Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth

In which Christine Spar and Brian Li Sung inherit the mantle of Grendel. Last time we covered Matt Wagner’s antihero Grendel, we did a chronological readthrough of the Hunter Rose stories, starting with material from the mid-1980s collected as Devil By the Deed and then skipping ahead to miniseries from 1998, 2002, and 2007. Now we’re going back to 1986 (and the future…which is probably our present…but looks like the past…with flying cars) to read the first actual Grendel ongoing series from Comico (although we’ll be looking at a two-issue miniseries from 1999 first). Sound confusing? Dark Horse’s omibuses make it easy, trust us! In these stories, we examine the seduction of violence and how quickly it can spiral out of control, even with the best of intentions. Can anybody come into contact with Grendel and survive? (Maybe, if you’re a cop with a cybernetic eye.)Discussed in this episode: Grendel: Devil Child #1-2, Grendel #1-19 (aka Devil’s Legacy, The Devil Inside, and Devil Tales), collected as Grendel Omnibus Volume 2: Legacy from Dark Horse ComicsThe devil told me to tell you to back the podcast at patreon.com/ironageofcomics for a monthly newsletter and Fifth Week Bonus episodes.

In what promises to be the snappiest episode of the podcast to date, we do a deep dive into the early years of Mike Allred’s signature creation, Frank Einstein (sometimes but not exclusively also known as “Madman” in the comics themselves) at Tundra Publishing and Dark Horse Comics. Born of a desire to fuse existentialism with costumed adventure, Allred mixes ‘50s sci-fi movies, Silver Age comics, David Bowie lyrics, a dash of Mary Shelley and J.D. Salinger, and a whole lot of other influences and ingredients. With heart-on-its-sleeve earnestness tempered by gonzo absurdity, Madman asks the big questions: What makes us human? Is evil necessary to define good? Does God exist? But most importantly: Isn’t it super-neat-o to have a girlfriend?Discussed in this episode: Madman #1-3, Madman Adventures #1-3, Madman Comics #1-10, plus material from Creatures of the Id #1 (recently and conveniently collected as Madman Omnibus Volume 1 from Dark Horse Comics)Man oh man, did you know you can back the podcast and get a monthly newsletter and Fifth Week Bonus episodes at patreon.com/ironageofcomics?

Startup superhero universes were a dime a dozen in the Iron Age, but Comics’ Greatest World was $16 for 16! Each issue of this weekly miniseries introduced a brand new character theoretically poised to take the industry by storm, but while heroes like X and Ghost would go on to become the stars of ongoing series (and Barb Wire even made the leap to a major motion picture), most of them languished in obscurity. Dark Horse tried very hard to make their first foray into mainstream superheroes stand out amongst 1993’s oversaturated market by emphasizing worldbuilding and backstory, but to no avail. In this episode, we visit the fictional cities of Arcadia, Golden City, Steel Harbor, and the Vortex of Cinnebar Flats to check out what went right, what went wrong, the limits of “mystery box” storytelling, and why all of Team CGW’s carefully laid-out environmental storytelling just didn’t grab fans the way Image Comics did.Justin rented and watched Pamela Anderson's Barb Wire for the sake of this podcast, and if that kind of commitment and dedication doesn't make you want to support the show at patreon.com/ironageofcomics, we don't know what will!

It’s April Fool’s Day* and the Joker has led an inmate revolt of Arkham Asylum! In 1989, Tim Burton’s Batman was the year’s hottest movie, and fans took to comic book shops and bookstores starving for more Dark Knight content. What they found was…a dense, 128-page experimental narrative featuring terrifying expressionist paint and artwork with a story crammed with allusions to the Tarot, Passion plays, St. George the Dragonslayer, and Carl Jung. Was this an April’s Fools prank DC was pulling on new readers? Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth has been praised as a brilliant psychological-horror take on Batman by some and a pretentious mess by others; even writer Grant Morrison and artist Dave McKean don’t see eye to eye! It’s a graphic novel open to interpretation, and we’ll guide you through a bunch of possible readings, unpack some symbolism, and use the book’s subtitle to unlock the ambition behind one of the strangest Batman stories ever told.* No really, check your calendarCONTENT WARNINGS: Lurid and sensationalist approaches to the concepts of mental health and “insanity,” as well as other disturbing topics befitting a “mature readers” graphic novel.

We continue our way through Jeff Smith’s all-ages comedic fantasy epic, Bone. Picking up where the first volume, “Out from Boneville,” left off, the three Bone cousins adjust to their new pastoral life. For Fone Bone, that means helping out on the farm to stay close to Thorn, his love-at-first-sight crush. For Phoney and Smiley, that means trying to scam the locals by throwing a ringer into the annual cow race. But reigning champion Gran’ma Ben turns out to be more than meets the eye…and so does Thorn. In these issues, Smith draws us deeper into the lore of the Valley. Are the mysteries and worldbuilding a source of enchantment, or does the gradual shift to plot over gags start to weigh the series down? The Iron Age boys brave lightning storms and rat creatures to investigate how Smith’s art softens the tonal shifts between comedy and drama.Discussed in this episode: Bone #7-19, collected in The Great Cow Race and Eyes of the StormThe valley's economy might run on eggs and chickens, but here in Boneville we need money to keep the show running. Consider supporting the podcast at patreon.com/ironageofcomics

Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley's 1997 launch Thunderbolts had a killer high concept: what if a band of supervillains posed as heroes to con the public into trusting them? But by the end of issue #12, the central conflict and premise of the series had been effectively dismantled by exposing the team's deception and turning them into fugitives. Where could the series possibly go next? We investigate a narrative swerve that some fans thought was a mistake, but we'd argue took the series to new creative heights. Targeted by the good guys and the bad guys alike, the Thunderbolts go on the run, and Bagley and Busiek turn what could have been a limited premise into a true ongoing series in the tradition of Claremont and Byrne's Uncanny X-Men, constantly shifting the status quo and packing each monthly issue with intrigue and subplots. Plus: Jim and Justin explain why Hawkeye is one of the coolest Avengers ever as he takes the reins of the team.Discussed in this episode: Thunderbolts #13-33, #0Baron Zemo says, "Under no circumstances should you support this podcast at patreon.com/ironageofcomics!" But are you gonna let that guy tell you what you can and can't do??

Revisit 17th century Japan with us and see what everyone’s favorite rabbit ronin gets up to next! The second Dark Horse omnibus includes “Grasscutter,” an Eisner-award winning storyline in which writer-artist Stan Sakai seamlessly blends traditional mythology, meticulously researched history, and his own brand of adventure and whimsy. Miyamoto Usagi stumbles upon the legendary sword Grasscutter, a national treasure and symbol of imperial power, and is drawn into a conspiracy that could change the balance of power in Japan. He also re-encounters some old friends, makes some new ones, and faces his opposite number: the demon spearsman Jei. And don’t miss what Justin promises is his last-ever rant about flat coloring vs. gradients!Discussed in this episode: Usagi Yojimbo (vol. 3) #7-30, plus Usagi Yojimbo Color Special: Green Persimmon #1Bonus episodes and more at patreon.com/ironageofcomics

We revisit George Pérez’s redefinition of Wonder Woman with the second major arc, 1987’s “Challenge of the Gods.” In these pages, you’ll get to know Diana’s supporting cast better and find out how a hard-rebooted Wonder Woman fits into post-Crisis continuity; meet the Cheetah, a savage reimaging of one of the series’ most iconic villains; delve into an underground prison beneath Paradise Island swarming with mythological monsters; and learn the secret origin of why an Amazon warrior wears a costume that looks a bit like an American flag. It’s Wonder Woman vs. Greek mythology’s greatest hits, and Jim will explain all the historical and classics-based context that Justin did not pick up on repeated viewings of Clash of the Titans.Discussed in this episode: Wonder Woman (vol. 2) #8-14.Show your support at patreon.com/ironageofcomics

Worlds will live! Worlds will die! The skies will turn red, and cowboys and cavemen will fight side by side! Written by Marv Wolfman and penciled by George Pérez, Crisis on Infinite Earths celebrated 50 years of DC Comics by blowing up the multiverse in a massive crossover featuring virtually every major character from its history (and introducing several new ones). Designed to make a bold statement in a comics industry overwhelmingly dominated by Marvel, the original plan was to reboot the entire DC Universe from scratch. Instead we got…well, what exactly did we get? We discuss whether Crisis was a new beginning or an ultimate ending, but we also focus on the comic itself and how this apex of superhero maximalism holds up 40 years later.Discussed in this episode: Crisis on Infinite Earths #1-12Become a supporter of the podcast at patreon.com/ironageofcomics or else Pariah will cry some more.

It was 40 years ago this month that the calendar ticked over to 1986, often heralded as one of the high points of the comic book industry—perhaps even the most important year in the history of the medium. Comics began to find the mainstream acceptance they’d long craved, superheroes got grimmer ‘n’ grittier, and DC Comics reinvented itself for an older and more discerning audience. We walk through the highlights of this annus mirabilis, take a look back at what was left behind in this brave new era, and wonder whether we’ll ever see another year of its like again. Discussed in this episode:​Crisis, Dark Knight, and Watchmen (again, but briefly, we promise!)​Marvel’s 25th anniversary​The New Universe​X-Men as franchise​Classic X-Men debuts​Grim ‘n’ gritty and the dawn of “the Dark Age”​Daredevil and Elektra by Frank Miller​The Punisher gets his own series​Licensed comics and other cancellations at Marvel​The rise of the post-Crisis DCU​Legends​Many fine comics written by Alan Moore​The founding of Dark Horse Comics​Maus​Creator’s rights, starring Jack Kirby, Frank Miller, and Jim Shooterpatreon.com/ironageofcomics