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In 1986, King Features looked at its stable of unrelated newspaper strip heroes and decided the responsible thing to do was throw them all in a blender. Flash Gordon, Mandrake the Magician, and the Phantom. A spaceman, a stage hypnotist, and a guy who lives in a skull-shaped cave and inherited his job from his dad got drafted into a single Saturday morning cartoon called Defenders of the Earth on the apparent theory that if the Avengers could do a team-up, so could three guys who had never met before that year and shared nothing except a syndicate contract.

Then, because nothing from the ’80s was allowed to stay just a cartoon, Defenders of the Earth became a video game in 1990, courtesy of Enigma Variations, for the exact kind of home computer that made you type a magic incantation and wait: Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Amiga, and, for the three people on Earth who owned one, the SAM Coupé. You play Flash, sneaking through Ming’s castle dodging security cameras, occasionally calling in Mandrake or the Phantom to open doors, because apparently that’s what magic and jungle-honed strength were for in these days.

Helping make sense of this glorious pile of licensed heroes is Ryan Estrada, who’s written comics for Star Trek, Popeye, Garfield, and, fittingly, Flash Gordon itself, having contributed to Papercutz’s newer Flash Gordon Adventures line. Ryan’s also built a reputation for tucking real hidden puzzles and messages directly into his comic pages, in plain sight, daring anyone paying close enough attention to find them. Which feels like exactly the right skillset for an episode about a security system that apparently only a few specific comic strip disciplines can defeat.

So track down a joystick you no longer own, adjust to a universe where Flash Gordon answers to a management structure that includes a professional hypnotist, and let’s find out whether the Defenders of the Earth earned their game, or whether Earth would’ve been just fine handling Ming on its own.

Learn such things as:

• Is it really a team game if you only get to play as one member?
• Why should you learn another language that uses a different alphabet?
• What are some of the special rules with making licenses comics?
• And so much more!

You can find everything you could ever want to know about Ryan on RyanEstrada.com. Let’s see if anyone can pick out my favorite part. I’ll give you a hint, it’s on the home page.

If you want to be a guest on the show please check out the Be a A Guest on the Show page and let me know what you’re interested in.

The next episode is going to be Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3 Mutant Nightmare, so get your thoughts ready and over to me if you want to hear them in the show.

If you want to help support the show check out the Play Comics Patreon page or head over to the Support page if you want to go another route. You can also check out the Play Comics Merch Store.

Play Comics is part of the Gonna Geek Network, which is a wonderful collection of geeky podcasts. Be sure to check out the other shows on Gonna Geek if you need more of a nerd fix.

You can find Play Comics @playcomics.bsky.social on Bluesky, @playcomicspodcast on Threads, @playcomics on YouTube, or the Play Comics website.

If you want to hear Chris talk with Karrington Martin about the lessons we learned from children’s media and how crazy it is that we’re supposed to just forget about that now that we’re adults, then Sugar, Spite, and Everything is Fine is probably something you should check out.

A big thanks to Xandar Radio and Saints of Storm and Sorrow by Gabriella Buba for the promos today.

Intro/Outro Music by Backing Track, who exclusively wears red jackets with embedded speakers so there’s always a soundtrack.

Check out our podcast host, Pinecast. Start your own podcast for free with no credit card required. If you decide to upgrade, use coupon code r-89f00a for 40% off for 4 months, and support Play Comics.

You know, every week can’t be a high-octane, star studded affair! Outside of the amazing guests, random walkabouts and theme park adventures, sometimes you just need a solid “meat and potatoes” episode of CheapShow, and oh boy howdy, is this an episode of CheapShow alright! We’ve got a dash of Sauce Report (which mentions something we will follow up on in the future), there is a bit of a soft drink safari and we end with an impressive, fascinating Price of Shite… grabbed from the charity shop shelves of Hemel Hempstead. If you are up for a no thrills economy comedy podcast, then this week is JUST for you! In other news, Paul is still getting death threats, Juicy Jeremy is still living in his car and if any of this makes sense to you, then you have fallen under our spell! GOT YOU! See pics/videos for this episode on our website: https://www.thecheapshow.co.uk/ep-496-the-vimto-dispute GET TICKETS FOR Ep 500 LIVE Cambridge Junction (J2) August 23rd @ 4pm https://www.junction.co.uk/events/cheapshow-podcast-live/ www.patreon.com/cheapshow If you want to get involved, email us at thecheapshow@gmail.com For all other information, please visit: www.thecheapshow.co.uk Like, Review, Share, Comment... LOVE US! MERCH Official CheapShow Magazine Shop: www.cheapmag.shop Send Us Stuff: CheapShow PO BOX 1309 Harrow HA1 9QJ

