Tales from the Short Box

It's the last episode of the season! Rj Is going to close us out with one last Ostrander and Madrake pick, Martian Manhunter: Sun of Mars. We had a lot of fun with this one. We get to take a much deeper dive into an otherwise overlooked member of the Justice League.  We talk about the origin of J'onn J'onzz, his unique powersets, and his many secret identities. We even go down a few of the tell-tale comic book rabbit holes about comic book character deaths and personal lives.  Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

It's Rj's turn to pick an artist (or a creative team), and we are diving straight into Hell with The Spectre by John Ostrander and Tom Mandrake.  We follow Jim Corrigan as he tries to fulfill his quest to understand Evil and confront it.  It's part police procedural, part monster of the week, part murder mystery.  It's got something for everybody! Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics

It's part two of Shaun's Brubaker/Phillips series, and we're going back to Old Hollywood.  We follow a couple of blacklisted screen writers as they try to solve a murder from within the movie industry.  And in typical Brubaker fashion, a lot of bad things happen to good people, and there are not a lot of heroes.  Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

It's Shaun's turn to pick an artist, and he has predictably brought us some Sean Phillips, and Ed Brubaker.  We're starting off the series with Incognito.  It's a hard boiled sci-fi neo-noir with an anti-hero metahuman twist. In typical Brubaker/Phillips fashion, there are very few likable characters, but somehow the story still pulls you in.  And you're rewarded with some hard-hitting concussive action.  Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics

Cacey's got another one for us from one of our favorite duos, Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely! This week we really stretch our brains with Flex Mentallo: Man of Muscle Mystery. Join us as we discuss comics and storytelling as metaphysical concepts. And how comics will save your life.     Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics   Check out Cacey's blog - LCS Diaries

It's Cacey's turn to pick an artist to showcase for this season, and we're getting a double feature of Frank Quitely and Grant Morrison! We're kicking it off with WE3.  This book covers all 2 emotions: extreme violence, and extreme sadness.  It's like a cross between Homeward Bound and Weapon-X. Trigger warning: this book contains animal cruelty.  If you are sensitive to that kind of thing, feel free to skip this one.    Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

It's part two of our Alex Ross series as Adam takes us through Kingdom Come.  Mark Waid and Alex Ross team up to bring us a very stark warning about total power.  Set in the not-too-distant-future of 1997 (aka now), Superman returns from a long absence to reign in the new generation of superheroes.  With very mixed results. This book reads like a Where's Waldo of fun easter eggs and "what if" characters.  And the art is, of course, absolutely stunning.  Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

We're back! It's been a long break.  Longer than we expected.  But we are excited to be back doing what we do here.  And that's talk about our favorite comics! This season we are each picking an artist to showcase.  We're coming out swinging with one of the best to ever do it.  Adam's pick is Alex Ross, and we're starting off with Fantastic Four: Full Circle.  This was a special project that showcases Ross in ways we have never seen, and with some pretty fantastic results.  So grab a sandwich… It's Clobberin' Time!    Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

Hey Everybody! We've been gone a long time, and we're going to be gone a little while longer, but we wanted to get in your feed and talk to you all about what is coming up next season.  We also have some changes coming that we wanted to give you a heads up for.  As always, the best way to reach out to us or stay informed is through our discord (link below.) See you all soon!  Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics     sears air conditioning commercial that Shaun mentioned

We dig into our back issues once again for another episode of TFTSB Classics.  This week it's TFTSB #190.  Frined of the shop and long time listener JenaLee brought us SHE HULK by Rainbow Rowell, with art by Roge Antonio, Luca Maresca, & Takeshi Miyazawa.  We had a lot of fun with this one.  This book has a lot of heart and gets close to the character in ways we haven't seen before.    Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics

It's another round of TFTSB classics, where we're revisiting some of our favorite episodes.  This week we are coming back to TFTSB #192.  We are joined by close friend of the Shop, Faust.  They have brought us one of their favorite books, Rick Remender's run on Uncanny X-Force: Apocalypse.   SPOILER WARNING! We do spoil the end of this arc AND talk a bit about the ramifications that has on the rest of the run   Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics

For this season's break, we are going back to some of our favorite episodes.  This week, we're going to revisit a conversation with one of our favorite writers (and friend of the show) Leah Williams (X-Factor, Power Girl, Gotham City Sirens). Leah brought us one of her favorite books, Land of the Lustrous by Haruko Ichikawa.  It's a weird, genre bending epic with a little bit of everything.  Take a listen and find out why this was one of our all time favorites!   Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

For this season's break, we are going back to some of our favorite episodes.  This is TFTSB episode 199, where we talked to Jackson Lanzig(NYX, Batman Beyond, Star Trek) about one of his favorite books Tale Of Sand by Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, and Ramon K Perez.  In the spirit of re-runs, this felt like an obvious first choice given the infinite re-readability of this incredible visual story. This was such fun book, and Jackson was such a delight.    Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics

It is our last episode of the season and it is RJ's turn to pick a title from last year.  He has brought us the wonderfully quirky and strange murder mystery, Hobtown Mystery Stories Vol 1: The Case of the Missing Men by Kris Bertin and Alexander Forbes.  This was such a fun small town mystery with some really strange elements.    Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

It's Rj's turn to take us back to the year of his birth.  It's 1994, and we are diving head first into Starman by James Robinson, Tony Harris and Wade Von GanBadger.  It was a great year for comics, and this is a great pick.  We follow a reluctant hero as he deals with the generational baggage of being the third Starman.     Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

It's time for Last Week's Comics! We've got a lot of fun, alternate universe action this week. Also Logan's body hair, gross science experiments, and Cacey over-shares.  Pull List (with spoiler time stamps): 00:09:55 - Batgirl #7 00:17:46 -  Ultimate Wolverine #5 00:25:23 - Absolute Superman #7 00:37:53 - Los Monstrous Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics

It's Adam's turn to pick a book from last year, and he's bringing us Deviant by James Tynion IV and Joshua Hixon.  This is a nailbiting ho-done-it that kept us all in suspense up to the very last panel.  We all had a lot to say about this one, as it landed right in each of our wheelhouses for different reasons.  It had a neo-noir style mystery at its core, it touched on serial killer lore, and also serves as a very important conversation about queer representation in the media.     Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

It's once again time for another hour of talking about last week's comics! We get into the important questions.  Like how would Martian powers manifest in a gorilla body? How much beef can a velociraptor eat? Who has the right of way on a two-way stop? And so much more!   Pull List (with spoiler time stamps): 00:13:53 - Justice League Unlimited #6 00:25:28 - Green Lantern Dark #4 00:38:21 - Absolute Martian Manhunter #2  00:50:49 - Assorted Crisis Events #2 Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

It's Adam's turn to take us back to the year of his birth. And why not also go back to the birth of comics? It's 1985 and we're talking about The Dreamer by Will Eisner. This is the semi-autobiographical story of not only Eisner's rise as one of the best to ever do it, but the story of comics itself. It's a love letter to comics as told in one of the first "Graphic novels."    Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

It's that time again.  Time for Last Week's Comics.  Join us as we celebrate the kickoff of Superman Summer.  Also bad films by great directors, squelchy reconstructions, and Wolverine doing  what he's best at.    Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

It's Shaun's turn to pick a book from last year, and he has brought us the post-disaster coming of age story In Utero by Chris Gooch.  What happens when two monsters have a drag out fight under the streets of a major city? What kind of friends will we make along the way? Listen in and find out!   Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

It's Wednesday, so it's time for last week's comics! This week is full of some staple favorites.  Also late night double features, silent ninjas, and ghost gentrification. Pull List (with spoiler time stamps): 00:11:22 - Ultimates #11 00:21:00 - GI Joe A Real American Hero: Silent Missions - Jinx 00:27:17 - Batman: Dark Patterns #5 00:36:07- -Amazing Spider-Man #1   Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

