Contest of Challengers

Eric Stephenson says nice things about Challengers. So does Gregg "Pix" Schigiel. Small things we do can have a big impact on people, good and bad. We talk about how we navigate bookstores, because… We visited the new Chicago Amazon bookstore. There's lots to talk about here. And then… the topic of the week… Marvel Comics vs. Diversity. Hoo boy. And just when we thought we were done for the week, there's late breaking news about hidden anti-Christian and Jewish messages in X-Men Gold #1!

This is the final Women's Comics Month interview episode, featuring a full-length interview with Isabella Rotman. Her art is usually about the ocean, mermaids, crushing loneliness, people in the woods, or sex. She is author of the sexual health comic You're So Sexy When You Aren't Transmitting STIs, Not On My Watch: The Bystanders Handbook for the Prevention of Sexual Violence, Good to Know: A Zine of Useful Things, and many more.

This episode is the last in a series of mini-interviews with the creators that set up for Women's Comics Month 2017 at Challengers. Featuring: Kat Leyh Amy Peltz Sheika Lugtu Stephanie Mided Sage Coffey Vixtopher Yewon Kwon & Bec Hac Cathy Hannah Corinne Halbert Delia Jean Coco Picard

New reusable tote bags. Large poster re-stock. Pop vinyl re-stock. Large all-ages graphic novel re-stock. Sale t-shirts are in. A whole bunch of new local comics and zines (thanks to Women's Comics Month). We're trying to put every penny back into the sore. The Challengiraffe prototype has been made by DoomCo Designs. We'll actually have these fun 3D-printed statues available by Free Comic Book Day! Marvel's "Generations" and Secret Empire #0. Dal has a BIG idea for changing how we rack single issue comic books. It's different than we've ever done. Can we do it? Event recap!

It's a special mid-week bonus episode as Patrick interviews artist Ashley Riot. What started as a Women's Comics Month interview turned into a full episode! Ashley tells about growing up as the only anime/manga fan she knew and what it's like to find other people and places of similar interests. Already a convention pro, Ashley delights in seeing young girls reading comics and loves giving drawing advice to kids and anyone with the desire to draw. Ashley's original work includes an upcoming book called Psyche. Lots of talk of Sailor Moon, Ghost in the Shell, Doctor Who, The IT Crowd, and our deep, deep mutual love of Richard Ayoade.

This episode is a series of mini-interviews with the creators that set up for the first half of Women's Comics Month 2017 at Challengers. Chloë Perkis Bianca Xunise Lauren Burke & Monica Ras Amber Huff Rosie Accola Sara Kloskowski Marie Enger Andrea Bell Rebecca Rothschild

NOT RECORDED IN A MOVING VEHICLE! You're welcome. There's a bunch of Marvel things to talk about: Legacy numbering, movie/TV advertising and geo-targeted character interaction, yet another new X-Men team book. We like SOME of this. We are 1 week into Women's Comics Month. How is it going? 1st quarter 2017 sales are down 10% thus far. The number of brand new titles coming out in May is staggering. Will Patrick be on a Diamond Retailer Summit panel? We had a C2E2 scavenger hunt at the store. Having an actual, mailing address mailing list; not emails. Our business neighbor is now a Cards for Cash store. Read Grass Roots #1 (and Gwenpool, for Dal).

This is mercifully the last of our recorded-in-the-car episodes, on the way home from Memphis, Tennessee. Friday and Saturday of the conference in one episode. Valiant suite party. Workshop recap. The Keynote address! Stocking more Young Adult books. 32 roundtable discussions. Dinner with :01 First Second. (also, the name Patrick forgot was Miranda) Comic Book Legal Defense Fund Auction. Diamond warehouse tour in Olive Branch, Mississippi.

This is the second of out recorded-in-the-car episodes, on the way home from Memphis, Tennessee. It's noisy and raining and you don't have to hear us get lost this time. I mean, we DID, you just don't hear it. It's a full Thursday rundown of the conference. Marvel talks! How was their year? DC takes the rest of the day! Comics, trades, marketing and collectibles. Patrick only slept a tiny bit during the presentations. Lunch workshops. Patrick hosted one about store signings and Dal sat in on one about product diversification in stores. Dinner at King Jerry Lawler's Hall of Fame Grille. Plus! A special guest appearance from 2 other Chicago podcasters (thanks to the MLW Radio Network)!

This is the first of three (3!!) recorded-in-the-car episodes, to and from Memphis, Tennessee. On the way to the 2017 ComicsPRO Annual Meeting, listen as Patrick and Dal: -Get lost on I-57! -Talk about what they expect to be doing all weekend. -Learn Bane is getting a his own 12-issue series. -Realize Batwoman, Super Sons and The Wild Storm all debuted this week. -Tell you our retail neighbor, Boost Mobile, is going away. So is Impossible Industries. -Discuss that there is going to be a new Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man series, in which Peter returns to NY and gets mustard on his dress shirt. -And remind you our Revival Wake is this Wednesday! Opening song: "Memphis" by Joe Jackson.