The Comics Canon

In this episode, Curt and Kevin are joined by special guest Glen Weldon – NPR contributor, panelist on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast and author of The Caped Crusade: Batman and the Rise of Nerd Culture – as they discuss Batman: The Court of Owls, collecting Batman (Vol. 2) #1-7, published by DC Comics! The Dark Knight Detective has always believed the Court of Owls to be nothing more than an old folk tale. But when Bruce Wayne is marked for death by their enigmatic assassin, the Talon, Batman learns that they're very real – and that everything he thought he knew about Gotham City is wrong! Trapped in an underground labyrinth, driven to the edge of madness, can the Caped Crusader escape the Court's deadly clutches and reclaim Gotham City as his own? And can he gain entry into that secret society known as … The Comics Canon? Things Discussed in This Episode: • Curt makes a terrible joke • The Caped Crusade: Batman and the Rise of Nerd Culture • Superheroes as soap opera • Greg Capullo • Batman's dentistry skills • Hot Fuzz • Batman: Superheavy • Batman: Captured By the Engines • Swamp Thing: Raise Them Bones • The LEGO Batman Movie Join us in two weeks as we prepare for the latest Hugh Jackman movie by gassing up the Spider-Mobile and traversing a desolate hellscape known as Wolverine: Old Man Logan! Until then, please rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and we may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, Curt and Kevin go nuts as they enroll at Empire State University, joined by their first-ever guest – Curt's teenage daughter, Evelyn – to discuss Squirrel Power, collecting issues #1-4 of The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, published by Marvel Comics! She's fought crime with the Great Lakes Avengers and even defeated the powerful space baddie Thanos. But now Doreen Green, alias the aforementioned Squirrel Girl, must conquer threats more terrifying than any she's yet faced: College! A roommate! Boys! And if those weren't intimidating enough, who went and Kraven the Hunter, Whiplash and Galactus to the curriculum??? With sassy sidekick Tippy-Toe in tow, can our body-positive Avenger somehow convince the Devourer of Worlds to adopt an Earth-free diet? And can she make it into that exclusive series of trading cards known as … The Comics Canon? Things Discussed in This Episode: • Help us out: Did a Squirrel Girl artist contribute to a Team Fortress 2 comic? • What's up with Kraven the Hunter's vest? • The Voltron Squirrel • Everybody Hates Thanos • When you think "Captain America," you think "camping it up" • Team Fortress 2 • Goodnight Punpun • Homestuck • Paper Girls • Doom Patrol • Shade, the Changing Girl • Squirrel in My Pants • That "old" TV show, Phineas and Ferb Join us in two weeks as we make another return trip to Gotham City to discuss Batman: The Court of Owls! Until then, please rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and we may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, Curt and Kevin don their finest trench coats, open up a fresh pack of Silk Cut and throw back a couple of pints of holy stout as they discuss the Dangerous Habits storyline from John Constantine: Hellblazer issues #41-46, published by DC Comics! John Constantine has faced down more than his share of demons and other supernatural threats. But everyone's favorite chain-smoking magician may have finally met his match when he's diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. To make matters worse, he's in for one Hell of an afterlife, having just made an enemy of the devil himself! Can comics' premier punk-rock prestidigitator con his way out of eternal torment? And can he somehow fast-talk his way into that sweet hereafter known as … The Comics Canon? Things Discussed in This Episode: • It's our anniversary! • Sting's "Tantric Jazz Rock" Period • The ideal John Constantine • John Constantine vs. Doctor Strange • Skrip: America's favorite writing fluid! • Death Star Canteen • Swamp Thing: American Gothic • The Exorcist III • Alcohollywood • Jason Aaron's Mighty Thor • Archie Vol. 1 Join us in two weeks as we enroll in college with Marvel Comics' nuttiest superhero in The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Vol. 1: Squirrel Power! Until then, please rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and we may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, Curt and Kevin travel to a galaxy far, far away to mark the release of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story with a discussion of Darth Vader #1-6, published by Marvel Comics! Following the events of Episode IV: A New Hope, Darth Vader finds himself on the outs with Emperor Palpatine. Enlisting the aid of a "rogue archeologist" and a pair of murderous droids, the Dark Lord of the Sith begins pursuing his own agenda, building a private army and tracking down the hotshot Rebel pilot who brought about the destruction of the Death Star -- a young man named Skywalker … Will his new allies be enough to keep the Empire's heavy-breathing hatchet man one step ahead of his master? And will his mastery of the dark side of the Force be enough to gain him entry into that mystic order known as … The Comics Canon? Things Not Discussed in This Episode: • Carrie Fisher, who died after this episode was recorded Things Discussed in This Episode: • The Star Wars Minute • The challenges of a tie-in comic • We enjoy saying "Black Krrsantan" • The Emperor's Sith List • Why Darth Vader needs a private email server • Evil Space Lorelai Gilmore • The Tom Corbett, Space Cadet Invisible Helmet • Flashpoint is a really cool song! • Journey Into Mystery: Fear Itself • Darth Maul: Apprentice • Chad Vader: Day Shift Manager • Hardware Wars • Star Wars by Jason Aaron and John Cassaday • "Not an imaginary story!" Join us in two weeks as we indulge in some Dangerous Habits to discuss Garth Ennis' debut run on John Constantine: Hellblazer! Until then, please rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and we may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening!

