Matt & Brett Love Comics!

The return of Kevin Hines! With two Spider-Man mega-fans in one place (Matt and Kevin; Brett is a Spider-Man regular-fan), we had to discuss the radical events of Amazing Spider-Man #698! So, spoilers for that if you haven’t read it. Also spoilers for pretty much every TV show, movie and comic from the last decade. You have been warned. Also discussed: super-heroines as real world politicians, what makes a meaningful comic book death, and Friends (NBC). You can see Kevin perform improv comedy with The Curfew and the Brothers Hines at the UCB Theatres in New York City. You can also follow him on Twitter @kevhines and his comic book thoughts on Tumblr. Our next book club selection is Generation X #1-4 (1994) by Scott Lobdell and Chris Bachalo. The trade paperback collecting these issues, including the team’s origin story, can be purchased on Amazon. The single issues can also be bought for cheap on My Comic Shop. Music: “A Christmas Duel” by The Hives & Cyndi Lauper "Money Can

Grant Morrison and Howard Porter’s DC Comics epic Rock of Ages takes center stage this week, as Matt and Brett guide America Won’t Shut Up co-host Jason Flowers through the comic book wilderness. What does someone who hasn’t cracked a comic book open since Zubaz were cool think of electric Superman, one-handed Aquaman, and the overwhelmingly bizarre (yet awesome) ideas packed into every one of Grant Morrison’s JLA issues? Find out in this episode! Jason Flowers is the co-host of the podcast America Won’t Shut Up. You can find this week’s comics on Comixology or Amazon. Music: “Semi-Charmed Life” by Third Eye Blind "Jason Flowers / JLA #10-15 (1997-1998)" originally appeared at http://mattandbrettlovecomics.com/podcast/2012/jla.html

Paul Montgomery joins the podcast for this episode and talks about his history with iFanboy and their positive brand of comic journalism, as well as extended talk about animation. The trio also discuss the barriers for entry that exist for new fans but don’t come up with any concrete solutions. Whoops! You can follow Paul Montgomery’s online exploits at iFanboy.com as well as @fuzzytypewriter on Twitter. Also check out his podcast, Fuzzy Typewriter. Music: “Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)” by Arcade Fire "Film Students: It Gets Better" originally appeared at http://mattandbrettlovecomics.com/podcast/2012/it-gets-better.html

Things get downright horrific when the gang discusses the Image Comics mini-series Severed, by Scott Snyder, Scott Tuft and Attila Futaki. Equally horrific: the prospect of mothers exposing their unborn children to Backstreet Boys music in the name of science. But is it as scary as a cannibal killer stalking America in 1916, in search of children to eat? You be the judge! Nicole returns just in time for this super scary tale. Our guest is writer Becky Ferreira. Becky recently interviewed the cast of Amazing Spider-Man! Severed #1-7 is available digitally on Comixology and a lovely hardcover can be ordered from Amazon.com. Music: “Garbageman” by The Cramps "Becky Ferreira and Nicole Drespel / Severed #1-7 (2011-2012)" originally appeared at http://mattandbrettlovecomics.com/podcast/2012/severed.html

Matt and Brett converse from two different boroughs in this episode, in the aftermath of hurricane-turned-superstorm Sandy. Both Matt and Brett share their experiences living in New York City in this trying time, and also discuss some of the bigger comic book related news items of the week: Disney acquiring Lucasfilm, Bryan Singer returning to the X-Men franchise, and where they fall in the wider spectrum of concern. They also introduce the next book club pick: Severed #1-7 from Image Comics, by Scott Snyder, Scott Tuft and Attila Futaki. You can pick it up digitally on Comixology and a lovely hardcover can be ordered from Amazon.com. For listeners who want to help, Alex Zalben wrote a handy guide to Hurricane Sandy relief efforts for MTV Geek. Please help out in any way you can. Music: “A Bite Out of My Bed” by the New Pornographers This episode was recorded on Thursday, November 1. Sorry everybody for posting it late, my apartment is still without Internet access! – Ben "We All S

