#891
Wednesday · 53 min
DC
Deconstructing Comics
Tim
A podcast about the craft of comics
- 29 episodes
- weekly
- Avg 57 min
- English
Support the show
Goes straight to the publisher. podnod takes nothing.
Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.
- DC#416November 4 · 1 hr 13 min
#416 Grant Morrison’s “New X-Men”
FLASHBACK! In the world of corporate comics, creators are challenged to put together a run on a given book that will stand out against everything that’s come before in that book, and leave a mark on the series that will last well beyond their run. Grant Morrison’s New X-Men run, from 2001 to 2004, met that challenge. Characters and situations set up by Morrison have endured in the years since, including Fantomex, the Stepford Cuckoos, and Scott Summers’ relationship with Emma Frost. Morrison had a good handle on all the characters, old and new, and introduced the new ones in a way that made us care about them, something that certain comics writers have failed to do. Of course, it’s not perfect. The X-men going public seemed to be the biggest event of the run — somehow overshadowing the slaughter of six million mutants on Genosha. The art was inconsistent — great when Frank Quitely was on it, but questionable some other times. This week Tim and Kumar examine Morrison’s run, particularly the initial “Cassandra Nova” arc. (Originally published August 25, 2014.) Brought to you by: TV Tangents podcast Face the Music ELO podcast Our supporters on Patreon
- DC#251October 29 · 42 min
Critiquing Comics #251: “Achille & Kipi: The Disconnected”
Achille & Kipi: The Disconnected is an Italian comic meant to raise issues about modern life and technology. In this episode, Tim and Jason take a stab at critiquing it, but the teaser we received doesn’t give us the clearest idea of where this story is heading. So Tim also talks with co-creator Renato Franchi to get the scoop. Renato also tells us a bit about the Italian comics industry and why so many current Marvel artists are Italian. Brought to you by: Checkered Past podcast Our supporters on Patreon
- DC#890October 28 · 1 hr 15 min
#890 NOT Jack Kirby’s “Black Panther”: Oh, right! He’s an Avenger!
Jack Kirby left Marvel with one issue of his Kiber storyline left to go. We don’t know if he left notes on what was to happen, but in Black Panther #13, Jim Shooter and Ed Hannigan presented a competent but comparatively wordy conclusion to the story. Then, while Kirby’s ’70s Marvel work kept the rest of the publisher’s universe at Mr.-Fantastic-arm’s length, in the final two issues, Hannigan abruptly snaps us back to typical ’70s-’80s Marvel storytelling, with T’Challa’s Avengers membership front and center. Tim and Emmet discuss the last throes of this Black Panther title, with the next one still twenty years away. Brought to you by: Dimension X Our supporters on Patreon
- DC#420October 21 · 1 hr 8 min
#420 Kupperman and Hanawalt: Our guides to the absurd
FLASHBACK! Michael Kupperman’s Tales Designed to Thrizzle and Lisa Hanawalt’s My Dirty Dumb Eyes are two books exhibiting bizarre humor and pointed takes on modern life. Tim, Kumar, and Tom Spurgeon discuss. (Originally published October 20, 2014.) Bojack Horseman trailer Brought to you by: Worst Collection Ever podcast Our supporters on Patreon
- DC#889October 14 · 33 min
#889 “The Human Remains”
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to go to medical school, take apart cadavers, take exhaustive exams over anatomy, illnesses, and treatments, then become a resident and work 30-hour shifts? Would you still have the passion to become a doctor after all that? This week, Emmet and I discuss the forthcoming book The Human Remains by Dr. Nathan Gray, which explores those questions. Brought to you by: Doomspeak podcast Our supporters on Patreon
- DC#552October 7 · 56 min
#552 “Logan” (2017)
FLASHBACK! Kumar and Dana discuss Logan in what was, at the time, the first DCP movie review since Iron Man 2! Is Logan an action movie? The action scenes are limited, but when they occur, there are no limits. (Originally published June 19, 2017.) Brought to you by: Waxy Buildup podcast Our supporters on Patreon
- DC#888September 30 · 54 min
#888 Jack Kirby’s “Black Panther”: Faded to Kirby Dots
Jack Kirby’s 1970s Black Panther series started out kind of strange, with King T’Challa wandering far from his kingdom for no apparent reason, but the latter part of the series has pleasantly surprised us. Even the goofy Panther relatives Kirby introduced have turned out to be delightful. Just when we really want more, we reach the end of his run as he prepares to leave Marvel for good. So this time Emmet and I are savoring the last two issues, numbers 11 and 12! Brought to you by: Who’s Who podcast Our supporters on Patreon
- DC#887September 23 · 51 min
#887 “The Dissidents”: A brutally relevant book
Derf Backderf’s latest book is The Dissidents, focusing on a group of political cartoonists in the late 1910s who did powerful political cartoons in a hair-raisingly horrible period in American history: World War I, anti-war protest made illegal, massacres of American blacks (encouraged by the president, no less), torture in American prisons and more. Tim and Kumar discuss. Brought to you by: Full Manga Alchemists Our supporters on Patreon
- DC#886September 16 · 1 hr 3 min
#886 LeUyen Pham and the magic of “As I Dream Of You”
If you think you’ve read a book like As I Dream of You before, you’re probably wrong. Yes, it’s about a romance between two teenagers, and yes, it turns tragic, but it’s the way the story is told that sets it apart, intentionally misleading you in several ways that give it heft and make rereads obligatory, just to absorb everything the book is doing. The story is by Jennifer Lee, writer and director of Frozen and other animated films; the artist is LeUyen Pham, who comes from the world of children’s book illustration but has honed her comics storytelling chops quite well. This week she talks with Tim about how those two disciplines differ, working with Jennifer Lee, inspiration from Craig Thompson and Marjane Satrapi, the meaning in this book’s coloring, and more. Brought to you by: TV Tangents podcast Our supporters on Patreon
- DC#250September 12 · 27 min
Critiquing Comics #250: “Ra no Tabi”
Well, it was probably inevitable: we were sent a comic made with A.I. The human creator cops to using it for the art, but the story also as an A.I. feel. Is it any good? Is it ethical to present it as “art”? Tim and Adam discuss. Brought to you by: Checkered Past podcast Our supporters on Patreon
- DC#885September 9 · 51 min
#885 A Slayer of 13 Demons & A Real Canadian Hero
This time we’re rejoined by Adam Tierney, writer of Romeo and Juliet and Godzilla, as well as Italian artist Saspy. From opposite sides of the planet, they’ve collaborated on a new comedy/horror/YA graphic novel from IDW, 13 Demons Dead. Meanwhile, Koom has been at Fan Expo Canada. He’s done a brief interview with John Rhys-Davies (Gimli in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and Sallah in the Indiana Jones series) and a longer talk with Captain Canuck co-creator Richard Comely. Is there a connection between Captain Canuck and Captain Canada? (Which Captain Canada?) He talks about how he’s increasingly used the character to make a political statement, and more. Brought to you by: Worst Collection Ever podcast Our supporters on Patreon
- DC#884September 2 · 48 min
#884 Jack Kirby’s Black Panther: Take THAT, George Lucas!
This week we finally return to Jack Kirby’s 1970s run on Black Panther, specifically issues 9 and 10. With Panther away during a crisis, his four relatives step up and become the Black Musketeers! Will they be comedically inept? Racially cringey? Or maybe they’ll turn out to be so great that everybody will forget about T’Challa! Also, Panther’s plight takes an amusing turn as he encounters a sci-fi film shoot in the African desert… hmmm… Brought to you by: Quarter Bin podcast Our supporters on Patreon
- DC#883August 26 · 48 min
#883 Hulk smash! Hulk stomp! Hulk wear rubber Hulk mask!
