Between the Gutters Podcast

Solo #9 is Scott Hampton's spotlight issue! He's an artist neither of us is very familiar with, so it was good to get more exposure to his work. Because we don't know his other comics well, this episode is mostly focused on talking about the stories within this specific issue of Solo. There's a Batman story in this comic, too - what more do you want? Check out Solo #9 and listen to our podcast! (Not necessarily in that order!) If you have any Scott Hampton recommendations for us, shoot 'em over!   For a handy Spotify playlist featuring all of our episodes on Solo, click here: tr.ee/LWngAKKWTt If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats Also, if you listen closely to this Scott Hampton episode, you can have a shot at winning a secret prize...

We're back! It is time to continue our readthrough of DC Comics' Solo. This month, we're discussing the eighth issue, which features the incredible work of Teddy Kristiansen. Join us as we delve into his spotlight issue and discuss all five of his stories in the comic!   For a handy Spotify playlist featuring all of our episodes on Solo, click here: tr.ee/LWngAKKWTt If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats

Mike Allred is one of the most unique voices in creator-owned and mainstream comics! Perhaps best known for his Madman series, he has also left a big mark on some of DC's and Marvel's biggest characters and franchises, including Superman, Batman, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, Silver Surfer, and so much more! Join us as we cover his issue of Solo! Apologies for the late episode! We recorded this well before San Diego Comic Con, but due to the busyness of life and work, didn't get a chance to edit and post it until now. But we still function. For a handy Spotify playlist featuring all of our episodes on Solo, click here: tr.ee/LWngAKKWTt If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats

In this episode, we're discussing an indie comic we both backed on Kickstarter back in 2020. The Dodo Knows by Helen Greetham is an anthology of stories centered around themes of loss and discovery. It's a lovely collection for readers of any age, and we warmly recommend it. If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats

We're digging way too deep into the forgotten 1993 Image lineup in this episode. Do you remember Union by Mark Texeira and Mike Heisler? If you do, this episode is for you. We take a look at the initial four-issue miniseries that took almost a year to come out! Let's party like it's 1993 again, or something like that. If DC hadn't bought up WildStorm, Union would have been the perfect mascot for the Image Comics union. If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats

Jordi Bernet is an artist neither one of us was particularly familiar with, but he received his own spotlight issue of Solo, which we'll be discussing in this episode! As usual, we'll be discussing each story in the comic. Don't worry, there's a Batman story in this one... For a handy Spotify playlist featuring all of our episodes on Solo, click here: tr.ee/LWngAKKWTt If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats

For the second straight episode, we're taking a close look at another underrated Image miniseries! This time around, we're examining Ghost Cage by Nick Dragotta and Caleb Goellner! This three-issue science fiction comic has a ton of the things we love, including dope character designs, immersive worldbuilding, slick action, Mega Man-esque aesthetics, and substantial subtext. It's a book we really dig, and we really enjoyed discussing it.   If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats

Let's take a walk. Step by Bloody Step by Si Spurrier and Matias Bergara is truly a gem of a miniseries. It's an almost wordless fantasy story about a girl and her giant guardian traversing across their world. Featuring beautiful imagery and densely layered artwork that communicates the story of their journey, Step by Bloody Step is a work that not only demands your attention, but deserves it. Join us as we discuss and analyze it! If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats

After we went through the ordeal of revisiting X-Men #1-3 by Claremont and Lee a couple weeks ago, we decided to reward ourselves by talking about a great X-Men story: House of X/Powers of X. It's two stories that are one! As the Krakoan era winds down in 2024, it's also a nice time to revisit this smash hit. While you slept, the world changed... So stay awake and listen to our voices! If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats

In this month's installment of our readthrough of DC's Solo, we're finally covering the Darwyn Cooke issue! Everybody should know how great Cooke was. He contributed to a lot of the early DC Animated Universe, and he left a big impact on comics. While works like DC: The New Frontier and his Parker adaptations are probably his most famous, you should definitely keep an eye out for Solo #5 in the back issue bins. It is a treasure, and a veritable showcase of his talents. Join us in this episode as we discuss why his work in general continues to resonate with us, and as we do a story-by-story analysis of his issue of Solo! For a handy Spotify playlist featuring all of our episodes on Solo, click here: https://tr.ee/LWngAKKWTt If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats

X-Men #1 is the best-selling comic book of all time and a big part of our youths. With X-Men '97 in the zeitgeist, we figured we could go back and revisit X-Men #1-3 (1991) by Chris Claremont and Jim Lee, taking a critical look at one of the most beloved and influential runs in popular culture. In this episode, we take some time to talk about our individual experiences with Claremont and Jim Lee's works, reflect on the early nineties X-Men, and do an issue-by-issue commentary of the first three issues of 1991's X-Men! Towards the end of the episode, we also talk about what we've seen of X-Men '97, the Disney+ animated series that seems to be pleasing fans of the old nineties show.   If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats

Happy Mother's Day to all who celebrate! In this episode, we're talking about Mothers, by Kusahara Umi! Mothers is a one-woman anthology published by Glacier Bay Books. It's got a dozen stories, and virtually all of them are hits. Seriously, find yourself a copy of this book if you don't already have one! We talk in-depth and discuss each story in this book, which is rich with meaning and ideas to unpack. The tales in this collection examine themes of motherhood, family, loss, and practically the whole gamut of human emotions. It was a true pleasure to read and discuss all of these stories! If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats

Lois Lane: Enemy of the People by Greg Rucka and Mike Perkins is, in the grand scheme of eternity, a relatively recent 12-issue maxiseries that we wanted to read and discuss. It's also a chance for us to talk about the impact of the creators' works. Also, because this is a Lois Lane-centric episode, we took the time to talk about the 1986 Lois Lane two-issue miniseries by Mindy Newell and Gray Morrow, "When It's Raining, God Is Crying." These are two different Lois stories from different eras, but there are some fascinating commonalities in their characterization and portrayal of Lois. If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats

As we continue our readthrough of DC's Solo, we now come to Howard Chaykin's issue. He's a very distinctive artist known for his edginess, but we've certainly read our fair share of his latter-period Big Two work. Join us as we discuss our thoughts on his writing and art in general, and as we examine his spotlight issue! For a handy Spotify playlist featuring all of our episodes on Solo, click here: open.spotify.com/playlist/5Cp7xN6…565b39d437214b89 If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats

We're back! Just like Superman coming back from the dead, Between the Gutters has returned to life! This week, we're discussing Superman vs. Meshi volume 1 by Satoshi Miyagawa and Kai Kitago. It's a delightful slice of life food manga featuring Superman and his appreciation for fast Japanese cuisine! This is a different type of cape comic for those who are accustomed to Western superhero comics, but manga readers know that comics about food are about as plentiful as comics about cats. (Maybe?) Join us as we discuss our experiences with Superman vs. Meshi and food-centric comics in general!

In issue three of Solo, Paul Pope takes the spotlight. This issue contains the Eisner Award-winning short story "Teenage Sidekick!" There are some other gems as well. Join us as we discuss Paul Pope's work and the bits of his career that we're familiar with. For a handy Spotify playlist featuring all of our episodes on Solo, click here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5Cp7xN6T5JKdsqA2VvbUE1?si=565b39d437214b89 If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats

This is a story. This is a story about us podcasting about one of the best DC comics ever, and one of the last great Vertigo ongoing series. This is a story about the next entry in our top 25 DC comics countdown! Coming in at #22 on our list... Sweet Tooth by Jeff Lemire, Jose Villarubia, and more! This science fiction post-apocalyptic coming of age story about the boy and the big man is one of the most evocative and touching comics DC has ever published. This is a story. We discussed Sweet Tooth in broad terms back when the first season of the Netflix adaptation came out. See episode 82 of our podcast. We also discussed another Jeff Lemire comic, Joker: Killer Smile, back in episode 51. We also talked a bit about Trillium, a later Lemire/Villarubia joint, in episode 37. Like we did for our Marvel top 25 list, we applied a set of criteria and scored all the DC books we've read to create our list. Our criteria are as follows: CRAFT. Is the comic technically sound? Is it well-written? Is it well-illustrated? Did the creators demonstrate mastery of the language and form of comics? ORIGINALITY. Is the comic creative and imaginative? Does it have something meaningful to say? IMPACT. What sort of lasting influence did the comic have? Did it leave a mark within the DC universe, on the industry, or on pop culture? Do fans remember it with affection? WITHSTAND THE TEST OF TIME. Is the comic something that holds up today, outside of the context of its original publication? Is it something we could read over and over again in the future? If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Check our Linktree for a handy Spotify playlist of all of our DC Top 25 episodes (including our honorable and dishonorable mentions)! Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats

The Seeds by Ann Nocenti and David Aja is an ecological, post-apocalyptic, science fiction, romantic, techno thriller. If that sounds like a lot, it's because Nocenti and Aja stuffed this four-issue story chock full of ideas and concepts. Perhaps The Seeds isn't a perfect comic book, but it's absolutely an intriguing one. It's a comic that demands your active attention. We tried to figure it out - no idea if we've understood it properly - but we had a good time with it. It's refreshing to read a mainstream comic that has a high estimation of the intellect of its readers. What'd you guys think about The Seeds? If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats

Richard Corben... The man, the myth, the legend. About twenty years ago, he did the second issue of DC's Solo. This anthology series showcased a special artist with every issue, giving them carte blanche to do whatever they wanted. In 2024, we're dedicating one of our episodes every month to talking about one issue of this series, and after tackling Tim Sale's issue last month, it's time to turn our attention to Corben. We're admittedly only directly familiar with a small portion of his later period work, so if you have more thoughts about his overall career, or if you have recommendations for specific Corben comics we need to check out, please feel free to hit us up! If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats

Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane is an underrated and underappreciated gem of a series, and we're here to shine a spotlight on it. In this episode, we're covering all twenty issues of Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane, plus the two preceding four-issue miniseries. All of these comics are written by Sean McKeever, mostly drawn by Takeshi Miyazawa, colored by Christina Strain, and lettered by Randy Gentile and Dave Sharpe. David Hahn drew the last few issues of the run, Norman Lee inked some of Miyazawa's issues, and there's some additional art by Valentine De Landro and Rick Mays. This is a great MJ comic, a great Spidey comic, a great romance comic... It's just a great comic by Sean McKeever, an underrated writer who deserves more love and recognition. Discussing SMLMJ also gave us a chance to talk about his work in general. Of course, we also don't want to neglect the primary artists of the run, Takeshi Miyazawa and Christina Strain, whose warm and vibrant work bring wonderful energy and zest to this incredibly addictive romance comic. If you've never read SMLMJ, now's as good a time as any to check it out! And if you've read it before, it's a fun one to revisit. Join us as we talk about the many virtues of this series! Happy Valentine's Day if you celebrate! And a hearty "Bah humbug" if you don't! If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats

After an unplanned bye week, we're back with the first episode of our 2024 readthrough! In 2021, we read through Invincible. In 2022, we read through Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin. Last year, we read through Deadly Class. This year, we're reading through DC Comics' Solo! Once a month, we're dedicating one of our episodes to an issue of Solo, which lasted twelve issues. First up, we're discussing issue one, which was Tim Sale's issue. Join us as we provide a general overview of Solo as a series and then discuss Tim Sale's broader work in comics. After that, we take a look at every story in Solo #1. There's also a brief but very special interview audio included in this episode: Back in 2019, Albert met Tim Sale at a convention and asked him a few questions. Timestamps: 33:25 - Albert's brief interview with Tim Sale 35:53 - Solo #1 Discussion If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats

We're back with a discussion about another recently published Image Comics book, Immortal Sergeant by Joe Kelly + Ken Niimura! It's the newest collaboration from the duo that brought us the legendary I Kill Giants. Immortal Sergeant is about the dysfunctional relationship between a grizzled, old-school, bigoted detective and his adult, socially liberal son. The two of them are forced to spend an inordinate amount of time together when the detective catches a break on the murder case that's haunted him for decades. Immortal Sergeant functions much like a companion piece to I Kill Giants, which focused on the relationship between a mother and daughter. Kelly + Niimura have put together another immaculately crafted comic that's worthy of our time and analysis. If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats

It was released in English a little over a year ago, but we've finally gotten around to reading Shuna's Journey by Hayao Miyazaki, a gem that was originally published in 1983. It's not a long read, but it's absolutely gripping and worth your time and contemplation. If you're a fan of Miyazaki's films, then Shuna's Journey will certainly be of major interest. It's kinda decent timing, by our standards, to talk about Shuna's Journey because Miyazaki's been back in the public discourse. As you probably know, his latest film, The Boy and the Heron, was recently released in U.S. theaters, and may still be playing at the time this episode drops (check your local listings). (They should have kept the original title of How Do You Live?, though.) If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats

Happy New Year! For our first episode of 2024, we decided to read and talk about a new series from 2023: W0rldtr33 by James Tynion IV, Fernando Blanco, Jordie Bellaire, Aditya Bidikar, and Dylan Todd (edited by Steve Foxe). This science fiction horror story is by one of the biggest writers in comics at this particular moment. We haven't really talked about any Tiny Onion books on our podcast before, so we figured we'd try to get with the times. In this episode, we discuss W0rldtr33 volume 1, which collects the first five issues of the series. Have you read it? Have you read many other Tiny Onion comics? What do you think? If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats

As 2023 comes to an end, we decided to read and discuss a comic that's also about an ending, of sorts. Namor the Sub-Mariner: Conquered Shores by Christopher Cantwell, Pasqual Ferry, Matt Hollingsworth, and Joe Caramagna is a "The End"-type of story for Namor, one of Albert's most beloved superhero characters. Conquered Shores takes place in a far future after the Earth has endured massive trauma, which results in Atlantis becoming the dominant superpower as the planet is engulfed by the seas and melted ice caps. The superhero population has diminished, and Namor is one of the last remaining few with any agency. What choices will he make in this new world? Join us for our discussion of this five-issue miniseries! If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats

Twelve months, twelve volumes. We have finally completed our coverage of Deadly Class by Rick Remender and Wes Craig! As we have been doing throughout 2023, in this episode we provide our usual issue-by-issue synopses and commentary of the last trade paperback collection of the series, which contains issues 53-56. We also discuss our overall thoughts and feelings about the series as a whole. This has been our #Remendyear and what more fitting way to finish it off than with a long conversation about the end of Deadly Class? If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Check our Linktree for a handy Spotify playlist containing all of our Deadly Class episodes! Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats

This week, we're continuing our top 25 DC comics countdown. We have Sleeper, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, at number 23 on our list! Nowadays, Brubaker and Phillips are household names for their creator-owned crime comics. Let's go back in time and take a look at this early work from the pair! Sleeper is a super powered espionage neo-noir thriller that contains a whole lot of tension and suspense. A creeping sense of dread permeates the narrative. It's also got a lot of heavy emotional, psychological, and thematic material that gives it that added element of depth. Here are some of the other episodes we've done in which we've featured these creators: Episode 6: Criminal Episode 8: Captain America Episode 20: Scene of the Crime Episode 155: Wildcats Episode 192: Gotham Central Like we did for our Marvel top 25 list, we applied a set of criteria and scored all the DC books we've read to create our list. Our criteria are as follows: CRAFT. Is the comic technically sound? Is it well-written? Is it well-illustrated? Did the creators demonstrate mastery of the language and form of comics? ORIGINALITY. Is the comic creative and imaginative? Does it have something meaningful to say? IMPACT. What sort of lasting influence did the comic have? Did it leave a mark within the DC universe, on the industry, or on pop culture? Do fans remember it with affection? WITHSTAND THE TEST OF TIME. Is the comic something that holds up today, outside of the context of its original publication? Is it something we could read over and over again in the future? If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Check our Linktree for a handy Spotify playlist of all of our DC Top 25 episodes (including our honorable and dishonorable mentions)! Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats

We're getting very close to the end of our readthrough of Deadly Class by Rick Remender and Wes Craig. This month, we're covering volume 11, which is comprised of issues 49-52. Join us as we provide our issue-by-issue recaps and commentary! If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Check our Linktree for a handy Spotify playlist containing all of our Deadly Class episodes! Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats

We return from our bye week with our autopsy on The Marvels, the latest MCU flick! We've all heard the noise around this one. It's been a polarizing movie, especially if you spend time in online spaces. There's also the box office stats, which led to even more chatter. We're not too interested in the movie's financial success (or lack thereof). We're here to talk about the movie itself. Join us as we dissect this movie in another one of our patented autopsies! Some timestamps for y'all: 0:00:00 - Our intro discussion is about Albert's recent travels. 37:50:00 - The Marvels autopsy begins (spoiler-free) 1:03:40 - Full spoilers begin If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Check our Linktree for a handy Spotify playlist of all of our Marvel Cinematic Universe autopsy episodes! Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats

We're continuing our countdown of the top 25 DC comics of all time! Coming in at number 24 on our list, we've got Sandman Mystery Theatre by Matt Wagner, Steven T. Seagle, and Guy Davis! This mature-readers crime noir series set in the late 1930s is a grounded and realistic reimagining of a classic Golden Age superhero. It's more than just a gritty remix of an old character, though. This is a series that has it all: intriguing plots, complex and well-developed characters who grow and change, one of the most beautiful romances in all of comics, and compelling social commentary. Tune in and find out why SMT is one of the best things DC Comics has ever published! We previously discussed Steven T. Seagle in one of our honorable mentions - in episode 132 we covered It's a Bird... We forgot to mention it during our recording, but Guy Davis had a book on our Marvel top 25 list, too. We talked about Fantastic Four: Unstable Molecules way, way back in episode 8. Like we did for our Marvel top 25 list, we applied a set of criteria and scored all the DC books we've read to create our list. Our criteria are as follows: CRAFT. Is the comic technically sound? Is it well-written? Is it well-illustrated? Did the creators demonstrate mastery of the language and form of comics? ORIGINALITY. Is the comic creative and imaginative? Does it have something meaningful to say? IMPACT. What sort of lasting influence did the comic have? Did it leave a mark within the DC universe, on the industry, or on pop culture? Do fans remember it with affection? WITHSTAND THE TEST OF TIME. Is the comic something that holds up today, outside of the context of its original publication? Is it something we could read over and over again in the future? If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Check our Linktree for a handy Spotify playlist of all of our DC Top 25 episodes (including our honorable and dishonorable mentions)! Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats

This week, we're covering Deadly Class volume 10: Save Your Generation! This volume collects issues 45-48 of the series by Rick Remender and Wes Craig! As usual, we're providing recaps and commentary for each issue as we talk through the entire series, one volume per month. If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats

At long last, we're here! When we began our podcast back in the halcyon days of 2017, we started with a series of episodes counting down the top 25 Marvel comics of all time. Eventually, we finished that list and made plans to do a top 25 DC comics list. In the past couple years, we've teased and tantalized with a few honorable mentions (and dishonorable mentions), but now it is time to begin the countdown proper in earnest! Long have we waited! This is not a dream, not a hoax, not an imaginary story! We are starting our top 25 DC comics countdown! In this episode, we provide a refresher regarding our criteria and thought processes behind our list, and we unveil #25: Gotham Central by Ed Brubaker, Greg Rucka, Michael Lark, and their pals! Join us for an invigorating discussion about why Gotham Central is one of our picks for one of the top 25 DC comics of all time! Don't expect the countdown to take over the feed entirely, as we have many other intriguing comics on our upcoming podcast schedule. However, we definitely have a few more countdown episodes scheduled for the rest of the year, so we'll be sprinkling these in with the rest of our usual episodes. If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Check our Linktree for a handy Spotify playlist of all of our DC Top 25 episodes (including our honorable and dishonorable mentions)! Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats

Continuing what seems to be an unintentional trend on our podcast, we're here to discuss yet another science fiction comic. This week, we're talking about Decorum, by Jonathan Hickman and Mike Huddleston! This is a story about the most well-mannered assassin in the known universe. Beyond that, we initially struggled to figure out what this comic was really about. However, throughout the course of our conversation in this episode, we eventually wrestled through the text and came to a general understanding of it. (We think.) If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats

Far Sector, written by acclaimed novelist N.K. Jemisin with art by the skillful Jamal Campbell, is undoubtedly one of the best Green Lantern tales in recent memory. It's a science fiction story about Sojourner "Jo" Mullein, a new Green Lantern, protecting the City Enduring, a massive city-planet of 20 billion people comprised of three distinct races. For the first time in 500 years, there's a murder, and it's up to Jo to solve the crime. If you enjoy intelligent science fiction in your cape comics, you owe it to yourself to check out Far Sector! Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters

In this episode, we're discussing one of Panel Syndicate's most famous publications: Barrier, by Brian K. Vaughan, Marcos Martín, and Muntsa Vicente! Someone once said that science fiction is social fiction. Barrier is a science fiction story about an alien abduction, but it has a great deal to say about today's social climate. Though it originally came out a few years ago, it feels just as relevant as ever. Barrier's got something to say, and it's elevated by its craftsmanship and experimental nature. You can check it out at panelsyndicate.com and then listen to our discussion! Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters

We're back from our bye week with the next installment of our readthrough of Deadly Class! The ninth volume, entitled Bone Machine, comprises issues 40-44 of the series. As usual, we provide issue-by-issue commentary of the comic as we analyze, interpret, and discuss it. In our intro conversation, Albert shares about his recent vacation to New England and the east coast and talks about some of the comic book stores he managed to visit while he was out there. Our Deadly Class discussion begins at around the 37:50 mark. Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters

Madi: Once Upon a Time in the Future is an intriguing experiment in producing a graphic novel. A science fiction story cowritten by film director Duncan Jones and comics veteran Alex de Campi, the comic's visuals were drawn and colored by around two dozen artists so that the book could come out sooner rather than later. Essentially a road trip story, the different artists drew various portions of the adventure so they could leave their visual stamp on the world of Madi. It's an intriguing experiment in theory, but how does the final product hold up in execution? Join us as we examine Madi: Once Upon a Time in the Future! Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters

With the recent release of Shortcomings, the film directed by Randall Park and written by Adrian Tomine, we decided to do one of our comic book movie autopsies! In this episode, we'll be discussing both the film and the original comic by Tomine. Whether you've only read the comic or only watched the movie, tune in to this episode to hear our conversation! We'll warn you in the audio before any serious spoilers. Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters

It's time to talk about volume 8 of Deadly Class, which we are reading on a monthly basis. Follow along with us as we provide our usual issue-by-issue breakdowns, analyses, and commentary!

Happiness by Shuzo Oshimi is a rare foray into vampire fiction for us (notwithstanding all the Blade, Morbius, etc. comics we've consumed). Back in episode 113, we covered the the first seven volumes of Blood on the Tracks, the Oshimi series that's still currently ongoing. Reading that series garnered enough appreciation for Oshimi's work that we decided to go back and read one of this earlier, completed series. Happiness is a vampire story, yes, but it's also a dark, psychological thriller. While it's definitely not for the squeamish, Happiness gives us a compelling plot about a teenage boy who becomes a vampire, and his coming of age story. At least... that's how it starts. The story evolves into much more. Join us as we cover all ten volumes of this manga series! Albert provides recaps for each volume as we systematically discuss each book so you can follow along with us. Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters

The Disney+ series Secret Invasion recently completed its run, so we figured we'd do an autopsy. Before going into our dissection of the show, we first spend some time discussing 2008's Secret Invasion comic book event, specifically the eight-issue miniseries by Brian Michael Bendis and Leinil Francis Yu. The show got its title and basic concept from that comic, so we figured we'd examine that event and talk about how the show approaches the premise of a Skrull invasion differently. What did you think of Secret Invasion, either the comic or the show? Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters

Ta-Nehisi Coates' run on Captain America is a thematically and conceptually rich interpretation of one of Marvel's most important characters. His thirty-issue series is intellectually dense but doesn't skimp on the action and thrills, either. It's a story that demands your attention and warrants multiple readings as an examination of what makes Captain America meaningful. Join us as we try to scratch the surface of this one! Also, our intro discussion contains Albert's report on San Diego Comic-Con 2023! The book discussion begins at the 22:00 mark. Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters

In this month's installment of our yearlong Deadly Class comic book coverage, we discuss volume seven, which is titled Love Like Blood. This volume collects issues 32-35 of the series. Read along and listen as we provide issue-by-issue commentary and discussion! Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters

This week we're covering Superman: Space Age by Mark Russell, Mike Allred, Laura Allred, and Dave Sharpe. It's a story that examines Superman and the persistence of hope in the most dire of circumstances. Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters

The New 52 era of DC Comics was a particularly bad time for comics, but it did give us one diamond: Wonder Woman, by Brian Azzarello, Cliff Chiang, Matthew Wilson, Jared K. Fletcher, and several other artists, including Tony Akins and Goran Sudžuka! This self-contained run is an evergreen Wonder Woman story. It's a series that not only provides a compelling plot and fascinating characters with depth, but also stands as a concise summation of what the concept of Wonder Woman is all about, and what makes Diana of Themyscira special. In this episode, we highlight this run as part of the buildup to our DC Top 25! Tune in and find out why we think so highly of this Wonder Woman run. Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters

Multiverses are all the rage right now. The latest big multiverse story is Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. It's something we watched recently, so we figured we'd dissect it for the podcast. The first fifty minutes or so are spoiler-free, but we'll warn you in the audio when we go full spoilers. (Also, near the end of the episode, Albert will spoil The Flash a little bit.) Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters

In this month's installment of our Deadly Class readthrough, we cover volume 6: This Is Not the End, which collects issues 27-31. We get some answers to a couple of burning questions, some great character building, some social commentary, and plenty of fantastic art. Join us as we provide our issue-by-issue commentary! Throughout 2023, we're reading through Deadly Class by Rick Remender and Wes Craig. Each month this year, one of our episodes will be dedicated to coverage of one volume of the series! Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters

Paul Chadwick is one of the best writer-artists of our lifetime, and his most famous creation, Concrete, is an absolutely tremendous series. Critically hailed and extremely well-respected back in its heyday, today Concrete seems to be a bit forgotten compared to some of the more famous works from Chadwick's contemporaries. This is unfortunate. We're here to shine a light on a diamond that should never be forgotten. In this episode, we discuss Concrete and Paul Chadwick in general, and we specifically zero in on Dark Horse Comics' 2005 trade paperback edition of Concrete volume 1: Depths, which collects the first five issues of the series and a smattering of short stories. Although this trade paperback is technically out of print, you may be able to find a copy at cover price at your local store. It's also readily available digitally on digital library services like Hoopla, as well as on Amazon Kindle. Seek out any Concrete you can find! It deserves your time and attention, especially if you love beautifully drawn comics with well-defined characters, creative plots, and introspective, thoughtful, and contemplative themes. Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters

This week, we're taking a look at a pair of Green Lantern graphic novels, Legacy and Alliance, by Minh Lê and Andie Tong! These comics are aimed at younger readers, but they're perfect for superhero fans of any age. Green Lantern: Legacy introduces us to young Tai Pham, the latest member of the Green Lantern Corps. Alliance expands upon Tai's world, introducing new threats and allies. Not only are these great superhero comics, but they're also sensitive and authentic portrayals of Asian American culture without being hamfisted or corny. For a couple of graphic novels aimed at elementary readers, these comics are more sophisticated and more worth reading than many cape comics on the racks today. Check 'em out, and tune in for our discussion about Green Lantern as a general concept and, of course, our deep dive into both of these books! Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters

We're back after a bye week with May's installment of our Deadly Class readthrough! This month, we're covering volume 5: Carousel, which comprises issues 22-26. After last month's shocking cliffhanger, we were pumped to find out what happens next, and we were not disappointed! If anything, Rick Remender and Wes Craig subverted some of our expectations to take us on an unexpected, yet logical, ride into a new school year at King's Dominion. Tune in for our usual issue-by-issue synopses and commentaries, as well as some tangents about eighties Marvels like GI Joe, The Punisher, and The 'Nam! Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters

We've been reading through Deadly Class in 2023, and we thought we'd supplement our Rick Remender coverage with a podcast about Seven to Eternity, which features art by Jerome Opeña! In this episode, we discuss the entirety of this seventeen-issue series. It's a compelling story that subverted our initial expectations based on the first issue, and it ended in the only place it could. Seven to Eternity is a lavishly illustrated space fantasy story about integrity and compromise. There's some fantastic worldbuilding, gripping character drama, rich subtext, and thoughtful conceptual ideas lurking within this comic. We'll warn you in the audio before we go into full-spoiler mode! Thanks again to Corey J. Beats for producing our theme music. Check out all of his music on various platforms here: linktr.ee/Coreyjbeats If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email us! We have a Linktree here: linktr.ee/betweenthegutters