When people dare to complain about modern Transformers stories, they often single out the human characters and how they drag the spotlight away from the glorious Cybertron titans they paid their money to see. Optimus Prime is enough. Bumblebee is enough. We don't need Spike or Sparky to stretch the narrative. Just give us the 'bots. And yet, Daniel Warren Johnson, the virtuosic cartoonist behind Extremity, Murder Falcon, and Do a Powerbomb!, could not imagine telling his Transformers story without Spike and Sparky. Why? The humans are at the forefront of this week's podcast as we reflect on Daniel Warren Johnson and colorist Mike Spicer's first six issues and their catastrophic climax. Johnson sees Optimus Prime as the ultimate dad, and he wants to tell his ultimate dad saga while simultaneously reintroducing the Autobots and the Decepticons to Image Comics readers. His Transformers create a significant branch in Skybound's ever-expanding Energon Universe, which includes other titles like Void Rivals, Duke, and Cobra Commander. Telling an emotional and singular story while supporting the most exciting event in comics is a herculean task, and thankfully, for all his readers, Johnson is absolutely up for it. After we pour ourselves over Transformers issues one through six, we invite Daniel Warren Johnson onto the show for a hearty debrief. We discuss the humanity at the core of his story, why Sparky was always Optimus Prime's parallel figure, and what we can expect after the heroic and tragic events of the sixth issue. Transformers 7 is currently on comic stands, while the trade paperback collecting the first story arc will arrive on May 21st. Catch a preview of Transformers 8 on Skybound's website. You can continue this conversation by following Daniel Warren Johnson on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website. As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to those books. Brad's Referral Lisa's Referral Other Relevant Links: Robert Kirkman, Joshua Williamson, and Daniel Warren Johnson at SDCC Appreciating Daniel Warren Johnson's Transformers, an essay Joshua Williamson and Tom Reilly on Duke The Ultimate Do a Powerbomb! Daniel Warren Johnson Interview The Ultimate Beta Ray Bill Daniel Warren Jonson Interview Subscribe to the Free CBCC Newsletter Final Round of Plugs (PHEW): Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 4/21 at 4:00 PM for our Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies. Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

How many words belong on a page? How many panels? In this week's podcast, we uncover the answers by chatting with Pornsak Pichetshote and Jesse Lonergan about their new Boom Studios series, Man's Best. It's a radically personal work about three emotional support animals lost in space, and it forced its creators to rethink their collaborative impulses to achieve the best comic possible. And we're excited to report they pulled it off. Man's Best is, without doubt, one of the year's best comics. In our conversation, before we dig into the craft and math behind the comic, we challenge the themes Pichetshote and Lonergan are exploring with Man's Best. It's a saga born out of crisis, and it required the artists to adopt one of the most tried-and-true fictional devices: anthropomorphization. We consider the intrinsic value of placing animals in harm's way and how it immediately - and perilously - heightens an audience's emotions. One dog dies, and we're happy to watch John Wick eradicate a hundred goons. It's not a vice-versa situation. The first issue of Man's Best is out now, and the second issue will arrive in comic shops on April 24th. You can continue this conversation online by following Pornsak Pichetshote on Twitter and Instagram, as well as Jesse Lonergan on Twitter and Instagram. As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to those books. Brad's Referral Lisa's Referral Other Relevant Links: Jesse Lonergan on CBCC, Talking Miss Truesdale SKTCHD's Exploration of the Connection Between Comics and Podcasts Subscribe to the Free CBCC Newsletter Final Round of Plugs (PHEW): Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 4/21 at 4:00 PM for our Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies. Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

We've dreaded this moment for more than a minute. The Death of Comics Bookcase is here. Journalist Zack Quaintance has assembled a mighty fine coffin in the form of a comic book and put his old self into it. Having written for his old site, we'll miss him, but we also recognize this death as a rebirth loaded with possibility, and we can't help but be excited, too. Having dipped his toes into comic-making with Next Door, Zack Quaintance now plunges all the way in with his latest project. The Death of Comics Bookcase is an anthology featuring various rad artistic talent: Nick Cagnetti, P.J. Holden, Luke Horsman, Ryan Lee, Anna Readman, Pat Skott, and more. With stories like "The Werewolf Priest" and "The Responsibili-Teen," the book surfs through numerous genres, playing with our love of the medium while crafting a profoundly personal pseudo-biography. On this week's podcast, we grab Zack Quaintance for an intimate discussion regarding his need to make comics after spending so many years writing about them. We discuss the necessary death of his old self and his hopes for the new one. We chat about the various doors he's closed in his life and how he was able to kick down the one that blocked his path to becoming a comics creator. If he can do it, you can too. Prepare yourself for inspiration. The Death of Comics Bookcase is currently seeking funding via Kickstarter. The project is already complete; we've read it and backed it ourselves. You can also continue this conversation with Quaintance by following him on Twitter and Instagram. As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to those books. Brad's Referral Lisa's Referral Other Relevant Links: WonderCon with The Geekly Grind Part 1 WonderCon with The Geekly Grind Part 2 WonderCon with The Geekly Grind Part 3 Subscribe to the Free CBCC Newsletter Final Round of Plugs (PHEW): Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 4/21 at 4:00 PM for our Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies. Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

A story is never one story. A story is several stories. It's the story imagined by its author or authors, as is often the case in comics, and it's the story imagined by its many readers. They can be similar or significantly different, but none of them are the same. Never have we been more aware of this phenomenon than when we were talking to Becky Cloonan and Tula Lotay about their new comic, Somna. The DSTLRY series gripped us immediately. One issue in, we found ourselves challenged, wrestling with how these witch trial stories typically propel themselves. Fear and hate are the enemy, but what happens when the paranoia is justified? Both of us interpreted the story differently, but our interpretations differed slightly from Becky Cloonan's headcanon, and hers differed slightly from Tula Lotay's headcanon. Fascinating. We can agree on Somna's plot. Ingrid is unhappily wed to the town bailiff, who succeeds by sniffing out witches and bringing them to a cleansing fire. His work consumes him, drying his desire for Ingrid and leaving her open to shadowy whispers from a potentially demonic phantom. Becky Cloonan and Tula Lotay trade pages throughout, setting barriers between dream and reality before breaking them down in tremendous fashion. Somna's third and final issue arrives in shops today. It's the culmination of a decade-long journey for Cloonan and Lotay, and they're eager to share their inspirations, interpretations, and intentions with us. Our conversation is spoiler-ish -- we HAD to talk about that last panel, so it's best if you're caught up on the series before diving into our episode. To continue this discussion, you can find Becky Cloonan on Twitter and Instagram, and Tula Lotay on Twitter and Instagram. As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to those books. Brad's Referral Lisa's Referral Other Relevant Links: Subscribe to the Free CBCC Newsletter Final Round of Plugs (PHEW): Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 4/21 at 4:00 PM for our Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies. Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Walk into your local comic book store and give it a good browse. These days, you won't find too many Western comics. When a publisher like Image Comics grants a person the opportunity to make one, they must seize it and run wild. Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips cram The Enfield Gang Massacre with everything they love about the genre. It's got bank robberies, shootouts, and Gatling guns, oh my. When Condon and Phillips last appeared on the podcast, we speculated that The Enfield Gang Massacre and its sibling series That Texas Blood were their Hellboy saga. Within this massive, time-spanning tale, they can go anywhere and explore anything, as long as it speaks to the lowercase evil and the uppercase Evil that frequently corrupts humanity's heart. However, with that conversation, we had only read The Enfield Gang Massacre's first issue. This time, we've devoured the whole darn thing, and we had to go full-spoilers with the creators. We start at the end with the new six-page prequel story appearing in The Enfield Gang Massacre's trade paperback (out April 9th). We consider how this short story reworks our understanding of what Condon and Phillips are building with their Western and discuss just how far back they could go with That Texas Blood. You can continue this chat with the That Texas Blood creators by following Chris Condon on Twitter and Instagram and following Jacob Phillips on Twitter and Instagram. As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to those books. Brad's Referral Lisa's Referral Other Relevant Links: Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips on The Enfield Gang Massacre Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips on That Texas Blood Andrew Cumming on Out of Darkness Subscribe to the Free CBCC Newsletter Final Round of Plugs (PHEW): Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 4/21 at 4:00 PM for our Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies. Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Who are we? Who do we want to be? Sometimes, the truth is a lie well told. Tom King returns to the podcast for his most in-depth conversation, breaking down the themes of his iconic Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow run and why so much of his personal history wound up within it. Explore no further if you have not already read Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. We spoil everything. We've wanted to have this conversation with Tom King since we read the first issue, and it became utterly vital for our well-being after we read the last issue. We begin with the title and its significance at the start of the project versus its significance at the halfway point. From there, we consider Supergirl's quest alongside the vengeance-seeking Ruthye, how both characters are changed by the other, and just exactly what we're supposed to take away from that final page. A comic like Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow doesn't come around too often. Every creator involved, from King to artist Bilquis Evely to colorist Matheus Lopes to letter Clayton Cowles, is operating at the height of their powers. It seems impossible to replicate, yet the entire team returns to comic shops this week with Helen of Wyndhorn. And yeah, we've read the first issue, and we're already in awe of what they're cooking inside this Wizard of Oz meets Conan the Barbarian tale. Special Bonus! Learn Tom King's Secret Comic Book Couples Counseling origin. We'll say no more here, but it's a fun tidbit for podcast trivia seekers. Finally, we begin our episode celebrating this year's Awesome Con experience and the first-ever CBCC panel held on March 8th at 8:30 PM in Room 206 of the Washington DC Convention Center. Our thanks to everyone who came out for our counseling session. Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow was originally published between August 2021 and April 2022. It's currently available in trade paperback from DC Comics, but a new Deluxe Hardcover edition will arrive on July 24th. Find it wherever rad books are sold. Continue this conversation with Tom King via Twitter, Threads, and Instagram. As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to those books. Brad's Referral Lisa's Referral Don't forget to join us for the first-ever Comic Book Couples Counseling panel on March 8th at Washington DC's Awesome Con. Room 206 at 8:30 PM! Other Relevant Links: Tom King and Elsa Charretier on Love Everlasting Tom King and Mitch Gerads on Batman: The Brave and the Bold Tom King on Danger Street Subscribe to the Free CBCC Newsletter Final Round of Plugs (PHEW): Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 3/17 at 4:00 PM for our Hellboy (2004) screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies. Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

This week's episode is the conversation we've wanted to have with Tyler Crook from the moment we first read The Lonesome Hunters. Despite already having two wonderful chats with Crook on the record, we couldn't let him rest there. After Dark Horse Comics released the second volume, The Wolf Child, we needed to go full-spoilers, and it appears Tyler Crook needed to do the same thing. We start at the end and work our way back to the beginning, picking through the comic's various themes and how they got there. All of that is to say that you've been warned. If you have not read The Lonesome Hunters: The Wolf Child, please do so immediately. While not centered on a romantic couple, it's the perfect Comic Book Couples Counseling comic, a place where the reader can go to find themselves as Tyler Crook has put everything of himself into it. The book's central protagonists, Howard and Lupe, are thrust onto a road with an undercurrent of magic. One has avoided it for most of their life; the other desperately clings to it in hopes of relief. When a comic like this one comes around, you must celebrate. The Lonesome Hutners: The Wolf Child is the purest of expressions, written, illustrated, colored, and lettered by Tyler Crook. It's a human bound in pages, and the result is something so painfully, beautifully relatable. Our previous conversations with Tyler Crook will contextualize some of this interview. Please hit the links to those episodes below. It's always lovely to chat with Crook. We dig as deep into The Lonesome Hunters' mythology as the artist will allow at this point. We tell him what we think the comic is about, and he encouragingly responds to those interpretations. The Lonesome Hunters The Wolf Child is now available from Dark Horse Comics, wherever fine comic books are sold. You can continue your conversation with Tyler Crook via his Blue Sky, Instagram, and Website. Also, you can listen to his music through his Bandcamp page (although it's also available on Spotify, Apple Music, and the like). As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to those books. Brad's Referral Lisa's Referral Don't forget to join us for the first-ever Comic Book Couples Counseling panel on March 8th at Washington DC's Awesome Con. Room 206 at 8:30 PM! Other Relevant Links: Our 1st Tyler Crook Conversation Our 2nd Tyler Crook Conversation Subscribe to the Free CBCC Newsletter Our Recent Appearance on My Marvelous Year (Convincible) Final Round of Plugs (PHEW): Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 3/17 at 4:00 PM for our Hellboy (2004) screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies. Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Some birthdays are bigger than others. To properly celebrate the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles hitting their forties this year, IDW Publishing is determined to make a fuss regarding our favorite comic book siblings, including, but not limited to, inviting heavyweight scribe Jason Aaron onto their flagship title. The main monthly comic will relaunch with a new number one in July but remain faithful to IDW's continuity, all one hundred and fifty issues of it. This week on Comic Book Couples Counseling, Jason Aaron reveals the title of his run's first storyline, how it's layered with meaning, especially for fans of the original Mirage Studios stories, and why it was necessary to collaborate with such wickedly cool stylists like Joëlle Jones, Rafael Albuquerque, Cliff Chiang, and Chris Burnham. We also discuss why he's starting his saga with four solo adventures, with each of the first four issues focusing on a specific brother, and how June's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Alpha #1 one-shot will set the stage and tone for what's to come. Once upon a time, a young Jason Aaron purchased Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #3 and had his little mind melted. He wants to bring the same punk rock energy to his series that the original creators, Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, brought to every one of their comics. We return to this headspace with Jason Aaron, revisit a few of our favorite Ninja Turtle comics, and speculate on what we may see on the page in the very near future. We've said it before, and we'll say it again: there is no better time to be a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fan. All rapidly on their way, we have a new monthly series written by Jason Aaron, another series titled TMNT: Mutant Nation, Juni Ba and Fero Pe's Nightwatcher spin-off, a Saturday Morning Adventures TMNT/Usagi Yojimbo crossover one-shot, and the artist showcase anthology, TMNT: Black, White, and Green. So, yeah, we had to take a moment and break all that down too. OH! And remember, The Last Ronin II: Re-Evolution hits shops on March 6th! Keep your eyes glued to the IDW Publishing page as more and more Ninja Turtles 40th Anniversary celebrations are revealed, and make sure to follow Jason Aaron on Twitter, Instagram, and his website. As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to those books. Brad's Referral Lisa's Referral In addition, this episode is sponsored by Third Eye Comics, your friendly neighborhood comic shop with seven locations in the Maryland, DC, and Virginia area. They're your one-stop shop for all things comics, graphic novels, toys, games, records, movies & more! Not local but still looking for an awesome place to meet all your comic needs? They've also got an amazing website, shop.thirdeyecomics.com, where you can browse thousands of items, pre-order your new comics, and have it all sent right to your doorstep for a flat $5 shipping rate! Don't forget to join us for the first-ever Comic Book Couples Counseling panel on March 8th at Washington DC's Awesome Con. Room 206 at 8:30 PM! Other Relevant Links: Kevin Eastman on CBCC TMNT x CBCC Subscribe to the Free CBCC Newsletter Jason Aaron on comicbook.com Final Round of Plugs (PHEW): Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 3/17 at 4:00 PM for our Hellboy (2004) screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies. Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

