Category: Comics commentary

Comics commentary from our podcast regulars.

#290 “NEXUS” (Justifiable Homicide? pt 1)

Nexus

FLASHBACK! We begin a two-review series on comics that ask hard questions about whether murder can ever be justified. This week, Mike Baron and Steve Rude’s Nexus. Beginning in the early ’80s, Baron’s philosophical writing and Rude’s increasingly polished art presented the story of a far future in which a man kills mass-murderers — not out of revenge, but because he feels forced to “in self-defense.” Tim and Paul review. (This episode was originally published August 15, 2011.)

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#788 Alan Moore’s “1963”

1963

In 1993, the Image revolution was underway, itself a result of the 1986 earthquake brought about by Alan Moore’s Watchmen and Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns. Moore was on a mission to counteract the wave of “grim and gritty” comics he had inadvertently helped to start. This led to Moore’s 1963 series, a combination parody of and homage to the Marvel comics of the Silver Age, with art by the likes of Stephen Bissette, Rick Vietch, Dave Gibbons, Don Simpson, and Jim Valentino. Tim and Kumar review the series, discussing why it was never completed and why it’s not currently in print.

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#462 Usagi Yojimbo

Usagi Yojimbo

FLASHBACK! Originating out of the same ’80s black-and-white/anthropomorphic boom that brought us the Ninja Turtles, Usagi Yojimbo is one of the few comics of that batch that are still going today. Stan Sakai’s work combines historical drama, understated violence, light comedy, and even some explanations of 17th century Japanese culture — and he can pack a surprising amount of story into a few pages. Tom Spurgeon joins Tim and Kumar to talk about the long-eared samurai. (This episode was originally published August 24, 2015.)

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#787 Jack Kirby’s “OMAC”: The World That’s Going

The run of Jack Kirby’s OMAC: One Man Army Corps was bright but short, lasting only through eight bi-monthly issues. This time Tim and Emmet discuss issues 5 through eight, covering a shocking, brilliant two-parter, another two-parter that brings the series to a crashing halt, and more evidence that Kirby was great at wild ideas, but naming the characters might have been better left to someone else!

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#786 Jack Kirby’s “OMAC”: The World That’s Coming

One of Kirby’s late efforts at DC was OMAC: One-Man Army Corps, which focuses on “the world that’s coming”: what miracles, and horrors, technology would bring. Of course, some of it seems ridiculous, but other parts seem prescient. Tim and Emmet discuss the book’s crazy Kirby concepts — or are they crazy?

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#785 “Berserk”: The Prosaic Past

Berserk pt 2

After covering the first four volumes of Kentaro Miura’s Berserk a few months back, Tim and Kumar decided to keep going. In volumes 5 and 6, the lengthy (volumes 3 to 14!) flashback to Guts’s origin story continues, but why does the flashback seem to exist in a magic-free world? In the early volumes, in the “present”, Guts was shadowed by an elf, frequently encountered ghosts and demons, and pulled off comically over-the-top feats with his huge sword. But the world of the flashback seems to be, with a few exceptions, a fairly realistic medieval Europe. The guys examine the difference and pick up hints of what comes next.

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#784 Jack Kirby’s “Kamandi”: Wipeout

Kamandi 38

There’s a new sheriff in town in post-Great Disaster Earth: Gerry Conway took over as writer in Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth issue 38. Jack Kirby stayed on as artist for issues 38-40 before leaving D.C. So while the interior art looks the same as always (aside from covers by Joe Kubert), everything feels a little “off”. It doesn’t help that Kirby left Kamandi in a rather uncomfortable plotline (although Tim and Emmet disagree as to what level of “ick” is implied). Our look at Kirby’s Kamandi ends as Kamandi motorboats off to disappointing horizons.

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#783 Jack Kirby’s “Kamandi” #35-37: Off the deep end

Kamandi 35

Jack Kirby reaches the end of his writing run on Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth. After top-shelf stories about a Soviet spacecraft and an “eviction battle” in a resort hotel with crocs in the pool, Kirby’s swan song leaves something to be desired, with an … uncomfortable plot point, and myriad threads dangling. Tim and Emmet discuss the good, the bad, and the downright ugly.

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#781 “The Hard Switch” and “Pet Peeves”

"The Hard Switch" and "Pet Peeves"

This time we look once again at new books coming from British publisher Avery Hill Press. Owen D. Pomery’s The Hard Switch is a nice slice of indy sci-fi; Tim and Kumar review. Then, Emmet joins Tim to discuss Nicole Goux’s Pet Peeves: Emmet loves it, but Tim needs some convincing.

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#548 Jaime Hernandez interview

Jaime Hernandez

FLASHBACK! Love and Rockets continues to impress, and in this episode Koom asks creator Jaime Hernandez some burning questions. Hernandez talks about writing Maggie and Hopey, the dynamics of working on something with your brother, why he gravitates toward female characters, his influences and art style, and more.

Also, Tim and Mulele discuss the current state of the US comics market and Marvel’s recent problems.

Originally published May 22, 2017.

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