Great Big Beautiful Podcast – GeekDad https://geekdad.com Raising Geek Generation 2.0 Thu, 23 May 2019 17:36:46 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://geekdad.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/cropped-GeekDad-Logo-Square-Template-03172016-1024-32x32.png Great Big Beautiful Podcast – GeekDad https://geekdad.com 32 32 112159555 GBBP 218: Evangeline Lilly https://geekdad.com/2019/05/gbbp-218-evangeline-lilly/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gbbp-218-evangeline-lilly Fri, 24 May 2019 12:00:14 +0000 https://geekdad.com/?p=333052

The Great Big Beautiful Podcast, Episode 218: Evangeline Lilly

You can find us online at www.thegbbpodcast.com! You can listen on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Stitcher, and YouTube; you can follow the RSS feed; or you can listen right here!

[powerpress]

Talk to Evangeline Lilly for more than three minutes, and one thing becomes remarkably clear. She’s positively overflowing with stories she wants to tell, and Hollywood isn’t necessarily where she wants to tell them. So when you sit down with her for nearly an hour, as we do this week, the insight is profound. (Portions of our conversation from this episode appeared on SYFY Wire right here. Do check it out.)

Perhaps best known for her roles as Kate Austen (Lost), Tauriel (The Hobbit), and Hope Van Dyne/Wasp (Ant-Man and the Wasp), Lilly nevertheless sees herself as a writer with a fantastic day job. And the stories that mean the most to her are those that skew close to the brutal truths of life and don’t pull any punches. Stories that are true to life but still show a path toward redemption. Crack open the first book in her children’s series, The Squickerwonkers: The Prequel, and you’ll see what I mean.

Illustrated by WETA Workshop conceptual designer Johnny Fraser-Allen, the book is dark, clever, creative, and emotional. And there’s nary a “happily ever after” in sight. The book ends on an unquestionable downbeat of a cliffhanger that sets up the second book, Act I: The Demise of Selma the Spoiled (out this month from Quiet Cocoon and illustrated by Rodrigo Bastos Didier). Audiobooks—which Lilly narrates—for these and the next two books in the series (The Demise of Lorna the Lazy and The Demise of Andy the Arrogant) are also available now.

Fans of A Series of Unfortunate Events or Edward Gorey will quickly pick up on the mood Lilly is going for here. The Squickerwonkers books embrace and are honest about the flaws we all have. They shine a spotlight on human frailty and say, “It’s OK not to be perfect.” And that honesty is even more critical because the books are for children.

Young readers should be exposed to the world as it is. Presenting kids exclusively with teddy bears, rainbows, and happily-ever-afters does them a massive disservice. For many kids, these sweet stories simply don’t resonate with their reality. If we never tell our kids that it’s OK to fail or have flaws, then their unrealistic expectations—and anxieties—about the world and themselves balloon and quickly get out of control.

On this episode, we chat about The Squickerwonkers, living with this story since she was 14, acting versus writing, The Hobbit, and her place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Connect:

]]> 333052 GBBP 217: Lamar Giles https://geekdad.com/2019/05/gbbp-217-lamar-giles/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gbbp-217-lamar-giles Fri, 17 May 2019 15:00:34 +0000 https://geekdad.com/?p=332497

The Great Big Beautiful Podcast, Episode 217: Lamar Giles

You can find us online at www.thegbbpodcast.com! You can listen on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Stitcher, and YouTube; you can follow the RSS feed; or you can listen right here!

[powerpress]

Welcome back! This week, we’re chatting with author Lamar Giles about his newest book, The Last Last Day of Summer, and the brand-new Versify imprint it’s helping launch. Versify is the brainchild of Kwame Alexander, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is giving him an open door to personally acquire and publish authors and stories that “celebrate the lives and reflect the possibilities of all children.”

In many ways, the launch titles themselves reflect the diversity that drives the imprint’s mission. Versify launched this spring with two picture books, a middle-grade book, and a YA novel.

And it’s that middle-grade book that we’re talking about today. Lamar Giles has written several YA books (Fake ID, Overturned, Spin), and The Last Last Day of Summer is his first go at middle-grade fiction. And he knocks it out of the park.

