THE ORBITING POD PRESENTS: Episode 64
Welcome to Episode 64 of The Orbiting Pod! This week, we delve the depths of Aquaman #8, don the spandex for The Goon #39, let our fists do the talking in AVX: Vs #1, face an identity crisis with Battle Scars #5, and remain strong to the finish with Popeye #1.
We also have a look at this years Free Comic Book Day offerings, spotlighting those which we think are the most likely to entice new readers.
We complete this weeks episode with an interview with Ellie and Lily, the lovely young girls behind First Class Comic Review.
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The Amazing Spider-Man Main Trailer Finally Goes Live – Watch it now!
At long last, the main trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man is now online and available for your viewing pleasure. After the pleasant surprise that was Avengers Assemble, it will be interesting to see how Spidey holds up … Can Andrew Garfield out-nerd Tobey Maguire? Will Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy make us forget all about MJ? Perhaps with this trailer we’ll begin to find out.
DROKK! Mega-City 1 comes to Orbital with Geoff Barrow & Ben Salisbury
We are beyond excited to announce that Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury (along with Alex Bertram-Powell) will be in store on Wednesday May 16 performing extracts from their new album DROKK: Music Inspired By Mega-City One.
The new album, from the creative force behind Portishead and Invada Records, lends a John Carpenter-esque soundscape to the bleak dystopian future of Judge Dredd. It compels the listener to stay a while and holds them in its grasp for just shy of an hour.
If you don’t believe us, you can read gushing reviews over at The Line Of Best Fit and The Quietus. Don’t say we didn’t warn you … DROKK is going to be one of the biggest and best events we’ve had at Orbital, so make sure you’re there!
You can listen to selections from the album and buy digital downloads at drokk.bandcamp.com.
This Week’s Staff Picks
The Pterodactyl Hunters in the Gilded City
By Brendan Leach
Top Shelf Productions
Camila says: I had been trying to get my hands on a copy of The Pterodactyl Hunters since reading the extract printed on last year’s The Best American Comics anthology, but all the original self-published copies were long gone by then. So it was with much joy that I learnt Top Shelf was not only re-printing the comic, but keeping its original gigantic newsprint format, AND giving it a luxurious, full-colour cover.
The new edition is a beauty, and the chance to read the entire story was much welcomed. As the title implies, it does depict pterodactyls in (somewhat) modern times, but Brendan Leach has a lot more to offer than flying dinosaurs in this tale of family jealousy and rivalry, tradition, glory, and changing times.
Popeye Vol. 6: Me Li’l Swee’Pea
By E.C. Segar
Fantagraphics
Chris says: The final volume in Fantagraphics’ loving restoration of E.C Segar’s original Popeye strips is quite simply gorgeous. Looking at this you can see why Popeye has endured for well over 75 years and still remains vital in comics today.
As further testament to the enduring power of the spinach-munching sailor, this week also marks the release of IDW’s Popeye #1 by the creative team of Roger Langridge and Bruno Ozell. The duo do a great job of paying homage to the character’s past while still keeping him relevant today. Speaking of Langridge, this week marks the start of his exhibition at Orbital, including pieces from Snarked, Popeye, The Mupplets and many more. Be sure to check it out!
The Goon #39
By Eric Powell
Dark Horse
Karl says: Hilarious! Eric deconstructs every cynical ploy the “Big Two” and their legions of drone creators utilise to keep comics in a state of neoteny. It works on several levels with Goon and Frankie sending up all the gimmicks, and Eric cheekily aping a number of creators styles, closing with a sobering essay on the state of the industry.
Marvel’s Avengers Assemble (film)
Directed by Joss Whedon
Liz says: I have spent the last few weeks unable to think, dream or speak about anything that didn’t have to do with the Avengers film. It has led to anxiety, sleepless nights and social awkwardness at the bank. To say that my expectations were high would be a hilarious understatement. But whatever those expectations were, the inexpressible greatness of the actual film swallowed them like a millennial solar event.
It’s a film for fans written and directed by a giant fanboy, full of winks and nods. Joss Whedon’s life-long love of the Marvel universe and it’s characters is it’s key ingredient. His honed sense of storytelling and patented humour blend in the necessary small-scale drama and light to balance out the many extraordinary action and fight sequences. And (the trickiest proposition of a film like this) he makes sure that each character is worth caring about and has their time to shine. DC and Time Warner beware; this is the hands-down game-changer for comic book blockbusters, two hours and twenty minutes of pure joy. And it’s my new favourite film.
My Little Pony Bro Hoof Turquoise T-Shirt
By We Love Fine.
Clair says: I like this shirt. It has ponies high-fiving on it. One of them is wearing a hat too! And rainbows, of course.