Shows
The History of Comics in 500 IssuesEpisode 28: Tijuana BiblesIn this episode, I discuss the notorious Tijuana Bibles, the first pornographic comic books. Except that you can't really tell the story of the Tijuana Bibles without also covering several other topics, including the history of celebrity, a celebrity condottiero, Murasaki Shikibu, the first over-merchandised celebrity, Lord Byron fanfic, the history of fandom in the US, firefighting "buffs," Lindmania & Lisztmania, the 8 Most Important Moments in the History of Fanfiction, Judaism as a read/write tradition, the first Real Person Fanfic, the original Mary Sue, the history of Tijuana, why the Puritans were actually pro-sex, the history of p...
2025-11-091h 40
The History of Comics in 500 IssuesEpisode 27: African Comics Before WW2A somewhat scattershot (sorry) chronology of the development of comics and graphic narrative in the colonies and countries of Africa before the beginning of World War Two. In this episode I discuss Paleolithic Algerian rock art, Madagascaran funerary pole sculptures, the King of Cameroon making his own alphabet and the artists who helped him and went on to make proto-comics of their own, caricature and comic art in newspapers in South Africa, the early history of comics in Egypt, the history of comics in Mauritius and the island of Reunion, some surprising developments in Kenya, racist and...
2025-10-1939 min
The History of Comics in 500 IssuesEpisode #26: Marvel Comics #1One of my longer efforts to date, this one is about Marvel Comics #1, the first issue by what would eventually become the juggernaut of American comic book publishing. In this podcast I discuss: just how many Jewish folk were an integral part of Golden Age comics Martin Goodman and his background, the pulps he worked on, and what got him into comics comics packagers and Funnies, Inc. all the moving parts that came together to produce Marvel Comics #1 the historical context in which Marvel Comics #1 appeared the six stories appearing in Marvel Comics #1, and what each one was a...
2025-09-281h 08
The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers99 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2510 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers98 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2509 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers97 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2510 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers96 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2509 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers95 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2509 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers94 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2508 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers93 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2509 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers92 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2511 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers91 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2510 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers90 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2509 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers89 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2510 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers88 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2508 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers87 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2508 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers86 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2506 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers85 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2507 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers84 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2507 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers83 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2507 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers82 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2507 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers81 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2507 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers80 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2508 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers79 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2507 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers78 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2506 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers77 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2508 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers76 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2506 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers75 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2507 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers74 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2506 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers73 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2507 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers72 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2505 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers71 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2512 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers70 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2507 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers69 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2508 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers68 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2508 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers67 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2507 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers66 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2507 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers65 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2508 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers64 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2508 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers63 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2508 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers62 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2508 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers61 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2509 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers60 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2508 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers59 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2508 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers58 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2507 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers57 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2508 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers56 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2509 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers55 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2508 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers54 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2510 minThe Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers53 - The Social War of 1900 Conspirators and Lovers by Simon LandisLauded by io9.com contributor Jess Nevins as the worst science fiction novel of the 19th century, The Social War of 1900, or The Conspirators and Lovers, has become notorious for its melodramatic prose, shallow characterizations, absurd plot twists, and controversial themes. Despite‚Aîor perhaps because of‚Aîthese flaws, the book has earned a reputation as a cultural curiosity, a guilty pleasure, and an imaginative piece of outsider art. Follow the escapades of Dr. Victor Juno, a Naturalist who employs animal magnetism to heal the sick, and his beloved Lucinda. As the leader of a covert paramilitary group, Juno embark...
2025-09-2509 min
The History of Comics in 500 IssuesEpisode 25: Rin Tin Tin #1In this episode, which is ostensibly about the Spanish comic Rin-Tin-Tin, I go allll over the place. (Sorry). I begin with the early history of theater among the Egyptians and then the Greeks, discuss their use of animals on-stage, proceed to the Romans (who loved having animals on-stage, my goodness!), briefly describe the use of animals on-stage leading up to vaudeville, then vaudeville, the dime novels with heroic animals, the early silent films with heroic animals (there are several I single out and describe their histories), the stars among the movie animals of the 1920s, the debut of Rin Tin...
