When they first arrived in theaters in 2014, the Guardians of the Galaxy were near complete unknowns to most moviegoers, and were only vaguely familiar to most comic fans as well.  Part of the Marvel “cosmic” stories, the group had been introduced in the 1960s, but had undergone significant changes in the 21st century.  This week we are going to take a look at a number of Guardians comic stories from, different volumes, allowing Duane to see the evolution of the Guardians over time, and letting us find out what he thinks of Marvel’s galactic characters.

This Week In Comics

Marvel Reveals First Look at Marvel's Voices: Wakanda Forever #1

• https://comicbook.com/comics/news/marvels-voices-wakanda-forever-1-first-look/

Marvel's New Groot Series Will Explore the Guardian of the Galaxy's Origin Story

• https://comicbook.com/comics/news/marvel-groot-series-guardian-of-the-galaxy-origin-story/

Creator Focus: Jim Starlin

This Week's Stack

• Marvel Super-Heroes #18  

2 Minute Recap and Discussion Topics

Marvel Super-Heroes #18

• Original Guardians was a completely different group from what we know today.

Guardians of the Galaxy (2008) #1-6

• Church of Universal Truth seems like quite the group

Guardians of the Galaxy (2013) #1-3

• Guardians teaming up with Iron Man????

Guardians of the Galaxy (2020) #1-4

• Can you have a Guardians series without Peter Quill aka Star Lord?

Final Thoughts

What's Next

• Guardians of the Galaxy Movie (2014)

Signoff

Questions or comments

We'd love to hear from you!  Email us at [email protected] or find us on Twitter @comicsoftime.

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Last week we read some early Falcon comics, as well as a great run by Ed Brubaker that introduced the Winter Soldier to the Marvel Comics universe.  We now follow that up by taking a look at the second Captain America movie, which featured both of these characters in key roles. 

This Week In Comics

• The Joker is... Pregnant? 

• https://comicbook.com/comics/news/the-joker-pregnant-mud-baby/

• https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/fall-guys-invincible-skins/

Film Facts

• Tagline: In heroes we trust

2ish Minute Recap

Discussion Topics

On Your Left – Sam Wilson

Scarlett Johansson/Black Widow was dynamite again in this one 

Brilliantly done action sequences

Liberty and Security 

Don’t Trust Anyone: Fury, Shield and Hydra

The Winter Soldier Reveal

“We are all dealing with the same stuff.  Guilt… Regret…”

The Carter Girls

Tidbits 

From the comics 

Face Off!

Which Did it better? The Comics or the Movie

What's Next

• Marvel Super-Heroes #18 

Signoff

Questions or comments

We'd love to hear from you!  Email us at [email protected] or find us on Twitter @comicsoftime.

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This week we put the spotlight back on Captain America, with a focus on two of his most important supporting characters – Bucky Barnes and Sam Wilson.  Both of them have a long history with Cap, and today we are sampling a few key old Falcon comics from the 1970s as well as taking a look at the brilliant re-introduction of Bucky as the Winter Soldier in 2004. 

This Week In Comics

We went long this week so this is going to be released separately. Dan and Duane talked about their best of 2022. Look for that later this week!

The Story So Far: Captain America

Creator Focus: Ed Brubaker

This Week's Stack

• Captain America #117 and #170

2 Minute Recap and Discussion Topics

Captain America #117 and #170

• Sam Wilson Introduction / Captain America helps create a hero

Captain America V5 #1-6 Out of Time

• Red Skull Dies?

Captain America V5 #7 Interlude

• Jack Monroe - Who is he and why it matters

Captain America V5 #8, 9, 11-14 The Winter Soldier

• Bucky and the Winter Soldier

Captain America V5 #10 House of M Event Book

• Event Interruptions Are Awful

Final Thoughts

What's Next

• Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

Signoff

Questions or comments

We'd love to hear from you!  Email us at [email protected] or find us on Twitter @comicsoftime.

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This week we head back to 2013, for the first Thor sequel.  Thor: Dark World was hit or miss with fans when it came out.  And it remains so today.  Set in the early part of phase 2, which ended with Civil War, this movie nonetheless pointed the way towards the future of the MCU, with cosmic components, hints at the importance of the infinity stones, and reliance on heavy CGI and darker palettes.  

