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

The countdown to Comic Geek Speak's 20th Anniversary begins here! What better way to start the celebrations than to announce early plans for a gathering in Reading, Pa. for March 2025! Listen in to hear how we are hoping to involve you, the listeners! To let us know that you are hoping to attend the CGS 20th Anniversary celebration, and to give us an early idea of attendee numbers, please secure your spot here! http://tiny.cc/cgs20th. And then Peter, Pants, Shane and Bryan continue the geek topics with: Broadway Geek Speak, a rousing trivia segment led by Pants based on Overstreet Price Guide comic values (it’s fun and challenging, believe us!), the Oscars, digging into recent issues of the Energon Universe (Void Rivals, Duke, Cobra Commander and Transformers), Gone by Jock, Thundercats from Dynamite, the Marvels, Neil Gaiman's Heritage art auction, reactions to the X-Men: From the Ashes title announcements and more! (2:11:56)

Peter and Adam return to the Crisis Tapes to begin their in-depth coverage of Crisis on Infinite Earths issue 7. The main feature of this episode is a breakdown of the iconic cover by George Pérez as well as some of the many homages it has spawned over the years. We then cover the first five pages of this double-size shocker in grand Footnotes style. Along the way, listen in for Crisis Fun Facts, thoughts on the Crisis related toy figures from McFarlane Toys, untold stories we'd like to see, and other DC Comics continuity tidbits. (3:01:01)

A more fitting episode couldn't possibly have been recorded on the day of CGS' nineteenth anniversary. Artist extraordinaire Dave Wachter, a man who has been a guest, friend, and listener since 2005, comes on to discuss his latest book, Uncanny Valley, with Chris, Shane, Murd and Ian. They also talk how Dave first got into comics and then subsequently got back into them in the 2000s, his recent run on Punisher and getting to design the new legacy version of the character, Planet of the Apes the movie and getting the draw the comic set in the new movie universe, an undying love of 80s cartoons and pop culture, some Super Show memories, and so much more. Plus, Murd dishes on Superman: Meshi, Ian makes his prediction come true and gives thoughts on Madame Web, Muddle the Murd and more! (1:52:31)

Pants and Peter cover various topics such as: Old Pants Speak, a Tom King signing in Baltimore, January’s Original Art Expo in Orlando, behind the scenes info on the 52 weekly comic series, recent Comic Link results, trivia from the Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, Newsstand vs Direct Market covers, current reading including Gotham City Year One, Dawn of DC, and Green Arrow, as well as older titles such as From Hell, an update on Pants’ TV watching, and more! (1:37:40)

Shane, Murd and Ian are here to bring you this month's Previews! Image Catalog Issue 7, DC Connect issue 45, Marvel Previews Vol 6 issue 29, and Diamond Previews issue 425 are the books this month, with comics mainly set for a April 2024 release. Highlights include the return of Disney's Hercules, a reboot for Deadpool, Braniac returns for a Superman crossover, Roboforce is back, and bunches of other tantalizing comics. (2:36:43)

It's Comic Talk time once more! Shane, Murd, Ian and Chris start things off with some show announcements, including the launch of the Best of 2023 Awards nominations, then go into the mass exodus of artists from Cadence Comic Art. Then, Murd and Chris give their thoughts on Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, with some spoilers within (12:22-30:54), then Ian and Chris give their thoughts on Marvel's latest Disney+ offering, Echo (spoiler free) and Ian goes all What If...? Other topics include birthday comic related birthday gifts, Chris catches up on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and Shane goes World of Toys on GI Joe Classified, Bat-Communicators, and new Macfarlane Toys Batman and Robin and DC Superpowers revivals. Plus recent reads such as Murd finally finishing reading the original Lord of the Rings trilogy, Bizarro's return in Action Comics 1061 and Zorro's return in Zorro: Man of the Dead, Shane concludes Human Target and catches up on Wonder Woman, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, Transformers, Cobra Commander and Duke, Ian goes Valentine's with DC's How To Lose Guy Gardner in 10 Days, then talks Ultimate Spider-Man and Ultimate Black Panther's premieres, Immortal Thor, the Ghost Machine one-shot from Image and the new Superior Spider-Man, Chris is legendary with JMS' Thor Omnibus, Jeff Lemire's Cosmic Detective, Comic Creator's Steve Gerber tribute and Alter Ego doing the same for inker extraordinaire Tom Palmer, goes Ennis with Batman: Reptilian, is rapturous on Brubaker and Phillips' Where the Body Was, Waid's Kingdom Come World's Finest, and more! Plus thoughts on Insomniac's first Spider-Man game, the passing of the luminary José Delbo, Muddle the Murd, and more more! (2:45:01)

IT'S A MADHOUSE!!! We finally make a monkey out of you, as we return for another entry in our Retro Movie Review series, this time with Chris' choice, the original Planet of the Apes. This classic Rod Serling and Franklin J. Schaffner science fiction opus crafted a franchise that is still cooking 56 years later. Murd, Ian, Chris and Shane discuss the minutia of the film itself, the world building, Charlton Heston's impossible to match gravitas, the relationship between Zira and Cornelius, beards making you look smarter, some trivia you may not know, and so much more. I love you, Dr. Zaius! (1:53:37)

NOTE: This is a reupload, as some people have had trouble getting this to download. It's the first Previews of 2024! Chris, Murd and Ian bring forth a doozy of a read-through of Image Catalog Issue 6, DC Connect issue 44, Marvel Previews Vol 6 issue 28, and Diamond Previews issue 424, clocking in at nearly three hours of choice selections, with books mostly set for a March 2024 release! Highlights include Biker Mice From Mars, The Last Mermaid splashes onto shore, Greg Weisman brings us The Spectacular Spider-Men, Zdarsky's Batman goes deeper into Zur-En-Arrh territory, Matzoh Man, more Bizarro, and so much more! (2:57:31)

Bryan, Peter, Shane, Kevin and Adam gather to discuss: Colonoscopy Geek Speak, the defunct Warner Bros. Studio Store, Where were you when Superman died?, Golden Eagle memories, G.I.Joe 301, Low by Remender and Tocchini, Killadelphia by Barnes and Alexander, '90s X-Force comics, Happy Days 50th Anniversary trivia, an in-depth review of Ultimate Spider-Man 1 by Hickman and Checchetto, celebrating 25 years of Batman Beyond, Earth X and Batman No Man's Land, raving about Godzilla Minus One, Peter Jackson's King Kong, Zom 100 by Aso and Takata, and a quick post-outro chat with Pants! (2:08:21)

As CGS recovers from the holiday break, we present a special presentation of Comic Timing! Ian and Brent got to record in person in Florida over Christmas break, and here is the glorious result. Topics include Brent's thoughts on Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, combined conversation on The Marvels, Blue Beetle, the burial of Comixology, trains passing by, David Corensweat and James Gunn's Superman Legacy to come, and so much more. Earmuffs as always with these, as there is the occasional off-color comment or language that comes with two friends communing in a park for a podcast. Like you do. Enjoy, and Happy 2024 all! (1:48:18)

One last episode before the year concludes, as Murd, Shane, Chris and Ian go through the various December Previews catalogs, with books mostly set for a February 2024 release date. This spans Image Catalog Issue 5, DC Connect issue 43, Marvel Previews Vol 6 issue 27, and Diamond Previews issue 423. Highlights include the new batch of Free Comic Book Day issues, the return of Thundercats (HOOOOOOO!), a bunch of Omnibuses that are way too heavy for Shane, a Howard Chaykin book so good they don't need to describe it, Ultimate Black Panther, Joker's origin by way of Zdarsky, and tons more where that came from! Enjoy, and see you in 2024 for more! (2:46:01)

Matt, Shane, Murd, Chris and Ian convene with merriment, as it is time for this year's Cornucopia! Plenty to discuss in this one, including the merits of VHS, Special and Unspecialized Star Wars, the alternate fate of Jason Todd released after all these years, the official death of Comixology as an app, Belgian comic book acquis ions in the form of The Adventures of Blake and Mortimer, a spoiler-filled discussion of The Marvels (27:48-1:08:00), the potentially perilous Sony adaptation of Madame Web and Kraven, and more! More includes Shane diving into recent GI Joe acquisitions in a World of Toys segment, a mention of Sina Grace's new all-ages Superman book, Superman: The Harvests of Youth, Matt gives thoughts on Monarch: Legacy of Monsters and listening to recent episodes of Tom Welling and Michael Rosenbaum's Talkville podcast, Ian reviews volume 1 of Daniel Warren Johnson's Do a Powerbomb and the conclusion of Hickman's Ultimate Invasion, streaming media such as Gen V, Invincible and Netflix's The Killer, Chris and Ian go Planetary with Outsiders #1, Chris goes Joe as well with GI Joe issue 1 (aka 301),JMS' Captain America, Star Trek: Year Five, a return to Kingdom Come with World's Finest issue 20, Gallery Editions of The Kree Skrull War and Spider-Man: Blue, going further Christmassy with Merry Little Batman, Muddle the Murd and more more! (2:43:42)

Bryan, Peter, Shane, Pants and Adam gather to discuss: Cuisine Geek Speak, Frank Miller's Dark Knight Returns cover debate, some recent local conventions, Hiroshi Sumi’s Voice of a Star Wars Fan short film, holiday ornaments, Star Wars: Dark Empire from Dark Horse by Tom Veitch and Cam Kennedy, Dave Filoni's promotion at LucasFilm, Dr. Who 60th Anniversary specials, Adventures of Captain America by Fabian Nicieza and Kevin Maguire, more Energon Universe talk, CGS History for November and December, Bryan's thoughts on Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, various TV Talk including Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, Moonlighting, Three's Company, the passing of Norman Lear and more! (2:01:40)

To me, my X-Men! Chris, Shane, Ian and Murd present us with a Top 5 that is a long time coming. Twelve years ago, CGS brought you their Top 5 X-Men Team; this time, they go individual, giving you their favorite X-Men of all time. There is plenty of crossover between lists, an amazing Murdoughnian surprise as one would expect, and some other unique choices along the way. Get some training in in The Danger Room, grab yourself a belt with an X on it, and practice your Claremontian narration! (1:59:38)

What's more festive than gathering round a table with turkey, cranberry sauce, gravy, stuffing and pumpkin pie? Previews, of course! Murd, Chris and Ian gorge themselves on Image Catalog Issue 4, DC Connect issue 42, Marvel Previews Vol 6 issue 26, and Diamond Previews issue 422, with books mostly scheduled for release in January 2024. Highlights include some new Garth Ennis, Greg Pak's Lilo & Stitch, Jason Aaron's Superman, the return of a very different Ultimate Spider-Man, and tons more; enough for seconds, even. We are thankful to you for listening, and may this fill you with as much joy as leftovers do the next day! (2:19:45)

And there came a time when Ian finally found the opportunity to release recordings made at recent conventions. That time is indeed today! Depending on your definition of recent, that is. First, we flash back to last year's Anime NYC, just in time for this year's Anime NYC, as Ian interviews manga translator for books such as Cat + Gamer and Marvel's Demon Wars, writer and beer buddy, Zack Davisson, as well as artist Robert Wilson IV from Oni Press' Heartthrob, Vault's Barbaric: The Harvest Blades, Bitch Planet issue 3, and a bunch of posters for bands such as Metallica and Weird Al! We then flash forward to New York Comic Con 2023, as Ian runs through his experiences at the convention, followed by convo on the floor with Donovan Morgan Grant and artist and creator extraordinaire, Mr. Jamal Igle. This includes discussion of The Harvey Awards, the existence of Death Note: The Musical, attending the Steve Ditko panel on a whim, and so much more. (1:28:32)

Adam and Peter complete their examination of the CW's live-action version of Crisis on Infinite Earths! Covering the final two chapters - in Arrow and in Legends of Tomorrow - topics include the origin of the Monitor, Oliver Queen's ghostly transformation, the final battle against the Anti-Monitor, even more surprising cross media cameos (including Marv Wolfman himself), the new Prime Earth and more! We also explore the Paragons Rising tie-in stories from the Crisis on Infinite Earths 100 Page Giant comics. (2:59:16)

Fulfilling a prophecy set forth by one Chris Eberle about a year ago, we have quite literally willed the Micronauts back into existence! That's right, as Marvel begins republishing this long in limbo property, we here at Comic Geek Speak gather together to discuss the first twelve issues of this 1979 classic in as much detail as we can muster. And in order to do so properly, Chris, Ian, Murd and Shane are joined by none other than Ryan Drost of the Star Joes Podcast! Ryan brings with him history on the original toy line, what led Bill Mantlo to the comic book series in the first place, who Marvel nearly had draw the title before Michael Golden signed on, the many comparisons to Star Wars, and so much more. So do you best to avoid miniature ships as they whiz through your front yard, secure Muffin, time travel with The Time Traveler, be cautious of Baron Karza and his Body Banks, and try not to get turned into a cyborg or a centaur, because this one is a doozy! (1:58:31)

Peter, Shane, Pants, and Adam cover several topics including: cheering on the Phillies, Concert Geek Speak, honoring the legacy and career of Keith Giffen, original art and sketches, our first Giffen comics, Pants' trip to Baltimore and New York comic conventions, and CGS History for September and October. As well as a return segment of Off the Rack Reviews on the first issues of Transformers by Daniel Warren Johnson and Mike Spicer from Skybound's Energon Universe, Marvel's Captain America by Straczynski, Saiz and Hollingsworth, and the new Wonder Woman title by Tom King, Sampere and Morey from DC Comics. (2:06:37)

Previews time yet again, with time to spare for once! Chris, Ian and Murd mull over Image Catalog Issue 3, DC Connect issue 41, Marvel previews Vol 6 issue 25, and Diamond Previews issue 421, for books mainly set for a December 2023 release. Highlights include Marvel's latest Timeless adventure, the conclusion of Zdarsky's Mindbomb storyline in Batman, Brubaker and Phillips' Where the Body Was, the return of Valiant thanks to Alien Books, a whole lot of Chrimas-y horror books, an excuse for Ian to use his movie trailer voice, and more! (2:27:38)

Recently, Toy Fair held their (usually) annual event at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City on September 30th through October 3rd, 2023. Ian attended the trade show for the first time, and he discusses the event with Kris Naudus on this very episode. They delve into just what exactly Toy Fair is, where it will be headed come 2025 after 100+ years in NYC, how this year's event compared to previous years Kris experienced, and so much more. So much more includes highlights from Vault and their AEW figures and professional cosplay you can wheel around in a custom overhead bin friendly suitcase, tons of Lego playsets and buildable art, Bandai's Tamashi Nations selections as well as their Godzilla and Tekken figures, Funko's massive presence and their integration of Mondo's high-end collectibles, Foam Alive's incredibly soothing foam fun and other sensory pleasures like slime and putty, Super7's TMNT and GI Joe offerings, the return of Ty and Beanie Babies, InstaCake (just add water), bubbles and Bluey everywhere, Playmobil's Star Trek and Magnum PI sets (you read that right), Fresh Dolls, including their Black Panther: Wakanda Forever dolls, The Elf on the Shelf Santaverse, and tons more! (1:28:42)

We begin this episode joined by longtime comic book artist, creator, and now writer, Sean Chen, Chris, Murd and Ian discus his career at large, beginning with how he first got into comic books, including some fascinating insights on how he first got into the business. Next, his time at Valiant, meandering over to Marvel and his Iron Man run, and as the main course, go in-depth on his current Kickstarter. This is for the first three issues of EVERMIND, the book he co-created along with martial artist and actor Daniel Wu. Then, Murd discusses his trip back to Bowling Green University for their Spider-Man in Popular Culture Conference, curated by friend and listener of the show, Dr. Chuck Coletta. Ian then reviews J. Michael Straczynski's first issue of Captain America, Kelly Thompson's Birds of Prey, and Jonathan Hickman's first Infinite comic presentation of G.O.D.S. Finally, we discuss this year's CGS By the Sea, and Chris talks Steve Orlando's Scarlet Witch Volume 1, Al Ewing's Immortal Thor, Luise Simonson's Jean Grey, Backissue 146's Bronze Age Daredevil breakdown, Star Trek: Day of Blood, and Titan's Conan the Barbarian. Plus, Muddle the Murd and more! (1:58:11)

Shane! Chris! Ian! Previews! These books are in issue 2 of Image's catalog, DC Connect issue 40, Marvel previews Vol 6 issue 24, and Diamond Previews issue 420, for books mainly set for a November 2023 release. Highlights include a Gang War at Marvel, a Beast World at DC, the return of The Outsiders, Howard the Duck is back, Christmas comes early with Image's The Deviant, GI Joe returns, and so much more. (2:18:28)

We go all the way back to 1984 for tonight's Retro Movie Review; long before the Internet, podcasts, or Zoom were even a dream in the wind. Instead, we found ourselves getting lost in the pages of a story book...quite literally. That's right, for Murd's selection, the crew of Ian, Chris, Shane and Murd discover together the true majesty that is The Neverending Story! Two out of four Geeks watched it for the first time, while Ian hadn't seen it since he was Bastian's age. What say they about one of Murd's favorite fantasy movies of all time? Get yourself out of that video game arcade with its beeps and boops, get the theme song completely stuck in your head, grab Falcor by the neck and hold on for dear life, and try not to think about the subpar sequels...for that, is another story. SAY MY NAME BASTIAN!!!! (1:30:46)

A collection of Bryan, Peter, Shane, Murd and Pants tell us all to get off their lawns with an "old" school Comic Talk! Topics include Geeks vs Father Time as we cover Old Geek Speak; aging Action Heroes; the state of streaming; Perry Mason; Barbenheimer; changing viewing habits for tv and movies; Rebel Moon; Adam jumps into A Song of Ice and Fire; Pants is reading Fables and rediscovering old comic contests; where’s the Image Comics digital app?; CGS History for August; reminiscing about the London Super Comic Con; Pants updates his TV watching; My Adventures of Superman and more! (1:53:26)

On what would have been Jamie D's 57th birthday, we at Comic Geek Speak head back into the archives to rerelease a true gem. A little bit over ten years ago, the weekend of April 6th and 7th 2013 to be exact, CGS held Comic Geek Speak Super Show 2013 at the Greater Reading Expo Center (which is now a warehouse). At that event, Uncle Sal sat down with Jamie, with some Pants interjection for good measure, and let loose. This is also the event where Uncle Sal received his Freking Sweer award! Listen in and enjoy, but earmuffs, as there will be swears and stories you shouldn't repeat to your kids or grandmother, as always. And happy birthday, Jamie! Shiznit strong, always. (1:22:50)

It's still hot out there, so let's have our annual Summer Spectacular, right before Labor Day! Shane, Chris, Murd and Ian start off with some strike related delays for Dune 2, and then all but Murd give their non-spoiler thoughts on Blue Beetle. Discussion then deviates to Ian's review of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, followed by a post-season finale breakdown of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Comics discussed include Shane checking out Image's big surprise, Void Rivals, as well as the new Green Arrow and Green Lantern, and Superman: Space Age. Ian tackles Mark Waid and Bryan Hitch's Superman: The Last Days of Lex Luthor, Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent 1-6, and issue 2 of Ultimate Invasion. Murd flies through space to uncover the secrets of Star Wars: Dark Droids and comes back home for Big Jim Miller's Rental Classics Vol 1 and 2. And Chris remains current with the new Black Panther series, What If: Dark Spider Gwen, Superman Lost, Star Trek Vol 1: Godshock, Parker Girls, and Brubaker and Phillips' Night Fever, and goes retro with Green Arrow: Longbow Hunters, some Greatest Battles of the X-Men, and Uncanny X-Men's Proteus arc and The Dark Phoenix Saga. Finally, Ian gives his thoughts on Venture Brothers: Radiant is the Blood of the Baboon Heart, a Muddle the Murd, some World of Toys, and more! (2:32:45)

What's more frightening than Halloween, and the bevy of horror books that come with it? A fourth Previews book to read on a monthly basis! That's right, for this August edition of Previews with book mostly set for October 2023 release, Chris, Shane, Murd and Ian grin and bare it and make it through the entire episode as a foresome, and wade through Diamond Previews 419, issue 2 of Image Comics Previews, DC Connect issue 39, and Marvel Previews vol 6 issue 23. Highlights include a Futurama Christmas, Saga's latest collected volume, Jonathan Hickman's G.O.D.S., Kong and Godzilla take on the freakin JLA, and much much more. Plus, hear Ian get a bunch of names and numbers wrong as he shakes off the ring rust after not recording for a few weeks! (2:49:23)

Adam and Peter celebrate 25 episodes of the Crisis Tapes by turning their attention to the CW’s live-action version of Crisis on Infinite Earths! Covering the first three chapters - in Supergirl, Batwoman and the Flash - this first part explores the buildup to the Crisis in the Arrowverse, how the event unfolds for television, the actor and character cameos and appearances from across the DC Mediaverse, parallels to the original comic book Crisis, the Black Lightning tie-in episode and more! The Crisis is now upon us all! (3:29:07)

It's Previews time in the old corral, as summer scorches on! This month, Murd, Chris and Ian discuss Diamond Previews issue 418, DC Connect 38, and Marvel Previews Vol 6 issue 22, with books mainly set for September 2023 release. Highlights include Darkwing Duck's Negaduck getting a miniseries, the official solicit for the ROM Omnibus, JMS' Captain America, Tom King's Wonder Woman, new books from friends of the show Mike Norton and Martheus Wade, and much more. And if you listen close, you'll hear the torrential downpour outside Ian's window mid-episode. (2:20:05)

You wanna get nuts? Come on, let's get nuts! Welcome to our reality, as Chris, Shane, Murd and Ian play catch-up and get to reviewing two of the summer's most multiversal of movies. First, they discuss Spider-Man Across the Spiderverse (discussion begin at 6:08), the second entry in Lord and Miller's love-letter to all things Spidey, and Miles Morales' time to theatrically shine. Then, they switch gears to the Distinguished Competition for a movie many many many years in the making, Andy Muschietti's The Flash (discussion begins at 58:48). Do both of these universe spanning stories open a vortex through space filled with joy for the Geeks, or are things a bit more complicated? How many cameos does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Can CGI bring actors back to life? These questions and more await, as do the answers. (1:59:29)

The second episode to come from our latest in-studio sojourn is officially available for all to enjoy! Chris, Murd and Ian do what they do best, talk some comics, in this here Comic Talk. We begin with some words on the passing of "Jazzy" John Romita Sr. and his wide-spread legacy in both the world of comics, and the art world as a whole. Then some media convo, including delays in Marvel's upcoming Phase Five slate, the ongoing writer's strike and the subsequent hold on production for Penguin and Daredevil: Born Again, and Ian's review of American Born Chinese on Disney+. Next, some recent reads, including Chris and Ian's thoughts on Titans #1, and Amazing Spider-Man issues 25 and 26, and Chris goes solo for Joshua Williamson's Superman, some Cantwell Blue Flame, and Back Issue's Neal Adams tribute in issue 143. Murd brings us Count Dante in all its glory, and Ian reports in on Steve Orlando and Sarah Pichelli's Scarlet Witch #1 as well as Jeremy Adams' fun Rick Jones centric romp over in Avengers Unlimited. Finally, a trip to the mail bag for some postcards, a listener email, Muddle the Murd, and more! (1:41:22)

Summer has officially begun, and that means summer reading is a must. Luckily, you have Murd, Chris and Ian to go over the latest set of Previews! This time we have Diamond Previews issue 417, DC Connect 37, and Marvel Previews Vol 6 issue 21, with books mostly set for an August release. Annoyingly, some of Marvel's earlier in the month solicits needed to be ordered in May in order to get properly added to your pull list, so please be sure to double-check with your local store or DCBS or what have you if you need anything added last minute. Enjoy! (2:22:41)

What better way to follow up a release of the Time Bubble than to dip our toe into the origins of three (or is it one...?) of Marvel's timey-whimiest villains for our latest in the Introducing...series. And best of all, Murd, Chris and Ian do so in studio! That's right, revel in the comradery as the Timely Trio discuss Fantastic Four issue 19, and Avengers issues 8 and 10, the first appearances of Rama-Tut, Kang, and Immortus. All three of these issues were written by Stan the Man himself, with art by King Kirby for the first two, and Don Heck for our finale. Prepare to be transformed by the rays of the Egyptian sun, be sure to shield yourself for all sorts of random radiation (and acid), and ponder whether or not the villain attacking you is dreamy under that full face mask. Finally, by the time you're done with this one, you too will be a master of Yubiwaza, this we guarantee; Teen Brigade interference and all. Excelsior! (1:51:52)

History is made (and traveled through) once again on the Time Bubble, as Murd welcomes aboard that master of Comic Timing, Ian Levenstein, as his third-ever guest co-pilot! Individually, they acquaint themselves with the super-celebrities of the Noble family in Jay Faerber's Noble Causes; witness the decompressed dawn of Millar & Hitch's The Ultimates; explore a tantalizing alternate timeline of Young Justice; and crack open a truly strange chapter in the presidential biography of Lex Luthor! Then, it's a titanic Time Bubble team-up, as Adam and Ian join forces to make sense of 2002's Marvel Mangaverse event! (3:00:29)

Ian reconvenes the Comic Timing crew, this time consisting of Brent, Kris, Donovan and Brandon, to catch up on the last few months of comics, while also discussing some more recent goings-on. This includes the shocking death Marvel decided to reveal two weeks ahead of schedule in Amazing Spider-Man #26 (spoilers abound from 5:58-46:17), the discourse behind Frank Miller's most recent variant covers for Wolverine and other Marvel titles, our collective thoughts on James Gunn's slate of DC movies and Shazam: Fury of the Gods (also spoilers from 1:31:31-1:47:27), Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (slight spoilers as we start at about 1:47:28), and a very in-depth and spoilery convo about Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 (1:57:06-2:48:30). Then some recent reads to wrap us up! Also the title of this episode will make more sense once you listen, we swear. (3:03:24)

We're officially only one hundred episodes away from TWO THOUSAND (numbered) episodes! Time flies when you're talking about comics, I must say. Spoilers abound, as Chris, Shane, Ben, Murd and Ian traverse space, Zune in hand, for what could potentially be the Guardians last ride. How did The High Evolutionary land as a villain? Are Mantis and Drax the best comedy duo in the MCU? Is Cosmo good dog? Will Peter Quill ever get his act together enough to be Star-Lord? What about Gamora and Nebula, can these two sisters get along? Did Adam Warlock stack up to expectations? Was there crying over Rocket Raccoon's backstory? Is this a worthy farewell for James Gunn, as he heads firmly to the Distinguished Competition moving forward? And finally, most importantly...I Am Groot? (1:31:34)

Return of The Pants. Once again! Bryan, Peter, Shane, Murd and Mr. Pantalones gather together to discuss a bevy of topics, including The Great Pants Collection Organization; FCBD'23; key comic books and grading comics; homemade posters; the upcoming Ultimate Invasion; the Ultimate line of comics; Bryan's trip to Belgium; Castle Geek Speak; CGS history for April and May; reading the first appearances of Rogue (Avengers Annual 10), Jubilee (Uncanny X-Men 244) and Gambit (Uncanny X-Men 266); Michael Golden; Marc Silverstri; and more! (2:06:46)

What evil lurks in the hearts of men? We here at CGS aim to find out! Shane, Matt, Chris, Murd and Ian scower the streets of 1930's New York City via the Universal backlot to gather together a network and discuss 1994's Alec Baldwin vehicle, The Shadow. Matt and Murd saw it together at age fourteen in the theaters back in the day; has as it aged well nearly thirty years since its release? How does themovie encompass the pulp sensibilities of the character while also attempting a 90s personality? And have some of the Geeks' opinions on the film gotten better since that initial viewing? Plus, a Muddle the Murd attempt, and who will win the Best of 2022 Awards, aka The Jamies, for this year? Only The Shadow knows...and Murd. Results begin about an hour and 39 minutes into the show! (2:05:43)

Summer is on its way, at least according to this month's Previews! A full crew of Shane, Chris, Murd and Ian go through the April catalogs, covering Diamond Previews 415, DC Connect 35, and Marvel Previews Vol 6 issue 19, with books mostly set for a June 2023 release. Highlights include Hickman and Hitch's return to the Ultimate Universe, milestone 800th issues for Wonder Woman and The Flash, the return of Joe Madureira's Battle Chasers after more than twenty years, Kirkman's Void Rivals, a new collection of Strangers in Paradise, Murd's luxurious mustache and more! (2:48:42)

The Next Generation reunion has arrived! Hear Peter and Shane's in-depth thoughts on Star Trek: Picard season 3 episode 8, Surrender. From the original seven to the next Next Generation, we examine character journeys, theories about Jack Crusher and the big bad, our hopes for the finale, excitement for the future of Star Trek and more. Spoilers ahead, evasive maneuvers if you haven't seen Season Three yet! (1:01:59)

Time to play some catch-up and discuss all things comics and geek related! Chris, Shane and Ian start us off with news on Ike Perlmutter's removal from Marvel after more than thirty years. They then discuss some recent movies watched, including Chris and Ian's thoughts on John Wick Chapter Four, Ian's journey into Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, and Shane getting his first viewing of Everything, Everywhere All at Once. The meat of the episode is a spoiler-filled review of Shazam: Fury of the Gods (37:15-1:08:00), followed by spoilery discussion of Picard (through episode 4) with some occasional very light spoilers for Star Trek: Discovery and its universe (1:08:00-1:32:00). And then, as we begin talking comics read...MURD COMETH!!! Once arrived, he gives his thoughts on the Shazam: Fury of the Gods movie from 1:40:58 until about 1:55:00. Recent reads include Shane's return to Crisis on Infinite Earths, Murd talks Wolverine: Origins from back in the day, Justice League: Detroit's turn at JLA: Classified and Brian K. Vaughn's The Escapsists, Ian digs into Jason Aaron's Avengers: Forever and Dawn of DC's Action Comics and Superman #1, and Chris delves into Danger Street, Gotham City: Year One, Volume 1 of Rainbow Rowell's She-Hulk, and Flashpoint Beyond. Plus Muddle the Murd, and as usual...more! (2:33:43)

Murd, Shane, Peter and Bryan lead the table this week, with tons to discuss! Topics include Movies of the '70s, the Offer, the decline of long-running TV shows, ER, Cowboy Bebop, TV cancellations, the 2023 Oscars, Picard season three, the upcoming new Titans comic, how big is your Geekdom?, CGS History for the month of March, Gotham by Gaslight by Augustyn, Mignola and Russell, Jack the Ripper, DC Elseworlds, future reading topics, and more. (2:04:05)

There's tons of great comics to showcase this month, and we have three solid hours of Previews content to prove it! Ian and Murd are your Ironmen who make it through the entire catalog this episode, while Shane sticks around until after Marvel, and Chris joins until midway through the back of the book. This round of Previews showcases issue 414 of Diamond's Previews, DC Connect 34, and Marvel Previews Volume 6 issue 18, for books mostly set for release in May, 2023. Highlights include the launch of Waid and Mora's Shazam! and Jed Mackay's Avengers, the return of Kevin Smith's Maskerade and Tom King's Love Everlasting, multiple projects from friends of the show such as Dave Dwonch, Mike Norton, Brent Schoonover and Jeremy Whitley, TWO Dark Horse sections, and so much more. And while we're at it don't forget to put in your FCBD picks this month! (2:59:08)

The annual tradition continues! Your votes have been tallied, the results have been confirmed by our internal auditor Time Bubble, Crisis and Murdough, and the ballots from Chris, Ian and Murd have been submitted. Let's do the Best of 2022! All sixteen categories are prepped and ready, and those of you still reading this will have until Sunday, April 2nd at 11:59pm Eastern to submit your results to bestof@comicgeekspeak.com. Who will win the coveted Jamie Award (which is virtual and not an actual real-life statue) for each category? Tune in to hear who has a chance! (2:47:57)

In this episode, Bryan, Peter and Shane celebrate the memories and friendship of Darren "Rainbow Cloak" Nowell, a longtime member of the CGS, comics and podcasting community. From conventions, to fun anecdotes, our reminiscing takes us to other topics such as how the Geeks first became friends, roleplaying, current TV watching, Dawn of DC, Mike Mignola, One Piece, Five Years Later Legion, comics we would love to read for the first time again, a class Bryan rant - updated, and more. (1:49:12)

Kang is upon us! His first foe in the Marvel Cinematic Universe may be small, but technically so is Kang in this movie so it evens out. Listen as Chris, Murd, Ian and Shane go through the Quantum Realm barrier and delve deep into spoiler territory on Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Does this beginning of Phase 5 live up to hype, or does is fall short? Will we ever stop calling the Quantum Realm the Microverse? Are there even more miniscule puns to be found inside the episode itself? I'll give you a little hint...you'll find out, shortly. (1:16:02)

Which three men have what it takes to go through Diamond Previews issue 413, DC Connect 33 and Marvel Previews Vol 6 issue 17, with books mainly set for release in April 2023? Why Ian, Chris and Murd of course! And all three of them stick through all the way to the end, even. Highlights include the launch of a new Green Arrow series, the conclusion of Sins of Sinister, the return of Planet of the Apes comics, more 007 from Dynamite, and so much more. Dig in! (2:40:09)

Sean Whelan, longtime friend of the show and host of the Raging Bullets podcast returns to CGS to help Ian, Shane, Murd and Chris dissect Chapter 1 of DC's Film and TV slate, now known officially as Gods and Monsters. Conversation then drifts into what we may expect to see next from DC's franchises, and how these upcoming movies will set the stage on what will come next. The group then delves into some recent reads such as The Last of Us: American Dreams, The Flash: One Minute War, NPR's Micro-Face, Marvel's The Thing miniseries, Darkwing Duck #1, Tom King's Danger Street, Catwoman: Lonely City, Miller and Jansen's Daredevil Omnibus, Mickey Mouse: Race to Death Valley, William Shakespeare's Avengers, and more. Plus discussion of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Discovery, Velma, Dogs in Space, Muddle the Murd, and more more! (2:22:19)

Peter, Shane, Murd and Bryan convene once more for some comic and comic-adjacent conversation. Topics include AMC's new ticket pricing; House of the Dragon; comic retailing; Black Panther: Wakanda Forever; DC Studios Gods and Monsters slate announcement; the potential of DC Elseworlds; IDW's new Star Trek series; celebrating 30 years of Vertigo Comics by discussing the Mercy one-shot and the first issues of Enigma, Kid Eternity, Death the High Cost of Living, and Sandman Mystery Theatre; the Star Wars

Grab your flux capacitors and find your nearest Time Bubble™ one and all, because it's time to head to the future! Shane, Murd, Ian and Chris regale us with their individual choices for the Top 5 Future Timelines. And try not to step on anything while you're listening to the episode in the present, or the future timeline may shift and all of a sudden the list will be completely different. Strap in for a wide range of expected and unexpected, including some musical interludes; and these lists aren't just DC and Marvel. As always, our hill, our beans! (2:44:22)

It's Bryan, Peter, Shane, Kevin, and Murd's turns to go loosy-goosy, anything goes! And by oh boy does it go. Topics include Ancestry Geek Speak; Marvel Saga; History, Index and Reference comics; a Spotify for comic books; what is to become of our collections?; geek hobbies; Kevin's review of Shin Ultraman; discussing Simonson's Thor run issues 354 thru 359; comic book documentaries on Prime; a trip through CGS History for the month of January; Kaleidoscope on Netflix; and more! (2:04:06)

Shane! Murd! Chris! Ian! When their powers combined, there is...Comic Talk! We catch up on the last few weeks of watching, reading and news, including Comixology's recent layoffs, the latest Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania trailer, Shane's trip to Disney and his experiences with Star Wars Land and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, talk on the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, Chris' trip to Pittsburgh and his most recent Eide's purchases, including Comic Book Artist 18 and some Micronauts, Ian discusses Hunters Seasons 1 and 2 and Avatar: The Way of Water as well as the conclusion to Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths (Shane talks about it too) and some recent and upcoming Image Comics releases from Joe Kelly (Immortal Sergeant), Peter Tomasi (Blood Tree) and Edward Laroche (Almighty) and Rodney Barnes (Monarch), Murd gives us recent reads from Mark Millar's Night Club to Eric Bennett's Indieversity Project, and much more. More includes Paul Levitz's Avengers, opening our Christmas gifts from Dr. Eamonn Clarke, some Andor and She-Hulk discussion, a listener e-mail from Marc Villa, Muddle the Murd and even more more! (2:06:31)

While Shane is on vacation and Chris celebrates his birthday, Murd and Ian man the fort for Previews! This January set of catalogs, aka Diamond Previews issue 412, DC Connect 32 and Marvel Previews Volume 6 issue 16, look at issues mainly set for release in March, 2023. Except for the random hardcover that won't be coming out until August that is (yeesh!). Highlights include the return of Electric Blue Superman in Jonathan Kent form, Brubaker and Phillips new crime book, Cantwell continuing his take on Hellcat, the return of Doctor Strange and so much more! (2:47:28)

We welcome you to a New Year with a new Spotlight! Chris Eberle has crafted an absolute gem of an episode, and Shane and Murd gather in studio to bask in its glow, while Ian calls remote from vacation in Florida. This goes through the entire character history of one Max Eisenhardt, alias Erik Lehnsherr...but the nom de plume we are most familiar with is that of Magneto, Master of Magnetism! From his beginnings in the 1960s as X-Men enemy du jour to Claremont's crafting and rebuilding of his personality in the 1970s, that time he was a baby for a while, all the way to the launch of Volume 2 of X-Men and Magneto's return to villainy to the creation of Onslaught, ruling Genosha, that whole Xorn thing, and so much more, we do our best to give you a full breakdown of one of Marvel's most prevalent presences both in comics and related media. And yes, we even mention Joseph. Fair is fair, after all. (2:50:35)

We wind down 2022 with a relaxed Comic Talk, featuring Bryan, Shane, Kevin and Adam, with a brief appearance by Peter, who was unfortunately much less relaxed when this was recorded. Topics include a bevy of birthday wishes; Crusaders memories; Cheers; Black Adam; the future of DC Movies; DC TV; Tulsa King; recent purchases; Dark Crisis; Impossible Jones; Construction Geek Speak; art projects; Comic Book Binding; Bryan's new family addition; and more! (2:05:57)

One last Comic Timing before the New Year hits! We begin with Brandon, Brent, Donovan, Kris, Raph and Ian going through the minutia of James Gunn taking over as CEO and head of DC Studios, and then transition to spoilery thoughts on Black Adam. Then, Jamal Igle joins the frey for a thoughtful and deep discussion on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and how both the film and franchise matter to the black community. Finally, the group give some of their choices for their favorite reads of 2022. And plenty of random deviations along the way, of course. Three plus hours of content, baby! (3:21:08)

Gather 'round the fireplace, paper cone of chestnuts in hand, for the second and largest installment of L. Frank Baum's 'The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus,' courtesy of Murd! This account of the good Claus's journey from boyhood to manhood includes the Royal Oz-torian's interpretation of the first Christmas tree, the first stockings hung by the hearth, the first reindeer-ride on Christmas Eve... and a Ragnarok-style epic battle between supernatural forces of good and evil, with Santa's life in the balance! A holiday tale like none other! (2:01:12)

GO JOE!!! In celebration of 40 years since the creation of the GI Joe comics and animated series, we venture back to the very beginning of it all. Shane, Chris, Ian and Matt give their thoughts on issue 1 of the GI Joe comic, written by the one and only Larry Hama, with art by the legendary Herb Trimpe. But do they stop there? NO! The crew also goes deep into GI Joe's very first five-part animated miniseries, The M.A.S.S. Device. Discussion includes variation in tone between the two versions of the franchise, whether the comic is as kid-friendly as the show, if the show is even as kid-friendly as we remember it to be, the 80s house animation style, Scarlett's split romantic longings, Cobra Commander's competency or lack thereof, Snake Eyes glowing like a Christmas tree, a lot more references to slavery than we remembered, the slaughtering of an entire village, Destro having all the best one-liners, and so much more. Much more includes plenty of toy talk from Shane and the rest of the Geeks, that's for sure! So now you know. And knowing is... well, you get the idea. (1:58:18)

Tis the season for reading Previews, falalala lalalala. Well okay fine, it's always the season to read Previews, but it is especially so come December! Ian, Murd and Chris (who sticks around until Marvel is done) discuss their choice choices within Diamond Previews issue 411, DC Connect issue 31, and Marvel Previews Vol 6 issue 15, with books mostly set for release in February 2023. Highlights include the return of Superman and his corresponding book, a whole lot of Paco Medina art in X-Men's Sins of Sinister event, Fleecs and Seeley's Local Man, and there's a few romance books to be found, but there's also a surprising amount of horror titles all over the catalogs; take that to mean whatever you'd like it to mean. Plus, we peruse the Free Comic Book Day selections that will be available come May 2023, when the weather is warm once more and snow is a distant memory! (2:40:37)

One more old school episode before the year concludes! Bryan, Peter, Shane, Kevin and Pants give us all a World of Toys, followed by discussions including How much is your comic collection worth?; Growing up with G.I.Joe; CGS History; Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special; Indiana Jones; Sense 8; first episode of For All Mankind; Discovering new works from beloved creators; Adventures of Captain America with Kevin Maguire; the great Alphabetizing Comic Book Titles debate; reviewing the New Golden Age oneshot by Geoff Johns; Avatar; Christopher Nolan movies; and more! (2:11:36)

A gathering of Geeks consisting of Murd, Shane, Matt, Chris and Ian are joined by you, the listeners this episode for our second ever Super Zoom! That's right, this one has a (virtual) audience, as we go through our recent reads, give some non-spoiler supplemental thoughts on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, go over DC Infinite Ultra's latest additions to its library, catch up with longtime friends of the show such as Julie Benson and Eric Nolen-Weathington, and we finish up our remaining Listener Q&A, this time from the Super Group. We also have one of the greatest Muddle the Murd moments in this show's history, and read a listener email to close us out. A true tonic for the spirit, indeed! (2:16:22)

To celebrate Thanksgiving here in the US, we give thanks to you, our listeners, and present a real treat. This episode of Comic Geek Speak was originally released on January 9th, 2017; the video version of this has remained unreleased...UNTIL NOW! Chris Eberle leads the charge along with Shane and Murd live and in-studio, just the way it should be. Face front, ye star-sailors and psychonauts! Make room in your minds and iPods for a three-hour tour through the cosmic corner of the Marvel Universe, as our spirit-guide Chris Eberle introduces us at length to three of Marvel's most sensationally sidereal spacefaring stalwarts: Adam Warlock, Captain Mar-Vell, and the Silver Surfer! Learn the fundamental facts about these sentinels of the spaceways: their creative provenance, their cosmic powers, their awe-inspiring origins, and the most significant chapters in their star-spanning sagas. (3:36:37)

As we prep our upcoming Thanksgiving feasts here in the US, feast on over two hours of Comic Talk! Peter, Bryan, Shane, Pants and Kevin go through a bevy of topics including Weather Geek Speak; Alpha Flight and Fantastic Four by John Byrne; Comic stores in and around Reading, PA.; meeting Jim Shooter; Alan Moore's Swamp Thing; Kevin O'Neill; Who will be the comic book greats of the future?; Carlos Pacheco; Kevin Conroy; Byrne's She-Hulk 1; the Epic Comics line; Alfred Hitchcock Presents: "Lamb to the Slaughter"; DC Comics in the early 2000s; What year would be your new Golden Age?; DCUI Ultra tier; even more Star Wars Andor talk; Apple TV recommendations; and more! (2:35:05)

It's time to end your week with a healthy helping of Previews! This November 2022 edition covers comics mostly set for release in the New Year of January, 2023. Join Chris, Murd and Ian along with Shane (up until midway through DC) for their picks of the comic book litter in Diamond Previews issue 410, DC Connect issue 30, and Marvel Previews Volume 6, issue 14. Highlights include the return of Darkwing Duck, a new era of Superman comics, and the altered state of X-Men known only as Sins of Sinister. Let's get dangerous! (2:11:33)

Straight from the theater to the studio, it's time to go in-depth and spoilery on Marvel's latest movie sequel. Four years in the making, return to the hidden land of Wakanda along with Shane, Murd and Chris, as they give their fresh feelings on the film. Did Ryan Coogler succeed in his second outing as director? How will the franchise succeed in moving forward, even without the late, great Chadwick Boseman as its star, while Letitia Wright's Shuri takes center stage? And what will the long-awaited arrival of Marvel's first character do to affect Marvel movies moving forward? Listen in and find out for yourselves, True Believers! (1:20:30)

We return the favor after many an appearance on his Back to the Bins podcast, as Chris, Shane, Murd and Ian are joined by longtime friend and fellow podcaster, Paul Spataro! After starting with some comic news, including James Gunn becoming head of DC Studios, the casting of Disney+'s Wonder Man and the upcoming Vision Quest, and the Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania trailer, the crew go on to review in spoilery detail Dwayne Johnson's superhero spotlight and DC's latest film, Black Adam. From there, topics include Ian's trip to Boston and pilgrimage to Newbury Comics, Pop Star Assasins: Of Suspicious Minds, Shane and Chris go Blue and Gold, Paul reminisces on John Buscema and his time on Silver Surfer, DC Universe Infinite gets closer to day and date, Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths continues, Human Target continues to hit the target, Gotham City: Year One, some Bronze Age Marvel Monster action in the Tomb of Dracula and The Monster of Frankenstein, thanks to Werewolf by Night's influence on Chris and Murd, Back Issue 139 and the Not-Ready-For Prime-Time Marvel Heroes, Chip Zdarsky's Batman, Two Morrow's Team-Up Companion, Murd gives time to Eamonn Clarke's latest editorial project, Drawn Under the Influence (DUI) issue 2, Paul gives his non-spoiler thoughts on the Disney+ She-Hulk series, and more! Plus some quick Shane World of Toys time, and a Muddle to Murd to boot. Finally, Ian gives some time to bid a fond farewell to the late, great Carlos Pacheco, who passed away the day this episode was being edited; the comics world will miss him immensely. (2:22:29)

We join the the Geeks already in progress, as there's plenty to discuss with a group consisting of Peter, Brian, Pants, Shane and now Kevin! Topics include selling Kevin's collection; the trade paperback market; Heritage Auctions; Werewolf by Night; the need for more Marvel animation; the first episodes of Gunsmoke, Alfred Hitchcock Presents and Moonlighting; Sword of Azrael by O'Neil, Quesada and Nowlan; the Paper Girls TV show; a recap of NYCC 2022, and more! (2:02:30)

Say their name three times and they'll appear...Comic Geek Speak. Comic Geek Speak. Comic Geek Speak!!! It's SHOWTIME! Shane, Ian, Chris and Murd present to you a spooky double feature just in time for All Halow's Eve. First, we head back to 1988 and review Tim Burton's classic, Beetlejuice. Then, we go modern (and simultaneously retro) to give you our thoughts on Marvel's first ever holiday special, Werewolf by Night. So grab your candy bucket, tuck the kids in, and turn out all the lights, this one's gonna be a scare! (1:52:43)

New York Comic Con 2022 was held from October 6-9, 2022. Now that the con has been put to bed, this Comic Timing/CGS crossover episode goes into the minutia of what went down, from the mindset of longtime convention attendees, artist alley participants, and one first-timer. The crew consists of Ian Levenstein (haven't missed a NYCC yet!), Kris Naudus, Jamal Igle, Julian Lytle, and Donovan Morgan Grant. They discuss both positives and negatives, ranging from layout to inconsistent rules management, panel slate, the exhibition floor, crown management, and a whole lot more. Plus some comic book recommendations at the end to round us out. (2:06:18)

