Comics Therapy

Episode 37 - The Damage Done

Comics Therapy. No Reviews. Just Analysis.

Two comics from April 9, 2014. Plus your Nerd Confessions (about comics that blew your mind, in the metaphorical sense).

And on The Couch, we talk with writer Fabian Rangel Jr.

Show Notes:

This week's theme is...let’s call it intervention. In the drug parlance. We’re looking at two books that dabble a bit with the effects of drug use and abuse. But in the midst of that, we also delve into some even bigger issues, including sexual violence in comics, date rape drugs, and gender division amongst readers across the industry. 

TL;DR Andrea is crazy and Aaron was drinking. We're back!

Ghost Rider #2 24:30

Character reboots, pink pills and a brief interlude about *that scene* in Invincible #110. Poor Robbie gets the short end of the stick in life and from us.

Great Pacific #14 34:55

If you're power hungry, and your populace is hungry for drugs instead, what are your choices? Fish or cut bait is still applicable here.

The Couch - Fabian Rangel Jr. 44:10

Fabian is the creator of Doc Unknown, a superhero action adventure series, and has lately gotten a lot of attention due to his consistent success self-publishing his comics through Kickstarter and Comixology Submit. You can also find Doc Unknown short stories as a backup in Five Ghosts, published by Image Comics.

Episode 36 - Road Trip!

Comics Therapy. No Reviews. Just Analysis.

No books this week. What? Yeah, Andrea came up to visit on her way to Emerald City Comic Con so we had an in person show. She also didn't have time to read anything so we just talked, and talked about questions you wanted us to talk about. There is a lot of talking. Next week things should be back to "normal". If you hate this one, consider it a bonus episode, we wanted to put something up for you otherwise we would have had to skip this week.

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Episode 35 - Don't Call It A Comeback

Comics Therapy. No Reviews. Just Analysis.

Two books from March 19, 2014. Plus your Nerd Confessions (about how much better you could be than Meyers as a co-host), and speaking of...

Up first is ALL! NEW! NUMBER! ONE! NOW! Andrea's Got Her Groove Back #1 (see below to download the uncut version) with guest hosts Roderick Ruth and Keith Silva. But don't worry, that doesn't last for long. Aaron is back with a vengeance for the main part of the show.

And on The Couch, Andrea and Aaron talk with artist Dennis Culver.

Show Notes:

This week’s theme is the more things change, the more they stay the same. (Get it?) It was incredibly tempting to just pick two all new number one relaunches and be done with it...oh wait, that’s exactly what we did. Looking at an iconic character - Daredevil - and the return of a much loved story - American Vampire - gives us a chance to talk about the patterns in our lives that might feel different but are probably as old as time itself.

American Vampire: Second Cycle #1 18:55

Daredevil #1 33:30

The Couch - artist Dennis Culver 46:25

Dennis is the co-creater and artist of Edison Rex, published digitally by MonkeyBrain Comics. Volume 2: Heir Apparent is out in trade from IDW. Also this week, you can find the first part of his story Davey Jones And The Mystery of the Monocle Men in Dark Horse Presents #34.

Andrea's Got Her Groove Back #1

Big shout out and thank you to Roderick and Keith for playing along on the intro to this week's episode. You can find more from Keith at Comics Bulletin and Rod at Comicosity. These guys know their stuff, and Andrea had a great time talking with them for far longer than she intended. You can listen to the full, uncut version of their conversation about Batman & Aquaman #29, Sex Criminals #5, True Detective, and Disney's Frozen here.

Also, huge thanks to Matt Baum and Joe Patrick from the Two-Headed Nerd Comicast, Charles from Panel Culture, Jason Sacks from Comics Bulletin and Jake Arky, My Friend Dahmer playwright and Comics Therapy's own in-house voice talent, for sending in "auditions" to be Andrea's 'new' co-host. The check's in the mail.

Episode 34 - When Will I Learn

Comics Therapy. No Reviews. Just Analysis.

Two books from March 12, 2014. Plus your Nerd Confessions (suggested by Cameron Williams about who you trust to recommend new comics).

On The Couch: writer Matt D. Wilson.

Show Notes:

We’ve got trust issues this week, and for once we're not just talking about the hosts. Aaron and Andrea look at a few dangerous characters making shady choices to stay alive, who’d stab you in the back as they whispered sweet nothings in your ear. There's also a great example of one of Andrea's personal favorite character types, the unreliable narrator. So unreliable that he’s not even in this month’s issue. Who can you really trust these days, anyway?

