Podcasts about Captain Marvel

Hey, where's Star Lord?? MRC covers part 2 of January, 1969, introducing the (original) Guardians of the Galaxy in Marvel Super-Heroes 18, plus Fantastic Four 82, Captain Marvel 9 and Sub-Mariner 9! Check it out!

It's double clashing this week as both episodes deal with League members who don't necessarily get along! First in Clash, Captain Marvel gets himself in trouble as he can't keep his mouth shut, and he disagrees with Superman about Lex Luthor. It kicks off an all out brawl that decimates the city, that ends up in him quitting the League and the founding members have to look themselves in the mirror. Next in Hunter's Moon, Hawkgirl leads a mission to space, with Vixen and Vigilante in tow, and it's a facedown on who should actually lead, and who should actually date Green Lantern! Contact Information If you want to join in the discussion, you can submit feedback via email to TomorrowsLegendsPodcast@gmail.com. Please submit all feedback by 7:00 pm eastern on Fridays. You can also join the Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/tomorrowslegends. Answer all the questions and agree to the group rules to be accepted. You can follow us on Twitter @tomorowslegends.   

Brian has kept his mouth shut for three days, which can only mean one thing: it is finally time to discuss Toy Story 5 and the shockingly loaded mechanics of a potty-training device named Smarty Pants. Justin and Brian also get into Supergirl, Captain Marvel amnesia, DragonCon uncertainty, Brian's Defcon/social-engineering gauntlet, Madison Square Garden getting hacked, and the dawning realization that the future is just scams at scale. Get an extra episode every week only at https://www.patreon.com/greatnight!

Brian has kept his mouth shut for three days, which can only mean one thing: it is finally time to discuss Toy Story 5 and the shockingly loaded mechanics of a potty-training device named Smarty Pants. Justin and Brian also get into Supergirl, Captain Marvel amnesia, DragonCon uncertainty, Brian's Defcon/social-engineering gauntlet, Madison Square Garden getting hacked, and the dawning realization that the future is just scams at scale. Get an extra episode every week only at https://www.patreon.com/greatnight!

Episode Notes So many beats that are heavy here you'd think it was a rave. Only in this scene, the only thing that drops are some difficult facts and story lines to deal with for Carol and Maria. Today's scene can be found at: Captain Marvel [57:05-57:48]. You can find us on Bluesky @timelinescav! And individually you can find your hosts at [@ColinMParker](https://bsky.app/profile/colinmparker.com) and [@Jamienerdgirl.](https://bsky.app/profile/jamienerdgirl.bsky.social) BIG thank you for the intro and outro music from @NBramald! Check out his website at https://www.nickbramaldcomposer.co.uk. If you need music for any occasion, he's your man.Read transcript

It's a bird, it's a plane… it's a new Super movie! The gang dives into the latest DC tentpole, Supergirl and debates whether it's a stronger superhero outing than Captain Marvel, welcomes back House of the Dragon and The Agency, and says goodbye (for now) to Widow's Bay. PLUS - Voicemails for Isabelle, anyone?Follow Endslate on IG @endslatepod! Make sure you follow us on X for updates at @endslatepod and you can find our hosts on X, Letterboxd, Youtube, echos on their personal profiles:@mel_loz_@quarkhenares@ramondeveyra Also, make sure you join the Facebook community for a safe space to just really share what you love! https://facebook.com/groups/endslate

It's Marvel Monday and the Avengers face their ultimate challenge! ABOUT AVENGERS: ENDGAME After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the universe is in ruins. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers assemble once more in order to reverse Thanos' actions and restore balance to the universe. AIR DATE & NETWORK FOR AVENGERS: ENDGAME 2019 | Theatrical Release CAST & CREW OF AVENGERS: ENDGAME Directors: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo Writers: Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely, Stan Lee Cast: Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Hulk Chris Hemsworth as Thor Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton/Hawkeye Don Cheadle as James Rhodes/War Machine Paul Rudd as Scott Lang/Ant-Man Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa/Black Panther Brie Larson as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel Tom Holland as Peter Parker/Spider-Man Karen Gillan as Nebula Zoe Saldaña as Gamora Evangeline Lilly as Hope Van Dyne/The Wasp Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch BRAN'S MOVIE SYNOPSIS The movie kicks off by showing us what Hawkeye was doing during Infinity War: teaching his daughter to shoot bow and arrows. Suddenly, his wife and kids turn to dust and he has no idea why. 23 days later, Tony Stark & Nebula are stuck in space together. She's helping him heal. They're about to run out of oxygen when Captain Marvel shows up to save them. She brings them back to Earth where they're reunited with Captain America, Hulk, Thor, Rhodey & Rocket. The happy reunion doesn't last long. Tony does one of his famous freak outs, saying things he will most certainly regret. Captain Marvel gets the rundown & decides she's going to go kill Thanos herself. Everyone is like this witch shows up out of nowhere and now wants to be the hero, but Thor likes her and says we should go. So they track Thanos down. He's like oh hi. I destroyed the stones. My bad. So Thor cuts his head off. Fast forward 5 years and Scott randomly pops out of the quantum realm machine, very confused. So he goes to talk to the Avengers about his experience. He tells Cap & Natasha about how for him, the 5 years was only 5 minutes. Maybe there's some way to use the quantum realm to go back in time and stop Thanos. Only one guy is smart enough to help - Tony. But now Tony has a daughter & he's not interested in helping. But Tony can't forget about it. He pokes around and figures out how it could work. Scott, Cap, and Natasha turn to the next smartest guy they know - Bruce. He agrees to help and they do some experiments but nothing overly helpful. Tony shows up with a time traveling device and says it's time to get the band back together. They do some testing and find out they can go to the past and bring something back without changing anything. So they have a plan - team up and go get the stones and bring them to the present which would prevent Thanos from being able to do his thing. Banner, Lang, Rogers, and Stark travel back to New York during Loki's 2012 invasion. At the Sanctum Sanctorum, Banner persuades the Ancient One to hand over the Time Stone by promising that all of the Infinity Stones will eventually be returned to their rightful places in time. Plus, Doctor Strange gave it up willingly in his time which is good enough for the Ancient One. Meanwhile, at Stark Tower, Rogers successfully recovers the Mind Stone from Hydra agents posing as S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives. However, Stark and Lang's plan to steal the Space Stone goes wrong, allowing Loki to escape with it. To recover from the setback, Rogers and Stark travel further back to 1970, where Stark obtains an earlier version of the Space Stone and unexpectedly gets the chance to speak with his father. Rogers steals additional Pym Particles needed for their return trip and catches a glimpse of his lost love, Peggy Carter. Meanwhile, Thor and Rocket journey to Asgard in 2013. Rocket extracts the Reality Stone from Jane Foster, while Thor reunites with his mother, Frigga, who snaps him out of his funk and gets his swag and his hammer back. In 2014, Nebula and Rhodey travel to Morag and secure the Power Stone before Peter Quill can retrieve it. Hawkeye and Black Widow head to Vormir, where Red Skull explains that the Soul Stone can only be obtained through the sacrifice of someone you love. Romanoff gives her life so Barton can claim the Stone. As Rhodes and Nebula prepare to return to the present, Nebula's cybernetic implants connect with those of her past self. This allows the 2014 version of Thanos to learn about his future defeat and the Avengers' plan to reverse it. Thanos captures Nebula and sends her 2014 counterpart into the future to infiltrate the Avengers and pave the way for his arrival. So they all return back in the present with the stones, sans Natasha. They put the stones on an iron glove and Bruce agrees that he's probably the best dude for the job. He snaps and immediately collapses. Hawkeye immediately gets a phone call from his wife. It worked!!! But the happiness doesn't last long because 2014 Gamora used the Time Machine to get 2014 Thanos to show up and shoot the Avengers compound up big time. He's like thanks for getting all of the stones together for me. It's giant fight time, folks. And it's not looking great for the Avengers despite the fact that Thor's hammer saw Cap as worthy enough to use it. But just when it's looking bleak, Doctor Strange returns by opening portals for the rest of the Avengers to show up and join the battle. Avengers assemble and IT'S AWESOME! It's a tough battle and Scott is busy getting his van Time Machine up and running since Thanos destroyed the other one so that they can return the stones. Captain Marvel shows up last minute and it's looking like they might do it but Thanos makes the van explode. Thanos gets the gauntlet back but Captain Marvel stops him from snapping his fingers. He's able to free himself. It's looking like a lost cause but Tony looks over at Strange who holds up 1 finger, showing Tony that this is the 1 in 14 million chances they win. Tony is able to get the stones and snap his fingers and make Thanos and his baddies disappear. But unfortunately the blast was too much for Tony and he dies. At Tony's funeral, all the Avengers show up to show their respects. They create a new Time Machine and Captain America goes to return all of the stones to their proper time. But he doesn't return to present day. Well, he does but he's old. He decided to stay in 1970 and grow old with Peggy Carter. Steve gives Sam his shield. We have a new Captain America now. Watch the show on Youtube - www.deckthehallmark.com/youtubeInterested in advertising on the show? Email bran@deckthehallmark.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

MRC soldiers on through December 1968 with Fantastic Four 81, Captain Marvel 8, Sub-Mariner 8, and Silver Surfer 3! More wonder-gloves! More evidence that maybe Colletta on Heck wasn't such a good idea after all! Check it out!

