Gobbledygeek

For this month’s Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo roll the Die to discuss Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans’ dark tale of a group of one-time RPG nerds getting sucked into the world of the game. Gillen has described the book as “goth Jumanji,” and there’s some truth to that–these characters feel everything, hard. Luckily, so do we, and so does special guest Eric Sipple, author of Mimesis and co-creator of The Deli Counter of Justice. The gang discusses how Die takes apart and rebuilds typical D&D classes, its commentary on the entire history of gaming, why Ash is so important to Eric, and much more.   NEXT: by the hoary hosts of Hoggoth, it’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness!     BREAKDOWN 00:00:32  -  Intro / Guest 00:05:46  -  Our histories with RPGs 00:14:56  -  Die 02:44:20  -  Outro / Next     LINKS   “Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans On Bringing Their Acclaimed Image Comics Epic ‘DIE’ to an End” by Matthew Jackson, SyFy Wire “Die is the Darker Side of D&D Fans Didn't Know They

In a multiverse without limitations…you have chosen to listen to Gobbledygeek. Let that sink in. While you do, you’ll also get to hear Paul and Arlo’s latest Geek Challenge! Arlo sort-of challenges Paul to The Daniels’ Everything Everywhere All at Once, the year’s big breakout movie, starring Michelle Yeoh as infinite versions of herself; and Paul in turn challenges Arlo to James Wong’s 2001 action flick The One, featuring Jet Li vs. Jet Li in a dystopian future. The boys discuss the Daniels’ hyper-maximalist approach to filmmaking, how Everything Everywhere earns its zaniness with real emotion, the shocking amount of hair Jason Statham sports in The One, and that film’s perfect time capsule of a soundtrack.   NEXT: Die! The Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans comic book, that is. Eric Sipple joins us for this month’s Four-Color Flashback.     BREAKDOWN 00:00:29  -  Intro / RIP Tim Sale 00:09:55  -  Everything Everywhere All at Once 01:09:30  -  The One 01:36:49  -  Outro / Next     LINKS   “‘The One’ Is the O

Travelers of the night, welcome to Paul and Arlo’s latest MCUTV discussion. They join hands once again with Hollywood wonder boy Michael Holland, and together they summon Moon Knight. Oscar Isaac joins the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Marc Spector, the human avatar of Egyptian god Khonshu, and…well, is he Marc Spector? Is he Steven Grant? Or is he someone else entirely? The gang discusses how the show tackles Marc’s dissociative identity disorder, the killer costume design, how the series pushes the MCU’s boundaries, and more.   NEXT: on a new Geek Challenge, we are The One who is Everything Everywhere All at Once.     BREAKDOWN 00:01:17  -  Intro / Guest 00:11:00  -  Moon Knight 01:36:40  -  Outro / Next     LINKS   Holland Imaginarium - The Essentials       MUSIC “A Man Without Love” by Engelbert Humperdinck, A Man Without Love (1968) “Nights in White Satin” by The Moody Blues, Days of Future Passed (1967)     GOBBLEDYCARES Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bit.ly/AbortionFundsTwitter National Su

It’s a freestyle episode, boys and girls! You know what that means: the Dragon’s Milk is flowing, the tangents are plentiful, and Paul and Arlo just can’t get enough Dick’s. Now, now, get your mind out of the gutter–we’re talking Dick’s, the iconic Seattle burger chain. In addition to chowing down on their favorite regional burgers (Arlo shouts out Akron’s very own Swenson’s), the boys are very much on their bullshit throughout. Arlo recounts the entire A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, Paul experiences Stranger Things with a fella named Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Arlo gets progressively more inebriated.   NEXT: welcome, travelers of the night, to another MCUTV installment with Hollywood wonder boy Michael Holland. This time, we’re discussing Moon Knight.     LINKS Dick’s Drive-In Swenson’s Drive-In     MUSIC “Posse on Broadway” by Sir Mix-a-Lot, Swass (1988) “Who Let the Dogs Out (As Made Famous by Baha Men)” by Karaoke DJ, Karaoke Hit Music the 00’s Vol. 2 - Instrumental Sing Alongs From the 2000’s (2010) “A

