Indefensible Ink

Hey, have you heard Indefensible Ink is over and there's a NEW PODCAST in town? Subscribe to THE IRON AGE OF COMICS now on your podcasting app of choice for future updates! Follow @ironageofcomics on Twitter and Instagram! From 1985 to 1987, DC released three groundbreaking series that kicked off the Iron Age and changed comics forever: Crisis on Infinite Earths by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez, The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller, and Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. We'll eventually do a deep dive on each one in turn, but our debut episode takes a high-level look at these three books as a collective phenomenon and examines the impact they had on the next 15 years of comics up through to today.

Indefensible Ink has ended, but retro comics enthusiast and Jim Shooter apologist Justin Zyduck is not done podcasting. Check out this preview of his new show, co-hosted by recurring Indefensible Ink guest Jim Cannon: THE IRON AGE OF COMICS, a critical re-evaluation of comic books from about 1985 to 2000… including, of course, the boom and bust of the '90s! Go beyond the chromium covers and grim 'n' gritty cliches for a deeper look at one of the most divisive periods in comics history. (This episode, minus the opening introduction and with the addition of different theme music, will be bonus Episode #0 of The Iron Age of Comics on its own dedicated feed once the new podcast debuts on January 4.)

It's the final episode of Indefensible Ink! And what could be a more appropriate topic to cover than something called Final Crisis? Justin discusses Grant Morrison's divisive 2008 crossover event and why its title and marketing may have led to a chilly reception from many fans.  PLUS: An introduction to a new podcast! Stay subscribed to the Indefensible Ink feed for a preview, coming soon...

Part two of a conversation with original co-host Ryan McClure about continuity and canon in superhero comics. This episode covers cross-media adaptations and how they affect continuity, the concept of headcanon, and what should we do about this whole continuity/canon mess anyway? Also discussed in this episode: how Grant Morrison may have ended “the Marvel Universe,” the Claremont/Byrne Star-Lord and why he can't be Chris Pratt, the Big Two writer who says continuity is the devil, and scenes from Justin's protest against the term "Infinity Stones."

Original co-host Ryan McClure returns for the first of a two-part discussion about continuity and canon in superhero comics: the benefits, the downsides, and drilling down into what makes comics different from other longrunning narratives in other media. Also discussed in this episode: the many Atlantises (Atlanti?) of the pre-Crisis DC Universe, the Spider-Man-to-dinosaurs pipeline, and the wonders of Marvel Saga.

Our look at the two-year-long “Nightwing Gets Amnesia” storyline concludes as Justin and guest Jim Cannon get to the bottom of a sinister brainwashing scheme by the Court of Owls that ultimately results in the creation of…”Dickyboy”?! Plus wrap-up and speculation on how DC might have been able to make a halfway decent story out of Dick Grayson losing his memory. Also discussed in this episode: Blüdhaven's thematically named bar and tavern scene, which of the Legion of Substitute Nightwings is the “Kenny” of the team, and Red Condor: The Sensational Character Find of NEVER.

Plenty of superheroes go through an amnesia storyline or two in their careers, but Dick Grayson spent around 25 entire issues of his Nightwing series from 2019-2020 with memory loss and a new identity as a cab driver named Ric. Justin taps Nightwing fan supreme Jim Cannon to explain why Dick Grayson is so beloved both in-universe and among comics fans and to discuss whether this meandering storyline had any higher purpose than trying to put an end to jokes about his first name. Also discussed in this episode: racist episodes of Star Trek, the questionable relevancy of supervillains named after Soviet institutions, and turkey dinners vs. robot dinosaurs.

There were dozens of TV shows trying to replicate the success of Friends in the late '90s, but only one of them was trying to do so with superheroes. If you're wondering how they could have made a Justice League movie on a television budget at the end of last century, the answer is "very inexpensively" and "with M*A*S*H's David Ogden Stiers in green makeup." Justin discusses the failed pilot of for a Justice League of America pseudo-sitcom and why it was doomed to be what celebrated comics writer Mark Waid may or may not have called "80 minutes of my life I'll never get back." Also discussed in this episode: An overview of the '90s superhero adaptation landscape, the sinister charm of Special Guest Star Miguel Ferrer, and the viability of the voice of the Cryptkeeper as a romantic lead.  

Here it is, the comic so controversial it made George Clooney drop out of playing Nick Fury in movies and got Marvel publisher Bill Jemas fired! Or at least, that's what people say about Fury, Garth Ennis and Darrick Robertson's six-issue limited series from 2001 published by Marvel's mature-readers MAX imprint. Justin takes a look at the story behind the splashy headline and why it might be wise to bring a bit of skepticism--or at least a sense of perspective--to this juicy rumor. This episode is labeled Explicit because...well, it's a Garth Ennis comic, it kind of has to be, right?  Also discussed in this episode: How to use a parental advisory to market your comic books, Francis Fukuyama and Star Trek VI, and Stan Lee actually says something negative in public about a Marvel comic.

In part two of an examination of superheroes and the so-called "code against killing," Justin and Jim discuss how Hawkeye typifies a change of attitudes about lethal force in the genre, how Wolverine's natural tendency towards bezerker rage has made him the unlikely moral center of the X-Men, how the Punisher might break the Marvel Universe from a couple different angles, and how antiheroes entertain us despite being reprehensible people. All of this leads into the titular question of why Batman will never kill the Joker...and why the escalating stakes of superhero comics have forced us to consider this question in the first place. ALSO DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: Justin's reservations about a certain element of his beloved Steve Englehart West Coast Avengers run, Jim's favorite issue of Grant Morrison's The Invisibles, how to better allocate Wonder Man and Tigra as Avengers resources, and those wonderful giant props in old Gotham City.

Superheroes don't kill supervillains...except for the ones who do. But it's a conceit of the genre that even if some heroes cross this line, they at least acknowledge the line exists. In this episode, regular host Justin Zyduck takes a break from critiquing specific comics to discussing the trope of the "code against killing" with returning guest Jim Cannon. They discuss the origins and general reasons for this rule of thumb—both philosophical and practical—and about Superman, Spider-Man, Wonder Woman, and Captain America specifically.  ALSO DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: The legal ramifications of Indiana Jones' activities, a definition of "kindergarten morality" by former Marvel honcho Bill Jemas, John Byrne's storytelling hand grenades, the trial of the Flash, and Xena: Warrior Princess.

The lead story of 1982's Superman #372 might look a little old-fashioned next to the cutting-edge superhero storytelling of Claremont's Uncanny X-Men, Miller's Daredevil, or the Wolfman-Perez New Teen Titans, but readers raved about the brain-bending plot twist in Cary Bates and Curt Swan's "Superman's History-Changing Mission!" What did comics fans see in this seemingly illogical Superman adventure? We're going back in time 40 years (and the Man of Steel is going back a bit further still) to investigate the curious charms of the Bronze Age Pre-Crisis Superman and the writer they called "Mr. Surprise"! Also covered in this episode: The perfect drink to compliment global blackmail, more uses for super-ventrioloquism, Superman's CIA contact, and humble advice to the head honchos at NASA. PLUS: Following up from the previous episode on LJN's Uncanny X-Men video game for the NES, Justin learns that the Sega Genesis had its own X-Men adventure with a counterintuitive secret to getting to the final level.

Has anyone ever done a podcast on...complaining about a video game? Probably not, in which case it pleases Indefensible Ink to break new ground and discuss 1989's Uncanny X-Men for the Nintendo Entertainment System, released by the notorious game publisher LJN. Regular host Justin Zyduck welcomes his brother Zach as a guest to discuss a punishingly difficult and frustrating game from their childhood that nonetheless has some pretty cool music. YouTube playthroughs seem to attest that it's possible to beat this game, but this episode reveals the unfair roadblocks the developers put in the player's way. Also discussed in this episode: Saving the space whales and how the X-Men's attempted sacrifice once made Justin tear up in the middle of traffic, how Cyclops' optic blasts work, how to identify Paul Smith drawings in instruction booklets, multiple invocations of the semi-forgotten NES game StarTropics, a bold proposal for a Superman video game, and what it would take for a digital character to be less popular than MS Office mascot Clippy. AS PROMISED: A link in the show notes to the music for the NES Silver Surfer game: https://youtu.be/ZQlLl2j5THQ SPECIAL APPEARANCE BY: Zach's cat, River Phoenix

Everybody knows an accident caused Captain America to spend decades in suspended animation after World War II. What this book presupposes is…maybe the U.S. Government froze him on purpose? But if that's the high concept behind “Ice” by Chuck Austen (with John Ney Reiber) and Jae Lee, why is the comic mostly about a guy with an alien robot hand trying to test Cap's sense of morality? By request, host Justin uncovers the complicated history of the post-9/11 Marvel Knights Captain America run on the way to defrosting this controversial (but ultimately inconsequential) storyline. Also covered in this episode: failed attempts at winning enemies to your point of view via hallucinogens, the irrationality of amphibious love interests, and the most conspicuous anagram in the history of superhero comics.

In the year 2000, the comic book Captain Marvel belonged to Genis-Vell, a novice superhero trying to to live up to his father's name and keep up the momentum gained by his appearances in the popular Avengers Forever series. But series writer Peter David may have been more interested in chronicling the sitcom antics of Genis' odd-couple partner, longtime Hulk supporting character Rick Jones. David and artist ChrisCross' Captain Marvel (vol. 4) is fondly remembered by fans as a great series cut down in its prime, but does it hold up? Genis is headed back to comic store shelves this month in a new miniseries, and to mark the occasion, regular host Justin Zyduck and guest Jim Cannon revisit the original.  Also discussed in this episode: PAD's possible similarities with Garth Merenghi, an unnecessarily elaborate scheme involving the Wendigo, a potshot at Wild Wild West that's taken on a strange resonance 22 years later, angling for Tom Brevoort's job, and the unsettling possibility that Bill Jemas might have been right about this series all along.

