War Rocket Ajax

Episode 771 - HickMania VII: Battle of the Lost City

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 16:01:04 -0000

We're diving back into the Jonathan Hickman run on FF, where we blow through the Black Bolt/Kree stuff as quickly as fast as we can so we can get to the good stuff. That includes our heroes walking through a door which is also a guy and Dr. Doom really Dooming out over getting set on fire!

Covering FF #6-11.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Every Story Ever: May 2026

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 04:17:04 -0000

We're ranking stories once again, including some Spidey Super-Stories!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 770 - I to X of Swords: Nine

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 16:21:53 -0000

We're dual wielding this week, with our second I to X of Swords episode in a row! This time, we're rating a particularly beautiful real-life sword, as well as one from a card where there is a matched set...of nine.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 769 - I to X of Swords: Snake Sword

Mon, 25 May 2026 16:00:20 -0000

We're rating swords on the show once again this week, with two Power Rangers submissions, a whip-like sword from Soul Calibur, and much more!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Comics Catch-Up 081: The Mask

Thu, 21 May 2026 19:34:05 -0000

Chris and Matt both tried to read a Mask comics miniseries back when it came out, but bounced off because it was nothing like the movie. Now we're returning to the original John Arcudi/Doug Mahnke miniseries to see how they hold up 30-plus years later!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 768 - Failsons Considered

Mon, 18 May 2026 16:10:52 -0000

We took some of your listener questions on this week's show, including inquiries about failsons in comics, Superman's boots, Yakuza, who AEW should honor with a women's tournament, and more!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 767 - HickMania VI: The FF Goes to Work

Mon, 11 May 2026 16:00:43 -0000

HickMania continues on this week's show as we read issues 1-5 of Hickman's run on FF! We talk about Spider-Man replacing Johnny on the team, Doom coming on board, and some very bad Reeds. Plus, artist changes already!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 766 - I to X of Swords: Chainsword

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:07:10 -0000

We're rating more swords on this week's show, including two different things that can be described as a "chainsword"! Plus: a Sailor Moon sword, a version of Excalibur, and a sword that requires a truck.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Every Story Ever: April 2026

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:57:51 -0000

It's time to rank comics once again! And this time, we're reaching back into the Silver Age for a whole bunch of stories!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 765 - Just One Muppet

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 16:00:00 -0000

We're taking your listener questions on this week's show on topics including Mario princesses, Muppets, gritty reboots, burgers, and a whole lot more!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Comics Catch-Up 080: Batman #383

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 19:17:24 -0000

Matt and Chris are catching up on what just might be the most late-Bronze-Age Batman comic there is, where Bruce is just so, so sleepy!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 764 - I to X of Swords: Sunsword

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 16:02:56 -0000

That's right, we're rating swords once again on this week's show, and one of them is made of lightning! We also rate a very cool D&D sword, a video game sword we love, and much more!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 763 - HickMania V: Countdown to Casualty

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 16:39:39 -0000

It's HickMania time once again, and one member of the Fantastic Four is doomed to die! We talk about how well Hickman and artist Steve Epting did at putting all four members in credible danger, and how well the death was ultimately handled!

Covering Fantastic Four #583-588.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Every Story Ever: March 2026

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:35:35 -0000

Time to rank more stories? You know it! And we even get one this time that cracks the top 100!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 762 - I to X of Swords: Khopesh

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 16:04:48 -0000

It's time for more sword ratings on this week's show, including some from more anime we're not sure we should watch, X-Men comics, D&D, and real life itself.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 761 - Almost No Clothes f/ Dan Schkade

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 21:33:20 -0000

Dan Schkade returns to the show this week to talk about the Flash Gordon newspaper strip, the new Lavender Jack collection, Berserk, the downsides of talkin' trash, and much more!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 760 - Completely Naive or Totally Self-Assured f/ J. Gonzo

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 16:01:55 -0000

Longtime friend of the show, member of the crew even, J. Gonzo, joins us for the show once again this week to get really serious about what it means to be an artist in 2026! We get into feeling out of place among professionals, wanting to avoid being perceived as greedy, the speculator market, and a whole lot more!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Comics Catch-Up 079: Spectacular Spider-Man Magazine #2

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 16:40:00 -0000

This month, we're looking back to the 1968 magazine where Norman Osborn returned as the Green Goblin! He and Peter do drugs, and it's all lovingly rendered by John Romita Sr.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 759 - Sounds Like Superman

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 16:00:43 -0000

We're taking your listener questions on this week's show, including queries about character classes for our pets, superhero media music, the franchise with the best swords, and much more!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 758 - I to X of Swords: Familiar

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 17:03:16 -0000

We're rating swords once again on this episode! At least one of them could be your friend, and they're all pretty toyetic. Well, with one key exception made by Hattori Hanzo.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Every Story Ever: February 2026

Sat, 28 Feb 2026 14:16:13 -0000

We're back and we're rankin' on this extra-sized special, including several stories from The Gauntlet!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 757 - Mœbius vs. Anastasia f/ Geoffrey Golden

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 17:37:14 -0000

We're very happy to welcome Geoffrey Golden of The Devastator back to the show this week to talk about his new game ALL-CARDS, which uses...every trading card! We actually play a bit of the game to get a flavor for it, while also talking about gum, making fake trading cards, Tarot using Tarot, and much more!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Comics Catch-Up 078: Fantastic Four: Full Circle

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 20:40:44 -0000

Alex Ross' 2022 prestige Abrams Arts tribute to Lee and Kirby's Fantastic Four is what we're catching up on this month. It's good, but is it great to the point we'd recommend it to others? Listen and find out!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 756 - Hickmania IV: Birth of the Future Foundation

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 17:00:54 -0000

Time for more Hickmania on this week's show as we read through Fantastic Four #579-582! Reed is sick of his Science Club, so he starts a new one! Also, his dad shows up from the future in the past.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 755 - Just Timbits f/ Kel McDonald

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 17:00:42 -0000

Longtime friend of the show Kel McDonald is back this week to discuss their new Cities Between collection, Shards of Reflection, which is funding now on Kickstarter! Before we get to that, though, we talk a lot about what we're watching, good questions to ask that aren't "How are you?" and New England's love of Dunkin'. Plus a whole lot more!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 754 - I'm the Babadook f/ Jeremy Whitley

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 17:00:08 -0000

Benito joins Matt as guest host this week to talk to longtime friend of the show Jeremy Whitley! Jeremy's got a Zoop crowdfunding campaign for not one, but two new comics, Slay! and The Girlfriend Survives! We talk with him about what makes the two books similar, trying to break away from being typecast as a writer, creating a big mean bear monster, the Berserk influence, and much more!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 753 - I to X of Swords: Fleuret

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 17:07:33 -0000

We're rating our first batch of swords for 2026 this episode, while also going back to one we tabled last year! And there's one submission we really have to work to decide if it's a sword or not.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 752 - Gord1e5

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:59:50 -0000

It's legitimately the 15th annual Gordie awards! You submitted the categories, we choose the winners! A bevy of big stars are in the audience at the Flash Gordon Memorial Auditorium for this super-sized look back at 2025!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Comics Catch-Up 077: Batman Off-World

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 19:55:43 -0000

We honestly have no idea how we missed this one by Jason Aaron and Doug Mahnke. Batman goes to space to learn how to punch better, and in the process befriends a dog. It's basically made for us. So where does it rank?

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Every Story Ever: December 2025

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 17:14:23 -0000

Merry Ranksmas! We're ranking some holiday-themed stories to close out the year on this ESE special...when we're not talking about Margaritaville.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 751 - Christmas Collision

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 17:00:05 -0000

It's our annual Christmas special, but there's one problem. A moose/snowmobile crash has led Matt and Chris to forget what Christmas even is! It's up to an unusually game Matt Fraction to help them remember -- but at what cost?

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 750 - I to X of Swords: Keyblade

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 17:35:54 -0000

It's time to rate more swords this week, and we got some weird ones this time. Plus: Stay tuned for one of the wildest arguments in Ajax history.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Comics Catch-Up 076: Extreme Super Christmas Special

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 21:41:53 -0000

It's Christmas time, so we're going back to 1994 to read the Christmas special from Rob Liefeld's Image imprint! Troll has got to find the 12 gifts from "The 12 Days of Christmas" -- that sounds fun, right?

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 749 - Answer: Nygma Time

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 17:16:42 -0000

We're taking your listener questions on this week's show! We figure out just when Nygma Time is, decide what to get Stone Cold HCC for Christmas, and discuss Thanksgiving parade balloons, among other things!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Every Story Ever: November 2025

Sun, 30 Nov 2025 16:27:18 -0000

This month, we get another story into the top 100 and rank some first appearances of Batman villains, along with much more!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 748 - I to X of Swords: Gladius

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 17:24:40 -0000

We're rating even more swords on this week's show, including one that slayed a Gorgon, one that's all too real, one that we don't even have a picture of, and a couple that come in pieces.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Comics Catch-Up 075: Dawn (1995)

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 18:59:27 -0000

Yes, we finally did it. We read all six issues of the 1995/1996 Dawn miniseries. It's somehow both surprisingly impressive and just as bad as we expected.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 747 - Montana Origins f/ Daniel Kibblesmith

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 19:52:10 -0000

Our GarFriend Daniel Kibblesmith returns to the show this week to talk about his new book So You've Been Bitten By a Radioactive Spider: How to Survive the Marvel Universe! We discuss having to decide what to feature in the book (and what to leave out), starting points for comics readers, Disney character sizes, and much more!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 746 - HickMania III: Four Cities

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 17:00:29 -0000

If only we had known this story arc would be taking place in multiple cities, we'd have figured out a way to make this HickMania 2. But it's our third installment, and Hickman is taking the Fantastic Four to cities that are underground, underwater, on the moon, and in the Negative Zone!

Covering Fantastic Four #575-578.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 745 - Romance Feelings f/ Erica Henderson

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 18:18:43 -0000

Our friend 'till the end Erica Henderson joins us on the show this week to talk about Harley and Ivy: Life and Crimes, including how she now gets to determine what's canon for The Joker! Plus, some haunted doll talk (of course) and much more!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Every Story Ever: October 2025

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 18:54:12 -0000

Time for more rankings, and it's specifically time for Every Spooky Ever! Listen as we rank some monstrous comic stories, some moreso than others!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 744 - Movie Night at Ajax World f/ Benito Cereno

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 16:00:00 -0000

Benito and Matt finally got Chris to watch a movie they recommended, Deadstream. So they're offering up some more spooky-not-scary ideas for stuff for him to watch, while visiting the old abandoned War Rocket Ajax-themed amusement park our grandfathers opened. Happy Halloween!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 743 - What You Do To Artists f/ Conor McCreery and Jibola Fagbamiye

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 16:49:57 -0000

The creative team behind the new biographical graphic novel Fela: Music is the Weapon is joining us on the show this week to talk to us about making biographical comics that do what only comics can, showing different states of being through color, drumming, and a whole lot more!

(Note: The Fela graphic novel is not authorized by the Fela Kuti family.)

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Comics Catch-Up 074: Godzilla Half Century War

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 20:13:46 -0000

It's undoubtedly a visual marvel, but how well does the story of James Stokoe's 5-issue 50-year Godzilla epic from 2012 hold up?

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 742 - I to X of Swords: Shortsword

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 16:16:24 -0000

Sword rating time once again, and we're taking some that glow, some that break, and some from, yes, fine art.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 741 - The Dawn Quiz

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 16:05:42 -0000

Yes, we finally find out what Joseph Michael Linsner's Dawn is about in this episode. And we also take some of your listener questions!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Every Story Ever: September 2025

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 00:35:04 -0000

It's time to rank more comic book stories, including a truly bananas backup about Lil' Silver Sable.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 740 - I to X of Swords: Flamberge

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 16:12:26 -0000

We rated some more swords on this week's episode! One we weren't familiar with from the source material, but the vibes were immaculate. The rest? Well, good and bad.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Comics Catch-Up 073: She-Hulk (2014)

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 18:31:18 -0000

You demanded it, we read it! The 12-issue Charles Soule/Javier Pulido run on She-Hulk from 2014 tries to come at the character from a law focus. How well does it pull that off?

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 739 - HickMania 2: The Council of Reeds

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 15:26:34 -0000

We get going on the Jonathan Hickman Fantastic Four run proper in this episode, and while there are clearly some seeds being planted for big future stories...it also really reads like a comic from 2009. It even seems to follow on the previous run more than we expected.

Covering Fantastic Four #570 - 574.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 738 - The Superior Gummy

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 16:01:07 -0000

We're taking your listener questions on this week's episode, including Qs about candy, what swords we would be, how much Spider-Man can eat, bad Riddler designs, and more!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 737 - I to X of Swords: Saber

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 16:00:00 -0000

We're rating more swords on this week's show, and this time they include: something that's not a sword, a sword that's way too big, a sword that is also a hammer, and lots more!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Every Story Ever: August 2025

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 21:44:05 -0000

Time to rank stories once again, with stories from Matt Wagner and several creators who disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 736 - HickMania I: Dark Reign Fantastic Four

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 16:03:44 -0000

HickMania begins this week with what very much feels like a prologue to not just Jonathan Hickman's Fantastic Four run, but maybe...his whole Marvel saga? And yet it still feels like it's a little too long.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Comics Catch-Up 072: Grendel: Devil By the Deed Master's Edition

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 21:45:23 -0000

We're reading the 2023 update to Matt Wagner's first comic work from 1983. How does it hold up?

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 735 - All Your Favorite Tropes f/ Kyle Starks

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 16:00:15 -0000

Our good pal Kyle Starks is back on the show this week to talk about his Kickstarter for the latest volume of Where Monsters Lie! Plus we discuss how humor comics are viewed in the industry, genre shifts, basketball, and much more!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 734 - I to X of Swords: Katana

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 16:01:06 -0000

We're rating swords once again on this week's show, and one of them...takes souls.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Join the WRA Patreon to help us keep doing the show and get rewards!

Episode 733 - The Superhero Movie Vibe Shift f/ Elle Collins

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 16:03:47 -0000

Our longtime pal Elle Collins drops by the show this week for a super-sized chat about "Superman," "Fantastic Four: First Steps," and how superhero movies seem to be changing at this particular moment.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Every Story Ever: July 2025

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 16:57:22 -0000

Time to rank more stories! This time, we're taking on some Dragon Ball, a PSA comic, Batman just before "Year One," and much more!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 732 - The GBS Champion

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 16:14:12 -0000

We took your listener questions on this week's show, including one about DC Comics championships.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Comics Catch-Up 071: Robin (1991)

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 00:30:48 -0000

Robin's first five-issue mini-series from 1991: Good, average, or secretly bad? We dig into this Chuck Dixon/Tom Lyle trip to France (and Spain and Hong Kong) to find out.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 731 - I to X of Swords: Jian

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 16:00:30 -0000

We unexpectedly find our first I, a real bottom chopper, as we rate more swords on this episode!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 730 - Jurgies Into Mystery #17: Thor Disassembled

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 16:06:59 -0000

Time for a Jurgalogue. We're finishing our re-read of the Jurgies with a story not written by Dan Jurgens. It's the Michael Avon Oeming-written "Thor Disassembled" Ragnarok story from Thor #80-85. So how does it compare to the 79 issues before it?

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Every Story Ever: June 2025

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 03:44:57 -0000

Time to rank stories once again, including one 2000s Avengers story we'd rather not.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 729 - Making the News f/ Alex Firer and Fred C. Stresing

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 16:18:52 -0000

The creators of the new comic based on the Doughboys podcast join us to talk about turning a podcast into a comic, selling direct to fans, the Ren & Stimpy "gross-up," Doughboy from Marvel Comics, and much more!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Comics Catch-Up 070: Silver Surfer (2016)

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 21:58:22 -0000

We finish up the Dan Slott/Mike Allred/Laura Allred run on Silver Surfer on this episode, and we finally rank the whole thing! Where does it end up?

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 728 - I to X of Swords: Falchion

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 15:57:47 -0000

Matt was getting ready for Heroes Con when he and Chris recorded, so enjoy this edit-free episode where we rate some more of your sword submissions!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 727 - Literal Cards and Archery f/ Jeremy Whitley

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 16:00:45 -0000

On this week's show, we're very pleased to welcome back Jeremy Whitley, editor of the Aces and Aros Anthology, which is funding now on Kickstarter! We talk about editing vs. writing, self-discovery, how he got involved in the anthology, and lots more!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 726 - Is It Cool? f/ Jason Shawn Alexander

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 16:03:45 -0000

The artist behind a new illustrated version of "A Christmas Carol," titled Scrooge is on the show the week to talk about the project, funding now on Zoop! We also discuss returning to old ideas, working with Todd McFarlane on Spawn, drawing for role playing games, and a lot more!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Every Story Ever: May 2025

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 01:44:03 -0000

That's right! It's May! And we're ranking stories, including some classic Tim Drake Robin stuff.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Comics Catch-Up 069: Silver Surfer (2014)

Fri, 30 May 2025 16:48:16 -0000

Based on your suggestion, we finally read the entire 2014 volume of Silver Surfer, which has a kind of Doctor Who vibe to it. Spoiler: It's great.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 725 - I to X of Swords: Zweihander

Mon, 26 May 2025 15:55:41 -0000

We rate more famous swords on this week's show! Do we manage to find our elusive I?

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 724 - Jurgies Into Mystery #16: Gods and Men

Mon, 19 May 2025 16:00:46 -0000

We finish up the Dan Jurgens run on Thor on this week's show, and it finishes pretty strong!

Covering Thor (1998) #75-79.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 723 - The Big Three

Mon, 12 May 2025 21:43:52 -0000

On this week's show, we took your listener questions, including one about the most influential living writers, who we named immediately.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 722 - The Wedding Special

Mon, 05 May 2025 16:00:25 -0000

Matt and Chris traveled to Eastern Tennessee for the wedding of friend of the show Elle Collins this weekend, so they got together with Marlene and Ben Gulley to talk about it and read online reviews of Morristown's Family Fun Zone!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Every Story Ever: April 2025

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 00:34:32 -0000

Time to rank more comic book stories on this month's special, including some Punisher, some Spider-Man and some Elseworlds!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 721 - Longsword (I to X of Swords)

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 16:02:36 -0000

We've got some swords to rate this week, and they run the gamut from video-game weapons to genuine symbols of European kingdoms.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Comics Catch-Up 068: The Shadow (1987)

Sat, 26 Apr 2025 20:17:33 -0000

We read the entirety of the Andy Helfer/Bill Sienkiewicz/Kyle Baker run on The Shadow from the late 80s, and there's never been a more cocaine-paced comic. Is that good? Listen and learn!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 720 - Playin' Jazz f/ Brian Michael Bendis, Soo Lee, Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 16:00:00 -0000

All the names on the cover of Welcome to Twilight: From the World of Minor Threats #2 join us for the show this week to talk about working through new story developments as they come, whether it's intimidating to come into a universe with so many elements already built in, depicting flashbacks visually, fast food, and a whole lot more!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 719 - En Garde!

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 16:05:53 -0000

It's time to start ranking your sword submissions for I to X of Swords this week, and though things get off to a rocky start, we do find a groove after a bit.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 718 - Jurgies Into Mystery #15: The Reigning

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 16:04:16 -0000

It's the beginning of the end of the Dan Jurgens run on Thor as we cover the story that's actually called "The Reigning"!

Covering Thor (1998) #69-74.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Every Story Ever: March 2025

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 03:16:44 -0000

On this month's special, we start with a debate about a comic strip and end...with a debate about three comic strips. And in the meantime, we cross 1,600 ranked comics!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 717 - I to X of Swords Begins

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 17:21:46 -0000

Our new game for 2025 and beyond begins this week, and it's a sharp one!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 716 - Not Hair f/ Benito Cereno

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 17:00:45 -0000

Matt and Benito sat down for a chat about Benito's upcoming book Blood and Thunder, then took a bunch of your listener questions!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 715 - Raw Finale

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 16:06:00 -0000

We reach 100 raw moments on the list this week, finishing it up! What will end up on the complete list of the rawest moments in comics history? Only one way to find out!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 714 - The Hangover, but Horror f/ Zander Cannon

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 17:11:08 -0000

The writer and artist of the new Image series Sleep joins us this week to talk about limited color palettes, how X-Men comics have always been complicated, the best kaiju, and a whole lot more!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Every Story Ever: February 2025

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 21:05:44 -0000

We finally get around to the Kevin Conroy/J.Bone story "Finding Batman" from DC Pride on this special, and rank plenty more to boot!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 713 - Violence in Black and White f/ Kel McDonald

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 17:07:23 -0000

Longtime friend of the show Kel McDonald joins us on the show this week to talk about the new story in their series The City Between, as well as their new video series reviewing Berserk from the beginning! And, of course, werewolves.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 712 - Jurgies Into Mystery #14: The Reigning Begins

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 17:01:23 -0000

On this week's show, we're back to the Dan Jurgens run on Thor! We're finishing up the Spiral storyline and starting The Reigning, and the question persists: Did Thor do anything wrong?

Covering Thor (1998) #63-68.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Comics Catch-Up 067: Sword of Azrael (2022)

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 17:55:37 -0000

This is War Rocket Ajax, but this month we're reviewing Apocrypals: The Comic, and it's quite a ride.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 711 - Raw Thursday

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 17:48:41 -0000

We're on the road to 100 as we go back to non-linestepper submissions and race to the finish of the Thursday Night Raw list!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 710 - Where Would Goku Place?

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 17:02:03 -0000

We took your listener questions this week, including one looking back at the ol' Panel President list!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Every Story Ever Special: January 2025

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 18:56:37 -0000

After we get some ugly but necessary business out of the way, we're back to ranking stories again on this month's special!

Episode 709 - Raw Bowl

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 17:04:21 -0000

We're finishing up the linestepper submissions for Thursday Night Raw this week as we head toward preserving a list of 100 extremely raw moments in amber (or something more raw)!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 708 - Jurgies Into Mystery #13: Start of Spiral

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 16:44:36 -0000

We're back on the Dan Jurgens run on Thor this week, and Thor's getting involved in international conflicts! Iron Man, Jake Olson and everyone else seems to think this is wrong.

Covering Thor (1998) #57-62.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Comics Catch-Up 066: Sinister War

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 04:08:49 -0000

Well, we can only go up from here.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 707 - The First Annual Absolute Gordies

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 17:00:44 -0000

Time for our annual award show to get ABSOLUTE! But we're still giving out awards in categories submitted by our listeners!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Every Story Ever Special: December 2024

Tue, 31 Dec 2024 15:00:59 -0000

Merry Christmas (it's technically the sixth day of Christmas). Join us as we rank some listener-submitted Christmas-themed stories, and a few more to boot!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 706 - Pitch: A "Christmas Movie" f/ Matt Fraction

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:00:00 -0000

It's time for our annual Christmas episode at the cabin on Mount Premise, but this time, it's a work retreat! We have only a few short hours to come up with an idea for something that's never been done before: what Fraction refers to as a "Christmas movie."

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 705 - Specials That Are Special f/ Daniel Kibblesmith

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 17:02:54 -0000

The writer of the X-Men story in Marvel Holiday Tales to Astonish and Powerpuff Girls Winter Snowdown Showdown joins us this week to talk about what's different about writing a story for a holiday special, that one time Kitty Pryde fought the Alien from Alien, that time a child mistook Ghost Rider for Santa Claus, and, of course, Garfield.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Comics Catch-Up 065: Don Rosa Scrooge

Thu, 12 Dec 2024 20:04:21 -0000

On this month's Catch-Up, we read what may or may not have been Don Rosa's story about Scrooge McDuck, a Christmas character.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 704: Dr. Sivana Dad and Catwoman Mom f/ Jordan Blum and Heath Corson

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 17:36:38 -0000

Two of the creators behind the new Minor Threats mini-series The Brood join us this week to talk about their book, working through family stuff in comics, inevitable comparisons, The Brood (Marvel), The Brood (WWE), the aliens from the movie Alien, and more!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Every Story Ever: November 2024

Sat, 30 Nov 2024 16:32:58 -0000

Time to rank more comics on our list of more than 1500 comics stories!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 703 - Raw Season Finale

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 17:03:21 -0000

Is this the end of Thursday Night Raw? We work it all out after taking some more listener submissions of the rawest moments in comics history!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Comics Catch-Up 064: X-Terminators (2022)

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 20:06:23 -0000

Based on your suggestions, we caught up with this five-issue romp by Leah Williams and Carlos Gomez. Is it spooky? No. Is it fun? Yeah! Is it good? Listen and find out!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 702: Raw 702nd Episode Celebration

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 17:02:34 -0000

It is once again time to get raw on this week's show, and this set of submissions raises the question: Is it raw or just funny?

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 701 - Jurgies Into Mystery #12: The Reigning Prelude

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 17:00:20 -0000

Time for more Dan Jurgens Thor, and this time, Thor is taking a more active role as king of Midgard. Did he do anything wrong? The jury's out.

Covering Thor #51-56.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 700: Making Up For Lost Time

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 17:01:38 -0000

We were gone for a little while, and a whole episode of listener questions got lost thanks to Hurricane Helene. So we're making up for it with a special episode of nothing but listener questions!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Every Story Ever: October 2024

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 21:55:34 -0000

Happy Halloween! It's time once again to take your Every Spooky Ever lists and rank them on our giant list of comics from best to worst! Boo!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 699 - Can't Unsee: The Haunting of Ajax House f/ Benito Cereno

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 16:00:22 -0000

We're back just in time for our annual Halloween special with Benito Cereno! And this year, we're visiting Chris' grand-uncle's scary haunted house to talk about scenes from spooky or scary movies we'll quite simply never forget, even if we want to.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Best of Raw Vol. 1

Sat, 19 Oct 2024 18:25:41 -0000

It's almost time for the regular weekly show to return, but as you continue to wait, here's a collection of the best moments from our Thursday Night Raw segments so far!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

The Best of Every Story Ever, Vol. 1

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 20:21:03 -0000

Hey everyone! While the show is still on hiatus due to Hurricane Helene, we're taking a look back at some of the best moments in Every Story Ever! Relive the magic with our discussions of...

Judge Dredd: Choose Your Own X-Mas (Comics Catch-Up, December 2019)

Avengers: Whirlwinds (ESE, January 2020)

Heathcliff: Poop Butt (ESE, February 2020)

Captain America: Seeing Red (ESE, June 2020)

Doomsday Clock (ESE, May 2020)

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 698 - Jurgies Into Mystery #11: By Fire Born

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 16:00:00 -0000

Who exactly is born by fire in this five-issue story in the Dan Jurgens run on Thor? We're not sure! But it's got two Thors, Desak, a Thor Girl made of stone, and looting.

Covering Thor #46-50!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 697 - WRA All-Star Night (Raw)

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 16:02:54 -0000

We put some of the moments we've been waiting for on the Thursday Night Raw list on this week's show!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Comics Catch-Up 063: Blood Pack

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 18:16:57 -0000

We read 1995's Blood Pack for the show this month, a book that left us wondering, "Why did we do this again?"

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 696 - I'm Not Dumb

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 16:00:39 -0000

Matt and Chris are taking your listener questions on this week's show, and one leads to a discussion of what Chris' "no bummers" stance really means.

Big Bad Toy Store has something you definitely want! Go and find it with our referral link!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 695 - The Price Is Raw

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 15:59:54 -0000

We're ranking the rawest moments in comics once again this episode, including when Dr. Doom turned into an action figure and Batman got broken.

Big Bad Toy Store's exclusive Operation Monster Force line is like G.I. Joe meets the Universal Monsters! Check them out and a whole lot more by using our referral link!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Every Story Ever Special: August 2024

Fri, 30 Aug 2024 20:37:56 -0000

Time to rank comics stories once again! This time, we're taking on lists that include the comic that made Chris who he is today.

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 694 - Jurgies Into Mystery #10: Thor Takes the Throne

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 16:01:23 -0000

We're covering Thor (1998) #41-45 on the show this week, and things definitely take a turn as Thor becomes king of Asgard and Jake Olsen is basically swept under the rug.

Big Bad Toy Store's BigBad Batman Battle is going on now! Go vote for your favorite Batman and buy a whole bunch of cool toys by using our referral link!

We make our show on Zencastr, and you can too! Follow this link to sign up now!

Episode 693 - Pitching the Kids f/ Bill Morrison

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 16:01:58 -0000

Longtime Simpsons Comics writer and artist Bill Morrison joins us for the show this week to talk about his new collection of The Complete Roswell Little Green Man, funding now on Zoop! We also talk about his unusual journey into comics, what he considers his art style, and much more!

Comics Catch-Up 062: Batman/The Shadow (2017)

Fri, 16 Aug 2024 20:38:04 -0000

This month, Matt and Chris read the Steve Orlando/Scott Snyder/Riley Rossmo Batman/Shadow crossover from a few years back. Do the two very similar characters mix well, or do they clash?

Episode 692 - The Bat-Match Beyond

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 16:10:36 -0000

It's Chris' birthday, and our gift to you for it is that we're taking your listener questions on the show this week!

Episode 691 - Chris Sims Birthday Celebration Raw

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 16:00:22 -0000

It's Chris' birthday in a week, and we're getting Raw to celebrate! That's right, it's time to rank more of the rawest moments in comics history, including one from way back featuring the original Human Torch!

Every Story Ever Special: July 2024

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 18:19:05 -0000

Hope ya missed us, we're back! And we're ranking comic book stories, including a bunch of Batman and Spider-Man!

Episode 690 - Security Blanket with Teeth f/ Tom Fowler

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 15:59:58 -0000

The artist behind Gamemasters: The Comic Book History of Roleplaying Games and our old pal Tom Fowler returns to the show this week to talk about the healing power of D&D, separating life and commerce, the best little freaks to draw, and much more!

Episode 689 - Jurgies Into Mystery #9: Odin No More

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 16:00:12 -0000

Time for more Jurgies, and this time, a lot of gods are dying.

Covering Thor Annual 2001 and Thor (1998) #37-40.

Episode 688 - A Good Bad Idea f/ Jeremy Whitley

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 16:00:30 -0000

The writer of the new OGN Navigating With You joins us once again this week to talk about Bojangles, tag teams, Bojangles' choice of tag teams, and, oh yeah, his comic. And a whole lot more, too!

Comics Catch-Up #61: Dick Tracy: Big City Blues

Sat, 13 Jul 2024 16:14:06 -0000

We're catching up again, and this time we're covering the three Dick Tracy issues from 1990, two of which serve as a prequel to the movie, and one that's a movie adaptation!

Episode 687 - Captain Dog

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 16:10:32 -0000

Chris is back from being sick and we're easing back into things with some listener questions this week!

Episode 686 - Jurgies Into Mystery #8: Thor Girl Arrives

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 17:14:01 -0000

Time for more of the Dan Jurgens run on Thor! We cover issues with a varied collection of artists this time, introducing the new Thor Girl -- someone we have seen before in a very different context!

Covering Thor (1998) #32-36.

Episode 685 - Raw SuperShow

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 16:06:11 -0000

Yes, more Raw action this week! Matt's back from vacation and we're ranking more of the rawest moments in comics history! We even get to the nice number!

Episode 684 - Raw Birthday Bash

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 16:00:00 -0000

On the show this week, we're once again ranking the rawest moments in comics, including a Thor throwdown we've been waiting for!

Episode 683 - Robot Clothes (Listener Questions special)

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 16:00:17 -0000

On the show this week, we took your listener questions about ROM, late night talk shows, Batman's origin, sitcoms, and a whole lot more!

Every Story Ever: May 2024

Thu, 30 May 2024 17:51:10 -0000

Time once again to rank some comics, and we're seeing out spring with some cleaning, finishing up two lists we started but never finished before!

Episode 682 - Raw Remembers

Mon, 27 May 2024 16:00:23 -0000

Time to once again rank some of the rawest moments in comics this week, and we get a recent moment this time that goes very high on our list!

Comics Catch-Up 060: Icon #1-10

Fri, 24 May 2024 16:40:13 -0000

To honor the late M.D. Bright (and the late Dwayne McDuffie), we caught up on the first 10 issues of their Milestone Comics launch title Icon! How does it hold up 30 years later? And what about those other 32 issues?

Episode 681 - Met Gala with Swords f/ Dan Schkade

Mon, 20 May 2024 16:07:00 -0000

The cartoonist behind the Flash Gordon newspaper strip joins us for the show this week to talk about the differences between strips and comic books, what makes Flash so timeless, classic movie serials, and a whole lot more!

Episode 680: Jurgies Into Mystery #7: Hogun Fights For His Life

Mon, 06 May 2024 16:00:19 -0000

It's Jurgies time again! How will Dan Jurgens and some new artists (namely Erik Larsen and Andy Kubert) follow the heights of #25? Get ready for balls and chains aplenty!

Covering Thor (1998) #26-31.

Every Story Ever Special: April 2024

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 23:23:36 -0000

We're working through our tiredness to bring you two full hours of ranking comic book stories, including some classic Superman!

Episode 679 - No Juice in That Boy f/ Erica Henderson

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 17:03:50 -0000

Our pal Erica Henderson is back this week to talk about the 2024 Harley Quinn annual, which she wrote, drew and colored! We also discuss Kraven; fashion; whether Erica and Matt are too mean to Chris on their other podcast, Friends 'Till the End; and more!

Episode 678 - Dark Side of the Sun

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 16:45:15 -0000

Matt and Chris took some listener questions this episode, including about our own comics, the price point of monthly comics, our dream entrance music, and much more!

Episode 677 - Raw After WrestleMania

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 16:00:00 -0000

Let's get Raw once again! This time around, we're talking about moments featuring Judge Dredd, Magneto, the Transformers, and yes, a Dragon Ball character.

Comics Catch-Up 059: Dragon Ball Super Tournament of Power

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 17:14:53 -0000

To honor the legendary Akira Toriyama, we read a story from Dragon Ball Super that Chris says embodies everything great about Dragon Ball! And guess what? It ruled.

Episode 676 - Jurgies Into Mystery #6: Thor vs. Thanos

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 16:14:57 -0000

Yes, it's time for Thor #25! Not only do Thor and Thanos do battle in this monumental issue, but Mangog gets got. We go through it all beat by beat.

Episode 675 - Only in Comics f/ Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 16:00:57 -0000

Our close personal friends Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum are back on the show this week to talk all things Minor Threats: the second volume of the main series, The Fastest Way Down, and the upcoming Barfly! Plus, we get into the weird, for-heads-only comics we love!

Every Story Ever Special: March 2024

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 19:40:15 -0000

Spring is here, and it's time once again to rank comic book stories! This time, we've got some Batman, some early Fantastic Four, and yes, Witchblade.

Episode 674 - Zoop and Zalad f/ Jordan Plosky

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 16:06:43 -0000

One of the co-founders of the comics crowdfunding platform Zoop, Jordan Plosky, joins us for the show this week to talk about his own crowdfunding/capital campaign, the comic that made him love comics, staying creator-focused, and a whole lot more!

Episode 673 - Raw 3:16

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 16:00:23 -0000

Time to get Raw once again! We're celebrating 3:16 day (a little late) by ranking some of comics' rawest moments, including some involving Goku and Batman!

Comics Catch-Up 058: Red Sonja (2013)

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 20:23:54 -0000

Matt and Chris read the first arc of Gail SImone's 2013 run on Red Sonja, and simply couldn't help comparing it to other things, even though it's probably unfair.

Episode 672 - Splortch Zone f/ Jeremy Whitley

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 16:03:28 -0000

Longtime friend of the show Jeremy Whitley returns this week to ostensibly talk about his new book The Cold Ever After, but mostly end up discussing AEW Revolution!

Episode 671 - Jurgies Into Mystery #5: Thor vs. Thanos Round 1

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 17:00:00 -0000

We're reading the Dan Jurgens/John Romita Jr. run on Thor once again, and we're building up to the big clash in #25 as Thanos collects the artifacts (and one person) he needs to unleash a wave of death across the cosmos!

Covering Thor Annual 2000 and #22-24.

Every Story Ever Special: February 2024

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 18:14:27 -0000

After doing some list cleanup, we're back to ranking comics! Including a very, very bad Justice League story.

Episode 670 - Fantasy or Sci-fi? f/ Kel McDonald

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 17:01:35 -0000

Longtime pal Kel McDonald returns to the show this week to talk about their new book, Murky Water, which is funding now on Kickstarter! Plus: what kind of Pokemon gyms we would have, werewolf songs, and the differences between fantasy and sci-fi!

Episode 669 - Three Daves f/ Dave Baker

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 17:00:25 -0000

The writer and artist of the new book Mary Tyler Moorehawk returns to the show this week to talk about taking a big swing on a project, footnotes, Star Trek rawness, how jokes evolve, and a whole lot more!

Comics Catch-Up 057: X-Men Red (2022) #1-10

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 22:18:50 -0000

We're finally reading Al Ewing and (mostly) Stefano Caselli's Arrako-based X-Men book, and spoiler: It rips.

Episode 668 - Mutant Hurting Factor (Listener Questions Special)

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 17:32:18 -0000

A special Sunday record, a special live-to-tape episode where we answer your questions!

Episode 667 - Jurgies into Mystery #4: The Enchanters Defeated

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 17:32:19 -0000

It's time once again to dive into the Dan Jurgens run on Thor, and this time, we're wrapping up the Enchanters story and digging into what might just be the peak of the run: The Thanos arc!

Covering Thor (1998) #17-21.

Every Story Ever Special: January 2024

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 19:05:02 -0000

It's time once again to rank comic book stories, starting with one Matt promised to revisit last time: Emperor Doom!

Episode 666 - Raw as Hell

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 17:00:24 -0000

It's a special Thursday Night Raw episode, as we rank listener-submitted comics moments specifically about the devil, hell, and demons!

Episode 665 - It's His Name f/ Tom Kraft and Rand Hoppe

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 17:03:14 -0000

The founders of the Jack Kirby Museum join us for this week's show to talk about their new collection of the Sky Masters of the Space Force Sunday strips, plus lots more Kirby stuff!

Comics Catch-Up 056: S.W.O.R.D. (2020)

Sat, 20 Jan 2024 14:49:44 -0000

Before we can read all the raw moments in X-Men Red, we have to catch up with Al Ewing's prelude, his 11-issue S.W.O.R.D. series!

Episode 664 - Gordies the 13th

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 16:52:59 -0000

Matt and Chris return to the Flash Gordon Memorial Auditorium (adjacent to the Krystal Loch Campground) for another award show, with categories selected by you, the listeners!

Every Story Ever Special: December 2023

Sat, 30 Dec 2023 16:03:37 -0000

We're closing out the year by once again ranking some comics stories from best to worst on our list of more than 1,500 comics!

Episode 663 - A-Santa-sin Nation f/ Matt Fraction and Kyle Starks

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 17:05:46 -0000

It's our annual Christmas special, and we're springboarding off of last year's discussion of the Terminator vs. Santa Claus to decide what other would-be assassins might have plans to take out Big Red and become Father Christmas themselves!

Comics Catch-Up 055: Ambush Bug Stocking Stuffer

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 22:48:56 -0000

It's a Christmas comic! It's a Keith Giffen comic! It's very wacky! So what did we think of this 1985 one-shot?

Episode 662 - Raw Christmas Eve

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 17:05:35 -0000

In our last regular episode of the year, we had to add some more entries to the list of the rawest comics of all time!

Episode 661 - Tony Don't Snack

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 17:01:43 -0000

We're taking some of your listener questions on this week's show, leading to long discussions about Venom, snacking, reading, and much more!

Every Story Ever Special - November 2023

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 22:53:10 -0000

On this very special Every Story Ever Special, we get to 1,500 ranked comics stories on the list!

Episode 660 - A Raw Thanksgiving

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 17:00:00 -0000

Gather 'round the turkey with us as we determine some of the rawest moments in comics history!

Comics Catch-Up 054: Black Widow (2016)

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 17:30:31 -0000

This month, we're catching up on the 12 issues of the Mark Waid/Chris Samnee run on Black Widow! And we're particularly invested in the unusual way it was made.

Episode 659 - If It's Good, Do It f/ Paul Grist

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 17:41:31 -0000

The creator of Jack Staff joins us for the show this week to talk about his new book from Rebellion, Smash!, as well as favorite characters, British vs. American comics, pulling together British comics history, changing his art style, and much more!

Episode 658 - Jurgies Into Mystery #3: Marnot Revealed

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 17:01:02 -0000

We're digging back into the Dan Jurgens/John Romita Jr. run on Thor, and we're getting some guest artists this time after the Dark Gods are defeated and a mysterious figure is unmasked!

