Episode Transcript
[00:00:05] Speaker A: We get a three, two, one, and a three, two, one.
[00:00:07] Speaker B: Oh, it's wild.
[00:00:11] Speaker A: It's like a double three, two, one. Look inside baseball. We're using new podcasting stuff. It's pretty cool because we're rich.
[00:00:20] Speaker B: Got money coming because we want money. Money.
[00:00:26] Speaker A: Yeah. It's like eventually.
[00:00:31] Speaker B: Eventually.
[00:00:32] Speaker A: Well, we're here. This is funny. Book Forensics. If you would like to sponsor our 17 Patreon accounts, you can find us at Jim Cornette and project-nerd.com.
major spoilers.
Any other Patreons you want to plug that aren't ours? I don't think any of those are Patreons except major spoilers, actually. And I only like them because they do a Legion of Superheroes podcast. So if you want to sponsor their Patreon, I'm totally cool with that.
[00:01:09] Speaker B: I had Chaos Pod Engine.
[00:01:15] Speaker A: Yeah, there we go. You know what? Actually, instead of all those Patreons, just go buy a print for from Brett, and he'll draw an original print from you, and it'll be amazing. That's Brett.
[00:01:24] Speaker B: Do that.
[00:01:24] Speaker A: The artist of Starlight do that. I'd rather have you do that than sponsor any Patreon.
[00:01:29] Speaker B: Go find him on Instagram and go grab one of his prints or go. Go commission him for something cool for a holiday gift for you or a loved one.
[00:01:42] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:01:42] Speaker B: Because you know what? It's the season of giving, so give something to someone or actually give something to yourself.
[00:01:52] Speaker A: They can back Comic Con on Patreon in that site where I get all the data about the history of comics. Data, like the sales data. I like them. Yeah. You back them.
[00:02:04] Speaker B: That's cool.
[00:02:06] Speaker A: You could back Greg Fox, and I don't think most people listening want to back.
[00:02:15] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:02:18] Speaker A: Oh, it's Kyle's b. I was gonna.
[00:02:20] Speaker B: Say I was waiting for you to give the explanation because I. I remember you showing, like, it. It's a quaint. These are quaint little drawings. These are.
These are very racy.
[00:02:33] Speaker A: These are not quaint little drawings.
[00:02:35] Speaker B: Very racy.
[00:02:36] Speaker A: They're very gay drawings.
They're very gay drawings.
[00:02:40] Speaker B: They're very racy.
[00:02:42] Speaker A: Hey, Greg Fox. You know what? Opposite of most comic book creators, Greg Fox is really awesome at drawing.
[00:02:47] Speaker B: No. And there's a lot of.
A lot of detail. And eye for detail.
[00:02:57] Speaker A: It could be. There's.
[00:02:58] Speaker B: He showed me a lot of pictures. I was like, yeah, no, he's got that costume down, and now it's even down lower.
[00:03:06] Speaker A: A lot of detail.
Yeah, Well, I mean, everybody else draws costumes up in the breast area, so, I mean, I can't really, like. You can't really criticize when he's got the frontal mid area, frontal mid, and.
[00:03:27] Speaker B: And.
[00:03:28] Speaker A: And the frontal rear.
[00:03:29] Speaker B: The frontal rear. The front and rear.
[00:03:33] Speaker A: The front rear, mid rear. I think is what I meant.
[00:03:36] Speaker B: Bent rear.
[00:03:39] Speaker A: I mean, here, I can share some with you if you want. Like.
[00:03:42] Speaker B: Yeah. I mean, you. You shared spent a pretty extensive amount of time looking at Mr. Fox's. The fantastic Mr. Fox.
[00:03:56] Speaker A: I have definitely spent a lot of time looking at Mr. Fox's artwork. Yes. I belong to his Patreon.
[00:04:01] Speaker B: It's good stuff. You should go if. If that is your cup of tea or someone else's that, you know, should go and support if you want to.
[00:04:09] Speaker A: Read a comic book about gay men living in an Airbnb. Do I have the comic book for you. Not an Airbnb. Sorry.
[00:04:15] Speaker B: Just a regular bed and breakfast.
[00:04:17] Speaker A: Let's not get Airbnb involved in it. We're going to get sued. I said there were gay men in Airbnb.
[00:04:23] Speaker B: Oh, my goodness.
[00:04:26] Speaker A: I'm sure that Airbnb is one of the companies that got rid of their diversity at Equity Inclusion Policy this week. It seems like every company in the nation did, so.
[00:04:35] Speaker B: Don't do that.
