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Play ComicsRogue Trooper with Steve Morris (Shelfdust)Read transcriptLock your squad into formation, charge your bolters, and prepare your genetically-enhanced blue skin for a parade of panzer-busting action because this week on Play Comics we’re putting boots to dirt in the grim, industrial wastelands of Rogue Trooper, the 2005 third-person shooter that took Gerry Finley-Day and Dave Gibbons’s iconic tale of a genetically engineered super-soldier and transformed it into a cover-based combat experience that somehow managed to capture the grit, the fury, and the desperate isolation of being a lone warrior against overwhelming odds. Originally deployed across PS2, Xbox, and Wii, Rogue’s had...
2025-12-0743 min
Shelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues1st Place: Saga #1 with Oliver SavaThis week it's time to finish out our first season, as we look at the comic which ended up in 1st place: Saga #1 by Brian K. Vaughan, Fiona Staples and Fonographiks! The title should be a clue, but there’s just so much of Saga. This first issue is triple-sized which, yes, is cheating a little. But it’s the only way the series could have started. Nobody is holding back anything. We don’t know... currently... when it’ll come back or how things will finish – but one thing which will never be taken away is how vibran...
2023-08-2027 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues2nd Place: Watchmen #1 with Kelly KanayamaThis week it's time to dream of a better loving world, as we look at the comic which ended up in 2nd place: Watchmen #1 by Alan Moore, David Gibbons and John Higgins! Of course we all know everything about Watchmen at this point and then some, being a reimagining of the Charlton superhero characters told across twelve issues. You can see slivers of the original characters within these new shells, but for the most part this is something which not only builds on what came before, but reaches down to shatter the foundations and create something entirely...
2023-08-1325 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues3rd Place: Hawkeye #1 with Zachary JenkinsThis week... okay, it looks bad, as we look at the comic which ended up in 3rd place: Hawkeye #1 by Matt Fraction, David Aja, Matt Hollingsworth and Chris Eliopoulos! Oh, bro, you knew this was going to happen. Hawkeye’s impact remains just as strong today as when it first came out – for a comic which felt like a “moment”, that moment has certainly proven that it can last. Every inch of Hawkeye’s first issue feels like it was meticulously planned for months, but flies by effortlessly. There are so many callbacks and sequential ideas here within the...
2023-08-0625 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues4th Place: The Wicked + The Divine #1 with Steve FoxeThis week it's time to ascend to godhood, as we look at the comic which ended up in 4th place: The Wicked + The Divine #1 by Kieron Gillen, Jamie McKelvie, Matthew Wilson and Clayton Cowles! WicDiv #1 jump straight onto centrestage to offer a showy performance that looks at myth, iconography, devotion, and idolatry whilst quickly building up a fascinating lead character and a world which understands its high concept whilst offering some modern cynicism and paranoia into the mix. It’s a heady mix of concepts, and you could see things easily falling straight down a trapdoor if it...
2023-07-3023 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues5th Place: Ms Marvel #1 with Adrienne ReshaThis week it's time to ogle some deli food, as we look at the comic which ended up in 5th place: Ms Marvel #1 by G. Willow Wilson, Adrian Alphona, Ian Herring and Joe Caramagna! Devised by editor Sana Amanat with writer G. Willow Wilson and artist Adrian Alphona, Kamala Khan’s first appearance is immediately appealing and delightful. There’s an assured creative hand guiding her, as well as all the other characters in her world, who are quickly and effectively sketched in by Wilson. We see how Kamala has that superhero gene within her, but also how...
2023-07-2322 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues6th Place: All-Star Superman #1 with august (in the wake of) dawnThis week it's time to pop on the glasses and bumble into trouble, as we look at the comic which ended up in 6th place: All-Star Superman #1 by Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely, Jamie Grant and Phil Balsman. The comic itself radiates with energy, as Quitely creates some wonderful and magnificent pieces, and every page has at least one line of dialogue which feels lasting and memorable. “Only nothing is impossible” says one of the characters, and that feels like the defining thesis of All-Star Superman as a whole. This week Matt is joined by special guest august (in the...
2023-07-1618 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues7th Place: X-Men #1 with Claire NapierThis week it's time to do it all again... again, as we look at the comic which ended up in 7th place: X-Men #1 by Chris Claremont, Jim Lee, Scott Williams Jim Rosas and Tom Orzechowski Announced as “the dawn of a new era!”, the first issue of X-Men by Claremont and Lee changed everything for everyone. The X-Men – who were reassuring soap opera figures – suddenly turned into blunt-force action heroes through the mighty penmanship of Jim Lee. Even as Claremont allowed the characters time to ruminate on their pasts, Lee was dragging them off into the here-and-now, their pri...
2023-07-0922 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues8th Place: Sex Criminals #1 with Samantha PucThis week it's time to bust out the Freddie Mercury as we look at the comic which ended up in 8th place: Sex Criminals #1 by Matt Fraction, Chip Zdarsky, Becka Kinzie and Drew Gill! Nobody forgets their first time. Sex Criminals follows only one of the two central characters, Suzie, as it jumps around in her timeline and establishes that whenever she orgasms, she pauses time. Literally, time pauses around her. It's a series about two people who have sex and then commit crimes, sure, but the first issue is a beginner’s guide to sexual experience, to...
2023-07-0220 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues9th Place: Giant-Size X-Men #1 with Rosie KnightThis week it's time to meet the second generation as we look at the comic which ended up in 9th place: Giant-Size X-Men #1 by Len Wein, Dave Cockrum, Peter Iro, Glynis Wein and John Constanza. With this issue Len Wein and Dave Cockrum essentially created the X-Men Franchise, one of the longest-running and most compelling stories in comic book history. Giant Size X-Men saw the original X-Men characters trapped on a mystical, treacherous island – forcing Professor Xavier to recruit a new team of heroes to try and rescue his students. That led to the arrival of iconic ch...