In this last episode of 2016, Curt and Kevin look back on TV and movie adaptations of comic book stories from the second half of the year, pick their favorite small- or big-screen comics properties of the last 12 months, and ask "Just what makes a good comics adaptation, anyway?" In this non-canonical extravaganza, we also tackle the disjointed mess that is Suicide Squad, check in on DC's improving Legends of Tomorrow, discuss Season 3 of The Flash and Flashpoint, take aim at the fifth season of Arrow, unlock the first season of Luke Cage, and stumble through a punishing half-season of The Walking Dead. We also touch on Preacher, Doctor Strange and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. before looking ahead to 2017, including the adaptations we're most looking forward to. And finally, we switch gears with a look at the books that made it into The Comics Canon in 2016, and round things out with that most riveting of audio experiences: the unwrapping of presents! Other Things Discussed in This Episode: • Hey, Where's Darth Vader?! • Gotham City Sirens • Ragman, everyone's favorite vigilante • Why are Marvel's Netflix series so long? • Iron Man and the Mystic Hoo-Ha That's it for 2016! Join us in two weeks as we travel to a galaxy far, far away for a look at Marvel Comics' Darth Vader #1-6 (we really mean it this time). Until then, please rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and we may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, a morally challenged, mentally unstable captain of industry rises to a position of awesome power! That's right—join Curt and Kevin as they shine a light on the Marvel Comics event Dark Reign with a discussion of the Secret Invasion: Dark Reign one-shot and Dark Avengers Vol. 1: Assemble! After repelling a horde of alien invaders and their shapeshifting matriarch, Norman Osborn is appointed director of the law-enforcement agency S.H.I.E.L.D. and leader of the Avengers. In no time, he convenes a sinister shadow cabinet of supervillains, and stacks the world's premier superteam with a rogues' gallery of ruthless felons! What alarming agenda will the former Green Goblin advance while wrapped in the American flag in the guise of the Iron Patriot? And will he cap his reign of terror with a seat at that Supreme Court of superhero comics known as … The Comics Canon? Things Discussed in This Episode: · Civil War · Secret Invasion · The Thunderbolts · The Illuminati · The worst Namor ever committed to paper · The role Tommy Lee Jones was born to play · 1980s metal icon Don Dokken · See, this is why superheroes should trademark their identities Join us in two weeks as we travel to a galaxy far, far away for a look at Marvel Comics' Darth Vader #1-6! Until then, we want to hear from you! Rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook. And as always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, Curt and Kevin travel to the top of the George Washington Bridge (played by the Brooklyn Bridge) while discussing what may be the most iconic storyline in Spider-Man history (and one of the most influential moments in all of comics) as they take a swing at The Night Gwen Stacy Died, from Amazing Spider-Man #121-122! But first, they pay a quick visit to the (web-)swingin' 60s for a look at the cataclysmic confrontation that sets the stage for that fateful event, as the Green Goblin weaves a sinister trap for the wall-crawler in Amazing Spider-Man #39-40! Wracked with grief, will ol' web-head end up squashed by his emerald enemy? Or can your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man triumph over his avocado-colored adversary and win admittance into that swingers' club known as … The Comics Canon? Things Discussed in This Episode: • Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham! • The Night Chicago Died by Paper Lace • John Romita, the quintessential Spider-Man artist? • The Green Goblin vs. the Hobgoblin • Stan Lee and J. Jonah Jameson • Harry Osborn's hair • Peter Parker as Archie Andrews • Comics' version of the Zapruder film Join us in two weeks as we relive Norman Osborn's Dark Reign over the Marvel Universe with a look at Secret Invasion: Dark Reign and Dark Avengers #1-6! Until then, we want to hear from you! Rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook. We'll read your comments in an upcoming episode, and who knows? You could win a prize from the Comics Canon Prize Vault! And as always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, Curt and Kevin lace up their running shoes for a mad dash through a mad, mad world as they careen headlong into Flashpoint, the five-issue miniseries by Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert — the storyline that paved the way for DC Comics' New 52! Barry Allen, a.k.a. the Flash, wakes up one day to a drastically different reality: His late mother is alive, he's lost his super-speed, and the Justice League never existed. And as a war between Aquaman and Wonder Woman threatens to tear this world apart, Barry begins to lose his memories of the world he knew! Will Flash's arch-nemesis Professor Zoom have the last laugh, leaving Barry marooned in this darkest timeline? Or can the fastest man alive avert Armageddon, set history back on its proper course, and race across the finish line into that winner's circle known as … The Comics Canon? Things Discussed in This Episode: • Season 3 of The Flash • Geoff Johns, The New 52 and Rebirth • Event books • Alternative history stories • No one likes that one guy … • Time travel • The Speed Force • Professor Zoom is a lousy super-villain Join us in two weeks as we web-swing our way back to the Big Apple (and Marvel Comics) to relive The Night Gwen Stacy Died! Until then, we want to hear from you! Rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook. We'll read your comments in an upcoming episode, and who knows? You could win a prize from the Comics Canon Prize Vault! And as always, thanks for listening!

