AIPT Comics

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NEWS

• Marvel Comics reveals plans for Wolverine, Fantastic Four, and more through February 2022
• Jeff Lemire announces move to Substack, new series ‘Fishflies’ starting next week
• Substack reveals Panels app integration coming soon for comics readers
• ComiXology revamps reading experience and moving to Amazon
• Marvel teases 'Venom' #3 out December 2021
• Al Ewing comments on resurfaced Joe Bennett image

Our Top Books of the Week

Dave:

1. New Mutants (2019) #21 (Vita Ayala, Rod Reis)
2. Teen Titans Academy (2021) #6 (Tim Sheridan, Rafa Sandoval)

Nathan:

1. The Many Deaths of Laila Starr #5 (Ram V, Felipe Andrade)
2. Midnighter 2021 Annual #1 (Becky Cloonan, Michael Conrad, Michael Avon Oeming)

Standout KAPOW moment of the week:

Nathan - Midnighter 2021 Annual #1

Dave - Demon Days: Cursed Web

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK 

• Dave: Ka-Zar: Lord of the Savage Land #1 (Zac Thompson, German Garcia)
• Nathan: Ka-Zar: Lord of the Savage Land #1 (Zac Thompson, German Garcia)

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

• Dave: Batman: In The Fifties (Michael Cho)
• Nathan: Swamp Thing #7 (Mike Perkins)

Segment: Interview: Harbinger interview - Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing - On Sale October 27 - 

1. Announced last year, did this give you extra lead time in writing Harbinger?
2. You don’t see comics writing duos often, what is your work process like?
3. Created in 1992, we’re coming upon the 20th anniversary of Peter Stanchek, what makes him so timeless?
4. Some people daydream about having the power to read minds, but after writing The Harbinger, what’s your take on that ability being a good or bad thing?
5. The first issue of Kang the Conqueror had a similar vibe as Harbinger in that we’re reintroduced to a character for new and old fans alike, how do you approach that unique process of catching fans up but also entertaining longtime fans?
6. Switching gears (and universes) again: What can you tell us about your upcoming Batman Beyond story?
7. Are there any comics you’re working on you’d like to talk about today?

Super fight - Kang vs. Harbinger: Twister!

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NEWS

• DC Comics finds its new Batman writer Joshua Williamson
• Marvel and SOMOS to distribute 20,000 comics for vaccine awareness
• John Leguizamo kicking off ‘PhenomX’ #1 with Image Comics
• Marvel’s ‘Midnight Suns’ getting game from Firaxis’ XCOM team
• Titan Publishing announces ‘Cowboy Bebop’ comics and companion books
• BOOM! Studios announces ‘Power Rangers Universe’ creative team
• 2021 Ringo Awards nominees announced
• Full Comichron July sales report

Our Top Books of the Week

Dave:

1. Spider-Man: Life Story Annual #1 (Chip Zdarsky, Mark Bagley)
2. Robin #5 (Josh Williamson, Gleb Melnikov)

Nathan:

1. Barbaric #3 (Michael Moreci, Nathan Gooden)
2. Ninjak #2 (Jeff Parker, Javier Pulido)

Standout KAPOW moment of the week:

Nathan - Darkhawk #1 (Kyle Higgins, Juanan Ramirez)

Dave - King Spawn #1 (Sean Lewis, Todd McFarlane, Javi Fernandez)

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK

• Dave: Dark Ages #1 (Tom Taylor, Iban Coello)
• Nathan: Demon Days: Cursed Web #1 (Peach Momoko)

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

• Dave: Dark Ages #1 (Skottie Young)
• Nathan: Aquaman 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular (Rocha cover)

Segment: Interview: Christopher Cantwell - Iron Man, United States of Captain America, Blue Flame.

