Visit our Patreon page to see the various tiers you can sign up for today to get in on the ground floor of AIPT Patreon. We hope to see you chatting with us on our Discord soon!

NEWS

1. RIP Jim Shooter: The comic book prodigy who changed Marvel forever
2. Skybound and Image expand the Invincible Universe for fall 2025
3. Marvel Launches 'Fantastic Four Bookazine', blending comics, film, and history
4. Thor falls… and rises again as a mortal in Al Ewing’s ‘Mortal Thor’ #1
5. Marvel teases new X-Men era ‘Age of Revelation’
6. Doctor Doom’s final stand: Marvel teases universe-shaking showdown in ‘One World Under Doom’ #8

Our Top Books of the Week

Dave:

1. Gehenna Naked Aggression #1 (Patrick Kindlo, Maurizio Rosenzweig)
2. Bring On The Bad Guys: Green Goblin #1 (Ethan Parker, Griffin Sheridan, Matteo Della Fonte)

Chris:​​

1. Captain America #1 (Chip Zdarsky, Valerio Schiti, Frank Martin)
2. The Amazing Spider-Man #7 (Joe Kelly, John Romita, Jr., Scott Hanna, etc.)

Standout KAPOW moment of the week:

Chris: Absolute Green Lantern #4 (Al Ewing, Jahnoy Lindsay)

Dave: All-New Venom #8 (Al Ewing, Carlos Gomez)

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK

1. Chris: Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring #1 (Patrick Horvath)
2. Dave: Predator: Black, White & Blood #1 (Various)

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

1. Dave: MARVEL SWIMSUIT SPECIAL: FRIENDS, FOES & RIVALS #1 (Russell Dauterman)
2. Chris: Batman: Gotham By Gaslight - A League for Justice #1 (Christopher Mitten Variant)

Interview: Taboo and CTG Sports Brian Amlani - Comics and Kicks Podcast

1. Comics and Kicks is such a unique blend—what was the “origin story” behind launching this podcast, and how long had it been percolating?

2. You’ve got deep roots in both hip-hop and geek culture—how do you see comic books and sneakers as forms of self-expression, and where do they overlap for you?

3. The show dives into conversations with creators, collectors, and innovators—what voices are you most excited to spotlight that we might not hear from in typical mainstream media?

4. What were the first comic book and first pair of kicks that made you feel something—like, “This is part of who I am”?

5. You've done work with Marvel and even co-created a Native American superhero—how has your experience as a comics creator shaped the way you approach these podcast conversations?

6. The sneaker world can be just as passionate and obsessive as the comic book scene. How do you navigate the hype, history, and authenticity in both spaces?

7. As someone who's broken barriers in music, representation, and now podcasting—what does success look like for Comics and Kicks? What impact do you hope it leaves behind?

8. If you could design your dream crossover—a comic series and sneaker drop happening side by side—what characters and shoe would headline that launch?

Visit our Patreon page to see the various tiers you can sign up for today to get in on the ground floor of AIPT Patreon. We hope to see you chatting with us on our Discord soon!

NEWS

1. Robert Kirkman and Dan Mora take the wheel on Transformers with issue #25
2. Lee Bermejo kicks off 25 'Amazing Visions' variant cover series ending with #1000
3. Marvel fleshes out 'Marvel Zombies: Red Band' due out September 2025
4. Marvel’s ultimate universe explodes in October 2025, and the Maker is back
5. Vault unveils ATHANASIA, a haunting superhero graphic novel from Daniel Kraus and Dani
6. Werewolves clash with Vikings in Image Comics’ new horror series 'Viking Moon'
7. New series 'Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' launches October 2025

Our Top Books of the Week

Dave:

1. Tramps of the Apocalypse #1 (Alice Darrow)
2. Absolute Martian Manhunter #4 (Deniz Camp, Javier Rodriguez)

Chris:​​

1. News from the Fallout #1 (Chris Condon, Jeffrey Alan Love)
2. Feral #14 (Tony Fleecs, Tone Rodriguez, and Trish Forstner)

Standout KAPOW moment of the week:

Chris: Green Arrow #25 - Chris Condon, Montos

Dave: Ultimate Spider-Man #18 (Jonathan Hickman, Marco Checchetto)

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK

1. Chris: Gehenna: Naked Aggression #1 (Patrick Kindlon, Maurizio Rosenzweig)
2. Dave: Captain America #1 (Chip Zdarsky, Valerio Schiti)

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

1. Dave: Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe One Last Time #4 (Davide Paratore)
2. Chris: Godzilla vs. Thor #1 (Aaron Kuder Main Cover)

Interview: Ethan Parker and Griffin Sheridan, covering their upcoming Godzilla: Escape the Deadzone #1, Blink and You’ll Miss It #1, and Bring on the Bad Guys: Green Goblin (July 02, 2025) - June 30th

1. Let’s start with Bring on the Bad Guys: Green Goblin — Norman Osborn is such a rich, terrifying character. What part of his history were you most excited to dig into, and what makes your take on the Goblin stand out?
2. Norman’s been a villain, a businessman, a politician, and sometimes even a twisted version of a hero. How do you approach writing a character who’s constantly shifting between personas?
   Your Godzilla: Escape the Deadzone series introduces a walled-off wasteland, kaiju lore, and the myth of a half-man, half-kaiju survivor. How did you approach building suspense and worldbuilding in this isolated, almost post-apocalyptic setting?
3. Writing Godzilla means balancing spectacle with humanity. What’s your approach to telling grounded stories in the shadow of kaiju-level destruction?
4. Now onto Blink and You’ll Miss It — the tone and premise feel so personal and unique. How did this story come together, and what inspired you to tell a love story with a sci-fi twist?
   There’s a big emotional core in Blink and You’ll Miss It, but also some wild time-manipulation ideas. How did you balance the heart with the high-concept hook?
5. You’re juggling three very different projects — a Marvel villain origin, a giant monster epic, and a bittersweet romantic mini. How do you shift your mindset between such wildly different tones and genres?
6. All three books deal with identity in some form — Norman’s fractured psyche, a couple navigating time, and characters caught between humanity and monsters. Is that a theme you’re consciously exploring across your work, or something that just naturally emerges?
7. Fun one to wrap things up: If the Green Goblin got his own kaiju-sized glider and showed up in the Godzilla universe… how long would he last, and which monster would absolutely wreck him first?

Visit our Patreon page to see the various tiers you can sign up for today to get in on the ground floor of AIPT Patreon. We hope to see you chatting with us on our Discord soon!

NEWS

1. Street Sharks is coming to IDW
2. The Unchosen is coming to Image Comics (and more detail)
3. Image Comics celebrates 10, 20, 30 year milestones with facsimile issues
4. 'The Man Who Dreamt the Impossible' honors Jack Kirby in August 2025
5. Jason Aaron returns for ‘Uncle Scrooge: Earth’s Mightiest Duck’ #1
6. Marvel dishes new details on ‘Marvel Swimsuit Special’ out July 9
7. Marvel announces new 2025 Stormbreakers class
8. Top 50 Comics May 2025

Our Top Books of the Week

Dave:

1. Resurrection Man: Quantum Karma #3 (Ram V, Butch Guice)
2. Amazing Spider-Man #5 (Joe Kelly, Pepe Larraz)

Chris:​​

1. The Moon Is Following Us #10 (DWJ, Riley Rossmo)
2. Jumpscare #4 (Cullen Bunn and Danny Luckert)

Standout KAPOW moment of the week:

Chris - The Moon Is Following Us #10 (DWJ, Riley Rossmo)

Dave - Ghost Rider vs. Galactus #1(J. Michael Straczynski, Juan Ferreyra)

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK

1. Chris: Batman: Dark Patterns #7 (Dan Watters, Hayden Sherman)
2. Dave: Giant-Size Amazing Spider-Man #1 (Various)

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

1. Dave: Eddie Brock: Carnage #5 (Juan Ferrerya)
2. Chris: Death of the Silver Surfer #1 (Tradd Moore Variant)

Interview: Sam Humphries Interview about New Avengers #1 (June 11):

1. Let’s start with the surprising MCU connection, titled New Avengers it was originally solicited as Thunderbolts, does this mean you were in on the MCU connection from the start?
2. This team lineup—Winter Soldier, Black Widow, Carnage, Hulk, Namor, Clea, and Wolverine—reads like a powder keg. What’s the dynamic like between these “loners,” and how do you keep them from exploding on each other before they can even face a threat?
3. Can you walk us through the creation of the Killuminati? What makes these Illuminati clones more dangerous—or more unhinged—than the originals?
4. You've worked with teams and antiheroes before. What unique storytelling opportunities does this specific mix of personalities and power sets offer that you haven't tackled before?
5. You mentioned in the announcement there are many surprises ahead—can you tease one upcoming twist, without giving the game away?
6. Fans are always down for romance, how hot and heavy are we getting with this new team?
7. Ton Lima’s art brings serious energy to the series. What was it like collaborating with him, and how do his visuals shape the tone of New Avengers?

