Consider the Incredible Hulk. He’s often referred to as the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of the Marvel Universe. But is he really Jekyll and Hyde on a deep level? Paul has been studying the early Hulk comics, looking at the various framings that were tried soon after the character’s debut. Does Banner turn to Hulk when the sun goes down? Can he become Hulk whenever he wants? Does Rick Jones have hypnotic control over the Hulk? These were all tried in the wacky six-issue run of Hulk’s book in 1962 and ‘63 before it was canceled. This week, a look at the struggle to arrive at the tropes of the Hulk!
This summer’s Supergirl movie, while not nearly as good as sliced bread, was compelling enough to make Tim curious as to how it compares with the comic it’s based on, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow by Tom King and Bilquis Evely. Tim recruited Emmet to join in and consider questions such as: Why did this movie get made? How do we feel about the original comic? Is the movie a good adaptation? Did the story changes to the film hurt or help it? Here’s that discussion! Comic Tropes video on Bilquis Evely Brought to you by: Emmet’s comic The Shadow of Night Who’s Who podcast Our supporters on Patreon
Doomwar is a 2010 miniseries in which Dr. Doom sponsors a coup in Wakanda in order to get his hands on all the country’s processed vibranium. As we continue to celebrate 60 years of the Black Panther, Tim is joined by Professor Alan, whose Doomspeak podcast celebrates Dr. Doom, a character who will be cinematically very relevant in a few short months! With writing by Jonathan Maberry and art by Scot Eaton, Doomwar is a series that raises a number of questions, whether in the text itself or simply in the minds of reviewers: In what circumstances is a violent response justified? How violent? Sho
Emil Wilson is the author of the new graphic novel The Nightingales, about a family in 1985 who take in an AIDS patient. The book shows us the panic and misinformation that prevailed about the disease then, and government apathy about a disease that was mainly killing gay men. Wilson is a former advertising man who went to comics school in his 50s. Tim talks with him about the book. Novelist William Bernhardt also joins Tim to talk about his exhaustively researched nonfiction book The Superman Wars, a history of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster’s battle over ownership of Superman and recognition a
Superhero comics have been parodied for as long as they’ve existed. This time Tim and Kumar look at two books by comics insiders that satirized the predominant comics of their respective eras: Scott McCloud‘s Destroy! The Loudest Comic-Book in the Universe!! (1986) distills ’80s comics to their essence: superpowered guys punching each other; and Grant Morrison & a bevy of artists poke sharp satirical sticks at the comics of The Guys who Would Be Image in Doom Force Special #1 (1992), right down to the excessive speed lines, nonsense powers, and ankles that would never support an adult human’s
A number of interesting graphic novels have been brought to our attention recently — works with laugh-out-loud moments and deeper meanings as well. We review three of them in this episode: Heaven by Katie Skelly is a Fantagraphics book about a haunted strip club. Jason joins Tim to discuss it. Was That Normal? by Alex Potts (Avery Hill) gives us a neurodivergent main character and a vague threat from a crumbling tower. Adam and Tim review it. John of the Night (Avery Hill) is a wild scifi epic by Darryl Cunningham. As Emmet and Tim will discuss, Cunningham normally publishes fact-based comics
FLASHBACK! In 1970, four students died when national guardsman inexplicably opened fire during an anti-war protest at Kent State University. The craziness of 2020 has hindered planned observances of the craziness of 1970, but we do get this: Derf Backderf‘s Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio, a moving account of May 1-4, 1970, through the eyes of those who lost their lives. In this episode, Tim and Kumar review the book, to be released September 8, and then Tim chats with Derf himself, answering our questions about the tragedy and the book. (Originally published September 2, 2020.) Brought to you b
While the characterization of Spidey in Amazing Spider-Man 2 is still spot-on, not much else in the movie is. Tim and Mulele discuss the myriad problems, and occasional strong points, of this 2014 film. (Originally published on Patreon July 4, 2020.) Brought to you by: Doomspeak podcast Our supporters on Patreon