Remembering the New Coke of Superman storylines 25 years later, when a desperate DC Comics tried to get people excited about the Man of Steel again by giving him new powers and a '90s X-Men-style costume. But can absolute mastery of the electromagnetic spectrum counteract event fatigue, a flagging comics industry, and a morass of subplots? Indefensible Ink takes a look back at the "Triangle Era" of Superman books and offers an opinion about why depowering the character isn't the quick fix people assume it will be. Also discussed in this episode: the benefits of super-USB-drive fingers vs. invulnerable toes, a thinly veiled Rush Limbaugh whining that his co-workers don't like him, and strategies for playing Connect Four with small children. BONUS: Where is Metropolis? Where is Gotham City, for that matter? Justin takes a look at the implications of the DC Universe having three New York Cities and considers a possible solution.

We will not see his like again.

Today, many comics artists work completely digitally, but in 1988, creating a comic book using a computer was a noteworthy novelty. Is Mike Saenz's cyberpunk thriller Iron Man: Crash--billed on its cover as "The First Computer-Generated Graphic Novel"--just a gimmick, or is there a story behind the low-rez bitmaps? And if there is a story...is it any good? Justin takes a look at what could either be described as "The Dark Knight Returns, but for Iron Man" or as "Popular Mechanics, crossed with Tales of Suspense." Along the way, this episode attempts to examine anti-Japanese xenophobia in American media of the '80s and also--improbably--contains spoilers for Hercule Poirot's character arc in Kenneth Branagh's Death of the Nile. Also discussed in this episode: naked sauna days, undercover robots at the post office, and the possible re-exposure of Pentagon secrets that have been buried for 30 years.  BONUS: Who are the creators of Venom? It's a tangled web of what constitutes "creation" and when, but Justin offers his perspective. 

Comic book titles don't get much bloodier than Youngblood: Bloodsport...but there's even more types of bodily fluids to worry about in this unfinished miniseries by Mark Millar and Rob Liefeld! What happens when you let a then-up-and-coming Scottish provocateur off the leash and turn him loose on an excitable artist's flagship team? Your host Justin grimaces through some more immature and tasteless nonsense from these goofballs so you don't have to. WARNING: Some reptition of salty language and sexual content. Also discussed in this episode: supper club decorum, every generation's belief that its celebrities are the worst, an extremely questionable attempt at doing an accent, and Stan Lee's least prestigious cameo. BONUS: What exactly constitutes a character's "first appearance"? Inspired by a recent blog discovery (remember blogs?), Justin shares some instances where the answer to this question is more of a matter of philosophy than simple publishing dates.

So many podcasts have already weighed in on Matt Reeves' The Batman, but only Indefensible Ink asks the most important question of all: Is the Penguin in this film actually penguin-y enough to merit the name? Host Justin Zyduck welcomes back his recurring guest and brother, Zach, to discuss what they liked about this film and whether a lifetime of monklike dedication to the field of Batman Studies has ruined Justin's ability to enjoy it even further.

Building a year-long weekly comic book series around an ensemble of sub-A-list superheroes might sound like a risky gamble, but DC pulled it off in the middle part of the '00s with the acclaimed 52. So why wouldn't it work a second time, especially if it led in to the company's next big Crisis event? Your humble host tries to explain Countdown to Final Crisis, with detours into looking back on Dan Didio's tenure as DC's creative head honcho, dispensing some hard truths about the New Gods, and exploring other creators' fundamental inability to get on Grant Morrison's level. Also discussed in this episode: the Kirby vibe and how to get it, the Teen Titans' questionable definition of "ally," those boring Monitors and their boring pontificating, and Darkseid takes a cue from Rick Moranis.

Indefensible Ink is back in a new format, and to mark the occasion, we'll look at the time Peter Parker went through a soft-reboot of his own in Spider-Man: Chapter One. John Byrne took a swing at trying to redefine the web-spinner's origin story for the late '90s without throwing the baby out with the bathwater, so why did his carefully chosen changes leave readers either icily indifferent or hot with rage? Returning host Justin compares two nearly contemporary Spidey-origins to shine a spider-signal light on Chapter One's shortcomings.  Also discussed in this episode: the Chameleon's employment history, hairstyles of the rich and criminal, the dancing baby GIF as pinnacle of human achievement to that time, and the social and economic implausibility of teenagers attending a Rolling Stones concert.

Well ... it might not actually be that all-new or all-different, but come listen to Justin talk about what the future holds for this podcast anyway.