1. Christopher Cantwell, thank you for being on the AIPT Comics podcast. I’d love to start first with the recently announced, Regarding the Matter of Oswald’s Body #1, can you tell us a little bit about this new series and how long has this been in the works?
2. Okay, we’re admittedly conspiracy theory junkies. Is it safe to say you enjoy getting lost down those kinds of rabbit holes? What is the research process like for this series?
3. With Regarding the Matter of Oswald, She Could Fly: Fight or Flight on the way in October, and two Marvel titles ongoing atm, it’s fair to say this is the most comics writing you’ve done at one time. I was curious now that you’re a year out or so from Dr. Doom, how does writing in the comics format compare to writing for television?
4. At the same time, it feels like you’re just getting started, are there any bucket list titles you’d like to work on?
5. There’s a certain cosmic entity that shows up in Iron Man #11 (Living Tribunal but don’t say to avoid spoilers), how rad was it to write such a huge character, and was he always in the cards to use in the story arc?
6. With The United States of Captain America, what was the new Captain America creation process like? Did you have a hand in curating the creators who would make these Cap’s Steve Rogers meets on the road? 
7. US of Captain America has a very “road movie” vibe to the pacing and overall tone. What are some of your favorite road movies, and did you throw any on while cracking this story?
8. The Blue Flame is incredibly impactful in how juxtaposes the cosmic superhero story and smaller real-world story. How did scripting of this series shake out and was it always these two concurrent stories going at once?
9. With Blue Flame, did any series inform how you wrote the cosmic scenes, like Flash Gordon or Buck Rogers? 
10. The look of the cosmic scenes in this series are so memorable. What’s the collaboration process been like with Adam Gorham, Kurt Michael Russell, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhau?
11. This series has an original soundtrack written by your friend Aaron Fischer (who one of the many Caps has been named after)! How did that come about?
12. Substack has taken over the comics news airwaves, what are your thoughts on the platform?
13. What comics are you reading right now?

Off Topic Top Shelf: Baseball cards

NEWS

• Jonathan Hickman exits X-Men with ‘Inferno’ this fall
• Brian Michael Bendis' Jinxworld headed to Dark Horse Comics
• DC Characters Are Coming to Webcomics Through Deal With Webtoon
• Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman launch Substack
• Zdarsky launching Newburn at Image Comics.
• EXCLUSIVE BOOM! First Look: Regarding the Matter of Oswald's Body #1
• BOOM! Studios announces ‘Power Rangers Universe’ event
• Matthew Rosenberg and Tyler Boss reunite for ‘What’s the Furthest Place From Here?’
  • Image Comics Solicitations November 2021
• Marvel Solicitations!
  • Marvel reveals Kraven and Morbius are the ones who knock in ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ #78-80
  • Hawkeye: Kate Bishop coming!
  • Marvel announces ‘Marvel’s Voices: Heritage’ #1 for November
• Diamond reveals top 10 comics of July

Our Top Books of the Week

Dave:

1. Home Sick Pilots #8 (Dan Watters, Caspar Wijngaard)
2. Nocterra #6 (Scott Snyder, Tony S. Daniel)

Nathan:

1. Superman and the Authority #2 (Grant Morrison, Mikel Janin)
2. Nightwing #83 (Tom Taylor, Bruno Redondo)

Standout KAPOW moment of the week:

Nathan - Nightwing #83 (Tom Taylor, Bruno Redondo)

Dave - Star Wars War of the Bounty Hunters #3 (Charles Soule, Luke Ross with David Messina) 

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK

1. Dave: Spider-Man: Life Story Annual #1 (Chip Zdarsky, Mark Bagley)
2. Nathan: Superman ‘78 #1 (Rob Venditti, Wilfredo Torres)

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

1. Dave: Amazing Fantasy #2 (Kaare Andrews)
2. Nathan: Alien #6 (Jay Anacleto)

Segment: Interview: Taboo and B. Earl - Writers of Spirits of Vengeance and Werewolf by Night

1. Ben Earl, Taboo, thank you for joining the AIPT comics podcast to talk about your comics work! Spirits of Vengeance: Spirit Rider #1 is an extra-sized issue now out in shops, what made this the right project to follow Werewolf by Night?
2. Did your collaboration process change at all when working on Spirits of Vengeance?
3. Spirits of Vengeance has Paul Davidson on art, and also Jeffrey Veregge, how did this duo join you on the project?
   1. What was it like working with them on this project?
4. Taboo, how does crafting a comic book story compare to crafting your music?
5. A really fun thing about Kushala is that she’s sort of a woman out of time. She’s still adjusting to the modern-day, but she also is embracing it in some ways (karaoke and open mics). What are the challenges to approaching a character who is still trying to figure out her place in the world, who’s just a bit out of step?
6. Are there any Marvel characters that are on your bucket list to write next?
7. What comics are you reading right now?

Off topic off shelf with B Earl and Taboo - Philosophize This, family, A kids book about identity -- Ikidscompanyabout, Flow Water

Visit our Patreon page to see the various tiers you can sign up for today to get in on the ground floor of AIPT Patreon. We hope to see you chatting with us in our Discord soon!