Timmy Wood (writer for iFanboy) returns and brings with him a comic not fit for young audiences! Smoking, sexing, and violencing; writer/artist Darwyn Cooke crams it all into this adaptation of Richard Stark’s The Hunter. You can get The Hunter digitally on Comixology, or you can get the very, very handsome physical copy on Amazon. Timmy Wood is a comedian in New York City as well as a writer for the website iFanboy. For his work on iFanboy, check out Comic Book Job Evaluations and iFlashback. You can follow Timmy on Twitter at @TimmyWood. Music: “The French Song” by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts "Timmy Wood / Richard Stark’s Parker: The Hunter (2009)" originally appeared at http://mattandbrettlovecomics.com/podcast/2012/starks-parker.html

Matt and Brett hit up New York Comic Con last weekend and boy oh boy, did they see a lot of Adventure Time cosplayers and lady Lokis! They also got to talk to some wonderful comic book creators about the comics (and other things) that they love. In this episode: Declan Shalvey talks about the Phalanx Covenant Paolo Rivera talks about The Walking Dead Joe Quinones talks about Empire Strikes Back Ryan Stegman talks about Todd MacFarlane Maris Wicks talks about the pizza tag on Tumblr Mike Norton talks about Blue Beetle and indie comics Corinna Bechko and Gabe Hardman talk about horror comics and “doing it for the money” Tim Chamberlain talks about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Ming Doyle talks about Aquaman Please check out all of our guests' websites and their work at your local comic book shop or local Internet space. Music: “New York City Cops” by The Strokes "New York Comic Con 2012" originally appeared at http://mattandbrettlovecomics.com/podcast/2012/new-york-comic-co

Matt and Brett talk comics with another guy who loves comics, Timmy Wood. Timmy is an improviser in New York City who also happens to write some very funny articles for the comic book website iFanboy. This discussion episode covers everything from Brett’s tenure with Wizard Entertainment to Timmy’s Woody Allen fandom, as well as a story from Matt about the power Mr. Rogers has over people’s emotions. We also introduce next week’s pick, selected by guest Timmy Wood: Richard Stark’s Parker vol. 1: The Hunter by Darwyn Cooke! This leads to a lot of D. Cooke talk, and there’s nothing wrong with that. For Timmy Wood’s work on iFanboy, check out Comic Book Job Evaluations and iFlashback. You can follow Timmy on Twitter at @TimmyWood. To read next week’s pick, check it out on Amazon or on Comixology. To pick apart Brett’s comic book rankings, check out this and this. Music: “Carried Away” by Passion Pit "Timmy Wood / Joss Whedon is a Bad P

In a shocking twist, the guests introduce a comic book to Matt and Brett. Whoah! Things get downright creepy as the foursome tear into the first Locke & Key mini-series by IDW Publishing. The use of the word “tear” was intentional, because Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez have crafted a suspenseful horror story that is possibly the most intense read this podcast has seen. You can read the first mini-series, “Welcome to Lovecraft”, on Comixology or from Amazon. Jeremy Bent can be seen on the improv team Thank You, Robot and in the web-series Quest For An Unknown Planet. Frank Hejl writes and performs with the sketch team Onassis. They are both members of Bucky, an improv team at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. Music: “Everlasting Light” by the Black Keys "Jeremy Bent and Frank Hejl / Locke & Key #1-6 (2008)" originally appeared at http://mattandbrettlovecomics.com/podcast/2012/locke-and-key.html

Matt & Brett Love Comics! in association with Left Handed Radio present The Sequel Machine. Every month, The Sequel Machine recruits 25 writers to write the sequels for film’s biggest franchises one page at a time. The catch is, the writers only get to read the page before theirs in a round-robin, exquisite corpse style. The end result is a hilarious, twisted, and as coherent as any misquided Hollywood sequel. This month: Dark Knight 4. Opening act: Katey Healy-Wurzburg Performed by: Adam Bozarth, Dan Chamberlain, Matt Little, Anna Rubanova, Jeremy Bent, Michael Hartney, Kevin Hines, Jim Santangeli, and Brett White Written by: Adam Bozarth, Brett White, Anna Rubanova, Dave Bluvband, John Freiler, Taylor Moore, Katey Healy-Wurzburg, John Timothy, Matt Little, Lee Rubenstein, Jason Saenz, Mike Scollins, Matt Braunsdorf, Brandon Gulya, Benjamin Apple, Daniel Mirk, Erik Tanouye, Kirk Damato, Chris Principe, Alex Zalben, Matt Mayer, Jon Gabrus, Justin Tyler, and Joe Berkowitz Script produced by Bre

