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Tuesday
Dec172013

Episode 323: Locke & Key

One week from the release of the last issue Adam, Devin, and Ted sit down to talk about their love of Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez’s horror story, Locke & Key.  How do they expect it to end?  How do you expect it to end?  After it’s all over, will life be worth living?

Runtime  1 hour 6 minutes 22 seconds

Episode 323: Locke & Key

Wednesday
Dec112013

Episode 322: Interview with Christopher Priest 2013

Art by M. D. BrightThat is right.  Priest is back and this time he actually has a new book hitting the shelves, Q2: The Return of Quantum and Woody.  Remember that time we interviewed Christopher Priest for three hours a few years ago?  You should listen to this one and then check that one out too.

Runtime 58 minutes 31 seconds

Episode 322: Interview with Christopher Priest 2013

Tuesday
Dec102013

Anomaly Book Review

I can just imagine what it must have been like to pick up a copy of The Fantastic Four #1 off the stands or The Watchmen or The Dark Knight Returns.  To sit there and read them and just know that the game has changed.  That from that moment on the art form of comics had just taken a giant leap forward and could never go back.  That is the feeling I had reading Anomaly, the original graphic novel written by Skip Brittenham and Brian Haberlin with art by Brian Haberlin and Geirrod Van Dyke.
If Avatar and The Lord of the Rings had a love child it would be named Anomaly.  The year is 2717.  Having stripped the Earth of it’s resources a handful of power companies under the banner of The Conglomerate have banded together to exploit distant planets.  The Conglomerate controls a powerful army lead by Enforcers and the best of them is Jon, at least he was the best until an accident on a planet leaves many of his men dead.  Years later he is given the opportunity to redeem himself by accompanying a group determined to try to peacefully contact another planet.  A betrayal by the Conglomerate leaves this group of humans stranded on a planet controlled by dangerous mutants and it is up to Jon to figure out how to gather the free “people” of the planet together to battle the mutants.
If the story seems a little bit basic and “been there read that” it is.  The idea of the outsider coming in and leading the natives has been in used in so many books and movies by now (the latest being Avatar) that it is almost a cliché and that’s not a bad thing.  If the formula works why change it?  The story is there only to serve as the hooks to hang all of this beautiful artwork on and after 7 or 8 pages I stopped actually reading the story and just experienced it.  It was like watching a big screen epic play out in front of me and I just had to hang on for the ride.
When you buy the book you get a free UAR (Ultimate Augmented Reality) app to download.  Just point it at certain pages and the creatures pop off the pages and perform some basic animation.  Since we are on an alien world the UAR segments didn’t feel out of place but instead kind of functioned as a moving encyclopedic guide to the strange creatures on the planet.  Click on THIS LINK for a demo to get a taste of what I’m talking about.  If you don’t have the ability to use the app don’t worry as this will not affect your enjoyment one bit.
While the book might set you back $75.00 every bit of this 12 x 16.5”, 6 pound, 370 page book is worth the price you pay.  And even though it is the longest original graphic novel ever published when it ends it STILL feels like it ended too soon.  This is easily the best graphic novel of the year hands down, period, end of sentence.  If you love comics you owe it to yourself to make sure this is at the top of your Christmas list.  

 

 

 

Tuesday
Nov262013

Episode 321: Top Graphic Novels of 2013

Join Adam, Shawn and Tee as they discuss their top graphic novels of this year! Sparked by The Washington Post article about the Top 10 Graphic Novels of 2013, the gang agrees with a few of the choices but is surprised by some of the titles that were omitted. Their favorites include The Fifth Beatle, Hip Hop Family Tree, Battling Boy, and March. Jump in and join the fun. And, if you don’t get it, you don’t get it.

Runtime 58 minutes 54 seconds

Episode 321: Top Graphic Novels of 2013

Tuesday
Nov192013

Episode 320: Thor Movie Discussion with Ron Frenz

The Dollar Bin is lucky enough to have great recurring timely guests.  The last few weeks have been great for that.  This week Adam and Joel were lucky enough to spend some time with comic book legend, Ron Frenz, to discuss the latest Thor movie as well as anything else that came to mind.  Enjoy.  We did.

Runtime 1 hour 25 minutes 26 seconds

Episode 320: Thor Movie Discussion with Ron Frenz

Tuesday
Nov122013

Episode 319: Interview with Robin Furth (Dark Tower)

They say Ka is a wheel.  And as the wheel turns we find ourselves once again with the pleasure of discussing The Dark Tower with comic book adaptor and Stephen King’s The Dark Tower: A Complete Concordance writer Robin Furth.  With this being her 4th or 5th appearance on the show, she may have more appearances than any other writer.

Runtime 1 hour 4 minutes 58 seconds

Episode 319: Interview with Robin Furth (Dark Tower)