Earth 603 Podcast – Episode #47

Books Covered:  Uncanny X-Force #7, Superman/Batman #1, Hawkeye #11, Lazarus #1, Swamp Thing #22, Thunderbolts #12, Satellite Same #1, Avengers #15, Dark Skullkickers Dark #1, Superior Foes of Spider-Man #1, Guardians of the Galaxy: Tomorrow’s Avengers #1,

Raven Rant:  The Popular Character You Just Don’t Get

Zach & Stu like to yell and yodel about the comic books that anger their collective blood. We know that Zach has been falling out of love with Avengers for a while now, while Stu and Swamp Thing seem to be crashing on to rocky shores. It can be sad and downright depressing when a book you used to love starts to see  its quality leak down the 4-color drain.

Which is why it’s so refreshing to have A.) a book you’ve loved from the start to continue to hit it out of the park and B.) a book you had very low expectations for (to the point that you weren’t even going to pick it up) end up being one of your books of the week.

Our A example is Hawkeye #11 for it’s groundbreaking issue devoted to Lucky (aka – Pizza Dog) and retells almost the last year’s worth of stories from the dog’s perspective:

Go PIzza Dog, Go Pizza Dog, Go!

Our B example is The Superior Foes of Spider-Man #1, which – much like the, “Deadly Foes” books before it, threatened to be as unessential as they come. However, after Waugh bullied Zach into reading it (and Stu picked it up under his own free will) we were pleasantly surprised. Not just that it wasn’t awful or that it was competent, but that it was A-grade excellent. I don’t know why we’re surprised. It’s got Nick Spencer, who we love from Morning Glories & Bedlam and Steve Lieber, whose work we have admired as far back as Whiteout and as currently as a recent issue of Hawkeye. This book, featuring the also-rans of the Spider-Man rogues gallery (as seen below) is one of the best villain-centric tales we’ve read from any of the comic companies in some time. And if you don’t care for this whole Spider-Ock thing, it’s ok – that’s not even touched on. Even if you’re not the biggest Spider-Man fan in general, we think you should at least check it out:

The New Sinister Six (But really Five . . . But really Six.)

See? Don’t you have the warm fuzzies now that Stu and Zach have found two comics to say such nice things about? Good. We’re warm and fuzzy now over your warm and fuzzies.

Now go ahead and listen to Stu & Zach talk about cake. And Lethal Weapon. And Bruce Vilanch. Oh yeah, and comic books: earth 603# 47complete