Welcome to Comics

It's the last episode with our 80's expert guest and we're talking about volume 3 of the classic Marvel run of GI Joe by Larry Hama. We chose to jump on midway through the series as this collection kicks off with one of the most famous single issues of comics ever made in the 1980's: Snakeyes' wordless rescue of Scarlett. We talk about the inherent silliness of the Joes' world, laugh at the villainy of Cobra Commander, and debate Joe names versus urban dictionary. Plus, we reminisce about that time David got owned by Yoda. To hear past episodes, go to www.WelcometoComics.com. Support the show today and check out bonus content over at www.patreon.com/WelcometoComics. Next time: “Invincible Iron Man: Ironheart: Riri Williams" by Brian Michael Bendis

Eighties expert and retro streamer J-money joins us for another retake on a classic as we read "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Change is Constant" by Kevin Eastman and Tom Waltz. In this re-telling of the turtles' origin, three of the brothers seek their missing counterpart while another agent is out for revenge. We talk about the background and context of the TMNT franchise, discuss the characterizations of each of these turtles, and try to figure out how these mutated animals view their world. Plus, we talk about "Solo: A Star Wars Story" spoiler-free for about 10 minutes up top. To hear past episodes, go to www.WelcometoComics.com. Support the show today and check out bonus content over at www.patreon.com/WelcometoComics. Next time: “G.I. Joe: Volume 3" by Larry Hama

We're joined by a special guest to take on a new 80's nostalgia series, starting with "Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers" by Nick Roche and James Roberts. A squad of kick-butt robos is tasked with an infiltration and retrieval mission that seems to only ever get worse and worse. We talk about this book's capacity for quick character development in a frenetic, action-oriented storyline. Nostalgia plays a special role in this comic, too, as readers familiar with the franchise are confronted by their own expectations. Impactor's arc comes full circle, but a lot of good Autobots just don't make it. Plus, we talk about Deanna Troi a little bit. To hear past episodes, go to www.WelcometoComics.com. Support the show today and check out bonus content over at www.patreon.com/WelcometoComics. Next time: “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Change is Constant" by Kevin Eastman and Tom Waltz

We're ending our discussion about legacy characters by talking about "JSA: Black Vengeance" by Geoff Johns. In this book, the young members of the JSA travel back in time to inspire the team's original heroes after being disbanded by HUAC. We bring in our discussion of Starman with Courtney Whitmore while also talking about the overall theme of legacy that's all over this trade paperback. But more than that, how is Per Degaton this goofy while also being this evil? What's up with Atom Smasher? How disrupted and rushed is the story with the Infinite Crisis tie-in? To hear past episodes, go to www.WelcometoComics.com. Support the show today and check out bonus content over at www.patreon.com/WelcometoComics. Next time: “Transformers: Last Stand of the Wreckers" by Nick Roche and James Roberts

James Robinson's Starman is one of DC comics' legendary runs, so of course, we have to read "Starman: Sins of the Father" for our legacy character discussion. In this comic, Jack Knight reluctantly picks up the mantle of Starman from his father to defend Opal City from The Mist. We talk about the rich family dynamic of the Knights, the self-motivated Shade, and of course the themes of legacy and inheritance. Plus, that gorgeous art just brings Opal City to life, doesn't it? To hear past episodes, go to www.WelcometoComics.com. Support the show today and check out bonus content over at www.patreon.com/WelcometoComics. Next time: “JSA: Black Vengeance" by Geoff Johns

We open our discussion of Legacy characters with Starman by reading "JSA: Strange Adventures" by Kevin J. Anderson. In this retro-feeling comic, the JSA battles the mysterious Lord Dynamo and his Zeppelin. We talk about the old school vibes, Johnny Thunder, dodged complexity, and on-point art. This comic is a work of love, and it shows, but does Golden Age storytelling hold up? Plus, are you hyped for Infinity War? To hear past episodes, go to www.WelcometoComics.com. Support the show today and check out bonus content over at www.patreon.com/WelcometoComics. Next time: “Starman: Sins of the Father" by James Robinson

We call an audible for our Best of 2017 series and round it out with "Hawkeye: Kate Bishop: Anchor Points" by Kelly Thompson. We've seen Kate Bishop before in Young Avengers and Matt Fraction's Hawkeye, and now we follow her out to the West Coast as she tries to make it on her own as a PI. This comic does a fantastic job of balancing the follow-through of Kate's character from previous titles with the ability for new readers to jump on. We talk about her relationship with Jessica Jones, the role of the focused art, and Kate's magnetic personality. Plus, David finds out he's been butchering his boss' name for years. To hear past episodes, go to www.WelcometoComics.com. Support the show today and check out bonus content over at www.patreon.com/WelcometoComics. Next time: “JSA Strange Adventures" by Kevin J. Anderson

