How many Batman books is too many Batman books? Depending on who you ask there ain’t no such thing! We try to stay up on what’s going on at DC, but we can’t always dig deep into every issue. The solution? Our weekly round-up of titles coming out of DC Comics. Today, we’re discussing Batman and Robin Eternal 17, Black Canary 7, Justice League of America 7, and Superman: Lois and Clark 4.
Saga 33
Today, Drew and Ryan M. are discussing Saga 33, originally released January 27th, 2016.
Drew: I’m currently taking a class on autobiographical comics, and the discussion thus far has centered around the question of subjectivity. Many of the memoirists we’ve examined thus far have favored the “truth” found in their subjective experience, as opposed to the “historical truth” of a more objective account, but I’ve always found the assumption that history is objective to be problematic. “History is written by the victors,” as the saying goes, revealing not only that history is necessarily biased, but also that history is more the story of wars than life. Indeed, even a historical account of a war has to consider who the story is really about: Generals? Individual soldiers? Civilians? Reporters? That last one may seem out of place, taking a narrow focus on people who neither represent the masses nor the machinations of war, but as the ones literally writing the histories as they happen, reporters are the only ones capable of giving an account that isn’t filtered through the subjective experience of someone else (as, say, a civilian’s story as told by a reporter would be). There are more layers of subjectivity to explore here, but the point is: reporters’ stories are just as important as those they cover, which makes Saga 33‘s turn to Upsher and Doff so welcome. Continue reading
Grayson 16
Today, Mark and Michael are discussing Grayson 16, originally released January 27th, 2016.
Mark: You know when you over indulge in something that you love? When you love Nerds candy so much you buy a movie theatre box-sized pack of them and eat them in bed, only to wake up the next morning with multi-colored sugar nuggets stuck to your chest and a raging sugar headache? Grayson 16 is the comic book equivalent of that. Dick Grayson is so Dick Grayson this issue, it has to be a knowing parody right? Not to say that the sugar wave isn’t a blast while you’re riding it. It’s hard to blame Seeley and King for giving the people what they want. After the end of its first spectacular arc, Grayson has come down to Earth a little bit, working overtime for a few issues to expound an increasingly complex mythology. Grayson 16 is pretty back-to-basics, but turns everything you loved about early Grayson up to insane levels. Continue reading
Old Man Logan 1
Today, Michael and Spencer are discussing Old Man Logan 1, originally released January 27th, 2016.
Michael: Comic books are full of lofty, almost impossible goals — typically on the part of the villain. We know all of the classics: world domination, citywide destruction, and the death of their most hated hero nemesis. The Joker might win small battles, but ultimately he will never win the war. Does knowing that a character will never completely achieve his or her goals ruin the story for you? Continue reading
East of West 24
Today, Patrick and Taylor are discussing East of West 24, originally released January 29th, 2015.
Taylor: Anyone who has ever regularly practiced cardio exercise can tell you about the importance of pacing. I myself ride my bike to work whenever possible, and while I’m in the saddle, I definitely fall into my usual rhythm. There’s something about finding the proper pace to your workout, race, or commute that is incredibly important to helping it run smoothly. Pace is similarly important with story telling, the only difference being that instead of a steady pace, you want one that varies and excites you. Comic books are interesting when you consider the pacing of a story. Does each issue need a varying pace or should the series as a whole vary its pace as needed regardless of individual issues. East of West is a series that seems to fall into the latter and while this is cause of equal parts frustration and excitement. Continue reading
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 54
Today, Spencer and Drew are discussing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 54, originally released January 27th, 2016.
Spencer: Telling someone they see things in black and white is practically tantamount to calling them childish. The general idea is that as people grow up, the world and the decisions they have to make in it become more ethically gray, and trying to hold onto clear definitions of “good” and “evil” in the light of that is futile. Of course, when confronted with that line of reasoning many respond just as Calvin did in the strip above — they claim that sometimes things really are that simple! In essence, this is the argument that dominates Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 54, where the Mutanimals nearly splinter over the discovery of Old Hob and Hun’s alliance. Continue reading
Spencer and Mark on Wildstorm Addiction Podcast
Spencer: Hey, all! Mark and I recently had the pleasure of appearing as guests on the “Wildstorm Addiction” Podcast to discuss Midnighter 8 — you know, that issue about Midnighter throwing engine blocks at giant sabertoothed chimeras?
Anyway, recording this thing was a blast, and I can’t thank Joe and Ben enough for having us on. All of you should check it out, whether you’re a Wildstorm fan, a Midnighter fan, a Retcon Punch fan, or even if you just want to finally hear our soothing voices for the first time. You can find the link below; thanks for listening, thanks for reading, and we love you all!
Weekly Round-Up: Comics Released 1/20/16
Look, there are a lot of comics out there. Too many. We can never hope to have in-depth conversations about all of them. But, we sure can round up some of the more noteworthy titles we didn’t get around to from the week. Today, we discuss Batman and Robin Eternal 16, Robin: Son of Batman 8, American Monster 1, Wolf 5, Star Wars 15, and Judge Dredd 2.
Continue reading
Marvel Round-Up: Comics Released 1/20/16
We try to stay up on what’s going on at Marvel, but we can’t always dig deep into every issue. The solution? Our weekly round-up of titles coming out of Marvel Comics. Today, we’re discussing Deadpool 6, Hercules 3, Ms. Marvel 3, New Avengers 5, Patsy Walker A.K.A. Hellcat 2, Silver Surfer 1, and Uncanny Inhumans 4.
Captain Marvel 1
Today, Ryan D. and Mark are discussing Captain Marvel 1, originally released January 20th, 2016.
Ryan: For some time now, one of the largest recurring themes when it comes to Ms. or Captain Marvel is the legacy of the character. The character of the Captain has undergone numerous iterations through the years until the mantle came to rest permanently — or, as is often the case in comics, for now — upon the capable shoulders of the weathered and tested Carol Danvers. This issue heralds in the next chapter of the character, offering her a new platform and new responsibility as the first line of defense for the Earth. While Captain Marvel has, of late, played important roles in large cross-over events and team-ups, this issue is wholly her own, though it also features a swell cast of supporting characters. While Carol is hoping that her new post will offer her a new purpose, can this creative team solidify her status as legend while respecting the tradition that comes with being Captain Marvel? Continue reading
Retcon Punch 
