Podcast appearances and mentions of Frank Springer

For our final season, we're covering the short life of Martin Goodman's Atlas/Seaboard comics by reviewing all the debut issues from their line.  WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE! https://youtube.com/live/FxDNA8jYfpo Goodman also published a POLICE ACTION at the pre-Marvel Atlas. This one seems to appeal to fans of the swarms of detectives and cops that cluttered up American TV screens in the mid-'70s, like Banacek, Kojak, and Baretta. POLICE ACTION offered up TWO lead characters in their own stories: Sam Lomax, NYPD, and Luke Malone: Manhunter. Stories by Russ Jones and Mike Ploog with art by Mike Sekowsky, Al McWilliams, and Mike Ploog.  You can read all 3 issues here: https://archive.org/details/police-action-complete/Police%20Action%20001/ TAKE JOHN'S SURVEY ABOUT COMICS: https://iu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_78L6fCCluZuR6fA MAIL: bronzeagemonsters@gmail.com  STORE: https://bronzeagemonsters.threadless.com/ SUPPORT THE SHOW: https://www.patreon.com/BronzeAgeMonsters JOIN US ON OUR DISCORD SERVER: https://discord.gg/wdXKUzpEh7

The complete version of our Omnibus episodes are usually only available to Patrons who support us at the $4/month level at patreon.com/marvelbythemonth — but in preparation for next week's season finale covering GIANT-SIZE X-MEN #1, we're dropping the full version of our April 1975 Omnibus, which covers all of the following issues:"The Serpent Sheds Its Skin" - Defenders #25, written by Steve Gerber, art by Sal Buscema and Jack Abel, letters by Ray Holloway, colors by Petra Goldberg, ©1975 Marvel Comics"Scorpion... Where Is Thy Sting?" - Amazing Spider-Man #146, written by Gerry Conway, art by Ross Andru, John Romita, and others, letters by Joe Rosen, colors by Don Warfield, ©1975 Marvel Comics"Death Sentence" - Marvel Preview #2, written by Gerry Conway, art by Tony DeZuniga, letters by Marcos Pelayo, ©1975 Marvel Comics"The Trial of the Watcher" - Captain Marvel #39, written by Steve Englehart with Al Milgrom and Tony Isabella, art by Al Milgrom and Klaus Janson, letters by June Braverman, colors by Phil Rachelson, ©1975 Marvel Comics"We Do Seek Out New Avengers!!" - Avengers #137, written by Steve Englehart, art by George Tuska and Vince Colletta, letters by Charlotte Jetter, colors by Phil Rachelson, ©1975 Marvel Comics"Holocaust In the Halls of Hydra!" - Daredevil #123, written by Tony Isabella, art by Bob Brown and Vince Colletta, letters by Karen Mantlo, colors by George Roussos, ©1975 Marvel Comics"The Madness Maze!" - Captain America #187, written by John Warner, art by Frank Robbins and Frank Chiaramonte, letters by Charlotte Jetter, colors by George Roussos, ©1975 Marvel Comics"In One World -- And Out the Other!" - Fantastic Four #160, written and edited by Roy Thomas, art by John Buscema and Chic Stone, letters by Ray Holloway, colors by Janice Cohen, ©1975 Marvel Comics"Eelar Moves In Mysterious Ways!" - Giant-Size Defenders #5, written by Steve Gerber with Gerry Conway, Roger Slifer, Len Wein, Chris Claremont, and Scott Edelman, art by Don Heck, Mike Esposito, and Dave Hunt, letters by Dave Hunt, colors by George Roussos, ©1975 Marvel Comics"Beware the Path of the Monster!" - Giant-Size Spider-Man #5, written by Gerry Conway, art by Ross Andru and Mike Esposito, letters by Artie Simek, colors by Petra Goldberg, ©1975 Marvel Comics"None Are So Blind...!" - Incredible Hulk #189, written by Len Wein, art by Herb Trimpe and Joe Staton, letters by Artie Simek, colors by Glynis Oliver Wein, ©1975 Marvel Comics"And All Our Past Decades Have Seen Revolutions!" - Jungle Action #16, written by Don McGregor, art by Billy Graham, letters by Janice Chiang, colors by Glynis Wein, ©1975 Marvel Comics"The Name Is... Warhawk" - Marvel Premiere #23, written by Chris Claremont, art by Pat Broderick and Bob McLeod, letters by Karen Mantlo, colors by Michelle Wolfman, ©1975 Marvel Comics"Blood Church!" - Marvel Team-Up #35, written by Gerry Conway, art by Sal Buscema and Vince Colletta, letters by Charlotte Jetter, colors by Phil Rachelson, ©1975 Marvel Comics"Is This the Day the World Ends?" - Marvel Two-In-One #10, written by Chris Claremont, art by Bob Brown and Klaus Janson, letters by John Costanza, colors by Klaus Janson, ©1975 Marvel Comics"Ulik Unchained!" - Thor #237, written by Gerry Conway, art by John Buscema and Joe Sinnott, letters by John Costanza, colors by Petra Goldberg, ©1975 Marvel Comics"Weird Stone" - Creatures on the Loose #36, written by David Kraft, art by George Pérez and Frank McLaughlin, letters by Tom Orzechowski, colors by Petra Goldberg, ©1975 Marvel Comics"A Phoenix Berserk!" - Frankenstein #17, written by Doug Moench, art by Val Mayerik and Bob McLeod, letters by Artie Simek, colors by Don Warfield, ©1975 Marvel Comics"Fear Times Three!" - Giant-Size Man-Thing #5, written by Steve Gerber, art by Ed Hannigan and Dan Adkins, letters by "G. L. Peter" (Gaspar Saladino), colors by Glynis Wein, ©1975 Marvel Comics"The Plunder of Paingloss" - Giant-Size Werewolf #5, written by Doug Moench, art by Yong Montaño, letters by Marcos Pelayo, colors by George Roussos, ©1975 Marvel Comics"The Scavenger of Atlanta" - Man-Thing #19, written by Steve Gerber, art by Jim Mooney and Frank Springer, letters by Dave Hunt, colors by Don Warfield, ©1975 Marvel Comics"Showdown of Blood!" - Tomb of Dracula #34, written by Marv Wolfman, art by Gene Colan and Tom Palmer, letters by John Costanza, colors by Tom Palmer, ©1975 Marvel Comics"Death In White" - Werewolf by Night #31, written by Doug Moench with Don Perlin, art by Don Perlin, letters by Dave Hunt, colors by Michelle Wolfman, ©1975 Marvel Comics"Marvel by the Month" theme v. 3.0 written and performed by Robb Milne and sung by Barb Allen. All incidental music by Robb Milne.Visit us on the internet (and buy some stuff) at marvelbythemonth.com, follow us on Instagram at @marvelbythemonth and support us on Patreon at patreon.com/marvelbythemonth.Many thanks to Mike's Amazing World of Comics, an invaluable resource for release dates and issue information. (RIP Mike.)

Episode 260.  James B and Eddie discuss the treatment of women in three Spider-Man co-starring appearances with female heroes in the 1980's. (02:08) From August of 1980 Stan Lee Presents the Mysterious Spider-Woman 29 “Spider-Man is dead and I Killed him” by Fleisher, Chan and Springer   https://readallcomics.com/spider-woman-v1-029/   (07:00) From January of 1983 Stan Lee presents Marvel Fanfare 6 “Switch Witch” Written and Penciled by Mike w. Barr and Sandy Plunkett. Inked by P. Craig Russell.    https://readallcomics.com/marvel-fanfare-1982-006/   (12:36) From August of 1986 Stan Lee presents The Vision and the Scarlet Witch 11 “A Taxing Time!” Written by Steve Englehart, Penciled by Richard Howell, and Inked by Frank Springer    https://readallcomics.com/vision-and-the-scarlet-witch-v2-11/ (19:00) Sponsor - Save Avengers   Theme Music by Jeff Kenniston.  This Episode Edited by James B using Audacity and Cleanfeed.  Summaries written by James B and Eddie and Carson Collier.  Most Sound effects and music generously provided royalty free by www.fesliyanstudios.com and https://www.zapsplat.com/  Check out all the episodes on letsreadspiderman.podbean.com or wherever you get your podcasts. Check out our live meetup and Discord Channel here https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_mW6htjJUHOzlViEvPQqR-k68tClMGAi85Bi_xrlV7w/edit

Carl Sciacchitano is a Portland  writer and illustrator whose work can be seen in comics by Monkeybrain, Archie, and IDW, including The Army of Dr. Moreau with friend of the show David F. Walker. Carl's latest work is the extraordinarily moving The Heart That Fed, a graphic novel published by Simon and Schuster/Gallery 13 that recounts his father's experience in Vietnam during the Tet Offensive and the fall of Saigon. It's on sale June 4th at the best bookstores and comics shops, so add it to your stack next week!The complete version of this episode is available to Patrons who support us at the $4/month level at patreon.com/marvelbythemonth — join today to hear us cover all of these issues:"Among Us Walks... Black Goliath!"- Power Man #24, written by Tony Isabella, art by George Tuska and Dave Hunt, letters by Dave Hunt, Harry Blumfield, and Karen Pocock (Karen Mantlo), colors by Don Warfield, ©1975 Marvel Comics"Too Cold a Night For Dying!"- Giant-Size Defenders #4, written by Steve Gerber, art by Don Heck and Vince Colletta, letters by David Hunt, colors by Petra Goldberg, ©1975 Marvel Comics"... And a Hydra New Year!"- Daredevil #120, written by Tony Isabella, art by Bob Brown and Vince Colletta, letters by Ray Holloway, colors by Petra Goldberg, ©1975 Marvel Comics"O, Bitter Victory!"- Thor #234, written by Gerry Conway, art by John Buscema and Joe Sinnott, letters by John Costanza, colors by Petra Goldberg, ©1975 Marvel Comics"Fangs of Fire and Blood!"- Defenders #22, written by Steve Gerber, art by Sal Buscema and Mike Esposito, letters by Charlotte Jetter, colors by Stan Goldberg, ©1975 Marvel Comics"And Now -- The Endgame Cometh!"- Fantastic Four #157, written by Roy Thomas, art by Rich Buckler and Joe Sinnott, letters by Joe Rosen, colors by Petra Goldberg, ©1975 Marvel Comics"... And the Wind Cries: Cyclone!"- Amazing Spider-Man #143, written by Gerry Conway, art by Ross Andru, Frank Giacoia, and Dave Hunt, letters by Artie Simek, colors by Janice Cohen, ©1975 Marvel Comics"The Times That Bind!"- Avengers #134, written by Steve Englehart, art by Sal Buscema and Joe Staton, letters by Tom Orzechowski, colors by Phil Rachelson, ©1975 Marvel Comics"Cap's Back!"- Captain America #184, written by Steve Englehart, art by Herb Trimpe, Frank Giacoia, and Mike Esposito, letters by Tom Orzechowski, colors by George Roussos, ©1975 Marvel Comics"The Demon Fever!"- Doctor Strange #7, written by Steve Englehart, art by Gene Colan and John Romita, letters by Tom Orzechowski, colors by Phil Rachelson, ©1975 Marvel Comics"All the Fires In Hell...!"- Marvel Team-Up #32, written by Gerry Conway, art by Sal Buscema and Vince Colletta, letters by Artie Simek, colors by Janice Cohen, ©1975 Marvel Comics"A Meeting of Blood" - Giant-Size Werewolf #4, written by Doug Moench, art by Virgil Redondo, letters by Marcos Pelayo, colors by Don Warfield, ©1975 Marvel Comics // "When the Moon Dripped Blood!"- Giant-Size Werewolf #4, written by Doug Moench, art by Yong Montaño, letters by Marcos Pelayo, colors by Janice Cohen, ©1975 Marvel Comics"Night of the Vampire-Stalker"- Adventure Into Fear #27, written by Doug Moench, art by Frank Robbins and "D. Fraser" (Leonard Starr), letters by Charlotte Jetter, colors by Janice Cohen, ©1975 Marvel Comics"The Desolation Run!"- Ghost Rider #11, written by Tony Isabella, art by Sal Buscema, John Tartaglione, and George Roussos, letters by Joe Rosen, colors by Phil Rachelson, ©1975 Marvel Comics"The Kid's Night Out!"- Giant-Size Man-Thing #4, written by Steve Gerber, art by Ed Hannigan, Ron Wilson, and Frank Springer, letters by Tom Orzechowski, colors by Phil Rachelson, ©1975 Marvel Comics // "Frog Death!"- Giant-Size Man-Thing #4, written by Steve Gerber, art by Frank Brunner, letters by Tom Orzechowski, colors by Frank Brunner, ©1975 Marvel Comics"Decay Meets the Mad Viking!"- Man-Thing #16, written by Steve Gerber, art by John Buscema and Tom Palmer, letters by Artie Simek, colors by Tom Palmer, ©1975 Marvel Comics"Mourning At Dawn!"- Marvel Spotlight #21, written by Steve Gerber, art by Sal Buscema and Joe Giella, letters by Karen Mantlo, colors by Petra Goldberg, ©1975 Marvel Comics"Ten Lords a Dying!"- Tomb of Dracula #31, written by Marv Wolfman, art by Gene Colan and Tom Palmer, letters by Ray Holloway, colors by Tom Palmer, ©1975 Marvel Comics"The Darkness From Glitternight"- Werewolf by Night #28, written by Doug Moench, art by Don Perlin, letters by John Costanza, colors by Petra Goldberg, ©1975 Marvel Comics"Marvel by the Month" theme v. 3.0 written and performed by Robb Milne and sung by Barb Allen. All incidental music by Robb Milne.Visit us on the internet (and buy some stuff) at marvelbythemonth.com, follow us on Instagram at @marvelbythemonth and support us on Patreon at patreon.com/marvelbythemonth.Many thanks to Mike's Amazing World of Comics, an invaluable resource for release dates and issue information. (RIP Mike.)

Do you recall the first ever expanded Star Wars Universe story waaay back in 1977? Long before Thrawn, Mara Jade, and Exar Kun there was Crimson Jack, Serji-X, and Jaxxon in Classic Marvel Star Wars Comics! Cary Gordon (Metal Geeks Podcast / Comicpalooza Podcast Manager) join us to break down these four comic issues. We go over the story, reveal lots of FTOOM Fast Facts, and share what these comics have meant to us and the greater Star Wars universe over 45 years.   Comics discussed:   Star Wars Issue #7: New Planets/New Perils Star Wars Issue #8: Eight for Aduba-3 Star Wars Issue #9: Showdown on a Wasteland World Star Wars Issue #10: The Behemoth from Below   We recommend watching the video version (above) of this episode which contains the full comic as we page through it.     Story Synopsis:   After the award ceremony on Yavin 4, Han Solo and Chewbacca head out to pay their debt to Jabba the Hutt when they're attacked by pirates led by Crimson Jack! With their reward money from the Rebel Alliance stolen, the smugglers decide to lay low on the planet Aduba-3. There, they take a job defending a moisture farmer from a local gang known as the Cloud-Riders. However, they can't defend the village alone so they hire several mercenaries, including Jaxxon!   During the Cloud Rider attack, The Behemoth, a giant reptilian monster, is summoned and Han Solo may be the village's only hope for survival.   This arc was written by Roy Thomas, Howard Chaykin, and Donald F. Glut. Artwork by Howard Chaykin, Frank Springer, Tom Palmer, Alan Kupperberg   Support The Show   Skywalking Through Neverland T-Shirts at TeePublic! Check them out HERE.   Contact Us   Instagram: http://instagram.com/skywalkingpod   Twitter: https://twitter.com/SkywalkingPod   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skywalkingthroughneverland   Join us every week on YouTube for a behind-the-scenes look at our show. We also bring you to Disneyland, Red Carpet Events and Theme Park Openings.   Send emails to share@skywalkingthroughneverland.com and follow us on Facebook.

