The market has become nearly saturated with actual-play podcasts, covering every genre imaginable from epic fantasy via Critical Role to John-Hughes-Meets-Fantasy from Fantasy High. There are homebrew games, pre-made campaigns, and even fundraiser games. But something which is unfortunately lacking is the niche that parents need the most: kid-friendly content produced at the highest quality for an adult audience. Enter I Cast Fireball, an podcast featuring complex characters, spectacular improve, and moving (and educational) character acting. Read on if you want to learn about the podcast that can teach your kids how to be better players by listening to their favorite game in a safe and ad-free environment.

What is I Cast Fireball?

I Cast Fireball is an ongoing D&D 5e actual-play podcast with 5 central actors. It is family friendly, ad-free, and an excellent example of the best parts of playing a game with your friends. The first season follows the Tyranny of Dragons adventure (with necessary adjustments based on story development). The second season (ongoing) is still D&D but is set in the Pathfinder adventure Skulls & Shackles, adjusted for 5e rules. The cast described the original intent as being a silly and fun pirate adventure, but just a few minutes into the show, the theme naturally grew more in-line with the characters they were playing, shifting tone to a more contemplative and thought-provoking story with a jaunty background to the world which makes their challenges and decisions feel that much more compelling.

Who are the Cast?

The first season (Tyranny of Dragons) features Thomas as the DM, Mickie as the Barbarian/Warlock Malamara, Jacob as the rogue Lancthalyn (Lance), and Ned the Druid/Cleric Fleeple. Joshua (Steak Attack!, The Titans of All’Terra) joins the cast as a Wizard named Ralph for a bit, too. In the second season, Thomas is still the DM, Mickie plays Lietenant Ignis the Fighter, Jacob plays Maximus the Ranger, Ned plays Ataraxia the Bard, and Joshua joins the cast as a full-time member playing the Wizard Buster. Each of the cast members brings something powerful and unique to the pod, through both expertise and content production.

Why Should You Listen?

• Production
• Story and Acting
• Game Play Clarity
• Healthy Role Models
• World-Class Improv

Production

I want to acknowledge the show’s spectacular production value, as it surpasses even many monetized podcasts both inside and outside the actual-play community. Mickie McMillan is an experienced theater production professional, with a history of technical, design, and management experience which rolled nicely into her role as editor of ICF. Early on, there was a more complicated editing process which eventually turned into the team giving Mickie full editorial control, and it’s some of the best audio I’ve ever had the pleasure to listen to. She is regularly referred to as an editorial wizard by her castmates, and is able to take even the messiest scenes and produce an intelligible dialog for the listener to follow.

Story and Acting

Importantly for any game podcast, the storytelling is spectacular. Thomas is an exemplary DM capable of rolling with the shenanigans of his players and weave them back into the adventure. The players themselves add to the story in their own ways, representing complex and interesting characters who feel almost as real as the actors. If nothing else, you know you’re going to get a spectacular listening experience. In fact, during the Council of Waterdeep episodes in season 1, I took notes for my home campaign to introduce new plothooks and options to my players because Thomas did so in such a compelling fashion, the players could reasonably have chosen nearly any course of action and still moved the story ahead.

When one looks to the gameplay of various podcasts, many fall heavily on one side or the other of the balance-beam of story vs. system, but this team seems to effortlessly walk that line. They regularly reference rules for clarity, while being willing to mildly bend them in the interest of story. They also have an improv-based dynamic which lends itself particularly well to natural and effortless storytelling. The story always moves on, and through the many episodes, I never felt like the story was floundering because the actors didn’t know how to move things along.

Healthy Role Models

Every table has conflict. Evil characters, differing opinions, and strong personalities all come into play even when you’re playing with your closest friends. For kids in particular, this can be difficult to navigate. But the cast of ICF do this so gracefully that I, as a mental health educator, could give very few notes to their characters about healthy and respectful behavior. In a recent episode, Ignis punches Max because he inadvertently insults her. Lance and Mickie, as actors, handle this gracefully in that episode, but the next episode was truly impressive. Max, having clearly touched a nerve, returns to Ignis once she has had a chance to calm down. Instead of any number of problematic responses Max could have had to being punched in the face, Max expresses a heartfelt desire to do better by Ignis, and to make sure that he’s able to be a better crewmate to her in the future. I cannot stress enough how I much I wish every fantasy-loving kid in the world could listen to this podcast to learn conflict resolution at all levels.

World-Class Improv

The original cast of ICF met in their college theater department. Thomas, Ned, and Jacob were part of an improv troupe, and Mickie was a sound designer for their production of Mary Stewart. Because of their long experience doing improv together, they are able to perform some of the best spontaneous storytelling I’ve had the pleasure of listening to. I’ve even gone back a number of times to listen to part of the story again because the acting was so compelling and interesting I just wanted to listen to it again.

The actors are so in-tune with each other that not only are they able to stay in character to tell the story through their characters’ viewpoint, but they are able to portray each others’ characters. In the latest season, Jacob delivers a eulogy through Max, as if it were written by Ataraxia (Ned’s character) who was necessarily absent for that scene. When we discussed that scene over a video call, Joshua called out that scene in particular as being completely improvised, but it was so well done that other actors at the table thought that Ned had written the eulogy for Jacob to read, when Jacob was actually improving the entire scene. It also happened to be one of the most touching fantasy eulogies I’ve ever had the privilege to experience.

