Eddie and Lee share eight 80s TV intros with their daughters plus they get to decide which one is the best. Listen and see if you agree.

TV Intros:

Who's the Boss: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkD9wzrrhiA

Turbo Teen : Intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j18e_ID-DpA

DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS Cartoon Intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JjhQ1Oi_3k

Knight Rider - Original Show Intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNyXYPhnUIs

Manimal Intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNX5Z9WwHF0

Transformers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLS2N9mHWaw

Star Trek: The Next Generation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jo9EM7-vf4g

G.I. Joe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HrtKoHsIf8

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I sit down with Hero Quest fan Kurgan and talk about all things Hero Quest in 2023, the future of the game, plus much more.

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My daughter and I watch the 1988 WWF The Main Event and we get to hear her reaction.

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Ben, Al and Lee talk about comics that haven't been made into a movie and TV show yet. They make their arguments on why they should be created. What do you think?

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Lee sits down and talks with two board game experts, his kids to talk about why they like board games and why you should too.

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Ruths picks

Mancala

Wingspan

Salem

Aarons picks

Spirit Island

John Company

Star Wars Rebellion

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Tim and Lee talk about phase one and beyond for Star Wars: The High Republic project and why we love it.

Previous episode with Tim talking about Star Wars expanded universe

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Al, Ben and Lee talk about their favorite villains from 90s comic books.

Als picks:

Random and Violator

Bens picks:

Bane and Stryfe

Lees picks:

Omega Red and Violator

Links from the episode:

List_of_comic_book_supervillain_debuts#1990swikipedia.org Omega_Redwww.marvel.com omega-red "X-Men vs. Omega Red": X-Men The Animated Series 1992Omega Red and Sabretooth | Hulk Vs WolverineWolverine Vs Omega Red (X-Men Evolution)'Deadpool 2' Behind The Scenes Photo Reveals X-Men Villain Omega RedOmega Red (Marvel) | Villains Wiki | FandomX-Men Issue # 4 (Marvel Comics) ValueViolator (comics) - WikipediaSpawn Issue # 2 (Image Comics) 1st appearance of violatorViolator CollectionViolator | Spawn Wiki | FandomSpawn (Comic Book) - TV TropesSpawn / Funny - TV Tropes Violator originSpawn (1997) (Film) - TV TropesRandom | X-Men Wiki | FandomRandom (comics) - WikipediaX-Factor Issue # 88 (Marvel Comics)Stryfe - WikipediaNew Mutants Issue # 87 (Marvel Comics)Stryfe | X-Men Wiki | FandomKey Collector Comics

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Tim and Lee discuss the best of Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) phase 4 and what is exciting and predictions for phase 5.

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Previous episode with Tim

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Ben, Al and Lee discuss their favorite 90s comic book based video games. What are some of your favorites.

Al's pick: NES Silver Surfer

What started it all: Silver Surfer high score contest

Silver Surfer Cartridge value now

Bens pick: TMNT: Turtles in Time

Turtles in Time Cartridge value now

Lees pick: X-Men Arcade game

X-Men Arcade details

X-Men (1992 video game)

Pride of the X-Men intro

X-Men arcade playthrough

X-Men Six Player Arcade

X-Men 6 player instruction manual

Lees pick: X-Men Children of the Atom

X-Men Children of the Atom Play through

Video Game / X-Men: Children of the Atom

Arcade Museum children of the atom

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Ruth Jesse and Lee take a look at their predictions from last year about season 5 and compare them to what happened. They also look to the future of Cobra Kai. Will it continue? Listen and find out plus much much more.

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Uchoose Podcast

Join in the fun as Eddie and Lee read through the 80’s Choose Your Own Adventure books and YOU decide how the story ends. Join us live on Youtube, Facebook and Twitch or listen later on podcast app of your choice.

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Great time talking about Hero Quest and the new expansions and future releases from Avalon Hill. We also make predictions about where the game is going in the future. We also discuss what makes a good homebrew quests and much more.

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Al, Ben and Lee talk about their favorite comic book crossovers and comic book ads.

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Who's the Artists?

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Ruth and Lee watch Peter Jacksons 2002 The Two Towers. Listen and watch the movie while they educate and entertain you with their comments. Or listen only and enjoy the conversation.

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Previous watch along

yetiquette

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ineedaRunal

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Will Lee and Eddie find the Yeti?

Where to find the Abominable Snowman

Zodak in the village Zodak in The Masters of the Universe (MOTU)

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Tim and Lee talk about all things from DC Comics latest mini series Batman 3 Jokers.

Full show notes and links below:

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The Joker is a supervillain created by Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson who first appeared in the debut issue of the comic book Batman (April 25, 1940), published by DC Comics. Credit for the Joker's creation is disputed; Kane and Robinson claimed responsibility for the Joker's design while acknowledging Finger's writing contribution. Although the Joker was planned to be killed off during his initial appearance, he was spared by editorial intervention, allowing the character to endure as the archenemy of the superhero Batman.

In his comic book appearances, the Joker is portrayed as a criminal mastermind. Introduced as a psychopath with a warped, sadistic sense of humor; the character became a goofy prankster in the late 1950s in response to regulation by the Comics Code Authority, before returning to his darker roots during the early 1970s. As Batman's nemesis, the Joker has been part of the superhero's defining stories, including the murder of Jason Todd—the second Robin and Batman's ward—and the paralysis of one of Batman's allies, Barbara Gordon. The Joker has had various possible origin stories during his decades of appearances. The most common story involves him falling into a tank of chemical waste that bleaches his skin white and turns his hair green and lips bright red; the resulting disfigurement drives him insane. The antithesis of Batman in personality and appearance, the Joker is considered by critics to be his perfect adversary.

Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson are credited with creating the Joker, but their accounts of the character's conception differ, each providing his own version of events. Finger's, Kane's, and Robinson's versions acknowledge that Finger produced an image of actor Conrad Veidt in character as Gwynplaine (a man with a disfigured face, giving him a perpetual grin) in the 1928 film The Man Who Laughs as an inspiration for the Joker's appearance, and Robinson produced a sketch of a joker playing card.

In the 1988–89 story arc "A Death in the Family", the Joker murders Batman's sidekick (the second Robin, Jason Todd). "A Death in the Family" is a four-issue, 1988 Batman comic book storyline published by DC Comics. The story was written by Jim Starlin and illustrated by Jim Aparo, while Mike Mignola (28 year old Mike) designed each cover.

Alan Moore and Brian Bolland's 1988 graphic novel The Killing Joke expands on the Joker's origins, describing the character as a failed comedian who adopts the identity of the Red Hood to support his pregnant wife.[25][52] Unlike The Dark Knight Returns, The Killing Joke takes place in mainstream continuity.[53] The novel is described by critics as one of the greatest Joker stories ever written, influencing later comic stories (including the forced retirement of then-Batgirl Barbara Gordon after she is paralyzed by the Joker)

Batman: Three Jokers Geoff Johns basically taps Alan Moore's origin for The Joker from The Killing Joke as the official Joker origin - and then twists it. Instead of The Comedian's pregnant wife dying in that electrical fire (as Moore told it), she was helped by the police to escape from her increasingly insane and criminal husband. This drastically changes the dynamic between Joker and Batman - and the potential danger the villain poses, if he ever finds out the truth.

In 2006, the Joker was number one on Wizard magazine's "100 Greatest Villains of All Time." In 2008 Wizard's list of "200 Greatest Comic Book Characters of All Time" placed the Joker fifth, and the character was eighth on Empire's list of "50 Greatest Comic Book Characters" (the highest-ranked villain on both lists). In 2009, the Joker was second on IGN's list of "Top 100 Comic Book Villains," and in 2011, Wired named him "Comics' Greatest Supervillain." Complex, CollegeHumor, and WhatCulture named the Joker the greatest comic book villain of all time while IGN listed him the top DC Comics villain in 2013, and Newsarama as the greatest Batman villain.

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Eddie and Lee go live and tackle the 80's kids book Choose Your Own Adventure and YOU get to help decide their fate. The books they will try to survive in are Secret Treasure of Tibet and The Abominable Snowman. Join in and be part of the fun!

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Snide or should I say electric Snide

Crampon

Tibetan Blue Bear My wife and Josh Gates

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Lee and Jeff from the MEGA and Tirekicker podcast talk about 6 Wonky 80's movies they know you will like.

Full show notes listed below

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Fortress (1985)

An Australian school teacher and her students are kidnapped. She and the children fight for their lives and try to escape from their captors.

Loosely based on the 1972 Faraday School kidnapping of a teacher and her class by Edwin John Eastwood and Robert Clyde Boland. Eastwood later escaped from prison and repeated the crime with another teacher and her class in 1977. The Faraday kidnapping was in turn a real-life copycat crime based on a scene in the Clint Eastwood film Dirty Harry (1971) where the Scorpio Killer holds a bus driver and several schoolchildren hostage.

The Faraday School kidnapping occurred on 6 October 1972 at a one-teacher school in the rural town of Faraday in Victoria, Australia, where two plasterers, Edwin John Eastwood and Robert Clyde Boland, kidnapped six female pupils and their teacher for a $1,000,000 ransom. The Victorian government claimed it would pay the ransom. The victims escaped and the criminals were captured, tried and convicted. Eastwood escaped and later kidnapped a teacher and nine pupils. He was again captured, convicted and sentenced. While in prison, Eastwood strangled convicted rapist Glen Davies in what was ruled self-defence. He was eventually released, having served his sentence.

The film was initially released directly to cable television by the HBO channel in the United States on 24 November 1985.It contains scenes of graphic violence unusual for TV productions of the time. It was released to cinemas in Australia on 26 June 1986. Played for years on HBO

Megaforce (1982)

The story involves two fictional countries, the peaceful Republic of Sardun and their aggressive neighbor Gamibia. Unable to defend themselves from a Gamibian incursion, Sardun sends Major Zara and General Byrne-White to ask the help of MegaForce – a secret army composed of international soldiers from throughout the western world, equipped with advanced weapons and vehicles. The MegaForce leader, Commander Ace Hunter, will lead a mission to destroy the Gamibian forces, which are led by his rival, and former military academy friend, Duke Gurerra.

While Hunter composes an elaborate battle plan to destroy Gurerra's forces, Zara tries out to become a member of MegaForce. As she executes the various tests, Hunter's feelings of affection toward her grow. And while she passes the tests, he is unable to allow her to participate in their raid, because her presence, as an outsider, would disrupt the trust and familiarity of his force.

Eventually, MegaForce successfully para-drops its attack vehicles into Gamibia and Hunter mounts his sneak attack against Gurerra's forces. Although they manage to destroy his base, they are told by General Byrne-White that Sardun has decided they will not be allowed to cross the border into their country because they consider MegaForce too dangerous a global organization.

At the same time, Gurerra has set a trap for them at the team's only means of escape – a dry lake bed where the cargo planes will pick them up. Gurerra sends his tanks to secure the lake bed while Hunter comes up with a plan to attack Gurerra from behind by crossing over a mountain range the enemy tanks had turned their backs toward.

The plan succeeds, and MegaForce manages to break through Gurerra's tanks, but one of MegaForce's cargo planes is damaged in the process. Having to abandon their high-tech vehicles (which they program to self-destruct), the team successfully makes it on foot to the last plane, except for Hunter. The commander, instead, makes his own dramatic escape on his motorcycle after it deploys airfoils and a rocket motor and catches up with the cargo plane in midair. Although he has lost the battle, Gurerra shows admiration for Hunter's cunning, and he gives his old friend a thumbs up.

Hal Needham later described it as:

Kind of a version of James Bond done with a helluva lot of less budget and no Roger Moore, but it was a high tech, good "right wing" film and I thought it was kinda interesting. Those buggies that we built, they were dune buggies and we revamped 'em a little bit, and put the weapons on 'em and all that, and the military sent people out there to look at my weapons and my vehicles and how they run, and how they handle...they were out there in the desert with me for a week watching. And, if you go back and take a look at Desert Storm, there's a pretty good resemblance to my vehicles. They were pretty slick, pretty tricked out, and they had a helluva job putting those together.

The film was poorly received by critics, bombed at the box office and was nominated for three Golden Raspberry Awards, including Worst Picture.

See the flying bike scene

Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend 1985

A paleontologist and her husband discover a mother and baby brontosaurus in Africa, and try to protect them from a group of hunters intent on capturing the dinosaurs.

Starring William Katt from TV show the greatest american hero.

Sean Young From Balde runner and dune and Ace Ventura

Sparked an interest in learning more about actual sightings of dinosaurs. An article in a school magazine wrote about possible sighting in Congo. My imagination was hooked.

Big Trouble in Little China (1986)

Truck driver Jack Burton arrives in Chinatown, San Francisco, and goes to the airport with his Chinese friend Wang Chi to welcome his green-eyed fiancée Miao Yin who is arriving from China. However she is kidnapped on the arrival by a Chinese street gang and Jack and Wang chase the group. Soon they learn that the powerful evil sorcerer called David Lo Pan, who has been cursed more than two thousand years ago to exist without physical body, needs to marry a woman with green eyes to retrieve his physical body and Miao is the chosen one. Jack and Wang team-up with the lawyer Gracie Law, the bus driver and sorcerer apprentice Egg Shen and their friends and embark in a great adventure in the underground of Chinatown, where they face a world of magicians and magic, monsters and martial arts fighters.

The film only gross $11.1M in the box office where it had an estimated gross budget of $25M, but James Cameron’s Aliens came out at the same time and took all of the thunder.

Directed by John Carpenter and starred Kurt Russell, Kim Cattrall

The movie did so bad that John Carpenter said he would never do another blockbuster type movie again and went to independent film making from then on out.

IT has since become a cult classic and has a 78% average rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Better Off Dead 1985

The teenager Lane Meyer has a crush on his girlfriend Beth Truss. When Beth dumps him to stay with the successful skier Roy Stalin, Lane is depressed and decides to commit suicide. However he gives up and tries to improve his skill of skier to ski the dangerous K12 slope to impress Beth. Meanwhile his neighbor Mrs. Smith receives the exchange French student Monique Junot and her fat son Ricky Smith considers Monique his girlfriend; however, Monique has an unrequited crush on Lane that does not note her. When Lane stumbles upon Monique in a high-school party, he befriends her. The upset Lane challenges Roy in a competition on the K12 slope but then he regrets. However Monique is a great mechanic and skier, and fix Lane's Camaro and teaches him how to ski the K12 slope.

Star a young John Cusack Lane Meyer

David Ogden Stiers Al Meyer from MASH

Dan Schneider Ricky Smith Starred in Head of the Class, but later know writing and producing kids shows like Good burger, Drake and Josh and iCarly.

Curtis Armstrong Charles De Mar Who was also in Revenge of the nerds as Booger and later in Moonlighting TV Show with Bruce Willis.

According to Savage Steve Holland, the film is mostly autobiographical. Holland really was suicidal when his high school girlfriend left him for captain of the ski team. Also, he really did have a paperboy named Johnny Gasparini who would harass him for two dollars. According to Holland, when the film came out, the ex-girlfriend contacted him to apologize.

Lane's mother's experimental cooking was inspired by Savage Steve Holland's mother, who did the same thing. "My mom would get McCall's magazine, and she would find these recipes and make these things, and have some excuse why they didn't taste good-because she forgot something or she didn't have an ingredient," Holland told Entertainment Weekly. One year for his birthday-not Christmas-she gifted him with some TV dinners. "She was like, 'And I got you these really cool frozen dinners because you like the peach cobbler in this one' or something. And I was like, 'Wow. Really? This is my life.'"

John Cusack hated the movie when he saw an early cut

The last line of the credits reads The film's over... you can go now.

Badger his bizarre, but genius little brother

Opening Weekend USA:

$56,371, 25 August 1985

Gross USA:

$10,297,601

7.1 on Amazon and 77% on rotten tomatoes

Had resurgence on VHS and Cable

UHF (1989)

George Newman is a daydreamer whose hyperactive imagination keeps him from holding a steady job. His uncle decides George would be the perfect man to manage Channel 62, a television station which is losing money and viewers fast. When George replaces the station's reruns with bizarre programs such as "Stanley Spadowski's Clubhouse", "Wheel of Fish" and "Raul's Wild Kingdom", ratings begin to soar again.

Mean-spirited and cynical mogul R.J. Fletcher becomes furious that the UHF station is getting better ratings than his network's programming. Because of gambling debts, the uncle is forced to consider selling the station to Fletcher, who would only too happily shut it down (he cannot legally own two stations in the same town). George and his friends organize a 48-hour telethon to raise the money by selling investment stock from Channel 62 to save the town's new favorite station.

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A fun Choose your own adventure live event. Eddie and Lee go through Space and Beyond and Space Patrol. You can participate and help them out. Watch the Covert Nerd Facebook and Twitter account (see links below) for dates and times.

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Space and Beyond

Being sucked into a black hole

Space Patrol Henry the our robot companion

We like a dagwood sandwich while we patrol space

Taking on space pirates

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Tim and Lee talk about the DC comics and TV series character by Geoff Johns Stargirl. More notes below

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The many commissions Tim has of Starman

Star Spangle Kid Star Spangle Kid and Stripesy

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A fun Choose your own adventure live event. Eddie and Lee go through UFO 54-40 and Space and Beyond. You can participate and help them out. Watch the Covert Nerd Facebook and Twitter account (see links below) for dates and times.

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UFO 54-40 cut out, we need more of these.

We wear suits when we fly, it's the 80's it okay.

The Utai paradise you can only find by reader through the book

Look at our chin!

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What's old is new New amazing work of Jeff Lemire, EC Comics new old comics and the SNES Classic. Complete show notes below.

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DESCENDER One young robot’s struggle to stay alive in a universe where all androids have been outlawed and bounty hunters lurk on every planet. A rip-roaring and heart-felt cosmic odyssey that pits humanity against machine, and world against world, to create a sprawling space opera from the creators of Trillium, Sweet Tooth, and Little Gotham.

ASCENDER Powerhouse creative team JEFF LEMIRE and DUSTIN NGUYEN launch an all-new sequel series to DESCENDER with the launch of ASCENDER! Set ten years after the conclusion of DESCENDER’s storyline, magic has taken the place of machinery and the rules are very different indeed… Mila, the daughter of Andy and Effie from DESCENDER, spends her days exploring the lonely wilds of the planet Sampson and trying to stay out of the clutches of the evil disciples of the all-powerful vampire witch known only as Mother. But, like her parents, Mila doesn’t like to play by the rules, and when a certain robot pal of her dad’s shows up, nothing will ever be the same! With all the scope and heart of the sci-fi classic DESCENDER, LEMIRE and NGUYEN reunite to take readers on an unforgettable fantasy quest!

