Bethany Kesler on Comics Origins, Batman Fandom, and Favorite Creators

So ladies and gentlemen TFG1 Mike here and apparently

I do not do well with math As of this episode,

we are now in the 450s for The Pull Bag because

I looked at our Spreaker feed and everything

that we have on it over the last eight years

says we are at 454 episodes for The Pull Bag.

So even though during this episode I mentioned

that it's episode 430, it is not. It is actually

episode 455. That's right folks 455 we are staying

alive here inside the pull bag Now on with the

show. Hey, this is Josh Keaton and you are listening

to the geek cast radio network This is writer

Kyle Higgins and you've jumped inside the pull

bag only on the geek cast radio network. This

is Kevin Conroy And I am the goddamn Batman.

You've just jumped inside the pull bag. Join

TFG1 Mike and the rest of the comic crew here

at the GCRN as they make their great escape into

comics. From DC, Marvel, and Image to IDW, Bloom

Studios, and Xenoscope, we have everything right

here. We cover things like Transformers, He -Man,

Super Heroes, TMNT, and Radiant Black. Yeah,

we have all that and so much more. It's all inside

the pull bag here on the Geekcast Radio Network.

So, without further ado, it's time to talk about

the comics we're reading right now, here inside

the pull bag. What about you, Batman? I'm not

really a people person. But when you need help,

and you will, call me. Alrighty, let's start

this show before anything else happens. Heaven

forbid. I swear I'm cursed. It's it's curses

Brilliant. Oh and welcome to the pull bag only

on the geek cast radio network. This is episode

430 that's right folks for 30 episodes and I

am your host tfg on Mike joining me is One of

the other BAM crew members It is a Bethany Kessler

from the fortress of bailey -tude Superman and

Lois tapes. Hi Bethany. How are you? Hi, Mike.

I'm good. I'm happy to be here today. Yay. Bethany,

folks, is the... Actually, I've actually had

all three of you on now because Mike was on years

and years and years ago when I first started

the Pullback Origins. Of course, the way we started

out Mike's episode was... The dark hidden fact

is I was secretly a Batman fan first. I was going

to say, I don't know if there's a dark secret,

you know, origin to mine, really. Well, we will

find out because you're going to go through the

same 25 questions everybody else has been going

through. We are 70 episodes away from the 500th

episode, folks. I don't know if I can make it

though Not sure Yeah It's like usually my my

opening ritual before anyone hears, you know,

hello and welcome to whatever show I do I usually

go Wake up wake up wake up every time I do it

when I'm recording with Alice and she's like

you can do it Oh lord. Alright. Did you grow

up reading comics and at what age do you first

remember reading or noticing comics? I did not

grow up reading comics. I kind of experimented

here and there with comics as my parents, like

my mom really tried hard to have girly girls.

God bless her, she tried hard. A couple of my

first comics were some Captain America comics,

and then there was one of the issues of the Dark

Horse, Heir to the Empire comics. It was one

of the ones from the second book, which the title

is escaping me now. So yeah, I didn't really

grow up reading comics. I would read anything

I could get my hands on but my my dad didn't

have his comic collection at our house. It was

still at his dad's house and Mom was mostly focused

on just making sure we were like still alive

and not killing ourselves Side note, the miracle

of my childhood is that I lived to see my adolescence

and the miracle of my adolescence is that my

sister and I didn't murder each other during

it because we hit teenagerhood like within two

years of each other and that was a very interesting

time. But no, I kind of fell into comics because

I was looking for something else to read and

kind of tripped over, like, scans daily back

in the good old live journal days. And the fact

that they're the good old live journal days just,

you know, makes me want to crumble into dust

and walk into the sea. Yes, we are old folks.

What's your ICQ number? Surprisingly, surprisingly,

I missed ICQ. Me too. I just heard I've just

heard about it. I mean, my dad would use it all

the time. So I knew what it was out of passing

familiarity with it. But I was not allowed to

have my own ICQ account because, you know, the

internet is scary and you know there are axe

murderers behind every corner. Which is really

funny because you know at a certain point I had

to point out to a couple of my relatives going

you know there's more likelihood that I'm gonna

run into an axe murderer that from someone that

I've actually known in real life than I am to

find one on the internet. Damn. Well, folks,

I think we've figured out Bethany's Batman origin.

Whoo, that was dark. Actually, my Batman origin

didn't start with comics. Let me guess. Let me

guess. Adam West. My Batman origin started with

Adam West. I have seen and to this day, he is

Batman. There is no other Batman. All else are

pretenders. Except for Kevin Conroy, because

we give him, because he's the animated Batman.

And we make allowances for animated versus live

action. But no, there is one Batman, there's

only one Batman. And that Batman is Adam West.

And I will fight anyone who tries to tell me

differently. So it's uh, but no I've seen every

episode of that show multiple times I I Love

what they did with it. I love the way that we

got to see like, you know How how everything

comes back to world peace, you know? Lessons

world peace piano lessons world peace, you know

knowing how to do geometry correctly world peace

And then just you just you don't get enough of

like Burgess Meredith and Cesar Romero and God

Earth a kid man like Send me to the moon. I was

in heaven So yeah, that was those my Batman origin

story because I saw I'd seen all of those well

before the animated series even started and then

animated series started I was like, oh my god.

Yes And I was like, it doesn't sound the same,

but they have a Joker that's more or less kind

of what I wanted, so... Yes, this should tell

you. I kind of hate every other portrayal of

Joker except for Mark Hamill and Cesar Romero.

Okay, now let me ask you this, only because I'm

watching one of the special features on one of

the Warner Brothers YouTube channels. You really

hate Heath Ledger's Joker, really? Yeah. Yeah,

I mean why I just Jokers oh Interesting character.

Mm -hmm. I Love what Cesar Romero did for it.

And again, I fully admit that I am totally biased

because the 1966 series got to me before anybody

else good But The way that Caesar Romero approached

it and the way that Mark Hamill approached it.

They were all I mean, he's a bad guy but they

didn't take it to the huge extremes that every

other Joker has and I mean And I'm really and

and I'm not exceptionally thrilled with some

of the ways they've taken that particular character

in comics I just, I, you know, there's, there's

different things you could have done with him

and the way they kind of went with him is lazy

writing and a failure of imagination. Um, in

a lot of cases, which I realized that is a controversial

opinion. Um, but you know what? Fight me. Uh,

as Bailey will tell you, I have no fear. Uh,

I can tell by the picture the three of you had

taken at Dragon Con. And I love how in that picture,

Allison is the only one of us who actually looks

like she has her stuff together. Bailey's exhausted.

I'm just sitting there like smiling like a loon

and Allison's just like the chillest one out

of all of us. real life. This was a very accurate

picture. Also, especially if you listen to our

post -Dragon Con episode about my controversial

Superman opinions, I have no fear. Oh, boy. You

have controversial Superman opinions on a Superman

podcast? Uh -oh. Especially with Bailey? Oh,

boy. That's like stepping into fire. Yeah, yeah,

yeah, I actually got challenged to a couple of

duels over those opinions actually. Oh boy. It

was kind of fun. Can't wait to hear that because

as of this recording, I don't think it's out

yet. Oh, yes. Yes, you'll enjoy that one because

especially you'll get to the point and you're

just like, wait, you said what? I'm like, I'm

gonna need to rewind it. What did you say? Yeah.

Out loud? Where people could hear you? Are you

sure about this? Are you sure you want to go

down this road? So So yeah But no, I mean, yeah,

I just yeah, I know if it's not I mean I will

give credit that the Heath Ledger Joker Was exceptionally

good. Mm -hmm Even if that's not, to put it in

Doctor Who terms, it's not my Joker, but then

again, that's also not my universe, because...

Shrinkville. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, one of

the reasons why I like that movie so much...

is because of Heath, and it's because of where

I first saw Heath. So going from the 2008, what

was Dark Knight, going from 1999 playing Patrick

Verona on 10 Things I Hate About You, to playing

the Joker, I mean... Patrick Verona. I see we're

making our visits a weekly ritual. Only so we

can have these moments together. Should I, uh,

hit the lights? Oh, very clever, kangaroo boy.

It says here you exposed yourself in the cafeteria.

I was joking with the lunch lady. It was a bratwurst.

Bratwurst? Aren't we the optimist? Next time,

keep it in your pouch. Okay? Let's go! So what

do you got for me? A little insight to a very

complicated girl. Excuse me. Just one question

before we start. Should you be drinking alcohol

when you don't have a liver? What? Nothing. Nothing.

All right. First thing, Kat hates smokers. So

you're telling me I'm a non -smoker? Yes. Well,

just for now. And here's another problem. Bianca

said that Kat likes pretty guys. Are you telling

me I'm not a pretty guy? He's very pretty. He's

a gorgeous guy. I just wasn't sure. I didn't

know. All right. Yeah, okay. Here's this. Likes.

Thai food, feminist prose, and angry girl music

of the indie rock persuasion. Here's a list of

CDs if she has none. So I'm supposed to buy us

some noodles and a book and sit around listening

to chicks who can't play their instruments, right?

Have you ever been to Club Skunk? Your favorite

band's playing there tomorrow night. I Can't

be seen at Club Skunk. All right, but she'll

be there. She's got tickets a sale your ears

for one night Why so serious to opposite ends

of the acting spectrum? Oh, yeah, and the fact

and I have this I have this picture on Facebook

somewhere And the fact that you have not only

you have Robin and Joker in the 10 things movie,

because Joseph Gordon Levitt would eventually

be. John Blake, a pseudo Robin, a fake Robin.

Anyway. Holy rusted metal, Batman. Holy guacamole,

Batman. That's right. Yeah, there will be points

where I'll just be like. Holy something about

it and people would just turn around at me and

go what? Except for Joe Crow from the sci -fi

classics track who will just cackle Yeah, I think

I said this in my email to to you guys I said

Wow. I can actually feel like Bethany is like

right behind me with her either rage or emotion

over whatever, whatever it was in that episode

that I had responded to about Superman, like

whatever you were excited about or whatever.

And I'm like, holy crap, it's like she's in the

room right next to me. Okay. The age old question,

DC or Marvel? Well Because part of that depends

Well, this is a comic book podcast so I really

hope it doesn't depends on much I mean DC has

always been my first love. I have been a Batman

person and I have been a fan of like Batman and...

Which then we had our orchestra in Budapest,

Hungary play... Then I thought well, it's 80

years of more than 80 years of superhero themes.

Let's get Superman in there Let's get Danny Elfman's

Batman And some more surprises Superman to a

certain extent even though I was more a fan of

Lex Luthor, but that's because you know I I can

I admire the gumption that it takes for Lex Luthor

to do what he does in the face of Superman. Especially

the animated Lex Luthor. Oh, yeah. Because the

animated Lex Luthor, he just, you know, that

was just, you know, chef's kiss. Technical difficulties.

Let's move on, shall we? I don't know. Batman

has had my whole heart for the longest time.

So. Between DC and Marvel, DC is gonna win. I

mean, there was a point after the whole Jason

Todd thing where I broke up with DC for a bit

and fell in love with Captain America and Iron

Man and kind of all the shenanigans. I'm one

of those few people who actually kind of Liked

what they were trying to do with the 2006 civil

war Which again again, you know this you know,

I could do an entire podcast on on Bethany and

her controversial comics opinions Ladies and

gentlemen episode 499 of the podcast is set Did

come back I came back to to to Batman and I came

back to DC and it's just DC's kind of always

been my home, you know, it's it's always been

there and To to a certain extent they have not

done the things to me that Marvel has tried to

do to me And So, yeah, so yeah if it comes down

to DC versus Marvel, it's gonna be DC For me,

it always comes down to characters. It's not

necessarily a company loyalty. When we first

started this podcast eight and a half years ago,

episode three, my buddy Steve and I basically

ran through the questions together that I had

back then, and I said the same thing eight years

ago. For me, it's always about characters. It

isn't about a... Certain side of either company.

Yeah, you know Batman on DC side Batgirl Nightwing

Tim Drake You know that kind of stuff and then

Marvel with Iron Man and and again, you know

the 90s with spider -man and x -men and and all

that You know the cartoons made me want to read

the comics. I wasn't really Deep into comics

in the 90s. So it was more the cartoons Apparently

Bucky and his train are riding down my street

Well, and it's like I mean It's it's there's

some stuff like like yeah cuz it all comes down

to characters and it all comes down to because

it's a big character thing like I You know It's

always come down to Batman for me. It always

comes down to what your portrayal of Bruce Wayne

is like And kind of the liberties you take with

kind of some of the shenanigans. Now you wanna

get nuts? Come on, let's get nuts. And hilariously,

my favorite Robin is Jason Todd. Because as someone

pointed out, I am Tim Drake, so yeah. Which,

you know, legit, that is an accurate portrayal

of... Especially me in college that was that

that was that was accurate But no, I I like and

I like Batman because Batman is not superpowered

Right. Well, I mean, let's say I say He doesn't

hate vision. He doesn't have yeah. Yeah. I mean

ours being really stupid rich Well, you know

that and and I'll put this right here as Kevin

Conroy always says and I am the goddamn Batman.

Yes So put that there I mean, yeah, I mean Batman's

superpower is his intelligence. It's his my it's

everything He's the world's greatest detective.

Mm -hmm. Yeah, and and it's beautiful to watch

and it's gorgeous to try and see the different

things that they That they come up with and I

mean And I mean the only one better than him

is Alfred and the only one better than both of

them is Tim Drake and it's just So how'd you

do Batman's voice precise muscle control? Plus

I have a pretty good ear Don't do that again.

I love the the the bat fam is is is pretty much

where, like I said, that's my heart, that's my

soul. However, I really loved, I mean, on the

Marvel side, it was always Steve Rogers. It was

Steve Rogers, and it was Tony Stark, and the

Howling Commandos. I was that person who... Legit

when the first venture came out people were absolutely

to a lot of my comics friends were absolutely

terrified Because they're like, okay, you're

gonna see this and if this sucks Everyone will

know because no one will be able to not hear

the screaming Language think we lost element

of surprise No one else is gonna deal with the

fact the cap just said language I know and for

gosh sake watch your language that's not going

away anytime soon and I think like I said earlier

folks when she was screaming on on the podcast

on superman lowest apes I'm like holy crap that

just like I had to like side eye behind me I'm

like is she like behind me like literally I I

do not have the ability to astral project myself

yet. Yeah, yet is the key word there. But no,

I mean, I am a very tiny person. Like I'm 5 '2

in sneakers. So, you know, my joke is that my

personality and my opinions are always super

concentrated because, you know, I am like so

tiny. So Bailey is actually taller than I am.

