Episode 154 – The Incredible Hulk: Future Imperfect

Posted on February 2, 2022 by Kevin Moreau

(Content warning: Sexual assault)

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

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

Can Future Imperfect overcome outdated future slang and some rather problematic elements to leap feet-first into that shining citadel of post-apocalyptic periodicals known as … The Comics Canon?

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

Posted on January 19, 2022 by Kevin Moreau

(Content warning: Sexual assault)

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

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

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

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Episode 152 – Far Sector

Posted on January 5, 2022 by Kevin Moreau

In N.K. Jemisin and Jamal Campbell’s Far Sector (from DC Comics’ Young Animal imprint), Green Lantern Sojourner “Jo” Mullein is assigned to the City Enduring, a sprawling megalopolis of some 20 billion souls at the far end of space, where she becomes embroiled in a twisty plot involving politics, corruption and murder.

Can this timely sci-fi thriller, with its scenes of voter suppression and peace officers firing on protestors, blast off to that galaxy far, far away known as … The Comics Canon?

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Episode 151 – Green Lantern: Agent Orange and the Larfleeze Christmas Special

Posted on December 22, 2021 by Kevin Moreau

Larfleeze Navidad! Just in time for the holidays, we unwrap not one but TWO tales featuring everyone’s … favorite? … DC Comics ring-slinger, Larfleeze, with a look at Green Lantern Vol 4 #39-42 and Green Lantern: Larfleeze Christmas Special!

First, Hal Jordan struggles to wield the blue light of hope as he and the rest of the space cops in the Green Lantern Corps face off against the menacing (and somewhat comical) Larfleeze, wielder of the orange light of greed!

Next, in a lighthearted change of pace, Larfleeze seeks vengeance on Santa Claus when the jolly old elf skips his house on Dec. 25!

Can Hal Jordan unlock the sinister secret of his avaricious new adversary—and teach him the true meaning of Christmas?

And can these salmon-tinged stocking stuffers find their way under the tree of graphic goodness known as … The Comics Canon?

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Canonical Conversations: All of the Marvels With Douglas Wolk

Posted on December 8, 2021 by Kevin Moreau

Author and podcaster Douglas Wolk (Reading Comics; Voice of Latveria) joins us to discuss his excellent new book, All of the Marvels, which examines the Marvel Universe as one single connected narrative that unfolds over six decades and 27,000+ issues.

We also look at a pivotal moment in Marvel Comics history from three different vantage points: Avengers (1963) #16, Thunderbolts (1997) #9 and Avengers (2016) #1.1!

 

 

Issues Addressed in This Episode:

  • The surprising central character of the Marvel Universe
  • The Life of Reilly
  • The prescience (and odd timing) of Dark Reign
  • How will we look back on the comics of 2021?
  • New Avengers Vol. 6: Revolution
  • Radioactive Man comics
  • The French Dispatch
  • House to Astonish and The Lightning Round
  • The Marvels by Kurt Busiek and Yildiray Cinar
  • Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons #1

Join us in two weeks as we ring in the holiday season with … wait, this can’t be right, can it? What’s that? It is? Okay. Join us in two weeks as we ring in the holiday season with Green Lantern: Larfleeze Christmas Special #1 and Green Lantern: Agent Orange!

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

And as always, thanks for listening!

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One-Shot: The Quizzical Canonical!

Posted on December 1, 2021 by Kevin Moreau

In an exclusive deleted scene from last week’s Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? discussion, Curt surprises Kevin with a pop quiz covering the first 150 episodes of The Comics Canon!

 

 

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Episode 150 – Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?

Posted on November 24, 2021 by Kevin Moreau

In 1986, after decades of sneering supervillains, mad scientists and interplanetary despots, the Man of Steel was finally confronted with a foe even he couldn’t defeat—an editorially mandated reboot!

But before he could fly off into the post-Crisis on Infinite Earths sunset, he’d have to deal with deadly new versions of some of his classic foes in the two-part farewell Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?, courtesy of superstar writer Alan Moore, quintessential Superman artist Curt Swan and legendary editor Julius Schwartz! (Content warning: Things get a bit dark.)

And as if that weren’t enough story for our landmark 150th episode, we also crack open The Superman Super-Spectacular from 1963’s Action Comics #309, featuring a guest appearance by none other than President John F. Kennedy!

Can 60s Superman protect his secret identity from Lois Lane and Lana Lang for the umpteenth time? Can 80s Superman protect his friends—and himself—when his rogues gallery gets a lethal upgrade? And can these stories survive a trip to that Bottle City of Comic-Book Candor known as … The Comics Canon?

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Episode 149 – Spider-Man: One More Day

Posted on November 10, 2021 by Kevin Moreau

In anticipation of the eagerly awaited Spider-Man: No Way Home, we look back at one of the most universally reviled stories in comics history: 2007’s Spider-Man: One More Day by J. Michael Straczynski and Joe Quesada, published by Marvel Comics!

Quesada, then Marvel’s editor in chief, wanted to reset everyone’s favorite wisecracking wall-crawler and magically undo his longstanding marriage to Mary Jane Watson. So of course what better way to return Spidey to his roots than to … shoot Aunt May and have ol’ web-head make a deal with the devil??!

Can this poorly conceived, editorially mandated event possibly be as bad as its reputation? Or can it somehow rise above its bad rap and swing its way into that Brand New Day known as … The Comics Canon?

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Episode 148 – Tales From the Crypt

Posted on October 27, 2021 by Kevin Moreau

(Content warning: Lots of people get buried alive.)

Greetings, boos and ghouls! Gather ’round the campfire as the Curtkeeper and Kevin From the Black Lagoon wrap up The Tomb of the Crypt, their miniseries on horror comics, with a handpicked selection of spooky stories from EC Comics’ Tales From the Crypt!

Join us as we dig up The Curse of the Full Moon, The Maestro’s Hand, Ghost Ship, The Hungry Grave, A Fatal Caper, A Shocking Way to Die, and The Thing From the Grave, from The EC Archives: Tales From the Crypt Vol. 1, published by Dark Horse Comics!

How scary are these stories, really? And do they belong in that Vault of Horror known as … The Comics Canon?

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Episode 147 – Swamp Thing: Love and Death

Posted on October 13, 2021 by Kevin Moreau

(Content warning: This story contains references to rape by deception and incest.)

Our horror-comics miniseries The Tomb of the Crypt continues with Swamp Thing: Love and Death—specifically, Swamp Thing Vol. 2 issues #29-31 and Swamp Thing Annual #2 by Alan Moore, Stephen Bissette, John Totleben and others, published by DC Comics!

Swamp Thing’s nemesis, the evil scientist/warlock Anton Arcane, returns from the dead in one of the most horrific revelations in mainstream superhero comics—making 1984’s Swamp Thing #29 the first mainstream comic not to carry the seal of the Comics Code Authority since the 1950s!

Eager for revenge against our muck-encrusted hero, Arcane unleashes a cadre of undead serial killers upon Southeast Louisiana, and casts his own niece—Swamp Thing’s friend and not-so-secret crush Abigail Arcane—down into the depths of Hell itself!

Can Swamp Thing prevail against the hordes of Hell and rescue the woman he loves from eternal damnation? And will this chilling slice of contemporary horror fantasy take root in that Garden of Earthly Delights known as … The Comics Canon?

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