Ahh, nostalgia. I used to love that cover....and I know I should crop out that border. But.

Hey, Internet! My apologies in advance--things are rushed, except maybe a little more so! My Monday schedule changed around a bit so it's gonna be a rush on my part to make sure they still happen before Tuesday morning.

All of which is to say: join me after the jump for some very hasty show notes, yes?

00:00-4:07: Opening comments! Greetings, statements, insinuations. But before the paint has even started to dry on our work-related complaints…comics! 4:07-13:54: First off, Pretty Deadly. Recorded just a few hours before "Rip-Up-A-Copy-of-Pretty-DeadlyGate," we talk about our mixed feelings about this new Image title by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Emma Rios. We talk westerns, manga, prologues, emotional investment, narrative baiting and switching, and other keen topics. 13:54-27:58: It’s a blurry line, since we’re still unpacking reactions to Pretty Deadly, but around here is where we also work in discussion of the second book in the week’s trifecta from Image’s Portland Mafia, Velvet #1 by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting. Included in the discussion: LeCarre, Bond, Val from Nick Fury, Paul Gulacy, Sandbaggers, Story X becoming Story Y, etc. 27:58-46:57: And finally, we work in the third book, Sex Criminals #2 by Fraction and Zdarsky. In the mix: amazing colors, fantastic jokes, problematic jokes, sales figures, sex skittishness, and what have you. 46:57-56:39: The first Justice League of America hardcover—Graeme has seen it, read it, and has some very good questions about it. Also discussed: the Fortress of Solitude trade, the Death of the Family trade, the draw of missing issues, things of that nature. 56:39-1:14:30: And Jeff has things to say about the Cross Manage one-shot that just ran in Shonen Jump Weekly digital. What did a huge fan of KAITO’s high-school lacrosse fantasy think of the strip’s return? Also mentioned: romance (of course), New Girl, Castle, Bones, and Deadwood. 1:14:30-1:27:33: And this kind of crazy talk leads around to an overdue discussion about the DC policy that their heroes can’t have happy romantic relationships. Included in the discussion: the many stages of Spider-Man; Earth One and the New 52; someone jumping up and down on Superman’s brain and causing him to get divorced; and the possible marital status of Iron Man. 1:27:33-1:35:05: The Secret Origin of Tony Stark over in Iron Man! We spoil the ending, and talk about the story’s big swerve, narrative v. marketing, the Superman and Wonder Woman relationship (uh, somehow?) and a few additional things thrown in there I don't quite remember at the moment. 1:35:05-1:43:15: Graeme has a rant about the Agents of SHIELD TV show. Jeff wants to hear it! Here’s the segment where we figure out how to make that happen. There’s a slight tech glitch, but it doesn’t stop us from talking about the Military-Industrial Complex and Hollywood…and Marvel Entertainment, in particular. This was recorded right around the time of the Captain America: Winter Soldier trailer which was an interesting compare/contrast. 1:43:15-end: “Speaking of Mighty Marvel Self-Critique…” Graeme also walks us through Marvel: Now What? Jeff tries to make up for his sour mood by talking about how much he’s still enjoying Yakitate!! Japan and the most excellent poop joke in Volume 8. We also end up complaining about Agents of SHIELD some more. Fortunately, Jeff thinks to ask Graeme about Halloween and this leads to a lively anecdote about “Galoshin’,” a list of costumes Graeme has worn, and we each pick comic book costumes for the other to wear. IN THE COMMENTS: give us your picks for our Halloween costumes. Best choices will be shamefacedly and resolutely ignored.

Itunes has been alerted, but the podcast should be below. The stupid file came out stupidly big so I tried to compress it. Hopefully, it's still audible (it's probably still stupidly big, I fear.)

Wait, What? Ep. 138: Gone Galoshing

Next week: is a skip week! We will be back in two weeks!

John Byrne really, uh, bringing it in Alpha Flight #6

Yeah, that's....mmm, boy! Good ol' John Byrne, amirite?

Anyhoo... the adventure that are the shownotes for our podcast: right behind the jump!

0:00-2:48: Introductions and a bit (just a tad) of shop talk, complainy bits, and a promise from Graeme (that last phrase sounding a bit like a British pop song, eh? For some reason, I imagine Seal singing it but that's probably just me.)

