Podcasts about Expanded universe

In this week's episode, we take a look at four different ebook formatting tools for indie authors. We also discuss the phenomenon of Star Wars day. This coupon code will get you 25% off the ebook of Malison: The Complete Series at my Payhip store: MALISON25 The coupon code is valid through June 3, 2025. So if you need a new book for spring, we've got you covered! TRANSCRIPT 00:00 Introduction and Writing Updates   Hello, everyone. Welcome to Episode 251 of The Pulp Writer Show. My name is Jonathan Moeller. Today is May 9, 2025, and today we are looking at ebook formatting tools. Before we get into our main topic, we'll have Coupon of the Week, a progress update at my current writing and audiobook projects, and then Question of the Week. We'll also close out the show with a preview of my new audiobook Ghost in the Assembly (as excellently narrated by Hollis McCarthy).   This week's coupon code will get you 25% off the ebook of Malison: The Complete Series at my Payhip store, and that is MALISON25. As always, we'll have the coupon code and the links in the show notes for this episode. This coupon code is valid through June the 3, 2025. So if you need a new ebook for spring, we have got you covered. Now here's where I'm at with my current writing projects. I am 87,000 words into Ghost in the Corruption and I'm hoping to hit 90,000 words by the end of today. So if all goes well, I will finish it up later this week and then begin editing. I am also 9,000 words into what my next project will be, which is Shield of Power, the final book in The Shield War series. I'm also 91,000 words into Stealth and Spells Online: Final Quest, and that will be my main project after Shield of Power is finished. So my writing goals for the next couple months will be Ghost in the Corruption, Shield of Power, Stealth and Spells Online: Final Quest, and then the final book in The Ghost Armor series (the title of which I should really decide since I'm getting close to being finished with the fifth book).   In audiobook news, recording of Ghost in the Assembly (as excellently narrated by Hollis McCarthy) is finished. That should be turning up on all the various audiobook stores before too much longer. Shield of Deception (as excellently narrated by Brad Wills) is finished and available at all the audio stores: Audible, Apple, Google Play, Spotify, Chirp, and all the others. You can get that right now. Brad should be starting a recording of Shield of Battle sometime in the second half of May, if all goes well. So that is where I'm at with my current writing projects.   00:02:09 Question of the Week   And now let's move on to Question of the Week. Question of the Week is intended to inspire enjoyable discussions of interesting topics. This week's question: what is your favorite Star Wars? The inspiration for this question is the fact that May the Fourth has become Star Wars Day (in a very tongue in cheek manner). And as you might expect, we had a variety of responses to this question. Justin says: I have not seen any Star Wars TV series, but your other choices are mine as well. I have the Trawn Trilogy in the box set and got a PC joystick just for playing TIE Fighter again. Jonathan D. says: Empire Strikes Back is still the best film. I cannot get into the Disney canon after they destroyed the Expanded Universe. I watched The Force Awakens and that killed any interest in watching Disney Star Wars for me. Books is either Heir to the Empire Trilogy or the Darth Bain trilogy. A well done film adaptation of the Darth Bain books would be the only thing that would make me want to watch any new films. Video games would have to be Knight of the Old Republic 1 or 2, with Jedi Academy coming in third. The original Battlefront games were also great.   John Paul says: Loved the Mandalorian and the Book of Boba Fett, especially when they had the characters from each other's show guest starring in them. I saw somewhere they aren't making another series, but [there] was talk about a TV movie to finish it off, but [they are] now showing Series 4 on IBMD with no date. I grew up with the original trilogy though some of the later films are good, especially the special effects, though Jar Jar Binks spoiled the first three movies. Maybe they should reedit the character out since Lucas has spent some money on adding new effects to the trilogy to bring in line with the new movies. Skeleton Crew made me think of the movie Flight of the Navigator with Star Wars added, so I enjoyed that even though it's mainly for kids. I have fond memories of Space Invaders with the sidekick from the original Fall Guy TV show. Again, made for kids though adults can enjoy if they watch tongue in cheek.   Andrew says: There are only three Star Wars movies, of which Empire Strikes Back is my favorite. I really enjoyed Mandalorian Season One. Now Star Wars is dead to me, except for lightsaber battle videos. I really like the Princess Bride Battles. I played TIE Fighter, Dark Forces, and Knights of the Old Republic.   Tom says: Favorite film, Rogue One. With you on Mandalorian Season Two as favorite TV show. Favorite game, Rogue Squadron.   Tracy says: My favorite was Return of the Jedi.   Jenny says: Thrawn Trilogy for sure! Dark Forces was my very first computer game, so it's always going to hold a special place in my heart.   William says: The unofficial remasters of the original trilogy from preserved reels are a godsend.   MG says: Knights of the Old Republic was quite good and Knights of the Old Republic 2.   John K. says: I'm a grim dark sort of guy. Really liked Rogue One but it's slightly edged out by the original Episode IV. I absolutely love Andor but honestly, have not hated anything. Enjoyed them all. I was a nut for the original X-Wing game. Got good enough to one shot TIE Fighters with one quad shot and rarely missed and learned how to solo Star Destroyers pretty easily, though it would take forever. Having played the game that John K. is talking about, I can agree with him that you could take down Star Destroyers in your X-Wing if you knew what you were doing, but it really would take forever.   Dave says: Book wise, I really enjoyed the Thrawn books by Timothy Zahn, also the X-Wing series by Michael A. Stackpole was a personal favorite.   And finally Michael says: I agree on Empire Strikes Back though as a kid, I disliked the lack of upbeat movie. Also really liked the Solo movie. I confess I found the Thrawn books underwhelming, though the original Star Wars novelization is pretty good. And finally, I got to agree on TIE Fighter, such great game. Also, I have a soft spot for Jedi Knight: Dark Forces 2.   For myself, I would have to break it down into four categories because Star Wars media covers so many different formats now. For favorite movie, I would say Empire Strikes Back, with Return of the Jedi as the runner up. For the favorite TV series, Season 2 of The Mandalorian. For my favorite book, The Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn, with Revenge of the Sith by Matthew Stover, Darth Plagueis by James Luceno, and The Darth Bane Trilogy by Drew Karpyshyn coming in as strong runners up. Seriously, if you're listening to this podcast, you probably enjoy reading books, so these five are definitely worth your time.   For my favorite video games, I would say TIE Fighter, with Knights of the Old Republic as a very close runner-up. But TIE Fighter was definitely my favorite. In the game, you play as an Imperial pilot, and the designers had the clever idea of making the Empire sympathetic by having the player spend most of the missions hunting ruthless pirates, suppressing alien civil wars, and fighting renegade Imperial warlords who are trying to overthrow the Emperor. In the last two expansion packs for the game, the player is flying as Grand Admiral Thrawn's elite pilot against the renegade Grand Admiral Zaarin, and finally defeating Zaarin after like forty missions was VERY satisfying.   So those are my favorite Star Wars media items. As we can see.  there is quite a range of opinion in the answer to that question.   00:06:54 Main Topic: Ebook Formatting Tools   Now let's move on to our main topic, which is ebook formatting tools. And this is an important thing for indie authors to discuss because if you do want to self-publish your books, it is one of those foundational skills you have to master. You need to know what kind of file format the platforms you're publishing to you take and how to produce it. Now this is something you can hire out but you really, really shouldn't in my opinion, especially because some ebook formatting services charge as much as $2,000 to turn a Word document into files ready to upload for ebook stores. Considering that it is something you can easily do yourself with free tools and a little bit of practice, spending any amount of money on it is probably a waste. I mean, there's a difference between the kind of intricate formatting you would need for say, a full color medical textbook with illustrations and a 60,000 word romance novel. Fortunately, all the major software programs are nowhere near as expensive as $2,000 a book and don't have as much of a learning curve as you might expect. Both video and written tutorials are plentiful for all of these options, making it easy to learn at your own pace. Today we're going to go over four software options for formatting ebooks and discuss their pros, cons, and the best uses for them. Although some of these products have word processing functionality and other features built in, today we'll focus on just the ebook formatting part of the software. #1: The first option we will look at is Atticus. Atticus is from the same company that makes Publisher Rocket, which is a software program I've spoken of very favorably of on the show over the years. The company has made an effort to understand the needs of authors over the years and added new features to Publisher Rocket consistently as time went on. The company Kindlepreneur has also made significant enhancements to Atticus since it launched. As of the time of this recording, it is a one-time purchase option that has free ongoing updates and the current cost is $147 (in United States dollars). Expensive, but the founder of the company Dave Chesson has said frequently he doesn't like software subscriptions. So hopefully this will continue to be a one-time fee and not become a subscription thing.   So here are the pros to using Atticus. It is less expensive than Vellum and has the same features. It works on operating systems other than Mac. In theory, since it has a web client, it can work on any platform. Reviewers say it is very pleasant to use and those who want a lot of customization options are generally happy with it and it has a nice tool for creating and reusing the template for things like author bios or link pages.   The con is that it does require an Internet connection to use and you have to have a computer connected to the Internet. Some people also prefer not to have their work stored in the cloud like Atticus does. Some users report slowness while opening or closing or when saving a file, especially if it's a book with a high word account. Because of the online requirement, there can be issues related to syncing. It does not support .mobi as a file export option. However, that's not a big deal anymore because Amazon is officially phasing out the .mobi file extension and is requiring people to use .epub. So this is not a major point and it's only for people who have a customer base with very old e-readers that can't handle .epub.   And finally, Atticus does not offer a free trial period if you just want to try it out, but does offer a refund within the first 30 days if you try it and decide that you don't like it. So what users would find Atticus the best? It's probably best for PC or Linux users who don't want a Mac and also want to have lots of fine control of your formatting or customizing your layout. Atticus is also heavily built around collaboration, where different people can work on the same file. So if you do work with a team (and many indie authors do) or are co-writing a book, then Atticus might be a good tool for you to use.   #2: The second program we're going to look at is called Vellum.  Vellum has been seen as the default option for ebook formatting for a lot of writers for a while now. As of the time of recording, there is a one-time purchase option that has free ongoing updates. The current cost is $199 for the ebook only version or $249 for the version that includes paperbacks. Vellum has gone on sale occasionally in the past, usually for Cyber Monday in November. The pros for Vellum are that many reviewers consider it the best option for ebook formatting and say it delivers professional results without too much work and a minimal learning curve. Vellum lets you try out the software for free, but you won't be able to export the files you're publishing until the software is purchased. Like Atticus, it offers a 30 day window for a refund.   Vellum is not cloud-based software and it can be used offline. So if you are, for instance, working on a laptop on the road with spotty internet connectivity, this can be a lifesaver. Now for the cons and the biggest con is a big one- that Vellum is Macintosh only. You need to have a Mac to use it and it is not currently available for Windows and Linux. The developers have said that presently they have no plans to port it to either Windows or Linux. It will also not work on iOS, so that means you can't run it on your iPad or your iPhone. You can in theory use it on a PC with a Mac OS virtual machine, but people have reported very mixed success with that. The other con is that it is the most expensive option. So the users this is best for I think would be if you already have a Mac or you are willing to buy a Mac for just one piece of software. #3: The third software program we're going to look at is called Jutoh. Jutoh is a labor of love, mainly created by two people in the UK and has been around for a long, long time. As of the time of this recording, there is a one-time purchase option that costs $45 (US dollars) and a Plus version for $90 that supports some additional features. It currently offers a free trial that you can download and install, but functionality is limited in the trial version. The pros of Jutoh is that it works on Windows, Mac, and most versions of Linux. It is not cloud-based software/is local to your computer. It does not need a constant Internet connection to function. Reviewers frequently praised how responsive their customer support is and of the paid options we are discussing, it will be the least expensive of all of them. The cons are the interface is a bit dated. It does kind of look like something from the early 2000s in terms of the buttons and where they are. Because of that, it can be more difficult for some users to use than Atticus or Vellum. It does not create PDFs or print ready files, so you would not be able to use it to format your files for print books, which is something both Atticus and Vellum offer. I think this is best used for users who want a less expensive option than Atticus or Vellum or a PC user who wants a non-cloud based option.   #4: The fourth and final program we're going to look at is called Kindle Create. And as of this recording, it is the only one of these four options that is free. It is a free download. This software is created and maintained by Amazon. The pro? It's free and you can use the .epubs it creates to upload your books onto other platforms. Just because you've made your ebook in Amazon Create, that doesn't mean you can't use the file for Barnes & Noble and Kobo and Apple and so forth. You can go ahead and do that. However, because it is free software, there are quite a few cons to it. The functionality is pretty limited and only a few fonts are available. It is not good with complex layouts and Amazon's own documentation recommends not using it for books with tables, footnotes, or complex text formatting.   The program doesn't handle edits well. There are people who write books in Vellum even though the developers don't exactly recommend that. And Atticus is designed to have books written in it. However, Kindle Create definitely cannot handle that very well. Windows and Mac are supported, but you can't install it on Linux. Kindle Create no longer supports .mobi as a file export option since Amazon is moving away from that option and most other vendors haven't used it ever. That is a minor point.   I think Kindle Create is best used by users who are just starting out and don't have much in the way of budget and have books that don't require a lot of complex formatting. Kindle Create is actually quite good for novels because novels in general don't have a lot of complex formatting and because it's free, it has a little bit of a steeper learning curve, but that can be advantageous as well.   So looking at those four options, what do I use and why? Well, for the first seven or so years I was self-publishing, I didn't use any of these. I used a program called Sigil, which is an .epub editor. And if Kindle Create has a high learning curve, Sigil's is much higher because you're essentially editing the raw guts of the .epub file.   I was content using that for a number of years, but what I needed was a program that would make uploading print books and formatting print books much easier because at the time I was using Create Space and Create Space required a specialized Word template that was just an enormous headache to use. And the reason that many of the Frostborn books have exactly 24 chapters is because I had a template that worked really well with 24 chapters for print books and I wasn't going to mess that up by trying to add a chapter or have one fewer chapter. So for some of the Frostborn books, I made sure there were 24 chapters.   Obviously this was not a tenable situation for the print books, even though I was happy using Sigil for the eBooks. So I eventually heard good things about Vellum. In 2018 (I believe) I got a used Mac and installed Vellum and started using that for print books. I was much happier with that.   Because the books looked so good in print, I eventually switched over to using Vellum for formatting my ebooks as well and I've been using that ever since. So my main ebook format writing program (as of May 9, 2025) is Vellum and I have a Mac specifically for that purpose. However, I also has high praise to say about Jutoh. I got started using Jutoh because for a while, Smashwords required you to upload a book using a specialized Word format. They didn't accept .epubs for the longest time and formatting a book in that proper Word format for Smashwords was a large headache, I have to admit. I never managed to get it automated quite right. And I had frequent problems with Smashwords rejecting the Word document I uploaded and so forth. Eventually, I discovered that Jutoh also had an export option for creating Smashwords-friendly Word documents. So I tried it out and that was just a godsend, I have to admit. It saved me so much time. So for about seven years as well, I used Jutoh for Smashwords formatting. However, in 2024 after Smashwords was acquired by Draft 2 Digital and the two companies became more and more merged, Smashwords changed and now accepts properly formatted .epubs. They don't do that specialized Word document thing anymore, which has made it much easier to upload files to Smashwords, I must say. But that also means that I've used Jutoh less and less in favor of Vellum because I no longer need those specially formatted Word documents. However, I do have nothing but positive things to say about Jutoh; it is a very good program. If you don't want to shell out the $249 for Vellum or if you don't have a Mac, I think Jutoh is an excellent option for you to use. I have never actually used Atticus, but it's popular enough that I wanted to talk about it on this show. I do know a lot of people who have used it to good effect. Just bear in mind the pros and cons we mentioned. And as for Kindle Create, there's nothing wrong with it. I think it's good starting point, especially if you're just starting out and want to format your book without paying a lot of money or having to pay $2,000 to someone on the Internet to do it. I do think it's a good starting point, even though it's very basic and for your first couple of books, it would be good. But as you get more experienced and want to branch into things like print books, you'll probably want a program with greater functionality like Jutoh, Vellum, or Atticus. So myself, I use mostly Vellum (with Jutoh occasionally), and that is what I use for ebook formatting.   So that is it for this week. Thank you for listening to The Pulp Writer Show. I hope you found the show useful. A reminder that you can listen to all the back episodes at https://thepulpwritershow.com. If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave your review on your podcasting platform of choice. Stay safe and stay healthy and see you all next week.   00:19:53 Audiobook Excerpt   And now we'll close out the show with a short excerpt from Ghost In the Assembly, as narrated by Hollis McCarthy. [Remainder of podcast is audiobook except]

