Sidebar Forever

It’s all there in the title, right? On today’s episode, we came up with nine examples of what we’re calling… good-azz comics. These are books we read in our youth—some seminal moments in a character’s history, and others simply monthly installments that we happened to love. A few of the issues covered in the discussion are Uncanny X-Men #123 featuring the villainous Arcade; Action Comics #436 where Perry White temporarily gets superpowers; and Captain America #350 with a retired Steve Rogers squaring off with John Walker. On the pod, we define exactly what makes a comic a good-azz comic, dig into why these issues resonated with us as kids and do they still hold up, and celebrate creators who made it their mission to deliver good-azz comics month after month. We wrap things up with a big question: Is there such a thing as a universally loved good-azz comic?

We’re back with another installment of our series celebrating talented creators who don’t always get the recognition they deserve—and this time, we’re shining the spotlight on comic book artist Jim Aparo. From his early days at Charlton Comics working alongside Dick Giordano, to his celebrated career at DC Comics, Aparo established himself as a consummate professional on books like Adventure Comics, The Brave and the Bold, and Batman and the Outsiders. On the pod, we explore some of the highlights of his career, including landmark stories like "A Death in the Family" and "Knightfall." We also sing Aparo’s praises as a draftsman and storyteller, and note his remarkable ability to work as penciler, inker, and letterer—a true triple threat!  And then we get into the fun part: Where does Aparo rank among the all-time great Batman artists? We put him head-to-head with Neal Adams, Tim Sale, Norm Breyfogle, and more. 🦇

When John Byrne was given the creative reins of DC's The Man of Steel, he reimagined Superman for a new generation, redefining the character while challenging long-held assumptions about who the Last Son of Krypton was and what he could be. In the final installment of our 1986 series, we trace Byrne's career leading up to The Man of Steel, explore the sweeping changes he made to Superman's mythology, debate whether the series represents his peak as a writer-artist, and ask how Byrne's remarkable body of work from the '80s stacks up against that of contemporaries like Alan Moore and Frank Miller. *Stay tuned for a hidden bonus pod near the end of this episode where we shout-out a few honorable mentions from 1986 that weren't included in the series. 

The fourth installment in Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios’ Spider-Man series is finally here, and of course, we’re all over it. Spider-Man: Brand New Day has swung into theaters as both a critical and box-office smash, raking in a billion dollars in just six days and boasting a 90% score on Rotten Tomatoes. On the pod, we nerd out over all the comic book goodness packed into the movie, including the cameos from Tarantula, Tombstone, and Ramrod. We also dig into the film’s surprising lack of a true central villain, the controversial introduction of Jean Grey into the MCU, played by Sadie Sink (Stranger Things), and debate whether this is Tom Holland’s most evolved performance yet as Peter Parker—and Spider-Man. Then we build a quick Spider-Man Hall of Fame before tackling the question on everyone’s mind: Are movies back?

Frank Miller is one of the most influential—and controversial—creators in comic book history. With the release of his new memoir, we couldn't wait to dive in. Part autobiography and part creative playbook, Miller reflects on the defining moments of his life and career while pulling back the curtain on the storytelling techniques behind some of comics' most iconic works. In the conversation, we unpack our biggest takeaways from the book, revisit Miller's unforgettable stories from Daredevil, The Dark Knight Returns, Sin City, and beyond, and delight in his candid recollections of 1970s New York City, learning from Neal Adams and collaborating with industry legends like Jenette Kahn and Dick Giordano. Along the way, we ask the bigger questions: What surprised us most? What did we learn about Miller's creative process? And were there important moments from his remarkable career that he chose to leave on the cutting-room floor—for better or worse?

After all this time, is there anything else that can be said about the Watchmen comic series by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons? On this week's pod, we sure give it our best shot! We compare the endless stream of Watchmen adaptations to the ever-expanding sprawl of the Star Wars universe. We debate whether Watchmen singlehandedly created the modern lens through which everyone now views superheroes. And we try to determine if Watchmen only functions as the ultimate deconstruction of superhero mythology, or if it can be read simply as a superhero mystery story. Closing out the conversation, we ask a big question: has Watchmen become the very cultural phenomenon it warned us about—something endlessly commodified, repackaged, and mythologized?

Frank Castle returns, wreaking havoc on those who got it comin' in this action-packed, one-shot special on Disney+. Co-written by the man behind the skull himself, Jon Bernthal, One Last Kill finds Frank trapped in a high-rise tenement, dispatching bad guys after a bounty is placed on his head by an enemy with a personal score to settle. On the pod, we discuss how this special fits into the larger Punisher universe first established on Netflix, break down what works—and what doesn't—and spotlight a few of One Last Kill's guest stars, including a memorable appearance by Bernthal's own daughter. We also compare key plot elements in the special to The Raid 2 and debate how this version of the Punisher might fit into the MCU proper ahead of Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

Have you ever been exposed to radiation and walked away all the better for it? Or maybe you have a coworker who’s secretly an alien from another planet… and thankfully, one of the good ones? On this week’s episode, we examine the thin line between the iconic and the absurd as we rank the best—and worst—superhero origins. We talk about why, as kids, we were so obsessed with where these heroes came from—so much so that Marvel and DC built entire issues around origin stories. We debate the scientific accuracy behind how our favorite characters gained their abilities, while also exploring what truly motivates them. For instance, Batman and Spider-Man are driven by loss, while Captain America and Wonder Woman are fueled by duty and a sense of mission. Along the way, we ask a few questions: Have certain superhero origins been rebooted too many times? Do heroes like Zatanna and Ghost Rider feel less “super” because their origins are rooted in magic and the occult? And why do some origin stories sound completely ridiculous when reduced to a single sentence: “Scientist makes himself tiny… on purpose.” Special guest: Ernesto Figueroa. 

Back in 1966, a little science fiction show boldly went where no television series had gone before. To celebrate the 60th anniversary of Star Trek: The Original Series, we assembled a pod dedicated to the show that changed TV with its swashbuckling adventure, big ideas, and thoughtful morality tales. We discuss the initial vision for the series and the unforgettable cast who brought it to life — including William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Nichelle Nichols, and the rest of that legendary bridge crew. Along the way, we revisit our favorite episodes like “Amok Time” and “The Enemy Within,” and explore why these stories still hold up.  We also shout-out parodies and homages to Trek like Galaxy Quest, Free Enterprise, and the chilling Black Mirror episode “USS Callister.” So grab your communicator, set phasers to fun, and join us as we celebrate sixty years of Star Trek: The Original Series! Special guest host: Warren Drummond (Los Angeles-based storyboard artist and author of "A Hard Day's Work.") Special featured guests: RobinTreks, Harley M, and Thomas N. Perkins.