Gobbledygeek

For the latest Geek Challenge, the boys challenged each other to watch two very different Westerns: Clint Eastwood's classic 1976 outing The Outlaw Josey Wales for AJ, and the Coen Brothers' 2007 award-winner No County for Old Men for Paul. One is an epic tale of revenge, filled with Indians and shoot-outs and starring the Spirit of the West himself. The other is a bleak modern Western featuring a frightening force of nature ripping through anyone in his way. How does the Challenge turn out? How often does Josey Wales spit? How dorky is Anton Chigurh's hair? These questions, and probably not others, will be answered in this week's gobble-rific Geek Challenge! Plus: news, the boys' joint review of Captain America: The First Avenger, and too many Formspring questions! Next: Something to do with Apes?

San Diego had its annual expo/trade show/clusterfuck from July 20-24, Comic-Con International, and while the Gobblers weren't actually on hand, they discuss some of the biggest comics, movies, and TV news to emerge from its seething bowels. Oh, and some nifty cosplaying. (Also some pathetic cosplaying. But we're trying to be positive here.) Plus: news and Formspring questions!     Next: "No Country for the Outlaw Josey Wales."

Captain America has arrived to some very positive buzz, but not all superhero adaptations fare so well. Paul and AJ are here with their official list of the 5 Worst Superhero Adaptations...but to console your inevitable sense of despair, they've also got the 5 Best Superhero Adaptations. Tights, capes, laser beams, and nipples are all on display. Merely a day's work for our intrepid Gobblers.   Next: Comic-Con 2011!   ‘Nuff Said.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen: the C-Word! We're talking about canon, of course. (And its dirty little sister, continuity.) These two words, and fan reaction to them, have defined a lot of fandom. How do you react to the supposed reality of a fictional story? Is it fluid? Who has the right to decide where canon begins and ends? These questions and more are blathered on about by Paul and AJ this week. Plus: news, AJ's review of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, and Formspring questions.

I am the sword in the darkness. I am the watcher on the walls. I am the fire that burns against the cold, the light that brings the dawn...the geek who watches Game of Thrones and has come here to rant and rave about it for your listening pleasure. Paul and AJ delve into the realm of Game of Thrones, including its many (oh god so many) characters, many of whom are wonderfully despicable; its shocking moments; its adorably incestuous sibling-on-sibling action. All that, plus: news, Paul's thoughts on Zookeeper and The Tree of Life, and Formspring questions.   Next: the boys discuss fandom's two big C-words--canon and continuity.

Nostalgia...it's that bittersweet pang, that intangible sense memory, when you encounter something that makes you want to go home again. It's also informed many major geek properties these past few decades, and is a buzzword of late thanks to J.J. Abrams' Super 8. AJ and Paul discuss things that make them nostalgic, the films Super 8 lovingly pays homage to, and of course, the movie itself. Plus: news, the boys' review of The Killing season 1, and a spectacularly dumb Formspring question.Next: we're off for the Fourth of July holiday, but we'll return July 9 with all-new geeking.

You may have heard that DC's relaunching/rebooting/re-whatevering their entire line. We certainly have, and rejoined by Nathan, we're here to discuss all 52 titles, from the Batmen to the WildC.A.T.S. to the...questionable decisions made by just about everyone involved. But hey! It's not us to be cynical, right? Right? Is this thing on? Plus: news and Formspring questions!

This week, Nathan joins Paul and AJ to discuss some of the biggest and best things to come out of this year's E3. Chiefly, there's Nintendo's new console, Wii U--its fancypants controller, its surprisingly decent technical specs, its silly name. We also puzzle out why exactly motion control features, a la Microsoft's Kinect, don't herald the future of gaming just yet, and talk about some of our most anticipated games, such as Luigi's Mansion 2 and Sonic Generations. Plus: news, our group review of X-Men: First Class, and Formspring questions.Next: Nathan rejoins us to discuss the DC Comics relaunch in all of its ridiculousness. (Another friend may join in as well!)

Geek Challenge time! Paul has astonishingly never seen the KILL BILL films, so AJ challenges him to watch them; and in turn, Paul challenges AJ to watch the BILL & TED films. Because of course. Will Paul thrill to the killing of Bill? Will AJ have a most excellent time? Is that real Hattori Hanzo steel? These questions and more will be answered in this week's exciting installment of Gobbledygeek! Plus: news, Paul's thoughts on L.A. NOIRE, AJ shares his Disney Dream cruise experience, and Formspring questions. Next: the boys, with an assist from Nathan, talk about the coolest games and tech to come out of E3 2011.

The lost episode of Gobbledygeek, "True Swan/Black Grit," was recorded way back on January 8. Initially conceived as a test episode for the show's new format, we then thought, "Hey. Because we're lazy bastards, this might also make a really convenient filler episode." And now, ladies and gentleturkeys, the time has come: half of the Gobbledyteam is away (on business, we're told), so we're unearthing this oft-mentioned chestnut in which Paul and AJ review the then-current films True Grit (harmony!) and Black Swan (dischord!). And we thought last week's episode was about time travel! Plus: outdated news, AJ reviewing The Fighter and Never Let Me Go, Paul reviewing Justified and possibly more!

Let's say you go back in time and kill your grandfather. This means you were never born. And more importantly, it means that you're not here, about to listen to Gobbledygeek either, something I believe we can all agree would be a grave tragedy. Paul and AJ discuss just such a time travel paradox, as well as methods of time travel and its reflections in pop culture, in this week's episode. We've got the flux capacitor fired up; hop in. Plus: news, AJ's review of Hereafter, and Formspring questions!  