What Makes ICF Special?

The best part of ICF is the natural chemistry and storytelling prowess of the group. I reached out to request an interview with a cast member and was delighted to have the opportunity to interview them as a group. The following summaries explore what each of the actors brings to the podcast, what their lives are like, and what ICF is to them from their personal perspective. Click on their names below for each bio.

Thomas Brower

 

 

The dad, Dungeon Master and human-wrangling Thomas is the brains behind the screen. He is also the game peddler who introduced Ned, Mickie, and Jacob to the TTRPG world through his Pathfinder games in years past. Though the podcast is the first time they all played at the same table, they each learned to play with Thomas, and their group rapport reflects that unity. Thomas works as a data scientist, but shared that he started ICF because he “wanted to actually finish a campaign”, which most DMs (and players) can relate to. He got his wish, as they are now on their second campaign, and their growing audience is a reflection of his ongoing excellence as an arbiter of rules and bringer of fun to the game.

Thomas truly captures the audience with his evocative descriptions, deft narratives, and subtle exposition that find a harmonious balance between telling the players about the world and bringing them into it. When talking about why he continues to produce ICF with the cast, he shared that he has a fundamental belief in the value of storytelling. The art of storytelling is one which has persisted and remained valuable for thousands of years. He finds it satisfying to tell a story, spread a message, and fulfill the inner yearning for story that everyone has, and it has kept him motivated to continue indefinitely, with no plans of wrapping the show up in the foreseeable future.

Mickie McMillan

Mickie is a theater professional and full-time mom. She is “110% in control” of the editorial process, which speaks to her own natural talent for storytelling. We have all heard podcasts or played at tables where the players make a chaotic mess of things, but that never comes through thanks to Mickie’s keen eye for detail, and talent for timing, sound effects, and narrative. She is able to expertly weave even disjoined conversations into a comfortable and natural listening experience. She added that keeping a game going long-term is a challenge for anyone, nodding enthusiastically to the quip “the highest CR monster is the calendar,” and expressed gratitude that the production of ICF helps them prioritize spending time together and keeping the game going.

Mickie also appears on bonus episodes with Jacob and Ned to discuss the nuances of the game. My favorite detail about Mickie as a player is that her character Ignis has an evil alignment, but it can be best described as evil-interesting, bucking the played-out trope of the evil-stupid thief who sabotages the game, instead bringing in different perspectives, and unique insights into character development through her portrayals. She’s the kind of player who writes dozens of pages of backstory to help her ground her characters and make them more real. This creative dedication shines through, and makes for some of the most interesting female characters I’ve seen at a table.

Jacob Rollins

Jacob is a dad, a player of mysterious and dangerous characters, and the host of Meet and Geek, ICF’s podcast-within-a-podcast which introduces players to the people who play Dungeons and Dragons, and gives listeners a chance to learn more about the cast. The transparency, modesty, and humility modelled in these bonus episodes demonstrate the kindness we all wish our kids would find at (and bring to) the table, helping to highlight their role as exceptional role models on the podcast. Jacob works as an assistant principal, a vital part in the educational system that serves his community.

While talking about the value of ICF to him personally, he shared that he finds it hard to make time for fun as an adult and parent. He also pointed out the value he gets out of playing with his friends: “It gives us an opportunity to practice listening. So much of the world is ‘say what you want, take my opinion or leave it.’ I have to listen to the other players to be able to be effective.” He also shared that he enjoys building on each others’ characters through their improvisational style, as listening sets each player up to help each other tell their stories. Jacob also joked that the show was sure to do “six seasons and a movie”, referencing the iconic scene from Community, stating that he was invested in continuing the podcast as long as everyone is still enjoying themselves.

Ned Wilcock

Ned is the only non-parent on the team, and is your quintessential forever-DM, so he jumped at the chance to play one of his signature “weird little guys” in a long-term campaign. Ned is also responsible for Crunch Squad, episodes which dig into the meat of character creation and utility. Ned is a professional graphic and visual designer who brings his creative mind to the table for every session. His encyclopedic knowledge of D&D 5e is a boon to both players and listeners of ICF, as he is able to offer clarity in even niche and bizarre situations. As a player, Ned is particularly gifted at seeing threads, picking them up, and fleshing out the world through exploration and curiosity. Some of the funniest moments in ICF come about because Ned as a player sees things and yes-ands everything in front of him.

When discussing the value of ICF to him as a player, Ned shared that he spends a lot of times in different systems for his other games (including ICF’s sister podcast Improv Tabletop), and when he finds an interesting system or rule in another game, the group is willing to include those things to increase the fun at the table. The Fate die, originally introduced by Ned from the Blades in the Dark’s “disclaim decision making” philosophy, has become so central to the groups gameplay that the concepts of chance and fate riegn supreme in their new sea-faring campaign. Ned shared that letting the die relieve the pressure of creative burden allows him to participate more fluidly in the game instead of being stuck trying to make a decision.

Joshua Lorimer

Long-time actual-play podcaster Joshua is a parent and award-winning professional podcast editor who participated in the OG actual-play Sneak Attack! before launching his own story via The Titans of All’Terra. Though the Titan pod has had some hiccoughs, he did share that they’ve just finished recording the series finale, so their many long-term fans who have stuck with them through countless disruptions are going to finally get the full story they’ve waited for for so long.

