Covert Nerd Podcast show

Covert Nerd Podcast

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

Join Now to Subscribe to this Podcast
  • Visit Website
  • RSS
  • Artist: Covert Nerd
  • Copyright: Copyright 2017 . All rights reserved.

Podcasts:

 Star Wars the expanded universe | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:08:44

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: Tim on Twitter Rainbow Comics Lincoln  Main Covert Nerd website

 Top 3 80's Arcade Games | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:12:38

Links from the episode: Make Eternia Great Again podcast Art of Lee Bokma  MEGA Facebook page Nick arcade game show  Jeffs previous edisode on the podcast  Mini Comic Youtube link  https://covertnerd.net Complete show notes

 Middle Earth Minute | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 09:50

Today we dive into the Tolkien universe with a Middle Earth Minute then we review 2 great comics.  Website: covertnerd.net ----more---- 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.     

 Star Wars Prequels | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:17:13

On today's episode we talk in detail about the Star Wars prequels Links from the episode: Tim on Twitter https://twitter.com/Mothee Rainbow Comics Lincoln https://www.facebook.com/rainbowcomicsandcardsLincoln/ Art by Taylor https://www.facebook.com/skellyboiart/ Website https://www.rainbowcomicsandcards.com/  

 Back to the basics | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 18:53

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 Covert Nerd   ----more---- 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.

 Why kids like retro | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:34:10

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

 Top 5 90's Movies | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 02:10:38

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

 Transformers more great stories to bring you back | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:07:45

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  

 MEGA vs Covert Nerd Deathmatch | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:34:35

Links from the Episode The Podcast Arcade Art of Lee Bokma Covert Nerd Podcast Full episode notes

 Nerd Death Match 3 | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:31:02

Nerd Death Match 3   Episode links: covertnerd.net Art of Lee Bokma Full show notes

 Shake up break up | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 13:51

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.

 Top 14 comics of 2018 | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 10:54

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. ----more---- 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 13. Essex county Image Comics 12. I Kill Giants Image Comics 11. Ninjak vs The Valiant Universe Valiant 10. Plume Devil’s Dueent 9. Y the Last Man Vertigo 8. Dark Ark After Shock 7. The Long Con Oni Comics 6. Black Hammer Dark Horse 5. 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  

 Nerd Death Match 2 | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:19:54

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  

 Audio Drama | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 09:45

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 ----more---- 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    

 Nerd Death Match | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 01:12:22

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!

Comments

Login or signup comment.