diabolical

I had a great time chatting with Vito Gesualdi, a YouTuber and comedian who is currently running an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign for his first comic book, Superkiller. The conversation covers a wide range of topics, from Star Wars to comedy to the problems with mainstream entertainment and more. Hope you enjoy!

Check out Vito’s YouTube channel here. You can take a look at Superkiller here.

Watch the video version of this podcast below:

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This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit diabolical.substack.com/subscribe

In the latest episode of my diabolical podcast I talk about the controversy surrounding the Hogwarts Legacy video game and the boycotts of said game by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling’s detractors. I also pay a visit to my favorite gaming website, TheGamer.com, because I love the smell of hypocrisy in the morning almost as much as napalm.

I’ll have further thoughts on Hogwarts Legacy soon, but the TL;DR version is that it’s absolutely phenomenal—I’m more excited about this RPG than any in recent memory (that weren’t titled Elden Ring). You can watch some of my gameplay right here.

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Here’s the YouTube version of this episode in case you feel like staring into my eyes while I ramble:

Subscribe to my YouTube channel here. Be excellent to each other, my droogies.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit diabolical.substack.com/subscribe

In an interview with Bloomberg, Sarandos says that Netflix has never cancelled a successful show. But this ignores the fact that some shows become successful over time, and that investing time and money in something for the long-run can be a very smart business move. I discuss this and Netflix’s follies in the latest episode of the diabolical podcast. Thanks for listening and subscribing.

diabolical is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit diabolical.substack.com/subscribe

In my latest rant / podcast episode I talk about Velma, the origins of the current woke movement and how the reactionary anti-woke movement is becoming what they hate. Also why you should never say “go woke and you go broke” within earshot of me. I might just go apeshit. Or something. Thanks for listening!

diabolical is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit diabolical.substack.com/subscribe

My latest two-part interview is with the amazing cast of the animated fantasy series The Legend Of Vox Machina, a show based on the Critical Role Dungeons & Dragons campaign DM’d by Matthew Mercer with characters played by the same actors who voice the cast of the show. With Season 2 just around the corner, our conversation spans all sorts of topics. Enjoy!

In this episode I talk with Liam O’Brien (Vax), Marisha Ray (Keyleth) and Sam Riegel (Scanlan). Check out the diabolical home-page for Part 1 with Ashley Johnson (Pike), Matthew Mercer (various voices), Taliesin Jaffe (Percy) and Travis Willingham (Grog). Laura Bailey (Vex) was out sick.

Subscribe to the diabolical podcast on Apple iTunes. And subscribe to this newsletter below.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit diabolical.substack.com/subscribe

My latest two-part interview is with the amazing cast of the animated fantasy series The Legend Of Vox Machina, a show based on the Critical Role Dungeons & Dragons campaign DM’d by Matthew Mercer with characters played by the same actors who voice the cast of the show. With Season 2 just around the corner, our conversation spans all sorts of topics. Enjoy!

In this episode I talk with Ashley Johnson (Pike), Matthew Mercer (various voices), Taliesin Jaffe (Percy) and Travis Willingham (Grog). Check out the diabolical home-page for Part 2 with Liam O’Brien (Vax), Marisha Ray (Keyleth) and Sam Riegel (Scanlan). Laura Bailey (Vex) was out sick.

Subscribe to the diabolical podcast on Apple iTunes. And subscribe to this newsletter below.

diabolical is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit diabolical.substack.com/subscribe

In my latest ramble—and I intend to write a more in-depth piece on this soon here at diabolical—I talk about the mythical ‘modern audience’ that so many TV shows and movies seem to be chasing these days. It’s tied invariably into efforts at superficial, token diversity and disregard for faithfulness to source material when it comes to adaptations, spinoffs and sequels—and it’s neither a win for a more progressive entertainment landscape or the fans who made fantasy and science-fiction lucrative in the first place. Enjoy, and thanks for listening! The video version of this is below.

You can subscribe to my YouTube channel here, to the diabolical podcast on Apple Podcasts, and to this newsletter:

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit diabolical.substack.com/subscribe

In my latest ramble, I discuss the upcoming video game Hogwarts Legacy, an open-world fantasy RPG set in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The game has become one of the most controversial in recent memory thanks to its association with author J.K. Rowling who has, inexplicably, enmeshed herself in one of the most divisive subjects in the culture wars. The game is destined to be the subject of a great deal of conversation and rancor in the coming weeks and months, a locus point in the ongoing pop culture wars, and something we can all agree we’re never going to agree on.

I discuss this in my latest video which I’ve also made into a podcast (audio up above). You can subscribe to my YouTube channel here, to the diabolical podcast on Apple Podcasts, and to this newsletter:

Here’s the video version:

What do you think of this topic and Hogwarts Legacy? What about Rowling? And do you want me to keep making my videos into podcasts here? Let me know in the comments!

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit diabolical.substack.com/subscribe

Aaron Ehasz and Justin Richmond, co-founders of Wonderstorm and creators of Netflix's 'The Dragon Prince' talk about the show's newly released 4th season. I ask them about the time-jump, the aged-up characters and their funky new hairdos, and the mysterious Aaravos. Have a listen and enjoy!

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit diabolical.substack.com/subscribe

I’ve taken a long break from the podcast but I’m back and in style with a really great discussion with composer Austin Wintory, who is the perfect podcasting guest because he has so many stories and is such an eloquent speaker. Wintory has just released a reimagining of his Journey soundtrack called Traveler. He re-composed the entire score and recorded it with the London Symphony Orchestra. It’s beautiful and brilliant and a wonderful way to celebrate Journey’s 10th anniversary.

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit diabolical.substack.com/subscribe