Contest of Challengers

Good news-- we did not get broken into this week! So that's 1 week in a row! The continuing story of Challengers and our (for now) alarm company. Add that to our wonky A/C bent front door and we have 3 too many maintenance issues at the moment. More security measures will be put into place. The New York Comic Con was going on as we recorded this, so we talk about some of the announcements that had been made. And then… things take a slightly dark turn as we're not really excited by the slate of announcements. And by 'not really excited' we mean pretty much straight up angry.

Dark Matter has a new retail coffee shop right across the street from Challengers. We got broken into and robbed… again. We loved Heroes in Crisis #1 and don't understand people that are so anti-Tom King. Dal is looking forward to Gran Morrison's Green Lantern. Patrick, not so much. More love for Man-Eaters #1, now that it's actually on sale! Doctor Strange has been really good and just had a neat twist. Batman Damned is now quarterly and #1 is not being reprinted at this time. We hope that decision changes…

It's almost time for our health insurance plans to be cancelled! If you complain that comics cost too much, maybe reevaluate your buying choices. What if a creator you love did something you have a serious moral objection to? And yes, there is a comic that shows Bruce Wayne's penis. If you want it for that reason alone, just own up to it.

The new DC Universe streaming service started today. Did we subscribe? If we did, did it work? The full Batman Day 2018 rundown, and comparisons to past events. Also, looking to 2019 and Batman 80th Anniversary. Also, Patrick cannot count… or add. Batman Damned #1 comes out next week and it's already sold out. Marvel stealth-cancelled the brand new Vision mini-series before we could even turn in our orders for #1. Something smells bad in comics retail… And maybe we do know what we're doing after all.

From the sound of glass shattering you'd think "Stone Cold" Steve Austin was on his way to the ring, but NO! It's a break-in at Challengers. And, unrelated, identity theft! It's a great week for criminals at Challengers' expense! And we do mean 'expense.' Hear how we deal with these types of highly disappointing, yet not wholly unexpected, occurrences. Plus, the aftermath of the Ryan Browne GHA hardcover release party.

Recorded mere moments before it's posted, this episode is almost completely unedited. Time the pauses! Count the "ummm's"! Do you want your receipt? No more signatures for chip card purchases? Paying it forward for younger readers? Probably not. Some DC news out of this weekend's Fan Expo Toronto. A brief interview with "Ryan Browne." Lots of new events!

Friday started with a Disaster Pizza (™ & ©). Maybe not comic news, but it happened IN a comic shop, so it counts. Patrick is suddenly very excited for Marvel's 2019 Conan the Barbarian comic. …but… Patrick is also furious with Marvel for a variety of reasons. All of said reasons are discussed, don't you worry. What's going to happen in Batman #55? We honestly don't know. Do you? Are current political comics cathartic or just too much of a reminder? West Coast Avengers #1 and Amazing Spider-Man #4 are examined.

When should we have Daniel Warren Johnson in to sign for MURDER FALCON #1? There are several new Image comics we're excited about… MAN-EATERS, CEMETERY BEACH and MCMLXXV (1975). We've gotten to read them and are excited for them all, to differing extents. Also, Black Crown's LODGER. Closing a second location vs. closing an original location. Is Marvel going to kill Honey Badger? Mike Norton and Ryan Browne will be at Challengers this upcoming week. You should be, too.

It's the Gen Con Road Diaries, featuring a bunch of guest stars! 0:03:40 Brad Rooks from Oni Press. 1:05:39 Cory Casoni from Table Titans. 1:12:00 Gabo, artist of "Dead of Winter" and "The Life After." 1:16:23 Kory Bing, creator of the webcomic Skin Deep. Plus, occasional check-ins from Patrick and Dal about their first time at "The Best Four Days in Gaming" and a rundown of the games they played after-hours (spoilers: Kyle Starks won almost everything and Patrick always came in dead last).

It's next week's episode of Contest of Challengers six days early! Another midnight release event? Um, pass. Koyama Press is ceasing publication in 2021, but Annie Koyama will still be an important patron of the comic book arts. Bongo Comics is also ceasing publication, in October. Watching new-to-comic-shops customers discover Challengers is pure joy. Comedian Jim Jefferies went to San Diego and filmed a piece about diversity… American white people don't like being called "White people." There's yet another new comic-con in Chicago, ACE, in October. We announce a new Ryan Browne event here, first! For more information (or to maybe donate) about the Alzheimer's 5K Patrick is participating in in September, go to http://rememberingfrances.com