The Comics Canon

The Comics Canon is the podcast that renders judgment on the greatest comic book stories of yesterday and today. Each episode, Curt Holman and Kevin Moreau take a critical and completely subjective look at one of the biggest stories and most seminal moments in the medium’s history, as they decide: Does this belong in the pantheon of classic and iconic tales known as … The Comics Canon?

Episode 92 – Fatale Volume 1: Death Chases Me 09/04/2019

Episode 91 – Torso: A True Crime Graphic Novel 08/21/2019

Episode 91 – Torso: A True Crime Graphic Novel In this episode, Crimewave!, our series on gritty crime comics, continues with a fictionalized account of the real, ripped-from-the-1930s-headlines case of the Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run, co-written and “executed” by one of the biggest names in comics before he was one of the biggest names in comics: It’s Torso, by Brian Michael Bendis and Marc Andreyko, originally published by Image Comics! Between 1935 and 1938, a mysterious figure murdered, dismembered and decapitated at least 12 victims in Cleveland, Ohio, preying on the city’s growing transient population. Against the backdrop of a corrupt city reeling from the Great Depression, Cleveland’s new safety director—former “Untouchable” Eliot Ness himself—and a pair of homicide detectives find themselves investigating a new kind of criminal: America’s first serial killer! Can our intrepid and all-too-human protagonists solve this unsolved mystery, or will their quarry prove truly Untouchable? And can Bendis and Andreyko make it into that lineup of killer crime stories known as ... The Comics Canon? On the docket: Spoiler and content warnings Encounter: An Ongoing Online RPG Where Readers Vote on the Story Ways the book differs from actual events Fortune and Glory: A True Hollywood Comic Book Story Brian Michael Bendis’s artwork “It ain’t duck soup!” Who was Gaylord Sundheim? Similarities to Se7en The problem with that ending From Hell What is Torso about? “This Eliot Ness. Who owns him?” The Black Dahlia Scalped Vol. 1: Indian Country Join us in two weeks as Crimewave! continues with a look at Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’ supernatural noir, Fatale! Until then, turn some heads with our snazzy Comics Canon merchandise! And why not accessorize with a little King Krackle from our sponsor at Category 4? Last but not least, don’t be a rat. Rate us on iTunes, send us an email, and hit us up on Twitter or Facebook! We may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening! /episode/index/show/comicscanon/id/10935779

Episode 90 – Richard Stark’s Parker: The Hunter 08/06/2019

Episode 89 – Sin City: The Hard Goodbye 07/24/2019

Episode 89 – Sin City: The Hard Goodbye In this hard-boiled episode, we kick off Crimewave!, a series of episodes on gritty crime comics, complete with its own theme song! And for our money, there ain’t no better way to get things rolling than by jawing about Frank Miller’s bare-knuckled Sin City: The Hard Goodbye, published by Dark Horse Comics, see? Here’s the thing about Basin City—it’s the kinda place where a hulking bruiser like Marv can spend a once-in-a-lifetime night of passion with an angel like Goldie, only to wake up the next morning to find she’s been murdered—and the cops are on their way to take him down for the crime! Can our problematic protagonist prevail against crooked cops, tough-as-nails sex workers, a smirking serial killer, and the most powerful family in Sin City—not to mention his own faulty faculties? And can this black-and-white valentine to noir fiction muscle past the bouncers and make it into that den of iniquity known as ... The Comics Canon? Things Discussed in This Episode: A brief history of crime comics Content warning Frank Miller’s Sin City artwork The women of The Hard Goodbye Lucille gets a raw deal That’s an awful lot of Nancy How to enjoy revenge fantasies Kurt Busiek and the Punisher The Sin City movie Is the “lasting influence” argument a cop-out? Kill or Be Killed Vol. 1-2 Queenpin by Megan Abbott Tumor The Maltese Falcon and The Reelist podcast Join us in two weeks as Crimewave! continues with another highly stylized revenge tale: Richard Stark’s Parker: The Hunter, by Darwyn Cooke! Until then, that’s a very nice coat you’ve got there. But not as nice as our Comics Canon merchandise! And why not accessorize with a little King Krackle from our sponsor at Category 4? Last but not least, do us a solid and rate us on Apple Podcasts, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and we may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening! /episode/index/show/comicscanon/id/10634420

