Trade School

Case Aiken
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Books
  • Updated Weekly

Do you have a comic book you just can't stop thinking about? One that stuck with you—years later? On Trade School, guests get the mic to tell us about a graphic novel that changed the way they see the world—or just made them fall in love with comics all over again. In just 5 to 15 minutes, you'll hear stories about the stories we love most. Trade School

  1. 6d ago

    Capes: Punching the Clock - with Case Aiken

    Everybody knows Invincible. Far fewer people talk about Capes. Case Aiken is here to fix that. This week on Trade School, he looks at Robert Kirkman and Mark Englert's superhero workplace comedy about what happens when saving the world is a salaried position; complete with lunch breaks, performance reviews, giant battles, terrible puns, and exactly the kind of sudden brutality you'd expect from the Invincible universe. It's weird, funny, rough around the edges, and absolutely worth rediscovering. Support us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/CertainPOVMedia Edited by Case Aiken Scored by Bret Eagleston Certain Point Of View is a podcast network brining you all sorts of nerdy goodness! From Star Wars role playing, to Disney day dreaming, to video game love, we've got the show for you! Learn more on our website: https://www.certainpov.com Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/wcHHer4 FOLLOW US: ▶ Instagram: @certainpovmedia ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Welcome and Introduction 00:43 Introducing Capes 01:28 Superheroes Punching the Clock 02:10 Robert Kirkman and Mark Englert 02:52 The Supplemental Material 03:35 The Cast and Image Comics Connections 04:23 How Capes Fits Into Invincible 05:05 The Action and Second Arc 05:51 Why One Volume Is Enough 06:39 Kirkman's Style and Englert's Growth 07:23 Why Capes Is Worth Reading 08:10 Trade School and Call for Submissions 08:47 Case's Plugs 09:33 Final Recommendation 10:18 The Word From Tomorrow Promo

    Capes: Punching the Clock - with Case Aiken

  2. Sep 23

    Hawkeye: Little Hits - with Gillian Wiebe

    Gillian Wiebe takes over Trade School to revisit Hawkeye: Little Hits, the comic that helped turn Matt Fraction and David Aja's Hawkeye into a modern classic. From Hurricane Sandy and the Tracksuit Mafia to tragedy, community, and an unforgettable issue told from Lucky the Pizza Dog's perspective, this volume shows just how much comics can do when creators fully embrace the visual language of the medium. Support us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/CertainPOVMedia Edited by Case Aiken Scored by Bret Eagleston Certain Point Of View is a podcast network brining you all sorts of nerdy goodness! From Star Wars role playing, to Disney day dreaming, to video game love, we've got the show for you! Learn more on our website: https://www.certainpov.com Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/wcHHer4 FOLLOW US: ▶ Instagram: @certainpovmedia ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Welcome and Introduction 00:08 Meet Gillian Wiebe 01:00 Discovering Hawkeye in a Comics Course 01:54 Little Hits and the Art of Hawkeye 02:49 Hurricane Sandy 03:40 The Tracksuit Mafia 04:30 Clint's Responsibility to His Neighbors 05:19 Hawkeye Saves Grylls 06:16 The Tragedy of Grylls 07:18 Lucky the Pizza Dog 08:18 Final Recommendation 08:38 Books That Promo

    Hawkeye: Little Hits - with Gillian Wiebe

  3. Sep 16

    Tales From Lands Unknown Vol. 1 & 2 - with Jon Hook

    This week on Trade School, Jon Hook ventures into Mike Mignola's Lands Unknown, a bizarre, folklore-soaked fantasy realm filled with corpses, gods, scholars, monsters, and plenty of things that probably should not be trusted. Jon walks through Bowling with Corpses and Yuri Tupka and the Gods and explains why this growing universe is such an exciting new playground for Mignola; and why now is the ideal time to start reading. Support us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/CertainPOVMedia Edited by Case Aiken Scored by Bret Eagleston Certain Point Of View is a podcast network brining you all sorts of nerdy goodness! From Star Wars role playing, to Disney day dreaming, to video game love, we've got the show for you! Learn more on our website: https://www.certainpov.com Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/wcHHer4 FOLLOW US: ▶ Instagram: @certainpovmedia ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Welcome and Introduction 00:08 Meet Jon Hook 01:07 Introducing Lands Unknown 02:30 Bowling with Corpses 03:49 Why the Anthology Works 04:53 The Skinless Man 05:49 Yuri Tupka and the Gods 07:15 Yuri Tupka's Epic Journey 08:32 The Gods of Lands Unknown 09:30 Ben Stenbeck's Next Story 10:42 Building the Lands Unknown Collection 11:47 What Makes the Fantasy World Unique 12:42 Modern Mythos and Final Recommendation 13:43 Long Live the Legion Promo

