FW Presents – Meanwhile… #4

After almost a year, MEANWHILE... is back for a fourth installment with Shag, Rob, Max, and special guests Dr. Anj and Steve Givens discussing how we've been "Finding Our Joy" in watching, reading, and listening during the pandemic, and what's next!

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54 responses to “FW Presents – Meanwhile… #4

  1. Question for Shag.
    When you introduced Dr Anj, you said “elsewhere”. Dr. Anj is a doctor from Boston and the TV show St Elsewhere took place in a hospital set in Boston.
    Was that on purpose, or a lucky coincidence?
    If it was intended, then Bravo sir! Bravo!

  2. Impressive podcast. Most Impressive. Spider Girl was a great comic. I have a bunch of them. As well as a few TBs of them. Yep it was Tom Defalco that wrote it. I bought a bunch of the MC 2. A Next. Fantastic Five. Wild Thing whom was the daughter of Wolverine (Logan). And Electra. I didn’t read J2, but it looked cool.

  3. My reading Has a bit more comics than last time
    Reread the American Way
    and then read The American Way: Those Above and Those Below

    Superman : The City of Tomorrow V. 1

    But then also read
    Men explain things to me

    Doctor Who : Fear of the Dark

    And started
    The Premonition by Michael Lewis

    Parting the Desert: the creation of the Suez Canal by Zachary Karabell

      1. It’s OK but it feels like the 5th Doctor and Co. are stuck in New Who and they were trying to invent the Mara. Though of course it was written before new Who

  4. Thank you putting together another Meanwhile… episode. I love hearing how everyone is doing. A couple of points of connection: I’m looking forward to the new Dune movie more than I am the slew of Marvel movies coming out this year (to which I am also looking forward, btw). I also discovered Brandon Sanderson this last year, when I read The Way of Kings from The Stormlight Archive. I’ll definitely be picking up more of his books. Finally, I was making my way through Stackpole’s X-Wing series, but I got sidetracked when I received a bunch of new books for Christmas and my birthday. I swear by Yoda’s gimer stick that I will get back to that series.

    Finally, a fun thing I’ve been doing recently with my daughter is reading young adult dystopian novels, and then watching their movie adaptations (or sometimes the other way around, depending on availability). We tackled The Hunger Games series first, and are working on the Divergent series now.

  5. I’ve already mentioned how I got into Star Trek when that FW Presents came out. Haven’t gotten much farther than halfway through TOS and 5/7 through TNG because my friends and I got really busy in the meantime.

    I’ve fallen really far back into the Doctor Who rabbithole. I lost interest sometime during series 10, not out of active disinterest but I’d been watching for 5 years for that point and the constant hiatuses were getting to me. The family subscribed to HBO Max this year, I saw Doctor Who on there and thought, why not catch up? I restarted the Capaldi era and, some quibbles aside, I really enjoyed it. I think having his whole journey in front of me helped me get what his era was about. Hoping that the Whittaker era has a similar arc. I don’t hate it as much as most people but…yeah.

    I also subscribed to BritBox to watch the classic DW stuff. Most of what I’m watching is First, Third, and Fifth Doctors, the ones I wasn’t as familiar with. I watched Seventh, my favorite Classic Doctor, straight through until I got to his last season (hoping to get the Blu-Ray set for that).

    Also listening to Eighth Doctor’s Big Finish stuff, I’m not a big audio listener, but I get some enjoyment out of those. C’mon, it’s Paul McGann’s voice. Enjoying the novelization of Shada, which I’ve had for years now and never read. I don’t condone the author’s expressed views since then, however. Been listening to a lot of podcasts: Gallifrey Public Radio, New to Who, Verity! and The Doctor’s Companion are my favorites.

    So yeah, deep into that Doctor Who rabbithole.

    As far as reading, I was working on my thesis for the past year, and two of the books I really enjoyed were Comic Book Nation by Bradford Wright and Matters of Gravity by Scott Bukatman. The former is a great history of the comic medium along with the social context of the time, while the latter is a fun read that covers superheroes, special effects, theme parks, among others in relation to how people cope with life and themselves. Possibly the least dry academic text I’ve read so far, while still tackling deep topics.

