Monday, November 18, 2013

ARP - 10 - Knightfall part 3

We have a treat for you today. This is a double issue. Enjoy a 100-minute spectacular for the conclusion of the Knightfall story arc from DC Comics. In this story we see the return of Bruce Wayne as Batman, but not all is back to normal in Gotham City.


Talking points

  • Notes section
    • Possible racial slur (32:25)
  • Bad things
    • Catwoman portrayal (43:04)
    • Different art styles in the same book (45:43)
    • Story inconsistencies (49:19)

  • Good things
    • Bat family working together (1:02:09)
    • Nightwing (1:04:40)
    • Faster Pacing Than Part 2 (1:12:34)
    • Fallout from Azrael as Batman (1:15:04)
  • Miscelaneous
    • Azrael (1:18:18)
    • Bruce Wayne's new costume (1:39:12)
    • The setting (1:42:17)

If you would like to download the MP3, right click and Save As:

ARP - 10 - Knightfall part 3.mp3

We will be taking a break for the holidays. We know that everyone is busy during this time of year and so are we. We will be back in the beginning of 2014 with more great stories for you to experience with us.

Our next podcast will be  January 5th and it will be Age of Ultron.


The intro music was composed by longzijun and can be found on youtube here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETIcNYDGMk4&feature=player_embedded
 
We look forward to hearing from you.

Contact us with any feedback or suggestions you may have and subscribe to us on your favorite platform:

Monday, November 11, 2013

ARP - S06 - Thor The Dark World

SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!

This episode is heavy with spoilers about Thor: The Dark World that is in theaters now. I recommend downloading the podcast and saving it until you have watched the film. After you have watched the film, listen to this podcast and see if you agree, disagree, or learn something you didn't know about Thor.

 We would also like to welcome Demetrick, our guest film analyst.

 
 

Talking points

  • Loki’s Arc 
  • Role of the female characters
  • Humor
  • Comparison to the first movie
  • Villains
  • Influences and Nods

 If you want to download the podcast, right click and Save:

ARP - S06 - Thor The Dark World.mp3

 

The intro music was composed by longzijun and can be found on youtube here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETIcNYDGMk4&feature=player_embedded
 
We look forward to hearing from you.

Contact us with any feedback or suggestions you may have and subscribe to us on your favorite platform:

Sunday, November 3, 2013

ARP - 09 - Knightfall part 2

DC comics published Knightfall in 1993 in Batman and Detective Comics. This story is one of the most famous Batman stories and we were excited to read and discuss this. In this episode, we talk about the key players (Batman, Bane, Robin, and Azrael) as well as the choices the writers made in telling the story.


Talking points

  • Bad Things
    • Malevolent Maniaxe (17:15)
    • Filler issues (20:20)
    • Bat-vehicle designs (22:15)
    • exotic car art (24:50)
  • Good Things
    •  Clayface story (27:01)
    • Batman attracts insane criminals (30:10)
    • Abbatoir's Death (36:19)
  • Neutral points
    •  Corrosive Man (44:10)
    • Dr. Kinsolving (51:15)
    • Tim Drake (56:33)

If you would like to download the MP3, right click and Save As:

ARP - 09 - Knightfall part 2.mp3

Our next podcast will be  November 17th and it will be part 3 of Knightfall.


The intro music was composed by longzijun and can be found on youtube here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETIcNYDGMk4&feature=player_embedded
 
We look forward to hearing from you.

Contact us with any feedback or suggestions you may have and subscribe to us on your favorite platform:

Saturday, November 2, 2013

ARP - S05 - City of Titans interview

We have a very special supplemental episode for you today. This is a first for our podcast. Dylan was able to coordinate and conduct an interview with several members of Missing Worlds Media who are currently running a kickstarter to fund a MMO game called City of Titans that they are developing.

