Beyond the Pull List

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Have you ever wondered what keeps a 40-year-old franchise burning bright?

This week on Beyond the Pull List, Paul and Clayton welcome an absolute legend to the show: the man behind the epic voice, Jon Bailey! From voicing iconic characters in Transformers One, Bumblebee, and Combiner Wars to his brilliant work on How It Should Have Ended and Marvel Rivals, Jon drops in for a massive, nostalgic deep-dive into the heart of the Transformers universe.

The guys break down the tactile magic of the original 1980s toy packaging, the logistics of transforming a puzzle into an action figure, and why the franchise continues to capture the imaginations of generations. Plus, Jon pulls back the curtain on Hollywood, sharing incredible behind-the-scenes stories about ADR work, filling in for blockbuster movie stars like Chris Hemsworth and Ryan Reynolds, and navigating the unpredictable world of professional voice acting.

In this episode, we cover:

• Special Guest Jon Bailey: The legendary voice actor joins the show to discuss his lifelong journey with the Transformers brand.
• What Makes Transformers Special? Examining the packaging, color theory, the puzzle aspect of the toys, and the deep moral themes of an endless war.
• Childhood Toys & Memories: Jon shares the story of getting his very first Bumblebee, the unexpected Mixmaster gift from his grandfather, and buying Skywarp with his own allowance.
• Hollywood Secrets & ADR: How loop groups, voice matching, and secret vocal stand-ins work actually function behind the scenes on massive blockbusters like Transformers One and Deadpool & Wolverine.
• The Future of Transformers: Looking ahead to Skybound Entertainment and what's next for the franchise.
• The Heart of Transformers: What makes the 40-year-old franchise special, its timeless themes, and the best entry points for new fans and kids.
• Faith in Hollywood: Jon shares his perspective as a Christian in the entertainment industry, navigating work without compromising convictions, and being a positive influence for the Gospel.
• Marvel Rivals & HISHE: Behind-the-scenes stories about voicing Jeff the Landshark, playing Marvel Rivals, and Jon's work on How It Should Have Ended.
• AI & The Ultimate Battle: Jon's candid thoughts on AI in voice acting, plus the final verdict on Superman vs. Venom!

Let us know what you think!

Is this really the most terrifying issue or Absolute Batman?

Absolute Batman #25 has finally hit the shelves and there is so much to talk about. But BEWARE SPOILERS. 

Also on this week, Paul and Clayton hit a massive, unprecedented milestone in their friendship. For the first time in Beyond the Pull List history, things get exceptionally tense in the studio as a heated debate over Midnight Books and Midnight Spider-Man #1 turns into an absolute battleground. Are the guys on the verge of calling it quits, or can they survive their biggest on-air disagreement yet?

Plus, the boys break down the massive, game-changing showdown between Bruce Wayne and Jack Grimm in Absolute Batman #25 before sharing their wildest predictions for issue #26! Clayton runs through a packed stack featuring Transformers #37, Absolute Superman #24, Superman #43, and D'Orc #9. 

Meanwhile, Paul reacts to the fresh relaunch of Venom #1 and unravels how Chip Zdarsky might have just casually undone Marvel's most hated storyline, One More Day, over in Captain America #16!

To top it all off, the guys review the current state of action figure collecting—comparing McFarlane Toys against Mattel—before dropping a huge, game-changing announcement that you do not want to miss.

In this episode, we cover:

• The First Real BTPL Debate: Why Midnight Books and Midnight Spider-Man #1 caused Paul and Clayton’s most intense on-air clash to date.
• Absolute Batman #25 Climax & #26 Theories: Dissecting the Jack Grimm showdown, the jaw-dropping cliffhanger, and where the Absolute Universe goes from here.
• Did One More Day Just Get Undone? Breaking down Chip Zdarsky’s jaw-dropping developments in Captain America #16.
• Action Figure Showdown: McFarlane Toys vs. Mattel—who currently holds the crown for collectors?
• A Massive Announcement: Stick around to the very end for a special life and show update!

Let us know what you think!

Is DC’s Clayface officially the best supervillain movie ever made?

​We are fresh out of the to bring you an immediate, full-spoiler review of DC's latest standalone villain release, Clayface!

