Comic Pants Podcast #57
Dan Grendell, Nick Budd, Dave Farabee and Randy Lander return with the newest Comic Pants podcast! This time around, it’s a return to a favorite topic, some of their favorite comics of the moment. What comics are striking the Panteon’s fancy these days? In this two-part podcast, they’ll talk about over a dozen books ranging from superheroes at both companies to books more off the beaten path. Plus a bit of a long diversion about Secret Invasion inspired by cranky old man Lander. Plus: New installments of Panteon Comics Audio Theatre featuring reprints from the pages of King-Size Hulk #1.
As always, commentary is welcomed and encouraged. Let us know what you thought of the podcast, and if you have suggestions for future podcast topics, leave us a comment or write in to the show!
Use the podcast feed buttons on the sidebar to subscribe, listen via the flash player below, or directly download the MP3 here:
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In all fairness to Marvel and I try to be fair
1. The eviling of Tony STARK May be the only thing they have done that makes me CARE at all
2 unlike Civil War (the Avengers get divorced.) and World War Hulk (hulk 300 post comic code re-write) Skrulls replace Marvel and nobody is smart enough to see it has no apeal for me at all “Oh my god Aunt may’s a skrull is one issuse of Spider-man otherwise how stupid is peter
14 Jun 2008 at 1:28 pm
QuoteThe only thing I dislike about Robin is the costume. The rest is gold.
Over the past year, I’ve managed to finally read every issue of Usagi, at least every issue I know about
And I can honestly say I find no low point. The only real low point for me is a personal one: the Grasscutter epic. This is the fan-favorite that won the Eisner award, but I actually found it to be a fairly awkwardly-written story that forced a lot of pieces together and actually failed to cover a lot of ground for its length. You guys mentioned the awesome Dragon Bellow Conspiracy storyline; Grasscutter to me felt like a far less successful retread on that story. Thankfully, Stan Sakai shaped up quickly after that, and the follow up, Grasscutter II was not only much better, but my favorite of the book-length Usagi epics.
Also, while Usagi does have the feel of some things never changing, there’s definitely been significant development on the series. The stuff with Usagi’s son, Jotaro, notably, the politics within the ninja clans (which I believe Stan will be addressing in the upcoming storyline), and even the romance with Tomoe you talked about is due for a shakeup; the past year or so of stories has set her up for an arranged wedding with another lord! I can’t wait to see how that will play out, and how Usagi will react to it.
I’m torn on Secret Invasion. I really want to like Bendis’s writing again, and his writing on Invasion is very, very good. However…I’m actually not too into this whole idea of retcons using the Skrulls. I actually don’t know if I’d be okay with the return of Mockingbird. One of the great things Marvel continuity had over DC - up until recently, at least - is that they did have some very, very memorable character deaths that stuck. Gwen Stacy, Mockingbird, Obadiah Stane, Mar-Vell, Skurge the Executioner…I’m well aware that that’s changing up, and I’m finding it a bit of shame. It’s not just the deaths - the general hint of changing up Marvel continuity to fit the bible of Bendis is not a good sign to me, and Secret Invasion is practically giving him free reign to reorganize the universe as he wants it.
14 Jun 2008 at 7:21 pm
QuoteI actually love the Robin costume. Like the Flash costume, it stands the test of time, and while the Neal Adams redesign is my preference, I’ve seen a lot of artists (like TT Year One’s Karl Kerschl) who can really make the booties and shorts Robin costume work.
I’ll admit that the current over-red design tweak is not its best, but even then I think it’s a pretty good costume.
Wow, that’s right… I’d forgotten about that. Sakai is great at doing slow-burn subplots in the background and then bringing them to the fore. He’s a true long-form storyteller who can also do really enjoyable short form stories. “Genius” is not an unearned term, especially when you consider his artistic skill.
I’ll grant you that those are all memorable deaths… except for Mockingbird. Her death was sort of a pointless, 100-issue anniversary death, where she got fireballed in the back by Mephisto (wtf?) So if that gets undone, I can’t say I’m too upset about it.
But as for your fears of Bendis (and Millar, and Loeb, who are also sort of the architects of the moment) remaking Marvel’s history in their own image… yeah, I’m not crazy about that either. But I think that, given House of M and Civil War, that ship has already sailed. Skrulls are just the latest explanation for out-of-character behavior that becomes the default.
14 Jun 2008 at 7:49 pm
QuoteFavs of the moments. Nana, Excel Saga and Gunsmith Cats when they come out. Also All Star Superman, Fables, Young Liars, and Wonder Woman. Also, Batman. I know a lot of people seem down on it but I’ve been enjoying the series more and more as its going on. though the Morrison bashing online seems to be at an all time high because this book. That and Final Crisis. Seeing these two books being held up by some as “proof that Morrison is vastly overrated and all his books destroy and retcon the characters and blah blah blah” is really starting to annoy me.
