Deconstructing Comics
387 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 20 hours ago - ★★★★★ - 28 ratingsA podcast about the craft of comics
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#814 Jack Kirby’s “Eternals” 5-8: As wacky as they wanna be
July 17, 2024 12:00 - 1 hour - 69.5 MBReading the original Jack Kirby iteration of The Eternals shows that the MCU movie based on the title was rather dour, where Kirby’s version veers into wackiness! Sersi shows quite the sense of humor. SHIELD agents appear who just can’t seem to accept that they can’t get the upper hand on giant space gods! People … Continue reading #814 Jack Kirby’s “Eternals” 5-8: As wacky as they wanna be
#813 “Cross Game”: Baseball manga that’s not about baseball (much)
July 10, 2024 12:00 - 53 minutes - 49.3 MBMitsuru Adachi’s Cross Game is a baseball manga for people who don’t care about baseball. A tragedy early in the story helps to shape the narrative, but there’s also a good dose of unexpected comedy, and sequences that really make us want to cheer for Ko and his friends as they work toward the goal … Continue reading #813 “Cross Game”: Baseball manga that’s not about baseball (much)
#812 Jonah Lobe on character anatomy and “Quiet: Level One”
July 06, 2024 12:00 - 38 minutes - 35 MBJonah Lobe, after many years designing characters for video games, has recently turned his attention to comics. He’s the illustrator of Marvel Anatomy: A Scientific Study of the Superhuman, in which we can finally learn just what’s going on inside characters like Wolverine, Venom, and Modok. He’s also on the verge of his first Kickstarter … Continue reading #812 Jonah Lobe on character anatomy and “Quiet: Level One”
#811 “Blood of the Virgin”: About much more than filmmaking
July 03, 2024 12:00 - 1 hour - 64.1 MBOn the surface, Sammy Harkham’s Blood of the Virgin is about an editor of b-movies in 1970s L.A. who has greater artistic aspirations, but it’s also rich with unexpected explorations of character and narrative approaches, themes about the creative process, responsibility, and being an immigrant, and Harkham’s best art and writing to date. Over a … Continue reading #811 “Blood of the Virgin”: About much more than filmmaking
#810 “Batman/Dylan Dog”: Dark Knight meets Nightmare Investigator
June 26, 2024 12:00 - 44 minutes - 41.3 MBBatman meets Italy’s humorous horror icon Dylan Dog in a beautiful three-issue series, originally published in Italian and recently released in English from DC. Tim and Emmet could recommend it on the art alone, but the story gives us a lot to discuss as well, including very rich conversations between characters and an interesting take … Continue reading #810 “Batman/Dylan Dog”: Dark Knight meets Nightmare Investigator
Critiquing Comics #237: “Detective Perez: Autotropolis” and “Griz Grobus”
June 19, 2024 12:00 - 50 minutes - 58 MBPaul 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 … Continue reading Critiquing Comics #237: “Detective Perez: Autotropolis” and “Griz Grobus”
#809 Pidge interview: “Fiction is a way to tell the truth”
June 12, 2024 12:00 - 39 minutes - 45.2 MBSure, comics are great for fantastical stories, but they can tell intimate, personal stories as well — or sometimes the personal and the fantastical mix well. Artist and writer Pidge is the creator of the series Infinite Wheatpaste, which employs this method. Avery Hill has just published a collection of the series, called Infinite Wheatpaste … Continue reading #809 Pidge interview: “Fiction is a way to tell the truth”
#808 Jack Kirby’s “The Eternals” 1-4: Chariots of the Superheroes?
June 05, 2024 12:00 - 1 hour - 55.4 MBSo many Jack Kirby creations focus on gods, from The Mighty Thor to New Gods; he picked up concepts from myth or elsewhere and made them his. Kirby’s The Eternals makes no bones about where its inspiration came from: Erich von Däniken’s 1968 book Chariots of the Gods?. This week Tim and Emmet discuss the … Continue reading #808 Jack Kirby’s “The Eternals” 1-4: Chariots of the Superheroes?