Sit back and say ‘Aaaahhhh!’ For this month’s Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo take a trip to the dentist with Raina Telgemeier’s 2010 autobiographic novel Smile. Raina looks back on how her orthodontic woes served as a marker for her adolescence, from the loss of her two front teeth in 6th grade circa 1989 through finally ditching those braces in freshman year ‘92. This prompts Paul and Arlo to recount their own dental dramas in dramatic (traumatic?) detail before praising Telgemeier’s skillful cartooning, her incisive rendering of middle school social mores, the way historical events are set against the backdrop of teen life, and more. Plus, the boys have thoughts on the This Is Us series finale.   NEXT: more drama, more trauma.     BREAKDOWN 00:00:23  -  Intro / This is Us 00:35:17  -  Smile 01:35:33  -  Outro / Next     MUSIC “Dentist!” by Steve Martin, Michelle Weeks, Tichina Arnold & Tisha Campbell, Little Shop of Horrors (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (1986) “Braces” by Robbo, A Kid’s Lif

Riddle me this, riddle me that…who's afraid of Matt Reeves' The Bat(man)? Not Paul and Arlo, that's for sure, at least not with Project Batman vet Kenn Edwards at their side. There's a lot of ground to cover, beginning with: Did we need the 897th Batman movie? Of course not, but since we're here, the gang discusses Robert Pattinson's turn as the Caped Crusader, the film's emphasis on detective work, whether or not the story is served by a three-hour runtime, and much, much more.   NEXT: Smile! For this month's Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo have a little dental work done with Raina Telgemeier's autobiographical novel.     BREAKDOWN 00:01:10  -  Intro / Guest 00:10:00  -  The Batman 02:24:47  -  Outro / Next     LINKS   Project Batman: The Batman Immortal Podcast Batman Immortal: The Audio Drama - Official Trailer A/V (The Film)       MUSIC “Something in the Way” by Nirvana, Nevermind (1991) “The Riddler” by Method Man, Batman Forever (     GOBBLEDYCARES Abortion Funds in Every State: https://bi

And you run, you run to catch up with the sun, but it’s sinking…well, before it sets, Paul and Arlo have a few MCU movies they need to discuss. Due to that pesky pandemic, we’ve gotten behind on the Marvel Cinematic Universe here at Gobbledygeek, but fear not! In this special, super-sized episode, Paul and Arlo discuss three mighty Marvel movies: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, which brings Chinese mythology to the MCU; Eternals, which brings a race of immortal god-beings to the MCU; and Spider-Man: No Way Home, which brings a whole bunch of Spider-Men to the MCU. The boys rave about Tony Leung, have a friendly (?) debate about the merits of Eternals, can’t get enough of Andrew Garfield, and so very much more.   NEXT: he is vengeance, he is the night, he is Kenn Edwards! Everybody’s favorite podcaster/guitarist joins us for a look at Matt Reeves’ The Batman.     BREAKDOWN 00:01:47  -  Intro / Banter 00:03:53  -  Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings 00:46:42  -  Eternals 01:45:50  -  Spider-Man

What happens when a child is born who will invent immortality? According to Ram V and Felipe Andrade's The Many Deaths of Laila Starr, Death is fired from her job, is cast into a mortal body, and attempts to find and murder this child. Oh, she also dies a lot. On this month's Four-Color Flashback, Paul & Arlo discuss the book's unique approach to Indian mythology, Andrade's beautifully distorted figures, V's ability to be self-serious without being pretentious, and more. Plus, Paul gets into Severance, the boys aren't feeling This Is Us' final season, and Arlo reads more Superman.   NEXT: it's an MCU catch-up session. The boys will discuss the trifecta of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Eternals, and Spider-Man: No Way Home.     BREAKDOWN 00:00:34  -  Intro / Banter 00:27:39  -  The Many Deaths of Laila Starr 01:32:20  -  Selecting the next FCF 01:36:03  -  Outro / Next     LINKS   “‘The Many Deaths of Laila Starr’ is more than the sum of its parts” by Meera S. Kumar, The Michigan Daily “R