In Episode 27 of Tales From The Brick, Jon (8 Bit Bricks) is joined by Nannan Zhang, founder of Creations for Charity, the longest-running fan-organized LEGO charity. Since 2009, the organization has united builders from around the world to sell one-of-a-kind custom LEGO creations, using every dollar raised to put LEGO sets into the hands of children in need during the holiday season.

Nenad shares the incredible story of how a simple idea among a handful of builders grew into a global nonprofit with volunteers across six continents. From partnering with Beyond the Brick for annual fundraising livestreams to coordinating donations with hospitals, shelters, schools, and orphanages around the world, he explains what it takes to keep a volunteer-run organization thriving for more than 17 years.

The conversation also explores the evolution of the LEGO community, memorable MOCs that have been donated over the years, and how fans, builders, streamers, and conventions can all play a role in giving back. Whether you're a MOC builder looking to donate, a collector searching for one-of-a-kind creations, or simply someone who wants to help spread the joy of LEGO, this episode is a reminder of just how much good this community can do together.

Find Nannan Zhang:

• Creations for Charity: https://creationsforcharity.org • Instagram: @creationsforcharity • Facebook: Creations for Charity

To find the best LEGO deals, check out the Bargain Bricks app.

Until next time... play well.

In this episode of 3 Movies That Changed Your Life screenwriter Stuart Wright talks with Special Effects Supervisor Alex Gunn about: Metropolis, Aliens, and Zulu. Discover how these films shaped his screenwriting journey, personal growth, and understanding of cinema’s power. Plus, Alex Gunn shares three tales from the set: how he created one of the loudest explosions on film for Rambo (2008); how he convinced Tom Cruise to let him blow up a table for Valkyrie (2008); and how they pulled together that crazy farmhouse shoot out for Gangs Of London s1, ep5 (2020) Movies That Changed Your Life   Find out about what a Special Effects Supervisor does and how they safely make your films positively explosive and the lasting impact of cinema on Alex Gunn’s life.   Three explosive stories from Alex Gunn’s 40+ year career: [1:20] how he created one of the loudest explosions on film for Rambo (2008) [9:30] how he convinced Tom Cruise to let him blow up a table for Valkyrie (2008)  [17:30] how they pulled together that crazy farmhouse shoot out for Gangs Of London s1, ep5 (2020) 3 Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life Metropolis (1992): Uses every type of SFX [27:40] Alex Gunn says Metropolis employs every type of special effects there is and every type of optical gag, miniatures, mechanical rigs, huge engineering processes for the flooding sequence and the robot transformation. Even today SFX experts are still not sure how they did it. Aliens (1992): No CGI [32:40] Alex Gunn says Aliens is a CGI free zone, Made 40 years ago, never bettered and at no point, was someone at a laptop needed to improve it. Zulu (1997): Passion project   [38:40] According to his autobiography, Zulu was a passion project for director Si Enfield and leading man Stan Baker. 60+ years on and it still stands up to scrutiny. It visceral and it’s gutsy. Key Take Aways:   Discover how movies that changed your life shape personal and professional growth.  The art of loud explosions on film - Rambo (2008) Why Bryan Singer and Tom Cruise to let Alex Gunn blow up a table on Valkyrie (2008) How thinking in bullet time helped Alex Gunn pull together that crazy farmhouse shoot out for Gangs Of London s1, ep5 (2020). Learn what a Special Effects Supervisor does and how they collaborate with the rest of the cast and crew to make your films explosive (and safe). Understand cinema’s transformative power through Metropolis (1927), Aliens (1986), Zulu (1964) Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow on Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts for more movies that impacted your life!  Share your favourite movies that impacted your life on X (@leytonrocks) and leave a 5-star review and tell us which 3 films impacted your adult life. Best ones get read out on the podcast About my Guest:   Alex Gunn is Special Effects Supervisor with over 40 years' experience in practical, physical, pyrotechnic and miniature effects for films, television shows, pop videos and commercials. He has an almost unrivalled wealth of experience across the genres. From war films to food shows, historical dramas to documentaries, specialty set design and construction, gimbals and other rigs, there's pretty much nothing that I haven't catered for.  For more see https://www.arcadiasfx.com/     Credits:   Written, produced, and hosted by Stuart Wright for [Britflicks.com](https://www.britflicks.com/britflicks-podcast/)   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode 245 of The Black Lincoln Collective Comedy Podcast, the show opens with shame, confusion, and a quick debate over whether this is actually Episode 245 or 246. Parker declares the episode “the best show” in a deeply suspicious presidential voice, announces the show now has 7% more freedom, and introduces Fred with a description involving a deep squat that nobody needed but everyone now has to live with.

