The Joy of Gaming Podcast

The Joy of Geek Review - Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice

The Joy of Geek Podcast, Film Review:

Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice

Here at the Joy of Geek Podcast, we watch and get excited for a large number of movies each year, but the release of a new tent-pole superhero film is almost always a cause for an extra degree of excitement and celebration. And along with the rest of humankind, we were eagerly anticipating the release of DC's huge new, cinematic-universe-launching opus, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, and trying to keep our minds open and spirits high, even as Zach Snyder's darker vision for the film became more and more apparent with each successive trailer and director interview. 

But now that the film has been released - to excellent first-weekend earnings at the box office, but also terrible reviews from critics and many fans - we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) are ready to discuss our own strong opinions on this incredibly decisive film. 

Did we leave the theater exhilarated and chomping at the bit for the next entry in DC's new mega-franchise, or bemoaning the two-and-a-half-plus-hours we spent with Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot and Batfleck? All you have to do is press play, and and sit back to find out (and experience the inevitable fireworks that ensue). Because as usual here on the podcast, we don't necessarily agree on what works in the film and what doesn't. 

So here we are, (1) reviewing one of the biggest geek films of the year, (2) disagreeing all over the place, (3) demonstrating ridiculous passion, and (4) loving every minute of it. And ideally, so will you. This...is the Joy of Geek!

Year in Review Part Three - Best of Comics 2015

The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Year in Review Part Three:

The Best of Comics 2015

Welcome to Part Three of our "Year in Review" celebration: a series of podcasts counting down the best that 2015 had to offer in all forms of media. On this episode, we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) discuss the comics we read over the past year, as well as the overall state of an industry whose influence on all of pop-culture has never been stronger.

From big-name Marvel and DC titles, to the ever-growing number of books published by Image and other creator-owned publishers, the comics industry has never seemed so vibrant and diverse, and 2015 provided us with so many great books from new and returning series. We do our best to break it all down and choose our favorites - and in the end, attempt to come up with some nice, conscise best-of lists. Oh, and we also talk a bit about the impact our favorite books are having on TV, Film and Video Games. This being "The Joy of Geek," and all.

So without further ado, we invite you to dive into our pentultimate "Best of 2015" episode." We promise that they'll all be released before 2016 rolls around. This...is the Joy of Comics!

Year in Review Part Two - Best Films of 2015

The Joy of Geek Podcast, Year in Review Part Two:

The Best Films of 2015

Welcome to Part Two of our "Year in Review" celebration: a series of podcasts counting down the best that 2015 had to offer in all forms of media. We've once again assembled the full Joy of Geek cast (Rich, Jordan, Kelsey and Kevin) to count down the Best Films of 2015. And no matter how you look at it, the past year's roster of film releases made choosing favorites an epic and exciting task. 

After all, 2015 is a year that brought us two new entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe:  Avengers: Age of Ultron and Ant-Man,  the amazing surprise that was George Miller's Mad Max: Fury Road, and possibly the most anticipated film of the last decade, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. 

It was also an exceptional year for indie and medium-budget films, with It Follows and Ex Machina as two of the biggest standouts, proving that a smaller budget is certainly no hindrance to a fantastic story. And that's not to mention a searing list of big-budget, tentpole extravaganzas, including Jurassic World, Furious 7, Inside Out, Spectre, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2, and more. Yes, it was quite a year, and as per tradition, we pull no punches as we drag the good, the bad and the ugly of 2015's filmic crop out into the open and subject them to our judgment. 

But at the end of the day, this podcast is about celebrating the best that life has to offer, Poe Dameron-style (rather than the worst, as Oscar Issac's other character, Nathan Bateman from Ex Machina, might). Because after all, this...is the Joy of Geek!

Year in Review Part One - Best TV of 2015

The Joy of Geek Podcast, Year in Review Part One:

The Best TV Shows of 2015

Welcome to the first episode of our Year-in-Review Extravaganza at the Joy of Geek Podcast: a series of podcasts counting down the best that 2015 had to offer in all forms of media. And to start, we've undertaken the incredibly daunting task of choosing the Best TV shows of 2015. This past year was further proof that we're truly experiencing a New Golden Age of Television, and the year's best shows came from a wider variety of sources than ever before. Netflix and Amazon further stepped up their game in 2015 - in terms of the quality and quantity of their original programming - and the networks proved that they can still excite us with shows of all genres, even if their crop of new series was a bit disappointing. Overall, TV in 2015 was an embarrassment of riches, making it all the more difficult to narrow things down into a "Best of" List. 

