Podcast! The Comics

This week, the boys recorded the episode within minutes of getting home from seeing a taping of WWE Smackdown, which was actually a really fun night out.  Both Brandon and James got exactly what they wanted out of it: for Brandon, it was cheap location-based heat; for James, it was Daniel Bryan being awesome.  In between making jokes about the event and a select few attendees, the boys also reminisce on the things that worked, what surprised them and how the live venue adds a surprising amount of depth to the experience that TV doesn't have.  Also, when you're there you don't have to actually listen to Michael Cole speak.

After this, the boys talk about the new Arrested Development episodes that went up on Netflix this last weekend.  While some fans have been put off by the difference between the new episodes and the first three seasons from years ago, Brandon and James talk about how the series builds as you watch through the episodes, and how the show is smart to take a very different, very ambitious narrative approach.  Finally, I guess they talk about comics.  Guess what: you should be reading DaredevilYoung Avengers and Journey Into Mystery.  Seriously, get on it.

Direct download: Podcast_The_Comics_-_Episode_72.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:31am MDT

This week, the boys catch up after James was away in Ottawa for a week attending a bachelor party.  They catch up on each other's weekends, Brandon's traumatic childhood at a Scouts Jamboree, Doctor Who, the new post-iCarly-and-Victorious TV series and, of course, comics.

NOTE: The boys discuss the Doctor Who Series 7 finale, "The Name of the Doctor," including spoilers.  If you haven't watched the episode yet, skip from 19:50 to 30:00 in the episode.

Direct download: Podcast_The_Comics_-_Episode_71.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:03pm MDT

This week, the boys don't have much to report from their weekends, since Brandon just furthered his drinking problem and James spent it sick and not eating.  They do, however, have some TV to talk about, because they both watched the most recent Doctor Who episode and James got Brandon to watch the season premiere of Game of Thrones and then bit his tongue for an hour and then 10 minutes of the podcast trying not to ruin anything for him.  A quick post-mortem on the TV networks' 2013/14 fall season announcements from last friday (RIP Happy Endings, we'll see you at the crossroads, homie) leads, naturally, to a discussion of something the boys are passionate about: 90s family television (seriously, watch Brink on YouTube) and Everwood.

Ah, Everwood.  I bet you thought we'd run out of things to say about it, didn't you?  YOU'D BE WRONG.

Finally, I guess comics or something.  

Direct download: Podcast_The_Comics_-_Episode_70.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:38am MDT

This week, the boys talk about why they liked Iron Man 3 so much, which includes but isn't limited to the fact that Happy EndingsAdam Pally has a guest appearance.  Speaking of Happy Endings, they talk about the show's final two episodes of the season, from their favourite scenes to some Arrested Development-esque callbacks and the show's future.

Finally, the boys talk about Excused hahahaha of course they do, but seriously: this last weekend was Free Comic Book Day, and they discuss some of their favourite FCBD releases and one especially bad one, namely the Bleeding Cool guide to making money from market speculation.  Surprising no one, C!TB isn't a fan of that attitude, and Brandon told Rich Johnston as much on the weekend.  They dig into that here, and why it's so problematic from the viewpoint of people who like comics and want as many people as possible to read them.

Direct download: Podcast_The_Comics_-_Episode_69.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:51am MDT

This week, the boys start off with a bit of anger at the ongoing frustrations with the Calgary Comics and Entertainment Expo, explaining their takes on some of the flaws of the PR/media approach, the actual operation (including actual physical violence from convention staff) and issues of focus.  Moving on from there, they eulogize the dearly departed ComicsAlliance, which had its plug pulled this week by its parent company AOL in a move defying common sense or courtesy.  ComicsAlliance was a big influence on C!TB, and the boys describe it as the comics internet's lighthouse, providing a shining example of what exactly a comics website can and should be.  They send their sincere well wishes to Joe, Andy, Caleb, Chris and all the rest, and thanks for everything they did.

Moving on into more positive commentary, James talks about the shockingly smart and sly Pain & Gain - that's right, Michael Bay made a good movie! - and the boys watch a few episodes of Regular Show before diving into some comics talk for the week, including one very pretty comic with a bad script and a whole lot of purely amazing comics.

Direct download: Podcast_The_Comics_-_Episode_68.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:17am MDT

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