Episode 42: "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse"

EWell, robots, we're back, and this time we bring you a long awaited discussion on Sony's formal apology for The Emoji Movie. Miles Morales and the denizens of the Spider-Verse enable us to discuss animation, fandom culture, and the evolution of Nerdom as a popular identity. Talking points: We both forget that the Amazing Spider-Man movies happened; Donald Glover was robbed; polite racists; using animation to its fullest extent; the overshadowing of Jack Kirby; comic visual language; the age of superheroes; and, hey, stay safe robots.

Episode 41: 2019 Year in Review

EWe return to you, sweet robots, bearing memories of a year past, and a hopeful look towards our future. Talking Points: A character development year; sweet tunes from the revolutionary bog; heavenly good television; Rachel's least surprising pick ever; they really just let a ten year old have to save the world; steel for humans, silver for monsters, coin for your Witcher; the blinding light of the fireside; that time Henry VIII's wives put on a pop concert; mortality on the riverbank; the impact of choice in an age of dragons; quality critical crafting; and, hey, we missed you.

Episode 40: Amy Stewart's "The Earth Moved: On the Remarkable Accomplishments of Earthworms"

EThis episode, we dive deep into the bowels of the earth to explore the life of one of nature's most fascinating creatures. Told from the perspective of an author bursting at the seams to share her thoughts and findings, this book helps us explore the ins and outs of science writing, literacy, and how both influence and are affected by the public. Talking Points: our individual experiences with science as a popular and academic pursuit; the aesthetic value of the natural; the trickle down economics of popular opinion; our inability to conceptualize the impact of something that seems so small; how differences of audience can impact the success of a work; the place of science writing in today's literacy struggles; and, hey, why aren't we funding more worm regeneration studies?

Episode 39: Amanda Lovelace's "the princess saves herself in this one"

EHello, robots! Today, we're bringing you something a little different, a book of poetry that has caused quite a stir from the social medias to the blogs of academics who are always giving a Ted Talk in their own minds. Join us as we discuss what we look for in our books of verse, as well as why we find ourselves jumping to the defense of someone who's work is, apparently, easy to hate. Talking points: reliance on archetypal language to communicate power and self-understanding; coming of age in the time of evolving literary forms; the misconception that if one form is popular, then all others must be dead; the continued crusade against things young women enjoy; seeing ourselves in unapologetic and imperfect art; and, hey, is poetry like obscenity in that you only know it when you see it?;

Episode 38: Sarah J. Maas's "A Court of Thorns and Roses" & "A Court of Mist and Fury"

EWe return, robots! As we kick off our summer programming, join us as we journey into the depths of Prythian, a land of fae and magic and well-executed romance tropes, that Hannah has been begging Rachel to get into for over a year. Will the prophecies of Hannah the Oracle remain true? You'll have to listen to find out. Talking Points: our longest and most giggly source recap thus far; what to do when there's only one bed; meaningful consequences even when that plot point has passed by; Phantom of the Opera understudies; dealing with trauma in a fantasy setting; the world building of a political, economic, and social state; how to pull off an actual love triangle, and, hey, sometimes the question isn't if you love someone, but how you love them.

Episode 38: Hannah Yells About Comics #2

Join Hannah for a spoiler-free review of Jim Henson's The StoryTeller: Sirens -- "The Mermaid and the Fisherman" written by Bartosz Sztybor and illustrated by Jakub Rebelka. This episode reviews other reviews, wonders what it means to be "indie", and gets mad about the captured mermaid motif.

Episode 37: Terry Pratchett's "Night Watch"

EThe climax of characters old and new, and both at the same time, is the topic of today's Remedial Readalong. An ancient prophecy between friends is finally fulfilled as we travel back in time to an Ankh-Morpork without Commander Vimes, until now, on the eve of an ill-fated revolution. Talking points: being the hero you needed when you were young; actual, functional time-travel; cool monks; ties to other hopeless revolutions; keeping the Beast on a leash; not confusing a temporary lack of light with endless darkness; the anchor of a cigarette case; the culmination of almost thirty books' worth of writing; and, hey, who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?

Episode 36: Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman's "Good Omens"

EThis fortnight, the world is hurtling towards the End of Days, and dragging us all along for the ride. Join us as we revisit one of our favorite stories by two of our favorite people. Talking points: dread and hilarity at the end of the world; the semantic and literal distinctions between good and evil; what happens when two masters start blending their styles; updating Revelations for the 90s scene; the power of belief; the strength of the ensemble piece; the fallout of underestimating children; and, hey, you are not who you were born to.

Episode 35: Neil Gaiman's "American Gods"

EA fortnight has passed, and in this episode we're coming to America. Well, maybe not the America, but an America. Full of gods and miracles and the horror both bring with them. Join us as we road trip with the olds gods and the new. Talking points: this book is one long existential crisis; perspectives of space and time informed by one's geographical origin; what we're willing to sacrifice for normality and prosperity; you are what you worship, and you worship what you value; how this work has aged in a vast technological world; and, hey, it doesn't matter if you believe in us. We believe in you.

Episode 34: Dungeons & Dragons Extravaganza Palooza Spectacular

EAt last! The long foretold of episode about our favorite table top roleplaying game is here! We just reached out second anniversary of playing D&D and we've been so affected by it that it warrented its own episode. Talking points: chance and collaboration in narrative; leaning into bad stats; several anecdotes about several campaigns; that time Hannah and Rachel played as fish cousins; the catharsism of in-character emotion; death by dice; changing base modules to suit your own desires; what effects watching and listening to actual-play shows has had on our own expectations; and, hey, maybe the real treasure was the friends we made along the way.