Checkered Past

Great grazing goats! When someone gets flown into the interior of the sun by page 3 of a 15-page story, you know it's going to be swell! Marvelous Martin Gray joins us to talk about Cliff Richard, Little House on the Prairie, and I guess a little about Lois Lane too.

Lt. Steve Savage, Balloon Buster, has a whole lotta balloons ta bust - if he can only conquer his crippling negative self-talk! PLUS the role of "Piggy" in tonight's performance of "Lord of the Flies" will be played by Jerry Lewis!

Lt. Steve Savage, Balloon Buster, has a whole lotta balloons ta bust - if he can only conquer his crippling negative self-talk! PLUS the role of "Piggy" in tonight'ss performance of "Lord of the Flies" will be played by Jerry Lewis!

It's an 80-PAGE GIANT! Batman gives us a glimpse of his weirdest adventures! Featuring Robin, the Man Wonder! Rubber-Face Batman! And Fire Island Batman! DON'T MISS IT!

A giant amphibious talking gorilla! A man who transforms into monstrous sea creatures! An ambulatory underwater golden robot headquarters! AND THAT'S ALL BY PAGE 3. Join me and special guest Chuck for a look at the bat$h@t crazy Sea Devils #30!

A giant amphibious talking gorilla! A man who transforms into monstrous sea creatures! An ambulatory underwater golden robot headquarters! AND THAT'S ALL BY PAGE 3. Join me and special guest Chuck for a look at the bat$h@t crazy Sea Devils #30!

While Superboy deals with the mild annoyance of young Lex Luthor with the powers of a 5th-dimensional imp, Krypto has the most exciting day of his life and introduces us the the most exciting character finds of 1966, the Space Canine Patrol Agents!

While Superboy deals with the mild annoyance of young Lex Luthor with the powers of a 5th-dimensional imp, Krypto has the most exciting day of his life and introduces us the the most exciting character finds of 1966, the Space Canine Patrol Agents!

Sockamagee! Robby gets sweet with Suzy AND re-introduces an unsuspecting world to the golden age great, Plastic Man! PLUS a whole new status quo for the Martian Manhunter! All this plus 1920's family scandal!

Uh-oh, looks like one of these new Legion kids is a nogoodnik, and right on the eve of an alien invasion to boot! It's the beginning of a legendary era in Legion history and Dr. Husband is on board!

Uh-oh, looks like one of these new Legion kids is a nogoodnik, and right on the eve of an alien invasion to boot! It's the beginning of a legendary era in Legion history and Dr. Husband is on board!

Green Lantern, DEAD! The people of the far future, RED! And poor Katma Tui, beside herself with grief! PLUS Dr. Bobb benefits from the kindness of strangers and Dr. Husband waxes poetic about Gil Kane!

Metamorpho is in a pickle - Simon Stagg AND the world's top 12 of 13 volcanologists have gone missing, the ocean is being sucked into the core of the Earth, AND Rex has been turned into a formless puddle of goo! Plus we discuss Dr. Husband's emergency room visit, cicadas, and the possibly former Nazi, Louisa!

Jimmy and Superman, on the outs! Supergirl, dressed like a bug! PLUS lots of neighborhood reporting, and a display of our utter ignorance on basic facts of insect gender roles!

Jimmy and Superman, on the outs! Supergirl, dressed like a bug! PLUS lots of neighborhood reporting, and a display of our utter ignorance on basic facts of insect gender roles!

Two Strange Adventures stalwarts make their costumed debuts this week (if you consider a newly-reincarnated adult body a "costume") as Animal Man and Immortal Man fight off threats worldly and under-wordly! We discuss a lost opportunity for a Krypto team-up PLUS the jarring ramifiactions of falling in love with someone who dies every three days!

Two Strange Adventures stalwarts make their costumed debuts this week (if you consider a newly-reincarnated adult body a "costume") as Animal Man and Immortal Man fight off threats worldly and under-wordly! We discuss a lost opportunity for a Krypto team-up PLUS the jarring ramifiactions of falling in love with someone who dies every three days!