It's Shaun's turn to take us back to the year of his birth, and we are going back to 1988 with Batman: The Cult by Jim Starlin, Bernie Wrightson, and Bill Wray.  We find Batman at his lowest as he gets drawn into an underground murder cult.  We explore cult ideology, the masterful work of the creative team, and giant monster trucks!    Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

Join us as we share our favorite comics from last week and our favorite popcorn recipes. Also more tales form the old-maniverse, Kal-El's crash to Earth, and DC resurrects an old forgotten favorite.  Pull List (with spoiler time stamps): 00:12:41 - Resurrection Man: Quantum Karma #1 00:28:48 - Daredevil: Cold Day in Hell #1 00:42:14 - Absolute Superman #6 00:50:51 - Poison Ivy #32 Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

Get ready for a squealchy one! This week, we're peeling back the pages of Cacey's pick from 2024: THE RIBBON QUEEN by Garth Ennis, Jacen Burrows, & Dan Brown. One part supernatural revenge elemental unleashed upon some deserving monsters; one part modern social commentary on police brutality and accountability in America; and it all comes together as one powerful (and icky) narrative!                                                                     ---TW: s*xual assault, police violence, racism, misogyny, and extreme body horror!--- Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

It is once again time to talk about last week's funny books! Join us as we make some wild predictions about some newly developing stories. Also other worldly hallucinations, Skeleton Pegasus, and personal space invaders.  Pull List (with Spoiler Time Stamps): 00:10:54 - Absolute Martian Manhunter #1 00:21:08 - Absolute Wonder Woman #6 00:31:18 - Green Arrow #22 00:338:49 - You'll Do Bad Things #1 Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

It's officially a new season of TFTSB, and we have a new theme! We are each picking a book from the year we were born, and one from the last year. We're starting out in 1990 with Cacey's pick Shade The Changing Man by Peter Milligan and Chris Bachalo. We dive down a psychedelic rabbit hole as we explore the Kennedy assassination, corruption in Hollywood and the deteriorating credulity of the American people. It's a weird one, folks.  Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

It's a brand new season of Last Week's Comics! We play a little catch up and talk about some of our favorite books that have come out since last time we saw each other.  Also nightmare logic, telepathic dead rats, and RJ conures up another Zatanna book.    Pull List (with spoiler time stamps): 00:12:02 - Ultimates #10 00:21:16 - Zatanna #2 00:33:21 - The Moon is Following Us #7 00:40:58 - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #7 Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

We are officially back from our break, and we're kicking it off with a special guest episode! Travis Bow from Minute of Thieves and Reel Comic Heroes podcasts joins us for Annihilation by Keith Giffen, Andrea Divito, and Laura Villari. It's a universe sized cosmic Marvel event where our titular character has big plans of being the last thing left in the universe.  It's a good old-fashioned star war!  Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

Today we read Golden Kamuy by Satoru Noda and learn how to survive in the forest while also hunting down a treasure map tattooed on a bunch of escaped prisoners.  It gets real wild and gory in this unique spin on the Lone Wolf and Cub dynamic.  Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

This week we learn about the classic Japanese art of Rakugo. Join us for some down-to-earth shonen action in the world of comedic performance art in Akane-banashi by Yuki Suenaga Takamasa Moue.  Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

It's another season break, which means it's time for a brand new manga series.  We kick things off with the first volume of Mobile Suit Gundam. We explore the origins of Gundam as retold in this beautiful series.  Join us for some giant robot action!

