Chris and Steven testify before you all, spilling their guts on how DC Comics’ OG Superheroes were laid low by the spectre of McCarthyism in “The Red Scare” era of post-WWII USA. This is their battle to rise again in THE GOLDEN AGE (1993), written by James Robinson, drawn by Paul Smith, colored by Richard Ory, and lettered by John Costanza. Will our motley gang of “dirty commies!” triumph in this Elseworlds tale? Featuring OG Hawkman, OG Green Lantern, OG Starman, OG Flash, OG Sandman, Robotman, OG version of The Atom, Hourman, Liberty Bell, The Tarantula, etc.COMICS ROT YOUR BRAIN! is a deep dive into ‘80s comic books (plus a few notable exceptions) in a weekly podcast format. Screenwriters Steven Bagatourian (AMERICAN GUN) and Chris Derrick (STAR TREK: PICARD) & discuss their favorite books, runs, and creators from the Bronze Age.SHOW NOTES02:01 - Introducing the creative team, explaning the concept behind DC Comics’ Elseworlds stories, and summarizing THE GOLDEN AGE10:03 - Hot take alert! Chris makes the bold claim that THE GOLDEN AGE is “as good or better than WATCHMEN” …and, in fact, HE likes GA better!39:44 - Richard Ory’s exquisite coloring in THE GOLDEN AGE — how the heck did he do it? Chris has the scoop, straight from the horse’s mouth — a CRYB! exclusive43:27 - Paul Smith’s artistic influences, plus what exactly is his peak period?57:35 - The rarely used literary device of “Second Person Narration,” deployed expertly by James Robinson here in THE GOLDEN AGE1:04:10 - The art and design for Paul Smith’s classic covers  1:12:21 - THE GOLDEN AGE’s surprisingly disturbing hallucinatory imagery — rats, eagles, and folks’ faces being chewed off!1:16:18 - Chris declares that when it comes to being a wordsmith, the Tarantula ain’t no Fitzgerald; we read some of the prose aloud, just to be sure1:26:00 - Circling back on the comparison to Moore & Gibbons’ WATCHMEN with a detour through Lindelof/HBO’s WATCHMEN, expanding into a discussion of the built-in dramatic weight afforded one when telling stories with iconic characters1:44:36 - The ability to make extreme choices in storytelling with non-mainstream characters, evolving into some ruminations on DC Comics’ Elseworlds line1:49:43 - The “Eisners Situation” with THE GOLDEN AGE1:57:24 - Rob Liefeld, Youngblood, Image Comics, Neal Adams, creators’ rights, and big personalities with big dreams2:07:26 - Terminal City, Dean Motter, Michael Lark, Mister X, Vortex Comics2:27:00 - More gushing about the amazing art of Paul Smith©2024  Comics Rot Your Brain!#dccomics #dcuniverse #justicesocietyofamerica #comicbooks #new #content #explained+ Visit ComicsRotYourBrain.com to get a look at some of the fantastic art discussed in our episodes and to sign up for our newsletter, Letter Column. Check out our YouTube channel. You can also find us wherever you stream your favorite podcasts.+ We appreciate your support of the show via Patreon: ComicsRotYourBrain+ For even more cool shit, read Chris's Substack (cinema, comics, and culture) - THIN ICE©2024 Comics Rot Your Brain!#dccomics #vertigocomics #alanmoore #comicbooks #new #content #80scomics #explained #indiecomics #scificomics #marvelcomics #horrorstories

Steven and Chris take a roadtrip back in time, eventually arriving on the pothole-riddled streets of Hub City, and man do they have a lot to say -- almost 4 hours' worth of comic book chatter! Steve Ditko's urban vigilante, The Question, is boldly re-imagined by Denny O'Neil and Denys Cowan as a Zen crimefighter for the ages. Check it out; here we cover issues #1-#8 of THE QUESTION (DC Comics, 1987). COMICS ROT YOUR BRAIN! is a deep dive into ‘80s comic books (plus a few notable exceptions) in a weekly podcast format. Screenwriters Steven Bagatourian (AMERICAN GUN) and Chris Derrick (STAR TREK: PICARD) & discuss their favorite books, runs, and creators from the Bronze Age. SHOW NOTES:00:30 - Intro to Vic Sage a.k.a. The Question (covering SteveDitko and Ayn Rand, Denny O’Neil and Denys Cowan)02:57 - THE QUESTION & SWAMP THING as “Proof of Concept” for Vertigo Comics24:14 - Vic Sage’s relationship with “Tot” a.k.a. Aristotle Rodor35:53 - Denys Cowan’s smart, efficient page compositions1:27:30 - An urban vigilante story written by... a metaphysically minded, left-leaning zenned-out hippie?!1:34:17 - Drawing Black characters in comic books1:47:24 - Cowan’s skill at conjuring real-looking people who don’t all fit into cookie cutter, visual molds  2:08:18 - Giving Denny O’Neil his flowers as a writer and noticing his evolution on THE QUESTION vs. GREEN LANTERN/GREEN ARROW; an exsmination of his intricate, multi-character storylines 2:40:05 - Cowan’s lively, kinetic, uniquely gestural linework2:55:55 - The “generosity of content” of ‘80s comic books -- more story pages, denser stories, letter columns, editorials, etc.…+ Visit ComicsRotYourBrain.com to get a look at some of the fantastic art discussed in our episodes and to sign up for our newsletter, Letter Column. Check out our YouTube channel. You can also find us wherever you stream your favorite podcasts.+ We appreciate your support of the show via Patreon: ComicsRotYourBrain+ For even more cool shit, read Chris's Substack (cinema, comics, and culture) - THIN ICE©2024 Comics Rot Your Brain!#dccomics #vertigocomics #alanmoore #comicbooks #new #content #80scomics #explained #indiecomics #scificomics #marvelcomics #horrorstories

