Join married couple Brad and Lisa as they explore the various dynamics of comic book relationships throughout pop culture and publishing history.
Episodes
Sunday May 10, 2020
Sunday May 10, 2020
Get your motor runnin,' Harley Quinn & Poison Ivy head out on the highway, plus Catwoman! This week three's company as the Gotham City Sirens travel West to retrieve the ashes of Harley's beloved uncle and bring them back East so they can be laid to rest next to his deceased wife. The "Harley Quinn Road Trip Special," written by Amanda Conner & Jimmy Palmiotti, is a rollicking adventure, featuring plenty of innuendoes, but genuine affection between our trilogy of rogues.
As we venture into The New 52 era, it's exhilarating to see the #HarlIvy relationship gather serious steam, building off a deep friendship in a world populated by monsters (Joker) and dimwits (Darkwolf). To help us navigate this love on the road, we're using Lindsay King-Miller's "Ask A Queer Chick" as our relationship guide.
The comic covered in this episode: "Harley Quinn Road Trip Special" No. 1 written by Amanda Conner & Jimmy Palmiotti, illustrated by Bret Blevins, Moritat, Flaviano Armentaro, Pasquale Qualano, and Jed Dougherty, with additional inks by Mike Manley, colored by Paul Mounts, and lettered by Dave Sharpe.
Be sure to follow the podcast on Instagram and Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow the hosts @MouthDork & @sidewalksiren.
Sunday Apr 26, 2020
Sunday Apr 26, 2020
Stephen Bissette joins us to discuss the romantic plights of Swampy & Abby, as seen in the groundbreaking series "Saga of the Swamp Thing." The artist describes the magical alchemy that occurred between him, John Totleben, and Alan Moore in 1983, and how their desire to make monster comics radically altered the landscape of the art form. More importantly, we converse on the re-creation of Abigail Arcane and her sensuous union with the plant who dreamed he was a man - "The Rites of Spring," which may just be the most erotic and romantic comic book ever produced.
For those wanting a little more context to this conversation, be sure to listen to the 34th episode of CBCC, where Brad & Lisa breakdown "The Rites of Spring" as well as Swampy & Abby's relationship in detail. Also, you can hear Brad & Steve talk about David Cronenberg's "The Brood" and the 660-page book Stephen wrote on the film over at the In the Mouth of Dorkness podcast. You should also watch the career-spanning conversation Steve had with the boys of Cartoonist Kayfabe.
Be sure to follow the podcast on Instagram and Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow the hosts @MouthDork & @sidewalksiren. While you're feeling social, you can find Steve on Twitter @SRBissette, and you can pre-order his Brook book from PS Publishing.
Tuesday Apr 21, 2020
Tuesday Apr 21, 2020
Harley Quinn & Poison Ivy hit the road, ditching Gotham for the bright lights and tight spandex of Metropolis. The girls are on the hunt for Superman but have to settle for Jimmy Olsen and Bizarro. What begins as a joyous coupling slowly drives a wedge into #HarlIvy. Can they survive an apartment's lack of sunlight and the small bother of a super-villain kidnapping? Tune in as we root for our favorite Gotham girl gang, digging into the early days of Harley Quinn's solo career.
Also, we ditch our previous love gurus Ben Schwartz and Lauren Moses for relationship columnist Lindsay King-Miller and her advice book "Ask a Queer Chick: A Guide to Sex, Love, and Life for Girls Who Dig Girls." As we discover this week, there's plenty of hope for Harley & Ivy as they're presented in the "Welcome to Metropolis" story arc.
Issues covered in this episode: "Harley Quinn" No. 13 - 19, written by Karl Kesel and primarily illustrated by Terry Dodson and Rachel Dodson, but featuring fill-in art by Pete Woods, Phil Noto, Craig Rousseau, with guest-inks by Mark Lipka, Dan Davis, and Kesel himself. Colors provided by Alex Sinclair and Peter Pantazis, and letters by Ken Lopez and Kurt Hathaway.
Be sure to follow the podcast on Instagram and Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow the hosts @MouthDork & @sidewalksiren.
