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Our guest this week is Derek Rosengrant and he is very good at what he does.

What he does can be seen here. For those too lazy to click the link or if you're reading this somewhere other than our website (www.omvpodcast.com), you're missing out on some of the most insane replica weaponry and costume design you'll ever see. And at only 26(!) years old, for Derek the term "sky is the limit" seems like a real understatement.

Derek got his start working on the special effects team of a few films you may have heard of (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Iron man 2, Iron man 3, and Robocop to name a few) and since then he's split off from his former employers at Legacy Effects and has started his own business alongside his partner Eric Newgard: Aurum Effects.

This week, Derek gave us the inside scoop on how Aurum came to fruition, his experiences working in the movie industry, and what it's like to work side by side with one of the most legendary video game studios on the planet. Check out their website here and keep Aurum on your radar. From the sound of things it seems like Derek and crew have big plans for the future.

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 12.17.2019_Episode_396.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 9:31pm EDT
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The vendor hall of ConnectiCon is easily one of the most unique halls in all the conventions we attend. Being a show that doesn't quite fit into any single genre, it attracts vendors that don't quite fit into any single genre. Example: Rich Longmore and his art over at BogelBear Illustration.

Rich is a freelance artist who, as he so beautifully put it, has been drawing monsters since he could hold a pencil. With roots deep-seated in the D&D and cryptozoology scenes, Rich creates amazing pieces of work that somehow manage to be beautiful, mildly terrifying, and strangely informative all at the same time.

This week, we had the opportunity to speak with Rich in person and get the inside-info on how BogelBear came to be, Rich's experiences in freelance work, and how valuable it can be to have daughters with expansive knowledge of Pokemon.

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 12.5.2019_Episode_395.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 7:10pm EDT
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If you go to the Vixens En Garde website and check out the "About" tab you'll see the following headline:

"Swordswomen swashbuckling our way through Shakespeare."

If you're not already intrigued about this episode then I'm not sure what else we can do for you because it's going to be hard to beat that. Hopefully we have your attention because we have an insanely fun episode for you all this week featuring Lisa Kopitsky!

When she isn't on stage performing as Athena Albrecht, Lisa acts as the creative director of Vixens En Garde which means in addition to the swordfighting and Shakespeare she also plans out the Vixen's season, decides which cast members perform at which shows, and most recently she has taken over writing new scripts and material for future shows.

In short: shes a swordswoman who swashbuckles her way through Shakespeare while also doing an insane amount of planning and writing so the swashbuckling can continue. Sounds rad, right? Have a listen and you'll get to hear all about it.

If you think Vixens En Garde is something you might be interested in, be sure to visit their website (linked above) and check out their schedule. With any luck they'll be performing your favorite Shakespeare play at a show near you!

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 11.18.2019_Episode_394.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 11:19pm EDT
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By: Joe

Title: Mars Power Industries
Developer: 7A Games
Released: 11/15/2019
Price: $3.99

After watching a quick trailer, I wasn’t sure what I was getting into with Mars Power Industries… it had a charming aesthetic (vibes of Advance Wars and tower defense games) and an engaging soundtrack. The first moments of the game, however, throw you into an immersive non-tutorial for what is definitely a puzzle game.

I love a game without an explicit tutorial. The way to learn what works and doesn’t in this game is to try, fail, and try again (I’m reminded of Baba Is You released earlier this year). Your only controls are to move a cursor and place a finite number of towers that have different functions, with the goal of providing power to the locations provided on a map. It would be easy to get quickly frustrated figuring out the rules, except the levels are built to incrementally add in details, and much like Baba, backing out is as easy as pressing the back button however many times you need. After completing the first 10 levels, you have a fairly good idea of what works, and the building blocks of what you’ll need to know to tackle the rest of the worlds. There are new pieces (that you have to place in a certain order) and new obstacles (that can either be modified or worked around depending on how you play), but the mechanics are easy to take on once you get past the first few stages, and you’ll be throwing together power plant systems before you know it.


The trial and error part of the game is part of the fun. It’s not just the tutorial that lacks words… story elements are provided with subtlety and nuance. It’s meant to be experienced rather than over explained. The actual setting of the game (you’re on Mars and you need to provide power to buildings) isn’t important, but it adds a lot of charm to the graphical representation of what is otherwise a straightforward puzzle game. This game is all about mood: a straightforward, relaxing puzzle game that provides a perfect break from Pokémon Sword.


I really enjoyed my time with Mars Power Industries… it’s challenging without being overbearing, and charming without being trite or forgettable. Each puzzle only takes a few minutes to solve, and you’ll find yourself breaking and going back frequently.

Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 10:24pm EDT
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Halloween has come and gone, Alex is no longer a metaphorical ghost to the world, and the sounds of trick-or-treaters have been replaced with the roar of leaf blowers. It's time to get back to business.

This week we had the extreme pleasure of chatting with Jason who also goes by the moniker "Chocolate Ninja Cosplay." He's been cosplaying since 2014 and has over 20 years of martial arts experience to go along with it. With characters such as Doomfist, Grey Worm, Deadshot, and the most amazing Dr. Facilier you'll ever see, Jason has been killing the cosplay game with no signs of slowing down.  He has a relentless work ethic and an attitude that rivals most motivational speakers. Long story short, talking with Jason was an honor and we're pumped to share our conversation with you all.

