Lugosi: The Rise & Fall of Hollywood's Dracula Join us in two weeks as The Tomb of the Crypt continues with ... Tales From the Crypt! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

The Tomb of the Crypt, our miniseries on horror comics, continues with a look at 2018's acclaimed Infidel by Pornsak Pichetshote and Aaron Campbell, published by Image Comics! Described as a haunted house story for the 21st century, this five-issue series explores issues of bigotry, xenophobia and racism as Aisha and Medina, two young women of color, move into an apartment building where a bomb built by a Muslim tenant detonated a few months earlier—and soon find themselves confronting a terrifying spirit that feeds on the dark emotions of the building's residents. Can our protagonists defeat this gruesome specter before its body count grows any higher? And can this smart, tense thriller gain admittance to that rent-controlled co-op of chills known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode! Night of the Living Dead Special effects artist Rob Bottin A connection to our previous episode, Uzumaki His House We Are Lady Parts Something Is Killing the Children Ms. Marvel: No Normal Frontiersman #1 Join us in two weeks as The Tomb of the Crypt continues with Swamp Thing: Love and Death! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

(Content warning: Body horror and a couple of anatomical references) We kick off The Tomb of the Crypt, a miniseries on horror comics, with our very first manga title—Umuzaki: Spiral Into Horror by Junji Ito, published by Viz Media! In this chilling tale that Nerdist referred to as "the Watchmen of horror manga," a small Japanese town becomes plagued by ... spirals. This everyday shape begins showing up in increasingly unsettling ways: A spiral-shaped scar on a girl's forehead grows in size until it consumes her; two boys slowly mutate into giant snails; and a sentient hurricane becomes obsessed with a teenaged girl, to name but a few. And then things REALLY get weird. Can high-schoolers Kirie and Shuichi figure out what's happening to Kurouzo-cho before their lives are irrevocably altered? And can this superbly realized saga twist and shout its way into that widening gyre of graphic-novel gruesomeness known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode! Forget it, Shuichi. It's Spiraltown Tomei by Junji Ito The Drifting Classroom A Walk Through Hell Vol. 1 Join us in two weeks as The Tomb of the Crypt continues with the 2018 Image series Infidel! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

Because YOU (well, one of you, at least) asked for it, we finally get around to discussing All-Star Superman by Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely and Jamie Grant, published by DC Comics! Superman is dying, his cells flooded with solar radiation thanks to his arch-nemesis Lex Luthor. But before he goes, Kal-El has a few things to scratch off his to-do list. This acclaimed 12-issue series combines fun Silver Age concepts and a contemporary sensibility to distill the Man of Steel to his essence and explore what makes him one of the most iconic and inspiring characters in popular culture. Can the Last Son of Krypton celebrate Lois Lane's birthday, protect the Earth from the Bizarro world and boorish Kryptonians, and defeat a monster that eats time and a living, evil red sun? And can he project himself into that Phantom Zone of funnybooks known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode! How to write Superman The Death of Superman Does Superman like abasing himself? Chekhov's Sun-Eater The Death of Captain Marvel by Jim Starlin Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen by Matt Fraction and Steve Lieber Join us in two weeks as we delve into the worlds of horror and manga with a look at Uzumaki: Spiral into Horror! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

In anticipation of the Nov. 5 debut of the Eternals movie, we take a look at The Eternals issues 1-7, published by Marvel Comics! A few years after defecting to the Distinguished Competition to create the ambitious Fourth World saga, Jack Kirby returned to the House of Ideas, where he set to work on ... another ambitious cosmic epic! Drawing inspiration from Erich von Däniken's mega-successful Chariots of the Gods? Unsolved Mysteries of the Past, he conjured a tale of humanity's sibling races: the monstrous Deviants, the godlike Eternals, and the even-more-godlike Mega Space Gods, the Celestials, one of the most visually striking assemblages in all of comics! Join us as we probe the cosmic mysteries: What are the similarities and differences between this book and the arguably better-known Fourth World titles? Why do the Eternals reveal themselves to a college anthropology class? And will these issues receive the Thumbs Up of the Gods and become part of that Uni-Mind known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode! Curt likes Big Barda and he cannot lie Fantastic Four: Forever Nomadland Some thoughts on the upcoming Eternals movie Avengers: The Final Host by Jason Aaron and Ed McGuinness Eternals (2021) by Kieron Gillen and Esad Ribić Kirby: King of Comics by Mark Evanier Join us in two weeks as we discuss All-Star Superman by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook!