Covering Thor (1998) #12-16.

Every Story Ever Special: October 2023

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 17:40:56 -0000

Boo! Time to put some scary comic book stories on the list, don't you think?

Episode 657 - The Candy Bowl f/Benito Cereno

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 16:00:13 -0000

Benito Cereno is back for our annual Halloween special, and 24 candies are duking it out in a tournament to determine who reigns supreme in treats!

Episode 656 - A Little More Dirt f/ Alex de Campi and Erica Henderson

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 16:00:19 -0000

The creative team behind the new book Parasocial joins us for the show this week to talk about how color can create horror, how to handle actual parasocial relationships, actors and fans, putting subtitles in a comic, and a whole lot more!

Comics Catch-Up 053: Fate Part 2

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 16:30:35 -0000

We're finishing out the (first) saga of Jared Stevens: The Man Called Fate on this episode. Can issues 11-22 overcome the problems of the first half of the series, or maybe discover some brand new ones?

Episode 655 - Bruce Wayne Can Hoop (Listener Questions special)

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 16:00:12 -0000

On this week's episode, Matt and Chris are taking your listener questions once again!

Episode 654 - Raw Saturday Night

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 16:01:54 -0000

It's time once again for us to rank some of the rawest moments in comics, and we get a definite top-spot contender this time!

Every Story Ever Special: September 2023

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 00:19:27 -0000

As we always say in our famous catch phrase, "Time to rank the comics!"

Episode 653 - Jurgies Into Mystery #2: Battle With the Dark Gods

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 16:00:55 -0000

We continue our re-read of the Dan Jurgens/John Romita Jr. run on Thor with issues #6-11 this week! Things get intense and, briefly, gross!

Episode 652 - Peer Pressure f/ Paul Allor

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 16:05:40 -0000

The writer of Pink Midnight Presents: Barber Psychic joins us this week to talk about whether the series really is a horror anthology, never playing D&D, "Yes and," movies about barbers, and much more!

NOTE: Just to be clear, Paul uses they/them pronouns, despite some others used in the episode. Apologies!

Episode 651 - Feel the Vibe of It f/ Tim Seeley and Jordan Blum

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 16:01:11 -0000

Two of the writers of Dark Horse Comics' Minor Threats spinoff series The Alternates join us for the show this week to talk about weirdo superheroes, the beauty of the characters no one else likes, the mythology of pre-Covid conventions, and, of course, Slash.

Comics Catch-Up 052: Captain Victory and the Galactic Rangers

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 19:15:19 -0000

For our belated celebration of the birthday of the King of Comics, Jack Kirby, we're reading this 1981 Pacific Comics series of his that we've never read before! So how does it stack up?

Episode 650 - Power Level 8 f/ Mark O. Stack

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 16:02:59 -0000

Longtime friend of the show Mark O. Stack returns to the program this week to talk about his new crossover comic funding now on Kickstarter, The Relentless Adventure! Plus, we discuss the joy of superheroes just hanging out, the history of inter-company crossovers, and some controversial Pokemon thoughts.

Episode 649 - Thursday Raw Thursday

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 16:00:27 -0000

Time to rank some more of the rawest moments in comics! Remember: When the time comes, you better fight like hell.

Every Story Ever Special: August 2023

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 17:02:56 -0000

Chris is back in the saddle, and he's here with Matt to rank some comic book stories once again! One of them is Weapon X, so they spend a long time on that one.

Episode 648 - Edit That Out f/ Marlene Thompson

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 16:04:16 -0000

Matt is joined by his wife Marlene this week to take some listener questions!

Episode 647 - Fighting Game Birthday

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 16:00:39 -0000

Matt went to visit Chris in Minneapolis for his birthday, and they recorded something every day about what they did!

Episode 646 - The Split Second After (Listener Questions Special)

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 16:00:35 -0000

We took your listener questions on the show this week, and it led to a long discussion about what makes a good comics fight, among other things!

Episode 645 - Jurgies Into Mystery #1: The Jurgie Begins

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 16:02:56 -0000

Come with us to Asgard. Or what's left of it, anyway. We're starting our reread of the Dan Jurgens/John Romita Jr. run on Thor with issues #1-5 this week!

Every Story Ever Special: July 2023

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 19:50:42 -0000

The summer heat is here, and we're keeping cool by ranking comic book stories once again.

Episode 644 - Raw Supershow

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 16:02:21 -0000

This week's episode is 100 percent Raw! That's right, we're ranking raw moments in comics once again!

Comics Catch-Up #051: Berserk

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 22:08:58 -0000

It's a SUPER-SIZED catch-up as Matt and Chris lengthily discuss and rank Berserk's Black Swordsman arc and the Golden Age arc!

(NOTE: The Childish Gambino name story is more of a widely held theory rather than definitive truth. Glover himself says he got his name from an online Wu-Tang Clan name generator.)

Episode 643 - Doing a Warriors f/ Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 16:02:52 -0000

The writers of Minor Threats return to the show this week to talk about their new trade paperback for the series, their new spinoff The Alternates, big influences, world building, noir, and a whole lot more!

Episode 642 - Stardust Hoops f/ Van Jensen

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 16:01:10 -0000

The creative force behind the new Stardust the Super Wizard anthology joins us for the show this week to talk Golden Age comics, his return to playing video games after 20 years, hero morality, and a whole lot more!

Every Story Ever Special: June 2023

Sat, 01 Jul 2023 21:27:03 -0000

Time is merely a construct and we're ranking comic book stories. Two undeniable truths.

Episode 641 - FalChris and the Wilson Soldier #24: Blaze of Glory

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 16:08:54 -0000

We've come to the end of the Gruenies! We finally get into the relatively brief Armor Cap period, and dig into what this decade of comics really meant.

Covering Captain America #438-443.

Episode 640 - Spider-Man Does the Thing (Raw)

Mon, 19 Jun 2023 15:59:27 -0000

It's time once again for us to rank the rawest moments in comics, and this time, we've got some big ones featuring Spider-Man, Ghost Rider, Thor, and yes, Magneto and the Red Skull.

Episode 639 - Terrifying Jobber f/ Jed Mackay

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 16:00:24 -0000

The writer of many comics we love and long-requested guest Jed Mackay joins us this week to talk about choosing (or not choosing) the characters he writes, his origin story, tabletop gaming, setting traps for characters, and a whole lot more!

Episode 638 - A Momentary Lapse of Reason f/ Jason Copland

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 16:00:00 -0000

Jason Copland, the creator of the new graphic novel Full Tilt funding now on Zoop, joins us this week to talk about influences, the thinking behind a 22-page spread, eliminating characters, how he read Ronin at 12, and a whole lot more!

Every Story Ever Special: May 2023

Wed, 31 May 2023 21:08:08 -0000

It's our 100th Every Story Ever special, and we're chugging along through listener-submitted lists of comic book stories!

Episode 637 - Pulling Out the Plunder (Thursday Night Raw special)

Mon, 22 May 2023 16:03:02 -0000

Time to get raw! We're going through more submissions for Thursday Night Raw on this week's show!

Episode 636 - The Hockey Phase f/ Robert Newsome

Mon, 15 May 2023 16:03:29 -0000

The editor of the wrestling zine The Atomic Elbow joins us this week to talk about carny lingo, muted phrases on Twitter, cake, old wrestling shows as historical documents, and a whole lot more!

Comics Catch-Up 050: Fate Part 1

Thu, 11 May 2023 18:04:18 -0000

After considerable pressure to do so, this month, we're covering the first 11 issues of the 1994 reimagining of Dr. Fate, with Jared Stevens taking on the mantle of the Man Called Fate. It's quite a ride.

Episode 635 - Dog Qualities f/ Jeremy Whitley

Mon, 08 May 2023 16:10:50 -0000

The writer of The Dog Knight and the recent Love Unlimited: Gwenpool, Jeremy Whitley returns to the show this week to talk all about the key elements of dogs, getting the art of a talking dog just right, with whom he'd make an amalgam of Gwenpool, and much more!

Episode 634 - Devil Dinosaur Teeth f/Mark A. Nelson

Mon, 01 May 2023 16:00:28 -0000

The creator of the new book Thunder Hunters, which is funding now on Zoop, joins us for the show this week to talk about creature designs, working on Dungeons and Dragons monster manuals, Jack Kirby's creative license, drawing inspiration from nature, and much more!

Every Story Ever Special: April 2023

Sat, 29 Apr 2023 14:05:05 -0000

For the 99th time, we're bringing you a monthly special where we rank comic book stories submitted by our listeners on a huge list from best to worst!

Episode 633 - Pro-Spider-Mobile

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 16:00:19 -0000

On this week's show, Matt and Chris are answering as many of your listener questions as they can!

Episode 632 - FalChris and the Wilson Soldier #23: Fighting Chance Concludes

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 16:00:52 -0000

We're very close to the end of the Mark Gruenwald's run on Captain America, but he's still got some new guys up his sleeve. This time, we're meeting Jack Flag while we get reacquainted with the Serpent Society! Also, Diamondback makes a momentous choice.

Covering Captain America #432-437.

Comics Catch-Up 049: Defenders Beyond

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 21:16:38 -0000

This one snuck up on us! So does Al Ewing and Javier Rodriguez's follow-up to their 2021 Defenders series live up to the original?

Episode 631 - Raw Fury

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 16:03:09 -0000

Chris is back this week, so he and Matt are digging back into your submissions for the rawest moments in comics history! Some make the list, some do not!

Episode 630 - Lurch of Confusion f/Jessi Sheron

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 16:00:31 -0000

The writer and artist of The Other Happy Place joins Matt this week to talk about crowdfunding on Zoop, horror influences, finding beauty in the grotesque, making a monster handsome, and much more!

Every Story Ever Special: March 2023

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 21:44:24 -0000

Spring is here, and we're ranking comics stories once again!

Episode 629 - The Zeitgeist Comes For Ya f/ Josie Riesman

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 16:02:03 -0000

The author of the Vince McMahon biography Ringmaster returns to the show this week, and obviously, there's a lot to talk about! We once again compare Vince to Stan Lee, talk Bojangles, discuss living life as a heel, remember the "Hower Power," look forward to a potential second book, and much more!

Episode 628 - Uniquely Challenging f/ Erica Henderson and Ryan North

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 16:02:55 -0000

The creators of the new graphic novel Danger and Other Unknown Risks join us this week to discuss magic, frogs, talking dogs, the best animal sidekicks, collaborative relationships, interesting comics credits, our ages for some reason, and much more!

Episode 627 - FalChris and the Wilson Soldier #22: Fighting Chance Part 2

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 16:00:48 -0000

Cap is still fighting off some worrying symptoms as we spin through to the end of Mark Gruenwald's run on Captain America. Also, LOTS of new characters show up. It's a regular Reign of the Captain Americas over here.

Covering Captain America #426-431!

Comics Catch-Up 048: This Place Was Home and Legend of the Chaos God

Thu, 09 Mar 2023 17:53:31 -0000

Two stories we hadn't read from our last Every Story Ever special really caught our attention, so we're reading them both on this month's Catch-Up! One is a recent Boba Fett fan comic, and the other is a Disney Adventures crossover from 1994.

Episode 626 - RAW Zone

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 17:00:21 -0000

We're spending another entire interview segment deciding which comics scenes are the most raw of all time this week!

Every Story Ever Special: February 2023

Tue, 28 Feb 2023 17:01:18 -0000

It's time again to rank comic stories, and this month we're looking at quite a few that are...totally fine!

Go to paperlike.com/ajax and click "Buy Paperlike"!

Episode 625 - FalChris and the Wilson Soldier #21: Fighting Chance Begins

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 17:07:46 -0000

We're hitting the home stretch on the Mark Gruenwald run on Captain America! The last big story in the run is starting, and Cap is noticing he's lost a step. Also, he blazes it.

Covering Captain America #420-425.

Go to paperlike.com/ajax and click "Buy Paperlike"!

Comics Catch-Up 047: Secret Six (2014)

Tue, 21 Feb 2023 18:56:29 -0000

The New 52 version of Secret Six brought Gail Simone back to write, and Catman's still there. But otherwise it's quite different from the previous versions of the title. So how do these 14 issues hold up?

Ready to do more with your iPad? Head over to http://paperlike.com/ajax to get started.

Episode 624 - Making the Bad Choices f/Kel McDonald

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 17:01:03 -0000

Longtime friend of the show Kel McDonald returns this week to talk, ostensibly, about the new chapter of their comic City Between and upcoming Twitch reading, but we end up talking a whole lot about video games. Plus, Matt and Chris take their first e-mail listener question in quite a while!

Go to paperlike.com/ajax and click "Buy Paperlike"!

Episode 623 - WRA is RAW

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 17:01:30 -0000

We're kicking off our 2023 post-interview segment Thursday Night Raw on this week's show, and you sent in some truly raw moments to get us going!

Go to paperlike.com/ajax and click "Buy Paperlike"!

Episode 622 - Paul Levitz Paradigm f/ Mark O. Stack

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 17:06:35 -0000

Friend of the show Mark O. Stack joins us for the show once again this week! We discuss his Kickstarter project The Relentless Lark, as well as advice for writing comics, the Ultimate universe, episodic storytelling, and a whole lot more!

Go to Paperlike.com/ajax and click "Buy Paperlike"!

Every Story Ever Special: January 2023

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 22:38:59 -0000

You know it's time to rank some comic book stories! And this time around we've got some classic Batman, some weird Kirby, a curious crossover, and a whole lot more. Stick around for the sidebar!

Go to paperlike.com/ajax and click "Buy Paperlike"!

Episode 621 - FalChris and the Wilson Soldier #20: Savage Land and Night People

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 17:05:28 -0000

The vibe has changed in this set of Mark Gruenwald-written Captain America comics, and we try to get to the bottom of why. Covering Captain America #414-419.

Go to paperlike.com/ajax and click "Buy Paperlike"!

Episode 620 - Battle of the Decades Finale

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 17:01:12 -0000

To pave the way for our new after-interview segment, Thursday Night Raw, we're finishing up the last of the linestepper Battle of the Decades submissions this week!

Go to paperlike.com/ajax and click "Buy Paperlike"!

Comics Catch-Up 046: Heroes Reborn (2021)

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 19:36:03 -0000

We're kicking off the year by visiting a whole new universe! That's right, our first catch-up of 2023 focuses on the Heroes Reborn event from a couple years back, written by Jason Aaron with a whole bunch of great artists. It...definitely reminded us of some stuff.

Go to paperlike.com/ajax and click "Buy Paperlike"!

Episode 619 - Davis Country f/ Daniel Kibblesmith

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 17:00:32 -0000

Chris had some obligations this week, so Matt is joined by guest host and guest Daniel Kibblesmith on this week's show to talk about Archie characters in mech suits, the Alfred show, seeing work from comics enter the real world, and a whole lot more!

Go to paperlike.com/ajax and click "Buy Paperlike"!

Episode 618 - Gordies: The Doz

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 16:59:39 -0000

It's the 12th annual Gordie awards, and we're handing out trophies in categories you, the listeners, sent in! Get ready for The Doz!

Go to paperlike.com/ajax and click "Buy Paperlike" to get the Digital Pro Planner and free shipping!

Every Story Ever Special: December 2022

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 15:14:29 -0000

It's still Christmas, right? Well, here's our gift to you: Ranking comic stories for two hours straight!

This episode is sponsored by Paperlike! Go to paperlike.com/ajax and click "Buy Paperlike" to get the Digital Pro Planner for free, and free shipping!

Episode 617 - Every Santa Ever f/ Matt Fraction

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 17:08:38 -0000

Our annual holiday special has arrived! Matt Fraction joins us once again at our cabin on Mount Premise to rank various depictions of Santa Claus against one another (and also talk about the Terminator every once in a while).

Comics Catch-Up 045: Dredd Xmas

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 22:58:52 -0000

Listen to this episode or get a thick ear! We're covering two Judge Dredd Christmas stories this month, both from 1989!

Episode 616 - FalChris and the Wilson Soldier #19: Post-CapWolf and AIMCon

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 17:02:42 -0000

What better episode for our 616th than one where we cover Diamondback getting her mojo back? Her cool haircut returns in this set of Gruenies, and also Captain America fights five C-list villains in a row, dressed as Crossbones! We're covering Captain America #408-413 if you want to read along!

Every Story Ever Special: November 2022

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 19:59:25 -0000

We're a little late, so we recorded a little extra story ranking for you this month!

Minisode: Comics Reviews 12/5/22

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 17:00:14 -0000

Chris wasn't feeling well, so Matt went solo for some comics reviews for the week!

Episode 615 - Getting the Slippers f/Ryan North

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:05:52 -0000

Ryan North returns to the show this week to talk about writing Fantastic Four, Star Trek: Lower Decks, his favorite bad Star Trek episode, idioms, the similarities between horror and comedy, and a whole lot more!

Episode 614 - FalChris and the Wilson Soldier #18: Capwolf

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 17:06:22 -0000

The time has arrived! This set of Gruenies focuses on Captain America #402-407, "Man and Wolf," in which Captain America becomes a werewolf. Spoiler: It rules.

Episode 613 - Every Dracula Ever f/ Benito Cereno and Elle Collins

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 16:00:00 -0000

Happy Halloween! As promised one year ago THIS VERY NIGHT, Chris has ventured to the spooky old castle at 613 Gimmick Street to rank every Dracula ever with some dear Halloween pals. It's a palloween!

Episode 612 - Every Story Ever Extra

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 16:00:00 -0000

Never Before. Never Again. Chris and Matt take on the remaining Every Spooky Ever lists as part of the regular show to get into the Halloween Spirit! Spirit also means ghost!

Every Story Ever Special: October 2022

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 01:42:26 -0000

It's time for some Every Spooky Ever lists! We rank some stories from Creepy this time out, along with some not-so-great, and one very good, scary superhero stories!

Episode 611 - Dude Tendencies

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 16:00:15 -0000

Matt and Chris took some listener questions on a chill episode this week!

Episode 610 - This Town Needs an Enema f/ Owen Johnson

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 16:32:44 -0000

The editor of The Best of 2000AD joins us this week to talk about the hidden gems in 2000AD, the series' next breakout character, picking stories for a best-of anthology, what makes an anthology really work, and a lot more! Plus, a very British battle of the decades!

Comics Catch-Up 044: These Savage Shores

Fri, 07 Oct 2022 02:53:25 -0000

It's the spookiest month, so we caught up on a spooky comic! We dug into a five-issue miniseries from Vault Comics this time around, and we were very pleasantly surprised.

Episode 609 - FalChris and the Wilson Soldier #17: Operation Galactic Storm

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 16:21:48 -0000

We're tackling the big Marvel event of 1992 on this week's show, but only the Captain America parts. Plus, a couple Halloweeny issues featuring Jack O' Lantern!

Covers Captain America #396-401.

Every Story Ever Special: September 2022

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 16:11:03 -0000

Time to rank the stories! We're doing our best to cover lists sent to us that we might have skipped over for one reason or another this month.

Episode 608 - Not All Dog Stories

Mon, 26 Sep 2022 17:12:37 -0000

We're taking your listener questions on the show this week, on topics ranging from stories featuring animals to what super-team headquarters would be the best place to spend a night.

Episode 607 - FalChris and the Wilson Soldier #16: Superia Strategem and Trial of the Red Skull

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 16:42:58 -0000

We're finally finishing The Superia Strategem in this run of Gruenies, and starting up some Red Skull stuff that involves a trial that does not go to plan. Covering Captain America #391-395.

Comics Catch-Up 043: Goodbye, Eri

Sat, 17 Sep 2022 14:21:47 -0000

Our listeners keep telling us to read Chainsaw Man, so we dipped our toe in the water with this short story by creator Tatsuki Fujimoto. Did it make us cry our eyes out or did we laugh it out of the theater?

Episode 606 - Call the FDA f/ Ted Anderson

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 17:22:16 -0000

Writer Ted Anderson returns to the show this week to talk about his new graphic novel Side Effects, as well as plenty of other topics including teaching, Lord of the Rings, how to decide what to explain in a story, among others. Plus, an extended comics review segment!

Episode 605 - Yardwork and Panicking (Battle of the Decades Special)

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 16:12:59 -0000

After some circumstances, we're back and taking all the Battle of the Decades matchups we can!

Every Story Ever Special: August 2022

Sun, 04 Sep 2022 22:22:51 -0000

It's a couple days late, but we've got your ranks for the dog days of summer.

Comics Catch-Up 042: Black Canary (2015)

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 16:00:00 -0000

By your request, we read all 12 issues of the 2015 Black Canary series by Brendan Fletcher, Annie Wu, and an array of other artists. How does this DCYOU offering hold up? Listen and find out!

Episode 604 - Not the Hammer f/Dan Panosian

Mon, 22 Aug 2022 19:37:00 -0000

Artist extraordinaire and Gruenies contributor Dan Panosian joins us on the show this week to talk about his new art book, Urban Barbarian! We also talk swimsuit issues, drawing the comics for "Logan," the early '90s at Marvel, spending time away from comics, and a whole lot more!

Episode 603 - FalChris and the Wilson Soldier #15: The Superia Strategem pt. 1

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 16:00:00 -0000

From a bad story about the Arctic to a revisit to the Watch Dogs to a cruise ship full of super-powered women, it's a jam-packed Gruenies episode this week, covering Captain America #384-390!

Episode 602 - Claudio in Cars Getting Coffee

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 16:00:00 -0000

It's a surprise listener questions episode, and we're talking about superheroes' real clothes, Wizard magazine, Bond, snack foods, alien movies, and a whole lot more.

Episode 601 - The Great Indoor Fight Finals

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 16:00:00 -0000

We're wrapping up our huge tournament of characters entering the arena of battle! Who will emerge the victor? Who will have to get married? Only one way to find out!

Every Story Ever Special: July 2022

Thu, 28 Jul 2022 22:19:03 -0000

Now that the Cow Tools debate is behind us, we can set to ranking some X-Men stories, some Calvin and Hobbes strips, and some other notable comic book stories.

Go to manscaped.com and use the offer code AJAX to get 20 percent off your order and free shipping!

Episode 600 - Neighborhood Watch 4x11: Queen Takes Knight

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 16:00:00 -0000

Hey there, Cyber-Goths! We're recapping every episode of "Gotham" like we've been doing for the 599 previous episodes (along with some episodes of "The OC" and "Terriers"). It's a big one this week, as we dig deep into the fourth season's mid-season finale, "Queen Takes Knight." It's a war between Sofia Falcone and the Penguin, and we're here for it!

Comics Catch-Up 041: Moon Knight (2021) #1-12

Sat, 23 Jul 2022 01:57:30 -0000

By your request, we read the first 12 issues of the current Moon Knight series, written by Jed MacKay. Odds are we probably liked it, but can it actually be ranked on the list? Listen to learn what we decide.

Episode 599 - FalChris and the Wilson Soldier #14: The Trial of Diamondback

Mon, 18 Jul 2022 16:08:33 -0000

We're continuing our read-through of the Mark Gruenwald run on Captain America this week, and after a bumpy start, we get deep into the inner working of the Serpent Society! Then Cap meets Paul Bunyan.

Covering Captain America #379-383.

Go to manscaped.com and use the offer code AJAX to get 20% off and free shipping!

Episode 598 - Sick Day Q&A

Mon, 11 Jul 2022 16:01:43 -0000

Matt's under the weather this week, so we're settling back and taking some listener questions after an extended comics review segment.

Go to manscaped.com and use the offer code AJAX to get 20 percent off your order and free shipping!

Every Story Ever Special: June 2022

Thu, 30 Jun 2022 15:55:43 -0000

It's once again Dracula's favorite month, and we're taking on some interesting lists of stories to rank. In particular, there's one submission we just can't agree about even ranking.

Episode 597 - Dark Hootenanny

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 16:00:00 -0000

We're taking your listener questions this week on topics ranging from the most Marvel DC character (and most DC Marvel character), event names, the best animal-themed superhero, our RPG summons, and a whole lot more.

Episode 596 - FalChris and the Wilson Soldier #13: Streets of Poison

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 16:00:00 -0000

Our read through the Mark Gruenwald run on Captain America continues this week, and this time around we're taking on the 7-part story in which Cap, sadly, does a drug. Also, Kingpin and the Red Skull fight in the middle of Yankee Stadium!

Comics Catch-Up 040: The Gathering of Five

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 17:44:30 -0000

This month, we caught up on a comic we'd already read, but had differing views on whether it would be fun to read again or not. So how did things shake out? Did we get knowledge or insanity? Listen and find out.

Episode 595 - Just Tryin' to Live f/ Patton Oswalt, Jordan Blum and Scott Hepburn

Mon, 13 Jun 2022 16:00:31 -0000

The writers and artist of the upcoming Dark Horse series Minor Threats join us for this week's show, so we're obviously talking D-list villains, baby! We also talk Astro City, worldbuilding, superhero analogues, how Minor Threats is different from the MODOK Hulu series, and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris take on a Battle of the Decades!

Episode 594 - Great Indoor Fight, Round 3

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 16:00:00 -0000

It's the Sweet 16 round of the Great Indoor Fight! Who will walk away as winners and make it to the quarterfinals? Only one way to find out! Ring the bell!

Every Story Ever Special: May 2022

Tue, 31 May 2022 16:10:56 -0000

It's a very Spider-Man heavy set of rankings this month! Of course, we're happy to do it.

Episode 593 - FalChris and the Wilson Soldier #12: Mid-1990

Mon, 30 May 2022 16:06:00 -0000

It's time once again to read some Gruenies! This week, we're covering Captain America #368-371, in which Crossbones and his crew seek out the missing Red Skull, while Cap and Diamondback get close enough to finally go on a date.

Go to manscaped.com and use the offer code AJAX to get 20% off and free shipping!

Episode 592 - Call Me When You Make It f/ Greg Silber

Mon, 23 May 2022 16:00:58 -0000

On this week's episode, we're chatting with writer Greg Silber about interviewing Grant Morrison for PanelxPanel on the topic of metafiction! That's right: An interview about an interview! We also talk about defining metafiction, our favorite Grant comics, what it's like to meet them in person, and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris answer a listener question about the Wayne family!

Comics Catch-Up 039: Loki Agent of Asgard

Thu, 19 May 2022 02:41:55 -0000

The boys are taking on the clearly MCU-inspired Al Ewing run on Loki this month. How did it fare in light of some crossover-necessary interruptions?

Episode 591 - The Hero I Needed f/ Nick Pitarra

Mon, 16 May 2022 16:57:36 -0000

The creator of the new graphic novel series Ax-Wielder Jon, Nick Pitarra, joins us for the show this week! We talk about how the book was inspired by his daughter, all the Nicks in comics, character design, the creative process when you're both writer and artist, naming weapons, and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris burn through a battle of the decades!

Use the offer code AJAX at manscaped.com to get 20% off and free shipping!

Episode 590 - Threat vs. Menace (Listener Questions Special)

Mon, 09 May 2022 15:58:48 -0000

We're taking your listener questions this week! So if you've ever wondered what kind of wizard Chris and Matt would be, this is your chance to learn the answer, among other things.

Go to manscaped.com and use the offer code AJAX to get 20% off your order and free shipping!

Episode 589 - Short Circuit Vibe f/ Matt McGrath

Mon, 02 May 2022 16:00:34 -0000

We're very pleased to welcome Matt McGrath, the writer of ID-10T error, to the show this week! We talk with him about funding single issues on Kickstarter, how art shapes the tone of a comic, character design, why comics are the right medium for his stories, and much more! Plus, Matt and Chris refine Battle of the Decades!

Every Story Ever Special: April 2022

Sat, 30 Apr 2022 15:41:24 -0000

It's that time once again! We're ranking as many comics stories as we can in two hours, after a quick rundown reminder of the rules of the game.

Episode 588 - License to Write f/ David F. Walker

Mon, 25 Apr 2022 16:00:00 -0000

Writer David F. Walker joins us for the show this week to talk about his new anthology book Imposter Syndrome, which is funding now on Zoop! We also discuss Shaft, imposters in comics, revisiting old work, giving people writing advice, and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris start (but don't finish just yet) a conceptual battle of the decades!

Episode 587 - FalChris and the Wilson Soldier #11: Acts of Vengeance

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 16:00:53 -0000

Time for some Gruenies, and we're very excited about this batch, because SPOILER: It ends with Magneto putting the Red Skull in a hole.

Go to manscaped.com and use the offer code AJAX to get 20% off your order!

Comics Catch-Up 038: Zodiac Starforce

Thu, 14 Apr 2022 16:41:39 -0000

Matt and Chris read a lovely pair of Dark Horse miniseries for Catch-Up this month, and ended up navigating a legal minefield in the process.

Episode 586 - Breaking the Dog Apart f/ Mark O. Stack and Mike Becker

Mon, 11 Apr 2022 16:00:32 -0000

The creators of the comic series Young Offenders! join us once again for the show this week, and we talk at length about Multiversity, how superhero comics are often about superhero comics, making connections as a reader, costume designs, the coolest crimes, and much more! Plus, Matt and Chris take a very relevant listener question!

Use the offer code AJAX at manscaped.com to get 20% off your order!

Episode 585 - Great Indoor Fight Round 2, Part 2

Mon, 04 Apr 2022 16:00:38 -0000

We're finishing out the round of 32 in the Great Indoor Fight this week, and there are some great matchups in the mix!

Every Story Ever Special: March 2022

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 17:29:46 -0000

It's that time once again! We're ranking comics stories sent in by you, the listeners. And at least one really shoots for the bottom of the list this time around.

Go to manscaped.com and use the code AJAX to get 20% off your order!

Episode 584 - Changing the Vowels f/ Kel McDonald

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 16:00:23 -0000

Ajax Top-Tier Gold Circle Club Member Kel McDonald returns to the show this week to talk about their comic You Are the Chosen One, as well as werewolves (of course), streaming, multiplayer games, musicals, and much more! Plus, two comedy titans in a battle of the decades!

Episode 583 - Oops All Archies! f/ Daniel Kibblesmith

Mon, 21 Mar 2022 16:00:14 -0000

Super Top-Tier Professionals' Circle Ajax Club Member Daniel Kibblesmith comes back to the show this week to talk about Archie Meets Riverdale, The Alfred Show, mature-viewers comics TV and movies, Bojangles, and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris take a listener question about comics connections!

Go to manscaped.com and use the offer code AJAX to get 20% off your order!

Comics Catch-Up 037: Black Cat (2020)

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 20:46:00 -0000

We're finishing up the Jed MacKay run on Black Cat on this month's Catch-Up, and upon finishing it, it's three (or maybe four) stories. But we're just going to rank it as one.

Episode 582 - On Random f/ J.D. Boucher and Jodie Troutman

Mon, 14 Mar 2022 16:00:36 -0000

The writer and letterer of the new series Shuffle, which is funding now on Zoop, join us for the show this week to talk about how to make comics about music without sound, choosing songs, coming up with superpowers that connect to songs, video game randomizers, D&D, and so much more! Plus, Matt and Chris take a conceptual Battle of the Decades!

Episode 581 - FalChris and the Wilson Soldier #10: The Bloodstone Hunt

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 17:00:07 -0000

We're reading Gruenies once again this week, and this time we're taking on the six-issue Bloodstone Hunt story, in which Kieron Dwyer gets to draw some places he clearly wants to draw, and also Captain America wears a cool coat.

Issues covered are Captain America #357-362.

Episode 580 - Batman's Regular Car

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 17:00:11 -0000

We're taking your listener questions this week, on topics ranging from Batman's car to M&M's to D&D.

Every Story Ever Special: February 2022

Sun, 27 Feb 2022 17:12:46 -0000

We're not letting a time crunch nor potential illness keep us from ranking comic book stories for another month!

Comics Catch-Up 036: Black Cat (2019)

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 22:19:42 -0000

Based on many, many listener requests, we're tackling the first 12 issues of the Jed Mackay-written Black Cat series! But is that volume a complete story? We dive in and find out!

Episode 579 - Long Wordle f/ Karla Pacheco

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 17:00:11 -0000

The writer of Spider-Woman and our friend since young times Karla Pacheco joins us for the show this week! Karla discusses the "signature pages" in Spider-Woman, Wordle, working through some stuff via exploding helicopters, the unforgettable name of her boat, and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris take two supporting characters through a battle of the decades!

Episode 578 - Great Indoor Fight Round 2, Part 1

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 17:00:08 -0000

It's time for fightin'! We're going through half the bouts in the second round of the Great Indoor Fight this week, and there are some very compelling matchups to judge!

Episode 577 - FalChris and the Wilson Soldier #9: Mid-1989

Mon, 07 Feb 2022 17:00:00 -0000

We're back on Gruenies this week, and we're working through the pivot in storytelling after issue #350. Some surprises (and art changes) are in store!

Episode 576 - Honest With My Public f/ Tres Dean

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 17:00:00 -0000

We're delighted to welcome Tres Dean, writer of We Ride Titans, to the show this week! We talk with Tres about the aesthetics of his kaiju/mech comic, developing the backstory, superhero movie casting, hugs, guitar solos, and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris take the first official Battle of the Decades contenders!

Every Story Ever Special: January 2022

Fri, 28 Jan 2022 22:07:24 -0000

It's 2022, and we're staring off the year with some stories you think could make the bottom of the list! Let's see how they do.

Episode 575 - Like You Mean It f/ J. Gonzo

Mon, 24 Jan 2022 17:00:00 -0000

Our old pal J. Gonzo is back on the show this week to talk about La Mano Del Destino Series 2, which is funding now on Zoop! We also discuss retiring from skateboarding, tattoo artists, wrestling storytelling preferences, what makes luchadores cool, and much more! Plus, Matt and Chris unveil the new after-interview segment before answering a listener question!

Episode 574 - Gordies on Infinite Earths

Mon, 17 Jan 2022 17:00:00 -0000

It's time for our annual awards show, and this year, we're handing out Gordies across the multiverse! You submitted the categories, we pick the winners!

Comics Catch-Up 035: Longshot

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 17:00:47 -0000

We're taking it back to 1985 with our Catch-Up special this month, reading the six-issue Longshot limited series by Ann Nocenti and Art Adams, which introduces many characters. What did we think? You may be surprised.

Every Story Ever Special: December 2021

Tue, 04 Jan 2022 05:02:11 -0000

We're taking some holiday stories and whatever else comes our way as we close out the year with some rankings for our ever-expanding list!

Episode 573 - Save Santa Squad f/ Matt Fraction

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:00:00 -0000

It's our 2021 Christmas special, and we're assembling a team to save Santa! That's right. Santa's been kidnapped, and it's up to us to draft Christmas characters for a team to infiltrate the hideout of the kidnappers and get him back. Who will we choose? Listen and find out!

Episode 572 - Gross and Electric f/ GHOSTFRUITS

Mon, 13 Dec 2021 17:00:00 -0000

Three of the members of the comic book collective GHOSTFRUITS (3nd, Sheda and Powell) join us for the show this week to talk about the new issue of their comic Enemy, football, the shorthand language groups develop by working together, ghosts, and Darkhawk. It is a wild ride. Also: the last two first-round matchups in the Great Indoor Fight!

Comics Catch-Up 034: Ewing's Guardians of the Galaxy (Part 2)

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 18:22:06 -0000

This month, we finished out the Al Ewing run on Guardians of the Galaxy and came to our final judgment about what counts as a story to rank! We know it's good. We know that much. But how do we rank it?

Episode 571: FalChris and the Wilson Soldier #8: 350

Mon, 06 Dec 2021 17:00:00 -0000

We're ready! We have made it to Captain America #350 in our big re-read of the Mark Gruenwald run on the series, and there's more than enough there to fill an interview segment! Because we did, and then some.

Every Story Ever Special: November 2021

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 16:31:43 -0000

As we head into the holidays, we're finishing up some Every Spooky Evers from last month before diving into some character debuts and much more as we continue to rank every comic book story ever published!

A Post-Thanksgiving Thanks From WRA

Mon, 29 Nov 2021 17:00:00 -0000

We took Thanksgiving off, but we put together this little thank you because, as we always note, we love you.

Episode 570 - Low Stress, Low Stakes f/ Imaginary Friends Games

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 17:00:00 -0000

The creators behind the indie point-and-click adventure game Shindig, Fay and Martyn, join us for the show this week to talk about making a whole game with just two people, voice acting, the games that inspired them, couple inside jokes, making a game that's just plain nice to play, and much more! Plus, Matt and Chris judge a holiday-themed Great Indoor Fight bout!

Comics Catch-Up 033: Ewing's Guardians of the Galaxy (Part 1)

Thu, 18 Nov 2021 19:31:20 -0000

By your request, we read the first volume of the Al Ewing-written Guardians of the Galaxy series this month. Those five issues actually contain two stories. But maybe it's all one story? We couldn't decide, so there'll be more to come.

Also, just to head this off: Gnawbarque is a beaver. We know.

Episode 569 - Full Gear Road Report

Mon, 15 Nov 2021 17:00:00 -0000

Matt flew up to Minneapolis to visit Chris, and while he was there they watched Young Justice and attended AEW Full Gear! We're going through all the details in this super-sized episode!

Episode 568 - Garf Ideal f/ Daniel Kibblesmith

Mon, 08 Nov 2021 17:00:00 -0000

Our pal Daniel Kibblesmith returns to the show this week to talk about Darkhold: Blade, Inside Job on Netflix, Santa's Husband, and, of course, the pressing Garfield news. Also, we develop a new philosophical concept involving Peter Venkman and Garfield. Plus, a listener question that takes us through the decades!

Episode 567 - FalChris and the Wilson Soldier #7: 1988 (Part 2)

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 16:00:00 -0000

It's time for more Gruenies! This time, we finish out 1988 in Mark Gruenwald's Captain America run, and just barely dip into 1989 as we approach the milestone Captain America #350!

This episode covers Captain America #344-349.

Every Story Ever Special: October 2021

Sat, 30 Oct 2021 16:02:43 -0000

It's Every Story Ever time once again, and we taking all the spooky story submissions we can as Halloween Month comes to a close!

Episode 566 - Witch Graves and Wrist Rockets f/ Benito Cereno

Mon, 25 Oct 2021 16:00:00 -0000

It's Halloween week, which means it's time to talk to our old pal and Apocrypals co-host Benito Cereno about spooky movies, moral panics, being creeped out at churches, wigged-out squirrels and much more! Plus, Matt and Chris take a grip of listener questions!

Comics Catch-Up 032: Rise of the Midnight Sons

Wed, 20 Oct 2021 15:03:40 -0000

For the spookiest of months, we caught up on this monstrous event from 1992. How does it hold up when dragged out of the mausoleum? Listen and find out!

Episode 565 - From the Producers of Spooky Buddies f/ Rank and Vile

Mon, 18 Oct 2021 16:00:00 -0000

The hosts of the Rank and Vile podcast, Ryan Boyd and Quincy Rhoads, join us for the show this week to talk about spooky (not scary) movies for Chris to watch, Scaredy Cats, the mysteries of Tubi, what exactly constitutes a horror movie, and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris judge a very intriguing Great Indoor Fight battle!

Episode 564 - Every Comic Is Someone's Favorite f/ Douglas Wolk

Mon, 11 Oct 2021 16:00:00 -0000

Douglas Wolk, author of the upcoming book All of the Marvels, joins us for the show this week to talk about reading every single Marvel superhero comic since 1961! We talk about his parameters for the project, burning out, whether the Marvel Universe is good, his most and least favorite parts, and much more!

Every Story Ever Special: September 2021

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 03:14:57 -0000

After a month away, we're back to ranking comic book stories on our ever-expanding list from best to worst! And we've got some good ones this month.

Episode 563 - Breaking the Elf Ceiling f/ Geoffrey Golden

Mon, 27 Sep 2021 16:00:00 -0000

Friend of the show Geoffrey Golden returns this week to talk to us about his new D&D module Target Run, among many other topics! Plus, Matt and Chris get back to the important work of judging Great Indoor Fight battles.

Episode 562 - Big Timin'

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 16:00:00 -0000

Matt and Chris took some of your listener questions on the show this week, which led to considerable discussion about What If...? among other topics!

Comics Catch-Up 31: Bloodstrike: Brutalists

Thu, 16 Sep 2021 16:29:31 -0000

We're back to catch up, and we're taking on Michel Fiffe's three-issue continuation of Bloodstrike this month!