Check out his Instagram, drop a like on his Facebook, and get to work on that thing you've been putting off. If you happen to need more motivation, maybe listen to the episode a few more times. It should definitely help.

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 11.9.2019_Episode_393.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 5:37pm EDT
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I'm so excited to post this episode that finding words to write here has turned into a major inconvenience. Like, it's preventing me from doing what I want to do and it's turning me into an impatient 9 year old who has to finish his homework before he can go out and play.

But, I guess I should finish my homework first and maybe write a few things here like about how Kyle from Decimated Designs is back this week! It has been exactly 100 episodes since we last had Kyle in the studio and this week he's here to talk about another side of the spooky world that we haven't touched on in the past: Extreme Haunts. *eerie music intensifies even more* 

If you've been on Facebook or any news site over the past week you might have an idea of what we're talking about. As more and more articles sprout up, everyone seems to be sharing their opinion on why they think places like McKamey Manor are great/terrible and how it's just a matter of time until someone finally finishes/gets seriously injured.  Personally, you'd be hard pressed to get me within a 20 mile radius of an extreme haunt like the ones we talk about in this episode but if it sounds like something you're interested in, maybe do some soul searching then get on the Google machine and see if there's one nearby. 

(Note: This was actually recorded a few weeks ago; it's pure happenstance that Extreme Haunts happen to be in the news the same week we're set to release this episode so reactions to some of the latest stories might need a follow-up episode or something.)

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 10.26.2019_Episode_392.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 10:50am EDT
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The spookiest month of the year is upon us and even though we're only doing half the amount of episodes we've done in the past, that doesn't mean we're going to be any less spooky. In fact, one could argue we're going to be spookier than ever as this week, with the help of our good friend Will, we're diving into a whole new world of spookiness: unidentified flying objects. *eerie music intensifies*

With the amount of time we've been doing this and the number of spooky episodes under our belts, it's hard to believe we haven't touched on UFOs yet but here we are. I like to think everyone has their own UFO story; whether it's something you saw in your backyard gazing at the stars or a an insane glitch in Grand Theft Auto, you can't deny that in some way, shape, or form - UFOs are everywhere.

Now let's talk about them.

So bust out your pumpkins, steal some candy meant for future trick or treaters, and prep yourself for the alien invasion because it's time to get spooky with some UFOs.

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 10.17.2019_Episode_391.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 10:10pm EDT
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The weather is getting colder, the days are slowly getting shorter, and there's pumpkin in literally everything. That can only mean one thing:

NYCC is almost here.

And as we get ready for what I believe is either our 9th or 10th trip down to the Javits Center, we thought it would be fun to hype ourselves and you, dear listener, with some pre-NYCC festivities by talking with not one but two(!) artists you'll be able to find in Artist Alley next week.

First up, Christopher Jones. The longtime artist for the Young Justice comic with many other titles to his name, Christopher is going to be making the move out West to California soon as he takes on his new role working even closer with the YJ team....what fun information am I withholding? Guess you'll have to listen to find out! If you're going to be at NYCC next week, stop by Christopher's booth at AA table B-10. Not going to NYCC? No sweat, check out his website here!

Closing out the show is a one-on-one chat between Alex and artist Domo Stanton! This is one of those rare situations where I get to be an audience member for my own show as Alex flew this one solo while I was busy doing boring adult things like "work". Anyway, Domo is a full-time comic artist/designer who has worked on projects such as Sandman: House of Whispers and FX's CHOSEN. Just like Christopher, he's going to be at NYCC this coming week at table E-36 so while you're doing your con prep, be sure to check out his work and stop by his table at the show!

Huge thank you to both Christopher and Domo for taking the time to chat with us this week despite one of the largest conventions in the country lurking just around the corner. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to let us know. Half hour spots with people is just too short sometimes and we're always looking for excuses to have rad guests on for their triumphant return...

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 9.27.2019_Episode_390.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 9:42am EDT
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I know I'm kind of required to say this but this week's episode is just too choice. With that said, I think it's time we bring back "choice" when describing radical things as it is criminally under-utilized in today's vernacular.

There's a 99% chance I used at least 3 words incorrectly in that last sentence but I'm just going to roll with it. On to the good stuff:

This week we were joined Andrew MacLean! Andrew is the creator/artist/writer of "Head Lopper" (Image Comics) and this week he made a guest appearance on our show to hype the upcoming release of his latest collection: Head Lopper Volume 3: Head Lopper & The Knights of Venora on sale September 18th!

Check out our chat with Andrew as we dive into the creation and style of the man called Norgal and how even lost pallets of comics couldn't keep Head Lopper from becoming Image comics' most beloved bearded viking.

For those on the hunt for merch and/or future appearances and the like, check out Andrew's website as well as Lazer Wolf Attack for even more stuff including hats/pins/patches/posters and prints.

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 9.6.2019_Episode_389.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 4:22pm EDT
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And we're back!

This feels kind of strange as it's been quite some time since there was a week when I didn't do one of these. But, change is good and exciting and we're kicking off our new bi-weekly format with one hell of a guest.

Our guest this week is one of the most recognizable characters in the cosplay scene and has earned a reputation as being one of the most accurate Jokers in....ever? I know this kind of stuff is very easy to exaggerate and I'm kind of known for my overuse of hyperbole but seriously. Once you see Anthony Misiano aka "Harley's Joker" in action, you'll see what I mean.

An actor/artist based out of New York City, Anthony got his first taste of going viral when he started appearing at conventions dressed up as The Clown Prince and before long, his grinning face was all over the front pages of just about every comic/gaming news website you could think of. We've long been admirers of his work and this week we're going to take some time to learn about the person behind the makeup as we dive into Anthony's world of acting, art, and how "Harley's Joker" came to be.

Be sure to check out his website and his store for your chance to snag a print or poster featuring some of Anthony's most recognizable Joker recreations.

Enjoy!

-Jr

 

Direct download: 8.26.2019_Episode_388.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 7:23pm EDT
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In the years we've been doing this show I think we've had a grand total of maybe 3 "text-only" posts and with this one being titled "Significant Announcement" I can imagine some of you might be a bit concerned over what you're about to read. With that in mind, I'm going to come right out and say No. We are not ending the show.

With that out of the way, and as the title suggests, we do have a somewhat significant announcement regarding the future of OMV: Starting this week, we are transitioning to a Bi-Weekly format. We're doing this for a variety of reasons, the main ones being that we think this will give us an opportunity to deliver a higher quality product to our listeners and also provide us with the time to work on some of the more complex projects we've been kicking around.

So. For the (roughly) first time in 387 weeks: There will be no new episode of OMV. We'll be back next week, though. And we'll have new episodes once every two weeks from here on out as well as some new, different content for you to enjoy in the near future.

As always, a massive thank you to those who choose to support us in our quest to shine the spotlight on amazing things and interesting people. This change might take some getting used to but we think it'll be worth it. Thank you so much for your continued support.

-Alex & Jr.

Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 6:44pm EDT
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I never knew how fascinated I'd be when discussing science and robots until we had Megan and Ali in the studio this week. To put it bluntly, I wasn't the smartest or most motivated child in the world so things like robots and robotics club were way outside my wheelhouse in terms of interests. Unless it involved video games or playing a guitar, I didn't want much to do with it.

I guess this is one of those "better late than never" situations.

With Ali being a veteran of the robotics world and Megan a promising up-and-comer; Alex and I got a crash course in the design, fabrication, and the culture of competitive robotics. We did our best to keep up, but it turns out there's a lot more to it than simply "build robot, drive robot, beat other robots" and over the next hour and twenty minutes you'll hear exactly what I'm talking about.

If you're just as enthralled as we were with Ali and Megan's world, maybe pull up the Google machine and see if there's any clubs or volunteer opportunities near you that could use your help. Who knows? You could be the next person to design the latest and greatest robot that *probably* won't take over the world.

Probably.

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 8.12.2019_Episode_387.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 8:03pm EDT
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I'm quite literally out the door to go table with some of my best pals at TerrifiCon today so this is going to be real brief. But I'd like to think there's a chance you're reading this because you just talked to one of us at the show and are now curious to see what the fuss is about so in that case:

Check out this week's episode where we talk with two of our most favorite people on this planet about their experiences at quite possibly the largest gaming convention in the country: GenCon!

Without giving away too much: They played an insane amount of games, won an award or two, and managed to survive four days at a show that makes most other conventions look like child's play.

Enjoy!

-Jr

Direct download: 8.10.2019_Episode_386.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 8:18am EDT
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SDCC has come and gone and in it's wake it left a massive amount of news, topics, and things to speculate about. A literal gold mine of content ripe for the picking just dying to be dissected and jammed into the faces of eager fans.

So lets talk about Fortnite!

Seriously though. There's a ridiculous amount of news from SDCC and I'm sure we'll get to that later on as things get closer to actual development. For now? We're gonna do a good, old fashioned "talk about random things we feel like talking about and hope you enjoy listening to it".

Sounds like a good recipe for success, right?

Anyway, this week we're talking about all insanity coming out of Twitch, Mixer, Fortnite, and Ninja in addition to a classic rant between two old dudes frustrated with the current and future state of streaming services.

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 8.1.2019_Episode_385.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 7:59pm EDT
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A few years ago we had the pleasure of talking with writer Todd Dezago at length about the massive project he was producing at the time, The Tellos Tribute books.  It was during this episode that we really got a feel for how much of an impact the late Mike Wieringo had on so many different artists and creators. The outpouring of support and creativity that resulted in those books is a true testament to how much Mike meant to his friends and colleagues.

Just a few months after we talked with Todd, The Baltimore Comic Con hosted the inaugural "Mike Wieringo Comic Book Industry Awards" aka "The Ringo Awards". Known as "an annual celebration of the creativity, skill and fun of comics", The Ringo Awards honor creators with categories that span the entire spectrum of comics both in print and digital format. This year is going to mark the 3rd annual event and the ceremony is set to take place during the 2019 Baltimore Comic Con in October.

Our guest this week, Randy Tischler, is a representative of the Baltimore Comic Con and is a crucial player in the setup and production of The Ringo Awards. He gave us an in-depth look into the history of the ceremony and what it takes to put on an award show where the nomination ballot is determined not only by industry professionals, but by the fans as well!

Nominees will be announced on August 21st and the official ceremony will be held on Saturday, October 19. As of this writing tickets to the awards are still available so if it's something you'd be interested in attending be sure to snag them quick!

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 7.25.2019_Episode_384.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 11:04pm EDT
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If I'm not mistaken, I believe ConnectiCon is the current record holder for "That convention that we've had the pleasure of covering the most times as a media outlet". This year's show makes it the SEVENTH consecutive time we've made the trip down to Hartford and after all the great times we've had in the past, it has some big shoes to fill.

