Contest Of Challengers

Man, Image sure has a lot of new books coming out. Plus an event 4 years in the making!

It’s the first episode of 2014, so after some current news, that means a look back at the best-selling graphic novels of 2013.

A look back to Christmas 2013 and other high points of the year.

This episode is 90% DC Comics sales numbers over the past 10 years and how the ranking differs for Challengers. There’s more, but it’s really sales numbers-heavy this episode. And an Adam WarRock song for you at the end.

We solve the mystery of what to do for Episode #150, by skipping #150 altogether! No, that’s not true; we have only adjusted to the proper episode numbering (thanks to Episode #100.5). Anyway, this episode is all about Original Graphic Novels as a business model and our Sixth Gun party.

Bill Willingham, Cameron Stewart and Christopher Mitten were all just here. Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt will be here. But man do we love playing QuizUp. And just who, WHO is this week’s co-host…? Also, Eugene Ahn (Adam WarRock), Colt Cabana, CM Punk and Skottie Young.

Lone survivor of a dying planet, Aw Yeah Comics Publisher, Chris “Zod” Smits joins Patrick to discuss Byrne/Claremont X-Men, Chicago KickStarter domination, and self-publishing in today’s market. Yes.

No your ears have not deceived you, Virginia; this is in fact a NEW episode of Contest of Challengers, complete with music from Concrete Cross.

Dal and Patrick respond to your concerns about the proposed club changes. And they talk about Villains Month and Marvel’s December solicitations, but mainly the club thing.

Theoretical changes are proposed to Your Box at Challengers, our subscription program.

It’s another Chattingers episode this week, as Patrick and guests discuss Jack Kirby’s future Captain America, O.M.A.C., the One Man Army Corps.

Do you like yelling?  In an episode originally titled “Cataclysm” we yell about, well, a few weeks worth of stored up topics. It’s not like this intro is your make-or-break decision for listening, right? We can be vague here.

In order this week… Customer Bags, Ryan North and KickStarter, DC’s Villains Month, and Magic the Gathering. And about 6 audio clip drop-ins. And we cut out 4 minutes on why Patrick loves Richie Kotzen. You’ll just have to ask him about that in the store.

I dunno. Stuff.

Recorded during the 2013 Eisner Awards, Patrick and W. Dal are super-distracted waiting to find out if they won… and the read a LOT of Twitter posts. For the record, 1:09:14 is the money shot.

Here is what is discussed… Changing discounts, Small Press publishers vs. Local Artists, Comics Quickfire, and Paul Pope. Also, someone coughs a lot.

Oh, we have a LOT of events coming up…

It took me forever to come up with the title for this episode, and I have no more energy left to give you a description. Sorry.

Dal is on vacation this week, and it takes not one, not two, but THREE, three other Challengers to replace him. It is, as the title suggests, a coterie of Challengers this week. So of course we talk about donuts.

It’s a box episode this week as we shine a spotlight on CHATTINGERS, our monthly Graphic Novel Book Club. SUPERMAN: BIRTHRIGHT takes the stage and you get to listen in as if you were actually there.