Batman vs Weather Wizard in a fight to the finish! Robin sidelined due to poor basketball technique! Elongated Man led astray by gypsy tea leaves! PLUS the forgotten art of Art Frahm!

Elasti-Girl and Mento are newleyweds and ready to settle into domestic bliss - if only Mento could convince her to give up her pesky independence! PLUS the menace of Mr. 103 and the emotional abuse of Beast Boy!

Flash has his dissipating hands full when the whole of Central City forgets he ever existed! PLUS, Abra-Kadabra switches minds with a 64th-Century fashion icon and takes a trip to the Magic Castle!

This episode has it all - The Justice League, the Justice Society, Lulu, good Sekowsky art, the approval of a teenager, AND Jennifer DeRoss!

Batman, a no-good layabout? Say it ain't so! But if it's between being a layabout and falling into the clutches of that floozie Poison Ivy, I bet I know what Robin's vote would be!

Easy Co. doesn't have it so easy THIS time - not only are the Krauts on their tle, but a kooky old brain-addled WWI vet to boot! Thank God for the famed hospitality of French maidens! Join us for Our Army at War 170!

Despite having attained cult goofy villain status, the Bug-Eyed Bandit isn't even referred to by that name in-story, and doesn't appear in costume until the last 2 pages! Gardner Fox wrote it, Gil Kane drew it, Dr. Husband loved it, and oh yes, Ray and Jean get engaged!

The Blackhawks stumble their way through defeating Mr. Quick-Change, who manages to conceal his true identity through the clever use of *checks notes* a goattee. Join the fun, won't you?

Pity poor Miklos, turned into a sponge creature and then hounded to the ends of the earth - er, I mean the depths of the sea. Don't fret, the Sea Devils are here to help the Challs get to he bottom of things, along with the triumphant return of Neptimus!

7-11 Hot Dogs! Witchy neighbors! Broken toes! Picking up dog poop! All of these, and many more, are subjects we apparently prefer to discuss instead of the penultimate appearance of Ultra, the Multi-Alien...but you should listen in anyway. It'll be fun, I promise!

Anti-Superman and Anti-Batman, on the loose! Superman and his chum Batman are stumped, who could these dastardly criminals be? I could tell you, but then you wouldn't listen in! Join us for World's Finest #159!

What's better than four manly men jammed into a tiny tank interior? Four manly men talking about war comics, THAT'S what! We are joined by the Battlin' Bros, Max and Rich from the Weird Warriors Podcast to discuss Haunted Tanks, dishonored soldiers, Star Trek/Wars, and oh so much more!

Hawkman and Hawkgirl, battling a Lovecraftian horror! Or maybe a Kaiju! Me, forgetting to follow up on Dr. HUsband's excellent observations on Eatser Island! MULTI-ATLANTIS'S! This episode has it all and belies our extreme exhaustion!

It's an 80-Page Giant! Featuring Jimmy Olsen's wackiest disguises, AND the first appearance of Lucy Lane, who does NOT make a good first impression.

Poet Laureate Robert Frost famoulsy wrote, "Some say the world will end in a robot apocalypse, some say in being strangled by plastic garbage", but I say the world ends in baby goats and un-eaten hot dogs. Confused? Well I guess you're going to just have to listen to this episode then!

Faced with a choice between an idyllic life on a restored Krypton, and the certain destruction of Earth, the noble Superman chooses (checks notes) THE LATTER. Join us, won't you, for a read-through of one of the most bonkers Superman stories of 1966!

Flash is dead and Batman don't feel so great himself! Who would, what with a gang of super-fast troublmakers gallavanting around Gotham City? My recommendation, Bats, is to do as I did and break up your day with a nice, long nap!

Can Davey live up to the expectations of his stage father? Can Wonder Girl escape from the clutches of the hobo jungle? CAN ANYONE EXPLAIN WHY SPEEDY IS CALLED SPEEDY WHEN HIS POWERS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH SPEED? Speedy meets up with the other kid heroes to vsit the 1964 summer Olympics, and while they're at it, maybe bust up an international hate group to boot!