Episode 561 - FalChris and the Wilson Soldier #6: 1988 (Part 1)

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 16:00:00 -0000

We continue reading through the Mark Gruenwald run on Captain America this week, diving into the first seven issues of 1988. Steve Rogers gets a new costume, and the Serpent Society is invaded! Join in as we cover Captain America #337-343!

Episode 560 - Four New Tires

Mon, 06 Sep 2021 16:00:00 -0000

We're back! And we've got a checks AND recs mix for you to explain where we've been, and what we've been watching and playing!

Episode 559 - FalChris and the Wilson Soldier #5: 1987 (Part 2)

Mon, 09 Aug 2021 16:00:00 -0000

We're finishing out 1987 in Mark Gruenwald's Captain America run, and there's a new Cap and Bucky on the scene! The issues covered in this episode are #332-336.

Episode 558 - Cape Becomes Sail f/ Mike Molcher

Mon, 02 Aug 2021 16:00:00 -0000

2000AD's PR Droid Mike Molcher stops by the show this week to talk about the publisher's truly massive Humble Bundle, as well as other British comics, a truly wild Dave Gibbons story, tea, coloring originally black and white comics, why the name 2000AD stayed the same, and a lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris explain a joke!

Every Story Ever Special: July 2021

Thu, 29 Jul 2021 22:17:02 -0000

Someone sent us some more Heathcliffs, so we ranked them this month. We ranked some other comics, too.

Episode 557 - SpongeBob SquareMonster Man (Great Indoor Fight Special)

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 16:00:00 -0000

We're judging all the Great Indoor Fight bouts we can this week, pitting your entrants against one another in a battle for the ages!

Episode 556 - FalChris and the Wilson Soldier #4: 1987 (Part 1)

Mon, 19 Jul 2021 16:00:00 -0000

Matt and Chris are back on the Mark Gruenwald Captain America run this week, reading the first seven issues from 1987. It's got everything! The bad (Nomad) the good (Super Patriot) and the D-Man (D-Man)!

Comics Catch-Up 030: Gwenpool Strikes Back

Fri, 16 Jul 2021 21:38:59 -0000

For this month's catch-up, you recommended that we read the sequel to our beloved Unbelievable Gwenpool series. Was it a worthy follow-up? Listen and find out!

Episode 555 - Bulletproof or BS-proof (Listener Questions Special)

Mon, 12 Jul 2021 16:00:00 -0000

Chris and Matt took a bunch of your listener questions for this week's show, and they run the gamut.

Episode 554 - Just Show Me MODOK f/ Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum

Mon, 05 Jul 2021 16:00:00 -0000

The co-showrunners of Marvel's MODOK on Hulu and the writers of MODOK: Head Games, Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum, join us for the show this week to talk about potentially getting MODOK to Harley Quinn status, who they couldn't use for the show, how comedic MODOK should be, the animation team on the show, giving MODOK a family in the 616, and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris take a couple of listener questions!

Every Story Ever Special: June 2021

Wed, 30 Jun 2021 14:16:22 -0000

We ranked some good comic strips and some bad other comics, among other things, this month!

Episode 553: Samurai Swords and Suplexes f/ James Lawrence

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 16:00:00 -0000

The creator of The Legend of La Mariposa, James Lawrence, joins us for the show this week to talk about getting into lucha libre in Britain, El Santo movies, living the gimmick, Zubaz pants, Ribera Steakhouse, designing luchadors and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris judge a Great Indoor Fight bout!

Comics Catch-Up 029: Martian Manhunter (2018)

Wed, 23 Jun 2021 17:34:48 -0000

It's Pride Month, and your suggestion of a LGBTQ+ series for us to read was this 12-issue mini by Steve Orlando and Riley Rossmo, which explores identities human and otherwise!

Episode 552 - FalChris and the Wilson Soldier #3: 1986 (Part 2)

Mon, 21 Jun 2021 16:00:00 -0000

We're finishing up the second half of the first full year of Mark Gruenwald Captain America on the show this week, and it's got all kinds of great stuff! Scourge! U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M.! Super-Patriot! Paste Pot Pete! Diplomacy! Join us for the fun!

Episode 551 - No Suburbs f/ Kel McDonald

Mon, 14 Jun 2021 16:00:00 -0000

Our old pal, werewolf expert Kel McDonald, returns to the show this week to talk about You Are The Chosen One, The Dead Deception, Patreon, werewolf movies, birthdays, themed bars, drawing cars, and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris take a listener question that combines two major interests!

Episode 550 - In the Scene f/ Dave Baker and Nicole Goux

Mon, 07 Jun 2021 16:00:00 -0000

The writer and artist behind the new Dark Horse graphic novel Everyone Is Tulip join us on the show this week to talk about being part of the comics club, Star Trek, fame, the harsh realities of comics, misdirection gags, and much more! Plus, Matt and Chris judge a lopsided Great Indoor Fight bout!

Episode 549 - Recs Mix 3: Recs, In Effect

Mon, 31 May 2021 16:00:00 -0000

Matt and Chris are closing out May talking about some of the pop culture they've been consuming over the past few months!

Every Story Ever Special: May 2021

Sun, 30 May 2021 03:52:54 -0000

We're ranking stories once again, and this one's basically live to tape, since we didn't have a ton of time to edit. Enjoy!

Episode 548 - FalChris and the Wilson Soldier #2: 1986 (Part 1)

Mon, 24 May 2021 16:00:00 -0000

We're digging back into the Mark Gruenwald run on Captain America this week, and this time, we're reading the first six issues from 1986. They've got a lot more Serpent Society, the return of Armadillo, a breakup, jugglers, van life, and more!

Episode 547 - Blam Blam Blam (Listener Questions Special)

Mon, 17 May 2021 16:00:00 -0000

This week, we're taking your listener questions about comic book lettering, AEW, video games based on comics, the Queen of England and a whole lot more!

Comics Catch-Up 028: The Winter Men

Wed, 12 May 2021 17:38:08 -0000

By listener request, we're reading as much as we can of this Wildstorm mini-series by John Paul Leon and Brett Lewis.

Episode 546 - More Like Sorry Man

Mon, 10 May 2021 16:00:00 -0000

This week, we devoted our entire interview segment to judging as many Great Indoor Fight battles as we possibly could!

Episode 545 - Shonen Jump Maneuver f/ 3nd and Sheda of Ghostfruits

Mon, 03 May 2021 16:00:00 -0000

Two of the minds behind the indie comics collective Ghostfruits join us on the show to talk about Ajax history, following your feelings, parody ads, Spider-Man: Torment, The Far Side, and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris judge two battles in the Great Indoor Fight!

Every Story Ever Special: April 2021

Thu, 29 Apr 2021 16:20:49 -0000

We take on some highs and lows as we rank comic book stories submitted by our listeners once again this month!

Episode 544 - FalChris and the Wilson Soldier #1: 1985

Mon, 26 Apr 2021 16:00:00 -0000

Thanks to your votes, Matt and Chris are kicking off their re-read of the Mark Gruenwald Captain America run this week, starting with the six Gruenwald-written issues published in 1985, #307-312!

Comics Catch-Up 027: Batman: The Adventures Continue

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 18:36:43 -0000

This month, we're catching up on the first eight issues of this recent DC Comics Digital First, which brings back the original Batman Adventures creative team!

Episode 543 - Sorcery and Sandal f/ Elle Collins

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 16:00:00 -0000

Longtime Ajax pal Elle Collins drops by this week to talk about their new podcast Sword and Podcast, and the genres that inspired it. Also discussed: Mark Gruenwald, streaming services, Bianca Belair, Jason Momoa and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris take a listener question about More Content!

Episode 542 - Eight Days Behind f/ Chip Zdarsky

Mon, 12 Apr 2021 16:00:00 -0000

Ajax All-Star Chip Zdarsky returns to the show this week to talk about meeting Scott Speedman, hot dogs, going vegan, and his busy schedule! Oh, and all the comics he has coming out, including Batman: Urban Legends, The Silver Coin, Daredevil and more! Plus, Matt and Chris take two more competitors for the Great Indoor Fight!

Episode 541 - I, Jabroni f/ Tony Schiavone and Dirk Manning

Mon, 05 Apr 2021 16:00:00 -0000

The subject of and writer of the new autobiographical graphic novel Butts In Seats, Tony Schiavone and Dirk Manning, join us for the show this week! We talk about Tony's history with comics, Dirk's history with wrestling, adapting Tony's long career into a comic, Halloween Havoc 1993, how the title came to be, unicorns, and a whole lot more!

Every Story Ever Special: March 2021

Tue, 30 Mar 2021 16:28:00 -0000

On this month's special, we've got Gambit stories, Sandman stuff and some '90s DC classics.

(Note: We also accidentally re-ranked the Sandman story The Kindly Ones, much more generously this time. We're keeping the newer ranking.)

Episode 540 - Win-Win f/Kyle Starks

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 16:00:00 -0000

Ajax All-Star, the Franchise Hollywood Kyle Starks, joins us this week to talk about The Six Sidekicks of Trigger Keaton, working with his best friend Chris Schweizer, wanting cons to return, working with Skybound and a whole lot more! Plus, Chris and Matt judge a hard-fought Great Indoor Fight battle!

Episode 539 - Martha Talk (Listener Questions Special)

Mon, 22 Mar 2021 16:00:00 -0000

Chris and Matt are taking your questions on the show this week, and a lot of them invariably come back to DC Comics characters and their parents!

Episode 538 - I Guess I'm Back f/ Jason Horn

Mon, 15 Mar 2021 16:00:00 -0000

The writer and artist of the new Patreon-exclusive comic Settle joins us this week to talk about quitting comics, what brought him back, making art for yourself, working out grief through comics, the best sci-fi westerns and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris take it back to the ComicsAlliance days with a listener question!

Comics Catch-Up 026: Second Coming

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 17:58:30 -0000

It took a little longer than planned, but we were finally able to catch up on this controversial Ahoy Comics series by Mark Russell, Richard Pace and Leonard Kirk!

Episode 537 - March Mayhem

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 17:00:00 -0000

How about a whole bunch of Great Indoor Fight bouts? That's what we're up to this week, pitting characters selected by our listeners against in other in battle.

Episode 536 - Don Gonzo f/ J. Gonzo

Mon, 01 Mar 2021 17:00:00 -0000

The writer and artist of La Mano del Destino joins us once again this week to talk about his book being picked up by Top Cow, future plans for the project, a health scare during Kickstarter fulfillment, the best parts of the Spanish translation of the book, and a whole lot more! Plus, two Great Indoor Fight bouts!

Every Story Ever Special: February 2021

Sat, 27 Feb 2021 23:21:40 -0000

Matt's back, and he's ranking comic book stories with Chris as they do every month!

Episode 535 - Communist Lootcrate (Listener Questions Special)

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 17:00:00 -0000

This week, Chris and special guest host AC Sullivan take listener questions about movies, their dog, and more.

Episode 534 - A Story of Ambition f/ Abraham Riesman

Mon, 15 Feb 2021 17:00:00 -0000

The author of True Believer: The Rise and Fall of Stan Lee makes his return to the show this week to dig deep on Stan Lee's public persona, hair plugs, salesmanship, saying yes to everything, enthusiasm, Jack Kirby, and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris take a listener question about WandaVision!

Episode 533 - The Blank Slate f/ Robert Venditti

Mon, 08 Feb 2021 17:00:00 -0000

The writer of the upcoming Bad Idea series Tankers joins us for the show this week to talk about his curious comics history, Paul Verhoeven, high-concept idea, fixing Hawkman, dragons and a whole lot more! Plus, Chris and Matt judge two new fighters in the Great Indoor Fight!

Episode 532 - Dirty Poison (Listener Questions Special)

Mon, 01 Feb 2021 17:00:00 -0000

We're taking questions from our listeners this week, including discussing at length what would be in our utility belts, among many other topics.

Every Story Ever Special: January 2021

Sat, 30 Jan 2021 19:44:47 -0000

New year, new rankings of comic book stories!

Episode 531 - Year of the Adversary f/ Michael Sweater

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 17:00:00 -0000

The co-creator of The Wizerd from Oni Press joins us this week to talk about graffiti, what it takes to get published, getting out the bad pages, wizards (obviously), Wizard magazine (obviously) and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris kick off the Great Indoor Fight!

Episode 530 - This or That's a Wrap

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 17:00:00 -0000

To make way for our new 2021 post-interview segment, we had to finish up all the linestepper This or That scenarios from last year, plus a few more to boot!

Comics Catch-Up 025: Loki (2019)

Wed, 13 Jan 2021 22:06:29 -0000

It's Matt's fault that this series ended abruptly at issue 5, and he and Chris talk about what could have been in this promising series, but ended up not happening because of a clearly shortened run.

Episode 529 - X of Gords (2021 Gordie Awards)

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 17:00:00 -0000

We're back from our holiday break, and we're handing out some Flash Gordon Memorial Awards to the best of 2020, with the categories chosen by you, the listeners!

Every Story Ever Special: December 2020

Wed, 30 Dec 2020 23:36:03 -0000

Happy new year, everybody! We hope you enjoy us ranking these stories to wrap up 2020.

Episode 528 - The Christmas Mix Draftacular f/ John Darnielle and Matt Fraction

Mon, 21 Dec 2020 17:00:00 -0000

It's Christmas, Matt Fraction is here, and yes, we've got John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats, too. The four of us are drafting our top Christmas song picks, fantasy baseball-style, to create the ultimate mix. It's surprisingly tense, and there are some very unexpected picks!

For the playlists, check out the War Rocket Ajax Twitter and Tumblr!

Episode 527 - The Omni-MODOK f/Jordan Blum

Mon, 14 Dec 2020 17:00:00 -0000

The co-writer of the new MODOK Head Games comic series, as well as the showrunner of the new MODOK animated show on Hulu, joins us this week to talk about supervillain corporate governance, Mark Gruenwald, Monica Rappaccini, the best acronyms, what we'd be designed only to do, and much more! Plus, Matt and Chris take a question about controversy, which creates cash.

Comics Catch-Up 024: Klaus and Sgt. Rock Hanukkah

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 18:21:34 -0000

By your request, we caught up on three holiday comics this month: Two Klaus one-shots and a Hanukkah story from the 2017 DC Holiday Special!

Episode 526 - Not About the Jokes f/Eliot Rahal

Mon, 07 Dec 2020 17:11:37 -0000

The writer of the new Aftershock Comics series Knock 'em Dead joins us this week to talk about the world of stand-up, how horror and comedy are the same, not writing the jokes, writing the jokes, Halloween vs. horror and much more! Plus, Matt and Chris take a musical This or That!

Every Story Ever Special: November 2020

Sun, 29 Nov 2020 14:39:21 -0000

While you enjoy leftovers and shop for presents, enjoy listening to us rank some comic book stories!

Episode 525 - The Re-Recs

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 17:00:00 -0000

On this Thanksgiving week, Matt and Chris are chatting it up about the games they're playing, the movies they're watching, the TV that's getting them through These Unprecedented Times, and more. Plus, we give thanks!

Comics Catch-Up 23: The Life and Death of Conan

Wed, 18 Nov 2020 16:45:13 -0000

This month we dive into the Marvel revival of Conan with the Jason Aaron/Mahmud Asrar take on the classic Barbarian, spanning a lifetime!

Episode 524 - The Minimum Viable Product f/ Jeff Stormer

Mon, 16 Nov 2020 17:00:00 -0000

The creator of the new tabletop roleplaying game Anyone Can Wear the Mask and the host of the Party of One podcast, Jeff Stormer, joins us this week for another discussion of gaming! We talk about one-on-one games, superhero roleplaying, pets, the best starter games and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris take some listener questions about superheroes and food!

Episode 523 - Dr. Crushbones f/ Dave Baker

Mon, 09 Nov 2020 17:00:00 -0000

The writer of Star Trek: Voyager: Seven's Reckoning and Night Hunters joins us for the show this week for, what else, a ton of Star Trek talk! That leads into a larger discussion of comics about TV shows, futuristic stories, an alien race that thinks life is a story, and a lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris take a this or that about diversifying DC Comics!

Episode 522 - I Want a E-clair (Listener Questions Special)

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 17:03:16 -0000

Matt and Chris take some of your listener questions this week as a means of distraction from, you know, everything else.

Every Story Ever Special: October 2020

Fri, 30 Oct 2020 15:13:46 -0000

Halloween is here, so Chris and Matt are taking your Every SPOOKY Ever lists on the special this month!

Episode 521 - It's an Axe f/ Benito Cereno

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 16:00:00 -0000

It's our annual Halloween show, and our annual Halloween guest, Benito Cereno, is here to talk to us about spooky movies Chris could possibly watch, which vampires represent us, Bible monsters, the Hatchet series of films and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris take a listener question about spooky comics!

Episode 520 - The New Math f/ Matt Fraction and Elsa Charretier

Mon, 19 Oct 2020 16:00:00 -0000

The creative team behind the graphic novel series November joins us this week to talk about process, art styles, math, French geography, Guns 'n Roses, quarantine activities, audiobooks, limited color palettes, and much more! Plus, Matt and Chris take a This or That about comics history!

Episode 519 - I'm Back, Baby f/ Curt Franklin

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 16:08:35 -0000

The times are unprecedented, so we're welcoming another old pal to the show to just joke around and shoot the breeze: Curt Franklin of Let's Be Friends Again and ComicsAlliance! The conversation goes places you'd never expect. Plus, Matt and Chris take some video game-related listener questions!

Comics Catch-Up 22: Blood Is the Harvest (1992)

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 17:27:54 -0000

It's Halloween month, and what would be more appropriate for the season than this 1992 four-issue Eclipse Comics series about vampires (and, at least briefly, barbecue) written by Clint McElroy?

Episode 518 - You Know I Love the Mont (This or That Special)

Mon, 05 Oct 2020 16:00:00 -0000

We took a whole bunch of This or That scenarios on this week's show, and you know Bobby Badideas is in the house.

Every Story Ever Special: September 2020

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 14:40:40 -0000

We're ranking lots of stuff on the show this month, including '90s Superman, What If?, Lee/Kirby Thor, some Valiant books and more!

Episode 517 - The Smallville Rip-off f/ Mark O. Stack and Mike Becker

Mon, 28 Sep 2020 16:19:26 -0000

The writer and artist behind Young Offenders!, now on Kickstarter, join us this week to talk about Smallville's take on Buffy plots, teen superheroes, Young Justice, meeting by virtue of this podcast, comics events, and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris take a listener question about post-Crisis Superman!

Episode 516 - The OG Champion f/ J. Gonzo

Mon, 21 Sep 2020 16:00:00 -0000

Friend of the show J. Gonzo drops by the show this week to ostensibly talk about the La Mano del Destino collection on Kickstarter, but we mainly end up talking about dogs, Jarritos, The Legend of Korra and The Power Team instead. So basically a regular interview. Plus, Matt and Chris take a This or That from the Sunday comics page!

Comics Catch-Up 021: Daredevil Vol. 4

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 18:56:59 -0000

We caught up on the 18 issues of the Mark Waid/Chris Samnee Daredevil relaunch this month!

Episode 515 - Non-Handsome Dracula f/ Alex de Campi and Erica Henderson

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 16:00:00 -0000

The writer and artist behind the new graphic novel Dracula, Motherf**ker drop by the show this week to talk about their horrific Dracula design, using a cuss in a title, vampire tropes, the Brides, their copious workloads, and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris take some highly animated listener questions!

Episode 514 - A Real Unit Mover f/Chip Zdarsky

Mon, 07 Sep 2020 16:00:00 -0000

Chip Zdarsky returns to the show this week to talk about his new book Stillwater! He also critiques Chris' questions, talks about a formative camping experience, explains why it's not so bad if another writer has your idea, and does a Google search, among other things. Plus, Matt and Chris take a this or that about the future of War Rocket Ajax!

Episode 513 - Here Come the Jesters

Mon, 31 Aug 2020 16:00:00 -0000

Matt and Chris are taking your listener questions this week, some of which are about Three Jokers. That's after we already talked about Three Jokers for twenty minutes. It's unavoidable.

Every Story Ever Special: August 2020

Sat, 29 Aug 2020 22:56:09 -0000

It's been a tough month, but we did our best to push ahead and rank as many comic stories as we could including a wild Brave and the Bold, some '90s Superman, miniseries from 2019, and much more.

Episode 512 - Drive-Thru Dare f/Jeremy Whitley

Mon, 24 Aug 2020 16:00:00 -0000

The writer of School for Extraterrestrial Girls joins us this week to talk about his comics (briefly), challenging himself with fast food, samurai movies, the food of Christmas, characters he apparently hates, and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris take at least one aggressive listener question!

Episode 511 - That's the Biz f/Kat Kuhl

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 16:16:54 -0000

Kat Kuhl, one of the creators of the new Roll20-exclusive role playing game Burn Bryte, joins us for the show this week to talk about building game systems, creating species of game characters, avoiding the standard "human" characters, gender fluidity in games, sci-fi settings and a lot more! Plus, Chris and Matt take a formidable This or That!

Comics Catch-Up 020: Giant Days Vol. 1

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 17:15:10 -0000

By your request, we read the first four issues of this fun and funny Boom Box series! Is this one volume a story? It's hard to say, but we did our best to rank this charming comic that definitely is paced more like a webcomic than a traditional comic book series.

Episode 510 - Kirby 101 f/Tom Scioli

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 16:00:00 -0000

Tom Scioli, the writer and artist of Jack Kirby: The Epic Life of the King of Comics, drops by the show this week to talk about research, doing nonfiction comics, the way he chose to draw Kirby, his favorite Transformer, Stan Lee's point of view, the Fantastic Four and a whole lot more! Plus, Chris and Matt take some of your listener questions!

Episode 509 - Grumpy Old Men (This or That Special)

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 16:00:00 -0000

Miracle of miracles: We actually got through all the extant This or That scenarios we've been sent in this week's special episode!

Every Story Ever Special: July 2020

Thu, 30 Jul 2020 21:09:15 -0000

Gather round as we rank a grip of Peanuts strips, Giant-Size X-Men #1, the most infamous Penny Arcade comic, some DC humor comics from the 90s, and much more!

Episode 508 - Bigger From the Outside f/Michael Kingston

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 16:00:00 -0000

Friend of the show and writer of Headlocked Michael Kingston returns to War Rocket Ajax this week to discuss his new book on Kickstarter, Headlocked: Tales from the Road. We also discuss Bigfoot, working on comics with wrestlers, how comics and wrestling are similar, life on the road, watching Wrestlemania with Ric Flair and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris take a listener question about DC One Million!

Episode 507 - The Kids Who Give Up f/Kel McDonald

Mon, 20 Jul 2020 16:43:04 -0000

Longtime friend of the show Kel McDonald drops by again this week to talk about her Patreon-exclusive comic You Are the Chosen One, along with werewolves (of course), anxiety, giving up, how many kid characters is too many, and more! Plus, Matt and Chris take an easy Achewood-themed This or That!

Comics Catch-Up 019: Dragon Ball Chapters 1-14

Wed, 15 Jul 2020 15:35:09 -0000

As of now, 2020 is not the year we got into Dragon Ball.

Episode 506 - It's Just July f/ Shawn Pryor

Mon, 13 Jul 2020 16:00:00 -0000

Shawn Pryor, creator of Cash & Carrie, joins us for the show this week to talk about Power Rangers, fancomics, that Fruity Pebbles Christmas ad, Kentucky Kaiju, quarantine life and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris take a follow-up question!

Every Story Ever Special: June 2020

Tue, 30 Jun 2020 17:08:18 -0000

It's the last day of the month, and we're ranking comic stories once again, ranging from Captain America classics to very weird ads for boys' pants.

Episode 505 - Improv, Statistics, Community f/ Steenz and Samuel Sattin

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 16:00:00 -0000

We're extremely pleased to welcome the creative team behind the upcoming Side Quest: A Visual History of Role Playing Games to the show this week to talk about the long history of RPGS, LARPing, the own relationships to tabletop gaming, dining choices, RPG art, and so much more! Plus, Matt and Chris take a listener question about a proposed Super-Verse.

Episode 504 - Flash Thompsons of Two Worlds (This or That Special)

Mon, 22 Jun 2020 16:00:00 -0000

For this week's show, Chris and Matt did a whole lot of deciding, because they took as many of your This or That scenarios as they could manage!

Episode 503 - Let Them Fight (Listener Questions Special)

Mon, 15 Jun 2020 16:00:00 -0000

On this week's show, Matt and Chris are taking your listener questions about historical figures fighting wrestlers, superhero casting, what Batman comics to read next, and a whole lot more.

Comics Catch-Up 018: The Wilds

Wed, 10 Jun 2020 14:59:22 -0000

This month, we decided to catch up on this post-apocalyptic Black Mask series by Vita Ayala and Emily Pearson! It is shockingly relevant!

Episode 502 - Blue Wolverine f/ Kwanza Osajyefo and Jamal Igle

Mon, 08 Jun 2020 16:00:00 -0000

The creative team behind the comic series Black joins us this week to talk about sci-fi TV, donating proceeds from their t-shirt store to bail funds, The Wrong Earth, their sequel series White, long-term story planning, explaining superpowers, the X-Men, and a whole lot more! Plus Matt and Chris decide between two comic universes to live in!

Episode 501 - Lovers, and Lovers of Karate f/ Kyle Starks

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 16:00:00 -0000

The Franchise Kyle Starks drops by this week to discuss Karate Prom, his digital Free Comic Book Day offering, as well as dogs (of course), his top 4, setting deadlines for himself, the Presidential Fitness Test, the concept of a WrestleHeist and much more! Plus, Matt and Chris take a listener question about haircuts.

Every Story Ever Special: May 2020

Sun, 31 May 2020 14:37:13 -0000

In which we spend an hour ranking Doomsday Clock. It's a weird time, everybody.

Episode 500 - Every Segment Ever

Mon, 25 May 2020 16:00:00 -0000

For our 500th episode, we're bringing back every segment we've ever done.

They are, in order: Patreon Thanks, Earth Shattering News, Checks and Recs, The Hundo Club, MMA Update, Health Situation, Comics Reviews, a LootCrate ad, Interview (with Matt Fraction), Comics Roundtable (with Elle Collins and David Wolkin), Twitter Questions, Listener Questions, Big Ups To All My Haters, Making Fun of a Swimsuit Issue, Tales From the Comic Shop, What's Pissing Us Off This Week, Love Haters, Letters From Thrasher, Every Story Ever, Word Heavyweight Champions, Panel President, and This or That.

We love you!

Episode 499 - Big, Dumb Iron Man (Listener Questions Special)

Mon, 18 May 2020 16:00:00 -0000

We took your listener questions as we await the huge event that is Ajax 500 next week!

Episode 498 - Bleedin' Mutie Blood f/ Gerry Duggan

Mon, 11 May 2020 16:00:00 -0000

The writer of Marauders joins us this week to talk about pitching Dawn of X, the concept of X-Men pirates, parrots, the dynamics of the Hellfire Club, how the X-writers work together, what pirate tattoo he'd get, LEGO sets and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris choose between to Captain Marvel scenarios!

Comics Catch-Up 017: The Trial of Maximum Carnage

Fri, 08 May 2020 14:53:03 -0000

You demanded it. We re-ranked it. How did Maximum Carnage fare on re-evaluation? Did it rule, or was it eviscerated?

Episode 497 - Last Plane Outta Canada f/ Allison Baker and Chris Roberson

Mon, 04 May 2020 16:00:00 -0000

Our longtime pals Allison Baker and Chris Roberson return to the show after a long absence this week to talk about Superman, Batman: Brave and the Bold, generational X-Men teams, the Wynona Earp and iZombie TV shows, the best adaptations, baking, and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris take two listener questions!

Every Story Ever Special: April 2020

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 17:36:50 -0000

Nothing can stop us from adding more comic book stories (and only comic book stories, not things that kinda seem like they might be comic book stories) to our ever-expanding list!

Episode 496 - Frankencastle Tattoo (This or That Special)

Mon, 27 Apr 2020 16:00:00 -0000

This week, we dedicated our full interview segment to taking as many This or That scenarios as we could! Plus, we announced an auction for a guest spot on Ajax #500! Check out @WarRocketPod on Twitter for details!

Episode 495 - I Choose Human f/Laura Hudson

Mon, 20 Apr 2020 16:00:00 -0000

Our longtime pal Laura Hudson drops by this week to just shoot the breeze! We talk dogs, Picard, prestige TV, the ComicsAlliance days, watching Blue Bloods, Twilight and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris take a listener question about Blue Devil!

Comics Catch-Up 016: The Wild Storm, Part 2

Sat, 18 Apr 2020 15:26:32 -0000

We wrap up our look at this 24-issue Warren Ellis/Jon Davis-Hunt series! We probably, honestly, just could have ranked it last time.

Episode 494 - Going Full Mutant f/James Tynion IV

Mon, 13 Apr 2020 16:00:00 -0000

The writer of a little book you may have heard of called Batman joins us this week to talk about the TMNT/Batman crossover, some of his favorite characters, the idea behind The Designer, his indie books, pet names and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris take on a movie-focused This or That!

Episode 493 - League Draft (Listener Questions Special)

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 16:00:00 -0000

On this week's show, we're taking your listener questions, which include a request for us to draft our own Justice Leagues. It proves more difficult than you might expect.

Every Story Ever Special: March 2020

Tue, 31 Mar 2020 16:37:53 -0000

Wake up, wake up, wake up, it's the last of the month! And we're ranking comic book stories for two full hours.

Episode 492 - Making a Day of It f/Katie Skelly

Mon, 30 Mar 2020 15:58:23 -0000

The writer and artist behind the upcoming book Maids joins us on this show this week to talk about true crime, creating her own version of a well-known story, how to watch Sailor Moon, eye trauma, hating your boss and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris take a listener question about a major television event.

Episode 491 - Codename: Listicle f/Paul Allor

Mon, 23 Mar 2020 16:00:00 -0000

The writer of G.I. Joe, Paul Allor, joins us this week to talk about bringing a real-world feel to the series, how he'd fix Serpentor, his own appearance in the book, whether he'll do a silent issue, working with Hasbro, and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris choose how they'd become Captain Britain!

Comics Catch-Up 15: The Wild Storm, Part 1

Fri, 20 Mar 2020 14:03:47 -0000

Based on your votes, we read the first half of Warren Ellis and Jon Davis-Hunt's The Wild Storm! What did we think? And will we read the second half next month? Listen and find out!

Episode 490 - Lucifive (Listener Questions Special)

Mon, 16 Mar 2020 16:00:00 -0000

We took your listener questions this week for a full 90 minutes!

Episode 489 - Take That, Ayn f/ Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey

Mon, 09 Mar 2020 16:00:00 -0000

The writer and artist behind the new Comic Book History of Animation join us this week to discuss the drawing that inspired the book, doing research, finding the cut-off for a history book, Walt Disney, cartoons of the 1980s and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris take a listener question about Batman's origin!

Episode 488 - The Alfred Show, Explained f/ Jennifer Wright and Daniel Kibblesmith

Mon, 02 Mar 2020 17:00:00 -0000

Friends of the show Jennifer Wright and Daniel Kibblesmith, who you may know from their many books and comics and also from attending a Garfield convention with us, join us this week to explain the utterly bonkers first season of the Epix original series Pennyworth. Strap in for a wild ride. Plus, Matt and Chris take the most serious This or That yet.

Every Story Ever Special: February 2020

Sat, 29 Feb 2020 17:17:45 -0000

Who wants to hear us argue about Heathcliff for 20 minutes? If the answer is you, you're in luck.

Episode 487 - Story of the Century

Mon, 24 Feb 2020 17:00:00 -0000

The segment where we ranked the decades of Spider-Man proved to be so popular, we made an entire episode out of it! So on this week's show, Matt and Chris are going through the decades, from the 1960s through the 2010s, and deciding whether Marvel or DC had the stronger output. Some surprises are in store!

Comics Catch-Up 14: Punisher Kill Krew

Thu, 20 Feb 2020 23:50:23 -0000

This Gerry Duggan/Juan Ferreyra joint from 2019 was the winner of our catch-up poll this month, and we read it and ranked it, as is our charge. It's the Punisher vs. fantasy monsters!

Episode 486 - Use Rope: The Hole Story f/Ryan North

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 17:00:00 -0000

Ryan North returns to War Rocket Ajax this week to talk about the conclusion of The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, his upcoming comic adaptation of Slaughterhouse Five, that time he was in a hole and how it almost became a TV show, the worst invention, his Wikipedia page and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris take on a D&D related This or That!

Episode 485 - Mr. Angelo (Listener Questions Special)

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 17:00:00 -0000

We're christening our new show Twitter account -- yes, we finally had to break down and get one, which we'll explain -- by taking your listener questions on this week's show!

Episode 484 - Secret Woods f/Karla Pacheco

Mon, 03 Feb 2020 17:00:00 -0000

Friend of the show and upcoming Spider-Woman writer Karla Pacheco joins us for the show this week, and no, we didn't use the episode title we suggested, which would definitely get us banned from Apple Podcasts, and maybe podcasting in general. But it's in the show, along with talk about a meteoric rise to writing for Marvel, Jessica Drew's new costume, killing off characters, boat life, seecrets, and so much more! Plus, Matt and Chris take on a Catwoman-related This or That!

Every Story Ever Special: January 2020

Fri, 31 Jan 2020 15:51:28 -0000

It's a new year. We're ranking comic book stories. And we're, uh, earning our explicit tag this time around.

Episode 483 - Research Archery f/Matthew Rosenberg

Mon, 27 Jan 2020 17:01:07 -0000

We couldn't be more pleased to welcome Matthew Rosenberg, writer of 4 Kids Walk Into a Bank, The Punisher, Uncanny X-Men and the current Hawkeye: Freefall to the show! We talk about bringing together various versions of Hawkeye, The Hood, Mark Gruenwald comics, Clint as the everyman, researching stories, and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris answer a question about one of our favorite topics: Utility supervillains!

Comics Catch-Up 13: Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt (2019)

Wed, 22 Jan 2020 15:49:33 -0000

We had both already read some of it, but this month, we caught up on all five issues of the Kieron Gillen/Caspar Wijngaard Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt series! It's about formalism, and is really comics scholarship in the form of a comics story. So we talk about that!

Episode 482 - Personal Stories About Fighting Robots f/Mark O. Stack

Mon, 20 Jan 2020 17:00:00 -0000

Independent comics writer Mark O. Stack joins us this week to talk about the Weekend Warrior anthology he funded on Kickstarter, as well as an offshoot Weekend Warrior Presents series he's starting! We discuss the realities of Kickstarter, self-publishing, money in comics and a whole lot more! It gets real. Plus, the first-ever This or That segment, about street toughs.

Episode 481 - GORDIES X-7

Mon, 13 Jan 2020 17:00:00 -0000

It's our annual awards show, on the grandest stage of them all! Listeners submit the categories, and everything from 2019 battles it out for the title!

Plus, it's our first episode on the Greenlit Podcast Network! The showcase of the immortals!

Every Story Ever Special: December 2019

Sat, 04 Jan 2020 19:01:30 -0000

It sure is still 2019! And we're ranking as many comic stories as we can in two hours to close out the decade.

Episode 480 - Next Year in Arizona (2019 Christmas Special)

Mon, 23 Dec 2019 17:00:00 -0000

As is tradition, Matt Fraction joins us for our annual Christmas special, and this year, we're reviewing the new Rob Halford Christmas album, Celestial, track by track! Plus we inadvertently learn a lot about the upcoming film Keep Hope Alive.

Episode 479 - The Panel President Farewell Address

Mon, 16 Dec 2019 17:00:00 -0000

After four years in office, Panel President's term has come to an end. We take all the lists we can as we wrap up the segment this week!

Comics Catch-Up 12: Judge Dredd and Hellboy Christmas

Fri, 13 Dec 2019 18:40:11 -0000

We read two Christmas stories featuring two of our favorite characters for Catch-Up this month. Did we feel the spirit of the holiday in these stories? Listen and find out!

Episode 478 - Forgot the Tar f/Gene Luen Yang

Mon, 09 Dec 2019 17:00:00 -0000

The writer of Superman Smashes the Klan, Gene Luen Yang, joins us for the show this week to talk about adapting a radio serial to comics, what drew him to the story, all the different versions of Superman he's written, making a story set in the '40s relevant to today, what type of bender he'd be and a lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris take a question about one of their faves: G.I. Joe!

Every Story Ever Special: November 2019

Sat, 30 Nov 2019 00:22:44 -0000

It's time to give thanks, shop and rank some comic books!

Episode 477 - A. Statsikrit (Panel President Special)

Mon, 25 Nov 2019 17:00:00 -0000

Panel President is only going to be going for a few more short weeks, so we're ranking characters this week to get through as many lists as we can!

Episode 476 - History of Icing f/ Jeff Parker

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:00:00 -0000

Jeff Parker returns to the show this week to talk to Chris about James Bond: Origin, the decade-spanning trend of bros icing bros, biscuits, theme songs and a whole lot more! Plus, Elle Collins fills in for Matt for checks, recs and comics reviews!

Episode 475 - Recs Remix

Mon, 11 Nov 2019 17:00:00 -0000

We're once again making some recommendations (and anti-recs) for most of the episode this week!

Comics Catch-Up 11: Thor (2014)

Thu, 07 Nov 2019 19:55:45 -0000

We read the full eight issues of the 2014 Thor series, and our feelings about it might surprise you!

Episode 474 - Nighty Time Ideas f/ Chip Zdarsky

Mon, 04 Nov 2019 17:03:24 -0000

The writer of the new Comixology series Afterlift returns to the show this week to talk about Spider-Man: Life Story, getting ideas before bed, his favorite childhood comics, sending companies to jail and a whole lot more!

Every Story Ever Special: October 2019

Thu, 31 Oct 2019 16:00:00 -0000

It's spooky season, and we overcame the spookiest thing of all: getting this special where we rank comic stories up by the end of the month!

Episode 473 - Love that Hodag f/ Benito Cereno

Mon, 28 Oct 2019 16:00:00 -0000

Our traditional Halloween guest, Benito Cereno, returns once again! This year, we're talking about various cryptids and local legends to get us into the spooky spirit of the holiday!

Comics Catch-Up 10: Nameless

Wed, 23 Oct 2019 18:35:10 -0000

Because of passionate fan demand, we checked out this six-issue horror miniseries by Grant Morrison and Chris Burnham! It's well-made to be sure, but is it the Morrison we really like?

Episode 472 - Spittin' Hot Firestar (Panel President Special)

Mon, 21 Oct 2019 16:00:15 -0000

With only a few months left to get through lists, we're trying our best to rank as many characters as we can!

Episode 471 - Jokes and Punches f/ Kyle Starks

Mon, 14 Oct 2019 16:00:00 -0000

The writer and the artist of the new Kickstarter-funded comic Old Head joins us this week to talk about having lines from his comics quoted at him, his love of My Hero Academia, working with artists like Erica Henderson, how long he's wanted to make a basketball comic, and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris take a question about a comics dynasty.

Episode 470 - Cassidy's Trick (Panel President Special)

Mon, 07 Oct 2019 16:00:24 -0000

We're back again, ranking characters this month, including one particularly emotionally affecting Irish vampire.

Episode 469 - Character First f/ Kelly Thompson

Mon, 30 Sep 2019 16:00:25 -0000

Writer Kelly Thompson joins us this week to talk about her writing process, Sabrina, West Coast Avengers, Gwenpool, Nancy Drew, Deadpool (a little bit), Jessica Jones, Captain Marvel, and, of course, Jem! Plus, Matt and Chris take a manga-focused listener question!

Every Story Ever Special: September 2019

Thu, 26 Sep 2019 16:00:00 -0000

It's a very special Every Story Ever special this month, as we rank the 1,000th comic to appear on the list. And to do it, we get a little sentimental.

Episode 468 - Bruce Lil' Wayne

Mon, 23 Sep 2019 16:00:06 -0000

We're taking your listener questions this week, on a wide array of topics!

Comics Catch-Up 09: My Hero Academia Vol. 1

Wed, 18 Sep 2019 22:07:28 -0000

At your request, we read the first volume of My Hero Academia, and liked it! But it also made us feel very old.

Episode 467 - The Very Best of Us f/ Scott Snyder

Mon, 16 Sep 2019 16:00:14 -0000

Scott Snyder, writer of Batman: Last Knight on Earth, The Batman Who Laughs, Justice League and a whole lot more, joins us for the show this week! We go deep on his interpretation of Batman, how Grant Morrison inspired him to write Last Knight on Earth, classical literature, transitioning from prose to comics, and lots of other topics!

