Pick of the Week Podcast

Pick of the Week #250 – Avengers: The Children’s Crusade #2 (Part One)

Show Notes

iFanboy celebrates its 250th episode with a quadruple-sized all-e-mail spectacular! We asked you the iFanbase to send us e-mails on any topic you wanted and boy did you deliver! We had so much fun answering so many e-mails and drinking way too much booze that we had to break the show up into two parts!

Running Time: 02:07:05

00:03:30 – In a week full of great books, Conor’s clear choice for Pick of the Week was Avengers: The Children’s Crusade #2.
00:13:51 – A verbal Russian roulette game forces Josh and Ron to make their Picks of the Week.
00:15:06 – Business is done before the madness begins.

E-Mail:
00:17:33 – Gene from London, UK wants to know which books the iFanboys read only in trade and thus never get talked about on the show.
00:19:46 – TheNextChampion from New Jersey asks about back issue surprises.
00:21:36 – Anthony K. from Martinez, CA brings a lot of girls to his local comic book shop and now everyone thinks he’s a whore.
00:23:57 – Joe from Rock Hill, SC thinks that TV works better than movies for comic book adaptations.
00:27:19 – Caroline P. (ohcaroline) asks why the iFanboys love Reign of Fire so much.
00:29:43 – Ben J. & Willelmagnifico both ask about Bruce Wayne’s intelligence.
00:32:53 – Jeff (powerdad) wants to know why The Human Torch was missing from the old Fantastic Four cartoon and if it’s hard for the iFanboys to review books when they get to know the creators.
00:40:54 – Mike from Oceanside, NY wants to know if people look down on superhero comics.
00:43:33 – Adrian Z. from Australia wants to add comic book elements to his wedding.
00:45:21 – Martin G. from Edinburgh, Scotland asks about forgotten runs.
00:47:54 – Gonzopanther asks if the iFanboys like Chris Evans as the big screen Captain America.
00:50:01 – Eric from Luck, WI is a former X-Men reader who wants to get back in but has some questions.
00:51:52 – David from Texas (tehdave) asks if the iFanboys have favorite old episodes.
00:56:24 – Morgan from Birmingham, AL wants to know all about Josh’s old band.
01:00:06 – Steve D. from Michigan wants to cast The A-Team with superhero.
01:01:57 – Jeff R. asks who would win in a fight between all the Batgirls.
01:03:43 – Robert from Minnesota wants to know which comics are utilizing the medium to the fullest.
01:06:28 – Coree B. wants to know about the old Harvey Comics for kids.
01:09:23 – Asdas A. thinks that Ron wears his watch wrong.
01:13:48 – Jesse T (JesTr) wants to know which superheroes the iFanboys would go drinking with.
01:15:20 – Jay S. (JScars) thinks there’s a religion problem in the Marvel Universe.
01:17:30 – John from Scotland (RapidEyeMovement) wants to know which comic book characters have won the iFanboys over. And what the iFanboys would be doing if there was no iFanboy.
01:20:07 – Roger from Powder Springs, GA wants to know if Galactus still has Heralds.
01:21:38 – Mitch R. asks which runs should be put into phonebook style reprints.
01:23:08 – Andrew from Ireland is sad that there was no Step-Up 3D Special Edition Podcast.
01:25:07 – Smasher asks about the old Marvel Mania restaurant.
01:28:43 – Devyn asks about superhero hating comic fans, a logical problem with The Walking Dead, and having sex with your female clone.
01:31:21 – Jason S. wants to know which book has the highest number.
01:31:58 – Chris (r3v) wants to know if Josh would steal Tom Katers’ show once Tom supplants him on the Pick of the Week Podcast and wants to know which sidekick the iFanboys would want by their side.
01:36:59 – Art M. (Art1138) wants to know how long iFanboy can possibly last.
01:39:49 – Kevin T. asks about the Blade movies.
01:41:39 – Carter wants to know about comic convention hook ups and if the iFanboys have ever fooled around with another guy.
01:42:31 – Corey from Reno, NV. wants to know which Marvel/DC crossovers the iFanboys would greenlight.
01:44:44 – Terrence has a bunch of books he wants to read and asks for advice.
01:45:55 – Adam from Halifax, England (Zeppo) asks which creator gets the iFanboys to read any book, no matter the characters.
01:49:42 – Edward from Canberra, Australia has been having bad super hero dreams.
01:50:33 – Andrew Bell from Austin, TX asks about changing tastes through the years.
01:53:56 – Andrew W. (Woomer) asks about convention sketch etiquette, G.I. Joe economic and political theory, and about the dreaded monkey paw.
01:56:28 – Ark from Texas wants to know if there are widely heralded creators that the iFanboys don’t like.
01:58:39 – Kevin T. asks about the (questionable?) tastes of mainstream America.
02:00:07 – MountNJ wants to know about the music that’s played at the beginning of the podcast.
02:01:58 – Brandon from Newbury Park, CA has trouble remembering the plot threads in his various monthly comics.
02:04:14 – Will fears we’ve seen the last of Marvel’s M2 universe.
02:05:11 – Brian from Ireland asks about audio books.

