Quizzical Canonical 6: Bring on the Good/Bad Guys!

Posted on January 1, 2025 by Kevin Moreau

You read that right – it’s time for another installment of our recurring comics-themed quiz! As we briefly pause our miniseries on Marvel Comics’ Thunderbolts, Kevin grills Curt with a series of questions loosely related to the theme of comics villains turned heroes!

We’ll be back in two weeks with a look at one of the best-reviewed graphic novels of 2024, Charles Burns’ Final Cut! Then on Jan. 29 we return to the Thunderbolts with a look at 2007’s Faith in Monsters arc by Warren Ellis and Mike Deodato!

 

 

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Episode 223: Thunderbolts – Justice, Like Lightning …

Posted on December 18, 2024 by Kevin Moreau

THE WAIT IS OVER! Our decade-by-decade series on Marvel Comics’ Thunderbolts continues as we finally discuss Thunderbolts (1997) issues #1-4 and the Thunderbolts 97 Annual, by Kurt Busiek, Mark Bagley, Vince Russell and a host of others!

In the aftermath of the deadly Onslaught event (hey, you guys remember Onslaught?), the world is shaken by the apparent deaths of the Avengers and the Fantastic Four! But there’s a new superhero team in town … the Thunderbolts!

 

Who are these mysterious do-gooders? What’s their connection to Baron Zemo and his Masters of Evil? (Hmmmm…) And can the Marvel Universe’s newest heroes face down the mind-boggling menace of that Wrecking Crew known as … The Comics Canon?

In This Episode:

  • What we talk about when we talk about the 90s
  • Who will protect us from Blastaar, the Living Bomb Burst???
  • Bada bing! It’s the Rat Pack, baby!
  • How to Baby by Liana Fink
  • Creature Commandos on Max
  • The Lightning Round podcast

Join us in two weeks as ring in 2025 with a fun mini-episode! Then, on Jan. 15, we discuss one of the best-reviewed books of 2024 (probably Final Cut by Charles Burns) before returning to the Thunderbolts on Jan. 29 with the Civil War-adjacent tale Faith in Monsters, by Warren Ellis and Mike Deodato!

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

And as always, thanks for listening!

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Episode 222: The Avengers – Under Siege

Posted on December 4, 2024 by Kevin Moreau

In this episode, our-decade-by-decade series on Marvel’s Thunderbolts continues as we discuss The Avengers: Under Siege – specifically, The Avengers #273-277 by Roger Stern and John Buscema!

Helmut Zemo, the son of one of Captain America’s greatest enemies, and a waaay-overstuffed Masters of Evil take over Avengers Mansion and begin systematically taking down Earth’s Mightiest Heroes! Hercules, the Prince of Power, lies at death’s door! Monica Rambeau, the new Captain Marvel, is trapped in the Darkforce Dimension! And the Black Knight … is taken out rather easily.

This action-packed epic has it all: Squabbling supervillains! A quick stopover in Paris! Tons of property damage! And a galaxy of guest stars including Ant-Man! Paladin! The Shroud! And Doctor Druid! But is all of that enough to mount a hostile takeover of that impregnable fortress known as … The Comics Canon?

Recommended in This Episode:

  • Fantastic Four #177: “Look Out for the Frightful Four!”
  • Star Trek: First Contact
  • The Suicide Squad

Next episode: At long last! We discuss Thunderbolts: Justice, Like Lightning…! featuring Thunderbolts (1997) #1-6! WHO are the Thunderbolts? And WHAT is their connection to the Masters of Evil? ALL WILL BE REVEALED!

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

And as always, thanks for listening!

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Episode 221: Captain America and the Falcon – Secret Empire and The Coming of Nomad

Posted on November 20, 2024 by Kevin Moreau

In this episode, our-decade-by-decade series on the Thunderbolts intersects with one of the biggest political scandals of all time as we discuss Secret Empire and the short-lived career of Nomad, as brought to us by Steve Englehart, Sal Buscema and Frank Robbins, published by Marvel Comics!

First, the shadow of Watergate looms large over Captain America and the Falcon #174-176, as the Sentinel of Liberty and his partner-in-crimefighting take on the sinister Secret Empire, leading to a shocking moment that changes Cap’s life forever!

… or at least for a few issues, as Steve Rogers adopts a new identity as the blandly generic Nomad is issues 180-183!

These issues have everything: The X-Men! S.H.I.E.L.D.! The Sub-Mariner! The Serpent Squad! A cameo by the Red Skull! And the surprise guest appearance of 1974! But is all of that enough to earn membership in that clandestine cabal known as … The Comics Canon?

In This Episode:

  • Wheel! Of! MUTANTS!
  • A few words about Frank Robbins
  • What is up with the Gamecock?
  • What’s Redwing’s favorite music genre?
  • The Bog Wife
  • Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles

Join us in two weeks as we discuss Avengers: Under Siege!

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

And as always, thanks for listening!

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Episode 220: The Avengers vs. the Masters of Evil

Posted on November 7, 2024 by Kevin Moreau

In this episode, we kick off a decades-spanning series focusing on the hot new superhero team of 1997: the Thunderbolts! And we begin with some early Avengers issues introducing Captain America’s arch-nemesis Baron Zemo and his Masters of Evil!

But first, we begin with Avengers #4, in which the Sentinel of Liberty himself is fished out of the North Sea and joins the Marvel Universe!

Then it’s on to Avengers #6, in which Baron Zemo enlists the Black Knight, the Mysterious Melter and Radioactive Man in the inaugural lineup of the Masters of Evil, a team of supervillains that might have some role to play in the formation of the Thunderbolts some 30+ years later!

In Avengers #7, Zemo is joined by a pair of Asgardians, the Enchantress and the Executioner—who, in Avengers #9, hatch a scheme that involves the debut of future Avengers mainstay Wonder Man!