All biography is autobiography. Nowhere is this more evident than when discussing Tom Scioli's back-to-back books, Jack Kirby: The Epic Life of the King of Comics and I Am Stan: A Graphic Biography of the Legendary Stan Lee. Since his earliest works, Scioli has found himself through his reverence, study, and subversion of the King. Kirby's collaborations with Stan Lee shaped much of our current cultural imagination, and they absolutely reworked Scioli's DNA and continue to do so with each passing day. During our first conversation with Tom Scioli, done shortly after he completed his Jack Kirby biography, he seemed hesitant to the idea of tackling Stan Lee next. Three years later, he's done so, but he did it in an unexpected way, skipping the interior path into his subject and embracing the exterior. After all, there are so many more interviews, articles, biographies, and documentaries on Stan "The Man" Lee than Jack Kirby, and it was much easier to source the events described in I Am Stan. Hell, the appendix to the comic is almost as richly readable as the comic itself. I Am Stan's front cover and first two pages establish a challenging position, especially for those who've adored Stan Lee in a particular fashion for so many decades. We're grateful to have Tom Scioli on the podcast this week to discuss those opening blows and the sympathy and love he still carries for the man who many believe built Marvel Comics. We discuss how his approach to Stan Lee differed from Jack Kirby's and how both books combine to form a third narrative. I Am Stan: A Graphic Biography of the Legendary Stan Lee is now available from Ten Speed Press. Make sure to follow Tom Scioli on Twitter HERE, on Instagram HERE, and on Patreon HERE. As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to those books. Brad's Referral Lisa's Referral In addition, this episode is sponsored by Third Eye Comics, your friendly neighborhood comic shop with seven locations in the Maryland, DC, and Virginia area. They're your one-stop shop for all things comics, graphic novels, toys, games, records, movies & more! Not local but still looking for an awesome place to meet all your comic needs? They've also got an amazing website, shop.thirdeyecomics.com, where you can browse thousands of items, pre-order your new comics, and have it all sent right to your doorstep for a flat $5 shipping rate! Don't forget to join us for the first-ever Comic Book Couples Counseling panel on March 8th at Washington DC's Awesome Con. Room 206 at 8:30 PM! Other Relevant Links: Tom Scioli on Jack Kirby Tom Scioli on Fantastic Four: Grand Design Subscribe to the Free CBCC Newsletter Final Round of Plugs (PHEW): Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 2/25 at 4:00 PM for our Meteor Man screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies. Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

What's in the box!? Scott Summers invites Emma Frost into his mind palace and shows her his special black cube, constructed with a little help from his ex. Gulp. This week, we reach the halfway point in our ScEmma Counseling Session series, discussing Dark X-Men: The Confession as well as Uncanny X-Men issues 518 and 519, which mark the height of their functionality. Yup, it's the top of their hill, and we're not ready to look on the other side. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Instead, let's revel in their achievements as they recognize each other's authentic selves while casting off their conditioned selves. Namor, Tony Stark, the X-Force kill squad. Forget about them. Scott and Emma, you're two desperate, hyper-vigilant people pleasers who can forget their shady past sins and embrace their sexy present sins. Helping us navigate Scott and Emma's multiple psychic revelations is Dr. Nicole Lepera and her book, How to Be the Love You Seek: Break Cycles, Find Peace and Heal Your Relationships. Together, we explore the seven conditioned selves, consider which apply to Scott and Emma, and wonder whether Psylocke was the right choice for Professor X's surgical assistant. Dark X-Men: The Confession was published by Marvel Comics in September 2009. It's written by Craig Kyle and Chris Yost, penciled by Bing Cansino, inked by Roland Paris, colored by Edgar Delgado and Brian Reber, and lettered by Rob Steen. Uncanny X-Men issues 518 and 519 were published between December of 2009 and January of 2010. They were written by Matt Fraction, penciled by Terry Dodson, inked by Rachel Dodson, colored by Justin Ponsor, and lettered by Joe Caramagna. As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to those books. Brad's Referral Lisa's Referral In addition, this episode is sponsored by Third Eye Comics, your friendly neighborhood comic shop with seven locations in the Maryland, DC, and Virginia area. They're your one-stop shop for all things comics, graphic novels, toys, games, records, movies & more! Not local but still looking for an awesome place to meet all your comic needs? They've also got an amazing website, shop.thirdeyecomics.com, where you can browse thousands of items, pre-order your new comics, and have it all sent right to your doorstep for a flat $5 shipping rate! Don't forget to join us for the first-ever Comic Book Couples Counseling panel on March 8th at Washington DC's Awesome Con. Room 206 at 8:30 PM! Other Relevant Links: ScEmma - New X-Men: The Psychic Affair Episode ScEmma - New X-Men: Here Comes Tomorrow Episode Subscribe to the Free CBCC Newsletter Final Round of Plugs (PHEW): Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 2/25 at 4:00 PM for our Meteor Man screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies. Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

