Scott, for reasons that are never fully addressed, is amazed by high school band culture. So, in his rapturous quest for knowledge, Scott turns to Matt and Ed for answers from their high school days. Do these two former instrumentalists have the answers Scott seeks? Or are they making stuff up to keep him guessing? When Scott gets his fill, the conversation turns to the impending Genghis Con and the trio celebrate their Thanksgiving episode - featuring festive Thanksgiving music! (Not really. Matt couldn't find music for the holiday that could pass as "festive." They were all kind of dirge-y.) When the festivities subside, the topic FINALLY returns to their chosen medium: COMIC BOOKS! In the headlines this week: legendary comic book artist Alvin Schwartz passes away; comic retailer Michael George sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his wife; Barnes and Noble project massive declines in print sales; Alan Moore speaks out on behalf of the proposed Harvey Pekar statue; John Byrne art depicting the death of the Phoenix sells at auction; DC Comics reveals more details on their tablet exclusivity; and "AKA Jessica Jones," the pilot based on Marvel Comics "Alias," heads into production! Comics discussed from the past week include Justice League #3, Wonder Woman #3, Batman #3, Green Lantern Corps #3, Catwoman #3, iZombie #19, Fear Itself 7.3: Iron Man, Avengers #19, Captain America #4, Incredible Hulk #2, Godzilla: Legends #1, Cinema Retro #21! ALSO: don't miss Scott crooning "Happy Birthday!" DISCOVER THE TRUTH of how Scott is a "Twilight Enabler!" THE SECRET IS FINALLY OUT! Find out more at GENGHIS CON, on November 26th at Cleveland's Beachland Ballroom! Don't miss out on this awesome celebration of independent Cleveland artists!
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Deleted Scenes: Black Friday Tips and Tricks, November 15th, 2011
Sometimes we can't include everything into a single podcast, and this was one of those weeks. As the national holiday known as Black Friday approaches (following some other holiday about poultry and pumpkin pie), listen in on Ed and Scott's Black Friday Tips and Tricks! While they haven't been in the game for a few years now, this dynamic duo have many fond memories of their Thanksgivings spent in a line at their local Best Buy! DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT planning a Black Friday campout without first consulting these masters of line-sitting! DON'T MISS this riveting recollection by two giants of the spendthrift industry!
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Special Edition Podcast: Comic Book Comics #6!
A special preview of Comic Book Comics #6, by Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey! When a pdf copy comes in the mail, it gives Scott and Matt a chance to reflect on the series as whole! Find out why they believe it's a MUST READ for anyone who wants to learn more about COMIC BOOKS, and should be used as a text book by future students of the medium! DON'T MISS your chance to get your own copy when it hits (most) comic stores this week!
Podcast 96 - November 15, 2011
Video attempts continue to fail! What is it about video that makes it Kryptonite to these brave podcasters? This week's "sportscaster" style was, decidedly, a no-go. Please help us make the hard decisions: Should these podcasters be sitting or standing? What kind of hat would Ed wear? What's the most prominent feature of the back of his head? Should he go back to his days of wearing a "baseball cap?" While the video attempt lies in shambles, rejoice in this knowledge: Ed combed his hair! Scott's glorious locks always fall perfectly into place (even though he is the senior podcaster)! As always, these podcasters manage to spend some time on a myriad of non-comic book related material before returning to the world of comic books, including: Breaking the fourth wall by dissecting the show's "cold open," including the placement of Ed mockery and social media handles, and Matt's mastery of all things engineering! In the headlines this week: Comic Book legend Frank Miller shares his feelings on the "Occupy Wall Street" movement (on which our podcasters find themselves in disagreement); the passing of legendary creator Bil Keane (which leads Ed to mention his favorite comic strip: "Farscape." That's Ed, ladies and gentlemen); a man charged with laundering drug money through comic books; more manga for your tablet-type devices; Top Shelf gets a ComiXology app; "Black Friday" specials - on digital comic books; the return of "Batman Beyond;" Marvel's "Season One" graphic novels and Ultimate Comics line will ship with free digital copies; a new collectible board game featuring Marvel characters debuts; Marvel cancels a slew of comics; and "My Friend Dahmer," a graphic novel from local great Derf, will debut in March of 2012! Comics discussed from the past week include Green Lantern #3, Batman and Robin #3, Batgirl #3, Batwoman #3, Suicide Squad #3, Superboy #3, Fear Itself 7.2: Thor, Marvel Point One, Avenging Spider-Man #1, New Avengers #18, and Uncanny X-Force #17! BRACE YOURSELF for the debut of Ed Benci's iOS app! Sketch comedy and kitty sketches! DISCOVER WHY Matt may have taken a nap during the course of the podcast! Finally, a plague of frogs (with pictures and video to come)!