So in order to make these tough decisions, we've assembled the entire Joy of Geek team - Rich, Jordan, Kelsey and Kevin - and we each choose our top three favorite shows of the year, as well as some honorable mentions, and a few notable disappointments. From brand new series like The Expanse, Master of None and Jessica Jones, to beloved returning series like The Flash, Hannibal and The Last Man on Earth - we bravely step up to the challenge of watching awesome shows and breaking them down for your enjoyment. Oh, and in true Joy of Geek fashion, there will also be surprises and closet-calls aplenty. 

So join us now for Part One of our veritable pop-culture extravaganza, and check back next week for Part Two, and a discussion of our favorite films of 2015. We're working overtime to bring you our unique brand of prickly-sharp criticality, thrilling intrigue, and quite possibly a bit too much enthusiasm. This...is the Joy of Geek!

The Joy of Geek Film Review Ep. 1 - Star Wars: The Force Awakens

The Joy of Geek Film Review, Episode 1:

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (Full-Spoiler Review)

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!SPOILER WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After the announcement of a new Star Wars film in late 2012, a new constellation formed in the sky for every Star Wars fan and aficionado to gaze at with wonder and speculation. With each new piece of news that was released (J.J. Abrams is directing! Ford, Fisher and Hamill are on board!), we became more and more excited, and then came the new Marvel comic series, the Rebels animated series, the torrent of new toys on Force Friday, and the release of the much anticipated video game, Star Wars: Battlefront. As each new star joined the ever-expanding constellation, anticipation for the film’s release grew - as did our sky-high expectations. And then it happened - Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens was released this past weekend - and all that hype, all those expectations, all that hope, culminated in the biggest box-office opening weekend of all time. That part was pretty much expected.

What wasn’t known - couldn’t be known - until we all finally sat down in theaters to experience The Force Awakens, was whether or not the film would live up to thirty-plus years of fan expectations. Would the film be as beloved by fans as the original trilogy, or commercially successful but generally maligned by the true fans like the prequel trilogy? As we sat in the theater this past Thursday night, and the words “Star Wars” blasted onto the screen accompanied by a joyously familiar musical swell, the audience went crazy, cheering for the return of the most famous movie franchise of all time. Episode VII had begun, and we were ready for anything.

And thus, for our first film review on the Joy of Geek Podcast, we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) discuss Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens - arguably the most important geek film release in at least ten years. But with this much hype surrounding it, and such storied source material, can any two hour movie actually live up to our expectations? We go in-depth, in a fully spoiler-filled discussion to find out. From the dark side tantrums of Kylo Ren, to the light side adventures of newcomers Rey, Finn, BB-8, and Poe Dameron, to the epic return of Han Solo, Leia, and Luke - our conversation covers it all, and no space-battle or force vision is left un-discussed.

And making the festivities even more engaging, each of us just so happens to come to the film with a different level of Star Wars fandom. Kevin is a dyed-in-the-wool, Yoda-poster-on-the-wall mega-fan, Rich has been a huge fan since before he can remember, and Jordan loves the series, but didn’t grow up with the same fervor. How does this affect our individual enjoyment of the film? You’ll have to listen to find out.

It's difficult to emphasize just how big a deal the release of this film is. After all, we're talking about a new Star Wars. If anything ever was, This...is the joy of geek!

Joy of Comics Episode 2 - Legends of Tomorrow, Captain America: Civil War, and Comic Books Galore!

The Joy of Comics Podcast, Episode 2:

Legends of Tomorrow, Captain America: Civil War, and Comic Books Galore!

And we’re back, with an epic-sized edition of the Joy of Comics Podcast! This time, we (Rich, Jordan and Kevin) set our sights upon the newly released trailers for Legends of Tomorrow and Captain America: Civil War, and give you our thoughts. Spoiler: They both look ridiculously good! But that’s just the start of the adventure. We also discuss the status of our favorite comic-related TV shows - including The Flash, Arrow and Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - and share our initial impressions of Supergirl and the just-released first season of Marvel and Netflix’s latest collaboration, Jessica Jones.

