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A Weekly* Podcast with @andreashock & @aaronmeyers talking about the bigger issues in life using comics as the starting point.
Episodes
Saturday Jan 25, 2014
Saturday Jan 25, 2014
Comics Therapy. No Reviews. Just Analysis.
Two comics from January 22, 2014. Plus your Nerd Confessions (about your first introduction to the fantasy genre) and Aaron's Inner Child.
On The Couch: writer Josh Williamson.
Show Notes:
The theme of the show this week is fantasy. Not like sex, guys. Like magic and swords and dragons and elves and all that kind of stuff. The literary genre, if you will. We’re looking at two books that fit solidly in that generous world, and talking about what that even means in these days of mash-ups and derivations. Is “traditional fantasy” actually a thing?
Umbral #3 22:10
Dark fantasy with magic, swords, demons and thieves. So far.
Traditional fantasy with elves, wolves and magic. Just don't call it cute.
The Couch - Josh Williamson 49:05
Josh is currently writing Ghosted, published by Image Comics, Masks & Mobsters, published digitally by Monkeybrain and in a hardcover collection by Image, and Captain Midnight, published by Dark Horse Comics. He’s also written for DC Comics and Marvel and his upcoming series Nailbiter was announced at Image Expo.
Thursday Jan 16, 2014
Thursday Jan 16, 2014
Comics Therapy. No Reviews. Just Analysis.
This week it's all #imageexpo and your Nerd Confessions (about your best and worst con experiences).
On The Couch: Eisner-nominated writer Brian Wood.
Show Notes:
This week, no reviews, no analysis, just conversation. And for what it's worth, we think it's a pretty great one. We had a candid discussion with writer Brian Wood about his writing process, work/life balance and thoughts on the comics industry as a whole, and we want you to hear it. But we also want you to hear (briefly) about our adventures together at Image Expo (spoiler alert: there were no fatalities). We promise we'll get back to our regular comics analysis routine next week. Maybe even with some Grief Counseling, eh?
(Editor's note: If you're jonesing for Andrea's Image Expo rundown over at Comicosity, look no further.)
The Couch: Brian Wood (introduction begins at 23:10)
Brian is known for his series DMZ and Northlanders, published by Vertigo Comics. He’s just finishing up runs on Conan the Barbarian and Star Wars, both published by Dark Horse Comics, which also publishes his book The Massive. He's currently writing the flagship X-Men title for Marvel Comics.
Saturday Jan 11, 2014
Saturday Jan 11, 2014
Comics Therapy. No Reviews. Just Analysis.
On The Couch this week: writer Frank Barbiere.
Show Notes:
A backwards show for a backwards week. Try to keep up.
The Couch: Frank Barbiere
Frank is the writer of Five Ghosts, published by Image Comics, and two upcoming mini series White Suits and Blackout, both published by Dark Horse Comics.
And as for the rest of the segments, well, your intrepid hosts were at Image Expo and managed to get the show hijacked in their absence so graciously allowed two friends to fill in.
Big thanks to Adam P. Knave, writer of Amelia Cole, Artful Daggers and Never Ending, and Twitter's own Cameron Williams for doing the show. We uh, apologize in advance.
(The imposters begin at 46:45.)
Adam and Cameron talk about donuts, assistant editors month at Marvel Comics, legacy at DC Comics, and Dazzler #30 and Marvel Team-Up #137. You know, from January 1984. Seriously. Also, Grief ROMseling. Totally a thing.
Adam also chose the show music, as he is wont to do.
Saturday Jan 04, 2014
Saturday Jan 04, 2014
Comics Therapy. No Reviews. Just Analysis.
Two comics from December 31, 2013. Plus your Nerd Confessions (about favorite character teams) and Aaron's Inner Child.
On The Couch: Amy Reeder and Brandon Montclare.
Show Notes:
Go ahead and blame Andrea for the lousy sound quality this week. She's very sorry.
She's also on vacation, enduring freakishly cold temperatures on the east coast. Forgive her?
Theme of the show is there’s
no 'I' in team. Comic books are full of teams, some more successful
than others. Some of us (read: Andrea) are suckers for the brooding guy
in the leather jacket who usually isn’t much of a team player. But
almost everyone loves a great superhero team book (specially if the
brooding guy is forced to play nice with others and reveal his secret
heart of gold). So why is that? Why do we gravitate towards these
extreme personalities in extreme situations? Because it’s fun. And it’s
often a recipe for damn good storytelling.