Episode 466 - A Lot of Little Sister Energy (Panel President Special)

Mon, 09 Sep 2019 16:00:00 -0000

We’re taking it way back to January 2016 as we try our best to catch up on non-linestepper Panel President lists this week!

Episode 465 - Stone Cautious Steve Austin (Listener Questions Special)

Mon, 02 Sep 2019 16:00:00 -0000

Happy Labor Day! We're spending ours taking questions from you, our listeners, on topics including Carnage in film, pro wrestling, supervillains, Disney+, and more!

Every Story Ever: August 2019

Fri, 30 Aug 2019 16:00:00 -0000

We edge even closer to 1,000 stories ranked in this month's Every Story Ever special!

Episode 464 - Just a Weird-Lookin' Dude f/ Andy Hirsch

Mon, 26 Aug 2019 16:00:00 -0000

Our pal Andy Hirsch is back this week to talk about his new Science Comics: Cats comic, as well as, of course, Garfield. And Heathcliff! And cat eyes! It's a real adventure. Plus, Chris and Matt field and X-Men fashion question from a listener!

Comics Catch-Up 08: Black Hammer 1-13

Thu, 22 Aug 2019 16:00:00 -0000

We caught up on the first volume of Black Hammer for this month's show...and maybe a little more? That's right! This month's episode is unprecedented!

Episode 463 - Fully on Purpose (Panel President Special)

Mon, 19 Aug 2019 16:00:00 -0000

We're ranking characters once again, and guess what: We finished the linestepper lists this week! If you're not a linestepper, you may hear your list on the show before the end of the year!

Episode 462 - Chompin' and Suckin' f/ Chip Zdarsky

Mon, 12 Aug 2019 16:00:00 -0000

Chip Zdarsky returns to the show this week, obviously so we can talk about the newest Garfield business news. Oh, and we talk about Spider-Man: Life Story and Daredevil too, I guess. Also the proper Canadian way to prepare and eat poutine. Plus, Matt and Chris attempt to name a band!

Episode 461 - Too Many Cars f/ Erica Henderson

Mon, 05 Aug 2019 16:00:00 -0000

Our pal Erica Henderson, longtime artist on Unbeatable Squirrel Girl and artist of the recently finished Assassin Nation, joins us this week to talk about the Fast & Furious franchise, costume changes, Van Damme, Star Trek and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris answer a dad-based listener question!

Every Story Ever Special: July 2019

Wed, 31 Jul 2019 16:00:00 -0000

We're in the depths of summer, and we're ranking stories, baby!

Episode 460 - Batman and Sesame Chicken

Mon, 29 Jul 2019 16:00:00 -0000

We're wrapping up July by answering some of your listener questions about scintillating topics including more superhero menu comparisons, D-list Marvel heroes who will become popular, Jason Statham, Alan Moore's retirement, and more!

Comics Catch-Up 07: Hellboy in Hell

Wed, 24 Jul 2019 16:00:00 -0000

The winner of this month's Comics Catch-Up poll was the purported last-ever Mike Mignola Hellboy story, and despite some of the details not being entirely clear to one host, who might be a dumb guy, we loved it!

Episode 459 - Superhero Menu (Panel President Special)

Mon, 22 Jul 2019 16:00:00 -0000

In addition to ranking characters on this week's episode, we also figure out which members of the Justice League correspond with McDonald's menu items! We're doin' it all!

Episode 458 - The Weird, Chunky, Clunky Thing f/ Jim Zub

Mon, 15 Jul 2019 16:00:00 -0000

Avengers, Skullkickers and Champions writer Jim Zub drops by this week to talk about the new Dungeons and Dragons Young Adventurer's Guide series of books! He talks about the creation of the series, bringing D&D to a young audience, how much the game has changed over the years, why it's more popular than ever, and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris take a Batman-themed listener question!

Episode 457 - Continuity Hug f/ Jeremy Whitley

Mon, 01 Jul 2019 16:00:00 -0000

The writer of comics including the upcoming Future Foundation, Unstoppable Wasp, Princeless and a whole lot more drops by the show this week to talk about all his new projects! Also, uh, a job loss. It's a trend, we guess. Plus, Matt and Chris take your listener questions!

Every Story Ever Special: June 2019

Sun, 30 Jun 2019 16:00:00 -0000

Comic book stories? Oh, you know they got ranked this month.

Comics Catch-Up 06: Ultimates 2 (2017)

Wed, 26 Jun 2019 16:00:00 -0000

We finished out the Al Ewing run on Ultimates for Comics Catch-Up this month! What should we read next?

Episode 456 - A Doctor Named Mister (Panel President Special)

Mon, 24 Jun 2019 16:00:00 -0000

We're ranking some characters on this week's show, and talking about one bottom shooter makes us very mad! Who will it be? Listen and find out!

Episode 455 - Heroes Con 2019 Diary

Mon, 17 Jun 2019 16:00:00 -0000

We returned to Heroes Con in Charlotte once again! Chris got a tattoo, Matt made some decisions, we partied and we celebrated a birthday. See you next year, Heroes Con!

Episode 454 - I Like Games f/ Kieron Gillen

Mon, 10 Jun 2019 16:00:00 -0000

The writer of Die, Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt, Phonogram, The Wicked and the Divine, and so much more joins us for the show this week! We talk gaming, making hobbies into work, the Die Beta, changing the stakes in stories, formalism and so much more!

Episode 453 - Recs Mix

Mon, 03 Jun 2019 16:00:00 -0000

A lot of pop culture has happened recently, so we're spending an entire episode talking about stuff we've watched and played!

Every Story Ever Special: May 2019

Fri, 31 May 2019 16:00:00 -0000

Heroes in Crisis just ended. Yes. we rank it.

Episode 452 - Asgard, Midgard, Self (Panel President Special)

Mon, 27 May 2019 16:00:00 -0000

We're ranking some characters this week, including most of the top Thor characters!

Comics Catch-Up 05: The Omega Men (2015)

Wed, 22 May 2019 16:00:00 -0000

In a nail-biter vote, The Omega Men edged out the competition to be the next comic we caught up on. We found it pretty relevant to talk about three-and-a-half years later!

Episode 451 - That's Maths f/ Al Ewing

Mon, 20 May 2019 16:00:00 -0000

Immortal Hulk writer Al Ewing joins us this week to talk Contest of Champions, the process of creating Devil Hulk, Judge Dredd, biblical inspiration, artist pairings, being selected to head up Marvel #1000 and so much more! Plus Matt and Chris take two listener questions! (Sorry in advance for background noise in the interview.)

Episode 450 - Who's Dummy Thicc?

Mon, 13 May 2019 16:00:00 -0000

For our 450th episode, YOU'RE the guest! Or the hosts? Either way, we're taking your listener questions this week.

Episode 449 - Weird Man Body (Panel President Special)

Mon, 06 May 2019 16:00:00 -0000

It's a Panel President special this week, and an eventful one! Not only do we find a new bottom to our list, another character enters the top 5!

Every Story Ever Special: April 2019

Tue, 30 Apr 2019 16:00:00 -0000

Ranks! Ranks! Ranks! Ranks! It's time for ranks once again!

Episode 448 - Plaid Torso f/ J. Gonzo

Mon, 29 Apr 2019 16:00:00 -0000

Possible #1 fan J. Gonzo returns to the show this week to talk about his new project on Kickstarter: La Voz De M.A.Y.O. #2! We also talk a lot about tattoos. Like, a whole lot. And luchador masks! Plus, Matt and Chris take a couple listener questions!

Episode 447 - And Thor Was There f/ Daniel Kibblesmith

Mon, 22 Apr 2019 16:00:00 -0000

Friend of the show Daniel Kibblesmith returns this week to talk about his upcoming Loki series from Marvel, writing Deadpool, balancing writing for a daily late-night talk show and comics, meeting the real-life Avengers, who truly is a good boy, and much more! Plus, Matt and Chris take a listener question!

Comics Catch-Up 04: The Ultimates (2015)

Tue, 16 Apr 2019 16:00:00 -0000

We pivoted! Based on a Twitter poll, we moved on to the Al Ewing-written 2015 Ultimates series for this month's episode, and folks: It's good.

Episode 446 - King Trebek f/ Andrew Rostan

Mon, 15 Apr 2019 16:00:00 -0000

Five-time Jeopardy champion and writer of the graphic novel Form of a Question Andrew Rostan joins us on the show this week to talk about collaborating on a biographical comic, what the Jeopardy set is like, character-specific coloring, his best categories, the job he wanted most as a child and much more! Plus, Matt and Chris take some listener questions!

Episode 445 - Any Tiger vs. Any Wolf

Mon, 08 Apr 2019 16:00:00 -0000

We're taking your listener questions this week, and also making some Wrestlemania predictions that you already know the results of, because you're in the future.

Episode 444 - Not a Slimer f/ Ivy Noelle Weir and Steenz

Mon, 01 Apr 2019 16:00:00 -0000

The creative team behind Oni Press' Archival Quality is here this week to talk ghosts, libraries, Rolled & Told, relatable or perhaps unlikable lead characters, organizing things, long-distance collaborator relationships and a whole lot more!

Every Story Ever Special: March 2019

Sat, 30 Mar 2019 16:00:00 -0000

Spring is here and it's time to rank some comic stories sent to us by you, our listeners!

Episode 443 - The One and Only (of Two) (Panel President Special)

Mon, 25 Mar 2019 16:00:00 -0000

You asked for 90 minutes of character rankings, and we're giving it to you in the latest Panel President special!

Episode 442 - Con Diary: NC Comicon Oak City 2019

Mon, 18 Mar 2019 16:00:00 -0000

Matt and Chris were in Raleigh this week for NC Comicon Oak City, and they documented some of it for this week's show!

Comics Catch-Up 03: Claremont/Davis Excalibur Part 1

Wed, 13 Mar 2019 16:00:00 -0000

You voted for us to catch up on the Chris Claremont/Alan Davis run on Excalibur, so we read the first 19 issues and talked about them! Once again, one of us more or less liked it, the other, not so much.

Episode 441 - Geological Studies f/ Tres Dean

Mon, 11 Mar 2019 16:00:00 -0000

Author Tres Dean joins us this week to talk about his upcoming book, For Your Consideration: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson! We talk about The Rock's movies, why he's just so dang likable, researching his career, his feud with Vin Diesel, the hidden gem of his filmography and more! Plus, Matt and Chris take a listener question!

Episode 440 - Biblical LIzard Men f/Ben Marra

Mon, 04 Mar 2019 17:00:00 -0000

Ben Marra returns to the show this week to talk about Jesusfreak, his upcoming graphic novel with writer Joe Casey! We also discuss Terror Assaulter OMWOT: One Man War on Terror in very vague terms, Bronze Age Marvel Comics, author photos, the seriousness of Ben's work, doing fictional stories about religious figures, and more! Plus Matt and Chris take a cosmic listener question!

Every Story Ever Special: February 2019

Thu, 28 Feb 2019 17:00:00 -0000

On this momentous monthly special, the list reaches 900 entries, and a new story cracks the top 10!

Episode 439 - From the Womb to the Toomes (Panel President Special)

Mon, 25 Feb 2019 17:00:00 -0000

We're ranking characters once again this week, and we just happened to get two lists of Spider-Man villains and supporting characters. I think we can talk about those.

Episode 438 - Darkseid Is, Daredevil F***s f/ Chip Zdarsky

Mon, 18 Feb 2019 17:00:00 -0000

The honorable Chip Zdarsky returns to the show this week to talk about Daredevil, The Invaders, his run on Spectacular Spider-Man, Marvel Two-in-One, writing Spider-Man jokes, running for office, his ideal signing, surprising people by being serious and so much more! Plus, Chris and Matt take a listener question about Archie Comics!

Comics Catch-Up 02: Uncanny X-Force Pt. 2

Wed, 13 Feb 2019 17:00:00 -0000

We're wrapping up our deep dive into the first volume of Uncanny X-Force and finally ranking it, possibly all as one big story! Plus, thanks to Dan Black for our new theme music!

Episode 437 - Syrupy Butterthroat f/ Jason Latour

Mon, 11 Feb 2019 17:00:00 -0000

The co-creator of Spider-Gwen and Southern Bastards joins us once again to talk Into the Spider-Verse, G.I. Joe (as a fan), Spider-Gwen's costume design, his most North Carolina moment ever and a whole lot more!

Episode 436 - For Enemies

Mon, 04 Feb 2019 17:00:00 -0000

We're taking your listener questions this week, from topics as varied as beating up Superman to eating eggs to whether All Elite Wrestling will be good. You might be interested in some of it!

Every Story Ever Special: January 2019

Thu, 31 Jan 2019 17:00:00 -0000

We're kicking off 2019 by ranking some big-event stories!

Episode 435 - Best Kyle f/ Kyle Starks

Mon, 28 Jan 2019 17:00:00 -0000

The Franchise Kyle Starks is back this week to talk about his work on Mars Attacks and the upcoming Assassin Nation! We also talk dogs, collaborators, assassin rankings, adapting TV shows, the Eisners and much more!

Comics Catch-Up 01: Uncanny X-Force Pt. 1

Thu, 24 Jan 2019 17:00:00 -0000

For the first-ever Comics Catch-Up, we read the first 19 issues of the Rick Remender run on Uncanny X-Force!

Episode 434 - Imma Watch Teevee (Panel President Special)

Mon, 21 Jan 2019 17:00:00 -0000

Panel President submissions are closed, but we've got a lot of lists to get through before the segment comes to an end! This week, we try our best to get through a chunk of lists, including one full of Nextwave characters!

Episode 433 - GORDIES

Mon, 14 Jan 2019 17:00:00 -0000

It's awards time! Who will be this year's big winners in categories submitted by you, the listeners? Have a listen and find out!

Every Story Ever Special: December 2018

Mon, 07 Jan 2019 17:00:00 -0000

We're back from the holidays and catching up on ranking stories to ring in the year!

Episode 432 - The Richest Guys in Town f/ Matt Fraction

Mon, 24 Dec 2018 17:00:00 -0000

Merry Christmas, you old War Rocket Ajax! We did another commentary track for a movie this year, and this time we're talking through It's a Wonderful Life!

Episode 431 - No Excuse for Boy Eating

Mon, 17 Dec 2018 17:00:00 -0000

In the lead up to our blowout Christmas special, we're taking your listener questions!

Episode 430 - Eyes of the Wizard f/Michael Witwer

Mon, 10 Dec 2018 17:00:00 -0000

This week, we're beyond pleased to welcome Michael Witwer, one of the authors of the new Dungeons and Dragons: Art and Arcana! We talk about where he found all that good good art, choosing which art to use, the utility of the gelatinous cube, why certain characters dress the way they do, why bards are the best and more! Plus, a listener question about leadership!

Episode 429 - Too Many Clayfaces (Panel President Special)

Mon, 03 Dec 2018 17:00:00 -0000

We're kicking off December by trying our best to rank as many characters as we can!

Every Story Ever Special: November 2018

Tue, 27 Nov 2018 17:00:00 -0000

The holidays are here and it's time to rank some stories! Gather 'round!

Episode 428 - The Ballad of Gaggy f/ Jon Morris

Mon, 19 Nov 2018 17:00:00 -0000

This week, we're happy to welcome back friend of the show Jon Morris to talk about his new book, The League of Regrettable Sidekicks! We talk once again about what constitutes a character being "regrettable," the worst Robin, a sidekick that did all the work, the Joker's pre-Harley sidekick, why one notable sidekick is missing, and much more! Plus, a listener question that honors the memory of Stan Lee.

Episode 427 - Walking on Toenails f/ Kel McDonald

Mon, 12 Nov 2018 17:00:00 -0000

Friend of the show Kel McDonald returns this week to talk about her new Comixology Original The Stone King! Of course, we also talk about werewolves, as well as the horror of drawing horses, characters talking to themselves, asking artists what they want to draw, werebears and more! Plus, a question that combines the worlds of wrestling and comics!

Episode 426 - Good Golobulus Media f/ Michel Fiffe

Mon, 05 Nov 2018 17:00:00 -0000

Friend of the show Michel Fiffe returns to the show this week to talk about his new GI Joe series, Sierra Muerte! We talk a lot about G.I. Joe. A lot. Copra and Bloodstrike come up a couple times, but it's mostly G.I. Joe. Plus, Matt and Chris take a meta listener question!

Every Story Ever Special: October 2018

Wed, 31 Oct 2018 16:00:00 -0000

On this scariest of days, we're taking some Every Spooky Ever lists, intended and otherwise!

Episode 425 - Monster Match f/Benito Cereno

Mon, 29 Oct 2018 16:00:00 -0000

It's our annual Halloween episode, so you know we had to ask on our annual Halloween guest, Benito Cereno! We've gotten together with him to create a list of 20 monsters--fictional and perhaps not-so-fictional--ranked from best to worst. Who will win the Monster Match? Listen and find out!

Episode 424 - Dracula and Frankenstein Guys f/ Branson Reese and Chris Hastings

Mon, 22 Oct 2018 16:00:00 -0000

Friend of the show Christopher Hastings and new pal Branson Reese are asking us to let them into this week's show, and we're excited to have them! We're talking about their new graphic novel, Draculagate, as well as building a world around monster diplomats, storytelling habits from webcomics, The West Wing vs. Veep, what makes Dracula special, sequel possibilities and much more! Plus, Matt and Chris take a high-difficulty listener question!

Episode 423 - But Why? f/ Jeremy Whitley

Mon, 15 Oct 2018 16:00:00 -0000

Friend of the show Jeremy Whitley is back this week to talk about his new Rainbow Brite series, the return of The Unstoppable Wasp and "Suicide Squad for My Little Pony"! We talk about sleep habits, getting hit by hurricanes, heist teams made up of cartoon heroines of the 1980s, what the Wasp team was doing on its hiatus, working with a greeting card company and a whole lot more! Plus, Matt and Chris answer a listener question about some BS!

Every Story Ever Special: September 2018

Tue, 09 Oct 2018 18:30:00 -0000

We went on a time travel adventure to bring you these rankings of comic book stories!

Episode 422 - Manga's Spider-Man (Panel President Special)

Mon, 08 Oct 2018 16:00:00 -0000

Matt's back from LA and we're ranking some comic characters this week!

Episode 421 - His Stats are Ridiculous f/ Jim Zub

Mon, 01 Oct 2018 16:00:00 -0000

Friend of the show Jim Zub returns to War Rocket Ajax this week to talk about the new Dungeons and Dragons: Evil at Baldur's Gate comic series from IDW, Avengers No Surrender and a whole lot more! Plus, Chris welcomes back guest host Elle Collins to fill in for Matt!

Episode 420 - Fastlane, an Adapted Audio Drama

Mon, 24 Sep 2018 16:00:00 -0000

We love you. CAST Narrator: Gregg Schigiel Peter Parker/Spider-Man: Matt D. Wilson Sam Exmore: Chris Sims Toni Harris: Amanda Meadows Mysterio: Marlene Thompson J. Jonah Jameson: Matt D. Wilson Zane Whelan: J. Gonzo Bob Lefferts: Geoffrey Golden Human Torch: Chris Sims Director: Daniel Kibblesmith Make-up Artist: Chris Sims Truck Driver: Matt D. Wilson Iron Man: Daniel Kibblesmith Storm: Marlene Thompson Sound effects from ZapSplat Music from Incompetech Zane's song "Flying High" by PurplePlanetMusic

Episode 419 - The Ranking of Sixpac(k) (Panel President Special)

Mon, 17 Sep 2018 16:00:00 -0000

Before we roll up into episode 420, we've got some characters to rank!

Episode 418 - Knuckle-Draggin' Paper Readers f/ Tom Peyer

Mon, 10 Sep 2018 16:00:00 -0000

Longtime friend of the show Tom Peyer stops by this week to talk about his new series The Wrong Earth, about superheroes from different eras of comics getting switched, and his work as the editor of the new Ahoy Comics line! We talk about a certain superhero show from the 1960s, tropes, space cats, assembling a lineup of comic greats, creating "comic magazines" and a whole lot more! Plus, two, yes two, listner questions! One serious, one silly!

Every Story Ever Special: August 2018

Fri, 31 Aug 2018 03:30:00 -0000

As the summer comes to an end, we're ranking some stories!

Episode 417 - 140 Years Old (Panel President Special)

Mon, 27 Aug 2018 16:00:00 -0000

In these dog days of summer, we're getting through some Panel President lists!

Episode 416 - WereWorf f/ Jon Sung

Mon, 20 Aug 2018 16:00:00 -0000

Comedian, writer and part-time Captain Picard Jon Sung joins us for the show this week to talk about his web series Tales from Ten Forward! We discuss the logistics of drunk Star Trek retellings, synthehol, if Voyager is the “fun” show, space fashion, falling into the role of Picard, and much more!

Episode 415 - The Van Lenteverse f/ Fred Van Lente

Mon, 13 Aug 2018 16:00:00 -0000

This week we're so pleased to be talking with our pal Fred Van Lente about his new novel, The Con Artist, as well as real-life con experiences (his and others') that inspired the book, peppering the real and the fictional into the story, comics history, pitching the idea for a Comic-Con murder mystery, writing a book with an unusual structure, future comics work, and much more! Plus, we take a casting-based listener question!

Episode 414 - From Wizard World Winston-Salem 2018

Mon, 06 Aug 2018 20:00:00 -0000

We were at another convention this past weekend, talking about the goings on and taking some listener questions!

Every Story Ever Special: July 2018

Tue, 31 Jul 2018 16:00:00 -0000

It's summertime and we're ranking stories for two full hours once again!

Episode 413 - Sensitive Thug Bane f/ Ramon Villalobos

Mon, 30 Jul 2018 16:00:00 -0000

What a get this week! Mr. Vertigo Comics himself, Ramon Villalobos, artist of the upcoming series Border Town, joins us this week to talk about designing monsters, his con apparel, corresponding from San Diego Comic-Con, Warner Bros., the best shoes in comics, the culture at the U.S./Mexico border and a whole lot more! Plus, we take a long time to rank some sidekicks in our Panel President segment.

Episode 412 - The 2018 Not-in-San-Diego Questions Special

Mon, 23 Jul 2018 16:00:00 -0000

We didn't go to Comic-Con this year, but almost everyone else in comics was there, so instead of interviewing a guest, we answered your listener questions about the news coming out of Comic-Con and more!

Episode 411 - No Half Measures f/ Joshua Williamson

Mon, 16 Jul 2018 16:00:00 -0000

We're so very pleased to welcome Joshua Williamson, writer of The Flash and the upcoming Justice League Odyssey, back to the show! We talk with him about the Rogues, writing a Flash family, collaborating on Justice League: No Justice, scheduling all his many projects and, of course, tattoos. Plus, we take a patriotic listener question!

Episode 410 - They're All Pretty Good f/ Ted Anderson

Mon, 09 Jul 2018 16:00:00 -0000

Friend of the show Ted Anderson returns this week to talk about his work on Adventure Time: Beginning of the End and his new creator-owned series Moth and Whisper! Plus, a lot of discussion of Avatar: The Last Airbender, Mountain Dew, My Little Pony parodies, writing an ending, researching a show that's been on for nearly a decade, and a whole lot more!

Every Story Ever Special: June 2018

Wed, 04 Jul 2018 20:30:00 -0000

We're a little late, but we took our US holiday to rank some stories for you!

Episode 409 - Summer Snowflame (Panel President Special)

Mon, 02 Jul 2018 16:00:00 -0000

Chris took a much-deserved vacation last week, so we took the opportunity to record early and rank all the characters we could fit into an episode. There's some wild ones in this one, y'all.

Episode 408 - Cardboard Gets Real f/ Katie Schenkel

Mon, 25 Jun 2018 16:00:00 -0000

Our pal Katie Schenkel returns to the show this week to talk about her contribution to the new graphic novel/anthology The Cardboard Kingdom, how to pronounce "Knopf," working with a group of 10 writers, keeping the book funny while tackling tough issues, the Herculean effort of artist Chad Sell, werewolf vampires, making stuff out of cardboard, and a whole lot more! Plus, we take a Superman-focused listener question!

Episode 407 - Couldn't Remember 'Coffin' f/ Frank Comics (Heroes Con Special)

Mon, 18 Jun 2018 16:00:00 -0000

Chris and Matt were at Heroes Con in Charlotte, North Carolina, this past weekend and they took the opportunity to chat with the four-man comics collective Frank Comics about their new book Ghost Box, the brilliance of the Money Burglar, elaborate con banners, ideas that never get used, being mistaken for hot dog salesmen, the afterlife and so much more! Plus, Matt and Chris talk about some of the trends at the convention this year!

Episode 406 - Logo-rrhea Backdoor Pilot f/ Dylan Todd

Mon, 11 Jun 2018 16:00:00 -0000

We're super pleased to welcome designer extraordinaire Dylan Todd to the show this week to discuss not only the comic book logos he's created, but also lots of other comic logos from over the decades! We also talk Star Wars bounty hunters, what got Dylan into design, comic book design trends, and a lot more! Plus, a generational Panel President segment

Episode 405 - Make It Look Cool f/ Michel Fiffe

Mon, 04 Jun 2018 16:00:00 -0000

We're very happy to welcome the writer/artist of Copra and the upcoming Bloodstrike: Brutalists, Michel Fiffe, back to the show this week! We talk at length about Rob Liefield, comics from the 1990s in general, Suicide Squad, changing up an art style while keeping it distinct, comics superstardom, VHS movies and a whole lot more!

Every Story Ever Special: May 2018

Thu, 31 May 2018 02:30:00 -0000

We're back and ranking stories as we head into the summer!

Episode 404 - Vapor Blade Shareholders Meeting

Mon, 28 May 2018 16:00:00 -0000

It's a holiday, so we took the opportunity to be VERY silly.

Episode 403 - Jerks are Funny f/ Derek Charm

Mon, 21 May 2018 16:00:00 -0000

The new artist on Marvel Comics' Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Derek Charm, comes back on board this week! We talk with him about picking up a book with such a distinctive art style, following Erica Henderson on Squirrel Girl and Jughead, Star Wars Adventures, drawing Kraven's street clothes, Valiant High, the status of his book Trip Fantastic, and much more! Plus, Matt and Chris take a few quick listener questions!

Episode 402 - Show Collapse Live at Columbus Podcast Festival

Mon, 14 May 2018 16:00:00 -0000

We came to Columbus, Ohio, with some curated Panel President lists, and we ranked them in front of a live audience at the Columbus Podcast Festival. Also, Matt is (not) an attorney.

Episode 401 - Distilled Down to Hey f/ Caitlin Major and Kelly Bastow

Mon, 07 May 2018 16:00:00 -0000

We're so very glad to welcome the creative team behind the new Quirk Books graphic novel Manfried the Man to the show this week, Caitlin Major and Kelly Bastow! We talk with them about the numerous funny choices in the book, taking inspiration from Garfield, building a world of humanoid cats, why the webcomic version of the comic had to be finished so quickly, chicken sandwiches, and much more! Plus, Matt and Chris answer another definitional listener question!

Episode 400 - No. 1 Content Daddies

Mon, 30 Apr 2018 16:00:00 -0000

Over the course of eight-plus years and 400 episodes (really more, but we only count certain ones), War Rocket Ajax has tried out a lot of segments and served as the breeding ground for a lot of other podcasts. So we asked our co-hosts from some of the other podcasts we do now--Ally Stock of Xena Warrior Business, Matt Fisher of Smark of the Beast, Benito Cereno of Apocrypals, Marlene Thompson of Ghost of a Chance and Jordan D. White of Sailor Business--to hop on our rented zeppelin and celebrate the occasion with us. In the process, we revive some old WRA segments and try some new stuff!

Every Story Ever Special: April 2018

Thu, 26 Apr 2018 17:00:00 -0000

It's our lot in life, so we're once again ranking comic book stories for two hours!

Episode 399 - Holding the Line (Panel President special)

Mon, 23 Apr 2018 16:00:00 -0000

It's time to rank some comic book characters as we careen toward episode 400!

Episode 398 - Wallowing in Nostalgia f/ Gene Luen Yang

Mon, 16 Apr 2018 16:00:00 -0000

We're beyond pleased to welcome cartoonist Gene Luen Yang to the show this week to talk about his work on New Super-Man, Superman Smashes the Klan, his early graphic novels and much more! Get ready for a shocking amount of basketball talk. Plus, we finish up a Panel President list of Doom Patrol characters!

Episode 397 - Is Anyone Here Not a Vampire? f/ Alex Roberts

Mon, 09 Apr 2018 16:00:00 -0000

We're wading back into the world of tabletop gaming this week as we talk to game designer Alex Roberts about her new game, Star Crossed! We talk about mechanics versus story, how that might be a false binary, LARPing, which comics characters might make the best star-crossed lovers, building relationships in games, how horror and romance are similar, and so much more! Plus, Matt and Chris take a space adventuring listener question!

Episode 396 - Wrestlemania Special Fleur-de-lis f/ The Hard Times Podcast

Mon, 02 Apr 2018 16:00:00 -0000

Wrestlemania's just around the corner, and we're running down the entire card with Elle Collins and Megan Nielsen of The Hard Times Podcast! Yes, all 14(!) matches on the show. We're making predictions, fantasy booking, wondering what will close the show and much more!

Every Story Ever Special: March 2018

Wed, 28 Mar 2018 21:00:00 -0000

We're ranking stories once again, and also taking a little time to talk logos.

Episode 395 - Live from SC Comicon 2018

Mon, 26 Mar 2018 16:00:00 -0000

Chris and Matt were at SC Comicon this weekend, and they took the opportunity to talk to some great pals: Jeremy Whitley, Alex Smith, Dorothy Smith, Kyle Starks and Rico Renzi! Plus, Matt and Chris take some time to talk about meeting Cary Elwes and Adrian Paul, who are two guys who love swordfighting for real.

Episode 394 - Live From NC Comicon Oak City 2018 f/ Tini Howard

Mon, 19 Mar 2018 16:00:00 -0000

Here's the recording of our intimate live podcast from NC Comiccon Oak City in Raleigh, NC! We're talking with friend of the show Tini Howard about her comic Assassinistas, her work on WWE comics, Rick and Morty, and more. But before that, we go down a lot of rabbit trails that are also vapor trails.

Episode 393 - Happy Weekend Month f/ Mark Stack

Mon, 12 Mar 2018 16:00:00 -0000

We're very happy to welcome the writer of the new webcomic Weekend Warrior and the upcoming wrestling comic I Love You, I'm Sorry, Mark Stack to the show this week! We talk about how juggling a secret weekend life is a lot like being a comic creator doing conventions, the best panels in Dark Knight Returns, non-wrestling fans reading wrestling comics, pronouns, the appeal of Adam Strange and much more! Plus, a Doom Patrol-centric Panel President segment!

Episode 392 - Nicest in Comics f/ Kelly Dale

Mon, 05 Mar 2018 17:00:00 -0000

Longtime pal Kelly Dale joins us this week to talk about the Kickstarter for the Skyward Omnibus, which collects all nine issues of the series Jeremy Dale made before his untimely passing in 2014, plus a brand-new tenth issue which wraps up the story. Plus, Chris and Matt answer a listener question that sends them into a retrospective of Bronze Age Marvel comics.

Every Story Ever Special: February 2018

Thu, 01 Mar 2018 04:30:00 -0000

We're coming in just under the wire with two hours of story rankings for the shortest month of the year!

Episode 391 - Ya Gotta Eat (Panel President Special)

Mon, 26 Feb 2018 17:00:00 -0000

Strap in for space adventure as we rank cosmic characters for our Panel President list on this week's show!

Episode 390 - Fanart for Animals f/ Becky and Frank

Mon, 19 Feb 2018 17:00:00 -0000

We're pleased this week to welcome the creators of Capture Creatures, Becky and Frank, to the show! We talk with them about Frank's pro wrestling podcast, creating their own Pokemon (of sorts), immeasurably cute drawings, the best Pokemon, New Japan, the perils of comics distribution and much more! Plus, we take an easy-to-answer listener question!

Episode 389 - Moonlighting and Silk Stalkings Tricks f/ Kelly Thompson

Mon, 12 Feb 2018 17:00:00 -0000

Kelly Thompson, reigning War Rocket Ajax Intercontinental Champion as well as writer of Rogue and Gambit, Hawkeye, and Ghostbusters: Answer the Call, among other comic series, joins us once again on the show this week to talk about comics romances, will-they-won't-they tropes, the trick of pretending to be a couple, characters' worst fears, working with longstanding fan favorites, the best X-Men couple and much more! Plus, Matt and Chris rank some characters for the Panel President list!

Episode 388 - Something's Wrong Inside f/ Kyle Starks

Mon, 05 Feb 2018 17:00:00 -0000

Rock Candy Mountain writer/artist and the Rick and Morty franchise Kyle Starks returns to War Rocket Ajax this week, joining us direct from his visit to Wizard World St. Louis! We talk about celebrity guests at conventions, hobo code, collaborating, convention entertainment options, Kyle's different fan bases, a dream world for comic creators, and much more!

Every Story Ever Special: January 2018

Thu, 01 Feb 2018 01:30:00 -0000

We're back on schedule and ranking stories in this first official special of 2018!

Episode 387 - You've Been Duritzed

Mon, 29 Jan 2018 17:00:00 -0000

As January comes to a close, we're taking your listener questions!

Episode 386 - Buried Under Funkos f/ Dan Gearino

Mon, 22 Jan 2018 17:00:00 -0000

On this week's show, we're very happy to welcome Columbus Post Dispatch business reporter and author of the new book Comic Shop: The Retail Mavericks Who Gave Us a New Geek Culture, Dan Gearino! We talk with Dan about what it takes to run a comic shop, whether you have to be a fan to do it, the rise of Diamond as the only comic book distributor, Funko Pop displays, Urkel, and so much more! Plus, we answer a follow-up listener question!

Episode 385 - If Jack Lemmon Were a Duck (Panel President Special)

Mon, 15 Jan 2018 17:00:00 -0000

In our first regular episode of the year, we're ranking some comic book characters sent in by you, the listeners!

Every Story Ever Special: December 2017

Fri, 12 Jan 2018 20:30:00 -0000

Almost caught up! And in this special, we rank the Story of the Beast!

Episode 384 - The Play Buttonth Annual Gordie Awards

Mon, 08 Jan 2018 17:00:00 -0000

We're kicking off 2018 with our annual awards show, with categories (categordies?) submitted by you, the listener!

Episode 383.5 - Gift Exchange 2017

Wed, 27 Dec 2017 23:00:00 -0000

This year, we exchange our gifts at the grandest theme park of them all, Dollywood!

Episode 383 - The Christmas Specials Special f/ RJ and Ian from HARK

Fri, 22 Dec 2017 16:00:00 -0000

We got a letter from the government. The Special Bureau of Specials, to be exact. And they said that the only way we could keep doing Christmas specials every year was to watch some other Christmas specials and discuss them. So that's what we did! Luckily, RJ Edwards and Ian Holliday, the hosts of the HARK! podcast, dropped by to help us out. Merry Christmas!

Every Story Ever Special: November 2017

Sun, 17 Dec 2017 19:30:00 -0000

We're almost caught up on ranking stories! Here's the newest 2-hour batch of ranks.

Episode 382 - Slap a Beard On f/ Jeff Parker and Chris Rohling

Mon, 11 Dec 2017 17:00:00 -0000

Matt's not here this week, so Chris is joined by special guest cohost Chris Rohling for quite possibly our Christmasy-est non-Christmas special ever! Longtime friend of the show Jeff Parker joins us this week for a holly jolly deep dive into a story he wrote 12 years ago: "Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santron." We talk about trying to make Gravity happen, working backwards from an ending, and of course, the magic of Christmas!

Episode 381 - Hidden Dino f/ Daniel Kibblesmith

Mon, 04 Dec 2017 17:00:00 -0000

Our pal and fellow Garfield Gathering attendee Daniel Kibblesmith joins us on this show this week to talk about his new book, Santa's Husband, his upcoming run on Quantum and Woody, and much more! Plus: You know we go in depth on Doomsday Clock, right? We do.

Every Story Ever Special: October 2017

Thu, 30 Nov 2017 18:00:00 -0000

We're back with another Every Story Ever Special this month as we make up for lost time!

Episode 380 - Anything But Subtle (Panel President Special)

Mon, 27 Nov 2017 17:00:00 -0000

We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We spent some of our holiday week ranking some comics characters.

Episode 379 - Rube Goldberg Machine of Destiny f/ Kel McDonald

Mon, 20 Nov 2017 17:00:00 -0000

Our good friend and resident werewolf expert Kel McDonald is back this week to talk about her new project, "You Are the Chosen One," worldbuilding, smooching monsters, the smells of medieval fiction, getting metatextual, Buffy, TV show title cards and much more! Plus, Chris and Matt answer one of your listener questions!

Episode 378 - Trapped in Gyms f/ Geoffrey Golden and Amanda Meadows

Mon, 13 Nov 2017 17:00:00 -0000

The publishers of The Devastator are back to talk about their new Wet Hot American Summer Fantasy Camp RPG! We get into it with them about game design, appealing to fans of both the movie and gaming, Geoffrey's near-unbelievable bio, character creation, getting the blessing of the Wet Hot crew, preferred classes, fighting over who gets to be a can of vegetables, and much more! Plus, we take a listener question from Tumblr!

Every Story Ever Special: September 2017

Mon, 13 Nov 2017 02:30:00 -0000

Yes, it's November, but we're making up for lost time and catching up on our story-ranking specials! So I named this one for the first one we missed. Check back before the end of the month for October's, then another two in December!

Episode 377 - Slammin' Jamm (Panel President Special)

Mon, 06 Nov 2017 17:00:00 -0000

We're ranking characters in this, the first episode of the holiday season! A few characters manage to challenge for the bottom of the list, too! Do any of them get that coveted bottom spot?

Episode 376 - Dream Warriors f/ Benito Cereno

Mon, 30 Oct 2017 16:00:00 -0000

On our annual Halloween episode, Hector Plasm writer Benito Cereno joins us to talk about your listener-submitted Ajax Dreams! We also talk about horror movies, Carman, the Christian rap(?) group DC Talk, our own nightmares and a whole lot more!

Episode 375 - Dracula Rules f/ Tini Howard

Mon, 23 Oct 2017 16:00:00 -0000

We're spookily exicted to welcome Tini Howard, writer of the new Hack Slash: Resurrection series, back to the show! Also, Chris is back! And we haven't missed a step, because we're talking about inscribed weapons, horror/comedy, the terror of ladder matches, unsung slasher movies, enjoying the sensation of being scared, and much more! Plus, we finally return to raking characters on the Panel President list!

Episode 374 - Cereal Justice League f/ Chris Haley

Mon, 16 Oct 2017 16:00:00 -0000

Our pal Chris Haley joins Matt to shoot the breeze and answer listener questions this week! Mortal Kombat: Annihilation is discussed at length, as are soup, cereal, Dark Nights: Metal, Jon Kent, horror movies and lots more!

Episode 373 - Just Good Jams f/ Katie Schenkel

Mon, 09 Oct 2017 16:00:00 -0000

This week, we're very pleased to welcome back Katie Schenkel, the writer of Moonlighters, to the show as guest co-host! We chat about adapting Moonlighters into a musical, balancing comedy and spooky stuff, what the chaw of vaping would be, digital comics formatting, vampires vs. Frankensteins, and much more!

Episode 372 - A Bro on His Own f/ Hannah Blumenreich and Kieran Shiach

Mon, 02 Oct 2017 16:00:00 -0000

This week, we're extremely pleased to welcome the artist and writer of the Spidey Zine and the upcoming The Immortal Bro, Hannah Blumenreich! We talk about personal experiences with bros, drawing extremely pretty characters, fan comics, the idea of a "huge" Spider-Man, the Highlander of bros, and much more! Plus, guest co-host Kieran Shiach and Matt take a listener question!

Episode 371 - It's No Elk f/ James Leask

Mon, 25 Sep 2017 16:00:00 -0000

Chris is off this week, so Matt's welcoming guest host James Leask, formerly of ComicsAlliance, into the mix! We discuss food at length, as well as whether Warpath vapes, Destiny 2, which celebrities should join Alpha Flight, McNugget Buddies, and much more!

