Let Me Know How It Is

We are currently living in the Golden Age of Superhero movies. It’s hard to remember the fact that superhero movies were far less prevalent than they are today; and back then when one was made, usually there were all kinds of changes where the finished product didn’t always resemble the comics we read. One aspect that has changed drastically in the years since is the look of superhero movies. Ther...

The Definitive Five returns!  There are occasions where you might find a single character appear in films, tv, comics, animation, and video games, and you might also find that there are often significant differences between the different versions.  Sometimes the changes are welcome and well-regarded while other times not as much. Frank has assembled another list of characters that have appeared ac...

Adult Swim has produced many cult-favorite animated shows, and high among them is The Venture Bros.  An action-comedy about a failed scientist, his two dim-witted boys, their bodyguard and the globe-trotting adventures they go on. What once started as a fun, spoof of Jonny Quest, has grown into a beloved animated series that really has left a unique print on the world of cartoons with it's lush wo...

Chances are, somewhere, in your media viewing past, you have encountered a flashback. Be it in a comic book, tv show or movie; what was once a tool in the storytellers toolbox, flashbacks have now become so incredibly common place in media. Sometimes this trope can be gimmicky and overused, but sometimes they can illuminate crucial points in a characters past. Hop in the way-back machine and buckl...

If you have ever stepped foot into a comic book shop, chances are you were lucky enough have overheard or partook in some colorful comic shop conversation. Banter that typically centers on dream battles that pit characters of similar power sets against each other, exercises in logic, or even philosophical debate. In some cases these conversations can venture into the downright absurd, but they are...

"Bottle Episode" is a loose term that describes a notable style of episode in Television. Stories that are set in one location or the famed “clip show” are two examples of the kinds of bottle episodes fans will see. But, bottle stories don't exist solely in Television; comics and animation have had fun trying to recreate the feel of a bottle episode in their mediums, and as audiences have become m...

Every franchise out there is looking for a way to bring more eyeballs to their product and maybe the easiest way to create interest by fans is to bring two franchises together for a crossover that combines the best of multiple worlds. Franchise crossovers, despite seemingly being done more and more, still have the aura of something rare. That this event is something fleeting. You’re seeing these t...

For every one of the numerous animated classics that have been released over the years, there are countless animated ideas that never come into fruition. It's amazing to think of how many would-be-classics might have happened if development had continued on so many projects. In a follow up to last week’s How Did This Get Made?! – Animation Edition, the panel is discussing some fascinating animated...

Generally speaking, in animation, if you can dream it and draw it, you can make it. Cartoons have so many examples of unexpected, daring creative ideas that become classics. Sometimes, however, an occasional cartoon comes along that can be a bit of a head-scratcher. Maybe it is based on something that doesn’t have a clear cut story, or it is adapted from a property that in hindsight might not be t...

Each year, literally hundreds of movies are released in the United States, and any one of them has the potential to become a favorite for movie lovers, and perhaps even one day come to be considered a bona fide classic. With so many movies being produced each year, every so often you just get a particularly good year of movies.  And some years the slate of movies lines up in a way that an abundanc...

It's time for Part 3, and the exciting conclusion of Sitcom Madness is here! In our second edition of the Let Me Know How It Is March Madness style tournament, we will collectively crown our favorite sitcom of all time! We are down to the final three rounds in this episode, and the time has come to crown the ultimate winner. Here it is, according to us, the best sitcom of all time!

Sitcom Madness Part 2! In our second edition of the Let Me Know How It Is March Madness style tournament, we will collectively crown our favorite sitcom of all time! The tournament started with 64 of the best sitcoms ever. Now we’ve narrowed it to 32, and we’ll continue to eliminate until only one survives as the best sitcom of all time! See what shows makes it past the sweet 16! 

It’s March, and that means one thing: March Madness! In our second edition of the Let Me Know How It Is March Madness style tournament, we will collectively crown our favorite sitcom of all time! The panel will match up 64 of their favorite sitcoms throughout the ages until there is only one Sitcom Champion remaining.  This is Part One and showcases all of the first round matchups. Stay tuned for...

