Podcasts Archives - Geek Hard

Originally Aired: 05/27/16

We discuss the latest Captain America story that had the entire internet a buzz. The apparent revelation that Cap is actually a Hydra agent. Leading many to lay wild claims of antisemitism at writer Nick Spencer and some death threats for good measure. We give our thoughts on this latest controversy in comics.

We talk with comic artist Marcus To! Marcus will be on to talk about Joyride, the creator owned miniseries being released through Boom! Studios (the second issue of which hits comic shops this Wednesday!). We’ll also chat with him about his recent work on New Avengers as well as his upcoming run on the new Nightwing series debuting this summer.

Our review of X-Men: Apocalypse starring James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jennifer Lawrence . Synopsis: Worshiped as a god since the dawn of civilization, the immortal Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac) becomes the first and most powerful mutant. Awakening after thousands of years, he recruits the disheartened Magneto (Michael Fassbender) and other mutants to create a new world order. As the fate of the Earth hangs in the balance, Professor X (James McAvoy) and Raven (Jennifer Lawrence) lead a team of young X-Men to stop their seemingly invincible nemesis from destroying mankind.

We are also talking with actor Carolina Bartczak. Carolina has a small but pivotal role as Magda, the wife of Magneto in X-Men: Apocalypse. What secrets of the X-Universe will she reveal on this week’s show? Carolina was born in Germany to Polish parents before immigrating to Canada. She studied biochemistry at the University of Toronto and arts at the Université De Lyon before moving on to acting. In 2009 she began studying at The Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City. Carolina is known for The Mysteries of Alfred Hedgehog (2010), The Smurfs 2 (2013) and Brick Mansions (2014).

It was a great show!

Plus for our Patreon supporters, our latest Geek Hard Extra After Credits segment discussing the pilot episode of AMC’s Preacher.

If you’re gonna geek out, GEEK HARD!

Welcome friends to Back Issue Bloodbath, a comics-centric podcast presented by Geek Hard. Join hosts Andrew Young and Gavin Stephens as they get down and dirty in the four-colour world of comic books, focusing on classic stories, new issues, comic creators and hot button topics.

Sorry to say but it’s that time again, folks. It comes by every so often and we hate it when it does. There will be No Back Issue Bloodbath this week. It’s hard to deal with, I know. But these things happen. Due to scheduling, we just couldn’t bring you a new episode this week. If you would like further info as to why, take a listen to the audio message that Andrew has attached to this post. There’s mention of Gavin and a special project…..an experiment if you will. You’ll have to listen to find out more. Regardless, there will be No Back Issue Bloodbath this week.

But that doesn’t mean this week is a total write-off. Perhaps you’re a new listener to the show and haven’t heard our entire back catalog as of yet. This is the perfect opportunity to visit our past episodes and find out some more comics knowledge. Perhaps you’re a long time listener and feel like revisiting one of your favourites. By all means, take a listen. We like to look at our podcast as a gift that keeps on giving. There’s plenty of knowledge that you may have missed out on the first time. A second listen might unearth information you didn’t catch. Turn this negative into a positive is what I say. And before you know it, the next week will be here and so will a new BIB, just for you. But for now, here’s the brief message with the details regarding this one week hiatus.

Have an idea for a certain topic we should cover? Have an indie comic book you’d like us to review? Send us an email at [email protected] with “Back Issue Bloodbath” in the subject line. We’d love to hear from you.

If you’re gonna geek out, GEEK HARD!

 

Originally Aired: 05/20/16

We discuss the passing of the great Darwyn Cooke who passed away the day after his announced palliative care stay. We talk about the man as well share a portion of an interview that Mr. Green did with Darwyn at TCAF in 2014. No matter if you knew the man or not he was a legend in the industry and gave us so many great works. You can also check out Andrew’s list of Darwyn’s work as recommended reads or Brent’s thought’s on his passing.

We talk with former “Guest of the Year” winner, Jordan Gavaris of Orphan Black. It’s been a couple of years since we last spoke to Jordan and in that time the BBC America/Space program has grown wild in popularity. Jordan will be on to chat with us about the current season, what lies ahead for his character, Felix, and much more. There may even be a few questions about one of his favourite shows.

Our review of Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising starring Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne and Zac Efron. Synopsis: Life is good for Mac Radner (Seth Rogen) and pregnant wife Kelly (Rose Byrne) until the unruly sisters of Kappa Nu move in next door. As the loud parties threaten the sale of their home, the couple turn to ex-neighbor and one-time enemy Teddy Sanders (Zac Efron) for help. Now united with the former college student, the trio devises schemes to get the wild sorority off the block. Unfortunately, the rebellious young women refuse to go down without a fight

We are also talking with Matthew Nayman about his upcoming short film, Shadows in the Grass. The short is currently looking for finishing costs with an Indiegogo campaign and Matt will be on to tell us why you need to support this sci-fi project. Here’s some more info on Shadows in the Grass – Laura, a woman with no memory or identity, awakens to find herself marooned in a futuristic medical facility. She is malnourished and frail, and lacks even the ability to speak. Her only companion is an artificial intelligence named Conrad who has been tasked with re-educating and rehabilitating her. As the weeks pass, and their relationship deepens, so do Laura’s fears that Conrad isn’t telling her the whole truth of their situation…Are her fears real, or are they just shadows in the grass?

It was a great show!

Plus for our Patreon supporters, our latest Geek Hard Extra After Credits segment discussing the news of the week.

If you’re gonna geek out, GEEK HARD!

Welcome friends to Back Issue Bloodbath, a comics-centric podcast presented by Geek Hard. Join hosts Andrew Young and Gavin Stephens as they get down and dirty in the four-colour world of comic books, focusing on classic stories, new issues, comic creators and hot button topics.

There are certain comic creators that are revered by many as legendary figures in the industry for all the great stories they’ve provided over the years. Then there are superstar creators who have produced a great number of misses to go along with their hits. Jeph Loeb is of the second camp. When one looks back to The Long Halloween, Superman for all Seasons, Daredevil: Yellow, Spider-Man: Blue and Hush, it’s hard to argue that Loeb is a master craftsman in the art of telling a rippin’ comic yarn. But then this is also the guy who also brought us the Red Hulk. Not his finest moment if you ask us.

On this week’s Bloodbath, we take a look back on the career of Jeph Loeb, from his beginnings as a screenwriter, to his work with artist Tim Sale, his jump to T.V. and his most recent comic work. What made a once great creator dip his toe into mediocre waters? Not sure if we’ll have the answers to this mystery, but we’ll sure try to find out as we delve into Loeb’s history as a writer. It’s all coming your way RIGHT NOW!

Have an idea for a certain topic we should cover? Have an indie comic book you’d like us to review? Send us an email at [email protected] with “Back Issue Bloodbath” in the subject line. We’d love to hear from you.

If you’re gonna geek out, GEEK HARD!

Originally Aired: 05/13/16

We discuss the news of the week. The sad news that Darwyn Cooke had gone into palliative care for a very aggressive form of cancer. ABC announced that Agent Carter would not be returning next season and that Marvel’s Most Wanted was not getting a series order. Supergirl gets cancelled by CBS and then picked up by The CW for a second season. Marvel announced this week they will publish a comic that will help kids learn about finances and saving money.

We look back on the year that was 1986. There’ll also be some gritty “realism” happening on the show as we look back on the year that was 1986. Dubbed “The Year Comics Grew Up”, 1986 saw the debut of darker stories being told at Marvel and DC Comics. Watchmen, Born Again, The Dark Knight Returns and Mutant Massacre all saw release that year and kicked the “dark and gritty” era into high gear. But then again, that year also saw Man of Steel, John Byrne’s Post-Crisis retelling of Superman’s origin, hit the comic racks. A very traditional take on Supes, this top selling comic was very different from the other major players of that period. We examine arguably the biggest year in the modern era of comics.

We are also talking with youtuber and cosplayer Steph Cozza. Steph’s the host of Geek for the Week on the Aggressive Comix Youtube Channel, where she talks about movies and geek stuff……not surprisingly, she fits right in our show. Steph was on to talk about her Youtube vids as well as an upcoming Star Wars Fan Film she’s currently working on. Oh, the nerdy shit that was discussed. It was magical.

