Gobbledygeek

For the next installment of this year's superhero-free Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo leave the realm of autobiography, semi- or otherwise, for some thrilling adventures in fictional China. Faith Erin Hicks' The Nameless City trilogy has everything: young men and women coming of age in trying times, political intrigue, backstabbing, betrayal, and some pretty cool martial arts fights. The boys discuss Hicks' deceptively simple artwork, how she incorporates sound effects into her storytelling, Jordie Bellaire's stunning color, and why The Nameless City is a love story but not a romance.

Next: freegobble!

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:47:52

00:00:40 - Intro / Fatty Liver and the Teething Puppies

00:18:00 - Main Topic

01:43:13 - Outro / Next

For the next installment of this year's non-superheroic Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo are joined by their pal Johny Ho to discuss Gene Luen Yang's American Born Chinese. While they've previously discussed Yang's work on the Avatar: The Last Airbender comics, Paul and Arlo discover a whole new side of Yang in this semi-autobiographical novel; while Johny finds pieces of his experience reflected in the story of Jin Wang, an Asian kid enrolled in a Western school. The gang discusses Yang's simple yet exciting artwork; Lark Pien's vibrant colors; the horrifying stereotypes Yang spotlights; the meaning of the Monkey King's journey; and more.

Next: game over. Sarah Kosheff rides in on her dragon to talk Game of Thrones' final season.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:19:45

00:00:25 - Intro / Guest

00:03:00 - Main Topic

01:15:45 - Outro / Next

How does one go from lamenting the untimely demise of Tom King's Batman to discussing the power structures that dictate what one finds culturally acceptable in any given generation? There's only one way to find out: by listening to this week's Gobbledygeek! Paul and Arlo blather about superheroic drama, including Superman: The Animated Series; opinions that have evolved with time, whether they're on The Downward Spiral or She-Ra: Princess of Power; and why the hell Pete Venkman was carrying 300ccs of Thorazine.

Next: Johny Ho joins Paul and Arlo to discuss Gene Luen Yang's American Born Chinese in the latest Four-Color Flashback.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:10:56

00:00:25 - Intro / the boys are pissed off

00:02:39 - Tom King kicked out of the Bat-cave.

00:12:22 - Hickman murders the X-Men.

00:16:27 - Rest in peace, Whiskey Cavalier.

00:24:04 - What the hell has Arlo been doing in the shadows?

00:26:50 - Oh, he's been watching Superman cartoons.

00:41:22 - Our changing perspective on beloved art and pop culture.

00:52:06 - Peter Venkman was creepy as hell!

01:08:00 - Outro / Next

To paraphrase Olivia Newton-John, "Let's get political--political!" Paul and Arlo discuss politics only occasionally, but this week, they unload. With anti-abortion bills being signed into law in both of their home states, Alabama and Ohio, the boys have a thing or two to say. (Spoiler: they are loudly and clearly pro-choice.) Where do you go after that? Well, Paul saves a restaurant bird, Arlo goes down a murderous Reddit rabbit hole, and Paul cannot get the fuck to sleep. Sweet dreams, kids.

Next: who knows!

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:02:35

00:00:46 - Intro / Terrible No Good Very Very Bad Politics

00:33:49 - Paul saved a restaurant bird

00:39:11 - Arlo hates gore, loves murder sub-reddits

00:49:24 - The paranoia is coming from inside the house

00:53:36 - Backdoor neighbors

00:59:00 - Outro / Next

Welcome to another Freestyle episode of Gobbledygeek, wherein you can either choose to hear Paul yell at clouds or Arlo have an existential crisis about adulthood. Just remember: whatever you choose, it's gonna taste like watered-down Dr. Pepper. Paul and Arlo discuss Arlo's new house; their digitally-assisted strolls down memory lane; how nostalgia can lead to arrested development (neither the show nor the hip-hop group); and how "take" culture has sucked a lot of the joy (and nuance) out of pop culture discussion.

Next: oh god, it might be another one of these?

