Episodios
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In 1986, DC Comics did something pretty radical for that time. -- they rebooted Superman. In the wake of the landmark mini-series Crisis On Infinite Earths, DC was relaunching its universe and they went back to the hero that started it all for them.
This time, fan favorite writer and artist John Byrne was lured from Marvel Comics to redefine DC's flagship hero for a new generation. And Byrne wasted no time putting his stamp on the classic hero.
We will examine The Man Of Steel issues #1 - 6, the mini-series that served as the launching pad, and talk about Byrne's reimagining of Superman and his supporting cast. Some of the changes were considered very different, and yet, somehow, Superman remained Superman. But with a fresh injection of creativity that allowed readers a new jumping on point that paved the way for a very successful new direction for the character and his monthly books going forward.
Hosted by Brad Page and Chris Karam. -
It's 5150 time, y'all!
This episode, Alex Alt (Slydog Music Cast) and me delve into the Sammy Hagar era of Van Halen. While it's an era that divides some fans, it's also an era that produced some great, enduring music and we had a lot of fun going into the band's four studio albums as well as their one "live" album.
Although a lot of people call them "Van Hagar,"we're gonna call 'em "Sam Halen." Whatever you call them, ultimately it's still Van Halen, and this was a very exciting and productive time for the band. At the core of it was Eddie Van Halen, who was still blazing away through some of the band's most successful music.
We had fun talking about Sam Halen and we hope you'll have fun listening to this episode. -
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Once again, we go back to the Marvel age of comics, a swingin' time when the cold war was hot and spies were everywhere...even Marvel Comics! We look at the comics Strange Tales #166 & 167 and Nick Fury, Agent Of SHIELD #1-3, & 5.
Nick Fury, once the leader of a group of commandos during World War II, had been refashioned as a 1960s spy as the leader of an organization named S.H.I.E.L.D. Shepherding this change was a young writer / artist named Jim Steranko, who not only took the character into the modern day '60s, but updated the art style as well.
The original Nick Fury wasn't psychedelic, but the art style certainly was and we had fun discussing Marvel's foray into cold war adventures that, while of their time, are a fun romp through the tropes of late '60s storytelling. And while this is serious stuff, it's a lot of fun as well. As comics should be.
Hosted by Brad Page and Chris Karam. -
In this episode, guest co-host Jeff Harris (Behind The Grooves) and me explore the musical enigma known as Steely Dan! And for the record, Steely Dan is a group, not just one guy.
A group that defies easy categorization, as they mix rock, jazz, pop, funk, and lyrics that are sometimes inscrutable, but always interesting. Donald Fagen and Walter Becker were two friends who met in college and set about writing songs that were an arty blend of their many musical and literary influences.
We explore the original era of Steely Dan, spanning 1972-1980. We delve into each album, the songs, the stories, the many musicians who helped Becker and Fagen realize their esoteric musical visions and ultimately, why we love these albums so much. We try and shed some light on what Steely Dan was all about.
Check out Jeff Harris's Behind The Grooves music blog: https://www.patreon.com/behindthegrooves/about?fbclid=IwAR3TFDb9hvywTPXcYlTaD5OgTloCjDHcGYJzOSG4uh-hDkd-OzfhvXkJHGM -
We take a soujourn to the Hyborian age of sword and sorcery with a young barbarian known as...Conan!
In this episode, we take a look at Conan's comic roots, beginning in 1970 with the classic Conan The Barbarian series written by Roy Thomas and drawn by Barry Windsor-Smith. We not only talk about the stories and art, but also how Marvel Comics came to be the first publisher to adapt the classic character by Robert E. Howard into comics!
Know, oh princes and princesses, that between the years of 1970 - 1973, the classic era of Conan comics was upon us, and it paved the way for other heroes of sword and sorcery and that it begat these enduring works.
Fetch yourself a flagon of good ale and listen as we analyze and discuss this classic era of everyone's favorite rogue...Conan! By Crom, you'll have a good time! -
50 years ago, the music world got its' first KISS, in the form a debut album by four young men who not only played hard and heavy rock, but had the audacity to wear makeup, over the top costumes, and platform shoes that made them seem bigger than life.
1974's self titled debut album by Gene, Paul, Ace, and Peter fired the first shot of KISS's kinetic sound and it was a mission statement that their unique brand of hook-filled glitter rock was not to be denied. And just in case that wasn't enough for ya, later that year, they issued a second album, Hotter Than Hell. Two albums by a new group in one year -- these guys were serious.
