Year-End Best of 2015 Episode

[Perseus]

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Story Arc: Lady Mechanika Tablet of Destinies

[bralinator]

A quick response to the latest episode I heard today.

Regarding Saga, I've enjoyed the series but I've concluded that it is vastly overrated in my opinion and sometimes comes off as trying too hard at being gratuitous for the thrill of it. Sort of like a child that's just learned a new curse word and feels the need to just use it over and over.

The comic can be very explicit and has a 17+ only rating (which is hard to find), so you definitely don't want to leave it lying around where young children can find it. There's no shortage of sexual scenes, graphic violence and horror elements, an F-bomb here and there, and now and again we witness intimate experiences like giving birth. Or losing a limb. Some issues even open with a splash page of such a scene, likely shocking an unsuspecting reader.

John has a good point, that an editor could very likely mitigate the gratuitous profanity and lewd elements. This reader just doesn't think it's as perfect and amazing as the gushing reviewers tend to report. I wonder if it would be as popular if it eliminated these elements? If it wouldn't, then that's kind of a sad statement on what it takes for an indie comic book to get rave reviews these days.

[drew]

I wonder if it would be as popular if it eliminated these elements? If it wouldn't, then that's kind of a sad statement on what it takes for an indie comic book to get rave reviews these days.

I certainly think so - the combination of Fiona's creativity as an artist and BKV's imaginative plot combined with a great cast of characters still wins the day for me as a reader.

[JohnMayo]

FYI, Drew and I recorded the episode last night. It should go up on January 15th.

[erickowabunga]

FYI, Drew and I recorded the episode last night. It should go up on January 15th.

9 days . . . 9 whole days . . .

[drew]

FYI, Drew and I recorded the episode last night. It should go up on January 15th.

9 days . . . 9 whole days . . .

hahaha...and its like 2 1/2 hours

[JohnMayo]

9 days . . . 9 whole days . . .

I try to have all of the podcasts for the entire done before the start of the week. So when Drew and I recorded WCS #438 and YCS #9 on Tuesday evening, the Subscription Boxlight for 2015-12 which went up yesterday (1/6/16) and the Ant-Man episode which goes up tomorrow (1/8/16) were already posted on the website. The Weekly Comics Spotlight goes up every Monday and Previews Spotlight #99 is slated for Wednesday. Of course, for that to happen, I need to edit the Previews Spotlight episode this weekend. That left next Friday (1/15/16) as the earliest date for the Yearly Comics Spotlight.

The week after that will have a Weekly Comics Spotlight and hopefully the two Mayo Report episodes for 2015-12 and the following week will have a Weekly Comics Spotlight and hopefully the two Mayo Report episodes for the 2015 year end data. For all of that to happen, I need to crunch both the December data and the year end data this weekend. Don't forget that Preview Spotlight episode I mentioned above is also on my plate this weekend. Plus the articles for CBR for the December and year end data.

In order to get the episodes up every week, sometimes there is a lag between when the episode gets recorded and when it gets released. The most extreme example of that is the upcoming Minority Report Season 1 episode currently slated for 2/5/16 that I uploaded to the website back around 12/20/2015. I think that is the first time that sort of long delay has happened but it made sense to record that episode right after my sister and I finished watching the season and to release it after the more time sensitive episodes.

With the Yearly Comics Spotlight episode, it started with a 3 hour and 13 minute raw recording (including the discussions Drew and I had before and after the discussion but not including the hour we spent recording the Weekly Comics Spotlight immediately before that). I've managed to edit it down to a little over 2 hours and 23 minutes but that took some time last night and all of this evening.

There is a lot of behind the scenes work to get them out at all. Virtually none of that editing work is the least bit of fun but it has to get done in order to get the episodes out. Figure for every minute of time on the released podcast, I've spent on average around 5 minutes to make that happen. The co-hosts probably spent two or three minutes per released minute depending how much prep work they had to do for the episode. For instance, Drew spent some time compiling the feedback on the forum into a very handy Excel file which made including the listener pick in the episode much easier than it would have been otherwise. (Thanks Drew!)

