Today, Scout pulls her fellow panelists through the gate of truth to discuss volumes 1-9 of Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa. In this, the first of three episodes we'll be doing on FMA this year, we share our varied personal histories with the series, become acquainted with the cast and their early adventures, and answer some listener questions.

How is a culture shaped by the technology it cultivates? How much of yourself will you sacrifice for the sake of your aspirations? And what is milk REALLY doing for your growth, anyway?!

• (00:00) - Fullmetla Alchemist Vol. 1-9 by Hiromu Arakawa
• (02:31) - Front Matter
• (05:10) - Spoiler-free plot summary
• (06:27) - Histories and impressions
• (13:21) - Shonen adventure manga
• (20:15) - Additional FMA thoughts
• (23:39) - A very specific art thing
• (25:52) - Arakawa's consistency
• (28:41) - Dipping a toe into translation
• (31:04) - SPOILER ZONE
• (31:07) - Summaries of the volumes
• (34:11) - Wild how much stuff is in these volumes
• (40:28) - The thing that's been done
• (43:05) - The characterization
• (46:00) - Where will the ending go?
• (48:05) - Things Matt remembered
• (49:13) - That Moment.
• (52:01) - Robin's Hater Zone
• (53:40) - Dude the drawings
• (54:47) - How the story deals with disability
• (01:01:22) - Rush Valley
• (01:05:47) - Winry Rockbell :) (and emotional (AND literal) labor)
• (01:10:47) - The gag panels
• (01:11:51) - Letting things chill
• (01:13:42) - The death that shaped a generation of weebs
• (01:16:09) - Izumi and Sig
• (01:18:42) - The month on the island
• (01:20:41) - Greed and the chimera
• (01:26:08) - The Door of Truth
• (01:27:30) - Good panels
• (01:30:33) - Roy Mustang stonks
• (01:31:39) - Bradley
• (01:33:06) - Armstrong too good too nice
• (01:33:50) - Listener questions!
• (01:34:03) - State alchemist names and powers
• (01:36:31) - Philosopher's Stone grift
• (01:37:49) - How many times does Ed get called liddol
• (01:39:05) - Favorite homunculus
• (01:41:20) - Running gag?
• (01:43:42) - Thank you for questions!!!!
• (01:44:00) - Further reading
• (01:46:32) - Back Matter

- A more recent way to read Fullmetal Alchemist is with the 3-in-1 omnibus editions
- You could read Fullmetal Alchemist on Webtoon but maybe don't
- Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, the manga-accurate anime
- The 2003 Fullmetal Alchemist anime
- Silver Spoon by Hiromu Arakawa
- Deamons of the Shadow Realm by Hiromu Arakawa

A comics podcast for everyone, proud to be a part of The Worst Garbage network.

Find us on Bluesky or Tumblr.

This week’s panelists can be found at:
Scout
Matt
Robin

Jillian

Editing this week by AJ Fillari.
Cover art by Scout Wilkinson.
Intro/Outro music by Boqeh.

Crime Alley. The Dark Knight. Gotham. Yes, yes. It's all very dour. But not anymore. Now it's VERTICAL, and the whole gang is here! We've got bats and robins pouring out of every window of this mansion, and every single one of 'em has feelings.

Batman: Wayne Family Adventures is a slice of life Batfam book that is native to the vertical, scrolling webcomic platform, Webtoon. It's actually possible this is the most read Batman comic, ever.

• (00:00) - "Batman: Wayne Family Adventures" Season 1 by CRC Payne
• (00:46) - Front Matter
• (03:33) - What is Webtoon?
• (10:45) - History with the Batfam
• (17:35) - Impressions
• (20:34) - Print vs. Online
• (26:52) - The Look(tm)
• (31:35) - SPOILER ZONE
• (31:37) - Favorite Batfam members
• (39:41) - Callbacks and references
• (45:37) - Jason Todd
• (50:31) - Duke
• (53:28) - Family drama
• (56:15) - Silly things
• (59:18) - Further Reading
• (01:05:27) - Back Matter

- Our first episode on Nightwing: Leaping Into the Light!
- 52 Pickup from Alex Jaffe, Gita Jackson, and Aftermath
- DC's 52 (Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Mark Waid, and Greg Rucka)
- Gotham Central by Ed Brubaker, Greg Rucka, and Michael Lark
- Batwoman: Elegy by Greg Rucka and JH Williams III
- Greg Rucka's new Batwoman run
- Wiccan: Witches' Road by Wyatt Kennedy, Andy Pereira, and Lucas Werneck
- Super Sons by Peter Tomasi, Jorge Jimenez, and Allison Borges
- Batman and Son by Grant Morrison and others
- Robin: Son of Batman by Patrick Gleason
- Batgirl by Kelley Puckett, Scott Peterson, Robert Campanella, and Damion Scott
- The Teen Titans cartoon and Batman: The Animated Series

A comics podcast for everyone, proud to be a part of The Worst Garbage network.

Find us on Bluesky or Tumblr.

This week’s panelists can be found at:
Matt

Scout

Jillian

Editing this week by AJ Fillari.
Cover art by Scout Wilkinson.
Intro/Outro music by Boqeh.

Today, Robin guides Jillian and Scout through the fuzzy and merciless landscape of Mouse Guard by David Petersen. Come along with us on an adventure in woodland politics. Did you know the mice have swords now? It says so right here, on this leaf-paper scroll I retrieved from the backpack of a messenger beetle.

• (00:00) - “Mouse Guard” by David Petersen
• (00:26) - Front Matter
• (01:58) - Impressions
• (03:44) - On fonts
• (07:05) - How the art evolves
• (12:02) - These creatures’ culture
• (14:34) - Final pre-spoiler thoughts
• (18:35) - SPOILER ZONE
• (20:48) - Volume 1
• (35:09) - Volume 2
• (52:30) - Volume 3
• (01:01:30) - Further Reading
• (01:03:56) - Back Matter

- The Mouse Guard TTRPG
- Redwall by Brian Jacques
- Paws & Clause, a Warrior Cats podcast

A comics podcast for everyone, proud to be a part of The Worst Garbage network.

Find us on Bluesky or Tumblr.

This week’s panelists can be found at:
Robin

Scout

Jillian

Editing this week by AJ Fillari.
Cover art by Scout Wilkinson.
Intro/Outro music by Boqeh.