Wonder Woman faces harrassment in the workplace, but never fear, she's got plenty of non-consensual behavior of her own to dish out! Hop on board for our last episode of 2021!

It's our gala 150th episode! (Well, not really GALA per se...mostly just a regular episode with extra crap thrown in). We look at Action Comics 340, plus bits and bobs from Heart Throbs 103, Falling in Love 85 and Falling in Love 143 - PLUS! The triumphant return of The Girls' Young Romance True Love Story iPhone Voice Memo Players!

Mayor-for-a-day Super-Hip, elevated to the highest office in the land through the machinations of BIG TADWALLADER! Bob Hope, America's most beloved comedian, helpless to intervene! It might be our most RELEVANT episode TO DATE! (Not really but you'll listen anyway, right?)

In an exciting twist, Green Beret Capt. Hunter becomaes a Kindergarten teacher! And speaking of Green, have you heard about the Green Glob?

Poor Lois, she's so consumed with fending off her blackmailer that she misses Clark changing to Superman right in front of her! PLUS - The Queen of Sheba's hairy demon legs AND the craziest hitchhiking story you'll ever hear!

Hey have you heard there's an uncharted island in the Pacific where dinosaurs still live? Everyone seems to know about it, yet no one has CHARTED IT. PLUS what about the little boy down the lane who consorts with ghosts of dictators and ancient demons and whatnot? I wonder what the HOA would say about THAT!

Dr. Bobb's twerking injury! Cap'n Butler's fart attack! Dr. Husband's love of Infantino inking himself! PLIUS a sub-par Batman story and an above-average Elongated Man story equaling one okay issue of Detective Comics!

Just in time for spring, it's Beach Week! Sugar and Spike head to the sand and sun for some ET disclosure! Scooter et al compose hip love songs for the local monster! And the Switcheroo Witcheroo saves Cape Canaveral! Join in for this and more!

Aquaman's got a secret, but he has to get through a pod of whales, an iceberg, and me making up a story about his teenage years first! Join us for the first appearance of THE OCEAN MASTER!

The end has come for House of (shhh!) Secrets - for now, at least - but don't worry, Eclipso and Prince Ra-Man have some fight left in them yet! Plus Dr. Husband learns all about backup stories before launching into a fascinating discussion of sales figures and fiscal years!

Nearly-shirtless Sgt Rock and fully shirtless Barbarosa mix it up atop Kyffhäuser Castle while Easy Co. and an army of sullen teens await the outcome! From September 1966 it's Our Army at War #171!

Tomahawk – dead! Say it ain’t so! But Miss Liberty’s here to communicate with his ghost, model several anachronistic fascinators, and beat back the redcoats!

Capt. (not actually a Captain) Storm meets his opposite number, a brave Lt. of the Japanese Navy! Will he find a way to save this prideful fool's life or nah? Join us for Capt. Storm #15!

Robby Reed can't make heads or tails of this new villain who has plenty of heads to go around! PLUS MArtian Manhunter is about to get some action, if you know what I mean (wink wink!) Join us for House of Mystery #161!

Krypto returns to the Space Canine Patrol Agents and the exciting world of charitable donations! PLUS: Attend the tale of Allan Vale, you'll never hear a sadder tale. Join us for Superboy #132!

Pity poor Ultra the Multi-Alien - no sooner has he found a way to change back to Ace Arn at will (all the better to woo sweet Bonnie Blake!) than he single-handedly gets Mystery in Space cancelled! Johnny Cloud doesn't fare much better on his road to Loser-dom, as the bell also tolls for All-American Men of War. Join us for this somber celebration!

Jimmy Olsen is the dumbest man in two universes - not necessarily a bad thing, but it may explain why he remains a cub reporter despite traversing interstellar space! Join us for a fun-filled romp through Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsenb #96!