Do you recall the first ever expanded Star Wars Universe story waaay back in 1977? Long before Thrawn, Mara Jade, and Exar Kun there was Crimson Jack, Serji-X, and Jaxxon in Classic Marvel Star Wars Comics! Cary Gordon (Metal Geeks Podcast / Comicpalooza Podcast Manager) join us to break down these four comic issues. We go over the story, reveal lots of FTOOM Fast Facts, and share what these comics have meant to us and the greater Star Wars universe over 45 years.   Comics discussed:   Star Wars Issue #7: New Planets/New Perils Star Wars Issue #8: Eight for Aduba-3 Star Wars Issue #9: Showdown on a Wasteland World Star Wars Issue #10: The Behemoth from Below   We recommend watching the video version (above) of this episode which contains the full comic as we page through it.     Story Synopsis:   After the award ceremony on Yavin 4, Han Solo and Chewbacca head out to pay their debt to Jabba the Hutt when they're attacked by pirates led by Crimson Jack! With their reward money from the Rebel Alliance stolen, the smugglers decide to lay low on the planet Aduba-3. There, they take a job defending a moisture farmer from a local gang known as the Cloud-Riders. However, they can't defend the village alone so they hire several mercenaries, including Jaxxon!   During the Cloud Rider attack, The Behemoth, a giant reptilian monster, is summoned and Han Solo may be the village's only hope for survival.   This arc was written by Roy Thomas, Howard Chaykin, and Donald F. Glut. Artwork by Howard Chaykin, Frank Springer, Tom Palmer, Alan Kupperberg   Support The Show   Skywalking Through Neverland T-Shirts at TeePublic! Check them out HERE.   Contact Us   Instagram: http://instagram.com/skywalkingpod   Twitter: https://twitter.com/SkywalkingPod   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skywalkingthroughneverland   Join us every week on YouTube for a behind-the-scenes look at our show. We also bring you to Disneyland, Red Carpet Events and Theme Park Openings.   Send emails to share@skywalkingthroughneverland.com and follow us on Facebook.

The complete version of this episode is available to Patrons who support us at the $4/month level at patreon.com/marvelbythemonth — join today to hear us cover all of these issues:"Lift-Off!" - Captain Marvel #37, written by Steve Englehart and Al Milgrom, art by Al Milgrom and Klaus Janson, letters by Tom Orzechowski, colors by Glynis Oliver Wein, ©1974 Marvel Comics"Middle Game!" - Fantastic Four #156, written by Roy Thomas and Len Wein, art by Rich Buckler and Joe Sinnott, letters by John Costanza, colors by Janice Cohen, ©1974 Marvel Comics"Midgard Aflame!" - Thor #233, written by Gerry Conway, art by John Buscema and Chic Stone, letters by Artie Simek, colors by Petra Goldberg, ©1974 Marvel Comics"They're Tearing Down Fogwell's Gym!" - Daredevil #119, written by Tony Isabella, art by Bob Brown and Don Heck, letters by Dave Hunt, colors by Stan Goldberg, ©1974 Marvel Comics"Daughters of the Death-Goddess" - Marvel Premiere #21, written by Tony Isabella, art by Arvell Jones and Vince Colletta, letters by Joe Rosen, colors by Stan Goldberg, ©1974 Marvel Comics"Turnabout: A Most Foul Play!" - Iron Man #73, written by Mike Friedrich, art by Arvell Jones, Keith Pollard, and Jim Mooney, letters by Tom Orzechowski, colors by Stan Goldberg, ©1974 Marvel Comics"Yesterday and Beyond..." - Avengers #133, written by Steve Englehart, art by Sal Buscema and Joe Staton, letters by Tom Orzechowski, colors by Phil Rachelson, ©1974 Marvel Comics"Nomad: No More!" - Captain America #183, written by Steve Englehart, art by Frank Robbins and Frank Giacoia, letters by Tom Orzechowski, colors by Stan Goldberg, ©1974 Marvel Comics"Deathknell!" - Incredible Hulk #185, written by Len Wein, art by Herb Trimpe, letters by Ray Holloway, colors by Glynis Oliver Wein, ©1974 Marvel Comics"There Are Serpents Lurking In Paradise" - Jungle Action #14, written by Don McGregor, art by Billy Graham and Pablo Marcos, letters by Charlotte Jetter, colors by Glynis Oliver Wein, ©1974 Marvel Comics"For a Few Fists More! - Marvel Team-Up #31, written by Gerry Conway, art by Jim Mooney and Vince Colletta, letters by Artie Simek, colors by Petra Goldberg, ©1974 Marvel Comics"Nightflight" - Creatures on the Loose #34, written by Dave Kraft, art by Goerge Pérez and Frank McLaughlin, letters by Joe Rosen, colors by Phil Rachelson, ©1974 Marvel Comics"Tactics of Death!" - Frankenstein #15, written by Doug Moench, art by Val Mayerik and Klaus Janson, letters by Artie Simek, colors by Phil Rachelson, ©1974 Marvel Comics"Let It Bleed!" - Giant-Size Dracula #4, written by David Kraft and Marv Wolfman, art by Don Heck and Frank Springer, letters by Artie Simek, colors by Petra Goldberg, ©1974 Marvel Comics"A Candle For Sainte-Cloud" - Man-Thing #15, written by Steve Gerber, art by Rico Rival, letters by Marcos Pelayo, colors by Glynis Oliver, ©1974 Marvel Comics"Memories on a Mourning's Night!" - Tomb of Dracula #30, written by Marv Wolfman, art by Gene Colan and Tom Palmer, letters by John Costanza, colors by Tom Palmer, ©1974 Marvel Comics"The Amazing Doctor Glitternight" - Werewolf by Night #27, written by Doug Moench, art by Don Perlin, letters by Karen Pocock, colors by Phil Rachelson, ©1974 Marvel Comics"Marvel by the Month" theme v. 3.0 written and performed by Robb Milne and sung by Barb Allen. All incidental music by Robb Milne.Visit us on the internet (and buy some stuff) at marvelbythemonth.com, follow us on Instagram at @marvelbythemonth and support us on Patreon at patreon.com/marvelbythemonth.Many thanks to Mike's Amazing World of Comics, an invaluable resource for release dates and issue information. (RIP Mike.)

The complete version of this episode is available to Patrons who support us at the $4/month level at patreon.com/marvelbythemonth — join today to hear us cover all of these issues:"The Coming of the Nomad!" - Captain America #180, written by Steve Englehart, art by Sal Buscema and Vince Colletta, letters by Tom Orzechowski, colors by Linda Lessmann, ©1974 Marvel Comics"Day of the Grizzly!" - Amazing Spider-Man #139, written by Gerry Conway, art by Ross Andru, Frank Giacoia, and Dave Hunt, letters by Artie Simek, colors by Jan Brunner, ©1974 Marvel Comics"Two Flew Over the Owl's Nest!" - Daredevil #116, written by Steve Gerber, art by Gene Colan and Vince Colletta, letters by John Costanza, colors by Petra Goldberg, ©1974 Marvel Comics"The City Stealers!" - Marvel Team-Up #28, written by Gerry Conway, art by Jim Mooney and Vince Colletta, letters by Artie Simek, colors by Bill Mantlo, ©1974 Marvel Comics"Dead Reckoning!" - Astonishing Tales #27, written by Rich Buckler and Doug Moench, art by Rich Buckler and Pablo Maros, letters by Desmond Jones, colors by George Roussos, ©1974 Marvel Comics"The Broadway Mayhem of 1974" - Power Man #22, written by Tony Isabella, art by Ron Wilson and Vince Colletta, letters by Joe Rosen, colors by Petra Goldberg, ©1974 Marvel Comics"Rampage!" - Defenders #18, written by Len Wein, art by Sal Buscema and Dan Green, letters by Dave Hunt, colors by Glynis Wein, ©1974 Marvel Comics"Worlds In Collision!" - Fantastic Four #153, written by Tony Isabella, art by Rich Buckler and Joe Sinnott, letters by Joe Rosen, colors by Petra Goldberg, ©1974 Marvel Comics"And What of a Vampire's Blood...?" - Adventure Into Fear #25, written by Doug Moench and Steve Gerber, art by Frank Robbins and Frank Giacoia, letters by Artie Simek, colors by Linda Lessmann, ©1974 Marvel Comics"The Hell-Bound Hero!" - Ghost Rider #9, written by Tony Isabella, art by Jim Mooney and Sal Trapani, letters by Artie Simek, colors by Jan Brunner, ©1974 Marvel Comics"Slow Death on the Killing Ground!" - Giant-Size Dracula #3, written by Chris Claremont, art by Don Heck and Frank Springer, letters by Ray Holloway, colors by Linda Lessmann, ©1974 Marvel Comics"Song-Cry of the Living Dead Man!" - Man-Thing #12, written by Steve Gerber, art by John Buscema and Klaus Janson, letters by John Costanza, colors by Glynis Wein, ©1974 Marvel Comics"Demon, Demon -- Who's Got the Demon?" - Marvel Spotlight #19, written by Steve Gerber, art by Gene Colan and Mike Esposito, letters by Charlotte Jetter, colors by George Roussos, ©1974 Marvel Comics"Night-Fire!" - Tomb of Dracula #27, written by Marv Wolfman, art by Gene Colan and Tom Palmer, letters by John Costanza, colors by Linda Lessmann, ©1974 Marvel Comics"The Dark Side of Evil!" - Werewolf by Night #24, written by Doug Moench, art by Don Perlin and Vince Colletta, letters by John Costanza, colors by Linda Lessmann, ©1974 Marvel Comics"Marvel by the Month" theme v. 3.0 written and performed by Robb Milne and sung by Barb Allen. All incidental music by Robb Milne.Visit us on the internet (and buy some stuff) at marvelbythemonth.com, follow us on Instagram at @marvelbythemonth and support us on Patreon at patreon.com/marvelbythemonth.Much of our historical context information comes from Wikipedia. Please join us in supporting them at wikimediafoundation.org. And many thanks to Mike's Amazing World of Comics, an invaluable resource for release dates and issue information. (RIP Mike.)

"Fear Grows in Brooklyn!" Written by Mike W. Barr, pencilled by Frank Springer, inked by Pablo Marcos, lettered by John Costanza, and coloured by George Roussos. "Man-Hunt" and "One For Those Long Gone!" Written by Marv Wolfman, pencilled by Keith Pollard, inked by Jim Mooney , lettered by Joe Rosen, and coloured by Carl Gafford.