Podcast 95 - November 8, 2011
The video experiment continues! The proposed use of "Benci-Vision" has been completely scrapped! Instead, master film-crafter Scott Rudge has crafted a "studio" in his comic vending area! Lights! Cameras! Ed! As the countdown to the 100th episode extravaganza continues, discover what CRAZY plans Scott, Matt, and Ed have in the works! YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS OUT on the majesty of "Skinny Ed!" Will the video experiment come together, or is the world TRULY ready to see these three comic fans on their computer screens every week? Local comic fan (and podcast fan) Kevin Juguilon stops in to talk the best (and worst) of the week in COMIC BOOKS! In the headlines this week: A convention-bound truck, full of golden- and silver-age comics, DISAPPEARS during the night; Marvel announces that (just about) all of their titles will be "Day-and-Date Digital" by March of next year; Barnes and Noble unveil their "Nook Tablet," complete with Nook-exclusive Marvel graphic novels; Viz Media will release "Shonen Jump" digitally; iVerse Media, competitors with ComiXology in the fledgling world of digital comics, have announced that they have raised $4 million in equity financing (and will soon have streaming video content for comics…); Marvel and DC Comics are now proud owners of "Google+" pages; Brian K. Vaughan will adapt Stephen King's "Under the Dome" for Showtime; a real-life super-hero discovers that "Super-heroin' ain't easy;" and October's sales numbers! THE NUMBERS WILL SHOCK YOU! Comics discussed from the past week include Action Comics #3, Animal Man #3, Swamp Thing #3, Red Lanterns #3, Detective Comics #3, Hawk and Dove #3, Green Arrow #3, Fear Itself #7.1: Captain America, Uncanny X-Men #1, New Mutants #33, X-Men #20, Six Guns #1, Spaceman #1, Hellboy: House of the Living Dead, Goon #36, and Peanuts #0! Don't miss the exciting debuts of Tinker Broad, Yoda Missouri, and Bridget Kensington! Also, you'll never believe this one: Benci uses the Latin word "Caveat" - correctly! Just another chaotic week in the world of COMICS ARE GO!
Special Edition Podcast - Genghis Con Preview!
It's that time of year again! Join us on "Awesome Saturday" for the Genghis Con, a celebration of comics, cartooning and storytelling! Now in it's third year! The Genghis Con is a Cleveland area "Art Happening" featuring an array of amazing local talent! In order to promote the event, Con founder John G. (www.9panelgrid.blogspot.com) and artist Kevin Czapiewski (http://puppyteethcomic.com/, www.kevinczap.com) drop by to talk about the many things to see at the convention! With a rich history of comic creation from the Cleveland area (including Harvey Pekar, Gary Dumm, Greg Budgett, Derf, and more), this is an opportunity to meet Mid-West independent creators, share in open conversation and discourse, and see "lots of zombies, and weird, esoteric stuff!" The artists are not charged for their tables (which offers them a "different vibe" when they don't feel pressured to make up for the cost of a table) and patrons are only asked to pay five dollars for admittance! Come out carrying a stack of small press stuff for only five bucks! Located at the Beachland Ballroom (on Waterloo Road), the event will take place on Saturday, November 26th from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. More information can be found at http://www.thegenghiscon.com/ AND http://www.facebook.com/genghisconcleveland! Be sure to check out Kevin's awesome Cleveland-scene article at http://www.tcj.com/cleveland-oh-scene-report/ AND the Harvey Pekar Kickstarter project, http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1844705603/harvey-pekar-library-statue-comics-as-art-and-lite! "It's a good time for comics!"