That somehow leads into Fred’s heroic tale of home maintenance. After a cheap plastic drain snake broke off in his bathtub, Fred did what any responsible adult would do: ignored it for six months while standing in ankle-deep shower water. Eventually, he pulled out a hair clog so monstrous it gets compared to a New York rat, solving in two minutes what he had dreaded for half a year. Personal growth? Maybe. Plumbing horror? Definitely.

The episode then shifts into weird requests from kids and the strange world of modern collectibles. The guys talk about trendy dumpling toys, fake rare collectibles, YouTube-fueled toy hype, and the moral gray area of “slightly opening” packages in the store to find the gold one. From there, it becomes a full-on card-collecting rant, with Pokemon cards, One Piece cards, scalpers, damaged packs, adult resellers, and the painful reality that grown men are fighting children for cardboard.

Naturally, the crew lands on favorite Pokemon. Parker picks Cubone because of the deeply tragic backstory, Fred goes with Jigglypuff because he is emotionally lighter than Parker, and Allan chooses “the yellow one,” which is either Pikachu or the entire marketing department at Nintendo doing its job.

The back half of the episode dives into celebrity contract riders and weird Hollywood clauses. Fred and Parker turn it into a guessing game, covering Dwayne Johnson’s alleged no-losing-fights rule, Danny Trejo’s commitment to making sure criminal characters face consequences, and Sarah Jessica Parker’s wardrobe clause. It’s pop culture, nostalgia, celebrity nonsense, and three grown men asking the hard questions nobody asked them to answer.

#blcpodcast #podcastingforthepeople #funny #podcast #greenvillesc #scpodcast #yeahthatgreenville Listen at: https://americasfavoritepodcast.com  Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blcpodcast/ Check us out on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blcpodcast/ Buy Fred and Allan Beer: https://www.patreon.com/blcworld 
 

Garfield has spent I don’t want to think about how long being terrified for our entertainment, and somehow this is only the second time we’ve noticed. Today we’re looking at two occasions Jim Davis’s laziest creation got shoved into a horror plot he absolutely did not sign up for: Garfield’s Nightmare on the Nintendo DS and Garfield’s Scary Scavenger Hunt, the Flash game that lived on Garfield.com back when “Flash game that lived on a dot-com” was still a sentence people said out loud.

Helping us make sense of not one but two instances of “cat, but afraid” is Dee Parson from Supr Dee, the syndicated cartoonist behind Rosebuds. A guy who, by his own account, actually learned to read on Garfield comics, which means this episode is less “guest booking” and more “the student returns to grade the source material’s video game output.”

So lock the pantry, keep an eye on the Scare-O-Meter, and let’s find out if either of these games earned the right to scare a cat who once ate an entire sandwich made of other sandwiches.

Learn such things as:

• What horrible real world things can Garfield save us from?
• Is there anything scarier than having to face your own existence and mortality?
• Can lasagna solve all of the world’s problems?
• And so much more!