Joining us for this year's recap is a longtime friend of the show and multi-time guest host Jess! Seeing as she's no stranger to helping us recap shows and she's been to almost every version of ConnectiCon that has existed, we figured this would be the perfect opportunity to take full advantage of Jess' knowledge and expertise. Plus, her and her friends put together a baller cosplay group:

So check out this week's jam as we desperately try to recap everything we saw, played, and experienced during one of the most exhausting 10+ hour days of the year. Will year 7 live up to the hype of previous festivities? Was the back breaking 10 minute trip to Hartford really worth it?? Tune in and find out!

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 7.17.2019_Episode_383.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 11:48pm EDT
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It's getting more and more difficult to come up with new ways of saying "our guest this week is a super talented artist and Alex and I are envious of them and their ability to create art, so we asked them to come and chat with us on our podcast". So far I have been able to manage, but I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel if you hadn't already noticed.

So anyway, our guest this week is a super talented cosplayer/designer who specializes in 3D modeling and prop making. He goes by the handle "Rocket Props" and in just a few days he's going to be taking the stage as a panelist at this year's ConnectiCon! After successful panels at previous PAX East and ConnectiCon events, Rocket is headed back to Hartford alongside Vee Cosplay and The Vulgar Seamstress to present their panel: Cosplay 101: Materials for Props, Cosplay, Gaming and more!

Tune in for some cosplay and design talk as well as come pre-ConnectiCon hype as we gear up for another year of anime, videogames, tabletop, and so much more. Be sure to follow Rocket on all his social medias and if you're in the Hartford area this coming weekend for the show you should consider checking out his panel!

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 7.9.2019_Episode_382.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 8:21pm EDT
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We've discussed The Walking Dead quite a bit over the last 380 episodes. So much that you could probably piece together at least a couple of complete episodes consisting only of Walking Dead talk and still have some material left over. Whether it's the latest issue of the comic or the recent crazy event that happened on the TV show, it's one of those things that has consistently merited discussion.

Admittedly, it's been some time since we last did a deep dive into the TV show. Alex still keeps up with the latest bits via Netflix but I dropped off 3 or 4 seasons ago. Turns out not having access to cable can really kill one's motivation to watch something on a consistent basis. It also doesn't help when that person is very lazy. But. The comic still makes an appearance on our show every so often, usually either in passing or because I can't keep my "holy sh!t" moments to myself. And this is where I get sad (and to the point) because after the issue that came out this week, an enormous double sized #193, The Walking Dead comic has come to an end.

Given that we've been talking about this comic/TV show since the very beginning, we found it borderline irresponsible for us to not talk about it. So we talked about it. And, as shocking as it may be, we managed to keep it mostly spoiler free. There may be some spoilery bits in there for those who aren't caught up yet, so it might be best to get up to speed before tuning in. But for the most part we used this week's episode to discuss and pay tribute to one of the most consistent and beloved books of the 21st century.

(Was that lame? That felt lame. But like, it's also kinda true? Whatever. I'm leaving it in.)

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 7.4.2019_Episode_381.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 1:23am EDT
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Alright. It has been a few weeks since we've had a new guest. Alex and I have (mostly) recovered from our respective vacations. It's time to get talkin' with rad people again.

This week we had the absolute pleasure of being joined by Eisner winning artist Georges Jeanty! With over 20 years in the industry, Georges' work can been seen in various titles such as Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Season Eight, The American Way, and Serenity: Leaves on the Wind just to name a few. In addition to his previous works, he recently ran his first Kickstarter which was successfully funded not more than 24 hours ago!

We knew right from the start that we were going to have a blast talking with Georges and we hope you enjoy our chat with him. Be sure to check him out at a convention near you, keep an eye out for future Kickstarted works, and give him a follow on the various social medias!

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 6.28.2019_Episode_380.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 11:55pm EDT
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It's Saturday Night. Alex and I are both in post-vacation stupors. It's time to talk about a headline or two in the world of comic books. Specifically one that involves someone we've never heard of getting the gig of a lifetime writing Spider-Man at the ripe old age of 20.

When I think back to being 20 my memories just consist of eating lots of Spaghetti-O's while watching an uncomfortable amount of Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law. So yeah, pretty much the same thing as writing comics featuring one of the most recognizable figures in entertainment history.

Now I'm just bummed out.

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 6.22.2019_Episode_379.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 8:34pm EDT
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The last week has been one of seclusion and happiness as I was wayyy up in Northern Vermont staying in a cabin on one of my favorite lakes. It was....very needed. My wife and I pulled into our driveway just a few hours ago and the post-vacation blues are hitting me real hard.

But.

We have a rad episode for you this week as Brett Kelley is in the studio for one of those rare back-to-back episode jams. We're taking a dive into the land of YouTube and what currently has our attention on that god forsaken yet sometimes beautiful website. Check it out and drop us some recommendations of your own in the comments below!

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 6.3.2019_Episode_378.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 6:27pm EDT
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Up until last week I had never been to Brooklyn, I had never been to a designer toy convention, and I had never seen 9 inch resin figures valued in quadruple digits. I had never seen live graffiti competitions, overweight versions of my favorite childhood cereal mascots, nor had I ever eaten a slice of pizza named after Hellboy.

But after attending the 2019 Five Points Festival...I can now say I've done all of those things. And more. So much more.

