Pick of the Week Podcast

Pick of the Week #146 – Secret Invasion #5

Show Notes

With Josh Flanagan out on vacation, iFanboy staff writer Jim Mroczkowski steps in to fill his shoes. Two unabashed Marvel Zombies on one show? This should be interesting.

Running Time: 01:02:15

Pick of the Week:
00:01:52 – Secret Invasion #5 finally brought the fun and Ron made it his Pick of the Week.

Comics:
00:12:30 – Captain Britain and MI:13 #4 brings the first arc to a close and makes everyone sad.
00:16:50 – There can be no accord on the purpose of Secret Invasion: X-Men #1.
00:23:55 – The wall of apathy that greets the discussion of Batman #679 is too much for Conor to overcome…
00:27:37 – … so it’s back to Marvel with Astonishing X-Men #26.
00:32:00 – With Green Arrow/Black Canary #11 it seems like plans have gone awry.
00:35:24 – Everyone is loving The Amazing Spider-Man #567.
00:38:28 – Is that a Galactus throw-rug in Fantastic Four #559?
00:40:10 – We get our Tans mixed up while talking about Final Crisis: Revelations #1.
00:42:45 – X-Men Origins: Jean Grey #1 was… weird.

User Reviews:
00:45:45 – bigyanks loved The Walking Dead #51 so much he wrote a poem.
00:46:41 – TheNextChampion really enjoyed Action Comics #868… or did he?

E-Mail:
00:48:38 – Janna wants to know about The Inhumans.
00:49:56 – Neal wants to know who the iFanboys want to have their own series.
00:51:30 – G. Dog from Grand Rapids, MI has a question about The Endless.

Voicemail:
00:53:32 – Anonymous seems to have misread Captain Britain and MI:13 #4.
00:55:30 – Eddie V. from Seattle, WA sends Ron kudos.

Music:
“Take The Skinheads Bowling”
Camper Van Beethoven

 

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Comments

  1. My review was on the podcast!?……Thank you!!!

    I cant wait to load it up and see if you liked it or not.

  2. Different Tan. PHILLIP Tan drew revelations. The other stuff was BILLY Tan.

  3. Well that would explain that.

  4. Not being a Marvel reader this was not an interesting show for me.  I ended up listening to this while watching the brewers game hoping for talk of Secret Invasion and it’s tie-ins to be over.

    This was not normal week where you guys did a perfect job covering a good sample of different books.

  5. Connor, I’ve been getting really annoyed by Ron’s constant mouse clicking the last few weeks. I love the show and have listened for years. So I don’t me to sound like a nudge, but, can I send you a different non-clicking mouse. It’s really loud in headphones and on speakers. It’s been the last few weeks so maybe Ron’s microphone isn’t properly placed or something. Finally finished Y: The Last Man… read Watchmen in the same week. Watchmen = Beatles, Y = The Monkees. Watchmen is Literature, Y is a good comic.

  6. Man has there ever been a less balanced POTW podcast?  That was Marvel-rific.  The stonewall Conor got from Ron when trying to talk about Batman was rough.  I agree that this was the strongest issue of RIP so far and that Tony Daniel is phenominal.  It was my pick, too.

    "It is starting to feel like World War Hulk."  Excellent observation by Conor.  I just read the trade for WWH (no I didn’t buy it, the library bought it) and I have not seen a less original plot in my entire life, until now.  Unless SI changes dramatically in the next issue I will probably fall asleep while reading it.  Did anyone not see "Badass Reed Richards" coming?

    Jimski, nice job on the podcast (I also thought you held your own as the dissenting opinion during the Gotham Knight podcast), but the issue with the Reed Richard’s gun isn’t just that he thought it up in 15 seconds (which apparently he didn’t do) it is also that he whipped it up in 15 minutes out of alien (both literally and figuratively) material.  I know Reed is supposed to be a "genius", but doesn’t that feel like a stretch (pun intended)?  Also, you did a really nice whiney voice when mentioning the gun (Josh would have been proud).  That is actually how my voice sounds all the time.