2023-06-2522 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues10th Place: Sandman #1 with Kayleigh HearnThis week it's time to draw up a salt circle as we look at the comic which ended up in 10th place: Sandman #1 by Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg, Robbie Busch and Todd Klein! Told across decades, the first issue of Neil Gaiman’s revelatory series details the capture and imprisonment of Dream, one of the Endless People who control the minds and hopes of mankind. Joined by Sam Kieth, Gaiman tells a compulsive, contorted story which dwells on the details of craftmanship: the effort that goes into creating magic has never been so painstakingly put tog...
2023-06-1816 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues11th Place: OMAC #1 with Graeme McMillanThis week it's time to prepare for the world that's coming, as we look at the comic which ended up in 11th place: OMAC #1 by Jack Kirby, Jerry Serpe and Michael Royer! Jack Kirby’s series was designed to be a vision of the future – but not even the King could’ve realised how darkly accurate he was when he set about creating the first issue of OMAC. Kirby’s paranoia was meant to be overt and shocking, but now it simply feels prescient and unsettling – how did he know this would all start to come to life? Beca...
2023-06-1124 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues12th Place: Giant Days #1 with Claire NapierThis week it's time to pack up our bags and head off for Freshers Week as we look at the comic which ended up in 12th place: Giant Days #1 by John Allison, Lissa Treiman, Whitney Cogar and Jim Campbell! John Allison’s self-published Giant Days books may have seemed an unlikely candidate for a shiny series from BOOM! Studios, but the first issue of the ongoing series proved to be a perfect fit for the publisher. Bringing in cartoonist Lissa Treiman to handle the artwork brought fabulous life to each of the three girls at the heart of...
2023-06-0418 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues13th Place: Fantastic Four #1 with J.A. MichelineThis week it's CLOBBERIN' TIME!!!! as we look at the comic which ended up in 13th place: Fantastic Four #1 by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, George Klein, Christopher Rule, Stan Goldberg and Artie Simek! Stan Lee and Jack Kirby defined superhero comics forever with this issue, introducing four heroes whose simple powers belied the complex world which was to come. Kirby is having fun with the issue – especially his design for The Thing, which is a classic part of American comics – and Lee does his standard thing, corny dialogue and basic personalities. Is it actually good, though? This week...
2023-05-2829 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues14th Place: Y: The Last Man #1 with C.P. HoffmanThis week it's time to throw off the strait jacket, as we look at the comic which ended up in 14th place: Y: The Last Man #1 by Brian K. Vaughan, Pia Guerra, José Marzan, Jr, Pamela Rambo and Clem Robins! Many people would hail Y: The Last Man as the definitive “#1” comic book issue. It’s easy to see why: it’s structure jumps from character to character with absolute grace, giving the reader everything they need to know about every single person who appears. The rest of the series continues in a love-it-or-hate-it fashion, but the first iss...
2023-05-2125 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues15th Place: The Walking Dead #1 with Hassan Otsmane-ElhaouThis week it's time to wake up in a strangely empty hospital, as we look at the comic which ended up in 15th place: The Walking Dead #1 by Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore! Rick Grimes, the standard protagonist, is a police officer who gets shot in the line of duty. When he wakes up from a coma, the world is full of zombies. That’s it, that’s the comic! But that early jump in time means everything for the narrative: Rick enters the world and has to adapt to it at the same time as the read...
2023-05-1423 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues16th Place: New Gods #1 with Paul LaiThis week it's time to FIGHT FOR EARTH!!, as we look at the comic which ended up in 16th place: New Gods #1 by Jack Kirby, Vince Coletta, and John Constanza. New Gods explodes straight towards the reader right from the start, a burst of cosmic energy which arrives fully-formed and ready for war. The comic introduces a dazzling number of concepts and characters, each of whom seem to have a long and intensive past which only gets briefly revealed before the story moves on to the next. This week Matt is joined by guest Paul Lai to t...
2023-05-0722 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues17th Place: Ultimate Spider-Man #1 with Christian HofferThis week it's time to get super-distracted from our schoolwork, as we look at the comic which ended up in 17th place: Ultimate Spider-Man #1 by Brian Michael Bendis, Mark Bagley, Art Thibert, Steve Buccellato and Richard Starkings. Although it now looks gleefully dated to the time it was made, Ultimate Spider-Man #1 remains a breath of fresh air, especially against the deliberately edgy or provocative books which made up the rest of the Ultimate line. Here we get a perfectly charming take on the classic story, with new patter from Bendis and fast-paced art from Bagley which gives y...
2023-04-3035 min
Graphic Policy RadioStar Wars The Bad Batch: An Animated Dirty Dozen of Space DadsStar Wars newest animated series is both fascinating and frustrating. Dig into the Bad Batch's big questions with guest Dr. Holly Schaeffer-Raymond. The Bad Batch reflects on the rise of fascism, biology as destiny and social programing. This episode's first 20 minutes are spoiler-free to help you decide if you want to watch. Then join us for: What the show has to say about about workers' rights.Is Rhea Pearlman's Cid a Yoda? Why Omega is a good kid character.Can 3D animation be good, actually? Dr. Holly Schaeffer-Raymond is an adjunct professor of English who holds an MFA in Poetry an...
2023-04-272h 03
Graphic Policy RadioStar Wars The Bad Batch: An Animated Dirty Dozen of Space DadsStar Wars newest animated series is both fascinating and frustrating. Dig into the Bad Batch’s big questions with guest Dr. Holly Schaeffer-Raymond. The Bad Batch reflects on the rise of fascism, biology as destiny and social programing. This episode's first 20 minutes are spoiler-free to help you decide if you want to watch. Then join us for: What the show has to say about about workers’ rights.Is Rhea Pearlman's Cid a Yoda? Why Omega is a good kid character.Can 3D animation be good, actually? Dr. Holly Schaeffer-Raymond is an adjunct professor of English who holds an MFA in Poetry...
