This week on Panel Chewing, Jarrod and I start by asking a question we’ve been circling for a while: What is going on at Marvel?

With more #1s, crossovers, and even the Marvel Universe colliding with Star Wars, the publisher seems to be taking a very different approach from DC. We discuss whether Marvel is simply navigating a transitional period or whether it needs to stop chasing quantity and find a clearer direction.

This Week’s Comics

We also dig into Absolute Green Arrow, Fury of the Firestorm, Galactic, Absolute Superman, Gastronomique, Endeavour, The Cimmerian, and Minor Arcana before revealing our Picks of the Week.

Jarrod chooses The Omega Book #1, while my pick is Killer Influences #2, continuing a twisted story about true crime, internet fame, and what happens when your relationship with a serial killer becomes good for business.

Lone Wolf and Cub Volume 12

Finally, our Lone Wolf and Cub readalong reaches Volume 12: Shattered Stones, and things get dark.

Ogami is more ruthless, the stories explore grief, death and dishonor, and Daigoro is becoming increasingly involved in his father’s deadly journey. It raises one of the most interesting questions of the readalong so far:

Is the cub becoming the wolf?

Join us for comic reviews, our Picks of the Week, Marvel vs. DC talk, and another journey down the road of demons with Lone Wolf and Cub.