Page Chewing

Grief is pushing Louis Creed toward a decision that could change everything. In Chapters 41–45 of Stephen King's Pet Sematary, Louis sends Rachel and Ellie to Chicago while becoming increasingly consumed by the possibility of bringing Gage back from the dead. We explore King's use of Louis's internal thoughts, the desperation driving his decisions, and the questions he doesn't seem willing to confront about what resurrection might actually mean. Meanwhile, Ellie begins receiving warnings through dreams involving Victor Pascow, raising new questions about why she's being contacted instead of Louis. Can Jud stop Louis before he makes a terrible mistake? Join me for another installment of the Page Chewing Pet Sematary read-along as we continue tracking our observations and predictions. Next episode: Chapters 46–50. Spoilers are limited to Chapters 1–45. Page Chewing Blog Page Chewing Forum Support Page Chewing on Patreon Affiliate Links that support the show: Audible Standard Free Trial: https://amzn.to/4z1iKns Audible Standard Monthly Membership: https://amzn.to/3S6vadd Kindle Unlimited Free Trial: https://amzn.to/4wqkYdD Amazon Prime Free Trial: https://amzn.to/3UptxI9 Join Captivate.fm Send a message via SpeakPipe

This week on Panel Chewing #152, we're talking about disappointing comics, surprising discoveries, Halloween horror, and two outstanding Picks of the Week. We open with a conversation about the health of the comic book industry. Are comics thriving, or are the big superhero titles hiding problems facing smaller independent publishers? Then we jump into this week's reading. Steve finally reaches his breaking point with Absolute Superman #24. Despite enjoying the early issues, the series has lost the qualities that initially made it interesting. Is it time to move on? Jarrod has a similar experience with The Demon #1, a new DC series featuring Jason Blood and Etrigan. The character has a fascinating history, but does the artwork fit the darker storytelling? We also discuss Rob Liefeld's return to Evangeline, the disturbing body horror of Gastronomique, the Halloween special for Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees, Jeff Lemire's Minor Arcana, Michael Moorcock's Hawkmoon, Jonah Hex, Crowbound, and Midnight X-Men. Comics Reviewed Absolute Superman #24 The Demon #1 Evangeline #1 The Dirt Beneath the Devil #3 Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Halloween Special Minor Arcana #19 Gastronomique #2 Hawkmoon: The Mad God's Amulet #1 Jonah Hex #1 Crowbound #2 Midnight X-Men #1 Picks of the Week Jarrod: Superman: The Stranger #2 Wes Craig continues his Depression-era Superman story, exploring a young Clark Kent who is still searching for his place in the world. Jarrod loves the noir atmosphere, artwork, and developing conflict with Lex Luthor. Steve: Hyde Street #13 The Butcher has arrived, and nobody feels safe. Geoff Johns continues building a disturbing, unpredictable world filled with morally complicated characters and unanswered questions. Steve considers this some of the best comic book storytelling currently available. Lone Wolf and Cub Read-Along Our ongoing group read continues with Volume 20. This volume introduces a particularly dangerous adversary: a master poisoner whose methods challenge Ogami Itto in ways traditional swordsmen cannot. We discuss the growing conflict between Retsudo Yagyu and his new ally, the exploitation of vulnerable people, the changing nature of Ogami's compassion, and how Daigoro may be influencing his father's humanity. Read along with us through Libby or Hoopla, subject to your library's collection. Page Chewing Blog Page Chewing Forum Support Page Chewing on Patreon Affiliate Links that support the show: Audible Standard Free Trial: https://amzn.to/4z1iKns Audible Standard Monthly Membership: https://amzn.to/3S6vadd Kindle Unlimited Free Trial: https://amzn.to/4wqkYdD Amazon Prime Free Trial: https://amzn.to/3UptxI9 Join Captivate.fm Send a message via SpeakPipe

