Open World Chat

John and Jim are joined by International Conflict specialist Mark Card to poke, prod, pry, and dissect the Federations' legendary "General Order One" - Starfleet's "Prime Directive" barring interference in other cultures. Does it work as foreign policy? Is it portrayed consistently? How does it stack up to other international norms and rules?

Tackling the rich politics of the ongoing Krakoa era of the X-Men with Elana Levin (Graphic Policy). Jim, Elana, and John look at the Krakoan X-Men's relationship to capitalism, governance, and more in the world that Hickman built.

Carolyn Brennan, Co-Director of the Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier Vermont, Joins Jim and John for a discussion of Maus and other targets of book banning across the country, and how Librarians resist the pressure to censor (oh, and we ask her what games she's playing these days too).

Writer, editor, and general comics industry force-of-nature Nate Cosby (Cow Boy writer, editor of about a zillion things...) talks with Jim and John about his latest: the crowdfunded superhero character study Alter Ego.

Blast from the past part two! In the second part of this "lost" episode, John and former host Liane Allen have another conversation with filmmaker Bill Simmon in a follow-up to our very first episodes. This time, the three of us offer our lists of the top ten "overappreciated" sci-fi films. Between the three of us, there's plenty of material to get mad at each of us. Part one covers picks 5 to 1.

Special video episode! John gets to talk with one of his heroes, the legendary Roy Thomas! We discuss his life in comics, antics at the legendary Rutland Vermont Halloween parade, singing at Carnegie Hall, his old band, Supersnipe, and what makes a hero super! How can you miss all that? Click on the episode link for the video, which includes rare photos of Roy from ages past!

Blast from the past! In part one this "lost" episode, John and former host Liane Allen have another conversation with filmmaker Bill Simmon in a follow-up to our very first episodes. This time, the three of us offer our lists of the top ten "overappreciated" sci-fi films. Between the three of us, there's plenty of material to get mad at each of us. Part one covers picks 6 through 10.

Lacy Baugher Milas (Den of Geek, The Nerdist, SyFy Wire, and more), Jim, and John discuss Star Trek's "generations" and the way the series has changed over the decades -- and on the way we digress all over the place. Big fun.

John and Jim are joined by Weekly World News CEO and Editor-in-Chief Greg D'Alessandro on the rebirth of the revered publication and the many new projects in store for Bat Boy and more. We're joined in the introduction by last episode's guest, cartoonist Shannon Wheeler.

John and Jim have a freewheeling chat with Shannon Wheeler (God is Disappointed in You, The New Yorker) about Shannon's work, The Bible, social media, Too Much Coffee Man tattoos, and what's still funny in this world.