As Milly Alcock brings Supergirl to the big screen for the first time in over 40 years, we examine the original Supergirl film from 1984 to cover the full story behind the disastrous first female superhero movie! We'll take you behind-the-page on the creation of Supergirl, her origins with Captain Marvel, her immense popularity, and how this terrible movie helped to seal her fate in the 1980s! We'll take you behind-the-scenes on the making of this landmark event in Superhero Cinema, the budget cuts, the in-fighting between the cast, the Supergirl producer who QUIT the movie, why Superman himself REFUSED TO BE IN THE FILM, and how this 1984 movie lead to the END of the Superman franchise! Then we'll deep-dive the 1984 movie itself to bring you TONS of DC Comics history and trivia, the origins of Supergirl, the history of Argo City, Lucy Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and the time Supergirl kissed a horse! For awesome bonus episodes visit https://www.patreon.com/marvelversusmarvel marvelversusmarvel@gmail.com https://www.instagram.com/marvelversusmarvel https://twitter.com/marvelversus https://twitter.com/robhalden https://robhalden.com https://will-preston.co.uk

As Milly Alcock brings Supergirl to the big screen for the first time in over 40 years, we examine the original Supergirl film from 1984 to cover the full story behind the disastrous first female superhero movie! We'll take you behind-the-page on the creation of Supergirl, her origins with Captain Marvel, her immense popularity, and how this terrible movie helped to seal her fate in the 1980s! We'll take you behind-the-scenes on the making of this landmark event in Superhero Cinema, the budget cuts, the in-fighting between the cast, the Supergirl producer who QUIT the movie, why Superman himself REFUSED TO BE IN THE FILM, and how this 1984 movie lead to the END of the Superman franchise! Then we'll deep-dive the 1984 movie itself to bring you TONS of DC Comics history and trivia, the origins of Supergirl, the history of Argo City, Lucy Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and the time Supergirl kissed a horse! For awesome bonus episodes visit https://www.patreon.com/marvelversusmarvel marvelversusmarvel@gmail.com https://www.instagram.com/marvelversusmarvel https://twitter.com/marvelversus https://twitter.com/robhalden https://robhalden.com https://will-preston.co.uk

Episode Notes Auntie Carol returns! Did she bring anything for us while she was gone? *unwraps gift* Oh....more questions. Great. Today's scene can be found at: Captain Marvel [57:05-57:48]. You can find us on Bluesky @timelinescav! And individually you can find your hosts at [@ColinMParker](https://bsky.app/profile/colinmparker.com) and [@Jamienerdgirl.](https://bsky.app/profile/jamienerdgirl.bsky.social) BIG thank you for the intro and outro music from @NBramald! Check out his website at https://www.nickbramaldcomposer.co.uk. If you need music for any occasion, he's your man.Read transcript

TASK creator Brad Brad Ingelsby walks hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante through the movies that have had the most sustained impact on him. Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode 52 Pickup (1986) Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) A History of Violence (2005) Boogie Nights (1997) Hard Eight (1996) One Battle After Another (2025) Phantom Thread (2017) There Will Be Blood (2007) Breaking Away (1979) Stand By Me (1986)  Freaky Tales (2025) Wild Tales (2014) Half Nelson (2006) Captain Marvel (2019) Brokeback Mountain (2005) Mean Streets (1973) Straight Time (1978) The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973) Goodfellas (1990) Deliverance (1973) The 400 Blows (1959) Saving Private Ryan (1998) Other Notable Items Our revamped Patreon!  The Hollywood Food Coalition Mare of Easttown miniseries (2021) Task TV series (2025- ) Mark Ruffalo Fabien Frankel  Emilia Jones Alison Oliver Kate Winslet The Cannon Group, Inc. Elmore Leonard Roy Scheider Ann-Margret John Frankenheimer John Glover Viggo Mortensen Maria Bello Beef TV series (2023- ) Frank Rizzo Attila the Hun Paul Thomas Anderson The Toronto International Film Festival Alfred Molina John C. Reilly Phillip Seymour Hoffman William H. Macy Don Cheadle Heather Graham The San Fernando Valley in Southern California Pedro Pascal Tom Hanks Ryan Gosling Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck Ang Lee “Brokeback Mountain” short story by Annie Proulx (1997) Heath Ledger Michelle Williams Anne Hathaway Ernest Borgnine Larry McMurtry  Diana Ossana  The Academy Awards The BAFTAs The WGA Awards Quentin Tarantino Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia “Backstreets” song by Bruce Springsteen (1975) Mahershala Ali SpectreVision Radio is a bespoke podcast network at the intersection between the arts and the uncanny, featuring a tapestry of shows exploring creativity, the esoteric, and the unknown. We're a community for creators and fans vibrating around common curiosities, shared interests and persistent passions. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠spectrevisionradio.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linktr.ee/spectrevisionsocial Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Marvel Monday and meet Marvel's most powerful hero! ABOUT CAPTAIN MARVEL Carol Danvers becomes one of the universe's most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races. AIR DATE & NETWORK FOR CAPTAIN MARVEL March 8, 2019 | Theatrical Release CAST & CREW OF CAPTAIN MARVEL Directors: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck Writers: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck, Geneva Robertson-Dworet Cast: Brie Larson as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury BRAN'S MOVIE SYNOPSIS Carol Danvers is living her best amnesia life on the Kree homeworld of Hala under the name Vers. Got it? Good.  She's got superpowers, cool space suits, and a mentor named Yon-Rogg who constantly tells her to stop feeling. The Kree government, which is basically run by a giant AI lady, insists that the evil shape-shifting Skrulls ruined her life and since Carol remembers absolutely nothing, so she just rolls with it. While on a mission to rescue a Kree spy, things immediately go sideways. The Skrulls capture Carol and start digging around in her memories, discovering that she used to be an Air Force pilot on Earth. Their leader Talos becomes very interested in a scientist named Dr. Wendy Lawson and a mysterious light-speed engine. Carol escapes before they get all the answers and crash-lands straight into a Blockbuster Video in 1995 Los Angeles. Her arrival gets the attention of a young Nick Fury, who still has two working eyes and spends most of this movie being confused. After a series of chases, explosions, and Skrulls impersonating anyone they want, Carol starts uncovering pieces of her past. She learns that she wasn't born on Hala at all—she was an Air Force pilot presumed dead after a crash years earlier. As Carol & Nick follow the breadcrumbs, she reconnects with her old friend Maria and Maria's daughter Monica, who are understandably shocked to discover their dead friend is actually a space superhero. Meanwhile, Talos finally reveals that the Skrulls aren't conquering villains at all—they're refugees looking for a home. Turns out the Kree may not have been entirely honest. The biggest bombshell comes when Carol remembers what really happened. Dr. Lawson was actually Mar-Vell, a Kree scientist secretly helping the Skrulls. Shes killed while taking control of an experimental energy source. Carol destroyed the engine to keep it from the Kree, absorbed its energy in the explosion, gained incredible powers, and then had her memories erased so the Kree could turn her into a weapon. The gang tracks down Mar-Vell's hidden space laboratory, where a bunch of Skrull refugees have been hiding. Unfortunately, Starforce shows up, the Kree try to reassert control, and Carol gets dragged before the Supreme Intelligence. She destroys the device limiting her powers and finally goes full Captain Marvel. What follows is a one-sided beatdown thanks to Captain marvel.  With the Skrulls safe for the moment, Carol decides to head off into space to help them find a permanent home. Before leaving, she gives Fury a special pager for emergencies. Fury later loses his eye in an incident involving Goose - a cat who is actually an alien who is also holding the Tesseract in its tummy. Looking at Carol's old Air Force call sign, he lands on the perfect name: The Avengers Initiative. In the mid-credits scene, the pager goes off and Carol returns to Earth Watch the show on Youtube - www.deckthehallmark.com/youtubeInterested in advertising on the show? Email bran@deckthehallmark.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode Notes Sometimes, movies have to remind you exactly what kind of movie it is. In case you forgot this is a space adventure sci-fi adventure flick, this scene is here to tell you just that! Today's scene can be found at: Captain Marvel [56:17 - 57:05]. You can find us on Bluesky @timelinescav! And individually you can find your hosts at @ColinMParker and @Jamienerdgirl. BIG thank you for the intro and outro music from @NBramald! Check out his website at https://www.nickbramaldcomposer.co.uk. If you need music for any occasion, he's your man.Read transcript

What does it take to bring Grogu to life? This week on Skywalking Through Neverland, Richard and Sarah Woloski welcome Creature Effects artist, fabricator, puppeteer, stunt performer, and Star Wars performer Dawn Dininger. Dawn has worked on The Mandalorian and Grogu, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, Skeleton Crew, Captain Marvel, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and Jurassic Park III. As one of the five puppeteers responsible for Grogu's performance, Dawn reveals how the team coordinates his movements, what new technology was developed for The Mandalorian and Grogu, and the challenges of creating believable creature performances on screen. She also shares stories from the Hollywood premiere, performing Grogu at the Academy Awards, her transition into stunt work, and her numerous appearances as Star Wars aliens including Rodians, Mon Calamari, and more. We also discuss the future of creature effects and the impact of CGI and AI on practical artistry. You can meet Dawn Dininger at Boonta Eve Special Edition on August 7 in Frisco, Texas, and attend Rebel Scum Con that same weekend. PODCAST 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.

What does it take to bring Grogu to life? This week on Skywalking Through Neverland, Richard and Sarah Woloski welcome Creature Effects artist, fabricator, puppeteer, stunt performer, and Star Wars performer Dawn Dininger. Dawn has worked on The Mandalorian and Grogu, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, Skeleton Crew, Captain Marvel, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and Jurassic Park III. As one of the five puppeteers responsible for Grogu's performance, Dawn reveals how the team coordinates his movements, what new technology was developed for The Mandalorian and Grogu, and the challenges of creating believable creature performances on screen. She also shares stories from the Hollywood premiere, performing Grogu at the Academy Awards, her transition into stunt work, and her numerous appearances as Star Wars aliens including Rodians, Mon Calamari, and more. We also discuss the future of creature effects and the impact of CGI and AI on practical artistry. You can meet Dawn Dininger at Boonta Eve Special Edition on August 7 in Frisco, Texas, and attend Rebel Scum Con that same weekend. PODCAST 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.

