Episode 96 - Reviews of Seconds, DKW, and Bodies #1 - a podcast by Stergios Botzakis & Derek Royal

The Two Guys with PhDs are back for another round of reviews, and this week they enthusiastically plunge into three new titles. First, they look at Bryan Lee O’Malley’s new book, Seconds (Ballantine), his much-anticipated follow up to the Scott Pilgrim series. Andy and Derek comment on the expectations surrounding this new work, and they conclude that the book is worth the build up and the wait. This is a much more mature work than the Scott Pilgrim books, not only in terms of subject matter, but also with O’Malley’s displays of storytelling. The premise is clever — a unique twist on time-travel narratives — and there’s a self-conscious tone that adds to the humor. Despite the book’s “too neat” ending, at least to Derek’s mind, it’s a successful work that stands alongside (if not surpasses) O’Malley’s previous comics. Next, the guys get to Sergio Ponchione’s tribute to Steve Ditko, Jack Kirby, and Wally Wood, DKW (Fantagraphics). This one-shot is a good introduction to the personas of the legendary trio, although it comes up a little short in truly relating their styles and the impact they had on the industry. Derek and Andy wonder who the intended audience is for this comic, and they feel that this might be a useful title to make available next year for Free Comic Book Day. Finally, the Two Guys wrap things up with a discussion of Bodies #1 (Vertigo), the first in a new miniseries from Si Spencer. This is an intriguing murder mystery title that’s divided into four parts, each involving the same dead body but taking place in four different time periods. And each of the four sections is illustrated by a different artist: Dean Ormston, Phil Winslade, Meghan Hetrick, and Tula Lotay. This is just another great example of the great comics Vertigo is still producing, and the guys wish there were more coming out from their beloved DC imprint.

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