  7. Tune into Marvel Talk with Ron & Jimski.  Conor you barely talked.  Not bitching or anything, it was still a good show.

  8. I wish I’d had that thought about ‘Secret Invasion: X-men’ before I bought it,  or I wouldn’t have bothered.  Ron and Jim were dead on — this was inoffensive, but it really had no reason to exist but to get money I now feel bad about spending. 

    But as for ‘Astonishing," I am honestly really digging it.  I can see where Jim’s feelings about Ellis come from, but for me, knowing that he’s skeptical about work-for-hire has the potential to make his books more interesting.  I think it’s healthy to have some writers in the mix who are skeptical about the whole world view of superhero comics, and that it can pay off — here, by Ellis making Cyclops and Storm have the conversation about the team philosophy on killing that should have happened in Messiah Complex or X-force, but didn’t because those stories were too busy with chases and explosions.   

    I liked the Jean Grey book, too.  Though I’ll grant not a lot happened, I’ll apparently enjoy anything where Jean is featured.   (Ron’s attitude is probably healthier than mine, since this apparently makes me the person who *will* pay four bucks to look at pictures of my ex.  So to speak).

    Great show, guys; and great POW debut for Jim — though its nice to know Eddie Vedder was there in spirit.  

  9. @carolone: As for spending money for SI: X-Men now you know to judge before buying

     

    CAUSE KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!

  10. You know I *almost* bought the Jean Grey special.  Thank God I did’nt.

  11. @Kory  I really didn’t think it was bad; the art looked nice, and I liked the take on the characters, even if there wasn’t much plot.  It depends on what you’re looking for.  It’s hard to do something earth- shattering in an origin retelling. 

  12. I wanted to read it because I love Jean Grey.  But if it ain’t earth shattering I can’t pay 3.99 for something average right now.  If it gets better I’m sure I will buy the trade.

  13. @Kory – It’s 40 pages with nice art that fly by because there’s few panels and no story.  And it’s a one shot, so unless they collect all the origin issues (which is possible) there won’t be a trade.

  14. @Kory  This was a one-shot; I think they will probably be collecting it with some other X-men:Origins that have been coming out (which is why I guess they sat on it this long — they didn’t have anything to collect it with).

  15. @ohcaroline-  Sorry for the double post.  But is Astonishing knock your socks off good because I’m and old X-fan and I want a really good X-men book.  I’ll only buy if it is really good.  I am planning on reading Whedon’s run, I just want an ongoing title.

  16. @Conor- Oops I thought it was a mini-series.

  17. I really don’t think the guys’ should have to worry about ‘fair and balanced’ comic discussion.  I don’t know about Jim, but Ron, while mainly a Marvel guy, has shown that he loves DC books as well.

  18. @Kory   I really like ‘Astonishing’ because Ellis’s take on the team dynamic and the X-men’s place in the world is something I think has been missing from the franchise for a while.  So it really answers something I was looking for in an X-book, but I have no way of knowing if someone else would see it the same way.   You can look at the user reviews on the site to see there are a lot of varying opinions on the book, and I’m hesitant to predict how anybody else would feel.  If you like Warren Ellis, I’d check it out.  Though for an old-school X-men fan, I think either of the First Class books (XMen: FC or Wolverine:FC) or ‘X-men: Legacy’ is a safer bet.  First-Class is pretty lighthearted and continuity-light; Legacy is continuity-porn with a darker tone. 

  19. @ohcaroline-  I’ll probably check it out and I’ll check out First Class too, and I’ll keep picking them up if they grab me.

  20. Nice!

    WHAT I MEANT: Bendis/the Marvel U don’t have many bigger fans than me.

    WHAT I SAID: Bendis/the Marvel U don’t have many bigger fans than I DO.