Episode 88 – New Mutants: The Demon Bear Saga 07/10/2019

Episode 88 – New Mutants: The Demon Bear Saga In this episode, our look back at 80s mutant mania continues with The Demon Bear Saga from The New Mutants Vol. 1 #18-20, and the follow-up double-sized story Slumber Party from #21, by Chris Claremont and Bill Sienkiewicz, published by Marvel Comics! Danielle Moonstar, haunted by visions of the monster that killed her parents, summons it to a showdown on the snow-covered grounds of Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. It doesn’t go well. As she lies near death, her fellow students find themselves in the mystical Badlands, the only ones standing between this savagely powerful entity and the rest of the human race! And if and when they finish with the Demon Bear, they’ll face off against the bizarre techno-organic alien known as Warlock! Can the X-Men’s inexperienced junior varsity prevail against these larger-than-life, out-of-this world threats? And can they crash that swingin’ superhero sleepover known as ... The Comics Canon? Things Discussed in This Episode: The New Mutants movie The origin of The New Mutants The artwork of Bill Sienkiewicz Why are the other kids hatin’ on Illyana? The implications of Healer the Morlock Who knew changing two characters’ race would be problematic? Warlock Fear Itself: Wolverine/New Mutants The New Mutants: A Date With the Devil The Immortal Hulk Vol. 1: Or Is He Both? Join us in two weeks as we kick off Crimewave!, a series of episodes on gritty crime comics, with one of the grittiest crime comics of all—Frank Miller’s Sin City: The Hard Goodbye! Until then, trade in those drab yellow-and-back New Mutants uniforms for some snazzy Comics Canon merchandise! And add your own Roberto DaCosta sunspots with King Krackle from our friends at Category 4! Last but not least, please be so kind as to rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and we may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening! /episode/index/show/comicscanon/id/10419695

Episode 87 – Uncanny X-Men: Days of Future Past (With Tedd Walley) 06/24/2019

Episode 87 – Uncanny X-Men: Days of Future Past (With Tedd Walley) In this episode, we welcome Tedd Walley, writer, artist and publisher of Mathilda: The Forces of Evil vs. The Third Grade, as we travel to the distant future of 2013 for a discussion of the landmark X-Men storyline Days of Future Past from Uncanny X-Men #141-142, and finish it off with Demon from #143, by Chris Claremont and John Byrne, published by Marvel Comics! In a dystopian future America ruled by the mutant-hunting Sentinels, Kate Pryde and the few remaining X-Men launch a desperate plan to avert nuclear war! The adult Kate inhabits the mind of her younger self, enlisting the X-Men of 1980 to stop the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants from assassinating Senator Robert Kelly! Then, young Kitty Pryde finds herself alone in the X-Mansion on Christmas Eve when she’s attacked by one of the demonic N’Garai in a cross between Home Alone and Alien! Can the youngest X-Man save the day twice in the span of three issues? And can our misunderstood mutants prevent apocalypse and usher in that better tomorrow known as ... The Comics Canon? Things Discussed in This Episode: Point Blank, on Netflix July 12 The cover of Uncanny X-Men #141 X-Men: Days of Future Past Wolverine: Days of Future Past Rachel Summers What is the Brotherhood’s endgame? How tight is security at the Pentagon, exactly? Kitty Pryde and Chris Claremont’s legacy of strong female characters Our Dark Phoenix and Ed Piskor episodes A Murderer’s Row of 80s comics professionals All-New X-Men: Yesterday’s X-Men The Great Darkness Saga Brian Michael Bendis’s upcoming Legion of Superheroes comic New X-Men: Here Comes Tomorrow Join us in two weeks as we grow tired of wondering whether the New Mutants film will ever see the light of day and dive into another Claremont mutant property from the early 80s with The Demon Bear Saga from New Mutants #18-20! Until then, be the most stylish mutant on your block with our Comics Canon merchandise! And be sure to check out King Krackle from our friends at Category 4! Last but not least, please be so kind as to rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and we may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening! /episode/index/show/comicscanon/id/10275794