The kickstarter ends Sunday November 3rd. Click on the picture below to help fund them:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/missingworldsmedia/the-phoenix-project-city-of-titans

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/missingworldsmedia/the-phoenix-project-city-of-titans

The participants:

Dylan and John - Hosts

Chris 'warcabbit' Hare - Lead Developer, Missing Worlds Media

William Strickland - Lead Compositor, MWM

Sara Quinn - President, MWM

Nate Downes - Technical Director, MWM

www.missingworldsmedia.com

Follow Missing World Media on Twitter - @mworldsmedia 

You can also visit their website -  http://www.missingworldsmedia.com/

Also the game has a webpage - http://cityoftitans.com/


If you would like to download the podcast to listen to on your MP3 player, right click and save:

ARP - S05 - City of Titans interview.mp3

Arc Reactions Podcast would also like to hear from you. Please let us know how you liked the interview and anything else you would like to share with us.


We look forward to hearing from you.

Contact us with any feedback or suggestions you may have and subscribe to us on your favorite platform:

Sunday, October 20, 2013

ARP - 08 - Knightfall part 1


DC comics published Knightfall in 1993 in Batman and Detective Comics. This story is one of the most famous Batman stories and we were excited to read and discuss this. In this episode, we talk about the key players (Batman, Bane, Robin, and Azrael) as well as the choices the writers made in telling the story.


Talking points

  • Bad things
    • Joker teaming up with Cornelius Stirk and Scarecrow (14:00)
    • Too many references to 'exhausted' Batman (18:50)
    • Where was the Bat-Family? (22:00)
  • Good things
    • Grounding in reality (26:30)
    • Cameos (32:30)
    • Porsche crash (33:10)
  • General
    • Fight differences between Batman issues and Detective issues (35:20)
    • Villains used in the story (42:30)
    • Robin's role (48:50)
    • Bane (1:06:30)
    • Azrael (Jean Paul Valley) (1:11:05)
If you would like to download the MP3, right click and Save As:

ARP - 08 - Knightfall Part 1.mp3

Our next podcast will be  November 3rd and it will be part 2 of Knightfall.


The intro music was composed by longzijun and can be found on youtube here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETIcNYDGMk4&feature=player_embedded
 
We look forward to hearing from you.

Contact us with any feedback or suggestions you may have and subscribe to us on your favorite platform:

Sunday, October 6, 2013

ARP - 07 - Winter Soldier

Marvel comics published the Winter Soldier story at the beginning of volume 5 of Captain America written by Ed Brubaker. This story was published in 2005 and 2006. John and Dylan discuss the story and give some real life examples of how the story relates to them.

If you would like to download the MP3, right click and Save As:

ARP - 07 - Winter Soldier.mp3

Talking points
-----------------

  • Oradour-sur-Glane
  • HUAC hearings
  • Racial Slur
  • Good mix of real history and comics history
  • Bucky's recast role in WWII


Join us on October 20th as we begin our coverage of the Knighfall story arc that was partially the basis for The Dark Knight Rises film.

The intro music was composed by longzijun and can be found on youtube here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETIcNYDGMk4&feature=player_embedded
 
We look forward to hearing from you.

Contact us with any feedback or suggestions you may have and subscribe to us on your favorite platform:

Sunday, September 22, 2013

ARP - S04 - Comics News

Dylan and John discuss the latest news from DC and Marvel comics. We have put this out as quickly as possible to get our take out there before the news becomes old.

If you would like to download the MP3 to your device, right click the link below and Save As

 ARP - S04 - Comics News.mp3

Talking Points
--------------

  •  Ben Affleck as Batman in Man of Steel 2
  • Marvel events surrounding shutting down the Ultimates universe
  •  JH Williams and W Haden Blackman step down from Batwoman citing editorial interference
  • DC solicits new artists to apply by drawing a page depicting Harley Quinn attempting suicide



Articles
----------
Batwoman
http://www.jhwilliams3.com/archives/1826
http://culturewarreporters.com/2013/09/06/dc-is-terrible-but-theyre-not-homophobes/
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/batwoman-authors-exit-claim-dc-621274
http://noncanonical.com/site/view/dc-anti-marriage-rule-is-actually-anti-character#sthash.vJhABP8z.sfju
http://guttersandpanels.com/gutters-and-panels/2013/3/23/the-new-52-timeline-of-departures

Harley Quinn
http://www.dailydot.com/fandom/dc-comics-kill-naked-harley-quinn-contest/
http://www.bleedingcool.com/2013/09/10/the-harley-quinn-tryout-page-debate-that-refuses-to-er-dc-comics-gail-simone-mark-waid-kurt-busiek/
http://dccomicsnews.com/2013/09/11/jimmy-palmiotti-clarifies-harley-quinn-try-out-controversy/?fb_source=pubv1
http://www.theouthousers.com/index.php/news/124016-dc-shocker-company-apologizes-for-harley-quinn-suicide-contest.html

Marvel
http://www.buzzfeed.com/perpetua/is-the-marvel-universe-headed-towards-a-time-catastrophe



Join us on  October 6th for Captain America - Winter Soldier.