Next, we discuss a bit of local comic news, including our trip to NC ComicCon, a new book by local creator Alexander Julian III called Retrograde, and Terminal Protocol - a Kickstarter project from our very own Jordan Alsaqa and Image artist Rem Broo. Spoiler #2: The book looks amazing, and there’s a special bonus backer reward designed specifically for podcast listeners!

And finally, for the main event, we discuss the comics we’ve been reading since the last episode. And as you might imagine, it’s quite a list. Our discussion includes: Superman: American Alien, The Amazing Spider-Man,  Huck, The Kitchen, Ms. Marvel, Paper Girls, Southern Bastards, Effigy Vol. 1, Wytches, Harley Quinn, The Valiant, and a whole lot more! And as tradition dictates, we finish off the festivities with a look at the books we’ll be reading in the weeks ahead, and there are more than a few books worth getting very excited about. Spoiler #3: The Private Eye by Vaughan, Martin and Vicente is now out in Hardcover...need I say more?

We have our core lineup locked in for a great season of comics podcasts, and the comics industry is really killing it lately, so we’re unlikely to run out of amazing comics and comic-related awesomeness to discuss. This is...The Joy of Comics!

Links:

Alexander Julian III is known as @Pro4Test on Twitter, and you can find out more about Retrograde here.

The Kickstarter page for Terminal Protocol by Jordan Alsaqa and Rem Broo can be found here. The campaign closes on Dec. 15, so make haste if you want a copy!

Epsiode 54 - The Triumphant Return, Starring Fallout 4, Destiny: The Taken King, Black Ops 3 & Halo 5

The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 54:

The Triumphant Return, Starring Fallout 4, Destiny: The Taken King, Black Ops 3 & Halo 5

And we’re back, with a new core lineup and an amazing crop of new Fall games to discuss. And for that reason, we (Rich, Jordan and Kelsey) have decided to dedicate this entire episode to a giant-sized “What We’ve Been Playing” extravaganza! We also discuss some exciting news about the future of the podcast, and announce a Kickstarter comic project from one of our hosts.

Last year’s Holiday gaming season was more than a little disappointing, but this year, game developers have turned up the volume to 11, dropping the proverbial mic with a slew of huge new game releases. Fallout 4, for example, has been anticipated for more than 5 years, and Bethesda had a lot of hype to live up to. We discuss whether or not they’ve pulled it off, and share some of our initial adventures in the commonwealth wasteland. Meanwhile, with the release of The Taken King, Destiny has become Rich’s new obsession, and has taught him the meaning of the words “MMO” and “life-consuming.” And although Bungie is no longer guiding Master Chief’s destiny, 343 Studios took the franchise to new heights with 2012’s Halo 4. Can Halo 5: Guardians keep their streak alive? Jordan has some strong opinions on the subject. And finally, Call of Duty has made it back onto the Joy of Gaming’s radar with Black Ops 3 - Treyarch’s comprehensive new entry in the series. We’ll tell you why. Oh, and Kelsey has played over 300 hours of The Binding of Isaac, and explains to us exactly how that’s possible.

And a bit closer to home, we couldn’t be more proud of our very own co-host, Jordan, who just launched a project of his own. If you haven’t checked out the Kickstarter campaign for “Terminal Protocol” yet, you should probably take a moment now to click and see what all the excitement is about. It’s a sci-fi graphic novel collaboration with Image artist Rem Broo, and it looks outstanding. Also, there’s a Joy of Gaming podcast-related backer reward that you won’t want to miss!

All things considered, this Holiday season is shaping up to be one for the history books, and we’re loving every minute of it. It’s a great time to be a geek, and an even better time to be a gamer. After all, this...is the Joy of Gaming!

The Joy of Comics, Episode 1 - SDCC, Ant-Man and a New Name

The Joy of Comics, Episode 1:

San Diego Comic-Con, Ant Man, and a New Name

Hello, and welcome to another exciting episode of…wait…The Joy of Comics? That’s right - we’ve been listing these Comic- and TV-centric episodes as “Special Edition” episodes for a while now, but it’s time we made it official. Therefore, this is the first official episode of “The Joy of Comics Podcast,” and with all the recent excitement coming out of the world of comics and comics-related media, it’s going to be one hell of an inaugural bow. And with a new podcast name comes a new podcast member – so without further ado, we welcome Kevin Shaffer as our official third man for these comics episodes. Together, we team-up to talk about two of the biggest comic and geek culture happenings of the year – San-Diego Comic-Con and the release of Marvel’s Ant-Man.

