House to Astonish

It's the last day of 2015, so an end-of year wrap-up seems appropriate. It's the Homies awards, as is normal for Paul and Al at this time of year, and we're awarding all sorts of gongs and other glittering prizes to the comics, creators and stories that most impressed us this year, including totting up the results of our listener vote. Hark! as they lay a potentially surprising amount of praise at DC's door. Herald! as they try to work out what exactly is Gwenpool. Sing! as they let our central conceit slide with remarkable frequency. There's no news, reviews or Official Handbook this time round, but they've got mince pies and hot chocolate, so you never know who might come carolling. All this plus a human Jaffa Cake, Halley's clockwork comet, Jeff Lemire's Blue Tooth and Monty Python's Secret Wars.

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_140_-_Goose_and_Sprout_Risotto.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:55pm EDT

Al and Paul are back from Battlepod, with a whole bunch of comics and comics-y chat for you. They're looking at Paul Dini and Eduardo Risso's Batman OGN, Marvel's Apocalypse Wars crossover (with assorted Secret Wars dissection waffle), the Batman v Superman and Captain America: Civil War trailers and Telltale Games's upcoming Batman release, and have also got reviews of Mystery Girl and Robin War. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe - where does it go? Where does it stop? What's the sign on the lollipop?

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_139_-_In_The_Dark_Knight_Garden.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:20am EDT

It's part seven of Secret Convergence on Infinite Podcasts, and Al is joined by Elle Collins (of Into It with Elle Collins), Helena Hart (of Journey Into Misery) and Jeff Lester (of Wait, What?) to talk about the comics, characters and creators from the bottom of the barrel whom we love despite their occasionally ostensibly awful nature, those who've never had a fair shake, and those we just feel sorry for. For other episodes of Secret Convergence, and for info on the crossover and its participating podcasts, check out http://secretconvergence.tumblr.com and @scoipodcasts on Twitter.


Paul and Al have got plenty of juicy comics chat for you this time round, with discussion of Fox's two new X-Men TV shows, the upcoming Power Man & Iron Fist series, AfterShock Comics' announcement of American Monster, DC's new Wonder Woman digital series, and all the recent comings and goings on Marvel's movies and TV shows, as well as reviews of I Hate Fairyland and Uncanny Avengers. Once upon a time the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe was falling in love, now it's only falling apart, poor thing.

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_138_-_Captain_Tarzan.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:46am EDT

Al and Paul have got a slightly chunkier episode than usual for you this time round, with just over 90 minutes of chat about Batman Day, Ta-Nehisi Coates and Brian Stelfreeze's Black Panther, DC's recent cancellations (and un-cancellations), Marvel's news out of the Diamond summit (including Moon Knight, Mockingbird and Silver Surfer, along with the Master of Kung Fu omnibus news); the return of Gail Simone and Jim Calafiore's Leaving Megalopolis, and the Gambit movie's woes. They've also got a jaunt through December's solicitations and reviews of Wild's End: The Enemy Within and Exit Generation. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: it's like red but not quite.

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_137_-_Grimlockerdammerung_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:28pm EDT

Paul and Al have something of a scattershot selection of news for you this time out, with discussion of Secret Wars being extended to nine issues; the Scarlet Witch artist announcement; Mads Mikkelsen's negotiations to bring villainy to the Doctor Strange movie; the newly-announced Guardians of Infinity series; casting news for the Flash and Agents of SHIELD shows; and Superman's career as a watch thief, along with reviews of Last Days of Ant-Man and Over the Garden Wall. There goes the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, watch him as he goes.

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_136_-_Costco_Mephisto.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:07pm EDT

The world turns, a new day dawns, and there's a new episode of House to Astonish for you. Al and Paul are talking about Channing Tatum's trials and tribulations signing on the line for the Gambit film, Bluewater's ill-advised name change, Chris Pine joining the Wonder Woman movie, Marvel's newly-announced titles and the upcoming Civil War box set, and have reviews of Power Up and Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye. I never saw ya, I only heard ya, talking 'bout the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe.

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_135_-_Murderer_Things.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:47am EDT

Paul and Al are back after a slightly longer break than usual, with a massive run-through of the All-New All-Different Marvel books, the announcements out of Image Expo, DC's Convergence tie-in launches, Vertigo's new slate, IDW's surprising licensed launches and the return of Tokypop, as well as reviews of Archie, The Spire and Dungeon Fun. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe can't liiiiiiiiiive if living is without youuuuuuu.

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_134_-_Nuts_Flava.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:59am EDT

Al and Paul are back with chat about the Wicked and the Divine heading to TV, Tilda Swinton potentially joining the cast of Doctor Strange, the Lumberjanes movie landing at Fox, Stephen Amell's dalliance with WWE, Mark Paniccia's step up to X-Men senior group editor, the post-Secret Wars Marvel teasers, Brian Bendis and David Marquez's Invincible Iron Man and DC's half-page ads, along with reviews of The Covenant, Bizarro and Airboy. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe's gonna hate hate hate hate hate.

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_133_-_Uncle_Lemmys_Big_Idea.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:14pm EDT

It's a relatively quiet week for comics news, but Paul and Al have got a bit of chat for you regardless, as they look at the announcement of We(l)come Back at Boom!, the CBLDF's new "Comics Connector" programme, the cancellations and renewals of a bunch of Marvel and DC TV shows and Bill Jemas's new Ultimate imprint (now with added zombies!), and review Secret Wars and Swords of Sorrow. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe has lost its deposit.

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_132_-_Extreme_Buddhism.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:35pm EDT

Al and Paul are back (on what seems to be a three-weekly schedule, though don't go setting any recipe timers by it) with discussion of the Daredevil Netflix show - not spoilery in terms of plot details, though they do discuss tone and so on - as well as the Agents of Shield and Arrow/Flash spin-off shows, the Luke Cage showrunner, Valiant's next crossover, James Stokoe's return to Godzilla and Marvel's latest Secret Wars tie-ins. There are also review Convergence: The Question and Kaijumax. Oh well I never, was there ever a cat so magic as the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe? Mmm, probably.

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_131_-_Random_Bums.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:33pm EDT

Paul and Al have got a good solid 95 minutes of comics chat for you this time round, with (brief) discussion of last week's controversies, (less brief) chat bout Marvel's slate of books going into Secret Wars, the artistic changes on Star Wars, the new Hopeless Savages OGN, the first wave of casting for the Preacher TV show, Universal's Chrononauts deal, Oni's open submissions period and DC's returnability for their June releases, and a (very non-brief) blitz through a packed wave of solicitations. They've also got reviews of Invisible Republic and Giant Days. Give a man the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, he'll be bemused. Teach him the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe and he won't thank you for it.

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_130_-_The_Cardigan_of_Destiny.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:57pm EDT

After eight months away, Paul and Al have returned to the House, to resolve their cliffhanger. They're also here to give you their thoughts on Convergence and Secret Wars, a few of the books out of the Image Expo, Marvel and DC's upcoming movie slates and the Marvel/Kirby Settlement. They've also got reviews of Curb Stomp and Thor Annual. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe is snot about the cha-ching cha-ching, it ain't about the ba-bling ba-bling

Direct download: House_to_Astonish_129_-_What_We_Lost_In_The_Fire.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:35pm EDT

IF YOU ARE READING **** ****** ** ARE PROBABLY DEAD **** ***** ** **** * *** YOU WILL KNOW WHAT TO DO **** * ***** ** * ****** PEOPLE MUST KNOW

Direct download: The_Handbook_Tapes.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:51pm EDT

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