Listen Up: Good Podcasts are Out There

I want to thank all the wonderful podcasters that have reached out to me recently, Splash Page, Didn't Read it, Comics Therapy, Pull Pile and Side Cast to name a bunch. My intention is to show my students that it's easy and fun to write about the things you enjoy. Since comics, movies and music are covered in abundance by so many great writers, looking at you All Comics, Comics Bulletin and Bleeding Cool, I decided to blog about Podcasts.

Although my blog lesson plan is almost over, I will continue to write and rave about broadcasters  that have taken this media outlet and use it a means of expressing their own passions. I may even get a little passionate myself and start including my own editorials on trends in pop culture once I get more free time as the school year winds down.

For the moment, I will continue to write about podcasts, seeking out new ones and even revisit some podcasts previously featured here.

I want to thank the podcast groups and individuals who have encouraged this endeavor and made me a part of their community on Twitter and Tumblr.

Don't stop the signal!

Dan, Allen and Mario are the hosts of Splash Page! podcast one of the podcasts hosted by the all_comic.com website. The podcast reviews comics, TV, movies and listener questions. The hosts also provide their own insights in recurring segments such as Under the Batdar & Lunar Lessons.

Each week Splash page has a fresh look and round table (Skype) discussion of the week in pop culture news. Their wrap up of the current noise surrounding the Fantastic Four movie was done in good forum. The coverage of the new Captain America movies is refreshing, the hosts don't just read the press release, they add their own unique and playful spin on the news. Splash is a good name for the broadcast because the hosts are never dry in their deliveries.

The reviews are done in the same manner, not every host agrees and there is some fun and harmless ribbing of opposing opinions which is tasteful and sometimes good for a hearty laugh if not at least a chuckle.

One of my favorite parts of the podcast is the open forum. Splash Page! last segment is an informed, well discussed round table editorial piece on a topics of the current state of the comic hobby. Some of the highlights include a great discussion on the difference between Marvel & DC heroes, Marvel out of uniform, DC never in street clothes & how it affects the story telling brand of each. One recent discussion on the entitlement of fandom turned into an excellent talk on comic collecting and the economy.

Splash Page is a wonderful Tuesday night podcast to get one revved up for Wednesday NCBD! Splash Page and Didn't Read It are not only great podcasts to listen to but also include their listeners into their shows. Both podcasts have an interactive online community, both have hosts that are respectful and entertaining on Twitter and Facebook. And how course, All Comics website is home base for both podcasts and a great comic community as well.

Canada's best comic podcast, that they know of anyway. George, Owen and Charles produce a weekly podcast that provides fun reviews, news and listener questions. Clear audio, friendly chat and a True North spin make this podcast entertaining and listener worthy.

Owen leads the cast, opening with a boom each Wednesday with news in comic culture sphere. Along with reporting the happenings, the hosts are not afraid to add a little editorial to the stories, agree or disagree with the views, it is entertaining and thought provoking.

The reviews offer insight to the hosts opinions and reflections of the good, the bad and unreadable in the week's comics. Owen, George and Charles are not shy, sharing what they liked, disliked and maybe didn't understand, all three are open to listeners' feedback and constructive criticism. For example, check out their reviews of Wolverine & X-Men 42 and more recently Stray Bullets Killers 1. Listening to their debates, when they disagree on a title, are entertaining, they are respectful and back their arguments without cheap shots at the opposing view. Check out the review of Avengers undercover 1 from episode 148.

Each week there is a Panel Culture pick review that is thoroughly justified by the hosts by their persuasive argument for giving the book this commendation. I have enjoyed and agreed with many of their picks. These picks also introduced new titles and insights that might have been missed in the avalanche of weekly books.

  At 148 episodes, there is something for every talk radio, podcast enthusiast comic book reader. Panel Culture puts the culture in comic book culture.

  Let me know what you think, and if there is a podcast worthy of review,

One Bryton, one Jonas and two Sean's make up the elite highly trained task force trained to brave the battlefield, storm the beaches, light up the sky and hunker down the trenches in the long, hard fought fight for comics. Ok, I've reached my quota of hyperbole for the day, however, the above statement only grazes the surface of the fun that is the Fight for Comics podcast.

For the past 230 Wednesdays, Sean, Sean, Bryton and Jonas have entertained comic fans with their unique brand of editorial comments on comics, movies, television and their own lives. Each host has their individual voice, and are complimentary to the divergence in their opinions. A little ribbing between hosts is fun and rarely hurtful. These are four pop culture fellows that I look forward to listening to every Wednesday, along with the Pull Pile Podcast of coarse!