It had been far too long since we last covered a show with our very best friend Brett Kelley. So the three of us (along with ace photographer Babs Who Takes Pictures) traveled down to Five Points and scoped out the latest in designer toys, craft beers, kaiju figures, and enamel pins. Oh lord the pins. So many pins.

Check out this week's episode with Brett in the guest seat as we recap our experiences and expenditures at what could easily be considered one of the most unique and potentially expensive shows we've ever covered.

Photos can be found HERE.

Enjoy!

-Jr

Direct download: 6.3.2019_Episode_377.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 11:30pm EDT
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Five Points Fest is but mere days away and with it being my first year attending, I think it goes without saying that I'm pretty excited to be completely clueless as to what is going on. I'm still pretty new to the designer toy scene but after Jon and Alex's recap of last year's show, I've been looking to this upcoming weekend for some time now.

While researching and hashtag-jumping in preparation for the show, Alex came across a toy designer by the name of 3D Hero. We were both impressed with his work and seeing as he's going to be tabling front-and-center at the show this weekend, we thought it would be fun to talk with him, learn about his characters and designs, and generate a little hype for Five Points Fest. You can check out his work HERE and HERE plus if you're going to be in Brooklyn over the next 48-60ish hours, you'll be able to see him and his work in-person at the show!

Huge thanks to Hero for making time for us despite his insanely busy pre-con schedule. This year's Five Points Fest is shaping up to be a rad show and I can't wait to spend too much money there.

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 5.30.2019_Episode_376.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 9:48pm EDT
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Our guest this week is fellow podcaster, filmmaker, and documentarian Anthony Desiato. As the owner and founder of Flat Squirrel Productions, Anthony acts as host of the podcast "My Comic Shop History" and has numerous directing credits to his name. His most recent endeavor, the documentary "My Comic Shop Country" had Anthony traveling across the US visiting comic shops in 9 different states to give an in-depth look at the business, fandom, and community of comic book stores across America.

Tune in this week for a behind the scenes look into Anthony's journey and learn about his process, his experiences, and his thoughts on the current state of the American Comic Shop!

As always, be sure to check out his work and give him a follow so you can get updates on "My Comic Shop Country" and where you might be able to see it at a location near you!

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 5.22.2019_Episode_375.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 3:59pm EDT
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We have two returning guests this week; one from a little while ago and one from a littler while ago. Both, however, are most assuredly rad.

First up is author David (D.W.) Kann and he's here to talk about the latest volume in his "Lovecraft P.I." graphic novel series. Currently on Kickstarter, "The Curious Case of ReAnimator" takes another dive into the world of Supernatural Detective Agencies as Detective Ward Lovecraft tries to solve the mystery of a VooDoo cult deep within the infamous Black Swamp...

Spooky, right?

If you're reading this early enough, you might still have some time to check out the Kickstarter. Click the link above for more details!

Closing out the 2nd half of our show this week is Ellie Hillis because good lord did we have a great time talking with her just a few weeks ago. It seems our "Because Comics" topic couldn't be contained by a single hour-ish long episode so we took some extra time this week to put that metaphorical bow on some of the most insane moments in comics history. (For first time listeners, click the link above and check out Ellie's debut from a few episodes ago. It's worth it.)

And that's it for this week. Huge thanks to David and Ellie for being so gracious and making their return appearances. Be sure to give them a follow on the various social mediums and throw some love their way.

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 5.15.2019_Episode_374.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 12:06am EDT
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We haven't talked with writer/artist Rich Woodall in quite some time and that's just a travesty. If you were to grab a dictionary and look up "damn that guy is so f**king cool, talented, and insanely humble" you probably wouldn't find anything because that's more than one word. But in the OMV dictionary, you'd see a picture of Rich. Probably holding a raygun or something.

Being a creator of fantastical things, Rich is currently Kickstarting his latest set of books and if you're reading this within the next 20 days or so, you still have time to get your money in. This project is a little special, too because Rich has two separate books he's looking to print and there's a good chance at least one of them might be your brand. Looking for a legendary team-up between a raygun wielding superhero and a Dragon of the Savage variety? Or how about some creepy WWII horror featuring an enlisted werewolf? If any or all of that sounds great, Rich has got you covered. 

Check out our chat with Rich, click the links above for our previous chats and also for some info on his Kickstarter, and be sure to stop by his table if he's ever at a convention in your area. A chat with one of the coolest guys in comics is definitely worth your time.

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 5.8.2019_Episode_373.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 8:35pm EDT
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With the annual Free Comic Book Day quite literally upon us (like, it's today. Go out and get your books and support your LCS if you haven't already) we figured it was the perfect opportunity to talk comics. Now, this isn't the standard "Alex and Jayare talk about the same books they've been gushing about for the last 7 years." No, friends. This is much better.

This week we had the pleasure of chatting with Ellie Hillis. A graduate of Smith College, Ellie is a co-editor at Density Media, an essayist, and a comics historian who recently gave a talk at our local Nerd Nite called "That's CAPTAIN to You: The Evolution of Carol Danvers". It was at this talk that Ellie dropped the phrase "because comics" while trying to recap some of the more....problematic story lines of Captain Marvel's past.

And that got us thinking.

What are some other moments that are just so wacky the only way you can describe them is with a "because comics"? With the long and somewhat turbulent history of comics, surely there must be more, right?

