Some Of My Friends Read Comics

Hot on the heels of Kurt Busiek's take on a real-world(ish) Clark Kent, we're reading his Batman focused followup called Creature of the Night from 2017, with art by John Paul Leon. We meet a young kid in a non-superhero world named Bruce Wainwright who's obsessed with Batman comics, and that doesn't really change after his parents get murdered by robbers. So what's the deal with this Batman that starts showing up immediately? Then we move onto Thunderbolts #19, featuring the winner of the Wizard Create-A-Villain contest! Next Time: Wolverine (1982) by Chris Claremont & Frank Miller

We're double-dipping on Kurt Busiek today! We're still continuing his run on Thunderbolts with #18 and the rudest French supervillain you'll ever meet, but first we're reading Superman: Secret Identity from 2004, with Stuart Immonen on art.  It's a story about a regular kid named Clark Kent in a regular universe where superheroes only exist in comics, who gets ridiculed constantly for his name. And then he gets powers. Whoa! Join us as we follow this variant Clark Kent through a full lifetime, and we discuss the duality of Busiek. Next Time: We check out the Secret Identity spiritual sequel, Batman: Creature of the Night!

It's only been about 10 years since we read the first 5 issues of Alan Moore and Gene Ha's Top Ten, but now we're finishing the full first season with issues 6 through 12.  As the precinct deals with criminals on multiple fronts, there's one question on everyone's lips: What's Sergeant Dog Cop up to? Then we move onto Thunderbolts #17, which had a sword fight, an exploding castle, and a dude who can control gravity. Next Time - Superman: Secret Identity by Kurt Busiek & Stuart Immonen

We've never fully delved into the artistic stylings of Rob Liefeld, but it's finally time to take the plunge. We look at his work on relaunching Captain America during Marvel's Heroes Reborn event in the 90s along with Jeph Loeb, and we find plenty of... interesting art choices to discuss.  We read the first 5-issue storyline as well as a 6th issue that perplexed us. Then we move onto Thunderbolts #16 which brings up a new mystery! Next Time: Celebrate the podcast's 10th anniversary with Top 10 #6-12!

We're finishing up the back half of Secret Wars II with issues #6-9. So far, we haven't been very impressed with The Beyonder and his antics on Earth, but will his cool new "Thriller" vest help matters at all? Thankfully the Molecule Man takes center stage to give us something to latch on to. Then, the Thunderbolts are back on Earth in issue #15, and they've gotta figure out how to live life on the run. Next Time: Captain America (1996) #1-6 by Rob Liefeld

It's Secret Wars II, the sequel to Secret Wars... and it's very different! The Beyonder is on Earth and he's just a confused, lonely alien who wants love. It's only 9 issues, so we read the first 5 issues this time and try to understand why it exists. Then we move onto Thunderbolts #14 where they make it back to Earth too! Next time: Secret Wars II, Pt. 2 (Issues 6-9)  

Apparently we haven't covered a Daredevil book since our very first episode. We've never even read the death of Elektra, an iconic moment from the middle of Frank Miller's run in the early 80s. We're reading Daredevil #178-182 to see the big moment for ourselves, along with Daredevil using crutches because he got his leg caught in a bear trap. Oops! Then we're still reading Thunderbolts with issue #13, in which we deal with some alien BS. Next Time: Secret Wars 2, Pt. 1 (Issues 1-5)  

For some reason, we've devoted two episodes to Batman: Hush. Why did we do this to ourselves? For some payoff with The Riddler? The Riddler!?!?! Damnit, Loeb.  At least Thunderbolts #12 didn't disappoint with the big finale to their first story arc. Next Time: The Death of Elektra in Daredevil #178-182

Hush up y'all, this week we're checking out one of the biggest Batman storylines of the 2000s with Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee's Husssshhhhh [emphasis mine] from Batman #608-619. We're reading the first 6 issues in which we learn that Batman had a best friend named Tommy who has somehow never been mentioned in any comic before this one. There's also a mystery bad guy who barely shows up.  Cool.  Then, we're getting real close to the end of the first Thunderbolts storyline in issue #11, which features zappy mind control laser beams! Next Time: We finish up Batman: Hush with Batman #614-619

We've finally reached the end of Ed Brubaker's classic run on Captain America in issues 37-42. Steve Rogers is dead, probably forever, but now we've got Bucky running around with the shield. We also get some other clown who thinks he's Steve, and the Red Skull is trying to get his puppet elected as president while also doing some time travel shenanigans. Then we get to the beginning of the end in Thunderbolts #10. The secret is out! But how??? Next time: Batman: Hush Pt. 1 (Batman #608-613)  

Y'all ever heard of this Galactus guy? Always running around in red and green, throwing gas bombs at the Fantastic Four? Yeah, that's classic Galactus. Dude does way more than just planet-eating.  We read all about it in his very first appearance in Fantastic Four #48-50. The Silver Surfer makes his first appearance too, spending most of these issues talking to a blind sculptor. Classic Silver Surfer. Then we move onto Thunderbolts #9, which was mostly an Avengers flashback. We spend a lot of time in the 60s this week! Next Time: We conclude the Death of Captain America in Captain America (2004) #37-42!

