The Game of Nerds Podcast

Unwind by Neal Shusterman was one of the first dystopian books I ever read. However, unlike a lot of other books of the genre I've read since, it has stuck with me. Every once in a while, one particular line of dialogue, or scene, or subject, comes to my mind, and leaves me thinking. That's what I look for in my dystopian science fiction; something to ponder when I'm done with it. Unwind takes place years after a war in America between pro-life, and pro-choice, and thus being a dystopian, science fiction, book targeted at teenagers, the compromise they come to is the Bill of Life. It reads as follows:  “that human life may not be touched from the moment of conception until a child reaches the age of thirteen. However, between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, a parent may choose to retroactively ‘abort' a child .. on the condition that the child's life doesn't ‘technically' end. The process by which a child is both terminated and yet kept alive is called ‘unwinding.' Unwinding is now a common, and accepted practice in society”.” (Shusterman, N. Unwind. pg, 1. 2007). The story follows three teens designated for unwinding: Connor, who gets into fights at school and with his parents, Risa, a ward of the state who has been declared not talented enough to keep alive, and Levi, a Tithe, someone born and praised to be unwound in the name of religion. At the beginning of the books, they cross paths, managing to escape their fate, and become AWALs. However, if they are caught before they turn 18, they will be unwound. Shusterman writes in the third-person limited perspective, transitioning primarily between the three main characters, though there are chapters that follow different characters every once in a while, when the story calls for it. Though there is a lot of jumping around, Neal does a great job of putting the reader in the mindset of the character that is currently being followed, and making use of their point of view. All three of the main characters bring a unique perspective on the story, as they all have  backgrounds, and thus different perspectives on life as well as skills and knowledge. It is very entertaining and interesting having all of them interact with one another. Along with the character writing, I haven't forgotten so world that he built here. Though most Sci-fi material take place in the very distant future, with the environment possibly much more advanced than our own, Unwind does something a little different.  Wht I love about the world building in the Unwind series, is that, because society has concentrated more on medical advancement, rather than technological, most of society is pretty much as in real life. There are mentions of old music devices and movies in an antique shop, to show that, even though it is the future, it is not far enough where society doesn't know what the technology of today is. One of my favorite descriptions of the environment that adds to the  slight futuristic time period, takes place in an antique shop.'“The shop has things from perhaps every point in American history. A display of iPods and other little gadgets from his grandfather's time cover an old chrome-rimmed dinner table. An old movie plays on an antique plasma-screen TV. The movie shows a crazy vision of a future that never came, with flying cars and a white-haired scientist" (Shusterman, N. Unwind. pg, 91. 2007). This description has stuck with me since I read the book years ago. I love how Neal manages to describe a new place, build on the world, and make a joke all in one paragraph. I also appreciate that, again, you get a vague idea of how far in the future the book takes place, without it actually giving a specific year, which makes it easier to suspend your disbelief. However, with how well the world is built up, that would be difficult not to do. It's not something I believe a reader should be consciously aware of when reading, but, as I've read this book more than once, I did.

On this episode of The Game of Nerds Podcast, we sit down with Let's Talk Fandoms Podcast host Tezeta Gant for the second time. This episode was slated for last year, but her episode was part of the infamous microphone fiasco of 2021. It was only fitting that we sat down for "take two" and got an even better conversation than the first. We start the podcast chatting about our love of Netflix's documentaries and how Nick Miller is our soul animal. But this episode is all about animation, so let's jump in! Tezeta and I are of similar ages and grew up during the 90s when animation reigned king. So it's no secret that animation holds a special place in our hearts. It's been amazing to see animation projects thrive during the pandemic since creators can do these series at home much more effortlessly than on-set filming. Just look at the latest Disney+ day and how they announced many animated series for the coming year. Animation is one of those creative processes that I'm in awe of and aware of how many TALENTED people it takes to create some of these series/movies that we've loved. We talk about this extensively in the Anime episode and the Voice Acting episode of this podcast. But first, the age-old question, Disney or Nickelodeon? Which did you watch more? It was safe to say that Disney was more for their movies, and Nickelodeon was more known for their animated cartoons. We talk extensively about the early start to watch parties with cousins and neighbors to watch the newest animated movie. I reminisce about Saturday morning cartoons with my dad and brother, which is a tradition I still hold with my daughter to this day. It brings up the point that these animation series tie into our nostalgia factor and critical moments in our lives. The best example I had was watching Toy Story when it first came out on VHS with my little brother on my lap and how much he loved it. Marvel came home the day Toy Story 4 came out, and we watched it, and I bawled. It was the whole circle of nostalgia hitting me like a ton of bricks. Animation has also been known to push the boundaries. Tezeta and I had similar childhoods where certain animated shows were off-limits. Ren and Stimpy were one of those series. In retrospect, in comparison to South Park, it's nothing, but at the time, we have to remember it was the "South Park" of the time. There was nothing ruder or cruder on tv other than Bevis and Butthead. Cartoon Network was also a network that was a hit or miss with most families. Tezeta wasn't allowed to watch Courage the Cowardly Dog. Why we might never know?!? But this diverted our conversation into a meaningful discussion about how animation is viewed currently. A lot of people see animated movies or television as "childish." Tezeta brings up a great point about how animation really has gotten away with many things that would be impossible to explain or talk about. (We are looking at you, Big Mouth!) Most people are introduced to animation as children, so when they recall animation is usually from a frame of mind or a time/place in that person's life. We agree that animation has pushed the boundaries for good. It goes back to the original awe factor. It takes talented voice actors to make these characters come to life, plus the insane creativity of illustrators and creators on top of the fact of someone coming up with this entire universe for these characters to live in. If you think about it, animation has nothing on live-action films. The possibilities are frankly endless. Not only is animation pushing the boundaries, but it also gives us tools to explain things that may be hard to do otherwise. Movies like Inside Out and Lion King give children ways to explain their feelings or complex topics like death. Big Mouth is one of the most recent animation hits that has pushed boundaries on South Park and Rick and Morty levels. If you haven't heard about the series, it's about a group of middle schoolers going through puberty.

It's been a while since a podcast episode was released, and that's because life's been insane at TGON! With conventions starting to re-open and more releases happening, things have been ramping up, and unfortunately, the podcast has been the thing that's been on the back burner. Thanks to our editor, Nick Jack Wright, we've got many episodes completed and ready for release. So without further ado, let's send off 2021 with a discussion about Superheros.I sat down to chat with the author of Tower of Blue, Eric Locsh, about what a superhero is. I honestly thought this episode would be quite a straightforward chat about our favorite and most hated superheroes, but it got super deep. We may have more questions than actual answers at the end of this. Before we dive in, we talk about what's been taking our money and attention. Eric has been watching the HBO series Barry which now has a couple of seasons. This episode was recorded before Halloween, so at the Parola House, we were deep in a Hotel Transylvania phase. This brought me to my first question to segway into our chat about Superheroes, are monsters considered superheroes?Eric immediately takes it further and asks the golden question we will keep going back to the entire episode, WHAT IS A SUPERHERO? It could be someone with powers or someone who does good. Maybe, it's someone who has overcome something difficult. The definition lies in the eye of the beholder. We quickly discussed how the term superhero came to be. Robin Hood, Zorro, and Popeye (1929) are considered the first real superheroes we know of. We wouldn't get Batman and Superman until 1939, shortly after Captain America in 1940. The reality is that the definition has changed over time, and it's not as black and white as it used to be.Eric opens up the discussion to villains with, "Well aren't villains just heroes of their own story." A great example is the latest Joker movie with Joaquin Phoenix and how he's done some horrible things at the movie's end. He has this massive following of people who think he is a hero. Of course, my mind immediately goes to the current state of social media and how we as a society flock to influencers in the same way when their content goes viral.We then jump into a discussion of how we got into superheroes and what they mean to us. We also chat about how nerd culture has changed. Eric talks about how he's enjoyed this new view on superheroes who know they should be doing good but choose to do evil. Series like The Boys, Invincible, and Jupiter's Legacy have done a great job exploring these themes. This then gets us talking about WTF superheroes like Polka Dot Man from Suicide Squad, the Legion of Pets, and the entire army of Gorilla Grodds. I go on a tangent about my love-hate relationship with the CW DC televisions series.This is when Eric turns the tables and asks me what I'm most excited about when it comes to superheroes. In all honesty, I'm excited about all the possibilities. We've seen what has happened when other cultures and skin tones are shown on the screen with heroes like Black Panther and Shang-Chi. I remember how excited I was to find out that Wonder Woman was finally getting her own movie and when Star Wars revealed that Ray was a Jedi. I was that girl whom her brothers constantly told that girls couldn't be Jedis. I do, though, want someone to explain why Squirrel girl gets some much hate?I return the favor by asking Eric what he is most excited about, which jumps us into a discussion about DC Comics. He's cautiously optimistic about the new Robert Pattinson's Batman. Since DC has refused to keep the same characters and has jumped around so many times, Eric thinks they need to find some way to tie them all together. This leads him to think something like a Multi-Earth verse could soon be in the works. All of the calculated MCU connections over the past decade have made DC look like it's flying by the seat of its pants. Both companies have the money to make things w...

