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With Further Ado #396: Student Winner #3 – Caroline Podskoch and The Pokémon Problem

With Further Ado #396: Student Winner #3 – Caroline Podskoch and The Pokémon Problem

Posted on by Ed Catto

As longtime readers know, each year we embrace an annual tradition, where students, and by definition the folks who make ITHACON happen, write about Fandoms or the business overlap with pop culture.

Our second runner-up winner of this year’s fill-in columnist contest is Caroline Podskoch.  I bet you’ll enjoy reading her thoughts about Pokémon.  And just so you know, Caroline was part of the team that managed all of ITHACON vendor relationships. Congrats on this, and I appreciate all your hard work managing ITHACON Caroline.

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The Pokémon Problem

by Caroline Podsckoch

 

Pokémon is unavoidable. Not just in the tall grass in the games, but in any sphere of geek culture in the past few decades. The franchise just hit its thirty year anniversary last month, with the first games, Pocket Monsters Red and Pocket Monsters Green releasing in Japan on February 27th, 1996. While video games were the start, Pokémon has transcended all forms of media– movies, several television shows, toys, and, most notably, a trading card game.

Pokémon’s TCG has always been a major part of the franchise since its first release in late 1996. Many fans of the video games also enjoy collecting cards and even playing the trading card game, including myself. However, there is also a massive crowd of people who are only interested in the cards. This, in of itself, is not an issue; physical collectables have always been a part of fan and geek culture. Then why has the Pokémon TCG been a controversial topic lately? The answer is scalpers. Continue reading “With Further Ado #396: Student Winner #3 – Caroline Podskoch and The Pokémon Problem” →

So Long and Thank For The Fish, Man 105: One Player Gamer, Continue?

So Long and Thank For The Fish, Man 105: One Player Gamer, Continue?

Posted on by Marc Alan Fishman

As I’ll occasionally nod off on the couch on a Friday or Saturday night — I’m an old man, shut up — I will find myself awaking the next morning to the sounds of my children quietly booting up some early morning video games. It always makes me smile a bit before ambling back upstairs… as I used to notoriously do the same in my home as a wee lad. Of course, back in those days, I didn’t have any screen time limitations, just the blunt-force trauma of trying to play any Nintendo game for longer than thirty or forty minutes before needing to rage quit in a huff. I’m looking at you, underwater level of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. 

* And yes, eventually I got the Game Genie™, and was able to beat the game, and many others. But in my heart, like so many, I always felt the failure.

Nowadays, the video game landscape feels nefariously foreign to me. Whereas I once kept tabs via errant copies of Nintendo Power and EGM, and their eventual successors on the internet of the early 1990’s… I now glaze over the entirety of the video game section of the modern department store. Walking into a GameStop is never for me these days, and attempting to shop for any of my wards is a fool’s errand. Doubly so because all of their video game systems have the ability to simply purchase and download games directly from the internet. Who needs IRL shopping, bruh? Continue reading “So Long and Thank For The Fish, Man 105: One Player Gamer, Continue?” →

Brainiac On Banjo: The Worm Turns!

Brainiac On Banjo: The Worm Turns!

Posted on by Mike Gold

“I’m the air you breathe, food you eat, friends your greet in the sullen street,” from The Changeling, written by Jim Morrison.

If you’re a regular reader of Brainiac On Banjo, you might be aware of my affection for the computing products sold by Apple. Those buggers brought ease of use, intuition, logic, and a common interface to personal computing, advertising their stuff as “for the rest of us.”

On Super Bowl XVIII Sunday, 1984, Apple advertised their new Macintosh computers with a Ridley Scott commercial they paid to run only once, although the spot received a great deal of free play in news items and on talk shows. The theme was copped from George Orwell’s novel 1984, but it was a response to 1984 with an athlete destroying the soul-sucking machinery that was controlling the masses. Back then, computers did not control our lives the way they do now.

That was then.

Sadly, “artificial intelligence” is not as dangerous as the artificially intelligent. Programmers seem to be associating only with other programmers, creating things they can brag about over a beer. For a decade now Apple, the people who made computing personal and who coined that phrase have produced a growing amount of crappy whiz-bang and dysfunctional hoohah, both in its hardware and its software.

