Giggaheim Podcast [Archived]

Episode 116 of The Giggaheim Podcast brings you all kinds of great geekery. The crew starts out by attempting to give you the next best thing to being at DragonCon – a description of DragonCon. (It’s definitely cheaper and doesn’t smell anywhere near as bad.)

Moving into comics, Pete rolls out a black and white western with some neat ideas, followed by a comic depicting George Lucas’s original vision for Star Wars. Was it a revelation or part of the Book of Revelations? Tune in to find out.

Randis opens up Dating Advice for Geeks with a taboo topic: Why do some younger women date much older men? What about lolita’s? You don’t want to miss out on this segment.

Tech closes out the show with a quick recap of the LADEE spacecraft and some Google birthday news and laughs.

The Giggaheim Podcast presents a special new addition called “THE GEEK OUT SERIES.”

In this series, a veteran fan will speak with a rookie about a television show, movie, book, video game, or other arena of fandom that they’ve recently been exposed to by the guidance of the interviewer. As always at The Giggaheim Podcast, we strive to take the listener from “Noob to Initiated” so these specials will concentrate on the important questions for you: How did the new fan get into the subject? What made it a work worth seeing through to the end? What did they think of it, and, most importantly, would they recommend it to you? The inaugural edition of Geek Out covers Warren Ellis’ and John Cassaday’s Planetary comic book, published originally by Wildstorm Comics, now DC Comics.

Pete, our comic book editor and interviewer for this episode, managed to get Doug, our technology editor, into the graphic novel series. As a good mentor should, Pete guided him through the 5 volumes of Planetary (okay, 4 canon and one crossover called Crossing Worlds), and, in this interview asks Doug all the questions needed to initiate a Geek Out of Planetary proportions. Have a listen. Who knows? Maybe you’ll Geek Out over Planetary too!

Episode 112 of The Giggaheim Podcast features the return of special guest John Sims, writer and co-creator of Bitchfist Comics. John gives us an update on all the creative endeavors at Bitchfist, and shares his views on the creative process, creator owned comics, and story genesis.

Speaking of comic books, Pete reviews Happy! by Grant Morrison, with artwork by Darick Robertson. The noir comic, featuring an ex-cop turned hitman, has a strange twist, and Pete gets into the details of this 4-issue limited series by Image comics. Is it a must read or better left on the shelf?

Moving into gaming, Tony skype’s in to review the top 5 indie games you should be playing for Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and the PC. As Captain Oveur would say: “Do you like movies video games about gladiators?” If so, Spartacus, a free to play download on the Xbox 360, may be the fighting game for you. Craig follows suit with his take on the sunsetting of Microsoft Points, Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter, and who wins the real world war between game creators Infinity Ward and Treyarch. With so much gaming to do, you’ll want to listen to this segment and get right to the console of your choice.

Doug brings the technology report to the table on time, and under budget by celebrating Nikola Tesla’s birthday. Debunking myths and exploring the legacy of Tesla’s inventions, the podcast crew weigh in on the reclusive and brilliant inventor who gave the world so much in his lifetime. Moving from brilliance to the lack thereof, the tech report steams ahead into the uncertain waters of government waste. How does anyone spend over two million dollars on common malware removal? Listen to this hysterical section to find out.

Finally, in the fourth quarter, the crew settles in for a roundtable discussion of Pop Culture letdowns. What moments weakened the love for movie franchises, rock bands, comic books, TV series, and other aspects of fandom? Once you’ve lost that loving feeling, is there any way to get it back? Can Metallica really speed up your tongue? This one gets contentious and funny at the same time. You don’t want to miss a single moment of The Giggahem Podcast, Episode 112.

The Giggaheim crew gathers for Podcast 111 to fight depression with pop culture. What do you use to fight the blues? Doug, Craig, Randis, Tony, and Pete give their strategies on how to chase the blues away with comics, video games, movies, and TV. Apparently, binge watching TV shows is becoming the latest phenomena amongst geek culture, so the podcast crew discusses how and what they like to consume.

Pete then quizzes the podcast crew with his Comics Trivia for Kids (*This is not for kids. Pete is a freaking liar. ~Ed.) to see what the podcast crew knows about comics. (*Wanted: Comic book trivia quizzes or quiz writer. ~Ed.) After they stumble their way through the quiz, Doug actually brings something fun to the podcast (*Pete’s idea of fun does not match anyone else’s ~Ed.) by bringing the Geek Zodiac. Based on the annual zodiac like the Chinese Zodiac, Doug rolls though the podcast crew members to see what their sign is, and how accurate the Geek Zodiac is. (*Large amount of  self persecution by Ed. ~Ed.)