Guardians of the Galaxy #10 19:27
Sometimes teams are just for marketing.
Catalyst Comix #7 32:30
And other times, teams are a little more cerebral.
The Couch - Amy Reeder and Brandon Montclare 43:17
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Saturday Dec 28, 2013
Saturday Dec 28, 2013
Comics Therapy. No Reviews. Just Analysis.
We’re taking a look back at 2013 our own way, introspectively. Plus your Nerd Confessions (major comics moments from the past year).
On The Couch this week: Eisner-award winning writer and artist team Paul Tobin and Colleen Coover.
Show Notes:
This week, we present our Introspective Year in Review, a special segment where we're only considering what the year's comics mean to us. You know, feelings. It's not about rankings, or lists of best of anything. It's about the moments throughout the year that really impacted us individually as readers. Aaron and Andrea each picked a couple themes and the specific comics in 2013 that made them think about...stuff. It was an intensely personal exercise, but we promise not to get too heavy. Plus, everyone's been drinking. It's gonna be fine.
Andrea - Mortality 15:25
The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys
Aaron - Lineage 25:37
Andrea - Gender Roles in Comics 33:10
Aaron - Complexity of Universe 44:15
The Couch - Paul Tobin and Colleen Coover 56:15
Colleen and Paul are the creators of the Eisner-award winning Bandette, published digitally by MonkeyBrain Comics and in hardcover by Dark Horse. Colleen is an illustrator and a member of Periscope Studio, and before Bandette she was probably best known for her erotic comic Small Favors published by Eros Comix. Paul, also a member of Periscope, has written comics for Dark Horse, including Colder and Plants vs. Zombies, Dynamite, DC and Marvel. His most recent novel, the highly acclaimed Prepare to Die is now available in trade paperback. Colleen and Paul also collaborated on the graphic novel Gingerbread Girl, and have worked on stories together for Marvel Comics as well. Their upcoming Adventure Time arc "Flip Side", published by BOOM! Studios, begins in early 2014.
Paul and Colleen recommend the following comics and graphic novels:
Friday Dec 20, 2013
Friday Dec 20, 2013
Comics Therapy. No Reviews. Just Analysis.
Three comics from December 18, 2013. Plus your Nerd Confessions about endings (character deaths and series finales) and Aaron's Inner Child. Probably.
On The Couch this week: writer Simon Oliver.
Show Notes:
Theme of the show is the final countdown, escaping into the dark, fading to black, leaving on a jet plane, going out in a blaze of glory. You get the idea. It's the end. We're saying goodbye to three comics - two minis and an epic series - that are concluding this week. No crying, just drinking. Well, for Aaron anyway. #slurredcast
Hit #4 18:56
Pulp? Noir? Pulp Noir?
In which Andrea admits she's not entirely clear on the differences.
Buzzkill #4 29:50
Two truths: Recovering addicts never stop being in recovery. And sometimes heroes lie.
In which Aaron admits he's not entirely clear on subtlety.
Locke & Key: Alpha #2 38:50
With an impassioned plea, your faithful co-hosts urge you to skip this segment until you've read the complete series.
In which Andrea and Aaron admit they really love this book.
The Couch - Simon Oliver 47:00
Simon is currently writing Vertigo’s ongoing FBP: Federal Bureau of Physics with artist Robbi Rodriguez. He is the writer of The Exterminators, also published by Vertigo from 2006 to 2008. And he really doesn't like the movie Love Actually.
This weeks Outro is Metric - Artificial Nocturne
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Thursday Dec 12, 2013
Thursday Dec 12, 2013
Comics Therapy. No Reviews. Just Analysis.
Three comics from December 11, 2013. Plus your Nerd Confessions (featuring your #dealbreaker comics) and Aaron's Inner Child Andrea's Grief Counseling Revenge*. Watch out, Aaron. Schadenfreude is awesome.
On The Couch this week: artist Steve Lieber.
* Rover Red Charlie #1 10:58
Sorry, Aaron. (Not sorry, Aaron.)
Show Notes:
Theme of the show is toxic relationships. We've all had them, the kind of relationship where a little piece of you dies inside every day it continues. Some of us may even be in one currently. It’s not always romantic, mind you. You could have a toxic friend or co-worker or podcast co-host. The problem usually is that it's a lot easier to get over the poison after you've gotten it out of your system, but the path to recovery itself is never fun.
