Into It with Elle Collins

Friend of the show (and sometimes editor) Lucas Brown of the Math of You podcast is here to talk about “The Warrior and the Sorceress,” a grimy grindhouse sword and sorcery movie from 1984, in which David Carradine plays a grim swordsman on an apocalyptic planet who does a full Yojimbo on some local warlords with the help of a topless Argentinian model with magical powers. All this and puppets too.

We're back! And we've got Stella Cheeks, of the podcasts X-Treks and Not Your Demographic, here to talk about the 1981 Sword and Sorcery classic, Clash of the Titans! This episodic Greek mythology mash-up stars Ray Harryhausen's puppets, Maggie Smith as a goddess you've never heard of, and Harry Hamlin's himbo energy.

Writer and gay historian Brett White is here to talk about an almost-forgotten classic of mythology and male bodies on display: Hercules. Directed by Pietro Francisci and starring American bodybuilder Steve Reeves, this movie squeezes in a surprising amount of almost-accurate Greek mythology and even more male thighs.

For our first episode, it only makes sense to talk about the 1982 John Milius classic Conan the Barbarian, a movie starring a bodybuilder, a dancer, and a surfer. David Wynne, the artist behind our gorgeous cover image, is our guest.

Brett White, host of the Must Have Seen TV podcast, returns to INTO IT to discuss Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi. A spoiler-filled discussion of why we both loved the movie, and what some viewers seem to have missed about it.

View fullsize Katie and Elle discuss the "Stranded" two-parter: Space Captain Larslock, the importance of Stevonnie's facial hair, and some Pink Diamond theories.

Happy Holidays! Crystal Clods cohost Katie Schenkel joins in for an in-depth episode about one of the best Christmas movies of all time, 1954's White Christmas. Danny Kaye's comedic genius, Vera-Ellen's unmatched dancing, everybody Rosemary Clooney's related to, plus Edith Head and Bob Fosse. And yes, we talk about whether or not Bing Crosby's hot.

In part two of two, Katie and Elle discuss "Back to the Kindergarten," "Sadie Killer," and "Kevin Party." 

In the first of two editions of Crystal Clods covering the episodes of Steven Universe that just dropped on the Cartoon Network app, Elle and Katie discuss "Dewey Wins," "Gemcation," and "Raise the Barn."

It's Halloween! And that means JoJo Seames and Andrew Ihla are here once again, to talk about James Whale's 1933 classic The Invisible Man, based on the H.G. Wells novel and starring Claude Rains. There is a whole lot of running around naked in this movie, plus amazing special effects, comedic cops, and Una O'Connor.

Jeff Lester of the Wait, What? podcast is on the show to talk about Steven Spielberg's 1975 classic, Jaws. A groundbreaking horror film, the first summer action blockbuster, or a jaunty adventure of three men at sea? It's all that and more.

JoJo Seames is here to talk about Casablanca! We come at it from every angle, from the refugee cast to the queer subtext to the use of light and shadow. Plus, why Conrad Veidt is the best.

Stella Cheeks, co-host of Not Your Demographic, is on the show to talk about all three Blade movies. We talk about whether or not this vampire hunter manages to be as cool as the vampires, but we know he's at least cooler than Donal Logue, Triple H, and those ugly guys with the Alien tongues.

Elle is joined by comics artist Traci Shepard, who's here to talk about her favorite comic book character Man-Thing! We have a whole conversation about Marvel's shambling monstrosity from the '70s. Why the comics are good, why the movie was terrible, and what all these wizards are doing here.

It's time once again for Crystal Clods, a bonus podcast on the Into It Network, in which Elle Collins and Katie Schenkel recap the most recent episodes of Steven Universe, just like they used to do in prose form in the Together Breakfast column at the sadly defunct ComicsAlliance. We're back for our second episode to discuss (and spoil) the hour long, four-part Wanted event.

Welcome to Crystal Clods, a bonus podcast on the Into It Network, in which Elle Collins and Katie Schenkel recap the most recent episodes of Steven Universe, just like they used to do in prose form in the Together Breakfast column at the sadly defunct ComicsAlliance. We've got a long episode to kick things off, since there were five Steven Universe episodes this week. Don't worry, we discuss (and spoil) all of them.

INTO IT returns, bringing along returning guest Matt D. Wilson to talk about film noir, parodies of noir, detective fiction, and all of that stuff with the moody shadows, the femme fatales, and the guns.

Whitney Holmes is back for a Thanksgiving episode that was also therapeutic after recent national events, in which we talk about Planes, Trains and Automobiles.