Critiquing Comics #236: “Clover and Cutlass” and “Coiled to Strike”
May 29, 2024 12:00 - 43 minutes - 39.8 MBClover and Cutlass is a Dungeons and Dragons-inspired fantasy YA comedy web comic by Toby Boyd. Adam joins Tim to discuss. Coiled to Strike is an anthology book from Wildstar Press, featuring numerous artists and writers, focused on the adventures of legendary wild west antihero Emory Graves. Jason joins Tim to critique. Brought to you … Continue reading Critiquing Comics #236: “Clover and Cutlass” and “Coiled to Strike”
#807 Reviews: “Fiendish” and “Safer Places”
May 22, 2024 12:00 - 30 minutes - 28.1 MBFriend of the show Irene Strychalski, former artist of such Marvel titles as Gwenpool and Silk, has been focused on her original title Fiendish, a lushly drawn (and colored, by Carlos Nicolas Zamudio) fantasy story. This week, Tim and Patrick discuss the first two volumes. Also, Tim presents a mini-review of Safer Places by Kit … Continue reading #807 Reviews: “Fiendish” and “Safer Places”
#806 “Berserk” v. 13 & 14: Is this scene necessary?
May 15, 2024 12:00 - 1 hour - 63.8 MBBerserk volume 12 left us at a crucial point: The Band of the Hawk were to be sacrificed so that Griffith can join the Godhand. Horrified, Tim and Kumar moved quickly on to volume 13, which left us… horrified, in a less fun way. Casca is raped, in an unnecessarily long, confusing, and (ick) titillating … Continue reading #806 “Berserk” v. 13 & 14: Is this scene necessary?
#805 “Feeding Ghosts”: a story of Chinese history and family trauma
May 08, 2024 12:00 - 1 hour - 55.3 MBThis week, an interview with Tessa Hulls, author of the graphic memoir Feeding Ghosts. It’s about her Chinese grandmother’s persecution by Chairman Mao’s government, the mental illness that resulted, the effect that had on Tessa’s mother and then on Tessa herself. It’s about Chinese history, trauma, psychology, family relationships, and more. Tim interviews Tessa about … Continue reading #805 “Feeding Ghosts”: a story of Chinese history and family trauma
#167 “City of Glass”: Adapting a Novel to Comics
May 02, 2024 12:31 - 58 minutes - 54.1 MBFLASHBACK! Paul Karasik and David Mazzucchelli’s comics version of City of Glass, a 1985 novel by Paul Auster, is an amazing adaptation of an unfilmable novel. Tim and Kumar assess the herculean task of adapting it, in probably the only medium capable of doing so: comics! We re-present this episode in observance of Auster’s passing … Continue reading #167 “City of Glass”: Adapting a Novel to Comics
#804 “Berserk” v. 11 & 12: Cartoonish violence, epic horror
May 01, 2024 12:00 - 1 hour - 70.7 MBKentaro Miura’s Berserk can be upsetting, fascinating, offputting, incredible, and even sometimes a bit comedic, as Tim and Kumar have found over the past several months. All those qualities appear again in volumes 11 and 12, as the story of the extended flashback reaches its climax with Griffith’s horrific accession to the God Hand. Join … Continue reading #804 “Berserk” v. 11 & 12: Cartoonish violence, epic horror
#803 Jack Kirby’s “2001” #6-10: Machine Man Begins
April 24, 2024 12:00 - 1 hour - 78.5 MBWhat did Marvel expect Jack Kirby to do with a 2001: A Space Odyssey series? Especially when they told him not to create any ongoing characters? What we got included the Monolith and the Star Child, but with unmistakable Kirby bombast. After concluding his story of superhero-obsessed Harvey Norton in issue 6, and a one-shot exploration … Continue reading #803 Jack Kirby’s “2001” #6-10: Machine Man Begins
#802 Jack Kirby’s “2001” #1-5: An Interesting Failure
