It's time for another electrifying set of issues of Marvel's most wanted superteam, the Thunderbolts, as Paul and Al look at Thunderbolts Annual 2000, as well as Thunderbolts #38 and #39. Scourges! Hellstroms! Citizens V! It's very much all go, as the storyline begun in issue 34 continues along its twisty-turny path. 

House to Astonish Presents: The Lightning Round Episode 14

Paul O'Brien (The X-Axis) and Al Kennedy (One Hundred Days of Comics) present a roundup of comics news and reviews, with nary a 'meh' to be heard.

Also featuring the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe and more.

Email House to Astonish at housetoastonish@gmail.com

Arts

Literature

Performing Arts

Design

Food

Fashion & Beauty

Visual Arts

Books

And now for something... slightly different. Al and Paul step beyond the bounds of the regular Thunderbolts title to look at the 2001 miniseries Citizen V and the V-Battalion, with chat about two-fisted journalist Jim Daring, HR disasters and the horniest comics in Marvel history.

House to Astonish Presents: The Lightning Round Episode 20

Al and Paul are back (back! Back!) with remembrances of Trina Robbins and Mark "Doc" Bright, a whiz through the first six post-Krakoa X-books and a mini-explainer of Misty and the new Gail Simone-run iteration thereof, as well as reviews of Action Comics and Uncanny Valley. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe can't believe it's not butter either.

House to Astonish Episode 207 - I Love Satan, Best Of All The Animals

It's a brave new world for the Thunderbolts, as they try to readjust to civilian life... or, in the case of some, to adjust to being bossed around by Captain America as part of the Redeemers. Paul and Al say hello to new regular penciler Patrick Zircher, as well as to the continuity transplants from the Heroes Reborn universe, as they look at issues 51 and 52 of Thunderbolts, as well as the Thunderbolts: Life Sentences oneshot. Join them as they explore the questions of who is the 19th best telepath in the Marvel Universe, where can you find the most racist electrical goods store in America, and how badly a 1990s comics character can lacerate himself with his own costume.

House to Astonish Presents: The Lightning Round Episode 19

Merry Chri... er... Happy New Y... um... Happy February? Welcome to the joint 15th anniversary and end of year wrap-up episode of House to Astonish, as Paul and Al chat through the news of the past few weeks, including Blood Hunt's polybagged "Red Band" editions, Jason Aaron taking on the relaunched Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the 40th anniversary of Usagi Yojimbo and Criminal coming to Amazon Prime. On top of that, they have the 2023 Homies awards, where we (and our listeners) give their picks of the best things we read last year, and the complete audio of the SILENCE! To Astonish panel from November 2023's Thought Bubble festival. There's almost too much here! Don't eat it all at once! 

House to Astonish - Episode 206 - Guts For Gratis

It's anniversary time, as Paul and Al mark the 15th turn round the sun of House to Astonish by briefly mourning the original episode they recorded for the occasion and lost in a computer disaster, before moving on to another anniversary in the form of issue 50 (and 48 and 49) of Thunderbolts, from 2001. It's the end of the Scourge story, the return of Jolt, and time to bid a fond farewell to Mark Bagley. It's all go!

House to Astonish Presents: The Lightning Round Episode 14

Download our free app to listen on your phone