In our monthly book club, we discuss whatever we happen to be reading and ask everyone in the comments to do the same. What Are You Reading This Month?

This week’s entry: List of female American football players

Keiler Roberts wouldn’t call herself a life coach. Judging by her self-deprecating autobiographical comics, she would balk at the idea of herself as a figure of inspiration. But whenever I finish one of her books, I leave with new lessons in how I should lead my life: cherish the small stuff; don’t run from reality;…

Alec Baldwin has starred in as many beloved movies and TV shows as he’s appeared in headlines for controversies, feuds, and vulgar family voicemails. And that’s probably what makes him the ideal choice for the latest in Comedy Central’s long line of somewhat-annual Roasts, airing this Sunday, September 15th. The…

The Young Avengers are hotter than they’ve ever been right now. Kate “Hawkeye” Bishop is slated to make her Marvel Studios debut in next year’s Hawkeye Disney+ series, potentially setting up an MCU Young Avengers franchise. Meanwhile, Billy “Wiccan” Kaplan and Teddy “Hulkling” Altman have recently been at the center…

If you’ve seen Sabrina Jalees’ stand-up or listened to her on a podcast in the past two years, then there’s a chance you’ve heard her tell the amazing story of how she and her wife had their son, Wolfie. It’s a tale of surf instructors, back tattoos, and Moana, and it’s one that the comedian is happy to tell time and…

My roommate is a gay man who is into getting fisted. A lot. We were FWBs until he moved into my place, at which point we agreed it would be better for us to not have sex anymore. It’s worked out fine, and he’s been here for a year. Here’s the problem: About two years ago, he got into fisting and he has someone over…

Writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Alex Maleev have a reputation for using crime noir elements to enrich superhero narratives. By extension, this makes them an ideal creative team for DC Comics’ Event Leviathan, a thriller about superhero detectives solving the mystery of an evil clandestine organization. Bendis…

As 1865 comes to a close with this 13th episode, it’s tempting to wonder if this is the best audio fiction podcast of all time. While it’s impossible to weigh all such programs equally against some golden mean, few of the genre’s works approach the same heights as this series. Writer-director Steven Walters’…

Heaven help us, Hell spare us, Hollywood save us, Sean Penn has penned another novel, a sequel to last year’s Bob Honey Who Just Do Stuff. The actor’s flimsy fiction debut told the tale of the titular septic tank salesman who moonlights as an elderly death panel contract killer. Penn overstuffed that book’s 170 pages…

The marketing for The Institute boldly compares Stephen King’s new novel to the estimable It, no doubt due to Pennywise’s long shadow over the zeitgeist of the moment. But, while there’s a gaggle of pre-teens akin to The Losers’ Club at the center of this story, The Institute shares more DNA with another book bandied…

With credits on Big Mouth and Search Party, her own episode of Netflix’s The Comedy Lineup, and a supporting role in CBS’s new multi-cam sitcom, Carol’s Second Act, comedian Sabrina Jalees is all over your screens. But she hasn’t stopped there: This summer, she set out to take over podcast airwaves when she launched Th…

For the past seven years, Jason Aaron has been giving a master class in superhero fantasy in his Thor run, a story that functions as both a comprehensive character study and a war epic that spans all of space and time. Aaron has built this sprawling narrative across multiple ongoings and miniseries with regular…

Warning: This article reveals major plot points from Stephen King’s novel It—and by extension, from the new movies adapted from the book.

Marvel has never been a company to pass up a trend. DC has seen considerable success with Action Comics #1000 and Detectice Comics #1000, and Marvel wants a piece of that pie despite not having any books that have run for 1000 issues. Enter: Marvel Comics #1000 (Marvel), celebrating the 80th anniversary of Marvel…

I don’t listen to your podcast religiously, but as soon as I told my best friend this story, she said, “That’s a question for Dan Savage!” Backstory: I have a monogamous partner who I live with. It’s a heterosexual relationship, but we are both bisexual. That little inkling of homosexuality really drew me to him when…

Valiant’s superhero roster isn’t as familiar as DC’s or Marvel’s, and while a lot of what Valiant has to offer includes incredible world building and a rich history, it sometimes comes at the cost—like many other superhero stories—of more personal, intimate narratives that help to root the characters. Doctor Mirage is…

Tom Taylor has a talent for finding the fun in superhero dystopias. His Injustice and Injustice 2 tie-in comics took the bleak foundation of the video games and built exciting stories with a sense of humor, taking advantage of the freedom of the new continuity to take creative risks. He follows a similar formula in…

Every month, a deluge of new books comes flooding out from big publishers, indie houses, and self-publishing platforms. So every month, The A.V. Club narrows down the endless options to five (or six) of the books we’re most excited about.

For decades, comic books were written off as frivolous entertainment for children. The rise of underground voices, the popularization of the graphic novel format, and the darkening of the superhero genre gradually shifted public perception so that comics weren’t just for kids anymore, but now publishers are desperate…