The Comic Source Podcast

Jace welcomes returning creaor Richard Ashley Hamilton to discuss Leo Da Vinci: Renaissance Kid, a graphic novel that reimagines a young Leonardo da Vinci as an adventurous and inventive kid while drawing from real historical elements of his life. The conversation covers the inspiration behind portraying Da Vinci as a mischievous and empathetic protagonist, the balance between factual history and fictional storytelling, and how the Renaissance setting mirrors modern-day experiences for younger readers. Jace and Richard also explore the artistic work of Marco Matrone, the accessibility of the graphic novel format as a gateway for new readers, and how the story encourages curiosity about history through engaging, character-driven storytelling rather than traditional educational approaches.

Jace takes a look at Fireborn #1 from Image Comics, breaking down how the issue connects to the Lost Fantasy universe while evaluating how effectively it functions as a standalone story. With discussion of the creative work from Curt Pires, Franklin Jonas, Patrick Mulholland, Mark Dale and Micah Myers, the episode examines the structure of the oversized debut, the introduction of Aaron Hilberg and his connection to the dragon egg, and how the pacing benefits from the extended page count. The conversation also explores how the character's attitude is grounded in his personal circumstances, the balance between action and setup, and whether the issue establishes a strong foundation moving forward. Additional context is provided on the early market reaction, including the sellout and speculation, along with whether the demand reflects genuine reader interest or short-term attention.

Jace takes a look at The Hab #1 from Bad Idea, a high-concept horror story from Joshua Dysart, David Lapham, Bill Sienkiewicz and more, exploring a billionaire-built survival habitat meant to outlast the end of the world, only for things inside to begin to unravel as hallucinations, violence and deeper mysteries tied to the environment start to surface, with discussion of the layered themes, unsettling tone and standout visual storytelling that make this one of the more intriguing indie releases currently flying under the radar.
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Jace and Rocky break down the DC releases for the week of April 15, 2026. Lobo #2 is discussed as a surprise standout with its corporate bounty hunter premise, meta humor, and unexpected fun factor, while Deathstroke the Terminator #2 follows Slade Wilson through an extremely violent and grief-driven search for whoever is manipulating him after Wintergreen's death. Superman Unlimited #12 centers on the return of a younger Jon Kent, the sacrifice being made by the older Jon Kent as Tomorrow Man, Lois being brought to tears by seeing Jon again, Damian's suspicion that something is wrong, and the possibility that the returned Jon may not actually be the real younger Jon. Nightwing #137 focuses on the sniper situation on the Blüdhaven bridge and the contrast between Batman and Nightwing's approaches, while Batwoman #2 features Kate Kane in a brutal confrontation that appears to end with her using lethal force to save her father. New Titans #34 reveals Cyborg split into separate human and cybernetic entities, Catwoman #84 continues Selina Kyle's conflict with Black Mask and Katarina Beloff as her inner circle is targeted, End of Life #3 blends absurd humor, strong action, and emotional material with Eddie Stallion caring for his dying father, Wonder Woman #21 continues the Wonder War storyline with its possible-future setup and split narrative structure, and Absolute Batman #19 is discussed in terms of its shock-value storytelling, Scarecrow's appearance feeling more like future setup, and a major character death that lands as wasteful rather than earned. As always, the episode also includes the week's rankings, Book of the Week discussion, and a rundown of the reprints and collected editions.

Jace is joined by Cody to break down Geiger #1 from Geoff Johns and Gary Frank, exploring the debut title that launched the Ghost Machine publishing imprint. The discussion covers the post-apocalyptic setup of Tariq Geiger, the nuclear event that transforms him, and the introduction of key world-building elements including the Unnamed War, the Las Vegas factions, and the early hints of a shared universe. The episode also touches on how Geiger evolves from a seemingly self-contained story into a broader connected narrative within Ghost Machine.