NEWS

• James Tynion IV signals end to superhero work starting November 2021
• Jonathan Hickman outlines Substack plans for ‘Three Worlds Three Moons’
• Chip Zdarsky on the freedoms of Substack and his future in comics
• Wizard World closes its convention business, selling all cons off to Fan Expo
• Image reveals ‘King Spawn’ #1 sells record-setting 497K in pre-orders
• DC Comics solicits are here
  • Robins and Robin & Batman set for November
  • Dark Knights of Steel announced
  • Wonder Woman Evolution announced
• Marvel Comics adds Wasp and Black Bolt one-shots to ‘Darkhold’ lineup
• Tini Howard no longer Marvel exclusive, to DC soon

Our Top Books of the Week

Dave:

1. Mamo #2 (Sas Milledge)
2. Mighty Morphin (2020) #10 (Ryan Parrott, Dan Mora)

Nathan:

1. Batman ‘89 #1 (Sam Hamm, Joe Quinones)
2. The Silver Coin #5 (Michael Walsh, Gavin Fullerton, Toni Marie Griffin)

Standout KAPOW moment of the week:

Nathan - Mighty Morphin #10 (Ryan Parrott, Dan Mora)

Dave - Pennyworth #1 (Scott Bryan Wilson, Juan Gedeon)

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK

• Dave: Eat The Rich #1 (Sarah Gailey, Pius Bak)
• Nathan: Superman and the Authority #2 (Grant Morrison, Mikel Janin)

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

• Dave: Sinister War #3 (Jeffrey Veregge Cover)
• Nathan: The Trial of Magneto #1 (Brooks cover)

Segment: Interview: Ryan Parrott 

1. Ryan, thank you for being on the AIPT Comics podcast. When you were last on this show way back in November we spoke a little bit about the worldbuilding you’re doing, and it appears this week’s Mighty Morphin #10 pays off in that regard in a big way!
2. Given how much has come before and where we are now, how far out have you plotted the Power Rangers universe?
3. This issue finally revealed the secret origin of Lord Zedd. How exciting/nerve-wracking was it to be able to tell that story at long last?
4. What has the fan response been like Mighty Morphin #10? - he’s covered this I think!
5. This series has been full of cosmic visuals, and the latest issue has kicked that up a notch. Has there been a particular sequence where Dan Mora just blew you away and surprised you with how he brought it to life?
6. You’re playing with Power Rangers history that goes back thousands of years, is there any desire to go into the future and play in that realm?
7. This book uses flashbacks, flashfowards, might it start using flashsideways, is it fun to play with people’s perceptions and sort of build change how we think about these established characters?
8. Can you tease anything coming up with the Eltarian War arc? - kinda covering this too
9. If you were to rank Power Rangers villains as favorite, and favorite to write, what would your list be? 
10. The Power Rangers X figures are crazy cool...does seeing these sprout from the comic make your imagination go wild for other mashups?
11. Substack has taken over the comics news airwaves, what are your thoughts on the platform?
12. What comics are you reading right now?

Superfight: Darth Vader vs. Lord Zed - Who is most successful?

News

1. Marvel releases X-Men teasers for Jonathan Hickman’s ‘Inferno’
2. Marvel announces ‘Fantastic Four Anniversary Tribute’ #1 for November
3. Marvel signals they’ll be celebrating Spider-Man for all of 2022 for his 60th
4. Marvel to introduce The Three Mothers in ‘The Death of Doctor Strange’ #3
5. Vault Comics reveals big plans for fantasy series 'Barbaric' in 2022 
6. DC Comics reveals ‘Superman: Son of Kal-El’ #1 goes back to print

Our Top Books of the Week

Dave:

1. Lucky Devil #1 (Cullen Bunn, Fran Galan)
2. Lost Falls #1 (Curt Pires, Antonio Fuso, Pierluigi Minotti)

Nathan:

1. The Nice House on the Lake #3 (James Tynion IV, Alvara Martinez Bueno)
2. The Swamp Thing #6 (Ram V, Mike Perkins)

Standout KAPOW moment of the week:

Nathan - Not All Robots #1 (Mark Russell, Mike Deodato)

Dave - X-Men #2 (Gerry Duggan, Pepe Larraz, Marte Gracia)

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK

1. Dave: The Defenders #1 (Al Ewing, Javier Rodriguez)
2. Nathan: Batman ‘89 #1 (Sam Hamm, Joe Quinones)

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

1. Dave: Avengers: Tech-On #1 (Stokoe Cover)
2. Nathan: Batman ‘89 #1 (Ordway cover)

Segment: Interview: Tim Sheridan - We talk Masters of the Universe: Revelation #2 out 8/11, Shazam #2 out 8/17, Long Halloween Part 2 out on Blu-RayAugust 10, and more!