Yes, yes, he is. But yeah, it's just, you know,

with with the Avengers and, you know, just like

all the ins and outs. And I really, really love

the Howling Commandos. Like I am related to people

like Dum Dum Duggan. It's absolutely hysterical

sometimes. Well, well, well, look with the cat

tray. Who the hell are you stupid? You dead yet,

you swine? Nick! Jerry! So good to see you, man.

I wish you were in better circumstances. So you

met Pierce? Yeah. So I saw that bowler... I saw

that bowler hat. And you were like, oh my god.

And I was the person in the theater, you know,

like... fist pumping and victory arms. I know

this is why I always sit in the back. We are

going to set a fire under Johan Schmidt's ass.

What do you say, Rogers? It's your map. You think

you can wipe Hydra off of it? Yes, sir. I'll

need a team. We're already putting together the

best men. With all due respect, sir, so am I.

So let's get this straight. We barely got out

of there alive and you want us to go back? Pretty

much. Sounds rather fun, actually. We're in.

Hell, I'll always fight. But you gotta do one

thing for me. What's that? Open a tab because

there are moments where my my enthusiasm will

not be contained and I try not to be a total

jerk to the people sitting behind me so Because

I was also the person during Iron Man 2 who was

like, oh my god Do you guys know what that is

that he just used as a counterweight? Oh my god,

what's this doing? That's it Bring this me You

know what this is? It's exactly what I need to

make this work. Lift the coil. Go. Go. Put your

knees in it. There you go. And... Drop it. Perfectly

level. I'm busy. What do you want? Nothing. Goodbye.

I've been reassigned. Like, kind of like trying

to stand up and reach for the shield because...

Yeah. Yeah. That was me. You know? Yeah. I was

like, holy crap. He did not just do that. Oh,

yes, he did. All right. Two questions. Have you

seen, these are side questions. These are not

in the 25. Have you seen the 1998 made for TV

Nick Fury Agent of Shield starring David Hasselhoff

and Lisa Rinna? Yes. Okay. Gary Chalk as Dum

Dum. Oh, I love it. That was good. I mean, that

was good. Neil McDonough is pitch perfect for

the MCU. Yeah, he is. Yeah. Wow. And who is your

favorite Alfred? Ah, man. Okay. Are we just talking

like straight up just like the live action movies?

Live action and animation. Animation, there's

really only one answer, but okay. As far as live

action goes, I hysterically, I really love Jeremy

Irons as Alfred. Like, I wanted, and I think

I said this during during the Superman and Lois

like hiatus stuff as we were going through the

Snyderverse for my sins since I hadn't seen like

90 % of it. And I want that Starkey Alfred. I

think he got that one pitch perfect. It's, you

know, I was just like, can I just have Alfred

and like Lois? I want the Alfred and Lois movie.

I will watch six hours of Alfred and Lois just

being themselves. If only Ephraim were still

alive I would watch a Alfred and Lois animated

film with him as as Alfred and Delaney as as

Lois. Oh god, that would be so great. That would

be amazing. Yeah So so yeah, I mean I've I haven't

gotten to watch much of Gotham yet Mostly because

you know when you become a creative person you'd

like legit have to like schedule two things.

Oh, yeah, absolutely And uh, I haven't gotten

around to that one yet on my list But from what

I've heard the guidance do it is is interesting.

He is very good Sean Pertwee, I believe I'm probably

mispronouncing his name his last name. He's the

um the sixth the doctor's kid I think this is

Sixth Doctor. Yeah. He's good as Alfred. I just

don't like that show. And that's fair. I like

certain parts of that show. I find it absolutely

hilarious that Ben McKenzie grew up from Ryan

Atwood in the OC to become Commissioner James

Gordon in Gotham, but okay, sure. An actor's

got an act. Got to act. Yeah, like, you know,

you're just like, Oh, okay. All right. Okay.

What other publishers do you enjoy reading besides

the big two? I am really big on in on indie comics.

I do love me some indie comics. Image is one

that I that I that I flirt with a lot. back -and

-forth and then there's Like especially with

image comics they've got Die the comic book series

Which if you haven't read it's written by Kieran

Gillian. It's illustrated by Stephanie Hans and

it's just gorgeous like like the Storytelling

and the artwork and it's just like it's it's

it's beautiful on a level that I'm just like,

okay, I kind of just want to like frame all of

this Bay and it's basically it's a it's a dark

It's it's a kind of they describe it as a pitch

-black fantasy where a group of 40 something

adults have to deal with the returning unearthly

horror that they barely surprise they barely

survived as teenage role players and And you

can read the first issue online. It's like it's

a die comics And yeah, I think it's like die

comics calm Or you can just go to the image comics

website and read it there, but I mean guys it's

You know, and of course, you know Karen Gillan

if he's in a rush will tell you that he describes

it as goth Jumanji No, my god So good though

like literally I mean like I kind of wanted just

like a crawl around in his brain for a while

and just like Snuggle up with his his his thinking

and like kind of just like like his his brain

waves and just be like hi Let's have a sandwich

and talk And it's called die die The ie it's

called die and and it's like basically like like

if you if you enjoy weird stuff if You enjoy

any kind of dark fantasy anything if you enjoy

D &D if you enjoy Mind -bendy twisty stuff. You're

going to enjoy this comic. Okay Like it's just

It's super fantastic and Kieran Gillen also did

like The Wicked and The Divine Jamie McKelvey,

which is another which is another one that I

super love And Dai Dai is actually coming to

the end. So you should be able to get it like

in all trades soon Yeah, comicsology is the first

three volumes Yep, and then the third one will

be released in like November 3rd Third one's

out now. Yeah, the third one is the great game.

Yeah, it's out now. Yeah, it came out December

of last year. Yeah, and then the fourth one,

the one that collects the last of it is going

to be November 3rd of this year. And I will eventually

get all of the trades just so that I can actually

lend those out. Also known as me throwing them

at people's heads and going I read this and then

come talk to me about it I'm actually being hysteric.

I'm actually being like quite literal when I

say I Will throw it at someone's head because

that's what I've done with good omens I think

I've bought that paper back at least 19 to 20

times because I keep flinging it at people and

going I'll buy a new copy I need you to take

this one and read it and then come talk to me

about it Let's see there's also Because I I do

the same thing with I do with comics what I know

a Couple of my friends and will do like with

for like movies and stuff. They'll follow actors

instead of like genres Which is always fun because

you find some really interesting stuff that way

The Dylan McConness Has the long con Mm -hmm,

which that one's totally done. That's totally

out in trades, too And that one was done by a

shot Simon and Schuster hilariously enough cool

and it's Wait was that yep. Yeah, it's done by

Dylan McConness and Ben Coleman and Basically

like like it's just two trades And it's basically

what happens if the world ends while a convention

is happening. So like basically it's like the

world is over, but the con has just begun. And

so like five years ago, a cataclysmic event obliterated

everything within a 50 mile radius of the Los

Spinova Convention Center right in the middle

of Long Con, the world's biggest and longest

pop culture convention. you know, underdog reporter

Victor Lye barely escaped with his life, but

his nerdy friend Des Delaney, publicist for an

Indie Darling comics publisher, wasn't so lucky.

