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Mar 3

House to Astonish Presents: The Lightning Round Episode 24

Posted on Monday, March 3, 2025 by Al in Podcast

We’re back in re-reading mode this time round, and we’re taking a look at Thunderbolts issues 60-62, as Marvel’s Most Wanted put the T in both TBolts and Teleported To counTer-earTh. What will our heroes do when confronted by the planet of doomed NPCs? What is the dark secret of Fixer’s terrible Tamagotchi? And how do power-dampening manacles work when your power is “big teeth”? All this and definitely some more, Thunderbuddies!

(We should have called this podcast Thunderstudies, shouldn’t we? Ah well.)

The episode is here, or available via the embedded player below. Let us know what you think, in the comments, via email, or over on Bluesky. And if you want a House to Astonish t-shirt that will make you look cool and keep you warm, then that’s a helluva coincidence, because we’ve got you sorted.

Jan 21

House to Astonish Episode 211

Posted on Tuesday, January 21, 2025 by Al in Podcast

And so this is January, and what have you done? Another year over, a new one begun about three weeks ago. It’s not the most topical of year in review shows, but we have once more brought you our pick of 2024 in the world of comics, as we name the books that turned our heads over the past 12 months, with bonus contributions from you, the good people of the comments section, in what we could only call… The Homies (largely because that’s what we’ve been calling it for the past decade and a bit)

The episode is here, or available via the embedded player below. Let us know what you think, either in the comments, on Bluesky, via email or on our Facebook fan page. And why not buy one of our lovely t-shirts? No but, like, why not? Be more constructive with your feedback, please.

 

Dec 21

The Homies 2024

Posted on Saturday, December 21, 2024 by Al in Podcast

Snow is falling all around me, children playing, having fun. ‘Tis the season for end-of-year best-of lists – it’s the Homies, everyone!

As always, we want to hear from you about what you dug this year. As with last year, rather than give you a long list of categories, we’re concentrating on the comics we read that really did it for us. We simply want you to tell us:

What was the best comic you read all year, and why?

It could be a new release, it could be a relaunch, it could be another great year for a reliable ongoing. It could be a majestic miniseries or a great graphic novel, an incredible indie or a brilliant Big Two book. We’ll be reading them out on the show, so let us know what you dug and what about it made it so special for you.

This worked really well last year so we’re massively looking forward to finding out what you’ve enjoyed this year. Lay it on us!

Dec 19

House to Astonish Presents: The Lightning Round Episode 23

Posted on Thursday, December 19, 2024 by Al in Podcast

We had to get there eventually. We’re biting the bullet and tackling Citizen V and the V Battalion: The Everlasting #1-4, the second (in any sense you care to choose) miniseries starring everyone’s least favourite patriotic superhero. We did it so you don’t have to, so the least you can do is listen to us suffer through it. Better issues next time, I promise.

And in case you’re wondering about the Homies, it’s coming! Tune in tomorrow!

The podcast is here, or available via the embedded player below. Let us know what you think in the comments, on Bluesky, via email or on our Facebook fan page. Get yourself a little Christmas present while you’re up and about, over on our Redbubble store, why don’t you?

 

Oct 22

House to Astonish Episode 210

Posted on Tuesday, October 22, 2024 by Al in Podcast

Another episode, another convention to bring you all the news from! This time round, Paul and I are talking about the return of Vertigo (with a detour into the state of Marvel’s Red Band), the launch of the Marvel Premiere Collection, Hush 2, Absolute Flash, Martian Manhunter and Green LanternRise of Emperor Doom, IDW’s new logo and IDW Dark line, Andy Khouri becoming TMNT editor, and a multitude of Godzilla series. We’ve also got reviews of Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu and Batman & Robin Year One, and the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe introduces The Picture of Dorian Hay. All this plus the continuity links between Pride and Prejudice and Pilgrim’s Progress, Jack Kirby as a hologram AI NFT, and Adventures Of Weird You Know That Sort Of Thing.

The episode is here, or available via the embedded player below. Let us know what you think, in the comments, on Bluesky, via email or on our Facebook fan page. And T-shirts? Do we have T-shirts for you! Sorry, I mean, do we have T-shirts for you? I think yes, we do.

Sep 14

House to Astonish Presents: The Lightning Round Episode 22

Posted on Saturday, September 14, 2024 by Al in Podcast

It’s time to chew over a big beatdown bonanza as we look at the climactic clash between the Tbolts and Graviton in Thunderbolts issues 56-58, and take the time to say goodbye to Marvel’s breakout character of 1998. Then it’s time for something completely different, as one of the least fondly remembered gimmicks of the Bill Jemas era rears its very quiet head in issue 59.

The episode is here, or available via the embedded player below. Let us know what you think, in the comments, on Bluesky, via email or on our Facebook fan page. And have you seen those new clothes the Emperor is wearing? They’re absolutely rubbish compared to a House to Astonish t-shirt.

Aug 19

House to Astonish Episode 209

Posted on Monday, August 19, 2024 by Al in Podcast

There’s a bunch of news out of San Diego Comic Con, and you can hear what we think about it all here! And now! If you like! We’re chatting about Black Canary: Best of the Best, The Question: All Along The Watchtower, Batgirl, New Gods, JSA, Hellverine, West Coast Avengers, Laura Kinney: The Wolverine, Psylocke and Lower Decks, plus the announcement of Amazing Comics. We’ve also got reviews of S.I.R. and Iron Fist 50th Anniversary Special, and the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe is the ultimate helicopter parent. All this plus Batman’s least deranged friends, Tony Hawks singing a Marvel comic and a different sort of arsehole.

The podcast is here, or available via the embedded player below. Let us know what you think, in the comments, on Bluesky, via email or on our Facebook fan page. And wait… what year is this? 2024, you say? My God… then it’s not too late… for you to get yourself a great House to Astonish t-shirt over at our Redbubble store!

Jul 23

House to Astonish Presents: The Lightning Round Episode 21

Posted on Tuesday, July 23, 2024 by Al in Podcast

Who is Humus Sapien? If you don’t know, we can help you with that! We’re covering issues 53-55 of Thunderbolts vol. 1, as Charcoal’s dad makes his dazzling debut and we meet the winner of the 1973 F.O.O.M. Magazine Create A Marvel Character contest! There’s people dying of asterisks and a krill-filled moustache! Comics!

The episode is here, or available via the player below. Let us know what you think, in the comments below, on Bluesky, via email or on our Facebook fan page. And you can get a very handsome House to Astonish t-shirt over here, in this other bit of the internet.

Jun 23

House to Astonish Episode 208

Posted on Sunday, June 23, 2024 by Al in Podcast

It’s been a few weeks, but we’re back, and we’ve got a full basket of comics news which we’re dispensing left, right and centre. This time round, we’re remembering Don Perlin and Peter B. Gillis, looking at Jeff Lemire’s Minor Arcana, the finales of Jupiter’s Legacy and Marvel’s Star Wars, and the new Blade: Red Band mini, chatting through the ends of Zeb Wells and John Romita Jr’s run on Amazing Spider-Man and Joshua Williamson’s runs on Green Arrow and Batman and Robin, and drawing your attention to the Wicked & the Divine‘s covers collection Kickstarter. We’ve also got reviews of Destro and Self-Help, and the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe belongs in a museum. All this plus Blade: Special Vampires Unit, an alien goth and Spider-Man’s 1980s toy restoration hobby.

The episode is here, or available via the embedded player below. Let us know what you think, in the comments, on Bluesky, via email or on our Facebook fan page. And if you don’t have a House to Astonish t-shirt by now, then God, Jed, I don’t even wanna know you.

May 13

House to Astonish Presents: The Lightning Round Episode 20

Posted on Monday, May 13, 2024 by Al in Podcast

And now for something… slightly different. This time round, we’re stepping beyond the bounds of the regular Thunderbolts title to look at the 2001 miniseries Citizen V and the V-Battalion, with chat about two-fisted journalist Jim Daring, HR disasters and the horniest comics in Marvel history.

The podcast is here, or available via the embedded player below. Let us know what you think, in the comments below, via email, on Bluesky or on our Facebook fan page, and if you haven’t got a House to Astonish t-shirt, why not treat yourself? You deserve it.