Paul Jenkins, multimedia writer extraordinaire, is back on the Bandits to discuss his highly anticipated return to Marvel Comics, including new stories featuring two of the publisher's most complex heroes: The Sentry and Captain Marvel. Paul reflects on revisiting Bob Reynolds more than two decades after co-creating the character and less than a year after his MCU debut, explores the psychological themes that continue to make The Sentry unique, and shares insights into working with artist Christian Rosado on the latest chapter of the Golden Guardian of Good. The conversation also dives into Captain Marvel: Dark Past, examining Carol Danvers' evolving legacy, the challenges of writing powerful heroes with deeply human flaws, and the themes that connect these new projects. Along the way, Paul looks back on his celebrated Marvel career, discusses characters he'd still love to revisit, and offers fans a glimpse into this exciting new chapter of his storytelling journey. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Show notes provided by Joe PelusoIn the fall of 1941 a unique superhero was born to the nascent comic book industry. The creation of William Moulton Marston and Harry G. Peters, and bowing in All Star Comics # 8 (cover dated January 1942), Princess Diana, the Amazing Amazon from Paradise Island, burst upon a world at war as--WONDER WOMAN! Armed with the powers of the Greek Gods, and the awesome capacity to win the day with love andcompassion, Wonder Woman was an instant hit with four color readers.By 1943, the Amazon Princess was appearing regularly in "Sensation Comics", "Wonder Woman", and "Comic Cavalcade".Wonder Woman was going toe to toe with the big boys on the block--Superman, Batman and Captain Marvel! And when almost all the heroes fell into obscurity bythe early 1950's, Wonder Woman kept pace with only two other survivors--The Man of Steel and The Dark Knight Detective.   In the following decades, Wonder Woman's star would shine and dim. Its orbit caught in the vagaries of current tastes and trends.But there came a time when one legend was due to meet head on with another; a living legend of the comic book industry who had previously made his mark on such books as "The New Teen Titans", "The Fantastic Four", and "The Avengers". Following the universe reshuffling DCComics event-"Crisis on Infinite Earths", Princess Diana and George Perez met and began a tenure on one of the most historic comic book runs in history!  Please join James and Joe as "The Secret Origins of Mint Condition" finally pays tribute to this seminal hero and the creative genius who redefined her for a new age! Greek Mythology, magic, epic battles, customs and language barriers, new friends found, and the bonds of love and devotion that survive and conquer hate and war, are all ongraphic display by master storyteller--George Perez.    We hope that this podcast will inspire you to read (or reread)this magnificent comic book run so that you may discover howfriendship, courage  and devotion can overcome the most bleak times. Diana and George have given us the blueprint.

"HIGHER, FURTHER, FASTER, BABY!" As Phase 3 reached its crescendo in 2019, only one piece of the puzzle remained. That being the introduction of Captain Marvel herself, Carol Danvers. Many were excited for her film when it was announced, but as the current culture war as we know it began to take shape after The Last Jedi, her film became the bedrock of extrapolated ragebait and grifting, with Brie Larson herself taking the brunt of it. The film released to general critical success and grossed well over a billion, but how does it hold up today? Come join Brian, Alec, Darby, Trey, and special guest Helena (@SpiderKnightART) as they continue Phase 3 of the MCUathon with CAPTAIN MARVEL!

Action Comics #711 is the end of Jackson Guice's run on art, and it's the end for Kenny Braverman aka Conduit!Superman: The Man of Steel #46 deals with the fallout of Kenny's demise, and it appears Pipeline continues without him!Superman #102 sees Superman battle Captain Marvel, or is Cyborg Superman battling Black Adam?Adventures of Superman #525 Lois and Clark finally get some time alone!Superman: The Man of Tomorrow #1 is the debut of a new Superman title, a Quarterly! And it is also the return of OG Lex Luthor!Check out comics by Denis:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.deniscomix.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Karen Kirkpatrick⁠ and I met originally on Instagram, but we've since met in person for this interview and for a run.During this episode, sponsored by ⁠Goodr⁠, we talk about:Her Flying Pig Half Marathon recap — the hills, the soreness, the soreness going up and down stairs at work, and nearly PR'ing (seven minutes off!)Being a self-proclaimed "one and done" racer — she's done 28 halfs and almost never repeats a raceThe Disney Princess Half Marathon she did five times when she lived in Fort Myers, Florida — and how she's done nearly every RunDisney race on the calendarRegistering for the Disney World Marathon from her laptop during a teaching conference and nearly screaming out loud when she got inGrowing up in Columbus, Ohio, going to Bowling Green State University for photography and then education, and — surprise — playing ice hockey for the BGSU women's club team (she learned to skate to join)Her diagnosis journey: five doctors told her it was in her head before the sixth (a woman) took her hands and said "I don't think you're crazy"What it's like to live with lupus — the fatigue, the joint pain, the butterfly rash, the lesions, the immune compromise, and how it affects her every day at schoolSelena Gomez as a public face of lupus and why her story resonatesHer mom being the reason she started running — watching her mom do half marathons for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society in her 60s (with a knee replacement) was the nudge Karen neededHer very first half marathon at Columbus in 2014Finding ⁠Carmel Runners Club⁠ through a ⁠Run(317)⁠ event in 2019 and the community she's found there⁠The Rally app⁠ and how messages from her great-niece Evelyn and other family members carried her through the Flying PigTraining for her Disney World Marathon on the Monon — using the Jeff Galloway run/walk methodGetting her Mickey marathon finisher ears — the thing she cared about more than anything elseHer five dogs (Oreo, Morgan, Zelda, Milo, and Zoe) and one Flerken cat (Blondie from Captain Marvel, obviously)Flying Pig being her 28th half — and why she chose itDoctors now telling her she needs to stop at 10K distances, and what her final three races will beBeing tested for multiple sclerosis on top of lupus — tremors, dizziness, balance issues, and what the next steps look like medicallySWTHZ as part of her recovery — infrared sauna + 20-minute cold plunges (yes, 20)Her next two finish lines: the Indy Marathon at Fort Ben in October (for the veterans) and the Columbus Half Marathon to close it all out — with her mom hopefully waiting at the finish line to put her final medal on herPrevious Guests Mentioned⁠Alex Baker⁠ - Episode 6⁠Abby Anderson⁠ - Episode 133Rachel Sinders - Episode 8Sponsor Details⁠Goodr⁠ - Use code ALLYB for $10 off your first order⁠Amazfit⁠ - Use code ALLYB for 10% offOther LinksFollow Karen on Instagram ⁠@lupuswarriorprincess⁠Follow me on Instagram ⁠@allytbrett_runs⁠⁠Subscribe to Finish Lines & Milestones weekly newsletter⁠This is a ⁠SandyBoy Productions⁠ podcast.

0:00 Intro7:00 News and UpdatesNew Lanterns Teaser; Chris Cantwell joining writing team for season 2Milly Acock says she's never seen black widow, Captain Marvel, etcBrad Winderbaum taking on an expanded role as Head of Marvel Television, Animation, Comics & Franchise. Joining him is David Abdo, who steps in as General Manager of Comics & Franchise after moving over from Disney. Marvel/DC August Solicits37:30 ComicsRogue #5Quick Shots: Moonstar #3, New Titans #35, Deadly Hands #4, X-Men United #3, Rogue Sun #341:01:04 TV/Movies: Relaunch: Pixie

Episode Notes Danvers and Fury make their getaway, and in the process they realize they're not alone... Today's scene can be found at: Captain Marvel [54:40 - 56:17]. You can find us on Bluesky @timelinescav! And individually you can find your hosts at @ColinMParker and @Jamienerdgirl. BIG thank you for the intro and outro music from @NBramald! Check out his website at https://www.nickbramaldcomposer.co.uk. If you need music for any occasion, he's your man.Read transcript

Episode Notes SHIELD plans on taking Danvers and Fury in: dead or alive, but most likely dead with the way these agents move. The two make their daring escape from the hangars of Pegasus before their buddy cop duo ends right as it begins... Today's scene can be found at: Captain Marvel [53:21 - 54:40]. You can find us on Bluesky @timelinescav! And individually you can find your hosts at @ColinMParker and @Jamienerdgirl. BIG thank you for the intro and outro music from @NBramald! Check out his website at https://www.nickbramaldcomposer.co.uk. If you need music for any occasion, he's your man.Read transcript

Episode Notes This scene really has it all: loyalty, friendship, and maybe some sexual tension. This episode also has it all: an Az guest spot, a discussion about AO3, and the definitive Most Jarring Sentence Ever Spoken On This Podcast™️. Today's scene can be found at: Captain Marvel [53:00 - 53:21]. You can find us on Bluesky @timelinescav! And individually you can find your hosts at @ColinMParker and @Jamienerdgirl. BIG thank you for the intro and outro music from @NBramald! Check out his website at https://www.nickbramaldcomposer.co.uk. If you need music for any occasion, he's your man.Read transcript

Last issue, Captain Marvel (the dude, not Brie Larson) got sucked up into a crystal and disappeared . Unable to figure out what happened, Spidey reaches out to the smartest man on earth, Mister Fantastic! They figure out he's in the middle of the earth, the domain of the Mole Man. Can they free the hero before it's too late?

