comics

Showing posts with label comics. Show all posts

Saturday, October 20, 2018

BEHIND THE BULLPEN: Howard Shapiro

In this fabulous Two-In-One team-up, our very own Maniacal Mike chats with writer Howard Shapiro about his and artist Erica Chan's new graphic novel, QUEEN OF KENOSHA!

(Nina Overstreet, a singer-songwriter hustling amidst the music scene of 1963, finds her big break comes not from a record deal, but in a chance encounter with a clandestine agency of the U.S. Government, and the secret war against an underground Fourth Reich rising just beneath the surface.)

In addition, we get into how he came to write comics after falling in love with the medium later in life, his previous work in the Young Adult arena, the financial realities of self-publishing and starting a small press unit in ANIMAL MEDIA GROUP, his love for music and how that informed both Queen of Kenosha's story and one of it's most unique features, the deep-rooted and, unfortunately, topical political themes of QoK, discovering artist Erica Chan, and much more!

Strum that thinline guitar, punch some Nazis, and most importantly, listen to the interview, by clicking here!

QUEEN OF KENOSHA on Amazon!: https://www.amazon.com/Queen-Kenosha-Thin-Thinline-Trilogy/dp/0997431520

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Animal Media Group: https://animalmediagroup.com/
Howard on Twitter: https://twitter.com/hockeyplayer
His Website: https://www.howardshapiro.net/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Howard-Shapiro/e/B002BLV3W0/

Sunday, June 3, 2018

ONE AND DONE - "HEARTBEAT"

In the latest One And Done, we welcome to the show comedian and podcaster Adam Avitable to talk about one of his favorite stand-alone stories, The Flash #163, "Heartbeat"! Join us as we cover how this issue dangles perilously between the two most ground-breaking runs on the character, how it embodied the end of an era for comics storytelling as we knew it, how it might just be the best introduction to The Flash you could ever offer a new reader, and how to defeat Batman using only a fire escape, an alarm clock, and some dirty rags.

Get back home to Linda in time for snuggles by downloading here!

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Music used: Neuro Rhythm by Jens Kiilstofte https://machinimasound.com/music/neurorhythm/
The Flash Theme by Blake Neely ℗ 2015 INgrooves (on behalf of WaterTower Music); ole (Publishing), Kobalt Music Publishing, and 7 Music Rights Societies Jurrasic Park Style by MasterTracks
Licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

FURTHER READING
Read "Heartbeat" on Comixology here!
Follow Adam on twitter!
And check out his podcast, "Dating Kinda Sucks"!

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Off The Panel - Superman: Secret Identity

In an all-new, all-different episode of Off The Panel (by gar, it's been a while), Alex and Jamie go deep into the greatest Superman story to ever not contain Superman. Thirteen years ago, veterans Kurt Busiek and Stuart Immonen took the comics world by storm when they introduced fans to an ordinary teenage boy named Clark Kent, who lived in a world identical to our own, right down to the comic book character he was named after. What happened when he discovered he was more like that other Clark Kent than he thought left readers speechless at the time, but the mini-series had faded from the spotlight until the announcement of its follow-up in 2016. Join your hosts as they discuss the power this story still holds, the ability of myth to frame our own lives, and Jamie finally becoming one with the universe.

Travel Off The Panel with us by clicking here!

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Music used: Morning Cruise by Jens Kiilstofte https://machinimasound.com/music/morning-cruise/
Thinking Music & Heart Of Nowhere by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

FURTHER READING
Get "Superman: Secret Identity" on Comixology
Or on Amazon

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

#26: "Hey Kids,COMICS!" (Ft. Jamar Nicholas)

or "What's so funny about peace, love, and diversity?"

In this special team-up episode of Graphic Novelism, the experts on nothing real welcome their very first guest, multiple award-winning writer and artist Jamar Nicholas! They talk about the importance of comic books in a child's life, the distressing decline of all-ages books in today's adult-slanted market, reclaiming that missing balance, and how Jamar is doing his own part at curbing this harmful trend with his creator-owned title, "Leon, Protector Of The Playground"! Just why is a medium designed to make children happy turning it’s back on them? How important is it for kids to see heroes that look like them? And who IS the mysterious Japanese man living in Jamar’s computer?

