When Bryan Hitch took over as artist on WildStorm’s low-selling StormWatch title, writer Warren Ellis was inspired to ditch most of the characters and reinvent the book from the ground up. The resulting series, The Authority, pointed the way to the future of mainstream comic books and stands as one of the milestones marking the end of the Iron Age. It’s an important and influential comic, so we’ve invited writer and podcaster Cameron Kunzelman (last heard on our X-Men: The Animated Series episode) back to read the entire Ellis and Hitch run with us. We discuss the advent of “widescreen comics” and what it means for comic books as a medium to adopt a more cinematic storytelling language; the transition from StormWatch’s murky politics to the ends-justify-the-means justice of the Authority; and how the run attempts to comment on and close the book on the genre fiction of the 20th century.CONTENT WARNINGS: The plot and story contents of this series prompt discussions of racism, terrorism, colonialism, genocide, sexual violence, and related topics. We also talk at great length about toxic and manipulative patterns of behavior from writer Warren Ellis, as extensively detailed by his accusers at SoManyOfUs.com.Visit RangedTouch.com to listen to the podcasts Cameron co-hosts. You can also check out his book Everything Is Permitted on the Assassin’s Creed video game franchise here:https://www.upress.umn.edu/9781517914943/everything-is-permitted/Support the Iron Age of Comics and get access to bonus content at patreon.com/ironageofcomics
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Moon Knight in the Iron Age
A listener asked us some time ago if we’d consider reading some Moon Knight; instead, we read a lot of Moon Knight. We used Moon Knight Epic Collection Volume 3: Butcher’s Moon to take a broad survey of a Bronze Age character’s transition to the Iron Age. In these pages, the multiple-personalities angle of the character is de-emphasized, and multiple creative teams try to crack the character of Marc Spector in their absence. The Fist of Khonshu goes from a silver-suited urban vigilante to a supernatural avenger decked out with gold accessories, then back to a gritty and grounded international action hero (this time, with an unwanted sidekick). We’ll compare these very different iterations of the character, ask ourselves why Chuck Dixon and Sal Velluto’s take was more popular than Alan Zelenitz and Chris Warner’s, and try to figure out whether all these phases of the Moon Knight have a common denominator.Discussed in this episode: Moon Knight: Fist of Khonshu #1-6, Marc Spector: Moon Knight #1-7, plus Marvel Team-Up #144, Marvel Fanfare #30 and #38, and Solo Avengers #3Support the podcast at patreon.com/ironageofcomics and get Steven Grant-caliber bonus content on a Jake Lockley budget!
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PREVIEW: Fifth Week Bonus #12: Mike Mignola's Francis Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula
Hey, remember when they used to make official comics adaptations of major motion pictures? Hellboy auteur Mike Mignola drew one for the 1992 film Bram Stoker's Dracula! We look at this unusual gem from Topps Comics and weigh in on how the subject matter plays to Mignola's strengths and how it functions as an adaptation of the film. Plus, history and context for the novel that started it all.Listen to the rest at patreon.com/ironageofcomics$5 for this episode, or $2/month for access to all Fifth Week Bonus episodes, plus our monthly newsletter
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Ghost Rider: Danny Ketch
Ghost Rider was something of an also-ran character in the 70s and 80s, so when editor-turned-writer Howard Mackie was invited to pitch a revival in 1990, Marvel didn’t have high hopes. But, with a brand new human host created by Mackie and a gritty and powerful redesign by artist Javier Saltares, the Spirit of Vengeance soon became a massive commercial success. We figured the first Ghost Rider: Danny Ketch - Vengeance Reborn Epic Collection would be seasonally appropriate reading for Halloween, but there’s very little of the supernatural in these pages (except for the flaming-skull-headed biker himself). Instead, mysteries layered on top of mysteries are the order of the day, so your hosts will try to untangle what it all means (and whether it matters). We’ll also uncover Mackie’s personal connection to Danny Ketch’s neighborhood and debate how to pronounce "Zarathos"!Discussed in this episode: Ghost Rider #1-12, Doctor Strange #28, and selected material from Marvel Comics Presents #64-71Justin and Jim spent all their money on leather jackets covered in spikes and chains, so they don’t have any money left over to buy comics! Help them out at patreon.com/ironageofcomics
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Hellboy: Wake the Devil and Other Stories
The Halloween season is upon us again, so we’re revisiting our favorite horror hero, Mike Mignola’s Hellboy, in the next batch of adventures following his debut in ”Seed of Destruction.”We open with four short stories. In “The Wolves of St. August,” Hellboy investigates a town torn apart by werewolves and an ancient curse. Next, “The Corpse” and “The Iron Shoes” both detail conflicts with the fae folk of Ireland. Finally, we investigate the origins of Hellboy himself in “The Chained Coffin.”Then it’s onto the main attraction: “Wake the Devil,” the second Hellboy epic, which entangles the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense in a conspiracy involving a billionaire industrialist, the return of Rasputin and his Nazi cronies, a Romanian vampire, and lots more mythological monsters. Becoming a supporter of the Iron Age at patreon.com/ironageofcomics may not ward off evil spirits like actual iron, but it probably couldn’t hurt. (Supporters will also get access to more Mignola goodness in a bonus episode later this month.)
A critical re-evaluation of comic books from about 1985 to 2000… including, of course, the boom and bust of the '90s! Go beyond the chromium covers and grim 'n' gritty cliches for a deeper look at one of the most divisive periods in comics history. Hosts Justin Zyduck and Jim Cannon share context, commentary, and a few laughs on the first and third Wednesdays of each month.
New Zealand