Like you I’m sure you can tell when something is good, whether it’s a book, comic book or podcast you can’t stop consuming it. This is one you won’t be able to put down. Like most of Lemires work it’s excellent and addicting. The whole future dynamic between robots and humans is fascinating to all of us, especially now when AI is getting closer than it ever has been. The art is gritty and fits the story telling. The story starts with Descender and chapter two is Ascender. Also as I have said before I like the story because it has a beginning and ending.If you like the conflict between humans and robots you will love Jeff Lemires Descender/Ascender.

This isn’t new, but it’s new to me. EC Comics collection from Dark Horse. When you think Dark Horse might be down for the count they hit back hard, THE EC ARCHIVES

Entertaining Comics, more commonly known as EC Comics, was an American publisher of comic books, which specialized in horror fiction, crime fiction, satire, military fiction and science fiction from the 1940s through the mid-1950s, notably the Tales from the Crypt series. In 1954–55, censorship pressures prompted EC Comics to concentrate on the humor magazine Mad, leading to the company’s greatest and most enduring success. Initially, EC was privately owned by Maxwell Gaines and specialized in educational and child-oriented stories. Later, during its period of notoriety, it was owned by his son, William Gaines. He sold the company in 1960, and it was eventually absorbed into the Kinney National Company, the same corporation that later purchased DC Comics and Warner Bros.

EC had success with its fresh approach and pioneered in forming relationships with its readers through its letters to the editor and its fan organization, the National EC Fan-Addict Club. EC Comics promoted its stable of illustrators, allowing each to sign his art and encouraging them to develop unique styles; the company additionally published one-page biographies of them in the comic books. This was in contrast to the industry's common practice, in which credits were often missing,

They were also known for their shock endings in the stories, like Weird Fantasy #18 (April 1953) The story depicted a human astronaut, a representative of the Galactic Republic, visiting the planet Cybrinia, inhabited by robots. He finds the robots divided into functionally identical orange and blue races, one of which has fewer rights and privileges than the other. The astronaut determines that due to the robots' bigotry, the Galactic Republic should not admit the planet until these problems are resolved. In the final panel, he removes his helmet, revealing himself to be a person of color. Which in 1953 America was shocking. Almost all of their stories had an ending like this.

Another fun series is Adventure into the unknown. One of the stories simply titled Haunted house might be what a Scooby Doo episode was based on. A couple has to stay overnight in a haunted house in order to get their inheritance from a rich relative. The lawyer in charge of the estate tries to scare them out of the house by making the house appear to be haunted. Classic story and art from 1948. At the time these stories were considered edgy before the comics code of authority. These comics are the reason for the code.

What a great idea! Rather than create new characters and stories why not go back 75 years and retell stories to many who have never seen it.

This concept fits the saying “why recreate the wheel” you have great stories very few today have seen, why not reprint and give a chance for new readers to experience and enjoy an old story.

IDW also released a special limited run edition feature the best artists edition, but I believe the Dark Horse reprints are complete and unabridged.

If you have listened to this podcast for any length of time you can tell I’m a bit of a nostalgia nut. Seeing these old comics even though I didn’t live in this time period I still like the vibe I get from reading them. The optimism they project is inspiring, for example the writers had humans traveling in space like we drive to the grocery store. Yes, I will admit some of it is a bit corny but getting a glimpse of what people living in that time period were thinking is fun to consider.

Look at least one of these volumes and see what you think. The people who created these comics and stories were the pioneers of the industry that we enjoy today. They were learning as they went along. They created the medium and creators today are perfecting the medium.

This reminds of the SNES classic my kids gave me. To clarify if you don’t know the SNES classic is a small Super NES console with 21 SNES games on it. No carts and they included controls identical to the original 1990 controllers. The games play just like the originals. again, what's old is new again.

Best of all you can hack it to play even more retro games from the NES to Sega Genesis and more.

Nostalgia is in and in a big way. With all that is going on in the world I believe people like to go back to what they believe in their mind was a simpler time. Whether it was or not is debatable, but if you go back to when you were 10 it was a simpler time. Or at least I hope it was for you. When you are 10 you don’t have to concern yourself with a job, house payments and getting the next promotion. The most you had to worry about is who you are going to hang out with today and what game to play.

Some may knock people who like to talk about and buy things from their childhood. I would say like most things there is a healthy and unhealthy balance that needs to be adhered to. For example, do not put a second mortgage on your house to buy that one-of-a-kind limited-edition Star Wars action figure. The guys over at the MEGA podcast came up with the idea of having a mini collection of MOTU figures. I believe the number to be considered mini was 8-10 figures. I thought this was a good way to not go overboard, but still have a piece of your childhood.

Overall, I don’t think it’s bad to have a few things from your past. You know the feelings and memories that come rushing back when you hold that one thing from your childhood and instantly you are 10 again and you have your whole world to explore. Even if it’s only for a few minutes at least let people enjoy it and let them share their memories with you and the excitement they got to experience. A friend told me his wife didn’t understand why he collected and talked about old MOTU figures. He said because it brings back feelings and memories from a good time in his life and made him feel good to revisit those memories again. She still didn’t understand why. A few months later her birthday came around and he bought her an original bear she had as kid that she mentioned she had lost during a move when she was a kid and wished she had never lost it. When she opened the box she was stunned and started to cry as the memories of the bear came rushing back. He had bought her the exact bear she had lost. And he said this is why I buy those old figures. That story nailed it for me. Maybe you have a similar story. If so you can email me cn@covertnerd.net or go to covertnerd.net to find out how to reach me. I will put a link in the show notes that you can access on whatever device you are using to listen to this podcast.

Let me know about your thoughts on this episode and any ideas you have for future topics I would love to hear what you think.

60's Reboot Podcast

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Eddie and Lee go live and tackle the 80's kids book Choose Your Own Adventure and YOU get to help decide their fate. The books they go through are Cave of Time and Inside UFO 54-40 both authored by the Choose Your Own Adventure creator Edward Packard.

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To participate in the next Choose Your Own Adventure Live! go to the Covert Nerd Facebook

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Cave of Time

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I had the honor of talking with hall of fame podcaster Dave Jackson from the School of Podcasting. He has over 15 years of podcasting and has great insight into starting a project and the mindset you need to take your first steps. Do you have a topic you are passionate about? Dave has great advice to help you out.

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Eddie and Lee go live and tackle the 80's kids book Choose Your Own Adventure and YOU get to help decide their fate. The books they go through are Ghost Hunter and The Mystery of Chimney Rock both authored by the Choose Your Own Adventure creator Edward Packard.

Links and pictures from the episode listed below:

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The caretaker from Chimney Rock You fall and become a ghost in Ghost Hunter

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Read the Choose Your Own adventure books here at Archive.org:

Mystery of Chimney Rock

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Tim and Lee talk Star Wars the Clone Wars, is this the end for the Clone Wars saga? They discuss their favorite characters and story arcs from the series.

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Previous episode with Tim Star Wars Prequels

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Eddie and Lee go through the classic 80's Choose Your Own Adventure book Ghost Hunter.

Eddie is a co-host at the Make Eternia Great Again (MEGA) podcast

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Hear about how the amazing card game Hordes of Power got started. Lee Bokma gives the exciting story of how he created the game and gives advice to any game makers who are looking to get started.

LOTS OF GREAT LINKS AND PICTURES BELOW!

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Links in the episode:

Previous episodes Lee has been on: MEGA Nerd Death Match 3 Nerd Death Match 4 MEGA Nerd Death Match 2 MEGA Nerd Death Match Nerd Death Match 3 Nerd Death Match 2 Nerd Death Match The Barbarian Invasion

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How the game started:

1st hand drawn draft

2nd draft working on color, font and icon placement

Final Draft

All 3 version side by side

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Lee's favorite cars from Hordes of Power

One of Lee's favorite childhood games

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Today we talk with Helen who loves the work of JRR Tolkien, but is a big fan of other fiction like Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, Dresden file and much more. We talk all things Tolkien from how he has created the foundation fantasy characters to what we would like to see in the new Amazon series. She was even part of a DND sorority in college, hear all about it in the latest episode,

Contact Helen: helenpaus@gmail.com

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The infamous Nerd cup Helen owns:

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This episode the guys from OMUG comics joins us for another Nerd Death Match Live.

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Show Notes

Previous episodes and ways to contact the show go to covertnerd.net

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Lee and Eddie read a Choose Your Own Adventure book Live!

Eddie is a co-host at the Make Eternia Great Again (MEGA) podcast

The Last Starfighters Entertainment Group 24 Hour Extravaganza

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Our Sponsor:

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Lee Bokma and the guys from the Make Eternia Great Again podcast join the show for another nerd death match.

Links from the episode

Make Eternia Great Again (MEGA) podcast Art of Lee Bokma The Grawlix Podcast

Previous MEGA Nerd Deathmatches First MEGA Nerd Deathmatch Second Nerd Deathmatch

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Rainbow Comics and Cards Lincoln

Contact the show:

Covertnerd Website

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Randy and Lee talk about their top 3 favorite NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) games and why you will like them even though it's been 30 plus years since there release.

Previous episodes Randy has been on: Top-3-video-game-consoles Top-3-super-nes-games Weird-video-game-accessories

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Today we talk about some old detective books from the 80's I think you will like. Talk about my trip to Mile High Comics and finally a Middle Earth Minute.

Detailed Show notes

Detectives handbook

Crime and Puzzlement 2

The Silmarillion

Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth

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The Silmarillion by J. R. R. Tolkien (2013-08-01)

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Today we talk with one of Hellboys biggest fans, Tim from Rainbow Comics.

Lincoln Rainbow Comics and Cards Facebook Page

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Past Episodes Tim was on:

X-Men Talk with Tim

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Today Eddie and Lee talk about Eddie's favorite sci-fi series Star Trek. Set phasers to kill as they transport into the thick of things as they discuss how and why Eddie fell in love with all things Star Trek.

Podcasts Eddie is a co-host on:

Make Eternia Great Again Podcast Paranormal Dads Podcast Daydream Instruction Manual Podcast

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Hear the fun stories behind 6 weird video game accessories from the 80's and 90's from Randy and Lee.

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Previous Randy Episode

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Ruth, Jesse and Lee talk all things Karate movies to the latest Cobra Kai series. Why young and old like them

Hear Jesse on the Grawlix podcast and The Turning Cartwheels Podcast

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Today we talk with Tim from Rainbow Comics to discuss The Mandalorian.

Shoutouts: Art of Lee Bokma Doug at Grand Comic Con

Links from the episode:

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Tim on Twitter

Past Episodes Tim was on:

X-Men Talk with Tim

Star Wars the expanded universe

Star Wars Prequels

Transformers more great stories to bring you back

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The third and final installment of The Podcast Arcade Christmas Special, Countdown to Krampus.

The Podcast Arcade

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Listen to Jeff and Lee discuss their favorite 80's sitcoms.

Previous episodes with Jeff Top 3 80's Arcade games Top 5 90's Movies Top 5 80's Movies

Link to MEGA (Make Eternia Great Agaian) Podcast

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Eddie from MEGA, Paranormal Dads and DIM podcast Bryan Jack from the Showtime and the Chef podcast Paul from the Moose’s Monster Mash

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X-Men talk with Tim at Rainbow Comics about the latest new X story from Hickman

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The two Lee's get together for another nerd death match and hilarity ensues. This death match has a Star Wars theme to it, hope you enjoy it.

Get in touch with me at covertnerd.net

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Randy and Lee talk about their favorite video game consoles they owned over the years. Hear about the fun they had reliving the fun they had as kids and many new facts you may have never heard about these old gaming systems.

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Huge list of game systems

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Jesse, Billy and Lee talk about pro-wrestling from the 80's to the attitude and what goes into the making of a good wrestler. Hear what they liked best and what makes it so much fun.

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In today's episode we look at an Amazon TV adapted from a comic then we look into the foreign comic book industry lastly, we have middle earth minute.

Links mentioned in this episode:

The boys TV Show The boys comic book Black Sad comic book European website for comics www.europecomics.com and www.cinebook.co.uk link to last middle earth minute The Last StarFighters Facebook page The Podcast Arcade

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In this episode we take on Jeff and Eddie from the Make Eternia Great Again (MEGA) podcast.

The fighters in this death match:

Teela vs Red Sonja

Tytus vs Apache Chief

Cobra Commander vs Skeletor (slap fight)

first mega nerd death match The House of Afros Capes & Curls Link to Baddie Bunch from art of Lee Bokma Cobra Commander slapping Shipwreck GIF Make Eternia Great Again (MEGA)Podcast Art of Lee Bokma Underground inc Podcast

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Today we sit down with Randy from the Grawlix podcast to talk about our favorite Super Nintendo games.

Episode links:

80s Arcade episode link the episode that inspired Randy Grawlix Podcast covertnerd.net Complete show notes

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Today we talk with Tim at Rainbow comics about the Star Wars expanded universe

Tims Previous episodes:

Tims Star Wars Prequel episode Tims Transformers episode

Links from the episode:

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Links from the episode:

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Today we dive into the Tolkien universe with a Middle Earth Minute then we review 2 great comics.

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Long ago when middle earth was first created, there was a demi-god or in the Tolkien universe they’re called Maia. One of those Maia was named (My Ron) Mairon, meaning "the admirable." He learned much in the ways of smithing and handiwork, becoming a great craftsman. Although he was a Maia spirit, and not as mighty as the Valar or Gods, he was arguably the most powerful Maia.

He also had a love of order and perfection and disliked anything wasteful this would be his downfall, for in the Dark Lord Morgoth (who was an evil Valar), Mairon saw the power to help him achieve his own desires faster than if he had pursued them on his own. Morgoth wanted to control or destroy the very matter of the world itself, whereas Mairon's desire was to dominate the minds and will of its creatures. So great was his allegiance in later days, Mairon encouraged and coerced a realm of Men to worship Morgoth as the one true god. But that’s another story.

After allying himself with Morgoth, Mairon maintained his appearance of being faithful to the Valar, but secretly fed Morgoth information about their dealings. It was only when Morgoth established his strongholds in Middle-earth that Mairon left and openly declared his allegiance. After turning to evil the elves of Middle Earth called him Gorthaur, meaning "dread abomination"

During this time the elves waged war on Morgoth, who had stolen the Silmarils, enchanted gems that glowed with light from the home of the Valar. In that war, Gorthaur was counted as the "greatest of [Morgoth's] servants that have names". He was soon feared as a lord of terrible phantoms and dreadful beasts--a shape-shifter, sorcerer, and cunning servant of his master. He could take on many dark forms such as a Vampire Serpent and Werewolf, but he could also appear fair and beautiful.

Gorthaur directed the war against the Elves. He conquered the Elvish isle of Tol Sirion, and it became known as the Isle of Werewolves and he was the Lord of the Werewolves and of Tol Sirion.

During the war an elf king and his men were captured by Gorthaur. The elf king and Gorthaur fought. During the battle only the elf king and his greatest warrior survived the other men were cast into the dark pits where werewolves devoured them.

After the war, with the downfall of his master Morgoth and the destruction of his fortress, Gorthaur adopted a fair form and feigned repentance of his evil deeds in fear of the wrath of his enemies. He was ordered to return to Valinor to receive judgement. He was not willing to suffer such humiliation and so he fled and hid himself in Middle-earth.

Although Gorthaur knew Men were easier to sway, he sought to bring the Elves into his service, as they were far more powerful. 1,200 years after his master's defeat, he decided the Valar had forgotten about Middle-earth and he once again turned to evil plotting.

After lying hidden and increasing his power in secret, Gorthaur put on a fair visage, calling himself Annatar, the Lord of Gifts, he befriended the Elvish smiths in a region of Middle Earth called Eregion near Moria where Gandalf fell to the Balrog in the fellowship of the ring. Although they never realized who he truly was he was never welcomed by the elf lords Elrond, Galadriel and Gil-Galad because they did not trust him and refused to treat with him. Elsewhere he was gladly received, and the Elvish smiths learned much from him as their thirst for knowledge was great. Hunger for knowledge was the elves weakness and he knew it.

Under Annatar's tutelage the Elven master craftsmen became more skilled than anyone else in that age. Remember in the beginning smithing was the first craft he mastered. He also counselled them in arts and magic. After many years when they reached the height of their power, the Elves began the forging of the Rings of Power, but Annatar knew all their secrets and ten years after the completion of the Rings of Power - he created The One Ring to control the bearers of the other rings. For this he invested most of his own power into the Ring as he forged it. I’m sure by now you know who I am talking about because he was also known more commonly in the high elf language Quenya as “the abhorred” or Sauron.

Sauron has more fascinating stories, but I will save that for another time. My goal is to give you small bits of a common character from the world of Tolkien that you may not have heard before. I hope you enjoyed it, let me know either way at covert.net and find the many ways you can contact me.

Paper Girls:

Paper Girls is a mystery/science fiction comic book series written by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Cliff Chiang, published by Image Comics.

Paper Girls follows the story of four 12-year-old newspaper delivery girls (Erin, MacKenzie, KJ, and Tiffany) set in Stony Stream, a fictional suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. While out delivering papers on the morning after Halloween in 1988. The girls are attacked by a group of teenagers; one of the teens steals a walkie-talkie from Tiffany. The girls chase the group to a house and find what appears to be a time machine. The girls learn that the teenagers are time-travelers from the distant future, who are engaged in an ongoing war with a group known as the "Old-Timers". At the center of this conflict is the question of whether or not the past can and should be changed by future time-travelers.

If you like Stanger things you will like Paper Girls, they are very similar. 80’s flashback nostalgia with a touch of the weird and scary. Over the last few weeks, I read the first 28 issues. Since I got back into comics a few years ago that seems to be the norm for me, binging on a series. Anyway, I recommend checking out Papergirls if you like 80’s nostalgia and a time travel adventure.

DC New Frontiers

Another nostalgic comic I found was from DC called DC New Frontiers. Slightly different since I primarily read comics from independents as of late. But this one caught my eye and I liked what I saw and read. The story takes place in the 50’s and early 60’s of the DC universe. The art the heros costumes reflect that style. I mentioned in a previous episode that golden age style has had a resurgence over the last 5 or 10 years. It seems to have appeal to a new generation.

DC: The New Frontier is an award-winning six-issue comic book series written and drawn by Darwyn Cooke, and published in 2004.

Set from 1945 to 1960, post-World War II sentiment and Cold War tension have pushed the Age of the Superhero into decline. However, when a threatening alien presence emerges on earth a new era of superheroes must join forces with veteran heroes and an unfriendly United States government to battle the nemesis

The series was influenced by Kingdom Come, The Golden Age, Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns. Much like The Golden Age, New Frontier is set primarily in the 1950s and depicts Golden Age superheroes Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman meeting Silver Age characters The Flash, Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter. The story bridges the gap between the end of the Golden Age and the beginning of the Silver Age in the DC Universe. The story was also adapted into an animated film, Justice League: The New Frontier, which was released on February 26, 2008.