Tel est pris qui croyait prendre, voilà qui pourrait être la morale d'une histoire d'Edgar Allan Poe, ou de cet article. Aujourd'hui, on parle d'Edgar Allan Poe et de son influence sur la bande dessinée américaine ! Quand je me suis dit qu'il serait amusant de vous parler du Masque de la Mort Rouge et de ses adaptations en comic books, je n'imaginais pas dans quelle spirale infernale je venais de tomber… Car, si l'Américain Edgar Allan Poe, né à Boston en 1809, est incontestablement l'un des pères de la littérature fantastique et horrifique moderne, il est aussi l'inspirateur d'une quantité absolument titanesque de bandes dessinées plus ou moins fidèles à ses œuvres. Publiée pour la première fois en 1842 dans Graham's Magazine, puis traduite en français par Charles Baudelaire dans le recueil Nouvelles Histoires Extraordinaires en 1857, The Masque of the Red Death, de son titre original, est une nouvelle s'inscrivant dans la tradition du roman gothique.  Dans cette courte histoire, la Mort Rouge, une maladie proche de la peste, aux effets visibles désastreux et à la mortalité fulgurante, décime brutalement toute la population d'une contrée. Le Prince Prospero, un homme de pouvoir dans la région, invite un millier de nobles dans son palais au cœur d'une abbaye fortifiée, interdisant à quiconque d'entrer ou de sortir, afin d'éviter toute intrusion d'une personne malade. Bien que barricadés, les convives de Prospero ne manquent de rien, ni de nourriture, ni de divertissements en tout genre.  Après plusieurs mois d'enfermement, un bal masqué est organisé et Prospero fait décorer chaque salle de sa demeure d'une couleur différente. Les six premières sont respectivement bleue, pourpre, verte, orange, blanche, et violette, les vitres des fenêtres de chaque pièce laissant passer une lumière dont la couleur est identique à celle des murs. Mais la septième chambre fait exception. Entièrement noire, elle est éclairée d'une lumière rouge, et on y trouve une énorme horloge sonnant à chaque heure d'une façon plus pesante. Lors de la fête, aux douze coups de minuit, un étranger grand et décharné, au masque semblable au visage d'un cadavre, et entièrement vêtu de rouge, se mêle à la foule, errant au milieu des danseurs. Prospero, en colère face à ce costume qu'il prend pour une provocation, demande à ce que l'étranger soit arrêté, puis pendu ! Mais nul n'ose l'interpeller pendant qu'il traverse le palais. Prospero se jette alors sur lui, poignard à la main. Mais, comme foudroyé, il s'écroule sans vie, tandis que les convives constatent que la créature n'est autre la Mort Rouge incarnée, avant de mourir un à un. Si la morale de cette histoire n'est jamais explicitement donnée par Edgar Allan Poe, on y voit souvent une allégorie de l'inéluctabilité de la mort. La Mort Rouge ; peut-être inspirée de la tuberculose dont souffrait Virginia, l'épouse de Poe ; se propage de façon inarrêtable, y compris entre les murs du lieu où la noblesse se croyait à l'abri. Aucun stratagème ne permet d'y échapper et vouloir la contrôler est aussi vain qu'illusoire, tandis que son avancée inexorable nous est rappelée par chaque sonnerie du carillon, qui laisse derrière lui un silence de mort, avant que l'activité des invités ne reprenne peu à peu. L'autre interprétation que l'on peut en faire est plus sociale, car Le Masque de la Mort Rouge met en exergue le dédain des riches et des puissants qui festoient à l'abri, alors que les pauvres et les paysans sont exterminés par la maladie. Mais le répit des privilégiés est de courte durée, car leurs richesses et leur condition sociale ne les prémunissent pas de trépasser dans les mêmes circonstances que les indigents. La nouvelle d'Edgar Allan Poe va inspirer un sacré paquet d'œuvres au fil des années : du Fantôme de l'Opéra de Gaston Leroux à l'univers de Donjons & Dragons, en passant par un skin pour le personnage de Faucheur dans le jeu vidéo Overwatch, mais aussi des ballets, des chansons, de nombreux films, et même des comics. Car, en plus de leur influence plus que conséquente sur la Pop Culture telle que nous la connaissons aujourd'hui, les écrits de Poe ont souvent été repris, de façon plus ou moins assumée, par la bande dessinée américaine. En ce qui concerne The Masque of the Red Death en particulier, on dénombre plusieurs dizaines d'adaptations sur le papier, parfois littérales et parfois beaucoup plus libres. Si je ne vais pas toutes les citer, certaines méritent qu'on s'y attarde, notamment celles publiées par Marvel Comics, éditeur étonnamment attaché aux travaux du romancier. Dès 1952, dans les pages du quatrième numéro de Adventures Into Weird Worlds, Bill Everett, l'artiste derrière Namor the Sub-Mariner et co-créateur de Daredevil avec Stan Lee, s'inspire du Masque de la Mort Rouge dans la courte histoire "The Face of Death", qui modernise le cadre et les protagonistes dans un style typique des comic books horrifiques pré-Comics Code. Le lecteur y est interpellé comme si cette situation pouvait réellement lui arriver, et la thématique sociale opposant l'aristocratie au petit peuple est remplacée par une rivalité amoureuse. En 1961, dans Strange Tales #83, Steve Ditko, qui deviendra plus tard l'un des pères de Spider-Man et du Docteur Strange, dessine "Masquerade Party". Là aussi, la nouvelle originale de Poe est largement modernisée, encore une fois sous le prisme d'une romance qui tourne mal, mais avec une chute beaucoup moins morbide, la censure du Comics Code Authority étant passée par là entre-temps. L'histoire sera réimprimée bien plus tard, dans Chamber of Chills #16, en 1975. Huit ans plus tard, en 1969, le scénariste Roy Thomas et le dessinateur Don heck présentent une nouvelle adaptation, "The Day of the Red Death", dans laquelle un Stan Lee transformé en narrateur à la manière du Gardien des Comptes de la Crypte nous raconte cette fois-ci une version futuriste du Masque de la Mort Rouge, mais remarquablement fidèle à l'esprit de l'originale en comparaison des publications précédentes. Plus récemment, toujours chez Marvel, l'anthologie en trois numéros Haunt of Horror, parue en 2006 sous son label MAX et dessinée par Richard Corben, a confirmé le curieux lien existant entre le nouvelliste et la Maison des Idées. Puisque l'on parle de Richard Corben, cet artiste complet, véritable légende de la bande dessinée américaine, va, tout au long de sa carrière, lier son travail aux œuvres d'Edgar Allan Poe.Dès 1974, il adapte The Raven, dans le numéro soixante-sept de Creepy. Il réalisera en tout trois versions dessinées de ce poème narratif, la dernière en date, publiée en 2013 par Dark Horse Comics, figurant au sommaire d'un numéro contenant également son adaptation du Masque de la Mort Rouge. Qu'il illustre directement les textes de Poe ou qu'il s'en nourrisse pour ses propres créations, Corben partage avec lui son amour des ambiances angoissantes et des univers vaporeux. Son style graphique se prête parfaitement aux cadres pratiquement oniriques des nouvelles, mais aussi à leurs révélations finales choquantes et à leur suggestivité parfois perturbante. Il est incontestablement l'un des auteurs de bande dessinée qui a le mieux capturé l'essence des écrits d'Edgar Allan Poe et, si ses travaux vous intéressent, l'intégralité de ses histoires publiées par Dark Horse est disponible en français en un seul volume intitulé Esprit des Morts, chez Delirium. Mais, bien avant Corben, d'autres artistes ont cherché à adapter plus fidèlement The Mask of the Red Death. En 1964 sort ce qui est sûrement l'adaptation cinématographique la plus célèbre de la nouvelle, réalisée par Roger Corman, avec Vincent Price dans le rôle de Prospero. Afin de transformer ce court récit de quelques pages en un long-métrage d'une heure trente, de nombreux éléments sont ajoutés pour préciser le contexte et donner du corps à l'intrigue. Prospero y est montré comme un individu détestable et violent, terrorisant la population vivant autour de son palais et vouant même un culte à Satan. Le culte satanique de Prospero est d'ailleurs omniprésent dans le film, alors que Poe n'en fait jamais mention dans son histoire, et le tout est agrémenté d'une rivalité amoureuse entre Juliana, la compagne de Prospero, et Francesca, une jeune femme kidnappée dans un village ravagé par le prince qui espérait ainsi éviter la propagation de la Mort Rouge. L'ensemble correspond quand même assez bien au texte original dans l'idée, même si l'interprétation sociale y est plus forte et si la figure féminine de Francesca apporte également son lot d'hypothèses, totalement inexistantes chez Poe. Le Masque de la Mort Rouge est le septième film d'un cycle qui en compte huit en tout, tous réalisés par Roger Corman entre 1960 et 1965, d'après les histoires d'Edgar Allan Poe. Et outre le statut culte de ce portage sur grand écran, il a la particularité d'avoir été adapté en comic book par l'éditeur Dell Comics. Cette adaptation, dessinée par Frank Springer, un artiste très prolifique chez Dell et que l'on retrouvera plus tard sur les séries Dazzler ou G.I Joe chez Marvel, est un travail de commande à caractère promotionnel typique de l'époque, mais reste plutôt agréable à lire.  On notera qu'en 1989, Corman a produit un remake de son propre film, avec Adrian Paul, alias Duncan MacLeod dans la série télévisée Highlander, dans le rôle de Prospero, pour un résultat beaucoup moins mémorable. Il faut finalement attendre 1967, dans les pages du douzième numéro du magazine Eerie, pour voir la première adaptation en bande dessinée vraiment fidèle à la nouvelle d'Edgar Allan Poe, écrite par Archie Goodwin et dessinée par Tom Sutton. Le format magazine adopté par Warren Publishing permettait à l'éditeur de passer outre les restrictions du Comics Code Authority, et donc de montrer beaucoup plus de scènes gores et scabreuses. Le style de Tom Sutton marche vraiment très bien dans ce type de récit qui, bien qu'horrifique, conserve des outrances grand-guignolesques. Il a d'ailleurs consacré une bonne partie de ses travaux à des comics d'horreur, à quelques remarquables exceptions, comme son intervention sur pratiquement tous les numéros de la série Star Trek publiée par DC Comics entre 1984 et 1988. L'autre adaptation marquante en provenance de chez Warren se trouve dans Vampirella #110, paru en 1982. Rich Margopoulos et Rafael Aura León y présentent une version également très fidèle au texte original, dont certaines cases flirtent gentiment avec l'érotisme. Ces deux histoires ont été réimprimées de nombreuses fois par la suite, et comptent parmi la multitude d'exemples de la façon dont l'œuvre de Poe a inspiré toute une génération de scénaristes et d'illustrateurs qui participent au regain d'intérêt pour l'épouvante classique et l'horreur gothique à partir de la seconde moitié du vingtième siècle. Au-delà des adaptations de ses œuvres, Edgar Allan Poe est avant tout un personnage historique majeur pour la culture des États-Unis, si bien qu'on le retrouve parfois mis en scène comme un personnage de fiction, de façon plus ou moins sérieuse, dans à peu près tout et n'importe quoi : de South Park aux Beetleborgs, en passant par les Simpson et Sabrina, l'Apprentie Sorcière. Évidemment, les comic books n'échappent pas à cette étrange coutume et le poète apparaît ainsi dans un nombre conséquent de publications. Dans le deuxième numéro de l'anthologie horrifique Spellbound, paru en 1952, il est transformé en vilain qui torture un acteur dans une mise en scène macabre digne d'un film de la saga Saw. Chez DC Comics, il croise la route de super-héros comme Superboy et The Atom, tandis que le vingt-sixième numéro de la série Ghosts, publié en 1974, va jusqu'à réinventer les causes de sa mort, restées troubles jusqu'à aujourd'hui. Enfin, avec ses séries Snifter of Terror ou Snifter of Blood, AHOY Comics revisite les classiques de l'écrivain sous un jour plus moderne, et parfois parodique, derrière des couvertures hommages aussi inattendues qu'amusantes. Une utilisation pas toujours du meilleur goût, mais qui révèle à quel point il a influencé par bien des façons les auteurs et les artistes derrière nos bande dessinées préférées, ces derniers nourrissant un besoin quasi-viscéral de lui rendre hommage d'une manière ou d'une autre. Honnêtement, en me lançant dans l'écriture de cet article, je ne m'attendais pas à avoir autant de choses à vous raconter. Et tout ça en ne traitant que d'une seule histoire écrite par Edgar Allan Poe, et pratiquement uniquement par le prisme de ses adaptations en comics… C'est dire quel terrier de lapin sans fond peut devenir le moindre sujet lié à la Pop Culture, au sens très large du terme, pour peu que l'on prenne la peine de se questionner sur chaque élément laissé çà et là par les différents acteurs de son développement… Alors, au regard de la ribambelle de productions tirées du Masque de la Mort Rouge, ma conclusion est la suivante : à quoi que Prospero ait pu espérer échapper en s'enfermant dans son palais, ce n'était assurément pas la postérité. N'hésitez pas à partager cet article sur les réseaux sociaux s'il vous a plu ! Recevez mes articles, podcasts et vidéos directement dans votre boîte mail, sans intermédiaire ni publicité, en vous abonnant gratuitement ! Retrouvez le podcast POP CULTURE & COMICS sur toutes les plateformes d'écoute en cliquant ici ! Get full access to CHRIS - POP CULTURE & COMICS at chrisstup.substack.com/subscribe

Episode 160. James B and Eddie debate whether the Tinkerer is an alien and if you would rather read a good one-shot comic, or a bad comic book that progresses the story. (01:12) From December of 1980 Stan Lee Presents PPtSSM 49 “Enter: The Smuggler” by Roger Stern, Jim Mooney, and Bruck Patterson Use this link for issue 49, and change it to see the other issues. https://read-comic.com/peter-parker-the-spectacular-spider-man-049/ (03:10) From January of 1981 Stan Lee presents PPtSSM 50 “Dilemma!” by Roger Stern, John Romita Jr, and Jim Mooney   (06:37) From February of 1981 Stan Lee presents PPtSSM 51 “Aliens and Illusions!” by Roger Stern, Marie Severin and Jim Mooney.    (11:49) From March of 1981 Stan Lee presents PPtSSM 52 “The Day of the Hero Killers!” written by Roger Stern, penciled by Rick Leonard, inked by Jim Mooney   (15:23) From April of 1981 Stan Lee presents PPtSSM 53 “Toys of the Terrible Tinkerer” by Bill Mantalo, Jim Mooney, Frank Springer   (19:38) From May of 1981 Stan Lee Presents PPtSSM 54, “to Save the Smuggler!” By Roger Stern, Marie Severin, and Jim Mooney   (21:30) From June of 1981 Stan Lee Presents PPtSSM 55, “The Big Blow Out” Roger Stern Luke McDonnell, and Jim Mooney   (23:36) Closing Sponsor Gideon Mace   Theme Music by Jeff Kenniston.  This Episode Edited by James B using Audacity and Cleanfeed.  Summaries written by Eddie.  Most Sound effects and music generously provided royalty free by www.fesliyanstudios.com and https://www.zapsplat.com/    Check out all the episodes on letsreadspiderman.podbean.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

Episode 142 James B, Eddie, and Ian stumble their way through whether Carrion is a reincarnated Green Goblin and how much Daredevil can really help a blind Spidey in Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-man 25-27. Ian and Eddie play a game debating the different forms of Tri-man and we learn Ian's a hipper kid than expected when his phone notifies him with a Whilhelm Scream.  (00:50) From December of 1978 Peter Parker The Spectacular Spider-man 25 “Carrion, My Wayward Son!” Written by Bill Mantlo, Art by jim mooney, Ink by Frank Springer  (4:18) From January of 1979 Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-man 26 “Mine Eyes Have seen the Glory” By Mantlo, Mooney, and Springer  (5:20) From February of 1979 Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-man 27 “The Blind Leading the Blind” Written by Bill Mantlo, Penciled by Frank Miller, and Ink by Frank Springer Theme Music by Jeff Kenniston, four gameshow questions by Ian. Carrion's wardrobe by Irving Forbush.  This Episode Edited by Eddie using Audacity and Cleanfeed.  Summaries written by Eddie. Most Sound effects and music generously provided royalty free by www.fesliyanstudios.com except for any of the following if used: lasers, Pouring Water, Door Entering, robot and Tea Kettle by https://www.zapsplat.com/, Record Scratch and Jet Take Off by Sound Effects Factory, Sexy Music by BenSound, Goblin Glider by Hollywood Edge, Gameshow music by Misc with permission, and and Ian's root beer beverages by his parents. Check out all the episodes on letsreadspiderman.podbean.com or wherever you get your podcasts! Find the podcasts on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoKSfjDVKvj5C5lkjQvUByA/?sub_confirmation=1 and proudly be one of our first subscribers.  Stay Tuned for our next Let's Read Spider-Man episode where we leave PPTSSM and return to the Amazing Spider-man! 

Reviewing Web of Spider-Man #52 (by Gerry Conway, Frank Springer, John Romita Sr.), Amazing Spider-Man #317 (by David Michelinie, Todd McFarlane), and Spectacular Spider-Man #152 (by Gerry Conway, Sal Buscema). www.ComicBookSyndicate.com

Festive Clay Snuffling Hello, and welcome to episode 361 of The Fantasticast. Each episode, Steve Lacey guides you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four. This week, the Fantasticast hits a new milestone - the first comic covered twice by the show. We looked at Marvel Two-in-One #74 almost an entire decade ago, and it's time to look at it in context of the run, and see if Steve has worked out just who the people at the party really are. Except that Steve isn't doing this along. Joining him for a thoroughly unseasonal Christmas bash is returning guest host Stacey Taylor. Host of Stacey's Pop Culture Parlor, Stace and Barry In The Morning, and new show Never Seen, Stace is back and delightful as ever. Together, they examine a unusual Christmas tale, as childlike wizards and bovine nannies meet the holiday spirit.  Mark Gruenwald, Frank Springer, Chic Stone, George Roussos, Michael Higgins, Bob Budiansky, and Jim Salicrup present Marvel Two-in-One #74 - A Christmas Peril, featuring parole, a guy with a big face and a lack of talent, all of the swears, uncensored smut, and... hold on, that's the hosts! In addition, Steve takes a quick peak at Avengers #206, as he forgot to do it last time. Fantasticast guest-host Christine Hanefalk has published her first book. Being Matt Murdock: One Fan's Journey Into The Science of Daredevil is now available as both a book and an e-book from Amazon. Do go and check it out! Send in your feedback to fantastic4podcast@gmail.com, leave your comments at the libsyn site, or at www.TheFantasticast.com. Follow us on twitter, where we are @fantasticast Original artwork by Michael Georgiou. Check out his work at mikedraws.co.uk Episode cover design by Samuel Savage.

If you thought the last issue in the Star-God saga was a wacky one, wait till your noodle gets a load of this acid-damaged cosmic weirdness. Turn on your blacklight! Check out Michelle on Instagram @MoonlitComics and YouTube

MOUNTAIN COMICS #34 - DAZZLER #8Mountain Comics returns with fellow network all-star Paul Kien joining Rob in the cabin to discuss "Hell...Hell is For Harry" by Danny Fingeroth, Frank Springer, and Vince Colletta from DAZZLER #8!Check out images from this comic by clicking here! E-MAIL - firewaterpodcast@comcast.net Follow Mountain Comics on Twitter - https://twitter.com/FWPMountainComSubscribe to FW PRESENTS on Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/fw-presents/id1207382042This podcast is a proud member of the FIRE AND WATER PODCAST NETWORK: Visit the Fire & Water WEBSITE: http://fireandwaterpodcast.com Follow Fire & Water on TWITTER – https://twitter.com/FWPodcasts Like our Fire & Water FACEBOOK page – https://www.facebook.com/FWPodcastNetwork Support The Fire & Water Podcast Network on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/fwpodcasts Use our HASHTAG online: #FWPodcastsThanks for listening!

