The Comic Source Podcast

Our second Marvel Monday of the week focuses on several books that Jace and Jay break down. Captain Marvel #2 from Kelly Thompson continues the adventures of Carol as she tries to regain her footing not that she is back on earth. Things don't go real well though when the Nuclear Man shows up and throws a wrench in the works. Over in Avengers No Road Home, we return to the weekly format for Avengers as Voyager returns bringing some bad news about an enemy that is powerful enough to take out the gods of Olympus. We also talk about the debut issue of Savage Sword of Conan, it is perfect in tone and mood for the Cimmerian and evokes the classic feel of a Robert E Howard novel. The final quest for Old Man Logan is under way, the question is will he survive it? Meanwhile, Riri Williams is struggling with all her responsibilities and hasn't yet learned the very important lesson of when to ask for help. They say wisdom comes with age, is this a lesson Iron Heart will learn in time? We really love the story Kyle Higgins is telling in Winter Soldier, returning Bucky to his roots and humanity by having him reaching out to those who may feel trapped by their situation, just like he was when he first became the Winter Soldier. We finish up with Daredevil #22 as the plan that Matt Murdock has for eliminating crime in New York starts to come into focus. It great to see Charles Soule using his experience and knowledge as a lawyer to bring together both sides of Matt Murdock's life in way that has never felt more integrated.

This Marvel Monday breaks down a few books in detail. Jace starts off with a look at the deal offered by Mephisto and why Miles Morales and Amadeus Cho may be tempted to take it. Issue #13 of Immortal Hulk finishes off the second act of that book as we gear up for a lot of action coming in the next few issues. Over in Killmonger #4, things go completely sideways for Erik, we see him turn away from any last chance at peace or redemption and fully embrace his need for vengeance. Old Man Quill gives us a look at a possible future for Star-Lord and his Guardian teammates, so fans of the GotG should be sure to check it out. Tony Stark continues to battle for control of the virtual reality he has created in the paged of Iron Man #8 which has one of Jace's favorite comic book covers ever. Finally, we dive deep into Daredevil #21 as Matt Murdock's plan to rid New York of all crime begins to take shape.

Jace chats with writer Zack Kaplan about the recently released Join The Future TPB. Zack talks about building this story as a look at technology and security versus tradition and freedom. Not looking at is a political issue but something much more personal. It doesn't get much more personal than Clementine Libbey having to grow up in a hurry while seeking justice for the loss of her brother, her father and her town itself. There's a lot to unpack in this one and the guys dive into all of it. Plus they chat about the incredible art from Piotr Kowalski and Brad Simpson.

Jace and Jon-Paul do a deep dive into House of X #1. What lead to this event? How long was Hickman working on it before it was announced? How does it compare to what came before? As for the story itself, we are thrown into the deep end so the guys go over the events of the first issue and talk about both what happens as well as the significance of the events. This is especially true of the role Magneto plays in the book. It's just as complex as you would expect a Hickman book to be, so there is a ton to talk about in this one.

Jace continues the Thanos reading order with an incredible powerful tale that was an instant classic from the moment it was released. The Death of Captain Marvel was the first ever graphic novel from Marvel comics. This new format which has come to dominate comic sales over the last few decades started with the story of how the Marvel Universe lost it's most powerful cosmic champion. Filled with incredible Jim Starlin art and emotional character moments, this story still is just as powerful nearly 40 years after it was released. Thanos's involvement is both minor and yet key to the story Starlin weaves here, but this is truly a Captain Marvel story. It showcases the incredible impact that this character had on the Marvel universe in a relative short period of time.

Jace is joined by some other stellar comic book pundits as they dive deep into the first week of Future State. Be warned there are tons of spoilers in this episode and nothing is off limits. The guys talk about what worked and what didn't. They also speculate on the changing editorial dictates of DC affecting the structure and pacing of this titles. Jace has a lot to say about the art and many of the others agree. There is not much they agree on though, as many of the titles draw differing opinions. Join us to see what we liked and what we didn't.

Jace and Jay take a very deep look at a few DC titles. They examine Heroes In Crisis #6 from the perspective of the trauma displayed by the three characters closely followed in this issue, plus Jay takes about PTSD from the perspective he gained while serving in the army. The guys chat about the spectacle that is Justice League #19 and how the structure of the epic story Scott Snyder is playing out. They finish up with Shazam #3 a really wild and fun book that may have been a bigger hit if it hadn't suffered from so many delays. The Dale Eaglesham & Marco Santucci art is amazing though!

Jace looks at the penultimate issue of Arcanum from Brandon Peterson. The Avatars of Good find the ancient temple they were seeking, but all is not as it seems. Matthew Royale is one step ahead of them and just why does the Baron show up? An appearance by the embodiment of death is never good news for the avatars. It's an eventful issue as we head for the series finale.

Jace and Manny are joined by fellow LRM contributor Jay Bradshaw to chat about some of the titles that are hitting stands the week of January 13, 2021. The guys talk about several Future State titles which are a bit of a let down overall. Manny and Jay really enjoyed the debut issue of HaHa though, from the same writer who brings us Ice Cream Man, W. Maxwell Prince. Manny is although thoroughly engaged with the story Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque are unraveling in American Vampire. Jay talks about the end of Big Girl, which despite slightly predictable, was immensely satisfying. Meanwhile the Jessica Cruz story in Green Lantern was a huge hit with Jace, as was Commanders in Crisis #4 and Red Atlantis #3 which was action-packed. Jace book of the week, like Red Atlantis, was also written by Stephanie Phillips. A Man Among Ye from Top Cow, Phillips and artist Craig Cermak, lived up to the title and surpassed all expectations.

Jace dives deep into a couple of X-Men titles. What the heck is Wolverine doing getting mixed up in the cosmic goings on of the Infinity Gems? And an even bigger question is why is he teaming up with Loki to do it? It's a rousing tale that is both cosmic and grounded in a way only a Wolverine story can be, with great Andy MacDonald art. Over in the Uncanny X-Men #14, the rag tag band of mutants Cyclops has managed to gather together has finally achieved a real victory. It's a small one, but this underpowered group that comprise the X-Men team will take it.