Sword & Podcast

Poet David Welch is here to discuss the highly acclaimed HBO drama The Wire. Which cops are the worst at drinking, which criminals are the most sympathetic, and the chronic unlikability of Tommy "Littlefinger" Carcetti.

Comics critic Juliet Kahn is bursting with feelings about Steven Universe. Aren't we all? The joy of Steven, the sadness of Pearl, the chaos of Amethyst, the awesomeness of Garnet, and Greg doing his thing. Not to mention Connie the critic and the importance of Nana Pizza

Writer and podcaster Graeme McMillan has a lot to say about Jack Kirby, and for that matter so does Elle. Subtopics include Fantastic Four, New Gods, OMAC, The Eternals, Captain America and the Falcon, Big Barda, and more, plus a bonus consideration of Steve Ditko. If this episode leaves you hungry for Kirby comics, you can go to Comixology right this minute and pick up OMAC #1, the beginning of his gonzo Captain America run, the Devil Dinosaur story where the aliens show up, or the best stand-alone issue of Fantastic Four. You should also follow Graeme on Twitter and Tumblr, and listen to his podcast.

Superheroic sartorialist Betty Felon is on the show to talk about what everyone on the internet has been talking about for the last week: The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. The sunniness of Ellie Kemper, the delightful dopiness of Jon Hamm, and the questionable decisions behind Jane Krakowski's backstory. The relative merits of Kimmy's love interests, and Elle's argument that Cyndee should be counted among them.

Jessica Berger and Timmara Bruce are on the show for an epic discussion of David Bowie. Favorite songs, favorite personas, favorite film appearances. Not to mention the Beck/Beyoncé Grammies controversy, Billy Zane, and the entirety of queer history. Seriously, this episode covers a lot of ground.

Annah Browning, poet and literal scholar of the Gothic, is stepping into the Into It house to talk about Nobuhiko Ôbayashi's 1977 psychedelic haunted house nightmare, Hausu (House). Funereal White and the Seven Schoolgirls. The thematic differences and aesthetic similarities between Hausu and Barbarella. We Have Always Lived in the Castle, and that Muppet sketch that keeps coming up.

Brian Oliu, author of Leave Luck to Heaven, is here to talk about classic 8 bit Nintendo games. The body horror of Mega Man, difficult but fun versus clunky and terrible, and where we all learned to grind.

Writer and podcaster Matt D. Wilson is on the show to talk about his favorite super-hero, Spider-Man. Ditko vs. Romita! Maguire vs. Garfield! Dr. Octopus vs. Green Goblin! Lady Octopus vs. Lady Stiltman! An appreciation of Anna Maria Marconi, and questions from Twitter too.

Dr. Kati Corlew, a cultural psychologist and climate change researcher, is here to talk about The Matrix. Kati has quite a few theories about the character of Trinity and the role of gender in the Wachowskis' trilogy. Along the way The Lego Movie and Team America: World Police find their way into the discussion, which ultimately broadens into a consideration of the nature of storytelling, why language matters, and the trouble with having your central metaphor co-opted by assholes.