Comic Book Couples Counseling Podcast

Todd McFarlane on Spawn

Wed, 06 May 2026 05:57:27 -0600

Well, this is a surprise. Todd McFarlane returns to the podcast to discuss why he’s suddenly switching up the creative rosters on several Spawn universe titles. Starting with issue 376, friend of the show Matthew Rosenberg will script alongside artist Stephen Segovia. Roseberg will also serve as writer on the sibling series, King Spawn, with Thomas Nachlik on art. In Gunslinger Spawn #54, writer Erica Schultz joins returning artist Carlo Barberi. And starting today, She-Spawn #1 launches with Gail Simone as writer and Ig Guara as artist.

He’s said it before, and he states it emphatically on this week’s show: Todd McFarlane sees Spawn as his creative child, and as all parents want for their kids, Todd hopes to see him live long after he’s gone. To secure that reality, he needs to let go of the reins. So, today, he’s reflecting on his favorite comics and how regime changes propelled those books into legend.

Before all that, however, we banter back and forth about this past weekend’s Free Comic Book Day, and the awe-inspiring Charity Sketch Cover Auction Four Color Fantasies pulled off on Saturday, raising nearly $12,000 for the Literacy Volunteers of the Winchester Area. We discuss how we took that radical energy and moved it into our Comic Book Club on Sunday, and then work both events into the theme of community and how it bolsters the comic book industry, which leads directly into what Todd McFarlane is doing with his baby, Spawn.

This week, it’s all about the power of comics. Todd McFarlane details why he’s always happy to have others play in his playground, how he still has an ending for Spawn even though he never wants to use it, and why there are nuances to that tired artist vs. writer debate.

Spawn #376 arrives in shops from Image Comics on June 3rd, with Final Order Cutoff happening this upcoming Monday, the 11th. If you want to continue our discussion with Todd McFarlane, you can find him on BlueSky and Instagram, as well as his Website.

This Week's Sponsors

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Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Amber Akin and Jimmy Gaspero on Penny and the Yeti

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 21:03:51 -0600

When mom and dad go to war, it’s the children who suffer the most. Family tension bleeds into every aspect of their lives, and frequently, they have nowhere to hide or even space to process the external and internal strife. As a kid, we fled to stories. Whether it was E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial or Mrs. Doubtfire, fiction helped us process the big emotions we witnessed flowing from our parents. This week on the podcast, we’re talking with collaborators Jimmy Gaspero and Amber Akin about their new all-ages graphic novel, Penny and the Yeti. It’s a comic designed to help kids navigate the world when the adult voices in their home get too darn loud.

Currently, divorce rates in America fall between 40 and 50 percent. Whether a kid is personally affected by this rate or not, they’ll certainly encounter divorce among friends. They will rely on stories like Penny and the Yeti to clarify this reality. And creating such stories bears an incredible responsibility.

With Jimmy Gaspero and Amber Akin, we discuss Penny and the Yeti’s origins, its ties to Gaspero’s own daughter, and the joys of visualizing cryptids. Why a Yeti? If you know Jimmy and his work as a podcaster and journalist, you know the answer already. And we get into that specific aspect of his life as well.

Penny and the Yeti is out now from Papercutz. It’s written by Jimmy Gaspero, illustrated by Amber Akin, color flatted by Charlie Akin, and lettered by Buddy Beaudoin. You can continue this conversation by following Jimmy Gaspero on Instagram and BlueSky and Amber Akin on Instagram and BlueSky.

This Week's Sponsors

Everyone loves to talk and debate about comics, but few people get to see what it’s actually like behind the scenes. Now, IDW Publishing is changing that with the launch of IDW Studios. The first monthly show is CreatorxCreator, a free-flowing, fun, and honest chat between two comic book creators as they discuss their craft, process, inspiration, and what life is really like as a creative. The second monthly show, Superlatives, brings IDW’s knowledgeable and spirited editors head-to-head to debate each of these categories, with another editor stepping in as the moderator to pick the winner once the pros have made their arguments.

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Kevin Alvir on Lisa Cheese and Ghost Guitar The Rock God Complex

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 06:56:09 -0600

We’re sure you can relate to this sensation. You finish reading a comic, and as you close the back cover, you look over your shoulder. Has the creator responsible for this book been living in your home? Have they been watching you when you weren’t looking? Cuz this comic seems made specifically for you. That’s certainly how we feel about Kevin Alvir and his latest graphic novel, Lisa Cheese and Ghost Guitar: The Rock God Complex, out now from Top Shelf Productions.

This second book in his Lisa Cheese and Ghost Guitar series sees Alvir upping his game. He’s perfectly smashed the indie comics world with the superhero fantasy. As we state on the back of the book, in the pull-quote we’re most proud of, “What if Jack Kirby tabled at @SPXComics? You’d get Lisa Cheese and Ghost Guitar!” If you understand that statement, you’re already in. You should put this book in your hands immediately.

Kevin Alvir masterfully blends the mundane with the extraordinary. His characters are struggling, but they’re fighting the good fight, and they will overcome their internal and external battles. In this week’s podcast, we discuss with the cartoonist how he leveled up for his sequel, the power of unhinged, righteous anger, and how reading and creating comics help you sort your stuff out.

Every character in Lisa Cheese and Ghost Guitar: The Rock God Complex is searching for something: from guitar strings to vampire teeth to self-respect. What they eventually find carves a path for the reader to follow. It’s a beautiful, affirming, human story with cybernetic unicorns, ghost guitarists, demons, and naysayers.

Continue the conversation with Kevin Alvir by following him on Instagram and BlueSky.

This Week's Sponsors

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Tiffany Babb on The Comics Staple

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 06:15:36 -0600

With social media splintering and websites chasing clicks, navigating the comic book industry has never been more challenging. Tiffany Babb and The Comics Staple are here to help, hopefully. If you have any interest in comics criticism, you’re probably already aware of who Babb is and what fight she’s fighting. Her latest project is a monthly black-and-white zine designed to be a tool for readers entering their local comic shop. Her roster of tastemakers will guide you through what’s hot, what’s not, and break beyond the publicity machine.

You have less than a week to back The Comics Staple on Kickstarter. It’s already reached well beyond its goal. This beauty is happening, and we can’t wait to get our hands on the first issue in September. As we’re attempting to balance our lives between the online space and “the meat space,” endeavors like The Comics Staple seem poised to help.

It’s always a pleasure to have Tiffany Babb on the podcast. This week, we discuss why she added The Comics Staple to her workload, how she assembled her creative team, why the physical media movement is gaining steam with younger generations, and who will benefit from a twelve-page comic book guide.

Find The Comics Courier Kickstarter here. Continue the conversation with Tiffany Babb by following her on BlueSky, Instagram, and her Website.

This Week's Sponsors

Everyone loves to talk and debate about comics, but few people get to see what it’s actually like behind the scenes. Now, IDW Publishing is changing that with the launch of IDW Studios. The first monthly show is CreatorxCreator, a free-flowing, fun and honest chat between two comic book creators as they discuss their craft, process, inspiration, and what life is really like as a creative. The second monthly show, Superlatives, brings IDW’s knowledgeable and spirited editors head-to-head to debate each of these categories, with another editor stepping in as the moderator to pick the winner once the pros have made their arguments.

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Christian Ward on Event Horizon Inferno

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:29:53 -0600

Before Christian Ward joins us for a full-spoilers conversation about Event Horizon: Inferno, we get lost in a lengthy discussion about Stephen King’s The Stand. We promise, however, that both stories tie nicely together and circle the vast concerns many of us are feeling in 2026. Event Horizon #1 is now available in comic book shops everywhere, thanks to IDW Publishing, and this week’s podcast is a full-spoilers conversation all about it, digging deep into modern anxieties while also celebrating kick-ass monsters and scary horror movie violence. As the solicits say for this surprise comic book sequel, Event Horizon: Inferno is indeed Aliens meets Dante’s Inferno. Get ready now.

Set 200 years after the film and its comic book prequel, Event Horizon: Dark Descent, Event Horizon: Inferno introduces a new crew of desperate humans and demonic antagonists. Christian Ward and artist Rob Carey (plus, colorist Xenon Honchar and letterer Alex Ray) profoundly expand the Event Horizon universe, taking it to realms barely hinted at in the original nineties scare fest. As Ward mentions, he’s giving Event Horizon the same treatment that Dark Horse Comics gave the Aliens and Predator franchises back in the nineties. If you remember those comics, damn, you’re probably pretty darn excited at the notion.

This week, we get ponderous about hell, heaven, and their servants. We dig into how this series demands expansion and the freedom in which the publisher and studio gave Ward and his collaborators. We consider how Event Horizon: Inferno reflects the world outside our window and what we can do to alleviate real-life dread. Buckle up, friends. We’re all on this ship together.

Again, Event Horizon #1 is out now from IDW Publishing. It’s written by Christian Ward, illustrated by Rob Carey, colored by Xenon Honchar, and lettered by Alex Ray. Variant Cover (see art above) by Eamon Winkle. Continue this conversation with Christian Ward by visiting his Website and following him on Blue Sky and Instagram.

This Week's Sponsors

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Franklin Jonas and Curt Pires on Fireborn

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 22:05:39 -0600

It’s a topic we discuss a lot. When you love comics, you eventually want to make them. Curt Pires heard Franklin Jonas professing his love for the medium on a podcast. Immediately, he recognized a kindred spirit. Pires invited Jonas to play. The result is the new Image Comics series Fireborn, spinning out of Pires’ massive comic book playground, Lost Fantasy.

Maybe you’ve already read the logline: Fireborn is Invincible meets How to Train Your Dragon meets Absolute Batman. Whoa, okay. That’s a lot, but what does that actually mean? On this week’s podcast, we get into it with Franklin Jonas and Curt Pires. We break down those other stories and consider what they owe to Spider-Man and his Amazing Fantasy #15 debut. Where do you begin when creating an F’d up Peter Parker?

And did we mention the hot takes? Franklin Jonas has them! We give the musician the space to profess his passion for comics, champion his all-time favorite Daredevil run, and explain why not enough of you are reading the current JSA monthly written by Jeff Lemire.

In Fireborn, Aaron Hillburg is a rich kid who runs face-first into Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey. He answers the call to action, but when will he reject it? With great power there must also come great responsibility. One issue in, we got part one of that statement. Is part two coming?

Let’s geek out about what comics can do that no TV pitch can ever contain.

Fireborn #1 is out now from Image Comics. It’s written by Curt Pires and Franklin Jonas, illustrated by Patrick Mulholland, colored by Mark Dale, and lettered by Micah Myers. Make sure you’re following Franklin Jonas on Instagram and Curt Pires on BlueSky and Instagram.

This Week's Sponsors

Everyone loves to talk and debate about comics, but few people get to see what it’s actually like behind the scenes. Now, IDW Publishing is changing that with the launch of IDW Studios. The first monthly show is CreatorxCreator, a free-flowing, fun and honest chat between two comic book creators as they discuss their craft, process, inspiration, and what life is really like as a creative. The second monthly show, Superlatives, brings IDW’s knowledgeable and spirited editors head-to-head to debate each of these categories, with another editor stepping in as the moderator to pick the winner once the pros have made their arguments.

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Henry Barajas and Rachel Merrill on Death to Pachuco

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 22:10:26 -0600

Comics don’t just happen. Artists will them from nothing. As you’ll hear from Henry Barajas and Rachel Merrill in this week’s podcast, comics arrive at your local comic book shop through tremendous persistence and imagination. The next time you cross your shop’s threshold, possibly to grab a copy of Barajas and Merrill’s Death to Pachuco, out now in trade paperback from Image Comics, take a moment to thank the makers. Each book on the rack is a tiny miracle.

In Death to Pachuco, Barajas and Merrill tap into history, detailing the 1943 Sleepy Lagoon Murder Trial and the Zoot Suit Riots. It’s a Chicano noir, heavily inspired by classic Hollywood tales, but springing from a perspective frequently silenced or ignored. Their private eye, Ricardo “Ricky” Tellez, fancies himself a Sherlock Holmes type, complete with a nearly debilitating drug addiction. He’s caught in the racial tensions boiling over during wartime Los Angeles, hunting for a killer, while navigating a femme fatale.

This week on the podcast, we chat with Barajas and Merrill about balancing fact and fiction, style and reality, and why humanity frequently allows fear steer its actions. We discuss the magnificent amount of will and persistence it took to materialize Death to Pachuco and how it feels to see it collected in trade paperback, finally.

Death to Pachuco is written and lettered by Henry Barajas, illustrated by Rachel Merrill, and colored by Lee Loughridge. The book featured several variant covers from folks like Sarah Gordon (see episode art), Tula Lotay, Ben Passmore, David Lapham, and others.

Make sure you're following Henry Barajas on BlueSky and Instagram, and Rachel Merrill on BlueSky and Instagram.

This Week's Sponsors

Everyone loves to talk and debate about comics, but few people get to see what it’s actually like behind the scenes. Now, IDW Publishing is changing that with the launch of IDW Studios. The first monthly show is CreatorxCreator, a free-flowing, fun and honest chat between two comic book creators as they discuss their craft, process, inspiration, and what life is really like as a creative. The second monthly show, Superlatives, brings IDW’s knowledgeable and spirited editors head-to-head to debate each of these categories, with another editor stepping in as the moderator to pick the winner once the pros have made their arguments.

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Zoe Tunnell on Seven Wives

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 06:07:38 -0600

Here’s an episode we’ve wanted to have for a while. Zoe Tunnell joins the podcast this week to discuss her new IDW Crime series Seven Wives and examine how easy it is to fall into cult-like behavior. As massive fans of (fictional) crime, we’re excited for Zoe Tunnell and her comic book collaborators to launch the new IDW Crime imprint with a locked-room mystery. It gives us an excuse to rattle on about Agatha Christie, Knives Out, and our devilish, guilty pleasure, True Crime.

Seven Wives’ murderous opening features the Dunn family patriarch receiving forty-nine stab wounds at the altar of his Fundamentalist temple. The suspects, the titular wives, and maybe an offspring or two. Detectives Aguilar and Halwell get to work interrogating everyone on the compound, granting Seven Wives a killer structure, and a thrilling excuse for Zoe Tunnell to beef up her three-issue mini-series with a meaty, messy character study.

We’ve followed Zoe Tunnell for years, enjoying her comics criticism and her plunge into comic-making. We discuss how one skill prepared her for the other, her passion for crime stories and locked-room mysteries in particular, and the empathy required to understand cult stories. While we couldn’t have imagined the subjects we’d explore, we always knew Zoe Tunnell would find her way onto the show.

Seven Wives is written by Zoe Tunnell, illustrated by V. Gagnon and Maria Keane, and colored by Antonio Del Hoyo. IDW Publishing drops the comic in shops on May 20th. FOC (Final Order Cutoff) is Monday, April 13th.

Follow Zoe Tunnell on Instagram, BlueSky, and her Website.

This Week's Sponsors

Everyone loves to talk and debate about comics, but few people get to see what it’s actually like behind the scenes. Now, IDW Publishing is changing that with the launch of IDW Studios. The first monthly show is CreatorxCreator, a free-flowing, fun and honest chat between two comic book creators as they discuss their craft, process, inspiration, and what life is really like as a creative. The second monthly show, Superlatives, brings IDW’s knowledgeable and spirited editors head-to-head to debate each of these categories, with another editor stepping in as the moderator to pick the winner once the pros have made their arguments.

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Klaus Janson - Episode 350

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 22:34:52 -0600

Okay, it’s time to press pause on your life and press play on this week’s episode. Klaus Janson is an icon. He’s worked in comics for over fifty years, radically shaping characters like Daredevil and Batman, while working alongside other comic book greats such as Frank Miller, Dick Giordano, Gene Colan, Dennis O'Neil, Grant Morrison, Bill Sienkiewicz, Brian Michael Bendis, and many, many more. He’s worked within the medium from multiple angles as penciler, inker, colorist, writer, and teacher. By thriving through comics, he’s also collected a million stories to tell. We got a few out of him today.

We’re honored to have Klaus Janson join us for our 350th episode, especially during a time that sees his first North American art exhibit on display at the Philippe Labaune Gallery in New York City. You have until April 11th to witness more than one hundred Klaus Janson pieces, reflecting a lifetime of dedication to our favorite art form. If you’re looking to extend the 40th anniversary celebrations of The Dark Knight Returns, a book that continues to shape the entire industry and a few others as well, then you owe yourself a trip.

Klaus Janson takes us all the way back to his time before comics, and how two unique jobs prepared him for his life at the drawing board. We discuss his collaboration with Frank Miller on Daredevil and The Dark Knight Returns, a few of the projects he’s proud of that don’t necessarily get the most attention, and how comics have shaped him as a person.

Also, we spend this episode’s introduction discussing our recent excursion to WonderCon in Anaheim, California. With multiple conventions fighting for your attention this weekend, we consider what WonderCon offers that other gatherings don’t, as well as some of the comic book news revealed across multiple panels. Absolute Crisis?

Please say Thank You to Klaus Janson by following his Instagram.

This Week's Sponsors

Everyone loves to talk and debate about comics, but few people get to see what it’s actually like behind the scenes. Now, IDW Publishing is changing that with the launch of IDW Studios. The first monthly show is CreatorxCreator, a free-flowing, fun and honest chat between two comic book creators as they discuss their craft, process, inspiration, and what life is really like as a creative. The second monthly show, Superlatives, brings IDW’s knowledgeable and spirited editors head-to-head to debate each of these categories, with another editor stepping in as the moderator to pick the winner once the pros have made their arguments.

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Ethan Young on Demon Run

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 08:12:47 -0600

You love to see it. Cartoonist Ethan Young (Dragon Path, Nanjing: The Burning City) places a huge bet on himself. He’s reclaimed the rights to his main character from the graphic novel series The Battles of Bridget Lee, originally published at Dark Horse Comics, and planted her in a slightly altered landscape with a much more mature (i.e., violent) tone. The new comic is called Demon Run, and you have till April 3rd to make your orders for the first two issues on his website.

The Battles of Bridget Lee: Invasion of Farfall first hit stands in 2016. Ethan Young has made many more comics since then, worked extensively in animation (including Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man), and significantly evolved his style. Why is he going back to Briget Lee? Why is she battling demons now and not alien invaders? Why is Demon Runfilled with gnarly, grisly action and not sanitized for the YA market? Most importantly, why is Ethan Young taking on the burden of self-publishing?

All these questions and more are asked in this week’s Comic Book Couples Counseling podcast. We’ve admired Ethan Young’s comics for many years now. His appearance on the show is a long time coming, and we’re excited to see him morph Bridget Lee into the Demon Run concept. You’re damn right, we were two of the first to pre-order the comics via Young Illustrations.

In addition to bookmarking his website, make sure you’re following Ethan Young on Instagram and BlueSky.

This Week's Sponsors

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

David Dastmalchian on Through

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 22:09:41 -0600

To create is to submit. Here’s my story, this is me. Filmmaker, actor, and comic book writer David Dastmalchian returns to the podcast this week. He’s discussing his new graphic novel Through, made in collaboration with artist Cat Staggs and letterer Adam Wollet. It’s a deeply intimate story about an orphan who cracks her head and enters a fantastical realm as a result. There are direct allusions to Lewis Carroll and several other classics and not-so-classics. However, ultimately, Through is David Dastmalchian revealing a piece of himself to the reader, and hoping the reader finds a piece of themselves within, too.

As with his films and the characters he inhabits, David Dastmalchian’s comics are acts of self-reflection. While telling an engaging, scary, thrilling adventure into wonderland, Through is also a chronicle of an anxious moment in Dastmalchian’s life. We’re grateful he was willing to join us for a thoughtful discussion about mental health and the pursuit of understanding via artistic expression. Not every creator wants to go there, but David Dastmalchian delights in the internal plunge.

On the show this week, we discuss David Dastmalchian’s inspirations, how Through differs from other comics work like Count Crowley, and what this medium offers that others do not. Through is currently available from Z2 Comics in multiple editions. Please, continue the conversation with David Dastmalchian by following his Instagram and Website.

This Week's Sponsors

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Simon Roy on A Star Called the Sun

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 06:59:25 -0600

We’re all the product of our influences. Cartoonist Simon Roy, on this week's podcast discussing his new short story collection, A Star Called the Sun, refers to his influences as "foundational mulch." We dig into a bunch of them—everything from Jack Vance novels to Soviet comedies. Celebrating the shoulders he stands upon while building comics filtered through his imagination that feel and look unlike any others.

Each story in A Star Called the Sun exists within Simon Roy’s Altamira universe. It’s a post-human realm where many subgenres get to play alongside just as many different tones. If you’ve read previous Roy comics like Griz Grobus or Refugium, then you are well-traveled in Altamira, but if you’re unfamiliar with this strange domain, then there is no better place to start.

Beyond discussing the stories and creators who inspired A Star Called the Sun, we plunge into the themes that hop throughout the collection. How far can humanity stretch before it stops being humanity? What the heck is consciousness anyway? It’s all a matter of context.

A Star Called the Sun is now available in paperback from Image Comics. Make sure you’re following Simon Roy on BlueSky and Instagram. Be on the lookout for his next Kickstarter comic.

This Week's Sponsors

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Stephen R Bissette, Jim Rugg, and Chris Stevens on Tyrant

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 10:02:18 -0600

When observing comic books, the miracles come in big or small ways. This week on the podcast, we’re discussing a resurrection we previously thought unimaginable. Stephen R Bissette, who gained legendary status working on titles like Saga of the Swamp Thing, crafted his masterpiece in the mid-nineties. Tyrant was meant to run fifty issues or more, but only four saw print before disaster struck the industry, and Bissette pulled up stakes, leaving comics to focus on family and a more financially stable situation.

We’ve spent years searching for Tyrant in the dollar bins, picking up an issue here and there. As much as we love Bissette’s work on Swamp Thing, Tyrant represents the artist at his purest, most thematically forward. Even at four issues, Tyrant is a masterpiece, expressing the agony and beauty of life, as we follow a Tyrannosaurus Rex from conception to birth. It’s easy to mourn the story we did not get, but we must also celebrate the story we did. It is enough, and thankfully, we’re not the only ones who thought so.

Chris Stevens, of the newly formed Lighthouse Press, convinced Bissette that now was the time to re-release Tyrant in both a Complete Edition and a Deluxe Artist Edition. Stevens also hired cartoonist Jim Rugg (who recently shot a Stacks video with us) to oversee the production of these new additions. Together, they’ll hopefully bring a massive new readership to Tyrant and give this lost masterpiece the recognition it never got.

We’re extremely happy to have Stephen R Bissette, Jim Rugg, and Chris Stevens on the podcast this week. Together, we place Tyrant in the context of its creation and explore why now is the time for its resurrection. We discuss the themes Bissette excavates in Tyrant and where the story was going before he had to pull the plug. We also discuss the heartbreak of pulling the plug and all the humanity within and without its pages.

The 90s comic book scene. You had to be there. The Image Revolution. Pouches. Rob Liefeld and Spike Lee making Levi's commercials together. The Death of Superman was going to pay Brad’s way into college somehow. The distribution implosion. The speculator flight. Devastation. Apocalypse. Something our earthbound dinosaurs also understood quite well.

Please recognize the miracle that is Tyrant’s resurrection by visiting the Lighthouse Press Kickstarter page and signing up for notification of its official launch. Also, follow Stephen R Bissette on BlueSky and Facebook. Follow Jim Rugg on Instagram. Follow Lighthouse Press on Instagram and BlueSky.

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Patrick Horvath - Full Spoilers Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees - Rite of Spring

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 07:59:32 -0600

Here’s your first warning: Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring spoilers ahead! Patrick Horvath returns for a full spoilers breakdown of the sequel series to IDW Publishing’s smash hit. Together, we consider the cartoonist’s joyous relationship with beauty and horror, where Monica the Duck finds herself in the last panels of the final issue, and why we were so wrong about George the last time we spoke with Horvath. Or, were we?

Sequels are a terrible, stressful thing to attempt, but we all know why they happen. Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees was too damn successful to be left alone, and thankfully, Horvath, the book’s shepherd, returned to his drawing table with passion and a mission for his characters. Rite of Spring is not only better than the original series, but it must also be considered as one of the best comic book sequels of all time. And it’s because it might leave certain readers fur-ious (sorry, not sorry) regarding where Horvath leaves (or drags) certain characters.

Patrick Horvath is not afraid to hurt his comic book kids. However, as we discuss, there is as much love and beauty in his series as there is grotesque horror. Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring is a deeply human book, and as such, it stirs profound feelings within the reader. Also, yo, another sequel is coming. What can we expect? We put that question to Horvath, too.

All six issues of Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring are out now from IDW Publishing. Continue this conversation with Patrick Horvath by following him on Bluesky, Instagram, and his Website.

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Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Wendy and Richard Pini on Elfquest

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 23:23:45 -0600

Friends, we’ve got a special episode for you today. Comic book icons Wendy Pini and Richard Pini join the podcast for the first time, and they hang out for a lengthy, deep dive conversation into Elfquest’s origins. Their romance began in the letters column of Silver Surfer #5 (1968), materialized as the result of a clandestine cross-country road trip, and solidified through creative collaboration, which would also challenge their partnership.

Elfquest is nearly fifty years old, but it's as vibrant and relevant as ever. These comics are waiting for anyone already caught up in the Romantasy BookTok discourse. It's a profoundly philosophical work, bashing against humanity’s great worries, ready to absorb those anxieties and potentially process them toward action. However, as much as you’ll find yourself in Elfquest, you’ll discover Wendy and Richard Pini, too. Like the best stories, it’s autobiography masked as fiction.

As new readers ourselves, we can guarantee Elfquest’s contemporary grip. Chief Cutter’s journey from the forest to the desert and the greater world beyond found us just when our lives were thrown in upheval. So, it was more than a pleasure to chat with Wendy Pini and Richard Pini about their great comic book saga, how it came to be, and why they continue as its shepherds.

Over the last few years, Dark Horse Comics has gathered Elfquest: The Original Quest into four beautiful hardcover collections. Recently, they also published Elfquest: The Final Quest in a glorious hardcover omnibus, and Elfquest: The Hidden Years will receive a massive Gallery Edition Hardcover in July. Call your local comic shops asap.

To stay abreast of everything Elfquest, make sure you’re following them on their website, Instagram, and Bluesky.

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This February, Dave Stevens’s The Rocketeer soars again in a brand-new story written by John Layman, the genius behind the foodie cannibal detective series Chew, and illustrated by Jacob Edgar, who drew Plastic Man: No More and has a very cool J. Bone/Darwyn Cooke style. The new series is called The Rocketeer: The Island. Our skybound hero, Cliff Secord, leads a dangerous search and rescue mission. Who’s he looking for? None other than Amelia Earhart! The first issue crashes into comic book shops on February 25th, courtesy of IDW Publishing.

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Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Zack Kaplan on Kill All Immortals

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 08:58:39 -0600

This week, comic shop employees from all over gather in Glendale, California. It’s time for ComicsPRO, the annual event designed to “promote the progress and development of comic book retailers and improve the condition of the comic book industry.” It’s one of our favorite times of the year as we eagerly sit by our computers waiting for announcements from publishers and the good word from our LCS pals. Sadly, we cannot be in person this year, but that doesn’t mean we can’t bring you exclusive information. Thanks to writer Zack Kaplan, who’s on the ground at ComicsPRO, we’re there by proxy. And he’s dishing on his big announcement, extending his partnership with Dark Horse Comics, bringing us the final chapter in Kill All Immortals and two more new titles, Only The Savage Are Left and The Smart Division.

Kill All Immortals is a nifty, nasty look at the boot standing on our necks: the billionaire class. The comic imagines a universe where various immortal clans have gobbled up control of the economy, but one is starting to crumble from within. Frey Asvald, daughter of Erik the Red, can no longer sit idly as her family consumes the planet. She wants to help us poor mortals, but in doing so, she exposes herself and others to tremendous violence. And can you really keep your hands clean when attempting global, capital G, Good?

On this week's podcast, we discuss the state of comic book retail, a bizarre occurrence involving our local shops, and the anxiety of putting new books into readers' hands. Zack Kaplan gives us the skinny on Kill All Immortals as well as his two new titles at Dark Horse. We dig into our collective billionaire woes and consider one particular violent action committed by Frey in Kill All Immortals Volume One.

Kill All Immortals is written by Zack Kaplan, illustrated by Fico Ossio, colored by Thiago Rocha, and lettered by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou. Covers by Oliver Barrett (although the header image above is from variant cover artist Tula Lotay).

Make sure you’re following Zack Kaplan on BlueSky, Instagram, and his website.

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Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Phil Hester on A Quiet Place Storm Warning

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 22:41:46 -0600

The movie-to-comic path doesn’t always work out, but IDW Publishing is quickly proving itself to be the place to run to with your adaptation. Their latest cinematic comic book sidequel, A Quiet Place: Storm Warning, features script and layouts by industry veteran Phil Hester and pencils and inks by Ryan Kelly. Hester comes from that Alex Toth/Harvey Kurtzman tradition, embracing visuals and having faith that silence can carry as much story as 200 word balloons.

A Quiet Place stakes its narrative on silence. If you caught the first film in a theater, you undoubtedly remember the awkwardness of attempting popcorn consumption while Emily Blunt on screen quiveringly descends the basement stairs before OWWWWW! The nail in the foot! One may think removing audible sound from the equation would ruin the experience; however, Phil Hester did just that when he pitched his take to editors, adapting that scene specifically.

The stairway nail bit, told as a comic by Phil Hester, proved undeniable. He got the gig, and then he got to work formulating his spin-off characters and plot. As the first film took inspiration from Steven Spielberg’s Jaws, so does his arc, pitting a small town politician against the local fire chief. This time, they’re also sister and brother, adding a dramatic sharpness that can only cut when family is involved. Of course, what does familial pride matter when creatures are raining from the sky?

Phil Hester joins the podcast for the first time this week. We discuss the challenges of adapting a cinematic concept to the comic book page, how he always embraces silence, and why Jaws is just the best damn movie ever made.

A Quiet Place: Storm Warning #1 arrives in comic book shops from IDW Publishing on March 11th. It's written by Phil Hester, illustrated by Ryan Kelly, colored by Lee Loughridge, lettered and designed by Nathan Widick, and edited by Heather Antos.

Make sure you’re following Phil Hester on Bluesky.

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Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Stephanie Williams on Street Sharks

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 23:33:44 -0600

As far as mantras go, Street Sharks have one about as good as they come. They fight. They bite. They stand for everything right. You can read it on the opening page of each issue of the IDW Publishing series, and as we discuss with writer Stephanie Williams this week, given everything going on in the world, it’s worth repeating every time you crack open the comic.

Street Sharks may have begun as a cash grab in the wake of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ success. However, under Stephanie Williams’ direction, in collaboration with artist Ariel Medel, the comic book series distinguishes itself by embracing the Bolton brothers’ chill attitude amid abject horror. They’re Supergirl to TMNT’s Superman. They lived a life before their Krypton exploded. They know what they lost, they lived what they lost, and they still choose to direct their jawesome chompers toward villainy. It's pure superhero comics.

You might be thinking, what the Big Slammu are you talking about? Well, you just have to dig into this week’s episode to appreciate the comparison truly. We’re getting deep with Street Sharks this podcast, discussing community, reluctant heroism, and mob mentality with Stephanie Williams. Two weeks ago, our co-host Lisa didn’t know a thing about Street Sharks, but as of today, she’s INVESTED.

The first four issues of Street Sharks are now available from IDW Publishing. The fifth issue, concluding the first arc, swims into comic shops on February 18th. Street Sharks is written by Stephanie Williams, illustrated by Ariel Medel, colored by Valentina Pinto, and lettered by Jeff Eckleberry.

Also, follow Stephanie Williams on Bluesky, Instagram, and her website.

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Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Angelique Roche on First Freedom - The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 08:26:32 -0600

Friend, put your phone down. Quit doomscrolling. You owe it to yourself and everyone else who came before you. It’s time to get in the fight, and First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth by Angélique Roché, Alvin Epps, Millicent Monroe, and Bex Glendining is a comic designed to inject some serious motivation into your social media-addled, catatonic body.

The fight may be new to you, but it's been raging for centuries. That’s not a despairing thought; it’s an activating one, and once you stand on the shoulders of the heroes that came before, you’ll find the perspective required to block the hateful from gaining any more ground than they already have. As a comic book reader, you already have all the tools and knowledge to resist fascism.

On this week’s podcast, we chat with journalist, comic creator, and podcaster Angélique Roché. Once approached to write First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth, she threw herself into an intense research phase. We discuss the stress and excitement of the process, and the motivation she secured in telling Dr. Opal Lee’s life story.

Juneteenth was only recognized as a national holiday in 2021. It’s the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Day was signed into law in 1983. It never would have happened without Dr. Opal Lee and the lessons she learned from other warriors over her extraordinary lifetime.

First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth arrives in comic book shops and bookstores, thanks to Oni Press, on February 10th. Make sure you follow Angélique Roché via her website, Bluesky, and Instagram.

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Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips on The Peril of the Brutal Dark

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 22:37:51 -0600

Those in the know have been (im)patiently waiting for The Peril of the Brutal Dark: An Ezra Cain Mystery. Of course, no one has been waiting as long as the comic’s creators, Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips. The series originated when Condon was a student, determined to make the whole damn thing himself. Then, after discovering his That Texas Bloodcompatriot, Phillips, they did a draft for their Patreon, and even tried to manifest it into a legitimate Indiana Jones comics project. Their wishful thinking caught the attention of DC editor Chris Conroy, who suggested they make it part of their Vertigo Comics relaunch.

Folding The Peril of the Brutal Dark into the iconic imprint solidified the concept and encouraged them to push its noir/adventure core to its highest potential. The comic wears its hardboiled blockbuster influences on its sleeve, while maintaining an aggressive intensity familiar to the readers of Condon and Phillips. That Texas Blood, The Enfield Gang Massacre, these are comics made by folks grown on bloody pop culture, but propelled into thematic realms that are anything but dusty.

The Peril of the Brutal Dark is one of ten new titles launching within DC’s new Vertigo imprint, resurrected six years after it was initially put away. The comic gives us an excuse to revisit the importance of Vertigo Comics within the industry when it launched, discuss its legacy, and consider what a new iteration means in an era when “Suggested for Mature Readers” no longer carries the allure it once did.

We begin our conversation with Condon and Phillips by talking about their history with Vertigo Comics. How does The Peril of the Brutal Dark fit inside it? How has the comic evolved over the years? What separates their fedora-wearing hero, Ezra Cain, from the whip-cracking nazi-puncher that inspired him? If you think it's not punching nazis, you’re wrong. More nazis get punched, like all should be.

The Peril of the Brutal Dark: An Ezra Cain Mystery #1 arrives in comic book shops from DC Comics on 2/25. It's written by Chris Condon, illustrated and colored by Jacob Phillips, and lettered by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou. Final Order Cutoff (FOC) is Monday, February 2nd.

Follow Chris Condon on Bluesky. Follow Jacob Phillips on Blue Sky and Instagram.

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Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Exclusive! Brad Meltzer on Spider-Man/Superman

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 22:10:55 -0600

Immediately after we recorded our last conversation with Brad Meltzer, we recorded a secret second episode. He was aching to discuss his next project, but he couldn’t quite let the cat out of the bag until Marvel Comics released its press release. Well, friends, today’s the day. The word is out: Brad Meltzer is writing the main story for the upcoming Spider-Man/Superman crossover. Now, we can release our secret conversation.

In this exclusive interview with Brad Meltzer, we discuss what these icons mean to the bestselling author and what he hopes to achieve by bringing them together. Meltzer lavishes praise upon his collaborator, artist Pepe Larraz, and assures us that their story will speak directly to the two unique heroisms Spider-Man and Superman practice. We also consider how their origins might cause friction within a team-up.

Our conversation with Brad Meltzer also provides another opportunity to debate those iconic words written by Stan Leein Amazing Fantasy #15: “With great power there must also come great responsibility.” We all know what those words mean, right? Right? Let’s get into it.

Spider-Man/Superman #1 will hit comic shops on April 15th. In addition to Brad Meltzer and Pepe Larraz’s story, the comic will feature backup tales by Dan Slott, Marcos Martin, Geoff Johns, Gary Frank, Jason Aaron, Russell Dauterman, Louise Simonson, Todd Nauck, Joe Kelly, Humberto Ramos, Brian Michael Bendis, Sara Pichelli, and more.

Make sure you head to your local bookstore to get your copy of The Viper, and follow Brad Melzer on Instagram and Bluesky.

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Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Dave Chisholm on Is Ted OK

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 07:33:29 -0600

No one makes comics like Dave Chisholm, and we don’t allow him to make one without first making a stop at the podcast. His latest, Is Ted OK?, reveals an artist pushing himself to his very limit, built on an incredible run of 2025 books, our favorite Limited Series from last year, Spectrum, and the gnarly haunted horror, Plague House. Not to forget his work on High Strangeness, which is still in process. Chisholm learns something about himself and the medium every time he steps up to his drawing board, allowing the next project to always top the last.

Is Ted OK? The title answers itself, but certainly not in the way you expect. Chisholm imagines a dystopian world, where Ted drones away as a graphic designer for a megacorporation owned by the world’s first trillionaire. He’s disconnected from those around him, friendly only with a cat, and plagued by horrendous night terrors. He’s also being watched 24/7 by Sarah, another employee tasked with monitoring his suicidal and homicidal tendencies. She’s concerned, she wants to help, and her first attempt to do so makes Is Ted Ok?’s first issue climax.

This week, we welcome Dave Chisholm back on the podcast. We spent six months with him last year on the show, meticulously dissecting Spectrum with his collaborator Rick Quinn. It’s fun to catch up. We discuss how his past work brought him to Is Ted OK? We talk about allowing comics to be comics and making sure that every panel carries story. In fact, we discuss how every element of a comic is a chance to carry story.

FOC (Final Order Cutoff) for Is Ted OK? #1 is Monday, February 2nd. The comic will eventually be available at comic shops on February 25th, thanks to Mad Cave Studios. Make sure you get your order in, and follow Dave Chisholm on Instagram and BlueSky.

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Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Brad Meltzer on The Viper

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 07:51:58 -0600

When you read The Viper, the new Zig and Nola novel from Brad Meltzer, it doesn’t take long to see how comics inform the author’s creativity. As he says during our conversation, “It’s Superman and Batman. It’s Spider-Man and Wolverine.” Meltzer grew up a comic book kid, and the ideas he found in Marvel Comics and DC Comics remain at the forefront of his imagination.

It’s been a minute since he’s played in our favorite medium, having written stellar runs on Green Arrow and Justice League of America, and we can never forget the monumental event that was Identity Crisis. However, he’s never been far from comics, and it's evident to anyone who’s experienced his Ordinary People Change the World series with Chris Eliopoulos and his novels.

The Viper, released this week from William Morrow, is Meltzer’s return to the thriller. It’s a zippy, twisty narrative about a dying man who delivers his suit to the funeral home tasked with handling his body, shortly before he’s murdered, advancing his earthly exit. The death quickly reunites Meltzer’s heroes from The Lightning Rod and The Escape Artist, Zig and Nola, his Superman and Batman, and plunges them into a conspiracy with ties to Nola’s past.

We got a lot from The Viper, and we bring it all to Brad Melzer on this week’s podcast. We discuss his life as a comic book kid, how he can’t escape comics, and what he might have on the horizon in terms of the four-color medium. Yes, his Ghost Machine collaboration with Geoff Johns and Gene Ha is coming, but there seems to be something else, too. We try to tease the news out of him.

Make sure you head to your local bookstore to get your copy of The Viper, and follow Brad Melzer on Instagram and Bluesky.

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Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

The Stampies: Best Comics of 2025 (Part Two)

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 01:14:23 -0600

Welcome back, friend. Our end-of-the-year celebration concludes with The Stampies: Best Comics of 2025 (Part Two). If you missed the Part One party, click here, and discover the comics we considered the saddest of 2025, the most stylish, the most genre-bendy, etc, etc.

For this week’s second half award show ceremony, we’re tackling the more traditional categories of Best Limited Series, Best Ongoing, Best Original Graphic Novel, and more. We wrap it all up by anointing the Jesse Tapia II Champ Stamp in honor of our dear departed friend, and announce how we’ll be kicking off 2026 next week.

As was the case in our first half, The Stampies: Best Comics of 2025 (Part Two) features several guest-stars from folks across the industry. Each and every one of these cool cats is worth your attention, and we encourage you to follow their work and their socials listed below. This year produced too many dang great comics, but thankfully, these creatives helped us break beyond our limited perspective, and you benefit with even more titles to add to your ever-expanding to-read pile.

The Best Comics of 2025 Part One Guest-Stars:

Gregg Katzman (Bluesky), IDW Publishing's Senior Publicity Manager.
Owen (Bluesky), Owen Likes Comics.
Tyler Crook (Bluesky), The Lonesome Hunters, Out of Alcatraz, etc.
Avery Kaplan (Bluesky), The Beat, Star Trek, TCJ, etc.
BJ Kicks (Bluesky), Comics Are Dope.
David Brooke (Bluesky), Owner, Writer, Host at AIPT.
Chris Condon (Bluesky), That Texas Blood, Green Arrow, Ultimate Wolverine, etc.
Chris Piers (Bluesky), Host of ComicTropes.
Christian Ward (Bluesky), Batman: City of Madness, Event Horizon: Dark Descent, Two-Face, etc.

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GlobalComix is the all-in-one digital comics platform offering unlimited reading of thousands of titles from top publishers, indie creators, across comics, manga, and toons. With GlobalComix Gold, members unlock access to more than 100,000 books and genres - superheroes, horror, sci-fi, manga, fantasy, romance, and more. Right now, GlobalComix is running a special Holiday Gold promotion: when you sign up for a year of GlobalComix Gold for $69, you'll get a bonus premium comics bundle from Dark Horse, DC, Kodansha, and Marvel - included for free. This bundle is valued at $67, making the annual plan essentially pay for itself with the bonus alone. How to Redeem: Use the link https://globalcomix.com/holiday-bundle-2025 to sign up. The offer is live now and available for a limited time (through January 4, 2026). Once subscribed, the bonus bundle will be added to your GlobalComix library.

Are you ready to face the future? Look no further than 2000 AD – it’s the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic! Every week 2000 AD brings the best in sci-fi and horror, featuring characters like Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper and more! Get a print subscription to 2000 AD, and it’ll arrive at your mailbox every week, and your first issue is free. You’ll also receive the HUNDRED PAGE 2000 AD Christmas Special this December at no extra cost! Or, subscribe digitally, and you can download DRM-free copies of each issue for only $9 a month. That’s 128 pages of incredible comics every month for less than $10! Head to 2000AD.com and click on ‘subscribe’ now – or download the 2000 AD app and start reading today!

This Winter, from IDW Publishing, the Heroes in a Half-Shell take on the King of the Monsters! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Godzilla #1 crashes into comic shops on November 12th. Written by Godzilla Kei-Sei Scribe Tim Seeley and illustrated by the brilliant Turtle artist behind the Nightwatcher series, as well as the Stranger Things/TMNT crossover, Fero Pe, this new series finally brings two of our favorite franchises together. How can this reptilian miracle be? Long before the organization was corrupted by Shredder, the Foot Clan’s original purpose was to save Japan from Kaiju! Now, in the present day, Godzilla and its fellow monsters have reappeared. Not only is the Foot not prepared to stop them…it would seem Shredder himself is behind the attacks! The Turtles are always crossing over into rad nerd realms, but this one might be the king crossover of them all.

The Best Comics of 2025 Part One Category Timestamps:

Intro (New Year's Intentions) - 2:52
Global Comix Gold Bundle - 12:23
Best Sleeper Superhero Story - 19:16 - WINNER (TIE): Supergirl: Universe End and Two-Face: Trial Separation (DC Comics)
Best Anthology - 30:45 - WINNER: Monkey Meat: The Summer Batch (Image Comics)
Best Adaptation - 37:47 - WINNER: Dracula Book II: The Brides (Dark Horse Comics)
Best Memoir - 44:26 - WINNER: The Ephemerata (Fantagraphics)
Most Engaged Comic - 53:28 - WINNER: Black Arms to Hold You Up (Pantheon)
Best Limited Series - 1:02:23 - WINNER: Spectrum (Mad Cave Studios)
Best Ongoing Series - 1:13:18 - WINNER: Absolute Batman (DC Comics)
Best Original Graphic Novel - 1:24:38 - WINNER: Drome (23rd St. Books)
Cartoonist of the Year - 1:31:38 - WINNER: Patrick Horvath (Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring)
Jesse Tapia II Champ Stamp - 1:37:27 - WINNER: Randy Clute (Our Day)
Lisa's Pick - 1:42:52 - WINNER: The Confessional (Silver Sprocket)
Brad's Pick - 1:45:40 - WINNER: More Weight (Top Shelf Productions)

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

The Stampies: Best Comics of 2025 (Part One)

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 07:42:55 -0600

Friends, let’s celebrate. We’ve made it through another year, and no matter how you felt about the world outside your local comic book shop, you certainly read some great comics. Welcome to our annual award show, The Stampies: Best Comics of 2025. Part One.

