The full audio of the Flying City Circus panel at Balticon! Featuring the begining of FABLES OF THE FLYING CITY Book 2, "The Mouths of the Dead," a prize giveaway, and a spirited question and answer session. The questions are very faint, but I think my answers can give you an idea of what the questions were.

Congradulations to Hugh O'Donnell winning his name in Book 2 and J.C. Hutchins for winning what is so far the only printing of Book 1.

Special thanks to Balticon and to Paul Fischer, Czar of the Balticon New Media track.

Jared Axelrod and Steve Walker talk about one of the true graphic novel classics of the past few years.

Asterios Polyp
By David Mazzucchelli

This episode also featured music by:

The Thermals
"A Pillar of Salt" (mp3)
from "LIVE [at the Echoplex - December 7th, 2007]"
(Spaceland Recordings)

Buy at Amazon MP3

A bit of an update about the future of the Fables of the Flying City series, along with news about the graphic novel, the Battle Of Blood And Ink.

Jared and Steve, the masterminds behind the FABLES OF THE FLYING CITY series, prepare to talk about comics by talking about themselves.

Mentioned in the podcast:

SONS OF LIBERTY: http://www.thesonsoflibertybook.com/
Dylan Meconis's Tri-Corner Hack: http://www.dylanmeconis.com/journal/?p=598
Dylan Meconis's Family Man: http://www.lutherlevy.com/
Wizard World Philly: http://www.wizardworld.com/home-pa.html
Walt Simsonson: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Official-Walter-Simonson-Page/349242380253
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/fablesoftheflyingcity
DC Comic's INK: http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/tag/ink/
New York Comic Con: http://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/
Tor.com: http://www.tor.com/
View From Valhalla: http://www.viewfromvalhalla.com/

In which our heroine is not beleived, a liar is called, the wrong parts are thrived upon, descriptions are given, one Ashe lives on withou the other, a silly goose is named, a title is denied, Slanger can't hear, memory is pulled upon, advice on betting is given, Ashe says goodbye, and then moves on to the next adventure.

 

For further updates on the progression of Book 2 (the next podcast novella) and Book 3 (the graphic novel) go to our Facebook page.

 

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

In which it all goes boom.

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

In which a situation is diificult to understand, Tolban thinks logically, an Ace of the Air is needed, Ashe gets one better, Mari grips her pillow, a barrel is rolled, a scout ship is slammed against, a door handle is found, and Gatling pays a price for joining in.

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

 

In which a place in the afterlife is assured, a governship is declared, a symbol of might is imagined, a knife finds its mark, a letter is sent, a key is exchanged, a man takes to the air, a horror is witnessed and a price is accepted.

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

In which the Provost sets pen to paper, a history is recounted, a dream is regretted, a heart is weighted, a yoke is taken up, beliefs are mistaken, a future is envisioned, and a fool's cap is worn.

 

Special thanks to Jerry Rudasill for reading this episode.

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

In which a mother is not expected, a request is denied, daredevil stunts are discouraged, the training of horses is considered, a dream is deferred, a gentleman of the bottle is placed in an uncomfortable spot, easy money has evaporated, a boy is disapointed, a package arivives, and things are much worse than they seem.

 

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

In which Ashe is found, the Officer's Mess is suggested, what it takes to be Captain is hypothosised, how to destroy the Vrussian Empire is described, an oath is reminded, motivations are revealed, peices are left, a price is quoted, and one peice is chosen to remain.

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

In which Ashe explains what their goals are, Mari expresses doubt, Tolban pleads to be serious, the important thing is discovered, gliding back is declined, an explosion occurs, followed by many more, and Ashe holds her tongue.

 

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

In which Gatling's language of choice is revealed, a knowledge of Chelmois is found useful, a buzzer is bottled, Gatling's height proves a hinderance, a scout ship is scandized, a dirigible is descsribed, the origins of the seige are considered, and Gatlings knowledge about kicks and starving dogs is revealed.

Special thanks to Jennifer Summerfield for reading this episode.

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

In which a rogue reconsiders, alternatives are suggested, arguments are shot down, numbers are calculated, certainty is questioned, a baker ruminates, shutters are considered, and hope is measured out like grain.

 

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

In which a hotel is entered, a young man is met, a boyfriend is denyed, a soldier is described, a room is witnessed, a technique is learned, a destination is revealed, and a promise is made.

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

In which our heroine crashes with an old friend, a balloon launch is plotted, Gatling's breath is ablaze, the wisdom of Kivings is reveals, Jobrani travels beyond mistakes, the Vrussians know the custom, a debt is created, and sarcasm is employed.

 

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

In which the Raptorwife is sought, a children's rhyme is remembered, the birds are denied, blood is brought up, Ashe presses her point, money is turned down, the body remains, the furnace is offered, and Hanner Gatling arrives once again.

If you're coming here from I SHOULD BE WRITING, Hello! Glad to see you. Stay a spell, why don't you?  Episode 1 is probably the best place to start.

 

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

Learn a bit about me and my writing and my podcast, if you’re new. And we talk to Jared Axelrod!

In which Gatling makes her presense known, war's lack of complexity is noted, the twin side of bravado is revealed, the moment we're living in described, the promise of the Aerial Guard is considered, the score is counted, stone is preyed for, and the dead are listed.

 

Special thanks to Jennifer Summerfield for reading this episode.

You can ask Hanner Gatling anything at her Formspring page: http://www.formspring.me/HannerGatling She will answer. Of that you can be sure.

