Pick of the Week Podcast

Pick of the Week #363 – Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre #4

Show Notes

The gang’s back together for the start of December as Conor Kilpatrick, Josh Flanagan, and Ron Richards gather to discuss the week that was in comics… and perhaps also 80s toy makers, Goodfellas, and the iFanboy staffer that’s on thin ice.

Running Time: 00:57:58

Pick of the Week:
00:01:20 – Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre #4 wrapped up the mini-series in Pick of the Week fashion.

Comics:
00:09:16 – After All-New X-Men #2, Ron and Conor decide that Bendis can write the X-Men for as long as he likes.
00:13:07 – Josh loved the Young Thor action in Thor: God of Thunder #2.
00:15:37 – Everyone gushes over Uncanny Avengers #2.
00:18:48 – FF #1 was beautifully drawn by Mike Allred.
00:21:27 – Ron really loved the design aesthetic of Nowhere Men #1.
00:24:42 – Conor came to a dismaying realization while reading Batman Incorporated #5.
00:26:13 – Secret Avengers #34 featured great art and a Smiths reference.
00:26:57 – Bendis wraps up his Avengers run–again– with The New Avengers #34.
00:28:48 – Things take a seriously dark turn in Chew #30.
00:30:29 – Superman Family Adventures #7 featured timely adversaries.
00:31:02 – Josh only has one thing to day about My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic #1.

User Reviews:
00:32:12 – The Top Five Community Picks of the Week.
00:35:26 – nbcabaniss loved the Alex Ross art in Masks #1.
00:37:24 – CaseyJustice composed a limerick about Aquaman #14.

Email:
00:39:21 – Jordan K. from Kansas City wonders if the iFanboys hear voices.
00:42:26 – Mike from Detroit, MI is confounded by trade paperback print policy.

Voicemail:
00:46:46 – Anonymous takes issues with something Josh said about Jason Aaron two episodes ago.
00:49:36 – Chris from Georgia thinks that DC is making an effort to de-power Superman.

Music:
“Wonderful Christmastime”
The Shins

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Comments

  1. @Ron: Thanks for touching on Jean’s telepathy affecting Wolverine. I had forgotten about his psychic defenses, and I’m still confused about why it suddenly worked in this instance, but I’m glad I wasn’t the only one bothered by it.

    • I could read that in a couple ways:

      -Jean’s been dead for some time within the continuity, and Wolverine has been through some changes in that time. I suppose it’s possible his psychic defenses aren’t what they used to be.

      -I might be getting 616-Jean mixed up with Ultimate/movie/cartoon-Jeans, but in some iterations of the character’s history, Xavier blocked her Omega-level telepathy when she was a kid so she could function. It’s possible that since this is a younger Jean who is now discovering her telepathy without Xavier’s guidance, she might be more powerful (and have less control) than she had previously.

      But Immonen drew a hilarious zonked-out Wolverine, so I’m not too worried about it.

    • Cullen Bunn recently had Dr. Rot remove portions of Wolverine’s brain, causing him to “forget” a lot of stuff. This happened in Wolverine’s eponymous title a few issues back.

    • @Ken: I suppose those are both good theories, but it still doesn’t explain why Jean’s telepathy kicked in right after she landed in our time. It’s obvious that she had no idea what she was capable of until now. Seems a little too convenient. But who knows? Maybe that’s part of a larger plot line. I’m happy to wait and see.

      @Destructo: Good call on the Dr. Rot point. I hadn’t considered that. Still, a bit of a stretch.

    • Yeah, judging by the fact Bendis addressed that it shouldn’t have been possible on-panel, I imagine it’s just the start of an important plot point.

    • I’m willing to bet Jean’s telepathic abilities are somehow tied in to the Phoenix Force having been present in the world. In her own timeline, the Force hadn’t manifested on earth yet so it could be possible that her telepathy would appear based upon that possibility? Maybe?

    • @Dean: That’s good. I like it.

  2. I’m glad to hear I’m not alone on Uncanny Avengers. I totally expected to see this book running away with the PotWs, but most people weren’t as big of fans. I loved the writing, the first half was terrifying and the second half with Rogue and Scarlet Witch was really good too. Cassaday’s art was great, I think he’s being nitpicked more than any artist right now because of the delays. Any time he does one bad panel out of an entire issue, that’s all some people will talk about.

  3. Josh is so right at 44:49. The Who Is Scorpio? arc of Jim Steranko’s Nick Fury run has been out of print for years. Same goes for Marvelman. How else am I supposed to get it without paying through the nose? However Josh is wrong about Jason Statham who speaks with a cockney accent as opposed to scouse. Reading Hellblazer I hear a cockney one too though, I think it just works better. I also highly recommend watching the Football Factory, after that you will be able to tell which is which.

  4. Was Superman Last Son of Krypton worth reading? It’s cool that you mentioned this because it’s something I’ve been wondering about recently. I actually submitted an email question for the podcast (rejected!) asking about the existence of prose superhero books (non-adaptations), and if there are any “must reads.”

    • Your email wasn’t rejected, it just hasn’t yet been used on the show/answered. It’s in a queue of about 600 emails in our backlog.