Moving far away from traditional comic book tropes and embracing pure body horror, the film follows disgraced former star Matt Hagen as a tragic, face-altering accident and experimental stem-cell overdose spiral into an irresistible descent into madness.

​Join us as we break down the film using The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly framework: unpacking why the story works so exceptionally well without Batman, evaluating the intense graphic surgery scenes, dissecting the tragic chemistry with Caitlin, and analyzing that terrifying, full-monster sewer climax.

​In this episode, we cover:

• ​Immediate Post-Theater Reactions: Why Clayface might actually top Joker and Venom as the definitive comic book villain movie.
• ​The Body Horror Shift: Why the graphic transformations, melting red-carpet moments, and intense surgeries work so well—even for non-horror fans.
• ​Matt Hagen’s Descent: The tragic mafia web, stem-cell overdose, and the moment Hagen crosses the line from victim to irredeemable villain.
• ​No Batman Necessary: Why keeping Gotham's Dark Knight out of this origin story was the smartest choice DC could have made.
• ​Future DCU Potential: Could this iteration of Clayface stand against a future Batman in the DCU, or is it better left as a standalone masterpiece?

Let us know what you think!

This week, Clayton and Paul dive into the landmark Amazing Spider-Man #1000. Marvel promised an issue that would "change Peter Parker’s life forever," but did it actually deliver? 

We break down Joe Kelly and Pepe Larraz's lead story, "Ravaged," featuring Aunt May's health crisis, the secret biological son Cormac Craine, and his turn as the new memory-weaponizing villain, Ravage. Plus, they share their thoughts on the rest of the stories in this milestone anthology and how they stacked up.

Then, Paul unleashes his final, unfiltered rant on the conclusion of Al Ewing’s Venom run and Queen in Black. You won't want to miss this!

To wrap things up, the guys break down the latest Star Wars news and tease what’s coming next for BTPL this month—including their upcoming Clayface movie review, coverage of Absolute Batman #25, Charles Soule’s Venom launch, and a massive announcement at the end of October!

In this episode:

Amazing Spider-Man #1000 Breakdown: Examining Joe Kelly's lead story, the debut of Ravage (Cormac Craine), Aunt May’s stroke, and whether Marvel fulfilled its milestone promises.

Al Ewing’s Venom Finale: Paul gives his ultimate take on the conclusion of Ewing's saga and Queen in Black.

Star Wars News: Reacting to the newest headlines across the galaxy far, far away.

October BTPL Preview: Clayface theater plans, upcoming pull list highlights, and October's mystery announcement!

This hilarious episode is one you won't want to miss!

Let us know what you think!

Has the Straw Man met his final harvest, or is Bruce Wayne trapped in his worst nightmare?

​This week on Beyond the Pull List, Paul and Clayton break down the explosive climax of Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta's "Straw Man" arc in Absolute Batman #24! Bruce Wayne takes the fight directly to Jonathan Crane in a brutal, fear-gas-fueled showdown that leaves Gotham shaken to its core. The guys unpack Batman’s vengeance, the grim fate of Absolute Scarecrow, and what this massive turning point means for the rest of the Absolute Universe.

We also break the Batman of Two Worlds. Which Batman is better - mainline or Absolute?

Then, the boys run through a massive stack of weekly pull reviews! Clayton breaks down Transformers #36, gives his thoughts on the newly released Optimus Prime: Awakening short film. He also dives into a very dark Absolute Superman #23. Meanwhile, Paul goes on another rant about the horrible state of Venom under Al Ewing as he reviews wQueen in Black #3 & #4, Venom #261, and Venom Unchained #2.

Finally, the guys close out the show analyzing the latest Marvel Cinematic rumors and encore scenes, dissecting what's next for Steve, Peggy, Loki, Bruce Banner and Hulk's abduction, TVA/X-Men incursions, and Doctor Doom’s terrifying new helmet!

Let us know what you think!

You asked for it, so grab your sodas, settle in, and buckle up for a mega-sized Q&A session!

This week on Beyond the Pull List, Paul and Clayton are building Blokees model kits while tackling an enormous stack of your questions. From deep comic book philosophy to Transformers lore and iconic cinema, we leave no stone unturned while snapping together their latest builds.

Along the way, the boys pause the Q&A to pay heartfelt tributes to three iconic legends: voice giant Peter Cullen, national treasure Dolly Parton, and the incomparable Tim Curry.