The expanded universe, also known as Legends, is something unique to the Star Wars fandom, featuring a wide array of books and comics created by countless authors and artists. These stories are much beloved, and the Legends fandom will be gathering in Burbank this September along with authors that helped bring the stories to life. Today, Kara is joined by Katherine, the executive director of Legends Expo. They discuss all the details of the upcoming event, which will benefit The Book Truck, and what attendees can expect, plus they discuss Legends and the fandom surrounding it and why it's so special.Find all the info you need about Legends Expo here and follow along with the event on Instagram here.Follow along with Kara and the IALW Podcast on Instagram!Support the project and Kara's zine on Patreon and check out her Celebration Database Blog!If you want to tell YOUR fandom story, send an e-mail to intoalargerworldproject@gmail.com "Beauty Flow" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

When Marvel let their license to produce Star Wars comics lapse in 1986, Return of the Jedi was three years in the rear-view mirror and it seemed possible there would never be any further installments in the franchise. But Tom Veitch and Cam Kennedy's 1991 miniseries Dark Empire would begin Dark Horse Comics' 23-year run of Star Wars comics and help launch the Expanded Universe. Set six years after the Battle of Endor, Dark Empire sees Luke Skywalker tempted to the Dark Side by the newly revived Emperor, Han Solo and Leia Organa fleeing bounty hunters, and a new Imperial doomsday weapon threatening the galaxy. We'll look at the long and rocky development of the series, how involved (or not) Lucasfilm was in the story, and how it compares to its prose sister project, Timothy Zahn's Thrawn trilogy. This is the only podcast where you can hear two grown men arguing (politely) about Star Wars!Support the podcast at patreon.com/ironageofcomics

Drought and floods somehow strike the city of Phoenix at the same time. As the death toll mounts, and the city's water reserves reach dangerously low levels, Agent Ruby Hayes is joined by a trio of odd locals to figure out what is wrong with the water in this desert. Mysterious and haunting ghostly singing is probably not a good sign… [ Natalie sings in this one. Be nice! ]The Storyteller Squad: Expanded Universe is a series of one-shot adventures featuring Natalie Fuinha as Keeper, running Monster of the Week for our friends from across the TTRPG creator space. These stories are set within the canon of our main campaign, but each crossover episode can be enjoyed as a standalone story. We hope you enjoy this special series and join us for more adventures soon~! Our special guests this episode - Cai - @estelofimladrisLaTia - @latiajacquiseIvy - @gameratergirlKP - @kp11studios“La Llorona” performed by Natalie Fuinha and Jonny Grubb. Enjoy more of Jonny's music and his delightfully devious GM style on The Monster's Playbook! ( https://monstersplaybook.com/ )Follow our Instagram, Bluesky, Threads, & more- @storysquadcast All our socials and official sites are listed on this handy link hub - https://linktr.ee/TheStorytellerSquadIf you enjoy our show, please leave us a review and tell us your favorite thing about the podcast. It really helps us get discovered by new listeners, it doesn't take long, and we'd love to share your kind words on our social pages. Thanks Adventurers~! Join our Community Discord~! - https://discord.gg/ZxNXCamrceSupport our Patreon and you'll be helping us directly with our production! - https://www.patreon.com/thestorytellersquadThis episode of The Storyteller Squad is ~sponsored~ by Many Worlds Tavern (https://manyworldstavern.com/) and Bookwyrm Games (https://bookwyrmgames.com/) You can find their socials @manyworldstavern and @bookwyrmgames. Check them out and get yourself the beverages and accessories for your game night you deserve! Use code: STORYTELLER when checking out at either shop to save 10% off your order! Music:“Long Way Home” by Aiyo “Arriving at Dusk” by American Legion“Across Land and Sea” by Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen“Me and My Kite” by Bonnie Grace“Coyote Sundance” by Martin Klem“Manhattan Mystery” by Stationary Sign“Memories of Her” by David Celeste“By a Thread” by Christian Andersen“Where Daylight Falls Silent” by Tellsonic“No One in SIght” by Jon Bjōrk“Lonely for a Moment” by Briar Edwards“Boost” by Dream Cave“I've Got Your Back” by Dream Cave“Private Firm” by Dream Cave“Mysterious Forest” by Howard Harper-Barnes“An Awful Finding” by Spectacles Wallet and Watch“Pardon My Gun” by Roy Edwin Williams“Final Target in Sight” by Trailer Worx“Halls of Titans” by Hampus Naeselius“Im Not Asking” by Hampus Naeselius“Point of No Regrets” by Eoin Mantell“The Demon's Smile” by Martin Klem“Valkyries of Valhalla” by Dragon Tamer“Breathe it in Deep” by Hampus Naeselius“Defenders Unite” by Niklas Johansson“Devil on Your Shoulder” by Will Harrison“Exploration Plundering” by Martin Klem“Colorful Animation” by David Celeste “April Will Be Cold” by Francis Wells“Mezcal Romance” by Speedy The Spider”“West of the Soul” by River Foxcroft“The Wedge” by Sixteen Wheelers“Doctor Mortem” by Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen“This Life of Ours” by David Celeste“Storytellers” by Francis Wells“The Lost Island” by DEX 1200“Dark Outlands” by River...

San Francisco is beset by a series of unexplained fires, and a certain mysterious dragon spirit once again seems to be involved. Join four unlikely friends as they are swept into a night of danger, magic and adventure while trying to protect the young dragon from hellish forces. Oh, and did we mention there's a weird bus involved? The Storyteller Squad: Expanded Universe is a series of one-shot adventures featuring Natalie Fuinha as Keeper, running Monster of the Week for our friends from across the TTRPG creator space. These stories are set within the canon of our main campaign, but each crossover episode can be enjoyed as a standalone story. We hope you enjoy this special series and join us for more adventures soon~! Our special guests this episode - Em - @blackwaterdndKelly - @dungeondudesPersephone - @persephirothAnne - @gnomeanneFollow our Instagram, Bluesky, Threads, & more- @storysquadcast All our socials and official sites are listed on this handy link hub - https://linktr.ee/TheStorytellerSquadIf you enjoy our show, please leave us a review and tell us your favorite thing about the podcast. It really helps us get discovered by new listeners, it doesn't take long, and we'd love to share your kind words on our social pages. Thanks Adventurers~! Join our Community Discord~! - https://discord.gg/ZxNXCamrceSupport our Patreon and you'll be helping us directly with our production! - https://www.patreon.com/thestorytellersquadThis episode of The Storyteller Squad is ~sponsored~ by Many Worlds Tavern (https://manyworldstavern.com/) and Bookwyrm Games (https://bookwyrmgames.com/) You can find their socials @manyworldstavern and @bookwyrmgames. Check them out and get yourself the beverages and accessories for your game night you deserve! Use code: STORYTELLER when checking out at either shop to save 10% off your order! Music:“Ambivalence” by Dream Cave“Truce No More” by Dream Cave“Wild Betrayal” by Bonnie Grace“Intense Thrill” by Bonnie Grace“All of It” by Bonnie Grace“Forged in Steel” by Reynard Seidel“G Thang” by The New Fools“Captain Fancy Fever” by Wanda Shakes“Isotopes” by August Wilhelmsson“The Friendly Ghost” by Arthur Benson“Walking Down Fashion Street” by Stationary Sign“Neutral State” by Blue Saga“Born Sinister” by Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen“Rise From the Shadows” by Hampus Naeselius“Days of Hope” by Hampus Naeselius“Behind Those Eyes” by Kikoru“This Is Home” by Bonn Fields“Capture This” by Alec Slayne“Sphinx” by David Celeste“Please Hear Me Out” by Philip Ayers“Blood, Rust and Dust” by Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen“Monarch of Fate” by Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen“Point of No Regrets” by Eoin Mantell“Barefoot Adventures” by Adriel Fair“Time to Target” by Hampus Naeselius“Unburned Fuel” by Hampus Naeselius“Medieval Adventure” by Bonnie Grace“I Give Ye My Spirit” by Bonnie Grace“When All Kingdoms Fall” by Edgar Hopp“Quest for Gold” by Adriel Fair“Oscillation” by Adriel Fair“Can't Dampen My Spirit” by Adriel Fair“Apollo” by Dream Cave“Fireplace Guardian” by Experia“Final Frontier” by Hampus Naeselius“Heroes Will Fall” by Bonnie Grace“Valley of Drakes” by Dragon Tamer“Death and Glory” by Dream Cave“A History Long Forgotten” by Dream Cave“First Shooter” by Bonnie Grace“Army of Angels” by Edgar Hopp“One Last Drama” by Philip Ayers“Private Firm” by Dream Cave“In Disguise” by Jon Bjōrk“Paladins” by Dream Cave“Heroica”...

Do you believe in reincarnation? Well, TV executives sure do! From Matlock to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, it seems like all our favorite TV shows are getting REBOOTED! The Geeks are back in action sussing out which reboots rise to the top and which sink to the bottom in the latest episode of Cinema Craptaculus Presents: The Expanded Universe!Twitter @Craptaculus Instagram @ CinemaCraptaculus Follow John on Twitter @johnhhford"Star Monster" by Duncan Neilson, engineered by Drew Canulette.

The long anticipated music festival, Paranormalooza kicks off~! Your favorite monstrous and magical musical artists are gathering in Chicago's Grant Park to perform to sold out crowds over 4 days. Come support your favorite indie bands vying for a spotlight on the main stage in a battle of the bands competition, including fan favorite cover band, Ashleigh and the Blankets! Join us and celebrate music and magic at this spectacular festival you won't soon forget! The Storyteller Squad: Expanded Universe is a series of one-shot adventures featuring Natalie Fuinha as Keeper, running Monster of the Week for our friends from across the TTRPG creator space. These stories are set within the canon of our main campaign, but each crossover episode can be enjoyed as a standalone story. We hope you enjoy this special series and join us for more adventures soon~! Our special guests this episode - Weston - @arcaneanthemsMatt - @denkles_Anya - @anyacombsherhairGrace - @ghostlightgFollow our Instagram, Bluesky, Threads, & more- @storysquadcast All our socials and official sites are listed on this handy link hub - https://linktr.ee/TheStorytellerSquadIf you enjoy our show, please leave us a review and tell us your favorite thing about the podcast. It really helps us get discovered by new listeners, it doesn't take long, and we'd love to share your kind words on our social pages. Thanks Adventurers~! Join our Community Discord~! - https://discord.gg/ZxNXCamrceSupport our Patreon and you'll be helping us directly with our production! - https://www.patreon.com/thestorytellersquadThis episode of The Storyteller Squad is ~sponsored~ by Many Worlds Tavern (https://manyworldstavern.com/) and Bookwyrm Games (https://bookwyrmgames.com/) You can find their socials @manyworldstavern and @bookwyrmgames. Check them out and get yourself the beverages and accessories for your game night you deserve! Use code: STORYTELLER when checking out at either shop to save 10% off your order! Music:“Silly Simon (Instrumental Version)” by TAGE“Let's Go Go Go” by Tigerblood“I Won't Stop Now (Instrumental Version)” by Nikki Gee“Autumn Days (Rock version)” by Orjan Karlsson“Fireplace Guardian” by Experia“Stegosaurus” by Margareta“Earth Hour” by Ecobel-“In the Blue (Instrumental Version)” by Tommy Ljungberg“I Need Only You (Instrumental Version)” by Love Beans“Moving Up 4 (Indie Pop Version)” by Gunnar Johnsen“Spartans (Indie Pop Version)” by Rolla Coasta“Particles” by David Celeste“Kill the Silence (Instrumental Version)” by Middle and End“Let Us Overcome” by Tayler Watts“Sugar High” by FLYIN“Manhattan Mystery” by “Love and Friendship” by David Celeste“As We Fall Asleep (Rock Version)” by Rickard Age“Abene Funk” by Sillaba“Sparkle and Swirl” by Raymond Grouse“Tiny Footprints” by Raymond Grouse“Wife on the Loose” by Kikoru“Hope's Rising” by August Wilhelmsson“Soleil Levant” by Martin Baekkevold“Suspended Belief” by Amaranth Cove“Symphonic Dream” by Anders Ekengren“What's Mine Is Yours” by Damma Beatz“Private Firm” by Dream Cave“Boost” by Dream Cave“Lens Flare 3” by Peter Sandberg“Infinite Horizon” by Tellsonic“The Tide Is Turning” by Helmut Schenker“Silent Waves” by Helmut Schenker“Osmosis” by David Celeste“Watching My Drama (Instrumental Version)” by About Ivy“Sunshine Today (Rock Version)” by Stefan Mothander“No More Strangers (Rock Version)” by Orjan Karlsson“Wish You Were Here (Rock Version)” by Jonatan...

Eastey Agency Internal Alert! The city of Boston has become shrouded in an aura of timeless night. Missing persons reports from across the city pour in and a massive blackout affects major portions of the city grid. Detection spells indicate the presence of two incredibly powerful spirits within the aura's area of effect. Local field operatives, the members of Team Rook, are joined by Special Agent Aidan Brightwood in responding to this sudden and mysterious crisis!The Storyteller Squad: Expanded Universe is a series of one-shot adventures featuring Natalie Fuinha as Keeper, running Monster of the Week for our friends from across the TTRPG creator space. These stories are set within the canon of our main campaign, but each crossover episode can be enjoyed as a standalone story. We hope you enjoy this special series and join us for more adventures soon~! Our special guests this episode - Maisie - @maisielynnieAmbrose - @ssambrose_Lex - @smolbirdlexDiana - @dianaoftheroseFollow our Instagram, Bluesky, Threads, & more- @storysquadcast All our socials and official sites are listed on this handy link hub - https://linktr.ee/TheStorytellerSquadIf you enjoy our show, please leave us a review and tell us your favorite thing about the podcast. It really helps us get discovered by new listeners, it doesn't take long, and we'd love to share your kind words on our social pages. Thanks Adventurers~! Join our Community Discord~! - https://discord.gg/ZxNXCamrceSupport our Patreon and you'll be helping us directly with our production! - https://www.patreon.com/thestorytellersquadThis episode of The Storyteller Squad is ~sponsored~ by Many Worlds Tavern (https://manyworldstavern.com/) and Bookwyrm Games (https://bookwyrmgames.com/) You can find their socials @manyworldstavern and @bookwyrmgames. Check them out and get yourself the beverages and accessories for your game night you deserve! Use code: STORYTELLER when checking out at either shop to save 10% off your order! Music:“Boost” by Dream Cave“Nerve” by Dream Cave“Private Firm” by Dram Cave“Heroica” by Eoin Mantell“Me and My Kite” by Bonnie Grace“Approach Angle” by Isaac Larson“Mystical Tension” by Dream Cave“All of It” by Bonnie Grace“What We Fear” by Christian Andersen“Knight's Templar” by Adriel Fair“In Disguise” by Jon Bjōrk“Patapsco River” by Bonnie Grace“Blurred Memories” by Jon Bjōrk“Atomic Numbers” by August Wilhelmsson“Isotopes” by August Wilhelmsson“Throbbing Anxiety” by Dream Cave“The Trial” by Jon Bjōrk“The Final Cut” by Hampus Naeselius“When All Else Fails Use Fire” by Adriel Fair“Mural Legends” by Adriel Fair“I've Got Your Back” by Dream Cave“Night Facade” by Jon Bjōrk“Quell Fear” by Jon Bjōrk “What Lurks Below” by Jon Bjōrk“No One in Sight” by Jon Bjōrk“A Monsters Feeling” by Hamous Naeselius“Hidden Identity” by Dream Cave“Foreboding Whispers” by Experia“Triumph Hill” by Bonnie Grace“Our Final Mission” by Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen“Army of Angels” by Edgar Hopp“Bounty Hunter” by Hampus Naeselius“I See You” by Hampus Naeselius“Infiltrator” by Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen“Beams and Dust” by Helmut Schenker“Too Close for Comfort” by Jon Bjōrk“Truce No More” by Dream Cave“Sphinx” by David Celeste“Eternal Favour” by Dream Cave“Now It Ends” by Max Anson“Open Road” by Lennon...

Richard and Sarah review and break down CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD. And since this is the 35th entry in the MCU, we'll tell you some of the surprising Marvel films and TV shows you should brush up on before watching. This is what we wish we would have known going in. Please note that there will be minor plot spoilers, but overall they will help you enjoy the film even more.   We love behind-the-scenes nuggets, so this breakdown will include sound bytes from Kevin Feige (Executive Producer/Marvel Studios President), Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson/Executive Producer), and Harrison Ford (President Thaddeus Ross).   Today in Star Wars History 2/12/1978   The first Expanded Universe novel, Splinter Of The Mind's Eye by Alan Dean Foster, is published by Del Rey. Splinter Of The Mind's Eye is written to be filmed as a low-budget sequel to Star Wars. That is why it's set on the misty planet of Mimban. Mimban is seen onscreen in Solo: A Star Wars Story. We broke down and did a review of Splinter Of The Mind's Eye in Episode 407.   SPONSORS   Small World Vacations is an official sponsor of Skywalking Through Neverland. Contact them for a no obligation price quote at www.smallworldvacations.com. Tell them Skywalking Through Neverland sent you.   SUPPORT THE SHOW   Find out how you can become a part of the Skywalking Force and unlock bonus content.   CONTACT US   Instagram: http://instagram.com/skywalkingpod   Twitter: https://twitter.com/SkywalkingPod   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skywalkingthroughneverland   Send emails to share@skywalkingthroughneverland.com and follow us on Facebook.   If you dug this episode, click over to iTunes | Stitcher | YouTube and leave us a review!   Never Land on Alderaan!

Richard and Sarah review and break down CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD. And since this is the 35th entry in the MCU, we'll tell you some of the surprising Marvel films and TV shows you should brush up on before watching. This is what we wish we would have known going in. Please note that there will be minor plot spoilers, but overall they will help you enjoy the film even more.   We love behind-the-scenes nuggets, so this breakdown will include sound bytes from Kevin Feige (Executive Producer/Marvel Studios President), Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson/Executive Producer), and Harrison Ford (President Thaddeus Ross).   Today in Star Wars History 2/12/1978   The first Expanded Universe novel, Splinter Of The Mind's Eye by Alan Dean Foster, is published by Del Rey. Splinter Of The Mind's Eye is written to be filmed as a low-budget sequel to Star Wars. That is why it's set on the misty planet of Mimban. Mimban is seen onscreen in Solo: A Star Wars Story. We broke down and did a review of Splinter Of The Mind's Eye in Episode 407.   SPONSORS   Small World Vacations is an official sponsor of Skywalking Through Neverland. Contact them for a no obligation price quote at www.smallworldvacations.com. Tell them Skywalking Through Neverland sent you.   SUPPORT THE SHOW   Find out how you can become a part of the Skywalking Force and unlock bonus content.   CONTACT US   Instagram: http://instagram.com/skywalkingpod   Twitter: https://twitter.com/SkywalkingPod   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skywalkingthroughneverland   Send emails to share@skywalkingthroughneverland.com and follow us on Facebook.   If you dug this episode, click over to iTunes | Stitcher | YouTube and leave us a review!   Never Land on Alderaan!

