Jace is joined by writer Kyle Higgins and editor/designer Michael Busuttil to talk about Radiant Black. Launching from Image Comics on February 10, 2021, this is shaping up to be one of the biggest launches of the year. Already 70,000 copies have been sold and it seems like the guys may have a hit on their hands. Kyle gives us the origins of the story, how his experiences as a freelancer and his love of the super hero and tokusatsu genres have all come together to create this story. We hear a bit about what the team has planned for the future of the title, supporting characters & world building as well. Michael gives some great insight on the design and look for the series plus he chats about he gives us an insiders view on the collaboration of the creative team. we wrap it up with Kyle discussing the community he is hoping to build both through the letters page type back matter and his new newsletter for Black Market Narrative.

Jace and Jon-Paul tackle Powers of X #1. Jonathan Hickman uses an accelerated story structure to give a glimpse into 4 distinct eras of the X-Men. First we look into the past as the very idea of the X-Men has just occurred to Charles Xavier very soon to be followed by him meeting Moira Mactaggert for the first time. Then we see the world of the X-Men as it is in present time, just as we saw in House of X #1. When we look 100 years into the future things are not looking so bright as a huge war has devastated not only mutants, but the very earth itself. Finally we get a very brief scene of the world one thousand years from now and try to determine what it might mean. There is a TON to unpack in this one and the guys to their best to break it down and explain all the scenes as well as the informational text pages that Hickman gives us that provide a lot of material to help flesh out these different Ages of X he shows us.

Jace continues his look at the chronological history of one of Marvel most enduring villains, Thanos. As hard as it is to believe, after Thanos's apparent death at the end of Marvel Two-in-One Annual #2, he was gone from the pages of Marvel comics for over a decade. However, once Jim Starlin returned, so did the Mad Titan. Silver Surfer #34 begins the epic tale which eventually leads to the Infinity Gauntlet story that so many know from the similar story told in the MCU. Not only does this bring Thanos back for good and establish him as one of the most enduring and influential characters of the Marvel universe, it inextricably links Silver Surfer, Thanos and the Infinity Gems themselves together. It's hard to think of a time when Thanos and the Surfer weren't to different sides of the same coin and the reason for that is the story that starts here.

Jace chats with Chad Bokelman of The Lantern Cast about his origins with the show and comic books themselves. They also talk about the balancing act necessary for covering comics you simply may not like. Also who is Chad's favorite Green Lantern, the answer may surprise you. We talk about the different eras of Green Lantern and which one Chad likes best. Jace and Chad also look to the future and discuss what the upcoming Infinite Frontier Green Lantern title may be like. There's TONS of behind the scenes & Green Lantern talk in this one!

Jace is joined by some other stellar comic book pundits as they return to the future of the DC Universe for the second week of Future State. Overall, most of the guys felt like the quality improved in the second week, but there is still plenty of room for more improvement. Always the trend of cramming too much story into too few pages continues, as did the tendency for the art to let us down, even from creators whose work we normally love. So while the highs were higher the second week, the lows were a bit lower. Join is to find out which issues were which.

Jace and Jay break down some DC books in depth with spoilers. They start with Wonder Twins #2 as it straddles the juggles the genres of humor, satire & all ages superheroes. With so many different thematic goals, can it accomplish any of them? Next up is The Batman Who Laughs: The Grim Knight #1. In writer Scott Snyder's own words, this is what happens when you cross Batman with the Punisher. It's safe to say all criminals better beware, but does his thirst for vengeance go beyond justice? Is this truly a tale of Bruce Wayne? Could this happen? Finally the guys finish up with an issue of the incredible Hawkman series from Robert Venditti. We've finally had a writer makes sense of all the convoluted history and continuity of Hawkman, even Jay who has dismissed Hawkman in the past for exactly those reasons is on board for this series. In this issue Hawkman's ancient past finally catches up with him, but he may have a very unique way of dealing with it. Carter Hall's answer to his problem is literally something no one else in the DC Universe could hope to accomplish. Great stuff!

Jace, Jay and Manny talk about a few of the books they have read that hit stands this week. Future State: Immortal Wonder Woman #1 and Future State: The Next Batman #2 are both a little uneven but have their moments. Maestro: War and Pax is action packed with plenty of Hulk Smash! Scumbag is a title both Jay and Jace have been enjoying for both it's irreverence and its unlikable, humorous and some how endearing lead. King in Black #3 continues the big Marvel event from writer Donny Cates and Jay is ALL-IN! Stillwater #5 ends with a couple of very consequential moments that promise to have a big impact. Iron Fist: Heart of the Dragon #1 & We Live #4 are wall to wall action. Rorschach #4 shows why Tom King continues to be on the best in the business when it comes to story structure. Book of the Week DCeased Dead Planet #7 brings the story Tom Taylor has been crafting to a close with so much heart, that it reminds us what's best about the DC Universe. Jace also gives a run down on some other titles you might want to be on the lookout for hitting stands this week.

Jace is joined by writer, fellow podcast and all around awesome guy Jason Inman to discuss his latest Kickstarter project. Jason is tapping into his deep love of superheroes and Superman in particular to craft a relevant story about friendship, self-worth and social media in the digital age. Packed with tons of great artwork that pays homage to some of our favorite comic images from the past, this story introduces us to Mattie Moore, the best friend of Captain Terrific. Things take a turn for the worse however, when Mattie livestream reveals the secret identity of Captain Terrific. What will the consequences be for Mattie and the hero he idolizes? You will have to join the campaign by pledging to find out!

Our second Marvel Monday of the week focuses on several books that Jace and Jay break down. Captain Marvel #2 from Kelly Thompson continues the adventures of Carol as she tries to regain her footing not that she is back on earth. Things don't go real well though when the Nuclear Man shows up and throws a wrench in the works. Over in Avengers No Road Home, we return to the weekly format for Avengers as Voyager returns bringing some bad news about an enemy that is powerful enough to take out the gods of Olympus. We also talk about the debut issue of Savage Sword of Conan, it is perfect in tone and mood for the Cimmerian and evokes the classic feel of a Robert E Howard novel. The final quest for Old Man Logan is under way, the question is will he survive it? Meanwhile, Riri Williams is struggling with all her responsibilities and hasn't yet learned the very important lesson of when to ask for help. They say wisdom comes with age, is this a lesson Iron Heart will learn in time? We really love the story Kyle Higgins is telling in Winter Soldier, returning Bucky to his roots and humanity by having him reaching out to those who may feel trapped by their situation, just like he was when he first became the Winter Soldier. We finish up with Daredevil #22 as the plan that Matt Murdock has for eliminating crime in New York starts to come into focus. It great to see Charles Soule using his experience and knowledge as a lawyer to bring together both sides of Matt Murdock's life in way that has never felt more integrated.

This Marvel Monday breaks down a few books in detail. Jace starts off with a look at the deal offered by Mephisto and why Miles Morales and Amadeus Cho may be tempted to take it. Issue #13 of Immortal Hulk finishes off the second act of that book as we gear up for a lot of action coming in the next few issues. Over in Killmonger #4, things go completely sideways for Erik, we see him turn away from any last chance at peace or redemption and fully embrace his need for vengeance. Old Man Quill gives us a look at a possible future for Star-Lord and his Guardian teammates, so fans of the GotG should be sure to check it out. Tony Stark continues to battle for control of the virtual reality he has created in the paged of Iron Man #8 which has one of Jace's favorite comic book covers ever. Finally, we dive deep into Daredevil #21 as Matt Murdock's plan to rid New York of all crime begins to take shape.

Jace chats with writer Zack Kaplan about the recently released Join The Future TPB. Zack talks about building this story as a look at technology and security versus tradition and freedom. Not looking at is a political issue but something much more personal. It doesn't get much more personal than Clementine Libbey having to grow up in a hurry while seeking justice for the loss of her brother, her father and her town itself. There's a lot to unpack in this one and the guys dive into all of it. Plus they chat about the incredible art from Piotr Kowalski and Brad Simpson.

Jace and Jon-Paul do a deep dive into House of X #1. What lead to this event? How long was Hickman working on it before it was announced? How does it compare to what came before? As for the story itself, we are thrown into the deep end so the guys go over the events of the first issue and talk about both what happens as well as the significance of the events. This is especially true of the role Magneto plays in the book. It's just as complex as you would expect a Hickman book to be, so there is a ton to talk about in this one.

