Better Than Fiction

Episode #509! This week DL brings Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips newest book to the table. Where The Body Was focuses on the lives of nine people on Pelican Road in the summer of '84. Scott tells us about his recent trip to Tulsa including comic shops he hit and purchases. We have brief sports talk on professional wrestling and college football. Also, Scott talks about his holiday tradition. Check...

Episode #508! This week DL brings the latest book from Manga creator Junji Ito to the podcast. Mimi's Tales of Terror contains eight horror stories written by Hirokatsu Kihara and Ichiro Nakayama all illustrated by Ito. Scott continues his trek through the X-Men Epics with issue #102. He also talks about some Paul Smith X-Men and Kitty Pryde work. We speak briefly on Godzilla Minus One also. Check...

Episode #507! This week Scott bring a new hardcover edition of The Lord of the Rings to the table. This all-in-one volume also includes art by author J.R.R. Tolkien. Next up, DL has an absolutely huge hardcover to show off.  Mad Dreams and Monsters covers the career of special effects titan Phil Tippett and the Tippett Studio. Scott continues his journey in X-Men Epic Second Genesis with issue #10...

Episode #506! Welcome back. This week DL has a pair of Clint Eastwood movies to talk about. First up Clint portrays injured Union soldier John McBurney in The Beguiled then he is an out-of-his-element sheriff in Coogan's Bluff. Scott talks about a couple of Christmas themed books including a story in Hard Boiled Christmas Stories. After that, DL talks in-depth (with spoilers) about Daniel Clowes'...

Episode #505!  After a long break, we are back with more Cool Stuff! This week Scott has a holiday themed story to share. From the "good Duck artist" Scott brings Carl Barks' Christmas on Bear Mountain to the table. DL has the bloody-violent Ax-Wielder Jon by Nick Pitarra. Also on this episode we check out the long out of print Star Trek Concordance! 

Episode #504! More great Cool Stuff this week! First up Scott has "Leave The Gun, Take The Cannoli". In his book Mark Seal combines information from interviews and other sources to document the creation of the film The Godfather. DLNelson has the horror graphic novel Disciples from David Birke, Nicholas McCarthy and Benjamin Marra. Also on this episode Scott walks us through X-Men #100 and DL has...

Episode #503! Welcome back listeners. This week DLNelson shows off three sketchbooks he picked up at NYCC. Loaded with pencil drawings of Marvel and DC characters, first up is the Alex Ross 2019 Sketchbook. The Laurence Campbell Drawings & Commissions Sketchbook contains tons of spotted blacks amid finished inked images of Batman, The Punisher, Judge Dredd and many others. Also brought to the...

Episode #502! New York Comic Con '23! DLNelson is back from his trip to NYC. This week DL not only talks about his time at New York Comic Con, but also a few experiences that were had during his time in the Empire State. Check it out!

Episode #501! Superman For All Seasons, Eight Billion Genies and X-Men 98! Welcome back! Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale's Superman For All Seasons is finally available in absolute form. This week DL spotlights this personal favorite of his and looks at the other stories and extras included in this over-sized slipcase edition. Also on this episode, DL brings Eight Billion Genies by Charles Soule and Ryan B...

Episode #500! Bernie Wrightson - The FPG Years, Haunthology and classic X-Men! First up, DL brings the large hardcover book Bernie Wrightson The FPG Years to the table. Produced over a two-year period, this book collects over 150 paintings Bernie completed for the two card sets from '93 and '94. Since it's the frightful month of October, DL has Haunthology by writer/artist Jeremy Haun. Scott conti...

Episode #499! This week we talk about two TV series' and a completed comic book series. First up we talk a little bit about Ahsoka and Disney's continuing adventures in the Star Wars galaxy. For a look into the behind the scene "dirt" on professional wrestling, Scott brings the TV series Dark Side of the Ring to the podcast. Finally, since it's October, DL brings Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino'...

Episode #498! We have a short episode this week where our focus is on two incredible comic book runs. First up, DL brings a copy of Dark Horse Comics new Creepy vol. 1 softcover. Originally published in 1964, this square-bound magazine-sized trade contains the first five issues complete with stories, ads and letter pages. After that, Scott continues his trek through Marvel Comics X-Men Epic collec...

