Does This Come In Chromium?

On this BONUS episode Matt and returning special guest co-host Ian Springer (screenwriter of FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS) race against time to see who is the fastest podcaster alive while discussing 1993's THE FLASH #80.

Is Wally West faster than Barry Allen?  Yes, he is.  Is Matt cooler than Ian?  They're stuck in a dead heat.  Where did the theme song go?  It's still there but you can't hear it because it's hit terminal velocity.  Why is this episode releasing early?  Because Matt had an impulse.  Why did Ian agree to come back on the show?  Because he was born...

Duration: 01:33:53

REUPLOADED WITH FIXED AUDIO!

On this episode Matt and special guest co-host Pat Casey (screenwriter of SONIC THE HEDGEHOG and VIOLENT NIGHT) try not to fall under the control of C.O.M.P.U.T.O. or get insulted by Gates as they discuss 1998's LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #100.

What quickly becomes clear is that Matt really doesn't know a lot about the Legion of Super-Heroes.  He thought he did.  But he was wrong.

It's okay though, because Pat does know a lot about the Legion.  In fact, he's pretty much a sprocking Leg...

Duration: 01:48:16

On this episode Matt and special guest co-host Pat Casey (screenwriter of SONIC THE HEDGEHOG and VIOLENT NIGHT) try not to fall under the control of C.O.M.P.U.T.O. or get insulted by Gates as they discuss 1998's LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #100.

What quickly becomes clear is that Matt really doesn't know a lot about the Legion of Super-Heroes.  He thought he did.  But he was wrong.

It's okay though, because Pat does know a lot about the Legion.  In fact, he's pretty much a sprocking Legion expert (but unlike Brainiac 5, he's far...

Duration: 01:48:16

On this episode Matt and returning special guest co-host David Walton ignore the fact that there is no cover enhancement to be found (thereby calling into question the entire premise of the podcast) and discuss 1991's ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #474. 

Set on New Year's Eve, this issue is a really moving character study of Clark Kent and a perfect encapsulation as to why the "Triangle Era" of Superman is a favorite for both Matt and David.

Even though he had very little time to prepare prior to recording, David shares some genuinely insightful thoughts on Clark K...

Duration: 01:18:00

On this episode Matt and special guest co-host David Walton (making his podcasting debut!) duck holodiscs while also trying not to get burned by Firefist as they discuss 1995's SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #225.

Look, there's no other way to put it than to say that this episode has a little something for everyone...

Do you like thoughtful, well-written comic characters going through existential crises?  David's got you covered there.

Do you have strong opinions on what your dog's favorite Spider-Man story is?  Matt's got you covered there.

The guys also do a deep di...

Duration: 01:54:39

On this episode Matt and special guest co-host Todd Dezago (writer of THE PERHAPANAUTS and SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN) try not to get smothered in acetate as they discuss 1995's SPIDER-MAN: MAXIMUM CLONAGE ALPHA (which Todd just so happened to have scripted).

Comic books have always loved tie-ins to major events and now so do comic book podcasts, as this episode expands upon the discussion of the Spider-Man "Clone Saga" that began on Todd's own podcast RANDOM ACTS OF COMICS.

In this discussion Matt clumsily tries to brand this as a "red skies" episode (yes, he's well...

Duration: 01:36:45

On this episode Matt and special guest co-host Michael Tanner (writer of ORCS IN SPACE, JUNIOR BRAVES OF THE APOCALYPSE, and more!) see if the first ever glow-in-the-dark comic cover still has enough power to deliver a penance stare as they discuss 1991's GHOST RIDER #15.

It turns out that there's A LOT Matt doesn't know about Ghost Rider, so Tanner has to explain Danny Ketch's need to nap in Central Park, Blackout's cosplay origins, why Johnny Blaze is so mad, how to properly pronounce Zarathos, who the hell H.E.A.R.T. is, and why anyone...

Duration: 01:43:09

On this episode Matt and special guest co-host Mat Elfring (host of I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MAT ELFRING) do their best to dodge the lunging Logan hologram on the cover and discuss 1993's WOLVERINE #75.

This issue takes place in the immediate aftermath of Magneto ripping the adamantium out of Logan's body and is a surprisingly effective story about trauma and character exploration that even a Wolverine novice (like Matt) was moved by.

Along the way Matt wonders if he can surf the information superhighway, while Mat makes a request for the most 90...

Duration: 01:33:37

On this episode Matt and special guest co-host Matthew Dow Smith (writer/artist THE OCTOBER GIRL) turn out the lights to find out if the story contained within the pages of 1993's THE SPECTRE #13 shines brighter than its glow-in-the-dark cover.

  How is it that a comic published in 1993, set in a fictional country, featuring (the always cool) Count Vertigo, and starring a character with god-like powers can feel so relevant and relatable to today?   Plus, Matt shares his opinion that the duo of John Ostrander and Tom Mandrake make for one of the greatest collaborations in all of com...

Duration: 01:18:37

On this episode Matt and special guest co-host Ian Springer (screenwriter of FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS) try their best to not get distracted by the gold embossing on the cover and discuss 1993's BATMAN: LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #50.

Does this reimagining of Batman's first encounter with the Joker hold up?  (Spoiler alert: it's written by Denny O'Neil, illustrated by Bret Blevins, and has a gorgeous cover by Brian Bolland - so the answer is yes.)

Along the way Matt identifies the fatal flaw in the Matches Malone gimmick, Ian classes up the joint by q...

Duration: 01:04:27

On this episode Matt and special guest co-host Frank Pittarese rip open the polybag and discuss 1995's JASON VS. LEATHERFACE #1 (published by Topps Comics).   If you've ever wanted to see greedy land developers in Crystal Lake, Jason riding the rails like a hobo, Leatherface sleeping under a poster of Conan the Barbarian, and the shocking cliffhanger of a name written with chili, then boy oh boy, this is the comic for you!   But is it for Frank and Matt?  Listen to find out!   Contact the show: doesthiscomeinchromium@gmail.com   Follow Matt on BlueSky: @mattbegins.bsky.social 

Duration: 01:28:09