Critiquing Comics #237: "Detective Perez: Autotropolis" and "Griz Grobus"
Release Date: 06/19/2024
#325 Alan Moore’s “Swamp Thing”
Deconstructing Comics
FLASHBACK! Due perhaps to the passage of time, poorly handled reprinting by DC, or some other reason, Alan Moore’s writing stint on Swamp Thing in the 1980s does not seem to get mentioned much today. Which is a shame, because it ranks with Moore’s best work. And the art by Stephen Bissette and John Totleben (and able fill-in artists) is worth the price of admission by itself, not to mention Tatjana Wood’s colors. Tim and Kumar had a blast reading the early issues of the run (#21-37) and are here to share the experience with you. (Originally published July 16, 2012.) Brought to you...
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#869 Jack Kirby's Black Panther #1-2: A Ribbit-ing Time Travel Story
Deconstructing Comics
We begin our look at Jack Kirby's Black Panther series from the 1970s, introducing a new Kirby character who's a bit too similar to one who first appeared in Captain America! Panther has somehow gotten mixed up in the search for the mate to King Solomon's Frog, an oddball time travel device. The mate is used to return people to their proper point in time. Tim and Emmet discuss the first two issues of the run and how Kirby's Panther dialog just doesn't seem quite right to the modern Marvel reader. Brought to you by:
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#868 "The Pass": Are you living the dream, or is the dream killing you?
Deconstructing Comics
Sometimes, achieving your dream can be kind of a nightmare, even though it's also rewarding. Claudia, in 's latest graphic novel The Pass, has started her own restaurant and enjoys creating in the kitchen, but everything else that goes with it wears her down. The book gives us a peek at the ups and downs of running a restaurant and the relationships that form behind the scenes. Tim and Emmet review. Brought to you by:
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#867 "Goodnight, Punpun"
Deconstructing Comics
Inio Asano's Goodnight Punpun gives us what appear to be a family of ghostly birds living in a much more realistic-looking world. People within that world don't see them that way, though. It's a world where authority figures act like ADHD kids, where every parent seems to be abusive or alcoholic (or both), and all seem to be fighting relentless depression. It's well done, but is it worth reading? Tim and Kumar discuss the story, the weirdness, the varying concepts of God, Asano's arguments with fans and with himself, and more. Brought to you by:
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#866 Fantastic Four 53: Black Panther meets Klaw
Deconstructing Comics
After "hunting" the Fantastic Four, the Black Panther reveals that he did it for practice, as he anticipated a battle against his father's killer: Ulysses Klaw. Sure enough, Klaw shows up right on schedule, and the FF help Panther take him down. Tim and Emmet discuss Fantastic Four #53 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby! Brought to you by:
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#865 Harold Buchholz interview: Kids love comics!
Deconstructing Comics
At some point, the idea that some comics should be for adults took over to the extent that it became hard to find good comics for kids. Cartoonist was involved in starting an organization called Kids Love Comics that encourages making comics for kids and does events to hook the kids up with good comics aimed at them. Harold joins Tim this week to talk about that, as well as his involvement in Archie Comics and Mystery Science Theater 3000, and why he mostly sells comics at general events rather than comic cons! Brought to you by:
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#864 Black Panther Debuts
Deconstructing Comics
Sixty years ago, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby presided over the debut of the Black Panther in Fantastic Four #52. The story presents the expectations of the average American for stories about Africa (Jungles! Natives! Africa is a country, right?) and defies those expectations by showing a rich, technologically advanced African nation. This time, Tim and Emmet discuss the Panther's debut. Brought to you by:
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#863 Jimmy Gownley interview
Deconstructing Comics
Jimmy Gownley is the award-winning creator of Amelia Rules, Tanner Rocks, The Dumbest Idea Ever, and more, as well as a co-host of the podcast. This time, he talks with Tim about why the earliest stuff sells the best (never mind how much his art has improved since then), ergonomics, , and, of course, Peanuts! Brought to you by:
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#627 Walt Simonson's "Thor"
Deconstructing Comics
FLASHBACK! One of the most acclaimed Marvel runs of the 1980s was by Walt Simonson on The Mighty Thor. He began writing and drawing it with #337, continued through to #367 (with a quick break in the middle), then gave up art duties but continued writing through #382. This run set aside Dr. Don Blake, focused on mythical threats rather than earthly ones, and injected some humor into what had sometimes been a fairly dry, dour book. Tim and Kumar look back to assess this important run. (Originally published June 26, 2019.) Brought to you by:
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Critiquing Comics #247: "Lovers Quarrel" and "Digital Bardos" #2
Deconstructing Comics
A love triangle. One member feels jilted and goes off the deep end. A gun is involved. Tim and Adam talk about the thriller Lovers Quarrel by Rob Capili, Ikos Karimlan, and Joy Mateo. Meanwhile, Digital Bardos has returned! Hippie "digital god" Darren is selling the people on a technology that puts their minds in endless bliss while their bodies are used for slave labor. It's all the rage, but Darren's own son isn't digging the scene. Tim and Jason discuss the new installment of King Klaus's series. Brought to you by:
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Paul Pate releases his third "Detective Perez" graphic novel, called Autotropolis, a turned-to-eleven detective story that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Tim and Jason find a lot to like and not too terribly much to advise on -- though of course almost any work can still be improved! Right?
Griz Grobus, the latest from Simon Roy, is about a robot advocate for eating your veggies on a planet where humans have settled just in the past few hundred years. It's also about how the spirit of a war god ends up in the body of... well, that would be telling. Tim and Adam discuss whether, in this case, maybe a work can't possibly be improved!
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