Deconstructing Comics
373 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 days ago - ★★★★★ - 28 ratingsA podcast about the craft of comics
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#772 Evan McGorray and a translation about being trans
May 17, 2023 12:00 - 40 minutes - 37.2 MBTranslation is a topic seldom covered on this show (Kumar has talked about it several times, most notably here). This time Emmet talks with French-to-English comics translator Evan McGorray about translating Catherine Castro and Quentin Zuttion’s Call Me Nathan, about a trans teen. Brought to you by: The Batgirl to Oracle podcast Our supporters on … Continue reading #772 Evan McGorray and a translation about being trans
“Spider-Man: Homecoming” (2017)
May 10, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 61.9 MBSpider-man is a longtime favorite of Tim’s, in terms of comics reading, but how does he feel about Spider-Man: Homecoming? Particularly in light of the fact that it’s the first live-action Spider-Man he’s watched since 1979… Mulele joins Tim to review the 2017 film. (Originally published on Patreon November 4, 2019.) Brought to you by: … Continue reading “Spider-Man: Homecoming” (2017)
#771 Jose Villarrubia on restoring Richard Corben
May 03, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 57.1 MBColorist Jose Villarrubia had trouble getting work from Marvel because his style was “too artistic” — but then other creators started asking for him, and he’s colored many Marvel titles since then. He’s also done photo art for Alan Moore‘s Voice of the Fire and The Mirror of Love. This August, a new edition of Richard … Continue reading #771 Jose Villarrubia on restoring Richard Corben
#770 Jack Kirby’s “Kamandi” #11-18: Kliklak forever
April 26, 2023 12:00 - 59 minutes - 54.8 MBThis week we continue our look at Jack Kirby’s run on Kamandi, another of the DC properties he created. Tim and Emmet find that issues 11 through 18 include a giant insect, a violent horse race, another standout issue in the mode of issue 7’s King Kong story, a clue as to how the animals … Continue reading #770 Jack Kirby’s “Kamandi” #11-18: Kliklak forever
#769 Tracy Butler on “Lackadaisy” – the animated cartoon!
April 19, 2023 12:00 - 43 minutes - 40.2 MBBack in 2009, Tim talked with web cartoonist Tracy Butler about her beautiful, sepia-toned 1920s-with-cats strip Lackadaisy, and whether she’d ever quit her day job to focus on the strip. Since then, she has gone full-time on the comic, and recently embraced her first love, animation! The Lackadaisy 27-minute animated “pilot” has attracted a lot … Continue reading #769 Tracy Butler on “Lackadaisy” – the animated cartoon!
#768 “Berserk” v. 1-4
April 12, 2023 12:00 - 53 minutes - 49.1 MBBerserk abruptly ended when creator Kentaro Miura died two years ago, later resurrected by Miura’s assistants and his friend Kouji Mori. Neither Tim nor Kumar had read this violent, complex manga, but it lingered on our to-do list the past two years until a gag news story about who was going to wrap up Berserk … Continue reading #768 “Berserk” v. 1-4
#767 Jack Kirby’s “Kamandi” #1-10: It’s a knockout!
April 05, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 72 MBIf you can’t get the rights to Planet of the Apes, do the next best thing: get Jack Kirby to come up with a concept that’s Apes-adjacent! That was DC Comics’ strategy in the early ’70s. What resulted was Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth, a series with multiple intelligent animals lording over caveman-level humans, … Continue reading #767 Jack Kirby’s “Kamandi” #1-10: It’s a knockout!
