Ten Cent Takes

This week, we’re jumping into light speed with Star Wars: Infinities, Dark Horse’s trilogy of “what if?” stories that remixed the original films. Join us as we explore how these comics spin the classic stories from a long time ago in a galaxy far away.

Comedy comes in very different flavors this week, as our latest Dollar Bin Discovery theme is "Haha." Mike dug up Dead Clown #1 for the finest in edgelord humor, while Jessika cracked up with Funnytime Features #3.

Our latest deep dive looks at Mr. Monster: Origins from Dark Horse. A satirical throwback to Golden Age horror comics with a modern twist, it's an origin story that (mostly) works as a sendup to the genre it love.

This week’s Dollar Bin Discovery is Shapeshifters, where nothing stays the same for long. Mike rolled out with Transformers Generation 2 #1 for some classic robots-in-disguise action. Meanwhile, Jessika stepped into the chaos of Shade the Changing Man #1 (1990).

It's time to take to the sky! This week we're looking at Storm Hawks, a short-lived animated series and toyline from the late 2000s. We're looking at the mini-comic that came with its DVDs, as well as discussing what we've dubbed "Schrödinger's Comic."

This week’s theme is Patriotic Personas, so we're mixing superheroes and national pride. Mike checked out Taskmaster vol. 3 #3, with the villain going against South Korean superheroes. Meanwhile, Jessika explored Captain Canuck Reborn #0, where a new hero steps in to wear the flag.

This week’s Dollar Bin Discovery theme is Snacktastic, where comics and junk food collide in the most 90s way possible. Mike dug into Drake Snack Cakes Mini-Comics #1, while Jessika checked out the X-Men: Pizza Hut Collector’s Edition #1.

This week we're plugging into Cyborg! Based on the Jean-Claude Van Damme movie, Cannon video made this freebie to hype the movie's VHS release.   The comic tries to make the movie seem cool, but neither comes out looking great.

This week, we’re celebrating Women’s History Month with some “Wonderful Women” comics! Jessika checked out the indie sci-fi adventure The Adventures of Theown, while Mike read Xena: Warrior Princess: Bloodlines!

This week we’re headed to the future with Trekker (1987), Ron Randall’s gritty sci-fi series. Spoiler: We loved this dystopian space opera series and its star, Mercy St. Clair.

This week’s Dollar Bin Discovery is "Heroception." Mike chose Fantastic Four vol. 3 #60 for one of the best stories he ever read about Marvel’s First Family. Meanwhile, Jessika read Radioactive Man #679 for a multiverse story about Springfield’s superhero.

Remember G.I. Joe: Sigma 6? You’re not alone if you don’t! Today we’re looking at the tie-in miniseries for the toys that attempted to reboot the G.I. Joe franchise  for a new generation. Even though the toys and cartoon weren’t hits, the comic is surprisingly fun!

This week’s Dollar Bin Discovery theme is Lovesick, and we’re looking at some VERY different comics. Mike checked out JLA #90 for superhero heartbreak, while Jessika explored Beta Sexus #2 for a super steamy sci-fi story. 

Today we're checking out Marvel’s Earthworm Jim, which has no right being as good as it is. Considering how wild the source material is, it's a miracle that Marvel in 1995 managed to capture the crazy humor of the video game.

This week’s Dollar Bin Discovery theme is “feeling green,” so we dredged up cash and cackling villains. Jessika read 1st Issue Special #2 to meet the Green Team (a squad of kid millionaires), while Mike took on Green Goblin #1 for a dose of cackling chaos.

Today we’re checking out M. Rex, the two-issue oddity that inspired Generator Rex and somehow predicted Pride & Prejudice & Zombies. We break down how this tiny, strange series had both a small run and an outsized legacy.

This week’s Dollar Bin Discovery is all about Double Trouble: That means it's twice the fun and twice the chaos. Mike spun into Web of Spider-Man #117 while Jessika tackled the wonderfully weird Dragonfly and Dragon Man. When comics double up, things get stranger.