2025 marks 20 years since the Skywalker Saga as we knew it concluded with the release of Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, and we're here to look back at a more civilized age. We're talking about our memories of the movie, how it impacted the Expanded Universe, as well as the merch that had us storming our local Toys R Us like clone troopers upon the Jedi Temple.

Expanded Universe Adaptations.Matt and John discuss what additional material from the legendary Star Wars Expanded Universe they'd like to see adapted into big & small-screen material, both live action and animated, for modern audiences to experience. They challenge themselves to keep it limited to 5 sources each, but as with most things like this…they maybe went a little beyond that.HostJohn Mills and Matthew RushingSend us your feedback!Twitter: @TheJediMasters   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNerdParty/ Email: http://www.thenerdparty.com/contactSubscribe in Apple Podcasts

In this latest Favored or Forsaken episode, Erin, Jamie, and Evan discuss The Chosen expanded universe, recent reports about people of faith not voting, and whether men are now more religious than Women. You'll also hear what is favored for each of us right now! What should you do when you feel overwhelmed about the election, and what is Evan doing to try to get to the Wicked premiere? You'll have to listen to find out!  MENTIONS Want more pixie dust in your life? Get our Disney and the Divine Bundle here!  Young Men are More Religious than Young Women: NY Times Article | Here's the Study Dark Place of the Internet: Here's the Bluey Article Evan Referenced  People of Faith Not Voting: Read about it here   Helpful Politics Resource: Faith and Politics with Kaitlyn Schiess | Kaitlyn Schiess Website Take Evan to the Wicked Premiere: Check your voter registration here   Listen to Erin recount The Chosen Season 3 Premiere: Listen to Mini-Favored or Forsaken #41 The Chosen Expanded Universe: Read the Variety Article Here | Here's the Article about Angel Studios   Evan's Favored: The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers by Samuel Burr Erin's Favored: Belief is Hard by Jayne Sugg on Spotify or Apple Music  Jamie's Favored: For Our Daughters from Kristin Kobes du Mez The Faith Adjacent Seminary: Support us on Patreon.   Subscribe to our Newsletter: The Dish from Faith Adjacent Faith Adjacent Merch: Shop Here Shop our Amazon Link: amazon.com/shop/faithadjacent Follow Faith Adjacent on Socials: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're back with two fantastic episode. Enjoy this extra long podcast where we discuss the series cancellation, the shows depiction of the horror of being a girl/woman, even more depictions of mothers acting horrible, scratching our heads at Mouse's family storyline, questions over Imogen's choice for her pregnancy, Noa's home situation, Faran scoring huge wins, the positive ways the liar's express their feelings, and the big new universe connections to Rosewood and Riverdale. Also who wants some tangents about high school?Episode 107 content warnings: teen pregnancy, adoption, kidnapping, abortion, pedophilia, drug use, murder, gore, suicide, self harm, abuse, sexual abuse, rape, policing, gaslighting, mental health, manipulationBrenton's detective club theme is "80s retrowave" by Eugene BardujaSend your podcast or show questions to our inbox at deadendspcast@gmail.com.Find all of Emily's links here: https://linktr.ee/emilypyleFind all of Brenton's here: https://linktr.ee/brentonpyle

Rounding out the month of September, I am joined by LilipopeCosplay as we get a wonderful episode filled with fandom! Li has a number of fandoms we get to talk about, and we kick things off with one of her favorites, Star Wars. We talk all about how she first got into the fandom. We're talking about the movies, TV shows, books, and so much more. We're both fond of the Legends run of books (formerly called the Expanded Universe), and we do have to talk about one of her favorites - Mara Jade. Then we go from one big fandom to another, as we join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Li talks about the movies and TV series that she's drawn to in the MCU, along with some of her favorite characters. We also talk about the future of the MCU and what she's looking forward to. Then we go to my birthday twin, Taylor Swift! Taylor is like a wizard, she arrives precisely when she's meant to. Li talks about how she first got into the music of Taylor Swift. We talk about favorite Era's, favorite songs, and how her music has been a part of Li's life. Then we're wrapping up with talking about Cosplay. Li talks about how she first got into cosplay, and the characters that she cosplays as. Li also talks about her experiences with costuming groups like the Rebel Legion and the 501st, and volunteering for charity. She also talks about what she's working on for the future. You can find Li at: https://www.instagram.com/lilipopecosplay/ https://linktr.ee/lilipopecosplay

We celebrate the 10th anniversary of the novel, Star Wars: A New Dawn, by John Jackson Miller! Published on September 2, 2014, this book details the first meeting of Hera Syndulla and Kanan Jarrus which led to the series premiere of STAR WARS REBELS. A New Dawn marks the first novel published under the rebooted Star Wars canon - and all the previous Expanded Universe novels were rebranded “Legends”. What is the legacy of this novel? How does it hold up today? And where is Chopper?? Richard and Sarah go into the story, the legacy, and also share clips from Vanessa Marshall (voice of Hera) and Dave Filoni, who wrote the foreword to this novel. Let's go back in time 10 years, Skywalkers!   Today in Star Wars History - 9/2/2014   The novel, Star Wars: A New Dawn, by John Jackson Miller, is published!   SPONSORS   Small World Vacations is an official sponsor of Skywalking Through Neverland. Contact them for a no obligation price quote at www.smallworldvacations.com. Tell them Skywalking Through Neverland sent you.   SUPPORT THE SHOW   Find out how you can become a part of the Skywalking Force and unlock bonus content.   CONTACT US   Instagram: http://instagram.com/skywalkingpod   Twitter: https://twitter.com/SkywalkingPod   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skywalkingthroughneverland   Send emails to share@skywalkingthroughneverland.com and follow us on Facebook.   If you dug this episode, click over to iTunes | Stitcher | YouTube and leave us a review!   Never Land on Alderaan!

We celebrate the 10th anniversary of the novel, Star Wars: A New Dawn, by John Jackson Miller! Published on September 2, 2014, this book details the first meeting of Hera Syndulla and Kanan Jarrus which led to the series premiere of STAR WARS REBELS. A New Dawn marks the first novel published under the rebooted Star Wars canon - and all the previous Expanded Universe novels were rebranded “Legends”. What is the legacy of this novel? How does it hold up today? And where is Chopper?? Richard and Sarah go into the story, the legacy, and also share clips from Vanessa Marshall (voice of Hera) and Dave Filoni, who wrote the foreword to this novel. Let's go back in time 10 years, Skywalkers!   Today in Star Wars History - 9/2/2014   The novel, Star Wars: A New Dawn, by John Jackson Miller, is published!   SPONSORS   Small World Vacations is an official sponsor of Skywalking Through Neverland. Contact them for a no obligation price quote at www.smallworldvacations.com. Tell them Skywalking Through Neverland sent you.   SUPPORT THE SHOW   Find out how you can become a part of the Skywalking Force and unlock bonus content.   CONTACT US   Instagram: http://instagram.com/skywalkingpod   Twitter: https://twitter.com/SkywalkingPod   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skywalkingthroughneverland   Send emails to share@skywalkingthroughneverland.com and follow us on Facebook.   If you dug this episode, click over to iTunes | Stitcher | YouTube and leave us a review!   Never Land on Alderaan!

Deadpool officially joins the MCU, and the Geeks talk about where it all started and how the Merc With A Mouth convinced his new frenemy Wolverine to join him for that superhero box office landing. Grab some chimichangas and wear your brown pants for the latest episode of Cinema Craptaculus Presents: The Expanded Universe!Twitter @Craptaculus Instagram @ CinemaCraptaculus Follow John on Twitter @johnhhford"Star Monster" by Duncan Neilson, engineered by Drew Canulette.

