Comic Picks By The Glick: Recent Episodes
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It's a solid fantasy adventure with great art! Shame about that ending, though...
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John and I see if the start of the Robert Kirkman era is a good one.
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After a fantastic penultimate volume, does the finale to Rob Guillory's horror/comedy/drama deliver?
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Stick with it and you'll see this series cut down right when it was hitting its groove.
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Well, this was a thing that certainly happened.
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Everyone may know the anime, but the manga is worth knowing too.
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Better than you've heard -- so long as you focus on the right issues.
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Steve is back as we determine whether or not this is a worthy follow-up to Part 1. Also follows on from here.
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It's a mid-tier Marvel Hickman event, but still not without its merits.
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Can you have too much of a good thing?
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The latest Marvel event is a lot like the previous ones.
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Yukito Kishiro may have lost the plot, but not his ability to tell a good story.
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Follows on from here. As for how well it does that...
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Bendis! Ohtagaki! Mignola! Yoshinaga! Brubaker! Nadatani! Liu! Hickman x2! AND MORE!
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John and I find that this series is still getting better, but not without its growing pains.
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24 issues. Two lengthy storylines. Too much high-concept sci-fi madness to enjoy?
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Are John and I sad Daniel Warren Johnson is leaving, or glad Robert Kirkman is taking over?
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Who wins? We do! Mostly.
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A certified Shonen Jump classic. Just not all of it.
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Myron is here for our last podcast about "The Last Ronin."
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It's not "Suicide Squad," but it's the next best thing.
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Less than the sum of its parts, but what parts!
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Publisher Kana kicked off its efforts with this "seinen" series. Was it any good?
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The future of superhero comics? A good example of the genre? Or hugely overrated so far?
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The original is one of Bendis' best, but what about its sequel?
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Does it deserve a "YO, JOE!" or just a "Eh, no?"
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Maybe not the very best run, but still one that's worth your time.
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Because no one else was going to talk about it this week! For good reason?
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Do the third volumes of both series keep the momentum going from their previous ones?
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Not an inspiring start to the Alex Segura era.
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It's Naoki Urasawa's least good series, and you may never have a chance to read it legitimately. Yay?
Not a classic, but the writer's run is still interesting (up to this point).
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On the 10th anniversary of the game, Steve and I see if the comics spun off from it are any good.
Still bizarre after all these years, or have we moved into nonsensical?
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Not just the best (only) "Nightwing" run I've read, but it's actually good too!
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Corrupts absolutely? Or rocks absolutely?! Somewhere in the middle, actually.
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Peter Parker and Norman Osborn: Friends at last? I couldn't believe it until I did.
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Better than you'd expect from a "Vader" series that's twice as long as any other one at Marvel.
A series that asks questions about the price of knowledge and finds some interesting answers.
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Soule gets his shot at the brass ring of "Star Wars" comics and gives Lando the story he's been waiting for.
It's a genuine piece of superhero comics history that I wish was better than it turned out being.
Do several prestige one-shots featuring Batman's most famous villains add up to one good time for the reader?
Shuzo Oshimi's latest is painful, but is it interesting in spite of that?
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Is vol. 2 better than vol. 1, or is this series the lame duck of the Energon Universe?
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Jason Aaron gives us a love story in the above-mentioned place, and... it's certainly a thing.
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Has Marvel done anything worthwhile with this iconic comics license since acquiring it?
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Steve is back to help me properly articulate how good this series is.
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BEWARE! Not the droids, but because the tie-ins are better than the main event!
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Martial arts action from Robert Kirkman and Chris Samnee that's good enough.
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It's the start of the Energon Universe! Does vol. 1 make for a fantastic or false start to it?
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Follows on from here. The original is a classic, but this is better than you'd think... if you give it time.
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They've done "I Kill Giants" and "Immortal Sergeant" together. Are both graphic novels worth buying? Just one? None?
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Its tone may be all over the place as a result, but this is one series that has it all!
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Liu! Spurrier! Phillips! North! Hayashida! LeHup! Takeda! All in ONE(!) single podcast!
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Chise and Elias go to school as the series tries to retain its charms while going bigger in cast and scope.
It's a two-for-one special because one of these is a lot better than the other.
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The sun goes down forever in this series. Does the same happen to my opinion of its writer, Scott Snyder?
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Follows on from this. Christine is back again as we see if this is a superior or sad follow-up to the first volume.
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Better than the original, or just more of the grimdark same? Myron is here to help me find out.
There may be only one volume of this series out, but Christine and I both agree it's a good one!
John and I see if the Enterprise's original five-year mission wraps up in a satisfying fashion.
No anniversary shenanigans. Just a look at whether or not the latest from Brubaker and Phillips is up to their own high standards.
John and I tackle the latest installment in Sean Murphy's alternate-universe "Batman" saga.
Steve is back as we discuss whether or not this series has still been killing it since its restart last year.
It's "Diet Inferno" also featuring the X-Men, Venom, Gold Goblin, Black Cat, Mary Jane, and Ms. Marvel!
My friend Marisa joins me to talk about all things "Trigun:" The original anime. The "Trigun Maximum" manga. And the new "Trigun: Stampede" anime.
Historical adventure and horror? This series is better at one of these genres than the other.
Three superhero groups take part in this fine Marvel event, but Gillen and Schiti make it a good showcase for one of them.
Kieron Gillen and Dan Mora serve up an enjoyably witty series that's all about fantasy and family drama.
Does Miles' first post-Bendis writer find an interesting angle for his ongoing adventures?