1. Tim Sheridan, thank you for being on the AIPT Comics podcast for the third time this year! [ let him talk…] There is a lot ot congratulate you on since we last spoke, including Batman the Long Halloween Part 2 being released, MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: REVELATION #2 out next week, and the ongoing mystery of Red X too. How has the reader response been to these works?
2. Next week we’re also getting Shazam! #2, and it’s turning out to be a Billy Batson and Dane Constantine team up! I’d call this a “hero lost his mojo story” would that be accurate? 
   1. Is it every writer’s dream to tell a story in Hell?
3. When it comes to comics creation versus writing for television, are there pros and cons to the speed in which the content is released and audience feedback can be registered? control**
4. When approaching a text that’s kind of sacred like the original Long Halloween, how do you decide what stays and what goes?
5. I love that you kept the year two aspect in mind and really leaned into Batman being a bit more green. How did that affect how you approached the character? 
6. Has it created a desire to write a more seasoned Batman in the future?
7. Gilda is given so much more agency in this story, which I love. Honestly, all of the women are. Was that a conscious decision or did it just come about in the scripting process.
8. Selina gets so much more to do in this version of the story. What do you think the key is to Batman and Catwoman’s relationship?
9. What has the collaboration process been like on the MOTU comic, with Kevin Smith and Rob David outlining the story and then you taking it to the scripting process?
10. Okay, let’s talk Orko. For me, he was the absolute heart of Revelation Part 1. How did it feel to write his big moment?

Off Topic Top Shelf: Tim Sheridan  - Gum!

NEWS

• Marvel Solicitations for October are in!
  • Marvel reveals new ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ #75-77 cover art
  • Marvel announces ‘Marvel’s Voices: Community (Comunidades)’ #1
  • Marvel reveals Eternals vs. Avengers of 1,000,000 BCE in ‘Eternals: Celestia’ #1
  • Marvel announces ‘Luke Cage: City of Fire’ for October 2021
  • Marvel reveals “The Last of the Marvels” to bring back Captain Marvel’s son Genis-Vell
• ComiXology announces ‘The All-Nighter’ comics series for 2022
• Heavy Metal Magazine gets Boulet Brothers takeover this Halloween
• October 2021 Image Comics solicitations: Gunslinger Spawn, Saga box set and more
  • Image announces murder mystery ‘A Righteous Thirst for Vengeance’ #1
• Projected comics sales for June 2021 by Comichron
• Marvel and Gallery Books partner for Marvel non-fiction titles in 2022
• Plus, the big winners at the 2021 Eisner Awards!

Our Top Books of the Week

Dave:

1. Superman and the Authority #1 (Grant Morrison, Mikel Janin)
2. Thor (2020) Annual #1 (Aaron Kuder, Cam Smith, Chris O’Halloran, backup by MacKay, Juan Ferrerya)

Nathan:

1. Superman and The Authority #1 (Grant Morrison, Mikel Janin)
2. Superman Red and Blue #5 (Various)

Standout KAPOW moment of the week:

Nathan - Moon Knight #1 (Jed McKay, Steve McNiven)

Dave - Moon Knight #1 (Jed McKay, Alessandro Cappuccio)

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK

• Dave: The Other History of the DC Universe #5 (W: John Ridley: A: Layouts by Giuseppe Camuncoli, Finishes by Andrea Cucchi)
• Nathan: Superman: Son of Kal-El #1 (Tom Taylor, John Timms)

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

• Dave: Symbiote Spider-Man: Crossroads #1 (del Mundo variant)
• Nathan: Beta Ray Bill #5 (Daniel Warren Johnson)

Segment: Interview: Jordan Morris - podcaster at Jordan Jessie Go!, writer at @Midnight and Unikitty, Bubble of course!