Episode 370 - Swords in Common f/ Christopher Hastings

Mon, 18 Sep 2017 16:00:00 -0000

With Dr. McNinja recently wrapping up and Gwenpool going strong, we asked Christopher Hastings to come by and talk about his work on both, as well as topics including breaking the fourth wall, collaborating with Gurihiru, how it feels to end a long-running webcomic, bringing real-world characters into a comics world, explaining characters who may not exactly be what they seem on the surface, and much more! Plus, Chris and Matt take a listener question!

Episode 369 - Listen for the Train f/ Walter Barber and Jason Piperberg

Mon, 11 Sep 2017 16:00:00 -0000

For this week's episode, we're happy to welcome two of the creators behind the Champions of Hara board game and tie-in comics, game designer Walter Barber and artist Jason Piperberg! We talk about building a multimedia project, game mechanics, fleshing out game characters with comics, using bright colors, loud sirens, our optimal hybrid animal monsters, legacy games and much more! Plus, we add some new characters to the Panel President list!

Episode 368 - End of Summer Catch-Up

Mon, 04 Sep 2017 16:00:00 -0000

Matt and Chris are catching up and answering a few listener questions on this chilled-out Labor Day episode!

Episode 367 - Vamp Crash (Panel President Special)

Mon, 28 Aug 2017 16:00:00 -0000

Chris and Matt are back at it again this week, ranking characters submitted by listeners for the Panel President list! And we're going edit-free this week, so things are looser than they even normally are!

Every Story Ever Special: August 2017

Fri, 25 Aug 2017 16:00:00 -0000

Just before Matt heads off on vacation, we're ranking as many comic book stories as we can manage!

Episode 366 - Perpetual Wheelies f/ Katie Skelly

Mon, 21 Aug 2017 16:00:00 -0000

This week our guest is Katie Skelly, creator of My Pretty Vampire, Operation Margarine, Agent 9 and much more! We chat about movies from the 1970s, vampire fiction tropes, coloring and design, high culture vs. low, other types of undead creature, Abba, and much more! Plus, we add five ninjas to the Panel President list!

Episode 365 - Practicon f/ Jeremy Whitley

Mon, 14 Aug 2017 16:00:00 -0000

We're happy to welcome Jeremy Whitley, writer of Princeless and The Unstoppable Wasp, back to the show this week! We talk with him about Princeless being in development for a movie at Sony, working at Blockbuster, movie recommendations, spotlighting real-life scientists, the best of the five deadly venoms, dealing with trolls, Transmorphers and a lot more! Plus, we answer what might not be an uncommon listener question!

Episode 364 - The Shiny Bits f/ Kelly Thompson

Mon, 07 Aug 2017 16:00:00 -0000

Friend of the show Kelly Thompson drops by this week to talk about her new Ghostbusters: Answer the Call comic series, but before we get to that, we've got to gush about the Thor: Ragnarok trailer. On top of that, we discuss getting down character voices, Hawkeye, pitching, writing test scripts, being married to ideas, and a whole lot more! Plus we rank a few second-tier Batman characters for Panel President!

Episode 363 - Cereal Showdown

Mon, 31 Jul 2017 16:00:00 -0000

It's been a little while since we used our interview segment to answer your listener questions, so we're doing it this week! Myriad topics are covered--a lot of food is discussed--and we even manage to get some comics in there.

Every Story Ever Special: July 2017

Fri, 28 Jul 2017 14:30:00 -0000

Ready for some story rankings? We are, and we even go a little over two hours to make up for last month's shortened episode (we'll go over a little again next month).

Episode 362 - Cataloguing Power Moves f/ James D'Amato

Mon, 24 Jul 2017 16:00:00 -0000

Our pal James D'Amato from the One Shot and Campaign podcasts drops by this week to talk about his new project, Dungeon Dome, which combines gaming with pro wrestling! We talk about whether James is a wrestling guy, wrestling storytelling, new audiences for tabletop games, audience participation, gladiatorial weapons and much more! Plus, we add some new characters to the Panel President list!

Episode 361 - Comics and Comics f/ Fred Van Lente

Mon, 17 Jul 2017 16:00:00 -0000

Friend of the show Fred Van Lente returns this week to talk about branching out from comics with his brand new novel, Ten Dead Comedians! We talk about the difference between comics and prose writing, book recommendations, injecting real-world stuff into fictional worlds, basing characters on real-life famous people, death traps, nailing character voices, butt medicine and much more! Plus, we take one serious listener question and one silly listener question!

Episode 360 - More than a Mustache (Panel President Special)

Mon, 10 Jul 2017 16:00:00 -0000

After a little sick break, we're back and ranking comic characters in this extra-sized episode! Among the rankings are Batman b-list villains, Superman analogues and comics royalty!

Every Story Ever Special: June 2017

Fri, 30 Jun 2017 18:00:00 -0000

We're ranking stories in a slightly truncated episode this month! (We'll make up for it in July.)

Episode 359 - The Garfest Report f/ Daniel Kibblesmith

Mon, 26 Jun 2017 16:00:00 -0000

What, did y'all think we were playin'? Well, we weren't. This past weekend, we joined up with the creator of Garfbert, Daniel Kibblesmith, to attend the 2017 Garfield Gathering Collectors Convention in Asheville, NC. Then we all got together at Matt's house afterward for our post-show report and to attempt to play a Garfield board game Daniel bought. Hear us break down all the ins and outs of the convention while trying to figure out this weird game from 1981!

Episode 358 - The Hotel Room Trivia Challenge f/ Gregg Schigiel

Mon, 19 Jun 2017 16:00:00 -0000

The writer of Pix returns to quiz Matt, Chris and Chad Bowers at Heroes Con 2017! In addition to the "Name that Story" game we played last time Gregg was on, we also play a few fun warm-up games based on The Price is Right, $25,000 Pyramid and other shows! It's a fun time, even though Matt does get kinda mean.

Episode 357 - Werewolf Illuminati f/ Kel McDonald

Mon, 12 Jun 2017 16:00:00 -0000

Our pal and editor of the new Can I Pet Your Werewolf anthology Kel McDonald comes by this week to talk about cuddly werewolves, a harrowing con experience, CapWolf (of course), John Jameson, whether it's possible to pet a turtle, preferring stories that are cute and/or fun, non-wolf were-creatures, Kickstarter and much more! Plus, we add some characters to the Panel President list!

Episode 356 - Hide the Rabbit f/ Kieran Shiach

Mon, 05 Jun 2017 16:00:00 -0000

Our good pal Kieran Shiach, writer of the new all-ages comic series Mossy with artist Traci Shepard, drops by to chat with us this week about swamp monsters, trolls, pool floats, capybaras, apartment pet policies, Kickstarter, all-ages comics, dinosaurs, lettering and much more! Plus, we answer a listener question about one of our favorite guys, Spider-Man!

Every Story Ever Special: May 2017

Thu, 01 Jun 2017 03:00:00 -0000

With only minutes left to spare, here's our story-ranking special for May!

Episode 355 - The Best Hulk (Panel President Special)

Sun, 28 May 2017 16:00:00 -0000

While Matt moves into his new house, here's the second of our two-part series of specials ranking characters!

Episode 354 - Accidental Pat (Panel President Special)

Mon, 22 May 2017 16:00:00 -0000

We're ranking comic book characters once again in the first part of a two-part special!

Episode 353 - Snowflame, Swarm and "Spiderman" f/ Jon Morris

Mon, 15 May 2017 16:00:00 -0000

Friend of the show Jon Morris drops by this week to talk about his new book, The Legion of Regrettable Supervillains, and all the odd, unfortunate and underused characters featured within! We discuss cocaine, nazi bees, "league" vs. "legion," handsomeness, Batroc, a mystery sequel, and much more! Plus we take some personal and probing listener questions!

Episode 352 - Todd Doesn't Eat f/ Abraham Riesman

Mon, 08 May 2017 16:00:00 -0000

In his reporting for Vulture and New York magazine, Abraham Riesman has talked to some of the titans of comics. So we talk with him about those interactions with Steve Ditko, Todd McFarlane, Priest, Daniel Clowes, Stan Lee, and others. Plus, we get into the pronunciation of his name, candy, go-karts and a whole lot more! And on top of that, we answer two probing listener questions!

Episode 351 - The Dr. Doom of Peanuts (Panel President Special)

Mon, 01 May 2017 16:00:00 -0000

Who truly is the Dr. Doom of Peanuts? You can only find out by listening to this week's episode, where we add more characters to our ever-expanding Panel President list!

Every Story Ever Special: April 2017

Fri, 28 Apr 2017 15:00:00 -0000

We're back and ranking stories for two full hours once again!

Episode 350 - Nobody Told Me No f/ Tini Howard

Mon, 24 Apr 2017 16:00:00 -0000

Tini Howard, who you may know from The Magdalena, her work on a WWE backup starring Finn Balor or numerous other comics projects, joins us for our landmark 350th episode this week! We talk about the urban fantasy of WWE, the urban fantasy of The Magdalena, local burger spots, Teen Titans, the best Megazord, Goldar's self-realization and much more! Plus, we answer an image-conscious listener question!

Episode 349 - Surprise Nick f/ Adam P. Knave and Nick Brokenshire

Mon, 17 Apr 2017 16:00:00 -0000

This week, we're happy to welcome back Adam P. Knave, co-writer of Dark Horse Comics' The Once and Future Queen, and then, look out! Series artist Nick Brokenshire drops in, too. We talk about how Portland is like Scotland but not like Cornwall at all, structuring comic series into mini-series, stepping up art styles, writing collaboratively, other comics with Aurthurian stories, whether there will be another Star War, and much more! Plus, we add some characters to the Panel President list!

Episode 348 - Werewolf Brand f/ Katie Schenkel

Mon, 10 Apr 2017 16:00:00 -0000

For this week's show, we're happy to welcome Katie Schenkel, former ComicsAlliance staffer and writer of the digital-first comic series Moonlighters! We talk with Katie about werewolves, why there aren't so many women lycanthropes in fiction, Draculas, working on a telephone-style project, making online communities happy, monster hunters and a whole lot more! Plus, we answer a listener question that we'd like a little listener input on!

Episode 347 - Colorful Jumping Fest (WrestleMania Special)

Mon, 03 Apr 2017 22:00:00 -0000

Though we have usually done a WrestleMania preview show, this year we decided to take a look at the whole 7-hour extravaganza after the fact, to run down the good, the bad and the Pitbull. Also we talk about that whole ComicsAlliance thing that happened.

Every Story Ever Special: March 2017

Thu, 30 Mar 2017 16:00:00 -0000

We're back and ranking more stories for another month in our two-hour special!

Episode 346 - Riverdale Murder Rate f/ Alex Segura

Mon, 27 Mar 2017 16:00:00 -0000

Alex Segura isn't just the head of PR for Archie and writer of the new Archies one-shot. He's also the author of the Pete Fernandez series of crime novels, so we talk to him this week about comics vs. prose, murder fiction vs. idyllic Riverdale, Archie vs. noir protagonists, crossovers, portraying music in comics, and much more! Plus, we add some characters to the Panel President list!

Episode 345 - Tree Fallin' f/Leila Del Duca and Kit Seaton

Mon, 20 Mar 2017 16:00:00 -0000

This week, we're more than pleased to welcome returning guest Leila Del Duca and new pal Kit Seaton to the show to talk about their new Image Comics graphic novel Afar! We talk with them about fairy tales and myths, creating humanoid (and not so humanoid) animal creatures, the transition from art to writing, whether Steve Austin is a wrestler, the publishing format of all-ages comics and a whole lot more! Plus, we answer a probing listener question!

Episode 344 - Ol' Quilty (Panel President Special)

Mon, 13 Mar 2017 16:00:00 -0000

We're back from Seattle and ranking characters on this week's show! We take on some Superior Foes of Spider-Man, famous LLs and more!

Episode 343 - Live from Emerald City Comic-Con f/ Charles Soule and Ryan Browne

Mon, 06 Mar 2017 20:30:00 -0000

Chris and Matt were at Emerald City Comic-Con in Seattle this weekend, where they recorded a live podcast with Charles Soule and Ryan Browne, co-creators of the Image Comics series Curse Words! We talk with them about wizards, the name Wizord, how their styles came together, cutting loose in a comic, coloring and much more! Plus, some surprisements!

Every Story Ever Special: February 2017

Tue, 28 Feb 2017 22:30:00 -0000

You demanded it, so we're ranking Holy Terror in this month's story-ranking special! And eventually we get to some other stories.

Episode 342 - Laser Season f/ Cap Blackard, Doug Banks and Tony Baldini

Mon, 27 Feb 2017 17:00:00 -0000

A handful of personalities behind The Nerdy Show and the creative team of the maybe soon-to-be animated series Lightning Dogs join us this week! We talk to Cap, Doug and Tony about stumbling into the idea for the show, why animation is preferable in this case to comics, documenting the entire creative process, cartoon series from the '90s, David Bowie, animation distribution and so much more! Plus, we add a few new characters to the Panel President list!

Episode 341 - Hella Arbitrary f/ Daniel Kibblesmith

Mon, 20 Feb 2017 17:00:00 -0000

Daniel Kibblesmith is a good friend of the show and writer of the upcoming Valiant High digital-first series from Valiant and ComiXology, so we're more than happy to have him back this week! We talk with him about high-school AUs in general, making the Valiant characters fit in a high-school setting, whether there's a world outside the school, and, of course, the Garfield convention we're all planning to attend later this year. Plus, we answer an oddly relevant listener question!

Episode 340 - Name that Comic f/ Gregg Schigiel

Mon, 13 Feb 2017 17:00:00 -0000

We're happy to welcome back Gregg Schigiel, writer of the Image Comics all-ages series Pix, to come on the show and talk about that series, but we're also very interested to ask him to recreate a trivia contest he did with Chris at a con a few years ago! We also discuss the market for all-ages comics, pitching comics to kids vs. adults, the inspiration for a superhero/Disney princess combo, and much more! Plus, we add a few grizzled characters to the Panel President list!

Episode 339 - Gross Muscle Baby f/ Einar Masson and Matt Harding

Mon, 06 Feb 2017 17:00:00 -0000

On this week's episode, we're welcoming the two editors--one from San Francisco, one from Iceland--of the new Not Forgotten anthology, which features public doman, Golden Age superheroes! We talk about the weirdest, most obscure characters from that period; working with creators all over the globe; being confused for people with the same (or similar names); Iceland's love of licorice, and much more! Plus, we take a pair of TV-focused listener questions!

Every Story Ever Special: January 2017

Tue, 31 Jan 2017 17:00:00 -0000

It's a new year, and we're adding as many new stories as we can to the Ever Story Ever list as we can in two hours!

Episode 338 - Garfield Ranks Big (Panel President Special)

Mon, 30 Jan 2017 17:00:00 -0000

Chris is back from the high seas and we're ranking some characters! At least one big fat cat makes the list after lots of uncertainty, and several other favorites come up, too. Plus, hear about the Fan2Sea cruise from a cruiser himself!

Episode 337 - Space Jasons vs. Space Dench f/ Becky Cloonan

Mon, 23 Jan 2017 17:00:00 -0000

With Chris away on the high seas, Matt has welcomed special guest host Matt Fisher of the Life Leave Me Alone podcast to come aboard and talk with none other than Becky Cloonan about her work on Southern Cross, The Punisher and Gotham Academy! We also talk a bunch about metal and hardcore music, artist Andy Belanger's wrestling alter-ego, the intersection of all the different books she writes and a bunch more! Plus, we take a financially focused listener question!

Episode 336 - How KRS-One is Like Wonder Woman f/ Afua Richardson

Mon, 16 Jan 2017 17:00:00 -0000

Afua Richardson joins us for this week's show, and while you may know her as the cover artist of Black Panther: World of Wakanda and artist of Genius from Image Comics among other comics projects, she's also worn many, many other hats including singer, voice actress, beatboxer, floutist, and the list goes on. Also, she's on a first-name basis with KRS-One, which obviously makes her one of our favorite guests. In addition to all that, we also talk about taking breaks from work, adding symbolism to art, her X-Men '92 variant cover, and much more! Plus, we take a listener question that relates to Every Story Ever!

Episode 335 - The 69,420th Annual Gordie Awards

Mon, 09 Jan 2017 17:00:00 -0000

From the Matt D. Wilson Memorial Auditorium, our annual award show, the Flash Gordon Memorial Awards, kicks off 2017 on War Rocket Ajax! Listeners submit the categories, we choose the winners!

Every Story Ever Special: December 2016

Sat, 31 Dec 2016 18:30:00 -0000

We're finishing out the year by adding more stories to our list of every comic book story ever published!

Episode 334.5 - Gift Exchange 2016

Fri, 23 Dec 2016 17:30:00 -0000

We're trading gifts and jamming out to Christmas music in this special minisode!

Episode 334 - Xmas with the Gremlins f/ Matt Fraction

Mon, 19 Dec 2016 17:00:00 -0000

It's time for the 8th(!) annual War Rocket Ajax War on Christmas Special, and we're back with another movie commentary! This time out, Matt Fraction joins us to watch the 1984 classic Gremlins, a movie Chris was too scared to watch back in his youth. What will he think now? Stay tuned to find out!

Episode 333 - Long, Sustained Dong f/ RJ and Ian from HARK!

Mon, 12 Dec 2016 17:00:00 -0000

With the holidays just around the corner, we asked the hosts of the HARK! podcast, RJ and Ian, to come on the show to talk about their ever-growing list of Christmas, holiday and winter songs! Plus, we requested that they go over Pitchfork's list of the "50 best holiday songs of all time" with us, to see just how wrong they got it. Also, we take a listener question that adds a little comics content to the show!

Episode 332 - Holly v. Gingerbread: Dawn of Christmas Smells

Mon, 05 Dec 2016 17:00:00 -0000

We're ranking more characters in our last Panel President special of the year!

Every Story Ever Special: November 2016

Mon, 28 Nov 2016 19:00:00 -0000

November's almost over, so we're back ranking stories for our ever-growing list of comics yarns!

Episode 331.5 - Thanks

Mon, 28 Nov 2016 17:00:00 -0000

We more or less took the week off for Thanksgiving, but we couldn't just leave you hanging, so here's a bite-sized episode with some thanks, some announcements and some possible plans for 2017!

Episode 331 - Garish Sea Wagon f/ Karla Pacheco

Mon, 21 Nov 2016 17:00:00 -0000

The writer of the Inspector Pancakes series, Dreadful Sirens and the upcoming Project Tingler, Karla Pacheco, joins us once again! We talk with her at length about boat living, tragic phone loss, cross-country adventures, working with the enigmatic Chuck Tingle, irony, hotel fires, Joey Ryan, and eventually, her upcoming story in the Gwenpool Holiday Special! Plus, we take a couple listener questions!

Episode 330 - Listing Lanterns (Panel President Special)

Mon, 14 Nov 2016 17:00:00 -0000

We thought about renaming our character-ranking segment after the events of last week, but, well, we're not the ones who suck, so we're back this week with a Panel President special! We get through a whole big list of Green Lanterns, take aim at some retcon characters and determine whether some characters really are overrated.

Episode 329 - Supernatural Wackiness f/ Chris Roberson

Mon, 07 Nov 2016 17:00:00 -0000

After a long absence from the show, Edison Rex writer Chris Roberson makes his triumphant return to War Rocket Ajax to talk with us about moving Edison Rex to webcomics, coming on to co-write Hellboy, working with dream artists, his new novel Firewalk, Superman S-shields, the iZombie TV show and so much more! Plus, we take a listener question about event tie-ins!

Episode 328 - The Mummy-Scorpion King Pendulum f/ Benito Cereno

Mon, 31 Oct 2016 16:00:00 -0000

It's Halloween, and that can only mean one thing: Benito Cereno joins us once again (or does he?)! He talks with us about the webcomic he launched this year with artist Joel Priddy, The Mummy's Sabbatical, as well as mummies in general, monster categories, spooky movie recommendations, the worst candy, the history of zombies and much more! Plus, we add five more killer characters to the Panel President list!

Every Story Ever Special: October 2016

Sun, 30 Oct 2016 21:00:00 -0000

Comic book stories--some of them very spooky--are once again ranked in our monthly, two-hour special! (And to be clear, I know the game on The Simpsons was called Bonestorm.)

Episode 327 - The Only Podcast...With Balls

Mon, 24 Oct 2016 16:00:00 -0000

With one week left before Halloween, we're dedicating this week's episode to one of our favorite spooky movies of all time: 1979's Phantasm! It's just been re-released with a remastered special edition, so we're providing a commentary track while we answer some questions from listeners on Twitter! The remastered edition of Phantasm is available for $2 (SD) on Google Play, so watch along!

Episode 326 - The Mandy Patinkast f/ Geoffrey Golden and Amanda Meadows

Mon, 17 Oct 2016 16:00:00 -0000

It's a small world after all, because we're welcoming back our pals from Devastator Press, Geoffery Golden and Amanda Meadows, to talk about their new book, Dream It! Screw It!: 30 Years of Rejected Disney Park Ideas by Imagineer Dipp Disney! We talk a lot about theme parks vs. amusement parks, what makes Disney parks special, satire and legal stuff, live-action Disney movies, writing jokes you're proud of, and so much more! Plus, Chris and Matt take a couple listener questions!

Episode 325 - Adam Warlock's Heel Turn (Panel President Special)

Mon, 10 Oct 2016 16:00:00 -0000

We're once again taking the full interview segment to elect or impeach the best and worst comics characters! Among them: Adam Warlock, Jesse Custer, Kamala Khan, Booster Gold, and there are lots more to boot!

Episode 324 - Just Weird Dogs f/ Andy Hirsch

Mon, 03 Oct 2016 16:00:00 -0000

America's number one draw-draw boy Andy Hirsch saddles up to talk with us this week about his new graphic novel, Varmints! Of course, before we get to that, we absolutely must talk with him about his work on one of our many fascinations, Garfield. Then we chat about doing musical sequences in comics, Westerns in other genres, the serious newspaper comics, drawing horses and so much more! Plus, we take an intriguing listener question!

Every Story Ever Special: September 2016

Thu, 29 Sep 2016 16:00:00 -0000

We're back once again to rank lists of comic book stories sent in by our listeners! These specials are made possible by our supporters on Patreon! If you'd like to help out, go to patreon.com/warrocketajax.

Episode 323 - On the Lookout for Creeps f/ Tom Fowler

Mon, 26 Sep 2016 16:00:00 -0000

While Matt is on holiday, Chris is joined by emergency back-up co-host Kieran Shiach to talk to Tom Fowler about his work on the latest volume of the Rick and Morty comic, as well as creepy con convention sketches and playing the long game with commissions. Plus, Kieran and Chris take a listener question!

Episode 322 - Ticketmaster Cannot Eat It f/ Kyle Starks

Mon, 19 Sep 2016 16:00:00 -0000

Our good friend Kyle "Hollywood Eisner nominated Sexcastle the Rick and Morty franchise" Starks is back this week to talk about his work on his new book Kill Them All, Rick & Morty and more, but most importantly, we spend quite a while discussing the wonders of Jungle Jim's, a massive and wondrous grocery store in Hamilton, Ohio. We also talk about action movie adaptations, Metallica, Oni's licensed comics and the list goes on. Plus, Chris and Matt answer a listener question!

Episode 321 - Losers, Outcasts and Freaks f/ Nathan Fairbairn

Mon, 12 Sep 2016 16:00:00 -0000

Colorist and writer Nathan Fairbairn drops by this week to talk about his new Image Comics series Lake of Fire, working with Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely, learning how to color comics, how lettering helps with writing, characters who don't know anything, the color of success, and so much more! Then, Chris and Matt add a new set of characters to the Panel President list!

Episode 320 - King of Trios 2016 Special

Mon, 05 Sep 2016 16:00:00 -0000

Recorded live in Easton, Pennsylvania, it's the War Rocket Ajax King of Trios 2016 spectacular! After three days of pro wrestling, Chris sits down with an all-star roster of a dozen guests to talk about the event, including emergency backup cohosts Elle Collins and Kieran Shiach, Hard Times co-host Megan Nielsen, Animal Crackers co-host Helena Hart, and more! Find out why one of our favorite moments of the weekend came from an extremely unlikely degenerate, and maybe, just maybe, #WinADateWithGavinJasper! WARNING: This one is literally 100% wrestling content. BE ADVISED!

Every Story Ever Special: August 2016

Tue, 30 Aug 2016 20:30:00 -0000

We're back once again to rank listener-submitted lists of comic book stories!

Episode 319 - Not Enough Money to Live f/ Kelly Thompson

Mon, 29 Aug 2016 16:00:00 -0000

Our pal Kelly Thompson is back to talk about her work on Jem, the upcoming Star Wars Annual #2 and Mega Princess! Plus, we talk about the freelancer's sleep cycle, crossovers, fictional countries, lightning-fast deadlines and so much more! Then Matt and Chris take a few listener questions!

Episode 318 - Rackin' Up Enemies f/ Fred Van Lente

Mon, 22 Aug 2016 18:00:00 -0000

War Rocket Ajax favorite Fred Van Lente returns to this show this week to (nominally) talk about his new Valiant Comics series Generation Zero! We also chat about a chance encounter with actor Dirk Benedict at a comic convention, writing villains, combining genres, the worst time travel tropes, the connection between Incredible Hercules and Archer and Armstrong, and so much more! Plus, some Robins get added to the Panel President list!

Episode 317 - Panther v. Doom: Badminton Battle

Mon, 15 Aug 2016 16:00:00 -0000

A move is completed, a birthday is here, a book nears completion, and Matt and Chris are taking your listener questions for this week's show!

Episode 316 - Jannetty's Revenge f/ Jeremy Whitley

Mon, 08 Aug 2016 16:00:00 -0000

Ajax 3:16 says we just posted a podcast! And we've got a good one for you: Our old pal Jeremy Whitley, the writer of Princeless and the upcoming Unstoppable Wasp series, drops by to chat with us! We talk about our favorite Stone Cold moments (of course), pitch a movie starring Barack Obama and The Rock, discuss writing processes, freak out about dream collaborations and so much more! Plus, we answer some of your listener questions!

Every Story Ever Special: July 2016

Wed, 03 Aug 2016 21:00:00 -0000

We're a little late this time around, but not any less enthusiastic to rank lists of comic book stories sent to us by listeners!

Episode 315 - A Little Guy Goes a Long Way

Mon, 01 Aug 2016 16:00:00 -0000

Matt's back to help Chris rank some characters in this Panel President special!

Episode 314 - Rise Above the Trash Buckets f/ Lauren Moran

Mon, 25 Jul 2016 16:00:00 -0000

This week, Chris and special guest host Elle Collins talk to artist Lauren Moran about her work designing t-shirts for WWE (and other Ajax-favorite franchises), as well as her controversial sixth-grade opinion that everyone who watched WCW was "a garbage person." Don't worry, we don't let that one go unchallenged. Plus, Batman Returns is attacked and defended and the new Betty & Veronica #1 gets a very mystified review.

Episode 313 - Weird Baby Man f/ Matthew Summo

Mon, 18 Jul 2016 16:00:00 -0000

This week, we're happy to welcome Matt Summo, co-writer of Double Take Universe's Dedication, to the show! We talk with him about the inspiration of Night of the Living Dead, working in a supermarket, Paul Heyman and Jim Cornette's agelessness, prison riot survival chances, making comics intended to be read on phones, self-publishing, lettering and so much more! Plus, we take some of your listener questions!

Episode 312 - That Spicy Little Trail f/ Jackie Lewis

Mon, 11 Jul 2016 16:00:00 -0000

Longtime pal and first-time guest Jackie Lewis, artist of Oni Press' Merry Men, sits down with us this week to talk a whole lot about Robin Hood, spiciness, the worst-designed Pokemon, displaying pinup art at conventions, historical accuracy, heading up "the ratings ladder," and so much more! Plus, we add five new characters to the Panel President list!

Episode 311 - Clown Club f/ Van Jensen

Mon, 04 Jul 2016 16:00:00 -0000

We're coming original on this very special milestone episode with the writer of the new Dark Horse Comics series Cryptocracy, Van Jensen! We talk with him about conspiracies, how he researched them for the book, world-building, the weirdest club he was ever a part of, eyepatches, the Flash and so much more! Plus we take some of your listener questions!

Every Story Ever Special: June 2016

Wed, 29 Jun 2016 19:00:00 -0000

Another month, another two-hour block of ranking comic stories suggested to us by you, our listeners!

Episode 310 - Poor Man's Heathcliff f/ Randall Trang

Mon, 27 Jun 2016 16:00:00 -0000

We're back from Heroes Con and we're welcoming one of the pals we saw there, Randall Trang, artist and writer of Roller Girl and the Flying Side Kick! We talk with him about becoming a tae kwon do master, roller derby, pro wrestling, proposing to his fiancee the same day he became a tae kwon do master, Garfield, safe sparring and so much more! Plus, some new additions to the Panel President list!

Episode 309 - A Skunk Vaping (Heroes Con Special 2016)

Mon, 20 Jun 2016 20:30:00 -0000

It's that time of year again! We went to Heroes Con in Charlotte, NC, this weekend and this is the episode recorded in front of a small audience of our pals in Chris' hotel room. There's live commentary, list-based comedy and listener questions! (Apologies for any sound issues. It was like 15 people in a hotel room.)

Episode 308 - Tomorrow's Camp Today f/ Tom Peyer

Mon, 13 Jun 2016 16:00:00 -0000

It's been about 300 episodes since Tom Peyer was last on the show, but he has returned to War Rocket Ajax and hasn't skipped a beat! We talk with him about his new Captain Kid series with co-writer Mark Waid, the 1960s Batman TV show, why Marvel Apes was so fun, Deathstroke's tiny hands from his Convergence: The Atom story, the villainy of everyday adult stuff, and much more! Plus, we take an intriguging listener question!

Episode 307 - Trap Dazzler (Panel President Special)

Mon, 06 Jun 2016 16:00:00 -0000

We've got lots of Panel President lists to get through, so we're devoting the entire episode to them once again this week! And we get caught up in a debate so tight that it can only be decided by a roll of the die!

Every Story Ever Special: May 2016

Tue, 31 May 2016 17:00:00 -0000

We're back with our monthly special, ranking comic stories suggested by listeners!

Episode 306 - Fancy Standards f/ Ryan North

Mon, 30 May 2016 16:00:00 -0000

Ryan North, author of the new choose-your-own-story book Romeo and/or Juliet and writer of Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Adventure Time and much more, drops by to chat with us this week. We talk about his upcoming run on Jughead with artist Derek Charm, fanciness, the Enforcers, Shakespeare, whether scholars like his books, what he learned from being stuck in a hole, and lots more! Plus, a very lengthy discussion of DC Universe Rebirth.

Episode 305 - Too Old for Shame f/ Chip Zdarsky

Mon, 23 May 2016 16:00:00 -0000

We're pleased as can be to welcome Chip Zdarsky, artist of Sex Criminals and writer of Jughead, Kaptara and Howard the Duck, back to the show this week! We talk with him about his various stunts over the years, working for the National Post, wrapping up his Jughead run, whether he feels shame, Garfield (of course) and so much more! Plus, we add some characters to the Panel President list!

Episode 304 - Primary Speciality: Combat Artist f/ Adam Riches

Mon, 16 May 2016 16:00:00 -0000

Matt's away this week, so guest host Kieran Shiach has filled in to help Chris interview Adam Riches, whose covers you may know from series including G.I. Joe, Micronauts and Back to the Future! Guess which one Chris discusses the most out of those. Also discussed: Riches' art for toy packaging!

Episode 303 - Kawaii Judge Dredd f/ Arthur Wyatt

Mon, 09 May 2016 16:00:00 -0000

Chris has returned and he's just in time to talk with returning guest Arthur Wyatt, writer of a series of comics continuing the story of the Dredd movie, the latest of which is called Dust. We talk with Arthur about the differences between movie Dredd and regular comics Judge Dredd, the appeal of the Cursed Earth, whether the Dark Judges would fit into the movie universe, kids comics he enjoys and, of course, Shako the bear. Plus, we take some listener questions!

Every Story Ever Special: April 2016

Wed, 04 May 2016 15:00:00 -0000

Aren't you all glad it's still April? To celebrate it still being April, here's our monthly special in which we add stories to our ever-expanding list of comic book stories, ranked from best to worst!

Episode 302 - Like Proteus If He Sucked (Panel President Special)

Mon, 02 May 2016 16:00:00 -0000

Chris has returned from vacation, so we're taking the opportunity to fill out our Panel President list with a whole bunch of new entries this week!

Episode 301 - Aiming for Cancelled f/ Curt Franklin and Chris Haley

Mon, 25 Apr 2016 16:00:00 -0000

Chris Sims is taking the week off, so Matt's answering your listener questions with two of the show's most popular guests and oldest friends: Chris Haley and Curt Franklin! We revisit the old topics like bags of salt, and take on some new ones, including Captain America and Superman's dining preferences, tweets on our tombstones and Prince memories.

Episode 300 - Not Quite Possible, But Almost f/ Scott Snyder

Mon, 18 Apr 2016 16:00:00 -0000

Episode 300 is here, and to celebrate, we're welcoming Scott Snyder back to the show for the first time in like, six years! In that time, a good many things have happened, including Scott writing a whole heck of a lot of issues of Batman. So we talk with him about Batman a lot, including the new All-Star Batman series he's working on with a murderer's row of arists. Plus, we get into discussing his comics writing classes, too. It's a big one!

Episode 299 - Teen Girl Metamorpho (Panel President Special)

Mon, 11 Apr 2016 16:00:00 -0000

We're knocking out some Panel President lists by ranking some characters this week!

Episode 298 - The Golden Age of Robbery f/ Robert Wilson IV and Chris Sebela

Mon, 04 Apr 2016 16:00:00 -0000

Robert Wilson IV and Christopher Sebela, the artist and writer of Oni Press' new series Heartthrob, join us for this week's show! We talk about researching heart transplants, portraying unreality, Art Bell, the allure of the 1970s, Pinterest, nicknames, romance stories and much more! Plus, Chris and Matt answer a few of your listener questions!

Every Story Ever Special: March 2016

Thu, 31 Mar 2016 16:00:00 -0000

Just under the wire, Matt and Chris are back ranking stories for two full hours! Including two Jim Starlin/Jim Aparo Batman stories and a story managing to crack the top 10!

Episode 297 - Horseplay and Roughhousing f/ Elle Collins and Megan Nielsen

Mon, 28 Mar 2016 16:00:00 -0000

Ohhhh! Oh-oooohh! It's Wrestlemania! Just like that! Just like that! Pump it up! Pump it up! That's right, folks! We're back with our annual Wrestlemania special and to talk about this year's Wrestlemania Dallas Cowboys Star, we've got Megan Nielsen and Elle Collins of the Hard Times Podcast to offer up lots of insights. We've got predictions for every match, lots of unflattering discussion of Flo Rida, a related booking idea for Randy Orton's surprise return, high hopes for Titus O'Neil to come back, opinions about Ric Flair's likely involvement in the Divas title match, thoughts on how the world title match could actually work and much, much more!

Episode 296 - The Bizarre Boxing f/ Gerry Conway

Mon, 21 Mar 2016 16:00:00 -0000

We're delighted to welcome none other than Gerry Conway, co-creator of The Punisher, Firestorm, Jason Todd and many others; writer of Spider-Man, Justice League, numerous TV episodes, Fantastic Four, the list goes on. Currently, he's working on Carnage for Marvel and the Legends of Tomorrow anthology at DC, so we take the opportunity to talk to him about Firestorm, seeing characters he co-created on TV, trying to get into writing superhero TV shows, a never-made X-Men movie script he co-wrote with Roy Thomas, writing Amazing Spider-Man at the tender age of 19, and so much more! Plus, we add some characters to the Panel President list!

Episode 295 - The Leslie Nielsen Moment f/ Steve Lieber

Mon, 14 Mar 2016 16:00:00 -0000

Steve Lieber, artist of Superior Foes of Spider-Man and the new Image Comics series The Fix (among many other great comics), is on the show this week to talk about doing physical comedy in comics, vices, creating scoundrels, the coolest panel tricks, the comic that turned him into a creator, collaborating with writers and much more. Plus, we take two listener questions, one of which Matt initially misreads.

Episode 294 - Tough Choices (Panel President Special)

Mon, 07 Mar 2016 17:00:00 -0000

Matt and Chris are blasting through some more listener-submitted lists to rank the best comic characters!

Episode 293 - Tantalizing Baby Mystery f/ Daniel Kibblesmith and Eliot Rahal

Mon, 29 Feb 2016 17:00:00 -0000

The co-writers of the new Heavy Metal miniseries The Doorman, Eliot Rahal and Daniel Kibblesmith, drop by this week to chat about sci-fi influences, Heavy Metal (the movie), telling stories through action, background jokes, New Jack Swing, doing comedy in comics art and much more! Plus, we take a couple listener questions that ask us to do one of our favorite things: rank stuff!

Every Story Ever Special: February 2016

Thu, 25 Feb 2016 21:30:00 -0000

We're back with two more hours of ranking the comic book stories you suggest!

Episode 292 - The Only People That Matter f/ Kat Kuhl and James D'Amato

Mon, 22 Feb 2016 17:00:00 -0000

James D'Amato and Kat Kuhl host the Campaign podcast, an "actual play" podcast in which they and some improviser friends play Star Wars: Edge of the Empire. We talk to them about mixing podcasting and games, the best gaming systems, improv, character creation, Star Wars continuity changes, building a fan base and much more! Plus, we add a new set of characters to the Panel President list!

Episode 291 - Not a TED Talk f/ Andrew Wheeler

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 17:00:00 -0000

Chris is out sick, so Matt welcomes guest host Elle Collins of the Into It and Hard Times podcasts to come and and help interview Andrew Wheeler, editor-in-chief of ComicsAlliance and writer of the new Oni Press series Another Castle! We talk with him about video game tropes, cutting out the prince, comics genres, princesses, what makes something a fantasy story, "mature" comics, and much more! Plus, we answer a listener question!

Episode 290 - The Gymnastics of Literature f/ Veronica Fish

Mon, 08 Feb 2016 17:00:00 -0000

Veronica Fish, the artist of Archie, comes by for this week's show to talk about reading The Dreamer, Easter eggs in her art, getting her Jack Kirby style just right, Jack Staff, why Reggie is misunderstood, and so much more! Plus, we take a few of your listener questions!

Episode 289 - The First Panel Presidential Debate

Mon, 01 Feb 2016 17:00:00 -0000

Our new segment for 2016, Panel President, has proven so popular that we're devoting our interview segment to getting through a few lists this week!

Every Story Ever Special: January 2016

Fri, 29 Jan 2016 19:00:00 -0000

We're back and adding more entries to our list of Every Story Ever in 2016!

Episode 288 - So Blessed f/ Ramon Villalobos

Mon, 25 Jan 2016 17:00:00 -0000

Ramon Villalobos, Gordie award winner and artist of Secret Wars: E is for Extinction, joins us this week! We talk with him about the importance of footwear, getting inspiration from DJ Khaled, his parents' dogs, self-reinvention, Frank Quitely, the Royal Rumble and so much more! Plus, we take a handful of listener questions!

Episode 287 - My Dudes, Rated R f/ Kyle Starks

Mon, 18 Jan 2016 17:00:00 -0000

Our old friend Kyle Starks, writer and artist of Image Comics' Sexcastle, has returned to War Rocket Ajax on the heels of the big news that Fox has acquired the rights to the book for a possible film! We talk about fancasting, writing amazing dialogue, getting a book optioned, the Kyle Starks Shared Universe, basketball, '80s action stars and so much more! Plus, Chris and Matt kick off a brand new post-interview segment!

Episode 286 - The 5th Annual Gordie Awards

Mon, 11 Jan 2016 17:00:00 -0000

It's the first War Rocket Ajax of the year! That means it's time for Chris and Matt to hand out a whole bunch of awards in categories selected by you, the listeners!

Every Story Ever Special: December 2015

Thu, 31 Dec 2015 17:00:00 -0000

Happy new year, everyone! Ring it in with us ranking comic books for two hours!

Episode 285.5 - Christmas Gift Exchange 2015

Tue, 22 Dec 2015 17:00:00 -0000

As promised, here’s the annual gift exchange between Matt and Chris!

Episode 285 - On Dasher, on Blazier f/ Matt Fraction

Mon, 21 Dec 2015 17:00:00 -0000

Matt Fraction returns for our annual Christmas episode!

