Back Issue Bloodbath Archives - Geek Hard

Welcome friends to Back Issue Bloodbath, a comics-centric podcast presented by Geek Hard. Join hosts Andrew Young and Sammy Younan as they get down and dirty in the four-colour world of comic books, focusing on classic stories, new issues, comic creators and hot button topics.

If there’s one thing that comic companies love to do, it’s change their own continuity. Retcons. Once used to lightly change a character’s back story so they better fit the modern era, retcons are now used at the drop of a hat to fulfill the needs of the publisher or to attempt a jumpstart in lagging sales. Let’s face it though, they are a necessary evil. If not for retcons, we wouldn’t have Captain America in the modern era. And we wouldn’t have The Winter Soldier either. On the flipside, readers have had to live through One More Day, The New 52, and Original Sin. There are good and bad retcons out there and we’re going to talk about ’em!

Join Andrew and Sammy as they look back on some popular retcons throughout the decades and give their thoughts on merit of them. They’ll also try to shed some light as to why some of them happened in the first place. There will be some examples you might not agree with and we’ll be happy to hear from you as to which ones we got wrong. But good or bad, these retcons stand out in readers’ minds for one reason or another. Join us as we deal with a Crisis of Infinite Proportions and Secretly War against retroactive continuity.

Have an idea for a certain topic we should cover? Have an indie comic book you’d like us to review? Send us an email at [email protected] with “Back Issue Bloodbath” in the subject line. We’d love to hear from you. And be sure to join our Facebook page for exclusive content.

If you’re gonna geek out, GEEK HARD!

 

Welcome friends to Back Issue Bloodbath, a comics-centric podcast presented by Geek Hard. Join hosts Andrew Young and Sammy Younan as they get down and dirty in the four-colour world of comic books, focusing on classic stories, new issues, comic creators and hot button topics.

This week, in our creator spotlight, we take a look at the works of George Perez. When it comes to mainstream comics, there are few who have drawn as many different Marvel and DC heroes as George Perez. His skillful hands were behind some of the greatest comics of all time including: The Korvac Saga, The Judas Contract, Crisis on Infinite Earths, Future Imperfect, Ultron Unlimited and many more. A master of detail, he’s created such elaborate splash pages that beg the reader to comb over them several times to take in everything. That man can sure pack a panel with a lot of great stuff.

Join Andrew and Sammy as they look back on the amazing body of work that George Perez has produced. We look at his work as an artist as well as a writer. We also look at his current place in the world of comics and some of the set backs he’s faced. Of course, we name check some of our personal favourites that he’s done. Put on your favourite Hawaiian shirt and settle in as we talk about one of the greatest creators ever to draw for the House of Ideas and the Distinguished Competition.

Have an idea for a certain topic we should cover? Have an indie comic book you’d like us to review? Send us an email at [email protected] with “Back Issue Bloodbath” in the subject line. We’d love to hear from you. And be sure to join our Facebook page for exclusive content.

If you’re gonna geek out, GEEK HARD!

 

Welcome friends to Back Issue Bloodbath, a comics-centric podcast presented by Geek Hard. Join hosts Andrew Young and Sammy Younan as they get down and dirty in the four-colour world of comic books, focusing on classic stories, new issues, comic creators and hot button topics.

When it comes to the modern landscape of comics, there is one creative team that stands out among all the rest: Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. From Sleeper, to Criminal, to Fatale, to The Fade Out, they have produced some memorable work. They, along with colourist Elisabeth Breitwiser, have mined the seedy underbelly of fiction to present noir masterpieces. On this week’s Back Issue Bloodbath, we take a look at their latest offering, Kill or Be Killed.

A dark take on the life of a low level vigilante, Kill or Be Killed follows Dylan, a down on his luck grad student who thinks that a demon is forcing him to kill “bad people”. All the while, Dylan still tries to balance a “normal” life with his new mission. The comic mixes genres in ways that this team have become known for. Crime, horror, even superheroes in a way, are fodder for this series. Andrew’s been a fan since issue one. Sammy just recently checked it out. Join them as they dissect the nuances of the storytelling and give their thoughts on some of the criticism that the book has garnered. All in day’s work for Back Issue Bloodbath.

Have an idea for a certain topic we should cover? Have an indie comic book you’d like us to review? Send us an email at [email protected] with “Back Issue Bloodbath” in the subject line. We’d love to hear from you. And be sure to join our Facebook page for exclusive content.

If you’re gonna geek out, GEEK HARD!

 

Welcome friends to Back Issue Bloodbath, a comics-centric podcast presented by Geek Hard. Join hosts Andrew Young and Sammy Younan as they get down and dirty in the four-colour world of comic books, focusing on classic stories, new issues, comic creators and hot button topics.

Every comic book character has that one story that stands out with fans above all the rest as the best. A defining moment in the characters’ lives that will forever cement their comic as truly great. For some it’s a long running debate. There are many that feel that Batman’s best story is “The Dark Knight Returns” where others choose “The Killing Joke“. With Spider-man, “Kraven’s Last Hunt“, “The Death of Gwen Stacy” and the origin story in Amazing Fantasy #15 all vie for the title. But when it comes to The Teen Titans, most fans can agree on one definitive winner: The Judas Contract.

