AIPT Comics

NEWS

• Nick Spencer to leave ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ after issue #74
• Marvel announces Taylor and Coello’s ‘Dark Ages’ for September 2021
• Marvel launching limited series ‘Ka-Zar: Lord of the Savage Land’ this September
• Marvel announces 'Ms. Marvel: Beyond the Limit' for September 2021
• DC Comics sends ‘DC Connect’ to comic shops
  • DC Comics solicitations are here for September!
• Dark Horse announces ‘Hellboy & The B.P.R.D.’ 1950s series concluding
• Barbaric #1 gets a second printing before its release
• Former DC editor Jamie S. Rich joins Tapas as editor in chief
• WandaVision success leads to continued comic sellouts and back orders
• Scout Comics and Entertainment Inc. launching Comic Tags

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

First week: Do heroes eat taffy?

Our Top Books of the Week

Dave:

1. Superman: Red & Blue (2021) #4 (Various)
2. Venom (2018) #35

Nathan:

1. Time Before Time #2 (Declan Shalvey, Rory McConville, Joe Palmer)
2. Demon Days: Mariko #1 (Peach Momoko)

Standout KAPOW moment of the week:

Nathan - Mariko: Demon Days #1 (Peach Momoko)

Dave - Superman Red & Blue #4 (Rich Douek and Joe Quinones)

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK

• Dave: Home Sick Pilots #6 (W: Dan Watters, A: Caspar Wijngaard)
• Nathan: Home Sick Pilots #6 (W: Dan Watters, A: Caspar Wijngaard)

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

• Dave: Wolverine #13 (Adam Kubert)
• Nathan: Batman/Superman #19 (Ivan Reis)

Segment: Interview: Jon Davis-Hunt Shadowman #3 - Out June 23

1. Jon, thanks for taking the time to join us on the AIPT Comics podcast [pause]....when you took on the gig of Shadowman, what were you most excited about drawing for the series?
2. We know the pandemic affected the release of this title a bit, and with Shadowman #3 out next week I was curious how long has it been since you drew the issue?
3. There are so many different types of horror in Shadowman, from body horror to demonic possession (and sometimes both at once). Do you have a particular horror subgenre that you’re drawn to?
4. Shadowman #3 opens in Barcelona, have you been, and how important is it to get a specific location just right?
5. The third issue also has a lot of variance with layout design, and honestly it really rips with the energy and multiple panel pages. What goes into making an 11 (or more!) panel page work?
6. Samedi’s costume is rather detailed, and props to you it always looks slick in this book, how much are you kicking yourself going with such a detailed design?!
7. Are there any horror movies you like to watch to get you in the headspace to draw Shadowman?
8. What’s one moment you’ve seen in a script from Cullen where you’re like, “Damn, I can’t wait to figure out how this works on the page?”
9. We talked to Cullen a little bit about this before, but the Nintendo 64 Shadowman game just got a re-release. Did you ever mess around with that back in the day?
10. What comics are you reading right now?

Off Topic Top Shelf: Jon Davis-Hunt - Xbox X Game Pass, Dungeons and Dragons game, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Starfield

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 ‘The Death of Doctor Strange.’ 
• Image marks ‘Spawn Universe’ as huge success with over 200K units sold
• Todd McFarlane partners with wiip for ‘Sam and Twitch’ TV series
• ‘God Country’ film coming soon from AfterShock Media & Legendary
• 2021 Eisner Awards nominations announced
• Heavy Metal announces horror one-shot ‘Intrusion’ for September 22nd
• Zoop, a new crowdfunding platform, launches
• Bill Willingham's 'Fables' set to return plus Batman vs. Bigby this September

Our Top Books of the Week

Dave:

1. The Good Asian #2 (W: Pornsak Pichetshote, Lee Loughridge)
2. Spider-Man: The Spider’s Shadow #3 (W: Chip Zdarsky, A: Pasqual Ferry)

Nathan:

1. The Good Asian #2 (W: Pornsak Pichetshote, A: Alexandre Tafengki)
2. Spider-Man: Spider’s Shadow #3 (W: Chip Zdarsky, A: Pasqual Ferry)

Standout KAPOW moment of the week:

Nathan - DC Pride #1 (W: Steve Orlando, A: Stephen Byrne)
Dave - Spider-Man: Spider’s Shadow #3 (W: Chip Zdarsky, A: Pasqual Ferry)

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK

• Dave: Demon Days: Mariko #1 (W/A: Peach Momoko)
• Nathan: Ultramega #4 (W/A: James Harren, C: Dave Stewart)

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

• Dave: Venom #200 (Arthur Adams variant) 
• Nathan: Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #2 (Riley Rossmo variant)

Segment: Interview: Dan Fogler - Fishkill - Moon Lake

1. Dan, thanks for joining on the AIPT Comics podcast. It's been quite a year to say the least and while conventions and comic shops are opening back up, I’d love to ask, how has your relationship to comics and the creation of comics changed over the last year?
2. With Brooklyn Gladiator, Moon Lake, and Fishkill under your belt, and knowing how you have been reading Heavy Metal since you were 9 or 10, what has it been like making comics for the publisher?
3. Writing for a publisher like Heavy Metal, which always seems to have had a certain bite to them, do you ever feel like you need to go harder or edgier with the work?
4. You’re also a screenwriter and director, of course. How does that experience translate into working on a comics script?
5. You’ve worked with some incredible artists like Simon Bisley, Darick Robertson,  and Ben Templesmith, what is your working relationship like with these artists?
6. Was there a moment, a page or panel, from Fishkill that Templesmith simply blew you away with?
7. Lawrence Blum is listed as the co-creator for Fishkill; what was that collaboration process like?
8. A story like Fishkill blends crime, corruption, drug use, and the filth of the city all into one. Did you have any inspirations in life, film, or other comics that lead to the idea of the series?
9. Obviously Fishkill himself is not someone we should aspire to be. There are a lot of unseemly characters and situations in the story; how do you get in the headspace to write someone like that? 
10. What comics are you reading right now?

Off Topic Top Shelf: Dan Fogler - mixed martial arts, making movies, The Offer - Francis Ford Coppola

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 Comics reveals Al Ewing, Ram V, and Bryan Hitch taking over ‘Venom’ ongoing
• Donny Cates and Ryan Ottley join forces for Hulk this November
• Marvel reveals new details on X-Men series 'Inferno' by Jonathan Hickman
• Heavy Metal Entertainment announces partnership with GlobalComix digital platform
• Dark Horse Comics to launch Dark Horse Games gaming and digital division
• Kodansha Comics adds over 800 manga to Nintendo Switch app InkyPen
• ‘Marvel Multiverse’ tabletop role-playing game coming in 2022
• Batman: Secret Files – The Signal #1 announced
• Marvel reveals new Captain America Ari Agbayani for ‘The United States of Captain America’ #4
• Marvel announces ‘The Death of Doctor Strange.’ 

Our Top Books of the Week

Dave:

1. Heroes Reborn (2021): Double Action #1 (W: Tim Seeley, A: Dan Jurgens)
2. Catwoman: Soulstealer (W: Sarah J. Maas’ Adapted by: Louise Simonson A: Samantha Dodge)

Nathan:

1. The Swamp Thing #4 (W: Ram V, A: Mike Perkins)
2. Out of Body #1 (W: Peter Milligan, A: Inaki Miranda)

Standout KAPOW moment of the week:

Nathan - Batman: The Adventures Continue - Season Two #1 (W: Paul Dini & Alan Burnett, A: Ty Templeton)

Dave - Hellions #12 (W: Zeb Wells, A: Stephen Segovia)

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK

• Dave: X-Men #21 (W: Jonathan Hickman, A: Russell Dauterman and more)
• Nathan: DC Pride #1 (W/A: various)

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

• Dave: Magic: The Gathering #3 (100 Copy Del Mundo Cover)
• Nathan: Heroes Reborn: Squadron Savage #1 (David Blatt variant)

Segment: Interview: Robbie Thompson - Suicide Squad!

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 news Roundup:
  • DC Comics announces 'Superman vs. Lobo' #1 out in August
  • Reveals ‘The Joker Presents: A Puzzlebox’ #1 coming this August
  • DC is launching ‘Batman: The World’ across the globe on September 14
  • DC Comics reveals Infinite Frontier plans
  • DC finally reveals FCBD books
• Image Comics announces ‘The Silver Coin’ getting new writer lineup
• Marvel Comics adds new X-Men series ‘Inferno’ by Jonathan Hickman September 2021
• Marvel announces another High Republic series for October.
• Marvel First Look: ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ #15 sets ‘The Last Annihilation’ into motion
• Chris tells us about Marvel’s Voices: Pride and Hellfire Gala X-Men Monday stuff!