I mean, like, it's amazing. And anyone who's

ever been to a convention is gonna look at this

and go, yeah, no, that's legit. And then Dylan

McConness also did a web series called Bite Me,

which you can find at www .BiteMeComic .com.

And it's hilarious. It's a vampire farce. But

it's... And it takes place during the French

Revolution, and you know how the joke is, is

that someone will be like, you know, oops, I

tripped and fell on the vampire's fangs. And

it's always like a joke. It's actually played

straight here. You know? Wow. It's played straight.

It's just sitting here looking at this going,

this is hysterical. I can't look away from this.

Oh my God. Really? Really? Yeah, it's kind of

like Rosario Dawson in Clerks 2 with the Donkey

Show. It's horrible and disgusting and yet I

can't look away. Yes, exactly. I mean, we've

got, you know, and it's appropriate reading for

ages 9 and up. It does contain depictions of

bloodshed, but don't worry, it's nobody we like.

Accidental hanky panky, werewolf ankle biting,

and extreme chicken aggression. Wow, okay then.

But yeah, and so it was done and it was written

between like 2000 and 2004. So yeah, it's just

all kinds of amazing and hilarious and awesome.

And then, let's see, gosh, I, yeah, I read a

lot of indie stuff. Like I like, there's certain

and there's certain like different let's say

you also read a lot of like web comics, like

Ogloth is always good for a laugh. Though that

one is definitely not kid friendly or kids safe.

Sometimes it's not grown up safe. But Yeah, and

then I've got I've got some some some random

like oh What's his name I've got some some indie

Jonathan Hickman stuff Like the Red Wing and

then there's also horizon and Couple of others

that you know, I've just flirted back and forth

with And then mostly it's just because, you know,

a bunch of them will just be like, I will walk

in and be like, so what's good? And my comics

and my comics dude will be like, so I think you'll

like this. OK, cool. My very first comics dude,

Steve at Third Eye Comics in Annapolis, loved,

loved, loved when I asked for recommendations,

because he'd be like, He's like, you're, you're,

you're challenging. And I like that. Um, so yeah.

Um, very cool. Very cool. All right. This is

going to sound very ass backwards. So just go

with it. Okay. Print or digital, which one both

either or and why both. Um, I prefer print because

I like having it in my hands. I like being able

to put it on a shelf. I like being able to see

how far I've read. I like digital because sometimes

I don't want to read a book necessarily on my

phone. Sometimes I just want to Like flip through

something that will engage my brain, but not

hardcore engage my brain And comics comics are

are easier to read then then books are because

You know just they said the scene for you. So

it takes a load off your brain Yeah, your brain

doesn't have to quite work quite so hard to like

like mentally play out the scene for you. They've

got the scene there. So mentally it's just easier.

However, small screens can get challenging, which

is why I'm super glad that Kindle has the Kindle

app on my phone has a way where you can just

like double click on it and it'll like pop up.

It'll enlarge it frame by frame. I think I went

through all of Annihilation? Oh, whatever. God,

the big event that was in like 2006 with the

Guardians of the Galaxy and Nova Corps and the

world's crankiest Peter Quill and Richard Ryder

as Nova and all that jazz. I went through both

of those through just the Marvel Unlimited app.

I have all five issues of Greg, Pax, John Wick

on my Kimball app, and that was interesting.

Not quite sure I totally buy into all of that

being quote unquote canon, but that was interesting.

I also have some of the old guard on there as

well, which is another which is another one that

I really, really super love is just the old guard

story. Like the movie's fantastic and I love

the movie and I will rewatch it at the drop of

a hat, but the comics are also just really, really

obscenely good. And then what else do I have

on there? Oh, Rising Suns? Rising Stars, the

one by J. Michael Straczynski. I have both compendiums

on there as well. I've got them in trade form,

I've got them in novel form, and I have them

in digital form. Going through those is also

super awesome. Jay Michael Skrzinski is one of

those people that I just kind of will follow

around and just... Read whatever he kind of does

because he's just that good. Um, yeah, I haven't

read His Superman stuff yet, but that's mostly

because I haven't got my hands on trades yet

I'm working my way around to that but He Created

one of my all -time favorite shows for life and

I've just kind of always just followed him around

with whatever he's been doing because it's just...

I know I can trust him to tell a good story,

even if it's not necessarily something I would

ordinarily pick up. And there's a couple things

that he's done that I'm just like, but where

is the rest of it? Specifically, I'm talking

about the Book of Lost Souls. There's one trade.

It ends on a cliffhanger. Yeah, that's I mean

printed like as a right as a writer as a creative

person I get an inordinate amount of glee of

doing click evil cliffhangers because yes I know

that is going to piss off everyone and make them

want to pick up the next one as A reader they

just piss me off, especially when there's nothing

after that and I'm just like no why? Michael

Straczynski also did one called Midnight Sun

I believe that's one full trade. And that one's

also exceptionally good. Yeah. That's kind of

like me with, um, and I know folks, you people

that are listening to this episode heard this

two episodes ago, but I will bring it up every

single time. The whole thing with the cliffhanger

or not getting more of the story or the story

completely changing to something you don't want

it to be. Nightwing turned into a stupid super

spy. Friggin to Dio. I want an amusement mile,

dammit. Hey, you know, I really can't say anything

because I enjoyed the shit out of out of Grayson.

I'm not gonna lie. I mean, I was I was really

waiting for just like Agent Tiger dude to just

start like wailing on Dick. And I was just going

to be like, yeah. I'm like, yeah, you totally

had that coming. But then I'm very, I'm very

happy that Kyle got to end his run his way. But

still, Kyle Higgins writing Dick Grayson has

been my number one favorite story with that character.

And I wanted to continue to be more Not going

to spiral Yes folks, we're all jaded around here

But I also I also super enjoyed I think the thing

that actually got me into reading Grayson was

actually it could because I saw a panel of Midnighter

And and dick from that and the mid -notes like

I'd know that ass anywhere and I'm like, okay.

That's fair. Okay. I'm sufficiently amused by

this one, but I'll find out where this is from.

Yeah, that's that's apparently from what I heard

from Brett Booth when he was on. the Higgins

run. Apparently that's every artist's dream when

they get to do Nightwing. As long as they get

to do a really good butt shot, they'll be happy.

And there is a glut of those in Grayson for which,

again, totally shallow, but I super appreciate

it because. I mean, I made a joke, oh god, it's

like eight cons ago, something like that, that

I was, because it was Monday at DragonCon and

I was in the dealer's room kind of just cleaning

up because everybody was doing super discounted

sales because it's Monday at DragonCon and they

don't want to take all the stock home. So I was

literally, I think I got like, Something like

42 pops or something and like didn't spend nearly

enough for You know to have like actually like

bought 42 pops I didn't spend near the amount

that yeah, no, they were doing some seriously

good deals But my joke was that I was specifically

focusing on just collecting like the strong female

characters And so, literally, in my arms, I have

Daisy Johnson, and I have Agent 13, and I have

Maria Hill, and Psylocke, and then the one in

the middle, yeah, and Spider -Gwen, and Captain

Marvel, and then the one in the middle is the

Nightwing Pop. And they're like, but, and I'm

like, go ahead, make... Make the argument that

Dick Grayson is Nightwing does not technically

fall into the exact definition of a strong female

character in comics today. Go ahead. I'll wait.

