Join married couple Brad and Lisa as they explore the various dynamics of comic book relationships throughout pop culture and publishing history.
Episodes
60 minutes ago
60 minutes ago
What a difference a week can make, huh? When we recorded our conversation with Kelly Sue DeConnick, we were still weeks away from the American election, but now, here we are, living in its aftermath. We couldn't have been the only ones with three little letters rattling around our brains these last batch of days. FML. You're damn right.
Kelly Sue DeConnick's new comic, done in collaboration with artist David López, colorist Cris Peter, and letterer Clayton Cowles, is very much about managing your life and your family's lives while the world around you burns. What was once relatable has suddenly transformed into our bloody lifeline. Call it a coincidence. Call it fate. Whatever, we needed this comic at this moment.
FML #1 hit shelves last week, courtesy of Dark Horse Comics. At its center is teenager Riley, a heavy metal monster movie maniac eager for his journey to begin as the pandemic and rampaging forest fires threaten to snuff it out. His mom, Patty, used to be cool, but now she's just a mom - going through her own existential crisis. The everyday world is hard enough for them, but then a ritual during a party goes sideways, and suddenly, witchcraft and monsters are no longer so fanciful.
Kelly Sue DeConnick is an artist we've admired for years. We never miss a comic with her name on it, and we get an extra buzz of excitement when it's a creator-owned expression. FML is a deeply personal narrative mirroring DeConnick's experience, but it's not a replica. We dive into the challenges of springboarding fiction from reality, discussing how her family responds to her fiction and how FML became a necessary endeavor. Be sure to follow her Instagram.
In our introduction, we also discuss how art can shape action and how action absorbs anxiety. All we have is each other. We must watch our backs and stand when it feels so easy to lie down. Democracy is a fragile notion, but there are organizations that are built to fight alongside us.
Please consider these charities:
If you or someone you know is in crisis, reach out:
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The Trans Lifeline is available 24/7. Run by Trans People for Trans People - Call 1-877-565-8860
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Youth Talkline (Ages 13 - 25) is 1-800-246-4564
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The National Hotline (All Ages) is 1-888-843-4564
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Senior Hotline (Ages 50+) is 1-888-234-7243
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The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline - dial 988 or visit www.988lifeline.org to chat with someone online.
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You can also call The Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 for gender-affirming and queer-friendly support.
Other Relevant Links:
Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY
Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.
And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.
Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.
Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.
Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.
Monday Nov 04, 2024
Monday Nov 04, 2024
Two weeks later, we're still recovering from New York Comic Con 2024. This may have been our third year attending, but we've never experienced a comic convention quite like this one, and it may take a few more months before we've actually processed everything that happened. A major factor differentiating this event from any that came before was our new gig hosting the Harvey Awards.
So, we spend the first half of today's episode taking you behind the scenes of this event, detailing what you can't see when you watch the ceremony online (via Popverse). We're talking wardrobe malfunctions, deodorant hockey play, iPad snafus, and the delightful success of celebrating the best the comics medium has to offer while doing so during Harvey Kurtzman's centennial.
Within the episode's back half, we're diving deep into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees. We chat with artist Cliff Chiang about his time on the recent third issue. We explore Leonardo's existential crisis in India, Spaghetti Western action, and whether or not we can expect Cliff Chiang back on the book.
Jason Aaron also returns to the podcast, but this time, he's brought the recently announced artist for the arc following "Return to New York" with him, Juan Ferreyra. As we gaze over Ferreyra's pages for issue six, we detail the perfect TMNT New York City, the heartbreak coming the Brothers's way, and the gauntlet they'll run upon their return to the Big Apple.
Patrick Horvath is also back to close out the show. Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees is one of the comics' recent great successes, and few have hit the comic convention circuit as hard as Horvath. We chat about his time on the road, what he can teach us about con life, and what we can expect from the upcoming Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Seessequel, Rite of Spring.
Make sure you're following all these folks on their respective social media platforms. Find Cliff Chiang on Twitter, Instagram, and on the website. Find Jason Aaron on Twitter, Instagram, and his website. Find Juan Ferreyra on Twitter and Instagram. Find Patrick Horvath on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website.
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Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):
Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY
Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.
And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.
Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.
Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.
Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.