Yoshinaga! Remender! Miyazaki! Guillory! Hill! Fujimoto (x2)! AND MORE!
John and I have a new site to host reviews and provide links to the old podcasts as well. We're still in the midst of trying to get everything in order (and learn about all the fancy new tools at our disposal) so the link to it won't be coming now. Soon, I hope.
Gender-bending via magic or mental illness? Mangaka Shuzo Oshimi picks one and kind of fumbles it in the end.
As for the word on the reviews: Unless something changes, you probably won't be seeing them again on this site. However, John and I have secured a new home that he's working where you'll (eventually) get to read old and new reviews along with the podcasts as well. It'll be up soon, so keep watching this space!
Slott doesn't strike out, but he doesn't deliver a home run either.
As for what happened to all of my reviews and other writing on this site, John and I are working on a solution. It's likely going to involve re-posting them at another site, but we'll be maintaining the podcasts here. Keep watching this space!
It's a "first" over 14 years in the making as my friend Christine joins me to talk about the first original graphic novel from "Monstress'" Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda
Follows on from here. Myron is back so we can see if this second volume is better than the first.
Robert Kirkman's latest creator-owned title, with Lorenzo De Felici, wraps up in solid if unspectacular fashion.
Does this street-fighting manga from Kouji Mori represent the future of Kentaro Miura's "Berserk?"
Steve is back as we take a look at how good this hot-as-hell Jump title really is.
You'd think I'd remember to not forget the podcast after I've done it once, but I guess that's not the case! Not angry, just disappointed. In myself...
What makes this Avengers team "Savage?" Conan! Does his presence make this series good? Well...
It has its moments, but this series about a low-key clash between superbeings wasn't quite as good as I remembered it being.
Rob is back and we've got FULL SPOILER talk about the end of the Hickman era and the start of the next one.
There's a lot of pain in Fumi Yoshinaga's alternate-history epic about a shogun matriarchy, but it's all worth it in the end.
Al Ewing and company send off "Guardians of the Galaxy" in a flawed but still enjoyable event.
The latest series from the creators of "100 Bullets" has a nice shiny surface, and almost nothing underneath.
It's the first big crossover event of this era of "Star Wars" at Marvel and it's... fine?
Liu! Samura! Ewing! Thompson! Tynion! Fujimoto! And MORE in my look back at the year that was.
It's a thoroughly readable take on vampirism, even as it gets more silly as it goes on.
Edit: Oh, wait. This will probably work better if I actually upload the episode with the post!
Gillen & Hans' series is where RPG storytelling gets dark as it gets examined, and not necessarily for the better.
Do a lot of great little moments make up for a lack of an overall direction in this run?
Remender grinds another of his protagonists down, but in some interesting and beautifully-rendered ways.
Myron joins me again to talk about this historic "Venom" run and the event series which capped it off.
This sci-fi space opera allegory about Amazon, organized religion and the people caught in between has its moments, but whiffs it in the end.
The famed writer's first comics' work starts slow, but gets much better when it takes to the stars.
Morrison and Paquette's reinvention of the character is a good one -- provided you make it to the end.
A flawed-but-fascinating take on a legendary bluesman from one of the last creators you'd expect!
You're better off enjoying "WandaVision" on its own terms than checking out this key story that inspired it.
Rob is back as we try to find out if "Calvinball" is a good basis for an "X-Men" crossover.
The good, the bad, and the "What the hell did he do to Frank Castle?" of Cate's cosmic comics.
Steve is back so we can talk about the new hotness from Shonen Jump and the crazy series its creator did before it.
Does the writer's work on the Armored Avenger compare favorably to his legendary run on "Amazing Spider-Man?"
Rob joins us again to talk about the current state of the X-Titles. Spoilers: It's pretty good!
FINALLY! Hickman and Dragotta's fictional apocalypse has more than enough style to make up for any lack of substance.
The latest volume, "Cruel Summer," isn't just good, it completes the circle of the series.
The writer didn't just do runs at the House of Ideas, he did a bunch of random stuff too.
Thanks to David Rubin, Matt Kindt's most accessible creator-owned series is also his best looking.
It's actually a bad thing that this, and other DC/Dark Horse crossovers, will be going out of print soon.
Rob and Myron return so we can find out if this is the next big Shonen Jump series, or the worst "Bond" movie never made.
Myron and Rob join me for this podcast as we try to find out if this "Dragonball Z"-inspired series is a true homage or just a rip-off.
We may not have recorded this at Fanime, but that's not going to stop us from talking up this classic series about life in the quirkiest boys' dorm.
It's been consistently entertaining up to this point, but does Aaron's run have a worthy ending?
Stjepan Sejic offers a gorgeous, if arguably incomplete, look at the origin of Harley Quinn.
There's a reason it took me so long to get around to talking about this...
Edit: Whoops! Here's the actual podcast in addition to its post.
It's a vampire story with two protagonists. One of whom is clearly more interesting than the other.
This year, it's all about the waiting. Featuring Samura, Gillen, King, Warren, Johnson and more!
Cliff Chiang's art is great, but Brian Vaughan's attempt at creating a puzzle box of a comic is decidedly uneven.
Because nothing says Christmas like talking about Warren Ellis and Jon Davis' Hunt's efforts to reboot an imprint. As well as inviting Myron back to talk about why Wildstorm was worth rebooting in the first place.
Does the finale to Remender and Scalera's mad sci-fi epic grind its protagonist into dust, raise him to the heavens, or try to do both?