Our Top Books of the Week

Dave:

1. The Blue Flame #1 (W: Christopher Cantwell, A: Adam Gorham, C: Kurt Michael Russell)

Chris:

1. X-Men #20 (W: Jonathan Hickman, A: Francesco Mobili)

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK

• Dave: Fire Power #12 (W: Robert Kirkman, A: Chris Samnee, Matthew Wilson)
• Chris: Marauders #21

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

• Dave: Marauders #21 (Dauterman)
• Chris: Marauders #21 (Dauterman Connecting Cover)

Segment: Interview: Benjamin Percy - Wastelanders, X-Force, X-Men

1. Ben, we know you from X-Force, Wolverine...your great run on Green Arrow, with two seasons of Wolverine: The Long Night under your belt, how does it feel to kick off a second scripted podcast series with Wastelanders that’s kicking off a podcast universe?
2. Comparatively speaking, how does scripting a 30 minute podcast compare to a single issue? Is 30 minutes roughly the same as 20 pages of comic, or more?
3. For fans of Ethan Sacks and Robert Gill’s Old Man Quill, does their series tie into the podcast?
4. The Long Night ended up getting a comic book adaptation, it’s early yet, but can we expect the same for Wastelanders?
5. You’ve got Chris Elliot, Vanessa Williams, Danny Glover - Of the voice talent on Wastelanders, who has been your favorite so far?
6. We know Marvel has invited literal celebrities to the Hellfire Gala, any chance we might see any of the actors working on Wastelanders appearing at the Gala as well?
7. X-Force #20 is out this week and your cast is on security detail. Are you jealous the other X-Writers get to have fun inside, getting into all sorts of trouble… or is the real fun on the outside?
   1. Have you ever worked security yourself?
   2. Of the X-Force members, do any of them actually look forward to running security?
8. What does Ben Percy wear to the Hellfire Gala?
9. I never expected to see Dracula play such a large role in an X-Book again. How did the idea to bring Dracula and vampires into the Krakoa era come about?
10. After the Gala, we get the long-promised return of Solem in the pages of Wolverine. How excited are you to play with this character again?
11. What is the story of old man Percy?

Off-Topic Top Shelf - Benjamin Percy - Gentleman in Moscow, The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August

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

• AT&T and Discovery Merge
• The April numbers are in!
• Pullbox, the online comic pull list service, to launch June 7 from Diamond
• Marvel and SiriusXM’s to premiere first scripted podcast ‘Marvel’s Wastelanders: Old Man Star-Lord’ on June 1
• 'The Heroes Union' #1 coming August 2021 from Roger Stern, Ron Frenz, and Sal Buscema
• Image Comics August 2021 solicitations
• Mark Millar confirms ‘Promising Young Woman’ screenwriter to pen ‘Nemesis’ movie adaptation
• Marvel releases August 2021 solicitations
  • John Ridley taking over Black Panther
  • Marvel announces ‘Warhammer 40,000: Sisters of Battle’ #1
• DC Comics announces horror event ‘Fear State’ for August 2021
• Vault announces comics series ‘Deadbox’ a cursed DVD machine horror title
• IDW publishing King Grimlock series by Steve Orlando
• Archie Comics will publish THE SHIELD #1 with Rob Liefeld art and a new scripter

Standout KAPOW moment of the week: Immortal Hulk and Ultramega!

Our Top Books of the Week

Dave:

1. Shang-Chi #1 (W: Gene Luen Yang, A: Dike Ruan)
2. The Many Deaths of Laila Starr #2 (W: Ram V, A: Filipe Andrade)

Nathan:

1. Immortal Hulk: Time of Monsters #1 (W: Al Ewing, Alex Paknadel, David Vaughn, A: Juan Ferreyra, Kevin Nowlan)
2. We Only Find Them When They’re Dead #6 (W: Al Ewing, A: Simone Di Meo)

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK

• Dave: The Blue Flame #1 (W: Christopher Cantwell, A: Adam Gorham)
• Nathan: TMNT: The Last Ronin #3 (W: Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird, Tom Waltz, A: Ben Bishop, Isaac Escorza, Esau Escorza)

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

• Dave: The Department of Truth #9 (Zoe Thorogood)
• Nathan: Harley Quinn #3 (Riley Rossmo)

Segment: Interview: Tim Sheridan and Robbie Thompson talk about their crossover in their DC Comics books Suicide Squad and Teen Titans Academy!