The saga of the broken microphone never ends over here, folks. While this isn't my favorite episode audio-wise for me, the episode is too good not to put out. Special shoutout to our new editor, Nick Jack Wright for being amazing at his job because we got to talking for over two hours. Nick managed to squeeze in all the good stuff to under an hour and 15 minutes. In this episode, we are back to talk about the '90s. I was on Steve and Matt's podcast, Happened In The '90s, back in July and had such a wonderful time that I asked them to come to be a guest on our podcast. I love these two guys to death, and they are definitely "our people."  We start the conversation off by chatting about my Funko collection and collections in general. Primarily we focus on our regrets of the things that we've parted ways with over the years. We are desperate to find these short nostalgic trips and willing to pay big dollars to return to those priceless moments. Ultimately this brings up "Gamer Rage" and how fights would break out overplaying certain games like Mario Kart. I bring up Seaman AGAIN and how it opened a rabbit hole of discussion among my family and friends. We've concluded that the game had to be the idea from someone's late-night smoke session or a bet gone wrong.  We move on to talking about what the 90's meant to each of us. To Steve, the '90s was a time of fantastic music and creations. For Matt, it was about the small group of friends and hanging out, as cliche as it sounds for Steve. For me, the '90s were a time of television and pop culture. My love for Captain Planet and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles came from this era. In my area of the Bay Area, we were lucky enough to have a Disney and WB store at our local mall. This place allowed us to watch Looney Toon cartoons while my parents shopped around the store. You can imagine our sadness when they shut them down. This leads us into a quick discussion about the new Space Jam movie. We also chat about our favorite 90's Disney movies like the GOAT Lion King and Beauty and the Beast. Who Framed Roger Rabbit is one that never gets enough credit, but Prop Culture does a great job of showcasing how truly groundbreaking the film was. Many non-Disney movies were popular during this time, like Free Willy, Fern Gully, Harriet The Spy, and Good Burger.  In the guy's podcasts, we talked at length about how most 90's kids are either Team Disney Channel or Team Nickelodeon. I've already pledged my allegiance to the Slime of Team Nick. I remember how Nick used to be SNICK on Saturdays and how Nickelodeon turned into Nick at Night at a specific time each day. A time slot that showed old series like I Love Lucy, I Dream of Jeanie, and other beloved television classics. We immediately launch into a discussion of do you remember:  When Channels Just Stopped Airing Stuff? Yeah, it would just go off the air.Children Today Will Never Be Scared Of The Dial-Up Tone! The fax machine can try all it wants, but you aren't even close! AOL Chat rooms before ASL and playing games with strangers. What were our parents thinking?Catfishing before Catfish and MTV didn't even have TRL yet!Computer Classes where you learned to create websites "for fun" and essentially it was an entire hour where we goofed off on the internet. This conversation leaves us nostalgic and wishing for particular 90's items to come back like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle cereal and another wrestling revolution. We are an extraordinary generation that witnessed the birth of the internet being put in almost every home. Frankly, we are so spoiled now. We get things incredibly fast and rarely ever have to "wait" as we did back in the '90s. Before we watched movies repeatedly because that's all we could do, now we watch an episode of Loki, and we are ready for the next one. We can't quote or remember the series the same way we do other movies of the past.  I guess our point is that we need to slow down.

Lady and Gents, I apologize for the podcast getting a little off schedule this summer. The world's been crazy, life's been crazy, and Mz. Marvel is still breaking microphones. I first want to give a massive shout-out to Jared White for editing this episode of the podcast for us!  Now The Game of Nerds might not have regular Supergirl coverage like it did when the series first ran, but we recently made friends with a Supergirl podcast that's been helping us fill that void. Supergirl's Attic Podcast was introduced to us by our very own Fandom Science nerd, Tara Jabbari. Vv and Cycles are the podcast hosts of Supergirl's Attic and were both introduced into fandoms differently. Vv decided to look at fandom under a microscope as a college study, and Cycles entered the cutthroat world of Youtube editing at 10. It shows that if we let kids play with these tools, it may just lead them to do the things they love doing in life. Before this episode blasts off, we chat about what we've been binging like Black Widow, Broadcast 41, and Monsters at Work.  I preface this episode by saying how much I love the Arrowverse. The Game of Nerds rose in popularity because we covered the CW series shows so closely those first few years we were starting. Unfortunately, as more shows arrived and the crossover started, it got too overwhelming for me to keep up. Even with multiple writers covering it, I got confused with storylines. Frankly, I gave up mid-second crossover and haven't seen any of these series episodes since. That's where the beauty of Supergirl lies. None of the other CW series impact the show in a way where it matters. The girls describe the crossovers as "wierd family reunions where you see each other once a year." So essentially, you can watch Supergirl and not have to be caught up with the rest of the CW superhero shows. This may be because the series never even started on CW. It originally aired on CBS in 2015, which was known for its drama series. Supergirl became the highest-paid licensing fee television series for the first season at nearly 3 million an episode.  Vv and Cycles say this is a big part of why they have their podcast. They are looking into the behind-the-scenes of why the storyline may be the way it is. This was the case with Supergirl's season 2 when the series moved from CBS to CW, moving production from Los Angeles to Vancouver. At the time, certain actors had clauses where filming had to be in LA to do their project. While we usually do not see these effects in other shows, it's much more apparent for Supergirl's story. We have to remember that Supergirl was the first female DC superhero since the Wonder Woman television series aired 35 years earlier. We also wouldn't see the Wonder Woman movie for another two years after the series premiered. If you are enjoying Batwoman, you can thank Supergirl because she paved the way.  Unlike the rest of the CW Superhero series, Supergirl's season rankings are among the highest. There were only two seasons that are ranked below an A. The season that is ranked the lowest comes as no surprise to Supergirl's Attic hosts. Season 3 was filled with fan drama and false spoilers. We get into another discussion on the podcast about being a troll and an opposing force in the fandom world. Cycles reminds the fans that the core of Supergirl is "We're going to be okay because we have each other." I think that's why I fell in love with Supergirl. In the other series, the main characters were always quickly solving the problem with each episode. Meanwhile, Supergirl may solve one problem in each episode, but the core issue was dealt with all season.  Supergirls Attic Breaks down the core characters to the series and some essential side characters. We chat about how Supergirl just feels more polished and professional than the other series, and once again, that may be because it originated from CBS. A network that has been known for its writing and series like CSI,

On this episode of The Game of Nerds podcast, I'm sitting down with our resident zombie expert and my "work-husband," Jon Hicks, to talk about our adventures on the convention floor. Before Andy was on the floor doing conventions with me, the rule was Jon had to be going to the convention for me to go. So over the past six years, we've racked up a lot of convention time between the two of us. As SDCC@Home 2021 begins this weekend, it only seemed fitting for Jon and me to talk about our convention experiences as well as tips and tricks. Before we jump into conventions, though, Jon gives us the low down on the Pokemon card situation at Target and how he's deep into old episodes of Unsolved Mysteries. I'm convinced our parents just showed us the show to behave and not do something crazy with friends. As we begin chatting about conventions, we accidentally started with the best/worst example. Heroes and Villians, Fan Fest, or Walker Stalker Con, whatever you want to call it, is a prime example of how a convention with a great idea can turn bad quickly. It's considered the Fyre Festival of conventions. Here at The Game of Nerds, we've reported multiple times on Fan Fest Events, the legal trouble of its own James Frazier, and the outcome of the now-defunct convention. But there are plenty of great conventions to talk about, San Diego Comic-Con is the most popular out of all of it. It's over 50 years old, and Jon happens to be the only one on staff who has actually attended the convention. The Game of Nerds has applied for press passes for 8 years now only to be denied by new rules and requirements every year. We talk about Jon's venture to SDCC and how it's basically impossible to do everything. Just like all the movies and shows depict, people are lining up days in advance to camp out for a single panel at Hall H. If you are too busy camping you can't really do anything else the con has to offer. Many convention attendees will get worried if they are missing days, but Jon assures listeners that there is usually so much going on and around the convention that you don't really have to worry if you are missing tickets. Jon and I detail how some of these larger conventions work via lotteries for tickets, panels, and booths. This is when having a team or a system is extremely helpful. While Jon says getting the tickets for SDCC was the best moment of his life, it was the most stressful. He only got his tickets by sheer luck and friend's helping. Would he do it again? For him, once was enough. SDCC is for the die-hard fans and for those there to make money. Larges Conventions like SDCC are known for vendors having special convention exclusives or limited amounts. Some people strictly follow these conventions to pick up the merchandise to turn around a "flip" it for profit. If you've ever heard us say "Fuck Flippers," this is where the word comes from. It's when someone buys something to sell it for more profit. This is where I discuss my problem with SDCC and how I feel it's nothing but a money grab. While it's supposed to be a fan and media event, both these groups of people aren't being represented well. Tickets are limited for fans, and the media teams who are getting "free tickets" don't even care about the event. The pandemic was a doozy for everyone, and the conventions scene is no different. Many conventions weren't sure they were going to see the light of day again. So we are aware that conventions are trying to make their money back and that conventions are indeed a luxury. That doesn't mean that they can't be accessible to everyone. Reed Pop and Wizard World were two companies that quickly pivoted when the pandemic shut down conventions. They both started offering online panels and memberships for exclusive access to events. This system seems to be working for them as people decide whether they are ready to return to unperson events. We go on to talk about ECCC or Emerald City Comic-Con.

