Michael Bailey's Views From The Longbox

Starting a two part episode where Michael teams up with one of his oldest and dearest friends, Ryan Speck. Ryan is the guy who owns the site that hosts this show and as you will see he is not shy with the opinions. After a brief history of Ryan and Michael's friendship (which is based in comic books) the two start talking about Ryan's history as a collector and there is a lot of talk about the X-Men. Oh, and Ryan apparently doesn't think too highly of Brian Michael Bendis. WARNING: THIS SHOW HAS LANGUAGE THAT IS INAPPROPRIATE FOR...EVERYONE. LISTENER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

After receiving a rather disturbing phone call from a person who wants Michael to actually say nice things about BATMAN AND ROBIN the episode kicks off with Michael granting a listener request to discuss the Dark Knight Detective, Batman. Hear about Michael's deep, dark secret, how much he liked the Adam West series as a kid, a few second on the SUPER FRIENDS and what Batman books Michael has read, collected and liked over the years.

Things get back to normal this week as Michael does a pretty standard, yet interesting episode. After discussing an Alex Ross piece Michael announces the winner to his Justice League: New Frontier contest. Then Michael spends the majority of the episode discussing the actual collecting of comics because he found some book he read in the seventh grade while rearanging his bookshelf. Topics include a book called Collecting Comic Books, the Overstreet Price Guide, eBay and how much Wizard Magazine sucks. Warning, a slight occurance of profanity pops up during the Wizard discussion, but then again that was bound to happen. Michael closes the show with the first installment of Ask Mike a Question About Comics.

This one is a bit off-beat, even by Views From The Longbox standards. Michael starts the episode with a breakdown of a Meatloaf song and then things kind of go downhill from there. Topics covered include why Batman shouldn't sing, why Superman can, why MASK was a horrendous threat to the civillian population and how G.I. Joe broke new ground for comic books. Also Michael announces yet another new feature that will probably not go anywhere and reminds you of a contest that expires on March 8, 2008.

Friday is the 29th of February and to Michael that means two things; his birthday and Superman's. After a brief preamble Michael goes over the Superman books that came out in the month of February during the Leap Years he's been collecting them. Listen as Michael talks about Action Comics #600, Panic in the Sky, the break-up of Lois and Clark, Godfall and more. Also, Michael reads some audience feedback and announces an exciting, last minute contest. All of this because someone wanted the seasons to remain consistent. Listen and enjoy.

After Michael comes clean about something he really didn't mean to do in the first place and entices you to come back to the blog this weekend for some kind of contest the fifth (is it the fifth, it's probably the fifth) installment of the Mike and Shag Show gets underway. This time Michael and Shag discuss the big events coming up in 2008 because they like to be Timely about such things. Topics include Final Crisis, Secret Invasion, Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Dark Knight and other comics, movies and television series coming up this year. This has to be the best Mike and Shag Show yet especially since it is the shortest.

It is a pretty mixed bag this week as Michael is once again solo. His return to one man podcasting begins with a list of his favorite comic book couples and then goes right into a battle to the death with a plug in for his audio editing program. After that Michael gives his reasons for not renewing his contract with DC Comics as one of their Official Fans and how he may become an Official Marvel Zombie. All this and about ten minutes of reader mail. How's that for trying to get back into the swing of things?

The third and final part of the talk Michael had with webmaster and podcast host Brad Douglas. This one is a little over an hour, but as always since it is not Michael talking and talking and talking by himself it should be fine. This time out Michael and Brad finish up their Hulk discussion, talk about some of the other Marvel books Brad is reading, go over the DC books Brad has read over the year (all two of them), get into BRAND NEW DAY a little bit and even go through some very obscure comic related trivia. So sit back, relax and enjoy this final installment of the Mike/Douglas Show.

In this second part of the Mike/Douglas show Michael continues his coversation with Brad Douglas, webmaster of the Spider-Man Crawlspace and host/ringleader of that site's podcast. This week Brad talks a little bit more about his day job before listing his favorite Spider-Man writers and artists. Michael also laments how easier it is to be a Spider_man fan than a Superman fan, at least on a merchandising level. All this and a little bit on the Incredible Hulk television series as well.

Wecome to the first "official" episode of the year Michael is joined by Spider-Man Crawlspace Webmaster and Spider-Man Crawlspace Podcast ringleader Brad Douglas to talk a whole lot about (surprise, surprise) Spider-Man. They also discuss how Brad became a comic book fan, where he buys his comics and Brad's day job as a reporter for a local (at least for him) NBC affiliate. All of this and a special appearance by Michael's dog because the microphone picks up a lot.