Explore every episode of the podcast The Brave and the Boys Book Club
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARMORED: The Horror Fantasy Classic Your Whole Family Can Read | 11 Dec 2025 | 00:48:56 | |
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Today we are talking about ARMORED from Clover Press, a horror fantasy that feels like haunted castles, magic armor, and grief counseling all wrapped into a middle grade adventure.
We start spoiler free, talking about what the book is, who it is for, and why it works for both kids and adults. Then we jump into full spoilers and break down the armor, the ghosts, the family drama, and where this series could go next.
Spoiler free until 12:29 Full spoilers start at 12:29
00:00 Cold open in the castle 00:24 Welcome to the Book Club 01:05 What is Armored 02:08 Quick vibe check and genre 03:10 Who this book is for (age range) 04:12 How scary does it get 05:20 The creative team and format 06:18 Art style and colors 07:22 Comparing it to other books 08:30 How we all read it (digital vs physical) 09:15 Favorite non spoiler moments 10:05 Themes of grief and found family 11:10 Is it good for new comic readers 12:00 Giveaway and where to buy it
!!! SPOILERS START HERE !!!
12:29 Opening tragedy and town history 13:45 Andyās adoption and the Collins family 15:02 Finding the armor 16:18 Meeting Sir William 17:40 First big armor test 18:55 The Bible of the Dead 20:12 Weird things in the town 21:30 Zombie Miles scene 22:48 School under the spell 24:00 Family moments that hit hardest 25:16 Ash monsters and action beats 26:40 That nightmare mirror sequence 28:05 Who sent the email 29:30 The real villain talk 31:10 What the armor means for Andy 33:05 Favorite character moments 35:22 Hopes for a sequel or volume two 37:00 Final ratings and closing thoughts 38:40 Panel Bound sale and discount codes 40:05 Next Book Club pick tease | |||
| Rook Exodus: Fight or Flight | 09 Dec 2025 | 00:51:39 | |
āThe birds scream as they see them approaching from the east. Fly away. Fly away now. But I push back. It is time to fight.ā Ā Welcome to the first episode of Brave and the Book Club. I am Jake from The Brave and the Boys and I am joined by my buddy Mark as we finally pull Rook Exodus off the shelf and talk about it like it has been sitting in our heads for months. Ā We break down what Ghost Machine is, give a spoiler free pitch for Rook Exodus, then dive into full spoilers to talk about Rook as a survivor, his fear of being left behind, the fight or flight theme, and the moment he finally trusts the birds and chooses both. We also dig into Jason Fabokās art, Brad Andersonās colors, the giant animal Wardens, and why this story hits harder in an oversized format. Ā If you want to read along or grab Rook Exodus and other Ghost Machine books, you can support the show by ordering through Panel Bound Comics. Tell us in the comments which animal would bond with you as a Warden and why. Ā Click here to subscribe for more awesome content from us!!! https://bit.ly/TBATBYOUTUBE Ā Check out Panel Bound Comics: https://bit.ly/TBATBOPB Ā Ā Buying 1 to 3 books? Save $2 with our code Braveboys Ā Buying 4 or more books together? Save 5% with our code Braveboyssit Ā Thank you for watching, and until the next time, keep reading and stay brave! Ā Connect with us on social media: Ā Our Discord: https://discord.gg/ju6JcKM4zJ Our Instagram: https://bit.ly/TBATBInstagram Ā Ā 00:00 Cold open and fight or flight quote 00:35 What is Brave and the Backlog and how the show works 02:00 Who and what Ghost Machine is plus where Rook Exodus fits 04:30 Spoiler free pitch for Rook Exodus 07:30 Full spoilers begin Rook as runner and reluctant hero 12:00 Rookās past, control issues, and fear of abandonment 18:00 Wardens, helmets, and the world of Exodus as a dying planet 24:00 Ursa, Swine, Direwolf and the pressure that forces Rook to change 30:00 Birds, Poe, and the moment fight and flight finally meet 35:00 Art talk Jason Fabokās designs and Brad Andersonās colors 41:00 How this arc lands, what we want from volume two 46:00 Reading order ideas, what to read next, and tease for episode two | |||
| Absolute Batman Vol. 1 Why This BRUTAL NEW Batman is Worth The Hype | 09 Dec 2025 | 00:46:32 | |
Click here to subscribe for more awesome content from us!!! https://bit.ly/TBATBYOUTUBE
Check out Panel Bound Comics: https://bit.ly/TBATBOPB
Buying 1 to 3 books? Save $2 with our code Braveboys
Buying 4 or more books together? Save 5% with our code Braveboyssit
Thank you for watching, and until the next time, keep reading and stay brave!
Connect with us on social media:
Our Discord: https://discord.gg/ju6JcKM4zJ Our Instagram: https://bit.ly/TBATBInstagram
Absolute Batman Vol. 1 gives you a Batman who feels mean, messy, and brutal in a way we almost never see from Bruce. He is broke, working in construction, driving a dump truck version of the Batmobile, and trying to hold Gotham together while Black Mask and the Party Animals turn the city into a war zone. In this video we walk through the entire first arc, full spoilers, and ask the big question: is this new Batman worth the hype.
This is also the first episode of The Brave and the Backlog, a new series where we finally pull books off our own shelves and give them a full deep dive instead of a quick overview. Each episode is one book, so we can talk about how the story is built, what it is trying to say, and where it fits on your Batman shelf.
In this one we break down how Absolute Batman rewrites Bruceās origin, what changes when Bruce is blue collar and broke, and how Alfred, Gordon, and Martha Wayne are all remixed. We talk about Black Maskās plan, the Party Animals, the way Gotham is laid out like a bomb, and how the art and paneling sell the action. We also look at how it reads issue by issue compared to sitting down with the Absolute edition.
Huge thank you to Panel Bound Comics for supporting the channel. You can grab Absolute Batman Vol. 1 and a stack of other DC Absolute editions from them and use code BRAVEBOYS at checkout for a discount on your order.
We are also doing a gift card giveaway tied to this video. To enter, drop a comment with your favorite moment, idea, or character beat from Absolute Batman Vol. 1. We will pick a winner before the next Brave and the Backlog episode and announce it there. If you like longer breakdowns like this, subscribe so you do not miss the next backlog pick. Stay brave.
Chapters
00:00:00 Brutal new Batman and what this video is 00:01:18 Why Absolute Batman Vol. 1 was the first backlog pick 00:03:10 Creative team, art, and why the book feels tight 00:07:03 Big picture setup before full spoilers 00:08:24 Bruceās childhood friends as his future rogues gallery 00:09:52 Blue collar Bruce and his new origin story 00:11:35 Flashbacks at the zoo and a different Wayne family tragedy 00:12:50 Gadgets, the bat suit, and how weaponized this Batman is 00:13:55 Gordon as mayor, Martha Wayne alive, and Alfred the spy 00:16:10 Black Mask, the Party Animals, and Gotham under pressure 00:18:20 Training, city planning, and the dump truck Batmobile 00:23:00 Why this never feels like a standard origin story 00:24:58 Money, morals, and Batman burning the payout 00:30:00 The yacht assault, brutality, and Alfredās choice 00:31:40 Teases for Joker, Bane, and the mystery of Ark In 00:36:20 Comparing Absolute Batman to Absolute Wonder Woman and Martian Manhunter 00:39:50 Do you need to read anything before Absolute Batman 00:42:10 Why this works for new and veteran Batman readers 00:44:00 Final thoughts, rankings, and what is next for The Brave and the Backlog | |||