Steven and Chris take a psychedelic voyage through time via the crackerjack indie comics team of Doug Moench, Mike Hernandez, Dan Day, and Nestor Redondo in AZTEC ACE (published by Eclipse Comics in 1984). The hallucinatory hijinx and trippy time-travel scifi-of-it-all leave their heads spinning!COMICS ROT YOUR BRAIN! is a deep dive into ‘80s comics (plus a few notable exceptions). In this weekly podcast, screenwriters  Chris Derrick (STAR TREK: PICARD) and Steven Bagatourian (AMERICAN GUN) discuss their favorite books, runs, and creators from the Bronze Age.SHOW NOTES:1:17 - Attempting to describe AZTEC ACE in a nutshell   6:17 - A story so weird it could only ever exist as a comic book (touching on THE ADVENTURES OF LUTHER ARKWRIGHT)7:44 - A more expansive attempt at discussing the sprawling, non-linear time travel narrative of AZTEC ACE (touching on QUANTUM LEAP, DOCTOR WHO, APOCALYPTO, and noir private-eye stories)15:08 - The shockingly dense prose poetry of Doug Moench22:45 - Wait, AZTEC ACE is actually... a love story?!32:20 - The immensely text-heavy density of AZTEC ACE; wildly overwritten or wildly immersive?33:39 - Giving it up for the book’s trio of super impressive artists: Michael Hernandez  a.k.a. Michael Bair, Dan Day, and Nestor Redondo56:19 - Walt Simonson, THOR, and Beta Ray Bill1:12:29 - Howard Chaykin and AMERICAN FLAGG! 1:18:09 - “The level of mystery of what was happening kept drawing me in...” The intriguingly puzzle-like nature of AZTEC ACE1:33:19 - THE INVISIBLES by Grant Morrison1:46:37 - The changing nature of what we expect from comic books; why the “velocity of ideas” in ‘80s comics was so intoxicating -- “batshit wild imagination exploding on the page... on a deadline!” #alanmoore #80scomics #scificomics #doctorwho #sciencefiction #grantmorrison+ Visit ComicsRotYourBrain.com to get a look at some of the fantastic art discussed in our episodes and to sign up for our newsletter, Letter Column. Check out our YouTube channel. You can also find us wherever you stream your favorite podcasts.+ We appreciate your support of the show via Patreon: ComicsRotYourBrain+ For even more cool shit, read Chris's Substack (cinema, comics, and culture) - THIN ICE©2024 Comics Rot Your Brain!#dccomics #vertigocomics #alanmoore #comicbooks #new #content #80scomics #explained #indiecomics #scificomics #marvelcomics #horrorstories

Chris and Steven swoop in to the Downside of Thanagar to squawk about Tim Truman’s bold and impassioned re-imagining of Hawkman's origin story in HAWKWORLD (DC Comics, 1989). Is this Katar Hol’s BATMAN: YEAR ONE?  …Or his DARK KNIGHT RETURNS? …Or both?COMICS ROT YOUR BRAIN! is a deep dive into ‘80s comic books (plus a few notable exceptions) in a weekly podcast format. Screenwriters Chris Derrick (STAR TREK: PICARD) & Steven Bagatourian (AMERICAN GUN) discuss their favorite books, runs, and creators from the Bronze Age.SHOW NOTES:00:36 - Introduction to HAWKWORLD6:30 - The singular career of visionary artist/writer Tim Truman — SCOUT, GRIMJACK, WILDERNESS and, of course, HAWKWORLD13:36 - The ahead-of-its-time themes of HAWKWORLD: imperialism, subjugation, and cultural appropriation27:16 - The dirty, lived in, alien worlds of Tim Truman — touching on Joe Kubert and the Kubert School36:46 - STIG’S INFERNO + KELVIN MACE by Ty Templeton and Klaus Schonefeld39:35 - NIGHT FORCE by Gene Colan & Marv Wolfman42:55 - “The haunted, super sad feeling” of HAWKWORLD45:30 - Tim Truman on the genesis of HAWKWORLD1:00:01 - Tim Truman’s unique artwork and speculation on his chief influences1:10:42 - How the success of WATCHMEN, THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, and MAUS encouraged ambitious big swings from comic book artists in the late ‘80s1:11:33 - Katar Hol’s exile on the island and the unrelenting, unapologetic brutality of HAWKWORLD1:15:20 - The prescient nature of certain science fiction stories (including MINORITY REPORT)1:17:07 - Metaphorical commentary embedded within HAWKWORLD: the outsourcing of American labor and industry1:32:24 - Katar Hol leaves behind the lies he has been taught about Thanagar’s history, confronting the horrific reality of the actual history1:40:37 - Tom King; THE SHERRIFF OF BABYLON, BATMAN1:54:19 - COMICS ROT YOUR BRAIN! exists for this reason+ Visit ComicsRotYourBrain.com to get a look at some of the fantastic art discussed in our episodes and to sign up for our newsletter, Letter Column. Check out our YouTube channel. You can also find us wherever you stream your favorite podcasts.+ We appreciate your support of the show via Patreon: ComicsRotYourBrain+ For even more cool shit, read Chris's Substack (cinema, comics, and culture) - THIN ICE©2024 Comics Rot Your Brain!#dccomics #vertigocomics #alanmoore #comicbooks #new #content #80scomics #explained #indiecomics #scificomics #marvelcomics #horrorstories