    1. It’s unusual for me to see someone who also puts the 7th Doctor also as their favorite (though tied with the 3rd for me).

      1. 11th is my overall favorite, since he was the current Doctor when I started watching the show. When I got curious about Classic Who I really responded to the 7th having similar traits. And I gotta be honest, with his era being the most recent, I feel like I have much less adjusting to older styles of television than I do with most other classic Doctors.

        1. My favorite Doctor can shift like the winds. The 9th was my first Doctor. I really loved the 11th. But I really latched onto the 8th. But then I watched the 2nd and 3rd Doctor, and I think I rate those two as my favorite. There’s just something about them both that I really enjoy.

          1. This is a very hard exercise. This changes on a daily basis, but today…

            1) 8 Paul McGann
            2) 10 David Tennant
            3) 5 Peter Davison
            4) 2 Patrick Troughton
            5) 3 Jon Pertwee
            6) 4 Tom Baker
            7) 11 Matt Smith
            8) 7 Sylvester McCoy
            9) 13 Jodie Whittaker
            10) 12 Peter Capaldi
            11) 6 Colin Baker
            12) 1 William Harnell
            13) 9 Christopher Eccleston

            Not ranked because of so few appearances:
            – War Doctor
            – Fugitive Doctor

          2. Currently if I had to rate the Doctors it would be

            1)3 Jon Pertwee/7 Sylvester McCoy
            3)10 David Tennant
            4)5 Peter Davison
            5)4 Tom Baker
            6)8 Paul McGann
            7)12 Peter Capaldi
            8)13 Jodie Whittaker
            9)2 Patrick Troughton
            10)9 Christopher Eccleston
            11)1 William Harnell
            12)6 Colin Baker
            13)11 Matt Smith

            But that is right now. About the only ones that seem to not change place for me are Jon Pertwee, Sylvester McCoy and Matt Smith. But I also came from Dr. Who from an unusual position as if I remember correctly the first episode I saw was the 6th Doctor episode The Ultimate Foe but also some 4th Doctor episode that I can’t remember. Where I lived there were two PBS stations showing Doctor Who one that showed them in order and the other that for whatever reason seemed to randomly pick one (that tended to be the 4th doctor). So I wasn’t completely surprised with the first time I saw him regenerate. But I basically started from the first Doctor and watched them in order from there.

          3. Whichever Doctor (Who?) was played by Christopher Eccleston, the only run I finished. I think we only fell a series short on David Tennant, but we lost interest. It’s a very repetitive show. Seen a few early Matt Smith episodes. That is all.

          4. I should up my Patreon donation, so I can suggest this as an episode, and get invited on. 🙂

            Shag – I’m not sure how you can rate 9 and 12 that low. *shrug*
            Frank – Eccleston was the 9th Doctor, and only had one series, so easy enough to finish. And 10 took me half his first series to warm up to him, so I don’t blame you for dropping him pretty early in his run.

            Today’s list for me:

            1) 2 Patrick Troughton
            2) 3 Jon Pertwee
            3) 8 Paul McGann
            4) 9 Christopher Eccleston
            5) 11 Matt Smith
            6) 10 David Tennant
            7) 12 Peter Capaldi
            8) 13 Jodie Whittaker
            9) 5 Peter Davison
            10) 4 Tom Baker
            11) 1 William Hartnell
            12) 7 Sylvester McCoy
            13) 6 Colin Baker

            I’m probably one of the few that don’t swoon over Tom Baker.

          5. My current ranking:

            1. 11 Smith
            2. 12 Capaldi
            3. 9 Eccleston
            4. 7 McCoy
            5. 4 Tom Baker
            6. 2 Troughton
            7. 10 Tennant
            8. 8 McGann
            9. 1 Hartnell
            10. 3 Pertwee
            11. 5 Davison
            12. 13 Whittaker
            13. 6 Colin Baker

            It’s the kind of thing where I don’t actively dislike any of them, just feel that they weren’t given the best stories or had takes that didn’t quite resonate with me. Or, looking at my bottom five, have lighter hair apparently.

          6. Ah DC Dave, your suggestion may get picked up, but I don’t think any patron has been invited on to the show… fingers crossed for you, though!