Can Dave defend Hawkeye against the combined might of Zack AND Charlotte?! (“no.” -Zack) On this episode we cover the following issues (all available via Marvel Unlimited): Hawkeye 14-22 Finishing the run. Captain Marvel (2014) #1-2, #7-9 Deconnick era renumbers and resets Up Next: My Marvelous Year — 2014 pt. 6 Magneto #1 to #6 The […] The post My Marvelous Year 2014 Pt. 5: Futzing Hawkeye and Captain Marvel's Fresh Start! appeared first on Comic Book Herald.

MRC careens on though November of 1968, with Fantastic Four 80, Captain Marvel 7, Sub-Mariner 7, and Marvel Super-Heroes 17 featuring the Black Knight! Fun fact: A Choice Not an Ecch-O is a reference to a book by Phillis Shlafley, of all people! Check it out!

Watch it here: https://youtu.be/Fu_XG93-3FI

An indulgent Variant episode from Zack and Dave. Charlotte specifically caught COVID to avoid being here. Up Next: My Marvelous Year — 2014 pt. 5 Hawkeye 14-22 Finishing the run. Captain Marvel (2014) #1-2, #7-9 Deconnick era renumbers and resets Play along with: Comic Book Herald’s Marvel Reading Order A Marvel Unlimited subscription! [Disclosure: Affiliate […] The post My Marvelous Year 2014 Variant C: Dave & Zack talk the Pitchfork Music Bracket! No Comics! appeared first on Comic Book Herald.

One doesn't immediately connect The Beatles with the world of comic books but there's plenty there. Besides musical references to Captain Marvel and “Magneto and Titanium Man,” the group themselves have been regularly represented in the pages of comic books, beginning in 1964; sometimes as plot figures. Then we also have graphic novels and latter-day accounts of their history.To lead *me* in a discussion, SATB welcomes two award-winners from the world of comics, both of whom once worked for Marvel. Emmy-winning cartoonist Stephen DeStefano has been connected with works ranging from Popeye to Cuphead as well as his own ‘Mazing Man and Hero Hotline. He also hosts a conversation show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@S.DeStefano  Glenn Greenberg (a previous guest) is a writer associated with Spider Man, Silver Surfer and Hulk, among others. He has also penned works for the Star Trek book series. He also has written several Beatles-related bookazines, with a new one about to be published. Together, they make the case for the affinity for this art form the Beatles demonstrably had, as well as how well (or not) they have been represented in works ranging from Marvel's 1978 The Beatles' Story to the more recent Fifth Beatle and Fab4Mania.   This episode is brought to you by DistroKid and Magical Mystery Camp.

Episode Notes This scene really has it all. Subterfuge, sabotage, betrayal, blooper level action meets best take, and an incredible line read. Absolutely generational performance from Samuel L. Jackson. Today's scene can be found at: Captain Marvel [51:28 - 53:00]. You can find us on Bluesky @timelinescav! And individually you can find your hosts at @ColinMParker and @Jamienerdgirl. BIG thank you for the intro and outro music from @NBramald! Check out his website at https://www.nickbramaldcomposer.co.uk. If you need music for any occasion, he's your man.Read transcript

LIVE EPISODE TAPING of Dayspring with the legendary voice of Jean Grey herself, Catherine Disher! We're recording this live from Lady J's Mutant and Proud event in Philadelphia!

Episode Notes It's part of the fruition of what Colin just said to Ty: it's a scene on a stair landing and it's not the first one! There's a lot of questions and feelings all in one quick walk and talk scene. Today's scene can be found at: Captain Marvel [51:09 - 51:28]. You can find us on Bluesky @timelinescav! And individually you can find your hosts at @ColinMParker and @Jamienerdgirl. BIG thank you for the intro and outro music from @NBramald! Check out his website at https://www.nickbramaldcomposer.co.uk. If you need music for any occasion, he's your man.Read transcript

This week, Alex is joined by top-ranked player and Golden Gauntlet World Qualifier winner: Coougarrr! The duo kicks things off by breaking down Cougar's incredible undefeated tournament run using a surprise Hydro Stomper deck, proving that off-meta tech choices can win championships.Want to climb the ranks? Cougar shares his Top 6 Laddering Tips for hitting High Infinite, including how to detach your ego from retreating, identifying missing roles in the meta, and why mastering a single deck is better than constantly switching.Next, they dive into a massive OTA Balance Patch Review. Alex and Cougar discuss the targeted nerfs to Moon Dragon and Chamber, the 1.3% play rate of the newly buffed Wolverine, and why Alex is absolutely loving the Techno Organic Virus. Plus, they declare an "ugly variant protest" until Second Dinner finally gives Captain Marvel the buff she deserves.Finally, it's time for new card reviews! They break down why the Objective mechanic on Polaris tragically ruins her synergy with Malkuth in Affliction decks. Then, they hype up Mother Askani, an incredible 4.5-star release that buffs and copies your hand, setting up insane combos for Sebastian Shaw, Daken, and Victoria Hand.Join Alex Coccia and special guest Coougarrr as they chat about this and more on this episode of The Snap Chat—and catch Cozy and Alex every week as they discuss all things Marvel Snap.Have a question or comment for Cozy and Alex? Send them a Text Message.You've been listening to The Snap Chat. Keep the conversation going on x.com/ACozyGamer and x.com/AlexanderCoccia. Until next time, happy snapping!

It was bound to happen eventually, right? As longtime cinephiles (and, sure, a little snobby about it), we finally turn our attention to the state of modern movies and TV. On this episode, we dive into what today's film and streaming landscape gets right—and where it leaves us scratchin' our heads. There's a lot to love: the convenience of firing up a movie at home without tracking down a physical copy, and shorter streaming seasons with storylines that actually pay off. But not everything gets a pass. The success of a crowd-pleasing, throwback film like Project Hail Mary comes with a demanding two and a half hour runtime. And how did we end up in a world where every cast feels like a superhero reunion? (“Wait… is that Killmonger and Electro starring in a courtroom drama with Captain Marvel?”) Along the way, we ask some bigger questions. How has second screening changed the way we engage with movies and TV—and even how they're made? Are filmmakers and showrunners now compensating for a distracted, at-home audience? And would ambitious, big-budget shows like Severance and The Last of Us even exist without the rise of streaming platforms?

Historical figures are on a crime spree in Philadelphia. It's a problem so big, Captain Marvel needs help from... Kid Eternity!  David and Peter also needed help covering this story from Shazam #27, so Christine and Max helped us out with some character voices. You can find Max on the Weird Warriors Podcast here - https://weirdwarriorspodcast.podbean.com/   Email us at theearth2podcast@gmail.com Facebook www.facebook.com/theearth2podcast Instagram www.instagram.com/theearth2podcast Twitter www.twitter.com/podcast_earth2 Leave us a Voicemail at www.speakpipe.com/theearth2podcast Find our Linktree at https://linktr.ee/theearth2podcast   #DCComics #DCMultiverse #SHAZAM #CaptainMarvel #KidEternity #Philadelphia

Issue #749: Raging Against the Machine Download Directly From iTunes NOW on SPOTIFY! Joey has the conn this week with Aaron and Bob on the bridge for a ton of comics talk both new and old. Reflections on some iconic Captain Marvel runs, new #1s from DC and BOOM, and a silly old Godzilla book from IDW. Also, how long are we gonna do this Capitalism thing y'all???? And a special message from your Uncle Bob about the Save A Fox Rescue (https://www.saveafox.org/). Comics talked this week: Life Of Captain Marvel, Captain Marvel #7-8, Neighborhood Watch #1, Godzilla's Monsterpiece Theatre Presents: Romeo & Juliet & Godzilla, The Marsh Fellows, Fury of Firestorm #1, and Fireborn #1. The Comic Book Podcast is brought to you by Talking Comics (talkingcomicbooks.wordpress.com). The podcast is hosted by Steve Seigh, Bob Reyer, Joey Braccino, Aaron Amos, John Burkle, and Bronwyn Kelly-Seigh who weekly dissect everything comics-related, from breaking news to new releases. Our Instagram handle is @TalkingComicsPodcast and you can email us at podcast@talkingcomicbooks.com.

Episode Notes Fury reaping: This rules. Fury sowing: Yo, what the hell this sucks. I gotta get out of here. Also: Two weeks in a row with Simpsons reference. We are SO back. Today's scene can be found at: Captain Marvel [50:52-51:09]. You can find us on Bluesky: @timelinescav.bsky.social! And individually you can find your hosts at @ColinMParker and @Jamienerdgirl. And check out Ty's show at https://sidecharacterquest.com! BIG thank you for the intro and outro music from @NBramald! Check out his website at https://www.nickbramaldcomposer.co.uk. If you need music for any occasion, he's your man.Read transcript

Episode Notes There's nothing worse than being so confident that you knew what was happening, only to realize that you've been duped. Do the Skrulls know "D'oh!" ? Do you think they know of the Simpsons? Today's scene can be found at: Captain Marvel [50:420-50:52]. You can find us on Bluesky @timelinescav! And individually you can find your hosts at @ColinMParker and @Jamienerdgirl. BIG thank you for the intro and outro music from @NBramald! Check out his website at https://www.nickbramaldcomposer.co.uk. If you need music for any occasion, he's your man.Read transcript

Issue #748: Daredevil Born Again, Again Download Directly From iTunes NOW on SPOTIFY! On this week's show, the boys are joined by Homo Superior's own Khelan Bhatia to talk all things X-Universe, Daredevil, and geopolitics (oh my!). The Daredevil conversation starts with the first three episodes of the second season of Daredevil: Born Again on Disney+ before segueing into Stephanie Philips and Lee Garbett's newest Daredevil #1 from Marvel Comics. Additionally, more Marvel #1s in Gerry Duggan and Mark Buckingham's WONDER MAN and Paul Jenkins and Lucas Werneck's CAPTAIN MARVEL: DARK PAST. Comics talked this week: Kilroy is Here, Touched By A Demon #3, Batgirl #18, Poison Ivy #43, Captain Marvel: Dark Past #1, Royals #1, Wonder Man #1, The Guy In The Chair #4, Daredevil #1, Batman #7-8, and updates on the X-Universe at Marvel! The Comic Book Podcast is brought to you by Talking Comics (talkingcomicbooks.wordpress.com). The podcast is hosted by Steve Seigh, Bob Reyer, Joey Braccino, Aaron Amos, John Burkle, and Bronwyn Kelly-Seigh who weekly dissect everything comics-related, from breaking news to new releases. Our Instagram handle is @TalkingComicsPodcast and you can email us at podcast@talkingcomicbooks.com.