You can check out Tor.com's Steampunk Fortnight over at...http://www.tor.com

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

In which a trap is seen, enemies are revealed, a mission is scrubbed, a mind is changed, a battle is fought, a soldier shows them how its done, a boiler explodes, the calvary arrives, and the consquences of war are driven home.

 

 

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

 

In which wings are ordered to be earned, a pilot has second thoughts, a secret is revealed, an alternate life is described, how one dies is denied, a head is screwed on straight, a warship is approached, and the secret of the Vrussian Aerial Force is revealed.

 

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

In which Gatling's weapon of choice is revealed, a sword flying through the air is described, the mental state of average Amperstam citizen is beyond understanding, an analogy using both moths and flame is utilized, a sword flying through the air arrives again, and the beauty of a sharp weapon is shown.

 

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

In which motives are questioned, the craftmenship of Vrussian hulls are discussed, a turtledove is revealed, gold detaling is reasoned, nicknames are confirmed, and the order no one wants to hear is given.

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

In which the situtation is claimed to be simple, flying makes thing complicated, threats are hinted at, a city is claimed, the reasons Father Vrussia goes to war are revealed, a warning is given, a message is promised, the price of secrets is stated and the first blow is braced for.

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

In which a familar voice returns, the trouble with empires is described, a history is listed, what a fictional Vrussian does with his time is revealed, what a real Vrussian does with hers is compared, a crusade is considered, and a hunger is decribed.

Special thanks to Jennifer Summerfield for reading this episode.

You can ask Hanner Gatling anything at her Formspring page: http://www.formspring.me/HannerGatling She will answer. Of that you can be sure.

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

In  which salve is applied, scars are fingered, tattoos are traced, lightning storms are recollected, faces are unknown, Consaquine is quoted, a want is gotten, speediness is praised, and how a main character learns to live is explained.

The totally awesome Vivid Muse--aka She of the Mighty Cherpumple--can be heard on Into The Blender (which she does with her amazing husband Chooch) and Girls' Rules (which she does with some of the coolest women in the podiospace).

You can learn everything you need to know about Sagefighting at sagefight.org

 

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

In which an old voice returns, the oddness of the wind is mentioned,  a hotel is appraised, the wealth of the wicked is tallied, definititons are relaxed, scrolls are hunted for, docks are seen, piracy motivations are considered, and the temperature and sweetness of fruit is judged.

Special thanks to Jennifer Summerfield for reading this episode.

You can ask Hanner Gatling anything at her Formspring page: http://www.formspring.me/HannerGatling She will answer. Of that you can be sure.

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

In which a city is veiwed from an unlikely point of veiw, the cost of flying is weighed, an exception is requested and denied, a push is enacted, a flight is plotted, a neighborhood is envied, a razor is clipped, an observer is netted and an armada arrives.

Scrivener can be downloaded at literatureandlatte.com

You can find my list of things I learned at the Barry Goldblatt Literary retreat over at my blog, jaredaxelrod.com, under What I Learned At The Barry Goldblatt Literary Retreat (Besides The Trapeze)

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

In which friends are implied, wagers are made, liars are called, an immense pot is procured, mugs are slammed, guesses are made, and a grand reveal is witnessed.

 

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

In which a plane roars to life, launchings and landings are comanded, stomach contents are released, a specific spleen is mentioned, beer is drunk, the escalation of revenge is discussed, rules are given, and a conclusion is reached.

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

In which the Provost is argued with, an Empire is flown over, the capibility of the Guard is judged, tea is requested, what Vrussian do with their time is considered, no interest in debating theoretical topics is shown, and engine is decribed, as well as the horror it evokes.

You can check out Flying Island Press at flyingislandpress.com. Their twitter, with the cool logo is FlyingIslandPre

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

In which a night visitor calls, a pilot is defended, the wisdom of Consaguine is expressed, healing is given, a tale is suspended, a kiss is planted, a lack of beer is lamented, and a pillow is weaponized.

JR Blackwell and I talk about comedy with Podcasting's Rich Sigfrit on Requiem of the Outcast

And I go on an on about comicbook movies on Rich's other podcast, Cinemafreaks

 

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

Episode 4 is a long one, approximately one hour and forty-five minutes of solid interview with the multi-talented Jared Axelrod! Steampunk, comics, podcasting and more - strap in for a fun and geeky ride, dear listener. :)

I'll update this blog post with more links this weekend, but here are just a few to get you started. :)

Jared Axelrod links:
Web site - http://jaredaxelrod.com
Fables of the Flying City - http://www.fablesoftheflyingcity.com/
Books:
Tales from the Uncanny Valley
The Sovereign Era: Year One
Podthology: The Pod Complex
Twitter - http://twitter.com/planetx

J. R. Blackwell (Jared's lovely and talented wife) links:
Web sites:
http://jrblackwell.wordpress.com/
http://jrblackwell.tumblr.com/
http://blackwell.livejournal.com/
Photos - http://www.flickr.com/photos/jrblackwell/
Book - Her Side with Mur Lafferty
Twitter - http://twitter.com/jrblackwell


I can be found and contacted at:

Web Site: http://gowmainframe.blogspot.com/

Twitter: @mainframe (or @gowmainframe for tweets just about the podcast)

Email: gowmainframe at gmail dot com

Voice Mail: 206-350-0528
Songs used are "Space Ride" & "Around", from the album "Around" by Oursvince at http://www.oursvince.com

The podcast is distributed via Libsyn.com & Feedburner

Thanks for listening!

In which a cavalcade of food in paraded, smoking is finally allowed, where to place blame is considered, Ashe’s future is discussed, the usefulness of consequences are questioned, and how much soup forgets is revealed.

Mur Lafferty's Tumblr is here: mightymur.tumblr.com This is the post in question: Podcasting Turns Six

You can ask Hanner Gatling anything at her Formspring page: http://www.formspring.me/HannerGatling She will answer. Of that you can be sure.

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

In which a new world is entered, a sharp woman is introduced, the longevity of legends in discussed, a pilot is noticed, a warning about knives and body parts is given, and lies are not told, despite what one may wish.

You can ask Hanner Gatling anything at her Formspring page: http://www.formspring.me/HannerGatling She will answer. Of that you can be sure.

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

In which the merits of deserts are discussed, uniforms are described, gentlemen are introduced, a rival makes her presence known,  a fight is broken, and soup is flung.

If you'd like to check out the next Dorian's Parlor, their websitie is http://www.doriansparlor.com/

Tome Wilson's Dieselpunk page is here: http://www.dieselpunks.org/ It's a cool site, and worth poking around in.

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

In which a new voice is heard, the joys and downfalls of Sultansport is revealed, a heart is mused upon, and a writer travels up.

Special thanks to Jennifer Summerfield, for reading this episode.

You can ask Hanner Gatling anything at her Formspring page: http://www.formspring.me/HannerGatling She will answer. Of that you can be sure.

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

In which we see the consequences of recklessness, our heroine stands tall, an acrobat is revealed, a tall woman despences disiplinary measures, tattoos are shown, and for a breif moment, an angel is seen.

The excellent model in the picture was created by Skott Stotland of the Nerd Signal

People I hung out with at Balticon: JR Blackwell (natch), Christiana Ellis, Mur Lafferty, Jim Van Verth, Dr. John Cmar, Laura Burns, Dr. Pamela Gay, Tee Morris, Phillipa Ballantine, Phil Rossi, Chooch, Viv, Nathan Lowell, Scott Roche, the Family Pick, Ms. Information, DDog, Nobilis, Podcasting's Rich Sigfrit, Susan Z, RDQ, Scott Breakall, Paul Fischer and Martha Holloway.

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

In which we meet our heroine, the honesty of the Provost is questioned, a private is made, a pilot is discovered, the elements of shooting is described, and a barrel finds itself in a dangerous predicament.

Recorded live at Balticon.

The Fables of the Flying City theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

The Jugulites will not allow you to land on their planet, as they have a deep-seated distrust of off-worlders.  Despite your best efforts, the Jugulites will fire on your diplomatic vessal, severely damaging it beyond repair.  As you float aimlessly through space with only the barest of life-support, the Jugulites will apologize but will not help you, as they will say that your ship started it, by looking at them funny.

The pleasure planet of Orlandeer offers many delights for the weary traveler.  It is recommended that you not spent too much time in the soothing Orlandeerian Mud-Pits of Relaxation.  While the Orlandeerian mud will be soothing and stimulating, the noxious smell will follow you long after the relaxation has faded.

If you had asked me 3 years ago if I was ending the Voice of Free Planet X on Episode 160, I’d probably be impressed I stuck with it so long.  Its not been perfect—there’s some loose ends here and there, I’ll do my best to address them in other formats.  But the experiment that was the Voice of Free Planet X is over, and I call it success.  I set out to bring my fiction to a new audience, and while I did that, the downside was that I wasn’t writing as much fiction as I wanted.  So I’m ending the podcast, so I can do what I was doing before the podcast: writing stories.

The Voice of Free Planet X has allowed me to meet a variety of people I would have never met otherwise, some of whom I now count as close friends.  It’s allowed me to play with formats, to listen to new music, and to make things I never would have otherwise.  And for all these things and more, I am grateful.

More than that, it allowed me to connect with one of the most erudite, humorous and dedicated audiences in all of the podiosphere—this is true; I’ve listened to other podcasts feedback episodes.  Thank for listening.  All of you.

This archive and feed will remaining up, as Aliens You Will Meet will continue.  Any guest appearances on other folks shows will appear here, as well.  And, when it’s ready, the first season of Free Planet X TV will be here as well.

As always, thank you for listening.

The world always seems brighter when you've just made something that wasn't there before.
--Neil Gaiman

The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

Since Ghichrilus is now a quarantined plague world, it will not be required to land on its surface.  However, it would be polite to slow down and wave out the window.

Tee Morris provides the talent and the skill to bring to life Wigwam Bam, one of the many alien puppets who will be at Aliens You Will Meet LIVE at Dragon*Con '08.

Thanks, Tee.

Tee Morris can be found at teemorris.com

More aliens can be found at aliensyouwillmeet.com

Title footage taken from the public domain film "Flash Gordon Conquers The Universe."

The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

In this Episode of FanboyHell with Otakon and other fun and personal stuff going on, I decided to do something a little different. This is my interview with the well spoken and dressed Jared Axelrod of The Voice of Free Planet X and Aliens You Will Meet podcast. I interviewed him a couple of weeks ago in his home. He was nice enough to cook a great dinner for me and MAinPA and sit down and give me some of his thoughts on everything Batman. I apologize if this isn't our normal quality but this is pretty much me and him sitting on the floor in his foyer talking Batman.  We discuss everything The Dark Knight and some Watchmen and the state of comic book movies and honestly there isn't another person I thought was better for the task.  Jared is a huge Batman fan, writer, artist, podcaster, side show performer, puppeteer and one of the most prolific(and good) cosplayers I know. The picture on the cover art, yeah thats him. I just want to warn you there are alot of spoilers and honestly I think everyone should have seen this by now.  Techinically MAinPA is also in the show as well you can hear her and J.R. Blackwell talking in the background the entire time. Hee.

