We're starting off the New Year racing against the clock with movies that unfold over the course of a single day—or night. From sunup-to-sundown classics like Dog Day Afternoon, to 24-hour pressure cookers such as Sinners, to noir thrillers that take place fully at night like Panic Room, we break down how filmmakers make limited time feel limitless. We also discuss comedies that utilize this format—Ferris Bueller's Day Off and The Hangover, as well as action films, including Judgment Night and Collateral.

Along the way, we ask why audiences are particularly drawn to stories about "surviving the night," how screenwriters raise the stakes with only hours to work with, and whether some genres pull off the “all in one day or one night” trick better than others.

The holidays are a time for looking back, so this week we’re doing exactly that. We’re talking about the ones that got away—the Sidebar guest interviews we sought out that never quite happened. We won’t spoil every name here, but let’s just say David Mazzucchelli, Jeffrey Jones, and Bill Sienkiewicz were among the many heartbreakers (kidding… mostly). We close out the conversation with a wish list of guests we never even got the chance to invite on, such as Serpieri, Claire Wendling, and Walt Simonson.

Looking back on this era reminded us just how magical that run was—a stretch when incredible creatives were joining us week after week, and we loved every minute of it. So, join us for the final pod of 2025 as we walk down memory lane and share a few behind-the-scenes stories.

When subjects like rape, domestic violence, and bigotry make their way into the pages of American superhero comics, they don’t just grab readers’ attention—they make headlines. Today, we revisit some of the most controversial moments in superhero comics history.

From the sexual assault of Barbara Gordon at the hands of the Joker, to Yellow Jacket physically abusing the Wasp, to the Punisher’s brief and baffling transformation into a Black man, these moments forced fans and publishers alike to confront where the line should be drawn.

We also discuss a crisis of consciousness with Captain America putting down his shield and becoming Nomad, only to later be fired by the government and replaced with John Walker

We wrap things up by asking: Were these moments bold statements or just stunts for attention? How has the definition of “controversial” shifted over the years?