It's Halloween, and Jojo Seames and Andrew Ihla are back to talk about Dracula, the 1931 Tod Browning film starring Bela Lugosi. There's also some love for Spanish Dracula and Dracula's Daughter along the way.

Amanda Phillips Chapman is back to record an episode we attempted and failed at last October, about that witchy '90s classic, The Craft.

Devon Koren Alley is back on the show to talk about the biggest Netflix show of the past summer, Stranger Things.

A year and a half ago, Juliet Kahn was our guest for INTO IT 20, in which we talked at great length about Steven Universe. So many episodes have aired since then that we decided it was time for a follow up, to talk about all the things we didn't know, character we hadn't met, and things that have changed. So that means Bismuth, the Ruby squad, Peridot the adorable clown, and lots more.

Andrew Ihla is back on the show to talk about the movie he's Twitter-famous for loving, 1990's Gremlin's 2: The New Batch. We dissect the weird complexity of this deeply silly film, and touch on its views and fears of the future and which parts have come true, our memories of its novelization, and the way its satire of Donald Trump turns out to be a far more likable character than the real one. Plus the puppets, the music, and of course Christopher Lee.

Connie Cardwell is back to talk about an '80s movie that's stood the test of time, Ferris Bueller's Day Off. The importance of skipping school, how changing technology has affected the high school experience, the importance of Cameron and the creepiness of Mr. Rooney. Also a strong dismissal of that one theory.

Kieran Shiach, co-host of Journey into Misery and Elle's colleague at Comics Alliance, is on the show for a very in-depth discussion of All-Star Superman, Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely's much-beloved comic of a decade past. The influence of the Silver Age, the nature of Lex Luthor, the importance of Earth Q, and the differences from current continuity are all covered, and more.

Elizabeth Ferguson Keathley returns for the second half of our Sandman discussion. Delirium, Destruction, Hob Gadling, Nuala, Lyta Hall and her secret mom. All this plus a very polite disagreement about Neil Gaiman's post-Sandman career and legacy.

Elizabeth Ferguson Keathley is back to talk about Sandman, the influential '90s comic book by Neil Gaiman and a whole host of artists. This is only the first half of our discussion, and the episode ends more dramatically than any Into It has before. Along the way we discuss the importance of Sandman to our teenage dating lives, the role of mythology in comics, the problem with Wanda, the failure of sex education, and the inspirations for Delirium.

Al Kennedy of the House to Astonish podcast is here to talk about Chikara, the most superheroic of wrestling promotions. Time-traveling band leaders, tons of ants, dark gods and friendly goblins. And all of this is happening in real life, for real.

Megan Nielsen, co-host of the Hard Times Podcast, is back to talk about The Hunger, a film that features Bauhaus, David Bowie, Susan Sarandon, Catherine Deneuve, some disturbing monkeys, a girl with a Jodi Foster quality, a guy on roller skates, London standing in for Manhattan, and hot hot vampire sex.

Into It is back! And so is Elle's goddaughter Aisling, to talk about Nightmare on Elm Street. The first several movies all come up, as well as Cabin in the Woods, Hellblazer, Child's Play, and quite a few other things. Shout out to those Freddy fan girls out there on the internet.

Rapper Clara Biznass of Hand Job Academy is on the show to talk about Russ Meyer's Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! Tura Satana's legendary life story, queer characters in exploitation cinema, and the men in this movie as a metaphor for all men. There's also some talk about Lemonade, 10 Cloverfield Lane, and the problems with nerd culture. The audio connection is iffy in places, but the conversation holds together.

Katie Schenkel is back because she and Elle realized they have a favorite movie in common: Wes Anderson's The Royal Tenenbaums. The performances, the music, the dialogue, the references to 1970's children's lit. This conversation goes on for a while.

Jo Graham (co-host of How2Wrestling) is a 20something Brit who knew nothing about the OJ Simpson trial until there was a TV show based on it. Elle is a 30something American who remembers when it was on TV all the time. These two points of view convergence for a conversation about the best TV show of 2016.

Juliet Kahn is back to talk about Sophie Campbell's graphic novel series, Wet Moon. Southern Gothic, queer as hell, magical realist, intersectional feminist college drama is the order of the day. Plus some talk about other comics along the way.

Podcaster and longtime New Yorker Elana Levin is here to talk about the 1979 semi-sci fi classic street gang film, The Warriors. NYC geography as plot element, the importance of branding to street warfare, the real New York versus the mythical/cinematic New York, and what people miss about costuming (not just in this film, but in comics too). We also talked about the idea of a Warriors comic, and Elana wants me to add Ronald Wimberly as a candidate for writer/artist, which I totally agree with. New INTO IT art by Lauren Moran.

Into It favorite Jessica Berger is back on the show to answer listener questions! We talk about all kinds of stuff, from upcoming movies to underrated TV shows, to Anna Kendrick's twitter presence. New INTO IT art by Lauren Moran! (I also used it for the episode art this time around.)

Cartoonist, writer, and podcaster Chris Haley is on the show to talk about his favorite guy besides Superman, Daniel Bryan! Team Hell No, Team Uppercut, Orton and Botista at Wrestlemania, Cena at Summerslam, and Bray Wyatt in a cage. Important opinions about hair and beard length, and Chris still refuses to tell the Lex Luger story.

Betty Felon and Whitney Holmes are both lifelong fans of Teen Witch, and have plenty to say about it. The primacy of female sexual desire, the ethics of witchcraft, the enigma of Polly and what on Earth is going on with that little brother character?

Graphic designer and writer Dylan Todd is here for the third installment of our Star Wars trilogy, to talk about Return of the Jedi. A defense of the Ewoks, an excoriation of "Jedi Rocks," and some more talk about what a cool dude Han Solo totally is. All this and Dylan's Emperor Palpatine impression too.

DJ Benhameen, host of Fan Bros, arrives for the second of a three-part series on the original Star Wars trilogy. The triumph of Darth Vader, the miracle of the Yoda puppet, Boba Fett's reputation, and Lando as the totally cool guy that Han never actually was. Also yes, we talk about the guy with the ice cream maker.

Illustrator and designer Lauren Moran joins in for the first of a three-part series on the original Star Wars trilogy. Luke is whiney without being unbearable, Han is drunk but not too drunk to drive, and Leia is the best. Just, like, the best. Droids, jawas, cantina aliens, and that feeling when all you want to do is go to Tosche Station to pick up some power converters.

Writer Jon Erik Christianson is on the show to talk about one of the most exciting superhero comics on the shelves right now, Midnighter, which is written by Steve Orlando, with art by ACO and others. Along the way, the topic often veers into the portrayal of gay and queer superheroes in general, a topic that Jon and Elle both have plenty of thoughts about. Plus Prometheus, Dick Grayson, Freedom Beast, and Elle even finds an excuse to talk about the Wrath.

Jem and the Holograms writer Kelly Thompson is here to talk about a television classic, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The difficulties for watching TV in college in the 90's, Kelly defends Season 7 (sort of), and that whole Spike or Angel thing.

Musician and writer Meredith Yayanos is on the show to talk about one of her favorite movies (and one of Elle's), Ridley Scott's 1979 classic Alien. Mother Ripley versus Non-Mother Ripley, the importance of grit and grime in sci fi, the possibilities of actual alien life, and the eternal human fear of technology. The music at the end of the episode is from Meredith's project The Parlour Trick. You can buy the album on Bandcamp.

Amanda Philips Chapman is back to talk about Labyrinth. In which we remember David Bowie, admire Jennifer Connelly's eyebrows, and disagree about Hoggle. Also Amanda uses her scholarly powers to explain the historical connection between mirrors and masquerades.

Comic Book Resources Assistant Editor Brett White is here to talk about Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens. There are so many spoilers in this episode that I can't come up with anything clever to say regarding what we talked about that doesn't give stuff away. So just watch the movie and then listen.

It's been a great year! Regular episodes return next week.

It's Christmas, and we've got short segments with some of our favorite returning guests. Chris Sims describes his favorite Christmas comic. Jill Meredith Collins Sinnott talks about A Charlie Brown Christmas. And Jay Edidin explains why the Justice League episode "Comfort and Joy" is their favorite sincere Christmas special.

Devon Koren Alley is here for the Holidays, to talk about her very favorite movie, Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life. Death, despair, capitalism, and Christmas. The worst thing that could happen to a lady who doesn't marry, and why Pottersville isn't really the better town.

Chris Sims makes his long-awaited return to Into It to talk about Archie Comics! The simple rules of Riverdale, the definition of emo, the dangers of punk, the push for diversity (and how far there's still to go). Also why Jughead gets to be hot now, and an explanation for those weird old Christian comics.

Writer and podcaster Katie Schenkel is here to talk about the animated classic Justice League, including its revamped incarnation as Justice League Unlimited. Flash (specifically Wally West) is the best, Hawkman is the worst, and superheroes, especially Superman and Batman, should be friends. Hawkgirl, Wonder Woman, Amanda Waller, and Catwoman (who's not even in this series) are also the best.