Astro City #10 19:40

Slice of life stories about the citizens and heroes of Astro City. Your guide - occasionally - may be less reliable than you might hope, but at least he is enthusiastic.

East of West #10 29:55

The story of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, except now there are three. The story of Death, except now he is in love. The story of the end of the world, no exceptions.

The Couch: writer Matt. D. Wilson 39:44

Matt co-hosts the War Rocket Ajax podcast with Chris Sims, who we spoke to back in episode 28. Under the pseudonym King Oblivion, PhD, Matt wrote The Supervillian Handbook and The Supervillian Field Manual. He writes Copernicus Jones: Robot Detective, published by Monkeybrain Comics. He’s also contributed to the AV Club, Cracked.com and McSweeneys.com.

Episode 33 - Re: Your Brains

Comics Therapy. No Reviews. Just Analysis.

Two books from March 5, 2014. Plus your Nerd Confessions (suggested by Roderick Ruth about the scariest thing that happened TO your comics or that you've read IN a comic) and another installment of Grief Counseling, featuring The Walking Dead.

Show Notes:

This week's theme is pretty obvious, right? Zombies. Dead men - and women and children and even dogs - walking. Now before you go blaming Meyers, it was Andrea's idea. Consider this episode her submission for consideration: she's over her fear of this particular irrational anxiety and is ready to tackle the next one. In the meantime, bring on the brains.

Afterlife With Archie #4 18:30

A (so far) traditional zombie tale set in the Archie Comics universe. That Sabrina the Teenage Witch is such a troublemaker.

Revival #18 30:32

A 'rural noir' that features the dead rising, but not necessarily eating the living. Yet?

Grief Counseling - The Walking Dead Vol. 16 & 17 (#91-102) 41:15

Last summer, Andrea started reading The Walking Dead for the show. Through the ups and downs since then - and the many many times she threatened to quit - most people didn't think she'd make it this far. Well, we are truly blessed, for she has finished the hundredth issue and now we’re going to hear about it. It's okay to admit that, like Aaron, you're hoping there will be more crying.

Episode 32 - The In Crowd

Comics Therapy. No Reviews. Just Analysis.

Two books from February 27, 2014. Plus your Nerd Confessions (suggested by Corey Fryia, about your favorite guilty pleasure characters) and Aaron's Inner Child.

On The Couch: writer Kel Symons.

Show Notes:

This week’s theme is...all your fault. Or Andrea's fault, if you ask Aaron. We crowdsourced the books, so the only thing linking Hawkeye and The Wake to one another is the fact that both are two of Andrea's traditionally favorite books. So maybe the lesson for everyone, mostly Aaron, is that you like her best. And left to your own devices, you’ll pick her side every time. She likes you best, too.

Oh, there's also a bunch of stuff about hubris in there, too. Go figure.

Hawkeye #15 19:25

School's in session, kids. The stakes are higher, but is our hero up to the task? Where is his ego when he really needs it? You may be surprised with the take away from this lesson. Aaron certainly was.

The Wake #6 30:50

Ah. Speaking of ego, this book has it in spades. What does that mean as we head into the concluding arc? Aaron and Andrea make more predictions than they should. Because hubris. (Editor's Note: See what we did there?)

The Couch - Kel Symons 46:25

Kel is a writer and producer. He wrote the miniseries I Love Trouble published by Image Comics and his brand new series The Mercenary Sea, also from Image, debuted February 12.

Episode 31 - Retcons

Comics Therapy. No Reviews. Just Analysis.

Two books from February 19, 2014. Plus your Nerd Confessions (about the most impactful retcons in comics) and Aaron's Inner Child.

 On The Couch: legendary artist Klaus Janson.

Show Notes:

This week’s theme is retcons, Comics Therapy-style. We’re looking at two books that take characters from mythology and literature that we all know and drop them down in an unexpected place or time. Reinterpretations are nothing new in comics, or storytelling in general. Sometimes transporting a premise or a character from his or her origins breathes new insight into a stagnant tale you hadn’t thought about in years.

Midas Flesh #3 22:27

The Greek Myth of King Midas, set in the future, in space, by way of Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle. That last part is totally Andrea's opinion, by the way.

Peter Panzerfaust #17 30:10

J.M. Barrie's Peter & Wendy, set in World War II, in France, by way of the French Resistance.