2023-04-272h 03Shelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues18th Place: Runaways #1 with Adrienne ReshaThis week it's time to find out about the secret lives of our evil parents, as we look at the comic which ended up in 18th place: Runaways #1 by Brian K. Vaughan, Adrian Alphona, David Newbold, Brian Reber and Paul Tutrone! Runaways follows a group of kids whose parents throw a party each year: after spending time introducing each family separately, Vaughan’s script then hurls the very different children together into an awkward, tentative group as they wait for their parents’ private meal to finish. When they get bored and go eavesdrop, however, it leads to a ma...
2023-04-2320 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues19th Place: Mister Miracle #1 with Christian HofferThis week it's time to feel sad across the course of nine panels as we look at the comic which ended up in 19th place: Mister Miracle #1 by Tom King, Mitch Gerads and Clayton Cowles! Mister Miracle is a deeply curious comic, the product of Tom King and Mitch Gerads presumably having several very late nights with little sleep. There’s something hypnotic and mesmerising about the opening of the maxiseries in particular, a dark and worrying piece which follows the New Gods as they head into their next inevitable chapter. Scott Free is the focus of co...
2023-04-1628 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues20th Place: Justice League #1 with Chloe MavealThis week it's time to teach Guy Gardner a lesson, as we look at the comic which ended up in 20th place: Justice League #1 by Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, Kevin Maguire, Terry Austin, Gene D’Angelo and Bob Lappan! You can tell there’s going to be trouble from the moment Justice League begins. This was a different approach to superheroes, letting them be fun and funny characters first and turning their lives into a daily routine of heroism. They go to a job, assess a situation, and act on it: or rather, Batman does all of t...
2023-04-0919 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues21st Place: Batman and Robin #1 with Nola PfauThis week it's time to jump onboard the floating Batmobile, as we look at the comic which ended up in 21st place: Batman & Robin #1 by Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely, Alex Sinclair and Pat Brosseau! A burst of vibrant energy following some fairly dark and sinister storylines, Batman & Robin harkened back to the brightest times of Batman as it followed Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne's new adventures. The elements of melodrama and suspense present from Morrison’s previous run are still in place to an extent, but the story has swivelled round to give them a more comical, ov...
2023-04-0223 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues22nd Place: Gotham Central #1 with Osvaldo OyolaThis week it's time to clock in for the day shift, as we look at the comic which ended up in 22nd place: Gotham Central #1 by Greg Rucka, Ed Brubaker, Michael Lark, Noelle Giddings and Willie Schubert! It’s almost a running joke by now that the Gotham Central Police are hapless to the point of being completely irrelevant – particularly when supervillains get involved in matters. But what Gotham Central did was take that concept and apply it to real people, who were tired, underfunded, and working day-to-day in situations which could result in their deaths at any m...
2023-03-2622 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues23rd Place: Paper Girls #1 with Hassan Otsmane-ElhaouThis week it's time to pedal through time, as we look at the comic which ended up in 23rd place: Paper Girls #1 by Brian K. Vaughan, Cliff Chiang, Matthew Wilson and Jared K. Fletcher! Paper Girls is exactly what it says it is, but also so much more, following four young women as they cycle their morning paper route, hurling newspapers onto every porch. As they go about their path, however, Chiang inserts unexpected and surreal twists into proceedings in such a way that you can’t quite tell everything that’s going on, or why it’s happ...
2023-03-1925 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues24th Place: The Vision #1 with Tiffany BabbThis week we're keeping a close eye on the new neighbours, as we look at the comic which ended up in 24th place: The Vision #1 by Tom King, Gabriel Hernandez Walta, Jordie Bellaire and Clayton Cowles! Who would’ve thought that Vision could prove to be the lead for a dark and unnerving Marvel series? Well, Tom King made his name on writing maxiseries, and The Vision has the benefit of having Gabriel Hernandez-Walta on art – a hugely talented penciller whose work, coupled with Jordie Bellaire’s colours, created a sombre tone which would help inform the charac...
2023-03-1226 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues25th Place: Daredevil #1 with Steve LaceyThis week we're pretending our tragic past didn't actually happen, as we look at the comic which ended up in 25th place: Daredevil #1 by Mark Waid, Paolo Rivera, Marcos Martin, Joe Rivera, Javier Rodriguez, Muntsa Vicente and Joe Caramagna. For several years there was a contest to see who could write the most miserable life for Matt Murdock – a contest which was only broken with the arrival of Mark Waid, Paolo Rivera and Marcos Martin to a rebooted series in 2011. They changed things round with a bouncy, life-loving Daredevil, who fought brighter villains and had a brand new...
2023-03-0523 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues26th Place: Transmetropolitan #1 with Kelly KanayamaThis week we're reluctantly leaving our cave to revisit the comic which reached 26th place: Transmetropolian #1 by Warren Ellis, Darick Robertson, Nathan Eyring and Clem Robins. Angry, bitter, and politically charged, Transmetropolitan follows reformed journalist Spider Jerusalem as he's forced to return to the Big City so he can trade his words for money - and then trade that money for various psychotropics and whatever else he wants. It's a comic which has a lot to say about a lot of things, and barely finds room for the endless tirades it needs to unload on readers. To...
2023-02-2621 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues27th Place: House of X #1 with Steve FoxeThis week we're heading across to an island paradise, to look at the comic which ended up in 27th place: House of X #1 by Jonathan Hickman, Pepe Larraz, Marte Gracia and Clayton Cowles. When it debuted House of X immediately stood out as an issue which people will be talking about (and re-reading) for years. It set out not only to define the X-Men: but to rebuild what they’ve always been. The result is an actually uncanny narrative telling us where the X-Men have now gone, and who they have become, and what their goal is. To...
