Comic Geek Speak Podcast - The Best Comic Book Podcast (Comedy)

Get ready for quite the catchup of comic book related reads, watching and happenings! This includes IDW heading to Penguin Random House, Chris discusses his recovery from Tropical Storm Ida and how it will change his collecting habits moving forward, Shane got some time to read Justice League: Death Metal, Batman '89 #1, Batman Beyond #48 and 49, Infinite Frontier and some Wally West Flash, Murd discusses Superman '89 #1 and Al Ewing's Defenders, Ian goes into Spider-Man Life Story Annual #1 and Fantastic Four: Life Story and goes into Joe Bennett's removal from Marvel Comics in further detail, and Chris goes over JMS and Epting's Telepaths, Ron Marz's Almost American, Cantwell's Iron Man and Brubaker's The Fall Out. Plus some media conversation of Superman & Lois, Y: The Last Man, What If...?, Stargirl and Star Trek: Lower Decks, Shane does a World of Toys on GI Joe Cobra Island, Marvel Legends, Star Wars and He-Man, we fit in a Muddle the Murd and more! (2:01:46)

With this very special episode of Comic Geek Speak, we honor one of our longest running and most generous listeners, Dr. Eamonn Clarke, as he heads into retirement after 36 years on the job, and begins the next stage of his journey. And the best gift we could offer the man who has everything is just that! Peter Rios and Adam Murdough give the Footnotes treatment to Superman Annual #11, written by Alan Moore with art by Dave Gibbons. Here's to you, Eamonn, and to you, our listeners as a whole! May this episode be everything your heart desires. (4:05:57)

With expert timing, we jump out of the shadows for another Introducing...! This time, we focus on the first appearances of some of the most nimble martial artists of the comic book world: DC's Karate Kid, Marvel's Shang-Chi (now a major motion picture), and Mirage's (now IDW's) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. If you'd like to read along with us, you can find these character premieres in Adventure Comics #346, Special Marvel Edition #15, and of course, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1. These origins also manage to span the Silver, Bronze and Copper Age of comics, as America's appreciation of the martial arts went from a passing glance to a full blown obsession. How do the issues hold up? Listen in to find out, but please, don't try this at home; leave that to the Living Weapons. (1:15:35)

There's a Retro Movie Review in my new release review. There's a new release review in my Retro Movie Review! To start us off, Chris, Shane, Murd and Ian review the 1984 sci-fi cult classic, and favorite of Shane, "The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension." But is it truly retro if three out of four are watching it for the first time? You be the judge. The cast (sans Shane) then transition into an in-depth and spoiler-filled discussion on Marvel's latest cinematic entry in Phase Four of the MCU, "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings." And as if that wasn't enough, we also attempt to Muddle the Murd! (1:43:12)

It's been a while since we caught up, so we pack as much Comic Talk as we can into this week's episode. This includes spoilery conversation on DC's latest movie to hit theaters and HBO Max, The Suicide Squad, Peacemaker, Bloodsport, Ratcatcher 2, TDK, King Shark, Harley Quinn, Polka Dot Man and all. We also touch on the season finale of Loki (also with spoilers), the launch of new digital comic book publisher Substack, Shane gets his wish and talks Blue and Gold with Chris and Ian, Tim Drake comes out as bisexual, Murd opines on Chrisopher Cantwell's The Blue Flame and Wally West Quantum Leaping into the Superfriends reality, Chris brings his to-read pile which includes some of the latest James Bond comics, Tom King's Supergirl: The Woman of Tomorrow, Spider-Man Spider's Shadow, Fantastic Four's Bride of Doom arc, Gerry Duggan's X-Men, Black Hammer: Reborn and Black Hammer: Visions, United States of Captain America, the first three trades of Invincible, Hadrian's Wall, Dracula MoFo', Garth Ennis' Sara, and more. Plus, Chris, Ian and Murd review Jeff Lemire's Primordial, Ian tackles JH Williams' Echolands, Shane gives us a World of Toys update, we Muddle the Murd, and other random ramblings! (2:34:14)