You can find the guest on Instagram @Suprdee2 and his website Supr Dee.

If you want to be a guest on the show please check out the Be a A Guest on the Show page and let me know what you’re interested in.

If you want to help support the show check out the Play Comics Patreon page or head over to the Support page if you want to go another route. You can also check out the Play Comics Merch Store.

Play Comics is part of the Gonna Geek Network, which is a wonderful collection of geeky podcasts. Be sure to check out the other shows on Gonna Geek if you need more of a nerd fix.

You can find Play Comics @playcomics.bsky.social on Bluesky, @playcomicspodcast on Threads, @playcomics on YouTube, or the Play Comics website.

If you want to hear Chris talk with Karrington Martin about the lessons we learned from children’s media and how crazy it is that we’re supposed to just forget about that now that we’re adults, then Sugar, Spite, and Everything is Fine is probably something you should check out.

A big thanks to Gimmicks and Distant Echoes for the promos today.

Intro/Outro Music by Backing Track, who wants nothing more in this crazy heat wave than to take a nap on a block of ice.

Check out our podcast host, Pinecast. Start your own podcast for free with no credit card required. If you decide to upgrade, use coupon code r-89f00a for 40% off for 4 months, and support Play Comics.

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With Special Guest Marcus Parks Every now and then, CheapShow likes to reach out and attempt to grab someone for the show they think would be a perfect fit… Whether they are or not. This week on the economy comedy podcast, Paul & Eli are joined by Marcus Parks from the Last Podcast On The Left and Last Podcast Network. It’s a huge honour to have someone on the show who’s been a massive inspiration. However, now that he’s here, what can poor Marcus expect? Well, Paul sent Marcus a BIG box full of stuff for him to investigate. There’re some uniquely British snacks for him to savour, a few spooky books to absorb and there’s also a very special Price of Shite to evaluate. On top of all that, Paul & Eli have found a few vinyl records to inflict on Marcus… and he may never be the same again! With very special thanks to Marcus and the whole Last Podcast Network for making this happen! See pics/videos for this episode on our website: https://www.thecheapshow.co.uk/ep-495-last-podcast-on-the-thrift GET TICKETS FOR Ep 500 LIVE Cambridge Junction (J2) August 23rd @ 4pm https://www.junction.co.uk/events/cheapshow-podcast-live/ www.patreon.com/cheapshow If you want to get involved, email us at thecheapshow@gmail.com For all other information, please visit: www.thecheapshow.co.uk Like, Review, Share, Comment... LOVE US! MERCH Official CheapShow Magazine Shop: www.cheapmag.shop Send Us Stuff: CheapShow PO BOX 1309 Harrow HA1 9QJ

In Episode 26 of Tales From The Brick, Jon (8 Bit Bricks) is joined by Bruce Heller, LEGO artist, founder of Gayfols, and longtime advocate for building a more welcoming LEGO community. Bruce shares his lifelong connection to LEGO, how The LEGO Movie pulled him out of his dark ages, and how a passion for architecture led him to become a full-time LEGO artist creating award-winning microscale replicas of iconic Los Angeles landmarks.

The conversation explores the origins of Gayfols, which began as a small Facebook group and has grown into an international nonprofit with more than 2,600 members across 41 countries. Bruce discusses how the organization provides a welcoming space for LGBTQIA+ LEGO fans, the impact of its convention gatherings, and the powerful stories of members who found acceptance and community through the hobby.

Jon and Bruce also talk about LEGO's evolving efforts toward inclusion, the importance of sets like Everyone Is Awesome, the growth of diverse fan communities, and the work still being done to ensure everyone feels represented in the hobby. They also dive into Gayfols' future, including charity work, outreach projects, convention events, and using LEGO as a way to bring people together beyond the AFOL community.

📍 Find Bruce Heller & Gayfols:

• Website: gayfols.com • Facebook: Gayfols • Instagram: @gayfols • Discord: Available through gayfols.com • YouTube: Gayfols

 

To find the best LEGO deals, check out the Bargain Bricks app 

Until next time... play well.