2025-08-1051 min
The History of Comics in 500 IssuesEpisode 24: Amazing-Man Comics #5In this episode I use the superhero Amazing Man, who debuted in Amazing-Man Comics #5 (cover date Sept 1939), to take a look at just what, exactly, constitutes a "typical" superhero of the late 1930s and early 1940s. I conclude that Amazing Man is actually the archetypal 1930s superhero and is both symbolically and semiotically important. I discuss the history of Centaur Comics, the debut of Amazing Man, his success, what happened to him after Centaur went out of business in 1942, who Amazing Man was, what he could do, who his archenemy was, the variety of 1930s elements which Ama...
2025-07-271h 01
The History of Comics in 500 IssuesEpisode #23: Colonialism in the Bandes Dessinées beginning with Alain Saint-Ogan's "Zig et Puce"ln this episode I use Alain Saint-Ogan's bande dessinée "Zig et Puce" as a springboad for a discussion of colonialism in the French bandes dessinées. I start, of course, with the 1814 Treaty of Paris and the 1814-1814 Congress of Vienna and proceed from there through the two French Colonial Empires, the mission civilatrice, the possible/likely body count of the French imperial venture, the unpopularity of the French colonial venture with most French in the 1920s and how French thought-makers and opinion-shapers reacted to that unpopularity, the use of popular fiction (including bandes dessinées) as a bull...
2025-07-1354 min
The History of Comics in 500 IssuesEpisode 22: Superman #1In this episode I discuss the publication of Superman #1, the first comic book dedicated to the stories of one character. I talk about why this is significant, what DC Comics was probably thinking about when they published Superman #1, the issue's immediate success, why its contents are significant, how Superman #1 is the start of a major change in the portrayal of Superman, and alllll about the Jewishness of Superman, from Siegel & Shuster's immigrant parents to the antisemitic atmosphere in which Superman appeared to where Superman lands on the assimilation-vs-acculturation continuum to the various very Jewish elements of Golden Age Superman to whic...
2025-06-2251 min
The History of Comics in 500 Issues500 Issues, the Juneteenth episode: Black Creators, Paraliterature, and Golden Age comic booksTo help celebrate Juneteenth, I made an episode in which I discuss Black creators of paraliterature, which (as I'm sure you know) is all of that literature which is not "respectable" or within the margins of "recognized literature." Naturally, there's too much to say to limit myself to only Black comics writers and artists, so I went back to the 17th century and started there. I discuss the Purtians, chapbooks, slave narratives and the work of "free Negroes," The Black Vampyre: A Legend of St. Domingo, novelettes of the Mexican-American War, dime novels and the story of the sole B...
2025-06-191h 32
The History of Comics in 500 IssuesEpisode 21: The Early History of the Dutch Comics IndustryIn this episode I discuss the beginnings of the Dutch comics industry from 1493, when an imprisoned Dutch nobleman drew a comic strip in one of his letters, to March 15, 1940, when the Netherlands officially surrendered to the invading Germans in the Second World War. Along the way, I talk about Dutch racism--which lordalmighty is prevalent in pre-WW2 Dutch comics--the notable early Dutch comics artists, the Second Boer War, the first Dutch comic book (which happens to be a really sexist dystopia), the Dutch firing shots at British children's comics, a lot of comics which were intended for children, the breath...
2025-06-0739 min
The History of Comics in 500 IssuesEpisode 20: Detective Comics #27 and the BatmanIn this epsiode I discuss Detective Comics #27, the issue in which Batman debuted. I talk about the background behind the creation of Batman, why Batman's original artist was a genuinely bad person, the various artists who contributed to Batman's success in the first decade or two of his existence, the various characters and texts which inspired the creation of Batman, how much of a killer vigilante Batman was in his first dozen or so appearances, the changes Robin wrought upon Batman and his stories, and about the Gothic and why it applies to these early Batman stories.