April 17, 2024 12:00 - 44 minutes - 40.5 MBAs Jack Kirby’s adaptation of the movie/novel 2001: A Space Odyssey sold well, Marvel asked him to turn it into a series — but then tied one hand behind his back by asking that he not create ongoing characters for fear they’d become property of MGM rather than Marvel. As Tim and Emmet see in … Continue reading #802 Jack Kirby’s “2001” #1-5: An Interesting Failure
Critiquing Comics #235: “Rebirth of the Gangster” and “Toe & So Long”
April 10, 2024 12:00 - 43 minutes - 40 MBCritiquing Comics returns, with a comic that we just couldn’t put down, and one that we couldn’t quite pick up on! Jason joins Tim to discuss Rebirth of the Gangster: The Complete Collection, a crime novel with incredible forward momentum by Writer CJ Standal and Artist Juan Romera. Then Adam and Tim critique Toe & … Continue reading Critiquing Comics #235: “Rebirth of the Gangster” and “Toe & So Long”
#801 Swamp Thing Begins: Issues 1-13 reviewed
April 03, 2024 12:00 - 1 hour - 56.3 MBThe character of Swamp Thing originated in House of Secrets #92 in 1971, drawn by Berni Wrightson and written by Len Wein. That story served as a first draft for the real origin story in Swamp Thing #1, with the same creative pairing. This week, Tim is joined by writer for CBR and Screen Rant … Continue reading #801 Swamp Thing Begins: Issues 1-13 reviewed
#800 “Batman and the Outsiders” vol. 2 review
March 27, 2024 12:00 - 1 hour - 71.8 MBBatman and the Outsiders was one of DC’s top sellers in the 1980s. This time, Tim is joined by John Trumbull to take a close look at the second volume of the series, which includes the reveal of Halo’s origin, exploration of Metamorpho’s, the 1984 L.A. Olympics, time travel, and more. Don’t forget the Mike … Continue reading #800 “Batman and the Outsiders” vol. 2 review
#799 “Berserk” v. 9 & 10 deep dive: Genre hopping
March 20, 2024 12:00 - 1 hour - 67.6 MBKentaro Miura’s Berserk can be confounding. Reading volumes 9 and 10 prompts us to ask “Just what genre IS this comic, anyway?” While it still has plenty of over-the-top action and violence, it also has gratuitous sex, comedy, and even some horror elements. And now we finally have hints toward why the “present” of volumes … Continue reading #799 “Berserk” v. 9 & 10 deep dive: Genre hopping
“Ant-Man and the Wasp” (2018)
March 13, 2024 12:00 - 41 minutes - 38.1 MBAfter the gravitas of Avengers: Infinity War, which ended in a blaze of glory only for the villain, what did we want next? A fun, lighthearted romp of a movie. Right? No? Well, that’s what we got and this movie is certainly fun. But it doesn’t resolve a single thread from Infinity War. Mulele struggles … Continue reading “Ant-Man and the Wasp” (2018)
#241 “Dragon Ball” in depth
March 10, 2024 13:00 - 42 minutes - 38.9 MBFLASHBACK! Though the highly influential manga series, and resulting TV show, are known for non-stop action and fighting, Dragon Ball started out as a comedy strip reminiscent of Akira Toriyama‘s early work, Dr. Slump! Viz’s English versions have gone through various levels of censorship over time to adjust to the low level of sexuality that … Continue reading #241 “Dragon Ball” in depth
#689 Priest’s “Black Panther”
March 06, 2024 13:00 - 1 hour - 56.2 MBFLASHBACK! In 1998, under the “Marvel Knights” banner, Christopher Priest began the first ongoing Black Panther title in nearly two decades. Panther was a relatively unknown character to many Marvel readers at the time. With the aid of “Emperor of Useless White Boys” Everett K. Ross, and artists like Mark Texeira and Joe Jusko, Priest … Continue reading #689 Priest’s “Black Panther”
#798 “Delicious in Dungeon” yields a feast