Look for Part Two on Thursday!

Music:
“Back and To the Left”
Texas is the Reason

 

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Comments

  1. Right, gonna strap myself in for this. Wish me luck!

  2. citizen wayne was waid not bendis

  3. @peterporker: Incorrect.

  4. I’ll be listening to the show tomorrow in the gym (I’m due my annual sit-up), but I admit to fastforwarding to hear you answer my question. Thanks so much, everything you lads mentioned is worth another look. I especially enjoyed the Kyle GL stories … they were an excellent look at a hero developing from newbie to confident professional. I hated what had been done to Hal, but the stories by Marz, Banks, Winick and co soon won me over.

     

    Happy 25th! 

  5. part one?!  sweet!

  6. Great show! Happy 250 fellas! You guys really help me out more than you even know when it comes to suggestions on what to buy and news.

     

    Also, Texas Is The Reason is awesome.

  7. Aww I forgot to send the email ;_;

    (but boy this is long)

  8. I’ll be listening to this on my work commute the next few days. Big congrats on #250! All of your success is well deserved!

  9. I wish Arnim Zola was in the same class as Dr. Doom, Kang, and Magneto… 🙁

  10. Congratulations on 250 shows. Here’s to 250 more.

  11. Ooo I’m one of the first! Thanks guys!

    Also, happy 250th! We’re halfway there! 

  12. oh and congrats on 250!

  13. Ah, I completely forgot I made that joke about 1/4th of the way to 1000. So my previous joke is out of continuity!

    Noooo! 

  14. America’s Next Top Model is The CW’s biggest TV show.

  15. @ghettohourno: We were talking about scripted shows.

  16. Congrats on 250! Awesome show so far!

  17. Wow Conor’s descent (or ascent, depending on how you look at it) is fantastic.

  18. Ahahaha! Conor is cracking me up! Alchohol should always be a part of the show!

  19. LETS GO OCEANSIDE!

  20. Wow! At the 1hr 38min mark for this, it’s really easy to tell Conor is hammered. 

  21. drunk Conor is awesome! wait, you guys aren’t doing this shit 4ever?=/

  22. When Tom takes over for Josh, "Tom vs. The Flash" turns into "Mr. Flanagan’s Vertigo Neighborhood".

  23. Just listen to the show it was great, let hope for another 250 shows. And by the way Josh you are my favorite host. I love your jokes. Ron and Coner would be tied for second but anyone who loves Batman have to go to the bottem sorry Coner. Just joking anyway congratulations guys.

    P.S Not joking about Batman he really do sucks

  24. Haha, I love how Devyn answered his own question with that mini rant at the end. Priceless.

  25. Just thought of this if I was to pitch Marvel to DC crossover it would be the Black Panther vs Batman two great figthers and tacticians at work.

  26. I think Chew uses comic limitations and storytelling uniquely and beautifly

  27. For religion, it’s the whole Millar thor thing…

  28. (josh vs jonah hex)

  29. It’s been said, but yay drunk Conor.

  30. Wow quadruple length, thanks guys and congrats on 250!

  31. wow, Conor’s hammered

  32. @conor: i guess we are both right. i was thinkin of this one that i just bought the other day. http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20080804222159/marvel_dc/images/0/0a/LODK_Annual_4.jpg

  33. CORRECTION: Human Torch vs. HERBIE.

    The worried-that-kids-would-set-themselves-on-fire explanation is a common misconception, and one that outpaces the truth. In "Was Superman a Spy?" Brian Cronin (of Comic Book Legends Revealed) writes:

    The Fantastic Four have appeared on television in a variety of animated forms, but probably the strangest take on the concept was their 1978 animated series, produced by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises for the NBC television network. The series starred Mr. Fantastic, The Thing, Invisible Girl and H.E.R.B.I.E. the robot?! Yes, this series did not feature the Human Torch, but instead placed a robot as the fourth member of the team (the robot was co-created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, at least – the last time the two men worked together on a project). H.E.R.B.I.E. stood for Humanoid Experimental Robot, B-Type, Integrated Electronics.

    Most viewers guessed that the reason for the exclusion of the Human Torch was that the producers of the show feared children might attempt to emulate him by lighting themselves on fire … The truth was much simpler. After the success of The Incredible Hulk, Marvel licensed out a number of other heroes to Universal Studios for possible television series or made-for-television movies. One of these heroes was the Human Torch. The project went as far as to have a script written, but nothing was ever filmed (most likely due to the extreme difficulties of depicting a man on fire in the 1970s – it is difficult today, even with the aid of computer graphic effects, so it was incredibly difficult back then). Universal was not involved in the cartoon, and it would not make a deal to allow the Torch to be used, so he was omitted from the series. 

  34. Conor, that was impressive.

  35. That was very long, but enjoyable. You guys should drink and record shows more often.

  36. From the TITR open till Conors sloshy end, I am back into this. I had sought comfort and  of younger podcasts  from time to time but more so recently than ever before. The spark was gone, to be blunt. You guys just busted in with the Cheaters crew and made me cry on TV. 11 o’clockers face will be blurred, but we all know who has shamelessly wamred my white ear buds. THEY GO FOR SO LONG. Since when do I care about manga? What have I become? Is this because I never got a frapper shout out?  Thats all behind us now.  I left my wallet in the pants on Vince B’s floor, but i swear I will pledge soon.

  37. I could not have forseen the vortex of despair my second question would create.

    Made me chuckle.

  38. Hearing drunk Conner(you’re my hero sir) and Ron’s incomparable laugh just makes my day

  39. Can’t wait to hear both parts in a row, It’ll be epic!

  40. Conor, did you have a morning after scenario? Maybe you woke up and "Sentry: Fallen Sun" was lying next to you in bed. You wonder to yourself, "How drunk was I?"

  41. Make alcohol involved more frequently with your podcast, please. Thank you.

  42. I thought Wonder Woman was DC’s premier tactician…

    As for Comics that work only as comics: Understanding Comics.

  43. Rons laugh and Conor speaking beyond the hour Mark make this episode gold. I nearly crashed my car just a few times whilst listening.

  44. Haven’t quite got to the halfway part, but this is already a great episode.

    Props for mentioning Kesel’s Daredevil. That was a really really good run that no one mentions anymore. Stuff like that make it worthwhile to read Marveil during those dark years between the fun of the early ’90s and the renaissance under Joe Q.

    I think Batman’s obviously smarter than Lex, though, and maybe smarter than Reed Richards overall. Reed and Lex have him beat in the hard sciences, but Bruce has philosophical understanding that’s far far far beyond anything those two can muster.

  45. @bserum, I was just going to post that correction as well. I grew up believing that it was because kids would set themselves on fire as well, until I read "Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed #16".

    @Conor, you can look there or check out http://povonline.com/iaq/IAQ02.htm.

    Great show though! Thanks, and congrats!

  46. Fun show, guys. I’m very much looking forward to the second half where, I’m sure, things will fall even further off the rails.

    By the way, my Batgirl question was mostly off the top of my head. But, Wikipedia may have been accessed to, y’know, make sure my memory was working correctly. 🙂 And your assertion that Cassandra Cain would win that fight was my opinion as well. Thanks! 

  47. Oh man this will be awesome to listen to while driving back up to school!

  48. Congrats on 250 guys!

  49. I dont know if ron will read this but, im the guy who wrote in from Oceanside and when i was playing CYO basketball that type of guy was my friends father…i wanted to kill him aswell. it must be something about being a dad in oceanside.

  50. @nawidA your from O-SIDE?

  51. @Evangelion

    Nah, I’m from the East Bay. 

  52. @nawidA long island or SF?

  53. SF

  54. Thrash metal capitol wish i lived in SF

  55. SF is an hour drive. Rarely go there but I should more often.

  56. Can’t wait to listen to both of these pod-casts this week at work. Should be a great time. The drunkenness i’m reading about in these comments is going to be interesting. I’m a bit scurrred for part 2!

  57. @bserum, this means my 10 year old daughter was right about this.  She was guessing they might not have had the rights to the character (like what you’re saying), while I thought they wanted to protect kids (like what Conor said).

    (Yes, a 10 year old knows enough to speculate when someone owns the rights to a character. Crazy, huh.)

  58. @mmalone27, you get credit too.  Get link!  Thanks!

  59. @mmalone27, meant to say "Great link!"

  60. I love that the watch question turned into a five minute conversation.

    SUPERcongrats!

  61. Wahoo! You answered two of my three questions, but I don’t care! Just happy to be on the show. Congratulations, guys!

  62. Listened to it twice aleady! Congrats guys!

  63. Glorious episode, guys. Can’t wait for part 2.

  64. what episode featured rons old timey radio voice?