Episode 284 – A Little Snark, a Little Truth f/ Sam Humphries

Mon, 14 Dec 2015 17:00:44 -0000

We're welcoming Sam Humphries, the writer of the new Image Comics series Citizen Jack, back to the show this week! We talk about the book's political origins, trying to maintain some distance from real-life politics, Sam's hair, Prince, fictional devils, how difficult it is to satire politics in 2015, and much more! Plus, the last batch of Word Heavyweight Champion contenders!

Episode 283 – Ranked by Volume f/ Tom Fowler

Mon, 07 Dec 2015 17:00:48 -0000

Artist and pal Tom Fowler returns this week to talk about his new book of tabletop fantasy art, D&D&D! But before we do that, we've got to talk for a long time about Canadian TV. You know how that is. Plus, we take a listener question that turns out to be a bit of a riddle

Episode 282 – The Path to 100

Mon, 30 Nov 2015 17:00:37 -0000

We're digging in and getting to 100 entries in our Word Heavyweight Champions list this week, come hell or high water! (We get there in about an hour.)

Every Story Ever Special: November 2015

Sat, 28 Nov 2015 17:16:04 -0000

Give thanks! It's time again for two full hours of Every Story Ever!

Episode 281 – SCOIP: The Penultimate Chapter

Mon, 23 Nov 2015 17:00:36 -0000

We've been teleported to Battlepod! The Beyonder has forced us to talk about comics culture for his benefit, but, you know what, we don't mind it all that much, because we're getting to chat with two great podcasters, Elle Collins of Into It and DJ Benhameen of FanBros, about the characters with whom we best identify. Plus, a last-minute cliffhanger as we head into the SCOIP finale!

Episode 280 – The Heart of the Universe f/ Kyle Higgins

Mon, 16 Nov 2015 17:00:40 -0000

This week, we welcome the writer of the new Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series, Kyle Higgins, to the show! We discuss his history with the rangers, the audience he's trying to reach, zords, why Rita was great, Nightrunner, and so much more! Plus, we take some of your listener questions!

Episode 279 – Sonic Boy f/ Frank Gibson

Mon, 09 Nov 2015 17:00:44 -0000

The driving force behind the Muscle Temple anthology, Frank Gibson, joins us for the show this week! We discuss getting into wrestling in New Zealand, Pokemon, Digimon, the early console wars, our favorite fictional wrestlers and much more! Plus, new entries to the Word Heavyweight Champions list!

Episode 278 – The Ghost of Halloween Was Two Days Ago

Mon, 02 Nov 2015 17:00:50 -0000

It's the rare episode in which Matt and Chris are in the same room to record, and better yet, we're joined by our better halves, Marlene and Aidan! We take some listener questions just before a ghost shows up and crashes our party.

Every Story Ever Special: October 2015

Fri, 30 Oct 2015 15:39:13 -0000

It's that time again! We have two full hours of Every Story Ever for you, and this month some of them are spooky! (Or spooky-ish.)

Episode 277 – Live From Spooky Mansion 2015 f/Benito Cereno

Mon, 26 Oct 2015 16:00:50 -0000

Our old pal Benito Cereno, writer of Hector Plasm, Tick: New Series, Tales from the Bully Pulpit and more, joins us once again for our Halloween spooktacular! We talk about movies to watch (of course), Universal monsters, Carman (as tradition dictates), logo parody t-shirts, and so much more! Plus, we take a spooky listener question

Episode 276 – All Taquitos, All the Time f/ Erica Henderson

Mon, 19 Oct 2015 16:00:16 -0000

Our pal Erica Henderson is back to talk about her art on Jughead and The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl! Well, eventually we get to that. We also talk about cooking competition shows, British TV vs. American TV, horror movies (of course), stealing candy, and so much more! Plus, some Transformers quotes get added to the list of Word Heavyweight Champions!

Episode 275 – Terrified of Mail f/Christopher Sebela

Mon, 12 Oct 2015 16:00:48 -0000

We've talked to a lot of guests about spooky things, but we've rarely interviewed anyone who lives in a spooky place. This week, we welcome Christopher Sebela, a comics writer and friend of the show, who's living for an entire month at the Clown Motel in Tonopah, Nevada. He tells us about almost getting kidnapped, the strange packages he's been getting, getting his stay funded on Kickstarter, the weird stuff that's happening as we're talking to him, and so much more. Plus, a spoooooky listener question!

Episode 274 – Go Grow a Garden f/ Joe Keatinge, Nick Barber and Leila del Duca

Mon, 05 Oct 2015 16:00:12 -0000

This week, we're happy to welcome the writer of Shutter and Ringside, Joe Keatinge, along with the respective artists of those two series, Leila del Duca and Nick Barber! We talk about wrestling lingo, shooting down NPR commenters, our favorite bad gimmicks, the rights of ninja ghosts, and much more! Plus, new entries to the Word Heavyweight Champions list!

Every Story Ever Special: September 2015

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 03:50:46 -0000

You did it! We reached our Patreon goal, so this month's Every Story Ever special is a whopping two hours long!

Episode 273 – Texts Blowin' Up

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 16:00:12 -0000

Chris and Matt are taking your questions this week, addressing issues including the best but least-loved video game console, the impact of the Comics Code, superhero poker games, The Spirit's place in the comics pantheon, and much more!

Episode 272 – Tough Business f/ Michael Kingston

Mon, 21 Sep 2015 16:00:06 -0000

This week, we're welcoming the writer of the acclaimed wrestling comic Headlocked, Michael Kingston! We talk about the wrestling business vs. the comics business, working with wrestlers who have artistic talents, developing a story about how genuinely difficult it is to be a wrestler, our favorite types of match, and so much more! Plus, Matt's back, so he and Chris add some quotes to the Word Heavyweight Champions list!

Episode 271 – Three Candied Apples To The Face f/ Kelly Thompson

Mon, 14 Sep 2015 18:27:42 -0000

This week, guest host Elle Collins of Into It joins Chris as writer Kelly Thompson returns to the show to talk about wrapping up the first arc of Jem and the Holograms, writing Captain Marvel and the Carol Corps and so much more, in a stealth episode that's really just about how much we all love Jem. Plus, karma strikes in a special MMA update and the Marvel Movies are ranked, ESE-style!

Episode 270: The King Of Trios 2015 Spectacular

Thu, 10 Sep 2015 00:19:02 -0000

This week, Matt's on Vacation and Chris is in Pennsylvania for Chikara's annual King of Trios tournament - so if you're one of our listeners who's not so into the episodes about wrestling, maybe you want to skip this one. For the rest of you, we've got an extra-sized two-hour episode talking about the entire event with special guests Kieran Shiach, Helena Hart, David Burszan, Gavin Jasper and Aidan Sullivan, with a rundown of every match, plenty of tangents, and a discussion of why Missile Assault Man blowing up a bus full of children in Zimbabwe is not the least family-friendly thing in Chikara continuity this weekend.

Episode 269 – Really Upsetting Pinterest Board f/ Mairghread Scott

Mon, 31 Aug 2015 16:00:41 -0000

Our guest this week is the writer of the new Boom Studios series Toil and Trouble and the Transformers: Windblade series, Mairghread Scott! We talk with her about the pressures of writing a series that adds to Macbeth, Transformers (of course), working on the G.I. Joe: Renegades animated series, curses, and much more! Plus, we answer a listener question or two (one of which we aren't sure if we've answered before.

Every Story Ever Special: August 2015

Thu, 27 Aug 2015 13:53:37 -0000

August is winding down, which means it's time once again for us to add some entries to the ever-expanding Every Story Ever list!

Episode 268 – That Old Shark's Mouth

Mon, 24 Aug 2015 16:00:12 -0000

This week, we're filling out our Word Heavyweight Champion list with nearly a full hour of lists of your favorite comics quotes! Plus checks, recs and comics reviews return!

Episode 267 – Cool For the SummerSlam f/ Amanda Meadows and Geoffrey Golden

Mon, 17 Aug 2015 16:00:40 -0000

The editors of the comedy magazine The Devastator return for a super-sized interview segment all about this year's WWE SummerSlam! We run down the card and make predictions, getting particularly sidetracked about Arrow's Stephen Amell appearing in a match.

Episode 266 – All Hail Dr. Laser-Ray f/ Christopher Sebela

Mon, 10 Aug 2015 16:00:35 -0000

Friend of the show and writer of the new Boom series Welcome Back, Christopher Sebela, is our guest this week! We talk with him about high-concept comics with last-page reveals, how hate is a lot like love, his list of people who have made "Welcome Back, Kotter" jokes, the title of the series, his collection of weird conspiracy flyers and much more! Plus, we answer a few listener questions!

Episode 265 – Bustin' Overdose f/ Erik Burnham

Mon, 03 Aug 2015 16:00:54 -0000

This week, we welcome the writer of IDW's Ghostbusters Get Real and other bustin' comics, Erik Burnham! We talk about Jake Blues, giving Winston the spotlight, why Ghostbusters II is so maligned, whether Ghostbusters could sustain a serious horror story and so much more! Plus, more quotes for the Word Heavyweight Champion list!

Every Story Ever Special: July 2015

Thu, 30 Jul 2015 02:45:55 -0000

It's that time again! As July wraps up, we're adding more entries to our huge list of comic stories, ranked from best to worst!

Episode 264 – Christmas Only Comes Once a Year f/ Alex de Campi

Mon, 27 Jul 2015 16:00:14 -0000

Fresh off her last appearance on the show, writer Alex de Campi rejoins us to talk about her digital comic Valentine, James Bond, the Archies, her Grindhouse series, digital comics in general and much more! Plus, we take some listener questions!

Episode 263 – The People's System f/ Jeremy Parish

Mon, 20 Jul 2015 16:00:45 -0000

This week, guest host Kieran Shiach fills in for Matt as we welcome guest Jeremy Parish to the show! We talk to him about his work on the Anatomy of Games and Game Boy World series, as well as a surprising discussion about Nth Man: The Ultimate Ninja: Beyond World War III. Plus, a special edition of the Word Heavyweight Champions makes Chris use a cussword.

Episode 262 – The We're-Not-at-Comic-Con Questions Special

Mon, 13 Jul 2015 16:00:42 -0000

We're taking your questions while we celebrate not having to endure the horrors of San Diego Comic-Con!

Episode 261 – Oh, There's Danzig f/ Chrissie Zullo

Mon, 06 Jul 2015 16:00:05 -0000

Our guest this week is Fables cover artist Chrissie Zullo! We talk with her about the process of creating cover art, con commissions, the horrors and wonders of San Diego Comic-Con, video games, being a creator and a fan, and much more! Plus, we take a couple listener questions!

Every Story Ever Special: June 2015

Tue, 30 Jun 2015 18:17:20 -0000

We're back at the tail end of June, raring to add more entries to our huge list of comic stories, ranked from best to worst!

Episode 260 – Men of Extremes f/ Andy Suriano and Matt Chapman

Mon, 29 Jun 2015 16:00:43 -0000

We're happy to welcome the co-creators of Cosmic Scoundrels, Andy Suriano and Matt Chapman, to this week's show! We talk about their backgrounds in animation, Easter eggs, how far is too far with scoundrel characters, publishing on the web and in print, Homestar Runner (of course) and much more! Plus, more quotes are added to the Word Heavyweight Champion list!

Episode 259 – Heroes Con 2015 Special f/ Tom Scioli

Mon, 22 Jun 2015 16:03:26 -0000

Chris and Matt were at Heroes Con in Charlotte this weekend, and in the process they sat down with an impromptu studio audience of sorts to talk with Transformers vs. G.I. Joe co-writer and artist Tom Scioli about some of the weird comics trends of the past few decades, particularly movie adaptation comics. That and much more in our con special!

Episode 258 – The Bummer Track, Daddio f/ Jon Morris

Mon, 15 Jun 2015 15:55:05 -0000

This week, we welcome back Jon Morris, author of the brand new book, The League of Regrettable Superheroes! We chat about just what makes a superhero regrettable, how Squirrel Girl transcended that label, the weird darkness of Golden Age characters, Columbo, and much more! Plus, more entries to our Word Heavyweight Champion list!

Episode 257 – Wolfman, Hawkman, Serpentor, Panther f/ Kel McDonald

Mon, 08 Jun 2015 16:00:03 -0000

Our pal Kel McDonald is back to talk about her new Kickstarter for the graphic novel The Better to Find You With, the opposite of vampires, monster lore, magic rules, process and so much more! Plus, we answer some listener questions!

Episode 256 – Romance Cryptkeeper f/ Janelle Asselin

Mon, 01 Jun 2015 16:00:55 -0000

The editor of Fresh Romance, founder of Rosy Press and senior editor of ComicsAlliance, Janelle Asselin, joins us this week to talk about the business of comics, the romance genre, the job of an editor, fashion in comics, the incomparable Rosie Perez and much more! Plus, we add a few quotes to our Word Heavyweight Champions list!

Every Story Ever Special: May 2015

Thu, 28 May 2015 21:21:12 -0000

It's time once again to add more entries to our huge list of comic stories, ranked from best to worst!

Episode 255 – A Renaissance Pictures Production f/ Jeremy Whitley

Mon, 25 May 2015 16:00:30 -0000

Jeremy Whitley, the writer of Princeless, sits down with us this week to talk about The Pirate Princess, The Action Pack block of shows, The Flash, fictional swords, creating characters, and much, much more! Plus, we answer a pair of listener questions!

Episode 254 – Too Stupid and Ugly

Mon, 18 May 2015 16:00:25 -0000

Our list of comic book quotes is growing by leaps and bounds this week, as we're plowing through user-submitted Word Heavyweight Champion lists!

Episode 253 – Tailgate Talk f/ David Willis

Mon, 11 May 2015 16:00:14 -0000

The cartoonist behind Dumbing of Age and Shortpacked, David Willis, joins us this week! We talk about his home-school upbringing and how it influenced his comics, evolution as a creator and a person, Transformers, the transforming noise, and much more! Plus, a listener request for comics recommendations!

Episode 252 – Multihorsity f/ Ted Anderson

Mon, 04 May 2015 16:00:15 -0000

The writer of a good many My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and Equestria Girls comics, Ted Anderson, is here to answer our many, many questions about the strange world of girls who used to be ponies (Or have pony counterparts? Not entirely sure). We talk with him about an all-wrestling issue he wrote, the pony multiverse, cutie marks, and much more! Plus, we take some listener questions!

Every Story Ever Special: April 2015

Thu, 30 Apr 2015 17:32:32 -0000

April is closing out with more additions to our huge list, ranked from best to worst!

Episode 251 – My 'Twilight' f/Laura Hudson

Mon, 27 Apr 2015 15:16:18 -0000

Our guest this week is former ComicsAlliance editor and current senior editor of Boing Boing's new video game site Offworld, Laura Hudson! We talk with her about games journalism, how it compares to comics journalism, the transformative experience of playing video games, covering corners and niches no one else does, and much more! Plus, new entries into our Word Heavyweight Champions lis

Episode 250 – apph8er420

Mon, 20 Apr 2015 16:00:17 -0000

It's our 250th episode, and we're celebrating by taking your listener questions and getting off topic even more than usual. Enjoy!

Episode 249 – Besieged by Media f/ Kelly Thompson

Mon, 13 Apr 2015 15:20:44 -0000

The writer of IDW's new Jem and the Holograms series, Kelly Thompson, joins us for this week's show! We talk with her about character designs, working on a licensed book, favorite songs, the Misfits' penchant for murder, G.I. Joe, hologram powers, and much more! Plus, more additions to the list to determine the Word Heavyweight Champion!

Episode 248 – Care of the Cat f/ Chip Zdarsky

Mon, 06 Apr 2015 16:00:36 -0000

This week we're welcoming the illustrious artist of Sex Criminals and the writer of Marvel's new Howard the Duck series, Chip Zdarsky! We talk at length about Garfield, the phenomenon of Sex Criminals, living up to Steve Gerber's legacy, AR videos, and much more! Plus, we answer a manga-based listener question!

Episode 247 – In My Mind, It's Perfectly Normal f/ Karla Pacheco

Mon, 30 Mar 2015 16:00:14 -0000

Our guest this week is a longtime friend and writer of Inspector Pancakes Helps the President of France Solve the White Orchid Murders and Dreadful Sirens, Karla Pacheco! We talk with her about pirate history, writing a children's book that isn't for kids, 18-plus comics, comedy, odd clothing purchases and much more! Plus, more contenders for the Word Heavyweight Champion!

Every Story Ever Special: March 2015

Sun, 29 Mar 2015 15:36:51 -0000

We're back for March with more additions to our huge list, ranked from best to worst!

Episode 246 – Wrestlemania 31 Special f/ Danielle Matheson and Kieran Shiach

Mon, 23 Mar 2015 16:00:46 -0000

This week, we're welcoming our friends Danielle Matheson of With Spandex and Kieran Shiach of the Have a Nice Day Podcast to talk about our less-than-stellar feelings about this Sunday's Wrestlemania 31 (aka Play Button). Also, a special message from Chris.

Episode 245 – My Hamburger Hill f/ Alex de Campi

Mon, 16 Mar 2015 15:42:18 -0000

This week, Archie vs. Predator and No Mercy writer Alex de Campi sits down with us to talk about going over the line with the Archie characters, putting teenagers in danger, comics crossovers, bigtime spoilers, how horror writers feel about horror, and much more! Plus, we take a handful of listener questions!

Episode 244 – Twisting Your Mind Toward the BS Zone f/ Chris Burnham

Mon, 09 Mar 2015 16:00:33 -0000

Chris Burnham, the artist of the new Image series Nameless, returns to War Rocket Ajax this week! We talk with him about the surprising creative team behind the Officer Downe movie, Nixon's Pals, designing odd shapes, redrawing Batman's costume in Batman Inc., all-ages comics, and much more! Plus, we add some quotes to the list of the Word Heavyweight Champions!

Episode 243 – Comics Are the Constant f/ Ed Brubaker

Mon, 02 Mar 2015 16:28:08 -0000

We are proud as can be to welcome one of our favorites ever to the show this week: Ed Brubaker! We talk with him about being in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the process of bringing Bucky back, writing for TV versus writing comics, the new Criminal magazine, spy movies, noir lingo, and much more! Plus, Chris and Matt take a few listener questions!

Every Story Ever Special: February 2015

Thu, 26 Feb 2015 16:21:19 -0000

We're back with more additions to our huge list, ranked from best to worst!

Episode 242 – Always Drawing Robocop f/ Erica Henderson

Mon, 23 Feb 2015 17:00:17 -0000

This week we are so very pleased to welcome the artist of Unbeatable Squirrel Girl and our good friend Erica Henderson to the show! We talk to her about costume and character design, Robocop (of course), Marvel Puzzle Quest, humor in comics, Kraven's butt, and so much more! Plus, some more quotes compete to be the Word Heavyweight Champion!

Episode 241 – Witch Party f/ Becky Cloonan, Brenden Fletcher and Karl Kerschl

Mon, 16 Feb 2015 17:00:45 -0000

It's a full house this week! We have the two writers and the artist behind DC Comics' Gotham Academy, Becky Cloonan, Brenden Fletcher and Karl Kerschl! We talk to them at length about the inspiration for the book, how they pitched it, Bookworm, character names, storytelling, spooky houses and much more! Plus, we take your listener questions!

Episode 240 – Ajaxing Time f/ Caleb Goellner

Mon, 09 Feb 2015 16:07:07 -0000

Our pal and former ComicsAlliance editor Caleb Goellner joins us this week to talk about his work on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles New Animated Adventures comics and Task Force Rad Squad, but we mostly jaw about Power Rangers. Plus, more quotes are added to the list to determine the Word Heavyweight Champion!

Episode 239 – All Locked Up f/ Gregg Schigiel

Mon, 02 Feb 2015 16:27:41 -0000

Our guest this week is the creator of the graphic novel Pix: One Weirdest Weekend and artist of the classic anti-drug Spider-Man Comic Fastlane, Gregg Schigiel! We talk with him about game shows, facial hair, the history of Fastlane, Tom Cruise, self-publishing, playing the long game, and much more! Plus, we take some listener questions!

Episode 238 – Canadio f/ Tom Fowler

Mon, 26 Jan 2015 16:15:29 -0000

Our old pal Tom Fowler, artist of Howtoons [Re]Ignition, is back to talk about Canadian beer, D & D, giants, Kamandi, making comics for his kids, Howard Chaykin, and much more! Plus, we add some quotes to our list of comic-book quotables, and name the segment!

Every Story Ever Special: January 2015

Thu, 22 Jan 2015 15:54:55 -0000

You asked for it, you got it! Thanks to the backers on our new Patreon, we're doing an additional monthly Every Story Ever special, adding even more titles to our gigantic list!

Episode 237 – KISS Army, Carol Corps f/ Kelly Sue DeConnick

Mon, 19 Jan 2015 16:41:32 -0000

This week we are happy to announce the return of Bitch Planet, Captain Marvel and Pretty Deadly writer Kelly Sue DeConnick to War Rocket Ajax! We talk with her about KISS, the Noncompliant logo, exploitation cinema, putting out a comic with the title Bitch Planet, her kids' reaction to that title, and much more! Plus, an all new after-interview segment!

Episode 236 – The 2015th Annual Gordie Awards

Mon, 12 Jan 2015 17:00:23 -0000

It's that time again! We're back with the most important award show in comics, wrestling, and all other entertainment, the Flash Gordon Memorial Awards! You submitted the categories, we picked the winners!

Episode 235 – I Don't Think So, Chris

Mon, 29 Dec 2014 17:00:32 -0000

We're here with a special New Year's episode for you! Start playing the show at 11:15 on December 31, and we'll count down to midnight with you!

Episode 234 – 40 Stories of Commentary f/ Matt Fraction

Mon, 22 Dec 2014 17:00:33 -0000

This Christmas, we all got together and recorded a commentary track for Die Hard. Best to you and yours.

Episode 233 - Much Like Pornography f/ Brian Clevinger

Mon, 15 Dec 2014 17:00:00 -0000

Brian Clevinger, Atomic Robo co-creator and co-writer of the brand new webcomic project The Bureau of Infernal Affairs, returns to War Rocket Ajax this week! We talk to him about Kickstarter, the worst movies of the 1980s, investigative teams that have one man and one woman, working with Erica Henderson, and, of course, insults. Plus, (the last?) Every Story Ever!

Episode 232 – No Kissy Opinions f/Kel McDonald

Mon, 08 Dec 2014 17:00:00 -0000

This week, we welcome the writer/artist of Sorcery 101 and Misfits of Avalon, Kel McDonald! We talk to her at length about urban sorcery television, particularly Sleepy Hollow, her positively massive new Sorcery 101 omnibus, Gambit, our yogurt-eating session at San Diego Comic-Con and much more! Plus, three more Every Story Ever entries!

Episode 231 - The Go-To Degenerate Writer f/James Asmus

Mon, 24 Nov 2014 17:00:00 -0000

We’re thankful to have James Asmus, writer of Quantum and Woody and co-writer of the new miniseries The Delinquents, as our guest this week! We talk with him about dirty plays, Gambit, hobos, comedy, collaborating with Fred Van Lente, and so much more! Plus, more Every Story Ever entries!

Episode 230 - The Worst Food f/Nolan T. Jones

Mon, 17 Nov 2014 17:00:00 -0000

Our guest this week is Nolan T. Jones, one of the co-founders of Roll20 and the writer of the new digital comic Colonial Souls! We talk with him about mashing up genres, writing comics that do things readers don’t expect, assembling a creative team, tabletop gaming (natch), Kanye West, and much more! Plus, more Every Story Ever entries!

Episode 229 - Loose and Free (ESE Special)

Mon, 10 Nov 2014 17:00:00 -0000

We’ve got the eye of the tiger with another Every Story Ever special!

Episode 228 - The Real Jolly Green Giant f/Arthur Wyatt

Mon, 03 Nov 2014 17:00:00 -0000

We’re welcoming back Dredd: Uprise writer and expert about all things 2000 AD, Arthur Wyatt to the show! We talk to him about how Uprise may be treading on controversial ground, Judge Dredd’s history with fast food mascots, Rogue Trooper, tropes of dystopian future tales, and much more! Plus, three more entries into Every Story Ever!

Episode 227 - Giant Jaded Babies f/Benito Cereno

Mon, 27 Oct 2014 16:00:00 -0000

It’s our annual Halloween special, and our old pal Benito Cereno is back to talk about his story in this year’s Boo! anthology, his childhood werewolf character, costumes of his youth, candy, and of course, his spooky movie recommendations! Plus, one more Every Spooky Ever list!

Episode 226 - Goblins and Haints f/Jon Morris

Mon, 20 Oct 2014 16:00:00 -0000

The editor of the Boo! horror comics anthology, Jon Morris, joins us for this week’s episode! We talk to him about the long history of Boo!, just what kinds of Halloweeny stuff he really likes, post-mortem body plans, his new book about regrettable superheroes, and much more! Plus, another Every Spooky Ever list!

Episode 225 - Every Spooky Ever

Mon, 13 Oct 2014 16:00:00 -0000

It’s another Every Story Ever special, but this time, in honor of Halloween, we’re strictly focusing on the spooky stuff!

Episode 224 - Hybrid Dracula f/Rusty Shackles

Mon, 06 Oct 2014 16:00:00 -0000

Our old pal Rusty Shackles is back after a long absence from the show, and he’s talking to us about one of our favorite topics: Castlevania! We also talk about his cover art for the newest installment of the Boo! anthology, kung fu movies (obvs), the Nintendo 64, and much more! Plus, more Every Story Ever entries!

Episode 223 - Bummed Out in the Waffle House f/Jim Zub

Mon, 29 Sep 2014 16:00:00 -0000

Jim Zub, the writer of Wayward and Skullkickers among many, many other comics, joins us for the show this week! We talk with him about realistically depicting teen angst, the comparisons between Wayward and Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, juggling six monthly titles, and (of course) role-playing games. Plus, three more entries into our Every Story Ever list!

Episode 222 - Rhodes Scholar f/Box Brown

Mon, 22 Sep 2014 16:00:00 -0000

This week, Chris and Matt are talking with Box Brown, the writer and artist behind Andre the Giant: Life and Legend! We talk to him about research, figuring out just what to believe when wrestlers give “shoot” interviews, what he had to cut out of the book, Joey Bishop, and much more! Plus, three more Every Story Ever entries!

Episode 221 - Theme Park for Babies (Every Story Ever Special)

Mon, 15 Sep 2014 16:00:00 -0000

Chris and Matt are back with another Every Story Ever special!

Episode 220 - The Known Unknown f/Sean Ryan

Mon, 01 Sep 2014 16:00:00 -0000

The writer of DC Comics’ New Suicide Squad, Sean Ryan, joins us this week! We start off with a discussion of “Hot for Teacher” and people who have the same names as us, and it just picks up from there. We discuss how Sean worked as an editor at Marvel and DC, the concept for his Suicide Squad, c-list villains, and much more! Plus, more Every Story Ever entries!

Episode 219 - Knockin' Dirt Daubers off the Barn f/Jason Latour

Mon, 25 Aug 2014 16:00:00 -0000

The co-creator and artist of Southern Bastards, Jason Latour, joins us this week to talk about sweet tea, barbecue, logos on clothing, meeting Jason Aaron, dog poop, and so much more! It’s our most Southern episode ever. Plus: More Every Story Ever entries!

Episode 218 - Sold on the Shiny f/Amy Reeder and Brandon Montclare

Mon, 18 Aug 2014 16:00:00 -0000

The writer and artist behind the Image Comics series Rocket Girl join us for this week’s show! We talk about costume design, 1980s nostalgia, cool comic titles, Kickstarter, Japanese death tea, and much more! Plus, more entries into our Every Story Ever list!

Episode 217 - The Sound of People Vomiting f/Jeremy Whitley

Mon, 11 Aug 2014 16:00:00 -0000

Our guest this week is the writer of Princeless and the upcoming series Illegal, Jeremy Whitley! We talk with him about con experiences, My Little Pony, the Baroness, Kickstarter, and much, much more! Plus, more entries (this time guest-suggested) into our Every Story Ever list!

Episode 216 - Breakin' 100 (Every Story Ever Special)

Mon, 04 Aug 2014 16:00:00 -0000

We’re back from San Diego with another all-Every Story Ever special!

Episode 215 - The Best and Worst of Comic-Con 2014

Mon, 28 Jul 2014 16:00:00 -0000

Chris and Matt were at Comic-Con International in San Diego last week, and surprisingly, it wasn’t all terrible. Here’s their fully raw roundup of the events of the year’s biggest con!

Episode 214 - Droppin' Some Cuss Words f/Tim Seeley

Mon, 21 Jul 2014 16:00:00 -0000

This week, we’re talking to the co-writer of Grayson and Batman Eternal, and the writer of the new Dark Horse series Sundowners, Tim Seeley! As you might expect, we discuss spy stuff and Batman, but we also talk about Myrtle Beach comic conventions, weird panels, real-life superheroes and a ton more! Plus, three new entries in our Every Story Ever list!

Episode 213 - The Thunder Rolls

Mon, 14 Jul 2014 16:00:00 -0000

As a thunderstorm crashes around them, Matt and Chris add a whole bunch of new stories to their list of Every Story Ever this week!

Episode 212 - Being There f/Brandon Stroud

Mon, 07 Jul 2014 16:00:00 -0000

Brandon Stroud, writer of With Leather’s “Best and Worst of Raw” column and the new horror movie Meet Me There, joins us for this week’s show! We talk about wooing Dustin Rhodes and Jill Thompson to be in his movie, Rob Liefeld, how Todd McFarlane’s art is like fashion, what it’s like to write a low-budget movie, and much more! Plus, three more entries to our ever-growing list of Every Story Ever!

Episode 211 - Batdance f/Douglas Wolk

Mon, 30 Jun 2014 16:00:00 -0000

Our guest this week is the an accomplished critic and commentator, as well as the writer of Judge Dredd Mega City Two: City of Courts, Douglas Wolk! We talk to him a ton about the history of Judge Dredd and 2000 AD, balancing being a critic and a creator at the same time, fans becoming creators, the moving target of authorship, and, of course, Prince. Plus, more entries into our Every Story Ever list!

Episode 210 - Live From The Hotel

Mon, 23 Jun 2014 16:00:00 -0000

It's our annual special from the Heroes Convention in Charlotte, NC! Join us for about 45 minutes of revelry with Chad Bowers from the Westin Hotel, and check out the show notes below to watch the videos we discuss!

We'll be back with a guest and Every Story Ever next week!

Episode 209 - One Centaur, One Minotaur f/Benjamin Marra

Mon, 16 Jun 2014 16:00:00 -0000

This week, we're welcoming Ben Marra, the writer and artist of such comics as Night Business, Blades and Lazers, Gangsta Rap Posse, The Incredibly Fantastic Adventures of Maureen Dowd (A Work of Satire and Fiction) and many others! We talk about influences, video stores, making Nazis bad guys, the appeal of trash, and much more! Plus, three more Byrne-tastic entries into our Every Story Ever list!

Episode 208 - Let Me Watch This Stupid Garbage f/Meg Lovell

Mon, 09 Jun 2014 16:00:00 -0000

Matt has returned from a long and arduous move, and he and Chris are talking to the writer and artist of the webcomic Tagged! this week, Meg Lovell! They talk about being a wrestling fan, calling a comic on Tumblr "Tagged," Patrick Swayze, Sailor Moon, The Shield, and much more! Plus, Every Story Ever returns!

Episode 207 - Episode 207 - King Kirby f/Fred Van Lente, Crystal Skillman, Amy Lee Pearsall and Steve Rattazzi

Mon, 02 Jun 2014 16:00:00 -0000

This week, Chris and special guest host Kieran Shiach welcome the writers and two cast members from the play King Kirby! They have a big old time talking about the King of Comics.

Episode 206 - Dinosaur in a Spacesuit f/Ryan North

Mon, 19 May 2014 16:00:00 -0000

Ryan North, writer of The Midas Flesh, Adventure Time and Dinosaur Comics, is on the show this week to talk about all-ages comics, being tall, genocide, the Canadian video game tip line, comics being autobiographical, comics not being autobiographical, and much more! Plus, an X-Men themed Every Story Ever list!

Episode 205 - Everything Can Betray You f/Jai Nitz

Mon, 12 May 2014 16:00:00 -0000

Our guest this week is Dream Thief and Toshiro writer Jai Nitz! We talk at length about Hellboy, John Byrne, getting con commissions, and eventually even a little bit about his comics. Plus, three more entries are added to our list of Every Story Ever!

Episode 204 - The Gift of Thrillpower f/Arthur Wyatt

Mon, 05 May 2014 16:00:00 -0000

On this week's show, we're gazing into the fist of Dredd with Dredd: Underbelly writer Arthur Wyatt! We're talking a whole lot about the many writers who have penned stories for 2000 AD, how Dredd is an outsider's look at America, moving to the U.S. from the U.K., the decision process for making a comics sequel to Dredd, and much more! Plus, a new set of entries into our Every Story Ever list!

Episode 203 - Edit-Free ESE

Mon, 28 Apr 2014 16:00:00 -0000

Because Matt spent the weekend at C2E2 and couldn't edit the show this week, he and Chris and doing a special edit-free Every Story Ever special this week! Among the comics we discuss, the best (?) Mark Millar comic, Superman Red Son, and the worst Grant Morrison comic. Which one is that? Listen and find out!

Episode 202 - Bro-Based Observation f/Jeff Parker and Evan 'Doc' Shaner

Mon, 21 Apr 2014 16:00:00 -0000

This week, the writer and artist behind Dynamite's new Flash Gordon series, Jeff Parker and Evan "Doc" Shaner, are our guests! We're talking about Flash's shirt, logos, Timothy Dalton, bros, the forgotten art of "icing," Queen, EC Comics, and so much more! Plus, more comic stories get added to our Every Story Ever list!

Episode 201 - 20 Pages of Bloodshed f/Michel Fiffe

Mon, 14 Apr 2014 16:00:00 -0000

This week, we're really excited to welcome the one-man powerhouse behind COPRA and the writer of the just-launched All New Ultimates series, Michel Fiffe! We talk about writing comics at a breakneck pace, his insane schedule, the difference between working for yourself and working for Marvel, street gangs, Street Fighter, and so much more! Plus, two more stories join our Every Story Ever list!

Episode 200 - Portland Joe's Time Machines and Unicycles

Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:00:00 -0000

This week, Chris is back from his trip to the Pacific Northwest with a lot of stories and a particularly odd souvenir: A time machine! How will he and Matt put it to use? Who will they meet on their journey? Listen and find out!

Episode 199 - Leatherwood's and Fantasy Zone f/Laura Hudson

Mon, 31 Mar 2014 16:00:00 -0000

Chris is at Emerald City Comic-Con this week, so Matt invited David Wolkin to come co-host the show with him! During the interview segment, Matt and David chat with Wired's Laura Hudson about how the three of them got started with comics! We discuss Psylocke, sleepovers, supermarkets, Guy Gardner, cartoons, Suicide Squad and much more!

Episode 198 - Michael 'Pro-Wrestling Show" Hayes f/Chris Haley and Danielle Matheson

Mon, 24 Mar 2014 16:00:00 -0000

It's our annual Wrestlemania show this week and we're welcoming The Mandible Claw and WithLeather's Danielle Matheson and Let's Be Friends Again and The Gravity Falls Gossiper's Chris Haley to talk about it! It's a lot of wrestling talk this week, folks. There's no way around it! Also, lots of jokes.

Episode 197 - A New Number One

Mon, 17 Mar 2014 16:00:00 -0000

This week, Chris and Matt are working their way through a few more Every Story Ever lists, and in a huge surprise, a story makes its way into the number one spot after an exhausting debate! You may be surprised as to what it is! Also: A few stories make a charge for the bottom spot on the list!

Episode 196 - Ninja Poetry f/Adam P. Knave and D.J. Kirkbride

Mon, 10 Mar 2014 16:00:00 -0000

The writers behind Monkeybrain Comics' Amelia Cole, Adam P. Knave and D.J. Kirkbride, join us for the show this week! This is a crazy one, folks. We talk about interviewing Laurell K. Hamilton, Lloyd Kaufman, cardigans, personalized jackets, comedy writing, ninjas, and, if we get the chance, their comic. Plus, more Every Story Ever!

Episode 195 - Nintendo Knows f/ Aaron Diaz

Mon, 03 Mar 2014 17:00:00 -0000

The writer and artist behind Dresden Codak, Aaron Diaz, joins us this week! We talk about what goes into designing and redesigning characters, people believing that his Zelda art was for an actual game, men's rights activists, falling in love with Daniel Bryan, Power Girl, martial arts, and much more! Plus, a JMS-fueled set of entries in Every Story Ever!

Episode 194 - Laugh of the Wife Ant f/AssailAnt

Mon, 24 Feb 2014 17:00:00 -0000

This week, we welcome Chikara Pro Wrestling’s resident Big Blu ant, AssailANT! We talk with him about Chikara’s Phoenix-like rise, what comics he’s reading, manga, his journey from villain to hero, what wrestling move he’d like to be able to do to annoying people on the street, and much more! Plus, more entries into the list of Every Story Ever!

Episode 193 - Iced Out

Mon, 17 Feb 2014 17:00:00 -0000

We had to postpone our normal episode this week because the ice storm in South Carolina knocked out Chris’ internet, but we did manage to add some more stories to our Every Story Ever master list!

Episode 192 - Get Me Off This Crazy Thing f/R.J. Ryan, Dave Marquez and Tara Rhymes

Mon, 10 Feb 2014 17:00:00 -0000

On this week’s episode, we welcome the creative team behind Archaia’s upcoming graphic novel, The Joyners in 3D: R.J. (Josh) Ryan, David Marquez, and Tara Rhymes! We talk to them about why they decided to do a 3D comic, the 3D comics that inspired them, the process of making the comic 3D, The Jetsons, why George Joyner is such a powerful character, the most disappointing movies we’ve seen, and much more! Plus, more entries into the list of Every Story Ever!

Episode 191 - Dames 'n' Such

Mon, 03 Feb 2014 17:00:00 -0000

This week, Chris and Matt are giving in and interviewing each other about their new comics, Down Set Fight and Copernicus Jones: Robot Detective! We talk about how Copernicus Jones started as a parody and turned into something else entirely, how Dog City and Who Framed Roger Rabbit were our introduction to noir, Down Set Fight’s early life as an NFL Superpro pitch, and how cartoony flashbacks actually make a family story work a little better. Plus, more entries in our ever-expanding catalog of Every Story Ever!

Episode 190 - Pokemon, Gimme a Hell Yeah f/Mike Lawrence

Mon, 27 Jan 2014 17:00:00 -0000

Comedian Mike Lawrence joins us for this week’s show to talk about doing comedy at comic conventions, being heckled by the Hulk, telling jokes about wrestling and comics in clubs, the Clone Saga being like cocaine, who’ll win the Royal Rumble even though it already happened last night, whether superhero movies make it easier to do comedy about comics, and much more! Plus, three more things get added to the list of Every Story Ever!

Episode 189 - Evil Jesus and Buckethead f/Shawn Gabborin and Chad Cicconi

Mon, 20 Jan 2014 17:00:00 -0000

The creative team behind the Action Lab series Fracture joins us for this week’s show! We talk about the comic-book history of heroes with multiple personalities, how to show those different personalities in art, putting hilarious characters in the background, ramping up craziness, whether Gambit is a good addition to a story or not, a barbecue conundrum and much more! Plus, we kick off a brand new segment for 2014!

Episode 188 - The 2013 Gordie Awards

Mon, 13 Jan 2014 17:00:00 -0000

It’s time once again to hand out the annual Flash Gordon Memorial Awards for Achievement in Things We Could Remember from 2013! Listen as we try to think of stuff that happened this past year (or maybe in late 2012 or early 2014, but it all counts)!

Episode 187 - The 2013 Yuletide Solstice Podmass Podcast Podbash Bash Blast Cast Jax f/Matt Fraction and Maggie Serota

Mon, 23 Dec 2013 17:00:00 -0000

For this year’s Christmas special, we all challenged each other to create the worst Christmas mixtapes we could.

We succeeded.

Episode 186 - The Hearts of Lions f/Greg Pak

Mon, 16 Dec 2013 17:00:00 -0000

Action Comics and Code Monkey Save World writer Greg Pak joins us this week! We talk at length about Lana Lang, what makes a good supporting character, how collaborating on comics is like making a movie, Superman’s best trait and favorite video game, Terra Man, and much more! Plus, a Christmas-themed Love Haters!