After a nine year hiatus, Ron Marz returns to Comic Geek Speak! Since then, the cast has changed, and so has the comic book industry. In turn, Ron's main focus is his current cosmic crowdfunding campaign at Zoop along with Andy Lanning and Rick Leonardi, titled Resolution. Along with that, Ian and Chris discuss the full scope of Ron's career, including the creations of Kyle Rayner and Genis-Vell, taking over for Starlin on Silver Surfer, the rise and fall of Crossgen and how its existence changed the comic book medium, Samurai: Heaven and Earth (one of Chris' all-time favorites), Russian spies and Almost American, Swamp God at Heavy Metal and different formats of releasing comics, the state of the NL East, and so much more. (1:47:08)

From his Lee and Kirby origins and the best eyepatch in comics, to The Howling Commandos, to Steranko's iconic take, all the way to Original Sin, the Infinity Formula and beyond, nobody has been a part of more facets of the Marvel Universe than Nick Fury. It took a group of four geeks, including Spotlight Maestro Chris Eberle, Shane, Ian and Murd, gathered together in one undisclosed location (okay fine, it's disclosed, it was the CGS Studio) to make this Spotlight happen! And for those paying attention, this one is at least five years in the making. So get in your flying car, put on your stealth suit with as many pouches as you can possibly fit, put that eyepatch on the correct eye, and join in on the action; if you're tough enough. (3:17:19)

The MCU returns to theaters...and so does the CGS crew! Live, in person and in studio for the first time in over a year and a half, Ian, Chris, Murd and Shane give us their honest opinions on the first movie of Phase Four, and the experience of heading back into the theater to do so. They also open some mail from the mailbag, discuss trailers viewed before the movie such as Shang-Chi, Venom 2 and Suicide Squad, and some other digressions. And yes, there be spoilers abound within, so do wait until after you've seen Black Widow to listen! (1:23:15)

Another episode from the archives returns to the feed, as Ian is on vacation this week, and the rest of the Geeks are preparing to celebrate the 4th! But rather than leave you all empty-handed, we give you one of the most celebrated of Peter Rios' Spotlights. This episode originally aired on December 24, 2010; It's our gift to the listeners this holiday season as we try and sort out the continuity landmine that is the world of Hawkman and Hawkgirl! From Egypt to the Golden Age to the far-flung planet of Thanagar, we walk through the characters' origins, retcons and more. (1:33:03)

Not a trick! Not an imaginary story! But it sure is timey whimey, that much is true. Chris, Ian, Shane and Murd give an in-depth and spoiler-filled review of the first episode of Marvel's latest traverse through the multiverse, Loki (4:58-58:21). We then catch up on our latest reads, including Ian traveling to the 90s for X-Men Legends #1, Chris not traveling to the 90s for Heroes Reborn #1 (the new one) and Marvel Double Action, Spider-Man Spider's Shadow #1, Fantastic Four Life Story #1, Radiant Black #4, The Silver Coin #1 and more. Then, journey back in tiiiiime with Murd for DC's The Young All-Stars, and one of Grant Morrison's first (and trippiest), Zenith. Plus some World of Toys updates on GI Joe, Batman '66 figures and some amazing Lego sets, and yes, a Muddle the Murd! A true gem of an episode...not a stone. Trust me, no stones. (2:06:16)

Let's start at the very beginning; a very good place to start. Something that we as comic book readers want more than anything else is to have others find the craft, and the joy within it, and start reading right along with us. With this episode, we give these new readers our choices for books that would/could be that foot in the door to the medium at large. Some pieces are instructional, some all ages, some for adults, but all of these Top 5 choices (and one in particular more than the others) are, as always our hill, and our beans. And even if you're already quite familiar with comics as a whole, hopefully you'll find these suggestions as good items to read, or for someone you know to read! (2:43:14)

While we take a short siesta to regroup and enjoy the long weekend, we rebroadcast a classic from the archives! This episode originally aired on February 20, 2014, and featured the talented talents of Jamie D, Shane Kelly and Adam Murdough. The Geeks go for the gold in this episode, as they list and discuss their favorite characters, vintage and recent, who have served as members of the world's first superhero team: the Justice Society of America! (1:37:28)

Gather one, gather all! It's Comic Talk time, y'all. Shane, Chris, Murd and Ian discuss a bevy of topics this week, including the news that broke on upcoming Marvel movies (Black Panther and Captain Marvel sequels specifically), we give are parting thoughts on Falcon and The Winter Soldier (spoilers begin at 20:15, ends at 53:45), Ian and Murd saw New Mutants and have feelings, Chris brings his recent reads of Black Hammer: Visions, Brubaker and Lark's Scene of the Crime, and whether Tom King's Rorschach passes the test, Murd gives a quick review of Non-Stop Spider-Man, Ian traverses to The Wrong Earth: Night & Day, and Shane opines the GI Joe figures that still evade his grasp. But we did catch a Muddle the Murd attempt at least! (1:50:55)