It's the end of an era at Indefensible Ink, and to mark the occasion, Ryan and Justin have reconvened one last time to tackle a topic they've had their eye on since the podcast began nearly three years ago: The Dark Knight Strikes Again, Frank Miller's controversial turn-of-the-century followup to his legendary Batman epic The Dark Knight Returns. Is DKSA's crass social commentary and political nihilism sincere or satirical? Does it matter? Your hosts wrestle with a very challenging comic to try to determine what, if anything, we are supposed to take from it. And Indefensible Ink will, quite literally, never be the same again! An important announcement about the future of the podcast leads this episode. Discussed: The Dark Knight Strikes Again #1-3 (2001-02)

In this week's Very Special Episode, Ryan and Justin discuss the controversial 2017 Marvel mega-event, Secret Empire, the crossover that spun out of the idea “What if Captain America was secretly a Hydra agent all along?” and inspired many people to understandably question whether publishing a storyline with a fascist-led America was either colossally ill-timed or in poor taste (spoilers: it was both!). If you listen to this show for goofy superhero absurdities and attempted riffing on such absurdities, this may not be the ep for you, as your hosts discuss (however uncomfortably) the actual sociopolitical climate in which the series was released. But if you're up for it, you can join them as they try to determine, now with some distance from that climate, whether Secret Empire as a storyline was or could have been satisfying, comparing it to other Marvel crossovers like Age of Apocalypse, and digging into what writer Nick Spencer and company were trying to do thematically. Also in this episode: some dude barfing up replicas of shards from the Cosmic Cube and some typically silly Canon Fodder nonsense. Justin also attempts to extort some money from Mark Waid before self-correcting an error of fact. Discussed: Secret Empire #0-10, the Free Comic Book Day issue, and Secret Empire: Omega (2017).

On every episode of Indefensible Ink, Ryan and Justin painstakingly craft trivia questions on the bizarre and obscure corners of comics history to try to stump each other and provide some momentary diversion for you, the faithful listener. For the first time, the inaugural 2019 season of Canon Fodder—the trivia sensation that took the nation* by storm—has been compiled into one handy collection for your listening convenience. Feel free to play along and see if you can beat these geeks at their own game. (* Sokovia)

Picture this: It's 1978, you're working on the insanely popular Star Wars comic book for Marvel, and you've just finished adapting the hit film. Now you've got to write a new Star Wars story, but here's the problem: at this point in history, there is zero precedent for what a "Star Wars story" looks like outside of the first movie. This is the challenge Roy Thomas, Howard Chaykin, and their collaborators found themselves faced with in producing some of the first post-A New Hope Star Wars material ever published, and that's what Ryan, Justin, and returning special guest Jerome Knox are going to grapple with on this year's Star Wars Day. Featuring the infamous Jaxxon (a man-sized carnivorous green rabbit), this arc of Marvel's Star Wars comic sees Han Solo and Chewbacca get drawn into a pseudo-adaptation of Seven Samurai on the Wild West-ish world of Aduba-3 as they have to fight...a giant kaiju and a stand-in for a beloved MAD Magazine artist? This may be the last Star Wars-related podcast you will ever listen to. Covered in this episode: Star Wars (Marvel, vol. 1) #7-10 (1978). Contents: 00:00 - Theme and intro 02:39 - Background 05:02 - Issue #7 19:30 - Issue #8 34:46 - Issue #9 41:26 - Issue #10 51:21 - Analysis 1:00:20 - Canon Fodder 1:09:53 - Recommendations 1:20:19 - Closing

Happy Star Wars Day, fellow nerds! This May the Fourth, hosts Ryan McClure, Justin Zyduck, and recurring guest Jerome Knox talk about what the Star Wars saga means to each of us, in a preview of Wednesday's regular episode of Indefensible Ink where we dig into Marvel Comics' Star Wars (vol. 1) #7-10, some of the first post-A New Hope Star Wars content ever to exist.

We’re on the highway to obscurity, as today’s episode of Indefensible Ink covers Marvel Comics’ motorcycle-based supergroup Team America (no, not the Team America with puppet sex)! When a mysterious psychic connection brings together a disowned rich kid with daddy issues, a freelance spy, and an angry loner, they do the logical thing and...form a motorcycle racing team? (Team America!) Along the way, they clash with Hydra, the world’s most generic hitman, and some vaguely circus-themed villains, with a little help from an anonymous, enigmatic rider in black, the Marauder! Is it possible that a hastily slapped-together comic meant to cash in on an ill-fated Evel Knievel toyline is secretly an unheralded masterpiece? (Probably not!) Also in this episode: Hydra’s poor personnel decisions and even worse planning, R.U. Reddy is definitely not ready to rock, and Justin reveals the surefire formula to solving any mystery. Discussed in this episode: Team America #1–4 (1982).

