Gobbledygeek

For this month’s Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo tackle a blindspot from one of their favorite writers. Gene Luen Yang, author of Gobbledyfaves like American Born Chinese and Avatar: The Last Airbender, tells the brutal story of the Boxer Rebellion in Boxers & Saints. The graphic novel duology delves into complex subjects like faith, spirituality, nationalism, and fascism; we cover ‘em all, hopefully in something resembling depth. Plus, Arlo returns to the city of Metropolis for more Superman comics, including mega-event The Death and Return of Superman and Grant Morrison & Mark Waid’s JLA run.    NEXT: we find our inner Greenwich Village folksters with a Geek Challenge featuring Noah Kahan’s Stick Season and Bob Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks. BREAKDOWN 00:00:30  -  Intro / Arlo’s Adventures of Superman 00:36:45  -  Boxers & Saints 02:20:14  -  Outro / Next MUSIC “The Boxer” by Simon & Garfunkle, Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970) “It’s Hard to Be a Saint in the City” by Bruce Spri

Love can spread like a fungus throughout the soul, eradicating any shred of self-control. For a thorough depiction of that sentiment, we turn to HBO’s The Last of Us, a TV adaptation of the blockbuster video game series. Joining Paul and Arlo to talk everything mushroom are authors and pop culture enthusiasts Dale and Ensley Guffey, stopping by the show for their first visit in years. The gang discusses the game’s transition to television, how the show breaks new ground for the zombie apocalypse genre, the incredible chemistry between Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsay, and much more.   NEXT: a long-delayed Four-Color Flashback discussion of Gene Luen Yang’s Boxers & Saints.     BREAKDOWN 00:00:48  -  Intro / Guests 00:03:00  -  HBO’s The Last of Us 01:59:42  -  Outro / Next     LINKS Dale’s NON-pop culture blog: Splendor in the Sticks     MUSIC “Never Let Me Down Again” by Depeche Mode, Music for the Masses (1987) “Long Long Time” by Linda Ronstadt, Silk Purse (1970)     GOBBLEDYCARES National Sui

You remind me of the pod…the pod with the geeks. Paul and Arlo fall down the rabbit hole of another Geek Challenge, this time pitting Jim Henson’s 1986 cult classic Labyrinth against Jan Švankmajer’s 1988 headtrip Alice. Henson’s film finds Jennifer Connelly dancing with David Bowie and a variety of Muppets as she attempts to rescue her baby brother, while Švankmajer’s finds Kristýna Kohoutová assailed by a variety of bizarre stop-motion creations and a taxidermied rabbit. It should be obvious who picked which movie. Topics of discussion include codpieces, sellouts, practical effects, and weird sex, among others.   NEXT: Paul and Arlo ride through The Last of Us’ post-apocalypse with the inestimable Dale Guffey and Ensley F. Guffey     BREAKDOWN 00:00:52  -  Intro / Reminiscence on Vomit 00:42:07  -  Alice 01:19:20  -  Labyrinth 02:11:50  -  Outro / Next     LINKS To Solve the Labyrinth: An Essay Film About a Fantasy Film by J.D. Hansel INTERVIEW WITH JAN ŠVANKMAJER by Virginie Sélavy, Electric Sheep  

Time to rise, roar, and revolt as Paul and Arlo engage in some extreme piggybacking with S.S. Rajamouli’s RRR. This alt-history epic is the rare Indian film to make a splash in the Western world, and our boys approach it as only two ignorant white guys can: with almost no knowledge of Indian culture or film! Nevertheless, they are in love with the movie, which reimagines Indian revolutionary figures Komaram Bheem and Alluri Sitarama Raju as superheroes who can outrun tigers, shoot a British bastard from a mile away, and stop motorcycles with their bare hands. The boys praise stars N.T. Rama Rao Jr. and Ram Charan, admire Rajamouli’s craft, and weep in awe at the insane shit happening in every single scene. Plus, there’s a trailer for The Flash and Arlo has finally gone back to reading old Superman comics.   NEXT: TBD.     BREAKDOWN 00:00:44  -  Intro / Guest 00:18:04  -  Main Topic 02:03:24  -  Outro / Next     LINKS RRR: How S.S. Rajamouli Created an Action Movie Phenomenon – Tollywood Style by Gene Ching