On this episode of The Game of Nerds podcast, I'm sitting down with fellow fangirl and writer at TGON, Tara Jabbari. We first met through the podcast website matchmaker.FM and immediately hit it off. Since our first call, I always book at least two hours minimum to chat with Tara because we talk about everything and anything. She has her very own biographical podcast series about women in history called, Who Was She? Tara also has a Masters's Degree in Communication Culture, and Technology. While finishing her degree, she looked into how we form relationships with media, more specifically television. She blew my mind with what I like to call "Fandom Science" when she explained an actual scientific term for what we like to call Fangirling, it's called Parasocial Relationships. It's no secret. I like Sebastian Stan. It's right up there with Bluey. As a kid, when I would get super into something or someone, my parents would just say, "Oh Shannon, you're just obsessed." It turns out I was experiencing parasocial relationships and didn't even know it. A parasocial relationship is when someone has an intimate one-sided relationship that's non-sexual with a media person or figure. This term was coined originally in 1956 after two scientists realized that people were getting attached to their local news anchors. Some people were going so far as to send soup when they hear their favorite weatherman was sick. This was a fairly new concept since television has just arrived at the beginning of the 1950s. Fast forward to the 2000s and the arrival of Facebook, Twitter, and various other social media, the term is still there but only bigger. This is where Tara says we may need to update the definition or come up with a new term altogether. This obsession with celebrities or fictional characters isn't new, but the digital age has caused it to grow. We have access to our favorite shows 24/7 and we can follow celebrities' every move. Convention experiences have made it easier for us to get to meet and interact with our favorite celebrities. While we may believe that Aquaman looked at me a certain way. You can probably guess that he gave that same look to the thousands of other women who were in line that day. While it's not diminishing the experience in any way, it just goes to show how one interaction can be interrupted in two different ways. With social media and the internet came almost instant access to things we love and obsess over. Tara's example with Vanessa Hudgens being cornered by a mom to take a picture with her child in an airport brings up a great point. Children really don't understand this concept and to a certain extent, it's cute. We've heard countless stories of cosplayers or actors playing along to make a small child's day. At some point though, we all learn the truth about whose behind Mickey Mouse and our favorite characters. But to the parents who have had to sit through countless hours watching and buying thousands of dollars in merchandise, it may seem like these actors or characters owe it to them to take a picture. Once again forgetting that they are even a real person with a plane to catch or a schedule not set by you. Unfortunately, the pandemic has only made this situation worse. With everything shut down and everyone at home, we resorted to binge-watching series and revisiting our old favorites during the last year. The line between reality and fiction can get a bit blurry. There are really four levels to parasocial relationships. You feel empathy for the character. A great example is the famous romantic movie cliche of when the guy gets the girl at the movie's end. The character and the viewer are both happy, and you feel like you "got the girl" too. You start sharing cognitive aspects. You start understanding the character's reasoning and thought process. Someone may not understand why a 12-year-old has a kill list, but those who have watched the Game of Thrones series understand why Arya St...

In this episode, I get to sit down with one of my favorite content creators, Masked Mateo, to talk all about cosplay. He is known on social media as Masked Mateo, aka The Nightwing. Warner Bros and DC Comics have both featured him multiple times. He recently finished his cosplay trilogy for DC Comic's Dick Grayson that you have to check out. We met three years ago when he emailed to say The Game of Nerds was really lacking cosplay content but wanted to help. Known as "Deadpool Mateo" then, he joined us, and our cosplay section hasn't been the same since. He is why we have such a killer cosplay team lineup, but he is not only an amazing cosplayer. He is also an amazing friend as well. I'm lucky to know the man on both sides of the mask. We first jump into a discussion of Snyder Cut of Justice League. It's a discussion the two of us have been dying to have since it was released months ago but have had zero time to connect about it. Thankfully we both were on the same brain wave and absolutely loved it. It was desperately the movie the DC franchise needed to get fans back on board. It will be up to WB, though, if the Snyder Universe rules. From there, we jump into our discussion about cosplay and how Masked Mateo has grown over the past few years. As mentioned before, his cosplay career really started with Deadpool. According to him, he woke up one morning and just decided he wanted to cosplay. He hadn't attended a convention nor cosplayed before but was ready to try. So he started Googling suit makers, and that's how his cosplay adventure began. After doing Deadpool, he decided to choose a cosplay character that not many people had done and that he could really get behind the character. This is how the journey to Dick Grayson began. Masked Mateo is known for creating a storyline with the characters that he cosplays as. He knew that he wanted to stay masked the entire time since that's what intrigued him as a kid. When he would go to Six Flags, you never knew who was behind the mask or who was really playing the character. The mystery of it makes it all the more fun. Nightwing's #1 goal, though, is to give his viewers a show and to make memories with them. I've seen the videos of him dancing at conventions to get the party started and the amazing photos with children doing wacky poses. It's this mentality that makes cosplay so special to me and why I love cosplayers like him. It's that moment when a little girl sees Elsa at a convention, and that cosplayer stops everything from having that interaction. That child will never know it wasn't the REAL Elsa, but they will remember the magic. It's truly like having Disneyland or a theme park in your hometown. We discuss how Masked Mateo wants a Funko Box from Poppin Hopper and the talent that goes into these cosplays. Masked Mateo drops some major wisdom on how and where to buy or order cosplay attire. He also offers advice to cosplay creators on how they can better their services and understand cosplayers. Remember that cosplay creators are human and running a small business by themselves. They are not Amazon, and these cosplays often take time as in MONTHS to create. When I asked Masked Mateo what his favorite parts of cosplaying, he came up with two answers. The first being the instant gratification of people liking your cosplay. The second is just digging into the storyline of the character to the point it's almost acting. He makes a solid point in noting that he couldn't do it without his team. Cosplaying isn't a one-person show. It takes a costume maker, photographer, editor, and a lot of hard work to make his content. He likes to make a point to tell cosplayers to give credit where credit is due. Tag the people who helped you when you post or do shoutouts in interviews! The Nightwing says the only downside he's found to cosplay is people's inability to keep their hands to themselves. Yes, he's known for his butt, but it doesn't permit you to touch it.

I'm sitting down with fellow mom and Disney Villians scholar Kaytie Ohashi on this episode of The Game of Nerds Podcast. Before we dive into the evil side of things, we chat briefly about what we've been obsessing over, including Falcon and Winter Solider. Kaytie recently got a ManiMe which makes custom-designed nails based on your nail size. We then jump into how Kaytie became known as the Disney scholar. This is, after all, our first podcast episode touching on Disney. Kaytie was completing her Master's program, and her instructor told her to do something different. So she did an entire mock podcast episode where she did a detailed character analysis on Regina Mills from Once Upon a Time. This hour and a half episode impressed her instructor so much that she decided to turn it into a podcast when she went on maternity leave. I ask here, though, why did she choose Villians? Since her background was in social work, she used Disney characters and Villains to describe various social identities in children and adults. As we all know, we aren't just one identity but made up of multiple identities. After seeing Twisted: The Untold Story of a Royal Vizier, the idea for the podcast only grew for her. What if we did not hear the Villians side of the story? We then jump into a rousing discussion of our favorite villains. For 90's kids, it's safe to say, Ursala, Jafar, Scar, Maleficent, The Evil Queen from Snow White, and Cruella top off the list. Gaston is usually also added to the list, but we talk about how he isn't really evil per se. There are really different levels of Villians. Some are true evil like Maleficent and Ursula, while others are just misguided or arrogant like Gaston. Captain Hook is one of those Villians that is somewhere in the middle. I ask the question all of us parents are dying to know, what's the deal with Pete? Is he a friend, or is he a foe? To childcare professionals like me, he sends such mixed signals. In one episode, Pete is our enemy and ruining everything, and in the next episode, we are helping him get coconuts. What's the deal? Kaytie believes that he's the Frenemy. He's the one you really don't want to be friends with but not enemies either. I bring up Marie's point from episode 13 that "Everyone is Mickey's Bitch" and Kaytie states that there is a scholarly review that looks at how Mickey Mouse uses everyone. Queue my mind being blown. We jump back into talking about villains that get little recognition. Kaytie states how much she loves Cruella for being the outspoken feminist she is but can't get behind the puppy killing. I personally think that's why the latest release of Cruella with Emma Stone will be amazing. She also loves Jafar. I personally have always found an attachment to Hades from Hercules. Growing up, I was a huge fan of Rattigan from The Great Mouse Detective and Madam Mims from Sword in The Stone. Kaytie talks about passive-aggressive evil, which sums up Melificinet and Mother Gothel to the T. Both took on and had to wait for their evil to pay off in the end. Robin Hood is another great example of villains that necessarily aren't bad. They are just not the greatest or misguided. The real evil villain is The Sheriff of Nottingham in that movie. Prince John is just a different version of Kuzco from Emporers New Groove. Did you know Emporers New Groove is the only movie with a pregnant woman throughout the movie? Any other Disney movie has either a pregnant mom for a few moments or no mom at all. Kaytie had a screenwriter on her podcast where she talked about Tamatoa, the crab from Moana. According to this guest, a villain must be in most of the movie and change the plot. Tamatoa was only in one scene and didn't really change the plot. He only furthers it along. Does this mean Madam Mims and some of our other favorite Villians aren't really Villians? Thanks to the success of Maleficent, we got Cruella along with a lot of other live actions.