Episode 86 – Watchmen Part 4: Issues 10-12 06/12/2019

Episode 86 – Watchmen Part 4: Issues 10-12 In this episode, we temporarily set aside our “clean” rating to wind up our four-part series on Watchmen with a discussion issues #10-12 of the landmark comic-book series written by Alan Moore, drawn by Dave Gibbons, and published by DC Comics! As President Richard Nixon prepares to launch nuclear missiles, Nite Owl and Rorschach discover that the person behind the Comedian’s death and Dr. Manhattan’s self-imposed exile is their former colleague, Adrian Veidt! When they track him to his Antarctic retreat, the “world’s smartest man” shares with them his plan to avert a nuclear apocalypse—presenting them with a horrific moral dilemma! Can these hopelessly outmatched heroes, along with Laurie Juspeczyk and Dr. Manhattan, look on Ozymandias’ works without despairing? Can they prevent Veidt from killing millions of innocent people? And will Curt and Kevin judge this paradigm-shifting 12-issue series worthy of admission into that stronger, loving world known as ... The Comics Canon? Things Discussed in This Episode: “Two riders were approaching ...” Alexander the Great’s dick move The trolley problem The ending of the Watchmen movie Tales of the Black Freighter Kyle Cooper and the opening credits of Se7en Len Wein and The Architects of Fear The lasting influence of Watchmen Before Watchmen and Doomsday Clock Watchmen the TV show Mark Gruenwald’s Squadron Supreme Mary Renault’s Alexander trilogy The Afghan Campaign by Steven Pressfield Our Dark Phoenix Saga episode Join us in two weeks as we observe the recent release of Dark Phoenix with a discussion of (what else?) Uncanny X-Men: Days of Future Past! Until then, why not peruse our new spring line of Comics Canon merchandise? We also invite you to check out King Krackle from our friends at Category 4! Last but not least, please be so kind as to rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and we may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening! /episode/index/show/comicscanon/id/10127487

Episode 85 – Watchmen Part 3: Issues 7-9 05/28/2019

Episode 85 – Watchmen Part 3: Issues 7-9 Like sands through the hourglass, our four-part series on Watchmen continues with a look at issues #7-9 of the groundbreaking comic series written by Alan Moore, drawn by Dave Gibbons, and published by DC Comics! As the world marches closer to the brink of nuclear war, Dan Drieberg and Laurie Juspeczyk become lovers. They also defy the nation’s ban on costumed heroes and rescue the residents of a burning building. Determined to find out who’s killing other masked adventurers, Nite Owl hatches a plan to spring Rorschach from prison, bringing the police to his front door. Just when things couldn’t get any worse, Dr. Manhattan appears and whisks Laurie away to Mars to talk, with the literal fate of the world hanging in the balance! Can Dan and Rorschach avoid being collared by the cops? Can Laurie convince her godlike former boyfriend to save the world? Can any of them survive long enough to make it to that floating crystal palace known as ... The Comics Canon? Things Discussed in This Episode: Spoiler and content warnings The ridiculous sex scene in the Watchmen movie The transformation of Dan Drieberg Is Laurie Juspeczyk a strong character? The Comedian and Silk Spectre: a missed opportunity The relative stakes of Dan and Laurie’s epiphanies Why do characters tack extra phrases onto the ends of sentences? The political cartooning of “Stan Kelly” A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury Kim Stanley Robinson’s Mars Trilogy Department of Corrections Join us in two weeks as our four-part series concludes with a look as issues 10-12! Until then, why not peruse our new spring line of Comics Canon merchandise? We also invite you to check out King Krackle from our friends at Category 4! Last but not least, please be so kind as to rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and we may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening! /episode/index/show/comicscanon/id/9957818

