Merry Chri... er... Happy New Y... um... Happy February? Welcome to the joint 15th anniversary and end of year wrap-up episode of House to Astonish, as Paul and Al chat through the news of the past few weeks, including Blood Hunt's polybagged "Red Band" editions, Jason Aaron taking on the relaunched Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the 40th anniversary of Usagi Yojimbo and Criminal coming to Amazon Prime. On top of that, they have the 2023 Homies awards, where we (and our listeners) give their picks of the best things we read last year, and the complete audio of the SILENCE! To Astonish panel from November 2023's Thought Bubble festival. There's almost too much here! Don't eat it all at once! 

Al and Paul are back with more comics chat, remembering John Romita Sr and Ian McGinty, talking about #ComicsBrokeMe, Image moving distribution to Lunar, Marvel and DC's upcoming launches and Ram V and Felipe Andrade's Rare Flavours, as well as reviewing Void Rivals and Ultimate Invasion. It's 10pm. Do you know where the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe is?

Paul and Al are back on their regular beat, remembering Al Jaffee and Rachel Pollack, talking about all the upcoming Fall of X and Knight Terrors books, enjoying Mark Waid's mini-renaissance at DC and dissecting the digital drops of DSTLRY, as well as reviewing The Great British Bump-Off and Guardians of the Galaxy. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe? I don't believe they exist.

It's 2023! And you know what that means! That's right, more 2022! Join al and Paul as they dish out the golden gongs in the comics industry's most Scottishy-podcasty awards, the Homies! Now in its titantic tenth year! Who won (they'll tell you!)? Who lost (they won't tell you!)? EXCITING!

Al and Paul are back, and they're remembering George Pérez, Neal Adams, Tim Sale, Kazuki Takahashi and Pat McCallum, as well as talking about Oni-Lion Forge and Comixology's recent personnel shifts, the upcoming Tim Drake: Robin series from DC, Marvel's newest Spider-Man ongoing, the return (again) of Miracleman, the just-announced Wakanda miniseries and Ryan North and Erica Henderson's Danger and Other Unknown Risks, and reviewing Starhenge and Batman. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has been - lives in a dream.

Lightning strikes eight times! It's really very dangerous to be out here! Get to shelter! Paul and Al are back to talk about Thunderbolts #21 and Captain America/Citizen V '98, with all the extraneous cover blurbs, world-class pauldrons and embarrassing Pritt-Stick accidents that entails.

Al and Paul have a full slate of comics news, remembering Ian Kennedy and Tom Veitch, and discussing the Hero Initiative's JLA/Avengers reprint, DC's upcoming Black Label titles, Marvel's Wild Cards and Thunderbolts revivals, IDW's Last Bot Standing and the Amazon/ComiXology disaster, and they've got reviews of Iron Fist and Nightwing to boot. If the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe falls in the forest, will anyone tidy up the mess?

It's time for another adventure with the Marvel Universe's most neurotic super... er... heroes? Villains? Something along one of those lines, or possibly both. Anyway! We're looking at issues 17-20 of Thunderbolts vol. 1, and we've got Graviton, Charcoal, and the addition of a crucial element of the Tbolts mythos. Plus: a pug in a hoodie! Some French! An old lady from Elgin! It's all go around here.

Lightning strikes six times! This is surely a sign of the Biblical apocalypse! Paul and Al dive into the second year of Thunderbolts, covering issues 13-16. Bug people! Political intrigue! Hulkbots! Guys called Dirkson! It's all here, and it's all go!

Paul and Al have got a bit of NYCC-dodging news chat for you this time round, as we discuss the Ditko lawsuit, creative changes on the X-books, Kurt Busiek's new Image slate and Gene Luen Yang's American Born Chinese coming to Disney Plus, as well as reviews of Amazing Spider-Man and We Have Demons. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe has been, and always will be, your friend.

Lightning is striking again! That's five times now! This is surely statistically improbable! Paul and Al are now up to the finale of the first year of Thunderbolts, and are taking a run through issues 10-12. This is where is all starts going off, as secrets are uncovered, plans are revealed and the whole house of cards comes down.

It's time for lightning to strike four times, because... well, because it's the fourth episode of The Lightning Round? Paul and Al are back with another episode of their spinoff reread podcast covering Marvel's most wanted, the Thunderbolts - this time round, they're covering Thunderbolts #7-9 and Heroes for Hire #7.

Lightning never strikes twice, but luckily for us it strikes three times, because Paul and Al back with the third episode of their spinoff reread podcast covering Marvel's most wanted, the Thunderbolts - this time round, they’re covering Thunderbolts #5 and 6, and Thunderbolts '97.

Al Kennedy and Paul O'Brien are back with the second episode of The Lightning Round, an in-depth re-read show all about Marvel's Most Wanted, the Thunderbolts! If you haven't read the series before, be aware that this episode does contain spoilers for the issues under discussion. In Episode 2: Spider-Man Team-Up #7, Thunderbolts #s 3 and 4 and Thunderbolts: Distant Rumblings (aka Thunderbolts #-1)  

Paul O'Brien and Al Kennedy are pleased to present the first episode of The Lightning Round, an in-depth re-read show all about Marvel's Most Wanted, the Thunderbolts! Each episode they'll be looking at a few issues of the series, plus key tie-ins and guest appearances, checking off a few of the things to watch out for and chatting through all the twists and turns in this twistiest and turniest of series. If you haven't read the series before, be aware that this episode does contain spoilers for the first year of the book. In Episode 1: Incredible Hulk #449, Tales of the Marvel Universe, and Thunderbolts #s 1 and 2.