Man-Wolf disappeared while confronting his father and Spider-Man and pops up 2 years later after a wild cosmic journey that puts The Martian and Castaway to shame. The Other Realmites seek out a new path to Earth to seek urgently needed help.

What the blazes was Marvel thinking? Al Milgrom, Frank Springer and Mike Esposito present a tale of action and intrigue, featuring Wide-Load Annie, Poppa Wheelie, Mary McGrill, Taryn O'Connell, Midnight, Ulysses Solomon Archer and U.S.1!

It's the living legend of WW2 vs the Vietnam vet for the very first time! Rick & Bob explore this story of two veterans from different eras and their stark contrast - including Bob's POV from his 25 years in the military. Plus... an update on Rick & Bob's wager! Connect with Rick & Bob and fellow Cap fans at https://www.facebook.com/groups/captainamericacomicbookfans Are you enjoying this podcast series? Please help by donating at: https://anchor.fm/capcomicbookfans/support Please subscribe, rate and review! Want to be part of the show? Leave a recorded message at https://anchor.fm/capcomicbookfans/message Our home page is https://captainamericacomicbookfans.com --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/capcomicbookfans/support

Issues Covered In This Episode:"In His Footsteps, the Huntsman of Zeus" - Ka-Zar #1, written by Allyn Brodsky, art by Frank Springer and Dick Ayers, ©1970 Marvel Comics"Again, the Glob!" - Incredible Hulk #129, written by Roy Thomas, art by Herb Trimpe, ©1970 Marvel Comics"To End In Flames!" - Thor #177, by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby w/Vince Colletta, ©1970 Marvel Comics"The Fury of the Firebrand!" - Iron Man #27, written by Archie Goodwin, art by Don Heck and Johnny Craig, ©1970 Marvel Comics"The Surfer Must Kill!" - Silver Surfer #17, written by Stan Lee, art by John Buscema and Chic Stone, ©1970 Marvel Comics"When Wakes the Kraken!" - Sub-Mariner #27, written by Roy Thomas, art by Sal Buscema and "Joe Gaudioso" (Mike Esposito), ©1970 Marvel Comics"Who Calls Me Traitor?" - Captain America #127, written by Stan Lee, art by Gene Colan and Wally Wood, ©1970 Marvel Comics"Marvel by the Month" theme v. 2.0 by Robb Milne, sung by Barb Allen, with bass by Ryan ‘Biff' Dudder. All incidental music by Robb Milne. Visit us on internet at marvelbythemonth.com, follow us on Instagram at @marvelbythemonth and support us on Patreon at patreon.com/marvelbythemonth. 

