Indefensible Ink

Building a year-long weekly comic book series around an ensemble of sub-A-list superheroes might sound like a risky gamble, but DC pulled it off in the middle part of the '00s with the acclaimed 52. So why wouldn't it work a second time, especially if it led in to the company's next big Crisis event? Your humble host tries to explain Countdown to Final Crisis, with detours into looking back on Dan Didio's tenure as DC's creative head honcho, dispensing some hard truths about the New Gods, and exploring other creators' fundamental inability to get on Grant Morrison's level. Also discussed in this episode: the Kirby vibe and how to get it, the Teen Titans' questionable definition of "ally," those boring Monitors and their boring pontificating, and Darkseid takes a cue from Rick Moranis.

Indefensible Ink is back in a new format, and to mark the occasion, we'll look at the time Peter Parker went through a soft-reboot of his own in Spider-Man: Chapter One. John Byrne took a swing at trying to redefine the web-spinner's origin story for the late '90s without throwing the baby out with the bathwater, so why did his carefully chosen changes leave readers either icily indifferent or hot with rage? Returning host Justin compares two nearly contemporary Spidey-origins to shine a spider-signal light on Chapter One's shortcomings.  Also discussed in this episode: the Chameleon's employment history, hairstyles of the rich and criminal, the dancing baby GIF as pinnacle of human achievement to that time, and the social and economic implausibility of teenagers attending a Rolling Stones concert.

Well ... it might not actually be that all-new or all-different, but come listen to Justin talk about what the future holds for this podcast anyway.

It's the end of an era at Indefensible Ink, and to mark the occasion, Ryan and Justin have reconvened one last time to tackle a topic they've had their eye on since the podcast began nearly three years ago: The Dark Knight Strikes Again, Frank Miller's controversial turn-of-the-century followup to his legendary Batman epic The Dark Knight Returns. Is DKSA's crass social commentary and political nihilism sincere or satirical? Does it matter? Your hosts wrestle with a very challenging comic to try to determine what, if anything, we are supposed to take from it. And Indefensible Ink will, quite literally, never be the same again! An important announcement about the future of the podcast leads this episode. Discussed: The Dark Knight Strikes Again #1-3 (2001-02)

In this week’s Very Special Episode, Ryan and Justin discuss the controversial 2017 Marvel mega-event, Secret Empire, the crossover that spun out of the idea “What if Captain America was secretly a Hydra agent all along?” and inspired many people to understandably question whether publishing a storyline with a fascist-led America was either colossally ill-timed or in poor taste (spoilers: it was both!). If you listen to this show for goofy superhero absurdities and attempted riffing on such absurdities, this may not be the ep for you, as your hosts discuss (however uncomfortably) the actual sociopolitical climate in which the series was released. But if you're up for it, you can join them as they try to determine, now with some distance from that climate, whether Secret Empire as a storyline was or could have been satisfying, comparing it to other Marvel crossovers like Age of Apocalypse, and digging into what writer Nick Spencer and company were trying to do thematically. Also in this episode: some dude barf

On every episode of Indefensible Ink, Ryan and Justin painstakingly craft trivia questions on the bizarre and obscure corners of comics history to try to stump each other and provide some momentary diversion for you, the faithful listener. For the first time, the inaugural 2019 season of Canon Fodder—the trivia sensation that took the nation* by storm—has been compiled into one handy collection for your listening convenience. Feel free to play along and see if you can beat these geeks at their own game. (* Sokovia)

Picture this: It's 1978, you're working on the insanely popular Star Wars comic book for Marvel, and you've just finished adapting the hit film. Now you've got to write a new Star Wars story, but here's the problem: at this point in history, there is zero precedent for what a "Star Wars story" looks like outside of the first movie. This is the challenge Roy Thomas, Howard Chaykin, and their collaborators found themselves faced with in producing some of the first post-A New Hope Star Wars material ever published, and that's what Ryan, Justin, and returning special guest Jerome Knox are going to grapple with on this year's Star Wars Day. Featuring the infamous Jaxxon (a man-sized carnivorous green rabbit), this arc of Marvel's Star Wars comic sees Han Solo and Chewbacca get drawn into a pseudo-adaptation of Seven Samurai on the Wild West-ish world of Aduba-3 as they have to fight...a giant kaiju and a stand-in for a beloved MAD Magazine artist? This may be the last Star Wars-related podcast you will ever listen

Happy Star Wars Day, fellow nerds! This May the Fourth, hosts Ryan McClure, Justin Zyduck, and recurring guest Jerome Knox talk about what the Star Wars saga means to each of us, in a preview of Wednesday's regular episode of Indefensible Ink where we dig into Marvel Comics' Star Wars (vol. 1) #7-10, some of the first post-A New Hope Star Wars content ever to exist.