**This episode contains spoilers from WandaVision. ** It's no secret I love Marvel. My husband and I have one of the largest Funko Marvel collections. Our daughter's name is even Marvel. So I was beyond stoked to finally get some time to chat with one of my favorite nerd writers, Russ Milheim, all about the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After all, he has been covering the MCU for our website for a few years now when he took over the reins from the OG Jesse Rolufs. We start the conversation off with what we are obsessing over. Russ has recently gotten rid of most of his Marvel Funkos and has moved onto Hot Toys. The lack of Funkos has made for an empty house, so he's been nerdy re-decorating. I've personally gotten myself addicted to The Crown lately, and even Andy's been enjoying it. But let's get back to this podcast's real topic, the Marvel Cinematic Universe or the MCU. During the early part of its history, the MCU was meant just to mean the movies, but it's come to mean anything that is Marvel over the past decade. Unlike DC Comics, where shows and television are separate, Marvel, for the most part, has tried to keep things working together in one universe. When prepping for this podcast, it was quite awesome to see how hard we've come since 2008 when Iron Man appeared on the scene. The Nerd and Geek power were just beginning to rebuild with things like Dark Knight, Harry Potter, and the Lord of the Rings trilogy being released. Did we ever expect it to be this complex and amazing? Heck no, but we are glad it did. Iron Man, though was the start of it all, but Incredible Hulk really had us taking a step back. It really took Iron Man 2 and Thor to get my trust back after the horrid movie that was Incredible Hulk. Russ does point out, though, that Iron Man 2 wasn't that great. Mostly this is because it was trying to set up so much in the MCU. Both of us agree that WandaVision sort of did the same thing for Phase 4 with Agatha. It's really is amazing to see how all these things are webbed together and intricately planned. Russ and I talk in-depth about how all these different phases, plans, and easter eggs just make fans more and more interested. This results in Marvel becoming more and more tightened-lipped since comic book fans can easily try to figure out which direction the studio is going simply based on the thousands of comic storylines available. Marvel is known for silencing its actors, having no cellphone policies on set, and have NDAs with huge consequences. We jump back into our journey of the MCU to talk about how Thor got our attention after Iron Man 2 redeemed our trust. Thor was dark and different. Darcy was a character that was so underrated through all the movies but finally got to have her shining moment in WandaVision. Russ talks about how he's not too fond of Jane Foster's character and why it has to be "Female Thor." His argument is Thor is a name, not a mantle. The mantle is God of Thunder. It's like running around calling every Spider-man Peter Parker. What really sold us both, though, on the Marvel franchise was Captain America and Avengers. While Captain America lacked in fight scenes, it did make up for it with amazing character development that lasted through the decade. The reality is Avengers did something no other franchise or movie studio has ever done before. It brought together multiple movie franchises together to make an even bigger one. Marvel is one of those unique companies. All they do is make Marvel content. Unlike Warner Bros who deals with not only the DC franchise but thousands of other hugely popular franchises. Marvel's sole attention is only on the content it owns, but this wasn't always the case. Fox had X-Men, Deadpool, and Fantastic Four. It was so bad that at one point, Marvel couldn't use the word mutant because it applied too much to the X-men universe. In the Age of Ultron, Wanda and Pietro were referred to as "miracles" and that the tesseract gave them their powe...

On this episode of The Game of Nerds podcast, I sat down to chat with our chief editor Andie Boyungs to talk about the Anita Blake book series. You may have remembered her from her podcast episode last year on the Harry Dresden book series. Andie has been covering Anita Blake for just as long as she's been covering Harry Dresden. While we do chat with each other often each week, usually at least once a day, it is rare for us to stay on one topic. Before we dive in, we catch up on all the things we've been recently watching. Andie has been finishing up season three of American Gods and started the Fox series, Sleepy Hollow. I was recently have been blessed with three new Bluey episodes. Andy and I also recently binged 4 seasons of Kim's Convenience on Netflix, which was Schitt's Creeks level entertaining. But alas, today was the day I learned a lot about Anita Blake and were-animals. Don't worry, we will explain more later. Anita Blake is one badass bitch. The book series penned by Laurell K Hamilton has spanned 30 books now over nearly 30 years. So much has changed since the first book, but one thing has remained the same, how powerful and fierce Anita Blake is. Marvel even has a graphic novel on Anita Blake. Laurell K Hamilton also has many stand-alone books, but she is best known for her Anita Blake and Merry Gentry book series. Merry Gentry is a book series that started in 2000 that spans 9 books about the first and only all-American fairy princess. Anita Blake is not set up in any regular world. Her world is filled with Were-animals, zombies, ghouls, trolls, vampires, and so much more. All the people in her world are aware of these creatures, and if they do wrong, they are immediately executed. Andie goes into much detail trying to explain to me were-animals and how they aren't just specific to Anita Blake's book series. The magick that she personally practices even has some versions of were-animals. As always, I appreciate it when Andie teaches me something new. Over the years, Anita, her sexuality, and the storyline have grown. As the series progresses, we see the series get more erotic and violent. Most of this is because Anita becomes a human servant to a succubus, which feeds off sexual energy. Of course, I had to ask how she got into this series. Harry Dresden, Anita Blake, and Merry Gentry were all recommended by the same friend. She was introduced to them in the 2000s and has read them all. They are all unique and progressed Anita's story well. If you want to enjoy the series to its fullest, Andie highly recommends starting from the beginning. They aren't that huge of books, so it shouldn't take you that much time to get through them. We then go on to talk about the main characters of the series and back again on were-animals. The characters, though, stay pretty consistent throughout the series. There are very few characters that just randomly pop in. A great example is the #BrotherHusband situation Anita's got going on between John Claude, Nathanial, and Mikah. She's planning on marrying all three of them, which gets us onto a discussion of religion and mythology. Andie is quite versed in all things mythical and witchy. It's something I'm quite interested in and in awe of. Andie is amazed that a pagan writer wrote a series about a devoted catholic character who is surrounded by all these mythical creatures. She credits this being the reason why Anita has such a strong inner personal struggle through the series. She can't make sense of her life, purpose, and destiny. Frankly, Andie's got me wanting to read this series ASAP! Unfortunately, my time is limited, which brings up a quick discussion of our dislike of electronic books or audiobooks. There is just something about holding a book in your hand. We wrap up the conversation with whether or not Anita is really human? It's really up to debate with fans. She's technically a pan-were, necromancer, human servant, among other things.

Personal Note: The mic fiasco of 2021 ends with this episode! Praise Chuck because this was the episode I bawled over when it all began. I sincerely had the best time chatting with Joel and loved listening to his stories. I was so glad his audio was perfectly fine, and it was my audio that was messed up. Unfortunately, it just took me forever to edit this podcast so this episode is LONG overdue. In this episode of The Game of Nerds Podcast, we sit down with amazingly talented Joel Gibbs. He is known as the man of 1000 voices. Technically it's 783, but who's counting? Joel has been doing voice acting since the '70s in the Philadelphia area. I was beyond honored that he sat down to chat with me about his career. This man's resume is astounding. He is not only a talented voice actor, but he's also been a director, radio, and podcast host, to name a few. We first talk about what we've been recently obsessing on. Joel jumps right in by talking about all the fun characters he's been getting to do recently. I finally got to watch the new Tom and Jerry movie that at the time was just released on HBO Max. I'm still unimpressed as when I first saw the trailer. Joel talks about how the ventriloquist Paul Winchell, and Hanna-Barbera era cartoons like Tom and Jerry, were really the inspiration behind his love for voice acting. He loved doing the voices of different characters and entertaining people with them. As a child, it started with puppets and eventually moved on to mimicking his teachers' voices for the other kids at school. His first paying job was doing an Ed Sullivan-type voice for a car or shoe commercial. It wasn't until a few years later that he realized voice acting was going to be his career when he mastered Don Vito Corleone, aka The Godfather. While it took him a while to be known as the "go-to guy" for voiceovers on the East Coast, his talent was a huge driving force in his success. His most favorite jobs were head shop commercials in Atlantic City doing the perfect impressions of Cheech and Chong. Joel fondly remembers when he couldn't turn on Atlantic City radio without hearing his voice on the radio multiple times in a row. With over 40K projects done in his career, he has no regrets on any of his projects. The only hard part he's run into is clients not knowing what they want. Thus, it's hard to get the right recording. He does offer some great advice for those interested in getting into voice actors if you have talent and passion. While there are a wide variety of different courses now available on voice acting due to the pandemic, Joel does suggest going to programs with actual successful professionals like Nancy Cartwright. She is known worldwide for being the voice of Bart Simpson and other beloved animated characters. Ultimately though, it does come down to talent and practicing that talent. Once you've nailed doing the voices, you need to build your own recording spot. The remote home office was common for voice actors before the pandemic even started. Most companies won't pay for an actor to travel to record, so the home recording is the way to go. As with most cases, if you want to play with the professionals, you have to have equipment like the professionals like microphone and software. Recording equipment isn't cheap, but the price can affect your sound quality in some cases. Case and point, Mic Fiasco of 2021. We saw this also with SDCC 2020 with the Bob's Burgers panel, where they talked about making home recording studios with egg crates in their children's closets. Joel has no complaints about the job, though, and even states he really doesn't see any cons to the career either. On top of being a talented voice actor, he's also a great host for podcasts and radio programs. I asked him, "Which is easier, doing interviews with celebrities or doing voiceovers?" He says they are very different but allow him to express himself in the same way. He's gotten to have some amazing conversations ...

On this episode of The Game of Nerds Podcast, we are talking to our very own Arganise Campbell about Anime. We start our conversation out with the WandaVision debate and how much I freaking hated it. Arganise covered a few of the WandaVision episodes on The Game of Nerds and loves to poke Mama Dragon about it. But I really have a bone pick with her. She is the reason we now own the Umbrella Academy Funko pops. She states our Funko article about downsizing and organizing her collection has really helped her out. But this episode isn't about Funko pops. It's about Anime. Due to the pandemic, Arganise has recently been rewatching and writing about the anime series she has loved as a child and through the years. Therefore, I thought she would be the perfect person to break down what anime is for our fans. Anime is short for animation or Japanese animation. Anime is known for a specific type of animation that is usually different than normal Saturday cartoons we are used to here in the US. But the US has tried to take anime and make it western, which has resulted in a tear in the anime community. Some are trying to preserve the authenticity and style of original Japanese animation. Manga and Anime, while similar, are two different things. Manga refers to the written book form of animation. While anime usually refers to the television or movie version. Most traditional anime starts as Manga and then is adapted. Manga is traditionally how most get into anime since they are easy to obtain at any library. These books are usually brightly colored and engaging, but be aware if you are a parent. Anime can be very graphic, gruesome, and violent, which may not be appropriate for all children. But at the end of the day, if your kid is actually reading and engaged in it, you may want to pick your battles, especially if your child has issues with reading. There are some great children's options for anime like Pokemon and Rilakkuma, and Kaoru on Netflix. The fact that Pokemon is considered anime blows my mind. I grew up when Pokemon was a huge deal. My brother was, in fact, on his way to being the ToysRus Pokemon Master. I remember watching and being entertained by the Pokemon show and movie. When the second round of resurgence a couple of years ago, I was the coolest nanny ever because I spoke Pokemon. Arganise says many people just don't give anime a try, and it's simply because they haven't found the right anime for you. She's a firm believer that you have to be "Dating Anime." You need to be always finding new ones and trying series. Netflix and Hulu are great places to start if you are looking to dip your toes into anime without subscribing to more platforms. If you are deep into anime already, there are Crunchyroll and Funimation apps for you to subscribe and watch from. If you are looking for Studio Ghibli films, those are all located on HBOMax. These movies are a great way for you and your children to jump into anime without having to watch multiple seasons. Arganise does warn that there are two different kinds of anime: subbed and dubbed. Subbed is when nothing has been translated in English but the subtitles. This usually requires the viewer to pay more attention. Dubbed means the series has been translated and edited for English viewers. These series are easier to watch and require less attention because you aren't reading subtitles. Dragon Ball Z and My Hero Academia are huge favorites in the anime community, but they aren't Arganise favorites. She's more of a dark and twisty anime watcher, and those are "too fluffy" for her liking. We do jump back onto the subject of Funko's, but that's only because most of my anime knowledge comes from Funko. Funko Anime Pops are usually the ones with the most exclusives or rarest forms. This has caused Anime pops to soar in pricing. Arganise first pop was Sailor Jupiter when we sent her to Motor City Comic Con for her first convention with The Game of Nerds.

In this TGON podcast episode, I'm getting to combine my two loves in life: The Game of Nerds and childcare. For those who don't know, my day job is as a childcare coach and nanny for families in the San Francisco Bay Area. All my nanny kids know me as the nerdy nanny who is fluent in superheroes and television shows. Marie happens to be a fellow nanny and podcast co-host of sheNANNYgans Podcast. We sat down to chat about our love of and expertise in children's television. The pandemic has caused a lot of parents to lean on television to survive the day. This episode isn't to shame anyone or remind you of what the official research says about kids who watch tv. If anything, this episode is to give you more quality options and remind you of what's really important. After all, the most common question I'm asked is what are some good educational shows for my child to watch? Marie and I dive right in and talk about some of the shows that we grew up loving. We were children of the '90s so Nick Jr and Nickelodeon shows were staples. A lot of it was frankly slapstick comedy that went way over our heads. Blues Clues was about the only educational thing in there along with Teletubbies and Barney. But that's the sad reality of children's television choices today, there is an overwhelming amount of shows out there and only a few are actual gems. As a mother and nanny, I went into motherhood with the "no screen" mentality but that was quickly thrown out the window when the pandemic hit. The staples in our house are Sesame Street, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Bluey, and Daniel Tiger. The one thing I have become aware of since becoming a parent is which shows Marvel is watching vs how much she's watching. The choices though are endless and parents are overwhelmed. At the end of the day, it comes down to knowing your kid, their age, and what they need. Sometimes you need educational goodness and other times you need mindless garbage to escape it. Let's be real here when was the last time you watched an "educational" show? If you are looking for great education children's television shows, I've put together a great list for you. Sesame Street is always my go-to good show. With over 50 seasons, you seriously can't go wrong. We do discuss how scary the first few seasons are in terms of Big Bird's looks and how creepy Elmo was in the beginning. I express my love for Gonger and Monster Foodies. We also note how the new pop culture references and celebrities are getting parents hooked. I eventually convince Marie to check out The Late Show with Elmo, and she continues her rant about how The Count is the most underutilized character on the block. We talk about the pros and cons of HBO getting Sesame Street, and at least both agree that Sesame Street looks good with HBO money. If Sesame Street is my go-to show, PBS would be my go-to network. We have both the PBS video and game app downloaded and are huge fans. It is available to everyone and FREE, but it houses a lot of amazing series. Most of the television shows are based on book series, which could help foster good reading skills. Kids are more motivated to read and learn if it's with a character they enjoy. Some great series to watch are Molly of Denali, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum, Cat in The Hat, Arthur, Curious George, Super Why, Clifford, to name a few. There are some problem shows and questions we still can't answer after years of torture. Here are the highlights: Our problem with Toodles and how everyone is Mickey Mouse's bitch. Mickey if you want something done, do it yourself. Calliou, that whiny bitch. There is an understood rule in the nanny and parent world that Calliou is the absolute worst. He's whiny. He's horrible. Thank God he's canceled. Peppa Pig, just as annoying and whining as Calliou and frankly, looks like a penis. Cocomelon, we still don't understand the appeal of it.

Sorry for the delay on this episode of the podcast, friends. A tiny monster got a hold of my microphone, and a new one had to be ordered. So if it sounds like two different mics, it is and will be for the next couple of episodes. Oh, the joys of the podcasting and having children, but back to this episode. I sat down with our resident Furry Expert, Nicholas Leonard, to talk about Furries. He's been sharing the furry world with TGON fans since 2017. Before Nicholas arrived at our site, the extent of my furry knowledge was that they were people who dressed up as animals. Why? I didn't know. Thankfully I've learned a lot in the past four years, and this podcast just opened my eyes more. I'd like to welcome you to your lesson in furries! The most common questions Nicholas gets asked is what a furry convention is? or what is a furry in general? The easiest answer is a furry convention is no different than a Comic-Con or even a Star Trek Convention. Instead of Spocks and Kirks, you've got people dressed up as animals. Furries identify with the character that they are dressing up. It's called a Fursona. There are two ways to define what is "furry content." Some people believe that for it's to be "furry," it has to be created by another furry. But most in the furry fandom believe that if the content is animal-focused, then it's considered in the furry fandom. That's right, things like Disney's Robin Hood, Lion King, Zootopia, and even Sonic The Hedgehog are all considered furry related. One of my earliest questions to Niko, when we met, was if Furries considered it like cosplay. He said he definitely considered it like cosplay, but not everyone shares this opinion. Fursuits are a huge topic of this podcast. I was really interested in the rules of fursuiting and how much these things run. Some furries believe that you must never take off your head for there to be "magic," but some scrapped that rule like Nicholas. Fursuits come in three different configurations: Mini Partial - Head, Hands Tail, FeetPartials - Head, Hands, Tail, Feet, ArmsFull Fur Suit Some people make their own fursuits, but for the most part, they are bought online. You can choose to go a custom route. Each suit taking time and talent from individuals to bring these Fursonas to life. Often it can take months before a suit is complete and ready to wear. Companies like The Fuzz Factory create fursuits ready for delivery at the time of purchase, but the prices start at a couple of thousands for a partial suit. Before you even have a fursuit made though, it all starts with a fursona. This is the animal or character you identify and like most. Nicholas shared with me that furries can have multiple fursonas and that you can actually buy other people's fursonas. These fursonas are usually started in the form of art and built up from there. Honestly, you really could create an arsenal of animal characters if you really wanted to each one with a special and unique personality. But furry content is not all about the fursona or fursuit. Furries have created books and games. It's really an intersectional fandom that is so very diverse. The word furries sometimes bring up a negative reaction with people. At conventions, furries often weren't on their best behavior and would drink while in suit. But for the most part, it's because people in this fandom are open with their sexuality and preferences. The art they create usually is NSFW. While it not maybe your cup of tea, it is someone's. The documentary Fursona which came out in 2016 was supposed to help but failed to do any real justice for the community. The latest furry segment with CNN in 2018 though did really shine a positive light on the furry fandom. While Fursona was created by furries, the CNN was not made by anyone in the community. It was the first time the community was shared and talked about from the outsiders perspective. The furry community is not only very accepting,