  65. Your guess is as good as ours.

  66. Wow, this show is so long and epic that it might stretch into three exercise sessions for me.

    Ron, (when I wear a watch) I wear my watch the same way you do. It’s just more comfortable to wear it face down. I find that my wrist movement is impeded if I wear it face-up, but not if I wear it face down.

    Great points about religion in the DC and Marvel universes. I tend to think, though, that monotheists could still rationalize their God as being behind the others, and not just through stubbornness. For example, Zeus and Odin may be the patriarchs of their mythologies, but there are even more primal forces that stand behind them within their mythologies. Greek mythology posits entities like "Chaos", "Time", "Night" and "Day", and I think Christians, Jews and Islamists would regard their God as existing behind those forces and thus behind the lesser deities like Thor, Odin, etc.

    But if the earthlings of the Marvel universe ever got a glimpse of Marvel’s own versions of "Chaos" or "Death", instead of "just" lesser beings like Thor, then I think the monotheists would be compelled to revise their thinking.

  67. Drunk Conor was cracking me up. As he gets drunker he gets louder and more insistent, verginf just at the edge of complete nonsense. Josh takes on the long-suffering parent. Ron gets giggly and freentic (this is what I do when I get drunk). If their livers could handle it, I’d want to listen to this every week.

  68. So there are a couple more hours? Does Conor continue to drink?

    Judeo-Christian Marvel stuff can be found in Ghostrider.

    I listened to this while I was moving earth and rock for a couple hours. Thanks for taking my mind off the pain.

  69. I’ve been asking Devyn’s zombie question for years. To the cardboard Hulk standee in my office. Because no one else wants to hear it.

  70. great episode, guys–thanks & happy 250th!

  71. @froggulp, good point.

    If the Marvel/DC god’s question is interesting to you, then I would recommend the book Evolution of God (a book I’ve been slowly reading and enjoying).  The first part of the book talks a lot about how polytheist cultures can share or repurpose the gods of other cultures (thus helped explained to me why Roman and Greek gods are basically the same gods with different names, such as "Zeus" = "Jupiter", and that sort of thing).

    My personal opinion, Zombie-Thor from the Marvel Zombies storyline always bothered me.  I mean, what’s the point of calling yourself a "god" if one bite from an infected dude can turn you into a brain-eater.

    To change Arthur C. Clarke‘s Third Law statement a little, any technology or natural ability of sufficiently powerful levels would seem like magic or god-like to less-technically or less-powerful beings.

    So if Thor can be a zombie, then he’s biological (IMHO), which means we can explain him as a being just more biologically advanced than the average human, and thus why worship the guy.  Thus you can still have your regular religions.  

    The Beyonder on the other hand…

  72. On the zombie front and Devyn‘s question, The August 25, 2010 episode of The Skeptics’ Guide To The Universe (http://www.theskepticsguide.org/archive/podcastinfo.aspx?mid=1&pid=267) talked about the science of zombie’s for a little bit. More specifically they were critiquing an article on the Cracked website pointing out the flaws with zombie "biology" (see http://www.cracked.com/article_18683_7-scientific-reasons-zombie-outbreak-would-fail-quickly_p1.html).

  73. Hunter killed the booze. Was all better for it.

  74. @powerdad

     I have to thank you. You literally made my day. 

     On religion in DC/Marvel: Thor is a god. What makes him a god? If Superman was around a thousand years ago, he would be worshiped as a god. An atheist could make the case that Thor is just a superhuman who has been worshiped.

    And that mini rant at the end was supposed to be tongue in cheek. I know most of you are like YEAH RIGHT! YOUR TRYING TO GET YOUR FOOT OUT OF YOUR MOUTH. I’m to lazy to actually hate anything that much. Coincently I picked up a ton of Young Avengers stuff at the last NYCC (which seems like really long time ago) and really loved it. I applaud any attempt at the big two to introduce new characters into already established universe. 

     Great episode.

     

     

  75. I have not gotten very deep into this one yet (my ipod wasn’t working so I just only got it downloaded) but I am already pleased I got you all to talk about ‘Reign of Fire’.  Keep it up!

  76. In answering the question about comic book series and their TV adaptations, you guys mentioned that that’s why no X-men TV series was made. Well that’s not quite accurate.

    Anyone else remember that old made for TV movie Generation X?

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_X_%28film%29

    Or even the old TV show that was loosely based on the idea of mutants/X-Men? Mutant X?

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutant_X_%28TV_series%29

    Maybe it’s just me who rememebers this…

  77. Best episode ever!!! I loved Conor before… but damn!!!

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