This week we're reading The Girl in the Bay, a supernatural drama about lost time, second chances, and the unsettling idea of someone else living your life. After vanishing in 1969, Kathy Sartori resurfaces fifty years later to confront an eerie double and the life she never got to live. It’s a moody, introspective story about identity, grief, and new beginnings.

This week’s Dollar Bin Discovery takes flight with "Things With Wings."  Mike cracked open SilverHawks #1 and got in touch with his inner space cop, while Jessika checked out a winged menace in Rune #1. 

This week we're unwrapping Within Our Reach, the early ’90s holiday benefit anthology. Created to raise funds for Sempervirens and amfAR, the book features a mix of superheroes and social causes into one seasonal package. Festive, earnest, and unexpectedly weird in turns, it’s a holiday special worth reading.

’Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the bins, Not a hero was stirring without long undies underneath. This week’s Dollar Bin Discovery celebrates Long Underwear, so Jessika is checking out Herbie #1 from Dark Horse, while Mike read Glory & Friends Christmas Special. 

Today we’re going (back) to the future with Hercules: Prince of Power vol. 2. Will we get lost without the context of the prequel? Will Marvel’s biggest himbo in space win us over? Is Skyppi the Skrull a trans allegory? Tune in to find out!

This week, we're blasting off into Sci-Fi Crime, where the future is shady and everyone's moral compass is a bit off. Mike checked out the preview issue of Crimson Skies, a pulpy mix of air pirates and alternate history, while Jessika dove into the wonderfully chaotic Aristocratic X-Traterrestrial Time-Traveling Thieves #1. It’s heists, hijinks, and high-concept nonsense. 

Our latest deep dive tackles how comics confronted (and often struggled to confront) the AIDS epidemic throughout the 1980s and 90s. There's everything from groundbreaking moments of compassion to outrageously offensive books. We check out what the medium got right, what it got very wrong, and why these stories still matter. 

This week’s Dollar Bin Discovery theme honors Native American Heritage Month with a look at comics with Native characters across the decades. Mike read Avengers #682, where a legacy hero gets swept into a cosmic crisis, while Jessika explored the trippy, time-bending world of Timespirits #1.

This week we're diving into Garth Ennis’s 2007 Dan Dare series. It's a grim, yet surprisingly heartfelt reboot of a character better known for stiff-upper-lip sci-fi adventures.

This week on Dollar Bin Discoveries, we’re celebrating comics’ Elderly Icons... because heroes don’t retire, they just get grumpier. Mike visits a superpowered retirement community in Welcome to Tranquility #1, while Jessika rides into battle with Crone #1. 

This week’s #DollarBinDiscovery is serving up some Pumpkin Spice chaos! Jessika conjures up Curse Words #3, while Mike brews trouble with Wolverine & The X-Men #3. The perfect blend of magic, mutants, and cozy autumn vibes.

Greetings programs! We're downloading into The Grid and checking out Tron: Ghost in the Machine! A comic sequel to a video game that Disney would rather we forget. It tried to keep the Grid alive before the next reboot came along and derezzed it from canon.

Today, we’re turning down the lights for some "Horrotica" comics. Jessika dives into Chains of Chaos #1 from Harris Comics, while Mike explores Jenna Jameson’s Shadow Hunter #0. It’s monsters, mayhem, and just a little bit of questionable seduction. Listen anywhere but Spotify!

This week, we’re diving into one of DC’s most chaotic crossovers: Eclipso: The Darkness Within. It’s a 90s comic event where black diamonds turned heroes into villains, friends into enemies, and comic covers into storage hazards. 

This week on Dollar Bin Discoveries, we’re getting spooky with our Indy Horror theme! Mike braves the chaotic carnage of Scotch McTiernan’s Halloween Party, while Jessika dives into Spend the Night #1, a slasher throwback with serious scream-queen energy. Indie scares, dollar bin style! 

In 1993, Majestic Entertainment launched their first comic, Legacy — except it wasn’t just a comic, it was also a series of trading cards. It dropped right as the comic bubble burst, but the behind-the-scenes drama ended up way more entertaining than the book itself. ----more----

This week on Dollar Bin Discoveries, the theme is Signature Select! Mike cracks open his SDCC-exclusive signed copy of Warrior #1 (written by the Ultimate Warrior), while Jessika leaps into Spring-Heel Jack #3 from Rebel Studios. Big signatures and wild stories await!----more----

Today we’re shining a light on ‘Mazing Man, the cult DC character who makes the world a better place through small acts of kindness. Join us as we examine this silly, sweet, and strange 1980s cult classic.