So we reached out to Ellie, we put some lists together, and we put some microphones in front of our faces. The end result is an hour and twenty minutes of some of the most insane and inexplicable moments in comic book history. Because comics.

Enjoy!

-Jr.

 

Direct download: 5.2.2019_Episode_372.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 10:00pm EDT
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It's been a minute since we last had the opportunity to cover Anime Boston so when Vicky came to us asking if she could go on assignment and get all the juicy anime details straight out of the heart of New England- It was an easy "hell yes."

After a few hiccups with trains and hotels, Vicky was finally able to make her grand return to the Hynes Convention Center where she joined up with OMV fan favorite Colin for a weekend jam packed with cosplay, panels, and wig styling competitions.

If you're not doing so already: Be sure to give Vicky a follow on all of her various social mediums. Her cosplays are top tier and you'd be hard pressed to find a better person to attend a convention with. Big thanks to her and Colin for representing OMV once again. Maybe someday Alex and I will get our amateur asses out to AB. Until then it's a comfort knowing we're being represented by some of the best people out there.

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 4.27.2019_Episode_371.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 8:41pm EDT
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Last night we got together with some friends and played board games for like, many hours. While exchanging pleasantries over various drinks and snacks, I boasted to Colin that we, and I quote, "recorded a bomb ass episode this week" and proceed to feed him teasers of what we had in store.

Now I can stop teasing my friends because we did, in fact, record a bomb ass episode this week and now we get to release it to the world.

This week we were joined by Jason Langston aka JNL Toys. A veteran of the toy industry, Jason has worked for major toy companies (like Mattel) and and currently provides freelance work for those in need of his expertise. Due to Jason's vast knowledge of toys both new and old, it was just a matter of time until we dove down the rabbit hole of nostalgia and within minutes I was already making plans to rummage through my parent's storage to find my old Ninja Turtles.

Check out this week's episode for insights, stories, and behind the scenes info on Jason's time in the toy industry. We won't blame you if you have to pause the episode a few times so you can rummage through storage yourself. We know how important those old toys can be.

Enjoy!

-Jr.

 

Direct download: 4.18.2019_Episode_370.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 8:27pm EDT
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There's just something amazing about talking with people at length regarding the things they love. It can be fascinating when someone has a near encyclopedic knowledge of something. Weather it's Ken with fighting games, Colin with Spider-Man, or Matthew with wrestling; I could truly sit for hours and just fire off question after question while desperately trying to keep up.

Luckily for me, I have a podcast that affords me the ability to do this with these people very frequently. Hopefully they don't catch on to my ruse because I have no plans of stopping any time soon.

So anyways, WrestleMania was last weekend. And WrestleMania just isn't WrestleMania unless we talk with Matthew James about it and what do you know? He just happened to be in our studio this week.

Oh, and if it wasn't clear by now or from past episodes, huuuge WrestleMania spoilers ahead. Beware.

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 4.10.2019_Episode_369.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 12:59am EDT
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It has been a full week since we got home from the latest iteration of PAX East and I still don't feel like I have fully recovered yet. I'm not sure if it's because I'm getting old and these shows are taking a greater toll on my mind/body than they used to...or if it's just because we managed to make this one of the most eventful PAX-es in recent memory. Since I'm in the mood to deny I'm getting any older and I'm still as young and spry as I ever was, I'm going to go with the latter.

All joking aside, we did have one hell of a PAX this year. It was a record setting event in terms of both panels and games and we still managed to squeeze it all into a span of two days. Joe is back in the studio with us this time for our annual recap and I'm just going to warn you now: it's a doozy. We managed to jam an insane amount of content into a massive, 2 hour marathon of an episode and we're pumped for you to check it out!

Pictures can be found HERE. (Shoutouts to our man Bob from Dead Henchmen Productions for the camera hookup)

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 4.3.2019_Episode_368.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 11:15pm EDT
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First off, let us apologize for the late episode. There are a number of excuses we could throw at you such as:

  • We were at PAX?
  • PAX is in Boston. And Boston is far away from our studio?
  • um
  • I'm out of excuses.

So yeah. We're a little late with last week's jam but we're going to make it up to you with another episode later on this week. And then another one next week, and maybe even one more the week after that. Who knows, we might be able to keep that going for 7 years or something.

Anyway. We had some fun recording this episode for you and we hope you have fun listening to it. It's full of stories, tidbits, and histories all related to what some might call "Oh my god I f***ing hate this stupid day I need to just stay off the internet until tomorrow".

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 4.1.2019_Episode_367.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 6:38pm EDT
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Another revolution around the Sun. Another 52 episodes in the bank. 7 years later this damn podcast just refuses to quit.

No anniversary episode would be complete unless I get really sappy and say thank you to everyone. To all the guests, listeners, and friends we've made along the way: thank you all so much. I say it every year but this show would absolutely 100% not go on without all of you. You're the best and we hope we're able to find new people and things to talk to/about for years to come.

Per usual, Alex spent the last few weeks throwing together another amazing montage of our "best-of" moments from the last year and after getting to hear it a few hours ago I'm excited to say he killed it yet again. I don't deserve this man.

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Song Credits:

Exit the Premises Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Getting it Done Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

"Mechanical Steed" by Steampianist

Direct download: 3.23.2019_Episode_366.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 9:28pm EDT
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This week's episode is the direct result of a simple conversation at a convention almost 7 years ago.