In “The 250th Episode” | Episode 244 of The Black Lincoln Collective Comedy Podcast, the crew celebrates the week of America’s 250th birthday by proudly naming their 244th episode “The 250th Episode,” because math has never been part of the brand promise.

The show opens with the usual BLC ceremony: a little confusion, some Johnny Carson nostalgia, Allan being introduced from a legally safe distance, and an attempted national anthem moment that gets shut down almost immediately. Parker explains that this episode is tied to America’s big 250th anniversary, or season, or whatever it is when a country has been running too long and still somehow has not been canceled.

To honor the occasion, Fred brings what he calls “250 four facts” about things that happened on July 4th. The facts begin with the obvious one — America declaring independence in 1776 — before moving into the Erie Canal beginning construction in 1817. Fred explains the canal with just enough confidence to sound educational and just enough uncertainty to remind everyone this is not PBS.

Next up is Walt Whitman publishing Leaves of Grass in 1855, which leads the crew into a confused discussion about whether Walt Whitman was connected to chocolate samplers, poetry, or possibly national boredom. Fred even reads part of a Whitman poem, and Allan reacts like a man watching a hostage situation unfold in verse.

The historical tour continues with Shaka Zulu, the British, the Battle of Ulundi, and a few deeply American misunderstandings about non-American history. Then Fred covers the first Trans-Pacific telegraph cable, which somehow becomes a Teddy Roosevelt joke almost immediately. To round things out, Fred adds NASA’s Pathfinder Rover landing on Mars on July 4, 1997, while Parker remembers getting “fat white guy wasted,” which feels historically important in its own way.

Then the episode reaches peak patriotism when Abraham Lincoln himself appears to deliver a BLC-style Gettysburg Address about podcasts, farts, freedom, and stinky bananas. It is emotional, ridiculous, and exactly the kind of presidential moment this country deserves.

#blcpodcast #podcastingforthepeople #funny #podcast #greenvillesc #scpodcast #yeahthatgreenville Listen at: https://americasfavoritepodcast.com  Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blcpodcast/ Check us out on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blcpodcast/ Buy Fred and Allan Beer: https://www.patreon.com/blcworld 
 

3 Movies That Changed Your Life: Philadelphia Story, Shakespeare In Love & Overboard with screenwriter & The Screenwriting Life co-host Lorien Mckenna In this episode of 3 Movies That Changed Your Life screenwriter Stuart Wright talks with screenwriter Lorien Mckenna about: Philadelphia Story, Shakespeare In Love, and Overboard. Discover how these films shaped her screenwriting journey, personal growth, and understanding of cinema’s power. Plus, Lorien Mckenna discusses how mentoring can make you a better writer. Movies That Changed Your Life   Find out about how mentoring can make you a better writer and the lasting impact of cinema on Lorien Mckenna’s life with Stuart Wright on his movie podcast.   Three common aspects of script feedback Lorien Mckenna gives to writer: [1:20] Mentoring 3 Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life Philadelphia Story (1940): Fast dialogue [10:20] Lorien Mckenna loved Philadelphia for the fast dialogue and the fantastic performances across the entire leading cast. Shakespeare In Love (1998): Sign up for playwrighting MFA [15:25] Shakespeare In Love made Lorien Mckenna decide to apply to a playwrighting program to get her MFA Overboard (1987): Holds up in terms of storytelling   [21:00] Overboard really holds up in terms of structure and storytelling  Key Take Aways:   Discover how movies that changed your life shape personal and professional growth.  How mentoring can make you a better writer; Why mentoring will make you a better writer Understand cinema’s transformative power through Philadelphia Story (1992), Shakespeare In Love (1992), Overboard (1997) Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow on Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts for more movies that impacted your life!  Share your favourite movies that impacted your life on X (@leytonrocks) and leave a 5-star review and tell us which 3 films impacted your adult life. Best ones get read out on the podcast About my Guest:   Lorien Mckenna is a screenwriter and co-host of THE SCREENWRITING LIFE.  For more The Screenwriting Life and details about writer workshops see https://www.thescreenwritinglife.com/  Credits:   Written, produced, and hosted by Stuart Wright for [Britflicks.com](https://www.britflicks.com/britflicks-podcast/)   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices