Critiquing Comics #249: “Westron”

After Sam Raimi bailed on doing any more Spidey movies, Sony decided to reboot. So, ten years after Spider-man 1, viewers got a new version of Spider-man’s origin story – a long, drawn out one with no catharsis (or did we blink and miss it?). One could call this movie unnecessary, as Mulele does, but Tim finally got the Spidey characterization he’s been waiting for! Tim and Mulele review. (Originally published on Patreon June 6, 2020.) Brought to you by: Waxy Buildup podcast Our supporters on Patreon

The adventure in the Samurai City comes to a close, and Panther attempts to get back to Wakanda. As a vibranium-related crisis unfolds in his homeland, various roadblocks appear in Panther’s path to ratchet up the tension. Can he get home in time? Can his geeky relatives help stave off disaster? Who knew this about vibranium? Tim and Emmet react to surprise twists in Wakanda’s past. Brought to you by: Who’s Who podcast Our supporters on Patreon

Persepolis author Marjane Satrapi passed away on June 4. This week, Tim and Kumar recall their initial reactions to that book and talk a bit about her life and legacy. Then, we revisit segments of past episodes in which Tim and Brandon discussed Satrapi’s work: Persepolis review from episode 91, published September 3, 2007. `Persepolis 2 and the film version of Persepolis reviewed in episode 185, published June 22, 2009. Brought to you by: Full Manga Alchemists Our supporters on Patreon

(Concluding our review of past episodes featuring the work of R. Crumb.) FLASHBACK! Tim and Kumar meet in person for the first time! This calls for a podcast, but… what to review? We discuss the movie Crumb, which features not only the expected discussion of R. Crumb’s work (including an objective look at the question of whether some of the … discomforting subjects of his work should really have been published as “art”), but also a fascinating portrait of the dysfunctional family he grew up in. Then, Tim and Brandon clash over Sean Murphy’s Punk Rock Jesus, in which a former Irish Republican Army member acts as a bodyguard in a reality show claiming to be creating the clone of Jesus Christ. Is it objective and well-written, or a promo brochure for atheism? (Originally published November 2, 2015)

FLASHBACK! Perhaps one of the most puzzling comics releases in years was The Book of Genesis, Illustrated by R. Crumb. While it’s a virtuoso art performance, the exact purpose of the book was puzzling to Crumb fans (“It’s not a parody?!”) and religious readers (“This comic is not for kids?!”) alike. Both groups have been taken aback by how straight Crumb plays it — neither parodying nor bowdlerizing the work. That’s not to say that nothing in it is Crumb’s own interpretation. Tim and John discuss the issues raised — both by Crumb and by his audience. (Originally published August 18, 2014.) Brought to you by: Face the Music ELO podcast Our supporters on Patreon

FLASHBACK! Weirdo was a magazine started by R. Crumb, which featured Crumb’s work alongside that of a number of other underground-type comics creators. Crumb’s work from Weirdo’s 28 issues was collected in 2013 as R. Crumb: The Weirdo Years, 1981-’93, released in the U.S. by Last Gasp. It features an astonishing variety of comics work, from Crumb rants and confessionals to a 1906 psychiatric report on sexual deviancy, fumetti, parodies, and more. This is a book that Deconstructing Comics can’t help but review, so this week Kumar and Tim do their podcasting duty! (Originally published December 16, 2013.) R. Crumb’s Snapshots: Source Material of the Legendary Comic Artist (TIME.com) Brought to you by: To the Batpoles! podcast Our supporters on Patreon

Westron is about a private investigator who investigates crimes with supernatural elements. When a girl is murdered, he feels driven to solve the crime by the memory of a childhood friend who was killed. Tim and Jason look into the case of this comic by Shawn McBee, Maciej Jankowski, Nicolas Nieto, and Matia De Vincenzo! Westron on Kickstarter

At last we complete our look at Alan Moore‘s Swamp Thing run, looking at Swampy’s battle with Gotham City, his seeming death, and his travels through space. Along the way, Tim and Kumar have totally different takes on a certain issue, and Tim finds a fact about it that scandalizes Kumar. Join us as we traverse The Saga of the Swamp Thing issues 51-64! What are those folks on Rann saying? Brought to you by: Checkered Past podcast Our supporters on Patreon

Typical of the Jack Kirby comics we’ve read from the 1970s, the 1977 Black Panther series is a wild ride. Issues 5 and 6 feature a city of samurai (apparently nowhere near Japan), a yeti (nowhere near the Himalayas), and a nuclear missile (which is far too close to Wakanda). Wait, did we say “Wakanda”?! At last the series is inching back to the familiar territory, literally and figuratively, of a Black Panther story! But first, Panther has to survive Abner Little‘s snafu in the Samurai City. Tim and Emmet are along for the ride. Brought to you by: Worst Collection Ever podcast Bat Bits podcast Our supporters on Patreon

Adam Tierney, writer of the recent hit one-shot Romeo and Juliet and Godzilla, is a video game writer who dabbles in comics as a hobby — and it’s looking like a very successful hobby! This week he talks to Tim about choosing who Godzilla would cross paths with in his Godzilla’s Monsterpiece Theatre issue, his love of horror and forthcoming horror comic for kids, how he got into video games, and more. Brought to you by: TV Tangents podcast Our supporters on Patreon