sdcc_logoIt is the last day of San Diego Comic-Con 2014, and Amanda and I took a break from the floor to record a short show. It was short because we are exhausted.

So we spent this truncated show ruminating about how SDCC will tire you out, fray your tempo, make you want to throw a shank into convention volunteers, set you on a path to push joyous children into the closest wall, and make you ready to leave… while still surprising you with new spectacle, cool things to buy, awesome panels, and just flat out fun.

We will probably do a recap show sometime midweek, after we arrive back at the Crisis On Infinite Midlives Home Office, but for now, give a listen and get a sense to how SDCC removes all sense from you.

Enjoy the show, suckers!

sdcc_logoWe are still in the thick of SDCC 2014, somehow alive after two full days. And today, we are joined by Los Angeles comedian Gariana Abeyta, who is not only a longtime friend of Amanda’s and mine from stand-up comedy, but who is active in L. A.’s film community, and one of the subjects of Out of Print, the upcoming Julia Marchese documentary about L. A.’s New Beverly cinema – a movie theater that runs film instead of digital projection and is therefore facing obsolescence. Yup, we know someone who’s in an honest-to-God movie!

Because of this, Gariana spent a small chunk of the day in Hall H, Comic-Con’s big room for big movie and TV panels. So we talk a little bit about that, a little bit more about the pure, unadulterated hell of just getting into Hall H, how the convention destroys you physically and emotionally, and the general confusion, frustrations, and compromises that come with attending the best comic book convention in the world. And since we’ve known each other for a while, there are plenty of drinking war stories to go around.

And the usual disclaimers:

  • We record this show live to tape. That means that you might hear the odd pregnant pause or, “um,” but it also means that anything can happen… and in this show, it truly did. Seriously, this one’s a little discombobulated, but it’s a blast.
  • We use adult, vulgar language, and therefore this show is not safe for work. Gariana was able to borrow some earbuds to tape the show, you can damn sure do the same to listen to it.

And a few notes to clarify some of what we’re discussing here:

  • The Thursday Night Fights and The Grand High Council of All Things True (aka the Geek Council) were comedy shows produced by Boston comic Tim McInitre at The Comedy Studio in Cambridge, MA back at the turn of the century. We are old now.
  • If you want to hear more of Gariana (and see some quality early-80s soft core boobs!), you can get the DVD of Private Lessons where she contributes to a commentary track!
  • The Blind Burro is a great place to have lunch in San Diego… even if their burger with a pile of sausage on the top might be a little much.

Enjoy the show, suckers!

sdcc_logoWe are on the ground at SDCC 2014! We have completed our first full day at the show, bought some stuff, seen some panels, and have a few things to talk about, including:

  • How the convention looks a little smaller in scale than it has for the past few years,
  • The Batman In The 70s panel, and what our personal “our Batman” stories,
  • The Geek Movies of 1984 Panel, and which movies of that year (when Amanda and I were each 13 years old) are our personal favorites, and:
  • How you can’t get new comics at San Diego Comic-Con

And here be disclaimers:

  • This show was recorded live to tape (on unfamiliar mobile equipment). That means a few more pauses and digressions than you might get in other podcasts, but it also means anything can happen (like a digression on finding dirty movies in the 1980s).
  • We use adult, graphic language, and therefore this show is not safe for work. We know from traveling this week that you can buy earbuds for 10 bucks. Do it.

Enjoy the show, suckers!

sdcc_2010_pimp_fettSince we are less than 36 hours away from leaving for San Diego Comic-Con 2014, and therefore are fully engaged in preparing for the trip, we are a little fried today. So this is a shorter than usual episode (not the end of the world, considering we plan to podcast direct from the convention at least a couple of times), but a full one, where Amanda and I discuss:

  • The changes of Thor to a woman and Captain America to Sam Wilson that were announced on TV this week (if only there were a major convention to make these kinds of announcements!),
  • Since Amanda and I have attended nine straight San Diego Comic-Cons, we share a few tips on how to survive the whole experience (and avoid an extinction level digestive event), and:
  • Harley Quinn Invades Comic-Con International / San Diego #1, by Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti and a bunch of guest artists!

And now the legally-required disclaimers:

  • This show is recorded live to tape. This means there might be a few more pregnant pauses than you are used to in a comics podcast, but it also means that anything can happen.
  • There are spoilers in this show. We try to warn you ahead of time, but if you don’t know the kind of treatment you’ll get at a place called “Dick’s Last Resort,” you might deserve what you get.
  • This show contains adult, explicit language, and is not safe for work. I bought earbuds at a gas station for $12 today. What’s your excuse?

Enjoy the show, suckers! And don’t forget to tune in for episodes live(ish) from SDCC later this week!

CrisisOnInfiniteMidlivesPodcastLogoQ: Hey, I haven’t been by the site for a while. I come back, and… what the fuck is this? What the hell happened? Did you quit?

A: Hell, no! We’ve just switched away from posting written content every day. Have you ever tried to write every damn day? It’s hard! It leads to questionable judgment! What do you think happened to Chuck Austen?

Q: So what, in fact, are you doing?

A: We’ve changed our focus to our weekly podcast, The Crisis On Infinite Midlives Show. Every Sunday, Amanda and I (and the occasional guests) talk about a couple of recent comic / genre / geek related topics, and review a few of the week’s comic books we really liked (or desperately hated)! Plus, we tell as many filthy jokes along the way as the law will allow!

Q: That sounds pertinent to my interests, as I have a long commute / strenuous workout / extended stretch in solitary confinement I need to kill! How can I obtain this show?

A: How can’t you get it? Let’s count the ways! You can:

BatgirlNewCostumeThere has been another creative team change on Batgirl, by all reports due to editorial edict. So Amanda and I talk not only about the proposed new direction for the character, but we about the increasing influence over story and tone that editorial seems to have been gaining over creative teams as opposed to the early 2000s, when comics were doomed and writers and artists could seemingly do any damn thing they wanted if the sales numbers this month were higher than the ones from last month.

We are also just over a week away from San Diego Comic-Con 2014, so we talk about some of the scheduled panels, and how the wealth of content can make it infuriating, if not impossible, see everything you want at the show.

Finally, we discuss and review The Walking Dead #129, and Grayson #1!

And now the usual legalese:

  • We record this show live to tape. While that might mean some parts are a little rough around the edges compared to your regular comics podcast, it also means that anything can happen.
  • This show contains spoilers. We try to give a shout-out ahead of time, but we drink while recording. So tread lightly.
  • This podcast contains adult, explicit language, and is not safe for work. If you don’t want your boss hearing us talk about how superhero costumes contain compartments for each boob, wear headphones.

Enjoy the show, suckers!

walking_dead_dead_insideThis 4th of July weekend, we got sucked into the AMC marathon of The Walking Dead, and were surprised how binge-watching the whole thing from the beginning changed our opinion of the show. So we talked about that extensively, along with:

  • The NBC Constantine pilot leaked to the Internet this week. Amanda and I saw it, and have some fairly strong opinions as to what worked (Matt Ryan as John Constantine) and what didn’t (writing, pacing, too much exposition, not enough mystery, no local flavor, and some other stuff),
  • Original Sin #5, written by Jason Aaron with art by Mike Deodato, and:
  • Rocket Raccoon #1, written and drawn by Skottie Young!

And now, the legalese:

  • We record the show live to tape. That means a few stuttered words more than you’re used to in a comics / genre culture podcast, but it also means that anything can happen.
  • The show contains spoilers. Some weeks it’s a few, some it’s a lot. This is one of the latter. Be forewarned.
  • Amanda and I use explicit, adult language, so this podcast is not safe for work. Unless your boss likes phrases like, “Preemptive dribble of patriotism,” wear headphones.

Enjoy the show, suckers!