Comic Book Couples Counseling Podcast

Dedicated to Jesse Tapia II. "What are you picking up today?" At some point, we all meet Captain Nemo. He's an icon: a literary legend, a Disney villain, and a comic book mainstay. As with Batman, Superman, or any other decades-old character, you probably have your favorite interpretation. Thanks to Juni Ba, there's a new version loose on the planet, and he may very well be our favorite one so far. That's a bold proclamation, but it's Ba, so hyperbole usually quickly transitions into stone-cold reality. Mobilis: My Life with Captian Nemo, published by TKO Presents, is a coffee-table-sized masterpiece that slaps ya in the face with nearly every page turn. One day, a young girl named Arona awakens aboard the Nautilus. She's greeted by a chipper, morally-centered robot and told the planet she once knew is destroyed and to stay away from the captain. Also, they have cookies. Juni Ba takes his lifelong passion for Nemo and Peter Pan and slathers it atop our environmental crisis with a heavy dose of anxiety, concern, and beauty. We've lost the world, but maybe the one that comes after is not so bad for those who inherit it. Change is change; removed from our perspective, it's not good or bad. The cartoonist returns to Comic Book Couples Counseling to discuss his Nemo obsession, the panic that birthed Mobilis, and what it's like to drop this graphic novel chunk during the same month as his other glorious creation, The Unlikely Story of Felix and Macabber, co-created with Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou and published by Dark Horse Comics. He also grills us on what the book says about humanity. The conversation is a dream come true for Lisa, certainly. As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the site that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to the books. Brad's Referral Lisa's Referral Keep up to date on all things Juni Ba by visiting his Instagram and Twitter. Both Mobilis: My Life with Nemo and The Unlikely Story of Felix and Macabber are now available wherever rad comic books are sold. Also, CLICK HERE and listen to Juni Ba's previous CBCC guest appearance, talking about Djeliya.  Other Relevant Links: Support Jesse Tapia II's GoFundMe Campaign Listen to CBCC on Spec Tales Purchase Your Copy of Ba^m^n: Year Wha?! Final Round of Plugs (PHEW) Now Open - the CBCC Digital Shop! Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY! Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia on 12/3 at 4:00 PM for our Flash Gordon screening, co-hosted by Psycho Cinema, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies, and benefitting The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley. Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

At five years old, Jeff Smith brought Fone Bone to life. Immediately enthralled by the characters of Walt Kelly, Charles M. Schulz, Walt Disney, and others, the kid desperately sought to contribute his own creation. While most abandon their childhood ideas, Smith carried Fone Bone into his teenage years, college life, and adulthood. Why? The question rests at the core of this week's episode. We chat with Jeff Smith about his nearly lifelong relationship with Fone Bone and how it evolved from a cartooning challenge into an elaborate comic strip for his college paper and then radically expanded into the bestselling Bone saga. Even after concluding that twelve-year journey, Smith can't shake Fone Bone and his cousins. Scholastic's Graphix recently published Bone: More Tall Tales, an anthology jammed with Smith's peers (Tom Sniegoski, Stan Sakai, Katie Cook, Matt Smith, and Scott Brown), all giving their spin on the Bone universe. Especially noteworthy, Jeff Smith and Cartoon Books have launched a new Kickstarter, gathering the early stories that would ultimately shape Bone - Thorn: The Complete Proto-Bone College Strips from 1982 to 1986 and Other Early Drawings.  Whatever glimpses we've previously seen of these Proto-Bone strips were brief and relatively limited. Having the chance to read them offers tremendous insight into our Bone obsession and into the artist that birthed it. Here is a Rosetta Stone of sorts. Some cartoonists might shiver at the thought of their readers encountering such early attempts, but Jeff Smith embraces the opportunity. As some might be aware, he recently suffered a debilitating heart attack. He's in a reflective state, and Smith looks upon his early work with a new perspective and consideration. And he's more than happy to share it with us. The new Thorn Kickstarter is an essential read for fans of Bone, and we believe this conversation with Jeff Smith is equally so. Join us as we travel back to the early days when a kid found himself in a cartoon and dragged that doodle through adolescence and into the various weird stages adulthood also offers. As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the app that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to the books. Brad's Referral Lisa's Referral Keep up to date on all things Jeff Smith by visiting his Website, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Find the Thorn: The Complete Proto-Bone College Strips from 1982 to 1986 and Other Early Drawings on Kickstarter.  Listen to our previous Jeff Smith conversation, discussing Tuki: Fight for Fire and Tuki: Fight for Family. Final Round of Plugs (PHEW) Now Open - the CBCC Digital Shop! Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY! Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia on 12/3 at 4:00 PM for our Flash Gordon screening, co-hosted by Psycho Cinema, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies, and benefitting The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley. Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