After pressure cooking in our comic book Instapot for months, our latest Book of the Month Club is finally ready to sip and enjoy! A full crew of Ian, Chris, Shane, Murd and Kevin go through the first two trades of Al Ewing and Joe Bennett's revolutionary take on the character of The Hulk, alias Bruce Banner, covering issues 1 through 10 of The Immortal Hulk. Witness the horror within, Walter Langkowski's Murdoughnian sideburns, and plenty of Gamma Goulash for both listeners and hosts alike. (1:41:48)

We begin the episode with the big reveal, as your votes have been tallied for the Comic Geek Speak Best of 2020 awards. Thank you all for participating, and do check out the books and creators that won if you have not done so. We then transition into a wide variety of Comic Talk featuring the return of Kevin Moyer, including discussion on Marvel's change in distributor to Penguin Random House, we review (with spoilers) the first two episodes of Falcon and The Winter Soldier (46:50), Shane, Kevin and Chris get in their takes on Zack Snyder's Justice League (1:11:06), Ian discusses the Invincible cartoon, Chris gives his field report on True Believer: The Rise and Fall of Stan Lee, quick reviews of Bendis' first issue on Justice League (issue 59), Radiant Black #2, Volume 2 of Hickman's X-Men, a Muddle the Murd and more! (2:36:52)

The following is a special presentation of the Comic Timing Podcast, as we celebrate fifteen years of the podcast! In turn, we review, and dissect, Zack Snyder's Justice League. A warning that if you're a pure fan of this and other Zack Snyder films this might not be for you. But if you're looking for a critical eye that delves into what works and what doesn't, then this may be your speed. Outside of your co-hosts Ian Levenstein and Brent Kossina, guests include artist Jamal Igle, writer and podcaster Kris Naudus, and longtime Comic Timing contributors Brandon Christopher, Donovan Morgan Grant, and Raphael Soohoo. (2:53:46)

Who's been pulling every evil string? It's been Comic Talk all along! We give WandaVision the full spoiler filled treatment this episode (spoiler talk begins at 11:50 and concludes at 53:38), while also discussing the first few episodes of Superman & Lois, the new season of The Flash, and we even dabble into the upcoming Snyder Cut of Justice League. On the comics front, Ian discusses Infinite Frontier #1 from DC, Chris goes gaga for Radiant Black, Chip Zdarsky's Stillwater, Larry Hama and Dave Wachter's Iron First and Christopher Priest's Vampirella, and Murd dives deep into the first two issues of the original Nova. Plus some new GI Joe acquisitions by Shane, delving into some TwoMorrow's magazine content, the return of Chandra Free's The God Machine on Kickstarter, and a Muddle the Murd! (1:59:06)

Overture, curtains, lights. This is it, the night of nights. No more rehearsing and nursing a part, we know every part by heart! Gather round as the ever-ready Master of Ceremonies Adam Murdough, along with Chris, Ian and YOU the listener, bring forth the Best of 2020 Awards Nominations Show! 2020 was a long year, but there were tons of great comic books to help take our minds off of things. Let this episode be a way to learn about some you might have missed, and others you too wish to praise. (2:47:30)

Grab your prop sword, trench coat, and your best worst Sean Connery impersonation, because it's Highlander Time! Three out of four Geeks watch this cult classic for the very first time, while the other has nearly memorized the script word by word. Does the film live up to expectations? How do the flashbacks compare to time spent in 1986 Manhattan? Is The Quickening fast enough to keep up? Are Queen the Princes of the Universe? Is Clancy Brown's The Kurgan more punk than punk? What accent is Christopher Lambert using anyway? Listen closely, as your destiny awaits! We also have a challenger to Murd's throne, Muddle the Murd style. There can be only one (time we review this movie). (1:26:02)