I had forgotten how different the DC heros looked in the 40s and 50’s, but they have a certain charm about them, I can’t put my finger on it. The story flows well and you get to see all the classic DC characters you know and love. I wouldn’t say I’m a DC expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I recognized all the main characters in the story and knew the origins they were describing. Even if you are a novice DC fan you will like this book. You can pick up the TPB to read the entire story in one big volume. Go online or talk to your local comic shop.

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On today's episode we talk in detail about the Star Wars prequels

Links from the episode:

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Today on the Covert Nerd podcast we will do some Tolkien Talk Next we will look at the state of Dark Horse Comics finally we will review a few comics.

Links in the episode:

Dark Horse comic title list

Local comics:

Lenny Vernon Comic Transient Comic Stow Away Comic Goadkicker Podcast

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It’s good to be back, I haven’t been gone if you are a regular listener you know that. However the format has been different than from the beginning. It’s nice to be back to how it started almost 2 years ago, just you and me talking nerdy topics. It’s like meeting up with an old friend who you haven’t seen in a long time you simply pick up where you left off. Let’s get right to it.

When you were in school did you like history? Statistics show most people don’t. However in our entertainment we want to know the history of our characters. We want prequel movies, we want origin stories. We want to know why our hero does what they do. We don’t want to know the dates we want to know the why. This leads to the first topic.

The announcement from Amazon about their Middle Earth TV series will be set in the 2nd age has me excited. If you are unsure about when that time is I will try to explain, if you watched the movie at the beginning of the LotR they talk about the war of the last alliance when the ring was cut from the hand of Sauron by Isildur. That was at the end of the 2nd age and the beginning of the 3rd age which the movie take place in. The TV series will take place during that time frame. There are some great stories they can use. Stories of kings and queens via for power. In fact I have a feeling they will tell the complete story of the war of the last alliance which they told an extremely condensed version in Fellowship of the ring.

This will give you the backstory on many characters like Isildar, Elrond and Saruon

If you didn’t know I am a big fan of Tolkien, I wouldn’t say I’m a super fan, knowing how to speak Elvish, but i would say I am above average in the fact I have read the LOTR, Hobbit, Silmarillion and a few of the other more obscure books from the legendarium as is referred to in Tolkien circles.

This is what I find interesting about the obscure background information in Middle earth and other fiction. Knowing the why behind the characters and places is interesting to me and hopefully you will too.

JRR Tolkien is the author of The popular Hobbit and Lord of the Rings books. Telling the tale of Hobbits or Halflings travel across the mythical world of Middle Earth full of mythical races of Dwarves, elves, hobbits and orcs.

What most people don’t know about his more obscure book of the Silmarillion and his 12 volume called The History of Middle-earth is a series of books published between 1983 and 1996

There are also other books in addition to the 12 volume set. All of this extra literature was assembled by his son Christopher. What his son did was to scour through his father's notes and piece together the partial stories he started but didn’t complete. Imagine the work to do this. For example he might find a paragraph in a notebook referring to Gandalf before the hobbit, then a few weeks later find another paragraph that goes with that same story. This painstaking effort has gone on since his death in 1973. The latest book to be release is Beren and Luthien. Christopher claims this is the last. I believe it might be since Christopher is in his early 80’s and couple that with the TV rights being sold to Amazon seems to signal a change in how Tolkien's works will be handled.

I will admit the Silmarillion is a harder read than either the Hobbit and LotR. However it has some great stories. It’s basically a bunch of short stories with a small common thread. Based on what I said previously what Christopher did with his fathers writings after his death this makes sense. In the case of the Silmarillion it is a little different, it was roughly put together by Tolkien himself but he submitted to his publisher and was rejected. Tolkien laid it aside for many decades and only did he work on it again shortly before he died. That’s one of the reasons it’s a more difficult read.

It does have many names and places in it which can be confusing. However it has many nuggets of back history lore like the origin of the races of Elves men and dwarves. Also the first dragon and first original dark lord and mast of Sauron Melkor. Also the origin story of Aragons family the Numenorians. Just like many other stories there is a rich history behind the main story. These stories take place thousands of years before we are in the house of Bilbo at Bag end. It makes the stories we know more about seem richer and fuller.

Another story line that does something similar is Robert Howard's Conan. I have read all of his books, Some of them were started by Howard but finished by other authors like L Sprague De Camp. Who like Christopher used Howard notes to finish the story in the spirit of the notes. Unlike Christopher Decamp did take liberties and added to the story to make them complete.

Anyway Howard in many of his books alluded to the fact that even in the time of Conan the earth was very old.

For example in the story of the Tower of the Elephant the alien in the story mentions him and a few of his kind came to earth long before the sinking of Atlantis. In another story Conan encounters another space traveling beings who came to earth while men were still apes. Then there's the fact many times he refers to Atlantis and that Cimmerians themselves are direct descendants of Atlantis. Again adding a full long history to build upon.

Having this foundation gives the author the ability to pull more stories and shore up their existing characters with more depth.

With both Conan and Middle Earth I find both of these aspects exciting, for you maybe not so much. And that’s okay everyone has different tastes.

I have been toying with doing a short segment called Middle Earth Minute. As you can tell by the name it would be short. I would explore the more obscure stories from Tolkien that connect to main story. I believe by condensing the story and keeping it short most people would be able to understand it and not get lost. The idea is to provide you with a good story and give you information you may have never thought of before. Just an Idea I have been throwing around. Could possibly do the same thing with Conan universe too. Let me know your thoughts about this idea or the history of some of your favorite fiction. Go to covert.net to contact me I will put a link in the show notes with all the different ways you can contact me.

Over the years Dark Horse comics has lost several IP’s Conan, Buffy Yosagi and Star Wars. Many talk about how this will affect Dark Horse financially. Dark horse as a company has had a few company owned titles, but for the most part they have relied on licensing other properties. Dark Horse was started in 1986 and in their early years their big properties were Aliens and Predator and the famous Aliens Versus Predator limited series awas huge for them. I remember that was one of the early comics I bought. The art and story was great. At the time the also had a terminator series too. Again not their own titles. They did try to Create their own super hero universe with their Comics greatest world series in 1993. It was received with mediocre acceptance by comics readers and was discontinued in 1996 except for X and Ghost. Two titles that did better than the rest. I read the entire run and it wasn’t bad in my opinion.

In the early 90’s Dark Horse bought the Star Wars property and release the Star Wars Dark Empire 1991 series which was huge. It took place about 5 years after Return of the Jedi. Like the Aliens and predator series they didn’t own it, but because their IP series sold so well I don’t think it mattered. They also got Robert E Howard's Conan property too.

Since Fox sold to Disney the possible loss of the Aliens and predator IPs some say could mean the end of Dark Horse. Which would be a great loss, but enter Jeff Lemire and his Black Hammer universe. All by himself has created the superhero universe Dark Horse has always wanted. The popularity of this title has grown so much there is talk of a DC Dark Horse crossover. Also Mike Migola’s Hellboy and Joe Golem series have sold well too. Then the popular comic turned TV Umbrella Academy. I think with these and a few other titles Dark Horse should be okay in the short term. These are creator owned titles but they are still generator revenue and exposure for Dark Horse. In the end even though they have lost several IP’s maybe they can move some of their resources to other in house projects like the ones I just mentioned and others that have yet to be revealed. (include list of comic titles)

DOCTOR STAR & THE KINGDOM OF LOST TOMORROWS

Writer: Jeff Lemire Artist: Max Fiumara

This dual-narrative story set in the world of Black Hammer series chronicles the legacy of a Golden-Age superhero Also by Jeff Lemire.

An aged crime fighter desperately wants to reconnect with his estranged son, who he hoped would one day take the mantle of Doctor Star. Over the course of the story, we learn his World War II-era origin, how he got his powers, his exciting astral adventures, the formation of some of Black Hammer's greatest heroes, and more in this heartbreaking superhero tale about fathers and sons.

The art matches the age in which it is set like the Black Hammer Universe it has the Golden age look. It’s interesting that today’s readers seem to like the very retro look and feel of comics from the 40’s and 50’s. The book is well written with a good pace to the story. Like Jeff’s previous works Essex county (which I reviewed in a past episode) the story is thoughtful and heartwarming. The series is only four issues, which I like this concept only produce enough issues to tell the story. I highly recommend the series. Let me know what you think about Dr Star.

Next we get local with three local books

Lenny Vernon written and illustrated by Al Garrison and Ben Crain

This comic is just plain fun. Lenny Vernon is the trucker version of James Bond. He takes out the bad guys and always gets the girl in the end. It’s also like Shazam and it doesn’t take itself to seriously. From zombies, to hipster vampires even a Def Leppard cover band that gets possesed. Lenny takes them all on in his own glorious way that only Lenny can and in the end he uses his common catch phrase “sweet sweet love” when he’s talking to his girl. The comic even has fake ads that we all saw in comics when we were kids. Again a fun comic to put a smile on your face. Al and Ben created the comic and both guys are good guys who know how to tell a great story that you will love. I suggest you check out the fun this comic has to offer. Link in the show notes to where you can pick-up your copy of Lenny Vernon.

Transient written and illustrated by Aaron Carlo

He tells the story of Samuel who wanders the post apocalyptic world trying to survive. He gets caught in an cult of pseudo christians who are taking advantage of the local people. He has to decide what to do stay or fight for those who can’t defend themselves. The art is classic black and white which gives the story it’s rugged feel to it. The story is seamless and panel fit the narrative Aaron is trying to tell. The world Aaron has built leaves room for endless other stories about Samuel and his journey to survive in what’s left of his world. I look forward to see what Aaron does with this one.

Stow Away written by Marcus Stevens and illustrated by Aaron Carlo

Marcus tells the story of the punk rock band Fractured Alice who is hired to kidnap a princess. This space adventure is a fun and something different because it’s not your normal space adventure. They story puts a punk band in the seat of trying to prevent a galaxy wide war. They are the most unlikely group of heros. This is a 6 issue series so I am curious how the story will play out.

Goadkicker podcast

Carl from the Goadkicker podcast is back! I have to confess I was a little giddy when I saw a new episode was announced. I enjoy listening to Carl talk about nerdy stuff like Gundam, DND, comics, fiction and life in general. He is the master of being able to talk about anything in extreme detail for long periods of time, this ability astounds me. I highly recommend you check out his show. You can find him on Spotify, Apple podcast, Google podcast and any other podcast app.

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Today we talk with two teenagers Ruth and Deqlan, about the retro things they like and why.

Links from the episode:

Deqlan James Art Starformers podcast Art of Lee Bokma Mini Con Info

Visit covertnerd.net for the ways you contact me and listen to other episodes

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Today we talk with Jeff from the Make Eternia Great Again Podcast

Complete show notes here

Covertnerd.net

Jeff: TMNT Dazed and Confused The Crow Face Off Dumb and Dumber

Lee: Tommy Boy Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Young Guns II Can't hardly Wait Liar Liar

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Listen to Tim and I talk about IDW Transformers comics, figures and all things Transformers

Links from the Episode:

The Transformers: The Basics is hosted by Chris McFeely. https://www.youtube.com/user/ChrisMcFeely Rainbow Comics Lincoln

Episode art from Livio Ramondelli his Instagram is (https://www.instagram.com/livioramondelli/?hl=en). Covert Nerd Twitter

Covert Nerd Instagram

Covert Nerd Facebook

Covert Nerd Website

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Links from the Episode

The Podcast Arcade

Art of Lee Bokma

Covert Nerd Podcast

Full episode notes

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Nerd Death Match 3

Episode links:

covertnerd.net

Art of Lee Bokma

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Today we discuss working together to make work easier, then we talk about the beginning of Image comics, lastly text adventures get new life.

Links mentioned in the episode:

Play the original Zork online

Play Zork on your Alexa

Art of Lee Bokma

covertnerd.net ----more----

It’s good to finally be back and getting back to the old schedule before the holidays hit. Don’t get me wrong I like Christmas and new years, but it does tend to interrupt the “normal” schedule a bit. I’m glad to be back and glad you’re here too.

Many hands make light work, I’m sure you may have hear this saying. Working together makes a task much easier, especially if you are working with people you like and have a common interest.

As a teaser I am fortunate enough to be friends with some local creators and we are working together on a fun project I think you will love, so listen later to find out what it is.

Working together

So many things in our lives can be done better and easier if we get more people involved. Another recent example is we had a snowstorm and our driveway needed to be cleaned. It’s not a small driveway I would say about 150 ft long. I fired up the snow blower to start and it wouldn’t work. I know your saying why didn’t you test it before the storm, and I did and it worked fine. I fiddle with it for about 20 minutes and no luck. So I grabbed the shovel and got to work. Since I have kids I 3 of them help me. We took turns and when one person got tired they handed the shovel to the next person and so on until the entire driveway was cleared. In less than an hour the job was done. I could have kept trying to work with the snow blower and maybe got it done, but I’m not mechanically inclined so most likely not. Asking for help and working together makes the job easier.

Another place to ask is Google, Author Jerry Pornelle once said everything that has answer has been answered. And Google can point you to those people that have the same questions and concerns you have.

If you’re working on something and maybe you’re struggling to start or got started and you don’t know what to do next. Try asking for help, most people are willing to give you a tip or two to help. Regardless of what people may think most people want to help. People are more likely to help than to do you a favor, so when you ask, ask for help not a favor. Most likely someone has been where you are and can offer you wisdom.

Whether you love him or hate him Gary Vaynerchuck is a speaker and author who speaks his mind sometimes with colorful language. One thing He specifically talks alot about working alongside people who are doing what you want to do just to get the experience. Again it reinforces this concept that other people have been where you have been. They can help you avoid the pitfalls you may encounter.

I could go on and on with examples like this, but I would guess you get the idea and you have you own stories. I would like to hear them, you can email them to me cn@covertnerd.net or you can find me on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Marvel early 90s bullpen

I was reading an old Uncanny X-men comic from 1990 and noticed the credits for the book Chris Claremont, Whilice Portacio, John Byrne, Marc Silvestri, Jim Lee. It reminded me again of how much talent Marvel had at the time. If you read comics during that time period I took it for granted how great those creators were and how much Marvel had. I assumed that’s the way it would be for Marvel going forward. However

Marvel suffered a blow in early 1992, when seven of its most prized artists — Todd McFarlane (known for his work on Spider-Man), Jim Lee (X-Men), Rob Liefeld (X-Force), Marc Silvestri (Wolverine), Erik Larsen (The Amazing Spider-Man), Jim Valentino (Guardians of the Galaxy), and Whilce Portacio (Uncanny X-Men) — left to form Image Comics also d Sam Kieth (The Maxx), Dale Keown (Pitt), Jae Lee (Hellshock), left marvel immediately to join their friends at Image. Chris Claremont was considered one of the founders too. Look at that list? And these are the ones who left right away, not to mention other talent who left shortly like John Byrne and John Romita Jr. It was a change in how comics were done and the industry would never be the same again.

You can read more are the details of what exactly went down, but the basic jist was the aforementioned creators wanted more control of a characters look and story. They didn’t want an editor to scrap what they had spent hours to create. They wanted more control. They took a chance for the passion they had and left a stable career with a big publisher. Because let’s face it if you say you work for one of the big two especially back then you had made it. However they didn’t want stability they wanted the freedom to create what they wanted to create. They are and amazing collection of talent but their endeavor could have failed, Image could have collapsed, but it didn’t. Image paved the way for many other independent publishing companies. They proved as a creator you don’t have to be part of the big two to succeed. We see that all over the place these days, whether it’s writing a book, creating a podcast or a comic the creator has the control. You don’t need a middle man anymore. You have the option of both, there's room in the marketplace for both the traditional and the new direct to consumer format.

Whether you love them or hate them those pioneers of the early 90's who started Image helped pave the way for new up and coming creators like Ed piskor is one young artist who comes to mind who said Rob Liefield is one of the artists who impressed him in the early 90’s. When I say young that is somewhat relative since I am 44 someone in their 20’s is young to me. But what I mean is younger than those guys who left Marvel, those guys now are in their 50’s and early 60’s. Other young up and comers are Skottie Young, Becky Cloonan and Donny Cates, Erica Henderson.

I have said this before I want this podcast to be positive as I can make it, when I think about those first guys at Image and the risk they took. I admire them, they would rather die on their own sword than die on someone else’s. What that means is they would rather fail by their own decisions than someone else’s. Some of these new artists in their own way are taking risks too, even with new opportunities in today’s market it still can have it’s own challenges. However I am confident creators have it better today than 20 years ago.

I would love to hear about any of the projects you are working on. What are you doing that you decided to start? It’s a new year and new resolutions and plans typically take place this time of year. Let me know I would like to hear about them and if I can help I will do what I can. Go to covertnerd.net to see all the ways to contact me.

Text based adventures

Let’s talk texted based games, If you’re not familiar what a text based game is I will try to explain. Back in the 70’s and early 80’s when computer power was minimal most applications we run by typing on the keyboard. For example if you wanted to start a program you would have to type “run msword.” Games were played in a similar way. You would start the game and the game would describe your surroundings, for example “This is an open field west of a white house, with a boarded front door. There is a small mailbox here. A rubber mat saying 'Welcome to Zork!' lies by the door.” If you wanted to walk a certain direction you would type “walk south” if you wanted to perform and action you would type “open door.”

On the podcast TWIT (This Week in Tech) The were talking about the Amazon Echo. One of the things they mentioned was converting these text based adventures or Interactive fiction to run on your Echo and how easy it would be to convert. I did a little research and there’s a unofficial fan version of Zork which is an early 80’s text adventure. I would have to agree this would be a great way to take and old medium and adapted it into a new technology. Now instead of typing “walk east” you would simple speak “walk east”. I hope people convert these old text adventures and maybe make some of their own. Which they have done a few that are well produce like Wayne investigations. Wayne investigations includes sound effects and voice actors for each part as you try to solve the mystery. I plan to explore some of the other things you can do with an Echo and I hope to share some of them with you.

No major reviews this episode the holidays slowed my reading down a lot, and I am just now getting back into my normal pattern. Finishing up Saga of Swamp Thing and a few others. Also I am re reading LOTR. Lee Bokma gave me a couple of Tolkien books not written by him but a commentary on various topics in LOTR, sparked my interest again to read them again. I read the Silmarillion about this time last year so I haven’t been out of middle earth very long. I may talk about it more in another episode

You can subscribe on any podcast app like apple podcast, Google podcast, stitcher and any others. To see a list got to covertnerd.net and you can find them all.

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Today we take a look back at the comics we reviewed this year then we will look at two fantastic comic titles. Lastly we take a look to the future.

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So many good comics this year and so little time. I listed them all and then I decided to rank them. Which was no easy task, I read so many this year and it was great to get back into comics again after being only a part time reader. I had a lot of fun looking for comics I had missed over the last 20 years and a few new titles from new publishers, artist and writers. There’s some good young talent out there. These talent out there now is like the talent I got into comics with in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Many of those people now are in charge of publishers now. Keep an eye on these men and women now because in 20 years they will be running the comic industry.