Episode 84 – Watchmen Part 2: Issues 4-6 05/15/2019

Episode 84 – Watchmen Part 2: Issues 4-6 Like clockwork, our four-part gaze into the abyss of Watchmen continues as we analyze the hidden meanings of the inkblots contained in issues #4-6, written by Alan Moore, drawn by Dave Gibbons, published by DC Comics! Alone on Mars, Dr. Manhattan examines his past, jumping back and forth through time as he recalls the accident that gave him his godlike powers. Back on an Earth growing increasingly fearful of atomic conflict, a homeless Laurie Juspeczyk moves in with lovestruck Dan Dreiberg and Adrian Veidt survives an assassination attempt. Meanwhile, the outlaw vigilante Rorschach, framed and arrested for the murder of the former villain Moloch, tells prison psychiatrist Malcolm Long who he is and how he came to be. Can this overmatched analyst shake off the all-consuming darkness of his patient’s pitiless worldview? Can Curt make it through the episode with a sore throat? (Spoiler: Yes!) And can our heroes survive being thrown into that atomic disintegration chamber known as ... The Comics Canon? Things Discussed in This Episode: The Watchmen TV show trailer Manhattan and Rorschach as Superman and Batman analogues Strangeness and charm Chekhov’s time-lock test vault The weird passivity of Dr. Manhattan The fearful symmetry of Fearful Symmetry Hey, that guy carrying the sign! He's ...! The cultural influence of Rorschach The Watchmen Hostess Fruit Pie parody ad Saturday Morning Watchmen The Whimper of Whipped Dogs by Harlan Ellison The Reversible Man by Alan Moore The Death of the Red Mask from Animal Man # 7 Judgment Day and Other Stories: Illustrated by Joe Orlando Join us in two weeks as we march toward Armageddon with a look as issues 7-9! Until then, why not peruse our new spring line of Comics Canon merchandise? We also invite you to check out King Krackle from our friends at Category 4! Last but not least, please be so kind as to rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and we may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening! /episode/index/show/comicscanon/id/9751571

Episode 83 – Watchmen Part 1: Issues 1-3 05/01/2019

Episode 83 – Watchmen Part 1: Issues 1-3 In this episode, Curt and Kevin start the clock, kicking off a four-part exploration of one of the most acclaimed comic book series of all time with a look at Watchmen #1-3, written by Alan Moore, drawn by Dave Gibbons, and published by DC Comics! In an alternate-reality version of 1985, a man named Edward Blake is thrown to his death from his penthouse apartment. Investigating this Manhattan murder mystery, the faceless vigilante known as Rorschach discovers that Blake was once the government-sanctioned crimefighter called the Comedian! Fearing that someone may be targeting former costumed adventurers, Rorschach attempts to warn his onetime allies—Dan “Nite Owl” Dreiberg, Adrian “Ozymandias” Veidt, Laurie Jon “Doctor Manhattan” Osterman and his live-in girlfriend, Laurie “Silk Spectre” Juspeczyk. But Rorschach’s warnings seem far-fetched, until the godlike Doctor Manhattan is accused of causing cancer in his friends and enemies—and abandons Earth for Mars! With America’s atomic protector gone, can President Richard Nixon prevent an impending nuclear conflict? And will our protagonists live long enough to retire to that home for hidebound heroes known as … The Comics Canon? Things Discussed in This Episode: The kid gloves come off! Watchmen’s Charlton Comics roots The signature trope of Watchmen Why is he called The Comedian when he doesn’t tell any jokes? What kind of person would want to become a costumed vigilante? Tales of the Black Freighter: The feel-good book of the year! A surprise menage-a-trois “Threatening man buns” Citizen Kane—the Watchmen of movies! Peter Cannon, Thunderbolt Join us in two weeks as our four-part series continues with a look as issues 4-6! Until then, why not peruse our new spring line of Comics Canon merchandise? We also invite you to check out the King Krackle digital brushes from our friends at Category 4! Last but not least, please be so kind as to rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and we may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening! /episode/index/show/comicscanon/id/9581582