[00:04:35] Speaker A: Sure. They're right on there. So we. We don't want to, like, link those two things together. Oh, my gosh.
I'm in trouble now.
[00:04:42] Speaker B: They're going to come for us.
[00:04:46] Speaker A: Well, I mean, that's that. I mean, they know they're going to come for me, I think.
[00:04:50] Speaker B: Did you just make yourself the human target? Well, no. If they come for you, they're coming for me, too, because you know what happens if they come for your friends? You better stand up for your friends and be there for your friends, because they're coming for you, too, so.
[00:05:03] Speaker A: Well, you know, the good news is, when they do come for you, you need Jiu Jitsu lawyer Paul.
[00:05:10] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:05:11] Speaker A: Because he can choke them out or win in court. So, you know, you'd be. I at least have that on my side. All right, so. Well, we.
[00:05:23] Speaker B: Speaking of being a human target, I.
[00:05:24] Speaker A: Don'T really know how to transition out of.
[00:05:27] Speaker B: Speaking of becoming a human target. We should talk about a human target.
[00:05:31] Speaker A: Ah, there we go. Good job. Good job. You'd already transitioned me, and I hadn't even gotten there.
It's kind of like, I think somebody said, we have great banter, and I think it should really just. I ignore everything you say, you ignore everything I say, and then we try to steer the conversation back.
[00:05:47] Speaker B: You just ignore me and Then. But. But it's. It. The banter's there. It's just that we've been doing it for so long that it's. It's not banter. It's just, you know, it's just what it is.
[00:06:01] Speaker A: Well, I have, like, an agenda when we do the podcast, like, to get somewhere, and then if I get off track, but you try to get me back on track, but I ignore you, and then I just decide to go back on track and ignore you even when you're getting me back on track.
[00:06:12] Speaker B: It'S like, I understand. You're like, but we have to talk about this. And it's like, if I go. If I. If I go squirrely for a minute, it's like, oh, what did you do? You're not following the script. There's. Well, there's no script. That's the thing.
[00:06:26] Speaker A: This podcast was brought to you by Sonic Diet Strawberry Limeades.
[00:06:29] Speaker B: You can't say that. They don't give us any money. If they did, we'd have a lot of money. We don't have any money. They're not giving us any coin.
[00:06:38] Speaker A: No. When I used the app, and I used the app, and I got a discount.
[00:06:41] Speaker B: Okay, well, then.
[00:06:43] Speaker A: So they did give me money. They gave me half off for buying the drink.
[00:06:47] Speaker B: Oh, okay. And then you spent that money on.
[00:06:50] Speaker A: Don't you.
[00:06:51] Speaker B: You saved that money and you spent it on something. El.
[00:06:55] Speaker A: I spot. I spend it on hookers and booze.
[00:06:57] Speaker B: What do you think I spend.
Oh, no, it's Bender.
[00:07:04] Speaker A: Just like. Just like Christopher Chance.
[00:07:06] Speaker B: Christopher Chance, the Human Target is all.
[00:07:09] Speaker A: About the human target, all about that.
[00:07:11] Speaker B: Booze and the hookers.
[00:07:15] Speaker A: Well, we've got Christopher Chance sitting in an office chair in muted tones here, Arc.
He's holding a gun that's smoking gun.
Some people would call that a smoking gun instead of saying holding a gun that's smoking.
I think, actually, most people would just call it a smoking gun.
[00:07:39] Speaker B: A smoking gun. Dan.
[00:07:41] Speaker A: Get it right. Yeah.
I do believe in a mystery book, in a film noir mystery comic, maybe. Probably we just call it the Smoking Gun, not the gun that's smoking.
[00:07:52] Speaker B: What are you writing for Hallmark now?
[00:07:54] Speaker A: Defeats the entire purpose.
I don't know.
[00:07:59] Speaker B: Oh, what is it called? It's a gun.
[00:08:01] Speaker A: Like a haiku or something.
[00:08:04] Speaker B: This isn't. This is Hallmark, not a Lifetime movie.
[00:08:07] Speaker A: That's like.
[00:08:08] Speaker B: This is the Human Target is a Lifetime book.
[00:08:12] Speaker A: Like, that's. That's. No, it is not. Yeah, no, it is not.
[00:08:16] Speaker B: This is not a Hallmark movie book for.
[00:08:18] Speaker A: No, no, the Human Target is a Skinemax.
[00:08:22] Speaker B: I guess it is.
And it's not. It's not on one of those, like, weird channels where you have to like.
[00:08:27] Speaker A: Oh, it's not blurry.
[00:08:28] Speaker B: We can watch it.