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

• Artist/writer Jesse Hamm has passed away
• Image Comics signals ‘The Department of Truth’ is on the hunt for Bigfoot
• Regina King to direct adaptation of Image Comics’ ‘Bitter Root’
• Rob Liefeld Leaves Mighty Crusaders Due to Variant Cover Spoiler
• The Nice House on the Lake #1 sells more issues than TDoT (100k)
• Marvel unveils five-part series ‘X-Men: The Trial of Magneto’
• Marvel reveals new superhero and mutant Somnus to be revealed in ‘Marvel’s Voices: Pride’ #1
• John Romita Jr. and Dan Slott teaming up for ‘Fantastic Four’ 60th-anniversary issue
• Marvel celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with ‘Marvel’s Voices: Identity’
• Marvel teases the conclusion to ‘Infinite Destinies’ out August 2021
• CABLE: RELOADED #1 coming this August!

Our Top Books of the Week

Dave:

1. DC Festival of Heroes: The Asian Superhero Celebration #1 (Various)
2. Seven Secrets #7 (W: Tom Taylor, A: Daniele Di Nicuolo)

Nathan:

1. Time Before Time #1 (W: Declan Shalvey, Rory McConville, A: Joe Palmer)
2. Batman: The Detective #2 (W: Tom Taylor, A: Andy Kubert)

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK

• Dave: The Immortal Hulk: Time Of Monsters #1 (W: Alex Paknadel, A: Juan Ferreyra)
• Nathan: Fantastic Four: Life Story #1 (W: Mark Russell, A: Sean Izaakse)

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

• Dave: Way of X #2 (Christian Ward variant)
• Nathan: Batman/Fortnite: Zero Point #3 (Donald Mustard variant)

Segment: Interview: Jeff Smith - Bone, RASL, new book TUKI: Fight for Fire Makes Debut on Kickstarter!

1. Congrats on the Kickstarter! How has the response been so far?
2. The original TUKI webcomic was in color, yet the new books are in black and white. What led to the decision to go back to basics here?
3. You mentioned in the Kickstarter press release that you really dove back into TUKI when COVID hit. Tell us a bit about that process and why it felt like it was finally time.
4. How has the story and world of TUKI evolved from the original webcomic to how it’s presented now?
5. What is it about ancient human history that interests you the most? - he’s kind of answering this!
6. It seems like the core of every myth is humanity’s attempt at understanding the world, what are you trying to “understand” at the core of Tuki?
7. Do you have any rituals when you approach the page each day, or the story as a whole? Something that gets you in the zone?
8. You’ve noted in previous interviews you’re a big reader. Do you have any favorite reads right now, novels or comics?
9. Were there any novels that lead to your discovery of the Tuki story?
10. The comics industry has changed a lot of the years, how has setting up Tuki on Kickstarter differed from self-publishing for you in the past? - i think we kinda covered this too OKAY!
11. Comics in general have changed over time, are there any developments you’ve embraced like digital technology, or digital comics for that matter?
12. We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention Bone today, which came back a few years ago in the form of Bone: Coda. How was it revisiting these old friends, and do you think there’s another Bone story in you somewhere? 
13. Bone adaptations have been attempted a few times over the years, but mostly in film format. Why do you feel that Netflix is the ideal home for this story?
14. Any chance we’ll finally see what Boneville looks like?
15. Are there any other projects you’d like to discuss or plug in today?