2023-02-1923 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues28th Place: The Immortal Hulk #1 with Colin BellThis week we rise up from our miserable grave to look at the comic which ended up in 28th place: Immortal Hulk #1 by Al Ewing, Joe Bennett, Ruy José, Paul Mounts and Cory Petit! In The Immortal Hulk, when Bruce Banner dies, Hulk rises at night to take vengeance. The opening issue provides a straightforward example of that, as a botched robbery sees Bruce take a bullet to the head – and an innocent bystander killed in the process. Hulk rises up to seek out the people responsible and gain a measure of justice. This week Matt is joine...
2023-02-1223 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues29th Place: Ex Machina #1 with Heidi MacDonaldThis week brings politics into our superhero comics, as we look at the comic which ended up in 29th place: Ex Machina #1 by Brian K. Vaughan, Tony Harris, Tom Feister, J. D. Mettler and Jared K. Fletcher. The first issue of Ex Machina doesn’t let up for a second as it follows the career path of Mitchell Hundred as he goes from civil engineer to aspiring superhero and then into the role of Mayor of New York. There’s time for every character to get a bit of time with Vaughan and Harris’ lead, which allows them to de...
2023-02-0519 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues30th Place: Astro City #1 with J. A. MichelineThis week brings us a whole new superhero universe, as we look at the comic which ended up in 30th place: Astro City #1 by Kurt Busiek, Brent Anderson, Steve Buccellato and Richard Starkings. The first issue of the series explores a single day in the life of a hero, but through the adventures and rescues sits a beautiful character study which would go on to become the definitive voice of the series: every single person in this world is rounded and thoughtful, and over time the creative team would move on to explore each of them in tu...
2023-01-2933 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues31st Place: Crowded #1 with Alex LuThis week brings us the perfect comic for 2020, and one which ended up in 31st place: Crowded #1 by Christopher Sebela, Ted Brandt & Ro Stein, Triona Farrell and Cardinal Rae. The first issue of Crowded – about a crowdfunding app which allows people to hire assassins to take out people they don’t like – runs on cheap coffee and cigarettes, with a wiry, spiky energy which propels its mismatched characters into a gonzo world filled with high adrenaline and constant paranoia. It’s the comic of the time, in many respects, with the nervous tics thrust into the story by Sebela ma...
2023-01-2218 min
Open World ChatSteve Morris of Shelfdust on the top 50 comics events of all timeSteven Morris of Shelfdust.com polled comics creators and critiques to compile the ultimate list of the Top 50 comics events of all time, and Jim and John invite him over to nitpick the result. Is your favorite in there? Is your favorite an "event?" What the hell is an "event," anyway? Have a listen for a look back at some cool comics, some bad comics, and in general the kind of navel-gazing that only true fans can do.
2023-01-1633 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues32nd Place: Love and Rockets #1 with Osvaldo OyolaThis week brings us the best comic of all time which ended up in 32nd place: Love & Rockets #1 by Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez. Los Bros Hernandez are regarded as two of the greatest cartoonists of all time, and although a little rougher, you can see their style showing through in this very early work from the pair. There are several different shorts in the issue, but of perhaps most note is the start of the long-running characters Maggie and Hopey, who would go on to become two of the most enduring and beloved creations in comics history. Fo...
2023-01-1523 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues33rd Place: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 with Sara CenturyThis week brings us four young ninjas who are also turtles, as we look at the comic in 33rd place: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 by Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird and Steve Lavigne. One of the most unexpected success stories in comics started off with four turtles, some mysterious chemicals, and a surly rat. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is exactly what it says it is, only far darker than anyone might have predicted for a comic with that title. Originally intended as a pastiche on several other comics published at the time, the first issue instead caught the mood...
2023-01-0820 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues34th Place: JLA #1 with Graeme McMillanThis week it’s time to bring in the A-Listers, as we look at the issue which reached 34th place: JLA #1 by Grant Morrison, Howard Porter, John Dell, Pat Garrahy and Ken Lopez. That creative team played into every dream about each character and let them all feel powerful or inspiring in their own way, rather than trying to beat them down or offer some kind of subversive take. Batman was the smartest man in the world; Superman the most considerate; Wonder Woman was powerful and sharp ; Green Lantern was the everyman. And in the first issue? A ne...
2023-01-0123 min
Graphic Policy RadioWhat are the top 50 comic book events of all time?Shelfdust.com asked 150 comic book critics to list our favourite event storylines, "You know the type – something big, dramatic, crossing over a dozen different comics across the course of a few months, with everybody being effected by whatever it is that happens at the end of the story. Whether it be a Crisis or War of some kind, or just the latest in an annual routine which sees Earth invaded by some kind of bigger and badder threat than any that Earth has seen for, well, at least six months or so."- Steve Morris, founder of Shelfdust. Critic Steve Mo...
2022-12-311h 42
Graphic Policy RadioWhat are the top 50 comic book events of all time?Shelfdust.com asked 150 comic book critics to list our favourite event storylines, "You know the type – something big, dramatic, crossing over a dozen different comics across the course of a few months, with everybody being effected by whatever it is that happens at the end of the story. Whether it be a Crisis or War of some kind, or just the latest in an annual routine which sees Earth invaded by some kind of bigger and badder threat than any that Earth has seen for, well, at least six months or so."- Steve Morris, founder of Shelfdust. Critic Steve Mo...
2022-12-311h 42Shelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues35th Place: Planetary #1 with Heidi MacDonaldThis week it’s time to pop on a trenchcoat and demand some coffee, as we look at the issue which reached 35th place: Planetary #1 by Warren Ellis, John Cassaday, Laura Martin and Bill O’Neil. Planetary sees a team of exceptional pricks working together to save the world from unbearable pricks. It’s a specifically Ellis sort of story, with magnificent bastards lording it across one another through judicious use of one-liners, pinned together by Cassaday’s sturdy character and frequent use of decompression. It’s a comic where every beat lands with exact precision, and each characte...
