In the second half of our all-night talk-a-thon with Athena Voltaire's Steve Bryant, we punch a few dead Palominos in the name of the current state of the comic book industry, sussing out Marvel's collected edition strategy, trades and new readers, Alan Moore's Top Ten, Image's Ted McKeever Library, Michael Avon Oeming, Neo Expressionism and other pretentious ways to classify pretty pictures, Cheap Ass Trades, and much more! Plus, the most Hotline messages we've received to date!

Athena Voltaire's Snazzy Steve Bryant joins us for a marathon four-hour giant-size comic book throwdown! In the first of two parts, we tackle Final Crisis #5, selling David on Fables, channeling Kirby, Mike Allred, the language of comics, God-Size Thor, the Athena Voltaire/Black Coat crossover, the impact of $4 comics on independent publishers, X-Men: Messiah Complex, Hellboy: The Wild Hunt, Steve Epting and Captain America, Frank D'armata, Fear Agent, Camelot 3000, an angry Chris Neseman, and much more! Plus, the usual Hotline hijinks!

The Woodman returns to drag us through a discourse on Amazing Spider-Man, Phonogram: The Singles Club, Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness' (Red) Hulk hardcover, Mike Norton and Green Arrow/Black Canary, X-Force #9, Ghost Rider: Danny Ketch, Original Sin, X-23, Savage Dragon #139-141, Secret Invasion #8, Image Comics and the Man of Action team, the Wanted movie, Top Cow and The Darkness, Dark Horse's Dylan Dog, back issue buying online, old comic book ads, Star Wars: Early Victories omnibus,  with everything descending into an old fart "Remember when..." lament. Good times. Bonus! Happy Hotline messages! Well, one of 'em, anyway...

Around Comics' Sizzlin' Brion "Sal" Salazar drops by to help us journey to the 5th Dimension to tune the Bat-Radia for a special episode devoted to Batman R.I.P. Bonus! Incoming transmission from the Raph-Radia and a few fabulous forumites finger the Hotline!