    Dr. Freud, please report to aisle 3. Repeat, we have an ego cleanup on aisle 3.

    As for the too-many-Marvel books thing… I gave a positive review to a Final Crisis tie-in, and I’m not even reading Final Crisis. What’s that get me? Anything?

    Personally, on the weeks that feature a bunch o’ books I don’t read (last week, for example, or that time the PoW was The Sword) all I ever think is, "Yay! I can listen to the podcast without any of my books getting spoiled." Glasses half full, my comrades. 

  21. @Kory  Xmen: First Class you can really start any place; there’s no continuity.   Also, it’s a good bet if you like Jean.

  22. @Jimski  You not reading "The Sword" is something you plan on remedying immediately, right?

  23. ultimatehoratio:

    I have to read all the PoWs, or they take away my parking space.

  24. @Jimski-  There was no complaint from me regarding the heavy Marvel show.  I just laughed how you and Ron were basically talking the whole time and Conor hardly said a thing.  Then when it was time to discuss Batman the mood went from glee to ‘oh yeah here’s this other book’ which I thought was funny.  And thanks to you guys I now know what’s happening in Secret Invasion without having to spend 4 bucks.

  25. @Kory – Ellis’s Astonishing has to be the most polarizing book out there.  I absolutely hated the first issue, but opinions are all over the spectrum.  I’d say pick #25, its one of those books that you know you’ll like or dislike after the first 10 pages

  26. @Jimski  How’s their dental plan?

  27. I thought it was a great episode, of course the only DC book I read is Final Crisis;)

  28. I love how Conor slips in a subtle "I told you so" about RIP. lol

  29. Jimski on the show every week would be cool!

  30. I’m reading through the comments. Just becuse this site touts user reviews doesn’t mean it’s judicious to critique the podcast.

    It’s just a comics discussion show.

  31. We welcome all thoughts, both good and bad.

  32. Well thanks again for posting my review for your show. Although I admit…..in hein sight I should’ve made my review a 3/5 instead of a 4/5. In my defense, my full review states that my two nitpicks (Cat Grant TnA and the ‘True’ Brainiac) made me dislike the issue a bit. It was still soild in terms of the overall arc….I just felt that for a 5 issue arc, this could’ve been the weakest of the arc so far. Still good….idk I’m confusing myself now. lol

    ‘It makes no sense’…..Has it taken you guys this long to figure me out? 🙂

  33. jimski, you have excellent speech patterns.

  34. Something felt a little off about this weeks ‘cast. Found myself wishing it was over rather than the usual wishing it would carry on for another half hour. Can’t really pinpoint why, it was a little flat perhaps without the usual banter. Post-San Diego ennui or (just maybe) it was the lack of Josh…

  35. I think the problem was that Jimski should be a replacement for Ron when Ron is on vaca. It seemed too much like it was Ron, Ron, and Conor. When Josh is there, there is a nice cross pollination of titles that get covered. Conor reads mostly DC with some indies sprinkled in. Josh is mostly Vertigo/Indie with some Marvel and DC sprinkled in. And Ron is mostly Marvel with some indies sprinkled in.

    What suffered was the amount of discussion of the finer plot points of individual books (Other than Marvel, which Conor had nothing more to add to because the other 2 guys had it covered.). All Conor could really do was cover the lastest Batman in broad strokes since neither of the other hosts had read it. You know Josh would have read Batman. For instance.

    Either that or when putting a list togethre of books to discuss, stick a couple of no brainers in that everyone had read. Im not going thru my whole list of stuff but Booster might have been one?

    ps Jimski was geat. Just not as a Josh replacement. Like I said before, he is a perfect Ron replacement for when he is in Malibu or the Hamptons.

  36. @Unoob – "Malibu or the Hamptons" Good one.

