Storied Arcs

Send us Fan Mail

Welcome to another season of Storied Arc! For this installment, Mike and Alex are going about as indie comic as they can get as they get ready to discuss Breathers by Justin Madson. They guys get you familiar with cartoonist Justin Madson, someone they understand is probably not that well known, if at all, by most comic readers, even the most dedicated ones, as well as some of his work, including Carbon and Tin Man. Then they preview Breathers, Madson's story about a dystopian future where a virus in the air is lethal and everyone has to wear masks just to survive. Oh, aid we mention this comic was originally conceived by Madson back in 2006 and was first self-published as a completed work back in 2011? The guys discuss Breathers' circuitous publication history, from self-published to It's Alive! to Dark Horse, and try to convince you as to why you should read a book about the COVID-19 pandemic that isn't at all about the COVID-19 pandemic.

We're assuming that the complete edition of Breather published by Dark Horse in October of 2023 is the only way folks will be able to read this comic. It's 9 issues worth of material (about 440 pages), which is a lot to cover in one discussion, and it doesn't have a clear mid-point that could serve as a convenient break. So what we're doing for this book instead is having one long discussion, broken up into two parts. We'll be talking about the book in totality across both weeks of the discussion, so be sure to have read all of Breathers before you start to listen.

You can learn more about Justin Madson at his website and purchase his books directly from his shop. Get Breathers there, from local shop, or from the public library and join us back here next week for Part 1 of our discussion!

Thanks for listening to Storied Arcs

• Find us on your favorite podcast platform and leave a 5-star review!
• Find all links here: https://linktr.ee/storiedarcs
• Or specifically, find us on BlueSky, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Twitter/X.
• Learn more about our hosts, the show, or where to find us at www.storiedarcs.com

Subscribe on Spotify, iTunes, Pocket Casts, Overcast, Google Podcast, or anywhere else fine podcasts are found!

Send us Fan Mail

In a special bonus episode, Mike and Alex jump back one season and revisit their discussion of Eat The Rich and Know Your Station because they had the privilege of chatting with the writer and co-creator of those comics, Sarah Gailey! They start as usual with Sarah's introduction to comics and discuss how they made the move from writing prose to writing comics and what the transition was like. Then they dive back into Eat The Rich and Know Your Station, examining some of the reoccurring themes that appear across Sarah's various works and getting some inside baseball details on the creation of each book and collaborating with both Pius Bak and Liana Kangas (who you can listen to talk about working with Sarah and many other things here). Finally, they wrap by talking about Sarah's recent work for Marvel, particularly their Yelena Belova/White Widow miniseries with Alessandro Miraccolo, and how it was formulating a concrete identity for character that historically hasn't really had one while still operating within the defined Marvel Universe. You can stay up-to-date with everything Sarah has going on at their website and by signing up for their newsletter, Stone Soup. You can also follow them on Tumblr, Instagram, and Bluesky. 

Thanks for listening to Storied Arcs

• Find us on your favorite podcast platform and leave a 5-star review!
• Find all links here: https://linktr.ee/storiedarcs
• Or specifically, find us on BlueSky, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Twitter/X.
• Learn more about our hosts, the show, or where to find us at www.storiedarcs.com

Subscribe on Spotify, iTunes, Pocket Casts, Overcast, Google Podcast, or anywhere else fine podcasts are found!

Send us Fan Mail

"And if I learned anything from Damian Lake's betrayal, it's that every move I make from now on has to be two moves. So I'm not just sneaking back to the U.S.; I'm lighting a signal fire."

The adventures of Velvet Templeton come to a close in Velvet Volume 2 The Man Who Stole The World (issues #11-15) and Mike and Alex are here to wrap up the series. The guys start by diving deep into the decision by Brubaker and Epting to tie their story so specifically to actual historical events (apparently everyone was at the Watergate Hotel that night) and how choices like do or don't affect their enjoyment of a story. Then they look at some of final espionage story tropes Velvet deploys, like fake deaths and double-double crosses, before lamenting the lack of any further stories in this universe.  

While we wish there were more Velvet stories out there, we hope you enjoyed diving into this comic with us. We'll be back again soon to kick off another season of Stories Arcs!

Thanks for listening to Storied Arcs

• Find us on your favorite podcast platform and leave a 5-star review!
• Find all links here: https://linktr.ee/storiedarcs
• Or specifically, find us on BlueSky, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Twitter/X.
• Learn more about our hosts, the show, or where to find us at www.storiedarcs.com

Subscribe on Spotify, iTunes, Pocket Casts, Overcast, Google Podcast, or anywhere else fine podcasts are found!

Send us Fan Mail

"All these weeks on the run, I've just been angry... self-righteous. And it's so stupid... I know... but I'd actually forgotten to be afraid."

Mike and Alex are back on the hunt for the most dangerous woman in the world as they jump into Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting's Velvet Volume 2 The Secret Lives of Dead Men (issues #6-10). They start by examining Steve Epting's incredible covers and look at how their throwback, pulpy nature is perfect for the series. Then the guys discuss how Velvet's competency and ability as a spy is presented throughout the story, both through the eyes of her pursuers and her own self critique, and how that informs and reinforces the world that Brubaker and Epting are depicting.  Lastly, there's some lettering talk (because Alex loves him some lettering talk), as the guys highlight the work Chris Eliopoulos is doing in this arc.

The story reaches its thrilling conclusion (question mark?) in the next arc, so go read Velvet Volume 3 The Man Who Stole The World  (issues #11-15) wherever you get your comics and join us back here again to dive deep into the finale!

Thanks for listening to Storied Arcs

• Find us on your favorite podcast platform and leave a 5-star review!
• Find all links here: https://linktr.ee/storiedarcs
• Or specifically, find us on BlueSky, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Twitter/X.
• Learn more about our hosts, the show, or where to find us at www.storiedarcs.com

Subscribe on Spotify, iTunes, Pocket Casts, Overcast, Google Podcast, or anywhere else fine podcasts are found!

Send us Fan Mail

"A group of highly-trained spies and killers. And she'd played each of us... with ease. That was when I realized just how dangerous Velvet Templeton actually was."

Welcome to another season of Storied Arcs! Mike and Alex are here to plunge head first into the world of espionage and intrigue as they break down Velvet Volume 1 Before the Living End (issues #1-5) by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting from Image Comics. The guys start by examining how the concept for Velvet fit into the wider pop culture zeitgeist surrounding spy fiction and "reboot" culture in the mid-2010s, and discuss how Brubaker and Epting's clear love and appreciation for the classic spy stories they grew up on shines through in their story. Then they eventually get to talking about the comic, mainly highlighting the incredible colors by Elizabeth Breitweiser and the unique storytelling devices the team employs that only work in sequential art. Alex also bad-mouths baccarat, because it's a silly game that seemingly only exists to be played by shady people in spy stories. No real person plays baccarat.

The conversation continues next week with Velvet Volume 2 The Secret Lives of Dead Men (issues #6-10), so pick it up wherever you get your comics and join us back here again for anther deep dive!

Thanks for listening to Storied Arcs

• Find us on your favorite podcast platform and leave a 5-star review!
• Find all links here: https://linktr.ee/storiedarcs
• Or specifically, find us on BlueSky, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Twitter/X.
• Learn more about our hosts, the show, or where to find us at www.storiedarcs.com

Subscribe on Spotify, iTunes, Pocket Casts, Overcast, Google Podcast, or anywhere else fine podcasts are found!

Send us Fan Mail

For the next season of Storied Arcs, Mike and Alex are once again revisiting the work of one of their favorite creators. This time, it's writer Ed Brubaker as the guys get ready break down Velvet, the noir spy thriller from Image Comics by Brubaker and comics legend Steve Epting. First, they give an intro to the book and tease a little bit about why they wanted to discuss it (and they talk a lot about James Bond, which actually does make sense once you know what Velvet is about). They they put artist Steve Epting in the spotlight (along with letterer Chris Eliopoulos) and take a look at his long and storied career, in particular his work with Ed Brubaker. [Note, we covered Ed Brubaker and colorist Elizabeth Breitweiser back when we discussed Kill Of Be Killed; check it out if you haven't already.]

We're starting next week with Velvet Vol. 1: Before The Living End (issues #1-5), so go read it wherever you get you comics and join us back here for the discussion!

Thanks for listening to Storied Arcs

• Find us on your favorite podcast platform and leave a 5-star review!
• Find all links here: https://linktr.ee/storiedarcs
• Or specifically, find us on BlueSky, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Twitter/X.
• Learn more about our hosts, the show, or where to find us at www.storiedarcs.com

Subscribe on Spotify, iTunes, Pocket Casts, Overcast, Google Podcast, or anywhere else fine podcasts are found!

Send us Fan Mail

This week, Mike and Alex are pleased to be joined by artist and illustrator Liana Kangas to chat about their work on Know Your Station and all manner of other things! They start with Liana's origins as an artist and learn how they went from selling comics in an LCS to making them. Then they move to Know Your Station, touching on how they got involved in the book in the first place and what the creative process was like working with Sarah Gailey, plus a deeper dive into some specific scenes and moments from the comic. They also touch on their work with writer Scott Bryan Wilson on Trve Kvlt from IDW, which is definitely a book you should pick up and read. And finally, they discuss Liana's contribution to "Meanwhile... A Comic Shop Anthology," a comic put together to celebrate the comic shop experience, and how their short story, Absence Is Unsettling, fits into that prompt. You can find Liana's work, requests for commissions, and upcoming convention appearances on their website, and be sure to follow them on Twitter, Twitch, and Patreon.