I'd love to get some of these episodes out sooner but often, that just can't happen. Hopefully you all will enjoy the episode when it gets released next week.

[erickowabunga]

I'd love to get some of these episodes out sooner but often, that just can't happen. Hopefully you all will enjoy the episode when it gets released next week.

John - we are happy to get them when you give them. I was going to ask when you sleep in there, but I think I have crunched the numbers, and determined that one of the following is the case (least likely to most):

1) You are a vampire
2) You have a flux capacitor and are keeping it to yourself
3) You don't sleep
4) You consume caffeine

As always, thanks for all the effort that you and your co-hosts put in to this. I think I can speak for everyone when I say that I greatly enjoy whatever content you are giving us!

[JohnMayo]

John - we are happy to get them when you give them. I was going to ask when you sleep in there, but I think I have crunched the numbers, and determined that one of the following is the case (least likely to most):

1) You are a vampire
2) You have a flux capacitor and are keeping it to yourself
3) You don't sleep
4) You consume caffeine

As always, thanks for all the effort that you and your co-hosts put in to this. I think I can speak for everyone when I say that I greatly enjoy whatever content you are giving us!

I figured as much but I also get that 9 days before and episode goes up can seem like a long time so explaining why it was going to be that long made sense.

As for your theories:
1) not that I know of
2) I wish
3) pretty much
4) in large quantities

[NiklasJ]

Awesome show guys! Im myself very Marvel partial but there is a lot to like at image as well. About DC I still like Snyders Batman so its not all bad, not quite a match for everyones favorite Sith Lord ofc but what is

(on second thought I might have been slightly off on the year on some of my picks...)

[JohnMayo]

About DC I still like Snyders Batman so its not all bad, not quite a match for everyones favorite Sith Lord ofc but what is

As for a Batman vs Darth Vader match up:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3tC8TPh9oQ

[MichaelCastle]

Great year end show guys! I look forward to another great year of podcasts! As much as you rave about Astro City I will have to check it out. I think the category I struggled with the most is rising star. I think like Series we would like more people to read maybe it could be writer/artist we would like to see more from. Wonderful program I think John & Drew knock it out out of the park on a weekly basis.

[drew]

Wonderful program I think John & Drew knock it out out of the park on a weekly basis.

thank you very much - that is nice to hear - we appreciate it

[bralinator]

Fun episode guys. Really enjoyed it and hearing a rundown and assessment of the forum picks as well.

As for Marvel Unlimited, the lowest rate I've seen for an annual subscription is $4.60 per month if you pre-pay the $55.20 and have your promo code from the Age of Ultron Blu-Ray. That is the offer on Marvel's own website: http://more.marvel.com/offers/ultron/ma ... imited.htm. I also expect that there's a similar code in any of the Marvel blu-rays found here: http://more.marvel.com/index.htm. Check inside your case for your code.

Otherwise, the monthly fee is only $10 a month, and there are several promos out there for first month free or a penny. That's if you want to be able to try it out and cancel later. The pre-paid annual is $69 for the standard service, or $99 for the Annual Plus plan, which includes exclusive variants, discounts, action figures and more. See all the details here: http://marvel.com/comics/unlimited. The $5.75 monthly amount is for the annual pre-paid. And if you get a promo code for the first month free, that lowers the monthly investment amount to $5.31. A pretty sweet deal.

If you’re a trade waiter, or a casual comic reader, this service could benefit you. If you’ve been away from Marvel for awhile and want to come back, check out some titles you’ve been hearing about, this is definitely for you. If you collect back issues, this could be a way to be more discerning in what you collect. It also would allow you to read a title without actually reading (and devaluing) your print copy. If you like to buy old runs and get them bound, you can try a run out and see if you want to buy it or not.

For podcasters, like John and Drew, (Derek, Kyle, etc) that need to be up to date, and know everything that’s going on in the 616 universe and beyond, the service might not be as useful, other than simply not having to retrieve back issues to read from your own collections. Some people don't think it's a smooth or efficient as the comixology app, and depending on your device, that may be true. There are several reviews out there for the discerning buyers.

[comicm]

FYI, you guys mentioned me as voting but I did not this year.

Mike Myers