Listen Up!: Comics and Culture Podcasts You Should Check Out

So, I said I'd keep writing, even a bit more infrequently, and so here I am again.

As I haven't been blogging, I've had even more time to listen to podcasts. I've written about podcasts I listen to before, and, working from home, I've discovered so many more that are really worth listening to for comic fans. It's a brave frontier out there, folks, with plenty of interesting shows. I'm going to provide you with a rundown of the show, and a comic or two  to go along with each one; of course since many of today's are directly comic podcasts, some of those are kinda gimmes. I listen to all these podcasts through Stitcher, but they all have websites that you can visit to listen to episodes, and are available on iTunes and other podcatchers. So, to quote Hub of the first podcast I'll be talking about, without any further ado, let's a-do this.

Titan Up the Defense- Silver Age comics are wacky, I think we all know that. They are ripe for riffing and for looking back on in a light, fun way. And that's what the podcast currently known as Titan Up the Defense, and originally known as Teen Titans Wasteland, started out as. Brother Hub and Cory, with a liberal supply of "podcast juice"(that's booze to the uninitiated), spent sixty episodes digging into the madness and wonderment of Silver Age Teen Titans comics. Hub and Cory have a great rapport, with Hub being the old school Titans fan bringing Cory into it, and while you could jump in on most any episode, it's great to start from the beginning, to watch the running gags and Cory's knowledge of the Titans develop. But once they ran out of those sixties and seventies Titans comics, the show got a facelift, to become Titan Up the Defense. The current run bounces back and forth between issues of the 80s Wolfman & Perez New Teen Titans run and the classic 70s Defenders series from Marvel. I can't stress enough how much fun these guys seem to be having, and that comes through in the podcast; you laugh along with Kid Flash chugging maple syrup and appearances from Xemnu the Titan. But for all the humor, there are also some serious-ish discussions of race and politics of the time as reflected through the the lens of these series, which makes for some thing to actually think about. And while that is important, you really are tuning in to hear the guys doing mini-radio plays of Hostess ads, figuring out what Aqualad is up ti in issues he doesn't appear in, and discussions about the Titans favorite past times: eavesdropping and not understanding how secret identities work. DC recently released two Teen Titans Omnibuses of the silver and early bronze age stuff, and there are trades of the New Teen Titans run currently being published, with volume seven due out in August. The Defenders stuff is harder to track down now, but there are Essential Defenders volumes you can still find with some looking. Titan Up the Defense hits every Wednesday.

Thor: The Lightning and the Storm- In my last podcast post, I wrote about Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men, a podcast that traces the history of the X-Men and their related books from the 60s to present (well, to the early 90s as of now). But Jay and Miles are taking the summer off, as Jay move to the East Coast (Welcome, Jay! Hope you survive the experience!), and for the summer, Miles is teaming with Elisabeth Allie, regular guest from his X-Men podcast, to spend 13 episodes discussing Walt Simonson's legendary run on The Might Thor. Miles has been talking up that run on X-Plain the X-Men since pretty much that podcast began, and last March I went and I read through the entire run, and hot damn it is as good as he said! And now, he and Elisabeth are hitting all the high points: the war with Surtur, Frog Thor, and "He Stood Alone at Gjallerbru." There has rarely been a podcast that radiated such excitement as this one: these are comics that Miles LOVES, and he loves sharing them with Elisabeth, who is on her first read through, and he loves sharing them with the listener. And since there's a definite beginning, middle, and end to the series, you know what commitment you're in for, and what it's building towards, although there are so many amazing climaxes in this run nearly any episode could be talking about the big finale. Episode eight dropped this week, so there's time to get in there and catch up before that final episode. Oh, and for pure crossover synergy, Elisabeth was the guest on last week's Titan Up the Defense, and Miles will be guesting this week, so check those out to get a chance to hear many great podcasters together, Walt Simonson's Mighty Thor has been collected in omnibus and four trades, all of which may or may not be in print thanks the the vagueries of Marvel's trade program; however the trailers for Thor: Ragnarok seem to be drawing from this classic run, so I bet they'll be back in print soon enough. Thor: The Lightning and the Storm hits weekly on Sundays.

The Adventure Zone- I think I've talked before about how much I love RPGs. I have a biweekly gaming group, affectionately addressed as Nerdstorm, where my wife, five friends, and I get together and sometimes play boardgames, but usually different RPGs: Dungeons and Dragons, Pathfinder, Call of Cthulhu, Dresden Files, and others. And if you've never been part of an RPG group, there are certain dynamics that develop in any group. And no show, TV, web, or podcast, has ever encapsulated the development of an RPG group and campaign better to me than The Adventure Zone. Griffin McElroy DMs (Dungeonmasters, or crafts the story) a D&D campaign for his brothers, Justin and Travis, and their dad, Clint. What starts out as fairly standard D&D for beginners becomes something much deeper and more fascinating as the campaign moves forward. The plot is elaborate and the mysteries pay off wonderfully; this is a podcast you really should start from episode one. The great PCs (player characters) are: Magnus Burnsides (Travis), the fighter with a heart of gold and no patience for anything, Taako (Justin), the wizard who is also a chef and does his best work staying out of the fray, and Merle Highchurch (Clint), the at times almost agnostic cleric of Pan, all of whom have become wonderfully three dimensional characters. And Griffin's NPCs (Non-Player Characters) include some absolute delights, the kind of characters you look forward to seeing come back again and again; my favorites are Angus McDonald, the world's greatest boy detective, and Klarg the Hugbear (like a bugbear, only cuddlier; Klarg likes tea). Even if you have no interest in D&D, this is a rollicking adventure story that never goes where you're expecting it to. Currently, graphic novel adaptations of The Adventure Zone are in the works from First Second, an excellent graphic novel publisher, but if you want something with the same flavor to keep you busy, you should try Rat Queens from Image Comics to tide you over. The Adventure Zone is released biweekly on Thursdays.

Myths and Legends- Comics and mythology are inextricably linked: from Wonder Woman's mythical patrons to Thor and the Asgardians in Marvel Comics to Dream of the Endless and all the mythology in The Sandman, the well never seems to run dry for creators to find new creatures and myths. And there are a lot of podcasts that tell myths, urban legends, and stories of the paranormal. But one of the best, and the one that I think fits best with the comic book mindset, is Myths and Legends. Jason Weiser hosts and narrates each episode, and tells the original or definitive (as best as can possibly be found) version of a classic myth, legend, or fairy tale. And I mean the ORIGINAL versions of those Grimm and Hans Christian Anderson fairy tales, so we're talking, the weird, screwed up versions. But one of the charms of the podcast is it's not just Greek and Norse myths and European fairy tales; nope you get Japanese myths, Slavic myths, tales of the Round Table, tales of the Arabian Nights, and more. Week in and week out, you never quite know what you're going to get. And after each main story, there's a second short story, a Creature of the Week, featuring an odd mythological beast or cryptid. This week's is a personal favorite cryptid of mine, the Skunk Ape, but if you want to hear the ultimate COTW, you need to check out Butter Cat. I will also say, if you listen from episode one on, you see the growth of Weiser as a podcaster and storyteller. The early episodes are enjoyable, but he tells the stories in a fairly matter of fact way. As the podcast continues, you see more authorial voice, more narrative and charm, and it makes an enjoyable podcast a must listen. If you want comics featuring myths and legends, you should check out Image's Wayward, which heavily features Japanese mythology, Dark Horse's Hellboy, for Slavic myths, and of course Vertigo's The Sandman for a little bit of everything. Myths and Legends is released Wednesday morning, and is the podcast I download every week and listen to on my way to the comic shop, so it has a particular association for me with my Wednesday pilgrimage.

The Old Time Superman Radio Show- I first discovered host Adam Graham with his Detectives of Old Time Radio podcast, a daily podcast featuring such luminaries of 40s and 50s detection as Boston Blackie, Richard Diamond, and Johnny Dollar, plus many others. But through that show, I discovered that Graham also has a show that plays the classic Superman radio show from the 40s. It's charming, with plenty of adventure and plots that fit in well with the vibe of late Golden Age comics. There's not a lot more to say about this one, but if you're curious about those old time Superman stories, or enjoy tales of the Golden and Silver Age of comics, you should try this show out. There are plenty of collections of Superman from this era, so any good comic shop should be able to help you find some classic Superman. Stitcher has been doing weird things with my feed on this show, releasing four or five episodes at a go, so I have a hard time telling when it actually drops, but there are 900+ episodes, so there's plenty of back catalog.