We’re on the highway to obscurity, as today’s episode of Indefensible Ink covers Marvel Comics’ motorcycle-based supergroup Team America (no, not the Team America with puppet sex)! When a mysterious psychic connection brings together a disowned rich kid with daddy issues, a freelance spy, and an angry loner, they do the logical thing and...form a motorcycle racing team? (Team America!) Along the way, they clash with Hydra, the world’s most generic hitman, and some vaguely circus-themed villains, with a little help from an anonymous, enigmatic rider in black, the Marauder! Is it possible that a hastily slapped-together comic meant to cash in on an ill-fated Evel Knievel toyline is secretly an unheralded masterpiece? (Probably not!) Also in this episode: Hydra’s poor personnel decisions and even worse planning, R.U. Reddy is definitely not ready to rock, and Justin reveals the surefire formula to solving any mystery. Discussed in this episode: Team America #1–4 (1982).

Who better to discuss a comic featuring He-Man and the Masters of the Universe than the self-proclaimed He-Men of Podcasting, Ryan and Justin? In this episode, Indefensible Ink delves into the Masters of the Universe preview that ran in DC comic books in November of 1982 and attempted to introduce the barbarian sword-and-sorcery toy line to the masses. Your hosts cover everything from He-Man’s sub-Clark Kent-level secret identity, to the surprising differences between this comic and the '80s cartoon, to Superman’s bad luck with interdimensional vortices. Discussed in this episode: “Fate is the Killer,” a Masters of the Universe preview story published in various DC Comics issues (1982).

On today's special episode of Indefensible Ink, Ryan and Justin are joined by Ryan’s good friend and fellow superhero fanatic Jerome Knox to discuss C-list Marvel superteam book The Champions! Are the adventures of this 1970s grab bag of random heroes (Hercules, Iceman, Black Widow, Ghost Rider, and Angel) a good starting point for a comics noob like Jerome? Your fearless hosts discuss this, along with the clearcut star of the book, the accuracy of its depictions of Greek mythology, store-brand HYDRA, and Venus’ dubious use of the power of love.   Discussed in this episode: The Champions (vol. 1) #1-4 (1975-76).   Contents: 0:00 - Theme and intro to Jerome 6:00 - Background on The Champions 9:38 - Issue #1 26:18 - Issue #2 41:54 - Issue #3 57:38 - Issue #4 1:08:30 - Analysis 1:15:57 - Pitch your own random team 1:22:34 - Canon Fodder 1:32:00 - Recommendations 1:37:11 - Closing

On this episode of Indefensible Ink, Justin and Ryan go to the ends of the Earth to say something positive about Superman: At Earth’s End, the 1995 post-apocalyptic Elseworlds tale that poses the question, “What if Superman, but Daddy Santa Claus?” Your hosts tackle this question along with a bevy of other questionable creative decisions involving gigantic 90’s guns and superfluous pouches, the (not) surprising amount of Batman content in this ostensible Superman title, and a use of Nazi villainy that makes you long for the restraint and thoughtfulness of Quentin Tarantino. Content Warning: Brief discussion of a borderline tasteless plot point using allusions to historical atrocities. Discussed in this episode: Superman: At Earth’s End (1995)

In this episode, Ryan and Justin continue to power through the much-maligned '90s Marvel event, X-Men: Onslaught, in which your favorite mutants (plus a bunch of other Marvel guest stars) battle a villainous mash-up of Professor X’s dark side and Magneto’s more murderous impulses, with the fate of the Marvel Universe hanging in the balance! Which heroes will live? Which heroes will die? Which heroes will later reappear drawn by Rob Liefeld for some reason? Your hosts answer these questions and discuss whose invitation to this giant crossover event was lost in the mail, Gambit’s costume changes, Cable’s techno-organic virus denial, and Doom gonna Doom.  Discussed in this episode: X-Men #55, Uncanny X-Men #336, Cable #35, X-Men #56, Onslaught: Marvel Universe #1 (1996). Contents: 0:00 - Theme and intro 1:24 - Recap of Phase One 2:52 - X-Men #55 10:22 - Uncanny X-Men #336 19:37 - Cable #35 26:09 - X-Men #56 32:48 - Onslaught: Marvel Universe #1 50:52 - Analysis 59:07 - Onslaught aftermath 1:01:55 - Canon Fod

