By 1974, Marvel had raced past DC Comics as the most popular and successful brand of comic book entertainment. Seeking to expand awareness and establish a presence in the burgeoning book market, Marvel pacted with prominent publisher, Simon & Schuster, who went on to produce a blockbuster line of Marvel trade collections under their Fireside label. These first of their kind collections featured accessible entry level stories of Marvel’s most popular characters. Fireside books placed Marvel in libraries all over the country, further enhancing Marvel’s growing profile. Fireside created the first ever original graphic novel by re-teaming Jack “The King” Kirby and Stan “The Man” Lee in a collaboration that produced an epic original Silver Surfer story! Rob recounts the history of Marvel & Fireside as he experienced it in real time!

Who is on the Mt. Rushmore of comic books? Rob isn’t shy about sharing who he believes deserves the hollowed honor, the legends that demand recognition above all others. We break it down as All-Time Greats as well as era’s. The Seventies? The Eighties? Is there a modern day candidate? What’s the criteria anyway? Get those fighting hands up as this is bound to get heated!

It’s the End Of The World as we know it! Audiences have a longstanding love affair with Post-Apocalyptic themes and scenarios. Depictions of Armageddon and the aftermath have been famously explored on screens big & small in Planet Of The Apes, Walking Dead and recently, A Quiet Place. Rob examines the comic book explorations, expansions and exploitations of popular apocalyptic worlds!

Marvel’s famous Wall-Crawler has had no shortage of amazing artists depict his legendary adventures! Todd McFarlane! Steve Ditko! John Romita Sr! Erik Larsen! Gil Kane! Who defines your Spider Man? Who is your favorite Spidey illustrator? Rob breaks down the distinct influence of each artist and provides his top 5 Spider Man artists of all time!

Working on legendary and storied franchises provides career opportunities like no other. None bigger than Batman. How long do you stay, when do you parlay the exposure into the next big thing? Rob looks at the art, practice and negotiation of the Signal Boost!

Rob examines a grueling Batman Tale from the not too distant past that offers a brutal glimpse of another future Gotham struggling without a Batman! From The Pope Of Comic Books himself, Paul Pope, a Bat-Masterpiece!! Also – The Eternals! Fast & Furious 9! Mission Impossible! Star Wars! The Age Of Heroes! Literally, the age of our current & future franchises given careful scrutiny! What comes next?

Demonslayer! Princess Mononoke! Avatar! Avengers:Endgame! Star Wars! James Cameron! George Lucas! John Byrne! Dave Cockrum! Movies, Anime and Comic Books have long been defined by rivalries that push all involved. Huge talents powering themselves towards the top! Rob looks at some of the best, most memorable rivalries across pop and comic books!

Two Sprawling Heroic Universes, every character presented with tremendous detail, listed alphabetically from A to Z. The story of two competing Universe Handbooks, how they were crafted, produced and sold. The talents that created them and more importantly, the superstars who were left behind. Rob compares and contrasts the brand new omnibus collections of The Marvel Universe Handbook and DC’s Who’s Who series.

Wolverine’s Claws! Thor’s hammer! Cap’s Shield! King Kong’s Axe Blade! G.I. Joe-Real American Hero! Weapon’s are a staple of myth and lore, from Star Wars to X-Men, they literally make and define the hero, transforming entire franchises! Rob covers the gear that is near and dear to us all!

20 years ago the Lord Of The Rings trilogy blew the doors off the fantasy genre, opening the doors for Game Of Thrones and all that followed. Some 50 years back Marvel Comics paved the way for the birth of the Modern Fantasy movement by securing the rights to a pulp fantasy character that became the face of a franchise, inspiring a surge of sword & sorcery warriors from all publishers!