The intro music was composed by longzijun and can be found on youtube here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETIcNYDGMk4&feature=player_embedded
 
We look forward to hearing from you.

Contact us with any feedback or suggestions you may have and subscribe to us on your favorite platform:

Sunday, September 8, 2013

ARP - 06 - Wonder Woman

DC comics rebooted their continuity in 1986 with Crisis on Infinite Earths. Wonder Woman was killed in the mini-series and her book was not restarted until 1987. Join Dylan and John as they review and react to the first story arc from the reboot of Wonder Woman. Issues 1-7 give Wonder Woman's origin as well as follow her as she tries to save the world from Ares' evil plan.

If you would like to download the MP3 to your device, right click the link below and Save As

 ARP - 06 - Wonder Woman.mp3

Talking Points
--------------

Complaints
----------
  • A bit of sexism (Etta has to demand a weapon from Michaelis #5)
  • Who was going to stop the Soviets from firing their missle?
  • Ares' plan (nuclear war)   
Praises
-------
  • Merging the Greek Mythology into Wonder Woman's origins.
  • Wonder Woman figuring out how to use her powers.
  • Wonder Woman having to learn English
  • Re-design of Col. Trevor and Etta Candy
General
-------
  • Grounding of the story in the cold war
  • Wonder Woman not being a founding member of the Justice League
  • William Moulton Marstan
  • Bondage and symbolism


Join us on September 22nd for a supplemental covering some major comics news that has come out recently from Marvel and DC.

The intro music was composed by longzijun and can be found on youtube here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETIcNYDGMk4&feature=player_embedded
 
We look forward to hearing from you.

Contact us with any feedback or suggestions you may have and subscribe to us on your favorite platform:

Sunday, August 25, 2013

ARP - 05 - Armor Wars

Tony Stark goes crazy, attacking his allies and villains alike in a quest to recover his technology that he fears will fall into enemy hands and be used for evil. Does this arc work as a story or will it fall flat on its face. Join Dylan and John as they give their opinions on the good, the bad, and the interesting things from this classic Iron Man tale from 1987 and 1988.

If you would like to download the MP3 to your device, right click and Save As

ARP - 05 - Armor Wars.mp3

Topics
--------
  • Titanium Man's lack of an extinguishing system
  •  Stingray - one of the 10 worst Avengers
  • Why did the Avengers not intervene?
  • Litigation against Superheroes
  • Iron Man jumping out of Stark's helicopter



Our next comic arc will be Wonder Woman -Gods and Mortals. This will be released on Sept. 8th.

The intro music was composed by longzijun and can be found on youtube here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETIcNYDGMk4&feature=player_embedded
 
We look forward to hearing from you.

Contact us with any feedback or suggestions you may have and subscribe to us on your favorite platform:

Sunday, August 11, 2013

ARP - S03 - Secret Origins

In this episode, Dylan and John recount their history with comics, how the podcast began and how they met. Other topics include the New 52 and Marvel Now as well as comic book movies and Superior Spider-man. There are minor spoilers for Superior Spider-man and Man of Steel.

If you want to download the episode for later, please right click the link below and select Save As

Arc Reactions Podcast - Supplemental 03 - Secret Origins.mp3

Topics:

1) Our personal comics history
2) Superior Spiderman
3) New 52
4) Marvel Now
5) Villians Month
6) Comic book movies
7) Comic book death



On August 25th, we will return with Armor Wars, a Iron Man story from Marvel Comics.

The intro music was composed by longzijun and can be found on youtube here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETIcNYDGMk4&feature=player_embedded
 
We look forward to hearing from you.

Contact us with any feedback or suggestions you may have and subscribe to us on your favorite platform:

Monday, August 5, 2013

ARP - S02 - The Wolverine (film)

SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!