Apple upgrades their operating systems about every 10 weeks, but I no longer approach computing wide-eyed and eager to try the new stuff they’re giving me. Now my first thought is “what did these assholes break this time?” Continue reading “Brainiac On Banjo: The Worm Turns!” →

Brainiac On Banjo: Oh, Sure, It’s For The Children!

Brainiac On Banjo: Oh, Sure, It’s For The Children!

Posted on by Mike Gold

Sex and drugs and rock and roll is all my brain and body need. Sex and drugs and rock and roll are very good indeed. “Sex and drugs and rock and roll,” written by Ian Dury and Chaz Janke.

Whenever somebody advocates for the restriction of personal freedoms in the name of the children — It’s for the children! — I utter “bullshit!” These self-righteous self-appointed snobs, elitists and holy-holies advocate against what they consider moral, according to their Dickensian upbringing and just how big and how wide that pole is that they keep up their own asses.

The latest is only the latest because of the proliferation legal establishments where normal humans can drown away their money without having to understand the nuances of decentralized cryptocurrency. According to The Guardian a couple days ago under the headline ‘We’re Killing the Youth of America’: Calls Grow For Crackdown on US Gambling, according to executive director of New Jersey’s Council on Compulsive Gambling Felicia Grondin, “There’s a lot of kids that are gambling.”

No shit, Sherlock.

And kids are speeding, drinking booze, shooting guns, and watching The Three Stooges. I’ll bet even Ms. Grondin did some of that before she was twenty-one. Or eighteen, as the case may be.

Personally, I do not possess the gambling gene. I have been to casinos exactly twice, and that was because each had a great barbecue restaurant. I won exactly enough to pay for dinner each time, and I haven’t been inside of one in nearly twenty years. I don’t have a dog in this race, except a lust to silence the Brain Police. Continue reading “Brainiac On Banjo: Oh, Sure, It’s For The Children!” →

Breaking News: Hex Publishers and Random Games Release a New Comic Series Unioverse: Reyu

Breaking News: Hex Publishers and Random Games Release a New Comic Series Unioverse: Reyu

Posted on by PCS Staff

Press Release:

Hex Publishers and Random Games Unleash A Six-Part SciFi Comic Book Series Based On the UNIOVERSE Videogame

(May 8, 2023) Hex Publishers and Random Games are partnering to create original comics based on the Unioverse videogame and platform for user-generated creativity. A six-part series of interconnected one-shots will introduce the first five playable Unioverse heroes from the Unioverse videogame. The comics are co-written by Colorado Book Award winner Joshua Viola and Angie Hodapp, with interior art by Ben Matsuya (Cryowulf, Jupiter Jet), and cover art by AJ Nazzaro (Hearthstone, Overwatch). The series launches on May 9th, 2023 with Unioverse: Reyu.

Set in the near future, the Unioverse story centers around a technology discovered on Mars that allows anyone to instantly transport their consciousness across galaxies. A playable alpha sequence from the first Unioverse game, The Proving Grounds, was launched this year by a team of gaming and entertainment industry veterans behind titles such as Grand Theft Auto, Donkey Kong Country and Crackdown. The narrative direction of the Unioverse is led by Brent Friedman, a master storyteller whose previous credits include writing on Star Wars: The Clone Wars, The Walking Dead, Call of Duty, and Star Trek: Enterprise.

“The Unioverse was designed to be a transportive transmedia experience for fans,” said Brent Friedman. “From day one, the narrative team approached worldbuilding with the expressed intent to create a solid canonical foundation on which countless stories could be told in games, comics, anthologies, movies, and more. Unioverse: Reyu represents the first expression of our vision for storytelling beyond the Unioverse website. I feel like a proud parent!” Continue reading “Breaking News: Hex Publishers and Random Games Release a New Comic Series Unioverse: Reyu” →

With Further Ado #343: SXSW Part 3- Mrs. Davis, Tetris & Motion Comics (kind of)

With Further Ado #343: SXSW Part 3- Mrs. Davis, Tetris & Motion Comics (kind of)

Posted on by Ed Catto

Let’s take one more bite out of the SXSW apple. I’ve been writing about this business + music festival. There was a lot going on, and here’s three more pop culture efforts to focus on:

Who’s That Nun?