February 28, 2024 13:00 - 56 minutes - 52.2 MBRyoko Kui’s Delicious in Dungeon pokes fun at fantasy games and cooking manga tropes, exploring what it would really be like to be a character in a fantasy game, arranging your life in ways that wouldn’t really make sense in the real world. This week, Kumar and Emmet do a deep dive on this consistently … Continue reading #798 “Delicious in Dungeon” yields a feast
Critiquing Comics #234: “Murky Water” and “Barking”
February 21, 2024 13:00 - 48 minutes - 44.8 MBKel McDonald‘s Murky Water is about a paranormal investigation police unit looking into the death of a man from drowning – in his very dry living room. (Currently being Kickstarted!) Tim and Adam critique. Then, Jason joins Tim to review Lucy Sullivan‘s Barking, about dealing with depression in an inadequate mental health care system. … Continue reading Critiquing Comics #234: “Murky Water” and “Barking”
#797 Jack Kirby’s “2001: A Space Odyssey”
February 14, 2024 13:00 - 1 hour - 69 MBJack Kirby’s 1976 adaptation of 2001: A Space Odyssey is an odd combination of the Stanley Kubrick movie, the Arthur C. Clarke novel, and Kirby’s own research and dramatic inclinations, which sometimes were pretty out-of-step with the tone of the film! This week, Tim and Emmet discuss this out-of-print treasury edition comic, where it borrows … Continue reading #797 Jack Kirby’s “2001: A Space Odyssey”
#796 Stan Mack and “Real Life Funnies”
February 07, 2024 13:00 - 1 hour - 68.9 MBIf you read New York’s Village Voice newspaper between 1974 and 1995, you are probably familiar with Stan Mack‘s Real Life Funnies. If not, hold on to your hat! A forthcoming book from Fantagraphics collects many of the strips, all ripped from real life, and taking full advantage of the Voice‘s lack of content guardrails. … Continue reading #796 Stan Mack and “Real Life Funnies”
#479 Some of the greatest Superman stories (or not)
January 31, 2024 13:00 - 1 hour - 75.5 MBFLASHBACK! There’s no doubt that Superman is one of the most significant characters in the history of American comics. He ended up setting the template for what would be the dominant genre in American comics after the Comics Code came into effect. Of course, the types of stories told in those comics, and their tone, … Continue reading #479 Some of the greatest Superman stories (or not)
#219 “Asterios Polyp”
January 24, 2024 13:00 - 1 hour - 66.6 MBFLASHBACK! Reviews of Asterios Polyp blanket the Internet; why need we pile on? Well, for starters, to counteract all the reviewers who think that giving a story synoposis = explaining what the book’s about. That approach falls far short with Polyp, so Tim and Kumar are here to explain what they feel David Mazzucchelli’s masterwork … Continue reading #219 “Asterios Polyp”
#795 Jack Kirby’s “Capt. America and the Falcon” #198-200: Bicentennial Madness
January 17, 2024 13:00 - 1 hour - 70.1 MBCap and the Falcon have found the underground bunker of the aristocratic forces hoping to take over America on the Bicentennial, but the location of their secret weapon, the Mad Bomb, is still a mystery. What next? How about a love story? But wait a minute – this love story between Cap and a sick … Continue reading #795 Jack Kirby’s “Capt. America and the Falcon” #198-200: Bicentennial Madness
#794 “The Ballad of Halo Jones” – in color!
January 10, 2024 13:00 - 1 hour - 66.3 MBTo mark the recent passing of artist Ian Gibson, Kumar and Dana dive into a long-overdue discussion of his masterpiece with writer Alan Moore, The Ballad of Halo Jones. Halo Jones is an early work by Moore that was never completed, but it is rich, immersive, and fully developed at every turn, from the characters … Continue reading #794 “The Ballad of Halo Jones” – in color!