Back to the comic picks of this year. If I reviewed or mentioned them on the podcast then IMO they were some of the best. This will be a very brief run through of the 14 comic titles I reviewed this last year. The list will be in the show notes on covertnerd.net. I can confidently recommend any of these and you won’t be disappointed.

(Some links are affiliate links)

Comics reviewed

14 Monstress Image Comics

Essex county Image Comics
I Kill Giants Image Comics
Ninjak vs The Valiant Universe Valiant
Plume Devil’s Dueent
Y the Last Man Vertigo
Dark Ark After Shock
The Long Con Oni Comics
Black Hammer Dark Horse
Secret Six DC Comics

These last four could almost all be number ones, however there can only be one.

Britannia Valiant any of them but starting with the first volume will help the story make more sense
Faith Valiant, thankfully you pick any of these up and it will make sense, but why miss out on all the fun. Just start at the beginning.
East of West Image Comics Who doesn’t like an alternative history heading towards the apocalypse. It’s a fascinating story with more plot twists and turns than a round about. Unlike the previous two you will have to start at the beginning to understand what’s going on.
Invincible Image Comics

Created by writer Robert Kirkman and artist Cory Walker and illustrated by artist Ryan Ottley. From beginning to end I couldn’t stop reading. I didn’t find this until a few months before the last issue. I binged on this for almost 2 months, exclusively read Invincible and only Invincible. The story and and the art are fantastic. The story is tight and doesn’t veer much from Mark Grayson and how he deals with being a half human on earth. I love the fact Kirkman didn’t try to keep the series going and milk the title for all he could get, because he probably could have. I can see him possibly doing a few 1 shot issues here and there, telling some stories where the regular title was vague. If he doesn’t I’m okay with that. He started a good story and ended it when he was done, that’s the way it should be. I would say grab all 144 issues and lock yourself in your room for the entire weekend and you won’t regret it.

There it is the 14 comics I reviewed this year ranked. Let me know your thoughts on these. Agree? Or disagree?

Joe Golem:

Forty years after disaster left Lower Manhattan submerged in thirty feet of water, children have begun disappearing below the surface. In this new series, Joe Golem hunts the terrifying creature that has been pulling children into the depths of the canals.

Mignola and Golden have created a noir-esque detective book, fueled by alternate history and their usual twist of the spiritual macabre. They have crafted a masterful story. Patric Reynolds does some creepy work here. From the creepiness of the water, to flashback scenes giving us a little of Joe’s history, the art is wonderful and clean. He provides the art of the gloomy world, with a grainy style of pencils which suits the somewhat sunken world.

This comics is based on the novel by the same name. Joe investigates strange events in the now partially sunken New York City. They also slowing reveal Joe’s mysterious background. The book has a good mix of horror without much of the gore. I also like the fact the stories are 2-3 issues with a thread of a constant underlying story.

If you like noir mysteries then you will love Joe Golem

Saga of the Swamp Thing

The character first appeared in House of Secrets #92 (July 1971) by DC Comics in a stand-alone horror story set in the early 20th century. I’m reading the Alan Moore collections because I heard they were good. So far I would have to agree, I started these books knowing almost nothing about Swamp Thing other than he was a character from DC who became swamp thing after a lab accident. The writing has some of the bizarre and grittiness of Moore which is why people tend to like his style since he doesn’t pull any punches with his subjects. I like in volume one he mixes in a few other DC characters like Batman, Lex Luthor and John Constantine

The art over the 4 volume collection is done by Stephen Bissette John Totleben Dan Day Rick Veitch. Overall the art has the 80’s look and feel witch I like. It’s a bit rough, but that adds to the darker feel of swamp thing. I am still amazed at the old time artists who did it all by hand and still have such details. Especially when do a title like this with vines and other plant life it can be complicated.

The future looks fun and bright for the podcast and I’m having a lot of fun doing this. I think you will hear more nerd death matches. I like Lee and the whole concept because its fun, and I hope you like them too. The entire podcast community of creators is helpful and welcoming, I’m so glad to be part of a great group of people. I hope to be consistent with episodes, but with work and family it can be tough to get episodes out, but I will try to do better.

At the time of this recording it’s getting close to the end of the year. I want to thank you the listener for your time and support of this podcast. Please visit covertnerd.net to subscribe on Google podcasts, Apple podcast, Sound Cloud and many other apps of your choice.

Podcasts to check out

Podcast Arcade Healthy Under Pressure Rad Years Drinking at Bible Study Not Your Pastors Podcast

Black Hammer Volume 1: Secret Origins: Secret Origins

Joe Golem Occult Detective Volume 1- The Rat Catcher and The Sunken Dead

Saga of the Swamp Thing, Book 1 (Saga of the Swamp Thing, 1)

Invincible: The Ultimate Collection Volume 1 (Invincible Ultimate Collection, 1)

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Episode 28 show notes:

Magical Mentor Mash: Mystery, Manipulator and Eccentric

Yoda Vs Gandalf

Redhead Ruckus

Scarlett Vs Black Widow

Sidekick Slaughter: Annoyance, Cute and Shenanigans factor

Uni Vs Gleek

Links:

Art of Lee Bokma

covertnerd.net

The Illustrated Star Wars Universe by Kevin J Anderson

Complete Show notes with pictures

The Illustrated Star Wars Universe (Star Wars)

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Audio drama podcast from Marvel, then we go old school and visit a comic from Ancient Rome and the 60s. Let’s get into it and nerd it up.

Episode Links:

Wolverine:The Long Night Podcast

Old Time Radio

The History of Rome Podcast

Carl D Smith Patreon

The Podcast Arcade

Art of Lee Bokma

Covert Nerd Podcast

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Wolverine the long night podcast is an audio drama based on the Marvel character Wolverine. I hope they do more of these in the future. Shortly after I wrote this it was announced there would be a 2nd season called Marvel’s Wolverine: The Lost Trail.

Being in the audio world I know this type of storytelling can be just as difficult to make as making a comic book. Both are a great way to tell a story and both are taxing on the creators.

I have listened to many old time radio broadcasts and they are fun to listen too. If you haven’t listened to old audio dramas I suggest you do it. I will Include a link to old audio drama’s people have posted on Archive.org. Audio has the good and bad benefit of not being a complete medium. The difference between a TV show and an Audio Drama is, that not everything is thrown at you. When you watch something on a screen you are given both the visual and the audio, your brain doesn’t have to fill in any of the gaps. With Audio your brain has to draw the pictures of the scene and characters for you based on what you hear and what your mind can conjur.

In the podcasting world the fiction genre has seen an increase in popularity in the last year. I believe this will continue to be the case over the next few years.

I would assume you are a fan of audio since you are listening now. It’s a personal medium, what I mean is that it’s not something you listen to as a group. It’s your player of choice and a pair of earbuds. The test on how good a podcast or audio book is, when you are listening in the car does it prevent you from getting out? If it does then it’s a good podcast or audio book.

Books on tape comments, I want to take you back in the way back machine to back in the late 90’s I listened to a lot of books on tape. Because back then there were no podcasts. You had to rewind if the previous person didn’t and the portable tape player I used seemed to go through AA batteries quickly. I’m sounding like the old man yelling at kids to get off my lawn. Fast forward to today and the effort to listen to audio like most things is almost friction-less. Also the barrier of entry to produce a podcast or audiobook is much easier than ever before. I’m not saying either is easy, but the ability to get your product to the consumer is relatively easy compared to 10 years ago. Just like in previous episodes the barrier of entry is lower, which is a good thing for all of us, in my opinion. If you like a particular podcast please let them know. Sometimes we as podcasters wonder if anyone is listening. All the podcasters I talk with and listen to, they all 100% agree when they get an email from a listener it gives them a boost. It helps them be more excited for the next episode. I think this would be a good idea for most of the things we consume. Whether it’s a blog post or piece of digital art, let the creator know you like it. It’s doesn’t have to be lengthy, a simple “good job, keep up the good work.” will do wonders for a creators moral. And that’s why I try to do as many shout outs to the people who contact with me. I hope you will give them a look and get some value and let them know they are putting out good content.

Britannia comic from Valiant

Ruled by the Fates. Manipulated by the Gods. Commanded by Caesar. In the year 65 A.D., one’s destiny was not his own. At the height of Nero’s reign, a veteran of Rome’s imperial war machine has been dispatched to the farthest reaches of the colonies to investigate unnatural happenings… In the remote outpost of Britannia, Antonius Axia – the First Detective – will become Rome’s only hope to reassert control over the empire’s most barbaric frontier…and keep the monsters that bridge the line between myth and mystery at bay…

There are 3 volumes released as of this recording, and all 3 are fabulous. Writer: Peter Milligan keeps the dialog moving along nicely and also keeps you wondering about who did it until the very last page. The art by Juan Jose Ryp goes into such details and seems to get the period piece correctly. He is meticulous about the details. For example on a page we see our hero walking down the street and he draws the details of each street vendor down to the apples.

Veteran legionnaire Antonius Axia is the detective who is hesitantly working for the mad emperor Nero. Imagine Sherlock Holmes being thrust back into Roman times to solve crimes for the empire.

When I first saw the solicit last year I wasn’t interested, but I saw it again a month ago and couldn’t stop reading all of them. If you are a Roman history fan you will love it, if you are not you will still appreciate the art and the amazing story.

Side note if you want to hear a great Roman history podcast The History of Rome by Mike Duncan. It’s an older one but still a great podcast. Mike goes out of his way to get everything as accurate as he can. He starts with the founding of Rome by Romulus and Remus and ends with the last western emperor in 472 AD. It’s fantastic is the best way to sum up his detailed podcast. I will include a link in the show notes.

The Secret Six

first appeared during the initial team's seven-issue title Secret Six (May 1968 – May 1969).

Unusually, the premiere issue's story began on the cover, and continued on the interior's page one. This strike team of covert operatives consisted of August Durant, Lili de Neuve, Carlo di Rienzi, Mike Tempest, Crimson Dawn and King Savage.

Created by writer E. Nelson Bridwell and artist Frank Springer, the ongoing series ceased publication with the identity of Mockingbird unrevealed.

Friend Carl D Smith who’s is a writer with a patreon by the way. I will include a link in the show notes he had mentioned the secret six along time ago and I decided to check it out. I liked the simplicity of the story telling, there’s not a who lot of complicated characters and in depth storylines. The team is given an assignment and they are tasked with completing the assignment. One story is to recover stolen jewels another is to steal plans for a secret jet before the communist get them. Sometimes a person only wants to read a simple action issue and be done.

Like all teams each member has their own set of skills and abilities. This allows the story to use each member to complete their mission. Although the title is 50 years old I still like the story telling. The fact that it is 50 years old is part of the fun. You can tell this was written at the height of the cold war, the reader hears the word “commie” multiple times are a product of their times. Also the old school ads are interesting and funny. Like the 2 man submarine for only $6.90 and selling greeting cards for “amazing prizes!” I will post pictures in the show notes.

Issue number one they start the story on the cover, which is a very unique thing to do.

Thanks to The guys over at the podcast arcade

Lee Bokma art of Lee Bokma on Facebook

and Carl D Smith

Ads in the Secret Six

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Nerd Death Match:

Hulk vs. He-Man

Jonny Quest vs. Goonies

Alfred vs. Aunt May in a cook off

Art of Lee Bokma

Covertnerd.net

Complete show notes with all the extras!

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Links from the Episode:

The four podcasts Eddie co-hosts: Now you know why we call him the Podfather.

Make Eternia Great Again Podcast Paranormal Dads Podcast Daydream Instruction Manual Podcast Falcon Punch Thunder Dads Podcast

Covert Nerd Podcast

I had the awesome opportuntiy to sit down and talk with Eddie. We talked about life lessons we learn from the fiction we consume. From Back to the Future to Lord of the Rings and everything nerdy in between. If you like this episode please share.

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Links in the episode

Details on this and other episodes visit covertnerd.net for all the details

Make Eternia Great Again Podcast Starformers Podcast IDW movie adaptation of Transformers the movie Early script of Transformers the movie found in 2010 Daydream Instructions manual Jeffs episode

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Jeffs Top 5 Star Wars Return of the Jedi Tron Back to the Future The Last Star Fighter The Goonies

Lee's Top 5 Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back Predator Space Balls Transformers the Movie

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Links mentioned in the episode (some links are affiliate links)

Covert Nerd Podcast

Arcade cabinet link Delayed gratification link Essex county Ninjak vs the Valiant Universe Plume by K Lynn Smith Galactic driftwood podcast Healthy Under Pressure Podcast Make Eternia Great Again Podcast Grawlix Podcast Day Dream Instruction Manual Podcast That One Time I was Abducted by Aliens podcast

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As comic book nerds we buy comics we plan to read, but sometimes we put them in a longbox and forget about them. On the Comic Geek Speak podcast one of the hosts was talking about this very thing. He has over 25K comics in his collection so I can understand how something like this could happen. It made me think about how we collect and the fine line between collecting and hoarding.

It’s the comic book collection bug we sometimes get. We collect and then sometimes we purge and sell everything off. Then we collect and purge and the cycle continues. Some of us like me rarely purge, but I also don’t spend $100’s each month on comics each month, my budget won’t allow it. If I did have the money I could see myself getting to 25K quickly. Let’s do the math 25K/35=714/365=1.95 per day. I’m not knocking it, because if you can afford it and it doesn’t cause you to be late on your obligations by all means do it. Carl Eddie and Jeff over at the MEGA podcast which is a MOTU podcast talk about mini collections. I am pretty sure Carl came up with the idea of the mini collection. They like MOTU, but aren’t trying to get every figure ever made. They are looking for their favorites only. And if their collection gets too big then they downsize it to keep it in the “mini” category. I’m not exactly sure what number “mini” is and it probably varies for each person over at the MEGA podcast, but the idea is keeping it small.

I was talking with a local guy who makes custom copies of old arcade machines. He does a fantastic job Lee Bokma bought a machine from him. I will put a link to his website in the show notes. I think I will bring him on the show sometime in the future. He talks about the fact he can make a machine that has 100’s of old games on it so that a person doesn’t have to spend hours of time and lots of money collecting old video games. For me and video games that’s fine however some people like the thrill of the hunt. They get joy from hunting for those one or two figures or issues you want to add to their collection. For example On the Rad years podcast one of the hosts “squeezer” collected old NES carts. He could easily over pay by going on e-bay and find most of what he’s looking for, but he enjoys hunting at garage sales, auctions and flea markets for the carts he loved as a kid.

With comics I’m similar, when I buy I tend to be looking for old issues I lost when a couple of long boxes got ruined by water in our basement. It’s more nostalgia and I didn’t have a big collection to start with around 600. It’s fun going through long boxes and coming across an issue I am missing. All of sudden I can remember the storyline and what was going on in my life when I was reading it. You probably have a similar reaction when you are hunting for what you collect. Especially if it’s something you did when you were younger. I buy a few new here and there because I think it good to have a mix of the old and new.

On the flip side of nerdy collecting I am part of a Heroquest Facebook group. Heroquest is a basic RPG board game. With 4 hero’s who go through several quests to defeat villian’s and collect gold and other items along the way. The game came out in 1989, for more you can listen to episode 2 where I go into more detail. The game is hard to find for under $120 and the rare expansion with go as high as $800. There was a guy who posted a picture of the number of games he had been collection over the years. He had 9 main sets and 4-5 of each expansion. Many people blasted him for hoarding so many sets, I’m not one to criticize much, but in this case maybe he should consider sharing the wealth. I didn’t comment since so many people had already said what I was thinking. It’s like the guy who collects Moss man figures and Moss man only. Literally hundreds of Moss man figures. However I pretty open minded and if this type of collecting makes a person happy and the price of their collecting still allows them to meet their financial obligations, then more power to them. Whether it’s Surfboards, napkins or milk bottle’s if you love it and it doesn’t cause you to go broke, go for it.

How you collect may evolve as your life changes, when your single or married with a duel income home with no kids your disposable income is big. When you have kids your priorities change as they should. Cutting back doesn’t mean not at all, it means not as much for now. Delayed gratifications has a multitude of real world benefits, I will include a link to an article giving you 10 reasons why and if you research you will find more science behind the idea of delayed gratification. Being mature enough to accept change is good. Later when you become an empty nester it changes again, it’s not forever. I should I’m not the perfect model of, this but I did cut back dramatically on comics and in the last 2 years have increased both in what I spend monetarily and the time I spend with comics.

Being nerd and collecting doesn’t mean you hoard and hid your collection, it should be something you want to share and let others enjoy the things you have collected over the years. Whether you have a mini collection or a mega collection. Enjoy it a share it with others. Tell them the stories behind what you collect.

What type of collector are you? Do you want to find every floppy issue of X-Factor? Or are you okay with certain key issues? What do you collect? Let me know on Twitter Instagram or email, visit covertnerd.net for all the ways you can contact me. A link will be in the show notes on whatever device you are listening.

When I review something I am commenting on it because I liked it and I encourage you to take a look as well. I try not to criticize or rant because there is enough of that already, I want to stay positive. I stick to the adage if you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say anything at all.

Today is no exception. I recently read Essex county

Jeff Lemire tells a complex story with simple black and white art. He can do that because the setting takes place in his childhood home town. He tells 3 separate stories that are loosely connected. Here’s the solicit.

“Where does a young boy turn when his whole world suddenly disappears? What turns two brothers from an unstoppable team into a pair of bitterly estranged loners? How does the simple-hearted care of one middle-aged nurse reveal the scars of an entire community, and can anything heal the wounds caused by a century of deception?”

I’m more of a super hero / fantasy fan, but this one had me turning the pages to find out what happens next. My personal favorite was the second story about the two brothers and their falling out. Because of the simple art it showcases the ability Jeff has in telling a story. This came out in 2009 and has been put in a collection with extra art and stories, I will put a link in the show notes so you can look at it if you want. I recommend this to anyone.

Ninjak vs The Valiant Universe is a fun pop corning type of book. It reminds me of the old X-men Versus the FF back in the 80’s. It’s a story you can tell was put together on purpose by the publisher to appeal to a large readership. The reader knows it, but in this case it was still a fun story to read. I guess you could say I succumbed to their marketing ploys.

Colin King is Ninjak, MI-6’s deadliest intelligence operative, and weapons expert. When the ruthless assassin Roku exploits his greatest weakness, Ninjak will be forced to betray his closest allies. Now, on the run, he must face off against the most powerful heroes known to man for a high-octane, take-no-prisoners trial by fire more perilous and more unpredictable than any he’s faced before. The world’s most dangerous super-spy goes to war with the Valiant Universe…

Plume by K Lynn Smith

Last and certainly not least is Plume by K Lynn Smith. I talked with her at O Comic Con and as I have mentioned 2 episodes ago she is a genuinely nice person. I went to one of her panels and talked with her in the vendor area. I asked her a few questions and she was patiently indulged my questions. Plume is a fun western adventure type of book with magical undertones. To sum it up I would say it’s Lara Croft meets John Wayne type genre. Here’s the solicit for volume 1.