Episode 82 – Batman Origins 04/17/2019

Episode 82 – Batman Origins In this episode, Curt and Kevin mark the 1,000th issue of Detective Comics and the 80th birthday of Batman with a look back at three early milestones in the career of DC Comics’ mega-popular Caped Crusader—beginning with his first appearance (as “The Bat-Man”) in Detective Comics #27 from 1939! From there, it’s on to the world’s best-known origin story from 1939’s Detective Comics #33! And last but not least, since a snarling Dark Knight Detective is only as good as his anarchic arch-enemy, it’s the first appearance of the Joker, from 1940’s Batman #1! Can the World’s Greatest Detective crack the imminently solvable Case of the Chemical Syndicate, overcome the death of his parents, and survive his first encounter against the deadly Clown Prince of Crime? And can he strike terror into the hearts of the superstitious and cowardly gatekeepers of … The Comics Canon? Things Discussed in This Episode: What’s the appropriate gift for an 80th anniversary? Our Dark Knight Returns episode The enduring flexibility of Batman as a character Batman & Bill and the legacy of Bill Finger The cover of Detective Comics #27 “I’m not a doctor, but that’s not how poisons work!” Conrad Veidt in The Man Who Laughs The Silver Age Batwoman Batman: Year One, the animated film The Caped Crusade: Batman and the Rise of Nerd Culture (and our Court of Owls episode) Join us in two weeks as we begin a four-part deep dive into Watchmen with a look at issues 1 through 3! Until then, why not peruse our new spring line of Comics Canon merchandise? We also invite you to check out Mathilda: The Forces of Evil vs. the Third Grade, as well as the King Krackle digital brushes from our friends at Category 4! Last but not least, please be so kind as to rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and we may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening! /episode/index/show/comicscanon/id/9423185

Episode 81 – Hellboy: Seed of Destruction 04/03/2019

Episode 81 – Hellboy: Seed of Destruction In this episode, a week ahead of the April 12 debut of the Hellboy movie, Curt and Kevin awaken ancient spirits to explore the origin of everyone’s favorite wisecracking monster-hunter in 1994’s Hellboy: Seed of Destruction by Mike Mignola and John Byrne, published by Dark Horse Comics! During World War II, the Russian psychic Rasputin conjures an otherdimensional being to help the Nazi war effort, resulting in the appearance of a young demon boy among Allied forces. Nearly 50 years later, that demon, now named Hellboy, is a paranormal investigator looking into the strange death of the man who raised him, Professor Trevor Bruttenholm. The case leads Hellboy (along with colleagues Abe Sapien and Liz Sherman) to a crumbling English manor where he faces hideous frog-men and the tentacled abomination known as the Sadu-Hem! Can our hell-spawned hero stop the mad monk from freeing the demonic Ogdru Jahad and unleashing apocalypse upon the world? And can he scale the mountains of madness to reach that graveyard smash known as … The Comics Canon? Things Discussed in This Episode: The Right Hand of Doom Hellboy and Robotman: Separated at Birth? “Sadu Hem is a big dud!” Ron Perlman's performance and the Guillermo del Toro Hellboy movies The Case of Charles Dexter Ward podcast P. Lovecraft adaptations Mathilda: The Forces of Evil vs. The Third Grade Monkeyman and O’Brien Join us in two weeks as we celebrate the 1000th issue of Detective Comics with a look at two early Batman stories—his first appearance in Detective Comics #27 (1939) and the first appearance of the Joker in Batman #1 (1940)! Until then, don’t forget our snazzy Comics Canon merchandise and the King Krackle digital brushes from our friends at Category 4! Last but not least, please be so kind as to rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and we may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening! /episode/index/show/comicscanon/id/9204548