It is definitely. You paid for the monthly service and subscription. You're getting the full action.
[00:08:38] Speaker A: Boom, chicka bomb bomb. Actually, it's a Cinemax movie, but then they cut out all the swearing, so it's a Cinemax movie on TNT.
[00:08:47] Speaker B: 100% true facts.
[00:08:50] Speaker A: That's. That's what it is. With commercials. With commercials. In fact, if you flip the COVID covers. Awesome. By the way, I would say the only weird thing about the COVID is at the bottom of the COVID Reminds me of the watch.
[00:09:06] Speaker B: It does, kind of.
[00:09:07] Speaker A: Yeah.
With the blood on the round.
Anyway.
[00:09:12] Speaker B: Is that because of his doctor?
[00:09:16] Speaker A: I don't know.
I don't. He did. He didn't work with Dr. Manhattan. He worked with.
[00:09:21] Speaker B: Oh, doctor. Sorry.
[00:09:24] Speaker A: Well, we get the dawn of D.C. adventures of John Kent number one. Speaking of Superman, I couldn't wait for this, but they keep ruining Jon Kent. So.
[00:09:35] Speaker B: Yeah, you just go and.
[00:09:38] Speaker A: I mean, they made Jon Kent Superman for like an entire year and then took it away.
[00:09:44] Speaker B: Here we give it to you and then we take it away. And then if you want something bad enough, you can't have it.
[00:09:53] Speaker A: Well, we get to the first page and Christopher Chance looking dead.
[00:09:58] Speaker B: Yep. Looking dead.
[00:10:02] Speaker A: I mean, this, this is the. The artwork is always spot on by Smallwood, but right here at this scene, Chance is lying in bed and he looks like he's lying in a casket. With the suit on, with the tie. He looks like his face looks all waxy. Yeah, it. It's kind of crazy how spot on the art. Like, you open the. You open and you look at the page and he's.
[00:10:27] Speaker B: Yeah, he. He is. He's very funeral ready.
[00:10:33] Speaker A: They've delivered on what they promised in the book. Like it's the 12th day and he's dead.
[00:10:37] Speaker B: This is what you're going to get. 12 day delivery.
[00:10:40] Speaker A: And. And of course, we found out all about ice murdering him. Wow. 12 day delivery. Wow.
[00:10:47] Speaker B: It's not prime, but, you know.
[00:10:51] Speaker A: It'S definitely not prime.
So it's more like. What would be a good 12 day delivery company?
[00:10:59] Speaker B: USPS.
[00:11:02] Speaker A: Yeah, no, it's like the UPS. No, it's like the. Is it UPS Mail Innovations, that bullshit. When you get something sent that way, it's always like sad as day because it's like UPS ground plus the postal. I mean, it's like, let's make it the worst possible shipping ever. We're going to take UPS ground. UPS Ground is going to bring it to the Postal Service, and then the Postal Service will deliver it.
Good luck ever finding.
[00:11:28] Speaker B: That's how I'm getting something delivered this week. They said, hey, it could be there in three days, but it might be there in 10 days. But it also might be there in three days after the 10 days. So that might be 13 days. And I was like, why don't you just say 13 days?
[00:11:45] Speaker A: It might be in Winnemucca.
[00:11:47] Speaker B: And I was like, where is it coming from?
[00:11:50] Speaker A: And they're like, it's coming from Winnemucca.
[00:11:53] Speaker B: Actually, funny story.
It is.
[00:11:58] Speaker A: It is not coming from I.
It's coming from South Haven, Mississippi.
[00:12:06] Speaker B: No, Winnemucca.
[00:12:08] Speaker A: It's coming from Winnebago.
It's not coming from Waxahachie, Texas.
[00:12:14] Speaker B: Walk. Sachi.
[00:12:21] Speaker A: You like that name, don't you? You're gonna keep that.
I've given you Winnemucca and Waxahachi yesterday.
[00:12:30] Speaker B: Win a haka, Waxahachie.
[00:12:34] Speaker A: No, you can't. Why not?
[00:12:36] Speaker B: I just did.
[00:12:37] Speaker A: Combine the two, all right. No. No combining the two. No. I've given you too much power. We're going back to the book. So we get some narration. It says, I should be there. Why? What kind of question is that? What am I supposed to say? I don't need to hold someone's hand anyway, Ice breaks in the door. She looks sad. She takes his pulse.
She narrates, she cries.
She narrates, she cries.
And she finds a note on the hotel pad that says, I love you, Christopher Chance. And she summarizes her whole crying and narrating by saying, I can't say goodbye now, but I will, I swear, when I do, I want to at least know your.