#766 “Time Breakers”
March 29, 2023 12:00 - 54 minutes - 49.7 MBIn most time travel stories, there’s an imperative to fix any paradoxes created by the time travel. But in Rachel Pollack and Chris Weston’s Time Breakers, paradoxes are embraced rather than explained away or repaired. This week, Kumar and Emmet discuss this five-issue 1997 miniseries, the most popular series of DC’s canceled imprint Helix. Brought … Continue reading #766 “Time Breakers”
Critiquing Comics #231: “Pimp Killer”
March 25, 2023 12:00 - 19 minutes - 17.6 MBWhen it comes to truth in advertising, the title of this comic is an award winner: Ghezal Omar‘s Pimp Killer (with art by Ayhan Hayrula and lettering by Phillip Ginn) is about a woman named L.A. Jones who… kills pimps. Or at least tries to. She also does nasty things to guys who abuse their … Continue reading Critiquing Comics #231: “Pimp Killer”
#765 “The Re-Up” #2 and “Megillah Sunday Funnies”
March 22, 2023 12:00 - 42 minutes - 38.9 MBThis podcast continues to be a booster of Chad Bilyeu (“Chad in Amsterdam“), and he’s been busy lately! In addition to releasing the second issue of The Re-Up, his recollection of that time when he was a pot dealer, he’s also curated an anthology, called Megillah Sunday Funnies, that is also a museum show (through … Continue reading #765 “The Re-Up” #2 and “Megillah Sunday Funnies”
Critiquing Comics #230: “Thready” #2 and “Tales from the Interface” #4
March 15, 2023 12:00 - 39 minutes - 36 MBSometimes the topics of Critiquing Comics episodes come back for seconds – or thirds! We look at a couple of these repeat submitters this week: Thready #2, “Tuesday,” by Brandon Hayes with art by James the Stanton, highlights the problem many bipolar people have with hypersexuality. Tim and Jason discuss Tales from the Interface, Emmanuel … Continue reading Critiquing Comics #230: “Thready” #2 and “Tales from the Interface” #4
#764 “Past Tense”, Tough Translation, and Audio Drama
March 08, 2023 13:00 - 1 hour - 64.7 MBIn the year 2038, invisible drones are sent to the past to pick up any event you want to see, if you have the money to pay for it. One woman using the service discovers a secret that puts her in danger in the present. Our friend Jason McNamara, author of such graphic novels as … Continue reading #764 “Past Tense”, Tough Translation, and Audio Drama
#763 Graffiti and Comics
March 01, 2023 13:00 - 1 hour - 61.5 MBThis time Tim finds some intersections of comics and the world of graffiti. First, Argentine graffiti artist and animator Cof talks about his cartoonish art style, the difference between a graffiti artist and a muralist, graffiti scenes around the world, which country has the best spray paint cans, and more. 2012 interview with Cof (buenosairesstreetart.com) … Continue reading #763 Graffiti and Comics
#762 MCU Phase 4: Why so much complaining?
February 22, 2023 13:00 - 1 hour - 84.2 MBMarvel’s “Phase Four” block of movies and TV shows has wrapped up, and it’s occasioned a lot of annoyance online for all sorts of reasons. Are the complaints legitimate? Is it ginned-up anger just to get noticed? Is there anything good to say about Phase Four? Tim and Emmet examine the good and bad of … Continue reading #762 MCU Phase 4: Why so much complaining?
