Tag Archives: Ian Levenstein

Podcast

Comic Timing Episode 261 – Captain America Albert Pyun Director’s Cut Movie Review

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Comic Timing is back with another episode, the conclusion of the most recent Kris and Ian duo recording! First, Kris gives her thoughts on The Fantastic Four: First Steps, continuing the slow trickle of Blue Team’s take on the movie. They then meander over to an article that was mostly overlooked on Jim Shooter’s website on why Jim was fired from Marvel (according to Jim Shooter and his business partner), and there’s subsequent conversation on creator rights, residuals, and returning original art boards to creators, and a nice ROM aside. Finally, a breakdown and subsequent review of Albert Pyun’s Director’s Cut of the 1990 Captain America movie that was recently screened at this year’s Asian American International Film Festival, and the alternate versions and director’s cuts of movies you may or may not have seen, including Superman Redeemed, and the Caligula Ultimate Cut. Oh, and we’re not sponsored by Randolph Beer (unless they wanna).

If anyone wants to get their hands on this Director’s Cut, here’s a link to purchase it!

And here’s the video version for anyone looking to watch AND hear us!

You can support future releases of Comic Timing and get in on the occasional early releases of the show at http://www.patreon.com/ComicTiming. Video versions of most episodes are at http://youtube.com/@comictimingpodcast, along with Raph’s new shorts series, Raph’s Comic Catch-Up, so go ahead and subscribe if you haven’t already done so.

You can also follow Comic Timing on Bluesky at https://bsky.app/profile/comictiming.bsky.social, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ComicTiming/, and on Instagram at http://instagram.com/comictimingpodcast. And please, if you can, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts; it helps attract new listeners! Finally, you can join in on the conversation at our Comic Timing Fans group on Facebook, which is a great place to hang out and talk comics.

Follow Ian on Bluesky, and on Instagram at http://instagram.com/i_am_scifi. Kris is lampbane on Bluesky, and you can check out her various other works at http://linktr.ee/krisnaudus.

Thanks for listening, we’ll catch you next time, and as always, there’s always time for comics!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:58:37 — 72.5MB)

Podcast

Comic Timing Episode 260 – Flame Con and Anime NYC 2025 Convention Reports

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What happens when you record after a few weeks off? You go long! But you listeners get the spoils out of this, as this is the first of what is now two episodes featuring Kris and Ian. This one focuses on Kris’ convention adventures in August in Manhattan, Flame Con and Anime NYC. Topics include the show flow and floorplan of each, panels attended and panels on the schedule, unexpected Kodansha crossover kismet between both conventions with Boys Run the Riot and its sequel, In Transition, which premiered in a free edition of Young Magazine which was distributed at Anime NYC (which in and of itself was a trek to find), the sweatiness involved with hosting a convention in August, crowd control for lines and getting into panels via the standby lines, hololive being cordoned off for the sake of other booths, tons of tea vendors (and fudge), the Netflix Anime panel and their S.H.I.E.L.D. agent security guards, convincing Ian to watch Dandadan, you can’t get into a full panel with a Plus Plus Premium Plus badge, having the ability to leave a convention if you’re done for the day, and more. Kris also attended the Star Wars: Visions Season 3 panel at Anime NYC, and wrote up her experience for Engadget.

And here’s the video version on YouTube:

You can support future releases of Comic Timing and get in on the occasional early releases of the show at http://www.patreon.com/ComicTiming. Video versions of most episodes are at http://youtube.com/@comictimingpodcast, along with Raph’s new shorts series, Raph’s Comic Catch-Up, so go ahead and subscribe if you haven’t already done so.

You can also follow Comic Timing on Bluesky at https://bsky.app/profile/comictiming.bsky.social, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ComicTiming/, and on Instagram at http://instagram.com/comictimingpodcast. And please, if you can, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts; it helps attract new listeners! Finally, you can join in on the conversation at our Comic Timing Fans group on Facebook, which is a great place to hang out and talk comics.

Follow Ian on Bluesky, and on Instagram at http://instagram.com/i_am_scifi. Kris is lampbane on Bluesky, and you can check out her various other works at http://linktr.ee/krisnaudus.

