The Winter Palace Podcast

An extended vacation over the holidays means extra podcasts. Today, we're joined by Iain Hepburn, host of the From the Sublime (@fromthesublime) podcast to talk about (3:50) Partick Thistle Football Club and their potentially nightmare-inducing mascot Kingsley, (7:55) the NXT UK tour (he was at the Glasgow and Blackpool house shows), (17:13) contemporary comic book TV shows including Arrow, the upcoming Heroes of Tomorrow and the recently-released Jessice Jones. We also chat about classic British TV, both (24:02) British Sci-Fi and (35:55) British comedy and all the connections between the shows (Is there really an episode of Randall & Hopkirk, Deceased featuring Brian Blessed, Nick Courtney and Roger Delgado?) and (41:18) season 9 of Doctor Who. There's even talk about Iain's former podcast, the gone-but=not-forgotten (47:40) Thumbcast and the year-end episode of From the Sublime.

1:20 - Comics writer Jen Van Meter (@hopelessjen) discusses her @Onipress graphic novel Hopeless Savages Break. We talks about working with artists Meredith McClaren (@inquitousFish) and Christine Norrie (@christinenorrie) on the new book, past volumes drawn by Christine and Bryan Lee O'Malley (@radiomaru), future stories, (9:56) her @ValiantComics series drawn by Roberto de la Torre The Death-Defying Doctor Mirage and (14:00) writing the Injustice Gang in JSA Classified. (17:00) We also talk about the MLS championship won last week by the Portland Timbers, the crazy plays in the match, (24:45) the Timbers being featured in Greg Rucka's (@ruckawriter) Stumptown and (28:10) life as a comics pro living in Portland. 30:55 - Yahoo Sports hockey editor of the Puck Daddy blog and the co-host of Marek vs Wyshynski podcast Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) talks his new book Take Your Eye Off the Puck, its origin and contents, including fancy stats and cutting edge technology. (43:09) We also talk the current NHL Season, the hot start by Dallas, the slow start by Pittsburgh and Anaheim and Detroit post-Mike Babcock. Then we talk nerd culture, featuring (47:16) the just-finished season of Doctor Who, (57:19) binge TV watching and spoiler culture, (1:01:15) the resurrected MST3K and (1:07:15) new comics, including Saga, Batman and the Star Wars books.

01:56 - Former wrestling manager Scott Bowden (@KFriedRasslin) talks the passing of Tommy Gilbert: his career as a wrestler, referee and head of Gilbert Family with sons Doug and Hot Stuff Eddie Gilbert. We also talk how Eddie turned Scott from ref to manager, NIck Bockwinkel in Memphis, Troy Graham, the funeral for the Bruise Brothers, the brief Koko Ware and Bobby Eaton tag team and more. 30:37 - Matt D talks Bockwinkel, his matches in the AWA and other territories, Dragon Lee vs Kamaitachi in CMLL, (49:21) the season finale of Doctor Who, (51:20) comics talk including Art Ops, Doctor Strange, Guardians of Infinity, Spidey, The Vision, Paul Cornell's work at Marvel, James Robinson's work on the Uncanny Avengers Annual, the upcoming Scarlet Witch title, Airboy and Leave It to Chance and (1:03:50) some slighty-spoilery talk about Jessica Jones.

The second part of our interview with Longbox Heroes (@LongboxHeroes) co-host and wrestling commentator Leonard F Chikarason (@LFChikarason), held over from last show. We talk about (!:05) the revival of Mystery Science Theater 3000, when you realize a piece of popular culture is no longer for you, (17:50) Jason Aaron (@jasonaaron) and RM Guera's The Goddamned, Thors and Secret Wars, changing art styles at Marvel and DC, (35:01) a discussion of the Mark Millar (@mrmarkmillar) and Phil Hester (@philhester) run on Swamp Thing, reminiscing about 90s DC buried treasures like Chase, Chronos and Primal Force and (43:09) commiserations and strategies for Marvel Puzzle Quest. Our planned talk about the late Nick Bockwinkel with magazine contributor Matt had to be postponed due to holiday scheduling issues. It will take place on an upcoming episode.

It's an Old School Howard Stern Show Tribute episode. Lots of talk about Cookie Puss, Larry Fine Marge Schott, the jetty, apologies, Ham Hands Bill and more. We put the explicit tag on just to be safe, so if you might be offended, we won't mind if you sit this one out. 1:20 - Richard Deitsch (@RichardDeitsch) from Sports Illustrated talk Stern Show and sports media including co-hosting Prime Time Sports in Toronto with Bob McCown (@fadoobobcat), PTS without Stephen Brunt, is John Shannon polarizing to listeners?, US vs Canada sports talk philosophies, calls vs no calls on sports talk. We also talk about his SI Media Podcast interview with Paul Heyman, his eras of wrestling fandom, wrestling journalism, Dave Meltzer (@davemeltzerWON), Frank Deford and the National, the death of Grantland, Blazer Con and love for the Men in Blazers (@meninblazers) and more. 36:12 - Leonard F Chikarason (@LFCHikarason) talks old school Stern, when he started listening, the Negligee and Underpants Party video tape, Jackie era vs Artie era and we list some of our favorite bits. Note: We ran long with Leonard, so the rest of his interview, talking comics, wrestling, Marvel Puzzle Quest and the Longbox Heroes (@Longboxheroes) podcast will be in the next episode, posting in a few days.