After Sam Raimi bailed on doing any more Spidey movies, Sony decided to reboot. So, ten years after Spider-man 1, viewers got a new version of Spider-man’s origin story – a long, drawn out one with no catharsis (or did we blink and miss it?). One could call this movie unnecessary, as Mulele does, but Tim finally got the Spidey characterization he’s been waiting for! Tim and Mulele review. (Originally published on Patreon June 6, 2020.) Brought to you by: Waxy Buildup podcast Our supporters on Patreon
The adventure in the Samurai City comes to a close, and Panther attempts to get back to Wakanda. As a vibranium-related crisis unfolds in his homeland, various roadblocks appear in Panther’s path to ratchet up the tension. Can he get home in time? Can his geeky relatives help stave off disaster? Who knew this about vibranium? Tim and Emmet react to surprise twists in Wakanda’s past. Brought to you by: Who’s Who podcast Our supporters on Patreon
Persepolis author Marjane Satrapi passed away on June 4. This week, Tim and Kumar recall their initial reactions to that book and talk a bit about her life and legacy. Then, we revisit segments of past episodes in which Tim and Brandon discussed Satrapi’s work: Persepolis review from episode 91, published September 3, 2007. `Persepolis 2 and the film version of Persepolis reviewed in episode 185, published June 22, 2009. Brought to you by: Full Manga Alchemists Our supporters on Patreon
(Concluding our review of past episodes featuring the work of R. Crumb.) FLASHBACK! Tim and Kumar meet in person for the first time! This calls for a podcast, but… what to review? We discuss the movie Crumb, which features not only the expected discussion of R. Crumb’s work (including an objective look at the question of whether some of the … discomforting subjects of his work should really have been published as “art”), but also a fascinating portrait of the dysfunctional family he grew up in. Then, Tim and Brandon clash over Sean Murphy’s Punk Rock Jesus, in which a former Irish Republican A
FLASHBACK! Perhaps one of the most puzzling comics releases in years was The Book of Genesis, Illustrated by R. Crumb. While it’s a virtuoso art performance, the exact purpose of the book was puzzling to Crumb fans (“It’s not a parody?!”) and religious readers (“This comic is not for kids?!”) alike. Both groups have been taken aback by how straight Crumb plays it — neither parodying nor bowdlerizing the work. That’s not to say that nothing in it is Crumb’s own interpretation. Tim and John discuss the issues raised — both by Crumb and by his audience. (Originally published August 18, 2014.) Bro
FLASHBACK! Weirdo was a magazine started by R. Crumb, which featured Crumb’s work alongside that of a number of other underground-type comics creators. Crumb’s work from Weirdo’s 28 issues was collected in 2013 as R. Crumb: The Weirdo Years, 1981-’93, released in the U.S. by Last Gasp. It features an astonishing variety of comics work, from Crumb rants and confessionals to a 1906 psychiatric report on sexual deviancy, fumetti, parodies, and more. This is a book that Deconstructing Comics can’t help but review, so this week Kumar and Tim do their podcasting duty! (Originally published December
Westron is about a private investigator who investigates crimes with supernatural elements. When a girl is murdered, he feels driven to solve the crime by the memory of a childhood friend who was killed. Tim and Jason look into the case of this comic by Shawn McBee, Maciej Jankowski, Nicolas Nieto, and Matia De Vincenzo! Westron on Kickstarter
At last we complete our look at Alan Moore‘s Swamp Thing run, looking at Swampy’s battle with Gotham City, his seeming death, and his travels through space. Along the way, Tim and Kumar have totally different takes on a certain issue, and Tim finds a fact about it that scandalizes Kumar. Join us as we traverse The Saga of the Swamp Thing issues 51-64! What are those folks on Rann saying? Brought to you by: Checkered Past podcast Our supporters on Patreon
Typical of the Jack Kirby comics we’ve read from the 1970s, the 1977 Black Panther series is a wild ride. Issues 5 and 6 feature a city of samurai (apparently nowhere near Japan), a yeti (nowhere near the Himalayas), and a nuclear missile (which is far too close to Wakanda). Wait, did we say “Wakanda”?! At last the series is inching back to the familiar territory, literally and figuratively, of a Black Panther story! But first, Panther has to survive Abner Little‘s snafu in the Samurai City. Tim and Emmet are along for the ride. Brought to you by: Worst Collection Ever podcast Bat Bits podcast