Who better to discuss a comic featuring He-Man and the Masters of the Universe than the self-proclaimed He-Men of Podcasting, Ryan and Justin? In this episode, Indefensible Ink delves into the Masters of the Universe preview that ran in DC comic books in November of 1982 and attempted to introduce the barbarian sword-and-sorcery toy line to the masses. Your hosts cover everything from He-Man’s sub-Clark Kent-level secret identity, to the surprising differences between this comic and the '80s cartoon, to Superman’s bad luck with interdimensional vortices. Discussed in this episode: “Fate is the Killer,” a Masters of the Universe preview story published in various DC Comics issues (1982).

On today's special episode of Indefensible Ink, Ryan and Justin are joined by Ryan’s good friend and fellow superhero fanatic Jerome Knox to discuss C-list Marvel superteam book The Champions! Are the adventures of this 1970s grab bag of random heroes (Hercules, Iceman, Black Widow, Ghost Rider, and Angel) a good starting point for a comics noob like Jerome? Your fearless hosts discuss this, along with the clearcut star of the book, the accuracy of its depictions of Greek mythology, store-brand HYDRA, and Venus’ dubious use of the power of love.   Discussed in this episode: The Champions (vol. 1) #1-4 (1975-76).   Contents: 0:00 - Theme and intro to Jerome 6:00 - Background on The Champions 9:38 - Issue #1 26:18 - Issue #2 41:54 - Issue #3 57:38 - Issue #4 1:08:30 - Analysis 1:15:57 - Pitch your own random team 1:22:34 - Canon Fodder 1:32:00 - Recommendations 1:37:11 - Closing

On this episode of Indefensible Ink, Justin and Ryan go to the ends of the Earth to say something positive about Superman: At Earth’s End, the 1995 post-apocalyptic Elseworlds tale that poses the question, “What if Superman, but Daddy Santa Claus?” Your hosts tackle this question along with a bevy of other questionable creative decisions involving gigantic 90’s guns and superfluous pouches, the (not) surprising amount of Batman content in this ostensible Superman title, and a use of Nazi villainy that makes you long for the restraint and thoughtfulness of Quentin Tarantino. Content Warning: Brief discussion of a borderline tasteless plot point using allusions to historical atrocities. Discussed in this episode: Superman: At Earth’s End (1995)

In this episode, Ryan and Justin continue to power through the much-maligned '90s Marvel event, X-Men: Onslaught, in which your favorite mutants (plus a bunch of other Marvel guest stars) battle a villainous mash-up of Professor X’s dark side and Magneto’s more murderous impulses, with the fate of the Marvel Universe hanging in the balance! Which heroes will live? Which heroes will die? Which heroes will later reappear drawn by Rob Liefeld for some reason? Your hosts answer these questions and discuss whose invitation to this giant crossover event was lost in the mail, Gambit’s costume changes, Cable’s techno-organic virus denial, and Doom gonna Doom.  Discussed in this episode: X-Men #55, Uncanny X-Men #336, Cable #35, X-Men #56, Onslaught: Marvel Universe #1 (1996). Contents: 0:00 - Theme and intro 1:24 - Recap of Phase One 2:52 - X-Men #55 10:22 - Uncanny X-Men #336 19:37 - Cable #35 26:09 - X-Men #56 32:48 - Onslaught: Marvel Universe #1 50:52 - Analysis 59:07 - Onslaught aftermath 1:01:55 - Canon Fodder 1:10:16 - Recommendations 1:15:45 - Closing

Get ready for some more 1990s X-cess when Justin and Ryan X-amine X-Men: Onslaught! In this first of two episodes covering the massive mutant-centric Marvel crossover, your hosts discuss the event that attempted to wrap up a years-long X-Men mystery while introducing a mysterious new villain and laying the groundwork for a reboot of then-unpopular characters like the Avengers and Fantastic Four. Does it succeed in actually telling a satisfying story? Listen and find out! Also discussed in this issue: Justin is an X-traitor truther, '90s codenames continue to scrape the bottom of the barrel, Elektra brings a little literary flair to a Wolverine comic, and the worst place to take your boyfriend when you’re trying to avoid someone bringing up Magneto. Discussed in this episode: X-Men: Onslaught #1, Uncanny X-Men #335, Avengers #401, Fantastic Four #415, Excalibur #100 (excerpt), Wolverine #104. Contents: 0:00 - Theme and intro 1:18 - What's the deal with Onslaught? 8:01 - X-Men: Onslaught #1 26:24 - Uncanny X-Men #335 33:19 - Avengers #401 38:52 - Fantastic Four #415 44:50 - Excalibur #100 (excerpt) 49:22 - Wolverine #104 55:54 - Analysis 59:09 - Canon Fodder 1:06:50 - Recommendations 1:12:46 - Closing

