Giant Size 22: Super-Powered Murder Cat

We memorialize some great comics cancelled in 2014 with a truly Giant-Size episode that is full of complete runs you can start and finish (for the most part) right now.

Brought to you by

• IDW: Out this week - Galaxy Quest #1(of 4), Zombies vs Robots #1(ongoing), Star Trek: Planet of the Apes #2(of5), Popeye Classics #30

Special Guest

• Kevin Wada (twitter) posts amazing art on Tumblr, has done gorgeous covers for the now-ending run of She-Hulk, and has a lot up his sleeve in terms of upcoming work and talent. Become a fan now so you can be a Kevin Wada hipster later.

Related Episodes

• Artist Edition 59: the exact same interview found in this episode, but isolated on its own for your re-listening convenience.

"Dexter", before.

Reading List

As always, tons of the below might already be on Marvel Unlimited.

• Superior Foes of Spider-Man
  • written by Nick Spencer (twitter), drawn by Steve Lieber (twitter, blog)
  • Trades (in order): Vol1/Vol2/Vol3
  • also written by Nick Spencer
    • Bedlam finds a reformed serial killer trying to help protect rather than destroy (Vol1/Vol2), as featured in Giant Size ORIGINS #13 (posting soon)
    • Morning Glories is “Runaways meets LOST”(Vol1 compendium includes #1-38, seven volumes of TPBs)
    • most of Secret Avengers (2013: Vol1/Vol2/Vol3),
    • all of Avengers World (2014: Vol1/Vol2/Vol3)
    • Ant-Man (2015)
  • also drawn by Steve Lieber
    • Quantum and Woody Must Die (2014), among loads and load of other things
  • soon from both: whatever this is
• Superior Spider-Man
  • written by Dan Slott (twitter), drawn by Ryan Stegman (twitter) & various others
  • Hardcovers (around $25 each): Vol1/Vol2/Vol3
    • We recommend the hardcovers based on their overall bang-for-buck relative to additional content they include, like the Amazing Spider-Man 698-700 lead-in issues. The TPBs run around $15 each and start here.
    • The Vol3 hardcover includes 17 issues, or almost both of its predecessors combined, for roughly the same price as just one of them.
  • also mentioned here
    • Slingers and the 100+issue run of “MC2” Spider-Girl, all of which is OOP in TPB form, but all of which should be on Marvel Unlimited
  • also written by Dan Slott
    • She-Hulk (Vol1/Vol2)
    • Silver Surfer (2014: Vol1)

"Dex-Starr", after

• Avengers Arena & Avengers Undercover
  • written by Dennis Hopeless (twitter)
  • TPB (Arena: Vol1/Vol2/Vol3) (Undercover: Vol1/Vol2)
  • Characters in Avengers Arena come from precursor series
    • Runaways is fantastic, and a great Brian K Vaughn discovery if you've been hooked on his other writing (Complete Collections Vol1, Vol2, Vol3 )
    • Avengers Academy ran five volumes worth (Vol1/Vol2/Vol3/Vol4/Vol5), but don't be fooled into thinking the Avengers Academy: Arcade TPB is a bunch of pre-Arena Arcade story. It adds two vintage Arcade-focused comics to Avengers Academy GIANT-SIZE #1.
  • also by Dennis Hopeless (among many others)
    • Spider-Woman (2014)
• She-Hulk
  • written by Charles Soule (twitter), drawn by Javier Pulido, with covers by “Kick-Ass Bad-Ass” Kevin Wada (twitter)
  • TPB Vol1/Vol2
  • Ron Wimberley did some amazing fill-in work, and is an artist to watch.
• All-New Ghost Rider
  • written by Felipe Smith (twitter) and (mostly) drawn by Tradd Moore (twitter)
  • TPB Vol1/Vol2 not yet solicited
  • Ghost Rider history
  • Moisés wrote a really long first-ever letter to a Marvel comic, and it was the first one they published in “ANGR” (issue #4). It's embedded as a JPEG at the very end of the show notes.
• Hawkeye
  • written by Matt Fraction (twitter), drawn by David Aja (twitter) & Annie Wu (twitter)
  • An Omnibus Edition containing the whole run is set for release this spring.
  • TPB Vol1/Vol2/Vol3/Vol4
  • Hardcover Vol1 (#1-11)/Vol2 (#12-22, Annual #1) out August 2015
  • also by Matt Fraction
    • ODY-C with art from certified MONSTER-LEVEL talent Christian Ward
    • Sex Criminals with art from NEW HOWARD THE DUCK WRITER Chip Zdarsky
• “Classic” Archie
  • don't read any of the old stuff if you don't feel especially moved to do so
  • Afterlife with Archie (Vol1) is a genuinely great horror comic that doesn't rely on you liking Archie in the first place.
  • Replaced soon by a completely overhauled Archie universe written by Mark Waid and drawn by Fiona Staples.
  • Mark Waid on not ruining Archie.
• Swamp Thing (New52)
  • Scott Snyder (twitter) run: TPB Vol1/Vol2/Vol3 (“Rotworld”, relies on Animal Man Vol3)
  • Charles Soule (twitter) run: TPB Vol4/Vol5/Vol6
• Red Lanterns (New52)
  • Peter Milligan (twitter) run: TPB Vol1/Vol2/Vol3
  • Charles Soule (twitter) run: TPB Vol4/Vol5/Vol6
• Animal Man (New52)
  • written by Jeff Lemire (twitter)
  • TPB Vol1/Vol2/Vol3 (“Rotworld”, relies on Swamp Thing Vol3)/Vol4/Vol5
• Madame Frankenstein
  • written by Jamie S Rich (twitter) and drawn by Megan Levens (twitter), covers by Joëlle Jones (twitter)
    • more a “no current plans for a second season” rather than cancelled
  • also by Rich & Levens: Ares & Aphrodite (digital weekly through Valentine's Day, TPB in April 2015)
  • also by Jones & Rich, and also drawn by Jones that is great: Lady Killer (Tumblr, interview with Jones)
  • earlier work also by Rich & Jones that Moisés digs: 12 Reasons Why I Love Her
  • Jamie S Rich's Amazon author page, because why not
• EGOs
  • Earth/Galactic Operatives is a team that defended humanity from evil forces. Its leader is washed up and trying to get his act (and life) back together.
  • written by Stuart Moore and drawn by Gus Storms
  • missing and presumed dead since April 2014, but with an issue #5 solicited for February 2015

Dex-Starr kitty cosplay

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