Plume is a story set in the Old West about a girl named Vesper Grey and her supernatural companion, Corrick. On their quest to recover her father's life work, they encounter new friends and new foes, and learn that the Wild West is anything but tame.

Lynn Smith not only wrote it, but did the art as well. Both in my opinion are excellent. This is a passion project of hers. There are 3 volumes so far I have only read volume 1. I will put a link in the show notes so you can look at it and buy it if you want.

I have to take a few extra moments to do an extended shout out to a couple of other podcasts. The first is called Galactic Driftwood. I briefly spoke with Bill and John at O Comic shortly before they started their podcast, I didn’t get a chance to meet them but the other two hosts are Charles and Audie. They launched about a month ago and they are fabulous. If you are a sci fi fan you will love the indepth discussion they go into. They like to examine the science in Sci fi. They also like to cosplay. Some topics they have talked about are Dr Who, Star trek pretty much all the different series, expanse and many others. Right out of the shoot their sound and look is professional. You can find them at galacticdriftwood.space I will put link in the show notes.

The Second is the Healthy under pressure podcast, now this one isn’t on the nerdy genre, but I did a panel with her at O Comic Con about podcasting. The podcast is Healthy under pressure podcast. I wanted to mention her and her podcast because we and several other local podcasters have had lunch together. Recently her podcast was featured in the Apple Podcast section for her genre. I am proud of her to have done so well in such a short amount of time, Amber works hard at putting out a quality podcast. She does great interviews with great people. Check out the Healthy under pressure podcast. And I will put a link in the show notes.

Other shout outs go to The MEGA pocast Carl Jeff and Eddie, Grawlix podcast Randy, Melanie and Jeff, That one time I was abducted Jaime and Bri. Last and certainly not least Daydream Instruction Manual. I have probably forgotten some others so I apologize in advance.

Please visit covertnerd.net for all the different ways you can reach me via email or Twitter Instagram and Facebook. You can also send me an MP3 and I will play it on the episode, but please try to keep in PG. Thank you for listening and until next time Nerd it Up.

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We sat down with local comic artist Lee Bokma to talk about where he gets some of the inspiration for his art. The 3 we talked about today are Robert E Howards Conan, Thundarr the Barbarian and The Warlord. Listen to all the details.

Episode Links:

Art of Lee Bokma

Covert Nerd Podcast

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As full disclosure, certain products and links to products on this site are affiliate links, and I will earn a commission for any purchases you make. There is no additional cost to you.

Frazetta's iconic Conan art

Thundarr the Barbarian 1982 Saturday morning cartoon

The Warlord 1st issue cover

The Warlord 1st issue first page

Conan Book Book 1 Conan Book Book 2 Conan Book Book 3

Thundarr the Barbarian DVD Set

The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian: The Original Adventures of the Greatest Sword and Sorcery Hero of All Time!

The Conquering Sword of Conan (Conan the Barbarian Book 3)

The Bloody Crown of Conan (Conan the Barbarian Book 2)

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Darkness and horror stories from Carl then some encouragement I know you need. Finally two fantastic comics you will want to check out. Let’s get started and nerd it up.

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Links in the episode:

Art of Lee Bokma

MEGA podcast

That One Time I was abducted by Aliens

Nation of Nerds podcast.

Covertnerd.net

As full disclosure, certain products and links to products on this site are affiliate links, and I will earn a commission for any purchases you make. There is no additional cost to you.

We continue diving into local creators by looking at two books by Carl D Smith The Darkness Out of Carthage and L is for Loon. But first I want to comment on the advantages self-publishing has brought to creators. They now have the advantage of putting out the content they want with zero changes by an editor or publisher. The barrier of entry for creators is low with the age of self-publishing. As a writer you can put together your book and publish it much faster and easier than a writer could have only 15 years ago. I remember talking with someone about how easy it is now versus 20 years ago. He said now anyone can publish a book, as if that was a bad thing. I get what he’s saying to some extent. He’s saying almost anyone can publish book makes achievement less significant. I don’t necessarily agree, after all it still takes a lot of work to complete a book and still more to have the guts to put it out for the world to see and criticize. My hats off to anyone who has decided to publish their work, whether it’s books, comics, art music. No matter what anyone says you are still among the elite

If you’re looking for an historical fiction book then The Darkness Out of Carthage is a gem of a story. Carl does a fantastic job mixing Roman history during the Punic Wars with HP Lovecraft style horror. He comes up with a story that will keep you turning the pages. You can tell Carl has done his homework in describing the soldiers uniforms, weapons, terrain and names of locations. Carl keeps the reader guessing whether the narrator (Roman soldier) is delusional or if it’s all real. A contrast to this story maybe Carl would consider would be the same story from the perspective of a soldier of Carthage. The book is well paced jumping from present to the near past enough to keep the reader from getting to set on one timeline. This was a good move on Carls part. It Also gives the reader the opportunity to find out more about the main characters origins. It’s a fast read, even for me who reads at a snail’s pace.

Carl is meticulously detailed when he describes his surroundings here’s what I mean “Gloom clung to the streets between the gutted building. The entire city was drowned in obsidian fog. To breathe was to choke on hot ash.” When you read those few sentences you can picture the broken buildings and almost start coughing from the ash as you read the words. The whole story has the HP Lovecraft vibe, but also a bit Conan flavor too with some of the combat scenes the main character gets involved with. Some of the sorcery versus sword add to the Conan feel to it as well. If you like this type of genre then you won’t be disappointed. I hope he does some sort of sequel/prequel that takes place in the same time. If you haven’t read it I suggest you do you won’t be disappointed, plus it would help Carl out financially and boost his moral too.

His other book I read is L is for Loon. It has one main story, but mixed in is a collection of short horror stories as well. I like how he uses local locations for a few of his stories and even mentions Eisner award winning Legends Comics and Coffee as a scene for one of his stories. In that particular story it wasn’t the typical gory way people die like most horror stories. It was the uncanny feeling the antagonist made his victims feel when he would torture them in a way that would hurt each victim. It was like the move seven where the way he killed his victim mirrored their personality. It’s hard not to spoil it without having gone too far so I will just say when your read what he does to each victim you will feel uncomfortable, but not grossed out. The description of each event is done in such a vivid way you almost felt like the victim yourself. It’s a short read at 118 pages, but the stories are vivid and entertaining. I am not big horror fan, but this one was a good read. At the end of each story you will get a twist you were not expecting.

Two great books by one great writer. I will put a link to his books in the show notes.

One thing I want to mention again and for those of you who listen regularly you will be thinking to yourselves. Here he goes again. Just start that book you have been thinking about starting, or that comic book you have been “working” on to 5 years, but it’s not perfect enough to be released. Or that song you have redone for the 100th time. You are never going to get to issue 100 until you release issue number 1. You are never going to get your 1,000th download until you get your first download. You are never going to sell you 100th book until you sell the 1st.

Carl is a regular guy, just like you. He has a job that sometimes he hates. He has a wife that he sometimes gets into arguments with, a school loan payment that seems like it will never end, kids that sometimes get sick. Maybe all of those don’t apply to you, but the point he’s a normal guy now (albeit talented) guy who decided to start. I guarantee you if you asked him about the stuff he wrote 15 years ago he would say most of it is awful. However he kept at it, got feedback from others people then published it.

I went back and listened to my intro episode, YUCK! The sound was hideous, I had a bunch of echo and intake of breath. Now my sound is a little bit better and I know more than I did then about podcasting. Progression is slow, but I started the process and who knows maybe in 5 years I’ll have a mediocre podcast.

There’s a young artist I saw at one of the first Fridays at Behind the Glass. For those of you who don’t know what a First Friday is, it’s an event at Behind the glass where local artists can bring their projects to sell. There is no cost to the artists all Nate asks is they pay 10% of their sales to him. There are other event like cosplay and drawings. You can use the hashtag #firstfriday on Twitter to see what I am talking about. Anyway she was asked by one of the other artists who was selling when she was going to sell her stuff. She was hesitant and said I don’t think I am good enough yet. However a few months later I saw in a Facebook post she was selling her stuff at Behind the Glass first Friday. She stepped out and hasn’t missed a first Friday since.

We all need encouragement because sometimes this world kicks us in the teeth. Remember some people rain on your parade because they don’t have a parade of their own to rain on. I want to be that encouragement to you. You are most likely better than you think you are, but you won’t know until you start. You can do it, go out and start whatever it is you have been putting off. Let me know what it is and I will do what I can to help. Email me with a message or record a message and email it to me. Go to covertnerd.net to find all the ways you can reach me.

The Long Con by Oni

This one is a fun book to read playing off of the insanity that are cons here’s the solicit

Five years ago, a cataclysmic event obliterated everything within a fifty mile radius of the Los Spinoza Convention Center — including the attendees of Long Con, the world's biggest (and longest) comic convention.

But unknown to the outside world, the con-goers not only survived, they kept the convention going.

When proof of their survival surfaces, reporter Victor Lai is sent to investigate. After all, he was covering the con that fateful day, and escaped mere minutes before everything went kablooie... abandoning his nerdy pal Dez in the process.

So clearly he's the perfect person for the job, and he won't get trapped inside like some kinda idiot.

Right?

Monstress Writer: Marjorie Liu

Monstress is an Eisner award winning comic. So far I am only 2 issues in, but it’s artwork is gorgeous and detailed. I hear it’s been slow to release new issue, but since I start a year or so after the first issue I should have to wait long. The universal Monstress is in, is vast and rich with potential story lines. So far I dig it, and you will most likely like it too, here’s the solicit:

Set in an alternate matriarchal 1900’s Asia, in a richly imagined world of art deco-inflected steampunk, MONSTRESS tells the story of a teenage girl who is struggling to survive the trauma of war, and who shares a mysterious psychic link with a monster of tremendous power, a connection that will transform them both.

In the next few episodes might be a little different as I am experimenting with trying other formats, so you might be hearing other people with me. Remember when I started the podcast last year it was going to be a journey as I figure this out. Who knows what I will settle on, but I do like just me a mic. It’s simple and more personal, because it’s just you and me. So stayed tuned for what might be coming next.

A big thank you to all of those who listen and comment on social media. Like Lee Bokma you can see his work on FB at Art of Lee Bokma. Also Jeff and Eddie over at MEGA podcast. Jamie and Bri That One Time I was abducted by Aliens or TOTIWABA. Also the Nation of Nerds podcast. If you want to be on the show you can send me an MP3 and email it to me CN@covertnerd.net or simply send me message via email or Instagram and I will read it on the air. Website is Covertnerd.net

Thanks for listening and until next time nerd it up.

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Why local cons Rock! And review writer Carl D Smith who shows you how the sausage is made.

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Con debriefing

Small nerdy cons are the best! Everyone is nice and helpful. I had the honor and privilege to be on a panel with 2 other local podcasters Amber and Ben. We talked about the basics on how to start a podcast. It was well attended and people asked lots of questions during the panel and after. When I first arrived I was shocked and asked the people if they were here for the podcasting panel thinking they got the room location wrong.

Earlier in the day I told Amber I would be happy if 3 or 4 showed up. To my surprise almost 40 attended. To say I was in shock would be an understatement. It gave me the energy I needed. I wasn’t nervous like I thought I might be and no one left in the middle of the panel. Victory number one of the con

I also got to meet our local pod father Eddie of the Podcast Arcade. The rest of the members of the group are the most wonderful people you will ever meet. They are all helpful and not trying to compete for your audience. The podcast community for the most is like that, we aren’t trying to “steal” your audience. We all want more listeners, but we know there are plenty of listeners to go around. They even let me record a session on the make Eternia great again show with Jeff. Side note Jeff and I hit it off since both of us have big families and we homeschool our kids. At the con Jeff and I sat down and recorded a quick bit together. Victory number two of the con.

For the first time in my life I took the time to sit down and play DND. Like I said in a previous episode I have never played DND, I have always wanted to, but never took the time to play. Thankfully I had a patient DM who took the time to try and explain the many nuances of the game. Me and my 3 other members who made up our adventurous group took on two small campaigns. Most of us were very green, but we seized the day with minimal damage. I think the DM took it easy on us since we were new. All in all it was fun, I like the fact DND has the large campaigns broken into smaller 1 hour adventures. This allows the casual player to play a quick adventure and easily come back later. I will plan on playing again soon. Victory number 3 of the con.

I was able to chat with several creators in the vendor area. There are so many, Jesse of Tank Zombie Studios and The guys of Omaha Underground. Who indulged my questions and comments. Russell Nohelty who is passionate about helping other creators sell the things they create. K Lynn Smith who is insightful and delves out encouragement to all of those who talk with her. Wesley Sun of Sun Brothers Studio is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. He is the type of guy will give you the short off his back if you need it. Lastly and certainly not least is Carl D Smith. I have known Carl since I came to college in 1992. We weren’t best buds but were hung out occasionally and I appreciated his humor and love for all things nerdy. After college our live never crossed paths much. We reconnected this weekend and we both admitted we should have gotten together more since we live less than an hour away. Just like most people we get busy with jobs kids and day to day life we forget to take time to connect with those we used to know. Hopefully that will change. Carl is a good guy with some great talent. I recommend you check out his work and all the other creators work, I will leave a link in the show notes. Final victory number 4

I almost forgot to mention I rode up with artist Lee Bokma. We got to chat on the way up and back about all things nerdy like retro comics and video games. I made a mistake, but it ended up being a good thing. I thought the con started at 11 and actually it was noon. We got there around 10:30, so we had about an hour to waste. Since we were in Council Bluffs I too him to Kanesville Kollectibles. Which is something Carl told me back in 92. It’s an old store which has old comics, books, records, cassettes and other old stuff. The place isn’t organized well, so you have to dig for what you are looking for. If you do some digging you can on rare occasions find a few gems you might be looking for. Which for some is half the fun. I found a bunch of comics for 50 cents and Lee found an old movie poster and a few comics. I was worried Lee might think the place is too dirty and unorganized, but he loved it and plans to come back. What I thought would be bad by making us have to wait an hour ended up being a good thing.

Eddie has mentioned after a con you get energized, it’s like summer camp. You don’t want the new people and things you saw to go away. Eventually they do somewhat diminish, but the new friendships and experience that are made keep going on. Yes there is a bit of a dip, but the trend tends to move up because of the connection and experiences that are made. And that’s why you and I go to these things to connect with liked minded people and experience and see new things, to have fun.

One thing I will do different next year is to bring one of my older kids. I think they could handle some of the grind. They would have fun see all the nerdy stuff the con has to offer. After all that’s what cons are about experiencing new nerdy things together.

Carl D Smith

If you are a regular listener you know I usually do a quick comic book review and I will. However since I found some new books at the con I will be reviewing local artist and writers for the next few episodes. The first one is Carl Smith. I am currently reading his BCWYWF Argosy, which is a collection of all of his released and unreleased works from the two issues of the series. It also includes a journal which documents what he was thinking and going through during the time he was putting out his books. Each comic has a page or two explaining how he came up with the story and characters and a little bit about the process of working with artists and dealing with printers etc. You really get to see how the sausage is made with this collection.

The next book of Carl’s I got was the Horror of Loon Lake. This is a collection of short comics and short stories all with a horror theme. Unlike BCWYWF Horror of Loon lake has almost no commentary, it’s pretty much all stories in written or comic form. It’s a bunch of creators who got together and combined their works into one big TPB.

In both cases it’s wonderful to see creators put out their work for the world to see, and also have someone explain how hard it is to take on such and endeavor. My hats off to Carl and all the people helped get their work published. I will include a link to his work. Please take a look at the books he has created, I only talked about two, but he has more novels and comics. He’s also coming out with a new RPG game later this year. Plus he has a line of children’s books too call draw your own adventure.

One thing I had re affirmed from O comic Con from the guys at the podcast arcade to talking with Russell Nohelty, K Lynn Smith, Wesley Sun and Carl Smith is start. If you’re on the fence about something you are hesitant to take on just start. If you are a regular listener you have heard me say this many times. In a tough world though I think we need to hear words of encouragement a lot more than we do. Perfect is the enemy of done. Even it’s a small step, at least that step is in the right direction. If you shoot for the moon and you miss you will still be in a much better place. Whatever you are thinking about starting whether it’s a book or a new business, it doesn’t have to be perfect, but you’re not going to get any better until you start.

You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and even your Alexa.

Links from the episode:

As full disclosure, certain products and links to products on this site are affiliate links, and I will earn a commission for any purchases you make. There is no additional cost to you.

Works by Carl D. Smith:

Bigfoot Jones: Hero! (Draw Your Own Adventure) (Volume 3)

The BCWYWF Argosy

The Horror of Loon Lake

The Darkness Out of Carthage

Works by Russell Nohelty:

Sell Your Soul: How to Build Your Creative Career

Ichabod Jones: Monster Hunter

Pixie Dust

Works by K Lynn Smith:

Plume Vol. 1

Plume Vol. 2

Plume Vol. 3

Works by Wesley Sun

Tank Zombie Studios

Omaha Underground Comics (OMUG)

The Podcast Arcade

Covertnerd.net

Bigfoot Jones: Hero! (Draw Your Own Adventure)

Sell Your Soul: How to Build Your Creative Career

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Today we will be talking about community building then Faith from Valiant comics.

Links in the Episode:

covertnerd.net

Roseto PA Article

Faith Herbert Wikia

Shout Outs

MEGA podcast

That one time I was abducted

Two Headed Nerds

Bandrew Says podcast

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There's no suicide, no alcoholism, no drug addiction, and very little crime. They didn’t have anyone on welfare. Then they looked at ulcers.

They didn’t have any of those either. These people were dying of old age. Roseto PA a place that lay outside everyday experience, where the normal rules did not apply. Roseto was an outlier.

The Rosetans were healthy because of where they were from, because of the world they had created for themselves in their tiny little town in the hills.

In 1992 researchers began to realize the secret of Roseto wasn’t diet or exercise or genes or location. It had to be Roseto itself. As researcher walked around the town, they figured out why. They looked at how the Rosetans visited one another, stopping to chat in Italian on the street, say, or cooking for one another in their backyards. They learned about the extended family clans underlay the town’s social structure. They saw how many homes had three generations living under one roof, and how much respect grandparents commanded. They went to mass at Our Lady of Mount Carmel and saw the

unifying and calming effect of the church. They counted twenty-two separate civic organizations in a town of just under two thousand people.