#761 A disturbing visit to “2120”
February 15, 2023 13:00 - 57 minutes - 65.7 MBGeorge Wylesol’s 2120 is a choose-your-own-adventure horror graphic novel that blocks your progress and punishes the reader for cheating. Kumar and Emmet found it disturbing and fascinating. This week, they present their review. Wylesol interview from The Migratory Brought to you by: The Quarter-Bin podcast Our supporters on Patreon
#760 “The Third Person”
February 08, 2023 13:00 - 45 minutes - 52.4 MBWhat’s it like to be trans AND have Dissociative Identity Disorder? What’s it like to have a therapist who doesn’t have enough training to really help you? Emma Grove has experienced this and has produced an engaging memoir graphic novel, The Third Person, which exhibits an amazing memory for detail and a sharp understanding of … Continue reading #760 “The Third Person”
Critiquing Comics #229: “Christiania”
February 01, 2023 13:00 - 27 minutes - 31.5 MBChristiania, a silent comic written by 13-year-old Abi Behe, is a take on the ills of social media by someone who has never lived in a world without online culture. But silent comics can be a storytelling challenge. How did artist Taka do on getting the story across? This time, Tim and Jason critique Christiania. … Continue reading Critiquing Comics #229: “Christiania”
Critiquing Comics #228: “Galacto: Pit Fighter” #2 “Requiem for a Humanzee”
January 28, 2023 13:00 - 20 minutes - 24.1 MBKirt Burdick is back with the second issue of his hyper-violent science fiction comic Galacto: Pit Fighter, “Requiem for a Humanzee.” It’s good and bloody, but is it bloody good? Tim and Adam critique. Brought to you by: The Law of Equivalent Exchange: A Fullmetal Alchemist manga podcast Our supporters on Patreon
#759 Kirby’s Fourth World(?): “Captain Victory, Graphite Edition”
January 25, 2023 13:00 - 40 minutes - 46.3 MBAfter he left DC Comics, but before he returned to produce Even Gods Must Die and The Hunger Dogs, Jack Kirby produced a sort of substitute Fourth World story called Captain Victory and the Galactic Rangers, which was eventually published by Pacific Comics in 1981 and 82. Two Morrows publishing in 2003 released what it … Continue reading #759 Kirby’s Fourth World(?): “Captain Victory, Graphite Edition”
Critiquing Comics #227: “Mayfield Eight” #1-#4
January 18, 2023 13:00 - 22 minutes - 20.8 MB“A biker revenge tale” isn’t a story pitch that appeals to everyone, but any kind of story can get a thumbs up if it’s well-done! This time Tim and Adam discuss the first four issues of Mayfield Eight, written and illustrated by Tim Larsen. Brought to you by: Worst Collection Ever podcast Our supporters on … Continue reading Critiquing Comics #227: “Mayfield Eight” #1-#4
Critiquing Comics #226: “Immortalis” #1 and #2
January 11, 2023 13:00 - 26 minutes - 30.7 MBA few weeks back, Tim and Jason discussed Sean Lewis’ Immortalis— issue 3. This time, we’re reading the first two issues, and grasping, in some ways, why he made issue 3 first. But if you need to start with issue 3 to hook readers, isn’t that indicative of a problem with the first two issues? … Continue reading Critiquing Comics #226: “Immortalis” #1 and #2
#758 “Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands”
January 04, 2023 13:00 - 1 hour - 58.9 MBWhat happens when a group of people must work in the middle of nowhere, with virtually no supervision or accountability? Generally it’s not a good situation, as Kate Beaton, now well-known as the creator of the web comic Hark! A Vagrant, found in her younger years when she got a job on Alberta’s oil sands. … Continue reading #758 “Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands”
Critiquing Comics #225: “Holy West” #1
December 28, 2022 13:00 - 18 minutes - 16.9 MBA supernatural western, Holy West, captivates Tim and Adam in this episode. The comic features smart writing by Seth Jacob and beautiful art by Daniel Irizarri. Now that we’ve given away whether we liked it, listen to the show and check out the comic! Buy Holy West #1 Lettering tips from Nate Piekos Brought to … Continue reading Critiquing Comics #225: “Holy West” #1
“Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2” (2017)
December 21, 2022 13:00 - 52 minutes - 60.6 MB“TIM CATCHES UP WITH THE MCU” continues: Peter Quill (whose name we both blanked on while recording the show!) and the gang are back (yeah, BACK in 2017) and Tim (feeling encouraged by being a mere 2.5 years behind on MCU movies) and Mulele discuss the film. And Star Wars. Brought to you by: The … Continue reading “Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2” (2017)
#757 “Nemesis the Warlock”
