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Episode 732 - The GBS Champion
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We took your listener questions on this week's show, including one about DC Comics championships.
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Transcript
Introduction and Zencastr capabilities
00:00:00
Speaker
This show is recorded using Zencaster. If you are a podcaster or you want to be a podcaster and you want to be able to record remotely, you can do so using Zencaster.
00:00:12
Speaker
They also have hosting options and you can let them know that we sent you. Follow the link in our show notes or in the episode description and sign up for an account on Zencaster now to start recording your own podcast.
Humor segment: War Rocket Ajax and name changes
00:00:28
Speaker
Light us, I'm bored. What plaything can you offer me today?
00:00:38
Speaker
got War Rocket Ajax to bring back his body. Terminate!
00:00:53
Speaker
Hello everybody and welcome to War Rocket Ajax. This is the Internet's Most Explosive Comic Book and Pop Culture Podcast and we are your hosts. My name is Chris Sims. With me as always is Matt Wilson.
00:01:05
Speaker
And Matt, I believe you had a question for me today. That's right. Usually you ask a question here at the top of the show, but this time i have a question. And my question is, well, first let me say what my answer is.
00:01:19
Speaker
again the Mad Magazine parody of War Rocket Ajax, which would be Fartknocker. They would do better than that.
00:01:38
Speaker
I think people would think my name would be like Fat Weedsen or something. you're not You're not a larger gentleman, though. Right, I'm saying the weed would be fat.
00:01:52
Speaker
Oh, like P-H-A-T Weedsen. yeah that would Yeah, something like that. But I think what they would actually make my name would be like Bad Wimpson.
00:02:09
Speaker
Bad Wimpson's pretty good. Yeah. What would your be your mad parody name? Chris Dimms. Yeah.
00:02:23
Speaker
Oh, i I was actually thinking what they would call War Rocket Ajax in the Mad Parody. And it wasn't Fartknocker. It was like, boar or snore. What would the rocket be?
00:02:38
Speaker
Snore podcast. Blehjacks. Blehjacks. There you go. That's what it would be. I had it last week, and I totally forgot.
00:02:49
Speaker
But it i know so I know war was snore. Snore is the is the move. Yeah. Absolutely the move. Yeah, there you go. There are Mad Magazine parody names.
00:03:01
Speaker
Yeah, ah maybe maybe Pissed Dimms, because I'm always mad.
00:03:09
Speaker
Good, that's good. that's ah So would be Bad, Wimpson, and Pissed Dimms. That really implies a dynamic between us that I don't think is accurate.
Supporting the show: Patreon and Gimmick Street
00:03:27
Speaker
Well, we asked a question here at the top of the show, and later in the show, you will be asking the questions, because we're going to be taking your listener questions on this week's episode.
00:03:39
Speaker
So hang around for that a little bit later. But Chris, before we get to that, we do have some business to take care of, starting with thanking our newest supporters over on Patreon.
00:03:51
Speaker
That's right, Matt. Now, these are the people. who, if they want to support the show, they don't need to go down to 732 Gimmick Street. They don't need to write a check, get a money order, put it in the mailbox, and hope it makes its way to us.
00:04:07
Speaker
They don't need no kettlebells. All they need to do is go to patreon.com slash warrocketajax, where they can kick in as little as a dollar a month to help us keep doing the show, help us keep doing all the side projects and spinoffs that we do, like Comics Catch-Up, like Movie Fighters.
00:04:24
Speaker
And perhaps most importantly, Matt, they help us pay those gimmicks they keep sending in the mail called bills. That's right. One way you can help us keep doing that is by becoming a member of the Gimmick Street Preservation Society.
00:04:41
Speaker
By becoming a $15 a month or higher patron. And as a member of the Gimmick Street post Preservation Society, you get to name... An address on Gimmick Street.
00:04:54
Speaker
You get one plot of Gimmick Street to name. And here at 732 Gimmick Street, Ryan Bielek has naming rights.
00:05:07
Speaker
Now, this is this is on the corner of Gimmick and Danny. That's right. Danny the Street is across the street. Well, Danny the Street is the cross street, and then 731 Gimmick Street is the Gimmick Street, Danny the Street bus stop.
00:05:23
Speaker
That's right. That's correct. Which it's unusual for a bus stop to take up a whole lot, but it does, has happened. Well, what Ryan has put 732 Gimmick Street is also not a building.
00:05:38
Speaker
Great. In fact, it's a hole. It's the hole Magneto puts people into. um um That might violate our no Nazis on Gimmick Street policy.
00:05:52
Speaker
Well, it's a sealed up hole. ah But, ah I mean, I guess it's a it's a sort of a prison. um don' want to sort i don't want fucking crossbones sniffing around Gimmick Street.
00:06:08
Speaker
That's true. That's true. And yet, Ryan has determined that that's what's there. It's the hole Magneto puts people into. Well, I guess that is what's there.
00:06:21
Speaker
I do want to say, did not think it would it would go need saying, and I do not want anyone to think that ah the hole that Magneto puts people in is in any way positive towards Nazis.
00:06:35
Speaker
But no Nazis on Gimmick Street. Yeah, that's that's fair and true. I guess under Gimmick Street is okay. And that's where the hole leads. Right, the hole is way down there.
00:06:48
Speaker
Way down there under Gimmick Street. Man, I gotta say, Matt. I gotta say. That's a weird bus stop.
00:07:00
Speaker
You get off that bus, you don't know what's going on. You're gonna see some shit at that bus stop, Matt. You sure are. Here's our newest Patreon supporter, Chris.
00:07:11
Speaker
GirlDicta. Well, thank you, GirlDicta. ah If you would like to be like GirlDicta and help us out here on the show, ah you can head over to patreon.com slash warrocketajax and support us.
00:07:25
Speaker
Sign up for... or I guess you're you might you probably already have an account on Patreon if you don't sign up and and then ah support us over there. As a supporter, you get...
00:07:36
Speaker
Every single episode of every single show that we do, completely ad-free. Those shows are this show, Weekly, Comics Catch-Up, which just went up moments before we started recording this episode.
00:07:50
Speaker
Every Story Ever specials, monthly. Movie Fighters and Snack Situation. All of those shows are made possible by your support on Patreon, and you get the you get them all ad-free.
00:08:03
Speaker
At other levels of the Patreon, you can get other cool stuff. You can get bonus content, which includes things we specially record for Patreon, and writing that both Chris and I have done, outtakes that i cut out of the show and put on Patreon.
00:08:19
Speaker
All of that stuff is over there on Patreon for you.
Encouraging financial support and reviews
00:08:23
Speaker
If you're at the $5 level, if you're at the $10 level, you get line-stepping privileges for our segments, which currently include Every Story Ever, and 1 to 10 of swords.
00:08:35
Speaker
At the $15 level, you get naming rights for Gimmick Street. At the $20 level, you get a t-shirt. The t-shirts are on the way to me as I speak. And I should be sending them out to people by the end of July. So stay tuned for that. If you're at the t-shirt level, ah you should be getting your t-shirt in in short order.
00:09:02
Speaker
ah So I hope you enjoy this. I'm a big fan of this year's t-shirt. It's it's it's very fun.
00:09:11
Speaker
If you're unable to help us monetarily, you can help us out in other ways. You can leave us a five-star review on the podcasting app that you use, whatever that may be, whether it's Apple podcasts or Spotify or some other podcasting app, a five-star review would be a big help for us.
00:09:30
Speaker
Or you can just spread the word about the show, talk about it on social media, let your friends and family know about this podcast, War Rocket Ajax, and how they should listen to it. And um that their lives will be enriched by listening to this show. And then maybe they can help us out on the um Patreon. How about that?
00:09:53
Speaker
With that, Chris, it's time for some Checks and Recs. What do you say?
Chris's dilemma: Enjoying Hulk Hogan's music
00:09:56
Speaker
Let's do it. So come on, you diggity-jiggy.
00:10:00
Speaker
Chris, what would you like to check in with this week?
00:10:05
Speaker
Matt, I'm struggling. Stay strong, struggler. You might as well put me in the interstice, Matt.
00:10:18
Speaker
Because I'm struggling. I'm a struggler right now. Take heed. I'm having a hard time. And you might be asking yourself, well, Chris, what's wrong?
00:10:30
Speaker
Why are you having a hard time? Matt, I'm having a hard time getting my head around the fact that Hulk Hogan's 1980 EP from Japan is good, actually. Now, now I think we should break down how you arrived at this, because it's very funny.
00:10:59
Speaker
We're going to start Hickmania, which is our big Jonathan Hickman Marvel saga read-through. Uh-huh. a few weeks.
