Capes and Japes

Today we talk about Aleksei Sytsevich, best known as the Spider-man antagonist The Rhino, whose main motivations are getting stronger, making money, and being mad at guys who prevent either of the first two things. What we were up to this week: Briar went to a wedding (and of course dressed On Theme) and went to the Critical Role x Boba Bear popup (and unfortunately was not dressed On Theme) Olivi...

Today we talk about Iris West, who was sent to the past as a baby, ended up marrying Barry Allen, got sent to the future again where Barry ended up finding her and starting a family before he went back to the past and died, so Iris traveled back to the past with her grandson before everything got retconned and then kind of done all over again! What we were up to this week: Briar hasn't done anythi...

Today we talk about Linda Park, who is a reporter and kept running into Wally West on the job before they ended up falling in love, starting a family, forgetting the family existed multiple times, and remembering multiple times. What we were up to this week: Briar wrote a fanfic and read a lot of fanfic and just. Sometimes that's all you have energy for. Olivia read Six of Us #1 and Fixation #1 ,...

Today we talk about Vicki Vale, an intrepid Gotham reporter who is going to get to the bottom of this "Is Bruce Wayne Batman?" mystery if it kills her. What we were up to this week: Briar read some poetry, namely The Dream of a Common Language by Adrienne Rich and There are More Beautiful Things Than Beyonce by Morgan Parker Olivia read Teen Titans (2026) #1 , Legion of Super-Heroes (2026) #1 , an...

Today we talk about the two men who have been known as Porcupine: Alex Gentry who made the spiky suit (and decided to use it for crime), and Roger Gocking who purchased the suit (and decided to use it for crime, and later not-crime). But we mostly talk about Roger. What we were up to this week: Briar mostly worked on sewing some fun pants! Olivia managed to track down and read What If... Runaways...

Today we talk about Thomas Fireheart, who was raised to fight a prophesized threat with shapeshifting Puma powers, ends up starting a business and becoming a mercenary, and being generally in Spider-man's way. What we were up to this week: Briar read Simon Armitage's new verse translation of Gilgamesh, somehow ended up #1 on the holds list for John Green's new novel, and has been enjoying being ab...

Today we talk about Randy Robertson, civil rights activist, friend and roommate to Peter Parker, son of Robbie Robertson, and one half of a beautiful Romeo and Juliet story. What we were up to this week: Briar shifted out of Check Please mode to read Project Hail Mary, then immediately shifted back into Check Please mode by re-reading Check Please Olivia had a great time at FlameCon and purchased...

Today we talk about Joseph "Robbie" Robertson, a journalist with the Daily Bugle who has a very complicated relationship with the villain Tombstone.... What we were up to this week: Briar mostly read a lot of fanfiction to contend with The Horrors (being very tired) Olivia is behind on comics and is getting ready to go to FlameCon! Thanks to Victoria Watkins for our icon! Support Capes and Japes b...

Today we talk about Ben Urich, who is a regular guy with a regular journalism job and he's so good at it that superheroes just seem to trust his integrity, y'know? What we were up to this week: Briar picked up Batman/Superman Worlds Finest 2026 Annual and Monsters in Love and has been working on reading books from library such as One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This( https://www.pe...

Today we talk about Buck Cashman, who is able to be hired to do all sorts of things, including fight Daredevil. What we were up to this week: Briar has been soooooo tired but also went to see the Hadestown proshot in theaters Olivia kept up with news out of SDCC like what the MCU is up to , not really what Marvel Comics are up to , some trailers for DC properties and especially wtf is up with Abso...

Today we talk about the guys who have called themselves Guardsman in the Marvel Universe, which all started with Tony Stark making a suit of armor that turns you evil (accidentally). What we were up to this week: Briar went to their local Ren Faire Olivia went to an Adventure Zone Graphic Novel Release Event Thanks to Victoria Watkins for our icon! Support Capes and Japes by: Checking out our Patr...

Today we talk about more non-human primates in the DC universe! Why are there so many of these guys?? What we were up to this week: Briar has been drawing a lot for Artfight and is juggling sooooo many library books while also preorders of Orion and Adventure Zone Story and Song are coming out!! Also please read John Rich and the Big Picture before it is taken offline on July 25th bc it's a deligh...

Today we talk about the Ultra-Humanite, who mostly did crimes until he was killed by Superman and transferred his brain into a beautiful woman, and then mostly just kept trying to kidnap people (and gorillas) to transfer his brain into them and also doing more crimes. What we were up to this week: Briar got to wear their clowncore outfit to pride and also picked up the Adventure Time pride special...

