Episode 60 - You're A Lot Like Me. (I'm Sorry.)

Comics Therapy. No Reviews. Just Analysis.

Three comics from September 24, 2014. Plus Second Opinions, featuring questions answered by a different listener each week, with Chase Magnett.

Show Notes:

This week's theme is parents and children: re-introductions. As we grow older, we usually lose that close parental bond, if we had it at all, as parents and children interact more and more within the context of their broader family and communities. Sometimes that shift happens prematurely, even violently. Sometimes it happens before one or both sides is ready to let go. So when we have a chance to sit down with mom or dad again, we have to rediscover who they are and what they mean to us. The characters in this week’s comics are cast adrift, physically separated from others and forced to re-introduce themselves as a family again. To address past misconceptions and miscommunications. And to decide if they’re going to work together or fall apart.

Low #3 18:05

Faith of the mothers.

Butterfly #1 31:32

Sins of the fathers.

Cyclops #5 39:00

Bounty (hunters) of the fathers.

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This week's intro: Ben Folds - Still Fighting It:


This weeks' outro: Harry Chapin - Cats In The Cradle:

Episode 59 - The Music In Me

Comics Therapy. No Reviews. Just Analysis.

Two comics from September 17, 2014. Plus Second Opinions, featuring questions answered by a different listener each week, with Matt Baum.

On The Couch: writer Sean E. Williams.

Show Notes:

The theme this week? If music be the food of love, play on. For centuries, music has been a focus and an outlet for friends, fools and foes alike. It’s a shared passion that brings us together like few other things can. It’s a distraction from pain and an opportunity for greatness. Every musician dreams of hitting it big, becoming a star, becoming a god. We’re looking at two books this week where music and character intertwine. And where gods and mortals do, too.

Aaaaand then we recorded. And Aaron essentially vetoed the theme, as he is wont to do. So instead of talking about comics and music, we mostly just talk about how much he hates comics, and other fun things that are fun.

Edge of Spider-Verse #2: Gwen Stacy, Spider-Woman 11:00

The Wicked + The Divine #4 20:30

The Couch - writer Sean E. Williams 36:15

Sean is the co-writer of Artful Daggers, published digitally by Monkeybrain Comics and in trade by IDW. He wrote the New York Times best-selling Fairest: Return of the Maharaja, published by Vertigo, and has written for The Vampire Diaries and upcoming Sensation Comics, published by DC.

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This week's intro: Aretha Franklin ~ Mumbles - I've Got The Music In Me:


This week's outro: The Doors - When the Music's Over:

Episode 58 - Just The Two Of Us

Comics Therapy. No Reviews. Just Analysis.

Two books from September 10, 2014. Plus, our brand new segment Second Opinions, featuring questions answered by a single listener each week. Starting us off, Jessica Boyd.

On The Couch: Eisner-nominated artist Ibrahim Moustafa.

Show Notes:

The theme this week is (deep breath) nonverbal sidekicks and the monologuing women who love them. We’re looking at two comics with strong young female protagonists, both of whom we’ve discussed, but whose point of view, and commentary thereof, is an important part of the identity of the book. In both cases, that insight is tempered by our heroines’ relationships with their nonverbal companions, who serve to actually humanize the interactions with the rest of the characters. Seriously. This is going to be a good conversation. Actually about comics.

Amelia Cole #18: The Enemy Unleashed 11:35
Amelia and Lemmy. And spoilers.

Ms. Marvel #8 22:45
Kamala and Lockjaw. And yet another conversation about predictive gender roles.

The Couch - artist Ibrahim Moustafa 41:30

Ibrahim drew The Pound: Ghoul’s Night out for IDW but you probably know him as the artist on High Crimes, digitally published by Monkeybrain Comics and out in hard cover next spring by Dark Horse Comics.

The artist Ibrahim mentions during the interview is Kim Jung Gi.

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This week's intro: Will Smith - Just The Two Of Us:


This week's outro: Aladdin - Friend Like Me:

Episode 57 - Small Town

Comics Therapy. No Reviews. Just Analysis.

Three books from September 3, 2014. 

Show Notes:

This week’s theme is small town, big terror. There’s a special kind of monster - and justice - that inhabits a fictional insular community, whether it be in the Pacific Northwest, the deep South or inside the brain of a killer. Yeah, you read that right. This is comics, kids, where murder and mayhem in small town, U.S.A. can take on a whole new level. Serial bullies, serial monsters, serial killers. And don’t get us started on the daddy issues.

Be mindful of the internal time stamps this week. The conversation sort of evolved...or devolved, depending on your perspective, so at various points all three books are sort of loosely discussed. Remember, no reviews. Just analysis. And this episode, a very skewed one at that.

Not a lot of comics talk, but plenty about our own experiences with small towns. Let's just say we can both agree this setting is ripe for the story picking.

Nailbiter #5 11:40 
Start with an intense (and ignorant?) debate about small towns vs. urban areas. Then at 24:45, our fearless hosts attempt to get back on track and chat about comics. It doesn't take.
At 26:50, Andrea prompts Aaron again about - you know, the comic - and then they move on. Don't worry, Nailbiter comes up in subsequent segments at 30:45, 35:32, 37:02 and 43:05.

Headspace #4 27:57
Let's call this segment 35% comic, 65% more arguing about small towns. And the human psyche.

Southern Bastards #4 38:45

And finally, a more evenly balanced discussion about faith, small towns and going back home again. Also comics. Ish.

Songs for the segments transitions are variations of the song "Homeward Bound" by the following artists:

Simon & Garfunkel

Alison Brown

Willie Nelson

Passenger

Red Molly

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This Weeks Intro: John Mellencamp - Small Town:


This Weeks Outro: John Denver - Take Me Home, Country Roads: