#794 “The Ballad of Halo Jones” – in color!

Halo Jones
To mark the recent passing of artist Ian Gibson, Kumar and Dana dive into a long-overdue discussion of his masterpiece with writer Alan Moore, The Ballad of Halo Jones. Halo Jones is an early work by Moore that was never completed, but it is rich, immersive, and fully developed at every turn, from the characters to the world-building, largely due to the influence of Gibson himself on the creative process. But is there something familiar about it all…?

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#793 “Berserk” v 7-8: The Battle for Doldrey

Berserk

While Kentaro Miura’s Berserk is meant to feature the swordsman character Guts, in volumes 7 and 8 the focus is on Griffith and the progress made – at ANY cost – toward his dream of having his own kingdom, a machine in which Guts is just a major cog. Casca is the other major figure, as Tim and Kumar wonder just what her real feelings for Griffith – and for Guts – might be; why this lengthy flashback has so much less magic in it than the pre-flashback story did; and how Griffith gets from this point into the Godhand.

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“Avengers: Infinity War” (2018)

Tim continues to catch up with the MCU! This film is awkward to review nearly two years after it came out, with Tim going through the speculation about how this story will play out in Avengers: End Game that those who are already caught up, including Mulele, already know the answers to. Listen to relive your reaction to the first time you watched it! (Originally published on Patreon January 18, 2020)

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#792 Jack Kirby’s “Capt. America and the Falcon” #195-197: “Kill-Derby”

Cap and Falcon 196

Cap and Falcon are trapped in an underground bunker where elites plot to destroy the Bicentennial celebrations and take away Americans’ freedoms. In Captain America and the Falcon 195-197, they participate in the “Kill-Derby” to retrieve Cap’s stolen shield break up the bad guys’ underground civilization. Tim and Emmet continue their look at Jack Kirby‘s 1970s work at Marvel!

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#791 Daniel Clowes’ “Monica”

Monica

Monica is Dan Clowes’s richest and most rewarding book in years, combining the surrealism of early works like Like a Velvet Glove Cast in Iron with the multi-genre anthology approach of his more recent books. What does it all mean though? Kumar and Dana try to come to an understanding of it, spoiling almost every page in the process, and, yet, even after several readings they’re still not quite sure. But does that actually matter?

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#790 “Social Fiction” by Chantal Montellier

Social Fiction

Chantal Montellier‘s Social Fiction, published by New York Review Comics with a translation by Geoffrey Brock, is a collection of comics fueled by political anger, hauntingly farsighted satire and attacks on consumer culture.

Emmet and Kumar review the collection, which still feels vibrant and at the same time prophetic, given the original publications dates of the stories from the 1970s and 1980s. Montellier’s work collected here uses science fiction to discuss white supremacist movements, body autonomy – oh, and talking cats.

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#789 Jack Kirby’s “Capt. America and the Falcon” #193-194: “Madbomb”

Captain America and the Falcon

When Jack Kirby returned to Marvel in 1975, the first series he worked on starred the character that was one of Kirby’s earliest claims to fame: Captain America, created in 1940 by Kirby and writer Joe Simon. Before Kirby returned, Cap’s book became Captain America and the Falcon. As Kirby begins his run, he deftly uses the African-American Falcon to show that Cap’s optimistic view of America (“This country’s grown up!”) isn’t always accurate (“Jive! It’s still trying, friend!”). This time, Tim and Emmet discuss Captain America and the Falcon #193-194.

Waxing and Waning: Essays on Moon Knight, containing an essay by Emmet

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#291 “MONSTER” (Justifiable Homicide? pt 2)

Monster

FLASHBACK! Planning a murder that you think will prevent future murders? That’s the premise — or, at least, one of the premises — of Monster, Naoki Urasawa’s 18-volume series. Set in Germany, the series focuses on the unintended consequences of Dr. Kenzo Tenma’s good deed; he saved the life of a boy who turned out to be a remorseless killer. Tim and guest reviewer Natalie Nourigat discuss. (This episode was originally published August 22, 2011.)

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#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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