Alonso Duralde, the hardest working man in podcasting (Maximum Film, Breakfast All Day, the Linoleum Knife family of podcasts) returns as we prepare for the Aug. 11 launch of What If...? on Disney+ by gazing upon the alternate realities of Marvel Comics' What If! First published in 1977, this anthology series explores what might have happened had key moments in Marvel continuity happened a little differently: What if Bullseye Had Not Killed Elektra? What if the Original Marvel Bullpen Became the Fantastic Four? What if the Avengers Had Become Pawns of Korvac? And what if a host of Marvel creators were let loose to create an issue full of rapid-fire dad jokes? Can this quartet of issues ascend to that not-so-sacred timeline known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode! "It's a shame you're not in this alternate reality where your girlfriend lives!" What If Dr. Fredric Wertham Became Doctor Doom? "This bar has everything!" What If #43: What If Conan Were Stranded in the 20th Century? Pyongyang: A Journey to North Korea by Guy Delisle Jamie Loftus's Aack Cast The Secret to Superhuman Strength by Alison Bechdel I'll Be Home for Christmas Movies Join us in two weeks as we look toward the Nov. 5 opening of Eternals with a look at the source material: Jack Kirby's original Eternals series from 1976! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, our Myth Takes miniseries concludes with a story that combines the mythic grandeur of America's pastime with Jewish folklore—The Golem's Mighty Swing by James Sturm, published by Drawn & Quarterly! In the early 1920s, money problems force a traveling Jewish baseball team to agree to a promoter's plan to increase ticket sales: Henry Bell, a Black player pretending to be Jewish, will take the field as a golem, an animated creature from Jewish legend! When racial tensions come to a head during an ugly game in an anti-Semitic town, will the Stars of David make it out alive? And will this powerful tale hit a home run and slide into that All-Star Game of graphic storytelling known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode: Sports nerds vs. comics nerds Casey at the Bat Yasiel Puig's hazardous journey to the U.S. The Golem in Marvel's Strange Tales Charley the Australopithecine The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay James Sturm's America: God, Gold, and Golems Jar of Fools by Jason Lutes The Der Golem episode of the Scream Scene podcast Reign of Terror Join us in two weeks as we look toward the Aug. 11 debut of What If ...? on Disney+ with a special What If episode! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, an actual Greek myth gets retconned as Myth Takes, our miniseries on comics and mythology, rolls on with a discussion of three stories from the Sandman collection Fables & Reflections—specifically, Thermidor, The Song of Orpheus and Ramadan! You may be familiar with the myth of Orpheus, the balladeer who journeyed to the underworld to retrieve his lady love Eurydice. But you might have skipped class the day they covered the fact that Orpheus was the son of Morpheus, the Lord of Dreams! Did Orpheus's bodiless head really help bring about the downfall of Robespierre, one of the architects of the French Revolution's bloody Reign of Terror? What role did the Dream King play in the storied history of ancient Baghdad? And will these stories make their way into that campaign of myth-information known as ... The Comics Canon? Discussed in This Episode: Content warning for The Song of Orpheus Destruction vs. the other Endless The Sandman stories August and Soft Places I, Claudius (and I, Podius) Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino Elric Vol. 1: Elric of Melnibone Ron Randall's Trekker: Reckoning on Rigel on Kickstarter Join us in two weeks as our Myth Takes miniseries wraps up with a discussion of James Sturm's The Golem's Mighty Swing! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