#793 “Berserk” v 7-8: The Battle for Doldrey
January 03, 2024 01:00 - 49 minutes - 56.7 MBWhile Kentaro Miura’s Berserk is meant to feature the swordsman character Guts, in volumes 7 and 8 the focus is on Griffith and the progress made – at ANY cost – toward his dream of having his own kingdom, a machine in which Guts is just a major cog. Casca is the other major figure, … Continue reading #793 “Berserk” v 7-8: The Battle for Doldrey
“Avengers: Infinity War” (2018)
December 27, 2023 13:00 - 1 hour - 63.2 MBTim continues to catch up with the MCU! This film is awkward to review nearly two years after it came out, with Tim going through the speculation about how this story will play out in Avengers: End Game that those who are already caught up, including Mulele, already know the answers to. Listen to relive … Continue reading “Avengers: Infinity War” (2018)
#792 Jack Kirby’s “Capt. America and the Falcon” #195-197: “Kill-Derby”
December 20, 2023 13:00 - 1 hour - 64.3 MBCap and Falcon are trapped in an underground bunker where elites plot to destroy the Bicentennial celebrations and take away Americans’ freedoms. In Captain America and the Falcon 195-197, they participate in the “Kill-Derby” to retrieve Cap’s stolen shield break up the bad guys’ underground civilization. Tim and Emmet continue their look at Jack Kirby‘s … Continue reading #792 Jack Kirby’s “Capt. America and the Falcon” #195-197: “Kill-Derby”
#791 Daniel Clowes’ “Monica”
December 13, 2023 13:00 - 1 hour - 90.9 MBMonica is Dan Clowes’s richest and most rewarding book in years, combining the surrealism of early works like Like a Velvet Glove Cast in Iron with the multi-genre anthology approach of his more recent books. What does it all mean though? Kumar and Dana try to come to an understanding of it, spoiling almost every … Continue reading #791 Daniel Clowes’ “Monica”
#790 “Social Fiction” by Chantal Montellier
December 06, 2023 13:00 - 1 hour - 59.3 MBChantal Montellier‘s Social Fiction, published by New York Review Comics with a translation by Geoffrey Brock, is a collection of comics fueled by political anger, hauntingly farsighted satire and attacks on consumer culture. Emmet and Kumar review the collection, which still feels vibrant and at the same time prophetic, given the original publications dates of … Continue reading #790 “Social Fiction” by Chantal Montellier
#789 Jack Kirby’s “Capt. America and the Falcon” #193-194: “Madbomb”
November 29, 2023 13:00 - 1 hour - 59.5 MBWhen Jack Kirby returned to Marvel in 1975, the first series he worked on starred the character that was one of Kirby’s earliest claims to fame: Captain America, created in 1940 by Kirby and writer Joe Simon. Before Kirby returned, Cap’s book became Captain America and the Falcon. As Kirby begins his run, he deftly … Continue reading #789 Jack Kirby’s “Capt. America and the Falcon” #193-194: “Madbomb”
#291 “MONSTER” (Justifiable Homicide? pt 2)
November 22, 2023 13:00 - 1 hour - 57.7 MBFLASHBACK! Planning a murder that you think will prevent future murders? That’s the premise — or, at least, one of the premises — of Monster, Naoki Urasawa’s 18-volume series. Set in Germany, the series focuses on the unintended consequences of Dr. Kenzo Tenma’s good deed; he saved the life of a boy who turned out … Continue reading #291 “MONSTER” (Justifiable Homicide? pt 2)
#290 “NEXUS” (Justifiable Homicide? pt 1)
November 15, 2023 13:00 - 54 minutes - 49.8 MBFLASHBACK! We begin a two-review series on comics that ask hard questions about whether murder can ever be justified. This week, Mike Baron and Steve Rude’s Nexus. Beginning in the early ’80s, Baron’s philosophical writing and Rude’s increasingly polished art presented the story of a far future in which a man kills mass-murderers — not … Continue reading #290 “NEXUS” (Justifiable Homicide? pt 1)
#788 Alan Moore’s “1963”
November 08, 2023 13:00 - 46 minutes - 43 MBIn 1993, the Image revolution was underway, itself a result of the 1986 earthquake brought about by Alan Moore’s Watchmen and Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns. Moore was on a mission to counteract the wave of “grim and gritty” comics he had inadvertently helped to start. This led to Moore’s 1963 series, a combination … Continue reading #788 Alan Moore’s “1963”
#462 Usagi Yojimbo
November 01, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 66.8 MBFLASHBACK! Originating out of the same ’80s black-and-white/anthropomorphic boom that brought us the Ninja Turtles, Usagi Yojimbo is one of the few comics of that batch that are still going today. Stan Sakai’s work combines historical drama, understated violence, light comedy, and even some explanations of 17th century Japanese culture — and he can pack … Continue reading #462 Usagi Yojimbo