We pick up "The Flintstones" by Mark Russell for the next installment in our Best of 2017 series and are caught off guard and blown away. This episodic resurrection of the cartoon/live-action/vitamin-based franchise lands a surprisingly perfect balance between humor and poignant social commentary. We talk about all the ways this comic is great: the moments we laughed, the moments that got us thinking, and the moments we took away. Could a Flintstones comic book actually be "Capital L" Literature? Plus, we talk about Star Trek: Discovery, Babylon 5, and Stargate's daunting barriers to entry. This week's comic discussion starts around 12 minutes in. To hear past episodes, go to www.WelcometoComics.com. Support the show today and check out bonus content over at www.patreon.com/WelcometoComics. Next time: “You & a Bike & a Road" by Eleanor Davis

We're all excited to be reading "Beowulf" by Santiago Garcia and David Rubin as the next entry in our "Best of 2017" series. All three of us have at one time or another translated Beowulf from the original Old English and love the core story of a hero coming to save the Danes from the monsters that plague them. For this modern retelling, we discuss Garcia and Rubin's take on the hero and the book's supporting cast. We also dive into that gorgeous art, the theme of storytelling, and the phalluses. Yep. Plus, David plays his kid's video game and Andy gets disillusioned from the return of Monsterpocalypse. This week's comic starts at around 11:22. To hear past episodes, go to www.WelcometoComics.com. Support the show today and check out bonus content over at www.patreon.com/WelcometoComics. Next time: “The Flintstones" by Mark Russell

Our Best of 2017 series continues with a special little graphic novel, "Everyone's a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too: A Book by Jomny Sun" by Jonny Sun. An alien is left on Earth to research and study humans but ends up cataloging his interactions with all kinds of animals in the natural world. We dive into the metaphor of the book, the philosophical sampling going on, and talk about where to place this work in our brain space. Is this a comic or a philosophy book? Plus, we spend a lot of time up top yammering about the upcoming Solo movie, Dragonball Super, Cloverfield Paradox, and Star Trek: Discovery. To hear past episodes, go to www.WelcometoComics.com. Support the show today and check out bonus content over at www.patreon.com/WelcometoComics. Next time: “Beowulf” by Santiago Garcia and David Rubin

We pick up another Young Animal book for our Best of 2017 series by reading "Doom Patrol: Brick by Brick" by Gerard Way. In this unraveling story, young paramedic Casey Brinke discovers her origin story while assembling the Doom Patrol once more. We talk about the wild ride this comic brings you on, the loose feeling and tone it gives, and the incredible art that delivers through and through. Throughout the book, though, we ask just how much an author can reasonably expect of their reader. Plus, we talk about Subnautica and Dragonball Super up top to start the show. To hear past episodes, go to www.WelcometoComics.com. Support the show today and check out bonus content over at www.patreon.com/WelcometoComics. Next time: “'Everyone's a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn, Too: A Book' by Jomny Sun" by Jonny Sun

We pick up "The Best We Could Do" by artist-author Thi Bui to continue our Best of 2017 series. This book chronicles the journey of Bui's family and their immigration from Vietnam to the US. We talk about the incredible richness of this story in how it captures character, context, and suspense. Bui's retelling of her family story works on almost every level as we fawn all over this book. Plus, we talk about Magic, Movies, and Frank Miller. To hear past episodes, go to www.WelcometoComics.com. Support the show today and check out bonus content over at www.patreon.com/WelcometoComics. Next time: "Doom Patrol: Brick By Brick” by Gerard Way

Our Best of 2017 series gets weird this week as we read "Shade, The Changing Girl: Earth Girl Made Easy" by Cecil Castellucci. In this Young Animal imprint, Meta-native Loma Shade uses the madness coat to possess a braindead teenage girl's body in an attempt to explore Earth culture. We talk about the role of the protagonist, exploring one's own empathy, and the ways characters come to terms with their own guilts. And this art is just great, too. Plus, we talk about MTG Grand Prix Santa Clara and tabletop gaming. To hear past episodes, go to www.WelcometoComics.com. Support the show today and check out bonus content over at www.patreon.com/WelcometoComics. Next time: “The Best We Could Do” by Thi Bui

Our "Best of 2017" series kicks off with what just might be the unanimous best comic of the year, "My Favorite Thing Is Monsters" by Emil Ferris. This comic, written from the point of view of a small horror-loving girl in 60's Chicago, was on every website's list of the best comics of the year. We delve into the incredible character work, the masterful artwork, and all the twists and turns of this tome of a book. To hear past episodes, go to www.WelcometoComics.com. Support the show today and check out bonus content over at www.patreon.com/WelcometoComics. Next time: “Shade, the Changing Girl: Earth Girl Made Easy” by Cecil Castellucci

We pick up another new character this week as we read "Silk: The Life and Times of Cindy Moon" by Robbie Thompson. This Spider-verse event follow-up goes in-depth on Cindy Moon's life after being rescued from her underground bunker. The premise is very cape-comics, but the result is a solid comic. We talk about the marriage of art and narration, the likability of Cindy Moon as a character, and why this doesn't feel like a hard place to get into a new character, even with the convoluted origin. Plus, Andy shops for dollhouse furniture and David doesn't want to hear your TLJ opinion. To hear past episodes, go to www.WelcometoComics.com. Support the show today and check out bonus content over at www.patreon.com/WelcometoComics. Next time: “My Favorite Thing Is Monsters" by Emil Ferris

This week we pick up Ron Marz's "Voodoo: What Lies Beneath." One of the first wave of New 52 launch titles, this book was supposed to herald a new character story into the DC Universe. Instead, we got an alien stripper in a story that keeps falling flat. We talk about that stripper "origin story" stuff, the comic's mixed messages, and the surprisingly good art. Why are we even reading a WildCATs hero in our "new heroes" series? Plus, David is a bad person. To hear past episodes, go to www.WelcometoComics.com. Support the show today and check out bonus content over at www.patreon.com/WelcometoComics. Next time: “Silk: The Life and Times of Cindy Moon" by Robbie Thompson

We're back after our long winter break to give you an episode on "Fathom, Vol. 1" by Michael Turner to kick off our series on comics with new superheroes. In Fathom, a young woman named Aspen gains superpowers and becomes embroiled in a war between those above and those below. We have a great time talking about this comic, from the incredible art that made Michael Turner a juggernaut in the 90's all the way to those dangling plot points. Plus, we talk about Thor: Ragnarok, the MCU, and Disney's role in nerddom in 2018. To hear past episodes, go to www.WelcometoComics.com. Support the show today and check out bonus content over at www.patreon.com/WelcometoComics. Next time: "Voodoo: What Lies Beneath" by Ron Marz

We wrap up our little sci-fi series by reading "Judge Dredd: America" by John Wagner. In the dystopian future, justice is absolute and morality gets more than a little warped. We talk about the strong anti-fascist themes in British comics from this era, the blurred moral boundaries of Dredd's America, and the on-point art. Plus, there's some spoiler-free Punisher, Justice League, and Laureline & That Sweaty Boy talk up front. To hear past episodes, go to www.WelcometoComics.com. Support the show today and check out bonus content over at www.patreon.com/WelcometoComics. Next time: “Fathom, Vol. 1" by Michael Turner

We pick up a classic sci-fi series by reading "The City of Shifting Waters" by Pierre Christin and Jean-Claude Mezieres, the first volume of Valerian and Laureline. In this time-travel comic, spacio-temporal agents Valerian and Laureline use one gangster from the past to stop a gangster from the future in a destroyed US landscape. We talk about the unexpected lack of sexist, discuss the Luc Besson movie, and try to sort out what about this comic feels "European," if anything. Plus, we talk about Thor: Ragnarok a bit! To hear past episodes, go to www.WelcometoComics.com. Support the show today and check out bonus content over at www.patreon.com/WelcometoComics. Next time: “Judge Dredd: America" by John Wagner

We're back with a random sci-fi series that we're kicking off with "Star Wars: Tag & Bink Were Here" by Kevin Rubio. This parody takes the "background character" schtick to the extreme by inserting two bumbling buddies into the shadows of almost every major event of the movie franchise. We talk about how these kinds of characters add depth to an already rich universe, share our favorite gags, and gush over the over-the-top face work. Plus, David says he likes Destiny 2. To hear past episodes, go to www.WelcometoComics.com. Support the show today and check out bonus content over at www.patreon.com/WelcometoComics. Next time: "The City of Shifting Waters" by Jean-Claude Mézières and? Pierre Christin