Off-Topic Top Shelf - Jeff Smith is into Marx Brothers movies, biographies on them, Sam Cook, Tune In Beatles

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

• John Paul Leon has passed away
• Jeff Smith’s new graphic novel ‘Tuki’ to debut on Kickstarter May 4
• Dark Horse series ‘Lady Killer’ headed to Hollywood starring Blake Lively
• Skybound/Image Pride Month charity variants to benefit transgender law center
• Marvel has invited real-world celebrities to the Hellfire Gala
• Marvel Comics teases new superhero Somnus
• Marvel teases new series ‘The Trial of Magneto’ for August 2021

Our Top Books of the Week

Dave:

1. Nocterra #3 (W: Scott Snyder, A: Tony S. Daniel)
2. Marauders #20 (W: Gerry Duggan, A: Stefano Caselli)

Nathan:

1. The Good Asian #1 (Pornsak Pichetshote, Alexandre Tefengki)
2. The Swamp Thing #3 (Ram V, Mike Perkins)

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK

• Dave: The Silver Coin #2 (Kelly Thompson, Walsh)
• Nathan: Spider-Man: Spider’s Shadow #2 (Chip Zdarsky, Pasqual Ferry)

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

1. Dave: X-Corp #1 (David Aja)
2. Nathan: Fantastic Four #32 (Peach Momoko)

Segment: Interview - Declan Shalvey - Check out the Kickstarter for Time Before Time

1. Hi Declan, thank you for being on the AIPT Comics podcast and congrats on a fully-funded Kickstarter with just 2 days to go! And with Time Before Time launching on Wednesday in comic book shops! How has the Kickstarter rollercoaster been for you?
2. Time Before Time is a time travel story, but it’s more a smugglers’ tale, especially since time can’t be altered as far as we know. What made you choose to go this route using time travel?
3. What is your favorite time travel story?
4. I’ve read you hope Time Before Time goes for a long time, do you have a number of issues in mind that would be the dream run?
5. The first issue takes place in the 80s and the 2100s, was there any significance in those periods of time?
6. The first couple of issues end with cliffhangers - is that something we can expect for the full series?
7. As an artist, have you found you approach scripting differently than Rory? And how is the process different collaborating with Rory McConville and Joe Palmer been like?
8. Your book Immortal Hulk Flatline was inspired, especially the color story at work, how did that influence your work on Time Before Time?
9. With plenty of Marvel works under your belt, are there any Marvel characters you’re itching to draw or write?
10. Last April it was solicited you’d be working with Ed Brisson on a Punisher tale, is that still in the works?
11. Are there any other projects you’d like to discuss or plug in today?

Off-Topic Top Shelf - TV shows, Invincible, German Show Deutschland 89, Justified, Startup, Superstore, Last Man on Earth, Star Trek Lower Decks

NEWS

• Robert Kirkman’s ‘Invincible’ renewed for two more seasons
• Sweet Tooth TRAILER!
• Marvel reveals new Hellfire Gala looks for X-Men like Xavier, Wolverine, and more, and here’s what we learned from the Guide
• Marvel Comics unveils Free Comic Book Day 2021 covers
• Everything learned on Exegol in ‘Star Wars: Darth Vader’ #11
• Heavy Metal and Incendium team up with Disturbed for ‘Dark Messiah’
• DC Comics announces DC FanDome 2021 for October 16th
• Skybound Entertainment releases virtual convention Xpo 64 schedule

Our Top Books of the Week

Dave:

1. Action Comics #1030 (W: Phillip Kennedy Johnson, A: Daniel Sempere)
2. Cable #10 (W: Gerry Duggan, A: Phil Noto)

Nathan:

1. Witchblood #2 (W: Matthew Erman, A: Lisa Sterle)
2. Shadowman #1 (W: Cullen Bunn, A: Jon Davis-Hunt)

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK

• Dave: Eden #1 (W: Cullen Bunn, A: Dalibor Talijic)
• Nathan: The Good Asian #1 (W: Pornsak Pichetshote, A: Alexandre Tefengki)