And then she just starts crying again sitting next to the bed.
So that was day 12.
[00:13:33] Speaker B: Day 12.
[00:13:34] Speaker A: Welcome to day 12. Actually, it doesn't say day 12.
[00:13:36] Speaker B: It doesn't. But you know. You know is day 12.
You know it is, because he dead. He did.
[00:13:43] Speaker A: He dead. Dead.
Well, we get day 16 and dead on panel, unlike some comic book creators do.
[00:13:54] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah. It's a choice of the artist.
Hey, you know, I mean, a choice of the artist. Wait, we.
[00:14:06] Speaker A: Okay?
[00:14:07] Speaker B: Yep.
[00:14:08] Speaker A: All right. Yep.
Keep pushing it on all the other creators. We're on. Daisy.
[00:14:15] Speaker B: You can be mad.
[00:14:18] Speaker A: Yeah, I'm not mad. I'm not mad.
[00:14:20] Speaker B: You are mad.
[00:14:21] Speaker A: I was just. You're so mad.
I was just at a mutual friend's house and he had the book like right out. I even took a picture of it and forgot to send it to you. I was. Got to see the COVID there right in front of me. Anyway, we get Luigi and fake Luigi and an ice talking and fake ice princess, so.
And she gives him some pizza. He gives her some pizza. And they talk about Christopher Chance. And I'm not going to read all the dialogue in this book, but it's really good dialogue.
[00:14:59] Speaker B: It's.
[00:15:03] Speaker A: It'S, it's like this is, this is hard dialogue to write because how do you write dialogue for two friends that are talking about their friend that died.
[00:15:21] Speaker B: And, and trying to just hit the height? You know, you're, you're, you're both, you're both sad about it, but you're just kind of, you know, being, being up.
[00:15:39] Speaker A: And they're also avoiding the topic. Right. They finally get to, they, they finally get to a point here when I says, do you, do you ever. I keep looking around. These are so many faces. Any one of them could be his. And Luigi responds, he was many people, but no one else was him.
When you are finished, I'll bring it to you.
And they just kind of look at each other for a minute.
[00:16:09] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:16:10] Speaker A: And then he immediately changes the subject. Like I should have learned Italian. Right. Because it's awkward when they finally talk about him. They don't want to stay there.
[00:16:17] Speaker B: Right.
[00:16:18] Speaker A: They want to move from that place.
[00:16:19] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:16:20] Speaker A: And the paneling by, the paneling by Smallwood really shows this out. And I like too how he goes with a 6 grid on the first page and then a 9 grid on the next page to make you feel even less comfortable about the conversation when it hits that. Awkward.
[00:16:38] Speaker B: Yeah, because it's, it's like it, it holds you inside that space for longer and it, he does such a good job of doing that well.
[00:16:53] Speaker A: And then we get to day 16 and Marge's sisters are sitting on the couch smoking. I mean, fire and ice are sitting on the couch smoking.
And well, ice isn't smoking, but fire smoking. And they're just sitting there looking at a bottle of sand or whiskey. I can't tell what it is. And, and I. Fire just goes, well shit yout know what you're gonna going to do with it? Adds his ashes, I'm guessing. Okay. No, it's his whiskey. Yeah, okay. It's his whiskey.
Not a clue. I should have asked him. I don't want it here. I'll probably put it in the ocean. He liked the water.
So did she have his ashes put in A whiskey bottle. That's hilarious.
[00:17:43] Speaker B: I think so.
[00:17:49] Speaker A: Okay.
And then Fire gets right to the point, since she helped murder him. You think he told anyone? Nice is like, no, I'm not sure. She's like, what about Guy?
[00:18:06] Speaker B: What about guys?
[00:18:07] Speaker A: Is like, we talked. I gave. I gave that some story about Chance stalking me and how what Guy did helped him get away.
Guy likes being a Justice Leaguer. He likes thinking Chance was the villain. It's whatever.
And Fire's like, so we're in the clear. And I starts crying. He's like, he's dead. We're free.
And I summarizes kind of the converse middle of the conversation by killing and crying, what kind of superhero am I?
And wow. Okay.
Day 22. Six days later. Six days later, ISIS talking to Booster Gold somewhere.
And Boosters, like, did I tell you Boosters? Bagels failed. Shocking everyone.
[00:19:08] Speaker B: Oh, no.
[00:19:09] Speaker A: Because it turns out pre toasting, he says, I tried pre toasting, but that didn't help. A lesson should be learned by you right now, in this moment.
[00:19:19] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:19:19] Speaker A: There is no such thing as what?
