Where’s My Jetpack?!

We're going on hiatus for three main reasons: firstly life has gotten in the way, secondly our patreon wasn't sufficient to cover our costs, and finally solidarity with the Writers' Strike. We'd like to thank all of our listeners and contributors. We'll see you in the future! Music by Tryad

For International Women's Day Ani's chatting to guest Johanna Isaacson about horror feminism. We're particularly drawing on her recent book Stepford Daughters: Weapons for Feminists in Contemporary Horror (2022). You can find more of Jo's work for free at Blindfield Journal, and she runs the Facebook page/group Anti-capitalist feminists who love horror films.  Crowdfunding page for queer horror short Illuminati Castrati at boosted.org.nz/projects/queer-horror-short.  Edited by PodCraft.ph's Zarah Meneses. Thumbnail image from Assassination Nation (2018). More info about the podcast at jetpack1917.info

Lidia Grigorut guests to discuss extended reality: a term including virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality. We discuss possible futures, how political economy shapes technology, and what the heck is the deal with the MetaVerse. More info and a music-free version at jetpack1917.info

Last year we picked favourite horror movies through the decades. This year we're reviewing horror we overlooked. In Part 2 of 3, we cover the 1980's-90's. Recs: Possession (1981), The Evil Dead (1981), Evil Dead II (1987), Mr Wrong (1984), Nightmare on Elm St (1984), plus documentaries Never Sleep Again: The Elm St Legacy (2010), Scream Queen: My Nightmare on Elm St (2019), Gremlins (1984), C.H.U.D. (1984), The Stuff (1985), The Fly (1986), Bad Taste (1987), Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1987), The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988), The Blob (1988), Shocker (1989), Poison (1990), Hardware (1990), Braindead AKA Dead Alive (1992), Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), The Prophecy (1995), The Craft (1996), Halloween H20 (1998), Dark City (1998), Anthologies: Creepshow feature (1982), Twilight Zone feature (1983), Tales from the Darkside TV series (1984-1988), Tales from the Darkside feature (1990), Amazing Stories TV series (1985-1987), The Twilight Zone TV series (1985-1989), Friday The 13th TV series (1987-1990), Monsters (1988-1991), Freddy's Nightmares TV series (1988-1990), Tales From The Crypt TV series (1989-1996), Tales from the Hood feature (1995). Edited by PodCraft.ph's Zarah Meneses. Thumbnail image from The Video Dead (1987). More info at our new domain jetpack1917.info. Happy Halloween!

Ghosts, Nazis, and mutated bears! Oh my! Last Halloween we picked our favourite horror movies from each decade. However, any list of great horror movies will always be incomplete, so this year we're reviewing ones we overlooked. In the first of three parts, we review horror from the 1970's. Spoilers for the following: Multiple Maniacs (1970), The Crazies (1973), The Stepford Wives (1975), Hausu (1977), Martin (1978), The Boys from Brazil (1978), Prophecy (1979). Edited by DJ Panda. Thumbnail image from Shocker (1989). More info at jetpack1917.info

Christianity vs paganism! Cult dynamics! Nicolas Cage: good or bad?! Our first Halloween episode features guest superfan Lucy Buchanan. We review folk horror classic The Wicker Man (1973), and its descendants The Wicker Man remake (2006), The Wicker Tree (2011) and Midsommar (2019). Edited by Lindsay Curtis. Willow's Song performed by folked at bandcamp. Midsommar review cited Blindfield Journal's On Death Cults and Bordered Utopias. More information at our new domain jetpack1917.info. Have a haunted Halloween!

We discuss our dark pasts. Edited by PodCraft.ph's Zarah Meneses.

We conclude our discussion of disability rights in the age of COVID. Edited by Lindsay Curtis. Further credits at jetpack.zoob.net.

We discuss disability rights in the age of COVID. Edited by DJ Panda and Lindsay Curtis. Further credits at jetpack.zoob.net.

For our second Pride Month episode, Ani discusses trans rights with guest Lidia Grigorut.

Ani interviews RJ from Mindanao, Philippines on LGBT struggles there. Note: This was recorded before the national election of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. More info at tinyurl.com/pride-php-blog

For our May Day bonus episode, we interview director Liam Ward on the history of Chinese-Australian working class struggle, as addressed in his documentary Do Nothing and Do It Well (2021).

We interview Syrian academic and activist Yasser Munif on his book The Syrian Revolution: Between the Politics of Life and the Geopolitics of Death.

We interview Eric Draitser of CounterPunch Radio on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. To find more of Eric's work please visit patreon.com/ericdraitser, and to support Ukrainian resistance please donate to operation-solidarity.org. Thumbnail image via iNews

We review classic satirical anti-fascist movies: The Great Dictator (1940), The Producers (1967), Cabaret (1972), Starship Troopers (1997), and Dredd (2012). Thumbnail image from The Great Dictator.

Nathaniel Derby Pickman's logs on the triumph of the Crawling Chaos, the Tall Man, the Walking Shadow. Opening poem performed by Durante Haire for LibriVox. Thumbnail image by Jens Heimdahl. More info at jetpack.zoob.net

Part 2 of our Halloween retrospective: Ani and guest Tyler West pick their favourite horror movies of the 1990s-2020s (1920s-1980s covered in Part 1). Full list of movies at tinyurl.com/spook-jetpack2. Image from Scream (1996)

Happy Halloween! Ani and guest Tyler West pick their favourite horror movies of each decade, 1920s-1980s (1990s-2020s to be covered in Part 2).  Thumbnail image from Videodrome (1983).  Full list of movies and further info at tinyurl.com/spook-jetpack

For a Halloween bonus this year, we're hosting a talk by Jo Isaacson on Social Reproduction Feminisms and Horror. Jo writes academic and popular pieces on horror and politics. She is a professor of English at Modesto Junior College and a founding editor of Blind Field Journal. Her book Stepford Daughters: Tools for Feminists in Contemporary Horror is forthcoming from Common Notions Press. She is the author of The Ballerina and the Bull (2016) from Repeater Books, has published widely in academic and popular journals, and runs the Facebook group, Anti-capitalist feminists who like horror films. This talk was originally hosted by UCI Critical Theory, so thanks to them. Image from The Stepford Wives (1975)

No Fate Project report (cont'): Reading between the lines and boiling down the contemporary relevance of Dyer's diary. Like total nerds. Diary full text at tinyurl.com/dyerdiary, read out at tinyurl.com/scripture-anchorfm Painting by Giovanni Paolo De Agostini.

No Fate Project report: we finally unearth the details of Dyer's doomed 1930s expedition to Antarctica. Thumbnail image from François Baranger's illustration of HP Lovecraft's At The Mountains of Madness. More info and credits at tinyurl.com/scripture-blog

As the four remaining kaiju converge on Syria, and a separatist Silicon Valley cartel seizes control of California, our hero Derek Johnson receives worrying news from Antarctica. Violence ensues. Image by MasterChiefSnake

The idea of a middle class has popular currency, with everyone from factory workers to millionaires self-identifying as 'middle class.' Meanwhile, the concept of a 'Professional-Managerial Class' has recently gained currency on the left. But is there a middle class? Is this the same thing as the 'petite bourgeoisie', or the 'Professional-Managerial Class'? What might the answers to these questions mean for those of us who aim to challenge class society? More info at jetpack.zoob.net

On the 30th anniversary of the Rocketeer's release, the long-delayed third part of our Rocketeer review (the first two parts can be found in our first ever episode Wanting to Believe, and our 2019 Xmas bonus episode). 

An announcement to our regular listeners that due to personal circumstances, the Where's My Jetpack podcast is not releasing a July episode. We'll be back in August with the long-delayed final part of our Rocketeer Retrofuturistic Retrospective, an extended review of the overlooked superhero film The Rocketeer, which was released 20 years ago this year, in 1991. Stay safe, and be kind, unless you're dealing with fascists and exploiters. Have a lovely weekend. Music: Better Days, by Lakey Inspired

Samples from the last 50+ years, from a queer ultra-left perspective. Thumbnail image: Quote from The Raspberry Reich (2004 feature film). More info at jetpack.zoob.net or tinyurl.com/q-ultra-blog

Pride Month #2: a retrospective on the work of plus-size gay Latino actor Harvey Guillen, particularly reviewing vampire sitcom What We Do in the Shadows, and criminally overlooked teen drama Huge. Thumbnail image, of Harvey Guillen by Valentina Vee. More info at jetpack.zoob.net or tinyurl.com/harvey-blog

Second of a two-part retrospective on the queer-friendly family TV show Steven Universe, with guest superfan Ivy Decker. Thumbnail: Derek as Greg Universe

First of a two-part retrospective on the queer-friendly family TV show Steven Universe, with guest superfan Ivy Decker. Thumbnail image: Ivy cosplays as Garnet, from Steven Universe. More info at jetpack.zoob.net

An update on the emergence of real life kaiju (strange beasts), particularly a battle between two Destroyers and two Protectors in the Mojave desert. Thumbnail art by @JCRev4 on twitter. More info at jetpack.zoob.net

We discuss Biden-era socialist strategy with two guests, NY Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) members Hakan Yilmaz and Robert Cuffy. Thumbnail image from Yahoo News. More info at jetpack.zoob.net

A May Day story: the Rank and File Teachers' Organisation (RAFTO) in 1980s Aotearoa/New Zealand. Trigger warning for discussion of rape culture, and workplace abuse. Thumbnail image from Broadsheet Issue 113 (1983): Education Issue. More info at jetpack.zoob.net

An update on the emergence of real-life kaiju in our timeline, including the formation of three new pairs: two Protectors, two Destroyers, and two Sapphic scientists. Thumbnail image by Nicholas Roerich. More info at tinyurl.com/kaiju3-blog

We discuss the question of who determines meaning: author, audience or both? Then we conclude with a review of Godzilla vs Kong (2021), with guest kaiju superfan Jase Short. Thumbnail art by Makar Malicki. More info at jetpack.zoob.net

We review Godzilla vs Kong, with guest kaiju superfan Jase Short. Discussion ranges from style vs substance (which will triumph?!), to a deep dive on 'real-world' hollow earth theory, to ranking the Legendary MonsterVerse. More info at jetpack.zoob.net

An update on the emergence of real-life kaiju in our timeline, including the clash between the North American Bird of Prey and Australian Mega-Dromaius, a decisive battle in Emu War II. Thumbnail art by JuggaloICP. More info at jetpack.zoob.net

On the 10th anniversary of the Syrian Revolution, we interview exiled Syrian-Palestinian scholar-activist Razan Ghazzawi. More info at jetpack.zoob.net

March 15th is the second anniversary of the Christchurch far-right terrorist attack. We honour the dead, and fight for the living. Accordingly, we're hosting a talk by video essayist Byron Clark on the state of the far right in Aotearoa/New Zealand, two years later. This was originally recorded at the annual conference of Fightback Aotearoa/Australia (fightback.org.nz), on the 23rd of January 2021. Thumbnail image, taken at Al Noor Mosque, from AFP.

Over March, we're hosting a series of talks recorded at the annual conference of Fightback Aotearoa/Australia (fightback.org.nz), on the 23rd of January 2021. In this session, Lebanese Canadian writer and activist Jade Saab speaks about the Lebanese and regional uprisings, while Mexican-American socialist Erin Rocio speaks about social movements in the US and Latin America. Thumbnail image of Lebanese uprising from Al Jazeera.

Over March, we're hosting a series of talks recorded at the annual conference of Fightback Aotearoa/Australia (fightback.org.nz), on the 23rd of January 2021. This talk, by veteran Aotearoa/New Zealand activist Sue Bradford, concerns organisational futures for the left. The thumbnail image, of Bradford at a protest held by Auckland Action Against Poverty, was taken by Jason Oxenham for Newstalk ZB. You can find out more information on our podcast at jetpack.zoob.net

We interview Irish scholar-activist Gavan Titley on his book Is Free Speech Racist? More info at jetpack.zoob.net

Waitangi Day is Aotearoa/New Zealand's commemoration of the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the treaty between indigenous Māori and the Crown. This Waitangi Day, we broadcast a talk by Erin Matariki Carr, a lawyer of Ngāi Tūhoe and Ngāti Awa descent. The talk was originally delivered at a conference held by Fightback Australasia, on the 23rd of January this year. Thumbnail art by Tamatea Kopua, from the Report of Matike Mai Aotearoa – The Independent Working Group on Constitutional Transformation. More info at jetpack.zoob.net

Ani discusses tankie* politics and alternatives with returning guest Gayaal Iddamalgoda (a socialist, trade unionist, and migrant rights advocate). We touch on the history of the mass Sri Lankan Trotskyist movement, the left in the Philippines, and the Syrian Revolution among other topics - arguing in sum that tankie politics erase the rich legacy of struggle in the majority world. *Supporting 'actually existing socialist' states such as China and 'anti-imperialist' states such as Iran. More info, including sources at jetpack.zoob.net

Thanks to all who contributed, we have now transcribed and released all 10+ hours of ant-fascist interviews, which can be found at tinyurl.com/jetpack-transcripts

NB: This episode isn't syndicating properly, the full running time is 16.45 but only 9 minutes is coming through on Spotify, iTunes and other platforms. We have contacted Anchor FM with this issue, but in the meantime please listen it on Anchor FM, which requires no login: tinyurl.com/kaiju1-anchor No Fate Project report on the surprise emergence of seven real Kaiju* in our timeline, across seven continents.   *Japanese word for ‘strange beast’, popularised by Godzilla.   Original thumbnail art by Jared P Foust, see our Facebook for full size images!

Happy (war on) Christmas

9 reports from the No Fate Project, about the war against the zombie plague. Fourth-Wall Breaking Disclaimer: This arc was conceived before COVID-19, with the first part being broadcast in November 2019. It is based on Daphne Lawless’ concept of the Red-Brown Zombie Plague, the infection of far right ideas on the left: tinyurl.com/daphne-redbrownzombies More info at jetpack.zoob.net

No Fate Project Report No 9: A dark horse in the race turns the tide against the zombie plague. More info, and previous entries at jetpack.zoob.net. If you like what we do, and can spare some cash, please contribute financially at patreon.com/jetpack1917

We review the classic BBC sci-fi Quatermass serials written by Nigel Kneale, and their adaptations. Quatermass was immensely influential on Doctor Who, The X Files, and John Carpenter's work among other sci-fi and horror. We discuss Quatermass' themes including humanism, pacifism, paranoia, and the alien behind the familiar. More info at jetpack.zoob.net, including links to free streaming Quatermass serials. If you like what we do and have some spare cash, please contribute financially at patreon.com/jetpack1917

Just a bonus episode with our takes on some recent news. Thumbnail image by: thesackoftroy. Music by Tryad, Beethoven. Citations and further info at jetpack.zoob.net Anti-fascist transcription crowdfunding campaign at FireFund.net/Jetpack