Retailer Patrick Brower returns to the show to talk about the year that was in his Chicago-based comic shop, Challengers Comics + Conversation. Brower discusses his weird year, the year in Challengers itself, the consistent nature of 2025, what drove the year’s success, Absolute Martian Manhunter’s surprising heat, the performance of the Absolute Batman Annual, managing different printings, Marvel’s “terrible” year, where non-Big Two comics are, the complicated environment for creators, new readers, how they’re behaving, other trends from 2025, struggles from the year, systemic problems, what could be done on the marketing side, Universal Distribution, sales charts, how he’s feeling about 2026, and more.

You can find Brower at Challenger Comics + Conversation in Chicago.

You can download the episode directly here on Libsyn.

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Want to watch a video version of this interview, albeit mostly unedited? This chat with Patrick Brower is available on the SKTCHD/Off Panel YouTube! Go watch it over there, and if you enjoy it, make sure to subscribe to the channel when you do.

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Thanks to one of the sponsor of this week’s podcast: 2000 AD! Are you ready to face the future? Look no further than 2000 AD – it’s the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic! Every week 2000 AD brings the best in sci-fi and horror, featuring characters like Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper and more! Get a print subscription to 2000 AD and it’ll arrive through your mailbox every week, and your first issue is free. You’ll also receive the HUNDRED PAGE 2000 AD Christmas Special this December at no extra cost! Or, subscribe digitally and you can download DRM-free copies of each issue for only $9 a month. That’s 128 pages of incredible comics every month for less than $10! Head to 2000AD.com and click on ‘subscribe’ now – or download the 2000 AD app and start reading today!

Thanks to another of the show’s sponsors, Oni Press! Embrace your fear…the Spirit of the Shadows draws near! This January, Oni Press proudly presents SPIRIT OF THE SHADOWS #1 – the most visually dazzling and hauntingly heartfelt superhero-horror hit of 2026. A stunning new five-part series drawn from the darkest recesses of the imagination of co-writers Nick Cagnetti and Daniel Ziegler and featuring the first full-length artwork by Nick Cagnetti since his electrifying debut with 2022’s PINK LEMONADE. Once, Erik Leroux was a mortal musician… until his sudden death plunged his soul into the carnival-like torments of the Spirit World beyond our own. Now, reborn as a phantom, Erik will claw his way back from the infernal planes . . and avenge the dark sins that transformed him into the SPIRIT OF THE SHADOWS! In the tradition of Jack Kirby’s THE DEMON, Mike Allred’s MADMAN, and Todd McFarlane’s SPAWN, SPIRIT OF THE SHADOWS is an eye-popping new addition to the canon of creator-owned superheroes – find it comic shops everywhere this January, only from Oni Press!

Lastly, thanks to the show’s final sponsor in IDW Publishing. It’s a new year, but IDW is continuing to bring the heat in 2026! It all starts with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, where Gene Luen Yang and Freddie E. Williams the Second’s hit run on the book continues. This one is new reader friendly, and perfect for fans discovering Turtles comics in current events like TMNT x Godzilla or Battle Nexus. Then, over in IDW Dark, that horror house has the good stuff, as the penultimate chapter of Patrick Horvath’s Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring arrives and SKTCHD AWRD winner James Stokoe hops on for an issue of The Twilight Zone. Not to be left behind, the Kai-Sei Era’s biggest moment yet arrives with the fall of Godzilla in its sixth issue. That’s going to be a hot one, so now’s a perfect time to get onboard that new era with new issues from Godzilla and Starship Godzilla. There’s plenty more to come in 2026 from IDW, so if you’re excited about what you’re hearing, make sure to let your comic shop know you want to add these titles to your pull list today.