    Tales From Lands Unknown Vol. 1 & 2 - with Jon Hook

  4. Sep 9

    Karmen - with Keith Lehtinen

    This week on Trade School, Keith Lehtinen spotlights Karmen, the hauntingly beautiful Image Comics series by Guillem March. It's a story about a young woman named Catalina, the reaper assigned to guide her after death, and the emotional weight of looking back on a life too soon interrupted. If you want a comic that is gorgeous, heartbreaking, romantic, and weird in exactly the right way, Keith is here to tell you why Karmen belongs on your shelf. Support us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/CertainPOVMedia Edited by Case Aiken Scored by Bret Eagleston Certain Point Of View is a podcast network brining you all sorts of nerdy goodness! From Star Wars role playing, to Disney day dreaming, to video game love, we've got the show for you! Learn more on our website: https://www.certainpov.com Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/wcHHer4 FOLLOW US: ▶ Instagram: @certainpovmedia ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Welcome and Introduction 00:41 Introducing Karmen 01:09 Trigger Warning 01:33 Catalina and Karmen 02:30 Why the Art Works 03:20 The Emotional Core 04:16 Karmen as a Comfort Read 04:55 Keith's Plugs 05:35 We Have Issues Promo

    Karmen - with Keith Lehtinen

  5. Sep 3

    The Tick: The Naked City - with Case Aiken

    This week on Trade School, Case Aiken dives into The Tick: The Naked City, the collection that first showed him just how weird, smart, and funny The Tick could be on the comics page. Ben Edlund's original series is not just a superhero parody; it is a gleeful dismantling of capes, secret identities, ninjas, publicity-hungry heroes, and the entire idea of what a superhero world is supposed to look like. Listen to the episode, then go read the book. Spoon! Support us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/CertainPOVMedia Edited by Case Aiken Scored by Bret Eagleston Certain Point Of View is a podcast network brining you all sorts of nerdy goodness! From Star Wars role playing, to Disney day dreaming, to video game love, we've got the show for you! Learn more on our website: https://www.certainpov.com Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/wcHHer4 FOLLOW US: ▶ Instagram: @certainpovmedia ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Welcome and Introduction 00:23 Why The Tick Matters 00:42 Discovering the Comic After the Cartoon 01:25 Breaking Down the Collection 02:15 A Night of a Million Zillion Ninjas 02:37 Villains Inc. 02:57 Why the Comedy Works 03:36 Early Tick Character Designs 04:18 The Superman Parody 04:48 The Ninja Story Picks Up 05:04 What Makes the Tick Work 05:42 The Villains Inc. Arc 06:26 Ben Edlund and the Tick's Legacy 07:08 Final Recommendation 07:27 Case's Plugs 08:31 Where to Find Case 09:13 The Word from Tomorrow Promo

    The Tick: The Naked City - with Case Aiken

  6. Aug 26

    Marvels - with Alan Kistler, Keith Lehtinen, and Case Aiken

    For Trade School's 50th episode, Case Aiken, Alan Kistler, and Keith Lehtinen revisit Marvels, the Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross masterpiece that asks what the Marvel Universe looks like to the people on the ground. By filtering iconic moments through photojournalist Phil Sheldon, Marvels turns continuity into lived history and spectacle into something emotional, terrifying, and beautiful. It's one of the best arguments ever made for why superhero comics matter. Support us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/CertainPOVMedia Edited by Case Aiken Scored by Bret Eagleston Certain Point Of View is a podcast network brining you all sorts of nerdy goodness! From Star Wars role playing, to Disney day dreaming, to video game love, we've got the show for you! Learn more on our website: https://www.certainpov.com Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/wcHHer4 FOLLOW US: ▶ Instagram: @certainpovmedia ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Welcome and 50th Episode Intro 00:54 Introducing Marvels 01:55 Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross 04:43 Alex Ross's Legacy 05:08 Case's History with Marvels 08:24 Keith's History with Marvels 09:57 Alan's History with Marvels 15:29 Comics Looking Back at Comics 18:55 The '90s and Reassessing Heroes 25:34 The Human Torch Prologue 27:17 The 1940s Issue 33:28 Fear of the Marvels 39:02 The Marvels Become Heroes 43:43 Phil, Doris, and the Sub-Mariner 44:23 The Tidal Wave 47:19 Phil Loses His Eye 48:24 The Marvels Go to War 49:02 The Mutant Issue 55:24 The X-Men and Anti-Mutant Fear 58:38 Alicia Masters' Gala 01:00:11 Maggie the Mutant Girl 01:01:27 The Fantastic Four Wedding and the Sentinels 01:06:21 The Sentinel Riot 01:09:40 The Galactus Issue 01:12:22 Phil Steps Back 01:17:08 Galactus and the Fantastic Four 01:22:45 People Doubt the Marvels 01:25:01 Gwen Stacy 01:28:38 Keith on Gwen Stacy 01:32:57 Gwen and the Green Goblin 01:35:02 The Snap 01:37:26 Phil Retires 01:39:25 The Marvels Epilogue 01:45:07 Phil's Family and Perspective 01:47:27 Final Thoughts on Marvels 01:50:01 Recommendation 01:52:02 Keith's Plugs 01:52:58 Alan's Plugs 01:54:39 Case's Plugs 01:55:51 50th Episode Wrap-Up 01:56:34 Long Live the Legion Promo

    Marvels - with Alan Kistler, Keith Lehtinen, and Case Aiken

  7. Aug 19

    Hulk: Gray - with Logan Crowley

    We're back with another episode of Trade School! This time, we're talking about Hulk: Gray! Our host this week is Logan Crowley! Support us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/CertainPOVMedia Edited by Case Aiken Scored by Bret Eagleston Certain Point Of View is a podcast network brining you all sorts of nerdy goodness! From Star Wars role playing, to Disney day dreaming, to video game love, we've got the show for you! Learn more on our website: https://www.certainpov.com Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/wcHHer4 FOLLOW US: ▶ Instagram: @certainpovmedia ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Welcome and Introduction 00:45 Why Hulk: Gray 01:37 Tim Sale's Hulk 02:46 Hulk and Banner as One Person 03:45 Thunderbolt Ross 04:37 Betty Ross 05:36 Rick Jones 06:26 Why Hulk: Gray Works 07:04 Final Recommendation 07:32 Single Bound Promo

    Hulk: Gray - with Logan Crowley

  8. Aug 12

    Batman: Strange Apparitions - with John Patrick Bray

    We're back with another episode of Trade School! This time, we're talking about Batman: Strange Apparitions! Our host this week is John Patrick Bray! Find John Patrick Bray: www.johnpatrickbray.com   Find his work at New Play Exchange: https://newplayexchange.org/users/4173/john-patrick-bray Support us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/CertainPOVMedia Edited by Case Aiken Scored by Bret Eagleston Certain Point Of View is a podcast network brining you all sorts of nerdy goodness! From Star Wars role playing, to Disney day dreaming, to video game love, we've got the show for you! Learn more on our website: https://www.certainpov.com Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/wcHHer4 FOLLOW US: ▶ Instagram: @certainpovmedia ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Welcome and Introduction 00:08 Introducing Strange Apparitions 00:55 Batman Gets Serious Again 01:37 Dr. Phosphorus 02:23 Batman Becomes an Outlaw 03:14 Hugo Strange 04:05 Strange's Auction 04:51 Penguin and Deadshot 05:32 Silver St. Cloud Knows 06:17 The Laughing Fish 07:02 Joker's Attack and Silver's Choice 07:41 Clayface and Bruce's Conflict 08:24 Strange Apparitions' Legacy 09:07 Batman 1989 Connections 09:58 Batman: The Animated Series 10:46 Final Recommendation 11:42 Long Live the Legion Promo

    Batman: Strange Apparitions - with John Patrick Bray
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Do you have a comic book you just can't stop thinking about? One that stuck with you—years later? On Trade School, guests get the mic to tell us about a graphic novel that changed the way they see the world—or just made them fall in love with comics all over again. In just 5 to 15 minutes, you'll hear stories about the stories we love most. Trade School

Information

  • Creator
    Case Aiken
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    55
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025
  • Show Website
    Trade School

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