Screw It, We're Just Gonna Talk About Spider-man

A special bonus ep, kind of, which is JUST the "loose screws" segment. This was recorded for next week's ep (in which re review the Spider-Man 2 video game), but we decided it was TOO long and hence you're getting it this week. Will talks about the "Dark Age" storyline from the comic Astro City. Kevin discusses the recent MCU film The Marvels and the Apple+ TV show Monarch. See you next ep! email us at screwitcomics@gmail.com

FF 271 (which came out in the summer of 1984) is a hodge-podge of cool little stories. We've got a glimpse of the Fantastic Four in "family mode" as they celebrate Reed's unnamed (but 40th) birthday, then a flashback to a pre-FF adventure done very much in the style of pre-Marvel Kirby art, and finally a visit to Reed's childhood... estate? Yes, Reed was not just a Richards but also Rich. And everything has been going just totally normally with his family's butler and wife except for the ghosts, of course. THE GHOSTS?!?!?! And that's where we leave it until next ish. The Milksops announce they'll be doing a season on Keith Giffen next. Also, this is episode 255, which in hexadecimal is ... FF! Pretty cool, right? I mean, as cool as hexadecimal numbers can be. Our email address is screwitcomics@gmail.com

What do you do with a problem like Terminus? Well, you treat him like a mini Galactus, because that's kinda what he is. The FF head out to the Southwest US where Terminus, a big alien in planet-devouring armor, has landed. Luckily Reed has invented something which he spent 2 pages explaining to us towards the start of the story. We also get: Sue working through depression, She-Hulk flirting with Wyatt Wingfoot, and (gasp) Johnny falling in love with Alicia. All done with the as-usual stellar art and storytelling from artist/writer Jonn Byrne. We also go through some fun email! That's from YOU guys! Email us at screwitcomics@gmail.com

We close out our coverage of the terrific Grant Morrison JLA run with this adventure that was released as its own graphic novel: JLA Earth 2. Done by Morrison and Frank Quitely  -- who would later do the sublime All-Star Superman series -- this story is about an alternate world where the JLA is evil (the Crime Syndicate of America) and Lex Luthor is good! CSA is not a Morrison invention -- it goes back to 1964 when Gardner Fox created them during the original run of JLA stories. But here we get a Morrison-y twist: in the CSA's world, evil ALWAYS WINS. So how do you win in such a world? You'll have to read to find out. Or listen to our episode. Kevin thinks Will hates this story, but it's just that Will is embarrassed at his poor ability to recap!

We're back on the Grant Morrison JLA run which means we are back to COMPLICATED RECAPS. This time we have a relatively simple 2 issue story of the JLA vs a corrupt general and his Ultramarines! There's only like 6 new characters in this, so --- not too complex! But whoops then we have the 4 part story "Crisis TIme Five." In this story, there is an invasion from the fifth dimension which somehow leads to the JLA teaming up with their older Golden Age counterparts the Justice Society of America. You've got a 2-dimensional Shazam and Green Lantern arguing in a 5-D courtroom, and also Zauriel the JLA Angel speeding up time for a tiny civilzation so that he can free the Spectre. Also: robot mobsters, a couple of genies, alternate timeline JLA people, Superman getting knocked out, talking banks (like, the building) and I think a little of the New Gods too. Standard fare Morrison!

The Milksops realize that it's episode 250 and they should do something special. So we take a break from JLA and do these things: read promotional blurbs suggested by our listeners, force Kevin to answer trivia, go over an old collection of "imaginary" Superman stories from our childhood, and remember our favorite moments of the first 250 episodes. Also because we are dumb we thought it was 200 episodes at the time we recorded it, but as we explain in the cold open it really truly is 250, and yes that's confusing and we're sorry, except that it's funny, so we're not TOO sorry.

Two relatively "simple" stories are up next for the Grant Morrison JLA run. First we get new supervillain Prometheus -- a sort of anti-batman, whose criminal parents were gunned down by police -- invading the JLA headquarters. He makes quick work of the JLA before suddenly becoming stupid and then losing immediately. Then we have a two part story where the Lord of Dreams, Sandman, needs help from the JLA to stop the world from falling asleep! You think he'd like that. We also read some email before announcing that we are almost up to episode 250!

Plot complexity level: you have been MORRISSONED. The issues remain extremely fun but the story becomes very hard to summarize. Unless you keep it simple like this: Lex Luthor finds a magic crystal to destroy the JLA, but instead lets an alien enslave Earth, until the good guys use time travel to undo everything. Except add in: hard light holograms, New Gods technology so advanced it ruins your mind, cosmic beings at the edge of the universe waiting for the battle at the end of time, Future Batman getting killed by Future Darkseid (spoiler) (kind of) and the JLA disbanding for almost no reason. But it's fun! Will re-caps this in a terse 35 minutes! __ SHOW INFORMATION  Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ScrewItComics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ScrewItComics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Email: ScrewItComics@gmail.com  Subscribe: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Subscribe: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠

We're gonna rock down to... electric Superman?!!! Yes, Electric Superman has entered the chat. So has Tomorrow Girl, a few angels from Actual Heaven,  Connor Hawke (son of original Green Arrow) and Starro. We cover a lot in this segment! We talk about how Superman is still Superman, even with new powers. We talk about how the "Green Arrow vs Overpowered Villain" story is still good in its own right even though it seems pretty similar to a classic Superman tale. And we talk just about how much we are enjoying the many moments of grand superheroism! __ SHOW INFORMATION  Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ScrewItComics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ScrewItComics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Email: ScrewItComics@gmail.com  Subscribe: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Subscribe: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠

Sometimes when you read superhero comics you want Actual Superheros doing Actual Superhero things. That's what you get in Grant Morrisson's 1990s JLA run. Extraordinarily powered beings battling the highest stakes villains. Creative uses of physically impossible abilities. The triumph of good over evil. And Superman being a great Superman. We cover the first 4 issues they wrote, the "Hyperclan" arc. Kevin gives us an overview of DC comics at this time (1996). Then Will re-caps all four issues, a stunning achievment for a man who normally does not read comics published after 1987. __ SHOW INFORMATION  Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ScrewItComics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ScrewItComics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Email: ScrewItComics@gmail.com  Subscribe: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Subscribe: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠

Dr. Doom is on the loose! Wait, no, actually it's just his mask. But still! It's a fearsome powerful mask! We also talk about Spider-Man: Blue (which Will just read). In our mailbag, we do another quiz from Keith! We also get emails about Superhero Movie Fatigue, Epic Collections and our fantasy FF Movie.+ __ SHOW INFORMATION  Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ScrewItComics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ScrewItComics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Email: ScrewItComics@gmail.com  Subscribe: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Subscribe: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠

The Milksops review a tragic event in the lives of the FF. How did we feel about it when this issue came out? How about now? Is She-Hulk gonna get to do anything? We also get a collection of the greatest scientists in the Marvel Universe (Reed, Banner, Morbius and.... Sasquatch) who decide that what they need is... another scientist. Can Dr. Michael Morbius look any weirder? We dig into the mail, where we have more pitches for segment names, more suggestions of who would be on Mt. Comicsmore! __ SHOW INFORMATION  Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ScrewItComics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ScrewItComics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Email: ScrewItComics@gmail.com  Subscribe: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Subscribe: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠

The Milksops discuss the issue where it's announced that She-Hulk has replaced The Thing in the FF! A momentous occasion, that is barely explained in this issue. Instead, we spend much of the issue on a very fun story where the Trapster fails to infiltrate The Baxter Building. Yes, it is fun! The Milksops also start to catch up on their mountain of mail.  We get lots of proposed names for segments, and also the question: what do you think when someone says they are a "Marvel fan" or a "DC fan?" __ SHOW INFORMATION  Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ScrewItComics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ScrewItComics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Email: ScrewItComics@gmail.com  Subscribe: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Subscribe: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠

Our final Catwoman arc is a happy one. Selina and Holly heal their hearts by hitting the road and taking a tour of the DC universe. We visit: Wildcat, Captain Cold, Starman (kinda), Hawkman and make a phone call to a Flash! All while a mysterious band of middle eastern robbers chase Selina in a storyline that we do not continue! Next ep: Cosmic Rays and Correspondence! __ SHOW INFORMATION  Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ScrewItComics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ScrewItComics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Email: ScrewItComics@gmail.com  Subscribe: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Subscribe: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠

We cover "No Easy Way Down," an emotional and creative high point for this series. After the traumatic events of "Relentless" three three issues show us Selina, Holly and Slam all dealing with their feelings. The action is moved into the background as we hear the characters thoughts, see their dreams, and feel their pain! It's an incredible trio of books and a must read for anyone who likes good comics! Plus Will talks about the Barbie movie and we even answer a few pieces of mail. __ SHOW INFORMATION  Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ScrewItComics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ScrewItComics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Email: ScrewItComics@gmail.com  Subscribe: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Subscribe: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠

We go over a dark, moving arc in the Brubaker Catwoman run: "Relentless." Selina learns that she can't buy redemption. We learn that the Black Mask is a creative psychopath. But Slam gets a happy ending, sort of, maybe? __ SHOW INFORMATION  Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ScrewItComics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ScrewItComics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Email: ScrewItComics@gmail.com  Subscribe: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Subscribe: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠

The Milksops actually talk about Catwoman comics as they get into the second arc of the regular monthly Brubaker-penned series. It's called "Disguises" and it's about Selina protecting Holly, after the latter uncovers a ring of dirty Gotham cops. Corruption? In Gotham City? Unheard of, we know. We got Slam Bradley back, we got new good Gotham cops in addition to all the lousy ones and we have Selina / Catwoman back in full action. We also go over Secret Invastion and (for some reason) David Cronenberg movies. __ SHOW INFORMATION  Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ScrewItComics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ScrewItComics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Email: ScrewItComics@gmail.com  Subscribe: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Subscribe: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠

The Milksops discuss two Spider-Man related events: 1) the passing of John Romita Sr., one of the best and most important Marvel artists in the company's history, (he took over drawing Spidey after co-creator Steve Ditko left), and  2) the recently released "Across The Spider-Verse," a worthy and terrific sequel in the Miles Morales animated franchise. __ SHOW INFORMATION  Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ScrewItComics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ScrewItComics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Email: ScrewItComics@gmail.com  Subscribe: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Subscribe: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠

We go over the first arc in the Ed Brubaker Catwoman series. Guess what: it's good! We've got: Darwyn Cooke art, film noir aesthetics, questions of good versus evil, a for-real supervillain, a little Batman which all adds up to a great story. __ SHOW INFORMATION  Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ScrewItComics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ScrewItComics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Email: ScrewItComics@gmail.com  Subscribe: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Subscribe: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