14 Jun 2008 at 9:03 pm
Quoteguys, is nobody carazy about the 12? Reguardles of slow pacing it’s currently my fave Marvel
14 Jun 2008 at 9:04 pm
QuoteWell, it is a two-part podcast…
Show ▼
15 Jun 2008 at 1:52 am
QuoteI know I wouldn’t go quite that far. But I would hold both of those up (at least Batman, FC is only one issue in, and has all kinds of editorial mandates, it’s unfair to blame that solely on Morrison) as proof that sometimes, Morrison isn’t all that great.
But hey, that’s just my opinion. If folks are enjoying it, that’s cool, as long as Morrison doesn’t entirely wreck characters I like beyond all hope of repair.
Like pointlessly offering Martian Manhunter, revealing that Batman’s parents were druggies and Alfred is his real dad, that Batman has had a psychotic break and is also masquerading as his own enemy, and…
What? He did?
Oh.
Well, uh… All Star Superman is *awesome*!
Kidding! I kid! Actually, I think the Morrison bashing is a bit out of hand (most Internet bashing is, even the bashing I contribute to like the bashing of Chuck Austen, Bendis, Millar, etc., etc.), but I don’t think it’s unfair to say that his Batman is, even if you’re digging it, a bit on the weird side. A very specific and acquired taste.
15 Jun 2008 at 1:55 am
Quotewell I think it’s a pretty good murder mystey ok it runs into a BIT of the same problem any super whodunit does “hey if you can read minds just read the killers’ mind” and it wants to be watchmen too badly. But i’d agurge that 12 very VERY minor charcters from the 40s in a murder mystery about one of their own is diffrent from a story where Cap and Wolverine look into who killed the human torch
15 Jun 2008 at 12:32 pm
Quotenothing is EVER beyond repair in dc becuse the univese always restarts
15 Jun 2008 at 1:12 pm
Quote15 Jun 2008 at 6:22 pm
QuoteI would love to hear the D&D 4th ed. podcast.
15 Jun 2008 at 10:04 pm
QuoteIn all fairness, I feel I should point this out. Pterodactyls were flying reptiles, and the first vertebrates capable of flight. That said they were not, technically, dinosaurs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pterodactyl
From this moment on, I am Professor Science.
16 Jun 2008 at 9:39 am
QuoteI read very few super hero comics now, and have no earthly idea who Spoiler is.
However, I think it is a great name for a psychic character who spoils all upcoming plot lines.
Every time Spoiler appears, some character will cry, “Spoiler alert!” and then the next three issues will be completely unexciting and uninteresting because you will learn right here right now that the villain is really The Joker and not The Riddler like you originally suspected.
I am sure this joke is a hundred years old by now.
16 Jun 2008 at 9:55 am
Quoteall-star superman #10 is maybe the best single issue comic i ever read. kick-ass.
great ‘cast as usual.
16 Jun 2008 at 1:19 pm
QuoteI would love to hear a podcast about best comic book fights; centering on the action, choreography and fluidity.
17 Jun 2008 at 6:56 pm
QuoteWell, with Dixon out at DC, that Robin recommendation has quickly become stale. Oh well…. I was almost tempted to give it and Batman and the Outsiders a chance based on the way you guys talk Dixon up too…
18 Jun 2008 at 12:14 pm
QuoteI know. The Dixon news came out the day after, or maybe two days after, we recorded this podcast. And the next one, which features a recommendation for Batman and the Outsiders.
I still recommend his run on BATO, based on what I’ve seen so far and the most recent issue, but in the same way I recommended The Order or Immortal Iron Fist… I liked what we had, but I would have liked it more if we’d had a lot more.
18 Jun 2008 at 8:05 pm
QuoteDixon made it clear whose fault it is! Fabian Nicieza will be replacing Dixon on Robin but heavy editorial mandates, it’s going to be hard to write great stories. Anyway, rumors going around that Tim Drake is going to replace Bruce as Batman?!? Oh please, let this be false. If that’s true, we are going to have a half-pint Batman.
18 Jun 2008 at 9:44 pm
QuoteI’d enjoy a D&D 4th bashing podcast at least
As for D&D comics, did anyone else read the DC published ones? I loved those…in fact that’s what got me reading comics in the first place.
23 Jun 2008 at 8:01 pm
QuoteThen I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that you’d hate our D&D 4th podcast. Because we’re all huge fans.
Seriously, after running D&D 4, I don’t want to run 3.5 ever again. And I *liked* 3.5. Spent several years running an Eberron campaign using 3.5.
But 4th edition is a really fun game.
There is much love in the Panteon for those comics. I think we’d like to see more D&D comics like that. Unfortunately, it sounds like WOTC doesn’t want to see them. And their vote counts more.
24 Jun 2008 at 1:47 am
Quote