It's Ladies' Night on Gobbledygeek! By which we mean we've got a Geek Challenge featuring Richard Donner's 1985 medieval fantasy epic Ladyhawke and Greta Gerwig's 2017 millennial coming-of-age tale Lady Bird. What do these two films have in common? They're both about transformation, of course! In Lady Bird, Saoirse Ronan transforms into a young woman ready to take on the big city; in Ladyhawke, Rutger Hauer and Michelle Pfeiffer quite literally transform into a wolf and a hawk, respectively. Paul struggles with passive aggressive family drama, Arlo is annoyed by Matthew Broderick, and they both remember what it was like to be 15.   NEXT: this month's Four-Color Flashback contemplates mortality with a dive into Ram V and Filipe Andrade's The Many Deaths of Laila Starr.     BREAKDOWN 00:00:45  -  Intro 00:10:54  -  Lady Bird 01:04:04  -  Ladyhawke 01:57:04  -  Outro / Next     LINKS   “Is ‘Ladyhawke’ the Best Fairytale of Them All?” by Leah Schnelbach, Tor.com       MUSIC “Main Title” by Andrew Powell &

For Paul and Arlo, existential crises and comic books often go hand-in-hand. Such is the case for this week’s freestyle, wherein Paul’s rumination on the erosion of his teenage self-confidence leads into a discussion of superhero mags. Paul tells Goblin punks to fuck off as he rocks out to Cody Ziglar and Justin Mason’s Spider-Punk, goes undercover with Kelly Thompson and Elena Casagrande’s recently wrapped run on Black Widow, and cloaks himself in Jed MacKay and Alessandro Cappuccio’s Moon Knight. Meanwhile, Arlo rides on horseback through more goofy Silver Age Superman.   NEXT: we will continue to spiral.   MUSIC “I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times” by The Beach Boys, Pet Sounds (1966) “Running Water” by Daniel Johnston, Hi, How Are You (1983) “A Horse with No Name” by America, America (1971)     GOBBLEDYCARES 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 Sup

Weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen! Paul and Arlo set sail for a discussion of David Jenkins’ pirate rom-com Our Flag Means Death. The new HBO Max series, a very loose telling of the history between Stede “The Gentleman Pirate” Bonnet and Edward “Blackbeard” Teach, begins as a silly romp very much in the vein of executive producer/star Taika Waititi’s other work. And then…well, it becomes something very much more, depicting a number of queer romances in positive, affirming fashion. The boys discuss this shouldn’t-be-shocking-in-2022 level of representation, the chemistry between Rhys Darby and Waititi, how closely (or not) the show follows the historical record, the series’ moral of not accepting that the way things are is the way they have to be, and more. Plus, up in the sky! It’s a bird, it’s a plane, Arlo is reading old Superman comics!   NEXT: reply hazy, try again.     BREAKDOWN 00:00:47  -  Intro / Banter 00:18:30  -  Our Flag Means Death 01:36:26  -  Outro / Next     LINKS   “‘Our Flag Means Death’ J

Sometimes a gorilla is just a gorilla. Sometimes, though, that gorilla–righteously bearing arms though he may be–is a gateway to a story about the power and fluidity of narrative. For this month’s Four-Color Flashback, Paul and Arlo go ape for Si Spurrier and Jeff Stokely’s Six-Gun Gorilla, a sci-fi Western published by BOOM! Studios in 2013. The boys discuss Stokely’s glorious, hyper-exaggerated art; how the book’s entertainment conglomerate dystopia feels like a logical extension of our present; the way Spurrier weaves various pulp genres throughout his story; and more. Plus, Paul got sick in Gatlinburg again and Arlo admits he was wrong about Dune.   NEXT: Gobbledygeek will return.     BREAKDOWN 00:00:55  -  Intro / Banter 00:21:30  -  Six-Gun Gorilla 01:25:50  -  Outro / Next     LINKS   “Six-Gun Gorilla: The Complete (Original) Saga” “Spurrier Aims for Future Western Weirdness With ‘Six-Gun Gorilla’” by Ryan Ingram, CBR “Simon Spurrier & Jeff Stokely’s ‘Six-Gun Gorilla’ Is Insane” by Andy Khouri,