It's Previews time once again and this time, things are a little bit more Dwonchy! Dave Dwonch joins in for the bulk of the episode to touch on picks for Previews #289, Marvel Previews #8 and DC Connect #9, for books scheduled for release mostly in April 2021. Dave isn't just here to catch up with old buddies, he has his new book, Jenny Zero, solicited this month under Dark Horse, plus a Kickstarter currently running for his follow-up to Prom of the Dead, The Broken Circle. That's right, two promos for the price of one! And enough vaudeville level humor to fit into a 1920s theater. But do be careful with those hardcover omnibus editions, you might wind up dead. Or...a zombie? Tip your waitress, try the veal! (3:05:28)

As the show hits yet another milestone number, what better way to celebrate than with the one, the only Uncle Sal! And this time Sal comes with purpose and with drive, specifically a Kickstarter drive, for his new graphic novel, The Hostage. We discuss that and, as usual, so much more, including what it takes to make it in the industry as an independent creator, the state of the comic book industry and of comic book conventions, the bodily hygiene of teenagers, etcetera etcetera. Finally, a reminder that this one is not for the kiddies, so wear headphones where needed. And before the show comes to a close, we squeak in a Muddle the Murd, like we do. (2:09:10)

Back at it again with that Comic Talk! This time, the gang are joined by Steve Bryant, who is returning to Kickstarter for the launch of his next story in the Athena Voltaire franchise, Athena Voltaire and the Terror on the Orient Express! Steve then sticks around afterward to talk about some of the things he's been reading of late such as Thief of Thieves, we go into Marvel's rebirth of Heroes Reborn, Bendis possibly no longer being DC exclusive, and we honor the untimely passing of legendary artist Steve Lightle. Then, Murd dives deep into The Other History of the DC Universe, Ian reviews Scout's Honor from Aftershock, Tales From the Dark Multiverse: Infinite Crisis and Dark Knights: Death Metal #1 and #2, Chris and Ian discuss the joy that is Christopher Cantwell's Iron Man, Chris checks out Terry Moore's Ever: The Way Out, Shane gives us a quick World of Toys deviation, and we are provided with a crash course on Disney's The Black Hole before we conclude with an in-depth spoiler-filled discussion on WandaVision episode 1-3 (spoiler discussion begins at 1:55:05). And yes, as is tradition, a Muddle the Murd. (2:26:36)

As the month of January comes to a close, gather round for a run through Previews #388, Marvel Previews #7, and DC Connect #8 for books mostly scheduled for release in March 2021. Bryan Deemer joins the crew for the first part of our perusal of catalogs, while the three person team of Chris Eberle, Adam Murdough and Ian Levenstein soldier through the rest of the rest of the books. Plenty of stuff to read ahead of us! (2:39:33)

Possibly a dream! Maybe an imaginary story! Listen in as the Geeks count down from five to one their favorite alternate tales on familiar characters, and throw in plenty of honorable mentions while they're at it. Don't let the name of the episode fool you, there will be an occasional trek away from the path of just Elseworlds and What If...? branded comics here, but we got Uatu's permission first so everything is fine. Although step on the wrong branch, and history will be rewritten once more! (2:36:56)

We bid farewell to 2020 with one final whammy of a Comic Talk! Shane, Chris and Ian give their spoiler-filled thoughts on the newly released to streaming (and theaters) Wonder Woman 1984, Ian touches spoiler-free on Pixar's Soul, Murd gives us a post-Christmas book report on Santa: The Life and Times and a comic book adaptation of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys, Shane updates us on his GI Joe scores of late, Chris discusses Doomsday Clock now that he's read it all the way through, Ian finally enters the world of Black Hammer and tackles the Juggernaut, and we give a spoiler-filled discussion on The Mandalorian Season Two to close us out. Plus, Muddle the Murd! Bring it on, 2021, we're coming for you. (1:38:49)

Gather round the table this holiday season, as we present our annual Cornucopia of Comics Conversation! Shane, Ian, Murd and Chris discuss a bevy of scintillating topics, including Wonder Woman 1984 heading to HBO Max, thoughts on The Mandalorian Season 2, revisiting The Rise of Skywalker and the Skywalker, TwoMorrow's Holly Jolly, Back Issue! #123 and AlterEgo #165, memories of Our Worlds at War and its subsequent tie-ins, some Dragonball manga as bedside reading material, a dip into Marvel Snapshots of X-Men and the Avengers, breaking down Taschen's The Marvel Age of Comics 1961-1978 by Roy Thomas, Tom King's Rorschach, Priest's US Agent, Star Trek Deep Space Nine: Too Long a Sacrifice, Bitter Root, A new edit of Rudolph on Freeform and a last minute save to show A Charlie Brown Christmas on terrestrial television, and various other deviations. Plus a dip into the CGS mailbag, Muddle the Murd, and more! (1:47:47)

