House to Astonish

Happy new year from the House to Astonish, as Paul and Al are joined by games blogger Cara Ellison to talk about the big news stories of 2011, as well as some of their favourite comics of the past 12 months. Also featuring the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe - soft, strong, and about ten minutes long.

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_75_-_Strictly_Come_Stabbing.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:17pm EDT

Paul and Al have a great episode for you this time out, with news on the passing of Jerry Robinson, the continuing New 52 creative reshuffle, the Kickstarter success of Ashes, the upcoming Marvel crossover event and Brian Michael Bendis's move off the Avengers titles, as well as reviews of Valen the Outcast, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents and The Defenders. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe is going to be coming down your chimney very soon, so for your sake we'd advise getting some firewood gathered.

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_74_-_Fantasy_Liechtenstein.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:57pm EDT

House to Astonish - Episode 73 - 500 Greys Or Summers

Al and Paul have got a bit of an epic for you this time round, with their longest ever episode. There's discussion of the Marvel cancellation wave, the Booster Gold TV show, Image Comics' convention and Ron Marz's move off Voodoo, as well as a run through the solicitations. They've also got reviews of Fantastic Four and Mudman as well as interviews with Nick Spencer, Stephen Wacker and Kieron Gillen recorded at Leeds's Thought Bubble convention. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: THREAT OR MENACE?

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_73_-_500_Greys_Or_Summers.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:43am EDT

House to Astonish - Episode 72 - Broken Biscuits

Three years in and we're still going strong, with news on the passing of Mick Anglo, the October sales charts, DC's collections plan, Marvel's rollout of bagged digital codes, the early online leak of Incredible Hulk issue 2,  Jim Mahfood's Tank Girl OGN, the Spider-Man musical's continued injury woes and the one-dollar Wasteland promotion. We've also got reviews of The Occultist, Uncanny X-Men and Heart. The greatest trick the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe ever pulled was convincing people it didn't exist (the second greatest was that one with the seemingly linked metal rings).

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_72_-_Broken_Biscuits.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:41am EDT

Al and Paul have got plenty of comics-related chat for you this time round, looking at Mark Millar's big announcements, the Avenging Spider-Man digital promotion, Criminal moving to the big screen, Marvel's lay-offs, FOX's Punisher and the January solicitations, along with reviews of Incredible Hulk, Dead Man's Run and Spaceman. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe - how does it work?

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_71_-_Crap_Lieutenant.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:29am EDT

Paul and Al have all the news you need (and some you don't) from NYCC this time round, as well as reviews of The Shade, The Strange Talent of Luther Strode and Power Play. Who was that masked man? Oh, it's just the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe. Never mind.

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_70_-_Occupy_The_Dark_Dimension.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:45pm EDT

Al and Paul bring you more comics-based banter, looking at December's solicitations, DC on the Kindle Fire, George Perez leaving Superman, the CBLDF's ironic purchases, Marvel's Point One promos and Albert Uderzo retiring from Asterix, as well as reviews of Aquaman, Near Death and Brilliant. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe - smarter than the average bear, particularly as bears are kind of dim.

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_69_-_Smoking_a_Toothbrush.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:47am EDT

Paul and Al have got a whole load of chat on the good and bad press DC have received over the New 52, John Rozum leaving Static Shock, the Amanda Waller controversy, the announcement of Avengers: X-Sanction, the Spectre TV show and the opening of Little Island Comics, along with reviews of Pigs, Ultimate Comics Spider-Man and Demon Knights. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe is on the move, the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe is loose!

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_68_-_Evil_Footballs.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:20am EDT

Al and Paul are back, with discussion of the New 52's sales, the Deadman TV series and the solicitations for November, plus reviews of Secret Avengers, Angel & Faith and a little book called Justice League. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe - Never Knowingly Understated.

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_67_-_The_Element_Of_Confusion.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:54pm EDT

This is where we find out if our RSS feed switchover has gone ahead. Don't mind us. Go about your day.

Direct download: The_Moment_Of_Truth.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:18pm EDT

Slightly early this time round, Paul and Al have got a solid hour of chat for you, with discussions of Miles Morales, Laurence Fishburne being cast as Perry White, the Superman and Catwoman costume shots, the relaunch/returns of Fantastic Four and Astro City and DC's licensed books going digital-only. We've also got reviews of Severed, Mystic and Spider-Island: Cloak & Dagger. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe - The Best A Man Can Get.
Direct download: 2011-08-12T17_14_06-07_00.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 5:12pm EDT

Paul and Al have got a wrap-up of the news from SDCC for you, with plenty of chat about Brian K Vaughan and Fiona Staples' Saga, the new Fables series, Roman Dirge's putative Lenore movie, The Sixth Gun moving to SyFy, a big round-up of Marvel-related announcements and the summary judgements in the Kirby estate lawsuit. The guys are also reviewing Amazing Spider-Man, Daredevil and Our Love Is Real, and you knew the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe was a snake before you brought it in.
Direct download: 2011-07-30T05_26_37-07_00.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 8:14am EDT