Thor kicks off the summer movie season this weekend, so Paul and AJ get hammered--by, uh, by the movie, of course. Yeah. They discuss the look of Asgard, whether or not the mythology stuff is super goofy, Chris Hemsworth's terrific performance, and what Thor means for Captain America and The Avengers. Plus: news and Formspring questions.

The summer movie season is right around the corner, and Paul and AJ dive into a plethora of releases from the tentpoles to the (many, apparently) interesting limited releases. Superheroes? Check. Chick flicks? Check. Painfully quirky indie movies? Check. And most importantly, Justin Timberlake? Check, check, and here's a little more check. Plus: news, Paul and AJ's take on Steve Carell's final episode of The Office, and some Gobbler correspondence. Pop some corn and enjoy.

Is your knowledge of World of Warcraft limited to South Park? Boy, have we got a show for you! Like they did last year with Twilight, Paul and AJ turn to a special guest to explain a geek phenomenon they have little to no experience with. Enter Mark, our WoW expert; he'll tell you everything you could ever want to know about the game. Beyond the nerdish specs, he talks about why he's drawn to the game, what it means to him, and what kind of gamer would enjoy it. And yes, he does talk about the South Park episode. Plus: news, Formspring questions, upcoming DVD releases, and reviews (See My Friends by Ray Davies, Hobo with a Shotgun, Hanna, The Green Hornet, Source Code, and Standard Action). Please check out our REAL, official blog -- gobbledygeekbtr.wordpress.com

March was National Women's History Month, so of course Gobbledygeek starts April off with a show about...strong women in fiction! Scheduling is our strong suit. Paul and AJ discuss the notion of feminism--spoiler: they are 100% pro-woman, but vague on what the tenets of feminism actually are--and discuss such strong fictional women as Wonder Woman, Ellen Ripley, Dana Scully, and duh, Buffy Summers. Then there's the discussion of Sucker Punch, and yeah...opinions, they differ. Plus: news and upcoming DVD releases. Please check us out at our REAL blog: gobbledygeekbtr.wordpress.com

Ever wanted to get away? Ever wanted to escape into a world different from your own, if only for a moment? Sure you have. Everyone has. In this week's episode, Paul and AJ ruminate on which fictional worlds they'd like to live in, even if, as their selections prove, the mortality rate would be fairly high. On our itinerary, there's Sunnydale, CA; Middle-earth; Toronto (though a very specific Toronto); even Sesame Street. You've also got news; upcoming DVD releases; AJ's reviews of the Simon Pegg/Nick Frost extraterrestrial comedy Paul and Stephen King's novella collection Full Dark, No Stars; and Paul's brief look at the Stand by Me: 25th Anniversary Blu-ray. Don't forget to check out our REAL blog!  -  http://gobbledygeekbtr.wordpress.com/

Endeavoring to enlighten the non-comics-reading portion of their audience, Paul and AJ offer up a sort of Comics 101 class: twenty-seven recommendations for beginners in five different categories. From superhero fare like Batman: Year One to webcomics like The Perry Bible Fellowship; from the engrossing autiobiography Blankets to the fantasy epic Fables; from the zombie opus The Walking Dead to Calvin and Hobbes; we've attempted to cover most of the bases. In addition to all o' that, you've also got your news, your upcoming DVD releases, Paul's takes on some brand new comics, and AJ's thoughts on a few movies. Be sure and check out the REAL blog - gobbledygeekbtr.wordpress.com

To celebrate Gobbledygeek's one-year anniversary, Paul and AJ decide to reach back into the dusty, cobweb-laced corners of their minds to bring us their Secret Origins: their first geek experiences, what led them to becoming full-fledged geeks, what made them into who they are today. Such memories as paper-and-dice role-playing, live-action role-playing, and chat room role-playing are brought up...wow, that's a lot of role-playing. Never again question their geek credentials. Also, things like comic books, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, computers, and more. Plus you've got news; upcoming DVD releases; AJ's takes on The Troll Hunter, Another Year, and How Do You Know; and Paul and AJ's joint reviews of The Adjustment Bureau and Rango. Please check out our REAL, OFFICIAL blog:  gobbledygeekbtr.wordpress.com

So. I've got some good news and I've got some bad news. Bad news first: this week the boys talk about the Oscars. Again. But if I have anything to say about it this will be the last time. Possibly ever. However, the good news: no one mentions Charlie Sheen even once the entire show! So... there's that. Also there's news, some new release DVD picks, AJ reviews the new Dum Dum Girls EP and Tunes: A Comic Book History of Rock & Roll. And Paul says some words about Supernatural, the Rango soundtrack, and the 1977 Ralph Bakshi animated "classic" Wizards. Be sure and check out our REAL website, http://gobbledygeekbtr.wordpress.com/

Paul had a very good "geek week," as he puts it, and so discusses a bunch of the things he consumed in the past week: the TV series Archer and Around the World with Karl Pilkington; the comics Nocturnals: Black Planet, Sweet Tooth, Orc Stain, and Daytripper; and more. After that, the geeks take a look at upcoming DVD releases, offer pithy comments on the state of the US box office, and in another exciting installment of "Reel Picks," AJ reviews The Expendables and Get Low before being joined by Paul to discuss All-Star Superman.   Next: our Oscars post-mortem.