2025-05-3131 min
The History of Comics in 500 IssuesEpisode 19: "Don Catarino" and the Early Years of the Mexican Comic Book IndustryIn this episode I discuss the beginning and early years of the Mexican comic book industry, from its precursor among the Nahuatl-writing Mexica of the Aztec Empire to the appearance of Jose Tomas de Cuellar and Jose Maria Villasana's comic book Rosa y Federico to the Golden Age of Mexican comics in the 1930s. Along the way, I discuss some scholarly controversies (i.e., historical events that historians, critics, and scholars vehemently disagree about), tobacco companies' cigarette cards, the creation of the calaveras, the long slow effort of Mexican cartoonists to escape the shadow of their American counterparts, the Po...
2025-05-1046 min
The History of Comics in 500 IssuesEpisode 18: Wonder Comics #1In this episode I discuss Fox Comics' Wonder Comics #1, which featured the infamous Superman rip-off "Wonder Man." I talk about Victor S. Fox, the lawsuit that resulted from Wonder Comics #1, DC's Golden Age litigiousness, the heroic archetypes of the Golden Age, Shakespeare's sources for Hamlet, "Shoggoths in Bloom," the screen personae of Leslie Howard and Douglas Fairbanks, and whether originality is the only (or most important) virtue.
2025-04-2639 min
The History of Comics in 500 IssuesEpisode 17: Dominguin #1 and the Beginning of the Spanish Comic Book IndustryIn this episode I discuss the early years of the Spanish comic book industry. I begin in the 1870s, after the downfall of Isabella II (Sexenio Democratico represent!), when loosened press laws led to, among other things, the first Spanish magazine to publish a comic strip. From there it's on to a litany of Spanish comics, some of which actually look really good, and Spanish artists, a lot of whom were clearly quite talented and made some darn attractive-looking comics. I end in the late 1920s, when Spanish comics were beginning to soar but had not yet reached the...
2025-04-1336 min
The History of Comics in 500 IssuesEpisode 16: Detective Comics #20In this episode I discuss the debut, in Detective Comics #20 (on-sale date Sept. 7, 1938), of the Crimson Avenger. I place the Crimson Avenger in the chronological context of the comics in which he appeared. I discuss my definition of what a superhero is, describe the seventeen elements which can make up a superhero, and discuss the fuzzy logic and continuum approach I use when discussing who is and isn't a superhero. I discuss why the Crimson Avenger isn't so much a comic book superhero as he is a pulp superhero, putting him in the context of the many other pulp su...
2025-03-3023 min
The History of Comics in 500 IssuesEpisode 15: Favorite Comic #1In this episode I discuss the British comic paper Favorite Comic #1 and why it's important: because it featured "Victor Brand," a series about the Sherlock Holmes-like detective Victor Brand and his intelligent monkey chauffeur, leg-man, bodyguard, and general assistant Jacko. I discuss the history of the portrayal of apes in Western culture, from ugly and malicious in the time of Classical Greece to supernaturally evil in the Middle Ages to the "rape ape" of the 17th and 18th centuries to the Rousseauvian "Noble Savage" and finally to heroes, which began with Favorite Comic #1 and continues on to the present day...
2025-03-1633 min
The History of Comics in 500 IssuesEpisode 14: Funny Pages #21In this episode I describe the circumstances around the publication of Funny Pages #21, the people involved in its publication, what's inside it, and the sole important strip in the issue: the one introducing Paul Gustavson's The Arrow. The Arrow is a killer vigilante, so I discuss the cultural context for that. The Arrow is an angry killer vigilante, and I discuss that. And I argue that the Arrow--the first non-DC superhero to appear after Superman's debut--is historically important, because he established that independent superheroes--that is, superheroes who weren't published by DC--could be successful. As such, the Arrow is the gra...
2025-03-0127 min
The History of Comics in 500 IssuesEpisode 13: Corriere dei Piccoli #1In this episode I describe the history of the Italian comics industry up until 1937. I begin with Cesare Lombroso, the famous criminologist, because of course I begin there. Why wouldn't I? I discuss his daughter Paola and her various contributions to society and good works, which happens to include being the person most responsible for the first Italian comic book, Il Corriere dei Piccoli. I discuss the contents of that issue, the fraught question of word balloons vs bottom captions, the various comic strips which appeared in Il Corriere dei Piccoli over the next several years and the creators of...
2025-02-1647 min
The History of Comics in 500 IssuesEpisode 12: "Tough is putting mildly the treatment you're gonna get!" Action Comics #1In this episode I discuss Action Comics #1 and its contents, including the fabulous new character find of 1938: Superman! I discuss what led up to the publication of Action Comics #1, how the mob and Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia were responsible for it, what the other strips besides "Superman" were in this issue and if they're any good (surprise--the Zatara strip is actually pretty good!), the state of science fiction in April 1938, and what the appeal of Superman was!
2025-02-0227 min
The History of Comics in 500 IssuesEpisode 11: "The Placid Shores of the Ipiranga:" O Tico-Tico #1In this episode I discusss the origins of the Brazilian comic book industry, beginning with the arrival of an Italian immigrant in São Paulo in 1859, his success as the first Brazilian comic artist of note and his first two comic strips, how and why O Tico-Tico (Brazil's first comic book) was published, Richard Outcault & Buster Brown & their Brazilian counterparts, some of the original characters to appear in O Tico-Tico, the short-lived competitors to O Tico-Tico, Brazil's southeast versus its northeast and the sertão, the "social bandits" of the sertão, what a "social bandit" is, Eric Hobsbawm and his...
2025-01-2037 min
The History of Comics in 500 IssuesEpisode 10: "That's why I'm calling on Chang. He's helped me a lot on previous cases that have baffled me." Detective Comics #2.In this episode I discuss the people of color superheroes and sidekicks of comics' Golden Age, beginning with Detective Comics #2 (on-sale March 10, 1937) and ending with the last day of 1949, the end of the Golden Age. I discuss the long history of white Americans making people of color into heroes, starting with Crispus Attacks during the American Revolution. I provide a reading list of past and modern books which describe the histories of peoples of color in America and which also include the stories of figures lionized by white Americans. I compare the situation for heroes and sidekicks of...
2025-01-0529 min
Every Single Sci-Fi Film Ever*Cuts, Comics and Creatures: A Sci-Fi Podcast RetrospectiveThe end of 2024 is nigh! You can follow the podcast on Instagram and Threads although I am also trying to join in on BlueSky a bit. (It's a bit weird though.) Welcome to an end of year special! A compilation of some interesting parts of conversations from the podcast in 2024 that were edited out. I edit the podcast down to a more digestible length but this means I often lose parts of conversations that are really fun or insightful so here is a collection of those. I also wanted to give a shout...
2024-12-2252 min
The History of Comics in 500 IssuesEpisode Nine: BecassineIn this episode I sketch the history of the French comics industry from its beginning in the 19th century following Rodolphe Topffer's debut to 1939, when World War Two disrupted everything. I define "bandes dessinnées" (b.d.), I describe the four most successful artists who were influenced by Topffer and brought out proto-b.d. (Cham, Gustave Dore, Leonce Petit, Christophe), I discuss La Semaine de Suzette (which published the adventures of Becassine, the first ongoing character of the b.d.) and its importance in the history of French comics, I discuss Louis Forton's "Les Pieds Nickelés" and...
2024-12-1540 min
The History of Comics in 500 IssuesEpisode Eight: "Are y'gonna talk or do I get the pleasure of splashin' up the walls with your face?": Detective Comics #1In this episode I go in-depth on Detective Comics #1 (Feb. 10, 1937), DC's first comic book issue. I also discuss the mob's involvement in comic book publishing, how DC would never have existed without Frank Costello, spicy pulps, why DC's first comic book was a detective comic, anti-Asian racism in comics, the history of detective fiction, how Americans viewed the Chinese in 1937, each of the detectives in Detective Comics #1, the Tong Wars, Chinese immigration to the US, the history of chow mein, spy fiction as of 1937, and DC's particular animus for the Soviets.
2024-12-0940 min
The History of Comics in 500 IssuesEpisode Seven: "They called me mad in school, you know": Puck #1In this episode I describe the British comic Puck #1 and its mad scientist/wacky inventor, Professor Radium, who turns out to be more influential than one might suppose. I go in depth on the history of the mad scientist and the wacky inventor, with stops at Faustus of Mileve, Roger Bacon, Dante's Inferno, Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, John Webster's The Duchess of Malfi, Gulliver's Travels, the Marquis de Sade, Frankenstein, penny dreadfuls, the Romantics, the furor poeticus, the Victorian burlesque, Heath Robinson, the radium girls, Vannevar Bush, and much, much more!
2024-11-2539 min
The History of Comics in 500 IssuesEpisode Six: "Treachery on the Trail!" Star Ranger #1 & Western Picture Stories #1In this episode I discuss the history of the genre of the Western, beginning early in the 19th century as frontier fiction and proceeding up to the late-1930s, when the first two Western comic books--Star Ranger #1 and Western Picture Stories #1--were published. Among the topics discussed: frontier fiction of England, France, and Spain; James Fenimore Cooper; the Mexican-American War; anti-Mexican racism and pro-Mexican racism; the novelettes; the dime novels; Deadwood Dick, Frank and Jesse James, and the progressive (verging on revolutionary) politics of the dime novel Western; the first Western novel; Owen Wister's The Virginian; how a c...
2024-11-101h 03
The History of Comics in 500 IssuesEpisode Five: "The Empire, Long Divided, Must Unite": The Story of the Three KingdomsIn this episode I describe the early history of the Chinese comic book industry--specifically the lianhuanhua industry--from its beginning in 1899 to its first end during the Cultural Revolution. I discuss the history of pictorial communication in pre-modern China; the influence of lithography on Chinese publishing; the Romance of the Three Kingdoms; the "Four Famous Female Roles," i.e. the four major lianhuanhua writer/artists of the 1930s; The Burning of the Red Lotus Temple; Lu Xun; and Mao's opinion on lianhuanhua.
2024-10-2730 min
The History of Comics in 500 IssuesEpisode Four: "The Clock!" "That is right, gentlemen--and striking just in time!" Funny Pages #6In this episode I go back to 1935 and 1936 and discuss how business was actually done in the early comics industry the rise of Comics Magazine Company Everett M. "Busy" Arnold's career in comics the unsavory intersection of "Busy" Arnold, Joe Paterno, and the realities of big-time college football in the 1930s Funny Pages #6, and why it's an important issue in the history of American comics
2024-10-1328 min
The History of Comics in 500 IssuesEpisode Three: In England's Green and Pleasant Land: Comic Cuts #1In which I take a look at British comics during the 19th century, talk about some of the notable and important people who were a part of it, and describe what led up to Comic Cuts #1, the most important British comic of the 19th century and the comic that set the standard for British comics for the next forty years. The transcript, complete with illustrations, can be found at my Patreon page.
2024-09-3044 min
The History of Comics in 500 IssuesEpisode Two: "A new cargo of mystery and thrills!" New Fun #1In which I briefly sketch the history of comics between Rodolphe Topffer and the 1930s, discuss the first comic books, and then describe New Fun #1, the first comic book that featured all new material rather than reprinted newspaper comic strips. I also discuss Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson, the failson behind New Fun #1, and what makes New Fun #1 notable besides the presence of entirely new content. The transcript, complete with illustrations, can be found at my Patreon page.
2024-09-1626 minThe History of Comics in 500 IssuesEpisode One: To Begin With: L'Histoire de M. Vieux BoisIn which I begin the series by taking us back to Switzerland in the 1820s and 1830s and describe how Rodolphe Topffer, a Swiss teacher and caricaturist, invented the modern comic book. It's a bit more complicated than that, of course.
2024-09-0236 min
Save for Half podcastEpisode 55.5: North Texas GaslightsIt’s August, and you know what that means…or should mean; it’s North Texas RPG Con wrap-up info time! But just so you don’t get too bored listening to con events, we’re also interviewing Stephen Miller of Battlefield Press! We talk the Gaslight Victorian Fantasy RPG, its soon to be revised edition on BackerKit, and answer the most interesting question of all: What happens when you cast a Fireball spell in a gas works?
No Gaslamps were lit in the making of this podcast, because someone cast a Fireball spell at the gas works!...
2024-08-1156 min
Every Single Sci-Fi Film Ever*Pulps, Comics and the Rise of SuperheroesWhilst researching the Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers film serials of the 1930s I was delighted to find far too much information about the pulp and comic book origins of these heroes. So we are taking a detour to speak with people who really have their heads wrapped around this topic. For full shownotes for this episode without character limits you can visit here. We will be talking about Flash Gordon (and a little about Buck Rogers) in the next episode. Scroll down to get more information on where to watch the 1930s film serials.
2024-07-0752 min
RPG RamblingsE106. “Viking Librarian And Comic Book Research” with Jess Nevins
3.04
Welcome RPG Ramblings with Jeff Jones. This a weekly show exploring the various details of the TableTop RPG hobby through discussions with interesting people.
Today, Jess Nevins joins me to discuss his Kickstarter, The Fury of the Nothmen! Heavily researched and options galore, you too can play the clans that terrorized Europe. We talk about other groovy things as well…like obtuse Silver Age Comic book super heroes and librarian stuff.
I have a Patreon that I drop unedited recording into. But I haven’t done that for a while… Need t...
2023-02-1156 min
word balloon the comic book creators interview showRIP Kevin O'Neill Extraordinary GentlemanOn this edition of the Word Balloon podcast, we present a 2009conversation with artist Kevin O'Neil, to discuss therelease of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (Vol III): Century #1 ("1910") drawn by O'Neil and written by Alan Moore.Kevin discusses the background of the story, and his views on past characters like Mister Hyde Mina Murray, the mysterious Orlando, and the Family line of Captain Nemo.His thoughts on the LXG film, and the origins and future plans of his co-creation with Pat Mills, Marshal Law .The interview does cover plot points...
2022-11-071h 03Word Balloon Comics PodcastRIP Kevin O'Neill Extraordinary GentlemanOn this edition of the Word Balloon podcast, we present a 2009conversation with artist Kevin O'Neil, to discuss therelease of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (Vol III): Century #1 ("1910") drawn by O'Neil and written by Alan Moore.Kevin discusses the background of the story, and his views on past characters like Mister Hyde Mina Murray, the mysterious Orlando, and the Family line of Captain Nemo.His thoughts on the LXG film, and the origins and future plans of his co-creation with Pat Mills, Marshal Law .The interview does cover plot points...
2022-11-071h 03
The Great DerelictThe League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (its ok! its the Comics, not the film!)Welcome back to the Great Derelict! This week Andy will be joining Jim Moon aboard the Nautilus as we travel deep into the mind of Alan Moore and the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen comic series You can find Jim at Hypnogoria:- http://www.hypnogoria.com and Jim is also on the Blackdog Podcast - http://blackdogpodcast.com And Jess Nevins Annotation website is here - http://jessnevins.com/annotations.html And you can find more of Andy and his other casts over at Rogue Two Media
2022-07-281h 43word balloon the comic book creators interview showReprint Kevin O'Neil Talks Marshal Law and League Of Extraordinary Gentleman 2009On this edition of the Word Balloon podcast, we present aconversation with artist Kevin O'Neil, to discuss this month'srelease of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (Vol III):Century #1 ("1910") drawn by O'Neil and written by Alan Moore.Kevin discusses the background of the story, and his views on past characters likeMister Hyde Mina Murray, the mysterious Orlando, and the Family line of Captain Nemo.His thoughts on the LXG film, and the origins and future plans of his co-creation with Pat Mills, Marshal Law .The interview does cover plot...
2022-02-131h 00
Pulp Today w/ David AvalloneEpisode 19: History of the Pulps, Part ThreeThe final chapter of my conversation with acclaimed literary historian JESS NEVINS. In part three, we talk about how the Pulps influence the pop culture of today, "ideasplosions," emotion over logic, and I tell an anecdote about Roger Corman. (Apologies again: the audio gets a little crackly here and there. The challenges of the Zoom interview...)
--Please leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts/iTunes!--
Website: pendantaudio.com
Twitter: @pendantweb
Facebook: facebook.com/pendantaudio
Tumblr: pendantaudio.tumblr.com
YouTube: youtube.com/pendantproductions
2021-05-2400 minPulp Today w/ David AvalloneEpisode 18: History of the Pulps, Part TwoContinuing my conversation about pulp history with acclaimed pop culture historian JESS NEVINS. In part two, we talk about Pulps around the world, sweat mags, the atomization of culture... and what killed the Pulps. (Again, sorry the audio gets a little crackly here and there: the challenges of the Zoom interview...)