It’s time to talk comics, and boy oh boy do Matt and Brett cover a lot of them in this week’s discussion. Hulk: Season One, Incredible Hulk, Daredevil, Gotham Central and Year Ones both Robin and Batgirl. Plus an extensive shout out to colorist extraordinaire Jordie Bellaire and a special drop-in by next week’s guest, Frank Hejl! Next week we’ll be talking about IDW Publishing’s Locke & Key by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriquez. The first volume is titled “Welcome to Lovecraft”; you can get it on Amazon or on Comixology. Music: “All Arise!” by the Decemberists "Renaissance of the Colorist" originally appeared at http://mattandbrettlovecomics.com/podcast/2012/renaissance-of-the-colorist.html

We’re joined by actor/sketch comedian/Hanes-appointed Grillmaster Michael Hartney as we dive into the time-twisting antics of Deadpool #11 and Amazing Spider-Man #47. How do two issues published 30 years apart relate to each other? Listen to find out! Or look it up on Wikipedia! Or listen to last week’s episode! It’s not a huge secret. Warning: the contents of Deadpool #11 were hilarious enough to warrant numerous staged readings. In addition to being a hilarious comedian, Michael Hartney is arguably the world’s biggest Superman fan, and leads us into our first discussion of the Man of Steel. It’s in-depth! Deadpool v2 #11 by Joe Kelly and Pete Woods is available in digital format on Comixology or collected with Amazing Spider-Man #47 by Stan Lee and John Romita in Deadpool Classic v3, available on Amazon. Michael Hartney performs with sketch team The Prom at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York City on the second Monday of every month. He can also be seen in

Live from Panera Bread, it’s Matt & Brett Love Comics! This week, Matt & Brett discuss the personal importance of next week’s book club pick: Deadpool #11 and Amazing Spider-Man #47; the perks of having a spreadsheet for your comics collection; saying something is funny vs. the thing actually being funny; where the line is drawn between couponing and hoarding; and the first creative teams they followed. All that and busy restaurant noise await within. Make thee with the clickery! You can order this issue of Deadpool from Amazon or download at Comixology. Music: “Life Is Long” by David Byrne & Brian Eno "Organized Hoarding" originally appeared at http://mattandbrettlovecomics.com/podcast/2012/organized-hoarding.html

Things get cute and cuddly this week as Matt, Brett, and guests Kelly Hudson and Alan Starzinski discuss We3! And by “cute” and “cuddly” we mean “heart-breaking” and “extremely violent.” Along with serious discussions about free will, find out which podcasters are dog people, which are cat people, and which one is a rabbit person (none of this is literal). Also both Alan and Kelly were on the AMC series Comic Book Men so… you know we had to talk about that. The modern Vertigo/DC Comics classic We3, by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely, can be purchased online on Comixology and Amazon. Alan Starzinski is a performer at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York City. You can see him improvise with his team Sandino at Harold Night and in their own show, Unsolved Mysteries. Kelly Hudson is an editor for College Humor as well as a performer on the Upright Citizens Brigade sketch team Beige. You can watch her in the webseries Rejected Pitches, par

Apologies for being late with the show this week. Family vacations, y'all! Matt and Brett flirt briefly with turning this into a podcast exclusively about The Real World before diving into the meat of the show: Rob Liefeld and Phil Donahue. Okay, that’s just one thing discussed, but your interest is totally piqued now? The next book club pick will be 2004 Vertigo mini-series We3 by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. The series can be purchased either through Amazon or Comixology. Correction Timothy Green II drew the Annihilation: Conquest - Starlord series. Music: “Michael and the Slipper Tree” by The Equals "I’m Mad About A Lot Of Things" originally appeared at http://mattandbrettlovecomics.com/podcast/2012/mad-about-things.html

Step inside The Cone of Truth, where Matt and Brett have been joined by Nicole and the always awesome Kelly Sue DeConnick. Things get truthy about all of Kelly Sue’s current and upcoming projects, including the just-released Captain Marvel #2, the just-announced Avengers Assemble, and the just-Tumblr’d Ninja Princess Zombie Rockstar. This week we discuss Kelly Sue’s pick, Planetary, and try to wrap our brains the mad, mad genius that is Warren Ellis. Also, a shout out to Olympic Cards & Comics in Lacey, WA. You can find Planetary #1-6 by Warren Ellis and John Cassaday on Comixology or Amazon. Kelly Sue DeConnick’s work can be seen monthly in Captain Marvel and other fine comics. You can follow her on Twitter and Tumblr. Music: “Intergalactic” by The Beastie Boys "Kelly Sue DeConnick and Nicole Drespel / Planetary #1-6 (1999)" originally appeared at http://mattandbrettlovecomics.com/podcast/2012/planetary.html