December 14, 2022 13:00 - 55 minutes - 63.2 MBKumar and Matt E celebrate the life and work of Kevin O’Neill with a look back at his breakout work on Nemesis The Warlock in 2000 A.D. with writer Pat Mills. O’Neill’s art very style in itself is shocking and intense, and the storytelling seems to approach everything backwards, but somehow it all comes together … Continue reading #757 “Nemesis the Warlock”
Critiquing Comics #224: “Immortalis”
December 07, 2022 13:00 - 23 minutes - 27.4 MBImmortalis is the story of a 19th-century woman, transplanted to the 21st, who is expected to be the world’s savior in a war between gods. But how did she get to the 21st century? Who is this team who has revived her? And… why did the creators start with issue 3? Tim and Jason try … Continue reading Critiquing Comics #224: “Immortalis”
#756 “Tokyo Rose – Zero Hour”
November 30, 2022 13:00 - 46 minutes - 53.7 MBIf you’re at all aware of Tokyo Rose, it’s most likely simply as a woman heard over a radio in a movie set in World War II. But who was she, how did she end up in that situation, and what was the result for the war effort and for her? Tokyo Rose- Zero Hour … Continue reading #756 “Tokyo Rose – Zero Hour”
Critiquing Comics #223: “Here 2 Cypher”
November 23, 2022 13:00 - 19 minutes - 22.6 MBHere 2 Cypher is an anthology of stories written by Brandon Hayes, whose story Thready Tim and Jason enjoyed back in January. Does this set of stories stack up against that book? The guys evaluate the collection in this episode. Here 2 Cypher‘s Kickstarter Brought to you by: The Batgirl to Oracle podcast Our supporters … Continue reading Critiquing Comics #223: “Here 2 Cypher”
“Doctor Strange” (2016)
November 16, 2022 13:00 - 54 minutes - 62.1 MB“Tim Catches Up with the MCU” discusses Doctor Strange — an enjoyable yet problematic movie, based on a 1963 origin story (in Strange Tales #110) whose ideas about race and gender roles are, at best, dated. Tim and Mulele review. (Originally published on Patreon October 12, 2019.) Brought to you by: Superman Fan Podcast Our supporters … Continue reading “Doctor Strange” (2016)
#361 “League of Extraordinary Gentlemen” marathon!
November 12, 2022 13:00 - 1 hour - 103 MBFLASHBACK! While this podcast has covered the odd League of Extraordinary Gentlemen book here and there, no one has dared think of trying to discuss all of Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill‘s series in one episode… until now! Kumar and Dana take on the task, with special attention paid to Black Dossier (and the record … Continue reading #361 “League of Extraordinary Gentlemen” marathon!
#755 “Best of EC Stories, Artisan Edition”
November 09, 2022 13:00 - 59 minutes - 68 MBEC Comics, a name that brings to mind Fredric Wertham and the coming of the Comics Code, also brings to mind some very well-done comics by the likes of Wally Wood, Harvey Kurtzman, Al Williamson, and more. IDW has just released an Artist’s Edition of original EC art by Wood, Kurtzman, Williamson, Jack Davis, and … Continue reading #755 “Best of EC Stories, Artisan Edition”
“Captain America: Civil War” (2016)
November 02, 2022 12:00 - 1 hour - 63.9 MBTim Catches Up with the MCU continues as Tim and Mulele discuss Avengers 2.5, er, Captain America: Civil War! (Originally published on Patreon September 28, 2019.) Brought to you by: Checkered Past podcast Our supporters on Patreon
#754 “Peanuts”: Schulz’s Silent Sundays 1957-1961
October 26, 2022 12:00 - 50 minutes - 46.2 MBCharles Schulz’s Peanuts is a master class in how to do a comic strip. This week Kumar and Tim are focusing on a five-year period of Schulz’s career, 1957 to 1961, and 25 Sunday strips that demonstrate Schulz’s skill at dialog-free comics. You might want to read the strips before listening; see below! Brought to … Continue reading #754 “Peanuts”: Schulz’s Silent Sundays 1957-1961
#753 Kirby’s Fourth World: “Old Gods and New”
October 19, 2022 12:00 - 48 minutes - 44.2 MBJohn Morrow is co-founder of Two Morrows Publishing, a company that owes its start to John’s interest in Jack Kirby. His Kirby fan newsletter grew into the company that’s now publishing his history of Kirby’s Fourth World, much of it told in Jack’s own words: Old Gods and New. This time, Emmet talks with John … Continue reading #753 Kirby’s Fourth World: “Old Gods and New”
Critiquing Comics #222: “Berserker Monk”
October 15, 2022 12:00 - 19 minutes - 17.8 MBBerserker Monk is a violent, but slightly humorous, comic that’s been pitched as “Tarantino meets The Last Airbender.” The creators — Josh Thompson, Gabriel Roldan, Leland Bjerg — are currently kickstarting it. How are Tim and Jason feeling about this comic? Listen and find out.