Thanks for listening, we’ll catch you next time, and as always, there’s always time for comics!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:14:59 — 80.1MB)

Podcast, Previews

Comic Timing Episode 259 – August 2025 Previews

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Not even being away from home, using a different setup and mic, can stop Previews from happening! This month, Brent partakes in the comics cavalcade along with Ian and Raph, and tests whether or not he has the stamina for such an undertaking. Spoilers: he comes close, but taps out after about two and a half hours, leaving Raph and Ian to finish the race. Highlights include Kirkman’s first Transformers issue with Dan Mora, Dan Mora draws at least two other books this month, the official release of Elvira/Harley Quinn, Tim Drake takes center stage as Robin once more in Fraction’s Batman, Dynamite goes Supernatural, Marvel goes full-on Age of Revelation, tons of Halloween one-shots and other spookiness (as is tradition), Brent gets schooled in Red Sonja and facsimile editions, and so much more!

And here’s the video version:

You can support future releases of Comic Timing and get in on the occasional early releases of the show at http://www.patreon.com/ComicTiming. Video versions of most episodes are at http://youtube.com/@comictimingpodcast, along with Raph’s new shorts series, Raph’s Comic Catch-Up, so go ahead and subscribe if you haven’t already done so.

You can also follow Comic Timing on Bluesky at https://bsky.app/profile/comictiming.bsky.social, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ComicTiming/, and on Instagram at http://instagram.com/comictimingpodcast. And please, if you can, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts; it helps attract new listeners! Finally, you can join in on the conversation at our Comic Timing Fans group on Facebook, which is a great place to hang out and talk comics.

Follow Ian on Bluesky, and on Instagram at http://instagram.com/i_am_scifi. Brent posts regularly to YouTube on his channel, BK’s Bullets and can be found on Bluesky; Raph is on Twitch at RaphDoesStuff, Instagram, and Bluesky.

Thanks for listening, we’ll catch you next time, and as always, there’s always time for comics!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 3:03:33 — 128.5MB)

Podcast

Comic Timing Episode 258 – Fantastic Beers and Where To Drink Them

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While Ian is visiting Florida, it’s the perfect opportunity for Ian and Brent to record in person! This time they choose to record indoors as opposed to in a park, as it was hotter than Mephisto’s stomping grounds out there. Shoutout to Union Taproom & Pizza Kitchen for letting us pour ourselves a brew and then sit in the corner for almost two hours recording inside their lovely establishment. Topics include Brent’s thoughts on The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Ian’s complete take on Ironheart now that he finished it, Superman hitting digital earlier than anticipated, Brent read a whole lot of Something is Killing the Children, some further Jurassic World: Rebirth discussion, Comixology Unlimited is still a thing (for now), Ian dabbles with One World Under Doom, Brent experiences Zdarsky’s new Captain America and his subsequent new history, Dan Slott’s Superman Unlimited is pure gold (literally), the blahs of Batman: H2sh, a few other recent reads, and more! And this episode is audio only, thanks to a Zoom H2 recorder that is almost as old as this very podcast.

You can support future releases of Comic Timing and get in on the occasional early releases of the show at http://www.patreon.com/ComicTiming. Video versions of most episodes are at http://youtube.com/@comictimingpodcast, along with Raph’s new shorts series, Raph’s Comic Catch-Up, so go ahead and subscribe if you haven’t already done so.

You can also follow Comic Timing on Bluesky at https://bsky.app/profile/comictiming.bsky.social, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ComicTiming/, and on Instagram at http://instagram.com/comictimingpodcast. And please, if you can, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts; it helps attract new listeners! Finally, you can join in on the conversation at our Comic Timing Fans group on Facebook, which is a great place to hang out and talk comics.

Follow Ian on Bluesky, and on Instagram at http://instagram.com/i_am_scifi. Brent posts regularly to YouTube on his channel, BK’s Bullets and can be found on Bluesky.

Thanks for listening, we’ll catch you next time, and as always, there’s always time for comics!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:44:48 — 70.8MB)

Podcast

Comic Timing Episode 257 – The Fantastic Four: First Steps Movie Review (and Superman too!)