The world of Superheroes is made so much stronger by the supporting cast they host, and the world of Superman is no different. Appearing in literally thousands of stories across comic books, radio, TV, and film, Superman has been one of the most dominant pop culture properties since his creation in 1938. And yet, despite the iconic nature of the character, it’s hard to imagine what a Superman stor...

The archetype of the hero can come in many different forms, but a common one is the troupe where a character is deemed the Chosen one. The idea of the “Chosen One” is most typically found in fantasy fiction; usually a character that is destined for greatness. Destined to be the heroic savior who will one day return the world back to a more peaceful state. In this episode, the panel will examine th...

Often there can be variations for characters depending on which form of media you encounter them in. Sometimes the differences in these variations can be slight, while other times they can, of course, be very big. The panel will look at a list of characters prepared by Frank, and each person will decide if the definitive version for them can be found in either comics, movies, TV, animation, or in...

Dwayne McDuffie is one of the most important creators in the modern era of comics. Probably best known, and most importantly, as the co-founder and one of the architects of Milestone Media, a comic book company focused on better representing minorities in comics. There he would create or co-create titles such as Static, Icon, Blood Syndicate, and Hardware.  Elsewhere, his work includes seminal run...

Romantic subplots drive so much story in western media. In fact, romantic subplots might be the single most common trait among all genres of storytelling in all forms of media. Love is always going to be part of the action, whether it's comics, tv, or film. As in real life, in the fictional world, some couples work better together than others. With so many examples of popular couples in the media,...

If you’ve read comics for any length of time, chances are you have heard the phrase Golden Age or Silver Age. These phrases can apply to any medium, but in comics they are very specific eras; the one thing they all have in common is they involve superheroes, and each age saw the debut of countless new character additions to comics. Today the panel takes a look at each of the separate ages of comic...

Today, there is a trend of some half-dozen comic book movies released each year, and it doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. What it indicates is that right now we truly are in the golden age of comics being adapted into movies. Many of these films are quality movies, but the thing with some comic movies is that sometimes they aren’t always up to par compared to their source material or even ot...

Sometimes when watching a movie or show, the story that’s told just isn’t enough. Even after the credits roll, sometimes the audience wants more. Sequels and prequels are not the only ways though. More can come in other forms. That's where spin offs come in; a way to pursue and explore other stories in the same world, but through a new lens -- a different point of view. Today, the panel is going t...

This week marks one full year since the launch of Let Me Know How It Is! To mark this occasion, we will be revisiting our very first topic! In our first episode, Frank, Tommy, Clifton, and Zack listed some of their favorite single issues from all of comics, but with so many left to choose from, they've decided to dig through their longboxes to pull out a few more of their favorites to discuss and...

2020‌ ‌didn't‌ ‌go‌ ‌as‌ ‌planned‌ ‌for‌ ‌anyone.‌ ‌With‌ ‌many‌ ‌movies‌ ‌and‌ ‌TV‌ ‌releases‌ ‌being‌ ‌pushed‌ ‌back,‌ ‌2021,‌ ‌as‌ ‌a‌ ‌result,‌ ‌we will‌ ‌likely‌ ‌see‌ ‌roughly‌ ‌two‌ ‌years‌ ‌worth‌ ‌of‌ ‌content‌ ‌released.‌ ‌Needless‌ ‌to‌ ‌say‌ ‌an‌ ‌enormous‌ ‌amount‌ ‌of‌ ‌content‌ ‌is‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌way this year.‌ ‌For‌ ‌Part‌ ‌2‌ ‌of‌ ‌our‌ ‌Giant‌ -Size‌ ‌Year-End‌ ‌Annual,‌ ‌Frank,‌...

Last year Let Me Know How It Is ended the year with a Two-Part Giant Sized Year End Annual where we reflected on the things we had watched throughout the year and then looked ahead to the coming new year. This year will be no different. For Part One, the panel takes a look back at the standout TV, movies, and comics they really enjoyed from 2020. Be sure to check out Part 2 next week where we look...

Tis the season to be Jolly! Not to mention this is also the season for Christmas TV Specials and holiday-themed episodes from some of your favorite shows! Come celebrate the spirit of the season with the panel as they discuss some of their favorite Christmas episodes of all time. Fa la-la-la-la-la La-la-la-la!