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Exactly one year ago today I launched a four-part article entitled If I Ran Marvel. The idea for said article came from Mark Millar, who authored a similar article several years prior. Unlike his take on being publisher of DC, I aimed to focus on both companies: first Marvel, later DC. As it turns out, the DC portion of this "If I Ran..." series came much later than I ever expected, but here it is nonetheless. The above is from: http://www.earth-2.net/articles/if-i-ran-dc-01

Mike and James briefly discuss Super Smash Bros. Brawl for the Nintendo Wii, answer a few e-mails and then review four episodes of Batman: The Animated Series: "His Silicon Soul," "Fire from Olympus," "Read My Lips" and "The Worry Men." [ 1:53:14 || 51.8 MB ] The above is from: http://www.worldsfinestpodcast.com/episodes/wfp_013.mp3

This week drqshadow chimes in with three reviews: Captain America #31, Marvel Adventures Fantastic Four #29 and Penance: Relentless #2. The above is from: http://www.earth-2.net/reviews/c/iiwy/iiwy-0115

This week in Is It Wednesday Yet?, Des and Mike discuss Drafted #2, Marvel Adventures The Avengers #17, Marvel Zombies 2 #1, Mighty Avengers #5 and Storm Shadow #4. [ 53:20 || 24.4 MB ] The above is from: http://www.earth-2.net/theshow/episodes/e2ts_164.mp3

In this episode of Dread Media, Desmond Reddick reviews Henry and Butcher #1 and The Legend of Joe Moon #0 from Pit Bros. Productions, as well as the upcoming Savage Brothers trade paperback from BOOM! Studios. E-mails and messages abound! Tunes include: "I Don't Wanna Be (A Superhero)" by Michale Graves et al, "Wicked Man" by Ghoultown, "Re Your Brains" by Jonathan Coulton and "Bloodsucking Freaks" by The Motherfucking Browns. [ 41:04 || 18.7 MB ] The above is from: http://www.earth-2.net/podcasts/dreadmedia...admedia_007.mp3

Before discussing the October Previews, Jenny and Mike have a frank conversation about the forthcoming Saw IV and movies of its ilk. [ 1:22:58 || 37.9 MB ] The above is from: http://www.earth-2.net/theshow/episodes/e2ts_163.mp3

For over a decade I have held the opinion that Battle Arena Toshinden and its first sequel are among the most underrated fighting games ever produced for the PlayStation 2. They aren't the best by any stretch, but they are immensely enjoyable -- especially Toshinden 2, which was a smoother, crisper improvement to the debut. Being the fanboy of those two games that I was (and still am), I readily and eagerly purchased the Battle Arena Toshinden anime OVA when it came out in 1997. Sadly, as is so often the case with movies based on video games, I was gravely disappointed. What I got for my loyalty to the series was a garbled disarray of horrible voice acting and dubbing, subpar / horrific animation, dull characters and a plot that can best be described as "unnoticeable." The above is from: http://www.earth-2.net/reviews/a/battle-arena-toshinden

Warhammer 40,000: Damnation Crusade, on shelves today from BOOM! Studios, provides an interesting look at the consistencies and differences between modern warfare, historical battles and a fictional, futuristic battlefield. It pits the forces of the Imperium of Man, clad in gigantic suits of robotic armor, against both an army of inhuman creatures and their own inherently human limitations. "Pain is an illusion of the senses -- despair an illusion of the mind," one superior barks at his subordinate, at once delivering something familiar and something foreign. It's a great line, which wouldn't be out of place at all in a war zone or a locker room today, but it takes a different meaning in the future, when physical pain receptors are intentionally burnt out of new warriors. Evidently, by the 41st century, the military has taken an age-old concept (pain is only temporary) and perverted it into something completely different (pain is irrelevant). As the story unfolds, this becomes something of a theme -- the rules of combat are familiar, but skewed just enough to let you know that something's strangely different. The above is from: http://www.earth-2.net/reviews/c/indy/warh...mnation-crusade

Mike returns with a review of Marvel Adventures Hulk #4, while Tim covers New Avengers #35, Punisher #51 and Wolverine #58. The above is from: http://www.earth-2.net/reviews/c/iiwy/iiwy-014

Did First Born #2 surpass the greatness of the first issue? Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #24 has a lot of hype behind it, but did the second chapter in the "One More Day" storyline impress? It might look pretty, but what of the story that makes up New Warriors #5? Is Punisher War Journal #12 the best Punisher book ever? And who didn't finish reading Runaways #28? [ 50:30 || 23.1 MB ] The above is from: http://www.earth-2.net/theshow/episodes/e2ts_162.mp3

In this episode of Dread Media, Desmond Reddick picks the brain of prolific horror comic artist / writer Phil Hester. Phil talks about his classic work on Freaks Amour, The Coffin and Swamp Thing before spilling the beans on news about The Atheist (the comic and the film) and the upcoming Darkness book for Top Cow. Plus: horror news and tunes! Songs include: "Darkness Descends" by Midnight Syndicate (www.midnightsyndicate.com) and "Are You Ready (For Some Darkness)?" by Turbonegro (www.turbonegro.com). [ 1:04:51 || 29.6 MB ] The above is from: http://www.earth-2.net/podcasts/dreadmedia...admedia_006.mp3

I very rarely partake in bootlegging. I'd prefer to support those who make art, but sometimes that's just not possible. Without the evil underground bootleg market I would have been unable to enjoy From Beyond (just recently released on DVD) and I would have been unable to be eye-raped by Roger Corman's Fantastic Four. This summer, I was able to partake in bootlegging that has brought me full circle. The above is from: http://www.earth-2.net/columns/reddick/reel-dread-46