2022-12-2521 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues36th Place: Bitch Planet #1 with Tiffany BabbThis week brings us a hard-hitting exploitation series which reached 36th place: Bitch Planet #1 by Kelly Sue DeConnick, Valentine de Landro, Cris Peter and Clayton Cowles. There isn’t a moment for readers to breathe in Bitch Planet. The opening issue understands that readers will get what’s going on, and so it spends its pages making sure that every incident has purpose rather than trying to catch them up with exposition and introduction. When a new batch of women are sent to a “facility” on another planet for being “non-compliant”, we see them try to resist immediately, onl...
2022-12-1820 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues37th Place: The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #1 with Sara CenturyThis week brings us THE REIGNING DEFENDING UNDISPUTED UNIVERSAL CHAMPION, who reached 37th place: The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #1by Ryan North, Erica Henderson, Rico Renzi and Clayton Cowles. Okay, so you might be cynical about Unbeatable Squirrel Girl making it into this list: but that’s what Squirrel Girl is all about, isn’t it? The first issue gives us a Squirrel Girl who is suddenly the most realistic superhero in all of comics: a nice, charming girl whose capacity for understanding and empathy gives her the ability to stop any villain in their tracks. The fundamental warmth...
2022-12-1124 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues38th Place: Copra #1 with Chase MagnettThis week brings a bunch of armed weirdos in a van as we look at the comic which came in 38th place: Copra #1 by Michel Fiffe. “Inspired” by Suicide Squad, Copra is an action comic with the unmistakable hand of Michel Fiffe on the accelerator. The first issue sets up all the hallmarks of the series as it continues onwards: the gleeful chaos of the fight sequences, the death tally, the attachment to the characters. It also keeps the reader guessing throughout, unsure who is going to make it out alive or how the more eccentric aspects of the s...
2022-12-0418 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues39th Place: Monstress #1 with Samantha PucThis week brings a dark look at power and corruption, as we look at the comic which came in 39th place: Monstress #1 by Marjorie Liu, Sana Takeda and Rus Wooton. The first issue of Monstress offers a clever trick for readers: it shows them everything, and then reveals that there’s far more to “everything” than they could have ever predicted. The story revolves around a young girl called Maika, who is sold as a slave to wealthy masters – only to then turn the tables entirely on them. To find out more about the issue, Matt Lune was joined...
2022-11-2719 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues40th Place: The Invisibles #1 with august (in the wake of) dawnThis week brings a psychedelic revolution, as we look at the comic which came in 40th place: The Invisibles #1 by Grant Morrison, Steve Yeowell, Daniel Vozzo and Clem Robins. Following their time together on Zenith, readers could be forgiven for thinking that they knew what to expect from the team of Grant Morrison and Steve Yeowell when they paired again for a new series at Vertigo. Yet whilst that sense of political subversion continues onwards from their earlier work, The Invisibles is far more forceful than anybody could have predicted. It’s at once a celebration of anarchy a...
2022-11-2018 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues41st Place: Akira Vol 1 with Rosie KnightThis week it’s a high-octane apocalypse, as we look at the comic which came in 41st place: Akira #1 by Katsuhiro Otomo. Akira is set in a post-apocalyptic future, a world where a bomb was dropped in the 90s which resulted in the outbreak of World War III. Years on from that point, and the story kicks off in high gear before somehow ramping things up to move faster and faster in an exhilarating and combustible rush of an opening. Akira is many things, but the start is just pure adrenaline – and so is this week’s guest, as...
2022-11-1421 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues42nd Place: Damage Control #1 with Al KennedyThis week it’s time to clear up some of the mess left behind by superheroes, as we look at the comic which came in 42nd place: Damage Control #1 by Dwayne McDuffie, Ernie Colon, Bob Wiacek, John Wellington and Ed King. Damage Control are a group who tidy up messes and repair the rubble after superheroes and villains have left the scene, and the first issue of the first Damage Control miniseries gives them a unique challenge: a giant robot collapsed in the streets of New York. And, uh… Spider-Man may be trapped inside? The rest of the Avenge...
2022-11-0721 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues43rd Place: We3 #1 with Chloe MavealThis week is an emotional one as we look at the issue which came in 43rd place: We3 #1 by Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely, Jamie Grant and Todd Klein. The three-part miniseries follows three domestic pets escape from a military base where they’ve been experimented on by a sinister agency, who’ve grafted high-tech weaponry onto them. With everything they thought they knew about the kindness of their owners gone, the trio – a dog, a cat an a rabbit – try to find the best way to go home. But what is home? If you’ve read the series (or Ch...
2022-10-3116 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues44th Place: The Question #1 with David BrothersThis week things get gritty as we look at the issue which came in 44th place: The Question #1 by Dennis O’Neil, Denys Cowan, Rick Magyar, Tatjana Wood and Gaspar Saladino. If you like noir you’ll be in your element here, with a distinctly of-its-time first issue which sets up the story of vigilante Vic Sage (aka The Question) as a precarious stack of dominos, which then inevitably start to collapse into one another. Things go wrong very very quickly, and despite the machismo and bravado which runs violently through the entire issue, Vic’s life goes downhi...
2022-10-2426 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues45th Place: Secret Wars #1 with Zachary JenkinsThis week we celebrate the death of the Marvel Universe as we look at the issue which came in 45th place: Secret Wars #1 by Jonathan Hickman, Esad Ribic, Ive Svorcina and Chris Eliopoulos. Jonathan Hickman had been writing the Avengers for years by the time he reached the first issue of this massive crossover event for Marvel, and he promptly uses the spotlight to… destroy the Marvel Universe and the Ultimate Universe at the same time. Who gets out? Who falls in the final fight? And who sits back with a nice tall glass of champagne and watc...