It's been far too long, but Paul and Al are back with a brand new episode, talking about the shuttering and reopening of Manga Rock, Conan copyright scuffles, Terrific Production's Youngblood, Brian Wood being shown the door at Dark Horse, the return of Hellboy, Once and Future becoming an ongoing, Marvel's Incoming! and the newly-announced Disney+ MCU shows, as well as reviews of Everything and Harley Quinn & Poison Ivy. Sasquatch, Godzilla, King Kong Loch Ness, Goblin, Ghoul, the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe.

It's the annual SDCC roundup, and Paul and Al are talking about the upcoming relaunch of the X-Men line, Phase 4 of the MCU, Ed Brubaker's deal with Legendary Television, Miracleman in Marvel Comics 1000, the CW's upcoming Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover, Beware the Ghost Rider, The Question: The Deaths of Vic Sage, the return of Dead Rabbit as Dead Eyes, Cecil Castellucci taking over Batgirl, the upcoming Spider-Verse miniseries, Afterlift, Amazing Spider-Man: Full Circle, The Amazing Mary Jane, Birds of Prey, The Batman's Grave, Doctor Doom, Undiscovered Country and DC's further adventures in imprints, as well as reviewing Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen and Loki. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe can't liiiiiiiiiiiiive if living is without yooooouuuu.

Al and Paul are back, with discussion of DC shuttering Vertigo, Ink and Zoom; Brian Michael Bendis on Legion of Super-Heroes; the books spinning out of Heroes in Crisis; Gotham City Monsters; Harleen and Joker/Harley Quinn: Criminal Insanity; the cancellation of Doctor Strange; Black Panther and the Agents of Wakanda; King Thor; Marvel's 80th anniversary oneshots; the debut of Strikeforce; JJ and Henry Abrams and Sara Pichelli's Spider-Man; Matt Fraction and Elsa Charretier's November; and the returns of Pretty Deadly and Battle Chasers, as well as reviews of Superman: Year One and Usagi Yojimbo. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe packed its bags last night, pre-flight, zero hour, 9am.

Lots to discuss this time round, as Paul and Al talk about the deaths of Kazuhiko Kato aka Monkey Punch and Kazuo Koike, the Lion Forge/Oni Press merger, Dark Horse's Netflix first look deal, Bill Jemas and Axel Alonso's new publishing company and Marvel Comics 1000, and review Excellence and New Agents of Atlas. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe come to Brazil.

Paul and Al are remembering Mark Alessi, talking about Jai Nitz, chewing over the announcements of House of X and Powers of X, the new Death's Head series, Erik Larsen's return to Marvel, and DC's Wal-Mart giant-size books being repackaged for the Direct Market, and they've got reviews of Marvel Team-Up and Section Zero. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe - it's what's for dinner.

It's a relatively quiet few weeks for comics news, but nonetheless Paul and Al are chatting about the upcoming Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen books, the Thought Bubble festival moving from Leeds to Harrogate, Kieron Gillen and Dan Mora's The Once And Future, Dark Horse losing Usagi Yojimbo to IDW, DC's Giant books entering the Direct Market and Marvel's upcoming Venom-centric event, as well as reviewing The Forgotten Queen and X-Tremists. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe melts in your mouth, not in your hands.

It's Paul and Al's tenth anniversary episode, where they remember Anthea Bell, laugh for quite a long time about Writer X and the "revelation" of his identity, and chat briefly about Vault Comics' new YA line (in particular, about Paul Tobin and Colleen Coover's Wrassle Castle), before going into extended examinations/rambles/digressions about The Green Lantern and Lost Light, and once again raid the playbook of excellent videogame podcast Bitsocket as they play Is It Canon?. They've also got messages from some of their friends in the comics podcasting world, and the audio from the SILENCE! To Astonish panel which took place at Thought Bubble in September, featuring Gary Lactus and the Beast Must Die of SILENCE! and an all-star line-up of guests (John McCrea, Matthew Rosenberg, Sam Humphries and Babs Tarr).

It's NYCC, and there's a whole ton of news just waiting to be chewed over, so it would be rude for Al and Paul not to do that, frankly. On the new House to Astonish, they remember Norm Breyfogle and Carlos Ezquerra, and talk about Die, Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt, Wonder Comics, Humanoids' new imprint H1, Avengers: No Road Home, Man Without Fear, Buffy, Three Jokers, The Girl In The Bay, Marvel's 80th anniversary series, Oni Press's webcomics portal, Champions, Savage Sword of Conan, Captain Marvel, Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man, Star Trek: Q Conflict, Flash: Year One, Pearl, Out Of The Blue, Guts, Share Your Smile and r(ender), and they've got reviews of These Savage Shores and Umbrella Academy: Hotel Oblivion. Why do birds suddenly appear, every time, the Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe is near? Just like me, they long to be, fed with crumbs.

Paul and Al are back with an absolute truckload of news for you this time round, as they pay respects to Russ Heath, chew over the announcements of Uncanny X-Men, Marvel Knights 20, Conan the Barbarian, Best Defense, Riri Williams: Ironheart, Batman & the Outsiders and the Green Lantern, and chat through the creative shuffle on Return of Wolverine, Dark Horse losing the Buffy license, Aftershock comics' first-issue returnability, IDW losing another senior member of staff and Legendary Entertainment's option on My Boyfriend is a Bear, as well as reviewing Cold Spots and West Coast Avengers. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe has no bananas. It has no bananas... today.