Novel Spirits

We're running a bit behind due to a number of complications - health, tech, vacations, etc. So this month, enjoy a quick rerun of an all-time favorite episode. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind The boys are zipping and flying into the miasma with games expert himself, Willem Delventhal. We get into the world of Miyazaki’s Nausicaa Valley of the Wind where we talk about pollution and keeping viole...

Join the team in this episode as we dive into Zoe Thorogood's compelling graphic novel 'The Impending Blindness of Billy Scott,' delving into themes of art, resilience, and self-discovery through the journey of a young artist facing impending blindness.  By far, one of our most compelling and interesting reads, and with special guest - the OG, Snoop Lynch. As always, we carry ourselves through the...

In this episode, the team shares behind-the-scenes insights from the development of the first draft of the Icarus game—free to try on itch.io—and teases the debut comic and upcoming novel. We discuss the creative process behind complex characters, the art style inspired by manga, and the innovative ways this project bridges storytelling mediums. We also briefly discuss some of the inspirations for...

Our second-ever Battle of the Genres! We bring the books, you bring the votes, and together we watch the loser down a few shots of choice for the next episode! This month - Action & Adventure. Jacob vs Higgins. Godslap vs The Book of Elsewhere! Listen in. As always, grab a drink, sit back, and enjoy! Don't forget to like and subscribe - no matter what platform you are on! Books- Godslap: https://b...

In this episode of Novel Spirits, the team delves into the narrative-driven video game: Dispatch. Exploring its unique gameplay mechanics, narrative & character design, and the impact of player choices on the story. It's our first non-written medium review as Novel Spirits and a true recognition of the studio's mantra - books, comics, and games. It's a Mecha-sized adventure with a lot of twists an...

The First episode of the New Year - 2026 - is here! Happy (belated) New Year and happy listening! This time, the team dives into a great read with a lot of potential and promise - Lost Fantasy by Curt Piles. Decently new to the field - It's fast, it's bloody, it's artsy, and a light representation of many more IPs out there. If you like killing monsters, you'll definitely love this!   Lost Fantasy...

In this special episode of Novel Spirits, the boys celebrate the holiday season with another great, humorous session of camaraderie: The votes were in for the Battle of the Genres, revealing our first, unanimous victor. And we reviewed 'The Last Christmas' by Gerry Duggan, a very Deadpool-ish take on a Zombie-filled Christmas - highlighting themes, characters, and artistic style, as always. The dr...

It's time to give Thanks! And we're thankful for the amount of readable material out in the ether - because without it, what else would we bring to the table? This month is something special - our very first Battle of the Genres as Novel Spirits! One genre, two books, one victor. Jacob and Michael face off to see who can bring the top sample of Magical Realism. Piranesi or Blade of the Immortal! P...

Spooooooky! Happy Halloween, everyone! In true tradition and fashion, Novel Spirits has chosen another spooky book for y'all - Junji Ito's Tomie! https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tomie-junji-ito/1100327771 And I won't lie - it's not for the faint of heart. But we kept it light and jovial as usual. The drinks were flowing, the jokes were cracking, and the ghosts were ghosting. So join us once more...

We promised Ninja Gaiden, but sadly could not deliver...However, we have quite literally the next best vibe! This month/This episode, we cover Ninja Slayer Kills, written by Koutarou Sekine, created by Bradley Bond and Phillip 'Ninja' Morzez. An action-packed, Ninja meets Cyberpunk, story of vengeance! We also resolved some of the standing items from the last episode, talked smack about each other...

This month, we take on another Titan of a name - Kratos. That's right! God of War! Specifically, God of War: Fallen God by Chris Roberson (Art by Tony Parker) A little bit of a spoiler, this review - much like the book of choice - was fairly short, but we made sure to fill in the gaps with plenty of hot takes and content. We might catch a bit of heat this time, but feel free to let us know your th...

Another month, another episode...Or I guess in this case, this month equals a second episode? Remember guys, we do this because we love you, not because we were late in any way, shape, or form.   Anyway, brace yourselves and prepare to bow to the might of Doom! Victor Von Doom, ruler, scientist, sorcerer - powerful beyond all means! 'Even the Gods fall before Doom!'   This month, we take on Doctor...

Sorry y'all! We are aware of how late this one is, but June was not a kind month for us. From losses to scheduling conflicts to unexpected health issues, we've all been on the constant grind. But the studio perseveres, the podcast continues, and our spirits are raised high. Welcome back and enjoy!   This month we read, reviewed, and relished: Head Lopper: The Island or A Plague of Beasts by Andrew...

This month we read, review, and relish: CyberPunk 2077 - Trauma Team by Cullen Bunn, Miguel Valderrama, Jason Wordie, and Frank Cvetkovic. (Cullen answer me!) https://www.amazon.com/Cyberpunk-2077-1-Trauma-Team/dp/1506716016 As promised, your other reading material this month: Spellbound Alliance - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/spellbound-alliance-goodness-woke/1144515359 Spellbount Alliance (e...

2025 opened up some new doors, including our grand re-launch. We've done it before, and to be fair, we'll probably do it once more, but our journey continues with the first episode of Novel Spirits (previously known as The Comixology Club, and Comics, Comrades, and Cocktails). A new name, with new faces, and new themes. But whether you're a long-time fan or just joining us for the first time, it's...

2024 is coming to a close and with it the boys are bringing you another stacked episode. It’s the grand finale of our Year of the Guest! Snoop, Higgins, and Bethany Tilson crack open Books 2 & 3 of Friday by Ed Brubaker, Marcos Martin, and Muntsa Vicente. Think mystery, heartbreak, and enough snowy small-town drama to fill a detective’s notebook. Oh, and heads up—it’s Snoop’s final episode, so exp...

Who watches the Watchmen? Well, this week, it’s Snoop, Higgins, and their special guest, Z.B. Steele! The trio dives headfirst into Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' legendary graphic novel, Watchmen—a comic so iconic it basically broke the superhero mold (and then set it on fire). With doomsday clocks ticking away and zero hour quickly approaching, the boys unpack big themes, unforgettable characters,...

This month, Snoop and Higgins dive back into the wild, hilarious, and surprisingly heartfelt world of Sex Criminals by Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky. The boys are talking volume 2 of this critically acclaimed series and are happy to do so. Joining in the fun is their good friend Rhys, who brings fresh perspectives and a few laughs to the table. Together, the trio unpacks the chaos, character grow...

We’re winding down and down and down into the center of the spiral, but luckily we aren’t alone. Our good friend and repeat cohost, Steve, helps us tackle the last section of the spooky book, Uzumaki. Delving even deeper into a masterpiece brought to you by the twisted mind of Junji Ito, we bring back old ideas, spin through crazy escape attempts, and even tackle the new tv adaptation. Twist your...

The boys are zipping and flying into the miasma with games expert himself, Willem Delventhal. We get into the world of Miyazaki’s Nausicaa Valley of the Wind where we talk about pollution and keeping violence out of your problem solving. On top of everything we find out that Higgins is terrible at video games, but also maybe a good gauge of what a game developer is looking for. Dive on in on your...

Better late than never! The boys are back for another special episode with returning guest, SoulStar Sketchin', to talk all things Beetlejuice 2. We're going over all the jokes, feels, cast, and whacky hijinks only a guy like Tim Burton can bring you. It's a sequel that's been 36 years in the making and we took 1 hour to talk about it. Fun stuff. We hope you'll pop on some headphones, take a numbe...

It's lonely out in space, but lucky for us we brought a friend. This month is a big one because Snoop and Higgins are joined by their good friend, Andy Newman. Together the three of us talk Jeff Lemire and Gabriel Walta's graphic novel, Sentient. It's a story about a bunch of kids being raised on a ship by an AI that doesn't actually go bad. I know right? Groundbreaking stuff! Did we like it? Did...

Orca Killer Whale! Now that it’s time for business we get to tell you about Mark Millar’s The Magic Order with our good friends/one of our bosses, Abby and Erin. This is magic like you’ve never seen it before. They’re fast and loose with the rules and break physics like the leakability of taxis and just how the heck are they flyin?! So grab your top hat, pet your rabbit and enjoy the show! This ep...

We know what you’re all thinking, “Two special episodes out in less than a month, these guys must be crazy”. And maybe we are, but if being crazy is wrong we don’t wanna be right because we got to dive into a spectacular interview with special guest and author, Jim Krueger. We talk to Jim about his book and Steve Aoki’s brainchild, Hiroquest: Genesis and Double Helix. He takes us into the story of...

Join us for a special episode as we explore writer Andi Ewington's transformative adaptation of "Freeway Fighter," originally part of Ian Livingstone's Fighting Fantasy series. We interview Andi Ewington about his creative process in bringing new life to this post-apocalyptic tale as a gripping graphic novel. Discover the inspiration, thematic richness, and Ewington's impact on the landscape of th...