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So, what will we do since Joe is out of action?  WE DON’T KNOW, since he is hiding undercover from the shoulder surgeon to record this episode.  We discuss the top-selling comics lately, as well as our thoughts on those books and the state of the market.  Our Retro Review is: Captain America’s Bicentennial Battles All of this, the usual shenanigans, and much, much more!!

Joe is shot out of a cannon this week and goes on about his recent comic acquisitions, the local convention scene, and so much more. Poor Cory might as well have taken a nap.   They also discuss: Joe gives an update on his shoulder surgery being changed to a later date.  Why Marvel and DC are much better at digital than Netflix and other movie streamers. What’s in the bag? Our Retro Review is: Home from Image All of this, the usual shenanigans, and much, much more!!

Joe is worried about his upcoming surgery (which is now done and he’s OK… well, as OK as Joe can be). Meanwhile, we talk about: Growing up with the bicentennial Will Joe read comics while out on disability?  How did comics deal with censorship in the late 1980s? Rick Veitch’s Swamp Thing being printed. How the comic Marvel Super Heroes used up old inventory stories and why there aren’t Inventory stories anymore.  What comics are better in large-sized editions? The problem with Chris Claremont… writing modern comics. Interesting things about the new leadership team at Marvel Retro Review: Confessions Illustrated #2 from EC Comics All of this, the usual shenanigans, and much, much more!!

Joe brings us a guest! Don, who does a podcast called “From Beyond the Lake”, is our guest to talk comics, horror, and other nerdy stuff such as: How Zebra Books and his mother got him hooked on horror Joe talked about his love of Vertigo comics from DC. Why there was a horror comic boom in the 1970’s The first mention of Marvel’s new Midnight line of comics. There are a TON of recommendations They have a brief discussion of bad horror movies, and recommendations for recent horror movies. All of this, the usual shenanigans and a special announcement to start the show.

After #700, we’ve got a lot of stuff that really doesn’t fit into a theme, so we talk about: What Cory!! did Wrestlemania Week The joy of sorting comics Why Cory!! Hates Death Matches Joe has set up at two conventions lately Joe went to a St Paul Saints game Cory has issues with the Death Spiral story in Spider-Man Marvel upcoming movie releases Dark Horse doing Marvel reprints Free Comic Book Day Plans Our Retro Review this week: The Adventures of Bob Hope 95 All of this, the usual shenanigans, and much, much more!!

It has been a LONG time since we did this:  Cory!! and Joe talk about what would be a dream comic shop if they had to open one under the current state of the comics industry. What they would have done before 2019 is vastly different from what they would do now, so what sort of things would they do, what product mix would they have, and more!  They also discuss: The origins of the podcast Should we carry new comics? Is it worth having a store in a mall now? Do you need a gaming section? What sort of non-comics merch would you carry? Our Retro Review this week: Weird War Tales #9 All of this, the usual shenanigans, and much, much more!!

Not everything DC has done in their stories has been a good thing, so this week, Joe and Cory!! discuss stories DC has done that have messed things up, made characters fail, or derailed other stories going on.  In other words, Where Has DC Screwed up? They also discuss: Are we in a new speculator boom? How successful DC’s Absolute line has been with DC sales figures How DC messed up their “universe” pre-Crisis The mess that was Wonder Girl How John Byrne screwed up the Sandman series. THE NEW 52!!! Our Retro Review this week: Remo Williams The Destroyer #1 from Marvel All of this, the usual shenanigans, and much, much more!!

Not everything Marvel has done in their stories has been a good thing, so this week, Joe and Cory!! discuss stories Marvel has done that have messed things up, made characters fail, or derailed other stories going on.  In other words, Where Has Marvel Screwed up? TRIGGER WARNING: There is a discussion of Marvel stories that had rape in them.   Cory!! discusses Malort Stan Lee’s job at Marvel in the 70’s. Oh, there is so much about the behind the scenes stuff on the Peter Parker/Mary Jane wedding What is the story that caused the most damage?  A story so bad it affected sales across an entire line of comics? A mystery solved: How did Steve Gerber become an editor at Marvel? All of this, the usual shenanigans, and much, much more!!

Doug Marcaida is a martial artist, edged weapons specialist, and knife designer born in the Philippines, who calls Upstate New York home. Doug’s interest in martial arts began at the age of 8, but he did not begin formally training in the arts until he was 16. At age 25 he discovered his love for Filipino Martial Arts, and from there, he changed his life and started to change the lives around him. He has time in the Air Force, 20 years as a respiratory therapist and a lifetime of knowledge about weapons, martial arts, and moving from a place of anger to a place of inner peace. Cory speaks to him about his new comic Lineage, a comic that tells a tale of intrigue, martial arts, and cults. We discuss the deeper reason why he is telling this story, how he went from the Reality show Forged in Fire to the world of comics and how to tell stories in the comic form. He is Kickstarting the conclusion of the first story arc for Lineage here:https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kidheroes/doug-marcaidas-lineage-2-4-comic?ref=profile_created&category_id=250And you can get the special covers and other merchandise for the first issue here:https://www.kidheroes.net/lineage

After being put out to pasture back in 2020, but it has been brought back starting this year! Cory!! and Joe go into the history of where Vertigo came from, how shops in the 90’s dealt with it, the successes why it went away and a review of the first comic in its revival!  They also discuss:  Cory talks about the DC implosion caused by a snowstorm Cory goes over the history of Superman publishing after Crisis on Infinite Earths How Alan Moore’s Swamp Thing was the first comic that started the march onward Vertigo.  What the hell was Pirana Press How Vertigo opened the door for comics in bookstores Joe not liking the hard line between Vertigo and DC Retro Review: The Monkees All of this, the usual shenanigans, and much, much more!!