The shadows fall across the Halloween Spooktacular, as we round out the month with our story spotlight on Batman: The Long Halloween. The guys discuss the origins of the story, the tale itself, the repercussions for Batman’s life on the silver screen, and the status of Jeph Loeb/Tim Sale collaborations in the years since! In the picks, Blake goes with Chew #5, Kenny picks Power Girl #6, and Mike gives us a graphic novel pick: Infinity War. (Special thanks to Jacob Bascle for the Spooktacular Album Art we’ll be sporting all month!)
Episode 141: Our Favorite Horror Artists
The Halloween Spooktacular continues with a special guest-host. Blake recruits his sister, Heather, to sit down with him and look at some of the greatest horror artists of all time. The sibs go from the classic works of Al Feldstein in Tales From the Crypt, the great Marvel Horror artists of the 70s, superstars of Vertigo comics, some of today’s bright spots — with several surprises along the way. You may want to camp at the Grand Comic Book Database to play along with this one. In the picks, Blake loves the Perhapanauts Halloween Spooktacular! (Special thanks to Jacob Bascle for the Spooktacular Album Art we’ll be sporting all month!)
Episode 140: The Universal Frankenstein
The Halloween Spooktacular continues with a movie marathon! Blake, Kenny and Mike sit down for a screening of six classic films featuring the Universal Studios Frankenstein characters! Listen in for our thoughts on Frankenstein (1931), Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Son of Frankenstein (1939), Ghost of Frankenstein (1942), House of Frankenstein (1944), and of course, the horror classic Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948). In the picks this week, Kenny goes with Blackest Night: Superman #2 and Blake chooses the graphic novel The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks. (Special thanks to Jacob Bascle for the Spooktacular Album Art we’ll be sporting all month!)
Episode 139: Dracula and the Vampire’s Redemption
As we roll into October, the Halloween Spooktacular is again upon us! The Showcase is undergoing some big changes this week, but Blake and Kenny sit down to talk about the immortal lord of the night, Count Dracula, from his classic movies, the legendary Tomb of Dracula comic, and his appearances in the DC Multiverse and elsewhere. The guys also talk about the rest of the Count’s vampire bretheren, some great vampire novels and comics from recent years, and desperately look for a way to save the Noble Nosferatu from being Twilight-ized. In the picks this week, Kenny goes with Blackest Night #3, and Blake takes the upcoming prose book Peter and Max: A Fables Novel. (Special thanks to Jacob Bascle for the Spooktacular Album Art we’ll be sporting all month!)
Episode 138: Age of Apocalypse
Because you demanded it! People have long asked us to do an episode delving into the classic X-Men storyline, The Age of Apocalypse, and we at the showcase aim to please! This week, Blake and Chase talk about the overall storyline, our favorites of the individual issues, and which elements from the Age of Apocalypse managed to transcend “alternate reality” status and become part of the regular X-Men lore. In the picks, Blake loved the first issue of Ender’s Game: Command School, while Chase gives us the graphic novel pick, Saga of the Swamp Thing Book One.
Episode 137: Greg Rucka and Whiteout
A few days late, thanks to Blake’s epic battle with the Computer Virus of Doom, but the Showcase is back! This week, Blake and Chase chat about the work of writer Greg Rucka, whose series Whiteout has hit the big screen. From his early work at Oni Press to works at DC and Marvel, including epic runs with the Batman family, the guys delve into all things Rucka! In the picks this week, Blake is all over G-Man: Learning to Fly, and Chase goes with Guardians of the Galaxy #17.
Episode 136: Our Top Five-Marvel Universe
Since the beginning of the Showcase, we’ve gotten e-mails from people who wanted us to come up with our all-time top ten comic books. We listened to your demand… and we decided to do it a little differently. We’re breaking up the world of comics into categories, and we’re going to do a top five list in each one. This week, Blake and Chase each select their all time top five Marvel Universe comics! In the picks this week, Chase went with Avengers: The Initiative #27, and Blake chooses Adventure Comics #2.
Episode 135: Mon-El, Man of Valor
With Superman off-planet for a year, an old friend has moved into his title. But who is Mon-El? What’s his history with Superman? What’s his link to the Legion of Super-Heroes? Why does any of this matter to the DC Universe? And how does the man called “Valor” fit into all this? The guys talk the past, present, and glorious future of Lar Gand of Daxam. In the picks, Blake feels the love for Love and Capes #11, and Chase gives his props to Daredevil #500.
At the Movies Episode 11: Halloween II
Two years ago, Rob Zombie reinvented one of the slasher classics with Halloween. This year, Halloween II picks up and extends his new vision of terror — but do the Showcase boys share his vision? Check our our mini-review!
Episode 134: Son of the Bride of the Return of the Showcase Tangent
Five weekends in August, five episodes in August, means week five is a Showcase Tangent! The guys answer your e-mails and cover any and all things in the world of pop culture — what Dark Horse comics are worth reading? What’s the greatest Darkseid story of all time? What do we think of the new Ultimate Universe? What’s the one toy that Chase plays with? What’s awesome at www.JediSnakeEyes.com? And listen for a big announcement from Blake concerning his podcasting future! In the picks this week, Chase gives us Ultimate Comics Avengers #1, Blake loved Superman Annual #14, and the graphic novel pick is the new Vertigo Crime volume Dark Entries
The All New Showcase 