As we all wake up from our turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie induced food comas, we can all be thankful for a brand new Previews episode! Murd and Ian are this month's dynamic duo, parading select picks from issue 386 of Previews, issue 6 of DC Connect, and issue 5 of Marvel's Previews. Future State, King in Black and Ahoy are ahoy for all, and a feast of other choices while we're at it. And I hope you all saved room for a Muddle the Murd dessert! (2:18:00)

Some actors and actresses are so good at a role they make it their own, while still managing to honor the source material that came before. This Top 5 respects and represents these performances throughout the comic book movie genre. Will there be crossover amongst the Geek's choices, or will each list stand alone? Is each choice a superhero, or do some non-superhero portrayals make the cut? Are they all actors taking on lead characters, or is there a side character or two? I'll never tell, I prefer leaving you all in suspense. And...cut! (1:52:16)

Time for another wibbly-wobbly, loosey-goosey Comic Talk! Topics include the first three episodes of Star Trek: Discovery (spoiler-free outside of some references to general Season 2 stuff); still more changes to DC's distribution chain; some potential and official casting for Marvel's upcoming Disney+ series; Shane's thoughts on The Three Jokers and the Black Mercy's return to Justice League; Chris's enlistment in The Old Guard; Chris and Ian read Chip Zdarsky's first arc of Daredevil; Murd wrestles with Box Brown's GN biography of Andy Kaufman; and more. Oh, and Muddle the Murd, of course. (1:32:24)

Chris, Ian, Murd and Shane present you all with a Halloween treat, no trick, in the form of a Retro Movie review of 1998's slice 'em and dice 'em vampire classic, Blade. We delve deep into this progenitor of today's standard of comic book movie adaptations, and try and figure out if it holds up after all these years. With a reboot looming on the horizon, will Wesley Snipes remain the version of Blade everyone will think of first? Is Donal Logue the best character actor around? Grab your ice skates, because we're ready to give it a try uphill. Just don't forget your sunblock, or you might get burned. (1:31:25)

Time flies when you're reading comics, doesn't it? So much so that out of nowhere, it's time for issue 385 of Previews, issue 5 of DC Connect and issue 4 of Marvel's Previews, going over books scheduled for release in the month of December. There's some jolly Christmas treats to be had for all in his catalog, including a bit of multiverse spanning DC content for Murd, Shane finds Maxwell Lord in his stocking, Ian foretells the looming conclusion of Lumberjanes, Marvel finds its King in Black, and Chris gets to wax poetic on Brubaker and Phillips. So won't you join us in our two month early Christmas (and Hanukkah) cheer? (2:02:40)

Time to continue, and conclude, our latest in-depth discussion on some of the most important issues of The Amazing Spider-Man. Here, our attention lies with issues 127 through 131, including a two-part Vulture tale (just in time for Halloween), the first appearance of Marvel's mercenary marksman The Punisher, lots of stuff with The Jackal (for good and for bad), Harry Osborn's not so subtle descent into madness, Hammerhead giving a full detail job to the Spider-Mobile, Doctor Octopus attempting a shotgun wedding with Aunt May out of nowhere, Canadian nuclear islands that are inherited by the death of a relative, and a whole lot more. And we are lucky enough to have "Dapper" Dan Gvozden along for the ride in the Spider-Mobile with us once more, as we should. BRAKA BRAKA TRAKA CHOW! (1:33:01)

Continuing our latest trend, Chris Eberle champions yet another Micro-Spotlight on The Amazing Spider-Man. This time, we focus on issues 121-131, an arc that changed the comic book medium forever. But such important content could not be contained within one episode alone, so we'll be needing two! In this first part, the crew are joined once again by The Amazing Spider-Talk's Dan Gvozden to cover issues 121 to 126, including such memorable moments as the final fate of Gwen Stacy, The Green Goblin's (kinda) last stand, a guest appearance by the tiara and chains wearing Luke Cage, Harry Osborn's descent into madness, John Jameson's hairy alter-ego The Man Wolf, Johnny Storm helps Peter with some car trouble, and Spider-Man faces his greatest foe...The Kangaroo. Okay, that last one might be sarcasm. (1:49:36)