Let's dive into everything we know about X-Men '97 Season 2!Was Neve Campbell supposed to be Polaris? Was Onslaught planned? Are they adapting The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix? Grant Morrison costumes?! IS GAMBIT COMING BACK AS DEATH?! Let's break it all down!

This week, Andrew tells us about his adventures with Blueys and Bananas, Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris gets a new branding with the help of a friendly neighborhood webslinger, Captain Marvel is also a princess, Rapunzel's hair becomes dinner, Olaf gets stage fright, plus D23 we discuss this year's Disney Legends class. Listen now at: https://www.podketeers.com/615 or watch this episode at: YouTube.com/Podketeers   Our most frequently requested links can be found at: https://www.podketeers.com/links/   Help us make a difference!  Teamboat Willie is the official charity team of the Podketeers Podcast. For more information on the charity that we're currently supporting, head to: http://www.teamboatwillie.com   Check out our series of Armchair Imagineering episodes here:  https://www.podketeers.com/armchair-imagineering/ --- Join the FGP Squad Family! Support for Podkeeters is provided by listeners and viewers like you! We like to call our supporters our Fairy Godparents (they call themselves the FGP Squad). You can find more info on how to become part of the FGP Squad family by going to:  https://www.podketeers.com/fgp --- We're on Discord! Join other members of our community and us on our Discord server! Use the invite link below to join us: https://discord.gg/gG8kJ2a ---  

Let's breakdown where these characters are at in season 2!

Episode Notes This is just a routine episode. We're going to start with the opening, do a bit, describe the scene, give our thoughts, and then do an intricate war strike before the closer. Just like we did in the Havana live episode. Today's scene can be found at: Captain Marvel [50:00-50:25]. You can find us on Bluesky @timelinescav! And individually you can find your hosts at @ColinMParker and @Jamienerdgirl. BIG thank you for the intro and outro music from @NBramald! Check out his website at https://www.nickbramaldcomposer.co.uk. If you need music for any occasion, he's your man.Read transcript

Hollywood celebrities are being told to shut up about politics after years of being told they HAD to get political, according to agents and PR crisis managers. Brie Larson seems to be doing a 180 from her Captain Marvel days. Is there hope for Rachel Zegler and Billie Eilish? Watch the podcast episodes on YouTube and all major podcast hosts including Spotify. CLOWNFISH TV is an independent, opinionated news and commentary podcast 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. Get more news, views and reviews on Clownfish TV News - https://more.clownfishtv.com/ On YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/ClownfishTV On Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4Tu83D1NcCmh7K1zHIedvg On Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/clownfish-tv-audio-edition/id1726838629 MORE CLOWNFISH TV - Official Merch Store: http://ClownfishMinus.com Facebook - https://facebook.com/ClownfishTV X - https://x.com/ClownfishTVcom Clownfish TV subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/ClownfishTVOfficial/ 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. #Hollywood #Celebrities #Movies #BrieLarson #Podcast #Commentary #News #Reaction #Gaming #Comedy #Entertainment #Hollywood #PopCulture #Tech #Anime #FYP Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

MRC covers more books from October, 1968, including Fantastic Four 79, Nick Fury Agent of SHIELD 5, Dr. Strange 173, Sub-Mariner 6, and Captain Marvel 6! Android-Man Wants the Wonder Gloves! Op Art vs. Pop Tarts! Check it out!

What makes a character so compelling that readers will forgive almost anything about the plot? How do you move beyond vague flaws and generic descriptions to create people who feel pulled from real life? In this solo episode, I share 15 actionable tips for writing deep characters, curated from past interviews on the podcast. In the intro, thoughts from London Book Fair [Instagram reel @jfpennauthor; Publishing Perspectives; Audible; Spotify]; Insights from a 7-figure author business [BookBub]. This show is supported by my Patrons. Join my Community and get articles, discounts, and extra audio and video tutorials on writing craft, author business, and AI tools, at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn This episode has been created from previous episodes of The Creative Penn Podcast, curated by Joanna Penn, as well as chapters from How to Write a Novel: From Idea to Book. Links to the individual episodes are included in the transcript below. In this episode: Master the ‘Believe, Care, Invest' trifecta, how to hook readers on the very first page Define the Dramatic Question: Who is your character when the chips are down? Absolute specificity. Why “she's controlling” isn't good enough Understand the Heroine's Journey, strength through connection, not solo action Use ‘Metaphor Families' to anchor dialogue and give every character a distinctive voice Find the Diagnostic Detail, the moments that prove a character is real Writing pain onto the page without writing memoir Write diverse characters as real people, not stereotypes or plot devices Give your protagonist a morally neutral ‘hero' status. Compelling beats likeable. Build vibrant side characters for series longevity and spin-off potential Use voice as a rhythmic tool Link character and plot until they're inseparable Why discovery writers can write out of order and still build deep character Find the sensory details that make characters live and breathe More help with how to write fiction here, or in my book, How to Write a Novel. Writing Characters: 15 Tips for Writing Deep Character in Your Fiction In today's episode, I'm sharing fifteen tips for writing deep characters, synthesised from some of the most insightful interviews on The Creative Penn Podcast over the past few years, combined with what I've learned across more than forty books of my own. I'll be referencing episodes with Matt Bird, Will Storr, Gail Carriger, Barbara Nickless, and Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer. I'll also draw on my own book, How to Write a Novel, which covers these fundamentals in detail. Whether you're writing your first novel or your fiftieth, whether you're a plotter or a discovery writer like me, these tips will help you create characters that readers believe in, care about, and invest in—and keep coming back for more. Let's get into it. 1. Master the ‘Believe, Care, Invest' Trifecta When I spoke with Matt Bird on episode 624, he laid out the three things you need to achieve on the very first page of your book or in the first ten minutes of a film. He calls it “Believe, Care, and Invest.” First, the reader must believe the character is a real person, somehow proving they are not a cardboard imitation of a human being, not just a generic type walking through a generic plot. Second, the reader must care about the character's circumstances. And third, the reader must invest in the character's ability to solve the story's central problem. Matt used The Hunger Games as his primary example, and it's brilliant. On the very first page, we believe Katniss's voice. Suzanne Collins writes in first person with a staccato rhythm—lots of periods, short declarative sentences—that immediately grounds us in a survivalist mentality. We care because Katniss is starving. She's protecting her little sister. And we invest because she is out there bow hunting, which Matt pointed out is one of the most badass things a character can do. She even kills a lynx two pages in and sells the pelt. We invest in her resourcefulness and grit before the plot has even begun. Matt was very clear that this has nothing to do with the character being “likable.” He said his subtitle, Writing a Hero Anyone Will Love, doesn't mean the character has to be a good person. He described “hero” as both gender-neutral and morally neutral. A hero can be totally evil or totally good. What matters is that we believe, care, and invest. He demonstrated this beautifully by breaking down the first ten minutes of WeCrashed, where the characters of Adam and Rebekah Neumann are absolutely not likable, but we are completely hooked. Adam steals his neighbour's Chinese food through a carefully orchestrated con involving an imaginary beer. It's not admirable behaviour, but the tradecraft involved, as Matt put it—using a term from spy movies—makes us invest in him. We see a character trying to solve the big problem of his life, which is that he's poor and wants to be rich, and we want to see if he can pull it off. Actionable step: Go to the first page of your current work in progress. Does it achieve all three? Does the reader believe this is a real person with a distinctive voice? Do they care about the character's circumstances? And do they invest in the character's ability to handle what's coming? If even one of those three is missing, that's your revision priority. 2. Define the Dramatic Question: Who Are They Really? Will Storr, author of The Science of Storytelling, came on episode 490 and gave one of the most powerful frameworks I've ever heard for character-driven fiction. He explained that the human brain evolved language primarily to swap social information—in other words, to gossip. We are wired to monitor other people, to ask the question: who is this person when the chips are down? That's what Will calls the Dramatic Question, and it's what he believes lies at the heart of all compelling storytelling. It's not a question about plot. It's a question about the character's soul. And every scene in your novel should force the character to answer it. His example of Lawrence of Arabia is unforgettable. The Dramatic Question for the entire film is: who are you, Lawrence? Are you ordinary or are you extraordinary? At the beginning, Lawrence is a cocky, rebellious young soldier who believes his rebelliousness makes him superior. Every iconic scene in that three-hour film tests that belief. Sometimes Lawrence acts as though he truly is extraordinary—leading the Arabs into battle, being hailed as a god—and sometimes the world strips him bare and he sees himself as ordinary. Because it's a tragedy, he never overcomes his flaw. He doubles down on his belief that he's extraordinary until he becomes monstrous, culminating in that iconic scene where he lifts a bloody dagger and sees his own reflection with horror. Will also used Jaws to demonstrate how this works in a pure action thriller. Brody's dramatic question is simple: are you going to be old Brody who is terrified of the water, or new Brody who can overcome that fear? Every scene where the shark appears is really asking that question. And the last moment of the film isn't the shark blowing up. It's Brody swimming back through the water, saying he used to be scared of the water and he can't imagine why. Actionable step: Write down the Dramatic Question for your protagonist in a single sentence. Is it “Are you ordinary or extraordinary?” or “Are you brave enough to love again?” or “Will you sacrifice your principles for survival?” If you can't answer this with specificity, your character might still be a sketch rather than a person. 3. Get rid of Vague Flaws, and use Absolute Specificity This was one of Will Storr's most important points. He said that vague thinking about characters is really the enemy. When he teaches workshops and asks writers to describe their character's flaw, most of them say something like “they're very controlling.” And Will's response is: that's not good enough. Everyone is controlling. How are they controlling? What's the specific mechanism? He gave the example of a profile he read of Theresa May during the UK's Brexit chaos. Someone who knew her said that Theresa May's problem was that she always thinks she's the only adult in every room she goes into. Will said that stopped him in his tracks because it's so precise. If you define a character with that level of specificity, you can take them and put them in any genre, any situation—a spaceship, a Victorian drawing room, a school playground—and you will know exactly how they're going to behave. The same applies to Arthur Miller's Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman, as Will described it: a man who believes absolutely in capitalistic success and the idea that when you die, you're going to be weighed on a scale, just as God weighs you for sin, but now you're weighed for success. That's not a vague flaw. That's a worldview you can drop into any story and watch it combust. Will made another counterintuitive point that I found really valuable: writers often think that piling on multiple traits will create a complex character, but the opposite is true. Starting with one highly specific flaw and running it through the demands of a relentless plot is what generates complexity. You end up with a far more nuanced, original character than if you'd started with a laundry list of vague attributes. Actionable step: Take your protagonist's flaw and pressure-test it. Is it specific enough that you could place this character in any situation and predict their behaviour? If you're stuck at “she's stubborn” or “he's insecure,” keep pushing. What kind of stubborn? What kind of insecure? Find the diagnostic sentence—the Theresa May level of precision. 4. Understand the Heroine's Journey: Strength Through Connection Gail Carriger came on episode 550 to discuss her nonfiction book, The Heroine's Journey, and it completely reframed how I think about some of my own fiction. Gail explained that the core difference between the Hero's Journey and the Heroine's Journey comes down to how strength and victory are defined. The Hero's Journey is about strength through solo action. The hero must be continually isolated to get stronger. He goes out of civilisation, faces strife alone, and achieves victory through physical prowess and self-actualisation. The Heroine's Journey is the opposite. The heroine achieves her goals by activating a network. She's a delegator, a general. She identifies where she can't do something alone, finds the people who can help, and portions out the work for mutual gain. Gail put it simply: the heroine is very good at asking for help, which our culture tends to devalue but which is actually a powerful form of strength. Crucially, Gail stressed that gender is irrelevant to which journey you're writing. Her go-to examples are striking: the recent Wonder Woman film is practically a beat-for-beat hero's journey—Gilgamesh on screen, as Gail described it. Meanwhile, Harry Potter, both the first book and the series as a whole, is a classic heroine's journey. Harry's power comes from his network—Dumbledore's Army, the Order of the Phoenix, his friendships with Ron and Hermione. He doesn't defeat Voldemort alone. He defeats Voldemort because of love and connection. This distinction has real practical consequences for writers. If you're writing a hero's journey and you hit writer's block, Gail said, the solution is usually to isolate your hero further and pile on more strife. But if you're writing a heroine's journey, the solution is probably to throw a new character into the scene—someone who has advice to offer or a skill the heroine lacks. The actual solutions to writer's block are different depending on which narrative you're writing. As I reflected on my own work, I realised that my ARKANE thriller protagonist, Morgan Sierra, follows a hero's journey—she's a solo operative, a lone wolf like Jack Reacher or James Bond. But my Mapwalker fantasy series follows a heroine's journey, with Sienna and her group of friends working together. I hadn't consciously chosen those paths; the stories led me there. But understanding the framework helps me write more intentionally now. Actionable step: Identify which journey your protagonist is on. Does your character gain strength by being alone (hero) or by building connections (heroine)? This will inform every plot decision you make, from how they face obstacles to how your story ends. 5. Use ‘Metaphor Families' to Anchor Dialogue and Voice One of the most practical techniques Matt Bird shared on episode 624 is the idea of assigning each character a “metaphor family”—a specific well of language that they draw from. This gives each character a distinctive voice that goes beyond accent or dialect. Matt explained how in The Wire, one of the most beloved TV shows of all time, every character has a different metaphor family. What struck him was that Omar, this iconic character, never utters a single curse word in the entire series. His metaphor family is pirate. He talks about parlays, uses language that feels like it belongs in Pirates of the Caribbean, and it creates this incredible ironic counterpoint against his urban setting. It tells us immediately that this is a character who sees himself in a tradition of people that doesn't match his immediate surroundings. Matt also referenced the UK version of The Office, where Gareth works at a paper company but aspires to the military. So all of his language is drawn from a military metaphor family. He doesn't talk about filing and photocopying; he talks about tactics and discipline and being on the front line. This tells us that the character has a life and dreams beyond the immediate scene—and it's the gap between aspiration and reality that makes him both funny and believable. He pointed out that a metaphor family sometimes comes from a character's background, but it's often more interesting when it comes from their aspirations. What does your character want to be? What world do they fantasise about inhabiting? That's where their language should come from. In Star Wars, Obi-Wan Kenobi is a spiritual hermit, but his metaphor family is military. He uses the language of generals and commanders, and that ironic counterpoint is part of what makes him feel so rich. Actionable step: Assign each of your main characters a metaphor family. It could be based on their job, their background, or—more interestingly—their secret aspirations. Then go through your dialogue and make sure each character is consistently drawing from that well of language. If two characters sound the same when you strip away the dialogue tags, this is the fix. 6. Find the Diagnostic Detail: The Diagonal Toast Avoid clichéd character tags—the random scar, the eye patch, the mysterious limp—unless they serve a deep narrative purpose. Matt Bird on episode 624 was very funny about this: he pointed out that Nick Fury, Odin, and eventually Thor all have eye patches in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Eye patches are done, he said. You cannot do eye patches anymore. Instead, look for what I'm calling the “diagonal toast” detail, after a scene Matt described from Captain