Friday at 5:30 EST

1. Jordan, thank you for joining the AIPT Comics podcast______ Bubble is an incredible achievement, not only for its podcast but now comic and soon animated film, just to start, how has it been to get a brand new response from comics fans?
2. How did this adaptation with First Second come about?
3. I understand Bubble was created in response to the election in 2016 and the series sprouted from the idea of a Portland-y hipster biosphere, can you talk a little bit about if or how the comic differs from the podcast?
4. You’re joined by Sarah Morgan and Tony Cliff, what was the collaboration process like in adapting Bubble?
5. Colin Moon, who reviewed Bubble at AIPT, asks: I'm really curious how the writing went from podcast script to comic script--what was cut to work better for each media type, how the scripting differs between two projects, etc.
6. You’ve written for numerous shows now like @Midnight, came up from UCB, I wanted to ask, how did your career start? Did you go to school for screenwriting? What’s your writing background like?
7. The descriptions for each of the creatures are so unique and fun. Any chance of a Bubble Sourcebook in the future?
8. Music plays a huge part in this story and the character’s personalities. Morgan is seen listening to several playlists throughout the book. Do you listen to any particular music to get you in the zone?
9. I guess what we really want to know is: How do you really feel about 311?
10. Do you have an itch to write more comics?
11. What comics are you reading right now?

Off Topic Top Shelf: Jordan Morris MODOK - Spider-Man: Miles Morales

Visit our Patreon page to see the various tiers you can sign up for today to get in on the ground floor of AIPT Patreon. We hope to see you chatting with us in our Discord soon!

NEWS

• DC Comics artist Robson Rocha has passed way
• Skybound sets July 17-18 for Xpo II convention
• AfterShock Comics announces 100th comic title ‘Campisi: The Dragon Incident’
• DC Comics releases their solicitations
  • DC Comics First Look: Batman: The Imposter
  • DC Horror expands with ‘Soul Plumber’ October 5th
  • DC Comics celebrates 80 years of Wonder Woman with new and free series
  • DC Comics announces ‘DC vs. Vampires’ & ‘Task Force Z’ for October 2021
  • Catwoman: Lonely City #1 announced
  • Batman: The Audio Adventures podcast comes to comic books
• Harvey Awards Announced

Our Top Books of the Week

Dave:

1. Iron Man (2020) #10 (W: Christopher Cantwell, A: Cafu)
2. Spider-Woman (2020) #13 (W: Karla Pacheco, A: Pere Perez)

Standout KAPOW moment of the week:

Dave - probably Spider-Woman #13!

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK

• Dave:  Bermuda #1

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

• Dave: Moon Knight #1 (Hotz)
• Nathan: Superman & The Authority #1

Segment: Interview: Steve Orlando

1. Steve, thanks for joining the AIPT comics podcast for the third time! You’ve been very busy with superhero work, indie works at AfterShock and Image, and Starward at Heavy Metal with the 3rd chapter coming next week in Heavy Metal Magazine...how do you keep up?
2. Was the pandemic a reason why you could get more stuff done?
3. How does it feel to be writing Heavy Metal’s first YA series? Do you have any personal connection to Heavy Metal?
4. I love how this story mixes dark sci-fi/fantasy with a Magical Girl story. Where did the inspiration come from to marry these different elements?
5. Obviously we don’t want to spoil anything, but what can we expect from the other Starward Sisters whom we’ve yet to officially meet?
6. This isn’t your only YA title coming out, you also have the Rainbow Bridge OGN out in August, did you work on both titles at the same time?
7. Do you need to get into a different mindset when scripting YA vs. superhero or indie work?
8. Curse of Man-Thing is collected August 4 (and AIPT was quoted on the cover), you’ve got Commanders in Crisis, Steward, Project Patron, and Darkhold coming this September...that’s a lot of content, I was curious about your writing process. How long does it take you to write a script?
9. Since you have Extreme Carnage: Phage out next week, is he your favorite Symbiote?
10. What comics are you reading right now?

Off Topic Top Shelf: Steve Orlando - Sting - Janet Kahn In Your Space

August 21st weekend Third Eye Comics - Extreme Carnage signing

Visit our Patreon page to see the various tiers you can sign up for today to get in on the ground floor of AIPT Patreon. We hope to see you chatting with us in our Discord soon!

NEWS

• SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE director Richard Donner dies at 91
• DC Comics announces SDCC Comic-Con@Home 2021 schedule
• Something is Killing the Children getting TV adaptation
• ‘Faust’: Animated Series Based On Comic In Works At Sony Pictures Television From Matteo Pizzolo
• Marvel announces 'Death of Doctor Strange' getting spin-offs
• Batman The Long Halloween Special coming this October
• DC to launch new Human Target title by Tom King and Greg Smallwood
• AHOY Comics announces Lunar distribution deal

Segment: Heroes Don't Do That - Do they though? Do heroes listen to the Beastie Boys?