            My favourite doctor is Jon Pertwee, such great stories. I had a Bessie jigsaw, you know. I loved the Chris Eccleston stuff, the Bad Wolf bit was so clever; unfortunately, all the showrunners since then feel they have to do their own version, and eventually disappear up their own arcs. Can’t we just have great self-contained stories?

  6. I have really enjoyed listening to this Meanwhile… episodes. Even without the backdrop of a pandemic, it is nice to hear what other people with similar interests to my own are reading, watching, and listening to. I even made a few notes from your lists to look into for myself. Since we are on the topic, I will share some of what I have been reading/watching/hearing recently.

    Like Rob, I have been reading one book at a time (comics not withstanding). Recently, I have read a Nero Wolfe mystery, a Doctor Who tie-in, the first Discworld novel, Paul Kupperberg’s JSA: Ragnarok, and most recently I have been reading a book called A Course Called Ireland by Tom Coyne who wrote about his 16 week golf trip around the country. I now think I will have to add Razor’s Edge to my 2021 reading list. As for comic reading, I haven’t purchased new comics since the end of the first year of the New 52. Most of my reading has been primarily via the DC Infinite and Marvel Universe apps. I re-read the John Walker introduction and stint as the replacement Captain America and classic Avengers storylines. Just recently in the DC app, I have been reading Hourman and Justice League of America (including issues featuring The Privateer, Mark Shaw).

    Movie wise, I have not been to an actual theater is quite some time. The two theaters in town were closed until very recently. One of them is part of a chain that was renting out for groups the way you discussed in the podcast, but the local location was not participating in that program. All of my movie watching has been streaming. Notable films recently watched have included genre entries such as Wonder Woman 1984, Godzilla vs Kong, Zach Snyder’s Justice League, The Shadow (thanks to Rob, Siskoid, and Max for inspiring me), and Superman III (inspired by Rob again with Chris Franklin (notice the lack of thanks this time)). Other movies have included The Mortal Storm, Darkest Hour, My Fair Lady, Maltese Falcon, My Favorite Year, and To Be or Not To Be (the good one with Jack Benny).

    There has been much television watching this year, so I will just hit the highlights. I have been making my way through a re-watchs of Chuck (thanks, Shagg) and Alias. My wife and I are almost done with The Man in the High Castle and have been watching Manifest along with a number of cozy British mystery series. I recently finished Jupiter’s Legacy (which was for the most part ‘meh’) and Invincible (wow, for an animated series, that was hard to watch). Of course, I always watch M*A*S*H and have been following along Ryan Daly’s podcast by watching Cheers again. The other big re-watch I have been doing is Babylon 5.

    Besides many of the fine podcasts right here on the Fire and Water Network, I have a few others I have been enjoying. Along with the aforementioned Babylon 5 re-watch, I am listening to the excellent Audio Guide to Babylon 5. The Incomparable Radio Theater has been a fun series. It is both a spoof of and homage to old time radio shows (which I also listen to most every night). Whenever I am between newer podcasts, I sneak in an episode of Michael Bailey’s Views From the Longbox. It has been fascinating listening to Shagg from ‘back in the day.’ He sounds pretty much the same as now, only with more curse words. Also, let me highly recommend Comic Chaos co-hosted by Fred LeFebvre and Jim Beard. They put out great 30 minute podcast every week or so commenting on the world of pop-culture.

    Let me conclude by saying my favorite part of this whole episode was Steve talking about the Bible study. As a Christian and a geek, I think it is awesome that you have found a group of like-minded folks to discuss both with. Good on ya!

    1. Listening back to VIEWS FROM THE LONGBOX, I’m much less “curse-y” nowadays. 🙂

      And RE: Chuck…. you’re welcome.

    2. “Let me conclude by saying my favorite part of this whole episode was Steve talking about the Bible study. As a Christian and a geek, I think it is awesome that you have found a group of like-minded folks to discuss both with. Good on ya!”

      I appreciated this, as well. My wife is an Episcopal priest, and I work at a Christian university, but my Christian and geek spheres don’t intersect all that often, with folks in each often expressing disdain (if not worse) for the other. It’s always good to hear of groups that don’t have that problem.

  7. Well, that was delightful. Like sitting down in a bar with old friends. Who I haven’t met. And would probably be freaked out by the total beardy-weirdy eavesdropping on their conversation. Hackles would be raised. Tempers would flare. This scenario inevitably ends with me being beaten with a sackful of Star Trek novels.

    But it’s always interesting to hear what people have been doing to get through this strange time. And it’s always nice to hear what interests geeks have beyond geekery. I’ve spent much of the pandemic training to be a yoga teacher, and it’s a lot. So pretty much *all* of my non-comics reading has consisted of yoga books, anatomy manuals and ancient Indian tomes. Though I did briefly try to read The Space Between Worlds by Miciah Johnson, which is a sci-fi novel with a fascinating, original premise, but I had to return to my studies.

    Comics-wise, I’ve been trying to keep up with the current era of X-Men and all associated titles (Marauders, Excalibur, etc.) with mixed results. At its best, it’s amazing, at its worst, I’m very confused. Also been reading old Black Panther (Don McGregor era), late 1970s/early 80s Avengers, Immortal Hulk (which is awesome), Slott and Allred’s Silver Surfer (if you’ve not read this, please do!), multiple Invaders and Defenders titles (I was on a Namor kick…), Truth: Red, White and Black, Jason Aaron’s Conan, Nick Spencer’s Sam Wilson-era Captain America and, oo, too much other stuff to mention.

    Watching? All of the new MCU TV. The Boys. Doom Patrol. The Americans. Archer (we just constantly cycle through this). Bob’s Burgers. And great to hear a shout-out for Dark on the podcast, which is one of the best shows of recent years. Also strongly recommend Bo Burnham’s smart, funny, sad Netflix special Inside, which is the finest bit of lockdown art I’ve seen. Haven’t been to the cinema since Knives Out, but caught WW84 and Godzilla v Kong on home release. Not sure whether I’ll be ready to return to cinemas by the time Black Widow comes out – that’s the big test.

    Music? Strongly recommend the new albums by Gojira, Big|Brave, Mr Bungle, Marina, Emma Ruth Rundle & Thou, Psychonaut, Dark Buddha Rising and The Armed. Though my favourite discovery during the pandemic was a band called Bent Knee from Boston, who I am now absolutely *obsessed* with. Remarkably smart, ambitious, genre-spanning songwriting and amazing musicianship, with one of the best singers I’ve ever heard.

    Finally, just wanted to thank Rob for being so open and honest about his cat. It’s so hard to lose a loved one, even when they’re small and furry and we know their lives are short. My beloved cat Mollie is starting to get old now, and it makes me feel utterly sick to think of the inevitable, but I will always be grateful that we had this time together. I gave her a little extra lap time after listening to the podcast.

    1. I envisioning running into you in a bar playing out like the scene in the AQUAMAN movie. Except Rob would have the pink phone.

      I’ve been wanting to jump into the current era of X-MEN. Your review makes it sound like a mixed bag. Overall worth it?

      1. One day we will make it happen. I’d better work on growing my hair out.

        Re: X-Men. Really, it depends on how you get on with Jonathan Hickman! I absolutely *loved* his FF run and his epic Avengers/New Avengers/Infinity/Time Runs Out/Secret Wars saga, but with him you have to be patient and trust in the plan. It’s super long-form (the Avengers story was about 90 issues all in), so you’re in for a long, wild ride full of huge ideas, but it may be bewildering for a while.

        His X-Men run is very far from traditional X-Men. It started incredibly strong, and I’d really recommend picking up House of X/Powers of X, which revitalise the whole X-universe and lay the groundwork for what’s to come. It’s one of my favourite X-runs ever, and I’ve been obsessed with those merry mutants since about 1983. Frankly, it’s meandered a bit since, partly because the story has become so diffuse, through so many different titles and writers, but I’m confident Hickman will bring all back together. Maybe. And there are some incredible single issues in there, particularly in the main X-Men book. I really like Marauders too, in which Kitty has become a pirate captain… for reasons.

