Caricature by Michael Corley of Vox in a Box, who clearly knows us -- and our recording woes -- well.

Hey! It's episode 125 and it's, um, short. Yup, Skype problems kept us to a (what some would call reasonable) length of just under an hour. Sorry? You're welcome? We don't know anymore! But we are already in the process of taking steps to make sure it doesn't happen again.

After the jump: show notes! Kirby! More whingeing!

0:00-3:24: And this is why I never make plans. As the saying goes, "If you want God to laugh at your podcast, make a plan. Or try to describe moe." 3:24-32:18: Graeme is mainlining The West Wing. Jeff mainlined the fourth season of Arrested Development and was hoping to talk about serialized TV fiction vs. serialized superhero comic book fiction. Graeme, having picked up the biography of Chris Morris (No Known Cure: The Comedy of Chris Morris, I think?), talks about Jam and Blue Jam. Also mentioned: Futurama, Firefly, Pushing Daisies, and following your bliss. 32:18-36:05: Comics! Very old comics! Jeff and Graeme talk about the awesome that is merely a quick plot synopsis of Jack Kirby's Kamandi issues #21-23 (on the podcast I say it's just two issues but it is in fact three but each issue is ninety-nine cents on Comixology). Here is the page we mention that I tweeted because of its awesomeness: Yup, I would say Jack Kirby predicted the Internet with 100% accuracy. From Kamandi #22

Also mentioned in passing: Graeme's theory about The Demon and Venture Bros. 36:05-42:46: Also available on Comixology? Bad Dog by Graham Chaffee, a charming 26 page black and white comic that is currently free. This leads to a fascinating confession from Graeme about the double-edged storytelling trick that is putting dogs in trouble, and then--- 36:12--SKYPEPOCALYPSE (and Intermission #1) 38:48-42:46: And we're back! More about dogs, a bit about what the hell just happened, and maybe the start of a new feature: "request words for Graeme McMillan to say on-air." 42:46-54:31: Fast & Furious 6! It's not a comic book but it might as well be! Graeme hasn't seen it but Jeff has and is very happy to talk about it (and spoil the last scene of the film, which is really about the only minute of the film that can be spoiled). The most important cinematic question of our time: Is the franchise more like The Wacky Races or the Laff-A-Lympics? Join the fight here! 54:31-end: For those keeping track at home, Graeme is now more optimistic this week about Man of Steel. Maybe that's why Skype finally decided it was through with us: not enough talk about genuine comic books?

See? Short! Or maybe...petite? Refreshing discreet? In any event, el shrimpo should have made its way to iTunes or else its appearance is imminent. But also -- it is here? Already cut up into nice little pieces for easy chewing:

Wait, What? Ep. 125: Short Round

As always, we appreciate your patronage and thank you for listening. We will be back in more typical filibusterian fashion!

It's....not easy to explain. Trust me.

Oh, man. Remember all the questions you guys asked us and we didn't get to? Well, don't say we didn't start 2013 right!

After the jump: Show notes, no more terrifying photos, still kissing with saliva, etc., etc.

0:00-12:00: Greetings! Before the comics talk, Graeme and Jeff catch up with what they did during the holidays. Unsurprisingly, Jeff got sick and moped. Even less surprisingly, Graeme worked. And worked. And worked. Other exciting topics covered: inadvertent tech problems, deliberate tech problems, Cocoa Pebbles, Cocoa Puffs, and Cocoa Krispies and Honey Monster, the Sugar Puffs mascot. 12:00-29:03: Jeff talks about the first season of American Horror Story, which is another "what we did during the holidays" topic, and that leads into a discussion about things that go wrong, TV, and includes mention of The West Wing and Agatha Christie's Tommy and Tuppence. And, just as we almost start talking about comics, we swerve and talk about Misfits about which, in a weird reversal of the status quo, Jeff is caught up on and Graeme is not. Also, you will never know how much coughing I had to edit out to make this sound at all listenable, but it was kind of a lot. Some of them I had to keep in so we could (sort of) hear Graeme. Sorry about that. 29:03-36:16: Graeme lists the comics he's read! Hey everybody, we're talking about comics! Well, starting to talk about comics! Well, almost…starting to…talk… 36:16-36:52: Intermission Uno! 36:52-38:52: Hey, who has two thumbs and has been interviewed again by Canadian Television? This guy….Graeme McMillan, whom we all know. Yes, CL Cool Graeme (Canada Loves Cool Graeme) is burning up the airwaves. 38:52-56:58: Comics! We were supposed to talk about all those books Graeme listed so of course…we don't talk about them. Instead, we talk about Amazing Spider-Man #700. 56:58-1:05:35: And from there, we talk a spot of news--the promotions of Bob Harras and Hank Kanalz over at DC. Also, those great lists of CE's top-selling books for 2012. 1:05:35-1:05:50: And so…we finally get around to talking about the list of comics Graeme bought! Or….do we? (Hint: we don't). 1:05:50-1:06:38: Intermission Two! 1:06:38-1:07:23: And we're back…and the sound is a bit hinky for some reason? Have we thanked you for continuing to listen to us recently? We really should! 1:07:23-1:23:23: Remember that list of comics Graeme mentioned way back when? Here it is! A delightful batch of old issues Graeme picked up at his local comic book shop's sale: Batman and the Outsiders Annual #1 (1984); DC Comics Presents #60 (Superman and Guardians of the Universe); Machine Man #10 by Marv Wolfman and Steve Ditko; Micronauts Annual #1 (1979); Mr. Miracle Special by Mark Evanier and Steve Rude (1987); and the DC Comics Mystery In Space DC Presents One-Shot (2004) featuring Elliot S! Maggin & J.H. Williams III, and Grant Morrison & Jerry Ordway. 1:23:23-1:39:12: Also, something comics-related(!): Graeme and I talk Final Crisis since both of us (weirdly enough) had re-read it in the last month or so: ccontinuity, the New 52, reverse time, and issues of race, are among the subjects of our conversational hand-wringing. Then…techpocalypse forces us to cut things short in mid-convo and try again. 1:39:12-1:39:32: Intermission 3! 1:39:32-1:42:35: And we are back! (After a few failed attempts, which were a bit on the crazy-making side of things?) So it's back to more Final Crisis talk--where are those Batman issues? What about the Legion of 3 Worlds? 1:42:35-end: And now on to some quick chat about new comics--Flash #15 and its amazing second half by Francis Manapul; New Avengers #1 by Jonathan Hickman and Steve Epting (including a shout-out to Abhay's fantastic commentary on Hickman's Secret); Sachie-Chan Good!! by Akira Toriyama and Masakazu Katsura (which inspires Graeme to recount the "Miss Universe" pitch from the Downey Files podcast); Batman Inc. #6; Saga #8; Wonder Woman #15; Fatale #11 by Brubaker and Phillips; Prophet #32; Godzilla: The Half-Century War #4; Witch-Doctor: Mal Practice #2; and (digitally) the first volume of Kikaider by Shotaro Ishinomori (sooooo good!) And then a little after the two hour mark--we are finished! For now. [Cue ominous music...]

As I'm a bit out of practice, a bit sick, and staring down the barrel of an early wake-up call, let me just cut through the niceties and say: it's good to be back! (Hold up, brain: isn't that a nicety right there?) And blah blah blah blah iTunes, but also right here, and so on:

Wait, What? Ep. 111: Things That Go Wrong

Ah, but no worries we will be back next week--here is to a Happy New Year to all and, as you may have guessed, we thank you for listening!