033 - Vapid Pirate Nonsense

MJ & Nath are coming in hot this week, with Nath teasing a brand-new look that may or may not have the fashion world on high alert.

Over in The Weird Files, the boys investigate a fake museum guide who's been taking "creative interpretation" to a whole new level, while The Aisle is packed with comic book banter, recommendations and the usual passionate discussion.

In The Re-View, there's plenty of sugar for Widow's Bay, with the boys continuing their love affair with the series. They also MAKE a big shout about an exciting new three-day event that has grabbed their attention.

But the real drama begins when MJ discovers Nath has been using a VPN. The result? A brand-new podcast warning system: "Vapid Pirate Nonsense", which will now be deployed whenever Nath reviews something accessed through his VPN. Whether it's fair, accurate, or completely ridiculous is up for debate.

New looks, fake experts, comic chatter and VPN controversy, it's another wonderfully chaotic week on the Pulp Culture Podcast.

All content © 2026 Pulp Culture Productions

Transcript

SPEAKER_07 0:21

Hey, welcome to the Pop Culture Podcast, your weekly dose of all things pop culture. I'm Nath.

SPEAKER_04 0:29

I'm MJ.

SPEAKER_07 0:30

And uh welcome back to another exciting episode. Uh before we get started, just want to let you know that we don't look like twins anymore because I'm not wearing glasses. So um I what I what I want to I I think I've worked out that you're Arnold Schwarzenegger and I'm Danny DeVito.

SPEAKER_04 0:53

Okay. I was gonna say you look 30 years younger.

SPEAKER_07 0:59

Well, uh look, let's go with that because we're uh we're on episode 33, so I'll I'll I'll take it. All right.

SPEAKER_04 1:08

All right, done.

SPEAKER_07 1:09

Yeah, absolutely. Uh we've got uh another really big uh episode. I I say that every week, but uh it just seems to be getting more and more and more, and uh as as the uh as the internet keeps turning, um so we've got all your all your favorites. So unfortunately, we need we don't have the moss isley mailbag this week, I believe, MJ. Um I'm sure all the uh the the the serial the Cyril uh uh appreciation uh fan club will uh be be quite upset about that. I know I definitely am.

SPEAKER_04 1:48

Yeah, I can see it on your face. Um no no uh it'll be back, it'll be back next week. Um just been a little bit busy to to get it all set up this week, but fact fact better than ever. He'll be back.

SPEAKER_07 2:01

Right. Oh okay. Well, anyway. Uh look, let's uh let's get let's kick things off. Uh maybe let's get into the bag. All right, MJ, I believe you got something from the bag.

SPEAKER_04 2:16

I do, yeah. And I've had some feedback from uh listener, um listener Craig, uh who we've heard from before. Yeah, no, he um uh the gist of his uh message is that um uh he's been watching Dead Evil Born Again, um and he caught up to uh the the part at the end where Luke Cage appears. Um and uh at my suggestion he got onto the Luke Cage series because I thought he would like it. Um uh listener Craig's a bit of a a music aficionado, uh to say to put it put it very lightly. Um, and uh a large aspect of the Luke Cage series, uh, aside from all the MCU stuff is is music.

SPEAKER_07 3:02

Amazing soundtrack.

SPEAKER_04 3:04

Yeah, amazing, amazing soundtrack. And he was um uh he says, uh, what I have loved the most is the actual musicians who play at Harlem's Paradise in Luke Cage. Uh Sharon, Sharon Jones, Charles Bradley, Gary Clark Jr. to name a few of the amazing acts. Uh the question he's got for us is what is our favorite musician cameo in a movie? Oh um and he said yeah, yeah, he he suggests a couple. Um, and he says his his favorites that he can think of are Ray Charles in the Blues Brothers.

SPEAKER_05 3:38

Um, that is a good one.

SPEAKER_04 3:40

Just the entire movie because the Blues Brothers has a whole lot of musical cameos, but Ray Charles is definitely a highlight.

SPEAKER_05 3:46

Yep.

SPEAKER_04 3:46

Um, he also suggests uh Alice Cooper in Wayne's World.

SPEAKER_07 3:51

That's hilarious. Yep, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 3:54

Yeah, so um any thoughts off the top of your head, Nate?

SPEAKER_07 3:57

Uh uh uh Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers in Back to the Future.

SPEAKER_04 4:04

Yes, yes, of course, yeah.

SPEAKER_07 4:06

He was he was great in that. Um, you also had uh, if I remember rightly, it was uh David Bowie in uh Zoolander.

unknown 4:16

Correct.

SPEAKER_07 4:17

He popped up.

SPEAKER_04 4:18

Yep, yep.

SPEAKER_07 4:19

Um, what about you, MJ?

SPEAKER_04 4:21

Uh I I've got a couple. Um, I I did a bit of a I did a bit of a search on the internet, um, just to see what the interesting thing is.

SPEAKER_07 4:28

Did I have any of those ones that you you had there?

SPEAKER_04 4:30

You you did, yeah. David Bowie is definitely on this on this list. Um, some of the other ones that the the interwebs uh threw up at me is um uh Billy Idol in The Wedding Singer, which I have to say is uh an amazing cameo. Yep. Um, yeah, he did a really sensational job in that. Um Dave Grohl in uh Tenacious D in the pick of Destiny. Um, you know, Dave Grohl Dave Grohl and Tenacious D sort of uh go hand in hand, so um yeah, there's no surprise there, but but but it was a good cameo. Yeah, um other ones they've got on the list. Um uh is uh Jack Jack White in Warcard, the the Dewey Cox story.

SPEAKER_07 5:15

Um yeah, I remember that. Yep, yep, yep. And that was the one with a send up, that was a send up film, wasn't it?

SPEAKER_04 5:22

It was, yeah. He was doing a um uh I think I've seen it once, but he was doing a a bit of an impersonation of Elvis Presley in that one, Jack White. Uh which yeah, no doubt went it went down well. Yeah, um uh this one's my personal favorite though, and this is this is one that that occurred to me. Um uh Huey Lewis in Back to the Future.

SPEAKER_07 5:47

Oh, of course, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 5:49

Uh Huey Lewis is one of my favorite musicians from the 80s. Um, I love Hue Huey Lewis in the news, and um, although it was short, I really liked his his cameo in Back to the Future as the um one of the the judges of the um the school dance uh auditions.

SPEAKER_07 6:06

I'm sorry, but you're just too darn loud.

SPEAKER_04 6:09

That's the one, yeah. Yeah, so I thought it was a really good question from listener Craig. Um yeah, really, really appreciated that. And I like the MC Youth link. Um and yeah, I just uh I uh would like um listeners and if they're um if they've got any other suggestions, because I'm sure there's more, like there's definitely been plenty of um uh music music musicians that have starred in movies. I'm thinking you know, Madonna and Dick, Dick Tracy. Um yes, uh what else are we what else have we got? You know, because there's certainly plenty of musicians turned actors, Whitney Houston in uh the bodyguard, uh David Bowie in Labyrinth. Yeah, but I I think the the spirit of this question is is more just you know sort of little cameos.

SPEAKER_06 6:55

Oh, right. I was gonna say mock Jackson Limwalker.

SPEAKER_04 6:59

Yeah, but um even if we open it up, um I'd love to hear what people um what their favorite uh appearances by musicians in movies are, whether it's as a starring role or or anything else, because um, yeah, I think it's a really a really fun uh way to to tie in a couple of different genres of pop culture.

SPEAKER_07 7:17

We'll definitely post it on our socials, and we'd love your feedback. You can hit us up on all our social shows under pop culture pod. Um, so uh, and we're also on YouTube, so feel free to leave a comment uh if you're watching this uh on on YouTube as well.

SPEAKER_04 7:33

For better or worse, we are on YouTube.

SPEAKER_07 7:36

Oh, I don't know if it's for worse. I think it's for good. It's for we we're using this for for good, not for evil. So um that's true. Very nice, very nice, very evil as very evil, yes. But uh maybe what we should do is maybe let's get into uh should we should we move on to maybe the zest?

SPEAKER_04 8:00

Let's do that.

SPEAKER_07 8:01

Okay.

SPEAKER_06 8:08

All right, couple of trailers this week.

SPEAKER_04 8:11

Um I I'm hoping that you might have some more. Again, I've had a very busy week, so my note, my notes are a little bit um lacking, but um uh I think the biggest one we had this week, I don't think we talked about this last week, was Spider-Man brand new day.

SPEAKER_07 8:26

No, this came out the day after um, or the day that that that this our last show uh went to air.

SPEAKER_04 8:35

I think I just got a I got a little bit confused because there's been so much buzz about it, like there's been so much uh conversation on um Instagram and and other places about this movie. Everybody's really excited for it, um, which is not at all surprising.

SPEAKER_07 8:48

Yeah, well it's on track, it's on track to do, I think it's like 130, 140 million US uh in its first weekend. So it's it could potentially be a billion-dollar film.

SPEAKER_04 9:01

So um got a lot going for it, that's for sure. Um, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_07 9:06

Some amazing stars and uh yeah, lots of we've got Tom Hollands and Dayard, Jacob Battalion, uh Sadie's uh Sadie Sink, uh John Burnt, John Bernthal, Mark Ruffalo. So we've got a fairly good uh and we've got a really good um uh idea of what this film is going to be about, too, which is good.

SPEAKER_04 9:30

Um I'm not I'm not so sure. I I I just have a feeling that there's gonna be a lot involved in it that that we're not privy to yet. Um yeah, I I think I think we're meant to feel like we know where it's going, but I'm not so sure that I'm not so sure that we should be so certain.

SPEAKER_07 9:48

Um no no, I I I think that we're gonna get a a lot of surprise and delight moments, uh, but I think we have an understanding of where Peter is and what's going on in his life and what's leading up to obviously something really big. The interesting thing that I I did uh heek is that Sadie Sink is in has um been booked to appear in uh Secret Wars. So Avengers Secret Wars.

SPEAKER_04 10:19

So that's the follow-up to Doomsday.

SPEAKER_07 10:22

That's the follow-up to Doomsday. Uh so I I mean she could very well be in Doomsday as well, but there's nothing there. But uh she's definitely uh credited to be in uh secret wars. Okay, so that kind of tips the scale with the prediction that it's possibly going to be um Jean Gray. Yeah, but I mean who knows at this stage? They've done a very good job. I think this is probably the best kept secret in in cinema since uh um Luke on your father, really.

SPEAKER_04 10:58

Why do you think that um it necessarily suggests that she might be Gene Gray, the link with Secret Wars? Do what do you what do you know you know about the Secret Wars storyline that I perhaps don't well?

SPEAKER_07 11:09

I mean I mean X-Men obviously play a really um key um part in in Secret Wars. Okay, uh and there is a uh you know I've uh Spider-Man does play a a really um you know key role as well. Um he pretty much leads that Secret Wars. Uh the uh I I think the thing is is that I mean unless she's some type of really massive villain that I'm not aware of, um it's yeah, it's it's it's all all roads point towards being Jane Gray. So I mean it's look, it's it's only speculation, of course, but um look if if if if she is, it's um setting us up for a new X-Men. Um because I we believe that there's going to be a bit of a change of guard with younger uh younger X-Men involved, um coming into Doomsday towards the end of Doomsday, and then into Secret Wars.