    Here is what Ron really does as Revision 3’s Director of Marketing & Product Management:
    http://revision3.com/rev3gazette/rev3killsdigg/?autoplay=true

    @Ron – Wicked awesome sideburns don’t go with athletic apparal.  I should know.  I have been sporting sideburns for 5 years and my wife makes fun of them every time I exercise.

    P.S. – Nice job whipping Digg’s ass.

  37. Personally, I liked the dynamic on this week’s podcast just fine.  It was a little more Mavel-heavy than usual, but it’s fun to mix things up a bit; I mean, come on, there are weeks when it’s been about 4 Geoff Johns books in a row.

    he guest hosts really make a difference compared to when you used to do the podcasts with two when one person was out; there’s something magic about the number three for this show.  

  38. I don’t read much Marvel, still enjoyed the heck out of this show. Would’ve been nice for RIP to get more love (just my opinion), but it was Ron’s pick and was really enjoyable to listen to.

    Some weeks there’s more Marvel, some weeks there’s more DC, some weeks it’s neither. Swings and roundabouts. But there’s always a good podcast.:) 

  39. @Eyun  Yeah, the point of the show (for me) is hearing people talk about comics *they* are enthusiastic about, whether or not they’re the ones I would have picked.  And for the record, I thought the ‘RIP’ segment was really interesting, even if it was a bit unilateral.

    Also, for the record, I realize I can’t type this morning.  

  40. @ conor – Thanks for explaining Batman. I didn’t realize Doctor Hurt was the same guy as the space experiment hallucination doctor. I tried re-reading the Morriso run from the beginning, but I’ve only gotten a few issues in so far.

  41. @Unoob – Interesting to see what you think we buy, if not entirely accurate.

  42. I seriously didnt mind that this was more Marvel then DC. I’m usually on the fence with both companies, although I sway a little to the DC side. Either way; other then Batman, Action Comics, and Final Crisis: Revelations…nothing really worthwhile came out for DC.

    If I can say however…..Secrect Invasion: X-Men and Jean Grey: Origins? Really? Did we really need to go that deep into those two lame issues? If anything, why didnt you talk about Punisher Max? I mean it’s the last issue for Ennis and it could’ve been my POTW if it wasnt for Walking Dead and Hellboy this week….No love for Ennis?

  43. @TheNextChampion – We have a lot of love for Ennis, that much is obvious, but none of us buy PUNISHER.

  44. @conor: If I can just ask, how come? Is it something stated waaay back on a podcast, or your just not fans of the character?

    I think some mention should be made by it at least….I mean Ennis did 60 issues of one title! That’s an accomplishment in my eyes; considering Kirkman is still only in the 50’s for Walking Dead and Invincible.

  45. @TheNextChampion – We’re not going to talk about a book we don’t read.

    I read Ennis’ PUNISHER way back when it started for a few years but dropped it when it started to get repetitive.  I believe Ron and Josh did the same – Josh has an old PUNISHER issue in today’s Mini so he must have been buying it at some point.  Since everyone says it got really good again I plan on catching up via trade at some point.

  46. @conor: Well I do agree towards the middle of the run it gotta alittle boring…but it definitely picked right back up with issue 40. If you didnt like it that’s fine, I just find it weird that a lot of comic sites really didnt praise for such a long run on a title. I hope you do pick it up in trades again, cause Ennis really did a good job making me remember why Punisher is a good character to begin with.

    (P.S.-Just to let you know, that was a Marvel Knight’s Punisher Ennis did….This is Punisher MAX, kinda weird he’s being do Punisher for awhile now. lol)

  47. @Conor.

    I am ‘kinda’ close tho aint I?

    Its obvious your first love is DC, I know that u vary with several indy books (Dan Dare, Zorro, Lone Ranger.) And u WILL buy, or at least start Marvel events (Civil War, Mess. Cimplex, Secret Invasion.) You also have a couple of Marvel loves like Captain America, and now FF. You also love Scalped and other stuff. But if I wanted to hear about Simon Dark on any given show (which I dont, but I am just using it as an example.), I have a MUCH better chance hearing about it from you than Jimski, or Ron.(Dark ‘might’ make in onto Josh radar cuz of it’s unusual Vertigo’ish nature.)

