Following the events of "Blood Hunt", The Marvel Comics Universe has been reshaped by the shock-and-awe assault on global power of Earth's new Sorcerer Supreme - Doctor Doom! In this episode, we're covering the highly anticipated "One World Under Doom" event. We start by recapping the crucial storylines from Ryan North's amazing Fantastic Four that led to this moment, then delve into the first issue, analyzing its key moments and speculating on what's to come. Whether you're a fan of epic Marvel crossover events, or you're just looking to keep current on what's happening in the Marvel U, this episode is for you! 

Sometimes the best podcasts happen on the spur of the moment! This week, we're ditching the script, and I'm chatting with Jeff about his passion for Mego action figures. From superhero classics to sci-fi gems, Jeff shares his collecting journey and drops some fascinating bits of Mego history. Tune in for Part 1 of this impromptu Mego-mania! 

In this special episode, we're celebrating the start of football season with a Fantasy X-Men draft! Two die-hard Marvel fans battle it out, using their encyclopedic knowledge to build the ultimate mutant teams. Who is the consensus #1 pick? Who's got the inside scoop on lesser-known heroes as sleeper picks? Tune in for laughs, friendly rivalry, and all the X-Men action you can handle!

With the end of the "Krakoan Age" in Marvel Comics, we invite you to embark on an epic journey into the groundbreaking series where it all began, "House of X" and "Powers of X"!Before we launch our recap of the series, with notes and commentary to guide casual comics readers through the complex storyline, this introductory episode lays the groundwork for new and returning X-Men fans alike.We'll discuss the state of the X-Men universe before Jonathan Hickman's arrival, exploring pivotal storylines and creative teams that paved the way. You'll learn about the unique dual narrative structure of "House of X" and "Powers of X," and how to approach reading these intertwined stories.Whether you're a longtime mutant enthusiast or just curious about the hype, if you want to begin unraveling the last FIVE years of X-Men comics, this podcast is your essential guide to understanding the seismic shift that redefined the X-Men. Join us for an introduction to the key concepts, characters, and controversies that will help make "House of X" and "Powers of X" more enjoyable for casual readers.And, if you're interested in what you hear, please stick around for our future podcasts recapping these first key stories in the X-Men Krakoan Age.

 Calling all X-Men fans! Join Joe and Erik as they delve into the exciting new Disney+ series, X-Men '97. This show isn't just a reboot of the classic 90's cartoon; it's a direct continuation, bursting with the same action, heart, and iconic animation style with a fresh update.We'll explore the legacy of the original series and how X-Men '97 picks up the story.  And, of course, no X-Men adventure is complete without the roster of heroes. We'll meet (or reacquaint ourselves with) Cyclops, Jean Grey, Storm, Wolverine, Rogue, Beast, and more.Want to delve deeper after the episode? We'll point you to other X-Men media you might enjoy, from comics for new readers to classic storylines that inspired the show. 

Wolverine's on a mission of love and vengeance. He hunts for his lost flame Mariko, only to find her caught in a web of Yakuza power plays and ninja intrigue. Fists fly, blades clash, and sparks ignite with the deadly assassin Yukio. Can Logan navigate a foreign underworld, tame his berserker rage, and rescue Mariko before it's too late? Prepare for a whirlwind of romance, betrayal, and savage action in this iconic story that forged Wolverine's legend!In addition, we test the hosts' knowledge of this classic Marvel character with a super-quiz.

Step into the wayback portal with us as we go back to 1982 and revisit the four-issue Marvel mini-series "Hercules: Prince of Power". Hercules lived mostly on the margins of the Marvel universe, but he (and the Greek Pantheon) get a fun and funny showcase in this series that sees the Lion of Olympus exiled from his home... into space?This era of Marvel comics was a formative time in the industry and the Hecules mini-series is just one of many from the decade that spotlights the fun and accessibility that was threaded through comics at the time. Reviewing "Hercules: Prince of Power" (1982) #1-4Writing and Art: Bob Layton

It's the most wonderful time of the year - we're reading holiday comics from the Distinguished Competition (DC Comics)We've got anthologies, we've got one-off specials starring Plastic Man (of all heroes), and a surprising holiday special from December 2023 that turned out to NOT be a one-shot.We've got:JLA # 60 by Mark Waid and Cliff RathburnDCU Infinite Holiday Special by Bill Willingham, Joe Kelly, Kelley Puckett, Tony Bedard, Greg RuckaBatman / Santa Claus: Silent Knight by Jeff Parker and Michelle BandiniPlus, all our Christmas wishes for the DC universe for 2024!