Episode 80 – The Shazam! Episode 03/20/2019

Episode 80 – The Shazam! Episode In this episode, Curt and Kevin wrap up their series on comics’ Captains Marvel (and prepare for the April 5 release of Shazam!) with a look at the Big Red Cheese himself, the original Captain Marvel, aka Shazam, in 1940’s Whiz Comics #2 and 2007’s Shazam! The Monster Society of Evil, written and drawn by Jeff Smith and published by DC Comics! In Bill Parker and C.C. Beck’s charming origin story, homeless young orphan Billy Batson boards a crazy train to the subterranean lair of an ancient wizard who grants him magical superpowers seconds before dying a gruesome death! That fateful moment set the stage for one of the most popular comics of its day, a kid’s wish-fulfillment epic filled with talking tigers, evil worms, mad scientists, and a whole family of super-powered siblings! Almost 70 years later, Jeff Smith, award-winning creator of Bone, tries his hand at Earth’s Mightiest Mortal, adding elements of Arabic folklore and post-9/11 sociopolitical commentary in a four-part story featuring giant robots, talking alligators, and lots and lots of roaches! Can 1940s Billy Batson and his strapping alter ego stop the evil Dr. Sivana from ridding the world of terrestrial radio? Can their 21st-century counterparts stop him and Mr. Mind from destroying all of humanity? And can they make it into that Rock of Eternity known as … The Comics Canon? Things Discussed in This Episode: What Shazam stands for Shazam’s connection to The Music Man The Seven Deadly Enemies of Man Geoff Johns and Gary Frank’s Shazam! The Power of Shazam! The Monster Society of Evil Our Kingdom Come and Flashpoint episodes A horrible name for a circus act Sivana vs. Phoney Bone JSA: Black Reign The Chronoliths by Robert Charles Wilson Miracleman Astro City #43 and the origin of the Gentleman Join us in two weeks as prepare for the April 12 release of Hellboy with a look at the story that started it all: Hellboy: Seed of Destruction! Until then, don’t forget our snazzy Comics Canon merchandise and the King Krackle digital brushes from our friends at Category 4! Last but not least, please be so kind as to rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and we may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening! /episode/index/show/comicscanon/id/9038765

Episode 79 – Captain Marvel: In Pursuit of Flight 03/06/2019

Episode 79 – Captain Marvel: In Pursuit of Flight In this episode, Curt and Kevin look toward the March 8 debut of Captain Marvel with a look at two key stories featuring Carol Danvers: In Pursuit of Flight (Captain Marvel Vol. 7, #1-6) and 1977’s Ms. Marvel #1, published by Marvel Comics! The former Air Force pilot has come a long way since her first outing as a superhero, which sees her flying into action against the backdrop of the women’s liberation movement to … save bigoted magazine publisher J. Jonah Jameson??! Thirty-five years later, writer Kelly Sue DeConnick charts a new course for Carol Danvers: Now an Avenger and one of the most powerful characters in the Marvel Universe, she finally takes the mantel of the late Captain Marvel, just in time to embark on a high-flying adventure featuring time travel, alien technology and some of the toughest woman pilots to ever take to the skies! Can Ms. Marvel defeat a supervillain with a very phallic appendage? Will Earth’s Mightiest Hero change the course of history … and lose her powers in the process? And has this Top Gun got The Right Stuff to join that elite squadron known as … The Comics Canon? Things Discussed in This Episode: Ms. Marvel’s original costume Avengers #200 Captain Marvel: The Ms. Marvel Years The real-life Mercury 13 Captain Marvel: Higher, Further, Faster, More The Life of Captain Marvel Section Zero 1959 on Kickstarter Join us in two weeks as our series on comics’ various Captains Marvel concludes with a look at the Fawcett/DC Comics hero also known as Shazam! -- as seen in Shazam! The Monster Society of Evil and his origin in Whiz Comics #2. Until then, don’t forget our snazzy Comics Canon merchandise and the King Krackle digital brushes from our friends at Category 4! Last but not least, please be so kind as to rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and we may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening! /episode/index/show/comicscanon/id/8877827

