Jace talks about a few of the books you might want to check out for the week of April 7. 2021. Tons of highly anticipated books hitting comic shops this week, starting with Tankers #1 & Eniac #2 form Bad Idea. Also Geiger finally makes it's debut at Image with some incredible art an in interesting start to the narrative taking place over several separate timelines. The second issue of Nocterra expertly builds upon the first with more emotion and some incredible action with the best work we've seen from Tony Daniel. Steve Orlando has two titles out today and both are very much worth your time, Commanders in Crisis continues with wild concepts, great Davide Tinto art and reminds us how fun comics can be, while Project Patron launches us into an emotionally complex situation with a cast of characters who, although they are a team, feel very much like individuals who may or may not be able to rely on each other and the relationships dynamics of the team when disaster strikes. Speaking of disasters, Deep Beyond is channeling the feel of a classic disaster film like The Poseidon Adventure as our cast of characters continue to search for the missing scientist while the threat of death from any number of underwater threats is constant. Finally Miles to Go continues to impress, this is the most action-packed and tightly paced issue yet, with only one issue left, how is this all going to wrap up? We have no idea, but we can't wait to find out. All this plus Jace gives a rundown on other titles you might want to be on the lookout for.

Jace and Rocky are back to talk about the DC titles from April 6, 2021. Be warned they talk in-depth and there are spoilers. They kick it off with Crime Syndicate #2 and it has some good things going for it, but it may work better for some than others. The same can be said for Batman #107 but that has a lot to do with what we saw in Future State. Suicide Squad continues to be very good and on the strength of #2 both guys are in on issue #3 for sure. The most divisive title of the episode is Green Lantern #1 which one of the guys enjoyed and the other most certainly did not, it will be interesting to get fan reaction on this one. Meanwhile Swamp Thing continues to be a technically stellar comic that will likely satisfy long-time fans of the character with the narrative in Issue #2. Finally we finish up with Joker/Harley Criminal Sanity #8 as this incredible series heads towards its conclusion the guys speculate on whether this may go down as a definitive run of Harley.

Jace and Rocky from Comic Boom chat with returning guest Stephanie Phillips. The Red Atlantis story just wrapped up at AfterShock and Stephanie talks about getting involved with the project, collaborating with a real-life Russian intelligence asset to tell the story and how should love to tell more of the story. The guys and Stephanie also chat about her current series from AfterShock Nuclear Family and how amazingly well the Tony Shasteen art suits the story as well as some talk about the narrative itself. Plenty of talk about Stephanie's DC work and her upcoming return to the pirate world of Anne Bonny & Marry Read. All this and more so join us for a really fun conversation with a rising star in the comic industry.

Jace chatted with Joe Henderson a little while ago about his new series Shadecraft, but now we have an even more in-depth conversation delving into some of the story specifics. We get into family dynamics, as well as the relationship between Zadie and her brother, plus a whole lot more. So be sure you read Shadecraft #1 and then join us for this detailed conversation.

Jace is joined by veteran comic creator Karl Kesel to chat about his current Kickstarter campaign for the second issue of Impossible Jones. Great art by David Hahn and an intriguing main character make this a wonderful series to jump on board. Karl also talks about his love for the crowdfunding platform and how much he enjoys interacting with the fan community he has built around his creator owned work.

Jace and Rocky from Comic Boom chat about the new DC Comics Round Robin initiative where fans get to vote on the series they want to see. Also the guys give their picks for each of the brackets and discuss why they are making the picks they make. There are so many great potential series with characters both very well known and obscure, that the mix of possible titles is very intriguing, The guys also discuss why DC may be doing this polls and how it might be a way to gauge interest and guarantee sales.

Jace chats with Kickstarter veteran & writer Frank Martin about his latest campaign, The Last Homicide. Frank mixes a lot of ideas from the classic detective story as well as drawing on the golden age of Hollywood and the pulp detective stories that are now considered classics to craft his version of the hard-boiled murder mystery. Set in a moody and corrupt city with menacing mob bosses & cops on the take, this story has all the makings of an instant classic. Be sure to check out the campaign when it launches on April 6th.

Jace dives into some of he books he read for the week of March 31, 2021. Shadecraft brings back the Eisner-nominated Skyward creative team to tell a new story abut a strong, young female protagonist, but this time the story has a bit of a darker feel. Stephanie Phillips continues to show her mastery of the comic book medium as the second issue of her Nuclear Family series hits stands. It perfectly captures the menace and foreboding of the Cold War, while giving us an empathetic point of view character and great Tony Shasteen art work. Department of truth #7 and Crossover #5 both continue those excellent series but aren't the best issues we've had of  the respective series so far. We are hoping that the slight dip in pace will only serve to allow the climaxes of the current arcs to hit that much harder. Jace also gives a rundown on some other books you might want to be on the lookout for.

