Matt & Brett Love Comics!

With a retelling of Spider-Man’s origin currently hanging around in theaters, the M&BLC crew decided to read four previous iterations of the web-slingin' wall-crawler’s origin. The tomes discussed are: Amazing Fantasy #15 by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko (1962) Spider-Man: Chapter One #1 by John Byrne (1998) Ultimate Spider-Man #1 by Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley (2000) Ultimate Comics Spider-Man v2 #1 by Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli (2011) How does the Silver Age debut of Spider-Man hold up 50 years after its release? Did anything about John Byrne’s 1998 reboot work? And does Oscorp’s HR packet include an overview of Greek mythology? Find out in this episode! Katey Healy-Wurzburg hosts a monthly show at the Upright Citizens Brigade East Village Theatre called The Fascinator. You can follow her on Twitter at @khealywu. Curtis Retherford writes on his website, curtisretherford.com. Check out his upcoming web series, Quest for an Unknown Planet. Music: “I

Matt and Brett team up to introduce the next book club pick and discuss some of their favorite comic book related summer memories. Because it’s summer. You know that, right? Find out which summer comic event caused Brett to stop breathing and which comic film cheered Matt up after a disaster date! To tie in to this summer’s repeat telling of Spider-Man’s origin, our next book club episode will spotlight four previous retellings from the comics themselves! They are: Amazing Fantasy #15 by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko (1962) Spider-Man: Chapter One #1 by John Byrne (1998) Ultimate Spider-Man #1 by Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley (2000) Ultimate Comics Spider-Man v2 #1 by Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli (2011) Click through to purchase these issues on ComiXology, or if you feel like dropping a rather thick stack of cash for these and many other issues, you can purchase them in the following collections! Music: “Shine A Light” by Apples in Stereo "Summer Memori

Immediately after seeing this summer’s latest reboot, Brett, Katey, Lauren and Sebastian discuss “The Amazing Spider-Man” on the street outside the movie theater. WARNING: Some spoilers and a lot of sighing. Have you seen the movie yet? What did you think? Let us know in the comments, true believers. Excelsior! Music: Theme from Spider-Man: The Animated Series "The Amazing Spider-Man" originally appeared at http://mattandbrettlovecomics.com/podcast/2012/spider-man-movie.html

The show makes its first foray into independent territory, courtesy of Ryan Stegman’s fateful pick. During the trio’s discussion about “The Death-Ray” by Daniel Clowes, they realize that smoking is really awesome (it gives you powers!), the ‘70s were pretty much forgetful, and Brett went through a wicked Everclear phase. Plus, lengthy discussions on the parallels of comedy and comic books, Twitter and careers. This episode is free-wheelin’! You can purchase “The Death-Ray” from Amazon.com. Ryan Stegman is a comic book artist best known for his work on Scarlet Spider and She-Hulks. His work will be featured next on Fantastic Four, alongside writer Jonathan Hickman. You can follow him on Twitter @RyanStegman and Tumblr ryanstegman.tumblr.com. Music: “Second Chance” by Peter Bjorn and John "Ryan Stegman / The Death-Ray (2004)" originally appeared at http://mattandbrettlovecomics.com/podcast/2012/the-death-ray.html

Artist Ryan Stegman has been blowing up at Marvel Comics this year thanks to his work on the runaway hit Scarlet Spider, and he will continue to explode with an upcoming stint on Fantastic Four. Matt and Brett invited Ryan to join the book club and it was a blast. In this chat-filled episode, Ryan tells his secret origin story (involving mysterious headaches and a con-man) and Matt defends the infamous “Clone Saga”! Also briefly introduced is the next book club pick, selected by Mr. Stegman himself. It’s “The Death-Ray” by Daniel Clowes! You can order the book through Amazon. This one comes highly recommended (moreso than the previous pick) so do check it out before listening to next week’s episode! You can follow Ryan Stegmen on Twitter @RyanStegman and see some of his art on ryanstegman.tumblr.com. Part 2 of the interview continues here. Music: “The Only Place” by Best Coast "Ryan Stegman / Con-Man Chiropractor" originally appeared at http://mattand

The show takes a detour from positivity to discuss what can only be referred to as the Birdemic of comic books! Time travel, future ninjas, inexplicable fighting, poor spatial relations, Pottery Barn, what doesn’t this mini-series have? A reason for existing. It doesn’t have a reason for existing. Listen and find out if this mini is so bad it’s… nah, it’s just so bad. But no body-shaming, y'all! This mini-series can be purchased in the trade paperback X-Force: The Legend Returns. As a point of reference, you can read about Birdemic on Wikipedia. Zhubin Parang is a writer for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He can also be seen performing at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre with the sketch team Charlemagne and improvising in the show What I Did For Love. Music: “Take Back the Toys” by The Hives "Zhubin Parang and Nicole Drespel / X-Force v2 #1-6 (2004-2005)" originally appeared at http://mattandbrettlovecomics.com/podcast/2012/birdemic-of-comic-bo