Big thanks to all of my existing patrons, including Robert Pettinato, Tim Leong, Ethan Spanja, Chris Partin, 5Myllyon, Ninja Assassin Love Story Webcomic, Mark Florio, Epic Broccoli, Kevin Bankston, Rick Yancosky, Angelo Macale, Chestin Pullard, Bobby Tomio, RK, Croc_Meow, Eric Palicki, MKFreigeist, Brodie Duncan, Scott Chua, Paul Lai, Gene Queens, Chad Lawrence, James Ferguson, Tiffany Babb, Nerdy Mewzings Podcast, Ian A., Hassan Thalji, Pinoywonder, Toni DeBoer, Nick Friar, James Shields, Michael DiGiovanni, Pete Ficken, Patrick McGlynn, Jose Perez, Ross Binder, Chris Tanforan, Joey Riccio, Ruben Jackson, Alfa, Keith Friedlander, Adriel Moreland, Garrett Lawton, Mike Novello, Jaime Espinoza, Ruben Cantu, Detective 27, JJ Mack, Comic Shop Assistant, Rob Guillory, Justin Pearson, Gianni Palumbo, Oliver Sava, P. Sanger, Wilson Garrett, Ben O’Grady, Mark Tweedale, Ben Allen, Zack Quaintance, Kazu Kibuishi, Claire Scott, Tyler Crook, Patrick Horvath, Louis Krupp, Omega Slice, John Walsh, Brandon Paul, Aaron Bussey, AC, Simon Birch, Austin, Sion, Megan Marsden, T.S. Luther, Comic Book Couples Counseling Podcast, Gus, Saunter, Brian, Chris Robinson, David Byrne, Benjamin Wilkins, Chris Hacker, John NeSmith, Jon Auerbach, Dustin Weaver, Brandon Hayman, Aaden Hamann, Faith Erin Hicks, Ben Wroe, Cameron Brown, Jonathan Breen, Charlie Stickney, Tom Drennen, Jeremy Thomas Burke, Jared Schwab, Scott Dunn, Seth Pomeroy, James McEwan, Andrew Leamon, Christina Merkler, Scott Place, Travis Gibb, Darcy Van Poelgeest, Tom Evans, Reid Beaman, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Max Wood, Jeremy Lambert, Bryan, Nir Levie, Jason Hussa, Kieron Gillen, Jonathan Kent-Uritam, Henry Johnston, Dennis Hoffmann, Django Bohren, James Tynion IV, Chris Lankford, Jason Wood, Tom Peachey, Ben Damstedt, Ram V, Nick Walker, Patrick Coyle, Isaac Orin, Klaas Van de Ven, Submet Industries, Jack Mulqueen, Karl Kerschl, Robert Masella, Elsa Charretier, Luc Nakashoji, Dr. Luke, Scott Haselwood, CanadianByProxy, Bradley Roeder, Carl Choi, Brandon De Pillis, Patrick Brower, Declan Shalvey, Dan Gearino, Atom Freeman, Ben Wild, Brian Klein-Q, Liana Kangas, Nick Bennett, Susana Polo, Reed Hinckley-Barnes, Mario Tiambeng, Robert Wilson IV, Andrew Kurita, Stefan Hull, Phillip Maira, Chris Bachalo, Torunn Grønbekk, FuzBubbles, Christopher Ta, Transmitterdown, Walt’s Comics & Books, Akil Wilson, Alex Dimitropolous, Terry Dodson, Wesley Gift, Shawn Kirkham, Julio Anta, Brett A. Schmidt, Jason Goodmanson, Vita Ayala, Akylle, Phillip Sevy, Al Ewing, David Kelley, Jason Nassi, Adam Bogert, Matthew Taylor, Nick Pitarra, Jacob Sareli, Ford Gilmore, David Baroldy, Nick Hall, Bjorn Basen, John Hendrick, Ian Maxfield, Cliff Chiang, Colin McMahon, Adam Highfill, Fiona Staples, Mark Abnett, Michael Shirley, Tom Barnett, Jim Demonakos, Norbert, Nick Lowe, James Kaplan, and Mission: Comics and Art in San Francisco. You guys are all the best.

Have a question for Off Panel? You can reach David by email or Bluesky.

Header photo is from Challengers Comics + Conversation in Chicago. Off Panel’s opening theme music is Vulfpeck’s “Outro,” used with permission from the band (and thanks from me for them doing so!), with the rest of the music being an original track by custom music agency Upright T-Rex Music, written and performed specifically for the podcast. A huge thanks to Ross and Cody from Upright T-Rex Music for putting the track together!