        1. I read all of the Dawn of X books and was psyched, but the regular series that followed didn’t hold my attention. I dip back in every couple of months and just find the mutants – heroes and villains together – so unlikeable now. I tried the Planet-Sized X-Men this week, and just prayed for Wanda to appear with her three little words…

  8. I dig when some of my other favorite podcasts do similar round table type episodes, so why wouldn’t I enjoy something like that? I doubt I’m alone in saying that you’ve got quite a fan base here, that enjoys all of your different passions, and we no doubt enjoy listening to these episodes. I hope they become a little more of a staple. A general ‘comic talk’ type episode is fun to listen to. If I can’t relate to the topic you’re discussing at this moment, I just have to wait a couple minutes, and you’ll move onto the next one.

    Shag – somehow you and I both hit the jackpot with our wives. Mine is also a “regular” person, who tolerates my geeky pleasures. Usually, when I start talking about Doctor Who, or Star Wars, or comic books, I’m greeted with the Charlie Brown teacher “wah-wah” from my wife, indicating that I might as well be speaking a foreign language for all she knows. TARDIS and Kryptonite just aren’t in her vocabulary.

    Maybe that’s why I enjoy podcasts so much, because I get to “talk” to people with similar interests. Of course, I have to respond back to you guys either here or inside my head; otherwise, I get really weird looks from people while I’m walking my dog.

    As for myself, I’m still playing catchup, as I worked pretty hard throughout the pandemic, between my 9-to-5 job and being Teacher Dad to one of my kids. Happy summer is here, so I, too, am catching up on Star Trek: Discovery Season 3, Lower Decks, Superman & Lois, and of course, the Disney+ Marvel shows. Finally picking up the DC app to read some classic Legion stuff (return of Superboy, and about to start The Great Darkness Saga), the recent Hawkman series, a reread of Crisis, and the classic Charlton Captain Atom/Blue Beetle series. Also playing Fornite with my 9 year old son, and reading the Fortnite/Batman crossover book. I’m also looking forward a ton to Strange New Worlds. Anson Mount (you need to listen to his podcast if you don’t know about it) is just an awesome guy, and I think the perfect Pike. I can’t wait for that show.

    1. Anson. Mount. has. a. podcast?!??!? THANK YOU for this information! And congrats on “marrying-up”, as I call it. 🙂

      1. Oh, for sure I married above my pay grade.

        And you’re welcome for the new time sync. His podcast is called The Well. So many great stories. He’s just such a genuine guy. I’m not much to swoon for celebrities, but it’s hard not to be excited for such a good guy to have success.

  9. Excellent show gentlemen I enjoyed your talk story format on the topics you all “Find Your Joy In.” My joy during the last year has been watching Westerns on various streaming services. I won’t even try to name all the movies I’ve watched but here are the ones that really stood out in no particular order. Sergio Leone’s Dollars trilogy, and Once Upon a Time in the West, Sam Peckinpah’s Ride the High Country, Marlon Brando’s One Eyed Jacks, Andre De Toth’s Day of the Outlaw, and the Randolph Scott/Budd Boetticher Ranown Cycle. Looking forward to your next episode!

  10. This was the best Meanwhile yet, and the one I will have to listen to again while taking notes on all the cool-sounding books, movies, et cetera. I’ll also have to reference the comments above.

    A friend of mine (from multiple assignments and deployments) found out that our local theater was playing the original Top Gun for one day only. My friend was Navy, ao he has an instinct about these things. Anyway, that was my reintroduction to movies in the theater. I think there were three other people there besides my buddy and me. It was a blast. Believe it or not, it seemed a lot more accurate than I remember, now that I’m older than Viper was.

    Like Matt, I’ve been in school until last December and my studies limited my media consumption. As with Steve, my pandemic experience had its blessings, because I might not have finished without it. We’re in the middle of a rewatch of Justice League (DCAU) and Justified and anything else we can find that starts with “Just.” Other than that, our daughters have done a marvelous job of curating our consumption, which included not only Wandavision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (or as I call it, the Sam & Bucky Show), but the West Wing, The Rookie (Nathan Fillion, not Charlie Sheen), and Jimmy Stewart in Rear Window. Those girls are turning out all right, after all.

    I also had a friend from college start a Zoom Bible study with another alum and me. The study and the prayer have been a tremendous blessing. I may bother Luke or Steve to learn more about Nerds of Prayer. Maybe their version of Oracle could use a sub some time.