To find out, well, you'll just have to listen!

Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GraphicNovelism
Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/graphic-novelism/id1005133566
Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=68076&refid=stpr
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GraphicNovelism
Tumblr: http://graphicnovelismpodcast.tumblr.com/

Music used: Neuro Rhythm by Jens Kiilstofte https://machinimasound.com/music/neurorhythm/
Licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

FURTHER READING
Check out more of Jamar's stuff at jamarnicholas.com
Tweet only the nicest things to him @JamarNicholas
See his convention hijinks and more on his Instagram
And get all your Leon and Detective Boogaloo swag at Jamar Nicholas Studios

Friday, October 13, 2017

#25: "The Lonesome Death Of Spider-Goblin" (Challenge Of The Supertoons Part VII)

or "The Carnage Queen declares... ORDER?!"

In the epic finale' (for now) of our animated retrospective, we go from 2009 to the modern day, as America is awed by Charles "Future Legs" Xavier, riveted by the humanity of Yellowjacket, and learns to love... Agent Venom? Really? From that weird CGI show where Iron Man is a teenager, to the most hated Marvel property of our generation (until Iron Fist), the Unreal Experts once again find plenty worth a second look that you might have written off. How exactly did we lose the dearly departed Wolverine & The X-Men? How big of an impact did Man Of Action Studios have on Marvel Animation? And HOW do you ****-up Hulk as a vampire king? HOW DO YOU **** THAT UP?!

FURTHER READING
Scripts, concept art, and interviews about season 2 of W&TXM
Joshua Fine talks W&TXM
Chris Yost on Iron Man: Armored Adventures
Joshua Fine talks about the rise of Man Of Action

Saturday, September 23, 2017

#24: "Recyclables Of The Dark Knight"

Or "The Strange Secrets Of This Bane!"

In this second and final edition of Graphic Novelism's epic retrospective of BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES, Big Bad Alex, James The Squid, and Mike 'The Wheezer' Napier embark on a Demon's Quest of their own through the latter half of production in the classic show to answer lingering questions that have plagued them and the fandom at large for years. And the answers they find? They're the stuff that dreams are made of. Illuminating revelations are given on everything from the production team's many clashes with Broadcast Standards and Practices, culminating into one of the most bizarre censor requests of the show's entire history, to the most perplexing redesign choices going into The Animated Series' spin-off, THE NEW BATMAN ADVENTURES. But just what did happen when the team ran out of story material for a villain they themselves redefined? Who very nearly gave the Bat-Family a fifth and perplexingly permanent member of the team? What's the story on the series spin-off that almost was? Were the actual origins behind the titular villain of the Caped Crusader's first cinematic animated outing really what we've all come to accept, or was there more to the story all along? And just what, exactly, was up with that version of the maligned villain Bane - and what hidden truths does it reveal about a key member of Batman's allies?! The Strange Secrets Of The Animated Series stand revealed at last! And as Graphic Novelism closes out this retrospective, we pay tribute to the legendary Len Wein, the man who helped give us many of The Dark Knight's greatest adventures and beyond.

To avoid being broken by Gotham's fearsome leatherboy, listen here!

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Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/graphic-novelism/id1005133566
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/GraphicNovelism

Music and clips used are all property of Warner Bros. Animation & DC Entertainment

FURTHER READING

'Batman' At 25: Hirings, Firings and Other Last-Minute Changes Behind the Animated Classic
Kevin Nowlan Lifts The Cowl On His 'Batman: The Animated Series' Designs
'BTAS' Turns 25: Why It's Still The Greatest Dark Knight Adaptation Of All Time
Harley Quinn's Maddening 25 Year History

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

#23: "The Strange Secrets Of Batman: The Animated Series"

Or, "I've Got Batman In My Podcast!"