We've wanted to have this conversation with Chris Samnee and Laura Samnee from the moment we read the first issue of Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters. Sure, we've had them on before talking about their beautiful comic celebrating sibling relationships, but we only had half the story. Now the comic is complete and contained in a gorgeously crafted new Deluxe Edition hardcover from Oni Press, and we can go full-spoilers, friends. Don't press play unless you're ready for a proper Comic Book Couples Counseling excavation. What is your responsibility to your siblings? Is the bond between you as sacred as we're raised to believe? Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters presents a world as terrifying as it is often hopeful. Trapped atop it are sisters Rainbow and Jonna, diametrically opposed in most aspects but bound together through familial obligation. And love, maybe? The comic represents a decade of Chris and Laura's life. We explore their earliest memories of Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters and how doodles in 2014 grew into their most personal work. It's a love letter to their children and a narrative that might never be topped, even if they have a few other ideas rattling around their imagination. As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you jump to the Omnibus digital shop, you'll find them readily available there. Stay up to date on all Samnee family projects via their socials. Follow Chris Samnee on his Website, Twitter, and Instagram. Follow Laura Samnee on her Instagram. Purchase the limited slipcase hardcover edition of Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters on the Oni Press website. Other Relevant Links: The Samnees on CBCC (First Appearance) Marvelocity: The Art of Alex Ross Final Round of Plugs (PHEW)   Now Open - the CBCC Digital Shop!    Support the Podcast by Joining OUR PATREON COMMUNITY!   Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia on 11/5 at 4:00 PM for our History of Violence screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies. Get your Flash Gordon tickets for our 12/3 screening. Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

This week's episode has all the toppings. Kevin Eastman, Jeff Rowe, Tom Waltz, Gavin Smith, Vincenzo Federici, Sarah Myer, Ben Bishop, Esau Escorza, and Isaac Escorza. If you're a shellhead, you're already flipping out. If you're not, you soon will be. There is no better time to be a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fan. No matter your favorite iteration, there is a comic, cartoon, or movie for you. Brought forth from the sewers nearly forty years ago by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman, the Ninja Turtles have since been filtered through numerous creative minds. From the moment the first toy was conceived, reinvention became critical to their success, and with each new interpretation, something radical was injected into their DNA. Currently, we have a new movie (TMNT: Mutant Mayhem) streaming on Paramount+, the monthly ongoing IDW series, the Saturday Morning Adventures spin-off, and several gnarly crossovers, including encounters with Stranger Things and Street Fighter. In February, The Last Ronin II: Re-Evolution will hit comic book shops, satisfying a ravenous craving we've been holding onto since the first bestselling series dropped.  We transformed New York Comic-Con into a TMNT expedition. First, we spoke with Kevin Eastman one-on-one, navigating his experience with outside creative influence and exploring exactly how he felt about the changes and additions made to the lore in TMNT: Mutant Mayhem. Second, we moderated the big Saturday panel, "TMNT: The Next Mutation of Turtle Power from IDW Publishing," which featured all the totally tubular people listed in the first paragraph above.  Today's episode gets into everything that's cooking over at IDW, from exclusive details about The Last Ronin II to Sophie Campbell's historic climax on the main IDW line to director Jeff Rowe's dreams for a Mutant Mayhem sequel. We've discussed the Ninja Turtles several times before (see the links below), and it's all been building toward this episode. As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles on the app that satisfy this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to the books. Brad's Referral Lisa's Referral Keep up to date on all things Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by visiting the IDW Publishing page. And track all the creators through the various social media channels: Kevin Eastman (Website, Twitter, Instagram) Jeff Rowe (Twitter, Instagram) Tom Waltz (Twitter, Instagram) Gavin Smith (Twitter, Instagram) Vincenzo Federici (Twitter, Instagram)  Sarah Myer (Website, Twitter, Instagram) Ben Bishop (Website, Twitter, Instagram) The Escorza Brothers (Instagram) Other Relevant TMNT Links: Erik Burnham on CBCC CBCC covers TMNT FINAL ROUND OF PLUGS (PHEW):   SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY. Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia on 11/5 at 4:00 PM for our History of Violence screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies. Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

