Today, on a Very Special Episode of Truth, Beauty, Comics we switch up the format to Truth, Beauty, Holiday TV Specials and discuss the 1973 cartoon, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. (It's highly comics-adjacent so we thought we could get away with it.) It's our own Thanksgiving Special so curl up with a huge bowl of gravy and a generous helping of turkey and enjoy!

Tintin joins Professor Alembic on a trip to the kingdom of Syldavia to study their royal seals as a guest of King Ottokar. But a mysterious group has taken a sinister interest in their trip. Tintin races across the landscape of Eastern Europe, trying to stay one step ahead of foreign agents and conspirators, so he can save the throne of Syldavia from a foreign coup. In a story that reflects the deteriorating politics of Europe before WWII, Herge will introduce a vivid recurring character that appears in future adventures: The Kingdom Of Syldavia. You can find King Ottokar's Sceptre on Amazon.

Ichigo has always been able to see ghosts but after he meets Rukia, a member of the mysterious Soul Society, he is inducted into the order and becomes a Soul Reaper. Now he’s got to hunt evil spirits, called Hollows, protect his friends and family, and attend high school and keep his grades up. It’s Tite Kubo’s hit manga Bleach with over 130 million copies in circulation and we're talking about it today on the podcast. We're discussing volumes 1 and 2 from the 3-in-1 collection: Death & Strawberry and Goodbye Parakeet, Good Night my Sista.

Following the trail of a mysterious airplane, Tintin crosses the channel into the United Kingdom. Chased by the police and organized crime, Tintin has his hands full solving the mystery before he runs out of time. He’ll make his way up the length of the isle until finally reaching Scotland and the deadly Black Island. In a story that was drawn and redrawn three times by Herge over thirty years, is the third time the charm? Felix and Levi discuss this classic early Tintin Adventure on today's podcast.

Valiant is no longer a boy, but he still is not a man. He’s had his first taste of love, which ended in heartbreak, and now he returns to Camelot with the hope of becoming a knight. When Saxons invade, how will Val react? And what will happen when the young man encounters a perfect kingdom with a death wish? Felix and Levi discuss it on the podcast today. As in the previous episodes, we'll be starting with the last strips of Volume 1 of the Fantagraphics Collection which covers the years 1937-1938 of the strip and then mostly Volume 2, which covers the years 1938-1939.

A South American idol is stolen from a local museum and Tintin is on the case. The idol itself isn’t valuable so why are so many people hunting for it? The trail leads Tintin to South America, through a revolution, into the deep jungle and finally back to Europe for the surprising conclusion. It’s Tintin and the Broken Ear, a macguffin-chasing, globe-spanning mystery that could have been written by Dashiell Hammett. Felix and Levi discuss this early adventure on today's episode. We are reading from the Edgemont edition which can be found on Amazon.

The young Prince Valiant has left the swamps where he explored as a boy and has ventured out into the wider world. He will meet with brave knights, powerful sorcerers, and, most frightening of all, a beautiful young woman! Along the way he’ll encounter adventure and tragedy as his horizons expand across England and beyond. Levi and Felix will chat about all this on today's episode. As in the previous episode, we'll be reading from Volume 1 of the Fantagraphics Collection which covers the years 1937-1938 of the strip.

Universally acclaimed as the most stunningly gorgeous adventure comic strip of all time, Prince Valiant ran for 35 years under the virtuoso pen of its creator, Hal Foster. It tells the story of a young prince and his adventures in King Arthur's England and beyond. Today we're joined by illustrator and author, Jordan Holt to discuss the beginnings of the medieval adventurer Val as found in Volume 1 of the Fantagraphics Collection which covers the years 1937-1938 of the strip.    

Today we cover the final three issues in the first volume of Jeff Smith's Bone, Out from Boneville. Our cast of characters is complete as Phoney and Fone are reunited with Smiley and we meet Lucius Down, the owner of Barralhaven Tavern--while on the borders of the forest a sinister hooded figure has taken an interest in Phoney Bone, "The One who Bears the Star". We're reading from the One Volume, Black and White edition.

Today we cover the second two issues in Jeff Smith's Bone. We're introduced to Thorn, Grandma Ben, and Phoney Bone returns to be a butt-head. We're reading from the One Volume, Black and White edition.

Today on the podcast we discuss a favorite: Jeff Smith's Bone. In this episode we look at the first issue of what has been called, "the best all-ages graphic novel yet published".  We're reading from the One Volume, Black and White edition.

For our last Fantastic Four podcast we jump forward fifty years to a modern run of the comic, specifically Jonathan Hickman's widely respected time with the characters. We're specifically discussing the "Solve Everything" arc, beginning in issue #570 and illustrated by Dale Eaglesham.   We're reading from Fantastic Four, the Complete Collection Vol 1 by Jonathan Hickman.

Today we discuss, the comic arc hailed as "The Pinnacle of the Silver Age", The Galactus Trilogy by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, where we meet classic characters like the Silver Surfer for the first time. The Fantastic Four and Marvel Comic dip their toe into cosmic horror and make comics history. But is this comic worthy of its high reputation? Felix and Levi give the definitive answer on Truth, Beauty, Comics. The Galactus Trilogy is available for purchase on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Fantastic-Four-Epic-Collection-Galactus/dp/130295041X/

On today's episode Felix and Levi look at the first appearance of the iconic villains: Dr. Doom and Namor, the Sub-Mariner. What makes a good antagonist and what explains the staying power of these two? Watch the podcast on Youtube: https://youtu.be/4kkcCAEcwjA

Felix and Levi discuss the breakthrough 1961 Marvel comic, Fantastic Four #1 by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee. It was a bestseller and a breakthrough in its day but how does it hold up?

George Herriman had a secret identity, one that could have lost him his job, his reputation, and even his home. Did Herriman plant hints about his secret, or are people just reading too much into the madcap adventures of a black cat and a white mouse? Felix and Levi discuss Herriman and his work today on the podcast.    

Felix and Levi tackle the mysterious and celebrated Krazy Kat by George Herriman, particularly the Sunday strips from 1916-1918. We're reading from the George Herriman Library 1916-1918, available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/George-Herriman-Library-Ignatz-1916-1918/dp/1683962559/

Finally we get to Herge's first masterpiece: Tintin and the Blue Lotus. On this episode Felix and Levi break down Tintin's classic adventure in China as the story that began in Cigars of the Pharaoh comes to a conclusion.   Tintin and the Blue Lotus is available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Lotus-Adventures-Tintin/dp/0316358568   Patreon notes: https://www.patreon.com/posts/tintin-and-blue-125373183?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link  

Finally we get to one of the good Tintin Adventures by Herge: Cigars of the Pharaoh. Felix and Levi discuss this first classic Tintin adventure. You can find Cigars of the Pharaoh on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tintin-Cigars-Pharaoh-Herge/dp/1405206152   Patreon notes: https://www.patreon.com/posts/tintin-and-of-125372646?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link    

Felix and Levi tackle some of the more controversial Tintin adventures, Tintin in the Congo and Tintin in America. Are the stories nothing but racism or are their redeeming qualities. You can find these stories on Amazon: - Tintin in the Congo: https://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Tintin-vol-Soviets-Congo/dp/1405228946/- Tintin in America: https://www.amazon.com/Tintin-America-Adventures-Herge/dp/1405206144/   Patreon notes: https://www.patreon.com/posts/tintin-in-congo-125371596?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link