Steven and Chris obsess over issues one through seven of Comico’s ongoing GRENDEL series (1986), the “Devil’s Legacy” story arc, pondering the lasting resonance of Matt Wagner’s extraordinary exploration of evil.SHOW NOTES:00:32 - Intro to GRENDEL. Move over, Batman! The Dark Knight isn’t the only violent vigilante in town! Cue a valiant attempt to summarize the fascinatingly unique, complex concept of GRENDEL03:12 - “DEVIL’S LEGACY” …Christine Spar dons the mask of the fiend. SHE is GRENDEL! 20:39 - The amazing Pander Brothers! ...and the inking of their highly stylized work — touching on ‘80s fashion art, Aeon Flux, and Patrick Nagel. The Pander Bros = style AND substance, plus “They draw some of the best hands in comics!”29:10 - The eye-popping sales of the first issue of GRENDEL — 68,000 copies!30:54 - How to pronounce “Comico”37:22 - DC Comics’ amazing BLUE DEVIL by Paris Cullins, Dan Mishkin & Gary Cohn38:42 - The cleverly titled TEMPUS FUGITIVE by Ken Steacy; NOW Comics, ASTRO BOY, SPEED RACER40:17 - THE SACRED & THE PROFANE by Dean Motter & Ken Steacy41:14 - The bizarre & mostly unnoticed WAR BEARS from Dark Horse Comics by Margaret Atwood (!) & Ken Steacy42:38 - Our conjecture re: why Matt Wagner brought in other artists on GRENDEL and why modern comics artists are no longer able to do long-ass runs on a series48:15 - The looser, more gestural art of Hayden Sherman and Ashley Wood — drawing awesome comics with styles built for speed50:57 - The super dense verbiage of Matt Wagner’s writing in this run of GRENDEL55:06 - “THE DEVIL’S LAIR,” the GRENDEL letter column — Diana Schutz responds to a critical letter about Matt’s “wordy” approach, defending his “intentionally complex” writing choices1:01:15 - GRENDEL: WARCHILD, Grendel Prime,  the exquisite art of Simon Bisley1:04:33 - Great unfinished stories in comic books — THE AERIALIST, TYRANT, BIG NUMBERS1:08:51 - Edvin Biukovic & Darko Macan, the brilliant Croatian artist/writer team that created GRENDEL TALES: DEVILS AND DEATHS1:12:33 - The progressive, multicultural, racial dynamics in this run of GRENDEL1:13:33 - “…There’s so much greatness in the idea of GRENDEL…”1:37:57 - The similarities between the mask designs for GRENDEL and SPAWN+ Visit ComicsRotYourBrain.com to get a look at some of the fantastic art discussed in our episodes and to sign up for our newsletter, Letter Column. Check out our YouTube channel. You can also find us wherever you stream your favorite podcasts.+ We appreciate your support of the show via Patreon: ComicsRotYourBrain+ For even more cool shit, read Chris's Substack (cinema, comics, and culture) - THIN ICE©2024 Comics Rot Your Brain!#dccomics #vertigocomics #alanmoore #comicbooks #new #content #80scomics #explained #indiecomics #scificomics #marvelcomics #horrorstories

Chris and Steven descend into the futuristic cesspool of gangsterism and “a little of the old ultraviolence” that is SKREEMER (DC Comics, 1989), a noir-styled postapocalyptic science fiction comic that makes A CLOCKWORK ORANGE look G-rated*. An explosive precursor to Vertigo Comics, this series was created by Peter Milligan, Brett Ewins, and Steve Dillion. * Please Note: Our YT video imagery displays comparatively tame examples of SKREEMER art in order to respect YT guidelines concerning violence and graphic content.CRYB! is a deep dive into ‘80s comics (plus a few notable exceptions) in a weekly podcast format. SHOW NOTES02:16 - A brief introduction to the world of SKREEMER — somewhere between James Joyce’s FINNEGAN’S WAKE and Stanley Kubrick’s A CLOCKWORK ORANGE12:08 - Celebrating the ahead of its time design of the logo and covers for SKREEMER. These are “pop comics”.13:56 - An attempt to summarize the overarching narrative of SKREEMER37:47 - Why you ought to buy the original floppies of SKREEMER (almost no ads!)40:10 - The groundbreakingly transgressive nature of SKREEMER40:42 - Dense, substantial storytelling in SKREEMER — a mark of the days before “decompressed stories”53:47 - The poetry of Pete Milligan. Purple prose or evocative writing?1:01:17 - Exploring the racial and sexual politics of SKREEMER1:20:43 - The art of Brett Ewins and Steve Dillon on SKREEMER vs. Steve Dillon’s art on PREACHER; also, a discussion of Dillon’s early UK work for 2000 AD and DEADLINE magazine1:22:44 - The extraordinary, nuanced, and sophisticated coloring choices of Tom Ziuko1:40:19 - The modern day relevance of Vito’s evil masterplan1:50:29 - Spoiler warning for Warren