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 01:11:46

00:00:30 - Intro / Banter

01:04:42 - Outro / Next

All good things must come to an end. And while the Marvel Cinematic Universe is not one of those things--there's another one of these bad boys coming out in a few months--Avengers: Endgame does represent the culmination of this first wave/cycle/saga of the MCU. Paul and Arlo are joined by their The Deli Counter of Justice co-creator Eric Sipple to discuss just how in the hell directors Anthony and Joe Russo, screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, and many many other talented filmmakers pulled off this marvelous feat. Because somehow, some way, Endgame is just about the most satisfying conclusion you could hope for.

Next: enter the void.

THE BREAKDOWN

Total Run Time: 02:04:13

00:00:30 - Intro / Banter

00:05:37 - Avengers: Endgame (Non-Spoiler)

00:30:17 - Avengers: Endgame (SPOILERS)

02:02:00 - Outro / Next

For the next black-and-white non-fiction graphic novel of Four-Color Flashback 2k19, Paul and Arlo head East to discuss Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis. Published between 2000-04, Persepolis tells Satrapi's autobiographical story of growing up during the Iranian Revolution and coming of age in a totalitarian society. The boys discuss Satrapi's simplistic, cartoony artwork and its heavy use of black ink; why comics is the perfect medium to make this story a universal one; how Satrapi challenges our Western notions of Iranian culture; and why Paul had a tough time connecting to the book.

Next: whatever it takes. Avengers: Endgame.

THE BREAKDOWN

Run Time: 01:21:47

00:00:30 - Intro / Banter

00:01:33 - Persepolis

01:17:20 - Outro / Next

It's 11:11, better grab your gardening shears and press play on this week's Gobbledygeek, a discussion of writer-director Jordan Peele's Us. This is a tricky one; it's got more layers than a cake. Paul and Arlo discuss Peele's extensive use of duality and mirroring, the awards categories they're going to have to invent to honor Lupita Nyong'o's tremendous performance, the film's transitions between humor and horror, and what it all means.

Next: back to the void.

THE BREAKDOWN

Run Time: 01:59:37

00:00:30 - Intro / Banter

00:02:45 - Us (Non-Spoiler)

00:37:40 - Us (SPOILERS)

01:58:06 - Outro / Next

Marks on paper, sheets of snow, first loves crowned with halos. These are some of the images that make up Craig Thompson's 2003 illustrated novel Blankets, a modern classic if ever there was one. Paul and Arlo continue this year's "nondenominational" Four-Color Flashback with a discussion of Thompson's masterpiece, an autobiographical story of childhood, sexuality, first love, and the author's struggle with faith. The boys discuss Thompson's brave and uncomfortable truth, their experiences (or lack thereof) with organized religion, Craig's idolatry of his beloved Raina, and Thompson's stunning artwork. Plus, scraps of Marvel news that have no business being in this episode but which broke after we recorded the Captain Marvel one. Sorry. We're professionals.

Next: after a week off, the boys are back and who knows what they'll be talking about?

THE BREAKDOWN

Run Time: 02:06:55

00:00:30 - Intro / Banter

00:17:41 - Blankets

02:01:23 - Outro / Next

It only took 'em 21 movies, but the Marvel Cinematic Universe has finally debuted a solo female superhero with Captain Marvel. Acclaimed indie filmmakers Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck take to the stars for the story of Carol Danvers, ace pilot turned intergalactic warrior. Drenched in '90s nostalgia, the film finds buddy comedy with the spirited Brie Larson/Samuel L. Jackson dynamic; it finds Memento-lite storytelling gymnastics with Carol's fractured memories. Paul and Arlo debate this approach's effectiveness; think back to whether or not they loved the '90s; consider what the film's cosmic shenanigans mean for the future of the MCU; and attempt (with varying degrees of success) to check their privilege while analyzing a tale of female empowerment.

Next: the boys crash land back on Earth for another Four-Color Flashback installment, this one discussing Craig Thompson's modern classic Blankets.

THE BREAKDOWN

Run Time: 01:51:55

00:00:30 - Intro / Yet another "we recognize our privilege" CYA disclaimer

00:02:38 - Captain Marvel (Non-Spoiler)

00:31:04 - Captain Marvel (SPOILERS)

01:49:36 - Outro / Next