Marvel. In the film, Captain Marvel is trying to determine whether Nick Fury is who he says he is. She asks him to prove he isn't a shapeshifting alien. Fury shares biographical details—his history, his mother—but then she pushes further and says, name one more thing you couldn't possibly have made up about yourself. And Fury says: if toast is cut diagonally, I can't eat it. Matt said that detail is gold for a writer because it feels pulled from a real life. You can pull it from your own life and gift it to your characters, and the reader can tell it's not manufactured. He gave another example from The Sopranos: Tony Soprano's mother won't answer the phone after dark. The show's creator, David Chase, confirmed on the DVD commentary that this came from his own mother, who genuinely would not answer the phone after dark and couldn't explain why. Matt's practical advice was to keep a journal. Write down the strange, specific things that people do or say. Mine your own life for those hyper-specific details. You just need one per book. In my own writing, I've used this approach. In my ARKANE thrillers, my character Morgan Sierra has always been Angelina Jolie in my mind—specifically Jolie in Lara Croft or Mr and Mrs Smith. And Blake Daniel in my crime thriller series was based on Jesse Williams from Grey's Anatomy. I paste pictures of actors into my Scrivener projects. It helps with visuals, but also with the sense of the character, their energy and physicality. But visual details only take you so far. It's the behavioural quirks—the diagonal toast moments—that make a character feel genuinely alive. That said, physical character tags can work brilliantly when they serve the story. As I discuss in How to Write a Novel, Robert Galbraith's Cormoran Strike is an amputee, and his pain and the physical challenges of his prosthesis are a key part of every story—it's not a cosmetic detail, it's woven into the action and the character's psychology. My character Blake Daniel always wears gloves to cover the scars on his hands, which provides an angle into his wounded past as well as a visual cue for the reader. And of course, Harry Potter's lightning-shaped scar isn't just a mark—it's a direct connection to his nemesis and the mythology of the entire series. The rule of thumb is: if the tag tells us something about the character's interior life or connects to the plot, it's earning its place. If it's just there to make the character visually distinctive, it's probably a crutch. Game of Thrones takes character tags further with the family houses, each with their own mottos and sigils. The Starks say “Winter is coming” and their sigil is a dire wolf. Those aren't just labels—they're worldview made visible. Actionable step: Start a “diagonal toast” notebook. Every time you notice something strange and specific about someone's behaviour—something that feels too real to be made up—write it down. Then gift it to a character who needs more texture. 7. Displace Your Own Trauma into the Work Barbara Nickless shared something deeply personal on episode 732 that fundamentally changed how I think about putting pain onto the page. While starting At First Light, the first book in her Dr. Evan Wilding series, she lost her son to epilepsy—something called SUDEP, Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy. One day he was there, and the next day he was gone. Barbara said that writing helped her cope with the trauma, that doing a deep dive into Old English literature and the Viking Age for the book's research became a lifeline. But here's what's important: she didn't give Dr. Evan Wilding her exact trauma. Evan Wilding is four feet five inches, and Barbara described how he has to walk through a world that won't adjust to him. That's its own form of learning to cope when circumstances are beyond your control. She displaced her genuine grief into the character's different but parallel struggle. When I asked her about the difference between writing for therapy and writing for an audience, she drew on her experience teaching creative writing to veterans through a collaboration between the US Department of Defense and the National Endowment for the Arts. She said she's found that she can pour her heartache into her characters and process it through them, even when writing professionally, and that the genuine emotion is what touches readers. We've all been through our own losses and griefs, so seeing how a character copes can be deeply meaningful. I've always found that putting my own pain onto the page is the most direct way to connect with a reader's soul. My character Morgan Sierra's musings on religion and the supernatural are often my own. Her restlessness, her fascination with the darker edges of faith—those come from me. But her Krav Maga fighting skills and her ability to kill the bad guys are definitely her own. That gap between what's mine and what's hers is where the fiction lives. Barbara also said something on that episode that I wrote down and stuck on my wall. She said the act of producing itself is a balm to the soul. I've been thinking about that ever since. On my own wall, I have “Measure your life by what you create.” Different words, same truth. Actionable step: If you're carrying something heavy—grief, anger, fear, regret—consider how you might displace it into a character's different but emotionally parallel struggle. Don't copy your exact situation; transform it. The emotion will be genuine, and the reader will feel it. 8. Write Diverse Characters as Real People When I spoke with Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer on episode 673—Sarah is Choctaw and a historical fiction author honoured by the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian—she offered a perspective that every fiction writer needs to hear. The key message was to move away from stereotypes. Don't write your American Indian character as the “Wise Guide” who exists solely to dispense mystic wisdom to the white protagonist. Don't limit diverse characters to historical settings, as though they only exist in the past. Place them in normal, contemporary roles. Your spaceship captain, your forensic scientist, your small-town baker—any of them can be American Indian, or Nigerian, or Japanese, and their heritage should be a lived-in part of their identity, not the sole reason they exist in the story. I write international thrillers and dark fantasy, and my fiction is populated with characters from all over the world. I have a multi-cultural family and I've lived in many places and travelled widely, so I've met, worked with, and had relationships with people from different cultures. I find story ideas through travel, and if I set my books in a certain place, then the story is naturally populated with the people who live there. As I discuss in my book, How to Write a Novel, the world is a diverse place, so your fiction needs to be populated with all kinds of people. If I only populated my fiction with characters like me, they would be boring novels. There are many dimensions of difference—race, nationality, sex, age, body type, ability, religion, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, class, culture, education level—and even then, don't assume that similar types of people think the same way. Some authors worry they will make mistakes. We live in a time of outrage, and some authors have been criticised for writing outside their own experience. So is it too dangerous to try? Of course not. The media amplifies outliers, and most authors include diverse characters in every book without causing offence because they work hard to get it right. It's about awareness, research, and intent. Actionable step: Audit the cast of your current work in progress. Have you written a mono-cultural perspective for all of them? If so, consider who could bring a different background, perspective, or set of cultural specifics to the story. Not as a token addition, but as a real person with a real life. 9. Respect Tribal and Cultural Specificity Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer on episode 673 was emphatic about one thing: never treat diverse groups as monolithic. If you're writing a Native American character, you must research the specific nation. Choctaw is not Navajo, just as British is not French. Sarah described the distinct cultural markers of the Choctaw people—the diamond pattern you'll see on traditional shirts and dresses, which represents the diamondback rattlesnake. They have distinct dances and songs. She said that if she saw someone in traditional dress at a distance, she would know whether they were Choctaw based on what they were wearing. She encouraged writers who want to write specifically about a nation to get to know those people. Go to events, go to a powwow, learn about the individual culture. She noted that a big misconception is that American Indians exist only in the past—she stressed that they are still here, still living their cultures, and fiction should reflect that present reality. I took a similar approach when writing Destroyer of Worlds, which is set mostly in India. I read books about Hindu myth, watched documentaries about the sadhus, and had one of my Indian readers from Mumbai check my cultural references. For Risen Gods, set in New Zealand with a young Maori protagonist, I studied books about Maori mythology and fiction by Maori authors, and had a male Maori reader check for cultural issues. Research is simply an act of empathy. The practical takeaway is this: if you're going to include a character from a specific cultural background, do the work. Use specific cultural details rather than generic signifiers. Sarah talked about how even she fell into stereotypes when she was first writing, until her mother pointed them out. If someone from within a culture can fall into those traps, the rest of us certainly can. Do the research, try your best, ask for help, and apologise if you need to. Actionable step: If you're writing a character from a specific culture, identify three to five sensory or behavioural details that are particular to that culture—not the generic version, but the real, researched, lived-in version. Consider hiring a sensitivity reader from that community to check your work. 10. Give Your Protagonist a Morally Neutral ‘Hero' Status Matt Bird was clear about this on episode 624: the word “hero” simply means the protagonist, the person we follow through the story. It's a functional role, not a moral label. We don't have to like them. We don't even have to root for their goals in a moral sense. We just have to find them compelling enough to invest our attention in their problem-solving. Think of Succession, where every member of the Roy family is varying degrees of awful, and yet the show was utterly compelling. Or WeCrashed, where Adam Neumann is a narcissistic con artist, but we can't look away because he's trying to solve the enormous problem of building an empire from nothing, and the tradecraft he employs is fascinating. As I wrote in How to Write a Novel, readers must want to spend time with your characters. They don't have to be lovable or even likable—that will depend on your genre and story choices—but they have to be captivating enough that we want to spend time with them. A character who is trying to solve a massive problem will naturally draw investment from the audience, even if we wouldn't want to have tea with them. Will Storr extended this idea by pointing out that the audience will actually root for a character to solve their problem even if the audience doesn't actually want the character's goal to be achieved in the real world. We don't really want more billionaires, but we invested in Adam Neumann's rise because that was the problem the story posed, and our brains are wired to invest in problem-solving. This connects to something deeper: what does your character want, and why? As I explore in How to Write a Novel, desire operates on multiple levels. Take a character like Phil, who joins the military during wartime. On the surface, she wants to serve her country. But she also wants to escape her dead-end town and learn new skills. Deeper still, her father and grandfather served, and by joining up, she hopes to finally earn their respect. And perhaps deepest of all, her father died on a mission under mysterious circumstances, and she wants to find out what happened from the inside. That layering of motivation is what turns a flat character into a three-dimensional one. The audience doesn't need to be told all of this explicitly. It can emerge through action, dialogue, and the choices the character makes under pressure. But you, the writer, need to know it. You need to know what your character really wants deep down, because that desire—more than any external plot device—is what drives the story forward. And your antagonist needs the same depth. They also want something, often diametrically opposed to your protagonist, and they need a reason that makes sense to them. In my ARKANE thriller Tree of Life, my antagonist is the heiress of a Brazilian mining empire who wants to restore the Earth to its original state to atone for the destruction caused by her father's company. She's part of a radical ecological group who believe the only way to restore Nature is to end all human life. It's extreme, but in an era of climate change, it's a motivation readers can understand—even if they disagree with the solution. Actionable step: If you're struggling to make a morally grey character work, make sure their problem is big enough and their methods are specific and interesting enough that we invest in the how, even if we're ambivalent about the what. 11. Build Vibrant Side Characters Gail Carriger made a point on episode 550 that was equal parts craft advice and business strategy. In a Heroine's Journey model, side characters aren't just fodder to be killed off to motivate the hero. They form a network. And because you don't have to kill them—unlike in a hero's journey, where allies are often betrayed or removed so the hero can be further isolated—you can pick up those side characters and give them their own books. Gail said this creates a really voracious reader base. You write one series with vivid side characters, and then readers fall in love with those side characters and want their stories. So you write spin-offs. The romance genre does this brilliantly—think of the Bridgerton books, where each sibling gets their own novel. The side character in one book becomes the protagonist in the next. Barbara Nickless experienced this firsthand with her Dr. Evan Wilding series. She has River Wilding, Evan's adventurous brother, and Diana, the axe-throwing research assistant, and her editor has already expressed interest in a spin-off series with those characters. Barbara described creating characters she wants to spend time with, or characters who give her nightmares but also intrigue her. That's the dual test: are they interesting enough for you to write, and interesting enough for readers to demand more? As I wrote in How to Write a Novel, characters that span series can deepen the reader's relationship with them as you expand their