Episode 162 – The Fixer: A Story From Sarajevo

Posted on June 8, 2022 by Kevin Moreau

(Content warning: At least one swear word; sexual exploitation)

After a brief pause, our True Stories miniseries returns with Joe Sacco’s The Fixer: A Story From Sarajevo, published by Drawn and Quarterly!

Part character study, part history lesson, The Fixer examines the bloody Bosnian War of the 1990s, mainly through the character of Neven, a former soldier who spins eyebrow-raising tales of his own exploits while shepherding journalist Sacco through a recovering Sarajevo at the tail end of the conflict.

Exactly how much of what Neven says can be trusted? And can this account of life during wartime plant its flag in that No Man’s Land known as … The Comics Canon?

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Episode 161 – Thor: God of Thunder (2012): The God Butcher

Posted on May 25, 2022 by Kevin Moreau

In this episode, we take a short break from our current True Stories miniseries for a look at Thor: The God Butcher by Jason Aaron and Esad Ribic, published by Marvel Comics!

This five-issue story kicks off writer Jason Aaron’s epic run of Thor stories, and provides some inspiration for this summer’s Thor: Love and Thunder. Hurtling back and forth through time between the 9th century, the present and the far, far future, this ambitious tale pits the Odinson against Gorr, the titular god butcher, whose name and occupation sport a very extreme 90s vibe!

Will Marvel’s God of Thunder prevail against this cosmic serial killer? And can he survive his time on that butcher’s block known as … The Comics Canon?

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Episode 160 – Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts

Posted on May 11, 2022 by Kevin Moreau

(Content warning: Slavery, rape, and execution)

True Stories continues with a spirited discussion of Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts, by Rebecca Hall and Hugo Martinez.

This captivating graphic novel from 2021 follows Rebecca Hall’s efforts to shed light on the unheralded role of Black women in slave uprisings in the early 18th century and the institutional obstacles she faced along the way. Aided by the inventive artwork of Hugo Martinez, she gives voice to women who sacrificed so much for the cause of freedom.

 

In This Episode:

  • Treason against the state
  • Spoiler alert for Toni Morrison’s “Beloved”
  • The evolution of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade
  • Louis Riel by Chester Brown
  • Atlanta Season 3 Episode 4: “The Big Payback”
  • Comics for Ukraine: Sunflower Seeds

Join us in two weeks as we take a short break from our True Stories miniseries with a look at Thor: The God Butcher!

Until then:
Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise!
Rate us on Apple Podcasts!
Send us an email!
Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook!

And as always, thanks for listening!

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Episode 159 – One! Hundred! Demons!

Posted on April 27, 2022 by Kevin Moreau

 

 

 

 

True Stories, our series on autobiographical and nonfiction comics, continues with Lynda Barry’s emphatically punctuated One! Hundred! Demons!

This collection of vignettes finds the acclaimed cartoonist grappling with such demons as a horrible boyfriend, teenage regrets, a difficult mother, a bad acid trip and the 2000 presidential election.

The results are alternately charming, hilarious, melancholy, insightful and heartbreaking. But are they good enough to score a landslide victory at that ballot box known as … The Comics Canon?

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Episode 158 – American Splendor

Posted on April 13, 2022 by Kevin Moreau

We kick off True Stories, a series on autobiographical and nonfiction comics, with a look at Harvey Pekar’s American Splendor!

While not the first comics work to chronicle the real-life exploits of its creator, American Splendor broke ground as an ongoing series that told an impressively diverse range of stories within the confines of an autobiographical, slice-of-life title. Along the way, it also made him a minor celebrity—first through a series of appearances on Late Night With David Letterman and later via a 2003 feature film starring Paul Giamatti as Harvey.

From observational musings about everyday moments to warts-and-all depictions of Pekar’s obsessions, grudges and personal foibles, American Splendor helped to redefine what comics could be and do. But is that enough to help it survive on those mean streets known as … The Comics Canon?

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Episode 157 – The Moon Knight Episode

Posted on March 30, 2022 by Kevin Moreau

Today marks the debut of the new Moon Knight series on Disney+, and to mark the occasion, we’re diving into the career of everyone’s favorite multiple-personality Avenger with a look at a few different eras of Moon Knight comics, published by Marvel Comics.

First, we review 1980’s Moon Knight #1  Doug Moench and Bill Sinkiewicz, followed by a two-part team-up with the Werewolf By Night in Moon Knight #29-30! Then it’s a look at 2011’s 12-issue run by Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev, and we wrap up with the mysterious Mr. Knight as depicted by Warren Ellis and Declan Shalvey.