In the year 1989, Bill S. Preston and Ted "Theodore" Logan were two teens just looking to pass history. Instead, they became two teens who passed THROUGH history with the help of Rufus, a phone booth time machine, and the fate of world peace on the line. Listen in as the CGS crew travel through time themselves, and present a Retro Movie Review of this Excellent Adventure. Does the film hold up thirty years later to its moniker, is it worthy of its newly minted threequel, were the television and comic book tie-ins bodacious, and what does Chris think after seeing this very 80's movie for the very first time? Tune in and find out, my excellent friends. (1:11:39)

Back again for another topic spanning Comic Talk, we begin this episode with the unfortunate passing of iconic actor and on-screen originator of Marvel's live action Black Panther, Chadwick Boseman. From there conversation swerves to the future of viewing movies in the theater, thoughts on the teaser for Robert Pattinson's Batman, brief sojourns into both the World of Toys and the Time Bubble realms, Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips' Pulp, Hickman's X-Men, Ian's take on two very different Superman analogs, Muddle the Murd and more! (1:44:35)

Our Shazam Spotlight odyssey brings us to the tumultuous post-Crisis years (1986-93), when the original Captain Marvel struggled to find his footing in the dark deconstructionism of the revised DC Universe. We'll bear witness as the magic lightning forks, creating no fewer than TWO distinct and competing post-Crisis characterizations of the good Captain: the golly-gee-whizzing super-naif of Giffen/DeMatteis/Maguire's Justice League (as related in a sidebar by CGS staff BWAH-HA-HA-logist Shane Kelly), and the more serious take of Roy and Dann Thomas. We'll meet Copper Age incarnations of classic villains Dr. Sivana, Black Adam, and Captain Nazi. And we'll note Cap's participation in DCU crossovers such as Legends, War of the Gods, and Eclipso. (2:40:01)

There's peanut butter in my chocolate. There's chocolate in my peanut butter. And together it tastes like a podcast crossover...Comic Talk style! Chris and Ian are joined by the Comic Timing Podcast's co-host Brent Kossina, regular rotating guest Donovan Morgan Grant, and last but not least, the CGS return of the one and only artistic juggernaut, Jamal Igle! The combined crew delves deep into DC Comics recent layoffs and cancellations, its new interim Editors in Chiefs, the impending return of Milestone Comics, and thoughts on what may come next for the publisher as all of these changes begin to settle in. We also discuss the Stargirl Season One Finale (spoilers), the fate of the DC Universe app and its originals, Scott Snyder's new Kickstarter and Image Imprint, Kirkman and Samnee's Fire Power, Umbrella Academy (both the Netflix series and comic), Doom Patrol Season 2, Bendis' Superman, Nick Spencer's Amazing Spider-Man, Immortal Hulk, the end of Joshua Williamson's Flash, Birthright from Image Comics, The Old Guard, and more. And of course, learn more about the upcoming return of Tom Peyer and Jamal Igle's The Wrong Earth: Night and Day! (2:18:48)

A new month, a new Previews! Join the three person crew of Murd, Shane and Ian as we go over the August 2020 edition, cataloging books set to be released in October. We also go over issue 3 of DC Connect, as part of our new normal. Expect some spooky Halloweenesque solicits and tons of good reads waiting for us...in the future!!! Sorry, all the seats on the Time Bubble are taken, you'll just have to wait for these to come out in linear fashion. (1:57:02)

It's a battle, and premise, everyone in the galaxy knows by now: Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker, lightsaber in hand, bands together with his group of rebels, a duo of droids, Leia, Han Solo and Chewbacca to take on Darth Vader and the evil Empire. But if you think you know more than that basic descriptor, well, we've got news for you. This ain't your daddy's Star Wars. Gather round as we discuss a very different eight-issue comic book adaptation of George Lucas' original rough draft, The Star Wars. And who better to assist in dissecting this Book of the Month selection and tying it into all kinds of Star Wars lore than Ryan Drost of the Star Joes podcast? Nobody, I say! May the Force of Others be with you. (2:09:51)