Every year is a good year for comics. You just have to go out and read them. That’s the secret. We try not to imprison ourselves with characters, genres, publishers, or even our preferred tastes. As long as you’re only interested in good comics, you’ll find them if you read enough, and the brilliant thing about 2025 is that we read a lot, and found so many great comics, but we still didn’t read enough to read all the great comics.

Thankfully, we sent out the Comic Book Couples Counseling distress call, and a bunch of our friends from across the industry answered. Peppered throughout our Stampies ceremony are our podcaster, journalist, publicist, and creator friends, each offering their favorite comics from 2025. See a list of them below, and make sure you support their work and follow them on socials.

As we do every year, we select our favorite comics and then create the Stampies around them. This two-part episode reflects our weird, collective tastes as a couple. Listeners will recognize several of the titles, but hopefully, we’ve thrown in several surprises, too. You can also find the award categories and (SPOILERS) winners below, listed alongside their timestamps in case you want to hop around or revisit later.

For the first time ever, we’ve created physical Stampy Awards to be delivered to the creators. We’re only able to do this thanks to our new sponsor, Global Comix. The all-in-one digital comics platform is currently offfering a great comics bundle when you sign up for their Global Comix Gold program. Make sure you give them a click (more details below), then start browsing their incredible digital comics library.

The Best Comics of 2025 Part One Guest-Stars:

Lance (Bluesky) and Jeremy (Bluesky) of Comic Book Keepers.
Eamon Winkle (Instagram): The Principles of Necromancy, Geiger, etc.
Jenna Anderson (Bluesky) of Phase Hero and Go Read Some Comics.
Chris Hacker (Bluesky) and Aaron Knowles (BlueSky) of The Oblivion Bar Podcast.
Ollie Kaplan (Bluesky) of Comics Beat, Prism Comics, etc.
Barbra Dillon (Bluesky): Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of Fanbase Press.
David Harper (Bluesky) of SKTCHD and Off Panel.
Patrick Horvath (Bluesky): Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees.
Badr Milligan (Bluesky) of The Short Box Podcast.

This Week's Sponsors

The Best Comics of 2025 Part One Category Timestamps:

Intro (The Year that Was) - 3:51
Global Comix Gold Bundle - 14:04
The Style is the Substance Award - 22:15 - WINNER: News from the Fallout (Image Comics)
Best Genre Mashup - 30:38 - WINNER: Absolute Martian Manhunter (DC Comics)
Saddest Comic of the Year - 40:00 - WINNER: Everything Dead and Dying (Image Comics)
Best All-Ages Comic - 49:29 - WINNER: The Cartoonists Club (Scholastic)
Best Young Adult Comic - 55:17 - WINNER: Clementine Book Three (Skybound/Image Comics)
Best Nonfiction Comic - 1:06:23 - WINNER: "Dr. Werthless" (Dark Horse Comics)
Best Crime Comic - 1:17:49 - WINNER: Out of Alcatraz (Oni Press)
Best Short Story - 1:27:40 - WINNER: "Untitled" from Absolute Batman Annual #1 (DC Comics)

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Jock on Absolute Batman 15 - Oh, that Joker

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 07:58:15 -0600

With the release of Absolute Batman #15 and the big reveal of Absolute Joker, we’re excited to welcome artist Jockonto the show for the first time. We would consider this comic an event even without the gnarly origin story at its center. This is also a big reunion for the artist and his writer collaborator, Scott Snyder. They’ve been delivering killer Batman comics since The Black Mirror, and have already re-invented the Joker concept in The Batman Who Laughs. However, the Absolute Universe allows them to swing for the fences in a way that the main continuity never could. And, as you’ll hear, this required a little recalibration from Jock.

Thankfully, Jock grew up consuming some of the most radical comics on the planet, 2000 AD. These Mega-City One stories, often featuring the iconic Judge Dredd, shaped Jock’s imagination and taught him the unique power of a visual narrative. They also revealed why we must never be too enamored of the characters and stories we adore.

Conformity is abhorrent. Toys are meant to be broken because that’s the direct result of good, continuous, serious play. If you keep them precious on the shelf, they get dusty and stiff. To understand characters like Batman and Judge Dredd, we must constantly redefine them, whittling them down to their defining characteristics.

We discuss with Jock how he had to recalibrate his idea of Batman and Joker before taking on Absolute Batman #15. We talk about his new 2000 AD release, The Art of Judge Dredd by Jock. We examine how 2000 AD continues to influence his work, including Absolute Joker, and how he crafts certain two-page spreads in this comic.

Absolute Batman #15 is out now from DC Comics. It’s written by Scott Snyder, illustrated by Jock, colored by Frank Martin, and lettered by Clayton Cowles. You can continue this conversation with Jock by following him on Blue Skyand Instagram.

This Week's Sponsors

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Patrick McDonnell on The Gift of Everything

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 06:41:44 -0600

Sorry to inform you, friends, but it’s December already. The gift-giving season is here, and with it, if you’re at all like us, a month filled with tremendous anxiety. We may love putting together a Comic Book Holiday Gift Guide, but we stress profusely over the actual process of selecting and distributing gifts to our friends and family. Thankfully, just in time, we spoke with Mutts cartoonist Patrick McDonnell about his latest book, The Gift of Everything, which truly helped us center ourselves during a tumultuous moment.

Patrick McDonnell is one of our great living cartoonists. For more than thirty years, he has put everything of himself into his comic strip Mutts. It’s where he goes to understand the world around him, using characters like Mooch and Earl to contextualize what’s happening outside his panels and inside his very being. Reading his work, you get the impression that he’s figured something out that you have not, but is that actually the case? We get to the heart of everything in today’s conversation.

The Gift of Everything is out now from Little, Brown and Company. It’s a spiritual sequel to McDonnell’s The Gift of Nothing, which was published twenty years ago. It tells the desperate story of Mooch searching for the perfect gift for his pal Earl, and discovering exactly that, but not in the manner he expected.

Follow Mutts on Instagram, and sign up for the Daily Mutts strip HERE.

This Week's Sponsors

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Adam Rose Talks Big Noir Energy and a Huge Detective

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 06:07:06 -0600

There are big swings, and then there are huge swings. Writer Adam Rose and artist Magenta King go for the fences with Huge Detective, a genre mashup mystery where giants roam the Earth and wind up dead like any other sacks of meat. The series was recently collected in a pretty trade paperback from Titan Comics, and it immediately had us craving sequels and sidequels. Where’s our Gyant/Bean romance? We’re ready for it.

We met Adam Rose earlier this year at San Diego Comic-Con, and bonded quickly over our love for the eighties cartoon series M.A.S.K. After a few minutes of chatting, we knew we wanted to get him on the show, and after a few months of wrangling our schedules, we finally made it happen. Unfortunately, we did not spend the entire time discussing how Matt Trakker is currently running through the panels of Joshua Williamson and Tom Reilly’s G.I. Joe comic. Next time, next time.

In this episode, we discuss Adam Rose’s love for fantasy and detective fiction. And we force him to choose his preferred genre. Our conversation explores the massive sandbox they’ve created in Huge Detective and the numerous other genres they could possibly explore in future comics. We make our case for romance. We consider Dollsville, too.

Huge Detective issues one through five are now available in trade paperback from Titan Comics. They’re written by Adam Rose, illustrated by Magenta King, colored by King and Minimone, and lettered by DC Hopkins. To continue this conversation, follow Adam Rose on Blue Sky and Instagram.

This Week's Sponsors

This November, Event Horizon: Dark Descent, the terrifying comic book prequel series to the classic, 90s, hellraising sci-fi film, reaches its epic third issue, and if you always wanted to know the gory details about exactly what went down when the Event Horizon crew were transported to hell, this is the issue you cannot miss. From writer Christian Ward and artist Tristan Jones, Event Horizon: Dark Descent #3 lands in comic book shops on November 12th courtesy of IDW Publishing, with a killer cover by Jeffrey Alan Love and a variant cover by Chris Burnham. "The dead have appeared to me — and there is something else loose upon the ship. If you can hear me, it may be too late for you. LIBERA TE TUTEMET EX INFERIS!"

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Tribute to a Father

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 21:50:32 -0600

Two weeks ago, Lisa lost her father. In August, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and the last three months have been some of the most harrowing days we’ve ever experienced. While we’ve hovered around this topic in recent episodes, we’ve avoided discussing it outright. Today, we were compelled to put it into record.

We’re not sure how much you want to engage with this story. If you choose to skip this one, we totally understand. Publishing right on its heels is a much more typical Comic Book Couples Counseling episode with writer Adam Rose, discussing his exceptionally strange comic, Huge Detective. It’s a fun one.

Lisa’s earliest encounters with comics were a direct result of her father's love for the funnies. He and his father would mail comics to each other across state lines. They’d hang on the fridge for months until they were replaced with more comics. Lisa’s last text exchange with her father was a laugh over an Ellis Rosen cartoon. Lisa’s humor and heart came from him, and if you’ve ever enjoyed our show at all, it’s because of Dad.

Cancer sucks. It’s a horror show. However, it also revealed the tremendous love coursing through our two families and all our friends who came together to support Lisa’s father. These last few months overflowed with as much laughter as tears, and this episode perfectly represents that maddening and beautiful juxtaposition.

For November and December, we will donate all proceeds from our TeePublic Shop and Patreon to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. You can also donate directly to them here.

Happy Thanksgiving, friends. Whether you listen to this episode, skip directly to the next one, or do neither, know that we appreciate you profoundly. Thanks for spending your time with us.

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Grant Morrison on Batman/Deadpool

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 04:52:03 -0600

Toward the end of our last conversation with Grant Morrison, they mentioned how they would soon be returning to comics, writing a new Batman story. We were ecstatic to hear, but we could not have possibly imagined that the new Batman story would actually be a DC/Marvel Comics crossover featuring the Hollywood darling Deadpool. Even better, it’s a reunion between Morrison and his Klaus collaborator, Dan Mora, which also features numerous backup stories by other rad creators, including Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Joshua Williamson, Hayden Sherman, Tom Taylor, Bruno Redondo, Amanda Conner, G. Willow Wilson, and Denys Cowan. The comic is possibly the most surprising book of the year, but not as surprising as Morrison’s willingness to return to the show for an in-depth discussion all about it. You’re in for another treat, friends.

Our Grant Morrison Batman/Deadpool conversation is full-spoilers. You must read the comic before pressing play. If you read the book quickly, as our Brad did the first time, you’ll probably miss a great deal. The comic is crammed with Easter eggs and winks, many of which we eventually caught, and a few others we did not until Grant Morrison pointed them out to us.

Dan Mora and Grant Morrison’s Batman/Deadpool is very different from Greg Capullo and Zeb Wells’ Deadpool/Batman, which Marvel ran point on a few weeks ago. It’s a fun adventure, but it’s also a story commenting on comics, crossovers, and the writer/reader’s relationship with the fourth wall. Initially, the team-up between Batman and Deadpool felt a little cynical, and/or capitalistic - and it’s still that! However, given Grant Morrison’s relationship with Animal Man and smashing the fourth wall, Deadpool is kind of the perfect character for them. Batman/Deadpool also allows Grant Morrison to right a wrong that occurred in the pages of...well, read the comic first, will ya?

Dear listeners, welcome to Grant Morrisoin’s Revenge! We get into it with The Writer, discussing their initial idea for the crossover, their evolving relationship with the fourth wall, and what they hope for future DC and Marvel crossovers.

Batman/Deadpool #1 is out now from DC Comics. “The Cosmic Kiss Caper” is written by Grant Morrison, illustrated by Dan Mora, colored by Alejandro Sánchez, and lettered by Todd Klein. If you wish to continue this conversation with Morrison, follow them on their Website, Substack, Instagram, and Bluesky.

This Week's Sponsors

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Live from New York Comic Con: The Massive Comic Book Podcast Crossover Event

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 10:47:11 -0600

A podcast doesn’t last without the support of its friends. We’re beyond grateful to fellow comic book maniacs like Badr Milligan of The Short Box, Chris Hacker and Aaron Knowles of The Oblivion Bar, and David Harper of Off Panel. Hopefully, you already subscribe to these shows, and if not, after this week’s episode, you will. In October, we assembled in the Javits Center basement during New York Comic Con in an effort to share our four unique vibes with a single crowd. Weeks later, you can now experience the MaCoBoPoCro Event (or, Massive Comic Book Podcast Crossover Event).

And, guess what? If video is your thing, you can actually watch the event on the Comic Book Couples Counseling YouTube page.

This Week's Sponsors

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

NYCC '25 Dispatch: Michael Walsh and Tristan Jones

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 13:48:48 -0600

Every October, New York Comic Con (NYCC) rolls around. Normally, they don’t acknowledge their proximity to the spooky season, but this year, as crowds reached pre-pandemic sizes, they embraced Halloween. Cosplay took on a more deliciously grisly vibe, and we found ourselves feeling more ghoulish than usual, too. The conversations we sought ventured into bloodier tales of both good and bad natures.

Michael Walsh joined us in the Tiny Onion booth to explain the game design that birthed Exquisite Corpses, and how such play was influenced by his recent stint on Frankenstein. We met artist Tristan Jones upstairs in the infamous “Butter Corner,” where the IDW Publishing booth found itself this year. We discussed his collaboration with Christian Ward on the utterly surprising Event Horizon: Dark Descent series, and how he finally delivered what the movie only hinted at back in the nineties.

Exquisite Corpses Volume 1 is now available from Tiny Onion and Image Comics. Event Horizon: Dark Descent issues 1-2 are now available from IDW Publishing. Issue 3 arrives in comic book shops everywhere on November 12th. Follow Michael Walsh on Blue Sky and Instagram. Follow Tristan Jones on Blue Sky and Instagram.

This Week's Sponsors

This November, Event Horizon: Dark Descent, the terrifying comic book prequel series to the classic, 90s, hellraising sci-fi film, reaches its epic third issue, and if you always wanted to know the gory details about exactly what went down when the Event Horizon crew were transported to hell, this is the issue you cannot miss. From writer Christian Ward and artist Tristan Jones, Event Horizon: Dark Descent #3 lands in comic book shops on November 12th courtesy of IDW Publishing, with a killer cover by Jeffrey Alan Love and a variant cover by Chris Burnham. "The dead have appeared to me — and there is something else loose upon the ship. If you can hear me, it may be too late for you. LIBERA TE TUTEMET EX INFERIS!"

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Exclusive: Daniel Warren Johnson on Absolute Batman Annual

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 22:30:17 -0600

There’s zero doubt, Absolute Batman Annual #1 will be one of the year’s most talked-about comics. Featuring three stories by Daniel Warren Johnson, Mike Spicer, James Harren, Dave Stewart, Meredith McClaren, and Clayton Cowles, this hefty comic centers on the early Absolute Universe adventures of Bruce Wayne, revealing how that chonky Batmobile came to be, and just how Black Mask’s party animals first encountered the Dark Knight. We read the comic a couple of weeks back, and the instant we flipped that last page, we were compelled to get Daniel Warren Johnson into a Zoom room. Thankfully, he obliged.

Johnson’s untitled story makes up the bulk of the Absolute Batman Annual. It propels Absolute Batman against a white supremacist horde, showcasing some of the most brutal action from the ongoing series so far, while doing so in a way that questions that violence’s effectiveness. As Daniel Warren Johnson has showcased in other comics like Murder Falcon, Do a Powerbomb!, and his recent run on Transformers, badass, jaw-dropping visuals are only half his might as a creator. DWJ breaks hearts as often as he breaks bones.

“It’s in my blood and it’s boiling, and I have to get it out.”

In an exclusive conversation with Comic Book Couples Counseling, Johnson explains how his tale in the Absolute Batman Annual came to pass. We discuss his reluctance to contribute to the world so expertly crafted by Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta, and how one single image eventually caused him to put everything he had into this character and universe. Daniel Warren Johnson tells us why supplying only compelling, catastrophic action isn't enough for him as a storyteller. He requires more than an exclamation point to climax his stories. He needs a question.

Absolute Batman Annual is now available from DC Comics. Make sure you're following Daniel Warren Johnson on Blue Sky, Instagram, and his Website.

This Week's Sponsors

Judge Dredd Megazine turns thirty-five years old this October, and it’ll be celebrating with a very special issue perfect for first-time readers! Featuring the return of the critically acclaimed series Dreadnoughts and Megalopolis, this 100-page issue is a brilliant way to jump into the crazy world of 2000 AD. You’ll also find incredible new stories featuring Judge Dredd, Judge Anderson, and much more inside! Get a print subscription to the Megazine and it’ll arrive through your American mailbox every month – or get a combi subscription and receive 2000 AD each week as well! If you subscribe digitally, you can download DRM-free copies of each issue for only $9 a month. That’s 128 pages of incredible comics every month for less than $10! Head to 2000AD.com and click on ‘subscribe’ now – or download the 2000 AD app and start reading today!

Launching this October, it’s the latest entry in IDW Publishing's Kei-Sei line of Godzilla comics: Starship Godzilla, a cosmic adventure. It’s written by award-winning scribe Chris Gooch (of In Utero fame) and illustrated by inventive artist Oliver Ono (I mean, come on, did you read their Godzilla: Monster Island Summer Camp? Insta-Classic). The Kai-Sei Era is the only ongoing Godzilla story of its kind, crafted for comics readers who have never bought a Godzilla book and Godzilla fans who have never read a comic. Starship Godzilla #1 is out now wherever rad comic books are sold.

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Kelley Jones and Matt Wagner Make a Feast Out of Dracula

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 08:01:08 -0600

We all crave a good meal. The challenge is savoring it once it's placed before you. Kelley Jones and Matt Wagner have wickedly, and delightfully, discovered a way to make Bram Stoker’s Dracula not one good dish, but three...and possibly four and five.

For the last several years, they’ve transformed the classic vampire novel into a feast impossible to gobble down in one sitting. By taking throwaway sentences in the book and building two graphic novels out of them (Dracula Book I: The Impaler, Dracula Book II: The Brides), they’ve miraculously extended their love affair with Vlad, and ours in the process as well.

Now, with Dracula Book III: The Count, which only has a week left on Kickstarter, Jones and Kelley properly excavate Bram Stoker’s book. This third entry tackles the iconic plot, but only from Count Dracula’s perspective. We all know this story from Jonathan Harker, Mina, and Van Helsing’s point of view, but how did the vicious beast at the center of their fear experience the whole endeavor? No more letters. Only the Count’s singular, hungry howl of self.

We’ve read and watched many Dracula adaptations, but none as exhaustive and creative as this. As a result, this week’s podcast had to match Jones and Wagner’s studious passion. All together, we dig deep into their previous entry, Dracula Book II: The Brides. We discuss how, in chaining themselves to Dracula’s perspective, they create unparalleled empathy for the monster and his godless pursuits. Is there danger in that?

Again, Dracula: The Count only has seven days left on its Kickstarter campaign. Please visit the crowdfunding project by clicking HERE. You can continue the conversation with Kelley Jones by visiting his Instagram. You can follow Matt Wagner on Blue Sky and Instagram.

This Week's Sponsors

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Alex Firer and Fred C. Stresing Cook a Tasty Doughboys Soup

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 15:02:27 -0600

Transplanting the Doughboys from one medium to another demands collaborators with a firm grasp on both worlds. Podcasters Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger know their realm, but require a few comic book maniacs to hurl them confidently into the sequential playground. Enter writer Alex Firer and artist Fred C. Stressing (also, colorist Meg Casey).

Not only did Firer and Stresing grow up stewing in comics, but they’ve spent the last several years working together on the Rick and Morty books from Oni Press. They bring with them a strong passion for Harvey Kurtzman, Grant Morrison, and Krazy Kat. They’re equally pickled in Doughboys lore, and after a little back and forth with Mitch and Wiger, could decipher the podcast into the epic quest called Doughboys: The Comic Book - Mitch and Wiger Chew America - Crisis on Infinite Girths.

Last week, we spoke with Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger about how they found their way into a comic book, and this week, we’re speaking with Alex Firer and Fred C. Stresing about how they helped make that wild fantasy a reality. Also, as a result of hosting the Harvey Awards at New York Comic Con last weekend, we’re stewing in Harvey Kurtzman’s world ourselves, and his influence is easily identified in the Doughboys Comic Book. It’s a joy to discuss madcap comedy, especially the funny book variety, with these two.

Make sure you’re following the Doughboys on your favorite podcast app, or just click here. Follow Alex Firer on Blue Sky and Instagram. Follow Fred C. Stresing on Blue Sky and Instagram. You can purchase Doughboys: The Comic Book - Mitch and Wiger Chew America - Crisis on Infinite Girths on BeOurKids.com.

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Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Cults Are Bad. The Doughboys Are Good. An interview with Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 22:18:19 -0600

The podcast crossover event no one was expecting is here. The Doughboys, Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger, arrive on Comic Book Couples Counseling ready to examine their feelings and suss out why they’ve propelled their podcast life into comic book form. Collaborating with writer Alex Firer, artist Fred C. Stresing, and colorist Meg Casey, Mitch and Wiger boil down their obsession with fast food and chain restaurants into a delicious four-color stew.

It’s a six-issue series called Doughboys: The Comic Book - Mitch and Wiger Chew America - Crisis on Infinite Girths. Everything you need to know about the vibe is right there in the title. The book is comic book-y, and a Where’s Waldoquest for Wednesday warriors, as well as longtime fans of the podcast. You can nab the first issue here.

For ten years, Mitch and Wiger have met weekly to battle it out over Red Lobster, Steak n Shake, and Taco Bell, usually inviting fellow comedy maniacs like Jon Gabrus or Lauren Lapkus to weigh in. The Doughboys comic book operates in a similar fashion, but cranks everything to eleven. Demonic and heavenly forces are at play here, friends.

We return from New York Comic Con with the perfect episode. We discuss with Mitch and Wiger what drew them to comics, what they’ve learned about themselves while spending years talking about food, and how insignificant you can feel when sitting in a football stadium or the New York Javits Center.

Make sure you’re following the Doughboys on your favorite podcast app, or just click here. You can also follow them on Blue Sky and Instagram.

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Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Zack Quaintance and Anna Readman on Macabre Valley

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 05:39:50 -0600

Weeks ago, we told you to keep an eye glued to the Macabre Valley #1 Kickstarter from writer Zack Quaintance and artist Anna Readman. Now, you have only one week left to back the project and secure yourself a copy of this fiendishly fun comic. Based on Quaintance’s own experiences reporting along the American/Mexican border, Macabre Valley tells a viciously recognizable story, energized by Anna Readman’s gnarly creature designs and trippy sequential storytelling.

You can even support the project knowing you’ll receive your comic soon, as Macabre Valley has surpassed its funding goal spectacularly. To celebrate and encourage last-minute stragglers, we’re thrilled to have Zack Quaintance back on the podcast this week to discuss the werewolf priest at Macabre Valley’s center, and he’s even joined this time by his talented collaborator Anna Readman (making her podcast debut, no less).

We discuss what makes the best werewolves and how both creators relate to the real-life horror that surrounds the fantastical horror throughout Macabre Valley. The conversation considers uniforms, from the lawful to the hirsute, and the influence they have on those who wear them. Finally, it leaves the listener imagining a wild, wonderful alternate reality where Cormac McCarthy wrote for EC Comics.

Again, Macabre Valley #1 is currently seeking funding via Kickstarter. It’s written by Zack Quaintance, illustrated by Anna Readman, colored by Brad Simpson, and lettered by Becca Carey. Please follow Zack Quaintance on Blue Skyand Instagram, and follow Anna Readman on her Website and Instagram.

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Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Jacob Phillips and Chris Ryall: Making Megalopolis with Francis Ford Coppola

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 06:43:15 -0600

When Francis Ford Coppola shoots you an email asking you to transform his new movie into a comic book, you say yes and worry about the details later. Chris Ryall got the email. Once he got over the shock ot it, he immediately knew who to contact next: Comic Book Couples Counseling regular, Jacob Phillips. They couldn’t have possibly understood what an undertaking they were committing to during those early days, but nearly five years later, they have the Megalopolisgraphic novel in their hands. It’s something special.

As you’ll hear on this week’s podcast, Francis Ford Coppola wanted Ryall and Phillips to make the comic their own. If that meant chopping up the script or fabricating the designs, so be it. Jacob Phillips approaches the likenesses the way he would any corporate comic character. If he were on Batman, he’d do his version of Batman. So, he’d apply the same logic to Adam Driver. The actor is the design, but the pencils and inks belong to Phillips. The magic is in how the movie and the comic, crafted independently of each other, aligned so well together.

Chatting with Ryall and Phillips allowed us to celebrate both artistic mediums. We discuss the challenges of translating cinematic ideas onto panels, the need for repertoire stories, and the hope within Francis Ford Coppola’s humanism.

Before all that, however, we also discuss the new documentary, Shopping for Superman. Directed by Wes Eastin, the film travels across America, from one comic book shop to another. It’s a must-watch for every comic book reader, as it honors the industry while contemplating where it’s all going in the wake of Diamond Comic Distributors' destruction.

Megalopolis, the comic, is published by Abrams ComicArts and arrives in shops on October 7th. Make sure you’re following Chris Ryall on his Substack, Instagram, and Blue Sky. Also, follow Jacob Phillips on Instagram and Blue Sky.

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Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Chip Kidd in the Veracity Trap

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 06:50:56 -0600

Not again! Chip Kidd and Michael Cho are the latest comic book creators to find their way, literally, into comics. The Avengers in the Veracity Trap, published as part of the Marvel Arts imprint of Abrams ComicArts, propels the titular superheroes from their dimension into ours, revealing that Kidd and Cho control their free will. The oversized original graphic novel is a stunning-looking comic, thanks to Michael Cho making magic with sequentials, taking a short break from his usual stellar cover work.

What is it about comics? Read enough of them, and suddenly you want to be in them. The medium invites invasion, calling folks like Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Grant Morrison, Brian Michael Bendis, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and others to throw themselves upon the panels. Maybe it’s because, as children, we wrap this flatland universe around us like a blanket. It’s comfy and protective. It’s where we want to go when the third dimension reveals itself as too damn physical with our soft little bodies.

Chip Kidd joins the podcast this week to discuss how he once again wormed his way into comic book panels (yeah, this is not his first offense. See also, Batman: Death by Design and Alex Ross’s Marvelocity). We discuss how "The Veracity Trap" has become a valuable concept for us personally as we struggle with the strings that direct our movements these days. As usual, the conversation gets philosophical, breaking down free will and the troubled waters between artist and audience.

The Avengers in the Veracity Trap is now available wherever rad comics are sold. Make sure you follow Chip Kidd on Instagram.

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For thirty years, Street Sharks has remained a fan-favorite franchise, but the fearless Bolton Brothers have been cruelly absent from comic book shops. Until now. This September, IDW Publishing launches a brand new five-issue Street Sharks mini-series from writer Stephanie Williams and artist Ariel Medel. The new series celebrates the JAW-SOME characters you already love while exploring new depths to their souls and universe. So, get ready to return to the chaotic streets of Fission City as Ripster, Jab, Streex, and Big Slammu fight to protect their home against twisted experiments gone wrong, including muscle-bound mutant lobsters, ruthless squids, and deranged scientists.

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Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Can David Harper Survive on Comics Journalism?

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 06:24:38 -0600

Every few months, the discourse turns to comics journalism. What is it? What’s its value? Does it even exist anymore? Of course, if you read SKTCHD or listen to Off Panel every week, these questions are easy to answer. For years, David Harper has been our go-to source for what’s happening within the comics industry, and due to recent events in his own life, he’s upped his game and committed to comics journalism in a fashion he previously has not. Can the industry sustain him? That all depends on us.

This week, we chat with David Harper about his total immersion into SKTCHD/Off Panel. We confront him about his pivot to video, the state of comics journalism, and how he ignores the recurring Chicken Little screams of “The sky is falling.” It’s not all so dire, though. We also discuss his ideal comic book shop and the books he’s absolutely loving in 2025.

Stories and storytellers are vital to human existence, but for various, always frustrating, reasons, we must continually be reminded of this. You, dear listener, are already fighting the good fight, but how do we get others to join us? Share, baby, share. Below you’ll find links not only to David Harper’s good work, but also to the good work of others working within the field of comics journalism. Give them your clicks, give them your eyes, and maybe, just maybe, if you can afford to do so, give them your dollars.

Support Comics Journalism

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Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Jesse Lonergan on Drome

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 06:48:14 -0600

Toward the end of this week’s episode, Jesse Lonergan says, “With Drome, it feels like I’ve done...something.” Since he arrived on the scene, the cartoonist has bashed upon the medium, seeing if he’d be the one to break comics. The art form didn’t shatter; it became stronger under Lonergan’s pressure. Books like Hedra, Faster, Planet Paradise, and Man’s Best electrified readers, showcasing what could only be done in comics. Now, in Drome, Jesse Lonergan whales harder upon the medium than he ever has before, and the result is a smashing celebration of comics and creation. Jesse Lonergan has done...something. He is not the artist who started Drome. We are not the readers we were before the first page.

A quick flip through Drome and you’ll witness a civilization with champions of order raging against champions of chaos. The visuals recall Jack Kirby and Robert E. Howard. Gods watch their toys in their sandbox. Violence everywhere because life is a violent act. It’s the best-looking, sword-and-sandal fantasy adventure you can find at your local comic shop.

To begin and end your conversation about Drome with its plot is a catastrophic mistake. With Jesse Lonergan, process is the theme. The color story matters. Form is the point. So, let’s get real damn nerdy about it.

On this week’s episode, we excitedly welcome back Jesse Lonergan and, together, tear our way through one of the year’s best comic books. We discuss the first images that eventually became Drome. We talk about the CMYK color model. We embarrassingly reveal the names we gave his characters, and celebrate those other artists, such as Geoff Darrow and Matt Lesniewski, who seem to give everything they have to comics.

Drome is now available from 23rd St Books. Make sure you follow Jesse Lonergan on Blue Sky, Instagram, Patreon, and his Website.

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And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

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Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Christian Ward on Event Horizon: Dark Descent

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 07:12:57 -0600

“Do you see?” We never imagined discussing an Event Horizon comic on the podcast, but the moment the notion was floated, we were enthralled. The original 1997 movie, directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, struck a chord back in the day, but it was also a movie that was obviously jumbled about and fumbled in the editing room. And since the story relied on the device of a spaceship lost in a black hole/literal hell for decades, it so easily allows for prequel expansion. All that’s required are the perfect creators to expand the material. Maybe even mend some of it.

Christian Ward and Tristan Jones are the perfect creators for Event Horizon. If you’ve read their work, especially Ward’s time on Batman: City of Madness and Jones’ time on Aliens, you’re probably already subscribed to the new prequel series from IDW Publishing. Event Horizon: Dark Descent tells the story of the original starship crew who ignited the Gravity Drive, popped into the space between spaces, and found their damnation in the abyss.

It’s always a pleasure to have Christian Ward on the podcast, but this week, that’s especially true because we’re all geeking out about the original movie, discussing how it influences all of his work, and why prequels are a damn good narrative delivery system. Yes, we talk about trauma and therapy, but also demons and personifying hell in the most joyful comic booky fashion. Event Horizon: Dark Descent is the best book you didn't expect in 2025. Let’s all go to hell together.

Event Horizon: Dark Descent is written by Christian Ward, illustrated by Tristan Jones, colored by Pip Martin, and lettered by Alex Ray. Variant Covers by Jeffrey Alan Love. Issue 1 is now available from IDW Publishing, and FOC for Issue 2 is Today (9/1/25). Call your shop and get subbed. Also, continue this conversation with Christian Ward by visiting his Website and following him on Blue Sky and Instagram.

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Don't forget to grab your tickets for our September 28th Alamo Drafthouse Winchester screening of Event Horizon, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Tillie Walden on Clementine: Book Three (The Walking Dead)

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 07:40:44 -0600

Early on in Tillie Walden’s Clementine: Book Three, which represents the concluding chapter in her The Walking Dead trilogy, an expectant mother grabs our hero’s arm and gasps through the pain, “It’ll never end.” She’s so right, and we should all take those words to heart. Pain is never done with you. Run if you care to, but the worst life has to offer will always find you. The trick is acknowledging your relationship with it and fortifying yourself as a means of surviving until you don’t. Pain never ends. You will. Find your community and love them while you can.

We’ve adored Tillie Walden’s comics for quite some time. One of our earliest episodes was a deep dive exploration of her exceptional science fiction teen romance, On a Sunbeam. Her work is deeply personal, and Clementine: Book Three is no exception, with the narrative extending from recent events in her life.

In today’s podcast, we dig into the Clementine trilogy with Tillie Walden. We discuss how she finds herself in Clementine and how Clementine may find herself in Tillie. We talk about The Walking Dead franchise, how Clementine evolves from the Telltale game, and why horror is the most emotionally honest genre.

Clementine: Book Three is written, drawn, and lettered by Tillie Walden. Grey Tones by Cliff Rathburn. All three books are now available from Skybound Entertainment and Image Comics. Follow Tillie Walden through her website and Instagram.

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We're sponsored by 2000 AD, the greatest comic you're not reading! Within its pages is a whole universe of characters, from Judge Dredd and Strontium Dog to Rogue Trooper, Shakara, Halo Jones, and the poor sods slogging across the Cursed Earth in The Helltrekkers. Get a print subscription at your door every week - and the first issue is free! Or subscribe digitally, get free back issues, and download DRM-free copies of each issue for just $9 a month. That's 128 pages of incredible monthly comics for less than $10.

Do you want in on the biggest secret in comics today? IDW Publishing’s Godzilla line of books is comics' greatest secret weapon. They’re constantly snagging rockstar creators like James Stokoe, Tom Scioli, Andrew MacLean, Louie Joyce, Jake Smith, Eric Powell, Rosie Knight, and Oliver Ono to unleash their talents on cinema’s most significant kaiju universe. And this July, IDW is taking their Godzilla books to the next level by introducing the Kei-Sei era. This new shared universe line begins with Godzilla #1 by Tim Seeley and Nikola Čižmešija. There’s a new Godzilla design, a mess load of Kaiju antagonists…and protagonists - plus, superpowered human characters. Thanks to IDW Publishing, it’s a good time to be a fan of the Big G and quality comics.

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Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Matt Fraction on Batman

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 21:42:42 -0600

Toward the end of our conversation with Matt Fraction, he mentions how his upcoming Batman book with Jorge Jiménez represents where his Hawkeye series would have gone if he and David Aja had continued. What does that mean, exactly? It’s complicated, and you’ll just have to listen to this week’s podcast to fully understand. And that’s what we call in the biz, a big ol’ tease.

Our chat with Matt Fraction concludes our San Diego Comic-Con International coverage, and we’re so frickin’ excited that we get to do so with this writer and this creation. As longtime listeners know, Batman is one of our boys, and the character has never been in as many good hands as he is right now at DC. Beyond this new Batman relaunch with Fraction and Jiménez, we have stellar titles in Absolute Batman, Batman and Robin, Batman and Robin: Year One, Batman: Dark Patterns, and probably a half dozen books we’re forgetting about at this moment.

Batman, created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, first appeared in Detective Comics #27, published on March 30th, 1939. The character’s longevity makes him indestructible. He won’t break, no matter what Matt Fraction and Jorge Jiménez do to him. This comes with tremendous freedom, allowing Fraction and Jiménez to throw everything of themselves into the character, and their longevity on the line will ultimately be determined by us, the readers.

Having read the first two issues in the new series, we can happily report that Matt Fraction and Jorge Jiménez’s take on the character is very much our jam, and rather unique from the other excellent flavors you can find on the stand every month. Their Batman operates in a semi-one-and-done structure, embracing the medium of comics while still satisfying those who crave long-haul storytelling. Mostly, it’s a fun as hell ride that looks slick. These are superhero comics that are not afraid to be superhero comics. They’re damn proud of it, in fact.

However, before we dive into all the Batman talk with Matt Fraction, we must regale you with our recent comic shop road trip to Richmond and Virginia Beach, Virginia. We did it, gang. We’ve already completed our mission to visit fifty comic book shops in fifty-two weeks. We’ve learned a lot from this experiment, and we need to discuss both the wonderful and not-so-wonderful aspects we've observed in these stores. Strap in for some serious retail talk.

Batman #1 is written by Matt Fraction, illustrated by Jorge Jiménez, colored by Tomeu Morey, lettered by Clayton Cowles, and published by DC. The first issue arrives in comic book shops on September 3rd.

Our SDCC Coverage:

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Don't forget to grab your tickets for our August 23rd Alamo Drafthouse Winchester screening of Lone Wolf and Cub: Babycart on the River Styx, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Tate Brombal and Jacob Phillips on Everything Dead and Dying

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 08:01:25 -0600

The great thing about the zombie sub-genre is that every time you think it’s played out, a new creative team arrives to inject some fresh life into it. Everything Dead and Dying, the new Image Comics series by Tate Brombal and Jacob Phillips, imagines the last living farmer on the planet, sitting satisfied on his homestead, surrounded by his dead and rotting loved ones. The corpses he once called friends and family are trapped in the routine of their last living day, performing mundane tasks such as delivering the mail and receiving a bedtime story. If he squints hard enough, the farmer, Jack Chandler, can soldier on as if each new day is as good as the old ones were.

Everything Dead and Dying is a deliciously, satisfyingly sad zombie story, and like the best entries in this sub-genre, it has a lot on its mind and heart. The first issue is easily one of our favorites of the year, and demands attention from those already fond of walkers or those who’d rather avoid them. Brombal and Phillips have constructed a perfect zombie gateway comic.

Having recently visited the Monroeville Mall in Pittsburgh, the site where George R. Romero shot the classic Dawn of the Dead, we were eager to chat with Tate Brombal and Jacob Phillips about what drew them to this particular story engine. What do the undead offer us as metaphors, especially in a culture so near its own global catastrophe?

On this week’s podcast, we discuss their connection to zombies, why they previously never considered contributing to the sub-genre, and how Jacob Phillips built an entire town from scratch. Final Order Cutoff for Everything Dead and Dying#1 is Today (8/11), so call your comic book shop asap so you won’t miss out on reading this story when it arrives on September 3rd.

Make sure you're following Tate Brombal on Blue Sky and Instagram, as well as Jacob Phillips on Blue Sky and Instagram.

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Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Gene Luen Yang and Andrew Joustra: A New Era of Turtle Power

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 22:14:20 -0600

For the past year, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise has been as exciting and essential as DC’s Absolute Universe or Skybound’s Energon Universe. Writer Jason Aaron and artist Juan Ferreyra have built an unmissable monthly comic, not to forget the numerous other splinter titles and crossover minis. Shortly before San Diego Comic-Con International, The Hollywood Reporter announced Aaron and Ferreyra’s departure, and we were a little heartbroken. Their time on the book was too brief, but if they must go, the news that cartoonist extraordinaire Gene Luen Yang and lifelong Turtle maniac Freddie E. Williams II eased the pain some.

One of our missions for this year’s San Diego Comic-Con was to return with more news regarding the TMNT baton pass between Aaron and Ferreyra and Yang and Williams. After moderating IDW Publishing’s “The New Era of Turtle Power” panel, we retreated to the Hilton Bayfront, where we had a lengthy conversation with Gene Luen Yang about his passion for the Turtles and how he would apply it to the series, starting with issue thirteen.

Also discussed at San Diego Comic-Con, Andrew Joustra, the script coordinator for the animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, will write an arc for the newly announced Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series, bringing the iconic Fugitoid character to the latest iteration of the TMNT universe. As passionate fans of Fugitoid ourselves, we had to trap Joustra in a media room for a deep dive into his take on the character and why he put so much of himself into the troubled fugitive android.

Today, you get two podcasts for the price of one. With Gene Luen Yang, we discuss where we find the Turtles when his story begins, how they’ve grown throughout the Jason Aaron and Juan Ferreyra run, and why a certain new antagonist was necessary for his story. With Andrew Joustra, we explore the Fugitoid concept, his relationship with the Turtles through the various franchise incarnations, and why this story is so deeply personal.

Be sure to follow Gene Luen Yang on his website, Blue Sky, Instagram, and TikTok. Also, follow Andrew Joustra on his website, Blue Sky, and Instagram.

Our SDCC Coverage:

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Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

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And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Daniel Warren Johnson Live at Now or Never Comics

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 08:21:22 -0600

As reported by The Beat, the Eisner-winning comics journalism website (hell yeah), Comic Book Couples Counselingkinda kicked off San Diego Comic-Con International this year with our Live Podcast Recording at Now or Never Comics in Downtown San Diego. On Tuesday, July 22nd, we invited superstar cartoonist Daniel Warren Johnson to chat with us after a signing at the shop. With The Moon Is Following Us recently concluded, his final issues of Transformerson their way, and the Kickstarter launch of his behemoth art book, we had a lot to discuss with DWJ.

Today’s episode presents the audio from our discussion in full, complete with questions from the audience, and a serious discussion of where The Moon Is Following Us took its readers, without spoiling the narrative for those who have not finished the comic. We also explore Daniel Warren Johnson’s relationship with comic book shops and comic conventions. What is his ideal store? Is San Diego different from the many other comic conventions across this country?

While our conversation with Daniel Warren Johnson may have launched Comic-Con for us, it represents the conclusion of our SDCC coverage. Please hit those links below to experience pop culture’s greatest gathering as we bring numerous other creator interviews to your ears.

Make sure you're following Daniel Warren Johnson on Blue Sky, Instagram, and his Website.

Our SDCC Coverage:

This Week's Sponsors

This July, IDW Publishing's Eisner-nominated cozy horror hit series returns in Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring #1. Superstar Cartoonist Patrick Horvath's delightfully twisted tale about an anthropomorphic serial killer bear is returning to comic shops for a new story that is guaranteed to shock readers. Return to the seemingly idealistic suburban town of Woodbrook as Samantha, the bloodlusting brown bear, got away with her crimes and is now the town's one and only serial killer. Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring #1 is out now from IDW Publishing.

This July, one of the greatest creator-owned comic series of all time begins a powerful new chapter! From Oni Press, return to the Eisner-nominated world of The Sixth Gun as creators Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt reunite for The Sixth Gun: Battle for the Six #1 – an extra-sized comics' event told across three prestige format issues. The Sixth Gun is about to be Reborn anew - as it has been countless times across the centuries. This time, however, a brigade of familiar fighters is ready and waiting to challenge a secret cabal. The Sixth Gun: Battle for the Six #1 arrives in comic shops everywhere on July 23rd.

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Zdarsky Comic News, and Only Zdarsky Comic News

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 16:54:38 -0600

Should Chip Zdarsky’s promotional magazine, Zdarsky Comic News, win an Eisner at this weekend’s San Diego Comic-Con International ceremony? We brought the question to him directly, and as you’ll hear, he rejected the whole notion of a nomination extremely quickly. Zdarsky is having a ball working on his free periodical every month. He puts tremendous time, energy, and thought into each issue. Still, as far as the category of Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism is concerned, he wants someone else to take home the statue, and “knows” that someone else will take home the statue. We shall see the results very soon.

Zdarsky Comic News began as a lark, as most things with Chip Zdarsky do. He turned his back on social media, adamantly believing it served no positive purpose, especially when it came to promoting his comics. Zdarksy Comic News’ primary mission was to inform folks in comic shops about what he was working on and give them a little chuckle in the process.

Since the first issue, however, Zdarsky Comic News has become its own unique monster. The cartoonist is slowly building a staff around himself, and it’s time to decide whether or not to kill the beast or let it grow into something larger and more significant. Through advertising, Zdarsky Comic News pays for itself, but it might need a little more to become the next Comics Journal, or its evil stepbrother.

Shortly before the 2025 Eisner Awards, we spoke with Chip Zdarsky about his free pamphlet, and that’s all we talked about, which seemed to surprise him. If you want more Captain America talk or Public Domain conversation, you'll have to go somewhere else. We were only interested in Chip Zdarsky’s mad side-hustle and what he thinks about the current state of comic book journalism.

You can find Zdarsky Comic News at your local comic book shop, and you should also consider subscribing to Chip Zdarsky’s Substack.

