House to Astonish

It's Al and Paul's last episode before their hiatus, and they're talking about Bob Kane's Hollywood Walk of Fame star, DC's new creator royalties structure, Warren Simons's promotion to Editor-in-Chief at Valiant, Elden Henson and Rosario Dawson joining the cast of Daredevil and the latest developments in the Kirby estate case, along with reviews of Outcast, Superman and New Avengers Annual. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe found love in a hopeless place, and a spoon in the knife drawer.

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_128_-_Stupid_Tales.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:34am EDT

Back to recording without an audience, as Paul and Al talk about the creative changes on Moon Knight, the Edge of Spider-Verse miniseries, the new Deathlok ongoing, the Hawkeye v Deadpool mini (and the numbering thereof), DC's upcoming slate of movies, directorial news for both Ant-Man and Doctor Strange, the casting of the Kingpin, CB Cebulski and Jeanine Schaefer's career moves and ReedPop's Super Week. Theye've also got reviews of Armor Hunters, Infinity Man and the Forever People and... um... Angry Birds. Where does the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe go to my lovely, when it's alone in its bed?

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_127_-_Cummerbund_Bandersnatch.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:45am EDT

It's been a long time coming, but here it is - House to Astonish Live, recorded at the City Cafe, Edinburgh in aid of Alzheimer Scotland. Al and Paul are discussing the departures at Marvel Studios, the fallout from the Graphic.ly closure, the cancellation of Iron Patriot and the upcoming Avengers event. They've also got an interview with a comics legend, a live reenactment of scenes from a truly terrible recent comic. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe - the other white meat.

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_Live_On_Fire_On_Ice.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:55am EDT

It's Paul and Al's last episode before their big live show (which, in case you've missed their many, many reminders about it, is on May 31 at the City Cafe in Edinburgh, with tickets on sale now for £12 and granting you entry to the live podcast, a buffet and the House to Astonish Comics Quiz, where there are bags of prizes to be won). They're talking about Superior Spider-Man issues 32 and 33, Steven T Seagle and Mark Dos Santos's Imperial, the new movie Batman costume, the trailers for Constantine and The Flash and the general state of the comics TV union for 2014/2015, and reviewing Original Sin, Justice League United and United States of Murder, Inc. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe can't dance, The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe can't talk, only thing about it is the way it walks.

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_126_-_Abandoned_Pantones.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:58pm EDT

Happy Free Comic Book Day! Al and Paul have got over an hour and a half of discussion for you, talking about FCBD itself, the sad passing of Al Feldstein, the changes to the Comixology app, the news from C2E2 (including the death of Wolverine, the Tenth Realm storyline, the new Storm and Star-Lord ongoing series, the 100th Anniversary issues from Marvel, the revival of Dark Horse Presents and the Young Guns 2 initiative) and the Chew animated movie, along with reviews of Southern Bastards, Batgirl Annual and Amazing Spider-Man. Life is like a hurricane, here in the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe.

Don't forget to pick up your tickets for the House to Astonish Live show in Edinburgh on May 31!

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_125_-_Even_A_Waffle_Iron_Can_Cry.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:34am EDT

Paul and Al are back with another 90 minutes of comics chat, discussing Amazon's purchase of Comixology, the launches of Grayson, Multiversity and Earth 2: World's End, and Warren Ellis's relaunch of the Project: Superpowers universe, and presenting reviews of Skinned, Batman: Eternal and Transformers: Windblade. Westley, what about the OHOTOHOTMU? Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe? I don't think they exist.

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_124_-_Gas_a_Fish_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:30am EDT

Al and Paul make the most of a quiet but spider-heavy couple of weeks, with discussion of Original Sin 3.1-3.4, Original Sins, Spider-Man 2099, Spider-Verse and Amazing Spider-Man's huge preorders, along with Grant Morrison and Rian Hughes' new comic for the BBC and Vertigo's new detective series Bodies. There are also reviews of Inhuman, Aquaman and the Others and Dead Letters (with some spoilers). Sometimes the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe shines on unkind people.

Don't forget that House to Astonish Live is taking place in Edinburgh on May 31; tickets are available at http://housetoastonishlive.brownpapertickets.com, with all profits going to Alzheimer Scotland.

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_123_-_The_Space_Year_2013.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:26am EDT

Paul and Al have got a whole load of great chat for you this time round, with discussion of DC's top brass moving to California, Oni press's upcoming projects, the Harley Quinn SDCC one-shot and the new Star-Spangled War Stories series, as well as the June solicitations and reviews of Daredevil, Sovereign and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. There's also a big announcement about House to Astonish's most ambitious project to date. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe is like red but not quite.

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_122_-_Michelin_Pentagram.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:11am EDT

Al and Paul have a juicy hour and a quarter of comics chat for you, with talk about the Comixology hack; Archie's new CCO (and new writer); Boom!'s new director and their Big Trouble in Little China series; the IDW Cartoon Network crossover; the new writers of Thunderbolts; Gail Simone and Jim Calafiore's Leaving Megalopolis moving to Dark Horse; Titan's new Doctor Who ongoing series; Skottie Young's Rocket Raccoon; the Stan & Sharon Sakai benefit auctions and Eric Stephenson's speech to ComicsPRO, along with reviews of Moon Knight, Evil Empire and The Auteur. If you were the only girl in the world, and I were the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, you'd be very unlucky.

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_121_-_Aptain_Camerica.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:08am EDT

It's a big week for movie news, as Paul and Al look at the Guardians of the Galaxy trailer, the potential Black Widow movie and the Fantastic Four casting, as well as ReedPop's new New York convention and the May solicitations (no, they didn't do Dark Horse, but you could probably write those yourself), as well as reviewing Undertow, New Warriors and Loki: Ragnarok and Roll. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe! It's the modern power that can save the day!

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_120_-_Mr_Trousers.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:21am EDT

Hot on the heels of their special episode on CHIKARA Pro, Al and Paul are back with a regular hour-and-a-bit of comics chat. They're talking about Mike Marts and Nick Lowe's editorial moves, the new creative team on Superman, the Chew/Revival crossover, the Preacher TV show and various bits of comics movie casting, and they've also got reviews of Turok: Dinosaur Hunter, Ms Marvel and Batman: Joker's Daughter. Theorising that one could time travel within his own lifetime, The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe stepped into the Quantum Leap accelerator... and vanished.

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_119_-_Artisan_Menhir.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:40am EDT

This time round, Al and Paul are discussing Marvel's announcements, including a variety of new series, the relaunch of the Ultimate books, and... something to do with Spider-Man? They're also looking at Lex Luthor taking the reins of the Justice League, DC's second Aquaman series, and the Vertigo anthology CMYK, and whizzing through all of the announcements coming out of the Image Expo, as well as reviewing Black Widow, Black Dynamite and EGOs. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe is no competitive eater, just a regular guy with a serious appetite.

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_118_-_LoveC.A.T.S..mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:44pm EDT

Welcome to 2014, a shiny new year of comics, and what better way to see out 2013 than to look back at the best it had to offer? Paul and Al are naming their picks in a variety of categories, with the result of the listener vote also being revealed. They've also got a little news, regarding Star Wars moving to Marvel, Jim Starlin's new Thanos graphic novel and Deadpool's wedding celebration, but the emphasis is on the Homies as they hand out the gongs... or rather, have to watch them being handed out. There's the best new series, best actually new series, pleasant surprises, cliffhangers and outstanding achievements, among others, so please do join the guys for a night of glittering prizes.

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_117_-_Inspector_Force.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:51am EDT

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