Jace continues the Thanos reading order with an incredible powerful tale that was an instant classic from the moment it was released. The Death of Captain Marvel was the first ever graphic novel from Marvel comics. This new format which has come to dominate comic sales over the last few decades started with the story of how the Marvel Universe lost it's most powerful cosmic champion. Filled with incredible Jim Starlin art and emotional character moments, this story still is just as powerful nearly 40 years after it was released. Thanos's involvement is both minor and yet key to the story Starlin weaves here, but this is truly a Captain Marvel story. It showcases the incredible impact that this character had on the Marvel universe in a relative short period of time.

Jace is joined by some other stellar comic book pundits as they dive deep into the first week of Future State. Be warned there are tons of spoilers in this episode and nothing is off limits. The guys talk about what worked and what didn't. They also speculate on the changing editorial dictates of DC affecting the structure and pacing of this titles. Jace has a lot to say about the art and many of the others agree. There is not much they agree on though, as many of the titles draw differing opinions. Join us to see what we liked and what we didn't.

Jace and Jay take a very deep look at a few DC titles. They examine Heroes In Crisis #6 from the perspective of the trauma displayed by the three characters closely followed in this issue, plus Jay takes about PTSD from the perspective he gained while serving in the army. The guys chat about the spectacle that is Justice League #19 and how the structure of the epic story Scott Snyder is playing out. They finish up with Shazam #3 a really wild and fun book that may have been a bigger hit if it hadn't suffered from so many delays. The Dale Eaglesham & Marco Santucci art is amazing though!

Jace looks at the penultimate issue of Arcanum from Brandon Peterson. The Avatars of Good find the ancient temple they were seeking, but all is not as it seems. Matthew Royale is one step ahead of them and just why does the Baron show up? An appearance by the embodiment of death is never good news for the avatars. It's an eventful issue as we head for the series finale.

Jace and Manny are joined by fellow LRM contributor Jay Bradshaw to chat about some of the titles that are hitting stands the week of January 13, 2021. The guys talk about several Future State titles which are a bit of a let down overall. Manny and Jay really enjoyed the debut issue of HaHa though, from the same writer who brings us Ice Cream Man, W. Maxwell Prince. Manny is although thoroughly engaged with the story Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque are unraveling in American Vampire. Jay talks about the end of Big Girl, which despite slightly predictable, was immensely satisfying. Meanwhile the Jessica Cruz story in Green Lantern was a huge hit with Jace, as was Commanders in Crisis #4 and Red Atlantis #3 which was action-packed. Jace book of the week, like Red Atlantis, was also written by Stephanie Phillips. A Man Among Ye from Top Cow, Phillips and artist Craig Cermak, lived up to the title and surpassed all expectations.

Jace dives deep into a couple of X-Men titles. What the heck is Wolverine doing getting mixed up in the cosmic goings on of the Infinity Gems? And an even bigger question is why is he teaming up with Loki to do it? It's a rousing tale that is both cosmic and grounded in a way only a Wolverine story can be, with great Andy MacDonald art. Over in the Uncanny X-Men #14, the rag tag band of mutants Cyclops has managed to gather together has finally achieved a real victory. It's a small one, but this underpowered group that comprise the X-Men team will take it.

Jace and Jay talk about some Marvel books in detail. Is Old Man Logan a hero? The fact that he turned his back on chance to go home may suggest so, but then why is he fighting the Avengers? The guys dive into Dead Man Logan #3 to find out. The price of magic has been a big theme in Doctor Strange from Mark Waid & in the oversized issue #10 which is also the 400th issue of Doctor Strange the Sorcerer Supreme finally realizes his bill has come due. The guys discuss the Man Without Fear #5 and wonder about the necessity of this series. The celebration of Marvel Knights 20th Anniversary comes to a close with the #6, but the guys weren't impressed, find out why not. Also we continue our in depth look at the Charles Soule run in Daredevil with the end of that Purple storyline as we learn how Soule but the genie back in the bottle and restored DD's secret identity. Inspired story telling in issue #20 for sure.Jace and Jay talk about some Marvel books in detail. Is Old Man Logan a hero? The fact that he turned his back on chance to go home may suggest so, but then why is he fighting the Avengers? The guys dive into Dead Man Logan #3 to find out. The price of magic has been a big theme in Doctor Strange from Mark Waid & in the oversized issue #10 which is also the 400th issue of Doctor Strange the Sorcerer Supreme finally realizes his bill has come due. The guys discuss the Man Without Fear #5 and wonder about the necessity of this series. The celebration of Marvel Knights 20th Anniversary comes to a close with the #6, but the guys weren't impressed, find out why not. Also we continue our in depth look at the Charles Soule run in Daredevil with the end of that Purple storyline as we learn how Soule but the genie back in the bottle and restored DD's secret identity. Inspired story telling in issue #20 for sure.