This Week In Comics

• Henry Cavill out as Superman

Film Facts

• Tagline: There was darkness.

2 Minute Recap

Discussion Topics

Face Off!

Which Did it better? The Comics or the Movie

What's Next

We won't be publishing a show next week, as we are rushing about for various holiday-related events.  We return in two weeks, though, with a look at some books that are relevent to the 2nd Cap movie, Captain America: The Winter Soldier:

• Captain America #117 (Lee/Colan) and #170 (Engelhart/Robbins)

Signoff

Questions or comments

We'd love to hear from you!  Email us at [email protected] or find us on Twitter @comicsoftime.

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This week we are getting Duane ready for his first ever viewing of the oft maligned Thor: Dark World.  Its Thor’s second solo movie, and in it he is trying to save Asgard (and Jane Foster!) from the dark elf Malekith.  We already read a bit about Malekith in the Walt Simonson Thor run we covered back in Episode 10, but now we are going to see what he’s been up to more recently, with a couple of series from around the time of the movie. 

This Week In Comics

Superman: Lost 10-issue miniseries Starting March 2023 

• https://comicbook.com/comics/news/superman-lost-miniseries-announced-dc-christopher-priest-carlo-pagulayan/

Doctor Strange is soon to be not-dead again, around a year after the much-hyped Death of Doctor Strange storyline.

• https://comicbook.com/comics/news/marvel-new-doctor-strange-series-jed-mackay-pasqual-ferry/ 

Dan Recommends: LOVE EVERLASTING from Image Comics

• https://imagecomics.com/comics/series/love-everlasting

Duane Recommends: X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

Creator Focus: Jason Aaron

This Week's Stack

• Thor: God of Thunder #12-17 (2013)  

2 Minute Recap and Discussion Topics

Thor: God of Thunder #12-17

• Malekith, the Accursed’s Revolution 

War of the Realms #1-6

• Fantastic, Epic Story – This felt like an Avengers type story

Final Thoughts

What's Next

• Thor: The Dark World (2013)

Signoff

Questions or comments

We'd love to hear from you!  Email us at [email protected] or find us on Twitter @comicsoftime.

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Well, we are back in the current day again, as Disney+ debuted their second Marvel Special last week.  The special is a (mostly) live action sci-fi sitcom episode that features the Guardians of the Galaxy searching the galaxy – and Hollywood – to find the perfect Christmas gift for Starlord.

This Week In Comics

• Tarantino and Downey Jr.
  

• https://imagecomics.com/comics/series/eight-billion-genies

Show Facts

• Released: November 25, 2022 

2 Minute Recap

Discussion Topics

Tidbits

Drax and Mantis

The Marvel Universe is Very Self Aware

Music and the Old 97s

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQOb1fybgW0

Oddest lore reveal

CGI and Practical Effects

Is this the future of Marvel?

What to read after watching the Holiday Special

• X-Men #143 (1981)

Correspondence

• Message from Kyle

What's Next

• Thor: God of Thunder #12-17 (2013) 

Signoff

Questions or comments

We'd love to hear from you!  Email us at [email protected] or find us on Twitter @comicsoftime.

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Man, is it good to be back in the world of Marvel’s early continuity.  This week we head back to 2013 for the third and (so far last) solo Iron Man film.  Iron Man 3 has a plot taken directly from the comics, and story elements that caused more than a few complaints from long time fans.  It is one of the most interesting, and one of the most polarizing, of the early Marvel films.

This Week In Comics

• Deadpool Gets Iron Man-Style Armor in a Unique Sideshow Statue 

• https://www.cbr.com/deadpool-armorized-iron-man-hot-toys/

• https://screenrant.com/eternals-calls-out-marvel-fans-who-dont-read-comics/

Film Facts

• Tagline: Prepare for Heavy Metal 

2 Minute Recap

Discussion Topics

Extremis plotline

Mandarin – shoehorned in

Tony Stark and PTSD

Tennessee and Harley

The end, but not the end

Air Force One Rescue

Tidbits 

Face Off!