  11. Haven’t been to a movie since a private showing of Wonder Woman 1984 (I don’t think? What is “time?”) but expect to see Black Widow with a general audience. Our household is vaccinated and I’ll wear a mask. The Suicide Squad is also a theatrical must. Tried Kong v. Godzilla at home but fell asleep with no plans to try again. Huge disappointment in comparison to Skull Island. Recommend watching Zack Snyder’s Justice League once and only once.

    I get my comics by mail, and finally started visiting comic shops again a month or two ago while searching for a specific back issue that never turned up. Will probably do a con next month. It’s going to suck.

  12. I’m still going through the episode (almost done), and I’ve just gotten to the point where Rob has talked about the loss of his cat. Rob, I am *so* sorry for your loss. You’re right – no amount of time is ever enough with these wonderful creatures.

    Six years ago, I lost two cats, one was 14, the other was 18. I still miss them every day. I still think about them every day. It does get easier, and you will welcome another friend into your life when you’re ready, and you find the right match. For me, I found a few kittens whose mother had been killed a few days earlier. They were very tiny (less than 1 lb each), and we ended up keeping one of them. And of course, he’s my newest best cat ever.

    The loss is real, and your cat will always be a part of you. I hope you heal in due time, and I will send some positive thoughts about your lost friend your way.

  13. DC Dave’s thoughtful comments reminded me of an important part I failed to mention. Last summer, we lost household family members (human and animal) to illness. Though it wasn’t to COVID, the necessary measures to protect us from the virus made it all more difficult.

    At our youngest daughter’s behest, we have added two new family members as well — brother and sister cats. They have been a joy to us, and they are increasingly tolerable to our remaining dog as we have mourned her brother and my mother-in-law.

    I’m the only human male in the house, and for some reason, the male pets always seem to bond with me as someone to sit or spar with. I am always flattered and comforted by their attention.

    It’s difficult after a loss to care for others again and receive their care in return, but it’s necessary, and I think the experience of loss makes us appreciate them all the more.

  14. It’s great to have another Meanwhile… fab guests as ever! I agree with DC Dave, keep these going, entertainment is for life, not just for Christmas, and perhaps expand the guest base… it’d be interesting to hear the odd non-North American guest, and some girl geeks, see what different perspectives they bring.

    I’ve not been to the pictures since before lockdown, the last films I saw were Little Women, Fantasy Island and the Invisible Man. With luck I’ll get to the cinema tomorrow cos it’s my birthday, probably the new Conjuring, A Quiet Place Part 2 or In the Heights.

    I’m itching for the theatres to open up again, we usually go at least fortnightly as I do reviews for a site, but have seen nowt since Six and Dial M For Murder last spring… we’re booked to see Jake Gyllenhaal in Sunday in the Park With George in London but it keeps getting cancelled. Funny, that.

    Lord, I’m so off topic, what have I been doing since the last Meanwhile? Still working full time, still booking cruises that never happen… telly has included the Disney stuff, with WandaVision my favourite. The latest Line of Duty was great, and I’m enjoying the first BritBox original series, The Beast Must Die. I started watching the UK version of a TV show called I Can See Your Voice to sneer, got sucked in, and love it. It’s being made all over the world, give it a go… mind, other versions may not be as good as the BBC’s! We have Paddy McGuinness.

    The gyms are open here again so I’m back four days a week, though not fit to breathe the same Scottish air as Matt, King of the Downward Dog. Still, got to try. Mind, I wouldn’t have been able to go the last three months, I had to have my big toenails chemically removed in February, and it turns out I’m a really slow healer in that department, it’s only this week that they’re finally properly ‘cooked’.

    I’ve been starting fiction books and not finishing them… unless I’m on holiday, my mind just wanders, it’s shameful. Soon, I hope to get back to downbeat spy novel Slow Horses by Mick Herron and start The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton, his previous book, The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, was a real treat. I also have Paul Kupperberg’s JSA: Ragnarok, and I will get to it!

    Non-fiction wise, it’s been lots of Hollywood biographies that are easy to dip in and out of, and comics history stuff, such as Battling Britons, about UK war comics, and Masters of British Comic Art.