00:11:10
Speaker
I don't know exactly when the start date will be, but it will be within a few weeks. I remember like when we were talking about it, you you you were talking about like what the theme music should be. Mm-hmm.
00:11:23
Speaker
And um we were talking about it being just like straight up, not real American, but his WCW-themed music American made, Hulk Hogan's.
00:11:33
Speaker
And his TNA-themed music. And his WXF. XWF. XWF. His XWF-themed music. And it's it plays in the audiobook of his, quote, autobiography.
00:11:50
Speaker
it's Actually written by Michael Jan Friedman. That's very funny. I'm talking about American made.
00:12:06
Speaker
Jimmy Hart classic. Your friend, Jimmy Hart. That's right. I did personally speak to Jimmy Hart at San Diego Comic-Con 11 years ago.
00:12:22
Speaker
Then you started looking up other Hulk Hogan theme songs. Yeah. Now, i was aware of I was aware of ah the song You've Got to Leave, because they did cover it on one of my favorite podcasts, the Attitude Era podcast.
00:12:38
Speaker
They do a a side series called The Corporate Ministry of Sound, where they they cover wrestling songs. And i was familiar with that one, and I knew that one was good.
00:12:52
Speaker
but I didn't know the entire EP was kind of bop.
00:13:00
Speaker
Like, like, Matt, just the the entrance music Ichiban is good. Uh-huh. And the the song Axe Bomber is good. i don't know what i don't know what to tell you.
00:13:22
Speaker
And that also led me to ah watching a compilation of ah Hulk Hogan doing the Axe Bomber, which was his Japanese finisher, which is like a lariat and not the leg drop.
00:13:39
Speaker
Yeah, well, I mean, Hulk Hogan's Japanese theme music is to real American what Hulk Hogan, the wrestler in Japan, Ichiban,
00:13:51
Speaker
was is to Hulk Hogan wrestling in America. man.
00:13:59
Speaker
Totally different. like Could not be more different. Yeah, man. it's It's... It fucks me up. Because this album's good.
00:14:11
Speaker
yeah And if you have never gone back and listened to it, go listen to You've Got to Leave, Hulk Hogan's City Pop single.
00:14:24
Speaker
It kicks ass, and I don't, i the Phil Spector liker, don't know what to do about that. Yeah. Yeah.
00:14:35
Speaker
Matt, I'm struggling. ah i can I can understand. i can understand why that would be. I'm having a hard time with it, Matt. I don't know what to do. I guess I've got to leave, got to say goodbye for now.
00:14:49
Speaker
That's what the song sounds like, folks. You gotta go you gotta to go check it out. Yeah, and also while you're at it, go listen to that um Jim Steinman Hulk Hogan theme with the piano that also I think may have been for Hulk Hogan's rock and wrestling. Because that also kicks ass.
00:15:09
Speaker
Hulk Hogan sucks. Oh, yeah. Like, fully a million percent in every way. He's a shitty dude and a liar and a racist.
00:15:21
Speaker
But maybe we can reclaim the music.
00:15:26
Speaker
Maybe. what Like, maybe i the Phil Spector liker, am uniquely suited to bring Hulk Hogan's Japanese EP Ichiban back into the fold for all good-thinking people.
00:15:46
Speaker
Matt, what have you been up to while I've been rocking this five-song EP on repeat?
00:15:55
Speaker
I have been doing rehearsals for Improvised Star Trek, which I mentioned on the show a little while ago, and that continues to pace.
00:16:07
Speaker
um The show dates have been set, and the tickets are now available. Again, it is local, to me is it will be happening here in beautiful Asheville, North Carolina.
00:16:21
Speaker
But if you are anywhere nearby, ah then you can now, uh, buy tickets for improvised Star Trek, which I will be in as first officer Anderson Mayfield.
00:16:37
Speaker
And, uh, they are goingnna be Those shows are going to be August 2nd, and 3rd, and August 8th, 9th, and 10th. ah So you can go to the NC Stage Company website or the Odesto Theater website and get the tickets ah for those shows, one or all of those shows. and I'll put the link in the show notes.
00:17:03
Speaker
um Because i will be doing rehearsals for that show... next week, like every night next week, because it's going to be tech and dress.
00:17:16
Speaker
Tech and dress? Tech rehearsals and dress rehearsals. Oh, I thought you were going to dress like, ah what's his name, Mishima.
00:17:26
Speaker
ah then i will be unable to record next Thursday night. So we're going to take next week off from the show. um But it is for a cool, good reason, ah because I'm going to be an improvised Star Trek. I still don't know if there's going to be any kind of video element to the show, but if when I find that out, I will let you all know.
00:17:46
Speaker
um But I'm very excited. We are all pretty good on our characters. I think we have a good sense of who our characters are.
00:17:59
Speaker
ah And the ship has Ferengi who tends the bar at 10 forward. It has a half Vulcan.
00:18:11
Speaker
It has a half Betazoid.
00:18:15
Speaker
And it has a character who is, without giving too much away, kind of two characters. You got a Trill? It's not a Trill.
00:18:27
Speaker
Okay. You might think that it's that this character is a Trill, but it is a different sort of similar thing to a Trill. ah so ah And then ah good a good chunk of the rest of the crew is just human in classic Star Trek fashion.
00:18:46
Speaker
must ah About half of the crew members are human, um including the Captain Me, our Chief Engineer,
00:18:57
Speaker
Oh, we have a Klingon doctor. We do have a Klingon doctor. ah So that is another alien member of the crew. ah But it is going to be a blast. And I can't wait to do it.
Matt's excitement for Improvised Star Trek
00:19:10
Speaker
Very exciting. So ah which i will I will put the link to ticket for tickets on... our show notes, and I will also put it on Blue Sky ah in case anybody is close enough to to come out to the shows because ah i'm I'm so, so excited for for these improvised Star Trek shows coming up.
00:19:38
Speaker
Chris, it's time to make some recommendations. what do you have to recommend?
Review: Superman 2025 film
00:19:41
Speaker
Matt, I would like to recommend an independent film that I saw at my local art house theater.
00:19:49
Speaker
Low budget. Low budget. It's the story of kind of an outsider who has to face down a rich guy. It's little film called Superman 2025. That's right. I co-signed this recommendation. i have a separate recommendation I'll give in a minute, but ah Superman is also part of my recommendation. i think we saw it...
00:20:13
Speaker
to One day apart. I saw it Tuesday night, and you saw it on Wednesday. yeah Yeah. yeah um We're not going to spoil it too much, ah because we are planning to do that in a couple weeks.
00:20:27
Speaker
We're going to have our friend Elle Collins on the show. We've already talked to them about ah coming on and talking about superhero movies. And I know we're going to spend a lot of time talking about ah Superman then.
00:20:39
Speaker
So here is what I will say. If you want to know what I didn't like about it, too much cussing. Okay. All right. i have a similar thing that I i feel like is my just my complaint about the movie that I haven't heard anybody else make.
00:20:59
Speaker
But it's not about the cussing. Would you like to give it now? Sure. ah but But I want to hear you talk about there being too much cussing. Well, there's just too much cussing. Superman doesn't cuss. Superman says one cuss.
00:21:11
Speaker
He repeats a cuss that has been said about him derisively. Yes. and And it is very obvious that it bothers him because it's the one with a cuss.
00:21:28
Speaker
Yeah. Which was very funny. Which is great. but Like, honestly, like, I know I'm gonna say the thing that I didn't like so much about it, but, like, as far as, like,
00:21:39
Speaker
characters and casting, that that movie could not be more perfect. David Korn Sweat Superman, perfect. like yeah That's him.
00:21:52
Speaker
i was I was not sure ah about that guy when I first saw him. Mainly because of his hair. But like... Man, that's him.
00:22:04
Speaker
he That's but right on the money. He did a pretty phenomenal job. but yeah What I didn't like about it, there's a lot of people around Superman cussing up a storm like a bunch of potty-mouthed sailors.
00:22:18
Speaker
um Lois, incredible. i like That is the most perfect movie Lois I've ever seen. ah Rachel Brosnahan did an incredible job, and she just is Lois Lane to me.
00:22:32
Speaker
Yeah, no, she did. She was incredible. ah ah Outside of Peter Parker, no comics character is more important to me than Lois Lane. So, good on you for that.
00:22:44
Speaker
The interview bit? Yeah. The interview bit felt to me like listening to an episode of War Rocket Ajax.
00:22:55
Speaker
ah Lex Luthor. Also the best movie Lex Luthor by a long shot. Yeah. like ah also so Also, Gideon Gemstone as Jimmy Olsen, that's casting i would have made. Yeah, that was... that like Also, mr Terrific, Guy Gardner, Hot Girl, all right on the money, too But, here's my what here's my big complaint, Chris.
