Pencil Us In

Our hidden character finally takes shape!  Get it?  IT'S MYSTIQUE.  SHE'S A SHAPESHIFTER.  HA HA.

Well, at least I laughed...Anyway, we took a deep dive in to our favorite blue villain just so you could follow along her story arc, too!  Why let the heroes have all the fun??  Just like the other two, we follow Mystique's arc from her debut in Ms. Marvel to a climactic even just before the 90s!  Listen to hear what happens!  Give us a rating and comment wherever you picked up the episode!  Check out our soc meds (That's how people truncate Social Media, right?)!

Website:  https://pencilusinpodcast.buzzsprout.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/PencilUsInPodcast
Twitter: @pencilusin
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pencilusinpodcast/
email: [email protected]

Now, if you were me, you'd be asking "Hey, Phil, what comics did you read specifically?"  Good question!  Answers lie ahead!

Uncanny X-Men: 94-255
Ms. Marvel: 16-23
Avengers Annual: 10, 15
West Coast Avengers Annual: 1
Rom: 31, 32
Dazzler: 22, 23, 28
X-Factor: 8-10, 30-33, 40
New Mutants: 65
Captain America: 334, 346

There was some material that was originally supposed to appear in the pages of Ms. Marvel dealing with the intro of Rogue and Destiny that didn't see print until the Marvel Superheroes seasonal specials of the late 80s - early 90s.  I didn't really include that here, but you could probably track 'em down if you wanted.  I also skipped some late New Mutants appearances because frankly I didn't feel like it was super necessary.  Let's just say it involved even more Asgardian shenanigans and I just didn't wanna.

How are you enjoying X-Month so far?  Good stuff?  Tell us what you think!  Also, stick around for more X-discussion cuz we wanted to do more than just cover a few characters!

In which we discuss our favorite wind-riding weather witch, Storm!  She of a thousand nicknames!  Come join us as we break down and discuss key moments in the career of Storm from her introduction to the twilight of the 80s!

One of the reasons that I wanted to do X-Month was because I really wanted Su to understand how badly the X-movies at Fox completely missed the mark with Storm.  She was basically the main character of the book for like 8 friggin years!  How do you take such an interesting and complex character and reduce her to a few spoken words (really stupid spoken words, too)??

Anyway, this is another episode in which I largely focus on things story-wise as opposed to behind-the-scenes-wise.  Did that sentence make sense to anyone?  X-Month has really kicked my ass.  If you're in to it, though, let us know!  Contact us!  We has the social medias!  Leave us a comment and rating if you use something like Apple or Spotify!  We wanna know what you think!

Website:  https://pencilusinpodcast.buzzsprout.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/PencilUsInPodcast
Twitter: @pencilusin
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pencilusinpodcast/
email: [email protected]

What all comics are we covering?  Well, here they be:

Uncanny X-Men (vol 1): 94-255
Giant-Size X-Men: 1
Magik: Storm and Illyana: 1-4
X-Men Annual: 3-10
New Mutants Special Edition: 1

There are some more things I didn't bother to cover like Secret Wars and Heroes for Hope.  I figured I'd stick to mostly what Claremont was writing since he was the guiding hand for most X-stuff until he got the boot.  Also, no X-Men v Fantastic Four or v Alpha Flight or whatever because I needed to retain my sanity.

Welcome to X-Month!  This will be a full month of discussion of the X-Men, focusing on a few choice characters!  We'll be covering a huge period of time spanning between 1974-1990!  What breadth, what ambition!  What stupidity!

First up: everyone's favorite claw-man, Wolverine!  Follow the blow-by-blow as we start at his debut in Hulk #181 and head all the way to circa 1990!  We even toss in a few mini-series that I figured were important.  It's madness, I tells ya!

Phil here: Sorry we were late on this one.  This was a project I started before I landed a job.  It woulda been fine if I had still unemployed.  Little did I know that some sucker employer would hire me!  Anyway, hopefully I'm not dumb enough to do something on this scale again.  Or am I?

Anyway, what did we read for this one specifically?  Only these particular books:

Incredible Hulk: 180-182
Giant-Size X-Men: 1
Uncanny X-Men: 94-255
Wolverine (Vol 1, 1982): 1-4
Kitty Pryde & Wolverine: 1-6

Didja catch the new title for the inventory episode?  It's Pencil Us INventory.  Get it?  GET IT??

Anyway, this week we don't have a lot of time so we just do a little basic house cleaning and some previews of what is ahead.  Listen in on probably our shortest recorded episode!  Also, we need more Leddy!  MORE LEDDY!  #freeleddy

In which we discuss one of Jack Kirby's 70s creations, the Demon!  Thrill as we discuss the circumstances surrounding the creation!  Marvel (wait, this is DC) as we talk about a fateful dinner!  Be in awe as we uh...do podcast stuff!