Episode 185 - Do You Know the Internet? f/Chris Roberson and Dennis Culver

Mon, 09 Dec 2013 17:00:00 -0000

The creative team behind Monkeybrain’s Edison Rex comes by to talk to us this week about building a superhero universe, character designs, falling into naming characters after comic book publishers, whether supervillains can really find redemption, food freshness, The Goonies, and much more! Plus, the War Rocket Ajax Love Haters go full Kanye!

Episode 184 - Don't Get Us Started

Mon, 25 Nov 2013 17:00:00 -0000

We’re answering your listener questions in our Thanksgiving-week special this week! Thanks for listening to us and helping make the show what it is!

Episode 183 - In Loving Memory of Ed Anger f/Paul Allor

Mon, 18 Nov 2013 17:00:00 -0000

Strange Nation and G.I. Joe writer Paul Allor joins us this week to talk about the Weekly World News, Shredder, Splinter origin stories, Cobra Commander through the ages, vipers, ninjas, favorite Joes, and much more! Plus, a regionally themed edition of the War Rocket Ajax Love Haters!

Episode 182 - Hawk Talk f/Matthew K. Manning

Mon, 11 Nov 2013 17:00:00 -0000

Our guest this week is the illustrious author of The Batman Files, The Superman Files and two Tony Hawk books, Matthew K. Manning! We talk about, you guessed it, Batman, and even have a little impromptu trivia challenge. Plus, we discuss writing in Superman’s voice, writing about skateboarding without knowing anything about it, “cartoon” comics, and much more! Plus, a blood-sucking edition of the War Rocket Ajax Love Haters!

Episode 181 - No-Shoes Meeting f/J. Gonzo

Mon, 04 Nov 2013 17:00:00 -0000

J. Gonzo, the creator of the lucha libre comic La Mano del Destino, comes by to talk to us for this week’s show! We chat about being a hipster Mexican wrestling fan, classic El Santo films, Todd McFarlane’s meeting habits, collectible baseballs, tattoos, and much more! Plus, a simple, one-item War Rocket Ajax Love Haters!

Episode 180 - D as in Dendrophile f/Benito Cereno

Mon, 28 Oct 2013 16:00:00 -0000

Hector Plasm and Tales from the Bully Pulpit writer Benito Cereno joins us this week for our annual Halloween Spooktacular! We jabber about horror movies (of course), the musical stylings of Carman, Godzilla in a Dracula costume, Thanksgiving, haunted houses, and much more! Plus, a monstrous edition of the War Rocket Ajax Love Haters!

Episode 179 - Not a Robot Ghost f/Jim Zub

Mon, 21 Oct 2013 16:00:00 -0000

The writer of Skullkickers and the brand new Samurai Jack series from IDW, Jim Zubkavich, is our guest this week! We talk about Halloween, what makes a great horror story, the melting pot of genres that is Samurai Jack, hearing established character voices in one’s head while writing, and much more! Plus, a spooooooky wrestling themed-love haters!

Episode 178 - A Way With Dinosaurs f/Lee Leslie and Daniel Kibblesmith

Mon, 14 Oct 2013 16:00:00 -0000

While Chris was away at New York Comic-Con, we welcomed two guests this week: Lee Leslie, the artist of Screamland and writer/artist of Rigby the Barbarian, and Daniel Kibblesmith, comedian and co-author of the upcoming book How to Win at Everything! Spooky, monster-related things are discussed, along with classic adventure games, doing characters on podcasts, how one can be a victor at reading, and of course, Cracker Barrel.

Episode 177 - Chatting Like Fellows f/Christopher Daniels

Mon, 07 Oct 2013 16:00:00 -0000

Impact wrestler and comics superfan Christopher Daniels is our guest this week! We talk about the link between wrestling and comics, Brian Michael Bendis, Jonathan Hickman, how comics writers and wrestlers can get pigeonholed, getting guys in the locker room to read comics, and much more! Plus, a Stand By Me-themed Love Haters!

Episode 176 - The Crossover Crossover f/The Devastator

Mon, 30 Sep 2013 16:00:00 -0000

To celebrate their new all-crossovers issue, three of the editors from The Devastator magazine, Geoffrey Golden, Amanda Meadows and Asterios Kokkinos, join us to talk about them this week! We get into our first crossovers, why they’re so interesting, why inter-company crossovers beat out intra-, and our absolute favorites!

Episode 175 - By Hook or By Crook f/Greg Rucka

Mon, 16 Sep 2013 16:00:00 -0000

One of his comics projects, Queen and Country, is reportedly becoming a movie, and one of the comics he wrote for quite a while, Batwoman, was in the news a lot this week, but we’ve got Greg Rucka talking to us about something else entirely: The Prisoner! We dig deep into the classic show and its influences on comics, including Greg’s own work! Plus, a highly musical installment of the War Rocket Ajax Love Haters!

Episode 174 - It Could Be Called 'Turd' f/Simon Oliver

Mon, 09 Sep 2013 16:00:00 -0000

Our guest this week is the writer of FBP: Federal Bureau of Physics, formerly known as Collider, Simon Oliver! We stay shockingly on-topic with our discussion of physicists in documentaries, an anti-gravity high school, the difficulty of titles, whether people can turn into boats, describing crazy physics anomalies to artists, and much more! Plus, a Charles-based Love Haters!

Episode 173 - Quelling the Moral Tremors f/Ted Anderson

Mon, 02 Sep 2013 16:00:00 -0000

The “NPR brony” and writer of two issues of the My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic Micro-Series, Ted Anderson, sits down to talk with us this week about brony culture, doing impressions, Daniel Day-Lewis, “Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me,” and much more!

Episode 172 - Subtle as a Freight Train f/Spike Trotman

Mon, 26 Aug 2013 16:00:00 -0000

The creator of Templar, Arizona, writer of Poorcraft and editor/contributor to Smut Peddler, C. Spike Trotman, is our guest this week! We have the Ajaxest interview ever with her, talking about wrestling, porno, doing things on the cheap, white tigers, college, Achewood and more! Plus, a not-particularly-thematic installment of the War Rocket Ajax Love Haters!

Episode 171 - Stiffin' the Cabbie f/Marc Tyler Nobleman

Mon, 19 Aug 2013 16:00:00 -0000

This week on War Rocket Ajax, our guest is the author of Bill the Boy Wonder and Boys of Steel, Marc Tyler Nobleman! We talk about Bill Finger, obviously, as well as hearing Marc’s best Bob Kane stories, his research techniques, opinions on the best Joker, teaching kids about Batman’s actual creator, and much more! Plus, a John-themed Love Haters!

Episode 170 - The Rad Box f/Aubrey Sitterson

Mon, 12 Aug 2013 16:00:00 -0000

Our guest this week is the writer of the new Arcana/Rodenberry Entertainment graphic novel Worth, Aubrey Sitterson! We talk with him a bit about his day job at WWE Games, a whole lot about tattoos, what machine he’d want to talk to (like Worth), why he set his OGN in Detroit, getting surprises back from artists, mutual friends, and much more! Plus, a polarizing edition of the War Rocket Ajax Love Haters!

Episode 169 - I'm Dr. Comics f/Brian Clevinger

Mon, 05 Aug 2013 16:00:00 -0000

Atomic Robo writer extraordinaire Brian Clevinger joins us this week to talk about his Kickstarter campaign, working in a comic shop, Orlando architecture, literacy, his awareness of martial arts, unfollowing Chris on Twitter and much more! Plus, a brief War Rocket Ajax Love Haters in which our listeners try to get clever!

Episode 168 - The Ed Hardy of Kaiju f/Josh Finney, Kat Rocha and Pat McEvoy

Mon, 29 Jul 2013 16:00:00 -0000

The creative team behind the new graphic novel World War Kaiju joins us for this week’s show! We talk about the cultural moment of kaiju, living in San Diego during Comic-Con, the best Godzilla monsters, replacing the atomic bomb, and much more! Plus, a podcastual installment of the War Rocket Ajax Love Haters!

Episode 167 - Besieged by the Giggle Fits f/Chris Haley

Mon, 22 Jul 2013 16:00:00 -0000

Sims was away at Comic-Con this week, but we’re still doing a big old show with Chris Haley of the Gravity Falls Gossiper podcast and Let’s Be Friends Again! He and Matt tear down the format of the show to have a freewheelin’ conversation about impressions, Bill Hader, wrestling (more than you would ever think), art in comics, whether box office should matter for movie fans, game shows, comic convention crowds, and a lot more! Not discussed (at length): Connecticon and Van Halen, even though we say we’re getting to those. Plus, Sims does check in from the con!

Episode 166 - Look at Dr. Fancy f/Tom Fowler

Mon, 15 Jul 2013 16:00:00 -0000

Tom Fowler, artist of the brand new Valiant Comics series Quantum and Woody, joins us for the show this week! We talk about comics critics and what they say about art, playing D & D, penises, “acting” in comic art, Golden Corral, and much more! Plus, a hip-hop-themed installment of the War Rocket Ajax Love Haters!

Episode 165 - Cool Spiky Hair f/Marcus To

Mon, 08 Jul 2013 16:00:00 -0000

The artist behind Archaia’s new re-imagining of Cyborg 009, Marcus To, joins us this week to talk about adapting a classic manga, “Thor buttons,” cyborg babies, Tim Drake, the best cyborgs of all time, and, of course, hairstyles. Also, a Comic-Con-related listener question!

Episode 164 - We Are the Guinea Pigs f/Allison Baker and Chris Roberson

Mon, 01 Jul 2013 16:00:00 -0000

In honor of Monkeybrain Comics’ first anniversary, co-publishers Chris Roberson and Allison Baker are our guests this week! We reflect on Monkeybrain’s beginnings, discuss knowing your limits, talk Eisner nominations, dream about creative teams, do Danzig impressions, fawn about Kurt Schaffenberger, and more!

Episode 163 - Part of the Patriarchy f/Jamal Igle

Mon, 24 Jun 2013 16:00:00 -0000

This week we’re welcoming Molly Danger writer/artist Jamal Igle to the show! We’ll discuss the exact number of M’s on Molly’s costume, Supergirl’s shorts and how emotional people got about them, character design, why it’s not worth it to pretend you’ve read something you haven’t, and much more! Plus, a Superman-movie-themed installment of the War Rocket Ajax Love Haters!

Episode 162 - Hertz Rental Car Ridin'

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:00:00 -0000

Chris and Matt are back in their respective homes — Matt’s got the brand new War Rocket Ajax studios humming along — and ready to gab about three weeks worth of collected stuff! We’re taking your listener questions about the state of DC Comics, our favorite wrestlers, Flash Gordon, Heroes Con, and much more!

Episode 161 - Farm Stuff (The Heroes Con 2013 Audio Sketchbook)

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 16:00:00 -0000

This weekend, Chris and Matt were at Heroes Con 2013, where they decided to do what they called an audio sketchbook. They asked 18 comics creators the same question: What have you seen or heard at a comics convention that left you speechless?

These are their answers.

Episode 160 - That's Snake Eyes f/Jeremy Dale

Mon, 27 May 2013 16:00:00 -0000

Our guest this week is writer/artist of the brand new Action Lab series Skyward Jeremy Dale! We talk to him (and a special surprise guest) about being inspired by video games, his G.I. Joe comics work, Firestar, the fantasy genre, and much more!

Episode 159.5 - The Chris Sims/Mark Waid Batman Trivia Challenge

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:00:00 -0000

For this bonus episode, Mark Waid told Chris he wanted to ask him a trivia question. What followed was a challenge for the ages.

Episode 159 - Show You Who's Boss f/Mark Waid

Mon, 20 May 2013 16:00:00 -0000

Writer of just about everything Mark Waid comes by to chat with us this week! We talk about the cancellation of The Legion of Super Heroes, working with Walt Simonson, the pluses and minuses of renumbering books, that amazing fight between Daredevil and Ikari, the best non-Waid Flash story, and much more! Plus, new projects are discussed and a very brief installment of the War Rocket Ajax Love Haters!

Episode 158 - A Man Who Seeks Revenge f/Greg Rucka

Mon, 13 May 2013 16:00:00 -0000

Writer Greg Rucka returns to War Rocket Ajax this week to discuss his recent Kickstarter success with Lady Sabre and the Pirates of the Ineffable Aether! We’ll talk to him about what kind of caution pros looking for project funding on Kickstarter have to take, how Kickstarter can be a full-time job, the concept of vindication, why Batman has to be allowed to make mistakes, how that aether got so ineffable, and much more! Plus, Matt and Chris announce a brand new project!

Episode 157 - Hashtag Hireable f/Caleb Goellner

Mon, 06 May 2013 16:00:00 -0000

Former ComicsAlliance editor and current writer of the new comic Task Force Rad Squad Caleb Goellner joins us for this week’s show! We talk to him about how TFRS evolved from a Power Rangers parody into something a little deeper, drugs, pay-what-you-want comics, and, oh yeah, this website that got shut down last week. Plus, another edition of the War Rocket Ajax Love Haters!

Episode 156 - That Means I Win f/Justin Aclin

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:00:00 -0000

We don’t often talk about Star Wars on War Rocket Ajax, but we’re breaking one of our own rules this week to talk about it with Justin Aclin, the writer of two Dark Horse graphic novels in the series. We’ll talk about our histories with the series, how side-stories can be really good, bright colors, Justin’s work on the video game tie-in Akaneiro, and much more! Plus, a quick Love Haters segment!

Episode 155 - Billy Corrigan and the Infinite Sadness f/Dylan Todd and David Wolkin

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 16:00:00 -0000

The Eisner nominations are out and we’re having a roundtable this week to talk about ’em! We invited ComicsAlliance pals David Wolkin and Dylan Todd to talk about what was missing, what people have been saying is missing, what’s surprising, the shifting nature of digital comics, and a ton more! Also, we divide ourselves into two camps in regards to Chris Ware, though we all find Building Stories just a little big daunting.

Episode 154 - Attracted to Bastards f/Brian Winkeler and Robert Wilson IV

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 16:00:00 -0000

Our guests this week are the creative team behind Monkeybrain’s new title Knuckleheads, Brian Winkeler and Robert Wilson IV! We’ll talk them about how they avoid having a completely unlikable main character, how the comic has evolved over the years, how they met, what it takes to be a music artist and Brain’s work on Bastard Road! Plus, another edition of the War Rocket Ajax love haters!

Episode 153 - Owl Facts f/Ryan Browne

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:00:00 -0000

Kickstarter phenomenon and God Hates Astronauts creator Ryan Browne is our guest this week! We talk about the secret to a great Kickstarter, what it’s like to deal with literally two tons of books, the improvisational origin of Blast Furnace, Indiana Jones, owls, and much more! Plus, yet another edition of the War Rocket Ajax Love Haters!

Episode 152 - Weathermania f/Joe Keatinge and Danielle Matheson

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 16:00:00 -0000

It’s Wrestlemania time! And this year, we’re welcoming the writer of Glory and Morbius, Joe Keatinge, and WithLeather.com’s Danielle Matheson to run down the card with us! Also discussed: How cold it’s going to be, which matches warrant nacho breaks, what merch is going to be available, and much more!

Episode 151 - Sporty Active Touching f/Jai Nitz

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:00:00 -0000

This week we’re talking to the writer of Dark Horse’s brand new title Dream Thief, Jai Nitz! We discuss among other things, his work on The Batman Strikes, why he opted to set his new comic in the South, the Back to the Future sequels, the origin of Agent Nitz from Scalped’s name, St. Louis pizza, saying awful things at cons, and much more! Plus, the return of Big Ups to All My Haters!

Episode 150 - The Dubwitch f/Matt Fraction, Chris Haley and Andy Khouri

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 16:00:00 -0000

Something is wrong on the show this week. Very wrong.

Episode 149 - Murder, He Prayed f/Chris Burnham

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 16:00:00 -0000

The artist of the sold-out Huge Event comic Batman Incorporated #8 (as well as most of the rest of the series), Chris Burnham, is our guest on this week’s show! We talk about the worldwide reaction to that very issue, complaints on Twitter, his sure-to-be-controversial upcoming story in Heavy Metal, Batman’s “new look” costume, what Grant Morrison’s scripts are like, and much, much more! Plus, another installment of the War Rocket Ajax Love Haters!

Episode 148 - I'm Like Castle f/Josh Williamson

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:00:00 -0000

In advance of his new Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight story, Josh Williamson of Monkeybrain Comics’ Masks and Mobsters joins us for this week’s show! Topics of discussion include Batman, Batman, Batman, Batman’s origin, Batman, Alfred, Batman, and Christmas! Also other things. Also also: Another WRA Love Haters segment!

Episode 147 - Not Stupid Enough f/Christopher Sebela

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 17:00:00 -0000

The writer of Monkeybrain Comics’ brand-new series High Crimes, Christopher Sebela, joins us on this week’s show! We talk at length about the new Die Hard movie, the series as a whole, what inspired a comic about crime on Mount Everest, whether someone can snowboard down the world’s highest peak, how he and Kelly Sue DeConnick divide the work on Captain Marvel, and much more! Plus, more love and hate from Chris and Matt!

Episode 146 - Regard, SD f/Sean Howe

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 17:00:00 -0000

Our guest this week is Sean Howe, author of the terrific book Marvel Comics: The Untold Story! We’ll talk with him about whether Stan Lee and Jack Kirby get too much or not enough credit, the big personality of Jim Shooter, how he was able to stay objective through the process of writing the book, which publishers he’d like to see covered in new books, Marvel’s unsung heroes, the hidden genius of Gerry Conway, what he thinks of Marvel today, and much more! Plus, we do our first-ever War Rocket Ajax Love/Hate Inventory!

Episode 145 - Boat-Centric Emergencies f/Jason Baxter, Mac Hamilton and Derek Charm

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 17:00:00 -0000

The creators of Trip Fantastic, Jason Baxter, Mac Hamilton and Derek Charm, join us for this week’s show! We talk about their comics, but we spend a lot of time on their influences, mid-1990s adventure shows including Baywatch Nights and Thunder in Paradise! We also dig into our favorite Batman ’66 bad guys, designing t-shirts for K-Mart, influencing Mark Millar’s TV tastes and much more! Plus, we answer a big question about Kevin Smith!

Episode 144 - Best and Worst of the X-Men f/David Brothers and Andrew Wheeler

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 17:00:00 -0000

We’re listing our favorite and least favorite stuff again this week, and this time our sights are set on Marvel’s merry mutants! ComicsAlliance’s David Brothers and Andrew Wheeler stop by to talk about the conundrum that is Gambit, that period in which Joseph was around for like eight years, just how bad “The Draco” gets, the wonders of Australia and much more!

Episode 143 - The Kingdom of No Bathrooms f/Kyle Starks

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 17:00:00 -0000

This week we’re welcoming the writer and artist of The Legend of Ricky Thunder, Punch Captain, Adventure Wizard and much more, Kyle Starks to the show! We’ll talk with him about how difficult (or not) it is to write dialogue, the beauty of nonsense, why Wild Dog is so great, having an incredibly busy year, wrestling (of course) and much more! Plus, Chris and Matt answer a lengthy listener question about what comics make us happy!

Episode 142 - You Can't Stop L-I-V-I-N f/Sam Humphries

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 17:00:00 -0000

Friend of the show and writer of the new Uncanny X-Force Sam Humphries stops by for the show this week! We talk about pogs, the Wood Whisperer, rap camp, Tony DiMera, Andy Khouri’s first word, oh, and some comics, too, when we find the time for it. Chris and Matt also talk about their New Year’s resolutions and what they did over the Christmas break!

Episode 141 - The 138th Annual Flash Gordon Awards

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 17:00:00 -0000

We’re kicking off 2013 by looking at the best and least-best of what 2012 had to offer! That’s right! It’s time for the annual Gordie awards, with categories selected by you, the listeners!

Episode 140 - A Few of Our Favorite (And Least Favorite) Things f/Matt Fraction

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 17:00:00 -0000

It’s Christmas! It’s Christmas time! Matt Fraction is here to talk with us about comics, and also to discuss our favorite and least-favorite holiday music, specials, movies and comics!

Episode 139 - Screw Hobbits f/Adam P. Knave

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 17:00:00 -0000

This week, Chris and Matt welcome Adam P. Knave, co-writer of the MonkeyBrain Comics title Amelia Cole and the Unknown World! We’ll talk to him about the advantages and disadvantages of being half of a writing team, sticking to a schedule with a digital comic, his history with the fantasy genre, getting jetpack science right and much more! Plus, find out the incredible secret of why Chris has been feeling so crummy lately!

Episode 138 - Religion, Pork and College Football f/Jason Aaron

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 17:00:00 -0000

Jason Aaron, writer of Scalped, Wolverine and the X-Men and Thor: God of Thunder joins us for the show this week! We talk with him about the religious themes throughout his comics, what his Marvel Barkitecht name would be, how varied his work is, whether he’s got another crime book coming down the line, what we love about Doop and much more! Plus, Chris and Matt answer some listener questions about their alternate-universe tag team!

Episode 137 - The Cyber Monday Bunkhouse Brawl

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 17:00:00 -0000

It’s our extra-special Thanksgiving/Black Friday/Cyber Monday episode! Chris and Matt are taking your questions on Christmasy stuff, digital comics, imagined wrestling matches between us, Batman trivia and more!

Episode 136 - Green Jelly Soundtrack f/Cullen Bunn

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 17:00:00 -0000

This week, we’re welcoming the writer of The Sixth Gun and the new Fearless Defenders series from Marvel, among many other things, Cullen Bunn! We’ll talk to him about putting together a book with an all-female cast, the Marvel character with the most convoluted history, plans for The Sixth Gun’s TV show, how Marvel NOW is affecting his other books, and much more! Plus, we quickly answer some listener mail!

Episode 135 - Steve Ditko's Troll 2 f/Mike Norton

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 17:00:00 -0000

We welcome Battlepug and The Curse creator Mike Norton, who also draws a whole bunch of stuff including Revival and It Girl, to this week’s show. We talk to Mike about the origin of his love of pugs, what it’s like working with creators across the pond, Steve Ditko’s work and influence, making 24-hour comics, and, of course, Troll 2. Plus, a harrowing story of rap embarrassment from our mailbag!

Episode 134 - Trick or Hot Wings f/Benito Cereno

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 16:00:00 -0000

Writer of The Tick and expert in all things spooky Benito Cereno joins us once again for our all-listener-question Halloween episode! We’ll discuss the results of a hypothetical super-fight among ghouls and deities, the worst horror movies, what comics can do for horror that movies can’t, the craziest movie deaths and much more!

Episode 133 - Ghostwriting Lois Lane f/Joshua Williamson

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 16:00:00 -0000

We’re back from a week off with our first of two ghastly Halloween episodes! This week, we welcome the writer of Dear Dracula and Masks and Mobsters, Josh Williamson! He’ll talk with us about the process of making Dear Dracula into a Cartoon Network special, vampires gaolore, where the idea for Masks and Mobsters originated and, of course, the creation of the Craftsman Technician! Plus, Chris’ full New York Comic-Con report!

Episode 132 - Dirty South Avengers f/Jonathan Hickman

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:00:00 -0000

This week we welcome the writer of The Manhattan Projects and soon-to-be-writer of Avengers, Jonathan Hickman to the show! We talk with him at length about the euphoric experience that was MorrisonCon, and just a little bit about Avengers and just how many times a month that book is going to be hitting shelves. Plus, we insult a child!

Episode 131 - Accidental Non-Racism f/Dr. Andy Kunka

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 16:00:00 -0000

Our pal and the co-host of the Comics Alternative podcast, Dr. Andrew Kunka is our guest this week! We’ll talk about his research into racism in comics, what he considers alternative comics, what comic is worse than Justice League, what he’d like to do with a Blackhawks title, and much more! Plus, Matt and Chris both celebrate big life events!

Episode 130 - Church on Time

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 16:00:00 -0000

While Matt’s off gettin’ hitched, we’re queuing up this special bronus episode where we answer your listener questions! Hear our definitions of “high concept,” about our favorite and least favorite runs of Avengers/JLA/Legion, a meandering response about power pop, and much more! Plus, background noise! (Deal with it.)

Episode 129 - I Love 'Twins' f/Joe Hughes

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 16:00:00 -0000

This week, we’re welcoming ComicsAlliance Editor-in-chief Joe Hughes to the show! We’ll talk with him about how he went from being a comics fan to a comic shop employee to a DC assistant editor to editor of a comics news site! Plus, we’ll hear about what he has in store for Chris in the near future, the time he met Mark Hamill, just what an assistant editor does, and much more! And since we won’t be doing full shows the next couple weeks, we’re super-sized!

Episode 128 - Mustang Moderate f/Fred Van Lente

Mon, 03 Sep 2012 16:00:00 -0000

The writer of Valiant’s new Archer and Armstrong series, Fred Van Lente, joins us for this weeks show! We talk to him about the response he’s gotten to his politically charged comic, how he likes his reputation as a history comics guy, how Armstrong is kind of like Marvel’s Hercules (and Archer is nothing like Amadeus Cho), what other Valiant titles his book might cross over with, and much more! Plus, a particularly lyrical reading from the pages of Thrasher magazine!

Episode 127 - Programmed Hanky-Panky f/Bill Willingham

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 16:00:00 -0000

Bill Willingham, the writer of Fables and its associated spinoff titles, formerly of Shadowpact, Robin and JSA, and soon to be of a new MonkeyBrain Comics title, joins us this week! Hear all about the new Fabletown and Beyond Convention in Minnesota next March, just what exactly happened with Stephanie Brown, his favorite classic movies and much more! Plus, a report from Chris about his trip to Summerslam!

Episode 126 - I Don't Have to Be George Lucas f/Faith Erin Hicks

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 16:00:00 -0000

The cartoonist behind the new Friends With Boys, Zombies Calling and Demonology 101, Faith Erin Hicks, is our guest this week! We’ll talk to her about the differences between Web and print comics, winning over people suffering from zombie overkill, what adding a ghost to a story is all about, Scooby-Doo, whether volleyball is more popular in Canada, and much more! Plus, Matt tells a story about when he was a bad comic shop customer!

Episode 125 - Ugly Leading Men f/Kevin Church

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 16:00:00 -0000

Our guest this week is our old pal and writer of Monkeybrain Comics’ brand new Wander, Kevin Church! Get ready for a lot of discussion of that comic’s fantasy setting and formatting for digital plus some talk about 1970s cinema, watching Star Treks, and a rundown of Kevin’s favorite comic runs! Plus, Matt and Chris share some video-store memories from their youths.

Episode 124 - Bring On All Challengers f/Ian Flynn

Mon, 06 Aug 2012 16:00:00 -0000

This week we welcome the writer of Archie’s Sonic the Hedgehog and Mega Man comics, Ian Flynn! We chat with him about what it’s like dealing with…zealous fandoms, whether he’s any good at Mega Man video games, why you should be into the Sonic comics, working with licensed properties and much more! Plus, we take a listener question about a particularly angry comic-shop customer from Chris’ store-employee days!

Episode 123 - T-Bane Microphone f/Landry Walker

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 16:00:00 -0000

Danger Club and Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the 8th Grade writer Landry Walker is our guest this week! We talk with him about his days at Disney Adventures magazine, the shockingly dark secret of how his Supergirl book would have ended, how the hyper-violent Danger Club came into existence and much more! Plus, Chris and Matt answer a particularly…kinky listener question.

Episode 122 - Songbird f/Tim Seeley

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 16:00:00 -0000

This week we’re back to the regular format and welcoming Tim Seeley, creator of Hack/Slash, co-creator of the new Revival, Witchblade writer and artist on a ton of other stuff! We talk about how Tim deals with the pluses and minuses of creating an exploitation comic, how satire doesn’t always seem like satire, doing something new with the zombie genre, why he doesn’t draw his own stuff more, the prevailing temperature in the Hack/Slash universe and much more! Plus, we get the full rundown from Chris’ trip to Comic-Con!

Episode 121 - All Alone

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 16:00:00 -0000

Chris was at San Diego Comic-Con this weekend and all attempts to find a guest co-host fell through, Matt’s wingin’ it himself this week! He answers your Twitter questions regarding Meatwad, his favorite (non-classic) Spider-Man stories, Miles Morales’ viability in non-comics media, Darkseid sleeping on the couch and much more! Plus, Chris checks in with some phone messages about the con’s ridiculous advertising!

Episode 120 - Ajax Live!

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 16:00:00 -0000

It’s our panel from HeroesCon 2012, right here for you to listen to! We take questions about Jason Statham, a few other celebrities, board games, gay characters in comics. what we’d call the current age, what superhero duo we’d be, and much more!

Episode 119 - That's Not a Monkey f/Chris Roberson and Allison Baker

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 16:00:00 -0000

This week we welcome the co-publishers of the brand new Monkeybrain Comics brand on Comixology, Chris Roberson and Allison Baker! With them, we discuss how the whole venture came together, who they’re working with, rubber, roads, pie, book formats, Roberson’s own book on the imprint, salsa, the fallout (or lack thereof) of his public divorce from DC Comics and a ton more! Plus, Chris and Matt jab about some cereal for a while.

Episode 118 - The Dan DiDio Employee Evaluation Part 2 f/Andy Khouri

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 16:00:00 -0000

Our look at DC Comics Co-Publisher Dan DiDio’s list of the his top 10 projects of the last decade wraps up! Plus, we take your Twitter questions!

Episode 117 - The Dan DiDio Employee Evaluation, Part 1 f/Andy Khouri

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 16:00:00 -0000

It’s the first part of our first-ever two-parter on War Rocket Ajax! We welcome ComicsAlliance Senior Editor Andy Khouri to talk with us about the first seven entries in DC Comics Co-Publisher Dan DiDio’s list of his 10 favorite comics projects of his 10-year tenure at the company!

Episode 116 - Alligator-Related Stories f/Chris Schweizer

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 16:00:00 -0000

The creator of the Crogan Adventures series (the most recent installment of which, Crogan’s Loyalty is brand new), Chris Schweizer, sits down with Chris and Matt this week to tell ’em a few stories. Among them: How he came to work with Oni Press, just where the books’ framing stories came from, how much of his own family you can find in the books, why the series isn’t in chronological order, what will happen if he goes crazy, his work at the Savannah College of Art and Design, and much more! Plus, we answer a listener question very near and dear to our hearts.

Episode 115 - Laid Low f/Adam Warren

Mon, 04 Jun 2012 16:00:00 -0000

The man behind Empowered, Dark Horse’s Dirty Pair, Livewires and Iron Man: Hypervelocity, Adam Warren, is our guest this week! He tells us about how Empowered emerged from art commissions, his time at the Kubert School, how his Dirty Pair comics were almost a direct adaptation of the manga, a Marvel project that never happened, drawing in a smaller format and much more! Plus, another reading from Thrasher magazine!

Episode 114 - Getting to the Non-Adventure f/Justin Pierce

Mon, 28 May 2012 16:00:00 -0000

Justin Pierce of the webcomic Wonderella joins us for this week’s show! We discuss what exactly Wonderella is a parody of, how it evolved into having as much political content as it does, the importance of “soon,” drawing the impossible, why Justin is often mistaken for Justine, and much more! Plus, we answer a biblical piece of listener mail and welcome Hundo Club member Ziah Grace!

Episode 113 - Power Curve Issues f/John Rogers

Mon, 21 May 2012 16:00:00 -0000

John Rogers, writer of IDW’s Dungeons and Dragons comic, former writer of DC’s Blue Beetle and showrunner on TNT’s Leverage, joins us for this week’s show to talk about his work with Mark Waid’s Thrillbent digital comics project, the draft he wrote of the Halle Berry Catwoman movie, how he got hired by DC Comics by making fun of them on his blog, exactly what a “dirty over” is an much more! Plus, we answer some listener mail about The Legend of Korra!

Episode 112 - Ninja Indicators f/Joe Keatinge

Mon, 14 May 2012 16:00:00 -0000

On this week’s show Glory and Hell Yeah writer Joe Keatinge sits down to chat with Chris and Matt! Among the topics we cover are Joe’s love of pro wrestling, how he got involved in the Extreme Comics revival, how he got so into violence, what should follow the question “Are you OK?” and much more! Plus, Chris gives some big ups to some haters who love too hard.

Episode 111 - Self-Horn Tooter f/Robert Venditti

Mon, 07 May 2012 16:00:00 -0000

This week, Chris and Matt sit down with Robert Venditti, writer of the new X-O Manowar series from Valiant, The Surrogates and The Homeland Directive! Rob talks about how he didn’t get into comics until was in his late 20s, how he got in with Top Shelf and Valiant, what it was like being on set of the film adaptation of The Surrogates and a ton more! Plus, we use a listener email as an excuse to talk about barbecue some more (as if we needed one)!

Episode 110 - I Wrote Poems, Shut Up f/Kelly Sue DeConnick

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 16:00:00 -0000

On this week’s show we power through technical difficulties to bring you our interview with Kelly Sue DeConnick, writer of the upcoming Captain Marvel series and Ghost from Dark Horse! She tells us about how a note to Neil Gaiman kicked off her career, why you can’t really get a literal translation of manga, her transition from manga adaptations to superhero comics, exactly how she feels about continuity and a ton more! Plus, we answer not one but two questions from the War Rocket Ajax Mail Rocket!

Episode 109 - Boo-Hoo, Pay Me f/Brian Clevinger

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:00:00 -0000

Atomic Robo writer Brian Clevinger joins us for his third appearance on the show this week! We’ll hear about his inaccurately titled Real Science Adventures series, why his all-ages Captain America was cut short, his work experiences (or lack thereof) at DC, who’d win in the struggle between Robot Dracula and Robot Santa Claus, and much more! Plus, we give some celebrity big ups!

Episode 108 - Loud and Handcuffed f/David Marquez

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 16:00:00 -0000

Famed cop fighter David Marquez, also the artist of Fantastic Four: Season One and Ultimate Spider-Man at Marvel, joins us for the show this week! We’ll hear how he transitioned from animation to comics, how he jumped to such high-profile projects at Marvel in less than two years of pro work, how he draws The Thing, Sue Storm’s powers, types of jam and much more! Plus, Matt and Chris address the controversial ending of Mass Effect 3! Our thoughts may shock you!

Episode 107 - War Rocket Phat Jamzzzzzz f/Nate Cosby

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 16:00:00 -0000

This week we welcome back the writer of Archaia’s Cow Boy and co-writer of Image’s Pigs, Nate Cosby! We get into how he transitioned from editing all-ages comics at Marvel to writing the salty language of Pigs, how Cow Boy isn’t the comic you’d expect, how working as an editor affected his collaboration with artists, the true modern poetry of Freak Nasty, and much more! Plus, we enjoy a listener’s description of the wonders of the Batman arena show!

Episode 106 - It Was Me All Along f/Jarrett Williams and Leonard F. Chikarason

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 16:00:00 -0000

It’s 2012, it’s time for Wrestlemania! In anticipation of the biggest professional wrestling event of the year, we welcome Super Pro KO’s Jarrett Williams and Chikara Pro Wrestling commentator Leonard F. Chikarason to the show! Chris and the guys run down all the stuff they’d like to see happen at this year’s showcase of the immortals, and Matt asks some questions from the perspective of someone who hasn’t kept up in a few years. It’s an extravaganza!

Episode 105 - What's Up, Mermaid? f/Jeremy Whitley

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 16:00:00 -0000

This week we welcome Jeremy Whitley, writer of the fairy-tale/adventure comic, Princeless! We discuss how he managed to land a publisher for a comic so outside the typical comics fan’s purview, what he learned from the various Disney princesses, what you learn at a convention, which ’80s movie would make the best fairy tale, whether a certain royally named celebrity will make an appearance in an upcoming issue, and much more! Plus, we answer a listener question about a form of entertainment very close to Chris’s heart.

Episode 104 - Shameless, Even For Us f/Matt Digges and Daniel Butler

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 16:00:00 -0000

We drop all pretense this week and spend almost an hour talking to Daniel Butler and Matt Digges, the artists of Copernicus Jones and Awesome Hospital, respectively! We give them both an opportunity to vent about the hardest stuff we’ve given them to draw, how we get together from across the country, doing webcomics, going to cons, and more!

Episode 103 - Sayonara Sacrifice vs. Party Quetzalcoatl f/Sam Humphries

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:00:00 -0000

This week we welcome a writer who is exploding with projects in the coming months, Sam Humphries! We discuss the meaning behind the insanity that is Our Love is Real, the craziest interpretations of the comic he’s heard, how he became fascinated with Aztecs, self-publishing, how he snagged a job co-writing The Ultimates, and much more! Plus, we welcome another member of the Hundo Club, Chad Wago, and indulge in another reading from Thrasher!

Episode 102 - Rage of the Screaming Centipede f/Kagan McLeod

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 17:00:00 -0000

This week Chris and Matt went to the slums of Shaolin to speak with Kagan McLeod, writer and artist of Top Shelf’s Infinite Kung Fu! Kagan talks about taking a decade to wrap up the book, how he kept his art consistent that whole time, who he based the characters on, and, of course, his favorite kung fu films! Plus, we take a call from a special guest who hosts a show on a certain radio station Chris loves.

Episode 101 - Friendship Is a Sword f/Rick Spears and Chuck BB

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 17:00:00 -0000

Throw up the horns, because this week we’re talking with writer Rick Spears and artist Chuck BB of Oni Press’ Black Metal graphic novels! Find out the soundtrack for creating the graphic novels, what kinds of rings a man should wear, why metal is best when you’re a kid, why music is such an influence on Rick’s work and the true story of Chuck’s meeting with Mystery! Plus, we team up with Hundo Clubber and third chair to answer a pair of listener questions…about metal!

Episode 100 - Horsed to Death f/LBFA! Inc.

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:00:00 -0000

We’ve Marvelized ourselves! That’s right, we’ve gone back to our original episode numbering to celebrate our 100th episode, and we’ve invited our pals from LBFA Inc., Chris Haley, Curt Franklin and Eugene Ahn (a.k.a. Adam Warrock) to help us answer a metric ton of listener questions! And some special guests might just be dropping by! It’s a party!

Vol. 2, Episode 29 - I'll Wrestle You, Al Milgrom f/Mike Quackenbush

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:00:00 -0000

Chikara Pro Wrestling founder, wrestler, podcaster and comics fan Mike Quackenbush joins us for this week’s show to talk about wrestling his hero, his least favorite artists, how he lucked into a lifelong love of comics, why The Falcon is great, a little team called The Champions and much more! Plus, against their better judgment, Chris and Matt yet again discuss the topic of Insane Clown Posse.

Vol. 2, Episode 28 - Straight Clownin' f/Chris Roberson and Rich Ellis

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:00:00 -0000

Our old pal Chris Roberson drops by this week with artist Rich Ellis to talk about their new IDW series, Memorial! Hear about the difficulties and the fun of drawing crazy abstractions, what led the guys to create a modern-day fairy tale, the secret origin of Memorial and its connections to Doctor Who, an honest assessment of director and Visionary Genius™ Zack Snyder, and much more! Plus, we answer a listener question about the etiquette of artist sketch requests!

Vol. 2, Episode 27 - My Mom Knows Who Ghost Rider Is f/Ben Jones

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:00:00 -0000

We’re back to our regular format this week with Ben Jones, director of some of the best episodes of Batman: The Brave and the Bold, and animator/storyboard artist on lots of stuff including The Iron Giant, Harvey Birdman and Teen Titans! We talk to him about how he got his start in animation, what it means to have a classic animation style, and, of course, that show with that Batman dude in it. Also: We welcome Hundo Club member James Meiers to chat with us and hear yet another wonderful reading from Thrasher magazine!

Vol. 2, Episode 26 - The 75th Annual Flash Gordon Memorial Awards

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:00:00 -0000

Based on your suggestions, Chris and Matt are giving out awards for the best and worst of the year! Comics! Wrestling! Video games! Barbecue we ate! Self-indulgence! It’s all here! And remember: You asked for it!

Vol. 2, Episode 25 - Christmas Curse of the Juggalo f/Matt Fraction and Adam Warrock

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 17:00:00 -0000

You’re just going to have to listen to this extra-sized episode, my ninjas. Merry Christmas! See you all in 2012.

