Episodes
Wednesday Jan 31, 2024
Todd McFarlane: Secrets of His Success
Wednesday Jan 31, 2024
Wednesday Jan 31, 2024
The initial mission was to create a character who would outlast him. Todd McFarlane stared down Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man. He knew he had a character within him that could last beyond his own lifetime; he just had to pull him out. Spawn might not have outlived his maker yet, but he has survived and thrived these last thirty-plus years. As has Todd's action figure empire, McFarlane Toys, celebrating its thirtieth anniversary this year.
Next month, Spawn continues its record-breaking run, reaching a milestone of three hundred and fifty issues. The comic promises to answer questions that have been building for years while laying the groundwork for a Spawn Universe explosion: seven new Spawn-related titles will hit shelves throughout 2024.
You might think Todd McFarlane would be preoccupied with everything happening in his world in 2024, but he's already scrawling out his 2025 plans. Longevity is the great, underrated value in business. As is the importance of a thick back catalog ready to exploit when the spotlight falls upon it.
This week, Todd McFarlane returns to Comic Book Couples Counseling for the fourth time, and it's our longest and most in-depth conversation so far. We ask him about the lessons we could all learn from the four decades he's spent in the comic book trenches. While he's initially resistant to accept that there are any lessons to grab, he generously opens up and shares his various philosophies. These are the secrets to Todd's success.
Spawn #350 arrives from Image Comics on February 21st. If you want to continue our discussion with Todd McFarlane, you can find him on Twitter and Instagram, as well as his Website. Follow McFarlane Toys through Twitter and Instagram.
As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to those books.
In addition, this episode is sponsored by Third Eye Comics, your friendly neighborhood comic shop with seven locations in the Maryland, DC, and Virginia area. They're your one-stop shop for all things comics, graphic novels, toys, games, records, movies & more!
Not local but still looking for an awesome place to meet all your comic needs? They've also got an amazing website,shop.thirdeyecomics.com, where you can browse thousands of items, pre-order your new comics, and have it all sent right to your doorstep for a flat $5 shipping rate!
Don't forget to join us for the first-ever Comic Book Couples Counseling panel on March 8th at Washington DC's Awesome Con. Room 206 at 8:30 PM!
Other Relevant Links:
Final Round of Plugs (PHEW)
Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY
Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 2/25 at 4:00 PM for our Meteor Man screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.
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 Jan 25, 2024
Scott and Emma: New X-Men - Here Comes Tomorrow
Thursday Jan 25, 2024
Thursday Jan 25, 2024
Today, we get serious about ScEmma. After years of teasing it, we're finally tackling the complicated romance between the X-Men's Scott Summers and Emma Frost. It's a relationship born out of pain and surprise. Maybe it was not meant to last, but we can't ignore the lessons found within their passion.
We begin our counseling session at the end of Grant Morrison's iconic New X-Men run, discussing the Assault on Weapon Plus, Planet X, and Here Comes Tomorrow storylines (issues 142 - 154). The psychic affair is known, out in the open for every X-Man and reader to judge. Scott and Emma are thrown apart, and their reunion must wait until Magneto's done with Manhattan. Once face-to-face, the riddle of their relationship could be the answer behind an apocalyptic future. What's Jean got to say about it all?
Helping us navigate possible romantic catastrophes is Dr. Nicole Lepera and her book, How to Be the Love You Seek: Break Cycles, Find Peace and Heal Your Relationships. What hope does ScEmma have if Scott and Emma are alienated from their authentic selves? Can any relationship survive when one or both parties feel broken?
New X-Men issues 142 - 154 were published by Marvel Comics between June 2002 and May 2003. They were written by Grant Morrison and penciled by Chris Bachalo, Phil Jimenez, and Marc Silvestri. They're inked by Tim Townsend, Al Vey, Aaron Sowd, Andy Lanning, Simon Coleby, BATT, Joe Weems, Billy Tan, and Eric Basaldua. The colorists were Chris Chuckry, Steve Firchow, John Starr, Matt Milla, Beth Sotelo, and Brian Buccellato. The letterers were Chris Eliopoulos and Rus Wooton.
As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to those books.
In addition, this episode is sponsored by Third Eye Comics, your friendly neighborhood comic shop with seven locations in the Maryland, DC, and Virginia area. They're your one-stop shop for all things comics, graphic novels, toys, games, records, movies & more!
Not local but still looking for an awesome place to meet all your comic needs? They've also got an amazing website, shop.thirdeyecomics.com, where you can browse thousands of items, pre-order your new comics, and have it all sent right to your doorstep for a flat $5 shipping rate!
Final Round of Plugs (PHEW)
Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY
Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 2/25 at 4:00 PM for Meteor Man screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.
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 Jan 15, 2024
Jadzia Axelrod on Hawkgirl: Once Upon A Galaxy
Monday Jan 15, 2024
Monday Jan 15, 2024
Regret is a poison we too often sip from in our lives. Resisting its toxin should be easy, but it's a practice we must continuously endure. Thankfully, we have writers like Jadzia Axelrod, who offer stories as gauntlets for us to charge through in our imaginations. Hawkgirl: Once Upon a Galaxy, the latest saga from Axelrod and artist Amancay Nahuelpan, forces Kendra Saunders to reflect on her life and the many past lives that came before and embrace the choices they made as the villainous Vulpecula suggests disastrous shortcuts.
This week's episode is a conversation we've wanted on the record for some time. Axelrod's Galaxy: The Prettiest Star, done in collaboration with Jess Taylor, profoundly rattled our perception of what was capable within the DC Comics universe. The comic was astonishingly additive, something you don't often see these days, and we were eager to experience where such a story would travel next. The recent six-issue Hawkgirl series delivers on that book's promise in a big, big way and then dares to add a little more.
We chat with Axelrod about her commitment to continuity even when tempted by a retcon. Axelrod explains her passion for fairytales and why they offered Hawkgirl's Kendra Saunders the firmest footing to stand upon. We also discuss Galaxy's perfect pairing with Kendra and why her story suggested relief for both heroes as well as those reading their adventures.
Hawkgirl: Once Upon a Galaxy is currently available in six glorious single issues, but it will soon be collected in trade paperback on June 4th. You should definitely pre-order the book, but you shouldn't wait either. Jump on those floppies, as our conversation with Jadzia Axelrod is full-spoilers. There is simply too much happening in this series for any elements to be left off the mic.
Continue our conversation with Jadzia Axelrod by following her Twitter, Instagram, and Website.
As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to those books.
In addition, this episode is sponsored by Third Eye Comics, your friendly neighborhood comic shop with seven locations in the Maryland, DC, and Virginia area. They're your one-stop shop for all things comics, graphic novels, toys, games, records, movies & more!
Not local but still looking for an awesome place to meet all your comic needs? They've also got an amazing website, shop.thirdeyecomics.com, where you can browse thousands of items, pre-order your new comics, and have it all sent right to your doorstep for a flat $5 shipping rate!
Final Round of Plugs (PHEW)
Now Open - the CBCC Digital Shop!
Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY
Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 1/21 at 4:00 PM for our Hulk (2003) screening, featuring The Incredible Hulk writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson in person and co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.
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.
Saturday Jan 06, 2024
Flash Gordon at 90: Dan Schkade
Saturday Jan 06, 2024
Saturday Jan 06, 2024
Ninety years after his creation, Flash Gordon continues to soar in syndication. Helping us celebrate Alex Raymond's fearless champion this week is current Flash Gordon cartoonist Dan Schkade. Together, we explore why the confident space jock remains relevant and why the electric sexuality associated with the eighties cinematic adaptation is simply an extension of the raw heat present in Raymond's original strips.
Since his birth, numerous stylists have had their way with Flash Gordon. He's been the subject of serials, movies, cartoons, and comic books. In his current strip, syndicated by King Features, Dan Schkade honors the eclectic creators who came before him, paying homage to their versions while filtering them through his unique perspective. This is your dad's Flash Gordon, but also yours and your brother's and your sister's. He belongs to every single one of us!
What is the appeal of the square-jawed hero? In the wrong hands, such conviction could read as dull or false. Excitement ignites through the scenarios in which Dan Schkade erects around his can't-miss crusader. Each plot is a puzzle, not for the reader to crack, but for the character and the joy occurs in witnessing Flash Gordon solve it.
Follow Dan Schkade on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website.
As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to the books.
Other Relevant Links:
- Dan Schkade's 90th Flash Gordon Celebrations Begin
- Dan Schkade's 1st Flash Gordon Strip
- The Stampies: Best Comics of 2023 (Part One)
- The Stampies: Best Comics of 2023 (Part Two)
Final Round of Plugs (PHEW)
Now Open - the CBCC Digital Shop!
Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY
Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 1/21 at 4:00 PM for our Hulk (2003) screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.
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 Dec 31, 2023
Best Comics of 2023 (Part Two)
Sunday Dec 31, 2023
Sunday Dec 31, 2023
We can't put 2023 to bed without releasing our very last episode of the year, The Stampies: The Best Comics of 2023 (Part Two). Continuing the celebration from last week's Part One, we push into several other major categories, highlighting the exceptional art birthed into the universe by this beautiful medium. Aiding our love-in our numerous friends from the comics journalism and podcasting community. Frankly, too many wonderful comics were released in 2023, so it's always a blessing to have friends champion so many other titles.
In this episode, we also unveil the first annual Jesse Tapia II "Champ Stamp" to a comics creator deserving of wider recognition and acclaim. This particular Stampie is offered in loving memory of our friend Jesse Tapia II, who sadly passed away in late 2023. Jesse was a magnificent and passionate comic book advocate, bringing joy and a comic recommendation to everyone he interacted with. We hope to live up to his tremendous enthusiasm for the art form.
As we welcome a new year, we must thank every one of our listeners. You enriched our lives in ways that are hard to put into words. Five years ago, we started this podcast in the hope that there were a few others like us out there, eager to approach comics from a place of love and self-introspection. Finding you validated that dream. Thank you. We love you. Let's keep on' keepin' on in 2024. Read more comics. Make more comics. Love more comics.
Part Two Category Timestamps:
- Writer of the Year - 20:50
- Artist of the Year - 32:08
- Best International Release - 40:30
- Best Ongoing Series - 52:15
- Best Limited Series - 1:03:11
- Best Original Graphic Novel - 1:11:53
- The Jesse Tapia II Champ Stamp - 1:17:36
- Best Horror Series - 1:26:17
- Best Grindhouse Experience - 1:28:10
Celebrity Guest Stars:
- David Brooke (@NoSocialize) from AIPT
- Kat Calamia (@ComicUno) from Comic Uno
- Christian Holub (@cmholub) from Entertainment Weekly
- Troy-Jeffrey Allen (@TJAComics) from RexCo and PreviewsWorld
- Jessika (@jessikawitha) and Mike (@vansau) from Ten Cent Takes
-
Dallas (@dallas_comics), Anne (@AnneComics), and Lexi (@lexilou_comics) from The Comics Collective
As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we highlight all the rad 2023 comics you can find in their shop. These titles are not to be missed. Remember, if you've got a screen, you've got a comic. Go get one. Or two. Or a dozen.
This year, our two-part Stampies episodes picked up an additional sponsor: Four Color Fantasies in Winchester, Virginia. Their epic post-Christmas sale will occur on January 6th, but if you're not within driving distance, you'll still want to track them down via their Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok. Their annual Sketch Cover Charity benefitting the Literacy Volunteers Winchester Area will next occur in 2024, and it's your chance to win some Sean Phillips, Charlie Adlard, and other rad creators' original art.
Other Relevant Links:
- Most Anticipated Comics of 2024
- Scott and Emma: New X-Men
- Support Jesse Tapia II's GoFundMe Campaign
- Ray Ellis & The Girl with the Peach
Final Round of Plugs (PHEW)
Now Open - the CBCC Digital Shop!
Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY
Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 1/21 at 4:00 PM for our Hulk (2003) screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.
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 Dec 25, 2023
Best Comics of 2023 (Part One)
Monday Dec 25, 2023
Monday Dec 25, 2023
It's here - The Stampies: Best Comics of 2023 (Part One)! For the last two months, we've scrambled to read all the comics we missed during the year and compiled a gargantuan list of favorites. As far as the comics medium was concerned, 2023 was an impressively massive year for quality books. And once again, squeezing the best comics into one CBCC episode proved impossible.
Of course, we couldn't read all the comics. So, if there is a personal favorite you see missing from our Stampies, please let us know. We're in this for discovery and want to read the comics you loved the most in 2023. Thankfully, we invited several colleagues to jump on the phone with this love-in and name their 2023 faves. You better get some scrap paper because you'll want to tally these books up on your own to-read list.
Below are the timestamps for our categories and links to our most generous guests. Please take a moment to browse their good work and support this beautiful comics community.
Part One Category Timestamps:
- Best Comic Book Couples - 14:04
- Best Superhero Series - 19:25
- Best All-Ages Comic - 28:24
- Best Memoir - 36:23
- Best Digital Comic - 46:53
- Best First Issue - 55:33
- Best Single Issue - 1:04:10
Celebrity Guest Stars:
- Sal (@SalSaysWhat) from Comic Pop
- Vactor (@Vactor) from The Vactor-Verse
- Aaron (@betteractions) and Chris (@chacker41) from The Oblivion Bar
- Oliver Sava (@OliverSava) from Vulture, Polygon, etc.
- Robyn Warren (@geekgirlstrong) from Geek Girl Strong
- Aeric Azana (@thatdaringman) from Geeksplained
- Chris and Lance (@CBKast) from The Comic Book Keepers
- Badr Milligan (@TheShortBoxJax) from The Short Box: A Comic Talk Show
As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to the books.
This year, our two-part Stampies episodes picked up an additional sponsor: Four Color Fantasies in Winchester, Virginia. Their epic post-Christmas sale will occur on January 6th, but if you're not within driving distance, you'll still want to track them down via their Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok. Their annual Sketch Cover Charity benefitting the Literacy Volunteers Winchester Area will next occur in 2024, and it's your chance to win some Sean Phillips, Charlie Adlard, and other rad creators' original art.
Other Relevant Links:
Final Round of Plugs (PHEW)
Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY
Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 1/21 at 4:00 PM for our Hulk (2003) screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.
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 Dec 22, 2023
Sarah Myer on Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story
Friday Dec 22, 2023
Friday Dec 22, 2023
A powerful imagination can be as burdensome as it is liberating. Born in South Korea and adopted at birth by a white couple, Sarah Myer struggled with identity in their rural and frequently antagonistic Maryland community. Cartoons, comics, and cosplay were their escape, but they could also cause Sarah to internalize their emotions.
Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story is Sarah Myer's attempt to document their childhood and teenage years, where Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Sailor Moon offered them flight from bullies inside and outside their school. The comic is raw, beautiful, and incredibly vulnerable. Also, it's easily one of the best books published in 2023.
This week, we're joined by Sarah Myer to discuss Monstrous. We chat about their early connection with comics and cartoons, their triumphant ascent to professional Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles artist, and the challenges of putting your life out there for all to read. While Monstrous has a conclusion, Sarah Myer is still going, and they have more lessons to learn and stories to tell.
Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story is now available from First Second. Follow Sarah Myer on Instagram, Twitter, and their Website.
As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to the books.
Other Relevant Links:
Final Round of Plugs (PHEW)
Now Open - the CBCC Digital Shop!
Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY
Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 1/21 at 4:00 PM for our Hulk (2003) screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies.
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 Dec 17, 2023
Sunday Dec 17, 2023
This week, we got to get tough - Yo Joe! - with Joshua Williamson and Tom Reilly, the creative team behind the new Energon Universe series, Duke. The Man of Action experienced something unexplainable in Daniel Warren Johnson's Transformers #2, which rewired his purpose. Now, the Real American Hero is slipping into a "Walking American Nightmare," and General Hawk is concerned. We should all be concerned.
Duke #1 lands in shops on December 27th from Image Comics and Skybound Entertainment. It's an exhilarating action-fueled outburst, showcasing two creative talents operating in top form. Joshua Williamson and Tom Reilly trickly navigate the needs of the Hasbro license while challenging nostalgic notions and delivering a compelling, spikey narrative. This is not the beige-colored toy you remember from childhood.
Williamson and Reilly's Duke engages a transformative (pun totally intended) decision and there is no stepping back from it. We chat with the creators about their mission statement, how they reduced Duke to his raw essence, and how a childhood fascination with Cobra compelled them toward this comic's execution.
While the Transformers and Void Rivals universes are quickly filling up with recognizable characters, the GI Joe comics realm may take more time to shape into your favorite military-based collectible toy line. Also, you might be a little nervous when Tom Reilly states, "Maybe when Snake Eyes shows up, he'll get shot in the face too." Got to get tough indeed.
Oh, and you'll get a surprise cameo appearance from Robert Kirkman, too!
Follow Joshua Williamson on Twitter and Instagram. Follow Tom Reilly on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website. Stay up to date on all things Energon Universe via the Skybound Website.
As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to the books.
Other Relevant Links:
Final Round of Plugs (PHEW)
Now Open - the CBCC Digital Shop!
Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY
Don't forget! 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 Dec 07, 2023
Scott and Emma: New X-Men (5th Anniversary Spectacular)
Thursday Dec 07, 2023
Thursday Dec 07, 2023
Five years ago, we launched this podcast with Scott Summers and Jean Grey. Back then, our conversation concluded with a tumultuous debate surrounding Grant Morrison's New X-Men and the complicated three-way that seemingly shattered an iconic Marvel Comics romance. With so much life lived since those early podcasting days, we return to New X-Men issues 127 through 141, this time examining them through the lens of Scott Summers and Emma Frost. Are they the one true pairing? Is the question even fair?
Once again, we use The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman as our relationship guide, exploring Scott and Emma's Love Tank levels and considering how each could benefit from recognizing the other's Love Language. By shifting our relationship focus and surviving five strange years on this planet, our response to Morrison's New X-Men is totally different from how we previously reacted. Our hearts are open in new ways, but are we ready to declare ourselves #TeamScemma?
We celebrate and reflect on five years of Comic Book Couples Counseling. Thanks to all of you reading this post and listening to our episodes, we've managed to grow our show and ourselves tremendously. We owe you. We love you.
Also, we're joined this week by several artists and listeners who steadied themselves and braved our CBCC Hotline. These creators offer their good wishes, delivering some much-needed Words of Affirmation and absolutely filling our Love Tank. Please reach out to them online, say "Thank You," and buy their art.
New X-Men issues 127 - 132 and 134 - 141 were published by Marvel between June 2002 and May 2003. They were written by Grant Morrison, penciled by John Paul Leon, Igor Kordey, Phil Jimenez, Keron Grant, Frank Quitely, inked by Bill Sienkiewicz, Igor Kordey, Andy Lanning, Tim Townsend, and Avalon Studios, colored by Hi-Fi Design, Dave McCaig, and Chris Chuckry, and lettered by RS and Comicraft's Saida, Jimmy, Wes, and Albert!, and VC's Chris Eliopoulos.
As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to the books.
Other Relevant Links:
- Support Jesse Tapia II's GoFundMe Campaign
- Our Comic Book Holiday Gift Guide
- Karen Charm's Shop
- Larry Hama and Chris Mooneyham on GI Joe
Final Round of Plugs (PHEW)
Now Open - the CBCC Digital Shop!
Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY
Don't forget! 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 Nov 28, 2023
Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev on Masterpiece
Tuesday Nov 28, 2023
Tuesday Nov 28, 2023
Peanut butter and chocolate. Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev. Two great tastes that taste great together. Whether you first encountered their delicious collaboration through Daredevil, Moon Knight, Scarlet, or whatever, once experienced, you must gorge on the rest. And it's an event - an emergency feast - whenever they reunite.
Hitting shops on December 13th, Masterpiece from Dark Horse Comics is the next irresistible banquet from Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev. In the solicits, you can see a few hallmarks you've come to expect from the two. However, we've read the first issue, and we assure you that this new crime series allows them to play in ways you haven't seen them do before. Bendis back at the drawing table? Yuuuup.
Emma is a smart cookie. Her inventions and webcomics have paid her way through the fanciest schools. The sixteen-year-old seems like she's got it all figured out. Until a shady billionaire darkens her doorway, telling tales about her supposedly world-famous master criminal parents. Now, Emma has to put a squad together, uncover her genetic origins, and navigate a rich jerkwad's vengeance scheme.
On this week's episode, we chat with Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev about their long-lasting friendship and how it has fed their creative partnership and vice versa. We discuss what makes a Bendis/Maleev joint, their secret and not-so-secret Todd McFarlane origins, and how both had to adjust their working habits to aid the other. And we dig deep into Masterpiece and how it was born from generational tension. Are JNCO jeans really back???
Keep up to date on all things Brian Michael Bendis by subscribing to his Substack. You can also track him down via Twitter, Instagram, and his Website.
Do the same for Alex Maleev by following his Website, Twitter, and Instagram.
As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to the books.
Also, listen to Bendis' previous appearance on Comic Book Couples Counseling, discussing Phenomena Book One alongside André Lima Araújo.
Other Relevant Links:
Final Round of Plugs (PHEW)
Now Open - the CBCC Digital Shop!
Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY
Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia on 12/3 at 4:00 PM for our Flash Gordon screening, co-hosted by Psycho Cinema, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies, and benefitting The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley.
Don't forget! 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.
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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.