00:23:22
Speaker
Okay, hit me with your complaint. It did too much of what I would call universe building.
00:23:31
Speaker
um I... didn't mind that. Because I would rather have that than 45 minutes of Clark Kent before he puts on a costume.
00:23:44
Speaker
Absolutely. i But here's here's why I say it had a little too much of that, of the universe building stuff.
00:23:54
Speaker
I felt like early in the movie, I needed to see Superman... do Superman stuff and win before I started to see him lose.
00:24:12
Speaker
Problems with the film. Number one, too much cussing. Superman is a cartoon character for babies. that's There's cussing in that movie like it's from the 80s. The movies would just have children swearing all the time.
00:24:30
Speaker
I used to work at a newspaper, and that's what it's like. i Matt, you know that I love to cuss.
00:24:42
Speaker
I actually do love the contrast of like everybody else cussing, but Superman doesn't. Yeah. Also, i I think you're right. I would have liked to have seen Superman do some Superman stuff before we saw Superman looking like Yamcha.
00:24:58
Speaker
I understand that's why the that's where the movie has to start, and and it's better to have that fat cut out. But... Seeing Superman do be a hero and not have other heroes come in and kind of do the work for him, which happens in a few scenes.
00:25:18
Speaker
Well... That's a quibble I have. I wouldn't... i we We would have to get into some some spoilers to really get into that. But yeah I see where you're coming from. i do not disagree.
00:25:33
Speaker
Disagree. But here are the two things that I will say that balance out the fact that everybody's saying fuck words. Nobody says fuck. nobody says fuck in the whole Nobody says fuck. They're saying shit words. Yeah.
00:25:47
Speaker
Here's what balances that out. a there's a lot of Dragon Ball in that movie, Matt. No kidding. No fucking shit. there's ah There's kind of a lot of Dragon Ball in that movie. Yeah.
00:26:03
Speaker
there's You ain't lying. They're not really the... like You know Guy Gardner and Hog Girl and Mr. Terrific are in it. They're more Z fighters than Justice League, folks. True.
00:26:15
Speaker
I mean, Mr. Terrific is cool as hell in the movie. Mr. Terrific is Piccolo. Yes, he's Piccolo. Damn, you're right. Yeah, man. Yeah, man. ah But the other thing...
00:26:30
Speaker
This is the first Superman movie. Kind of the first Detective Comics Comics movie that exists in a world...
00:26:46
Speaker
Where Superman has a super-powered dog who wears a cape, and it is not explained because of course he has a super-powered dog who wears a cape.
00:26:56
Speaker
The dog is from Krypton, so of course it's going to have superpowers. And it has to wear a cape, how else are know what's Superman's dog?
00:27:04
Speaker
It is a movie set in a world that allows for that. And that's what I love about DC Comics.
00:27:12
Speaker
Ergo, that is what I love about this movie. It is a world with fucking crypto. Absolutely. Absolutely, yes.
00:27:22
Speaker
i do I feel like I need to say one slightly spoilery thing. To fully exemplify how much... At this point, by the time this goes up, Matt, people will have had two weekends. I think we're okay with some minor spoilers.
00:27:39
Speaker
Okay. So... if If you don't want to be spoiled on anything, skip ahead about two minutes. But I just want to mention this as like, my quibbles with this movie are like, so specific to DC Comics that it makes it instantly better than any other Superman movie.
00:28:04
Speaker
And it's not even a quibble. It's just a thing, right? Because this movie this movie has a character who is named Ultraman.
00:28:14
Speaker
And in the movie, when it becomes clear who Ultraman actually is, like what Ultraman's deal actually is, I muttered to myself, oh, so it's a bizarro.
00:28:33
Speaker
Did you not know that's what it was going to be from the second he showed up? I thought he might actually be Ultraman. I thought he might actually be from Earth-3. i I knew exactly how that was going to go.
00:28:47
Speaker
But I was just like, oh, he's a Bizarro. And so, like... Like, I don't care. That doesn't bother me at all. You're mad that he wasn't wearing the medallion. He should have been wearing a medallion that said number one. And he should have said... Me am hate beauty.
00:29:05
Speaker
Me am love ugliness. Yeah. ah But that's like how deep this thing goes. and that like yeah it's Yeah, it's great.
00:29:17
Speaker
Considering that my problem with the previous Superman movie was that I found it morally repugnant. Uh-huh. Yes. every level. Like, I found it offensive.
00:29:28
Speaker
To me as a fan of Superman and as a human being. ah The fact that my problem with this one is that like Lois Lane kind of says shit a lot.
00:29:40
Speaker
That's it, baby. Listen, she's a reporter. It happens. i have I know Matt. I know your sailor mouth. Oh boy. i have one other quick recommendation ah that I don't need to get into that much.
00:29:54
Speaker
um But my my ah recommendation that I can list in the show notes is the new Clips album, Let God Sort Them Out. It's real fucking good. Is it as good as Hulk Hogan's EP?
00:30:06
Speaker
That will be for you to decide, Chris. i think i Personally, i think it's a little better. But all right everybody's got their own taste. All right, champ.
00:30:18
Speaker
It's the first new Clips album in like 16 years. Yeah, man, it's been a minute since since Clips dropped one. Well, Pusher T's been doing stuff by himself for a long time.
00:30:29
Speaker
But now Malice, who's now no Malice, has rejoined. And they have a new album, and it's great.
00:30:39
Speaker
With that, Chris, it's time to talk about the Comics of the Week. Let's do it.
00:30:46
Speaker
Chris, you had a very strong reaction to Crypto, the last dog of Krypton, number two. Yeah, it's the worst comic I've ever read in my life.
00:30:54
Speaker
It's absolute trash. I hated it. I hated every second of it. I hated every panel. ah It's awful, and I hate it, and I feel like Ryan North owes me an apology. Now, did you even hate the ending when Crypto got out of that bad situation that he was in with Lex Luthor?
00:31:11
Speaker
Yeah, because he's because now he's alone. matt but But you know what's coming next. I mean, I hope I know what's coming next. But he got caught hi got called it b a in this, Matt.
00:31:27
Speaker
That happens in more than one comic this week. Yeah, and wrong every time it happens. Also, Crypto in this book looks like Biscuit. really does. how dare you? it's Lex Luthor is very mean to that dog in this comic book.
00:31:45
Speaker
he Lex Luthor hits that dog. There is a content warning on the first page that is like, hey, Lex Luthor's a bad guy.
00:31:57
Speaker
Yeah, don't treat it don't treat a dog like he treats a dog. Don't treat a dog like this. Yeah. But Lex Luthor hits that dog, Matt. And then all the crypto just wants to be his friend.
00:32:08
Speaker
And he puts him in a little cage? He makes him sleep in a little cage he doesn't feed him? Yeah, he tells him he only gets fed when he's good. that I mean, he's a mean guy.
00:32:21
Speaker
Lex Luthor, mean guy. Yeah, i hated I hated every panel of this comic. I hated every single thing that happened in it. um but hated it. That's not an evaluation of the comic itself.
00:32:37
Speaker
I do want to point that out. that's That is not a qualitative... evaluation of the comic, because I feel like on a on a technical and craft level, the the comic is ah quite good.
00:32:51
Speaker
Quite good. However,
00:32:55
Speaker
i hated it. i i do appreciate that Crypto gets one over on Lex at the end. Because Lex is going to kill his aunt and uncle in this.
00:33:12
Speaker
That he's staying with. This is like a teenage Lex. He's still got hair and stuff. And he's going to kill his aunt uncle because he hates him. And
00:33:26
Speaker
he his plan involving a bomb doesn't work out purely by accident. But he's trying to lie about how he didn't make this happen.
00:33:38
Speaker
And so Crypto like barks and growls at him. to expose him as a liar. And, uh, that's great. Yeah, but I don't want to read these comics about people being mean to dogs look like my dog.
00:33:52
Speaker
Yeah, that's fair. Uh, next up, uh, do you want to talk about Absolute Batman number 10, which I have not had a chance to read yet? Matt, here's the, uh, here's the crucial information of what, uh, that happens in, uh, Absolute Batman number 10. Okay.
00:34:11
Speaker
Bruce Wayne... Is 421 pounds? is
00:34:19
Speaker
why is he why is he that one pound over? it He should be 6'9", 420. Yeah. What are we doing? the perfect The perfect size for a man?
00:34:31
Speaker
but The exact perfect size for a human man, yes. But Matt, that's 7 inches taller than regular Batman. I mean, that's like Big Show size. It's a little shorter than Big Show.
00:34:51
Speaker
But almost Big Show weight. Yeah, man. He's a big old boy. That's a heavy dude. that's That's a heavy man. Yeah. that is That is a brick shithouse.