Got a hankerin’ for god meat? Well, pull out your giant lightsaber knife and feast on a new Four-Color Flashback! For the first FCF of 2023, Paul and Arlo set out at warp speed to seek enlightenment with Al Ewing and Simone Di Meo’s We Only Find Them When They’re Dead. The BOOM! Studios series, whose 15-issue run wrapped in December, is set hundreds of years from now, when the primary industry is extracting proteins, enzymes, and minerals from the corpses of massive deities. Evocative title and crazy premise aside, the book is chock full of theosophical enigmas that our boys try to solve. Beyond the elusive quest for concrete answers, though, this comic certainly makes them feel a whole lot. Dig in. Plus, some bellyaching about the new slate of DC movies.   NEXT: a discussion of S.S. Rajamouli’s action epic RRR, which presumably concerns reading, writing, and arithmetic.     BREAKDOWN 00:00:30  -  Intro / Banter 00:21:25  -  We Only Find Them When They’re Dead 01:58:36  -  Outro / Next     MUSIC “For Whom th

We’re back, baby! After a longer than expected hiatus, Gobbledygeek has returned for season 14. That’s right, we’re up to 14 seasons of Paul and Arlo babbling on about any manner of nonsense–which they continue to do in this freestyle season premiere. 2023 has come in like a lion and is likely to go out like one, so we find our boys licking their wounds, recounting the real-life horrors that delayed their return to the mic, and generally complaining about everything. Including pop culture! Lest you forget that’s what they’re here for, Paul and Arlo sauté some thoughts on the mushroom apocalypse of HBO’s The Last of Us adaptation; rave about the movies they’ve caught up with, like The Fabelmans, RRR, and Aftersun; and decide to get high-brow by reading books that don’t have any pictures. Plus, a pitch for the inevitable Gobbledygeek TV series.   NEXT: okay, but we really like books that do have pictures in them. This year’s Four-Color Flashback series kicks off with Al Ewing and Simone Di Meo’s We Only Find Th

Is that a tree branch on your face, or are you just lying to me? An extra-long Gobbledygeek season finale takes root with a discussion of Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson’s new stop-motion adaptation of Pinocchio. Paul and Arlo discuss the numerous ways del Toro has made Carlo Collodi’s immortal tale his own, chiefly by making it a study of mortality–oh, and fascism too. The boys rave about Ewan McGregor’s take on the Cricket, the awe-inspiring puppetry and animation on display, and Arlo’s pot-addled epiphany. Plus, tributes to Angelo Badalamenti and Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss, as well as a look at the Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse trailer.   NEXT: happy holidays, y’all. We’ll be back in 2023.     BREAKDOWN 00:00:45  -  Intro 00:17:18  -  Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio 02:10:16  -  Our brief, incomplete list of Best of 2022 02:33:17  -  Outro / Next     LINKS   “Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio Reconceptualizes What it Means to be a ‘Real Boy’” by Mustafa Yasar II, IGN “Guillermo Del Toro Shows Why E

Hang your stockings by the chimney, roast some chestnuts on that open fire, and prepare yourself for a very special Twisted Christmas installment. Our annual yuletide derangement has morphed into a Geek Challenge, featuring two obviously similar films: Paul has challenged Arlo to Michael Curtiz’s holly jolly classic White Christmas (1954), and in turn Arlo has thrust upon Paul Stanley Kubrick’s festive psychosexual nightmare Eyes Wide Shut (1999). Paul has some harsh words for Kubrick’s orgy, Arlo cringes at old-timey patriotism, and both of our boys come away filled with a little less Christmas cheer. Oh, and who is Danny Kaye again?   NEXT: for our season finale, we become real boys for Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.     BREAKDOWN 00:00:52  -  Intro / Paul and Arlo’s Holiday Spirit 00:11:15  -  Eyes Wide Shut 01:12:40  -  White Christmas 02:02:00  -  Outro / Next     LINKS   “35 Surprising Things About 'White Christmas' That Even Movie Buffs Don't Know” by Asher Fogle and Janaya Wecker, Good Housekeeping