The Radio Adventures of Eleanor Amplified- So, in case you haven't read much of this blog before, I have a real soft spot for all ages comics; you know, the ones that appeal to kids and adults on different levels, or just tell stories that are enjoyable for everyone. And when it comes to podcasts, I've discovered one that fits that same criteria to a T: The Radio Adventures of Eleanor Amplified, from my local NPR station, WHYY in Philadelphia. Eleanor Amplified is a radio journalist who knows no fear and will stop at nothing to get the scoop. She's like Lois Lane on the radio, but she doesn't have the Man of Steel to help her out, so she has to take care of herself. Told in the style of classic old time radio drama, this show has a full cast, sound effects... the works! The first season sees Eleanor taking on the CEO of Megablurg, a multinational corporation, who has designs of national and global domination. There are smugglers, robots, prisons, mad scientists, and all the trappings of a wild adventure story. The episodes are nice and short, so they'll work with the attention span of small kids, but there's also a "Road Trip Edition" available, that has the entire first season in one long form audio movie. The show was conceived by one of the producers of the popular NPR interview and review series, Fresh Air with Terry Gross, so there's a bonus episode where Gross interviews series creator John Sheehan and speaks with Eleanor herself. If you enjoy Lumberjanes, Goldie Vance, or Gotham Academy, or basically any comic with a strong female protagonist, you should check out Eleanor Amplified. The Radio Adventures of Eleanor Amplified is currently between seasons, although a couple of bonus episodes featuring the origin of Eleanor were recently released, with the promise of season two to come.

Recommended Listening for 3/4: The Matt Signal Podcast Picks

So, I'll be up front with you: I've had a really busy week, and thus haven't been able to settle down and do the extensive reading and/or research required for a recommended reading this week. But I want to put up a post every Friday this year, so I went and sat back and tried to think of something to write about or recommend. And then it hit me: Podcasts! I spend much of my day listening to podcasts, and while I don't listen to a lot of directly comics related podcasts, I listen to a lot of great ones that I think you, the reader, might enjoy, and so I'm going to write about a few of them, and since most aren't directly comics related, I'll toss in a comic that shares something with each podcast, so if you're already a fan of that show, you might check out the comic.


The Thrilling Adventure Hour- The Thrilling Adventure Hour (TAH for short) is the show that got me into podcasts aside from listening to NPR that way. I've written about it before, both the recommended reading that is linked there and reviews of the tie-in comics, but if you haven't read those, TAH is, "a new style podcast done in the style of old time radio." A live show, recorded in front of an audience, most episodes are one short segment, featuring a comedic mash-up of classic radio drama tropes. The two regular features were, "Sparks Nevada, Marshal on Mars," a cowboy in space yarn, and the other, my personal favorite, was "Beyond Belief," featuring Frank and Sadie Doyle, a pair of drunken high society mediums, sort of The Thin Man meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Various other segments recurred throughout the show's run, and they were all witty, hilarious, and clever. The show also featured a wildly talented cast of regulars, and amazing guest stars. Read the recommended reading for way for detail. Thrilling Adventure Hour stopped regularly releasing episodes over the summer, but there are over 200 available in the shows archives. If you like TAH, you can check out the TAH graphic novel, the Sparks Nevada and Beyond Belief series from Image, and the upcoming Deadpool Vs. Gambit mini-series from TAH creators Ben Acker and Ben Blacker.

Welcome to Night Vale- I was introduced to Welcome to Night Vale through a crossover with TAH, and while it shares a tongue in cheek sense of humor with TAH at times, it is a completely different animal. Welcome to Night Vale, created and written by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor, is a community radio show from the odd little desert town of Night Vale, a town that has everything you'd expect from a small town: a bowling alley, an old lady, a store, a five-headed dragon, a faceless old woman who lives in your house. You know, the usual. OK, so Night Vale isn't a normal town. One description I read of the show described it as "Garrison Keillor's News from Lake Wobegon by way of Stephen King," and that's a decent, if a bit narrow, elevator pitch for the show. Each episode is narrated by local radio host Cecil Palmer (played by Cecil Baldwin), and while many episodes feature guests, the series really is Cecil's story, about his relationship with his boyfriend Carlos, the scientist, his brother-in-law Steve Carlsberg (don't get him started on Steve), his friend Dana, and all the other people on Night Vale. Cecil's a good guy, and the show develops a deep emotional life for him. But aside from the funny and weird townsfolk and Cecil's day to day life, Night Vale can be honestly very scary, and the horror is used sparingly and to good effect. Welcome to Night Vale is released biweekly on Mondays. If you enjoy Night Vale, check out the Welcome to Night Vale novel, and while I can't think of any comic with the same mix of horror, small town life, and humor, if you want a great small town horror, check out Dark Horse's Harrow County.