In this magical episode, Curt and Kevin trek to the furthest reaches of India en route to the dreaded Dark Dimension as they prepare for the upcoming Doctor Strange movie with not one, not two, but THREE sizzling tales of '60s sorcery featuring Marvel Comics' Master of Mystic Arts! First, we revisit the origin of comicdom's Sorcerer Supreme, as arrogant surgeon Stephen Strange meets his mentor-to-be, The Ancient One, and his nemesis-in-waiting, the malicious Baron Mordo, in Strange Tales #115! Then it's off to an otherdimensional netherworld as Strange battles to protect the Earth from the menace of the dread Dormammu, in Strange Tales #126-127! Finally, it's trouble times two as Mordo and Dormammu team up against the good doctor for a three-part mini-epic in Strange Tales #139-141! Will the devious dean of the Dark Dimension and his contemptuous colleague banish our dashing doctor to the domain of doom? Or can Marvel's fearless physician save the day and levitate to that hoary host of heroic stories known as … The Comics Canon? Things Discussed in This Episode: • "India, land of mystic enchantment!" • That's not how surgery works! • The disappointment of Baron Mordo • Tilda Swinton as The Ancient One • The delights of Steve Ditko's Dark Dimension • Why hasn't Doctor Strange broken through to Marvel's A-list? • The shocking secret behind a classic comics ad! • Curt gets confused Join us in two weeks as we run over to Central City to discuss the event that kicked off DC's New 52 reboot, Flashpoint! Until then, please rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and we may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening!