Our SDCC Coverage:

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In stores this June, Oni Press proudly presents a science fiction icon’s unlikely return to existence in Benjamin #1 - a new, prestige format limited series from Philip K. Dick Award winner Ben H. Winters and artist Leomacs. Do you remember the work of acclaimed novelist Benjamin J. Carp? Across more than 44 novels and hundreds of short stories, Carp established himself as a counterculture revolutionary. He died in 1982, after years of Southern Californian excess finally claimed his life...until 2025...when Benjamin Carp awakens, alive, in a burned-out motel room on the fringes of Los Angeles. Explore the metatextual nexus between existence and oblivion, past and future, genius and madness, this June in Benjamin #1 – only from Oni Press.

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

How to Win SDCC with Oni Press: Hunter Gorinson and Sierra Hahn

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 15:05:46 -0600

You don’t need to be told this: San Diego Comic-Con International is a comic convention unlike any other in the world. As yearly attendees, it’s our favorite time of the year at our favorite place on the planet, but what does such a colossal gathering of geekdoms truly mean for a publisher, and how can a company raise its voice above a million other competing screams? We presented these questions to Oni Press Publisher and President Hunter Gorinson, as well as Editor-in-Chief Sierra Hahn. Somehow, they’re madly in love with SDCC, and we’re eager to share with you the Oni Press 2025 Comic-Con battle plan. From their words, you can form your path to conquering Comic-Con.

This year marks the third anniversary of Hunter Gorinson and Sierra Hahn’s time at Oni Press. You’ve undoubtedly noticed, they’ve been extremely productive. Beyond recent partnerships with EC and the NacelleVerse, they’ve recently announced dealings with Elijah Wood, Daniel Noah, and Josh C. Waller’s SpectreVision. High Strangeness is a five-part experiment in sequential storytelling, featuring firsthand accounts of real paranormal encounters, guided by creators such as Chris Condon, Christopher Cantwell, Christian Ward, Dave Chisholm, Zac Thompson, and Cecil Castellucci. Say no more, we’re in.

We also discuss the recently announced Crownsville from Rodney Barnes and Elia Bonetti. This supernatural twist on true-life horror is precisely what you want from the co-creator of Killadelphia, and it’s guaranteed to stir profound emotions in any contemporary reader. Hunter Gorinson and Sierra Hahn are very excited for folks to discover what Barnes and Bonetti are brewing with this one.

Most importantly, our conversation puts you on the showfloor at San Diego Comic-Con as a publisher. The stakes are as high as the excitement that runs down every aisle. Whether you want to attend SDCC as a guest or a creator, our chat with Gorinson and Hahn will get you strategizing your own Comic-Con mission statement.

Make sure you’re following Oni Press on their Website, Blue Sky, and Instagram.

Our SDCC Coverage:

This Week's Sponsors

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing on Thunderbolts

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 17:20:48 -0600

If you’ve read comics from the Hivemind, aka Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing, then you know their specialty. Everyone goes to therapy! Whether you’re Peter Quill, Bucky Barnes, or Brad and Lisa Gullickson, if you’re in a Hivemind comic, or reading a Hivemind comic, you’re entering some kind of therapeutic discussion. Kelly and Lanzing put their characters on the couch, asking them some tough questions and listening to their answers. The results are always compelling, especially if we examine their recent run on Marvel’s Thunderbolts.

Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing recently finished their time on Thunderbolts, wrapping up their even larger Bucky Barnes story, with Doomstrike, out now as a five-issue series. As part of our San Diego Comic-Con Internationalcoverage, happening all week long on Comic Book Couples Counseling, we put the Hivemind in session with our particular brand of armchair psychology. The result, we hope, is an engaging, thorough exploration of who Bucky Barnes was, is, and will be. Not to mention all the other beautiful “heroes” brooding their way through the Thunderbolts team.

We discuss their original plan for Bucky Barnes and how that evolved throughout Thunderbolts and the One World Under Doom event. We consider how Bucky’s time as The Revolution parallels Captain America’s time as Nomad, and why the character needed to become a cause rather than simply existing as a fist...or a trigger finger. It’s a heavy conversation at times, but also one packed with joy and excitement. Just like their Thunderbolts comic.

Thunderbolts: Doomstrike issues one through five are now available from Marvel Comics. They’re written by Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing, illustrated by Tommaso Biachi, colored by Yen Nitro, and lettered by Joe Sabino. Make sure you’re following Collin Kelly on Blue Sky and Instagram, and Jackson Lanzing on Blue Sky and Instagram.

Our SDCC Coverage:

This Week's Sponsors

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Alex Segura on Star Wars

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 10:54:18 -0600

Today, we begin our mission to bring San Diego Comic-Con International to you. That means four episodes in your podcast feed this week! First up is writer Alex Segura. He’s been handed the keys to the Star Wars kingdom, working on the new Marvel Comics ongoing series alongside artist Phil Noto and letterer Clayton Cowles. The new series fills the gaps between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens. The New Republic just slayed the Empire. Now what?

We chat with Alex Segura about his Star Wars origin, the responsibility of steering the ship during such a critical moment within the canon, and how he’ll test Luke Skywalker when he’s seemingly at his Jedi Knight peak. Some writers would throw all their childhood toys into the sandbox with a project like this one, but Segura is cautious not to stuff the story with wish-fulfillment. His Star Wars is a carefully considered narrative, beautifully realized by two top-tier collaborators.

As you’ll also hear, a franchise like Star Wars can be overwhelming for the audience as well. How do you push the envelope for diehard readers while not alienating potential new fans of the series? What’s that line in Hamilton? War is the easy part; governing is the hard part.

Star Wars is rolling out monthly from Marvel Comics. Make sure you keep up to date with everything Alex Segura has going on by following his Blue Sky, Instagram, and Substack.

This Week's Sponsors

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Eric Powell and Harold Schechter on Dr. Werthless

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 06:57:20 -0600

If you’re a comic book reader like we are, around the same time you learn about Batman and Robin, you’re introduced to the medium’s scariest boogeyman, Dr. Fredric Wertham. The publication of his Seduction of the Innocent in 1954 thrust Wertham into the popular consciousness, sparking hysteria and moral panic, hindering the medium’s growth, and significantly harming the artists who worked within it. We assumed that Harold Schechter and Eric Powell’s latest true crime collaboration would roast Wertham viciously, but Dr. Werthless is far too good a work to be an attack. Schechter and Powell reveal a much more complicated character, one who devoted years of his life to the Civil Rights movement and experienced tremendous horror while working with some of this nation’s most notorious human monsters.

Eric Powell, the creator of The Goon, knows a thing or two about this art form and how it can stir an intense reaction from “concerned citizens.” The era in which Wertham’s book dominated boob tube conversation does not feel too far away from 2025, as politicians charge against graphic novels and libraries. The concerns around what stories can be told and who should be telling them indicate their power to influence and broaden our perspectives beyond the tiny universe within our eyeline. The desire to police narratives stems from fear and a need to control. If someone tells you not to read a book or watch a movie, you must read that book and watch that movie.

As you’ll hear, we had a wonderful time chatting with Harold Schechter and Eric Powell about Dr. Werthless. We discuss comic books’ greatest boogeyman and all the complexities that brought him to write Seduction of the Innocent. We dig into this medium’s power, the artists who were hurt by Werthem’s attack, and how it all relates to what we’re seeing around us today. Also, we may argue about what is and is not a comic book. Fun stuff!

Dr. Werthless is now available as a hardcover from Dark Horse Comics. You can find more information on the comic by visiting Powell's site or Schecter's site. You can find Eric Powell on Bluesky and Instagram, and Harold Schechter on Facebook HERE.

This Week's Sponsors

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Taki Soma and Michael Avon Oeming on Alienated

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 06:53:56 -0600

Not too long ago, the United States Government confirmed the existence of UFOs, but we had too much going on to care at the time. Maybe we needed more concrete evidence. What if ET arrived on our doorstep? But he was already dead? That's the premise of Alienated, the new Comixology Original written, colored, and lettered by Taki Soma, with art by John Broglia and covers by Michael Avon Oeming.

Alienated begins with one of our great mysteries solved, but done so in a horrifying, unsatisfying way. Alien arrival on Earth shakes society's core, spreading panic and existential dread...until people get distracted and move on to the next day's news cycle. There's only one problem: a single Alien survives, and it's on one disconnected family to keep them breathing.

We're ecstatic to have creative couple Taki Soma and Michael Avon Oeming on the podcast this week. We discuss how storytelling impacts every element of their relationship, their fascination with UFO mythology, and how Taki Soma's graphic novel memoir Sleeping While Standing impacted her method of creating fiction.

The first four Alienated issues are out now, and the fifth issue will arrive on August 5th. Please follow Taki Soma on Blue Sky and Instagram, and follow Michael Avon Oeming on Blue Sky, Instagram, and his Website.

This Week's Sponsor

This July, one of the greatest creator-owned comic series of all time begins a powerful new chapter! From Oni Press, return to the Eisner-nominated world of The Sixth Gun as creators Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt reunite for The Sixth Gun: Battle for the Six #1 – an extra-sized comics' event told across three prestige format issues. The Sixth Gun is about to be Reborn anew - as it has been countless times across the centuries. This time, however, a brigade of familiar fighters is ready and waiting to challenge a secret cabal. The Sixth Gun: Battle for the Six #1 arrives in comic shops everywhere on July 23rd.

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Welcome to The Stacks: David Brothers and Chip Zdarsky

Fri, 04 Jul 2025 08:48:51 -0600

A new phase of Comic Book Couples Counseling begins today with The Stacks, our new YouTube series where we trap comic book creators inside Third Eye Comics in Annapolis, Maryland, and force them to discuss their all-time favorite comic books. Time Watis collaborators and Mangasplaining co-hosts David Brothers and Chip Zdarsky launch the series. As you'll see, they enthusiastically tease each other while naming some of the most brilliant comic books ever published.

The first season of The Stacks will be published weekly for two months. We filmed each episode at Third Eye Comics, one of the country's GREAT comic book stores, and each guest approached the mission of highlighting their favorites in unique ways. In addition to David Brothers and Chip Zdarsky, season one will consist of Benjamin Percy (Predator vs. Spider-Man, X-Force), Phillip Kennedy Johnson (Batman and Robin, The Incredible Hulk), Sanford Greene (Bitter Root, Doom), Chris Condon (Ultimate Wolverine, News From The Fallout), and Brad and Lisa Gullickson (hey, that's us!). Season One may include a few surprise guests, too. So, cross your fingers.

Here's what we need from you. If you dig this concept and you want to see more episodes with comic book creators standing in front of comic shelves yammering about their favorite comics, please, please, please share the video with your friends. Like, subscribe, and all that stuff you're tired of hearing about, but that's how the word spreads.

We're extremely excited about The Stacks and want to do a lot more of them, but we need an active and engaged audience to do that. Comic Book Couples Counseling listeners are some of the most dedicated comic book readers on the planet, and we know you have our back. Comics have deserved a format like The Stacks for a long time. Comics are the greatest storytelling medium on the planet. Let's show the world why and help find some new comic book readers in the process. Thank you, friends.

If you want to visit The Stacks in person, get yourself to the Third Eye Comics mothership in Annapolis, Maryland: 209 Chinquapin Round Rd, Suite 200, Annapolis, MD 21401. Phone: 410-897-0322. Email: info@thirdeyecomics.com.

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Berkowitz Bros on The Writer, Their Aggressively Middle-Aged Hero

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 06:42:58 -0600

We love a good comic book explosion. The Writer smashes superheroes, comic book history, Jewish Folklore, Indiana Jones, The Princess Bride, Mike Mignola, and a little Looney Tunes existential dread. It's born from a unique sibling collaboration between the Berkowitz Bros., Max and Ben, as well as actor Josh Gad, master illustrator Ariel Olivetti, and letterer Frank Cvetkovic.

At its center is the aggressively middle-aged Stan Siegel, a comic book writer avoiding life's next big chapter, who gets sucked into a supernatural battle with demons and nazis. And drags his mother and daughter into that war alongside him. The Writer is a meta feast for those steeped in comics and pop culture, nodding to the iconic and not-so-iconic characters who populate our collective imagination.

With the trade paperback now available from Dark Horse Comics, we were eager to have the Berkowitz Bros. on the show this week. We discuss their comic book origin stories, a particular Bob Kane painting, middle-aged hero worship, and celebrating family. The conversation stirs intense feelings about siblings and why they make the best and worst collaborators.

Also, during this week's introduction, we dive into our first HeroesCon experience. Did we meet all the creators we wanted to meet? Did we buy all the comics we wanted to buy? Are Rick Quinn and Dave Chisholm as cool in person as they are in our six Spectrum podcast episodes? We get into it.

And don't forget to follow the Berkowitz Bros. on Blue Sky, Instagram, and their website.

This Week's Sponsor

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Breaking News from the Fallout with Chris Condon and Jeffrey Alan Love

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 06:27:21 -0600

Once again, fear and dread shroud the world outside our window. Chris Condon and Jeffrey Alan Love offer assistance with their terrifyingly relatable News from the Fallout, a zombie story that chews on the military-industrial complex, belief in apocalyptic certainty, and humanity's stumbling response. You can read their series as a scary, thrilling, atmospherically rich shock-fest or recognize its narrative as our past, present, but hopefully not future.

The zombie genre has served humanity well since Night of the Living Dead hit drive-ins in 1968. The Walking Dead subgenre allows creators to house all their political anxieties into a thrilling narrative, offering cathartic relief to their hungry audience. When there's no more doom to scroll, the dead will stalk your imagination.

Of course, News from the Fallout's shambling creatures is not necessarily zombies. They're the Rotten, poor fools who followed orders and got their face full of some unknown agent after a military test goes wrong...or right. Only Otis Fallows was smart enough to slap on a gas mask and flee across the Nevada desert. With beasts on his heels, the soldier finds solace in a diner full of patrons. They should all listen to reason and band together against a ravenous horde. Tune in next month for the second issue.

Until then, enjoy our hearty conversation with Chris Condon and Jeffrey Alan Love. We discuss George R. Romero's zombie legacy, the Criterion Collection, and how it feels to work in a terrifying narrative that doesn't look much different than what we see daily on TV and our phones. News from the Fallout looks unlike anything else in comic shops right now, thanks to Jeffrey Alan Love's incredible work, which embraces distortion and atmosphere to achieve emotional reality. So, naturally, we gotta dig into the whole look, too.

News from the Fallout #1 is out now from Image Comics. It's written by Chris Condon, illustrated by Jeffrey Alan Love, lettered by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, and designed by Michael Tivey.

Follow Chris Condon on Bluesky. Follow Jeffrey Alan Love on Instagram and his Website.

This Week's Sponsor

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

Don't forget to grab your tickets for our June 29th Alamo Drafthouse Winchester screening of James Gunn's THE SUICIDE SQUAD, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Fell Hound, Finally

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 06:36:49 -0600

It's really not right that Fell Hound has taken this long to find their way onto the podcast, but we're grateful they're here now, and we get to discuss with them such an exciting bit of comic book action romance like S.I.R. While the delay is entirely our fault, Fell Hound has been busy occupying our imaginations with comics like Commander Rao, an award-winning debut book that's pretty much dominated our thoughts and social media feeds since its release. They make damn fine comics, and they're impossible to ignore.

Published under the BOOM! Box imprint at BOOM! Studios, S.I.R. is a properly melodramatic romance set within the violent arena of collegiate motorcycle jousting. No mortal comic book reader can resist such a setup. Fell Hound delivers heartache, action, villainy, heroism, and lewks. My god, the designs in this comic are truly craveable.

Fell Hound wrote and drew everything while Eleonora Bruni provided S.I.R.'s colors with assistance from Freddie Tanto. Becca Carey designed the letters and logo. The new trade paperback from BOOM! is out now. Put your mitts on it.

Also, make sure to follow Fell Hound on Instagram and Bluesky.

This Week's Sponsor

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

Don't forget to grab your tickets for our June 29th Alamo Drafthouse Winchester screening of James Gunn's THE SUICIDE SQUAD, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Episode 300 - George Takei

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 07:56:55 -0600

Two hundred and ninety-nine episodes ago, we could not have possibly imagined George Takei appearing on the podcast. Some version of the actor has hung in our imaginations for most of our lives, and we spent many days of our early marriage obsessing over Star Trek, the original series, and its subsequent films. Thankfully, through this beautiful medium called comic books, our paths have crossed, and we get to celebrate our three-hundredth episode with one of our creative and cultural heroes.

Takei's latest graphic novel, It Rhymes With Takei, reunites him with the same creative team behind They Called Us Enemy: artist Harmony Becker and writers Steven Scott and Justin Eisinger. Together, they tell the rest of Takei's story, which includes his time in the Japanese American internment camps during World War II. It Rhymes With Takei explores the many lessons George Takei learned from that experience, how it shaped his activism, and gave him the courage to battle through the numerous other injustices he would face and fight for and alongside others.

The word "dystopia" gets thrown around a lot these days. It's certainly a go-to for us, and when you look outside your window or scroll through your phone, it's an easy, seemingly apt descriptor. Star Trek has started to feel like fantasy, not science fiction. However, George Takei encourages us to hang onto utopian possibilities. He asks us to accept the inevitability of change but strive toward a brighter, better future.

As the news continuously fills us with dread, we needed this conversation with George Takei, and we're grateful to share it with you, beautiful comic book friends. Thank you for spending your time with us over these three hundred (or so) episodes. Your presence gets us to our recording table every week, and you've given new meaning to our lives.

It Rhymes With Takei is out now from Top Shelf Productions. Get it wherever rad comics are found. Follow George Takei on Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and his Website.

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Don't forget to grab your tickets for our June 29th Alamo Drafthouse Winchester screening of James Gunn's THE SUICIDE SQUAD, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Denis Kitchen on His Oddly Compelling Life

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 07:30:04 -0600

When you love comics, you become comics. Denis Kitchen began as a self-published underground cartoonist in 1969, but he quickly sprang into other roles, all serving the medium that first called to him. A year later, he launched Kitchen Sink Press, which would house numerous pioneers from the industry (R. Crumb, Howard Cruse, Art Spiegelman, Trina Robbins, Will Eisner, Harvey Kurtzman, etc). His role as publisher would eventually force him into the position of defender, fighting for the rights of his artists and creating the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

Now, Denis Kitchen's career is the topic of a new documentary, Oddly Compelling: The Denis Kitchen Story, which is currently seeking funding via Kickstarter. The film gathers an astonishing array of talent to praise Denis Kitchen and offer context to a life that has shaped all comic readers, whether they know it or not.

In this week's podcast, we sit down with Denis Kitchen for a long chat about making comics and serving comics. The artist is an icon, but a humble one. He kindly accepts adulation while dismissing it in the same breath. We discuss how comics are "just pictures on paper," but simple images can have a world-altering effect. If you want to fall deeper in love with the art form, this episode is for you.

Please find the Kickstarter for Oddly Compelling: The Denis Kitchen Story here. Follow Denis Kitchen on Instagram and visit his website.

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And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Patrick Horvath on Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees - Rite of Spring

Wed, 28 May 2025 21:53:17 -0600

It's always a sunny day when Patrick Horvath wanders into our Love Nest. Two years after his first appearance on the podcast, he's back with another first issue, and this time, it's the sequel to the comic that made him a sensation. Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring takes us back to Woodbrook, years after the events of the original series, where Sam the Bear nearly lost control and many furry citizens lost their lives.

Sequels are scary. We crave them desperately, but too often, they leave us full of regret and not satisfaction. With our hands on our bellies, we grumble, frustrated at how we fooled ourselves into a second taste, knowing it could never be as delicious as the first. Patrick Horvath wickedly understands sour sequelitis and subverts its toxicity through revelation.

Danny the Duck, the first victim we saw Sam take in Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees, haunts every panel of Rite of Spring #1. His sister, Monica, takes center stage, as does her tremendous grief, which threatens to annihilate the person she was and the person she could have been. We didn't know it at the time, but Danny's death would slowly drill Monica toward Sam, and we both fear and delight at their eventual confrontation.

In this episode, we ask Patrick Horvath why he couldn't stay away from Woodbrook. We discuss the function of the time jump between the first series and its new sequel, Monica's prominence in Rite of Spring #1, Danny the Duck's vengeance, and the beauty of childhood cliches.

Final Order Cutoff (FOC) for Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring #1 is Monday, June 2nd. The first issue will arrive in shops from IDW Publishing on July 9th. Continue this conversation with Patrick Horvath by following him on Bluesky, Instagram, and his Website.

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Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

CBCC Book Club: Rick Quinn and Dave Chisholm on Spectrum 6

Mon, 26 May 2025 07:26:52 -0600

After half a year, our Spectrum Book Club podcast series with collaborators Rick Quinn and Dave Chisholm finds its ending. It's bittersweet but equally exhilarating. The sixth issue in the Mad Cave Studios series lands the thesis, connecting every reader to every creator and revealing their powers in the process.

You. Yeah, you. You're probably a maker, whether or not you're actively aware of your creations, and your tiny results forever bind you to those who came before, those who surround you today, and those who will come after you. Through Spectrum 6, Rick Quinn and Dave Chisholm plot a course through human history, and damn, we're super excited to follow.

Our final Spectrum Book Club session explores endings, forces our interpretations upon Rick Quinn and Dave Chisholm, and sits in their squirmy silence as they let us hang with our unconfirmed story solutions. These episodes are a unique set within the Comic Book Couples Counseling catalog, and we're thrilled with those who have followed along from November 2024 to nearly June 2025. Even more exciting are those ears that will discover these conversations months and years from now.

All six Spectrum issues are currently available from Mad Cave Studios, and the trade paperback release is scheduled for July 15th. Make sure you're following Dave Chisholm on his Website, TikTok, Instagram, and Bluesky. And follow Rick Quinn on his Website, Bluesky, and Instagram.

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And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Scott Snyder/Nick Dragotta: Absolute Batman vs. Bane

Mon, 19 May 2025 00:11:33 -0600

Everyone has a Batman opinion. Inside your imagination is a definitive Batman: a Batman who should behave this way, and a Batman who should not behave that way. Your tight grip on your Batman is why Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta's carefully considered Absolute Batman works so damn well. They fully understand and appreciate how the character has congealed over the last eight decades into a rock-solid idea.

For the last eight months, alongside collaborators like Gabriel H. Walta, Marcos Martín, Frank Martin, Muntsa Vicente, and Clayton Cowles, Snyder and Dragotta have chipped away at the quintessential Dark Knight. They've altered elements of his origin, removed his social position, and rearranged his relationship with his rogues. Their Absolute Batman is a Bruce Wayne in motion, moving toward the impenetrable idea in your head, but struggling to match it. Here is a character growing into something, evolving into a recognizable hero for 2025.

After confronting Mr. Freeze in issues seven and eight and facing the final days of Matches Malone, Bruce Wayne must reassess his war on Gotham City crime. What lessons did he learn from that awful day at The Zoo? Do his nights as Batman honor his father's sacrifice? As he fights to find himself, a grotesque demonic doppelganger appears - Bane, the nineties sensation who once broke a bat from another universe.

FOC for Absolute Batman #9 is today (5/19/25)! Tell your retailers to order a copy for ya. With this comic, Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta have cooked an undeniable banquet. As the best alternate reality stories should, they've weaponized your knowledge of these characters against you, subverting in radically compelling ways, while delivering what should never be manipulated.

Today's podcast features two conversations. Up first, Scott Snyder joins us for a lengthy look back at the last eight months of Absolute Batman. We discuss Bruce Wayne's continuing development into the Dark Knight, his complex relationship with Joe Chill, his father's killer, and why Bane had to arrive sooner rather than later. Secondly, Nick Dragotta pops in for a conversation about his ultra chonky Bane design, and how what we've seen so far is only a hint of his true monstrosity.

Absolute Batman #9 will finally arrive in stores, courtesy of DC Comics, on June 11th. Follow Scott Snyder on Bluesky and Instagram, and subscribe to his Substack. Follow Nick Dragotta on Bluesky and Instagram.

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Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Michael Schwartz on Armored

Tue, 13 May 2025 22:59:37 -0600

Kids can take it. You can coddle them. You can protect them with everything you have, but life is not simply coming for them; it already has them. Last year, Armored, the spectacularly spooky adventure story from writer Michael Schwartz and artist Ismael Hernandez, struck a deep emotional chord in us. The series seemingly came out of nowhere and walloped us with a powerfully relatable ghost story about family, loss, and perseverance. We gave it the Stampie for Best Surprise Comic, and the more times we re-read it, the more comfortable we are with that declaration.

Armored traffics in recognizable tropes, but executes them perfectly through a singular vision. At the story's core is Andy, a child forced into the foster system after his parents mysteriously vanish. He's planted in a home dealing with its own awful tragedy, which propels him into a confrontation with a haunted suit of armor. With the ghostly Sir William by his side, Andy seeks to solve the disappearance of his folks while stumbling into battle with ancient evil.

Having devoured the single issues from Clover Press, we patiently awaited word of a proper hardcover collection. Friends, we're ecstatic to be the first to tell you this: the Armored hardcover is almost here, and its Kickstarter Pre-Launch Page is already up and running (CLICK HERE AND GET NOTIFIED).

Not only that, but we also have the first look at the new Armored hardcover collection artwork by artist Francesco Tomaselli. Please bask in its beauty while you listen to this week's podcast with author Michael Schwartz discussing Armored, how the theft of his comic book collection only intensified his comic book addiction, and why kids need stories with emotionally dark realities.

Armored is published by Clover Press, written by Michael Schwartz, illustrated by Ismael Hernandez, lettered by Ferran Delgado, and edited by Chris Stevens.

To continue this conversation, follow Michael Schwartz on Bluesky and Instagram.

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Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Robert Kirkman and Ryan Ottley on Battle Beast

Wed, 07 May 2025 06:28:18 -0600

With the Invincible animated series propelling more and more fans to the comic books, now is the perfect time for Robert Kirkman and Ryan Ottley to reteam on a new series. In a universe populated with numerous rich, wild characters, they could have revamped an infinite number of ideas. They chose Battle Beast, the white lion-like humanoid cursed with an unquenchable rage, and in doing so, Kirkmann and Ottley create an opportunity to reframe the character's original narrative.

Battle Beast first appeared in Invincible #19 (2004) and did not return until Invincible #55 (2008). Between those comics is a massive swath of time, and the new series, Invincible Universe: Battle Beast, will explore it fully. The first issue arrives in comic shops next Wednesday. If it's any indication, when this series is over, it will radically alter our understanding of Battle Beast's narrative and its place within the larger Invincible storyline.

This week, we trap Robert Kirkman and Ryan Ottley in our Zoom room. We examine how this first issue challenges our previous interpretation of the title character, the pain at Battle Beast's core, and the brilliant action that erupts from it. Having built a utopia on his homeworld through violent combat, Battle Beast seeks an end through a worthy opponent. You should know that this episode ventures into conversations about suicide and mental health crises.

Helplines are available if you do not already have a support system. For the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline - dial 988 or visit www.988lifeline.org to chat with someone online. You can reach the Mental Health Hotline in Virginia by dialing 1-866-903-3787 or CLICK HERE.

Invincible Universe: Battle Beast #1 is written by Robert Kirkman, illustrated by Ryan Ottley, colored by Annalisa Leoni, and lettered by Rus Wooton. It's published by Skybound Entertainment, operating in partnership with Image Comics.

To continue this conversation, follow Robert Kirkman on Bluesky and Instagram. Also, follow Ryan Ottley on Blueskyand Instagram.

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Don't forget to grab your tickets for our May 11th Alamo Drafthouse Winchester screening of DREDD, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

CBCC Book Club: Rick Quinn and Dave Chisholm on Spectrum 5

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 07:29:35 -0600

First issues are hard. Last issues are hard. Second-to-last issues are hard. Maybe...all issues are hard? Book Club is back in session with creators Rick Quinn and Dave Chisholm, discussing Spectrum #5, the penultimate issue in their brilliant Mad Cave Studios series.

With the end just around the corner (the final issue arrives in shops on May 21st, as does our final Book Club episode with Quinn and Chisholm, so mark your calendars), Spectrum #5 must elevate and explode a bunch of grandiose ideas about art that the comic has so far been teasing or suggesting. Spectrum #5 is a BIG comic following two central characters while traversing multiple timelines and encountering alternate-dimension stand-ins for iconic cultural figures and places from our world.

Quinn and Chisholm might not say it, but we will: PBGBs is CBGBs, and Gloria Bell is Patti Smith. Half the pleasure of reading Spectrum is tracking their sci-fi alternatives of real-world legends, which recalls similar joys had when devouring Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. However, as Spectrum #5 ramps toward its fiery conclusion next month, the fervor with which Quinn and Chisholm explore vital artistry is the ultimate appeal.

Why do humans sing? Why do they paint? Why do they tell stories to one another? During a moment when artistic expression is recklessly dismissed or downright eradicated, Spectrum #5 shows its readers how they're constantly engaged with creative expression and why only the most vile and pathetic people are detached from it.

Last month's Spectrum Book Club was extremely process-heavy in its conversation. Now, for the penultimate issue, it's time to dig into the thematic weeds, have a serious chat about human connection, and worry not about labels of pretension. We're all friends here.

Spectrum 1 - 5 are currently available from Mad Cave Studios, and the final issue will arrive in shops on April 21st. Make sure you're following Dave Chisholm on his Website, TikTok, Instagram, and Bluesky. And follow Rick Quinn on his Website, Bluesky, and Instagram.

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Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Christopher Cantwell and Tyler Crook on Out of Alcatraz

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 22:20:52 -0600

June. 1962. Two men do the impossible: break Out of Alcatraz. The legendary escape almost immediately caught the public's imagination, becoming fodder for TV, film, and prose. Maybe you've encountered a few of these stories; maybe you haven't. Whatever the case, you certainly have not read an interpretation like the Oni Press comic from Christopher Cantwell and Tyler Crook.

Their Out of Alcatraz begins in the crashing waters outside the prison. From there, it dips into a storm of speculation, terror, and hope. Through their story, Cantwell and Crook explore a critical moment in the American narrative. The Civil Rights movement hasn't quite popped off. John F. Kennedy still stands righteously in the White House. The confidence of Post-war America is about to burst. Three criminals taste freedom with all its bitterness and desperately attempt to choke it down.

This week's podcast considers the American story and those who were left out of it or forced from it. We chat with Cantwell and Crook about the real men who broke free from Alcatraz and the fictional men they became in Cantwell and Crook's imaginations. We discuss the allure of prison narratives and the cells we all find ourselves in at some point.

Issues one and two of Out of Alcatraz are now available wherever rad comics are sold, and issue three will arrive in shops on May 21st.

Continue this conversation by following Christopher Cantwell on BlueSky and Tyler Crook on BlueSky, Instagram, and his Website. Also, you can listen to his music through his Bandcamp page (although it's also available on Spotify, Apple Music, and the like).

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Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Grant Morrison on All-Star Superman

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 23:34:45 -0600

Surprise, friends. Grant Morrison joins the show for Superman Day! As the writer behind the seminal All-Star Superman, which observes its 20th anniversary this November, we cannot think of a better person to help us celebrate the Last Son of Krypton on his 87th birthday. Action Comics #1, featuring the first appearance of Superman by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, hit newsstands on April 18th, 1938. It is the source of everything you love about superhero comics.

When Action Comics first arrived, America was in economic ruin. The world was about to enter its second great war. Despair was easily accessible, but two Jewish kids from Cleveland imagined a Man of Steel who could do the impossible and would act for those who could not act for themselves. As we look outside our windows in 2025, we see an incredible darkness, but we strive for a future beyond it. We can imitate the devils in the dark, or we can seek Superman, who reflects the best version of ourselves.

Like most people, probably, we first encountered Superman through television and film; it was the All-Star Superman comics by Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely, Jamie Grant, Phil Balsman, and Travis Lanham that solidified our passion for the character. Those twelve issues showcased the joyous, awful, absurd, and adventurous universe Superman populated, making us fall in love with it and our own realm in return. As Morrison writes in Supergods, we are the stories we tell ourselves. In Superman, we see who we've been, who we are, and who we could be.

We're positively chuffed to chat Superman with Grant Morrison. We discuss their approach to the character in All-Star Superman and how it differs from the version they wrote in JLA, Action Comics, Final Crisis, and other stories. We discuss the significance of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster and what it means for Grant and others to extend their great idea. We talk about Lois and Clark, Lex Luthor, Samson, and Atlas, and Grant Morrison reveals their next big comic project somewhere along the line.

Continue our conversation with Grant Morrison by visiting their Website, Substack, Instagram, and Bluesky.

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Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Aubrey Sitterson on Free Planet

Sun, 13 Apr 2025 22:09:15 -0600

If you listen to comic book podcasts beyond Comic Book Couples Counseling, you've probably already encountered Aubrey Sitterson. The writer has been making the rounds, discussing his radical new science fiction series Free Planet, made in collaboration with artist Jed Dougherty, colorist Vittorio Astone, letterer Taylor Esposito, and designer Mark Kaufman. Sitterson LOVES comics, and he LOVES talking about comics. He's spent years percolating in the medium, absorbing the code of how to make the best comics in the best way possible for his particular talents.

Aubrey Sitterson has developed something he calls "The Approach." It's a new method of storytelling discovered during the making of other such comics as The Worst Dudes, No One Left to Fight, and Savage Hearts. Sitterson is not just design-focused; he's design-obsessed, and it was a delight to chat with him about this intensely, carefully sharpened obsession.

We're in the weeds this week. We wanted to double down on a comics-making meal, possibly inspired by the last episode's heavy process conversation with Rick Quinn and Dave Chisholm about Spectrum #4. Aubrey Sitterson appears reinvigorated by Free Planet, and his enthusiasm for the craft is infectious and should encourage your leap into storytelling.

Final Order Cutoff for Free Planet #1 is Monday, April 14th (That's Today!), and Image Comics will finally drop the first issue in shops on May 7th. It's not a title you want to sleep on. Everyone involved is going for it, swinging for the fences. You can view the Preview Pages here, which are overwhelming in the best way possible.

Follow Aubrey Sitterson on Bluesky, Instagram, Substack, and his Website.

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode

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And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

CBCC Book Club: Rick Quinn and Dave Chisholm on Spectrum 4

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 21:39:34 -0600

There are not many opportunities like this one. Every month, we devour the latest Spectrum comic and then jump on the phone with creators Rick Quinn and Dave Chisholm. It's an intimate, super nerdy book club, and you're all invited. But you gotta bring your own wine. With issue four, we're more than halfway through the series, but we're just getting started regarding a thorough excavation into their creative process.

Spectrum #4 is the most dense chapter in the series so far. Multiple threads weave the narrative, and several of those introduce new concepts and characters. We travel to "The Twilight of the Gods," witnessing a massive mythology dump while our heroes Melody and Ada traverse time through song. We witness the beginning of everything and must prepare for its end.

This week's podcast starts with Rick Quinn and Dave Chisholm taking ownership of the Book Club, wrestling the reins from us, and guiding us to the discussion topics they want to tackle. We discuss how the series has swerved unexpectedly, resulting in radical issues like Spectrum #4. We got tangents and anecdotes, wild theories, and sidequests.

But before all that, we must discuss our recent WonderCon excursion, offering a little recap on dollar bins and panels. The Anaheim convention rests in the shadow of Disneyland, offering a unique vibe from other comic cons. It was Lisa's first time. Will she return?

Spectrum 1 - 4 are currently available from Mad Cave Studios, and the fifth issue will arrive in shops on April 23rd. Make sure you're following Dave Chisholm on his Website, TikTok, Instagram, and Bluesky. And follow Rick Quinn on his Website, Bluesky, and Instagram.

You wake in a hospital bed. Your hand feels heavy, there’s a ringing pain in your head. Machine parts have replaced what could not be repaired with flesh. Did the doctors save you, or strip you of your humanity? This is the question facing Adam in Futility Shapes, a one-shot comic live on Kickstarter now! Created by Edward Kane and Dave Fowler. Futility Shapes is a weird blend of The Terminator, The Machinist, and Mass Effect. What shapes you? Visit EdwardKane.net.

We're also sponsored by 2000 AD, the greatest comic you're not reading! Within its pages is a whole universe of characters, from Judge Dredd and Strontium Dog to Rogue Trooper, Shakara, Halo Jones, and the poor sods slogging across the Cursed Earth in The Helltrekkers. Get a print subscription at your door every week - and the first issue is free! Or subscribe digitally, get free back issues, and download DRM-free copies of each issue for just $9 a month. That's 128 pages of incredible monthly comics for less than $10.

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Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 4/13 at 5:00 PM for Robert Altman's Popeye, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Scott Morse on This Ink Runs Cold

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 21:46:12 -0600

A year ago, Scott Morse found himself adrift, severed from a stable income and a defined creative path. Panic was an option. So was fear. Instead, he chose collaboration and creation. This Ink Runs Cold: Short Stories from the Space-Crime Continuum smashes two of his favorite genres between its pages. It's an anthology of one-page pulp stories written by 89 different writers, all drawn by Scott Morse and colored by José Villarrubia.

Many of these writers are seasoned comic veterans, animators, and filmmakers. The table of contents includes Mike Allred, Brian Michael Bendis, Jorge Gutierrez, Derek Kirk Kim, Dave McKean, Fábio Moon, Scott Mosier, Eric Powell, Stan Sakai, and on and on and on. Even better, for our purposes anyway, This Ink Runs Cold includes numerous comic book newcomers, including us - Brad and Lisa Gullickson!

As of this writing, This Ink Runs Cold has one week left on Kickstarter. Scott Morse and Allen Spiegel Fine Arts offer two editions: the Full-Color version featuring José Villarrubia's wizardry and the limited Black and White Noir version, showcasing Scott Morse's beautiful brushwork. Having knocked out some stretch goals, those backing the Bookplate and Noir/1-2 Punch tiers will get an extra book, The Brush-Offs. This is a 24-page bonus book featuring unused art, abandoned pages, scripts, an alternate prologue/epilogue, and an analysis of this unique writer/artist collaboration.

We're beyond honored to contribute one page to This Ink Runs Cold; we're practically in disbelief. Today's podcast is the first time we have featured a story we helped create, and it's an incredibly emotional experience. We're grateful to Scott Morse for coming on the show, explaining how This Ink Runs Cold grew from a mini-devastation, and why this intense injection of collaboration reinvigorated him.

We also had the opportunity to explain what our short story "The ADHD P.I." means to us and how it helped us process some anxiety and self-loathing. Working with one page was ridiculously challenging, and what's most exciting is seeing how 88 other writers tackled that challenge and used that finite space in infinite ways.

We also start this week's episode with our recent trip to WonderCon and an LAX nightmare we will never forget. If you're here only for the Scott Morse chatter, we won't begrudge you for skipping ahead, but you'll miss out on another outlandish story.

This Week's Sponsors:

Plus, the Beyond the Cape Podcast. If you enjoy Comic Book Couples Counseling, you'd undoubtedly enjoy their show. Beyond the Cape is a laid-back talk show in which every episode highlights their love of this beautiful comic book medium, their personal journey with it, and the respective artists they feature on each podcast. This June will mark their second anniversary, which we certainly recognize as a massive accomplishment. So, follow them on Instagram @BeyondTheCapePodcast and Spotify with The Uncensored Nerds Network.

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 4/13 at 5:00 PM for Robert Altman's Popeye, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Juni Ba on Monkey Meat: The Summer Batch

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 10:24:52 -0600

If you're not reading Juni Ba comics, you're missing out on a living legend pushing the form to its extreme potential. Since Djeliya, we haven't missed a panel from the cartoonist, and we've watched him develop into an undeniable talent, producing one essential comic after another. Just when we think he can't possibly top himself (seriously, did you read Mobilis: My Life with Captain Nemo and The Boy Wonder?), he drops Monkey Meat: The Summer Batch, his sequel to the Image Comics anthology series. It's a radical, rageful commentary on the world we're all trapped on, but it contains profound joy through its creation.

THIS. IS. COMICS.

Today's podcast is a thorough conversation with Juni Ba about Monkey Meat: The Summer Batch. Why did he adopt a new aesthetic for this series? Is it too hopeless to be considered dystopian? What does Britney Spears have to do with Monkey Meat: The Summer Batch? We dig in and chow down.

The first issue of Monkey Meat: The Summer Batch is now available wherever rad comics are sold. The second issue will arrive on April 2nd. We're begging you not to let this series, destined for legendary status, slip through your fingers. Be sure to continue this conversation with Juni Ba by visiting his Instagram, Bluesky, and Twitter.

This week's episode is sponsored by 2000 AD, the greatest comic you're not reading! Within its pages is a whole universe of characters, from Judge Dredd and Strontium Dog to Rogue Trooper, Shakara, Halo Jones, and the poor sods slogging across the Cursed Earth in The Helltrekkers. Get a print subscription at your door every week - and the first issue is free! Or subscribe digitally, get free back issues, and download DRM-free copies of each issue for just $9 a month. That's 128 pages of incredible monthly comics for less than $10.

We're also sponsored by the Beyond the Cape Podcast. If you enjoy Comic Book Couples Counseling, you'd undoubtedly enjoy their show. Beyond the Cape is a laid-back talk show in which every episode highlights their love of this beautiful comic book medium, their personal journey with it, and the respective artists they feature on each podcast. This June will mark their second anniversary, which we certainly recognize as a massive accomplishment. So, follow them on Instagram @BeyondTheCapePodcast and Spotify with The Uncensored Nerds Network.

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Matthew Rosenberg on We're Taking Everyone Down With Us

Fri, 21 Mar 2025 07:54:02 -0600

It's not about the plot. That's why Matthew Rosenberg was not worried about spoiling it all in the solicits for We're Taking Everyone Down With Us, his new Image Comics series done in collaboration with artist Stefano Landini, colorists Roman Titov and Jason Wordie, letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, and designer Becca Carey. For the writer, the comic is everything surrounding the narrative: character, emotion, theme, style, etc. AKA, the perfect Comic Book Couples Counseling comic.

The first issue of the new sci-fi spy thriller releases this Wednesday (March 26th) and celebrates numerous influences, but it's sharpened into something extraordinarily fresh. The tropes will be familiar to any James Bond obsessive, but We're Taking Everyone Down With Us shifts the perspective from problematic double o to the child of one of his greatest mad scientist rivals.

Thirteen-year-old Annalise merely wants more time with her father, but he's too busy plotting earthly destruction in his lab. So, she's stuck with her robot babysitters. We're Taking Everyone Down With Us starts with a bang, and it reveals a whole new world to the child, and that revelation will become quite the problem for any wannabe James Bond lurking in the plot.

Matthew Rosenberg makes his CBCC podcast debut, and we're eager to discuss the inspirations behind We're Taking Everyone Down With Us and his relationship with super spy melodrama. We also discuss the personal saga behind the story, our frustration with spoiler culture, and why no artistic expression feels as good as comic book collaboration.

Stay current on Matthew Rosenberg by following his Substack, Podcast, Bluesky, and Instagram.

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 3/09 at 5:00 PM for Popeye, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Stan Sakai on Usagi Yojimbo: Ten Thousand Plums and Beyond

Sun, 16 Mar 2025 22:17:03 -0600

With Usagi Yojimbo: Ten Thousand Plums, Stan Sakai enters his forty-first year as the rabbit ronin's chronicler. Each decade represents about a year in the title character's life, which you can track if you're paying attention to the seasons surrounding Usagi's adventures. If you're paying even closer attention, you can map his footsteps across sixteenth-century Japan and anticipate his next conflict or reunion, but don't worry if you lack such concentration. As you'll hear in today's episode, Sakai certainly does not.

Usagi Yojimbo Ten Thousand Plums begins with a fox spirit and her daughter struggling to survive. Sickness has taken the child, and the mother seeks help from a nearby village. They reject her despite having access to the Shogun's prized plum orchard and the healing umeboshi (pickled plums) it produces. By the time Usagi, his cousin Yukichi, and the bounty hunter Gen arrive, fury has rained down upon the town, creating a dangerous suspicion of outsiders.

With Ten Thousand Plums, Stan Sakai continues to explore the themes of deceptive appearances, selflessness, and selfishness, which he thoroughly dug into with the previous Usagi Yojimbo storyline, The Crow. We chat with Sakai about this current preoccupation, how it challenges Usagi and Yukichi, and where it could lead the cousins. No major spoilers lie within our conversation, but Stan Sakai does tease a few things that will undoubtedly spark intense curiosity for longtime Usagi Yojimbo readers. The Sword of Narukami is in play. Could another famous sword re-appear, too?

Following Ten Thousand Plums' first three issues, a new story entitled "Tabo" should prove to be Stan Sakai's most personal comic yet. It was written shortly after his younger brother Kenneth passed away, and Sakai kindly expands on what this tale means for him and his family. You'll hear how "Tabo" places Usagi and Yukichi on a pilgrimage in search of the miraculous goddess called "The Mother," forcing Usagi to confront his skepticism in ways he never has before.