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

1. Dave: Wynd #6 (Rian Gonzales)
2. Nathan: The Swamp Thing #3 (Kyle Hotz variant)

Segment: Interview: Tim Sheridan

1. Tim, thank you for being on the show! You’ve had a big year with multiple titles at DC Comics, but if you could take a step back for a moment, take me to 2006, your first credited work for Outta Sync, a fockumentary where you played Beverly, Just Beverly (The Choreographer). Did Tim Sheridan from 2006 know he’d be on the AIPT Comics podcast in 2021 talking about writing some incredible DC Comics?
2. Superman: Man of Tomorrow was a real blast. How did you get involved with DC animation, and how did you approach telling a new take on Superman’s origin story?
3. You laid a lot of groundwork in Man of Tomorrow for a new DC animated universe. In addition to Supes’ regular supporting cast, it introduces Martian Manhunter and Lobo. Were these characters you wanted to include from the beginning, or did WB kind of present you with, “We want a Superman origin, and it needs these characters?”
4. You’ve written Superman a few times before.  And there’s been a good bit of chatter on the internet with people debating what defines Superman. What do you think is Superman’s defining trait?
5. Shifting to Titans Academy: introducing Red X to continuity must be a huge honor for you, what was the conversation like with DC to get that character into the comics?
6. Tim, loving Titans Academy, and in issue two there’s some great set pieces. One of which has Cyborg and Nightwing talking in front of a window into one of the classrooms where mayhem takes place yet Cyborg and Nightwing are calm and aren’t even bothered by it. When approaching a page like that, how did you come up with the idea, was it inspired by anything you’ve seen before?
7. When writing a book about a superhero school, is there any daydreaming up storylines for an X-Men run?
8. You’ve got Shazam on the way this summer, was it always planned as a four-issue series?
9. One of the things that fascinates me about Titans Academy, and now Shazam, is that you’ve written these two properties before in Future State. How tricky is it to tell a NEW story that is kind of informed by FUTURE events that we’ve seen in stories you’ve PREVIOUSLY written? My brain just broke trying to put that sentence together!
10. You’re working on Masters of the Universe: Revelation for Netflix and the new prequel comic. Two questions: 1, can we be you when you grow up? And 2, how’d you get involved with Revelation and do you have a lot of nostalgia for MOTU?

Off-Topic Top Shelf - Invincible, watching cooking shows on YouTube

NEWS

• Marvel July Solicits are here!
  • Marvel announces 'Sinister War' series spinning out of 'Amazing Spider-Man'
  • Marvel announces ‘Aliens: Aftermath’ #1 one-shot from Benjamin Percy
  • Marvel kicking off ‘The Last Annihilation’ this July via Al Ewing’s Space Age
• Disney and Predator breaking up?
• Rob Liefeld changes his mind about NFTs, Alex Ross does not. 
• DC Comics unveils new Superman series and lineup details for July 2021
• DC launching horror imprint with ‘The Conjuring: The Lover’
• DC Comics launching ‘Blue & Gold’ #1 this July tackling superhero social media
• DC First Look: ‘Justice League Infinity’ #1 set within ‘Justice League Unlimited’
• New Shazam 4-part series coming this July
• Dark Horse and Mattel announce ‘Masters of the Universe: Revelation’ #1
• Image Comics Solicits for July
  • Emilia Clarke, Marguerite Bennett & Leila Leiz launching ‘M.O.M.: Mother of Madness’
  • Image launching sci-fi/fantasy 'Ordinary Gods' July 7th
  • DC Comics hosts Joker vs. Suicide Squad in ‘Suicide Squad: Get Joker!’
• Marvel Comics TEAM UP:
  • with Viz Media team up for manga/comics collab
  • with ESPN team up for first-ever NBA ‘alternate presentation’ game

Our Top Books of the Week

Dave:

1. The Many Deaths of Laila Starr #1 (Ram V,, A: Filipe Andrade)
2. Spider-Woman #11 (W: Karla Pacheco, A: Pere Perez)

Nathan:

1. Way of X #1 (W: Simon Spurrier, A: Bob Quinn)
2. Specter Inspectors #3 (Bowen McCurdy, Kaitlyn Musto)

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK

• Dave: The Department Of Truth #8 (W: James Tynion, A: Martin Simmonds)
• Nathan: Batman/Superman #17 (W: Gene Luen Yang, A: Danny Miki)

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

• Dave: Spawn #317 (Bjorn Barends)
• Nathan: Shadowman #1 (David Mack variant)

Segment: Interview: Elsa Charretier - Recently wrapped up November (vol 4) with Matt Fraction, new YouTube show, a new art book on Kickstarter. Check out her Patreon.