We return from New York Comic-Con, bursting with stories and conversations. We've never had a show quite like this one, where every corner revealed some incredible new encounter and discussion. Cartoonist Kevin Alvir was there, sliding his way through artist alley, riding high, after recently launching his new graphic novel Lisa Cheese and Ghost Guitar: Attack of the Snack. Having barely absorbed all that we did, we try to put it on the record in this episode, recapping as much as we could while still teasing future CBCC sessions. We discuss the creators we hobnobbed alongside, the comic book podcasters we finally met in person, and all the weird food we jammed into our bodies. Most importantly, we hang out with Kevin Alvir. Our chat delves into his first-time experience with an editor, how he arrived at his Lisa Cheese and Ghost Guitar aesthetic, and why punk rock feeds a need that concerto piano never will. And, by the way, neither is better or worse than the other. As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles available on the app that satisfyingly align with this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to the books. Brad's Referral Lisa's Referral Continue the conversation with Kevin Alvir by following him on Instagram and Twitter. Lisa Cheese and Ghost Guitar is currently available from Top Shelf Productions, wherever fine comic books are sold. You can find your nearest shop here. Other Relevant Links: Kyle Starks Draws Comic Book Couples Counseling "The Awesome Power of Comic Book Podcasts" at NYCC FINAL ROUND OF PLUGS (PHEW): SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY. Join us at the Alamo Drafthouse in Winchester, Virginia on 11/5 at 4:00 PM for our History of Violence screening, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies. Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Good evening, boils and ghouls. Welcome to a spooktacular conversation with comics scribe David Dastmalchian, discussing his devilishly delicious and wickedly personal horror comic Count Crowley. Currently, two volumes are available from Dark Horse Comics (Reluctant Midnight Monster Hunter and Amateur Midnight Monster Hunter), and a third chapter is nearly upon us (Mediocre Midnight Monster Hunter hits the comic shops and graveyards on November 8th). To celebrate, Dastmalchian pulled up a coffin and put it all out there in our Zoom room. From the moment we first read Count Crowley, we were hooked. Obsessed. Not so much by its clever twist on the late-night horror host trope and its loving tributes to B-movie monster mashes (although we adore them too), but by the excavation of its central character's complicated inner life. We see so much of ourselves in Jerri Bartman, and, as David Dastmalchian states in the first paperback afterward, we could sense the author's life in her, too.  We discuss his unique collaboration with artist Lukas Ketner and editor Megan Walker and how the lessons they taught him apply to the world outside of comics. David Dastmalchian ruminates on vulnerability and the anxiousness he experienced when crafting Count Crowley. Putting so much of yourself into a book is a precious thing and requires tremendous commitment, strength, and trust. However, before we get into it with Dastmalchian, we review our recent trips to the Fantastic Fest and Lost Weekend film festivals. We marvel at the lunacy of consuming so many movies in such a short time, detail our experience with living legend Malcolm McDowell, and select the best movies we saw and which ones you need to be on the lookout for next year. As always, Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader, sponsors our Referrals segment. This week, we selected two comic book titles available on the app that satisfyingly align with this episode's themes. We won't spoil what they are here, but if you click the links below, you'll be immediately escorted to the books. Brad's Referral Lisa's Referral Continue the conversation with David Dastmalchian by following his Instagram and Website. Purchase the Count Crowley books at your local comic book shop. Find the nearest one to you HERE. Stay up to date on all things Count Crowley via Dark Horse Comics. FINAL ROUND OF PLUGS (PHEW): SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY. Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Don't take candy from strangers. Did you ever ask your mom or dad, "Why?" Or were you too afraid? Were you already too good at actively imagining what those strangers would do with you once they got you in the van? Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees by Patrick Horvath brushes against that very particular dread, playing with your nostalgia and injecting grotesque horror into your picturesque youth. Sam the Bear appears as the ideal small-town neighbor. She runs the local hardware store. She has a kind word for everyone who walks through her doors. And sometimes, she makes trips to the city where she can slaughter a stranger and bury their parts in the woods. Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees smashes serial killer iconography with an impeccably illustrated children's tale. When people talk about this comic, they will mention Richard Scarry. They will mention Dexter. The comparisons are obvious and accurate, but Horvath creates something far more tantalizing than genre fusion. Brad wrote in his review that the comic would only work if both elements were executed flawlessly. Patrick Horvath melds both worlds masterfully, creating a fantastically looking realm where its fears are tangible and utterly relatable. Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees is easily the most enjoyably upsetting comic you'll read all year. In this week's episode, we chat with Horvath. Our conversation begins with colliding these disparate worlds before exploring our childhood encounters with stranger danger lore. We discuss what Sam the Bear sees in the woods and why it sparks an existential crisis in the reader, and we cover how the comic's final two pages upend everything. Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees #1 hits shops on October 18th from IDW Publishing. It's written and illustrated by Patrick Horvath, lettered by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, and features a variant cover by Riley Rossmo. Continue this conversation with Patrick Horvath by following his Twitter, Instagram, and Website. This episode continues our year-long partnership with Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader. Each episode from now on will feature our new "Referrals" segment, sponsored by them, where we recommend other comics titles for those wishing to explore this week's themes and concepts further. CLICK HERE to learn more and explore Omnibus' unique, browsable space. FINAL ROUND OF PLUGS (PHEW): SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY. Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Every accomplished creative work is miraculous. Bringing anything over the finish line should be celebrated. However, even rarer are the projects that find their way to the artist whom no one else could compete with regarding that project. Dave Chisholm was seemingly born to adapt Miles Davis' life into comic book form.   Holding a doctorate in jazz trumpet from the Eastman School of Music, Dave Chisholm better understands Miles Davis than most cartoonists. The icon has haunted Chisholm since youth, and he's been attempting to translate Davis' vibe into visuals for nearly as long. After successfully capturing the audible into the sequential with three previous graphic novels (Instrumental, Chasin' the Bird, Enter the Blue), Dave Chisholm got the call.   THE. CALL. Z2 Comics, Chisholm's previous publisher, would partner with the Miles Davis Estate on an original graphic novel, and they wanted Dave Chisholm to make it a reality. The pressure was on, but we're here to report that Chisholm rose to the occasion. Miles Davis and the Search for the Sound is what happens when the perfect subject meets the perfect creator. When such an event occurs, all should take notice.   Whatever your relation to Miles Davis, you need this comic in your hands. For the uninitiated, it's a gorgeously illustrated plunge into a genius' mind. For the faithful, Miles Davis and the Search for the Sound cleverly pursues the trumpeter's interior life, using his autobiography as the narrative backbone.   We meet Davis after a severe car accident when a doctor suggests he start scribbling as part of his rehabilitation. The scrawls become our gateway into his history as Davis revisits the critical moments that made him. Along this journey, we encounter the legendary events and reflect on the divergent points that suggest a radically different path for Davis. And through it all, you sense Dave Chisholm celebrating and challenging the Miles Davis who helped shape him.   On this week's episode, Dave Chisholm returns to Comic Book Couples Counseling. Together, we explore how Miles Davis molded his imagination and the pressure he felt to shape his massive life into one complete comic book saga. We discuss his joy toward the accomplished work and why he knows Miles Davis and the Search for the Sound is the best thing he's ever done. With such a feat behind him, does he worry about the empty road ahead?   Afterward, continue this conversation with Dave Chisholm by visiting his Website and following his TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter. Most importantly, pre-order Miles Davis and the Search for the Sound via Z2 Comics. It's set for release on November 7th. Can't wait? Grab his other comics immediately.   This episode continues our year-long partnership with Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader. Each episode from now on will feature our new "Referrals" segment, sponsored by them, where we recommend other comics titles for those wishing to explore this week's themes and concepts further. CLICK HERE to learn more and explore Omnibus' unique, browsable space.   FINAL ROUND OF PLUGS (PHEW):   SUPPORT THE PODCAST BY JOINING OUR PATREON COMMUNITY.   Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases.   And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren.   Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts.   Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators.   Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

