In this week's episode, Ryan makes Jamie read the first half of the critically acclaimed graphic novel, The Dark Knight Returns. Written by Frank Miller, illustrated by Miller and Klaus Janson, with color by Lynn Varley.

They also discuss whether this truly is the pinnacle of Miller's art work style and how it would it would continue after this, the comic's influence on Batman and the comic medium itself, and how Miller explores the themes of hero worship and authoritarianism.

Timecodes
00:00 - Intro
04:08 - Comic Talk Starts
07:56 - Starting with the Arting
22:10 - The General Premise of the Comic
44:06 - Full Story (with spoilers for the first two issues)

YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_2GA9q40JoBmnbOrkjGuJg

Apple Podcasts- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-comic-literate-podcast/id1670647884

Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/show/4hd5lO43gSZyyh5UEmcq2U?si=NOE0uX4iRHWGDwIoCRfndQ

Google Podcasts- https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy50cmFuc2lzdG9yLmZtL3RoZS1jb21pYy1saXRlcmF0ZS1wb2RjYXN0

Pocket Casts- https://pca.st/r8b1cyg7

Comic Stan- https://youtube.com/@comicsstan-q1z?si=F9mxzO-eSmfWphWx

In this week's episode, Ryan and Jamie reminisce on their favorite moments from the podcast over 2025. From superhero shenanigans to the boys trying not to get political, and more.

Timecodes
00:00 - Intro (s)
04:05 - Superhero Shenanigans
43:33 - Comic Book Creators
54:06 - Getting Political
1:04:43 - Jamie's Girlfriends
1:08:35 - And All The Rest

YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_2GA9q40JoBmnbOrkjGuJg

Apple Podcasts- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-comic-literate-podcast/id1670647884

Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/show/4hd5lO43gSZyyh5UEmcq2U?si=NOE0uX4iRHWGDwIoCRfndQ

Google Podcasts- https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy50cmFuc2lzdG9yLmZtL3RoZS1jb21pYy1saXRlcmF0ZS1wb2RjYXN0

Pocket Casts- https://pca.st/r8b1cyg7

Comic Stan- https://youtube.com/@comicsstan-q1z?si=F9mxzO-eSmfWphWx

In this week's episode, Ryan and Jamie go over the comics that were released in 2025 (that they read) to determine which were the best of the year.

Categories include best comic book movie, horror, non-superhero, DC, Marvel, story, art, and best overall.

Timecodes
00:00 - Intro
03:07 - Awards Start
04:33 - Best Comic Book Movie
10:19 - VPN Sponsorships and NFTs
13:57 - Best Horror Comic
24:51 - Best Non-Superhero Comic
38:39 - Best DC Comic
52:04 - Best Marvel Comic
1:01:35 - Best Titles We Missed This Year
1:08:23 - Best Comic Story
1:14:28 - Best Comic Art
1:18:33 - Worst Comic
1:23:35 - Mid-est Comic
1:25:32 - Best Comic Overall
1:34:50 - Our Spotify Wrapped

YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_2GA9q40JoBmnbOrkjGuJg

Apple Podcasts- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-comic-literate-podcast/id1670647884

Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/show/4hd5lO43gSZyyh5UEmcq2U?si=NOE0uX4iRHWGDwIoCRfndQ

Google Podcasts- https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy50cmFuc2lzdG9yLmZtL3RoZS1jb21pYy1saXRlcmF0ZS1wb2RjYXN0

Pocket Casts- https://pca.st/r8b1cyg7

Comic Stan- https://youtube.com/@comicsstan-q1z?si=F9mxzO-eSmfWphWx

In this weeks episode, Ryan makes Jamie read the 1997 issue, Hellboy: A Christmas Underground, by Mike Mignola. As well as the 2022 anthology comic, Four Gathered On Christmas Eve, by Eric Powell, Mike Mignola, Becky Cloonan, and James Harren.

They also go on tangents about the tropes of Victorian ghost stories, Jamie's ancestry, cucking (for some reason), and a quick dip into the topic of [REDACTED].

Timecodes
00:00 - Intro
05:20 - Comic Talk Starts
07:02 - Hellboy: A Christmas Underground
21:40 - Four Gathered On Christmas Eve
35:44 - [REDACTED]
46:32 - Back to the Comic
48:08 - Jamie's Ancestry (and cucking)
51:37 - Back to the Comic again
54:19 - The Tropes of Victorian Ghost Stories
1:07:18 - Back to the Comic again (last time)
1:09:34 - The Ending

YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_2GA9q40JoBmnbOrkjGuJg

Apple Podcasts- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-comic-literate-podcast/id1670647884

Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/show/4hd5lO43gSZyyh5UEmcq2U?si=NOE0uX4iRHWGDwIoCRfndQ

Google Podcasts- https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy50cmFuc2lzdG9yLmZtL3RoZS1jb21pYy1saXRlcmF0ZS1wb2RjYXN0

Pocket Casts- https://pca.st/r8b1cyg7

Comic Stan- https://youtube.com/@comicsstan-q1z?si=F9mxzO-eSmfWphWx

In this weeks episode, Ryan makes Jamie read the 1982's Daredevil issue 191. Written and penciled by Frank Miller with ink by Terry Austin.

They also discuss the themes of hero worship, gun violence, revenge, and Ryan's theory of story.

Timecodes
00:00 - Intro
01:34 - Comic Talk Starts
03:32 - Story Premise
05:12 - Starting with the Arting
14:20 - Full Story
39:14 - Ryan's Theory

YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_2GA9q40JoBmnbOrkjGuJg

Apple Podcasts- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-comic-literate-podcast/id1670647884

Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/show/4hd5lO43gSZyyh5UEmcq2U?si=NOE0uX4iRHWGDwIoCRfndQ

Google Podcasts- https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy50cmFuc2lzdG9yLmZtL3RoZS1jb21pYy1saXRlcmF0ZS1wb2RjYXN0

Pocket Casts- https://pca.st/r8b1cyg7

Comic Stan- https://youtube.com/@comicsstan-q1z?si=F9mxzO-eSmfWphWx

In this week's episode, Ryan and Jamie decide, using completely arbitrary criteria, which Marvel/DC copycat characters can stay, and which ones get Thanos snapped. Choosing between The Flash and Quicksilver, Hawkeye and Green Arrow, Aquaman and Namor, and Swamp Thing and Man-Thing.

Timecodes
00:00 - Intro
03:17 - The Flash and Quicksilver
12:09 - Hawkeye and Green Arrow
22:11 - Aquaman and Namor
31:30 - Swamp Thing and Man-Thing
42:27 - Quickfire Round

YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_2GA9q40JoBmnbOrkjGuJg

Apple Podcasts- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-comic-literate-podcast/id1670647884

Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/show/4hd5lO43gSZyyh5UEmcq2U?si=NOE0uX4iRHWGDwIoCRfndQ

Google Podcasts- https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy50cmFuc2lzdG9yLmZtL3RoZS1jb21pYy1saXRlcmF0ZS1wb2RjYXN0

Pocket Casts- https://pca.st/r8b1cyg7

Comic Stan- https://youtube.com/@comicsstan-q1z?si=F9mxzO-eSmfWphWx

In this week's episode, Ryan makes Jamie read some more of the weirdest Superman comics from the 60's. Which includes Superman issue 137's story of Superman's evil twin (not Bizarro) and World's Finest issue 186's story of Superman trying to burn Batman at the stake for being a witch.

They also explain why this episode was recorded months in advance.

Timecodes
00:00 - Intro
01:55 - Superman's Evil Twin
14:20 - Tangent about Celebrities
23:00 - Back to the Comic
24:57 - Burning Batman As A Witch
38:58 - Podcast Admin

YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_2GA9q40JoBmnbOrkjGuJg

Apple Podcasts- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-comic-literate-podcast/id1670647884

Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/show/4hd5lO43gSZyyh5UEmcq2U?si=NOE0uX4iRHWGDwIoCRfndQ

Google Podcasts- https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy50cmFuc2lzdG9yLmZtL3RoZS1jb21pYy1saXRlcmF0ZS1wb2RjYXN0

Pocket Casts- https://pca.st/r8b1cyg7

Comic Stan- https://youtube.com/@comicsstan-q1z?si=F9mxzO-eSmfWphWx

In this week's episode, Ryan spoils Jamie for his last pre paternity leave episode with the 2001 limited series, Robin: Year One. Written by Chuck Dixon & Scott Beatty, with penciling by Javier Pulido & Marcos Martin, inking by Robert Campanella, colours by Lee Loughridge, and lettering by Sean Konot.

They also discuss Jamie's obsession with Dick Grayson, a brief history of all of the main Robins, and a weird tangent about drugs and pregnancy.

Timecodes
00:00 - Intro
02:10 - Comic Talk Starts
07:34 - General Thoughts & Jamie's Obsession
10:49 - Starting With The Arting
26:47 - Story with Spoilers
46:21 - Drugs and Pregnancy
50:37 - The Other Robins
56:00 - Back to the Comic