2:48-6:31: The talk turns to the early days of Morrison's Doom Patrol and even the issues just preceding. Can you guess Graeme's secret shame before he confesses? Hint: It'll surprise you! [Second hint: the first hint is totally worthless and can just as easily be ignored.]

6:31-30:13: And today's surprise read from Graeme's magical library system: John Byrne's Alpha Flight! Graeme has fond memories of it. Jeff has the kind of memories that should be set to the pocket watch music from For A Few Dollars More (or the harmonica music from Once Upon A Time in the West, take your pick). Lots of discussion of Byrne from that era ensues, including Superman and Fantastic Four. Also, Jeff attempts to recreate an Alpha Flight issue from memory. He's a clown! Come and listen and point and laugh!

30:13-30:35: Intermission Prima!

30:35-31:46: "And we're back."

31:46-50:21: News and weather! (Without the weather!) Graeme lets Jeff in on the latest development on the Siegel & Schuster heirs' court battle for the Superman copyright. Also covered (and not really in any way that's germane to comics) the folding of Newsweek as a print media publication and what's going on with old and new media. If you need it to tie into comics, we do mention a series of related Doonesbury strips.

50:21-1:01:42: Back to comics! Jeff gets cranky about the blindly upbeat reception to the first issue of IDW's My Little Pony as a possibly overheated market should worthy of consideration and caution (especially from the comics press). Jeff also has his panties in a bunch about IDW's Mars Attacks event--mistakenly, as it turns out. Fortunately, Graeme is there to straighten Jeff out. Unfortunately, Jeff is sufficiently without shame he has decided to leave his mistake in rather than savvily saving face via the "select and delete" option.

1:01:42-1:02:02: Intermission Seconda!

1:02:02-1:02:56: "Welcome back." Man, Graeme is really on top of it this episode, isn't he? I'm well aware of how fortunate I am to work with him but still...wow.

1:02:56-1:21:31: Comics! Graeme is very much liking Season Nine of Buffy and quite likes it. We spend a few minutes talking about Archer & Armstrong #3 and how we are actually...digging this Valiant relaunch? Like a lot, I guess? Very strange times we live in. Other comics under discussion: Justice League #13 by Geoff Johns and Tony Daniels (and on a related note--is Jeff Lemire having one helluva year in comics or what?) I could tell you how this leads into our discussion of Sex Criminals by Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky but what would be the fun of that? And Graeme once again is on point here, talking about the influences of Grant Morrison's Kill Your Boyfriend and this leads into a great little tangent: Graeme's personal Criterion list--movies he thinks everyone should see.

1:21:31-1:30:00: And so Graeme talks about the experience of seeing all the very different versions of Beauty & The Beast out there: the Cocteau version, the Disney version, the TV show from 1988 and from now. (Do we take the moment to talk about the classic Ann Nocenti scripted miniseries Beauty and The Beast featuring Dazzler? And The Beast? We do not.) Also, Graeme has read Bandette: Tales of the Urchins and we have not. However, we can check out the two page preview which is complete in and of itself here.

1:30:00-1:40:01: Marvel Now! Point One--Graeme has read it and tells Jeff about the high points, low points and in-between points.

1:40:01-1:53:51: Jeff's turn! Because we are sort of running late, Jeff speeds through his impressions of Batman #13; the Shonen Jump Alpha Starter Pack, over 300 pages of digital manga you can pick up for free; the third issue of Godzilla: The Half-Century War by James Stokoe; re-reading Zaucer of Zilk by Al Ewing and Brendan McCarthy via the first issue reprint from IDW; Bakuman Vol. 15; and King Cat Comics and Stories issue #73.

1:53:51-end: Closing comments, and plans for next ep! (Hint)

Whew! That will keep you busy for a while, yes? Perhaps you have already run over the podcast in your fine German car on the autobahn that is iTunes. If not, we invite you to spend time idling here at der kleineshausdassWaffelngebaut (or, roughly translated: the little house that waffles built):

Wait, What? Ep. 103: Zero Point Now

As always, we hope you enjoy and thanks for listening!