The Comics Canon is the podcast that reads, reviews, and renders judgment on the greatest comic book stories of yesterday and today. Each episode, Curt Holman a...
Episode 225: Thunderbolts – Burning Down the House
Our decade-by-decade series on Marvel Comics’ Thunderbolts rolls into the 21st century as we discuss Burning Down the House, collecting Thunderbolts #126-129 and #132 by Andy Diggle and Roberto de la Torre, published by Marvel Comics! After saving the Earth from the Skrulls’ Secret Invasion, Thunderbolts director (and Green Goblin) Norman Osborn is headed for bigger and better things … but not before he turns the Thunderbolts against each other on his way out the door! Then, it’s high-flying mayhem aboard Air Force One as we meet an all-new T-Bolts squad led by Black Widow (no, not that one – the other one) and Osborn protects President Not Barack Obama from … the Green Goblin??? Will Songbird survive against the combined might of Moonstone, Venom and Bullseye? And will this new black-ops hit squad succeed against that Wild Covert Action Team known as … The Comics Canon? In This Episode: · The inevitable Talking Heads chatter · Wait, what happened to covering Faith in Monsters? · Why the Irredeemable Ant-Man is the best(?) shrinking character · How lame is Mister X? Pretty lame, right? · Dark Avengers: Molecule Man and Siege · Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation Join us in two weeks as the Thunderbolts reach the 2010s, only to hop right back out in two time-traveling tales: The Great Escape (Thudnerbolts #163-165) and Like Lightning (#172-174)! Until then:Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Facebook or Bluesky! And as always, thanks for listening!
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Episode 224: Final Cut
In this episode, we look back at one of the best-reviewed graphic novels of 2024: Final Cut by Charles Burns! When Brian, a shy, socially awkward artist, meets Laurie, the soon-to-be star of his new amateur sci-fi horror movie, she quickly becomes his muse, sharing space in his drawings and his mind with the film’s giant, pod-spewing aliens. Like him, Laurie is an outsider, wrestling with her own inner demons. But as his obsession with her grows, his grasp on his mental health weakens. This vividly drawn tale of longing – to create and to connect – is part love-triangle teen romance and part love-letter to the science fiction creature features of a bygone era. But is all of that enough to make the cut with that Invasion of the Body Snatchers known as … The Comics Canon? In This Episode: · Curt and Kevin’s 8mm adventures · We have to talk about Tina · The Strange Tales of Oscar Zahn · Curt’s existential crisis · Brief thoughts on Madam Web and The Northman · Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 1: Married With Children Join us in two weeks as we return to our decade-by-decade look at the Thunderbolts with a look at 2007’s Faith in Monsters! Until then:Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Facebook or Bluesky! And as always, thanks for listening!
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Quizzical Canonical 6: Bring on the Good/Bad Guys!
You read that right – it’s time for another installment of our recurring comics-themed quiz! As we briefly pause our miniseries on Marvel Comics’ Thunderbolts, Kevin grills Curt with a series of questions loosely related to the theme of comics villains turned heroes! We’ll be back in two weeks with a look at one of the best-reviewed graphic novels of 2024, Charles Burns’ Final Cut! Then on Jan. 29 we return to the Thunderbolts with a look at 2007’s Faith in Monsters arc by Warren Ellis and Mike Deodato!
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Episode 223: Thunderbolts – Justice, Like Lightning …
THE WAIT IS OVER! Our decade-by-decade series on Marvel Comics’ Thunderbolts continues as we finally discuss Thunderbolts (1997) issues #1-4 and the Thunderbolts 97 Annual, by Kurt Busiek, Mark Bagley, Vince Russell and a host of others! In the aftermath of the deadly Onslaught event (hey, you guys remember Onslaught?), the world is shaken by the apparent deaths of the Avengers and the Fantastic Four! But there’s a new superhero team in town … the Thunderbolts! Who are these mysterious do-gooders? What’s their connection to Baron Zemo and his Masters of Evil? (Hmmmm…) And can the Marvel Universe’s newest heroes face down the mind-boggling menace of that Wrecking Crew known as … The Comics Canon? In This Episode: · What we talk about when we talk about the 90s · Who will protect us from Blastaar, the Living Bomb Burst??? · Bada bing! It’s the Rat Pack, baby! · How to Baby by Liana Fink · Creature Commandos on Max · The Lightning Round podcast Join us in two weeks as ring in 2025 with a fun mini-episode! Then, on Jan. 15, we discuss one of the best-reviewed books of 2024 (probably Final Cut by Charles Burns) before returning to the Thunderbolts on Jan. 29 with the Civil War-adjacent tale Faith in Monsters, by Warren Ellis and Mike Deodato! Until then:Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Facebook or Bluesky! And as always, thanks for listening!
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Episode 222: The Avengers – Under Siege
In this episode, our-decade-by-decade series on Marvel’s Thunderbolts (NOT the Thunderbirds, as Kevin erroneously calls them in the intro) continues as we discuss The Avengers: Under Siege – specifically, The Avengers #273-277 by Roger Stern and John Buscema! Helmut Zemo, the son of one of Captain America’s greatest enemies, and a waaay-overstuffed Masters of Evil take over Avengers Mansion and begin systematically taking down Earth’s Mightiest Heroes! Hercules, the Prince of Power, lies at death’s door! Monica Rambeau, the new Captain Marvel, is trapped in the Darkforce Dimension! And the Black Knight … is taken out rather easily. This action-packed epic has it all: Squabbling supervillains! A quick stopover in Paris! Tons of property damage! And a galaxy of guest stars including Ant-Man! Paladin! The Shroud! And Doctor Druid! But is all of that enough to mount a hostile takeover of that impregnable fortress known as … The Comics Canon? Recommended in This Episode: · Fantastic Four #177: “Look Out for the Frightful Four!” · Star Trek: First Contact · The Suicide Squad Next episode: At long last! We discuss Thunderbolts: Justice, Like Lightning…! featuring Thunderbolts (1997) #1-6! WHO are the Thunderbolts? And WHAT is their connection to the Masters of Evil? ALL WILL BE REVEALED! Until then:Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Facebook or Bluesky! And as always, thanks for listening!
The Comics Canon is the podcast that reads, reviews, and renders judgment on the greatest comic book stories of yesterday and today. Each episode, Curt Holman and Kevin Moreau take a critical and completely subjective look at one of the biggest stories and most seminal moments in the medium's history, as they decide: Does this belong in the pantheon of classic and iconic tales known as ... The Comics Canon?
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