Ellis and John Cassaday’s PLANETARY (Skip ahead 30 seconds if you haven’t read it!)1:52:37 - Further discussion of the depiction of women and people of color in SKREEMER1:57:02 - EC Comics’ “Judgement Day!” by Ray Bradbury, Al Feldstein, and Joe Orlando2:16:58 - Final thoughts on the wildly ambitious  SKREEMER — its place in the ‘80s comics canon and why it matters2:25:50 - Grant Morrison and his love for the writings of Pete Milligan, specifically Vertigo’s ENIGMA#alanmoore #batman #thedarkknight #stanleykubrick #2000ad #vertigocomics #grantmorrison #scificomics #sciencefiction #comicbook #aclockworkorange+ Visit ComicsRotYourBrain.com to get a look at some of the fantastic art discussed in our episodes and to sign up for our newsletter, Letter Column. Check out our YouTube channel. You can also find us wherever you stream your favorite podcasts.+ We appreciate your support of the show via Patreon: ComicsRotYourBrain+ For even more cool shit, read Chris's Substack (cinema, comics, and culture) - THIN ICE©2024 Comics Rot Your Brain!#dccomics #vertigocomics #alanmoore #comicbooks #new #content #80scomics #explained #indiecomics #scificomics #marvelcomics #horrorstories

Steven and Chris tackle the mind-bending "superhero" space opera, NEXUS (1981, 1983), created by Mike Baron and Steve "The Dude" Rude.COMICS ROT YOUR BRAIN! is a deep dive into ‘80s comics (plus a few notable exceptions) in a weekly podcast. Screenwriters Chris Derrick (STAR TREK: PICARD) & Steven Bagatourian (AMERICAN GUN) discuss their favorite books, runs, and creators from the Bronze Age.SHOW NOTES00:30 - Steven & Chris intro NEXUS05:25 - How we first encountered NEXUS15:41 - A detailed overview of the absurdly engaging high-wire act that forms the crux of NEXUS27:40 - “If you’re writing fiction, you need to read NEXUS.” The series’ place in the American comics canon28:39 - “...NEXUS feels like my platonic ideal of pure comics. Something that you can scarcely imagine existing in another medium without being dramatically changed or bastardized in order to dumb it down for some so-called 'mass audience'...”36:04 - “...Neither fish nor fowl...” The elusive nature of NEXUS48:39 - THE NAME OF THE ROSE by Umberto Eco; THE MASTER AND MARGARITA by Mikhail Bulgakov; IF ON A WINTER’S NIGHT A TRAVELER by Italo Calvino1:00:30 - NEXUS’s stylish synthesis of Alex Toth, SPACE GHOST, and Jack Kirby. “...Mashing up elements that are clearly the individual passions of Baron & Rude... a crackling, kinetic mix.” In the words of Harlan Ellison: “It glows with originality.”1:02:51 - The crossover with Mike Baron’s other First Comics title, THE BADGER1:06:27 - The once-in-a-lifetime radiance of Steve Rude. “There’s nothing he can’t draw... That’s what’s f'd up.”01:11:04 - “...These are alien landscapes, alien ships, alien clothing... Steve Rude... has lived in these worlds… a master class in comic book art1:12:14 - The subtlety, grace, and beauty of Rude’s art -- a barrier-to-entry for some?  01:20:55 - The unbelievable alien physics of Steve Rude’s intergalactic architecture01:29:55 - NEXUS as the apex of ongoing creator-owned comics01:33:11 - Why you need to read NEXUS in the original floppy single issues: a rollicking letter column, “WHAT IT IS!” + Harlan Ellison’s hilarious exchange w/ Mike Baron01:43:00 - The act of genius-level wholesale invention that is NEXUS, as opposed to WATCHMEN and SANDMAN01:45:53 - A last fraught exchange, NEXUS letter column01:49:46 - “...One of the greatest ongoing comics of all time -- and it isn’t even close.”  + Visit ComicsRotYourBrain.com to get a look at some of the fantastic art discussed in our episodes and to sign up for our newsletter, Letter Column. Check out our YouTube channel. You can also find us wherever you stream your favorite podcasts.+ We appreciate your support of the show via Patreon: ComicsRotYourBrain+ For even more cool shit, read Chris's Substack (cinema, comics, and culture) - THIN ICE©2024 Comics Rot Your Brain!#dccomics #vertigocomics #alanmoore #comicbooks #new #content #80scomics #explained #indiecomics #scificomics #marvelcomics #horrorstories

In this episode, Steven and Chris venture into the bizarre and harrowing — yet entirely compelling — world of Michael T. Gilbert's MR. MONSTER (1988).CRYB! is a deep dive into ‘80s comics (plus a few noteworthy exceptions). Screenwriters Chris Derrick (STAR TREK: PICARD) and Steven Bagatourian (AMERICAN GUN) discuss their favorite books, runs, and creators from the Bronze Age.SHOW NOTES00:46 - The history of MR. MONSTER12:59 - “The Mr. Monster Mantle” -- the tradition of “legacy heroes” -- Zorro, The Phantom... and Mr. Monster22:07 - The uniquely charming, joyful art style of Michael T. Gilbert, full of raw gestural energy and dripping with love for this book (and this character)36:24 - The gorgeous hand lettering of the legendary Ken Bruzenak on Mr. Monster49:44 - Questioning the logic of the evil monsters’ plan to take out Mr. Monster55:51 - The extraordinary density of the compressed storytelling in MR. MONSTER, plus text pages and a letter column! 