    I’m still a weekly warrior for selected DC and Marvel titles, I know loads of network folk don’t bother but there are some real gems currently, such as Nightwing by Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo, Flash by Jeremy Adams and various top notch artists, and Wonder Woman by Michael W Conrad, Becky Cloonan and Travis Moore.

    And then there’s the new Supergirl-but-not-really book by Tom King. Ugh.

    When I run out of the good new stuff, I dip into the collections I’ve been spending money saved by not commuting to work on. Today, the first Power of Shazam collection arrived – I adored this series by Jerry ‘The Extraordinary’ Ordway, Peter Krause and pals and am thrilled to have it in hardback. I’ve also been catching up on Injustice: Gods Among Us, by Tom Taylor, Brian Buccellato and various artists – I originally avoided this as video game tie-in tat, but as it turns out, it’s brilliant What If stuff.

    Oh, and there’s this little book collecting some Definitive DC Directory for which this very network is responsible – thank you!

    Rob, Sparks are a US group, who were big in the UK in the Seventies. And condolences again on the loss of your little pal, the triptych sounds a wonderful tribute. Oh, Emmy has just miaowed her love to you! Millie is asleep, but I’m sure she’d agree. I’m so glad you had each other.

    Shag, I’m with you on Spider-Girl, it’s just great fun.

    Come back in a month or two!

    1. For what it is worth: Sunday In the Park With George = The Best Musical Ever, imho.

      Did you read James Robinson’s Starman ever? There is one issue that features a group of hardened crooks sitting around a poker game, arguing which was the best Sondheim musical: Into the Woods or Sweeney Todd. The argument is stopped only when Detective Matt O’Dare surprises them with guns firing, all the while proclaiming that Sunday In the Park With George was the supreme Sondheim musical.

          1. As long as you don’t do any of it twice.

            (Excuse my late-night typos in the previous reply.)

    2. Martin! I also loved The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle! I found it such a great book and an interesting twist on the classic mystery whodunnit. I really enjoyed on how it went off the beaten path for a mystery novel (I’m trying to stay away from spoilers). Did you enjoy that as well? Or are you more of a classic Agatha Christie mystery lover?

      I didn’t realize the author had another novel out so thank you for that info. It’s now on my Want To Read list!

  15. DS9!!! (I just engaged.)

    Couldn’t make the recording because it conflicted with another recording, but fun to listen to it. I totally understand Max’s problem with reading in the past year. though for me a lot of it is because I used to do all my reading while walking and COVID turned me into (more of) a shut-in. But my year’s resolution in 2021 was to read 21 books minimum (21 in ’21) and I’m well ahead of the game (16 by June!). All sorts, but one of the things I’ve decided to do is read all of Asimov’s Foundation books before the TV series comes out. 2 books to go.

  16. This was tons of fun, everyone! Great guests, great hosts, and great conversation. I’m with everyone above saying I would love to hear more just general geekery conversation in the future. Though if you have it too often I guess that defeats the purpose of a show called, “Meanwhile”?

    So much good stuff was talked about. You guys are the outlet for all my geekery so it’s great to hear about how you are enjoying some of same things as I am. But I really enjoy hearing about things I don’t know about because all of you make it sound so interesting that it makes me want to check it out. I still need to get going on the Doctor Who bandwagon so I, too, can rate Doctors.

    Max – I’m totally with you on Ahoy Comics. The Wrong Earth was one of my favourite of theirs, which you talked about. Such an interesting premise and it was done really well.

    Rob – True Believer sounds like an excellent read. I think I’m like most nerds who holds Stan Lee in high regard, regardless of creative rights. To hear about him more as a man and not the bombastic showman really intrigues me and makes me want to read the book. Also, I’m sorry to hear about your loss. I hope you are coping and that you can find solace in whatever support structure you may have.

    Once again, this was lots of fun to listen to and would love to hear more. It was lots of fun to read all the comments above this to hear what all the community is up to as well. Keep up the great work!

  17. Related to the whole Meanwhile Has anyone watched Staged with Michael Sheen and David Tennant it’s a weird funny meta comedy about lock down

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