They picked up on the particular egalitarian ethos of the community, which discouraged the wealthy from flaunting their success and helped the unsuccessful obscure their failures. No one was used to thinking about health in terms of community. Article here

Starting a podcasting group to build community, behind the glass builds community. DND and pathfinder players build community. Community of people helping the homeless. All around us we see communities being built. Some good some bad, some big some small. At the end of the day we as humans like build groups with other like mined people. Why do you think cons about almost anything are so popular? We like to be around people who are into the things we are into. None of these will allow you to live into your 90s, at least they won’t most likely.

But what community will do is give you a sense of belonging you are not alone. More enthusiasm when you leave and go back to your real world you have more passion for what you are into. Learn, you will most likely find something out you didn’t know before.

I’m going to a local comic con soon with people who like comic books and other nerdy things.

Recently we are working are building a local group around podcasting. The idea is to help each other get better at podcasting. Whether you are new to craft or have be doing it for years, we all can learn and help others learn. I think for the most part people desire to help others. That’s why I think the phrase “can you help me?” Is more effective “than can you do me a favor?” the latter insinuates you will have to pay them back. Since the phrase “you owe me a favor comes to mind.

Any way the idea to build a local in person community around the passion of podcasting. It will be fun and exciting to see what happens.

Hopefully you have a community of people where you live gathering around the things you love. If you don’t try to find one. Most groups have some sort of presence online listing where and when they meet. Try one out, if you don’t like it try another group. If you can’t find one consider starting one around your area of interest.

Let me know what communities you are involved with and why. Email me cn@covertnerd.net Twitter Instagram or Facebook. Go to covertnerd.net for all my contact info, plus I will include all my contact info in the show notes. If you are listening via mobile device you can simply contact me from your phone.

I don’t think Valiant comics gets the positive praise it deserves. Several years ago I was listening to the GoadKicker podcast by Carl Smith and he was talking about the rebooted Rai comic from Valiant. He could say enough good things about it. I thought what the heck I’ll check it out. I was pleasantly surprised at the fantastic art and storytelling. I then proceeded to read their super hero team title called Unity. Which then lead to the Ninjak title they print. Last but not least I ran into Faith which Carl had mentioned too I just never got around to her title until a few weeks ago.

A side note, I have purposely for the most part avoiding Marvel and DC. A way of rebelling against the populace. Yeah I’m a rebel.

Jim Shooter and David Lapham created Faith Herbert (code name Zephyr) in 1992. She is a sci-fi and comic book nerd, which leads her to adopt more traditional superhero characteristics than her friends, such as secret identities and super-names. She is a huge fan of Doctor Who. She’s a legit fan girl who creates listicles and posts cat videos by day while fighting crime by night.

Physically Faith isn’t your stereotypical female hero. What I mean she’s not a size zero with a large bust line. That may sound crude, but come one guys let’s face it. Comic artist get a little carried away when it comes to the female form in comics. I like the fact the creators of Faith made her more realistic. She’s one us, one of the nerds who doesn’t look like how society wants are young woman to look. She’s not super skinny she’s not into being popular and pretty. She just wants to enjoy the nerdy stuff she enjoys and oh by the way use her powers for good. In fact many of her story lines she questions the motives of the other hero’s because she doesn’t want to inadvertently hurt someone else. She has a n innocence about her. And that’s why she’s a breath of fresh air. She’s relatable trying to balance a job a boyfriend and catching the latest episode of Dr. Who.

Since her character is innocence it’s nice to read a more light hearted book. Maybe you can relate, when you are reading more dark books does it affect your mood? I know I can get that way, I have to realize when it’s time to move to something lighter. The darker topics and titles are okay, but just like anything in moderation. I should also clarify that the Faith title doesn’t tackle any tough issues, but her character lends itself to not going there. You aren’t going to see her break a bad guys back on purpose. In fact she goes out of her way to avoid hurting anyone if possible. Let alone kill any one.

Another interesting item I found was in the first appearance of Faith in Harbinger #1 1992. When she is found out that she has super powers she thinks the people who came to see her are there to make fun of her. Which as a nerd most of us can relate when were younger, we were afraid we were going to get made fun of because of the nerdy things we like. It defiantly hints that she has been bullied at school.

Look at the list of accolades this title has gotten over the years.

Faith was named one of The 16 Best Comics of 2016 by Nerdist.

Faith was named one of The 7 best new comics of 2016 by Vox.

Faith was named one of The 14 Best Comics Of 2016 by Uproxx.

Faith was named one of The 7 Best Comics & Graphic Novels of 2016 by Barnes & Nobles.

The Faith #1 (ongoing series) Kevin Wada cover was the years' best cover on the Vulture list of The 10 Best Comic-Book Covers of 2016.

Faith Vol. 1: Hollywood and Vine TPB was named one of the Best of 2016 by the Everett Public Library system

Faith Vol. 1: Hollywood and Vine TPB was named one of the Best Comics & Graphics Novels of 2016 by Amazon

Nominations

2016 Diamond Gem Award Nominations

2016 Best Comic Book of the Year: Faith #1 (Ongoing)

2016 Best New Comic Book Series: Faith – Valiant Entertainment

2016 Reprint TP or HC of the Year: Faith TPB Volume 1: Hollywood & Vine

Faith, Volume 1: Hollywood and Vine TPB was nominated for the 2016 Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers List from YALSA.

The great thing is they put most of her stories in long TPB form. Which like I said in my last episode is great to read because you can binge on a long story. Pick up any of her trades, you won’t be disappointed. And look at other Valiant titles they have some good titles.

Shout Outs

MEGA podcast

That one time I was abducted

Two Headed Nerds

Bandrew Says podcast

Thanks again for listening visit covertnerd.net to contact me

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East of West comic book by Jonathan Hickman

This is the world. It is not the one we wanted, but it is the one we deserved. Is a quote from the East of West comic book series.

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The comic received nominations for Best Writer, Best Continuing Series, Best Artist, and Best Colorist from the Eisner Awards (unfortunately winning none of them). That’s massive amount of praise and honor surrounding this book

East of West is a comic book series published by Image Comics Created by writer Jonathan Hickman and artist Nick Dragotta, the book is a science fiction Western set in a dystopian version of the United States whose fate rests with the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Things didn’t exactly go down in the American Civil War like expected. The war went on and on and on between the North and South; even the Native Americans got in on the fighting. Then, after years and years of fighting, a huge comet collided with the Earth and the people saw it as a sign to end. In 1908, America was divided up into the Seven Nations of America. On the same day, two figures from different walks of life, Elijah Longstreet and Red Cloud, told of something big on the horizon before they died. Several years later, another big figure dies, delivering out another message. When all three accounts were combined, they came together and created something called The Message. It is the story—or perhaps an actual account—of how the world will end. Flash forward to the year 2064 and that’s where the story begins.

The Union: The north east region of the US

The Confederacy: The southeast region of the US

The Kingdom: Louisiana region of the US

The Endless Nation: Central plains region of the US

The Republic of Texas: Texas and Oklahoma region of the US

PRA: Western region of the US, from the Rocky mountains to the pacific ocean

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Death, War, Famine, and Conquest) seek to bring about the end of the world. Their plans are interrupted when the daughter of the leader of the PRA falls in love with death. Essentially love conquers death.

When I found this series it reminded me of the Stephen King Dark Tower series in some ways. Both are futuristic western post-apocalyptic worlds. The story has a lot of characters and can be difficult to follow at time. In some ways that makes it interesting too, because the reader doesn’t spend much time on one single character. Hickman has created an immense world for his characters to play in. When the series is done I hope he does a few short runs in the world he has created.

The intrigue and deception the leaders of the 7 nations create is fun to follow. You never know what kind of coupe or assassination attempt they are going to try next. If you haven’t picked it up I suggest you do so. Image has put the entire series into an 8 volume set.

On April of this year, Amazon Studios, Skybound Entertainment and Hickman are developing an hour-long series

Binge reading comics

In the age of streaming it’s no wonder my comic reading patterns have changed, have yours? It could be the fact for the most part I haven’t been into comics in almost 25 years. I bought some here and there during that time, but not like I did in the early 90’s. I might have a subconscious need to try and catch up. I think and you might have the same perspective, I like to be able to read a story from beginning to end without having to wait a month for the latest issue to come out. Just like binging a TV show on Netflix, binging on a comic book story is similar.

I know many old timers like me have gone from getting the floppies as they are called to the TPB. Since it’s cheaper per issue to do it this way. If you are not a collector this is the way to go in my opinion. I am more of a lover of the story and art not the perceived value of the issue. If you like collecting for the value great, some people enjoy the hunt for certain issues. If you like that great! Either way keep reading and enjoy the format, whether it’s binging or month have fun.

How have your reading habits changed over the years?

Nerdy dads

Recently I celebrated father’s day, and it was great. My kids know I’m nerdy and took me to a local comic book shop which also connects to a huge retro toy store with toys from the 70’s 80’s and 90’s. We spent hours looking and laughing at all sorts of things we saw.

One son found some old DND players and DM guides written by Gary Gygax. Another son found one of those old mini Pac man arcade machines. At the comic shop they were selling stacks of comics for a dollar and for an old cheapskate like me that was right up my alley. Some of the comic in the stack were one I had lost because I was storing a long box in the basement and the AC condensation hose broke and was flooding the basement for days before we noticed. I know you are screaming to yourself what an idiot. In all fairness I had been storing them like this for over 26 years without an issue. But yes lesson learned. Anyway they heard me mention this and while I was looking at some other stuff they went and bought me a couple of stacks of comics.

While I was there I saw a lady in the store who looking at comics and she found a TPB and commented to the store owner her dad loved the writer and was getting it for him. She also bought a few things for her husband. Her daughter who was with her also bought a few books for her dad. And paid for it herself, she was probably around 6 or 7 counting out her quarters and few dollars she had, it was heartwarming to see kids young and old and their nerdy dads interact with the things they nerd out about. Do you do nerdy things with your dad? Doesn’t have to be nerdy, but since this is a nerd podcast that’s what we focus on here. If you and your dad like to fish do it together, if you and your dad like to watch baseball do it together. Whatever it is do it together while you still can, he won’t be around forever. Take advantage of your time while you still can.

Shout out time:

That One Time I Was Abducted Bri and Jaime on Instagram

Grawlix Podcast Jesse, Randy and Melanie graxlixpodcast.com

All the guys at the Podcast Arcade

Lee Bokma at FB Art of Lee Bokma

Podcast Rodeo Show with host Dave Jackson

Again go to covertnerd.net to find out how you can subscribe and contact me via email, Twitter Instagram or Facebook. You can leave an audio message from the microphone in your phone or speaker. Click the speakpipe button on the website and let me know your thoughts

Thanks again I appreciate you as a listener, until next time.

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Today we will discuss what Amazon should do with the LOTR and then take a wild ride back in time to the early 90’s video games with Wil Wheaton. Let’s nerd it up.

Thank you for listing I appreciate the time you give me. I hope I can make it worth your time.

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Listen to the Masters of Doom audio sample from Amazon.

Men of the West Youtub channel

Shout out time:

That One Time I Was Abducted Bri and Jaime on instagram

Grawlix Podcast Jesse, Randy and Melanie graxlixpodcast.com

Brandon Stilwell on Instagram @brans_art_

Lee Bokma at FB Art of Lee Bokma

Download complete show notes

Masters of Doom: How Two Guys Created an Empire and Transformed Pop Culture

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Today we will talk about who is a DND virgin, a fantastic comic book from Dark Horse and finally exciting marvel card series from 1992.

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Today on the covert nerd podcast we will be talking about focusing on the things we have in common, then a Wrestling podcast I know you will love. Lastly a look at a comic book that takes a dark twist on the Biblical flood.

Covert Nerd Website

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Links from the episode

Game to Grow

Take This

Something to Wrestle

Dark Ark Comic

Not Your Pastors Podcast

The Green Door Podcast

That One Time I was Abducted by Aliens

Better Podcasting

Full Show Notes

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Today we discuss passing on nerd hobbies, then a fun podcast called Daydream Instruction Manual. Finally the fabulous comic book Invincible.

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It’s interesting how popular nerd hobbies are passed down to the next generation more now than they were in 60’s or 70’s. I find it fascinating how pop culture from the 80’s is and has been reused, some cases multiple times. You see retro podcast and even retro cons for various pop culture hits from the 80’s like MOTU, GI Joe and Transformers. It’s popular to collect everything from the 80’s like one guy who collects MOTU Mossman figures, only Mossman no others. One theory I have is maybe we and when I say we I mean Gen Xrs or people between 35 and 55 are more open about the things we played with as a child more than our parents did. We seem to be more excited about them than are parents were. It seems when they grew up and put them away they put them away for good. For us yes we put them away for a time, but got them back out when we got older. We aren’t afraid to talk about them in front of our kids, we aren’t afraid to play with them in front of our kids and encourage them to play with them too. Our kids know what we like.

The other day my kids were helping an older lady clean out the house of her brother who died. For several days they were bringing stuff up from the basement and bedrooms out to the main room for her to go through. She had 3 categories to put the items in. Sell, give away and throw away. My kids being kids would look through the items. I wasn’t there, but my son was excited one day when I came home from work. He said dad we saw these old board games one of them was an old 1961 Stratego board game we thought you would like, we asked the lady if we could have them.

For those of you who don’t know Stratego is a strategy board game for two players on a board of 10×10 squares. Each player controls 40 pieces representing individual officer ranks in an army. The pieces have Napoleonic insignia. The objective of the game is to find and capture the opponent's Flag, or to capture so many enemy pieces that the opponent cannot make any further moves.

She said she is going to ask her son if he wants them and if he doesn’t then we can have them. A few days later they brought Stratego and two other old games home, because her son didn’t want them. I was excited to have these very old board games, then I thought how cool is it my kids know how nerdy I am when they saw something like that they immediately thought of me. And they thought of me in the first place instead of themselves

That’s the good that comes from recycling things from our past, we can reconnect with our past and connect with those in our present. Of course as soon as they got the games home they wanted to play. And we did and had a blast.

Some may balk at the re-booting of 80’s franchises and to some extent I agree. However the older generation may not like how it’s been redone, but it gets us talking to the new generation about our past. It’s like in Back to the Future when Marty Mclflys dad tells how he met his mom and when Marty goes back he finds out he met his mom because he was a peeping Tom.

When these reboots come out we can tell our kids the truth how it was exactly done when we were young. We can tell them what we were thinking when we saw the original TV show or played with the action figure. How they made us feel and behaved, we can tell them what we did with our action figures and the stories that go with them. How we went to so and so house and setup a battle field in his back yard. What was going on in the world at the time we were playing with these things.

Again it’s not just the item that’s important it’s the memories that are attached to the item. Yes, we sound like old curmudgeons when we say, “back in my day our Heman wore a fur diapers and we liked it.” Try to keep the negative comments to a minimum. How about “cool that they brought it back when I played with MOTU I really liked Trap Jaw because you could change out the different weapons and...”

Most of the kids I have met actually like seeing the retro stuff. For example one day I showed my kids the old combat game on the Atari 2600. You know the one with the two tanks that start at opposite ends of the screen and object is to shoot the other one a certain amount of times to win. Its graphics are extremely basic by todays standards, but the fun is just as good. However I will admit the replay value is short lived. For a short period of time my kids liked it and occasionally will ask to play it. Wil Wheaton on his blog told a similar story about a time he dug out his old Atari 2600 from his closet. He hooked it up and his kids spent the next several days playing his old carts. I am sure he told stories to his kids about the times he played those same games.

Podcast Shout out

Daydream Instruction Manual is a podcast by Eddie and the gang. They talk about a variety of things from comics to movies both current and from the past. They even did a Christmas special written by Eddie and performed by members of the podcast crew. They are entertaining and informative at the same time. I highly recommend you give them a listen. Go to daydreaminstructionmanual.com

Must read comic

I know I mentioned in a previous episode, but I want to mention it again. I binge read the comic book Invincible by Robert Kirkman all 144 inssues in about 3 weeks. Side note I have done a lot more binge reading more lately, maybe it because I am getting back into comics after being for the most part absent for 20 years. For that reason maybe I think I have catching up to do.

From beginning to end this title is a page turner. The reason I like it is because the story is very tight. What I mean is the story stays for the most part about the main character Mark Grayson and how he deals with being an alien super hero.

I know this may sound controversial, but I don’t like comics that try to force social issues into their story lines. If the subject fits, then okay. For example having Superman address the MeToo movement would appear to be forced. Again I am not saying shouldn’t ever I am saying don’t try to force something to fit a current narrative. With Invincible trying to spend several issues on a subject like that would be tough to do, in my opinion.

They do touch on homosexuality and abortion, but it’s minor, I like that because it fits into the overall tone and rhythm of the story. With both subjects it didn’t appear to be forced. It fit into the overall story.

Robert Kirkman does a great job with the story telling and throws a few Easter eggs in the book too. For example in Invincible #20 they mention a dimension where a virus kills all the males on earth. Referring to Brian K Vaughans Y the last man.

Anyway a great title that I highly recommend and you won’t be disappointed. If you read Invincible and you like it let me know I would love to hear what you think.

Quick shout outs to a few listeners. That One Time I was Abducted and Not Your Pastors Podcast. If you want a shout out hit me up on social media, got to covertnerd.net to see where you can find me.

Go to covertnerd.net for all the ways you can subscribe

Nate Hamel art give away the first one to message me on Instagram or twitter and I will send it to you.

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Today I sat and talked with artist and creator Nate Hamel. He gives us all some great advice as far as becoming an artits and life in general. He tells us about his work he has done over the years and the nerdy stuff he likes. You can find out more about Nate in the links below.

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www.facebook.com/BTGcomic/ www.natehamel.com covertnerd.net

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Today I will be a bit of a word nerd, then we take a look at a beautiful CCG based in Middle Earth, lastly we will look at the comic book Invincible.

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Word Nerd

George Orwell put the point simply: “If thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.”

The words you say can make a big difference in how others perceive you and your ability to convey exactly what you are thinking. Substituting a word for another can make a big difference. For example using the word think, know or believe for the word feel conveys a more steadfast rational tone. “I feel this issue of X-Men is the best.” Try substituting the word know instead. “I know this issue of X-Men is the best.” Do you hear the difference? I believe the word feel is less firm than think, know or believe.

When you decided your significant other was the one for you did you say “I feel you are the one for me.” or “I know you are the one for me.” See the difference?

I understand for some this may be a petty issue, however if you want to convey to people how strongly you believe in your convictions this is a simple way to do it.

I am not saying never use the word feel, but try using the word when it’s more appropriate. For example. “The movie made me feel happy.” Or “the book I read made me feel inspired.”

If you are offering your opinion instead of using feel use the word opinion.

Here’s another example, instead of saying “don’t forget to pick up your prescription today.” Instead say “Remember to pick up your prescription today.” Subconsciously you are telling the person to remember instead of forget. Obviously you want them to remember, consequently telling to remember will increase the likelihood of them remembering.