Everybody knows that there aren’t three Jokers. What this book presupposes is...maybe there are? Ryan and Justin reunite to cover 2020’s Batman: Three Jokers, Geoff Johns and Jason Fabok’s critically-panned-but-bestselling story for DC’s Black Label imprint featuring 300% percent more Jokers for all your murderclown needs. We discuss the intricacies of this controversial tale, from Batman’s questionable parenting decisions to the Bat Family’s seemingly inconsistent “no killing” policies, to Johns’ attempt to pull off a Moore/Morrison-style meditation on “What does the Joker mean?” Also covered: Ryan’s Alfred/Batman fanfic, the importance of differentiating your Jokers in a story about three different Jokers, the most lovingly rendered truck-driving scene since Convoy, and the line that the Black Label imprint won’t cross. Plus: Canon Fodder returns! Discussed: Batman: Three Jokers, #1-3 (2020). Contents: 00:00 - Theme and intro 01:12 - Background: Geoff Johns vs. Alan Moore 06:48 - Issue #1 37:27 - Issue #2 54:32 - Issue #3 1:15:20 - Analysis 1:33:54 - Canon Fodder 1:42:44 - Listener Mail 1:48:12 - Closing

This is a rerelease of Ryan and Justin's two-part look at legendarily bizarre 1980s Marvel mega-crossover Secret Wars II, now combined and condensed into a single episode for your convenience. Find out what happens when Jim Shooter trades crowd-pleasing, sprawling battles between their most popular characters for wacky fish-out-of-water hijinks, thinly veiled attacks on former employees, and gentle satire of '80s consumer culture! In this episode: The Thing's erotic adventures Spidey's power and responsibility motto apparently has its limits Organized crime seems pretty awesome The Beyonder's assessment of the Dazzler makes your hosts question his all-knowingness. Justin accidentally pitches a DC crossover event Molecule Man's DIY psychotherapy Daredevil gets left out of yet another Marvel storyline Captain America defends your right to die in a tidal wave Covered in this episode: Secret Wars II #1-7 (1985-1986)

In this gripping audio drama, Ryan finds out that every time he tries to get out of the podcast game, Justin pulls him back in. Here's a quick update on podcast status and a sneak peak of what Indefensible Ink has in store for the first part of 2021. (Additional voice by Liam Zyduck.)

Justin and Zach review one of the crown jewels of any self-respecting comic fan's bootleg video collection: the unreleased 1994 Fantastic Four movie produced by Roger Corman for only around $1 million and subsequently buried by Marvel. The hot take going 'round the internet is that this is secretly the best Fantastic Four movie in existence. True? False? Decide for yourself, but one thing is certain: the Brothers Zyduck are now big Alex Hyde-White stans. Discussed in this episode: The Fantastic Four (unreleased, 1994).

In this particularly dispiriting episode of Indefensible Ink, Justin and Zach cover the second half of the supposedly "Ultimate Edition" of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. You might actually prefer drinking a big heaping jar of Granny's peach tea to sitting down with this metaphorical crawl over broken glass to get to the end of the film, but if you're a glutton for punishment (which your hosts evidently are), join the Zyduck Bros. as they struggle and fail to understand the intended plot of this film at even a fundamental level. Discussed: The final 90 minutes or so of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) (Ultimate Edition), directed by Zack Snyder, starring Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, and SENATOR HOLLY HUNTER. (Zach Zyduck is sitting in for regular co-host Ryan McClure, temporarily on hiatus.)

Before this episode, Justin had never seen Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice before. Zach decided to do something about it. Join the Brothers Zyduck as they dive into the THREE-HOUR "Ultimate Edition" of Zack (no relation) Snyder's dark, divisive superhero team-up film. Along the way, they'll discuss highly unintuitive ways to frame Kryptonians for murder, the nihilism of Perry White, and Alfred the butler's grandmotherly sense of disapproval. But mostly, Justin and Zach complain about the plot not making a lot of sense even in extended cut format. It's a movie so big (Did we mention this version is THREE HOURS LONG?!) it has to be split in two!  Discussed: The first 90 minutes or so of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) (Ultimate Edition), directed by Zack Snyder, starring Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, and SENATOR HOLLY HUNTER. (Zach Zyduck is sitting in for regular co-host Ryan McClure, temporarily on hiatus.)

You may have noticed that Ryan and Justin haven't sat down together for one of their usual discussions of (allegedly) terrible comics for a few months now. There's no cause for alarm: everybody's okay. But, like seemingly everything else in the year 2020, things just haven't been quite normal lately. Ryan checks in to say where he's been, what's going on, and what the future holds for Indefensible Ink. (Justin wanted to call this episode something purposefully inflammatory to make sure everybody saw it--something like "Watchmen - The Much Inferior Prequel to Doomsday Clock," but fortunately, cooler heads prevailed.)