Podcast 94 - November 1, 2011
The Comics Are Go! Podcast saunters into the 21st century! Having mastered the art of the audio podcast, these three visionaries prepare to embark into a whole new territory! With new "bleeding edge technology" at their fingertips, a new dimension in podcasting is ready to be breached! GIRD YOUR LOINS for such innovations as Benci-Vision! Benci-Cam! The Benci Puppet! An assorted array of other, less-fabulously named podcast innovations!The history of simple tools! That's right, dear listener, this podcast may end up being in video! (To be clear, it's a dry run; Engineer Extraordinaire Matt suspects that Scott was simply bored before everyone arrived at the comic shop and decided to play with his toys. The fruit of Scott's labor may or may not become available for your viewing pleasure, as we still have to work out the kinks.) Frivolity aside, these paragons of professional podcasting turn their attention to their chosen medium: COMIC BOOKS! In the headlines this week: the return of a podcast-favorite (well, Ed loves this guy for some reason) lawyer; the value of the "Mile High" Comic Collection is believed to be mind-boggling in scope; Marvel expands on their "free digital with print" promotion on the upcoming "Amazing Spider-Man" series; and recent online studies concerning the gender makeup of comics fans! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHERE ED FITS IN! Comics discussed from the past week include Aquaman #2, Flash #2, Savage Hawkman #2, Superman #2, Batman: The Dark Knight #2, Green Lantern: New Guardians #2, Justice League Dark #2, Voodoo #2, Teen Titans #2, Legion: Secret Origin #1, Incredible Hulk #1, Ultimate Comics Ultimates #3, Secret Avengers #18, FF #11, Wolverine and the X-Men #1, and Game of Thrones #2! As an added bonus, Scott adds a running commentary on the difficulties behind simultaneously recording a video AND audio podcast! AS IF THAT WASN'T ENOUGH, don't miss the preliminary planning for the 100th episode extravaganza! Don't get left off the guest list! Also, Ed swears, but Matt catches it.
Podcast 93 - October 25th, 2011
(Sort of) Special Halloween podcast! Dim the lights, put on your favorite super-hero costume and play it during your neighborhood's Treak-or-Treat for extra spookiness! Plus: a podcast listener accuses our podcasters of professionalism! Ed "Keeps people interested" in the podcast! Ed used to play the trumpet! Also: COMICS BOOKS! In the headlines this week: Marvel announces the dismissal of several editors and other personnel in their production department; the check paid to Siegel and Shuster by Detective Comics will soon be up for auction, along with other personal items; Darwyn Cooke to oversee Watchmen prequels; Fox seeks to put the Punisher on your television screen; AMC renews "The Walking Dead" for a third season; and Barnes and Noble replace DC graphic novels with 2000 AD! Justice League #2, Batman #2, Wonder Woman #2, Catwoman #2, Red Hood and the Outlaws #2, Nightwing #2, Green Lantern Corps #2, Fear Itself #7, Avengers #18, Uncanny X-Men #544, Dead Man Running #0, Mail-Order Mysteries (get blown away by nostalgia!) Guest starring the deviously spooky Mike Stoner! Stick around for the Halloween party! Hear ruminations on Halloween costumes past! (The rumor is that Scott was the first to dress up as a caveman, when he borrowed his father's workwear…) Hear hilarious spooky tales from these creepy, kooky podcasters and finally learn the secret of Ed's favorite costume!
Podcast 92 - October 18th, 2011
Deep from within Lake Erie! Broadcasting from abandoned salt mines! It's time for pirate radio and comic book tomfoolery! Okay, mostly the comic book tomfoolery. THIS WEEK: A "provocative" e-mail from a mysterious listener! Who is this man who has reached out from his "secret lair" to attempt to communicate with our podcasters? CONTROVERSY! Also featuring: Benci's velvety tones! AURALLY PLEASING! Podcaster Rat Pack comparisons! WAY OFF-TARGET! Scott' latest reasoning behind a hasty exit from his "co-host" duties! WHO CARES?!? In the comic book headlines from the past two weeks: Diamond Comics mulls over the possibility of TWO Free Comic Book Days; the CBLDF offers dinner with Frank Miller; Disney's "Prep and Landing" will be invading Avengers comics, just in time for Christmas; Michael George, comic book retailer on trial for the murder of his wife, has (again) been found guilty; DC Comics reminds anyone listening that their DCnU has resulted in the sale of 5 million comics, while extending their "Comic Returnable Program" for another 4 months; A VERITABLE PLETHORA of digital comics related stories, including 40 percent of print comics being available on Comixology the first week of October, DC Comics trade paperbacks disappearing from a major book retailer's shelves, Archie's super-heroes returning in digital form, Marvel's comics app appears on Android devices, and MUCH MORE; Stieg Larsson's "Millennium Trilogy" finds a home at DC; Marvel jumps on the TV show/book series "Dexter;" and a major spoiler for Wonder Woman's origin in the DCnU! WHEW! That's content! (It's also what happens when you take a week off from comics journalism around the New York Comic Con…) Comics discussed from the past TWO weeks include: Action Comics #2, Detective Comics #2, Animal Man #2, X-Men: Schism #5, Batman and Robin #2, Batgirl #2, Batwoman #2, Green Lantern #2, Superboy #2, Ultimate Comics X-Men #2, FF #10, X-Men Regenesis #1, and Uncanny X-Force #16! Don't forget to e-mail, Tweet or post on our Facebook page to achieve instant stardom like our beloved mystery antagonist (and we're not talking about Ed this time, either)!