SPEAKER_04 12:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 12:12

Because after Secret Wars, I think it's um X-Men on their own and uh film and then moving into uh Avengers versus X-Men, which is interesting.

SPEAKER_04 12:24

That's crazy.

SPEAKER_07 12:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 12:26

So crazy, crazy how much stuff we've got to look forward to if that's the case.

SPEAKER_07 12:30

Yeah, 100%. And um so much looking forward to it as well. But um, yeah, look, it's it's it's definitely one of those um one of those films that's got everybody buzzing, and uh, I think it's um I think it's exciting that we're that we're getting uh another you know film with Tom Holland in it. He he's raving about about how you know this is probably his most favorite out of the three. So um and that says a lot for an actor to you know be sort of saying that. But look, we'll just we'll have to wait and see. We're not too far away. It's in July, so um, you know, get excited.

SPEAKER_04 13:10

Yeah, and between then and now we've got X-Men 97 coming back too.

SPEAKER_07 13:16

We're just so spoiled for choice. I love it. I love it. What other trailers you got?

SPEAKER_04 13:25

Um, the only other one that I've got written down is a totally uh left turn from Spider-Man brand new day. But um, I saw the uh trailer for Hexed, which is uh a new Disney animation movie that's coming out um Thanksgiving, so uh November that is. Um yeah, it stars uh Haley Steinfeld and Rashida Jones um as a uh mother-daughter um pairing the the daughter played by Haley Steinfeld's discovering that she's got which witch powers, which um opens her up to a uh a whole new world of um excuse the Disney Pun, but a whole new world of um uh uh you know witchcraft, magic, and different creatures. And um it looks like fun. It also has um voices by I think Stephen Frye. Um and uh who else did I have written down here? Oh Tracy Ellman as well. Um so yeah, really fun cast. Um, I just think it looks like fun, uh something to look forward to for later in the year.

SPEAKER_07 14:26

Yeah, definitely. I I I I did see the trailer for this as well. I think the animation looks great. Um and uh I'm I'm I'm interested about the story. It it seems like it's really good timing um around sort of the back end of um K-pop demon hunters, you know, with that sort of mystical magic sort of that's happening right now. Uh so so I think that that's probably a a a good time to to release something. Do you know if this is uh coming to theaters or is this going to streaming?

SPEAKER_04 15:00

Uh as far as I know, theaters, but I'm not I'm not um not a hundred percent certain about that. But um, I'd say with Riz Disney's reason recent uh track record, most of their movies seem to be going to to theaters and then onto Disney Plus.

SPEAKER_07 15:14

Yeah, right. Okay. Well, I mean, look, it's it's it's um it's definitely another, you know, let's see, see if it's a um it's if if it's a uh a swing and a miss or a swing and a hit for Disney.

SPEAKER_04 15:27

But um it looks like at the moment it just looks like a bit of fun. I'm a big Bailey Steinfeld fan. I think she's great. Um she's done some great you know voiceover stuff in the past um with uh uh Gwen Stacy, uh Spider Gwen in the Spider-Verse. Um you had any other trailers this week?

SPEAKER_07 15:47

Yeah, I've got a couple on my list um that that that sort of just sort of uh came into one that uh had just come out when uh the last show came out, which was uh Shrek 5. We got the teaser trailer for Shre Shrek 5.

SPEAKER_04 16:02

I saw you were excited about this.

SPEAKER_07 16:04

Yeah, so this is this this um seems a lot of fun. We've got uh we've got now got Shrek. Looks like they've uh done a very good job of um you know filling in the gaps for the years where we've got um Shrek with now teenage children, uh and uh they're on a another big adventure. Um Donkey uh in the trailer. If you haven't seen it, Donkey's super excited about going on another adventure, and Shrek's trying really trying to keep him at bay from getting so excited about it. Um but again, we've got a big cast, we've got Mike Myers, we've got Eddie Murphy, we've got um Cameron D Piaz Zendayas in it, uh uh Skyla Um Gazondo, is that how you pronounce his name? And um Marcelo Hernandez. Uh and I'm I'm I think that Zendaya, Skyla, and Marcelo are all uh playing the three teenage children. So uh that's um that's that's really exciting to to to have this uh big cast. Um have you seen have you did you see the trailer at all?

SPEAKER_04 17:15

I didn't know. I saw that you were hyping it up, but I I haven't actually seen it yet.

SPEAKER_07 17:20

Yeah, look, it's uh there's there's uh there's a great callback to uh another 48 hours uh with Eddie Murphy. So um and when you see that you'll totally understand uh exactly what I'm talking about. Uh but uh and there's a there's a couple of um really cheeky references to uh to Disney as well, which uh which I thought was great in this in this season. Yeah, absolutely. So um but uh if you haven't watched it yet, uh do yourself a favor, jump on and uh and and check out the trailer for that one. Uh the other one that uh the other that I thought was uh was worthy of uh of mentioning uh is um uh Clara and the and the Sun. So this is a new film from uh Wyka Tati uh Wyka uh sorry Taika uh Watiti. Uh sorry, Taika. Um here listen and watches the show. So um apologies.

SPEAKER_04 18:23

You landed you landed it, you landed it eventually, but the Yeah, eventually.

SPEAKER_07 18:26

It was a very bumpy ride, but but I eventually landed the plane. Um, so this is this is a really interesting one. This is sort of set into in a in a future, um, it's sort of a dystopian type type future where we have um uh it's yeah, it's it's it's really unusual. Uh I mean it's in typical sort of you know Tyker fashion. Um it's based on a novel um of 2021, uh very, very popular novel. Um I I'd never heard of it, but uh it's um uh there's a young girl in it who um who I think it's um it Maya Maya Tharia, I think her name is. Uh she she um convinces her mum, who is uh Amy Adams, to purchase a artificial friend. And then and the artificial friend is like a like a you know sort of synthetic robot um who's played by General Ote. Yeah, that's right, General Otega. Uh and uh so and uh but this this sort of artificial robot's a little bit malfunctioned and uh starts to have human emotions and um and sort of uh like I said, it's wacky and zany and very much up up Tyker's sort of you know um avenue. Um he both writes and directs this, uh which is which is great. Um, but it's also got um Natasha Leone in it, uh, and Steve Bassimi as well. So good class. Um General Otega, uh, I think is you know really trying to make uh different choices about the the roles that she's she's taking, uh doing a lot of different things and not pigeonholing herself into one particular stereotype of character that she's gonna play.

SPEAKER_04 20:24

Um reminds me of reminds me of the choices that Winona Ryder used to make back in the day.

SPEAKER_07 20:29

Yeah, that's a that's a really good um, yeah, that I I I would agree with that. Uh and then sort of once once they're sort of in that comfort zone, then they sort of stick to that. Um but yeah, I I I I I'm interested to see uh her in this. This is I mean, this is sort of the opposite scale of of her character in Wednesday. Um so lots of smiles and very vibrant and active and um you know uh no personal space and all the rest of it. So um this is um this is this it's like I said, it's a it's an interesting film, um uh from the trailer. But uh again, do yourself a favor, check it out. It's uh Clara and the Sun. So yeah.

SPEAKER_04 21:14

Great cast and a great filmmaker. So I'm I'm sure I'll be in the time.

SPEAKER_07 21:18

Yeah, but um we those those are it uh for trailers for me. Uh what about yourself?

SPEAKER_04 21:25

Um no, that's that's about it for for trailer news um for me this week.

SPEAKER_07 21:30

Yeah, uh what what uh what what other news do you have that that that you saw this week?

SPEAKER_04 21:35

Um well I've got and most of what I've got some more comics news. Um yeah, like uh um I mean the big news for me this week, um, as a Legion of Superheroes fan is that the Legion of Superheroes are going to be returning to comics.

SPEAKER_07 21:50

Um well again, DC have heard us. That's uh this is the second time this has happened, hasn't it? So it's true. Uh they're they're definitely watching the show and and and And listening, and um, yeah, this is this is great news. Um, I I bet you're very excited about that.

SPEAKER_04 22:05

Yeah, I am. I'm really excited. We'd heard um they've got three team titles um coming out in the next few months. Um, we'd heard about Teen Titans, we knew that that was coming. It's gonna be a Teen Titans team uh led by uh Jason Todd, aka uh Red Hood.

SPEAKER_07 22:22

But we're also getting such an odd one, right? This is um I I I don't know if I'd be if I'd be happy with uh with him uh being the uh the mentor for for the new for the new roster.

SPEAKER_04 22:36

As a Titans fan, I'm very eager to see um uh how it all works and and what the new roster's like. I know some of the characters, but not others, um uh as is often the way with a brand new Teen Titans start, but um I'm of course willing to give it a go. I love Red Hood as a character, so um I'll definitely give that a bash. But um uh I'm excited because it's got uh uh illustrations by uh Daniela de Nicolo, who um uh we most recently saw doing um uh Court, um Tom Taylor's series, The Children of the Round Table.

SPEAKER_05 23:14

Yep.

SPEAKER_04 23:15

Um uh so yeah, I'm I'm excited for that one. Um, but I'm also excited for the other uh titles that they're they're releasing. Obviously, Legion of Superheroes has been getting all the headlines. Um Hayden Sherman um uh is uh an amazing artist that's been doing spectacular work on um absolute Wonder Woman um and also Batman Dark Patterns. Uh you know, they're a fantastic addition to the the Legion um lineup. Joshua Williamson's been killing it um with his writing on multiple titles from the Energyon universe to Superman to other DC stuff. Um and yeah, the other title that's coming out is Doom Patrol, um, which I'm excited about as well.

SPEAKER_07 24:00

And they're and they and they're on they're they're for hire now, I believe.

SPEAKER_04 24:04

So um I haven't heard much about that one. I I've only seen some of the the artwork for a couple of the covers, um, and I like what I've seen so far. So um I'll give all three of those a go.

SPEAKER_07 24:16

Yeah, well, uh from my from what I read just just today, um it was uh that they're they're there for hire, so a little bit like heroes for hire. So that's uh that's uh an interesting take on the Doom Patrol.

SPEAKER_04 24:30

I can see that as a I can see that as a fit for the Doom Patrol.

SPEAKER_07 24:33

Yeah, it's a bit of fun. Um and um just just taking them in a in a in a new direction, right? So um it uh yeah, I'm definitely looking forward to that. Um any other comic news that you had?

SPEAKER_04 24:46

Yeah, the other news was that um uh I I think we've talked about Marvel's midnight titles um that are coming out. Um they're sort of the dark horror-inspired um titles, X-Men, Spider-Man, and Fantastic Four. Um, I was interested to hear that they're all being released on the same day later this year. Um, and they're the only Marvel, only Marvel titles being released that week. Yes. Um, so Marvel's clearing their whole slate and just releasing these three midnight titles, um, which I think is a really bold um and interesting move. I I think it's a really good way to it's a really good way to get everybody talking about them at the same time. So um, yeah, I'm excited for that. I think that'll be a really uh really fun day where hopefully everybody's reading those titles together.