Originally slated to appear for three episodes as a guest in ICF’s first season, Joshua kept returning for “just one more” session until he’d recorded a significant story arc over 7 episodes. Unfortunately, the character Ralph was (as Joshua describes him) “not a character to stay”, and his tenure ended after 7 episodes. The chemistry in those recordings left a mark on both Joshua and the ICF podcast, leading to him joining the group as a full-time cast member for their second season. Joshua shared that he often feels like he’s working hard to “keep up,” but each of his castmates spoke to his natural storytelling, strong improv skills, and sense of humor which make him a natural fit.

The most compelling part of ICF as an actual-play podcast is the natural and effortless kindness, compassion, and love shared mutually around the table. The chemistry as actors is unmistakable, but the skill of friends at the table being able to be true to both themselves as people and to their characters is something most DMs wish they could see more of at the table. Every one of them is invested in making a good story, keeping it accessible to families, and taking care of their fans along the way.

TL;DR

I Cast Fireball is an ad-free and family-friendly actual-play D&D 5e podcast which features some of the kindest people in media today. Each member of the team brings years of experience in their field to the table, making the show a master-class of good storytelling for all ages. You can find them on the podcatcher of your choice, and you can follow them on Patreon, social media, and more through their Linktree.  Now go listen and share with your kids, already!

One of the problems of producing a fortnightly podcast is that you notice how fast life rolls around. (I’m sure Rob notices exactly the same with his ReRoll column). I barely feel like I’ve extricated all the scattergun commas from my last podcast post (which asked Does Warhammer Ruin Everything?) and now it’s time to write the next one. This week we’re talking about one of the biggest problems of being a tabletop gamer: Do we need quite so many boxes? aka “Stuff Happens!”

You’re Gonna Have to Face It, You’re Addicted to Stuff

It all started with a column by Ben Maddox in this month’s Tabletop Gaming Magazine. (It’s a UK publication that’s well worth a look if you’re into tabletop games and still have room in your reading schedule after consuming GeekDad’s smorgasbord of reviews.) The magazine has a monthly column called “Cardboard Manifesto,” which usually proposes a slightly controversial change to accepted board game practice. This month’s column was titled “No More Components Please!” 

A bold request! Yet Maddox sets out his stall well.

“It’s a dangerous proclivity. It’s a proclivity bordering on a habit. It’s a habit bordering on a dependency. It’s a dependency bordering on a catastrophic addiction. An addiction that will consume us all in fire. An addiction that will drown us all in the sea.

Stuff.”

The article then goes on to discuss the Kickstarter model, most commonly associated with CMON games, of paying significant sums of money for boxes and boxes of plastic. Plastic that often never sees the tabletop. The apex (or possibly nadir) of this phenomenon is the pictures you see on social media of people whose Kickstarter boxes stack to be taller than their new owner. It’s obscene (my observation) and unsustainable (the assertion of the column). 

Less Is More

The Kickstarter phenomenon taps into the great geek Achilles heal, FOMO. There’s something about getting “all the stuff” that is incredibly appealing. The online platform makes it even worse. You’re delaying your gratification but also delaying the practical problems of things like “Where am I going to put all these boxes?” If you were in a shop and somebody asked you for $350 in exchange for 2 meters of boxes, you’d probably think twice. Late at night, on your laptop screen staring at all those beautiful 3D renders, it’s so easy to click that buy button. We convince ourselves in the abstract that we WILL have time to play with all (or, more ludicrously, we will have time to paint it all). 

This is what Pete and I discuss on the podcast, as well as that unshakeable feeling that the next great game is out there; if you keep buying, you’ll eventually find it. Not only that, companies like Games Workshop just keep making make great models, and, again, “We wants them, precious!”

Not for nothing did we recently give the title to our fortnightly discussions, “The Shiny Games Round Up.” I’m terrible for looking at the shiny new stuff out there, rather than picking up what is on my shelf waiting to be played. I’m very good and convincing myself I can make time for games, despite many years of evidence to the contrary. 

Who Is Watching The Rings of Power?

Due to life being busy and the return to school, I haven’t had much opportunity to keep abreast of all the new announcements and releases, so not too much shiny stuff this episode to tempt me. Instead, Pete and I talked about The Rings of Power. It’s hard to judge on two episodes, but we’re remaining cautiously optimistic! In addition to that, we answer the question of which game would we most like to have with us on a desert island. Not Robinson Crusoe, that’s for sure! 

I do hope you enjoyed this week’s podcast. If you’re interested, Pete and I did meet up again this week to record an overview of War of the Ring: The Card Game. It’s a great homage to The Lord of the Rings and a well-implemented, competitive journey through Frodo’s epic quest.  

In this post, you’re going to be treated to not one but two helpings of the Agents of Sigmar podcast. After a hiatus due to illness, we recorded “Does Warhammer Ruin Everything?” Then after more illness (COVID-19) and more holiday, we recorded “Lore – Fact for Fiction?” on August 24th. Sit back, relax, and enjoy some double-agent pontification. You can expect random asides, terrible puns, and even the odd parenting tip!

Does Warhammer Ruin Everything? 

Whilst the first holiday (Pete’s) and a throat infection (Pete’s again—contracted on holiday) kept us away from the mic, an interesting series of videos popped up on YouTube. They asked whether the marketplace share of Warhammer is ruining the tabletop gaming hobby. More specifically, they lamented the fact that YouTube buries non-Warhammer tabletop gaming content under an avalanche of Games Workshop-related videos. 

Fellow UK-based content creator Blackjack Legacy gave an impassioned monologue about why he struggled to make his channel grow. He has tried to promote games he loves made by smaller companies such as Mantic Games, but when he does, they garner far fewer views. If, however, he makes his title clickbaity, like “Why XXXX is better than Warhammer,” the views go back up.  Even if you don’t put anything (or almost nothing) in the video about Warhammer, just by putting the W-word in your title, you can give yourself a ratings boost. You’ll feel dirty doing it, but it will work. 

This, of course, just feeds the algorithm and makes the problem worse. Off the back of Andy’s video, a few other content creators made similar videos. Some even go as far as to suggest that GW should be helping the other companies out a little by pointing out they’re not the only game shop in town. Whilst I can see this would be a nice thing to do, and might even have happened in the 1980s, much as Audi doesn’t tell you to take a look a BMWs and Apple doesn’t sing the praises of Android phones, it’s never going to happen. It’s naive to think it would or could in 2022. 

Pete and I at Agents of Sigmar are in the fortunate position that we’re not trying to make YouTube videos for a living. It must suck if you want to make a video about a game you’re passionate about but the algorithm won’t show it to anybody. Particularly if you’re trying to make a living doing it. Ultimately, though, this is just another demonstration of how we are beholden to our capitalist overlords. It would be nice to make art for art’s sake and get paid for doing so, but sadly market forces dictate what you’ll get paid for. 

For what they’re worth, Pete and I give our thoughts on the might of Warhammer and the gaming news of early August in episode 8 of our podcast. 

Lore: Fact or Fiction?

There have been lots of discussions, in certain quarters, this week about Tim Burton’s Addams Family-inspired series, Wednesday. Much of the conversation has been centered around the casting of Luis Guzmán as Gomez. Lots of people have decried the choice stating Guzman isn’t as dashing as Raul Julia, who made the role his own during the two ’90s adaptations. It’s unfaithful to the originals came the cry. This being the internet, there were plenty of people on hand to point out that Raul Julia’s Gomez was more based on the original TV Gomez, played by John Astin, whereas Guzmán’s Gomez was more like the original cartoon drawing by Charles Addams. 

Who is the real Gomez Addams? It probably depends on your age. 

“Lore” is a word that has taken on a deep significance in hobby fandoms in recent years. Fealty to the lore has become something with which to hang adaptations or new rulesets out to dry. It’s sadly used a lot for gatekeeping purposes. Marvel, Star Wars, and, on the eve of the release of The Rings of Power, Tolkien provoke huge debate and argument about the lore. It’s particularly bad since these behemoth franchises are often rooted in the culture of geeky white men. The seed change required to make them more accessible and diverse has spawned a staggering amount of vitriol. The rancor undoubtedly stems from a minority of fans, but it’s a very vocal minority. All too often there are people who seem to love hating the thing that they (purport to) love. 

Episode 9 came on the back of my summer holiday an outbreak of COVID in the Brooks household. Not much hobby had been going on. Nevertheless, we covered a host of topics including lack of hobby motivation, the new One D&D announcements, and the forthcoming War of the Ring card game from Ares Games. After that, we chat about which games we regret buying, and, finally, we discuss the perils of thinking that game lore is immutable. At the end of the day, changing the lore is a way to sell you more stuff. If Games Workshop can alter things to create Primaris marines or destroy the Old World, nothing is safe. Companies will change their stories in a heartbeat if doing so protects or promotes sales. It’s not personal, it’s business, and there’s little point in getting worked up about it. 

Hopefully in September things will get back on track. We have lots of exciting stuff coming up on Agents of Sigmar for the autumn, hopefully, you’ll come along fo the ride! 

If you want to check out more Agents of Sigmar podcasts, you can do so here. 

The idea from the discussion came because we continually end up with our Marvel Crisis Protocol tokens in a muddle. If you play in a confined space, lots of tokens on small cards can get confused. “Which fighter should this token be on?” I’m advancing in years now; if somebody asks me a question part way through the Power Phase, I can forget how far I got with my tokens and leave myself unsure as to who should have what. 

This sort of mistake, I imagine, is fairly common. Add into that games that allow modifiers, rerolls, or any number of other buffs and debuffs, wouldn’t it be better if there were a way to track everything in-game and get those niggly interactions correct every time? Surely, we could have an app for that? 

Apps would also be great for rules referencing and for companies to easily update errata and FAQs. This would avoid confusion and lessen the burden on players to keep themselves up to date with changes to games.

Who Doesn’t Want Better Stories?

Additionally, how great would it be if you were playing a narrative game and your app generated new objectives or problems to overcome for both players. Executed well, it could make for a much more absorbing and engaging experience. We discuss all this, as well as the pitfalls of using apps, in the podcast episode. 

There seems to be a reluctance to embrace technology, despite there being some excellent fan-built apps for all manner of games. Anybody who has played a deckbuilding game will know exactly what I’m talking about. Surely, though, apps would be a benefit to games companies too. They’re more than just a player aid.  

Crudely, they can be a way to promote new products—“You are playing with Asgardians in your MCP team. Look you can now buy these new Skurge and Heimdall models.” Games Workshop could use it to promote its Black Library novels that fit in with the particular army being played. This would work very well for the new Horus Heresy game. 

In a world where data is king, apps would allow companies to not only gather data on their customers’ preferences but they could also glean valuable information about the state of their game. Armies used, weapons taken, objectives chosen—all sorts of things. This data could then be used to refine and improve the gaming experience. 