Monday Oct 28, 2024
Monday Oct 28, 2024
It doesn't take long to recognize pop culture's influence on the work of Michael Allred. Whether we're talking Madman, X-Statix, or Silver Surfer, his comics radiate his passion for music, art, and life. Some references are easy to spot, a few a little trickier, and others impossible unless you know the man personally. For us, his comics mostly equal comfort, a place to rush into and join for an hour or a bit longer.
We adore many of Michael Allred's influences. So, our primary mission on this week's podcast was to dig thoroughly into one particular shared obsession, the nineteen-sixties boy band sensation, The Monkees. If you know Lisa, you're not at all surprised. If this is your first time listening to Comic Book Couples Counseling, you may need a touch more context. We'll get into it.
Clover Press is currently crowdfunding The Marvel Art of Michael Allred on Kickstarter (Click Here To Check It Out). It's an enormous hardcover book showcasing Allred's greatest achievements within the House of Ideas, including our beloved Silver Surfer, but it's also peppered with pieces you may have missed over the years. As an avid art book collector, Michael Allred knows what fanatics like himself crave in such tomes, and he was determined to deliver the goods to the like-minded.
Today's episode is a conversation we never imagined having when we launched the podcast, but considering how our show began with Norrin Radd and Dawn Greenwood, this surprise actually feels like the logical next chapter in our weird relationship experiment. It's even more special when, halfway through our conversation with Michael Allred, we're joined by his loving wife and collaborator, Laura Allred.
We discuss how The Monkees simmer within every Michael Allred panel, the long-lasting effects of his collaboration with Dan Slott on Silver Surfer, how Michael and Laura learned to work together, and what an art book can mean when constructed with passion and thoughtful consideration.
As of this writing, The Marvel Art of Michael Allred has seventeen days left in its Kickstarter campaign. Act quickly. Also, be sure to follow Michael Allred on Twitter, Instagram, and his website.
Other Relevant Links:
Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):
Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY
Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.
And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.
Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.
Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.
Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.
Thursday Oct 17, 2024
Thursday Oct 17, 2024
Dracula permeates everything. Before we're five years old, we know his story. It's baked into the cultural imagination. However, if you were to hold that story up to the light, you'd immediately notice a lot of holes. In Bram Stoker's iconic work, Dracula appears less frequently than you would think, and his backstory is referenced in short bursts and shrouded in mystery. His tale is perfect fodder for artists Kelley Jones and Matt Wagner to sink their teeth into.
Last year, they published Dracula - Book One: The Impaler through Orlok Press via Kickstarter. The hardcover has spent months in the hands of readers (ours included), and its trade paperback release from Dark Horse Comics is set for October 22nd. With the first chapter complete, exploring Dracula's pre-vampire days, set primarily during his time at the Scholomance, aka his unpaid internship with the devil, Jones and Wagner are ready to unleash volume two, Dracula: The Brides.
Their latest entry covers centuries, focusing on how Dracula came into contact with the iconic trio, who get pages in Stoker's book but have seared their way into every adaptation. Who are they? What do they mean to Dracula? What happened to the fourth Bride?
Dracula: The Brides will take Kelley Jones and Matt Wagner right up until the moment Bram Stoker's novel begins. This means their next chapter dissects the classic and exposes what the Impaler was up to when the other characters were not paying attention.
We happily dig into Dracula with Kelley Jones and Matt Wagner on the podcast. We discuss the title character's relationship with romance, women, and blood. We uncover Jones and Wagner's compulsion to tell this story and why comics were always the best fit for it.
Dracula: The Brides has fifteen days left on its Kickstarter campaign. Please visit the crowdfunding project by clicking HERE. You can continue the conversation with Kelley Jones by visiting his Twitter and Instagram. You can follow Matt Wagner on Twitter and Instagram.
Other Relevant Links:
Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):
Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY
Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.
And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.
Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.
Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.
Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.
Monday Oct 14, 2024
Monday Oct 14, 2024
Hey, you. Stop doom scrolling. You've landed where you belong. Ben Clarkson and Matt Bors return to Comic Book Couples Counseling with another Justice Warriors book, Vote Harder. And they're back just when we need them most, weeks away from a critical, very American election.