Links

Aliens You Will Meet

The Voice of Free Planet X

J.R. Blackwell's Flikr Stream

Twitter

DanTheFan

MAINPA

JeffersonEng

Jared Axelrod

J.R. Blackwell

Feeback

Send email or mp3 feedback to Fanboyhell@gmail.com 

You can also now call our voicemail line and leave feedback at 206-333-1010

Opening and Closing songs by Undergirl

The Voice of Free Planet X's first video episode explores the experimental zombie-apocalypse role-playing game "Shelter In Place." The game's creator, J.R. Blackwell, is interviewed along with footage of the very first round of this scary, cinematic game.

Special thanks to the "Shelter In Place" players, and to Kae and Richard Kalwaic for the use of their home.

Title footage taken from the public domain film "Flash Gordon Conquers The Universe."

The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

On Querylon, you will be asked to show your physical prowess by engaging in ritualistic combat with members of their warrior class.  Though the Querylon warriors are only one third of your size, they are still a force to be reckoned with.  Remember to aim low, and watch out for their tiny, tiny horses.

By Andy Duncan.
Read by Jared Axelrod (of The Voice of Free Planet X).

“Fenneman?”

The studio audience laughed loudly, as it always did when Groucho turned, in mock desperation or annoyance, to his long-suffering, hopelessly square announcer. Groucho’s voice slightly increased in pitch whenever he said Fenneman’s name, as if he were just at the edge of losing his celebrated cool. This half-squawk had been funny in the stateroom scene of A Night at the Opera (”Steward! Steward!”), and it was still funny on You Bet Your Life twenty-five years later. He was a pro, Groucho was, and I did right by him; I modulated that pitch myself.

Rated R. Contains profanity, and real and simulated persons behaving badly.

Featured Site:
Playing for Keeps

The Darlanians do not have travel as you know it, preferring instead to remove their consciousnesses from their bodies, and witness the world from a purely mental point of view.  As ghost-like apparitions, they will be very interested in your dependence on your physical body, and may attempt several ways to remove you from it.  It will be important to remember that the “body dematerializer device” that they will try to put you in does exactly what you might expect.

I chat with Nathan Paoletta about game writing, mechanics, theory, and his excellent games "Carry" and "Annalise."  If you're thinking about writing your own games, are dedicated gamer, or are just curious as to how a game about the wrenching era of Vietnam can lead to an afternoon of enjoyable entertainment, do not miss this interview.

Nathan's gonna be at GenCon, so if you see him there, tell him "Hi" for me.

More info about Nathan's games can be found at www.hamsterprophetproductions.com.  "Annalise" has her own corner of the web, annalise.hamsterprophetproductions.com.

The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

Though your tongue is still healing from your encounter with Soyrn cuisine, it will not hamper your interaction with the Crawbiwah.  The Crawbiwah have banished the spoken word from their culture, preferring instead to sit in silence.  While this makes it difficult to know when the meeting is over, rest assured that at some point, the meeting will end.  Bring a lunch.  And a dinner.  And a breakfast.  And another lunch.

On Soyrn, the carnivorous plant people who rule will invite you to a typical Soyrn meal.  While it will be impossible for you to eat the small, kitten-like creature they will serve you, it is acceptable to put it’s head in your mouth, remove it, and then compliment the chef on her excellent preparation.  Keep in mind that the Soyrnites do not cook food so much as stun it, and it may awaken before you get a chance to remove it’s head from your mouth.

This is a very special video only episode of FanboyHell.  Thursday night, I had the pleasure of going over Jared Axelrod's and J.R. Blackwell's  house to record an interview on the greatness that is Batman The Dark Knight with Jared. After we wrapped that hour and a half interview/conversation (Which as you read this I am still probably editing)  I mentioned that I would also like to interview Panda as well since I am a huge fan of The Voice of Free Planet X.  Jared said he would go upstairs and see if Panda wasn't napping.  So Jared goes upstairs and comes back down with Panda and he is totally up for it. This was meant only to be a audio interview in the beginning but MAinPA decided to record it on our Flip video and upon watching the footage we felt a moral obligation to share this with other Panda fans on the interwebs. In this battle of the minds we get an exclusive announcement with the bear himself about upcoming Panda projects. His thoughts on Kung-Fu Panda and Panda's theory of the internets. This is Panda's first interview, video interview no less and to quote the talented J.R. Blackwell "This is some exclusive shit!" SO ENJOY!

Feedback day!  At long last!  But the joy of returning to listener comments is tempered by this grave reality:

I will not be daily next week.  Nor the week after.  Nor any of week succeeding, until Dragon*Con.

Did I mention I'm a guest this year?  I'm guest at Dragon*Con this year.

In any case, lots to do before the big day, so in order to get everything ready, I'm going weekly until after the con.  Just one episode on Wednesday, and the an Aliens You Will Meet ep on Thursday.  It'll be rough, but I think we can both make it.

In the meantime, you can go put a photo of yourself in your finest at Clothes of Free Planet X Flickr group. Panda and I have already done so.

Internet sites of note mentioned in this episode:

Can of Spiders: toomanylegs.vox.com
The Poet's Passage Podcast: thepoetspassage.libsyn.com
Have Games Will Travel: www.havegameswilltravel.net
Utilikilts: www.utilikilts.com
Tea & Chat Podcast: teaandchat.com
Into The Dark with the Computer King: www.computerkingonline.com

The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

Nardinine’s denizens worship their planet as a god and consider dirt, grime and other filth to be sacred.  Bathing is unheard of to the Nardininians, so it will be a good idea for you to abstain from it as well, during your stay.  Luckily, you will arrive on one of the holiests of days for the Nardininians, and will be asked to participate in the ceremonial mud-wrestling.  This will give you a nice coating of Nar din ine soil to wear throughout your stay.

Part 2 of my talk with Jason Adams of Random Signal about the losers who pepper superhero universes.  D-List heroes and villains, whose existence is a vital part of the metahuman culture. 

Seeing as how Jason shares my love for the weird, uncommon characters that make up the D-Lists of both Marvel and DC comics, I knew this would be an epic discussion.  But could I foresee that it would be so epic to require 2 episodes?  No sir, I did not.

Here's who we talked about:
Rocket Racoon
Mike Mignola
Legion of Super Pets
Comet
Ace the Bat-hound
Power Girl’s cat
Lockheed
Falcon
H.E.R.B.I.E.
Inhumans
Lockjaw
Black Bolt
Karnak
The Red Bee
Black Panther
Catman
Suicide Squad
Blue Devil
Slipknot
Thunderbolts
American Eagle
Paste Pot Pete
The Wizard
Starman
Ragdoll
Solomon Grundy
Congorilla & Congo Bill
Forgotten Heroes
Cave Carson
Sea Devils
Challengers of the Unknown
Task Force X
Doom Patrol
Deathstroke the Terminator
Adam Strange
Elongated Man
Dr. Psycho
Angle Man
Cheetah
Circe
The Fishermen

The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

Matthew Wayne Selznick reads my story "You Can't Get There From Here," as part of his Sovereign Summer Sunday Webathon.  See the other videos of the Webathon at www.mattselznick.com

Brave Men Run Webathon Videos by
Matthew Wayne Selznick is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.

I sit down with Jason Adams of Random Signal to talk about the losers who pepper superhero universes.  D-List heroes and villains, whose existence is a vital part of the metahuman culture. 

Seeing as how Jason shares my love for the weird, uncommon characters that make up the D-Lists of both Marvel and DC comics, I knew this would be an epic discussion.  But could I foresee that it would be so epic to require 2 episodes?  No sir, I did not.

Here's what we talked about:
Hypno Hustler 
Monster By Mail
Jawbone Radio
Red Ghost and the Super Apes
Ambush Bug
Keith Giffin
Warren Ellis “On Mining Marvel”
Gamecock
Brother Voodoo
Rocket Racoon
Monark Starstalker
Nextwave
The Stranger
The In-Betweener
The Phantom Stranger

The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

Panda returns!  And not a moment too soon!  He's here to talk about his new forum, his currant favorite song, answer a voicemail, and reveal what book he totally not reading.  Not at all.

It totally isn't "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer.  Totally not.

Panda's Forum is located at panda.oxfoot.com "Oxfoot" is the canary.  All forums have canaries.

Panda's currently favorite song, "Cup of Brown Joy," was performed by Elemental and produced by Tom Caruana, from the album 'rebels without applause.'  You can find more information and work by these artists at www.myspace.com/mcelemental.  The astounding video for "Cup of Brown Joy" can be found on YouTube here.


The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

Repetition is a virtue to the citizens of Biscoush, and nothing is more important than doing the same thing over and over every day.  Do not worry about whether or not your visit will disrupt their routine; their Head of Planet has an intergalactic dignitary meeting every day after lunch.  On days when there are no intergalactic dignitaries, the Head of Planet has the meeting anyway, using a hand puppet as a stand-in.  It has been a long time since Biscoush has had an ambassadorial visit, so do not be unnerved when the Head of Planet talks not to you, but to his upraised hand.  It is merely the force of habit.

Sorry for the delay! We discover Kevin’s fate, Matt’s desires, and perhaps we’ll meet a new character soon.

Don’t forget to check out the cast list for more information!

More episodes of The Takeover available at murverse.com
and zombinc.net

Are you ready to rock?

I can't heeeeeaaaaaarrrrrrr yyyyyyooooooouuuuuu....

“I Told You To Beat It” was mashed-up by Divide And Kreate. You can download it and other mash-ups at divideandkreate.com

“Unpretty Today” was mashed-up by A+D You can download it and other mash-ups at aplusd.net

“Epic Black Rock” was mashed-up by D.J. Lobsterdust.  You can download it and other mash-ups at djlobsterdust.com

The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

When about midway of a certain block the policeman suddenly slowed his walk. In the doorway of a darkened hardware store a man leaned, with an unlighted cigar in his mouth. As the policeman walked up to him the man spoke up quickly.

"It's all right, officer," he said, reassuringly. "I'm just waiting for a friend. It's an appointment made twenty years ago. Sounds a little funny to you, doesn't it? Well, I'll explain if you'd like to make certain it's all straight...

"After Twenty Years" was written by O. Henry.  It is currently in the public domain.

The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

On Tocline, do not wear pants.  You will see other Toclines wearing pants.  This does not mean you should wear them.  You can wear the rest of your usual diplomatic uniform, but whatever you do, do not wear pants.

What is the secret of Matthew Wayne Selznick, author of Brave Men Run?  You'll have to listen to the interview to find out, but may have something to do with this stuff he posted on his website:

"Ladies and gentlemen, on Sunday, July 13, 2008, every hour on the hour for eight hours beginning at 10:00 AM Eastern / 7:00 AM Pacific time, I will present a brand new, original short story set in the first year of the Sovereign Era universe. These stories — official Sovereign Era canon — are from some of the most respected authors of podcast fiction:

• J.C. Hutchins (The “7th Son” trilogy)
• Mur Lafferty (”Playing For Keeps”)
• Nathan Lowell (The “Golden Age of the Solar Clipper” novels)
• Matt Wallace (”The Next Fix”)
• J.R. Blackwell (Voices of Tomorrow)
• P.G. Holyfield (”Murder at Avedon Hill”)
• Jared Axelrod (The Voice of Free Planet X)

I’ll be reading each story aloud, on camera, absolutely live, in random order — so be sure to check in every hour so you don’t miss your favorite author!"

The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

 I've been working on a beast of a story, and the reason it's a beast of a story is that until very recently, I was trying to write it with my Editor Hat on.

The Editor Hat is a powerful tool, but nothing stops your writing dead quite like it. 

It certainly did in my case.

As I say in the show, you can't build and polish at the same time.

The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

Sergeant Ariel Odipo held back a grimace as her squadron approached the Sepch encampment. She doubted they could see her face through the mirrored visor of her helmet, but she wasn’t taking any chances. She loosened her grip on her rifle as well. The tension was thick enough as it was. This was a peacekeeping mission, after all.

Besides, these people weren't the problem. Odipo had grown fond of their crabby little faces and way they waved their eyestalks when she approached. They were not her problem...

Special thanks to Christiana Ellis and J.R. Blackwell for their voice talent this episode

This episode also featured "Srvival In A House Darkening" by Micheal Masley.  More information and work by this artist can be found at magnatune.com

The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

The Dreeslings communicate through the transmission of viruses between hosts.  Unfortunately, your usual pre-landing inoculations will make you the equivalent of a deaf mute.  This may be for the best,  as while Dreeslings’ language will not kill you, if you are infected by the wrong joke or declaration, you may wish you were.

Yeah, J.R. Blackwell and I love our television, like any good nerds.  We love The Middleman.  We love Doctor Who.  But having long since deep-sixed the cable, we cannot watch them the moment the come on the boob-tube.

Also, we don't live in the United Kingdom.

Naturally, as podcasters, we turn to the internets to solve all our problems.  But there is no legitimate way to download the shows we love.  We'd pay for it, if only we COULD.

But we can't.  There is no way to legitimate get the shows we want in any reasonable amount of time.  Waiting months for the DVD is, quite frankly, unacceptable.

Forced by neglect, we do the only thing we can.  We turn to piracy.

And we aren't happy about it, neither.

The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

Theme music is "Faithful" by The Shillas.

This week's story is "Hold Me Like a Girl" written and read by Jared Axelrod.  I'm proud for this to be my first gay sex story.  Even if you think you don't like this kind of story, listen anyways.  You might be surprised.

Jared is filling in for me this week while I recover from a nasty case of bronchitis.  My voice is only just this moment coming back at all, and I would not have been able to give you a show nearly this good.

Thank you, Jared.

I am currently recovering from a very hot and extremely unpleasant bout with Martian Spider Flu.  So, that's where this weeks podcasts have gone. 

They've been eaten.  By Martian spiders.  Let that be a lesson to you all.

Not to worry, however, as regular service will resume July 1st.   And it will be worth the wait.

We learn a little more about how Caroline deals with problem employees, Maureen tries to make friends, and Kevin makes a decision.

Don’t forget to check out the cast list for more information!

More episodes of The Takeover available at murverse.com
and zombinc.net

The Flusians are aquatic by nature, but can poke their heads out of water for a short time in order to converse with land-based off-worlders.  Due to the lack of any sort of landmass on Flusie, you will be expected to meet their delgation on their spaceship. While their ship will be filled to the brim with water, they will have constructed a “non-fish bowl” for your comfort.  A little plastic castle will be put in the non-fish-bowl, to remind you of home.

The fact remains, ladies and gentlemen, we have to meet the Geert price. We ought to do better than the Geert price, but due to the nature of our company, we'll probably get by merely with meeting them. But I will tell you this, we lose this bid, we lose the planet...

Special thanks to Kate Eckert, Brendan Dalton, Benjamin Dyme and J.R. Blackwell for providing the voice talent for this episode.

This episode featured "" performed by Barry Phillips. More information and work by this artist can be found at www.magnatune.com

The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

I had a chance to sit down with one of the most talented, prolific podcasters around, Christiana Ellis, which is not something you turn down.  We discuss the demands of a daily project, writing comedy of audio, and use of female leads with  moral flexibility.

All things Christiana can be found here: christianaellis.com

But you might also want wander over to these places as well:

Nina Kimberly the Merciless
Space Casey
Christiana’s Shallow Thoughts

The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

My good and well-read friend Dan joins J.R. Blackwell and I in a roundtable--or is it salon?  It may be a salon--about candy literature, comics and movies.

It is also revealed that J.R. and I saw Bumblebee on the University of Pennsylvania's campus during the filming of TRANSFORMERS 2.

It's okay to be jealous.

The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

You ready for another feedback episode?  You better be, because this one is huge.  It was last seen destroying Tokyo.

Quite a few podcasts were mentioned this week:

J’s Indie-Rock Mayhem qfsmayhem.blogspot.com
I Motor Away www.imotoraway.com
RadioClash www.mutantpop.net/radioclash
Radio Free Hipster www.hipsterplease.com

Also, check out Selganor’s character sheet for Gretel, the Witch-Hunter,
and here's the GRIMM RPG he mentioned: www.fantasyflightgames.com/hr02.html

The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net.

When dealing with the sentient planet Maelstrose, you may find it difficult to get its attention, due to your relatively minuscule size.  When you do not succeed in getting the planet to respond to your hails, do not let it bother you.  Mealstrose is 130 billion years old, and as such, its stories are long, boring, and it would probably fall asleep in the middle of talking to you anyway.

And I must be insane
To go skating on your name
And by tracing it twice
I fell through the ice
Of Alice

"Bread and Butterflies" was created by Pogo. You can find more work and information about this artist at www.last.fm/music/Pogo. 

"Alice in Wonderland" was written and performed by emma, and was made available courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network. You can find more work and information about this artist at www.iamemma.com.

"Hold On" was written and performed by Tom Waits, courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network.  You can find more work and information about this artist at Epitaph.com.

The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net.

There's been a lot of talk about who we are versus how we are seen on this podcast.  As fate would have it, famed photographers Katie West and Jack Scoresby were spending the weekend with J.R. Blackwell and myself here in Philly.  Who better than the internet's most talented self-portraits artists to talk about how other people see ourselves?

No one, that's who.

Katie West: www.katiewest.ca

Jack Scoresby: www.flickr.com/photos/jackscoresby

J.R. Blackwell: www.jrblackwell.com

The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

A rogue named Jack. Cinderella, a cleric who refers to her deity as "god-mother."  A charming prince of a paladin.  Gretel, a witch hunter and all-around monster fighter.  A ranger with the skin of a bear and bottomless pockets.  A wizard with the preposterous name of Dr. Know-It-All.

Fairy tale tropes, or the greatest Dungeons and Dragons campaign ever?

Or possibly both.

It's a idea I can't see to stop thinking about, so, naturally, I'd thought I'd share it with you.


The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

You know what you don't hear?

Bloopers.

Flubs.

Side Conversations.

Muttering.

Outtakes.

Most people delete them, toss'em, throw them in the trash.  Not the Voice of Free Planet X.  We save them.

We save them for YOU.

The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

We are indebted to Tristan Tzara and his followers for the newest and perhaps the most important doctrinary insistence as applied to art which has appeared in a long time. Dada-ism is the latest phase of modernism in painting as well as in literature, and carries with it all the passion for freedom of expression which Marinetti sponsored so loudly in his futuristic manifestos. It adds likewise an exhilarating quality of nihilism, imbibed, as it is said, directly from the author of Zarathustra. Reading a fragment of the documentary statement of Dada-ism, we find that the charm of the idea exists mainly in the fact that they wish all things levelled in the mind of man to the degree of commonplaceness which is typical and peculiar to it.

Nothing is greater than anything else, is what the Dada believes...

--Marsden Hartley, 1921

 

The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

Feedback's packed tight tonight, as I talk about alot of things, but mainly extend Episode 136, only a little more rambley.  Most of the rambling is directed toward Chris Lester's excellent essay which comes really close to being right, and then misses the point completely.  Close, though.  Real close.  You should read it.

Also, the recipe for Irish Nachos:

1 bag kettle chips
6 ounces finely grated Cheddar, approximately 2 1/4 cups
4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions 
2 cups sour cream 

Set 1 of the oven racks on the lowest shelf and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lay the chips on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the chips with the Cheddar cheese and the bacon. Bake in the oven on the bottom rack for 7 minutes or until the cheese begins to bubble. Spoon sour cream on top, and sprinkle green onions

The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

 Miipluse is a unique world, as it a haven for robots, androids, rouge AIs and any other sort of fabricated sentient of the galaxy. Escaping persecution here, the naturalized Miiplusians nonetheless have very strict rules about who can and who cannot land on their planet.  Being of biological origin, you will have to send a robot assistant in your stead.  Do be surprised however, when your electronic emissary does not return, preferring instead to stay in the "Glorious Robo-Worker's Paradise."

After listening to NPR story about the demise of the necktie, I find myself thinking about my own sartorial sense. What does wearing, or not wearing a tie say about us?  What does wearing or not wearing a suit say?

Does wearing less clothes make us more authentic, or are we just lying to and about ourselves in different ways?

I will say that now, I intend to wear more ties.

The original NPR story

Lord Whimsy’s Rebuttal

Lord Whimsy’s neckwear guide

The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

Recorded at Balticon 42, the Short-Short Slam panel included readings by

J.R. Blackwell: www.jrblackwell.com

Jared Axelrod: www.jaredaxelrod.com

Steve Wilson: www.prometheusradiotheatre.com

James Patrick Kelly: www.jimkelly.net

Bill DeSmedt* www.billdesmedt.com

The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net.

*Bill DeSmedt was unfortunately seated too far from the microphone to be properly recorded, so his reading is not included on this podcast.

• Title: RUR-2007-09-16 #33 The Rev Up Review DragonCon Edition
  
• Size: 29.2 MB
• Duration: 42'32"

Use this FeedBurner link to download the mp3 file directly, or to add the feed to your aggregator.

Contents:

• 00.00 Intro music: "Undertow" by Reaman (ElectroBel)
  
• 00.19 Welcome
• 00.53 Dragon*Con
• 01.33 Dragon*Con Audio Blog - part 1 (of 4)
• 14.31 DragonCon 2007 Flickr Set
  
• 14.46 Review of Zencore! Scriptus Innominatus
  
• 24.56 Clock Chimes: Jephson Gardens
  
• 25.27 Chris Fisher
• 25.58 Music from Cathy Miller and Gregory L. Mahan
  
• 28.52 Interview with Jared Axelrod (Aliens You Will Meet and The Voice of Free Planet X) and J. R. Blackwell (Voices of Tomorrow) 365 Tomorrows
  
• 40.34 The Rev Up Review is a production of Willowsoft Communications
  
• 40.42
  
  This work is licensed under a
  Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 License.
  
• 40.49 Send feedback (text or mp3 audio comments) to rur@revupreview.co.uk.
• 41.17 Music from Gregory L. Mahan: Stacks of Rye
  
• 42.32 End

Russell Collins--yes, that Russell Collins, the one I talk about at the end of each episodes, that one--turns the tables and interviews me for a change.  But not just me.  You see, it is the eve of Wizard World, and myself and my good friend and artist Steve Walker are going to to continue to hock our wares to the good publishers temporarily residing here in Philly.

Yes, it shall be Damn Epic.

So Russell interveiws myself and Steve about the comic, about the research we've done for the comic, and about how awesome we are.

Luckily, we like talking about all of those things.

The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

The leader is the party
The party is the leader's mind
He said: "My people need a place to go!"
 
"Down At McDonnelzz" was written performed by Electric Six, and was made available courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network.  You can find more work and information about this artist at www.myspace.com/electricsixmusic

"None Shall Pass" was written and performed by Aesop Rock, and was made available courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network. You can find more work and information about this artist at www.myspace.com/aesoprockwins

"Young Folks (Disco Mix)" was written and performed by Peter, Bjorn & John. and was made available courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network. You can find more work and information about this artist at www.wichita-recordings.com

The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net.

The minds of the Viliquay are incredibly fast, often processing and becoming bored with a thought in mid-sentence.  While this may make their conversation difficult to follow, it is suggested that you merely nod.  The Viliquay will anticipate your response before you even think of it, and will behave accordingly.

Panda shares his recent news, both about Tea Con and the brand new Voice of Free Planet X shirt featuring him.

You should buy one. 

You know you want to.

Go on.  They're available at Free Planet X Apperal.

I mean, look how cute Panda is in his Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/teatimewithpanda

Yep.  That's pretty cute, all right.

Maybe you should buy a shirt.

The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

Balticon is over, but before we can enjoy its audio bounty, we must first take care of some pre-Balticon business.  Namely, feedback.

Just about every episode of the past week was commented on, which is nothing short of astounding.  Clearly, I’m doing something right.  Some of the noteworthy elements:

•    I am an enabler
•    Mash-ups are a moral gray area
•    Some feedback is better responded to in character
•    Our meat, and how we treat it.
•    Backup daily to avoid data loss!
•    The races of fantasy characters
•    The laughter of Nobilis
•    The Duncan Brothers deserve money!

Also, long time listener Christ the Fixed Kitty of the Adult Space Child Free Podcast has a request.

The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net.

Balticon.  Lots and lots of Balticon...

The Krinclops are species that places great cultural value on the mocking of foreigners, and will no doubt make fun of smooth skin, your two legs, your left hand and your solitary head.  This sort of constant barrage of insults is not necessarily mean-spirted, merely a an element of a centuries-old culture

So do not take it personally when you are introduced to Krinclops ruler as "Smoothy McLeft-hand, Who Got His Head Mixed Up With His Feet"

Genius internet filmmakers Brant and Ian Duncan return to discuss their upcoming film "Overdrift: Stage 2," the sequel to their immensely popular film about dinosaurs and drift-racing, "Overdrift."

We talk about working with their largest cast yet, the creative influences of this film, the importance of family both in front and behind the camera, and the fabled release date of "OD:S2" itself.

The Duncan Brothers website: www.theduncanbrothers.com

The Duncan Bros's Channel on YouTube, www.youtube.com/user/duncanbros and on Myspace.

The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net.

Inspired by arecent THIS AMERICAN LIFE episode about people who won't apologize ), I thought about doing a VoFPX show with people who WILL apologize, people who apologize for things the have nothing to do with.  A series of apologies about things we cannot possibly feel sorry for, because they are literally not our fault.

We're not sorry.  We can't be sorry.  We won't be sorry.

But we'll say it anyway, if it makes you feel better.

"Five Easy Pieces" was performed by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and was made available courtesy of the of the Podsafe Music Network. You can find out more about them at clapyourhandssayyeah.com/.

The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net

Bingo awoke the next morning to find himself in bed, the middle of a field.  Mr. Leroy was there, sitting on the edge of his bed looking smug.  He was holding Bingo's copy of "Off On A Comet," and chuckling to himself.  Bingo wasn't able to form exact words, but he was able to sputter out a "Wwwwhhhhhaaa?"

"Oh, you're awake," Leroy said, snapping the book shut. "Quite an imagination on this Mr. Verne, eh?  You have his other stuff? Absolutely fascinating."

"The Marionette" was performed by the Two Star Symphony and was made available courtesy of the of the Podsafe Music Network. You can find out more about them at www.twostarsymphony.org.

The Voice of Free Planet X theme was written and performed by Russell Collins of www.clockworkaudio.net