Friday, October 14, 2011
Comics Are Go! Special Edition Podcast: An Interview With Gary Dumm
Legendary Cleveland artist Gary Dumm stops by to talk with Scott and Matt! Best known for his work on "American Splendor," Gary discusses his early influences and education, working with Harvey Pekar and Greg Budgett, and some great Cleveland memories (including Kay's Books)! BE SURE to check out his current projects at www.dummart.com, which includes lots of poster materials and collaborations with his wife, Laura, and Greg Budgett. Other recent works include some historical stuff, a book called "Radical Jesus," and some that can't be talked about (yet)! Also check out Comics Express (for published work) and an Art Show starting Oct. 8th entitled "Cinematic Redux II" (at Lakewood's Breakneck Gallery; more information at breakneckgallery.com) which will feature classic horror posters re-imagined! Gary will also be at this year's Genghis Con (where you can also see John G. and meet SCOTT RUDGE)! Don't miss this entertaining interview! Tears were shed!
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Podcast 91 - October 11th, 2011
We interrupt our regularly scheduled podcast to bring you an in-depth look at the DCnU! Scott, Matt and Ed invite their good friend, Mike SanGiacomo (Cleveland Plain Dealer, Phantom Jack, Tales of the Starlight Drive-In), to share thoughts and feelings about the recent relaunch! ADDITIONALLY, local Cleveland comic fans were polled to share their thoughts on the slew of #1's! Which three books were the most loved? Which three were universally disliked? Which titles are seemingly closest to cancellation? Which had the most surprising (and unsurprising) changes? Did DC Comics do enough in September to FINALLY beat out Marvel Comics strangle-hold of the market share? Which books will we still be reading by issue #4? Which characters are still missing? Why did ED continuously tell Scott he was wrong? There were A LOT of comics to take in (well, 52, to be exact); see what comics fans LIKE YOU had to say about them! (There is also some BONUS CONTENT: Not wanting to be outdone, a certain team-centric movie by a certain comic company debuted a BRAND SPANKING new trailer! HEAR these podcasters' reactions!) Next week: MORE COMICS and COMIC BOOK NEWS!
Comics Are GO! Podcasts on I-Tunes!
Comics Are GO! Podcasts on I-Tunes!
Podcast 90 - October 4th, 2011
In an attempt to sound more like a legitimate podcast, Scott decides that the podcasters must now practice and hone their speaking skills! To this end, Matt introduces some diction exercises! HEAR which podcaster is most able to perfectly pronounce precarious pronouncements! PLUS: it's the last week of the first wave of the DCnU, and Scott announces that he has "issues!" As if he has never addressed his issues in the past! Sit back and relax, it's another crazy week in the world of COMIC BOOKS! In the headlines this week: more details on the Kindle Fire (which miserly Scott has already pre-ordered); California will now be charged sales tax on Amazon purchases; the CBLDF purchases the rights to the Comics Code Authority and its logo; Image Comics announces day-and-date digital comics through Graphicly; classic "Three Stooges" comics will be reprinted to coincide with the release of the new movie; and George Perez announces his departure from the DCnU title, Superman, with issue 7! Comics discussed from the past week include Aquaman #1, Flash #1, Fury of Firestorm, the Nuclear Man #1, Justice League Dark #1, Savage Hawkman #1, Superman #1, Batman: The Dark Knight #1, Green Lantern: New Guardians #1, I, Vampire #1, Blackhawks #1, Voodoo #1, All-Star Western #1, Teen Titans #1, Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #2, Ultimate Comics Ultimates #2, Secret Avengers #17, Captain America and Bucky #622, Mighty Thor #6, FF #9, Angel and Faith #2, and Godzilla #7! Don't miss: quick Netflix picks! The natural evolution for Ed and his ministerial duties - circumcision! This THOROUGHLY disgusts Matt! PLUS! A special guest drops in, who is neither mentioned by name nor is allowed to speak on the air! Another brilliant podcast!