Hop into your big rigs and get ready for a wild ride! In this episode, we're going to be talking about U.S. 1, Marvel's licensed series about a long-haul trucker who also happened to be a superhero.----more---- Episode 12 Transcript [00:00:00] Mike: If you're a middle-aged white guy, maybe trying to sit there and write about the troubles that indigenous people from other countries face, maybe don't do that. Just my ten cents. Welcome to Ten Cent Takes, the podcast where we hand-wave plot holes like it's nobody's business, one issue at a time. My name is Mike Thompson and I am joined by my cohost of chaos, Jessika Frazer. Jessika: Well, hello.  Mike: Hello. Jessika: How are you doing?  Mike: Uh, I am doing a lot better now that I am not on jury duty anymore. So. Jessika: Woo.  Mike: I mean, don't get me wrong. It's a [00:01:00] civic duty that we should all be happy to perform, but it's really nice when you don't have to do it. Jessika: I've been on a jury before.  Mike: Was it, a cool case? Jessika: No, it was a disturbing, unsettling case, but it was still a civic case? It was just, Yeah. It was, it was not great. And I couldn't talk about it. So let's just say I, I took out a lot of my angst with a tennis racket against the wall. Not, not the racket itself, but hitting the ball against the wall a lot. Mike: Yeah,  Jessika: But, civic, duty, it is. So I was 19 at the time.  Mike: I think the last time I had to report for jury duty in person I was 25, give or take. Jessika: Mm.  Mike: And then I got dismissed because they asked me if I would believe a teenager's word over a cop, and at the time I was like, hell no. And these days. Jessika: Yeah. Different opinions now.  Mike: Yeah. [00:02:00] Tangent aside, the reason that we're here on this podcast is because we like to look at and talk about comic books in ways that are both fun and informative. We like to look at the weirdest, silliest, strangest, and coolest moments, and examine how they have been woven into pop culture and history in general.  In this episode, we're hitting the open road of the Marvel Universe and looking at U.S. 1, a 1980s maxi-series about a superhero big rig trucker. But before we go down that road, what is one cool thing that you have read or watched lately? Jessika: So, I had a suggestion made to me by Lauren, from Outer Planes in Santa Rosa. Hey Lauren. And she told me about a comic that is set in the same universe as the Alice in Leatherland that I started reading and I've had on my pull list now.  Mike: Yeah, the one that you mentioned a couple episodes ago?  [00:03:00] Jessika: Yeah. Yeah, exactly. And so it was also from Black Mask and it's called Destiny, NY.  I'm on issue one, which is a veritable chonker,  it's absolutely awesome. There are two girls kissing in a closet within the first three pages, so you know I'm already in. And it's cool because it's set in a version of New York where magic exists, and follows a school for kids that have been told by one seer or another that they have a destiny or a prophecy to fulfill. And the students have different abilities and visual characteristics, like one has a third eye and she's supposed to like, see the greatest lie out of the truths or something like that. And she's like, but I don't even know what that is.  It's all super vague, like these poor kids. And I've grabbed the first five issues, and I will be tearing through these and no [00:04:00] time. I'm sure, cause it's already super fun.  Mike: Yeah, that sounds fantastic, to be completely honest. There was a book that I read about a year ago called Magic for Liars, which is a boarding school for magic users. And then the sister of, one of the faculty is called in to investigate a death, and it's really cool because she's not a magic user, but her sister who is part of the faculty is so it's, it was cool. I liked it a lot. Jessika: That's neat.  Mike: But yeah, that was a cool book.  Jessika: Nice.  Mike: Yeah. Jessika: Well, what about you? What you've been reading, watching, listening to?  Mike: All right. So I'm always mildly embarrassed to admit that I'm a Conan fan, mainly because I think so many people just associate them with Arnold Schwarzenegger and those middling to not-good movies that they made with him in the eighties. Um, yeah, but I really fell in love with his Comics back in 2005 or so,  when they were being done by Dark Horse and they were really, really good. They were these wonderfully dark, low fantasy stories that always seem to [00:05:00] balance like action and tragedy and comedy really well. And Marvel got the character back a couple of years ago, so they've been doing really cool work with them lately.  The new Conan series is really fun and feels really true to the original stories, but they've also displaced him through time, and now they've got them hanging out in the mainstream Marvel Universe via this series.  Jessika: Oh, interesting.  Mike: Yeah. And it's in the series called the Savage Avengers.  It's wild. It's written by Gerrry Duggan, who, he wrote, arguably the best Conan story that I've ever read in Conan 2099, which is they took that Spider-Man 2099 universe, and then they slapped him right in the middle of it.  Jessika: Oh.  Mike: It it's great, like the way that it was written was so perfect. And it's one of those books where anybody who sits there and even if they say they're not a Conan fan, I just say, you need to read this. It's wonderful.  But anyway, so Savage Avengers features him going on adventures with characters like Wolverine [00:06:00] Deadpool, the Punisher and Electra. It's so dumb, but it's so much fun. Like, early on in the series,  he gets a Venom- symbiate joined with them, but it's really weak. So it can only form weapons for him.  Jessika: Okay.  Mike: It's just it, it's great. It's an absolute guilty pleasure, and I refuse to apologize for this. So it was unfortunately not available in Marvel Unlimited, which is probably why I hadn't heard about it, but the back issues are all pretty cheap, and I grabbed a ton of them from Brian's comics on my last run, and I've just been having a blast reading them. We probably should do an episode actually, where we talk about the fact that Conan has been in comics for almost 50 years. And  Jessika: Oh.  Mike: He started at Marvel originally, and now he's back at Marvel, but there was a long hiatus. Jessika: Ooh. I want to hear that arc. Absolutely.  Mike:  All right. Moving right along.  So as tempting as it is to just dive right [00:07:00] into U.S. 1 the comic and its strangeness, I don't think we can talk about it without covering some background info first. So, have you ever heard the term trucking culture before? Jessika: I've absolutely heard of trucking culture, but I'm not too familiar with the intricacies.  My uncle drove a truck for years, but I think he's retired at this point.  Mike: Okay. I think it's something that a lot of people aren't really aware of, or they hear about it and then they start making jokes. Like, I got some glimpses of it when one of my photography gigs have me living on a tour bus for a few months. So, we would visit a lot of legit truck stops in the middle of nowhere. And I'm not talking gas stations, I'm talking full rest stops where restaurants served truckers before other patrons,  the bathrooms had shower stalls and all of the stores felt like kind of miniature Walmarts. They were just massive. And they had anything that you could think of you might need on a long road trip. [00:08:00] It's this side that, if you live in an urban environment folks, aren't really going to see or understand, and it's the staggeringly huge thing that most people never even seem to think about. But I mean, trucking is this major part of the United States and its industry  as noted in this factoid from the American trucking associations, if you would be so kind. Jessika: Nearly every good consumed in the U S is put on a truck at some point. As a result, the trucking industry hauled 72.5% of all freight transported in the United States in 2019, equaling to 11.84 billion tons. The trucking industry was a $791.7 billion industry in that same year representing 80.4% of the nation's freight bill.  Mike: Yeah. It's I was actually, I was really surprised actually to see that it was that much. I assumed that trains [00:09:00] and shipping were at least a little bit bigger. Jessika: No, because we don't here's the problem is that because of the auto industry in the United States, we stifled the ability to make all the train tracks necessary, to get the things to all the places we need. And now it's horrendously expensive to go on a train. Yeah. I don't know that people know that about the United States. So for our international listeners: you can't take trains here, it's very expensive.  Mike: Yeah. First of all, there's no real national rail system. And, and second, the rail system that does exist is prohibitively expensive, unless you are a not far distance commuter.  Like I took Amtrak for a couple, for about a year traveling between Sacramento and San Francisco a couple of times a week. And it was great. It was less expensive to do that a couple of times a week than it was to drive down. But [00:10:00] yeah, it's prohibitively expensive for most people.  Jessika: Yeah. And there are some cities in the United States that do have a decent transportation system. Portland has a decent one in New York, obviously that there are other places to Chicago, yeah.  But I mean, for the most part across country, especially because we're such a large country,  and we are of course expected to share things. California has to share everything. Listen to me, I sound so greedy. Mike: I know. Yeah. What does it, we have the, I think it's like it's top five or top 10 economies in the world. Jessika: We're the top sixth economy in the world by ourselves. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, So if we just dumped off everyone else, the rest of the states would be screwed. Actually a few would hold their own, but those middlin' states. Mike: Yeah. Jessika: Suffering.  Mike: Well, as big as it is, the trucking industry, as we know it, [00:11:00] isn't even a hundred years old. Uh, yeah, so really, trucks were first used extensively by the military in WWI, and then trucking became prominent in the 1930s because of the increased construction on paved roads. So, it didn't take long after that, before truckers became a part of American pop culture. They started having songs and movies about them. And as noted by Shane Hamilton in his book, Trucking Country: the Road to America's Walmart Economy, there was this mythology that almost lionized truckers.  Jessika: Hmm.  Mike: If you would, uh, do us all the favor of reading out the section that I found that describes it pretty well. Jessika: The image of the respectable trucker circulated outside the world of Hollywood in the 1950s. As truckers became known as the Knights of the Road for helping stranded motorists, and using their blinkers and [00:12:00] headlights as courtesy signals. This image was further reinforced by the standard driver's uniform of the era: trim, neat pants and button shirt, and the chauffeur's cap. The masculine mythologies of trucking moved increasingly into a wider cultural world in the 1950s and 1960s. As the image of the truck driving man was reflected back to truckers by movies and music.  Mike: Yeah. So the 1970s were when trucking hit, it's kind of Zenith point and pop culture. They wound up being presented as kind of this modern version of cowboys, you know, wandering nomads who rebelled against the oppressive rule of law while still operating under their own kind of honor code. There were a ton of movies and songs during this decade that romanticized the trucker life. And a lot of these have since faded into obscurity, but this was the period when we got that song Convoy by CW McCall, which also inspired a movie with a very young shirtless Kris Kristofferson, um, [00:13:00] uh, Smokey in the Bandit came out in 1977 and it was the number three grossing movie of the year behind Star Wars. And there's also a really bad Chuck Norris action Flint called Breaker Breaker. Like it was a moment in pop culture. Jessika: Are you really going to say that a Chuck Norris movie was bad? What if he's right behind you?  Mike: I mean, yeah. Jessika: It's always a threat. Don't don't deny it.  Mike: Man. Remember when we all used to like Chuck Norris and we thought he was cool before we went off the deep end and it turned out he's just the worst. Remember those days? Jessika: Oh no. We have a nefarious character, nefarious character alert.  Mike: Yeah. What a shock.  Jessika: Oh, not on our podcast.  Mike: I know. All right. Well, okay. So the [00:14:00] eighties, this all started to change in the eighties when truckers started being portrayed more villainously, or at least poorly in media, like Thelma and Louise, you've seen Thelma and Louise, right?  Jessika: Yeah.  Mike: Yeah. You remember how there's that gross trucker who keeps on harassing them. Jessika: Yes.  Mike: Yeah. And, the eighties, it was starting to decline, but it wasn't quite there yet. The nineties was when it really picked up and we'll discuss that in a little bit,  Jessika: Hmm.  Mike: But at the time that this comic project started, big rig truckers were still on the high side of public opinion. So we've talked in previous episodes about how Marvel wound up undergoing a commercial Renaissance in the early eighties, under the guidance of Jim Shooter. Particularly, you know, with Saturday morning cartoons and all that stuff.  Jessika: Mm.  Mike: One of the major sources of the success came in the form of toy companies, partnering with the publisher for licensed comic adaptations and arguably, the biggest example of this kind of success came from [00:15:00] partnerships with Hasbro when Marvel created the characters and lore for both Transformers in G.I. Joe. So U.S. 1 was a comic that came about from another partnership, but this one was with a different toy company. It was called Tyco Toys and Tyco wanted to do a licensed comic based on their U.S. 1 brand of slot truck toys.  Jessika: Oh, so this was all based on the Tyco truck, even. truck even.  Mike: Yes, it's a little bit different than the standard Tyco truck, and we'll talk about that in a second, but you know, Tyco probably doesn't sound familiar to people that are younger than us these days, but they were a company that originally made model trains for hobbyists. And then they started making slot car toys in the 1960s, which are the cars that you press the trigger and they go around a track and you can build out the track how you want. So, by the eighties, this brand was the one that was dominating that particular section of the market, the slot car toy section. [00:16:00] And at this point, they decided to create some slot truck toys. It was branded U.S. 1 Electric Trucking, and it launched in 1981. And it was based on the earlier racing sets, but it had a couple of unique features. You could drive the trucks in both forward and reverse, and you could also have the trucks pick up and deliver loads of, and this is the quote, action accessories with that direct interaction from the person operating it. And the tagline was “you control the action”. So I've got this commercial that I found on YouTube, because YouTube has everything and it's actually really cute. You want to give it a shot? Jessika: Sure thing. [00:17:00] Oh, this is really exciting. Oh! That's actually a really fun.  Mike: Right. Jessika: No, that's super freaking fun. That is that's super fun.  Mike: Yeah. So Tyco came to Marvel and they said that they were interested in having a comic adaptation done. And, the comic wound up being written by Al Milgrim, who's actually, he's a pretty interesting dude in comic history, he worked as a writer, and editor and inker, and a penciler during his career. And he was particularly known for this long tenure editing Marvel Fanfare, where I think he edited it for like a decade.  Also the real reason that he's an industry legend though, is because Marvel actually fired him after he hid some messaging in a panel background where he was badmouthing Marvel Harris. The then recently departed editor in chief of Marvel. [00:18:00] Jessika: Oh, damn. That's cold.  Mike: Yeah, it was actually really funny and you can look it up, where he basically wrote some messages vertically on the spines of books in the background of a Spider-Man comic. And there's some weird happenstances about how, I think the editor caught them and had the wording removed. And then, through some error, that image got used instead and went to publish and yeah, it's, it's kind of amazing, but he was actually a full-time employee, which was really rare for one of the people who was actually creating the comics. And so it's this, you know, he was, he was actually fired by Marvel. Jessika: Wow. yeah, From what I've read, most of them were freelance, so that's actually super interesting.  Mike: Yeah.  It's an interesting story. And it's one I would love to talk to him about someday, which we'll discuss that later. I legit love that story about how Milgrim got, let go, because it's totally a move that I would pull. [00:19:00] And then the series was originally drawn by this other long-time Marvel artists named Herb Trimp.  he'd made a name for himself with the Incredible Hulk, and also he is known as the first artist to actually draw Wolverine for publication because he drew the, he drew the issue. John Romita came up with the character design in sketch, but he was the one who actually first drew him in a comic, which was cool. Jessika: That's super neat. Mike: Yeah. And so Trimp also, wasn't a stranger to projects like this. He had recently worked on G.I. Joe. He wound up penciling the first two issues, and then Frank Springer came in to finish out the series, and Springer was another reliable artist from Marvel and he had also been involved with G.I. Joe and Transformers. Milgrim actually has an essay at the end of the first issue called In the Driver's Seat, where he talks about the comics. And it starts with how Tyco asks for the common treatment and then goes into his first meeting with Jim Shooter about the projects. And I kind of love this description where he talks about how he wasn't [00:20:00] really sold on the idea originally. Jessika: Frankly, I wasn't sure. Nobody had ever done anything with trucks and comics before. When I voiced the concern to Jim, it was as if I had slapped his face and challenged him to a duel. Exactly! He exploded. Nobody has done it before. Maybe nobody thinks it can be done. There may even be a lot of resistance to the idea, but we can do it and do it well. I got caught up in the challenge, Jim and I did not fight a duel to the death, lucky for him. Instead, we began discussing the idea of a truck driving hero. We talked about the romance of driving a truck, the dedication of those self-sufficient loners who drive the big rigs, we got swept up in the notion, began to solidify the concept of a trucker with a mission, a goal, a quest.  Mike: Yeah, it's kind of charming to hear how enamored he got with the project during that first meeting. [00:21:00]  The essay also mentions that Marvel's animation division, which as we've also covered in that episode about Saturday morning cartoons, was a thing that they had, was working on what sounded like a TV show pitch. And there might be some toys and animated series in the future, but spoiler, that never happened. I'm curious, how would you summarize this comic series? Jessika: A lot happened. So a lot happened. This series was wild from start to finish. It starts with introductions to Ulysses Solomon Archer, or USA, and his brother, Jefferson, or Jeff after their parents who are truck drivers die in an accident, US and Jeff are raised by Wide Load,. Who's a woman, and Poppa, who are the owners of a truck stop named Shortstop. Mike: We need to stop this for a second. You need to, you need to acknowledge them by their full [00:22:00] names. Jessika: I'm sorry. Remind me what Poppa's name is.  Mike: Poppa Wheelie, and it's Wide Load Annie, and Wide Load Annie. Jessika: Okay. Let me re say that. Okay. Excuse me.  Mike: I'm sorry. It's just it's too good. Jessika: No, you're right. I'm not even going to cut any of this. I'm just going to leave it. No, you're right. I couldn't, you know what, honestly, because I couldn't remember what their full names were when I was writing this out. I was like, this is good enough. So, so yeah, they're the owners of a truck stop called Shortstop and US is this All-American blonde haired, white boy, who has it all going for him. He's literally good at everything without trying. And he's encouraged by Wide Load Annie and Poppa Wheelie to get a college education, even though he knows he wants to be a truck driver, just like his folks, and his adoptive parents and his big brother, Jeff, who he idolizes. [00:23:00] And Jeff is your classic, dark haired boy who just can't seem to keep up with US's successes, and also becomes a truck driver obviously, and seemingly mostly as a backup profession, which is kind of interesting how they they're both like encouraging and disparaging of truck drivers inparts. And I'm like, it's kind of strange. There's a give and take. I don't know what it is. I don't know if you felt that too.  Mike: It's the whole thing of, he is not good. Jefferson is billed as being not good at school, but US is. And so they're like, no, you have to go to college, you have to make something of yourself. And Poppa and Wide Load and Jefferson all support him and send him to school. And Jefferson is doing it via job in trucking. Yeah, they talked about how expensive colleges in those days. And I'm like, my dudes, it's 1980. You could literally go to college on a minimum wage job. And it talks about how also, I think he had scholarships and. Jessika: Cause he was good at [00:24:00] everything.  Mike: and he double majored in computer  Jessika: Electronics. Yeah, exactly.  Mike: Electrical engineering, I think. And then, and then. Jessika: Computer sciences. Yeah. Uh, Yeah. it was a whole thing.  Mike: It's a thing. Exactly. Jessika: So during a drive with a young US, Jeff's big rig is run off the road by a devilish figure he calls the high women just prior to driving off a cliff. The truck explodes and Us is gravely injured in such a way that he evidently needs a skull replacement? Mike: You know? Sure.  Jessika: Have you heard of that? Mike: No. Jessika: Usually with a skull replacement, you're going to be a lot worse off than just, like, gonna in a pop awake in a couple minutes after you put something metal back on there,  Mike: Yeah. It's, uh, I believe they worded it as, oh, is this experimental treatment and I'm like, what? Okay.  Jessika: Which already was so [00:25:00] sus.  Mike: Yeah. And they, basically replace his skull with it's, in this comic, it's implied that it's like just the top part of his skull that like, you know, protects the brain. Later comic appearances, it is very strongly hinted that they basically do a brain transplant into, or, that they basically just give him a metal skull of some kind. It's like, there's no bone to be seen, but. Jessika: Like a new head completely? Lord. Goodness gracious. Well, so after that, he vows to find his brother who he's like, I couldn't find him in the crash. It's like, bro, like you kind of couldn't look for him. You had a concussion, like you're not an expert in finding bodies in an explosion. I don't know how he just definitively was like, well I guess everybody else told him that, that he, the body was never found or whatever, [00:26:00] but. Mike: Yeah, that's true. Jessika: Yeah. So he decided he's gonna find his brother as well as the mysterious Highwayman that he yelled about right before. And he quickly finds out that he can pick up CB radio waves from his fancy new skullcap, and somehow has truck becomes self-aware and he can communicate directly with it? And it's making its own decisions. Inexplicably. It's not well explained, once again.  Mike: It's so truck originally, he builds a remote control into like a half dollar, so he can drive it really like, like a precision driver with his remote. But then later on, I think there's, it was like some kind of like a lightning strike or something or electrical overload that then allowed him to directly interface with the truck. And then the truck is also self-aware at times where it's providing narration for an entire issue. And we'll talk about that, too. Jessika: Yeah, that's what I was going to say. [00:27:00] It was the weirdest thing.  I was kinda on board with most of it. And then the truck was having its own inner monologue. And I was like, wait a second, guys.  Mike: Yeah. Jessika: Oh, goodness gracious. And then there's also a spy planted within the truck stop in the form of a mind-controlled waitress, Mary McGrill, which their names, all their names.  Mike: The alliteration and stuff and puns. It's great. Jessika: Exactly. It's so cheese. I love it. And she uses this wacky mind control whip, and there's drama about the truck stop being foreclosed upon and being sold to make condos. And, and then DUN DUN DUN! Jeff turns out to be the Highwayman! And they are aliens looking for the best person, read trucker, you know, of course on earth to be some kind of space ambassador? Mike: Yeah. It's not well explained.  [00:28:00] I think it had something to do with they wanted people to pilot their star ships,  because they were like accustomed to like long bouts of being on their own and stuff.  Jessika: Yeah, it was, it was a whole thing too. And then apparently all humans look alike to the aliens.  Mike: I thought that was funny as fuck. That was.  Jessika: I thought that was hysterical  Mike: Because the aliens are so weird looking. Jessika: Yeah. Yeah. And so apparently they had been scoping US this whole time, cause he's like the golden child, but then they accidentally swooped Jeff instead, because they made a mistake and Jeff was just like, yeah, I'm going to go with it. So once they figured out their mistake, they felt really bad about wasting all of their time and effort on this, this putz. And so then they of course had to have a race to make sure who was the best one to be the space ambassador, whether it was [00:29:00] going to be US, who dun dun dun the aliens gave him the skullcap!  Mike: Yup.  Jessika: Or his brother who has been working with the alien tech and has, like, a time advantage and a training advantage. So it's of course, US wins. I mean, come on. So of course they just get sent up into space? And he gets to take the whole truck stop with him? And all of the people? Mike: Yup. Jessika: It's the Rapture? Mike: Yeah. And then the greedy bankers who are left behind, who are going to take the property that the truck stopped. I think they, they wind up getting dosed with some kind of radiation. Jessika: Yeah, the, they were going to build condos on the land and then it ended up being radioactive. And so the buyer ended up pulling out. Mike: Yeah, Jessika: Like right there, because that's how that works.  Mike: Yeah. Jessika: So yeah.  The end. That's it. Mike: Oh yeah. [00:30:00] And then the other thing is that for the first half of the series,  we are given to believe that the Highwayman is demonic in origin. Like they do a whole thing where,  he's got his own mind-controlled, big rig that runs them off the road or whatever. And, he's surrounded by devils when he's looking down triumphantly on the wreckage and there's, you know, it's the mythology of the open road where they're like, oh, he was this trucker who, apparently, couldn't keep up anymore with the younger truckers and their newer rigs. So we cut a deal with the devil and it was, I actually kind of dug it. It was ridiculous. And over the top, but it was great. And then it turns out it was just, I don't know, some disguise that he put on just the fuck with everybody. Jessika: He did the Scooby Doo unveiling where he pulled a rubber mask off of his face, and I about lost my mind.  Mike: Yeah. Okay. What was your overall impression of the series? Jessika: It was a fucking [00:31:00] wild ride, but it was fun. I liked that it was so random at times. It legitimately kept me guessing the whole way. The topics though, they were not subtle with the overbearing American patriotism and the overt disdain for neo-Nazis, which obviously I'm behind. Mike: I mean, whatever that was fine. Jessika: that was great when they dropped the, the neo-Nazis in Televiv. Mike: Oh God. Well, and the funniest part was they were, so  one of the  antagonists for us is Baron VonBlimp, who pilot, he, he looks like, he looks like kind of this weird aristocrat from like turn of the century, Europe. No, he's I think he even has a monocle. And then towards the end, when he shows up in his blimp, he drops out and he's got a bunch of Nazis with them and, you know, they've got the swastika, armbands and everything, and then it's revealed they're not actually Nazis and he's not even German. He just liked how the uniforms looked. And then the aliens are like, whatever we're [00:32:00] done with this. And they literally hand wave them away into Israel. And I was like, that's, that's just magnificent. Just chef's kiss. Jessika: Oh, yeah, I did actually really like that. So, so what about you? What did you think about this?  Mike: I mean, it's one of those comics where I never expected to enjoy it as much as I did, but there's something so silly and pure about this entire story. It feels like the kind of thing that a five or six year old kid would come up with while playing with their trucks, you know, like monsters and aliens and races against air ships. And then you hand wave away things when you want to change the narrative. And it  somehow kind of works actually. Like, I don't know how, but it kind of does.  I really loved, like I talked about, I love Baron VonBlimp, I thought he was just so weird.  And then I liked how the Shortstop is essentially the Mos Eisley Cantina, but it's got better coffee. [00:33:00] And it seemed like every time that we first visited the place, someone was getting thrown through a window, which was of. Jessika: Absolutely. There was always a fight scene. It reminded me of a saloon, like one of those old-timey saloons with  people getting thrown out double doors and things crashing.  Mike: Yeah. And then we talked about how US' his truck was self-aware, but, but I love the bit where Papa refers to it as a she and the trucks that there and says I'm not ashamed, but I'm secure enough in myself. That it's fine.  Jessika: Yeah.  Mike: I was like, that is weirdly topical through a 2021 lens, but this is also really good. And also every cover to this comic, it is a work of art.  Like, like the styles vary, but they're really cool looking and they're just really weird. Yeah, I mean, it was just, it was a blast. Were there any highlights for you, or any lowlights. Jessika: So I have to say my eyes just about rolled out of my [00:34:00] head, where the aliens showed up and needed chicken parts to make their ship work correctly. And the rivalry between the two female characters was pretty contrived. Mike:  I did like how  they were trying to sit there and spin it so you didn't know who was the sleeper agent? I thought that was kind of cool, but yeah, they were, you know, they were fighting over Us and that was dumb, but it's also, you know, it's the 1980s. What are you gonna do? Jessika: Exactly. Had to have some sort of, you know, forced love triangle of some nature. But I have to say I was oddly charmed at the editing notes from Ralph Macchio, all people? Mike: Uh, editor with the same name as the, yeah. Jessika: Oh, okay. All right. Wow. Goodness gracious. Cause I was like giving that guy a lot of credit.   Mike: Nope. Jessika: I did like that though. I did like the little comments, the little editing notes,  it was a little much [00:35:00] sometimes, but I love that he was throwing shade at the writers sometimes, or reminding the reader about the previous events or where you could read about them. And it was interesting how in depth they recapped each issue, but it must've been nice for the readers who weren't starting from issue one.  Mike: Yeah. And especially because it was a maxi series and then it started in mid 1983 and then it ended in late 1984. So, it went from monthly to bi-monthly, and it was not a big name comic in the first place, so it makes sense that they would sit there and provide that background for readers. And I also really appreciated that it was all the same characters over and over again, so that it wasn't doing anything crazy new, but at the same time, each of those issues you could pick up except for the last couple. Pretty easy to understand. Jessika: Yeah. I would say so.  Mike:  I mentioned earlier that  this was another licensed comic that was designed to help promote a toy line, but as [00:36:00] opposed to G.I. Joe and transformers, though, this wasn't nearly as successful. Comichron, which is a site that tracks sales data for comics doesn't have 1983 data in place yet, but the site comic book, historians has this incredible online community. And I actually wound up posting there and asking if anyone had any insight into how the comics sold and Al Milgrim himself wound up chiming in if you would be so kind.  Jessika: I'm sorry, what? That's cool as heck.  Mike: Yeah.  Jessika: Wow.  Mike: Yeah.  Jessika: Okay. Well, I got a, sorry, I got a little nervous. Oh sure. I think the first issue sold around 160,000 or so, not great for a first issue, but respectable. Marvel only contracted with the toy company to do a dozen issues. I'm sure the sales went downhill from there. Still think the book was some good silly fun though (I may be [00:37:00] biased).  Mike: Yeah, I was really stunned. This, the comic book historian group actually has a lot of amazing industry professionals involved in it. I've seen writers like Mark Wade chime in, the owner of Mile High Comics routinely posts about comic book history as well. They have a podcast and a YouTube series. They did a long series of interviews with Jim Shooter that was really cool, which actually, I think did a lot to kind of redeem his character a bit because a lot of people viewed him as a villain in the comic book and yeah.  Jessika: Oh.  Mike: But yeah, Milgrim was super cool to chime in on that. And I wound up talking to him briefly afterwards and he said, he'd be open to doing an interview with us at some point. So maybe there'll be a  Part two to the U.S. 1 episode.  Jessika: That's exciting.  Mike: Yeah.  The comic series ran for roughly a year and a half and it ended in October of 1984, the U.S. 1 toys were moderately more successful, they lasted until 86. And then after this trucking and pop culture continued to undergo this shift. [00:38:00] And it feels like the nineties, as I said, was when things really started to significantly change. We talked about Thelma and Louise. There was that Kurt Russell trucking movie called Breakdown, where the villains were truckers. And then. I mean, it's kind of still how they're portrayed these days  in media. I really don't think it helps that the FBI released this five-year study back in 2009 that linked long haul trucking to serial killers. Jessika: Oh. Wow.  Mike: Yeah. And it's one of those things where it's not saying all long haul truckers are a majority of long haul, truckers are serial killers, but that there are a number of serial killers who are long haul truckers. And it makes sense because there's a lack of supervision. And also you can pick someone up in one state, killed them in another and then drop them off, dump the body in a third. And also a lot of times the people that they pick up are people that no one really misses. Jessika: Yeah. Yeah.  Mike: On that high note.  [00:39:00] The funny thing is that this isn't where Ulysses S. Archer's story ends. So even though this was a licensed comic book for a company that was eventually acquired by Mattel,  it seems like Marvel still owns the rights to the characters themselves because Ulysses pops up every now and then he's usually like the supporting character but sometimes it's as to this one-off deep cut. So he appeared in a couple of issues of John Burns, Sensational She Hulk in the early nineties, he was supporting the She Hulk for a few issues. There was a brief cameo and the 2010 series new Avengers where he applied to be a babysitter for Luke Cage and Jessica Jones' daughter  Jessika: Oh, geez.  Mike: It was, it was actually pretty funny. He wound up helping out Rocket Raccoon in this backup story of a 2011 series called the Annihilaters, and then he also teamed up with Deadpool around the same time. And that's the issue where you see, it looks like he's actually got a fully replaced skull made out of metal. They, they, they do one of those like cross section cuts where you see [00:40:00] where you see underneath the scan, it looks like he's got just an all-metal skull. Jessika: Yeah.  Mike: Yeah. And then after that,  we haven't heard much about him in the Marvel Universe, but weirdly his brother Jefferson has appeared a bit too. So, he was listed as a character in the Dark Reign files, which was a who's who guide to various Marvel villains in 2009. And it actually retcon his story. Basically it claims that the highway man, after staying on earth wound up actually cutting a deal with Satan, in quotes, whoever that is. And then he wound up fighting against ghost writer. And then aside from the issue where Deadpool teamed up with his brother, he winds up fighting against Deadpool again in 2016 or so. Jessika: That's super random.  Mike: Yeah. And now we're in 2021 and it's been a few years since we've seen Ulysses and his friends show up. But I personally think that we're kind of overdue to have them come back like. Jessika: I [00:41:00] want to see Poppa Wheelie in something.  Mike: Right.  I would love to see him show up as a strong support character in one of those like heroes on the run stories where, whatever hero of the book is being pursued by,  the government or something like that. And then he basically winds up providing kind of a mobile base of operations or something like that. And then he helps them keep our heroes one step ahead of the law.  Jessika: Yeah. Like he floats down on the Shortstop, like space station or something. Yeah. That'd be cool as heck.  Mike: Yeah or something,  I mean, there's so many different ways you could go, you could have him come back to earth and he just winds up working as a trucker again, because that's what he really likes. He misses driving through the natural beauty of America, something like that. You know, I think there could be some really fun opportunities.  And I really hope that Marvel brings him back at some point, because he was just this really fun, weird character. And it was strange and it was silly, but it was also very sweet. So that is U.S. 1 in a nutshell, [00:42:00] what are your final thoughts on it? Jessika: I think it was a lot of fun. It was bananagrams, you know, all the way to the top, but  it was fun.  Mike: Yeah.   All right. It is now time for that part of the episode called Brain Wrinkles, which is when we like to discuss things that are Comics related that are just sticking in our head and won't get out. Do you mind if I go first?  Jessika: Oh, please do.  Mike: All right. I was going to talk about the recent news that Marvel's hired someone to direct Blade, but I'm actually way more excited about something else. There's this podcast called Comic Book Couples Counseling, which is this absolutely rad show. It's hosted by married couple, Brad and Lisa Gullickson, and they take relationships between comics characters, and then examine them through the lens of different self-help love gurus.   So they've been super supportive of us so far. Like they've actually retweeted [00:43:00] our stuff and their show is really fun. But, I was recently reading through a whole bunch of nineties Valiant comics that I managed to pick up from the Bat Cave in Santa Rosa when they have this blind box sale. And one of the series contained in these boxes is called the Second Life of Dr. Mirage. And it's one of the series that I collected when I was a kid it's about this married couple named Hwen Fong and Carmen Ruiz, who were his pair of psychologists. Hwen is this kind of like nebbish little guy, and Carmen is this bruiser, like, she's the bad-ass of the pair. There's this early scene where she winds up saving him from zombies because she's a master of Kappa Wera, which is, you know, it makes sense, cause she's from Brazil. And then in the first issue, they run a foul of Valiance resident necromancer named master dark and he kills Hwen, but then Hwen comes back as a ghost, sort of a ghost kind of a thing. Jessika: Hm.  Mike: But I was reading through the series and I was really struck how this was a superhero comic that actually focused on an [00:44:00] adult relationship and relationship issues that come along with the supernatural stuff, like early on Carmen has a pretty heartfelt talk with her undead husband about how difficult it is for her emotionally, because he's still with her, but she can't touch him. Jessika: Oh my god.  Mike: And anyway, so I wound up tweeting about it, cause I thought the couple would make a good topic for Comic Book Couples Counseling, and they wound up picking up all the back issues like that day. And they're going to do an episode about the characters. So I'm super excited to listen to this.  Jessika: Oh, that's super fun.  Mike: Yeah, Jessika: See, and I was going to talk about the same thing.  Mike: I'm sorry, I stole your thunder. Jessika: No, that's okay though. They're so good. So I'm that person who has to start from episode one, because. Mike: They've got a lot of episodes too. Jessika: They do they're back to 2018. So  I just went all the way back and it's so [00:45:00] fun though. I like to get that rapport. I like to make sure I have that parasocial, you know, relationship really hooked in there with all the podcasts I listen to. So, the first section that they did cause they always do kind of like a month at a time, focused on one set of characters. The first one was the relationship facets of Jean Gray and Scott Summers from the X-Men. And I love the X-Men. So, it was really neat to hear all of the different ways that they had a relationship and then they were comparing it to a book about relationships. It was very interesting. It was very topical, and I liked that they also are very sweet and introspective about their own relationship. Mike: It's really lovely.  Jessika: Yeah. And like what they can do, what they can take out of it to apply to their own marriage, which is it's so sweet. So thank you guys. You guys are great.  Mike: Yeah. Comic Book Couples Counseling, Brad and [00:46:00] Lisa, absolutely friends of the podcast.  Jessika: Absolutely.  Mike: And you know, if they ever want to come on here, they are more than welcome and we will talk about whatever they want to talk about.  Jessika: Open invitation. I'll even read a I'll even. I'm not in a couple, but I'll read a self-help book. Like if that's what it takes.  Mike:  All right. I think that's all from us. we'll be back in two weeks and until then, we'll see you in the stacks.  Thanks for listening to Ten Cent Takes. Accessibility is important to us, so text transcriptions of each of our published episodes can be found on our website.  This episode was hosted by Jessika Frazer and Mike Thompson written by Mike Thompson and edited by Jessika Frazer. Our intro theme was written and performed by Jared Emerson- Johnson of Bay Area Sound, our credits and transition music is Pursuit of Life by Evan MacDonald, and was purchased with a standard license from PremiumBeat. Our banner graphics were [00:47:00] designed by Sarah Frank. You can find on Instagram as @lookmomdraws. Jessika: If you'd like to get in touch with us, ask us questions or tell us about how we got something wrong, please head over to tencenttakes.com, or shoot an email to tencenttakes@gmail.com. You can also find us on Twitter, the official podcast account is @tencenttakes. Jessika is @jessikawitha, and Jessika is spelled with a K, and Mike is @vansau, V A N S A U. Mike: If you'd like to support us, be sure to download, rate and review wherever you listen. Jessika: Stay safe out there.  Mike: And support your local comic shop.

"What Is... the Power?" - X-Men #56, written by Roy Thomas, art by Neal Adams and Tom Palmer, ©1969 Marvel Comics"The Eve of... Annihilation!" - Incredible Hulk #116, written by Stan Lee, art by Herb Trimpe and Dan Adkins, ©1969 Marvel Comics"Burn, Namor... Burn!" - Sub-Mariner #14, written by Roy Thomas, art by Marie Severin and "Joe Gaudioso" (Mike Esposito), ©1969 Marvel Comics"When a Galaxy Beckons..." - Captain Marvel #14, written by Gary Friedrich, art by Frank Springer and Vince Colletta, ©1969 Marvel Comics"Like a Death Ray From the Sky!" - Avengers #64, written by Roy Thomas, art by Gene Colan and George Klein, ©1969 Marvel Comics"Worlds Without End!" - Silver Surfer #6, written by Stan Lee, art by John Buscema and Sal Buscema, ©1969 Marvel Comics"The Night of the Panther!" - Daredevil #52, written by Roy Thomas, art by Barry Smith and Johnny Craig, ©1969 Marvel Comics"Lest Mankind Fall!" - Thor #164, by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby w/Vince Colletta, ©1969 Marvel Comics"Marvel by the Month" theme v. 2.0 by Robb Milne, sung by Barb Allen, with bass by Ryan ‘Biff' Dudder. All incidental music by Robb Milne. Visit us on internet at marvelbythemonth.com, follow us on Instagram at @marvelbythemonth and support us on Patreon at patreon.com/marvelbythemonth.

Quarter-Bin Podcast #169Police Action #2, Atlas Comics, cover-dated April 1975."Taxi 2147 is Missing," by Gary Friedrich, with art by Mike Sekowsky & Al McWilliams. and "Whatever Happened to Luke Malone?" by Gary Friedrich, with art by Mike Ploog and Frank Springer.What happens when Professor Alan visits New York City in 1975? Does he get mugged? Taken hostage? Does he make it out alive?Listen to the episode and find out!Click on the player below to listen to the episode:  Right-click to download episode directly You may also subscribe to the podcast through iTunes or the RSS Feed. Promo: What the Frell?Next Episode: Six from Sirius 1 & 2, Epic Comics, cover-dated July and August 1984.  Send e-mail feedback to relativelygeeky@gmail.com "Like" us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/relativelygeekyYou can follow the network on Twitter @Relatively_Geek and the host @ProfessorAlanSource: World's Greatest Comics

"Eternity, Eternity" - Doctor Strange #180, written by Roy Thomas, art by Gene Colan and Tom Palmer, ©1969 Marvel Comics"And In This Corner... Goliath!" - Avengers #63, written by Roy Thomas, art by Gene Colan and George Klein, ©1969 Marvel Comics"Captives of the Controller!" - Iron Man #13, written by Archie Goodwin, art by George Tuska and Johnny Craig, ©1969 Marvel Comics"Traitors or Heroes?" - Captain Marvel #13, written by Gary Friedrich, art by Frank Springer and Vince Colletta, ©1969 Marvel Comics"Rocked by the Shocker!" - Amazing Spider-Man #72, written by Stan Lee, art by John Buscema, John Romita, and Jim Mooney, ©1969 Marvel Comics"Lo, the Leader Lives!" - Incredible Hulk #115, written by Stan Lee, art by Herb Trimpe and Dan Adkins, ©1969 Marvel Comics"Death, Thou Shalt Die!" - Sub-Mariner #13, written by Roy Thomas, art by Marie Severin and Joe Sinnott, ©1969 Marvel ComicsNot Brand Echh #13, ©1969 Marvel Comics"The Living Pharaoh!" - X-Men #55, written by Roy Thomas, art by Don Heck, Werner Roth, and Vince Colletta, ©1969 Marvel Comics"Marvel by the Month" theme v. 2.0 by Robb Milne, sung by Barb Allen, with bass by Ryan ‘Biff' Dudder. All incidental music by Robb Milne. Visit us on internet at marvelbythemonth.com, follow us on Instagram at @marvelbythemonth and support us on Patreon at patreon.com/marvelbythemonth.

Kevin Jank once again joins Mike-DELL & Mike-EL for Dazzler V Rogue: Dawn of X! Straight from the Sisterhood of Evil Mutants (!), the pre-X-men southern belle Rogue exacts her revenge on Allison Blaire, aka: Dazzler! Frank Springer does writing and pencils, while Vince Colletta handles the inks.

