Squideye and The Bitter Guy

We chat about a CW show we really liked, and an upcoming CW show we're hoping we really like, because it's based on a WB show we really, really liked.

I didn't really give this one an extensive listen, and also I threw together some artwork; thanks Canva!

Ilan's new enemy -- revealed! Justin is an enabling presence for this quick end-of-the-month update. Justin's also been to a couple of movies, and we realize what we're going to talk about next time.

Did we miss anything?

We talk about time past, our schedules these days, the different platforms out there these days, and how we interact with memories (particularly Memories, the Facebook product).

We meander a lot. We talk about building and rebuilding collections via auction lots, and spend a lot of time shouting out local superstar and friend-of-the-show Jim Zub, and the games of one Mr. Robin Laws.

Squideye also winds up giving a fairly complete gameplay walkthrough of Cosmic Encounter, which isn't Twilight Imperium.

And the clock is ticking on Audacity.

It's been five years. It's been five long years. We've talked a lot about what we want to talk about and it keeps getting away from us as the world keeps surprising us; but we still want to talk. So here's a placeholder.

Updates, crowdfunding, freemium games, and fear.

Ilan and Justin update you -- the listener -- on the latest and greatest in what we’ve been up to. FanExpo! Live theatre! Mawwiage!

What hath Crowdfunding wrought? Kickstarted games, comics, movies and games, like Catthulhu, Hillfolk, and Code Monkey Saved World. Expectations, reality, and YOU!

Freemium, micropayment-driven gaming models. What’s the difference between so-called “pay-to-win” and the old days of buying physical boosters, expansions and additional minis?

Make Justin face his fear. Fund his dreaded Farscape binge and help blast cancer out of the sky.

We have our Rush t-shirts and a new year has started. It's time to reconnect with you, our treasured listeners, and just barely fail to talk in-depth about the amazing comic "Saga". We will, however, cover some games, a visit from a dear friend, and a movie or two.

1. (1:00) Star Wars Edge of Empire RPG

- It's Firefly and Futurama, with Funny Dice (dice app)

- Ilan's specious comparisons to FATE and Cortex

- Compared to Star Wars Saga Edition?

- Fantasy Flight will be releasing the game in a manner similar to their 40k system

- Notes on the "Edge of the Empire" setting

2. (11:20) Jerome Comeau, King of Tokyo

- Welcome to Toronto, Jerome Comeau!

- Sauced: since we last podcasted, they began and ended, and put out as many episodes as we ever did. Ever!

- Poutineries in Toronto: Smoke's and Poutini's. Ilan's Daiya Cheesemongering.

- How King of Tokyo works - rules, and dice.

3. (17:00) Other two-player games

- Spot It

- Kahuna ("A Full Web")

- Burger Joint

4. (20:00) Sentinels of the Multiverse

- That's what those crackling noises were, Ilan unpacking it.

- All about Sentinels of the Multiverse, how it works.

- That it's the Kickstartered second edition.

- As a single-player game.

5. (23:50) HALO 4

- Co-op gameplay, playing online.

- Thinking back on ODST, Reach.

6. (26:00) Brief return to Sentinels of the Multiverse

- Character design

- Comparison to Fantasy Flight's "Death Angel"

7. (27:25) Movies: Argo, Kirby

- Argo. "Made in Canada", but "you have to change history". Alan Arkin and John Goodman.

- Jack Kirby's storyboards. And Devil Dinosaur.

- "Cashing in on the Sci-fi craze."

- Did it succeed in nuance and balance? Are any historical movies "true"?

8. (35:00) Skyfall, and Ken and Robin

- Skyfall. What's the authoritative James Bond?

- Plug for "Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff"

- Did Skyfall have the things you need to have a James Bond movie?

- Character of "Eve" - a female character in a James Bond movie

9. (39:00) Quick Saga Chat, with a promise of more

- We'll do Saga next episode in depth.