30+ minutes of entertainment per issue! How comparatively lacking modern comics are in regard to ent. value & the immersive nature of older comics58:19 - Early days of Dark Horse Comics: BORIS THE BEAR and WACKY SQUIRREL1:01:30 - TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, FISH POLICE, GROO THE WANDERER, LONE WOLF & CUB, AKIRA1:06:08 - Giving Michael T. Gilbert his due as a very compelling writer — especially considering the extreme switch-up on the tone of story he is telling here in MR. MONSTER: ORIGINS, as compared to his earlier MR. MONSTER stories1:16:53 - “People like kids in movies that do cool shit.” Alex Derrick’s theory on the types of children that audiences enjoy seeing in stories1:30:21 - “Mr. Monster... is about love.”1:37:00 - More on the idea of legacy heroes, plus the impact that personal relationships have on the lives of the average international monster killer1:48:11 - The idiosyncratic vision of MR. MONSTER, created in the glorious medium of comic books where, unlike Hollywood, no one will insist that you make your story more grounded. “In Hollywood, it’s very rare that the quirk survives.”1:58:15 - Meeting Michael T. Gilbert at Comic Con and the artist’s pen he used for inking2:00:03 - Racial dynamics in MR. MONSTER and the differences between then and now#mrmonster #mistermonster #darkhorse©2024 Comics Rot Your Brain!+ Visit ComicsRotYourBrain.com to get a look at some of the fantastic art discussed in our episodes and to sign up for our newsletter, Letter Column. Check out our YouTube channel. You can also find us wherever you stream your favorite podcasts.+ We appreciate your support of the show via Patreon: ComicsRotYourBrain+ For even more cool shit, read Chris's Substack (cinema, comics, and culture) - THIN ICE©2024 Comics Rot Your Brain!#dccomics #vertigocomics #alanmoore #comicbooks #new #content #80scomics #explained #indiecomics #scificomics #marvelcomics #horrorstories

In this week's episode, Steven and Chris continue their wide-ranging discussion of Epic Comics' ALIEN LEGION series (Also check out Part One, which went live last week). Carl Potts, Alan Zelenetz, Frank Cirocco, Larry Stroman.COMICS ROT YOUR BRAIN! is a deep dive into ‘80s comics (plus a few notable exceptions). In this weekly podcast, screenwriters Chris Derrick (STAR TREK: PICARD) and Steven Bagatourian (AMERICAN GUN) discuss their favorite books, runs, and creators from the Bronze Age.SHOW NOTES00:08 - Issue 6: “Operation Nerve Center!” - The character of alien soldier, Dirge, and his all-too-human battle with an addiction to a performance-enhancing drug01:53 - The use of thought balloons as an essential window into the deepest vulnerabilities of our traumatized cosmic battalion. “Soldiers in this insane crucible of battle.” 08:01 - Impostor syndrome in ALIEN LEGION — the neurotic, inadequate, deeply insecure messes, who are our main players, along with the increasingly expansive cast of characters in this world12:50 - Sarigar usually keeps a lid on his id, but sometimes a mofo’s gotta use his big-ass lizard/reptile tail to beat some ass14:51 - Issue 7: Whilce Portacio (!) inked this issue of ALIEN LEGION15:37 - Issues 8 - 11: The Chris Warner issues: rock-solid work in between the more idiosyncratic runs of Cirocco and Stroman16:59 - The rise of the grimmest and  grittiest of all legionnaires, Jugger Grimrod, in the era of Wolverine and the Punisher24:08 - Issue 12: “Hollow Harvest!” The arrival of the great Larry Stroman brings a distinctly new visual flair to the book and some awesomely stylized hair!48:25 - Issue 13: “Moonlilies for Cora Cora!” = FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON56:31 - Issue 14: “Reprise!” - the devastating next chapter1:20:53 - Issue 15: “The Official Death of Jugger Grimrod!” The title says it all.1:35:42 - Issue 16: “Demons!” - Intro of Tamara, the first woman legionnaire2:04:04 - Travis Charest & Larry Stroman both drawing DARKSTARS for DC! Discussion of Charest’s early work -- WILDCATS w/ Alan Moore and METABARONS2:06:23 - You can tell every genre of story as a war story.2:07:51 - ALIEN LEGION as the ultimate, hyper-compressed metaphor for life. “We’re all in the ALIEN LEGION.”#alienlegion #thealienlegion #carlpotts #larrystroman #epiccomics+ Visit ComicsRotYourBrain.com to get a look at some of the fantastic art discussed in our episodes and to sign up for our newsletter, Letter Column. Check out our YouTube channel. You can also find us wherever you stream your favorite podcasts.+ We appreciate your support of the show via Patreon: ComicsRotYourBrain+ For even more cool shit, read Chris's Substack (cinema, comics, and culture) - THIN ICE©2024 Comics Rot Your Brain!#dccomics #vertigocomics #alanmoore #comicbooks #new #content #80scomics #explained #indiecomics #scificomics #marvelcomics #horrorstories