This episode is heavy with spoilers about The Wolverine film that is in theaters now. I recommend downloading the podcast and saving it until you have watched the film. After you have watched the film, listen to this podcast and see if you agree, disagree, or learn something you didn't know about Wolverine.

 

Right click on the link below (or the title) and select Save As to save the mp3 to your device.

Arc Reactions Podcast - s02 - The Wolverine (film) 

 
 

Stay tuned this Sunday for supplemental #3 where we introduce ourselves a little more fully than we have so far in the podcast. We also discuss some topics that do not fit a specific story arc that we are going to cover.

 

The intro music was composed by longzijun and can be found on youtube here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETIcNYDGMk4&feature=player_embedded
 
We look forward to hearing from you.

Contact us with any feedback or suggestions you may have and subscribe to us on your favorite platform:

Sunday, July 28, 2013

ARP - 04 - Killing Joke and Death in the Family

Dylan and John discuss the Killing Joke by Alan Moore and Death in the Family (Batman 426-429) from 1988-89. These comics were published by DC comics and focus on Batman, Robin, and Barbara Gordon.

If you want to download the episode as an MP3 for later listening, right click the link below and select Save As

Arc Reactions Podcast - 04 - Killing Joke and Death in the Family.mp3

Follow along with the podcast with our notes:

Talking points
---------------
KJ - Sadistic Joker

KJ - One Bad Day turned this struggling commedian into the Joker
    - Joker trying to create another crazy person by inducing One Bad Day with Jim

KJ - Joker not 'remembering' his origin (Dark Knight has this nod with Ledger)

KJ - originally designed as an Elseworlds story (DC wikia)

KJ - Misogany of leaving Barbara paralized until the New 52. Would DC have left Nightwing in this state had he been the one paralized?

DITF - Politics of the time (Lebanon/Israel conflict, Reganomics, Iran)

DITF - Killing Jason Todd (the vote line)
    - after 427, 50 cents a call, over 10,000 votes. 5343-5271 was the final tally

DITF - Writer acknowledging that the Joker is not dead even though he appeared to be in the crash

DITF - Would Batman have killed Joker if given the chance?

DITF - Is it a believable story? (nuclear missle)

DITF - Does Joker know that Bruce is Batman based on putting the pieces together of Jason's death the same time that he killed Robin?
    -Batman changing in front of Joker in the assembly
   
DITF - Should Jason have stayed dead?



Our next podcast will be a supplemental where we will give a bit of our own history with comics and superheroes as well as discuss some topics that do not fit in directly with a specific story arc. This podcast will be uploaded on August 11th.  In 4 weeks, we will be covering Armor Wars from the Iron Man comic series.

The intro music was composed by longzijun and can be found on youtube here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETIcNYDGMk4&feature=player_embedded

We look forward to hearing from you.

Contact us with any feedback or suggestions you may have and subscribe to us on your favorite platform:

Sunday, July 14, 2013

ARP - 03 - Phoenix Saga (X-Men)

Dylan and John discuss the Phoenix Saga and Dark Phoenix saga from X-Men 101-108 and 129-138. Marvel Comics published these stories in 1976 and 1980.

If you want to download the episode as an MP3 for later listening, right click the link below and select Save As

Arc Reactions Podcast - 03 - Phoenix Saga.mp3


Talking Points
--------------
Jean - weakest X-Man to Strongest X-Man (106?)

Professor is a coward

Did Hellfire (Mastermind) manipulate Jean to release the Dark Phoenix?

Weird fill-in issue (106 - another issue with the new team fighting the old team. same as 100)

Wolvie/Jean and Peter/Kitty romances

Best Mastermind story ever?

Storm's ability to make her costume with her 'powers' (also Phoenix and Colossus at times)

Family relations (brother/cousin) being immune to your mutant power

Trope of women being incapable of handling great power and self sacrificing

The mental blocks holding back the Phoenix and allowing Jean to control it



 First appearances
 ------------------
 Black Tom Cassidy (101)
 Kitty Pride (129)
 Starjammers (107)
 Dazzler (130)
 Sebastian Shaw (129)
 Emma Frost (129)
 Hellfire Club (129)
 Senator Kelly (135, mentioned in 133)
 Gladiator (107)
 Storm's Origins (102)


Our next podcast will be covering A Death in the Family and Killing Joke, both Batman tales. That podcast will be uploaded on July 28th.

