Al and Paul are back (back! Back!) with remembrances of Trina Robbins and Mark "Doc" Bright, a whiz through the first six post-Krakoa X-books and a mini-explainer of Misty and the new Gail Simone-run iteration thereof, as well as reviews of Action Comics and Uncanny Valley. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe can't believe it's not butter either.

It's a brave new world for the Thunderbolts, as they try to readjust to civilian life... or, in the case of some, to adjust to being bossed around by Captain America as part of the Redeemers. Paul and Al say hello to new regular penciler Patrick Zircher, as well as to the continuity transplants from the Heroes Reborn universe, as they look at issues 51 and 52 of Thunderbolts, as well as the Thunderbolts: Life Sentences oneshot. Join them as they explore the questions of who is the 19th best telepath in the Marvel Universe, where can you find the most racist electrical goods store in America, and how badly a 1990s comics character can lacerate himself with his own costume.

Merry Chri... er... Happy New Y... um... Happy February? Welcome to the joint 15th anniversary and end of year wrap-up episode of House to Astonish, as Paul and Al chat through the news of the past few weeks, including Blood Hunt's polybagged "Red Band" editions, Jason Aaron taking on the relaunched Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the 40th anniversary of Usagi Yojimbo and Criminal coming to Amazon Prime. On top of that, they have the 2023 Homies awards, where we (and our listeners) give their picks of the best things we read last year, and the complete audio of the SILENCE! To Astonish panel from November 2023's Thought Bubble festival. There's almost too much here! Don't eat it all at once! 

It's anniversary time, as Paul and Al mark the 15th turn round the sun of House to Astonish by briefly mourning the original episode they recorded for the occasion and lost in a computer disaster, before moving on to another anniversary in the form of issue 50 (and 48 and 49) of Thunderbolts, from 2001. It's the end of the Scourge story, the return of Jolt, and time to bid a fond farewell to Mark Bagley. It's all go!

The Thunderbolts are on a collision course with Scourge (and issue 50), but right now they've got to deal with Moonstone's identity crisis, the Battle of Techno's Ear and the arrival of Genis-Vell, as we look at issues 45-47 from the turn of the millennium. Plus Cybergoth Santa, the Titanian Smurfs and the concept of Pink Pavements crossovers.

Al and Paul have a whirlwind recap of news from NYCC for your enjoyment, as they look at the "faux-simile" Batman 428; John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dead in America; the Superman Superstars initiative; the formation of Ghost Machine; Avengers: Twilight; the Blood Hunt crossover; the creative teams of the new Ultimate line; and the end of the Krakoan era, as well as taking the time to remember Keith Giffen and to review Batman: City of Madness and Midlife (How to Hero at Fifty). The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe is coming, and everybody's jumping, New York to San Francisco, an intercity disco.

It's crossover time, and Paul and Al are catching up once again with Marvel's Most Wanted, who are going to learn to play nice with other comics whether they want to or not. The Nefaria Protocols play out across Thunderbolts #s 43 and 44 and Avengers #s 33 and 34, and nothing will ever be the same again! Except almost everything actually will, but look, at least we get the perils of invisible furniture, regional Inhumans and Christopher Robin's arch-enemy.

Paul and Al are back once again, and this time round they're wishing Jeff Smith well in his recovery from cardiac arrest, and gabbing about Tom Brevoot's intra-Marvel move, the upcoming Sentry, Speed Force and Spider-Man: Reign 2 series, and the strange case of the possibly disappearing IDW Originals line, as well as reviewing Uncanny Avengers and The Cull. Plus the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: it's a bit of an animal.

The mystery of Scourge deepens while Atlas gets drunk, and Paul and Al look at Thunderbolts issues 40-42 (with a brief detour into Avengers 32 for good measure) and the T-Bolts begin the twisty, turny climb towards issue 50.

Al and Paul are back with more comics chat, remembering John Romita Sr and Ian McGinty, talking about #ComicsBrokeMe, Image moving distribution to Lunar, Marvel and DC's upcoming launches and Ram V and Felipe Andrade's Rare Flavours, as well as reviewing Void Rivals and Ultimate Invasion. It's 10pm. Do you know where the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe is?