Now that rock star biopics have peaked with Elvis, what else can the genre do but get Weird? Dare to be stupid with Paul, Arlo, and Alex Jonestown Massacre guitarist Kenn Edwards as they discuss Weird: The Al Yankovic story. Everyone’s favorite accordionist parodies Oscar bait bologna to tell a fact-free version of his own life story, starring obvious choice Daniel Radcliffe. The gang recounts their history with “Weird” Al, dives into the film’s loving homage to early alt-comedy, and can’t help but wonder what Madonna thinks of it all.   NEXT: I’m dreaming of a Geek Challenge featuring the holy jolly classic White Christmas and the yuletide wet dream Eyes Wide Shut.     BREAKDOWN 00:00:38  -  Intro / Guest / Theater Trauma 00:15:37  -  A brief history of our heroes histories with “Weird Al” 00:34:35  -  Weird: The Al Yankovic Story 01:41:00  -  Outro / Next     LINKS   The Alex Jonestown Massacre on Spotify       MUSIC “The Weird Al Show Theme” by “Weird Al” Yankovic, Running with Scissors (1999) “Now You

Aho, podcast listeners! To celebrate Native American Heritage Month, Paul and Arlo check in on the latest season of Reservation Dogs, possibly the best show on TV. It would be hard to top Rez Dog’s freshman year, a revelatory season filled with joy, pain, and a whole bunch of shitasses. Yet that’s exactly what Sterlin Harjo and his collaborators have done, deepening the themes of loss and community that made the first season so resonant. The boys rave about the show’s core cast–Devery Jacobs, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Lane Factor, and Paulina Alexis—while lauding Harjo’s ability to shine an even brighter light on supporting players like Zahn McClarnon, Jana Schmieding, and Lily Gladstone. Skoden.   NEXT: Alex Jonestown Massacre guitarist Kenn Edwards is back and ready to get Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.     BREAKDOWN 00:00:34  -  Intro 00:08:00  -  Reservation Dogs: Season 2 01:42:03  -  Outro / Next     LINKS “Sterlin Harjo Is Not Afraid to Sacrifice a Good Idea” by Kathryn VanArendonk, Variety “Reservation

Listen to Gobbledygeek and live forever. This week, in a stealth continuation of this year’s Gobbledyween, Paul and Arlo head on down to New Orleans for Neil Jordan’s 1994 adaptation of Anne Rice’s classic Interview with the Vampire. Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, and Antonio Banderas are the most beautiful men anyone could have cast as immortals in the mid-’90s, and they’re joined by a prepubescent Kirsten Dunst to form a truly tragic coven. The boys discuss the evil joyfulness of Cruise’s Lestat, why the role of Louis de Pointe du Lac does not play to Pitt’s strengths, how amazing it is that the film’s overt homoeroticism made it to the screen, and much more. Plus, yoghurt.   NEXT: we’ll be back in two weeks to discuss season 2 of Reservation Dogs.     BREAKDOWN 00:00:53  -  Intro / Go Go Yoghurt! 00:10:08  -  Interview with the Vampire (1994) 02:06:08  -  Outro / Next     LINKS   Terror Track: Music, Sound and Horror Cinema (Janet K. Halfyard’s essay “Music of the Night: Scoring the Vampire in Contemporary Film”

We all get lost, every now and then. Most of us don’t get quite as lost as the three film students at the center of The Blair Witch Project, a massive hit in 1999 whose reputation among the average moviegoer has also taken a massive hit. If you ask Arlo, though, it’s one of the greatest horror films ever made–and he tells Paul exactly why, as they celebrate the second and final week of this year’s abbreviated Gobbledyween. The boys discuss the incredibly convincing performances, why the characters being so annoying makes the movie so believable, how the found footage genre has expanded in the years since, and just how easy it is to get lost in America.   NEXT: why are you standing in the corner, Paul?     BREAKDOWN 00:00:32  -  Intro 00:02:34  -  The Blair Witch Project 01:39:11  -  Outro / Next     LINKS   My House Walk-Through The Backrooms (Found Footage) The Scooby-Doo Project       MUSIC “Gilligan’s Island” by Television’s Greatest Hits Band, Television’s Greatest Hits: Classic TV Theme Songs (202