(Explicit warning: A couple of swear words are used.) In this episode, Myth Takes, our series on comics and mythology and folklore, continues with The Sandman: A Game of You, collecting issues 32-37 of The Sandman, published by DC/Vertigo Comics! Atlanta actress and friend of the show Jennifer Lee returns for a lively discussion that goes deep into Sandman lore as we get into this 30-year-old story arc that offers an incredibly timely take on the issue of trans identity. Can Barbie save the Land, her childhood dreamscape, from the sinister forces of the Cuckoo? And can this moving tale of growing up and moving on unlock the door to that fabled Barbie Dreamhouse known as ... The Comics Canon? Discussed in This Episode: Similarities to A Doll's House Neil Gaiman's Tumblr post about Wanda Curt has some strong words for Morpheus What IS the Cuckoo, exactly? Brazil The Saga Compendium Astro City Special: Beautie #1 Join us in two weeks as we extend our stay in the Dreaming with a discussion of The Sandman: Fables and Reflections! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, we follow up the anthropomorphic samurai of Usagi Yojimbo with a menagerie of talking animals as Myth Takes, our miniseries on comics and mythology, takes a slight detour into fairy tale territory with a discussion of Fables Vol. 2: Animal Farm, published by Vertigo/DC Comics! In Bill Willingham's long-running series Fables, the characters from all your favorite childhood tales have been driven from their homes by the mysterious Adversary and are living under the radar in New York. But when the Farm—home of the animal Fables—is rocked by the vicious murder of one of the Three Little Pigs, tensions between human and non-human Fables threatens to escalate into deadly political revolution! Can Snow White defeat the militant Goldilocks—not to mention her own sister Rose Red—and prevent a bloody civil war? And can this tale as old as time win entry into that Happily Ever After known as ... The Comics Canon? Discussed in This Episode: Myths and folklore in popular culture Raunchy versions of children's stories Fables Vol. 6: Homelands The Personal History of David Copperfield Shelly Bond's Filth & Grammar Kickstarter campaign Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Savage Avengers Some thoughts on She-Hulk Join us in two weeks as we kick off a Sandman two-parter with a look at A Game of You! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, Myth Takes, our miniseries on comics and mythology, continues with a look at Stan Sakai's Eisner Award-winning Grasscutter saga from Usagi Yojimbo Vol. 3, issues #13-22, published by Dark Horse Comics! Usagi Yojimbo, Sakai's long-running series featuring rabbit ronin Miyamoto Usagi, draws from Japanese history and folklore to create a fully realized world populated by anthropomorphic rabbits, cats, bears and other animals, all rendered in Sakai's detailed yet accessible art style. Can Usagi keep Grasscutter, the legendary sword of the gods, out of the hands of a shadowy cabal—and survive an encounter with his mysterious nemesis, the sinister and murderous wolf Jei? And can he and his friends find safe passage to that Hidden Fortress of comic-book epics known as ... The Comics Canon? Discussed in This Episode: Runaways (the Usagi story, not the Marvel comic) The Hidden Fortress Saturday Morning: Cartoons' Greatest Hits Groo the Wanderer Space Usagi and Senso from The Usagi Yojimbo Saga: Legends Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles Join us in two weeks as we discuss Fables Vol. 2: Animal Farm! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, Myth Takes, our miniseries on comics and mythology, continues with a discussion of everyone's favorite teenage God of Chaos, Kid Loki, in Journey Into Mystery: Fear Itself (specifically, Journey Into Mystery issues #622-626 and #628-629) by Keiron Gillen, Doug Braithwaite and Whilce Portacio, published by Marvel Comics! When Cul the Serpent, God of Fear and brother of Odin the All-Father, threatens the Nine Realms in the 2011 crossover event Fear Itself, a newly reincarnated Loki sets out to prevent another Ragnarok. Using all his trademark cunning and guile, the godling must assemble a ragtag team of companions to help him in his quest—even though doing the right thing comes at a terrible personal cost! Can the teen trickster save the world for once, rather than destroy it? And can he cross the rainbow bridge to that hallowed hall of heroic tales known as ... The Comics Canon? (Programming note: The god of mischief bedeviled us with some odd Zoom-related glitches for the first few minutes; things get better just after the 13-minute mark.) In This Episode Norse vs. Greek mythology in comics War of the Realms The Sandman and Explorer's Guide to Wildemount An early 90s Image Comics flashback Thor Vol. 1 by J. Michael Straczynski Resident Alien on SYFY Journey Into Mystery # 627 Young Avengers: Style > Substance Join us in two weeks as we move from Asgard to ancient Japan to discuss Usagi Yojimbo: Grasscutter! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, we kick off Myth Takes, a miniseries on the intersection of comics and mythology, with a book in which an A-list superhero gets a mythological upgrade: Wonder Woman Vol. 1: Blood, by Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang, published by DC Comics! This companion piece of sorts to our previous Wonder Woman episode explores the character's reboot as part of the 2011 New 52 relaunch of DC titles—a reboot that takes the Greek mythology that's always been a part of her world and moves it front and center by revealing her to be the daughter of Zeus, king of the Greek pantheon! Can Diana navigate her new family (and some less-than-ideal tropes) while protecting her human friend Zola from the wrath of Hera? And can she scale that Mount Olympus of comic-book epics known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode: Are comics the new mythology, man? Anatomy Lesson Syndrome Split happens Can you get better from being a statue? Some striking character designs John Constanti—we mean, Lennox Our Dangerous Habits episode Wonder Woman: Dead Earth Wonder Woman/Conan Join us in two weeks, when we discuss Journey Into Mystery: Fear Itself! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