Somethin’s comin’, somethin’ good: this week, Paul and Arlo pirouette through a discussion of Steven Spielberg’s new take on West Side Story, nominated for Best Picture at this year’s Oscars. Is it a spoiler to say they love it? The boys discuss how Spielberg and screenwriter Tony Kushner’s changes enrich the text, why choreographer Justin Peck’s bold choice to discard Jerome Robbins’ iconic choreography was the right move, what it means for the Sharks to be played by Latinx actors, and the joy of watching Spielberg treat every musical number like his and Janusz Kaminski’s playground. Plus, Taco Bell sends Arlo spiraling into an existential crisis, and the boys chat about this year’s other Best Picture nominees.   NEXT: Si Spurrier and Jeff Stokely’s Six-Gun Gorilla is locked and loaded for this month’s Four-Color Flashback.     BREAKDOWN 00:00:53  -  Intro 00:06:39  -  Interminable Oscars Discussion 00:37:43  -  A Look Back to Episode 402 00:47:04  -  West Side Story (2021) 02:14:52  -  Outro / Next     LINK

Why use old code to mirror something new? Writer/producer Tilly Bridges is back to continue last week’s discussion of The Matrix series. This time, she joins Paul and Arlo to chat about 2003’s anime anthology The Animatrix, which fits surprisingly well into the series’ trans allegory; and, for the bulk of this episode, The Matrix Resurrections. Lana Wachowski’s triumphant return to her signature co-creation is strikingly similar to the original films…and strikingly different. The gang discusses Neo/Trinity’s self-actualization, Wachowski’s freer and more open approach to filmmaking, Jonathan Groff’s take on Agent Smith, and so much more.   NEXT: we’ll be back, or we won’t. We probably will be.     BREAKDOWN 00:00:55  -  Intro / Guest 00:03:00  -  The Animatrix 00:41:32  -  The Matrix Resurrections 01:51:20  -  Outro / Next     LINKS Tilly & Susan Bridges How The Animatrix Set the Bar For What If…? and Star Wars: Visions by Kayti Burt, Den of Geek Too many movies right now are “about trauma.” The Matrix

Unfortunately, no one can be told what Gobbledygeek is. You have to listen to it for yourself. Writer-producer Tilly Bridges joins Paul and Arlo for the first of a two-part discussion of Lilly & Lana Wachowski’s revolutionary Matrix franchise. This week, the gang discusses the original Matrix trilogy, which was released from 1999-2003 and shattered moviegoers’ preconceived notions of the world around them. In turn, Tilly shatters Paul and Arlo’s preconceived notions of these films by touching on the Wachowskis’ many choices–from dialogue to set design to costuming–that serve to reflect the trans experience.   NEXT: we plug back in to explore The Animatrix and The Matrix Resurrections.     BREAKDOWN 00:00:32  -  Intro / Guest 00:13:47  -  Main Topic 01:55:40  -  Outro / Next     LINKS   Tilly & Susan Bridges   How The Matrix universalized a trans experience — and helped me accept my own by Emily VanDerWerff, Vox     MUSIC “Dissolved Girl” by Massive Attack, Mezzanine (1998) “Wake Up” by Rage Agai

Panthers…IN SPAAAAACE! For their first Four-Color Flashback of 2022, Paul and Arlo look to the stars, where they find Black Panther: The Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda. The second half of Ta-Nehisi Coates' Black Panther run, these 25 issues--with art by Daniel Acuña, Kev Walker, and Ryan Bodenheim, among others--concern T'Challa's rise from slave to legend in an alien empire that bears his kingdom's name. The boys discuss Coates' bold new direction, the question of expansion vs. imperialism at the heart of the book, Acuña's photorealistic interstellar action compared to Walker's more abstract emphasis on character, and that goddamn symbiote. Plus, an acknowledgement of how surreal it is to be reading a comic book depiction of war at this particular moment, Amazon's evisceration of comiXology, and more.   NEXT: let's party like it's 1999-2003. For the first of a two-part exploration of the Wachowskis' Matrix series, Mimesis author Eric Sipple jacks in to discuss the original trilogy. Whoa.     BREAKDOWN 00:00

Clint Barton, draw back your bow and let your arrow go straight to Disney+. Hollywood big shot Michael Holland joins Paul and Arlo for another season of MCUTV. This time, Jeremy Renner returns as the titular Hawkeye for six episodes of street-level crimefighting. He’s joined by Hailee Steinfeld as that other titular Hawkeye, Kate Bishop, to do battle with tracksuit bros, LARPers, and showtunes. The gang praises the show for its relatively small stakes, compares it to Matt Fraction and David Aja’s classic run, discusses Clint’s unique baggage both inter- and extra-textually, and more.   NEXT: like the Terminator, we’ll be back.     BREAKDOWN 00:00:33  -  Intro / Guest 00:09:37  -  Hawkeye 01:39:45  -  Outro / Next     MUSIC “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch” by Thurl Ravenscroft, Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) “Save The City” by Adam Pascal, Ty Taylor, Rory Donovan, Derek Klena, Bonnie Milligan, Christopher Siever & Shayna Steele, Hawkeye: Vol. 2 (Episodes 4-6) (2021)     GOBBLEDYCARES Na

You're in luck--season 13 of Gobbledygeek is here. Everyone's favorite more or less (emphasis on less) weekly podcast returns with a look at the horrors 2022 has in store. How are Paul and Arlo feeling, two years into a pandemic? How dissatisfied are they with the goons running this whole show? Would they survive the apocalypse? At a certain point, the boys remember they're supposed to be doing a pop culture show. Paul heads to Station Eleven, while Arlo finds The Lost Daughter and runs to Flee. Whistle through the graveyard with your podcast pals!   NEXT: more good-time goofs from your friends at Gobbledygeek.     MUSIC “Back in the Saddle” by Aerosmith, Rocks (1976) “Jerry Springer” by “Weird” Al Yankovic, Running With Scissors (1999)   GOBBLEDYCARES 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/ Su

It’s only one more Gobbledygeek ‘til Christmas! This year, instead of discussing the weird or cynical sides of the holidays, Paul and Arlo are embracing sincerity with a look at 1992’s The Muppet Christmas Carol. The first Muppets feature film following the death of Jim Henson is a faithful adaptation of the classic novella, with Gonzo as Charles Dickens himself and none other than Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge. The boys discuss why Caine’s decision to play things straight is key to the film’s success, the film’s technical wizardry, the beautiful songs by Paul Williams, and why it’s the greatest Christmas film of them all. Plus, Paul and Arlo recount a very strange year and get honest about the difficulties of the holiday season.   NEXT: have a safe and merry holiday, regardless of what you celebrate, and a happy new year. We’ll be back in 2022 with the long-awaited discussion of The Americans season 4 featuring Wesley Mead.     BREAKDOWN 00:00:50  -  Intro 00:14:00  -  The Muppet Christmas Carol 01:42:05

What if…you listened to a podcast about What If…? In a universe of infinite possibilities, Michael Holland (currently post-production supervisor on The Peripheral for Amazon) finds himself once again teaming up with Paul and Arlo for a discussion of MCUTV. This time, it’s the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first animated series, the multiversal What If…? Ostensibly an anthology series, the show ponders the ways in which our heroes’ lives could have gone very, very differently. For their part, the gang ponders the series’ relationship to the classic comic book of the same name, how the 2.5D animation allows for greater freedom than live-action, how voice acting is not the same thing as physical acting, and how–of course–everything is connected.   NEXT: we bid farewell to 2021 with the comfy, cozy The Muppet Christmas Carol.     BREAKDOWN 00:00:30  -  Intro / Guest 00:04:06  -  What if…there was a comic book series called What If…? 00:20:04  -  What If…?  (the show!) 02:19:40  -  Outro / Next     MUSIC “Changes”