Mm -hmm So So yeah, I mean, you know, it's I

I I enjoyed a bunch of the of the Grayson line

just because I got funny witty banter And I got

Midnighter being Midnighter and yeah. Very cool,

very cool. Who are some of your favorite comics

writers and why? John Michael Straczynski because

he's just ace and he's just like brilliant. Like

no matter what he touches, there's always a depth

to it. There's always like he'll bring out stuff

that you've never even thought about and do it

in such a way that you're just sitting there

going wow okay legit headcanon accepted holy

crap um so and he's just an amazing storyteller

like everything he touches is gold uh another

one is jonathan hickman who is probably the only

person on the face of planet earth who has ever

made me actually somewhat not despise the very

ground that Reed Richards is walking on. Insert

the John Mulaney gif of, now we don't have time

to unpack all of that. But his run on the Fantastic

Four, especially when it led up to Johnny Storm's

death, And then the FF run after that was well

done. And I really, really enjoyed kind of what

he did with that. Shawna McGuire with her Spider

Gwen stuff is just a baseball. She's another

person that like everything she touches is gold.

And, you know, like, let's see, who else Solomon?

Saladin Abmed with his black... Oh, dang it.

What's his name? It's not Black Mask. Black Manta?

No, not Black Manta. It was a Marvel one. I've

tried to think of it. Black Panther? No, it was

the other guy. He's with the... with Lockjaw

Hmm, I'm not sure I don't know Because that's

gonna bother me now like I remember the name

of the dog I can't remember the name of the character

I mean, you know pizza dog is pizza dog. Everybody

knows pizza dog Well, I mean there's pizza duck

but there's Lockjaw and Lockjaw is just awesome

black bolt. That's what it is His run on Black

Bolt was really, really well done. And then,

um, and he's also been doing some Ms. Marvel

stuff that's really fantastic. Uh, they also

have Abbott, which has been really, really good.

And Abbott's more of like a, um, an indie type

comic, but that one is also exceptionally, exceptionally

well done. Um, He's like, and he's an Eisner

award -winning writer. So he also had, let's

see, who else? Like, I mean, it's like, I follow

so many people who write so many things. So I

tried to remember what all they've done is like,

I'm like, uh, like I've already said Dylan McConness,

she's actually, writer, artist. Kieran Gillen

and Jamie McKelvey, I will probably just follow

to the ends of the earth because they write things

in such a way that it's super -duper fascinating.

Yeah, I loved what I read so far. I haven't gotten

back to it yet, but I loved his Star Wars stuff

that he did. when he was writing like Darth Vader

and things like that from Marvel. So yeah, that

was really, really cool. Really dug that because

yeah. Greg Rucka is also really, really good.

Yes, yes, he is. And. Let's see. What else? This

is problem when I follow so many people because

I'm just like they're all good I like you. I

like you. I like you. Yeah, I had brew breaker

with his with his Captain America stuff. Yep

Yeah, yeah, no, no one can touch it No one is

allowed to touch Captain America, but Ed Brubaker

because I'm pretty sure Ed Brubaker is probably

one of the only people In this day and age who

can actually touch that character and not screw

him up Yeah, I mean there's there's pretty much

yeah, that's pretty much most of my top ones

like I mean I like I Also like Matt Rosenberg

mm -hmm Rosenberg his Hawkeye stuff is pretty

good And that's actually okay fraction. Yeah,

okay fraction stuff was good Rosenberg stuff

has been really good. So those that stuff has

been has been Pretty decent James Tinian the

fourth and his Batman want run was really really

excellent Yeah, it was I mean, I'm not really

that big a fan of Jeff Johns For which I realized

that some people will see that as blasphemy,

but yeah, whatever I said what I said I haven't

read enough of his stuff to make a decision I

always hear about how great his stuff is and

I just haven't read enough of it. Meh is pretty

much is a lot of what I get, but then again,

I'm also not exactly the target demographic for

a lot of his stuff. And I wish that someone would

just take Frank Miller's pens and ink and everything

away. Oh boy. We got six, we got 69 episodes

to go before your hot takes on, on, on comics

people. What defines a good story to you? Did

it make me feel something? And is, was it something

like, and by that I'm like, I'm like, did it

make me, did it make me feel something like,

did it make me laugh? Did it make me cry? Did

it piss me off in a good way? Because there's

pissing you off to where you want to set the

comic on fire and walk away. And then there's

piss you off like, where is the next issue? Oh

my God. I can't. I can't. This is why I always

wait for the trades. So I have the story all

at once. I don't have that kind of patience.

But I also have a really super busy life, so

it's not uncommon for me to wait to read my drops

until I've got four or five of them, and then

I can breeze through them, and I'm like, okay.

Yup. But yeah, that's kind of that. What does

a story have to have to draw you in? So you pick

up a new number one from whatever character,

whatever author, whatever, whatever. What does

that first issue have to have to make you keep

coming back to more issues if it gets more? A

good writer. Like I, I have been around the block

a bunch of times, so I generally speaking if

it's a new writer to me I'll kind of flip through

like the number one and see like what you know

what what did they do to the character like I

don't expect that you keep the character I don't

want them to match my my personal headcanon perfectly

because that's impossible nobody lives in my

brain And if you are living in my brain, then

I'm gonna need you to start paying rent Okay,

this is this is all your fault another clip I

have to put in this episode Right here is where

I will put it Give me a triple Now the doctor

will see you now Sorry, I'm gonna have to cancel

that appointment Coming here was the mistake

of your life. See, the closer I am to someone,

the stronger I get. I'll be able to go into your

brain, even if you're wide awake. My brain's

not a nice place to be. What's that stupid song

going through your mind? It's what's keeping

you out, Johnny. Batman on coffee give me a triple

But I have a certain flexibility for for art

it has to be like There are certain art styles

that I just cannot do But For the most part I

can I can I can deal with most art Even if it's

not my preferred technically my preferred style

but the writing has to be there and they have

to I have to kind of know or at least get a sense

from flipping through that number that that issue

number one that they actually understand the

character they're talking about Like I There's

there's I follow writers that I like. There's

a bunch of stuff. If it's something that I know

that Nick Spencer has fudged, I won't go near

it because I don't trust his take on a lot of

things and his writing is lazy. Same for Rick

Remember. Yep. Yeah, that's about as close as

we're going to get. Yeah, that's that there's

there's stuff where I'm just like, okay, this

may look interesting. Oh, this person is in it.

And no, I'm not picking it up. I just I have

reached the eight I am old enough in internet

years and I am old enough in fandom years to

where I, I curate what my intake very Very diligently

and I'm not going to waste time on something

that I know is likely just going to piss me off

more than I enjoy it. Like there may be a panel

or something that might be interesting, but you

know, that's what scans daily is for. So is fandom

years kind of like dog years where it's more

than your actual age? Yes. But there's an order

of magnitude to it, depending on when you came

into it. If you came in before Supernatural started,

you are a fandom old. If you came in in the middle

of the Harry Potter heyday, fandom heyday, if

that's when you started, you are a fandom old

now. If you started any time before that... You

were a fandom ancient elder. Stop making me feel

old, Bethany. It's funny you bring up Potter

because, and I don't know, in eight years, over

400, almost 500 episodes, I don't know if I've

ever told this story on this podcast, so I'm

going to tell it really quickly. In 1999, I moved

to Biloxi, Mississippi. I'm sorry. That's not

the point of the story. The point of the story

is when I was trying to get acclimated to the

area and all of that, there was a, at the time,

was it Holly Cook or did it become Books and...

