Excalibur #47 “Come One and All to the Ugly Bug-Eyed Monster Ball” Writer and pencils: Alan Davis Colours: Glynis Oliver Inks: Michael Heisler Editor: Terry Kavanagh Original publication date: November 1991 It’s about time we talked about the guy who introduces every episode: the one and only Merlin, who may not be so one and…
Year: 2022
CFC: Why Even Really Care About Banned Books Anyway?
From Mav: So, I guess we need to talk about “the Maus situation.” If you live in my world then it’s pretty impossible to escape the news from last week that Art Spiegelman’s Maus was “banned.” Between the fact that it’s a comic, that it was a politically motivated book banning, that there are issues…
Call For Comments: 🤔How do you use your Emojis?
From Monica: My co-hosts and I have a very active group chat in which we plan future episodes, we recommend content, we razz each other about the current Box Office Game leaderboard, etc etc., and part of our conversational style frequently includes the utilization of emojis. I’m partial to the upside-down smiley face for its…
e199. Nancy Drew & the Hidden Staircase to Pop Culture Immortality
Nancy Drew may be one of the most enduring figures in American Popular culture. First premiering in 1930, she predates Superman, Donald Duck, the Lone Ranger, two US states, FM radio, and the ball point pen. And yet — outside of her devoted fanbase — does not seem to garner the same respect of many…
Excalibur #46, “Colin the Barbarian”
Excalibur #46 “Colin the Barbarian” Writer and pencils: Alan Davis Colours: Glynis Oliver Inks: Michael Heisler Editor: Terry Kavanagh Original publication date: January 1992 Not a spoiler since it’s right there in the title—for the first time since Excalibur #2, Colin McKay is back in the 616 and out for revenge… on Kurt Wagner? In…
Call for Comments: What is Luxury Fashion, Really?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zw4zlvTlaI0 From Monica: What do Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Moet, Hennessy, Fendi, Givenchy, Marc Jacobs, Loewe, Celine, Bulgari, Tiffany and Co., and Sephora all have in common? They’re all owned by LVMH, the world’s largest corporate conglomerate specializing in luxury goods. What about Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Gucci, Alexander McQueen and Yves Saint Laurent? They’re all…
Call for Comments: Breaking Down The Romance Genre
From Hannah: Way back on Episode 24, we talked about the concept of genre in general: Why is genre occasionally a dirty word? What are the rules a piece of fiction has to follow to be considered a member of a particular genre? How useful is this concept in understanding a work? So I want…
e198. STEM vs Humanities: the Clatter in the Classroom
If you’ve been or known any kid who has gone to an American school in the last 50 years or so you’ve probably heard the advice to “get into STEM” because that’s where the future is. It’s an odd bit of advice really, because essentially all it means is “Hey kids! Pay attention in school…
Excalibur #45: “Nightcrawler’s Technet”
Excalibur #45 “Night-crawler’s Technet” Writer and pencils: Alan Davis Colours: Glynis Oliver Inks: Michael Heisler Editor: Terry Kavanagh Original publication date: December 1991 Is Kurt a good leader or is he just an expert in dressing the part? Anna, Mav, and Andrew debate this and other important questions with comics & pop culture scholar Matt…
Call for Comments: How did Nancy Drew get good?!?
From Mav: Long time listeners will know that I frequently say that Riverdale is the best show on television. I do love the show. But the honest truth is, Riverdale fulfills a very specific niche of absurdist, hyperrealistic, postmodern, storytelling. And as I’ve mentioned on recent episodes, I think it’s the pinnacle of what it…