The Transformers get mixed up with Spider-Man! Plus, Spidey makes a brief appearance in a Hulk anniversary issue. G.I.Jolie, Joshua Murr-VELL + Mike-EL review The Transformers #3, by Jim Salicrup, Frank Springer, Kim DeMulder + Mike Esposito and Incredible Hulk #300, by Bill Mantlo, Sal Buscema + Gerry Talaoc. www.ComicBookSyndicate.com

Marvel Two-in-One #74 from the Christmas of 1980 by Mark Guenwald and Frank Springer

EPISODE 80: Welcome to the New Year!! The High Priests see in the new year with a double episode of sorts where they cover both the New Moon and the Waning Crescent! Connor and Rey discuss the merits of Randall and his role in Moon Knight's canon with a Spotlight on his character and appearance throughout the various Moon Knight series -   PHASE OF THE MOON: NEW MOON SPOTLIGHT REVIEW - RANDALL SPECTOR REFERENCES TO: HULK #17-18;  MARC SPECTOR:MOON KNIGHT #35-38; SHADOWLAND - MOON KNIGHT #1-2 Whether loved or hated, Randall cuts an interesting figure who's potential could see him return in any future runs of our Fist of Khonshu! Then if that's not enough, the High Priests then continue with their Classic Run review of Moon Knight comics as they chronologically appeared...and this time around it's Moench's second stab (no pun intended) at the inaugural Moon Knight series in 1980! PHASE OF THE MOON: WANING CRESCENT LUNAR-PICK CLASSIC RUN REVIEW MOON KNIGHT VOL. 1 #2 - 'THE SLASHER' Released December 1980 writer - Doug Moench artist - Bill Sienkiewicz inker - Frank Springer colourist - Carl Gafford letterer - Annette Kawecki editors - Dennis O'Neill + Mark Gruenwald SHOW NOTES: Randall Spector (Marvel Wiki) Randall Spector (Marvel.com) Randall Spector (Wiki) Randall Spector (Comicvine) Moon Knight Vol. 1 #2 Every Marvel Hero Rumored to Appear in the MCU After Avengers Endgame The Top-10 Comic Book Covers of 2018 - from Geeks World Wide...honourable mention Marquand Denies Rumours of Moon Knight WHERE TO HEAR US: Podcast Page Apple Podcast Google Play Music Spotify Overcast SoundCloud Stitcher Tunein Podbean Into the Knight RSS Feed YouTube DROP US A LINE: Blog: www.intotheknightpodcast.wordpress.com Podcast Page: http://intotheknight.libsyn.com Email: itkmoonknight@gmail.com FB Page: Into the Knight- A Moon Knight Podcast Page FB Group: Into the Knight- A Moon Knight Fan Base FB Chat: The Loony Bin Twitter: @ITKmoonknight Instagram: ITK Moon Knight Tumblr: Knight Shifts Blog Discord ITK Server: ITK Server CREDITS: Music Written, Performed and generously provided by Deleter: https://deleter.bandcamp.com/ ITK Logo Graphic Design by The High Priests of Khonshu ITK Graphic Design produced and assisted by Randolph Benoit: https://twitter.com/randolphbenoit https://www.youtube.com/randolphbenoit  Proud Member of The Collective The music for this episode contains excerpts from various songs and is copyrighted by Deleter. The music agreed for use on Into the Knight - A Moon Knight Podcast is licensed under an Attribution License;

EPISODE 75: High Priests Connor and Rey return to give you something you probably weren't expecting...but was kinda expecting a while ago... but recently we mentioned it was postponed....confused yet?? Yes, despite previous announcements, we ARE finally reviewing the inaugural issue of the first solo title of Moon Knight, penned by Doug Moench and drawn by equal legend Bill Sienkiewicz! After a run of cameo appearances, we finally get to the very first MK title for review... get ready for heavy gushing and fanboy-ing to occur!! PHASE OF THE MOON: WANING CRESCENT LUNAR-PICK, CLASSIC RUN REVIEW: MOON KNIGHT VOL. 1, ISSUE #1 Released August 1980 (writer) Doug Moench (artist) Bill Sienkiewicz, Frank Springer (colours) Bob Sharen (letterer) Tom Orzechowski (editors) Dennis O'Neill, Mark Gruenwald MOON RATING (out of phases of the Moon): Connor:  Waning Gibbous

Audio drama podcast from Marvel, then we go old school and visit a comic from Ancient Rome and the 60s. Let’s get into it and nerd it up. Episode Links: Wolverine:The Long Night Podcast Old Time Radio The History of Rome Podcast Carl D Smith Patreon The Podcast Arcade Art of Lee Bokma Covert Nerd Podcast ----more---- Wolverine the long night podcast is an audio drama based on the Marvel character Wolverine. I hope they do more of these in the future. Shortly after I wrote this it was announced there would be a 2nd season called Marvel’s Wolverine: The Lost Trail. Being in the audio world I know this type of storytelling can be just as difficult to make as making a comic book.  Both are a great way to tell a story and both are taxing on the creators. I have listened to many old time radio broadcasts and they are fun to listen too. If you haven’t listened to old audio dramas I suggest you do it. I will Include a link to old audio drama’s people have posted on Archive.org.  Audio has the good and bad benefit of not being a complete medium. The difference between a TV show and an Audio Drama is, that not everything is thrown at you. When you watch something on a screen you are given both the visual and the audio, your brain doesn’t have to fill in any of the gaps. With Audio your brain has to draw the pictures of the scene and characters for you based on what you hear and what your mind can conjur. In the podcasting world the fiction genre has seen an increase in popularity in the last year.  I believe this will continue to be the case over the next few years. I would assume you are a fan of audio since you are listening now. It’s a personal medium, what I mean is that it’s not something you listen to as a group.  It’s your player of choice and a pair of earbuds. The test on how good a podcast or audio book is, when you are listening in the car does it prevent you from getting out? If it does then it’s a good podcast or audio book. Books on tape comments, I want to take you back in the way back machine to back in the late 90’s I listened to a lot of books on tape. Because back then there were no podcasts.  You had to rewind if the previous person didn’t and the portable tape player I used seemed to go through AA batteries quickly. I’m sounding like the old man yelling at kids to get off my lawn. Fast forward to today and the effort to listen to audio like most things is almost friction-less. Also the barrier of entry to produce a podcast or audiobook is much easier than ever before. I’m not saying either is easy, but the ability to get your product to the consumer is relatively easy compared to 10 years ago. Just like in previous episodes the barrier of entry is lower, which is a good thing for all of us, in my opinion.  If you like a particular podcast please let them know. Sometimes we as podcasters wonder if anyone is listening. All the podcasters I talk with and listen to, they all 100% agree when they get an email from a listener it gives them a boost. It helps them be more excited for the next episode. I think this would be a good idea for most of the things we consume. Whether it’s a blog post or piece of digital art, let the creator know you like it. It’s doesn’t have to be lengthy, a simple “good job, keep up the good work.” will do wonders for a creators moral. And that’s why I try to do as many shout outs to the people who contact with me. I hope you will give them a look and get some value and let them know they are putting out good content.   Britannia comic from Valiant Ruled by the Fates. Manipulated by the Gods. Commanded by Caesar. In the year 65 A.D., one’s destiny was not his own. At the height of Nero’s reign, a veteran of Rome’s imperial war machine has been dispatched to the farthest reaches of the colonies to investigate unnatural happenings… In the remote outpost of Britannia, Antonius Axia – the First Detective – will become Rome’s only hope to reassert control over the empire’s most barbaric frontier…and keep the monsters that bridge the line between myth and mystery at bay… There are 3 volumes released as of this recording, and all 3 are fabulous. Writer: Peter Milligan keeps the dialog moving along nicely and also keeps you wondering about who did it until the very last page. The art by Juan Jose Ryp goes into such details and seems to get the period piece correctly.  He is meticulous about the details. For example on a page we see our hero walking down the street and he draws the details of each street vendor down to the apples.  Veteran legionnaire Antonius Axia is the detective who is hesitantly working for the mad emperor Nero. Imagine Sherlock Holmes being thrust back into Roman times to solve crimes for the empire.   When I first saw the solicit last year I wasn’t interested, but I saw it again a month ago and couldn’t stop reading all of them. If you are a Roman history fan you will love it, if you are not you will still appreciate the art and the amazing story. Side note if you want to hear a great Roman history podcast The History of Rome by Mike Duncan.  It’s an older one but still a great podcast. Mike goes out of his way to get everything as accurate as he can.  He starts with the founding of Rome by Romulus and Remus and ends with the last western emperor in 472 AD. It’s fantastic is the best way to sum up his detailed podcast. I will include a link in the show notes.   The Secret Six first appeared during the initial team's seven-issue title Secret Six (May 1968 – May 1969). Unusually, the premiere issue's story began on the cover, and continued on the interior's page one. This strike team of covert operatives consisted of August Durant, Lili de Neuve, Carlo di Rienzi, Mike Tempest, Crimson Dawn and King Savage.   Created by writer E. Nelson Bridwell and artist Frank Springer, the ongoing series ceased publication with the identity of Mockingbird unrevealed. Friend Carl D Smith who’s is a writer with a patreon by the way.  I will include a link in the show notes he had mentioned the secret six along time ago and I decided to check it out.  I liked the simplicity of the story telling, there’s not a who lot of complicated characters and in depth storylines. The team is given an assignment and they are tasked with completing the assignment. One story is to recover stolen jewels another is to steal plans for a secret jet before the communist get them. Sometimes a person only wants to read a simple action issue and be done. Like all teams each member has their own set of skills and abilities. This allows the story to use each member to complete their mission. Although the title is 50 years old I still like the story telling.  The fact that it is 50 years old is part of the fun. You can tell this was written at the height of the cold war, the reader hears the word “commie” multiple times are a product of their times. Also the old school ads are interesting and funny. Like the 2 man submarine for only $6.90 and selling greeting cards for “amazing prizes!”  I will post pictures in the show notes. Issue number one they start the story on the cover, which is a very unique thing to do.    Thanks to The guys over at the podcast arcade Lee Bokma art of Lee Bokma on Facebook and Carl D Smith   Ads in the Secret Six    

Tim is out of town this week, so Kent and Marc just sit and talk about the various comics they've read this week!  We discussed- The Autumnlands #11 by Kurt Busiek and Benjamin Dewey, from Image Comics, The Mighty Thor Annual #13 by Alan Zelenetz and John Buscema from Marvel Comics, Black Road #3 by Brian Wood & Garry Brown by Image Comics, Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #7 by Archie Goodwin and Frank Springer from Marvel Comics, Deadly Class #21 by  Rick Remender and Wes Craig, Marvel Comics Presents Wolverine #51, by Rob Liefeld from Marvel Comics, Injection #10 by Warren Ellis and Declan Shalvey from Image Comics, Batman Annual #18 by Doug Moench and Frederico Cueva from DC Comics, and Paper Girls #6 by Brian K. Vaughn and Cliff Chaing from Image Comics. This show is unofficially brought to you by the betterment of the show by Tim's absence.   Follow us on Twitter: @timvanautreve @personman44 @cnupodcast @kentwagenschutz Find us on the rest of the Internet:  Facebook iTunes Stitcher Dig this podcast? You'll love the other ones here:  Benview Network Digging that sweet, sweet theme song?  The Fantastic Plastics are super mega ultra rad.   

This week we tackle Revival Vol. 1, published by Image Comics, written by Tim Seeley and art by Mike Norton.  We also discuss Orpheus by Dale Mettam, Sallamari Rantala, and the super-sexy Jeremiah Lambert, She-Hulk #10 by Charles Soule and Javier Pulido, and G.I. Joe #29 by Larry Hama and Frank Springer. Follow Us On Twitter @supertim82@personman44  Follow Us on the Internets (giving us ratings is super dope):iTunesStitcher Listen to Other Awesome BenView Podcasts:BenViewNetwork.com is the where you can discover the wonder of BenView!   Love the Theme Song?The Fantastic Plastics are rad! #comics #dccomics #jessicajones #strawberryjelly #alias

It's almost Thanksgiving, and Jay and Mike are busting out the cranberry sauce and yams! We talk about the comics we're thankful for - "Klaus" and the new "Archie" reboot - and then Mike recaps "The Vision and the Scarlet Witch" #6, where we prove that Magneto makes an absolutely terrible dinner guest. Finally, we play "Super-Mundane," and discuss which superheroes would be the best, and worst, at hosting Thanksgiving dinner.Pull List: Jay: "Klaus" (BOOM! Studios), written by Grant Morrison, art by Dan Mora. Mike: "Archie" (Archie Comics), written by Mark Waid, art by Fiona Staples. Main Segment: "The Vision and the Scarlet Witch" #6, "No Strings Attached!" (Marvel Comics), written by Steve Englehart, pencils by Richard Howell, inks by Frank Springer. Game: "Super-Mundane - Best / Worst at Hosting Thanksgiving Dinner?"You can check out Mike on the Real Women of Gaming Twitch event, "Cards Against Sobriety," this Saturday, November 20th, 8pm EST / 5pm PST. Tune in at twitch.tv/realwomenofgamingListen to full episodes at PartialArc.com Email us at becausecomics@gmail.com, and find us on Twitter at @partialarc Read Mike's columns every Tuesday and Thursday at PartialArc.com, and follow him on Twitter at @supergeekmike

Jacqueline Zambrano writes a fill-in issue that addresses the racial tension between two of the guys of the 23rd in a story titled "Brothers-in-Arms," which features art by Wayne Vansant and Tony DeZuniga. It's all in The 'Nam #47! Also, starting this episode, I cover another piece of Vietnam-related pop culture. For my first extra feature, I take a look at G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #26 and 27: "Snake Eyes: The Origin," which was written by Larry Hama with art by Hama, Steve Leialoh, Frank Springer, and Andy Mushynsky. Plus ... listener feedback!

Jacqueline Zambrano writes a fill-in issue that addresses the racial tension between two of the guys of the 23rd in a story titled "Brothers-in-Arms," which features art by Wayne Vansant and Tony DeZuniga. It's all in The 'Nam #47! Also, starting this episode, I cover another piece of Vietnam-related pop culture. For my first extra feature, I take a look at G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #26 and 27: "Snake Eyes: The Origin," which was written by Larry Hama with art by Hama, Steve Leialoh, Frank Springer, and Andy Mushynsky. Plus ... listener feedback!

It's Christmas time in the 'Nam and we see the boys of the 23rd treated to some genuine USO entertainment, even if it is a "Blue Christmas" for some of them. It'sThe 'Nam #23, presented to you by Doug Murray, Wayne Vansant, and Frank Springer. As always, in addition to the summary and review of the issue Ill be talking about the storys historical context as well as taking a look at the letters, ‘Nam Notes, and ads.

It's Christmas time in the 'Nam and we see the boys of the 23rd treated to some genuine USO entertainment, even if it is a "Blue Christmas" for some of them. It'sThe 'Nam #23, presented to you by Doug Murray, Wayne Vansant, and Frank Springer. As always, in addition to the summary and review of the issue Ill be talking about the storys historical context as well as taking a look at the letters, ‘Nam Notes, and ads.

IT ALL ENDS HERE!!!Yes, dear friends, what started out as a harmless April Fools Day joke turned into a full fledged look into one of Marvel's more contorversial comics, the Al Milgrom, Frank Springer, and now Steve Ditko collaberation known as U.S.1! This episode, Jay Ferguson and I look at the last two issues of this maligned maxi-series and discuss the faults and merits of it all. Was it truly the train wreck people have made it out to be? Was Steve Ditko's art able to save the final issue. Is Retread the most annoying character ever created? The answers may surprise you. As will the revelation that U.S. Archer and other members from this book have shown up in other Marvel continuity, including John Byrne's run on She-Hulk. So there's got to be something worthwhile in these comics, right? RIGHT??? But you'll never find out unless you download the show, so get to clicking!If you want to check out what Jay plans on doing after this show, look for his new blog called Double Action Review, coming soon!Feedback for this show can be sent to: justoneoftheguyspodcast@gmail.comJust One Of The Guys is a proud member of the Two True Freaks! (http://twotruefreaks.com/main.php) family of podcasts, the best place on the internet to find shows about Star Wars, Star Trek, Comics, Movies, and anything else that the modern geek could ever want. If you are downloading the show through iTunes, be sure to leave a rating, hopefully a FIVE STAR RATING, because every rating we get helps grow the shows on the network! Thanks for listening, and be sure to come back next Friday for another episode of Just One Of The Guys: A Green Lantern Podcast.