In this special edition of Graphic Novelism, Big Bad Alex, James The Squid, and Mike 'The Wheezer' Napier bare their silicon souls in an effort to transport themselves to a more innovative time in comic book animation. A time where the universe momentarily aligned, the Gods of Superheroism finally looked down upon the medium of cartoons, and uttered a single command - "Let there be vengeance." From it's surprising, often overlooked origins as a footnote on the backlot of Warner Bros. Animation Studios, to it's ascension as legendary Emmy Award-winning television, the super-scholars pay homage to the 25th anniversary of BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES by detailing the dreams behind the darkness. How did a 29-year-old storyboard artist turn an innocuous duck into one of the most iconic renditions of The Caped Crusader of all time? What secret benefactor both saved the show as we know it and helped guide the hands of fate towards a ghost most gray? And just why, oh why, did audiences get saddled with the one episode of the series that we all collectively decided never to talk about? Riddles from The Minotaur's Maze are revealed in the first part of a retrospective so epic that it just couldn't be contained in one installment!

To discover the secrets that Hugo Strange's mind machine holds, listen here!

Music and clips used are all property of Warner Bros. Animation & DC Entertainment

FURTHER READING

The Animated Series Bible By Bruce Timm, Paul Dini, and Mitch Brian
The World's Finest Online: 'BTAS' Section
The 'Batman: The Animated Series' Wikia
Purchase "Batman: Animated", By Paul Dini And Chip Kidd - Amazon.com
...Aswell As All Four Volumes Of The Series, Available On DVD!

Friday, July 21, 2017

GRAPHIC NOVELISM REMEMBERS... ADAM WEST (1928-2017)

On a tragic day that is long to be remembered, the world of superheroes and the world at large lost a true caped crusader - Adam West, the first actor to truly inhabit the role of Batman for entire generations of fans. Join Graphic Novelism's Alex, James, and Mike as they reminiscence about West's life and career as everything from superhero to mayor, their earliest memories of the 1966 classic that shot West to stardom, and what West's role as the cowled crimefighter did to transform the medium of comic books into what it is today.

So long, old chum. From all of us.

Click here to donate to the Adam West Memorial Fund for St. Jude's Children's Research

Header image originally created by E-SPACE-Productions

Sunday, May 21, 2017

#22: "And Then There Were X-23's!" (Challenge Of The Supertoons Part VI)

or "Walk On The Spidercide!"

In the penultimate part of our animated retrospective, the dawn of a new millennium brings a new beginning for Marvel's most-animated mutants, and a mixed bag for everyone else, as we enter THE WB YEARS. From 2001-2009, hear all about the second Spider-Man show to avoid Spider-Man at all costs, the most un-fantastic Reed Richards possible, SURPRISE Gammazons, and quite possibly the best superhero cartoon ever made (and it's not the one you're thinking of) . How did Avengers: United They Stand accidentally SAVE Marvel animation? What incredible plans were in store for the next season of Spectacular Spider-Man? And just what, exactly, do we all need to understand about Toad?

FURTHER READING
Showrunner Boyd Kirkland on X-Men Evolution

Director Frank Paur on X-Men Evolution
Take A Walk On The Wild Side
Look At How Well-Animated Evolution Is. LOOK AT IT.
Chris Yost on Fantastic Four: Worlds Greatest Heroes
Director Brandon Vietti talks Spider-Man: The New Animated Series
Showrunner Greg Weisman on The Spectacular Spider-Man
Writer Andrew Robinson on The Spectacular Spider-Man
The Many, Many Things Planned For Spectacular Spider-Man Season 3, And Beyond...

"Also Sprach Zarathustra (Metal Cover)" by Dillon Sienko

Thursday, April 6, 2017

#21: "Midnight In The Garden Of Venom And Carnage" (Challenge Of The Supertoons Part V)

or "Welcome to the Fashion Warriors, Betty... hope you survive the experience!"

In part five of our animated retrospective, the Children of The Nineties revisit Marvel's biggest decade ever... until this current one, at least. From 1992-1999, follow the trail of broken dreams and legal fees that led to the shows that captured your five-year-old imagination, as we follow the redemption of Tony Stark, the battle for the soul of the Fantastic Four, and the unending shame of Ant Man. Why did She-Hulk and her gammazons take over an unsuspecting Hulk cartoon? What's the most adult-oriented Marvel cartoon you've never watched? And what shocking corporate intrigue REALLY led to Spider-Man being exiled from planet Earth?