Jace breaks down Superman #9 as Jon Kent is trapped on Earth-3 and is at the mercy of Ultraman. How long is he trapped? How does he escape? Perhaps even more important that those two questions is, how do his parents react when they find out? The Brian Michael Bendis era is just beginning to really pick up steam in this issue, so Jace has quite a bit to say about this era after giving Bendis what he feels is a long enough time to get his bearings, to to speak.

Here it is. The last Thanos story! Well, at least is was as the Mad Titan disappeared from the pages of Marvel Comics for about a decade until the Marvel Cosmic Master Jim Starling brought him back on a quest for the Infinity Gems in the pages of Silver Surfer for the February 1990 issue. Jace goes over the issue as we discover the fate of Thanos in this early era of his existence. Will he succeed in redeeming himself for his beloved, the embodiment of Death? Or will the heroes of the Marvel Universe emerge victorious?

Jace breaks down Avengers Annual #7, it's the first part of the last Thanos tale for a good long while in the Marvel Universe. It brings to a close the first era of Thanos from the Marvel Cosmic Master Jim Starlin. We don't see Thanos again until Starlin takes the reins of the Silver Surfer series. Based on Thanos's popularity in other media or looking back on how popular he was for fans of Marvel comics it is almost too hard to believe that the Mad Titan went unused for nearly a decade. After a brief appearance in 1982's Captain Marvel Graphic Novel, where it can be argued Thanos is merely a figment of Mar-vell's imagination, we don't see Thanos until Silver Surfer #34 on 1990, a full 23 years after the end of the story that begins here in this Avengers Annual.

Jace break down the recent history of the DC Universe for Nick in preparation for some in-depth analysis in our upcoming Future State Friday episodes. From Dark Nights: Death Metal, Generations Shattered and the upcoming Infinite Frontier, we cover it all. How this was all affected by 5G, Dan DiDio's departure and the recent layoffs at DC Editorial.Jace break down the recent history of the DC Universe for Nick in preparation for some in-depth analysis in our upcoming Future State Friday episodes. From Dark Nights: Death Metal, Generations Shattered and the upcoming Infinite Frontier, we cover it all. How this was all affected by 5G, Dan DiDio's departure and the recent layoffs at DC Editorial.

Jace and Manny talk about a bunch of books coming out the first week of 2021. There are so many great books this week, we couldn't even narrow down the book of the week to one or two, we had to pick 3! Crossover #3, Spider-Woman #8 and Generations Shattered #1 are all must-reads. We also give some thoughts on the end of Death Metal and how it will affect the DC Universe going forward. Manny talks about the next big thing from Star Wars with High Republic #1. We get an interesting start to a post-apocalyptic boy scout story in Scout's Honor #1 from AfterShock. The team is assembled in Iron Man #5 but will it be enough to stop Korvac? Nick Spencer gives us his best issue of Amazing Spider-Man since he started on the book. Modok from Jordan Blum & Patton Oswalt is just plain fun and the Juggernaut continues to surprise us in his series. Listen in for all the spoiler-free talk on this weeks books. Plus Jace gives a run down on some other titles you might want to be on the lookout for.

Jace dives deep into issue #5 of Replica from Paul Jenkins & Andy Clarke. This is the final issue of the series for now and Detective Trevor Churchill and his clones get a much needed victory against the political machinations and scheming of the Scatlet. We are anxiously awaiting the return of this series we love, but in the meantime, it's a great time to get caught up if you've never read it. Wonderful humor, great character intersections between Trevor and his clones, plus great line art by Andy Clarke. The color work by Dan Brown is also superb as he gives just enough brightness to the story to play with the idea of the future being filled with hope which is a great contrast to the melting pot type setting Jenkins has created.