This week, Steven and Chris begin their two-part exploration of Epic Comics' ALIEN LEGION, published in 1984, created by Carl Potts, Alan Zelenetz, and Frank Cirocco. Part One covers issues one through five; Part Two continues the series.Visit ComicsRotYourBrain.com to get a look at some of the fantastic art discussed in our episodes.COMICS ROT YOUR BRAIN! is a deep dive into ‘80s comics (plus a few notable exceptions). In this weekly podcast, screenwriters Chris Derrick (STAR TREK: PICARD) and Steven Bagatourian (AMERICAN GUN) discuss their favorite books, runs, and creators from the Bronze Age of comics.SHOW NOTES0:15 - Intro to the ALIEN LEGION series02:07 - How the floppies differ from the collected trade editions, in regard to THE OFFICIAL HANDBOOK OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE-style entries provided for the main legionnaires08:55 - Issue One, "Survival of the Fittest!" Zelenetz and Cirocco’s specific way of approaching this sprawling space opera28:15 - Issues Two: "Blind Trust!"30:31 - Allusions to LOST — Did that classic TV series draw inspiration for its “bottle episodes” and their solo character flashback structures from ALIEN LEGION?44:39 - Torqa Dun & Jugger Grimrod as sketchy legionnaires in the Wolverine and Punisher mold58:12 - A detour into the challenges of creator-owned comics1:08:38 - Issue Three, "Last Gamble!” and its Back-up Story1:20:53 - Era of post-decompressed storytelling and Frank Cirocco’s exquisitely-designed cover art1:25:19 - Issue Four: "The Killing Zone!” - the big Torie Montroc’s solo issue1:40:21 - Zeerod’s Back-Up Story in Issue Four: “Conscience!"+ Goodwin & Simonson's phenomenal ‘70s gem,  MANHUNTER#alienlegion #scifi #thealienlegion #carlpotts #larrystroman #epiccomics #spaceopera+ Visit ComicsRotYourBrain.com to get a look at some of the fantastic art discussed in our episodes and to sign up for our newsletter, Letter Column. Check out our YouTube channel. You can also find us wherever you stream your favorite podcasts.+ We appreciate your support of the show via Patreon: ComicsRotYourBrain+ For even more cool shit, read Chris's Substack (cinema, comics, and culture) - THIN ICE©2024 Comics Rot Your Brain!#dccomics #vertigocomics #alanmoore #comicbooks #new #content #80scomics #explained #indiecomics #scificomics #marvelcomics #horrorstories

Chris and Steven explore the first few issues of Don McGregor and Paul Gulacy's groundbreaking series, SABRE — a surreal, post-apocalyptic spectacle.COMICS ROT YOUR BRAIN! is a deep dive into ‘80s comics (plus a few notable exceptions). In this weekly podcast, screenwriters Steven Bagatourian (AMERICAN GUN) and Chris Derrick (STAR TREK: PICARD) discuss their favorite books, runs, and creators from the Bronze Age.SHOW NOTES:00:52 - Some background info on the storyline for SABRE — the first “graphic album” for the direct market — a sci-fi story set in the “distant future of 2,018” LOL4:40 - Don McGregor’s delightfully ornery introductory essay to the Image reprint of SABRE.14:55 - The “throw you in the deep end”-style storytelling of SABRE — in media res, wildly expository and dense dialogue, the art of melodrama — all of it in service of casting a rather immersive spell. 18:33 - Soliloquies in Shakespeare and SABRE — “thought balloons” spoken aloud, and the eternal battle to believe in a smart audience that wants to be challenged. 23:14 -  “Pure comics!” A post-apocalyptic ghost of an amusement park and the bizarre evildoer known as Grouse — a rapscallion refugee from an animated film/Nazi cat-rat… The high weirdness of stories built specifically for comics.25:34 - The gloriously purple prose of Don McGregor and how Paul Gulacy’s stunning artwork is at risk of being drowned under a roaring river of words.41:35 - Paul Gulacy in 1978 was merely 25 years old, and yet creating impressively lovely, Steranko-influenced art with a bizarre plasticine rigidity all its own.43:14 - Paul Gulacy never read “How To Draw Comics the Marvel Way” …and that’s absolutely not a problem!47:13 - Don McGregor making life Hell for Paul Gulacy — “Draw me a giant train crash and a massive gun battle with dozens of characters... on horseback!”57:56 - Lord help us, we attempt to describe the psychedelic visual world of SABRE and its wild cast of characters.1:06:14 - The inconcievable notion of releasing a comic book as narratively dense as SABRE in the ADD world of today.1:12:53 - SABRE: THE EARLY FUTURE YEARS - a SABRE relaunch from Don McGregor …and Trevor Von Eeden?!! The Kickstarter that almost was.