On this episode of The Game of Nerds Podcast, we are chatting about a show I've NEVER seen, Neighbours. The Queen of the Ramsay Street Gossip and our very own, Lindsey Bannister, sat down to talk to us about the hit Australian soap opera that's been going on since 1985! In the seven years, I've been running The Game of Nerds the top five searched fandoms always changed with what is popular or about to come out. Once Lindsay started reporting on Neighbours in 2017 that all changed. Neighbours has consistently been in that top 5 every month since then, and that just flat out amazes me. What I've come to realize though is that Neighbours doesn't really get that much coverage. Over the past 4 years, Lindsay has created a home for Neighbours and it's fans at The Game of Nerds. While it would be impossible to talk about all 30 years in a single episode, we did talk about the history of the show and why it's such a hit with fans. It all started with three families on Ramsay Street. The series deals with hard-hitting soap opera storylines and has ridiculous nonsense weaved in-between. Yes, actors have died, left the street, or got amnesia (this is a common occurrence in the series). But the series has been known to bring back characters years later, sucking in fans once again. It's the equation that clearly has made this series a cult classic. Neighbour fans can watch when they want and never really be out of the loop. It's the kind of show that gives you the drama but also the laughs. When asked if it could be compared to anything else, it really can't. The series originated in Australia in 1985, but once it crossed over to the UK, it only got bigger. This is how Lindsey got attached to the series. It was just what you did every day after school. You did your homework and before dinner, you watched Neighbours together as a family. This was well before the time of DVRs and on-demand, so if you missed a big episode, you hoped you had a friend who recorded it on their VCR. While this series may not be a household name in the United States, the series has launched the careers of some of our favorite Hollywood celebrities like Russell Crowe, Margot Robbie, and Liam Hemsworth, to name a few. At the peak of the Neighbours hype, there were books created and even a board game. The series has created a passionate fanbase online where people come together to talk about episodes and even poke fun. Neighbours started out as a very white neighborhood and, over the decades, has blossomed into a series that showcases different people of colors and lifestyles. The LGBTQ community is very involved with this series because of the characters and stories it's done. Once again, making it a series that is relatable to a variety of demographics. Before the pandemic, the cast was even doing special meet and greets with fans which was a lot of fun to attend. Thankfully, the pandemic has just made the community grow closer together because of the large fan base online. It's always daunting to take on a new series, especially one that has been on for 30 years. Lindsey assures fans that you can jump into Neighbours at any point. Yes, it will take you a couple of episodes to get bearings, but it's pretty easy to figure out. Neighbours are extremely easy to watch if you don't live in the United States. It's available on sites like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, etc. If you live inside the US, there is only one place to watch Neighbours, and that's Tubi. You can create a free subscription with them to watch the most recent 25 episodes. While it's not all 5,922 episodes, it is a great place to start. We hope this podcast episode gets you to check out all the Ramsay Street gossip sometime! Guest Information Lindsey BannisterTwitter: www.twitter.com/squeaky_the_pinInstagram: www.instagram.com/squeakythepinNeighbours Content on The Game of Nerds: https://thegameofnerds.com/category/television/neighbours/ More Neighbours Content

Valentines Day is just around the corner. What better way to celebrate our favorite loving holiday than talking about Fandom Love, Ships, and OTPs. I'll be honest when I started The Game of Nerds over seven years ago. I knew nothing about ships, OTPs, or even fan fiction. Thankfully, I found Meg, and she taught me everything I know. In this episode, I sit down with the inseparable duo, Meg and Carla of Bed, Wed, and Behead Podcast. Meg was on our Supernatural episode last year, and I've been fingerling over THE CARLA (yep, all caps) for years now. If anyone is to learn the rules to ships and OTPs, it's from these two nerd masters. After gushing over our joint love of Big Mouth on Netflix, we talk about Fandom Love. There are different levels from "yeah I like it" to "fangirl obsessed". We accept all levels of obsession here at The Game of Nerds as long as it's not hurting anyone else, but more on that later. We jump headfirst into defining some of these fandom terms that are used all the time in posts like: Shipping / "Ship" - Relationship - When you put to people in a relationship OTP - One True Pairing - These are meant to be together NOTP - Not One True Pairing - These do not belong together We talk about our childhood obsessions and how they were essentially the beginning of shipping and OTPs. We joke about some of the ridiculous shipping names that have popped up over the years and how some actors have gone to great lengths to entertain fans who believe in certain ships. Each fandom has its own stomping grounds where they like to hang out and chat. For the most part, you can find most content on sites like Twitter or Tumblr by searching your favorite fandoms hashtags. We openly talk about that each of us has private social media accounts because sometimes our OTPs or our shipping can seem "weird," or people disagree with it. It sucks because we really enjoy interacting with fans but hate being judged for something we really like. It may not be your cup of tea, but it's our cup. There is a very dark side of Fandom love that can get very scary. While we joke here at The Game of Nerds that there is no shame in an unhealthy obsession with a fandom, we will never approve of dangerous or illegal actions. There is a line that gets crossed often in fandoms. This can include harassing other fans and actors or even abusing work privileges to get information about people. In some instances, we have "fandom conspiracists" who are spreading false and often ridiculous information. It's also one thing when your "obsession" gets in the way of priorities like keeping food on the table or taking care of your children. There is some competition in Fandoms, which usually results in Fandom Wars. This could be two ships within a specific fandom or fandom vs. fandom. We must remember, IT'S JUST A SHOW. There is no need to bully someone over your ship/fandom. Carla brings up an excellent point in the section that yes, you can be passionate and believe with your whole heart in something. But there is a chance that no matter how much you wish, plead, and beg; you will never get that ship to happen. That's the fun in ships believing in the impossible and the gratification of when it does happen or even the validation that you weren't crazy that entire time. We continue chatting about some of our favorite ships like David and Patrick from Schitt's Creek, Pacey and Joey from Dawson Creek, and Destiel from Supernatural. A big portion of this episode's conversation also lands on Fanfiction. When The Game of Nerds was in its early stages, we played with allowing fan fiction. I quickly realized it was a can of worms I didn't want to open and more drama than I wanted to deal with. That doesn't take away from the fact that I think Fanfiction writers are some of the most talented writers I've met in my life. There is good talented fan fiction, and then there is some weird, terrible stuff too. At the end of the day,

On this episode of The Game of Nerds podcast, we are saying Hello to 2021 with Moby, the other half of the T-Hud Podcast! He was scheduled to join us in the 2020 episode with Leland but was captured by the listener while on a run. Thanks to his recent binge-watch of Cobra Kai, he was able to Kung Fu his way out and phoned in his podcast recording. I apologize for the sound quality in advance, but let's get down to this episode. Moby and I bond over the learning curve of having a podcast and reflecting on our three years of friendship that started on Craigslist. He's recently been addicted to the latest Stardew Valley Update. After the dumpster fire that was last year, we are really looking forward to 2021. We are ready for a new year of television, movies, and games. Both of us agree that we should see a huge influx of new indie content after last year. Moby talks to us about his love of theater and how he understands WB's decision to release HBO Max and theaters. We even bring up the failure of the Disney+ experiment with Mulan and how they need to plug the trigger with Black Widow already. The discussion turns to tv and how we've given up hope with cable. With more streaming services popping up, more people are cutting cable. But it's soon going to get just as if not more expensive as each platform is set to cost. People are already picking out their favorite platforms. We've entered an era of streaming saturation. A prime example, Netflix once was the kingpin for original content. When you go on the platform, there is so much new original content to choose from. You are immediately overloaded. We both agree that we are really over cable. Though, we do love Disney+ and are excited for both the Star Wars and Marvel lineup this year. Movies, though, on the other hand, are a different story. Since a lot of movies got delayed or pushed back to this year. We are excited about a lot of movies coming this year. But first, once again, let's bring up the WTF was WB thinking moment of the year with Tom and Jerry. Yes, Tom and Jerry have a movie coming out soon. Space Jam we are all for, but Tom and Jerry is a hard NO from both of us. I talk about my excitement and apprehension about Ghostbusters. I really want a great reboot, and Moby brings up a great point about the cameos not being a stupid one-liner. On the other hand, Moby is excited about one movie and only Top Gun: Maverick. We also bring up Morbius, Bob's Burgers, and Dune, to name a few. While I may not be a gaming expert, I did manage to dive into Animal Crossing last year. This year Harvest Moon is set to arrive for the Nintendo Switch. So Moby schools me on the details between Harvest Moon and Stardew Valley. I explain how I was conned into buying a Playstation 5 for the Harry Potter game. No one mentioned that the game wasn't coming out until late this year, and then, of course, after we recorded it was announced, it would be delayed until next year. This gets us started on VR and how we would like to see this gaming community grow this year. Especially with all the new games available. We round it out with a discussion on the fact that Microsoft is failing the Millenials with the fact that they will not be making another Banjo-Kazooie game. You're telling us that Spyro, Tony Hawk, and Crash Bandicoot can have a reboot but not Banjo Kazooie? This is insanity. Learn more about our guest:Matt "Moby" BlomCo-Host of the T-Hud Popcast - https://ttpopcast.comT-Hud Popcast Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/ttpopcast/Marketing with Matt Youtube Page - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPE66CpUQiqAGdJWMUPSaBA/featured