FURTHER READING
Tom Tataranowicz Talks Revamping Fantastic Four

Tom Tataranowicz Talks Revamping Iron Man

Season 1 Producer Dick Sebast on The Incredible Hulk

Tataranowicz and more on Hulk

Silver Surfer Series Bible

Larry Brody on Silver Surfer

Interview with Spider-Man Unlimited producer Will Meugniot About What The Hell Happened

Insane Interview with Fox Kids! Vice President on how "amazing" Avengers: United They Stand is:

Saturday, February 18, 2017

#20: "Uncle Ben, Who Is In Hell..." (Challenge Of The Supertoons Part IV)

or "DANGER! At Mysterio's Disco Palace"

In part four of our retrospective of animated adaptations, we revisit Marvel's own personal quarter-life crisis. From the day Spider-Man made friends to how the X-Men found their pryde, we track the bizarre arc of Marvel Productions from 1981-1989, and once again make everything better with Human Torch. Who is "Sidewinder", and what does he stand to gain? Why does Aunt May have a vial of acid and murder on her mind? And which of your favorite heroes are truly better off as bears?

FURTHER READING
A history of Marvel Productions
Did you know there was a half-hour documentary on Spider-Man And His Amazing Friends hosted by Stan Lee? The world is full of wonders.

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

#19: "To Me, Allies For Peace!" (Challenge Of The Supertoons, Part III)

or "Spider-Woman In: Twerk Off The Dark!"

In part three of our retrospective of animated adaptations, we look at the dawn of the Marvel Age Of Cartoons, from 1966 to 1979, as we ask ourselves just how loosely you can use the term "animation" before it loses all meaning. Who are the Allies For Peace, and why do they seem so familiar? What intervention from an animation legend led to Spider-Man tripping the light fantastic? Which second-string character unexpectedly has the greatest animated series you've never heard of? And just what is the nightmare known as Fleshman, The Living Flesh?

FURTHER READING
A look at The Marvel Superheroes, with pages from a 1966 trade journal
H.E.R.B.I.E.: The Ugly Truth
The Merry Marvel Marching Society Theme, via Lego Marvel Superheroes

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

#17: "TUBERMAN" (Challenge Of The Supertoons Part I)

or "The Strange Proposal of The Trevor-Darkseid Team!"

In part one of our new, six-part series on the history of animated adaptations, we get things rolling with DC's contributions to the field from 1941-1992. From the glory of the Fleischer shorts to the utter bafflement of the Superfriends, your hosts sift through one of American animation's greatest dry spells to solve the era's greatest mysteries: Why won't Superman stop moaning? What dark secret is Gleek hiding from the Wonder Twins? And how does it all tie back to the 2002 sports comedy Juwanna Mann?

FURTHER READING
This episode's intro music was "The All New Super Friends Hour Intro 1977 Remix" by Yevheniy Kutsenko
Kaptainkristian's excellent video on the artistry of the Fleischer Superman shorts
And then sigh heavily at the existence of The New Adventures of Superman
The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure! A union that would last the test of time.
The Flash vs. Bugsy Malone: The SLOWEST melee of them all!
SEIZURE WARNING: Batman With Robin The Boy Wonder (no, seriously, seizure warning)
Make out... make out...
OH GOD HE'S HUGE
The Filmations that never were
Our only look at the Wonder Woman that almost was
The dramatic origin of B'Wana Beast, who we swear is a real character
Listen to Paul Dini talk about his sad, sad time at Filmation on his episode of The Nerdist
The time Darkseid became Steve Trevor and turned Wonder Woman into a diamond
One of the only clips from Ruby-Spears Superman we could find. Tremble before El Luthor and his senoritas!
A montage from the show's Wonder Woman episode, with some particularly George Perez-influenced visuals.
An evil live-action Plastic Man with amorous intentions. Good luck sleeping tonight, True Subscribers
Beats for "Penetrate Krypton (ft. Filmation Superman)" by DJ Hipsters
And finally, let's take a fond look back at the greatest hero of them all...