2022-10-1723 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues46th Place: Daytripper #1 with Alex LuThis week we turn to the comic which came in at 47th in our list: Daytripper #1 by Fábio Moon, Gabriel Bá, Dave Stewart and Sean Konot. Daytripper is a complicated series as a whole, with each issue following a different path which lead character Bras de Oliva Domingos could take through life – and how each path will eventually lead to a different ending for him. It’s a heady series, and the first issue tells a taut and high-pressure story of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It’s a fantastic first issue, but there’...
2022-10-1017 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues47th Place: Suicide Squad #1 with Chase MagnettThis week we turn to the comic which came in at 47th in our list: Suicide Squad #1 by John Ostrander, Luke McDonnell, Karl Kesel, Carl Gafford and Todd Klein. It’s an incredible concept: the US Government tell a group of super-villains that if they assist on black-ops missions, they will help commute their sentences in the long-run. If they follow orders and get the job done, they’ll be out of prison sooner: but if they break any of their rules, they’ll be assassinated immediately. And if they die on the mission? They’ll be written off...
2022-10-0318 minShelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues48th Place: The Dark Knight Returns #1 with Kyle PinionThis week we turn to the comic which came in at 48th in our list: The Dark Knight Returns #1 by Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, Lynn Varley, and John Constanza. Hold on just a moment. That’s THE The Dark Knight Returns, one of the most important and influential comics ever made, by one of the most incredible creative teams assembled anywhere in comics history. And it’s only at position #48 in our list? Clearly we need somebody to investigate what’s going on – and who better than ScreenRex’s Kyle Pinion? * Kyle Pinion is the Entert...
2022-09-2516 min
Pressing Issues!PRESSING ISSUES SIDE STORY: Rowan Goes RogueHey folks! Due to some unexpected circumstances, the Dune episode had to be postponed. So instead, Rowan has come in to record a solo episode just catching up and recommending great comics that they have read recently! They touch on Coen's recent Pixar's Cars binge, Joe Brown and Rebecca Hurd's excellent show The Long Haul, the top 50 event comics countdown over on Shelfdust's Patreon, and a whole bunch of recent amazing comics! Come for the comfy vibes and leave with a few delightful books to check out. The comics we will be looking at today include:
2022-09-251h 01Shelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues49th Place: Sailor Moon Vol 1 with Kayleigh HearnThis week we turn to the comic which came in at 49th in our list: Sailor Moon #1, by Naoko Takeuchi. Matt spoke with writer and critic Kayleigh Hearn about the first chapter of the series. There are only two Manga entries in the list as a whole – why is that? And of all the comics out there, why was it Sailor Moon which found support from our voters when they were compiling their lists? Kayleigh talks about all that and more. * Kayleigh Hearn is the comics reviews editor for WomenWriteAbout Comics, and has writte...
2022-09-1815 min
Shelfdust Presents: The Fifty Best #1 Issues50th Place: Thunderbolts #1 with Al KennedyIn 2019 Shelfdust counted down the top fifty #1 comic book issues of all time, which you can find here! Now the list is over and we know which issues made the master list, we’ve invited critic and podcaster Matt Lune to sit down with a different comic critic each week to look at every comic which charted into the top fifty, one issue at a time. Our first comic in the list is Thunderbolts #1 by Kurt Busiek, Mark Bagley, Vince Russell, Joe Rosas and Comicraft, which charted in 50th place. Wait, but isn’t that really low down f...
2022-09-1219 min
Shelfdust Presents: The War EffortShelfdust Presents: The War Effort #12Here we are: the heroes are all dead, and god-king Doom stands triumphant over all. But there's one more oversized issue left, so once more special guests Kirsten Howard and Steve Morris join Al in order to talk about the epic conclusion to Secret Wars! They talk about Dr Doom's man-cave complete with snazzy beanbag chair, Enchantress's magic talking bath, and then they threaten Al with having to do the Bendis-written Secret War miniseries next. That'll teach him! The War Effort is produced by the immensely talented Dave Bulmer, who you can follow on Twitter h...
2022-05-2428 minShelfdust Presents: The War EffortShelfdust Presents: The War Effort #11Is that the chiselled jawline of Zac Efron we see? No, 'tis Doctor Doom, who is handsome now! Al is joined by special guests Dan White and Fraser Geesin to talk about the transformed Doom, as seen in issue #11 of Secret Wars. They also discuss the foundations of eternity, the intertwining of energies which are the basis of all that is, and the moment where Reed Richards uses his powers to become a plastic bag. The War Effort is produced by the immensely talented Dave Bulmer, who you can follow on Twitter here. Our logo comes...
2022-05-1727 minShelfdust Presents: The War EffortShelfdust Presents: The War Effort #10Dr Doom is very interested in the idea of beating up god and stealing all his stuff, which means it's time to talk about issue #10 of Secret Wars! Al joined by special guests Kelly Kanayama and Chloe Maveal to discuss the particular sound that Reed Richards' bones make, The Thing's poetic side, and what it'd look like if Magneto were a fashion Influencer with a grudge. Also Doom fights a god, if you're into that sort of thing. The War Effort is produced by the immensely talented Dave Bulmer, who you can follow on Twitter her...
2022-05-1029 minShelfdust Presents: The War EffortShelfdust Presents: The War Effort #9As we begin our final rotation around the glowing sun that is Secret Wars, Al is joined once more by special guests Jay Edidin and Paul O'Brien to talk about issue #9 of the series. That means an extensive breakdown of Colossus's choice of boots, Iron Man's new high-tech dodging software, and the deep emotional thoughts of Reed Richards. Oh, and they explore Galactus's eating habits too, for good measure. The War Effort is produced by the immensely talented Dave Bulmer, who you can follow on Twitter here. Our logo comes from the tremendously gifted mind o...
2022-05-0328 minShelfdust Presents: The War EffortShelfdust Presents: The War Effort #8Behold! The Mighty Enchantress! *hic* ohboy. Yes, it's time for episode 8 of the podcast, and Amora has had a little too much to drink. This week our cosmic host Al Kennedy is joined once more by special guests Kirsten Howard and Steve Morris to talk about Jim Shooter's thought process, as they take on issue #8 of Secret Wars. They chat about the smell of brain vapours, Shamrock's side-business as a hairdresser, and this strange new black suit Spider-Man has found... The War Effort is produced by the immensely talented Dave Bulmer, who you c...
2022-04-2623 minShelfdust Presents: The War EffortShelfdust Presents: The War Effort #7We've reached issue #7 of Secret Wars, and everybody loves Zsaji! Our cosmic host Al Kennedy is joined once again by both halves of the SILENCE! podcast, Dan White and Fraser Geesin, to discuss all the goings-on off-world! They talk about Julia Carpenter's sudden arrival on the scene, Galactus's special smile, and bicker over who the Fonz of the Marvel Universe is. The War Effort is produced by the immensely talented Dave Bulmer, who you can follow on Twitter here. Our logo comes from the tremendously gifted mind of James Wendelborn, who is on Twitter here. Thank you to them...
2022-04-1925 minShelfdust Presents: The War EffortShelfdust Presents: The War Effort #6As we reach the halfway point for the series, Al is joined by special guests Kelly Kanayama and Chloe Maveal to talk about issue #6 of Secret Wars, which means we're in for a whole lotta talk about Janet Van Dyne. When not discussing The Wasp, they chat about Klaw's love of soup, Johnny Storm's seductive rendition of Thriller, and the lasting cultural impact of Dazzler. Because of course they do. The War Effort is produced by the immensely talented Dave Bulmer, who you can follow on Twitter here. Our logo comes from the tremendously gifted mind of James...
2022-04-1237 minShelfdust Presents: The War EffortShelfdust Presents: The War Effort #5Our special guests Jay Edidin and Paul O'Brien return for episode #5, ready to talk about the fifth issue of Marvel's Secret Wars! And they're just in time, too, because Galactus is about to destroy everything! They talk to cosmic host Al Kennedy about Xavier's bedside manner, Molecule Man's glow-up, and reveal what Jim Shooter's idea of a psychedelic mind-expanding experience looks like. The War Effort is produced by the immensely talented Dave Bulmer, who you can follow on Twitter here. Our logo comes from the tremendously gifted mind of James Wendelborn, who is on Twitter her...
2022-04-0522 minShelfdust Presents: The War EffortShelfdust Presents: The War Effort #4For our fourth episode of the show Al is joined by special guests Kirsten Howard and Steve Morris to talk about Secret Wars #4, and you better believe they're talking about Hawkeye's singing ability! They also cover Muppet Treasure Island, Volcana and Molecule Man's blossoming romance, and Al's personal origin as a Marvel reader! The War Effort is produced by the immensely talented Dave Bulmer, who you can follow on Twitter here. Our logo comes from the tremendously gifted mind of James Wendelborn, who is on Twitter here. Thank you to them both for their incredible work...
2022-03-2938 minShelfdust Presents: The War EffortShelfdust Presents: The War Effort #3For our third episode Al is joined by special guests Kelly Kanayama and Claire Napier to talk about Secret Wars #3. They talk about Mr Fantastic and Cyclops being the ultimate wife guys, Magneto's fabulous chairs, and, of course, Claire's myriad thoughts about Jim Shooter. And more besides! The War Effort is produced by the immensely talented Dave Bulmer, who you can follow on Twitter here. Our logo comes from the tremendously gifted mind of James Wendelborn, who is on Twitter here. Thank you to them both for their incredible work - give them a follow!
2022-03-2241 minShelfdust Presents: The War EffortShelfdust Presents: The War Effort #2For our second episode of The War Effort, host Al Kennedy is joined by special guests Dan White and Fraser Geesin to talk about Secret Wars #2. They talk about Magneto's mysterious power plant, Captain America's very specific briefing room, and do A LOT of Alan Bennett impressions in the process. The War Effort is produced by the immensely talented Dave Bulmer, who you can follow on Twitter here. Our logo comes from the tremendously gifted mind of James Wendelborn, who is on Twitter here. Thank you to them both for their incredible work - give them...
2022-03-1524 min
Shelfdust Presents: The War EffortShelfdust Presents: The War Effort #1Welcome to Shelfdust Presents: The War Effort, a special twelve-part podcast hosted by Al Kennedy! For this, our first special collector's edition episode, Al is joined by special guests Jay Edidin and Paul O'Brien to talk about, appropriately, Secret Wars #1. They discuss The Beyonder's great big smashy plan for the heroes and villains of the Marvel Universe, Spider-Man getting an Incredible piggyback, and Doc Ock's sense of fashion. And more! The War Effort is produced by the immensely talented Dave Bulmer, who you can follow on Twitter here. Our logo comes from the t...
2022-03-0640 min
Graphic Policy RadioMaus: with artists, organizers & critics12 years of podcasting & I finally did an episode about Art Spiegelman's Maus. Guests Ethan Heitner is a cartoonist who lives in New York City. among other things. Most recently he helped edit the 51st issue of the radical political comix anthology World War 3 Illustrated, available now from AK Press and subtitled "The World We Are Fighting For." Leo Ferguson is the Director of Strategic Projects at Jews For Racial & Economic Justice. He is the founder of JFREJ's Jews of Color caucus, lead organizer for the Jews of Color National Convening, and a lead author of Understanding Antisemitism. He is a...