I don't remember. There was a bookstore. It was

either Holly Cook Booksellers or it was Borders

or it was Books and Million. I don't, it was

a... Damn bookstore that wasn't Barnes and Noble.

So I go in and I tell the lady cashier, she's

a much old, she could be my mom or my grandmother.

She was an older blonde lady. Her name was, I

believe her name was Angie or Angela. I don't

remember. Anyway, I said, I'm new. This is what

I've read before, which was stuff like Arl Stein's

Fear Street, John Grisham novels. that kind of

stuff and I said I'm looking for something new

to read. She took me to a book stand that had

two different things on it. On one side it had

the boy wizard and on the other side it had a

former lingerie buyer turned bounty hunter. Now

which one do you think I picked at 19 years old?

I'm going to go with not the boy wizard. I have

no disrespect to the Potter franchise. I have

no disrespect to the books, the movies, whatever.

I've never seen them. I have no compunction to

see them. If you enjoy it, if you love it, if

you're into the fandom of that, that's great.

And I will support your love of that. I just

have no interest whatsoever because When I made

that choice, I was like, okay, this is the path

I'm going on. And the former lingerie buyer turned

bounty hunter was Janet Ivanovich's Stephanie

Plumb in the Plumb novels. And, you know, that's,

yeah, I was just about to, I'm like, who is Stephanie

Plumb novel by any chance? Cause if it wasn't,

I was going to make you give me that title. Be

like, I want this. But no, it's and that's fair.

I mean, it's pretty much. I mean, I will forever

love the fandom for what it gave me and for what

it taught me. But I mean. The the the author

itself. She's just done too much to where like

I'm just like I'm like I'm gonna take my friends

I'm gonna keep my friends, but the rest of you

can just go to the bad place because that's where

you're going You know, it's funny we can support

the the media not not the media not like News,

but we can support the stuff, but there's certain

aspects of who's in that stuff I'll say the Cosby

show. I still love that show for what that show

is. Bill Cosby is a frigging monster. So, you

know, but I can still separate the character

from the actual person and still enjoy the stories

that were told on that show. And it just sucks

that we have to do that. It just sucks that these

people end up being monsters. Yeah. Who are some

of your favorite comic artists? Oh, Stephanie

Hans. Stephanie Hans, Jamie McKelvey. Those are

like the top two. So it's like those two and

then it's... The guy who does the stuff for the

Old Guard. What is his name? I'm looking up his

name. It's gonna bother me if I don't. But it's...

Okay, seriously, just give me the cover. The

Old Guard is... Come on, come on. issue five,

coxology issue one, collective edition volume

one, Leandro Fernandez. Yes, Leandro Fernandez

and then Mira and Wynn, who are the, the Inker

and the other one, I believe. But yeah, no, they

do some amazing stuff. Um, I Again going back

to Stephanie ha it's like I just Her stuff is

just so good and she did she in addition to her

work on dies She also did work on like the journey

into mystery stuff and some of that are just

breathtakingly gorgeous Most of the Batman artists

have been pretty good I really enjoy the the

latest ones that are that have been doing it

like through rebirth up until present day. Especially

the ones who did like issue 1617 of the rebirth

one during the I am Bane days where they're all

in right when they're all in bat burgers. And

it is literally it is Bruce and like every Robin

barring. I think barring Tim Drake, who is technically

dead at that point. Speak of the devil. You coming?

I guess it's about time. Sort of. Damn it. Well,

it's given the timelines. This is after. Detective

comics where he's been quote -unquote killed

During the whole Like doomsday sort of arc But

those those those scenes are just Absolutely

hysterical You know cuz you have dick and Jason

and Damien and You have Luke And then there's

Bruce, eating a burger with a knife and fork.

And you're just like, Bruce. Bruce. But yeah,

actually, I actually have that entire scene.

My hot take opinion is, I don't care what Damien

does, I will never like that kid. He's grown

on me. He's grown on me. I kind of, especially

after seeing him in the DC animated universe

films, he's definitely grown on me. But yeah,

no, that scene in Batburger, I have like in one

huge frame, that entire scene, it's trained for

me. It was a gift from my amazing roommate. And

so it hangs on my wall. So whenever I see it,

I just get this big stupid grin on my face. Definitely

Stephanie Hans and Dylan McConness and Leandro

Fernandez and Jamie McElvey. They're all amazing,

amazing artists. Very cool, very cool. Do you

have a favorite non -superhero title? A favorite

non -superhero? Yes? I don't know. Are we counting

the Old Guard as superheroes? I don't know. I've

only recently looked into it, so I'm not sure.

If we're not counting the Old Guard as superheroes,

then definitely the Old Guard. Die is another

one. And then... Saga is another one. I do love

what Brian and Fiona have done there. And dang

it, we're supposed to get like the next part

of it soon. I'm surprised it hasn't, not that

I want it to end, but I'm really surprised that

it's gone on this long, not because of, you know,

popularity or whatever, but man. I mean, I just

I just want the end of the story. Like, I don't

care if that takes one issue or 50 issues to

finish it. I just want the I just want the rest

of the story. Oh, man. You saga fans have been

waiting a long time. Volume nine came out in

2018. Oh, crap. I actually own the giant omnibus,

which is all of them in one thing. I'm pretty

sure if you dropped it on somebody, you could

murder them. It was like 50 bucks. It's freaking

yeah, we don't promote murder around here, but

okay sure See I was a history major in college

and and the best history books are always the

ones that you could that could double as weapons

during the zombie apocalypse Because if you could

if you couldn't drop it on somebody and like

give it like or throw it at somebody and like

give them a concussion Or if it wasn't thick

enough to stop a bullet, then it wasn't, then

it, you know, it's, it's not a true history,

history textbook. There you go. There you go.

All right. Do you have a... Yeah. Yeah. You know,

you always have to be prepared. Do you have a

favorite run of a series? So the best example,

the most old school example I can say is... Batman's

been around for 80 plus years. Like, do you like

Batman 466 to 477 or is there a specific storyline

or run within a series? Captain America. The

whole thing? Issues one through 25. Cool. Cool.

I need to read that. I do really need to read

that. I mean, I'd offer to send you my huge copy

of all of it collected, but it's also, like,

ten pounds. Yeah, no, I can get them digitally.

I just have to find the time and the money. Yep.

I know that feeling. What is one comic you can

read over and over again, single issue or trade?

Well, I reread most of my comics but Hilariously,

I'm pretty sure it's gonna go back to die Okay

Especially that first trade I Could just read

that first trade over and over and over again.

