We have this podomatic PRO account now so we can keep this podcast alive. Basically, we ran out of room with the free account -- over 600 downloads of the first few episodes will do that to you, apparently. So now you should have no problem listening to Chad and I talk comics. No more, "blah blah blah make a donation" message. At least for now.This week, we talk about "Daytripper," "Batman and Robin," Jim Starlin, and kind of list our Top 5 DC runs of the last 5 years, but that's a pretty dull topic and we get past that with appropriate swiftness. And, for the record, we'll stay away from any sort of lists from now on. Lists on blogs are great. Lists on podcasts are like listening to someone read a list.
Listen: The Splash Page Episode 4!
never commented in the blog before, but wanted to say i used to follow it when it was updated regulary with some kind of content, but now i use it as a link-holder for the blogs on your bloglist ^^ and for reading/listening the splash page... so thanks, i'm really fond of your writting/opinnion
ReplyDeleteabout the podcast, i must say that the streaming from podomatic is really bad, it keeps slowing down and stoping, and considering how low the weigth of the files is, it seems ridiculous, so i just download it.
but isn't it a little foolish to be paying for the hosting of a dile of just 40 mb? why don't just upload it to http://www.mediafire.com and let everyone download it at a good speed -once again, podomatic download speed is slow as hell - and it's totally free for you, withoput limits of files/weigths in your account..... and if you want streaming, http://soundcloud.com/ is an standart for blogs, and allows us to hear itstraigth form your blog, rather tahan moving to another page to listen to it....
just some suggestions, keep up what you do, and, try to de more mini-essays over here, like the ones in the when worlds collide column... as i said, i'm really fond of your writting.
^^
sorry for the poor grammar, i wrote it in a rush, apart from the fact that english is not my natural language....
ReplyDeleteWhy not just subscribe via iTunes? That's what I would do.
ReplyDeleteBut I'll check out mediafire. Thanks!
Also, I'd love to do more posts here, but these don't pay anything and the CBR stuff does, so that takes preference. Obviously the podcasts LOSE money, so my logic doesn't really make any sense.
But, the podcasts give you and I an excuse to talk for three hours each week now. Something my girlfriend finds 'cute.'
ReplyDeleteAww, you're internet boyfriends.
ReplyDelete*blush*
ReplyDeleteRegarding your discussion of why DC doesn't seem to have many great runs recently I'd say it comes down to the fundamental difference between its characters and Marvel's.
ReplyDeleteEveryone knows that Marvel's characters are more human than DC's.
So logically we're much more inclined to read a 20-30+ issue runs about someone like Matt Murdock/Daredevil who does all these amazing/astonishing/spectacular/incredible things whilst still remaining, at his core, as screwed up as we are. I mean there are some exceptions, perhaps like Thor where the main flaw in the character (his hubris) is sort of gone (haven't read much Thor) but then his recent Fraction/JMS/Gillen stories have shied away from character-work to an extent to focus on action and world-building.
On the other hand, we can only ever read so many issues of Superman where he's with the Legion, or in Bizarro World, or fighting Phantom Zone escapees, or fighting Brainiac without getting just bored of the fact that no matter what Clark Kent will go home back to Lois and/or Ma and/or Pa and be OK. And all of their characters are like this.
In my opinion the only DC runs that have really worked have either embraced the crazy, iconic nature of the characters (Batman, All-Star Batman, Rucka/Williams III's Detective) or just ignored the whole concept of character development altogether (Green Lantern, Johns' Action Comics despite the whole Pa Kent death) or both.
God thinking about DC runs is difficult but If I had to nail it down
ReplyDelete1. All Star Superman
2. Morrison's Batman
3. Detective (mostly for the pretty pictures)
4. Tony Bedard's REBELS
5. dot dot dot
If we can break runs off wherever we want I would include Green Lantern up to and including the first Corps War, after that is where I feel the book begins to drag.
and yeah I completely agree about the Brighest Day / Heroic Age solicits
One hand you got
Bendis/JRJR - Avengers
Brubaker/Deodato - Sternako influenced Spy Avengers
Anthology book(will contain return of MI 13)
And that bizarre Thunderbolts team I'm not sure of.
Compared to DC
Aquaman, Mera, Ray Palmer Blackest Night
Even more Lantern books
and trying to catch lightning in a Bottle round 2 with the JLI
bleh
I also completely agree with your review of Mike Carey, I read through all of Lucifer only because I kept hearing that it was awesome, and it did during its long run have some moments / issues that were awesome(like his Hellblazer run) but it was overall just slow to read.
Regarding the question of good runs on Marvel and DC characters, I don't feel there were that many at both companies in the last several years. The heavy emphasis on the event model and larger continuity has routinely started derailing any kind of possibility of having an extended serial run with it's own cohesion and themes. The companies are much more hands-on when it comes to editing in the last several years, and such a Universe-heavy approach really doesn't work with the creator-focused runs.
ReplyDeleteLooking at nineties DC as an example, you had "Starman" and "Hitman" as very long runs that basically paid lip-service to the crossovers, that apparently didn't benefit the sales in such an amount that the editorial felt the need to truly upset the creators' plans. Nowadays this is almost impossible, particularly when it comes to the more famous characters. Of course, the lesser known properties have managed to avoid just such scrutiny before, but nowadays it seems that their titles sell so low that no extended run seems to be profitable in the slightest. Hence the changeovers in the creative teams, and the obligatory event-focused rejiggerings hoping that it will reignite the interest, which it never does.
I would actually completely disagree especially in Marvels case
ReplyDeleteThe run that have been fantastic have been ones that utilized the current climate of the Marve U without emphasizing it and push character in directions they would not have been able to go in previous climates at the company.
Invincible Iron Man, Captain America, and Punisher(Vol7) all showed how well this works while books like Daredevil, Iron Fist and Ghost Rider were able to tell their own stories while touching on the current event with little comment here and there.
oh and I completely forgot about Threeboot Legion starting under 5 years ago, that would be number 4 with REBELS at 5