Will this concept of a villain who turns into a hero have some bearing on the Thunderbolts? Is Avengers #6 the silliest comic we’ve ever discussed on this podcast? And can these pulse-pounding issues pass muster with that eternally youthful Middle-Aged Brigade known as … The Comics Canon?

In This Episode: Continue reading →

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Venom: The Last Dance Review: Tom Hardy’s Dual Role Still Steals the Show

Posted on October 24, 2024 by Kevin Moreau

Review by Curt Holman

How popular is Spider-Man? So popular that Sony Pictures has a franchise of live-action films of Spider-man characters, but the web-slinger himself is never seen or mentioned.

The Venom movies are the best of the lot, but that’s not a proud accomplishment: By the standards of Morbius and Madame Web, the bar is so low it may as well be part of the flooring. Nevertheless, in 2018 the first Venom earned more than $850 million worldwide and cast Tom Hardy as both hapless reporter Eddie Brock and the rumbling voice of the titular alien symbiote. Continue reading →

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Canonical Conversations: Marvel Monster Mash (With Marvel by the Month)

Posted on October 23, 2024 by Kevin Moreau

In this episode, we relax our usual format a bit as Bryan Stratton, Robb Milne and Jamie Wenger from the Marvel by the Month podcast join us to discuss (and assign ratings to) some iconic — and less-than-iconic — Jack Kirby monsters from before Marvel’s superhero era!

Monsters discussed in this episode:

  • Diablo, the Demon From the Fifth Dimension! (Tales of Suspense #9, 1959)
  • Taboo, the Thing From the Murky Swamp! (Strange Tales #75, 1960)
  • Groot, the Monster From Planet X! (Tales to Astonish #13, 1960)
  • Xemnu, the Living Hulk! (Journey Into Mystery #62, 1960)
  • The Blip! (Tales to Astonish #15, 1961)
  • Goom, the Thing From Planet X! (Tales of Suspense #15, 1960)
  • Googam, Son of Goom! (Tales of Suspense #17, 1961)
  • Fin Fang Foom! (Strange Tales #89, 1961)

Recommended in this episode:

  • The Ultimates
  • The Atlas Comics Library No. 1: Adventures Into Terror Vol. 1
  • The Shadow Over Innsmouth by Gou Tanabe
  • The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
  • Dracula Vol. 1: The Impaler by Matt Wagner and Kelley Jones

Join us in two weeks as we look ahead to next year’s Thunderbolts movie with the beginning of a series of episodes exploring the origins of the Thunderbolts and the Masters of Evil through the decades, beginning with Baron Zemo in Avengers #4, 6, 7 and 9!

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Episode 219: Chainsaw Man

Posted on October 9, 2024 by Kevin Moreau

In this episode, we kick off a month of horror-themed comics with a look at Tatsuki Fujimoto’s incredibly popular manga Chainsaw Man, a fresh and creative mixture of body horror, supernatural devil creatures, superhero-adjacent action and 80s boob comedy!

In these chapters from Chainsaw Man volumes 1 and 2, we meet Denji, a down-on-his-luck teen whose body fuses with Pochita, a devil in the form of an adorable dog with a chainsaw sticking out from its head. Denji gains the ability to sprout chainsaws from his arms and face, and is soon conscripted by pretty Makima into a government devil-hunting agency and partnered with Power, a brash and uncontrollable blood fiend. But all he really wants is … to touch some boobs!

Can the not-too-bright Denji triumph over the fearsome Bat Devil and the creepy Leech Devil, not to mention his mentor Aki? Will he wise up and realize that Makima seems to be bad news? And can he join the hallowed ranks of those Devil’s Advocates known as … The Comics Canon?

In This Episode: Continue reading →

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Episode 218: The Joker Episode

Posted on September 25, 2024 by Kevin Moreau

With Joker: Folie à Deux rolling into theaters next, the time seems right to dive into Batman’s most famous nemesis, the Joker, with a trio of stories highlighting different, pre-Dark Knight Returns iterations of the Clown Prince of Crime!

First up is “The Man Who Wrote the Joker’s Jokes” from 1951’s Batman #67, in which everyone’s favorite mass murderer seeks a gag writer!

Then, in 1976’s The Joker #7, a scientific accident gifts the Joker with Lex Luthor’s intellect, and Luthor with the Joker’s madness!

Last but not least, we switch gears with 1978’s “The Laughing Fish” and “Sign of the Joker,” from Detective Comics #475-476, featuring one of the Ace of Knaves’ most bizarre schemes yet!

Can the Grand Mogul of Mountebanks win the day against Batman, Lex Luthor, and the Gotham City Copyright Commission? And do these stories have what it takes to win over the crowd at that Ha-Hacienda known as … The Comics Canon?

In This Episode: Continue reading →

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Episode 217: Will Eisner’s The Spirit

Posted on September 11, 2024 by Kevin Moreau

In this episode, we take a long-overdue look at one of the most acclaimed crimefighters in comics history, Will Eisner’s The Spirit!

Published in its own special insert in Sunday newspapers in the 1940s and early 50s, The Spirit featured seven- and eight-page stories about a masked hero in a suit and tie who helped the police of Central City fight criminal masterminds, underworld figures and slinky femmes fatales. Initially influenced by the pulps, The Spirit soon became known for short stories that showcased Eisner’s genre-defying imagination and visual invention—stories in which the Spirit himself often wasn’t even the main character!

Starting with the 1940’s “The Origin of the Spirit,” we dive into eight tales that demonstrate the wide range of this influential comic. But does The Spirit have what it takes to kick back in that tastefully appointed crypt known as … The Comics Canon?

In This Episode: Continue reading →

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