Vol. 2, Episode 24 - Be My Skateboarding f/Alex Segura

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:00:00 -0000

We finally welcome someone from Archie Comics onto the show this week, as we talk with Alex Segura, director of publicity and marketing for the publisher, and writer of “Archie Meets KISS!” We talk to Alex about how he managed to snag the elusive band, Archie’s distribution policies, his top Archie books of all time, how Archie ended up becoming such a progressive company, and much more! Plus, a reading from Chris’ favorite magazine!

Vol. 2, Episode 23 - Batman and the Wolverines f/Chad Bowers and Josh Krach

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:00:00 -0000

It’s time for another roundtable comics discussion, this week with Chad Bowers of Monster Plus and Josh Krach of Troop Infinity! We continue to talk about the DC reboot with our picks for what new titles we’d like to see in the line (and, you know, write). Plus, we get into what Marvel’s recent turn of the axe on some not-even-published-yet books means for comics makers like us and get into the question of whether fans seeing sales numbers is bad for out-of-the-mainstream titles. Plus, we answer some quizzical listener mail!

Vol. 2, Episode 22 - Bombastic, Circumspect, Driven and Drunk f/Ming Doyle

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 17:00:00 -0000

Ming Doyle, artist of The Loneliest Astronauts and a story in the upcoming Fantastic Four #600, enters the official War Rocket Ajax records as our guest this week! We discuss the end of TLA, her new Star Trek webcomic with Kevin Church, why Benjamin Sisko is the best, the gender-based reasons for why her art is so stylish, the meticulous labeling of her kitchen, and much more! Plus, Chris once again gives big up to one of his haters!

Vol. 2, Episode 21 - The Love Bunker f/Matt Fraction

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 17:00:00 -0000

Fear Itself and Casanova writer Matt Fraction becomes our first Five-Timers Club member this week! We ask what he’d like other writers to learn from Fear Itself, what real-life stuff led him to subject matter, that scene from Casanova: Avaritia II, how he celebrated Halloween, how he’s preparing for Christmas (already!), how much visual stuff he puts in his scripts and a ton more! Plus, Matt and Chris become more and more exacerbated while talking about the nonsensical plot of Arkham City (which they both recommend, by the way).

Vol. 2, Episode 20 - Live From the Black Lagoon f/Benito Cereno

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:00:00 -0000

For our super-spoooooky Halloween episode, Chris and Matt conduct an interview with The Tick, Tales from the Bully Pulpit and Hector Plasm writer Benito Cereno deep from the depths of a reception nightmare! We talk to Benito about the types of horror movies we like, our essential Halloween flicks, the spookiest candy, Halloween memories and much more! Plus, Chris and Matt discuss their scariest video game experiences!

Vol. 2, Episode 19 - Stone Tablets and Long Fingernails f/Andy Khouri and Caleb Goellner

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 16:00:00 -0000

Comics Alliance editors Andy Khouri and Caleb Goellner sit down with Chris and Matt this week for a roundtable discussion New York Comic-Con, and things go to weird, weird places. Among the topics: Lack of cell phone and wi-fi at the convention center leading to caveman tactics, Conan on a sailboat, Catwoman’s “stripper idiom,” the lack of big news at the con, Andy’s debilitating con injury, whether the Marvel layoffs were foreshadowed at all at the con, the best Power Rangers season, which one of us would look best in hot pants, violence against Michelangelo and much more! Plus, Chris and Matt take a biased stance in favor of Adam Warrock.

Vol. 2, Episode 18 - Spit in the Face of the Man f/David Malki!

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 16:00:00 -0000

War Rocket Ajax welcomes Wondermark creator and Machine of Death co-editor David Malki! to the show this week! You’ll hear how he creates his comics, how someone objected to that method, his early work using the Bic pen mascot, the amazing story of how Machine of Death got to number 1 on the Amazon sales chart, the best mustache to have, what fictional character he’d hang out with on a desert island, and much more! Plus, Chris reads more of the modern poetry that is the Thrasher letters column and we welcome Hundo Club member Bradley Moyer!

Vol. 2, Episode 17 - Negative Juggalo Reaction f/Jeff Parker and Erika Moen

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 16:00:00 -0000

This week we welcome the team behind the webcomic Bucko to the show: Jeff Parker and Erika Moen! We discuss the often-raucous work environment at Periscope Studios, just how accurately Bucko depicts Portland, just what comics Juggalos are looking for these days, what Erika would most like to do if she was a guy, whether Bucko’s luck is going to change and much, much more! Plus, Chris and Matt answer a sexy question about Captain America!

Vol. 2, Episode 16 - Not a Monster f/Bethany Fong and Laura Hudson

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 16:00:00 -0000

We celebrate the return of the War Rocket Ajax/Comics Alliance roundtable and the close of our unofficial Ladies’ Month by welcoming CA Editor-in-Chief Laura Hudson and correspondent Bethany Fong to the show to discuss just how DC fared with the past month of new number-one issues, potential tattoo ideas, what we’d cancel from the New 52, best-and-worst CA moments, and a ton more! Plus, find out what has laid Chris Sims so low this past week and find out what the iTunes hold-up is.

Vol. 2, Episode 15 - Win By Face Murder f/Blair Butler

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 16:00:00 -0000

G4TV’s Blair Butler, writer of the upcoming MMA comic Heart from Image, sits down with us this week to talk about going from comics criticism to creation, how she got her job as the only comics critic on national television, why she likes MMA more than pro wrestling, and, as you might expect, this week’s DC comics! And a ton more! Plus, Chris and Matt answer a listener question about their favorite character concepts with lacking executions.

Vol. 2, Episode 14 - Eye Lasers, Illinois f/ Jay Edidin

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 16:00:00 -0000

This week Dark Horse editor Jay Edidin comes by the show to talk about editin’ them books! Jay talks to us about the difference between being an assistant editor and an out-and-out editor on a project, what an editor on a collection of a webcomic actually does, running the Conan message board, digital comics, dealing with allergies and a ton more! Plus, Matt and Chris give more generally-focused big ups to haters and talk about another week of DC #1s!

Vol. 2, Episode 13 - Sorry, Dudes f/Jess Fink

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 16:00:00 -0000

This week we welcome Chester 5000 XYV writer and artist Jess Fink to War Rocket Ajax! We talk with her about why it’s more fun to draw dirty things, Halloween costumes, how she’s making things difficult for male comics creators, dealing with copyright infringement and much more! Plus, our pals Evie and Aaron from the Awesomed By Comics Podcast sit in as our third chairs to celebrate an upcoming milestone show of theirs!

Vol. 2, Episode 12 - Beer Anxiety f/Scott Snyder

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 16:00:00 -0000

This week we’re very excited to welcome Scott Snyder, writer of American Vampire and Severed, and who just wrapped up his run on one of our favorite books of the last year, Detective Comics! Scott talks to us about his upcoming work on post-DC-reboot Batman, how he get his start in comics, a nerve-wracking meeting at C2E2, how he got Jock and Francesco Francavilla to work on Detective, the Bat-Family’s favorite Elvis songs, and more! Plus, we welcome another member of the Ajax Hundo Club, Susan Cole, and answer a question from our listener mailbag!

Vol. 2, Episode 11 - Full-On Single White Female f/Chris Roberson

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 16:00:00 -0000

This week, we welcome back the Alec Baldwin to our SNL, outgoing Superman writer Chris Roberson, for his fifth appearance on War Rocket Ajax! Chris sits down with us for an in-depth discussion of his Superman #714, the last appearance of pre-reboot Supes, why the issue with Sharif never hit the stands, how his run ties in to All-Star Superman and DC One Million, Superman’s favorite movie, what Stan Lee’s really like, his upcoming Star Trek/Legion of Superheroes crossover, and much more! Plus, we welcome another member of the Hundo Club, Derek Lancaster, who may just be attempting to become one Mr. Chris Sims.

Vol. 2, Episode 10 - Lurking In an Alley f/Michael Kupperman

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 16:00:00 -0000

This week we’re proud to welcome the writer and artist of Tales Designed to Thrizzle and the upcoming Autobiography of Mark Twain 1910-2010, Michael Kupperman! We talk with him about his long-standing obsession with the author and his lookalike, Einstein, as well as performing his comics live, the Snake ‘n’ Bacon pilot for Adult Swim, the creative process, doing photo-comics and a ton more! Plus we take a ton of questions from Twitter to determine the winner of our book giveaway!

Vol. 2, Episode 9 - The Dead Don't Need Music f/Greg Rucka

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 16:00:00 -0000

In celebration of his brand new Punisher #1, Greg Rucka — writer of Detective Comics, Whiteout, Queen and Country, Stumptown, Gotham Central, Wolverine and a ton more — stopped by to talk to us about it his new webcomic and, of course, Batman. We get deep into the nature of those characters and heroism. Plus, why Wonder Woman’s DC’s best character and Superman’s so difficult to write. Plus, Chris and Matt answer a listener question about their old Carolina hometowns!

Vol. 2, Episode 8 - Patting Critical Mass f/David Brothers and Andy Khouri

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 16:00:00 -0000

It’s the first Monday of the month, which means it’s time for another War Rocket Ajax/Comics Alliance roundtable! This month, we welcome Comics Alliance’s own David Brothers and Andy Khouri to the show to talk about the madness that was San Diego Comic-Con International! Among the topics we cover are the huge reaction to DC’s response to a fan dressed as Batgirl, how tough it is to get into panels, everyone’s best and worst moments, post-Comic-Con doldrums, the lack of a big movie presence this year, and a ton more!

Vol. 2, Episode 7 - That Money Is Yours f/Adam Warrock

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 16:00:00 -0000

Chris was away at Comic-Con International last week, but we made up for it by welcoming Adam Warrock, a.k.a. Eugene Ahn, back to War Rocket Ajax for a triumphant return! Euge talks about his recent adventures as a performer at Nerdapalooza, his upcoming Firefly mixtape, the effects of Nos energy drink on the body, the new Amazing Spider-Man trailer and music, music, music. Plus, Chris calls in for a report direct from San Diego!

Vol. 2, Episode 6 - You Can't Go Back to 1967 f/Mark Waid

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 16:00:00 -0000

Name a pivotal comics character, and there’s a good chance Mark Waid has written one of that character’s defining runs. We were lucky enough to chat with him this week about lots of the stuff he’s worked on: Fantastic Four, The Flash, Impulse, Ruse, Empire, Legion of Superheroes, Kingdom Come, Spider-Man, his upcoming Daredevil run and more, and we barely get to scratch the surface. Plus, Mark and Chris get embroiled in an intense debate over Superboy! On top of all that, we answer some of your listener mail!

Vol. 2, Episode 5 - Nice and No Poop On It f/Carly Monardo

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 16:00:00 -0000

In this week’s episode, we’re delighted to welcome illustrator, designer and former Venture Bros. colorist Carly Monardo! She’s kind enough to talk to us about the creation of Strong Female Characters, the craziest things she had to color for Jackson Publick and Doc Hammer, the sad decline of video stores, her dog, pants in superhero costumes, and much more! Plus, as you may guess, we have an extended Big Ups to All My Haters segment about a small, independent movie Chris went to see last week.

Vol. 2, Episode 4 - Hard Times f/Laura Hudson and Chris Haley

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 16:00:00 -0000

On this July 4 edition of War Rocket Ajax, Comics Alliance Editor-in-Chief Laura Hudson and Let’s Be Friends Again artist Chris Haley check in with us for the first ever, all-American War Rocket Ajax Comics Alliance roundtable! Among the topics we cover are the DC reboot, Comic-Con memories, and Chris Haley’s valiant, patriotic effort to get everyone to eat a Captain America donut Friday, #THEPACT. We also answer some tipsy listener mail and discuss the most American of pastimes: professional wrestling!

Vol. 2, Episode 3 - This May Be the Gas Talkin' f/Jason Aaron

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 16:00:00 -0000

After discussing his work on PunisherMAX pretty much every week it’s come out, we finally managed to snag an interview with Scalped, Wolverine and X-Men writer Jason Aaron on this week’s show! He even braved a deadly gas leak to talk with us about VHS cinema, crazy storytelling, characterizing the Punisher, his CBR column, collaborating with artists to create super-cool scenes, a hint about what Bullseye whispered in Frank’s ear and a ton more! Plus, we take on a hater who…well, um…has a point. Plus, we welcome Hundo Clubber Clayton Johnston to our third chair!

Vol. 2, Episode 2 - Bearded Homonculus f/Matt Fraction

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 16:00:00 -0000

This week we feature our first guest of the Comics Alliance era (who was also our first guest ever), Matt Fraction, writer of The Mighty Thor, the Invincible Iron Man, Casanova and Fear Itself! Matt talks with us about what it takes to get into the mindset of writing an event comic, the event comics that helped him create Fear Itself, tie-ins, why his Iron Man book wasn’t originally meant to be the “main” book, Van Halen’s greatest hit, weird television, and much more! Plus, we give our new CA listeners a taste of a fan-favorite segment!

Vol. 2, Episode 1 - Valhalla, I Am Coming

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 16:00:00 -0000

This week, we begin a whole new era as the official podcast of Comics Alliance! For our likely influx of new listeners, Chris and Matt are retelling their origin stories while also answering some listener questions! If you listen closely, you’ll hear the sound of our brand new raised collars! You’ll hear our take on what we’d do as Two Kings, overrated comics (hello Hush!), what we’ll be picking up in the big DC reboot and what would get us to attend the Gathering of the Juggalos (nothing). PREPARE YOURSELVES for a new era of War Rocket Ajax!

Episode 70 - Unnatural Disaster

Mon, 30 May 2011 16:00:00 -0000

It’s the last episode of War Rocket Ajax AS YOU KNOW IT! That’s right, folks. We’re taking next week off because we’ll both be at Heroes Con in Charlotte, NC, but we’ll be back the week after with some big, but good, changes to the show. Stay tuned. To cap off this era of WRA, Chris and Matt decided to have a little brodown to mourn the loss of “Macho Man” Randy Savage, answer a bunch of listener questions, rail against the great horror that is Blues Brothers 2000, and much more!

Episode 69 - You Know What That Means f/Jonathan Hickman

Mon, 23 May 2011 16:00:00 -0000

This week we welcome South Carolina resident and writer of FF, S.H.I.E.L.D., Secret Warriors, The Red Wing and a ton of other stuff, Jonathan Hickman! Of course, we talk about the most important topic of all, barbecue. But after that, we get to Jonathan’s design work in comics, how he juggles all those books he writes, which FF character speaks in his voice, what he thinks Doctor Doom really ought to sound like, the mystery of what happened to Ed Brubaker’s jacket, and much more! Plus, we welcome yet another Hundo Club member, Luke Herr, to the show! And it’s our 69th episode so expect things to get…saucy.

Episode 68 - Miracle Monday f/Chris Roberson

Mon, 16 May 2011 16:00:00 -0000

Superman writer Chris Roberson stops by for the fourth–count ’em, fourth–time this week to celebrate a special holiday with us: Miracle Monday! While he’s at it, he also talks with us about his writing process, juggling multiple projects, his favorite moment in the first Superman movie, what DC had to change about Superman #711, his eventful dinner with Michael Moorcock, and much more! Plus, we highlight our second hater in a row, and gush about how much we liked Thor!

Episode 67 - Solving All the Problems f/Ethan Nicolle

Mon, 09 May 2011 16:00:00 -0000

War Rocket Ajax chops into your life this week as we chat with Axe Cop co-creator and artist Ethan Nicolle! We discuss getting into the mindset of a six-year-old, comics and money, violence, deadlines, what to tell a concerned mom who disapproves of a story all about poop. Also: We get into it with a hater who challenges our comedy knowledge. We don’t take it well. Plus: A stunning account of how a bar of South Carolinian wrestling fans took the news of Osama bin Laden’s death, in case you were wondering.

Episode 66 - Watch Out for Dracula f/Jay Pinkerton

Mon, 02 May 2011 16:00:00 -0000

This week, we welcome out first video game creator guest, Jay Pinkerton, co-writer of Valve’s Portal 2, which is already, in my humble opinion, a contender for game of the year. Jay’s an old pal of ours, so he sits in with us for the whole show! He talks with us about his (and our) time in the early days of internet comedy, writing comics for Valve, following up the surprise success of the first Portal, working with Stephen Merchant and J.K. Simmons, music to write to, and a ton more! Plus, we examine the fallout of that Action Comics #900 backup. You know the one. And Dracula MAY show up. You’ve been warned.

Episode 65 - Halfway Through, Set Someone on Fire f/Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 16:00:00 -0000

Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt, the writer/artist team behind Oni Press’ The Sixth Gun and The Damned, sit down with us this week to talk about their comics, the best Westerns, collaborating, the power of a good margarita, the difference color makes, why supernatural stuff is a part of their stories and much more! We also welcome another member of the Ajax Hundo Club, Alberto DeJesus, and answer a philosophical listener question!

Episode 64 - Hells, Damns and Anachronisms f/Brian Clevinger

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 16:00:00 -0000

Atomic Robo and Captain America: The Fighting Avenger writer Brian Clevinger stops in to talk with us about Cap, Thor: The Mighty Avenger, his new Robo anthology, the future of digital comics, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, who he’d pick to voice Robo and lots of other stuff! Plus: A momentous checking of ourselves, one last reading of pledge drive names, and more!

Episode 63 - Domino Sense f/Chris Burnham

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 16:00:00 -0000

Chris Burnham, artist on Batman Incorporated, Officer Downe and Nixon’s Pals, stops in this week to talk about his work, particularly on a character one host seems to have some kind of affinity for. Among other things, Mr. Burnham tells us how difficult it is to draw death traps and to not draw Batman murdering people. We also welcome yet another member of the Ajax Hundo Club, Mr. Rob Dean! With him, we answer an age-old question about donuts.

Episode 62 - Listen to the Rednecks f/Jeff Parker

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 16:00:00 -0000

Fellow Carolinian and barbecue enthusiast Jeff Parker returns to War Rocket Ajax this week to talk about his work on Hulk, Thunderbolts and his webcomic, Bucko! We talk at length about barbecue (it wouldn’t be WRA without it), why Jeff wasn’t able to have any snow cream this year, the zen-like conundrum of Shaolin monk vs. caveman and much, much more! Plus: We offer one last big incentive in the very last week of our pledge drive, answer a listener question and give our first ever anti-recommendation!

Episode 61 - WRA Armory

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 16:00:00 -0000

This week we reveal our full arsenal as we talk with our pals Evie and Aaron of Awesomed by Comics! In addition to the Punisher and his guns, we talk about how Evie and Aaron met, their wedding, Pokemon (big surprise there), Jim Davis, and much more! Plus, Evie and Aaron sit in with us for our checks, recs and comics discussion!

Episode 60 - Caulk Gun Taco f/Colleen Coover

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 16:00:00 -0000

We welcome Colleen Coover back to the show this week to talk about the comics she drew for Marvel and Taco Bell, video games, storytelling, horror and more! Plus: Our pledge drive rolls on, and Chris talks about why the money’s coming in so handy.

Episode 59 - The Time Is Now f/Chris Hastings

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 16:00:00 -0000

This week Chris and Matt welcome Dr. McNinja artist/writer and recently named Deadpool: Fear Itself writer Christopher Hastings to the show! We talk with him at length about Dr. McNinja, Deadpool, influences, cursing in webcomics, the classic action film Commando and much more! If that wasn’t enough, we’re also joined by Ajax Hundo Club member Evan Guidry, and Chris takes on a hater on the topic of versatility!

Episode 58 - Embrace the Kookiness f/Jim Zub

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 17:00:00 -0000

We managed to get an in somehow and get Jim Zubkavich, creator of Skullkickers and editor/writer of a whole bunch of Street Fighter comics, to talk to us this week! We get Jim to explain what possessed him to allow Chris Sims to write a story in the latest issue of Skullkickers (#6, in stores now), to talk at length about Street Fighter and to answer the burning question of whether there’ll ever be a boy born who can swim as fast as a shark. Plus, our pledge drive rolls on as we welcome the first member of the Ajax Hundo Club, Ryan Holliday, to our third chair!

Episode 57 - These Are My Words f/Kevin Church

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 17:00:00 -0000

Our bro blogger and Agreeable Comics writer Kevin Church stops by this week to talk about the abrupt ending to The Rack, his other comics, working with artists, Internet commenting vs. blogging, good ’90s comics and much more! Plus, our pledge drive keeps rolling on and Chris and Matt discuss their recent travels. If that wasn’t enough, we also take on someone who’s been hating on the both of us!

Episode 56 - The WRAting Game f/David Wolkin and Jen Vaughn

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 17:00:00 -0000

Love is in the air in this week’s special Valentine’s Day episode, as lucky bachelorette Jen Vaughn picks between Chris, Matt and third chair David Wolkin in our very own version of the Dating Game! Romance and awkwardness abound. We also graciously thank the surprisingly large group of donors from the first days of our War Rocket Ajax pledge drive, and beg for more money. Also: Find out the disaster that was Matt’s Jeopardy! online test!

Episode 55 - Hairy Lasagna f/Curt Franklin and Chris Haley

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 17:00:00 -0000

The ban has been lifted! That’s right, Curt Franklin and Chris Haley of Let’s Be Friends Again join us again for a show full of inappropriateness about Crocodile Dundee, Ernest, characters from ’80s commercials, cinnamon, a challenge involving lasagna and a chest, Joel Schumacher and “the bush.” Plus, we talk about today’s big LBFA/Adam Warrock announcement! If that wasn’t enough, Chris and I kick off our big pledge drive!

Episode 54 - Winter Boned

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 17:00:00 -0000

REVEALED: The true reason Chris Sims traveled to New York last week! DISCUSSED: Crappy winter weather, delicious food, good times! ANSWERED: A whole bunch of listener questions, including quite possibly the most baffling one we’ve ever received! And more in this all-tired episode!

Episode 53 - The Blow Gene Wilder Hour f/James Urbaniak

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 17:00:00 -0000

This week’s episode is a big one as we talk for a good long while with actor James Urbaniak, Dr. Venture himself, about The Venture Bros., his hilarious web videos, his enjoyment of alternative comics (including those by a fellow he played in American Splendor, R. Crumb) and our mutual love of Gene Wilder, among other things. We also debut a new theme song by a guy you may have heard of, Adam Warrock, and explain the reasons we needed a new theme pretty much immediately. Add in some Jeopardy! talk and some mysterious news from Chris and it’s a jam-packed show!

Episode 52 - The Guys Who Get the Coffee f/Nick Spencer

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 17:00:00 -0000

Jimmy Olsen, Morning Glories, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents and Infinite Vacation writer Nick Spencer sits down with us this week to talk about the tough lessons of the Silver Age, giving voice to the people behind the biggest names in Metropolis and, of course, that whole Heavy Ink thing. We also debut our brand new sort-of-kind-of standard Twitter question (a top hat is involved) and discuss what’s pissing Chris off this week.

Episode 51 - Got a Switch f/Chris Roberson

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 17:00:00 -0000

We’re recovering from our New Year’s hangovers this week and trying to relearn the basics of podcasting after a long break. Luckily, the always entertaining Chris Roberson, who is taking over for J. Michael Straczynski on Superman and is writing Starborn with Stan Lee, stopped by for the third time, despite officially now being a capital-b Big Deal! We also read out your favorite moments from the show’s first 49 episodes and answer some listener questions!

Episode 50 - A ChrisSims Carol f/Matt Fraction

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 17:00:00 -0000

It’s our SUPER-SIZED 50th episode Christmas spectacular! Happy holidays, everybody!

Episode 49 - More Than a Feeling f/Evan "Funk" Davies

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 17:00:00 -0000

It’s an episode of firsts this week! Chris unveils a brand new segment, our guest, Evan “Funk” Davies, reveals the origin of his nickname and his methods for selecting music for his show on WFMU, and Matt reveals, for the first time ever, his plan to use Gandhi’s ghost to collect huge gambling winnings. Unfortunately, it’s also WRA’s first completely Euge-free show, but don’t hold that against us.

Episode 48 - Mystery Host

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 17:00:00 -0000

Just who is War Rocket Ajax’s new co-host? Listen to the show and find out! He’s known Chris for a good long while, and he’s been on the show before. Those are your clues.

Chris and his new host answer some listener questions, talk about Batman at length and explain why the changeover happened a little earlier than expected. We also call up Euge and talk to him via speakerphone to find out what he’s up to in the early stops of his comic shop tour.

Episode 47 - Podcast to Restore Sanity

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 17:00:00 -0000

Chris is recovered from his horrible plague, and Euge and Matt have emerged from the crowd at the DC Rally to Restore Sanity. We talk about all that, and comics and twitter questions. Time for a good ole’ fashioned Bro-down!

Episode 46 - Reggaeton Rap Stars f/Tom Fowler and Jen Vaughn

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 16:00:00 -0000

Artists and friends-of-the-show Tom Fowler and Jen Vaughn stop by, as we dig through some listener questions and talk about…well, very weird stuff.

Episode 45 - Nexus or Against Us f/Jarrett Williams

Mon, 18 Oct 2010 16:00:00 -0000

Creator of the awesome pro-wrestling graphic novel series Super Pro KO, Jarrett Williams, stops by to talk about…well, wrestling. A lot of wrestling. Chris and Euge also recap their NYCC experiences. Lives are changed.

Episode 44 - Gorilla Strippin' f/Brandon Jerwa

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 16:00:00 -0000

Before writing GI Joe comics, Brandon Jerwa had some interesting jobs. He comes on Ajax to talk to us about them, among other things. And now you know. And knowing is…like, some part of the battle or something.

Episode 43 - Mass EFX f/Colleen Coover

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 16:00:00 -0000

Show favorite Colleen Coover joins the show to talk about Bioware, sandbox games, and D&D. Grab your controllers, it’s time for our video game show!

Episode 42 - Almond Joy f/Phil Hester

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 16:00:00 -0000

Writer and artist Phil Hester talks about art vs. writing, Green Arrow, The Wretch and con memories with Chris. Euge is back from SPX and ready for action. And a very, very special haters segment.

Episode 41 - I'm for Vs. f/Nate Cosby

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:00:00 -0000

Marvel Editor Nate Cosby stops by to discuss a bunch of things, most importantly Nova Vs. Horse. It’s an instant classic, as our second editorial guest talks about having fun on the job, the secrets of his favorite writers, and college football? Also, new haters theme!

Episode 40 - Crash Course

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:00:00 -0000

So, we were supposed to do a real episode, but Euge’s computer decided to majorly crash a day before he was going out of town. So after a night of recovering all of the stuff necessary to record and process a podcast, we cobbled together this mini-live-to-tape episode, just to keep our Cal Ripken-esque streak going (note: we have no Ripken-esque streak).

Episode 39 - What's Old Is New

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 16:00:00 -0000

It’s been one year on the War Rocket Ajax, and Sims and Euge sit around, reminisce and answer listener questions and talk about comics and stuff. Also, return of BIG UPS TO ALL MY HATERS!

Episode 38 - Stache-Con f/Paul Tobin

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 16:00:00 -0000

Paul Tobin joins us to talk about villains, superheroes, and mustaches. Chris and Euge talk about comics (sorta), and we continue to not stop believin’.

Episode 37 - Electric Slidin' f/David Wolkin

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 16:00:00 -0000

Sims is back from San Diego Comic-Con, so we gab about that with fellow ComicsAlliance contributor and House of Chicken and Waffles and Comics proprietor, David Wolkin. Also, Skymall, Mega Man, and comics!

Episode 36 - Cocoa Bagels

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:00:00 -0000

While Sims is away at San Diego Comic-Con, Euge and Matt Wilson soldier on to talk about dreams, robot detectives, an extended comics segment and Metal Gear Solid. Also, Sims does check in with voicemails, and general tomfoolery.

Episode 35 - Truckopathic Powers f/Brian Clevinger

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 16:00:00 -0000

Brian Clevinger, of 8-bit Theater and Atomic Robo fame, steps into the thunderdome to talk about US-1, The Infinity Gauntlet, and why Stephen Hawking is such a jerk. Also, South Carolina politics, Ice Cube lyrical analysis, and Harry Potter! Check your self.

Episode 34 - Pizza Buffet f/Justin Aclin

Mon, 05 Jul 2010 16:00:00 -0000

Editor of Toyfare Magazine, Justin Aclin, stops by to talk about toys, eating contests, and comics, as he touts his titles Hero House and S.H.O.O.T. First. Chris and Euge celebrate Independence Day in more ways than one. Happy 4th of July everyone.

Episode 33 - Ice Cream Cake f/Rick Remender

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 16:00:00 -0000

Rick Remender is our first guest to pull a hat trick on War Rocket Ajax, as he stops by to talk about Fear Agent, Frankencastle, and colorful stories about ice cream and hardcore music. We debut a new format for the show, and Chris and Euge talk about Superman just walkin’ the earth n’ sh*t.

Episode 32 - Periwinkle Skies f/Ming Doyle

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 16:00:00 -0000

We’re back! I know we said Rick Remender would be our guest, but due to some last minute complications, we had to reschedule him (to next week!). So Chris & Euge get to sit with the lovely and talented Ming Doyle, artist of The Loneliest Astronauts and whose work you’ve also seen in Marvel’s Girl Comics anthology. It’s an episode about HeroesCon, dream romance, and lovely skies as the crew is back again with the incredible, and all that goodness.

Episode 31 - When Sh*t Gets Real Bonus Round

Mon, 24 May 2010 16:00:00 -0000

It’s been a weird week for Euge. So when shit gets real on War Rocket Ajax, Chris and Euge do an Edit-Free Ajax Bonus Round, answer listener questions, and just when you think the show’s over….they go to Cuba and blow a bunch of stuff up. Maybe not that last part, but you get the idea.

Episode 30 - Oh, Margo f/Josh Fruhlinger

Mon, 17 May 2010 16:00:00 -0000

It’s a show that’s as familiar as your Sunday Morning Newspaper Comics section, when Josh Fruhlinger of the Comics Curmudgeon chats with the crew. Hear us talk about Funky Winkerbean, Apt. 3G, Beetle Bailey, and why they all suck while we continue to love them. Also, Chris takes on a slew of haters and we talk about Iron Man 2. It’s an Episode 30 blowout!

Episode 29 - Podcastkata f/Matt Singer

Mon, 10 May 2010 16:00:00 -0000

With the skill of gymnastics, and the kill of karate, Matt Singer, host of the IFC.com podcast and on-air host of IFC news, joins us to talk about his lifelong scholarly pursuit of watching and discussing the cinematic merit of Gymkata. We also talk about his time interning with Troma Entertainment, and comics reviews!

Episode 28 - That's So Silver Age f/Tom Katers

Mon, 03 May 2010 16:00:00 -0000

Tom Katers, of Tom vs. the Flash, Tom vs. the JLA, Around Comics and iFanboy, joins us for the whole episode as we talk about D&D, Miley Cyrus, Silver Age comics, and well…anything else that comes up. This guy knows what I’m talkin’ about, right?

Episode 27 - Brother Got Ta Rap f/Ryan Dunlavey

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 16:00:00 -0000

Hit Me! Back at it, talking about a ton of comics, and rapping with guest writer and artist Ryan Dunlavey about philosophers, MODOK, and new jack swing. All of you go to your rooms.

Episode 26 - Eisner Nominated

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 16:00:00 -0000

Euge and Chris are back this week, and we mostly just talk about nonsense. Comics come up, sorta. It’s a shorter episode with new theme lyrics and more twitter questions than you can shake a stick at.

Episode 25 - Awesomed Week f/Kieron Gillen

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 16:00:00 -0000

Kieron Gillen, writer of Thor, S.W.O.R.D. and Phonogram, stops by to talk about generally awesome stuff. Arm-shattering news, we review a light week of comics, and big ups to all my waiters!

Episode 24 - Bag of Salt f/Let's Be Friends Again

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 16:00:00 -0000

Curt Franklin and Chris Haley of Let’s Be Friends Again sit in on the whole episode, and basically try their best to ruin our show. Did they succeed?! Tune in to find out.

Episode 23 - Mad as Heck f/Tom Fowler

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 16:00:00 -0000

Comic artist and Mad Magazine contributor Tom Fowler stops by to earn our explicit tag, talk about Mysterius, and engage in some good old fashioned nostalgia for our favorite childhood humor magazine. Also, Chad Bowers stops by to show us the friendlier face of the Action Age.

Episode 22 - Edit Free Ajax

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:00:00 -0000

Sims, Euge, Rusty and Matt Wilson answer listener questions. Our hater story winner tells his tale. No edits, all live to tape. Beers. God save all of us.

Episode 21 - Megashark & Octopus f/Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:00:00 -0000

Fred Van Lente and Greg Pak stop by to talk about The Incredible Hercules, as well as The Hulk and other titles. Chris and Euge talk about Girl Comics. Haters, Listener questions, art by Max Huffman, and the announcement of the winner of our Hater Contest!

Episode 20 - Bat Out of Hell f/Thom Zahler

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:00:00 -0000

Through snow, through sleet, through hail, love prevails. Appropriately, Thomas Zahler, creator of the superb superhero situation comedy comic book Love and Capes, is our guest, as we chat about love, relationships, and Superman. Also, 3rd Chair Smithy is back to spread sunshine in our lives. We talk about Kick-Ass, shameless self-promotion, power ballads, and sex in Mass Effect 2. It’s a jumble of goodness, as War Rocket Ajax returns.

Episode 19 - Luchador-A-Go-Go f/El Gorgo

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:00:00 -0000

Great Googily Moogily! Mike McGee and Tamas Jakab from El Gorgo join the party, along with 3rd chair Emeritus Rusty Shackles, as the War Rocket Ajax crew grabs their guitars and makes their way to the concert! Will they make it in time?!

Episode 18 - For Kids! f/Max Huffman

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 17:00:00 -0000

Episode 17 - Sensitive Asian Boy f/Bryan Lee O'Malley

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 17:00:00 -0000

You gotta believe! ….that we have Bryan Lee O’Malley as our first guest of 2010. We talk to him about DUH! Scott Pilgrim and the forthcoming movie, Michael Cera, video games, and the sensitivity of Asian boys. Happy New Year everyone!

The War on X-Mas Special

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 17:00:00 -0000

Happy holidays and Merry Christmas to everyone! See you in 2010!

Episode 16 - Core Universe f/Rick Remender

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:00:00 -0000

What do you get when you have Rick Remender on your show? A lot of talk about Punisher: Franken-Castle, punk music, and some absurd convention stories. What better way to close out 2009, as Chris and Euge talk also talk about Twilight, drink recipes, more listener emails, and a special holiday hater!

Episode 15 - Historically Speaking f/Cherie Priest

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:00:00 -0000

Sims has a big announcement! I have a new website! And author, Southern gothic zombie steampunk historical enthusiast Cherie Priest talks about her book, Boneshaker, as well as Alfred Hitchcock and why historical fiction or steampunk culture shouldn’t forget about the fun.

Episode 14 - Brovember

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:00:00 -0000

We take a week where we give thanks for our bros and the bro-tastic bro’in’ that bros do. Errr..I mean, we invite Rusty Shackles, Matt Wilson, and Smithy to the show and answer listener emails, and the topics range far and wide. It’s a week without a guest, with a lot of non-comics discussion, and a chance for us to give thanks to everyone for listening to our little show.

Episode 13 - Spies Like Us f/Chris Roberson

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:00:00 -0000

It finally happened. We breached the 2 hour mark. For those who hate how long our episodes are, maybe you can blame writer Chris Roberson for being too interesting, as he talks about Cinderella: From Fabletown with Love and his upcoming title I, Zombie. Or, you can blame Dr. K, since he stops by to talk about his trip with Sims to the infamous South of the Border. Or maybe, just maybe…you can blame the REGGAETON AIR HORN. Either way, it’s an episode of international intrigue and racist tourist traps. And really, how can you shortchange any of that?

Episode 12 - Twisted Dark Reign Theatre

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:00:00 -0000

In our most jam-packed episode yet, four writers from Toyfare Magazine’s Twisted Toyfare Theatre series stop by to chat about the creative process, and GI Joe. Justin Aclin, Rob Bricken, TJ Dietsch, and Jon Guitierez all join in on the fun. Also, it’s our obligatory Dark Reign tie-in episode, as a special guest stops by to take over third chair duties in the name of H.A.M.M.E.R.

Episode 11 - Letter to the Editor f/James Lucas Jones

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:00:00 -0000

The gang’s all here, as Rusty Shackles joins the whole show, including our interview with special guest James Lucas Jones, the editor-in-chief of Oni Press. He talks to us about his history with comics, hate mail to editors, and his feelings on the personality of Oni as a publishing house. Also, apparently the crew decided to get drunk for every other segment completely independently of each other.

Episode 10 - Halloween Special f/Matt Sturges

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0000

Get in the Halloween spirit with our guest Matt Sturges, as he talks about Blue Beetle, House of Mystery, and zombie princesses. Then, Evie and Aaron from Awesomed By Comics stop by, as Chris and Aaron engage in a Castlevania Trivia Contest to determine once and for all, how much does Simon’s Quest really suck?

Episode 9 - Championship Edition f/Tom Peyer

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0000

Comics writer Tom Peyer stops by to talk politics and responds to the rabid fanbase of Legion of Super-Heroes once and for all. Also, Chris Haley of Let’s Be Friends Again sits in the third chair, as we discuss….well, you don’t want to know what we discuss.

Episode 8 - The Bonus Round

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0000

It’s the Bonus Round! As our resident artist Rusty Shackles debuts on the War Rocket Ajax program. Matt Wilson a/k/a King Oblivion PhD comes back to talk about the Marvel Swimsuit Issues. Euge goes to SPX 2009 and report from the floor. And we talk about the conclusion to Planetary and take your twitter questions for US. Who can smash the car FASTER?

Episode 7 - Peace Rocket Ajax f/Benito Cereno

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0000

What’s beef? We start off blazing with our new beef track against the Awesomed By Comics crew. Then writer Benito Cereno comes on the program to usher in October with some talk about Hector Plasm, as well as putting his own sorta-Internet beef to bed. We also have Kevin Church stopping by to address a particularly intense hater’s beef regarding a certain bodily function. All in this jampacked edition of War Rocket Ajax.

Episode 6 – The Hard Questions f/ Laura Hudson

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:00:00 -0000

Comics journalist, blogger and industry professional Laura Hudson stops by.

Episode 5 – Awesome Approach w/ Jeff Parker

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:00:00 -0000

We're just three new kids on the block, swingin' it, as Jeff Parker stops by to talk about his new title Underground, as well as his experiences working on Agents of Atlas, Thunderbolts, Mysterius: The Unfathomable, Interman, and everything else that he does. We intended to talk about the "Awesome Approach" to writing comics (Jeff's choice), but really we just ended up talking about MODOK, Yo! MTV Raps, and the history of new jack swing. Also, a surprise guest in the imaginary studio, and Chris and Euge ramble about comics a lot.

Episode 4 – All Ages f/ Colleen Coover

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:00:00 -0000

We're back from our Labor Day break with artist and writer Colleen Coover. Our topic is "All Ages," as we talk to Colleen about writing for both younger and older audiences, ranging from the younger themed Banana Sunday to her more adult-oriented title Small Favors. We also talk about how our habits of comic buying and reading have changed since childhood, and have a long, detailed discussion about what it's like working for Marvel, the distinctive traits of a monkey, and the concept of new jack swing. Also, a special guest stops by to address a hater.

Episode 3 – The Details f/ Jess Nevins

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:00:00 -0000

Our third episode welcomes comics scholar and pulp/victoriana master Jess Nevins to the show to talk about the details in comics. Which really boils down to Jess talking about things like the Golden Age Black Widow, Six Gun Gorilla, and what it's like having Alan Moore as a friend.

Episode 2 – A Dialogue f/ Caitlin Kittredge

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:00:00 -0000

We're back with our second episode, as we talk to Caitlin Kittredge, author of the Nocturne City novels and co-author of the superhero novel, Black and White. Since Caitlin's a successful published author (and hardcore comics fan), we talk about dialogue and writing in comics, as Caitlin and Chris talk about their favorite lines of dialogue in comics, their writing processes for novels and comics, and the many reasons why Caitlin is NOT Alan Moore.

Episode 1 – First Issues f/ Matt Fraction

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:00:00 -0000

In our historic first episode, Chris and Eugene talk about first issues and new beginnings with Matt Fraction, esteemed writer of The Uncanny X-Men, Invincible Iron Man, Casanova and many other titles. Hear the answers to the questions you've always pondered, such as: What comics did Chris and Eugene first purchase? What fan atrocities have been committed against comic and sci-fi writers? And what is Matt Fraction's favorite new jack swing song?