Al and Paul are back, with chat on DC's fill-in creators, Marvel's New Stores initiative, Diamond Digital and the end of the Xeric grant, as well as reviews of All Nighter, X-Men: Schism and The Red Wing. I say I say I say, the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe has no nose! How does it smell? Sort of papery.
Direct download: 2011-07-18T14_37_10-07_00.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 4:58pm EDT

A fallow few weeks for comics means that Paul and Al have decided to skip reviewing books this time round, but there's plenty of chat to make up for it. Topics covered include the sad passing of Gene Colan, the Avenging Spider-Man, the Green Lantern movie and DC's wider approach to films, the comics industry's move to digital, the UK newsstand scene and lots more. If you stay perfectly still, the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe won't eat you.
Direct download: 2011-07-02T06_31_56-07_00.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 8:28am EDT

Al and Paul are back with a look at Frank Miller's Holy Terror, the X-Men cancellation and relaunch, the opening of the Spider-Man musical and the solicitations for September (including a look at all 52 DC launches). There are also reviews of 15 Love, Graveyard of Empires and Kirby Genesis. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe has come to kick ass and chew bubblegum, and is all out of ass.
Direct download: 2011-06-18T06_31_28-07_00.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 9:14am EDT

Paul and Al have got a lot to say about DC's big announcements, as well as about Dark Horse's digital retailer incentives and the return of Valiant, and they've got reviews of Criminal: Last Of The Innocent, Secret Seven and 50 Girls 50 too. Give me an O! Give me an F! Give me another F! Give me a... yeah, we don't have time for this. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe is in this episode too.
Direct download: 2011-06-04T08_26_09-07_00.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 10:19am EDT

Al and Paul have a bumper episode for you this time round, with discussion of Tr!ckster and the return of Kramer's Ergot as well as a round-up of the solicitations, and reviews of Flashpoint, Alpha Flight and Nonplayer. What evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe knows.
Direct download: 2011-05-21T07_49_49-07_00.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 10:36am EDT

Paul and Al are back on schedule, with news and discussion of Free Comic Book Day, the release of the Thor movie and Marvel's future filmic plans, Rise of Arsenal's surprising PRISM award win, Mike Cotton leaving Wizard, Tokyopop's rights issues and the Ultimate line relaunch. We've also got reviews of Moon Knight, Gladstone's School for World Conquerors and Spontaneous. This podcast contains scenes of mild Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe.
Direct download: 2011-05-07T09_42_40-07_00.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 12:17pm EDT

Al and Paul are back from their short break, and bring you discussion of the Tokyopop close, the Dark Horse layoffs, Marvel and Boom!'s licensing interactions and Greg Capullo's move to Batman, as well as reviews of Journey Into Mystery, Butcher Baker and Super Dinosaur. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe is drunk and annoying and is wearing a lampshade on its head. What an idiot.
Direct download: 2011-04-25T06_44_23-07_00.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 8:22am EDT

Paul and Al have got all the news that's fit to banter about in this episode, with discussion of the new creative teams on Daredevil and Punisher, Bendis and Bagley's Brilliant, Starbucks' partnership with Marvel and Chew being picked up by Showtime, as well as a run through the solicitations and reviews of Xombi, FF and Green Lantern. If you go down to the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise, because the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe will drop out of a tree onto your head.
Direct download: 2011-03-26T12_30_31-07_00.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 2:45pm EDT

Al and Paul are a couple of days late, but they've got all the usual news and reviews - Julie Taymor's exit from the Spider-Man musical, Robert Kirkman and Rob Liefeld's new book, Jeff Smith's Rasl heading to the movies and Roger Langridge's Muppets in limbo, as well as reviews of Sigil, Venom and Sarah Palin vs The World. You don't pull the mask off the old Lone Ranger and you don't mess around with The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe.
Direct download: 2011-03-14T13_40_59-07_00.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 4:30pm EDT

Paul and Al are back after their break with chat about Marvel's plans for Pixar and their Big Shots initiative, Boom! Kids' rebranding, Telltale's new comics-based games, the Powers TV show, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa's work on the Spider-Man musical and the cancellation of the First Wave line, and a few words on the sad loss of Dwayne McDuffie. There are also reviews of The Mission, Superman/Batman and Iron Man 2.0, and it looks like someone left the door open all night and the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe has got in again.
Direct download: 2011-02-26T09_39_09-08_00.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 12:12pm EDT

Al and Paul are about to take a short hiatus, so here's an extra episode of House to Astonish to tide you through the next month. There's chat on the closure of Wizard and ToyFare and the launch of Wizard World, David E. Kelley's Wonder Woman, the death of the Comics Code Authority, a run through April's solicitations and some clearly-walled-off spoilery chat about the big Fantastic Four death. No reviews this time round, but there's an instalment of the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe to make it up to you. Now they just need to think of some way to make it up to you for giving you that.
Direct download: 2011-01-25T14_37_16-08_00.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 5:14pm EDT

Paul and Al welcome the new year with discussion of the recent editorial shake-up at Marvel, the Flex Mentallo collection and the new cinematic costumes for Spider-Man and Captain America, and review Who Is Jake Ellis?, Deadpool Team-Up and Weird Worlds. There's also and instalment of the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, and you can discuss among yourselves whose fault that is.
Direct download: 2011-01-16T07_24_55-08_00.mp3
Category: -- posted at: 10:04am EDT

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