The first issue of Usagi Yojimbo Ten Thousand Plums is now available from Dark Horse Comics and Dogu Publishing. The second issue will arrive on April 16th, and we have an exclusive preview of its first five pages on the Comic Book Couples Counseling website.

Make sure to keep up to date on all things Usagi Yojimbo by visiting Stan Sakai's website and Instagram.

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Gateway Dredd: Rob Williams and Arthur Wyatt on A Better World

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 23:27:43 -0600

Reading Judge Dredd in 2025 is a helluva thing. The gap between Anycity USA and Mega-City One shortens seemingly with every passing second, causing us to re-evaluate dystopia's purpose. A Better World, the latest 2000 AD collection from writers Rob Williams and Arthur Wyatt, featuring gorgeously gnarly art from Henry Flint, Boo Cook, Jake Lynch, and Jim Boswell, is a vicious mirror to gaze into. And anxiety rests in what to do after you pull your head away.

The story begins with Judge Maitland discovering the impossible amongst her accounts. If the Chief Justices would allow her to reallocate a few resources, say feed money into education and a few other social services, crime in Mega-City One would likely plummet. They give her a sector to manage, and her theory becomes reality. Oh, no.

Judge Dredd: A Better World knocked us flat when we first read it last year. We, and a lot of other comic lovers, ranked it as one of 2024's best stories. Now that it's properly collected, we were eager to get Rob Williams and Arthur Wyatt on the podcast to break it down and challenge our understanding of Mega-City One's top cop and the people he polices.

We discuss how and why they brought Judge Maitland to her findings, how she relates heavily to Dredd, and why he responds so warmly to her. Or as warmly as Dredd possibly can. Our conversation dips into the joys of dystopia as well as the danger that can occur when folks give it a light reading. The trick being to make light readings impossible.

Follow Rob Williams on Bluesky, Instagram, and Twitter. Follow Arthur Wyatt on Bluesky, Instagram, and Twitter.

Yes, this week's episode is sponsored by 2000 AD, the greatest comic you're not reading! Within its pages is a whole universe of characters, from Judge Dredd and Strontium Dog to Rogue Trooper, Shakara, Halo Jones, and the poor sods slogging across the Cursed Earth in The Helltrekkers. Get a print subscription at your door every week - and the first issue is free! Or subscribe digitally, get free back issues, and download DRM-free copies of each issue for just $9 a month. That's 128 pages of incredible monthly comics for less than $10.

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

The Ultimate Tom King Helen of Wyndhorn Interview

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 00:26:34 -0600

Today's podcast with Tom King is a conversation we eagerly anticipated the moment we finished the first issue of Helen of Wyndhorn. From its earliest panels, illustrated brilliantly by Bilquis Evely, colored by Matheus Lopes, and lettered by Clayton Cowles, we knew this saga of grief, self-discovery, magic, and adventure would occupy large, permanent portions of our imaginations. We merely waited for it to conclude, reveal its full magnificence, and find a proper hardcover release worthy of its contents. We then needed to dissect everything with Tom, our friend and frequent guest.

Dark Horse Comics has now collected Helen of Wyndhorn into a hefty hardback that will undoubtedly lure new readers to its sumptuous narrative, and we're ready to dive into its pages and go full-spoilers with its author. Before we even hit record, Tom King was happily pouring over this story with us, recalling his initial intentions for the tale and comparing them to his current perspective.

Helen of Wyndhorn reteams King with his Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow cohorts, but it's a saga that took almost three times as long to complete, and that effort proudly reveals itself in every line, word, and pixel. The book is often sold as "Conan the Barbarian meets The Wizard of Oz." Sure, those influences are preset, and we discuss them, but it's a book that thrives on gothic romance and real-life heartache, too.

When we first meet the title character, she's more than adrift; she's devastated and on the verge of destruction. Her father, pulp author CK Cole, is dead and gone. Her grandfather hires a governess to drag her back to his estate. What she discovers there will change everything she knows about her father as well as reality itself. And her journey toward purpose awoke something in us. Something that's evolving even as we write these words. How big or significant must an action be for it to be heroic?

To continue this conversation beyond the podcast, follow Tom King on Bluesky, Threads, and Instagram.

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 3/09 at 5:00 PM for Josie and the Pussycats, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

A Slasher Celebration: David Bowles, Drew Edwards, and Monica Gallagher on The Matron

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 15:28:57 -0600

The horror genre occupies an important moment in our romantic relationship. We started dating nearly eighteen years ago. Our earliest outings were at the theater, watching one mediocre to terrible horror film after the other. As you'll hear in this week's episode, those violent excursions caused us to sharpen our ideas of who we are. Gosh, we sure could have used The Matron back then.

Comic creators David Bowles, Drew Edwards, and Monica Gallagher join us to discuss their new slasher comic, The Matron. It's a distinct, bloody trip across multiple generations. While it began as a thought experiment related to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, it quickly transformed into a rich, thoughtful exercise in how the slasher story can contain and process profound human anxiety.

Fifty years after her great-great-grandmother slaughtered her way into infamy, Roz desperately wants to find space on this planet away from her family's murderous past. Mostly in the arms of her girlfriend, Samantha. However, as winter sweeps across the Texas town of Ascuas, celebrations centered around the original Matron's killings begin. As do a new set of killings.

The Matron allowed us to discover our history with the slasher and our love for it. While these musings tend to occur around the Halloween season, the first two months of 2025 have proved to be the perfect moment to seek solace in characters like The Matron, Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, and other masked maniacs.

The Matron is currently seeking funding via Kickstarter. As of this writing, they have sixteen days left on the campaign. CLICK HERE to explore this unique slasher further. You can follow David Bowles on Instagram. You can follow Drew Edwards on Instagram. You can follow Monica Gallagher on Instagram.

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 3/09 at 5:00 PM for Josie and the Pussycats, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

CBCC Book Club: Rick Quinn and Dave Chisholm on Spectrum 3

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 23:00:03 -0600

We try not to gatekeep. We try to resist nostalgia, but on some days, we feel the purest expression possible in comics can only occur through monthly serialization. Rick Quinn and Dave Chisholm return to the podcast for the third month, discussing Spectrum #3, the latest entry in their magical, sci-fi tour through an alternate musical history.

As you'll hear Rick Quinn say at some point in our conversation, Spectrum #3 is not their "Bohemian Rhapsody" or "Hey Jude." It's twenty-two pages; it's their three-minute pop song, and nothing is more simplistically significant than a three-minute pop song. Lives are often altered within those beautiful constraints.

We're halfway through the Mad Cave Studios series and our monthly Book Club discussion of it. Feel free to jump on board here, but also, catching up won't take you long. Find the links to those conversations below.

Spectrum #3 introduces more characters and artistic mediums for our heroes and readers to consider. Last month, we explored how fine art interacts with music, and now, through the character of Walton Naves, we look at photography's relationship to sound. What separates the "click" from the picture triggered by it?

As always, Rick Quinn and Dave Chisholm are more than willing to travel deep with us into Spectrum. This time, they're packing their own notes! We discuss how the third issue still reveals their discovery of the material and how next month's comic will show them confidently accepting its mission. Between the pages, lives were literally born, and perspectives radically transformed. Can you find the page created between childlessness and fatherhood? Just look for signs of exhaustion and obsessive detail.

Spectrum 1 - 3 are currently available from Mad Cave Studios, and the fourth issue will arrive in shops on March 19th. Make sure you're following Dave Chisholm on his Website, TikTok, Instagram, and Bluesky. And follow Rick Quinn on his Website, Bluesky, and Instagram.

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 3/09 at 5:00 PM for Josie and the Pussycats, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Thomas Jane and Mike Carey on The Lycan

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:33:05 -0600

They couldn't let go. Thomas Jane and Mike Carey resurrect The Lycan, a comics project languishing for over fifteen years. Jane and screenwriter David James Kelly initiated the concept and hired Carey to write the script. An artist was also hired. That artist disappeared. An opportunity arose years later, and a new artist, Diego Yapur, finally materialized this ruthless tale of adventure and horror.

The North Sea. 1797. A ship shatters on the shore of a Scottish isle. The hunters within spill upon the sand, encountering a Red Coat regiment and a Convent-turned-Fortress. The three factions mistrust each other but must find unity if they're to defend themselves from a hirsute plague.

The Lycan recalls the gnarliest stories in the best comic book anthologies: Twisted Tales, Creepy, Vault of Horror, etc. Yet, it's given the space that writers like Bruce Jones were never afforded. Thomas Jane and Mike Carey are confident storytellers who've spent a lifetime consuming this beautiful medium and know they can let the title and the many engaging characters below it do the work.

The beast is coming, but in The Lycan #1, the horror explored is utterly, painfully human. With the French Revolution on the horizon, paranoia grips everyone, and the faith carried by pirates, soldiers, and nuns is challenged and found fractured. How can they possibly fight their doggie dinner destiny?

The Lycan allows our podcast conversation with Thomas Jane and Mike Carey to travel into various caves and crannies. We dig into their passion for the comic book medium and how it differs from movies (The Punisher) and novels (The Girl With All The Gifts). We discuss the comic's complicated origin and the challenge of collaboration, as well as the powerful, relatable themes at this book's center. Fear, paranoia, and faith - who needs a werewolf to do you in?

The Lycan #1 is now available on ComiXology but will eventually see physical release through Ablaze. Continue this conversation with Thomas Jane by following him on Instagram. And follow Mike Carey on Twitter.

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 3/09 at 5:00 PM for Josie and the Pussycats, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Clay McLeod Chapman on Seance in the Asylum

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 00:43:55 -0600

Always challenge certainty. The moment you know, watch out. Clay McLeod Chapman arrives with another spooky story to confront your perspective, if not outright shatter it. His latest comic, Seance in the Asylum, done in collaboration with artist Leonardo Marcello Grassi, colorist Mauro Gulma, and letterer Frank Cvetkovic, propels us back into our past when science sought belief to cure the mad.

It's 1865. America sits soaked in blood after the Civil War. The Ashcroft Hospital is bursting at the seams with an influx of patients, and Doctor Templeton believes spiritualism could form the spine of a radical new therapy. Unfortunately, Alicia Wilkinson, the medium he hired for the job, is a fake. But how does that explain all these ghosts appearing after she's committed her little act?

All lovers of storytelling should make themselves aware of Clay McLeod Chapman. Check his website and follow his footsteps. If he's speaking at a film festival, a bookstore, or a comic shop near you, ensure you're there. His readings are kinetic events powered by passion and imagination, and he brings all that to this week's podcast conversation.

We discuss the deep research he brought to Seance in the Asylum, his take on science versus belief, and how he and his collaborators found a unique way to depict possession—oh, and ectoplasm. We talk a lot about solid, not at all wet, architectural ectoplasm.

All four issues of Seance in the Asylum are out now from Dark Horse Comics, and the trade paperback will hit shops on June 3rd. Continue our conversation with Clay McLeod Chapman by following him on Bluesky and Instagram.

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Jason Aaron and Mahmud Asrar on Bug Wars

Tue, 04 Feb 2025 23:33:16 -0600

After doing a stint on Conan the Barbarian for Marvel, Jason Aaron and Mahmud Asrar aimed to keep their collaboration roaring. They loved their time in Hyperborea but also wanted a realm to claim as their own and one where they could unleash their most vicious instincts. Bug Wars, their latest partnership, published at Image Comics, is the beautifully brutal saga of "The Yard." Here, in the tall grass, below teenager Slade Slaymaker's home, Beetle Clans rage against the Ant Imperium while the Systers of the Spyder whisper of a coming storm.

We're excited to have Jason Aaron back on the podcast, this time bringing Mahmud Asrar with him. We discuss their fascination with "Oh, No! I'm Shrunk!" stories and why their version required a bloody battleground. Our conversation also ventures into why Bug Wars may be one of Jason Aaron's most personal stories and how Mahmud Asrar challenged some legitimate creepy crawly phobias to bring this tale to the page.

This week's podcast begins with a discussion about our "Comics Will Mend Your Heart" 2025 theme and how it relates to the famous Jack Kirby quote, "Kid...comics will break your heart." When and where did Kirby first say it, and what was the quote's original context? We get into it.

Bug Wars #1 arrives in comic shops on February 12th. It's written by Jason Aaron, illustrated by Mahmud Asrar, colored by Matthew Wilson, lettered and designed by Becca Carey, and edited by Heather Antos.

Consider continuing this conversation with Jason Aaron via his Substack, Instagram, and Bluesky. Please do the same with Mahmud Asrar via his Instagram and Blueksy.

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 2/09 at 5:00 PM for Conan the Barbarian, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

John Harris Dunning on Ripperland

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 23:00:20 -0600

Time is inescapable -- as if we need to explain that to anyone living in January 2025. However, our listeners who've been paying attention to our podcast this past month know the tyrannical clock is particularly present in our imagination. This preoccupation began with this week's conversation about Ripperland with John Harris Dunning, which we recorded in December last year and has been informing nearly every episode we've released since.

Dunning co-wrote Ripperland with Steve Orlando, and it's illustrated by Alessandro Oliveri, colored by Francesca Vivaldi, and lettered by Fabio Amelia. The comic is set in 2188, three hundred years after Jack the Ripper terrorized London. In exchange for financial and military aid, England has given itself over to America, transforming into a gargantuan Victorian theme park. While no dinosaurs go on a rampage, a Jack the Ripper impersonator does. Enter American Special Agent Jesse Holden and local British Police Detective Edwin Fogg.

Ripperland is a cracking good time but carries a sharp, damning wit. For as obsessed about Jack the Ripper as we are, we don't really understand or appreciate the reality surrounding the horrific murders that occurred in Whitechapel in 1888. It's a vicious, societal spook story in which storytellers of every medium - prose, song, cinema, comics - return repeatedly and readers hungrily accept. What does that say about the giver and the receiver?

We discuss Jack the Ripper's hold on our planet with John Harris Dunning and how exploring the past from a position of the future creates a tantalizing mental exercise. Does fate damn us to repeat our mistakes, or are we just too stupid to learn?

Ripperland #1 is currently on sale from Dark Horse Comics, and issue two will arrive in shops on February 26th. To continue this conversation with John Harris Dunning, follow him on Instagram and Bluesky.

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 2/09 at 5:00 PM for Conan the Barbarian, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

CBCC Book Club: Rick Quinn and Dave Chisholm on Spectrum 2

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 23:38:31 -0600

They're back! Writer Rick Quinn and artist Dave Chisholm return to the podcast to discuss Spectrum #2, the second issue in their science fiction tour through an alternate musical history. As the plot reveals itself, adding new elements and several more splash pages, we dig deeper into its characters, emotions, and references. Adding this conversation atop our previous one about the first issue, we're building something grand - a comic book dissection as we've never done before - so we might as well officially make it a Book Club and invite everyone listening to join in on the comics summit.

Have you read Spectrum #1? Have you read Spectrum #2? Do you have any thoughts? Do you have questions? We want to hear them! CLICK HERE and drop them into the comments. Next month, when we return to the podcast with Rick Quinn and Dave Chisholm, we'll work our way through them on the show. This is your chance to shape the conversation and connect with the big ideas about art these creators are exploring.

Spectrum #2 introduces Ada Latimer, the retail warrior trying to keep her Unpopular Pop record store afloat. Within the comic's first few moments, she meets the reality-bending Melody from issue one and has a cosmic encounter that would curl Jack Kirby's toes. A quest is discovered, one that will slam Ada and Melody together as they search for a mythical music producer while battling a creature of song called Echo.

Now, more than ever, community offers relief. We must find our people and love and fight by their side. For us, we feel the most connected when we're engaged with art, whether it takes the form of music, movies, or comic books. Creating a book club, determined to cover this series for the next five or so months, is an act of hope and optimism. And so is joining one.

Spectrum #2 is now available from Mad Cave Studios, wherever rad comics are sold. Make sure you're following Dave Chisholm on his Website, TikTok, Instagram, and Bluesky. And follow Rick Quinn on his Website, Bluesky, and Instagram.

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 1/26 at 5:00 PM for Speed Racer, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Patreon Preview: Tyler Crook on Mage - The Hero Discovered 6

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 15:32:41 -0600

In 2024, we published 58 Comic Book Couples Counseling episodes. However, that was not the total Comic Book Couples Counseling experience. Over on our Patreon, we published an additional 61 episodes, including our Married to Singlesseries, where we talk with comic book creators about their favorite single issues. In 2025, we'll make these a regular thing, starting with Tyler Crook this week, diving deep into his cherished Mage: The Hero Discovered #6.

Crook has appeared on the podcast multiple times, mostly exploring his exceptional Dark Horse Comics series, The Lonesome Hunters (links to those episodes below). He's a passionate, enthusiastic champion of this medium, and that devotion began at a very young age thanks to books like Mage: The Hero Discovered. We enjoyed this conversation with Crook about this comic so much that we've decided to drop it into the main podcast feed to entice some of you over to the CBCC Patreon, which we consider one of the most welcoming, loving comic book communities on the internet.

Published by Comico in March of 1985, Mage: The Hero Discovered #6 landed just as the industry shifted. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 arrived the year before, while Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns were just on the horizon. Comics were ready to celebrate themselves as thematically rich, adult entertainment. NOT. KIDS. STUFF.

Mage: The Hero Discovered #6 was written and illustrated by Matt Wagner and features additional inks by Sam Kieth. The series follows Kevin Matchstick, who is basically a stand-in for Wagner, as he tumbles into a fantasy adventure where each obstacle represents some issue or situation from his own life. Be warned, our conversation with Tyler Crook spoils the entirety of the sixth issue, as well as some critical plot points from the rest of the series. Although, knowledge of those plot points won't ruin your overall reading experience if you decide to read after you've listened to the episode.

We make the Comic Book Couples Counseling Patreon as cheap as we can. Our "Smitten Kitten" level costs only a dollar and gives you access to all the Patreon episodes. Our "Dearly Beloved" tier is $5, which grants you access to our Slack community. For the month of January, we're donating all proceeds made by our Patron to BINC (The Book Industry Charitable Foundation). They're helping all the bookstores and comic book shops affected by the LA Wildfires, and Bookshop.org matches all donations up to $10,000.

If you would prefer to support another charity aiding in the wake of the LA Wildfires, here are a few that we'd recommend:

At least three comic creators lost their homes to the fires. Click on their names below to find their GoFundMe pages:

Other Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 1/26 at 5:00 PM for Speed Racer, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Chip Zdarsky and David Brothers on Time Waits

Tue, 07 Jan 2025 08:45:10 -0600

New Year's always has us looking inward, hoping for a fresh start. Creating resolutions, however, causes too much pressure, so we prefer to announce our intentions and free ourselves from potential regret if/when we don't achieve them. Helping us through the yearly reboot process in 2025 are Chip Zdarsky and David Brothers, whose new DSTLRYcomic Time Waits, done in collaboration with artists Marcus To and Marvin Sianipar, colorist Matt Wilson, letterer Ariana Maher, and editor Allison O'Toole, is the perfect excuse to contemplate our past, present, and future.

The comic centers on Blue, who only wishes to tend his garden, love his wife Grace, and finally adopt Duke as his son. Unfortunately, Blue is a man out of time, and the future he came from is desperate to reclaim him and the items he stole. Time Waits delivers on John Wick levels of action and Primer levels of paradox paranoia without skipping heaps of human relationship drama.

Chip Zdarsky and David Brothers are one half of the Mangasplaining podcast team, and we are delighted to discuss how their online comics discussions have shaped their comics-making process. Given the time of year that this episode arrives in, we found ourselves being even more introspective than usual, and Zdarsky and Brothers were more than happy to follow us into such philosophical quandaries.

The first two issues of Time Waits are now available from DSTLRY, while the third and final issue will arrive in comic book shops on 1/22. Also, make sure you're following them online by subscribing to Mangasplaining.

Relevant Links to This Week's Episode:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 1/26 at 5:00 PM for Speed Racer, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

The Stampies: Best Comics of 2024 (Part Two)

Fri, 27 Dec 2024 07:05:29 -0600

We made it. Another trip around the sun. Congratulations, everyone. Let's celebrate with our final episode of the year, The Stampies: Best Comics of 2024 (Part Two).

In our final episode of 2024, we name the Best Comic of 2024 as well as several other cherished awards: Best Ongoing Series, Best Limited Series, Best Relaunch, Writer of the Year, Artist of the Year, etc. Maybe most significantly, we award the second annual Jesse Tappia II Champ Stamp Award, named after our good friend who no longer walks the Earth with us but certainly remains in our hearts as we cherish and promote this astonishing medium called comics.

As in Part One, we asked journalists, podcasters, retailers, and creators to help us through the ceremony by selecting their favorite comics of 2024. You can just hit play and be surprised by who pops up, or take a quick scroll below and spoil yourself. Either way, make sure you follow them on their socials and partake in their good work. Also, thank them for joining in on our end-of-the-year shindig. It was super cool of them.

2024 was jammed with good books. Naming all the good ones in two episodes proved impossible. Watch this space because we'll publish the big list: The 50 Best Comics of 2025 at the very end of the year.

The Best Comics of 2024 Part Two Timestamps:

Writer of the Year - 11:02
Artist of the Year - 19:56
Best All-Ages Comic - 27:50
Best Young Adult Comic - 34:43
Best Limited Series - 40:46
Best Relaunch - 49:36
Best Ongoing - 58:52
Best Original Graphic Novel - 1:10:06
Best Digital Comic - 1:17:54
The Jesse Tappia II Champ Stamp Award - 1:20:43
Bonus Awards/"Rapid Fire" Round - 1:34:39

The Best Comics of 2024 (Part Two) Guest-Stars:

Kat Calamia (Bluesky) of Comic Uno.
Steve Anderson of Third Eye Comics.
Badr Milligan (BlueSky) of The Short Box Podcast.
Jadzia Axelrod (BlueSky): Galaxy - The Prettiest Star, Hawkgirl - Once Upon a Galaxy.
Chris Hacker (Bluesky) and Aaron Knowles (BlueSky) of The Oblivion Bar Podcast.
Chris Condon (Bluesky): That Texas Blood, The Enfield Gang Massacre
Jenna Anderson (Bluesky) of Phase Hero and Go Read Some Comics.
Lance (BlueSky) and Jeremy (Bluesky) of Comic Book Keepers.
David Harper (BlueSky) of SKTCHD and Off Panel.

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support The Trevor Project.

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

The Comic Book Couples Counseling TeePublic Merch Page.

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 1/26 at 5:00 PM for Speed Racer, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

The Stampies: Best Comics of 2024 (Part One)

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 08:13:01 -0600

Comics will mend your heart. That's the energy we're taking into the new year and the thought we carried as we assembled The Stampies, our end-of-the-year award show celebrating The Best Comics of 2024 - ahem - (Part One). Over the last six years, we've turned to comics to understand ourselves and the world around us better. They've guided us through tumultuous times, and we know we'll need them even more in the coming months and years.

Our award show is very much OUR award show. We have peculiar tastes, and our favorite comics reflect that. Some categories stuck around from last year's ceremony, but with this episode in particular, you'll find several new ones, also. Next week's Part Two will be stacked with the more traditional Best Original Graphic Novel, Best Limited Series, Best Ongoing, etc. For The Best Comics of 2024 (Part One), we get a little more cutesy with Best New Superhero and Best Murder Mystery, plus categories like Best First Issue and Best Single Issue.

As has become tradition, we've asked our friends in journalism and podcasting to name their favorite books of the year. New to our 2024 celebrations, however, we've also asked a few retailers and comic book creators to contribute their favorite books. If you want to be spoiled about who will be guest-starring in today's podcast, scroll below. Please thank them by following their work and social media handles (and letting them know how much you enjoyed their contributions to the podcast).

2024 was another banger of a year regarding comics. Highlighting our favorites was more challenging than ever. The Stampies contain sixteen categories, with a few extra surprise categories tossed in during next week's show. That's simply not enough space to name all "the best" books from the year. So, keep your eyes trained on the Comic Book Couples Counseling website. At the very end of the year, we'll unleash our massive 50 Best Comics of 2024 list.

The Best Comics of 2023 (Part One) Category Timestamps:

Best Comic Book Couple - 12:14
Best Murder Mystery - 18:18
Best New Superhero - 25:54
Best Adaptation - 32:29
Best Collaboration - 40:07
Best Short Story - 47:33
Best First Issue - 56:43
Best Single Issue - 1:05:05

The Best Comics of 2023 (Part One) Guest-Stars:

Erik C. Jones (Bluesky): Manager at Four Color Fantasies.
Tiffany Babb (Bluesky): Poet, Essayist, and Culture Critic.
Dan Gvozden (Bluesky): Co-Host of The Amazing Spider-Talk Podcast
Zack Quaintance (Bluesky): Comic Book Writer, Part-time Editor at The Beat
Christian Ward (Bluesky): Batman: City of Madness, Spectregraph, Two-Face, etc.
Chris Piers (Bluesky): Host of ComicTropes.
David Brooke (Bluesky): Owner, Writer, Host at AIPT.
Troy-Jeffrey Allen (Instagram): Writer, Producer, Host, RexCo Comics Studio.

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 1/26 at 5:00 PM for Speed Racer, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

J Holtham and Michael Lee Harris on Motherfukin Monsters

Thu, 12 Dec 2024 22:44:56 -0600

It's easy to claim your comic as "Evil Dead for Blerds," but accomplishing the cheeky elevator pitch is far more complex. Writer J. Holtham and artist Michael Lee Harris grab their inspiration from the iconic Sam Raimi splatstick horror franchise but do so in service of an entirely different purpose. Motherfu*kin Monsters rages with a political fire, throwing their protagonist into a university setting shrouded with white faces. Their JJ eagerly wants to find his place within this system, while his family stands skeptical, waiting for it to reveal a devilish intent. Of course, JJ's kin thought metaphorically, not the literal ghouls that quickly hunger for their flesh.

Our conversation with J. Holtham and Michael Lee Harris begins with their love of Evil Dead, or Evil Dead II, more specifically. We start by exploring what the film does so well, for what reason, and why they were compelled to plant their mission atop it. Motherfu*kin Monsters is one helluva ride, filled with chills and thrills, but from page one, the comic also makes its anger known. J. Holtham and Michael Lee Harris, like all The Horizon Experiment stories, speak to the moment. Our hope is everyone reading is listening to what's on the page.

In addition, our discussion addresses the economic realities of comics-making and comics-shopping in 2024. The Horizon Experiment's pilot system still raises eyebrows in comic shops, but by embracing experimentation, the series removes one of the veils between creator and consumer. Honesty is the best policy, and we need to buy the comics we want to see in the world. It's cold, hard math...er, capitalism.

So, remember, Motherfu*kin Monsters arrives in stores on December 18th, courtesy of Image Comics. Continue the conversation with J. Holtham by following him on Instagram. Also, follow Michael Lee Harris on Instagram.

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 12/15 at 4:00 PM for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Vita Ayala and Skylar Patridge on Finders Keepers

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 08:18:49 -0600

It belongs in a museum? On this week's podcast, we chat with friends and collaborators Vita Ayala and Skylar Patridgeabout their new comic, Finders Keepers, and why they were compelled to tell a "reverse Indiana Jones." Like the other comics in The Horizon Experiment, Finders Keepers flips a classic genre trope on its head and knocks the dust and cobwebs from a well-trodden idea. The hook is powerfully compelling, but as you read through the one-shot, the reader also begins to understand there is much more to the concept below that initial subversive thrill.

Robbing from colonizers and returning artifacts to their culture and context, but doing so with all the trappings of a great Indiana Jones story requires a deft hand with multiple genres. Given The Horizon Experiment's pilot program, Vita Ayala and Skylar Patridge must also establish the concept and offer a grand promise of the story's possible future in just a few short pages. However, this challenge is not really different from any other comic book gig. The Horizon Experiment is merely more honest about these commercial practicalities.

This week, we dig into all the demands of an Indiana Jones riff. We discuss with Vita Ayala and Skylar Patridge their collaborative process, the thrill of museum heists, and the difficulties of loving classic Hollywood adventure. FOC for Finders Keepers is TODAY (12/9), but the issue will arrive in comic book shops on January 15th.

Continue this conversation by following Vita Ayala on Bluesky and their website. And follow Skylar Patridge on Bluesky, Instagram, and their website.

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Kami Garcia on Teen Titans: Starfire

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 08:49:44 -0600

After working through most of the Teen Titans, author Kami Garcia and artist Gabriel Picolo have finally reached the Tamaranean superhero, Starfire. Their latest collaboration finds Kori struggling to find her place amongst her peers while her sister Kira thrives in the environment. Kori strives for the stars above, but feels trapped in her Summer job and her body, especially after her Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) diagnosis.

On this week's podcast, we chat with bestselling author Kami Garcia about Teen Titans: Starfire, how she found herself in the character, and why that allowed her to embrace her past and present self. Famously, Garcia began her writing career as a dare from her students, picking up the pen and proving to them (and herself) that she could tell a darn good story. We discuss the details of that dare, how her teaching life factors into her writing life, and why young adult fiction often becomes necessary all-ages fiction.

Teen Titans: Starfire is now available wherever good comics are sold. You should follow Kami Garcia on Instagram, Bluesky, and her website.

However, before we dive into our Teen Titans conversations, we discuss the impending holiday season and the gift-giving stress that comes with it. We believe wholeheartedly that there is a comic for everyone in your life, and the trick is figuring out what that comic is. In an effort to help you and us, we've assembled our annual Comic Book Holiday Gift Guide. We discuss our philosophy around comic book gift-giving and a few of our favorite items from the list.

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Tom King and Ryan Sook on Black Canary: Best of the Best

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 23:00:04 -0600

We don't know how to feel about violence as sports entertainment, but we cannot deny how much we love stories that center their emotional conflicts inside a ring. With their new series, Black Canary: Best of the Best, Tom King and Ryan Sook join the long tradition of tearing into internal torment by subjecting protagonists to regulated gladiatorial combat. Dinah Lance versus Lady Shiva, let's get ready to rumble.

The first issue of the new series arrives in stores Wednesday (11/27). We won't spoil it here, but those pages will reveal some of the motivations for why Dinah, the second-best fighter in the DC universe, would subject herself to the fists of the single-best fighter. It has something to do with the first woman to don the Black Canary mantle - her mother. Yup, this is a Tom King comic, so you know Black Canary: Best of the Best must feature a twisty, prickly core relationship.

This week's episode explores why the ring is such a compelling story engine. We discuss how Tom King was initially enticed to place Black Canary alongside other brutal fictional bouts like Rocky, Raging Bull, The Set-Up, The Big Blow, and yeah, Best of the Best. Ryan Sook takes us through his process of understanding the physicality of boxing, wrestling, and MMA while contemplating their bloody nature. And why has it taken King so long to tackle the mother/daughter dynamic?

To continue this conversation, follow Tom King on Bluesky, Threads, and Instagram. Follow Ryan Sook on Instagram.

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

Dave Chisholm and Rick Quinn on Spectrum #1

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 13:10:55 -0600

Art finds us when we need it most. Spectrum, the new Mad Cave Studios series from creators Dave Chisholm and Rick Quinn, is an astonishing sci-fi saga that begins inside the Seattle WTO protests of 1999 and propels its characters into a realm where music grants flight. The central character, Melody, can't quite discern what's real and what's not - a sensation you may very well be familiar with at this moment - seeing impossible beings floating amongst the crowds. Powers from within and without compel her on a journey that operates as the best geeky musical Where's Waldo for the reader who is willing. Y'all ready for the MTV version of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen? Y'all remember MTV?

We're already so obsessed with Spectrum that we've committed to a series of six podcast episodes, one for each new issue. Thankfully, Dave Chisholm and Rick Quinn are also up for this pop culture plunge. They join us for an excavation of sound and a discussion on the song's importance in our daily lives and how they miraculously transplanted one artistic expression into another.

Spectrum is waiting for your eyes. You merely need to put them upon it and join this book's inevitable cult following. Make sure to alert your comic shop of its existence. Slap it in your pullbox. Be part of this book's success, as it's unlike anything else on the stands. Here's your chance to be the snooty person in the shop, claiming your crown as one of Spectrum's first converted followers.

The first issue arrives on 11/20, and the second drops on 1/8/2025. Make sure you're following Dave Chisholm on his Website, TikTok, Instagram, and Bluesky. And follow Rick Quin on his Wesbiste and Instagram.

Other Relevant Links:

The Trevor Project or call 1-866-488-7386 for gender-affirming and queer-friendly support.
Dave Chisholm on CBCC - Talking Miles Davis and the Search for the Sound
The CBCC TeePublic Page

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Bluesky @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Jesse Lonergan and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.

FML with Kelly Sue DeConnick

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 23:03:25 -0600

What a difference a week can make, huh? When we recorded our conversation with Kelly Sue DeConnick, we were still weeks away from the American election, but now, here we are, living in its aftermath. We couldn't have been the only ones with three little letters rattling around our brains these last batch of days. FML. You're damn right.

Kelly Sue DeConnick's new comic, done in collaboration with artist David López, colorist Cris Peter, and letterer Clayton Cowles, is very much about managing your life and your family's lives while the world around you burns. What was once relatable has suddenly transformed into our bloody lifeline. Call it a coincidence. Call it fate. Whatever, we needed this comic at this moment.

FML #1 hit shelves last week, courtesy of Dark Horse Comics. At its center is teenager Riley, a heavy metal monster movie maniac eager for his journey to begin as the pandemic and rampaging forest fires threaten to snuff it out. His mom, Patty, used to be cool, but now she's just a mom - going through her own existential crisis. The everyday world is hard enough for them, but then a ritual during a party goes sideways, and suddenly, witchcraft and monsters are no longer so fanciful.

Kelly Sue DeConnick is an artist we've admired for years. We never miss a comic with her name on it, and we get an extra buzz of excitement when it's a creator-owned expression. FML is a deeply personal narrative mirroring DeConnick's experience, but it's not a replica. We dive into the challenges of springboarding fiction from reality, discussing how her family responds to her fiction and how FML became a necessary endeavor. Be sure to follow her Instagram.

In our introduction, we also discuss how art can shape action and how action absorbs anxiety. All we have is each other. We must watch our backs and stand when it feels so easy to lie down. Democracy is a fragile notion, but there are organizations that are built to fight alongside us.

Please consider these charities:

If you or someone you know is in crisis, reach out:

The Trans Lifeline is available 24/7. Run by Trans People for Trans People - Call 1-877-565-8860
The LGBT National Help Center
- Youth Talkline (Ages 13 - 25) is 1-800-246-4564
- The National Hotline (All Ages) is 1-888-843-4564
- Senior Hotline (Ages 50+) is 1-888-234-7243
The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline - dial 988 or visit www.988lifeline.org to chat with someone online.
You can also call The Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 for gender-affirming and queer-friendly support.

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Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

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Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

NYCC '24: Cliff Chiang, Jason Aaron, Juan Ferreyra, and Patrick Horvath

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 07:26:01 -0600

Two weeks later, we're still recovering from New York Comic Con 2024. This may have been our third year attending, but we've never experienced a comic convention quite like this one, and it may take a few more months before we've actually processed everything that happened. A major factor differentiating this event from any that came before was our new gig hosting the Harvey Awards.

So, we spend the first half of today's episode taking you behind the scenes of this event, detailing what you can't see when you watch the ceremony online (via Popverse). We're talking wardrobe malfunctions, deodorant hockey play, iPad snafus, and the delightful success of celebrating the best the comics medium has to offer while doing so during Harvey Kurtzman's centennial.

Within the episode's back half, we're diving deep into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees. We chat with artist Cliff Chiang about his time on the recent third issue. We explore Leonardo's existential crisis in India, Spaghetti Western action, and whether or not we can expect Cliff Chiang back on the book.

Jason Aaron also returns to the podcast, but this time, he's brought the recently announced artist for the arc following "Return to New York" with him, Juan Ferreyra. As we gaze over Ferreyra's pages for issue six, we detail the perfect TMNT New York City, the heartbreak coming the Brothers's way, and the gauntlet they'll run upon their return to the Big Apple.

Patrick Horvath is also back to close out the show. Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees is one of the comics' recent great successes, and few have hit the comic convention circuit as hard as Horvath. We chat about his time on the road, what he can teach us about con life, and what we can expect from the upcoming Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Seessequel, Rite of Spring.

Make sure you're following all these folks on their respective social media platforms. Find Cliff Chiang on Twitter, Instagram, and on the website. Find Jason Aaron on Twitter, Instagram, and his website. Find Juan Ferreyra on Twitter and Instagram. Find Patrick Horvath on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website.

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Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Michael Allred, The Monkees, and Marvel (with Special Guest Star Laura Allred)

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 21:13:25 -0600

It doesn't take long to recognize pop culture's influence on the work of Michael Allred. Whether we're talking Madman, X-Statix, or Silver Surfer, his comics radiate his passion for music, art, and life. Some references are easy to spot, a few a little trickier, and others impossible unless you know the man personally. For us, his comics mostly equal comfort, a place to rush into and join for an hour or a bit longer.

We adore many of Michael Allred's influences. So, our primary mission on this week's podcast was to dig thoroughly into one particular shared obsession, the nineteen-sixties boy band sensation, The Monkees. If you know Lisa, you're not at all surprised. If this is your first time listening to Comic Book Couples Counseling, you may need a touch more context. We'll get into it.

Clover Press is currently crowdfunding The Marvel Art of Michael Allred on Kickstarter (Click Here To Check It Out). It's an enormous hardcover book showcasing Allred's greatest achievements within the House of Ideas, including our beloved Silver Surfer, but it's also peppered with pieces you may have missed over the years. As an avid art book collector, Michael Allred knows what fanatics like himself crave in such tomes, and he was determined to deliver the goods to the like-minded.

Today's episode is a conversation we never imagined having when we launched the podcast, but considering how our show began with Norrin Radd and Dawn Greenwood, this surprise actually feels like the logical next chapter in our weird relationship experiment. It's even more special when, halfway through our conversation with Michael Allred, we're joined by his loving wife and collaborator, Laura Allred.

We discuss how The Monkees simmer within every Michael Allred panel, the long-lasting effects of his collaboration with Dan Slott on Silver Surfer, how Michael and Laura learned to work together, and what an art book can mean when constructed with passion and thoughtful consideration.

As of this writing, The Marvel Art of Michael Allred has seventeen days left in its Kickstarter campaign. Act quickly. Also, be sure to follow Michael Allred on Twitter, Instagram, and his website.

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Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Kelley Jones and Matt Wagner on Dracula: The Brides

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 07:03:31 -0600

Dracula permeates everything. Before we're five years old, we know his story. It's baked into the cultural imagination. However, if you were to hold that story up to the light, you'd immediately notice a lot of holes. In Bram Stoker's iconic work, Dracula appears less frequently than you would think, and his backstory is referenced in short bursts and shrouded in mystery. His tale is perfect fodder for artists Kelley Jones and Matt Wagner to sink their teeth into.

Last year, they published Dracula - Book One: The Impaler through Orlok Press via Kickstarter. The hardcover has spent months in the hands of readers (ours included), and its trade paperback release from Dark Horse Comics is set for October 22nd. With the first chapter complete, exploring Dracula's pre-vampire days, set primarily during his time at the Scholomance, aka his unpaid internship with the devil, Jones and Wagner are ready to unleash volume two, Dracula: The Brides.

Their latest entry covers centuries, focusing on how Dracula came into contact with the iconic trio, who get pages in Stoker's book but have seared their way into every adaptation. Who are they? What do they mean to Dracula? What happened to the fourth Bride?

Dracula: The Brides will take Kelley Jones and Matt Wagner right up until the moment Bram Stoker's novel begins. This means their next chapter dissects the classic and exposes what the Impaler was up to when the other characters were not paying attention.

We happily dig into Dracula with Kelley Jones and Matt Wagner on the podcast. We discuss the title character's relationship with romance, women, and blood. We uncover Jones and Wagner's compulsion to tell this story and why comics were always the best fit for it.

Dracula: The Brides has fifteen days left on its Kickstarter campaign. Please visit the crowdfunding project by clicking HERE. You can continue the conversation with Kelley Jones by visiting his Twitter and Instagram. You can follow Matt Wagner on Twitter and Instagram.

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Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Ben Clarkson and Matt Bors on Justice Warriors: Vote Harder

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 21:17:07 -0600

Hey, you. Stop doom scrolling. You've landed where you belong. Ben Clarkson and Matt Bors return to Comic Book Couples Counseling with another Justice Warriors book, Vote Harder. And they're back just when we need them most, weeks away from a critical, very American election.

As in the best romantic comedies, Swamp Cop and Officer Schitt are torn apart early on in Justice Warriors: Vote Harder. Bubble City embarks on its first-ever election, and it's doing something strange to its populace. They're trapped with a ballot George Orwell wouldn't wish on his most hated dystopia, and the city's most horrendous Bad Boys are the only ones who can save the day. Best of luck, citizens.

Justice Warriors: Vote Harder is another vicious satire skewering contemporary society while highlighting the damned, nothing-new, never-ending cycle of corruption. Do you think your hell is the most hell that's ever hell'ed? Nah. It's the same old hell. It's only new to you.

Eagerly, we lean into Ben Clarkson and Matt Bors, trying to discern any wisdom they've gained by plunging themselves into the world of Justice Warriors: Vote Harder. We continue to explore satire's purpose, why two dumb protagonists are the heroes we deserve, and how The Matrix Reloaded deserves a second viewing, if not a third, fourth, and fifth.

Justice Warriors: Vote Harder is now available in trade paperback from Ahoy Comics. Follow Matt Bors on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website. Follow Ben Clarkson on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website.

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Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Tiffany Babb on The Comics Courier

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 10:47:51 -0600

In this article, the top ten reasons why reading comics criticism will increase your sex drive. Yeah, that's right, we need your clicks! We live in an apocalypse where thoughtful online comics criticism decreases in value every minute. However, you know comics criticism is essential to the industry's ecosystem and community because you're an intelligent person. All we need is a champion to keep this art form alive, and it is an art form, and she has arrived - Tiffany Babb. She's shaking The Comics Courier from every street corner in every neighborhood.

The new tabloid-sized newspaper is currently seeking funding via Kickstarter. Within it are essays and reviews from critics Douglas Wolk, Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, Tiffany Babb, Dave Baker, Carrie McClain, Sean Dillon, Kat Calamia, Liam McGuire, Jim McDermott, Lillie Hochwender, Lisa Gullickson and Brad Gullickson. Oh, yeah, we're in this beauty too, and we're honored to participate in Tiffany Babb's first Comics Courier because we believe so firmly in its existence.

Even more exciting, Babb joins us on today's episode to discuss The Comics Courier, what compelled her to bring it into our reality, the value of comics criticism, and the future she imagines for it. The Kickstarter has already more than doubled its funding, but that doesn't mean you should miss your chance to be a part of this historic moment.

Find The Comics Courier Kickstarter here. Continue the conversation with Tiffany Babb by following her on Twitter, Instagram, and her Website.

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Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Full-Spoilers: Nick Dragotta on Absolute Batman

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 07:03:33 -0600

It's been a trip to get to this moment. Since we saw Nick Dragotta's design for Absolute Batman, an intense anticipation took hold of us. However, if you think it's been a long journey from our Batman AF introduction at San Diego Comic-Con, it's been an even longer and more thoughtful one for Dragotta and his collaborator Scott Snyder. They've noodled over this new DC pocket universe for over a year, and now that we're all holding the first issue in our hands, we can take comfort in knowing these two have thoroughly considered, plotted, and designed the character and his world.

Before you press play on today's episode, you must read Absolute Batman #1. Our conversation with Nick Dragotta is full-spoilers. Yes, we discuss the changes made to Batman's origin and the issue's final page with its revelatory inversion. We dig into how the Absolute updates better reflect contemporary society while still showcasing what makes Batman Batman.

Once again, we're asking, if you tested this Batman's DNA, would it match the main continuity Batman? If the form is the same, and the function is different, how do Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta maintain what's essential about the character? When does a Batman cease being a Batman?

Before all of that, we also explore Nick Dragotta's ideal Batman. Where and how did he first meet the character? Who does Batman better than anyone else? Was David Mazzucchelli's Batman: Year One Artist Edition an emergency purchase?

Continue this conversation with Nick Dragotta by following him on Instagram. The first issue of Absolute Batman is now available from DC Comics. The second issue will arrive in comic book shops on November 13th.

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Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

17 Minutes and 43 Seconds with Chris Claremont

Sun, 06 Oct 2024 22:13:59 -0600

This week's episode is a full-circle moment. We began our podcast five years ago, discussing the romantic entanglements between Scott Summers and Jean Grey as depicted in The Dark Phoenix Saga. Now, we're honored, and in a bit of disbelief, to welcome writer Chris Claremont onto the show. His contributions to the medium have been some of the most significant to our collective imagination, and they directly inspired the personal journey the two of us have been on these last handful of years.

Today's conversation directly results from our new partnership with The Harvey Awards, one of the comic industry's oldest and most prestigious ceremonies. As we announced a few days ago via various social media channels, we will host The Harveys this year at the New York Comic Con on October 18th. As individuals who see themselves as champions of comics and those who make them, we're thrilled to accept the responsibility and honor this institution's great work of recognizing outstanding achievement in our most beloved art form.

After we got the assignment, The Harveys asked if we wanted to speak with last year's Hall of Fame inductee, Chris Claremont. Never have we answered "Yes!" so quickly. Claremont's time is precious. We caught him in the middle of some serious travel plans and even more serious comic deadlines, but he was gracious enough to find a few minutes to squeeze us into his schedule: seventeen minutes and forty-three seconds, to be precise.

With time limited, we set forth on a mission to discuss his thought bubble philosophy. The conversation, however, steers almost immediately into a creator's unique relationship with their creation. We discuss Chris Claremont's evolution as a writer, how he sees the reality of the job, and what he ultimately wants to accomplish with his words.

You can stay updated with all things Chris Claremont by following him on Instagram and through his website.

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Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

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Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Patrick McDonnell on Mutts and the Guard Dog Story

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 08:02:12 -0600

If you think comic books and their audience resist continuity changes, you must consider the death grip comic strips have on their characters. Charlie Brown was never allowed to kick the football and was also denied a wardrobe. His life sentence was that yellow shirt. Mutts cartoonist Patrick McDonnell accepts the pressures of his medium and believes there is nirvana in its structure. However, in the case of certain characters, he knew he had to free them of their decades-long consistency. Guard Dog needed off his tether, and Doozy needed Guard Dog in her home.

As Mutts reached toward its 30th anniversary, Patrick McDonnell plotted Guard Dog's freedom. Over seven weeks, the story played out in the papers and it's now collected by Abrams ComicArts in the new hardcover Breaking the Chain: The Guard Dog Story. McDonnell saw how denying Charlie Brown satisfaction caused pain for his friend Charles M. Schulz, and he did not want that for himself. With Guard Dog released, he can tell new stories and create new missions for his characters and readers.

This week on the podcast, Patrick McDonnell joins us for a Mutts celebration. We discuss why it took him so long to unite Guard Dog and Doozy. He explains the power of long-form storytelling in comic strips and the spirituality the practice of daily creating awoke in him. We found the conversation vital and are eager to share it with you.

Follow Mutts on Twitter and Instagram, and sign up for the Daily Mutts strip HERE.

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Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

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Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Batman: City of Madness - The Ultimate Christian Ward Interview

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 00:17:13 -0600

Racing on the heels of Batman Day, we celebrate eighty-five years of the Caped Crusader by finally digging into one of our recent favorite Dark Knight stories, Batman: City of Madness by Christian Ward. Technically, this is our third conversation with Ward about this particular story, but it's the first one where we can dig into it page-by-page, going full spoilers and properly exploring its characters and themes. The hardcover is now available from DC Comics, so please grab your copy, snuggle up with it, and venture into the Gotham Below with us.

Batman: City of Madness spent years percolating inside Christian Ward's imagination. It extends from his infatuation with an iconic work, Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on a Serious Earth. It operates like a spiritual sequel but comes jammed with personal touches that only Ward could contribute.

Our worst selves will argue for their survival. That's just one revelation we land upon while chatting with Christian Ward in this episode. We discuss the initial Gotham Below concept by starting at its end, the purpose of mirroring Batman and his rogues, and how it ideologically prepares readers for his newly announced Two-Face series, which will drop on December 4th.

Continue this conversation with Christian Ward by visiting his Website and following him on Twitter and Instagram.

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Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

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Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Scott Snyder on Absolute Batman

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 00:02:55 -0600

The instant the internet glimpsed Nick Dragotta's bold, BIG design for Absolute Batman, it lost its mind. Since the initial San Diego Comic-Con reveal, emotions have intensified around it, and the fan art has flowed like a dam burst. The first issue is still weeks away, but Final Order Cutoff is here (TODAY!), and Scott Snyder joins the podcast to discuss why they had to go thicc with the Bat.

Absolute Batman is a radical reimagining based on the way our world is now. Bruce Wayne has no fortune in this new alternate timeline, which spins out of Absolute Power and The All In Special. This Batman's origin is familiar but has shifted just enough, so Snyder and Dragotta can speak to contemporary fears. How we observe the gun in 2024 differs significantly from how we observed it in 1939 when Batman first appeared. The same goes for billionaires and how they spend their money.

What if Batman is what Joker always claims to be? The agent of chaos, born from horror to disrupt a corrupt order. The DNA is the same as the Bruce Wayne stalking the shadows in the main continuity, but the circumstances diverge drastically. Absolute Batman strips the Dark Knight of his financial crutch and, in doing so, highlights his essential truth.

We begin our conversation with Scott Snyder by discussing how the Absolute Batman launch is similar to and different from The New 52 reboot. We question whether Batman is Batman without his money and why Bruce Wayne's relationship with his rogues also had to diverge from the usual continuity. Does Dick Grayson get mentioned? How about Batgirl? Joe Chill? Yes, yes, and yes.

The first issue of Absolute Batman, published by DC, written by Scott Snyder, illustrated by Nick Dragotta, colored by Frank Martin, and lettered by Clayton Cowles, hits comic book shops on October 9th. Follow Scott Snyder on Twitter and Instagram, and subscribe to his Substack.

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Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 9/21 at 4:00 PM for Batman Forever, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Alex Ross and Steve Darnall on Uncle Sam

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 13:22:19 -0600

Sneak into any comic book geek's home, and you'll probably find copies of Marvels and Kingdom Come. What about Uncle Sam, though? The series hit shops in 1997 from DC's Vertigo label, and it sparked provocative thought from those who read it, but for whatever reason, it did not resonate as soundly within the direct market crowd as Alex Ross' more recognizably superheroic collaborations.

It's time to reconsider Uncle Sam, just in time. We're months away from a critical American election as of this writing. The stakes are high. Our fears are even more so. Democracy is under threat and as fragile as it always has been. There is the America we tell people about and the America we actually live inside. There is the dream, and there are the dreamers. Uncle Sam, written by Steve Darnall and illustrated by Alex Ross, challenges its readers to accept our America and its violent history while encouraging us to shape it into what we want it to be.

Yes, it's depressing to encounter a tale published in 1997 that's relevant to 2024 readers. The depression is the point. Democracy is a neverending battle; the only cure for exhaustion and apathy is action. Uncle Sam is what filmmaker Boots Riley would call a "rallying cry." Let's circle it, make community, and do something. Hope is not passive; it's active.

We're beyond delighted to have Alex Ross back on the podcast this week. This time, he's joined by his writing partner, Steve Darnall, and we dig deep into Uncle Sam. What was their compulsion to explore this icon, why are they fighting to bring their book back into bookstores, and how would they write Uncle Sam today?

In our introduction, we also celebrate the life of artist John Cassaday, who left us far too soon at 52. Cassaday profoundly impacted our early comic reading relationship, bringing us together and launching our Graphic Novel Book Club, which we consider Comic Book Couples Counseling Version 1.0. The artist represents the best of what this medium can do, and his legacy lives on in us, his readers, and those who create in his wake. Our heart breaks for his friends and his family, and we offer them our love and gratitude for sharing John with us while they could.

Uncle Sam is now available from Abrams Comic Arts and DC's Black Label.

You can find Alex Ross on his Website, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 9/21 at 4:00 PM for Batman Forever, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Daniel Warren Johnson and Riley Rossmo on The Moon Is Following Us

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 07:15:35 -0600

When cartoonists like Daniel Warren Johnson and Riley Rossmo come together, the rest of us better take notice. The Moon Is Following Us drops its first issue on September 18th, and it's a jam comic with a fierce narrative engine and an even more assertive take-notice paint job. Set within the waking and sleeping worlds, Johnson handles the former while Rossmo takes the latter. The relationship between the two creates an electric reading experience not found anywhere else on the stands.

From a script by Johnson, The Moon Is Following Us sees young Penny fall into a sleeping sickness. She won't wake. Her parents, Duncan and Sam, plunge into her dreams and wage war against the Cascade, an evil, unknowable force. However, what these beasts are really doesn't matter. All Duncan and Sam need to know is that they stand in the way between them and their child.

In this week's podcast, we chat with Daniel Warren Johnson and Riley Rossmo about their new collaboration, why it's been in the works for a very long time, and what creatures they're fighting on the page every day. We uncover secret connections to a beloved children's series, discuss humanity's relationship with dreams, and the most anxiety-inducing comics that neither Johnson nor Rossmo have been able to shake.

The Moon Is Following Us #1 arrives from Image Comics on 9/18. Be sure you're following Daniel Warren Johnson on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website. Follow Riley Rossmo on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website.

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Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 9/21 at 4:00 PM for Batman Forever, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Heather Antos and Ryan North on Star Trek: Lower Decks

Thu, 29 Aug 2024 14:13:05 -0600

We did it. We've completed our San Diego Comic-Con coverage. Twelve podcasts in August. Too much? Maybe, but no regrets, and there is no better way to wrap up our Comic-Con celebrations than with Star Trek group editor Heather Antos and superstar writer Ryan North discussing Star Trek: Lower Decks and its new mission at IDW Publishing.

Since its streaming premiere, we've championed Star Trek: Lower Decks as the most human Trek. While it's wickedly funny, frequently teasing the ultra seriousness in which we hold the franchise, Lower Decks laughs with the characters and concepts, never at them. The show and its showrunner, Mike McMahan, have tremendous reverence for the Star Trekthat's come before, and his love for it shines through every frame.

The upcoming fifth and final season, which begins on October 24th, has us feeling a little weepy. However, there's no reason to fret. IDW is relaunching the Star Trek: Lower Decks comic book series with a new number one on November 13th, and on October 22nd, there will also be a brand new graphic novel called Warp Your Own Way. Both are written by Ryan North (The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Fantastic Four), and IDW Star Trek group editor Heather Antos oversees it all.

At San Diego Comic-Con, we sat down with North and Antos to discuss our mutual admiration for Star Trek: Lower Decks. We talk about its placement within the franchise, what they can do in the comics that McMahan and company cannot accomplish on television, and where this series may take the crew of the U.S.S. Cerritos. Also, how does contributing to Star Trek affect their perspective as creators and, well, just as humans?

Continue this conversation by following Heather Antos on Twitter, Instagram, and her Website, as well as Ryan North on Twitter, Instagram, and his website.

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 9/21 at 4:00 PM for Batman Forever, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Pornsak Pichetshote and Terry Dodson on The Manchurian

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 12:01:20 -0600

Hey, don't tell us. We'll tell you. The suits who bankroll the industry think they know what we want to read. They have no idea. Marginalizing voices is an active pursuit where financial concerns are frequently used as an excuse. The Horizon Experiment has faith in us, placing its future in our wallets, betting we'll support originality in genres gatekept by the fearful. Their first one-shot, The Manchurian, carries an irresistible premise steered expertly by Pornsak Pichetshoteand Terry Dodson.

Published by Image Comics, The Manchurian lands in comic book stores on September 25th (its FOC is September 2nd). The elevator pitch champions a Chinese James Bond. Look at the header image above. Terry and Rachel Dodson are going full-Daniel Craig in Casino Royale or Ursula Andress in Dr. No. We've read the first issue and can confirm fashion, sex, violence, and unconquerable charisma. However, beyond the Bond basics, The Manchurian follows a perspective never explored by 007: corporate espionage as handled by Chinese Communist agents.

Just as all of us were recovering from San Diego Comic-Con, we spoke with Pornsak Pichetshote and Terry Dodson about The Horizon Experiment, their twist on the spy sub-genre, and the four other radical one-shots riding on their heels. We discuss the pilot program The Horizon Experiment employs and how it's not really different from how comics always operate. We chat about capturing the Bond vibe without being chained to it and how competition amongst peers is as much a trap as anything else.

Make sure you continue this conversation by following Pornsak Pichetshote on Twitter and Instagram. Also, follow Terry Dodson on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website.

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 9/21 at 4:00 PM for Batman Forever, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

JP Ahonen on Belzebubs

Fri, 23 Aug 2024 19:24:52 -0600

Once upon a time, cartoonist JP Ahonen fell out of love with his art. He'd reached a wall. It was burnout. He'd lost the joy found in creation. Then, he just started to doodle, and an Inktober project became a runaway success. Belzebubs, the saga of a black metal family, significantly inspired by Calvin and Hobbes, sprung from his brain, and there is no stuffing it back in.

These odd little outsiders reignited something inside Ahonen, but more importantly, Belzebubs ignited something in its readers. The audience appeared quickly and grew even faster. The webcomic has crossed over into other mediums and will soon be an animated series. Top Shelf Productions published two beautifully bound hardcovers, and we've latched onto them, proclaiming ourselves as rabid groupies.

Every San Diego Comic-Con introduces us to some new passion; this year, it's Belzebubs. After devouring the two hardcovers, inside the Hilton Bayfront, we eagerly chatted with JP Ahonen about his Belzebubs origins. We discuss how these characters came to him at a critical moment in his life and taught him to love comics again. And then, they took on a life of their own.

Now, it's your turn to join the cult. Follow JP Ahonen on Instagram and his Website.

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 9/21 at 4:00 PM for Batman Forever, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

James Tynion IV and The Tiny Onion Empire

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 15:00:09 -0600

In a few short years, James Tynion IV has become a beacon within comics. When you walk into a shop, you don't have to look long before you stumble upon one of his comics. He's seemingly everywhere, spreading beyond the four color realm, and no matter the title he's attached to, it's worth a perusal.

Back in July, at San Diego Comic-Con, we sat down with Tynion inside the Dark Horse Comics booth to discuss the unique collaborative process that birthed The Oddly Pedestrian Life of Christopher Chaos. The conversation serves as a springboard to more significant topics, primarily the mission of his Tiny Onion label. How does Tynion feel about the industry today, and where would he like to see it go in the future?

We discuss Christopher Chaos' origins, his creative relationship with Tate Brombal and Isaac Goodhart, and what this book offers that seemingly similar stories don't. We talk about his recent short film Room Service and why he was compelled to make it alongside Elsa Charretier and others. James Tynion IV is a profoundly passionate artist who'd rather speed up than slow down.

Continue this conversation with James Tynion IV by following him on Instagram, Twitter, Substack, and his Website.

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 9/21 at 4:00 PM for Batman Forever, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Mark Waid and Mariko Tamaki on Batman, Superman, and Supergirl

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 15:17:12 -0600

At this year's San Diego Comic-Con, the family was at the forefront of DC creators' minds. We couldn't escape the topic when discussing superheroics. Plus, we've been pretty anxious on the podcast, contemplating the ramifications of city saviors placing their loved ones above the citizens of Gotham City and Metropolis. Does the person on the street want Superman to have a son? A wife? A cousin? Thankfully, we can corner Mark Waid and Mariko Tamaki at the DC booth and force them to process our ridiculous worries.

In October, Mark Waid and Chris Samnee return to the early days of Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson in Batman and Robin: Year One. The twelve-issue maxi-series promises to delve into their unique relationship, revealing how Bruce Wayne learned to parent while keeping Joker behind bars. During the same month, Waid and Mariko Tamaki will share Action Comics as the Superman ongoing goes weekly. Waid, alongside artist Clayton Henry, will focus on Kal-El's problems post-Absolute Power while Mariko Tamaki and artist Skler Partridge continue their deep dive into Supergirl's inner life.

For the first half of today's episode, we speak with Mark Waid two-on-one, digging into Bruce and Dick's getting-to-know-you phase. We discuss Bruce's lack of familial role models, his inability or unwillingness to see Alfred as a father, and how he wanted Absolute Power to speak to the moment. In the back half, we have both Mark Waid and Mariko Tamaki on our microphone. We then focus on the Superman family, paying particular attention to Supergirl and the secrets Tamaki is unveiling to her readers.

The first issue of Batman and Robin: Year One lands in comic shops on October October 16th. Mark Waid and Mariko Tamaki join Action Comics on issue 1070, which arrives on October 9th. Continue our conversation by following Mark Waid via his Website. Follow Mariko Tamaki on Twitter and Instagram.

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 8/18 at 4:00 PM for our Atomic Blonde screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Ram V on Jack Kirby and The New Gods

Fri, 16 Aug 2024 08:30:01 -0600

This year's San Diego Comic-Con brought a lot of news. Possibly the most surprising and easily the most exciting was DC's announcement that The New Gods were coming back to comic shops and that their latest saga would be steered by writer Ram V and artist Evan Cagle. While these characters loom large over the DC universe, they've rarely carried a solo book for any significant amount of time. One reason for that might be that they're such pure Jack Kirby creations, and following in the King's footsteps is more than a challenge.

If anyone is up for such a task, it's Ram V. The writer's first work within DC was on Swamp Thing, and he easily proved he could step into a beloved property and add a little of himself to it. He recognizes fans' preciousness toward Jack Kirby's Fourth World, but he equally understands how The New Gods could speak very much to the moment.

We met with Ram V atop the DC booth on Saturday at San Diego Comic-Con. We begin our conversation with our love for all things Kirby and move toward parenthood, specifically fatherhood, and how it will thematically propel his take on The New Gods. What has Scott Free learned from his two dads, Darkseid and Highfather?

The New Gods will land in comic book shops in December, but make sure you catch up on the cosmic imbalance that launches their story by picking up The All In Special on October 2nd. To continue this conversation with Ram V, follow his Twitter, Instagram, and Website.

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 8/18 at 4:00 PM for our Atomic Blonde screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Full Spoilers: Juni Ba on TMNT: Nightwatcher 1

Wed, 14 Aug 2024 06:52:29 -0600

Last year, cartoonist Juni Ba had an epic Fall, releasing multiple all-timers in one month. We had him on the show and told him the output would be difficult to top in 2024, and he humbly said he had a few projects already lined up and would do his best. With The Boy Wonder about to wrap and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Nightwatcher #1 hitting stands today, Juni Ba reveals how he still has numerous killer comics inside him.

Ba returns to the podcast this week for a lengthy discussion about Nightwatcher. We go full spoilers, beginning with the person under the helmet and why there was no other option for the vigilante. We also consider how Nightwatcherthematically links to The Boy Wonder and possibly several other projects on the horizon. Nightwatcher is the first comic Ba has tackled solely as a writer, watching in wonder as artist Fero Pe delivers one astonishing page after another. The sensation is strange for Juni Ba, but he's getting used to it and digging into it.

With Jason Aaron and his cadre of collaborators developing the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in their new ongoing, Juni Ba is left alone to develop a unique corner within the IDW TMNT universe. The Nightwatcher persona first appeared in the 2007 TMNT animated film, but they functioned in an entirely different manner than the character as depicted by Ba and Pe. Has the fandom already created expectations around Nightwatcher? Will they allow these artists to attempt something a little different, adding a new layer to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles landscape? Juni Ba has some anxiety around the reaction to this comic, and we dig into those worries, too.

Continue this conversation with Juni Ba by visiting his Instagram and Twitter.

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 8/18 at 4:00 PM for our Atomic Blonde screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

DC All In with Joshua Williamson, Tom King, and Daniel Sampere

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 08:27:46 -0600

In October, DC asks its creators and readers to go All In regarding a new status quo. No matter their history with these characters or their knowledge of them, readers can pick up any single issue on the stands, begin a new adventure, and easily comprehend the event and its possibilities. It starts with The All In Special, released on October 2nd, written by Joshua Williamson and Scott Snyder and illustrated by Daniel Sampere and Wes Craig. While ongoing stories like Wonder Woman, written by Tom King and illustrated by Sampere, won't reboot with a new number one, they will launch a new storyline considerate of the potential fresh eyes upon it.

This year, at San Diego Comic-Con, we climbed atop the DC booth for a discussion with writers Joshua Williamson and Tom King, as well as double-duty artist Daniel Sampere. Absolute Power, All In, Superman Energy, Darkseid Energy -- we get to the heart of what DC is attempting with this massive line-wide initiative that feels reminiscent of the New 52 without mimicking it. How will Williamson's current Superman run and King and Sampere's Wonder Woman storyline navigate the event, which includes the creation of Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta's Absolute Batman, Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval's Absolute Superman, and Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman's Absolute Wonder Woman?

What's easily discernable is the enthusiasm these artists have for The All In Special, the equally bombastic response the news got from San Diego Comic-Con attendees, and the larger online reaction as well. Joshua Williamson believes he's exploring an aspect of Superman that Clark and previous creators on the book have never contemplated. Tom King and Daniel Sampere explain their hopes for Wonder Woman and their plan to stay on board for many more issues. As he states emphatically, King has not left comics for Hollywood.

Keep up to date on all things Joshua Williamson by following him on Twitter, Instagram, and Substack. Continue this conversation with Tom King via Twitter, Threads, and Instagram. Follow Daniel Sampere on Twitter and Instagram.

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 8/18 at 4:00 PM for our Atomic Blonde screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Joey Esposito and Sean Von Gorman on The Pedestrian

Fri, 09 Aug 2024 07:46:49 -0600

As San Diego Comic-Con began its last day, we met with Joey Esposito and Sean Von Gorman in the Hilton lobby to thoroughly discuss their brand-new superhero, The Pedestrian. Just when you dismiss the genre's ability to create or support a new spandex character, architects like Esposito and Von Gorman come around to rejuvenate the space with an absurd concept told earnestly. Imagine if Bruce Wayne patrolled Twin Peaks rather than Gotham.

We discuss the character's origins, the massive lore they're building around The Pedestrian, and why Magma Comix was the only home for their series. The Pedestrian represents the small good guys who come into our lives just when we need them and stand against the ancient systems designed to control our future. Playing Robert Altman, Joey Esposito and Sean Von Gorman populate Summer City with numerous characters, promising a massive universe beyond this first issue's twenty-four pages. The genius is how the comic uses established iconic images that we all interact with daily to propel us through new genre avenues.

The Pedestrian's first issue is now available in comic book shops everywhere. Make sure you're following Joey Esposito on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website. Also, follow Sean Von Gorman on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website.

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 8/18 at 4:00 PM for our Atomic Blonde screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Wes Craig on Kaya

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 08:08:43 -0600

We're mostly unpacked from San Diego Comic-Con, and we begin this week's podcast by discussing the show's big highlight. No, it's not RDJ as Doctor Doom. After working through the con highs and lows, we invite cartoonist Wes Craig into our Zoom room for the first time so we can thoroughly investigate his all-ages epic, Kaya.

In an era where publishing beyond six issues seems nearly impossible, Wes Craig has already knocked out 20 Kaya comics, equalling three trade paperbacks, and promises five more. Where does this compulsion to tell a long-form story originate, and more importantly, how can he make it happen? Some of the answer rests with us, his audience, but most of it rests with him and his compulsion.

Kaya is one of the best comic books on the stands. It's the story of two unique and complicated siblings, alone in a violent, fantastical world, bonding on the road to somewhere kinder while their faith see-saws back and forth. Wes Craig is living his fantasy, writing and drawing the saga that's lived within him for years. He just needs to get it out.

We chat with the cartoonist about his mission, characters, and universe. We explore the perils of the Chosen One trope, tease Kaya's big Empire Strikes Back moment, and consider the ultimate destination. And, yeah, we get into all his influences as well. Some you may already be aware of, but several others, probably not. Stand by Me? The Wonder Years?

The first three Kaya trade paperbacks are now available from Image Comics. Issue twenty arrived in comic shops today. Make sure you're following Wes Craig on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website.

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 8/18 at 4:00 PM for our Atomic Blonde screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Full Spoilers: Jason Aaron on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1

Sun, 04 Aug 2024 23:06:47 -0600

Hopefully, you've had some time with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 by Jason Aaron and Joëlle Jones. The record-breaking comic seemingly found its way into everyone's pullbox last week. Despite San Diego Comic-Con taking over much of the discourse, the IDW Publishing relaunch snatched tremendous attention and fueled equal excitement. As promised, it's a comic for the loyal continuity consumer, curious first-timer, or once-upon-a-time Mirage Studios loyalist.

Months back, shortly after he was announced to be on the book, we spoke with writer Jason Aaron about his plans for the brothers. He couldn't reveal much, but we nourished ourselves on a few clues. Now that the first issue is out there, and folks have properly devoured it three or four times, we're stoked to have Aaron back on the podcast, and this time, we can go full-spoilers regarding his first twenty-two pages of TMNT.

Our conversation occurred two days into San Diego Comic-Con, enclosed within a spacious conference room at the Hilton Bayfront. Only days before, Aaron and Joëlle Jones signed their first copies of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1. The reaction was immediately positive, and the glow still hung around the author. Together, we discuss why the new series had to begin with Raphael and why he had to be trapped behind bars. We explore the "Return to New York" and the city as both a literal and metaphorical place. Again, our chat goes full spoilers. Please read the issue before pressing play.

Of course, we must also discuss San Diego Comic-Con itself—the behemoth—and how we had to adjust our coverage of it in ways we've never had to deal with before. Did CBCC hosts Brad and Lisa have a come-to-Jesus feud in the middle of Preview Night? Yes. Yes, they did. Lessons were learned.

Keep your eyes glued to the IDW Publishing page as more and more Ninja Turtles 40th Anniversary celebrations are revealed, and make sure to follow Jason Aaron on Twitter, Instagram, and his website.

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 8/18 at 4:00 PM for our Atomic Blonde screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

San Diego Comic-Con: Gail Simone on Misty

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 09:32:00 -0600

Reporting live from San Diego Comic-Con, we're chatting with Gail Simone about everything she has going on at the moment, including the incredible Misty 2024 Special from Rebellion Publishing. When editors first approached her with the project, she'd never read the previous British series. However, after a few issues, Simone was hooked and saw her way into Misty's world, so some updates would have to occur.

The Misty 2024 Special features three tales written by Gail Simone and illustrated by Carola Borelli, Aly Fell, and Marianna Ignazzi, plus a final story scripted and drawn by Letty Wilson. Each short takes on a different perspective and message, but all are snuggled comfortably within the horror genre. Simone is a thematically forward writer, and it was a treat to dig into her mission for each of these macabre yarns.

Initially created by Pat Mills and published in 1978, Misty was designed to appeal to women, but male readers came along for the ride (and the pretty pictures). Gail Simone modifies Misty's thematic and narrative points of view, basically doing what she did for Birds of Prey and the superhero genre, but for Misty and horror.

The Misty 2024 Special is currently available across the pond and will arrive on American shores on August 21st. Wrapped with a gorgeous Tula Lotay cover, this item is not to be missed. Also, as announced at San Diego Comic-Con, Gail Simone is writing more Misty stories. So, it's best to get aboard as soon as possible.

Follow Gail Simone on Twitter and Instagram.

And be on the lookout for our future San Diego Comic-Con coverage. We're talking to folks like Jason Aaron, James Tynion IV, Mark Waid, Joshua Williamson, Daniel Sampare, Tom King, Mariko Tamaki, Ram V, and more.

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 8/18 at 4:00 PM for our Atomic Blonde screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Mangasplaining Search and Destroy Volume 1

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 21:39:24 -0600

It's easy to despair. Fear and frustration spread quickly, and their hold has hooks hard to shake. Don't fall into the discourse trap; free yourself by following the light radiating from the medium's champions. Find folks like Deb Aoki and Christopher Woodrow-Butcher and grab firm. Through their Mangasplaining podcast (co-hosted with David Brothersand Chip Zdarsky), they've become beacons of what the sequential art form can offer the human experience, and recently, they've taken their passion one step further (maybe several steps further) and actually manifested great comic works.

Mangasplaining, in partnership with Fantagraphics, first brought Susumu Higa's Okinawa into American comic shops and bookstores. Now, they're switching gears quite drastically, offering Atsushi Kaneko's radical reconsideration of Osamu Tezuka's iconic Dororo, Search and Destroy. The comic shifts the original story from feudal Japan to an apocalyptic future where machines enhance themselves using pieces stolen from a mysterious young woman. While they taste life with her tongue, she trudges across the sci-fi hellscape, sharpening her rage into a propulsive attack.

As we prepare for this week's San Diego Comic-Con International, we revel in the gifts all comics provide their readers. We chat with Deb Aoki and Christopher Woodrow-Butcher about their Mangasplaining origin, how it evolved into a comics delivery system, the types of conversations we should have about manga away from American Comics, and the conversations we should have about manga with American Comics. If you're looking for inspiration before America's biggest comic book convention takes over this week's discourse, this Comic Book Couples Counseling episode is ready to serve.

Relevant Links

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 8/18 at 4:00 PM for our Atomic Blonde screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Maurice Vellekoop: I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together

Sun, 14 Jul 2024 20:42:57 -0600

There is power in putting your life on the page. Cartoonist Maurice Vellekoop discovered it when making the internal external, crafting a massive graphic novel memoir over eleven years. I'm So Glad We Had This Time Togethergorgeously and nakedly splays his experience for EVERYONE to consume, and while his audience could/should find it healingly reflective, the act is entirely selfish. He's found the shape of his journey and solidified it. If only we could all be so fortunate.

Maurice Vellekoop is the youngest of four children, raised by a distant father and a magical mother in the Toronto suburbs. His family stewed in the arts, but young Maurice was drawn more to boob tube icons like Carol Burnett and would rather play with Barbies than read a book. Through his strict Calvinist upbringing, Maurice Vellekoop sensed vicious judgment toward the person he was becoming. I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together charts an epic struggle with depression, loneliness, and a violent, intolerant world.

On this week's podcast, Maurice Vellekoop joins us for a thorough conversation about the power found within memoirs, how depicting the most beautiful and horrid moments in his history created an aesthetic challenge and his complicated relationship with Disney animation. The conversation stands apart from other Comic Book Couples Counseling episodes, just as his book stands apart from other comics released this year. I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together demands your attention, and you should move it immediately to the top of your to-read pile.

I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together is now available from Pantheon Books. Please follow Maurice Vellekoop on Instagram and his Website.

As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to those books.

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Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Matt Kindt (Son) and Margie Kraft Kindt (Mom) on Gilt Frame

Thu, 04 Jul 2024 22:50:01 -0600

When it comes to cool collaborators, Matt Kindt has had quite a few. He partnered with CBCC all-star Matt Lesniewski on Crimson Flower. He and David Rubin gave us the blazing sci-fi adventure Ether. And with Ron Garney and Keanu Reeves, Matt Kindt birthed the This Is Spinal Tap version of Conan the Barbarian. Don't deny it: BRZRKR is proudly cranked to eleven.

The partner from Hollywood might attract the most mainstream attention, and it's an alliance that may have paved the way for Kindt's most crucial collaborator yet -- his mother. As a lifelong fan of whodunits, Margie Kraft Kindt has already taken it upon herself to scribble some stories, but she wasn't sure she could manage one with her son. However, the collaborative style Matt Kindt established with Keanu Reeves on BRZRKR cracked the code on how he would work with Margie. With a process in place, Gilt Frame, the latest entry under the Dark Horse Comics imprint Flux House, flew out of them pretty quickly.

Their story focuses on a somewhat different but kind of similar familial dynamic between an aunt and a nephew. Sam and Mary have already built a reputation as dynamite detectives, solving cases that span the globe. They're due for a little Parisian vacation, but fate won't allow it and drops a body at their feet. Back on the case, they get to work.

This week's podcast begins with celebrating the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' 40th Anniversary as we describe our pilgrimage to Dover, New Hampshire, the site of the original Mirage Studios. We discuss the various TMNT landmarks we witnessed, the comic book shops we visited, the fights we had, and the comic script we wrote while there. If you haven't clocked it already, our theme for this episode is collaboration.

Gitl Frame will be available in comic shops on August 7th. Our conversation is process-focused and spoiler-free. Press play with pleasure. Also, ensure you follow Matt Kindt on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website.

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Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Jordan Blum, Patton Oswalt, and Kyle Starks on Barfly, the Most Minor of Threats

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 22:14:10 -0600

Are you ready to meet our new favorite henchman, Barfly? Jordan Blum, Patton Oswalt, Kyle Starks, and Ryan Browne are eager to make introductions. Their new series, spun "from the world of Minor Threats," drills even deeper into the philosophical pursuit initiated by the original run that began two years ago. The lowliest punk in Twilight City has a rich inner life, and he'd love to share it with you if you can set aside your primordial revulsion toward sh*teaters.

You don't need to browse long on the rack before encountering another comic deconstructing the superhero genre. Ever since 1986, every creator, it seems, wants to put forth their subversive effort, but Minor Threats avoids the usual cynical choices, embracing Silver Age nonsense and the joys that come with it. Minor Threats and its latest spin-off, Barfly, showcase tremendous humanity, using absurdity to expose genuine pain and triumph. The sincerity marks Minor Threatsas the most exciting superhero universe since Astro City.

We're downright chuffed to have Jordan Blum, Patton Oswalt, and Kyle Starks back on the podcast. Together, we question the name thrust upon our protagonist, his possible desire to be more than a henchman, and whether those seeking to be masterminds are driven or simply delusional. Also, does Superman go to the bathroom? At least one participant in our conversation has powerful feelings about that.

From the World of Minor Threats: Barfly #1 is published by Dark Horse Comics and arrives in comic shops on July 10th. It's written by Jordan Blum, Patton Oswalt, and Kyle Starks. Ryan Browne illustrated and colored it, and Nate Piekos lettered it.

Continue this conversation by following Patton Oswalt on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website. Follow Jordan Blum on Twitter and Instagram. Follow Kyle Starks on Twitter HERE, on Instagram HERE, and by visiting his Website HERE.

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Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 5/19 at 4:00 PM for our Green Lantern screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Sean Phillips and Jacob Phillips: Every Comic is an Emergency

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 22:23:05 -0600

What's the ideal environment for making a comic? We toss the question to Sean Phillips and Jacob Phillips, and they ponder it for a moment. They've never experienced it, and they're not sure it's possible, or if it was, that they'd want it. Deadlines loom over all, making every comic an emergency. This urgency helps them accomplish their craft, and it must be working since, undoubtedly, everyone reading these words is craving their next collaboration, Houses of the Unholy (out August 14th from Image Comics).

The father/son duo first worked together on the Criminal novella, My Heroes Have Always Been Junkies, written by longtime writing partner Ed Brubaker. Initially, Sean was set to color the book, and he knocked out a couple of pages, but the deadline demanded an alternative strategy. He called on his son for assistance, and since then, Jacob Phillips has colored all the Brubaker/Phillips joints.

For Father's Day, we asked Sean Phillips and Jacob Phillips to sit down with us and discuss their creative origins, collaborator origins, what Ed Brubaker expects from them these days, their need for affirmation, and why every book must be a race to the finish. Also, has Sean Phillips read The Enfield Gang Massacre yet?

We begin this week's podcast by interrogating the dad holiday, relating our recent parental celebrations, and discussing our attendance at Washington, D.C.'s second annual DC/DOX Film Festival, where we saw Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, which included a moving and memorable conversation with Reeve's daughter, Alexandra Reeve Givens. Somehow, the recent season of MasterChef factors in as well.

Please ensure you're following Sean Phillips on Instagram, Twitter, and his Website and Jacob Phillips on Instagram, Twitter, and his Website.

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Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 5/19 at 4:00 PM for our Green Lantern screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Jordan Morris on Youth Group

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 12:43:06 -0600

We get serious with Jordan Morris, whether he wants us to or not. He returns to the podcast with his new graphic novel, Youth Group, done in collaboration with artist Bowen McCurdy. It's a wickedly winky narrative about a young goth girl named Kay reluctantly following her mother's instructions to join a Christian youth group and discovering that they actually battle demons. Morris returns to the nineties in an effort to better understand his brief flirtation with religiosity, which left him with warm but complicated feelings.

Youth Group arrives from First Second Books on July 16th, and it's packed with jokes, we promise. However, Jordan Morris has found himself once again trapped with Comic Book Couples Counseling, and we need to work out the weird feelings and memories his book awoke in us. Where does the metaphor begin and end with God? The question has been on our minds a lot lately, and we take it to Morris as filtered through Kay's clash with Hell's best betas.

In this week's episode, we travel back in time, exploring Jordan Morris' past youth group experiences as well as our own. We consider the anxious feeling ignited when connecting the personal with the absurd and the shocking healing that can occur on both sides of the page. For the artist and for the reader.

You can track down Jordan Morris via his Twitter, Instagram, and Website.

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 5/19 at 4:00 PM for our Green Lantern screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Maria Bamford and Scott Marvel Cassidy Are Hogbook and Lazer Eyes

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 23:24:34 -0600

How you define your relationship determines its trajectory. If you see your romance as a triumph over adversity, you will triumph. This is one of the many lessons we took from our long ago exploration of Drs. John and Julie Gottman, and we discuss their philosophy thoroughly on this week's podcast with Maria Bamford and Scott Marvel Cassidy. Their new graphic novel from Fantagraphics, Hogbook and Lazer Eyes, details their complicated coupling, all told through the eyes of their various elder pugs.

When Maria Bamford and Scott Marvel Cassidy were at their lowest, they signed up for the dating website O.K. Cupid, using the handles "Hogbook" and "Lazer Eyes." One date became two, which became three, then four. Their compatibility was less than a sure thing, but as they persisted, their connection solidified. Something about the other stirred understanding in themselves, and witnessing that epiphany through their canine housemates cleverly, maybe magically, creates profundity.

After the Gottmans, we discuss the other classic texts that shaped our understanding of relationships: Dan Slott and Michael Allred's Silver Surfer. As we've previously covered on the show, entering a marriage is to engage with "The Infinite All-In." In a best-case scenario, one of you will leave the other to wallow in grief. As you'll hear, for Maria Bamford and Scott Marvel Cassidy, "the 50/50 risk" gives value to the partnership.

As longtime admirers of Maria Bamford's standup comedy and television work and Scott Marvel Cassidy's comics and artistry, it was more than a joy to chat with them about Hogbook and Lazer Eyes. Discussing romance and collaboration with another creative couple helped us more clearly define our desires and wants for the future. Is a puppy on the horizon? Possibly.

To continue this conversation online, follow Maria Bamford on Twitter, Instagram, and her Website. Follow Scott Marvel Cassidy on Instagram and his Website. Hogbook and Lazer Eyes is now available from Fantagraphics. Find it wherever fine comics are sold.

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Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 5/19 at 4:00 PM for our Green Lantern screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Creature from the Black Lagoon Lives! with Ram V and Dan Watters

Tue, 28 May 2024 19:55:15 -0600

The Gill-man just does it for us. Or Lisa, more specifically. You can have your Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, Wolf Man, and Invisible Man; we'll take the wet and wild one off your hands any day of the week. Creature from the Black Lagoon Lives! And no more ravishingly than in our hearts.

Where other Universal Monsters stem from rich, lurid literature and folklore, the Creature is a far more contemporary cat...er, fish. His origins are chained to the 1954 film, its few sequels, and the morality of that brief timeline. While we've seen artists offer some spins on the design here and there, for the most part, it's been a long time since anyone's properly played in the Creature's intoxicating fish tank.

As part of Skybound Entertainment and Universal's recent partnership, writers Ram V and Dan Watters (The One Hand, The Six Fingers), along with artist Matthew Roberts, colorist Dave Stewart, and letterer DC Hopkins, continue the Gill-man's saga, some indeterminate time after the movie climaxed. Creature from the Black Lagoon Lives! begins with a journalist tracking a serial killer to the Amazon.

We're so darn pleased to have Ram V and Dan Watters on the show this week, talking about Creature from the Black Lagoon Lives!, what the Gill-man represents culturally and thematically, and why we have a Kate this time around and not a Kay. Also, which Universal Monster is the most sexy? We get into it whether anyone else wants to or not.

The first two issues of Creature from the Black Lagoon Lives! are currently available from Skybound. The third issue will land in comic shops on June 26th.

To continue this conversation with Ram V, follow his Twitter, Instagram, and Website. To keep chatting with Dan Watters, follow his Twitter and Instagram.

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 5/19 at 4:00 PM for our Green Lantern screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

The Ultimate Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees Interview

Mon, 20 May 2024 22:09:06 -0600

It's been a week. You've had a minute. The sixth and final issue of Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees is out there, living its life, rattling around our collective imaginations. We need to talk about it. You need to talk about it. Let's talk about it together. And drag cartoonist Patrick Horvath into the chat, crack his melon open, and root around in all of his delicious secrets. Yep, it's time to go full spoilers with this comic.

When Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees first landed in shops, it hooked its first readers in a profound way. The elevator pitch was beyond infectious; it was powerful. Mesmeric, maybe. The first issue transformed us into evangelists, preaching the good (grotesque) word of Sam the Bear and her sleepy Woodbrook community. Perhaps we glimpsed ourselves within her, as troubling as that was, and that caused us to seek new readers to share in our compelling confusion.

Half a year later, with the whole story inside us, we can confidently declare that we had no real idea where Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees would take us. Go back and listen to our first conversation with Patrick Horvath. We had an inkling but not a clue. Now, our perceptions are (semi)clear, and we need to run them through Patrick Horvath himself. Plus, go on a rant about Australian Traitors season two and make a few parallels between Sam the Bear and Sam the Sheriff.

Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees was a smash hit for Patrick Horvath and IDW Publishing. Each of the sixth issues caused a stir, and we're extremely excited about how its recent Eisner Awards nomination and upcoming trade paperback release (September 17th) will attract even more new, unprepared readers. Hopefully, folks will also run toward Patrick Horvath's current Zoop campaign for Free For All, his Eat the Rich, dystopian, gladiatorial relationship drama. (CLICK HERE NOW)

Continue this conversation with Patrick Horvath by following his Twitter, Instagram, and Website.

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Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Kyle Starks on Karate Prom

Tue, 14 May 2024 21:26:05 -0600

He's back—like you've never seen him before. Kyle Starks, the writer behind I Hate This Place, Peacemaker Tries Hard!, and Where Monsters Lie, just released an original graphic novel at First Second that's all-ages and without swears. Karate Prom is a heart-forward action adventure about two teens who find love in the ring, or after it, when Sam knocks Don "TheDragonWilson" Jones out cold.

As Starks puts it in our conversation, he's entered his "two people who just love the sh*t out of each other phase." And how could Comic Book Couples Counseling not celebrate? Conflict is necessary and inevitable, but it's nice to witness a couple find it outside their relationship and in the forms of terrifying exes, a global crime cartel, and an onslaught of ninjas.

Karate Prom also offers us an opportunity to relive our squidgy high school rituals and force Kyle Starks to do the same. Who was the biggest player in high school: Brad, Lisa, or Kyle? The answer may surprise you. Or not...probably not.

Be sure to stay current on all things Kyle Starks by following him on Twitter HERE, on Instagram HERE, and by visiting his Website HERE.

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Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 5/19 at 4:00 PM for our Batman 35th Anniversary Screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: 40th Anniversary Special

Mon, 06 May 2024 17:21:21 -0600

March 5th, 1984. Forty years ago, three thousand copies of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 hit the newsstands. The title was impossible to ignore. Born from a joke between fresh collaborators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, it sparked an instantaneous passionate response. Many quickly dismissed the concept or rolled their eyes, but those who actually read that first issue recognized the love for the medium within. Eventually, cartoons and toys would follow, and a phenomenon occurred that truly has not been replicated in the comics space since.

This week's podcast is our "Thank You" to Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. We return to those Mirage Studios' early years, examining three critical comics that would shape and define the characters: the Leonardo micro-series one-shot and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles issues ten and eleven. These stories would form the climax of the 1990 movie adaptation and propel the brothers into a momentous clash with The Shredder in "Return to New York" and its "City at War" aftermath.

No Love Expert guides our hands this week as we draw lessons directly from the comics. Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird poured so much life into their stories, and the result is a beautiful mirror reflecting our hopes and fears. In these pages, the reader exists already; they merely must find themselves.

Mirage Studios published these comics between December 1986 and June 1987. They were written and penciled by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, inked and toned by Eastman, Laird, Stephen R. Bissette, Michael Dooney, and Ryan Brown, and lettered by Steve Lavigne. You can currently read them via IDW Publishing's massive Compendium Vol. 1.

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Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 5/19 at 4:00 PM for our Batman 35th Anniversary Screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Daniel Warren Johnson on The Nam

Sun, 28 Apr 2024 18:58:13 -0600

For this week's podcast, we're digging out a treasure from the CBCC Patreon Feed: our deep-dive conversation with Daniel Warren Johnson about The Nam # 9. This thorough discussion launched our "Married to Singles" Patreon exclusive series, where we examine the favorite single issues of various comic book creators and critics. It's one thing to dissect an artist's work alongside or in front of them, as we often do, but it's an entirely different thing to scrutinize an artist's work with another artist.

Daniel Warren Johnson is a can't-miss cartoonist. If he's on a book, you want that book in your pullbox. Extremity, Murder Falcon, Do a Powerbomb!, and Transformers are essential reads for those obsessed with the comic form. If you want to understand what DWJ does so well, our conversation with him about his passion for Michael Golden gives you another angle.

As Johnson remarks in our chat, Michael Golden in The 'Nam # 9 does things he would never do, and those choices mystify and compel him. Johnson came to the Marvel series late in his comic reading history, picking up the first two issues and enjoying them but only coming across the rest of those Golden books years later at C2E2. He profoundly appreciates all those early 'Nam issues, but the ninth one just hits differently. Why? We get into it.

After you enjoy our conversation with Daniel Warren Johnson, consider digging into the rest of our "Married to Singles" episodes. We have thorough inspections with Jason Ayers on Uncanny X-Men # 183, Christian Ward on Arkham Asylum, and more. The CBCC Patreon costs as little as $1 a month or $12 a year. You can also purchase these episodes individually, without joining the Patreon, for $3 an episode via our Online Shop.

The 'Nam # 9 was originally published by Marvel Comics on May 19, 1987. It was written by Doug Murray, penciled by Michael Golden, inked by John Beatty, and lettered and colored by Phil Felix. G.I. Joe mastermind Larry Hama served as editor, while Jim Shooterwas Editor-in-Chief.

You can continue this conversation by following Daniel Warren Johnson on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website.

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Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 5/19 at 4:00 PM for our Batman (1989) screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Daniel Warren Johnson on Transformers: Robots in Disguise

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 21:12:54 -0600

When people dare to complain about modern Transformers stories, they often single out the human characters and how they drag the spotlight away from the glorious Cybertron titans they paid their money to see. Optimus Prime is enough. Bumblebee is enough. We don't need Spike or Sparky to stretch the narrative. Just give us the 'bots.

And yet, Daniel Warren Johnson, the virtuosic cartoonist behind Extremity, Murder Falcon, and Do a Powerbomb!, could not imagine telling his Transformers story without Spike and Sparky. Why? The humans are at the forefront of this week's podcast as we reflect on Daniel Warren Johnson and colorist Mike Spicer's first six issues and their catastrophic climax.

Johnson sees Optimus Prime as the ultimate dad, and he wants to tell his ultimate dad saga while simultaneously reintroducing the Autobots and the Decepticons to Image Comics readers. His Transformers create a significant branch in Skybound's ever-expanding Energon Universe, which includes other titles like Void Rivals, Duke, and Cobra Commander. Telling an emotional and singular story while supporting the most exciting event in comics is a herculean task, and thankfully, for all his readers, Johnson is absolutely up for it.

After we pour ourselves over Transformers issues one through six, we invite Daniel Warren Johnson onto the show for a hearty debrief. We discuss the humanity at the core of his story, why Sparky was always Optimus Prime's parallel figure, and what we can expect after the heroic and tragic events of the sixth issue.

Transformers 7 is currently on comic stands, while the trade paperback collecting the first story arc will arrive on May 21st. Catch a preview of Transformers 8 on Skybound's website. You can continue this conversation by following Daniel Warren Johnson on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website.

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Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 4/21 at 4:00 PM for our Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Man's Best with Jesse Lonergan and Pornsak Pichetshote

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 22:03:54 -0600

How many words belong on a page? How many panels? In this week's podcast, we uncover the answers by chatting with Pornsak Pichetshote and Jesse Lonergan about their new Boom Studios series, Man's Best. It's a radically personal work about three emotional support animals lost in space, and it forced its creators to rethink their collaborative impulses to achieve the best comic possible. And we're excited to report they pulled it off. Man's Best is, without doubt, one of the year's best comics.

In our conversation, before we dig into the craft and math behind the comic, we challenge the themes Pichetshote and Lonergan are exploring with Man's Best. It's a saga born out of crisis, and it required the artists to adopt one of the most tried-and-true fictional devices: anthropomorphization. We consider the intrinsic value of placing animals in harm's way and how it immediately - and perilously - heightens an audience's emotions. One dog dies, and we're happy to watch John Wick eradicate a hundred goons. It's not a vice-versa situation.

The first issue of Man's Best is out now, and the second issue will arrive in comic shops on April 24th. You can continue this conversation online by following Pornsak Pichetshote on Twitter and Instagram, as well as Jesse Lonergan on Twitter and Instagram.

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 4/21 at 4:00 PM for our Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

The Death of Comics Bookcase with Zack Quaintance

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 06:50:17 -0600

We've dreaded this moment for more than a minute. The Death of Comics Bookcase is here. Journalist Zack Quaintance has assembled a mighty fine coffin in the form of a comic book and put his old self into it. Having written for his old site, we'll miss him, but we also recognize this death as a rebirth loaded with possibility, and we can't help but be excited, too.

Having dipped his toes into comic-making with Next Door, Zack Quaintance now plunges all the way in with his latest project. The Death of Comics Bookcase is an anthology featuring various rad artistic talent: Nick Cagnetti, P.J. Holden, Luke Horsman, Ryan Lee, Anna Readman, Pat Skott, and more. With stories like "The Werewolf Priest" and "The Responsibili-Teen," the book surfs through numerous genres, playing with our love of the medium while crafting a profoundly personal pseudo-biography.

On this week's podcast, we grab Zack Quaintance for an intimate discussion regarding his need to make comics after spending so many years writing about them. We discuss the necessary death of his old self and his hopes for the new one. We chat about the various doors he's closed in his life and how he was able to kick down the one that blocked his path to becoming a comics creator. If he can do it, you can too. Prepare yourself for inspiration.

The Death of Comics Bookcase is currently seeking funding via Kickstarter. The project is already complete; we've read it and backed it ourselves. You can also continue this conversation with Quaintance by following him on Twitter and Instagram.

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 4/21 at 4:00 PM for our Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Becky Cloonan and Tula Lotay on Somna

Tue, 26 Mar 2024 22:09:07 -0600

A story is never one story. A story is several stories. It's the story imagined by its author or authors, as is often the case in comics, and it's the story imagined by its many readers. They can be similar or significantly different, but none of them are the same. Never have we been more aware of this phenomenon than when we were talking to Becky Cloonan and Tula Lotay about their new comic, Somna.

The DSTLRY series gripped us immediately. One issue in, we found ourselves challenged, wrestling with how these witch trial stories typically propel themselves. Fear and hate are the enemy, but what happens when the paranoia is justified? Both of us interpreted the story differently, but our interpretations differed slightly from Becky Cloonan's headcanon, and hers differed slightly from Tula Lotay's headcanon. Fascinating.

We can agree on Somna's plot. Ingrid is unhappily wed to the town bailiff, who succeeds by sniffing out witches and bringing them to a cleansing fire. His work consumes him, drying his desire for Ingrid and leaving her open to shadowy whispers from a potentially demonic phantom. Becky Cloonan and Tula Lotay trade pages throughout, setting barriers between dream and reality before breaking them down in tremendous fashion.

Somna's third and final issue arrives in shops today. It's the culmination of a decade-long journey for Cloonan and Lotay, and they're eager to share their inspirations, interpretations, and intentions with us. Our conversation is spoiler-ish -- we HAD to talk about that last panel, so it's best if you're caught up on the series before diving into our episode.

To continue this discussion, you can find Becky Cloonan on Twitter and Instagram, and Tula Lotay on Twitter and Instagram.

Other Relevant Links:

Subscribe to the Free CBCC Newsletter

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 4/21 at 4:00 PM for our Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

The Ultimate The Enfield Gang Massacre Interview with Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 07:37:54 -0600

Walk into your local comic book store and give it a good browse. These days, you won't find too many Western comics. When a publisher like Image Comics grants a person the opportunity to make one, they must seize it and run wild. Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips cram The Enfield Gang Massacre with everything they love about the genre. It's got bank robberies, shootouts, and Gatling guns, oh my.

When Condon and Phillips last appeared on the podcast, we speculated that The Enfield Gang Massacre and its sibling series That Texas Blood were their Hellboy saga. Within this massive, time-spanning tale, they can go anywhere and explore anything, as long as it speaks to the lowercase evil and the uppercase Evil that frequently corrupts humanity's heart.

However, with that conversation, we had only read The Enfield Gang Massacre's first issue. This time, we've devoured the whole darn thing, and we had to go full-spoilers with the creators. We start at the end with the new six-page prequel story appearing in The Enfield Gang Massacre's trade paperback (out April 9th). We consider how this short story reworks our understanding of what Condon and Phillips are building with their Western and discuss just how far back they could go with That Texas Blood.

You can continue this chat with the That Texas Blood creators by following Chris Condon on Twitter and Instagram and following Jacob Phillips on Twitter and Instagram.

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 4/21 at 4:00 PM for our Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

The Ultimate Tom King Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow Interview

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 07:39:25 -0600

Who are we? Who do we want to be? Sometimes, the truth is a lie well told. Tom King returns to the podcast for his most in-depth conversation, breaking down the themes of his iconic Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow run and why so much of his personal history wound up within it.

Explore no further if you have not already read Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. We spoil everything. We've wanted to have this conversation with Tom King since we read the first issue, and it became utterly vital for our well-being after we read the last issue. We begin with the title and its significance at the start of the project versus its significance at the halfway point. From there, we consider Supergirl's quest alongside the vengeance-seeking Ruthye, how both characters are changed by the other, and just exactly what we're supposed to take away from that final page.

A comic like Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow doesn't come around too often. Every creator involved, from King to artist Bilquis Evely to colorist Matheus Lopes to letter Clayton Cowles, is operating at the height of their powers. It seems impossible to replicate, yet the entire team returns to comic shops this week with Helen of Wyndhorn. And yeah, we've read the first issue, and we're already in awe of what they're cooking inside this Wizard of Oz meets Conan the Barbarian tale.

Special Bonus! Learn Tom King's Secret Comic Book Couples Counseling origin. We'll say no more here, but it's a fun tidbit for podcast trivia seekers.

Finally, we begin our episode celebrating this year's Awesome Con experience and the first-ever CBCC panel held on March 8th at 8:30 PM in Room 206 of the Washington DC Convention Center. Our thanks to everyone who came out for our counseling session.

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow was originally published between August 2021 and April 2022. It's currently available in trade paperback from DC Comics, but a new Deluxe Hardcover edition will arrive on July 24th. Find it wherever rad books are sold.

Continue this conversation with Tom King via Twitter, Threads, and Instagram.

Don't forget to join us for the first-ever Comic Book Couples Counseling panel on March 8th at Washington DC's Awesome Con. Room 206 at 8:30 PM!

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 3/17 at 4:00 PM for our Hellboy (2004) screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

The Ultimate Tyler Crook The Lonesome Hunters: The Wolf Child Interview

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 09:00:16 -0600

This week's episode is the conversation we've wanted to have with Tyler Crook from the moment we first read The Lonesome Hunters. Despite already having two wonderful chats with Crook on the record, we couldn't let him rest there. After Dark Horse Comics released the second volume, The Wolf Child, we needed to go full-spoilers, and it appears Tyler Crook needed to do the same thing. We start at the end and work our way back to the beginning, picking through the comic's various themes and how they got there.

All of that is to say that you've been warned. If you have not read The Lonesome Hunters: The Wolf Child, please do so immediately. While not centered on a romantic couple, it's the perfect Comic Book Couples Counseling comic, a place where the reader can go to find themselves as Tyler Crook has put everything of himself into it. The book's central protagonists, Howard and Lupe, are thrust onto a road with an undercurrent of magic. One has avoided it for most of their life; the other desperately clings to it in hopes of relief.

When a comic like this one comes around, you must celebrate. The Lonesome Hutners: The Wolf Child is the purest of expressions, written, illustrated, colored, and lettered by Tyler Crook. It's a human bound in pages, and the result is something so painfully, beautifully relatable.

Our previous conversations with Tyler Crook will contextualize some of this interview. Please hit the links to those episodes below. It's always lovely to chat with Crook. We dig as deep into The Lonesome Hunters' mythology as the artist will allow at this point. We tell him what we think the comic is about, and he encouragingly responds to those interpretations.

The Lonesome Hunters The Wolf Child is now available from Dark Horse Comics, wherever fine comic books are sold. You can continue your conversation with Tyler Crook via his Blue Sky, Instagram, and Website. Also, you can listen to his music through his Bandcamp page (although it's also available on Spotify, Apple Music, and the like).

Don't forget to join us for the first-ever Comic Book Couples Counseling panel on March 8th at Washington DC's Awesome Con. Room 206 at 8:30 PM!

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 3/17 at 4:00 PM for our Hellboy (2004) screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Jason Aaron on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles -Return to New York

Sun, 25 Feb 2024 23:46:42 -0600

Some birthdays are bigger than others. To properly celebrate the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles hitting their forties this year, IDW Publishing is determined to make a fuss regarding our favorite comic book siblings, including, but not limited to, inviting heavyweight scribe Jason Aaron onto their flagship title. The main monthly comic will relaunch with a new number one in July but remain faithful to IDW's continuity, all one hundred and fifty issues of it.

This week on Comic Book Couples Counseling, Jason Aaron reveals the title of his run's first storyline, how it's layered with meaning, especially for fans of the original Mirage Studios stories, and why it was necessary to collaborate with such wickedly cool stylists like Joëlle Jones, Rafael Albuquerque, Cliff Chiang, and Chris Burnham. We also discuss why he's starting his saga with four solo adventures, with each of the first four issues focusing on a specific brother, and how June's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Alpha #1 one-shot will set the stage and tone for what's to come.

Once upon a time, a young Jason Aaron purchased Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #3 and had his little mind melted. He wants to bring the same punk rock energy to his series that the original creators, Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, brought to every one of their comics. We return to this headspace with Jason Aaron, revisit a few of our favorite Ninja Turtle comics, and speculate on what we may see on the page in the very near future.

We've said it before, and we'll say it again: there is no better time to be a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fan. All rapidly on their way, we have a new monthly series written by Jason Aaron, another series titled TMNT: Mutant Nation, Juni Ba and Fero Pe's Nightwatcher spin-off, a Saturday Morning Adventures TMNT/Usagi Yojimbo crossover one-shot, and the artist showcase anthology, TMNT: Black, White, and Green. So, yeah, we had to take a moment and break all that down too. OH! And remember, The Last Ronin II: Re-Evolution hits shops on March 6th!

Keep your eyes glued to the IDW Publishing page as more and more Ninja Turtles 40th Anniversary celebrations are revealed, and make sure to follow Jason Aaron on Twitter, Instagram, and his website.

In addition, this episode is sponsored by Third Eye Comics, your friendly neighborhood comic shop with seven locations in the Maryland, DC, and Virginia area. They're your one-stop shop for all things comics, graphic novels, toys, games, records, movies & more!

Not local but still looking for an awesome place to meet all your comic needs? They've also got an amazing website, shop.thirdeyecomics.com, where you can browse thousands of items, pre-order your new comics, and have it all sent right to your doorstep for a flat $5 shipping rate!

Don't forget to join us for the first-ever Comic Book Couples Counseling panel on March 8th at Washington DC's Awesome Con. Room 206 at 8:30 PM!

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 3/17 at 4:00 PM for our Hellboy (2004) screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Tom Scioli on I Am Stan: A Graphic Biography of the Legendary Stan Lee

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 17:51:00 -0600

All biography is autobiography. Nowhere is this more evident than when discussing Tom Scioli's back-to-back books, Jack Kirby: The Epic Life of the King of Comics and I Am Stan: A Graphic Biography of the Legendary Stan Lee. Since his earliest works, Scioli has found himself through his reverence, study, and subversion of the King. Kirby's collaborations with Stan Lee shaped much of our current cultural imagination, and they absolutely reworked Scioli's DNA and continue to do so with each passing day.

During our first conversation with Tom Scioli, done shortly after he completed his Jack Kirby biography, he seemed hesitant to the idea of tackling Stan Lee next. Three years later, he's done so, but he did it in an unexpected way, skipping the interior path into his subject and embracing the exterior. After all, there are so many more interviews, articles, biographies, and documentaries on Stan "The Man" Lee than Jack Kirby, and it was much easier to source the events described in I Am Stan. Hell, the appendix to the comic is almost as richly readable as the comic itself.

I Am Stan's front cover and first two pages establish a challenging position, especially for those who've adored Stan Lee in a particular fashion for so many decades. We're grateful to have Tom Scioli on the podcast this week to discuss those opening blows and the sympathy and love he still carries for the man who many believe built Marvel Comics. We discuss how his approach to Stan Lee differed from Jack Kirby's and how both books combine to form a third narrative.

I Am Stan: A Graphic Biography of the Legendary Stan Lee is now available from Ten Speed Press. Make sure to follow Tom Scioli on Twitter HERE, on Instagram HERE, and on Patreon HERE.

Don't forget to join us for the first-ever Comic Book Couples Counseling panel on March 8th at Washington DC's Awesome Con. Room 206 at 8:30 PM!

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 2/25 at 4:00 PM for our Meteor Man screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Scott and Emma: Dark X-Men - The Confession

Fri, 09 Feb 2024 22:38:31 -0600

What's in the box!? Scott Summers invites Emma Frost into his mind palace and shows her his special black cube, constructed with a little help from his ex. Gulp. This week, we reach the halfway point in our ScEmma Counseling Session series, discussing Dark X-Men: The Confession as well as Uncanny X-Men issues 518 and 519, which mark the height of their functionality. Yup, it's the top of their hill, and we're not ready to look on the other side.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Instead, let's revel in their achievements as they recognize each other's authentic selves while casting off their conditioned selves. Namor, Tony Stark, the X-Force kill squad. Forget about them. Scott and Emma, you're two desperate, hyper-vigilant people pleasers who can forget their shady past sins and embrace their sexy present sins.

Helping us navigate Scott and Emma's multiple psychic revelations is Dr. Nicole Lepera and her book, How to Be the Love You Seek: Break Cycles, Find Peace and Heal Your Relationships. Together, we explore the seven conditioned selves, consider which apply to Scott and Emma, and wonder whether Psylocke was the right choice for Professor X's surgical assistant.

Dark X-Men: The Confession was published by Marvel Comics in September 2009. It's written by Craig Kyle and Chris Yost, penciled by Bing Cansino, inked by Roland Paris, colored by Edgar Delgado and Brian Reber, and lettered by Rob Steen.

Uncanny X-Men issues 518 and 519 were published between December of 2009 and January of 2010. They were written by Matt Fraction, penciled by Terry Dodson, inked by Rachel Dodson, colored by Justin Ponsor, and lettered by Joe Caramagna.

Don't forget to join us for the first-ever Comic Book Couples Counseling panel on March 8th at Washington DC's Awesome Con. Room 206 at 8:30 PM!

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 2/25 at 4:00 PM for our Meteor Man screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Todd McFarlane: Secrets of His Success

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 22:37:30 -0600

The initial mission was to create a character who would outlast him. Todd McFarlane stared down Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man. He knew he had a character within him that could last beyond his own lifetime; he just had to pull him out. Spawn might not have outlived his maker yet, but he has survived and thrived these last thirty-plus years. As has Todd's action figure empire, McFarlane Toys, celebrating its thirtieth anniversary this year.

Next month, Spawn continues its record-breaking run, reaching a milestone of three hundred and fifty issues. The comic promises to answer questions that have been building for years while laying the groundwork for a Spawn Universe explosion: seven new Spawn-related titles will hit shelves throughout 2024.

You might think Todd McFarlane would be preoccupied with everything happening in his world in 2024, but he's already scrawling out his 2025 plans. Longevity is the great, underrated value in business. As is the importance of a thick back catalog ready to exploit when the spotlight falls upon it.

This week, Todd McFarlane returns to Comic Book Couples Counseling for the fourth time, and it's our longest and most in-depth conversation so far. We ask him about the lessons we could all learn from the four decades he's spent in the comic book trenches. While he's initially resistant to accept that there are any lessons to grab, he generously opens up and shares his various philosophies. These are the secrets to Todd's success.

Spawn #350 arrives from Image Comics on February 21st. If you want to continue our discussion with Todd McFarlane, you can find him on Twitter and Instagram, as well as his Website. Follow McFarlane Toys through Twitter and Instagram.

Not local but still looking for an awesome place to meet all your comic needs? They've also got an amazing website,shop.thirdeyecomics.com, where you can browse thousands of items, pre-order your new comics, and have it all sent right to your doorstep for a flat $5 shipping rate!

Don't forget to join us for the first-ever Comic Book Couples Counseling panel on March 8th at Washington DC's Awesome Con. Room 206 at 8:30 PM!

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW)

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 2/25 at 4:00 PM for our Meteor Man screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Scott and Emma: New X-Men - Here Comes Tomorrow

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 22:02:18 -0600

Today, we get serious about ScEmma. After years of teasing it, we're finally tackling the complicated romance between the X-Men's Scott Summers and Emma Frost. It's a relationship born out of pain and surprise. Maybe it was not meant to last, but we can't ignore the lessons found within their passion.

We begin our counseling session at the end of Grant Morrison's iconic New X-Men run, discussing the Assault on Weapon Plus, Planet X, and Here Comes Tomorrow storylines (issues 142 - 154). The psychic affair is known, out in the open for every X-Man and reader to judge. Scott and Emma are thrown apart, and their reunion must wait until Magneto's done with Manhattan. Once face-to-face, the riddle of their relationship could be the answer behind an apocalyptic future. What's Jean got to say about it all?

Helping us navigate possible romantic catastrophes is Dr. Nicole Lepera and her book, How to Be the Love You Seek: Break Cycles, Find Peace and Heal Your Relationships. What hope does ScEmma have if Scott and Emma are alienated from their authentic selves? Can any relationship survive when one or both parties feel broken?

New X-Men issues 142 - 154 were published by Marvel Comics between June 2002 and May 2003. They were written by Grant Morrison and penciled by Chris Bachalo, Phil Jimenez, and Marc Silvestri. They're inked by Tim Townsend, Al Vey, Aaron Sowd, Andy Lanning, Simon Coleby, BATT, Joe Weems, Billy Tan, and Eric Basaldua. The colorists were Chris Chuckry, Steve Firchow, John Starr, Matt Milla, Beth Sotelo, and Brian Buccellato. The letterers were Chris Eliopoulos and Rus Wooton.

Other Relevant Links:

#ScEmma CBCC 5th Anniversary Episode

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW)

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 2/25 at 4:00 PM for Meteor Man screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Jadzia Axelrod on Hawkgirl: Once Upon A Galaxy

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 23:22:12 -0600

Regret is a poison we too often sip from in our lives. Resisting its toxin should be easy, but it's a practice we must continuously endure. Thankfully, we have writers like Jadzia Axelrod, who offer stories as gauntlets for us to charge through in our imaginations. Hawkgirl: Once Upon a Galaxy, the latest saga from Axelrod and artist Amancay Nahuelpan, forces Kendra Saunders to reflect on her life and the many past lives that came before and embrace the choices they made as the villainous Vulpecula suggests disastrous shortcuts.

This week's episode is a conversation we've wanted on the record for some time. Axelrod's Galaxy: The Prettiest Star, done in collaboration with Jess Taylor, profoundly rattled our perception of what was capable within the DC Comics universe. The comic was astonishingly additive, something you don't often see these days, and we were eager to experience where such a story would travel next. The recent six-issue Hawkgirl series delivers on that book's promise in a big, big way and then dares to add a little more.

We chat with Axelrod about her commitment to continuity even when tempted by a retcon. Axelrod explains her passion for fairytales and why they offered Hawkgirl's Kendra Saunders the firmest footing to stand upon. We also discuss Galaxy's perfect pairing with Kendra and why her story suggested relief for both heroes as well as those reading their adventures.

Hawkgirl: Once Upon a Galaxy is currently available in six glorious single issues, but it will soon be collected in trade paperback on June 4th. You should definitely pre-order the book, but you shouldn't wait either. Jump on those floppies, as our conversation with Jadzia Axelrod is full-spoilers. There is simply too much happening in this series for any elements to be left off the mic.

Continue our conversation with Jadzia Axelrod by following her Twitter, Instagram, and Website.

As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to those books.

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW)

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Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 1/21 at 4:00 PM for our Hulk (2003) screening, featuring The Incredible Hulk writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson in person and co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Flash Gordon at 90: Dan Schkade

Sat, 06 Jan 2024 21:46:35 -0600

Ninety years after his creation, Flash Gordon continues to soar in syndication. Helping us celebrate Alex Raymond's fearless champion this week is current Flash Gordon cartoonist Dan Schkade. Together, we explore why the confident space jock remains relevant and why the electric sexuality associated with the eighties cinematic adaptation is simply an extension of the raw heat present in Raymond's original strips.

Since his birth, numerous stylists have had their way with Flash Gordon. He's been the subject of serials, movies, cartoons, and comic books. In his current strip, syndicated by King Features, Dan Schkade honors the eclectic creators who came before him, paying homage to their versions while filtering them through his unique perspective. This is your dad's Flash Gordon, but also yours and your brother's and your sister's. He belongs to every single one of us!

What is the appeal of the square-jawed hero? In the wrong hands, such conviction could read as dull or false. Excitement ignites through the scenarios in which Dan Schkade erects around his can't-miss crusader. Each plot is a puzzle, not for the reader to crack, but for the character and the joy occurs in witnessing Flash Gordon solve it.

Follow Dan Schkade on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website.

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW)

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Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 1/21 at 4:00 PM for our Hulk (2003) screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Best Comics of 2023 (Part Two)

Sun, 31 Dec 2023 00:03:58 -0600

We can't put 2023 to bed without releasing our very last episode of the year, The Stampies: The Best Comics of 2023 (Part Two). Continuing the celebration from last week's Part One, we push into several other major categories, highlighting the exceptional art birthed into the universe by this beautiful medium. Aiding our love-in our numerous friends from the comics journalism and podcasting community. Frankly, too many wonderful comics were released in 2023, so it's always a blessing to have friends champion so many other titles.

In this episode, we also unveil the first annual Jesse Tapia II "Champ Stamp" to a comics creator deserving of wider recognition and acclaim. This particular Stampie is offered in loving memory of our friend Jesse Tapia II, who sadly passed away in late 2023. Jesse was a magnificent and passionate comic book advocate, bringing joy and a comic recommendation to everyone he interacted with. We hope to live up to his tremendous enthusiasm for the art form.

As we welcome a new year, we must thank every one of our listeners. You enriched our lives in ways that are hard to put into words. Five years ago, we started this podcast in the hope that there were a few others like us out there, eager to approach comics from a place of love and self-introspection. Finding you validated that dream. Thank you. We love you. Let's keep on' keepin' on in 2024. Read more comics. Make more comics. Love more comics.

Part Two Category Timestamps:

Writer of the Year - 20:50
Artist of the Year - 32:08
Best International Release - 40:30
Best Ongoing Series - 52:15
Best Limited Series - 1:03:11
Best Original Graphic Novel - 1:11:53
The Jesse Tapia II Champ Stamp - 1:17:36
Best Horror Series - 1:26:17
Best Grindhouse Experience - 1:28:10

Celebrity Guest Stars:

David Brooke (@NoSocialize) from AIPT
Kat Calamia (@ComicUno) from Comic Uno
Christian Holub (@cmholub) from Entertainment Weekly
Troy-Jeffrey Allen (@TJAComics) from RexCo and PreviewsWorld
Jessika (@jessikawitha) and Mike (@vansau) from Ten Cent Takes
Dallas (@dallas_comics), Anne (@AnneComics), and Lexi (@lexilou_comics) from The Comics Collective

As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we highlight all the rad 2023 comics you can find in their shop. These titles are not to be missed. Remember, if you've got a screen, you've got a comic. Go get one. Or two. Or a dozen.

This year, our two-part Stampies episodes picked up an additional sponsor: Four Color Fantasies in Winchester, Virginia. Their epic post-Christmas sale will occur on January 6th, but if you're not within driving distance, you'll still want to track them down via their Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok. Their annual Sketch Cover Charity benefitting the Literacy Volunteers Winchester Area will next occur in 2024, and it's your chance to win some Sean Phillips, Charlie Adlard, and other rad creators' original art.

Other Relevant Links:

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Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 1/21 at 4:00 PM for our Hulk (2003) screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Best Comics of 2023 (Part One)

Mon, 25 Dec 2023 22:32:02 -0600

It's here - The Stampies: Best Comics of 2023 (Part One)! For the last two months, we've scrambled to read all the comics we missed during the year and compiled a gargantuan list of favorites. As far as the comics medium was concerned, 2023 was an impressively massive year for quality books. And once again, squeezing the best comics into one CBCC episode proved impossible.

Of course, we couldn't read all the comics. So, if there is a personal favorite you see missing from our Stampies, please let us know. We're in this for discovery and want to read the comics you loved the most in 2023. Thankfully, we invited several colleagues to jump on the phone with this love-in and name their 2023 faves. You better get some scrap paper because you'll want to tally these books up on your own to-read list.

Below are the timestamps for our categories and links to our most generous guests. Please take a moment to browse their good work and support this beautiful comics community.

Part One Category Timestamps:

Best Comic Book Couples - 14:04
Best Superhero Series - 19:25
Best All-Ages Comic - 28:24
Best Memoir - 36:23
Best Digital Comic - 46:53
Best First Issue - 55:33
Best Single Issue - 1:04:10

Celebrity Guest Stars:

Sal (@SalSaysWhat) from Comic Pop
Vactor (@Vactor) from The Vactor-Verse
Aaron (@betteractions) and Chris (@chacker41) from The Oblivion Bar
Oliver Sava (@OliverSava) from Vulture, Polygon, etc.
Robyn Warren (@geekgirlstrong) from Geek Girl Strong
Aeric Azana (@thatdaringman) from Geeksplained
Chris and Lance (@CBKast) from The Comic Book Keepers
Badr Milligan (@TheShortBoxJax) from The Short Box: A Comic Talk Show

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW)

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Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 1/21 at 4:00 PM for our Hulk (2003) screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Sarah Myer on Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story

Fri, 22 Dec 2023 08:00:21 -0600

A powerful imagination can be as burdensome as it is liberating. Born in South Korea and adopted at birth by a white couple, Sarah Myer struggled with identity in their rural and frequently antagonistic Maryland community. Cartoons, comics, and cosplay were their escape, but they could also cause Sarah to internalize their emotions.

Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story is Sarah Myer's attempt to document their childhood and teenage years, where Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Sailor Moon offered them flight from bullies inside and outside their school. The comic is raw, beautiful, and incredibly vulnerable. Also, it's easily one of the best books published in 2023.

This week, we're joined by Sarah Myer to discuss Monstrous. We chat about their early connection with comics and cartoons, their triumphant ascent to professional Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles artist, and the challenges of putting your life out there for all to read. While Monstrous has a conclusion, Sarah Myer is still going, and they have more lessons to learn and stories to tell.

Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story is now available from First Second. Follow Sarah Myer on Instagram, Twitter, and their Website.

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW)

Now Open - the CBCC Digital Shop!

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 1/21 at 4:00 PM for our Hulk (2003) screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Joshua Williamson and Tom Reilly on Duke and GI Joe (feat. a Robert Kirkman cameo)

Sun, 17 Dec 2023 19:52:09 -0600

This week, we got to get tough - Yo Joe! - with Joshua Williamson and Tom Reilly, the creative team behind the new Energon Universe series, Duke. The Man of Action experienced something unexplainable in Daniel Warren Johnson's Transformers #2, which rewired his purpose. Now, the Real American Hero is slipping into a "Walking American Nightmare," and General Hawk is concerned. We should all be concerned.

Duke #1 lands in shops on December 27th from Image Comics and Skybound Entertainment. It's an exhilarating action-fueled outburst, showcasing two creative talents operating in top form. Joshua Williamson and Tom Reilly trickly navigate the needs of the Hasbro license while challenging nostalgic notions and delivering a compelling, spikey narrative. This is not the beige-colored toy you remember from childhood.

Williamson and Reilly's Duke engages a transformative (pun totally intended) decision and there is no stepping back from it. We chat with the creators about their mission statement, how they reduced Duke to his raw essence, and how a childhood fascination with Cobra compelled them toward this comic's execution.

While the Transformers and Void Rivals universes are quickly filling up with recognizable characters, the GI Joe comics realm may take more time to shape into your favorite military-based collectible toy line. Also, you might be a little nervous when Tom Reilly states, "Maybe when Snake Eyes shows up, he'll get shot in the face too." Got to get tough indeed.

Oh, and you'll get a surprise cameo appearance from Robert Kirkman, too!

Follow Joshua Williamson on Twitter and Instagram. Follow Tom Reilly on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website. Stay up to date on all things Energon Universe via the Skybound Website.

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW)

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Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Scott and Emma: New X-Men (5th Anniversary Spectacular)

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 22:39:09 -0600

Five years ago, we launched this podcast with Scott Summers and Jean Grey. Back then, our conversation concluded with a tumultuous debate surrounding Grant Morrison's New X-Men and the complicated three-way that seemingly shattered an iconic Marvel Comics romance. With so much life lived since those early podcasting days, we return to New X-Men issues 127 through 141, this time examining them through the lens of Scott Summers and Emma Frost. Are they the one true pairing? Is the question even fair?

Once again, we use The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman as our relationship guide, exploring Scott and Emma's Love Tank levels and considering how each could benefit from recognizing the other's Love Language. By shifting our relationship focus and surviving five strange years on this planet, our response to Morrison's New X-Men is totally different from how we previously reacted. Our hearts are open in new ways, but are we ready to declare ourselves #TeamScemma?

We celebrate and reflect on five years of Comic Book Couples Counseling. Thanks to all of you reading this post and listening to our episodes, we've managed to grow our show and ourselves tremendously. We owe you. We love you.

Also, we're joined this week by several artists and listeners who steadied themselves and braved our CBCC Hotline. These creators offer their good wishes, delivering some much-needed Words of Affirmation and absolutely filling our Love Tank. Please reach out to them online, say "Thank You," and buy their art.

New X-Men issues 127 - 132 and 134 - 141 were published by Marvel between June 2002 and May 2003. They were written by Grant Morrison, penciled by John Paul Leon, Igor Kordey, Phil Jimenez, Keron Grant, Frank Quitely, inked by Bill Sienkiewicz, Igor Kordey, Andy Lanning, Tim Townsend, and Avalon Studios, colored by Hi-Fi Design, Dave McCaig, and Chris Chuckry, and lettered by RS and Comicraft's Saida, Jimmy, Wes, and Albert!, and VC's Chris Eliopoulos.

Other Relevant Links:

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Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev on Masterpiece

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 23:00:36 -0600

Peanut butter and chocolate. Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev. Two great tastes that taste great together. Whether you first encountered their delicious collaboration through Daredevil, Moon Knight, Scarlet, or whatever, once experienced, you must gorge on the rest. And it's an event - an emergency feast - whenever they reunite.

Hitting shops on December 13th, Masterpiece from Dark Horse Comics is the next irresistible banquet from Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev. In the solicits, you can see a few hallmarks you've come to expect from the two. However, we've read the first issue, and we assure you that this new crime series allows them to play in ways you haven't seen them do before. Bendis back at the drawing table? Yuuuup.

Emma is a smart cookie. Her inventions and webcomics have paid her way through the fanciest schools. The sixteen-year-old seems like she's got it all figured out. Until a shady billionaire darkens her doorway, telling tales about her supposedly world-famous master criminal parents. Now, Emma has to put a squad together, uncover her genetic origins, and navigate a rich jerkwad's vengeance scheme.

On this week's episode, we chat with Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev about their long-lasting friendship and how it has fed their creative partnership and vice versa. We discuss what makes a Bendis/Maleev joint, their secret and not-so-secret Todd McFarlane origins, and how both had to adjust their working habits to aid the other. And we dig deep into Masterpiece and how it was born from generational tension. Are JNCO jeans really back???

Keep up to date on all things Brian Michael Bendis by subscribing to his Substack. You can also track him down via Twitter, Instagram, and his Website.

Do the same for Alex Maleev by following his Website, Twitter, and Instagram.

Also, listen to Bendis' previous appearance on Comic Book Couples Counseling, discussing Phenomena Book One alongside André Lima Araújo.

Other Relevant Links:

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Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia on 12/3 at 4:00 PM for our Flash Gordon screening, co-hosted by Psycho Cinema, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies, and benefitting The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley.

Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Tom Taylor on Titans: Beast World

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 12:33:59 -0600

We invite Tom Taylor onto the show this week to discuss all the tasty relationship dynamics he's been exploring with the Titans ongoing series and why it's taken decades for these twenty-something superheroes to nab their first major DC Comics event book, Titans: Beast World. For too long, the world has relied on Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, but their decrepit Boomer attitudes won't save the day this time. Everyone, please shut up and listen to Beast Boy.

The Titans may no longer be teenagers, but they still struggle with the generational divide. Amanda Waller carries no weapon deadlier than her rapid-fire eye rolls. And Bruce Wayne isn't much better with his brutal absolutes and dismissive hand gestures.

Is this generational battle essential to the Titans concept? Can they ever pull themselves out of the Justice League's shadow? These questions beat at the heart of our conversation with Tom Taylor, and it was a delight to explore what makes these unique DC characters so compelling. The Necrostar is a gnarly concept to tangle with, but its threat is secondary to how it affects the internal life of our beloved Titans.

Titans: Beast World #1 hits shops on November 28th. Issue five of the Titans ongoing just dropped this week. Stay abreast of all things Tom Taylor by following his Twitter and Instagram.

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW)

Now Open - the CBCC Digital Shop!

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY

Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Juni Ba on Mobilis: My Life with Captain Nemo

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 08:42:23 -0600

Dedicated to Jesse Tapia II. "What are you picking up today?"

At some point, we all meet Captain Nemo. He's an icon: a literary legend, a Disney villain, and a comic book mainstay. As with Batman, Superman, or any other decades-old character, you probably have your favorite interpretation. Thanks to Juni Ba, there's a new version loose on the planet, and he may very well be our favorite one so far. That's a bold proclamation, but it's Ba, so hyperbole usually quickly transitions into stone-cold reality.

Mobilis: My Life with Captian Nemo, published by TKO Presents, is a coffee-table-sized masterpiece that slaps ya in the face with nearly every page turn. One day, a young girl named Arona awakens aboard the Nautilus. She's greeted by a chipper, morally-centered robot and told the planet she once knew is destroyed and to stay away from the captain. Also, they have cookies.

Juni Ba takes his lifelong passion for Nemo and Peter Pan and slathers it atop our environmental crisis with a heavy dose of anxiety, concern, and beauty. We've lost the world, but maybe the one that comes after is not so bad for those who inherit it. Change is change; removed from our perspective, it's not good or bad.

The cartoonist returns to Comic Book Couples Counseling to discuss his Nemo obsession, the panic that birthed Mobilis, and what it's like to drop this graphic novel chunk during the same month as his other glorious creation, The Unlikely Story of Felix and Macabber, co-created with Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou and published by Dark Horse Comics. He also grills us on what the book says about humanity. The conversation is a dream come true for Lisa, certainly.

Keep up to date on all things Juni Ba by visiting his Instagram and Twitter. Both Mobilis: My Life with Nemo and The Unlikely Story of Felix and Macabber are now available wherever rad comic books are sold.

Also, CLICK HERE and listen to Juni Ba's previous CBCC guest appearance, talking about Djeliya.

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW)

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Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY!

Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Jeff Smith on The Secret Origin of Bone

Sun, 05 Nov 2023 22:49:21 -0600

At five years old, Jeff Smith brought Fone Bone to life. Immediately enthralled by the characters of Walt Kelly, Charles M. Schulz, Walt Disney, and others, the kid desperately sought to contribute his own creation. While most abandon their childhood ideas, Smith carried Fone Bone into his teenage years, college life, and adulthood. Why?

The question rests at the core of this week's episode. We chat with Jeff Smith about his nearly lifelong relationship with Fone Bone and how it evolved from a cartooning challenge into an elaborate comic strip for his college paper and then radically expanded into the bestselling Bone saga. Even after concluding that twelve-year journey, Smith can't shake Fone Bone and his cousins.

Scholastic's Graphix recently published Bone: More Tall Tales, an anthology jammed with Smith's peers (Tom Sniegoski, Stan Sakai, Katie Cook, Matt Smith, and Scott Brown), all giving their spin on the Bone universe. Especially noteworthy, Jeff Smith and Cartoon Books have launched a new Kickstarter, gathering the early stories that would ultimately shape Bone - Thorn: The Complete Proto-Bone College Strips from 1982 to 1986 and Other Early Drawings.

Whatever glimpses we've previously seen of these Proto-Bone strips were brief and relatively limited. Having the chance to read them offers tremendous insight into our Bone obsession and into the artist that birthed it. Here is a Rosetta Stone of sorts.

Some cartoonists might shiver at the thought of their readers encountering such early attempts, but Jeff Smith embraces the opportunity. As some might be aware, he recently suffered a debilitating heart attack. He's in a reflective state, and Smith looks upon his early work with a new perspective and consideration. And he's more than happy to share it with us.

The new Thorn Kickstarter is an essential read for fans of Bone, and we believe this conversation with Jeff Smith is equally so. Join us as we travel back to the early days when a kid found himself in a cartoon and dragged that doodle through adolescence and into the various weird stages adulthood also offers.

As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the app that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to the books.

Keep up to date on all things Jeff Smith by visiting his Website, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Find the Thorn: The Complete Proto-Bone College Strips from 1982 to 1986 and Other Early Drawings on Kickstarter.

Listen to our previous Jeff Smith conversation, discussing Tuki: Fight for Fire and Tuki: Fight for Family.

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW)

Now Open - the CBCC Digital Shop!

Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY!

Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters: The Ultimate Laura and Chris Samnee Interview

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 22:16:43 -0600

We've wanted to have this conversation with Chris Samnee and Laura Samnee from the moment we read the first issue of Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters. Sure, we've had them on before talking about their beautiful comic celebrating sibling relationships, but we only had half the story. Now the comic is complete and contained in a gorgeously crafted new Deluxe Edition hardcover from Oni Press, and we can go full-spoilers, friends. Don't press play unless you're ready for a proper Comic Book Couples Counseling excavation.

What is your responsibility to your siblings? Is the bond between you as sacred as we're raised to believe? Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters presents a world as terrifying as it is often hopeful. Trapped atop it are sisters Rainbow and Jonna, diametrically opposed in most aspects but bound together through familial obligation. And love, maybe?

The comic represents a decade of Chris and Laura's life. We explore their earliest memories of Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters and how doodles in 2014 grew into their most personal work. It's a love letter to their children and a narrative that might never be topped, even if they have a few other ideas rattling around their imagination.

As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you jump to the Omnibus digital shop, you'll find them readily available there.

Stay up to date on all Samnee family projects via their socials. Follow Chris Samnee on his Website, Twitter, and Instagram. Follow Laura Samnee on her Instagram. Purchase the limited slipcase hardcover edition of Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters on the Oni Press website.

Other Relevant Links:

Final Round of Plugs (PHEW) Now Open - the CBCC Digital Shop! Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY!

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia on 11/5 at 4:00 PM for our History of Violence screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies. Get your Flash Gordon tickets for our 12/3 screening.

Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Kevin Eastman, Jeff Rowe, and the IDW TMNT Crew

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 22:39:40 -0600

This week's episode has all the toppings. Kevin Eastman, Jeff Rowe, Tom Waltz, Gavin Smith, Vincenzo Federici, Sarah Myer, Ben Bishop, Esau Escorza, and Isaac Escorza. If you're a shellhead, you're already flipping out. If you're not, you soon will be.

There is no better time to be a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fan. No matter your favorite iteration, there is a comic, cartoon, or movie for you. Brought forth from the sewers nearly forty years ago by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman, the Ninja Turtles have since been filtered through numerous creative minds. From the moment the first toy was conceived, reinvention became critical to their success, and with each new interpretation, something radical was injected into their DNA.

Currently, we have a new movie (TMNT: Mutant Mayhem) streaming on Paramount+, the monthly ongoing IDW series, the Saturday Morning Adventures spin-off, and several gnarly crossovers, including encounters with Stranger Things and Street Fighter. In February, The Last Ronin II: Re-Evolution will hit comic book shops, satisfying a ravenous craving we've been holding onto since the first bestselling series dropped.

We transformed New York Comic-Con into a TMNT expedition. First, we spoke with Kevin Eastman one-on-one, navigating his experience with outside creative influence and exploring exactly how he felt about the changes and additions made to the lore in TMNT: Mutant Mayhem. Second, we moderated the big Saturday panel, "TMNT: The Next Mutation of Turtle Power from IDW Publishing," which featured all the totally tubular people listed in the first paragraph above.