(0:55) - Roger Bennett (@rogbennett) from the Men in Blazers (@meninblazers) talks about the upcoming Blazer Con this weekend in New York City, the line-up of futbol heavy hitters attending, a conference vs a convention, the implosion of Chelsea, the season so far for Everton, the late Howard Kendall and more, (16:40) - Magazine contributor Matt D returns to look at the world of popular culture. We talk the season so far for Doctor Who, the Zygon Invasion [episode recorded before the Zygon Inverson aired], the greatness of Peter Capaldi and what could be in store for the season finale. We also talk new comics, including what's caught our eye from the "post-Secret Wars" Marvel books (New Avengers, Spider-Man, Iron Man,...), Greg Rucka (@ruckawriter) and Nicola Scott (@NIcolaScottArt) and the first issue of Black Magick from Image, Gail Simone's (@gailsimone) new Vertigo book and just what is Marvel's best book right now? Hint: It doesn't take place in the 616. Also some quick wrestling talk about what the WWE will do after Seth Rollins' injury forced his being stripped of the world title and what's going on in NXT.

(1:42) - Jonah (@yyzsportsmedia) from Toronto Sports Media joins the podcast to talk about the fallout from the Blue Jays and Alex Anthopolous split, from last year's attempt to replace Paul Beeston to Anthopolous giving up his GM job last week. We also talk the Toronto sports media scene: TSN vs Sportsnet, the Prime Time Sports break-up of Bob McCown and Stephen Brunt, who will fill Bob's shoes when he leaves the Fan 590 and who are the next stars in Canadian media? (43:51) - Alfredo Esparza (@therealfredo) from Luchaworld talks all the news in lucha libre, including the CMLL Dia de Muertos shows, a potential break-up of Los Ingobernables, the former Mistico/Sin Cara now Caristico leaving AAA and will he end up in CMLL, Alberto Del Rio's return to the WWE, the 11/7 Cara Lucha show with its all-star main event (Caristico vs Flamita vs Hechicero vs Cavernario) and more.

Jeff Marek (@jeffmarek) from Hockey Night in Canada and the #MvsW podcast talks Live Audio Wrestling, helping Trish Stratus (@trishstratuscom) get into the WWF, the new NHL season, 3 on 3 in OT, prospects for the Maple Leafs and Red Wings, rookie seasons for Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel, will expansion to Las Vegas and/or Quebec City happen, the MvsW podcast, the start of the major junior season, Blue Jays fever and more. 29:42- And a look at some popular culture news, including the start of Doctor Who season 9, the new Doctor Who spin-off Class, CMLL Anniversary fallout, Los Ingobernables t-shirts for sale at lucha shop dot com, Waid/Samnee move to Black Widow, the conclusion of Zander Cannon's (@zander_cannon) first arc of Kaijumax, Hechicero (@_reyhechicero) poses with new Odessa Steps Magazine, Podcast Day shout-outs and more.

Happy New Doctor Who Season Everyone! 1:02 - Todd Rowker (@rowkerthejoker) from Longbox Heroes (@longboxheroes) talks classic Doctor Who, watching on PBS, new Who, Peter Capaldi as the Doctor, future companions, Marvel's Secret Wars and Battleworld comics, the greatness of the new Archie by @markwaid and @fionastaples, the awesome craziness of Weird World, the sustained quality of @jasonaaron, @ruckawriter and Brian K/ Vaughan and more. 1:00:52 - Matt D talks new Who, the future of Steven Moffat as show runner, the next companion, his article on @chilangamaskin1 for Odessa Steps Magazine issue 5, CMLL Anniversary show predictions and more.

Dr. Lucha Steve Sims (@drluchajr) returns to talk about his articles in the new issue of Odessa Steps Magazine: one about Negro Casas and one about Atlantis and the twilight of the his generation of luchadors. Then, we discuss the Anniversary show in detail: discussing every match and probable outcomes, including the mascara contra mascara match between Atlantis and La Sombra. Also, we talk the vagueries of CMLL booking, the state of the women's division post-Dark Angel, the dream trio of Casas, Hechicero and Cavenario, the futures of the Panthers Dynasty and Casas Family, what does a title mean in CMLL, the mess involving LA Park and Dr. Wagner, the economics of lucha and more.