We Can Do This All Day

As well as our main topic of conversation we also cover the latest gaming news (occasionally pinching a tidbit from Rob’s ReRoll column). In this episode, we discussed Atomic Mass Game’s announcements from its “Ministravganza” event. 

We’re going to see new models for Captain America and Red Skull, as well as the introduction of some Hydra grunts and the Human Torch (the original Jim Hammond incarnation, rather than the Fantastic Four iteration). There are also some cool models for Arnim Zola and the Howling Commandos coming too.

On the Star Wars side, there are the new “Battle Boxes,” perfect for people getting into the game, or those who want to shift in allegiance.

If you want to listen to what Pete and I had to say on all these topics and a whole lot more besides, please check out the episode and follow along, wherever you usually collect your podcasts. 

Anybody who has read my reviews on GeekDad for Games Workshop games will know that they usually come with a video or two from my other hobby project, “Agents of Sigmar,” a channel that features tabletop games presented by two casual and time-pressed gamers. Over at Agents of Sigmar, we’re always looking for ways to bring our terrible puns and half-baked gaming theories to a wider audience. We’ve often talked about it, and finally, the Agents of Sigmar Hobby Podcast is here! 

What Is the Agents of Sigmar Hobby Podcast?

The Agents of Sigmar Hobby Podcast was born out of our desire to talk! We used to do live chats on YouTube every Tuesday night, but during the latter stages of 2021, our enthusiasm—and therefore their popularity—waned. From the ashes of these chats has arisen this new podcast. We now meet up online, every two weeks, still on a Tuesday at 9.30 pm (UK time).

The show is streamed live on Twitch, but not everybody can make that, and we wanted to make our conversations more readily available to the world at large. A podcast felt like the right way to go. We have given our chats a much more structured format and a running time of 1 hour and 30 mins. The audio of these discussions is uploaded in podcast format and is available in all places you can find podcasts. (Or at least, so I believe, as I’m a podcast novice!)

What Topics Do We Cover?

One of the things we wanted to do with the podcast is talk about our hobby in more general terms. Where, in the past, the subject matter was heavily focused on Games Workshop, and in particular Warhammer Underworlds, 2022 has seen us trying to break out and play other games. We wanted to share these games and our experiences as both parents and gamers. 

So far, we have there are two full episodes available plus a few extra mini-episodes. Full episodes follow the same basic structure and will be released every two weeks. They start with a chat about what we’ve been up to, what games we’ve recorded, what we’re going to record next, community shout-outs, and a discussion of the models currently on our painting table. (They are legion!) After that, we move to our main topic of conversation, with each episode having a different theme. Episodes close out with some thoughts on books we’ve read or shows we watched, plus a lot of tongue-in-cheek unpopular opinions: “Models don’t have to be painted” or “Card sleeves are a scam,” that sort of thing.

Our mini-episodes see us discussing a particular game we’ve played or a snippet of gaming news that particularly caught our fancy. There will be no schedule to these and they’ll come as and when inspiration strikes.  

In the first episode, we ask “Why We Hobby?” What makes us devote much of our free time to painting miniatures and playing games? Why do we record it all for other people to watch?! (I don’t think the answer is “narcissism.”)

In episode two we look at hobby fatigue. What toll does a never-ending release cycle take on fans of games? This in part was inspired by my recent read of Ruth Ozeki’s The Book of Form and Emptiness. 

In future episodes, we might look at the popularity of Space Marines in the Warhammer universe or ask “Should games be more app-driven?” Who knows where we’ll go, but I do hope you’ll join us on the journey. Head GeekDad, Ken, has kindly said I can post each episode here on everybody’s favorite GeekParent website. So, look out for episode 3 in a couple of weeks’ time! Don’t forget, should you wish to follow live and contribute to the chat, you’ll find us on alternate Tuesdays at https://www.twitch.tv/agents_of_sigmar. You can also find the full podcast list here. 

If you are a GeekParent of a certain age then the word MEGO holds a special place in your heart. Since my grandmother purchased my first Mr. Spock Mego I have been a lifelong lover of the 8-inch cloth-covered figures that adorn the shelves and walls of my office. 

GeekDad was excited to be able to sit down with Paul Clarke the man known as Dr. Mego to discuss how things have been going since Mego’s return four years ago. Paul was also able to give us an amazing perspective on the business of action figure collecting in the modern era. He discusses some of the difficulties in licensing and selling popular characters and the frustration that COVID-19 has caused in the toy industry.

If you are a lover of retro toys and especially all things Mego I also recommend a trip to the Mego Museum which is a place I love to visit and submerge myself in the wonders of the toys from yesteryear!

If you’re a fan of Disney movies—specifically the animated ones from the 20th century—then there’s an exciting new podcast to check out. Once Upon a Disney analyzes original Disney movies from a screenwriting perspective. Screenwriters Andie Redwine and Larry Brenner, both graduates of the Spalding University Master of Fine Arts Screenwriting program (where Larry also teaches), have decided to share their insightful and delightful discussions and their shared love of Disney with the world. 

Full disclosure: I know Larry from my own time at Spalding, and met Andie (virtually of course) when they invited me to be a guest host on the show. Which means I’ve got the inside scoop on how this magic is made. And I must say, I had a blast geeking out. 

I chatted with Andie and Larry and asked them some questions to help readers know what to expect when the first episode drops on April 7th (with new episodes coming out weekly). Here’s everything you need to know about the Once Upon a Disney podcast.

Once Upon a Disney Interview: Larry Brenner and Andie Redwine

GeekMom Nivi: To borrow from your podcast, why today? What makes this podcast relevant and perfect to bring out now?

Larry: When Andie was getting her MFA at Spalding University, she wrote an extended critical essay about the protagonist function in Disney movies. I was her Screenwriting mentor, and we spent a lot of time having conversations about Disney movies which continued even after she graduated. But now, with the advent of Disney Plus, suddenly we had access to the whole library all at once, including some movies that we had previously had some difficulty tracking down. Since we were having these conversations ANYWAY, it seemed a shame to not put ourselves on the record and not share them with other people. It feels like everyone is rediscovering all of the classics, and it’s the right time to really breakdown these movies and analyze them.

GeekMom: What’s the origin story? How did this podcast idea come about?

Andie: Because of Larry’s mentorship, I presented my research at the Northeast Popular Culture Association’s annual conference. Lots of different facets of Disneyana were discussed, but I was the only person there with a screenwriting focus. I’ve been on a number of podcasts in the past, and my professional background involves production. When Larry and I kicked around the idea, it made a lot of sense. There are a lot of Disney podcasts out there, and there are some great story analysis podcasts, but we couldn’t seem to find one that married the two.

GeekMom: There are plenty of Disney scholars out there, plenty of theorists and experts. What makes you different (dare I say better?)? What do you bring to the discussion?

Larry Brenner: Andie and I are both screenwriters, and we’re both passionate about Disney. I don’t always approach movies as a positive movie-goer, but I always WANT to love Disney movies. And I think that when we’re analyzing them, we’re capable of appreciating the magic of those movies as well as critically appreciate the flaws. We both want to really go into the story and live there for a while.

Andie: Disney seems to have this secret sauce for how to create the perfect family film. As Larry said, we’re both big Disney fans, but it’s always interesting to think about why and how a story works. We approach each film as screenwriters, not film critics. I think it’s fun to bring screenwriting theory to a Disney film and see if we can notice any patterns or shifts in the Disney canon. Also, Larry’s pretty animated – he enjoys wondering about what choice was made in the film’s development and what other possibilities existed. I enjoy considering the historic context of the film and how certain stories landed with audiences at the time, particularly because of my belief that a screenwriter/filmmaker needs to know their audience.

GeekMom: How did you come up with the structure for this podcast?

Larry: Andie came up with the basic outline. The Protagonist’s Problem section comes directly from her academic paper, which she has presented at the Northeast Popular Culture conference. I think I was the one who suggested out “How would we do the sequel” feature as a fun little parlor game that lets Andie and I flex our creative muscles a little bit. I really love what we came up with.

Andie: I took the outline from the way in which Larry and I worked together during my graduate studies at Spalding University’s MFA in writing program. There’s definitely a literary quality to these films, and each week, we try to highlight one literary aspect that might help a listener think about their own work and constructs.

GeekMom: What do you hope your listeners learn from your podcast?

Larry: I think, if you’re a screenwriter listening to this podcast, your big takeaway should be about the mechanics of these movies. The early films in particular are often messy and would never have been created that way today. But you can learn SO MUCH from the mess, and the experiments that happen in creating the movie. And if you’re a Disney fan, Andie and I want to connect you to the movie in another way, really appreciate all the little details, as well as listen to some of our crazy theories about why things happen the way they do!

Andie: Early on, we got some great feedback from a podcast coach who suggested we create a podcast for one ideal listener. It became really clear we were creating the podcast we wanted to hear – we were those ideal listeners! We’ve got a lot of friends in academia and also in the film industry, so we thought it would be fun to get their feedback on our conversation and just have a lot of fun doing the work.

GeekMom: Where can we find you? How often will the episodes come out?

Andie: Once Upon a Disney Podcast – found where you find your podcasts – Apple, Spotify, etc. Starting April 7, 2021 – episodes will come out weekly! Follow the podcast on Facebook, and @LarryBrenner6 and @AndieRedwine on Twitter. 

So there you have it. If you’re ready to dig deep into Disney movies, looking at them from a screenwriting perspective, be sure to check out Once Upon a Disney. 

Click through to read all of “Once Upon a Disney Podcast Launches April 7, 2021” at GeekMom.If you value content from GeekMom, please support us via Patreon or use this link to shop at Amazon. Thanks!

How do you expand something that was already perfect?

Ask 
Damon Lindelof.

Jake + Mitch take a deep dive (finally) into perhaps the best comic inspired TV installment of recent memory, HBO’s Watchmen. More importantly, they try to figure out an original sequel to a masterpiece graphic novel could wind up being this good.

Along the way they tackle a few questions:

– Is Watchmen an era defining show?
– What do we make of the ‘Dr. Manhattan does love’ angle?
– Is this what perfect casting looks like?

They also dish on their all-time favorite shows and the importance of Alan Moore’s genius wizardry. Because that’s what happens when a show this good grabs your attention.

Be sure to give a listen, rate, and review!

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HOST: @Thatjakeowens + @MitchRoush

Remember, if you review us on Apple Podcasts with your name, we’ll shout you out on an episode. 

The MCU has returned, but this time on the small screen.