00:35:05
Speaker
No kidding.
00:35:11
Speaker
Big boy. is Is that all we have to say? That's all I That's all I want to say, Matt. He's 421 pounds. This is the Bane story. This is the Bane story, yes. yeah Interesting.
00:35:29
Speaker
Batman's having a bad time in this story. Also Killer Croc, I guess. Yeah. Cool. every Everyone is such an extreme version of themselves in this.
00:35:43
Speaker
ah It's great. ah Finally, I wanted to talk a little bit about ah the The World to Come, number two. That's Marvel Knights' The World to Come. Chris, this book is absolutely bonkers and remains so. um it is it's I feel like ah it's mostly written by Priest and the art is by Joe Quesada, but it is credited to Quesada and Priest.
00:36:10
Speaker
So I guess they're co-plotting it Possibly. Potentially. um But this is a ah comic that ended with the revelation that T'Challa has a secret white son.
00:36:24
Speaker
like issue Right. right yeah um Then it becomes a comic about Everett Ross for like 15 pages, maybe not quite that long, but for a good chunk of this issue, being so messed up that he quits his job at the State Department, um parks his car outside of a ah service station, outside of a convenience store, um with his co-worker that he treats kind of like shit, and um just walks off and leaves her and the car there, and then walks to... ah
00:37:04
Speaker
at the FBI headquarters and gets a job there instead.
00:37:09
Speaker
And starts doing like undercover work for the ah FBI against drug cartels. Mm-hmm. Then it is heavily implied that T'Challa's white son who we learn is you know adopted because his wife lost the baby.
00:37:27
Speaker
but like She was pregnant last issue, but she actually lost the baby. So um he adopted this this kid. um And it's heavily implied that he is Everett Ross's biological son.
00:37:42
Speaker
Wild. It also jumps around in time so much. Like, we have Everett Ross, like, who's fucking 100 years old, telling this whole story.
00:37:56
Speaker
um It... From presentation to every element of the plot, it is an absolutely bananas comic book.
00:38:07
Speaker
I'm hooked.
00:38:09
Speaker
That's what we like. Yeah. Matt, it's what we like. Like... i think it's I think it's pretty good, but I hesitate to call it like fully good. the whole The whole Everett Ross flashback part is just so weird.
00:38:26
Speaker
ah It's, yeah. What a comic. I can't read wait to read the next one. All right. Chris, those are our
Q&A: Comic book characters as pets
00:38:37
Speaker
comics.
00:38:37
Speaker
That's our comic segment. So it's time for us to answer some listener questions. All right, let's do it.
00:39:00
Speaker
Chris, here's our first question. It Trivialad on our Discord. Trivialad wants to know, who's the nastier freak? Miles Warren or Hugo Strange?
00:39:11
Speaker
Miles Warren. Miles Warren, number one nastiest freak in comics. Hugo Strange. Unquestionably, he's the nastiest freak in comics. He made himself a Gwen Stacy. Gwen Stacy.
00:39:28
Speaker
He is a nasty and total freak. He is a nasty and total freak, Matt. You are correct. Sub-question from Elseworld Heavyweight Champion, the boss dog, Patrick O'Duffy.
00:39:42
Speaker
What's the difference between a nasty freak complimentary and a nasty freak derogatory? Vibes. it's It's totally a vibes thing, right? Yeah. I feel like... I mean, I guess we...
00:39:56
Speaker
Have we called people a nasty freak in a complimentary way? oh I don't know. I'm not saying we couldn't. No, definitely could. But I don't know that we... We definitely could.
00:40:08
Speaker
I just don't know don't know that we have. um'm I'm trying to think of any comic book characters that are nasty freaks positive. Deadpool?
00:40:20
Speaker
Okay, yeah. He's a real freako. I feel like both members of the Dirty Pair are nasty freaks positive. Well, they're nasty freaks in a very different way. in a different kind of way. Yeah. They're nasty freaks in like a Like... Explosive sort of way.
00:40:39
Speaker
Correct. Yes.
00:40:42
Speaker
Yeah. It's all vibes. it's it's It's purely vibes. Yamcha. Yamcha's a dirty boy. But is that positive? I mean, I would say I like Yamcha.
00:40:57
Speaker
All the stuff in Dragon Ball that is about characters being nasty freaks, I don't like it.
00:41:06
Speaker
Like, Master Roshi, he's a nasty freak derogatory. Master Roshi is a nasty freak derogatory, but when he stops being a nasty freak and he gets wildly strong...
00:41:20
Speaker
ah Because he's no longer spending so much energy being a nasty freak, and Annie Creighton called him Perfect Bull Cell.
00:41:29
Speaker
Which was extremely fucking funny. Like, that was pretty good, actually.
00:41:37
Speaker
ah Doc Whiskey on Blue Sky wants to know, does Donkey Kong's tie indicate he's all business?
00:41:46
Speaker
ah I'll be honest with you, Matt. I don't... I don't... I'm not really a man of Donkey Kong. Have you never played Donkey Kong Country, one of the finest games ever made? I have actually never played Donkey Kong Country. I didn't think it... um People are going to mad at me about this. I know they're going get mad at me about this.
00:42:06
Speaker
I didn't think it looked very good. You didn't like the the rendered three d graphics? No, I do not. I not only bought Donkey Kong Country, I bought the version that came with a VHS tape.
00:42:20
Speaker
About the making of Donkey Kong Country. And I played the Hound out of that game. And it's great. Great game. Now would you say that Donkey Kong is all business?
00:42:32
Speaker
No. um here's why You say he works hard and he plays hard. He works hard and he plays hard. Here's why Donkey Kong wears a tie. Because he's the leader of the bunch.
00:42:44
Speaker
That's part of it. But Donkey Kong in Donkey Kong Country, the Donkey Kong who wears a tie is not the original Donkey Kong from Donkey Kong.
00:42:55
Speaker
Right, that's Cranky Kong. That's Cranky Kong. And so, the tie is his way of differentiating himself as, oh, that other guy, that's my grandfather? Is Cranky Kong his grandfather?
00:43:14
Speaker
I think Cranky Kong's his dad. Shit, now I gotta look it up. I can't remember. um But it's it's his way of saying, I'm my own man.
00:43:26
Speaker
I'm not gonna... Hey, Mayor Pauline. Don't worry. I'm not going to kidnap you. Yeah. Hey, Matt, can I ask you a question? Hit me. How did Cranky Kong get so old when Mario did not age?
00:43:41
Speaker
Great question. Very good question. Also, time time was slower in the 1980s and 1990s because and they felt like it had been so long since Donkey Kong
00:44:03
Speaker
that they made him really old. It was 13 years. Yeah. Do you think that's why they did it? Or do you think they did it because Donkey Kong like was kidnapping women?
00:44:15
Speaker
Well, I mean, they definitely wanted to make the Donkey Kong of Donkey Kong Country a hero and not you know a a complicated protagonist who who did kidnap women. what if What if Donkey Kong Country had the same kind of narrative arc as God of War 2018?
00:44:36
Speaker
Now that would be something, where he had to like you know deal with his with the old him. Yeah. Man, did God of War come out in 2018?
00:44:49
Speaker
The first one, or well, quote-unquote, the first one did, yes.
00:44:55
Speaker
Man.
00:44:58
Speaker
i That's what I mean. Time moves faster now. Well, no, I was just thinking that, like, Donkey Kong, or not Donkey Kong, um God of War and Spider-Man and Celeste all came out in the same year. That was a good year for video games.
00:45:14
Speaker
It was a very good year for video games, yes. Okay, Cranky is Donkey Kong's grandfather. Okay, so Mario has remained the same while three generations of the Donk family...
00:45:34
Speaker
Yes. yeah Have passed by. Yes.
00:45:40
Speaker
Well, hang on. Hang on. Okay, apparently there's some confusion. this is where the This is from the Mario Wiki page for Cranky Kong. Rare initially created Cranky Kong, then named Grandpa Kong, for a game featuring the original Donkey Kong from the earlier Donkey Kong games, who he was the grandfather of.
00:46:01
Speaker
As Rare's game got reworked into Donkey Kong Country, featuring a more distinctly different Donkey Kong, Grandpa Kong was then established as the original Donkey Kong and at an elderly age. Due to this, Cranky Kong's exact relation to the current Donkey Kong has been inconsistent.
00:46:19
Speaker
So... He has been referred to as Donkey Kong's dad and grandfather. This is why I don't trust British game developers. yeah Yes, they gotta get it together. Get it the F together, guys.
00:46:34
Speaker
Nonetheless, um I think the tie is Donkey Kong's way of saying he's his own man. And Donkey Kong is a man. Do not get it twisted.