I talked with Bakko (Cobras And Fire podcast) about the debut album and with Jeff Hogland about Hotter Than Hell, and we had a fun time talking about our favorite songs, trivia, and how these albums effected us in the days of our impressionable youth. Both of these guys brought their own unique perspectives on the records and how these records helped to shape our appreciation of music.
Check out Bakko on the Cobras And Fire podcast: https://cobrasandfire.com/ -
In this episode, we tackle one of the Marvel Universe's most epic anti-heroes, the mutant known as...Wolverine!
More specifically, we tackle 1982's Wolverine mini-series by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller as well as X-Men #172 and 173 by Chris Claremont and Paul Smith. To do this, we needed some help doing the heavy lifting, so we brought on our first ever guest star: Eric Miller (Pods and Sods)!
The three of us had a great time dissecting the convoluted backstory of Marvel's favorite mutant and the various plot threads and machinations that make for great comics! If you like Wolverine and the X-Men, you'll like this episode!
Listen to Eric Miller on the Pods and Sods music podcast: https://podsodcast.com/
Listen to Eric Miller on the Foreign Comics Calling podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ken-worthing?fbclid=IwAR1Xzg2vTX-CNn3HoMvSZ2D_HPVzdSEtLGfJ3VmDuqNwMI5VYXB4KZ6_nrY -
What would happen if the legendary teen pop group The Bay City Rollers dropped the "Bay City" from their name, their signature tartan garb, and pursued a new sound?
The year is 1979 and after a tumultuous 1978, The Bay City Rollers have a new singer, a new sound, and a new look. Hoping to stake out a post-teen idol territory in anticipation of the 1980s, the Rollers are now clad in bright new wave colors, skinny ties and have rechristened themselves simply, "The Rollers."
Guest co-Host Debbie Smith-Clarke and me explore this segment of (Bay City) Rollers history. A segment largely unknown to casual fans and the general public. We will explore the origins of this new incarnation as well as take an in-depth look at the three albums this lineup produced: Elevator, Voxx, and Ricochet.
We'll delve into why these albums are so great and why they didn't connect with music buyers in the way that their previous albums did. As always, we had a lot of fun talking up The Rollers!
Check out Dedication -- Fans Remember The Bay City Rollers podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dedication-fans-remember-the-bay-city-rollers-podcast-2/id1535575923 -
In this episode, we revisit an Avengers saga with so many turns and twists -- not to mention flashbacks -- that you'll get whiplash from reading it!
We go back to the Marvel Age of Comics to examine The Avengers #57 - 60 by Roy Thomas and John Buscema, a saga that introduces a character that will have a major impact on the Marvel Universe, The Vision. We also get to meet such characters as Yellowjacket and villains who sound suspiciously like mobsters from a 1930s gangster movie.
This saga is over the top in the way only a 1960s Marvel comic could be!
Hosted by Chris Karam and Brad Page -
It was sixty years ago this month that The Beatles set foot in America and our country has never been the same ever since!
Guest Co-Host Brad Page (I'm In Love With That Song podcast) and me delve into the frenzied state known as Beatlemania, that took over in February 1964, when The Beatles first played to the American TV audience on The Ed Sullivan Show. We trace the back story to the group's debut album in their native Britain in 1963, an album that created such a stir that by years end, not one, but two record companies were vying to be the first to release a Beatles album in the US!
And who were the men behind the scenes who lit the fuse for this cultural revolution? And what is the connection between The Beatles and later rivals The Monkees? And why did The Beatles take hold like no other band before or since has done?
Give this episode a listen and find out! It's fab!
Listen to Brad Page's I'm In Love With That Song Podcast: https://lovethatsongpodcast.com/ -
While things were getting grim an' gritty in 1980s comics, the antidote was a dose of BWAH-HA-HA, which came in the form of Justice League International. We take a deep dive into issues #5-8.
In the post-Crisis, cold war decade of the '80s, a new Justice League was needed, and while this version of the league took their heroics seriously, it didn't stop them from cracking a joke or two or three or....well, you get the point. This classic comic re-invented the League for a new era and the inspired creativity of Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire made sure the action and the jokes were fast and furious, sometimes ending in literal punchlines.
There's battling, backstabbing, and drama....and that's just amongst the heroes themselves!
Needless to say, we had a lot of fun doing this episode.
Hosted by Brad Page and Chris Karam -
On this show, we accentuate the positive, so we start off 2024 with an episode about the band Yes. More specifically, their 1978 album Tormato.
Special Guest Kevin Mulryne (Yes Music Podcast) discusses his book Yes: The Tormato Story, in which he delves into the making of this over the top prog rock classic. We had a lot of fun discussing this book and all the behind the scenes anecdotes we could cram into one podcast!
