House to Astonish

New volume, new team, new episode, as Paul and Al look at 2005's New Thunderbolts issues 1-3, and Mach IV assembles a wonky squad of screw-ups to take on one of Marvel's classic Barons (so what else is new?). There's also the clunk of victory, the burger van outside TBolts HQ and the hitherto-unsung villainy of Portugal.

Back once again with the renegade Masters of Evil, as Al and Paul look at the first half of 2004 miniseries Avengers/Thunderbolts. There's talk of Spider-Man working down the mines, Jean Grey's ex-boyfriends and a deranged neo-Nazi who names everything after the letter X, and even some discussion of the Avengers and the Thunderbolts, so why not come and join them? Exactly, no reason, that's what we thought.

Al and Paul have a lot of news for you this time round, as they remember Tatjana Wood, and talk 3 Worlds 3 Moons, Hulk War, Terminal, M.A.S.K., Skate Ali, Odin, Avengers/JLA, Jays of Future Past and Concrete: Stars Over Sand, as well as reviewing The Peril of the Brutal Dark: An Ezra Cain Mystery and The Punisher. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: the choice of a new generation.

It had to happen. And now, it finally has. It's time for Paul and Al to bite the bullet and step into the squared circle to take on the Marvel's Most Merciless, the Masters of Mayhem, the Mush-Mangling Mavens of the Marquis of Queensbury, the... Thunderbolts?

It's only 348 sleeps 'til Christmas, so Paul and Al are taking the opportunity to look back at the best 2025 had to offer, as they run down their pick of their three favourite comics of last year in the 14th annual Homies awards. Will your favourite make the cut? What did the listeners choose? Find out here, true believer!

Paul and Al continue to bop back and forth to Counter-Earth, as they look at Thunderbolts (1997) #69-71. There's plotline resolutions, a parade of fill-in artists and the least elite team of Elite Agents of SHIELD you could ever hope to encounter, plus Boobforce powers, the Curse of Taz and Café La Plume De Ma Tante.

We're on the home stretch of TBolts Volume 1, as Al and Paul look at Thunderbolts #65-68. There's a whole new squad of 'bolts, a brand new costume for Moonstone and a fresh new minty taste (that'll be the Verdant Green). Plus! The logistics of Hydro-Man's stogie! The Continuity Sugababes! and the unfortunate wording of early 2000s soft drink ads!

Two weeks in between episodes? What is this, 2014? Whatever it is, it's Al and Paul talking about Peter David, Marvel and DC's upcoming Deadpool and Batman crossovers, David Marquez's The UnChosen, Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum and Punisher: Red Band, as well as reviews of Imperial and Be Not Afraid. The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook? I don't think they exist.

An odd little selection of issues this time round, as Paul and Al look at Thunderbolts issues 63 and 64, and Thunderbolts: From The Marvel Vault. Want to know what Zemo's sulky face looks like? Want to know what Nomad sings to himself to when he's wandering the highways? Want to know how many gratuitous instances of nudity one issue can contain? Well then this might just be the episode for you!

Paul and Al are taking a look at Thunderbolts issues 60-62 this time round, as Marvel's Most Wanted put the T in both TBolts and Teleported To counTer-earTh. What will they our heroes do when confronted by the planet of doomed NPCs? What is the dark secret of Fixer's terrible Tamagotchi? And how do power-dampening manacles work when your power is "big teeth"? All this and definitely some more, Thunderbuddies!

They had to get there eventually. Al and Paul bite the bullet and tackle Citizen V and the V Battalion: The Everlasting #1-4, the second (in any sense you care to choose) miniseries starring everyone's least favourite patriotic superhero. They did it so you don't have to, so the least you can do is listen to them suffer through it.