It's a brand new era of the X-Men! House of X and Powers of X have led to this, but now that the Mutant Island nation of Krakoa exists, what is the day to say life of the X-Men like? The foundation of a mutant society has been forged and the time has come to be sure that every mutant out there has a chance to participate. Also, what about Orchis? Has that shadowy anti-mutant, human-first organization been permanently crippled by the destruction of the Mother Mold or do they still pose a threat to mutants everywhere? All this, plus we get a glimpse of the Summer House, a Krakoan habitat placed on the moon as a refuge for Scott, Alex & Gabriel Summers and their various significant others & family. Join Jace & Jon-Paul as they examine this over-sized first issue.

Jace and Rocky tackle another week of DC comics! Most of the books the guys talk about aren't necessarily in the 'main' Dc continuity, but all the rest sort of stand on their own. Is this the reason the books seem to be sort of average this week? Maybe, maybe not, but The Other History of the DC Universe stands on its own as another spectacular issue of the John Ridley series that the guys have been really enjoying. Also we get sort of an epilogue of Future State as the third issue of Superman vs Imperious Lex hits comic shops. The Flash brings up a lot of question and the Jace and Rocky aren't necessarily in agreement on the quality of the issue, while Strange Adventures & Batman/Catwoman both written by Tom King may need to wrap up before we know the true quality of the stories. All this & a lot more so join us for the fun!

Jace takes a close look at Shadow Doctor #1. Set in the years just after the Great Depression this incredible AfterShock book recounts the true life story of an African-American man trying to find work as a doctor after completing medical school. At a time when not only racism but crime was running rampant in the Chicagoland area you can imagine how his efforts where met with scorn and futility. This issue is perfectly paced & the character acting in the art as well as the emotion is well-suited for a story that becomes more compelling as it unfolds.

Jace checks out Supergirl #29 as we finally get some answers to the role Rogol Zaar had in the destruction of Krypton. The Circle's beginnings are explored as we see their early motivations begin to be corrupted by the power they begin to be wield. We also see how Kara herself comes to overcome her own desire for revenge by learning the shortcomings of the Circle and understanding how their noble intentions went wrong.

Jace dives into Supergirl #28 as the Clone Wars storyline comes to a close. Kara is finally face to face with the clones of her that Harry Hokum has created, but they aren't quite what either Kara or Hokum himself expects them to be. It's a delicate balance for Kara as her anger at seeing the horrors that Hokum has created, and the underlying rage for Rogol Zaar's actions that sent her to space in the first place, are at odds with the compassion she feels both for the refugees of the Vegan war and these mindless clones. Andreyko does a great job of showcasing this inherent dichotomy that exists within Kara and the art is top notch as well. There's plenty more in the issue from Gandelo's plans to the reunion of Kara, Krypto and Z'dar also, so be sure to listen in.

Jace dives into all four issues of the Freeze mini series from Top Cow. This is a HUGE idea that has so many ideas for story potential that it is almost hard to know where to start. Humanity, seemingly without reason, just becomes frozen in place one day. Technology continues to function, time continues to pass, but all of society is frozen in place? Forgetting about how this could possible happen, why people can be unfrozen by the touch of one particular person or how people don't age, which are all legitimate questions to be sure, the moral and societal ramification of this are huge. How do you decide who to walk up and why? How do you deal with things like crime and marriage and resources as you rebuild. What happens when bad things start to happen and who makes the big decisions? Who has the right to decide and pass judgement? Such an intriguing world and a story we want so much more of!

Jace talks about the fist issue of the Thanos Quest mini series as we see Thanos begin his mission to untie all the Infinity Gems. He takes on the In-Betweener as well as several of the Elders of the Universe who are unaware of the power of the gems they possess. We see that Thanos is the ultimate schemer as he undertakes his journey he has prepared unique way to defeat each foe and even has plans that he is hiding from Death herself. This is a crucial part of the story of Thanos and the Infinity Gauntlet that Jim Starlin has crafted in returning the Mad Titan to the pages of Marvel Comics.

Jace chats with comic artist Mike Hawthorne about his current Sketchbook campaign. They also talk about the diverse styles of art Mike was introduced to at a young age which helped to inform both his love of art and his own diversity of style. Plenty of talk about process, learning from exposing yourself to other's processes, the comic's community & more. So be sure to give it a listen & go check out the campaign.

Jace and Jay talk about a few of the books they got a chance to read form the week of March 24, 2021. We get the debut of the Alien franchise over at Marvel that is off to an intriguing start. HaHa gives us a 'silent' issue that shows is the capabilities of sequential art to tell a story. Post Americana continues its satirical commentary on have's & have notes with all the action we have come to expect. Taskmaster comes to a close with a reminder that even though we might have guessed the twist, the villain remains a villain. All this plus Miles Morales is about to come face to face with his clone again, the Maestro version of the Hulk faces off against some old friend and Shadow Doctor from AfterShock remains a very compelling read. Finally Jace gives a rundown on some other titles you may want to be on the lookout for.