00:46:44
Speaker
Donkey Kong's a man?! Yeah, he's a man. Like a human man? Like a Donald Duck is a man. Okay. Like Donald Duck's a guy. Yeah, okay, Donald Duck's a guy and not a duck.
00:46:57
Speaker
But the way that you said that made me, I don't know if this was your intent, but you put this in my head, Matt. You made me imagine Donkey Kong kissing a human woman.
00:47:09
Speaker
And I don't like that. son And don't that's a good thing for him to be doing. Sonic did it. ah do I don't like that either. i say no to that.
00:47:24
Speaker
I say no thank you.
00:47:27
Speaker
ah Derek on our Discord says, So Matt is a cat and Chris is a dog. What animals are other comic creators slash friends? Well, they're all either cats or dogs.
00:47:38
Speaker
Yeah, they're all everyone's either a cat or a dog. Yeah.
00:47:43
Speaker
do you want to Do you want to throw out some names of people and what they are? Fraction's a dog. Okay. Hickman's a cat. That makes sense. Grant's a cat.
00:47:57
Speaker
Absolutely, yes. Mark Waid's a dog. Sure, of course. Loved seeing his name in the Superman movie. Yeah, that was nice. And Dan Juergens' name.
00:48:08
Speaker
And who was the first person in the Special Thanks To section? That's right, Chuck Austin.
00:48:16
Speaker
Unbelievable. Yeah, i like i I said the words Chuck Austin out loud like that in the theater. But ah there are street signs that have, there's a Wade Street and there's a Jergens Street.
00:48:29
Speaker
Nice. And that made me happy. You know, I saw that sign for Gotham City and that's all I cared about. ah i would say
00:48:42
Speaker
who else we got? and well Eric is a cat. Erica Henderson's cat. Benito is also a cat. I think Benito's a dog.
00:48:52
Speaker
Damn, that's a, wow, disagreement on that.
00:48:58
Speaker
Well, I'm sure a that right now I am getting a text message.
00:49:04
Speaker
I mean, I guess i guess Friends Till the End needs a dog. it is i Whenever I listen to that show, I'm like, this show ain't got no dog in it.
00:49:17
Speaker
ah If ah among the three of us from friends to the end, Bonita would be the dog, I think. Yeah. I don't know. That's a, that's a, that's a nice little sampling. Any commentators come to mind for you, Matt?
00:49:30
Speaker
Carla is a cat. I, Carla is very closely associated with dogs, but she's a cat. Carla's cat. Yeah. Um,
00:49:43
Speaker
Kel McDonnell dog, obviously. Yeah, definitely. but Definitely a dog. They're a wolf.
00:49:53
Speaker
Which is a dog. Yeah, wolves are dogs. Yes. ah Jeremy Whitley. Jeremy Whitley's dog. Dog. He's.
00:50:05
Speaker
Don't. Don't. Don't test this out. If you see Jeremy at a con. but He's way too cuddly to be a cat. Yeah. ah The writer of The Dog Knight yeah is a dog.
00:50:17
Speaker
Yeah, he's a dog, for sure. All right. that that That's a pretty good sampling, I feel like. ah Wiki asks, who wins in an eating contest between Homer Simpson and Goku?
00:50:32
Speaker
Goku. Yeah, I think Goku.
00:50:38
Speaker
I mean, like, because because Homer still has to exist in a world that's somewhat realistic. And also, Homer lost the eating contest to fucking Jay Sherman.
00:50:50
Speaker
That's true. um Also, Goku's definitely got the speed. Yeah, man. Like, even if they could eat an equal amount of food, Goku's going to eat it faster.
00:51:03
Speaker
If it is not ah an intellectual pursuit, then the answer to your question of who would win, Goku or blank, is usually going to be Goku. Fair. If there's any reading involved, it is the other person.
00:51:19
Speaker
Here's a question from Travis O. on Blue Sky. Booze and comics on Blue Sky. If DC and Marvel did a third line of Amalgam Comics, and one of the comics was about a nasty little freak trying to clone a composite Spider-Boy Dark Claw, what would you name the Amalgam of Hugo Strange and the Jackal?
00:51:39
Speaker
ah His name would be Jack Strange. Jack Strange. But would that be who you would? Well, Hugo Strange doesn't have like a supervillain identity. He's just Hugo Strange.
00:51:52
Speaker
Yeah, that's what I'm So could Hugo Strange the Jackal. Hugo Strange colon the Jackal. But like, would the Jackal's DC counterpart be Hugo Strange?
00:52:03
Speaker
I mean, yeah. he's a He's a nasty freak obsessed with a superhero. they They are similar With a postgraduate degree. They are similar guys. Yeah. Similar weirdo freaks.
00:52:16
Speaker
Similar fucking nasty freaks. Here's my question. this is a qui that This is a question for me.
00:52:27
Speaker
Who's the new amalgam character you would create? Okay, so I can't i can't do Darkclaw. Well, he's he's already been created. Yeah, okay. um I mean, probably, I call him Luno.
00:52:48
Speaker
I call him Luno. Okay. And it would be Lockjaw and Crypto.
00:52:54
Speaker
Oh, that's good. Yeah, because he lives on moon. That's good.
00:53:00
Speaker
Luno. I like that. Yeah.
00:53:04
Speaker
He would look like Lockjaw, but would have a cape. Yeah. Yeah.
00:53:13
Speaker
Now I'm trying to think of who I would do. Like, who would be the new amalgam character I would make?
00:53:24
Speaker
Well, who's your favorite third string Spider-Man villain and who's your favorite third string Batman villain?
00:53:35
Speaker
I don't know. I'll think about that and come back to it. I like Luna, though. What if we put some replacement in that in there and we had U.S. Azrael?
00:53:45
Speaker
U.S. Azrael is pretty fun. U.S. Azrael would be pretty good, I think.
00:53:52
Speaker
that that That is definitely like locking down to ah similar characters, for sure. i think i would I think I would create Super Spider-Boy-Boy.
00:54:08
Speaker
That's good. Who would be um not Connor Kent Super-Boy, but John Kent mixed with Spider-Boy. Yeah.
00:54:21
Speaker
I like that. I like i like the idea of Spider-Boy-Boy. Super Spider-Boy-Boy. Yeah, that's good. I'll tell you who I like. Bizarnage.
00:54:32
Speaker
Bizarnage.
00:54:35
Speaker
Man, oh man. That's why it's tough to do like a new Amalgam character, because they already made Bizarnage. Yeah, I mean, where can you go from there? Parvis Jönisher, British Punisher, on our Discord.
00:54:50
Speaker
says, how would shit rate on 1, 2, X of S words?
00:54:57
Speaker
That's pretty good. That's a pretty good question. Yeah. And I liked it. I would say, like, that's a... Before I saw Superman, I would say probably an 8, but now it's probably a 7.
00:55:09
Speaker
My first thought was 8, as well.
00:55:13
Speaker
My first thought was ah absolutely 8 for shit.
00:55:19
Speaker
Philip, Wants to know, if Cyclops' eyes are portals to the dimension of pure force and Havok is immune to Scott's powers, can he use Pym Particles to enter the force dimension through Scott's eyes?
00:55:32
Speaker
No, because he's immune to the concussive force, but I do feel like it would still like it would still it would be like swimming against a current, right?
00:55:44
Speaker
Yeah, I think so. Yeah. But I mean, maybe. Maybe. Maybe he could, but i mean what do you do while you're there? It's a dimension of nothing but punch force. i Yeah, yeah it's even if you went there, but like it's just red? It's just red in there?
00:56:01
Speaker
Yeah, it's just red and you're getting punched all the time. Yeah, that doesn't sound fun. Other Josh on our Discord wants to know, what's your favorite strong bad email? Dragon.
00:56:14
Speaker
Dragon's a good one, man. Dragon's a good one. I like the one where the cheat answered it. Also good. i don't remember that I don't remember the name of any of them.
00:56:27
Speaker
ah But there was one where the cheat answered and then it like ended with a song about the cheat. ah that was That was the one I liked. That's the most memorable one for me so the one The one that introduces limousine also good.
00:56:45
Speaker
ah Whichever one was the one... Where the guy's like, it should have good graphics. ah There's a business down the street from where I live, Matt. And I drive past it, not infrequently, on my way to my favorite diner.
00:57:00
Speaker
And it's called Vit Electrics. And it's called Infinite Graphics. And every time I see it, I hear you saying, it needs infinite graphics.
00:57:15
Speaker
It should have good graphics.
00:57:20
Speaker
I said good graphics. That is my easily my most quoted thing from any Homestar Runner thing.