…01:19:26 - SABRE is a story about battling conformity and this also appeared to be one of Don McGregor’s chief battles in life.1:23:52 - The British Invasion in comics — and their florid, evocative prose stylings — owe a debt to Don McGregor’s poetic voice in his vast ouevre (BLACK PANTHER, KILLRAVEN, NATHANIEL DUSK, DETECTIVES INC, and, of course, SABRE), with a detour into how impossible it was to ink the amazing Gene Colan.1:26:45 - McGregor’s impassioned, provocative text piece in SABRE #2, pushing back on the regressive culture of the comics world, “...a medium that would rather have writers work as whores or mechanics.” What do ya really think, Don?!+ Visit ComicsRotYourBrain.com to get a look at some of the fantastic art discussed in our episodes and to sign up for our newsletter, Letter Column. Check out our YouTube channel. You can also find us wherever you stream your favorite podcasts.+ We appreciate your support of the show via Patreon: ComicsRotYourBrain+ For even more cool shit, read Chris's Substack (cinema, comics, and culture) - THIN ICE©2024 Comics Rot Your Brain!#dccomics #vertigocomics #alanmoore #comicbooks #new #content #80scomics #explained #indiecomics #scificomics #marvelcomics #horrorstories

Steven and Chris embark on the paradigm-shattering psychedelic trip that is the first seven issues of THRILLER — published by DC Comics in 1983 — and find themselves awestruck in its wake. One thing is certain: Trevor Von Eeden is a goddamn genius.COMICS ROT YOUR BRAIN! is a deep dive into ‘80s comics (plus a few notable exceptions). In this weekly podcast, screenwriters Chris Derrick (STAR TREK: PICARD) and Steven Bagatourian (AMERICAN GUN) discuss their favorite books, runs, and creators from the Bronze Age.SHOW NOTES0:05 - Discussing our first exposure to this unsung “shock-your-brain" idea bomb of a comic9:07 - An attempt to summarize our unwieldy pulp beast of a story, with an assist from Robert Loren Fleming, as well as discursive detours into THE SHADOW, DOC SAVAGE, and the great Richard Pryor18:04 - Unconventional pacing in THRILLER and the powerful "delayed cumulative impact" of its story rhythms23:20 - Novel panel compositions ("an obscene amount of panels!"), storytelling innovations, and the downright psychedelic properties of THRILLER. “…an incredible sense of discovery... Trevor Von Eeden is literally inventing new storytelling mechanics on every page." "It's impossible for us to convey verbally how inventive this guy was.”39:27 - TVE’s atypical, kinetic, emotionally resonant approach to inking. "...no one was finishing their work with this roughness and gestural vitality... Von Eeden is all about the emotion..." With detours into the styles of Alex Toth, Neal Adams, and David Mazzuchelli44:23 - Drawing characters "acting" without masks in non-superhero comics50:09 - Innovation in art, from Michaelangelo to manga, Frank Miller to Steven Spielberg, and how David Mazzuchelli’s relatively small body of work that casts a huge shadow1:30:17 - Dick Giordano’s inking of TVE, plus TVE being uniquely unrecognized for being such an absolute frickin' genius1:37:17 - Celebrating the vibrant and unique voice of Robert Loren Fleming  — way ahead of his time in his decompressed approach to comic book storytelling, as well as the bold originality of his ideas1:38:45 - Reading from Heidi MacDonald’s amazingly astute, contemporaneous review of THRILLER from THE COMICS JOURNAL #931:47 - Discussing the outrageous letter column (mis)behavior of THRILLER's so-called editor, Alan Gold1:49:34 - Back to Heidi MacDonald's absurdly prescient review, praising the overarching ambition, skill, and style of TVE2:08:39 - Dick Giordano, TVE, and polished inks vs. holding onto the "magic" of original pencils2:11:15 - The transcendent, beautifully progressive coloring of THRILLER; take a bow, Tom Ziuko!2:16:04 - Discovering — in real time — how TVE’s brilliantly composed page layouts and panel compositions *really* reward repeat study! Mindblowing2:18:25 - "The Chair Incident" - In conversation with Michel Fiffe, TVE recounts the depressingly racist bullshi+ Visit ComicsRotYourBrain.com to get a look at some of the fantastic art discussed in our episodes and to sign up for our newsletter, Letter Column. Check out our YouTube channel. You can also find us wherever you stream your favorite podcasts.+ We appreciate your support of the show via Patreon: ComicsRotYourBrain+ For even more cool shit, read Chris's Substack (cinema, comics, and culture) - THIN ICE©2024 Comics Rot Your Brain!#dccomics #vertigocomics #alanmoore #comicbooks #new #content #80scomics #explained #indiecomics #scificomics #marvelcomics #horrorstories

