Between the Gutters Podcast

We recorded this episode back in November, but due to the vicissitudes of life, we're only now getting around to uploading it. Things have been busy outside of the podcast, but our love for comics (and talking about comics) remains undiminished. Join us as we discuss the sixth issue of Superman: Birthright! Please continue to hang with us as talk about Superman! And don't forget, you can a...

In this episode, we discuss the fifth issue of Birthright! As the story finally gives us a proper introduction to Lex Luthor, we spend a chunk of the conversation discussing the character in general. Somehow, despite the fact that we're only covering a single 22-page comic book issue, we always find things to talk about. At the time of this recording, Albert has already seen James Gunn's S...

We always have fun talking about comics together, and this episode goes into some unexpected but welcome directions. Birthright #4 is our big introduction to Lois Lane, and it gives us a chance to discuss the character and her place in the Superman mythos. (For more you can also check out episode 211, when we covered Lois Lane: Enemy of the People by Greg Rucka and Mike Perkins!) Not only that, bu...

In the third issue of Superman: Birthright, we make our way to Smallville and spend some time with Ma and Pa Kent. It's a more introspective chapter centered around Clark's relationship with his parents, and there are some meaningful emotional beats. Join us as we continue our thorough readthrough of Birthright! Although we recorded this episode around two months ago, we only just got to p...

The second issue of Birthright continues the plot from the first issue and gives us some more insights into Clark's motivations. Waid, Yu, and the rest of the creative team add more meat to Superman's origin, but they do it in a way that's reasonable and makes sense with the existing lore. Join us as we continue our issue-by-issue readthrough and analysis of Superman: Birthright! If yo...

We're deep into 2025 already, but we're still going to do a readthrough this year. Superman: Birthright, by Mark Waid, Leinil Francis Yu, Gerry Alanguilan, Dave McCaig, and Comicraft is one of the definitive Superman origin stories. There have been a bunch of Superman origins, but Birthright is one that seems to have stood the test of time. Can you believe it's already over twenty year...

Here's another indie comics hidden gem for y'all to check out! No Ivy League by Hazel Newlevant is a thoughtful and socially conscious memoir about a teen's growing awareness of racial and class disparity. It's a comic that will give you something to think about, a work that provides an avenue for some much-needed self-reflection in these times. No Ivy League is something we should...

Okinawa by Susumu Higa is a must-read manga for anyone who appreciates comics or world history. Okinawa is a collection of short stories pertaining to the past, present, and even future of Higa's homeland. Every story in this collection is immaculately crafted. Some of them are about life on Okinawa during wartime, some are about the U.S. occupation, and yet others are about life on the archip...

The final issue of Solo, by Brendan McCarthy, is memorable for its psychedelic visuals and offbeat storytelling. It's a fascinating issue that has been held in high regard by critics in the years since its release. Outside of comics, McCarthy is known for his work on Mad Max: Fury Road as a writer and designer, as well as cult animation such as Reboot. We spend a little time discussing what we...

One of the great masters of visual comedy, Sergio Aragonés, finally gets his spotlight issue in Solo! From Mad Magazine to Groo, he's long established himself as one of the finest cartoonists in the Western Hemisphere. Join us as we discuss our level of familiarity with his work, and then dive into each of the stories in this comic. For a handy Spotify playlist featuring all of our episodes on Sol...

It's been almost twenty years, and Damion Scott's issue of Solo still has some of the freshest art you're likely to see in a Big Two comic. His graffiti-inspired wildstyle artwork might be challenging to read, but take the time to look at it and it'll open up your imagination. He even dabbles in his older, more traditional style of drawing for fans of his Batgirl run. Solo #10 is another fantastic...

Solo #9 is Scott Hampton's spotlight issue! He's an artist neither of us is very familiar with, so it was good to get more exposure to his work. Because we don't know his other comics well, this episode is mostly focused on talking about the stories within this specific issue of Solo. There's a Batman story in this comic, too - what more do you want? Check out Solo #9 and listen to our podcast! (N...

We're back! It is time to continue our readthrough of DC Comics' Solo. This month, we're discussing the eighth issue, which features the incredible work of Teddy Kristiansen. Join us as we delve into his spotlight issue and discuss all five of his stories in the comic!   For a handy Spotify playlist featuring all of our episodes on Solo, click here: tr.ee/LWngAKKWTt If you have any thoughts, comme...