The game has changed. Brett’s pick is not a comic that he loves. It’s not even one he likes. It’s not even one he would recommend, but his morbid curiosity has gotten the best of him. He has picked X-Force vol. 2 #1-6 (2004) by Rob Liefeld – with a dash of Fabian Nicieza! Strap on your shoulder pads, it’s going to be a bumpy ride. Aside from discussing the Liefeld in the room, Matt and Brett touch on everything from Wolverine & the X-Men and Saga (new comics!) to the Avengers (of course!) and TV’s Young Justice. Even Operation: Galactic Storm (blast from the past!) is discussed. For more info on the comic shops mentioned in the episode: Star Clipper (St. Louis, MO) Outer Limits Boro (Murfreesboro, TN) Midtown Comics (New York, NY) The Comic Store (Lancaster, PA) Desert Island (Brooklyn, NY) Young Justice is available on the iTunes Store. Music: “Summertime” by Sex Bob-Omb "The Hustler Gene" originally appeared at http://mattandbrettlovecomics.co

Everything discussed in this episode was way too heavy to be discussed past 11 PM, but the Fearless Foursome — Matt, Brett, Nicole, and Benjamin Apple — did just that. If you’ve been waiting to hear comic book fans and comedians discuss the objectification of women in burlesque, the government’s role in labor unions, nature versus nurture, and intellectual property rights, then this is the show for you! Also: Nicole takes the listeners on a guided tour of all the things that have made Brett cry. All of the above, of course, stem from this week’s comic book pick: The Goon #36-39, by Eric Powell. Issues of The Goon can be purchased digitally on The Dark Horse Comics digital store. You can view the trailer for The Goon animated feature on YouTube here. Benjamin Apple is a writer for the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre sketch team Onassis, who won the 2011 FriSC competition. He’s also a headline contributor for The Onion and appeared in an episode of Gossip Girl. Mu

Matt and Brett thought they were going to just announce Matt’s pick for next week and be done with this episode. They. Thought. WRONG. After introducing The Goon #36-39, by Eric Powell, the duo finds themselves unexpectedly declaring a manifesto for this podcast. All that, plus a sneak peek at the show’s next pick, wicked early! Issues of The Goon can be purchased digitally on The Dark Horse Comics digital store. BONUS: Check out this trailer for The Goon animated feature on YouTube. Music: “Grey Lagoons” by Roxy Music "Hate is Just a List" originally appeared at http://mattandbrettlovecomics.com/podcast/2012/hate-is-a-list.html

It’s part 2 of Matt and Brett and Kevin Hines’s chat with Chris Roberson! We dig in to the origins of iZombie, the one paragraph pitch, what this book had to do with I, Vampire, what Spot’s coming out meant to Brett, asking Mike Allred to do that awesome thing again, and what we all thought of the book (spoiler: it’s pretty great). Chris also takes time to discuss his stance on creator’s rights, why he’s okay walking away from DC, and teases us with announcements for his next projects. Kevin Hines performs at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York every Saturday evening at 7:30pm with The Curfew. He also teaches improv at UCB, and bleeds his thoughts onto the Internet at kevhines.com. Chris Roberson is the writer of iZombie, published by Vertigo/DC Comics, and Memorial, published by IDW. He’s also the author of the novel “Further: Beyond the Threshold” available May 22. Music: “Bang Pop” by Free Energy "Chris Roberson

Matt and Brett are joined by comedian Kevin Hines and their very first industry guest, writer Chris Roberson! Chris is the brilliant writer of the soon-to-be-concluded Vertigo book iZombie and the IDW original series Memorial. In part one the guys discuss the finer side of life in Oregon, taco hunting, where ideas come from, and writing vs. math. Chris also reminds us that if you try to play poker with Bill Willingham, you’re gonna lose. Look for part two later this week. Kevin Hines performs at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York every Saturday evening at 7:30pm with The Curfew. He also teaches improv at UCB, and bleeds his thoughts onto the Internet at kevhines.com. Chris Roberson is the writer of iZombie, published by Vertigo/DC Comics, and Memorial, published by IDW. Music: “Calling All Destroyers” by Tsar Photo of Brett’s Mysterious Moustache by Curtis Retherford "Chris Roberson and Kevin Hines / Monkeys Make Everything Better" originally appeared at http:

Things get all demonically weird with the New Mutants, and we can only think about party planning and Cannonball’s pleasure schedule. Sketch comedian Kathy Salerno joins us and urges listeners to “create their own arenas.” Also, we track how long it takes Nicole to spot a social injustice in our reading, and the answer is either sooner or later than you expect! Also, Ch'od is discussed. Kathy Salerno is a writer for the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre sketch team Fambly, who perform in New York City on the second Monday of every month. She’s also one third of the Scott Snyder approved Watchin' Downton web-series. Music: “Exorcising Demons” by The Features "Kathy Salerno and Nicole Drespel / New Mutants #18-21 (1984)" originally appeared at http://mattandbrettlovecomics.com/podcast/2012/new-mutants.html

Matt, Brett, and a dozen or so of their friends report on their reaction to The Avengers. Recorded in the wee hours of the morning outside a movie theatre in midtown Manhattan. WARNING: Some spoilers and a lot of curse words. Music: “Captain America and the Avengers” by Data East Photo by Curtis Retherford "The Avengers Movie" originally appeared at http://mattandbrettlovecomics.com/podcast/2012/the-avengers-omg.html