This is our 21st episode!  Our show is old enough to drink now!  That's how it works, right?  Or is it supposed to be years?  Who knows??   Anyway, what do you guys think?  We're always up for comment!  Check us on the social medias!  We also has the email!  Talk to us!

Website:  https://pencilusinpodcast.buzzsprout.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/PencilUsInPodcast
Twitter: @pencilusin
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pencilusinpodcast/
email: [email protected]

Phil here:  Lots has been said and written on Jack Kirby.  It's pretty darn easy to find something somewhere on many of his creations.  The Demon is pretty obviously one of his lessor celebrated brain-children.  Still, I got some magazines to help on the topic!  Naturally, they're from TwoMorrows Publishing.  Once again, if you like what we do here, give them a look!  They're professionals!

The Jack Kirby Collector (TwoMorrows Publishing): 13, 44, 62
I should also mention that the foreword to The Demon collection from DC that I was using also contains a foreword by Mark Evanier.  In it, he describes the origins of how the Demon came to be.

Now, what was in that collection?  I'll tell you!

The Demon vol 1 (DC): 1-16

In which we discuss some team that venges or something!  Who's ever heard of them??  Marvel's biggest property is our focus for this episode!  We're gonna talk about how they came to be and many other stories!  This is the big one!

Oddly enough, I wasn't joking in the episode.  This one actually came about because we had to switch another topic out.  So, our 20th (!) official episode focuses on Earth's Mightiest Heroes!  What do you think?  How are we doing?  Tell us!  We has the social media.  We has the email.  We even accept comments and ratings wherever you download the podcast from!  Let's hear from you!  (Also, to correct myself from the episode, our first episode was on Harley Quinn, not Jean Grey.  Past me is dumb.)

Website:  https://pencilusinpodcast.buzzsprout.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/PencilUsInPodcast
Twitter: @pencilusin
email: [email protected]

Phil here:  So, you may think that I had to do all sorts of digging to figure out how to talk about the Avengers here.  Not true!  The most valuable resource for me continues to be the magazines from TwoMorrows publishing!  The first thing I do when I think of a topic is I see if they have something to say about it.  Not joking!  Which specific title and issues did I use??  Well, let's find out!

Alter Ego (TwoMorrows Publishing): 13, 42, 118, 170

Just so's you know, Alter Ego is a pretty darn fantastic source of info about the Gold and Silver Age of American comics.  There's even some stuff on international releases on occasion.  Roy Thomas (yes, the same one who wrote the Avengers) edits a heck of a magazine!

Also, here's a link to an article by a guy who would know, Mark Evanier, about the origins of the Avengers:

https://www.newsfromme.com/2013/09/15/blind-dates/

Finally, what comics did we read?  Well, that's pretty straight-forward!

Avengers vol 1 (Marvel): 1-35

In which we discuss a manga that really hit it big in the US!  We're gonna talk some origin story for the creator!  We're gonna discuss a bit about the influence of the US on Japan!  It'll be chock full of history and really dumb jokes!

This is our 19th official real episode.  19th!  Anyway, what do you think?  We're starting to get an idea of how things run here.  Do you think so?  Wanna let us know?  We has the social medias!  We also has email!  Let your local podcast provider know what you think in the form of reviews and comments!  We're desperate to hear from you!

Website:  https://pencilusinpodcast.buzzsprout.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/PencilUsInPodcast
Twitter: @pencilusin
email: [email protected]

Phil here:  Su did a bunch of research on the topic.  So much can be said that I'm pretty sure there's another episode or two to be made out of it.  We shall see!  Anyway, lemme show you what she saw.

https://www.looper.com/188780/the-untold-truth-of-kohei-horikoshi/

https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/feature/2018-08-24/interview-my-hero-academia-creator-kohei-horikoshi/.135449

https://www.viz.com/blog/posts/kohei-horikoshi-jump-festa-interview

https://comicbook.com/anime/news/my-hero-academia-anime-manga-series-origins-shonen-jump-editors-interview/

https://www.cbr.com/kohei-horikoshi-my-hero-academia-little-quirks/

https://www.cbr.com/my-hero-academia-easter-eggs/

https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2014/03/japan-in-the-1950s/100697/

https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2015/04/07/americans-japanese-mutual-respect-70-years-after-the-end-of-wwii/

https://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/japan-reconstruction

https://thejapaneseway.com/how-japanese-culture-changed-after-ww2/

https://maysweb.tamu.edu/sage/gradescourses/9th-12th-grade/economics/the-modernization-of-an-ancient-culture-preface/the-modernization-of-an-ancient-culture-contemporary-japan/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olR9sOeR8oQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIZ-pMjCaBY&ab_channel=TheColdWar

Hooooooo boy!  That's a lot of links!  Lemme also tell you what we read comic-wise!

My Hero Academia (Viz): 1-5

In which we perform a little house cleaning.  We literally sweep the floor and organize books while talking.  Can't hear it?  Turn up the volume.  WHY WOULD I LIE??  Bonus appearance by Daisy!  We won't say when!

Anyway, the tradition of Inventory Episodes continues!  We've decided to make them a monthly feature 'cuz that allows us to have a little breathing space from all that crazy reading we gotta do.  You want us to breathe, don't you?

We also discuss that thing that Marvel just put out, the Loki show!  What did you guys think?  You should tell us.  We tell you what we think.  It's only fair!

We also play a little game.  Consider it Phil's revenge for the manga game he played.  This time it's Star Wars novel titles!  What is real?  What is fake?  It's for Su to decide!

Remember, you can contact us anytime using email and social medias.  Also, please, if you're using one of them podcast services like Apple or Spotify, leave a comment and review!  We needs em!  As always:

Website:  https://pencilusinpodcast.buzzsprout.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/PencilUsInPodcast
Twitter: @pencilusin
email: [email protected]

In which we discuss our first comic that came from a movie!  People might not think much of them these days, but licensed comics really were a big deal back in the day.  We'll go over more of them including, of course, Dark Horse's other big licensed killer alien property!

We're up to 18!  That's almost 20!  That's a big number!  Maybe I should add more exclamation points!!!  Anyway, how are we doing?  Any long time listeners?  Wanna talk to us?  Well, we have ways!  We have our Facebook, we have our Twitter, we have our email!  We're trying to develop a TikTok and Instagram!  We're old, bear with us!  Anyway, talk to us!  Also, please rate us and leave a comment wherever you get your podcast from!

Website:  https://pencilusinpodcast.buzzsprout.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/PencilUsInPodcast
Twitter: @pencilusin
email: [email protected]

Phil here:  This one doesn't have the world's greatest research done on it.  While looking for interviews, I frankly didn't find many.  It could be I was looking wrong, or maybe there just aren't many.  Anyway, for biographical info, I used Wikipedia.  For some juicier bits, I did find a few links to uh...link to...

https://www.darkhorse.com/Horsepower/509/Profile-Chris-Warner

https://www.avpgalaxy.net/2020/04/26/building-a-universe-of-terror-an-interview-with-aliens-comic-writer-mark-verheiden-avpgalaxy-podcast-106/

https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/a-history-of-dark-horses-universe-expanding-franchise-saving-predator-comics

http://verheiden.blogspot.com/ (I'm not sure if he uses it anymore, but Mark Verheiden used to blog here)

So, what did we read and review?  It was a collection of a few miniseries written by Mark Verheiden.  It also included an adaptation of Predator 2.  I don't know if it's still in print as Dark Horse has lost the license to Predator, but I'm pretty sure you can find a cheap copy somewhere.  It's called:

Predator: The Essential Comics vol 1 (Dark Horse)

In which we discuss the second half of the Silver Age with regards to the Legion of Superheroes!  Obviously, most of the focus here goes to Jim Shooter, a giant figure in the annals of American comic books (literally and figuratively).  Listen in as we talk about the beginnings of his career and how it was to work with Mort Weisinger.

It's our 17th official episode!  I guess if you count the various specials and inventories we've done, we'd be over 20 at this point, but I'm not!  As always, let us know what you think!  We've got the social medias, we've got email, we've even got listed on the podplaces!  Talk to us!  We want to know we're not alone in the void!

Website:  https://pencilusinpodcast.buzzsprout.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/PencilUsInPodcast
Twitter: @pencilusin
email: [email protected]

Phil here:  As always, the research continues.  Not only do I read the comics, but I read about them as well so I can pass it on to you!  To continue a trend, I relied heavily on the work of the awesome people at TwoMorrows publishing.  Alter Ego's quite the magazine for people that want to learn about Gold and Silver Age stuff.  There's even things about early fandom in there if you're interested.  If you like what you hear from us, give them a shot.  It's like cutting out the middle man!  Wait, don't do that...

Anyway, here's what I used for sources:

Alter Ego (TwoMorrows Publishing): 98, 112, 137

Internet Sources:

https://throomers.com/jim-shooter-on-superheroes-and-villains/

https://nerdsonearth.com/2020/04/marvel-jim-shooter-reality-story/

http://jimshooter.com/ (I'm not sure Shooter posts here anymore since it looks like it's been a while.  But, there are some good stories here.  Do be aware that this is just Shooter's side of whatever story, though.)

Here's what we read comic-wise for this particular episode:

Adventure Comics: 346-380
Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen: 106
Action Comics: 378-387, 389-392
Superboy: 147