Comic Pants Podcast #58
Dan Grendell, Nick Budd, Dave Farabee and Randy Lander are back, with part two of their favorite comics of the moment. What are some of the other Panteon favorites of the moment? Who are the Ike and Tina Turner of comics? And just how dumb is the Panteon, and how does Hurricane Katrina play into all this? Find out this and lots more, as well as another installment 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 below:
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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All great picks but I had to chuckle at all the Chuck Dixon praise in light of what happened after this was recorded. I agree, though, that DC needs to focus on creators (Morrison, Johns, Rucka). Say what you will about them, their names may bring readers to something they may not normally read.
28 Jun 2008 at 7:00 am
QuoteYeah, that was some spectacular timing. He still deserves it, but if we knew then what we know now… I dunno if we’d have been recommending stuff that was about to end abruptly.
28 Jun 2008 at 9:00 am
QuoteI haven’t listened to the podcast yet, but I wanted to say that, as somebody who’s defended Mark Millar in these comments sections — I will no longer be doing that after having the Wanted movie forced upon me.
That set the “comics can be a mature and intelligent form of entertainment” movement back 20 years. And I’m down with dumb fun, so long as the fun part is there.
28 Jun 2008 at 6:17 pm
QuoteGood podcast again, guys.
Man, now I want to buy King-Size Hulk just to have a copy of that issue. It sounds freakin’ hilarious. I actually roared laughing with that last line from Hawkeye. And it sounds like Roy Thomas was the Mark Millar of his time *wink wink, nudge nudge to Bob*
Tiny Titans completely slipped under my radar. It’s great to see DC doing these kinds of books. If they sell well enough, let’s hope DC will take it as a sign and make their mainstream books more kid-friendly. That way the kids who get hooked reading Tiny Titans can start reading the DCU in just a few years, and make the gradual transition as they outgrow the kid’s books. If they have to wait until they’re teenagers, though, because of Dr. Light raping people and Superboy Prime punching heads off, then that’s a shame because you’ve definitely lost the hook by then.
I now really want to check out Blue Beetle. Alas, if only DC were Marvel and would collect the first 25 issues in an omnibus hardcover.
28 Jun 2008 at 6:58 pm
QuoteI did a rough search for Chuck Dixon on my news sites and can’t find whatever it is you’re talking about here… could someone please post a link, as I’ve loved his stuff in the past and want to know what’s going on!
29 Jun 2008 at 8:27 am
QuoteThis probably covers it from about 2 weeks ago.
Chuck Dixon No Longer Working for DC Comics
Chuck Dixon: ‘I did not quit’
29 Jun 2008 at 9:58 am
QuoteThank you whrilwindx! I actually looked at Blog@newsarama, so I’m not sure why didn’t see that article…
although now I really don’t know what to think about the Dixon situation… except hope DC hires him back. And as much as I try give Didio the benefit of the doubt, it’s getting harder and harder… sigh…
29 Jun 2008 at 12:34 pm
Quotenot knowing any better than what’s in knig size Hulk and what you guys say i’d think Red Hulk is Clay Quatermain. Though i’d kiss somebody right on the lips if it’s ROSS
29 Jun 2008 at 1:10 pm
QuoteShow ▼
29 Jun 2008 at 1:16 pm
Quotea RED hulk that knows his way around sheild bases, is not Rick jones or Bruce Banner? It might be Samson but is’nt he more usefull to Marvel doing somthing else? Eargo it’s Ross or some complete nonsense. I HOPE it’s complete nonsense. These guys are pros I better not outguess them. I totally outguessed lohes Wolverine story
29 Jun 2008 at 1:48 pm
QuoteIt makes you wonder…just when I thought I could get into a few DC books they fired him. So maybe I’ll pick up some Blue Beetle trades thanks to the Panteon.
Just like I was reading a summary of the WW Chicago: Wonder Woman spotlight panel and it seemed like Rucka had more stories to tell and ramifications to get to. I don’t know if that was new information or I just missed it before but DC is an odd duck.
29 Jun 2008 at 2:41 pm
QuoteFinally you guys gave Hulk some credit. It’s not as bad as the train wreck that is All-Star Bats. Great podcast, like the bits about Nova, Proof and TWD.
Got a new topic for the next podcast: JOE QUESADA: BEST EDITOR-IN-CHIEF IN COMICS EVER!!! Not just for Marvel but for all comics publishers. I think this topic can stretch for a hour. Start off like how most (including myself) thought he won’t do well then talk about how great that he’s EiC and how he’s leading Marvel to be an unstoppable force.
29 Jun 2008 at 9:04 pm
QuoteTwo of you bought All Star Batman and Robin in hardcover? But…I look to you for comics guidance! It’s like you’re Sobek and you’re eating me when all I wanted was a hug.
