The Comic Source Podcast

Jace and Rocky break down all five DC releases for the week of July 29, 2026. DC's Hawk Girl Summer #1 delivers an entertaining mix of standalone stories that give several underused DC characters a chance to shine, including great stories starring The Shining Knight and Kid Eternity. In Batman/Superman: World's Finest 2026 Annual #1, after the Flash, Batman and Superman all become trapped by the same villainous setup, Alfred and Pa Kent are the ones who figure out how to save them. In Justice League: Knightvision #1, Batman and Lex Luthor pursue Prometheus after their shared vision, while his use of Apokoliptian technology plants more seeds for Darkseid's next move against the heroes of the DC Universe. Detective Comics 2026 Annual #1 pairs a comedic Black Mercy story involving Batman and Lobo with a much darker Professor Pyg backup, giving readers two very different but entertaining stories. In Superman 2026 Annual: Year 1000 #1, Superman's decision to restore every version of the Legion gives the Darkseid-controlled Legion a chance at redemption while placing all of the team's different incarnations back on the table. They also discuss San Diego Comic-Con, the convention's lighter slate of major announcements, Jace's upcoming interviews with Joshua Williamson, Hayden Sherman and Christopher Cantwell, and the success of the Ignition Press pavilion. As always, Jace and Rocky rank every reviewed book and reveal their Books of the Week.

Artificial intelligence is changing nearly every industry—but what happens when criminals start using it to commit the perfect crime? Writer Zack Kaplan and Eisner Award-winning artist John J. Pearson join Jace to discuss Smart Division, their new sci-fi thriller from Dark Horse Comics. They talk about building a story around AI-assisted crime, designing two detectives with completely different worldviews, creating traditional painted artwork in a technology-driven story, and why this series feels frighteningly close to reality. If you enjoy grounded science fiction, crime thrillers, and comics that explore where technology could take us next, this is a conversation you won't want to miss. Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thecomicsource Creator Links Zack Kaplan: https://zackkaplan.com John J. Pearson: https://www.instagram.com/johnjpearson https://www.patreon.com/johnjpearson 00:00 Introduction 01:20 What Is The Smart Division? 06:35 Reuniting After Mindset 09:15 Creating the Painted Art Style 12:35 AI, Crime and Giving Up Control 19:05 Designing Will and Stevie 28:10 Two Opposing Worldviews 31:05 The Opening Page and Meaning Behind the Title 35:25 Which Character Do They Relate To? 37:05 Where to Follow the Creators

Jace and Rocky break down all 14 DC releases for the week of July 22, 2026. Green Lantern #37 shows Kyle Rayner and Odyssey both learning you should never feed the trolls when Odyssey's online feud spills into the real world. Harley Quinn #64 reveals the mastermind behind the Harley Quinn Revenge Squad and proves Harley is her own worst enemy. Superman #40 uses Superboy-Prime to show that even after redemption begins, the consequences of your past never disappear. Justice League Unlimited #21 has the League finally turn the tables on Brainiac Queen with a surprise plan from Red Tornado and the Atom, while Batman and Lex learn they have something in common regarding the consequences of the Omega Tournament. Superman: Father of Tomorrow #3 shows Lex Luthor's decision to abandon science for sorcery perfectly highlighting the series' central debate over power and responsibility. Absolute Wonder Woman #22 has Barbara Minerva willingly surrender herself to Urzkartaga, but her true objective remains a mystery. The Peril of the Brutal Dark: An Ezra Kane Mystery #6 sends Ezra Kane into the skies in a biplane for a cinematic showdown with Nazi automatons that delivers the pulp-adventure ending the series promised. Swamp Thing (1989) #4 gives Swamp Thing and Abigail a hopeful ending by leaving multiversal versions of themselves behind. Dark Knights of Steel: Heir to the Sea #1 highlights Arthur Curry taking Superman's place as the extraordinary child raised by Jonathan and Martha Kent. Absolute Superman #21 delivers a perfect balance of action and character as Superman shows just how much he cares about the people who can slip through the cracks as much as he cares about world-ending threats like King Shazam. Zatanna #4 has Zatanna learn firsthand from previous Prime Magi that the role isn't what she thought it was. The Flash #35 has Wally learn that with enough data he can stop anything bad from occurring in Central City—but should he be watching everyone? And what happens when he tries to expand that to Metropolis? Action Comics #1100 ends its time-travel story with Superboy coming face-to-face with his older self, while a surprise return from a classic Superman villain leads into the next big event for the Superman Family. Detective Comics #1111 has Batman's investigation uncover the terrifying truth behind the force manipulating generations of the Prion family, and his vow to save them proves the lasting impact Prion had during his brief time with Batman. They also give a rundown of this week's collected editions, reprints and facsimile releases. As always, all books are ranked from top to bottom and each host gives a Book of the Week pick.

Marvel Comics is entering one of the biggest transitional periods in its history. This week I break down Marvel moving its publishing operations from New York to Burbank, Steve Wacker replacing C.B. Cebulski as Editor-in-Chief, and what those changes could mean for the future of the publisher. I also cover Daredevil's continued reprint momentum, DC extending Absolute Green Arrow from six issues to twelve, first looks at G.I. JOE #25 and Battle Beast #12, the ThunderCats relaunch, San Diego Comic-Con announcements from Bad Idea, Ignition Press, Rocketship Entertainment and more. Then it's time for What Hit, the Prana Top 10 Best Sellers, and this week's Final Order Cutoff books.
 
00:00 Intro
01:28 Marvel Leaves New York & Steve Wacker Takes Over
05:11 Daredevil Reprint Momentum
06:33 Absolute Green Arrow Extended
07:24 G.I. JOE #25 First Look
07:57 Battle Beast #12 Preview
08:33 ThunderCats Relaunch
09:15 Bad Idea SDCC News
12:06 Ignition Press Pavilion
13:49 Revenge Of TV
15:05 Eastside Saints
16:08 The Rocketfellers #13
16:53 Three Worlds, Three Moons
18:59 Final Boss Video Game
19:46 Ice Cream Man Reprint
20:33 Badrock Sells Out
21:19 Rocketship Entertainment at SDCC
22:35 Pop Kill: Big Candy
23:37 Flux House Presents #1
24:25 Todd McFarlane & J. Scott Campbell
25:21 What Hit
27:40 Prana Top 10
32:22 Final Order Cutoff
37:53 Closing

Todd McFarlane returns to The Comic Source for a wide-ranging conversation about the past, present and future of Spawn. Todd explains how drawings he created as a teenager in 1977 inspired the upcoming Spawn '77 project with Mark Spears, why the new story must carefully work around established Hellspawn mythology and what impressed him about Spears' atmospheric interpretation of the concept. He also details his unusual collaboration with J. Scott Campbell, in which both artists created distinct finished versions of the same original sketches, and discusses the hidden differences fans can discover between their covers. The conversation also explores McFarlane's limited-edition enamel pin program, his commitment to honoring announced production numbers and the importance of maintaining trust with collectors. Todd even shares a cinematic moment he wrote for the Spawn movie and imagines Jamie Foxx's Al Simmons delivering the line, "I wasn't hiding. I was waiting." The episode closes with McFarlane reflecting on creative freedom, longevity and why surviving long enough to continue making comics may be the greatest victory of all.
 
Links:
The Comic Source: https://linktr.ee/thecomicsource
Todd McFarlane Productions: https://mcfarlane.com
McFarlane Toys Store: https://mcfarlanetoysstore.com
J. Scott Campbell Store: https://jscottcampbell.com
Spawn Official: https://www.spawn.com