It takes more than just a gun to earn that designation as one of the best, and certainly the weirdest, zombie manga wraps up.
A series whose dumbness is matched only by its hilarity and ambition in finding new ways to provide fanservice!
Gillen and McKelvie stick the landing, even as they leave you wishing a certain character had run off with the ending.
John and I talk about the new movie, while I make the case for even more Joker origin stories than the ones we already have in the comics.
"The Walking Dead" wasn't the only series started by Robert Kirkman to wrap up this year. Does it deliver a better ending?
Gillen made magic happen on "Darth Vader." Does he do it again here, with and without Salvador Larroca?
I find out if the prolific (former) Marvel writer has got his mojo back with his new creator-owned titles and "Superman: The Man of Steel."
John and I take a mulligan this week to talk about a series that's fun because it does things you won't see elsewhere, sometimes for good reason.
Wagner's epic fantasy trilogy is finally complete after three decades. Was it worth the wait?
The flaws of this series are forgivable under the scope of its ambition, ideas, and amazing art.
I look at the late, great manga writer's non-terrible and actually good collaborations with Ryoichi Ikegami.
Anyone looking to make a drinking game out of this episode is advised to take a shot each time I mention "female wish fulfillment" when talking about "Crying Freeman." It really wasn't something I was expecting to engage with before re-reading it...
Strap in as Myron and I take an in-depth look at this epic milestone anthology celebration of Batman.
This series about the beginning of Darth Vader's infamy is inextricably linked in my mind to its predecessor. For worse, and for better.
Follows on from this. Myron's back to help figure out if this latest Spider-event is any good or if you should just watch "Into the Spider-Verse" again.
In which I find lots of ways to say, "It's good, but not as good as 'The Ancient Magus' Bride'" about Kore Yamazaki's latest series.
Will I say something problematic or insightful about this pair of graphic novels featuring an African-American reporter going undercover as a white man in the 1920's?
A fancy way of saying that, along with the live-action movie, I'll be talking about the "Holy Night and Other Stories" and "Ashen Victor" collections.
I look at several recent releases, and one old one, to determine what makes a comic scary.
Featuring criminals, lovers, madmen, graphic violence, clever plans, and laugh-out-loud moments throughout the list, and all together in the year's best read.
John and I talk about the winter's BEST superhero movie while I go on about the comics that inspired it.
The stories that inspired the movie aren't bad, even if their defensiveness does them no favors.
(And if anyone's wondering what I thought about the movie, I'll just say that it was fine.)
Does Kodansha's second manga-based anthology from international creators fare any better than its first?
Should I hold out hope that "Gideon Falls" will turn out well after the endings of "Descender" and "Royal City?"
John and I tackle a "Batman" story that does a lot of interesting things, but doesn't really take any of them far enough.
It has its faults, but this series is still a captivating, magical take on the "Beauty and the Beast" setup.
The true stories of Andre the Giant, Andy Kaufman, and Tetris make for excellent reading in this graphic novelist's hands.
It's "The War of the Worlds" by way of "The Wind in the Willows" and exactly as fun as that sounds.
Why do a major "Doctor Strange" story in the pages of his ongoing title when you can spin it out into a mini-event instead!
BEHOLD, the manga sitcom that wants to tell a serialized story but with characters too one-dimensional for it to work!
Three different "Avengers" titles wrap up their runs in this perfectly serviceable event series.
Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo follow up their classic "Batman" run with this event series that's the definition of "good, but not great."
I go back to our first podcast to give a full accounting of this strange and fascinating series that's maybe a bit too hopeful for its own good.
I go back to our first podcast to talk about some of the best licensed comics around. Mostly in the first omnibus.
Myron is back and we share our thoughts on "Infinity War" and the comics that inspired it.
The only comic on the stands with the balls to bill itself as "The greatest comic in the universe!" and the quality to back it up.
Steve is back to talk about two new manga that deserve your time and money. We also talk a bit about "Golden Kamuy," "Not-Genshiken" follow-up "Spotted Flower" and "Delicious in Dungeon."
My friend Steve joins us to talk about this sequel series that applies great characterization to a fundamentally unworkable premise.
A killer premise has both good and bad soap opera foisted upon it in this sci-fi series.
Liked the movie? Then you'll like the graphic novels that spawned it. The first volume, at least.
John and I talk about the movie, and I go into what is widely considered to be the character's definitive run.
I take it easy this week and give you my thoughts on "Detective Comics vol. 4: Deus Ex Machina" and "Batman vol. 4: The War of Jokes and Riddles."
A manga so nice it's been license-rescued twice! Its new shonen manga anthology "Neo Parasyte m" is also pretty good.
One of the rare times where it was a lot easier to pick the worst of the year than the best.
"Gantz" creator Hiroyu Oku tells all you youngsters to GET OFF HIS LAWN in this predictable sci-fi action series.
The "Justice League" movie got you down? Here's a take on the team that does it justice and is positively overflowing with ideas -- to its benefit and detriment.
It may not be part of the Mignolaverse, but Mignola, Golden, Stenbeck and Bergting's period supernatural horror series is definitely worth a look (it's first half, at least).
The writer does the (not hard) job of delivering the best take on "Old Man Logan" yet, and his new creator-owned title is worth a look as well.
There is tremendous skill and craft underpinning this incredibly, but not completely, depressing work.
Whoever wins, we lose! ...No it's not one of the better "X-Men" crossover events, but there's better stuff in the tie-in issues.
The original "Alias" remains one of Bendis' best, and the Netflix series is pretty good too.