Jace and Rocky from Comic Boom! do a deep dive into the DC titles for the Week of March 23, 2021. The talk about Teen Titans Academy and how it might be trying to capture some of that classic X-Men magic. Harley Quinn was even better than expected and it seems she is in great hands even though she is back on Gotham. Detective Comics begins a new era and both guys agree that it is more of a Bruce Wayne book than a Batman book and that's a good thing. Finally the best book of the week for both Jace and Rocky is Batman/Superman. It's just so much fun with a cool narrative and refreshing story telling device that pulls the reader right in. Spectacular issue.

Jace and Jon-Paul finish of the first chapter of the epic story Jonathan Hickman has created for the X corner of the Marvel Universe. They take a deep dive into Powers of X #6 as the secret of Moira's sixth life is revealed. What might it mean in the long run for the world she is building along with Professor X & Magneto? Weil, it may take thousands of years to find out. Also what sacrifices is Moira making and what are the prices she might have to pay? Who is really calling the shots on Krokoa and what secrets might those with the most knowledge and the most to lose be keeping from the new nation of mutants and even each other?

We flashback to the first time we had the Bad Idea crew on the show. Dinesh Shamdasani, Warren Simons, Hunter Gorrinson & Josh Johns talk about how the new publisher plans in standing out from the crowd. We also are introduced to their first wave of titles.

Jace continues the Thanos Reading Order with a close look at Silver Surfer #40. Thanos is believed to be dead by the Surfer, Mentor and Eros, but Drax the Destroyer doesn't buy it for a second. Meanwhile Thanos himself know that his ploy has been somewhat successful, however, it this false demise isn't his only plan to ensure the Surfer doesn't interfere with his gathering of the Infinity Gems. More classic cosmic Marvel from the master of Marvel Cosmic, Jim Starlin.

Jace takes a look at some DC books form a few years ago. He talks acknowledging artist & the Marvel Method used in DC's New Age of Heroes line as well as the similarities between Damage and the Hulk. He continues our close look at the Heroes in Crisis series and how it is much better than people think. Finally we finish up with incredible art & story on the latest iteration of Dial H for Hero.

Jace takes a look at some of the titles hitting stands this week. Marvel #6 has an incredible story from Lee Bermejo about the Silver Surfer which has breathtaking art. Radiant Black's second issue brings even more character development for our hero Nathan as he starts to learn how to use his powers while at the same time takes the first steps towards finding out where they might come from. Red Atlantis #5 ends that AfterShock series & the story leaves us wanting more with these characters & ideas. Iron Man #7 is fantastic as Tony Stark & his eclectic groups of heroes try to chase down Korvac before he can reach Galactus's ship. Captain Marvel & Spider-Woman both continue to showcases two of the most interesting and relatable characters of the Marvel universe. Although Carol Danvers & Jessica Drew are not without their flaws, the fact that they overcome those and still are heroes makes them that much more amazing. All this, plus Jace gives a rundown on some other titles you might want to be on the lookout for.

Jace and Rocky from Comic Boom! do a deep dive into the DC titles for the Week of March 16, 2021. They look at the new Superman anthology, Red & Blue and discuss how the stories are all very emotional and look at the impact that Superman has in them as well as on him. There is also a lot of talk about the limited color palette and how that plays with the mood of the stories. Both the guys are really enjoying Catwoman and issue #29 is no exception. It continues to be one of, if not the BEST monthly title DC is putting out. Brian Michael Bendis makes his debut on Justice League and while the art is spectacular, it's hard to get a read on the narrative because there is so little of it. On the other hand, the back up Justice League Dark story is jam-packed with narrative despite having less pages to work with. Finally the much anticipated Tom Taylor Nightwing lives up to all the hype and expectations. Jace goes so far as to call it a perfect comic and give it a 10/10. Emotional at times, lighthearted at others, it gives everything a fan of Dick Grayson could want. There's plenty of Barbara Gordon, Alfred makes an appearance, in a way and there is a puppy! Stunningly good.

Jace and Jon-Paul break down the final issue of House of X. We see the speech Xavier gave to all humanity regarding the sovereign nation of Krakoa as well as the reasons behind it. They discuss the ramifications of that statement as well as of the supposed "miracle" drugs the mutants are offering the rest of the world. Also we see the ruling council of 12 mutants make the first laws for this new mutant nation. The Quiet Council, as they are called, is made up of a wide cross section of mutants, but whether that is actually a good thing is yet to be determined. Finally we see that council pass judgement on Sabertooth and it is a harsh judgement indeed, what fall out from that, if any, might we see in the future? Only time will tell.