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Comic Timing returns with a Gold Team episode, featuring Ian, Chris Eberle, Murd and Shane! The first forty minutes of this one allow Chris, Murd and Shane to give their thoughts on James Gunn’s Superman, closing out the entire squad’s views on that. The group then gives their in-depth opinions on Marvel’s attempt at a summer blockbuster, The Fantastic Four: First Steps. What worked, what didn’t, what was somewhere in between? Expect it all this episode! That includes the effects, script, plot, actors chosen, what was cut before release, to mustache or not to mustache, Baby on Board, Mole Man could have been smaller, Galactus could have been bigger, Johnny’s linguistics skills, and so much more. Spoilers abound, of course! And we end with some recent comic book acquisitions from Shane, Murd checking out Superman: Red and Blue, and Ian’s recent viewing of Jurassic World: Rebirth, as well as a taste of an Extra Point to come on Albert Pyun’s Director’s Cut of the 1990 Captain America movie.

Time stamps:

Superman: 0:02:41

Fantastic Four: First Steps – 0:40:13

Shane’s Recent Reads and more: 1:43:50

And here’s the video version of the episode:

You can support future releases of Comic Timing and get in on the occasional early releases of the show at http://www.patreon.com/ComicTiming. Video versions of most episodes are at http://youtube.com/@comictimingpodcast, along with Raph’s new shorts series, Raph’s Comic Catch-Up, so go ahead and subscribe if you haven’t already done so.

You can also follow Comic Timing on Bluesky at https://bsky.app/profile/comictiming.bsky.social, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ComicTiming/, and on Instagram at http://instagram.com/comictimingpodcast. And please, if you can, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts; it helps attract new listeners! Finally, you can join in on the conversation at our Comic Timing Fans group on Facebook, which is a great place to hang out and talk comics.

Follow Ian on Bluesky, and on Instagram at http://instagram.com/i_am_scifi. Brent posts regularly to YouTube on his channel, BK’s Bullets and can be found on Bluesky.

Thanks for listening, we’ll catch you next time, and as always, there’s always time for comics!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:03:12 — 78.3MB)

Podcast

Comic Timing Episode 251 – Here’s To You, Peter David

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Ian, Kris and Raph gather this episode to discuss a multitude of topics. The going trend of this episode is people being in the right place at the right time and becoming legends unexpectedly. Said topics include the passing of one of our favorite creators, Peter David, and some great recommendations of his many works, all the new projects revealed out of Netflix’s Tadum event, including Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, Wake Up, Dead Mam: A Knives Out Mystery and One Piece Season 2, spoilers on the end of the most recent season/series of Doctor Who, the unexpected Batman/Deadpool crossover and the kerning of the new Batman logo’s font, subsequent logo talk on the X-Men and how long the logo we know has been in use, Marvel’s new fighting game with Arc System Works, Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, Ian reviews the Jim Henson Idea Man and Stan Lee documentaries available on Disney+, Kris goes through her journey through Claremont-era X-Men, Raph enjoys some Ultimate X-Men and the Grant Morrison: Talking with Gods documentary, and Ian hates on Marvel’s TVA miniseries, is so-so on H2sh, and loves Absolute Martian Manhunter. Finally, before the episode wraps, we break the news on Diamond Distributors cancelling all Penguin Random House orders for books set to release after June 25th.

And here’s the YouTube video version:

You can support future releases of Comic Timing and get in on the occasional early releases of the show at http://www.patreon.com/ComicTiming. Video versions of most episodes are at http://youtube.com/@comictimingpodcast, so go ahead and subscribe if you haven’t already done so.

You can also follow Comic Timing on Bluesky at https://bsky.app/profile/comictiming.bsky.social, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ComicTiming/, and on Instagram at http://instagram.com/comictimingpodcast. And please, if you can, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts; it helps attract new listeners! Finally, you can join in on the conversation at our Comic Timing Fans group on Facebook, which is a great place to hang out and talk comics.

Follow Ian on Bluesky, and on Instagram at http://instagram.com/i_am_scifi. Brent posts regularly to YouTube on his channel, BK’s Bullets and can be found on Bluesky; Raph is on Twitch at RaphDoesStuff, Instagram, and Bluesky. Kris is lampbane on Bluesky, here’s the article Kris wrote about the comic book industry in 2020, and you can check out her various other works at http://linktr.ee/krisnaudus.