Justin once more sits down with his brother, Zach, to talk about comics. In this episode, what began as a hasty text exchange at the grocery store expands to an in-depth discussion about perhaps the greatest origin story in superhero comics: that of Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man. The Brothers Zyduck discuss whether Peter let the burglar go because he was lazy or because he was angry, the MCU Spider-Man's origin (or lack thereof), how to resolve the various big coincidences in the story using headcanon, why Aunt May and Uncle Ben are so old, and of course, the most controversial debate of 2002: mechanical vs. organic webshooters.  Plus, Zach has an unpopular opinion about one element of the Sam Raimi movies, and Justin reveals the one thing Mark Millar ever came up with that he really liked.

Ryan is taking August off, so Justin has invited his brother, Zach, on the show once more to discuss comics from the point of view of a slightly more casual fan. In this episode, the topic turns to Captain America. Zach has never read a single Cap solo comic, and yet he's his favorite character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Is it all down to the magic of Chris Evans, or is there more to it? In addition to talking through their favorite Steve Rogers bits in the MCU, they'll try to figure out which superheroes are Dads and which ones are Older Brothers, why Earth's Mightiest Heroes might better be called the Super Friends, and the REAL difference between the metropolitan destruction sequences in The Avengers and Man of Steel. Plus: Justin renews his grudge against Mark Millar and discusses how his series The Ultimates provided a blueprint for the MCU...that Joss Whedon threw out almost immediately. SPOILERS for pretty much every MCU movie ever, but you probably could have guessed that.

In the summertime, when the weather is hot, you can download this and touch the sky; when the weather's fine, you got comics, you got comics on your mind. School's out, and with no assigned reading to do, Ryan and Justin are taking the rest of July off. But before they do, they've decided to kick back, have some soothing (non-alcoholic) island drinks, and have a low-key conversation about their personal pet peeves and "worst ofs" in comics. Along the way they'll discuss the Dark Phoenix Saga's inability to be translated to film, controversial opinions about the work of Grant Morrison, and a debate about Reed and Sue Richards that threatens to tear the podcast asunder. PLUS! The moment you've all been waiting for: the CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND of the trivia sensation that's sweeping isolated parts of the nation, Canon Fodder! Which of our hosts will be crowned the King of Correctly Guessing Which Bizarre Comic Facts Are Real and Which Are Made Up? It's anybody's game... 00:00 - Theme and Intro 03:23 - Worst Comics Trope 10:36 - Worst Comics-to-Film Adaptation 20:16 - Worst Hero 26:22 - Worst Villain 33:40 - Worst Supporting Character 40:15 - Worst '90s Trend 48:15 - Biggest Comics Disappointment 55:00 - Worst Comics Couple 1:01:20 - Worst Comic Strip 1:08:44 - Canon Fodder: CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 1:23:27 - Recommendations 1:28:58 - Closing All inquiries about starting a ska band with Justin can be sent to indefensibleink@gmail.com

In this week’s episode of Indefensible Ink, Ryan and Justin continue to fight through the tangled web of ‘90s Spider-Man continuity by covering the second half of 1995’s Maximum Clonage! In these issues, Peter Parker (who thinks he’s a clone of Peter Parker) teams up with a clone of Peter Parker (who thinks he’s the real Peter Parker) in order to fight the Jackal and...more clones of Peter Parker. Confused? So are we! Your indefatigable hosts discuss these developments, along with the inconsistent motivations of our key players, Kaine being too badass to use a door (or a window latch), Jackal’s underbaked mad scientist plot, and questionable use of ‘90s internet lingo. Discussed: Spider-Man #61, Spectacular Spider-Man #227, Spider-Man: Maximum Clonage Omega #1 (1995). 00:00 - Recap of Parts One through Three 01:16 - Theme and Part Four (Spider-Man #61) 12:41 - Part Five (Spectacular Spider-Man #227) 22:56 - Part Six (Maximum Clonage: Omega) 36:40 - Analysis 47:23 - How the hell did they wrap up the Clone Saga? 50:39 - Canon Fodder 58:58 - Recommendations 1:02:55 - Closing

In this episode of Indefensible Ink, Ryan and Justin discuss the first half of one of the most reviled storylines of all time: the Spider-Man-centered Clone Saga! Specifically, they tackle 1995’s "Maximum Clonage," in which the Peter Parker fans had known and loved for approximately 20 years turned out to be (possibly) a clone created by C-list Spidey villain The Jackal, and was soon swept up into a convoluted, hopelessly grimdark storyline involving more off-brand Spider-Man knock-offs than you can shake a stick at. Is "Maximum Clonage" as awful as its reputation (and title) suggest? Or is it a misunderstood masterpiece that will be recited by bards around campfires in some distant (or not so distant) post-apocalyptic future? Ryan and Justin contemplate this, along with science textbooks of the Marvel Universe, the trustworthiness of people obsessed with “genetic perfection,” and the Punisher’s secret nerd shame. Come back June 17 for Part Two! Discussed: Spider-Man: Maximum Clonage Alpha #1, Web of Spider-Man #127, Amazing Spider-Man #404 (1995). Contents: 00:00 - Titus Burgess - "Spiderman Too: 2 Many Spidermen" (from Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) 01:22 - Theme and intro 02:41 - A mercifully brief history of the Clone Saga 10:20 - Part One (Maximum Clonage: Alpha) 32:51 - Part Two (Web of Spider-Man #127) 42:47 - Part Three (Amazing Spider-Man #404) 51:50 - Closing...for now

