ASH &

So, Jade come to me and told me I'd be a believer in this theory that marketing is central to anime, not just in the medium but in the stories themselves (and even in the real world). After dropping probably the best debut episode in this pod's history, I'm sold on the theory and will be leading the Jade For President club. Come find out why I'm throwing five stars all over this one!

The final half of the Giant-Size first interview from Connor and Josh about Mimi Green, Diva Dread, horse knee physics, fucked up syntax, drawing fatness with love and thinness ppl can actually detect, shout outs to the teamm, and ALL your questions!   PPRE ORDER BY 4/20

"You can't invite the 4 hour podcast man on your podcast and not get 4 hours" kind of sums up this honest, touching, and at times intentionally challenging talk through a "book for the Ozempic age". Josh and Connor talk about the inspiration, friendship, and life experiences that led to a debut we're affectionately genre-ing as Diva Dread.  

If you haven't been reading Ride or Die, it's OK; everyone makes mistakes. But Mars (the creator behind this sweet and slightly demonic street race romance) is here to ki about his love for Novas, what it means to not want to be seen, who is the most fun to write and where he's driving this story we should all be strapped into.  You can read Ride or Die at RideorDieComic.com, or find it on Webtoon and Tapas   

You ever notice how many Black characters are in the military, or cops, or CIA, or *something*? We dig into the pattern and our thoughts on what might be behind it. Come for an Excellent chat! 

CREATOR INTERVIEW: I sit down with DJ, podcaster, comic critic and creator DJ Benhameen for an hour of exploring the history and the panels of Jimi Hendrix: Purple Haze.    What does it mean to be a real Space Opera, why do we not want to get sued, What is a triplehippo? And why was Kieron Gillen scared? check out the book here! https://titan-comics.com/c/1936-jimi-hendrix-purple-haze/

I'VE MISSED YOU!! We've upgraded to being a 'face on the thumbnail' podcast. Welcome to thee first episode of Ash& where I sit and get grilled by Khalid about new formats, upcoming episodes, how redecorating can make you realise you need to move, and why I didn't listen to him and do this 2 years ago. 

Welp! and welp! Here's some great reasoning then about 7 minutes of everything else...Get in here! 

Fine, French, and Flawed Ethical Delusion Mess & Main characters.  Bodysnatch or bodyswap? I can’t believe they did that (I can)  MI BREDDA! EVERYBADDI AFFI DEAD!

There's honestly too much to sum up here but it's an episode worthy of the movie. You're going to want to tap in to this preview (full episode on Patreon)

This is one of the best talks I've had all month. Tap in and let's talk about the most golden of the golden boys and why he might actually have needed a little bite!

Yes. 

I told

We did it big for a book that deserves it! We talk about a history of writing messy family group chats, justifying your own evil and writing the most powerful Black mind in comics. 

Brandi and Danielle and I sit down for a big, wandering chat about the new launch of all new launches, about magic and mother figures, making the sword bigger and the fact that no-one is working harder than that little mfkin bag. 

Peggy. Howard the Duck. Jacket-swapping. More Peggy. Infinite realities. Limited Options. Everyone's a critic. Peggy again. Wicked bloopers. Papayas and Pennies. We're doing our best. 

I am tragically, tragically bad at this game so I make humour out of my pain by bringing on national-level player (I made that up) and friend, Keith. We holler together as he gets me together with some tips and tricks, holds back my hair, and tells me how to survive getting insta-killed by people who have never paid a phone bill. Come in! 

OH! It's transformational, we gush and shout about the series that melded the boundary between form and idea, talk about the best RnB intros of yesteryear and standing in your shamelessness. It's a GREAT one. 

New year, new guests! Say hi to Xavier, who hits the mic to answer critical questions such as: 'can a himbo be evil?' and 'is money more important than smell?'

It's an official trailer! Welcome to a brand new XOW era. It's just you and me on a quick tour around the new place. What are we losing? What are we returning to? What's coming next? It was great to have a break but it's better to be back. Hop in! 