On this episode, we chat about The Last Last Day of Summer (and its unique twists), Versify, We Need Diverse Books (he’s a co-founder), Hong Kong, LEGO obsessions, and Grumpy Cat.

Connect:

]]> 332497 GBBP 216: Alan Oppenheimer https://geekdad.com/2019/05/gbbp-216-alan-oppenheimer/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gbbp-216-alan-oppenheimer Fri, 10 May 2019 13:00:52 +0000 https://geekdad.com/?p=332037

The Great Big Beautiful Podcast, Episode 216: Alan Oppenheimer

You can find us online at www.thegbbpodcast.com! You can listen on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Stitcher, and YouTube; you can follow the RSS feed; or you can listen right here!

[powerpress]

I know I say this a lot, but this week was a real thrill for me. As part of the research and work I did for my oral history of Filmation’s He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, I had the opportunity to sit down with several people who were involved with the show. And beginning this week, I’m going to bring a few of those conversations to you.

This week, my conversation with Skeletor himself: the one and only Alan Oppenheimer! If Alan’s career only included his work on He-Man and She-Ra (where he also played Man-at-Arms, Cringer/Battle Cat, and Mer-Man) and The Neverending Story (Falkor, G’Mork), his reputation as a legend would’ve been secure.

But he was involved with so much else. If you grew up in the ’80s and watched any cartoons, odds are you heard his voice more than you know. He had regular roles on The Smurfs (he was Vanity Smurf), Transformers, Wuzzles, The Original Ghostbusters, Centurions, Rambo, Bionic Six, BraveStarr, and so many more.

He’s also had a long and impressive theater, TV, and film career away from animation. He’s become a fixture at pop culture conventions across the country. And he’s still going strong!

On this episode, we chat about his early career, The Neverending Story, a soup-to-nuts discussion of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, and that show’s enduring legacy.

Connect:

]]> 332037 GBBP 215: Ronald L. Smith https://geekdad.com/2019/03/gbbp-215-ronald-l-smith/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gbbp-215-ronald-l-smith Thu, 21 Mar 2019 12:00:33 +0000 https://geekdad.com/?p=328109

The Great Big Beautiful Podcast, Episode 215: Ronald L. Smith

You can find us online at www.thegbbpodcast.com! You can listen on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Stitcher, and YouTube; you can follow the RSS feed; or you can listen right here!

[powerpress]

This week, things are gettin’ creepy as we talk to author Ronald L. Smith. Smith has a knack for imbuing his middle grade fiction with a little bit of that “X-Files vibe.” And that dark, mysterious sensibility is certainly on display in his newest book, The Owls Have Come to Take Us Away, which is about a young kid who’s convinced he’s been abducted by aliens.

But all of his books have a certain twinge of magic. Of the unknown. His books are perfect for young readers interested in exploring the world of horror or the paranormal – but within relatively “safe” parameters.

Smith burst onto the scene with his debut novel Hoodoo, which won the 2016 Coretta Scott King New Author Award. In the years since, he’s put out The Mesmerist and Black Panther: The Young Prince. (Check out my review of the latter book here.)

On this episode, we talk about growing up as a military brat, why bullying recurs as a theme throughout his books, the role of adults in kids’ stories, playing in the Marvel sandbox, and Baltimore.

Connect:

]]> 328109 GBBP 214: Tom Angleberger https://geekdad.com/2019/03/gbbp-214-tom-angleberger/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gbbp-214-tom-angleberger Thu, 14 Mar 2019 12:00:17 +0000 https://geekdad.com/?p=327575

The Great Big Beautiful Podcast, Episode 214: Tom Angleberger

You can find us online at www.thegbbpodcast.com! You can listen on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Stitcher, and YouTube; you can follow the RSS feed; or you can listen right here!

[powerpress]

This week, we welcome back one of our favorite guests: Tom Angleberger!

Tom was actually one of our very first guests, WAY BACK on Episode 23. He was also the first guest to come back for a second appearance (with fellow Star Wars authors Alexandra Bracken and Adam Gidwitz on Episode 33). And now he’s the first to hit another milestone: the threepeat!

On this episode, I’m joined by Meg Humphrey to geek out about Tom’s criminally underappreciated The Mighty Chewbacca in the Forest of Fear. And the 10th anniversary of Origami Yoda. And what else he’s got up his sleeve. Buckle up!

Connect:

]]> 327575 GBBP 212: Hena Khan https://geekdad.com/2019/02/gbbp-212-hena-khan/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gbbp-212-hena-khan Fri, 22 Feb 2019 14:00:53 +0000 https://geekdad.com/?p=325640

The Great Big Beautiful Podcast, Episode 212: Hena Khan

You can find us online at www.thegbbpodcast.com! You can listen on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Stitcher, and YouTube; you can follow the RSS feed; or you can listen right here! [powerpress]
This week, we’re talking to author Hena Khan, whose book Amina’s Voice was one of the launch titles for Simon & Schuster’s Salaam Reads imprint. (You can check out my review of that book here.) She’s also written a series of middle-grade books about Zayd Saleem—“Chasing the Dream”—a 4th grader with dreams of basketball stardom, a few board books that spotlight Muslim traditions, and even a book starring Curious George (It’s Ramadan, Curious George)! On this episode, we talk to Khan about getting attached to Salaam Reads, using her and her children’s experiences as a foundation for her books, recognizing the differences between those experiences, and telling diverse stories where the characters aren’t being marginalized or overcoming dramatic adversity—they’re just being kids. Oh, and we also talk about Spain and Skor toffee bits.
Connect: ]]> 325640 GBBP 211: Rhett Miller https://geekdad.com/2019/02/gbbp-211-rhett-miller/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gbbp-211-rhett-miller Fri, 15 Feb 2019 17:00:06 +0000 https://geekdad.com/?p=324978

The Great Big Beautiful Podcast, Episode 211: Rhett Miller

You can find us online at www.thegbbpodcast.com! You can listen on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Stitcher, and YouTube; you can follow the RSS feed; or you can listen right here! [powerpress]
This week, we’re talking children’s poetry through the lens of rock and roll, baby! We welcome Rhett Miller, lead singer of the Old 97s, to the show to talk about his new book of, yep, children’s poetry! As if he weren’t busy enough with a solo album out a few months ago (The Messenger), a brand-new podcast (Wheel’s Off), and constantly touring (solo and with the Old 97s), his new book of kid’s poetry—No More Poems!—is due out March 5. The poems themselves are hilarious; I won’t lie. But the art is also by the incomparable Dan Santat, which elevates this book to another level entirely. If you’re a fan of dark, twisted humor in the vein of Shel Silverstein, there’s a LOT to love here. So many of the poems had us literally laughing out loud. On this episode, we talk about Miller’s path from the proverbial “sex, drugs, and rock and roll” to children’s poetry, fart jokes and dark humor, whether songwriting is a form of poetry, hooking up with Dan Santat for No More Poems!, and fatherhood. He also reads us one of the poems from the book—one of the BEST poems—“Brotherly Love.”
Connect: ]]> 324978 GBBP 210: Robin Cook https://geekdad.com/2019/02/gbbp-210-robin-cook/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gbbp-210-robin-cook Fri, 01 Feb 2019 16:00:12 +0000 https://geekdad.com/?p=323722

The Great Big Beautiful Podcast, Episode 210: Robin Cook

You can find us online at www.thegbbpodcast.com! You can listen on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Stitcher, and YouTube; you can follow the RSS feed; or you can listen right here! [powerpress]
We’re gettin’ nerdy this week, people! We’re donning our lab coats and venturing into a scientific conversation we have no business discussing: CRISPR/Cas9. Which is why we brought in the brain trust—i.e., Kishore Hari, science guru over at Tested.com and host of the Inquiring Minds podcast. We start off with a bit of context and discuss what CRISPR/Cas9 actually is. What’s the basic science behind the technology and process, how does it work, what’s its promise, and what are its dangers? We also touch on recent, very real-world events in which Chinese scientist He Jiankui announced that he had used the technology to genetically modify a pair of twin girls. We then talk to author Robin Cook, whose newest novel, Pandemic, is a thriller about the unintended side effects caused by genetic engineering and the CRISPR technology. Throughout his career, Cook has had an uncanny ability to be incredibly timely with his novels. Pandemic is no different. We talk to Cook about how the black market in human organs (a theme in Pandemic) has changed in the 40 years since he wrote Coma, why it wasn’t much of a surprise that someone used CRISPR/Cas9 to genetically modify humans, where we go from here, the continuing ignorance about vaccines, and how medicine and public health will change over the next generation.
Connect: ]]> 323722 GBBP 209: Gary Whitta & Darick Robertson https://geekdad.com/2019/01/gbbp-209-gary-whitta-darick-robertson/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gbbp-209-gary-whitta-darick-robertson Thu, 24 Jan 2019 13:00:27 +0000 https://geekdad.com/?p=323081

The Great Big Beautiful Podcast, Episode 209: Gary Whitta & Darick Robertson

You can find us online at www.thegbbpodcast.com! You can listen on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Stitcher, and YouTube; you can follow the RSS feed; or you can listen right here! [powerpress]
This week, we’re marking the release of Oliver #1 with the creative team responsible for bringing this hopeful dystopia to life. Gary Whitta first wrote the story as a screenplay nearly a decade ago, and together with artist Darick Robertson, they’ve finally brought the story to a 12-issue run with Image Comics. (If you missed it, check out our previous chat with Gary from four years ago!) The first issue is out this week, so do yourself a favor and get in on the ground floor of this one. You won’t be sorry. On this episode, we talk about the seeds of Oliver and how it changed over the years, whether post-apocalyptic stories have an expiration date (in an era when they’re beginning to not feel very fantastical), and why “hopepunk” is the next big thing.
Connect: ]]> 323081 GBBP 208: J.C. Cervantes https://geekdad.com/2019/01/gbbp-208-j-c-cervantes/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gbbp-208-j-c-cervantes Fri, 18 Jan 2019 17:00:26 +0000 https://geekdad.com/?p=322521

The Great Big Beautiful Podcast, Episode 208: J.C. Cervantes

You can find us online at www.thegbbpodcast.com! You can listen on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Stitcher, and YouTube; you can follow the RSS feed; or you can listen right here! [powerpress]
This week, we’re entering the world of myth. The mythological world of the Maya gods, to be exact. J.C. Cervantes is the author of The Storm Runner, which is one of the debut titles in the Rick Riordan Presents imprint of books that explore the world’s mythologies. In addition to The Storm Runner, the imprint also explores Hindu myths (with Roshani Chokshi’s Aru Shah and the End of Time and its sequel), Korean mythology (with Yoon Ha Lee’s Dragon Pearl), and a Cuban-tinged sci-fi adventure (with Carlos Hernandez’s Sal and Gabi Break the Universe, due out in March). If you’re interested in learning more, be sure to check out our interview with Yoon Ha Lee over here. In short, Riordan is using his considerable platform to explore the world’s timeless stories, written by authors who represent or identify with the respective cultures. And that’s awesome. Cervantes is also the author of Tortilla Sun and the forthcoming sequel to The Storm Runner, which is scheduled to release this fall: The Fire Keeper. On this episode, we chat about The Storm Runner, coming in on the ground floor of the Rick Riordan Presents imprint, underdog stories, mythology, writing for young readers, and reading backward.
Connect: ]]> 322521 GBBP 207: Chuck Wendig https://geekdad.com/2019/01/gbbp-207-chuck-wendig/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gbbp-207-chuck-wendig Wed, 09 Jan 2019 13:30:47 +0000 https://geekdad.com/?p=321633

The Great Big Beautiful Podcast, Episode 207: Chuck Wendig

You can find us online at www.thegbbpodcast.com! You can listen on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Stitcher, and YouTube; you can follow the RSS feed; or you can listen right here! [powerpress]
Happy New Year! Welcome back to the podcast, and welcome to 2019! We’re ringing in the new year the best way we know how: with awesome conversations. And one of the most awesome I’ve had recently with none other than Chuck Wendig. Star Wars fans know Wendig well for his Aftermath trilogy and his graphic novel adaptation of The Force Awakens. He also had a story in the stellar From a Certain Point of View and ALMOST wrote the Shadow of Vader limited series for Marvel (which is a whole other story). But he’s so much more than just Star Wars. He’s authored some 20 novels, including the Miriam Black series, the Heartland trilogy, Zeroes, Invasive, and many more. He’s also figured out the whole Twitter thing. He not only used it to land his Star Wars gig, but he somehow managed to turn a series of tweets (with Sam Sykes) into a movie! Plus, he’s an heirloom apple fanatic. What’s not to love? Prolific on the page, vocal online, and just a damn fine gentleman, I can think of no better way to kick of 2019. Enjoy! And Happy New Year!
Connect: ]]> 321633 GBBP 203: Greg Weisman https://geekdad.com/2018/11/gbbp-203-greg-weisman/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gbbp-203-greg-weisman Thu, 29 Nov 2018 15:00:33 +0000 https://geekdad.com/?p=318645

The Great Big Beautiful Podcast, Episode 203: Greg Weisman

You can find us online at www.thegbbpodcast.com! You can listen on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Stitcher, and YouTube; you can follow the RSS feed; or you can listen right here!

[powerpress]

This week, we welcome back Greg Weisman to the show. LONG-TIME listeners might remember Greg from WAY BACK on Episode 5, when we had no idea what we were doing. Greg is a writer and producer primarily known for his work in comic books and animation. He is the creator of the legendary Disney Afternoon show Gargoyles, producer of The Spectacular Spider-Man and Young Justice, executive producer on Star Wars Rebels, and author of two novels (so far) in the Rain of the Ghosts series.

This episode spun out of a story I did for SYFY Wire that was an oral history of Gargoyles. For that story, I talked to Greg, Jonathan Frakes (Xanatos), Keith David (Goliath), and Carl Johnson (composer). Much of my conversation with Greg made it into that piece, but I wanted to bring you guys our complete, unfiltered conversation – which is more than an hour of Gargoyles greatness. Call it an early end-of-the-year present. You’re welcome.

Connect:

]]> 318645 GBBP 202: Dav Pilkey https://geekdad.com/2018/11/gbbp-202-dav-pilkey/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gbbp-202-dav-pilkey Thu, 22 Nov 2018 15:00:59 +0000 https://geekdad.com/?p=317879

The Great Big Beautiful Podcast, Episode 202: Dav Pilkey

You can find us online at www.thegbbpodcast.com! You can listen on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Stitcher, and YouTube; you can follow the RSS feed; or you can listen right here!

[powerpress]

This week, we chat with Dav Pilkey about Dog Men, Captains Underpants, and more! That’s right; the author/artist/creator behind the Captain Underpants phenomenon swings by our little corner of the Internet.

The Adventures of Captain Underpants burst onto the scene way back in 1997. Since then, the series has spawned 11 sequels, several spin-offs, a feature film adaptation, an animated series on Netflix, and a genuine worldwide phenomenon. And one of those spin-off series has itself become a runaway success. The Dog Man series is now five books strong and showing no signs of slowing down. And in my house? The kids are obsessed with them.

On this episode, I talk to Dav about the artistic choices he makes in his books, his own struggles with becoming a reader as a kid, “boys books” versus “girls books,” why graphic novels still have a stigma attached to them, and how he and Raina Telgemeier have exploded the mainstream success of the medium beyond all expectations.

Connect:

]]> 317879 GBBP 201: Peter Beagle (+ Giveaway!) https://geekdad.com/2018/11/gbbp-201-peter-beagle-giveaway/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gbbp-201-peter-beagle-giveaway https://geekdad.com/2018/11/gbbp-201-peter-beagle-giveaway/#comments Wed, 07 Nov 2018 15:00:59 +0000 https://geekdad.com/?p=316480

The Great Big Beautiful Podcast, Episode 201: Peter Beagle

You can find us online at www.thegbbpodcast.com! You can listen on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Stitcher, and YouTube; you can follow the RSS feed; or you can listen right here!

[powerpress]

This week, we have the one and only Peter Beagle on the show. Sometimes, we even impress ourselves. Peter is of course the author of The Last Unicorn. Though he has written many other books, it’s this classic that cemented his place among the greatest living fantasy authors.

Originally published in 1968, The Last Unicorn is a fantasy novel about a unicorn who thinks she is the last of her kind and sets out on a quest to discover what happened to the other unicorns. Along the way, she teams up with the magician Schmendrick, gets attacked by the demon Red Bull, becomes human, falls in love, attacks the villainous King Haggard, and saves the kingdom. Not only is it a classic work of fantasy literature, but the 1982 Rankin-Bass animated film solidified its place in popular culture and became a classic for the 80s generation. In 2011, the story came back in yet another form when IDW published the graphic novel version. If you’ve not taken a look at that, you’re really missing out. It’s stunning. Every page is breathtaking. It was adapted by Peter Gillis and stunningly illustrated by Renae De Liz.

This episode is a delight. Peter is a master storyteller and draws from an incredible life to keep you spellbound from beginning to end. If you’re interested in the film Peter mentions toward the end of the episode – The Greatest Thing That Almost Happened – it’s available (somewhat dubiously) on YouTube here. And his time in the Questions from a Kid spotlight with Zoey is here.

On this episode, Shiri and I talk to Peter about his early career, writing and selling A Fine and Private Place, the legacy of The Last Unicorn, why unicorns are so compelling, why he’s returned to the story numerous times over the years, and his other recent work.

Finally, Tachyon Publications has graciously given us a SIGNED hardcover copy of the The Last Unicorn: The Lost Journey for one lucky listener. Enter with the widget over on the GBBP site or by visiting this link. We’ll draw a winner at random sometime before the end of November. Good luck!

Connect:

]]> https://geekdad.com/2018/11/gbbp-201-peter-beagle-giveaway/feed/ 2 316480 GBBP 200: Dominique Tipper https://geekdad.com/2018/11/gbbp-200-dominique-tipper/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gbbp-200-dominique-tipper Thu, 01 Nov 2018 13:00:44 +0000 https://geekdad.com/?p=315937

The Great Big Beautiful Podcast, Episode 200: Dominique Tipper

You can find us online at www.thegbbpodcast.com! You can listen on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher, and YouTube; you can follow the RSS feed; or you can listen right here!

[powerpress]

Welcome, ladies and gents, to Episode 200! Happy anniversary to us! When we began this weird little show about four years ago, I don’t think I ever realistically thought I’d be here to see 200 episodes. But here we are, and stronger than ever! And I could think of no better way to celebrate than with Dominique Tipper!

Tipper currently anchors an absolutely amazing cast on The Expanse, which is making the jump over to Amazon Prime for its fourth season. As Naomi Nagata, she not only leads one of the best sci-fi shows ever made but also is the most prominent face in a show that excels at presenting a world (or galaxy) populated by people who represent the true diversity of our own world. For fans of the books and show, do check out our conversation with authors Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck and Shiri’s chat with Cas Anvar (Alex Kamal).

On this episode, Shiri and I break out the hard-hitting journalistic questions and get to the root of her obsession with stationery. We also talk about her early proclivity toward performing, her music and dance career, her first audition and role, breaking into the Hollywood scene from abroad, working on The Expanse, and why the role of Naomi is so important.

Connect:

]]> 315937 GBBP Extra 17: ‘Halloween’ https://geekdad.com/2018/10/gbbp-extra-17-halloween/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gbbp-extra-17-halloween Tue, 30 Oct 2018 19:00:33 +0000 https://geekdad.com/?p=315711

The Great Big Beautiful Podcast, Extra Episode 17: Halloween

You can find us online at www.thegbbpodcast.com! You can listen on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher, and YouTube; you can follow the RSS feed; or you can listen right here!

[powerpress]

**THIS EPISODE COMES WITH A SPOILER WARNING FOR THE ENTIRE HALLOWEEN FRANCHISE**

Welcome to the Big Dumb Thing. This year, I made the incredibly awesome/unwise decision to take care of a pop culture blind spot that’s been plaguing me for a while now. Regarding the Halloween franchise, I’d only ever seen the original, John Carpenter classic. Therefore, as this month saw the return of Michael Myers and Jamie Lee Curtis in the newest installment – 40 years after the original – AND it happens to be October, the month of Halloween, this all seemed to make sense. At the time.

There’s something amazing about huge, unwieldy movie franchises. I’m talking about series that go north of five or six installments. They have staying power, even though practically no one cares about “canon,” story continuity, or logic. (I mean, Star Wars and maybe Star Trek are clear exceptions to that, but let’s set them aside for now.)

Many of these franchises are found in horror – Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Alien, Predator, Saw – but they certainly exist in other genres as well. Planet of the Apes, James Bond, Rocky, Batman, Mission: Impossible, The Terminator. . . the list goes on and on.

Each of them has a certain something that helps it stand out and sustain so many films over so many years. It might a down-on-his-luck boxer with a heart of gold. It might be a wisecracking serial killer who haunts your dreams. It might be a killer robot turned savior turned governator.

Whatever it is, it worked. And the movie made money. And what works once is guaranteed to work seven or eight times, right? Well, maybe not, but that’s a standard Hollywood maxim in any case. So, as it’s October and Halloween (2018) is making a killing at the box office, it makes sense to go back and take a look at the ridiculously strong Halloween franchise. How strong? Well, it’s survived 11 movies, 40 years, 5 reboots/separate timelines, and more “dead” Michael Myerseses than you can count.

Over on The Roarbots, I was joined by Shiri Sondheimer (who has never seen ANY of them) to watch all 11 films in the franchise. Preston Burt also swung by for a few films (the better ones) in the series. We watched together and commented on the film in a private Slack channel. You can catch up on our snark for the first 10 films over there.

However, since the newest film is still in the theaters, we thought this format was a wiser choice. On this episode, Shiri, Preston, and I recap the entire Halloween franchise, gab about the new film, rank all 11 films, and share our lists of Top 10 Lessons Learned. And trust me, you’ll want to stick around to the end when I act out various lines of dialogue from the films for Shiri and Preston to guess the character and film.

We’re going to win awards for this one, folks.

Connect:

]]> 315711 GBBP 199: Matt Forbeck https://geekdad.com/2018/10/gbbp-199-matt-forbeck/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gbbp-199-matt-forbeck Thu, 25 Oct 2018 12:00:56 +0000 https://geekdad.com/?p=315232

The Great Big Beautiful Podcast, Episode 199: Matt Forbeck

You can find us online at www.thegbbpodcast.com! You can listen on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher, and YouTube; you can follow the RSS feed; or you can listen right here!

[powerpress]

It doesn’t matter if you were a jock or a nerd, a boy or a girl, or lived in the city, the burbs, or the country – all kids in the 80s had one thing in common: “choose your own adventure” books. Sure, those four words might be trademarked and just one brand, but that style of storytelling was all over the place in the 80s. From the ubiquitous Choose Your Own Adventure titles to Time Machine, Twistaplot, Pick a Path, Find Your Fate, Lone Wolf, Fighting Fantasy, and Endless Quest . . . the list was seemingly endless.

And it’s Endless Quest that we’re talking about today since author Matt Forbeck and Candlewick Entertainment have revived the series and brought the format back from near extinction. The first wave of four books in the series focuses on four of the Dungeons & Dragons archetype characters: Fighter, Wizard, Cleric, and Thief. The books target younger readers and are a great introduction to both D&D and game books in general.

On this episode, I talk to Matt about his history with game books, how writing a branching storyline with multiple pathways presents unusual creative challenges, what the new (and upcoming) Endless Quest books have in store for us, and his experiences writing for various established franchises versus original worlds.

Connect:

]]> 315232 GBBP 196: ‘Star Wars Resistance’ https://geekdad.com/2018/10/gbbp-196-star-wars-resistance/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gbbp-196-star-wars-resistance Wed, 03 Oct 2018 12:30:09 +0000 https://geekdad.com/?p=313106

The Great Big Beautiful Podcast, Episode 196: Star Wars Resistance

You can find us online at www.thegbbpodcast.com! You can listen on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and YouTube; you can follow the RSS feed; or you can listen right here!

[powerpress]

Welcome back to everyone’s favorite galaxy far, far away. This week, we take an advance peek at the newest incarnation of Star Wars to grace television screens: Star Wars Resistance. The brand-new animated series makes its debut with a one-hour premiere on Sunday, October 7 at 10:00 p.m. EDT/PDT. The show will air on Disney Channel, DisneyNOW, and Disney Channel VOD, but subsequent airings will be on Disney XD.

Star Wars Resistance is a bit of a departure from the mold set by both The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels – to an extent. The new show targets a younger demographic than either of the previous shows, and it has a distinct artistic style that sets it apart. But it’s also a really fun show that’s perfect for all fans (regardless of age), and I very much look forward to seeing what’s in store.

To hold you over until the show premieres, here’s the extended sneak peek (on the off chance you missed it)…

On this episode, Shiri and I talk about our immediate reaction to the first two episodes of Star Wars Resistance (what we liked and what we didn’t) and how it stacks up to both The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels. I then talk to Athena Portillo (executive producer) and Amy Beth Christenson (art director) about their history with the show and Lucasfilm – they both have lengthy careers with the company. We chat about making a show for a young audience, working with a focus group of kids to make sure they hit the right demographic, taking their experiences on both of the previous animated series and applying them to Star Wars Resistance, and what they’re most excited about on the horizon.

There’s also a surprise guest appearance by Dave Filoni. So you’ll want to listen, is what I’m saying.

Connect:

]]> 313106 GBBP 195: R.A. Salvatore https://geekdad.com/2018/09/gbbp-195-r-a-salvatore/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gbbp-195-r-a-salvatore Wed, 26 Sep 2018 13:00:30 +0000 https://geekdad.com/?p=312400

The Great Big Beautiful Podcast, Episode 195: R.A. Salvatore

You can find us online at www.thegbbpodcast.com! You can listen on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and YouTube; you can follow the RSS feed; or you can listen right here!

[powerpress]

This week, we’re headed to the Forgotten Realms with superstar author R.A. Salvatore! Thirty years ago, Salvatore created the dark elf Drizzt Do’Urden. Over the course of more than 30 books, he’s explored the legend of Drizzt from all angles and plumbed nearly every corner of his world. But there’s always more story to tell. And his newest book, Timeless, kicks off a new trilogy that serves as a prequel of sorts. The book focuses on Drizzt’s father, Zaknafein, and is a fascinating prelude to the journeys that have shaped the modern-day Forgotten Realms (part of the Dungeons & Dragons universe).

Salvatore is one of fantasy’s most recognizable and successful authors. His books have sold millions of copies, and he’s been on the New York Times bestseller list dozens of times. According to many, he’s considered the father of modern epic fantasy. In addition to the millions of words he’s written for Drizzt and the Forgotten Realms, Salvatore has also helped build numerous other worlds, including The DemonWars Saga, the Crimson Shadow, Star Wars, and so much more.

On this episode, we talk with Salvatore about his many years playing in the Forgotten Realms sandbox, the freedom he had to develop the world and characters, returning to Drizzt with Timeless, playing EverQuest, novelizing Star Wars with Attack of the Clones, and killing Chewbacca.

Connect:

]]> 312400 GBBP 194: Siddhartha Khosla https://geekdad.com/2018/09/gbbp-194-siddhartha-khosla/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gbbp-194-siddhartha-khosla Thu, 13 Sep 2018 14:00:29 +0000 https://geekdad.com/?p=311295

The Great Big Beautiful Podcast, Episode 194: Siddhartha Khosla

You can find us online at www.thegbbpodcast.com! You can listen on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and YouTube; you can follow the RSS feed; or you can listen right here!

[powerpress]

This week, we turn our sights back to music and composing – television scores, to be specific. We welcome Siddhartha Khosla to the show and dive deep into his career and experiences as a musician. If you’re familiar with This Is Us on NBC, then you’re familiar with Khosla’s music. And odds are he’s made you cry. More than once. Probably many times. That show is notorious for its ability to open up the tear ducts, and much of that magic lies in Khosla’s often understated but incredibly emotional score.

At nearly the other end of the musical spectrum is his score for Marvel’s Runaways on Hulu, and it’s kind of incredible that the same man is writing the music to both shows…at more or less the same time. Literally. The third season of This Is Us premieres later this month, and the second season of Marvel’s Runaways will drop (in its entirety) in December.

On this episode, we talk about his musical background with the band Goldspot, his family and the sacrifices they made for him, growing up as a first-generation American, his work on both This Is Us and Marvel’s Runaways, how his experiences on both shows compare, and finding success in the “new normal” of the music industry.

Connect:

]]> 311295