Thanks for listening to Storied Arcs

• Find us on your favorite podcast platform and leave a 5-star review!
• Find all links here: https://linktr.ee/storiedarcs
• Or specifically, find us on BlueSky, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Twitter/X.
• Learn more about our hosts, the show, or where to find us at www.storiedarcs.com

Subscribe on Spotify, iTunes, Pocket Casts, Overcast, Google Podcast, or anywhere else fine podcasts are found!

Send us Fan Mail

"They controlled every aspect of our lived on Earth... and they used that power to make it so being up here, waiting on them hand and foot, was the best future we could reach for. We're not people to them. We're punching bags, scapegoats, and test subjects. We're disposable."

Mike and Alex are back and ready to dive right into Boom Studios' Know Your Station (issues #1-5) by Sarah Gailey and Liana Kangas. Much like their previous week's discussion, they guys once again examine how what the book is about (a murder-mystery aboard a space station) isn't really what the book is about, and break down how Gailey and Kangas use and rely on the reader's existing story preconceptions to help mask their intent and ultimately subvert expectations (and maybe read a little too deeply into the presence of a Hamilton poster in one panel). They also take a look at Know Your Station and Eat The Rich work as a spiritual pairing, two offerings from the same writer, commenting on similar societal themes but approaching them from different angles. Something is killing the rich people. Again. 

 We hope you enjoyed these stories, and thank you as always for listening and reading along with us. Before we move on to our next season, we're extremely excited to welcome Know Your Station artist Liana Kangas onto the show next week for an exclusive interview! We'll be discussing their whole career, from selling comics to creating them, and dive a little deeper into Know Your Station. Join us here next week to hear it all!

Thanks for listening to Storied Arcs

• Find us on your favorite podcast platform and leave a 5-star review!
• Find all links here: https://linktr.ee/storiedarcs
• Or specifically, find us on BlueSky, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Twitter/X.
• Learn more about our hosts, the show, or where to find us at www.storiedarcs.com

Subscribe on Spotify, iTunes, Pocket Casts, Overcast, Google Podcast, or anywhere else fine podcasts are found!

Send us Fan Mail

"Ever since that first day, I keep trying to be the right kind of girl so you'll approve of me. But I'm not the right kind of girl, am I?"

How does the saying go again- when the people shall have nothing more to eat, they will eat the rich? Seems like a more than appropriate title for Mike and Alex's next discussion, Eat The Rich (issues #1-5) by Sarah Gailey and Pius Bak from Boom Studios. The guys are here to break down the whole story, including how a story about eating rich people isn't actually about the eating of rich people. They dive deep into the larger themes and social commentaries offered by Gailey and Pak, while also praising the entire creative team for both their subversion of narrative expectations and their brilliant story presentation. It feels pretty obvious where this book is heading after the first issue and yet the story remains engaging and gripping throughout. Welcome to Crestfall Bluffs. Hope you survive the experience!

This story may be complete but we're not done with the uber-rich just yet. The discussion continues as we turn to Sarah Gailey's follow up comic in this spiritual pairing, Know Your Station with artist Liana Kangas. Go find Know Your Station wherever you get your comics and join us back here next week to dive deep into both stories!

Thanks for listening to Storied Arcs

• Find us on your favorite podcast platform and leave a 5-star review!
• Find all links here: https://linktr.ee/storiedarcs
• Or specifically, find us on BlueSky, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Twitter/X.
• Learn more about our hosts, the show, or where to find us at www.storiedarcs.com

Subscribe on Spotify, iTunes, Pocket Casts, Overcast, Google Podcast, or anywhere else fine podcasts are found!

Send us Fan Mail

New year, new season of the Storied Arcs podcast! And to kick things off, Mike and Alex will be covering two books by the same writer, the Hugo Award winning and up-and-coming comic star Sarah Gailey- Eat The Rich (with artist Pius Bak) and Know Your Station (with artist Liana Kangas), both published by Boom Studios. The guys talk about what drew them to these books, another set of similarly themed stories that aren't officially a series but are spiritually connected, and also give a spoiler-free tease on what's to come (hint- some horror and a lot of talk about the haves versus the have nots). Then they discuss the creative teams behind both books and take a look at some of the other comic work done by Gailey, Pak, and Kangas.

We're excited to jump into these stories, and for you to join us in the discussion, so go out at find Eat The Rich (issues #1-5) by Sarah Gailey and Pius Bak from Boom Studios wherever you get your comics and we'll see you back here next week!

Thanks for listening to Storied Arcs

• Find us on your favorite podcast platform and leave a 5-star review!
• Find all links here: https://linktr.ee/storiedarcs
• Or specifically, find us on BlueSky, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Twitter/X.
• Learn more about our hosts, the show, or where to find us at www.storiedarcs.com

Subscribe on Spotify, iTunes, Pocket Casts, Overcast, Google Podcast, or anywhere else fine podcasts are found!