In this mildly spooky episode, we're catching up on Season 2 of the Disney+ Series "Loki"And, we've got reviews of a couple of NEW Marvel titles:Werewolf by Night #1 (2023) - DEREK LANDY (W) • FRAN GALÁN (A) Spine Tingling Spiderman #1 -  SALADIN AHMED (W) • JUAN FERREYRA (A) 

Join me with special guest host Erik Hale as we get ready for Halloween by revisiting the Marvel monster-verse, exploring BLADE: The Vampire HunterWe're covering Blade Comics spanning three distinct eras:Tomb of Dracula #10 (1973) - Blade's first, groundbreaking appearanceBlade: Sins of the Father #1 (1998) - Classic 90s Marvel movie tie-inBlade #1 (2023) - The new adventures of Blade in Marvel comicsAnd, Erik discusses his new novel "All the Brittle Pieces", the first book in the Forgotten Child series. You can find Erik (and his book) online at erikkhale.com

With football season comes fantast football. And - at the Casual Comics Cast - a Fantasy Avengers Draft. Listen in as we get a scenario for the Avengers to tackle and draft our fantasy Avengers Teams.Who drafted the better team? Listen in and let us know!Plus, we discuss the new Fantastic Four series from Ryan North - a great place for new comic fans to jump in and catch up on Marvel's First Family. And, we review the first issue of Marvel's X-Men crossover event, "Sins of Sinister". 

In this installment, we're talking:Trailer for Kraven: The HunterReview of Spider-man: Across the Spider-VerseComic Review of the latest Guardians of the Galaxy series from MarvelAnd, more of the other stuff you've come to know and love.

With The Flash zooming into cinemas, it's our last chance to discuss our hopes, fears, and other expectations for the last pre-James Gunn film in the DC movie universe. And, we've already covered a few Supergirl comics, but in anticipation of the film, we're going back in time to read and review some Supergirl comics from DC comics history.

Available to stream now, Evil Dead Rise continues the franchise in new - and sometimes refreshing - ways. Here are our thoughts on this spook-fest from director Lee Cronin and  executive producers Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell.Plus, we talk comics based on movies, including "Death to Army of Darkness" and "Spinal Tap". 

It's crazy to think that it was almost 10 years ago that director James Gunn introduced audiences to Rocket, Groot, Star Lord, and the rest of the Guardians crew. This found family has had a profound impact on the MCU - and on the hearts and minds of fans everywhere.Now, the Guardians of the Galaxy story comes to a close with "Guardians of the Galaxy 3" - a two-and-a-half hour love letter to misfits everywhere.Join us for a discussion of the movie, as well as of our favorite Marvel "trilogies" to-date. 

“All it takes is one bad day to reduce the sanest man alive to lunacy. That's how far the world is from where I am. Just one bad day.” Those immortal words were spoken by The Joker in 1988’s classic Batman one-shot, The Killing Joke. Now, Batman fans can experience new tales of classic Batman villains as each of them relives their own ONE BAD DAY. On this episode, we're covering three books in the recent "One Bad Day" series. 

The latest installment of the MCU past it's expiration date for spoiler discussions, so we recap Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumaina - what we liked, what we wish had been done differently, and where this ranks in the MCU roster. Plus, we review 2022's Marvel Comic Series "Ant-Man", a 4-issue romp through the annals of each hero who held the title "Ant-Man": Hank Pym, Scott Lang, Eric O'Grady, and a mysterious figure from the far future. Written by comic super-start Al Ewing, we'll review this series and let you know how much casual comics fans would enjoy this series. (Hint: It's "a lot")

Kang and MODOK are two of the most iconic villains in Marvel Comics. And, now, they're taking center stage in the next installment in the MCU - Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania!In this episode, we talk about who these characters are, where they fit into the Marvel Universe, and some of their comics history. We're reviewing two classic comic runs - one for each of these masters of malice.Kang - Avengers #267-269MODOK - Captain America #132-133Image Credit: Fan Art by Raphael Albero X Bosslogic

The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special kicks off the Merry Marvel Christmas! Following up to our DC Christmas extravaganza, we compare and contrast how the publishers spotlight the holiday season. In addition to discussing the Guardians of the Galaxy Special on Disney+, we've also got recaps and reviews of these Christmas-themed Marvel Comics:Amazing Spiderman 166 (1976) - "War of the Reptile-Men" (yes, it's a Christmas issue!)Marvel Team Up #1 (1971) - "Have Yourself a Sandman Little Christmas" Sensational She-Hulk #8 (1989) - "The World's Greatest Detective"Happy Holidays!

In this shaggy dog holiday episode, we're taking a (very) relaxed approach to multiple DC Christmas specials! We talk two special (and silly) treasury edition comics from way back in DC's History - "Christmas with the Super Heroes" along with Batman: The Animated Series' "Christmas with the Joker". Plus, Santa's Naughty/Nice list in the DCU.Happy holidays, everyone!