San Diego Comic-Con was chalk full of announcements this year, and some new trailers to boot – so we talk about topics including the Suicide Squad trailer, X-men: Age of Apocalypse, Deadpool, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Ash vs. The Walking Dead, Colony, Joss Whedon’s new comic Twist, and so much more.

Then we switch gears to discuss “The little Marvel movie that could” (see what I did there – in fact, there are multiple references going on there). Marvel’s Ant-Man certainly encountered some trouble throughout its extra-long development cycle, but did it reach the other end of the tunnel unscathed and excellent? Or did all of the Edgar Wright-y-ness get rubbed off along the way? We give you our opinions, as well as our thoughts and hopes for the future of the character. We also find some time to squeeze a bit of actual comic book talk in there, and give some love to the best books we’ve been reading recently.

And by the time the curtain closes on this inaugural episode of the Joy of Comics, we’re hoping you’ve been lulled to “geek” by the sheer volume of comic book talk. Because after all, this…is the Joy of Comics!

Episode 53 - Bloodborne, Life is Strange, and the Joy of Timeless Games

The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Episode 53:

Bloodborne, Life is Strange, and the Joy of Timeless Games

And we’re back, with another games-centric episode, and quite possibly a new official third man (or woman, in this case). Longtime friend of the show and frequent guest Kelsey Lehr joins us for another trip down gaming-memory lane, this time to discuss the games that we find ourselves coming back to again and again over the years. From Halo to Mario to…wait, how did Jordan find a way to slip Earth Defense Force 2017 into the mix? Nonetheless, this episode is all about timeless games – and we share our personal lists of (1) the games of yesteryear that we still go back to today, as well as (2) some newer tiles that we expect to be playing for the rest of our lives. Yes, listeners, we fully intend to be 65-years old and playing Super Mario Galaxy 7 and Mass Effect 15. This is the Joy of Gaming, after all.

But before we look back, we take some time to visit the present, and celebrate the games that we’re loving today. What have we been playing? Well for Rich, it’s been a little bit of The Order: 1886, and a whole lot of Bloodborne (and it’s his first foray into any of the Souls games so there’s a lot to talk about there). For Jordan and Kelsey, Life is Strange has proven to be a life-changing experience, full of tears, time-travel and heartbreaking choices. And yes, they do manage to explain why without spoiling anything. Other games mentioned include:  Far Cry 4, Halo: ODST Remastered, Hearthstone, Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin, and many more. We also talk about a bit of pre-E3 news to round out the festivities.

We may spend a lot of time talking about TV and Comics lately, but this podcast firmly rooted in a love of video games. That’s what brought us together, and that’s why this…is the Joy of Gaming!

Special Edition - TV Upfronts 2015 Feat. Supergirl, Lucifer, Legends of Tomorrow, and more!

The Joy of Gaming Podcast, Special Edition:

TV Upfronts 2015 – Feat. Supergirl, Lucifer, Legends of Tomorrow, and more!

Hardcore TV fans, fire up your TiVos (or DVRs, as the case may be), ‘cause the year’s most exciting week of TV announcements is now over, and the future is looking bright. That’s right – Network Upfronts for 2015 have come and gone, and we (Rich and Jordan) have a lot to talk about. Overall, there weren’t quite as many jaw-dropping announcements as last year, but there were still plenty of shows that got us very excited. There were also a few that looked absolutely joyless (Dr. Ken, Anyone?) and more than a few that made us look at each other in (giddy…or perhaps horrified) disbelief (OIL! - I’m looking at you!).

And although there were more than a few shows that we disagreed on (you’ll have to listen to find out), there were a number of trailers that were just straight-up awesome. Legends of Tomorrow is one example: it’s an Arrow/The Flash spin-off, time-travel-based Superhero show that is so star-studded, so exciting-looking, that it’s hard to imagine anything but an amazing season of blockbuster TV ahead. Meanwhile, Supergirl brought up some mixed reactions among critics, but there’s little doubt that Producer Greg Berlanti will again deliver here, and Lucifer may be maligned by some web news outlets, but we couldn’t be more excited for the Fall premiere.

Whew…what an exciting year we have ahead. Soon, however, there won’t be room for anything but superheroes and comic-based shows on TV. But would that really be so bad? This…is the Joy of Television!