Saturday Apr 11, 2020
Saturday Apr 11, 2020
MARC Makes Comics!! This week we're delighted to invite cartoonist Marc Jackson into the Love Nest to discuss his new YouTube Channel - MARC Makes Comics - that's keeping us all sane during these weird times, as well as the various other comics projects he's willing into the universe. Our conversation is one massive celebration of the art form, digging into the myriad influences that feed Marc's work as well as his intense and inspirational hustle.
Just because we're all doing our duty to flatten the curve, doesn't mean we cannot take advantage of some serious reading time as well as promoting the artists bringing joy into the world. If you need a little respite right now, jump on over to Marc's Instagram, where he's just launched a new webcomic "Bring the Ninja," which drops every Friday. Find all his comics for purchase over at marcmakescomics.co.uk, and you can also stalk him on Twitter @MARCmakescomics.
Be sure to follow the podcast on Instagram and Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow the hosts @MouthDork & @sidewalksiren.
Sunday Apr 05, 2020
Sunday Apr 05, 2020
Harley Quinn & Poison Ivy finally come to the Comic Book Couple Counseling Podcast! We kick off our exploration of this villainous Gotham City duo by digging into their earliest adventures, as seen in "Batman: Harley & Ivy" spearheaded by the Animated Series collaborators Bruce Timm and Paul Dini. While they are not technically lovers (yet), we do witness an intense bond between the two, which separates them from the rest of the rogues that plague Bruce Wayne's vigilante lifestyle.
Being in a couple means being partners in crime, and not acting like an A-hole. To help us understand the complicated bond between Harley & Ivy, we're using "Things You Should Already Know About Dating, You F*cking Idiot" by Ben Schwartz & Laura Moses. Sometimes commons sense isn't so common.
Issues covered in this episode: "Batman: Harley & Ivy" No 1-3 written by Dini, illustrated by Timm, inked by Shane Glines, colored by Lee Loughridge, and lettered by Tom Orzechowski.
Be sure to follow the podcast on Instagram and Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow the hosts @MouthDork & @sidewalksiren.
Tuesday Mar 24, 2020
Tuesday Mar 24, 2020
You're invited to our first-ever crossover event with the ITMODChatCast gang (a.k.a. our other podcast) as we delve further into the creative and romantic partnership of Liz Reed & Jimmy Reed, the fiendishly brilliant cartoonists who collaborate as Cuddles and Rage. Their new graphic novel, "Bites of Terror," hits bookstores today, and we believe you will want to devour this comic asap. Not for nothing, but both Brad and Lisa appear in some form within its ghoulish contents.
"Bites of Terror" is an anthology graphic novel that mixes the spirit of Tales from the Crypt with the tastiest of treats straight outta your kitchen. Cuddles and Rage are masters of blending the evil with the sweet, and while every story is suitable for all ages, the adults in the crowd may get an extra special snap with every delightfully demented tale.
If you want to hear part one of this conversation, do so by clicking HERE.
Be sure to follow Liz & Jimmy on most social medias @cuddlesandrage, and you can find "Bites of Terror for purchase just by clicking HERE. You can follow CBCC on Instagram & Twitter (& maybe TikTok one day) @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow the hosts @MouthDork & @sidewalksiren.
Sunday Mar 22, 2020
Sunday Mar 22, 2020
Rogue & Remy forever! Wedded bliss finally arrives for our happy couple, but first things first, they gotta survive the honeymoon, which includes an unwanted appearance by Deadpool. We conclude our conversation surrounding Rogue & Gambit by finishing off Kelly Thompson's run on the characters with Mr. & Mrs. X volumes one and two. We're sad to see them go, but ecstatic to finish our exploration with such an epic run of comics.
Before we get to that, though, as well as wrapping up our time with Drs. Gottman & Abrams and their self-help book "8 Dates: Essential Conversations for a Lifetime of Love," we want to take a few moments to acknowledge the weirdness we're all living in now by celebrating the comics and artists keeping our sanity.
All Hail:
- "You Won't Survive, Zero Adventure" & "Drawn by Memory" by Jeffery J. Manley (@manleycomics on Twitter).
- "Spookids" & "The All-New Adventures of Magnum P.I." by Marc Jackson (@Marcmakescomics)
- "Bish & Jubez" by Adam Reck (@arthurstacy)
- "Cobra II" by Teddy Goldenberg (teddygoldenberg on Instagram)
- "Rorg of the Blood Swamp" by Pat Kain (@batstains)
- "Stan & Jack" by Pete Doree (@PeteDoree)
- "Bites of Terror" by Cuddles & Rage (@cuddlesandrage)
- Art Commissions by @karen_xmenfan
Please give these folks your attention. They're kickin' butt in the field of comics.
Other issues covered in this episode: "Mr. & Mrs. X" No. 1 - 12, written Kelly Thompson, illustrated by Oscar Bazaldua, David Lopez, and Javier Pina, colored by Frank D’Armata and Nayoung Kim, and lettered by VC’s Joe Sabino and Travis Lanham. Featuring stellar covers by Rachel Dodson and Terry Dodson.
Be sure to follow the podcast on Instagram and Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow the hosts @MouthDork & @sidewalksiren.
Friday Mar 06, 2020
Friday Mar 06, 2020
Rogue & Gambit" by Kelly Thompson. This is the episode we've all been waiting to dive into. The last batch of shows have all been about context, filling out the nooks and crannies to Rogue & Remy's relationship, so we can get down to the delightfully dirty business of shipping the greatest X-Men couple. Have we gone too far? We dunno. Kelly Thompson's work on these characters have made us true believers, and we're thrilled to continue to explore their dynamic using "Eight Dates: Essential Conversations for a Lifetime of Love" by Drs. Gottman and Abrams as our guide.
Issues covered in this episode: "Rogue & Gambit" No. 1 - 5, written by Kelly Thompson, illustrated by Pere Pérez, colored by Frank D'Armata, and lettered by Joe Caramagna.
If you're looking for the interview Thompson did with Marvel about her 90s comic book obsession, then click HERE.
Be sure to follow the podcast on Instagram and Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow the hosts @MouthDork & @sidewalksiren.
Wednesday Feb 26, 2020
Wednesday Feb 26, 2020
Red Alert! Red Alert! We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming to bring you this special mini-episode delving into this week's #NCBD release of "Giant-Size X-Men" No. 1, featuring story and art from Jonathan Hickman and Russell Dauterman. After weeks of anticipation, the comic is finally on the stands, and we couldn't wait to get our eyes upon it. Jean Grey & Emma Frost together again for the first time. Did it live up to the hype? Good question. We've got an answer.
Honestly, though, this gorgeous wordless comic is just an excuse to talk about our first X-love, Jean Grey and Scott Summers...and Logan...and Emma. It's Jott vs. Scemma: Battle Royale.
Be sure to follow the podcast on Instagram and Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow the hosts @MouthDork & @sidewalksiren.
Monday Feb 24, 2020
Monday Feb 24, 2020
Rogue and Remy finally shed their past sins, but is that enough to bring them closer together? We delve into the two Howard Mackie mini-series from the 1990s that defined the romance of the popular X-couple. It's a lot of comics to cover, but they are essential to the conversation if we're ever to join them in the next stage of their relationship. Gambit's past refuses to stay where it belongs, and Rogue refuses to let its murky shadow get in the way of the love she so desperately wants to partake in but is still struggling to accept herself. This is a hot and heavy melodrama, and we are here for it.
Now, more than ever, we need the aid of Drs. Gottman and Abrams, and their relationship guide "Eight Dates: Essential Conversations for a Lifetime of Love." What are the keys to listening? Putting judgment aside is essential. Being open and honest with who you were and who you are is crucial.
The issues covered in this episode: "Gambit" Vol. 1 No. 1 - 4, written by Howard Mackie, penciled by Lee Weeks, inked by Klaus Janson, colored by Steve Buccellato, and lettered by Richard Starkings. Also, "Rogue" Vol. 1 No. 1 - 4, written by Howard Mackie, penciled by Mike Wieringo, inked by Terry Austin and Jason Gorder, colored by Dana Moreshead, Mike Thomas, and Digital Chameleon, and lettered by Richard Starkings and Comicraft.
Be sure to follow the podcast on Instagram and Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow the hosts @MouthDork & @sidewalkersiren.