[00:19:22] Speaker B: Get the hell out of here. And I don't believe you.
[00:19:27] Speaker A: It makes your business fail.
Well, John. John shows up.
[00:19:32] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:19:33] Speaker A: Without Fire.
And wants to talk to Ice and. Just like we had in the old Justice League International days. By the way, I'm reading right now in the third Justice League International Omnibus, the follow up story to Justice League Antarctica.
[00:19:54] Speaker B: Oh, yeah.
[00:19:56] Speaker A: Where Curtain Rod.
[00:19:57] Speaker B: Curtain Rod.
[00:20:01] Speaker A: Who'S not the Scarlet Skier, but is indeed the their version of Galactus. Right.
Is coming back to redecorate the Earth.
[00:20:12] Speaker B: Cool.
[00:20:13] Speaker A: In his image.
There is a whole panel in there or page where Batman goes to see Maxwell Lord and he overhears the Martian Manhunter and Ice talking to Gnord and the Scarlet Skier about the guy coming to redecorate the Earth.
And he just leaves.
He doesn't go in. He just leaves. He's like, tell them I was never here. I was never here. She just goes, oh, wow.
Maybe that was the last time Batman showed up.
[00:20:52] Speaker B: Interesting.
[00:20:53] Speaker A: I don't remember. I'll have to check into that. Well, anyway, I haven't gotten through the end to find out what he does redecorate the Earth. I mean, I read it a long time ago, so I know, but you.
[00:21:04] Speaker B: Ought to tell us.
[00:21:05] Speaker A: And he's got to make the Earth beautiful.
Well, anyway, we get.
John comes to talk to Ice and he says, christopher Chance is dead. And Ice throws back and they say, batman's the greatest detective. Wow. Ice is throwing down.
[00:21:30] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:21:34] Speaker A: And John's like, I don't expect sarcasm from you. And Ice is like, right, because I'm the sweet one Again. And John starts going into. I was able to ascertain some information. And Ice is like, yeah, and how did you do this ascertaining? And he's like, that's not relevant. And she says, I'll look into it with the doctor and everything. Dr. Midnight.
And Martian Manhunter is like, you mistake my intentions. You will be part and subject of an inquiry that I shall lead.
And Ice is like, yeah, no, I don't think so.
And this is where we start to tie some of those threads together. And the Martian Manhunter says, I'm not certain I understand.
And she says, it's just your affair with Fire. As you are the team leader, you should have been reported and wasn't. And also, the way you invaded Chance's mind without his permission, that was another grievous violation of jail code.
Both of these mark you unfit for this particular duty. He's like, I don't what Ice is like, actually, they might mark you unfit for any duty, now that I think about it. I'll have to check on.
[00:22:53] Speaker B: Oh, snap.
She's like, brutal, like, dropping some truth on John.
[00:23:05] Speaker A: And then she freezes the whole pile of junk just to drive her point home, and snaps her fingers and destroys it. And she continues, but first, I'll handle the investigation into Christopher. As long as that's keeping me occupied, I don't see any reason to rush into your stuff. To keep it simple, why don't you make that official policy of the League, John, that this case runs through me from now on? If they ask, just tell them you did it, because I'm so sweet.
Okay. Wow.
Day 37.
Now she's out on one of her giant ice floats like they used to sit on, reminiscing.
And she said she couldn't decide where to leave him. Like between the beach, where the waves hit the sand, or here, where they spent so much time together.
And guess who shows the.
[00:24:12] Speaker B: Oh, that bastard. That jerk face. That mug. Guy Gardener.
[00:24:21] Speaker A: I hate Guy Gardener so much. But, you know, this might be a decent use of him. He's like, what's in the bottle?
And she's like, you're back to this. You're following me.
And he's, like, using the words again. Who would use my girl against me? My God, I hate this human.
[00:24:43] Speaker B: He's a dumb, dumb.
[00:24:47] Speaker A: And I says, your girl.
That's me. Question mark. And he says, only always and forever, babe.
God.
[00:24:57] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:25:02] Speaker A: And then I stress his hip down, too. It's like, basically, I've been through a lot. It's tough. And she said I could use something just like, anything, something not so complicated.
And she lures him in because he says, there's nothing complicated about me.
And she says, I haven't been kind to you. I know. To try to help me, and you just get hurt. I've just been so stupid lately. Out of my mind, and I'm so sorry. I should have seen it sooner. What is happening? You've waited for me. Thank you. I'll try to be better for you. Ugh.
And then Guy says a few things that he says. In the end, the good guy wins.
And then she has figured out what to do with Christopher Chance's ashes. She smashes them onto Guy Gardner's head.