#752 Shanti Rai’s “Sennen”
October 12, 2022 12:00 - 43 minutes - 100 MBWhat are the people like on the other side of the mountain? Are there any there? Where does the stuff, the objects, the food we enjoy in our daily lives come from? These questions are central to Shanti Rai‘s first graphic novel, Sennen. In this episode, Tim and Jason review the book, and then Tim … Continue reading #752 Shanti Rai’s “Sennen”
#751 Rachel Pollack’s “Doom Patrol”
October 05, 2022 12:00 - 1 hour - 146 MBIn the mid-’90s, Grant Morrison’s innovative run on Doom Patrol was followed by that of Rachel Pollack, who took advantage of Morrison’s legacy, the greatest variety of sexual minority characters of any mainstream comic at the time, to express her feelings about being trans and a lesbian herself. Her run also examines a number of … Continue reading #751 Rachel Pollack’s “Doom Patrol”
#750 Jack Kirby’s “The Demon”
September 28, 2022 12:00 - 74.5 MBAfter leaving DC’s Jimmy Olsen book, Jack Kirby needed something else to keep his monthly page count up to the level he had contracted for. One of the books he came up with was The Demon, the result of his being asked to do a “monsters and mystery” book. But Kirby didn’t have a lot … Continue reading #750 Jack Kirby’s “The Demon”
Critiquing Comics #221: “Steamgear Inc.”
September 21, 2022 12:00 - 21 minutes - 19.9 MBAlexandra (her friends call her “Ax”) is trying to get in touch with hero team Steamgear Defenders; she wants to become a member. But will they turn out to be all they’re cracked up to be? Will she even get there, with so many people getting in her way? The comic is Steamgear Inc. by … Continue reading Critiquing Comics #221: “Steamgear Inc.”
#749 Marta Chudolinska: “An insider and an outsider”
September 14, 2022 12:00 - 1 hour - 59.7 MBMarta Chudolinska (who-doh-lean-ska), the child of Polish immigrants to Canada, makes comics and other art in Toronto. Koom talks with her about her ongoing project Babcia, about her grandmother and her family’s history in Poland. Brought to you by: Wayne Manor Memoirs podcast Our supporters on Patreon
Critiquing Comics #220: “Amazing Tales” #5
September 07, 2022 12:00 - 24 minutes - 22.6 MBThis time, we critique the fifth installment in David Dye‘s “Amazing Tales” anthology series. In the main story, we again join the troops of Dropship Fifteen, in a story that gets a bit harrowing… but not without some humor. Adam joins Tim to talk through the issue. Brought to you by: The Quarter-Bin podcast Our … Continue reading Critiquing Comics #220: “Amazing Tales” #5
#748 Elizabeth Sandifer on Netflix’s “Sandman”
August 31, 2022 12:00 - 53 minutes - 49.4 MBWhile Netflix’s Sandman series has gone over well with many fans, not everyone is pleased. This week Emmet talks with comics commentator Elizabeth Sandifer, who has found the series to be vastly inferior to the original comics, and gives us her reasons in a very entertaining and informative way. Brought to you by: To the … Continue reading #748 Elizabeth Sandifer on Netflix’s “Sandman”
#747 “Suzanne: The Jazz Age Goddess of Tennis”
August 24, 2022 12:00 - 1 hour - 57.8 MBSuzanne Lenglen was a trendsetting tennis star in the 1920s, among the first to challenge the notion that tennis players had to be amateurs, running themselves into debt to keep competing, in order to participate in tournaments. Tom Humberstone‘s first full-length graphic novel Suzanne: The Jazz Age Goddess of Tennis, soon to be released, is … Continue reading #747 “Suzanne: The Jazz Age Goddess of Tennis”
#746 Manga Mermaid Madness!