1. Which team member surprised you the most once you started writing them in this group dynamic?
2. Did any of them take on a larger role than you expected?
   Fun/Silly Question
3. Let’s say the New Avengers are forced to compete in a bake-off against the Killuminati. Who burns their cookies, who makes a mean soufflé, and who tries to assassinate the judges?
   

NEWS

1. Writer Peter David has died
2. 'Deadpool/Batman' and 'Batman/Deadpool coming late 2025
3. Mark Millar's ‘Psychic Sam’ comic and movie announced
4. 'Skullkickers' returns with Oni Press Compact Attack Editions in 2026
5. 'Nightmare Before Christmas' novel gets graphic novel in June 2025
6. Toxic Crusaders #1 announced
7. Dark Horse celebrates Jack Kirby with ‘The Art of Fantastic Four’ out September 2025
8. ‘Masters of the Universe: The Sword of Flaws’ announced for September 2025

Our Top Books of the Week

Dave:

1. Absolute Martian Manhunter #3 (Deniz Camp, Javier Rodriguez)
2. The Power Fantasy #9 (Kieron Gillen, Caspar Wijngaard)

Chris:​​

1. Feral #13 (Tony Fleecs, Tone Rodriguez, Trish Forstner)
2. Green Arrow #24 (Chris Condon, Montos)

Standout KAPOW moment of the week:

Chris - Absolute Martian Manhunter #3 (Deniz Camp, Javier Rodriguez)

Dave - Absolute Wonder Woman #8 (Kelly Thompson, Hayden Sherman)

TOP BOOKS FOR NEXT WEEK

1. Chris: The Moon Is Following Us #10 (Daniel Warren Johnson, Riley Rossmo)
2. Dave: DC Pride 2025 #1 (Various)

JUDGING BY THE COVER JR.

1. Dave: Amazing Spider-Man #5 (Pepe Larraz)
2. Chris: Imperial #1 (Javier Garron Connecting Variant)

Interview: Co-writer Adrian Wassel and artist Nathan Gooden about Big Rig #1 July 9 - FOC June 9

1. What was the spark that lit the fire for Big Rig?
   How did this story evolve from Post Malone’s original idea into the medieval demon-slaying road trip we see in Chapter 1?
2. How did the collaboration with Post Malone work on a day-to-day level?
   Was he sending notes from the studio? Storyboarding demon fights on tour?
3. The idea of an 18-wheeler crashing into medieval Europe is wild in the best way.
   How did you work to ground that concept emotionally and thematically?
4. What makes her essential to the story, and how does she play off Trucker?
5. What kind of research or inspiration shaped the design of The Rig itself?
   Did you draw from real-life trucking culture, heavy metal, religious iconography, or all of the above?
6. This book is described as Evil Dead meets Fury Road.
   What’s your approach to balancing horror, action, and dark comedy on the page?
7. Nathan, your art often feels like it’s in motion even when the panels are still.
   What visual challenges or opportunities did Big Rig present compared to something like Barbaric?
8. What was most important to you both in setting the tone for this first chapter?

Purpose: A rapid-fire segment where they say whether the following elements are "loaded" onto The Rig (i.e., present in the series) or "left behind" (not part of the story). This lets you transition into a worldbuilding breakdown in a fun way.

You say the element, they say "Load It" or "Leave It" — and optionally expand briefly.

Examples:

• Romance
• Chainsaws
• Holy relics
• Time travel
• Interdimensional truck stops
• Talking weapons
• Demon puke
• Flashbacks
• Post Malone cameos
• God

Wrap up the segment by picking one they said “Load It” on and asking them to expand:
“Okay, you said ‘Load It’ to talking weapons. Tell us more.”

1. (Fun one) If Trucker had a mixtape in the Rig’s cab, what three songs would be on it — and does Post have to be on there at least once?