As Brother Bryan is sequestered on the job, Billy Z and Justin start the show off with a terrific interview with writer Clifford Meth. Cliff has compiled a series of his past columns about the comic book industry into Comic Book Babylon, out now from Aardwolf Publishing. Cliff takes us through his history in comics and his advocacy for creators rights, why he decided to put together Comic Book Babylon and where he thinks the industry is at today.  Dave Cockrum, Gene Colan, Stan Lee, Neal Adams, Harlan Ellison and many other figures work their way in and out of our conversation. Cliff also discusses what's coming up from Aardwolf Publishing, the continuing sale of Dave Cockrum's comic book collection and hella more!

The show wraps up with a discussion about comic books that were cancelled before their time in light of the recent New 52 cancellations from DC. Listen in as the bear boys offer up their picks for brilliant-but-cancelled books which had the axe fall on them way too soon such as Captain Britain and MI-13, Agents of Atlas, Fearless Defenders, O.M.A.C., The Thing, The New Invaders and more.

Links to Clifford Meth's work

http://thecliffordmethod.blogspot.com/

http://aardwolfpublishing.com

And if when you buy Comic Book Babylon, make sure you purchase it directly from Aardwolf!

And because we love you, here is the full episode breakdown -

Intro - "Where You Get Love" - Matthew Sweet

1:11 - Introducing Clifford Meth and what Comic Book Babylon is all about

2:41 - Clifford's first comic book experiences

4:18 - Cliff's original art collection

5:19 - The inspiration behind putting together Comic Book Babylon and the pitfalls of creators from the Silver and Bronze Age

15:37 - Harlan Ellison and Neal Adams

18:53 - Dave Cockrum and Gene Colan

27:57 - Artists who have had 2nd or 3rd "acts"

31:43 - Where Clifford thinks the comic book market is at and how the industry has changed

36:90 - Aardwolf Publishing

41:29 - Selling Dave Cockrum's comic book collection

45:38 - Creator credits, Stan Lee and more

1:02:39 - DC Cancels six New 52 titles and comic books that died before their time

1:06:54 - Captain Britain and MI-13

1:09:13 - The New Invaders

1:12:00 - Agents of Atlas

1:16:03 - Justice Society of America (1992)

1:19:49 - Fearless Defenders 

1:23:05 - The Thing

1:24:10 - O.M.A.C.

1:27:40 - Man-Bat

1:34:01 - The Woofs of the Week

Outro - The Zombies - "Care of Cell 44"

Bill Zanowitz and Rob Staeger return to cover T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #2, cover dated February 1966.  Hear all about the terror that is Dynavac, a big reveal about The Warlord, Dynamo's love interest, Mr. Fong, the Junior T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, NoMan's cloak in Newfoundland, and the best mutated fish-man of all time! All that plus Thundercorn, Rob's wife Kathy makes a brief cameo appearance and we let you know what you should ask Rob Liefeld to sketch.

The Comic Book Bears are very pleased to welcome Kyle Schmidt to the show for the first time!  Kyle is the comic book editor at Milwaukee’s Crimespree Magazine. Both Kyle and Billy Z attended the C2E2 convention in Chicago recently and they both recount their con experiences.  Billy also talks about the Batman at 75 program at the Paley Center in NYC that he went to.  After that the bears all join in for some Free Comic Book Day and Amazing Spider-Man 2 movie talk. Then they shift over to current comics talk, hitting on DC’s Future’s End, Shutter from Image, Batman: Eternal, Southern Bastards #1, Cyclops #1, Amazing Spider-Man #s 1 and 1.1 and Dan Slott, Black Science, Rick Remender, Original Sin, Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man , Stormwatch #30, Secret Origins #1 and lots more.  The show is end capped as always with our Woofs of the Week.

Also this episode marks the first of our Semi-Annual Bob Joy Drinking Game episodes! Take a shot every time you hear us bring up Bob Joy. Follow this instruction and you will be hammered by the end of the ep!

Intro – Matthew Sweet – “Where You Get Love”

0:00:25 – Bears Intro and Welcome Guest Kyle Schmidt

0:03:53 – Kyle’s Experiences and Interviews at C2E2 and Crimespree Magazine

0:09:02 – Billy’s Experiences at C2E2

0:17:51 – Billy at the Batman at 75 Program at the Paley Center in NYC

0:20:26 – The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Movie Talk

0:37:40 – Free Comic Book Day

0:51:58 - DC’s Future’s End and other FCBD books

1:09:13 – New comic talk starts off with Shutter (Image), Rachel Rising/Strangers in Paradise, Ms. Marvel

1:16:04 – Batman: Eternal, Southern Bastards #1, Cyclops #1

1:26:00 - Amazing Spider-Man #s 1 and 1.1 and Dan Slott

1:36:00 – Black Science, Rick Remender, Uncanny Avengers

1:44:37 – Original Sin and Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man #1

1:55:00 –Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

1:58:36 – Stormwatch #30 and Secret Origins #1

2:01:32 – The Woofs of the Week

Outro – Jethro Tull – “Hymn 43”