Fight For Comics has the qualities of all good podcasts, great sound quality, knowledgeable hosts with distinct broadcast voices. There are spoiler alerts, time codes to help the listener either skip or repeat each chapter. The Podcast  has it's own corrections segment called "Shame on You" which is funny and doesn't hold back it's punches when it comes to it's own faults.

FFC has so much great content the soldiers decided to start a new podcast called "Pizza Party" in which they discuss pop culture not covered in the Wednesday podcast. First episode was a blast to listen to, fresh off the Oscars, recent episodes Arrow, movie and television news.

Don't just take my opinion, sample from the war stories. I recommend episode 210, the M Night / Wes Anderson comparison is funny, original and damn it if I didn't think of it. Episode 193 has a particular funny dialogue concerning bucket lists and flaming hot Cheetos. Give a listen, you won't regret it.

So after a long day in the trenches, kick off your boots, hang up your helmet and enjoy the Fight for Comics Podcast, your ears will thank you and your mind will be enlightened.

Yes, a new recommendation that is not based on comics, and on new comics Wednesday, however this particular podcast does dive into the realm of comics via movies.

Did you see Daredevil, Green Lantern or (my favorite) Howard the Duck and wonder How Did This Get Made? Well, you can share that wonderment with Paul Sheer, comedian, Television star and author of Aliens vs Parker comic book; actress June Diane Raphael; comedian and writer Jason Mantzouka along with a variety of guest co-hosts very other week as they ponder this the producer's philosophic Hollywood inquiry. It's a positive celebration of movies that are probably better on paper then in digital fruition.

How Did This Get Made is one of the many funny podcasts being produce under the Earwolf podcast family. Every other week the host Paul Sheer uploads a pre-equal episode to give the listener a chance to join in on the fun by providing a glimpse into the movie that begs the question and will be brought to task the following week. Paul guides the listener through why the movie is chosen, a little background and to wet the appetite plays an audio version of the trailer. Paul is in no way mean spirited in this broadcast, his admiration of the unintentionally bad, comical or just plain bizarre is sincerely heard via his excitement. He got me to finally watch some movies that I was on the fence about seeing, and once I did, I had a great time listening to the main course episode the following week.

Listeners have a week to watch the film and then the fun begins. Paul is joined by June, Jason and a rotating line of co-hosts in the deconstructing, summary and folic of the chosen film. I highly recommend listening to a mini episode, watching the film and then partaking of the fun in the main episode. You can even interact with other HDTGM fans in their forum, but I digress. The main episodes are fun even if you haven't seen the film of choice. Paul's excitement, June's optimism countered with Jason's pessimism is an excellent mix. Throw in guest hosts such as Kevin Smith, Dan Harmon, Kristen Schaal and Ed Brubaker the cocktail of strange cinema is a hit at the iTunes bar. The Crank series episodes, Howard the Duck, and Daredevil with Ed Brubaker are a couple of many good episodes in the catalogue. And if you got dragged to Winter's Tale on Valentine's Day this year, Paul and the gang can help you recoup with their recent episode on the very same film.

Wednesday, middle of the week, light of the tunnel for the Monday thru Friday proletariats, church night for some and bar / trivia night for others. For one group, Wednesday is the beginning of the week, bringing fresh stories, art and collectible treasure into their lives. I am referring to New Comic Book Day #NCBD. There's one podcast on this sacred comic book day evening that reports and revels in the fresh haul of day, that podcast is the Pull Pile Podcast.

Mr. Winthrop Chesterton and The Head produce a Wednesday night podcast that is light yet informative, fresh yet festive and the hosts clearly take pleasure in the ritual of NCBD that translate nicely into an excellent podcast. Winthrop and The Head provide a fire chat style of conversation of the comic, movie and TV news with causal insight and can even pull off intellectual editorial with out hipster tone or alienating the listener who may not agree. The Pull Pile gentlemen celebrate and share without standing on a soap box (or at least not a tall one).  

Both hosts are funny and compliment each other nicely. They don't always agree with each other, which is nice and authentic. One down fall of review podcasts is that sometimes too much agreement between hosts can get a little weird and step-ford. But when they do agree or disagree, they respect each other and this adds flavor to the discussion. The humor is good natured and doesn't get lazy with a negative or condescending  tone chatting about the silliness and strangeness that is encountered in any hobby or fandom.

Comic books and a good stiff drink. At the end of the day, it has come to just that. As a fan of both, I look forward to each week of the Drunk on Comics podcast, there are some fun and helpful segments that make this podcast unique. So let's raise a glass and celebrate some mild debauchery and pub crawl through what makes this podcast fun!

Pairing a good brew with a dinner is a no brainer for most barley (bar fly?)fans, however pairing a beer with a comic book, that might be a bit more difficult. DoC's Booze and a Book segment makes it easier. This segment pours some insights into storylines and gives descriptions of brews that compliment the comic. Pairing Bell’s Amber ale with Turok Dinosaur Hunter #1 was a nice touch from a more recent broadcast.