Today we talk about Monsieur Mallah and the Brain, an intelligent French gorilla and a scientist's brain in a jar who are partners in life AND crime. What we were up to this week: Briar made a pair of pants for pride and read Scary Stories for Young Foxes Olivia read Absolute Green Arrow #2 and some of Justice League Dream Girls , and is looking forward to X-Men Outback Thanks to Victoria Watkins...

Today we talk about Gorilla Grodd, an extremely intelligent psychic gorilla who thinks he should be in charge of the entire world, much to the chagrin of his fellows in Gorilla City. What we were up to this week: Briar hasn't read any comics because they would like to work on sewing but their ding dang holds keep coming it at the library so they have to focus on reading books! Olivia is looking fo...

Today we talk about Congorilla, who is a seemingly immortal gorilla who you can switch bodies with if you have a special ring, which is mostly used by a guy called "Congo Bill". What we were up to this week: Briar went to Phoenix Fan Fusion and mostly did critical role stuff and hung out with friends Olivia watched the Tony Awards, read the first issue of Did You Hear About Mimi Green? , and the X...

Today we talk about Rip Hunter, who is a secretive time travelling guy who makes sure no time shenanigans mess things up and that nobody finds out that Booster Gold is his dad (not because it's embarrassing, so that they can't make him not exist by killing his dad before he was born). What we were up to this week: Briar caught up on the Locked Tomb and started reading Everything is Tuberculosis by...

Today we talk about several people who have come in contact with the mysterious rotary phone that allows you to dial H E R O and become a randomly generated superhero! What we were up to this week: Briar hasn't done much except look forward to reading Nona the Ninth and confuse small children. Olivia read Absolute Green Arrow (2026) #1 and went to a The Mountain Goats concert. Thanks to Victoria W...

Today we talk about Dr. Karla Sofen, who is a terrible therapist and also mostly does crime under the guise of Moonstone, because she gets her power from a stone from the moon that she stole from one of her clients (the original Moonstone). What we were up to this week: Briar read Gideon the Ninth and (most of) Harrow the Ninth Olivia got a hold of the Absolute Batman #20 Tim Drake variant cover ,...

Today we talk about Melissa Gold, who started out as Screaming Mimi in a group of superpowered wrestlers who also did crime then switched to Songbird when she joined the Thunderbolts and kind of accidentally became a superhero for real. What we were up to this week: Briar resisted the urge to finish reading Murderbot Diaries during recording (don't worry they finished it after) Olivia was excited...

Today we talk about Jacques Duquesne, who is a guy who is very good with a sword, so he calls himself Swordsman, and he mostly uses this sword to do crimes but also he really really really wants to be on the Avengers please please please. What we were up to this week: Briar has been reading the Murderbot Diaries and went for a Luke Skywalker Hike (a hike where you dress up like luke skywalker, bec...

Today we talk about Zelda DuBois, most well known as Princess Python from the Circus of Crime. She doesn't have any special powers, she's just a very good snake trainer, and her very large snakes help her commit crimes. What we were up to this week: Briar had a Big Reading Week, including Ruined , Tusk Love , The Eyes & the Impossible , The Girl from the Sea, and The Deep Dark . They also...

Today we talk about Tilda Johnson, who uses self-taught science skills to try to turn people into werewolves and women, and also trick people with realistic robots. What we were up to this week: Briar caught up on John Rich and the Big Picture Olivia went to Anime Boston and finished reading The Devils by Joe Abercrombie Preorder Orion by Ngozi Ukazu , out July 7th. Thanks to Victoria Watkins for...

Today we talk about Rex the Wonder Dog, who served in the US Army where he was given super soldier serum. After he retired he started solving crimes, became immortal, and went to space. What we were up to this week: Briar was at Wondercon! Olivia is being so brave and strong and will resist the temptation of the bisexual Jon Kent funko pop Recent comics and comics news: Wonder Man (2026) #1 Darede...

Today we talk about Bobo T. Chimpanzee, best known as Detective Chimp, who was raised in a circus until his friend (who is a dog) showed him the Fountain of Youth which gave him the ability of human speech and now he solves mysteries. What we were up to this week: Briar has done some marathon reading of the Fitz and the Fool trilogy Olivia read Deathstroke: The Terminator (2026) #1 , Sentry (2026)...