Join Andrew and Sammy as they look back on an iconic comic story from the early eighties. There’s a traitor among the Titans and they’ve helped Deathstroke the Terminator learn all their secrets. There’s action, drama and a few risque situations that were very uncommon for mainstream comics at the time. The Judas Contract also stands out as it reveals Deathstroke’s origin tale and showcases Dick Grayson’s transformation from Robin the Boy Wonder to Nightwing. It’s time to bring the Titans together as we look back on one of the most celebrated works of Marv Wolfman and George Perez’s careers on an ALL NEW Back Issue Bloodbath.

Have an idea for a certain topic we should cover? Have an indie comic book you’d like us to review? Send us an email at [email protected] with “Back Issue Bloodbath” in the subject line. We’d love to hear from you. And be sure to join our Facebook page for exclusive content.

If you’re gonna geek out, GEEK HARD!

 

Welcome friends to Back Issue Bloodbath, a comics-centric podcast presented by Geek Hard. Join hosts Andrew Young and Sammy Younan as they get down and dirty in the four-colour world of comic books, focusing on classic stories, new issues, comic creators and hot button topics.

Remember Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind? For those of you that don’t, it’s a film released back in 2004 starring Jim Carey and Kate Winslet. The premise of the movie was that Winslet’s character went to a doctor to get all memory of Jim Carey’s character erased from her mind. Why is the premise of this film important? It’s the impetus for this week’s episode. If you were able to go to this doctor and have a comic book story removed from your mind just so you could read it again for the first time, which comic would it be?

Listen as Andrew and Sammy pose that question to each other and try to name the comic story lines worthy of such an honour. Some of their choices may surprise you. Join them as they pick their favourites, telling us a bit about what happens in the comics as well as the back story on why they chose them. Who knows, you might find out about a book you’ve never read before and will want to check it out. Let the memory wipe begin as we try some classic comics again for the first time on an ALL NEW Bloodbath.

Have an idea for a certain topic we should cover? Have an indie comic book you’d like us to review? Send us an email at [email protected] with “Back Issue Bloodbath” in the subject line. We’d love to hear from you. And be sure to join our Facebook page for exclusive content.

If you’re gonna geek out, GEEK HARD!

 

Welcome friends to Back Issue Bloodbath, a comics-centric podcast presented by Geek Hard. Join hosts Andrew Young and Sammy Younan as they get down and dirty in the four-colour world of comic books, focusing on classic stories, new issues, comic creators and hot button topics.

It’s time once again for a Creator Spotlight and this month’s pick is another controversial figure in the world of comics: John Byrne. At one time, Byrne was a “Top Guy” in the industry. In the late 70s and early 80s, he was Marvel’s go-to artist for classic hero comics. His work on Avengers and Captain America as still loved to this day. Byrne’s classic collaboration with Chris Claremont on the Uncanny X-Men (as well as Marvel Team-Up and Iron Fist) is legendary. His solo work as writer/artist on Alpha Flight and Fantastic Four is considered some of the most exciting comics of their era. As he continued into the 80s, he made the jump to DC and helped reshape the origin of Superman, cementing his legacy in comics.

But somewhere along the way, Byrne stopped being the innovator and got left behind creatively. No longer the go-to guy, his work from the 90s to present has been a far cry from the amazing work of his younger years. On this week’s episode, Andrew and Sammy take a look at the works of John Byrne, comparing his former and latter offerings in the world of graphic fiction. Join us for another creator-fueled Back Issue Bloodbath.

Have an idea for a certain topic we should cover? Have an indie comic book you’d like us to review? Send us an email at [email protected] with “Back Issue Bloodbath” in the subject line. We’d love to hear from you. And be sure to join our Facebook page for exclusive content.

If you’re gonna geek out, GEEK HARD!

 

Welcome friends to Back Issue Bloodbath, a comics-centric podcast presented by Geek Hard. Join hosts Andrew Young and Sammy Younan as they get down and dirty in the four-colour world of comic books, focusing on classic stories, new issues, comic creators and hot button topics.

If there’s one DC comic book character that Sammy loves, it’s gotta be Wally West as The Flash. Needless to say, the New 52 was hard on the guy. Both Andrew and Sammy are of the generation that grew up with Wally West as their Flash. The legendary runs by Mark Waid and Geoff Johns on The Flash made Wally the hero we all wanted to be. For 5 years, we had to live without the original Wally. Thanks to a little thing called Rebirth, we don’t have to live without him anymore. Wally’s back and he’s in the pages of Titans.

Take a listen as Andrew and Sammy dissect the first 8 issues of Titans. We put the writing of Dan Abnett and the artwork of Brett Booth under the microscope and give our honest opinion on the new series. Does it meet the standard of what we expect from a Rebirth series? Find out as we hold nothing back. Spoilers: Sammy is really happy Wally’s back….but there’s still some gripes that both Andrew and Sammy have with this series. Find out what they are and more on an ALL NEW Back Issue Bloodbath.