It's our season finale! This week we're reading Shaun's foreign pick, Blacksad by Juan Diaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido.  This book was originally published in French, and written by a Spanish creative team, but takes place in mid 20th century America.  It's a refreshing perspective of mid-century politics all told from the perspective of cartoon animals.  Tune in for some hard-boiled Antro-Noir.    Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

It is our last regular episode of LWC for the season.  It's also an off week since last week was a 5th Wednesday.  But there are some good specials and one-offs to talk about.  Also radio call signs, creepy clown parades, and  inside thoughts on the outside. Pull List (with spoiler time stamps): 00:10:00 - Seasons #1 00:18:48 - Ice Cream Man #43 00:33:34 - Superman: Lex Luthor Special #1 Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

This week it's Shaun's Domestic pick: Sleeper by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. This book has a little bit of everything. Superheroes, double agents, high stakes heists, even a bit of steamy romance. It's the kind of break-neck anti-hero story we've come to expect from this creative team, and it's one that we haven't read before (except RJ, who has read everything). Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

It's time for another episode of Last Week's comics!  We contemplate some current events as they tangle into some major DC stories.  Also sports on the radio, mutual aid,  and the answer to the ultimate question. Pull List (with spoiler time stamps): 00:08:19 - Green Arrow #20 00:23:36 - Wonder Woman #17 00:39:10 - Doctor Doom & Rocket Raccoon Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

This week we explore Adam's foreign comic pick: TREASURE OF THE BLACK SWAN by Paco Roca and Guillermo Corral, with translation by Andrea Rosenberg! This book was its own hidden treasure, a complete mystery until we dove in to find an incredible story. It's the true-to-life account of what happens when treasure hunters find loot in a lost wreckage, and how the origin country of that wreckage tries to reclaim it for cultural importance. It's the thrill seekers vs the bureaucrats, pillaging pirates vs diligent diplomats. It's an adventure comic like you've never read before!   Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

We are back (again) after a short hiatus (again) to bring you last week's comics! Also cat dragons, winter soldiers, and the thing behind the door.   Pull List (with spoiler time stamps): 00:09:34 - Shadow of the Golden Crane #1 00:14:04 - Challengers of the Unknown #2 00:30:21 - Ultimate Wolverine #1 00:42:09 -  You Won't Feel A Thing #1 Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

This week we dive into Adam's TBR pile and find CONCRETE: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION by Paul Chadwick! This one subverted all of our expectations, taking what should've been a straightforward superhero comic and turning it on its head. Sure, there's a guy who got his brain swapped into a giant man made of rocks, but it's really a slice of life story about a man taking a tragedy and figuring out how to be fulfilled in his life. It chronicles his journey in and out of the lives of regular people, using his irregular situation to his advantage whenever possible. Despite all intents and purposes, this comic is as real as it gets, and we loved that about it... We also loved making an AGGRESSIVE amount of rock puns, so prepare yourself for that   Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics

We are back from a bit of a holiday break. But we've got our favorite comics from the last few weeks to talk about! Also elementary science lessons, collectible popcorn buckets, and the little bit of Plastic Man in each one of us.  Pull List (with spoiler time stamps): 00:13:16 - New Gods #1 00:25:54 - Plastic Man No More #4 00:37:19 - Metamorpho: The Element Man #1 00:49:28 - Ultimate Spider-Man #12 Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics

This week was RJ's foreign pick, and we dove into the modern masterpiece SHUBEIK LUBEIK by Deena Mohamed! In this 21st century fairy tale set in Cairo, Egypt, wishes are a commodity that can be mined, and first class wishes are the most coveted of all. As a kiosk purveyor attempts to sell these expensive wishes one by one, we explore the lives of people desperate for a solution to their diverse and perplexing problems. And through these deeply personal stories, we also get to explore the fascinating world Mohamed has immersed us in. It's a deeply moving book that moved us all   Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

Join us for our last Wednesday of the year.  Take a break from your last minute shopping and check out what comics came out last week! Also disposable Nick Furys, Gotham serial killers, and giant robots combining to make even gianter robots.  Pull List (with spoiler time stamps): 00:13:14 - Ultimate Universe: One Year In 00:36:04 - Transformers #15 00:44:14 - Batman: Dark Patterns #1 00:57:14 - The City Beneath Her Feet #1 Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics

RJ is up with his first pick of the season.  His domestic pick this week is Angel City by Janet Harvey, Megan Levens, Nick Filardi. We take a trip back to 1930s Hollywood with a hard boiled noir crime story drawn from real events.  It combines two of RJ's favorite things: Classic Hollywood, and classic film noir.   Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics

It's time for another round of last week's picture books! This week we welcome in the Yuletide season with holiday horror anthologies.  Also Krampus hunting, mind prisons, and Mojo gets into the attention economy.  Pull List (with spoiler time stamps): 00:07:03 - Absolute Superman #2 00:18:37 - Dread The Halls 00:26:21 - Two-Face #1 00:37:27 - NYX #6 Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

It's time to get weird! We're taking on the best selling European Sci-fi comic of all time, The Incal by Alejandro Jordorowsky and Moebius. It's all vibes as we talk about the dreamlike adventure of John Difool.  Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics.                       

It's all DC comics this week! And two of them have Dan Mora art!  Also Doomsday is back, Batman is on drugs, and the mighty War Wheel!  Pull List (with spoiler time stamps): 00:11:10 - Justice League Unlimited #1 00:20:49 - Superman #20 00:32:45 - Black Canary: Best of the Best #1 Detective Comics #1091 Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

We finally did it! We tackled one of our proverbial white whales: V FOR VENDETTA by Alan Moore and David Lloyd. It's such a precise, dense, frustrating, and prophetic treatise on the escalation of fascism in a failed state. Simultaneously, it's a gorgeous, hopeful, and inspiring manifesto for building a world based around love and community care from the ashes of the fallen authoritarian empire. In our discussion, we talk about the way this book (and the subsequent movie) have been warped in the public eye, how Moore's political praxis is front and center, and how we can take up V's cause in the fight against fascism today. Oh, and please, for the love of god, don't do LSD in a concentration camp...

It's once again time to talk about our favorite 7-day-old comics! This week we stare into the horrors of reality from inside the horror genre. Also multiple Blues Beetles, a murder mystery in space, and Batman has a visit from CPS!   Pull List (with spoiler time stamps): 00:12:44 - Ice Cream Man #42 00:31:10 - Exceptional X-Men #3 00:47:42 - The Question: All Along the Watchtower 01:01:20 - Batman and Robin: Year One #1 Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

This week we had the pleasure of welcoming the incomparable JACKSON LANZING as a guest host! You know Jackson from such works as NYX, Batman Beyond, The Outsiders, Joyride, Star Trek, and many many more phenomenal comics, but we brought him here to talk about a different phenomenal comic: TALE OF SAND by Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, & drawn by Ramon K Perez! Around 1967 to 1968, Jim Henson and Jerry Juhl were workshopping a ton of long-form screenplays, the most fully-formed of which was Tale of Sand, an epic adventure of absurdity and self-discovery. When this screenplay was rejected by the movie studios in the late 70's, it was shelved and lost, only to be found again many years later. Luckily for us, Ramon K. Perez brought this surreal vision into a stunning reality, telling a vibrant and deeply meaningful story with almost no dialogue. Tune in tomorrow to hear us deep dive into this delightful odyssey with the equally delightful Jackson Lanzing!   Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics  

We are back for more comics that came out since the last time we did this! It's been a while, and a lot has happened, but we're ready to chat comics again. Also dogs with IMDB pages, planet-sized bad-guys, and a new hero for the working class.  Pull List (with spoiler time stamps): 00:11:08 - Green Lantern #17 00:20:57 - Absolute Superman #1 00:32:06 - Poison Ivy Swamp Thing: Feral Trees 00:41:10 - Ultimates #6 Support Tales From The Short Box by joining our Patreon! patreon.com/BraveNewWorldsComics