00:57:31
Speaker
ah The guy talking about having a good graphics. Also, the um if you could change anything oh about about Strong Badia, what would you change? that That's a good one.
00:57:46
Speaker
Because that song is good. And the... oop This little weirdo. but I mean, all most of the most of the really good ones have songs.
00:57:57
Speaker
Yeah. that that It's a key component. Scott HPDX wants to know, where are DC and Marvel on the dog-cat binary? Yeah.
00:58:10
Speaker
Hmm. Now that's that's a good question.
00:58:16
Speaker
no if shes I don't know if you can really apply it to... Publishers? Publishers, because there's like so much going on individually.
00:58:27
Speaker
Well, they both publish characters who are dogs and cats. Yeah. But I think, like, overall...
00:58:37
Speaker
Overall, I want to say DC's a dog and Marvel's a cat. That was my first blush thought, too, yeah. But I think it's i think once if you pull you know if you pull back far enough, all all comparisons are useless.
00:58:55
Speaker
Everything is meaningless, and we are merely dust. Damn, dude. and Heaven and hell are the same thing, and God and the devil are the same.
00:59:07
Speaker
That's right. Just like Doctor Strange said. See, okay, Marvel's a cat, and so we can have that in a story. Yeah.
00:59:17
Speaker
Doctor Strange a cat for real. Oh, absolutely. Even though he has a dog. He has a dog. You can have a dog and be a cat. That's true.
00:59:29
Speaker
Ovegis.
00:59:32
Speaker
asks on Blue Sky, if you were abducted by aliens, what would be the non-comic piece of media you would show them to demonstrate humans are actually pretty chill and why?
00:59:43
Speaker
I don't think any piece of media I can show them would explain that humans are chill. Humans are not chill. Humans are not chill.
00:59:53
Speaker
I think if I was going to show them something to show that humans were pretty good, actually, it would probably be Speed Racer. That's a good one. That is definitely a good one. I would show them Twin Peaks The Return and blow their minds.
01:00:07
Speaker
Yeah, but you'd have to show them Twin Peaks and Firewalk with me first.
01:00:13
Speaker
How long do I have? Am I going to show these aliens fucking 12 hours of Lord of the Rings? I mean, look, there's no guardrails on this question.
01:00:25
Speaker
ah Yeah, if i'm sure if I gotta show them everything, i'm you fuck, I'll show them Twin Peaks, Fire Walk With Me, and Twin Peaks the Return. Alright, then I will show them all of the extended edition Lord of the Rings.
01:00:38
Speaker
Okay, great. And when they when I get to the part where Theoden is just screaming the word death over and over, I'm gonna be like, now, see, humans are not chill.
01:00:56
Speaker
but what but see but what Wait for what happens with this guy. but Wait for what happens with this guy. yeah Wait for Aragorn's speech. Yeah. ColecoVision on our Discord asks, y'all ever play a D&D campaign with a Levitz paradigm?
Applying the Levitz paradigm to D&D campaigns
01:01:14
Speaker
I don't know what a Levitz paradigm is. I've never heard of it. Is it Paul Levitz? I mean, i I guess. This sounds like something that I should know.
01:01:26
Speaker
Let's see. I looked up the Levitz paradigm. oh it's ah Oh, it's his um plotting. It's his plotting matrix. I didn't know that that was called Levitz paradigm.
01:01:37
Speaker
ah But yeah, he ah he would do a – because he was writing Legion of Superheroes, which has a ton of characters. So he would do a ah plot structure matrix for each issue.
01:01:51
Speaker
that would show like what was the A plot in that issue, what was the B plot in that issue, what was the C plot, and then you would cycle through like six different plots, changing the focus of what is the A plot, but you wouldn't always do it like... It wouldn't be like, you know, every sixth issue has plot six as the A plot. It would change depending on what was going on, and you would change depending on...
01:02:17
Speaker
ah The other events the story. Yeah, I mean, I know this because it was in the DC Comics Guide to Writing. I just missed that it was called The Levitz Paradigm. I don't know if I've played in one.
01:02:31
Speaker
I have
01:02:34
Speaker
done similar things, but I tend to do things in a more video game inspired way. Where I literally have main quests and side quests written out that I then tell the players, okay, you now have this side quest.
01:02:58
Speaker
King of Doma on our Discord wants to know, are there any ideas for bits that you've considered but left on the cutting room floor?
01:03:08
Speaker
Any bits for what? Bits for the show. Like, the bits. No. Here's what I appreciate about this question.
01:03:20
Speaker
um That it assumes that we ever think about our bits ahead of time. They are all happening in the moment, my man. Yeah.
01:03:31
Speaker
Yeah, no, like, if it's... Well, actually, there is one. There's one that we did. There's one that we did...
01:03:42
Speaker
On a trip. That we said couldn't be on the show. Yeah, that we will never talk about on the show, yes. Yeah? ah That is just a between-us joke. That we have shared with other friends, but that that's it.
01:03:54
Speaker
Yeah? Yeah. That's the only one I'm be aware of. it's a little It's a little too hot for the podcast. It's a little too hot for the podcast, yeah. It's got ah it's got a little little kick of spice to it, that one. it's It's edgy in a way that the show is typically not.
01:04:11
Speaker
Yeah, we we are not generally edgy, even though it's extremely funny. It's very funny, but it's not... It's not the right vibe for the show. So that's that's there's one.
01:04:24
Speaker
ah But that's it. Yeah, but otherwise, mostly it is it is what we say ends up on the show. Like, this ain't Apocryphal's, folks. I don't have to cut out the cusses. yeah It's like a Superman movie in here.
01:04:40
Speaker
CJ Kroll on our Discord asks, If the two of you were staying in a room with a bunk bed... Who would take the top and who would take the bottom? If I may, Chris. You would take the top. I think I'm sleeping on top, yeah. yeah
01:04:54
Speaker
It just makes sense. It just makes sense. And when I was in college and I had a bunk bed in college, i I took the top bunk. And when I had a bunk bed for some reason as a child, even though... ah Like, I'm not an only child, but I ah had an older sister. We never shared a room.
01:05:16
Speaker
I did sleep on the bottom bunk. Yeah. Lokified, who is Lucas Brown, on our Discord, says, Is there an example of an event comic where the tie-ins are essential reads, rather than cash grabs?
01:05:31
Speaker
So many seem perfunctory. You wonder why they did it at all.
Event comics with crucial tie-ins
01:05:35
Speaker
Special shout-out to Ben Reilly and Black Cat doing Doctor Strange's to-do list in Doctor Strange. ah DC 1 million.
01:05:43
Speaker
Yeah. Which, not all of the tie-ins are are like worth reading, but Starman is. Flash Well, I really like the the Grant event structure that came later.
01:06:05
Speaker
Where it's like, these aren't tie-ins, these are minis that are the event. Like, the seven soldiers in multiversity structure. Or minis or one-shots.
01:06:18
Speaker
I mean, I would say, like, here's here's the thing. I would say that there are events where tie-ins are better than the main series.
01:06:29
Speaker
But not necessarily essential for the main series. Like, Invasion. Like, Invasion.
01:06:36
Speaker
My example was Siege and yours was Invasion. Yeah, both of which are true. Yeah. ah Like, Invasion has some of the best tie-ins that are like event tie-ins at all.
01:06:57
Speaker
And part of that is because, like, what were the books coming out that had invasion tie-ins? ah Ostrander, Suicide Squad, ah Graham Morrison, Chastro, Animal Man, ah Justice League, International.
01:07:13
Speaker
Like, these were good books, you know? So they yeah there was a lot of good invasion stuff. And very little of it is related to The events of the three-issue miniseries Invasion by Bill Metlow and Todd McFarlane.
01:07:33
Speaker
The event that i immediately comes to mind as one where I still don't know if the tie-ins are necessary, but they're helpful and mostly good is Final Crisis.
01:07:51
Speaker
Okay, yeah, yeah.
01:07:55
Speaker
that That to me is the best example. Like, can you read Final Crisis and not have read... but was the What was the Superman one called?
01:08:07
Speaker
Superman Beyond? Superman Beyond. um Yes, but Superman Beyond is great. So, like, it's worth reading. It's got Superman's Tombstone in it.
01:08:19
Speaker
Sure does. But, like, even some of those tie-ins are, like, You don't have to read them. like You don't have to read Resist.
01:08:30
Speaker
But like I feel like all those tie-ins are pretty good. Yeah, there's good stuff. Rage of the Red Lanterns you could probably skip. Yeah, you could probably skip that ah But some of those tie-ins are worth reading and good.
01:08:46
Speaker
I don't know of any crossover where all the tie-ins, or even the majority of tie-ins, are essential. yeah But I think DC 1 million comes closest.
01:08:59
Speaker
I think that's probably true. yeah yeah Here's our next question. It is from Frankiemon555. What was your first ever email address slash internet username?
01:09:12
Speaker
I'd rather not say. Next question. can give you mine. okay ah i specifically, in middle school, signed up for An email account.
01:09:24
Speaker
Actually, was I middle school? i might have been in high school by then. ah Because I did not have internet at home. For a long time. Uh.
01:09:36
Speaker
because my parents just didn't think it was necessary to have. um So I really didn't get online until, yeah, maybe I was into high school.
01:09:47
Speaker
um But some guys I knew did eFed stuff, like like like on a Yahoo message board. Hell yeah, dog.
01:09:59
Speaker
They were like doing... ah like you know, drafting wrestlers and putting them on a roster and booking. And they were like, you should do that. You should join it too.
01:10:10
Speaker
And I didn't have an email address. So I i was like, well okay, let me think of an email address. And this just happened to be at a point in time when I had braces and because of the braces, I had a gap in my teeth.
01:10:22
Speaker
And so, uh, my email address, my first email address was Gapo underscore one at Yahoo. Um, Which is an email address I still have.
01:10:34
Speaker
um Because I had a gap in my teeth and I loved the Marx Brothers. So I was like, that's like a Marx Brothers name.
01:10:44
Speaker
that That's... That's not an embarrassing email address. so It is a bad email address.
01:10:55
Speaker
It's a bad email address, yeah. Yeah. I still have it. I never use it, but I still have it. i do I do regret to inform you of that, but I'm sure you know. Oh, yeah. I mean, that's why I don't use it anymore.
01:11:08
Speaker
ah But that's, you know, I thought it had to be like a funny nickname. I think everybody did back then. Hey, what is what if you and me got into got into an EFED now?
01:11:24
Speaker
It'd be pretty fun. Do EFEDs still exist? Someone please let us know if EFED still exists. BarelySushi on our Discord asks, Is Shatterstar's sword rate rating cumulative or per blade?
01:11:40
Speaker
it's It's overall. It is overall. It's an overall rating. I'm sorry to say. It is not a 12.
01:11:49
Speaker
Should be.
01:11:53
Speaker
CentipedeDamascus wants to know... If we get fucking Darth Maul's lightsaber... yeah And you say anything that you did not say about Shatterstar Sword, then I'm going to be mad.
01:12:12
Speaker
I thought it was cool at the time.
01:12:16
Speaker
Now it seems kind of stupid. Darth Maul's lightsaber. Centipede Damascus asks, y'all checked out that K-pop Demon Hunters yet? Yeah. ah This is the seventh person to ask me that. I have not, but I am planning on it.
01:12:30
Speaker
I'll have some time this weekend. It seems like it is up your alley. It sure does. Yeah.
01:12:40
Speaker
So is it... It's just a totally new thing. It isn't like a spinoff. Because wasn't there an anime called Demon Hunters? You're thinking of Demon Slayer.
01:12:53
Speaker
I'm thinking of Demon Slayer. Okay. Yeah. Which I did try, and i it didn't it didn't get me.
01:13:02
Speaker
HotSpringSummer asks, imagine there are championship title belts in the DC Universe just as there are in AEW. What are those belts, and who hold who are the title holders currently?
01:13:14
Speaker
Okay. So specifically the AEW belts? Well, I mean, these these are the DC versions of those belts. So so there would be a world champion.
01:13:27
Speaker
A men's world champion, a women's world champion. ah you the The unified championship, which is the international and... Continental. the Continental Classic champion.
01:13:39
Speaker
ah There would be a... The TNT and TBS champions. Yeah. And tag team and trios. Okay.
01:13:51
Speaker
I think those are all the AEW titles. We're not bringing the Ring of Honor titles into this. Right, right, right. Who's world champion? It's got to be Superman. I mean, first thought, best thought, Superman, yeah. Yeah.
01:14:07
Speaker
So, is... Now, are Superman and Batman tag team champions? and Or do we need a pair of characters who are a dedicated pair?
01:14:25
Speaker
Well, yeah you know, it's that old question of are your tag team champions your two biggest single stars as a group, or are they but dedicated tag team? The world's finest are a team.
01:14:37
Speaker
They are a team, yes, but they but they also do a lot of singles competition. Yeah. do Who's who's a trio? Because again, if like it the the instinct is for trios champion to be Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman.
01:14:53
Speaker
The Trinity. Yeah.
01:14:57
Speaker
But you don't want... You can't be a triple champion. That's bad booking. That's like fucking Jeff Jarrett and Memphis shit. Yeah.
01:15:09
Speaker
That's bad booking. I agree.
01:15:12
Speaker
So... I would say... trios champion, I'd want to give that to, like...
01:15:23
Speaker
I want to say say probably, like... yeah ah Is Young Justice still still around? Like, Impulse, Robin, and Superboy? um I don't think Young Justice as a team still exists. I mean, I think they're, you know, the Teen Titans now.
01:15:41
Speaker
okay My first thought for trios is... ah three green lanterns from Earth. So you would put, like, Hal, Guy, and oh oh John.
01:15:56
Speaker
Or if we want to take halll out of the equation. Which we should. Joe. Joe, yeah, yeah, yeah. It could be those three. Okay, alright, I'm done with that. um
01:16:10
Speaker
I'm trying to think of... of Okay, okay. Superman is world champion. yeah Tag team champions? This one's obvious. I should have thought of it sooner.
01:16:20
Speaker
Batman Robin.
01:16:24
Speaker
Yes, that makes perfect sense. that that's the That's the team that redefined teams. but That's the the the big tag team, yeah. yeah I mean, women's champion Wonder Woman.
01:16:38
Speaker
Women's champion Wonder Woman, TBS champion Harley Quinn.
01:16:43
Speaker
That's an interesting swing. I don't mind that. She's over. don't mind that. She's over. Now, what would we rename the TBS championship? ah It would be the WGBS championship.
01:16:57
Speaker
The GBS championship. The GBS championship. And the TNT championship would be the Daily Planet championship. I was going to call it the Daily Planet championship. Yeah.
01:17:08
Speaker
Yeah. The daily play – so, okay. So the the whole concept of the TBS and TNT championships is that they are the belts you put on the young up-and-comers, right? Like the the promising young stars.
01:17:25
Speaker
yeah So – They're the mid-carter belts. They're the mid-carter belts, but like – But it's very much what the Intercontinental Championship used to be.
01:17:37
Speaker
But it's – charitably, they're the belts you want to put on the stars you want to raise up, right? Right. The the ones – the up-and-comers, like you said. Yeah.
01:17:50
Speaker
Yeah. ah So I like Harley Quinn for TBS title or GBS title. For the Daily Planet title,
01:18:04
Speaker
like who's the DC –
01:18:08
Speaker
up-and-coming young hero. Absolute Martian Manhunter?
01:18:15
Speaker
now are So the Absolute characters are in the mix here.
01:18:21
Speaker
Well, I mean, I feel like, well, I guess regular Martian Manhunter is appearing in Justice League Unlimited. Yes, he sure is.
01:18:34
Speaker
This is tough, Matt. This is tough. It's tough. you know because we We should give it to a heel. We don't have any heel champions. Well, Harley Quinn's a heel champion. Harley Quinn is a babyface.
01:18:47
Speaker
Tweener. She's a tweener. She's a babyface. She's been a babyface for years, dude.
01:19:01
Speaker
But she acts like a heel. Yeah. She's one of those babyfaces who acts like a heel. Yeah. A real Steve Austin type. Yeah. Okay, so who's that who's a heel who gets the but Daily Planet championship?
01:19:19
Speaker
Who's a... Who's the next fighting villain? Do we mean villain, or do we mean a hero who's kind of shitty? and I think it's got to be a villain. Okay. Okay.
01:19:36
Speaker
who Who is an interesting villain in DC Comics? this this is This is tough. Hmm. Hmm. It's hard to think about who who's a mid-carder.
01:19:51
Speaker
you mean Maybe Absolute Bane. I know that's on my mind because that book came out this week. Oh, no, you know who it is? You know who it is, Matt? Hit me. It's Hush. Fuck. Fuck.
01:20:04
Speaker
Yeah, you know I'm right, too, is the problem. my i I mean, i feel like it does kind of have to be a Batman villain. ah My first thought is Riddler.
01:20:20
Speaker
Riddler's going to get popped for a wellness violation. for in Hush 2, for sure, yeah. Riddler's on the gas for real. Definitely on the gas.
01:20:33
Speaker
ah But yeah, it's hush. It's hush. Well, okay. So then we've got the unified title. i'll tell you I'll tell you who's got that one.