As in the best romantic comedies, Swamp Cop and Officer Schitt are torn apart early on in Justice Warriors: Vote Harder. Bubble City embarks on its first-ever election, and it's doing something strange to its populace. They're trapped with a ballot George Orwell wouldn't wish on his most hated dystopia, and the city's most horrendous Bad Boys are the only ones who can save the day. Best of luck, citizens.
Justice Warriors: Vote Harder is another vicious satire skewering contemporary society while highlighting the damned, nothing-new, never-ending cycle of corruption. Do you think your hell is the most hell that's ever hell'ed? Nah. It's the same old hell. It's only new to you.
Eagerly, we lean into Ben Clarkson and Matt Bors, trying to discern any wisdom they've gained by plunging themselves into the world of Justice Warriors: Vote Harder. We continue to explore satire's purpose, why two dumb protagonists are the heroes we deserve, and how The Matrix Reloaded deserves a second viewing, if not a third, fourth, and fifth.
Justice Warriors: Vote Harder is now available in trade paperback from Ahoy Comics. Follow Matt Bors on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website. Follow Ben Clarkson on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website.
Other Relevant Links:
Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):
Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY
Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.
And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.
Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.
Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.
Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.
Friday Oct 11, 2024
Friday Oct 11, 2024
In this article, the top ten reasons why reading comics criticism will increase your sex drive. Yeah, that's right, we need your clicks! We live in an apocalypse where thoughtful online comics criticism decreases in value every minute. However, you know comics criticism is essential to the industry's ecosystem and community because you're an intelligent person. All we need is a champion to keep this art form alive, and it is an art form, and she has arrived - Tiffany Babb. She's shaking The Comics Courier from every street corner in every neighborhood.
The new tabloid-sized newspaper is currently seeking funding via Kickstarter. Within it are essays and reviews from critics Douglas Wolk, Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, Tiffany Babb, Dave Baker, Carrie McClain, Sean Dillon, Kat Calamia, Liam McGuire, Jim McDermott, Lillie Hochwender, Lisa Gullickson and Brad Gullickson. Oh, yeah, we're in this beauty too, and we're honored to participate in Tiffany Babb's first Comics Courier because we believe so firmly in its existence.
Even more exciting, Babb joins us on today's episode to discuss The Comics Courier, what compelled her to bring it into our reality, the value of comics criticism, and the future she imagines for it. The Kickstarter has already more than doubled its funding, but that doesn't mean you should miss your chance to be a part of this historic moment.
Find The Comics Courier Kickstarter here. Continue the conversation with Tiffany Babb by following her on Twitter, Instagram, and her Website.
Other Relevant Links:
Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):
Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY
Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.
And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.
Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.
Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.
Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.
Wednesday Oct 09, 2024
Wednesday Oct 09, 2024
It's been a trip to get to this moment. Since we saw Nick Dragotta's design for Absolute Batman, an intense anticipation took hold of us. However, if you think it's been a long journey from our Batman AF introduction at San Diego Comic-Con, it's been an even longer and more thoughtful one for Dragotta and his collaborator Scott Snyder. They've noodled over this new DC pocket universe for over a year, and now that we're all holding the first issue in our hands, we can take comfort in knowing these two have thoroughly considered, plotted, and designed the character and his world.
Before you press play on today's episode, you must read Absolute Batman #1. Our conversation with Nick Dragotta is full-spoilers. Yes, we discuss the changes made to Batman's origin and the issue's final page with its revelatory inversion. We dig into how the Absolute updates better reflect contemporary society while still showcasing what makes Batman Batman.
Once again, we're asking, if you tested this Batman's DNA, would it match the main continuity Batman? If the form is the same, and the function is different, how do Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta maintain what's essential about the character? When does a Batman cease being a Batman?
Before all of that, we also explore Nick Dragotta's ideal Batman. Where and how did he first meet the character? Who does Batman better than anyone else? Was David Mazzucchelli's Batman: Year One Artist Edition an emergency purchase?
Continue this conversation with Nick Dragotta by following him on Instagram. The first issue of Absolute Batman is now available from DC Comics. The second issue will arrive in comic book shops on November 13th.
Other Relevant Links:
Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):
Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY
Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.
And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.
Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.
Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.
Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.