1. Elsa, thank you so much for being on the AIPT Comics podcast for the second time….and congratulations on another successful Kickstarter this past September and now an official YouTube show launched too!
2. It became clear over time your latest Kickstarter also meant upping your game as far as cameras, lighting, and post production, what went into creating a studio in your home space and was this something you’ve wanted to do for some time before the pandemic forced us all to communicate more from our homes?
3. You’re very natural behind the camera, have you always wanted to be a host in videos and...dare I say TV some day?
4. Your YouTube show has shown off 3 video series, book club, 10-minute layout, and case study. What made these 3 your first picks to kick the channel off?
5. Do you have any other types of videos breaking down comics yet to be revealed?
6. Your video breaking down Reservoir Dogs is inspired. Do you find yourself watching films and breaking them down as you did here into comics layout?
7. Your videos range from 6 to 14 minutes in their final format, but I was curious is there many more minutes that you edit down?
8. When you work, is there anything that gets you in the zone? Any particular movies or music that put you in the right headspace?
9. You live in France and speak French, is there any desire to create video content for a French speaking audience?
10. As our guru, or comics guide, do you have any goals for the show or your career, or series or projects you’ve got planned to tackle?
11. Are there any other projects you’d like to discuss or plug today? We know you have a new art book in the works!

Off-Topic Top Shelf - Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Chris Ware, puppy videos

NEWS

• Marvel announces ‘X-Men’ #1 team lineup for July relaunch
  • And the X-Men Vote winner is… Banshee
• Image Comics announces 3-issue fantasy noir ‘Syphon’ out July 2021
• Battle Chasers: Joe Madureira revives the hit series after 20 years
• Walking Dead's Rick Grimes Wields Michonne's Lightsaber in New Kirkman/Ottley Comic
• The HUGO AWARDS 2021 finalists have been announced!
• 'United States of Captain America' #2 to intro new hero Nichelle Wright
• ‘X-Men Legends’ #5 kicks off ‘X-Factor’ story by Peter David and Todd Nauck
• ‘Amazing Fantasy’ returns with new #1 from Kaare Andrews
• DC reveals Future State: Gotham art

Our Top Books of the Week

Dave:

1. Home Sick Pilots #5 (W: Dan Watters, A: Caspar Wijngaard)
2. Locke & Key/Sandman: Hell & Gone #1 (W: Joe Hill, A: Gabriel Rodriguez)

Nathan:

1. Batman: The Detective #1 (W: Tom Taylor, A: Andy Kubert)
2. Phantom on the Scan #1 (W: Cullen Bunn, A: Mark Torres)

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK

• Dave: Way of X #1 (W: Simon Spurrier, A: Bob Quinn)
• Nathan: Way of X #1 (W: Simon Spurrier, A: Bob Quinn)

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

• Dave: Haha #4 (Michael Shea)
• Nathan: Way of X #1 (Jay Anacleto variant)

Segment: Jed MacKay - Magic (the Gathering), Black Cat (Michael Dowling), Avengers Mech Strike, Taskmaster (just wrapped up), and upcoming Moon Knight in July (art by Alessandro Cappuccio). 

1. Jed, congratulations on launching Magic at BOOM! Studios last week. When approached to write this one, how did you begin to hone your story when you’re working off a universe that’s huge?
2. There’s clearly a love for this universe on display here. Were you a fan of Magic the Gathering going into the project? 
3. Of course, there are cards you can purchase to understand the lore of Magic the Gathering, but are there any books you used as a resource when creating this world?
4. Was there anything in Magic #1 that Ig Guara positively crushed and surprised you with?
5. Black Cat #5 is out this week and kicked off a new story arc called The Gilded City. Given what is stolen in this issue...will you ever run out of things to heist and do you have a running list of items for Black Cat to steal?
6. Infinite Destinies is slated to start in June, but it was delayed due to COVID! Was the series of annuals completed and shelved, or was it pencils down until a new release date was set?
7. What a busy summer for you, with Moon Knight launching in July. Congrats! Your interview with comicbook.com goes into Khonshu being imprisoned in Asgard which means Moon Knight (and Mr. Knight) is going it alone. It also suggests he’ll be a protector of those traveling at night, might we expect an episodic approach to the series, with a different thing or person needing protecting each issue?
8. You’ve also said there will be no thought bubbles or captions to help convey his alienation, are there any stylistic choices you’ve made for any of your other works?
9. Some of the most iconic Moon Knight covers have his costume positively shredded, can you comment on why that is and if he has a great tailor?
10. Considering your current Marvel slate, which show do you think would make the best-animated series: Mech Strike, Black Cat, or Moon Knight?
11. Are there any other projects you’d like to discuss or plug today? 

Segment - Superfight! Black Cat vs. Moon Knight - Black Cat!!

Off-Topic Top Shelf - Jed MacKay - Painting Warhammer