It was a great show!

If you’re gonna geek out, GEEK HARD!

Welcome friends to Back Issue Bloodbath, a comics-centric podcast presented by Geek Hard. Join hosts Andrew Young and Gavin Stephens as they get down and dirty in the four-colour world of comic books, focusing on classic stories, new issues, comic creators and hot button topics.

This week, we talk about a couple of comics from the recent past. The first is just from last year: Amazing, Fantastic, Incredible, the autobio comic put out last year by Stan “The Man” Lee (with help from Peter David and artist Colleen Doran). No surprise here, the graphic novel covers the life and career of Stan Lee from his beginnings in the comic business to his most recent years involved in various projects of the movie and t.v. variety. Andrew breaks it down and tells you what he liked and didn’t like about it

For our second comic, Gavin presents his review of Marvel Zombies, the 2006 miniseries by Robert Kirkman with artwork by Sean Phillips. The Walking Dead scribe brought the zombie treatment to the Marvel U a decade ago and back then, zombies were not exactly the super craze they are now in pop culture and entertainment. “Marvel Heroes as villains bent on quelling their hunger by devouring not only their colleagues but also everybody else on the planet” is also a bit of a hard sell. What made this book catch on with fans the way it did in ’06? Find out as Gavin gives us his version of a grade 3 book report on the series.

Have an idea for a certain topic we should cover? Have an indie comic book you’d like us to review? Send us an email at [email protected] with “Back Issue Bloodbath” in the subject line. We’d love to hear from you.

If you’re gonna geek out, GEEK HARD!

Originally Aired: 05/06/16

We discuss the news of the week. Alden Ehrenreich officially cast as Han Solo in upcoming Star Wars spinoff movie. The possible cancellation of Supergirl after being picked up for season 2 on CBS. Hulu announces efforts toward streaming channel packages with Walt Disney, Comcast NBCUniversal and Fox on-board. Boom Studios Irredeemable coming to big screen in the near future.

Our review of Captain America: Civil War starring Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr. and Scarlett Johansson. Synopsis: Political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability when the actions of the Avengers lead to collateral damage. The new status quo deeply divides members of the team. Captain America (Chris Evans) believes superheroes should remain free to defend humanity without government interference. Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) sharply disagrees and supports oversight. As the debate escalates into an all-out feud, Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) must pick a side.

We are also talking Free Comic Book Day. We are joined by Kris Johnson and Diana McCallum to discuss some of our picks. Yes, Saturday, May 7th is Free Comic Book Day. A day where fans of comics can go to their local comic shops and pick up a selection of free comics provided by a number of different publishers. Some stores have a limit on how many free comics you can walk out the door with so making the right choices is very important. That’s where we come in. The fellowship of four meeting on this Geek Hard (That’s Andrew, Mr. Green and our two special guests if you’re not following) will be your guides on which titles are spectacular reads and which are sad excuses for free comics. We’ll tell you our favourites from the stack and which ones to avoid.

It was a great show!

If you’re gonna geek out, GEEK HARD!

Welcome friends to Back Issue Bloodbath, a comics-centric podcast presented by Geek Hard. Join hosts Andrew Young and Gavin Stephens as they get down and dirty in the four-colour world of comic books, focusing on classic stories, new issues, comic creators and hot button topics.

There’s two things that you’re not suppose to talk about in mixed company. One is Religion. The other is Politics. Don’t worry, we’re not going to go down the religion road (at least not this time). Instead, we’re going to talk about politics, their influence on comics and vice versa. Politics have been present in comics since the beginning. From the types of messages told in the comics of the early thirties, to the comic book witch trials of the 50s, to the writers of comics today. If you look at titles like Captain America: Sam Wilson and Ms. Marvel, it’s hard not see the influence of the world around us affecting the stories being told in these books. That’s our focus this week.

Join us as we take a trip back through comics’ history and look at the various times that politics overtly affected the industry and stories being told. There’ll be talk of the Comics’ Code Authority, Frederick Wertham, the Spider-Man drug issues and more! You’re not going to want to miss this one as Gavin and Andrew speak candidly about where the marriage of comics and politics work and where it doesn’t. It’s all coming your way on an ALL NEW Back Issue Bloodbath. Take a listen.

Have an idea for a certain topic we should cover? Have an indie comic book you’d like us to review? Send us an email at [email protected] with “Back Issue Bloodbath” in the subject line. We’d love to hear from you.

If you’re gonna geek out, GEEK HARD!

Originally Aired: 04/29/16

We discuss the news of the week. Netflix announces a Punisher series coming to the streaming service in the near future. Fox Studio dropping the bomb that they won’t be showing anything in Hall H this year at San Diego Comic Con, due to fear of piracy. Comic Con International launching Beta test of streaming service for convention footage from the past. Comcast’s purchase of Dreamworks Animation for $3.5 billion.

Our review of One Man Star Wars Trilogy. We took another trip to the theatre to catch a stage show that is out of this world. The One-Man Star Wars Trilogy (performed by Charlie Ross) is coming to the Bluma Appel Theatre this Wednesday to Sunday (April 27th to May 1st) and Geek Hard took in the show. Charlie has recently performed in Chicago, Miami, Ottawa and New Jersey and is set to reenact the battle between the rebels and the empire for 5 nights in Toronto. After performing ALL over the World he has come home to once again perform his hyper-space version of the trilogy.

We are also talking with writer Anthony Ball. Who is with us to discuss his current Kickstarter campaign for Disco Frankenstein. A melding of classic Universal Monster characters combined with 70’s Blaxploitation movies. Hailing from the south side of Chicago, Anthony Ball has been reading and collecting comics all his life. Formerly a legal assistant / paralegal, he’s now the caregiver to his elderly mother. Needing a release from his old 9-5 job and caregiving duties, he started writing comic scripts 7 years ago and through trial and error, has a few solid story concepts that he’s excited to unleash upon comic audiences. Besides being the editor of the ongoing WonderFunders anthology series, he also has a short story, Bruce, in Anomalous Comics’ horror anthology, Send in the Clowns.

It was a great show!

If you’re gonna geek out, GEEK HARD!

Welcome friends to Back Issue Bloodbath, a comics-centric podcast presented by Geek Hard. Join hosts Andrew Young and Gavin Stephens as they get down and dirty in the four-colour world of comic books, focusing on classic stories, new issues, comic creators and hot button topics.

FINALLY…..BACK ISSUE BLOODBATH…….HAS COME BACK TO GEEK HARD! It’s been a dreary two weeks without the show and we here at BIB are very sorry for the delays. As it has been said previously, we’ve had a series of unfortunate events plague us as of late. First, there was Gavin’s disappearance into another dimension and his battle with Time Wraiths to find his way back. Then last week, tragedy struck BIB HQ when marauders attacked and both Andrew and Gavin had to hold the fort in order to stop the destruction. But that’s all behind us now. We’re back and WE’RE NEVER LEAVING AGAIN!

Anyways, this week, we take a look back at a DC comic from the mid-nineties that is considered one of the best Batman Stories of all time…..and also the best Two-Face stories of all time. We’re of course talking about Batman: The Long Halloween. Considered the ultimate comic work of creator duo Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale, The Long Halloween put this writer and artist on the map as comic book royalty. They would go to do great work at both DC and Marvel and leave a stamp on each of the characters they would showcase. But this is the big hit that cemented this team in the fans minds.

Join Andrew and Gavin as they peel back the layers on this tale and look at how the Bat is portrayed, the slow descent into madness that is showcased in each of the characters and classic “whodonnit?” devices at work in the story. If you’ve read the story before, you might find something you hadn’t thought of before. Take a listen to an ALL NEW Bloodbath.

Have an idea for a certain topic we should cover? Have an indie comic book you’d like us to review? Send us an email at [email protected] with “Back Issue Bloodbath” in the subject line. We’d love to hear from you.

If you’re gonna geek out, GEEK HARD!

This ain’t a time for goofin’ around, Catwoman. We got an ALL NEW Bloodbath happening here RIGHT NOW!