backstory into new plots. Readers will remember the character more than the plot or the book title, and look forward to the next instalment because they want more time with those people. British crime author Angela Marsons described it as readers feeling like returning to her characters is like putting on a pair of old slippers. Actionable step: Look at your supporting cast. Is there a side character who is vivid enough to carry their own story? If not, what could you add—a specific hobby, a distinct voice, a compelling backstory—that would make readers want more of them? 12. Use Voice as a Rhythmic Tool Voice is one of the most important elements of novel writing, and Matt Bird helped me think about it in a technical, mechanical way that I found really useful. He pointed out that the ratio of periods to commas defines a character's internal reality. A staccato rhythm—lots of periods, short sentences—suggests a character who is certain, grounded, or perhaps survivalist and traumatised. Katniss in The Hunger Games has a period-heavy voice. She's in survival mode. She doesn't have time for complexity or qualification. A flowing, comma-heavy style suggests someone more academic, more nuanced, or possibly more scattered and manipulative. The character who qualifies everything, who adds sub-clauses and digressions, is a different kind of person from the character who speaks in declarations. This is something you can actually measure. Pull up a passage of your character's dialogue or internal monologue and count the periods versus the commas. If the rhythm doesn't match who the character is supposed to be, you've found a mismatch you can fix. Sentence length is the heartbeat of your character's persona. And voice extends beyond rhythm to the words themselves. As I discussed in the metaphor families tip, each character should draw from a distinctive well of language. But voice also encompasses their relationship to silence. Some characters talk around the thing they mean; others say it straight. Some are self-deprecating; others are blunt to the point of rudeness. All of these choices are character choices, not just style choices. I find it useful to read my dialogue aloud—and not just to check for naturalness, but to hear whether each character sounds distinct. If you could swap dialogue lines between two characters and nobody would notice, you have a voice problem. One practical test: cover the dialogue tags and see if you can tell who's speaking from the words alone. Actionable step: Choose a key passage from your protagonist's point of view and read it aloud. Does the rhythm match the character? A soldier under fire should not sound like a philosophy professor at a wine tasting. Adjust the ratio of periods to commas until the voice feels right. 13. Link Character and Plot Until They're Inseparable Will Storr made the case on episode 490 that the number one problem he sees in the writing he encounters—in workshops, in submissions, even in published books—is that the characters and the plots are unconnected. There's a story happening, and there are people in it, but the story isn't a product of who those people are. He said a story should be like life. In our lives, the plots are intimately connected to who we are as characters. The goals we pursue, the obstacles we face, the same problems that keep recurring—these are products of our personalities, our flaws, our specific ways of being in the world. His framework is that your plot should be designed specifically to plot against your character. You've got a character with a particular flaw; the plot exists to test that flaw over and over until the character either transforms or doubles down and explodes. Jaws is the perfect example. Brody is afraid of water. A shark shows up in the coastal town he's responsible for protecting. The entire plot is engineered to force him to confront the one thing he cannot face. Will pointed out that the whole plot of Jaws is structured around Brody's flaw. It begins with the shark arriving, the midpoint is when Brody finally gets the courage to go into the water, and the very final scene isn't the shark blowing up—it's Brody swimming back through the water. Even a film that's ninety-eight percent action is, at its core, structured around a character with a character flaw. This is the standard I aspire to in my own work, even in my action-heavy thrillers. The external plot should be a mirror of the internal struggle. When those two are aligned, the story becomes irresistible. Will also made an important point about series fiction, which is where most commercial authors live. I asked him how this works when your character can't be transformed at the end of every book because there has to be a next book. His answer was elegant: you don't cure them. Episodic TV characters like Fleabag or David Brent or Basil Fawlty never truly change—and the fact that they don't change is actually the source of the comedy. But every episode throws a new story event at them that tests and exposes their flaw. You just keep throwing story events at them again and again. That's a soap opera, a sitcom, and a book series. As I wrote in How to Write a Novel, character flaws are aspects of personality that affect the person so much that facing and overcoming them becomes central to the plot. In Jaws, the protagonist Brody is afraid of the water, but he has to overcome that flaw to destroy the killer shark and save the town. But remember, your characters should feel like real people, so never define them purely by their flaws. The character addicted to painkillers might also be a brilliant and successful female lawyer who gets up at four in the morning to work out at the gym, likes eighties music, and volunteers at the local dog shelter at weekends. Character wounds are different from flaws. They're formed from life experience and are part of your character's backstory—traumatic events that happened before the events of your novel but shape the character's reactions in the present. In my ARKANE thrillers, Morgan Sierra's husband Elian died in her arms during a military operation. This happened before the series begins, but her memories of it recur when she faces a firefight, and she struggles to find happiness again for fear of losing someone she loves once more. And then there's the perennial advice: show, don't tell. Most writers have heard this so many times that it's easy to nod and then promptly write scenes that tell rather than show. Basically, you need to reveal your character through action and dialogue, rather than explanation. In my thriller Day of the Vikings, Morgan Sierra fights a Neo-Viking in the halls of the British Museum and brings him down with Krav Maga. That fight scene isn't just about showing action. It opens up questions about her backstory, demonstrates character, and moves the plot forward. Telling would be something like: “Morgan was an expert in Krav Maga.” Showing is the reader discovering it through the scene itself. Actionable step: Look at the main plot events of your novel. For each major turning point, ask: does this scene specifically test my protagonist's flaw? If not, can you redesign the scene so that it does? The tighter the connection between character and plot, the more powerful the story. 14. The ‘Maestra' Approach: Write Out of Order If you're a discovery writer like me, you may feel like the deep character work I've been describing sounds more suited to plotters. But Barbara Nickless gave me a beautiful metaphor on episode 732 that reframes it entirely. Barbara described her evolving writing process as being like a maestra standing in front of an orchestra. Sometimes you bring in the horns—a certain theme—and sometimes you bring in the strings—a certain character—and sometimes you turn to the soloist. It's a more organic and jumping-around process than linear writing, and Barbara said she's only recently given herself permission to work this way. When I told her that I use Scrivener to write in scenes out of order and then drag and drop them into a structure later, she was genuinely intrigued. And this is how I've always worked. I'll see the story in my mind like a movie trailer—flashes of the big emotional scenes, the pivotal confrontations, the moments of revelation—and I write those first. I don't know how they hang together until quite late in the process. Then I'll move scenes around, print the whole thing out, and figure out the connective tissue. The point is that discovery writers can absolutely build deep characters. Sometimes writing the big emotional scenes first is how you discover who the character is before you fill in the rest. You don't need a twenty-page character worksheet or a 200-page outline like Jeffery Deaver. You need to be willing to follow the character into the unknown and trust that the structure will emerge. As Barbara said, she writes to know what she's thinking. That's the discovery writer's credo. And I would add: I write to know who my characters are. Actionable step: If you're stuck on your current chapter, skip it. Write the scene that's burning in your imagination, even if it's from the middle or the end. That scene might be the key to unlocking who your character really is. 15. Use Research to Help with Empathy Research shouldn't just be about factual accuracy—it's a tool for finding the sensory details that create empathy. Barbara Nickless described research as almost an excuse to explore things that fascinate her, and I feel exactly the same way. I would go so far as to say that writing is an excuse for me to explore the things that interest me. Barbara and I both travel for our stories. For her Dr. Evan Wilding books, she did deep research into Old English literature and the Viking Age. For my thriller End of Days, I transcribed hours of video from Appalachian snake-handling churches on YouTube to understand the worldview of the worshippers, because my antagonist was brought up in that tradition. I couldn't just make that up. I had to hear their language, feel their conviction, understand why they would hold venomous serpents as an act of faith. Barbara also mentioned getting to Israel and the West Bank for research, and I've been to both places too. Finding that one specific sensory detail—the smell of a particular location, the specific way an expert handles a tool, the sound of a particular kind of music—makes the character's life feel lived-in. It's the difference between a character who is described as living in a place and a character who inhabits it. As I wrote in How to Write a Novel, don't write what you know. Write what you want to learn about. I love research. It's part of why I'm an author in the first place. I take any excuse to dive into a world different from my own. Research using books, films, podcasts, and travel, and focus particularly on sources produced by people from the worldview you want to understand. Actionable step: For your next piece of character research, go beyond reading. Watch a documentary, visit a location, talk to someone who lives the experience. Find one sensory detail—a smell, a sound, a texture—that you couldn't have invented. That detail will make your character feel real. Bonus: Measure Your Life by What You Create In an age of AI and a tsunami of content, your ultimate brand protection is the quality of your human creation. Barbara Nickless said that the act of producing itself is a balm to the soul, and I believe that with every fibre of my being. Don't be afraid to take that step back, like I did with my deadlifting. Take the time to master these deeper craft skills. It might feel like you're slowing down or going backwards by not chasing the latest marketing trend, but it's the only way to step forward into a sustainable, high-quality career. Your characters are your signature. No AI can replicate the specificity of your lived experience, the emotional truth of your displaced trauma, or the sensory details you've gathered from a life of curiosity and travel. Those are yours. Pour them into your characters, and they will resonate for years to come. Actionable Takeaway: Identify the Dramatic Question for your current protagonist. Can you state it in a single sentence with the kind of specificity Will Storr described? Is it as clear as “Are you ordinary or extraordinary?” or “Are you the only adult in the room?” If you can't answer it with that kind of precision, your character might still be a sketch. Give them a diagonal toast moment today. Find the one hyper-specific detail that proves they are not an imitation of life. And then ask yourself: does your plot test your character's flaw in every major scene? If you can align those two things—a precisely defined character and a plot that exists to test them—you will have a story that readers cannot put down. References and Deep Dives The episodes I've referenced today are all available with full transcripts at TheCreativePenn.com: Episode 732 — Facing Fears, and Writing Unique Characters with Barbara Nickless Episode 673 — Writing Choctaw Characters and Diversity in Fiction with Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer Episode 624 — Writing Characters with Matt Bird Episode 550 — The Heroine's Journey with Gail Carriger Episode 490 — How Character Flaws Shape Story with Will Storr Books mentioned: The Secrets of Character: Writing a Hero Anyone Will Love by Matt Bird The Science of Storytelling by Will Storr The Heroine's Journey by Gail Carriger How to Write a Novel: From Idea to Book by Joanna Penn You can find all my books for authors at CreativePennBooks.com and my fiction and memoir at JFPennBooks.com Happy writing! How was this episode created? This episode was initiated created by NotebookLM based on YouTube videos of the episodes linked above from YouTube/TheCreativePenn, plus my text chapters on character from How to Write a Novel. NotebookLM created a blog post from the material and then I expanded it and fact checked it with Claude.ai 4.6 Opus, and then I used my voice clone at ElevenLabs to narrate it. The post Writing Characters: 15 Actionable Tips For Writing Deep Character first appeared on The Creative Penn.

In this episode, the hosts conclude their superhero series by discussing the representation of women in superhero films and ranking their top superhero movies. They engage in a lively debate about various films, exploring both popular and lesser-known titles. The conversation highlights the importance of quality in movie selections and showcases the hosts' camaraderie and shared love for film. In this engaging conversation, the hosts delve into various superhero films, discussing their impact, box office performance, and cultural significance. They explore the Matrix franchise, the Old Guard, Black Widow, Black Panther, Kill Bill, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Captain Marvel, Wonder Woman, and The Marvels, providing insights and personal opinions on each film. The discussion also touches on the future of anime, showcasing the hosts' passion for the genre.

Kelly Sue DeConnick from 2012 lays out her Carol Danvers plans. They led to 32 issues a big movie hit and a new wave of Marvel readers