Gobbledygeek

Great darkness falls across our podcast. May Paul, AJ, and Greg Sahadachny of The Debatable Podcast and All the Pieces Matter be equal to the burden as they continue their year-long Four-Color Flashback series on Jeff Smith's Bone. This time, the gang turns to Vol. VII: Ghost Circles; if they thought everything happened last volume, even more everything happens this volume. Which begs the question: how much is too much? How many mythology infodumps before the series threatens to crumble beneath their weight? The gang discusses how the extensive exposition fits into Smith's otherwise impeccable structure, how this cute lil' comedy is handling its transition to dramatic fantasy epic, and--oh yes--the return of young Bartleby.

Next: it's that time of year, ghouls and boils. Gobbledyween 2015 kicks off with a return appearance by Greg to discuss John Carpenter's cult classic They Live.

This week on Gobbledygeek, there's been a rage reversal: Paul, the Enormous Green Rage Monster of the podcast, is unusually calm and placid; meanwhile, AJ is filled with anger, much of it directed toward the fast food chain Wendy's. What are a couple geeks to do? Find something, anything to distract them from this cosmic imbalance, such as Paul's recent trip to Disney World and brief return to the zoo that made him famous; Ryan Adams' melancholy cover version of Taylor Swift's 1989; and AJ's adventures at his local arthouse (featuring Phoenix, The End of the Tour, The Diary of a Teenage Girl, and Eraserhead), for which he is roundly mocked.

Next: our year-long Four-Color Flashback series on Jeff Smith's Bone continues with Vol. VII: Ghost Circles. As always, we are joined by Greg Sahadachny of The Debatable Podcast.

Gobbledyween comes early with the one-two zombie punch (right through some poor lady's skull) of Peter Jackson's 1992 gorefest Dead Alive AKA Braindead, one of several gonzo films which made the New Zealander perhaps the least likely contender to ever helm The Lord of the Rings; and 1984's cult classic Night of the Comet, wherein the world ends and the burden of society is placed upon two teen sisters and their new pal Hector. In true Geek Challenge fashion, Paul and AJ find themselves baffled by these selections. Paul swims through Dead Alive's rivers of fake blood, while AJ finds himself stranded in Night of the Comet's nearly zombie-free desert. Will our heroes find common ground and come to understand one another? Never.

Next: death is but a door. Time is but a window. We'll be back.

Once and future Koko the Showfucker (and, one supposes, veteran pop culture writer/editor) Jason Tabrys is once again spreading his distinct brand of cheer to Gobbledygeek like so much plague. When he's not hawking Jason Juice, M. Tabrys talks with Paul and AJ about fall TV, including accusations of Muppety ignorance; the Dear Fat People video and whether or not YouTube flashes-in-the-pan like it are worth spending our precious outrage on; and what the preponderance of fan theories means, if it means anything at all. But it's mostly Jason Juice.

Next: the Geek Challenge rises from the dead. Paul must watch Peter Jackson's 1992 gorefest Dead Alive, while AJ must endure the 1984 post-apocalyptic teen movie Night of the Comet.

Paul, AJ, and special guest Greg Sahadachny of The Debatable Podcast are each a small concentrated bit of dream carried along in the currents of Jeff Smith's Bone, which they return to once more in another Four-Color Flashback installment. This time, the gang enters Vol. VI: Old Man's Cave, in which...well, in which everything happens. Questions that have hung over the series from the first volume are finally answered, new wrinkles in the established mythology are revealed, and the main narrative appears to reach its climax. And yet three volumes remain on our journey. Plus, Paul discusses the documentary The Wolfpack, while AJ and Greg appear to resolve their feud before they get around to yelling at each other over Turbo Kid.

Next: oh God, it's Jason Tabrys.