Get ready for some more 1990s X-cess when Justin and Ryan X-amine X-Men: Onslaught! In this first of two episodes covering the massive mutant-centric Marvel crossover, your hosts discuss the event that attempted to wrap up a years-long X-Men mystery while introducing a mysterious new villain and laying the groundwork for a reboot of then-unpopular characters like the Avengers and Fantastic Four. Does it succeed in actually telling a satisfying story? Listen and find out! Also discussed in this issue: Justin is an X-traitor truther, '90s codenames continue to scrape the bottom of the barrel, Elektra brings a little literary flair to a Wolverine comic, and the worst place to take your boyfriend when you’re trying to avoid someone bringing up Magneto. Discussed in this episode: X-Men: Onslaught #1, Uncanny X-Men #335, Avengers #401, Fantastic Four #415, Excalibur #100 (excerpt), Wolverine #104. Contents: 0:00 - Theme and intro 1:18 - What's the deal with Onslaught? 8:01 - X-Men: Onslaught #1 26:24 - Uncanny X-M

Everybody knows that there aren’t three Jokers. What this book presupposes is...maybe there are? Ryan and Justin reunite to cover 2020’s Batman: Three Jokers, Geoff Johns and Jason Fabok’s critically-panned-but-bestselling story for DC’s Black Label imprint featuring 300% percent more Jokers for all your murderclown needs. We discuss the intricacies of this controversial tale, from Batman’s questionable parenting decisions to the Bat Family’s seemingly inconsistent “no killing” policies, to Johns’ attempt to pull off a Moore/Morrison-style meditation on “What does the Joker mean?” Also covered: Ryan’s Alfred/Batman fanfic, the importance of differentiating your Jokers in a story about three different Jokers, the most lovingly rendered truck-driving scene since Convoy, and the line that the Black Label imprint won’t cross. Plus: Canon Fodder returns! Discussed: Batman: Three Jokers, #1-3 (2020). Contents: 00:00 - Theme and intro 01:12 - Background: Geoff Johns vs. Alan Moore 06:48 - Issue #1 37:27 - Issue #2

This is a rerelease of Ryan and Justin's two-part look at legendarily bizarre 1980s Marvel mega-crossover Secret Wars II, now combined and condensed into a single episode for your convenience. Find out what happens when Jim Shooter trades crowd-pleasing, sprawling battles between their most popular characters for wacky fish-out-of-water hijinks, thinly veiled attacks on former employees, and gentle satire of '80s consumer culture! In this episode: The Thing's erotic adventures Spidey's power and responsibility motto apparently has its limits Organized crime seems pretty awesome The Beyonder's assessment of the Dazzler makes your hosts question his all-knowingness. Justin accidentally pitches a DC crossover event Molecule Man's DIY psychotherapy Daredevil gets left out of yet another Marvel storyline Captain America defends your right to die in a tidal wave Covered in this episode: Secret Wars II #1-7 (1985-1986)

In this gripping audio drama, Ryan finds out that every time he tries to get out of the podcast game, Justin pulls him back in. Here's a quick update on podcast status and a sneak peak of what Indefensible Ink has in store for the first part of 2021. (Additional voice by Liam Zyduck.)

Justin and Zach review one of the crown jewels of any self-respecting comic fan's bootleg video collection: the unreleased 1994 Fantastic Four movie produced by Roger Corman for only around $1 million and subsequently buried by Marvel. The hot take going 'round the internet is that this is secretly the best Fantastic Four movie in existence. True? False? Decide for yourself, but one thing is certain: the Brothers Zyduck are now big Alex Hyde-White stans. Discussed in this episode: The Fantastic Four (unreleased, 1994).

In this particularly dispiriting episode of Indefensible Ink, Justin and Zach cover the second half of the supposedly "Ultimate Edition" of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. You might actually prefer drinking a big heaping jar of Granny's peach tea to sitting down with this metaphorical crawl over broken glass to get to the end of the film, but if you're a glutton for punishment (which your hosts evidently are), join the Zyduck Bros. as they struggle and fail to understand the intended plot of this film at even a fundamental level. Discussed: The final 90 minutes or so of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) (Ultimate Edition), directed by Zack Snyder, starring Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, and SENATOR HOLLY HUNTER. (Zach Zyduck is sitting in for regular co-host Ryan McClure, temporarily on hiatus.)

Before this episode, Justin had never seen Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice before. Zach decided to do something about it. Join the Brothers Zyduck as they dive into the THREE-HOUR "Ultimate Edition" of Zack (no relation) Snyder's dark, divisive superhero team-up film. Along the way, they'll discuss highly unintuitive ways to frame Kryptonians for murder, the nihilism of Perry White, and Alfred the butler's grandmotherly sense of disapproval. But mostly, Justin and Zach complain about the plot not making a lot of sense even in extended cut format. It's a movie so big (Did we mention this version is THREE HOURS LONG?!) it has to be split in two!  Discussed: The first 90 minutes or so of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) (Ultimate Edition), directed by Zack Snyder, starring Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, and SENATOR HOLLY HUNTER. (Zach Zyduck is sitting in for regular co-host Ryan McClure, temporarily on hiatus.)