--Please leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts/iTunes!--
Website: pendantaudio.com
Twitter: @pendantweb
Facebook: facebook.com/pendantaudio
Tumblr: pendantaudio.tumblr.com
YouTube: youtube.com/pendantproductions
2021-05-1700 minPulp Today w/ David AvalloneEpisode 17: History of the Pulps, Part OneAcclaimed pop culture historian JESS NEVINS educates me about all things pulp... in a wide-ranging conversation that I'll be splitting into multiple episodes. Here we start off with the origins of the form, and the artificial gap between High Art and Low Art. (Sorry the audio gets a little crackly here and there: the challenges of the Zoom interview…)
--Please leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts/iTunes!--
Website: pendantaudio.com
Twitter: @pendantweb
Facebook: facebook.com/pendantaudio
Tumblr: pendantaudio.tumblr.com
YouTube: youtube.com/pendantproductions
2021-05-1000 min
Full Contact Nerd InterviewsHorror fiction history – “Horror Fiction in the 20th Century” (Praeger, 2020) – Jess Nevins interviewCheck the book out here https://amzn.to/37yFNd6 Jess Nevins regularly writes on genre subjects. He recently wrote a book on horror fiction in the 20th century. We discussed the book and horror fiction across the world.…Read More
2020-06-171h 02
The Superman Fan PodcastEpisode #391 Part II: Superman Family Comic Book Cover Dated January 1966: Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane #62!
Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane #62, January 1966!
Download Episode 391 Part II!
SUPERMAN'S GIRL FRIEND LOIS LANE 62, January 1966, was published on November 11, 1965. It contained 32 pages for the cover price of 12¢. The editor was Mort Weisinger, and the cover was drawn by Kurt Schaffenberger, who was also the artist for the story.
- (3:25) I review HEROES & MONSTERS: THE UNOFFICIAL COMPANION TO THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN by Jess Nevins, published by Monkeybrain Books in 2003. For more information go to jessnevins.com.
- (6:26) Next I review NO GUTS NO GLORY: HOW TO MARKET YOURSELF IN COMICS by...
2020-04-1400 min
Our Opinions Are CorrectHow Pulp Magazines Conquered PublishingThe phrase "Pulp Fiction" brings to mind Quentin Tarantino's movie of the same name. But real-life pulp fiction is much stranger, and more colorful, than you ever realized. We talk to pulp historian and author Jess Nevins about the weird and sometimes problematic history of the pulps. Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes
2020-01-0238 min
What Mad Universe?!?Chapter Twenty-Two: Terror In The Skies!As the 19th Century wound to a close, there was something in the air...or at least, people thought there soon would be. The idea of heavier-than-air flight and the potential military applications haunted SF decades before they became a reality; George Griffith's turn-of-the-century novel Angel of the Revolution imagined this technology falling into the hands of the good (?) guys and becoming the basis for a worldwide uprising in the midst of an apocalyptic war. The book also eerily foreshadowed an amazing number of real-world events that were still to come, including WWI and the Soviet revolution. In this...
2019-07-2258 min
What Mad Universe?!?Chapter Twenty-One: Out of Africa!Of One Blood, by Pauline Hopkins, is a turn-of-the-century novel with all the fantastical genre trappings you could ask for: reincarnation, psychic projections, and a Biblical lost kingdom still thriving in the present. But this book is special: it's written by a black woman and deals specifically with the African-American experience. Jess Nevins joins us once again to look at this interesting signpost in cultural and genre history.
Support us on Patreon and listen to the show a week early!
Phil's Patreon
Adam's Patreon
Adam's Twitter
Phil's Twitter
What Mad Universe...
2019-07-0847 min
What Mad Universe?!?Chapter Fifteen: The Coming Race!There's an energy coming from the underground...it's the strange and wonderful power known as Vril, as documented in the book Vril: A Story of the Coming Race by the infamous Edward Bulwer-Lytton. Bulwer-Lytton's left huge mark on pop culture, and in this episode we sit down with guest Jess Nevins to see whether his reputation doesn't deserve a bit of rehabilitation...
Support us on Patreon and listen to the show a week early!
Phil's Patreon
Adam's Patreon
Adam's Twitter
Phil's Twitter
What Mad Universe on Facebook
What Mad Universe on...
2019-04-1545 min
What Mad Universe?!?Chapter Ten: Planet of Paradox!Mars may be a lifeless rock in the real world, but it's long been teeming with life in fiction. Ever since astronomers claimed to have seen canals on Mars in the late 19th century, SF writers have been imagining exotic creatures, lost civilizations, and swashbuckling adventures on the red planet.
One of the most notable and iconic of the martian sagas is A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs and its various sequels, which was one of the first pulp stories to combine swashbuckling fantasy with interplanetary SF. In this episode, we sit down with special...
2019-02-0447 min
ArtsReviews's podcastAdam Mudman Bezecny: Jim Anthony, Super Detective vs. MastermindAuthor, editor, publisher, and film maker Adam Bezecny has published the 5th collection of new Jim Anthony stories in Airship 27's series. This is a collection of 4 stories that are interrelated and represent a single story line in 4 parts. It is full of action and lots of adventure. Another major book from Airship 27! Not only that. Adam and I are two bibliophiles (especially when it comes to Pulp) and we discuss several of our favorite series. The show notes will direct you to some of these interesting and somewhat off beat offerings. There is also a tip of...
2017-09-121h 03
The Comics CanonEpisode 36 – The League of Extraordinary GentlemenIn this episode, Curt and Kevin unearth the spine-tingling tale that kicks off a "shared universe" of classic characters including the beastly Mr. Hyde! No, we're not talking about the Tom Cruise flop The Mummy, but The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Vol. 1 by Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill, originally published by America's Best Comics! Mina Murray, not long removed from her encounter with a certain Transylvanian count, is enlisted by the British government to recruit a bizarre task force including Allan Quatermain, the brooding Captain Nemo, the timid Dr. Jekyll and the enigmatic Invisible Man. But they soon realize their...
2017-06-2157 min
Three HoarsemenHoliday Gift Guide!The dreaded Holiday season, with its attendant joys and anxieties, seems to fall upon us earlier with each advancing year. Once again we hear the fretful murmurs that Science Fiction and Fantasy fans are notoriously difficult to buy presents for.
Fear not, for the venerable John E. O. Stevens, Fred Kiesche and Jeff Patterson have compiled hefty lists of fiction, non-fiction, art, and other sundry morsels suitable as gifts (or wish list items). Behold treasures, from the sublime to obscure, fit to sate the desires of nerds, fans, and aficionados of the fantastic, as well as the more adventurous...
2013-11-2057 min
The Three HoarsemenHoliday Gift Guide!The dreaded Holiday season, with its attendant joys and anxieties, seems to fall upon us earlier with each advancing year. Once again we hear the fretful murmurs that Science Fiction and Fantasy fans are notoriously difficult to buy presents for.
Fear not, for the venerable John E. O. Stevens, Fred Kiesche and Jeff Patterson have compiled hefty lists of fiction, non-fiction, art, and other sundry morsels suitable as gifts (or wish list items). Behold treasures, from the sublime to obscure, fit to sate the desires of nerds, fans, and aficionados of the fantastic, as well as the more adventurous...
2013-11-2057 min
AcmecastAcmecast #93 - You're My Boy, Bru!Jermaine, Stephen, Griffin, Michael and Jody get on the line with Hack/ Slash creator Tim Seeley to discuss the success of Revival from Image and his upcoming project Ex Sanguine from Dark Horse! Before that they reminisce about Ed Brubaker's time at Marvel and Afterwards they run the gamut from the Green Lantern Annual to the Locke & Key Grindhouse one-shot to Avenging Spider-man!
Show Notes:
"Now Official - Ed Brubaker No Longer Working for Marvel" at Comics Beat.com.
Try your hand at picking up a copy of Brubaker's long out-of-print Top Shelf offering, A Complete...
2012-08-311h 26
War Rocket AjaxEpisode 3 – The Details f/ Jess NevinsOur third episode welcomes comics scholar and pulp/victoriana master Jess Nevins to the show to talk about the details in comics. Which really boils down to Jess talking about things like the Golden Age Black Widow, Six Gun Gorilla, and what it's like having Alan Moore as a friend.
2009-08-311h 17