Page Chewing

This week on Page Burners, the group continues their journey through Night of Knives with a deep dive into Chapters 3–5. The discussion explores the book’s slower, more atmospheric middle section, the confusion and chaos of Malaz Island during Shadow Moon, and the increasingly tangled loyalties surrounding Dancer, Kellanved, Surly, and the Claw.

The crew debates whether Chapter 3 drags or intentionally leans into disorientation and ...

This week on Panel Chewing, Steve and Jarrod dive into another round of weekly comic reads—with a candid conversation to kick things off about something most podcasts don’t always say out loud: we pay for every book we review.

No review copies, no publisher influence—just honest takes from readers spending their own money each week. That reality shapes what we stick with, what we drop, and why our pull list leans heavily into indie ...

We’re back in the world of Malazan—this time stepping into new territory with Night of Knives by Ian C. Esslemont.

In this episode, the crew begins their first-ever discussion of Esslemont’s work, breaking down the prologue and first two chapters of this gothic, atmospheric entry into the Malazan universe. While we planned to go further, there’s already plenty to unpack—from eerie tone-setting to early character impressions and the ...

This week on Panel Chewing: Pick of the Week, we’re back with another stacked lineup of comics—from indie standouts to big publisher swings—as we break down everything we read this week and crown our top pick.

We kick things off with a preview of our upcoming group read, diving into the legendary Lone Wolf and Cub—a classic manga rooted in Edo-period Japan, blending historical drama, political intrigue, and brutal samurai storytelli...

In this episode, we dive into The Healthy Dead, the second Bauchelain and Korbal Broach novella in the Malazan universe — and one of the most sharply satirical entries in the series.

What starts as a darkly comedic side story quickly reveals itself as something more pointed: a critique of extremism disguised as virtue.

We break down the novella’s central ideas, including:

•  The satire of “health fascism” and enforced purity 
•  How go...

It’s a rollercoaster week on Panel Chewing: Pick of the Week—and not always in a good way.

Steve and Jarrod break down a mixed bag of comics, featuring everything from disappointing reads (yes… multiple trombones 👀) to standout surprises that kept the stack from falling apart completely. From the eerie return of Ice Cream Man to the wild swings of Absolute Batman and Dead Teenagers, this week proves not every pull list is a winner.

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We’ve finished Midnight Tides—and now it’s time to zoom out.

In this full series-spoiler discussion, the crew breaks down how this turning-point book reshapes the Malazan story, especially when it comes to the Crippled God. Is he still the big bad… or something else entirely?

We also dig into reread insights, how we each discovered Malazan, and which storylines we’re most excited to follow as the series moves forward.

⚠️ Full spoilers...

In this episode of Friday Conversation, we sit down with acclaimed author Lincoln Michel, known for Metallic Realms, The Body Scout, and his thought-provoking work across fiction and criticism for a deep dive into the craft, business, and future of storytelling.

Lincoln walks us through his writing journey, from discovering his voice through art and literature to navigating MFA programs, publishing, and teaching creative writing. We...

In this week’s Panel Chewing: Pick of the Week, Steve and Jarrod are back with a stacked lineup as they continue catching up on recent reads—diving into indie standouts, superhero staples, and everything in between.

From deep space survival in Astral Quantum to gritty pulp crime in City of Demons, and supernatural tension in Estuary: A Ghost Story, there’s no shortage of variety. The guys also tackle familiar territory with Marvel a...

In this episode of Page Burners, the crew wraps up their deep dive into Midnight Tides by Midnight Tides, the fifth installment in Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson.

Covering Chapter 25 and the epilogue, the discussion zeroes in on the novel’s powerful and tragic convergence—where politics, prophecy, and personal choices collide in unforgettable fashion. The panel explores the Shakespearean structure of the story, the dev...

This week on Panel Chewing, we’re back after a short break with a stack packed full of comics—and we mean FULL. From wild indie chaos to big-name titles, we break down what hit, what missed, and what’s worth your time.

We dig into a wide range of books including Absolute Martian Manhunter, Batwoman #1, Hyde Street, Punisher, Spawn: Dark Ages, and more—covering everything from standout artwork to storytelling highs and frustrating mi...

In this episode of Spotlight Chewing, we return to what we love most, shining a light on indie creators pushing boundaries across books, games, and music.

Joined by authors Thomas J. Devens (The Scroungers) and Alex (Carpentry in the Elven Forest), we dive into a wide-ranging conversation covering everything from gritty fantasy and cosmic horror to lighthearted comedy adventures and sci-fi found-family stories.

We highlight a massive...

This week on Friday Conversation, we sit down with legendary fantasy author Tad Williams, the mind behind Memory, Sorrow and Thorn, Otherland, Shadowmarch, and more.

From Shakespeare to Tolkien, from tropes to subversion, this conversation dives deep into the craft of storytelling and what it means to write in a genre where readers already know the rules.

We explore:

• Tad’s relationship with Shakespeare and The Tempest
• The origin of...

This week on Panel Chewing, we’re back in the saddle with a stacked lineup of comics, breaking down the best reads, biggest disappointments, and everything in between.

From indie standouts to superhero staples, we dig into what worked, what didn’t, and what’s worth adding to your pull list.

💥 This Week’s Highlights:

• American Caper #5 – Still wild, still fun… but not its strongest issue 
• Dead Teenagers #1 – A 90s-inspired time loop...

In this episode of Page Chewing, the crew dives into Midnight Tides Chapters 18–20, where the tension escalates and the cracks in both empires, and characters, begin to widen.

We unpack the haunting mystery of the Nerek and the strange sanctification that shields them, questioning whether divine power, belief, or something far older is at play. From there, the conversation turns toward one of the most compelling emotional cores of t...

In this episode of The Friday Conversation, Steve is joined once again by Jose, and briefly by Jarrod, for an open-floor discussion that turns into something much bigger.

From rediscovering the joy of reading to the harsh realities of publishing, the conversation dives deep into what it really means to be a reader in a world flooded with books.

Jose shares exciting news about his upcoming PhD and writing journey, while the group refl...

In this episode, we dive into one of the most controversial and disturbing comics ever published — Crossed by Garth Ennis and Jacen Burrows.

Originally released in 2008, Crossed presents a brutal vision of societal collapse where a mysterious contagion strips humanity of all restraint, turning the infected into sadistic killers marked by the red cross across their faces.

This episode explores the entire first volume (Issues 0–9), bre...

In this episode of Page Burners, the crew continues their journey through Midnight Tides, Book Five of Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson, diving deep into the chaos and revelations of the late-book chapters as the Letherii–Edur conflict erupts into full war.

The discussion explores the sudden devastation unleashed by Letherii sorcery, wiping out entire villages and throwing the Edur world into upheaval. The hosts unpack t...

This week on Panel Chewing Pick of the Week, Steve and Jarrod dive into another stack of comics and break down the books that stood out from the week’s pull list.

Before jumping into the comics, the conversation kicks off with a nostalgic look at the comic-magazine era. From Wizard Magazine to Comic Shop News, the hosts reflect on the lost culture of comic journalism and how the internet—and now social media—has changed how fans int...