Episode #497! OAF Con '23! We recently attended OAF Con. On this episode we talk about this year's con and the importance of OAF Con to us and our collecting. Scott tells us about his Shadow book collecting and what he scored at the show. Both of us also bring a book we picked up at the show to the podcast. Check it out!

Episode #496! Battle For The Planet Of The Apes! Prior to recording this episode, Scott Sackett and DLNelson took some time to watch the the final entry of the original Apes saga. Set hundreds of years before Charlton Heston's Taylor made landfall in the world of Ape, we see Man and Ape in a battle for species supremacy. After their viewing, they sit down for a conversation about the last movie in...

Episode #495! This week we focus on film versus books. First up Scott tells us about a documentary. However it's a documentary that DL would actually consider watching. Memory: The Origins Of Alien sheds some light on the early thoughts and process that went into creating the sci-fi / horror fan-favorite. After that, DL talks about the new film Gran Turismo. Like ten's of thousands of other people...

Episode #494! This week we focus on two books. First up, Scott has a book by Hugo Award winning author Philip K. Dick. Time Out of Joint tells the story of Ragle Gumm and the strange things that happen in his small town. After that DL has the latest Brubaker/Phillips graphic novel. In Night Fever, Jon Webb can't sleep after a business flight to France. During his bout of insomnia, Jon lies his way...

Episode #493! Conquest of the Planet of the Apes! Prior to recording this episode, DLNelson and Scott Sackett watched the fourth movie of the classic Apes series. After their viewing, they sit down for a conversation about the film. Listen as they talk about various scenes from the movie and give their thoughts about the story. Give it a listen!

Episode #492! Welcome back listeners. First up, DL brings the complete Sword of the Atom trade to the podcast. Written by Jan Strnad and drawn by Gil Kane this tale places Ray Palmer in the Amazon Rainforest helping a tribe of small humanoid aliens. After that Scott talks about various works by Manga legend Masamune Shirow and illustrator extraordinaire Geof Darrow. Check it out!

Episode #491 This week we are back with two high-profile runs from Marvel Comics and a great "Best Of" book. First up, Scott brings the really nice The Best of Simon and Kirby from Titan Books. Inside the book you'll find some forgotten stories from the '40's-'60's. Next, DL talks about Ed Brubaker's 40 issue run on Daredevil The Man Without Fear. And to wrap up this week's episode, Scott continue...

Episode #490! Escape From The Planet Of The Apes! Prior to recording this episode, Scott Sackett and DLNelson watched the 1971 follow-up to Beneath The Planet Of The Apes. After their viewing, they sit down for a conversation about the third movie of the series. Listen as they talk about various scenes from the movie and give their thoughts about the story. Give it a listen!

Episode #489! This week we have comics, a documentary and car talk(?). To begin this episode, Scott lets us know about a documentary we should definitely check out. Dave Stevens: Drawn to Perfection focuses on Stevens and his art as told by people who knew and admired him. Scott also continues his stroll through 1970's X-Men with issue #94. DL has the beautiful hardcover Wonder Woman Historia: The...

Episode #488! This week Scott is back with an important issue from the history of the X-Men comics. Available from the Marvel X-Men Epic Collection: Second Genesis, listen as he talks about the issue which forever changed the X-Men and lead to the characters and stories everyone knows today. After that, DL has a new movie round-up with three movies currently available at the theater or streaming....

Episode #487! This week we are back with works by two absolute legends. First up Scott surprises DL with Otomo The Complete Works vol.s 21 & 22. These volumes collect the complete storyboards of Otomo's animated masterpiece Akira. After that DL talks about two books by Will Eisner. First, is The Plot The Secret Story of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Deeply researched, this book tells of...

Flashback of episode #325! This week your hosts are busy with other commitments. Because of that, we are reposting our episode focusing on two works by the great Jack Kirby. First up is his fantastic war comic "The Losers". Featured in "Our Fighting Forces" #151-162, these WWII comics feature some of his best '70's DC work. Next up, we check out Kirby's adaptation of Stanley Kubrick's "2001 A Spac...

Episode #486! Beneath The Planet Of The Apes! Prior to recording this episode, Scott Sackett and DLNelson watched the sequel to the Charlton Heston classic. After their viewing, they sit down for a conversation about the 1970 follow-up movie. Listen as they discuss scenes from the movie and the unnecessary concept from a director who had to tell his story, as strange as it might be. Give it a list...