Who fiddled with Rick Wakeman's keyboards? How many copies of Tormato can one man own? Did Jon Anderson have knowledge of UFOs arriving on this planet? Which version of Tormato is the best one to have? Listen to this podcast and find out the answers!
Check out Kevin Mulryne's Yes Music Podcast: https://yesmusicpodcast.com/
Check out Kevin Mulryne's book Yes: The Tormato Story: https://tormatobook.com/ -
It's our ho-ho-holiday show and for this one, we decided to go back to the distant past for a story that's so groovy, it's almost far out!
Dig it, we're talking about "The TT's Swingin' Christmas Carol" from Teen Titans #13 (1967), in which The Titans (Robin, Wonder Girl, Aqualad, & Kid Flash), become the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future, as they face off against the evil businessman Ebenezer Scrounge.
Any similarities to Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" are purely intentional and...marv!
We hope you'll not only like this swingin,' classic story, but our take on it as well. Ya Dig?
"God Rest Ye Jazzy Gentlemen" arranged and performed by Brad Page.
Hosted by Chris Karam and Brad Page. -
This episode goes to 11!
Guest Co-Host Terry Hamblin and me explore the cult "mockumentary" film This Is Spinal Tap, which is celebrating 40 years of one of the greatest fake bands ever, Spinal Tap.
In an episode that walks the fine line between stupid and clever, we had fun going over the many sights, sounds, and yes, great gags, that have turned this film into a cult classic.
No podcasters spontaneously exploded during the making of this podcast. -
In this episode of Back Issue Banter, we take you into a new world...The Fourth World!
When artist Jack Kirby left Marvel Comics in the early 1970s, it sent shock waves throughout the industry. Kirby had visions of creating a new group of characters whose adventures were like nothing you'd ever seen. And they were so wild that DC Comics had to publish them!
The most popular of them was Mister Miracle, an escape artist like no other! We take a look at the first four issues of Mister Miracle and examine a group of characters and concepts that are Pure Unfiltered Kirby
Ever heard of Boom Tubes, Mother Boxes, or Doctor Bedlam? Well, you will after listening to this episode for Granny Goodness' sake! -
Join us as we celebrate our 50th episode spectacular with a look at the KISS solo albums from 1978 on their 45th anniversary!
Guest co-host Eric Miller (Pods & Sods) and me delve into each and every aspect of this unprecedented achievement, in which four solo albums by the members of KISS were released on the same day in 1978! We talk about the music, the gossip, the trivia, and leave no stone unturned in this exploration of these very different albums!
Hosted by Chris Karam -
In this episode, we take a look at the classic "Master Planner Saga" from Amazing Spider-Man #31-33. This classic tale by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko represents the peak of their collaboration and is considered by many to be one of the greatest Spidey sagas ever.
We go through each issue, discussing every aspect of this iconic storyline.
Hosted by Chris Karam and Brad Page -
This episode, we celebrate 40 years of one of the greatest metal groups of all time....Dio! Guest co-host Alex Alt (Sly Dog Music Cast) and me examine the 80s albums that built a rock legend. Founded by legendary vocalist Ronnie James Dio, the Dio band was responsible for metal classics such as "Rainbow In The Dark," "The Last In Line," and "We Rock," among many others.
We take a look at the albums Dio released in the 1980s: Holy Diver, The Last In Line, Sacred Heart, Intermission, and Dream Evil. So get your beverage of choice and listen as we delve into some of the greatest metal music of all time! -
In this episode, we delve into one of Batman's most compelling and most dangerous foes, Ra's Al Ghul. From his debut in Batman #232, to his epic battle with Gotham's Caped Crusader that spans several continents and countries in Batman #242-244. We look at these classic comics, as rendered by writer Denny O' Neil and artist Neal Adams.
These are the stories that launched a legend and set the tone for the Dark Knight for years and decades to come. A lot of fun was had here and we were only too happy to re-read these classic tales!
Hosted by Brad Page and Chris Karam -
In this episode, guest co-host Lee Conrad (The Scrappy Doo Principle, KISStory Science Theatre) and me explore KISS's Lick It Up album as it celebrates its' 40th anniversary.
KISS was at a crucial point in their career, as their glory days were behind them and they chose to bid farewell to that era by taking off the make up that they were so identified with up to that point. It proved to be a success and once again, KISS was back on the charts and back on the road.
We delve into this album track-by-track, and as always, had a lot of fun doing so! - Mostrar más