Robservations with Rob Liefeld

For over a decade DC Comics has been rocked with a tumultuous existence, shifting between a constantly revolving door of new ownership and management. With the latest changing of the guard, the 3rd regime change in 10 years, the company continues to be the most scrutinized in all of comics and entertainment. 

Fresh off the convention circuit, Rob weighs in with all he’s seen and experienced. He shares the characters, comic books and creators that will shape and influence your collections and consumption in the years ahead. 

Kid Colt! Rawhide Kid! Night Rider! Two-Gun Kid! With huge hits like Yellowstone and 1883,  the western is making a comeback and no one is in a better position to capitalize on it than Marvel! Rob takes you through their vast catalogue of iconic cowboy characters! 

THE SLAP! No, not that one! The original Batman & Robin meme! Just where is it from anyways? Rob takes you inside the origins of the suddenly timely meme. Plus – Funeral For A King! Remembering the Memorial Service of Jack “The King” Kirby.

Spider-Man! X-Men! Marvel’s popular heroes featured in classic tales by classic creators, chart topping achievements, long out of print, stories that you won’t find in a trade collection!  Rob explains the complicated reasons these comic books stay buried deep in the vaults! 

Sin City! 300! The Spirit!! The Frank Miller Filmography defined an age of comic book movies! Following his breakout success at DC Comics, re-imagining Batman for a new generation, Frank Miller’s acclaimed works arrived on the big screen. The blockbuster success of his 300 graphic novel set the stage for Miller to make the big leap, propelling him into the Director’s chair, where he helmed a $60 m...

Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is turning 60 and a handsome new collection puts the spotlight on the first 20 issues by Steve Ditko & Stan Lee. The secrets behind Spider-Man’s epic creation are examined and revealed. 

McFarlane! Liefeld! Lee! Silvestri! Valentino! Larsen! Portacio! 14 years ago, the seven original Image Comics Founders assembled for what would be their very last time together. A walk through the timeline of the events that gathered them for one final historic appearance.

As The MCU prepares to welcome the mysterious Moon Knight into their ranks, Rob goes all the way back to the beginning, behind the scenes with Moon Knight’s creators, sharing the inspirations and motivations that brought the Moon Knight character to life. The author’s share the challenges and the triumphs in creating a mythology that has thrived for over 47 years. Did Marvel encourage the Batman c...

Rob shares an in-depth discussion on the ever-changing Pop Culture & Comic Convention scene. The players, the priorities, the race to please the consumer. Plus – a decade after the Dark Knight Rises, the legacy, and impact of the Nolan Batman films.

Welcome to the 1st annual Macho Awards! Who will win the coveted Macho’s? Celebrating achievements in Macho writer, Macho artist, Macho series and our Lifetime Macho Achievement award! It is a very “Macho” show! Don’t miss out!

An epic comic book feud unfolds between two former collaborators turned bitter opponents! In 1993, the feud between Todd McFarlane and Peter David, co-authors of a resurgent Hulk era, went public with a live debate staged at Philadelphia’s Comicfest. Moderated by the legendary George Perez, the two men aired their less than favorable opinions of each other for all to see.

Examining all manner of branded talent, characters, and titles in comics & film. Plus, Collector’s Corner: Buyer Beware! 

Many comic book legends have produced popular works under alternate names. Rob takes you through the list of superstar talents that have posed under secret profiles over the decades and why they hid their true identities!

Comic book enthusiasts have had much to celebrate in recent times as characters across all era’s have roared to cinematic life, igniting passionate debate about multiple eras! Which era towers above the rest? What combination of creativity, sales achievements and fan enthusiasm created a clear winner for all time? 

Rob explains Disney’s big gamble on Dr. Strange 2, sharing exactly what is driving the high stakes with The Multiverse Of Madness and how it all ties into the runway success of Sony’s Spider Man: No Way Home! Plus: Comic Books & Sports! The competitive nature and connective tissue that drives both industries!

Playing with politics is always a tricky situation in entertainment but Marvel gambled and won big when they incorporated the Watergate scandal, saving Captain America from cancellation! The President was a terrorist! Cap quit! Nomad was born! All hell broke loose as Cap’s stories were ripped from the political headlines! Plus, The Book Of Boba Fett and the impact of Star Wars shows! 

3 productions, 3 Director’s across 2 networks and one theatrical release! The Lord Of The Rings media experience started in 1977 with a disparate set of animated productions, released across 4 years! Rob takes you through the arrival of Tolkien’s classic cartoons as they unspooled in real time! Plus, Marvel enlists top talents as it gets in on all the fantasy action with the stellar Warriors Of Th...

From Super Friends to X-Men to The Clone Wars, an examination of the evolution of the Saturday Morning Cartoon experience! 

Rob looks at how the big gamble on Peacemaker, the most daring and rewarding risk DC Entertainment has taken in years, provides a blueprint for their struggling publishing arm. Plus, with the censorship of acclaimed works such as MAUS in the news, Rob is fired up and makes his position on the matter abundantly clear!

A deep dive into the history of the cover enhancements, gimmicks and variants that publishers have utilized to increase sales and awareness. Many of those same incentives are now used by studios and theater chains to drive interest in films and DVD collections as well. Plus, Recency Bias! What is it and how it applies to THE BATMAN! 

When Image Comics exploded in the 90’s, Hollywood was quick to come knocking on the door. How is it that we don’t live in a sea of Image Comics movies and shows? Rob takes you through all the near misses and might have been’s and discusses how it could all still come together. Plus, DiCaprio, Cruise, Pitt, Chalamet…will they ever suit up as comic book heroes?

Is there a secret formula to creating a hit comic book? Have your favorite titles followed a blueprint for success! We pull the curtain all the way back! Plus the story behind “Give Jack His Artwork Back!” 

Another examination of The Numbers gives us the sale that rocked Pop Culture! A Spider Man page from 1985 sold at auction for 3.3 million dollars last week and has turned the comic book art wheel on its head! Plus, Stephen King’s essay on Dark Knight and a look at the sagging numbers for Batman that stretched over a decade, threatening the future of the franchise! 

Macho Culture is exploding! All things Macho are surging in pop culture! Yellowstone! John Wick! One Punch Man ! Networks and studios are scrambling to capitalize on what they call the Macho factor! Marvel comics used to be the King of The Macho Way! Jack Kirby was the most Macho creator of all time! Why exactly is Macho on the rise and what is already capitalizing on its brazen approach to storyt...