Another phrase to readjust is instead of saying “can I ask you a favor?” say “can you help me with …?” This is the reason why, when someone hears you want to ask them for a favor that means they want you to do something, which usually involves more work on their part. When someone ask for help most people want to help other people. Most people are willing to help a person when they need it.

I know this is something we have all had happen to us, you are listening to a podcast and the person says “uhm” over and over again argh! It’s so distracting you struggle to listen the great content they are giving you. Other words are like and you know. These are what are called crutch words, it’s a subconscious way to buy your brains time to think of what you want to say next. It’s hard to not use crutch words, especially if you are in front of a group.

I am not perfect at this, however I am getting better. How? I joined Toastmasters several years ago and have had time to practice my speaking skills. For some of you your skill set be different and you don’t struggle with these communication issues, good for you, however most of us could use a little help.

I have always thought if you compare two people one with good content, but using excessive crutch words. And another person with not as good content, but no crutch words narrows the gap between the two people. Either way both people can take their communication skills to the next level. Imagine for a moment a person you know who has amazing stories, but constantly says the word like. Think of how more amazing their stories would be if they cut out their crutch word. Imagine if that person is you.

Like I said I am not perfect at this, but I am getting better and that my friends is the key. Getting better a little each day and you can too.

If you want to sharpen your communication skills then use these simple ideas to help you out, be more aware of what you are saying and how you say it. Try only one of these subtle changes for a week and see what happens. I know you will start to notice a difference in how others perceive and respond to you. Did you see how I did that? Let me know what happens.

MECCG

back in 1996 was the first time I sat down and read LOTR, I happen to find the Hobbit and the LOTR set of books at a book/cd store called Hastings when I was in college. I had never heard of Tolkien up to that point or at least not enough to want to sit down and read his works. Immediately I was hooked.

A few weeks later I went back to the same store and saw the METW CCG game on clearance. This huge bin like the ones you see at Walmart with the $5 Blu-ray discs. This bin was full of the 15 card packs of the game for only a $.50. The bin also had other CCG like rage and Star Wars which several classmates were into. The 15 card booster packs didn’t come with instructions, I had to buy a 60 card starter deck. This game was so cool the art and quotes on the cards was amazing. I bought as many packs as I could afford, probably more than I could afford, but I knew at .50 these wouldn’t last long. Evidently a manager over bought for the amount fans they thought they could sell. Oh well I took advantage of the situation.

The basic setup is you have four types of cards. Hazard cards which are negative events for your characters, like orc attacks. Type two of card is resource item like a dagger or elven cloak. Type three are site cards, like Rivendell or Mount Doom. Type four are character cards like Gandalf or Boromir. There are many rule variants, but one of the ways to win is to get the one ring and travel to mount doom and destroy the ring. When I got the game I didn’t have anyone to play with so I used the solo rules to play, which had the same end game of finding the one ring and taking it to mount doom. Of course you have to travel to many locations “site cards” and encounter many enemies and hazards and find many items before you get there. Plus your fellowship has to survive too. The rules can be a bit complicated at first, but any Tolkien fan will enjoy the game. The first series to come out was METW, which was mainly based on the LOTR series. Another expansion was METD which had more focus on the Hobbit book.

Like most CCG the idea was to try and get a full set. About a year later I was on EBay and found someone selling boxes of the decks. These are the ones the stores would sell from. Each box had 20 decks in them. I bought two boxes which got me almost a full set, and plenty to play. Iron Crown Enterprises (ICE) is the company who made the game and other types of games based on the Tolkien universe. They seemed to do a good job of trying to stay true to the Tolkien literature. It had a similar feel to the books. I highly recommend you pick up a set on eBay. You can get a complete set of METW for around $60

I spent many hours the first year I got those making decks and playing adventures. At one point my wife had to tell me to stop playing so much. Eventually it got put away and untouched for years. I get it out every once in a while and play, with nostalgia flooding me back to days gone by. I immediately get immersed in the Tolkien world. Remember this game predates the movies, and therefore stays closely to the books. Very different than the CCG that came out with the movies.

Comic Book Commentary: Invincible

Lately I have found Image has some great super hero stories. In the early days of Image I liked Youngblood, Spawn and Wildcats. I quite collecting for a long time, then a few years ago I got back in comics again. Two titles I found early on were Mark Milars Jupiter series and Invincible. Both are fantastic, you can’t go wrong with either. However today I want to talk about invincible. Invincible is written by Robert Kirkman who you might know as the creator of the famous walking dead comic book and also Cory Walker.

Invincible is the teenaged son of Omni-Man, an extraterrestrial superhero of the Viltrumite race. Invincible inherited his father’s superhuman strength and ability to fly and he has sworn to protect the Earth. He has had trouble adjusting to his newfound powers and coping with the reality of his origins.

Mark Grayson “Invincible” is the son of Nolan Grayson, who is the superhero Omni-Man as well as a successful novelist, and Deborah Grayson. When Mark was seven years old, Nolan reveals that he is a member of a race of peaceful alien explorers called Viltrumites, that he had come to Earth to help mankind and that one day Mark would develop super powers. Mark's powers manifest at the age of 17 while he is working at his part-time job.

His powers, which increase with use, are: great strength, speed, flight, some invulnerability and fortunately fast healing as despite his chosen name, he is severely beaten (even once having his entrails spilled out) many times, almost to death. Also an ability to hold his breath for very long periods as he flies through space at faster than light speed.

As of this recording I have only gotten to issue 17, of the 144 issue series, but so far I like it. Yes, it’s a little bit of the overly used teenage kids tries to deal with the fact he has super powers and the complexities of dealing with teenage stuff like prom, girls tomorrows history exam. But it seems to be able to capture my attention. It has some plot twists and turns with unexpected events form people you thought he could trust.

The art was done primarily by Ryan Ottley and is very good. This comic can be a bit gory at times, and may not be appropriate for young readers.

You can still pick up all the issues in the Invincible Ultimate Collection Hardcover Vol. 1-12, there is also an Invincible motion comic for Android and IOS. Plus On April 4, 2017, it was announced that Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg will write, direct and produce an adaptation of the comic for Universal Pictures to be produced by Point Grey Pictures and Skybound Entertainment. We will see if this happens since it’s still very early stages. Check out the comic and let me know if you liked or not.

Podcast: Grawlix podcast

A podcast about comic books, web comics, and other geek culture media. We love to talk comics and Doctor Who and the podcast is an opportunity to do so on the regular as well as a great excuse to discover and read new comics. We also extend the conversation beyond ourselves to include reading suggestions, questions, and input from listeners/visitors and feature interviews with guests including comic creators and others working in our favorite of geek industries.

If you are wondering what the term grawlix is, grawlix is a sequence of typographical symbols used to represent a non-specific, profane word or phrase. You see them in TV or comics when someone swears. Being a child of the 80’s I think of the Qbert video game when he dies the little air bubble shows ups with all the symbols in it.

Melanie Randy and Jesse are great, their chemistry and knowledge about all the nerdy stuff they like is fantastic. They’re amazing ability to expound on details from the comics and subjects they cover is incredible. I have read many comics they have suggested and liked them just as much as they did. Go to grawlixpodcast.com to find out more about them.

Thank you for listening, please subscribe using the Apple podcast app, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Podbean or go to covertnerd.net on the right side of the page you can see subscribe on android icon click on that and will find dozens of other podcast apps you can pick from to use and subscribe. If you want to be on the podcast email me your audio clip at cn@covertnerd.net or on the webpage click on the Speakpipe icon and record a message I would love to hear from you. Also please rate and review on iTunes.

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Today we will discuss are you being authentic? Then the fun you can have with your Alexa. A great movie podcast that you can use to impress your friends with little known facts finally a comic book that will make you wonder. This episode is jam packed so let’s get started.

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“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” ― Dr. Seuss

Are you being authentic? Do you act or speak in a totally different way when certain people are around you? Now I don’t mean you stop swearing when you are with your 7 year old child is around.

I should preface this with the fact I am not perfect at this all of the time. I am human, however I am very mindful about being genuine now than I was 10 years ago. As the saying goes with age comes wisdom. This is only my opinion. If you are already being authentic great, I just wanted to bring awareness to this subject for those of us who need a reminder.

What I mean is do you change your personality based on who’s around you? For example I am in B2B sales, I have seen many other sales reps over the years really turn on the charm to the point it can make you nauseas. They over promise and under deliver. I try to do the opposite under promise and over deliver. I try not to promise something I can’t keep, I am sure it costs me some sales, but at least I can say I was honest and I wasn’t being fake.

Some other examples of this is a podcast I listen to the host really turns on the radio voice. You know the voice. I later heard him in an interview for another podcast and his radio voice was nowhere to be heard. Why? I mean I know why, but why not be honest with your audience on or off the mic? I could tell when I first listened to his podcast I could immediately tell the radio voice was fake, the other interview just confirmed my suspicion.

I know another podcast who never swears on the podcast, but their twitter feed is full of curse words. Why?

I’m sure we can agree we don’t like people who are fake. I do my best to give you honesty and not be fake. Based on the two previous examples the voice you hear now in front of the mic is the same you would hear off of the mic. I rarely swear of the mic and you will rarely hear me swear on the mic, that’s just the way I am. Again I try to be honest on and off the mic. The two a fore mentioned guys are successful and creative I wonder if they could take their creativity to the next level if they were consistent.

This is just a thought that came to me the other day and wanted to flesh it out.

Another example of this is the comic book artist and writer Alan Moore. Comic book artist Alan Moore took on the Rob Liefields Supreme title at Image comics said he would only do it if he had full control. He wanted to be able to write the character as he saw fit, to be the best writer he could be he needed the flexibility to do whatever he wanted with the title. At first it sounds as if he is being over controlling, but he wanted to be able to be himself and not have someone else force him to be something he isn’t. Since he had established himself with Watchmen and other titles, he could ask for more than a new struggling artist. Part of the benefit of being successful, but a good example of someone wanting to be themselves.

How about Jaime Hyneman, the co-host of mythbusters. He is well known for being stoic all the time. They did an episode where people had to try to guess the persons emotions by only seeing their eyes. Before they gave the examples the crew Adam Jayme and others had to make a face depending on their emotions. Happy, sad, angry and so forth. With Jayme his facial expressions were all the same. He was being him, when they approached him about doing the show, they needed to add a co-host with more emotion, to appeal to the viewers. Because he said he couldn’t act more emotional. He wanted to be him.

Sometimes I see blatant dishonesty, on a podcast about podcasting I heard a guy promoting a podcast hosting service. On the site they said they were the world’s most popular podcast hosting site. The host called him out and he said they need to say something like that to attract customers, even though it was a lie. Wow!

Whatever you create be real be authentic, even if it stinks you can stand tall knowing you tried and it’s you not an imitation of someone else. Like last episode just start you can modify and correct later.

Like this podcast I will be make changes as we go, but it will always be nerdy stuff, because that's me. You won’t get any fantasy football episodes or NBA final week stuff. People who like that stuff great that’s their thing it’s just not me.

People can tell fairly quickly if you are being genuine or faking. Very few can pull off a long term deception. I know this sounds cliché, just be yourself

Tech Talk

I got an Amazon dot a few weeks ago and we are enjoying all the things it can do, one thing I found was interactive audio stories, just like the choose your own adventure stories. You listen to small snippets of the story then you get to pick an option. It’s like an audio drama you would have heard in the 30’s and 40’s, but instead of being one way you the listener get to decide what happens. There are sound effects and voice actors who play the parts of the characters. There are several to choose from Wayne investigations where you try to find out who killed Bruce Wayne's parents and the magical door which is a mystery fantasy type story. There are more too, but these are the ones we have been using so far.

I find it fascinating, even though I am about 2 years behind. If you have an Alexa I encourage you to try these out. It likes like it’s not too difficult to make these types of skills, if you are a creator I would encourage you to make one, give it a shot. Whoever owns the rights to the old choose your own adventure books could easily translate these stores to an audio format. I love things like this. I think it’s more engaging that TV. My kids love it.

Podcast shout out time. This time I want to get local, if you like movies you will love Underground Inc. Ben, Anthony and Billy are extremely knowledgeable and funny. The insight they have about the movies they watch is incredible, I am always amazed at the trivial things I learn when listening to them comment while watching a movie. I have met Ben personally and he is a great guy. It’s like an audio version of Mystery Science Theater 3000. Except they watch popular movies instead of B movies. Check them out Underground Inc.

Comic Book Commentary

I read through Y: The Last Man from Vertigo it explores the idea of what would happen to the planet if all male mammals suddenly died. Written by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra In 2002

The reader finds out quickly there was two males who didn’t die the main character Yorick and his pet monkey. Yorick is a struggling escape artist who spends the entire series trying to get to his girlfriend who is in Australia while he was in Washington DC when the pandemic occurs. We follow his journey and along the way he finds out who and what may have caused the plague.

Yorick is accompanied by agent 355 who is his bodyguard along the way on his journey. Being the last male he has to survive to continue the human race.

The story gives insight to the chaos the world is suddenly plunged into and the violent factions start to develop like the militant Daughters of the Amazon and other smaller gangs.

I thought this was a good read, I like it because it has a defined start and a definite end, 60 issues. The author wasn’t trying to keep going just to keep going. It’s long enough to tell the story. The story moves fast enough to keep you interested and the art was good. It’s Vertigo and has a lot of language, nudity and blood, defiantly not kids friendly IMO.

You can find it on Amazon, I will have links in the show notes at covertnerd.net Check it out and let me know what you think. It won a few awards and Brian K Vaughn has written some other works that were very successful like Saga and

If you would like to be on the show send in your question or comments either in MP3 format or written to cn@covertnerd.net. I would love to hear from you. Please keep the audio to at least 2 minutes or less.

Our contest is still going on all you have to do to enter in the drawing email me cn@covertnerd.net, put in the subject line mint works, and then include your full name in the body. Or on Instagram DM me with mint works and you full name. Either method will get an entry into the contest. Please only one entry per person and you must be 18 to enter.

Thank you for listening, please subscribe using Apple podcast app, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Podbean or go to covertnerd.net on the right side of the page you can see subscribe on android icon click on that and will find dozens of other podcast apps you can pick from to use and subscribe.

If you like this show please share on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

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I was at the Behind the Glass Comic Art Gallery event and had the honor to interview Bob Hall. He has worked for Marvel, DC and Valiant during the 70's 80' and 90's. I really enjoyed our brief conversation, I hope you like it too. If you like it please share. Visit covertnerd.net for more episodes and information.

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Today we will discuss your why, then more Tolkien talk and finally a podcast I think you will enjoy. Plus stick around at the end for a giveaway.

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What is your why?

Why do you work where you work? Why do you live where you live? Why do you enjoy the hobbies you enjoy?

Your why is so important because it’s the reason your are doing what you’re doing, it’s the reason you are in a relationship with someone. Whether your why is good or bad you have to be self aware and honest enough to know your why. What do I mean by self-aware? Definition Aware of oneself, including one's traits, feelings, and behaviors. Knowing yourself so well and honestly admitting to yourself your why. I thought I would tell you Why do I do this podcast?

I enjoy other podcasters. It makes my day when a fellow podcaster sends me a positive message about my show.
I love the medium and enjoy listening to podcasts. There are multiple podcasts about any particular subject you are interested in. Whether you are new to podcasts or have listened for the last decade you can always find something new and interesting. Or if you have a podcast you have listened to for years most shows get better and better. That’s why each episode I recommend a podcast I enjoy, hoping you will too.
The listeners giving you the listener something that will inspire you, teach you something or make you laugh is what I aim to do. This journey for me is new and I look forward having you along as I learn and grow. Nothing give me more joy in hearing from a listener. I know this sound cliché, but if one person is impacted by what I say, then it’s worth it. If you have a podcaster, indie author or artist you enjoy please reach out to them and let them know. It gives them a lot of energy to keep doing what they do.

I want this podcast to be more positive than negative. The world has enough negative in it already and I don’t want to add to it. If I comment on a person, movie or book, I try to keep the criticism to a minimum, someone else can do that. You will most likely hear me say, “it’s just not my thing.” That’s all doesn’t me it’s horrible and needs to be burned, just not my thing. For someone else they may love it, that’s fine. I will try to focus on the good.

If you are struggling with whether or not you should start a podcast a book a charity group or whatever it is start now. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just start. You won’t get any better until you start.

I am not smart, I barely passed high school and college. But I like to try new stuff especially techie stuff. I like the journey, I like to tinker and perfect things. I had to admit that things don’t have to be perfect to be complete. Sometimes things just have to be good enough.

My wife and I did foster care for 9 years, and adopted 4 kids from foster care. I heard from other parents who said they didn’t think they wouldn’t be a great parent for these kids. I would always say, You don’t need to be a great parent you just need to be a parent. No one is a perfect parent, just being there for a kid is where you start.

“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.” Norman Vicent Peale Which means you have to start. You can do it, you are stronger than you think.

No matter what you start you will be among the elite. For example I am in Toastmasters a group that helps you become a better public communicator. Speaking in front of a live group of people is something most people are terrified of doing. I have seen individual’s physically shake when they get in front of a group of people, but they did it anyway. And they will admit after it was over it wasn’t as bad as they thought. I’m not a great public speaker, but the fact I can do it puts me ahead of a majority of my peers. I’m doing something a vast majority of people can’t or won’t do, that gives me confidence and it should give you confidence too.

If you write and publish a book you are among the elite. If you publish a comic book you are among the elite.

For example I have heard of many people who take the writing challenge. Every year writers are encouraged to write two pages per day for year and at the end of a year they have a novel. It may not be a best seller, but they can say they have written a novel.

I have a great amount of respect for my friend Carl Smith, he has published comic books and several books. He has done something most people haven’t done. I am sure you know someone like Carl too.

If you start something let me know I would love to hear from you. I just want to encourage you to start, you can do it.

Tolkien Talk

Last episode we talked about Sauron from JRR Tolkiens LOTR. If you have only watched the movies I would encourage you to read the books. I have read the Hobbit and LOTR twice. I know you die hard fans would say lite weight. I’m a very slow reader so it take a while to get through a book. Anyway I finally am getting around to reading the Silmarillion. I’m going backwards and reading the shorter stories in the back first. I just finished the story about the beginning and fall of Numenor. For those that haven’t read the books Numenorian are the race of men Aragorn was descended from. They have a much longer lifespan given to them by the Valar for helping defeat the great enemy Morgoth in the first age.

It’s a fairly quick read, but it’s a very fascinating tale of intrigue and deception. There’s betrayal by lifelong allies and battles. It would make a great mini series in my opinion. If you do read the Silmarillion I suggest you get the complete Tolkien companion by JE Taylor. There are so many names and places in the book it makes it easier to have the guide handy to explain who is going where and doing what. At least for me I find it easier to understand. It does slow down you reading, but it will make more sense in the end. Plus I find the guide fascinating to look up details from the stories.