    As for Ron, you KNOW his weekly stack is dominated by Marvel. Additionally tho he does LOVE those what I jokingly call "Too cool for the room" indie picks.The one about the sixties fashion models (I forget the name) is an obvious example of this. Ron will also grab ‘some’ DC here and there (JSA, Flash, to name a couple). But I am NOT going to hear him extolling the virtues of "Death of The New Gods". Thats Conor Territory for the most part. Conversely, Ron is the only one who is going to be talking about the Emperor Vulcan mini series.

    Josh IS the Vertigo guy. He does dip his feet into the Marvel/DC waters tho, and I know he has got his faves from each. Captain America, JSA, Nova, Robin.

    But here is why the chemistry, in my humble opinion, is so great on this show (The only show I listen to about comics.The only website I faithfully visit, and the only site I have actually donated to on a yearly basis.) Most books u guys talk about have at least one other person in the group that has read it. Whether u guys agree or disagree is very entertaining to me. Listnening to more than one viewpoint of a book is very informative and entertaining. Otherwise you end up with a series of monologues about individual books, and that is no where near as entertaining. 

    I will once again state that Jimski was really good. Probably the best guest Fanboy you have had on to date. That isnt a slight of past guests but I liked his energy a bit more.

    PS- I would MUCH rather have heard about the "Secret Invasion – Thor" book than the X-Men book. 

  48. @Unoob – I think you’re stating generalizations that we don’t love but have come to accept because everyone seems to have the need to define us by company.  As an example, Josh isn’t the "Vertigo Guy", he likes Marvel characters the most.  It just so happens that most Vertigo books tend to be better than most Marvel books.  If anything Josh is the "Good Comics Guy".

  49. @Unoob – You know you can actually look at their pull lists to see exactly what they pull.  I agree that it seems like Conor is the DC guy, Ron is the Marvel guy, and Josh is the indie guy, but they generally pull a large number of books from each category.

    @ conor – Some of the appearance of preference seems to be related to the books you guys discuss, but for me I wonder if part of that is also how you look and your mannerisms. 

    Ron screams Marvel.  Sideburns, big smile, loud, excitable, extremely loyal.  His personality is Marvel’s personality.
    Conor – Bald (Didio), somewhat serious, kinda grouchy from time to time, exudes New Yorkiness.  Your personality is how I think of DC.
    Josh – glasses, "kinda-beard" (I hereby trademark that name), provides the comedy, does a wide range of voices (with various levels of expertise), has broad interests, writes, plays the guitar.  His personality is the Indie personality.

    That is just my impression.  Feel free to point out where I am wrong.

  50. @Conor

    Didnt mean to pigeon hole u guys, but it seems like the show flows that way a lot of times. I like to think of all of you like "good comic book" guys. Nothing wrong with having your favorites tho. 

  51. I disagree with the notion that DC is too serious.  Their heroes come off kinda nice sometimes, unless you count Batman who is quite serious.  Plus I always thought Marvel was more grim, gritty and down to Earth,  though I usually just say Marvel is too emo. (please no one get too worked up over that last statement, I’m only teasing)

  52. What’s with the Marvel vs DC thing all the sudden?  Is this new or have I not noticed it until now?

  53. The Marvel/DC thing has definitely gotten worse over the last two weeks.  It’s fantastic!*

    *Sarcasm.

  54. @ultimatehoratio- I knew my comment would be taken out of context.  Look, stuclach made a comment about how he interprets the DCU and I responded with my interprtation of Marvel.  There was no ill will, no contempt.  Simmer down, I meant no harm, I did’nt mean to start a war.  I’m very sorry if I offended anybody.  I won’t make a comment like that again.