[00:25:51] Speaker B: Wham. Fresh.
[00:25:54] Speaker A: And knocks him out.
And she says, you're right, Christopher. Falling for the disguise isn't about falling for the mask. It's about falling for the lie.
[00:26:03] Speaker B: Damn.
[00:26:04] Speaker A: Yeah. This will do.
Yes.
Nothing better could happen. Okay, now we get to day 73. She is in the hotel room again.
She's grabbed a bottle.
It's the. Must be. That must be the liquor then. So she's smelling it.
Then we go Back to day 11 to find out what happened last time. We didn't see it.
Christopher Chance didn't kill her because we know that because she's there.
But when she asked him to kill her, he said, get up. I'm not going to talk to you on your knees.
And ice goes, talk, talk, talk. Whatever happened to action?
And Chances, like, I can't kill you. I need a favor.
[00:26:51] Speaker B: Could you go get my car fixed for me? Bring it to this shop, get it detailed after, make sure that it still runs after what?
[00:27:02] Speaker A: It is constantly broken. It's the star of the book. Well, Chance says. Chance says, you can't kill me because I need a favor again. And she says, or you can't kill me and you need a favor. And he's like, does that make a difference? And she's like, only to me. Only for the rest of my life.
And he starts saying, now we're back to his dad. Watching my dad go. I hated him. The way he groveled. Scared to his toes. I spent my whole life proving that I wasn't him. I didn't know. Jesus. He wasn't even begging for his life. That wasn't worth it to him. He was just afraid of losing something he loved. All he wanted was another day with me.
I'M shaking. I'm scared to my toes. And I says, yeah, me too. He said, it's okay. I'm here. Chance says. So he does tell her he loves her. At the end, he can't kill her. And now she's back, smelling his alcohol.
Looks very green this time.
[00:28:00] Speaker B: Maybe that's not the alcohol. Maybe that's the poison.
[00:28:06] Speaker A: Yeah. He says, now what about that favor? You know, that stuff, the poison in me. I'm familiar. You got any more of it?
Aha.
And on day one, hundred and ten, she goes to visit Lex Luthor.
And Lex is like, ah, I know you're following up on the death of Christopher Chance.
And here they go, talking again.
And Lex starts monologuing. He says, I like you. I like a person who recognizes their limitations. Maybe that's why I like Chance. Well, then, to the human target, like the other guy, he died for our sins. But at least he didn't get all sanctimonious about it.
And we get a newspaper that says, the human target, chapter 12, kill writer Greg Smallwood or Tom King, artist Greg Smallwood. Letter of Clayton Holmes, editor Ben Abernathy.
Yeah.
And that's the end.
So does she kill Lex or not?
[00:29:22] Speaker B: I'm assuming. I'm assuming the contents of the glass he just sucked down probably was not what Lex thought it was. And that smile is very telling, because I don't think ice is very nice.
[00:29:37] Speaker A: That girl is poison.
[00:29:40] Speaker B: Mm.
[00:29:43] Speaker A: Well, yeah. So I do want to say I love this book a lot.
Until the last.
[00:29:51] Speaker B: Till the last page.
[00:29:53] Speaker A: Why?
Well, I believe I've told you the story before, and I don't know if it's come up on the podcast, but if it has, it's going to come up for a second time.
[00:30:02] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:30:03] Speaker A: When I. In seventh grade, the English teacher had us read a short story called the lady or the Tiger.
And you know, you read the story, and if you are familiar with it, this warrior is fighting, blah, blah, blah, through the kingdom, whatever, and he gets to the end.
And basically the choice is you could open the door. One door saves the princess, and the other door, tiger comes out and eats you. And then the story ends and you.
[00:30:37] Speaker B: Get no resolution because he doesn't open a door.
[00:30:42] Speaker A: No, the story just. He does. The story just stops right there. The reader's supposed to decide what door to open. He does.
[00:30:49] Speaker B: I see.
[00:30:51] Speaker A: No, no, no. It just stops. Like, the story ends.
[00:30:53] Speaker B: The story ends because you, the reader, make the decision in your own mind as to.
[00:30:59] Speaker A: Based off what you've read. Right.
[00:31:01] Speaker B: If you Would open the door to save the lady or the tiger.
[00:31:10] Speaker A: And the English teacher says to us, well, you know, you're supposed to. And I looked up at the English teacher and I said, you taught us that Stories have an intro, rising action, climax, falling action, and a conclusion. This person was just a lazy writer.
[00:31:30] Speaker B: Are you calling tonking a lazy writer?