SPEAKER_07 25:34

Yeah, totally, totally agree. I I did read a little bit of a synopsis about uh the Fantastic Four book. Uh and uh yeah, it sounds it sounds a little bit off the wall. We we got a a very basic graphic um of maybe what they're going to look like. So um yeah, that's it's it's definitely more. I think especially with the Fantastic Four, it's gonna be more body horror. Um with uh you know Mr. Fantastic and The Thing. And also Johnny. Um but yeah, it's it'll be interesting to see what that take is and hopefully hopefully it's it's it's um it it stands alone and doesn't stay in the shadow of DC's absolute because obviously right now that's uh being compared heavily um with with with the absolute and and that's what it's being referred to, right? It's Marvel's Marvel's absolute version.

SPEAKER_04 26:36

Um so I I think I'm I have to admit I'm I'm skeptical about whether it's going to do uh well. Like what I don't think many anyone can expect that it's gonna do as well as the absolute stuff, but yeah um it it does have its own, it does seem to have its own tone. I mean, the absolute stuff is not it's not they're not horror books, you know. There's there's a bit of um slasher horror in uh recent times with Green Arrow and that sort of thing, but um yeah, I mean uh the the the whole th theme of the absolute books I guess is uh edge and um you know making take making different choices uh storytelling-wise with those characters, whereas this seems more like a a horror take. Um I'll definitely read them all. Um I'm looking forward to to seeing what they do with them. I'm hoping that um it it captivates me, but um I I have to admit I'm a little bit uh skeptical about this, but I like what they're doing with releasing them all on the same day. I think that's fun.

SPEAKER_07 27:37

So yeah, and and like you say, it's a bold move, right? Uh doing taking all their other books off the off the schedule and uh and just just releasing three. Uh well look, I mean look, regardless, let's let's I would say that the uh the blind bags are going to be popular um for these ones, that's for sure. Um uh for me I've got a I've got a little bit of news. We'll probably have more news about this uh in next week's episode. Uh and we we have been leading up to this. We have been talking about um the uh the animation um international animation film festival um Anasi uh which has just started. Uh and uh so we're starting to get a little bit of news creeping in now. Uh and I would say we'll probably get some some footage uh later in the week. Uh but for now, um I've got a little bit of news that's coming out animation-wise. Uh, Warner Brothers are officially rebooting Thundercats, the Thundercats series, with a uh a new uh movie. Uh so I'm guessing that'll be a streaming movie. Um there's no details yet on how far in development they are or anything like that, but it was announced as part of their lineup um for for Annecy. Uh along with that, uh there is also a Powerpuff Girls movie, which is officially in the works uh at Warner Brothers as well. Um so they're really uh they're really dipping into uh to their properties now and um and uh doing some doing some stuff with that, which is really, really exciting. I mean, for me, I'm really pumped about Thundercats. It's been we had uh sort of a mid-2000s um uh reboot um which was uh which was amazing and and the art uh was done by uh the or the character design was done by Dan Norton, uh, which was which which was which was awesome. Um and it's a shame that it didn't get picked up for a second season because it was it was a a really great series. Um but again, you know, if the toys aren't selling, then the comic then the uh cartoon doesn't get made, unfortunately. Um uh other news that that that that has come out of Annecy so far is is that we're getting a uh a Secret Life of Pets number three. Uh and we're also getting uh Sing Umber Three. Uh so Matthew McConaughey um who uh who was the lead in in Sing. Um we're getting a uh a third third rendition of uh of that. And um so um so yeah, so looking forward to uh to to seeing what that looks like. Um another one that uh was was kind of piqued my interest a little bit is uh that Kiana Reeves is the star in a live action slash CGI hybrid Lego movie. Um that that's that's sort of come out of Annecy as well. And um, yeah, there's no real sort of uh information other than that Toy Story 4 and Transformers 1 uh director Josh Cooley is attached to that one. So um yeah, I I'm interested to see what that actually looks like. Um and what what role he's playing in the in that one. Um probably yeah, absolutely. I I'm I'm really interested to see what that what that kind of looks like. Um we we I mean the Lego movie we have seen um you know the cross between CGI and live action, um, with the likes of having Will Farrell and his kids and you know that type of thing. So um I can imagine we're gonna get something along those lines, or will it be something a little bit different? Um probably the most exciting news that that that's come out of Annecy so far is that we're getting a uh a Lucky Luke um uh uh film. Uh and for those of you who um who have listened to the show in the past, um you know I'm a I'm a massive fan of um uh of of Lucky Luke and um you know the recent uh works by Matteo. Um and uh so I'm I'm really excited about this. Um this is called Lucky Luke Rides Again, um and it's a 3D animated feature. Uh and uh so yeah, it's it's it looks like it's gonna be pretty cool. I've seen uh um one uh one oh no, actually it's not rides again, it's lucky Luke in what welcome to Fanger Town. That's what it's called. Sorry. Um where they're they're um production in the they're in the second half of production at the moment, um, and their release is planned for 2029. So it's still got a long way to go before um before it's it's completed. Uh but uh yeah, look, it it looks like um you know just the the still that I I saw looks looks fun and um very much in the in the in the heart of of of what you would expect from a lucky Luke um you know sort of feature.

SPEAKER_04 33:18

Yeah I haven't I haven't read any of the Lucky Luke um books. I intend to um based on yours and and some other feedback that I've had. Um but the the the still image that they they released did look great. Um so I I think that'll be exciting.

SPEAKER_07 33:34

Yeah, yeah, I I I think so too. Uh in in more news uh talking about reboots, um the Robocop reboot is finally happening. Uh so we mentioned it uh a couple of weeks ago on the show. Um, but I have a little bit more information. So Amazon um MGM uh uh are producing this uh show. Um and uh that uh James Warren, um, you know, who's uh horror master, um is uh is he's gonna be directing key episodes. Um uh filming kicks off uh next January, and uh the show will feature a new cybernetic officer um named Mark Kyle, uh who is mentored by the original Alex Murphy. So this is kind of a changing of the guard series by the sounds of it. Um, but look, I I'm I'm I'm just grateful that we're getting another um Robocop series. So I think that will be um I think that'll be a lot of fun.

SPEAKER_04 34:44

So I'm excited for that too. I really enjoyed the original Robocop movies, and I actually really enjoyed the the reboot film that was made as well. Yeah, agreed. I thought it was was was a really stylish and great fun. So yeah, uh more RoboCop, bring it on.

SPEAKER_07 34:59

Yeah, agreed. Um uh in further news, um, and you know, Dungeon Crawler uh Carl fans will be um pleased to to hear that um there is a uh a TV series coming. Um it's being produced by uh Seth McFarlane. Uh so uh I can imagine that that's gonna be pretty off the wall and and a little bit crazy. Uh I don't know if we'll get anything um now. Um we'll probably see something uh coming up at uh San Diego Comic-Con, uh, which is quite a number of weeks away. Uh so um, but I I think we'll we'll see some more information about who's attached to that, maybe some stills of what that's going to look like, etc. But um, you know, that's that's kind of been a bit of a phenomenon for for the book um and the property. And uh so uh, you know, uh Levi Kleman, who we spoke to on Pop Culture Plus, um he uh massive Dungeon Crawler fan and uh Carl fan, and he uh he has been doing some official uh artwork for them. Um so uh yeah, this is this is a this is a really um you know it's good that they're jumping on the property really quickly while it's popular. Um and uh yeah, so I'm looking forward to seeing what that what that looks like for uh for fans. Um we were talking about uh Star Trek uh and how we think that it's probably gonna go away for a little while. Um but uh it's looking like uh a uh a sequel has been confirmed uh at this stage. Um it's it's it's actually gonna be happening as a comic, but this is going to be uh a sequel to Picard, which will be following the adventures of uh Seven of Nine. Um so uh so this is this is a follow-up series in in comic form um for Seven of Nine from the end of the Picard series. So um so that's that's pretty cool.

SPEAKER_04 37:08

Um still be still be waiting for more news on where it's gonna come back to live action TV or movies.

SPEAKER_07 37:15

Yeah, it it it it really is an interesting one, and it's and you know it's a it's a bit like Doctor Who, unfortunately. They don't they don't really know what to do or how to how to how to do it well, and um and so uh you know I I would rather it be on hiatus um and then come back and do it well than continue it on the path, you know, and not do it right.

SPEAKER_04 37:37

So I don't I don't mind them taking a break, but um just not for too not for too long.

SPEAKER_07 37:42

Yeah, yeah, yeah, not for too long anyway. Um it was um uh uh I I got that brought this to my attention from um friends of the show, the um Reluctant Adult podcast. Um, but there's uh been a a uh a San Diego Comic-Con um exclusive for Mattel. Um and we'll post it on our social so you can have a look. Um they're releasing a rock and wrestling. So for those of you who might not know, rock and wrestling is uh was a cartoon uh back in the 80s, um, and it had all the uh the WWF uh wrestlers. I mean they are WWE now, but at the time they were WWF. And um and this is going to feature, which is really, really interesting choice. They're they're having uh Cindy Lauper, Captain Lou Albano, and Rowdy Rock Roddy Piper as the as the three exclusive figures uh that uh that that Mattel um and that's getting a huge amount of buzz for San Diego Comic Con. Um and um for those that might not know uh there was a time when uh they were uh really trying to raise the profile of wrestling, and so they were um sort of mixing uh the wrestling with pop music, and uh and they got um uh Captain Lou Albano was a was a wrestler and they got Cindy Lauper to be uh his uh his manager. And uh this was at the same height of City Lauper when she had just done uh Girls Just Want to Have Fun and was moving into doing uh the uh the the the theme song for for Goonies, um, which he actually featured in both of those um as as the father.

SPEAKER_04 39:33

So uh so great music video for the Goonies.

SPEAKER_07 39:37

Yeah, absolutely. Um and iconic track with Girls Just Want to Have Fun. So um look, this is this is very this is very left of center. It's really nice to see that Marvel Creations have done something with this. Um and uh um yeah, we'll like I said, we'll post it on our on our socials uh so you can have a look at it. And um, but yeah, you can um you know follow along with us uh on our socials under Pulp Culture Pod. Um and uh, you know, at any time, feel free to chime in and let us know um, you know, your thoughts on anything that we're sort of talking about now or uh anything that's uh that's actually coming up.

SPEAKER_04 40:20

Um look, this is we we need attention.

SPEAKER_07 40:24

Yeah. Sure. Okay, no worries. Um the only other thing that that that that I I is worth of mentioning, and I'm hoping that we'll uh be able to talk more about maybe seeing some um some some some imagery uh which is the uh Batman Nightfall series, which is uh coming out starting uh later on this year. Um it's a four-part uh movie series uh that that that will uh the features a a fairly um prolific, I would say prolific storyline for for for for Batman. Um and uh it um and and I believe that the rating it will be a USR rating. Uh so that's uh that's an M15 plus for Australia. Um so obviously that sounds to me like it's gonna be ultra violent. So um so I'm really looking forward to to that. There's they're not they're not gonna they're not gonna muck around here, so which is which is fantastic.

SPEAKER_04 41:30

Um some some of the Batman animations have done that in the past, and um, I guess off the back of uh something like Invincible, that's probably not a bad way to to go. Um a story like Nightfall where you know so much brutal stuff happens, um, and and it's it's a real real game game-changing storyline. So I'm really looking forward to that.

SPEAKER_07 41:52

Yeah. Um the only the last thing that I wanted to wanted to mention in the news um is uh that uh and and I'm I'm really excited about this. I I'm I'm a big uh Studio Ghibli fan. I know that you you've enjoyed you know studio Studio Ghibli as well. Um but the BB BBC Studios is developing um and I think that this is this is coming off the back of uh the popularity of the likes of um live action avatar the last airbender and also One Piece. Um but BBC Studios is developing a 10-episode live action TV series adaption of Kiki's delivery service. Um so each episode will be about 30 minutes. Um and yeah, at 10 episodes each and I think this is so so exciting. I it's um in my top three um uh studio Ghibli um films, and um so I'm really really really excited to see what they're gonna do and how they're gonna do it. It's it's that's it's amazing.

SPEAKER_04 42:59

It's a gap in my repertoire, that one. I haven't seen it.

SPEAKER_07 43:02

Yeah, it's super cute. Um it's uh it's about uh it's about a young girl who is who's a witch, and this is kind of a bit of a theme tonight, talking about witches. Um she's uh she's a young witch and part of her part of her um her journey to become a witch, she's obviously a good witch. She has to move from home and live um on her own um for a period of time. And so she moves to a neighboring town, a seaside town, uh, and gets a job. Uh and she she starts her own business, so to speak, as being a delivery service. And so she flies around on her on her broom with her um with her cat, who's very opinionated um and uh and and and delivers to the townspeople and um you know in true studio ghibli fashion, um, has some really amazing adventures. with um amazing uh animation and and backgrounds.

SPEAKER_04 44:05

Sounds great. I've definitely seen clips and that sort of thing. I'm I'm you know familiar with the the film but um yeah I will I'll have to add it again to my long list.

SPEAKER_07 44:17

Oh definitely it's um it's it's it's it's worth a worth a worth a watch that's for sure. Um but uh you know uh we tell us um you know what have you uh what's your favorite studio Ghibli um film we'd we'd love to know about it on our socials under Pop Culture Pod which which one I mean which are the ones that you've seen which which is your favorite um my my favorite's probably princess Mononoke yeah yep that's a great one too probably followed by Howl's Moving Castle yeah it's it's it's hard for me i i have a a really soft spot for poco rosso um uh which I just I I love um I find that a real good comfort film to watch um but uh I you know and it's hard because I've then got Spirited away and then House Moving Castle and so yeah it's really difficult to sort of you know it's like asking to choose who's your favorite child um spirit spirited away is amazing too yeah I don't want to momentarily slipped my mind but yeah yeah um but I I I sort of keep those on the on the same the same level as uh you know uh how's moving castle and spirit away are very very much of the same sort of you know caliber.

SPEAKER_04 45:37

Well you know what you know what they say about Ghibli films is um one of the good things that you you you don't have to um choose between them like you do with your children. No well yeah anyway um and unlike your kids you can have more than one favorite.

SPEAKER_07 45:56

Well this is true this is absolutely true but uh yeah tell us um what uh who's what's your favorite studio Ghibli film and why we'd love to know about it. Um uh before we get into the anything else I I think it's uh time for uh your favorite show I know it's definitely my favorite show um which is uh the weird files let's get it over with oh come on well you know what I I I thought that yeah I thought that you know I would save you the the the the the brain cells of actually having to choose uh this week oh so you're gonna force one on me so I'm gonna force force one on you but I think you'll enjoy this one I think I I I really do believe that you'll you'll enjoy this one uh I think I think there's there's a slim chance that that is is accurate. Well I know you like museums right I know you like to visit a museum I know you like to visit an art museum uh and you you belong you belong in a museum I almost thought you were gonna say a zoo but you know that's fine um uh I I I've I I have kept uh the two from last week but I've chosen one in particular um and I'm going with uh fake museum guide uh so uh here we go unfortunately we're not set in Florida this week um we are set in another location which is uh Boston does Florida have museums uh yeah I probably Gator Museums um that's probably what it is but uh I I feel bad I I shouldn't but I do feel bad about that one I apologize Florida I I know I know you've got museums um but uh yeah this I I think this is uh this one's in Boston uh so uh so uh yeah here we go so a uh a Boston man what's that well I'm not gonna keep keep using the accent I'm just gonna leave it at that just just try one more time try and say Boston one more time Boston that's still bad yeah okay uh a Boston man was arrested after allegedly spending three weekends posing as a museum tour guide and uh confidently making up elaborate stories for unsuspecting visitors authorities say that the man purchased a lanyard online wore a dark sweater and simply began leading groups through the museum whenever whenever actual tour guides were occupied uh according to investigators visitors never questioned him because he spoke with what one guest described him as aggressively educational confidence okay speak with confidence and everyone will believe you uh among the stories the man allegedly invented was uh a 17th century portrait was supposedly the first known selfie one landscape painting was said to commemorate a squirrel uprising a royal family portrait uh allegedly depicting the inventors of brunch an oil painting of a horse was described as Europe's first celebrity influencer uh the museum staff began to uh it became suspicious after guests repeatedly asked where they could learn more about the great croissant rebellion of 1682 do we know whether he's he's he got a prison sentence for this or uh well i'll keep going uh when confronted the man reportedly admitted that he wasn't employed by the museum but argued his tours were far more entertaining than the real ones no doubt uh police escorted him uh uh out after he allegedly attempted to begin a lecture titled the secret government of historical ducks several guests later demanded refunds when they discovered none of the none of it was true while uh while there are others that asked when his next tour would be I want to know when he's starting a podcast that's fantastic like um yeah like I said you like museums I know you go to museums and uh I I I think this is this is a lot of fun um I you know I thought you'd enjoyed this one no i i do i do like that one i i i really hope that um in sentencing him the judge sentenced him to you know run a um a high school improv group or something like that because he's obviously got a lot he's got a lot of skill there and he's got a lot to give yeah he he just yells at no you're out of order so okay that's that's that's a good one all right that that's won me over this week yeah well you know uh it look if you if you haven't learned anything from from from this particular weird files is this if your your aggressively uh educational confidence is there then uh then then you'll get everywhere in life okay so it works in museums just like it works in politics everyone will believe you everyone will believe you um so the the evidence is there so uh so yeah that's it for the weird files but uh we hope you've uh you've enjoyed that one uh if you have a weird files definitely uh definitely hit us up on uh socials under uh pulp culture pod uh I'd I'd love to read out any any ones that you you find for me um you know and that that also goes for you mj I mean feel free to just you know if you want to find one and give me one um I'm I'm happy to to read out one of yours um it's it's not just just just me you know carrying the load that's for sure acknowledged yeah okay no worries uh shall we open up the tomb yes we should all right well it's been a it's been a few weeks since we've uh went since we've last spoken about uh the tomb and uh and uh we're at the moment uh while it's a bit of a lull with news while they're in pre-production for the mummy four uh we're revisiting uh or you are I'm revisiting the uh the mummy the animated series yes uh which was which was done in the what late nineties I think it was um uh yeah late late late nineties early two thousands early two thousands uh it was early two early two thousands because it was around about the time of the mummy returns oh that's right it was two you you are I think it was like 2002 yep that's right um so we're looking at uh episode three is that is that correct we are we uh episode three it's called against the elements against the elements yes yeah yeah it was a a a a really uh good episode introduced some new characters none of them human yeah yeah isn't it isn't it funny how because they were looking for uh the scrolls oh it was it was a diet was it diary diary of alexander the great yeah something and and and and they just happened to be looking there at the same time imateb just happened to be there looking for the same thing yeah so I I I love how it's it's a it's a it's a situational um uh uh uh event each each each episode that they that one of them just is is there doing something and then the other one just happens to turn up at the same time um so which is uh which is always fun um yeah no they're they're they if they if they just join forces and and work towards the same end um that they'd have a much more har harmonious and relaxing time or it'll be a lot shorter the series right well or possibly less I'm not sure um yeah no it was a good episode I like that um we got to meet uh um I've forgotten his name the yeah yeah their their son what's his name alex alex um we got to meet we got to meet Alex's new pet the pet mongoose that he calls Tut Yep um uh and and we got a whole lot of different new enemies as well um we got water dragons um wind demons do you remember the wind demon wind demons yeah yeah that's a pretty amazing animation happening there with that wind demon well yeah they they they were on cutting edge cutting edge uh technology there yeah for for for those who haven't seen it the wind demon looks a little bit like um a really bad drawing of a a tornado with a face that that that reminds me of Cyril in um you know Moss Lusley mailbag all right okay trying to give Cyril a bit of a break he's had a rough few weeks um but we also we also had um I really thought the fire dogs were cool yes they they were awesome they were awesome although I wasn't quite sure about all of the physics with the fire dogs um yeah that they they seem to be made of fire but also sort of solid um you know they could be impacted by like thrown rocks or something and um we also got the introduction of uh the character Ardeth Bay who um is played by in the movies by Oded Fair yes um so we saw him in the first one very very briefly very very briefly but he he played a much more significant role in this one yes he did really got his hero on yeah he did so yeah no I enjoyed and we will see more of him now um that he he he played a uh a more feature uh in in in episode three which is all right spoilers oh sorry about that no i i and I kind of figured that that would probably be the case but still ruined it for everybody ruined it for everybody yeah well for me anyway um yeah so that's that's uh that's our review of um uh of episode three against the elements um yeah some cool new monsters uh a a fun new sidekick pet uh yeah no that that that's uh the the end of the end of my review unless you've got anything else to add no i i I think that's that that's everything for for me uh why don't we uh why don't we take a break and uh we'll be back after this uh very short commercial let's do that I can mutant mutants introducing multiple talking superheroes and maximum three separately some black of it is let you control what they say and do everything multiple talking superheroes and maximum eats all separately from toy bears and there you go from toy how have I never seen those before aren't they amazing I want one of each I'm sure you can pick them up for a for a pretty penny I'll have to um get along to the toy fair at the the showgrounds in August yes absolutely the uh the the D Fm Toy fair that'll be um very very exciting event but we'll talk more about that in the shout for sure uh let's um let's let's let's get into the to the aisles shall we let's do that all right uh what have you been reading what have I been reading oh I've I've actually read heaps so uh so for for those that are uh are are watching the show uh we uh I uh had uh had eye surgery last week uh and uh I now can see without classes which is amazing um and so I've taken full advantage of that and we get to see more of your face which is uh which is really just which is great I'm so sorry everyone um but uh but yeah I uh but so yeah so I've I've had that and uh it's uh it's it's amazing so I've I've taken full advantage of that and I've been reading uh heaps and heaps and heaps uh so what I have been reading uh this week is um I'm just gonna pull up a couple of visuals uh for those that are watching uh for those that are uh are listening in you'll just have to uh uh listen to uh my Dulcet tones uh but uh this week uh I've been uh reading uh the uh uh green arrow uh number two uh and uh absolute green arrow absolute green arrow number two um so which is which has uh been a lot of fun um I'm I'm covering your face there MJ so you'll just have to I noticed that to dodge around that how convenient uh but uh I'll uh I'll work out how we can put it put put put that between us uh going going forward as as I'm forever learning here at the podcast absolutely yeah yeah forever learning uh so this is uh this is done by uh Paul Shack Pinochet and Raphael Albuquerque uh and uh and Dinah is investigating one one of the suspects on her list of DC archers uh and uh yeah it's just as messed up as the first issue I would say um and leads us to no real clear conclusion by the end of it at all just just the way we like it yeah absolutely um there was a really interesting uh removal of character in this in this particular issue um which was a bit of a surprise um but again i i i I'm not expecting it i i i think that any but I think everybody's fair game except for diner at this stage on uh in in the absolute green arrow um book yeah totally um did you like the the slide of hand that they did in the first few pages yeah um yeah i i i thought that was great um yeah that they had me for a second and then i and then i shook my fist in the air and said darn it yeah you you tricked me there but um you you love a good dream sequence right oh it was great yeah yeah i mean i i part of me knew that that was what it was but at the same time um they're such good storytellers they they had me running for a minute there but um yeah yeah yeah and i'm really enjoying absolute green arrow and and and i kind of don't want to know who it is right till the very end um yeah i love i love the i love the sense of mystery and and i love not knowing it's um a blissful ignorance in this case yeah a hundred percent uh so so that's that that's one of the ones that i've been reading uh again reading a lot this week uh one of the other ones that uh that i've read uh this week is uh transformers uh number 33 yeah uh have you uh have you have you read this one uh yet mj i have yeah okay so this is this is a really interesting one uh it's it's written by uh rober kirkman uh as as always uh and but i i do have a concern that we've got two artists on this on this uh issue uh where we've got mike spicer and and jason howard both are really good artists so i'm not too sure what's what what's going on here whether this is a uh a handover to future app uh issues where we're gonna have one of them um my spicer's been doing a lot of the um a lot of the colouring uh so it's good to see him uh it sitting in the artist chair um but i always worry when we've got two two artists especially on such a big book um this one in particular is uh it it's still very very rosy and very very nice at the moment on earth uh with the new team of Autobots um who remain on earth um under Optimus's uh leadership um the good thing is we we also saw uh wheeljack has started uh an investigation into one of the Cybertronian shards uh which is in the Pacific Ocean um and we got a really big reveal at the end which I was really excited about um what what's what's your thoughts on on on this book um I I really enjoyed it I enjoyed um uh sort of revisiting with the well well Autobots or the former Autobots that are that are left on Earth.