Which Did it better? The Comics or the Movie

What's Next

• Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022)

Signoff

Questions or comments

We'd love to hear from you!  Email us at [email protected] or find us on Twitter @comicsoftime.

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With the Avengers movie behind us, we are now going to dive into the MCU’s second “phase,” which was kicked off just like the first phase was – with an Iron Man movie.  Iron Man 3 sees our hero facing off against a shadowy adversary called “the Mandarin” while trying to protect the president and defend against super-powered adversaries created by the Extremis treatment.

This Week In Comics

Shazam! Fury of the Gods Cast to write Tie-In Comic for DC 

• https://comicbook.com/movies/news/shazam-2-fury-of-the-gods-cast-write-tie-in-comic-dc/

The Return of Doctor Strange to the comics begins this week

• https://comicbook.com/comics/news/doctor-strange-returns-to-life-tradd-moore-fall-sunrise-preview/

Creator Focus: Don Heck

This Week's Stack

• Tales of Suspense #50 (1964) 

2 Minute Recap and Discussion Topics

Tales of Suspense #50 (1964)

• Short Story

Iron Man: Enter the Mandarin (2007) #1-6

• Mandarin Origin

The Invincible Iron Man (2004) #1-6

• Extremis

Final Thoughts

What's Next

• Iron Man 3 (2013)

Signoff

Questions or comments

We'd love to hear from you!  Email us at [email protected] or find us on Twitter @comicsoftime.

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This week we both took a trip out to our local theaters, and saw Black Panther: Wakanda Forever on its record-breaking opening weekend.  Few sequels have ever faced so daunting a challenge as this film, as the loss of Chadwick Boseman to cancer two years ago left a hole that for a long time it seemed would be impossible to continue on without.  How did they do, both in terms of honoring Boseman and in terms of making a movie worthy of his memory.  We’ll talk about it,  the short answer is pretty well.  Pretty damn well indeed.

This Week In Comics

• Voice of Batman, Kevin Conroy, passes away at 66

• https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/kevin-conroy-batman-voice-actor-dies-at-66/

• https://comicbook.com/comics/news/legendary-marvel-and-dc-artist-carlos-pacheco-dead-at-60/

• https://comicbook.com/comics/news/namor-the-sub-mariner-comics-mighty-marvel-masterworks-black-panther-wakanda-forever/

** SPOILER WARNING ** 

Film Facts

• Tagline: Forever 

2 Minute Recap

Discussion Topics

Letitia Wright as Shuri – Powerful performance

Tough at times to match

Namor – Complex character

Brilliant Story

Other moments worth mentioning 

Where does this film rank in phase 4? The larger MCU? 

Face Off!

Which Did it better? The Comics or the Movie

What's Next

• Tales of Suspense #50

Signoff

Questions or comments

We'd love to hear from you!  Email us at [email protected] or find us on Twitter @comicsoftime.

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Ryan Coogler is back in the MCU again, and his Black Panther 2: Wakanda Forever opens in theaters next week.  In preparation for that event we are taking a look at some previous Black Panther war stories, and getting a glimpse of the first comic appearances of two characters who may be a big part of the MCU in Phase 5 and beyond. 

This Week In Comics

New Marvel and Planet of the Apes Crossover Covers coming in February 2023

• https://comicbook.com/comics/news/marvel-and-planet-of-the-apes-crossover-covers-revealed/

Kevin O’Neill passes away

• https://comicbook.com/comics/news/kevin-oneill-league-extraordinary-gentlemen-comics-dead-obituary/

Dan's Review of Why Wakanda Matters

• https://www.comicbookyeti.com/post/why-wakanda-matters

The Story So Far - Black Panther

Creator Focus: Reginald Hudlin

This Week's Stack

• Black Panther V3 (1998) #26-30 

2 Minute Recap and Discussion Topics

Black Panther V3 (1998) #26-30 

• Namor

Black Panther V4 (2005) #1-6

• Wakanda

Invincible Iron Man (2016) #1 

• Riri Williams aka Iron Heart

Final Thoughts

What's Next

• Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Signoff

Questions or comments

We'd love to hear from you!  Email us at [email protected] or find us on Twitter @comicsoftime.

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