This week’s Dollar Bin Discoveries is “Sweet Like Candy”!  Mike unwraps some oddball weirdness with Reese’s Pieces #2, while Jessika digs into the goofy mayhem of Groo vol. 2 #40. Tune in for comics that are silly, satirical, but probably not sugar-free.

This week, we’re digging up some history with our “Ye Olde Comics” theme! Jessika dives into Kill Shakespeare #5, a mash-up of the Bard’s greatest hits. Mike cracked open Yang #1 from 1973—a kung fu comic that’s got more problematic content than it does punch.

Grab your shovel and douse the lantern! This week, we’re digging into the  dark comedy of I Sell the Dead! We check out both the movie and the comic it inspired, unearthing a ton of ghoulish fun along the way. ----more----

This week, we’re cracking open some first issues! Jessika dives into Wolf #1 from Image Comics, a mythology-soaked noir with plenty of strange twists, while Mike takes on Stan Lee's very meta attempt at creating a new superhero team with Stan Lee’s Mighty 7 #1. Sometimes the first step is the weirdest one! ----more---- Email: [email protected] Instagram: @Tencenttakes Facebook: /Tencenttakes Mastodon: retro.pizza/@tencenttakes Our banner art is original work by Sarah Frank (IG: @lookmomdraws)  

This week, we wade into the tangled, lawsuit-laden history of Neal Ms. Mystic, a character who spent more time in court than she did in coherent storylines. From the book's stalled debut to its baffling dialogue, we unpack how this comic manages to be both weird and… weirdly awful. ----more---- For the transcript of this episode, head over to https://www.tencenttakes.com/transcripts.   Email: [email protected] Instagram: @Tencenttakes Facebook: /Tencenttakes Mastodon: retro.pizza/@tencenttakes Our banner art is original work by Sarah Frank (IG: @lookmomdraws)  

This week, we're reading “Smooth Operator” comics. Jessika dives into James Bond: Varger #1, bringing all the espionage and elegance you’d expect. Mike, however, takes on Taskmaster #1 (2002)... after all, who doesn't like a mercenary with photographic reflexes and questionable charm? ----more---- For the transcript of this episode, head over to https://www.tencenttakes.com/transcripts.   Email: [email protected] Instagram: @Tencenttakes Facebook: /Tencenttakes Mastodon: retro.pizza/@tencenttakes Our banner art is original work by Sarah Frank (IG: @lookmomdraws)

This week on Ten Cent Takes, we’re gliding into the glossy, gravity-optional world of Continuity Comics with Valeria the She-Bat! The art is gorgeous, the plot… well, it’s doing its own thing. Join us as we try to make sense of a comic that’s all style, some wings, and a questionable amounts of substance. ----more---- For the transcript of this episode, head over to https://www.tencenttakes.com/transcripts.   Email: [email protected] Instagram: @Tencenttakes Facebook: /Tencenttakes Mastodon: retro.pizza/@tencenttakes Blusky: https://bsky.app/profile/tencenttakes.bsky.social  Our banner art is original work by Sarah Frank  (https://www.lookmomdraws.com/)

This week we’re unleashing the stylish side of evil with our theme: Villains in Vogue. Jessika picked up Dandy Presents Penny Dreadfuls, while Mike explored high fashion and low morals in Disney Villains: Cruella De Vil #1. Join us as we strut through some seriously sinister storytelling! ----more---- For the transcript of this episode, head over to https://www.tencenttakes.com/transcripts.   Email: [email protected] Instagram: @Tencenttakes Facebook: /Tencenttakes Mastodon: retro.pizza/@tencenttakes Our banner art is original work by Sarah Frank (IG: @lookmomdraws)