Content warning: Depictions of wartime violence and PTSD symptoms are discussed. In this episode, we discuss one of the most acclaimed storylines from the Pulitzer Prize-winning comic strip Doonesbury, as collected in The Long Road Home: One Step at a Time and The War Within: One More Step at a Time, published by Andrews McMeel! These strips follow the physical and emotional ordeal of long-running character B.D., who loses his leg (and his signature helmet) while serving in the Iraq War. After undergoing painful physical therapy and receiving a new prosthetic leg, he returns home, where he begins showing signs of post-traumatic stress disorder, including nightmares and increasingly heavy drinking. With the help of his family and friends—and his counselor Elias, a fellow veteran and amputee—can B.D. confront his memories of that fateful day in Fallujah? And will this acclaimed narrative be awarded that badge of honor known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode: Our YUGE! episode A brief history of Doonesbury Iron Maiden vs. Queensrÿche That third act reveal, though Mel's Story: Surviving Military Sexual Assault Beta Ray Bill (2021) #1 Join us in two weeks when we discuss Wonder Woman (2011) Vol. 1: Blood! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

Podcaster Alonso Duralde (Linoleum Knife, Who Shot Ya?, Breakfast All Day, A Film and A Movie) returns to discuss Justice League International by Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis and Kevin Maguire, published by DC Comics! Debuting in 1987, Justice League International came out of the gate with a light and often absurd tone that bucked the "grim and gritty" trend of the late 80s, with Batman and a roster of B- and C-list trading zingers as often as they engaged in fisticuffs. This risky move, coming on the heels of the poorly received Justice League Detroit era, restored DC's premier superhero team to prominence. But is that enough to land it a spot in that Hall of Justice known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode: The "Snyder Cut" joke we didn't get to use Is Kevin Maguire the MVP of JLI? Superior Foes of Spider-Man Brother to Brother Cobra Kai The Gray Man Fate (1987) A 5-minute discussion of Zack Snyder's Justice League The Owls on Culture Podcast Preorder I'll Be Home for Christmas Movies at your favorite indie bookseller! Join us in two weeks for Doonesbury: The Long Road Home! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

Debuting as a webcomic in 2012, Nimona became an Eisner Award-winning sensation after its publication as a graphic novel in 2015. Noelle Stevenson's tale of a playful shapeshifter who turns out to be something more was even on its way to an animated adaptation until the closing of Blue Sky Studios last month left that project's future in doubt. We may not ever get to see that feature film, but we can get answers to these burning questions: Can Nimona overcome her dark side and her deep desire for revenge? Can villain Ballister Blackheart reconcile with his former friend and partner, Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin? And can this charming and moving book join the ranks of that Institute of First-Class Fantasy Epics known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode: Similarities to Batman: The Dark Knight Returns How it started and where it's going The Adventure Zone: Graduation We want to see a Meredith Blitzmeyer spinoff The subtleties of Blackheart and Goldenloin's relationship Sound of Metal Wonder Woman: The Lies In Real Life Join us in two weeks as we commemorate the "Snyder Cut" of Justice League with (what else?) Justice League International! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