Mid-month Previews action ahead for you all! Ian and Murd are joined by Chris up until the back of the book, when the two soldier on as a duo, giving you the best comic picks they can muster in Diamond Previews 409, DC Connect 29 and Marvel Previews Vol 6 issue 16, for books mostly set for release in December. Some holly jolly holiday fun to be had, plus the return of a Disney Afternoon gem thanks to the combined might of Dynamite and Greg Weisman, Gargoyles! (2:22:39)

It's still September, so here, have a Previews! Murd, Ian and Shane start the show off dissecting Diamond Previews 408, DC Connect 28 and Marvel Previews Vol 6 issue 12, for books primarily set for release in November 2022. Chris then joins the convo in the middle of DC and sticks around for the rest of the episode. To summarize this month, the 90s are back in so many ways; Wildstorm, Crossgen, WildCATS, Spawn, Ben Reilly, Young Justice, oh my! And after all of that, there's some t-shirts worth mentioning in the Merch section. (2:44:36)

In an unprecedented turn of events...PANTS IS BACK!!! Listen as he joins The Founders™ Peter and Bryan, along with Shane, to go over so many topics, such as...Cobra Kai; 60s TV; the Fugitive; Retro Con; Rogue Squadron; the Last Jedi; the Hobbit trilogy; Rings of Power; Dark Crystal; old lore vs new lore; a Netflix rant ; She-Hulk; Thor Love & Thunder; Clerks 3; Kevin Smith; movie theatre talk; Tom King comics; Amazing Spider-Man; John Romita Jr.; Alex Ross' Fantastic Four Full Circle; Todd McFarlane's Spider-Man; Heroes Reborn; Peter David; Dan Slott; Werewolf by Night and more! (1:52:05)

Inker extraordinaire and longtime friend of the show Juan Castro joins Chris, Murd, Ian and Shane for this episode, as we discuss his work on books including Blood Syndicate, The Wrong Earth, and Dudley Datson and the Forever Machine! We also go into our thoughts on Netflix's Sandman, Amazon Prime's (unfortunately canceled) Paper Girls, Star Trek: Lower Decks, Clerks 3, Elvis, and recent reads ranging from Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #4 to Supergirl: World of Tomorrow, Batman: One Bad Day - The Riddler, X-Men '92: House of XCII, Amazing Spider-Man 900's back-matter, and much more. Plus some World of Toys GI Joe updates, a listener voicemail, Muddle the Murd, mailbag, and more! (2:32:20)

Hot off the heels of a return to the studio, let's return to the origins of CGS, shall we? Bryan and Peter reunite on Zoom once more, this time with a third in the form of the one and only Shane. The trio discuss a bevy of geeky topics, as is tradition. That include changing habits of watching TV; Umbrella Academy; DVDs vs streaming libraries; the art of Chris Bachalo; Strange New Worlds; For All Mankind; Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness; our current comic reading habits; the world of comic retail; G.I.Joe toys; Everything Everywhere All at Once and more! (2:05:10)

We're back, live in studio for the first time in a little more than a year! And as has become tradition when us Geeks get together, a spotlight will follow. Chris Eberle meticulously drafted a breakdown of one of Marvel's most meticulous, crafty, and dangerous villains, the one and only Green Goblin! We go through his cooky origins featuring a movie set, a broomstick and The Hulk to stories much closer to the Goblin we know and love as the Silver Age draws on. Key issues include The Spectacular Spider-Man Magazine issue 2, Amazing Spider-Man 39 and 40, and the first issues of Marvel to dare to go without the Comics Code Authority, issues 96 through 98. We also discuss Norman's fatherly relationship with Peter and his lack thereof with Harry, some appearances in other media, and so much more. And after all, what better way to get ready for fall than to talk about various pumpkins? (2:18:19)

Back at it again with that Previews catalog! Tonight, Murd and Ian are your duo of choice, covering solicits within the pages of Diamond Previews 407, DC Connect 27 and Marvel Previews Vol 6 issue 11, for books mainly scheduled for release in October 2022. Many a spoooooky selection to be had, in honor of the upcoming Halloween season. So grab some candy, and enjoy this treat of an episode with us! No trick. (2:52:59)

Slather on that sunscreen, put on your shades, grab your beach chair and your favorite comic book, as CGS embraces the season with some scorching comic book conversation! Ian, Shane, Chris and Murd go over the happening of this year's SDCC, including Marvel Studios' reveals for Phase Five and Phase Six, trailers for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Shazam 2 and Black Adam, and Dark Crisis' true nature being revealed. The geeks also discuss Batgirl getting shelved by WB and Hasbro's new toy releases, then converse on recent reads such a Chip Zdarsky's Public Domain, Amazing Spider-Man 900, Ian catching up on Saga, Murd's tribute to the late great Alan Grant via Detective Comics 608, the last fifteen issues of Justice League via Shane, and much more. Plus we play a listener voicemail, and a Muddle the Murd to cool us down. (2:39:00)

As the CGS crew return from vacation and also prep for vacation, we release this syndicated Comic Timing episode to the feed for all you Star Trek fans! In this episode, Ian is joined by Kris Naudus, live and in person, as they discuss the first season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. They also give thoughts on the rest of Trek, including Discovery, Lower Decks, Prodigy, Picard, and the step-brother of the franchise, Orville: New Beginnings. Two to beam up! (1:49:37)

Have at thee! Another Thor film has made its way down to Midgar, and we mere mortals have the privilege of reviewing it. Chris, Ian, Shane and Murd, aka the Warriors Three Plus One, give their full spoilery thoughts and opinions on Love and Thunder. Does Taika's second attempt at Thor belong in the hallowed halls of Valhalla, or was it a swing and a miss of an Enchanted Uru hammer? Listen in, dear listeners and discover for yourselves; but don't tell Stormbreaker, it'll get jealous. Oh, there's also a voicemail from an old friend. (1:38:51)

In honor of the passing of Tim Sale, we here at Comic Geek Speak are digging into the archive once more. All the way back in 2006, the team of Bryan Deemer, Jamie D, Matt, Peter Rios and Shane gave us an in-depth look at Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale's Superman For All Seasons for the Book of the Month Club. And as we here in America celebrate our Independence Day, we could use some of the hope, joy, and light that this story brings forth, so it is extra fitting indeed to re-air this one. Here's to you, Tim, and thank you. (1:28:50)

Not a hoax! Not an imaginary story! As the regular CGS take a week to regroup, Comic Timing returns for the first time since December 2021! Join Ian, Brent, Kris, Donovan, Brandon and Raph as they discuss topics ranging from the passing of Neal Adams, George Perez and Tim Sale to Donovan's reaction to CGS' The Batman review, initial thoughts on Ms. Marvel as well as other Marvel shows, Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, The Boys, Umbrella Academy, and plenty more. Expect spoilers, and a reminder that these episodes do not stray from letting curses fly, so do utilize headphones, or earmuffs as needed. (3:12:02)

It's just Chris and Ian all the way through for this one, as we give you listeners our finest offering from Diamond's Previews issue 405, DC Connect 25, and Marvel Previews Vol 6, issue 9, for issues mostly set for release in August, 2022. Just a quick note that due to supply chain issues, a decent amount of Marvel comics mentioned in this very episode may no longer be available for pre-order. But fear not, they will be resolicited as needed, so we soldiered on and gave picks according to the existing catalog. Madness, I tells ya! (1:50:50)

Get your best Shatner scream at the ready, and expose your chest for all to see! That's right, in celebration of forty years since its original release, Comic Geek Speak goes back in tiiiiime once again to give the formal review treatment to the gem of the Star Trek movie franchise. Chris, Shane and Ian all rewatched Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan for the assignment, while Murd experienced it all the way through for the very first time! Listen in to find out more about what this movie means to them all, and Star Trek in general. It's a real ear worm of a movie, I tell ya. (1:35:16)

