It had to happen. And now, it finally has. It's time for Paul and Al to bite the bullet and step into the squared circle to take on the Marvel's Most Merciless, the Masters of Mayhem, the Mush-Mangling Mavens of the Marquis of Queensbury, the... Thunderbolts?

It's only 348 sleeps 'til Christmas, so Paul and Al are taking the opportunity to look back at the best 2025 had to offer, as they run down their pick of their three favourite comics of last year in the 14th annual Homies awards. Will your favourite make the cut? What did the listeners choose? Find out here, true believer!

Al and Paul hit a major milestone this episode, as they reach the end of the first run of the original Thunderbolts team, and cover issues 72-75. There's fighting, arguments, and weird things exploding, and that's just the behind the scenes escapades of Bill Jemas. Will all the TBolts survive? Will they all get off Counter-Earth? Will they all make it to the next volume of the book? Find out the answers to two of these questions right here, true believer!

With NYCC in the rear-view mirror, it's time for Al and Paul to look back at some of the news coming out of the show, like the revamped Vertigo slate, Swamp Thing Is Killing The Children, DC K.O.'s unexpected crossovers, Marvel's two upcoming symbiote-centric sagas, Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen's Crowbound, the first wave of post-Age of Revelation X-books, the impending Spider/Super crossover and a smattering of other little newsy nuggets, and once that's all done there's also reviews of Endeavour and DC K.O. to chew over. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: not even once.

Paul and Al continue to bop back and forth to Counter-Earth, as they look at Thunderbolts (1997) #69-71. There's plotline resolutions, a parade of fill-in artists and the least elite team of Elite Agents of SHIELD you could ever hope to encounter, plus Boobforce powers, the Curse of Taz and Café La Plume De Ma Tante.

A small but perfectly formed episode for you this time round, as Paul and Al bring you news about Die: Loaded, the new Infernal Hulk and Doctor Strange, DC's upcoming Batman/Static: Beyond and the announcements of the murderers' row of creators working on Batman/Deadpool, along with reviews of Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum and Uncle Scrooge: Earth's Mightiest Duck. I see the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe tremble with antici

We're on the home stretch of TBolts Volume 1, as Al and Paul look at Thunderbolts #65-68. There's a whole new squad of 'bolts, a brand new costume for Moonstone and a fresh new minty taste (that'll be the Verdant Green). Plus! The logistics of Hydro-Man's stogie! The Continuity Sugababes! and the unfortunate wording of early 2000s soft drink ads!

Two weeks in between episodes? What is this, 2014? Whatever it is, it's Al and Paul talking about Peter David, Marvel and DC's upcoming Deadpool and Batman crossovers, David Marquez's The UnChosen, Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum and Punisher: Red Band, as well as reviews of Imperial and Be Not Afraid. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook? I don't think they exist.

An odd little selection of issues this time round, as Paul and Al look at Thunderbolts issues 63 and 64, and Thunderbolts: From The Marvel Vault. Want to know what Zemo's sulky face looks like? Want to know what Nomad sings to himself to when he's wandering the highways? Want to know how many gratuitous instances of nudity one issue can contain? Well then this might just be the episode for you!

It's not the biggest of weeks for comics news, but Paul and Al have their fun regardless, as they talk you through the new UK comics industry trade body, the end of Immortal Thor, Werewolf By Night: Blood Moon Rise, the upcoming The Shredder series, Archie's crossovers with Minor Threats and Jay & Silent Bob and Hellboy and the BPRD: Professor Harvey is Gone, as well as reviewing Amazing Spider-Man and Fire and Ice: When Hell Freezes Over. Meanwhile, the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe has eaten the fresh-baked cherry pie right off Mrs Witherspoon's window ledge, that rascal.