Contest of Challengers

Quick recap of our Return Policy (we do not accept returns). Dal's not having a good week with super-hero comics, even though our Metal Midnight Release was fun. Patrick is tired of doing things that benefit other people/business but not Challengers. So many events are happening! Non-spoilery talk about The Defenders on Netflix. Speaking of Nextflix, they bought Millarworld and we talk about it. We want to be an Amazon portal. You know, if you can't beat 'em… We're dipping our toes into gaming (more on that next week). Wizard Magazine is back?? The new Runaways comic is really fun!

Patrick, Kent and Cristina continue their Crisis on Infinite Earths discussion in the final of our Crisis episodes. Tim Drake means a lot to Cristina, as does Dick Grayson. What drew Cristina to Challengers in the first place? The hidden humor of Crisis. We wonder what Batman history is still canon? No Man's Land? Cataclysm? Azbats? The DC Archives vs. the Disney Archives.

What starts as a discussion about the long-term repercussions of DC's seminal work of universe-condensing, Crisis on Infinite Earths, quickly digresses into myriad other classic comic tomes, and even some theories about the brand new, and excellent, Mister Miracle! Dedicated (and immensely knowledgeable) DC reader Cristina McCrystal joins Patrick and Kent in a special 2-part episode! There's a reason Cristina has an encyclopedic knowledge of DC characters. Was Supergirl the best among us?

Welcome to another episode of "Patrick's Ax to Grind." Dal filmed for Pointy (don't worry; we explain what Pointy is). Patrick had another rough Friday thanks to Google inventory-checkers. Our new New Release TV is up (thanks, Jack!) Weird phone calls, comic shop Google reviews and a cute kid story. The huge signing that wasn't to be. We're doing a Midnight Release for DC's Dark Nights Metal #1. You should maybe take a look at Elsewhere (Image) and Mech Cadet Yu (BOOM!). Yes, we talk about both of those again. Dal is digging Arkham Knight.

Challengers' lease is up next year and we don't know if we'll be able to stay where we are. Donovan took a really annoying phone call today. Will 25% of shopping malls close in the next 5 years? Patrick wants Challengers to be an experience of wonder and excitement, and he doesn't think it is. Kent gave us a 42" monitor that you'll all be viewing soon. Dal tells a riveting story about Headmaster Arcee figures. We've just opened an Etsy store, which feels weird because we have a store store and we sell things online via our website, but, you know, if it works… We (still) LOVE The Damned. And Kaijumax! We really hope people come out and buy art at our Jack Kirby's 100th Birthday Charity Celebration. You should take a look at Mech Cadet Yu #1 this week, and Hi-Fi Fight Club #1 in a few weeks. And Angelic #1 after that.

It's an interview with former comics retailer and current Direct Market Representative at BOOM! Studios, MORGAN PERRY! Comic book retailers are industry professionals. Getting into comics via Star Wars and sci-fi fandom. Eating, sleeping, and breathing comics. Morgan's path in comics is really similar to Patrick's own path. There's plenty more, but why read about it when you can listen!

Our state-of-the-fictional-arts recording studio is back online! An interview with (Dal pretending to be) RYAN BROWNE about the Curse Words Van Tour! REDLANDS from Image is a reeeeaaaallllyyy good book, and you should think about checking it out. Also, MOONSTRUCK. And a few others. Take a Detour withDetour.com/Challengers! There are storm clouds forming over the comics industry and they're called Marvel Legacy. Boy, oh boy, this is a topic, for sure. And we dig in. Across the industry, June 2017 comic sales are down 21% from June 2016. Have faith.

This one is pretty unique! It's a panel discussion on narrative and process with 4 very talented Chicago-based creators. Coco Picard ("The Chronicles of Fortune") Jessica Campbell ("Hot or Not") Anya Davidson ("Band for Life") Marnie Galloway ("In the Sounds and Seas") Moderated by Neil Brideau (Radiator Comics) We wanted to do something to celebrate the release of "The Chronicles of Fortune" and this is what Coco decided upon. This took place in Challengers (Sidekicks, actually) and Patrick was there for it, he's just not part of this recording. Nor is Dal. See? Unique.

Bonjour! Parlez-vous français? Why didn't we call this CONTENT of Challengers?? This week we go international without leaving Chicago. We spent last weekend running the French Comics Association booth at the American Library Association 2017 Annual Conference at McCormick Place. This is the who, why and how of that conference. We got to interact with several wonderful international comics creators; Guy Delisle, Marguerite Abouet, Pénélope Bagieu, Jérémie Royer, and David Etien, as well as the FCA staff themselves. Yes, there were croissants (pronounced "kuhWAH-sawnts").

"To Hell and Back: A Spotlight on THE DAMNED and THE SIXTH GUN" panel at C2E2 2017. The audio has been found! Learn the history of one of comic's most creative partnerships! Cullen kills his favorite characters. Brian hates drawing Drake and Becky. CM Punk refuses to read the last Sixth Gun trade. Thanks to C2E2 for getting us this audio and to Oni Press for setting it all up in the first place.