Thanks for listening, we’ll catch you next time, and as always, there’s always time for comics!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 3:06:03 — 116.4MB)

Podcast

Comic Timing Presents: Back to the Bins Episode 663 – Decade of Heroes

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This week, we’re running the latest Gold Team appearance on Paul Spataro’s Back to the Bins podcast! Episode 663 of the podcast features Paul, Ian, Chris Eberle, Adam Murdough and Shane Kelly discussing four books from their reading past; Fantastic Four #55 (Silver Surfer and The Thing action), Batman #232 (Ra’s Al-Ghul’s first appearance), Supreme #41 (Alan Moore’s reboot issue), and Fantastic Four (1998) #60 (Mark Waid and Mike Wieringo’s first issue). Some great comics conversation ahead of you, so do enjoy!

And if you’re interested in Kickstarting Steve Bryant’s Shaken and Stirred graphic novel, here’s the link for that!

You can support future releases of Comic Timing and get in on the occasional early releases of the show at http://www.patreon.com/ComicTiming. If you’d like to give a one-time donation to the show, that can be done over at https://paypal.me/iamscifi. You can also follow Comic Timing on Bluesky at https://bsky.app/profile/comictiming.bsky.social, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ComicTiming/, and on Instagram at http://instagram.com/comictimingpodcast. And please, if you can, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts; it helps attract new listeners! Finally, you can join in on the conversation at our Comic Timing Fans group on Facebook, which is a great place to hang out and talk comics.

Follow Ian on Bluesky, and on Instagram at http://instagram.com/i_am_scifi. Brent is on Twitter at http://twitter.com/kossinab, and he posts regularly to YouTube on his channel, BK’s Bullets.

Thanks for listening, we’ll catch you next time, and as always, there’s always time for comics!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:04:51 — 79.3MB)

Podcast

Comic Timing* Episode 249* – Thunderbolts* Movie Review*

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The Blue Team of Ian, Brent, Raph, Donovan, Brandon, Kris and Jamal are back at it to talk about Marvel’s conclusion to Phase Five, and the unexpected tentpole of what’s to come, Thunderbolts*. Spoilers abound as they discuss the nuances of the film as well as the team’s comic book origins, who the heck Bob is, how Marvel subverted our expectations in more than one way and how they made us care about these particular characters through the exploration of mental health, the joy that is Florence Pugh, Pullman and Russell: TNG, the father daughter relationship between Alexi and Yelena, how MCU Contessa is basically just Victoria Hand, where we rank this in post-Endgame movie releases, the thoughtful dickery that is John Walker, Congressman Bucky, and tons more*.

*Okay fine, we address the asterisk and how even that has multiple meanings.

We also start with thoughts on this year’s Free Comic Book Day and FBCD in general, discover a new library of comics you can read from the library via the Comics Plus app, and we conclude with some recent reads!

And here’s the video version:

You can support future releases of Comic Timing and get in on the occasional early releases of the show at http://www.patreon.com/ComicTiming. Video versions of most episodes are at http://youtube.com/@comictimingpodcast, so go ahead and subscribe if you haven’t already done so.

You can also follow Comic Timing on Bluesky at https://bsky.app/profile/comictiming.bsky.social, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ComicTiming/, and on Instagram at http://instagram.com/comictimingpodcast. And please, if you can, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts; it helps attract new listeners! Finally, you can join in on the conversation at our Comic Timing Fans group on Facebook, which is a great place to hang out and talk comics.

Follow Ian on Bluesky, and on Instagram at http://instagram.com/i_am_scifi. Brent posts regularly to YouTube on his channel, BK’s Bullets and can be found on Bluesky; Raph is on Twitch at RaphDoesStuff, Instagram, and Bluesky. Kris is lampbane on Bluesky, here’s the article Kris wrote about the comic book industry in 2020, and you can check out her various other works at http://linktr.ee/krisnaudus. Donovan is on Bluesky, writes for DC’s blog and The Batman Universe, and check out his podcast, Questions: We Don’t Have Answers. Brandon is on Bluesky and Twitch, and will be running a panel at Kaiju Brooklyn on May 31st! And finally, Jamal is https://bsky.app/profile/jamaligle.bsky.social, https://www.instagram.com/jamaliglecomics/ and of course https://jamaligle.com/.

Thanks for listening, we’ll catch you next time, and as always, there’s always time for comics!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:59:29 — 113.3MB)

Podcast

Comic Timing Special: Diamond Distributors Update and Re-airing Ep 179 – There’s Always Time For Collecting Comics!