AI’s been such a big topic, a scary topic, It makes sense that an action hero will rise to fight it. I hadn’t quite expected this particular action hero.

In the spirit of the “Keep Austin Weird” mantra that is woven into the background fabric of the SXSW festival, it was kind of fun to see a couple of nuns whoosh by in a pedicab. But then when I saw “HAVE YOU SEEN THIS NUN?” posters plastered around downtown Austin, it was apparent something was up.

It was all a promotion for the upcoming Peacock show, Mrs. Davis. The Hollywood Reporter described the show like this:

Mrs. Davis is a perfectly timed warning about AI Madness

It’s a Catholic nun vs. AI in a wild new drama for the creators Damon Lindelof (The Watchmen) and Tara Hernandez (Big Bang Theory) that pits faith against technology run amok: “The most exciting thing about ‘Mrs. Davis’ is that there’s nothing like ‘Mrs. Davis.’”

Continue reading “With Further Ado #343: SXSW Part 3- Mrs. Davis, Tetris & Motion Comics (kind of)” →

Spotlight SquadCast Interview with Cartoonist Leeanne Krecic

Spotlight SquadCast Interview with Cartoonist Leeanne Krecic

Posted on by Bob Harrison

We were very excited to talk to our latest guest. Cartoonist Leeanne Krecic, creator of the worldwide hit webcomic series Let’s Play, sat down for a discussion about her comic making craft and what she is currently working on.

Let’s Play, a romance webcomic that has 4.8 million subscribers and over half a billion views on Webtoon, is Leeanne’s most well-known work. It is a super engaging story with wonderful, and relatable characters.

Leeanne has just launched a Kickstarter to make a video game based on the characters from Let’s Play called Everdate. It funded in less than three hours and is barging through stretch goals. We talked about the game and what backers can expect from the results of the campaign.

As is typical with most comic creators, Leeanne’s journey to comic success is unique and interesting. We talked about her journey and the challenges that she overcame.

We are really happy that we had the opportunity to talk to Leeanne about her comic, life, and the game.

We hope you enjoy the SquadCast below, and don’t forget to check out the campaign information for Everdate – Let’s Play: The Dating Game.

Everdate – Let’s Play: The Dating Game
Coming soon from Mongie Studios!

Campaign Link: http://kck.st/3RZ6QW8

Ending: Thu, March 16 2023 3:00 PM EDT

PCS Notes: This game looks amazing for both fans of the comic and newcomers. We highly encourage you to check out the campaign site. There are lots of animations and a couple of videos to give you even more about what to expect from this project.  Continue reading “Spotlight SquadCast Interview with Cartoonist Leeanne Krecic” →

Breaking News: James Gunn Reveals the Plan for the Near Future of the DC Universe in Film and TV

Breaking News: James Gunn Reveals the Plan for the Near Future of the DC Universe in Film and TV

Posted on by Bob Harrison

James Gunn, the co-custodian of the DC Universe (DCU) for Warner Bros. Discovery announced today the plan for what is coming out now and what is to come and it is amazing.

Gunn, along with Peter Safran, have addressed the properties that are currently in the pipeline, and in his video he details how they fit into the new vision which is being developed as an eight to ten year plan. The first “Chapter” of the DC story will be under the umbrella of “Gods and Monsters.”

There was so much exciting proposed content in this six minute video. We encourage everyone to check it out. Gunn’s enthusiasm about the DC characters radiates through the clip. It is infectious. I am more excited about these films and shows coming to fruition than I have been in a long time.

Here is a list of what is new on the docket in the first portion of “Gods and Monsters”: Continue reading “Breaking News: James Gunn Reveals the Plan for the Near Future of the DC Universe in Film and TV” →

Kickstarters You Should Be Backing – May 2022 Edition

Kickstarters You Should Be Backing – May 2022 Edition

Posted on by Bob Harrison

We have a ten-pack of fantastic crowdfunding projects to bring you that are all ongoing and will be ending in the next month. It has been a while since we have done one of these, but honestly these are one of the favorite type of columns that we do at Pop Culture Squad. Right now there are 436 active campaigns on Kickstarter and these are our ten favorite.

Each of these campaigns offer excellent backer rewards and we hope that the creators are able to accomplish their goals and get to make cool stuff for all of us. Some of these projects are already funded, and we are happy to highlight them knowing that backers will get the rewards that they sign up for. Others still need some help to get over the finish line, and we are on their side.

The projects are listed below in chronological order of the end of the campaign. So, the ones that end soonest come first. However, the entire list is banging. We feel there is something for everyone on this list. Enjoy!

Fa Sheng: Origins #1 by Rylend Grant and Dexter Wee

Campaign Link
Ending: Tue, May 24 2022 11:59 PM EDT.

PCS Thoughts: This looks like a great comic for fans of Martial Arts comic books.  There are plenty of digital and physical reward options. We are excited about this.

From the Campaign:

Fa Sheng: Origins is an all-new wuxia comic created by Peter Shiao, written by Rylend Grant and illustrated by artist Dexter Wee, about the humble beginnings of a great Shaolin Master. If you like Shang-Chi, Kung Fu, Warrior, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Ip Man, or The Grandmaster, this all-new series is for you.

Fa Sheng is a death-cheating, mind-bending Shaolin Master… but he carved a long bloody road to get there. Fa Sheng’s story begins in the latter days of the 19th century when the propaganda and carnage of China’s Boxer Uprising force him to reevaluate his purpose in life, to dedicate himself to helping those in need. It isn’t easy. Between Fa Sheng and his goal of enlightenment stand ruthless adversaries, backstabbing power grabbers and cowardly charlatans… any of whom would gladly dispose of anyone in their way.


Continue reading “Kickstarters You Should Be Backing – May 2022 Edition” →

With Further Ado #197: Winner of the Third Annual Guest Columnist Contest 2022 – Reece Clausen

With Further Ado #197: Winner of the Third Annual Guest Columnist Contest 2022 – Reece Clausen

Posted on by Ed Catto

I have reached the end of this year’s Ithacon season. The class of Ithaca College students that promote, plan, and execute the convention have come to the end of their tasks. As has become a tradition, this column has become a venue to host the winner of the “guest columnist” assignment that the students complete.

Last week, we published the runner-up Tyler Haraden’s piece. This week we are publishing the winner’s column. Reece Clausen combined some new pop culture news with a bit of opinion and some genuine fanboy emotion while discussing the Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga video game. Those are the three things we strive for in this column.

I look forward to bringing next year’s winners to you and hope that they are as wonderful as this year’s.

The Urge to Purchase Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is Destroying Me

by Reece Clausen, Ithaca College

The balance of the force has been shaken. The draw towards the dark side of the force is consuming me faster than Anakin Skywalker being told that he can save his wife from certain death. In case you somehow did not read the title of this article, I’m talking about Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga that just released. Now, I’m a 21 year old college student and I have fond memories of playing Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga when it released in 2007. Now, I and many other people my age can tell you that this game was our childhood. I have so many fond memories, from starting fights in the cantina hub, smashing my controller over the podracing level, and constantly killing my friends for no reason other than it was funny to see them fall apart into many Lego bricks. Like I said, good times.

Now when I found out back in 2019 that there was going to be a new Lego Star Wars game that would include levels based on all nine films, my hype levels were through the roof! Fast forward three years and delays, and the game has finally arrived! The gaming community has been giving nothing but praise for this game and all the new things it has brought to the table. Over 300 characters, open world environments, expansive levels, and all the humor you would expect from a Lego game, this masterpiece has it all! It even has Obi-Wan saying “Hello there.”, and multiple jokes about Anakin Skywalker not liking sand! What more could I want? The world is falling in love with this game, and I’ve waited so long for it. Except there is just one problem. I am a broke college student. Continue reading “With Further Ado #197: Winner of the Third Annual Guest Columnist Contest 2022 – Reece Clausen” →