Whether you're looking for profound comic recommendations or just want to hear the guys debate the ultimate Optimus Prime, this giant mailbag episode has something for every fan.

Questions answered in this episode include:

• Faith & Perseverance: Essential comic book recommendations dealing with personal doubt, spiritual struggles, and pushing through the dark.
• Legacy Characters & HBO's Lanterns: As new episodes drop weekly, what actually makes a legacy mantle work, and who are Paul and Clayton’s absolute favorite legacy heroes?
• Transformers Video Games: Is there any hope for a revival of high-caliber Transformers games like Fall of Cybertron?
• The Prime Standard: Which version stands as the single best iteration of Optimus Prime across all media?
• Favorite Transformers Movie: The top live-action or animated film picks and the exact reasons why.
• The Anatomy of Venom: What core ingredients make a truly great Venom comic story tick?
• Indy's Comic Return: The guys give their thoughts on Marvel's new Indiana Jones series by Jason Aaron and reveal whether it will get the Beyond the Pull List coverage treatment.
• And much, much more!

Let us know what you think!

What is the single most important comic book in our friendship?

Welcome to the very first Beyond the Pull List Retro Review! Long ago, before podcasts, before life, before growing up, we were just two guys volunteering at our local comic shop. This week, we time travel back to 2018 to review the legendary "Go Down Swinging" arc - Amazing Spider-Man #797 through #800 by Dan Slott and Stuart Immonen.

From our initial jealousy to the utter chaos of release day, we break down why ASM #800 remains our absolute favorite Spider-Man story of all time. Plus, we breakdown the iconic introduction of the Red Goblin (Norman Osborn with the Carnage symbiote), Flash Thompson's Agent Anti-Venom heroic death, and why this specific era of Marvel comics defined their bond and Spider-Man. 

So, grab your Mountain Dew as we sit down for our first retro review!

Let us know what you think!

Is Scott Snyder's Absolute Batman officially BACK on track?

Paul is fresh off a full week of reading "Marvel slop," but Clayton is ready to balance out the scales with some exciting books! This week, the boys break down Absolute Batman #23, diving deep into a wild new introduction to Clayface, Alfred's cryptic family dynamics, and a shocking twist that forever changes Absolute Batman. Is Scarecrow pulling the strings, or is Bruce Wayne going insane?

Plus, Clayton gives a huge shoutout to listener Logan for the Blokees Optimus Prime figure (and his epic coffee cup art), while Paul sets up a hilarious undercover test.

 The guys also touch on Transformers #35, the endless flood of Venom books (Queen in Black, Venom #259–260, Venom Unchained), Paul's venture into indie Godzilla comics, and the news coming out from D23! 

Oh and let's not forget that Paul opens his Queen in Black blind bag!

There's a lot of side notes in this one ranging from Star Wars to Supergirl and everything in between. So grab your mountain Dew, crack it open and let's go Beyond the Pull List! 

Let us know what you think!

This week on Beyond the Pull List, Paul and Clayton dive deep into the latest MCU blockbuster, Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

​Before jumping into full-on spoiler territory, we start off with a special (and very brief) guest appearance from Clayton’s wife, Gabryella, who is the ultimate Spider-Man "expert" who already knows how every superhero story ends.

But after she tells us how she predicted the movie, Paul and Clayton get down to business to break down everything that makes this film one of the absolute best Spider-Man movies ever made.

This is a HEAVY SPOILER episode, so be sure to go watch the film before you listen!

Let us know what you think!

SDCC 2026 Breakdown: Big Comic Wins, MCU Fatigue, & Ewing Leaves Venom!

​SDCC 2026 is officially wrapped, and we’re breaking down all the news. The MCU panel didn't do much for us (even with Ryan Gosling as Ghost Rider and Black Panther 3), but the actual comic reveals were incredible across the board.

​DC is expanding the Absolute Universe with Black Canary, Cyborg, and Scott Snyder's Batman Beyond, plus we're getting Deniz Camp on Shadow of the Bat and Vixen's first solo series. We also dive into the Energon Universe updates. 

But the biggest news of all? Al Ewing is finally stepping off Venom with Charles Soule taking over (Paul has literally never been happier).

​We break down our top picks, what missed the mark, and where the industry is heading. Drop a comment and let us know what took the crown for you at SDCC this year!