Mike Allred is one of the most unique voices in creator-owned and mainstream comics! Perhaps best known for his Madman series, he has also left a big mark on some of DC's and Marvel's biggest characters and franchises, including Superman, Batman, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, Silver Surfer, and so much more! Join us as we cover his issue of Solo! Apologies for the late episode! We recorded this w...

In this episode, we're discussing an indie comic we both backed on Kickstarter back in 2020. The Dodo Knows by Helen Greetham is an anthology of stories centered around themes of loss and discovery. It's a lovely collection for readers of any age, and we warmly recommend it. If you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or corrections, we're here. Feel free to hit us up on our socials, or email u...

We're digging way too deep into the forgotten 1993 Image lineup in this episode. Do you remember Union by Mark Texeira and Mike Heisler? If you do, this episode is for you. We take a look at the initial four-issue miniseries that took almost a year to come out! Let's party like it's 1993 again, or something like that. If DC hadn't bought up WildStorm, Union would have been the perfect mascot for t...

Jordi Bernet is an artist neither one of us was particularly familiar with, but he received his own spotlight issue of Solo, which we'll be discussing in this episode! As usual, we'll be discussing each story in the comic. Don't worry, there's a Batman story in this one... For a handy Spotify playlist featuring all of our episodes on Solo, click here: tr.ee/LWngAKKWTt If you have any thoughts, com...

For the second straight episode, we're taking a close look at another underrated Image miniseries! This time around, we're examining Ghost Cage by Nick Dragotta and Caleb Goellner! This three-issue science fiction comic has a ton of the things we love, including dope character designs, immersive worldbuilding, slick action, Mega Man-esque aesthetics, and substantial subtext. It's a book we really...

Let's take a walk. Step by Bloody Step by Si Spurrier and Matias Bergara is truly a gem of a miniseries. It's an almost wordless fantasy story about a girl and her giant guardian traversing across their world. Featuring beautiful imagery and densely layered artwork that communicates the story of their journey, Step by Bloody Step is a work that not only demands your attention, but deserves it. Joi...

After we went through the ordeal of revisiting X-Men #1-3 by Claremont and Lee a couple weeks ago, we decided to reward ourselves by talking about a great X-Men story: House of X/Powers of X. It's two stories that are one! As the Krakoan era winds down in 2024, it's also a nice time to revisit this smash hit. While you slept, the world changed... So stay awake and listen to our voices! If you have...

In this month's installment of our readthrough of DC's Solo, we're finally covering the Darwyn Cooke issue! Everybody should know how great Cooke was. He contributed to a lot of the early DC Animated Universe, and he left a big impact on comics. While works like DC: The New Frontier and his Parker adaptations are probably his most famous, you should definitely keep an eye out for Solo #5 in the ba...

X-Men #1 is the best-selling comic book of all time and a big part of our youths. With X-Men '97 in the zeitgeist, we figured we could go back and revisit X-Men #1-3 (1991) by Chris Claremont and Jim Lee, taking a critical look at one of the most beloved and influential runs in popular culture. In this episode, we take some time to talk about our individual experiences with Claremont and Jim Lee's...

Happy Mother's Day to all who celebrate! In this episode, we're talking about Mothers, by Kusahara Umi! Mothers is a one-woman anthology published by Glacier Bay Books. It's got a dozen stories, and virtually all of them are hits. Seriously, find yourself a copy of this book if you don't already have one! We talk in-depth and discuss each story in this book, which is rich with meaning and ideas to...

Lois Lane: Enemy of the People by Greg Rucka and Mike Perkins is, in the grand scheme of eternity, a relatively recent 12-issue maxiseries that we wanted to read and discuss. It's also a chance for us to talk about the impact of the creators' works. Also, because this is a Lois Lane-centric episode, we took the time to talk about the 1986 Lois Lane two-issue miniseries by Mindy Newell and Gray Mor...

As we continue our readthrough of DC's Solo, we now come to Howard Chaykin's issue. He's a very distinctive artist known for his edginess, but we've certainly read our fair share of his latter-period Big Two work. Join us as we discuss our thoughts on his writing and art in general, and as we examine his spotlight issue! For a handy Spotify playlist featuring all of our episodes on Solo, click her...