  55. I definitely see Ron & Conor as being like Marvel & DC. They are constantly trying to squeeze money out of me while telling me "Things will never be the same." Liars

     Josh is extremely hard to find at some stores.

  56. This thread is the result of podcast critiques. Boring "you said he said".

    But hey, I’m critiquing the comments now. Screw me!

  57. @Kory

    No need to be so defensive.  I was speaking in general, not directly towards you.  You seem to like making provactive statements, but then act shocked when someone reacts to them. 

    Maybe Conor should have a bell he can ring when things get too Marvel-y.  

  58. *DING!*

  59. Because I was so vocal about my dislike of Final Crisis #3 and because for whatever reason I dared like Secret Invasion, as an act of attrition I’m going to buy Secret Invasion: Legion of Three Worlds #1, even though just one Legion is enough to baffle me.  I challenge all of you to do something similar:  buy a book whose very concept you dislike, and read it with an open mind. 

  60. "Secret Invasion: Legion of Three Worlds"? I bet you’re really wishing your comment could be edited huh?

  61. Err…

    Actually that might be more interesting than the real book.

    I hope Matter-Eater Lad is in it.

  62. umm.. i really like Norton’s Black Canary?

    Jimski was a great addition to the show. Hearing his delivery straight from the mouth will help me better interpret his comments from now on.

  63. My glass is raised to anyone that not only uses the word bloviating, but uses it properly. Well done, Mr. Mroczkowski.

    Good show guys!

     

  64. This show was Marvel-ous, though Jimski is a good host I can’t really blame the guys, though, the whole week was dominated with SI tie-ins like RIP tie-ins showing up all over a few weeks ago.

     As has been established, Josh is Hellblazer Guy. =b Actually no, Josh is that kind of neutral guy who does a lot of up/down on the other two’s picks, and throws in some mindblowing thing you hadn’t heard of from time to time.

  65. so… Am I the only guy that reads both universes and doesn’t hate one of them?  Like yeah, I lean towards Marvel, but I’m reading more DC stuff every day.  My stack is getting to be pretty evenly split.

  66. I am also a primarily Marvel guy, but if I had to pick only one ‘family’ of books to read forever, it would hands down be the Batman family of books. The Avengers family of books comes in a close second. 🙂

    I love DC, but I always find myself wrapped up in more Marvel titles than DC. But as stated, Batman is the be all and end all of all the heroes out there for me. Weird.

  67. Let’s see, on-goings I read:

    Moon Knight
    Invincible Iron Man
    Manhunter

    The limited runs I have read this summer are all DC and Image, well Jonathan Hickman. And I’ll probably start reading Simone and Scott’s Secret Six. And I’m starting No Man’s land in trade.

    I guess I’m a DC guy?

    Nothing else from Marvel is hooking me now. Maybe the Cloak and Dagger thing this winter…

    I’m a "whatever I like to read" guy.

  68. @ Jupiter

    Soooooo. I f u could only pick ONE family of books to read, what would it be? The Avengers line cuz of all the Iron Man? 

    Just a fun little hypothetical excersise.

  69. Aw dude! That’s too hard. I’m not really a fan of characters so much as I am a fan of writers on certain characters. But it’s hard to turn down a nerd challenge.

    I’ll say the Bat-family because Batman seems to attract writers I liked on Batman and ilk. Rucka, Loeb/Sale, you know. I think that may have something to do with how the character and it’s world ticks…

    Yeah I’ll go with that.

  70. @ultimatehoratio-  I was’nt being defensive.  Sometimes I have an opinion and I guess people don’t like it.  I responded because I thought your comment was towards me, thats all.

  71. @ultimatehoratio-  one thing I forgot to mention.  my earlier comment to stuclach was in jest.  I don’t really think Marvel characters are emo.  I was’nt trying to be provocative then or any other time.

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