You Must Remember This- I love the movies, and I love knowing more about the people who make them. You Must Remember This is the story of, "the secret and forgotten history of Hollywood's first century." Loving researched, written, and narrated by Karina Longworth,You Must Remember This features themed seasons, some of which include stories of stars at war in World War II, Charles Manson's relationship with Hollywood, and the current season, long anticipated by me, about the Hollywood Communist Black List, which has certain terrifying echoes of America as it is now. The history is fascinating, and Longworth's writing and narration are sharp, crisp, and a pleasure to listen to. There are certain episodes that have very direct ties to comic books and Hollywood, such as episodes about Bruce and Brandon Lee, both of whom played comics and pulp characters, Warren Beatty and Madonna's relationship while making the (in my opinion anyway) under-rated comic strip adaptation, Dick Tracy, and Eddie Mannix, MGM's "fixer" who may or may not have been involved in the death of TV's Superman, George Reeves. New You Must Remember This episodes are released weekly on Mondays. One of my favorite comics of the past year has been Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips's The Fade Out, a Hollywood noir set in the late '40s, and if you enjoyed that, you should definitely check out the current season of You Must Remember This, and vice versa.

Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men- This is the only purely comic podcast on this list, and there's a reason for that. Jay Rachel Edidin and Miles Stokes are lifelong comics fans, specifically X-Fans, and their whole goal with their podcast is to untie the seemingly impossible knot of X-Men continuity. They have a great rapport, great authorial voice to their writing, and know their stuff. They clearly do a lot of research to keep up with the X-Titles. They started at the beginning, with the early Stan Lee stuff, but quickly moved froward into the Claremont era, and are now cycling between three titles, Uncanny X-Men, X-Factor, and New Mutants, in the run up to the mid-80s X-crossover "Inferno." Their excitement about the material is so contagious, listening has gotten me to go out and purchase a complete run of New Mutants (up to the Liefeld stuff. I already have all that in trade) and I plan to start reading it soon. New episodes come out weekly on Sunday. Important note if you're about to start listening: as of this Sunday's new episode, the series name will change to Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men, but all existing links should probably redirect. It's harder to pick a particular comic to say to read to get into this show, but a fourth comic is about to enter the rotation, the original run of Excalibur, and both Jay and Miles seem pretty excited about it, so you might want to track that down.

Talkin' Toons with Rob Paulsen- You might not know the name Rob Paulsen, but if you're a fan of animation, you know his voice. Rob Paulsen is one of those great voice actors who has a tremendous catalog of work, from Pinky in Pinky and the Brain, Yakko Warner in Animaniacs, and specifically comics related Raphael in the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series, and Donatello in the current one. And because he's been in the voice actor for the better part of thirty years, he has a lot of friends who do the same work. So, what Rob likes to do is sit down with his friends (some at their home, some in front of a live audience) and talk about their experience as voice actors, their process, and their favorite voices. Some of my favorite episodes include one with the creators of Rick and Morty, one with the cast of Adventure Time, and ones with various members of the classic DC animated universe cast members, including Clancy Brown (Lex Luthor), Jeffrey Combs (The Question), and Mark Hamill (The Joker). Talkin' Toons has had a less regular release schedule recently, but there are plenty of episodes on the archive and new episodes appear when Rob can fit them into his busy schedule.  If you love cartoons of any kind, Talkin' Toons is a must listen, and many of the guests have comics that tie into their work, so just check out that list and pick a comic.


These are just five of the numerous podcasts I listen to regularly, and it's an amazing time where there's such a variety of different options to listen to. So I ask you readers: Do you have a favorite podcast? I'd love some new recommendations. Comment here, on Facebook, or Twitter, where I'm @mattlaz1013.

Reviews of Comics from 5/14 & A Special Announcement

Abe Sapien #13
Story: Mike Mignola & Scott Allie
Art: Max Fiumara

This is not a normal issue of Abe Sapien. This is not a normal issue of most mainstream comics. While our titular protagonist does appear in the issue, he is by no means the center of the story. This is a story in the classic Eisner Spirit vein, where Abe steps into a situation and it is more the story of the people who are in that situation. This is the story of a man driven mad by his own past and by the changes in the world that have been wrought in the past few years throughout the books featuring the B.P.R.D. and their allies, and the woman he has kidnapped. He believes they are the last man and woman on Earth, and she has been broken by the losses she suffered when the horrors came out of the ground. The issue has no dialogue; it is told entirely through narrative that goes into the head of these two characters. It isn't first person narrative either, but a sort of third person omniscient that allows you to see without the bias of a first person narration. Throughout the issue, you get to know these two characters well, you see the man's background and the woman's pain. You see him first spot Abe and view him as the serpent in his new garden of Eden. The art of Max Fiumara is dark and perfect for this particularly dark story. Abe Sapien has been the most introspective book in the Mignolaverse since its inception, and this issue does such interesting things with point of view that it is something well worth checking out.

Batgirl #31
Story: Gail Simone
Art: Fernando Pasarin

So, first a quick discussion of the actual issue. This is a great creepy horror movie kind of story, with people trapped in a building with a monster chasing them. Barbara has a reunion of sorts with her sorta boyfriend Ricky, only to have things go very wrong; I guess when your dad shoots your boyfriend, things aren't going to go so well. And the issue ties nicely with both the rivalry between Batgirl and her main nemesis in this current series, Knightfall, and the new mastermind from the recent annual, Mr. Rain. And the story is done in one, so it makes a good starting point for new readers. But, as good as any issue of Gail Simone's Batgirl is, let's talk about what I came into this issue really excited for: Ragdoll! For those of you who don't know Ragdoll, and shame on you, Ragdoll was created by Simone as part of her Villains United mini-series, which lead into the ongoing Secret Six. Ragdoll is a man who had extensive surgery dome to himself to allow all his joints to move freely in any and all directions, making him the ultimate contortionist. He is also completely out of hiss mind, having little to no morality and saying things that qualify at best as random and at worst as creepy to the extreme. Being his first full appearance in the New 52 (he has appeared in the background in Arkham scenes before), I was a little worried. Despite being written by his creator, I admit to being worried that he might be changed in this new world. Boy was I wrong! Ragdoll is still the complete, unpredictable madman that he was before the change.Simone hasn't lost any of the voice, and artist Fernando Pasarin draws a creepily bendy Ragdoll. If you loved Secret Six, or just like great, weird villains, this is a great issue to jump on.

Tales From the Con: Year One

Story: Brad Guigar

Art: Chris Giarrusso

This issue is a collection of comic strips published on the website of Emerald City Comic Con. They're fun little one offs poking gentle fun at fandom and con culture. It's hard to write a full on review of something like this, since there's no continuity or continuing narratives, and trying to describe the strips would be like explaining a joke; it just doesn't work. But I can say writer Brad Guigar writes some very funny material without sinking into snark or nastiness, like so many strips about comic book culture do.And the art is by Chris Giarrusso, best known for his amazingly funny Mini-Marvels strips that appeared in Marvel comics throughout the 90s and for G-Man, his all ages creator owned superhero comic published through Image. His art is a delight, fun and whimsical, and its what got me to pick up this book. I'm glad to say the words lived up to the art, and if you're in the mood for a good laugh, Tales from the Con is a good book to sit back and chuckle your way through.

Now, for this week's special announcement: over the weekend, Matt Signal contributor Dan Grote and I joined the regulars on the Shut Up Kids Podcast for their superhero extravaganza. Check out the podcast here at talkbacker.com to hear a discussion of comic books, movies, and TV, as well as super hero music and the madness of Alan Moore. Oh, and for those of you who read this blog at work (and I know some of you do, don't deny it) there's is some stronger language than I use here and some suggestive dialogue, so plug in those headphones or wait until you get home before you listen, k? Thanks to Dan Milczarski, Nick Nightly, and the Colonel for having us on!