It's an 80-Page Giant! Giving Lois Lane plenty of room to spread her wings and find new ways of tricking Superman into marrying her! In the immortal words of Dr. Husband, "I've never been so angry at a comic character in all my life."

Blackhawk and the fellas are facing a mountain of gloomy headlines - and speaking of gloomy headlines, did you know that 57% of Blackhawks come from countries where women have more bodily autonomy that in the USA? HAWKAAAAAAAAA!!!!

Jim Corrigan tries to help a fella out, and what does he get for his trouble? A new soul, for starters! Plus hear all about the naturally cold gas from Alaska! My father's bicycle horn and pet robot cat! A letter from a future Spectre scribe! All that and a Black Mass to boot!

You'll never believe all the crazy things the Sea Devils get up to this issue - unless, much like the writer must have, you drop a tab of acid and wait a half hour. We've got giant monsters, coral reef-destroying cannons, whales on Main Street, and THAT'S just the first 5 pages!

Over the river and through the woods go the Titans to face the scourge of TEENAGE DELINQUENCY. But first you'll have to suffer through Dr. Bobb's VERY STRONG OPINIONS about Old Bay seasoning and cast iron cookware! Join us for Teen Titans #5!

Dr. Husband applies his mad physics skillz to the problem of Batman's impossible "super" feats! Dr. Bobb takes his lumps for not remembering what Parkour is! Robin flies solo, and is revealed to be an idiot! PLUS Time Machine Mailbag!

It's a day of firsts for Dr. Husband - his first encounter with super-villain and future gay icon The Pied Piper, PLUS his first knowledge Wally West's hair dye! It's Flash #164, come on in, the water's fine!

The Mandela Effect! The great InfantEENo controversy! Tales from the Ohio State Fair! PLUS Metamorpho undercover! Join us for Metamorpho #8!

The moon may be in the seventh house but the World's Finest Friends are in a heap of trouble when Dr. Zodiac and his gun moll breeze into town! PLUS find out the TRUE astro-signs of our terrific trio!

Superman seeing double - double Clark Kents, that is! PLUS a revealing look at our dreams, Sueprgirl's Sweet 16, and the Infantino debate put to rest at last!

Dr. Regulus is comin' in HOT and the Legion ain't ready! PLUS true life nature adventures! Sleeping sickness! And and EXTRA-CAFFEINATED Dr. Husband! Join us for Adventure Comics #348!

Now THIS is my kind of comic - Batman getting Robin out of the way so that he can spend his nights grappling with a beefy shirtless man! PLUS The Elongated Man bumps into fellow fishnet-admirer Zatanna! It's Detective #355!

Hogan's Heroes trivia! Channeling my dead father! Fun with napping! PLUS Sgt Rock in a duel to the death with his Nazi opposite number! It's Our Army at War #172!

Barking dogs! A swing and a miss from young Master Shooter! Unnecessarily hyphenated words! And the drag-iest super-villain outfit you'll ever see! (both acceptable uses of a hyphen) It's Superman #190!

Wonder Woman has her own pet paper doll, too bad he's such an annoying creep! PLUS all about worm composting, childhood paper routes, and suburban speakeasies! It's Wonder Woman #165!

The Atom takes on the ferocious Panther Gang, while condoning some HIGHLY unethical photographic behavior. Then he travels through time to meet the heroic sheep, Montauciel, AND American founding father Ben Franklin! Plus hear ALL about Dr. Bobb's first grown-up job!

Today we learn that Dr. Husband was doing drag queen makeup before he even knew what a drag queen was! Plus a thorough discussion of Eartha Kitt, COVID Boosters, and fun facts about Lady Blackhawk!

Sugar and Spike doing their first Trick or Treating unlocks a torrent of childhood Halloween memories, PLUS, what will we name our new kitten?

Nubile young things in bathing suits! Politically incorrect stereotypes! Universal monster dopplegangers! PLUS Creepy old Hollywood stars! Who says the Beach movie is dead, not us!! Join us for all this PLUS Super-Hip in The Adventures of Bob Hope #101!