In this HUGE mini-episode, Curt and Kevin take a break from passing judgment on comic book stories and turn their attention to the upcoming presidential election with a QUALITY discussion of YUGE! 30 Years of Doonesbury on Trump, a collection of Doonesbury comic strips by Garry Trudeau. It's a first-class episode, people, mark my words, okay? First class! Things Discussed in This Episode: The difficulty of the Doonesbury elevator pitch; Trump's changing appearance in the strip over the decades; and Curt's plea for Trudeau to return to daily strips. (Things NOT discussed in this episode include the now-infamous Donald Trump/Billy Bush video, which was released after this episode was recorded. SAD!). You know what's not sad? The Comics Canon returns in one short week! We prepare ourselves for the upcoming release of Doctor Strange with a look at the Sorcerer Supreme's early days via Strange Tales #115, 126-127, and 139-141. Until then, we want to hear from YOU, dear listeners! Review us on iTunes! Send us an email! Or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! We'll read your comments in a future episode, and you may even win a prize from the Comics Canon Prize Vault! And as always, thanks for listening!

In this monsterrific episode, Curt and Kevin embark on their most spine-tingling, bone-chilling installment yet, as they investigate not one but two monster tales from comicdom's king of creepy-crawly creatures, Jack Kirby! First, it's a trip to Anytown, USA, where a mild-mannered biologist must match wits with an interplanetary tyrant of the trees (and future Guardian of the Galaxy) in "I Challenged … Groot! The Monster From Planet X!" from Tales to Astonish #13, published by Marvel Comics! Then it's off to the mysterious Wild Area, as the Man of Steel and his best buddy go toe-to-toe with a Four-Armed Terror and a very familiar-looking green giant in Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen, #133-138, published by DC Comics! Will this lord of lumber and a pair of irradiated uglies find themselves treat-less on destiny's doorstep? Or by some terrible trick, can they fright their way into that howl of fang-tastic tales known as … The Comics Canon? Things Discussed in This Episode: • Jack Kirby, King of Monsters • Groot, overlord of all the timber in the galaxy! • So … why Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen? • Appealing to the hip young counterculture of 1970 • "The Whiz Wagon"? Really? • Jimmy Olsen vs. Superman • The Mountain of Judgment: Not ideal for keeping on the D.L. • So … why clone Superman's pal, Jimmy Olsen? • "It Is One Minute to Blow-Up!" Join us in next week for a special election season one-shot as we debate Yuge! 30 Years of Doonesbury on Trump! Until then, please rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and we may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, Curt and Kevin travel from war-torn Latveria to Civil War-torn Manhattan as they tackle not one but two stories starring Marvel Comics' invulnerable sentinel of the streets, Luke Cage, in anticipation of the Netflix series of the same name. First, it's a fantastic voyage to the swingin' 70s, as the hot-headed hero of Harlem jets halfway across the globe to join a robot rebellion and collect a debt from a stingy supervillain in Luke Cage: Hero for Hire #8-9! Then we move ahead to the 2000s for a moving confrontation between Cage and his wife Jessica Jones in New Avengers #38. Will domestic drama and a penny-pinching Doctor Doom leave our indestructible do-gooder destitute? Or can our harried hero for hire earn his way into that executive suite known as … The Comics Canon? Things Discussed in This Episode: • "Thanks, Evil Racist Prison Guard!" • Soul Train • Check your white European privilege, Doctor Doom! • Victor von Doom: cheapskate? • Reed Richards is pretty generous with his rockets • "Where's my money, honey?" • The one flaw in Doctor Doom's armor • Brian Michael Bendis and his detractors Join us in two weeks to discover the mysterious link between "I Challenged Groot! The Monster From Planet X" (Tales to Astonish #13) and Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #133-138! Until then, please rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and we may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, Curt and Kevin must brave a foreign world of influence, intrigue and insurrection as they discuss Black Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet, collecting the first four issues of the new Marvel Comics title by MacArthur Genius Grant recipient Ta-Nehisi Coates and Brian Stelfreeze. The once-invincible African nation of Wakanda has fallen on hard times, and so has its superhero king, T'Challa, the Black Panther. A rebel group led by a mysterious duo has fueled a violent uprising, taking many Wakandan lives. And to make matters worse, two of T'Challa's elite bodyguards have launched a rebellion of their own! Will our melancholy monarch watch helplessly as his beloved country falls to the forces of