The initial mission was to create a character who would outlast him. Todd McFarlane stared down Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man. He knew he had a character within him that could last beyond his own lifetime; he just had to pull him out. Spawn might not have outlived his maker yet, but he has survived and thrived these last thirty-plus years. As has Todd's action figure empire, McFarlane Toys, celebrating its thirtieth anniversary this year. Next month, Spawn continues its record-breaking run, reaching a milestone of three hundred and fifty issues. The comic promises to answer questions that have been building for years while laying the groundwork for a Spawn Universe explosion: seven new Spawn-related titles will hit shelves throughout 2024. You might think Todd McFarlane would be preoccupied with everything happening in his world in 2024, but he's already scrawling out his 2025 plans. Longevity is the great, underrated value in business. As is the importance of a thick back catalog ready to exploit when the spotlight falls upon it. This week, Todd McFarlane returns to Comic Book Couples Counseling for the fourth time, and it's our longest and most in-depth conversation so far. We ask him about the lessons we could all learn from the four decades he's spent in the comic book trenches. While he's initially resistant to accept that there are any lessons to grab, he generously opens up and shares his various philosophies. These are the secrets to Todd's success. Spawn #350 arrives from Image Comics on February 21st. If you want to continue our discussion with Todd McFarlane, you can find him on Twitter and Instagram, as well as his Website. Follow McFarlane Toys through Twitter and Instagram. As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to those books. Brad's Referral Lisa's Referral In addition, this episode is sponsored by Third Eye Comics, your friendly neighborhood comic shop with seven locations in the Maryland, DC, and Virginia area. They're your one-stop shop for all things comics, graphic novels, toys, games, records, movies & more! Not local but still looking for an awesome place to meet all your comic needs? They've also got an amazing website,shop.thirdeyecomics.com, where you can browse thousands of items, pre-order your new comics, and have it all sent right to your doorstep for a flat $5 shipping rate! Don't forget to join us for the first-ever Comic Book Couples Counseling panel on March 8th at Washington DC's Awesome Con. Room 206 at 8:30 PM! Other Relevant Links: Todd McFarlane and Greg Capullo on Batman/Spawn Todd McFarlane at San Diego Comic-Con The Ten Best Spawn Comics According to Todd McFarlane Scott and Emma: New X-Men - Here Comes Tomorrow Subscribe to the FREE CBCC Newsletter Final Round of Plugs (PHEW) Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 2/25 at 4:00 PM for our Meteor Man screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies. Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, onInstagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website, where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Today, we get serious about ScEmma. After years of teasing it, we're finally tackling the complicated romance between the X-Men's Scott Summers and Emma Frost. It's a relationship born out of pain and surprise. Maybe it was not meant to last, but we can't ignore the lessons found within their passion. We begin our counseling session at the end of Grant Morrison's iconic New X-Men run, discussing the Assault on Weapon Plus, Planet X, and Here Comes Tomorrow storylines (issues 142 - 154). The psychic affair is known, out in the open for every X-Man and reader to judge. Scott and Emma are thrown apart, and their reunion must wait until Magneto's done with Manhattan. Once face-to-face, the riddle of their relationship could be the answer behind an apocalyptic future. What's Jean got to say about it all? Helping us navigate possible romantic catastrophes is Dr. Nicole Lepera and her book, How to Be the Love You Seek: Break Cycles, Find Peace and Heal Your Relationships. What hope does ScEmma have if Scott and Emma are alienated from their authentic selves? Can any relationship survive when one or both parties feel broken? New X-Men issues 142 - 154 were published by Marvel Comics between June 2002 and May 2003. They were written by Grant Morrison and penciled by Chris Bachalo, Phil Jimenez, and Marc Silvestri. They're inked by Tim Townsend, Al Vey, Aaron Sowd, Andy Lanning, Simon Coleby, BATT, Joe Weems, Billy Tan, and Eric Basaldua. The colorists were Chris Chuckry, Steve Firchow, John Starr, Matt Milla, Beth Sotelo, and Brian Buccellato. The letterers were Chris Eliopoulos and Rus Wooton. As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to those books. Brad's Referral Lisa's Referral In addition, this episode is sponsored by Third Eye Comics, your friendly neighborhood comic shop with seven locations in the Maryland, DC, and Virginia area. They're your one-stop shop for all things comics, graphic novels, toys, games, records, movies & more! Not local but still looking for an awesome place to meet all your comic needs? They've also got an amazing website, shop.thirdeyecomics.com, where you can browse thousands of items, pre-order your new comics, and have it all sent right to your doorstep for a flat $5 shipping rate! Other Relevant Links: #ScEmma CBCC 5th Anniversary Episode Final Round of Plugs (PHEW) Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 2/25 at 4:00 PM for Meteor Man screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies. Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Regret is a poison we too often sip from in our lives. Resisting its toxin should be easy, but it's a practice we must continuously endure. Thankfully, we have writers like Jadzia Axelrod, who offer stories as gauntlets for us to charge through in our imaginations. Hawkgirl: Once Upon a Galaxy, the latest saga from Axelrod and artist Amancay Nahuelpan, forces Kendra Saunders to reflect on her life and the many past lives that came before and embrace the choices they made as the villainous Vulpecula suggests disastrous shortcuts. This week's episode is a conversation we've wanted on the record for some time. Axelrod's Galaxy: The Prettiest Star, done in collaboration with Jess Taylor, profoundly rattled our perception of what was capable within the DC Comics universe. The comic was astonishingly additive, something you don't often see these days, and we were eager to experience where such a story would travel next. The recent six-issue Hawkgirl series delivers on that book's promise in a big, big way and then dares to add a little more. We chat with Axelrod about her commitment to continuity even when tempted by a retcon. Axelrod explains her passion for fairytales and why they offered Hawkgirl's Kendra Saunders the firmest footing to stand upon. We also discuss Galaxy's perfect pairing with Kendra and why her story suggested relief for both heroes as well as those reading their adventures. Hawkgirl: Once Upon a Galaxy is currently available in six glorious single issues, but it will soon be collected in trade paperback on June 4th. You should definitely pre-order the book, but you shouldn't wait either. Jump on those floppies, as our conversation with Jadzia Axelrod is full-spoilers. There is simply too much happening in this series for any elements to be left off the mic. Continue our conversation with Jadzia Axelrod by following her Twitter, Instagram, and Website. As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to those books. Brad's Referral Lisa's Referral In addition, this episode is sponsored by Third Eye Comics, your friendly neighborhood comic shop with seven locations in the Maryland, DC, and Virginia area. They're your one-stop shop for all things comics, graphic novels, toys, games, records, movies & more! Not local but still looking for an awesome place to meet all your comic needs? They've also got an amazing website, shop.thirdeyecomics.com, where you can browse thousands of items, pre-order your new comics, and have it all sent right to your doorstep for a flat $5 shipping rate! Final Round of Plugs (PHEW) Now Open - the CBCC Digital Shop! Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 1/21 at 4:00 PM for our Hulk (2003) screening, featuring The Incredible Hulk writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson in person and co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies. Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Ninety years after his creation, Flash Gordon continues to soar in syndication. Helping us celebrate Alex Raymond's fearless champion this week is current Flash Gordon cartoonist Dan Schkade. Together, we explore why the confident space jock remains relevant and why the electric sexuality associated with the eighties cinematic adaptation is simply an extension of the raw heat present in Raymond's original strips. Since his birth, numerous stylists have had their way with Flash Gordon. He's been the subject of serials, movies, cartoons, and comic books. In his current strip, syndicated by King Features, Dan Schkade honors the eclectic creators who came before him, paying homage to their versions while filtering them through his unique perspective. This is your dad's Flash Gordon, but also yours and your brother's and your sister's. He belongs to every single one of us! What is the appeal of the square-jawed hero? In the wrong hands, such conviction could read as dull or false. Excitement ignites through the scenarios in which Dan Schkade erects around his can't-miss crusader. Each plot is a puzzle, not for the reader to crack, but for the character and the joy occurs in witnessing Flash Gordon solve it. Follow Dan Schkade on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website. As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to the books. Brad's Referral Lisa's Referral Other Relevant Links: Dan Schkade's 90th Flash Gordon Celebrations Begin Dan Schkade's 1st Flash Gordon Strip The Stampies: Best Comics of 2023 (Part One) The Stampies: Best Comics of 2023 (Part Two) Final Round of Plugs (PHEW) Now Open - the CBCC Digital Shop! Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 1/21 at 4:00 PM for our Hulk (2003) screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies. Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

We can't put 2023 to bed without releasing our very last episode of the year, The Stampies: The Best Comics of 2023 (Part Two). Continuing the celebration from last week's Part One, we push into several other major categories, highlighting the exceptional art birthed into the universe by this beautiful medium. Aiding our love-in our numerous friends from the comics journalism and podcasting community. Frankly, too many wonderful comics were released in 2023, so it's always a blessing to have friends champion so many other titles. In this episode, we also unveil the first annual Jesse Tapia II "Champ Stamp" to a comics creator deserving of wider recognition and acclaim. This particular Stampie is offered in loving memory of our friend Jesse Tapia II, who sadly passed away in late 2023. Jesse was a magnificent and passionate comic book advocate, bringing joy and a comic recommendation to everyone he interacted with. We hope to live up to his tremendous enthusiasm for the art form. As we welcome a new year, we must thank every one of our listeners. You enriched our lives in ways that are hard to put into words. Five years ago, we started this podcast in the hope that there were a few others like us out there, eager to approach comics from a place of love and self-introspection. Finding you validated that dream. Thank you. We love you. Let's keep on' keepin' on in 2024. Read more comics. Make more comics. Love more comics. Part Two Category Timestamps: Writer of the Year - 20:50 Artist of the Year - 32:08 Best International Release - 40:30 Best Ongoing Series - 52:15 Best Limited Series - 1:03:11 Best Original Graphic Novel - 1:11:53 The Jesse Tapia II Champ Stamp - 1:17:36 Best Horror Series - 1:26:17 Best Grindhouse Experience - 1:28:10 Celebrity Guest Stars: David Brooke (@NoSocialize) from AIPT Kat Calamia (@ComicUno) from Comic Uno Christian Holub (@cmholub) from Entertainment Weekly Troy-Jeffrey Allen (@TJAComics) from RexCo and PreviewsWorld Jessika (@jessikawitha) and Mike (@vansau) from Ten Cent Takes Dallas (@dallas_comics), Anne (@AnneComics), and Lexi (@lexilou_comics) from The Comics Collective As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we highlight all the rad 2023 comics you can find in their shop. These titles are not to be missed. Remember, if you've got a screen, you've got a comic. Go get one. Or two. Or a dozen. This year, our two-part Stampies episodes picked up an additional sponsor: Four Color Fantasies in Winchester, Virginia. Their epic post-Christmas sale will occur on January 6th, but if you're not within driving distance, you'll still want to track them down via their Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok. Their annual Sketch Cover Charity benefitting the Literacy Volunteers Winchester Area will next occur in 2024, and it's your chance to win some Sean Phillips, Charlie Adlard, and other rad creators' original art. Other Relevant Links: Most Anticipated Comics of 2024 Scott and Emma: New X-Men Support Jesse Tapia II's GoFundMe Campaign Ray Ellis & The Girl with the Peach Final Round of Plugs (PHEW) Now Open - the CBCC Digital Shop! Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 1/21 at 4:00 PM for our Hulk (2003) screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies. Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

It's here - The Stampies: Best Comics of 2023 (Part One)! For the last two months, we've scrambled to read all the comics we missed during the year and compiled a gargantuan list of favorites. As far as the comics medium was concerned, 2023 was an impressively massive year for quality books. And once again, squeezing the best comics into one CBCC episode proved impossible. Of course, we couldn't read all the comics. So, if there is a personal favorite you see missing from our Stampies, please let us know. We're in this for discovery and want to read the comics you loved the most in 2023. Thankfully, we invited several colleagues to jump on the phone with this love-in and name their 2023 faves. You better get some scrap paper because you'll want to tally these books up on your own to-read list. Below are the timestamps for our categories and links to our most generous guests. Please take a moment to browse their good work and support this beautiful comics community. Part One Category Timestamps: Best Comic Book Couples - 14:04 Best Superhero Series - 19:25 Best All-Ages Comic - 28:24 Best Memoir - 36:23 Best Digital Comic - 46:53 Best First Issue - 55:33 Best Single Issue - 1:04:10 Celebrity Guest Stars: Sal (@SalSaysWhat) from Comic Pop Vactor (@Vactor) from The Vactor-Verse Aaron (@betteractions) and Chris (@chacker41) from The Oblivion Bar Oliver Sava (@OliverSava) from Vulture, Polygon, etc. Robyn Warren (@geekgirlstrong) from Geek Girl Strong Aeric Azana (@thatdaringman) from Geeksplained Chris and Lance (@CBKast) from The Comic Book Keepers Badr Milligan (@TheShortBoxJax) from The Short Box: A Comic Talk Show As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to the books. This year, our two-part Stampies episodes picked up an additional sponsor: Four Color Fantasies in Winchester, Virginia. Their epic post-Christmas sale will occur on January 6th, but if you're not within driving distance, you'll still want to track them down via their Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok. Their annual Sketch Cover Charity benefitting the Literacy Volunteers Winchester Area will next occur in 2024, and it's your chance to win some Sean Phillips, Charlie Adlard, and other rad creators' original art. Other Relevant Links: Most Anticipated Comics of 2024 Scott and Emma: New X-Men Support Jesse Tapia II's GoFundMe Campaign Final Round of Plugs (PHEW) Now Open - the CBCC Digital Shop! Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 1/21 at 4:00 PM for our Hulk (2003) screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies. Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

A powerful imagination can be as burdensome as it is liberating. Born in South Korea and adopted at birth by a white couple, Sarah Myer struggled with identity in their rural and frequently antagonistic Maryland community. Cartoons, comics, and cosplay were their escape, but they could also cause Sarah to internalize their emotions. Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story is Sarah Myer's attempt to document their childhood and teenage years, where Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Sailor Moon offered them flight from bullies inside and outside their school. The comic is raw, beautiful, and incredibly vulnerable. Also, it's easily one of the best books published in 2023. This week, we're joined by Sarah Myer to discuss Monstrous. We chat about their early connection with comics and cartoons, their triumphant ascent to professional Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles artist, and the challenges of putting your life out there for all to read. While Monstrous has a conclusion, Sarah Myer is still going, and they have more lessons to learn and stories to tell. Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story is now available from First Second. Follow Sarah Myer on Instagram, Twitter, and their Website. As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to the books. Brad's Referral Lisa's Referral Other Relevant Links: Most Anticipated Comics of 2024 An Emetophobe at the Cinema by Lisa Gullickson Final Round of Plugs (PHEW) Now Open - the CBCC Digital Shop! Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia, on 1/21 at 4:00 PM for our Hulk (2003) screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies. Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