In this week's episode, I rank the movies and streaming shows I saw in the first half of summer 2024. TRANSCRIPT 00:00:00 Introduction, Writing Updates, and Reader Question Hello, everyone. Welcome to Episode 210 of the Pulp Writer Show. My name is Jonathan Moeller. Today is July 19th, 2024, and today we are discussing the movies and streaming shows I watched for the first half of summer 2024. Before that, we'll have an update on my current writing projects and then we will go into Question of the Week. So, my current writing projects. I'm pleased to report that the rough draft of Half Orc Paladin is finished at about 81,500 words. Next up, I'm writing a short story called Paladin's Hunt that newsletter subscribers will get for free in ebook form when Half Orc Paladin is out, hopefully in early August. I'm also 23,000 words into Ghosts in the Tombs. I'm not 100% decided what I'm going to write next once Half Orc Paladin is out. I have to make a decision soon obviously, but it's probably going to be either Shield of Conquest or Cloak of Illusion. In audiobook news, the audiobook Wizard-Thief, as narrated by Leanne Woodward, is almost done. It's just got to get through the various approvals at the audiobook sites, so hopefully that should be out in early August. Recording is going to start very soon on Shield of Darkness. So that's where I'm at with my current writing projects. We have a question about the Shield War series from reader EM, who writes in to ask: I was rereading Shield of Darkness and occurred to me that Connmar Pendragon would have had a much easier time finding his way to Owyllain if he had a Corsair Lord or whatever they called themselves back then, who had the Hidden Eye navigating for him. Am I right and this will be revealed in the Shield Wars series? No, Connmar did not have a Corsair or anyone with the Hidden Eye ability navigating for him, and he basically found his way to Owyllain by accident. At that time, there were people living on the Isle of Kordain, but they hadn't really coalesced around the Corsairs of the Isle of Kordain as their national identity yet. I mean the process was underway but hadn't reached the form it would by the time of the Frostborn series. And while some of them had the Hidden Eye ability, they hadn't quite fully understood what it meant yet, and they hadn't lived on the isle long enough for the mutilations from the dwarven engines to fully take hold. We'll reveal more details about that in Shield of Conquest when I write that as my next book or the book after my next book. 00:02:26 Question of the Week Now on to Question of the Week. Question of the Week is designed to inspire enjoyable discussion of interesting topics. This week's question: subscription services such as Kindle Unlimited, Spotify, Netflix, Thrive Market and Xbox Game Pass are an inevitable part of modern life. If you have a subscription service, which one is your favorite? No wrong answers and bear in mind that “subscription services all cost too much and I hit them all with the fiery consuming heat of 1,000 cores of 1,000 suns” is a perfectly acceptable answer as well. Surabhi said: Disney Plus, because Marvel movies are my therapy. Ray says: I only use Bookbub and Google Play. Justin says: I do not use subscription services. I prefer to purchase the books, games, and programs I buy outright rather than rent them. Connectivity can be a problem where I am so being able to read, work, or play without being tethered to the Internet is a good thing. That is something to keep in mind when considering a subscription service. If you have questionable Internet connectivity in your area, that may not be the best choice to sign up for a subscription service that relies on the Internet. Our next comment is from Venus, who says: I can't afford any subscriptions services, although if Barnes and Noble did one for ebooks, I'd consider working something out. I refuse to support Amazon and don't like the fact that apparently books on Kindle Unlimited can't be anywhere else. That is indeed one of the annoying features of the Kindle Unlimited program, which is why only four of my 153 novels are currently on Kindle Unlimited. Barbara says: my husband and daughter subscribe to some streaming services, but I'm not sure which ones. I don't subscribe to any. I don't watch television. I already own the games I play and I purchased my digital books so I don't have to give them back. John says: I think I get by far the most bang for the buck from Amazon Prime, but my favorite subscription service is probably my local weekly seafood delivery service, Sea Forager. Bonnie says: I gave up the ones I had because I don't watch TV anymore and can't afford it. I have Prime, but only really use it for ebooks. If I need background noise, I use local radio. Local radio remains free, so I suppose that is the most cost effective of all the subscription services. Juana says: Kindle seems to have the most content and good price. I looked at the other platforms, too. Becca says: I have Prime and agree it has a ton of benefits. I canceled Netflix because it doesn't work on my TV. Hulu has some great shows (I recommend Crazy Fun Park, an Australian teen show about ghosts and friendships and changes. Surprisingly mature and well-acted). William says: given the sheer quantity of great Star Wars series that Disney produces, theirs is hard to beat. Gary says: Spotify. David says: for value, you can't beat Prime: movies, free shipping, and music. Netflix is very good for original content and Hulu for old stuff. And Joseph says: I also have Prime mostly for the free shipping. Everything else there is just a bonus. I also have Kindle Unlimited. Totally worth it for me as I read daily and read two or three hundred books a year. That is down from 400 to 500 the first couple years of retirement. It is diverse enough that I can always find a good read. For myself, the one I enjoy most is Nintendo Switch Online. I'll pay for a month of Netflix when they have something I want to see and then we'll cancel again after I've seen it.  I used to have Xbox Game Pass, but all I ever actually play on the Xbox is Skyrim, Starfield, and the first three Halo games, so there is no point in keeping it. But Nintendo Switch Online lets you get the classic Mario and Zelda games from the NES and Super Nintendo era. Given that Nintendo's attitude towards the legacy properties tends to veer between complete indifference and wrathful litigation depending upon the month, it's good that Nintendo offers a relatively affordable way to get them legally because at my age, sometimes the best way to relax at the end of the night is to just play a few levels of the original Super Mario Brothers. So that's it for Question of the Week this week. 00:06:26 Main Topic: Summer 2024 Movie/TV Show Review And now let's move on to our main topic: 2024 Summer Movie Roundup, Part 1. Summer always has a lot of movies, so I usually split the Summer Movie Roundup post in two halves and this would be Part 1. I was surprised at the number of sports movies I watched this time, since, as I've mentioned before, I don't usually follow professional sports all that closely. That said, while the NFL and the NBA might not have quite the cultural hegemony they had at their peak in the 1990s and early 2000s, they're still hugely central to American culture. I don't think you can really understand the United States without grasping the central role of professional sports in mainstream culture. I expect there's a similar phenomenon with association football clubs in the UK and many European countries. Besides, one of the abilities of good storytelling is to make you interested in a story about a topic you might not otherwise care about, like athletic shoes. So here are the movies and shows I watched in the first half of summer 2024, ranked from worst to best. As always, the rankings are totally subjective and based on nothing but my own opinions and observations. So first up is Madam Webb, which came out in 2024. Oofffff. This wasn't quite the crime against cinema that the Internet thought it was, but it still wasn't great. Sony has the rights to a bunch of Spider-man adjacent characters, and the company is holding those in a death grip and has been trying to make a Spider-man Cinematic Universe happen for some time, with mixed results. The Tom Hardy Venom movies had been pretty good, the others, not so much. The plot of Madam Webb: cynical and jaded EMT Cassandra Webb works with her partner Ben Parker (later in the Uncle Ben of Spider-man fame) and is almost drowned in an accident. While drowned, Cassandra starts developing precognition and clairvoyant powers. She starts seeing visions of three young women who will be murdered by a powerful real estate developer named Ezekiel. Turns out that Ezekiel has Spider-man powers that also include precognition, and he wants to kill the girls before they someday kill him. The scenes where Cassandra wonders if she is going mad, but gradually starts to realize that she can see the future were actually quite good and cleverly laid out since they did in sort of a time loop where she experiences the event before it happens. That said, this movie could have been an interesting concept, but it didn't really work. For one thing, the dialogue was just clunky. Dialogue is a hard, hard art to master, both in movies and writing novels (as I know first-hand). But Madame Webb didn't get there. Many of the dialogue scenes were just wooden. Additionally, the movie felt padded and drawn out, which is interesting because the runtime was under two hours. Ultimately, I think Madam Webb succumbed to the illness of a shared cinematic universe. It felt like the incomplete prologue to a more interesting movie, and not every side character in the Spider-man mythos needs an origin story. The trick to making a shared cinematic universe is that each movie must stand alone on its own, especially in the beginning, and the stories have to be interesting. Madam Webb, alas, couldn't quite manage either. Overall grade: D- Next up is The Acolyte, a streaming series which came out in 2024. There is quite a furor about this show on social media, but you can't believe most of what you see on social media. To be blunt about it, I've come to believe that social media is designed to induce mental illness in as many of its users as possible in order to increase their time spent on the site, which in turn raises ad revenue. Very cynical. But I suspect that's the basic business model of Facebook and YouTube, which is why you see so much rage-filled clickbait on both sites, since that's what drives engagement and increases revenue, but that's a problem beyond the scope of a movie review podcast episode. Back to The Acolyte. I would say that The Acolyte wasn't the crime against cinema that YouTube thought it was but instead an uneven mixture of some strong points and some weaknesses. The plot: former Jedi Osha has left the Order and is working as a mechanic on a trade federation starship. Meanwhile, a woman who looks exactly like her has started murdering Jedi Masters. Osha is arrested for the murders, but her former teacher, Jedi master Sol, quickly figures out that the murderer is in fact Osha's twin sister Mae, who has been presumed dead for the last sixteen years. Osha reluctantly tagged along with Sol to help track down Mae, which means she needs to delve into the dark secrets of her past and discover who trained Mae to be a Jedi killing assassin. The Jedi assume a renegade member of the Order must have trained Mae because the Sith had been extinct for a long, long time. Or have they? This show did have its strong points. The lightsaber fights looked good and were fun to watch. Lee Junge-jae as Sol, Manny Jacinto as Qimir, Charlie Bennett as Yord, and Dafne Keen as Jecki all gave good performances. In particular, they stole episode 5, which was overall the strongest episode of the series. The design of the Sith Lord's helmet (dubbed Darth Teeth or Smilo Ren by the Internet) was good. The nods to the old Expanded Universe, like cortosis ore, were nice. There was enough of a compelling mystery -who is the Sith Lord and what actually happened in the twin's past- that can hook the viewer through to the end of the series. The show also did a good job of showing how complacent and political the Jedi had become, to the point where 100 years later the Jedi High Council would meet with Supreme Chancellor Palpatine every day for thirteen years and completely failed to realize that he was in fact the Sith Master who had been pulling the strings all along. That said, I think the show did have four significant problems. 1: the whole good twin/evil twin thing was kind of lame. Playing identical twins is hard for any actor, and sometimes I had a hard time keeping track of whether Osha or Mae was in a particular scene. I kind of wish the characters had been brother and sister, or at least not identical twins so they had been easier to tell apart. 2: As much as I appreciated the nods to the Expanded Universe, I think it relied too heavily on them and assumed the audience had a high level of Star Wars knowledge, like the weird Force cult where Osha and Mae grew up. In the Expanded Universe, there are all kinds of weird half-baked cults with an incomplete knowledge of the Force that run into serious problems when they encounter an actual Jedi or an actual Sith. One advantage of visual media over novels is that it's much easier to show instead of tell, but I don't think Acolyte explained its premises well. The Mandalorian explained its premises better, gradually exposing the viewer to the Mandalorian's culture as he dealt with the Monster of the Week. Mando gradually learned about the Force and the Jedi, a race of enemy sorcerers, as he tried to save The Child from the Imperial Remnant. By contrast, The Acolyte kind of dropped viewers into the middle of things, didn't bother to explain any ambiguities, and simply assumed they would all understand the references. 3: The problem with the Jedi Order is that its philosophy is essentially stupid. The reason for that is that Jedi philosophy is basically a highly watered-down version of 1970s style Hollywood Buddhism, which is itself a tremendously watered down version of actual Buddhism. The Jedi are basically left with “don't feel fear or anger” and “don't get attached to people” but lack the religious and philosophical underpinnings which would allow those concepts to make sense in actual Buddhism. In real life, eventually we learn that both suppressing anger and fear or allowing it to dominate us is unhealthy. Both anger and fear serve useful functions. Fear warns of danger and anger is a good response when one is forced into circumstances where you have no choice but to fight. Anger and fear make for good servants, but awful masters, but Jedi philosophy completely misses that point. 4th and finally: the show was the wrong genre for the kind of moral relativism it had. Moral relativism worked well in Andor, which was a spy thriller about criminals gradually realizing that they had to fight the Empire and do terrible things while doing it. That worked because Andor was a spy thriller. By contrast, The Acolyte was about Kung Fu space wizards using space magic that literally comes in good and evil flavors. Moral relativism works less well in that kind of setting where there is literally good or evil space magic. So I would say Acolyte was a mixed bag. I admit, if there's a second season, I'll watch it just because I want to see what happens, but given Disney's significant financial woes, that seems unlikely. Overall grade: C- Next up is Unfrosted, which came out in 2024. It is an absurdist comedic retelling of the creation of the Pop Tart breakfast food, told as sort of a parody of corporate biopics like Ford versus Ferrari and Air (which we will talk about later this episode). This movie was silly and kind of dumb, but it knew it was silly and kind of dumb and so leaned into it and therefore worked. Jerry Seinfeld plays Bob Cabana, a high-ranking employee of the Kellogg cereal company, which is locked in a bitter rivalry with the Post cereal company for the breakfast market. One day Cabana uncovers everyone at Post is working on something that will upend the breakfast market, a fruit filled breakfast pastry that can be toasted. Alarmed with this information, the CEO of Kellogg, Edsel Kellogg III (played by Jim Gaffigan as a sort of parody of ‘60s era U.S. business executives), launches a crash effort to match Post's effort. Cabana must recruit a heist style team to build Kellogg's breakfast pastry, including numerous obscure figures from 1960s pop culture. The race is on to build the Pop Tart. Anyway, this was an entertaining movie, but it has no connection to factual accuracy. Also, Bill Burr was hilarious as President Kennedy. Overall grade: B- Next up is The Hit Man, which came out in 2023. It is an amusing cross between a dark comedy and a sort of Hitchcockian thriller. Glenn Powell plays Gary Johnson, a mild mannered and somewhat ineffective philosophy professor. Due to his skill with electronics and microphones, he frequently helps out the police with sting operations. One day, the officer who usually goes in for sting operations gets suspended for beating up some teenagers and having it go viral on viral on YouTube. Gary is drafted at the last minute to go undercover as a hit man and get a suspect to contract his services. Gary does it so well that the Police Department uses him more and more and Gary starts disappearing into his roles as various hit men in a sequence which is quite funny. This works well until Gary meets Madison, a woman who wants him to kill her abusive husband. Gary talks her out of it and starts seeing her, a situation which quickly escalates out of control. It was interesting that the movie went through a sudden genre shift about 1/3 of the way through, from dark comedy to love story, a bit darker than I usually prefer, to be honest, but enjoyable nonetheless if you don't mind the strong language. That said, I watched this right after Madam Webb and the contrast between Webb's clunky and wooden dialogue and the much better written Hitman was night and day. What was interesting was that the movie only cost $8.8 million to make. Given the economic climate, I expect we will see more of this: movies that have to be disciplined about keeping the cost down, as opposed to the enormous 295 million budgets of something like Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Overall grade: B- Next up is Boss Level, which came out in 2021. This movie is best described as Groundhog's Day but as an action movie. Former Special Forces soldier Roy Pulver, played by Frank Grillo, is caught in a time loop that repeats the same day over and over again, which always ends with him getting killed by assassins that have been hired to hunt him down. This happened after he tried to reconnect with his former girlfriend, a scientist working on a secret project overseen by the sinister Colonel Ventor, played by Mel Gibson. For a variety of reasons, let's just say at this point in his career, Gibson is very believable in a villain role. At first, Roy succumbs to despair in the time loop, but then decides to spend the endless day trying to reconnect with his estranged son. Eventually, this causes him to rally and fight back against the loop and he realizes that his ex-girlfriend deliberately put him into the time loop because he was the only person she knew who could stop Colonel Ventor's evil plans for his project, which turns out to be a time machine. I'd say the biggest weakness of the movie is the opening, which is a sort of record scratch “you're probably wondering how I got here” opening I complained about in Episode 203 of this podcast. Also, I think it maybe should have been five to 10 minutes longer. The ending is sort of implied but it would have been far more satisfying to have actually been shown what would happen. But overall, I like this movie. Solid B-level thriller/science fiction stuff. It's interesting to compare this to Groundhog's Day because Groundhog Day had to spend so much time establishing the premise because the plot idea of a time loop wasn't as widely known back then as it is now, whereas nowadays you just say “Groundhog Day loop” and most people will immediately know what you're talking about. Overall Grade: B Next up is Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, which came out in 2024. This wasn't quite as good as Ghostbusters: Afterlife, but I still enjoyed it. In this one, Ian Spengler's daughter, her good-natured boyfriend, and her teenage children have returned to New York City to restart the Ghostbusters business. They were bankrolled by original Ghostbuster Winston Zeddmore, who is now a wealthy businessman funding a variety of ghostbusting projects. When one of Zeddmore's employees stumbles across a dangerous artifact holding a powerful ice ghost, both the new and original Ghostbusters must team up to save the day. I really like how the new Ghostbusters films handle the original characters. The original characters are no longer the main focus but they're now mentoring the new characters and providing advice and support. I like this a lot better than the Disney/Lucasfilm approach of the original character as being sad old losers that the new characters must rebel against and then surpass. It was also great that actor William Atherton returned as government apparatchik Walter Peck. Back in the first movie, Peck was an officious EPA inspector who accidentally released a ghost horde upon New York. In the grand American political tradition of tradition of failing upward, he is now the mayor of New York City and still hopes to disband the Ghostbusters. I think the movie's biggest weakness was that it was too complicated and there were a lot of different characters and moving parts to keep track of. Overall grade: B Next up is Inside Out 2, which came out in 2024. It is a terrifying descent into the nightmarish hellscape that has the mind of the average teenage girl. I am, of course joking (though, if you have teenagers, you know that I'm only mostly joking) but Inside Out 2 is a strong follow up to the first movie. In the first movie, the anthropomorphized representations of emotions (Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust) tried to control themselves inside the mind of young girl Riley. At the start of the second movie, Riley is now 13 and doing pretty well, but then puberty kicks in. Suddenly new emotions arrive in her head: Ennui, Envy, Embarrassment, and Anxiety. Anxiety in particular runs amuck and seizes control of Riley's mind. As Anxiety starts to send Riley spiraling out of control, the other emotions have to rally behind Joy and find a way to save Riley's mind and sense of self. It is both quite funny and poignant. I can see why this movie cleared a billion dollars. As of early July 2024, is the biggest box office movie of the year so far. Overall grade: A Next up is Ford versus Ferrari, which came out in 2019. This is a biopic of the rivalry between Ford Motor Company and Ferrari in the 1960s, which is an interesting bit of history. In the ‘60s, Ford Motor Company, under the leadership of Henry Ford II (founder Henry Ford's grandson), decided it needed a cooler image, much like how Microsoft bought a bunch of indie gaming studios in the 2010s so Xbox would seem cooler. So Ford Motor Company spent years negotiating with Enzo Ferrari to buy Ferrari's company. At the last minute, negotiations collapsed and Ferrari famously went on a rant insulting Ford as an ugly company that made ugly cars and also called Ford II a lesser man compared to his famous grandfather. This was a major public failure and humiliation for Ford Motor Company, and needless to say Ford II took this very, very personally. He threw a ton of resources behind Ford's racing car project with one goal: beat Ferrari at the famous Le Mans 24 hour race. To pull this off, Ford recruited Carroll Shelby (played by Matt Damon), a former racing driver who turned to race car designing because a heart condition no longer let him race. Shelby needed a driver, so he recruited Ken Miles (played by Christian Bale), a talented driver and mechanic with a combative streak and knack for making enemies. Shelby, Miles, and their team set out to build the GT40, Ford's first proper racing car. Since this is all in the historical record, it's not a spoiler to say that they succeeded in the 1966 Le Mans race. Ford Cars finished in first, second, and third positions, locking out Ferrari entirely from the podium. This was a very enjoyable biopic. All the actors disappear into their roles and give strong performances. The racing scenes all look cool. It is also interesting from a historical perspective to see how the Ford executives had a very bad habit of acting like feudal lords who would dictate their will to the consumer rather than what they actually were, which is merchants who needed to give the customer what they wanted. This attitude was one of several reasons the US auto industry hit very hard times in the 1970s. I'd say the only thing wrong with the movie is that it feels too long, though for the life of me I'm not sure what they could have cut. Overall grade: A Next up is The Last Dance, which originally came out in 2020. I originally watched this back during peak COVID, but after watching Air (which I will discuss shortly), I decided to watch this again to refresh my memory. The Last Dance is a documentary about the Chicago Bulls NBA team and the renowned three-peat champion streak back in the 1990s. I have to admit it is an amusing feeling to have lived long enough that things I lived through are now considered history and have prestige Netflix documentaries made about them. The documentary mostly revolves around the career of Michael Jordan, though it includes interviews with many other people involved in the experience of the Bulls championship run, including brief interviews with two ex U.S. Presidents. The documentary got a lot of criticism for focusing too heavily on Jordan and portraying him in a positive light, especially from the other members of the 1990s Bulls team. Interestingly, I thought Jordan did not really come across all that great on the show. He seemed somewhat vindictive and petty and prone to holding on to grudges for decades. He was presented as the sort of man who is afflicted with an all-consuming competitive streak, who is irresistibly compelled to win at everything he does, even if it's a casual golf game between friendly acquaintances. For that matter, professional basketball players in general all tend to be highly competitive type A personalities who like to win and hate to lose. Getting them all to agree on an account of events beyond the objectively observable facts is probably impossible. Despite that, I suspect the simple fact is that the Bulls would not have won their championships without Jordan. There's no denying that Jordan was probably one of the most famous people on Earth in the 1990s. Honestly, no one can stand up to that kind of scrutiny well, especially after a personal tragedy like when Jordan's father was murdered in the mid-1990s. When Jordan talks about how winning requires complete focus and absolute dedication, I'm afraid that he's right. Winning in the competition at a level like the NBA does require 110% focus, even to the detriment of every other aspect of one's life. I've heard athletes say that champions have no balance and Jordan himself seems to be a living example of both the benefits and the extremely high personal costs of that. Amusing anecdote: when I originally watched this documentary in late 2020, I texted my brother that he should check it out because I thought he would enjoy it. His response was something along the line said he had seen when it first came out on ESPN and I really ought to engage with the culture more. Overall grade: A Now for the best movie I saw in the first half of summer 2024 and that would be Air, which came out in 2023 and is related to our sports documentary topics. This is a movie about Michael Jordan and his family negotiating deal with Nike about the Air Jordan shoe. I didn't expect to like this movie very much, but it turns out it is quite excellent. As I mentioned earlier, in full disclosure, I have minimal interest in the NBA and while I could tell you the NBA team of the US state in which I currently reside, I think if pressed, off the top of my head, I could probably tell you the name of maybe five other NBA teams. Additionally, I lived through the 1990s and had no money for all of it, and so at the time I really resented the peer pressure around Air Jordan shoes and other sports apparel, because that stuff was always so expensive. As I mentioned, I had no money. All that aside, that shows Air was a good movie because it made me care about a story involving a topic in which I have no interest and perhaps mildly dislike. Anyway, the movie's plot is set in 1984. Matt Damon (back again) plays Sonny Vaccaro, who was working with Nike's struggling basketball shoe division. At the time, Nike was the biggest maker of running shoes in the US that had only a minimal presence in the basketball shoe market. Vaccaro has the idea of building a shoe brand entirely around an upcoming young NBA rookie named Michael Jordan. At the time, this was an enormous gamble and had never been done before, but needless to say, it paid off for the company in a big, big way. All the actors gave good performances and the dialogue was sharply written, simultaneously conveying the character of the speaker and moving the plot forward. If you want to learn how to write good dialogue, you could do much worse than to watch Air. I recommend this movie, even if like me, you have zero interest in sports apparel. Perhaps that is one of the functions of art, to give you glimpses of worlds into which you would otherwise never visit. Overall grade: A+ So that is it for this week. Thank you for listening to The Pulp Writer Show. I hope you find the show enjoyable and useful. A reminder that you can listen to all the back episodes on https://thepulpwritershow.com. If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave your review on your podcasting platform of choice. Stay safe and stay healthy and see you all next week.

