Woe unto the city where the sidekick dies. In Minor Threats, Jordan Blum and Patton Oswalt plunge into the chaotic relationship dynamics that fuel the best spandex stories, shifting the microscope toward the C-list, well, maybe the D-List "super" crooks that frequently fall under the boots of top-tier heroes and villains.

Kid Dusk is dead. The sinister Stickman pulled the trigger. Now, The Insomniac is on a rampage to secure justice...vengeance...payback. Tomayto, tomahto.  Hoping to restore normalcy and score a little promotion, a group of small-time henchmen seeks the bounty on Stickman's head.  

Minor Threats is a dense four-issue series from Dark Horse Comics, beautifully illustrated by Scott Hepburn. The three artists create a massive canvas with endless possibilities. Jordan Blum and Patton Oswalt pick at these niggling strands that have teased their imaginations since childhood. Their comic celebrates everything we love about superhero stories while classically exploring the world outside our windows. They're merely following in the footsteps of Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Joe Simon.

Chatting with Jordan Blum and Patton Oswalt this week was a giddy pleasure. The conversation splinters into numerous directions, at once continuing our seemingly never-ending CBCC Batman discourse while considering the cathartic and bleak comedy found within Biggie Smalls' lyrics. Our discussion covers a lot of ground, Wyatt Earp, The Wire, Sergio Aragonés, Grant Morrison, and more. You are in for a serious geeky treat.

Minor Threats is now available in single issues, but the trade paperback will arrive in comic book shops on June 21st. You can find your nearest comics retailer HERE.

Continue this conversation by following Patton Oswalt on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website. Please follow Jordan Blum on Twitter and Instagram. And watch Marvel's M.O.D.O.K. now streaming on HULU.

Other Relevant Links:

• Tom King and Mitch Gerads on Batman: The Brave and The Bold

FINAL ROUND OF PLUGS (PHEW):

Also, JOIN OUR PATREON before we wrap up our 75-episode series on Sandman's first 75 issues.

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Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.