The Founders™ gather once more for some old school CGS convo! This time out, Bryan and Peter start with some discussion of Joe Quesada's exit from Marvel and how he's always been there for as long as CGS has existed. They then maneuver to the glut of Geek entertainment and how impossible it is to watch everything to thoughts on Spider-Man No Way Home, Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, The potential of the Fantastic Four in the MCU, and as usual, more! (1:39:01)

Chris, Ian and Murd have comics to talk about, so let's do the Comic Talk again! Within, topics discussed include Joe Quesada leaving Marvel Comics, the first two episodes of Obi Wan and Season Four Part 1 of Stranger Things (spoiler free), Chris gives us a Kurt Busiek twofer on Astro City: This Was Then... and Arrowsmith Behind Enemy Lines, then a Batman duo with Chip Zdarsky's Batman: The Knight and Tom King's Batman: Killing Time. Ian gets further into Dark Crisis with Justice League: Road to Dark Crisis and the FCBD Dark Crisis issue, then gives his thoughts on issues 1 and 2 of Zeb Wells' and John Romita Jr's Amazing Spider-Man and Zdarsky's The All-Nighter, with some Patsy Walker 1955 thrown in for good measure. Then, Murd hops in the Bubble for Decades: Marvel In The '50S - Captain America Strikes! in honor of Memorial Day, and Dean Haspiel's The Red Hook in honor of...Brooklyn. Plus Muddle the Murd, and more! (1:45:54)

Finally, the time has come to review Moon Knight! Ian, Chris, Shane and Murd certainly couldn't do this without calling in Matt and our resident Moon Knight scholar, Kevin Moyer, to help us fully understand what this series brings to the table, both compared to the comic book original and standing on its own. Spoilers throughout, as usual, so go fire up Disney+ and watch all six episodes before listening if you haven't already. Do you have what it takes to become a Fist of Khonshu? Because if you don't we'll ask that other guy living in your head instead. (1:44:42)

By the hoary hosts of Hoggoth! A packed house of Kevin, Matt, Chris, Ian, Murd, Shane and Legacy Geek, Ben, give us their in-depth, spoiler-filled, and passionate thoughts on the MCU's latest, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Every stone is unturned, and every thread of reality is unraveled in this thoughtful discussion, inlcuding the tumultuous journey that occured to get this movie made, Sam Raimi's return to Marvel, all the surprises and how they'll affect what comes next, The Wong Cinematic Universe, and more. So sit back, relax, grab a pizza ball from Pizza Poppa and give this one a try. (1:42:41)

A long overdue conclusion to our Top 5 Legacy series of episodes finally comes your way! Way back in 2018, Chris, Ian, Shane and Murd gave you their list of legacy heroes; now the villains take the stage. Whether it's someone unexpected who took over the mantle, a new take on an existing character, or family stepping up and taking over a role, who do the Geeks think are the best of the bad guys? Tune in and find out! And there's a Muddle the Murd attempt after the lists are all wrapped up, to be extra evil. (2:18:10)

Six Geeks take the stage for this loosey goosey Comic Talk, as Shane, Murd, Chris and Ian are joined by Kevin and Matt! First, the results of the Comic Geek Speak Best of 2021 Awards are shared with the crowd, followed by discussion of the Warner Bros and Discovery merger and how that may affect DC Comics moving forward, The Flash movie and its tumultuous future, news out of Cinemacon for Sony and Warner Bros alike, and reactions to the first Thor: Love and Thunder trailer. Plus, Chris checks out Tom Taylor's Nightwing and finishes Human Target Season One, Ian gives Jeff Lemire and Greg Smallwood's Moon Knight a spin and comments on the leadup to Dark Crisis in Justice League 75, Matt revisits Moon Knight from the 1980s, Kevin gives Kelly Thompson's Captain Marvel a whirl, Shane gives Batman: The Long Halloween a reread, and Murd goes Kickstarter with Karl Kessel's Impossible Jones. All that and some movie conversation, Chris' latest trip to Eide's, a Muddle, and more! (2:16:03)

Mid month, time for Previews! Shane, Ian and Murd give you their rundown of the comics to check out in Previews 403, DC Connect 23 and Marvel Previews Vol 7 number 7, for issues mostly set for release in June, 2022. Highlights include a return to The Walking Dead, the return of Genis-Vell, the return to DC Crisis level events, and more. Plus, in a shocking twist, IDW is relegated to the back of the book. How does this change how we read Previews? Tune in to found out! (2:52:55)

It's time for the Geeks to take on the latest iteration of The World's Greatest Detective. And this time, he brought with him a definitive article. And in order to tackle a movie the magnitude of The Batman, Chris, Ian, Shane and Murd welcome back Julian Lytle to the show! Prepare for a review not quite the length of the movie itself, but still one that delves into the finer details, inspiration, costuming, acting, staging, and brooding that Matt Reeves' take brings forth. So sit back, put your Batmobile on autopilot, eat your fresh berries, and get ready for a bevy of Batty opinions! (2:03:53)

Look at what the fork we just put out! A choice choice by Murd, as Ian, Shane and Chris join him on a return to 1999, and the cult classic superhero epic, Mystery Men. How does the movie hold up after all this time? Just how heavy was that bowling ball The Bowler was holding? Will disco ever die? How fast can Roy get Furious? Do superheroes wear glasses? Is shoveling a martial art? Are there any names better than Casanova Frankenstein? And is Invisible Kid really invisible? Tune in to find out, or I'll eat this sandwich. (1:26:44)

Hey now, the gang's all here! Chris, Shane, Ian and Murd reconvene to discuss a bevy of comic related topics. These include the Marvel Netflix shows heading to Disney Plus (including slight spoilers for Spider-Man: No Way Home), the incoming arrival of Chip Zdarsky's Batman and Al Ewing's Ant-Man, The Hero Initiative reprinting JLA/Avengers, the sorry state of Comixology at the moment, and so much more.

Plus, Murd brings us back to the 90s with Silver Surfer: Rebirth, to an alternate World War I with Arrowsmith: Behind Enemy Lines and back to the present with DC's Monkey Prince, Shane goes Blue and Gold and gives his full World of Toys rundown on He-Man, GI Joe and some Batarangs, Ian shares stories of his sojourn to London, including reviews of Back to the Future The Musical and Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane while also fitting in a review of Superman: Son of Kal-El #1, and Chris goes to war (comics) with Garth Ennis, returns to Claremont's classic X-Men: From the Ashes, finishes out Fantastic Four: Life Story, and bathes in the wonder that is Tom King and John Paul Leon's Batman/Catwoman Special. Plus some thoughts on the return of Futurama (with a this just in update), Peacemaker, Hawkeye, and a Muddle the Murd! (2:21:14)

This Presidents' Day, we at Comic Geek Speak rerun one of our absolute favorites. This originally aired on October 13, 2008 as part of the Politics in Comics Comic Book Crossover. It's a spotlight on DC's swinging 70s New Flower Party candidate PREZ, First Teen President! From battling the great great great great grand nephew of George Washington, playing pingpong with Mao Tse Tung, to vampire's attacking the White House, it’s a look at a character created as social and political commentary with all the brilliant craziness of the 70s. (1:03:14)

We are in the midst of a two week reprieve from recording the Comic Geek Speak podcast. Rather than keep you without things to listen to, here is one of two releases to tide you over! Ryan Does of Across the Bifrost: The Mighty Thor Podcast had Chris Eberle on for a series of episodes focusing on the Tales of Asgard backups in Journey into Mystery. Listen in to Volumes 1-3, and then Ian joins Chris and Ryan to discuss the Bill Willingham 2010 miniseries The Warriors Three. Thanks once again to Ryan for having us on, and HAVE AT THEE!!! (3:07:59)

It's mid-month, and that means Previews time! Murd, Chris and Ian stick with it all the way through Previews Issue 401, DC Connect 21 and Marvel Previews (Vol 6) number 5, for issues mostly set for release in April 2022. Featuring anniversaries galore, returning favorite characters, returning favorite creators, Lego Ninjago, The Rocketeer, Betty Paige, that same ad for Mob Psycho, and more! (1:55:56)