John Constantine is a badass. He's such a badass that his series is called Hellblazer. He's such a badass that he smokes and gets lung cancer and then tricks demons into cure his lung cancer for him. Wow, what a badass. We've only seen this guy in the pages of Swamp Thing, so we're reading Hellblazer #41-46 from 1991 when Garth Ennis took over writing duties. Then we finally say goodbye to the Elements of Doom in Thunderbolts #8. Next Time: The Fantastic Four meet Galactus for the first time in Fantastic Four 48-50.  

Spooky season is swampy season here at SOMFRC and we're back to Swamp Thing! We're reading volume 5 of Alan Moore's run with issues #51-56. Swamp Thing has no more world-ending catastrophes to worry about, but his girlfriend's being persecuted for being into plants! Nothing to do but take over Gotham, get into a fight with Batman, and then spend a cool time in space. Then we move onto Thunderbolts #7, where the team disobeys a direct order from Baron Zemo! Next Time: We check out Garth Ennis's time with John Constantine in Hellblazer: Dangerous Habits (Hellblazer #41-46)

It occurs to us that we've never actually read an Iron Man comic, and with the recent dual-casting of Robert Downey Jr. as both Iron Man and Doctor Doom, we decided to take a look at Doomquest from Iron Man #149 & 150. The metal bros travel back in time to (friend of the show) the medieval era! Doctor Doom rides a horse and that's enough reason to read this comic. Then we move onto our long read of Thunderbolts with issue #6 which requires a periodic table to enjoy. Next Time: The Saga of the Swamp Thing, Vol. 5 by Alan Moore (Swamp Thing 51-56)  

Whelp, we tried to will a Dazzler movie cameo into existence, but Deadpool & Wolverine was unfortunately Taylor Swift-less. Nevertheless, we still press on to read Dazzler: The Movie, the 12th in Marvel's Graphic Novel line from the 80s, in which Dazzler meets a lot of terrible men who promise her a fast track to stardom. Then we continue our long read of Thunderbolts with issue #5, which has a dude in the shadows! Classic! Next Time: Iron Man and Dr. Doom meet in DOOMQUEST (Invincible Iron Man #149-150)  

Watch out crooks, there's a new Captain America in town. And he's got a gun! Steve Rogers is dead and Bucky is taking over as we pick back up with Ed Brubaker's run on Captain America in issues #31-36. Then we continue reading the Thunderbolts with an interlude in the Thunderbolts '97 Annual as we learn all about how the team came together. Next Time: Dazzler: The Movie (Marvel Graphic Novel #12) (in four weeks)

We haven't read nearly enough Hulk on this show, so we're looking at a couple different stories by Peter David. First up is the wedding of Rick Jones from issues #417-419, in which Captain America gets very bashful about a bachelor party. Then we check out The Incredible Hulk: The End, a one shot about the last days of the Hulk's life. We'll tell you why it doesn't feel like a comic book! And of course, we continue our long read of the Thunderbolts with issue #4 in which they accidentally gain a new member! Next Time: The Death of Captain America Pt. 2 (Captain America 2004 #31-36)

We're reading some detective comics this week! No, not the Bat. We're reading a lesser known PI published by Renegade Comics in the 80s: Ms. Tree, written by Max Alan Collins with art by Terry Beatty. We jump into the middle of the book and read issues #18-23 in which Ms. Tree deals with the death of her archnemesis... and kills a ton of people. We were expecting a little more noir and a little less Punisher. Then we continue Thunderbolts with issue #3 in which the former Masters of Evil meet the current Masters of Evil! Next Time: Hulk 417-419 (Rick Jones' Bachelor Party) & Hulk: The End

It's another classic X-Men story! We're reading God Loves, Man Kills by Chris Claremont and Brent Anderson from 1982, which served as the inspiration for the X-Men 2 film. We get to know the evil reverend, Stryker, who has made some... questionable life choices. But why didn't they make him a reverend in the movie?  Then we continue our long read of Thunderbolts with issue #2, which contains the ugliest statue ever erected to honor a superhero. Next Time - Ms. Tree: Heroine Withdrawal

It's time to go back to Fairyland! We loved the first volume of Skottie Young's I Hate Fairyland when we read it back in 2020, so we thought we'd check out volume 2. Will the art still manage to simultaneously be cute and grotesque? You know it! Also, we begin our next long read with Thunderbolts #1 by Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley, with villains posing as heroes. How devious! Next Time: X-Men - God Loves, Man Kills