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Editorials
Smorgasbord #63: Khatz in the Khradle
In which Shawn learns that Marvel’s definitions of “ongoing” and “miniseries” are more interchangeable than they should be; a Warren Ellis Plot Generator would inevitably become sentient and attack the United Nations while chain-smoking; Meredith… [more]
Smorgasbord #62: Shawn & Tom Kill the Marvel Universe
Go for broke! The news from the Marvel Retailer Summit have forced Shawn & Tom to discuss at length about all myriad problems Marvel actually have, as opposed to the problems they think they have.… [more]
Smorgasbord #61: Fist of Iron, Feet of Clay
Tom and Shawn call upon their inner chi to give Netflix’s Iron Fist a well-deserved beatdown; Paramount tries to solicit a Pro; Tom discovers that the pratfalls and faux pas of the comics industry don’t… [more]
Smorgasbord #60: Infinite Midlife Crisis
It’s a new day and a new format for Smorgasbord, as Shawn and Tom discuss of what the reception for Logan means for the future of comic book movies, the end of Island, the resurrection… [more]
Smorgasbord #59: See You Hell Cowboy
This week, Tom and Shawn say their last goodbyes to Hellboy III, Rebellion must avoid getting into Activision’s bed of disappointments and broken dreams, and the May Previews provide some tedium, some pleasant surprises, and… [more]
Smorgasbord #58: G.I. Jem
Shawn and Tom feel cautiously optimistic about future movies and comics as they discuss the second Logan trailer, the teaser for Powerless, an animated Spider-Man, and a metric ton of comics coming in April. On… [more]
Star Trek Nemesis: The End of an Era
Star Trek Nemesis, released 15 years ago at this time of year, is the nadir of the entire franchise. The 1998 Trek instalment, Insurrection, was also very weak, but weak within the normal parameters of… [more]
Smorgasbord #57: Yabba Dabba Don’t
Shawn is possessed by the spirit of Soraya Montenegro and spends the entire episode raging out over Gerard Jones, Rob Liefield, Ike Perlmutter, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and Fred Flintstone’s war veterans group. Tom heroically… [more]
Reconsidering Rogue One
Ever since the release of Rogue One, and its undeniable box-office success, and the tragic death of Carrie Fisher, there’s been much discussion about the future of Star Wars. The Force Awakens re-started the franchise… [more]
Smorgasbord #56: The Smorgie Awards 2016
It’s that most wonderful time of year again! Tom and Shawn welcome special guest Max Nestorowich to review the year in comics and help us hand out the Carrie Fisher Memorial Award for Best Female… [more]
Money and Trade at the End of the World
Every video roleplaying game has basically the same setup: shops offering increasingly powerful items and equipment accompany the path toward the final boss. You sell your junk there, make repairs, upgrade cloth armor to leather… [more]
Smorgasbord #55: Demon Detectives on Magic Skateboards
Between sirens and power drills, Tom and Shawn manage to talk about the Riverdale trailer and why Sexy Jailbait Archie is a thing nobody needs. Angela Bassett joins Marvel’s Black Panther, and Shawn finally lets… [more]
Smorgasbord #54: World War Jude
Shawn and Tom dive headfirst into news with the very amusing Bleeding Cool Civil War (not to be confused with the thoroughly unamusing Civil War II or the actual political landscape), Marvel’s latest attempt to… [more]
Smorgasbord #53: We’re With Her
Having officially broken DC’s numbering system, Tom and Shawn celebrate by taking a contemplative look at Edison Rex, a harsh look at Marvel’s failure with Chelsea Cain, a confused look at the Logan trailer, an… [more]
Smorgasbord #52: Barbarians at the Gate
After a short vacation, Shawn & Tom return to discuss the post-NYCC news avalanche, including creators behaving badly, the un-shocking return of old comics imprints, new publishers making big steps, and the casting announcement that… [more]
Berlanti Drops the Ball on CW-DC Universe
I have reviewed CW’s DC superhero shows since Arrow first appeared. Despite its rocky first half season, I had high hopes that it would find its footing in the second half of its freshman year… [more]
The New Rogue One Trailer Shows Us the New… And the Old
The new trailer for Rogue One has the distinction of explaining the film’s title (unsurprisingly it’s a callsign), and it also reveals something of the film’s plot. The character played by Felicity Jones, named Jyn… [more]
Smorgasbord #51: Goodbye, Northampton’s Rose
Shawn and Tom consider the legacy of Alan Moore as he prepares to leave comics forever(?); Shawn sings the praises of Outhouser Jude Terror for speaking truth to power; nobody puts Valiant in the corner… [more]
Smorgasbord #49: Could It Beeee… SATAN?!
Shawn and Tom talk about DC’s broken promises, Grant Morrison’s TV deals, Shawn’s thoughts on the Suicide Squad movie, a theory about Earth-Snyder (it’s all Hal Jordan’s fault), the welcome return of Adam West’s Batman,… [more]
Smorgasbord #48: Fall of the House of Warner
This is the post-SDCC world, and while most of the news have discussed to death, Shawn & Tom still want to talk a bit about the Eisners, some selected trailers, spin-offs for low-selling books, and… [more]
Smorgasbord #47: Liberty’s Lingerie
This week, Tom and Shawn discuss Frank Cho’s line in the sand, 9-year-olds who love V for Vendetta, Joe Casey’s auto-plagiarism, Justice League finally getting some Action, and October Previews. We also review The Hunt… [more]
Smorgasbord #46: A Valiant Effort
Shawn & Tom talk about Valiant’s unexpected takeover of the Harvey Awards, Ron Wimberly vs. Erik Larsen, the latest round of casting news, and the wasted potential of Tom Felton. On the review side, it’s… [more]
Smorgasbord #45: Quit Cloning Around
Shawn and Tom react to unwelcome events and crossovers at DC and Marvel, Ulises Fariñas’s new project is Buño and muy bueno, some unexpected names turn up in casting news for Supergirl and Spider-Man: Homecoming,… [more]
Overwatch: The Pleasures of Not Giving a Damn about the Story
Overwatch, launched just a month ago, is a new MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) in which teams of six human-controlled players battle six-person teams controlled by humans or the computer, your choice. Each player chooses… [more]