Comics Syllabus

From DC Universe Infinite, Paul catches up with Gotham Academy: First Year, DCKO: Knightfight, Harley and Ivy, and Absolute Superman. From Marvel Unlimited, Paul checks out some Imperial War minis, Jeff the Land Shark, Runaways, the Mortal Thor, and Miles Morales Spider-Man. Who will win this week’s contest of DC and Marvel champions?? Also, Paul reacts to the IDW Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles rebo...

Summary In this episode of Infinite Unlimited, Paul Lai (twoplai at BlueSky and Insta) returns to discuss the latest comic book releases from Marvel Unlimited and DC Universe Infinite Ultra. From MU, we dive into notable titles such as Black Cat, Spider Gwen, and most of all, Exceptional X-Men #12 by Eve Ewing and Federica Mancin. On DC Universe Infinite, we glance same-day DC KO #2 and the specia...

On this week’s Comics Syllabus for Kids, Teens, and In-Betweens, Teacher Dad and Cohost Kid matriculate in “Strange Academy,” the 18-issue (with more to come!) Marvel series written by Skottie Young and drawn by Humberto Ramos and Edgar Delgado. Listen to find out what makes this is great comic for young readers, who our favorite characters (or “Brorsons”) are, and why we loved the series! This is...

On this week’s Comics Syllabus, we’re proud to share this interview with Irma Kniivila and Tri Vuong, the creators of the new EVERYDAY HERO MACHINE BOY (Image Comics)! We’re totally in love with this action-packed, hilarious, heart-warming comic about an alien robot, Machine Boy, who finds identity, love, and friendship among earthlings like Grandma Karate, Mr. Hound, and a charming (and nefarious...

This week on Comics Syllabus 4 Kids, Teens, and In-Betweens, Teacher Dad and Cohost Kid chat about the “Captain Marvel” current run written by Kelly Thompson with art by the likes of Carmen Carnero, Lee Garbett, Takeshi Miyakawa, and various others. We also chat about “It’s Jeff!” the Landshark, Central Park on Apple TV, and some of the MCU announcements from D23. Here we gooooooooo…. This is a pu...

On this episode of Comics Syllabus for Kids, Teens, and Big Green Machines… SHE-HULK! Teacher Dad and Cohost Kid chat about the MCU TV show She-Hulk: Attorney-at-Law (after episode 1) and the current “She-Hulk” run from Marvel Comics written by Rainbow Rowell, with art by Rogé Antônio and Luca Maresca. Super cool comics run! We talk Jack of Hearts, Titania fights, and much more! Thanks for tuning...

On this very first REAL REAL episode of Comics Syllabus for Kids, Teens, and In-Betweens… We kick things off with SQUIRREL GIRL: SQUIRREL MEETS WORLD and SQUIRREL GIRL: 2 FUZZY, 2 FURIOUS (Marvel/Disney/Hyperion) by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale, two novels featuring the pre-comics background story of Doreen Green. Listen to Cohost Kid and Teacher Dad go nuts over these fun adaptations into prose of...

ANNOUNCEMENT! For a loooong time, Paul (aka “Teacher Dad”) has been hosting the Comics Syllabus podcast mostly solo, reading widely and digging deep into comics and graphic novels. …But NOW, the day has come for COHOST KID to join EVERY EPISODE OF “Comics Syllabus for Kids, Teens, and In-Betweens.” This is our special announcement pod. (Sorry for the re-duplication— this audio is also attached to...

Okay, this is a bit awkward for now… You don’t hear from Comics Syllabus for a while, and then suddenly THE MESSAGES COME POURING INTO YOUR INBOX! Allow me to explain… This episode combines the AUDIO for THE INFINITE UNLIMITED as well as the audio announcement for COMICS SYLLABUS 4 KIDS, TEENS, AND IN-BETWEENS featuring me and the delightful COHOST KID! Yay! So here’s the deal: EVERY TWO WEEKS the...

Hi Comics Syllabus friends! SOME of the stuff I mention in this laundry-list episode of what I’ve been reading and watching… The Comics Pull List: Saga, Fire Power, Mind MGMT: Bootleg, She-Hulk, Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings, Batman/Superman World’s Finest, Daredevil, Batman, Swamp Thing, Monkey Prince, Immortal X-Men, Barnstormers and Dudley Datson, and more... Graphic Novels on the Proverbial Nigh...

This week, we go BEYOND with “Ms. Marvel: Beyond the Limit” by Samira Ahmed, Andrés Genolet, and Triona Farrell (Marvel). We also make mention of the Ms. Marvel Disney+ MCU TV series, as well as mounds of multiverse mysteries. Check out the Comics Syllabus Substack, and find out how you can support Paul’s work on this podcast, at  comicssyllabus.substack.com Find the Comics Syllabus at its home at...

This week, awesome creator Jose Pimienta joins the Comics Syllabus to discuss their upcoming graphic novel “Twin Cities” (Random House Graphic, out July 19, 2022) for middle grade/YA readers about twins growing up in Mexicali / Calexico on the US-Mexico border. Close siblings Teresa’s and Fernando’s coming-of-age (and coming apart?) stories cross national borders and others as well: adolescence an...