Send us a Text Message.Ever wondered where to begin your journey through the Star Wars galaxy? Look no further! On this special minisode of Project Geekology, Dakota and Anthony promise to guide you through the ultimate Star Wars experience, from your first step into the iconic original trilogy to tackling the complexities of the prequels and the latest series like The Mandalorian and The Acolyte. Our personal stories and insights will help you navigate this rich tapestry of science fiction and fantasy, ensuring you know exactly where to start and what to explore next in this epic saga.We'll also dive into the expansive world of Star Wars media tie-ins, showing you how to enrich your experience with animated series, novels, comics, and video games. Discover why watching the main films is crucial before branching out to The Clone Wars and Rebels. Plus, we'll share our top picks for must-play games like Jedi: Fallen Order and Battlefront 2(campaign), which add deeper layers to the narrative. Whether you're a newcomer or a seasoned fan, this episode is your comprehensive guide to exploring Star Wars in all its legendary forms. Grab your time sabers and join us on this stellar adventure!Twitter handles:Project Geekology: https://twitter.com/pgeekologyAnthony's Twitter: https://twitter.com/odysseyswowDakota's Twitter: https://twitter.com/geekritique_dakYoutube:  https://www.youtube.com/@ProjectGeekologyInstagram:https://instagram.com/projectgeekology?igshid=1v0sits7ipq9yGeekritique (Dakota):https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBwciIqOoHwIx_uXtYTSEbAA NEW Kind of Star Wars Timeline (Download a FREE Copy Now):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5_TNU1_twQ&tTwitch (Anthony):https://www.twitch.tv/odysseywowWhat It's Like To Be...What's it like to be a Cattle Rancher? FBI Special Agent? Professional Santa? Find out!Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the Show.

Jay Wolff was born on September 11, 1932. He was 44 years old in 1977 when Star Wars came out in theaters. Since then, he developed a passion for the franchise that has lasted until this day. After Return of the Jedi came out in 1983, Jay immersed himself in the Expanded Universe. Then, when he was 66 years old, The Phantom Menace came out. When Lucasfilm was sold to Disney, a plethora of Star Wars projects came out. Jay is up to date and is currently (at the time of this episode's release) watching The Acolyte. Jay is Seth's cousin and joined the show to discuss his unique perspective on the Star Wars Universe. This episode is sponsored by/brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/hallofjustice and get on your way to being your best self.

This week we start our coverage of the sequel that never was as we discuss the comic book adaptation of the 1978 novel of the same name. The first piece of the Expanded Universe may not necessarily be the best, let's just put it that way...

The old Expanded Universe covered tens of thousands of years of Star Wars history - and then got rebooted out of existence. Now, after ten years with the new canon, Star Wars storytelling has finally moved outside its previous 60-ish year window - and it's led to some of the most dynamic new storytelling in the franchise. Punch it! (Enjoy the show? For the price of a cup of coffee each month, you can support the independent creator who's been making it for nearly ten years: https://patreon.com/sw7x7) ~*~*~*~*~*~ Be sure to subscribe/follow the show on your favorite podcast app! If you have an extra minute, giving a rating or review on that app would be super helpful, too. :-) ~*~*~*~*~*~ Follow the Show: TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@sw7x7 Instagram: https://instagram.com/sw7x7 And may the Force be with you, wherever in the world you may be.

I have a sense that the old Expanded Universe (now Legends) did a great job as a melting pot for all kinds of genre stories to be included under the umbrella of Star Wars. What I've discovered over 10 years of podcasting is that Lucasfilm seems to be doing a fantastic job in this new era as well. Punch it! (Enjoy the show? For the price of a cup of coffee each month, you can support the independent creator who's been making it for nearly ten years: https://patreon.com/sw7x7) ~*~*~*~*~*~ Be sure to subscribe/follow the show on your favorite podcast app! If you have an extra minute, giving a rating or review on that app would be super helpful, too. :-) ~*~*~*~*~*~ Follow the Show: TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@sw7x7 Instagram: https://instagram.com/sw7x7 And may the Force be with you, wherever in the world you may be.

We continue to find out who might be trying to corrupt Jacen in our Legacy of the Force saga, on a lighter note if you've ever wondered what a Phlorg is on Endor, boy oh boy do we have an episode for you!Follow Horrorific Network Herehttps://linktr.ee/TheHorrificNetwork

Welcome to the first The Acolyte after-show as we break down the first two episodes of the highly anticipated new live-action Star Wars TV series. ***Warning: Spoilers ahead!*** Join Nate and DailySuperhero.com founder Daniel Wolf for episode 174 of the Force Geeks: A Star Wars Podcast. The Geeks weigh in on what worked and what didn't in the story, the impact of the new High Republic era, the intriguing "who-dunnit" premise, the coolness of a Wookiee Jedi and the shocking death at the start that sets the tone of the show. Plus, we'll decode the Jedi Oath that almost saved one of Mae's victims and explore the connections to the Expanded Universe. Tune in for a deep dive into the latest Star Wars adventure!***Be warned that there is some adult language every now and then, however there are no F-bombs.***

We had so much virtual fun with one out-of-state NEI bird show last week that we decided to send Chris out to visit the other one in person! We are so happy to welcome Morgan Lopes, Josh Sanko, Hunter Peck, and Anthony Rossi to the podcast to talk about the ins and outs of our bird show at Roger Williams Park Zoo in Rhode Island, Flights of Fantasy!  If you have a suggestion for a question, topic, or guest you'd like to hear on a future episode of the show, let us know at podcast@naturalencounters.com! --------------------------------- The TEC Talk Podcast is proud to be sponsored by Audible.com! To support the show and get a free 30-day trial of everything Audible has to offer, visit http://www.audibletrial.com/tectalk- thanks Audible!

We begin our coverage of the Droids Cartoon as a companion to the Ewoks episodes as well as continue some major twists in the story of the Legacy of the Force!

This week, Brian, Kris, and Lucas discuss Star Wars, Hades 2, FF7 Rebirth, and a whole lot more. Cheers! TOPICS & TIMESTAMPS: Intro - 0:00 | Star Wars Books and Expanded Universe - 3:26 | Brian's Steam Deck - 21:29 | Hades 2 - 26:35 | Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth - 38:53 | Cheap Walmart Finds - 1:01:37 | V Rising - 1:04:34 | Castlevania and Konami - 1:37:29 | Animal Well (and Dunkey) - 1:43:02 | System Shock Remake - 1:51:55 | The Fall of Lucas' Amiibo - 1:53:16 | Beared or Bore - 1:56:03 | Conclusions (and Multiversus) - 1:58:53 | POTENTIAL EPISODE TITLES (EACH "+" IS A HOST VOTE): +Richter is Simultaneously The Best And Worst Belmont | Luckass, The Off-Brand Lucas | +Save Yourself From Balatro, It's Too Late For Me | It Was So Artistically Done! | I'm Showing My Star Wars Nerd Power Level Here | No-One Hates Star Wars More Than Star Wars Fans | None of Y'all Are As Cool As Revan | Speaking of Amelia Tyler's Lovely Voice Lording It Over Me... | The Worst Supergiant Game is Better Than Several of Your Favorite Games | Magic is For Nerds (That's Us, We're Nerds) | Throwing Explosive Skulls Like A Grenade Launcher | Shut Up, Chadley! | Chadley is a Good Boy But He Needs To Leave Me Alone | Chadley is Red Pilled | Chadley, You're Just Jealous Because You'll Never Be As Cool As Mai | FF7 Rebirth Has Video Game Disease | I Clapped When I Saw The Thing I Liked | ++She's A 10, But She Slips on Every Banana Peel | I'd Buy 33 Of Them For A Dollar! | The Sun Will Kill You (Very Quickly) | Hey You Wanna V Rise Up? | This Is The Shit Room, Where We Go To Shit | Simon Belmont Wanders Around And Fucking Mercs You | What Genre is Warframe? Yes | Save Hades 2 For Later, Play V Rising Now | +Please, God, Don't Give Castlevania to Mercury Steam Again | BIGMODE Can Now Retire Undefeated | If That's The End of My Life, Then So Be It I Guess | Oh No Lucas, You ARE Dead! | +Tyrant Raving Mad | I See Adventure Time in Multiversus And My Vision Goes Red | +Blondes Have More Fun. Australians Have More Fun. Australian Blondes? Forget About It! | [The Platformers Video Game Podcast is created, hosted, written, & streamed (Twitch.tv/Ribnax) by Brian ‘Ribnax' Barnett, & edited by Kris ‘Delfeir' Cornelisse]

It's time to learn about Ewok Soap on today's show! After we are nice and clean to the standards of the Ewoks, we can continue our audio book club of the Legacy of the Force Series!

The Geeks do what they do best – geek out on the biggest and best TV shows and movies of the summer! From Furiosa to a furious Wolverine and everything in between, it's a Geek free-for-all on the latest episode of Cinema Craptaculus Presents: The Expanded Universe!Twitter @Craptaculus Instagram @ CinemaCraptaculus Follow John on Twitter @johnhhford"Star Monster" by Duncan Neilson, engineered by Drew Canulette.

The Archives adds a recap of an episode of Ewoks the classic Star Wars cartoon as well as the continuation of the Legacy of the Force novel this week.

Show notes provided by Jack Adrien Nearly forty-seven years ago and premiering in only forty-three theaters across the United States, George Lucas introduced the world to his epic space opera, Star Wars. And while the movie opened on Wednesday, May 25, 1977, Memorial Day weekend, the movie's catchphrase has thenceforth marked May 4 as National Star Wars Day. Inspired by the Buck Rogers science fiction comic strip and 12-part film serial from his youth, Lucas created his own enduring science fiction touchstones such as droids, the X-wing Starfighter, TIE Fighter, Millennium Falcon, and the Death Star. And while one should expect such futuristic technological wonders in a film of the genre, Lucas also found inspiration in Akira Kurosawa's samurai films, which led to the iconic lightsaber battles. In his review of the film, famed film critic Roger Ebert wrote "[t[he hardware is from Flash Gordon out of 2001, the chivalry is from Robin Hood, the heroes are from Westerns, and the villains are a cross between Nazis and sorcerers."  Beyond its groundbreaking special effects, Star Wars birthed the world's first tentpole intellectual property empire. Part of what made the first film, Star Wars, later renamed Star Wars: A New Hope, unique was the concept of “the Force” within Lucas's worldbuilding. The movie deconstructs the classic notions of good v. evil and instead establishes opposing ideological perspectives tapping into or manipulating a metaphysical and ubiquitous power as either the light side (i.e., Jedi) or the dark side (i.e., Sith, said onscreen in the first movie of the second trilogy, Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, released almost 22 years to the day of Star Wars: A New Hope's release date). But the first trilogy left us fans with so many unanswered questions. Most notably, the three movies featured only five space wizards (i.e., three Jedi and two Sith) across the three-film, six and a quarter hour total runtime. In Star Wars: A New Hope, Princess Leia and Obi-Wan Kenobi referenced the Clone Wars, giving us a peek into Lucas's fully realized, lived-in universe. We fans wanted more. And between movies and trilogies, Star Wars Legends (formerly known as the Expanded Universe) filled that void with licensed and official background stories through books, comic books, video games, spin-off films, television series, toys, and other media. Join the Mint Condition crew as we share what the first Star Wars film meant to us when it was released, what the franchise has meant for the near past half century, and where we hope it will take us in the years ahead. And as always, we say to you and yours, “May the Force be with you.”

A little bit about the Indianapolis Eclipse Major and a lot about the Expanded Universe.

A little bit about the Indianapolis Eclipse Major and a lot about the Star Wars Expanded Universe..This item has files of the following types: Archive BitTorrent, Item Tile, Metadata, PNG, Spectrogram, VBR MP3

Mike and Joe are back from the World Between Worlds and this time they're continuing their discussion about EU and Legends material they want to see resurrected and brought into the new canon, including Starkiller and Yoda Stories! What Legends video game would you love to see a remake of? Join us on Discord or let us know on social media! Join the ThunderQuack Community Discord: https://www.thunderquack.com/discord Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thunderquack YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThunderQuack Follow Us TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thunderquackpod Instagram: http://instagram.com/ForcePOV Twitter: http://twitter.com/ForcePOV Facebook: http://facebook.com/ForcePOV Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ForcePOV Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thunderquack.bsky.social

Source Pages Presents: The Sacred Jedi Texts returns! This time, Hayley, Todd, James and Brian discuss "Rule of Two" the 2nd book in Drew Karpyshyn's Darth Bane Trilogy. With Zannah in tow as Bane's first apprentice, we'll learn how the training is going, what the Jedi think about the extinction of the Sith after the Thought Bomb detonation on Ruusan, and just what exactly an Orbalisk is and how they help, or hinder, Darth Bane in his attempt to create a Sith Holocron.  Novel covered:Darth Bane: Rule of Two - Book 2 of the Darth Bane Series, by Drew KarpyshynEMAIL: SPARCPODCAST@GMAIL.COMTWITTER: https://twitter.com/SourcePagesCastINSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/thesourcepagespodcast/FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/SPARCPODCASTSPaRC's Podcast Buddies:Across the Bifrost: The Mighty Thor - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/across-the-bifrost-the-mighty-thor-podcast/id1572200841Dan and Ian Have Questions - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dan-and-ian-have-questions-podcast/id1587402809Commute: The Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/commute-the-podcast/id1552657624Segabits - https://segabits.com/Apollo City Comics - https://www.instagram.com/apollocitycomicspodcast/?hl=enMachtails From the Cantina - https://www.facebook.com/machtailsfromthecantina/Rebel Force Radio Presents "The Babu Freaks" - https://www.rebelforceradio.com/shows/category/BaJacked Kirby - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jacked-kirby/id1248146026Star Wars YOU-niverse - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/star-wars-you-niverse-podcast/id1704904756

Mike and Joe are back from the World Between Worlds and this time they're discussing the elements they'd love to see resurrected from the Legends Expanded Universe and brought back into canon or reinvented, such as characters like Dash Rendar. Who would you resurrect from the Legends canon? Join us on Discord or let us know on social media! Join the ThunderQuack Community Discord: https://www.thunderquack.com/discord Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thunderquack YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThunderQuack Follow Us TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thunderquackpod Instagram: http://instagram.com/ForcePOV Twitter: http://twitter.com/ForcePOV Facebook: http://facebook.com/ForcePOV Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ForcePOV Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thunderquack.bsky.social

In this episode, we'll provide an imaginative and in-depth look into how Star Wars Episode VII could have unfolded. We'll integrate rich narrative elements and beloved characters from the Expanded Universe with a fresh and compelling storyline—with a lean to the Dark Side, of course! Follow us for more great content! Website: https://www.geeknewsnow.net Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GeekNewsNowOfficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Geek_News_Now/ Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/GNN_Home Threads: https://www.threads.net/@geek_news_now TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@geek_news_now Podbean: https://geeknewsnow.podbean.com Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/geek-news-now-podcast-hub Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/geek-news-now-podcast-hub Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/79ErQ7hJGMBJEKdvsZt5Ij Goodpods: https://goodpods.com/podcasts/geek-news-now-podcast-hub-253286 iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/338-geek-news-now-podcast-hub-125535253/          

 Hey everybody! Happy Friday! Today join us for a very special Happiest Podcast episode crossover with the Mickey and The Mouse Podcast as they talk all about the Beauty and the Beast expanded universe! Happy Listening! Support the show

Hey everyone! Ready to dive deep into the magical world of Beauty and the Beast with The Reillys? It's surprisingly quite an expansive universe! Did you ever watch any of the Beauty and the Beast spin-off shows/movies? Drop us a comment on our Instagram @mickeyandthemousepod and let us know!Thanks for listening! 

The Geeks make their picks for this year's Academy Awards! Will it be a Barbenheimer or an Oppenbarbie kind of night? Or maybe it will be a night of American Fiction and everyone will feel like Poor Things. Join John HH, Doc, and Smoore for an Oscars Geek-Out as Cinema Craptaculus Presents: The Expanded Universe!Twitter @Craptaculus Instagram @ CinemaCraptaculus Follow John on Twitter @johnhhford"Star Monster" by Duncan Neilson, engineered by Drew Canulette.

Welcome to Episode 164 of The Force Geeks: A Star Wars Podcast! Join Nate, Jake and  Chris for our first The Bad Batch after-show of the final season. We dive deep into the premiere episodes as we dissect all three of them, uncovering the hidden Easter eggs and discussing the voice talent, including Original Boba Fett child actor, Daniel Logan and a surprise Oscar-winning newcomer. We analyze the big questions raised (i.e. what's in the vault) and offer a chronological breakdown of all the events that took place. Explore the unifying threads between the prequel and sequel trilogies, the Mandoverse, and, heck, the Expanded Universe's Thrawn trilogy. The Geeks delve into the significance of "Project Necromancer" and Emperor Palpatine's master plan. Plus, we examine the redemption of Crosshair and the pivotal role of Omega in the grand scheme of the galaxy far, far away. Tune in for this  discussion on Episode 164!***The views expressed in this show are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the United States Air Force, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.***

The media keeps the Disney Star Wars flame alive by writing about how it's okay to like Rey even though she's a Mary Sue because another well-loved (?) Star Wars Legends character is a Gary Stu. But also, she's NOT a Mary Sue. What year is it, 2017?! ➡️ Tip Jar and Fan Support: http://ClownfishSupport.com ➡️ Official Merch Store: http://ShopClownfish.com ➡️ Official Website: http://ClownfishTV.com ➡️ Audio Edition: https://open.spotify.com/show/6qJc5C6OkQkaZnGCeuVOD1 ➡️ Gaming News: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A7VIqE3r5MQkFgL9nifNc Additional Context: Ah, the great Star Wars discourse: a saga more contentious than the battle for the galaxy far, far away itself. Strap in, because we're taking a hyperspace jump back to 2017 (or at least it feels like it), when the term "Mary Sue" was as much a part of Star Wars conversations as lightsabers and the Force. The term "Mary Sue" refers to a character who is overly idealized, lacking in flaws, and seemingly unbeatable, often to the detriment of the story's believability or complexity. It originated in fan fiction but has since been adopted more broadly to criticize characters in mainstream media. Rey, the protagonist of the Disney Star Wars trilogy, found herself at the center of this debate, with some fans arguing that her rapid mastery of the Force and lack of significant personal obstacles made her a Mary Sue. Meanwhile, the media, ever the Millennium Falcon navigating the asteroid field of pop culture, has been trying to keep the peace—or at least make sense of the chaos. Articles sprang up defending Rey's character, pointing out that her story arc is not unlike those of other well-loved Star Wars characters. To bolster their case, some have pointed to characters from the Star Wars Legends (formerly known as the Expanded Universe) who exhibit traits similar to those criticized in Rey but who have not faced the same level of scrutiny. The twist? Amidst this swirling galaxy of opinions, there's a counterargument that Rey is not, in fact, a Mary Sue. Supporters argue that her character does face struggles and development, particularly in her search for identity and belonging, and that her abilities are explained within the context of the Star Wars universe. So, why does it feel like we're stuck in 2017? Because the debate over Rey's character—and by extension, the direction of the Star Wars franchise under Disney—remains a microcosm of broader discussions about storytelling, representation, and fan expectations. It's a reminder that in the world of pop culture, some debates are as enduring as the Force itself. About Us: Clownfish TV is an independent, opinionated news and commentary channel that covers Entertainment and Tech from a consumer's point of view. We talk about Gaming, Comics, Anime, TV, Movies, Animation and more. Hosted by Kneon and Geeky Sparkles. Disclaimer: This series is produced by Clownfish Studios and WebReef Media, and is part of ClownfishTV.com. Opinions expressed by our contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of our guests, affiliates, sponsors, or advertisers. ClownfishTV.com is an unofficial news source and has no connection to any company that we may cover. This channel and website and the content made available through this site are for educational, entertainment and informational purposes only. These so-called “fair uses” are permitted even if the use of the work would otherwise be infringing. #Disney #StarWars #News #Commentary #Reaction #Podcast #Comedy #Entertainment #Hollywood #PopCulture #Tech

Tekken 8's launch has us captivated this week, so Anthony "BruceWayneBrady" Abatte joins us to talk about it — and about five of the fighting-game series' most noteworthy spinoffs. Then we'll get into the PlayStation State of Play news, the simultaneous reveal and cancellation of an unproduced Deus Ex, and your favorite games that rip off other games. Question of the Week: Which fighting game character from any franchise deserves their own spinoff action game? Break song is Knocc 'Em Down by Snoop Dogg. Vidjagame Apocalypse theme by Matthew Joseph Payne.

Happy Holidays from the Geeks! It's the 40th episode, and John HH, Doc, and Smoore offer up some hilarious ideas from your favorite film directors who really need to make a Christmas movie! Listen up Nolan, Scorcese, Fennell, and Tarantino - these are the holiday films we've been wishing for! Join us for an Expanded Universe Christmas!Twitter @Craptaculus Instagram @ CinemaCraptaculus Follow John on Twitter @johnhhford"Star Monster" by Duncan Neilson, engineered by Drew Canulette.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/4761485/advertisement

Welcome to the first episode of Source Pages Presents: The Sacred Jedi Texts! This show will cover Star Wars novels and comics, both Canon and The Expanded Universe (now known as "Legends"), that normally wouldn't fit into the regular SPaRC format. Hayley and Brian are once again joined by the remaining members of the SPaRC Jedi Council, James Hewings and Todd Sedlacek, to cover the fantastic novel "The Old Republic: Revan" by Drew Karpyshyn. Jedi Master Yodahew will debrief everyone about the characters' backstories from both of the Knights of the Old Republic games, where most of them got their introduction, to give a little more depth. Strap into your Jedi Defender, for it looks to be a wild ride! Novel covered:The Old Republic: Revan by Drew KarpyshynEMAIL: SPARCPODCAST@GMAIL.COMTWITTER: https://twitter.com/SourcePagesCastINSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/thesourcepagespodcast/FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/SPARCPODCASTSPaRC's Podcast Buddies:Across the Bifrost: The Mighty Thor - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/across-the-bifrost-the-mighty-thor-podcast/id1572200841Dan and Ian Have Questions - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dan-and-ian-have-questions-podcast/id1587402809Commute: The Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/commute-the-podcast/id1552657624Segabits - https://segabits.com/Apollo City Comics - https://www.instagram.com/apollocitycomicspodcast/?hl=enMachtails From the Cantina - https://www.facebook.com/machtailsfromthecantina/Rebel Force Radio Presents "The Babu Freaks" - https://www.rebelforceradio.com/shows/category/BaJacked Kirby - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jacked-kirby/id1248146026Star Wars YOU-niverse - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/star-wars-you-niverse-podcast/id1704904756This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/4951705/advertisement

Geoffrey chats with writer, editor, producer, actor, and screenwriter Peyton McDavitt about her involvement in the latest book from the 101 Reasons Why series. They discuss creating a concept that resonates, and how to develop that into an expanded universe. Writing an anthology series and even using your older forgotten works as inspiration.You can find the book here https://www.101reasonswhy.com/Geoffrey's book, The Guide For Every Screenwriter is available at:https://www.thesuccessfulscreenwriter.com/booksJoin our community and become a member for free --> https://www.thesuccessfulscreenwriter.comThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/4506618/advertisement

A group of unlikely heroes from Kansas City travel to the Dwarven metropolis of Shelterstone, investigating a recent series of sinkholes and cave-ins. Along with Eastey Agent Mara “Momo” McCoun, they may unearth the secrets kept by their furry bearded neighbors, but some secrets are better left buried. Watch out hunters, it's wyrm season! The Expanded Universe series is back! In this second set of crossover episodes, we'll be sharing stories from the world of our Autumn Falls campaign, which take place after the events of Episode 60. and 61. Natalie will once again be the Keeper for our guest casts from other podcasts. These stories are loosely set within the canon timeline of our Autumn Falls campaign, but are not meant to strictly imply canon events for the other podcast series or characters. Each crossover episode can be enjoyed as a standalone piece of content. We hope you enjoy our return to this series as much as we enjoyed making it. Our beloved hunters from Autumn Falls will return with more stories for the main campaign soon. The Expanded Universe Series is ~sponsored~ by Many Worlds Tavern. ( https://manyworldstavern.com/ ) You can find their socials @manyworldstavern Check them out and pick up some coffee or tea for your game night! The first 100 of our listeners to use code: STORYTELLER at checkout will receive 10% off their order! If you enjoy our show, please leave us a review and tell us your favorite thing about the podcast. It really helps us get discovered by new listeners, it doesn't take long, and we'd love to share your kind words on our social pages. Thanks Adventurers~! Follow our TikTok, Instagram, and Bluesky - @storysquadcast And our other socials using this handy link hub - https://linktr.ee/TheStorytellerSquadSupport our Patreon and you'll be helping us directly with our production! - https://www.patreon.com/thestorytellersquadThis week we would love it if you sent our friends from Nameless Monsters some love and thank them for working on this series with us. ( https://trials.podbean.com/ ) You can find their socials @TotaPodcastMusic:“Late Night Reporter” by Out To The World“Bulletin World” by Out To The World“Coffee Shop Date (Instrumental Version)” by Jaydan Talley“Coffee and Unicorns” by Henyao“Coffee in My Garden” by baegel“Mirage of You” by james.lfo“Far Over the Highlands” by Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen“Hippies on a Bus” by Guy Trevino and Friends“Put Those Wheels in Motion” by Shiver Disk“In the Fields” by Shiver Disk“On the Up” by Shiver Disk“Strange Valley” by Marten Moses“Private Firm” by Dream Cave“The Detective” by Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen“Old Scottish Town” by Trabant 33“The Bard's Tale” by Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen“Highland Hymn” by Bonnie Grace“Flowers on the Mountain” by Alysha Sheldon“Dance of the Wildcats” by Deskant“The Fellowship” by Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen“The Celtic Flavor” by Alysha Sheldon “The Shadow” by Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen“Path the the Abyss” by Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen“Rise From the Shadows” by Hampus Naeselius“Born Sinister” by Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen“The Reaping” by Jon Bjōrk“Warning Signal” by Max Anson“Forged in Steel” by Reynard Seidel“Phoenix Rising” by Edgar Hopp“Out of Glory” by Trabant 33“Lord of Dance” by Adriel Fair“A Window Through Time” by Deskant“Town Square Parade” by Deskant“The Lonely Sailor” by Adriel Fair “The Story Begins” by Hampus Naeselius“Knight's Templar” by Adriel Fair“Mural Legends” by Adriel Fair“Hordes” by Jo Wandrini“The Great War” by Jon...

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