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

#16: "Forgotten, But Not Gone"

or "TERROR Of The Redundant-Flash!"

The medium of comics is filled with countless characters who have stood the test of time... that doesn't mean all of them should have. On this month's episode, the Unreal Experts count down the useless, the dated, the repetitive, the heroes, villains, and supporting cast who do not deserve to be hated, but simply to be forgotten-- except Steve Trevor. Which hunter should have stayed in the jungle? What is the terrifying secret of The Composite Alfred? And which one-man franchise has earned billions of dollars and the hearts of a generation... despite having no reason to exist?

FURTHER READING
Goodbye (Na Na Na Hey Hey...) Remix by Timothe Madilo

Sunday, May 22, 2016

#12: "The Old Gods And The New" (Dreams, Hoaxes, And Imaginary Tales Part I)

or "The Secret Dark Side of Captain Victory!"

In the first of our four-part series on the greatest comic book stories never told, we travel from the Silver Age to the Twitter Age, from Batman '89 to Superman 2000, from Grant Morrison's brightest days to Frank Miller's blackest nights. Just how many different All-Star books were in the works before the line died? What were Jack Kirby's original plans for his legendary run on Thor? What the HELL were they going to do to Wonder Woman in 2005?! And why must we LEAVE HIMMM?!

To find out, well, you'll just have to listen!

Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GraphicNovelism
Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/graphic-novelism/id1005133566
Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=68076&refid=stpr

Music used: Neuro Rhythm by Jens Kiilstofte https://machinimasound.com/music/neurorhythm/
Licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
C'est la Vie by B*Witched Ⓒ Epic
Eobard Desiccates Wells by Black Neely Ⓒ Warner Bros.

FURTHER READING

Batman '89
Batman: Kingdom of The Mad

The All-Star that wasn't

The Wonder Woman that NEVER SHOULD HAVE BEEN

Superman 2000

The Bat-Hyphen-Man

Tartakovsky's CAGE

John Byrne on his own "Fantastic Four: The End"

A summary of "The Last Galactus Story"

John Byrne commission of Galactus's final moments, from the collection of William Roberge

Jack Kirby's Savage Silver Surfer, and other sources of friction

The origin of the New Gods

Kirby's original concept art for the Fourth World

Captain Victory and his hilarious quantum scooter

The only published appearance of Black Mass we could find (many, many years later, in Legenderry #5)

Saturday, September 26, 2015

OFF THE PANEL - Batman: HUSH

In the first returning installment of the series that examines all literature involving capes, cowls, and tights, Aristocratic Alex Koch and Maniacal Mike Napier journey upon a flashback to the year 2002 as they revisit the classic comic book arc that took the genre by storm and re-launched the careers of two of the industry's top talents. It's a game of chess that involves conspiracy, murder, romance, betrayal, and the most epic confrontation between The Dark Knight and The Man of Steel ever committed to page. But why does this story deserve the acclaim it once heralded, and what does it have to say about the legacy of Batman? What impact should the arc have had on DC Comics' bestselling title? And why has the story been mislabeled for years as a mystery? All this and more are discussed as the two break down Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee's 12-issue opus - BATMAN: HUSH.

Travel Off The Panel with us by clicking here!

Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GraphicNovelism
Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/graphic-novelism/id1005133566
Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=68076&refid=stpr

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

#4: "It's Still Unreal To Me!"

or "On wings of kevlar, did childe Icarus soar!"

Have you ever wondered how many fibers are in Mike's t-shirt? Or if Alex organizes his comic collection alphabetically or numerically? Do you lie awake at night, pondering the backstory of James's vocal fry? Well, you won't find out any of that in this episode, but you will discover how the unreal experts feel about the concept of "realism" in the superhero genre. Is it possible to keep your feet on the ground, with characters born to soar above it? And exactly how long until Harvey Dent dies of staph infection? To find out the answers, well, you'll just have to listen!

All this and MORE, in the link!

Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GraphicNovelism
Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/graphic-novelism/id1005133566
Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=68076&refid=stpr