I tlooks like a logo designer threw up on this cover!

So, what would you, fairly reasonable person, say is the TITLE of this comic? book?

Of the 18 people I asked last week, 16 of them said "The Hunted?"

But, no, it's actually "Threshold", according to my order form.

With just two or three more logos, the cover could have been all text! Or, as Jeff Lester put it: "It appears as if that pair is under attack by the logos!"

This is such a poorly designed cover that I'm fairly certain that's why it cratered utterly at my store, selling just two rack copies, the lowest-selling first issue of a New 52 comic that I've ever had yet.

The insides were fairly OK, however, with the lead story being sort of kind of a Hunger Games thing in space with the DC Space characters (or reimagined versions of several of them, at least), though I'd like a better understanding of what these characters can't just get on a ship and leave.... space is kinda big and all. Giffen's a competent writer, and the story moves along pretty well, even if I don't have any real earned affection for any character on display.

I was less impressed with the back-up story of the "Orange Lantern", Larfleeze -- honestly, he's just a one-note joke character, and not a particularly funny one at that. But, overall, the comic was OK.

THE HIGH WAYS #1: I know there are a few people who find Byrne infinitely dated, but I think it's more that it's apparent when he doesn't really give a shit about the story he's telling, and when he does. This felt to me like something that he cared about. It's a reasonably "hard" science-fiction comic about space truckers. It's also got African-American leads, and, best thing, makes no big deal about it whatsoever. I thought this was pretty darn GOOD, and I think you should pop into our digital store and give it a shot.

BLEEDING COOL MAGAZINE #2: It's the "all ages comics special", and, actually, it has some pretty deep and comprehensive coverage about kids comics -- even the price guide is kids comics! I would totally put that on my kids rack... except....

...for the interview with Alan Moore, about HP Lovecraft, smack in the middle of the issue. Or the "worst industry feuds" section. Jinkies, that's not what we want to present to kids as our best face, is it?

*sigh*, got to watch crossing those editorial streams there, guys....

OK, the truck is arriving WAY early today, so that's all I have time for... what did YOU think?

-B

I love, love, love that lonely little "beep."

Man, the holiday season, amirite? Emerging from the primordial swamp of Black Friday, Cyber-Monday, Fat Tuesday and Sexting Sunday, it's the show notes for Wait, What? Ep. 108...right behind the jump!

0:00-6:15: Here we go! Graeme is in a seasonal mood; Jeff is having tech problems again (the very expensive microphone he picked up? Had to be sent back and repaired under warranty). But we are both existential crisis free! And if you're upset that there aren't any new episodes of "Let's Complain About Our Deadlines and Schedules" podcast, this is the five minutes for you. 6:15-19:16: Here's a dirty secret: I don't usually edit a lot of our on-line talk out but this season I thought I'd try to give all of you the gift of brevity. There was actually a ten minute conversation about the Angus T. Jones and the Two and a Half Men controversy that I decided to cut just….uh, I dunno? It had a natural flow to it but it also seemed a little digressive--even by our notoriously loose standards. So I just cut (clumsily) in to the next "celebrities--what were they thinking?" story we talked about--the recent controversy with James Gunn. (Our conversation took place just a few hours before his issued apology.) Do you guys have a preference about this kind of thing? Would you rather hear our conversations unfold naturally, or would you just prefer we try to keep the podcast focused on the pertinent parts? Let us know in the comments… 19:16-35:04: Anyway, from there, we segue smoothly into talking about whether or not comics culture is inherently misogynistic or not. Appropriately enough for such a broad topic (uh, pun is not intended there), we cover a lot of ground, talking about Journey Into Mystery and Red She-Hulk, the first issue of Bleeding Cool Magazine, and more. 35:04-35:26:INTERMISSION ONE 35:26-42:40: All-New X-Men #2. Graeme has read it; Jeff has not. So join us as Mr. Former fills in Mr. Latter on the story, the art, and the overall not-as-terribleness of the first issue. 42:40-59:22: Jeff, oddly enough, has read Avengers #34 and New Avengers #34, Bendis' last issues and gets to turn the tables on Mr. Former. It leads into a discussion about whether the art is serving the storytelling in Marvel's current books with books like Indestructible Hulk #1 by Mark Waid and Leinil Yu. 59:22-1:14:40: Captain America #1 by Rick Remender and John Romita, Jr.: read by both, viewed skeptically by both (though more by one of us than the other). For bonus points, we compare and contrast with Uncanny Avengers #2, and then sort of compare and contrast similar-seeming storylines running through the universe. Coincidence? Too much influence of one creator on another? Not enough? 1:14:40-1:18:01: Also reviewed at the same time, FF #1 by Matt Fraction and Mike Allred by Mr. McMillan. 1:18:01-1:28:22: Amazing Spider-Man #698 by Dan Slott and Richard Elson is also discussed and *fully spoiled* by Graeme and Jeff. Let the listener beware! 1:28:22-1:34:20: Iron Man #2 by Kieron Gillen and Greg Land, wherein Graeme coins the term "Greg Land face." Can we see a cure for Greg Land face in our lifetime? Also, bonus points to Graeme for the unexpected shout out to Jack Kirby's Silver Star. God bless you, Graeme McMillan. 1:34:20-1:35:40: INTERMISSION TWO 1:35:40-1:48:45: Although Jeff wants to maneuver Graeme back into waters into which poor Graeme does not want to go--Grant Morrison's annotations about Alan Moore's opinions on Grant Morrison--we settle instead for discussing Batman Incorporated #5 by Grant Morrison and Chris Burnham. What can we say? Sometimes we choose peace instead of war. That said, Jeff thinks there may be some really interesting subtext in the issue but isn't quite sure where. Come, puzzle it out with us, won't you? 1:48:45-1:52:39: Also under discussion, because Jeff is wayyyyyy behind the times, a discussion of Action Comics #14 by G-Moz and Rags Morales. 1:52:39-1:59:27: Flash #14! And then some stuff about Judge Dredd because that's what we do these days: talk about Judge Dredd. 1:59:27-2:02:30: Hey Angel & Faith #16 is a book Graeme was impressed with. Jeff drags the full spoilers out of Graeme so forewarned--do not listen unless you've read the issue (or, like Jeff, kinda don't care). 2:02:30-2:07:33: And continuing in the "Let Us Now Praise Non-Big Two Comics" section, Jeff really, really liked Witch Doctor: Mal Practice #1 and Multiple Warheads #2. Alas, because Graeme had read also read Multiple Warheads, we spend the vast majority of the time talking about that very fine comic and Witch Doctor: Mal Practice #1 unfortunately gets short shrift by comparison. But they're both great! 2:07:33-2:23:02: Also, a book we both read and decide to chew the fat about: Masks #1 by Chris Roberson and Alex Ross. For those of you who play that drinking game where you do a shot every time Jeff gets some little detail utterly wrong, prepared to get snockered. 2:23:02-2:24:20: Though he doesn't go through them in anything like detail, Jeff read ten volumes of Hikaru No Go (vols. 7-17) and totally loved it. That was some very enjoyable manga right there. 2:24:20-end: A super-super-super-short discussion about Shonen Jump Alpha going day and date with some stories in 2013. 2000AD online is also mentioned, as is Jeff's wont these days. And then we are out of there…for another week.

This is a thing that is already out there, people, already haunting the diaphanous underworld that is iTunes. But, of course, you are more than likely to gather around the seance table, join hands, and perform the secret spell of conjuration below:

Wait, What? Ep. 108: Frightful

As always, we hope you enjoy, and thank you for listening.