We the people of Comic Geek Speak, in recognition of the fantastic coincidence that Episode 1776 of our podcast is due for release in the week of July 4th, do ordain and establish this special tribute to the first appearances of three characters with ties to the American War of Independence: Will Eisner's Uncle Sam (National Comics #1, 1940), Capt. Steven Rogers of the Continental Army (Captain America #194, 1976 / Cap: Sentinel of Liberty #6-7, 1999), and the Black Coat (The Black Coat: A Call to Arms #1, 2006). Download it at your liberty; it's a yankee-doodle dandy! (1:21:18)

Get ready for a Retro Movie Review of Galaxy Quest, the stirringly satirical saga of a handful of has-been actors who, thanks to a race of naive aliens, get a chance to be the outer-space heroes they used to play on TV! The Geeks declare their varying degrees of devotion to this 1999 cult classic, thought by many to be the greatest (or at least the funniest) non-Star-Trek Star Trek movie ever made! By Grabthar's Hammer, you will be entertained! (1:17:09)

The CGS rolodex continues to unfold its wonders, as we welcome back cartoonist Danielle Corsetto to enthuse about Elephant Town (the open-ended online graphic novel she's been working on) and to shoot the breeze with us about the bad habits and guilty pleasures we've all embraced under quarantine! Plus, a paean to the X-Men, Claremont's and Hickman's; a bit of speculation on the possible demise of Diamond's comics distribution monopoly; several reader's reviews; and other COVIDiosyncrasies. (2:00:11)

Our second Micro-Spotlight shines straight and true from the waist of the Web-Slinger, as we discuss the 1969 classic Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #68-75, a.k.a. 'The Clay Tablet Saga'! It's Spider-Man and half the New York Underworld in a mad scramble to secure the Mighty Marvel McGuffin known as the Lifeline Tablet, in a story stuffed with suspense, slugfests, pseudo-science, social commentary, and several surprises! Featuring scintillating Spider-sayings from our expert guest-panelist, Dan Gvozden of the Amazing Spider-Talk podcast! (2:25:32)

Back by popular demand! The royal raconteur of CGSLand, Uncle Sal Abbinanti, brings his signature style of raunchy, not-safe-for-work-from-home humor back to the podcast for the first time in nearly three years! Sal riffs on the possible state of the comics industry post-COVID, why he's NOT sorry to be missing SDCC this year, being a dad at Disney World, and much, much more! Mature Listeners Only!!! (2:29:37)

The late 1950s in the U.S. of A.: prosperity and paranoia were both on the rise, humanity was striving toward the stars, and the characters in comic books were acquiring the unmistakable lustre of SILVER. This BOMC episode pays homage to writer/artist Darwyn Cooke's homage to those heady times, DC: The New Frontier. We comment on Cooke's engagement with his period setting, scrutinize his signature art style, and marvel at his distillation of such classic DC characters as Hal Jordan, Barry Allen, J'onn J'onzz, the Losers, and the Challengers of the Unknown to their purest sterling essence. It's one small step for us Geeks, one giant leap for this podcast! (1:54:49)

Presenting a new type of CGS episode, in which the Geeks review brief-but-important story arcs selected from throughout comics history. Is it a Spotlight or a Book of the Month or... IS IT BOTH?? First, we train our gaze on a classic JLA/JSA team-up from 1980, 'Crisis on New Genesis' (Justice League of America [Vol. 1] #183-185), featuring Jack Kirby's New Gods and the first-ever JLA artwork by George Perez. (Devotees of The Crisis Tapes, tune your vibro-towers to this frequency!) (1:01:52)

It's a little late for Thanksgiving, but we've got lots of lovely leftovers for your listening leisure in our annual overstuffed holiday gobstopper episode! We're thawing out and hashing up a range of topics from the current state of Marvel TV, to a titanic trio of trending trailers, to the CW Network's milestone 'Crisis on Infinite Earths' crossover event, to HBO's Watchmen, to Disney's Mandalorian, to a few things that we've actually READ rather than watched! Pull up a seat at our family table; you won't leave hungry for comics conversation! (2:29:09)

The Geeks quit clowning around and share their takes on the JOKER film (some SPOILERS occur... seriously!). Also, Ian's fast-paced fly-through of New York Comic-Con 2019; Kevin Feige's expanded role at Marvel Entertainment; Murd's encounter with Grant Morrison's sword-and-sorcery Santa saga, Klaus; mini-reviews of Legion of Super-Heroes: Millennium, Grendel: Devil's Odyssey, and a Steve Ditko retrospective in Alter Ego #160; and other snits 'n' giggles. (1:47:03)

