Comic Book Couples Counseling Podcast

CBCC Celebration: Richard Donner's Superman - The Movie

Richard Donner is gone, but his films and their impact on the culture remain. We could not let his passing occur without taking a moment to celebrate the director who gave us so many incredible stories, including the film that ushered in a new era of "serious" comic book entertainment and kickstarted our current cinematic landscape, Superman: The Movie.

To help us properly honor this utterly iconic adventure, we're joined by Clark Kent obsessive Shawn Eastridge of the Missing Frames podcast. Shawn is one of the biggest Superman fans around, and a few years ago, he actually had the pleasure of interviewing Donner about the Man of Steel. He brings tremendous joy and insight into this conversation, and it was a giddy thrill to chat with him.

Please follow Missing Frames over at The Nerd Party network, and track Shawn down via his Twitter handle @YayShawndorman. And if you want to hear Shawn's conversation with Richard Donner, you can do so by clicking HERE.

Be sure to follow the podcast on Instagram and Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

CBCC 68: Reed & Sue - Fantastic Four Marvel NOW!

Welcome to National Lampoon's Fantastic Four, aka the rebooted Marvel NOW! For our final episode delving into the romance between Reed Richards and Sue Richards, we're going on a cosmic road trip and unpacking all sixteen issues of FF volume four. Did you think tensions were tight during Civil War? Oh, you ain't seen nothing yet.

As we've done for every FF episode, we're using Gretchen Rubin's The Four Tendencies: The Indispensable Personality Profiles That Reveal How To Make Your Life Better (and Other People's Lives Better, Too) as our relationship guide. We nailed Reed & Sue's Tendencies in our first FF episode, but have they finally shifted in this final arc? Maaaaybe.

This week's episode also opens by celebrating the life and work of Richard Donner, the filmmaker who helped bring Superman, Tales from the Crypt, and the X-Men to the big screen. If you want to listen to our friend Shawn's interview with the director, hop over to the Missing Frames podcast on the Nerd Party network.

Issues covered in this episode: Fantastic Four Volume 4, issues 1 - 16, published between November 2012 and January 2014. They're written by Matt Fraction, Christopher Sebela, Karl Kesel & Lee Allred, penciled by Mark Bagley, Raffaele Ienco, & Joe Quinones, inked by Mark Farmer, Mark Morales, Andrew Hennessy, Joe Rubinstein, & Mike Allred, colored by Paul Mounts, Wil Quintana, Edgar Delgado, Rain Beredo, Guru Efx, & Laura Allred, and lettered by Clayton Cowles. Fantastic Four #4 variant cover by Terry Dodson & Rachel Dodson.

Be sure to follow the podcast on Instagram and Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Patreon Preview: Loki & Loki in Loki Episode 3 - Lamentis

Sometimes you gotta embrace the Loki within. This week we're playing trickster, sharing a Patreon episode in our main feed because we had too much dang fun recording it. Are you all caught up on the God of Mischief's Disney+ series? No? Well, you better get caught up as we're going full-spoilers on Episode 3, "Lamentis."

We're deeply enjoying this latest installment in the MCU, and this episode in particular truly speaks to what we do here on Comic Book Couples Counseling. We're all about relationships, and on Lamentis-1, Loki strikes up one of the most unique ones we've seen in a superhero setting.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider supporting us by joining our Patreon. We've built an incredible community of listeners over there, and at the $1 level, you will immediately have access to over 50 extra episodes. Come see what's up over at www.patreon/cbccpodcast.

After you join, you can celebrate with a mighty rendition of "Jeg Saler Min Ganger." Seriously, how in love with Tom Hiddleston were you after that drunken revalry? So in love, right?

Be sure to follow the podcast on Instagram and Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

And one more time with feeling: SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY. Thanks to our Patrons, we've already upgraded some much-needed hardware and software. They're making this show happen at this point.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Creator Corner: A TKO Studios Spectacular!

TKO Studios is the Criterion Collection of comic books. Every release is a blind-buy, and we try not to miss a one. As such, it's an incredible delight to have Editor-In-Chief Sebastian Girner and writer/artist Juni Ba on the show this week.

TKO is making its first serious move into the Young Adult (YA) market with three new graphic novels: Djeliya, Scales and Scoundrels Book 1: Where Dragons Wander, and Scales and Scoundrels Book 2: The Festival of Life. All three are currently available, and we happily slap our CBCC seal of approval on them.

Djeliya is the result of what happens when Cartoon Network seeps into a young boy from Senegal. It's a rich, gorgeous Afro-fantasy adventure that at once feels very familiar while also operating as an entirely original creation. In the future, you'll want to claim yourself as one of Ba's first fans. Get on the ground floor of this masterpiece today.

Girner's Scales and Scoundrels collections are also fantasy quest adventures but of a totally different variety. They are the antidote to grimdark Game of Thrones wannabes. Girner and artist Galaad craft a warm, sunny saga that contains all the tropes you want from the genre but also a bright optimism sorely missing these days.

Whether you've read the comics already or not, you're going to have a good time with this week's Creator Corner conversations. These two artists are stirring quality content, and the thought they bring to their stories is incredibly inspiring.

You'll want to follow Sebastian Girner on Twitter HERE, as well as Juni Ba HERE. And, of course, purchase your copies of Djeliya and Scales and Scoundrels via TKO Studios' website HERE.

Also, if you want to own Lisa Gullickson's first published piece of art, pre-order Weapon Echh over at 100% Comics HERE. Don't miss out on this parody tribute to BWS because it's Comic Book Couples Counseling history-in-the-making.

Follow the podcast on Instagram and Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

CBCC 67/100: Reed & Sue - Civil War

We did it! 100 Episodes! And we're celebrating by smashing headfirst into the greatest fight to nearly tear the Fantastic Four apart - CIVIL WAR! Iron Man and Captain America are punching each other in the streets as Reed Richards and Sue Richards fall on opposite sides of the Superhuman Registration Act. With murderous Thor clones and Negative Zone prisons between them, how can this happily married couple ever hope to remain together? And, frankly, should they?

Our third episode exploring Reed and Sue as a couple hits DEFCON-4. To help us sort through the catastrophe, we turn to Gretchen Rubin and her self-help book, The Four Tendencies. Who's an Upholder? Who's an Obliger? Can they keep it together when their values fly in the face of each other? We get into it.

As an added 100 Episode Bonus, this week, we're also including a segment from our radical conversation with writers Josh Stafford and Howard Wong discussing their new kinda-sorta zombie series, Damned, Cursed Children. We frickin love this comic and we want all of you to love it too. Please seek it out via Source Point Press.  

And before you hit play on this momentous episode, be sure to send some extra special love to Josh Cornillon, the brilliant artist who crafted our 100th Episode's show poster. Visit their website HERE. Follow them on Twitter HERE. Follow them on Instagram HERE.

The issue covered in this episode: Fantastic Four 538 - 543, written by J. Michael Straczynski and Dwayne McDuffie, penciled by Mike McKone, inked by Andy Lanning, Kris Justice, and Cam Smith, colored by Paul Mounts, lettered by Rus Wooten, and featuring covers by Adi Granov of Iron Man: Extremis fame.

Be sure to follow the podcast on Instagram and Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

CBCC 66: Reed & Sue - The Fantastic Four Wedding

The biggest event in Fantastic Four history is also the biggest event in Marvel History - the Wedding of Reed Richards & Sue Storm. Nearly every hero in Marvel Comics appears, and thanks to Doctor Doom and his emotion-manipulator, the same thing can be said for the villains. But on this week's episode, we're not discussing Fantastic Four Annual No. 3 - no, we're digging into Fantastic Four: The Wedding Anniversary Special.

This comic is an exceptional and essential read for Reed & Sue fans. The happy couple are confronted by every version of themselves throughout their timeline. In one book, we get to see them happy, sad, mad, rad, and most importantly, together. We're also using Gretchen Rubin's The Four Tendencies as our relationship guide, helping us figure out why these two are so compatible. Or not?

If you missed out on part one of our Reed & Sue chat, be sure to catch up on The Fantastic Four's original first six issues and our conversation by clicking HERE.

The issue covered in this episode: "Fantastic Four: The Wedding Special" Volume 1, No. 1, written by Karl Kesel, penciled by Drew Johnson, inked by Kesel, Drew Geraci, & Andrew Hennessy, colored by Morry Hollowell, and lettered by Dave Lanphear. Cover by Gene Ha.

Be sure to follow the podcast on Instagram and Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Creator Corner: Tony Cliff & Jordan Morris on Bubble

The apocalypse need not be scary when you've got your Scooby gang nearby. Bubble, the new graphic novel from First Second Books began its life as a narrative podcast and now thrives within the four-color form thanks to creator Jordan Morris, his co-writer Sarah Morgan, artist Tony Cliff, and colorist Natalie Riess. The comic is a whip-smart and hilarious spin through a dystopian future where the gig economy has run amuck. Microbrewery hipsters are bad enough but toss in a few rampaging imps and their hops-hot-takes don't taste as sour as they once did.

 

We're downright giddy to have both Tony Cliff and Jordan Morris on this show this week. We chat about the adaptation process, but more importantly, we get into the relationships of these characters. And yeah, we force Jordan and Tony to partake in one of our relationship quizzes. And they bring their Cosmo game hard.

 

If you want to hear an extended cut of this interview, join our Patreon community by clicking HERE. There, Jordan and Tony discuss what they've been watching, and name their OTP comic book couples.

 

Bubble hits bookstores on July 13th. If you're like us, you're already buying all the First Second releases, but if you need a link for more info on where to score your copy, click HERE. You can track down Jordan via his Twitter feed HERE or his new Instagram account HERE. For all things Tony Cliff, visit his website HERE.

 

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

 

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

CBCC 65: Reed & Sue - The Fantastic Four

The Fantastic Four! The World's Greatest Comic Magazine! And are Reed Richards and Sue Storm the world's greatest comic book couple? Well, we'll just have to see about that. But, it is definitely true that we've wanted to cover these two cosmic crusaders for quite some time, and we're incredibly excited to bring them into session with this week's episode.

The Marvel Comics Universe begins with these first six issues. It's not only comic book history; it's pop culture history. Every comic book fan should put their eyes upon these stories, and don't worry; these comics are not your veggies. It's all dessert, baby!

To help us understand Reed and Sue's romance, we're returning to Gretchen  Rubin and using her book, "The Four Tendencies: The Indispensable Personality Profiles That Reveal How To Make Your Life Better (and Other People's Lives Better, Too). If you want to decipher your own Tendency, you can do so by taking Rubin's quiz HERE.

Issues covered in this episode: "The Fantastic Four" Vol. 1 issues 1 - 6 penciled & plotted by Jack Kirby, written by Stan Lee, inked by George Klein, Christopher Rule, Sol Brodsky, Joe Sinnott, & Dick Ayers, colored by Stan Goldberg, and lettered by Artie Simek & John Duffy.

Listen to our FREE Patreon episode celebrating Fantastic Four: The Rise of the Silver Surfer by clicking HERE.

Join our Patreon & listen to Brad take The Four Tendencies quiz for the first time by clicking HERE.

Listen to our interview with Jack Kirby biographer Tom Scioli by clicking HERE.

Listen to our interview with Stan Lee biographer Abraham Riesman by clicking HERE.

Be sure to follow the podcast on Instagram and Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Creator Corner: Alex de Campi on Full Tilt Boogie

Buckle up! Alex de Campi jumps into our Creator Corner to discuss her galactic gig economy magnum opus, Full Tilt Boogie! The writer behind Dracula Motherf**ker, Bad Girls, and Archie vs. Predator (1 & 2) puts her spin on the sci-fi found family, and while you'll recognize a few of the trappings, we promise that you've never experienced a tale quite like this one. How many times do we utter the word "masterpiece" during this episode? Quite a few. 

While we were reading Full Tilt Boogie, we were both overcome with "the tingles." This comic is special, and we expect it to blow up into something even grander. De Campi is already hard at work with her collaborator Eduardo Ocaña on the Full Tilt Boogie follow-up. We need it now. But first, you have to buy this comic. Full Tilt Boogie is set for release in the States on May 11th from 2000 AD.

You can find Alex de Campi on Twitter HERE and Instagram HERE. You can also tack her work through her website by clicking HERE.

Be sure to follow the podcast on Instagram and Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson@sidewalksiren.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Creator Corner: Karl Stevens on Penny: A Graphic Memoir

Give us all the cat comics! We dig them and we crave them; they’re our catnip. That’s why we were incredibly excited to learn about the new feline adventure memoir Penny by graphic novelist and painter Karl Stevens. The comic hits shelves this May the 4th from Chronicle Books, and we’re encouraging all our listeners to snatch it up.

As you will hear in this conversation, Stevens looks into the mind of his adorable house cat and discovers a mind on fire. Penny may be imprisoned within her apartment walls, but there’s no containing her imagination. The world around her is a confusing and wondrous realm, and through her, we attempt some kind of understanding for our own place in it.

Stevens explains how this comic came to be and where it’s going from here. Yes, you’ve just met Penny, but hopefully, you won’t be rid of her for quite some time. Penny, like the best comic book characters, can potentially explore numerous genres and ideas, and with one sequel already in progress, we’re demanding many more to come.

Find Penny: A Graphic Memoir wherever fine comics are sold, and learn more by clicking HERE. You can find Karl Stevens on Twitter HERE, and on Instagram HERE.

Be sure to follow the podcast on Instagram and Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.

SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.

Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.