01:20:45
Speaker
All right. Crypto. Oh, he's a good boy. Crypto's in like five comics right now. It's great. He's a good boy. Yeah. All right.
01:20:57
Speaker
ah I don't know how totally satisfied I am with that, but for a quick decision on those titles, I feel like that's a one. tell Supergirl is a contender for the Women's World Championship right now.
01:21:09
Speaker
I mean, Supergirl could definitely be the tv GBS champion. Yeah. ah That book's great. I love that book. That book's real good. That might be my favorite DC book right now.
01:21:24
Speaker
It's real good. E. Suarez27 on our Discord wants to know, status check on where Chris is in his One Piece read-through. I switched over to reading Usagi Ojembo, because there was a Humble Bundle, and I got all the Usagi Ojembo Saga editions in paperback.
01:21:44
Speaker
And it turns out that when I start reading Usagi Ojembo, I don't want to read anything else. So I am still about where I was last time. I'm in the... I just finished Thriller Bark.
01:21:58
Speaker
And I will say, Thriller Bark was fun. Thriller Bark had some good stuff in it, and kind of made me want to keep reading. it's been It's been rough going, but I enjoyed Thriller Bark.
01:22:14
Speaker
Thriller Bark has this great running gag where zombies keep showing up. Uh-huh. And Luffy keeps going, An old man with severe injuries!
01:22:26
Speaker
Stone Cold HCC, an account that exists only to ask questions on War Rocket Ajax, asks, What would you do if someone dispatched War Rocket Ajax to bring back your body? I'd kick their ass. I mean, really depends on what my circumstances were prior to that. Am I am i dead?
01:22:44
Speaker
Well, i usually you aren't referred to as a body unless you're dead. Yeah, well, in the film...
01:22:55
Speaker
War Rocket Ajax is dispatched to, in the hopes that Gordon is dead. Right. and Ming thinks that Gordon is dead at that point.
01:23:06
Speaker
Yes. But we dispatch War Rocket Ajax to bring everybody the world's most explosive comic book and pop culture podcast. Right. My name's Chris Sims. With me, as always, Matt Wilson.
01:23:19
Speaker
So I would say, like, when we dispatch War Rocket Ajax, I guess we're not bringing back bodies. But we are bringing during good times. Good times is what we're here to bring you. That's right.
01:23:34
Speaker
But you know what? if yeah If Stone Cold HCC would kick somebody's ass to to protect the sanctity of our corpses from from being taken by the ruthless Ming the Merciless, then by gosh, got good give them hell.
01:23:54
Speaker
David L. on our Discord asks, what regional food chain or specialty that you've never been able to try would you most like to check out?
01:24:04
Speaker
You know, i i I think I went to Del Taco once. I've been to delga Del Taco once, and it was not a great experience. Whataburger.
01:24:16
Speaker
That is what I want. You've never been to Whataburger. I've been to Whataburger one time. No. I've been to Wunderburger one time. I thought it was fine. Oof.
01:24:29
Speaker
Oh, we just lost Texas. We've lost. Texas is down. and
01:24:35
Speaker
yeah yeah I mean, i it wasn't bad, but I thought I didn't – compared to In-N-Out, which I also had on that same trip. Sorry. i'll tell you I'll tell you what regional oh restaurant I wish I could have all the time.
01:24:53
Speaker
That's Waffle House. The one that I've never tried is Raising Cane's. Have you been to Zaxby's? I've been to Zaxby's. You have been to Raising Cane's.
01:25:04
Speaker
It's exactly the same. It is exactly the same. Okay.
01:25:12
Speaker
Well, that's good to know. yeah For whatever reason, i because I've been to places that have Raising Cane's, but I've just never tried it. It's like almost a – I thought legit it was a Carl's Jr. Hardee's situation.
01:25:27
Speaker
was like, oh, they just called Zasby's Raising Cane's up here, huh? and Interesting. so But Raising Cane's only has chicken fingers, right? Like chicken strips. They don't have other stuff.
01:25:39
Speaker
Yeah, but I mean, like they don't have salads. Zaxby's has, like, wings. I guess. Yeah. I guess Zaxby's has wings.
01:25:52
Speaker
I guess. Oh, okay. Raising Cane's does have sandwiches.
01:25:59
Speaker
But they're tender sandwiches. Yeah. Same as Zaxby's sandwiches. Yeah. Okay. It's pretty much the same thing. Alright. Fair enough. ah Let's see...
01:26:14
Speaker
Yesterday night wants to know, did Chris ever decide on a name for his sword? any Did anyone pitch the Invincible Superblade? That's it. That's it. It was right there in front of us the whole time.
01:26:27
Speaker
It's pretty good. It's the ISB. it's It's the Invincible Superblade. That's it. You done did it. I wish you could see my face. I'm smiling so big right now.
01:26:39
Speaker
and Oh, man. That's a good one. Who who was that? Yesterday night. Hey, yesterday night, you did it. Good job. Good job. One last question about blades.
01:26:52
Speaker
This is from Ryan Martin, theprehistoric.net on Blue Sky.
Butterfly knives and personal stories
01:26:56
Speaker
Thoughts on butterfly knives. Do you own any? Are they awesome or ridiculously awesome? Used to. Actually, my mom had one ah that was given to her by the students of the alternative school where she taught.
01:27:11
Speaker
ah You know, So she'd have one. I could never get the flippy part down. But they're pretty cool. They're pretty cool. I feel like they require a skill that I never yeah i never quite had either. i The thing I don't like about them is that they don't... Like... There's nothing really holding the handle together.
01:27:38
Speaker
And I don't like that lack of stability. I would much rather have a folding knife than a butterfly knife for me to use personally, but I'm not going to sit here and say they're not cool.
01:27:51
Speaker
Fair. Yeah.
Community engagement and listener communication
01:27:53
Speaker
Well, Chris, we named your sword. Specifically, yesterday night named your sword. You sure did. we got a lot We got a lot done here. ah Thanks for listening, everybody.
01:28:04
Speaker
ah Thanks for sending in all those questions. If you would like to send in questions for a future episode, you can do it do it on Blue Sky. We're there at warrocketajax.com.
01:28:16
Speaker
Or you can do it on our Discord, which you have to be invited to be a member of. um But if you ask us nicely for an invitation, then we will get you one and you can join over there and be part of that episode.
01:28:30
Speaker
Community of War Rocket Ajax fans, which is pretty lively. So ah just just hit us up for an invitation, and we'll make it happen. Unless you're ajo yeah can also get into it if you're a jerk.
01:28:45
Speaker
yeah ah You can also get in touch with us on Tumblr. We're there at warrocketpodcast.tumblr.com. ah Or you can email us at our email address, which is warrocketpodcast at gmail.com. That's where you can send every story our lists and one of one to ten of swords submissions.
01:29:03
Speaker
Or let us know if you want to sponsor the show. um That would be ah very cool, and we would like to talk to you if that's something you would like to do.
Resources: Website and personal links
01:29:14
Speaker
Our website is warrocketajax.com. It has every episode of the show we've ever done. which you can go check out, but you don't have to go all the way to the start. WarRocketWiki.com is the fan-run repository of all the information you could ever want or need about this show, so go check that out.
01:29:30
Speaker
If you want to find me and my stuff, go to mattdwilson.net to find links to my comics, my books, my other podcasts, and my social medias. Chris, where can everybody find you?
01:29:43
Speaker
Everybody can find me by going to the-isb.com. That is my website, and it has links to everything that I do. You can, i don't know, email me there if you want, I think.
01:29:56
Speaker
I think my email address is there. I don't know, maybe it's not. If it's not, don't email me.
01:30:06
Speaker
There's other stuff there, though. Look around. Buy me a present. You can do that there. You can definitely do that there. Definitely do that there.
Upcoming break and future plans
01:30:15
Speaker
That does it, Matt. Another another shi show in the books. We will not be having a show next week.
01:30:21
Speaker
We will not be having a show next week as a result of... ah Matt's going to be busy in the one place that's no longer tainted by capitalism. That's right. On the USS Inspiration. So...
01:30:36
Speaker
Come out and see the shows if you're around. If you can't, we'll be back... In early August with a new show, the one we talked about with Elle Collins, which would should be great.
01:30:50
Speaker
Can't wait for that.
01:30:54
Speaker
Thanks for listening, everybody.
Closing: Social justice and audience appreciation
01:30:55
Speaker
Thanks for listening. Be here when we talk to Elle. And until then, do not forget Black Lives Matter. Trans rights are human rights. As are abortion rights.
01:31:04
Speaker
Drag is not a crime. Diversity is not the problem. And cops aren't your friends. But we love you. We love you. Yeah!