Adam Tierney, writer of the recent hit one-shot Romeo and Juliet and Godzilla, is a video game writer who dabbles in comics as a hobby — and it’s looking like a very successful hobby! This week he talks to Tim about choosing who Godzilla would cross paths with in his Godzilla’s Monsterpiece Theatre issue, his love of horror and forthcoming horror comic for kids, how he got into video games, and more. Brought to you by: TV Tangents podcast Our supporters on Patreon
Jim Steranko’s Nick Fury stories from the late 1960s are lauded for the artwork, especially in the stories after Fury got out of Strange Tales and into his own book. The stories are wacky and kind of haphazard. The layouts are sometimes very innovative, but the storytelling is not always clear. Are these stories worth reading today? Tim and Kumar complete their review of Steranko’s Nick Fury. Also, we hear from some listeners, and Tim explains the history and mystery of our podcast feed! Brought to you by: Waxy Buildup podcast Our supporters on Patreon
FLASHBACK! Why read a biography of a fictional comics artist? What if it’s also a history of Singapore — done in a style that apes more than a dozen seminal 20th century comics creators? Tim and Kumar take a look at the awe-inspiring (yet sometimes puzzling) Sonny Liew graphic novel The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye. (Originally published May 8, 2017.) Brought to you by: Full Manga Alchemists Our supporters on Patreon
Black Panther continues his wild ride, courtesy of Jack Kirby — but filling a role that could have been played by virtually any character. With Abner Little and Princess Zanda, we see him fight various treasure protectors, drive an incredibly stylish ancient vehicle, take on a samurai who’s been transplanted to Africa, and more. Tim and Emmet try to keep up with the craziness. Brought to you by: Doomspeak podcast Our supporters on Patreon
Ian M is a Japan-based Canadian creator whose work we’ve discussed on this podcast before. His work is often about Japan, but not necessarily about himself. In The Blossoming City part one, he begins the story (presumably true?) about a community garden in Sapporo, in a story that he tells in a variety of cartooning styles. Tim and Adam discuss. Eric Paul Johnson is a podcaster who is publishing an archive of his since-discontinued comic strip Loon News: The Comic Strip! on Patreon. Tim and Emmet find that, while the art and lettering certainly improved over the years, perhaps the most notable
FLASHBACK! We continue our look at Alan Moore’s 1980s run on Swamp Thing— a run in which the title character met werewolves and vampires (as Moore and co. found a new way to use these old tropes), as well as new character John Constantine. Moore was aided by artists Stephen Bissette, John Totleben, and Alfredo Acala, among others. Koom and newcomer Darrell Epp discuss issues 38-50. (Originally published January 30, 2019.) Brought to you by: Who’s Who podcast Our supporters on Patreon
FLASHBACK! Even amidst the anything-goes craziness of the early Image years, Sam Kieth’s The Maxx was an outlier. While it included some superhero tropes, it wasn’t really a superhero book, nor was it like much of anything else on the market, then or now. While it definitely has its weaknesses, Kumar and Dana confirm this week that it was absolutely mind-blowing…and emotionally affecting. Marking Sam Kieth’s death on March 15, we re-present this episode. (Originally published May 28, 2012.) Brought to you by: The Quick and the Dad Our supporters on Patreon
Somehow it’s taken us 20 years of podcasting to get to Jim Steranko’s fabled run on Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. But is the early stuff really so fabled? There’s lots of action and it’s exciting, but don’t dare think about it too much, because the seat-of-the-pants plotting is all over the map, and the anatomy drawing sometimes leaves something to be desired. Still, as you go issue by issue, you start to see new ideas coming to him as he starts to innovate with Marvel’s Jack Kirby house style. Tim and Kumar discuss the “Fury” stories in Strange Tales 154-163. Brought to you by: Waxy Buildu