SPEAKER_04 1:03:48

Um I have to confess I I didn't realize that there were two different artists in play there and so maybe that's just um yeah maybe that's just me not knowing those artists and their various um uh quirks um so well as you do but um yeah I I I didn't even notice it seemed pretty seamless to me yeah yeah I I again I mean I look it it wasn't it wasn't um it wasn't jarring like you know like sometimes when we get too very competing and and I I I definitely noticed the difference here you you probably if you go back and you have a look at the book you'll probably see where we where where we feature the Decepticons you'll notice there's a different artist because it's a there's a style there.

SPEAKER_07 1:04:34

But because we've had that style feature quite prominently throughout the book um it's probably why you didn't notice the difference um like I said everything is very it's it's it everything's through rose coloured grasses with the with the Autobots on earth at the moment I think we're leading up to a big uh issue 35 uh I think 34 we'll probably have a revisit with the Decepticons and then 35 we'll we'll probably see something something major um just being an anniversary issue right yeah I suspect you're right and um and I hope you are too um I think that that that sounds good. Yeah uh look I'm I'm yeah it's a massive lead up and and I think that they're they're doing a great job um you know with the book um Kirkman is just he's just a powerhouse of a writer and you know so loyal to the brand but just bringing a new flavor and I think it's it's always fun to read.

SPEAKER_04 1:05:31

It's definitely interesting um uh uh talking with other Transformers fans during the last couple of weeks um there's plenty of people that feel the same way that you do about um the recent storyline changes um but there's but there's there's also those that feel a bit like I do and and are excited by the the shakeup um and seeing where it goes um but it but it it is interesting how the the current storyline kind of has um divided fans, I think in a similar way to the way that the Autobots have been divided in the comic, which I think is really interesting. You know, that there's sort of there's factions uh amongst the readership that mirror the the the factions in the story and I think that's kind of cool.

SPEAKER_07 1:06:16

Yeah oh look I I I agree with you. I mean it it's um I I think after our conversation that we had originally a couple episodes ago um you know I've sort of just I've just sort of come to the to the realization that that that it's not it's not my it was my 1980s Transformers when it first started but it's now my 20 and 20 you know six Transformers now right you know we've we've we've we've we've moved from the 80s into the into the modern era um and and and everything is on the table you know uh there's nothing that that that that that's off the table when it comes to storyline now and um we've just got to trust that that what that process looks like and what's going to happen going forward.

SPEAKER_04 1:07:02

It's it yeah it's it is it's I mean we've all got our our things that we we sort of like um we we we we've we've all got our ways that we like our toys to be in place. Yeah um yeah another conversation I was having in the comic shop um earlier this week was about um uh Matt Fraction's Batman yeah um and not just Matt Fraction's Batman but um basically all Batman since Tom King and since um you know the big twist with Tom King was you know Alfred's death yeah um and and and I was talking to them about you know how it's it's it it doesn't really sit well with me that Arkham Asylum kind of doesn't exist in the comics now we've got you know Arkham Tower yeah um it doesn't it doesn't super sit well that me with me that Wayne Manor is no more and and yeah you know Bruce and the Batcave and none of that's um you know I don't love that like I on one level I love the fact that they've shaken things up but at the same time you you kind of like to have certain ones of your toys in place yeah um you know when you went when you play with these things. So I totally get it. But but I think it's it's also kind of a good thing. And I always need to remind myself particularly with that Batman example I can always go back to plenty of stories um not just in comics but in animation and movies and other stuff where all of those things uh are in in the places that I feel comfortable with with them being yeah um and so I don't think there's any harm in in in shaking things up because you can always go back to the other stuff but um yeah I just think it's interesting um with Transformers in particular at the moment I I I like the the the juxtaposition or the the the comparison between the the story and and and how it's uh positioned the readers I think that's really cool.

SPEAKER_07 1:09:03

Yeah no totally agree with you the last one on my list is uh is uh uh Ben 10 uh number uh two um and uh uh we as we've spoken about in previous episodes uh I'm actually uh reading this uh as a digital version uh this is uh coming to me uh via the uh comicsology as well as a VPN um so I'm reading it straight from the US uh so that's how I'm able to access it uh just just uh just uh a point of reference uh I heard that Ben 10 number two is completely sold out um it's it's actually sold uh twice as much as as the first issue has now in the US so I think it was like 82000 copies were sold in the first for the first issue and I believe it's a hundred and sixty five thousand or something or other for the second issue. So um imagine how man imagine how many uh they'd be selling or they would sell right over over this silly uh nonsense that we we mentioned uh way back in I think it was uh uh maybe issue 29 uh sorry episode 29 or 30 um definitely go back and have a listen to that if you if you're interested to know what what all the what all the fuss is about um stay tuned to this episode because we'll be talking a bit more about it later too yeah absolutely um with uh with regards to ben 10 uh issue too uh this is coming out from dynamite comics this is probably probably their biggest um biggest property right now um it's uh it's written by Joe Casey who's part of man of action who created uh the uh Ben 10 series uh uh and it's uh and and the artwork's done by Robert Carey again um this one is uh sort of um uh coming back from from the first issue where Ben's now on the run from uh the US Army uh while he's trying to control a very uncontrollable uh omnitrix um unlike the cartoon series where he would he would you know uh select an alien and um it wouldn't necessarily be the one that he selected yeah this is this is actually glitching so he he would he he doesn't even know how to operate the Omnitrix really um but while he's in the middle of being an alien it's changing it's it's it's changing him back to human and then changing him to another alien pretty much instantaneously and it's not a you know this is almost ver on verge of body horror um and so for a for a 10 year old this is very jarring um and I think that this is what's what's making the appeal for for the comic is is that it's it's it's not your you know it's not your kids animated series this is this is definitely for a for a for an older market um and and it's probably for for those those kids that grew up with Ben 10 that are now you know in their young adult years um who are who are wanting something a little bit meatier out of out of the Ben 10 you know sort of property. Yeah um well the rest of us will never know so well i i'm I'm hoping that that will change i i really am and um but again um we get we get our first appearance of uh heat blast in this this issue uh and uh and uh also uh cannonball and uh both of these are you know again in a sort of an absolute way very different from uh from from the animated series uh and but I really love where they're going with this and um it's uh I'm I'm glad that I'm one of a select few who is who's had the opportunity you know to be able to read it at the moment because it's great it really is well worth the read and sorry to to dig it in on everyone but it's true.

SPEAKER_04 1:13:27

Yeah must be nice. As I said we're gonna we're gonna talk more about that later this episode. Yeah for sure what about you I've been reading a lot I've been reading quite a lot too um but I've picked out some highlights um uh the first one being absolute batman number 21 um the latest issue of of Absolute Batman um uh I won't go on about it too much because I don't want to do spoilers but um um it's an another great issue um I the one of the things that struck me about this issue is that um it kind of has a little bit of everything that um absolute Batman is all about. Have you have you read this one?

SPEAKER_07 1:14:15

Yes I have yep yep yeah no I I just really thought that um this uh sort of hit on a a bunch of different factors um you know it had a little bit of skin crawly horror it had some um you know some great um uh dialogue between the some of the villains um you know it was uh sort of demonstrating the the wedges that are being formed between some of the characters um it gave us more information on the Robins which I I know that um I and a lot of others have been waiting for um it gave us a bit more of an idea of the dynamic within that group um yeah I thought it was a great issue what did you think yeah look I I I really liked it it's um I I I like how there's there's a level of doubt from the Robins second issue in of appearance um and I can definitely see that we're you know going towards something which could be quite amazing um uh or or at least uh uh maybe a split or a faction you know group of the Robins uh which is which is really cool um you know we we we got a really good glimpse of uh two face and what he kind of looks like now and um you know how he he's conflicted but at the same time he's kind of leaning into his newfound um look and uh you know temporary insanity so to speak.

SPEAKER_04 1:15:51

I kind of personally I really like this version of Toothface because it's it's um not so much that he's he's not confident in the division between his no personalities. Maybe he's just in a a stage of adjustment um with his psyche but it comes across as uncertainty and I find that really relatable um yeah and it it it it's it's sort of coming across as he's having a conversation within himself uh not just internally but also externally about I don't know how I feel about this do I feel this way or do I feel that way yeah um which which with with somebody on both sides of the coin right would be really that way inclined anyway. Yeah but I just I'm I'm I'm often um you know I think sort of two-faced the evil part of Harvey Dead's persona comes across as so confident like he's he's so black and white whereas this this this version does seem very grey um at the at least at least at this point um and as a two face two-faced fan and aficionado I I'm really enjoying um that that dynamic yeah 100% agree with you um and I just love where they're going I mean it's just it's super exciting um I don't I think this is the first time in the book that I'm kind of being able to predict maybe what's going to happen in the future.

SPEAKER_07 1:17:21

But other than that I mean this is like I said this is the first time out of uh what are we now 21 issues um where I haven't been able to predict um but I I'm it's only just a guess right with the Robins. Um but look if it is I'm really excited about that. If it's not then you know they did a really good job of um you know taking me up up the wrong path.

SPEAKER_04 1:17:47

So I I I think that if there's one thing that's certain about uh the absolute Batman's uncertain story arc is that the worst thing you could possibly do is assume that you you know where it's going.

SPEAKER_07 1:18:00

Yeah yeah well this is true this is true.

SPEAKER_04 1:18:03

I I won't be disappointed either way though so no no but I I I I I I definitely um hear what you're saying and and I've never been more excited for where the um absolute Batman storyline's gonna go not just for Bruce himself um perhaps even more for other characters I'm excited to see what happens with the Robins. I'm excited to see um how uh Slade Wilson reacts to um the events of this book um yeah I I just think that there's there's there's lots of um different characters and factors in play and I'm excited to see what um what what what comes up in the next few issues. I'm really excited to see what they've got uh in store for 25 because um you know we we know what comics are like with anniversary issues um yeah I'd imagine it's gonna be something um significant I'd I I would say we'll probably have the Joker back um for sure right yeah no definitely um one of the other comics that I've been reading this week is uh a uh ghost machine comic so from image uh jeff johns um the trillion dollar kid yeah other way that's the one um yeah no I I really enjoyed this I'd been looking forward to this um I'd been reading the um uh uh it sort of encyclopedia um uh comics that they've been bringing out which has had profiles of a lot of characters and a lot of the characters that uh featured in the um the the Ghost Machine um encyclopedia uh are characters that I hadn't seen before and they're all sort of debuting in this trillion dollar kid series and even just reading the little bits about those characters I've been really excited to get into this series because um it looks like there's going to be a whole lot of really fun quirky additions to the um unbelievables universe um which is the the the universe that uh the rocketfellas and um Hornsby and Halo um uh exist in um and Trillion Dollar Kid does as well um and I really enjoyed this issue it was um was was yeah really fascinating um especially interesting in a world where you know we've just had our first real life trillionaire um uh you know come into existence um it's it's it it's really interesting the the the themes that they're exploring in um this book um and I think it's gonna be a really interesting miniseries I think it's six issues um so yeah I was excited to read that uh it's on my it's a definitely on my on my pull list um and I'll be um probably reading it this week um so yeah I'm glad you enjoyed that because I'm looking forward to it so I love the Rockefellers so um so yeah yeah uh rock and fellas is really good and I've really enjoyed Horn's being halo too so yeah um yeah to have that to have that little corner of the ghost machine universe expanded um is really exciting to me.

SPEAKER_07 1:21:12

So before we get into your last book um because this this has a direct tie-in just wanted to highlight something that you said in last episode uh we just posted that on our socials under uh pulp culture pod uh you can you can check it out uh there uh and we were talking about blind bags and uh you made the reference that you probably weren't gonna get any blind bags i did say i did i think i did say never then never say never or something along those lines but you got sucked in you're in i didn't remember the bird bag phrase yeah and i i i think i must have been tired at the end of a day or something and they were sitting on the pedophilia what it was uh yeah i decided i'd have a go well this sounds terrible but everybody else was doing it so oh right okay okay yeah so uh so why don't i bring up the visual about what you got yes i was really pleased with this result yes otherwise other way you keep pointing the other way um yeah so i got uh rhom number one um which i i was really pleased with um yeah uh i of course already got uh mask issue one and i read that one so i was kind of um i wasn't too bothered about whether i got a fancy variant cover for it or something i was happy to get a a fresh new story um and um i really enjoyed rom number one um presumably you haven't read it no one it was one out of it's it's a one out of ten I think option in the blind bag well it was meant to be but we we were we were getting a heck of a lot of them um oh really bags that people were opening at the shop yeah um oh you got the you got the you got the it was like Wonka's magic golden ticket hey I know uh it was it wasn't working out that way in our shop but um right uh I as I said I was really pleased to get it because um it was a really um uh great introduction to the character of Rom.

SPEAKER_04 1:23:21

I'm vaguely familiar with Rom from back in the Marvel days but only through seeing ads in other Marvel comics. Um I never actually read any Rom, I don't think um but I really enjoyed this issue. It was written by Robert Kirkman um I've forgotten the name of the artist but it was the uh the artist who originally had uh done art on void rivals back when it started. Oh right yep yep he uh returned to to do this issue and it was really um well done it was a great introduction to the the character of Rom um and you can sort of see where he's gonna fit into the the Energon universe. I'm intent on lending it to you so you can have a read Nate.

SPEAKER_07 1:24:03

Yeah I I definitely um definitely interested in what that looks like I mean I I I went back and you know I I know that we spoke about um uh rom last week because we said that the that that it was coming up in a blind bag um and and I went back and had a look and it it actually um it's it's it's a Hasbro property so that's why it's popped up all over the place like it was with Marvel originally it went to IDW and then it went back to Marvel again and now it's come out into Skybound so so it's a Hasbro property and it makes sense that Kirkman's got hold of it because G.I. Joe Transformers are both Hasbro properties as well um so I can see how he's just going he's essentially going to Hasbro and saying okay what properties have you got and how can we sort of bring them into into a you know a shared universe um yeah and I and I think that that's fantastic.

SPEAKER_04 1:25:06

So um so yeah yeah I mean well you know why why not why not use all the the stuff that you got at your disposal but um yeah no apparently there's a there's a letter in the back of the issue from Kirkman exp explaining how it all sort of came about and that was actually really interesting. I don't always read that sort of stuff but in this case I did and um yeah uh Rom's set to appear in upcoming issues avoid rivals um uh Kirkman sort of outlines exactly where that's going to happen um and yeah I'm I'm really interested as I said it was a really enjoyable issue um so um in this case at least I was glad I bought a blind bag I was glad I caved and bought a blind bag and um uh I was really pleased with the the the comic that I got from it as well. Um yeah I wasn't sure as I said last week I wasn't sure how I felt about you know buying a blind bag for a comic and getting a completely different comic yeah um you know for for me in this instance it's worked out perfectly but if I didn't already have mask number one I'm not sure I'm not sure how I would feel about it. But um as is as I say in in in this case it's worked out uh worked out well for me.

SPEAKER_07 1:26:19

Uh to answer your question uh before in regards to the artist uh it's uh Lorenzo di La Fisi is that how you pronounce his name uh De Felici yeah yeah uh De La Fice okay yeah thank you yeah so um uh who originally was doing void rivals to begin with so it makes sense that Ron's gonna sort of visit uh the Void Rivals uh book um and that was kind of what we were sort of predicting last week when we were talking about where it might where he might sit in the in the in the Energon universe so yeah I really like that as an an avenue um you know into the rest of the Energon universe I can't see any reason why not to um slot him into that that particular series um I've got to catch up on void rivals but um this is definitely giving me giving me impetus to do so so yeah regardless I mean it's it's it's really exciting what they're doing I I do also have to uh catch up on void rivals uh so um so yeah I mean watch this space we'll we'll definitely be talking about it when we catch up on on those books and um to give you more and hopefully we'll see rom soon uh was there any indicator in the in in that book that they're going to uh publish rom number one or are we gonna see him in void rivals for a little bit and then maybe get a ROM or um there no there was no indication of that um it's a it's a fairly self contained story um I suspect that whatever version of ROM we get in uh void rivals won't necessarily require you to have read this issue. Right.

SPEAKER_04 1:27:55

So I'm not not super confident that they'll publish it um independently at Least as a single issue, but I'd imagine I'd be surprised if they don't put it into uh like a void rivals um trade or something down the track.

SPEAKER_07 1:28:08

Yeah, gotcha.

SPEAKER_04 1:28:09

Yeah, I I suspect that that's where um people will be able to access it.

SPEAKER_07 1:28:13

Yeah, okay. I understand what you're saying. All right, well, uh, that's pretty much it for the aisle. Uh, what we might do is we might go to a uh quick uh commercial break.

SPEAKER_06 1:28:26

Yes, please.

SPEAKER_07 1:28:27

Uh when we get back, we will uh we'll uh head down to uh the review.

SPEAKER_01 1:28:34

It's Batman forever. Two face strikes Capo City, but the mighty spade of a tick. When Batman puts the fiendish face in his place, and in the sizzling Batmobile, Batman likes the making Two Face pay twice in the place.

SPEAKER_00 1:28:50

More than heroes than legends. Remember my Batman strike a massive blow for dumping. And silver knight Batman cut through crime of a different kind. And with play back, Batman told the riddle of crime every time.

SPEAKER_07 1:29:05

Well, there you go. More amazing toys from the 90s.

SPEAKER_04 1:29:10

That Legends of Batman voiceover guy was amazing.

SPEAKER_07 1:29:13

Yeah, we don't get enough of that in toy commercials anymore. No, that that kids playing with them as well. It's all it's all CG and you know, um, it's all high tech now.

SPEAKER_04 1:29:27

Maybe they should do those sorts of voiceovers for advertising for all sorts of um all sorts of products.

SPEAKER_07 1:29:33

Yeah, okay. I I I can say that. Yeah, I could definitely say that.

SPEAKER_04 1:29:38

Yeah, life insurance, life insurance, tax accountants, cigarettes. Don't know about that one. Um anyway, um, yes, on to the on to the review.

SPEAKER_07 1:29:54

Yeah, let's get on to the review. All right. Uh what have you been? What what have I been watching? Yeah, I've uh like I said, I've I've uh definitely made good with with with my time uh and uh had plenty of time to uh to watch a few things.

SPEAKER_04 1:30:10

Uh loving you loving your new loving using your new papers, eh?

SPEAKER_07 1:30:13

My new papers, yeah, absolutely. Um uh have you watched any more Widows Bay?

SPEAKER_04 1:30:19

Uh watched two more episodes. We've watched four in total now.

SPEAKER_07 1:30:22

How fantastic, right?

SPEAKER_04 1:30:24

Yeah, it's all all all gone pear-shaped.

SPEAKER_07 1:30:26

Yeah, what was the what was the last episode? What was it episode four?

SPEAKER_04 1:30:31

The last episode we watched was uh Patricia's um was it her party? Cocktails party, yeah.

SPEAKER_07 1:30:39

Boy, that's a that's a kooky episode, isn't it? But it's so good. There's no going back for Widows Bay from that, and that's a sea hag episode as well, isn't it? Or was that three? That was three.

SPEAKER_04 1:30:52

I think that's three, yeah. Yeah, um wasn't that amazing? Yeah, oh they're they're both amazing. Uh yeah, yeah, literally skin crawling, but um yeah, no, uh loving the show. Um Patricia's easily my f favorite character. I think she's wonderful, right?