Combining corporate intrigue, James Bond-style espionage and more than a hint of social relevance, it's perhaps the defining Iron Man storyline—and arguably informs Robert Downey Jr.'s mega-popular portrayal of the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In this episode, we strap on the jet skates to discuss Demon in a Bottle—specifically, The Invincible Iron Man issues #123-128, by David Michelinie, John Romita Jr. and Bob Layton, published by Marvel Comics! As the pressures of being a billionaire industrialist superhero begin to mount, Tony Stark (aka Iron Man) increasingly turns to alcohol. When unscrupulous competitor Justin Hammer takes control of Stark's armor, causing the death of a foreign diplomat, even his best friend James Rhodes and professional bodyguard Bethany Cabe may not be able to pull him out of his downward spiral. Can the Armored Avenger prevail against a dozen super-villains—and his growing addiction? And can this famous story infiltrate that island fortress known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode: "You rentable clodpate!" Death Be Not Proud Some LGBTQ+ comics recommendations Some thoughts on our Tintin episode Iron Man Epic Collection: Stark Wars Invincible Iron Man: World's Most Wanted Join us in two weeks as we discuss Nimona by Noelle Stevenson! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, we load up our rucksacks and make a long-overdue trip to the world of bande dessinées—and one of the most popular comics characters of the 20th century—with a look at Tintin in Tibet by Hergé! When Tintin learns of a plane crash in the Himalayas, a dreamlike vision convinces him that his friend Chang has somehow survived the crash. Joined by his faithful dog Snowy and the irascible Captain Haddock, Tintin travels to Tibet, determined to rescue his friend against impossible odds! Will our intrepid trio survive a brutal blizzard and the fearsome Abominable Snowman and find Chang before it's too late? And will this beloved boy adventurer make it to that remote Himalayan hideaway known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode: The Totally Tintin podcast Steven Spielberg's The Adventures of Tintin The art of Herge Some of our favorite Captain Haddock expletives The Black Island Touching the Void Tintin in Tibet from the Adventures of Tintin animated series Bastard by Max de Radiguès Join us in two weeks as we explore a pivotal moment for one of Marvel Comics' most popular characters with a look at Iron Man: Demon in a Bottle! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, we're joined by Bryan Stratton and Robb Milne of the Marvel by the Month podcast to complete our first podcast crossover (you can hear the first part here)—and to discuss Ultimate Comics Spider-Man: Death of Spider-Man, by Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley, published by Marvel Comics! Just when things are looking up for the Peter Parker of Earth-1610, life comes crashing down around him. His arch-nemesis Norman Osborn, the Green Goblin, has escaped from S.H.I.E.L.D. with a handful of superpowered felons. Worse yet, he knows that Parker is Spider-Man and has murder on his mind! You've seen the title of this episode, so you know things don't end well. The question is, can Spidey protect Aunt May, his friends, and innocent bystanders from Osborn's insane fury? And can this landmark tale ascend to that ultimate universe of four-color finery known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode: The Ultimate Comics line May Parker's friends, Smith and Wesson Amazing Spider-Man #33 Our Panels of the Week! The Death of Captain America The Death of Jean DeWolff Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 9: Ultimate Six Redshirts by John Scalzi Join us in two weeks as we discuss the alliterative Tintin in Tibet! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

We celebrate our fifth anniversary by finally tackling a seminal work by one of the biggest names in comics: Smile by Raina Telgemeier, published by Scholastic/Graphix! In this Eisner Award-winning graphic memoir, sixth-grader Raina suffers a dental injury that upends her entire world, kicking off a years-long succession of visits to various "odontists" involving surgery, braces, headgear and a retainer with fake teeth attached. And as if all that weren't enough, she also has to deal with middle-school crushes, some toxic friends and the 1989 San Francisco earthquake! Can Raina overcome her insecurity about her teeth and learn to accept herself? And can this orthodontic odyssey graduate to that ivory league known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode: Newspaper comic strips M. Forster on plot vs. story A cosmic Community coincidence No one wants to be judged by who they were in middle school Zot! The Complete Black and White Collection The Expanse Book 5: Nemesis Games Solutions and Other Problems by Allie Brosh Lumberjanes Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy Join us in two weeks as we discuss Ultimate Spider-Man: Death of Spider-Man! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

(Note: Due to some sound issues, we were forced to re-record a couple of spots in the first few minutes of the podcast.) In this episode, we kick off 2021 with one of the best-reviewed books of 2020: Superman Smashes the Klan by Gene Luen Yang and Gurihiru, published by DC Comics! Taking inspiration from the 1940s radio serial The Adventures of Superman, this three-issue limited series follows the Chinese-American Lee family as they arrive in Metropolis, where they're met with open arms, but also unintentional microaggressions and racist jokes. They also attract the attention of the Klan of the Fiery Cross, which kicks off a campaign of intimidation to drive them out of town, including cross-burning and kidnapping! Can young Roberta and Tommy Lee help the Man of Steel stop the Klan before lives are lost? Can Superman make sense of his troubling visions and discover the truth about his alien heritage? And can this book find a home in that promised land known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode: Do certain story choices diminish the threat of the Klan? The secret origin of Tommy Lee Superman vs. Hollywood by Jake Rossen The Adventures of Superpup Caliban's War and Cibola Burn by James S.A. Corey Superman: The Unauthorized Biography by Glen Weldon Flash Gordon: On the Planet Mongo by Don Moore and Alex Raymond Join us in two weeks as we discuss Raina Telgemeier's Eisner Award-winning 2010 graphic novel, Smile! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

Explicit Warning! This episode contains strong language and is recommended for mature listeners. For the last episode of 2020, we segue seamlessly from Bucky Barnes to another iconic comics antihero, Buddy Bradley, with a discussion of five stories featuring the Bradley clan from Peter Bagge's 1980s anthology Neat Stuff, published by Fantagraphics Books! Specifically, we dive deep into "Rock 'n' Roll Refugee," "Mom Power," "Sneakin' a Peek at Babs Bradley's Secret Diary," "Hippy House," and "Merry F—king Christmas." (A sixth story that was announced last episode, "You're Not the Boss of Me," was cut for time.) In these stories and others, Bagge presents a typical '80s suburban family in all its dysfunctional glory, laying the groundwork for the likes of Married ... With Children and The Simpsons. But Bagge balances the caustic family dynamics with faithful depictions of the teenage experience and explorations of such issues as religion and the plight of the working suburban mom, employing a wonderfully expressive and exaggerated cartooning style influenced by MAD Magazine and Looney Tunes shorts, among others. Will Buddy ever stop being such an a—hole? And will the Bradleys be invited into that nuclear family known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode: The provenance of Duran Duran's "A View to a Kill" Kevin's Uncle Ben moment The best-ever description of Boone's Farm All in the Family The Complete Hate Our Eltingville Club episode Peter Bagge's recent graphic novel biographies Peepshow: The Cartoon Diary of Joe Matt Join us in two weeks as we begin 2021 with one of the best-reviewed comics of 2020: Superman Smashes the Klan! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

For decades, Bucky Barnes sat cooling his heels with Ben Parker in the exclusive club of characters Marvel Comics would never bring back from the dead. But all that changed in 2006, as chronicled in Captain America: Winter Soldier—specifically, Captain America issues 1-6. 8-9, and 11-14—by Ed Brubaker, Steve Epting, Michael Lark and others. While chasing down a terrorist plot with S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Sharon Carter, Captain America starts having flashbacks to World War II and the heroic death of his teen sidekick, Bucky—who might also be the Soviet assassin known as the Winter Soldier! Can the Star-Spangled Avenger help this ruthless killing machine remember who he is, while also facing off against Crossbones and a Russian mastermind with a Cosmic Cube? And can this popular and influential story arc score an invite to that Party in the U.S.A. known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode: Walking in a Winter Soldierland The Avengers' leather jacket era The soap opera elements of Winter Soldier Comparisons to Captain America: The Winter Soldier (the movie) Velvet by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting The Expanse series of novels Strange Adventures by Tom King, Mitch Gerads and Evan "Doc" Shaner Rorschach by Tom King and Jorgé Fornes Join us in two weeks as we segue seamlessly from hard-hitting superhero action into a collection of stories about the Bradley family from Peter Bagge's 1980s comic Neat Stuff! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, we quack the case of everyone's favorite talking waterfowl with a look at Steve Gerber's Howard the Duck! Specifically, his appearances in Giant-Size Man-Thing issues 4-5 and Howard the Duck (Vol. 1), issues 1,2,3, and 5, published by Marvel Comics! Trapped in a world he never made, this irascible, cigar-chomping mallard became a breakout star following his debut in Man-Thing #1 and went on to star in his own series, known for its biting satire (and for having him often appear as a parody of fellow Marvel Comics characters). Can our fowl-tempered philosopher prevail against such absurd antagonists as Pro-Rata, Turnip-Man, Count Macho and the undead menace of Bessie the Hellcow? And will he take his rightful place among that duck dynasty known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode: The Bird Pun Swear Jar Milkshake Duck Curt's favorite comic book sound effect Smokestacks and skyscrapers Master C'haaj Our Immortal Hulk episode Mark Gruenwald Dark Avengers Vol. 2: Molecule Man Thundarr the Barbarian Howard the Duck Vol. 0: What the Duck? Join us in two weeks as we look ahead to Marvel Studios' 2021 slate of Disney+ shows with a discussion of Captain America: The Winter Soldier! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

Bro! On this episode, comics writer and publisher Carlton Hargro (20th Place Media) returns as we take aim at "the breakout star of the blockbuster Avengers film" with a discussion of Hawkeye (2012), specifically issues 1-5 (as seen in Vol. 1: My Life As a Weapon) and 11 ("Pizza Is My Business"), by Matt Fraction, David Aja and Javier Pulido, published by Marvel Comics! This charming take on the World's Greatest Marksman deftly balances humor, action, dense plotting and a strong, unifying visual style courtesy of David Aja and the muted color scheme of Matt Hollingsworth. Can Avenger Clint Barton and his protégé, Kate Bishop (who also goes by Hawkeye) survive encounters with tracksuit-clad mobsters, the Circus of Crime, and a dangerous auto-thieving redhead? Can Clint's pizza-loving canine companion, Lucky, solve the murder of one of Clint's neighbors? And can these stories hit that moving target known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode: Save the Cat and Does the Dog Die? How is the Circus of Crime still in business? Pulp by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips Hawkeye: Kate Bishop Vol. 1: Anchor Points by Kelly Thompson, Leonardo Romero and Michael Walsh Daredevil Vol. 1 by Mark Waid, Paolo Rivera and Marcos Martin 20th Place Media on Instagram Join us in two weeks as we discuss Steve Gerber's Howard the Duck! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

The second volume of Art Spiegelman's award-winning graphic memoir finds the artist grappling with the success of the first, and questioning his ability to pull off such an ambitious project. In doing so, he adds another layer to the book's metaphorical conceit of depicting various ethnicities as different animals, and creates a work more reflective and self-aware than its predecessor. Meanwhile, as Spiegelman's often contentious relationship with his father takes him from the Catskills to Florida and back to New York, Vladek's recollections take him from the horrors of Auschwitz through the end of the war. But although he's finally free of the concentration camp, his trials are far from over. Recommended in This Episode: Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir Safe Area Gorazde and War's End: Profiles From Bosnia 1995-96, by Joe Sacco Join us in two weeks as we change course to discuss Hawkeye: My Life as a Weapon, by Matt Fraction and David Aja! Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!

Art Spiegelman's Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel Maus had a profound effect on the public perception of comics as an art form when its first volume, serializing installments that had first appeared in the alternative comics anthology Raw, appeared in 1986. In it, Spiegelman's conversations with his father, Vladek—background for a comic the artist wants to write—serve as an entryway into the elder Spiegelman's harrowing, matter-of-fact account of his experiences in Poland in the 1930s and 40s, including his eventual arrival at the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz. In one of the book's most disarming touches, all of its Jewish characters are portrayed as bipedal, clothes-wearing mice, while Germans are depicted as cats, and the non-Jewish people of Poland as pigs. In this first volume, Vladek paints an increasingly grim portrait of a changing Poland and recounts the various indignities, humiliations and atrocities he and other Jews experienced during the first stages of the Holocaust. In This Episode: Prisoner of the Hell Planet The Wild Party: The Lost Classic By Joseph Moncure Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio Our appearance on Marvel by the Month: December 1966 Join us in two weeks as our two-parter concludes with a discussion Maus: A Survivor's Tale II: And Here My Troubles Began. Until then: Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! And as always, thanks for listening!