Episode 78 – Captain Marvel: The Thanos War 02/20/2019

Episode 78 – Captain Marvel: The Thanos War In this episode, Curt and Kevin prepare for the March 8 debut of Captain Marvel with the first of two episodes on Marvel Comics characters with that name! First up: the Kree warrior Mar-Vell, as seen in The Thanos War from Captain Marvel Vol. 1, #27-33! This Captain Marvel was an alien soldier who became a superheroic protector of Earth in order to capitalize on a lapsed trademark. In these issues from 1973 and 74, writer and artist Jim Starlin made the character more than just a savvy bit of brand management, tapping into the counterculture of the era to give him the power of “cosmic awareness,” injecting his adventures with psychedelic flair—and introducing the world to the galactic menace of Thanos! With the aid of professional sidekick Rick Jones and the mighty Avengers, does our groovy galactic guardian have what it takes to defeat an insane god? And can he survive the long, strange trip to that state of higher consciousness known as … The Comics Canon? Things Discussed in This Episode: The complicated history of the name “Captain Marvel” Similarities to Jack Kirby’s Fourth World Why does Rick Jones have an Avengers ID? Mar-Vell’s secret affair with an Avenger! The Time-Mind Sync-Warp! Thanos gets psychedelic, man! The Infinity Gauntlet Deadly Class The Death of Captain Marvel Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From the First Psychedelic Era, 1965-1968 Join us in two weeks as our series on the Captains Marvel continues with a look at Carol Danvers in Ms. Marvel #1 (1977) and Captain Marvel: In Pursuit of Flight! Until then, don’t forget our snazzy Comics Canon merchandise and the King Krackle digital brushes from our friends at Category 4! Last but not least, please be so kind as to rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and we may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening! /episode/index/show/comicscanon/id/8695154

Episode 77 – The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite 02/06/2019

Episode 77 – The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite In this episode, Curt and Kevin prepare for the Feb. 15 debut of The Umbrella Academy on Netflix with a look at The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite by Gerard Way and Gabriel Bá, published by Dark Horse Comics! Brimming with inventive energy, this engaging miniseries follows a group of extraordinary children—each born to women showing no signs of pregnancy on the same night—adopted by inventor Sir Reginald Hargreeves, who grooms them to save the world. Decades later, these superpowered siblings, each haunted by physical or emotional traumas, come back together to bury their distant, demanding “father.” But they’re soon thrust into action against an old foe, as well as one of their own: their sister Vanya, now leader of an orchestra of madmen and murderesses bent on destroying the world! Can this fractured family overcome their conflicting feelings for each other in time to avert Armageddon? And can they matriculate into that institution of higher learning known as … The Comics Canon? Things Discussed in This Episode: Spoiler warning Curt’s mini-review of Aquaman Collider’s Allison Keene likes Netflix’s Umbrella Academy The Feb. 15 debut of Doom Patrol on DC Universe Darth Plageuis the Wise Grimjack Doom Patrol: Crawling From the Wreckage Runaways: Find Your Way Home and Best Friends Forever Doom Patrol: Brick by Brick Murder Falcon Tenacious D: The Metal Join us in two weeks as we begin preparations for the March 8 debut of Captain Marvel with a look at the first Marvel Comics avenger to go by that name—specifically, Captain Marvel (1968) #27-33 by Jim Starlin! Until then, don’t forget our snazzy Comics Canon merchandise and the Benoda! series of typefaces by our friends at Category 4! Last but not least, please be so kind as to rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and we may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening! /episode/index/show/comicscanon/id/8523182