You may not think it by looking at him, but Tobey Maguire is in his early 30s and only a scant year younger than Christian Bale. Of course, many actors in Hollywood may seem forever young; indeed, your Nickelodeon / Disney Channel / kid sitcom graduates often play to type. Child actors who bypassed TV roles, and thus weren't prancing in front of millions of eyes on a weekly basis for years on end, can get away with playing younger roles on film. Maguire came to prominence by following this formula, carefully avoiding sickening teen comedies and live action family fare. Indeed, if one were to typecast Maguire from 1997-2001, it would be, to borrow a phrase from Wikipedia, the "thoughtful boy coming of age". Without knowing it, Maguire was doing an extended internship for the role of Peter Parker. The above is from: http://www.earth-2.net/columns/wilson_i/comic-reel-lief-03

Calling "The Demon's Quest" epic doesn't even begin to do this Batman: The Animated Series episode justice, nor does sandwiching it in with four other episodes of the show. That said, James and Mike decided to dedicate an entire episode of World's Finest Podcast to "The Demon's Quest." [ 1:36:37 || 44.2 MB ] The above is from: http://www.worldsfinestpodcast.com/episodes/wfp_012.mp3

It's a light week this time around, but, nevertheless, Tim and drqshadow are here with reviews of Exiles #99, Fantastic Four and Power Pack #4, Iron Man: Enter the Mandarin #2 and Shanna the She-Devil: Survival of the Fittest #3. The above is from: http://www.earth-2.net/reviews/c/iiwy/iiwy-013

This week Des and Mike took early looks at Howard the Duck #1, Ms. Marvel #20, Omega: The Unknown #1, Uncanny X-Men #491 and Wolverine Annual #1. Which book had them on opposite sides of the grading scale? Here's a clue: it was a #1. [ 55:20 || 25.3 MB ] The above is from: http://www.earth-2.net/theshow/episodes/e2ts_161.mp3

In this episode of Dread Media, Desmond Reddick presents a prerecorded chat with Uwe Boll and Zack Ward after a screening of the latest Boll movie, Postal. Featuring "Feuer Frei" by Rammstein. [ 55:45 || 25.5 MB ] The above is from: http://www.earth-2.net/podcasts/dreadmedia...admedia_005.mp3

Monday, 28 September 1987 was quite possibly the greatest day in geek history. On that day, exactly 20 years ago today, Star Trek: The Next Generation launched on syndicated television. Since then science fiction television has boomed, producing such shows as Quantum Leap, seaQuest DSV, Stargate, Battlestar Galactica and a countless host of others. Though they're all grossly different, each show owes a debt of gratitude to Star Trek: The Next Generation. In this special edition of Earth-2.net: The Show, Jenny and Mike honor ST:TNG by discussing their favorite characters, moments and episodes. Join them as they talk for over three hours about The Next Generation! [ 3:35:20 || 98.5 MB ] The above is from: http://www.earth-2.net/theshow/episodes/e2ts_160.mp3

James returns with the next entry in his Symphony and Animetallica AMV series. This time he couples Wolf's Rain with "Of Wolf and Man." [ 4:34 || 39.5 MB ] The above is from: http://www.earth-2.net/videos/deaux/sympho...etallica-02.wmv

Roland Deschain, dark and mysterious as ever. Art: Jae Lee and Richard Isanove The above is from: http://www.earth-2.net/wallpaper/full/Dark_Tower_001.jpg

What do Cable and Deadpool #45, Immortal Iron Fist Annual #1, Sub-Mariner #4 and X-Men: First Class #4 have in common? They're four of the 10 books we reviewed this week! The above is from: http://www.earth-2.net/reviews/c/iiwy/iiwy-012

Of the five mostly excellent books this week (Franklin Richards: Monster Mash #1, Marvel Adventures Iron Man # 5, Punisher MAX Annual #1, Ultimate Spider-Man #114 and X-Men #203), two honestly shocked Des and Mike with their greatness! [ 56:00 || 25.6 MB ] The above is from: http://www.earth-2.net/theshow/episodes/e2ts_159.mp3

In this episode of Dread Media, Desmond Reddick - battling the plague - presents two interviews with contributors to Rue Morgue Magazine. Stuart Feedback Andrews (documentary filmmaker, film critic and horror journalist) and Chris Alexander (composer, film critic, horror journalist and pugilist) are free-flowing in conversations ranging from Michael Moore to Ennio Morricone. More importantly, they talk about punching Uwe Boll, and filming it! Songs included are: "London Dungeon" by Prong, "Organ Grinder" by Chris Alexander and "The Untouchables Main Theme" by Ennio Morricone. [ 1:05:19 || 29.8 MB ] The above is from: http://www.earth-2.net/podcasts/dreadmedia...admedia_004.mp3

"The angels are coming for you. But listen: your life could depend on this. Don't blink. Don't even blink! Blink and you're dead! They are fast! Faster than you can believe! Don't turn your back! Don't look away! And don't blink! Good luck." That's right, we're talking about "Blink," the awesomely wonderful episode of Doctor Who. [ 1:05:25 || 29.9 MB ] The above is from: http://www.earth-2.net/theshow/episodes/e2ts_158.mp3

Though they only review three episodes of Batman: The Animated Series this time around, James and Mike hardly have a light week. First there's an inbox full of e-mails to read, then they cover "Harley and Ivy" (in which Batman should have died), "Shadow of the Bat" (in which the rumors about the Dynamic Duo are confirmed) and "Blind as a Bat" (in which Tony Stark could have stood in for Bruce Wayne). [ 1:42:32 || 46.9 MB ] The above is from: http://www.worldsfinestpodcast.com/episodes/wfp_011.mp3