Tony reveals the secrets of the last DLC for Call of Duty Black Ops II: Vengeance. How do you effectively use the giant? Where can you stash money? Where can you stash weapons? What happens at the end of the game? Tony plays though the last zombies storyline for Black Ops 2, and lets you know what the light at the end of the tunnel is.

Finally, the crew reviews Illumination Studios’ latest cartoon movie, Despicable Me 2. Randis interviews the crew to find out how the film was, what were the best moments, and find out if there were any bad parts. (*Only Pete could find something wrong with it. Thanks Captain fun! ~Ed.) What is in the future for Gru and his minions? All this and more on another exciting Giggaheim Podcast.

Craig and Tony sit down and cover the highs and lows of E3 2013. This year was full of controversy, hot issues, and forward thinking, and our Video Game Editors hit all the salient points from the conference. Instead of starting with the large presentations, they notice the absence of Nintendo from the conference, and what that means for the gaming industry.

Next they launch into the blockbuster events from the first days of the conference: The Presentations from Microsoft on their Xbox One, and Sony’s new Playstation 4. What’s the difference in hardware, software, used games, and online gaming? What has changed, what will stay the same, and what should you pay attention to? Then Tony and Craig take gamers’ temperatures on why some defected from Xbox to PS4, and why others should hang tight on their platform.

While the large gaming publishers took the center stage, Tony and Craig explain what else goes on after the large events, and how indie gaming companies are finding an audience at E3. Then they wrap the show pontificating on what it will take for Nintendo to get back onto the main stage, bringing a conclusion to our special.

Podcast 110 is full of controversy and strong opinions, so bring your debate team medals and be sure to comment on our Facebook page. Randis kicks off the podcast with controversial celebrities in the headlines. Is Paula Dean’s 25 year old faux pas a worse offense than Lil Wayne dancing on an American flag? What makes pop culture consumers and fans more upset, and what is more offensive?

Pete then reviews Lazarus #1 by Greg Rucka and Michael Lark. The first issue is an info dump as Rucka writes a new world of the future run by influential families and future-bio-tech guardians. Is this dark futuristic series a collectible #1 issue, or should you wait for the trade?

Tony and Craig then cover a busy week in gaming. Tony previews the last DLC map pack for Call of Duty Black Ops II called Vengeance. The 6 different maps, different weapons, zombie challenges, and storage changes in the zombie maps are all reviewed so you can tell if you want to download the last map pack. Then Tony reviews a bit of the last Borderlands 2 DLC called Tina’s Adventure, which then sidetracks the group to discuss the venerable role playing game Dungeons & Dragons. What is it? How is it played? What’s it like? Craig then covers changes in Microsoft’s treatment of indie gaming developers and Xbox Live’s Arcade titles.

Randis wraps up with the foods you shouldn’t eat on a date, what foods to avoid, and what foods are safe for making and keeping up a good first impression. Which foods are best for impressing someone, and which are repellent to the opposite sex? All this and more on Podcast episode 110.

Doug and Pete hold down the fort to bring you movie reviews, a comic book review, and technology from a summer blockbuster. First up, the guys review Pixar’s prequel, Monsters University. John Goodman, Billy Crystal and Steve Buscemi return to the universe filled with monsters who need to harvest screams for energy. In this prequel, Mike Wizowski and James “Sully” Sullivan are in college and don’t get along. How did these two become friends, and was this movie even worth going to?

After that Pete reviews the comic book “The Mire,” published by Ink and Thunder, written and illustrated by Becky Cloonan. The black and white comic tells the tale of a squire delivering a message for his knight. This independent book captures Pete’s attention, and he decides whether or not it’s worth a pull, or suffers from too much hype.

Doug and Pete then review another comic book property summer blockbuster, Man of Steel. Comic book readers are divided and the polarized opinions of the movie have taken the internet by storm. How does the Giggaheim view it? Is it a good movie? Is it even a good comic book movie? Is there a difference? We answer your questions in this segment, and you can hear what we thought of it.

