Holy podcasters, Batman! We made it through a whole year, we read every initial release of the New 52, and we all still like it each other enough to record an extra episode for you at the end of it without yelling at each other the whole time. Come join us as we revisit the highlights, the lowlights and the general idea of the whole New 52 and what the hell we're doing with it, and find out what's coming up next!
Next week: Second Base begins with Resurrection Man vol 2, covering issues 8-12, 0 and Suicide Squad 9
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We finally made it to the 52nd book, and of course, it had to be the grand tribute to the King himself, OMAC. Its time to discuss all the parts of the Kirby cosmos that noone else will use or get into and round out the bases to celebrate this home run of a book. Get on board on our satellite and OMACTIVATE your ears with us for OMAC vol 1: OMACTIVATE! by Dan DiDio and Keith Giffen with additional art by Scott Kolins and colours by Hi-Fi.
Next week: the 52 First Dates wrap up episode!
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Its a book where the main character is a vampire, so when he talks about himself, he is the titular I, Vampire. Also he has a girlfriend / vampire progeny who is his ultimate enemy for some toxic relationship drama, as vampire stories are wont to do. And then there's like another heap of vampire-story referencing and emulating in here too, so without further ado, come down into our tomb of I, Vampire vol 1: Tainted Love by Joshua Hale Fialkov and Andrea Sorrentino with colours by Marcelo Maiolo.
Next week: O.M.A.C. v1, covering all eight issues of the 2011 series
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Even a superhero has to start somewhere in their blue t-shirt and jeans, and this week, we're talking about Superman's opening story in Action Comics. Its a Grant Morrison comic though, so it won't be that easy, with everything else coming along besides too, and far too much of it to write in here, so just tune in as we tune out with Action Comics vol 1: Superman and the Men of Steel by Grant Morrison, Rags Morales and Andy Kubert with additional art by Brent Anderson, Gene Ha and Brad Walker and colours by Brad Anderson, Art Lyon and David Curiel.
Next week: I, Vampire v1, covering the first seven issues of the 2011 series
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You've seen Wildstorm 2011, but have you considered if there was Wildstorm 1011? Merlin is watching storms, Etrigan is in a throuple, Shining Knight is getting misgendered - its all happening here in Demon Knights. Or maybe it isn't, who could say what's going on with the pacing here. Either way, boldly quest with us and Demon Knights vol 1: Seven Against The Dark by Paul Cornell and Diogenes Neves with additional art by Michael Choi and Robson Rocha and colours by Marcelo Maiolo.
Next week: Action Comics v1, covering the first eight issues of the 2011 series
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Its finally time for our single Milestone book of the entire New 52 (and years after with DC), Static Shock. We discuss the spirit of Milestone's original vision, and also how this book is a wildly flawed non-attempt to recapture them while also being just so confusing and question-raising that we couldn't help the run time, we swear. Come ride the lightning with us and Static Shock vol 1: Supercharged by Scott McDaniel, John Rozum and Marc Bernardin with colours by Guy Major.
Next week: Demon Knights v1, covering the first seven issues of the 2011 series
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They're members of the Legion of Super Heroes and they're Lost - its Legion Lost. A book noone has ever talked about in the 14 years since it started, which means you know this has to be a bumper episode as we dig in on whether or not this might actually be a good book, to everyone's surprise. We're zooming back in time with Legion Lost vol 1: Run from Tomorrow by Fabian Nicieza, Tom DeFalco and Pete Woods with colours by Brad Anderson.
Next week: Static Shock v1, covering all eight issues of the 2011 series
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Call us squaddies because we're going into the trenches with Arthur Curry, Aquaman. There's a lot for us to learn from a guy who aura farms this hard and deals with this many rude jokes about fish, and maybe we'll even manage it here and come out more rizzed up for the effort. Lets dive straight on into Aquaman vol 1: The Trench by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis with colours by Rod Reis.
Next week: Legion Lost v1, covering the first seven issues of the 2011 series
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We've finally come to our final Gotham book, and we're going out in style with everyone's favourite animal-themed thief, Catwoman. She's got her bra out, she's got her toes out, she's got her childhood trauma out, its all here. Get on the job with us this week in Catwoman vol 1: The Game by Judd Winick and Guillem March with colours by Tomeu Morey.
Next week: Aquaman v1, covering the first six issues of the 2011 series
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We're taking it back to the 2010s taking it back to the 80s this week with the return of the Justice League International, all in new hands this go around. What if we switched up the team and the tone, but still tried to maintain the somewhat questionable association with the UN and the somewhat more questionable global cast straight out of Street Fighter. Take a round-the-world tour with us in Justice League International vol 1: The Signal Masters by Dan Jurgens, Aaron Lopresti and Marco Castiello with colours by Hi-Fi.
Next week: Catwoman v1, covering the first six issues of the 2011 series
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His name is Green Arrow. After 42 weeks in hell, we have come home with only one goal... to see if this book is any good. Now everyone has joined the crusade. And this crusade is the only reason why anyone would be needing to go back to this book, so its a perfect alignment of targets for everyone. Lets see how the shot landed as we read Green Arrow vol 1: The Midas Touch by Dan Jurgens, J.T. Krul, Keith Giffen and Ignacio Calero with colours by Tanya & Richard Horie and David Baron.