This manga is an invaluable document of information about the cleanup efforts regarding the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plan. It also serves as a reminder of the importance of narrative when it comes to presenting information as a graphic novel.
Was this event series as bad as everyone says it was? I look into it and some of its tie-ins.
The movie's good and there's plenty of other comics about Diana of Themyscira that are worth checking out too.
Spiritual successor to this. Are there any interesting skeletons in the publisher's catalog of uncollected manga?
Does Tim Seely and Mike Norton's (quirky) rural noir (horror) series stick the landing in its final volume?
Why was the original anime film being talked up so much in advance of the live-action version? Because the source manga is highly overrated.
John Layman and Rob Guillory's great, demented series comes to an end and I try to find out if the series was well-planned enough to make its ending work.
The original series is a justified classic, while its long-delayed sequel manages a few redeeming qualities.
By most people's standards, he's the next big thing in comic book writing. Not mine, however.
Hickman! Kirkman! Mignola! Matsui! Gillen (x2)! Tsubaki! All of these creators and more can be found on my list.
Gillen and Larroca's epic about Vader's fall and rise is the best "Star Wars" comic to come out of Marvel and a must-read for all franchise fans.
A deeply uneven thematic crossover where the one series I was prepared to ignore offered up the best story.
My initial thoughts were that it was terrible. Now I'm giving it a second try with the "Anthology" and first "Colossal Edition."
In light of our recent election I really had no choice but to revisit Warren Ellis and Darick Robertson's eerily prescient and essential series.
Regardless of how the movie turns out, there have been lots of good stories (and some not so good) featuring Marvel's Sorceror Supreme.
The classic strips from Berkeley Breathed's comic in the 80's are the best way to relive the decade, but as for its current revival...
This spy series from Brubaker and Epting is great fun, so long as you're only admiring its surface.
He'll always be best known as the creator of "Oh My Goddess," but that doesn't mean it's the only title of his you should check out.
The answer: Lots of cheap stuff from the likes of Vaughan, Hill, Wood, Mignola, Kindt, and more (including some re-bought Gillen)!
Digital Manga utilized the crowdfunding platform to bring us a very uneven selection of works from the God of Manga.
I haven't seen the movie yet, because the classic run from John Ostrander (and Kim Yale) satisfies my craving for the squad's adventures.
It's a newly-minted Eisner-winning series and a return to form for Brubaker and Phillips.
The first volume of this series about childhood bullying and teen atonement is brilliant. The six that follow are still pretty good.
Comics' greatest one-note joke has the legs to tackle everything from sword and sorcery parodies to the 2008 financial crash.
My friend Steve joins us again at Fanime. This time, to talk about some manga he actually likes!
(The con was awesome, as usual. Expect my thoughts on it this Friday.)
Fifteen volumes in and still more on the way. Except I'm now done with this once-great series.
Tsutomu Nihei's latest series may be his most conventional, but it may be his most entertaining as well.
Jodorowsky! Manara! Kirkman! Miller! Simonson! Waid! Milligan! Arakawa! All in this podcast (most for 50% off)!
Myron joins us to talk about the Heroes in a Half-Shell's history while I talk up the new comics from IDW.
In which an astonishing array of international talent comes together to deliver a predictably uneven anthology.
In which I dive into digital comics and find out that the legendary run by Joe Kelly isn't all it's cracked up to be.
What do "Nimona," "Terror Assaulter," "Black River," "Killing and Dying," and "Shaft" all have in common? I ordered them all together to see if they deserved a spot on my "Best of 2015" list.
Featuring works from Vaughan, Stevenson, Yasuhiko, Busiek, Morishige, Powell, Gaiman, and (of course) Samura.
I went and re-read all thirty-one volumes of this series to find out if it still holds up after its conclusion.
In which I'm reminded that there is no series that doesn't read better when you go through it all at once... But it reads best if you're a guy who's still in touch with his inner 15-year-old.
The first collections of Marvel's new "Star Wars" comics show the publisher to be doing right by the license. Any guesses as to how long it'll stay that way?
In which Al Ewing tells a great Loki story, which successfully builds on Kieron Gillen's work with the character.
Two entertaining Bat-projects that will really test how much you've been paying attention to Scott Snyder's run on the main title.
Thanks to the great Viz manga shrinkage, I finally get around to seeing if this shonen action/fantasy series is as good as everyone says it is.
The first volume of "The Complete ElfQuest" belongs in any serious comic fan's library. Now if only Dark Horse would get around to reprinting the rest of what came after so I can actually enjoy "The Final Quest."
Garth Ennis may have created "Crossed," but Si Spurrier is the first to show that another writer can do it justice.
One of the weakest Marvel events in recent memory. At least it allowed me to get caught up on Cullen Bunn's "Magneto!"
My thoughts on volumes 21 & 22 as the series wraps up in a satisfying way that still isn't on par with the best it has had to offer.
Could be said to follow on from this. My thoughts on "Wytches" vol. 1, "Rumble" vol. 1, "Invincible" vol. 21, "The Wicked + The Divine" vol. 2, and "The Autumnlands" vol. 1 -- listed and discussed in ascending order of quality.
Brian Wood's creator-owned follow-up to "DMZ" has its moments, but never fully realizes its potential.
Mike Carey and Peter Gross' story about stories isn't part of Vertigo's A-list, but is a solid read overall.
Myron joins us to talk about what may be Dan Slott's last major Spider-event. It's marred by predictability and some weak antagonists, but at least it has some great goofy stuff around the edges.
You can't go wrong with any of the numbered volumes of the Rabbit Ronin's adventures! As for his latest, "Senso," well...
My friend Steve joins us as we discuss this XTREEEM Japanese male power fantasy, which has not been license-rescued for some reason...
The Original Writer's long out-of-print classic still holds up really well today. Even with all the extra padding in these new editions.
Best comic I'll read this year? Biggest disappointment I've experienced in ages? Or somewhere in between. My thoughts on the final volume of my favorite ongoing series.
Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang's take on DC's Amazon warrior princess has been one of the consistent highlights of the "New 52." Does their finale measure up to the rest of their run?
Believe it or not, there are still some quality comics that haven't been reprinted in collected editions. As well as a bunch that have been left that way for good reason...
I've seen the anime. My friend Rob has not. Did I enjoy this new take on the series? Did he think it even made sense? The answer to these questions and a whole lot more are waiting for you.
Comics' foremost teacher has given us the essential text "Understanding Comics," and the less-essential-but-still-fun "Zot!" and "The Sculptor."
There's a lot more to the manga compared to what you saw in the movie. Maybe not as mind-blowing, but still worth a look.
I thought this would wind up being commercial suicide. It wound up being one of the more interesting and weird superhero titles I've read in recent memory.
Writer/artist Jeff Lemire fashions an engaging story out of some very familiar parts with this series.
Bryan Talbot's ongoing series of graphic novels about anthropomorphic animals in an alternate steampunk history is a fantastic mash-up of genres.
Maybe not the last podcast I do for Dark Horse's "Star Wars" titles, but I offer my thoughts on the final two volumes of Brian Wood's "Star Wars," the concluding volume of "Legacy vol. II," and Matt Kindt's "Rebel Heist."
Proof that it can be worthwhile to stick with a series even if its first volume fails to impress.
Where I talk about the comic adaptations of "Noah" and "Django Unchained" and say a few more words about "Alien: The Illustrated Story" and "The Star Wars."
Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips' latest collaboration isn't a bad one. It's just the least good of their efforts so far.
(I don't know what went wrong when I posted this on Wednesday, but here it is at last.)
(The follow-up to this.) Mohiro Kitoh's series about kids who give their lives to pilot a giant mech is at its best when it goes where other series of its kind don't. Which I wish it did more often.
Not the best Geoff Johns-written DC event (that would be "Blackest Night") but better than the worst (which would be "Flashpoint").
Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill's assemblage of famous literary figures starts out fantastic, then becomes really weird while still being pretty good.
"It's like if Stephen King wrote a Shonen Jump title" is the best way I can think of to describe this series that's as good as it is bizarre. rimshot
Not as fun or accessible as the movie (which John and I also get into here), but still good entertainment.
Re-reading vols. 1-7 of "Morning Glories" only further cemented its "Lost"-ness in my mind. "Mind MGMT" on the other hand...
Can two former critical and fan-favorite titles make a comeback from an awful crossover?
John and I share our thoughts on "Days of Future Past," while I talk about one of the most entertaining X-titles in recent memory.
It turns out that the writer's other work with Batman, Daredevil, Punisher and "Crossed" isn't indicative of his brilliance in "Stray Bullets."
Mike Richardson has done some great things in the industry as publisher/co-founder of Dark Horse Comics. He hasn't done quite as much as a writer.
(Could be said to follow on from here.) If you've ever wondered where the writer gets his passion for war stories, then you'll find your answer here.
In which I talk about the three works that have officially been released from this mangaka in English -- including the recent "Nijigahara Holograph"-- and try to convey why it would be a good thing if more of his works were translated and brought out here.
This manga about a time traveling bath engineer from Roman times is very silly, yet winds up being a bit of superior fluff in the end.
It has its issues, but this is the best big-event series I've read from Marvel in years.
I get caught up on the solo exploits of the B.P.R.D.'s famous fish-man and find them to be good comfort food for fans of the series.
Does J. Michael Straczynski still have his creator-owned mojo? Or has it turned to crap like his recent superhero comics?
One of the longest Marvel runs in recent memory, and one of the most consistently entertaining as well. Not without its issues, of course.
Yeah, I didn't realize we had hit this magic number when it was recorded. My Top 10 for 2013, the best I didn't read from this calendar year and the worst all inside.
Our buddy Brandon joins us this week to talk about this innovative run whose flaws are ultimately overcome by its frequent brilliance.
Also, those of you looking for a more seasonal "Batman" story are recommended to click here.
Myron's back as we talk about a series that, once it gets going, really justifies its reputation as one of the greatest Shonen Jump titles.
My friend Michael Stretton joins us this week to talk about a series that entertains. Both in spite of and because of its ridiculousness.
Geoff Johns' character-and-franchise-defining run comes to a close in thrilling fashion (with some silliness and sloppiness too).
My thoughts on one of the best rising talents out there. Whatever she does next, I'm there for it!
It's a good take on the hero/villain mind-switcharoo trope, so long as you can summon the necessary suspension of disbelief regarding one little detail.
David Petersen's epic about mice forging their own medival society is as good as the wait between volumes is interminable!
(And don't mind the bumped podcast below. There's nothing new if you've listened to it before, just some issues with editing the post itself...)
Find out why Rick Remender's run is the real deal and how successor Sam Humpries' take stacks up so far.
It certainly has its issues, but Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata's manga about making manga is consistently entertaining and a whole lot better than their signature series "Death Note."
It's a story about a hitman that defies convention in ways that make up for its excesses.
If I was going to recommend one run about the exploits of Marvel's First Family, this would be it.
If you haven't, you'll want to read this first. My thoughts on "Stitches," "Chicken With Plums," and "Mendel's Daughter." One of these is very much worth your time and money. The other two... not so much.
He's one of the best and most compelling artists working in the industry today. His writing isn't bad either. VIVA LA GRONCH!
This one comes with a big caveat (see if you can guess what it is), but this collection of every tie-in to the crossover event is more entertaining than the event itself.
Glick's Note: The name of Kieron Gillen's Kid Loki series is "Journey Into Mystery." I can't believe I blanked on that in the middle of the podcast...
What are they? Click to find out. (Most likely the first part of a multi-part series.)
Glick's Note: I would've included Moto Hagio's excellent "A, A'" in here as well, but Shaenon Garrity wrote about its virtues much more compellingly than I would've managed.
His accounts of Pyongyang, Shenzen, Burma and Jerusalem are all worth checking out -- though one stands above the rest.
As the third movie bears down upon us, I take a look at these creators' entertaining but very uneven run on this title.
We go back to the old school to talk about Will Eisner's definitive graphic novel masterworks.
Is Naoki Urasawa's sprawling epic of childhood imagination gone awry as good as its buildup, or is it a cleverly-disguised mess? Find out inside. Also, I explore its (tenuous) connection to "Batman: The Long Halloween."
What haven't I talked about in the last several months? Morrison's "Action Comics," the latest "The Walking Dead," Kaoru Mori's "Anything & Something," "Northlanders vol. 7," "Gantz vol. 26" and "21st Century Boys vol. 1."
Not so much a crossover as it is a "branded event." Bendis, Wood, and Humprhies make a good show about shaking up the Ultimate Universe, even if it only postpones the inevitable.
Blood, (muscle) bombs, and boobs, Boobs, BOOBS about in Oh!Great's fighting series that can be as fun as it is ridiculous.
I was considering calling this the "Popecast," but then common sense intervened. If you're not familiar with the man or his work, then you NEED to listen to this.
From Wolverine to Hellboy to Adolf to Dahmer to Butcher to Dash and more, it's all here in my take on what last year had to offer.
Vertical reissues one of Tezuka's later works which results in two more "bricks" that belong in your library.
Garth Ennis proves that he can still craft worthwhile material even when plunging straight into his own brand of self-indulgence.
Mitsuru Adachi's baseball manga is as exciting in its focus on the actual game as it is irritating with its romance between the protagonists.
Jason Aaron and R.M. Guera's Native American crime drama may not always be pretty or easy to take, but it's a compelling and rewarding read.
With Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm it seems inevitable that the company will lose the license in the near future. Is that a good thing? I'm not convinced.
This fantasy webcomic may start off as a narrowly-defined satire of D&D rules, but it eventually becomes so much more.
(Addendum to the podcast: I don't know how I managed to go through the whole podcast without mentioning it, but the comic can be found at http://www.giantitp.com/Comics.html)
Five volumes of Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez's supernatural thriller/mystery series are available now. Once you read them, you will froth at the mouth for the next volume.
My buddy Rob joins us as we take on Mark Waid's comics of superhero disgrace and redemption.
You'll learn more than you ever wanted to about Japanese "otaku" from this series, but the way Shimoku Kio does it with humor, honesty and humanity.
Thank god for Kieron Gillen and "Journey Into Mystery" or else Marvel's latest crossover event would've been a total wash so far.
The best Spider-Man title stands the test of time and soldiers on into the future... but not without a hitch or two.
What hath "Hellboy" and "8-bit Theater" wrought? A thoroughly enjoyable take on the awesomeness of science and Carl Sagan!
Geoff Johns and Gary Frank deliver a pretty decent start to what is effectively "Ultimate Batman." John and I also tackle "The Dark Knight Rises" and whether or not it was a fitting end to the saga.
One owes a deep debt to "Lost" and the other is an amalgamation of the exploits of many different hackers. Neither of them have anything in common -- OR DO THEY?!?
Brian Wood's allegory for our divided times may seem like medicine, but it's still a compelling read.
Or, the "new seven" based on the titles talked about here. It's a full house as myself, John, Myron and our buddies Chris and Eddie sound off here.
Further proof that there is no subject manga can't tackle (Window washers in low Earth orbit!) and do it well, too.
How much do you buy into the idea of Nick Fury, master spy and badass of the Marvel Universe? However much you do, that's how much you'll like this title.
Every era gets their due, Casey does revisionist history, Busiek tries to energize the formula, I say some nice things about Millar and more.
Unemployable students of a Buddhist university take odd jobs from the dead in a series that's as good as it is sales-challenged.
If not for Azzarello and Risso's "Batman," then this whole event would've been a complete wash.
In which I admit that I was wrong about this series. At least, for the reasons I've hammered it for in the past.
We're breaking the fourth wall today courtesy of "No Longer Human," "Animal Man," and "The Unwritten."
I return to the well of "Star Wars" comics yet again with my thoughts on why the John Ostrander-scripted series is one of the best.
Correction to the Podcast: According to Wikipedia, artist Jan Duursema is NOT married to Ostrander, but actually to his frequent collaborator Tom Mandrake. Which probably explains how they got to know each other in the first place.
No ranking, just the ten best books I read this year, the best thing I read that didn't come out this year, and some hate for the worst.
These two hardcovers are great reads for people well-versed in their continuity prior to the "New 52" reboot. Less so for everyone else.
The final installment in Max Allan Collins' crime saga closes out an imprint that never lived up to its potential.
It's Warren Ellis' most substantial post-"Transmetropolitan" project, and ultimately not as good as it should've been.
Miller's latest continues the man's slow decline. Plus a few words on the awesomeness of "Arkham City."
In which John and I talk about webcomics and I go on at length about one of the best -- which is also one of the most frustrating.
Raise your goblet of rock and thrash out to my thoughts on the most METAL series in comics. Bat heads and makeup not included.
It's deja vu all over again! I talk about another "Star Wars" series I picked up at Comic-Con.
Marvel's Main Man guides its top franchise into the Heroic Age. Also: Some rants about the DCU New 52.
Terry Moore, of "Strangers in Paradise" fame and a specialist in down-to-earth character drama, gives us a sci-fi story. It works better than you'd think.
I made an effort to start buying his stuff at the con, and it turns out the man is almost as good as his hype.
Everything I didn't review before the Con: "Battlefields vol. 2," "Bullet to the Head," "Cowboys," "Incognito: Bad Influences," "Casanova: Gula," and "Ooku vol. 6."
Ed Brubaker may have written the defining run on this character, but he's not the only author to have written worthwhile Cap stories.
Because sometimes there's more to a title than tits and ass. "Tenjo Tenge," "Sundome," and "High School of the Dead" get their due here.
I talk about the comics the new movie takes its name from, and make my pitch for an "X-Factor" film.
My friend Steve joins me as we tackle a series that didn't turn out to be what you'd call "good," but was certainly memorable.
It's that time again! My thoughts on Simonson's definitive run, plus a few words on Straczynski, Ellis and Ennis' contributions.
Bill Willingham's long-running series reaches a major milestone, and shows that it still has lots of gas in the tank.
When bad things involving giant mecha happen to junior high kids who (mostly) don't deserve it.
It's a grand showcase for one of the manliest of pursuits -- mountain climbing! With a special appearance by Sebastian from NPFOM!
My take on (mostly) the latter half of the series that made Geoff Johns' name in the DC Universe.
One each from Ellis, Ennis, Vaughan, and Mignola, two from Gillen, one from Europe, and three manga.
A podcast devoted to Tokyopop. Now here's something I'd never thought I'd be doing when I started podcasting.
Brian K. Vaughan and Tony Harris' political/sci-fi series wraps up and comes off very well in retrospect.
Yes, I really do think we could stand to get more crazy series from Europe like this brought over here.
My take on a phenomenally talented artist whose writing... well, at least it's getting better.
New volumes of "Peepo Choo," "Nightschool," and "Empowered" are out, so I decided to talk about them all here.
Kenichi Sonoda's "magnum opus." In the sense that it's his best work, and that it involves lots and lots of guns.
This week I talk about the first Warren Ellis comic to get a movie adaptation, and then offer a post-mortem on the imprint it came from.
"Crossed," "Old Man Logan," and "The Dark Tower: The Battle of Jericho Hill." One of these I really liked. The other two... not so much.
Or: Manga from people who aren't Japanese. Grab yourself some popcorn and a drink, this one's a monster.
They're full of epic, ambitious sci-fi superhero action, and a few examples of how NOT to tell a story in a multi-title crossover.
Much better than you'd expect from something that's the licensed spin-off of a licensed spin-off.
Because not only can I not stop talking about this series, we've seen a lot of it this year as well.
In a move that should surprise no one, I talk about another comic book character who has a movie coming out this weekend.
In which I call robot BS on Naoki Urasawa's update of the classic Tezuka Astro Boy story.
In which I ask YOU to save Hiroki Endo's "Eden: It's an Endless World," because I sure as hell doubt that Dark Horse will.
Prepare yourself for twenty minutes of me gushing over how great this series is... because it's true.
I celebrate 50 podcasts by embracing sobriety and talking about another great comic adapted into an okay TV show.
I don't think this imprint is long for the world, but there's been some decent stuff published so far.
This take on the descent of Christ's bloodline is ultimately flawed, but still a fascinating and compelling read.
"Astonishing X-Men: Ghost Box" and "Astral Project:" Two titles that had interesting ideas, but didn't successfully execute them.
And to finish off the year, here are my thoughts on one of the best writers working on American comics today.
Last time it was a man, this time I talk about one of the most exciting female talents working in manga today.
WE LIVE AGAIN!!! And to celebrate -- here's a podcast about one of the most exciting talents in manga today.
Almost in time for Veterans' Day -- my thoughts on the genre that Ennis keeps coming back to time and time again.
(Sorry about the delay. My computer has been giving me crap all week and I've finally bludgeoned it to the point where it'll go on the internet, but keeps throwing system errors at me.)
And now for a series, and a creator, that should have been around much longer than they were.
In which I drag the NPFOM crew into a discussion on some of the more noteworthy Star Wars comics published by Dark Horse.
Just so you know, Marvel's "Annihilation" and DC's "Green Lantern: The Sinestro Corps War" are as good as you've heard.
Volumes 15-21 show that even a flawed "BotI" arc is better than most series' best efforts.
It's not perfect, but it does feature one of the best-written superheroes ever in comics.
In honor of the one year anniversary of this podcast, the No Podcast for Old Men crew come over and discuss Azzarello and Bermejo's "Joker."
Yeah, not only is this late, but it's not the "100 Bullets" podcast I promised. That's been done and will be up in due time. In the meantime, I picked up a metric assload of comics from Comic-Con and am in the process of reading through them all. I'll see if I can post the full list at some point, but I'm likely to get several podcasts out of the stuff I picked up over the last five days.
The life of Japan's greatest swordsman gets reimagined as a Shonen Jump manga restaged as art. Wait, it's actually good!
When this was originally recorded, I had no idea what I'd be doing for the next podcast. Then I spent the last week re-reading all of Azzarello and Risso's "100 Bullets" in preparation for the release of the final volume this week. Just thought I'd let you all know what's coming next...
Wanton violence against the undead, knives to the eyes, cannibalism and pie! What more could you want from a comic?
And yes, this should've been up last week, but due to unforgivable personal circumstances it wasn't. My bad. Look for the "What I've Been Reading" post tomorrow or on Sunday, depending on whether or not I get a chance to upload it from AX.
The bricks in question being "MW," "Apollo's Song," and "Ode to Kirihito," listed in ascending order of excellence.
Stephen King's signature work gets an enjoyable series of prequels that still could've and should've been even better.
For those of you who weren't scared off by the title, you're bound to find something to interest you in my look at highbrow manga.
In a move that should surprise absolutely no one, I talk about everyone's favorite X-Men character this week.
And we're back! This week I'm talking about X-Men and the build-up and follow-through of "Messiah Complex."
Cops. Superheroes. Bendis. Oeming. It's as good as you've heard. Click on the link for the full story.
No, it really couldn't have been anything else this week. Comics' "Citizen Kane" gets its due here.
He's the creator of "Azumanga Daioh" and "Yotsuba&!," two series well worth your time.
That said, after we did the podcast, I came home and found some things out. Corrections/updates to the podcast follow after the break.
First off, Kiyohiko Azuma is really a guy. It's been generally assumed that because he draws really cute stuff and has a first name ending in the "-ko" suffix (usually reserved for girls) that "he" was really a "she." That's not the case, and we should've found this out before we did the podcast. So, my bad. does the "my bad" dance
The other thing is that Yen Press has only acquired the rights to volume six of "Yotsuba&!" Finding this out certainly diminishes some of the excitement that I had while recording the podcast, but there's some fun to be had in speculating why it's the only volume they've announced. I'm betting that either Azuma or Media Works (the company that publishes the series in Japan) is gunshy about licensing out the series again after the debacle that their relationship with ADV Manga turned into. So, they're only giving Yen rights to that one volume (plus the previous five, which I hear they're negotiating with what's left of ADV Manga for the rights to use their translations) to see how this shakes out.
Or, it could be that with what the economy the way it is, Yen is just putting out volume six to see if it'll still sell. I can't fault them for thinking like that, but I think they'll be pleasantly surprised once the volume is released. The series inspires a certain... "fervor" among a lot of anime and manga fans on the internet (there's a reason Yotsuba is one of the many mascots of 4chan) to the point where even if they've already read scanlations online, they'll pick up the print version because they love it that much.
Anyway, even if it does turn out to be just one volume, more "Yotsuba&!" is a good thing no matter which way you look at it. And if Yen Press does drop the ball... then I'll just go back to hoping that Dark Horse picks it up.
"Soon" turned out to be 96 hours later, but here are my thoughts on Garth Ennis' other classic series.
In which the works of Frank Miller and Will Eisner's "Spirit" get their due, 'cause of the movie.
Jason here, and if you can read this and listen to the podcast, it means that I managed to publish everything right. I figured now was as good a time as any to start updating the site myself, so (for what it's worth) you'll be listening to and reading me here from now on. This week... I couldn't think of a particular theme that I wanted to tackle, so it was just a look at what I bought at the shop last week which included "Thunderbolts vol. 2: Caged Angels" (makes me wish Ellis was writing more), "B.P.R.D. vol. 9: 1946" (which shows that John Arcudi and Guy Davis are the series' real stars) and "Batman/Grendel" (two crossovers, one of which is very good, and the other is just okay).
This week, Jason reviews nothing but manga. NOTE: this was recorded before the Halloween episode last week.
This week, Jason reviews some of the independent works of Warren Ellis. Thanks for listening.
This week, Jason reviews the manga 'Eagle' and Wildcats v3.0. Yes, they are about politics!
This week, Jason reviews series done by Robert Kirkman. Invincible, Marvel Zombies, Ultimate X-men.
Join us this week as Jason reviews a few of the Superman books he picked up at Comic Con in San Diego.
Jason reviews some of the comics that he picked up at Comic-con 2008. Sam & Twitch v2, Spiderman and the Black Cat, Slam Dunk, Black Lagoon, etc... Thanks for listening.
Join us this week as Jason continues his Dark Horse Manga picks that are from the more recent selections.
This week, Jason discusses Dark Horse Manga's earlier titles such as Ah My Goddess, Blade of the Immortal, Lone Wolf and Cub, and Ghost in the Shell.
This week, Jason reviews Hellboy and B.P.R.D. to coincide with the Hellboy II movie out in theaters.
This week, Jason brings you reviews of The Complete Persepolis, Deadpool vs. Marvel Universe, and Preacher.
This week, continuity is what the theme of Jason's picks are. He reviews X-Men: Supernova, Ultimate Spiderman, and Golgo 13.
Jason's picks for this week are: Sleeper, Gunsmith Cats: Burst, and R.O.D - Read Or Die manga.
This week, Jason reviews three volumes with a post apocalyptic theme. The Walking Dead, The Drifting Classroom, and Dragonhead.
Our inaugural show! Jason introduces us to the Aliens Omnibus: Vol. 2, and Mushishi: Vol. 3 as we reign in yet another podcast to the network.