Speaking of Superman, Doug explores the technology found on the big screen this summer in Man of Steel. Is Superman’s Kryptonian technology far from our reach? How long will we wait for lasers, helpful AI robots, energy shields, and genetic engineering? The answers are actually as astounding as leaping buildings in a single bound. What’s in the future for us non-meta humans, and how will we continue to evolve?

Podcast 108 is tech heavy, so grab your iPod and jump into the grid with us. But before Flynn guides us through the virtual undiscovered country, Randis takes us through the dullest aspect of Dating Advice for Geeks: Monogamy. As Spring gives way to the sweltering Summer, beach bodies and bikinis begin to test the bounds of monogamy in relationships. Are humans meant to be monogamous? Can a relationship between the same two people last? What are the secrets to doing so?

Pete decides to take the podcast 180 degrees away from monogamy, and explores the torrid lifestyle of a French model of the early 20th Century with a bio comic by Catel and Bocquet exploring the life of: Kiki de Montparnasse. The famous advocate for women’s rights, and artist was a model, painter, singer, actress and memoirist in Paris during the high times of the Dada movement and the surrealist movements.

Next, we step foot into the future and the Giggaheim podcast crew debates the idea of digital ownership. With Microsoft tightening the noose on digital ownership in games, the crew asks if we actually own anything in the cloud, and looks at what collectables and media can be repossessed by publishers and creators at any time. When you buy something, is it truly yours?

Finally, Doug takes us into the future of Apple with a summary of the events of the WWDC 2013 conference. Apple continues to forge ahead with shocking artistic license on its premier work-horse computer, the MacPro. It introduces new services such as iTunes Radio to stream from the clouds to your pockets, and it is radically updating its mobile devices with the new iOS 7. Does the new design match the new features, or does it leave you flat?

A separate E3 2013 special is being produced, so stay tuned for updates, reviews and tips about the future of gaming from the world’s largest gaming expo. Check our feeds and website regularly for updates.

Giggaheim welcomes its newest cast member, Tony, for Podcast 107. With another video game editor onboard, Craig and Tony try and predict what will happen at E3 2013. With Nintendo not showing, Sony had better step up its PS4 game against Microsoft’s controversial Xbox One. Are there going to be new games announcements? Will we get the Xbox One pricing structure? Moving away from E3 Pete asks why game developers got so greedy, and the podcast crew debates the merits of used games, ownership, and how to stand up as a consumer group.

Pete starts section two with a look at the three must-read Superman stories that never happened. Pete reviews DC Comics Elseworld books that involve Superman, and answers the following questions:

What would happen is Superman was adopted by the Amish?

What would happen if Superman landed in Soviet Russia?

What would happen if Superman retired?

Three book reviews of Justice League: The Nail, Superman: Red Son, and Kingdom Come. How does Superman influence the DC Comics Universe? Find out.

Randis dives into dreams on Dating Advice for Geeks. The Japanese have harnessed the MRI (miracle) machine to interpret what exactly you are dreaming. What does this mean for future relationships? Is this yet another area where lovers care share themselves? Or is this an invasion of private thoughts? How will the relationship (especially monogamist ones) stand against the power of dreams?

Doug brings the finale of the podcast with predictions of what we will see at Apple’s WWDC 2013. Will Apple’s unique Skeuomorphism graphic design be phased out? Will iOS 7 be a knock off of Android, or will it feature new abilities you didn’t know your phone could do? Will the iPhone 5S or 6 be revealed, and what does Apple want from its developer community?

Giggaheim Podcast 106 starts with the technology report by Doug. The MPAA has some ideas about intellectual property, and thinks 1984 was a swell movie. Perhaps Big Brother should be on your computer to make sure you don’t download anything illegal. Maybe big brother will brick your computer if you download something you shouldn’t? The MPAA thinks this is a great idea, and is trying to pass it through congress.

In anticipation of the next big superhero movie, Man of Steel, Pete gives you 3 must-read Superman comic books to read. If you liked Superman battling Zod on the big screen, then read all about their epic battles in Superman: For Tomorrow, and Superman: Last Son. Finally, Pete tells you about a great limited series, must-read Superman book that is perfect for all ages, young and old: All-Star Superman.

Randis gives us our fantasies on Dating Advice for Geeks. She doesn’t do what you are thinking, but she does illuminate why you want that, what makes you want that, and how to tell your partner all about it so you can have that. Nothing is off limits in this segment as we dive deep into our minds for our biggest fantasies.