Superman/Wonder Woman #3 18:30
"Hey baby, you're super hot..." Yeah, I got nothing. This one is just as bananas as it sounds.
Coffin Hill #3 27:50
"Hey baby, you sure do put the toxic in intoxicating. Let's go whip up some black magic together." Seriously. And then they have sex.
Alex & Ada #2 36:20
"Hey baby. You're so incredible it's inhuman." Get it? Because she's an android.
The Couch - Steve Lieber 45:35
Steve Lieber is an artist and a founding member of Periscope Studio, the largest studio of freelance comic book illustrators and storybook artists in North America. He is currently drawing Superior Foes of Spider-Man for Marvel Comics, and was nominated for an Eisner for his limited series Whiteout, written by Greg Rucka, the sequel to which won an Eisner for Best Limited Series in 2000. Periscope Studio has launched a Kickstarter campaign to support the upcoming art book publications entitled Maiden Voyage.
This weeks Intro Is The Mountain Goats - No Children
This weeks Outro Is Britney Spears - Toxic
Friday Dec 06, 2013
Friday Dec 06, 2013
Comics Therapy. No Reviews. Just Analysis.
Three comics from December 4, 2013. Plus your very own Nerd Confessions featuring your favorite female comics characters. And as always Aaron's (Irreverent) Inner Child.
On The Couch this week: writer Alex de Campi.
Show Notes:
Theme of the show is money, power, women. Or is it money, power, women? We're a little unclear as to which comes first in the order of acquisition, but everyone agrees that all three are desirable, right? And potentially deadly.
Six Gun Gorilla #6 14:00
Power.
Quantum and Woody #6 24:30
Money.
Velvet #2 35:00
Women.
The Couch - Alex de Campi 44:50
Alex de Campi is a writer and director, known best for her Eisner-nominated series Smoke and the 2011 followup Ashes. She is currently writing Grindhouse for Dark Horse and her comic Valentine is now published digitally on every Wednesday on Thrillbent.com.
Intro Is: Jessie Jay Do It Like A Dude
www.youtube.com/embed/pOf3kYtwASo
Outro is: Polly Perkins Coochi Coo
http://grooveshark.com/search/song?q=Polly%20Perkins%20Coochy%20Coo
Friday Nov 29, 2013
Friday Nov 29, 2013
Comics Therapy. No Reviews. Just Analysis.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. We took Thursday off. Hope you did, too.
Two comics from November 27, 2013. Plus Nerd Confessions (Starring all of you! Giving thanks! So much love!) and another special edition of Grief Counseling. You're welcome.
On The Couch this week: writers Adam P. Knave and D.J. Kirkbride.
Show Notes:
Theme of the show is the only thing it could be. It's time to get thankful about comics, kids. Andrea and Aaron each picked a book from this week to talk about what they love about the medium and its impact on their lives. Andrea is thankful for Hawkeye and Aaron is thankful for The Maxx. He is also thankful for Grief Counseling, and admit it - so are you.
Hawkeye #14 20:05
Andrea chose Hawkguy to give thanks for not only because of her deep love of all things Clint Barton, but also because this series has evolved into something more, something that looks at how we remake ourselves into what we've always been capable of being...hopefully while still staying in continuity.
The Maxx Maximized #1 31:17
Aaron picked The Maxx because as an awkward teenager it was one of his favorites, actually changing his perception of all comics. How does he feel about the remastered series as an awkward adult?
Grief Counseling - The Walking Dead Vol. 10: What We Become #55-60 39:17
Give thanks: Andrea read another volume of The Walking Dead. Just don't get used to it. And Andrea? Don't get complacent.
The Couch - Adam P. Knave and D.J. Kirkbride 51:40
Adam P. Knave and D.J. Kirkbride are Eisner-award winning editors (for Image Comics' PopGun) and the writers behind Amelia Cole, published digitally by Monkeybrain Comics and in trade by IDW, and the new mini-series Never Ending, published by Dark Horse Comics.
Adam is also the co-writer of Artful Daggers, and a considerable music fiend. He chose the intro and outro for this week's theme, being thankful.
This weeks Intro Is Flogging Molly -If I Ever Leave This World Alive:
www.youtube.com/embed/1AOp9c5DRzc
This weeks Outro Is Cowboy Bebop -Gotta Knock a Little Harder:
