My look at the history of DC Comics through its many genres reaches its penultimate episode with the last non-superhero genre but the very first it published (literally), which is Westerns. While giving an overview of the many cowboys and frontiersmen that DC published since 1935, I take a look at New Fun Comics #1, which featured a story starring cowboy Jack Woods on its cover before heading over to a 1950s Nighthawk story and then Jonah Hex #48.
Podcast
In Country: Marvel Comics’ “The ‘Nam” — Episode 72
It’s the conclusion of a three-part story featuring Iceman and Speed in “Duty Elsewhere” from The ‘Nam #64 by Chuck Dixon, Wayne Vansant, and Art Nichols. Plus, I take a look at the history of the Vietnam War in April and May 1971.
You can download the episode via iTunes or listen directly at the Two True Freaks website
In Country Episode 72 direct link
Bonus material here, the two clips that I play during the historical context segment.
John Kerry’s Anti-War Speech:
CBS News report about war protests:
Pop Culture Affidavit Episode 62: Yakkin’ Over Pancakes
It’s an all-star “live” episode as I get the chance to sit down with Professor Alan and Stella and then Stella herself and talk about topics random and geeky! Enjoy such conversations as the novels of Thomas Hardy, DC Rebirth, the Human League, Bat-splaining, and Mad Men. Plus, LISTENER FEEDBACK!!!
Show notes and pictures are available at Pop Culture Affidavit, which is also where you can see regular weekly blog entries about the randomness that is pop culture.
Here’s where to listen:
In Country: Marvel Comics’ “The ‘Nam” — Episode 71
After a brief hiatus, “In Country” is back and back in The ‘Nam with issue #63. We continue our three-parter featuring Iceman and Speed with a story by Chuck Dixon that features art by Wayne Vansant and Kim DeMulder. Plus, I look at events from March 1971 and read listener feedback!
You can download the episode via iTunes or listen directly at the Two True Freaks website
In Country Episode 71 direct link
In Country: Marvel Comics’ “The ‘Nam” — Episode 70
“Dirty Deeds” brings us the return of two characters from previous ‘Nam missions: Speed and Iceman. Here, they are sent to retrieve an LRRP soldier who has gone rogue while back in Da Nang, the girlfriend of one of their special forces’ team gets into some serious trouble. It’s all in The ‘Nam #62 by Chuck Dixon, Wayne Vansant and Kim DeMulder.
I’ll also take a look at historical context from March 1971 and will be looking at letters and ads.
You can download the episode via iTunes or listen directly at the Two True Freaks website
Pop Culture Affidavit Episode 61: Comics Collecting in the Nineties — Mail Order and the Hype Machine
If you were a comics reader in the late Eighties and early Nineties, you probably saw their ads–either a long list of back issues against a yellow background or a striking picture of the latest HOT character advertising what was going to be a RED HOT book. Well in this episode, I’m joined by Michael Bailey of Views From the Longbox (among other podcasts) for the first part of a two-part crossover about collecting comics in the decade that subtlety forgot.
For part one, Mike and I spend time talking about being teenagers during the boom years and specifically look at buying back issues through the mail. We talk about our experiences with Mile High Comics, the stalwart mail order service that so many of us have dealt with or bought from at one point or another. Then, we answer a question that crosses the minds of comics fans whenever they’re flipping through some Nineties comics: Whatever happened to American Comics/Entertainment This Month?
And after you’re done with that, check out Episode 233 of Views from the Longbox, which will drop later this week, where Mike and I continue our discussion, this time turning our attention to Wizard: The Guide to Comics. It’s the most EXTREEEEEEEEEME two-parter EVER!
Oh, and special thanks to Andrew Leyland, who really should be getting some sort of royalty check from me … but isn’t.
Here’s where to listen:
Pop Culture Affidavit podcast page
As an added bonus, here are some images and links that I used as part of my research for the episode:
An Entertainment This Month ad (taken from an issue of The ‘Nam from 1992):
The 1986 article from The Cavalier Daily (UVa’s student newspaper) about American Comics’ founder, Steve Milo: “Comics: America’s Hottest Art”
An Entertainment This Month Ad featured on the blog Very Fine Near Mint: “Entertainment This Month, Spider-Man Ad, 1990”
A Washington Post article from 1991 about the growing boom in the comic book retail industry: “Racking Up Sales of Comic Books”
An ad for a Scott Summers/Jean Grey wedding event to be held at Another Universe in the Springfield Mall in Springfield, VA (Another Universe was the company that American Entertainment was eventually purchased by in the mid-1990s):
The thread that I pulled the above ad from on the board Fairfax Underground: “Anybody remember that Another Universe store in Springfield Mall?”
The FTC press release concerning the settlement with American Entertainment/Entertainment This Month: “American Distribution, Inc.”
A Comic Book Resources article about Steve Milo being named head of new media for Marvel: “Marvel names AU founder Steve Milo president of new media”
And various boards and websites that tracked or made announcements of the gradual demise of Another Universe/Mania.com (an online venture Milo started in the late 1990s), which include speculation that the business was being sold to Steve Geppi:
“Mania Healthy, Publisher Says” (adamarnold.net, September 1998)
Ramblings — 29th October 1998 by Rich Johnston (Bleeding Cool)
“Another Universe.com Bites The Dust” (gamegrene.com,February 2001)
Finally, as an added bonus, here is an incredibly interesting read that wasn’t used for this episode but was intriguing nonetheless. Collected from a series of message board posts (which, unfortunately, end abruptly) and published in 2005 on a site called badmouth.net, this is the story of someone who had a small comic/card show-based retail business in the early 1990s and saw it all completely go up and way, way down in front of his very eyes: “The Comic-Book Apocalypse”
In Country: Marvel Comics’ “The ‘Nam” — Episode 69
This time around, we close out the three-issue POW storyline with “The Ville,” a story by Chuck Dixon, Wayne Vansant, and Nicholas James that sees what happened to Ritchey when he escaped the POW camp. Will he make it out of the jungle alive? Or will he get caught and sentenced to an even worse fate? Find out in The ‘Nam #61.
I’ll also be covering historical information from March 1970 as well as letters and ads.
You can download the episode via iTunes or listen directly at the Two True Freaks website
Pop Culture Affidavit Episode 60: The Cult
This time around, I’m joined by Andrew Leyland (Hey Kids, Comics!, The Palace of Glittering Delights, The Fantasticast, Listen to the Prophets) to discuss what has to be one of the most underrecognized (and maybe even underrated) Batman stories of the late 1980s, perhaps even of all time. Written by Jim Starlin with art by Berni Wrightson, it’s the four-issue prestige format miniseries from 1988, The Cult. We take an in-depth look at each of the issues and also talk a little bit about Batman and comics in general.
Here’s where to listen:
Pop Culture Affidavit podcast page
As a bonus, here are the covers for all four issues of the miniseries, plus the cover of the trade paperback:
In Country: Marvel Comics’ “The ‘Nam” — Episode 68
Our three-part storyline about a downed airman being taken prisoner reaches its midpoint as Ritchie is forced into a POW camp and comes across Jerry Ramnarain, a character we haven’t seen since about issue #16. And what ends up happening begs the question–to get out, will he sell out? It’s all brought to us by Chuck Dixon, Wayne Vansant, and Kim DeMulder.
I also get into the historical information for January and February 1970 as well as letters and ads!
You can download the episode via iTunes or listen directly at the Two True Freaks website
In Country Episode 68 direct link
And as a bonus, along with the cover, here are the two Wayne Vansant pinups from the back as well as two photos discussed on the letters page:
In Country: Marvel Comics’ “The ‘Nam” — Episode 67
We are back to regular coverage with The ‘Nam #59, a story called “Buff Strike” that starts as a look at the crew of a B-52 and ends up being a POW story. It’s brought to us by Chuck Dixon, Wayne Vansant, and Kim DeMulder.
Plus, a look at May 1972 in the history section!
You can download the episode via iTunes or listen directly at the Two True Freaks website
In Country Episode 67 direct link
Pop Culture Affidavit 