This week on Ten Cent Takes, we're re-releasing one of our favorite deep dives: the Superman comics that doubled as ads for RadioShack's TRS-80 computers! The Man of Steel meets early tech marketing in a delightfully weird crossover of capes and circuits. ----more---- For the transcript of this episode, head over to https://www.tencenttakes.com/transcripts.   Email: [email protected] Instagram: @Tencenttakes Facebook: /Tencenttakes Mastodon: retro.pizza/@tencenttakes Blusky: https://bsky.app/profile/tencenttakes.bsky.social  Our banner art is original work by Sarah Frank  (https://www.lookmomdraws.com/)

With the new Superman movie soaring into theaters this week, we're diving into some classic Supes comics. Jessika unpacks Super Powers Vol. 4 #3, while Mike explores the momentous Action Comics #662 — yep, the one where Clark reveals his secret to Lois! ----more---- For the transcript of this episode, head over to https://www.tencenttakes.com/transcripts.   Email: [email protected] Instagram: @Tencenttakes Facebook: /Tencenttakes Mastodon: retro.pizza/@tencenttakes Our banner art is original work by Sarah Frank (IG: @lookmomdraws)

This week we're we diving into The Backstreet Project. Yes, THAT Backstreet. And yes, it’s as wild as you’re imagining. Come for the boy band superheroes, stay for the comic book chaos.   ----more---- For the transcript of this episode, head over to https://www.tencenttakes.com/transcripts.   Email: [email protected] Instagram: @Tencenttakes Facebook: /Tencenttakes Mastodon: retro.pizza/@tencenttakes Blusky: https://bsky.app/profile/tencenttakes.bsky.social  Our banner art is original work by Sarah Frank  (https://www.lookmomdraws.com/)

This week we’re celebrating She-roes: The fierce (and the occasionally forgotten) super heroines of comics past! Mike read Avengelyne #1, the angelic warrior from the ‘90s with big swords and short shorts. Jessika unearths Ms. Mystic #1,  part sorceress, part environmental crusader, all kinds of wild.     ----more---- For the transcript of this episode, head over to https://www.tencenttakes.com/transcripts.   Email: [email protected] Instagram: @Tencenttakes Facebook: /Tencenttakes Mastodon: retro.pizza/@tencenttakes Our banner art is original work by Sarah Frank (IG: @lookmomdraws)

This week we're diving into Jezebel Jade; Comico’s 1988 miniseries that asks, “What if Race Bannon’s ex got her own spy-noir spotlight (and out-cooled everyone)?” It’s slick, stylish, and way too good to be lost to time. Come for the ‘80s comic vibes, stay for the femme fatale flair. ----more---- For the transcript of this episode, head over to https://www.tencenttakes.com/transcripts.   Email: [email protected] Instagram: @Tencenttakes Facebook: /Tencenttakes Mastodon: retro.pizza/@tencenttakes Blusky: https://bsky.app/profile/tencenttakes.bsky.social  Our banner art is original work by Sarah Frank  (https://www.lookmomdraws.com/)

On this week's Dollar Bin Discoveries, we're heading into the Great Outdoors! Jessika braves the South American wilderness with Donald Duck Adventures #3, while Mike takes a darker path with Bloodshot #7. From classic cartoon capers to gritty action, it's a wild ride you won't want to miss!   ----more---- For the transcript of this episode, head over to https://www.tencenttakes.com/transcripts.   Email: [email protected] Instagram: @Tencenttakes Facebook: /Tencenttakes Mastodon: retro.pizza/@tencenttakes Our banner art is original work by Sarah Frank (IG: @lookmomdraws)

This week on Dollar Bin Discoveries, it’s all about familiar faces! Mike dives into 1963 #5, a sharp satire of Thor, while Jessika takes on Questprobe #1 featuring everyone's favorite green rage machine, the Hulk. Tune in for retro weirdness, superhero send-ups, and pure comic book joy! ----more---- For the transcript of this episode, head over to https://www.tencenttakes.com/transcripts.   Email: [email protected] Instagram: @Tencenttakes Facebook: /Tencenttakes Mastodon: retro.pizza/@tencenttakes Our banner art is original work by Sarah Frank (IG: @lookmomdraws)