Seventeen years and two reboots ago, Spider-Man took his first swing at the big screen, under the direction of Sam Raimi and supported by a memorable cast including Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, and Willem Dafoe. Today, with Spidey's cinematic future in question, the Geeks hearken back to that simpler time and spin their own web of praise and deprecation around the original Spider-Movie: the stars, the script, the suits, the sketchy CGI, and so on. Listen today--it's your power AND your responsibility! (1:25:08)

The Geeks act as digital-audio docents, summarizing their experience of the Marvel exhibit at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia! Other attractions include a salute to FlameCon 2019; the inevitable rundown of the Sony/Spider-Man cinematic situation (sheesh!); a tantalizing MCU casting announcement; a few very earnest reading recommendations; a bargain-store bonanza for Shane; Muddle the Murd, and more! (1:23:17)

It was the worst of times for Daredevil; it was the best of times for his readers! It was 1986, and comics auteur Frank Miller was making his second pass at writing Marvel's Daredevil series, accompanied this time by master draftsman David Mazzucchelli as artist. What Miller accomplished over seven revolutionary issues (Daredevil #227-233), collectively titled 'Born Again,' was the total decimation of Matt Murdock's life and Murdock's subsequent triumphant resurgence, in a masterful tale steeped in hardboiled crime fiction and Christian allegory. Join our CGS literary circle (including Doctors of Daredevology Chris Eberle and Kevin Moyer) in an examination of this deft deconstruction and reconstruction of one of Marvel's iconic characters. (2:30:22)

Yes, it's one of THOSE episodes--when anything can be discussed, and is! Topics include the tragic anticlimax of the Vertigo imprint (along with most other imprints at DC); the impending return of the Legion of Super-Heroes, the JSA, and Wally West to active status in the DC Universe; fond reminiscences on Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, plus tons of other televisual tangents; Ian's take on Dark PhoeniX and Toy Story 4, and Shane's on Men in Black International (all sans spoilers); the lengths to which Shane will go to be a good GeekDad; the general enthusiasm of Chris; and more additional asides and random remarks than there are grains of sand on the head of a pin! ...Or something! Just download it! (1:25:20)

We pause now in our ongoing analysis of the Crisis on Infinite Earths maxiseries for a brief intermission following 'Act I' (issues #1-4), during which a variety of Crisis-related short subjects will be presented. From forgotten tie-ins to recent references to vintage fan-press articles to collections and merchandising, Peter and Adam mete out a melange of multiversal morsels to tide you over until the antimatter curtain rises on Crisis #5. Que l'entr'acte commence! (2:59:41)

Ian Levenstein, Geek of Two Worlds, assumes an ambassadorial role in this episode, as he lobbies for greater mutual appreciation among fans of American and Japanese comics. He begins by making some genre-specific manga reading suggestions for his fellow Geeks; then, in a live recording of a panel he co-moderated at AnimeNEXT 2019, he recommends some American comics to a roomful of otaku. (Say, how d'you say 'Nuff Said' in Japanese?) (1:23:20)

Back to the Bronze Age for more tales of mirth and woe with the Original Captain Marvel! This episode covers the years 1976-85, including the final year of the SHAZAM! solo series, Captain Marvel's four-year run in World's Finest Comics, and some significant guest appearances. Billy and Uncle Marvel set out on a road-trippin', TV-riffin' Tour of Cities! Black Adam returns! The Monster Society strikes back! Kid Eternity joins the Marvel Family! Cap meets Superman several times, and fights him once or twice! And CRISIS comes to Earth-S! Plus an 'Other Media' surprise or two! (2:10:56)

In 1973, after 19 years in comic-book limbo, the Original Captain Marvel and Family burst out of their Suspendium prison and into the waiting arms of the very publisher that worked so hard to exile them in the first place: DC Comics! With Shazamaster Murd and his Lieutenant Marvels as your guides, return now to the early days of the good Captain's Bronze Age revival, from his first DC issue and his stormy reunion with his co-creator C.C. Beck to his first encounter with the other heroes of the DC Multiverse. Whimsy and wonder await! (2:30:20)