A particular story has rattled around Christian Ward's imagination for years. It's been there since childhood, really. Since he first encountered Grant Morrison and Dave McKean's Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on a Serious Earth. Last year, he sent out a Tweet, taunting the universe to grant his wish - to tell his cosmic Batman saga. Now, we're weeks away from the cosmos' answer. Batman: City of Madness #1 lands on shelves from DC Comics on October 10th. It's a real humdinger, a comic that feels unlike any other Bat-book that has come before but is absolutely in conversation with the stone-cold classic mentioned above. Christian Ward explores the questions that probably nag every artist who tackles the Bat, but he does so in ways that spark new ideas and new queries. After catching a sneak preview of the first issue, we were eager to get the writer/artist in our Love Nest Zoom room. We discuss his relationship with Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on a Serious Earth and how it evolved into Batman: City of Madness. We consider Bruce Wayne's relation to his rogues and what does and does not separate him from so-called villains like Joker and Two-Face. As we do every time the caped crusader comes up on the podcast, we challenge his role as Gotham's vigilante while also addressing how much fun it is to watch him punch punks in the face. However, before we dig into City of Madness and the terrifying Batman Below that lurks underneath our favorite wretched city, we reflect on our Baltimore Comic-Con/Small Press Expo double-header weekend, including the world premiere of Married to Comics. We review these events and consider what makes each con so unique and why we could never give up one for the other. This podcast continues our year-long partnership with Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader. Each episode from now on will feature our new "Referrals" segment, sponsored by them, where we recommend other comics titles for those wishing to explore this week's themes and concepts further. CLICK HERE to learn more and explore Omnibus' unique, browsable space. Also, make sure that you keep abreast on all things Christian Ward by visiting his Website and following him on Twitter and Instagram. In a few weeks, Christian Ward will appear in our Patreon feed, conducting a page-by-page breakdown of Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on a Serious Earth. Join now for just one dollar, and listen to the previous entry in our comic creator series where artists celebrate their favorite single issues - Daniel Warren Johnson on The 'Nam #9.  If you missed our previous conversation with Christian Ward, talking about Blood Stained Teeth, you can find it HERE. Don't forget to grab your tickets for our September 17th Alamo Drafthouse Winchester screenings of Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies. Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.

Episode 200! Light Carries On by Ray Nadine refuses to allow death to get in the way of a little life-changing romance. We go into session with Leon and Cody, two souls in stasis, unsure how to move forward and afraid their future won't hold happiness. Together, they uncover the beauty they're already living or un-living. You may think you know where Light Carries On will take you, but Ray Nadine blissfully subverts genre convention and delivers a genuinely original ghost story. Only in the last moments does clarity strike, and through Leon and Cody's revelations, we find a few for ourselves as well. This week, we turn to Dr. Terry Singh's TEDx Talk, "How to Get Unstuck," for expertise and guidance in navigating Leon and Cody's complicated relationship. Throughout our lives, we encounter various moments of stuckness. During these periods, catastrophic doubt and fear can creep inside. Dr. Singh gives us (and our comic book subjects) a few tools to free ourselves. After nearly five years of Comic Book Couples Counseling, we still find new methods and narratives to unlock self-inspection and create growth. The hope we found within this episode's conversation was rejuvenating. We hope it offers you a similar relief. Helplines are available if you do not have a support system. You can reach the Mental Health Hotline in Virginia by dialing 1-866-903-3787 or CLICK HERE. Not in Virginia? CLICK HERE. Light Carries On was released earlier this year and is published by Dark Horse Comics. It's written and illustrated by Ray Nadine, edited by Konner Knudsen, designed by May Hijikuro, and assisted by Digital Art Technician Josie Weaver. Episode 200 also begins a year-long partnership with Omnibus, the Digital Comic Store and Reader. Each episode from now on will feature our new "Referrals" segment, sponsored by them, where we recommend other comics titles for those wishing to explore this week's themes and concepts further. CLICK HERE to learn more and explore Omnibus' unique, browsable space. Other Relevant Links:  Read Lisa's Light Carries On Review on Women Write About Comics Our guest appearance on The Amazing Spider-Talk Brad's guest appearance on The Oblivion Bar Don't forget to grab your tickets for our September 17th Alamo Drafthouse Winchester screenings of Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises, co-sponsored by Four Color Fantasies. Don't forget! Watch the latest episode of The B&B Show, where Brad and Bryan Review the Hottest Cinematic Releases. And, of course, follow Comic Book Couples Counseling on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Twitter @CBCCPodcast, and you can follow hosts Brad Gullickson @MouthDork & Lisa Gullickson @sidewalksiren. Send us your Words of Affirmation by leaving us a 5-star Review on Apple Podcasts. Continue your conversation with CBCC by hopping over to our website where we have reviews, essays, and numerous interviews with comic book creators. Podcast logo by Aaron Prescott @acoolhandfluke, podcast banner art by @Karen_XmenFan.