This week, we got to get tough - Yo Joe! - with Joshua Williamson and Tom Reilly, the creative team behind the new Energon Universe series, Duke. The Man of Action experienced something unexplainable in Daniel Warren Johnson's Transformers #2, which rewired his purpose. Now, the Real American Hero is slipping into a "Walking American Nightmare," and General Hawk is concerned. We should all be concerned. Duke #1 lands in shops on December 27th from Image Comics and Skybound Entertainment. It's an exhilarating action-fueled outburst, showcasing two creative talents operating in top form. Joshua Williamson and Tom Reilly trickly navigate the needs of the Hasbro license while challenging nostalgic notions and delivering a compelling, spikey narrative. This is not the beige-colored toy you remember from childhood. Williamson and Reilly's Duke engages a transformative (pun totally intended) decision and there is no stepping back from it. We chat with the creators about their mission statement, how they reduced Duke to his raw essence, and how a childhood fascination with Cobra compelled them toward this comic's execution. While the Transformers and Void Rivals universes are quickly filling up with recognizable characters, the GI Joe comics realm may take more time to shape into your favorite military-based collectible toy line. Also, you might be a little nervous when Tom Reilly states, "Maybe when Snake Eyes shows up, he'll get shot in the face too." Got to get tough indeed. Oh, and you'll get a surprise cameo appearance from Robert Kirkman, too! Follow Joshua Williamson on Twitter and Instagram. Follow Tom Reilly on Twitter, Instagram, and his Website. Stay up to date on all things Energon Universe via the Skybound Website. As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to the books. Brad's Referral Lisa's Referral Other Relevant Links: Support Jesse Tapia II's GoFundMe Campaign Our Comic Book Holiday Gift Guide Karen Charm's Shop Larry Hama and Chris Mooneyham on GI Joe CBCC Celebrates the Energon Universe Final Round of Plugs (PHEW) Now Open - the CBCC Digital Shop! Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Five years ago, we launched this podcast with Scott Summers and Jean Grey. Back then, our conversation concluded with a tumultuous debate surrounding Grant Morrison's New X-Men and the complicated three-way that seemingly shattered an iconic Marvel Comics romance. With so much life lived since those early podcasting days, we return to New X-Men issues 127 through 141, this time examining them through the lens of Scott Summers and Emma Frost. Are they the one true pairing? Is the question even fair? Once again, we use The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman as our relationship guide, exploring Scott and Emma's Love Tank levels and considering how each could benefit from recognizing the other's Love Language. By shifting our relationship focus and surviving five strange years on this planet, our response to Morrison's New X-Men is totally different from how we previously reacted. Our hearts are open in new ways, but are we ready to declare ourselves #TeamScemma? We celebrate and reflect on five years of Comic Book Couples Counseling. Thanks to all of you reading this post and listening to our episodes, we've managed to grow our show and ourselves tremendously. We owe you. We love you. Also, we're joined this week by several artists and listeners who steadied themselves and braved our CBCC Hotline. These creators offer their good wishes, delivering some much-needed Words of Affirmation and absolutely filling our Love Tank. Please reach out to them online, say "Thank You," and buy their art. New X-Men issues 127 - 132 and 134 - 141 were published by Marvel between June 2002 and May 2003. They were written by Grant Morrison, penciled by John Paul Leon, Igor Kordey, Phil Jimenez, Keron Grant, Frank Quitely, inked by Bill Sienkiewicz, Igor Kordey, Andy Lanning, Tim Townsend, and Avalon Studios, colored by Hi-Fi Design, Dave McCaig, and Chris Chuckry, and lettered by RS and Comicraft's Saida, Jimmy, Wes, and Albert!, and VC's Chris Eliopoulos. As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to the books. Brad's Referral Lisa's Referral Other Relevant Links: Support Jesse Tapia II's GoFundMe Campaign Our Comic Book Holiday Gift Guide Karen Charm's Shop Larry Hama and Chris Mooneyham on GI Joe Final Round of Plugs (PHEW) Now Open - the CBCC Digital Shop! Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Peanut butter and chocolate. Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev. Two great tastes that taste great together. Whether you first encountered their delicious collaboration through Daredevil, Moon Knight, Scarlet, or whatever, once experienced, you must gorge on the rest. And it's an event - an emergency feast - whenever they reunite. Hitting shops on December 13th, Masterpiece from Dark Horse Comics is the next irresistible banquet from Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev. In the solicits, you can see a few hallmarks you've come to expect from the two. However, we've read the first issue, and we assure you that this new crime series allows them to play in ways you haven't seen them do before. Bendis back at the drawing table? Yuuuup. Emma is a smart cookie. Her inventions and webcomics have paid her way through the fanciest schools. The sixteen-year-old seems like she's got it all figured out. Until a shady billionaire darkens her doorway, telling tales about her supposedly world-famous master criminal parents. Now, Emma has to put a squad together, uncover her genetic origins, and navigate a rich jerkwad's vengeance scheme. On this week's episode, we chat with Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev about their long-lasting friendship and how it has fed their creative partnership and vice versa. We discuss what makes a Bendis/Maleev joint, their secret and not-so-secret Todd McFarlane origins, and how both had to adjust their working habits to aid the other. And we dig deep into Masterpiece and how it was born from generational tension. Are JNCO jeans really back??? Keep up to date on all things Brian Michael Bendis by subscribing to his Substack. You can also track him down via Twitter, Instagram, and his Website. Do the same for Alex Maleev by following his Website, Twitter, and Instagram. As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to the books. Brad's Referral Lisa's Referral Also, listen to Bendis' previous appearance on Comic Book Couples Counseling, discussing Phenomena Book One alongside André Lima Araújo. Other Relevant Links: Support Jesse Tapia II's GoFundMe Campaign Our Comic Book Holiday Gift Guide Final Round of Plugs (PHEW) Now Open - the CBCC Digital Shop! Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia on 12/3 at 4:00 PM for our Flash Gordon screening, co-hosted by Psycho Cinema, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies, and benefitting The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley. Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.