The intro music was composed by longzijun and can be found on youtube here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETIcNYDGMk4&feature=player_embedded

We look forward to hearing from you.

Contact us with any feedback or suggestions you may have and subscribe to us on your favorite platform:

Sunday, June 30, 2013

ARP - Episode 02 - Death of the Family (Batman)

If you want to download the episode as an MP3 for later listening, right click the link below and select Save As

Arc Reactions Podcast - 02 - Death of the Family

In this episode, Dylan and John discuss the most recent Bat family crossover event Death of the Family where the Joker returns in the New 52 after being gone for a year and he wants to break up the Bat Family.

Follow along with these notes and the discussion points:

Timeline
----------
Joker's thugs kidnap Barbara's mom (Batgirl 13)

Joker gets his face back (Batman 13)
Joker on TV (Batman 13)
Joker meets up with Harley and sends her to ACE factory (Suicide Squad 14)
Joker kidnaps Alfred (Batman 13)
Joker confronts Catwoman at the amusement park (Catwoman 14)
Batman fights Joker at the reservoir/aqueduct (Batman 14)
Harley fights Joker (Suicide Squad 15)
Joker at Skate Rink with Barbara's mom (Batgirl 14)
Bat family in the batcave (Batman 15) ******
Joker kills Jimmy and takes Raya to Kline Industries (Nightwing 15)
Joker has a surprise for Nightwing at Amusement Mile (Nightwing 16)
Joker and Batgirl at church (Batgirl 15-16)
Joker and Robin at the zoo (Batman and Robin 15-16)
Joker kidnaps Red Robin (TT 15)
Joker and Red Hood somewhere (Red Hood 15)
Joker, Red Robin, and Red Hood somewhere (TT 16)
Batman and Joker in Arkham (Batman 16)
Bat family at the dinner (Batman 17)

Topics
--------
Snyder writing the psychological thriller story.
Simone writing Batgirl's rage and dealing with her paralyzing and the man responsible.
Timeline
Both Robin and Batgirl will break their rules to kill the Joker if given the chance.


The next episode will be released on July 14th. Join us as we review the Phoenix and Dark Phoenix saga.

The intro music was composed by longzijun and can be found on youtube here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETIcNYDGMk4&feature=player_embedded

We look forward to hearing from you.

Contact us with any feedback or suggestions you may have and subscribe to us on your favorite platform:

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Arc Reactions Podcast - Supplemental 01 - Man of Steel (film)

SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!


This episode is heavy with spoilers about the new Man of Steel movie that is in theaters now. I recommend downloading the podcast and saving it until you have watched the film. After you have watched the film, listen to this podcast and see if you agree, disagree, or learn something you didn't know about Superman.

Right click on the link below (or the title) and select Save As to save the mp3 to your device.

Arc Reactions Podcast - 01a - Man of Steel




The intro music was composed by longzijun and can be found on youtube here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETIcNYDGMk4&feature=player_embedded


We look forward to hearing from you.

Contact us with any feedback or suggestions you may have and subscribe to us on your favorite platform:

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Arc Reactions Podcast - Episode 01 - Avengers Vs. X-Men

Here is a link to download the podcast. Right click and Save Link As in order to save it as the MP3. Clicking on the link will open in another tab in your browser and play the file:

Arc Reactions Podcast - 01 - AvX.mp3

We will be updating on a biweekly schedule on Sundays. The next episode will go up on June 30, 2013.

In this episode of the Arc Reactions Podcast, Dylan and John discuss the 19-issue mini-series from Marvel Comics entitled Avengers Vs. X-Men. The podcast has a couple explicit words in it. We have decided that all future podcasts will be kept PG in order to allow all listeners to enjoy the content.

The topics covered in this episode are:

  • Short summary of the story
  • Discussion of the VS issue fights
  • Hope's powers.
  • Who was in the right?
  • How this led into Marvel Now.



The intro music was composed by longzijun and can be found on youtube here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETIcNYDGMk4&feature=player_embedded
 
We look forward to hearing from you.

Contact us with any feedback or suggestions you may have and subscribe to us on your favorite platform: