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There’s something just so endearing about The Smurfs. Mostly I think it’s because it’s just such a simple concept. Little blue dudes have an adventure and it all wraps up nicely by the end. Seems pretty safe and kid friendly doesn’t it?

Yeah, that’s what I thought too. Good thing I have October K Santarelli here to help blow some of those ideas out of the water. Listen in as we take a dive into Smurf history and explore some of the...

Sometimes I just wonder why even got some games. It’s not that I don’t appreciate them, that’s not it at all. But licensed games where we don’t really know the franchise? And game genres that aren’t able to carry the game by itself? And doing it all on a disaster of a console where it seems like nothing could be done right. I know I’m sounding super negative right now but I think that is part of the charm of Magic Knight Rayearth.

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I’ve decided that I just really like fantasy stories. I’ve decided that a lot in the past, and I’m deciding it again right now. There’s just something about a writer being able to ignore all of what’s actually possible in this world and yet still having to make something that’s internally consistent with the story that they want to tell. Something about an artist being able to make characters that just couldn’t happen here in anywa...

It all comes back to Spider-Man doesn’t it? The cultural saturation of the character in a lot of English speaking societies. The relatable nature of the character (and to be perfectly honest, most of the Spider people characters). The fact that the first Spider-Man trilogy was the first thing since the 90s Batman movies to really hit such a mainstream audience is no coincidence.

So how do we get a look at what Spider-Man means to p...

Spy stories are spy stories. And yet we still love them. There’s just something about spies that sits well in our hearts. Because in the end, spy stories are about an individual overcoming a situation where everything is stacked against them. So while spy stories might have a lot of the same elements running through them, there’s a big variety in how those elements are used and woven in and out of each other.

Listen in as Cory Byrd...

REFIRE TIME! We’ve looked at the Ninja Turtles before. We’ve had a few episodes about them even. But let’s be real, the podcast was in its infancy and I didn’t really know what I was doing with the show yet. So how can we remedy that?

Well Anthony Sytko has an idea. How about we get him specifically on the show to take a look at the Cowabunga Collection? I hope you think that’s a good idea because I already recorded it. Listen in a...

It’s the year [insert future year here] and mankind has probably destroyed the Earth because of course they did. How did we/they get here/there? Don’t know, and there’s a ton of lore to figure out before we can know what happened. War is a mess y’all. It’s not like you can just read a few books and know exactly what happened.

Good thing we have my friend Erinn here to help sort things out. Listen in as we try to make sense of, well...

Some of the most important things I have right now are things that I’ve always had. Mostly my stuffed Snoopy that I’ve had since I was little. And while having him to hold on to has helped in a lot of situations, what if he was actually able to physically fight off demons and monsters?

Listen in as Tayson Martindale comes to talk about his comic The Keepsakers, a story that explores that exact theme of your childhood friends actual...

Sometimes you just need to flip things on their head. You know, really make sure to hit the point that you’re trying to make. Take down anything that stands in your way and kick right through any obstacle standing before you.

And sometimes I just try to make stupid puns because we’re doing things backwards today and looking at comic books based on a video game. Listen in as the Pop Historian joins the show to talk about the Mortal ...

What makes someone a villain? And once you get that label in people’s head what can happen to get that label removed or switched? It’s tough. You’ve got to change minds and deal with people who will never forget your past no matter how much good you do now and will always treat you like the villain that they see you as.

Well, we have Blair Farrell here to help figure out where that line is as we take a look at the 1999 Catwoman gam...

What is it that makes a comic connect with an audience? Is it the writing? The art? The characters? Nope, but also yes….? It’s the passion behind it. And that passion certainly comes across in everything else but you can have the best writer and artist in the world using the most popular characters and have things fall flat if they’re just going through the motions.

Today we’re talking about Ravage with Eli Powell. He certainly has...

Comics can come from some weird places. Which most of the time is a shot at the writer or artist and the fact that they’re a weirdo. But sometimes is just a basic factual statement. You know, like when a nation makes a comic about a war they had no part in just because.

But who would ever do a thing like that? Not Insane Ian, but he did stop by the show to talk about North and South which does exactly that. Except under the name Le...

In the cold dark reaches of space nobody can hear you scream. Or something like that. Look, I've never been to space so I can't know for sure. But I know that if I went to space I'd be lonely without my Kayleigh and that would suck so I'm not sure if I want to even think about that. But Elyse Russell on the other hand, all about mixing up sci fi and romance in ways that I wouldn't be able to pull off. Which is great because she's h...

Pocus is still in Hell. He’s got Emily. He’s got Horrus. He’s got problems. And what can he do about it?

I have no idea, and to be perfectly honest I’m not sure that Allen Dunford does either. But it’s his job (along with Will Radford who sadly couldn’t be in this episode) to make the story happen. Which is good because they’re a lot better at it than I would be.

Learn such things as:

• How do you get new fans hooked when you ba...

What are the elements of a good Batman game? Cool villains? Great side characters? Actually doing a bit of detectiving maybe?

Well listen in as Adam Williamson comes back on the show to talk about Batman Gotham City Racers, a game that basically none of those things and yet still exists.

Learn such things as:

• How much does a character have to be in the game to count as being in the game?
• How can you have a game with the Batmob...

One of the best things about comics, especially lately, is the amount of creator diversity we’ve been able to get. So it warms my heart when we can get a collection bringing together a bunch of creators that don’t normally have a chance to get together for this specific reason. And what is that reason?

Well, we’re taking a look at Sensory: Life on the Spectrum with Bex Ollerton to take a look at her book giving creators with Autism...

Sometimes things get missed. Like not realizing that a game is based on a comic. Or missing an NES game because you didn’t realize that a game was based on a comic. I know it’s a shock that I could miss something. Or an entire country can miss out on a wonderful franchise that you’d think would be a great fit if only people would know it existed and could give it a chance.

Good thing I have Doc Issues here from Capes on the Couch t...

Sometimes we have to revisit some things. A blast from the past if you will. There can be so many reasons for this. Maybe there’s unfinished business. Maybe it’s just a fun trip down memory lane. Or maybe there’s something more sinister going on than you even want to think about.

Or it could just be because we previously looked at a title as a Kickstarter book and now we’re looking at it again when it’s with a publisher. So Tyler R...

Yu-Gi-Oh is something I never really got into growing up. Or now for that matter since I've gotten into some things now that I should have gotten into when I was younger. Although I was kind of around it since I was into Pokemon and Magic: the Gathering so it's not a totally 100% new thing to me. Plus the memes.

Good thing I somehow convinced Luke Herr to come back for another session of "Luke Explains Things To Chris that Chr...