THIS is it! The big one, the finale. A headline book and a closing episode. Find out everything about the NYX mutants, and the humour, curiosity and partnership that's steering them. Great vibes, good hands and no pulled punches. Come get involved! 

Keith (and surprise guest Fox The Dog) hit the seat to talk about being a part of the Marvel Rivals alpha, gameplay and who all is gonna be there (mutants)

When that lady said there's a big Storm coming she dint lie! People are literally campaigning as we await the book of the new era, and the writer behind it sits with me to talk lore, AAA* responsibility, letting Black women be selfish, and as many spoilers as I could ask for without costing this lovely man his job. 

Did your Krakoan journey end before its time or right as it was mean to. Come listened as we close the era in the comics here, and there. 

We're out of X and into brand new upcoming release by author/artist Kenneth Laster. Sit down, we're chatting Black creators in the indie space, being the sole creative engine behind a book, inspirations and a look into the characters and universe that will have you flocking to the kickstarter!    https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/disasterlaster/zeta-galaxy-outlaws-1-an-anti-capitalist-space-western

It's a great chat about the end of the first season that is the old season that's also the new season that's also a crossover that's also about the mutant metaphor. Might be one of the 97 sessions best! 

Its up! You're up! We're up! Come see what we love, what we expected and what we didnt! 

Storyboard artist Marvin joins the 97 Sessions to share his journey into the industry, animation signatures, casting Toni Braxton and how miracles can be made by focusing on the Dope! It's a great one.

A rare double guest appearance with two incredible guests. This is only a teaser. For the full episode check out REFERENTIAL here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/66TQ9KrR3fpQC4MfKZUPUw?si=9SHq83HgTxqOlBy2z7XUEg

A preview of some pre-episode discussion that was meant to be about something else, then got better. 

It's a surprisingly spiritual walk through leaning into nostalgia, acknowledging holisitic teamwork, and standing on business. 

We come back for the comeback! Tiffie, Khalid and I talk all things Storm, caves, and about 50 side-tracks in between!

We sat down for a riotous 60 with assistant producer, keyframe animator and Rogue fan club president Matthew.   For the full episode, visit REFERENTIAL here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5SsJ7OkISVGeJHEzPx51km?si=7RY3_VZvSJ28ezngRuUtAQ

He aint timing but he's timing it ain't his show but it's his show. We swap seats and get into the best thing going for the x-men rn. 

We do the most. Come get your musical interludes, nerd recaps, scalpings, and a return to lighthearted fun! 

It's a new thing. I would say fresh out the egg but we don't do that any more. Come hear the very (very) organic birth of a podcast crossover.

We start, we derail, we hit some gold and derail again. it's a great vibe, a better episode. Come in! 

No limits, and a free special. COME GET YALL JUICE!

Help. Somebody. We're just normal men.

I join up with Steve for a whole mf thing. Get involved! 

We love Caleb! We. love delirium! come learn about how he went from regular to a low-key deranged x-fan. 

Goodbye X-Men Red. We give it the highest praise and the lowest brow as we end an incredible era. Come listen to us take our sadness out on each other. Everyone is getting it. In almost all senses of the word. 

We take you away from the X-Men, in 10 minutes, out of 19 points. Come hear why we think you'll love it!

I want to send a personal thank you to Caleb for tolerating this. We talk about job changes, slurs,  insufferable non-speak, and who we think could launch a solo X-movie. I think I might have been drunk. 

Grandmas, skillets, nerd hymns, and sucking yuh madda from the back! 

Frankly, some of us are embarassing. Yan joins me to talk fandom and boredom. 

We're high, we're eating sushi, we can't remember Exodus, we're saying everything thrice, we're talking democracy (or the illusion of it). Come sit in as me an one of my fave comic peeps get into it. 

We're having fun in this one and you can tell off rip, between uncovering another story of the library, some very loose talk bout ladies in lakes, and all the costume-related laughs, this is becoming one of my favorite types of episode, tap in! 

Al and I get into a convo too broad to summarise. If you wanna know about the book, it's future, what's next for Storm and hear a great writer get their things, tap in!