What if you made a collector's edition that nobody cared to collect? Ryan and Justin break open a sealed polybag of Adventures of Superman #500 to find out what happened to the Man of Steel after the Death of Superman. Along the way we meet your starting lineup of the 1993 Superman Replacements. Also covered in this episode: vigilante branding issues, how a lack of positive thinking doomed the Kryptonians, tactile telekinesis, and every possible meaning you can extract from the phrase "It's the '90s." Discussed: Adventures of Superman #500 (1993).

In this special episode of Indefensible Ink, Ryan and Justin trade bad comics for a reputedly bad movie: the 2000 animated adaptation of the popular '90s super-teens-with-attitude comic Gen 13! Did this direct-to-nowhere movie (featuring the voice talents of Mark Hamill, Alicia Witt, and Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers) get unfairly sent to its room, or was it merely misunderstood? Your hosts delve into this and more, including '90s female superhero fashion, what Gen 13 has to teach us about workstation security policies, some Academy Award-worthy sound effects, and the questionable curriculum of top-secret military academies. Discussed in this episode: Gen 13 (animated film, 2000). Contents: 00:00 - Theme and intro 01:24 - Background: Gen 13 in comics 06:46 - Background: Why was this movie buried? 08:44 - Gen 13: The Movie 52:02 - Analysis 59:40 - Canon Fodder 1:08:10 - Recommendations 1:13:55 - Closing

Taking a break from the usual format, Justin does the unthinkable and spends a podcast talking about GOOD comics. To do so, he's invited his brother, Zach, to have a laid-back conversation about Daredevil. Zach brings a different perspective with different taste in comics as a far more casual fan, and together they'll try to get to the bottom of what makes ol' Hornhead so appealing to this less-than-diehard comics reader. Plus, detours and off-topic musings aplenty, including whether Ultimate Spider-Man is any good, how Marvel and DC create new characters without actually creating new characters, and the decreased importance of the secret identity in superhero fiction. 

"Defensible Ink" strikes again! When Marvel asked Image breakaways Rob Liefeld and Jim Lee to reboot the Avengers and Fantastic Four titles in 1996, it infuriated fans and Marvel staffers alike. The Heroes Reborn publishing initiative was soon scuttled and became a notorious reminder of the grim 'n' gritty, all-style-no-substance 1990s. But revisited almost 25 years later, Lee's Fantastic Four not only comes off better than you might expect--it's possibly the best Fantastic Four movie you've never seen. Also covered in this episode: questionable casino marketing strategies, Namor's weakness for the diplomacy of hot blond(e)s, and Chekhov's quantum drive. Plus: in a very special "Canon Fodder," Justin reveals his hideously nerdy yet surprisingly accurate method for calculating Marvel Time! Discussed: Fantastic Four (vol. 2) #1-3 (1996-97) Contents: 00:00 - Theme and intro 02:41 - Background: Heroes Reborn 11:08 - Issue #1 31:57 - Issue #2 43:32 - Issue #3 1:00:17 - Analysis 1:07:36 - Canon Fodder 1:18:33 - Recommendations 1:22:12 - Closing

On this week’s episode of Indefensible Ink, it’s the first-ever edition of "Defensible Ink," whereby one of your hosts tries to defend a comic that’s been ignored or dismissed and make the case that it’s actually good. In this episode, Ryan and Justin explore a boyhood favorite of Ryan’s, Image Comics’ WildC.A.T.s from 1992: a series that, like many of its Image Comics brethren, was seen as flashy art slapped on a mediocre story and characters. Does the Jim Lee-drawn miniseries and its tales of superheroes and secret alien invasions still hold up? Or did pretty art and nostalgia mask a real C.A.T.-astrophe? (We’re pretty sure no one has used this pun in the last six months to describe a pop culture work.) Also covered in this episode: Justin and Ryan try to figure out the Vice President’s enumerated powers, Ryan reveals his potential stripper name, questionable ’90s ponytails, and a simpler time when your political career could be ended by misspelling “potato.” Discussed in this issue: WildC.A.T.s: Covert Action Teams #1-4 (1992). Contents: 00:00 - Cold open: What are the lyrics to the WildC.A.T.s theme song? 03:48 - Theme and intro 05:25 - Background: Jim Lee and WildStorm 12:53 - Issue #1 29:04 - Issue #2 41:54 - Issue #3 53:30 - Issue #4 1:01:16 - Analysis 1:14:59 - Canon Fodder 1:20:17 - Recommendations 1:26:53 - Closing