Our Top Books of the Week

Dave:

1. Mamo #1 (Sas Milledge)
2. Immortal Hulk #48 (W: Al Ewing, A: Joe Bennett)

Nathan:

1. The Swamp Thing #5 (Ram V, John McCrea)
2. Justice League Infinity #1 (J.M. DeMatteis, James Tucker, Ethen Beavers)

Standout KAPOW moment of the week:

Nathan - Batman: The Adventures Continue - Season Two #2 (Paul Dini, Alan Burnett, Ty Templeton)

Dave - X-Men #1 (Gerry Duggan, Pepe Larraz, Marte Gracia)

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK

• Dave:  The Silver Coin #4 (Jeff Lemire, Michael Walsh)
• Nathan: The Silver Coin #4 

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

• Dave: Spider-Man: Spider’s Shadow #4 (Christian Ward) 
• Nathan: Sinister War #1 (Peach Momoko)

Segment: Interview: Matt Medney interview CEO of Heavy Metal and writer too!

1. Matt Medney, thank you for joining us on the AIPT Comics podcast [pause for hello], I wanted to start by asking about your original plan for Heavy Metal when you became CEO in January 2020 and how the pandemic affected that plan?
2. Let’s jump back in time a bit: What was your entry point to Heavy Metal as a fan of the format?
3. For listeners who don’t know, what is your day to day like as CEO?
4. I’ve always been curious about Heavy Metal and how it’s curated since it collects comics, but interviews and other types of content too. What is the process like to put together the magazine? 
5. Dan Fogler was on the show a few weeks ago and he let us know his Brooklyn Gladiator series is set to shoot as a film, can you talk about that project or any other Heavy Metal Projects destined for film or TV?
6. Switching gears to your upcoming works, you have Dark Wing: Unstable Elements on the way collecting the five-issue series. What do you hope readers will take away from the series now that it can be read in one sitting?
7. I read that the concept for Dark Wing came to you when you were producing a rock concert. What was that “aha” moment like?
8. What does a script for this series look like? There are so many moving parts and bits of future gadgetry in every panel - what is the collaboration process like with German Ponce?
9. You’re a busy guy with Beyond Kuiper: The Galactic Edition coming out July 27th, which you co-wrote with John Connelly. This new edition has planetary guides and some gorgeous art too, what goes into expanding on a book with visual materials like this and how long has it been in the making?
10. Coming out August 11, you have The Adventures of Adrienne James, which you co-wrote with Bruce Edwards, what’s your elevator pitch for this one?
    1. Getting a chance to read the first issue, it’s a bit of a break out, how do you approach making a break out feel new when we’ve seen it so often in other media?
11. What comics are you reading right now?

Off Topic Top Shelf: Matt Medney - bike riding - coffee geek grind coffee (crescent city brew) Existence Equation

Visit our Patreon page to see the various tiers you can sign up for today to get in on the ground floor of AIPT Patreon. We hope to see you chatting with us in our Discord soon!

NEWS

• Marvel reveals art and new details for ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ Beyond era
• Image launches sci-fi/Cold War comic ‘Primordial’ to comic shops September 15
• The Literary Tarot Kickstarter adds Scott Snyder, Holly Black, Terry Brooks, Stephen Fry, and more
• Marvel announces ‘Phoenix Song: Echo’ #1 for October 2021
• X-Men has life and death
• Comics sales report from Comichron

New Segment: Heroes Don't Do That - Do they though?

Second Week: Do heroes put ketchup on their hot dogs?

Our Top Books of the Week

Dave:

1. Teen Titans Academy (2021): 2021 Yearbook #1 (Tim Sheridan, various artists)
2. Beta Ray Bill #4 (Daniel Warren Johnson, Mike Spicer)

Nathan:

1. Specter Inspectors #5 (Bowen McCurdy, Kaitlyn Musto)
2. Barbaric #1 (Michael Moreci, Nathan Gooden)

Standout KAPOW moment of the week:

Nathan - Specter Inspectors #5 (Bowen McCurdy, Kaitlyn Musto)