Flash back to 2012 to the Hynes Convention Center at a show formerly known as "The Boston Comic Con". While wandering around looking for excuses to spend money I didn't have, I noticed Alex chatting with an artist and decided I'd go over and partake in some not-so-subtle eavesdropping. About 30 minutes later we walked away from this table, both with pages of original art in our hands and both of our wallets a little bit lighter. And both with huge smiles on our faces. 

We didn't quite know it at the time, but the two of us had just experienced one of the most memorable moments we'd ever have at a convention. And it was all because of this week's guest: the incredibly talented Jim Calafiore.

For those unaware, Jim is an artist who has worked on books like Leaving Megalopolis/Surviving Megalopolis, Secret Six, Red Lanterns, Exiles, and many more. A true veteran of the industry, Jim is as humble as he is talented and is always a welcome sight whenever we spot him and his ever-growing splatter-print collection at conventions.

Be sure to check out his website HERE and stop by his table sometime if you see him at a show. With convention season gearing up there's a very good chance you'll have your own opportunity to create some memorable moments you'll recall for years to come.

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 3.15.2019_Episode_365.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 12:29pm EDT
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After working in the book business for a decade people are sometimes shocked to hear I wasn't much of a reader growing up. I had my handful of favorite books: Hatchet, Maniac Magee, and Where The Red Fern Grows to name a few. But aside from the classics I really couldn't be bothered to read unless it was forced on me. That didn't stop my parents from buying me books now and then, especially during the Goosebumps craze of the early 90's. I had probably 6-10 different R.L. Stine titles including one unique one called Escape From the Carnival of Horrors. Unique, meaning it wasn't just your standard spooky story...it had a twist. As part of the "Give Yourself Goosebumps" series, it was advertised to have "over 20 different scary endings" and as the reader, you got to choose where you wanted to go next (usually ending in your untimely demise).

Admittedly, I never really "finished" Carnival of Horrors. I remember finding the end of a few stories but I can't say I ever completed every scary ending. We can probably blame my brother's Super Nintendo for that.

All of this rambling has a point, and I promise I'm getting to it. See, whether you were an avid reader or not, it's very likely that you've come across those "choose your own adventure" style of books at some point in your life. And for those currently nodding in agreement and longing for the days of your youth...we have something neat to show you.

Enter Ben Bishop. A comic artist and writer, Ben is the creator of the groundbreaking comic series The Aggregate. Billed as "A post-apocalyptic graphic novel with giant robots, organically engineered terrorists and spider-cats", The Aggregate is a split decision comic, meaning at certain points in the story you're going to be forced to make some decisions on where the story is going to go next. And it's rad.

Currently, Ben is Kickstarting volume 2 and within days he's already smashed his goal. Check out our chat as we learn more about these spider cats and the subtle art of wallpapering your house with comic art pages.

Enjoy!

-Jr.

 

Direct download: 3.8.2019_Episode_364.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 10:56pm EDT
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The internet is full of terrible things. Let's be real here, it can be a horrible place sometimes. But every now and then you can stumble upon something that makes the internet a better place. Something that you didn't know you needed, but now that you've found it you wondered how you went so long without it. This week we're talking about one of those things.

Alex and I have over 20 years of theme park experience between the two of us (Yes. Alex accounts for around 18 of those years but the numbers don't lie). And after 20 years in the business it's fair to say we (Alex) have seen and done most everything you could imagine. So when we stumbled upon @FakeThemePark and the hilarious yet painfully accurate satire contained within, it was love at first sight.

Created by former Universal Studios tour guide Jason Ginsburg, @FakeThemePark "is a fictional, unnamed park that combines all the best – and all the very worst – of Disneyland, Universal Studios, SeaWorld, and Six Flags. Its Twitter and Facebook accounts contain daily posts about the bizarre happenings in the park, from ride accidents to employee issues, parking problems to construction delays, holiday events to overcrowding, all in the cheerful tone of your average mega-park."

In other words, it's great. It's just great. And it's something that anyone can appreciate regardless of whether they've got 20 years of experience under their belt or haven't worked a single day in a theme park. You can follow the along with the daily happenings of @FakeThemePark by following them on Twitter and Facebook plus you can even purchase an e-book containing the craziest tweets and Facebook posts with all-new material, including a timeline of park history and the first-ever interview with all the Park Princesses by clicking HERE.

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 3.1.2019_Episode_363.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 11:52am EDT
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This week is about the little guys. The ones who spent their entire lives training and rising through the ranks of elite tactical outfits only to get destroyed in seconds by a literal god. The ones who have to clean up the messes when the superheroes have finished their business. The ones who don't have cool names, outfits, or superpowers. The ones who spend most of their days standing around guarding a door or playing Galaga on a tiny computer screen. The real heroes.

This one is for you, fellas.

We also talked about TV seeing as it's in our logo, on our business card, and tagged in every episode. So we figured it would be good to touch on some recent shows with our good pal and longtime friend of the show Mike D. And it was good.

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 2.23.2019_Episode_362.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 9:21pm EDT
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It's been a minute since we last talked about anything resembling RPG/tabletop gameplay. So we thought it would be a good idea to absolutely flood you with an hour of RPG/tabletop gameplay featuring two different guests running two different crowdfunding campaigns for their two different, but amazing projects.

First up is someone who may sound a little familiar as we had the honor of speaking to him a couple of years ago when we learned about the art of hand carved wood pressings. But now Drew Meger is back and he's here to give us the inside info on his new project "What Happened at Wyvern Rock?" and how he's managed to surpass his goal by over 200% in just a couple of weeks.