SPEAKER_07 1:31:09

Okay, so I've watched the last episode of Widows Bay for for the season. Uh yeah, I was I was really thrilled. Um, unfortunately, I guessed uh something uh a couple of episodes prior, um but I was really happy of that reveal. Um so there's uh some some well-rounded parts to uh the this first season, uh, but there's a lot of uh doors left open for for for season two. Um you know, great cast with Matthew Reese, um, Steven Root, um Kato, uh Kato Flynn. Um but the standout for me in uh in the season 10, uh sorry, episode 10 season finale would have to be uh Kate Callan, which is uh who plays Ruth. Um she she's in this um quite a bit in the in the last so Ruth is the is the uh is his secretary, is Tom's secretary. She's the one that's always always putting herself down and the older the older woman who who who who keeps leaving who leaves early and all that sort of stuff.

SPEAKER_04 1:32:26

So his personal assistant, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_07 1:32:28

Yeah, his personal assistant, yeah, that's right. Um so she she's in this and she's fantastic, she really is great. And um, but that but yeah, I it's so much so that I had the time that I actually went back and revisited the whole entire series again after I'd watched episode 10. Um just just because I wanted to find all the the points that led up to the last episode.

SPEAKER_04 1:32:55

Do you watch these things on like three times speed or uh no no no, no, no?

SPEAKER_07 1:33:00

I just you know, like I said, I had some time and uh he doesn't ever sleep. Yeah, I don't I don't, I don't. That's uh that's the the life of an entomiac, right? Uh so uh so yeah, so I watched that and um yeah it it's it's it's awesome. Uh I I'm really really pleased, and I said this last week, and I'll say it again. I'm really pleased to see such an uptake in people talking about it. Um, you know, even even Apple TV are now really pushing it um uh on their socials, and um, you know, it it's just such a delight uh to to to watch and uh and be surprised by. And even like a second run through watching it again, um, there were certain aspects of it that I didn't pick up um that I really enjoyed seeing. So yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:33:51

It seems it seems a bit funny now, um, you know, thinking back to how we were talking about how nobody ever talks about these Apple shows previously, wasn't it? And I guess that happens with Apple shows occasionally.

SPEAKER_07 1:34:02

Um, you know, Severance and uh Ted Lasso, they all get their moment in the well it's funny, it's funny you should say that because another show that I don't think that anybody really talks about. Um, and I started to watch it, I start I I watched the pilot, but then I just never went back to it. But like again, because I've had some time, um, this other Apple TV show that I uh that I watched um the entire season for was Sugar. Do you have you? Do you know anything about Sugar?

SPEAKER_04 1:34:33

Uh yeah, I know a little bit about it, and they've been showing ads uh for it uh before um Widows Base.

SPEAKER_07 1:34:41

So yeah, so so season two has uh has just dropped. Uh it it uh again, it's a weekly uh series on Apple TV. Um it stars Colin Farrell, um, who plays a private detective uh whose name is John Sugar, um, and he's investigating the disappearance of a Hollywood producer's granddaughter. Um now the reason I bring this up is because I I I I love you know it's sort of those private detective type of you know um TV series. I really love Matthew Reese in um in uh the Perry Mason series and love Spider-Man You Are and and and that. So uh this was right up by Alan.

SPEAKER_04 1:35:26

And you love you you love Murder She Wrote?

SPEAKER_07 1:35:29

Uh Murder She Wrote, yeah. I'm I I I've uh I've I've I've uh Murder She Wrote, I think I've watched all the way through twice now. So uh so so yeah, I I'm really uh Columbo, another, another sort of you know, series that I that I love watching. Um but yeah, sugar's very much uh you know, it's it's set it's set now, um, but it has a very old sort of worldly sort of uh approach to it. Um, you know, Sugar has a has a an affinity and a love for uh old sort of black and white films, um, and you can see that that influences the way that he um handles people, deals with situations. Um, and so that there's a really sort of a nice sort of uh synergy there when it comes to that.

SPEAKER_04 1:36:20

Um what I was the the the ads, sorry to interrupt, but the the the ads sort of make it look like it's got kind of an LA confidential sort of aesthetic, yeah, yeah, but set now, right? Set now exactly, yeah, yeah. But but but still it's sort of got that um I don't know, saturated sort of LA yeah, oh yeah, this is the lots of uh sort of you know sunset hues.

SPEAKER_07 1:36:43

Um that's what I sort of refer to them as. Um, you know, which was what you would expect in LA, right? It's very reds and you know that type of um the the thing about this show is is that Colin Farrell is he's a great actor, right? He's a he's a great actor and he does a really good job of this, it's a great ensemble cast. Um but there's a twist in this show. This is not just your normal, average uh private detective uh TV series. There is a uh a supernatural secret as part of this. Um and um I I I definitely wasn't expecting it. Uh and I was really, really happy with um that reveal um uh that that that comes uh later in the series.

SPEAKER_04 1:37:32

I've watched is it is that in season one or in season two?

SPEAKER_07 1:37:35

In season one, yeah, in season one. So um I watched season one in uh because I knew that season two was about to drop, and I've watched the first episode of season two, uh and uh and it's uh a follow-on, and I'm really I I'm I'm really happy where it's where it's leading now. So um really interesting, uh really interesting and really um really well acted, but just a really nice, pleasant surprise um thrown in the mix um of genres. So yeah, I I I would highly recommend um you know if you if you like any of those genres um be sure to check out uh Sugar, uh which is on Apple TV. Not a sponsor, but should be.

SPEAKER_04 1:38:23

Gotcha. Uh yeah, nice. Um as I said, there's been ads popping up before Widows Bay episodes, so um that might be another one I'll have to add to the list.

SPEAKER_07 1:38:33

Yeah, for sure. What uh what what have you been watching other than Widows Bay?

SPEAKER_04 1:38:38

Uh well producer Kim and I went and saw Toy Story 5 on the weekend. Oh nice. We really enjoyed that. Um yeah, that was uh yeah, really, really great. Didn't it didn't disappoint in any way.

SPEAKER_07 1:38:50

Um where does it where does it rate on the on the on the on the on the level of of of of the series now, would you say?

SPEAKER_04 1:39:00

Um I I'm not sure. I I I don't like to rank stuff, so I I don't really know. But um this one's different in that um it's it's Jesse's movie. Yeah, okay, yeah. Yeah, like it's it's very much focused on um Jesse and Bonnie and um some other sort of uh characters uh rather than Buzz and Woody. There's plenty of buzz, plenty of Buzz and Woody, definitely plenty of buzz. Right. Um but but it's very much a Jesse movie. Um right. Uh I as you I'm sure you know, I I'm a big Conan O'Brien fan. Yeah, and I was excited that Conan O'Brien was gonna be in this movie to it voicing a uh a potty training toy. Um and yeah, I I sort of thought it was just gonna be a um uh a small sort of part. Um but Conan's characters actually in this probably more than Buzz and Woody are uh really wow, yeah. Uh it's uh him and another couple of uh sort of toys that come come along with him, one of them, one of whom is voiced by Craig Robinson. Um uh and uh yeah, but I I was really impressed. Like they they really used um you know Conan uh to the the maximum of his uh talents. Um but but it's a really lovely um story of Jesse. It's a real um uh sort of emotional sequel to Toy Story 2, which is the first one we see Jesse in. Um it picks it picks up on a lot of the storylines um that were in that one. Um and yeah, it was just it was was was really well done. Um really great time. I hope it does well at in theaters, but um I hope people check it out on Disney Plus as well, because um, yeah, definitely a a worthy addition to the the the Toy Story uh franchise, but also um I thought a really nice um extension of it as well. Um you know, we all love Buzz and Woody, but we've had you know four four movies of Buzz and Woody and Friends. Um it was a nice it was nice to spend some time with with Jesse, who is undeniably a lovely character, yeah. Um, and to sort of tell um, you know, some interesting stories about uh the the role of technology in our lives and the role of technology in in children's lives, um uh and also about the way that the ways that we relate to each other in the modern world. Um yeah, Toy Story Five was great. Um yeah, how about you? Anything else?

SPEAKER_07 1:41:43

Nothing else for me. Um I yeah, I'm I'm pretty tapped out now when it comes to uh to shows with watching Widow's Bay and uh and also um uh sugar. So I've watched two seasons.

SPEAKER_04 1:41:56

When you watch Widow's Bay, when you watch Widows Bay three times, it doesn't really leave you a lot of time for anything else, does it?

SPEAKER_07 1:42:04

Um I can assure you.

SPEAKER_04 1:42:08

So yeah, no doubt. It's a very fun show. I'm looking forward to watching more episodes. Um, another thing that we watched last night um was uh the return of House of the Dragon, um, the Game of Thrones uh spin-off. Um the first episode of that series was on last night. Um, we were interrupted by a few uh Wi-Fi issues um uh that made the whole experience a little bit frustrating, but um where uh I'm I'm gonna have to re-watch the episode, but but we were really pleased to have that back because um yeah, we we love House of the Dragon in this house.

SPEAKER_07 1:42:44

Yeah, that's that's awesome. That's awesome. I've started watching it, um, but I'm I'm not I've yeah, I've been preoccupied with other shows.

SPEAKER_04 1:42:52

Oh yes, you know, it's well established. Um yeah, for the the net the next thing, um, I'm just gonna take a slight uh turn. Um, one of the things that I I didn't watch this week um but attempted to um was a show that you recommended to me. Yes. Um and and that was uh My Adventures with Superman. Oh yes. Oh yes, let's talk about that. Yeah, well, we sat down to watch um My Adventures with Superman season three, episode one. And you can't um only to realize that you'd you'd stitch me up. Um well I mean spice now, yeah. You you'd stitch me up at HBO Max had stitched me up. Um, I was so disappointed that I could not watch this first episode of My Adventures with Superman because it's not available on Australian TV, um, or it's not available in Australian HBO Max, which I just find mind-boggling. Um, yeah, yeah. It's clear, it's clearly an HBO Max ad. It gets advertised on the back of comics coming to HBO Max and um uh but not in Australia, and it's not available anywhere else either. Like, as far as I can tell, I kept seeing all these you know links saying uh was it gonna be potentially available on ABC iView, and I'm like, I just want to watch this damn show. It's one of the reasons that I get HBO Max is for um DC stuff, yeah. And um, I was so disappointed, which is why I wanted to talk to you about stitching stitching me up with this VPN nonsense.

SPEAKER_07 1:44:35

Yeah, well, I mean it is what it is, right?

SPEAKER_04 1:44:37

I mean, it's it it might be it is what it is, but I I want to set some ground rules for in the future, right? Oh, okay, right.

SPEAKER_07 1:44:45

I need to I need to have a like a like a um a PSA before I before I start talking about shows.

SPEAKER_04 1:44:53

We need to put we need to put like a an asterisk or a qualifier because you got me all excited about Ben 10. You got me all excited about um my adventures with Superman, and I feel like there was something else as well. Oh, I'm sure there probably is. Uh so I've got demands, right? In in future episodes, if you're gonna talk about something that you're watching arguably illegally through your VPN, it's not illegal, it's it is completely legal.

SPEAKER_07 1:45:23

Thank you very much.