terrorism and political unrest? Or can this plagued and pestered panther persevere against his opponents and ascend to that hallowed throne of comic book stories known as … The Comics Canon? Things Discussed in This Episode: -The Black Panther as a DC Comics character -New Avengers, Infinity, and Avengers vs. X-Men -Black Panther: The Man Without Fear -Is rain yoga a thing? -Henry Dumas' "Root Song" -The Black Panther as Hamlet -We unveil a new segment! -Two universes enter—one universe leaves! Join us in two weeks as we get ready for Netflix's Luke Cage series with a discussion of Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #8-9 and New Avengers #38! Until then, please rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and we may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, Curt and Kevin set off in search of the Rocketship Forest, tiptoe past the gunpowder fields and try to evade the withering gaze of Lying Cat as they discuss Saga, Vol. 1, collecting the first six issues of the hit Image Comics title by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples. Newlyweds Alana and Marko are on the run, desperate to escape an ongoing interstellar war and raise their newborn baby girl in peace. But their respective homeworlds have other ideas, dispatching a lovesick bounty hunter and an aristocratic robot to the planet Cleave find the happy couple—and terminate them with extreme prejudice! Is the chronicle of these star-crossed lovebirds doomed to end before it even has a chance to begin? Or can these crazy kids and their new ghostly babysitter escape this wretched mudball and ensure that their narrative lives on in that fabled tome of immortal epics known as … The Comics Canon? Things Discussed in This Episode: • Eric Stephenson's coordination is on point • The challenges of discussing Saga on a "clean" podcast • Chekhov's magic sword • Divisive Issues • Linoleum Knife • Susanna Ives • The Tick • Blank Check with Griffin & David Join us in two weeks as we venture to the troubled land of Wakanda to discuss Ta-Nehisi Coates' comics debut, Black Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet! Until then, please rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and we may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, Curt and Kevin drift off to that eternal, amorphous realm of the subconscious known as The Dreaming (with a brief stopover in Hell) as they try to interpret the fantastical goings-on in The Sandman: Season of Mists, collecting issues 21-28 of the DC/Vertigo title The Sandman by Neil Gaiman and various artists. Morpheus, the lord of Dreams, pays a long-overdue visit to Hell to right a past wrong, only to find the place empty. Turns out Lucifer, the first of the fallen, no longer wants to be warden of the wicked, and hands Morpheus the key to his domain of the damned. Will the dumbstruck dream king fall prey to the scheming gods, demons and otherworldly entities who've converged on the Dreaming with devious designs on Hell? Or can he rid himself of this bestial burden and close on a dream home in that fanciful realm of imagination known as … The Comics Canon? Things Discussed in This Episode: • We go off the rails in record time • A Brief History of The Sandman • What does Destiny actually do? • The curriculum vitae of Sandman supporting characters • Fashion choices of the Endless • Morpheus as Anthony Weiner • The Headmaster Ritual Join us in two weeks as we rocket to the farthest reaches of space to explore the star-spanning epic Saga Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples! Until then, please rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and we may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, Curt and Kevin visit a seemingly idyllic Washington, D.C. suburb to pull back the curtain and expose the insecurities and instability corrupting the source code of one modern American family as they run some diagnostic tests on The Vision: Little Worse Than a Man, collecting issues 1-6 of Tom King and Gabriel Hernandez Walta's acclaimed Marvel comic, The Vision. In his ongoing quest to be human, the android Avenger has created his own version of a perfect suburban family unit. But when a supervillain with ties to the Vision's past drops by unannounced, he sets off a sequence of events that threatens not just this humanoid household, but the entire world! Will the Vision hit the "delete" button to protect his computerized clan from a world that mistrusts and fears them? Or can everyone's favorite synthezoid sentinel save the day and gain acceptance into that exclusive gated community known as … The Comics Canon? Things Discussed in This Episode: -Superstar comics editor Wil Moss -Star Trek: Voyager -The Vision is guilty of android-splaining -The first supervillain ever killed with a cookie sheet -A possibly gratuitous Hamilton reference -Hot take! Is Tom King "better" than Alan Moore? -Steamy synthezoid-on-synthezoid action! -Kevin mangles the titles of Dark Reign and The Sheriff of Babylon!

