Page Chewing is where books, comics, and conversations collide. From in-depth chats with authors and artists to lively discussions with fellow readers, we explore the craft of storytelling, the worlds we love, and the ideas that stay with us long after the last page.
150 Episodes of Comics, Trombones & Picks of the Week | Panel Chewing #150
Panel Chewing has officially reached 150 episodes!
We kick off this milestone episode with a question for comic collectors and readers: does the physical format of a comic matter? From standard issues and oversized magazine format books to tiny Lone Wolf and Cub editions, we talk about size, paper quality, price, collecting headaches and whether publishers like DSTLRY are using larger formats as a gimmick, or genuinely giving readers something better.
Then we realize something pretty important: this is episode 150. So we take a moment to thank everyone who's listened, watched and joined us along the way.
This week's reviews include:
Absolute Batman #24
Conan: Tides of the Tyrant King #1
Killer Influences #3
Black Tower: The Raven Conspiracy #2
Regicide #2
Solomon Kane: The Lion Errant #3
Terabytes #10
Black Star #3
The Eye Collector #4
Then it's time for our Picks of the Week.
Jarrod chooses A Mischief of Magpies #2, a surprisingly emotional portal fantasy from Simon Spurrier and Matías Bergara that digs into loneliness, trauma and the uncertain line between fantasy and reality.
Steve goes with Babs: The Long Road South #5 by Garth Ennis and Jacen Burrows, as the series continues mercilessly poking fun at fantasy conventions and especially poor Samwise Gamgee.
Finally, our Lone Wolf and Cub group read continues with Volume 18: Twilight of the Kurokuwa.
This volume leads us into some surprisingly complicated questions about Ogami Itto. Does he have any moral obligation to help people suffering around him? Is his claim that he walks the road of demons enough to absolve him of that responsibility? And just how important is Daigoro in keeping his father connected to his humanity?
We eventually realize that Daigoro may be something even more important:
He's Ogami's lifeline.
Thanks to everyone who helped us reach 150 episodes of Panel Chewing. Here's to whatever we end up reading, and tromboning, next.
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6 Oct 2026
My Top 10 Grimdark & Dark Fantasy Books
What are my favorite grimdark and dark fantasy books?
This isn't quite the usual list.
I'm counting down ten of the books and series that have stuck with me the most—from lesser-known indie fantasy to some familiar names that longtime Page Chewing listeners probably won't be surprised to see near the top.
We get into brutal worlds, morally complicated characters, dark humor, grief, violence, philosophy, unforgettable endings, and the books that have affected me enough that I literally needed to put them down and walk away for a while.
The list includes Obsidian Awakening, The Rift Cycle, The Hellborn King, Empires of Dust, The Winter Road, The Scroungers, Gunmetal Gods, Ash and Sand, Manifest Delusions and The Second Apocalypse, plus one honorable mention that longtime listeners may remember from my older lists.
These aren't necessarily the ten "best" grimdark books ever written. They're the ones that have meant the most to me.
What's on your list?
Books and series discussed include (Amazon Affiliate Links):
• Obsidian Awakening — Sienna Frost https://link.amazon/B0gz9gyrt (https://link.amazon/B0gz9gyrt )
• The Rift Cycle — Halo Scot https://link.amazon/B06EKTHuz (https://link.amazon/B06EKTHuz )
• The Hellborn King — Christopher G. Brenning https://link.amazon/B0appWmMy (https://link.amazon/B0appWmMy )
• Empires of Dust — Anna Smith Spark https://link.amazon/B05D0Uxfh (https://link.amazon/B05D0Uxfh )
• The Winter Road — Adrian Selby https://link.amazon/B07PHpikK (https://link.amazon/B07PHpikK )
• The Scroungers — Thomas J. Devens https://link.amazon/B02IzPtk9
• Gunmetal Gods — Zamil Akhtar https://link.amazon/B0crYuL4Z (https://link.amazon/B0crYuL4Z )
• Ash and Sand — Richard Nell https://link.amazon/B07fNvleB (https://link.amazon/B07fNvleB )
• Manifest Delusions — Michael R. Fletcher https://link.amazon/B0iUbz9tX (https://link.amazon/B0iUbz9tX )
• The Second Apocalypse — R. Scott Bakker https://link.amazon/B0cYuIhxt (https://link.amazon/B0cYuIhxt)
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6 Oct 2026
Beyond the Page: Reclaiming Your Life After Emotional Abuse with Eva Levina
In this episode of Beyond the Page, Steve talks with Eva Levina, author of the two book Death Is No Reason to Stop Living series, about her experience in a 25-year marriage that she describes as involving covert emotional abuse and the difficult journey of rebuilding her life afterward.
Eva discusses the subtle warning signs she says she missed, including gaslighting, constant criticism, sleep deprivation, manipulation and financial control. She also talks candidly about trauma bonding, therapy, learning to trust herself again, and the process of rediscovering the interests and ambitions she had put aside.
We also explore what it was like to turn those experiences into a memoir, why writing the books was so emotionally difficult, and why sharing her story ultimately became liberating.
This is a conversation about identity, survival, healing and allowing yourself to live again.
Find Eva: https://www.evalevinabooks.com/ (https://www.evalevinabooks.com/)
Page Chewing Blog (pagechewing.com)
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Affiliate Links that support the show:
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Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
162,125
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
18 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
15 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 83 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
100
Social presence
0
YouTube
86
Engagement
82
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