The end of another year is upon us, and boy OH BOY do we have a lot of naughty and nice books to review. We’ve made our list, checked it twice, and now have in not one, but TWO, episodes, our Top Fives in multiple categories for all you beloved audience people.
In Part I, you’ll find our Top Fives for surprise hits, best covers, independent publisher releases, and best overall publishers.
In Part II, you’ll hear our Top Fives for Image releases, the Big 2 releases, and best overall authors.
Hello again, Clubbies! This week we’re chatting multiple Batmen and multiple Jokers mixed with one confused Alfred in “Batman Who Laughs”; a futuristic, sharp, world-wide-web adventure in “Goddess Mode”; and, Miles Morales and Multiverse Friends tickle our funny bones and fancies in the new cinematic release “Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse”.
Dear Listeners, tune in this week for a modern D&D-fueled discussion on “Die”; the smartest, unbeatable stuntman alive in “Prodigy”; the removal of porn from Tumblr; and the robust, prisma-plasm world of “Martian Manhunter”.
This week! We read “Ironheart”, and talk Riri Williams’s engineering genius brilliantly engineered by Eve L. Ewing. In a fast format break, we also chat about the emerging trend of comic book-inspired TV, and the shows we’re hyped on.
Hello again Clubbies, on this episode we cover the Midwest, fantasy, and epic promise in “The Middlewest”; the not-so-subtle race and reality thriller that is “American Carnage”; and, the 90s, rollerblading and thievery in “Smooth Criminals”.
This time on FIC, the club’s picks are “Black Order”, an introspective for the dark henchman of Thanos; “Bitter Root”, an Afrofuturistic trip into Harlem and the demons within; and, “Uncanny X-Men”, where A and B teams of heroes and villains alike get tangled up in time and teleportation.
In this episode, we gab about the sci-fi horror romp that is “Outer Darkness”; creator double-threats and memory mysteries in “Marvel Knights”; and, the genius of Grant Morrison in the bonkers return of old-school glory in “The Green Lantern”.
This week on FIC, club members discuss witchy women, oppression via suppression, and the complexities of identity in “Hex Wives” and “Sex Death Revolution”.
For our spookiest episode yet, the club is visited by not one, but FIVE demons (Ahh!) as they contemplate the scariest of scaries and horror of horrors, such as near-death experiences, “Are We Haunted?”, selling their souls, terrorizing treats and traumatizing tricks, and of course, the creepy classic Monster Mash.
Our issues this week include “Marvel Zombie”, where The Defenders fight zombie hordes until they encounter a sentient undead; “Exorsisters” is a demon crime-stopping duo full of fire and brimstone; and “Shuri” gets deeper into Wakanda and Shuri’s evolving part(s) to play in its future.
Above photo from Marvel Comics
This week: neckbeards prove the exact point “X-Men Black Mojo” makes about having new and diverse superheroes; “Murder Falcon” shreds away depression; and “What If Peter Parker Became The Punisher” is more like “what if spider-man just had a skull on his costume”.
Image Comics
Marvel Comics
Dear Readers/Listeners, this week we talk hidden worlds of magic in Blackbird; empowering survivors and the rise of revenge porn in “Jook Joint”; and, your regular, relatable, deadly-dangerous Boston man in “Dead Rabbit”.
On this episode: we get a heavy dose of female empowerment with “Man-Eaters”; DC’s latest “Crisis” takes a look at the mental health of super heroes; and “Stranger Things” gets a comic book.
Above photo from DC Comics
Well folks…there’s no getting around the elephant in the room…we discuss the bat-a-wang controversy. Plus, is G.I. Joe for children or adults…sometimes it’s hard to tell…and the ups and downs of stoner comedies.
Image Comics
IDW Comics
Our first issue picks this week are “MCMLXXV”, a supernatural cabbie story with soulful 70s vibes; “Low Road West” blows our minds with its seamless integration of Twilight Zone meets Narnia meets Stranger Things meets LOST; and “Iceman” depicts Bobby ‘Dad Joke’ Drake just doin’ his best and learning the rest.
In this episode, “Bully Wars” takes us back to high school with bubblegum monsters and rat mascots; “War Bears” introduces us to the history of Canadian comics; and “Border Town” blows our minds with supernatural horror from another demotion and political ones from our own.
On this special variant edition, we interview Jeremy Haun about his comics "Beauty" and "The Realm". Plus...why he chooses to live in Missouri, the importance of independent publishers and whether comic writers are working with television in mind now.
Image above from Marvel Comics
In this episode, “The Punisher” surprises no one with everything you expect from ‘World War Frank’; “Beasts of Burden” is the FIC pick-of-the-week for all its furry and fantasy narratives; and “West Coast Avengers” is the LA laid-back team who finds themselves on film and with a BIG new problem.
Dark Horse Comics
Marvel Comics
Above photo from Image Comics
This time in the FIC Fudge Mansion, “Pearl” is a Yakuza gang’s take on Romeo & Juliet and the clubbies blab about Bendis; “Volition” lets us explore the idea that robots could be people, too; and “Crowded” gets slap-appy with its endearing new ‘Odd Couple’ assassinista duo.
Jinxworld
Aftershock Comics
Above image from Boom Studios
Dear readers/listeners, here are the books this week... “Sandman Universe” confuses yet delights us as we look forward to what it has in store; “Black Badge” bring us back to our childhood dreams of wilderness-conquering and survival; and finally, FINALLY, “Fantastic Four” gets us in our feelings and delivers a heartfelt comeback story for one of the most legendary superteams in comics.
DC Comics
Marvel Comics