Episode 76 – Mister Miracle (2017) 01/23/2019

Episode 75 – Nancy and xkcd 01/09/2019

Episode 75 – Nancy and xkcd In this episode, Curt and Kevin take a break from graphic novels and caped crusaders for a look at two clever, contemporary comic strips … the webcomic xkcd and cartoonist Olivia Jaimes’ take on the newspaper comic strip Nancy! Created by Ernie Bushmiller, the original Nancy was hailed as a pinnacle of comic-strip architecture. When the pseudonymous Olivia Jaimes took the reins in April of last year, she gave it a fresh sensibility that has revitalized the 80-year-old strip and drawn rave reviews. Created by Randall Munroe in 2005, xkcd alternates between sharply observant gags, complex commentaries on “romance, sarcasm, math, and language,” and ambitious projects that redefine the parameters of what a comic strip can do in the 2st century. Can these very different yet similarly smart examples of the form help revive interest in the ailing comic strip? And can they find themselves circulating in that firmament of the funny pages known as … The Comics Canon? Things Discussed in This Episode: How to Read Nancy Scott McCloud’s 5-Card Nancy The Coyote Gospel “Sluggo is Lit” memes Vulture’s interview with Olivia Jaimes Click and Drag and Time Should we expand the concept of The Comics Canon? Francesco Marciuliano and Medium Large Got any great webcomics to recommend? Spectacle Vol. 1 by Megan Rose Gedris The Reply All podcast Dungeons and Dragons Art and Arcana: A Visual History Join us in two weeks as we return to more familiar superheroic territory – or do we? – with a look at Tom King and Mitch Gerads’ Mister Miracle! Until then, don’t forget our snazzy Comics Canon merchandise and the Benoda! series of typefaces by our friends at Category 4! Last but not least, please be so kind as to rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and we may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening! /episode/index/show/comicscanon/id/8184833

Episode 74 – The Death of Stalin 12/26/2018

Canonical Conversations: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse With VOX ATL 12/19/2018

Episode 73 – I Guess We’ll Do an Aquaman Episode ... 12/05/2018

Episode 72 – Persepolis Vol. 1: The Story of a Childhood 11/21/2018

Episode 71 – The Arrival 11/06/2018

Episode 70 – The Sandman: Preludes & Nocturnes 10/24/2018

Episode 69 – Swamp Thing Origins 10/10/2018

Episode 68 – The Miles Morales Episode 09/23/2018

Episode 68 – The Miles Morales Episode In this episode, Kevin Moreau and “Ultimate” Curt Holman return to the Ultimate Universe to discuss the origin of the popular biracial Spider-Man, Miles Morales in the second half of an unofficial Ultimate Spider-Man two-parter, this time reviewing Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #1-5 by Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli, published by Marvel Comics! When young Miles Morales is bitten by a genetically modified spider, he quickly develops the ability to turn invisible and cling to walls, among other things. Miles wants no part of these awesome powers, wishing only to live a normal life and do well at his new charter school. But when Miles witnesses the tragic death of Spider-Man, he begins to realize that with great power comes great responsibility! Can our 13-year-old hero live up to the heroic example set by his predecessor? And can he make the grade in that elite class of comic-book champions known as … The Comics Canon? Things Discussed in This Episode: Curt has a beef with his third-grade class Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse The Death of Spider-Man The Death of Superman What role did Barack Obama and Donald Glover play in Miles’ conception? How do you pronounce Ganke? (We got it slightly wrong) The significance of the number 42 Ms. Marvel Comicsgate and the Miles Morales backlash Spider-Men Peter Parker The Spectacular Spider-Man Vol. 3: Amazing Fantasy Not to mention sweet Comics Canon t-shirts and other merch! We return in two weeks, just in time for the scariest month of the year! And we get into the spirit of the season with a look at the origins of DC Comics’ eerie elemental, Swamp Thing, specifically House of Secrets #92, Swamp Thing Vol. 1 #1-4 (or so), and Swamp Thing Vol. 2 #33! Until then, please rate us on iTunes, send us an email, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook, and we may read your comments in an upcoming episode. And as always, thanks for listening! /episode/index/show/comicscanon/id/7079328

Episode 67 – Ultimate Spider-Man: Venom 09/12/2018

Episode 66 – Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant? 08/29/2018

Episode 65 – The Death of Superman 08/15/2018

Episode 64 – Zot!: The Eyes of Dekko and Hearts and Minds 08/01/2018

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