August 17, 2022 12:00 - 57 minutes - 52.6 MBPatrick Ijima-Washburn (a.k.a. “Patrick W.”) has been doing some deep research on certain themes used in manga. Last year, he told us about scary cats in manga; this time it’s (mostly scary) mermaids — or, to be gender neutral, “merfolk.” Thinking it would be a topic easily covered, he was soon caught in a tsunami … Continue reading #746 Manga Mermaid Madness!
#745 Noah Van Sciver and “Joseph Smith and the Mormons”
August 10, 2022 12:00 - 48 minutes - 45 MBJoseph Smith and the Mormons is an objective look at the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Author and artist Noah Van Sciver took a bit of heat from the church for not portraying things in line with church teaching. Adam interviews Noah in this episode, as they compare notes … Continue reading #745 Noah Van Sciver and “Joseph Smith and the Mormons”
#744 “Fist of the North Star”
August 03, 2022 12:00 - 1 hour - 63.1 MBIf you’re looking for over-the-top — way, way over — action and violence, then Fist of the North Star, by Buronson and Tetsuo Hara, is the comic for you! Kumar and Jordan breathlessly recount their experience reading the comic, which — despite the ridiculousness of the story — is done sincerely, not cynically. Brought to … Continue reading #744 “Fist of the North Star”
Critiquing Comics #219: “Rougarou” and “The Poet and the Flea”
July 27, 2022 12:00 - 57 minutes - 52.8 MBThis week, a Critiquing Comics double feature: During the U.S. Civil War, a confederate soldier is changed into a dangerous creature by a mysterious woman. His comrade, now a marshal, tracks him after the war as he takes more innocent victims. But is everything as it appears? Tim and Jason enjoy the twist in Rougarou, … Continue reading Critiquing Comics #219: “Rougarou” and “The Poet and the Flea”
#743 “Stray Bullets”
July 20, 2022 12:00 - 1 hour - 60 MBDavid Lapham’s Stray Bullets “humanist crime” series began in 1995 and shows a number of characters interacting between the 1970s and 1990s, with the stories told nonsequentially. Kumar and Matt dodge the bullets to turn in this review. Brought to you by: The Law of Equivalent Exchange: A Fullmetal Alchemist manga podcast Our supporters on … Continue reading #743 “Stray Bullets”
#742 “Crisis on Infinite Earths”
July 13, 2022 12:00 - 1 hour - 63.3 MBCrisis on Infinite Earths was an attempt by Marv Wolfman and George Perez to clean up DC Comics continuity and make the publisher’s line more reader-friendly. The story showed the Anti-Monitor trying to eliminate all of the many versions of Earth that had appeared in DC stories, and the few surviving Earths ended up merged … Continue reading #742 “Crisis on Infinite Earths”
“Ant-Man” (2015)
July 06, 2022 12:00 - 54 minutes - 49.7 MBIt’s another episode of TIM CATCHES UP WITH THE MCU, in which we wrap up Phase Two with Ant-Man. When this movie was released in 2015, some thought this might be where Marvel Studios would finally stumble. Did they? Tim and Mulele discuss. (Originally published September 14, 2019.) Brought to you by: Dear Reader: A … Continue reading “Ant-Man” (2015)