SPEAKER_04 1:45:24

I'm sure it's some sort of a gray area. Um, so what I want us to do, especially now that we're available in a video format and you being you know graphic designer extraordinaire, I want you to come up with some sort of um logo or VPN alert. No, uh this is what we're gonna this is what we're gonna call it. We're not gonna call it VPN alert. Um, I I've decided we're gonna call it vapid pirate nonsense. Oh so if you want to, you can you can you can incorporate like a pirate flag or something or a pirate ship or or something, and and and and before you start talking this stuff up and getting me all excited about reading something that I can't access or watching something that I can't watch, we've got to have our little vapid pirate nonsense uh logo.

SPEAKER_07 1:46:15

I I I I don't like how you're saying our but sure, okay.

SPEAKER_04 1:46:19

No, no, it is it is our because we're in this together, and you you're the one you're you're the one that's inflicting this on me. Yeah, with your you're uh because I'm not I'm not fan, you know you know I'm not fancy enough to to know how to do all this VPN nonsense. Um I want to make sure that for my benefit and for the the the other viewers and listeners in the future, if we're gonna talk about something that um is only available to the the high and mighty one percent like you come on that that we have uh some sort of uh sound effect for our audio listeners, um and and a visual thing uh for for our video watchers. Uh and so what was it?

SPEAKER_07 1:47:04

What was it called?

SPEAKER_04 1:47:05

Vapid vapard vapid pirate nonsense.

SPEAKER_07 1:47:10

Right, okay.

SPEAKER_04 1:47:11

So vapid means vapid means boring. Pirate nonsense.

SPEAKER_07 1:47:18

Nonsense, okay. No, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:47:19

So you can on that, please. Because then before the next time, before the next time you you get my hopes out, you've got to you've got to come up with some sort of way of letting everybody know that um you're talking about something that most of us can't watch.

SPEAKER_07 1:47:32

Oh, okay. Is that is that is that what it is that what it is, is it right? Okay, all right. Good to know. Um I I can I can definitely help you out with the VPN if that if that helps you.

SPEAKER_04 1:47:45

Um with with my vapid nonsense, vapid pirate nonsense logo.

SPEAKER_07 1:47:51

What that's all I want. You just you just want the logo.

SPEAKER_04 1:47:56

I'm gonna I'm gonna keep watching stuff with everybody else. I'm a man of the people, unlike you.

SPEAKER_07 1:48:05

Uh look, just go easy. I look just because I'm I'm there's too I think it's too late for that. Just because I'm down with the kids. Well, you know, while we're while we're while we're uh while we've been talking, I'll just make sure you put that put put that last comment in a standby, please. Oh, right, okay, all right, no worries. Well, um I I don't necessarily down with the kids. Absolutely. I'll I'll I'll put that in uh in one of our reels. Um but uh you know while while we've been talking, uh I uh I I I thought I'd just just help you out here and uh there you go. There's our vapid pirated nonsense alert for now.

SPEAKER_05 1:48:47

That's not bad.

SPEAKER_07 1:48:48

Yeah, but uh because because guess what? I've watched uh episode two of my my uh adventures of superman, and can I tell you that it's better than the first episode?

SPEAKER_04 1:48:58

Thank you for joining us uh this week uh listeners and viewers, but this episode is over. And you haven't even sp you haven't even spelled it right. You're right, pirated nonsense. It's vapid pirate nonsense.

SPEAKER_07 1:49:12

Oh, it's like pirated nonsense. Okay, right, okay.

SPEAKER_04 1:49:15

I'm not having you put your stamp on this. This is this is my thing.

SPEAKER_07 1:49:18

Okay, all right. So it's so it's pirate nonsense.

SPEAKER_04 1:49:21

Okay, yeah, that vapid pirate nonsense.

SPEAKER_07 1:49:23

Oh, okay, not pirated nonsense. Okay, all right, good, good, good to know, good to know. But yeah, uh, so yeah, I did watch SU uh episode two. Uh nobody cares, nobody cares. This is great, it's a great episode. Uh, and uh I look forward to you watching it when you get a chance to watch it.

SPEAKER_04 1:49:41

Okay, so what are we doing next? We're doing the shout, we're doing what else have we got left?

SPEAKER_07 1:49:46

Yeah, let's let's uh shall we yeah, let's get into the shout, shall we? What have you got for us, MJ?

SPEAKER_04 1:49:52

Uh I'm gonna shout out another podcast.

SPEAKER_07 1:49:55

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_04 1:49:57

Um, I want to shout out the film in force. Podcast, which is a podcast that I listen to on a regular basis. It's hosted by Ryan and Adam. In each episode, they talk about a different film. The original intention, I think, is to talk about it within 40 minutes. That very rarely happens. They usually go on a little bit longer than that. Sometimes on their episodes, they have a guest, and uh in one of their upcoming episodes, the next couple of weeks, I'm not sure when it'll be out. That guest will be me. No. They invited me on some time ago to talk about uh one of my favorite movies. Um, and I'm gonna be on there talking about The Rocketeer, um, which is one of my top five favorite movies, easily. Um, by coincidence, um this week is actually the 35th anniversary of the release of um The Rocketeer, yeah, um, which I think has worked out really nicely. But um, yeah, and I just wanted to let everybody know that um at some stage soon I'll be appearing on an episode of uh the Film in 40 podcast.

SPEAKER_07 1:51:06

Um how do we how do we find them? They're just on all the uh podcast platforms, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:51:12

On all the podcast platforms and um on the socials under uh film in 40. They're on Instagram, um uh Twit Twitter, Blue Sky, all that sort of stuff. Um, so yeah, check it out. But um, once we've got that episode in the can, I'll um make sure that I uh give everybody further details. But um, I'm really excited about that because I love the Rocketeer, I love the Film and 40 podcast. Um, it's always a really great listen. Um, and yeah, I'm excited to be a part of it.

SPEAKER_07 1:51:41

Yeah, that's that's so cool. Um I I I've got uh I've got something to to shout about. Um uh B from um uh Gateway Comics uh got in touch with us uh this week and uh we were having a bit of a conversation and uh uh made me uh realize that uh they're they're involved with the uh with Make, which is uh which is coming up. Um you probably saw us post it on our socials uh this earlier this week. Um make is uh Melbourne's own annual three-day festival um of Indian alternative comics, um, which is showcasing uh Australia's wonderful comics community. Um so for anyone who's been to uh other festivals such as uh PCAF in Perth or Paper Cuts in Adelaide or Scamp in Sydney, um, Melbourne now has Make. Um so Make will be running from uh Friday the 9th of October to Sunday the 11th of October. Uh so Friday, Friday is uh the speaking in pictures, uh, which is a live comics reading event uh which combines comics and live performances uh into an audiovisual feast. Um that's really, really interesting. Um and uh so you'll be able to uh watch some of the best comics creators uh bring their stories to life. Uh on Saturday is uh the uh community day, um, and that's free entry uh for visitors, uh, and they'll be able to spend a day learning comics crafts and industry knowledge with workshops and panels uh by creators and uh publishing experts, uh, which is really cool. So if you're looking to start a comic or you know wanting to get some understanding on how to improve, um, you know, that's what a what a great day that that'll be. Um on the Sunday is uh Market Day, which is uh also free event day, uh, and comic creators from all over the country will be selling their comics uh to the general public. Uh and this event will also be uh featuring workshops uh created and run by uh the folks in con in the comic industry. Um now exhibitor applications are uh are open for the market, they are open now. Um uh and so you know they're encouraging you uh if you're a local comic book artist or a writer or a creator to apply now because they will uh it would they will go fast. Um so makes community of volunteers, creators, uh, scholars, enthusiasts, and retailers, uh and they're so excited to announce um their hand to the to the general public over the next you know few weeks and months. Um the best way to stay up to date is by following the Make Comic Festival uh on Instagram. So it's Make Comic Festival on Instagram. Um uh but they'll also be sharing in you know information through Gateway and and and and other sources. Um and uh yeah it's gonna be a huge weekend um and a must attend for anybody who's interested in making comics. Um isn't uh so again that uh it will be on the uh I've just gotta go back to my notes because I completely forgot. Um so it's uh again, it's a three-day event, uh, and that will be featured on Friday the 9th of October until Sunday the 11th of October. Uh apologies, thanks.

SPEAKER_04 1:55:47

I didn't I didn't think that was a tricky question.

SPEAKER_07 1:55:49

Yeah, well, uh you know, I I was well into my hype hype reel.

SPEAKER_04 1:55:53

So uh yeah, you were you you were maximum maximum pump.

SPEAKER_07 1:55:58

Maximum hype. Uh so yeah, as um as I said, uh, you know, as part of the mate community, a couple of reasons that uh that they're involved is to show aspiring uh creators uh uh that comics can be made here in Australia and that there is a rich well of uh talented uh folks all over the country uh and to build up the local and indie comic scene right here in Melbourne. Um and um, you know, they really hope to see uh us and everyone else at make uh in uh uh back there in um in in August. So um yeah, really looking forward to that. I think it's gonna be a lot of fun. Uh sorry, in October. I think it's gonna be a lot of fun.

SPEAKER_04 1:56:45

Damn it, I was just about to correct you. Um, yeah, no, there's a lot of there's a lot of excitement around this um initiative, and um, yeah, no, I'm really looking forward to seeing how we can be involved in that.

SPEAKER_07 1:56:57

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Uh so uh so watch this space. We'll uh we'll we'll definitely be talking about it uh more in length. Uh hopefully we'll get B uh from Gateway Comics on the show. Uh and they can talk about it a little bit more. Um in a future episode, uh, when we when when there's some more information. Uh so they have uh uh a few big reveals uh with guests, um, which uh which obviously they can't say at this stage, uh, but I think after those announcements we'll uh we'll do our best to uh to get Bion uh to uh to chat chat more about that. Uh so uh so that's it for the shout. Uh if you want to uh to to to let us know um of something that we should be uh shouting about uh on the show, uh hit us up on our socials under pulp culture pod. Uh we'd love to be able to uh to do that for you. Um for for MJ it's it costs you nothing. Uh for me it's uh 10% of your current wage. Uh and um I'm I'm I'm all down for that. Or or bribery uh uh as well.

SPEAKER_04 1:58:07

Um if the choice the choice is simple, isn't it?

SPEAKER_07 1:58:11

Yep, yep. Pay me. Um so yep, go for that. We okay. Uh but yeah, we'd like we'd love to shout out. Yeah, no, definitely not. We're we yeah, this is all this is all free. We we we really just want to promote um you know really good projects and um you know that encourages and and uh and pushes the community further into a into a positive uh trajectory. Uh so uh so yeah, we've we've we've made it to the end of the show. We uh we hope you've enjoyed it. Um there's been a lot to talk about. Um and uh you know stay tuned uh next week uh when you'll hear uh MJ say.

SPEAKER_04 1:58:58

I'm afraid you're just too darn loud.

SPEAKER_07 1:59:01

Oh, what was that from?

SPEAKER_04 1:59:03

That's Huey Lewis in Back to the Future. I know it's been a long episode, but we just talked about it.

SPEAKER_07 1:59:11

Yeah, I love it. I love it. Well, thanks very much, everyone. Hope you have a good week and uh stay uh fresh, stay pulped, and we're gonna be able to