Haven’t read Red Hulk, but I’ve flipped a little and I’m glad to hear that I’m not the only one who really likes the jeans look for Shulkie.
01 Jul 2008 at 8:22 am
QuoteExcellent reference. But I don’t know if anyone actually bought All Star Batman and Robin in hardcover. That might have just been crazy podcast talk.
01 Jul 2008 at 10:20 am
QuoteWow, so the guy creates a great comic and a movie studio comes along and adapts it into a movie that Millar probably had nothing to do with other then writing the original source material, you happen to not like the movie and so you are going to shit on him for it?
I think your belief that the movie was ‘Forced’ on you says it all…
01 Jul 2008 at 11:14 am
QuoteI had to see it for work-related reasons.
01 Jul 2008 at 11:22 am
QuoteAre you talking about Wanted? If so, I don’t think you can state as if it were fact that it’s great.
Personally, I found it OK at the start and increasingly annoying as it went on. Not saying folks aren’t plenty welcome to like it… but don’t say it’s a great comic like that’s an undisputed fact.
Millar sure seems to act like he had something to do with it. He’s been crowing about it since it was announced, and all the way through the box office announcements and speculation of a sequel.
You want to disagree on whether or not Wanted is a good movie or good comic, that’s fine, but Millar is certainly not distancing himself from it, and it seems fair to lump criticism of Millar’s cynical aesthetic (which seems to be intact, even if many of the other trappings of the graphic novel aren’t) in with criticism of the movie.
01 Jul 2008 at 12:59 pm
QuoteIt was popular and was optioned as a movie, whether or not you or I liked it has no bearing on that fact.
Again, in the context of what I was writing it doesn’t matter what you thought.
That’s called promotion, its a very different thing then being involved in the production. Of course he wants the movie to do well, of course he wants them to make a sequel, he gets a cut! in no article does he talk about being involved in the production of the film. The closest he may come to that is when they showed him some footage before the movie was complete and he said “Thanks, Looks good”.
I never said he was distancing himself from it and I never disagreed on whats good and what isn’t.
My problem was that Bob talked about being a Millar fan and even defending him on occasion (My only assumption was that he liked the comic) and then this movie comes out that Millar really had nothing to do with the making of and for Bob that somehow translates to Millar now being unworthy of his approval.
01 Jul 2008 at 5:39 pm
QuoteWell, it’s beside the important point so I should probably just let this part of the argument go, but… sales and popularity does not make something great. You want to say “a financially successful, wildly popular comic” I’m OK with that. But great implies something else.
Hmm. OK, I guess I see where you’re coming from. If the trouble is the disconnect between graphic novel and movie, it’s an unfair comment. But I’ll say that as someone who has read the graphic novel and not seen the movie, it does seem like Wanted was a deliberate fuck you to superhero fans, and Millar certainly hasn’t done the medium any favors in terms of broadening it as smarter fare rather than big, dumb action. That the movie drove that point home for Bob doesn’t shock me.
Mind you, I’m all for big, dumb action in its place. Hell, I’ll probably see Wanted on DVD.
01 Jul 2008 at 10:44 pm
QuoteActually, I didn’t like the Wanted comic at all. I love Millar’s superhero WFH stuff. That’s what I tend to defend here and elsewhere, against accusations that his superhero work is a big fuck-off (I can see the point, I just don’t agree — I think a lot of care went into stuff like Ultimates, FF, Ultimate FF, Wolverine, and Civil War).
That said, I think his creator-owned stuff is quite bad. It’s just dumb, derivative, and cynical. And if I may be cynical myself, I find these projects to be pretty transparent money-grabs. He’s said numerous times that what attracts him to creator-owned projects is that he owns the movie rights. So when he’s writing a book with the movie money in mind, and it gets made into a movie, it’s perfectly fair to use his name when criticizing the work.
I should have said that I don’t care for the Wanted book or movie however. Both are pretty in-your-face about how “shocking” they are when they’re actually quite tame and dull. And while I’m not sure I buy the “misogynistic” tag with Wanted, both the book and film have set the whole “comics are more than just lame adolescent male power fantasies” movement back. I honestly think everyone involved in the both projects, including Mark, is capable of much better.
02 Jul 2008 at 6:33 am
QuoteThats fair, thanks for the clarification and apologies for assuming too much.
For the record I did enjoy the movie for what it was, a crazy russian filmmakers take on a world with super assassins.
I haven’t read the comic myself but I read Millar originally pitched it to DC as a story that takes place in the DC universe future and the main character is the son of Dr Light or some such villian but it was rejected.
02 Jul 2008 at 12:52 pm
QuoteIf that’s the case, DC must be kicking themselves for rejecting it. They sure need some more movie hits, Batman can’t do it alone.
02 Jul 2008 at 6:56 pm
Quote