[00:31:35] Speaker A: Well, I don't think this is lazy writing, but if you're going to follow up on it, it's not lazy writing. So I have not read fire nice in smallville, Yet I've got the six issues to read.
[00:31:52] Speaker B: Tom write that?
[00:31:54] Speaker A: I don't think.
[00:31:55] Speaker B: Well, then lazy writer.
[00:31:59] Speaker A: But it's definitely a follow up.
[00:32:01] Speaker B: If he didn't write it. If he didn't write it then. Then I also know is how you feel, Dan.
[00:32:12] Speaker A: I. I also know that they're not gonna let Tom king kill Lex Luther in this book.
Right. Like, so I know that's not going to happen.
[00:32:29] Speaker B: I mean, is it?
[00:32:31] Speaker A: Joanne starer wrote fire and ice. Welcome to Smallville.
[00:32:37] Speaker B: I mean, do you know in your heart that you feel that this book is that book for you?
A book of unfinished endings.
[00:32:53] Speaker A: What the are you talking about?
[00:32:54] Speaker B: Unfinished endings, lazy writing, and unfulfilled feelings.
[00:33:02] Speaker A: I think the difference between this and the lady and the tiger is it's actually a long enough story that I probably think she would do what Christopher chance wanted.
[00:33:10] Speaker B: Yes. So she is a lady and she.
[00:33:13] Speaker A: Planned on killing him anyway.
[00:33:14] Speaker B: Would you say that. That ice is a lady and a tiger?
You don't think that she's. Do you not think that ice is a lady tiger?
If she was. If you opened a door and you saw her behind it, do you not feel that she would be a lady tiger, A tiger lady?
[00:33:40] Speaker A: I don't.
No. I feel like we're constantly taught that revenge is like the worst possible emotion in everything.
[00:33:48] Speaker B: Dan. She's in this story, and revenge from her would be a dish served cold.
[00:33:58] Speaker A: Yeah. So that's fine and all and kind of not funny, but the.
I was. I don't know. You've lost me now because I was trying to get to a point here. I feel like I have enough. I know enough about the character that she wanted to kill Lex Luthor so bad that she went through all of.
[00:34:18] Speaker B: This and killed someone else on accident.
[00:34:20] Speaker A: And as soon as Christopher gave her permission to do it again, she did.
Because, like, Christopher chance was basically saying, lex Luthor is so evil that even though you accidentally killed me do it, I want you to still kill him.
[00:34:37] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:34:41] Speaker A: And I don't feel as put out. But, you know, it would have been satisfying to flip the page and it say like day.
So what? We're at day 111 there and I know, I know the whole thing about the poison. Right. And it didn't. He didn't get a full dose is dollo. But would it not be awesome to have it say like day one, you know, day 123 and there's just a dead Lex Luther in the hospital as a flip last page?
[00:35:12] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:35:14] Speaker A: I really want that.
[00:35:15] Speaker B: You want that closure. You're. You're like, give me dead Lex.
[00:35:21] Speaker A: I want. You want dead Lexus because he's such a smarmy.
[00:35:27] Speaker B: Oh, yeah, of course it's. You want.
[00:35:31] Speaker A: He's not always written that way.
[00:35:33] Speaker B: True. But it would be nice if he was gone.
[00:35:39] Speaker A: I want dead Lex Luthor.
[00:35:42] Speaker B: I get it. I also, I. I wish.
I wish we got that ending as well.
I.
[00:35:55] Speaker A: I mean, they're never going to let him do it.
[00:35:56] Speaker B: I mean, who's to say they will or won't? I mean, obviously they didn't. They didn't allow it this time to. They gave you a potentially dead Lex.
You just don't see it A theater of the mind. Dead Le.
[00:36:16] Speaker A: Now let me. Let me give you a taste for something new here.
So welcome to Smallville.
As, of course, main characters. Fire. Here.
Fire. Nice. Welcome to Smallville. Some of the supporting characters. Elron. Remember the robot from Justice League International?
[00:36:36] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah.
[00:36:37] Speaker A: Yes. He's in the story.
Superman is in the story.
Martha Kent is in the story. They're in small, of course. But also there's a cameo made by one ambush.
[00:36:55] Speaker B: All right.
[00:36:58] Speaker A: In 2024 or 2023. I. Yeah. I gotta get around to reading the series, so.
Well, my friend, we have made it through this mystery which we knew the answer of before issue 11 or in issue 11. But I'm thinking. Yeah, that we probably. So this Project Dash Nerd company.
[00:37:27] Speaker B: Yes. The place that does the.
[00:37:29] Speaker A: Not podcast.