Say hello to a triple-sized minisode! Brett reveals his next pick: New Mutants #18-21 by Chris Claremont and Bill Sienkiewicz! Matt joins in and the two discuss the state of the X-Comics in the ‘80s and early '90s. Get ready to have a lot of odd sounding names, numbers and years tossed your way, cause the hosts are talking comics! Also a SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT regarding ol’ M&BLC and the Avengers! Yeah, THOSE Avengers! You have to listen to find out! All that, plus Matt and Brett rattle off the names of the awesome listeners who have thus far made their appreciation known via social media. We appreciate your appreciation! Music: “Gratisfaction” by the Strokes Music Bed: “See You Through” by The Features "Beef: It’s An Awesome Noun" originally appeared at http://mattandbrettlovecomics.com/podcast/2012/beef.html

Nicole Drespel returns just in time to be introduced to Woody, a character that she has extremely strong feelings about. Does this satirical book get the seal of approval from our guest, UCB performer Dru Johnston? What do we think of the goat? And where was Nicole for the last four months? All of that is discussed, plus the comedians step out of their comfort zone and talk about serious racial issues. Fun! Keep this podcast closer than your cheat book. You can see Dru perform at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre every Saturday night with improv team Grandma’s Ashes, and once a month with sketch team Everything Rabbits. Want him to possibly perform at your college? Contact UCB TourCo. Music: “Short Version” by Wild Flag "Dru Johnston and Nicole Drespel / Quantum & Woody #1-5 (1997)" originally appeared at http://mattandbrettlovecomics.com/podcast/2012/quantum-and-woody.html

Matt introduces his pick: Quantum & Woody #1-5 by Christopher Priest and M.D. Bright! Originally published by Acclaim Comics in 1997, it’s completely possible that you missed out on the madcap misadventures of Quantum and Woody. Have no fear, though, for Matt breaks their history down better than a recap page ever could. All that, plus a special political message about an issue plaguing our Internet. Music: “You Say It Too” by Generationals "An Apartment Building Full of Jerks" originally appeared at http://mattandbrettlovecomics.com/podcast/2012/apartment-full-of-jerks.html

This episode brings to light that either Matt or Brett may be a deranged murderer. Don’t worry, they manage to hold back any blood lust just long enough to talk about the truly harrowing experience that is Sandman #14. They’re joined by Rebecca Eisenberg, curator of the Tumblr phenomenon I Spy a Famous Face. She gives some handy advice on how to increase both your Twitter and Tumblr follower count. All this, plus a brief history of Mickey Mouse and the return of Paul Lynde and Fred Schneider. For more of Rebecca, check out I Spy a Famous Face and follow her on Twitter @ryeisenberg. If electronic formats are your thing, this week’s book is also available on Kindle and on comiXology. Music: “Titanic Vandalism” by the Go! Team "Rebecca Eisenberg / Sandman v2 #14 (1990)" originally appeared at http://mattandbrettlovecomics.com/podcast/2012/sandman.html

Brett introduces his next pick: The Sandman #14 by Neil Gaiman and Mike Dringenberg! This single issue is from 1990 and is quite possibly one of the most intense comics Brett has ever read. Is he a wimp? Read it and judge him, mercilessly. If electronic formats are your thing, this week’s book is also available on Kindle and on comiXology. Music: “Simple Song” by The Shins "It Involves Cereal" originally appeared at http://mattandbrettlovecomics.com/podcast/2012/it-involves-cereal.html

We know the entire Internet has already mapped the cast of Peter David’s classic Incredible Hulk run onto the cast of Jersey Shore, but we figured we’d throw our two cents in. We read a pivotal stretch of Hulk issues with comedian Halle Kiefer and could not stop talking about Hulk sex. Seriously, are Betty Banner and Marlo okay? Bike shorts, a ton of nun action, Dr. Geraldo Strange, this episode has it all. And spoiler alert: Gray Hulk is definitely The Situation. For more of Halle, check out her work on VH1’s The FABLife and her “Jersey Shore” recaps for Rolling Stone. And follow her on Twitter @HalleKiefer. Music: “B is For Brutus” by The Hives "Halle Kiefer / Incredible Hulk v2 #370-373,376-377 (1990-1991)" originally appeared at http://mattandbrettlovecomics.com/podcast/2012/hulk-sex.html

Matt introduces his pick: Incredible Hulk #370-373 and #376-377 by Peter David and Dale Keown! Originally published in 1990, these issues present the Hulk as he’s never been seen before… I mean, sorta. Listen and learn: Why are we skipping 374 & 375? Are those creepy metal spiders? Why is Matt not a businessman? The issues are collected in Incredible Hulk Visionaries: Peter David volumes 5 and 6. Haven’t read it? Pick up a copy at your local comic book store or click the covers below to order online. We’ll see you next week! Music: “Weekend” by Smith Westerns "All of The Best (and Worst) of The Hulks and Banners" originally appeared at http://mattandbrettlovecomics.com/podcast/2012/hulks-and-banners.html