Jake + Mitch fire-up Disney+ and dive into the first two episodes of WandaVision. Because homage is a wonderful thing and this show is taking it to a whole new level. Plus, the guys hit a few notable fan theories along the way:

– What do we make of Wanda’s delusion?
– Will Kathryn Hahn be the low-key MVP?
– Could this be the gateway for Mutants to the MCU?

Delightful in every way and also not at all what it seems on the surface, it seems WandaVision has set the stage beautifully for what’s to come. We are stoked to see where it leads.

Be sure to give a listen, rate, and review!

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HOST: @Thatjakeowens + @MitchRoush

Remember, if you review us on Apple Podcasts with your name, we’ll shout you out on an episode. 

Well, we traveled back to the ’80s and a lot happened.

Jake + Mitch dish on the latest DCEU film, Wonder Woman 1984. Despite the whirlwind of Twitter noise surrounding the flick, the guys seek to answer one looming question: Is WW84 a good movie or a problematic one?

Because with the first installment setting the tone, expectations this time around were sky-high. Along the way they also hit a few key topics:

• Have Pedro Pascal + Kristen Wiig elevated comic book camp into an art form?
• Just how bad was Diana’s character regression?
• How will we view this movie three years later?

True to form, there’s never a shortage of stuff to unpack when the DC canon is involved. This one, amidst all the vibrant colors, had its fair share of issues too.

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HOSTS:  @Thatjakeowens + @MitchRoush

Remember, if you review us on Apple Podcasts with your name, we’ll shout you out on an episode. 

Because it’s time to re-shuffle the list.

Co-Host Mitch dives into the trend of updated rankings for the DC Extended Universe. Now that Wonder Woman 1984 is officially in our lives, for better or worse, some things had to change. Mitch makes the case for a three-tiered system and why the top two titles are unassailable.

Of course, Suicide Squad sits at the bottom, but how does the rest of the field shape-up?

That’s what makes it interesting.

Be sure to give a listen, rate, and review!

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HOSTS:  @Thatjakeowens + @MitchRoush

Remember, if you review us on Apple Podcasts with your name, we’ll shout you out on an episode. 

It’s judgement time.

Jake + Mitch dive into the realm Judge Dredd and all of his pulp action awesomeness. Because someone’s got to hold the great debate, right? With Stallone’s Judge Dredd and Urban’s Dredd serving as a perfect double-feature, the guys hit ask a few notable questions:

– Remember the Rob Schneider renaissance?
– How did makes Stallone’s flick achieve pulp perfection?
– Does Karl Urban capture the character best?
– What if Zack Snyder directed Dredd?

In true Watching Comics fashion, takes are had and random asides abound. But in the end, they land on the same side in selecting the best of the Judge Dredd flicks.

Be sure to give a listen, rate, and review!

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HOSTS:  @Thatjakeowens + @MitchRoush

Remember, if you review us on Apple Podcasts with your name, we’ll shout you out on an episode. 

More and more and more projects are coming!

Jake + Mitch try to make sense of all the announcements from Disney Investor Day. More specifically, they dish on the new projects they’re looking forward to most. Along the way they issue a few important questions:

• Can Jon Watts resurrect the Fantastic Four?
• Is the world ready for the Willow extended universe?
• Christian Bale + Thor 4 = perfect casting?
• Could Teyonah Parris be the MVP of Captain Marvel II?

In grand IP fashion, there’s no shortage of exciting stuff on the horizon. The guys are eager to see how it all shapes up. But most importantly, they’re ready for the Willow hive to rise-up and seize their moment.

Be sure to give a listen, rate, and review!

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HOSTS:  @Thatjakeowens + @MitchRoush

Remember, if you review us on Apple Podcasts with your name, we’ll shout you out on an episode. 

This has been a trying year for all of us, but Christmastime is here and so is all the requisite musical merriment! Sure, I may not be Santa Claus, but I am an out-of-shape, bearded elf, and in this economy, you take what you can get.

You can listen via the player below, download episode 111 directly, or subscribe to the RSS feed. Feliz Navidad!

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00:44 Bill McClintock – “South of Christmas”
04:42 Talking / Europaweite Aussichten – “Black Christmas”
05:24 Goto80 – “Last Christmas (Hot Digi Remix)”
07:50 Grim Christmas – “Jingle Bells”
09:34 Altered Crates – “Merry and Broken (feat. Scarface)” (content warning)
12:14 MisCast – “Run, Run Rudolph”
14:35 Tino Mashups – “Christmas in Crooklyn” (content warning)
18:02 More talking / Europaweite Aussichten – “Black Christmas”
18:47 The PDX Broadsides – “Santa’s Got a TARDIS”
20:50 5percentsoda & poplavor & KARUT – “First Snow of the Year (feat. UNI)”
24:08 MC Lars – “I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas (feat. Jaret Reddick)”
27:54 Doctor Octoroc – “Little Drummer Nemo”
28:43 Divide & Kreate – “Jingle Jane”
31:11 Even more talking / Europaweite Aussichten – “Black Christmas”
32:58 Kief Richards – “All the Right Holiday Drugs” (content warning)

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider donating to our Patreon. And don’t forget to check out the other shows available from the GeekDad Podcast Network.

Wonder Woman 1984 is hitting HBO Max and Christmas 2020 has been saved … or has it?

Jake + Mitch dive into the loaded conversation surrounding the innovative release model for the latest DC movie property. Excitement for the movie aside, it’s impossible to look at the landscape and not ask the daunting question:

What will this mean for the future of post-pandemic movie-going?