IT ALL ENDS HERE!!!Yes, dear friends, what started out as a harmless April Fools Day joke turned into a full fledged look into one of Marvel's more contorversial comics, the Al Milgrom, Frank Springer, and now Steve Ditko collaberation known as U.S.1! This episode, Jay Ferguson and I look at the last two issues of this maligned maxi-series and discuss the faults and merits of it all. Was it truly the train wreck people have made it out to be? Was Steve Ditko's art able to save the final issue. Is Retread the most annoying character ever created? The answers may surprise you. As will the revelation that U.S. Archer and other members from this book have shown up in other Marvel continuity, including John Byrne's run on She-Hulk. So there's got to be something worthwhile in these comics, right? RIGHT??? But you'll never find out unless you download the show, so get to clicking!If you want to check out what Jay plans on doing after this show, look for his new blog called Double Action Review, coming soon!Feedback for this show can be sent to: justoneoftheguyspodcast@gmail.comJust One Of The Guys is a proud member of the Two True Freaks! (http://twotruefreaks.com/main.php) family of podcasts, the best place on the internet to find shows about Star Wars, Star Trek, Comics, Movies, and anything else that the modern geek could ever want. If you are downloading the show through iTunes, be sure to leave a rating, hopefully a FIVE STAR RATING, because every rating we get helps grow the shows on the network! Thanks for listening, and be sure to come back next Friday for another episode of Just One Of The Guys: A Green Lantern Podcast.

Welcome to The World's Silliest Comic Podcast! As our listeners rouse themselves from the annual turkey coma, we head back in time 31 years to celebrate with 20th year of publication of the Fantastic Four with a good old-fashioned roast. Yes, this episode, Steve Lacey and Andrew Leyland present the glorious gag-packed jam issue, Fantastic Four Roast, masterminded by Fred Hembeck. Check out the list of creators: Fred Hembeck, Jim Shooter, Ron Wilson, Jon Byrne, Michael Golden, John Romita Jr, Al Milgrom, Mike Zeck, Bob Layton, Alan Weiss, Sal Buscema, Mike Vosburg, Kerry Gammill, Keith Pollard, Frank Miller, Denys Cowan, Marshall Rogers, John Buscema, Don Perlin, Gene Day, Walt Simonson, Frank Springer, Brent Anderson, Steve Leialoha, Dave Cockrum, Chic Stone, Terry Austin, John Romita Sr, Joe Rubinstein, Joe Sinnott, John Beatty, Bill Anderson, Ricardo Villamonte, Dan Green, Keith Pollard, Klau Janson, Bob McLeod, Bill Sienkiewicz. All this, and one of the greatest number one singles of all time. Don't forget to answer our listener question of the month: We want to know your feel-good Fantastic Four reading experiences! Send in your feedback to fantastic4podcast@gmail.com, leave your comments at the libsyn site, or at fantasticflameon.wordpress.com. Follow us on twitter, where we are @fantasticast

Happy Christmas, and welcome to the first of our two end-of-year special episodes of The Fantasticast. Once again, Steve and Andy are throwing the Lee/Kirby issues out of the window (not literally - we've proved over the past two years just how dangerous hardback collections of these comics can be) and are choosing two issues from across the length and breadth of the 53 years of the Fantastic Four. Andy's selection is up first, and he's chosen 1981's Marvel Two-In-One #74, a Christmas-themed team-up between The Thing and the Puppet-Master. With script by Mark Gruenwald and art by Frank Springer and Chic Stone, this story features a guest-appearance from the best bovine midwife in the world - Bova! Don't forget to answer our listener question of the month: We want to know your feel-good Fantastic Four reading experiences! Send in your feedback to fantastic4podcast@gmail.com, leave your comments at the libsyn site, or at fantasticflameon.wordpress.com. Follow us on twitter, where we are @fantasticast

At last, the penultimate episode of the show you never thought would end...soon enough. Or something like that. Anyhow its time for another episode of Just One of Them There Guys, where Jay Ferguson and I, Shawn Engel, dive headlong into the final leg of the journey we started in April covering the Marvel Maxi-Series, U.S.1! This time out, we're covering issues nine and ten, and things are ramping up towards the conclusion. We finally get the reveal of just who Midnight was (it was pretty obvious), we get the reveal of who the Highwayman really was (it was pretty head-scratching), and we get the unexpected return of the aliens from issue five (it was completely out of the blue). Plus we talk about transvestite Danny Bonnaduce, how awesome a U.S.1 cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy would be, and what horrible characters Retread and Baron von Blimp are. Plus...NAZIS!!! So if you are even mildly interested about finding out who would win between a group of truck stop diners and a battalion of Nazi soldiers, I suggest you grab your mp3 player of choice, download the show, and start to listening!Feedback for this show can be sent to: justoneoftheguyspodcast@gmail.comJust One Of The Guys is a proud member of the Two True Freaks! (http://twotruefreaks.com/main.php) family of podcasts, the best place on the internet to find shows about Star Wars, Star Trek, Comics, Movies, and anything else that the modern geek could ever want. If you are downloading the show through iTunes, be sure to leave a rating, hopefully a FIVE STAR RATING, because every rating we get helps grow the shows on the network! Thanks for listening, and be sure to come back next Friday for another episode of Just One Of The Guys: A Green Lantern Podcast.

At last, the penultimate episode of the show you never thought would end...soon enough. Or something like that. Anyhow its time for another episode of Just One of Them There Guys, where Jay Ferguson and I, Shawn Engel, dive headlong into the final leg of the journey we started in April covering the Marvel Maxi-Series, U.S.1! This time out, we're covering issues nine and ten, and things are ramping up towards the conclusion. We finally get the reveal of just who Midnight was (it was pretty obvious), we get the reveal of who the Highwayman really was (it was pretty head-scratching), and we get the unexpected return of the aliens from issue five (it was completely out of the blue). Plus we talk about transvestite Danny Bonnaduce, how awesome a U.S.1 cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy would be, and what horrible characters Retread and Baron von Blimp are. Plus...NAZIS!!! So if you are even mildly interested about finding out who would win between a group of truck stop diners and a battalion of Nazi soldiers, I suggest you grab your mp3 player of choice, download the show, and start to listening!Feedback for this show can be sent to: justoneoftheguyspodcast@gmail.comJust One Of The Guys is a proud member of the Two True Freaks! (http://twotruefreaks.com/main.php) family of podcasts, the best place on the internet to find shows about Star Wars, Star Trek, Comics, Movies, and anything else that the modern geek could ever want. If you are downloading the show through iTunes, be sure to leave a rating, hopefully a FIVE STAR RATING, because every rating we get helps grow the shows on the network! Thanks for listening, and be sure to come back next Friday for another episode of Just One Of The Guys: A Green Lantern Podcast.

You know you wanted it, you just hoped you'd forget about it! It's time again for the adventures of Ulysses Solomon Archer and his wacky band of Deep South stereotypes in this brand new episode of Just One Of Them There Guys. This time out, Jay Ferguson and Shawn Engel are covering issues seven and eight of U.S.1 which includes talking semis, hypnotized stoners, douchebag criminals, Stephen Frey, The Vulture, missile strikes against human targets, shadowy villains who love some Late Night with David Letterman, and so much more. And despite the bad word of mouth the books get, there's a lot to enjoy in these books. So unless you want to see Taryn re-enact a scene from Cronenberg's Crash, I suggest you grab your mp3 player of choice, download the show, and get to listening!Feedback for this show can be sent to: justoneoftheguyspodcast@gmail.comJust One Of The Guys is a proud member of the Two True Freaks! (http://twotruefreaks.com/main.php) family of podcasts, the best place on the internet to find shows about Star Wars, Star Trek, Comics, Movies, and anything else that the modern geek could ever want. If you are downloading the show through iTunes, be sure to leave a rating, hopefully a FIVE STAR RATING, because every rating we get helps grow the shows on the network! Thanks for listening, and be sure to come back next Friday for another episode of Just One Of The Guys: A Green Lantern Podcast.

You know you wanted it, you just hoped you'd forget about it! It's time again for the adventures of Ulysses Solomon Archer and his wacky band of Deep South stereotypes in this brand new episode of Just One Of Them There Guys. This time out, Jay Ferguson and Shawn Engel are covering issues seven and eight of U.S.1 which includes talking semis, hypnotized stoners, douchebag criminals, Stephen Frey, The Vulture, missile strikes against human targets, shadowy villains who love some Late Night with David Letterman, and so much more. And despite the bad word of mouth the books get, there's a lot to enjoy in these books. So unless you want to see Taryn re-enact a scene from Cronenberg's Crash, I suggest you grab your mp3 player of choice, download the show, and get to listening!Feedback for this show can be sent to: justoneoftheguyspodcast@gmail.comJust One Of The Guys is a proud member of the Two True Freaks! (http://twotruefreaks.com/main.php) family of podcasts, the best place on the internet to find shows about Star Wars, Star Trek, Comics, Movies, and anything else that the modern geek could ever want. If you are downloading the show through iTunes, be sure to leave a rating, hopefully a FIVE STAR RATING, because every rating we get helps grow the shows on the network! Thanks for listening, and be sure to come back next Friday for another episode of Just One Of The Guys: A Green Lantern Podcast.

Just when you thought it was safe to update your iTunes library... It's time for another episode of Just One of Them There Guys, where Jay Ferguson and Shawn Engel take a look at the comic that dared to defy the zeitgeist of the time and put out a book about trucking well past it's shelf life. This time out, we are covering U.S.1 issue five, where the writers clearly decided that reason be damned, we're writing whatever the heck we want. This is made apparent by a series of mazes containing various natural disasters created by an alien that learned English from listening to CB radio conversations. Yep, the WTF meter just got turned up to eleven. And in issue six it doesn't let up, as Wide Load Annie decides the best way to deal with a banker with the most egregious name ever would be to threaten to beat him to death with a giant wrench in front of the police. Hilarity ensues. Plus more of our favorite metal skulled trucker and his definitely high sidekick. You don't want to miss it. So unless you want 20 lashes with the Hypno-Whip, I suggest you grab your mp3 player of choice, download the show, and get to listening! Feedback for this show can be sent to: justoneoftheguyspodcast@gmail.comJust One Of The Guys is a proud member of the Two True Freaks! (http://twotruefreaks.com/main.php) family of podcasts, the best place on the internet to find shows about Star Wars, Star Trek, Comics, Movies, and anything else that the modern geek could ever want. If you are downloading the show through iTunes, be sure to leave a rating, hopefully a FIVE STAR RATING, because every rating we get helps grow the shows on the network! Thanks for listening, and be sure to come back next Friday for another episode of Just One Of The Guys: A Green Lantern Podcast.

Just when you thought it was safe to update your iTunes library... It's time for another episode of Just One of Them There Guys, where Jay Ferguson and Shawn Engel take a look at the comic that dared to defy the zeitgeist of the time and put out a book about trucking well past it's shelf life. This time out, we are covering U.S.1 issue five, where the writers clearly decided that reason be damned, we're writing whatever the heck we want. This is made apparent by a series of mazes containing various natural disasters created by an alien that learned English from listening to CB radio conversations. Yep, the WTF meter just got turned up to eleven. And in issue six it doesn't let up, as Wide Load Annie decides the best way to deal with a banker with the most egregious name ever would be to threaten to beat him to death with a giant wrench in front of the police. Hilarity ensues. Plus more of our favorite metal skulled trucker and his definitely high sidekick. You don't want to miss it. So unless you want 20 lashes with the Hypno-Whip, I suggest you grab your mp3 player of choice, download the show, and get to listening! Feedback for this show can be sent to: justoneoftheguyspodcast@gmail.comJust One Of The Guys is a proud member of the Two True Freaks! (http://twotruefreaks.com/main.php) family of podcasts, the best place on the internet to find shows about Star Wars, Star Trek, Comics, Movies, and anything else that the modern geek could ever want. If you are downloading the show through iTunes, be sure to leave a rating, hopefully a FIVE STAR RATING, because every rating we get helps grow the shows on the network! Thanks for listening, and be sure to come back next Friday for another episode of Just One Of The Guys: A Green Lantern Podcast.

Howdy y'all, and welcome back to another episode of Just One of Them There Guys, a U.S.1 podcast... ... ... Yep, it isn't just an April Fools joke, we're really going through with this to the possibly bitter end by covering the entire run of Al Milgrom extravaganza that chronicles the story of a trucker and his truck. And his horribly stereotypical cohorts. This time around Jay Ferguson and I cover issues #3 and #4 of the series, where we meet trucker Lee Van Cleef, Baron Von Blimp, and Retread, a person with the most unfortunate name ever in comicdom. We witness laser firing semis, attacks from dirigibles, Scooby-Doo level of endings, and a race between a blimp and a semi to determine who can more effectively haul a load of live chickens. Yes, it is as enthralling as it sounds, which of course means not very much at all. All that you could ever want out of a show about trucking and more awaits. So grab your mp3 player of choice, download the show, and get to listening!Feedback for this show can be sent to: justoneoftheguyspodcast@gmail.comJust One Of The Guys is a proud member of the Two True Freaks! (http://twotruefreaks.com/main.php) family of podcasts, the best place on the internet to find shows about Star Wars, Star Trek, Comics, Movies, and anything else that the modern geek could ever want. If you are downloading the show through iTunes, be sure to leave a rating, hopefully a FIVE STAR RATING, because every rating we get helps grow the shows on the network! Thanks for listening, and be sure to come back next Friday for another episode of Just One Of The Guys: A Green Lantern Podcast.

Howdy y'all, and welcome back to another episode of Just One of Them There Guys, a U.S.1 podcast... ... ... Yep, it isn't just an April Fools joke, we're really going through with this to the possibly bitter end by covering the entire run of Al Milgrom extravaganza that chronicles the story of a trucker and his truck. And his horribly stereotypical cohorts. This time around Jay Ferguson and I cover issues #3 and #4 of the series, where we meet trucker Lee Van Cleef, Baron Von Blimp, and Retread, a person with the most unfortunate name ever in comicdom. We witness laser firing semis, attacks from dirigibles, Scooby-Doo level of endings, and a race between a blimp and a semi to determine who can more effectively haul a load of live chickens. Yes, it is as enthralling as it sounds, which of course means not very much at all. All that you could ever want out of a show about trucking and more awaits. So grab your mp3 player of choice, download the show, and get to listening!Feedback for this show can be sent to: justoneoftheguyspodcast@gmail.comJust One Of The Guys is a proud member of the Two True Freaks! (http://twotruefreaks.com/main.php) family of podcasts, the best place on the internet to find shows about Star Wars, Star Trek, Comics, Movies, and anything else that the modern geek could ever want. If you are downloading the show through iTunes, be sure to leave a rating, hopefully a FIVE STAR RATING, because every rating we get helps grow the shows on the network! Thanks for listening, and be sure to come back next Friday for another episode of Just One Of The Guys: A Green Lantern Podcast.

This time around, we talk about archive editions and the people that purchase them, Wizard's acquisition of the Big Apple Con, DC's new 40-page, $3.99 titles with special "co-features", G. I. Joe #4, Flash: Rebirth #1, Watchmen: Tales of the Black Freighter DVD, Alan Moore's Light of thy Countenance from the fine folks at Avatar, Len Wein, Frank Springer, Air from Vertigo, Evan Dorkin, a Beanworld nut shot, and much more! Yes, there are Hotline messages aplenty!