Leaves are on the ground, blood is on the screen–it’s time for a (very late) Gobbledyween! Gobbledygeek’s annual horror-thon returns for an abbreviated run, kicking things off with Mike Flanagan’s 2021 Netflix miniseries Midnight Mass. What at first seems like a riff on ‘Salem’s Lot–a vampire ingratiates himself into a tiny coastal community–becomes a soaring exploration of addiction, faith, and death. Joining Paul and Arlo to discuss the series is original Gobbler Joseph Lewis. Together, the Three Heathens rave about the central performances from Hamish Linklater, Zach Gilford, and Kate Siegel; dissect the show’s “bad miracle” vibe and how it relates to their own spiritual journey; and poke a little good-natured fun at the many, many monologues.   NEXT: we’ve got one more in store for you, as Paul and Arlo pop a tape into their camcorders for 1999’s The Blair Witch Project.     BREAKDOWN 00:00:50  -  Intro / Guest / Banter 00:23:13  -  Midnight Mass 02:27:36  -  Outro / Next     LINKS   “The Netflix Series

For his third film, Jordan Peele looks to the skies–and what he finds doesn’t want to be seen. This week, Paul and Arlo say yup to Nope, Peele’s celebration and evisceration of spectacle. The boys discuss the widening of Peele’s horizons in the summer blockbuster mode; how the film reveres Spielberg while offering a pointed rebuttal to Jaws; Daniel Kaluuya’s quiet intensity; and why first-time viewing Arlo is always the dumbest Arlo. Plus, a tribute to cinematic titan Jean-Luc Godard.   NEXT: more spectacle, as Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman reunite in Taika Waititi’s Thor: Love and Thunder.     BREAKDOWN 00:00:56  -  Intro / RIP Jean-Luc Godard 00:06:47  -  Nope 02:11:52  -  Outro / Next     LINKS   “'Nope' Explores the Horrors of Exploiting Animals for Spectacle” by Molly Kusilka, Collider “Jordan Peele’s Nope, explained” by Alissa Wilkinson, Vox “Inside the Eerie UFO Design for Jordan Peele’s ‘Nope’” by Emma Stefansky, Thrillist “This Influential Anime Inspired The Final Alien Design In Nop

Sing, sing a song; sing of oblivion, it’s 36 issues long! For this month’s first (?) Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo are harmonizing about Robert Kirkman and Lorenzo De Felici’s 2018-22 Image series Oblivion Song. It’s an alien invasion saga that questions the very concepts of “alien” and “invasion,” regarding its human and Kuthaal characters with equal levels of empathy and complexity. The boys discuss how Kirkman overcomes The Walking Dead’s biggest flaws, De Felici’s otherworldly artwork, Annalisa Leoni’s eerily beautiful colors, and so much more. Plus, Arlo made a return trip to Austin, TX.   NEXT: Nope? Yup.     BREAKDOWN 00:01:00  -  Intro / Arlo’s Austin Adventures 00:27:17  -  Oblivion Song 02:00:00  -  Outro / Next     LINKS   “Robert Kirkman on Survivor’s Guilt in ‘Oblivion Song’” by Jed W. Keith, FreakSugar       MUSIC “Fungal Jungle (Remix)” by Psilovibin’ (2019) “Bungle in the Jungle” by Jethro Tull, War Child (1974)     GOBBLEDYCARES Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/Aborti

No, this isn’t a dream (or even a nightmare): The Sandman, the iconic Vertigo comic book series created by Neil Gaiman, Sam Keith, and Mike Dringenberg, has finally been adapted for television. Paul, Arlo, and The Deli Counter of Justice co-creator Eric Sipple are all huge fans of the comics, and they use their familiarity with the Dreaming to dive deep into the first season of the Netflix TV show. The gang discusses the show’s mostly spot-on casting, whether it captures Morpheus as well as Roderick Burgess did, how the filmmakers modernize some of the books’ more outdated elements, and so very much more. Plus, a mini-review of Prey, the new Predator film directed by Dan Trachtenberg and starring Amber Midthunder.   NEXT: sing a song of oblivion with Robert Kirkman and Lorenzo De Felici’s Oblivion Song on a new Four-Color Flashback.     BREAKDOWN 00:00:32  -  Intro / Guest 00:02:31  -  Prey mini-review 00:26:28  -  The Sandman, Season 1 02:35:00  -  Outro / Next     LINKS   The Sandman Four-Color Flashback S

