Episode 56 - Fight The Power

Comics Therapy. No Reviews. Just Analysis.

Two comics from August 27, 2014. Plus Regression Therapy (about DC and Marvel, go figure).

On The Couch: writer Joe Casey.

Show Notes:

This week’s theme is one part respect my authority, one part know your enemies. We’re looking at two comics where the organizations in power are characters in and of themselves. Where the members of said organizations are guided and influenced, for better or for worse, by their affiliation. Where the greater good is wildly up for debate and where absolute power just might corrupt absolutely. We’d like to believe that super powered authorities would have our super best interests in mind, but in comics that’s definitely not the case.

C.O.W.L. #4 13:17
Superhero union negotiations in 1960s Chicago. When the super law of the land is an official - and public - part of the political machine, corruption is included.

Mind MGMT #25 26:07
Sometimes managing the super talented is secondary to using them to manage the regular folks. But when the shadowy organization designed to do that falls apart, chaos reigns for all.

The Couch - writer Joe Casey 41:15

Joe has written for Marvel, DC, and Dark Horse among others, and his creator-owned works like Godland, The Bounce and Sex have been published through Image Comics. His development and production company Man of Action created Ben 10 and Generator Rex, both on the Cartoon Network, and produced and story edited Ultimate Spider-Man and Marvel's Avenger’s Assemble on Disney XD. Just recently he picked up the reigns on the new Captain Victory and the Galactic Rangers ongoing published by Dynamite Entertainment, and at the Image Expo that kicked off San Diego Comic Con, he announced his newest creator-owned book Valhalla Mad.

Songs for the segment transitions are variations of "I Fought The Law" by the following artists:

Nanci Griffith

Bobby Fuller Four

The Clash

The Dead Kennedys

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This week's intro: Public Enemy - Fight The Power:


This week's outro: David Bowie - Queen Bitch:

Episode 55 - We Can Build This Dream Together

Comics Therapy. No Reviews. Just Analysis.

Two comics from August 20, 2014. Plus your Nerd Confessions (about your favorite teams).

On The Couch: Eisner-nominated writer and artist Farel Dalrymple.

Show Notes:

This week we’re talking about teams, however reluctantly they may come together. We’ve always been fascinated by group dynamics, especially if the members of the group are aware of their own inherent dysfunction. And maybe it’s more accurate to say we’re talking about that self awareness rather than the teams themselves. In all three books today - Secret Avengers and The Multiversity, as well as The Wrenchies which we discussed with creator Farel Dalrymple - members of the teams in question are not only aware of the precariousness of their partnerships but also that their entire existence is a construct in a comic book. The ultimate meta team for the multiverse.

Secret Avengers #7 8:43

Breaking the fourth wall. Ask Aaron how he feels about that.

Also: Marvel continuity and a shocking role reversal.

The Multiversity #1 26:15

Bending the fourth wall. Now ask Aaron how he feels about that.

Also: DC continuity and...we don't know shit.

The Couch - Farel Dalrymple 36:33

Farel is known for his creator-owned work, like the Eisner-nominated It Will All Hurt, published by Study Group Comics and Pop Gun War, published by Dark Horse Comics. He also drew Omega the Unknown for Marvel Comics. In 2013, Delusional, a collection of comics and sketches was published by AdHouse Books. His newest work, the graphic novel The Wrenchies, was published this summer by First Second.

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This Weeks Intro: Ben Folds Five - Philosophy:


This Weeks Outro: Starship - Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now:

Episode 54 - How The Gods Kill

Comics Therapy. No Reviews. Just Analysis.

Two comics from August 13, 2014. Plus your Nerd Confessions (about your favorite gods in comics).

Special Live Studio Guest: Eisner-nominated writer Christopher Sebela.

On The Couch: Chris Ross, Director of Digital Publishing and Eisner-nominated Lead Designer for Top Shelf Productions.

Show Notes:

This week’s theme is the gods must be crazy. We’re talking about two books that illustrate how fucked up the powers that be - or not to be - really are. And they definitely hold a grudge against the women and men created in their image. So much so that sometimes it’s not clear whether we’re talking about the good guys or the bad guys, the gods or the demons themselves.

Also: ROAD TRIP!

This episode was recorded LIVE AND IN PERSON for only the second (and possibly final) time ever, and features not one but TWO Eisner-nominated creators named Chris! That also means the audio quality for the first half of the show is not up to our usual standards, but hopefully we made up for it with bonus hilarity.

The Devilers #2 17:35

Clive Barker's Next Testament #12 28:03

The Couch - Chris Ross 44:05

Chris is the Director of Digital Publishing for Top Shelf Productions. He’s also their lead designer, and you’ve seen his work on Nate Powell, John Lewis and Andrew Aydin’s March, Mark Russell and Shannon Wheeler’s God is Disappointed in You, Jeff Lemire’s Lost Dogs and Underwater Welder and of course Ed Piskor’s Wizzywig, nominated for Best Publication Design, probably for it’s sweet dimensional cover hotness. We talked about what exactly all this production stuff means, and some good old fashioned digital vs. print ideas. Also scotch. And wine.

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This Weeks Intro: Danzig - How The Gods Kill:


This Weeks Outro: 2pac - Only God Can Judge Me:

Episode 53 - On The Streets (Alternate Title: Oh The Humanity)

Comics Therapy. No Reviews. Just Analysis.

Two comics from August 6, 2014. Plus your Nerd Confessions (shouting out your most favorite LCS, in honor of our friends at Legends Comics & Coffee taking home an Eisner for best comic shop in the world!)

On The Couch: artist and writer Ulises Farinas.

Show Notes:

This week’s theme is on the streets where you live. (There’s even a great song from the musical My Fair Lady that we could have used for the intro music, but of course Aaron vetoed that because he hates joy.) We are looking at two characters who live on and are masters of the streets. One, a masterful tactician one the wrong side of the law, the other a skateboarding vigilante. Both happen to be young and female, by the way, so that’s kind of awesome.

We were also off for two weeks, so we talked for a loooooooong time at the top of the show. (Turns out we actually like each other. Except Aaron.) As always, the markers are below if you'd like to skip past the kid talk and SDCC recap.

Genius #1 27:45

Genius or sociopath? How plausible is a young, black female embodying the military genius of Napoleon or Patton? And how much does that matter as her story unfolds?

Street Angel #3 41:35

In a more fantastical world, a young teen battles ninjas, conquistadors and the Devil. Plausibility is less of an issue, but just how important is it that Street Angel is female to tell her story?

The Couch - Ulises Farinas 54:40

Ulises drew the Agents of Change stories in the Catalyst Comix reboot, published by Dark Horse and just wrapped up the Judge Dredd: Mega City Two mini series published by IDW. He is teaming up again with his Agents of Change collaborator Joe Casey for the Captain Victory series published by Dynamite Comics the first issue of which came out this week. He’s co-writing the anthology series Amazing Forest, published digitally by Monkeybrain Comics. And he’s the artist and co-writer of Gamma, a one-shot serialized in Dark Horse Presents.

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This week's intro: Marky Mark feat. Prince Ital Joe - Life in the streets:


This week's outro: Big Yellow Taxi - Joni Mitchell:

Episode ## - No Show This Week

Hey Friends just a quick note to let you know there won't be a show this week. Recovery from SDCC, some food poisoning, life, work etc. We will be back with a great guest interview and some hot comics talk next week, we promise!

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