Large-scale puppetry! Shakespearean romance! And a booze-loving kitten! All this PLUS Jerry Lewis battles a mad scientist, a giant monster, and overbearing parents! It's The Adventures of Jerry Lewis #96!

Red Ryan - DEAD! Ace Morgan - DEAD! And I don't feel so great myself! PLUS is meanness really a villainous raison d'être? Join us for Challengers of the Unknown #52 and find out!

Tommy Miller has no wings but wait til you see him fly and hear his mournful SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEE! PLUS Captain Hunter and Lu Lin in another mildly entertaining adventure! AND - Kitten flirts with death at the jaws of Capt. Butler!

Not one, not two, but THREE Insect Queens for the price of one! PLUS a roomful of Lois Lane mannequins, kitten problems, and my mother's irrational fear of gypsies!

It wouldn't be Christmas without an 80-Page Giant! Robin flies solo (when he can shake himself out of his teenage pity party) PLUS Dr. Husband discovers that there's a such thing as Bat-Hound!

You know it's a ghreat story when flying gorillas don't even make the top five list of - pardon my French - ape-sh*t things! Hidden civilizations! Evil priest-kings! Mosaic analogues! Lady scheintists! PLUS the exciting saga of our new neighbor and her full septic tank! We're back, baby!

You can lead a Haunted Tank to the Patisserie but you cannot make him eat! Jeb Stuart's gotta capture a Nazi tank crew and he's gotta do it fast, good thing his pals Sgt. Rock and Johnny Cloud are around to offer some handy tips! PLUS the eprils of Sunday afternoon grocery shopping in the suburbs!

Roger Boyd has one month to live – unless the Green Glob can set things right! PLUS Auto-Man runs afoul of a super-advanced mutant genius who somehow skipped English class! It's the Green Glob and Auto-man in Tales of the Unexpected #97!

Gramps gets his moment to shine, but what benefit is civic pride when one is transformed into a monster? PLUS Marco Xavier gets his chance to meet Mr. V, AND the saga of Dr. Husband's missing wedding ring! It's House of Mystery #162!

An untold tale of Superbaby's arrival on Earth, and his first ADORABLE but-up of a crime syndicate! PLUS Robin mucks around and creates a new timeline! It's Superboy #133!

Alfred is dead, and I don't feel so good myself. But don't worry, turns out Alfred's not REALLY dead, he's just an all-powerful super-villain! Author Jim Beard joins us to explore the craftiest television-dictated character revival since Steve Trevor! PLUS the Elongated Man waxes poetic!

WHO is the Sizzler? WHY did G.I. Joe defect to the VietCong? WHAT is the secret of Dr. Bobb's meatball soup? ALL WILL BE REVEALED ON THIS EPISODE! It's Metal Men #22!

This episode brought to you by the letter C, and the words Caveman, Colonoscopy, Car Lighter, Classical Music, and Crabs! It's World's Finest #161, an 80-Page Giant!

Billy from The Brave and the Bob Pod joins us to discuss the curious case of the Bat-Hulk! PLUS other nonsense, as usual. It's Batman, Metamorpho, and The Brave and the Bold #68!

If I'm being honest, I didn't think we'd make it to 2 episode, much less TWO HUNDRED, but here we are! A new theme song! A new(er) comic to read! And lots of heavy emotions as Dr. Husbands reads, for the first time, "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow"! Come on in, the water's fine!

British television! Invaders from other dimensions! Eastern European royalty! Our pal Martin Gray joins us to discuss Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, and we didn't even have to use our signal watches!

Napoleon! Kublai Khan! kd lang! That's only a FEW of the significant historical figures you'll meet this episode! Join us for Adventure Comics #349!

Know who's got a birthday? Johann Sebastian Bach, that's who! Also Dr. Husband, but let's get right to business - how's Green Lantern going to fight a foe made entirely of the color yellow? WITH HIS FISTS, THAT'S HOW! Tune in now for Green Lantern #48!