AIPT Comics Podcast Episode 343: Soo Lee talks Wizard of Oz, Star Wars horror, and making classics fresh again

Welcome to the AIPT Comics Podcast, your weekly guide through the biggest news, the hottest comics, and the creators shaping the industry.

This week, we’re diving into a stacked news lineup: Marvel’s November 2025 solicitations have landed with over 180 covers, including the debut of X-Men of Apocalypse #1, and we’ve got our first look at four jaw-dropping covers. Plus, controversy is brewing with the “United Captains” in Captain America #6, Echo gains a shocking new ability in Seeker of Truth #1, and Wiccan finally headlines his first solo series. Marvel’s even shaking up the collector’s market with blind bagged variants in Ultimate Endgame #1.

Over at DC, it’s mystery and mayhem with polybagged “Lights Out” variants for DC K.O. #1, Wonder Woman faces a terrifying new villain called the Matriarch in issue #25, and Jeff Lemire takes the JSA back to the Golden Age with JSA: Year One. We’ll also talk about Frank Miller and Todd McFarlane reuniting on Spawn for the first time in over 30 years, Image Comics reprinting the historic All-Negro Comics, and Marjorie Liu teaming with Garry Brown on a brand-new BRZRKR series.

Before we dig into the news, stick around for our interview with Soo Lee, who’s bringing the Wizard of Oz back to comics with a brand-new Kickstarter launching this month. We’ll talk about the 85th anniversary of the classic film, digging into the archives, balancing writing and art, and how she’s putting her own creative spin on one of the most beloved stories of all time.

You can stream the AIPT Comics podcast below or find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts.

AIPT Comics Podcast Best Books of the Week:

Dave:

1. Detective Comics #1100 (Various)
2. Absolute Batman #11 (Scott Snyder, Clay Mann)

Chris:​​

1. Escape #1 (Rick Remender and Daniel Acuña)
2. Bloodletter #3 (Joseph Illidge, Tim Seeley, and Christian Rosado)

Standout KAPOW moment of the week:

Chris: Escape #1 (Rick Remender and Daniel Acuña)

Dave: New Avengers #3 (Sam Humphries, Ton Lima)

In our Judging by the Cover segment, Dave loves the Invisible Man #1 variant cover by Rosemary Valero-O’Connell and Chris can’t get enough of Nimit Malavia’s Imperial War: Planet She-Hulk #1 variant cover.

Check out both below!