Consider the Incredible Hulk. He’s often referred to as the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of the Marvel Universe. But is he really Jekyll and Hyde on a deep level? Paul has been studying the early Hulk comics, looking at the various framings that were tried soon after the character’s debut. Does Banner turn to Hulk when the sun goes down? Can he become Hulk whenever he wants? Does Rick Jones have hypnotic control over the Hulk? These were all tried in the wacky six-issue run of Hulk’s book in 1962 and ‘63 before it was canceled. This week, a look at the struggle to arrive at the tropes of the Hulk! Brought to you by: Waxy Buildup podcast Our supporters on Patreon
- DC
#882August 19 · 53 min#882 “Supergirl” vs. “Woman of Tomorrow”
This summer’s Supergirl movie, while not nearly as good as sliced bread, was compelling enough to make Tim curious as to how it compares with the comic it’s based on, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow by Tom King and Bilquis Evely. Tim recruited Emmet to join in and consider questions such as: Why did this movie get made? How do we feel about the original comic? Is the movie a good adaptation? Did the story changes to the film hurt or help it? Here’s that discussion! Comic Tropes video on Bilquis Evely Brought to you by: Emmet’s comic The Shadow of Night Who’s Who podcast Our supporters on Patreon
- DC
#881August 12 · 56 min#881 “Doomwar”: Black Panther vs. Dr. Doom
Doomwar is a 2010 miniseries in which Dr. Doom sponsors a coup in Wakanda in order to get his hands on all the country’s processed vibranium. As we continue to celebrate 60 years of the Black Panther, Tim is joined by Professor Alan, whose Doomspeak podcast celebrates Dr. Doom, a character who will be cinematically very relevant in a few short months! With writing by Jonathan Maberry and art by Scot Eaton, Doomwar is a series that raises a number of questions, whether in the text itself or simply in the minds of reviewers: In what circumstances is a violent response justified? How violent? Should superhero comics, which run on their own progression of time, bring in real-life U.S. Presidents and significant events? While an issue cover with a spoiler may be justified for marketing that issue, should it really be included in the trade? Brought to you by: Doomspeak podcast Our supporters on Patreon
- DC#880August 5 · 1 hr 10 min
#880 Interviews: Emil Wilson (“The Nightingales”) and William Bernhardt (“The Superman Wars”)
Emil Wilson is the author of the new graphic novel The Nightingales, about a family in 1985 who take in an AIDS patient. The book shows us the panic and misinformation that prevailed about the disease then, and government apathy about a disease that was mainly killing gay men. Wilson is a former advertising man who went to comics school in his 50s. Tim talks with him about the book. Novelist William Bernhardt also joins Tim to talk about his exhaustively researched nonfiction book The Superman Wars, a history of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster’s battle over ownership of Superman and recognition as his creators. All superhero fans know the outlines of this controversy, but this book fills in all the details. Brought to you by: Full Manga Alchemists Our supporters on Patreon
- DC#879July 29 · length unknown
#879 Comics Satirize Comics: “DESTROY!” and “Doom Force”
Superhero comics have been parodied for as long as they’ve existed. This time Tim and Kumar look at two books by comics insiders that satirized the predominant comics of their respective eras: Scott McCloud‘s Destroy! The Loudest Comic-Book in the Universe!! (1986) distills ’80s comics to their essence: superpowered guys punching each other; and Grant Morrison & a bevy of artists poke sharp satirical sticks at the comics of The Guys who Would Be Image in Doom Force Special #1 (1992), right down to the excessive speed lines, nonsense powers, and ankles that would never support an adult human’s weight. Brought to you by: TV Tangents podcast Our supporters on Patreon
- DC#878July 22 · 1 hr 8 min
#878 Three fun graphic novels
A number of interesting graphic novels have been brought to our attention recently — works with laugh-out-loud moments and deeper meanings as well. We review three of them in this episode: Heaven by Katie Skelly is a Fantagraphics book about a haunted strip club. Jason joins Tim to discuss it. Was That Normal? by Alex Potts (Avery Hill) gives us a neurodivergent main character and a vague threat from a crumbling tower. Adam and Tim review it. John of the Night (Avery Hill) is a wild scifi epic by Darryl Cunningham. As Emmet and Tim will discuss, Cunningham normally publishes fact-based comics journalism, such as bios of Ayn Rand and Vladimir Putin, but this time he turns in a really enjoyable work of fiction. Brought to you by: Checkered Past podcast Our supporters on Patreon
- DC#671July 15 · 1 hr 19 min
#671 Derf’s “Kent State”
FLASHBACK! In 1970, four students died when national guardsman inexplicably opened fire during an anti-war protest at Kent State University. The craziness of 2020 has hindered planned observances of the craziness of 1970, but we do get this: Derf Backderf‘s Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio, a moving account of May 1-4, 1970, through the eyes of those who lost their lives. In this episode, Tim and Kumar review the book, to be released September 8, and then Tim chats with Derf himself, answering our questions about the tragedy and the book. (Originally published September 2, 2020.) Brought to you by: Worst Collection Ever podcast Our supporters on Patreon