AIPT Comics Podcast Episode 347: Taboo & B. Earl on Ultimate Hawkeye, identity, and a Ronin reveal

Welcome to the AIPT Comics Podcast! This week we’re loaded with wild news and year-end shake-ups, but the main event is our conversation with Taboo and B. Earl about their Ultimate Hawkeye one-shot. They open up about giving Charli Ramsey their first solo spotlight, reimagining Ronan for the Ultimate line, weaving in dangerous “Eyes Wide Shut–meets–Most Dangerous Game” vibes, and dedicating the issue to their late friend and collaborator Jeffrey Veregge. It’s heartfelt, bold, and full of craft talk; don’t miss it.

Before we dive in, we’re unpacking a monster slate: Batman #1 smashing past 500,000 copies, December 2025 DC solicits and “All Fight Month” (DC K.O.), Absolute Joker chills, Scott Snyder’s Absolute Arkham, Batman Day blowouts, Terminator holiday horror, Red Sonja braving ice giants, ThunderCats Ho!(liday) cheer, Neon Ichiban’s digital deal with Dynamite, Briar: Night’s Terror finale, Invincible/Spider-Man omnibus team-up, a twisted Radioactive Spider-Man #1 scoop, the Magik team’s 2026 return, Marvel’s December solicits (including a frosty Winter Break Special), Knull’s first-ever solo in 2026, three new X-Men solos for 2026, and The Darkness relaunch with Marc Silvestri. Plus: Power Rangers: Zord Quest, Our Soot Stained Heart, Wrestle Heist, and Tomb Raider: Sacred Artifacts #1.

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 Comics of the Week:

Dave:

1. Ultimates #16 (Deniz Camp, Juan Frigeri)
2. Amazing Spider-Man (2025) #12 (Joe Kelly, Ed McGuinness)

Alex:​​

1. Absolute Flash #7 (Jeff Lemire, Travis Moore)
2. Marvel/DC: Deadpool/Batman #1 (Various)

Standout KAPOW moment of the week:

Alex: Marvel Zombies: Red Band #1 (Ethan S. Parker, Griffin Sheridan, Jan Bazaldua, Erick Arciniega) 2-for-1 kapow!!!

Dave: This Ends Tonight #3 (Gerry Duggan, Kelvin Mao, Jae Lee)

In our Judging by the Cover segment, Dave loved three covers, but we’ll just show David Nakayama’s Harley Quinn cover, while Alex picked Wynd cover by Peach Momoko.

Check those out below!