A turnpike segment gives the listener the low down on an indie book selection that might not have garnished attention on other comic sites. From my own personal experience, twice I had picked up books based on the turnpike segment and had no regrets!

In addition to the weekly structured show, seems odd that a podcast involving drinking and comics would have structure but it does more importantly, it works, DoC has special edition, you could call them limited or seasonal batches maybe??.  The most recent special editions was one that combined three personal favorite things, philosophy (mainly ethics on this broadcast), brews and comics. I retweeted about this episode until the retweet icon on my feed thought I was drunk and cut me off. Real world ethical dilemmas from the pages of comics are discussed with two non-comic reader lawyers in a bar no less. Wow, that is a fun night out, and I mean that in all sincerity!  

I discovered Fuzzy Typewriter back in early September of 2013. My need to write reviews found a home at the iFanboy website, where I poked around and had my first introduction to Paul 'Fuzzy Type Writer" Montgomery's style of critique. I enjoyed reading Paul's take on comics and joined in, writing my own reviews. And then iFanboy cut back it's website and closed it's user created reviews page. The review, analysis and public relations writer, a label I received from a co-host of iFanboy, aspect of myself was homeless again. (Not to worry, I found shelter here at Tumblr) ((I really didn't think you were worried)).

It was during that time of loss,  I read that Paul had his own podcast. A podcast that celebrates excellence in the art of story telling. His break down and insight of the Breaking Bad final season was fantastic without over pandering, which would have been easy to do considering  BB's levels of achievement. I was also impressed with his discussion on the movie Gravity, very straight forward, without unnecessary flattery. Paul continues to impress with his current deconstruction of the series True Detective.

I am impressed and a bit envious. At his young age, he has a distinct voice & style in his prose that I wish I had. I wonder if my old philosophy & journalism professors felt the same about me, who I am kidding, probably not. 

"This American Life" for the serious & smart comic book reader, two wonderful hosts pick two of the weeks new releases and set them on the couch for analysis. The podcast also includes great anecdotal observations, witty banter  and spot on interviews with prolific comic writers and artists.

Aaron and Andrea have not failed to entertain and inform week after week, they compliment each other's style, incorporate reoccurring themes and their passion for the medium shines right through your speakers!

I look forward to more therapy sessions on the couch and in my ear buds with Aaron & Andrea!  

I would like to take a moment to apologize for my spelling errors on my iTunes review of this podcast. It was done late at night after 16 hours of work, not an excuse just a reason why there were so many errors, learning form my mistakes, be gentle.

How many times have you heard someone bragging about how well read they are and felt suffocated in their air of superiority? You won't be smothered by hipster one up man ship listening to this podcast. In fact, it will lighten the atmosphere around you. Three hosts and lots of books they didn't read but recommend, and you get a chance to not read with them! So bask in the procrastination!

There are weekly questions of the day, future books to not read just yet and entertaining banter from three likable hosts.

So stop reading and listen, you won't regret, once you get around to it that is....

Okay, so there are too many, better qualified and more entertaining comic review and analysis web sites out there so I am going to redirect, refocus and put my critical and literary theory skills to use reviewing podcasts.

I love Podcasts! All kinds of Podcasts, so this is my way of releasing the need to compose words and release my over flowing admiration of the podcast medium.

I hope that if someone accidentally stumbles upon this, they will get some insight and hit that subscribe button on some the podcasts that I will be writing about in this blog. Podcasting is not easy and these brave souls who daily, weekly or monthly put their voices, opinions and art out for the world to hear deserve some recognition.

FF and the Fantastic Four ended their 16 issue 'Season' under the helm of Matt Faction, Mark Bagely & Mike Allred. The last issues of both titles contained a great good bye letter from Tom Beevroot, the series long time editor. I happen to enjoy those letters that appear from time to time in comics that either are ending, Fearless Defenders had a great good bye letter, or the series has a change in creator team, such as the above mentioned Fantastic Four or most recently the editorial change in Hawk-eye.

So why doesn't DC have an editorial page in which creators could express their thoughts and feelings on the work they have done on a particular title that is either ending or is getting a new direction or creative team? I believe fans would have enjoyed seeing a good bye from Geoff Johns included in his last issue of Aquaman. DC has been under a lot of heat for the decisions made during the New 52, forced cross overs breaking up on-going storylines is one that is grating to me and I m sure DC fans have one or two gripes of their own.

Maybe DC editors and publishers could loosen the grip a little and let creators give us a little insight into their experiences with particular titles and characters. I know I would really enjoy seeing something by Jeff Lemire in the final issue of Animal Man.