CW: Discussion about violence, including the violence this past week in Texas, and mental health issues. On this week’s Comics Syllabus podcast, I talk about why this past week was difficult for me as a teacher, and as a reader as well. Then, I connect to Emma Grove’s book “The Third Person” from Drawn + Quarterly (2022) and the IDW “Charles Schulz’s Peanuts: Artist Edition” (2014). Also, check ou...

This week’s Comics Syllabus… a comic for young readers to learn about investigative journalism, water pollution, and evidence in search of truth: We talk about “The Leak” by Kate Reed Petty and Andrea Bell (First Second, 2021), an exciting middle grade graphic novel about young Ruth’s heroic search to uncover the water polluters in her town. Then, for not-so-young readers, we look at Kaare Kyle An...

Cohost Kid joins in today to discuss “Aru Shah and the End of Time” (Disney Hyperion), an adaptation by Joe Caramagna and Anu Chouhan of the first book of the Aru Shah series by Roshani Chokshi. (Note: At one point, Cohost Dad flubs up and refers to “Hindi” gods and goddesses, when of course he meant “Hindu!” Hindu the faith; Hindi the language. C’mon, Cohost Dad, you know better…. My apologies!!!...

Edo Brenes writes and draws “Memories from Limón,” a graphic novel from Nobrow (2022), a journey back into hometown memory and history in a Costa Rican town, discovering family stories and secrets. We consider the storytelling power of following the protagonist, Ramiro, as he discovers this past through conversations with relatives over a trove of old photographs. Then, at 23:00, we look at Olivia...

Welcome to the Comics Syllabus. Today, an Inbox LongBox episode, where we talk about comics on Substack. Specifically: 3 Worlds/3 Moons . We ask the question: Three worlds and three moons… Is that too many moons? How many is too many? One thing that we do here is we look at Substack, where there's a lot of exciting comics coming out. And one of those projects is 3W/3M, which is a project of Jonath...

Thoughts on MOON KNIGHT! Digging into themes of the Lemire and Smallwood Marvel Comics run (2016) in light of the first episode of the Marvel Studios Disney+ show. Oh, mishaps! This week, the podcast was MEANT to cover the 2016 ”Moon Knight” run by Lemire and Smallwood (which we DO!) AND the graphic novel “Memories from Limon” by Edo Brenes… but mysterious forces struck (a power outage in Paul’s h...

This week’s Comics Syllabus podcast: “Girl on Fire” (HarperAlley). Come meet Lolo Wright, a hero for all ages, crafted by singer-songwriter-superstar Alicia Keys, co-written by Andrew Weiner, and brought to comic life by Brittney Williams. Check out the Comics Syllabus Substack, and find out how you can support Paul’s work on this podcast, at  comicssyllabus.substack.com Find the Comics Syllabus a...

Thoughts on MOON KNIGHT! Digging into themes of the Lemire and Smallwood Marvel Comics run (2016) in light of the first episode of the Marvel Studios Disney+ show. Oh, mishaps! This week, the podcast was MEANT to cover the 2016 ”Moon Knight” run by Lemire and Smallwood (which we DO!) AND the graphic novel “Memories from Limon” by Edo Brenes… but mysterious forces struck (a power outage in Paul’s h...

This week’s Comics Syllabus podcast: “Wingbearer,” an incredible new middle grade graphic novel by Marjorie Liu and Teny Issakhanian from HarperCollins/Quill Tree Books. Then, Paul’s NON-SPOILER thoughts on “The Batman,” the small indie movie directed by Matt Reeves. Check out the Comics Syllabus Substack, and find out how you can support Paul’s work on this podcast, at  comicssyllabus.substack.co...

“Borders,” a graphic novel with story by Thomas King and art by Natasha Donovan (Little, Brown, & Company, 2021), is the main topic of this brief episode of the Comics Syllabus podcast, recorded in conversation with Cohost Kid. Paul and Cohost Kid are actually on a family vacation, so pardon the poorer audio quality. But catch our convo as we also chat about two recently completed mini-series,...

This week’s Comics Syllabus podcast: “Girl on Fire” (HarperAlley). Come meet Lolo Wright, a hero for all ages, crafted by singer-songwriter-superstar Alicia Keys, co-written by Andrew Weiner, and brought to comic life by Brittney Williams. Check out the Comics Syllabus Substack, and find out how you can support Paul’s work on this podcast, at  comicssyllabus.substack.com Find the Comics Syllabus a...

Exclusively for Substack Subs… a podcast episode where I talk about graphic novels I’m teaching, some controversy about a Turning Red review, and some recommended Substack comics, including I have exciting news to share: You can now read Comics Syllabus Newsletter by Paul Lai in the new Substack app for iPhone. With the app, you’ll have a dedicated Inbox for my Substack and any others you subscrib...

This week’s Comics Syllabus podcast: “Wingbearer,” an incredible new middle grade graphic novel by Marjorie Liu and Teny Issakhanian from HarperCollins/Quill Tree Books. Then, Paul’s NON-SPOILER thoughts on “The Batman,” the small indie movie directed by Matt Reeves. Check out the Comics Syllabus Substack, and find out how you can support Paul’s work on this podcast, at  comicssyllabus.substack.co...