I actually I think probably the first trade of

the old guard And then the first straight of

die would be the two that I can just read over

and over and over again and never ever ever get

tired of them. Cool. Awesome. Are there comics

you avoid all together? Yeah, I won't touch the

killing joke with a 10 foot pole or for a million

dollars. And then there's There's like certain

other ones that I just like I Just character

wise that I'm not fans of so like it takes a

lot for me to pick up a Green Lantern comic that

features Hal Jordan Yeah, I'm not a fan of Jesus

Jordan either because well as Alison As as as

as Alison found out as we were watching We were

watching gosh she was watching something like

one of the animated series and how Jordan came

on and My immediate first reaction was oh hello

fuckface She's just like she's like no tell us

how you really feel about how Jordan I'm like

And then there was a Then there was an episode

of Earth's Mightiest Heroes that featured Reed

Richards, and she is in a different room trying

to cook dinner. I'm just sitting here yelling

at Reed Richards and critiquing everything, from

his lab safety to everything. Because Reed Richards

is the worst and all you can hear in between

me yelling at the TV is just her cackling out

loud. Just like you said, I am a very emotive

person and very expressive in that emotion and

yeah. So yeah, the ones I don't like, that is

a hardcore no. No, dude. Don't even come close.

But I mean, the best Hal Jordan thing that I've

ever really enjoyed has been the shortening of

the green lantern mantra that he did instead

of like ... you know, target from Blackest Night

to Brightest Dawn, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

He's like, no, from the shoulder, you know, above

the wrist, look out evil, it's my fist. I'm like

this, short, nappy, conveys the point. That is

the only kudos point that how Jordan ever gets

from me. I will say though, because I'm a fan

of his work and I'm a fan of what he's done and

I've interviewed the guy a few times. Josh Keaton,

who voiced him in Green Lantern, the animated

series. As much as I'm not a fan of Hal in general

in the comics and in almost anything else he's

done or what they put him in, Josh's performance

as Hal in Green Lantern, the animated series

was pretty cool. Josh Keaton is just good at

whatever he does. He's fantastic. You know, we

love our voice actor space dad. Yes. He surprised

us all as Skinny Steve. Yeah. Well, and it took

me a second because I was just like, I was like,

wait, that's it. And I was like, okay, that's

right. Josh Keaton is doing this once. Because

by my favorite Josh Keaton. Voice is Shiro from

Voltron the legendary defender Because you know

space dad Space dad just you know, yep You know

into queer space dad at that too. Yeah Are there

any comics in the past or currently that you

wish you hadn't read them? Some of the Rick remember

remember whatever the hell America comics Okay,

especially with what he tried to do to Sam Wilson,

which is just not okay Other than that no not

for comics a couple MCU movies. I wish I'd never

seen Which ones are those how long do you have?

Uh, I don't know. No, mostly when it comes to

the MCU stuff, it's just sloppy, lazy writing

and people not having an idea of the actual characterization.

Cough, cough, Joss Whedon, cough, cough. I mean,

you know, it's... You know, there's a lot of

stuff there that's just it could have been a

lot better It could have been a lot more impacting

and it could have been a lot more interesting

except they took the lazy ass ways out And then,

you know, it was strange feeling this has to

do with a widow Yeah, well no actually it goes

further than that Oh No Well I'm talking about

going all the way back to phase two. You come

up with a catchy title for the podcast and I

will record whatever you want. I think, yeah,

one of my nerd brothers from another mother,

Gary Mitchell, but not the Star Trek one, but

it is spelled that way. has joked about doing

an MCU rewatch podcast and just my reactions

of going, no, this is where they went wrong and

this is why it could have been better and this

is dumb. There's a couple of things that are

unforgivable when it comes to stuff. I can let

go with a lot of stuff, but when you start making

characters hold the idiot ball and it's really

obvious that that's what - they're being dumbed

down on purpose for plot reasons, then you need

to put away your keyboards and go find a job

that's anywhere else but doesn't revolve you

touching any kind of characterization ever again.

Just break the keyboard and move on. There you

go. I mean, it's just... That is an unforgivable

sin and it doesn't have to be like that There's

ways to do it where you can accomplish the similar

thing without making them hold the idiot ball

Right. Yeah like actual work But no, I mean,

I mean there's there's not a lot of comics that

I wish I hadn't read I mean, I think Really just

like some of the Rick Bumender stuff and then

like the killing joke I mean, I I do wish that

I had not actually read the killing joke. I wished

I had just stuck with the summary Yeah, it's

a little rough it really did not deserve the

amount of time that I spent reading it So I need

to hear your flip side answer to this, because

when Allison answered this, I was like, Oh, okay.

Then how large or small is your physical comic

book collection? Um, well, uh, we, we, we, we

had to like, buy another couple of bookshelves

for it. because the way that our coping method

for getting through 2020 was Batman was going

through all of the DC animated films through

DC Universe back when that was a thing going

through all the Young Justice and Titans and

all of the different shows and then also Picking

up all the back trades of stuff that we just

haven't picked up yet Mm -hmm So we have a lot

of Batman, and we have a lot of nightmare like

we have like Four or five shells that is nothing

but Batman or bat family Going going all the

way from pre pre new 52 stuff Through 52 through

rebirth through whatever the hell they're calling

this one now, whatever the hell we're on now

Yeah, yeah future state or whatever. Yeah, whatever

it is now. I I can't keep up man Yeah, I just

I I pointed them I pointed my people and going

I'm going yes, if it's Batman and if it's something

that isn't Frank Miller s you can put it in my

box I'm like, if it is anything Frank Biller

-esque, just ask Alison if she wants it. I don't

want it. You know, I, uh, but yeah, no, there's

we, we have a lot of comics and we have a lot

of books to the point where our major home improvement

project has been putting all the books into one

space. So the library is two rooms at this point

and we're probably going to need to branch out

further. Oh my God. I own a lot of books. How

much further can you branch out? Yeah, branch

out. Like currently you have a room for nonfiction.

Slash reference books because you know as writers

we have a lot of reference books I'm a historian

so I have a lot of history books, right? and

Then we have the fiction room, which is all of

the fiction plus All of the fandom books plus

all of the comics and yeah, this is small room

is getting smaller Because we've got like six

bookshelves in there Not counting the like literally

the comics are on like Well, most of the comics

all the Batman comics are on one wall Where it's

just like goes from one side of the wall to the

other side of the wall like mm -hmm. Yeah I think

she put them in somewhat resembling chronological

order, which is impressive and also terrifying

But then again, that is my amazing roommate who

is impressive and also terrifying. She is also

our hashtag common sense committee. Yeah. Okay.

So heaven forbid anything happened. Not that

I'm trying to jinx anything, but this is, I asked

this question of everybody and this only comes

from, this actually comes from a different question,

but. If the entire place, every human and pet

is safe, but all the books and all the entire

place is about ready to go, what's the one comic

you could never live without ever? What's the

one comic you'd run in to save? It's your 16th

of Batman Rebirth, because it's Batburgers. If

I could only say one, it would be that one. That's

awesome. What was the most money you spent on

a comic or a comic item? Now when I mean comic

item, it could be a statue, it could be a batarang,

whatever, you know, something you'd get at a

convention. Well, I have the Batman 66 Batmobile

Which one The cool one No, you said Batman 66.

I mean that pretty much already narrows it down

No, I have I have the Funko version of it with

the version of the Batman 66 along with the entire

rest of that group of Funkos, all the villains,

Batgirl, Robin, everything. I also have a picture

of me in the 1966 Batmobile pretending to drive

it with Allison holding the giant ass bomb over

her head from the movie, and it is quite possibly

one of my favorite things ever, is that picture.