From Tupelo to Memphis, from Hollywood to Vegas, Elvis Presley conquered America–and now, telling his story, an Australian filmmaker has conquered the biopic. The operatic, maximalist, subtlety-eschewing Baz Luhrmann returns to the screen with Elvis, delivering the glitzy, excessive tribute this mythical/kitsch-ical icon deserves. Paul and Arlo share their personal connections to Elvis, rave about Austin Butler’s transformation into the King, discuss how the film’s portrayal of Elvis’ racial and sexual impact stack up to the real deal, and behold Tom Hanks’ embodiment of Satan. Here comes Sandy Claws!    NEXT: when the last streaming podcast deletes, our job will be finished. Eric Sipple joins us to discuss Netflix’s adaptation of The Sandman.     BREAKDOWN 00:00:21  -  Intro 00:03:08  -  Our histories with The King 00:29:48  -  Elvis 01:54:05  -  Outro / Next     LINKS   “Rumors of Elvis Racism in the ‘50s Still Cloud Presley’s Musical Legacy” by Alan Hanson, Elvis History Blog       MUSIC “Hound Dog” by

For another freestyle, Paul and Arlo are getting weird. As in “Weird Al” Yankovic, whom Arlo recently saw with their good buddy Kenn Edwards. Arlo recounts the concert moment he’d been waiting for all his life, then Paul discusses the joys and frustrations of the first-ever virtual Slayage conference. Plus, brief ruminations on Nope, Thor: Love and Thunder, and The Rehearsal; and we remember our friend Chelsea Hawk.   NEXT: TBD.     LINKS   GoFundMe: For Jared, Chelsea and Xion       MUSIC “We Would Be Building” by John Fahey, Days Have Gone By, Vol. 6 (1967) “Lame Claim to Fame” by “Weird Al” Yankovic, Mandatory Fun (2014)     GOBBLEDYCARES Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/  Support AAPI communities and those affected by anti-Asian violence: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate Support the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund: https://aapifund.org/ Support Black Lives Matter and find anti-raci

Listener, we would have words with thee! As the Odinson and the Mighty Thor swing their hammers onto the big screen in Thor: Love and Thunder, Paul and Arlo revisit some of the film’s influences for this month’s Four-Color Flashback. The boys dig deep into the early part of Jason Aaron’s run on the golden-haired Avenger, with Thor: God of Thunder #1-25 and Thor (2014) #1-8. Topics of discussion include the dynamite art of Esad Ribić and Russell Dauterman, Thor’s crisis of faith, why Jane Foster wielding Mjolnir makes for such a great reinvention of the character, and more.   NEXT: anything is possible.     BREAKDOWN 00:00:32  -  Intro / Banter 00:04:55  -  Main Topic 00:11:54  -  INTERLUDE: Giving Arlo $#!& 00:14:01  -  Back to the Main Topic! 01:55:21  -  Outro / Next     MUSIC “Divine Hammer” by The Breeders, Last Splash (1993) “Sweet Jane” by Cowboy Junkies, The Trinity Sessions (1988)     GOBBLEDYCARES Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter National Suicide Prevention Li

Paul and Arlo are going slightly mad. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is the MCU’s latest trip through the titular multiverse, fracturing and reshaping reality to meet the franchise’s corporate needs. If that sounds a little unenthused, well, what can we say? The boys didn’t love this one. Paul, ever the optimist, discusses why the MCU’s depiction of sorcery continues to be one of its greatest assets. Arlo, ever the cynic, expresses appreciation of Sam Raimi’s trademark flourishes before lamenting that they’re all recycled riffs. Along the way, they discuss the film’s odd function as a WandaVision sequel, whether punching star-shaped holes in the universe is good goofy or bad goofy, those weird fucking kids, and more.   NEXT: more madness.     BREAKDOWN 00:00:34  -  Awkward Intro 00:03:33  -  Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (Spoiler-free) 00:21:15  -  SPOILERS!!! 01:50:40  -  Outro / Next     MUSIC “I’m Going Slightly Mad” by Queen, Innuendo (1991) “X-Men Theme” by Florian Haack, X-Me