The guys share takes on the importance of cinema as an art form and a worthy industry to support. Along the way they discuss a few pain points:

• IP-driven “event movies” to blame for movie theatre struggles?
• Remember MoviePass?
• Just how successful will WW84 be?

Of course, there’s no clean answer to any of this … but the conversation persists. One thing is certain, however, the movie theatre industry will look different if it is going to survive.

Be sure to give a listen, rate, and review!

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HOSTS:  @Thatjakeowens + @MitchRoush

Remember, if you review us on Apple Podcasts with your name, we’ll shout you out on an episode. 

A true legend has left us.

Jake + Mitch discuss the near mythological career of the late Sir Sean Connery. Whether it be the definitive 007, a late-career action star, a nuanced leading man, an Oscar winner, or a pop-culture icon—the man accomplished what few ever could… he accomplished it all.

Along the way they also re-visit a not-so-bright-spot on Mr. Connery’s career as they break down, The League of Extra Ordinary Gentlemen. More specifically they ask:

– Why didn’t Justice League for English majors work?
– Did Connery save it?
– Whatever happened to Stephen Norrington?

Every icon has a flop or two, but LXG ultimately ends-up as evidence to the power of Connery’s star power. The man was simply unmatched.

Be sure to give a listen, rate, and review!

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HOSTS:  @Thatjakeowens + @MitchRoush

Remember, if you review us on Apple Podcasts with your name, we’ll shout you out on an episode. 

This edition of the podcast—in addition to arriving a little later than I’d’ve liked—is a bit of an odd duck. It’s cobbled together from bits and pieces of other shows I tried to make during our summer quarantine that never quite came together.

The result is alternately grim and thoughtful and kinda goofy, which, all things considered, seems like a pretty fair representation of 2020 as a whole.

You can listen via the player below, download episode 110 directly, or subscribe to the RSS feed. At least we’re alive.

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00:44 Doctor Popular – “It’s a Quarantine Thing (feat. Mega Ran)”
04:17 Talking / Whitely – “Shimmer”
05:19 Mega Ran – “Pronoun Throwdown”
06:02 William Maranci – “Curl of the Burl But It’s Sexyback by Justin Timberlake” (content warning)
09:50 Dethlehem – “Prelude – As Fate Would Have It” / “A Tale That Time Forgot” (content warning)
17:41 Math the Band – “Duel of the Deer”
20:53 More talking / Whitely – “Shimmer”
22:28 Kief Richards – “Imagine”
25:17 Alpha Chrome Yayo – “Broken Sleep of the Clockmaker”
28:43 Bill McClintock – “Bad Mother”
32:38 Malibu Shark Attack! – “The People Could Fly”
36:43 Even more talking / Whitely – “Shimmer”
39:09 Chokeules – “Eat the Rich” (content warning)

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider donating to our Patreon. And don’t forget to check out the other shows available from the GeekDad Podcast Network.

Jake + Mitch dive into the last six episodes of Umbrella Academy season two. With Vanya’s amnesia colliding with her self-discovery, Diego and Lila’s toxic love, the Handler’s dastardly deeds, and a slew of surprises, this season held nothing back. So, what are the biggest takeaways?

• Could season two be the best of the bunch?
• Did Kate Walsh take home the MVP award?
• What do we make of Number Five, perfectly crafted character or over the top?

Tasked with stopping yet another apocalypse, UA seems to have found the secret sauce to character study in between zany music queues. Overall, the rest of the season brought the goods and then some.

But one question remains: What secrets will season three hold?

Be sure to give a listen, rate, and review!

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HOSTS:  @Thatjakeowens + @MitchRoush

Remember, if you review us on Apple Podcasts with your name, we’ll shout you out on an episode.

Do you remember the 5th of November?

Jake + Mitch (finally) dive into one of the finest comic book flicks of recent memory, V for Vendetta. Fifteen years later and the film still feels fresh and timely. But even thru all deserved critical acclaim and cult status, there are still a few key facets worth unpacking.

– Is V for Vendetta the Good Will Hunting of comic book movies?
– Could Natalie Portman be the MVP?
– Who does this movie belong to?: The Wachowski Sisters or James McTeigue

A bold, stunning, and herculean film all-in-all; the guys ultimately share the lukewarm take that V delivers the goods. Also along the way, Mitch recalls tales from high school dating and Jake shares the brief history of his baldness.

Be sure to rate, review, and give a listen!

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HOSTS:  @Thatjakeowens + @MitchRoush

Remember, if you review us on Apple Podcasts with your name, we’ll shout you out on an episode.

The Watching Comics Pod is back with another installment of…

IMPOSSIBLE QUESTIONS

Attempting to answer daunting questions, or at least revisiting something we may have underestimated. Quick takes, sharp focus, and endless Twitter-blasting potential.

Co-host Mitch shares his thoughts on an overlooked mid-’80s flick and where it ultimately stands in the landscape of comic book cinema:

Is Superman IV: The Quest for Peace a good movie or a bad movie?

In a few quick minutes, Mitch shares why simply deeming this movie “bad” may not be fair. He argues it may be more a question of: “How do we compare comic book movie eras?” Because, in the end, Superman deserves better.

Be sure to rate, review, and give a listen!

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HOSTS:  @Thatjakeowens + @MitchRoush

Remember, if you review us on Apple Podcasts with your name, we’ll shout you out on an episode.