Bitfaced

Eric is both honored and surprised to be joined by Mike Zapcic and Ming Chen from the AMC powerhouse Comic Book Men this week in the Bitcave.  Along with special guest co-host the Aidan they talk about the state of the comic book industry and regale us with some fascinating stories from behind the scenes of the show.  Mike and Ming are extremely gracious and knowledgeable guests, you definitely don't want to miss this one.    

Apple TV's Ted Lasso came out of nowhere during last years pandemic and gave audiences a much needed warm and unexpected embrace. Starring Jason Sudeikis and featuring a relatively unknown although unforgettable supporting cast the show centers around a soccer team and their new coach who has a heart of gold but zero knowledge about life on the pitch. This week we break down one of our favorite shows of last year and relate it to the importance of taking care of our own mental health.

For the first time ever Eric and Doug are joined in the virtual Bitcave by comic book cognoscente and DC aficionado Carl Lundeen to reflect on the recently released Zack Snyder cut of Justice League. Carl is the type of guy who can identify all of the ingenious inventions in the Mr. Miracle universe by the sound they make when transported through a boom tube so we really think you'll enjoy hearing him lead an in depth discussion of the film. Chances are you've already sat through all 4 hours of questionable soundtrack choices and slow motion action sequences, but if you haven't, there will be major spoilers throughout the cast.

After an extremely strong showing last month from Sony, July was Microsoft's time to deliver the goods. This month Eric and Tyler will breakdown the highs and lows of the Xbox Games Showcase focusing on all of the title announcements from the show as well as a few unbridled opinions about what Microsoft's focus on Game Pass means for the future of the industry. Whether you were just looking forward to the newest Halo or you were really hoping Tell Me Why was the much anticipated Backstreet Boys anthology game there's something that you'll enjoy in this episode.

The dearth of skateboarding video games in the last decade has been startling, thankfully that is about to be remedied in the next few months with the upcoming release of Skater XL and the Tony Hawk 1 and 2 remasters. We Malto-manual from this over to a discussion about the prevalence of micro-transactions and the new 2K golf game. Thank you to everyone who has been coming out to the weekly Bitfaced game nights, they have been a beacon of sanity in these unsure times.

Well it certainly didn’t start with an earthquake, but as we inch ever closer to a potential Fallout: New Bitfaced, we wanted to check in with some of our personal experiences dealing with everything happening on the planet. What started as a traditional list episode turned into something a little more personal, and we figured addressing the Covid situation head on was better than trying to fumble our way around it during conversation. We hope you are healthy, safe, and spending these uncertain times with someone you love. As we all put “business as usual” in our rear view mirrors for the time being we felt it was important to let all of you Bitfacers know that we are all in this together.

Embark on a closer walk with Bitfaced this week as we pump fake our normal format and bring you an episode dedicated to a single film, Ron Shelton's 1992 basketball hustling classic White Men Can't Jump. From the courts of Venice Beach to the back-lot of Jeopardy we discuss both why the love the movie and the impact it has on pop culture even today. Don't worry, we'll be back to video games soon enough, but until then, grab your favorite food that starts with the letter Q and settle in to the best pick up game in podcasting.

As is Bitfaced tradition, putting 2019 to bed with an episode about our favorite games is the only proper way to close out a remarkable year. Just like 2018, our fans helped us decide on all the major awards, including the prestigious game of the year. Whether you escaped Racoon City, fifteenth tried a boss in Sekiro, or took a fourth wall breaking shower with Norman Reedus, with think there’s something that you’ll find to enjoy here.

Borderlands 3 was Rebecca's most anticipated title of 2019, and on this episode we not only discuss Gearbox's signature series at length but we also take a few laps around the living room with Ring Fit Adventure on the Switch. Pokemon Sword and Shield were also released this month, and everyone except Eric gives their opinion on the most recent installment in the highest grossing media empire of all time. Take care of yourself this holiday season Bitfacers, we are certainly thankful for all of you.

One of our favorite guests and friend Michael T. Scott is producing a new animated short titled Curves based on the life of legendary pitcher Jackie Mitchell, and he brought baseball expert and professional card grader Andy Broome along to tell us all about this exciting project. Even if you're not familiar with Jackie or her story, you'll be delighted by the tale that Michael and Andy are presenting. Check out the episode and then round the bases to their Kickstarter and support this unique and impressive venture.

Robert Englund has been haunting our psyche since we were way too young to be watching his filmography, and the images from the Nightmare on Elm Street series of films are still burned into our insomnia laden retinas over thirty years later. Freddy Kruger will always be firmly embedded on the Mt. Slashmore of horror films, and Robert’s performance is inarguably one of the most iconic and original in cinematic history. We knew this panel would be the stuff that dreams are made of, and Robert fully exceeded every expectation possible.

George Lowe warned us before his panel that "moderating me will be absolute hell", but we were completely up for the challenge. Luckily for us that challenge consisted of laughing our asses off for forty-five minutes straight. If you've never had the opportunity to see the godfather of Adult Swim at a con you'll truly appreciate the unbelievable levels of hilarity and joyousness he brings into a room. Come for the free Pokemon at booth four, stay for the Adam West stories, we promise that you won't be disappointed in the slightest.

Our coverage of Colorado Springs Comic Con 2019 kicks off with two very prolific and impassioned guests, Power Ranger Anthony and Mike the Quad. You've heard Mike on Bitfaced recently, and you know Anthony from his YouTube channel as well as hosting many of his own panels and events at conventions. We talk everything from adaptability in gaming to making a positive impact in the community, and we manage to squeeze a little fun in between. If you're reading this or listening to the episode please consider helping out Magic Wheelchair and Warfighter Engaged however you can. Time, money, exposure, everyone has something that they can contribute to both of these wonderful organizations.

Our coverage of Denver Pop Culture Con 2019 arrives like a well timed pumpkin bomb with the Into the Spiderverse panel, featuring Marvel artists Laura Martin, Mark Morales, and Khary Randolph. We explore the universe of everyone's favorite webslinger and discuss the longevity of the character and why Spidey is making his biggest impact with the youth of today. A huge thanks to Thinking Outside the Longbox for setting us up with not only the hosting opportunity, but also for engineering this audio for us.

Before all of the panels, the conventions, and the events we were just two guys drinking beers and trying to get our voice out in the world. Our little podcast has grown a lot in the past 4 years, and in order to refocus, this week we are taking things back to the basics with someone we've trying to get behind the mic almost since the first month we started. You know Mike "The Quad" Luckett as one of the most active and vocal members of our community, and he finally sat down with us over a few beers to tell his story about how he is constantly striving to make gaming something that we can all enjoy together.

We're going to attempt to answer our title question this week by talking a little about what has been happening the last few months during our unfortunate hiatus from the studio and briefly hint at some of the exciting changes going forward. Consider this episode an acceptable placeholder while we prepare to flood your ears with the Bitfaced glory that all of you reading this truly deserve.

Spoilers! Spoilers! Spoilers! We've waited eleven years and watched twenty-one movies in preparation for this episode and the day has finally come to reflect on Avengers: Endgame. The entire Bitfaced crew discusses our favorite moments from the film and the impact that the movie had on the Marvel cinematic universe as a whole. Please do not listen to this episode if you haven't seen the movie yet, you have been warned.

The independent comic book scene is obviously important to us here at Bitfaced, and getting to interview three of the most prestigious creators in the area right in the store where we cut our teeth was an especially honorable experience. Kapow's Comic Creator Panel featured Jennifer Swartwood (The Ferrokin), Michael Blickley (The Erinyes Project), and Erik Josephson and Kevin R. Smith (Morally Bankrupt) having a frank and honest conversation about what is involved in bringing their unique ideas to the page. A huge thanks to not only the creators but also for Kapow for asking us to host, we hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did.