Next week: Justice League International v1, covering the first six issues of the 2011 series
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Its the week for Serious Deadpool, the aura farmer in chief, The Terminator (not James Cameron's) - Deathstroke. Will he win every fight? (Of course) Will he get paid? (Maybe) Will he learn how to be a good dad? (Absolutely not) These questions and many more are all to be answered in Deathstroke vol 1: Legacy by Kyle Higgins, Joe Bennett and Eduardo Pansica with colours by Jason Wright.
Next week: Green Arrow v1, covering the first six issues of the 2011 series
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Its taken this long but we finally got to one of the most-talked about books of the New 52, Wonder Woman, and we're all very happy for the break with another good book. There's reinventions all round for Diana Prince here, but best of all, there's lots of room for us to get into discussing Greek mythology, where our real enthusiasm sits. Join us going on our own odyssey as we read Wonder Woman vol 1: Blood by Brian Azzarello, Cliff Chiang and Tony Akins with colours by Matthew Wilson.
Next week: Deathstroke v1, covering the first eight issues of the 2011 series
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Somehow we are finally closing off our Batman-led books with the OG and the company namesake, Detective Comics. Now we can wonder no longer as to how it would be if Joker took inspiration from his second favourite Hollywood John Woo flick, and see exactly how he could take his face... off. Also all the rest of the things in the other six issues of the comics. This week we're reading Detective Comics vol 1: Faces of Death by Tony S Daniel with additional art by Szymon Kudranski and colours by Tomeu Morey.
Next week: Wonder Woman v1, covering the first six issues of the 2011 series
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And now we finally come to the end of our green light road, with the final of our four Green Lantern books, with this one all about the Corps and what they get up to. Finally, we can ponder if the militarisation of the Green Lanterns was a good idea, if characterisation should be more important than enhanced interrogation and if its cool to casually throw in celebrations of American war crimes into a superhero comic. Enjoy all this and more as we sign up for Green Lantern Corps vol 1: Fearsome by Peter Tomasi and Fernando Pasarin with additional art by Geraldo Borges and Claude St Aubin and colours by Gabe Eltaeb.
Next week: Detective Comics v1, covering the first seven issues of the 2011 series
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You've heard of Batman, you've heard of Robin, but what if now there was Batman and Robin? And what if there was also a third guy and he was trying to get himself intertwined with the dynamic duo of father and son? These are some of the brave and bold questions raised in this here comic which we are discussing this week in Batman and Robin vol 1: Born to Kill by Peter Tomasi and Pat Gleason with colours by John Kalisz.
Next week: Green Lantern Corps v1, covering the first seven issues of the 2011 series
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Everyone's favourite nuclear transmuter is back and now there's two of him! That's right, its Firestorm (and Firestorm) time, the Nuclear Men are back and much like they're stuck together, we're stuck with them. If high school football and international arms escalation don't make a great pair, then I don't know what they were doing on this book. Let's see if ink can be turned to gold (or to shit) with us in The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men vol 1: God Particle by Ethan Van Sciver, Gail Simone and Yildiray Çinar with colours by Steve Buccellato and Hi-Fi.
Next week: Batman & Robin v1, covering the first eight issues of the 2011 series
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Rounding out the Rot pairing, we have Animal Man aka Buddy Baker and his family coming in this week. Coming from a lineage of Vertigo comics into a fresh body horror take on how much it would suck if you lost your family, we get to go on an adventure into nightmare until things stall out to make sure the editorial vision can align. Let's take a narrative walk together as we devour Animal Man vol 1: The Hunt by Jeff Lemire and Travel Foreman with additional art by John Paul Leon and Steve Pugh and colours by Lovern Kindzierski.
Next week: The Fury of Firestorm: The Nuclear Men v1, covering the first six issues of the 2011 series
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When you think about horror comics or about the artistic highs of Vertigo, you probably think about Swamp Thing. So then its no wonder DC decided to take another swing at Big Green for the New 52, and put their best guys on the case. And now, in turn, we've sent our best scientists out to the marshes to see if the book's actually any good. Come along with us and wade into Swamp Thing vol 1: Raise Them Bones by Scott Snyder, Yanick Paquette and Marco Rudy with additional art by Victor Ibañez and colours by Nathan Fairbairn, David Baron, Val Staples and Lee Loughridge.
Next week: Animal Man v1, covering the first six issues of the 2011 series
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This week its time to check in on everyone's favourite team of bad guys and the bad they do, the Suicide Squad. Can this book live up to the lofty standards of all its media adaptations and strong roots, or is the subtitle for the trade an accurate description of how it feels to read? There's only one way to find out, as we go on a mission with Suicide Squad vol 1: Kicked in the Head by Adam Glass, Federico Dallocchio, Clayton Henry, Andrei Bressan, Cliff Richards and Ig Guara with colours by Val Staples, Hi-Fi and Allan Passalaqua.
Next week: Swamp Thing v1, covering the first seven issues of the 2011 series
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