'Twas the week before Christmas when all through the house, not a creature was stirring - EXCEPT Two-Gun Khamen, the rootinest, tootinest cowboy mummy this side of the Pecos. This week, we're dipping into young Billy Coates' wild imagination as he regales his folks with a rip-roaring adventure saga, which serves as the backbone for That Texas Blood #20, the second twisted Christmas Special from comic creators Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips.

Billy's strange tale is a most excellent jumping-on point for new readers but also operates as a sweet epilogue for those who survived That Texas Blood's most recent arc involving the nightmarish Red Queen Killer (RQK). Within the holiday one-shot, we see what Sheriff Joe Bob Coates is fighting for month after month, terror after terror. There's something wicked flowing through Ambrose County, and he's the last line of defense.

We're stoked to have Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips on the show this week, psyching us up for the Christmas season while also spilling the hot goss from our favorite Texas county. We begin our conversation with the function of Christmas Specials and how this latest one fits neatly as a climax to the RQK narrative. We consider That Texas Blood's future as well as its past, the evolution of Joe Bob Coates, and the mythological power that its titular state holds on all of us.

That Texas Blood remains one of our most obsessive reads. Whenever the latest issue drops, we have to fight each other over who gets to consume it first. Condon and Phillips have crafted an addictive thriller stuffed with numerous compelling relationships that get our blood pumping something hot.

You can continue this chat with the That Texas Blood creators by following Chris Condon on Twitter and Instagram, and following Jacob Phillips on Twitter and Instagram. That Texas Blood #20 is now available from Image Comics, as are the first two trade paperbacks. The third storyline, involving the RQK, is currently available as single issues, and the trade will release on 1/24/23.

Other Relevant Links:

• Our Previous Chris Condon Conversation

Don't forget! We're screening Howard the Duck on the big screen at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia. Done in collaboration with the Four Color Fantasies comic book shop. Get your tickets HERE.

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