Today's episode gets into everything that's cooking over at IDW, from exclusive details about The Last Ronin II to Sophie Campbell's historic climax on the main IDW line to director Jeff Rowe's dreams for a Mutant Mayhem sequel. We've discussed the Ninja Turtles several times before (see the links below), and it's all been building toward this episode.

Keep up to date on all things Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by visiting the IDW Publishing page. And track all the creators through the various social media channels:

Kevin Eastman (Website, Twitter, Instagram)
Jeff Rowe (Twitter, Instagram)
Tom Waltz (Twitter, Instagram)
Gavin Smith (Twitter, Instagram)
Vincenzo Federici (Twitter, Instagram)
Sarah Myer (Website, Twitter, Instagram)
Ben Bishop (Website, Twitter, Instagram)
The Escorza Brothers (Instagram)

Kevin Alvir on Lisa Cheese and Ghost Guitar

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 22:42:42 -0600

We return from New York Comic-Con, bursting with stories and conversations. We've never had a show quite like this one, where every corner revealed some incredible new encounter and discussion. Cartoonist Kevin Alvir was there, sliding his way through artist alley, riding high, after recently launching his new graphic novel Lisa Cheese and Ghost Guitar: Attack of the Snack.

Having barely absorbed all that we did, we try to put it on the record in this episode, recapping as much as we could while still teasing future CBCC sessions. We discuss the creators we hobnobbed alongside, the comic book podcasters we finally met in person, and all the weird food we jammed into our bodies.

Most importantly, we hang out with Kevin Alvir. Our chat delves into his first-time experience with an editor, how he arrived at his Lisa Cheese and Ghost Guitar aesthetic, and why punk rock feeds a need that concerto piano never will. And, by the way, neither is better or worse than the other.

As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles available on the app that satisfyingly align with this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to the books.

Continue the conversation with Kevin Alvir by following him on Instagram and Twitter. Lisa Cheese and Ghost Guitar is currently available from Top Shelf Productions, wherever fine comic books are sold. You can find your nearest shop here.

Other Relevant Links:

FINAL ROUND OF PLUGS (PHEW):

SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia on 11/5 at 4:00 PM for our History of Violence screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

David Dastmalchian on Count Crowley

Sat, 07 Oct 2023 21:13:29 -0600

Good evening, boils and ghouls. Welcome to a spooktacular conversation with comics scribe David Dastmalchian, discussing his devilishly delicious and wickedly personal horror comic Count Crowley. Currently, two volumes are available from Dark Horse Comics (Reluctant Midnight Monster Hunter and Amateur Midnight Monster Hunter), and a third chapter is nearly upon us (Mediocre Midnight Monster Hunter hits the comic shops and graveyards on November 8th).

To celebrate, Dastmalchian pulled up a coffin and put it all out there in our Zoom room. From the moment we first read Count Crowley, we were hooked. Obsessed. Not so much by its clever twist on the late-night horror host trope and its loving tributes to B-movie monster mashes (although we adore them too), but by the excavation of its central character's complicated inner life. We see so much of ourselves in Jerri Bartman, and, as David Dastmalchian states in the first paperback afterward, we could sense the author's life in her, too.

We discuss his unique collaboration with artist Lukas Ketner and editor Megan Walker and how the lessons they taught him apply to the world outside of comics. David Dastmalchian ruminates on vulnerability and the anxiousness he experienced when crafting Count Crowley. Putting so much of yourself into a book is a precious thing and requires tremendous commitment, strength, and trust.

However, before we get into it with Dastmalchian, we review our recent trips to the Fantastic Fest and Lost Weekend film festivals. We marvel at the lunacy of consuming so many movies in such a short time, detail our experience with living legend Malcolm McDowell, and select the best movies we saw and which ones you need to be on the lookout for next year.

Continue the conversation with David Dastmalchian by following his Instagram and Website. Purchase the Count Crowley books at your local comic book shop. Find the nearest one to you HERE. Stay up to date on all things Count Crowley via Dark Horse Comics.

FINAL ROUND OF PLUGS (PHEW):

SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Patrick Horvath on Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 07:37:55 -0600

Don't take candy from strangers. Did you ever ask your mom or dad, "Why?" Or were you too afraid? Were you already too good at actively imagining what those strangers would do with you once they got you in the van? Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees by Patrick Horvath brushes against that very particular dread, playing with your nostalgia and injecting grotesque horror into your picturesque youth.

Sam the Bear appears as the ideal small-town neighbor. She runs the local hardware store. She has a kind word for everyone who walks through her doors. And sometimes, she makes trips to the city where she can slaughter a stranger and bury their parts in the woods.

Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees smashes serial killer iconography with an impeccably illustrated children's tale. When people talk about this comic, they will mention Richard Scarry. They will mention Dexter. The comparisons are obvious and accurate, but Horvath creates something far more tantalizing than genre fusion.

Brad wrote in his review that the comic would only work if both elements were executed flawlessly. Patrick Horvath melds both worlds masterfully, creating a fantastically looking realm where its fears are tangible and utterly relatable. Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees is easily the most enjoyably upsetting comic you'll read all year.

In this week's episode, we chat with Horvath. Our conversation begins with colliding these disparate worlds before exploring our childhood encounters with stranger danger lore. We discuss what Sam the Bear sees in the woods and why it sparks an existential crisis in the reader, and we cover how the comic's final two pages upend everything.

Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees #1 hits shops on October 18th from IDW Publishing. It's written and illustrated by Patrick Horvath, lettered by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, and features a variant cover by Riley Rossmo.

Continue this conversation with Patrick Horvath by following his Twitter, Instagram, and Website.

This episode continues our year-long partnership with Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader. Each episode from now on will feature our new "Referrals" segment, sponsored by them, where we recommend other comics titles for those wishing to explore this week's themes and concepts further. CLICK HERE to learn more and explore Omnibus' unique, browsable space.

FINAL ROUND OF PLUGS (PHEW):

SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Dave Chisholm and Miles Davis and the Search for the Sound

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 22:18:57 -0600

Every accomplished creative work is miraculous. Bringing anything over the finish line should be celebrated. However, even rarer are the projects that find their way to the artist whom no one else could compete with regarding that project. Dave Chisholm was seemingly born to adapt Miles Davis' life into comic book form. Holding a doctorate in jazz trumpet from the Eastman School of Music, Dave Chisholm better understands Miles Davis than most cartoonists. The icon has haunted Chisholm since youth, and he's been attempting to translate Davis' vibe into visuals for nearly as long. After successfully capturing the audible into the sequential with three previous graphic novels (Instrumental, Chasin' the Bird, Enter the Blue), Dave Chisholm got the call. THE. CALL. Z2 Comics, Chisholm's previous publisher, would partner with the Miles Davis Estate on an original graphic novel, and they wanted Dave Chisholm to make it a reality. The pressure was on, but we're here to report that Chisholm rose to the occasion. Miles Davis and the Search for the Sound is what happens when the perfect subject meets the perfect creator. When such an event occurs, all should take notice. Whatever your relation to Miles Davis, you need this comic in your hands. For the uninitiated, it's a gorgeously illustrated plunge into a genius' mind. For the faithful, Miles Davis and the Search for the Sound cleverly pursues the trumpeter's interior life, using his autobiography as the narrative backbone. We meet Davis after a severe car accident when a doctor suggests he start scribbling as part of his rehabilitation. The scrawls become our gateway into his history as Davis revisits the critical moments that made him. Along this journey, we encounter the legendary events and reflect on the divergent points that suggest a radically different path for Davis. And through it all, you sense Dave Chisholm celebrating and challenging the Miles Davis who helped shape him. On this week's episode, Dave Chisholm returns to Comic Book Couples Counseling. Together, we explore how Miles Davis molded his imagination and the pressure he felt to shape his massive life into one complete comic book saga. We discuss his joy toward the accomplished work and why he knows Miles Davis and the Search for the Sound is the best thing he's ever done. With such a feat behind him, does he worry about the empty road ahead? Afterward, continue this conversation with Dave Chisholm by visiting his Website and following his TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter. Most importantly, pre-order Miles Davis and the Search for the Sound via Z2 Comics. It's set for release on November 7th. Can't wait? Grab his other comics immediately. This episode continues our year-long partnership with Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader. Each episode from now on will feature our new "Referrals" segment, sponsored by them, where we recommend other comics titles for those wishing to explore this week's themes and concepts further. CLICK HERE to learn more and explore Omnibus' unique, browsable space. FINAL ROUND OF PLUGS (PHEW): SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY. Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Christian Ward on Batman: City of Madness

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 22:23:50 -0600

A particular story has rattled around Christian Ward's imagination for years. It's been there since childhood, really. Since he first encountered Grant Morrison and Dave McKean's Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on a Serious Earth. Last year, he sent out a Tweet, taunting the universe to grant his wish - to tell his cosmic Batman saga. Now, we're weeks away from the cosmos' answer.

Batman: City of Madness #1 lands on shelves from DC Comics on October 10th. It's a real humdinger, a comic that feels unlike any other Bat-book that has come before but is absolutely in conversation with the stone-cold classic mentioned above. Christian Ward explores the questions that probably nag every artist who tackles the Bat, but he does so in ways that spark new ideas and new queries.

After catching a sneak preview of the first issue, we were eager to get the writer/artist in our Love Nest Zoom room. We discuss his relationship with Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on a Serious Earth and how it evolved into Batman: City of Madness. We consider Bruce Wayne's relation to his rogues and what does and does not separate him from so-called villains like Joker and Two-Face. As we do every time the caped crusader comes up on the podcast, we challenge his role as Gotham's vigilante while also addressing how much fun it is to watch him punch punks in the face.

However, before we dig into City of Madness and the terrifying Batman Below that lurks underneath our favorite wretched city, we reflect on our Baltimore Comic-Con/Small Press Expo double-header weekend, including the world premiere of Married to Comics. We review these events and consider what makes each con so unique and why we could never give up one for the other.

This podcast continues our year-long partnership with Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader. Each episode from now on will feature our new "Referrals" segment, sponsored by them, where we recommend other comics titles for those wishing to explore this week's themes and concepts further. CLICK HERE to learn more and explore Omnibus' unique, browsable space.

Also, make sure that you keep abreast on all things Christian Ward by visiting his Website and following him on Twitter and Instagram.

In a few weeks, Christian Ward will appear in our Patreon feed, conducting a page-by-page breakdown of Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on a Serious Earth. Join now for just one dollar, and listen to the previous entry in our comic creator series where artists celebrate their favorite single issues - Daniel Warren Johnson on The 'Nam #9.

If you missed our previous conversation with Christian Ward, talking about Blood Stained Teeth, you can find it HERE.

Don't forget to grab your tickets for our September 17th Alamo Drafthouse Winchester screenings of Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

CBCC 93: Leon & Cody - Light Carries On

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 22:10:27 -0600

Episode 200! Light Carries On by Ray Nadine refuses to allow death to get in the way of a little life-changing romance. We go into session with Leon and Cody, two souls in stasis, unsure how to move forward and afraid their future won't hold happiness. Together, they uncover the beauty they're already living or un-living.

You may think you know where Light Carries On will take you, but Ray Nadine blissfully subverts genre convention and delivers a genuinely original ghost story. Only in the last moments does clarity strike, and through Leon and Cody's revelations, we find a few for ourselves as well.

This week, we turn to Dr. Terry Singh's TEDx Talk, "How to Get Unstuck," for expertise and guidance in navigating Leon and Cody's complicated relationship. Throughout our lives, we encounter various moments of stuckness. During these periods, catastrophic doubt and fear can creep inside. Dr. Singh gives us (and our comic book subjects) a few tools to free ourselves.

After nearly five years of Comic Book Couples Counseling, we still find new methods and narratives to unlock self-inspection and create growth. The hope we found within this episode's conversation was rejuvenating. We hope it offers you a similar relief.

Helplines are available if you do not have a support system. You can reach the Mental Health Hotline in Virginia by dialing 1-866-903-3787 or CLICK HERE. Not in Virginia? CLICK HERE.

Light Carries On was released earlier this year and is published by Dark Horse Comics. It's written and illustrated by Ray Nadine, edited by Konner Knudsen, designed by May Hijikuro, and assisted by Digital Art Technician Josie Weaver.

Episode 200 also begins a year-long partnership with Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader. Each episode from now on will feature our new "Referrals" segment, sponsored by them, where we recommend other comics titles for those wishing to explore this week's themes and concepts further. CLICK HERE to learn more and explore Omnibus' unique, browsable space.

Other Relevant Links:

Don't forget to grab your tickets for our September 17th Alamo Drafthouse Winchester screenings of Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

SDCC 2023: Robert Kirkman & Friends (The Energon Universe)

Sun, 27 Aug 2023 22:29:11 -0600

We close our San Diego Comic-Con International coverage with an epic roundtable conversation with Energon Universe shepherds Robert Kirkman, Sean Mackiewicz, Joshua Williamson, and Daniel Warren Johnson. As you have undoubtedly heard, Skybound Entertainment is the new G.I. Joe and Transformers license holder. They recently launched their shared universe with a new comic book series called Void Rivals, written by Kirkman and illustrated by Lorenzo De Felici, and we think it's the most exciting event in comics.

And that's based on only a tiny taste from Skybound. So far, we've read three Void Rivals issues, a three-page preview of Daniel Warren Johnson's Transformers, a Tom Reilly cover for Williamson's Duke #1, and an Andrea Milana cover for Williamson's Cobra Commander #1. Before we plunge into the chat, we dive deep into reviewing these early peeks, consider the cultural apocalypse on the brink within Void Rivals, and how it may ripple into the Transformers and G.I. Joe books.

We find beginnings to be the most exciting moments in stories. In these early stages, characters (and their creators) determine their principles. What do the G.I. Joes stand for in 2023? What does Cobra stand for? How will the Autobots' interaction with humanity alter their already well-established mission? We bring these questions to the creators, whose answers give you some idea of how the Energon Universe will stand apart from previous interpretations.

We did not steer this conversation alone. We were joined by a few other reporter friends: Lance from Comic Book Keepers, Jeremy from The Geekly Grind, Jace Milam from The Comic Source, and Gerard "HipHopGamer" Williams. Please take the time to visit their sites and support their work, as their perspectives created a unique collaboration for this episode.

Also, listen to our guests' previous appearances on Comic Book Couples Counseling: Robert Kirkman on Invincible, Joshua Williamson on Superman, Daniel Warren Johnson on Beta Ray Bill, and Daniel Warren Johnson on Do a Powerbomb!

Skybound is set to release Transformers #1 in October, Duke #1 in December, and Cobra Commander #1 in January. Keep up to date on the Energon Universe by visiting their website and pre-order the comics through your local comic book store. What shop is closest to you? Find out by clicking HERE.

As we discuss toward the end of this week's episode, cartoonist extraordinaire Jeff Smith recently suffered a cardiac arrest and was forced to cancel his "Dawn of Man" book tour. This means he won't be able to promote new books like Tuki and Bone: More Tall Tales. It's on you and us to get the word out. Help an artist who brought joy to our lives by nabbing his new comics for yourself and your friends. Visit Boneville HERE.

Make sure that you follow Robert Kirkman on his Twitter. Follow Sean Mackiewicz on Twitter and Instagram. Keep up to date on all things Joshua Williamson by following him on Twitter, Instagram, and Substack. And follow Daniel Warren Johnson on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website.

Listen to Danie Warren Johnson discuss The 'Nam #9 in detail, breaking down the single issue with us panel-by-panel on our Patreon.

SDCC 2023: Nicole Maines on Dreamer

Sun, 20 Aug 2023 21:23:02 -0600

Moving one character from one medium to another is a complex task. Nicole Maines was desperate to see her Dreamer fighting alongside the other DC Comics superheroes. However, when she pitched the idea to the publisher, she didn't expect them to ask her to participate in that process. Quickly, Maines found herself as writer of Dreamer's destiny, and such responsibility was as thrilling as it was daunting.

Already, Dreamer has appeared in Superman: Son of Kal-El and the DC crossover event, Lazarus Planet. She's rapidly becoming an essential element within the comics universe. Next year, she'll get some serious space to explore with the original graphic novel Bad Dream: A Dreamer Story, written by Nicole Maines and illustrated by Rye Hickman.

At the San Diego Comic-Con International, we sat down with Maines to discuss her hopes and dreams for Dreamer. She reveals the critical advice that fellow comic scribe, Tom Taylor, delivered when her stress levels were high. Nicole Maines also reflects on how moving Dreamer through the comic book medium revealed unique aspects about the character she had not considered previously.

Maines has been bitten by the comic book bug. She's here to stay, and she's delighted about the possibilities - for herself and Dreamer.

If you haven't already, listen to Nicole Maines' previous appearance on Comic Book Couples Counseling, talking about Lazarus Planet alongside Mark Waid and Leah Williams.

Remember, you can now pre-order Bad Dream: A Dreamer Story at your local comic book shop. Not sure how to locate your closest comic book shop, CLICK HERE to find it. Also, be sure to follow Nicole Maines on Twitter and Instagram.

Other Relevant Links:

And, if you haven't already, now's the time to join our Patreon, where superstar cartoonist Daniel Warren Johnson just recorded an epic chat with us about his favorite single-issue comic, The 'Nam #9. It's all part of our new Patreon podcast series, where we ask cool comic book creators to choose their favorite floppy comic.

FINAL ROUND OF PLUGS (PHEW):

Don't forget to grab your tickets for our August 27th Alamo Drafthouse Winchester screening of The Mask, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies and featuring a Tradd Moore in-person introduction.

Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

SDCC 2023: Todd McFarlane

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 22:01:03 -0600

During this year's San Diego Comic-Con International, finding someone working harder or as urgently as Todd McFarlane would be difficult. He was everywhere, announcing numerous projects one after the other. His partnership with Warner Bros. shows no signs of weakening as they unveiled numerous DC Multiverse figures, including a definitive cinematic Batman six-pack. McFarlane and Count Crowley creator David Dastmalchian revealed their Knights vs. Samurai series. He announced not one but five new Spawn comic book titles. And, yeah, he promised some big future news regarding his original character's big screen return.

We were prepared to break it down with McFarlane when we met him inside the Image Comics booth on Saturday. He was probably excited to do the same, but something immediately shifted as we sat across from each other. He leaned into the Comic Book Couples Counseling concept and got vulnerable with us.

Undoubtedly, you've read some Spawn comics. You know the character; you know his deal. You may not know or appreciate the philosophy driving the creation, however. Todd McFarlane puts it all out there in our conversation, leading to unexpected avenues regarding "chaos and consequence" and why he's so often disappointed by other comic books.

We reflect on Marvel's Silver Age and Stan Lee's "The World Outside Your Window." Todd McFarlane challenges our idealized notions of this classic era and explains what he believes catapulted those characters into the public consciousness they preoccupy today.

This episode is one of those episodes you wish could go on for a few more hours. There's never enough time. Maybe he'll join us again, and we can further follow these threads. Perhaps he won't. We're eager for you to hear this chat, though, and we think you haven't heard one quite like it from Todd McFarlane before.

If you want to continue this discussion with McFarlane, you can find him on Twitter and Instagram, as well as his Website. Follow McFarlane Toys through Twitter and Instagram.

Listen to our previous conversation with Todd McFarlane and Greg Capullo talking all things Batman/Spawn HERE.

Other Relevant Links:

Jamie Lee Curtis, Russell Goldman, & Karl Stevens on Mother Nature

FINAL ROUND OF PLUGS (PHEW):

Don't forget to grab your tickets for our August 27th Alamo Drafthouse Winchester screening of The Mask, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies and featuring a Tradd Moore in-person introduction.

Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

SDCC 2023: Jamie Lee Curtis, Russell Goldman, and Karl Stevens on Mother Nature

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 14:14:01 -0600

The path Mother Nature took to its sequential form is beautifully compelling. When Jamie Lee Curtis was nineteen, an angry story of global catastrophe and corporate greed took root. Time would pass, and along with her co-writer Russell Goldman, she would mold it into a potential movie. Her eventual friendship with New Yorker cartoonist (and former CBCC guest) Karl Stevens would ultimately yield the new graphic novel from Titan Comics.

Curtis never imagined herself as a comic creator, but here she is, and she couldn't have been more thrilled to attend the San Diego Comic-Con International as one. We spoke with all three Mother Nature collaborators on the convention's second day. They were eager to share the book with us, making sure we had a physical copy in our hands, not satisfied with our PDF preview experience. It's one thing to see a comic on a screen; it's another to hold within your mitts.

Mother Nature is a violently urgent comic. It's a supernatural revenge story in which a young woman goes on the attack against the oil organization that casually killed her father. Stevens illustrates numerous bits of bloody gore, and we chat with the creators about why this story had to be as gnarly as it is.

The world is on fire, and she's furious. Don't believe the corporate narrative, maternity is defensive, and when it needs to be, it's vicious. While we devour the ground beneath our feet, the ground retaliates, and Earth's vengeance is as brutal as anything you've seen in a horror movie.

Also, in this episode, we discuss our time inside the San Diego Comic-Con Museum, reviewing the current Animation Academy and Stan Lee exhibits. We extensively discuss our time outside the convention, visiting the best comic book shops in San Diego.

Mother Nature arrives in comic shops on August 8th. You can find your nearest store HERE.

You can find Karl Stevens on Twitter HERE and on Instagram HERE. Jamie Lee Curtis is on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can find Russell Goldman on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website.

Check out our previous conversation with Karl Stevens HERE, discussing his graphic novel, Penny.

SDCC 2023: Erik Burnham on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Fri, 04 Aug 2023 14:15:31 -0600

For most of us, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series is where our shellshocked obsessions began. Now, IDW Publishing returns to this glorious era with their Saturday Morning Adventures offshoot with writer Erik Burnham and artists Tim Lattie, Jack Lawrence, and Dan Schoening busting out all the best Playmates action figures. The new series tickles nostalgic pleasures while keeping itself grounded in the now.

Last week, we unleashed an onslaught of creator content to coincide with the San Diego Comic-Con International. And we are not done. On the west coast, we spoke with numerous comic artists about an eclectic batch of titles. This episode with Erik Burnham is part one, recapping our unique Comic-Con experience while also celebrating Turtle Mania 2023 with IDW and the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem film leading the charge.

Burnham has worked in the Turtle trenches for years, but operating within the Saturday Morning Adventures realm is a tricky balancing act. In addition, since many found their Turtle love with the cartoons, there's an extra sting of responsibility that comes with it. From inside the SDCC IDW Booth, we chat with Erik Burnham about the joys and burdens of playing with these particular toys. We also discuss his new, secret TMNT project and what he'd still love to do within this universe.

We adore any chance to dig deep into the mythology built by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman. This chat is just the next chapter in an ongoing Comic Book Couples Counseling/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles conversation, one that began with our Kevin Eastman interview and hit hyperdrive with our sibling counseling sessions. CLICK HERE to find all those CBCC/TMNT episodes.

You can continue this conversation with Erik Burnham by following his Twitter, Instagram, and Website. Saturday Morning Adventures: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is now available in comic book shops. Find your local store HERE.

As mentioned above, this episode is part of our San Diego Comic-Con International celebration. Listen to our Day One episode with Paul Cornell HERE. Listen to our Day Two episode with Adrian Tomine HERE. Listen to our Dary Three episode with Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips HERE. Listen to our Day Four Episode with Julie Sakai and Stan Sakai HERE.

And get ready for our upcoming discussions with Jamie Lee Curtis, Karl Stevens, Todd McFarlane, Robert Kirkman, and more. You better get subscribed to Comic Book Couples Counseling.

FINAL ROUND OF PLUGS (PHEW): Don't forget to grab your tickets for our July 30th Alamo Drafthouse Winchester screening of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies. Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

SDCC 2023: Stan Sakai and Julie Sakai on Dogu Publishing

Sun, 23 Jul 2023 09:25:37 -0600

In September, Usagi Yojimbo returns to Dark Horse Comics with the new mini-series Ice and Snow. However, that's just the warm-up. Stan Sakai and Julie Sakai have massive plans for their Dogu Publishing imprint, and we're eager to break it all down with them.

Their creative partnership began on a short strip featured in Peanuts: A Tribute to Charles M. Schulz. We go back to their beginning and trace a path to where they are today, creatively and as a romantic couple. How did they know they would work well together? How do they navigate two unique perspectives to produce a singular work?

Dogu Publishing is a family affair, and that larger collaboration kicked off with Chibi Usagi's publication. Previously, we've dismissed this offshoot as cute and clever. However, upon re-examination this week, we discovered it's an essential entry in the Usagi Yojimbo story. And, yeah, it's brilliantly connected to the Usagi-Verse, which includes Space Usagi and a few other splinters you may still need to be aware of.

This episode is part of our more extensive San Diego Comic-Con coverage, and since we're releasing on Sunday, we can reveal some new Usagi Yojimbo stories here. You should know, though, that at the 41:18 minute mark, we spoil a critical element from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Usagi Yojimbo: Wherewhen #4. We've dropped a warning within the audio, don't worry.

Usagi Yojimbo: Ice and Now #1 hits shelves on September 9th. We did get a preview of that issue, expect a review on the site very soon. Make sure you have it in your pull box at your local comic book store. If you don't have a local comic book store, you can find the nearest one HERE.

Follow Stan Sakai on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Follow Dogu Publishing on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Most importantly, visit www.stansakai.com and get yourself some comics.

Listen to our previous Stan Sakai episode, discussing all things Samurai Rabbit.

As mentioned above, this episode is part of our San Diego Comic-Con International celebration. Listen to our Day One episode with Paul Cornell HERE. Listen to our Day Two episode with Adrian Tomine HERE. Listen to our Dary Three episode with Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips HERE. Next week, we'll return with some in-person interviews, including Jamie Lee Curtis, Karl Stevens, Todd McFarlane, Robert Kirkman, and more. You better get subscribed to Comic Book Couples Counseling.

Other Relevant Links:

SDCC 2023: Chris Condon & Jacob Phillip on The Enfield Gang Massacre

Sat, 22 Jul 2023 09:29:23 -0600

When we first started That Texas Blood by Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips, we enjoyed it as a nifty, nasty, clever Western Noir. Now, we're three trade paperbacks in and one issue into their spin-off series, The Great Enfield Gang Massacre, and we think we're reading an epic mythology saga exploring notions of lowercase evil and uppercase Evil. Friends, this is their Hellboy, whether they want to admit it or not.

The Enfield Gang Massacre #1 hits shelves courtesy of Image Comics on August 9th. If this is your first entry into their world, it works magnificently as a Western mystery exploring the sins of a "Print the Legend" history. If you've read every issue of That Texas Blood, it works on a whole other level.

Condon and Phillips' spin-off returns readers to Ambrose County 150 years ago, when outlaw Montgomery Enfield and his gang are accused of a grotesque murder. In issue one, the posse forms and comes gunning for these criminals. They'll find a fight on their hands. Maybe.

In this episode, we chat with Condon and Phillips about the types of evil they're examining in The Enfield Gang Massacre and That Texas Blood. We consider how their brains morph to meet the needs of this particular story and why it demands a different aesthetic than their previous collaborations. We also consider together just how far back they can explore regarding the Ambrose County land. Cave dwellers and dinosaurs? Yes, please.

You can continue this chat with the That Texas Blood creators by following Chris Condon on Twitter and Instagram and following Jacob Phillips on Twitter and Instagram.

This episode is part of our San Diego Comic-Con International celebration. Listen to our Day One episode with Paul Cornell HERE. Listen to our Day Two episode with Adrian Tomine HERE. Tomorrow, Julie Sakai and Stan Sakai will be on the podcast talking about Usagi Yojimbo and all things Dogu Publishing. A week later, we'll return with some in-person interviews, including Jamie Lee Curtis, Karl Stevens, Todd McFarlane, and more. You better get subscribed to Comic Book Couples Counseling.

Other Relevant Links:

SDCC 2023: Adrian Tomine on Shortcomings

Fri, 21 Jul 2023 07:55:41 -0600

Most people cringe a little when they look at their younger selves. Cartoonist Adrian Tomine certainly doesn't love revisiting his older work, but he was challenged to do so when adapting his own graphic novel, Shortcomings, for director Randall Park. We're ecstatic to have Tomine on the podcast today, discussing his recent revisitation of a work that gripped both of us when we cracked the page. The creator is generous with his time, process, and internal life.

Shortcomings is - what did TNT use to call them - a new classic. It focuses on Ben Tanaka, a viciously judgemental twenty-something whose long-time relationship has suddenly erupted into uncertainty. Hit up your Google machine and find a classic review; no doubt the critic tackling the comic will address the likability issue. We certainly bring it up with Adrian Tomine in our conversation, and his answer is so beautifully Comic Book Couples Counseling.

After this conversation, be sure to follow Adrian Tomine on his Instagram and through his Website. Purchase Shortcomings via Drawn & Quarterly or wherever fine comic books are sold. You can find your local shop HERE. The Shortcomings movie arrives in theaters on August 4th from Sony Pictures Classics.

This episode is part of our San Diego Comic-Con International celebration. Our chat with Adrian Tomine aligns with Day Two. Listen to our Day One episode with Paul Cornell HERE. Tomorrow, Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips will join us to discuss The Enfield Gang Massacre. On Sunday, Julie Sakai and Stan Sakai will be on the podcast talking about Usagi Yojimbo and all things Dogu Publishing. You better get subscribed to Comic Book Couples Counseling.

Other Relevant Links:

SDCC 2023: Paul Cornell on Con and On

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 01:44:04 -0600

The San Diego Comic-Con International is back, and just like last year, we're determined to bring the celebrations to our Comic Book Couples Counseling podcast feed. Whether you're attending the show or not, we aim to bring the con experience to your ears. All week long.

Every day of the con, we're dropping one new, rad creator conversation episode. We're kicking things off strong today (Thursday), chatting with celebrated science fiction, television, and comics writer Paul Cornell. His new Ahoy Comics series, Con and On, is the perfect concept to launch our Comic-Con festivities as it celebrates and challenges everything we love about convention culture.

Paul Cornell's new book focuses on the Vista Al Mar Comics Festival over five years, spanning three decades. Each chapter in the series covers a different year, returning to various characters as they succeed and fail in the industry. You'll recognize some faces, cheer at their victories, and cringe at their losses.

Con and On pulls no punches, but it's not a heavyweight bloodbath either. Only someone who loves this world as much as Paul Cornell could write this book. While there is comedy and heart throughout, there is some anger, frustration, and a drive to advance beyond the tired, old ways.

You can follow Paul Cornell on Blue Sky, Instagram, and his Website. Also, check out his Hammer House podcast.

Make sure you're subscribed to the Comic Book Couples Counseling feed. Tomorrow, Adrian Tomine joins us to discuss his classic graphic novel Shortcomings and its upcoming adaptation directed by Randall Park. On Saturday, Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips return to the pod, breaking down their new That Texas Blood spin-off series, The Enfield Gang Massacre. Finally, on Sunday, Julie Sakai and Stan Sakai arrive on the pod and show all of us creative couples how to do collaboration right. These convos are the best panels around, and no standing in line is required.

Other Relevant Links:

CBCC 92: Invincible & Atom Eve - The End of All Things

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 20:44:41 -0600

With four Mark Grayson and Atom Eve counseling sessions already behind us, we finally reach a conclusion regarding their Invincible relationship. In this episode, we discuss the final two trade paperbacks in Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley, and Cory Walker's superhero masterpiece, The End of All Things Parts One and Two. While their ending is definitive, their story seemingly remains ongoing. We must reckon with what we're given and how far these characters have and have not grown since we first met them one hundred and forty-four issues ago. Also, in this conversation, we establish our last thoughts about our chosen love expert for Mark and Eve, Dr. Marc Brackett, and his book, Permission to Feel: Unlocking the Power of Emotions to Help Our Kids, Ourselves, and Our Society Thrive. Certainly, we'll apply numerous elements from this book to our partnership, but not everything jives with our current journey. Mood meters and meta-emotions, you're absolutely going into our utility belt. Invincible: The End of All Things contains nothing but Big Emotions, and they're somehow even larger than the usual Big Emotions the series throws at its characters. It's all in the title, and stress levels are extra high when facing oblivion. How do we challenge/embrace life's greatest threats? What can we learn from how Mark and Eve handle them? Our final Comic Book Couples Counseling Mark and Eve sessions also signify the start of a week-long San Diego Comic-Con International celebration. As you're listening to this episode, we're already traveling to the west coast. On Thursday, join us back here for an in-depth conversation with writer Paul Cornell, discussing his Comic-Con satire, Con and On. On Friday, we're chatting with Adrian Tomine about his classic graphic novel Shortcomings and the upcoming movie adaptation. On Saturday, Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips return to the show, teasing their new That Texas Blood spin-off series, The Enfield Gang Massacre. Finally, on Sunday, we were joined by Julie Sakai and Stan Sakai, giving us the scoop on all things Usagi Yojimbo and Dogu Publishing. And, if you haven't already, now's the time to join our Patreon, where superstar cartoonist Daniel Warren Johnson just recorded an epic chat with us about his favorite single-issue comic, The 'Nam #9. It's all part of our new Patreon podcast series, where we ask rad comic book creators to choose their favorite floppy comic. Invincible issues covered in this episode: 133 - 144, published by Image Comics through the Skybound Entertainment imprint between February 2017 and February 2018. The comic was written by Robert Kirkman, penciled by Ryan Ottley, Cory Walker, inked by Ryan Ottley, Cory Walker, Dexter Vines, and Mark Morales, colored by Nathan Fairbairn, and lettered by Rus Wooton. Other Relevant Links:

Tyler Crook on The Lonesome Hunters: The Wolf Child

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 06:42:37 -0600

Nearly to the day, Tyler Crook returns to Comic Book Couples Counseling to discuss The Lonesome Hunters, this time digging into its follow-up series, The Wolf Child. As he proved during his last session, Crook is eager to crack open his story and root around inside. There is life here, and we need to know what makes it tick.

Centered in this conversation is a paraphrased Jack Kirby quote. In these notes, we'll present it in full as it was spoken during an interview on The Masters of Comic Book Art, introduced by the equally radical Harlan Ellison. You can watch the whole thing HERE.

"I'm a guy that lives with a lot of questions. I say, 'What's out there?' and I try to resolve that. And I never can. I don't think anybody can. Who's got the answers? I sure would like to hear the ultimate one. But I haven't yet. And so I live with a lot of questions. And I find that entertaining...If my life were to end tomorrow, it would be fulfilled in that manner. I would say, 'The Questions have been terrific.'"

Tyler Crook's comics, especially these first two Lonesome Hunters volumes, are all about scratching at those questions and bumping against unknowable answers. The Lonesome Hunters: The Wolf Child #1 is Tyler Crook on a plate. His script, his art, his letters, his everything.

The comic is an out-there horror/fantasy adventure with a powerfully compelling intergenerational friendship at its core. You can read it as straight escapist entertainment, but it invites you to press down a little deeper and consider your reflection within its pages. Yes, it's absolutely a Comic Book Couples Counseling book.

We're extremely thankful to Tyler Crook for joining us once again on the show and being so generous with his process and philosophy. Our conversation is about as in-depth as you can get without spoiling every little detail about the narrative. However, we'll probably need Crook back on the podcast so we can have one of our epic Ultimate breakdown conversations about The Lonesome Hunters.

The Lonesome Hunters: The Wolf Child #1 is now available from Dark Horse Comics, wherever fine comic books are sold (Click HERE to find the nearest one to you). You can continue your conversation with Tyler Crook via his Twitter, Instagram, and Website. Also, you can listen to his music through his Bandcamp page (although it's also available on Spotify, Apple Music, and the like).

If you haven't already, you can listen to our previous Lonesome Hunters conversation HERE.

Technically, this episode is Part Two of our two-week-long San Diego Comic-Con celebration. Click HERE to catch up on Part One: our chat with Shannon and Luke Lieberman, the Red Sonja licensors.

Other Relevant Links:

FINAL ROUND OF PLUGS (PHEW):

Don't forget to grab your tickets for our July 30th Alamo Drafthouse Winchester screening of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

Also, JOIN OUR PATREON before we re-launch Married to Singles, episode 1: Daniel Warren Johnson on The 'Nam #9.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

50 Years of Red Sonja: Shannon and Luke Lieberman

Sun, 09 Jul 2023 21:34:46 -0600

Let the festivities begin! This year, Red Sonja celebrates her fiftieth anniversary, and as caretakers and licensors of the character, Shannon and Luke Lieberman are determined to transform 2023 into a massive birthday bash. A movie is on the horizon. Gail Simone has penned a new book, and a comics series is launching with a new number one written by Torunn Grønbekk and illustrated by Walter Geovani. It's set to release next week (7/19), which just so happens to coincide with the San Diego Comic-Con.

Red Sonja, Shannon, and Luke Lieberman will be in attendance in San Diego in a major way, hosting a fiftieth-anniversary panel on Friday at 11:30 AM in Room 5AB. Joining them will be Amy Chu, Jimmy Palmiotti, Amanda Conner, Dan Panosian, Mark Canton, and several other significant Red Sonja creators.

Do you know who else will be at Comic-Con next week? Comic Book Couples Counseling! In fact, this week's episode launches our San Diego Comic-Con podcast blowout! As you'll hear within, we have some major plans for this year's convention, and our feeds will be stacked for the next two weeks.

It all starts here with Shannon and Luke Lieberman discussing their unique relationship with Red Sonja, the responsibility they wield as legacy caretakers, and the special set of skills they both bring to this fascinatingly creative task. And, of course, we chat about the challenges and joys of working alongside your romantic partner.

Stay up to date on all things Red Sonja by following them on Twitter, Instagram, and their Website. Also, be sure to check out our previous conversation with Luke Lieberman discussing his graphic novel collaboration, Alliances: Orphans.

If you're attending San Diego Comic-Con, come find our Lisa Gullickson on the Comics Journalism: Looking at Panels Beyond the Page panel on Thursday at 4:30 PM in Room 24ABC. She'll be joined by Heidi MacDonald (The Beat), Jimmy Aquino (Comic News Insider), Brett Schenker (Graphic Policy), Avery Kaplan (The Beat), and Chris Arrant (Popverse).

Other Relevant Links:

FINAL ROUND OF PLUGS (PHEW):

Don't forget to grab your tickets for our July 30th Alamo Drafthouse Winchester screening of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

Also, JOIN OUR PATREON before we re-launch Married to Singles, episode 1: Daniel Warren Johnson on The 'Nam #9.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Patreon Preview: Sandman #70, plus - an Announcement

Tue, 04 Jul 2023 10:57:59 -0600

For two years, we've discussed The Sandman on our Patreon, one episode at a time, one issue at a time. Periodically, we've dropped certain conversations into the main Comic Book Couples Counseling podcast feed, but it's been a while. Since we're nearly reaching the end of Neil Gaiman's original 75-issue run, we felt compelled to pull a Patreon conversation to all our wonderful listeners' attention.

Our "Sleepwalking Through Sandman" Patreon series is an extremely vulnerable experience for us. Lisa read these comics in college, but her memory is foggy and mutated by time. For whatever reason, Brad never read The Sandman when it was initially on comic shop stands. Now, every week, we stumble through this iconic comic book series, desperately trying to absorb what Gaiman and his astonishing collaborators put down on the page.

Frequently, we interpret things way off base, but thankfully, our Patrons guide us along and clue us into what we're missing. The result is episodes unlike any other shows Comic Book Couples Counseling produces. We're pretty darn proud of them.

The Sandman #70 is the beginning of the end. Is it an epilogue, or is it the climax? Panel by panel, we debate the possibilities as we approach the original Sandman's final issues. A small select group gathers within the Dreaming to pay their last respects to Morpheus while a new (?) Dream works on rebuilding what was lost during the battle with the Furies.

For as little as $1 a month (or $12 a year), you can access all our Sandman episodes and hundreds of other bonus podcasts. After finishing our Sandman #70 conversation, you can jump right on into our Sandman #71 conversation, already posted in our Patreon feed HERE.

In this episode, we also announce a new Patreon podcast series. It's a show concept we don't see anywhere else online, and we think our listeners will be excited about it. Stay tuned for more information, and join up before San Diego Comic-Con if you want access to that particular comic book party.

Sandman #71 was published by DC Comics with a cover date of August 1995. It's written by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Michael Zulli, colored by Daniel Vozzo, seps by Digital Chameleon, lettered by Todd Klein, edited by Karen Berger, associated by Shelly Roeberg, and features a cover by Dave McKean. Sandman created by Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth, and Mike Dringenberg.

Relevant Podcast Links:

FINAL ROUND OF PLUGS (PHEW):

Don't forget to grab your tickets for our July 30th Alamo Drafthouse Winchester screening of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

My Adventures with Superman: In Conversation with the Cast and Creators

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 11:18:31 -0600

Steel yourself. My Adventures with Superman is the Superman story you've been waiting for, friends. The new animated series (set to premiere on Adult Swim on July 6th and on Max the next day) is a joyful exploration, digging deep into what it means to be super. Not just from Clark Kent's perspective but also from Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane's points of view.

My Adventures with Superman is a vibrant, radical, and passionate outburst. The cartoon is a relationship saga, beginning just as these three wannabe reporters find each other and as Superman bubbles into a glorious idea. The show is also the best Superman adaptation we've seen since the 1978 movie. Those are big words, and we don't type them carelessly.

MY Adventures with Superman. Noodle on the title's first word. The creators are considering a lot more with this show than just killer anime-influenced animation, fight scenes, and reinterpretations of classic comic book concepts. They're going inward, encouraging self-reflection, and inspiring us to think a little differently about these characters we've loved for so long.

In this week's episode, we discuss DC Comics' long, magical history with animation. Our conversation begins with celebrating Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, which we just screened at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia. We then review My Adventures of Superman, carefully avoiding spoilers while contemplating its thematic connections to Bruce Wayne's unique superhero journey.

Ultimately, we chat with producers Brendan Clogher (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power), Josie Campbell (New Champion of Shazam), and Jake Wyatt (Steven Universe) before conversing with the actors portraying Lois Lane (Alice Lee) and Jimmy Olsen (Ishmel Sahid). What responsibility do these creators carry as caretakers for such titanic characters? Why does the world need another take on Superman? We get into it.

Again, My Adventures with Superman arrives on Adult Swim on July 6th at midnight before hitting Max the next day. You can find Josie Campbell on Twitter and Instagram. You can find Jake Wyatt on Twitter and Instagram. You can find Brendan Clogher on Instagram. You can find Alice Lee on Instagram. You can find Ishem Sahid on Instagram.

Other Relevant Links:

FINAL ROUND OF PLUGS (PHEW):

Don't forget to grab your tickets for our July 30th Alamo Drafthouse Winchester screening of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.

Also, JOIN OUR PATREON before we wrap up our 75-episode series on Sandman's first 75 issues.

Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Gene Luen Yang on American Born Chinese

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 12:25:36 -0600

It's not up for debate. American Born Chinese, now streaming on Disney+, is 2023's best comic book adaptation. The streaming series miraculously transforms Gene Luen Yang's iconic graphic novel into something unique without betraying the book's characters or core emotions. You can experience both separately from each other or in conversation with each other; they're doing their own thing.

On this week's episode, Gene Luen Yang joins the show to discuss the adaptation process and how it somewhat represents how he would tackle the material today in sequential form. When he looks back at the cartoonist who produced the comics in 2006, does he recognize him? The answer may surprise you.

We chat about a few significant changes made to the narrative and why they were necessary. We discuss the impact stories have on our lives, and Yang details the specific tales that influenced his creative imagination. A few CBCC favorites delightfully appear.

The American Born Chinese adaptation consumed Gene Luen Yang's attention, distracting him from his many deadlines. He's cooking up a lot of comics at the moment, and he's eager to put new stories out into the universe. We run through a few and predict a couple of our own comic book desires.

You can watch American Born Chinese on Disney+ now and purchase the original graphic novel, published by First Second Books, from your local comic book shop.

Be sure to follow Gene Luen Yang on his website, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

Other Relevant Links:

FINAL ROUND OF PLUGS (PHEW):

Also, JOIN OUR PATREON before we wrap up our 75-episode series on Sandman's first 75 issues.

Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Kim-Joy on Turtle Bread

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 21:33:54 -0600

You rarely encounter an accurate depiction of social anxiety in art. At least an accurate depiction that reflects our experience. We found ourselves in Turtle Bread, the new graphic novel from former Great Britsh Bake-Off contestant Kim-Joy. The discovery was thrilling, emotional, and somewhat hard to believe. Here we are, wrapped up inside a gorgeous baking comic wondrously illustrated by Alti Firmansyah. It's a gift we're eager to hand to friends, family, and strangers. Look inside and see the weird doubt and negative self-talk we struggle against daily.