In this episode, Curt and Kevin return to Gotham City and put on their Dark Knight Detective caps to sift through labored puns, fun-house felonies and other offenses as they consider the strange case of Alan Moore and Brian Bolland's highly acclaimed 1998 DC Comics graphic novel, Batman: The Killing Joke! But first, they take a quick detour to the black-and-white days of 1951 for a very different look at the origin of Killing Joke antagonist the Joker! Listen to our heroes match wits with the Caped Crusader and his Boy Wonder as they try to crack the conundrum of The Man Behind the Red Hood! Will our dynamic duo sentence the Joker to rot behind the imposing gates of Arkham Asylum? Or will the Clown Prince of Crime find himself laughing all the way to that big score known as ... The Comics Canon?

In this episode, Curt and Kevin put aside their capes and cowls to discuss a different kind of comic book story: Alison Bechdel's graphic memoir Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic. In sketching a portrait of her life growing up in a small Pennsylvania town, Bechdel examines her complicated relationship with her father, Bruce, a funeral home director and high school teacher whose passion for restoring the family's Victorian-era home underscores his emotional distance from his wife and children. When Alison comes out to her parents as a lesbian, she soon comes to learn of her father's own homosexuality, which lands him in legal trouble and perhaps even contributes to his sudden death at the age of 44, which Bechdel considers to be a suicide. Can Alison come to terms with her father's death, his past, and his detached relationship with her? And can her award-winning memoir make its own way in the world, to that obsessively decorated "fun home" known as … The Comics Canon? Things Discussed in This Episode: Fun Home: the Broadway musical The Mighty Hercules and The Addams Family From Hell Thinking about your parents having sex Timely references to both sports and politics Does this podcast pass The Bechdel Test? Join us in two weeks as we don our superhero tights once again and return to Gotham City to discuss Batman: The Killing Joke! Until then, please rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and we may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, Curt and Kevin take a break from talking about comic book stories, and instead talk about … TV and movie adaptations of comic book stories from the first half of 2016! How did these series and films reflect their source material? And more importantly—were they any good? Things discussed in this non-canonical, somewhat spoiler-y installment include Deadpool's skewering of superhero movie tropes, the lighthearted romp that was Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the evolutionary dead end that was X-Men: Apocalypse, and the rock -'em sock-'em bonanza that was Captain America: Civil War. But wait! There's more! We also weigh in on the disappointing second season of Agent Carter and the surprisingly entertaining third season of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., the best things about the second season of Daredevil, the charms of DC's burgeoning TV empire (The Flash, Supergirl, Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow), the long-awaited arrival of Negan on The Walking Dead and the debut of AMC's Preacher. Meanwhile, join us in two weeks as we turn our attention back to the printed page with a look at Alison Bechdel's award-winning graphic memoir Fun Home! Until then, please rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and we may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, Curt and Kevin pay tribute to the late Darwyn Cooke, whose death from cancer on May 14, 2016, shocked and saddened the comics community, with an in-depth discussion of his award-winning 2004 masterwork, DC: The New Frontier. Cooke's six-volume saga, spanning the 15-year period from the end of World War II to the dawn of the 1960s, finds DC heroes old and new coming to terms with a rapidly changing world, touching on topics as varied as McCarthyism, the Korean and Vietnam Wars, the civil rights movement, the space race and the Cold War. When a menace surfaces unlike any they've ever faced, can Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and other heroes from DC's Golden and Silver Ages rise to challenge the unknown, usher in a new era of optimism, and conquer that final frontier known as … The Comics Canon?

In this episode, Curt and Kevin embark on a dazzling journey from the stuffy confines of an exclusive NewYork club to the famed "blue area" of the moon (the No. 1 lunar tourist attraction!) as they struggle to decide the fate of Uncanny X-Men issues 132-137: The Dark Phoenix Saga! The Hellfire Club, a cabal of wealthy, power-hungry Hamilton cosplayers, mentally manipulate Jean Grey, aka the godlike Phoenix, to help them capture her fellow X-Men. But in doing so, they unwillingly unleash a force of cosmic destruction—the Dark Phoenix, who promptly snacks on a star and earns the wrath of a mighty intergalactic empire. Will this Black Angel destroy the man she loves, her teammates, and possibly the entire universe? Or can our band of merry mutants win the day and cement their spot in the fiery firmament of funnybooks known as … The Comics Canon?

In this episode, Curt and Kevin don their best star-spangled finery and strap on their shootin' irons as they take on the awesome responsibility of discussing Captain America vol. 5, issues 25-36; the first 12 issues of The Death of Captain America. In the aftermath of Civil War, Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, is gunned down in front of a stunned nation—the first volley in a diabolical plot by the dastardly Red Skull, who really, really hates America! It's up to Cap's former sidekick, Bucky Barnes, to save the day—while atoning for his past as the brainwashed Soviet assassin Winter Soldier. Have the Red Skull and his criminal cronies written freedom's obituary? Or can Bucky Cap, Sharon Carter, the Falcon and the Black Widow march onward into that sweet land of liberty known as … The Comics Canon?

In this non-canonical episode, we take a break from passing judgment on comic book stories to discuss one of our favorite days of the year: Free Comic Book Day! Things discussed in this special mini-episode: What is this annual event all about? How did it get started? And what are some of the more noteworthy offerings? We also discuss the free comics we're most looking forward to, and offer recommendations for comics to spend actual money on while you're visiting your favorite comics retailer.

WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON? In this episode, Curt and Kevin charter a school bus to Stamford, Connecticut to weigh the pros and cons of the Superhero Registration Act, the ethics of cloning a dead god, and the problems of giant crossover events as they (rather civilly) discuss the 2006-2007 Marvel limited series Civil War. In the wake of a national tragedy, a shocked and fearful public calls for the regulation of super-powered beings. Iron Man leads a group of heroes in favor of licensing, proper training, and (presumably) having government holidays off, while Captain America heads up a resistance movement not eager to take its marching orders from politicians. Will this clash of titans end in blood and tears, with friends and families forever rent asunder? Or will our Founding Fathers come together to deem it a revolutionary tale worthy of admission into that Land of the Free known as … The Comics Canon?

In this episode, Curt and Kevin hitchhike their way back to the rural South to sermonize on issues 8-12 of Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon's two-fisted, double-barreled 1990s Vertigo series, Preacher. Hard-drinkin' reverend Jesse Custer has been forcibly merged with an otherworldly entity known as Genesis, the product of the union of an angel and a demon. Armed with the Word of God, Jesse sets out with his ex-girlfriend, would-be hitwoman Tulip O'Hare, to find God and discover why He has abandoned His creation. But when they're abducted at gunpoint and dragged back to Angelville, Jesse's horrific childhood home, they learn that God—and the most evil grandma ever—have other plans. Have these lovebirds had their Last Supper? Or can they somehow find their way into that Garden of Eden known as … The Comics Canon? Things Discussed in This Episode: Why don't we discuss issues 13-17? Why is God in cahoots with the most evil grandma ever? Racism, bestiality and incest -- just another day in the South! "Eff you, John Wayne!" "You're under arrest for the murder of a cyclops!" Burning a cross on your own lawn Curt draws a line in the sand! Join us in two weeks as we trade in our priestly vestments for the latest high-tech spandex to rain fire and brimstone upon Marvel's 2006 crossover event Civil War! Until then, please rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and we may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening!

In this special non-canonical episode, Curt and Kevin discuss The Walking Dead #100 and graphic violence in comics stories. As Negan makes his introduction on the Walking Dead TV series, we ask: Was his brutal murder of a beloved character in this issue a bridge too far? When do violent scenes in comics cross the line? And was Negan a Tarantino fan before the zombie apocalypse? (Also mentioned: From Hell, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Garth Ennis, and the "Women in Refrigerators" trope in entertainment.) But what do YOU think? Share your thoughts on a violent comic-book story that stuck with you—one you enjoyed, or one that grossed you out—and you could win FIVE FREE COMICS from The Comics Canon Prize Bin! Send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and the best response will receive five free comics of our choosing. The winner will be selected on Friday, April 8. Meanwhile, check back with us in two weeks as we return to passing judgment on classic comics stories with Preacher: Until the End of the World! And as always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, Curt and Kevin trade in their crime-fighting long johns for prison jumpsuits as they hack, shoot, and slash their way through 12 lurching issues of Robert Kirkman's never-ending magnum opus, The Walking Dead. When Rick Grimes and his ragtag band of zombie apocalypse survivors come across a remote prison complex, they hope to make a new life for themselves. But they find themselves serving a sentence of maximum insecurity, thanks to a nebbishy serial killer, a prickly double-murderer, a pair of botched suicide attempts and Rick's mounting bloodlust – not to mention an unending stream of undead inmates. Will these habitual offenders fall prey to a menace far worse than a parade of perambulating corpses … the threat of their own baser instincts? Or can Rick, Tyreese, Michonne and the rest of this tightly wound community stop squabbling, brawling and hooking up long enough to earn that Get Out of Jail Free card that grants them membership in … The Comics Canon? Things discussed in this episode: --Why Rick Grimes Never Made Detective --The Continuing Stooory of a Zombie Apocalypse ... --Why is it always the most obvious suspect? --The Adventures of Patty, Low-Self-Esteem Girl! --The Heather Locklear of The Walking Dead --Weekend at Bernie's: The Zombie Edition --What's in the mystery meatloaf? --Seven pages of white-hot lecturing action! --"WE ARE THE WALKING DEAD!" Join us in a mere two days as we commemorate the upcoming season finale of The Walking Dead for a non-canonical discussion of violence in comics and the infamous The Walking Dead #100. And then check back with us again in two weeks as we gear up for another AMC program based on a comic-book property by pontificating on Preacher issues 8-12, collected in Until the End of the World. Until then, please rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and we may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, "Miller March" continues as Curt and Kevin ring in the second season of Netflix's Daredevil series by applying their keen extrasensory senses to Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli's classic tale of revenge, redemption and overheated Christian symbolism. When his junkie ex-girlfriend sells his secret identity for a fix (we've all been there, right, fellas?), Matt Murdock finds himself homeless and penniless as he faces off against the Kingpin of Crime, a murderous psychotic, a roided-up super-soldier, and one very unfriendly health-care professional. Is this the end of everyone's favorite blind attorney turned protector of Hell's Kitchen? Or can ol' Hornhead overcome these trials and tribulations to win a favorable verdict in the People's Court known as … The Comics Canon? Things discussed in this episode: The lamest rogue's gallery in all of comics? (Cough) Stilt-Man (Cough) Karen Page's poor negotiation skills "The Passion of the Matt" and heavy-handed Catholic imagery Leave my credit score alone, you monster! "There is no corpse." Lois the Killer Nun! Nuke? Seriously? It's an Avengers thing … you wouldn't understand. Why kids don't play make-believe as Daredevil Join us in two weeks as we shamble down to rural Georgia to pass sentence on The Walking Dead: Safety Behind Bars and The Heart's Desire! Until then, please rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and we may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening!

In this episode, "Miller March" kicks off with a bang as Curt and Kevin don their surgical scrubs to dissect Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, writer/artist Frank Miller's celebrated deconstruction of everyone's favorite Caped Crusader!

In this episode, the rubber meets the road as Curt and Kevin travel back in time to the sepia-toned days of 2014 to discuss Ms. Marvel #1-5! Kamala Khan may well be the most likeable first-generation Pakistani-American teenage Muslim superhero ever. Does this shape-shifting schoolgirl have what it takes to crash that hallowed hall of marvels known as … The Comics Canon?

In this episode, Curt and Kevin dig deep into the fertile soil of The Saga of the Swamp Thing issues 21-24! In this tangled tale of fearsome flora, Alan Moore puts DC's mixed-up muck monster through an existential crisis that plants the seeds of a new era in superhero comics.

Our first episode is here, and it's a big one! Join Curt and Kevin as they tackle Fantastic Four issues 48-50, introducing two of the heaviest hitters in the Marvel Universe—none other than that great-granddaddy of celestial crumbums, the world-devouring Galactus, and his shreddin' sentinel of the spaceways, the Silver Surfer!

Co-hosts Kevin Moreau and Curt Holman answer that burning question in this introductory preview. Each episode, they'll take a critical and completely subjective look at one of the greatest (or not-so-greatest) stories in comics history as they decide: Does this belong in the pantheon of great comic-book stories ... The Comics Canon?