Join us as we ask the burning questions: Why hasn’t the Fist of Khonshu broken into the A-list of Marvel heroes? And can any of these stories break into that subterranean tomb of the comic-book gods known as … The Comics Canon?

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Episode 156 – Batman: The Long Halloween

Posted on March 17, 2022 by Kevin Moreau

Our Batman two-parter concludes with a discussion of Batman: The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale, published by DC Comics!

This popular miniseries serves as a de facto sequel to Batman: Year One, despite marked differences in size, tone and style, as a serial killer known as Holiday terrorizes Gotham City’s underworld over the course of a tumultuous year, providing the backdrop for a shift in the city’s criminal power balance from organized crime toward garish supervillains like the Joker, Scarecrow and Poison Ivy.

Can District Attorney Harvey Dent bring down Carmine “The Roman” Falcone with his sanity intact? (Spoiler alert: No.) And can this influential tale survive a night in that haunted house of crime capers known as … The Comics Canon?

In This Episode!

  • The January Man
  • The Godfather and other movie reverences
  • Solomon Grundy not have salad fork!
  • Batman: Dark Victory and Batman: Joker War
  • The Penny Plunderers
  • The Big Heat
  • Tales of the Batman: Steve Englehart

Join us in two weeks as we get ready for Moon Knight on Disney+ with: The Moon Knight Episode!

Until then:
Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise!
Rate us on Apple Podcasts!
Send us an email!
Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook!

And as always, thanks for listening!

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Episode 155 – Batman: Year One

Posted on March 2, 2022 by Kevin Moreau

We’re back, baby! Just in time for the March 4 release of The Batman, we discuss Batman Year One by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli, published by DC Comics!

Following on the heels of 1986’s acclaimed The Dark Knight Returns and DC’s post-Crisis on Infinite Earths reboot, this four-part origin story (originally published in Batman #404-407) is steeped in the hard-boiled atmospherics of pulp, noir and gritty 70s crime flicks.

Will grizzled police detective Jim Gordon prevail against Gotham City’s corrupt police force? Will a newly returned Bruce Wayne become the Dark Knight Detective we all know and love? And will this bare-knuckled take on Batman’s beginnings take flight in that dimly lit back alley known as … The Comics Canon?

In This Episode!

  • Was the bat all in Bruce Wayne’s head?
  • The Roman: A missed opportunity
  • Selina Kyle’s apartment
  • Daredevil: Born Again
  • The City of Glass graphic novel adaptation
  • The Batman: Year One animated movie
  • Curt likes The Batman

Join us in two weeks as we extend our stay in Gotham City with a discussion of Batman: The Long Halloween!

Until then:
Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise!
Rate us on Apple Podcasts!
Send us an email!
Hit us up on Twitter or Facebook!

And as always, thanks for listening!

Listen Now

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Episode 154 – The Incredible Hulk: Future Imperfect

Posted on February 2, 2022 by Kevin Moreau

(Content warning: Sexual assault)

Our two-parter on comics legend George Perez continues with a look at The Incredible Hulk: Future Imperfect, published by Marvel Comics!

Eisner Award-winning writer Peter David brings a light touch to this alternate-future tale set in the appropriately named Dystopia, where a warlord known as The Maestro rules with an iron fist. A band of rebels travels to the past (and our present) to bring back the one “studly” who can take down the Maestro—the Hulk! Oh, and did we mention that the Maestro and the Hulk are one and the same?

Can Future Imperfect overcome outdated future slang and some rather problematic elements to leap feet-first into that shining citadel of post-apocalyptic periodicals known as … The Comics Canon?

In This Episode!
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Episode 153 – Wonder Woman (1987) Vol. 1: Gods and Mortals

Posted on January 19, 2022 by Kevin Moreau

(Content warning: Sexual assault)

In the first of a two-part series on George Perez, we discuss one of his most famous runs as a creator, the 1987 reboot of DC Comics’ Wonder Woman!

Spinning out of the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths (also drawn by Perez), the series redefined the character in ways that are still felt today, from the comics to the recent Wonder Woman movies. And as plotter as well as penciller, Perez was the driving creative force behind these changes.

These groundbreaking comics gave Wonder Woman new depth and cemented her ties to Greek mythology. Can they also lasso their way into that Paradise Island known as … The Comics Canon?

Discussed in This Episode!
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