For ZERO EPISODE, the show’s debut, Steven and Chris sit down and gab about the genesis of this podcast, how the team was formed, and the CRYB! mission. COMICS ROT YOUR BRAIN! is a deep dive into ‘80s comics (plus a few notable exceptions). In this weekly podcast, screenwriters Chris Derrick (STAR TREK: PICARD) & Steven Bagatourian (AMERICAN GUN) discuss their favorite books, runs, and creators from the Bronze Age.SHOW NOTES:1:05 - The “Why?” behind this show5:02 - Experimentation in mainstream comics in the ‘80s, specifically Jenette Kahn’s extraordinary, game-changing reign as Publisher of DC Comics6:44 - Our thoughts on why the ‘80s were such a halcyon period to read American comics and the importance of examining the more obscure titles from that era9:10 - DC’s much lamented horror anthology, WASTELAND, and other comics that leave a lasting mark on their audiences, regardless of commercial success10:56 - Paul Chadwick’s CONCRETE from Dark Horse Comics and other once-acclaimed works that somehow slipped between the cracks of our collective memory12:05 - Marvel, Ron Perelman, HEROES REBORN, and the birth of the modern comics mainstream as IP farm, first and foremost13:37 - Epic Comics, EPIC ILLUSTRATED, DREADSTAR, ALIEN LEGION, GROO THE WANDERER, AKIRA16:00 - SKREEMER, VIGILANTE, GRENDEL, and our raison d'être. Also: Chris’ love of big French words and the types of comics that inspired us17:59 -  MR. MONSTER and revisiting the indie comics of our youth to see how well they hold up (spoiler: still dope)19:43 - The list of comic books we want to cover: SCOUT, HAWKWORLD, AZTEC ACE, BROUGHT TO LIGHT, COYOTE, BWS’ STORYTELLER, WISE SON: THE WHITE WOLF, THE LIGHT & DARKNESS WAR, MARS, AMERICAN FLAGG!, THE SHADOW (Mike Kaluta, Howard Chaykin, Andy Helfer, Bill Sienkiewicz, Marshall Rogers, Baker)23:10 - The pre-Vertigo era, Vertigo, AMERICAN CENTURY by Chaykin, Tischman, and Laming; BLACK KISS and the transgressive works of Howard Chaykin28:00 - Tim Vigil and David Quinn’s FAUST: “If you’re not offending somebody with your work, you’re not doing it right.”29:52 - The difference between mainstream comics then and now — the devolution of American genre comics. IP management versus creative stewardship — the work of Steve Englehart, Cary Bates and Carmine Infantino’s insane TRIAL OF THE FLASH, Ann Nocenti, JRJR, and Al Williamson’s DAREDEVIL. Today, Marvel and DC Comics feel like product; back then, at their best, they were zany expressions of quirky creators who were given actual creative freedom.33:15 - THE MIGHTY THOR, BETA RAY BILL, and the brilliant Walt Simonson35:56 - “Do you remember when First was publishing LONE WOLF & CUB?” reflections on the early days of US manga comics translation — MAI THE PSYCHIC GIRL, THE LEGEND OF KAMUI, Eclipse Comics, etc.37:00 - EPIC ILLUSTRATED and HEAVY METAL MAGAZINE38:30 - Why we feel+ Visit ComicsRotYourBrain.com to get a look at some of the fantastic art discussed in our episodes and to sign up for our newsletter, Letter Column. Check out our YouTube channel. You can also find us wherever you stream your favorite podcasts.+ We appreciate your support of the show via Patreon: ComicsRotYourBrain+ For even more cool shit, read Chris's Substack (cinema, comics, and culture) - THIN ICE©2024 Comics Rot Your Brain!#dccomics #vertigocomics #alanmoore #comicbooks #new #content #80scomics #explained #indiecomics #scificomics #marvelcomics #horrorstories

They say the fabled history of American comic books is divided into four distinct ages — the Golden Age, the Silver Age, the Bronze Age, and the Modern Age. In this weekly podcast, screenwriters Chris Derrick (STAR TREK: PICARD) and Steven Bagatourian (AMERICAN GUN) discuss their favorite books, runs, and creators (mostly) from the Bronze Age.COMICS ROT YOUR BRAIN! invites you to take a deep dive into ‘80s comics (with a few notable exceptions). The podcast explores your hosts’ deep passion for and quirky takes on pivotal or semi-obscure comic series from their youth — groundbreaking and once-lauded titles that laid the foundation for their lifelong love affairs with the graphic storytelling medium. Tune in each week to hear Steven and Chris discuss extraordinary comic books that you forgot about or ones that you never knew existed.…THRILLER, GRIMJACK, NEXUS, CONCRETE, MR. MONSTER, SCOUT, STRAY TOASTERS, and so many others — these comics and their creators blazed radical new trails that changed the course of comics forever but are often left out of today’s discourse.COMICS ROT YOUR BRAIN! exists to celebrate and reckon with the extraordinary legacy of 1980s American comics — all of it.In the debut episode (Zero Episode), the guys talk about why the hell they’re actually doing this! Don’t leave them alone in their fandom and fanaticism. Join in on all the ensuing mayhem!+ Visit ComicsRotYourBrain.com to get a look at some of the fantastic art discussed in our episodes and to sign up for our newsletter, Letter Column. Check out our YouTube channel. You can also find us wherever you stream your favorite podcasts.+ We appreciate your support of the show via Patreon: ComicsRotYourBrain+ For even more cool shit, read Chris's Substack (cinema, comics, and culture) - THIN ICE©2024 Comics Rot Your Brain!#dccomics #vertigocomics #alanmoore #comicbooks #new #content #80scomics #explained #indiecomics #scificomics #marvelcomics #horrorstories