#787 Jack Kirby’s “OMAC”: The World That’s Going
October 25, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 71.3 MBThe run of Jack Kirby’s OMAC: One Man Army Corps was bright but short, lasting only through eight bi-monthly issues. This time Tim and Emmet discuss issues 5 through eight, covering a shocking, brilliant two-parter, another two-parter that brings the series to a crashing halt, and more evidence that Kirby was great at wild ideas, … Continue reading #787 Jack Kirby’s “OMAC”: The World That’s Going
#786 Jack Kirby’s “OMAC”: The World That’s Coming
October 18, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 56.2 MBOne of Kirby’s late efforts at DC was OMAC: One-Man Army Corps, which focuses on “the world that’s coming”: what miracles, and horrors, technology would bring. Of course, some of it seems ridiculous, but other parts seem prescient. Tim and Emmet discuss the book’s crazy Kirby concepts — or are they crazy? Brought to you … Continue reading #786 Jack Kirby’s “OMAC”: The World That’s Coming
“Black Panther” (2018)
October 11, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 56.5 MBPaul of “To the Batpoles” joins Tim and Mulele to discuss 2018’s “Black Panther” film, trying to separate political filmmaking from good filmmaking, and having different experiences based on whether they went in knowing the comics, the comics AND the film’s marketing, or neither. Brought to you by: The Quarter-Bin podcast Our supporters on Patreon
#785 “Berserk”: The Prosaic Past
October 04, 2023 12:00 - 49 minutes - 45.2 MBAfter covering the first four volumes of Kentaro Miura’s Berserk a few months back, Tim and Kumar decided to keep going. In volumes 5 and 6, the lengthy (volumes 3 to 14!) flashback to Guts’s origin story continues, but why does the flashback seem to exist in a magic-free world? In the early volumes, in … Continue reading #785 “Berserk”: The Prosaic Past
#784 Jack Kirby’s “Kamandi”: Wipeout
September 27, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 65.9 MBThere’s a new sheriff in town in post-Great Disaster Earth: Gerry Conway took over as writer in Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth issue 38. Jack Kirby stayed on as artist for issues 38-40 before leaving D.C. So while the interior art looks the same as always (aside from covers by Joe Kubert), everything feels … Continue reading #784 Jack Kirby’s “Kamandi”: Wipeout
#783 Jack Kirby’s “Kamandi” #35-37: Off the deep end
September 20, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 64.5 MBJack Kirby reaches the end of his writing run on Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth. After top-shelf stories about a Soviet spacecraft and an “eviction battle” in a resort hotel with crocs in the pool, Kirby’s swan song leaves something to be desired, with an … uncomfortable plot point, and myriad threads dangling. Tim … Continue reading #783 Jack Kirby’s “Kamandi” #35-37: Off the deep end
#782 Ninja Turtles: “Mutant Mayhem”
September 13, 2023 12:00 - 56 minutes - 51.9 MBKevin Eastman and Peter Laird’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles first appeared in 1984 as a violent, gory homage to/parody of Frank Miller’s Daredevil, among other popular mainstream titles of the time (X-men, Teen Titans). The comic hit at the right time for Kumar, but for the younger Emmet, the 1987 TV cartoon was the business. … Continue reading #782 Ninja Turtles: “Mutant Mayhem”
#781 “The Hard Switch” and “Pet Peeves”
September 06, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 62.1 MBThis time we look once again at new books coming from British publisher Avery Hill Press. Owen D. Pomery’s The Hard Switch is a nice slice of indy sci-fi; Tim and Kumar review. Then, Emmet joins Tim to discuss Nicole Goux’s Pet Peeves: Emmet loves it, but Tim needs some convincing. Brought to you by: … Continue reading #781 “The Hard Switch” and “Pet Peeves”
#548 Jaime Hernandez interview
August 30, 2023 12:00 - 46 minutes - 42.9 MBFLASHBACK! Love and Rockets continues to impress, and in this episode Koom asks creator Jaime Hernandez some burning questions. Hernandez talks about writing Maggie and Hopey, the dynamics of working on something with your brother, why he gravitates toward female characters, his influences and art style, and more. Also, Tim and Mulele discuss the current … Continue reading #548 Jaime Hernandez interview