Yeah, I mean, some days you just can't get rid

of a bomb. Yeah, I got to Pretend to drive the

Batmobile and that was That was amazing Very

cool. Very cool. Was there ever a moment when

you were done with comics? Yeah after the whole

we killed Jason Todd because he wasn't Dick Grayson

and we voted to kill him I kind of walked away

from comics for a tiny bit At that point. Yeah.

I think a lot of people did. And then they eventually

came back because they eventually got over it.

Cause again, it's, I never called the number.

Didn't even, I saw about it on the rice. He's

back. So yeah, he's, he's still around. He's

still kicking. What are you reading right now?

And what do you think our listeners should check

out? everything that I have mentioned so far

on this podcast. Except for the killing joke.

Save yourself the pain. Definitely check out

Die. Definitely check out The Old Guard. Definitely

check out, you know, The Last Con. And, you know,

The Wicked or Dead Fight. There's Phonogram.

There's a lot of really fun indie stuff out there

that's like really going in some really spectacular

ways. Abbott's another one. And then if you like,

you know, Batman, come talk to me. I like Batman.

I'm happy to share all of my controversial comics

opinions with you. All right. Heroes, heroines,

anti -heroes and heroines or villains, what archetypes

are your go -to reads? I really, really love,

like, the trickster archetype. Um, but... Mostly...

Do you have a, my parents got rid of my comics

story? Uh, no, thank God. I have several, my

parents sold off a bunch of my books without

telling me stories, and I reacted badly because...

I reacted badly. But no, most of my comics collecting

happened after I was a grown bean. Well, my hardcore

comics collecting happened after I was a grown

bean. And yes. So no. No, I don't have one of

those. Thank God. I have other interest issues.

Man, I feel like a therapist now. Oh boy. Which

Green Lantern hurt you the most? Again, how much

time you got? Yeah. Again, future episode, folks.

Comic psychology with Bethany, oh lord. Here

we go. Yeah, there's a reason why I did not choose

to go down that path for a career. Uh huh. What's

Batman always say to Terry? Block it out and

power on through! Yeah, but Batman is not someone

you want to be in charge of your mental health.

That's true. That's very true. What is one item

from a comic book you'd love to have in the real

world? So the best two examples I can give of

the best three may be Superman's cape, Batman's

Batarang, or any Green Lantern's ring. Hum. Actually,

I kind of like Tim Drake's utility belt. What's

he got in there, anyway? Fully loaded. Fully

loaded and stocked. Got it. It's a cue thing,

uh -huh. Oh god, I miss Desmond Llewellyn. So

much. So much. All in all, rather stocked. Fully

loaded, I think is the term. I think. You're

not here to think. You're here to do what I tell

you. I don't care what anyone says about World

is Not Enough. I still love that movie. Oh yeah.

Oh, yeah, that was it was it was it was a good

bond If you could create any comic story line

any character any anything any company gives

you the keys to the kingdom What would you want

to create with it and what characters would you

want to use? Oh Man I'm scared folks. Don't you

ever wish you were down there? I'm down there

all I need to be. Yes, but it's just a job to

you I'm talking about going down there and having

some fun Maybe... maybe with someone special.

No. No dating for the Batman. It might cut into

your brooding time. One, dating within the team

always leads to disaster. Two, you're a princess

from a society of immortal warriors. I'm a rich

kid with issues. Lots of issues. And three, if

my enemies knew I had someone special, they wouldn't

rest until they'd gotten to me through her. Next.

Oh, man, I would probably, I would probably be

Batman. And I would probably, Batman, Justice

League, have some more fun with like Zatanna,

Constantine, you know, Batman, King Shark, all

that jazz. So that's probably what I would do.

Because King Shark is a shark. King Shark is

a shark, man. And apparently, you know, he's

a cordial ex, too. Wait, what? Have you seen

Justice League Dark Apocalypse War? No, I have

not. You really, really, really should. Oh lord,

okay. Alright, homework for me. You really, really,

really should. Lord, I'm scared. What is the

one piece of - Then you should come talk to me

and Alison about it. Yes, I probably will. What

is the one piece of advice you would give the

comics fandom? Slow down guys, it's really not

that serious. That's very true. That is very

very true. Oh Boy alright folks. We're gonna

take a quick break. That was the final question

We're gonna come back after these messages Toycast

is back. We are talking toys once more here on

the GeekCast Radio Networks toy and action figure

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our toy topic talk and the brand new origins

in toy collections where we get guests to tell

us their toy story of how they got into toy collecting.

Toycast is the only toy podcast you will ever

need. Find us on geekcastradio .com and any podcatching

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and transcend your toy collecting today while

listening to Toycast. The Geekcast Radio Network

presents for your listening pleasure, The Cinema

Geeks. Hosted by Amanda, Kevin, Matt, and Dan.

Each week we dive head first in the landscape

of movies as we discuss movie news, play movie

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Hello Julie, what the heck are you doing? Trying

to make our spot sound more exciting by adding

explosions Yeah, I'm pretty sure you could have

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folks, we are back here on episode 430 with Bethany

Kessler's... Origins in comic reading, is there

anything else you would like to say before I

have you start promoting stuff? Stay safe. Don't

lick doorknobs. I'm pretty sure that didn't happen

in the killing joke. Then again, sometimes doorknobs

usually talk to you, so there is that too. Watch

out, Alice. Is there anything you would like

to promote? Yeah, definitely Fortress of Bailitude,

Superman and Lois Tapes. We are going to be doing

some Smallville stuff during the hiatus, which

is going to be fun because I haven't seen like

90 % of that show. So it would be another I don't

think either one of y 'all have seen 90 % of

that show. Alison has seen more than I have.

Right? And she skipped around a bunch of episodes

and different things. I remember season one,

sort of. But there's that. I have a Patreon for

my short stories under patreon .com backslash

DJ Gray. And that's Gray with an A -Y instead

of an E -Y. If you've ever heard me at a convention

on a panel or on any podcast I've been visiting

on, I write short stories under a pen name for

plausible deniability reasons. You can also see

me at my website. It's my blog and my other social

media stuff, which is at deejgrey .com. And or

just come find me on Twitter at a book nerd guru

and Let's chat awesome. Very cool. Very cool

Thank you for joining us here inside the pull

bag If you'd like to get in contact with us to

leave feedback for the show There are several

ways to do so visit the website geek cast radio

comm or you can listen to and comment on all

of our 13 years of content, folks. 13 and a half

years, actually. No, I'm 13 years. It's 12 and

a half, almost 13 years for the network. God,

I'm old. I'm a teenage podcaster. Oh, Lord. At

least the podcast isn't old enough to drink yet.

Send us, send any email to feedback at geekcastradio

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Radio Network. You can also search out the pull

bag over there as well as the Superman and Lois

tapes. Join us next time when we will be discussing.

I have no friggin idea, folks. I have October

stuff written down in the script. I'm not sure

what's going on because I know Allison wants

to do. Some Hawkeye Comics stuff to lead into

our reviews of the Disney Plus series coming

November 24th, 2021. For now, I'm TF2 and Mike

with... Bethany Kessler and thanks for having

me. Alright, as always, make your greatest game

to comics and we will catch you next time here

inside the pull bag. You and the Joker? Ryder

Rooney! You've just heard the latest episode

of The Pullback, the GCRN's first comic review

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