We take a break from our regular schtick to bring you something special: Matt & Brett Love Comics! in association with Left Handed Radio present The Sequel Machine. The Sequel Machine recruits 24 writers to write the sequels for film’s biggest franchises, one page at a time. The catch: the writers only get to read the page before theirs in a round-robin, exquisite corpse style. The end result is hilarious, twisted, and about as coherent as any other misguided Hollywood sequel. This is Spider-Man 4. Written by: Brett White, Aaron Burdette, Frank Hejl, Anna Rubanova, Adam Bozarth, Jason Saenz, Taylor Moore, Dan Chamberlain, Beth Appel, Ben Stadler, Ari Scott, Kerry McGuire, Mike Scollins, Dru Johnston, Katey Healy-Wurzburg, John Freiler, Jon Bershad, Chris Schell, Chris Wilkes, Dave Bluvband, Kevin Hines, Will Hines, Erik Tanouye, and Matt Little. Performed live by: Jeremy Bent, Adam Bozarth, Aaron Burdette, Dan Chamberlain, Matt Little, Taylor Moore, Cathryn Mudon, Anna Rubanova, and Brett

Things get spooky this week, though it has less to do with The Night Things and more to do with the tales told by this week’s guest, sketch comedy writer Kerry McGuire. Actually, not “spooky” so much as dark. We discuss Nicole’s pick, the first Courtney Crumrin series from Oni Press. The book inspires a little bit of talk about childhood alienation and a lot of talk about pupils. Eye pupils. Newly colored versions of Courtney Crumrin & The Night Things #1-4 can be found on Comixology and on Amazon. Kerry McGuire is a writer for the sketch comedy team Charlemagne, who perform in New York City as part of Maude Night at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. Music: “Good Ol' Fashion Nightmare” by Matt & Kim "Kerry McGuire and Nicole Drespel / Courtney Crumrin & The Night Things" originally appeared at http://mattandbrettlovecomics.com/podcast/2012/night-things.html

There’s a lot of business to cover in this episode! Up first: Nicole makes her first pick! We’ll be reading Courtney Crumrin & The Night Things #1-4 by Ted Naifeh, from Oni Press. Download it from Comixology where the first issue is available for free! Next, Matt and Brett reveal the top secret show they’ve been working on for the past few months: SPIDER-MAN 4! Matt, Brett, and 22 other comedians created a half hour Spider-Man screenplay in a round-robin, exquisite corpse writing project. On Thursday, August 2nd, the podcasts Left Handed Radio and Matt & Brett Love Comics present a special one-time-only performance of the darkest, sexiest, best movie you’ll never see. Spider-Man 4 is happening at 7:30 PM on Thursday, August 2nd, at UCB Theatre East in New York City. Reserve your tickets now! Then, Matt and Brett introduce Nicole to Marvel NOW! and get her perspective. Which books sound interesting? What’s the difference between a reboot and a relaunch? What u

Matt and Brett are joined by the absolutely awesome Kelly Sue DeConnick. Kelly Sue joined us on the day that the first issue of Captain Marvel, her new ongoing title from Marvel Comics, was released. In addition to some Captain Marvel talk, we discuss Kelly Sue’s upcoming collaboration with artist Emma Rios on the series Pretty Deadly for Image Comics, as well as Kelly Sue’s history with writing, acting and improv comedy. We also discuss the Kelly Sue’s pick for our next episode, Planetary #1-6 by Warren Ellis and John Cassaday. Get a copy of those issues on Comixology or on Amazon, because if you haven’t read Planetary then you are missing out! Keep up with Kelly Sue DeConnick at kellysue.com and follow @kellysue on Twitter. Music: “Zero” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Kelly Sue DeConnick / Some Kind of Cosmic Coffeeshop" originally appeared at http://mattandbrettlovecomics.com/podcast/2012/cosmic-coffeeshop.html