[00:37:30] Speaker B: Podcast and all the stuffs and the things. Yeah, the website there, right.
[00:37:37] Speaker A: Where they talk about like. Yeah. I mean, it's the best, you know, Project Dash Nerd. Best memes for murdering babies.
[00:37:44] Speaker B: No, not murdering babies.
Making soup from.
[00:37:49] Speaker A: No, I'm looking at it right now. There's.
[00:37:51] Speaker B: Oh.
[00:37:56] Speaker A: What? I don't. I don't get what. I don't understand what you're talking about.
[00:37:59] Speaker B: I don't know what you're talking about.
Murdering babies. They're eating feet. They're feet eaters.
[00:38:06] Speaker A: Oh, no, I see it right here. Project-nerd.com since we're all feeling a little stressed in the US let's see those pets. Oh, they want you to send pictures of your pets so people can size them up and eat.
[00:38:20] Speaker B: Holy crap, Dan. Wow.
They're eating the dogs.
[00:38:26] Speaker A: Wow.
Yes. And the cats.
[00:38:30] Speaker B: Wow. Over.
[00:38:31] Speaker A: Oh, okay.
[00:38:32] Speaker B: Project Dash Nerd.
[00:38:34] Speaker A: Yeah. Well, I am also, more importantly at Project Dash Nerd. I recently got a book from the guy that runs Project.
[00:38:44] Speaker B: What did you get?
[00:38:48] Speaker A: Well, I got a comic book.
[00:38:49] Speaker B: What's it called?
[00:38:51] Speaker A: Yeah, well, maybe. I don't know.
[00:38:55] Speaker B: Oh, boy. Are you serious?
[00:38:58] Speaker A: The Four.
I bet it's called the Four.
[00:39:02] Speaker B: Is it about four characters? Is it about four things? Is it about four friends on a trip, on a journey, on a place, on a plane? Is it planes, trains and automobiles?
[00:39:12] Speaker A: I don't know yet.
[00:39:13] Speaker B: You don't know yet?
[00:39:14] Speaker A: I don't know yet.
I don't know yet.
[00:39:18] Speaker B: We're going to talk about.
[00:39:19] Speaker A: Because you edited.
[00:39:20] Speaker B: I did not edit this book.
[00:39:21] Speaker A: I believe.
Did you read it ahead? You helped promote the book.
[00:39:25] Speaker B: I helped promote the book. I read the book. I promoted the book. I did not edit the book. All I did was. I read the book. I talked about the book.
[00:39:36] Speaker A: Well, we are going to cover this book on the next podcast.
[00:39:42] Speaker B: Oh, boy.
Better be ready.
[00:39:46] Speaker A: You're going to learn all about the four.
[00:39:50] Speaker B: Oh, boy. It's about so many things, more than what you can imagine, and that's what I'm excited. It's about the four, the floor and more.
And that is a chore that's in store.
[00:40:10] Speaker A: Okay, well, why are you turning into the demon?
[00:40:14] Speaker B: I'm turning into the demon for the rhyming and the Riemann.
[00:40:21] Speaker A: Because, well, now that Greg is the demon Entragan, I think it's probably a good time to get out of this podcast.
But the four, next week. Project-nerd.com actually, seriously, go check them out. Cool. Podcast. Promote our podcast do things. You can always see Greg during the holiday season. Well, not always, but you can see Greg at the Retro Emporium in Kent, Washington. You can also see Anne, the proprietor of said store, who also is married to Greg. Somehow.
[00:40:53] Speaker B: Yes, somehow, she. She said, I. I will marry this guy because, well, I find him funny and somewhat entertaining.
And gosh darn it, I will.
I will marry this guy.
Oh, boy, what have I done? She said after she married, because I showed up in a clown outfit, I.
[00:41:18] Speaker A: Just do a big yawn.
[00:41:20] Speaker B: Yeah, I know. It was like. That was so entertaining for Dan. He was like, oh, gosh, this is so sad and lame.
[00:41:29] Speaker A: Well, that's it.
Yeah, that's it. That's all we got. Go there, talk to Jiu Jitsu lawyer Paul if you're in trouble or you want to learn Jiu Jitsu and go to project-nerd.com. we like all those folks.
That's it for the end of Christopher Chance and the end of the Human Target. I'm sure he will never be seen in comics or television again.
[00:41:51] Speaker B: Or will he?
[00:41:53] Speaker A: Ever. And.
Or ever. And that's it. So. All right. Well, that's it. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Bye. Go away. Get home. Get out of here.
I can't do.
[00:42:07] Speaker B: I can't. It.