However, Turtle Bread also taught us that our social anxiety might not be the hindrance we sometimes label it as. Our anxiety may come with benefits. In fact, our anxiety may be a superpower unto itself.

This week, Kim-Joy joins the podcast to discuss her experience with social anxiety and how writing Turtle Bread in collaboration with Firmansyah allowed her to consider her inherent gifts. We discuss vulnerability, her time in the spotlight, and how anxiety makes every situation a nightmare, but in doing so, it minimizes the agony nightmares can have on you.

Turtle Bread is now available from ComiXology and will see print via Dark Horse Comics on October 4th. Be sure to stay up to date on all things Kim-Joy by following her on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and her website.

Other Relevant Links:

FINAL ROUND OF PLUGS (PHEW):

Also, JOIN OUR PATREON before we wrap up our 75-episode series on Sandman's first 75 issues.

Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

CBCC 91: Invincible & Atom Eve - Full House

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 21:55:21 -0600

"This is not my beautiful house! This is not my beautiful wife!" Mark Grayson returns from his Rebooted life to find Atom Eve fully embracing that alien lifestyle and their daughter Tera well into childhood. He's missed so much but doesn't have time to cry about it. Thragg and his brood armada are on the march and thirsty for Grayson blood.

We return to Invincible this week and our ongoing Mark and Eve counseling session. We are so close to the comic's climax and freaking out a little. Creators Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker slam the Grayson family through the grinder, attacking them from within and without. Our loving couple has survived a lot, but the Full House arc threatens to tear everything asunder. Most notably, Lisa's emotions, as she's reeling after nearly every page turn.

Our heroes are bottling their feelings, struggling to express themselves to each other, creating opportunities for violent outbursts. Complicating everything is Tera, their little one, racing to experience life in a universe out to destroy her. Can Mark and Eve reveal their deepest fears to each other when they have to throw up protective walls for their daughter's sake?

Helping us navigate this tumultuous time between Mark and Eve is Dr. Marc Brackett and his book, Permission to Feel: Unlocking the Power of Emotions to Help Our Kids, Ourselves, and Our Society Thrive. We've reached the portion detailing the dangerous game of expressing yourself. You must put yourself out there, but you cannot control how the person across from you will react. What do you do when your partner's emotional response clashes with your vulnerable unveiling? Brackett might not have a solution for you, but maybe we do. Maybe.

Helplines are available if you do not have a support system willing to hear you out during these vulnerable moments of expression. You can reach the Mental Health Hotline in Virginia by dialing 1-866-903-3787 or CLICK HERE.

Issues covered in this episode: Invincible 127 - 132, published by Image Comics under the Skyboud Entertainment imprint, released between April 2016 and February 2017. The comic was written by Robert Kirkman, illustrated by Cory Walker, colored by Nathan Fairbairn, and lettered by Rus Wooton.

Other Relevant Links:

FINAL ROUND OF PLUGS (PHEW):

Also, JOIN OUR PATREON before we wrap up our 75-episode series on Sandman's first 75 issues.

Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum on Minor Threats

Thu, 25 May 2023 09:49:29 -0600

Woe unto the city where the sidekick dies. In Minor Threats, Jordan Blum and Patton Oswalt plunge into the chaotic relationship dynamics that fuel the best spandex stories, shifting the microscope toward the C-list, well, maybe the D-List "super" crooks that frequently fall under the boots of top-tier heroes and villains.

Kid Dusk is dead. The sinister Stickman pulled the trigger. Now, The Insomniac is on a rampage to secure justice...vengeance...payback. Tomayto, tomahto. Hoping to restore normalcy and score a little promotion, a group of small-time henchmen seeks the bounty on Stickman's head.

Minor Threats is a dense four-issue series from Dark Horse Comics, beautifully illustrated by Scott Hepburn. The three artists create a massive canvas with endless possibilities. Jordan Blum and Patton Oswalt pick at these niggling strands that have teased their imaginations since childhood. Their comic celebrates everything we love about superhero stories while classically exploring the world outside our windows. They're merely following in the footsteps of Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Joe Simon.

Chatting with Jordan Blum and Patton Oswalt this week was a giddy pleasure. The conversation splinters into numerous directions, at once continuing our seemingly never-ending CBCC Batman discourse while considering the cathartic and bleak comedy found within Biggie Smalls' lyrics. Our discussion covers a lot of ground, Wyatt Earp, The Wire, Sergio Aragonés, Grant Morrison, and more. You are in for a serious geeky treat.

Minor Threats is now available in single issues, but the trade paperback will arrive in comic book shops on June 21st. You can find your nearest comics retailer HERE.

Continue this conversation by following Patton Oswalt on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website. Please follow Jordan Blum on Twitter and Instagram. And watch Marvel's M.O.D.O.K. now streaming on HULU.

Other Relevant Links:

FINAL ROUND OF PLUGS (PHEW):

Also, JOIN OUR PATREON before we wrap up our 75-episode series on Sandman's first 75 issues.

Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Tom King on Danger Street

Thu, 18 May 2023 11:39:41 -0600

Once upon a time, in a far-off kingdom, Tom King returned! In this episode, we go into the woods and down the dell; the path is straight toward Danger Street! We're talking with the creator about his utterly absurd and equally delightful maxi-series, illustrated by Jorge Fornés, colored by Dave Stewart, lettered by Clayton Cowles, and currently on the stands from DC Comics.

What's the tougher task - knocking out another Batman story or creating a narrative where twenty-three random superhero rejects make perfect inhabitants? Tom King takes us through Danger Street's creation, the mission he's hoping to accomplish with it, and how these characters have caused him to reconsider other staples from the DC Comics stable.

Our conversation also allows us to delve into our recent obsession with comic book dollar bins, an obsession that Tom King most definitely shares. Within those glorious longboxes, you never know what you'll find; for Tom, they might be the basis for his next weirdo spandex drama.

Most importantly, Danger Street radically aligns with a larger conversation that we've been having at Comic Book Couples Counseling. The tiniest acts, the tiniest kindnesses, can have the most massive of impacts on our larger society. Sometimes, the greatest superpower is your availability. Showing up for others and showing up for yourself can save the day.

This episode covers Danger Street's first six issues, but it's not spoiler-heavy. Our hope is that the conversation will encourage new readers to jump onto the title, so we're not looking to ruin anyone's good time.

Follow Tom King on Twitter and Instagram. Find your local comic book shop to nab all his comics.

Other Relevant Links:

FINAL ROUND OF PLUGS (PHEW):

Also, JOIN OUR PATREON before we wrap up our 75-episode series on Sandman's first 75 issues.

Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Mitch Gerads and Tom King on Batman: The Brave and The Bold

Mon, 15 May 2023 23:22:02 -0600

We get highfalutin with Mitch Gerads and Tom King, discussing their latest Dark Knight collaboration, "The Winning Card," as it appears in Batman: The Brave and the Bold #1, out now from DC Comics. The longtime collaborators continue to test each other, pulling the very best from one another and delivering a Batman tale unlike any other.

It's Year One for both Bats and Joker. They're looking to prove themselves. They're looking to sell themselves to Gotham City. And sell themselves as something beyond the mere mortals that they are.

Or are they? Is there something more to their masks, their supernatural charade? Tom and Mitch have their perspectives on what it means to be superhuman, and yeah, so do we, especially Lisa.

The hot takes are flying fast and furious this week as we dig into Bruce Wayne's mission to fix Gotham, dissect the scariest Joker in ages, and what propels Mitch Gerads and Tom King to collaborate. This episode is Part One of a Two-Part DC Comics celebration. Please return in just a few days to hear us go further down the highfalutin boom tube rabbit hole as Tom King sticks around the Love Nest, chatting about the ultra-rad and rather incredible Danger Street miniseries.

Follow Mitch Gerads on Twitter and Instagram. Follow Tom King on Twitter and Instagram. Find your local comic book shop to pick up Batman: The Brave and the Bold #1.

Other Relevant Links:

FINAL ROUND OF PLUGS (PHEW):

Also, JOIN OUR PATREON before we wrap up our 75-episode series on Sandman's first 75 issues.

Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Free Comic Book Day with Jesse Lonergan and Third Eye Comics

Sat, 06 May 2023 07:45:22 -0600

We celebrate Free Comic Book Day with Jesse Lonergan and Steve Anderson from Third Eye Comics. Our first-ever spectacular promoting the annual event where comic readers collide to nab free comics but, more importantly, buy comics. Free Comic Book Day is a shop appreciation day, not a customer appreciation day. So, be kind, say thank you, and discover a new universe of titles and characters. Exploration is your mission.

In our first portion, we chat extensively with Steve Anderson about his new Buys and Bargains Third Eye Comics location in Annapolis, Maryland. What purpose does this particular store offer that the others don't? What goodies did we come away with during our little shop preview? What does the retailer of one of the country's best comic shops think about the industry today, and what are the comics he's most excited to read? We get into it.

In our second half, we speak with cartoonist extraordinaire Jesse Lonergan about his new Mike Mignola collaboration, Miss Truesdale and the Fall of Hyperborea, published by Dark Horse Comics. For Hellboy fans, this is an essential entry, further detailing the ancient mythology that frequently steers Anung Un Rama's fate. We discuss the responsibility of working with such precious characters and why Lonergan was such a natural fit. We also get into the weeds of pacing, time, and who controls what within the comics medium. It's another can't-miss conversation.

There are few days of the year we enjoy more than Free Comic Book Day. We all owe a lot to Joe Field, the Flying Colors comic shop proprietor who originated the concept. If you would like to know more about the event's origins, be sure to listen to The Short Box podcast. The latest episode features an extensive interview with Field.

You should also check out the Comic Book Couples Counseling Free Comic Book Day PSA!

Most importantly, visit Third Eye Comics! Follow them on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

You can also keep track of Jesse Lonergan on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website.

Wait, there's more! You should listen to our other Mignolaverse celebration with creators Rob Williams and Warwick Johnson-Cadwell.

FINAL ROUND OF PLUGS (PHEW):

Also, JOIN OUR PATREON and watch Brad and Dolph Lundgren celebrate 1989's The Punisher movie for seven whole minutes.

Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing on Star Trek

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 21:53:23 -0600

Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing return to Comic Book Couples Counseling, discussing their longstanding Star Trek obsession and how they transformed it into a propulsive narrative for the rest of us to enjoy. Their latest IDW Publishing series picks up where Star Trek: Deep Space Nine left off, fulfilling Benjamin Sisko's promise to his son. The Emissary returns from the Wormhole on a mission to halt a God-killing entity while reconnecting with an emotionally anxious Jake Sisko.

As longtime Sisko stans ourselves, we've been itching to discuss our favorite Star Trek captain. As a father, he serves a function unlike any other lead character. His priorities create a unique relationship with Starfleet and the Federation, and it's a joy to see how that tug-of-war continues beyond the sevens seasons we consumed on television.

Partnering with artists Ramon Rosanas, Oleg Chudakov, Joe Eisma, and Erik Tamayo (not to forget amazing variant cover artists like friend-of-the-pod Christian Ward - peep that gorgeous episode art), Kelly and Lanzing have carved a living universe for Star Trek comics. Their story is free to explore new areas along the timeline; untouched by the live-action iteration. Truly, they're boldly going where no one has gone before.

The first six issues in their Star Trek series are currently available and will be collected in the "Godshock" trade paperback on July 18th.

Also discussed in this week's episode is the new Guardians of the Galaxy series spearheaded by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly. Part one in the "Grootfall" storyline is now available from Marvel Comics. Mystery surrounds their Space Western, but within this episode, you'll learn how these creators won't leave you stressing for too long.

GofG, Star Trek, Captain America, Batman Beyond. These two have a lot going on. Keep up to date by following their socials. Hit up Collin Kelly on Twitter. Find Jackson Lanzing on Twitter and Instagram.

Check out our previous episode with the Hivemind, talking about One Bad Day: Clayface. And listen to our Tom Brevoort chat regarding Fantastic Four's sixtieth anniversary.

Also, JOIN OUR PATREON and watch Brad and Dolph Lundgren celebrate 1989's The Punisher movie for seven whole minutes.

Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Patreon Preview: Matt Bors and Ben Clarkson on Justice Warriors

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 10:47:10 -0600

You got comedy in my dystopia! You got dystopia in my comedy! Two great tastes that taste great together! In our latest Creator Cranny conversation, we chat with Pulitzer Prize finalist Matt Bors and Adult Swim filmmaker Ben Clarkson about their righteously hilarious buddy cop sci-fi satire, Justice Warriors.

The new book from Ahoy Comics is a viciously funny tale about two Bubble City law enforcers maintaining the peace of the Uninhabited Zone. At the same time, their mayor desperately tries to up his album sales. Prepare yourselves before entering these pages, as what you'll find within is painfully silly and horrifyingly recognizable as our own dystopian present. Justice Warriors sparked a fire in us, and we were more than excited to have Matt Bors and Ben Clarkson in our Love Nest continuing to stoke the flames.

Justice Warriors is one of our favorite comics of 2023. The book is biting, absurd, and frickin' hysterical, and the art is astonishingly beautiful. Gaze upon these panels and marvel. Ben Clarkson tortured himself to put these characters and hyper-detailed backgrounds together. Justice Warriors is busting with visual gags, demanding a second, third, and fourth read.

In this conversation, we explore the nature of speaking to the moment, the purpose of art, and the many, many influences that fueled Justice Warriors (does anyone else remember C.O.P.S., the animated series?). Of course, we never let ourselves get too serious either, and it's impossible with Bors and Clarkson around.

This year has already proven to be an exceptional year for comics, so don't let Justice Warriors slip past your radar. Jump over to the Ahoy Comics website and give these pages a gander. They're irresistible.

Also, follow Matt Bors on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website. Follow Ben Clarkson on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website.

Other Relevant Links:

SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

Don't forget! Check out the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

CBCC 90: Invincible & Atom Eve - Reboot?

Sun, 09 Apr 2023 22:06:07 -0600

When is a reboot not a reboot? When Robert Kirkman and Invincible are involved. We've reached the halfway point in our Mark and Atom Eve counseling sessions, delving into one of their relationship's most complicated and gut-wrenching moments. Surviving this moment is absolutely critical for themselves and the fate of the universe, and possibly the romance between the two podcasters making this episode!

If you could go back in time with the knowledge you possess today, would you do better, be better? You'd like to think so, but living in the now is the only path forward. That path, however, is always difficult, and there are no shortcuts.

Helping us navigate this tumultuous time between Mark and Eve is Dr. Marc Brackett and his book, Permission to Feel: Unlocking the Power of Emotions to Help Our Kids, Ourselves, and Our Society Thrive. To properly enjoy this episode, you'll want access to The Mood Meter, which you can find HERE or HERE. You may also want the Jim Varney Mood Meter too, which you can find HERE.

Issues covered in this episode: Invincible 121 - 126, published by Image Comics under the Skyboud Entertainment imprint, released between July 2015 and December 2015. The comic was written by Robert Kirkman, penciled by Ryan Ottley, inked by Cliff Rathburn and Ryan Ottley, colored by Jean-Francois Beaulieu, and lettered by Rus Wooton.

Catch up on our previous Invincible conversations. Check out our chat with Robert Kirkman and hear him program our Mark and Eve counseling sessions. Listen to our first session with Mark and Eve, discussing the Modern Family storyline.

Creator Corner: Evan Narcisse on Milestone 30th Anniversary Special

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 19:34:28 -0600

Thirty years ago, Milestone Media dropped into comic shops. Their books were almost unrecognizable next to the other comics being published at the time. They were politically charged, radically motivated, and bursting with boundless creative energy. Founded by Dwayne McDuffie, Denys Cowan, Michael Davis, and Derek T. Dingle, Milestone Media changed the game and delivered iconic characters like Static, Hardware, Blood Syndicate, Rocket, and, yeah, Icon.

If you want to understand the context surrounding Milestone's creation and its profound impact on the industry, you need to check out the documentary Milestone Generations, currently streaming on HBO Max. Our guest this week, Evan Narcisse, worked extensively on the film. He's also been cranking out rad comics like Wildstorm vs. Waller and the short story "Universal Beings," which appeared in DC Comics' recent Milestone 30th Anniversary Special.

"Universal Beings" is a magnificent tale, a catastrophic tiny epic that smashes the original Milestone Universe from 1993, with the updated version dominating comic shops today. Inspired by the classic multiversal comic "Flash of Two Worlds," Narcisse's story allows him to confront contemporary notions of progress while supplying a kickass superhero adventure. What would 1993's Static think of 2023's Static, and vice versa? The conversation is thematically charged like all good Milestone books.

Narcisse also takes a moment to celebrate the genius of Dwayne McDuffie and all the eclectic voices that pulled Milestone out of nothingness and gifted the world the Dakotaverse, an unparalleled comics arena. In addition to relaunching these classic characters, DC Comics recently published two massive compendiums collecting the nineties Milestone stories. They are worth your attention.

Also, be sure to follow Evan Narcisse on Twitter.

Before Evan Narcisse joins the show, Lisa suffers through Brad's long-winded review of his 2023 WonderCon experience. You're paying attention if you can sense a little jealousy in that last sentence. Or is that envy? You'll have to listen to next week's podcast to answer that last question. Just know this, Brad had an amazing time in Anaheim, filled with all manner of creator interactions, panels, and comics purchasing.

The WonderCon Review ends at the 21:56 minute mark.

If you want to hear a more immediate review of WonderCon Day 1, check out The Geekly Grind podcast. And while you're at it, follow our friend Lance's adventures at Comic Book Keepers.

Other Relevant Links:

Don't forget! Check out the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

CBCC 89: Invincible & Atom Eve - Modern Family

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 19:05:05 -0600

Few comics feel as epic as Invincible by Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker, and Ryan Ottley. As such, it presents an incredible challenge for Comic Book Couples Counseling. Where do we start if we want to properly analyze the complicated romantic relationship between Mark Grayson and Samantha Eve Wilkins? For years, the question has gotten in the way of programming our Invincible counseling sessions, but last week, Robert Kirkman himself came to our rescue.

We've said this on the podcast before, but we didn't really know each other until we were a few years into our marriage. With that in mind, Kirkman suggested we start our counseling sessions later in Mark and Eve's romantic timeline, just after they became parents. In this massive episode, we begin our new counseling series by jumping into Invincible almost toward its end.

Invincible: Modern Family finds Earth thriving under a dictatorship. SPOILERS for those that have not read the entire Invincible saga - Robot has taken over, and his tyranny seems horrifyingly logical. Mark and Eve cannot throw themselves into combat as a new family, choosing to leave Earth behind and make a life amongst the stars. However, are they proactively prospering as a badass superhero couple, or are they stuffing their emotions and hiding from those dark thoughts that reside within?

Issues covered in this episode: Invincible 115 - 120, published by Image Comics under the Skyboud Entertainment imprint, released between September 2014 and May 2015. The comic was written by Robert Kirkman, penciled by Ryan Ottley, inked by Cliff Rathburn and Ryan Ottley, colored by Jean-Francois Beaulieu, and lettered by Rus Wooton.

A word of caution about today's episode. Our conversation briefly touches upon sexual assault. We don't get into the details, but if this is a sensitive subject for you, please feel free to skip it and we'll catch you next week. If you or someone you know needs to talk to someone, you can call 1-800-656-4673 and you'll be routed to a local sexual assault service provider in your area.

Robert Kirkman Programs Our Invincible Podcast

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 13:31:35 -0600

Twenty years ago, Robert Kirkman unleashed Invincible upon the planet. The comic represented an opportunity to do everything he ever imagined a superhero comic was capable of doing. Through Image Comics (and what would eventually develop into his own Skybound Entertainment), the comic creator found a narrative freedom that previously proved impossible at the big two comic companies. In the process, he also created an utterly compelling romance that took significant time to develop, causing profound melodramatic tension in his audience.

We're positively giddy to welcome Robert Kirkman onto the show this week. For years, we've wanted to cover Mark Grayson and Atom Eve's relationship. Invincible is such a massive story, and we needed to figure out where to begin and how to cram it all into four Counseling Session episodes. Thankfully, Kirkman knew exactly how we could pull it off and was happy to help us through our programming.

Before we meet up with Kirkman, however, we run down our recent Seattle trip and review the magnificent Emerald City Comic Con. As first-time attendees, we were overwhelmed with everything the convention offered, from in-depth panels to an endless array of comic artists. All cons have their own vibe, and ECCC was no exception. You may want to add this show to your yearly schedule. Access to Lola pancakes might be reason enough.

Our Seattle review concludes at the 18:19 minute mark. You can skip it if all you're here for is the Robert Kirkman talk, but then you'd miss out on Lisa's hairdo debacle, which would be a terrible shame.

Our chat with Robert Kirkman does drift into a little Fire Power celebration. We couldn't help ourselves, especially when we considered how that comic's central romance sorta operates as a spiritual sequel to the one shared between Mark and Eve. We don't go into any major spoilers. So, if all you've seen is the Invincible television series, this episode is a safe space.

Make sure that you follow Robert Kirkman on his Twitter and through the Skybound Entertainment website. Invincible recently published an anniversary facsimile edition, a stripped-down black and white number one, and a new deluxe edition compendium. Seek those out at your local comic shop.

Other relevant links to this week's episode:

Read Lisa's Do A Powerbomb! Comics Beat Review

Join us on March 12th at 4:00 PM at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia for ourLone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies, the Eisner-nominated comic book shop.

Don't forget! Check out the latest episode of The B&B Show, Brad's Picks the 10 Most Anticipated Movies of 2023, HERE.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

The Ultimate Do A Powerbomb! Daniel Warren Johnson Interview

Tue, 28 Feb 2023 23:15:29 -0600

Few comics operate like Do A Powerbomb! Cartoonist Daniel Warren Johnson does his thing (along with genius colorist Mike Spicer), pulling you in with the most incredible, kinetic, and badass panels while slowly engaging your heart and soul. When the comic reaches its jaw-dropping climax, you're shook and probably requiring a little alone time to get all those uncontrollable tears out of your system.

Since the very first issue, we've been championing Do A Powerbomb! We've folded the comic into our all-time favorites, reaching into it and finding ourselves over and over again with every re-read. Daniel Warren Johnson always delivers a wallop with his comics, and yet, we're still surprised when he lands a new blow.

In this episode, we drag DWJ into our ring. The conversation is full-spoilers. So, please, read Do A Powerbomb! in its entirety before venturing any further. We would feel absolutely awful if your experience was spoiled in any way by this discussion. Having once read the comic, we believe our chat with Daniel Warren Johnson will elevate your appreciation for the book. We dig into every aspect of the comic, and Dan is extremely generous with his time and consideration.

We examine Do A Powerbomb!'s unique origins, tied to Johnson's late-in-life discovery of professional wrestling. We talk about how it initially seeped into his Beta Ray Bill mini-series for Marvel Comics and why he was compelled to smash it into this particular familial saga. And, yeah, we go deep into the comic's absolutely bonkers climax and just how the hell he came up with that epic final confrontation. Oh, and we get some cool future book-related news out of Dan as well. Stay tuned for that.

Be sure to follow Daniel Warren Johnson on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website. Do A Powerbomb! is now available in comic shops from Image Comics. It will be available in bookstores everywhere on March 7th.

Relevant Links to our Do A Powerbomb! Convo:

Don't forget! Check out the latest episode of The B&B Show, Brad's Picks the 10 Most Anticipated Movies of 2023, HERE.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Creator Corner: Collin Kelly & Jackson Lanzing on Clayface

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 22:50:54 -0600

INT. CLAYFACE - DAY/NIGHT/WHATEVER. There are two wolves (desperation and artistic integrity) tearing into each other. The disgraced Basil Karlo will do anything to get his face (or someone else's face atop his face) on the screen again. Unfortunately, even after cheating and slaughtering his way to his goal, Karlo's damn creative principles threaten to ruin his bright lights, big city dreams.

Batman: One Bad Day - Clayface #1 is a sensational trip into the murderous mudsliding thespian's soul. Told brilliantly and empathically by the writing duo Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing, the DC Comics one-shot offers an authentic and horrific insight into the creative pursuit. Considering our own history of artistic failure and success, Kelly and Lanzing tap into something deeply personal, delivering a dreadfully relatable Hollywood saga.

Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing join us this week to discuss their passion for the shapeshifting monster and how they found themselves in Clayface's agonizing artistic integrity. Their One Bad Day slides perfectly alongside the rest of the DC Comics line exploring Batman's many rogues but also stands out as something brutally additive. Their Clayface is the one many of us first encountered in Batman: The Animated Series, but speaking to the moment, the right now.

Batman: One Bad Day - Clayface #1 takes on power imbalance culture and the poison that infects the eager, and the desperate. We chat about their own La La Land experiences and whether they took this opportunity as a moment of exorcism. We also dive into Xermánico's insanely rich illustrations fueling the narrative, as well as those evocative colors provided by Romulo Fajardo Jr. How could you not, right? This comic is gorgeous.

Continue this conversation with Collin Kelly by following his Twitter. Track down Jackson Lanzing via his Twitter and Instagram. Most importantly, seek out Batman: One Bad Day - Clayface #1, now available wherever fine comic books are sold.

Don't forget! Check out the latest episode of The B&B Show, Brad's Picks the 10 Most Anticipated Movies of 2023, HERE.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Creator Corner: Joshua Williamson & Jamal Campbell on Superman

Sat, 18 Feb 2023 12:41:24 -0600

Nothing has a greater influence over your life than your thoughts; rather they are negative or positive. This is true for Superman, Lex Luthor, Brad Gullickson, Lisa Gullickson, Joshua Williamson, and Jamal Campbell. On this week's podcast, we chat with the two comic creators about Clark Kent's impact on their lives as well as his impact on the greater DC Comics universe. Their Superman #1 hits comic shops this Tuesday, and with it comes an exciting new take on the character and those that flock around him.

Williamson and Campbell's narrative positions the Clark Kent/Lex Luthor relationship forward without side-stepping those other supporting roles we adore. The first issue actually opens with Pete Ross's influence on a young Clark and examines how that friendship lingers into Superman's adulthood. How these relations shape each other allows us to consider the power friends and strangers have on us, and beautifully, Williamson and Campbell were willing to go there with us.

Our conversation also considers Superman's importance as a cultural icon, and we dig into the difficulty of steering such a symbol. We explore whether there is a romance between Lex Luthor and Clark Kent while teasing out some details as to where Joshua Williamson and Jamal Campbell are possibly pushing their caped crusader. Also, what kind of tunes does Pete Ross place on a mixtape for a young Clark Kent? Williamson has definite opinions. So do we.

Keep up to date on all things Joshua Williamson by following him on Twitter, Instagram, and Substack. Follow Jamal Campbell through his Twitter, Instagram, and Website. Superman #1 from DC Comics arrives on 2/21.

Other Relevant Links:

Don't forget! Check out the latest episode of The B&B Show, Brad's Picks the 10 Most Anticipated Movies of 2023, HERE.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Dan Slott on Silver Surfer & Dawn Greenwood: A CBCC Second Opinion

Fri, 10 Feb 2023 01:14:19 -0600

Hang on! Dan Slott joins Comic Book Couples Counseling for an epic, in-depth conversation about his Silver Surfer run, which he did in collaboration with Mike Allred and Laura Allred. No other comic has had as profound an impact on our relationship as this one, especially when you consider that Dawn Greenwood and Norrin Radd were the inspiration for the podcast. In many ways, we've spent our entire time on this show preparing for the deep-dive chat you're about to hear.

In creator corner conversations, we usually do our best to avoid spoilers. However, this is an intensive exploration of the Slott/Allred Silver Surfer run. We encourage you to read the entire thing before venturing within as we start with the end and work our way backward. We promise you that Dan Slott has never discussed this series in this much detail or from this particular angle.

Slott offers a second opinion on the Dawn & Norrin romance. We throw at him the lessons we learned throughout our five previous Silver Surfer episodes, and he reflects a few ideas and rejects some others. He walks us through his emotions while creating the series, and his dreams for what more he could have said if given a few extra issues. Yes, we discuss several deleted scenes.

A new printing of the Silver Surfer omnibus from Marvel Comics arrives on March 7th. Make some space on your bookshelf, because you don't want to miss out on this one like you did the first one.

Make sure to follow Dan Slott via Twitter and Instagram.

Previous CBCC Silver Surfer Episodes:

Other Relevant Links:

Don't forget! Check out the latest episode of The B&B Show, Brad's Picks the 10 Most Anticipated Movies of 2023, HERE.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

CBCC 88: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles- The Last Ronin

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 22:06:07 -0600

We bring our Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series to a close with the final Turtle story as envisioned thirty years ago by the original TMNT creators, Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. In The Last Ronin, we find the last living Ninja Turtle marching into a Foot Clan-occupied New York City, determined to end the fight that consumed his family. He's beaten, bruised, and maybe a little deluded. After all, the spirits of his three dead brothers haunt his waking world.

As discussed in our Martian Manhunter episode, grief builds a monument in our hearts. His brothers are gone, but their lives still influence the remaining turtle's path. For better and for worse. The Last Ronin exposes a darkness fueling the family's mission and allows us to discuss aspects of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles that our previous episodes denied.

Helping us understand the TMNT familial dynamics is Dawn Huebner, Ph.D., and her book "The Sibling Survival Guide: Surefire Ways to Solve Conflicts, Reduce Rivalry, and Have More Fun with Your Brothers and Sisters, illustrated by Kara McHale.

Comic issues covered in this episode: The Last Ronin 1 - 5, produced by IDW Publishing from October 2020 to April 2022. It's based on a story by Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird, and Tom Waltz, with scripts written by Kevin Eastman and Tom Waltz. The comic is illustrated by Esau Escorza, Isaac Escorza, Ben Bishop, and Kevin Eastman. Layouts by Kevin Eastman. Colors by Luis Antonio Delgado with color assists by Samuel Plata and Ronda Pattison. Letters and design by Shawn Lee.

Previous CBCC TMNT Episodes:

Other Relevant Links:

Don't forget! Check out the latest episode of The B&B Show, Brad's Picks the 10 Best Movies of 2022, HERE.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Creator Corner: Mark Waid, Nicole Maines, & Leah Williams on Lazarus Planet

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 08:29:05 -0600

The latest DC Comics event is here - Lazarus Planet! Spearheaded by Mark Waid and Gene Luen Yang and carried forth by writers like Nicole Maines and Leah Williams, the crossover radically alters DC's science-based and magic-based heroes. Chaos rains, and chaos reigns.

Heroes transformed. Secrets revealed. Powers unleashed. As seen in Batman vs. Robin #4, Lazarus Island has exploded. Dangerous, magical chemicals spread across the globe, catastrophically changing the atmosphere and the heroes who fight below it. The DC Comics Universe will never be the same again. And you will absolutely become a fan of Monkey Prince, Dreamer, and Power Girl if you're not already.

On this week's episode, we're extremely excited (and we do mean extremely) to have Mark Waid back on the show, this time talking about our favorite father/son caped crusaders, Bruce Wayne and Damian Wayne. We break down where various DC characters fall on the magic/science spectrum and where Mark Waid falls too.

We're also thrilled to have Nicole Maines and Leah Williams on the podcast, discussing their contributions to the Lazarus Planet: Assualt on Krypton one-shot. The book establishes a new world order for their characters, Dreamer and Power Girl. Folks who will become increasingly essential in the wake of the Lazarus Island eruption.

Maines and Williams also consider their relationship with science and magic and how it informs their roles as creators. Maines obviously has a unique bond with Dreamer, having performed as her on the CW's Supergirl. We chat about that responsibility and why it's important for her to be the character's caretaker in the comics.

Lazarus Planet: Assault on Krypton is Leah Williams' introduction to DC Comics work. She's positively giddy about pushing Power Girl through the wringer in the upcoming issues of Action Comics, and she assures us that the Kryptonian's journey begins right here with the Lazarus Island fallout. The changes experienced in the one-shot forever mutate our understanding of Power Girl; she's not just a fringe universe Supergirl.

Both Lazarus Planet: Alpha and Lazarus Planet: Assault on Krypton are currently available wherever fine comics are sold. Make sure to follow Mark Waid on Twitter and through his Website. Follow Nicole Maines on Twitter and Instagram. And follow Leah Williams on Twitter and Instagram.

Listen to our previous Mark Waid conversation HERE.

Check out the latest episode of The B&B Show, Brad's Picks for the 10 Best Movies of 2022, HERE.

Don't forget! We're screening Howard the Duck on the big screen at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia. Done in collaboration with the Four Color Fantasies comic book shop. Get your tickets HERE.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Creator Corner: Kelly Thompson and Meredith McClaren on Black Cloak

Sat, 14 Jan 2023 22:36:37 -0600

We like big worlds, and we cannot lie. We like them, even more, when they come packed in extra thick premiere issues. Black Cloak #1 from creators Kelly Thompson and Meredith McClaren is the first event comic of 2023. It presents a massive, fantastical world jammed with magic, mystery, and mermaids. One part procedural, one part political intrigue, all parts pointedly compelling and weird as hell.

After devouring the first three issues, we came away from Black Cloak wickedly captivated and brimming with curiosity. And yes, we had plenty of questions too. Thankfully, Kelly Thompson and Meredith McClaren agreed to come on the show and break them down with us.

In this week's episode, we chat with Thompson and McClaren about the bottled anxiety they've created in their powder keg city, Kiros. We discuss why they structured the book the way they did, why McClaren is as in the dark about the city's future as we are, and why confusion is a mighty weapon in winning over your audience. Also, we consider whether or not Black Cloak's comparisons to Saga are fair or accurate.

Relevant Links to this Week's Discussion:

Black Cloak #1 is currently available from Image Comics. Keep up to date with everything going on in Kiros via Kelly Thompson's Substack. Follow Kely Thompson via Twitter and Instagram. Follow Meredith McClaren on Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Creator Corner: Alex Segura on Blood Oath and The Black Ghost

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 13:50:38 -0600

We can't quit vampires. Just when you think you've seen every mythological iteration, a creator comes along with a new take on the bloodsuckers. Blood Oath by Alex Segura, Rob Hart, and Joe Eisma arrived before our eyeballs at the perfect moment.

The vicious vampire twist that plops our favorite fanged beasts amongst the gangs puppeteering the Prohibition era was the most delightful way for Lisa to extend her current undead obsession, ignited mostly by her recent Twilight re-read. She will not accept any comments on that sparkly infatuation at this time, although we do get into it during this week's opening banter.

The ComiXology original Blood Oath joyfully adds a new element to the seemingly tired monster mash concept. We chat with Alex Segura about what he hoped to accomplish with his take on the creatures. We also discuss why our culture, and most other cultures, can't shake these particular monsters either. Also, how do you like your damnation? With or without God involved?

Of course, Segura is an incredibly busy writer these days, and 2022 proved to be a stupendously successful year for him as well. In addition to Blood Oath, we talk about his vigilante/journalism thriller The Black Ghost and his award-winning new novel, Secret Identity. Look no further if your hustle needs some inspiration.

Blood Oath and The Black Ghost are available from ComiXology, and The Black Ghost's first two trade paperbacks are available from Dark Horse Comics.

Keep track of all those mighty fine Alex Segura stories via his Twitter, Instagram, and Website.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

The Best Comics of 2022 (Part Two)

Fri, 06 Jan 2023 17:00:10 -0600

Determining the Best Comics of 2022 requires more space than the usual Comic Book Couples Counseling conversation. More space and several more voices!

In Part Two of our epic year-end celebration, we invite another cool cadre of guests on the show to name their favorite books from the previous year. Several titles you may expect, but a whole bunch of others should come as a surprise. We're not NPR, we're not IGN. We're the CBCC Podcast!

If you missed last week's selection of great books, click HERE to catch up. With those goodies firmly locked in your brain, let's move to the biggest categories featuring the year's biggest winners. Somewhere below, you'll find the real-deal Best Comic of 2022. Any guesses? You're probably right.

Part Two Timestamps:

Writer of the Year - 12:24
Artist of the Year - 21:58
Best Superhero Comic - 29:51
Scariest Comic - 44:47
Best Digital Release - 53:31
Best Ongoing Series - 1:01:22
Best Original Graphic Novel - 1:12:06
Best Limited Series - 1:23:19

Celebrity Guest Stars:

Dallas (@dallas_comics), Anne (@AnneComics), and Lexi (@lexilou_comics) from The Comics Collective
Jessika (@jessikawitha) and Mike (@vansau) from Ten Cent Takes
Dan Gvozden (@SupSpiderTalk) from Amazing Spider-Talk
Guido (GuiAlexSan) and Rob (@robertribar) from Dear Watchers
Vactor (@Vactor) from Comic Book Kaiju
Adam Reck (@arthurstacy) from Battle of the Atom and ComicsXF
David Brooke (@nosocialize) from AIPT
Kat Calamia (@ComicUno) from Comic Uno
Aaron (@betteractions) and Chris (@chacker41) from The Oblivion Bar

Also, find your nearest Little Free Library HERE.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

The Best Comics of 2022 (Part One)

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 22:49:22 -0600

HAP...PY NEW YEAR! We close out December doing what we love most: rambling about comic books! And this year, we're joined by a bevy of guests who help us recognize the Best Comics of 2022.

We've scurried and scrambled during the last several weeks, racing to read and re-read as many comic books as possible. 2022 was a banner year for the industry, certainly in terms of quality. Narrowing our two-part end-of-the-year extravaganza down to a few handfuls of books proved nearly impossible. Thankfully, our celebrity callers, springing from the best podcasts and websites, were eager to jump in and champion the comics we missed out on.

In Part One of our Best Comics of 2022 episode, we finally decided on a moniker for our Comic Book Couples Counseling awards. We won't spoil it here, but we hope you're as happy with it as we are. We kick off the festivities commemorating the year's best cat comic before diving into some brilliant nonfiction work, then some single-issue celebration, and finally closing out our show with the best All-Ages and Young Adult graphic novels.

Part One Category Timestamps:

Best Cat Comic - 8:07
Best Memoir - 17:10
Best First Issue - 27:03
Best Single Issue - 36:12
Best All-Ages Comic - 44:41
Best Young Adult Comic - 56:34

Celebrity Guest Stars:

Nathan Simmons (@whatastorynate) from AIPT
Badr Milligan (@TheShortBoxJax) from The Short Box: A Comic Talk Show
Chris and Lance (@CBKast) from The Comic Book Keepers
Zack Quaintance (@ComicsBookcase) from The Beat
Christian Holub (@cmholub) from Entertainment Weekly
Jamie Garner (@jamiegeeksout) from For Everyone Media

Remember, this episode is only Part One of our Best Comics of 2022. Return next for Part Two, featuring an even weirder and wilder collection of comics. Plus, more celebrity appearances!

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Creator Corner: Alisa Kwitney on G.I.L.T.

Fri, 23 Dec 2022 23:34:08 -0600

Close your eyes. Picture the longest strand of regret dangling in your memory. Want to clip it? What would your life be like if you could go back in time and fix that one annoying problem?

In G.I.L.T. (the Guild of Independent Lady Temporalists), writer Alisa Kwitney proposes the possibility for at least one woman to repair her calamitous history and, in the process, drop an unwitting sidekick into the tricky solution as well. The acerbic science fiction adventure from Ahoy Comics is one of the most delightful books of the year. G.I.L.T. triggers passionate conversation between us, and we were honored to have Kwitney on the show to break down our feelings regarding her characters and our own wobbly past. As always, we get vulnerable. Just in time for New Year's!

Done in collaboration with the artist Mauricet, G.I.L.T. challenges societal notions of shame, guilt, and happily ever after. Kwitney tells us how her heroines, Hildy and Trista, allowed her to look backward and inward. The sci-fi engine operates as a cathartic excavation, offering relief to her and a willing reader.

Do we also talk The Sandman? Well, we couldn't have a former Sandman assistant editor on the show and not dish a little about our pal Morpheus. Make sure you stick to the end for that giddy bit of FMK.

Most importantly, seek out G.I.L.T. from Ahoy Comics, available wherever the finest graphic novels are sold. Follow Alisa Kwitney via her Twitter and Website.

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Creator Corner: Chris Condon & Jacob Phillips on That Texas Blood

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 17:39:28 -0600

'Twas the week before Christmas when all through the house, not a creature was stirring - EXCEPT Two-Gun Khamen, the rootinest, tootinest cowboy mummy this side of the Pecos. This week, we're dipping into young Billy Coates' wild imagination as he regales his folks with a rip-roaring adventure saga, which serves as the backbone for That Texas Blood #20, the second twisted Christmas Special from comic creators Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips.

Billy's strange tale is a most excellent jumping-on point for new readers but also operates as a sweet epilogue for those who survived That Texas Blood's most recent arc involving the nightmarish Red Queen Killer (RQK). Within the holiday one-shot, we see what Sheriff Joe Bob Coates is fighting for month after month, terror after terror. There's something wicked flowing through Ambrose County, and he's the last line of defense.

We're stoked to have Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips on the show this week, psyching us up for the Christmas season while also spilling the hot goss from our favorite Texas county. We begin our conversation with the function of Christmas Specials and how this latest one fits neatly as a climax to the RQK narrative. We consider That Texas Blood's future as well as its past, the evolution of Joe Bob Coates, and the mythological power that its titular state holds on all of us.

That Texas Blood remains one of our most obsessive reads. Whenever the latest issue drops, we have to fight each other over who gets to consume it first. Condon and Phillips have crafted an addictive thriller stuffed with numerous compelling relationships that get our blood pumping something hot.

You can continue this chat with the That Texas Blood creators by following Chris Condon on Twitter and Instagram, and following Jacob Phillips on Twitter and Instagram. That Texas Blood #20 is now available from Image Comics, as are the first two trade paperbacks. The third storyline, involving the RQK, is currently available as single issues, and the trade will release on 1/24/23.

Other Relevant Links:

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

CBCC 87: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Archie Comics

Sun, 04 Dec 2022 23:47:58 -0600

When the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon erupted in popularity, Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird required a comic book that kids could flock toward, which could not be their original hyper-violent Mirage Studios series. In 1988, they partnered with the industry's most wholesome brand, Archie Comics, launching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures.

The second TMNT comic series began with strict adaptations of the cartoon but quickly swerved down far weirder avenues. Under the guidance of Ryan Brown and Stephen Murphy (aka Dean Clarrain), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures tackled prescient environmental issues while testing the boundaries of what's acceptable as "all-ages" entertainment.

In this week's episode, we jump into the far future, where the four brothers are no longer teenagers but Cyber Samurai Ninja Turtles! The Shredder poses no threat. Instead, the brothers must face off against Verminator-X, Craniac, and the disembodied brain of history's most wretched dictator.

The "Dreamland" storyline in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures reveals a family unit operating at peak form, but when danger reaches a crescendo, two brothers will be tested. Our heroes have aged, but they still fall into the same roles we've come to expect.

The question becomes, are we forever shackled to the sibling roles we took on as children? Can our relationships with others break us free from deep-seated family tension?

Comic issues covered in this episode: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures issues 62 - 66, published by Archie Comics between November 1994 and March 1995. These comics were written by Stephen Murphy and Chris Allan, penciled by Chris Allan and Gray Morrow, inked by Brian Thomas and Jon D’agostino, colored by Barry Grossman, and lettered by Gary Fields.

Relevant Links:

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Creator Corner: Alex Ross on Fantastic Four: Full Circle

Thu, 24 Nov 2022 08:42:36 -0600

We've waited a long time for this one, but maybe not as long as our guest spent percolating on his subject. Alex Ross exhausted years thinking and rethinking the Fantastic Four. He desired a graphic reinterpretation of the characters that launched the Marvel Comics universe. A new coat of paint that would highlight what was so incredible about the sixties space race characters without tethering them to basic nostalgia.

Fantastic Four: Full Circle spins directly from Jack Kirby and Stan Lee's iconic run, picking up story threads long dismissed by everyone except Alex Ross. The story resurrects a few old villains, plunging the team into the Negative Zone. The story works as a celebration and a blueprint for other creators to follow if they choose.

We're ecstatic to have Ross on the podcast this week, digging into why he was compelled to shepherd Full Circle into reality. Blissfully, this conversation also works as a second opinion to our own CBCC sessions on Reed and Sue from last year. Like us, Ross has strong opinions about their romance and how they should interact as a couple. He's the biggest Fantastic Four fan of them all.

Kevin Feige, do you have your copy yet?

Fantastic Four: Full Circle is the first treasury-sized book in the new MarvelArts line, a unique collaboration between Marvel Comics and Abrams ComicArts. Find it wherever rad comics are sold, or just click HERE.

You can find Alex Ross on his Website, Twitter, and Instagram.

Other Relevant Links:

And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-Star Review on Apple Podcasts.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.