Sunday Oct 06, 2024
Sunday Oct 06, 2024
This week's episode is a full-circle moment. We began our podcast five years ago, discussing the romantic entanglements between Scott Summers and Jean Grey as depicted in The Dark Phoenix Saga. Now, we're honored, and in a bit of disbelief, to welcome writer Chris Claremont onto the show. His contributions to the medium have been some of the most significant to our collective imagination, and they directly inspired the personal journey the two of us have been on these last handful of years.
Today's conversation directly results from our new partnership with The Harvey Awards, one of the comic industry's oldest and most prestigious ceremonies. As we announced a few days ago via various social media channels, we will host The Harveys this year at the New York Comic Con on October 18th. As individuals who see themselves as champions of comics and those who make them, we're thrilled to accept the responsibility and honor this institution's great work of recognizing outstanding achievement in our most beloved art form.
After we got the assignment, The Harveys asked if we wanted to speak with last year's Hall of Fame inductee, Chris Claremont. Never have we answered "Yes!" so quickly. Claremont's time is precious. We caught him in the middle of some serious travel plans and even more serious comic deadlines, but he was gracious enough to find a few minutes to squeeze us into his schedule: seventeen minutes and forty-three seconds, to be precise.
With time limited, we set forth on a mission to discuss his thought bubble philosophy. The conversation, however, steers almost immediately into a creator's unique relationship with their creation. We discuss Chris Claremont's evolution as a writer, how he sees the reality of the job, and what he ultimately wants to accomplish with his words.
You can stay updated with all things Chris Claremont by following him on Instagram and through his website.
Other Relevant Links:
Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):
Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY
Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.
And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.
Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.
Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.
Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.
Monday Sep 30, 2024
Monday Sep 30, 2024
If you think comic books and their audience resist continuity changes, you must consider the death grip comic strips have on their characters. Charlie Brown was never allowed to kick the football and was also denied a wardrobe. His life sentence was that yellow shirt. Mutts cartoonist Patrick McDonnell accepts the pressures of his medium and believes there is nirvana in its structure. However, in the case of certain characters, he knew he had to free them of their decades-long consistency. Guard Dog needed off his tether, and Doozy needed Guard Dog in her home.
As Mutts reached toward its 30th anniversary, Patrick McDonnell plotted Guard Dog's freedom. Over seven weeks, the story played out in the papers and it's now collected by Abrams ComicArts in the new hardcover Breaking the Chain: The Guard Dog Story. McDonnell saw how denying Charlie Brown satisfaction caused pain for his friend Charles M. Schulz, and he did not want that for himself. With Guard Dog released, he can tell new stories and create new missions for his characters and readers.
This week on the podcast, Patrick McDonnell joins us for a Mutts celebration. We discuss why it took him so long to unite Guard Dog and Doozy. He explains the power of long-form storytelling in comic strips and the spirituality the practice of daily creating awoke in him. We found the conversation vital and are eager to share it with you.
Follow Mutts on Twitter and Instagram, and sign up for the Daily Mutts strip HERE.
Other Relevant Links:
Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):
Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY
Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.
And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.
Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.
Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.
Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.
Tuesday Sep 24, 2024
Tuesday Sep 24, 2024
Racing on the heels of Batman Day, we celebrate eighty-five years of the Caped Crusader by finally digging into one of our recent favorite Dark Knight stories, Batman: City of Madness by Christian Ward. Technically, this is our third conversation with Ward about this particular story, but it's the first one where we can dig into it page-by-page, going full spoilers and properly exploring its characters and themes. The hardcover is now available from DC Comics, so please grab your copy, snuggle up with it, and venture into the Gotham Below with us.
Batman: City of Madness spent years percolating inside Christian Ward's imagination. It extends from his infatuation with an iconic work, Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on a Serious Earth. It operates like a spiritual sequel but comes jammed with personal touches that only Ward could contribute.
Our worst selves will argue for their survival. That's just one revelation we land upon while chatting with Christian Ward in this episode. We discuss the initial Gotham Below concept by starting at its end, the purpose of mirroring Batman and his rogues, and how it ideologically prepares readers for his newly announced Two-Face series, which will drop on December 4th.
Continue this conversation with Christian Ward by visiting his Website and following him on Twitter and Instagram.
Other Relevant Links:
Final Round of Plugs (PHEW):
Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY
Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.
And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.
Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.
Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.
Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.