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Comics Are GO! Podcasts on I-Tunes!
Podcast 89 - September 27th, 2011
Even though there is YET ANOTHER slew of DC #1's, this promised to be one of the dullest weeks in recent memory! Scott is SO TIRED! He needed an entire 2 liter bottle of Diet Coke to make it through what promises to be a rather dull podcast! We even have a theme song for him! Luckily Matt and Ed are there to provide the much-needed spark to talk about the latest and greatest in the world of COMIC BOOKS! Despite the lack of strong headlines, SOMEHOW we still managed to make a REGULAR-SIZED podcast out of this crap! In the FOUR headlines this week: DC Comics is proud to announce that ALL of their 52 #1 comics will have a second printing; the 84 year-old artist behind "Asterix the Gaul" has announced his retirement; the Italian comic writer and publisher behind the original "Dylan Dog" has passed away; and more casting announcements for the new Superman movie! BONUS CONTENT: rumors abound that the new Amazon tablet is expected to be launched on September 28th! Comics discussed from the past week include Batman #1, Wonder Woman #1, Green Lantern Corps #1, Red Hood and the Outlaws #1, Catwoman #1, Nightwing #1, Legion of Superheroes #1, Birds of Prey #1, Supergirl #1, DC Universe Presents Deadman #1, Captain Atom #1, Blue Beetle #1, Ultimate X-Men #1, Ultimate Hawkeye #2, X-Men: Schism #4, Avengers #17, Daredevil #4, and Captain America #3! BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE! After weeks of missing out on the DCnU fun due to overwhelming sales, you can finally hear Scott's minute-long DCnU recap! There's also the first appearance of "DC's Erotic Corner" and the latest appearance of the mysterious (and nausea-inducing) "Bencidamus!" The boys take a moment and do some fearless prognosticating and prediction-making! Finally: Hear an on-air commercial for Matt's engineering expertise!
Comics Are GO! Podcasts on I-Tunes!
Comics Are GO! Podcasts on I-Tunes!
Podcast 88 - September 20th, 2011
There's A LOT to talk about this week, but SOMEHOW Scott, Matt and Ed manage to rehash the last three weeks of non-comics related material! That's right, the twentieth anniversary of Nirvana "Nevermind" AND another wave of DC Comics' DCnU take the backseat to other topics! Thankfully this lunacy comes to an end as Scott, Matt, and Ed finally return to the task at hand: discussing the latest and greatest in the world of COMIC BOOKS! In the headlines this week: a creative shake-up at DC Comics as a writer for the DCnU decides to leave his book; Marvel announces that their digital comic, "Ultimate Comics Spider-Man" is their top seller to date; "The Spectre" is in development for Fox as a television show; the massive multi-player online RPG "DC Universe Online" announces it will soon be available FOR FREE (while some services will still require a payment, you WILL be able to enjoy the game at no cost! This made Matt's week!); Kevin Keller continues to make headlines at Riverdale High School; "The Goon" animated project is now airing a special PSA to acquire additional funding at www.thegoon.com; and yet another delay for the already delayed sequel, "The Wolverine!" Comics discussed from the past week include Green Lantern #1, Red Lanterns #1, Batman and Robin #1, Batwoman #1, Superboy #1, Deathstroke #1, Demon Knights #1, Legion Lost #1 Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE #1, Mr. Terrific #1, Resurrection Man #1, Suicide Squad #1, Fear Itself Book 6, and Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #1! DON'T MISS guest comic reviewer, Caff! Our old friend drops in unexpectedly (well, Matt was expecting him, but Scott and Ed were surprised) and jumps right in to the comic book conversation! GOOD TIMES (as usual)!
Comics Are GO! Podcasts on I-Tunes!
Comics Are GO! Podcasts on I-Tunes!
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