- Worth a reread and good for sharing, at Image Starter Pricing ($10)

- Pricing on trades!

- Incal and Lost riding a dinosaur through rocket-ship forest; Esperanto-speaking Jedi druids versus winged laser-imperialists, with robot mercenaries and lying cats. All the things are in the book.

- If you don't like it "I will not actually punch you."

- We got a new microphone (Blue Yeti)

- Canadian law on Wendigos

10. (44:00) Signoff, and things to look forward in the future:

- AT SOME POINT FanExpo "lost episode", perhaps edit back together at some point.

- KICKSTARTER

- SAGA

- POWERS

- Disney purchase of Lucasfilm in more depth

With Dark Knight about to open (at the time) we contemplate the comic book movie explosion. So many explosions. Then we talk about Ready Player One, and Lords of Waterdeep. And other stuff. An explosion of other stuff! Thankfully, nobody was hurt in the explosions.

1. Mighty Marvel Movies Precap and Recap

2. The Avengers Recap

3. New Marvel Movie Announcements

4. Boards of Waterdeep!

5. The Book Zone!

AND COMING UP NEXT TIME: We talk about The Kirby Krackle's Super Powered Love and Adam Warrock in our long-anticipated episode on NERD ROCK!

SYNOPSIS: 1812-The Invasion of Canada, John Carter of Mars, S4UC3D, and "Spring Preview".

We got our rewrites in from J. Michael Straczynski and George R.R. Martin, and Adi Granov finished the art, so we're ready to go!

And in true news, Ilan and Justin have just spent the last few months demonstrating that "work-life balance" is something that happens to other people. In March, we recorded a shockingly timely segment about a new light wargame, 1812 - the Invasion of Canada, and oh gee right about now are the War of 1812 celebrations/commemorations. Good job, guys!

About 7 minutes in, we also have... oh dear. A timely review of John Carter of Mars, which more or less came and went and - though commercially successful - didn't make much of a cultural impact. But it was better than Attack of the Clones.

Around twelve minutes in, we talk about how we hadn't had a chance to play Mass Effect 3. Or other video games. Update: Ilan had a chance to play Mass Effect 3. But Justin still hasn't.

It's thirteen minutes when we welcome the (now 19-episode-old!) S4UC3D podcast, starring SATBG superfriend Jerome Comeau, and their mockery of us is well-earned. Haw haw, you guys.

Then it's fourteen minutes, and we talk comics. Ilan talks about Remender, and Justin talks about Swamp Thing, and Alan Moore, and then Ilan gets all high and mighty about how The Ultimates have higher stakes than "mainstream Marvel" ever can. 

Sigh.

Around twenty-one minutes in, we pontificate about the comic-book-buyer's dilemma. Wait for reviews? Preorder, rain-or-shine?

Twenty-four minutes in we *ANTICIPATE* the new (spring!) TV season, including the new (third!) season of Community. Yep. And wave our hands about Fringe, and Breaking Bad, and stuff.

Twenty-eight minutes: Wrestling, movies, G.I. Joe. And then we worry about whether the Avengers was gonna be good and stuff. And we cap it off by talking about Zahn and Thrawn.

You can figure this out. Just careful that nobody gets hurt!

We're just a little wintry! We're still good! We're still good. Sad Trombone.

We're back after a frenzied summer and a busy school semester.

News, movies and trailers:

New TV!

The Summer!

TIFF!

Non-TIFF movies over the Summer!

Digression: Biff, Bam, Pop! The Illuminatus Trilogy!

Next time: on Tim Rice and Michael Bay!

Justin interviews author and RPG designer Matt Forbeck about his latest work. See below for links mentioned during the podcast.

Matt Forbeck's web site

http://www.forbeck.com/

The Brave New World  Kickstarter

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/forbeck/12-for-12-10-bnw-novels?ref=card

Carpathia

http://angryrobotbooks.com/carpathia-matt-forbeck/