Dave - Beta Ray Bill #4

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK

• Dave: X-Men #1 (Gerry Duggan, Pepe Larraz)
• Nathan: Justice League Infinity #1 (J.M. DeMatteis, Jim Tucker, Ethen Beavers)

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

• Dave: Batman #110 Jock cover
• Nathan: The Conjuring: The Lover #2 (Ryan Brown)

Segment: Interview: Jeff Parker - Ninjak #1 out July 14

1. Hi Jeff, thanks for joining us on the AIPT Comics podcast! Ninjak has been in the works for some time, announced way back in July 2020, is it odd talking about a book that’s so long in development, or par for the course in comics?
2. Ninjak has been rebooted and retooled various times over the years, how are you approaching the character?
3. With the pandemic’s delay, did you end up tweaking this story more than past tales you’ve written, or did it stay pretty close to your original pitch.?
4. Can you talk a bit about Javier Pulido’s work, was there a specific page in the first issue that he exceeded your expectations?
5. What separates Ninjak from other rich and tactful superheroes?
6. In your opinion, how does Valiant differ from other publishers?
7. The super spy angle of Ninjak has always been a big draw. Do you have any spy movies or books you look to for inspiration or to get you in the headspace to write Ninjak?
8. We’re big James Bond fans here, loved your James Bond Origin and recently talked to Ibrahim Moustafa about Bond as well, we must ask, who do you think is the definitive Bond?
9. Future Quest and Batman 66 were books of yours that we reviewed and greatly enjoyed, do you have a desire to return to either of those projects in the future, or are there other series you’d like to return to some day? 
10. What other projects do you have in the works?
11. What comics are you reading right now?

Off Topic Top Shelf: Jeff Parker - Beer!

NEWS

• Comics creators condemn news of Warren Ellis’s return to comics. Image gives a statement
• September 2021 Marvel solicitations: ‘Dark Ages’ rages and Inferno is here!
  • Marvel teases Spider-Man: Beyond, reveals it’ll be 3 times a month!
• Dark Horse announces Jeff Lemire’s ‘Mazebook’ for September 2021
• Dark Horse announces sci-fi one-shot ‘Children of the Plague’
• Dark Horse schedules ‘Last Flight Out’ for September 2021
• Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman launching Kids Love Chains Press with ‘Vanish’ as first title
• ‘The Department of Truth’ #1 sells out and gets sixth printing
• Marvel to offer NFT collecting via Veve Digital Collectibles App

Segment: Heroes Don't Do That - Do they though? Second Week: Do heroes binge watch Netflix?

Our Top Books of the Week

Dave:

1. Infinite Frontier #1 (Josh Williamson, Xermanico)
2. Home Sick Pilots #6 (Dan Watters, Caspar Wijngaard)

Nathan:

1. Home Sick Pilots #6 (Dan Watters, Caspar Wijngaard)
2. Stray Dogs #5 (Tony Fleecs, Trish Forstner)

Standout KAPOW moment of the week:

Nathan - Batman/Superman #19

Dave - Infinite Frontier #1

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK

1. Dave: Barbaric #1
2. Nathan: Barbaric #1

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

1. Dave: Autumnal #8 Chris Shehan
2. Nathan: Shang-Chi #2 (Michael Cho variant)

Segment: The Best Comics of 2021...so far!

Dave:

The Many Deaths of Laila Starr

Strange Adventures 

Nathan: 

Specter Inspectors

The Many Deaths of Laila Starr

The Swamp Thing

Segment: Interview: Frank Gogol Power Rangers Unlimited: Edge of Darkness #1. 

1. Frank, last time we spoke was November 2020, and I believe this project might have been around the corner. How long has Power Rangers Unlimited: Edge of Darkness been in the works?
2. Were you a fan at all of Power Rangers before taking on this project?
3. The Phantom Ranger has been a mystery to fans for over 20 years; did you feel any pressure in peeling back some of the character’s layers?
4. This issue features a familiar character, Rita, what was it like writing this version of the character?
5. I kind of love the concept of the Phantom Ranger and him being a space-knight since we’ve seen it work so well with the Mandolorian. That got me thinking, was there any novels, films, or TV that you love that have similar themes to this issue?
6. When writing an extra-sized issue like this, do you approach writing and plotting differently than the usual 20 page comic?
7. Do you have a favorite Power Ranger?
8. I loved the epic nature of this issue, let’s say a famous director and/or studio took on this project, who would you want producing?

Off Topic Top Shelf: Frank Gogol - Video games, Assassin Creed games open world action RPG