      Anyway… I just finished SUPERMAN: LAST SON OF KRYPTON today (at 230-odd pages it’s a quick read) and I really enjoyed it. But it’s a story set FIRMLY in the DC Bronze Age and includes all the ridiculousness that goes along with that era. You have to enjoy those kind of stories to enjoy the book.

    • 600, wow! I was half-joking about being rejected and assume that you guys have a lot of good questions to choose from each week.

      Since the story is pre-Crisis, it’s a bit outside of my Superman purview. But it’s nice to know that such things exist. I like reading novels and like superhero comics, but have never run across any superhero novels (aside from adaptations). Clearly I need to do some more research.

  5. Even when I am on my deathbed, I will ALWAYS hear Kevin Conroy as Batman. No matter the subject matter, whether its silly Batman or depressing Batman, he will be the voice.

    In fact, I still think of most of the Animated series voices as each character in the comics. Although with Joker I do tend to think more of Heath Ledger since he is so scary to read now a days. Ironically the last time I heard Hamill as Joker was when Dini was done with his Batman run in Detective.

  6. Good discussion on the “voices in our heads”. I like what Conor said about the voices he hears having been the same his whole life, while simultaneously being undefinable and not belonging to any actor, vocal or otherwise. I feel kinda the same way. Every comic character has a voice for me, but I couldn’t really describe what each and every one of them sound like.

    I do hear Conroy when I read Batman. That one will always be stamped on my brain. But it’s not exactly the Conroy we hear in TAS. It’s more like an adult, subdued, and grizzlier version. If that makes any sense. More Arkham games than TAS.

    I used to think I read Logan as the animated performance from the 90’s cartoon. Until I watched it again as an adult and realized that was no longer even close to what I hear. Some of the vocal work on that show is downright cringe-worthy (in a wonderful sorta way).

    I read Constantine as a mix of Spike from Buffy (Don’t dogpile me, Brits. I realize he’s a yank.) and Daniel Craig (Even before I knew he was actually from Liverpool.) Now can we please stop talking about Hellblazer. It’s really bummin’ me out.

    Good show, fellas.

    • I’m a little envious of those of you who have a cadre of voice actors in your head. It would definitely make reading comics that much more entertaining. For me, reading isn’t an aural experience at all. It goes straight from visual to conceptual. Maybe that’s why I always get tripped up on the ubiquitous made-up onomatopoeia words found in comics; I have to stop and concentrate on sounding it out. I’ll always prefer a simple “BOOM” to KRUCHCHHHRWOOO.”

      Do you also hear a voice (your own?) when reading narrative or just when you read dialogue?

    • I hear any and all narration as being read by Morgan Freeman.

      I’m kidding. The “voice” I “hear” for narration depends largely on the style of the writing and the time period it was written. For example, almost all Silver Age Marvel can be read as Stan Lee with all his bombastic enthusiasm. In modern comics, most narration is being told by a character involved in the story, so that takes care of itself. Most omnipotent narration nowadays is reduced to time and place. (For example; “JLA Watchtower: Then” or “Gotham: Now”)

    • Nice. Morgan Freeman would be the ultimate narrator. Did you see the last South Park episode where he keeps showing up randomly to provide exposition?

    • I did not. But it sounds funny.

  7. @Ron This has come up three times this week in different podcasts so let me set the story straight…

    Wolverine has an aussie accent in “pryde of the X-men ” because he fights Pyro … In the script wolverine is meant to be slagging pyro off, at one point he calls him a “Dingo” (because Pyro from the comics is from Australia). The Director didn’t know his comics, thought the comment was wolverine using aussie slang and there for was australian (he was told x-men was an international team) so he cast someone to do a (poor) aussie accent,

    Ironically wolverine has been portrayed by alot of aussie actors (not just Hugh but a few voice actors too).

    hope this helps

  8. “Do you hear Sting when you read Hellblazer? The Wrestler?”

    @Ron I had the exact same thought when I heard the question

  9. I must have missed the podcast where the Bendis question, “What’s in the closet?” started. Can someone please explain.

  10. OK, obviously this needs to be addressed by a professional girl:

    I knew My Little Ponies! I played with My Little Ponies! Some of my best friends were My Little Ponies!
    Wait, maybe I’m overstating it. But my point is that there were at LEAST as many different pony molds as there were types of He-Man figure. (I played with those too.) Some of them were posted STRAIGHT. Some of them had their heads TURNED. Some of them were UNICORNS.

    I dunno about the comic book, though. I heard you have to be a bro like Paul to get it.

    • Avatar photo Paul Montgomery (@fuzzytypewriter) says:

      No one at the iFanboy offices will talk to me anymore.

    • I’m glad someone finally broached the subject. The “founders” had no love for the ponies in the podcast, so I kept waiting for some Brony-rage to rear itself here in the comments. But apparently Brony-rage is an oxymoron. Paul, simply renounce your heretical views, and I’m sure the veil of excommunication will be lifted. Or, just assume that “friendship is magic” and everypony will soon be getting along. Get along little ponies, get along.

    • I should clarify that I bought the book, I just haven’t read it yet. That’s why I don’t have an opinion.

      I did see a few episodes of the TV show but I think I was drunk.

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