Following Drew and his High Strangeness Zine is a new friend and designer of his own wildly successful campaign. Tanner Yarrow of Yarro Studios launched his first Kickstarter just a few days ago but has already raised over $200,000 for his book of Immersive Battle Maps and he's showing no sign of slowing down.

As of this writing both of these campaigns have just about 2ish weeks left to go so if Drew and Tanner convinced you these are things you might need, you still have some time to throw some cash their way. Be sure to check out the links above and show some love to some rad and passionate creators.

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 2.14.2019_Episode_361.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 4:27pm EDT
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This is one of those episodes that was spawned purely off of a conversation that happened 2 hours prior to recording it. That's how you know it's going to be a good one.

While driving home from our pal Brett's art show at Comics N' More this afternoon, Alex and I had some time to reflect on some casual comic shop talk we had participated in. The premise was simple: some people think Cyclops is cool. Other people think Cyclops is not cool. Many valid points and verbal jabs later the joke was made: "Oh, well you're Cyclops apologist anyways."

Which got us thinking.

What characters within the multiple comic book universes are we apologists for? Also, what the hell does apologist mean?

The answers might shock you.

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 2.9.2019_Episode_360.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 9:32pm EDT
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Long ago, Zach was our guest when the news of "Batfleck" first broke. Three(ish) movies and multiple "Rotten" scores later, the Ben Affleck Batman-era has come to an end. It wasn't all bad. And it definitely wasn't all good. But it happened and now it's time to talk about it.

-Jr.

Direct download: 2.2.2019_Episode_359.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 10:02pm EDT
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Ok. So I made it to Texas and back without dying which feels like a win. Despite all of the things my brain was telling me in the weeks leading up to the trip, not one of the four planes I had to take off and land in crashed. So it seems everything is coming up Jayare these days.

With that out of the way we're back with our regularly scheduled programming. Joining us this week are two incredibly talented women who are currently making their mark in the YouTube world with their amazing makeup tutorial channels. Kae and Lauren aka "Killa Kae" and "Glamorous Massacre" are two artists who regularly work with Alex during the haunt season making people look beautiful and dead. Added bonus? They're also seasoned YouTube creators with dozens of tutorial and transformation videos under their respective belts.

Take a peek at their channels and maybe toss a like or two their way if you dig what you see. Maybe even subscribe if you'd want to see more? I'm not quite sure how YouTube works but from what everyone else says at the end of their videos it seems like subscribing is a good thing. So maybe do that, too.

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 1.26.2019_Episode_358.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 7:24pm EDT
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Friends,

I'm dropping part two of our Spider-Man extravaganza a little earlier than usual as I'm due to be on a plane to Texas in about 6 hours. I'd like to think this is a welcome thing as I'm hoping you're all eagerly awaiting the finale of our Spider-Talk, but if you haven't had a chance to finish up part 1 yet, don't worry. This will be here waiting for you once you're ready.

As expected, Colin is back with us and the SPOILERS for all things Spider-Man both past and present are pretty heavy this week. We hope you enjoyed our Spider-Themed two-parter as much as we did. Going back and reminiscing about all the old memories and growing up with the wall-crawler was a blast. Plus it gave me a good excuse to dig out this ancient hoodie from my early high school days. I mean, seriously. Check this thing out:

*thwip*

No one can say I didn't have amazing taste when I was 16.

Anyways, I need to get some sleep so I can have enough energy make it to the airport in a few hours.

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 1.12.2019_Episode_357.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 11:11pm EDT
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It's time to talk about Spider-Man.

We hope you're ready to listen to us talk about Spider-Man because apparently we had a lot to say. So much that we needed two episodes to contain it all hence the whole "Part 1" thing. Be on the lookout for part 2 later on.

We spent the majority of Part 1 discussing the recent, Golden Globe-winning "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" film and it probably goes without saying that this episode contains MAJOR SPOILERS. If you haven't seen it just take our recommendation and see the damn thing; then come back and listen to us. Even if you don't plan on coming back to listen just see the movie. You owe it to yourself.

Also, it wouldn't have felt right to have intense, in-depth Spider-Man discussion without Colin in the studio. As long as I've known the man he's been a constant supporter of the web-head and you'd be hard pressed to find someone able to speak as passionately about the character.

So yeah, it's time to talk about Spider-Man. Tune in next week for part 2 where the discussion continues and we expand into other Spider-Universes, both print and screen, old and new.

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 1.12.2019_Episode_356.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 12:38pm EDT
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This week Alex and I decided it would be fun to welcome our dear listeners into the new year with a nice round of "Wait, that was this year??" because for whatever reason 2018 was just one of those instances where everything felt like it actually happened 3 years ago.

And in a break from all the other "Best of" lists that you're probably being flooded with, we took a different approach and discussed the things we finally got around to in 2018. Everyone has those one or five or ten things they've been meaning to do/experience and Alex and I were no exception. Did Alex finally check out that TV show he's had in his queue for the last 4 years? Was I finally able to sit down long enough to watch that 3 hour movie everyone always raves about? Tune in to find out!

Anyway, 2018 is over. 2019 is here. Let's have some fun on 52 more episodes, shall we?

Enjoy!

-Jr.

Direct download: 1.5.2019_Episode_355.mp3
Category:Comics Movies & Videogames -- posted at: 10:14pm EDT
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