Happy New Year Nerds! We are so glad to be back and have a great year planned out for you. To start 2021 off, I sat down with a communication expert and creator of the Youtube Channel, Master Talks, Brenden Kumarasamy. He also used to play League of Legends professionally. In this episode, we are chatting all about using your nerd powers to your advantage and being a better nerd this year. We start the conversation off with the question of why should we even want to try to be better this year after such a horrible 2020? The answer is simple. Time. It's our enemy in this situation. You can get those years back. There are no do-overs so. Instead, you have to reinvest it. Those who did this already are ahead of the game. Which brings up the next question, where do you even start? Brenden's advice to define what happiness to you is. Make a list of 5 things that make you happy daily. The important part is that you mustn't use someone else's list because the point is they should be things that make YOU happy. He also brings up the famous Warren Buffett Focus Framer, where you write a list of 20 things you want to do with your life and then reduce that list to your top 5 to focus on. The theory is where your focus goes, the energy flows. While 2020 might have been a huge dumpster fire for most of us. Brenden chooses to see the positive in the situation by stating it's an opportunity to win. Because let's be honest, if you can win in this market, you are doing great! This brings up my point that 2021 should be a huge influx of indie content, books, television series, movies, and just new people in general. All these were the people who "reinvested" their year with hard work. So how can nerds really play on their strengths and get over the fear that you won't please everyone? The reality is nerds have to embrace their quirks. They also need to realize that not every opinion matter. The fear, though, is normal. It's the way our brain is wired for survival. Ex: In order to be cool like everyone else I have to have the newest gaming system to play. The reality is you really don't need it but in order to be "liked" we must have it. Brenden brings up a great fact that I've been saying on the daily since we started TGON, "Your unique gifts are the sum of what everyone finds crazy about you." Essentially, your "insanity" is your super-power. He does a great job of using this example with his ability to karaoke in five different languages. The conversation then moves onto what pop culture characters we emulate or are most like? We talk about the beauty of media and fandoms, and how it allows us to connect to characters we want to be like or not like. We then move onto nerdy quotes or analogies that we may use often. Brenden's go to in communications is the jigsaw analogy. We all usually do the edges first and then filled the center. Public speaking should be the same way. Build the edges of our speech or presentation so they are solid, then work on the middle part. We also touch on how nerds can put themselves out there and get over their fear. The easiest answer is don't sell someone to you who doesn't want to be sold. Ex. You wouldn't sell cupcakes to a person who eats nothing but celery. Find the people who are like you and talking about the same things you want to talk about. Brenden goes on to discuss how he's grown Master talk by connecting with his fans with dinners. He's a firm believer that if you spend time with the people who genuinely care about your content, you will become unstoppable. You're parents don't have to support your "crazy" idea. It's not up to them to figure out what makes you happiest. It's up to you. Learn More About Our Guest, Brenden Kumarasamy: Master Talks YouTube Channel Master Talk Instagram

In this episode of the podcast, I'm chatting with podcast friend Leland Steel about the dumpster fire that is 2020. Leland has been a friend of mine for over three years now and we met via his podcast, The T-Hud Popcast. I happened to be the founder and president of the "I Love Leland" fan club. There were even shirts made before I had Marvel. The last time Leland and I chatted was when we were recording an episode of his podcast just before the world started to meltdown due to COVID in March. This podcast starts the conversation off by talking about how our families and significant others have really been the driving factor to this year. As much as it's sucked, we have gained some positivity from the situation. We gush about our love for Netflix's Tiger King and Amazon Prime Video's Upload while joking that the Canadians had been secretly hiding Schitt's Creek from the rest of the world this entire time. The conversation turns then to binge-watching and how it's basically instant gratification. As a society, we've now been programmed to watch series in entire sitting instead of watching them weekly like a regular series. It makes us miss the old days of watching episodes when they aired live and spending all week chatting with our friends before the next episode. Leland explains his hate of Disney+ and how it's algorithm absolutely blows. The only series that is worth watching for him on that platform happens to be The Mandalorian. Later in the episode, we talk about how Disney failed miserably with Mulan and would have been more successful trying the same thing with Black Widow. In terms of movies, there wasn't really much this year except for the Borat Sequel. We also talk extensively about series we absolutely hated this year, like Space Force and Season 2 of You. The biggest rant of the episode comes with how the New Mutants movie was treated. Our conversation pivots from there on the future of media and if theaters will eventually go out of business. This episode was recorded before WB announced it's entire 2021 lineup would be going to HBO Max as well as theaters. Leland and I at least both agree that it's way more financially feasible for families to have the ability to buy movies that are in theaters from the comfort of their own homes. It also touches on how cable tv is still even around, with streaming sites each having their won platform and ones like Hulu offering cable packages as add ons. The biggest disappointment this year was that so many good movies were pushed back to next year. Ghostbusters Afterlife, James Bond, and Bob's Burgers were some of the notable ones we were really excited about. We touch on some of the amazing fundraising events that have happened this year due to COVID. Examples like the Parks and Rec special, Scott Pilgram Table Read, and the Princess Bride Reenactment. We finish the conversation by talking about what we want to leave in 2020 and what we want to take into 2021. In a surprising turn of events, I turn Leland into a positive softie. He motions to begin the "I Love Shannon" club, and my job here is done, folks. Get To Know Our Guest: Leland SteelTwitter - @Leland_SteelCo-Host of The T-Hud Popcast - http://ttpopcast.comNew Episodes Drop on the 15th of every month with Moby! Dungeon Master at The Incorrigible Party Podcast - http://incorrigibleparty.com

For some people, the holidays have been going since Halloween. For most, though, the holiday season is just getting into full swing. We recorded this episode the weekend after Thanksgiving and the holiday sales were beginning to drop. I sat down with Robert Cross from The Game of Nerds and Justin McAleece, who is the head producer for Blare Media. In this episode, we talk about everything holidays from movies to television. We start off with what we are looking forward to the most this year and some of our favorite holiday films. Robert tries to change our mind on Nightmare Before Christmas, and Justin gets us all to agree the original animated Dr. Suess's How The Grinch Stole Christmas reigns supreme. We also attempt to decide where Home Alone and Elf now stand regarding whether they are Old Classics or Newer Holiday Favorites. Did you know that Home Alone is 30 years old now? The discussion continues into our favorite holiday television episodes. South Park, The Office, Friends, Doctor Who, Supernatural, and Bob's Burgers are all given their due props for having some of the greatest holiday episodes of all time. It brings up a great point that some of these Christmas based movies and television can show us how the holidays are celebrated in other parts of the worlds. We can't leave out SNL in this holiday discussion and how it pushed the limits over the years. This happens to be the song we are all trying to sing and figure out: https://youtu.be/uOqk04lSQXk We eventually jump to discussing the lack of Hanukkah and Kwanzaa related holiday content out there compared to holiday content. It's true that it really comes down to marketability. Did you know that the reason It's A Wonderful Life is such a popular classic an administrative error? Yep, the copyright wore out, and someone forgot to renew it. Thus, it could be played on the television for free as often as the networks wanted. We finally wrap up the episode with what makes a classic holiday movie and our wishes for this holiday season. Don't forget to subscribe to us on your favorite podcasting platform. That way, you don't miss out on any new episodes. If you are looking to help The Game of Nerds grow, we would appreciate it if you rated and left a review! Learn More About Our Guests: Justin McAleece - Head Producer for Blare MediaInstagram: @justinmakesmoviesYou can learn more about his latest movie Brick Madness here: www.brickmadness.comYou can purchase the film here: www.littlesisterent.shop Brick Madness will be available on Amazon Prime for purchase on December 22nd, 2020. http://vimeo.com/225054177 Robert Cross - Writer at The Game of NerdsCheck out his writing here: https://thegameofnerds.com/author/robbycro1/

This episode was a real fun one. I got to record with my two favorite husbands. My actual real-life husband, Andy Parola, and the other I fondly refer to as my "Work Husband," Jon Hicks. These two have been dragging me to Funko events for years now and have become inseparable. They have been collecting since before 2015, so they've been around the community for awhile now. Funko has become one of the hottest selling collectibles of the last decade. They originally started with Bobble Heads called "Wacky Wobblers" in 1998. The Pop Vinyl Line eventually made its debut at San Diego Comic-Con in 2011 with some DC Superheros. Now Funko has over 1,100+ different franchise licenses for television, movies, video games, and more. In this episode, we talk about: What are Funko Pops? When did they start?What Got You Into Funko? First Funko Pop?Funko Lingo BreakdownWhy Do You Continue To Collect Funko?What's In Your Collection? Favorite Pop?Is There Money To Be Made In Funko?Best Tips You Have For Funko CollectorsBiggest RegretsHow Funko Has ChangedMessage to FunkoFuture of FunkoPriorities and Pops Guest Information Andy Parola:Facebook - www.facebook.com/theviparolazInstagram - www.instagram.com/theviparolaz Website - www.theviparolaz.comTGON Cosplayer: Andy Parola Jon Hicks:Twitter - www.twitter.com/jpgarfunkleInstagram - www.instagram.com/jpgarfunkle Twitch - Riddler3The Game of Nerds ArticlesTGON Cosplayer: Jon Hicks Some of Our Favorite Funko Content on The Game of Nerds:Funko Questions Answered So You Need To Get Rid Of Your Funko Collection?The Life-size Funko Pop Box CosplayFunko Making Fun “The Story of Funko” DocumentarySo You Want To Collect Funko? We Will Try To Help You Navigate The Hobby.So You Want To Get Some SDCC Pops?TGON visits the new Funko Head Quarters in Everett, Washington

In this episode of The Game of Nerds podcast, we learn all about The Dresden Files from resident Harry Dresden expert and our Editor in Chief, Andie Boyungs. The Dresden Files is a book series from author Jim Butcher that has captured many fantasy fans' hearts. The series centers around Harry Dresden, a magical private investigator whose ventures spans seventeen books, several short stories, games, and more. It just recently celebrated its 20th anniversary at San Diego Comic-Con this year. Andie does an amazing job giving me the ins and outs of this other world and the major characters of the series. Learn more about this amazing series by listening in now. Our Guest's Information: Andie BoyungsHer The Game of Nerd's ArticlesHer Book Stronger Than Monsters Available on Amazon Now! FacebookLinked InSamhain Designs The Game of Nerds Articles on Harry Dresden: Harry Dresden: A Brief RecapHarry Dresden SDCC 2020 20 Year Anniversary Panel Harry Dresden: Wizard and Chicago P.ICounsels, Groups, and Courts of The Harry Dresden UniverseThe Seven Laws of Magic in the Dresdenverse The Dresden Files Book Reviews:Book 1 - Storm FrontBook 2 - Fool MoonBook 3 - Grave Peril Book 4 - Summer KnightBook 5 - Death MasksBook 6 - Side JobsBook 7 - Dead BeatBook 8 - Proven GuiltyBook 9 - White NightBook 10 - Small FavorBook 11 - Turn CoatBook 12 - ChangesBook 13 - Ghost StoryBook 14 - Cold Days Book 15 - Skin GameBook 16 - Peace Talks The Dresden Files Television Episode Reviews: Season One, Episode 1Season One, Episode 2Season One, Episode 3Season One, Episode 4

Supernatural holds an extraordinary place in my heart. It's one of the shows that started The Game of Nerds. I found the series when I needed it most, and I can't believe the ride is almost over. Supernatural has become the longest-running American fantasy series to date. In this episode of the podcast, we are talking all about Supernatural with Meg Griffin. You may recognize her as the main Supernatural writer here at The Game of Nerds for many years. We cover the basics like what is Supernatural and how we were introduced to the series. It's come a long way since it's WB days. We dive into our favorite characters and episodes, as well as which storylines really irked us the most. We talk about Meg's favorite ship ever Destiel and how much she would love it to come true. Supernatural's fandom is known for going META and being passionate about the series. We have an in-depth discussion about Supernatural conventions and tips from Meg, who has gone TEN times now. We finish out the discussion with our predictions of the series finale and if we are going to get that Supernatural movie eventually. Then tie it off with the themes and values that Supernatural has given us over the last decade and more. Find Out More About Meg Griffin:Meg's Personal TwitterBed Wed Behead Podcast Supernatural Related Articles To Check Out:Food Of SupernaturalTGON Bakes: Supernatural Cherry Pie15 Dead Characters Who Should Return For Supernatural's Final Season (And One Who Shouldn't)A Crash Course on The Women of Wayward Sisters10 Interesting Facts About Supernatural Stars Jared Padalecki And Jensen AcklesSupernatural Top Five Episodes: Season 14Supernatural Top Five Episodes: Season 13Top Five Supernatural Episodes: Season 12Supernatural's Five Best Episodes Per Season Countdown: Season 11Supernatural's Five Best Episodes Per Season Countdown: Season TenSupernatural's Five Best Episodes Per Season Countdown: Season NineSupernatural's Five Best Episodes Per Season Countdown: Season EightSupernatural's Five Best Episodes Per Season Countdown: Season SevenSupernatural's Five Best Episodes Per Season Countdown: Season SixSupernatural's Five Best Episodes Per Season Countdown - Season Five Supernatural's Five Best Episodes Per Season Countdown: Season FourSupernatural's Five Best Episodes Per Season Countdown: Season ThreeSupernatural's Five Best Episodes Per Season Countdown: Season TwoSupernatural's Five Best Episodes Per Season Countdown: Season One

Fair warning, if you are squeamish then this might not be the episode for you. We do talk about a horror movie scene that is very similar to suicide and other gore based scenes. ONCE AGAIN YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! Welcome back to another episode of The Game of Nerds podcast! In our second episode, we are talking all about Halloween and Horror with Chantel Rolufs and Shelby Tolly. They have been covering anything scary on The Game of Nerds over the years and have become our "Ladies of Horror". The three of us also happened to be the most Basic Fall Witches of them all. So with Halloween right around the corner, we figure we might jump into the horror genre. We start off with the basics discussing how we all got into horror and what constitutes horror for each of us. We then jump into things we love and hate about horror and what movies had us knowing we were scarred for life. Learn more about our Ladies of Horror: Chantel RolufsHer The Game of Nerds Content can be found here. Twitter: @chantelrolufsInstagram: Chantel_beauty_yqr Shelby Tolly Here The Game of Nerds can be found here. Twitter: @ShelbyTolly For those who aren't ready for Cannibal Holocaust, don't worry. We've got plenty of horror starting points for you. Below I've linked some of our best horror and Halloween content we referenced in the podcast. Make sure you are subscribed to us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and leave a review! Jamie Lee Curtis Set For A Directorial Debut & The Fate Of The Halloween FranchiseTop 10 Halloween Movies For Kids9 Podcasts For Any Horror FanHalloween Movies for Scaredy Cats10 Movies/Shows to Watch When You Want to Get into the Halloween Spirit but Don't Like Scary ThingsTGON Screams: HereditaryTGON Screams: ‘Emelie' (2015) ReviewTGON Screams: Cujo — The Good, The Bad, The DoggoFive Podcasts Every Horror and True Crime Fan Needs in Their LifeThe Top 10 Horror Movie Sequels (That Didn't Suck) Gore Manga That'll Shake You to Your Core10 Truly Horrifying Japanese Urban Legends

The Game of Nerds Podcast is back! I'm so happy to announce that I'm returning to host the podcast that started it all. Over the past seven years, over a hundred writers, and I have created an entire written fandom library that we are so proud of. As we've entered 2020, we think it's time to create an entire audio library now. The goal is to create a podcast of all different fandoms, books, movies, games, shows, cosplayers, conventions, and more. Of course, I'm not an expert in all things nerds, so these episodes are great for fans who want to learn more about a specific topic in an hour. In this first episode, we are talking about The Game of Nerds. Jon Hicks and Natalie Griffin are the guests. They are veteran TGON writers, cosplayers, and general nerd bad-asses. We cover everything from their experiences with The Game of Nerds, the fandom life, and how much things have changed in the last few years. We even dive into our predictions for the next seven years. Don't worry Spaghetti Tuesdays are still a thing. Find out more about our amazing guests: Natalie GriffinHer TGON Articles can be found here! Paranormal PotcastTwitter @natwingwritesInstagram: @Natwing.cosplay Jon HicksHis TGON Articles can be found here! Twitter @JpgarfunkleInstagram: @Jpgarfunkle Make sure you subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss out on all our episodes!

Over the course of a couple of tweets, Michael Chu, Lead Story Developer for Overwatch,  has confused most of Overwatch's fanbase due to a lore discrepancy. According to him, D.Va isn't specifically a StarCraft pro gamer, only a pro gamer in general. This clashes with what literally everyone who pays attention to the lore has known from day one, but Chu waves it away as "a common misconception." Yeah, common. Common among the whole world, including Jeff Kaplan. In a recent Forbes interview, the creator of Overwatch himself stated that, "We have D.Va as a StarCraft pro." In case you're not caught up on Overwatch lore, here's the rundown: In the near future, humanity succeeded in creating sentient robots called Omnics. Unfortunately for them, Omnics immediately turned around and rose up against the humans that couldn't decide whether they were tools or people. In a move reminiscent of Pacific Rim, a kaiju-like Omnic emerged from the depths of the ocean off the coast of South Korea and began attacking. The military managed to repel the gigantic Omnic, but unfortunately it wasn't destroyed, merely forced back into the depths. After analyzing the battles it'd been in, it adapted to the techniques and strategies the military used and rose once again a few years later, ready to fight again. Up until one of those battles, the South Korean military had been using remote-controlled battle robots called MEKAs to combat the threat. However, one of the Omnic's adaptations was a signal jammer, rendering the 'remote' part of that useless. The military was forced to use piloted MEKAs, but they didn't have anybody within their ranks with the needed reflexes. So they turned to the pro gamers. D.Va was specifically stated to be the most elite StarCraft player in the world, rising to the top spot at the age of 16 and remaining undefeated in all competitions for the next three years. No other games are ever mentioned, and so it was assumed that StarCraft was her specialty. In fact, her "Raising my APM!" voice-line is a reference to the 'actions per minute' mechanic of the StarCraft series, basically determining how many actions a person can take per turn. Until recently, D.Va even had a page on StarCraft's World Championship Series website. The WCS is a place where bios of all the top players for StarCraft can be found, so the fact that D.Va's page specifically stated that "at the age of 16, [she] became the #1 ranked player in the world and proceeded to go undefeated for the next three years in all competitions," is a pretty clear indication that she was a pro StarCraft gamer. It also stated that she toured around the world for exhibitions and competitions, as using the Wayback machine to view the page can show. Unfortunately, that page has now been deleted. Now, since this issue has been brought to people's attention, Michael Chu has taken to the Blizzard forums to clarify further. "Misconception probably wasn't the right way to describe it," he said, "more like something that we haven't clarified properly. I think the best I can do here is give the backstory (har har) on how we got here: Going back to when we announced D.Va as a hero, we had been experimenting with using different methods of teasing new characters. We thought it'd be fun to use the StarCraft WCS site and slip D.Va in as she had a background as a pro gamer (this all happened before she was officially announced). At the time, I actually worried that it would be taken as canon, but I was hoping elements like the fact her preferred race was listed as "random" and the fact she couldn't have competed in the current series would help defray that. In hindsight, yeah... pretty confusing. D.Va is absolutely a world champion professional gamer which was what got her recruited into MEKA in the first place. However her best game wasn't StarCraft (which was what I was attempting to clarify). We imagined that she was most known and specialized in a game ...