Have an idea for a certain topic we should cover? Have an indie comic book you’d like us to review? Send us an email at [email protected] with “Back Issue Bloodbath” in the subject line. We’d love to hear from you. And be sure to join our Facebook page for exclusive content.

If you’re gonna geek out, GEEK HARD!

 

Welcome friends to Back Issue Bloodbath, a comics-centric podcast presented by Geek Hard. Join hosts Andrew Young and Sammy Younan as they get down and dirty in the four-colour world of comic books, focusing on classic stories, new issues, comic creators and hot button topics.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that a certain film about everybody’s favourite Canadian mutant hit theatres earlier this month. Logan took the box office by storm and was a fitting sendoff for Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. Did you know that the idea for the film is loosely based on a comic story by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven? I say loosely because the concept of a an older Wolverine is about the only similarity. Regardless, the impetus for the cranky canucklehead comes from a story simply titled Old Man Logan, which was released in the Wolverine ongoing series in the late 2000s. Taking place in a future where the bad guys won and most of the heroes are dead, Logan now lives as a pacifist farmer trying to raise a family in a land ruled by Hulks. When he can’t make his rent and his wife and kids’ lives are threatened, Logan agrees to help a blind Hawkeye make a dangerous trip across country to deliver a mysterious package. It’s a road trip like no other and Wolverine has to make some hard choices along the way.

Join Andrew and Sammy as they look back on this series that brought forth one of the most popular iterations of Wolverine ever: Old Man Logan. Find out what they think of the series and Logan’s current place in Marvel continuity on an ALL NEW Episode of Back Issue Bloodbath!

Have an idea for a certain topic we should cover? Have an indie comic book you’d like us to review? Send us an email at [email protected] with “Back Issue Bloodbath” in the subject line. We’d love to hear from you. And be sure to join our Facebook page for exclusive content.

If you’re gonna geek out, GEEK HARD!

 

Welcome friends to Back Issue Bloodbath, a comics-centric podcast presented by Geek Hard. Join hosts Andrew Young and Sammy Younan as they get down and dirty in the four-colour world of comic books, focusing on classic stories, new issues, comic creators and hot button topics.

Comic books have been around for a long time. A century, give or take a few years. Over this time, a number of amazing stories have been told. Tales of daring adventure, romance, and even slice-of-life anecdotes. So many creative stories have been told that it stands to reason a few ideas would get repeated over the years. This is probably most true in the land of super heroes. Marvel and DC have each been a major force in the industry for decades and they’ve done their fair share of recycling ideas. Some are understandable. Others are unforgivable.

Join Andrew and Sammy this week as they take a look at Comic Book Cliches and tell us all which ones have been done to death. There are certain ideas that need to leave the world of graphic fiction and NEVER COME BACK! But which plot devices are the major culprits? Find out this week as they lay it all out. No stone will be left unturned and no suspect left untouched. This is the definitive list of comic book story don’ts….even if Andrew and Sammy disagree on a few of them. Still, this list is official! Pay attention and you just might learn something (and be entertained as always).

Have an idea for a certain topic we should cover? Have an indie comic book you’d like us to review? Send us an email at [email protected] with “Back Issue Bloodbath” in the subject line. We’d love to hear from you.

If you’re gonna geek out, GEEK HARD!

 

Welcome friends to Back Issue Bloodbath, a comics-centric podcast presented by Geek Hard. Join hosts Andrew Young and Sammy Younan as they get down and dirty in the four-colour world of comic books, focusing on classic stories, new issues, comic creators and hot button topics.

This week, we bring you another Creator Spotlight as we look back on the career of cartoonist Bryan Lee O’Malley. Best known as the man behind the Scott Pilgrim graphic novel series, Bryan has spent almost 2 decades making comics professionally. Getting his start at Oni Press, O’Malley has become synonymous with stories about twenty-somthings trying to find their place in the world while dealing with magical realism and great obstacles. Whether it’s his first graphic novel Lost At Sea, the Scott Pilgrim series, Seconds or even his current work at Image, Snotgirl, O’Malley has excelled at telling strange adventures grounded in emotional conflict, presenting characters the reader can identify with. There’s a lot of drama in his work…..and we mean that in the best way possible.

Join Andrew and Sammy as they take a look at the various comic book offerings from Bryan Lee O’Malley. There’s also much talk of Toronto, love gone wrong and even a reference to an early 90s cartoon. All of this amazing stuff is waiting for you. All you have to do is click the play button and you will be transported to the magical land of Back Issue Bloodbath. I can’t think of a better way to spend the next half hour. Can You?

Have an idea for a certain topic we should cover? Have an indie comic book you’d like us to review? Send us an email at [email protected] with “Back Issue Bloodbath” in the subject line. We’d love to hear from you.

If you’re gonna geek out, GEEK HARD!