The Couch - Klaus Janson 39:02

Mr. Janson has been a prominent penciller and inker for both Marvel and DC Comics for over 40 years. He worked with Frank Miller on Daredevil in the 1970s and collaborated with Miller again on The Dark Knight Returns a decade later. Mr. Janson has taught at the School of Visual Arts in New York City since the 1990s. Recently, DC announced that he would join John Romita Jr. on the upcoming Geoff Johns Superman run.

(Editor's note: This interview may seem slightly out of order. Rather than cut it together to fit our usual intro-questions-closings format, we left it as the conversation naturally developed. Mr. Janson's actual introduction occurs at 54:38, if you're looking for the formal start to the question and answer portion of the discussion.)

Episode 30 - WAR

Comics Therapy. No Reviews. Just Analysis.

Two comics from February 12, 2014. Plus your Nerd Confessions (about the best fights in comics) and we respond to the recent declaration of war from Assemble After Dark.

On The Couch: writer and artist Dan Goldman.

Show Notes:

This week’s theme is WAR. Good god, y’all. Apropos of nothing our friends Ben Bailey and Joey Esposito from the Assemble After Dark podcast have declared war on Comics Therapy. Yeaahhhh. We don't know what that means, either. You all should check their show, however. And in the meantime, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to talk about fighting. Especially since it’s Valentine’s Day. It’s so meta, we can’t stand it.

Think Tank #12 23:10

A frighteningly plausible look inside high-stakes weapons development in the US military, that somehow manages to feel neither too unapproachably political nor too military-centric. Tony Stark has nothing on Dr. David Loren.

Manifest Destiny #4 37:52

The real story of the Lewis & Clark expedition, complete with minotaurs (not minotaurs) and zombie plants.  This is war of a different, more fantastical sort.

The Couch - Dan Goldman 49:30

Dan’s ongoing series Red Light Properties is published digitally by Monkeybrain Comics and available on Comixology. The brand spanking new print edition is out this month from IDW. Dan’s website is a dynamically interactive tour of his other work, from the Eisner-nominated web comic Shooting War to the nonfiction comics journalism 08: A Graphic Diary of the Campaign Trail. Go check it out.

Episode 29 - Cause I'm A Liar

Comics Therapy. No Reviews. Just Analysis.

Two comics from February 5, 2014. Plus your Nerd Confessions (featuring comics lies) and Aaron's Inner Child.

And after a three month hiatus, we welcome back the return of Grief Counseling.

Show Notes:

This week’s theme is all about lying. Lies we tell ourselves. Lies we tell each other. Sometimes they’re the same, and sometimes they’re dangerously different. As a storytelling device, they can be exciting, stressful and hilarious. In real life, it’s a lot more complicated. Both of the solo books we’re analyzing this week feature characters known for their crafty web of lies. It’s a good time to have deception as your superpower in the Marvel universe.

Black Widow #3 17:25

Balancing who you are and what you've done can be very expensive...

Loki: Agent of Asgard #1 30:30

...but knowing who you want to be moving forward is priceless.

Grief Counseling: The Walking Dead Vols. 11-14 39:10

Last year, Andrea started reading The Walking Dead for the first time. The consequences were fairly dire, with lots of wailing and gnashing of teeth. But as time went on, she grew to love tolerate this series, much to Aaron's sick delight. It's been three months since we last checked in. You may be surprised to see how this turns out.

Episode 28 - Alone

Comics Therapy. No Reviews. Just Analysis.

Two comics from January 29, 2014. Scratch that. Aaron is sick, so here's hoping you're all #TeamAndrea since she's flying solo on the intro today. Plus your Nerd Confessions (about the books you read when you're feeling down) and Aaron's Inner Child maybe Andrea's Inner Child for a change?

On The Couch: writers Chris Sims and Chad Bowers.

Show Notes:

The theme of the show this week is being alone. Sure, you can call it solitude. Sure, you can get all introspective about it. Sure, you can even claim you like it. But at the end of the day? You're alone, man. How does that really make you feel?

Ouch. Too soon? #RIPMeyers

The Couch - Chris Sims and Chad Bowers

Chad and Chris work together currently on Sub-Atomic Party Girls, published digitally by MonkeyBrain Comics, and previously on their web comic Awesome Hospital. Chris also writes for Comics Alliance and is co-host of the War Rocket Ajax Podcast. Chad hosts Multiversity’s The Hour Cosmic Podcast and also writes his own web comic Monster Plus. Their new book, Down, Set, Fight, is available currently in chapters digitally on Comixology and will be out in print from Oni Press in February.