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Today, May 1st 2025, is Comic Timing’s 19th Anniversary. To celebrate, we’re re-airing our 10th anniversary episode! But first, Ian gives updates on Diamond Distributors incredibly tumultuous sale process, including Alliance Entertainment terminating its purchase, suing Diamond over false representation, and the final winner of the bankruptcy being a combined bid by Universal Distribution and Ad Populum. He also gives props to Comic News Insider on their 1600th episode, and to Charlito for his amazing print he created for CGS’ 20th.

Then, we transition into Episode 179, which was the first time Chris Eberle, Adam Murdough and Shane Kelly appeared on Comic Timing as a group! They join Ian and Brent in a full conversation on collecting comics that remains quite relevant today, nine years later.

Time stamps:

Diamond Distributors updates: 0:03:32

CNI 1600 and Charlito’s print: 0:11:57

Episode 179: 0:15:26

You can support future releases of Comic Timing and get in on the occasional early releases of the show at http://www.patreon.com/ComicTiming. Video versions of the show, as well as occasional shorts and other goodies are available at https://www.youtube.com/@comictimingpodcast.

Follow Comic Timing on Bluesky at https://bsky.app/profile/comictiming.bsky.social, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ComicTiming/, on Threads at https://www.threads.net/@comictimingpodcast and on Instagram at http://instagram.com/comictimingpodcast. And please, if you can, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts; it helps attract new listeners!

Finally, we have a Facebook Group that is thriving nicely. If you’d like to join, do so!

Follow Ian on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/i_am_scifi, on Bluesky, Threads, and on Instagram at http://instagram.com/i_am_scifi.

Thanks for listening as always, we hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season, and we will catch you all next time! And as always, there’s always time for comics!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:12:41 — 85.4MB)

Podcast, Previews

Comic Timing Episode 248 – April 2025 Previews

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Back at it again with that Previews magic! To start, Ian and Murd talk the final final final (for now) results of the Diamond Distributors purchase, as Alliance Entertainment has officially closed the deal after a last minute attempt at shenanigans by Diamond and their secondary bid. Then we delve into the multiple catalogs, including quick comments on Lunar’s catalog for TwoMorrow’s content, and a little bit of Penguin Random House’s very hard to read catalog. As for the usual suspects, we have Image Catalog Issue 6, DC Connect issue 59, Marvel Previews Vol 6 issue 43, and Diamond Previews issue 439, with books mainly set for June 2025 release. Highlights include Dynamite’s fever dream known only as Thundercats Powerpuff Girls, Brian K Vaughn and Nico Henrichson’s Spectators, Image’s foray into oversized with their Jim Aparo’s DC Classics Artist’s Edition, the conclusion of Michel Fiffe’s Copra, a whole lot of Godzilla in various forms as IDW, Marvel AND DC all get in on the game, Mark Waid’s New History of the DC Universe, the temporary return of Rainbow Rowell’s Runaways, Top Shelf’s It Rhymes with Takei, and so much more.

Time stamps:

Diamond acquisition talk: 0:01:41

It Rhymes with Takei: 0:09:26

Image Comics: 0:12:56

Dynamite: 0:46:05

Titan: 0:58:50

DC: 1:06:57

Marvel: 1:44:41

Back of the Book: 2:24:42

Two Morrows: 3:01:34

Manga: 3:03:13

You can support future releases of Comic Timing and get in on the occasional early releases of the show at http://www.patreon.com/ComicTiming. Video versions of the show, as well as occasional shorts and other goodies are available at https://www.youtube.com/@comictimingpodcast.

Follow Comic Timing on Bluesky at https://bsky.app/profile/comictiming.bsky.social, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ComicTiming/, on Threads at https://www.threads.net/@comictimingpodcast and on Instagram at http://instagram.com/comictimingpodcast. And please, if you can, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts; it helps attract new listeners!

Finally, we have a Facebook Group that is thriving nicely. If you’d like to join, do so!

Follow Ian on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/i_am_scifi, on Bluesky, Threads, and on Instagram at http://instagram.com/i_am_scifi.

Thanks for listening as always, we hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season, and we will catch you all next time! And as always, there’s always time for comics!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 3:10:09 — 132.7MB)