2022-02-091h 41
Graphic Policy RadioMaus: with artists, organizers & critics12 years of podcasting & I finally did an episode about Art Spiegelman's Maus. Guests Ethan Heitner is a cartoonist who lives in New York City. among other things. Most recently he helped edit the 51st issue of the radical political comix anthology World War 3 Illustrated, available now from AK Press and subtitled "The World We Are Fighting For." Leo Ferguson is the Director of Strategic Projects at Jews For Racial & Economic Justice. He is the founder of JFREJ's Jews of Color caucus, lead organizer for the Jews of Color National Convening, and a lead author of Understanding Antisemitism. He is a...
2022-02-091h 41
Graphic Policy RadioHawkeye Squared: from Comics to Disney+Hawk-guy John Arminio guests host our discussion of the iconic Hawkeye comics series created by Matt Fraction and David Aja AND the new Hawkeye TV series on Disney+. With Arminio are guests Scott Thorough and Kat Overland. They also get into how to create a comic that has a real sense of place, what New York smells like, Clint Barton's terrible personal life, and Kate Bishop's LA vacation with... Elliot Gould?! PLUS: John learns how to pronounce "David Aja" and everyone gives some great recommendations if Hawkeye has you hungry for more amazing comics! Scott is a Brooklyn-born social worker current...
2022-01-201h 20
Graphic Policy RadioHawkeye Squared: from Comics to Disney+Hawk-guy John Arminio guests host our discussion of the iconic Hawkeye comics series created by Matt Fraction and David Aja AND the new Hawkeye TV series on Disney+. With Arminio are guests Scott Thorough and Kat Overland. They also get into how to create a comic that has a real sense of place, what New York smells like, Clint Barton's terrible personal life, and Kate Bishop's LA vacation with... Elliot Gould?! PLUS: John learns how to pronounce "David Aja" and everyone gives some great recommendations if Hawkeye has you hungry for more amazing comics! Scott is a Brooklyn-born social worker current...
2022-01-201h 20
Bitches on ComicsEpisode 102: Deadpool is entertaining, problematic, charming, chaotic featuring Monika Estrella NegraIn today's episode, we have a double dose of Deadpool! First, we talk about what we love about the Merc with the Mouth with Monika Estrella Negra. We get into the highs and lows of our favorite tragic clown, from his pansexuality to his chaotic energy. Next, we take a look at Deadpool (Way, Medina) as a tie-in with Shelfdust's Secret Invasion extravaganza!
2021-07-2100 min
Wait, What?Baxter Building—Secret Invasion EditionToday, Graeme McMillan and Jeff Lester welcome you back to Baxter Building, our Fantastic Four podcast!
We return to join on the Shelfdust reappraisal of Secret Invasion by reading Secret Invasion: Fantastic Four a three issue miniseries by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Barry Kitson, Chris Sotamayor, and a plethora of inkers!
We discuss how this miniseries ties into the Secret Invasion event, how it ties into our readthtrough of the first 416 issues of the Fantastic Four, and what we have been up to in the years since!
Show notes eagerly await you at waitwhatpodcast.com, we welcome your comments and questions at...
2021-07-181h 30
The 2000 AD Thrill-CastThe 2000 AD Thrill-Cast Lockdown Tapes - PJ Holden & deep-dive on The Simping Detective with Steve MorrisListen at 2000AD.com - 2000ad.com/podcastListen on Spotify - bit.do/thrillcastspotifySubscribe on iTunes - bit.do/thrillcastitunesWelcome to the fourteenth of The Lockdown Tapes as The 2000 AD Thrill-Cast continues to broadcast the joys of Thrill-power during the COVID-19 pandemic! Got a theme or interview you'd like to hear? Let us know at thrillcast@2000AD.comWith the misadventures of primate Noam Chimpsky running in 2000 AD right now, the Thrill-Cast talks to artist PJ Holden about his latest work, his career, and putting crazy citizens back on the streets...
2020-05-082h 13
The ComicsXF Interview PodcastWMQ&A Episode 50: The top 100 comics issues with Steve MorrisThis week, Steve Morris, who runs the comics site Shelfdust and is features co-editor for The MNT, is here to talk about the top 100 comics issues of all time, a list he curated at Shelfdust with input from nearly 100 comics journalists from all over the web. We talk about that, we talk about lists in general, we talk about the mission of the MNT, and we talk about whether Matt Fraction and David Aja’s “Hawkeye” is the younger generation’s “Watchmen.”
2019-01-2056 minWait, What?Wait, What? Episode 261Today is our first episode of 2019 and it is almost a breathtaking three hour episode.
In it you will Graeme McMillan and Jeff Lester discuss Alan Moore and the Last War in Albion, The Shelfdust Top 100 Comic Books of all time
and Graemes own top ten submitted for the list, a very long discussion of the recent Tom King controversy regarding the Tumblr post by Abhay Khosala—
Abhay, if you are listening to this, please stop around the ninety minute mark-a super-brief discussion about Into The Spider-Verse and much, much more.
Comments on the show are available at waitwhatpodcast.com, we...
2019-01-062h 55
The FantasticastEpisode 270: Marvel Two-in-One Annual #2 - Death Watch!Alan Moore's Thunderbirds Hello, and welcome to episode 270 of The Fantasticast. Each week, Steve Lacey and Andy Leyland guide you through every issue, guest-appearance and cameo of The Fantastic Four. This is it. The grand climax to the first grand, cosmic story depicting the threat to the universe posed by Thanos, his armies, and the reunited Infinity Gems. The Avengers stand between Thanos and Earth, whilst Adam Warlock must sacrifice everything to stop his foe. And, caught in the middle, are the ever-lovin' blue-eyed Thing, and your friendly, neighbourhood Spider-Man. Jim Starlin and...
2018-02-241h 30