I hadn’t played in the Tolkien world in a while so it feels good to get back into the realm of Middle Earth again. When you are reading his literature you can feel the world come alive like other authors can’t do. You see the places and characters in your mind and feel how old everything really is. It’s hard to explain. Tolkien's books are everywhere and easy and inexpensive to find. I would start with the Hobbit then LOTR then Silmarillion. There are many other books his son put together from his notes that delve into even more obscure details of the lengendarium I hope to get to those someday too.

Podcast you need to listen to

I try to recommend another podcast in each of my episodes and today is no different. This one is That One Time I was Abducted by Aliens. Bri and Jaime are two young ladies who talk about all things alien and the supernatural. They are layed back with their conversation, like sitting at the bar talking with your friends about something weird you saw on your way home. They are very active on Instagram and you may catch them doing a live show. Simply put they are fun. Check them and give them a try.

Please subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app, we are on Apple podcast, Stitcher, Google play music, Sound cloud. You can also easily listen using you Alexa, simply say “Alexa play Covert Nerd Podcast.” And it will play the latest episode. You can follow me on Instagram and Facebook at covert nerd or on Twitter @thercovert_nerd. Email me at cn@covertnerd.net. Go to the website covertnerd.net for all the details.

Contest

Lastely our contest is going on through the end of the month. We will be giving away a copy of the game Mintworks a cool game by five24labs.

To enter in the drawing email me cn@covertner.net, put in the subject line mintworks, then include your full name in the body. Or on Instagram DM me with mintworks and you full name. Either method will get an entry into the contest. Please only one entry per person.

Thanks for listening I really appreciate your time.

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Today we will look at Tolkiens villain Sauron and then a comic book called I kill giants, finally we will look a great free audio book app. Plus stick around for the giveaway you can win.

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Soul of Sauron:

Is anyone beyond redemption? That’s a question I thought of when I read a passage from of the Rings of power and the third age at the end of the Silmarillion about Sauron. Which we will get too in a minute but first let’s take a brief look at Saurons early origins.

Sauron has far more history than what the LOTR films tell, and we will explore some of his history before the trilogy.

Despite being the title character of The Lord of the Rings, Sauron is notable in that he never directly appears during the events of the trilogy. Nowhere is any detailed description given of what he looks like, other than in vague terms.

He is one of the Maiar spirits originally named Mairon, meaning "the admirable, the same “race” as Gandalf, Saruman and Radagast. However he is by far the most powerful of Maiar spirits.

Thousands of years before the events of the LOTR Sauron was corrupted to evil by Morgoth the brother of Manwe king of the Valar. Sauron liked order and perfection which made him the best candidate to be in charge of the army of Morgoth which included the Balrogs Orcs and Dragons to name a few.

In The Silmarillion, Sauron is described as being a shape changer, and took many forms, including that of a serpent, a vampire, and a great wolf. After Morgoth's fall, Sauron appeared in fair form as "Annatar", the Lord of Gifts, and maintained this appearance until the Fall of Númenor, in which he was unable to ever take fair form ever again. The History of Middle-earth includes a passage vaguely describing how the Númenoreans saw him: "Upon that ship which was cast highest and stood dry upon a hill there was a man, but greater than any even of the race of Numenor in stature...And it seemed to men that Sauron was great; though they feared the light of his eyes. To many he appeared fair, to others terrible; but to some evil."

In addition to his physical appearance, Sauron also apparently had an aura of incredible malevolence. A passage in The Silmarillion describes him as having a "dreadful presence," and daunting eyes. Furthermore, his mere presence could bend all but the strongest wills.

Mentioning his eyes again

…And some hold that this was not at first falsely done, but that Sauron in truth repented…, …Therefore when Eönwë departed he hid himself in Middle-earth; and he fell back into evil, for the bonds that Morgoth had laid upon him were very strong.”

After the fall of Morgoth it is said in the Silmarillion, Sauron came before Eönwë who was a Maia serving Manwë, Eönwë was referred to as the "greatest of arms in Arda," meaning that he was the best with weapons.

Sauron renounced his evil deeds, but it was not in Eonwe powers to forgive another Maia, he would have to petition to Manwe himself. Sauron was unwilling to do this.

After the fall of Morgoth Sauron hit rock bottom and hid for centuries in Middle Earth. I found this fascinating, why? Because it shows a human side of Sauron and no one is beyond redemption. Tolkien gave us glimpse into the soul of Sauron. Even though Sauron ultimately chose to stay evil, for a brief moment he did consider the move to good. However he didn’t want to face judgement and rehabilitation Manwe would bestow upon him. Maybe because of his love for perfection he couldn’t face his own imperfection. Like I said for brief moment there could have been redemption. A glimpse at the world which could have been if Sauron would have repented. But this didn’t happen and the dark lord spend many millennia causing chaos and death try to force order upon middle earth.

Regarding Sauron's personality, Tolkien had this to say from his letters: In my story Sauron represents as near an approach to the wholly evil will as is possible. He had gone the way of all tyrants: beginning well, at least on the level that while desiring to order all things according to his own wisdom he still at first considered the (economic) well-being of other inhabitants of the Earth. But he went further than human tyrants in pride and the lust for domination, being in origin an immortal (angelic) spirit. Sauron desired to be a God-King, and was held to be this by his servants, by a triple treachery: 1. Because of his admiration of Strength he had become a follower of Morgoth and fell with him down into the depths of evil, becoming his chief agent in Middle-earth. 2. when Morgoth was defeated by the Valar finally he forsook his allegiance; but out of fear only; he did not present himself to the Valar or sue for pardon, and remained in Middle-earth. 3. When he found how greatly his knowledge was admired by all other rational creatures and how easy it was to influence them, his pride became boundless. —J.R.R. Tolkien

Among Sauron's chief powers were deception and disguise: he trick the elves into making the rings of power and he trick the Numenorians to take on the Valar

There is more to Sauron that I haven’t touched on here, maybe another episode we can dive deeper. If you have watched the movies, but haven’t read the books I encourage you to do say if you don’t like to read try audio books, which leads to my next section

With Amazon buying the rights to Tolkien literature I hope they explore each main character like Sauron and tell their stories. Maybe a 12 episode series on Sauron exploring his origin and early years. Up until the fall of Morgoth. Who would you like to see them do a series on?

Application Station:

Hoopla is free at most public libraries. Sometimes it’s easier to listen, that’s why you are here now. With driving or running or working around the house audio is easier to help pass the time. Most public libraries give you access to these, the selection is mediocre IMO. Audible is going to give you a much bigger selection. Along with the audio books you also get access to ebooks and comic books too. This is how I found the Mark Milar Jupiter series. Avaiable for IOS and Android.

Comic Book

Image comics I kill Giants comic book Barbara Thorson, a girl struggling with life by escaping into a fantasy life of magic and monsters. Released July 2008. Barbara is a confused girl dealing with trauma in her life. This causes her to be overly blunt with people in her life even people who want to be her friends. This may be a bit foreign to readers, but for me being around kids who have been traumatized I can understand the confusion, maybe you can too. However Barbara does have some witty comebacks to the mean people in her life and she’s obsessed with DND. At first it is difficult to tell if Barbara is out of touch with reality or not. She dresses weird with bunny ears. Many readers can relate as we all want to escape real lifes struggles and stress even if it’s only for a short time. However eventually you have to face them and you find out you find out you are stronger than you think. It’s a B/W comic book and the writer scribbled the entire story line in less than an hour on a yellow legal pad while his dad was going through physical therapy. To find the perfect giant the writer Joe Kelly asked Jim the artist for about 50 versions of giants before he settled on the one he wanted. The entire story is great, it shows as nerds we like escapism, and like Barbara we can be a bit snarky and crass.

Podcast shout out:

Day Dream instruction Manual Eddie and company look at all things nerdy and not so nerdy.

Contest:

We will be giving away a copy of the game Mintworks a cool game by five24labs. Mint Works is a light and straightforward worker placement game. Its compact size makes it easy to put in your pocket and take it anywhere. Its simple rules make it easy to introduce new players to the genre of worker placement.

The reason I wanted to give this away because it’s a simple compact game and I know the creator personally.

To enter in the drawing email me cn@covertnerd.net, put in the subject line mintworks, then include your full name in the body. Or on Instagram DM me with mintworks and you full name. Either method will get an entry into the contest. Please only one entry per person.

Find me on twitter @thecovert_nerd or Instagram and Facebook at covertnerd website covertnerd.net

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Today we will be talking about your first comic books, next an amazing book called the inevitable and lastly a great e-reader app. Lets dive right in.

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You never forget your first... comic books

We always remember ours firsts: First date, First car, First kiss, First job, First podcast…

Search on Twitter and Instagram about first comics I saw a lot of responses: “Best purchase ever!” “Several people said totally dating myself because it was 30 plus years ago” “The holographic cover drew me in and I haven’t left since.” “Read it so many times the staples fell out”

One guy purchased his first comic book, years later had it framed and is now hanging in his office. Many people could say the exact issue and where they bought it too For many it was most defiantly a walk down memory lane

Some nerds are passing it on and buying there kids first comic book. And documenting it on Facebook, Instagram or twitter

I had read a few comics from the spinner racks at the small grocery store my mom bought from. Never bought any. My mom wouldn’t let me. And of course being a child of the 80’s I watched Saturday morning cartoons with the Super-friends on the DC side and Spider-man and his amazing friends on the marvel side. My older brother was buying a few before I started collecting so I read a few of his. Then Christmas of 1991 he gave me one of those comic grab bags from I think Wal-mart that had a number one then 3 other random titles. And they were:

Guardians of the Galaxy #17 Jim Valentino New Warriors #16 Fabian Nicieza Dark Hawk #8 X-Men #1 Chris Claremont and Jim Lee

Can’t tell you how many times I have read these. Living in a small town we didn’t have a comic book shop so I had to order by mail any of the back issues. Because since all but one of the four was a number one I had to fill in the story gaps and learn more about these characters.

I still have these four and every time I see them or a cover pic of them online I instantly go back in my mind to being in my basement bedroom reading each line, analyzing each panel. Harkins back to a simpler time in my life. Do you do the same? When you see the cover of your first comics do you get flashbacks? When you see an artist or writer of your first comic books you can instantly remember the specific book you lover that they worked on. You have the emotions of the wonder at the combination of art and story telling. Thats why comic books are such a great medium, they amalgam two formats into one. It’s your first love all over again.

Times have changed in the comic book industry some good some bad, in my opinion. Still over all it’s the books I read that first year that still draws me back. It’s the excitement of seeing what they are going to do next with this character or story arc.

I don’t collect for value or money, I collect for the story and art. It doesn’t have to be first edition number one. I am content if it’s a TPB of the first 7 issues. If you want to be a collector for the money that's fine too, it’s your thing. For me again its the love of the medium. They group of people it takes to assemble the art with the story telling is genius, not to mention the lettering, inking getting the panels to look correct, it’s a lot of work. My hat goes off to them. Carl Smith on the Goad kicker podcast published his own comic book and has an episode where he talks about the work it takes to make a comic and how he finds it difficult to criticize comic book companies about quality after seeing first hand all the work it takes to put a book together.

Once in a while I will pull out these first comic books and it reminds me all over again why I love the comic book medium. It gives me the energy to dive in again, because life does tend to get in the way of our hobbies. That’s just the way it, is we have bills to pay kids to get to events etc. But picking up first comic books is a fresh reminder to escapism for just a little while and experience the wonder of these characters and their adventures.

If you haven’t done it already I strongly encourage you to go to that long box you have in a closet or drawer you keep your old issues and find some of your first comic books. They might be faded and tattered, but read them. Remind yourself why you kept them all theses years. Remember the fascination and wonder they brought you. Then go get some newer issues from the same titles or find some new firsts. I did that recently with Rai and Ninjak over at Valiant. Remember seeing these titles back in the early 90’s when they were first released. I was a bit of snob towards Valiant, and didn’t give them a looks. I checked out a reboot of both titles they did recently and found they were very good. Art and story were great, I encourage you to give them a look.

Being a father and husband I don’t have a lot of money and time to buy a lot of comics so I have to be a bit selective, but I still enjoy getting old issues of titles when I was young and picking up some new stuff too.

I hope your firsts both from the past and present are great. I am on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook chime in on your first comic books. What were they? How and why did you get them? Do you still like them? What would you recommend to readers now? If you have a first you are hesitant go ahead and take the plunge, I did when I started this podcast. Lets talk.

Next segment is what I call Book Nook and I briefly take a look at a book and recommend to you.

The Inevitable by Kevin Kelly who was the founding editor of Wired Magazine

According to Kelly, much of what will happen in the next thirty years is inevitable. The future will bring with it even more screens, tracking, and lack of privacy. In the book he outlines twelve trends that will forever change the ways in which we work, learn and communicate:

1.Becoming: Moving from fixed products to always upgrading services and subscriptions 2.Cognifying: Making everything much smarter using cheap powerful AI that we get from the cloud 3.Flowing: Depending on unstoppable streams in real-time for everything 4.Screening: Turning all surfaces into screens 5.Accessing: Shifting society from one where we own assets, to one where instead we will have access to services at all times.[5] 6.Sharing: Collaboration at mass-scale. Kelly writes, “On my imaginary Sharing Meter Index we are still at 2 out of 10.” 7.Filtering: Harnessing intense personalization in order to anticipate our desires 8.Remixing: Unbundling existing products into their most primitive parts and then recombine in all possible ways 9.Interacting: Immersing ourselves inside our computers to maximize their engagement 10.Tracking: Employing total surveillance for the benefit of citizens and consumers 11.Questioning: Promoting good questions are far more valuable than good answers 12.Beginning: Constructing a planetary system connecting all humans and machines into a global matrix

He also talks about possible new minds that will occur because of AI like a Hive mind or Borg mind.

His prediction is By 2026, Google’s main product will not be search but AI

The first genuine AI will not be birthed in a stand-alone supercomputer, but in the superorganism of a billion computer chips known as the net. It will be planetary in dimensions, but thin, embedded, and loosely connected. The greatest benefit of the arrival of artificial intelligence is that AIs will help define humanity. We need AIs to tell us who we are. Yet the paradox of science is that every answer breeds at least two new questions. More tools, more answers, ever more questions.

Our inventions allow us to spy into our ignorance.

Many are worried about robots taking jobs, but he gives us hope that we will be okay even though our knowledge is expanding exponentially, our questions are expanding exponentially faster. science is a method that chiefly expands our ignorance rather than our knowledge. We have no reason to expect this to reverse in the future.

Application station: Bookari is an ereader that was Mantano reader and why I love it over the half dozen I tried is the fact I could highlight and export.

Shout out to Make Eternia Great Again Podcast

Contest coming soon stay tuned

Please rate and review me on itunes

Find me on covertnerd.net

The Inevitable: Understanding the 12 Technological Forces That Will Shape Our Future

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The movie Parallel is an interesting and psychological concept. If you ever wondered how would my life have diverted if I would have made a different choice on my job or partner or other decisions? This movie tries to answer that question.

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I really like the concept of experiencing yourself from another universe and how you may act differently good or bad. If you have seen the movie sliding doors with Gwyneth Paltrow, this movie has a similar concept. This movie however takes a more dark, sinister and erotic twist.

Neil and Heather meet Machlis a mysterious old man who claims he can show them their parallel selves. When they see their parallel selves they become addicted to seeing their alternate lives and can’t stop revisiting their alternate universe. Their visits progressively darker and darker and the lines become blurred for the main characters between their real lives and their dark counter parts.

Overall a good movie a short run time and the movie moves a good pace without staying too long in one scene. The scenes are exactly the right length. It has a good mix of thriller, erotic and horror without excessive gore. Which I am not a big fan of.

The movie does a good job of shooting the film distingushing between the real life and the parallel lives of Neal and Heather. The “real” lives are in color and the parallel lives are in black and white. Excellent way to show the viewers which part you are watching.

This isn’t a big budget film with big name actors. However the acting is very good, I think the main characters Neil and Heather are well done. They deliver their lines well.

My only criticisms are a few scenes the dialogue is too quiet. Also one scene feels like it was accidentally cut too soon and should have been held a little longer. Both are something that can be easily fixed in another project.

I think Amazon, Netflix Hulu and other streaming services are giving budding directors and producers the chance to sharpen their teeth with movie projects. Just like podcasting is giving me a regular guy a way to distribute content to the masses. We should try to support newcomers to the medium of choice. As a producer this is Alex first production and does very well for himself. Please give him some encouragement on Twitter his handle is @alexcooper81.

I have a face for radio as they say and chose to go with podcasting.

Overall I would give this movie 7 out of 10. If you like psychological thrillers you will like this movie. If you are an Amazon prime member you can watch it as part of your subscription. Director Ieva Makselyte and written by David Magowan Producer Alexander Cooper

Read more details about the movie and the cast imdb.com or watch on Amazon here

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Imagine with me for a moment anything you wish to be you are… anything you wish is…nothing in this universe dares challenge that claim, there can be only one word to describe you GOD

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That’s what I want to talk about today is marvels Infinity Gauntlet

This topic has been slowly brewing for the last few years because of the MCU movies and the underlying thread of the infinity gems and Thanos. Where and when did all these stories and characters come from? That’s what I want to explore today.

Specifically the 1990’s iterations of the gems and Thanos, yes he had gathered 5 of the six gems previously, but this is the first time he obtained all 6 and this is where Disney/Marvel got there inspiration for the MCU.

This was the start of the decade’s long Infinity saga that we are still exploring today in the MCU

Complete show notes

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Do nerds feel more or less awkward now than they did 10 years ago? Today we explore the way nerds feel in society today compared to years past. Do you sometimes feel awkward around a certain group of people? Take a listen and see if you can relate. If you like the Covert Nerd Podcast please share.

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Do you have an activity you did when you were younger that you have fond memories of? If so what was it? What makes it so appealing? What is it that you put down then pick up again later? Maybe its a hobby like fishing or an activity like running.

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What do you go back to and why? Have you shared it with someone?

What makes Hero Quest so appealing?

For Hero Quest it is:

Simplicity

Fun to share, give more than I get

Customizable

Fun

Nostalgic

Escapism

The original quest book

The original instruction manual

YouTube video showing how to play

Original commercial

Funny video explaining why Hero Quest is so awesome

Information about Les Edwards

Fantastic Hero Quest online community at Ye Old Inn

Hero Quest for Tabletop Simulator

Hero Quest Fonts

Places to buy Hero Quest:

Ebay

Shopgoodwill.com

Craigslist

Thriftshops and garage sales

Hero Quest Wiki

Hero Quest Cards:

Hero Quest Furniture:

Hero Quest Expansions:

Hero Quest Main System:

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Nerd culture podcast that aims to bring out the inner nerd in all of us! Celebrating your inner nerd by uncovering books, video games and comic book gems from the past and present and analyzing them from a nerd perspective.

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