After a few days of battling a cold, I'm back with another Page Chewing weekly update! This week I'm announcing our November featured read-along: Shadow & Claw by Gene Wolfe. We'll be taking a slower approach with weekly Friday discussions and a special guest conversation at the end of the month. I'm also sharing my changing opinion of Stephen King as I continue reading Pet Sematary, discussing why Tender Is the Flesh has been such a disturbing experience, and revisiting R. Scott Bakker's The Thousandfold Thought as part of our full-spoiler Second Apocalypse reread. Finally, I want to hear your thoughts on BookTok and its growing influence on the publishing industry. Is social media helping readers discover more books, or is it concentrating attention on a smaller selection of titles? Plus, updates on upcoming Page Chewing videos, Panel Chewing, and Beyond the Page. Thanks for listening! Page Chewing Blog Page Chewing Forum Support Page Chewing on Patreon Affiliate Links that support the show: Audible Standard Free Trial: https://amzn.to/4z1iKns Audible Standard Monthly Membership: https://amzn.to/3S6vadd Kindle Unlimited Free Trial: https://amzn.to/4wqkYdD Amazon Prime Free Trial: https://amzn.to/3UptxI9 Join Captivate.fm Send a message via SpeakPipe

In this episode of Beyond the Page, Steve welcomes author, Army veteran, and podcast host Danno E. Cabeza to discuss his upcoming novel, The Return of Doctor Necropolis, a superhero crime-noir story about a brilliant but deeply flawed supervillain. Danno shares how an experimental writing project unexpectedly became a novel that took nearly ten years to complete. We explore what makes morally questionable protagonists compelling, the relationship between identity and personal responsibility, and why readers can sympathize with characters who repeatedly make terrible decisions. We also discuss the challenges of returning to a manuscript after a decade, incorporating military experience into superhero fiction, writing believable relationships, and creating a world where the government has nationalized superheroes. Danno talks about his love of X-Men comics, the influence of crime fiction, his experiences reviewing comics professionally, and why he ultimately chose prose rather than a graphic novel for this story. We also get into independent publishing, the realities of running a successful Army football podcast, his terrifying experience at airborne school, unusual food combinations, and the lessons he's learned from teaching people to swim. Join us for a conversation about supervillains, storytelling, comics, creativity, and why the most interesting fictional characters aren't always the good guys. Find Danno: https://www.asforfootball.com/ Page Chewing Blog Page Chewing Forum Support Page Chewing on Patreon Affiliate Links that support the show: Audible Standard Free Trial: https://amzn.to/4z1iKns Audible Standard Monthly Membership: https://amzn.to/3S6vadd Kindle Unlimited Free Trial: https://amzn.to/4wqkYdD Amazon Prime Free Trial: https://amzn.to/3UptxI9 Join Captivate.fm Send a message via SpeakPipe

Everything changes in Chapters 36–40 of Stephen King's Pet Sematary. We've reached Part Two, and the story takes a devastating turn that I absolutely did not see coming. After the quiet, happy moments at the end of Part One, Stephen King delivers one of the most jarring developments of the novel so far. In this episode, I discuss Gage's sudden death, the different ways Louis, Rachel, and Ellie process grief, and the enormous emotional pressure placed on Louis as everyone looks to him for strength when he needs support himself. We also learn more about the disturbing history of the burial ground, including what happened when someone attempted to bring a human being back from the dead. In this episode: The shocking beginning of Part Two How King uses sudden tragedy to unsettle the reader Louis, Rachel, and Ellie's different responses to grief Jud's guilt and the history of the burial ground Whether the cemetery is evil, indifferent, or something else My predictions about Louis, Church, and what happens next I'm reading Pet Sematary for the first time and haven't seen the movies, so I'm experiencing the story completely blind. Throughout October, we're using six recurring questions to build an evolving notebook of observations, theories, and predictions. Next episode: Chapters 41–45. Page Chewing Blog Page Chewing Forum Support Page Chewing on Patreon Affiliate Links that support the show: Audible Standard Free Trial: https://amzn.to/4z1iKns Audible Standard Monthly Membership: https://amzn.to/3S6vadd Kindle Unlimited Free Trial: https://amzn.to/4wqkYdD Amazon Prime Free Trial: https://amzn.to/3UptxI9 Join Captivate.fm Send a message via SpeakPipe