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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This weeks Intro East Bound & Down - Jerry Reed:


This weeks Outro Life is a Highway - Tom Cochrane:

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.

Full Show

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Listen to the full intro


This week's intro is LL Cool J - Mama Said Knock You Out:


This week's outro is Whitesnake - Here I Go Again:

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.
 

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This week's intro is Ingrid Michaelson - Locked Up:



This week's outro is Metallica - The Unforgiven:

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.

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This weeks Intro The Misfits - Astro Zombies:


This weeks Outro Jonathan Coulton's - Re: Your Brains:

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. 


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This week's intro is Bryan Ferry - The 'In' Crowd:



This week's outro is Ben Folds Five - Draw a Crowd: