Author: Kyra

Kyle Kyra (they/them) writes fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. They live in a sleepy Nebraska town. Yes, corn lives outside their back door. They hold a BFA in creative writing from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and their work has appeared in Menacing Hedge, Spank the Carp, Danse Macabre, The Door is a Jar, The Collidescope, and other journals and anthologies.

Geekly Tunes October 2026

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Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. Today, our writers share what they’ve been listening to over the past month. Feel free what you’ve been listening to, because we’re all part of the Geekly Gang. I’ll get the post started with what I’ve been listening to over the past month. It’s time for Geekly Tunes.

Kyra’s Tunes

I watched the Daniel Johnston documentary this past month (The Devil and Daniel Johnston); it’s a great watch. If you’re interested in learning more about Daniel Johnston, you should watch The Devil and Daniel Johnston on YouTube. After watching the documentary, I had to listen to Johnston’s music. His music won’t be for everyone. It’s an acquired taste, but if you get into Johnston’s music, you can really get into it. For most of his career, Johnston would self-record his music. This leads to echoes, odd sounds, and bizarre tones. Johnston’s fragile voice sings over the top of the music. The result is unfettered vulnerability and honesty.

Johnston would also draw the pictures found on his album covers (like the one above). Kurt Cobain made Johnston’s Hi, How Are You: The Unfinished Album (1983) famous by wearing a t-shirt of that album’s cover for a year, during the height of Nirvana Mania. While I enjoy a lot of tracks from Hi, How Are You, specifically “I Am Walking the Cow,” I prefer Don’t Be Scared (1982). Don’t Be Scared’s title track is fantastic, and it also happened to be featured on an episode of Only Murders in the Building, but “The Story of An Artist” remains one of Johnston’s greatest tracks. “The Story of An Artist” hits differently each time you listen to it. One time, it may be haunting. Others, heartbreaking.

Johnston’s honesty lends itself to heartbreak. 1990 is another great Johnston album. It contains a lot of Johnston’s best-known songs: “Devil Town,” “True Love Will Find You in the End,” and “Somethings Last a Long Time.” If “The Story of An Artist” doesn’t strike a chord, “Somethings Last a Long Time” will. Simple, haunting, and honest lyrics. “You’re picture’s still on my wall.” Johnston recounts losing a loved one. Make sure you have tissues at the ready.

Whale’s “Hobo Humpin Slobo Babe” has seen rotation in my music carousel. This Swedish band never took itself too seriously. Slobo rhymes with hobo. You don’t know what “slobo” means? Sad. Ironically, Whale’s first studio album was titled We Care, and “Hobo Humpin Slobo Babe” was the debut single. The album (and song) blend elements of Funk and Trip Hop to create a wall of sound. I dare you to listen to this song and not bob your head or tap your feet. It’s a bop. “Hobo Humpin Slobo Babe” caught fire with its inclusion on the Beavis and Butthead Show in the mid Nineties. Beavis was mesmerized by the lead singer’s facial expressions and braces. Same, Beavis. Same.

I also spent time exploring the late 1990s and early 2000s Butt Rock origin. The original Butt Rock found popularity in the 1970s and 1980s and served as the macho, hyper-sexualized cousin of Glam Rock. 1990s and 2000s Butt Rock was forged in the ashes of Grunge. Some people refer to 90s and 00s Butt Rock as Post-Grunge. It depends on who you ask as to what constitutes 90s and 00s Butt Rock or if they use the Post-Grunge or Butt Rock label. Ahem. Butt Rock is a pejorative term. So, let’s call it Post-Grunge.

There’s nothing wrong with Post-Grunge (or Butt Rock). I like plenty of music that would be considered Post-Grunge. Bush’s Sixteen Stone was loaded with hits. I’ve been jamming out to “Machinehead,” “Glycerine,” “Comedown,” “Little Things,” and “Everything Zen,” as well as deeper cuts like “Testosterone” and “Alien.” “Alien” might just be my favorite. Gavin Rossdale’s baritone flutters above the track’s haunting guitars. So good. Sixteen Stone has plenty of musical influences: Jane’s Addiction, My Bloody Valentine, Soul Asylum, and The Pixies. Having The Pixies as a musical influence may be the biggest reason why Bush received criticism for sounding too much like Nirvana.

The Pixies influenced Nirvana as much as they would Bush, and the fact that Bush, a British band, could write “Grunge-like music” meant that a band didn’t need a Seattle area code to play Grunge-like music. This is where the animosity toward Post-Grunge begins; there is one other major factor, but we’ll discuss that later. Some bands like Everclear escaped criticism because they at least came from the Pacific Northwest (Oregon), while others like Stone Temple Pilots with their debut Core pivoted toward different sounds with future albums. Ah! I need to relisten to Purple (or 12 Gracious Melodies). According to critics, the biggest knock against Post-Grunge is that it lacks the artistic integrity of Grunge and aims to cash in on the Grunge sound. While this is true of some Post-Grunge, I wouldn’t accuse all Post-Grunge of this sin.

I heard some of you groan when you saw the Nickelback album cover above. “How You Remind Me” is the biggest Post-Grunge hit. It isn’t even close. That song was everywhere, and it features a lot of what defines the Post-Grunge sound: distorted guitars, the use of minor keys, and the lead singer trying his best Eddie Vedder from “Jeremy” impersonation.

Despite all the animosity, “How You Remind Me” is a well-constructed song. Maybe too well-constructed. The song’s chorus gets in your head, and Chad Kroeger tells a familiar and relatable tale about a couple arguing. The rest of the album may deserve the moniker of Butt Rock. Remember how the 1970s and 1980s version of Butt Rock was the macho, hyper-sexualized cousin of Glam Rock? Outside of “How You Remind Me,” songs from Silver Side Up explore topics of strippers, sex, prostitutes, drugs, and alcohol consumption. That sounds like 70s/80s flavored Butt Rock.

And those themes fueled the other reason why some people dislike Post-Grunge. In 2000, the United States government loosened restrictions, allowing radio stations to become monopolies. Prior to this shift, most radio stations were mostly independent. Top 40 radio stations didn’t really exist. A national radio station chain like I Heart Radio certainly didn’t exist. This change in policy led to a few radio stations that catered to a specific demographic: CIS, straight, middle-class white men. Post-Grunge became popular because it sounded like Grunge and had themes that appealed to the demographic radio stations wanted to attract. Male, middle-class, and white.

Don’t believe me? Ben Folds made light of this shift in radio with his 2001 hit “Rockin’ the Suburbs.”

“Y’all don’t know what it’s like, being male, middle-class, and white. Y’all don’t know what it’s like, being male, middle-class, and white. It make me real pissed off, and it makes me wanna say. It make me real pissed off, and it makes me wanna say. It make me real pissed off, and it makes me wanna say. F@#%!”

I love how Ben Folds censored himself in the song. And yes, I’ve had Ben Folds and Ben Folds Five on my music carousel. If you haven’t seen the music video for “One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces,” you should. Ah! Another banger.

Anyway, Post-Grunge is due for a resurgence. What was popular twenty to twenty-five years ago gains nostalgia. The Barbie Movie may have helped Post-Grunge’s repopularization with its use of Matchbox 20’s “Push,” which is a Post-Grunge hit. Armed with Post-Grunge’s history, I may need to rewatch The Barbie Movie. “Push” may have been the perfect song choice on multiple levels.

That’s all I have for Geekly Tunes this month, and it looks like I’m on my own this month. Hopefully, Season and Skye are back for next month’s Geekly Tunes. What’ve you been listening to, Geekly Gang? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Geekly Casting: Young Justice

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Happy Monday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. It’s time for another Geekly Casting. Today, I’m flying solo with casting Young Justice. While Young Justice has had an on-again, off-again monthly comic book series, I’ll lean heavily on the critically acclaimed animated series of the same name for the characters today. Heck! Most DC Comics fans will know the cartoon before the comic book. Why not lean into it? Robin (Dick Grayson), Aqualad, Kid Flash, Superboy, Miss Martian, and Artemis Crock are on the casting docket today. Alright, let’s get started with Geekly’s Casting for Young Justice.

Aqualad: Jharrel Jerome

While casting this superhero team, I’m trying to stick with actors in their mid-twenties or younger. Jharrel Jerome (28 years old as of writing this post) as Aqualad is one of two exceptions. But an older Aqualad makes sense. He’s the team leader. He has a cool, calm demeanor. And Jharrel Jerome is an amazing actor. He debuted in the Academy Award-winning film Moonlight. Seriously, Jerome’s Hollywood debut was in the best film of the year. And Jerome is the voice of Miles Morales in the Spider-Verse film franchise. That makes Jerome a respected actor who has no problem portraying a superhero. He’d make a perfect Kaldur’ahm.

Robin: Asher Angel

Asher Angel (23) is a reclamation project. He starred as Billy Batson in the DCEU Shazam films. Angel was the strongest actor in both of those films. You know, it might be easy to outdo Zachary Levi as an actor. Regardless, Angel deserves a second chance. He showed enough in the Shazam movies to prove he could grow from Dick Grayson as Robin into Nightwing. If Jason Momoa can transition from Aquaman to Lobo, why not give Angel a different shade of tights?

Kid Flash: Jacob Tremblay

Jacob Tremblay (19) may be one of the youngest members on this list, but he has plenty of range. Tremblay portrayed a five-year-old captive child in the psychological thriller Room and provided the voice of the titular character in Luca. He’s even done voice work as Damien Wayne (Robin) in the Harley Quinn Animated Series. Tremblay possesses the acting and comedic chops to pull off a young Wally West, or even Impulse, if Young Justice chose to go in that direction.

Superboy: Garrett Wareing

Superboy occupies an awkward space within Young Justice. I want to cast him young, but not too young, because he is the love interest for the next character on this list. Garrett Wareing as Superboy is a long shot, but I’m sticking with him. Wareing may not have as long a resume as many of the actors on this list, but his turn as Lucas Russell on Ransom Canyon shows he can pull off a complicated Superboy. Young Justice’s version of Superboy will be a binary clone of Superman and Lex Luthor. We’re talking a Superboy with anger management issues. Wareing may be newer to the acting scene, but he’s proven he can handle dramatic roles. And it doesn’t hurt to lean on his Texas charm. Gig ‘Em!

Miss Martian: Ella Purnell

I knew who I would cast as Miss Martian before any other member of Young Justice: Ella Purnell. Miss Martian begins as a bubbly new recruit, but her bright facade hides a dark secret. Despite her green skin, Miss Martian is a White Martian, the race of Martians who exploited Mars (until it became the uninhabitable planet it is today) and subjugated the Green Martians as slaves. Ashamed of her heritage, M’gann M’orzz chooses to shapeshift into green skin. Miss Martian is a fan favorite because she was the character comic book writers used to explore white guilt. Purnell has a knack for portraying effervescent characters, who may also have dark pasts.

Artemis Crock: Peyton List

Best known for School Spirits and Cobra Kai, Peyton List has plenty of experience in action roles. She was even in Spider-Man 2 as a young child. Yowza! Similar to Miss Martian, Artemis Crock hides her past. Her parents are supervillains (Sportsmaster and Huntress). Despite her family’s past, Artemis proves herself to the point where she’s Aqualad’s lieutenant and has served as Young Justice’s leader. Peyton List is more than up for the challenge.

Vandal Savage: Khary Payton

We have our first–and hopefully only–repeat casting from a previous Casting list: Khary Payton as Vandal Savage. For all the reasons I mentioned in our Justice League Casting, Payton would kill it as Vandal Savage. He’s voiced almost every character in the DC Animated Universe, and Savage often disguises his voice. Yes! Give me an actor so ubiquitous in the DC Animated Universe that he voices himself.

Deathstroke: Joe Manganiello

Joe Manganiello as Deathstroke is a gimmie. He was supposed to have portrayed the character in the DCEU, but it never happened. Manganiello is a decade older than he was when he was first cast as Deathstroke, but that works in his favor. The Deathstroke in Young Justice is an older, grizzled Deathstroke. Perfect!

Granny Goodness: Jamie Lee Curtis

There are so many great options for Granny Goodness. I love that Hollywood has embraced older actors. But I wanted to go against type with Granny Goodness. Her name is a misnomer. Besides Darkseid himself, Granny Goodness is the most feared person on Apokolips. She’s sadistic. She rules her underlings (like Big Barda and Desaad) with an iron fist. So, I went with Jamie Lee Curtis. She’s never come close to portraying a character like Granny Goodness, but I think she could handle it. And she’d be amazing.

Klarion the Witch Boy: Aidan Gallagher

Klarion is chaos personified. Stadistic and cruel, Klarion the Witch Boy can also be hilarious, especially when he takes himself too seriously. Even though Klarion looks to be as old as his Young Justice counterparts, he’s millions of years old. We’ll need a young actor with experience portraying someone much older than themselves. How about The Umbrella Academy’s Aidan Gallagher? Five’s powers in that series come off as magical, and Gallagher gave a layered performance. Seeing those two side-by-side, I can’t see anyone other than Aidan Gallagher portraying Klarion the Witch Boy.

Lady Shiva: Go Ara

As a member of the League of Assassins, Lady Shiva trained under Ra’s Al Ghul. Her voice is as serene as she is ruthless. Korean actor Go Ara hasn’t crossed over into American pop culture. Yet. But Ara is building a nice acting resume. She’s done a little bit of everything from Rom-Coms to Fantasy to straight-up Action. That’ll come in handy. Lady Shiva’s daughter (she was a young mother) grows up to become Orphan, another complex character who could be introduced in a future Young Justice film. Lady Shiva has a long and complicated history that I’m sure Ara would bring to life.

That’s all I have for the Geekly Casting of Young Justice. Who would you cast in which role? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Geekly News: October 25, 2026; New Releases

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Happy Sunday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another week of Geek News. There has been some geek news this past week (that isn’t related to new releases), but I’ve been trying to keep up with writing my novel, pitching board games, and keeping up with Geekly reviews of TV shows and movies (Clayface will release some time this week), so we’ll be keeping with new releases for board games and video games. Trust me. We have plenty to talk about after I finish my first draft. Until then, let’s talk about new games.

Origins of Light Launches on KickStarter

Origins of Light: A Final Fantasy Game is a strategy RPG for up to four players based on the Pixel Remaster editions of Final Fantasy I, II, and III. Play competitively or cooperatively across different modes.
Assemble your party, empower them with spells and equipment, then venture into dungeons to slay monsters and bring down powerful Bosses. Repel the forces of darkness before time runs out and protect your Heroes from being KO’d to WIN! Build your party, defeat the darkness, and become the true Heroes of Light!

Experience Origin of Light’s core game in the Final Fantasy I module, or try Final Fantasy II’s flexible, rogue-like gameplay for maximum replayability! When you’re ready for the ultimate challenge, dive into Final Fantasy III with a roster of twenty-two unique Heroes with unique level-up rewards and abilities!

Thank you, Kess, for the description. When I first heard Origins of Light: A Final Fantasy Game was in production, there was a chance it would be a cash grab. After finding out Kess was behind this game, I knew Origins of Light: A Final Fantasy Game would try its best to be faithful to source material. Kess has a great track record of capturing what makes a video game fun and distilling it into a board game. Their Mega Man Adventures (a few years ago) is easily the best board game adaptation for that property. I’m certain Kess will bring the heat for a Final Fantasy Board Game. Origins of Light: A Final Fantasy Game offers several pledge levels, ranging from $60 to $400. If you’re interested in Origins of Light: A Final Fantasy Game, check out its KickStarter page.

Button Shy Micro Games: Fall 2026 Launches on KickStarter

Button Shy Games returns with another series of micro games (that can fit your wallet). I love this time of year, seeing what Button Shy Games is offering this season. This publisher can cram a ton of game into a small space. These series allow players to buy everything Button Shy Games intends to publish over the following months. Let’s take a look at Button Shy’s new offerings.

It’s the blessing and curse of every mage to have a familiar, and today yours is a curse. Once again it’s upended your laboratory and summoned an array of irksome imps. Clean up the lab and get that cat under control!

The Cursed Cat is up to no good again, making a mess of your lab and unleashing monsters everywhere. Move and stack monster cards across columns, using spell cards to break the rules. Get all the monsters on the portal column to banish them all for good!

Solo games are on the rise in the board game community, and Scott Almes has a great string of that include Food Chain Island, A Nice Cuppa, and Unsurmountable. In short, Almes is one of the best solo board game designers, and The Cursed Cat is his latest release.

In the farthest corners of the world, ancient relics of immense power lie waiting, lost to the sands of time. Brave harrowing dangers to recover these forgotten objects and return them to their rightful owners. Reawaken is a spiritual successor to At the Helm from Ted Heidersdorf, taking the familiar deckbuilding gameplay in all-new directions.

At the Helm never took too long (15 minutes). The system is easy to pick up and offers game variability, so Reawaken should look to build on the formula of drawing cards, choosing which cards to activate, check against your objectives, and loosing hearts for each object you don’t complete. This is a solid deckbuilding survival game.

Bears. Bees. Battling? Players try to outwit and outflank their opponent to get the most honey. What makes it work are the elegant placement and scoring rules that require both players to think carefully about their own strategy… and their opponent’s.

I like Forest Rivals‘ use of the pattern building mechanism. Both sides in this 2-player game add hives to the shared playing area. They want to surround those hives with their chosen animal (one of two). Forest Rivals is another game with a small footprint but a lot of strategic choices. There are six spaces on each card, so the combinations are near endless.

Not all heroes wear capes, but those who do have a pesky tendency to ruin your sinister plans! It’s time for the supervillains to seize the city in this twist on our classic -Opolis line. In true comic book fashion, these ne’er-do-wells only care about their own goals: unlike previous -Opolis games, Villainopolis has no scoring whatsoever! Instead, you must complete each of three villains’ ultimate schemes at the end of the game to win. Who says that crime isn’t fun?

The final new game in this season’s Button Shy Games offering is Crime Sprawl, the latest in Button Shy’s most popular series of games: Sprawlopolis. While I’m partial to Skulls of Sedlec and Tussie Mussie, I can’t deny Sprawlopolis’s appeal. Crime Sprawl looks to continue this long-running series with pazzazz.

If you’re interested in any of Button Shy Games’ Fall 2026 line, you’re in luck. While you can pick up the entire set of games for $54, you can pick and choose your favorites for a smaller fee. The choice is yours. Check out Button Shy Games’ Fall 2026 line’s KickStarter page.

Too Little Time Launches on GameFound

Chip Theory Games is back with Too Little Time, a single-session boss-battler that remembers your actions from game to game. This new game set in the Too Many Bones universe leans into our bizarro humor and quirky personality as we break the fourth dimension (and the fourth wall).

As the past, present, and future are torn apart, anything could happen anywhere. Time waits for no gearloc (or kobold)! Enter the Rift and handle encounters even in the midst of battle. Experiment with new masteries every game and skillfully navigate an unpredictable world.

Every recruit in the Timeline Defense Force is unique, so whether you pick a gearloc or a kobold, you’ll be playing a character with a variety all its own.

Games take place over the course of two boss battles — first against an enforcer, then facing off against a tyrant. Trigger encounters, gain experience points, and collect loot, all while you battle baddies and bosses in the past, present, and future.

Your actions in every game will ripple through time and impact every subsequent play as you permanently unlock relics, collect and leave behind loot in each era, and interact with the mysterious and persistent Rift. Add to this a wide variety of bosses, locations, and character builds, and no two games are ever the same.

Thank you, Chip Theory, for the description. I’m going to be honest. I know of Too Many Bones but have never played it. Several people I know swear by Too Many Bones’ ability to adapt the gameplay of a MOBA to a board game. I know even less about Too Little Time–before reading this write. It sounds amazing. You had me at “the game remembers your actions from game to game.” Yes, please.

Chip Theory is known for stellar productions. Most of their games feature premium game pieces. Since this is a GameFound preview, we don’t know much about the various pledge options, but if you follow Too Little Time before it launches (in a few days), you gain the option for a follow gift (pictured above). If you choose to back the project at a later date, you’ll also receive the cards in the picture. If you’re interested in Too Little Time, check out its GameFound page.

Space Universalis Launches on GameFound

Space Universalis is not just an endless sci-fi dungeon crawler for 1–6 players playable solo or co-op. It is a robust game system with quick setup, scalable difficulty, great tactical depth, and maximum customization.

A HUGE GAME SYSTEM
Scalable difficulty, streamlined rules, and great tactical depth. Feel the tension and uncertainty of epic battles against 10 factions and more than 120 different creatures. Experience the ultimate tactical and exploration adventure.

MAXIMUM CUSTOMIZATION
Create the character you’ve always wanted by combining 20 species and 10 classes, along with hundreds of skills and equipment.
Buy a spaceship and travel across the universe as you gain experience and credits, evolving until you become a legend of the galaxy.

CHOOSE YOUR ADVENTURE
Create a crew of soldiers, pirates, explorers, adventurers, mercenaries, or monster hunters.
Play standalone missions, random scenarios, and quests in a narrative campaign.

Thank you, Ludic Dragon Games, for the description. I’ve been looking for a spiritual successor to Firefly: The Board Game. I like recruiting my team and customizing my spaceship. Space Universalis does this in a cooperative game. Interesting. Firefly is a competitive game; I wouldn’t mind seeing a similar concept play out in a cooperative game. The painted minis above look nice, but I dare say Space Universalis will come with a full set of painted minis. I could be wrong. If you’re interested in Space Universalis, check out its GameFound page.

Final Fantasy Resonance Releases

Return to the pixel‑art world of Final Fantasy, evolved from its classic roots. Travel with companions bound by fate and call on Visions to aid you in battle to uncover the truth behind a force that threatens to bring everything to ruin.

Final Fantasy Resonance has received overwhelming positive reviews. And why not? Players can resonant with heroes from Final Fantasy’s past. Want to channel Cloud from Final Fantasy VII? Go ahead. Final Fantasy Resonance is also one of those rare Final Fantasy games where you can take on the role of Sephiroth. What? Did I mention this game is turned-based? Well, it is. Final Fantasy Resonance is kicking it old school, and this title has been receiving heaps of praise and sold numerous copies. Final Fantasy has needed a new title with this much juice. Final Fantasy Resonance is available on PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and Xbox Series S/X.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Releases

War erupts on the Korean Peninsula as North Korea launches an invasion that threatens to destabilize the world in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4.

I’ve never gotten into Call of Duty, but the team behind Titanfall and Apex Legends began with Call of Duty. This game series has marvelous gunplay DNA. Early reviews reflect this. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is a massive release. If it wasn’t for Grand Theft Auto VI releasing next month, I’d say Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 has the chance of being the biggest release of 2026. There’s an outside chance that it still could top GTA VI. But who am I kidding? It’s GTA VI.

Anyway, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4’s setting of the Korean Peninsula is an interesting one. Most Call of Duty: Modern Warfare games up to this point have used the former Soviet Union as a backdrop. I’d like to see what new storylines this shift in setting can generate. But I can also see using a renewed war between North and South Korea as potentially painful for some people. Families have been separated by Korea being split into two halves. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 has received outstanding reviews. It’s available on PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and Xbox Series S/X.

Those are all the new releases we have for this week. Which game are you the most excited about? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

VisionQuest “Malware” Review

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Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another review/reaction of a VisionQuest episode, “Malware.” If you want to see my thoughts on VisionQuest’s previous episode, “Reboot,” check out this link. VisionQuest has opted for a quick plot. Sure, the last episode, “Reboot,” spent time building up the show’s characters, but for the most part, this series has kept a brisk pace. We learned who the murderous synthezoid is (Jocasta) and who Jocasta’s programming is based. Actually, she isn’t a program at all, but the person whose brain waves are trapped inside the synthezoid. Interesting. This differs from the comics and used to great effect.

And before we go any further into this review or reaction of VisionQuest “Malware,” a spoiler warning is effect. Consider yourself warned.

VisionQuest wasted little time to reveal Jocasta. This is in keeping with Vision and Tommy’s relationship, Tommy’s past (before Vision entered his life), and the Vision’s internal world morphing over the course of a handful of episodes. This show has done an excellent job of slowing the pace (for a reflective scene or scenes) and hitting the gas (for an action scene or scenes). If anything, VisionQuest’s pacing might be a little brisk. This is a show that wants to hold your attention.

With each of these reactions, I struggle with where to begin. A lot occurs within a single episode of VisionQuest. Let’s begin with the Vision’s internal world. First, notice how I’m referring to Vision as Vision instead of The Vision. VisionQuest has deftly shifted the current Vision’s view of self as more in line with the previous Vision, so I’ll be calling him Vision from this point forward, I think. We’ll see if his circumstances change. Spoiler: they do at the end of this episode. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Vision’s internal world gets turned upside down by Jocasta’s invasion.

The gang of AIs, including Ultron, look into the Butcherbird Murders. Jocasta (the Butcherbird Killer) has been killing leaders of AI technology, the same tech geniuses behind Ultron and Vision. I liked how D.U.M.-E. and U dressed up as Sherlock Holmes, because of course they did. Ultron and E.D.I.T.H. form an uncomfortable alliance, working together to uncover the killer’s identity or at least their next target.

Before we get there, Ultron and Vision share a funny scene where they infiltrate police files. The Captcha Test was hilarious. How many squares contain a fire hydrant? Three. Five. It’s a comical moment but a good character one as well. Ultron chooses five because his robotic eyes can observe more within a picture. Vision picks three, which is what the police security deems as a “human” answer. This subtly shows Vision gaining humanity. This and Vision’s relationship with his son. And yes, Vision stops just shy of adopting Tommy. Tommy and Vision’s relationship remains a hallmark of this series. It can singlehandedly carry VisionQuest, but the show adds in Ultron (grandfather) and the host of AIs as Vision’s extended family.

This choice feels more in line with the MCU pre-Avengers: End Game. Most early Marvel projects focused on family and the relationship between fathers and sons. This could be why the Vision/Wanda Maximoff shows hit differently than most other recent MCU properties. They have that link to the past while looking toward the future, grounding viewers in something tangible. Few people are synthezoids or can phase through solid objects, but most of us have some version of a family, even if it’s a screwed up one like Thomas Shepherd’s. This week’s second episode saw plenty of callbacks.

My favorite must be the nod to Tommy’s love interest Lisa Molinari’s comic book counterpart: Coat of Arms. In the comics, Molinari has four arms. In “Malware,” she wears a coat with an extra pair of arms, and Tommy giggles because leave it to Lisa to have a “Coat of Arms.” Nice.

VisionQuest glossed over the introduction of Josephine “Jo” Carrington, one of Markridge Biotech’s founders and one of the creators of J.I.M. (the first attempt at a synthetic man). Carrington was turned into Jocasta. I’m certain we’ll find out how in future episodes, but for now, Jocasta believes she isn’t a copy of Carrington’s brain. She is Carrington. Honestly, I like that for VisionQuest’s story. After J.I.M.’s failure, I could see Markridge Biotech resorting to installing a person’s brain into a synthetic human. This also serves as a great motivation for Jocasta to murder Markridge Biotech’s executives. Good old fashioned revenge. It also makes Jocasta sympathetic.

I mentioned in the previous VisionQuest episode write-up that in the comics, Jocasta was designed to be the bride of Ultron. While that can’t be the case here (if Carrington is stuck inside a synthetic body), Jocasta does recite a phrase dear to Ultron’s heart: Peace in Our Time. Ultron insisted he was a one-off in the previous episode. That can still be true, but Jocasta repeating this line could indicate that Carrington and Ultron have a shared lineage. A directive deep within themselves that could stop them from murdering half the planet.

And that’s where we get to this episode’s cliffhanger: Ultron has seized control of Vision’s body. We all knew Ultron was planning something or at least, he bided his time to make a winning move. I didn’t expect VisionQuest to pull the trigger on Ultron after four episodes. Like I said, VisionQuest has moved at a brisk pace. This must be Vision at his lowest. He’s trapped inside his own body, Ultron has kidnapped his son Tommy, Jocasta is still on the loose, and we most likely haven’t heard the last of Paladin. Like Lanterns earlier this year, VisionQuest has found fertile storytelling ground. We’ll have to see if VisionQuest can stick the landing.

I do trust Marvel with its Vision/Wanda Maximoff shows. They may struggle with other properties, but it’s obvious Marvel has wanted to tell these stories from the comics. Reading Avengers comics from the 70s-90s (my family held on to back issues), I always wondered how one would adapt Vision and Scarlet Witch’s story to the big or small screen. This pair has a bizarre storyline. The MCU has done a good job adapting their story. It isn’t the same as the comics, but that’s a good thing.

Those are my thoughts on VisionQuest “Malware.” What did you think? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Star Wars Bounty Hunters Board Game Review

Tabletop Game Review: Star Wars: Bounty Hunters

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Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with a new board game review. Today, we’re talking Star Wars. Star Wars: Bounty Hunters puts gamers in the role of bounty hunters, trying to get the best contracts and the highest valued targets. Players have three goals which will help them earn points: capturing targets, completing contracts, and purchasing droids and crates at the Jawa market. Can you be the best bounty hunter in the galaxy?

Star Wars: Bounty Hunter is a light and quick strategy game. Since it uses the closed drafting and simultaneous action selection mechanisms, it takes little time to play. It’s great for a younger audience and Star Wars fans alike. Before we get into the game flow and the review, let’s get some of the technical jargon out of the way first.

The Fiddly Bits

Designer: Frederic Henry
Publisher: Zygomatic
Date Released: 2024
Number of Players: 2-6
Age Range: 8 and up
Setup Time: Less than 5 minutes
Play Time: 20 minutes

Game Mechanisms

Action Points
Card Management
Closed Drafting
Set Collection
Simultaneous Action Selection

Game Setup

1) Place the four Zone cards (that are decks of Targets, Bounty Hunters, Contracts, and Jawa Market). Sort the cards into four decks according to their color and shuffle them separately. Place them down above the matching Zone cards. Leave a space for a discard pile below each Zone card.

2) Place the Imperial Credits conveniently nearby.

3) The player who watched a Star Wars movie becomes the “Guild Master” and receives the Player Aid Card. The Player Aid denotes the flow of the game. All players may refer to the Player Aid during the game. Honestly, and this is Kyra speaking, not the rulebook, I prefer to forgo the Guild Master role and allow every player to refer to the Player Aid. I don’t know why the game doesn’t have more than one copy.

4) Each player draws one card from each of the four decks to form a starting hand of four cards. Never show the cards in your hand to another player.

Game Flow

Each game turn is divided into three consecutive steps. All players perform each step simultaneously:

Step 1: Draw a card

Draw a fifth card from any of the decks and add it to your hand.

Step 2: Choose a card

Choose a card from your hand and do one of two things: Sell a Card, or Play a Card.

A. Sell a Card

Discard the chosen card (placing it face-up on the discard pile below the matching deck’s Zone card) and collect 1 Imperial Credit.

B. Play a Card

Place the chosen card in front of you, face up.

If no cost is shown on the card, activate it immediately by placing it upright (vertically).

If the card has a cost (Jawa Market card), you must pay that cost to activate the card. If you are unable to activate the card immediately, or prefer not to, reserve it by placing it on its side (horizontally).

Step 3: Pass Your Hand

Give the remaining four cards in your hand to the player on your left and collect the four cards passed to you by the player on your right. When all players have completed these three steps, a new turn begins. Repeat the three steps in sequence until the last turn of the game.

Game End

The game end triggers when one or more players capture four targets. Players finish the current turn, then play two more full turns, and finally tally up their scores. The player with most points wins.

Review

I love the small amount of control Star Wars: Bounty Hunters gives its players. Most closed drafting games deal all the cards of a deck, and players will then pass the cards around until all the cards run out. Star Wars: Bounty Hunters adds a simple twist. Players draw a card from any of the four decks. If you need a target, draw a target. If you want another bounty hunter for extra firepower, draw from the bounty hunter deck. Do you already have a lot of captured targets in your display? Start drawing from the contract deck. It’s simple. Clean. And I totally stole this gaming aspect with one of my latest designs, Monster Chef.

Ultimately, this simple twist doesn’t give players enough control. You still need to draw into the card you want. But it gives players the feeling of more control. It’s psychological, and sometimes, that’s all that counts. I’d love to see more closed drafting games include a draw mechanism. Clearly, I do. The rest of the game plays out like a standard closed card drafting game. Nothing too complicated. This makes Star Wars: Bounty Hunters a good game for newer and/or younger board gamers. But I still think more seasoned board gamers won’t turn up their noses to Star Wars: Bounty Hunters. If you love Star Wars, this is a solid Star Wars game.

I also like how the game splits its cards into four categories; those would be the four draw decks. While some of the joy of stiffing the person you’re handing your old hand to with bad cards wanes, the option to draw into what I need is invaluable. It’s more forgiving. But you will, most likely, run out of cards in a deck or two and will be forced to draw from other decks. Again, this isn’t the worst thing. Players can sell a card to the bank, and every Imperial Credit a player has at the end of the game is worth a victory point. If you don’t find what you want, sell a card.

I mentioned this in the setup, but it bears repeating. Star Wars: Bounty Hunters needs more than one Player Aid. The “role” of “Guild Master” is unnecessary if everyone has a Player Aid. The game already has well over 200 cards. Why do you not print out five extra Player Aids? This is a small thing, but it left me baffled.

I enjoyed my time with this title. I may not break out Star Wars: Bounty Hunters all the time, but it’s a good filler plus game. I’ve played this game the most while waiting for others to show up for game nights. It provides enough strategy, functions as a warm-up game, and we can finish the game in under twenty minutes.

Too Long; Didn’t Read

Star Wars: Bounty Hunters is a great introductory card-drafting game with a slight twist. While I may want to play another card-drafting game over this one, I’ll gladly play Star Wars: Bounty Hunters if someone brings it to the table. It’s great for new gamers and a good Star Wars game.

VisionQuest “Reboot” Review

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Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another review/reaction of a VisionQuest episode, “Reboot.” If you want to see my thoughts on VisionQuest’s previous episode, “Theseus,” check out this link. “Reboot” is a spruced-up bottle episode where most of the action between The Vision and Tommy occurs in a hotel (with the pair looking inward), while the scenes involving The Paladin and Jocasta has a few locations to include a swanky penthouse (with The Paladin looking outward). I like the asymmetry used in these two story lines. It serves VisionQuest’s story well and makes the shifts between the two stories almost seamless.

Before we go any further, a spoiler warning is in effect. Consider yourself warned. I really liked how VisionQuest set up the two opposing stories. Like I said, The Vision and Tommy’s storylines looks inward. The Vision finds the man he wants to become through becoming Tommy’s father. He places the blame on Wanda Maximoff for most of “Reboot’s” runtime, unable to reconcile the absurdity of a synthezoid fathering a human child with a chaos witch. Saying it out loud, I see The Vision’s point. It’s ludicrous. And somehow, Wanda’s hex magic willed it into being. The Vision is Thomas Shepard’s father. How else can one explain that he can phase through solid objects? It’s something Tommy inherited from The Vision. The Vision side of “Reboot’s” story concerns itself with past connections and a hopeful future.

I loved the scenes between The Vision and Tommy. They felt real, like a parent and child reconnecting after years. Despite owning a wealth of knowledge, The Vision struggles to be a father. It’s touching. It’s honest. And it’s fitting that The Vision’s first step toward becoming a real father was to listen to his son. Beautiful.

The Vision’s internal world takes a step back in “Reboot.” The characters are just as engaging as ever. I liked the touch of Tony Stark basing his AIs off of real-life people. We may (and probably should) find out more about the people F.R.I.D.A.Y. and E.D.I.T.H.’s are copied from. The MCU did show Jarvis (Agent Carter) and J.A.R.V.I.S. early in its runtime. It’s great to see Stark continue this practice, because this is what happens in the comics. The comic book version of The Vision was a brain copy of Wonder Man’s. For a time, I wondered if the MCU would link Wonder Man and VisionQuest. Jocasta, who is most likely the other synthezoid introduced in “Reboot,” (we may get confirmation in the next episode) was a brain copy of someone else. I like the concept of brain copies. It’s a great way to flesh out the MCU and sprinkle in some callbacks, provided those callbacks are more than nostalgia bait and hold meaning.

Quick note: I’m writing these reviews/reactions as I watch the episodes; I haven’t yet watched episode four before writing this post, and my thoughts on the next episode may alter my thoughts on this episode (in retrospect). Future Kyra may know who the other synthezoid is and who’s brain the synthezoid copies.

I liked the scene at the end where The Vision’s internal world converges with this new synthezoid. The moment before the invasion, The Vision and the surviving AIs honor J.A.R.V.I.S.’s memory. Who knew U could sing? And D.U.M-E is anything but if he can recite poetry. It’s a touching moment and necessary one. J.A.R.V.I.S. may not have shown up as much in the MCU these past several years, but I still see bumper stickers that read, J.A.R.V.I.S. is my copilot. Fans didn’t have time to mourn his passing last week. And I liked the many Easter eggs VisionQuest threw into this episode. I counted almost 90. 90 is a lot. My favorites were when U sprayed E.D.I.T.H. with a fire extinguisher (like he did with Tony in 2008’s Iron Man), and F.R.I.D.A.Y. recounting the day she couldn’t save Tony. Equal parts funny and heartbreaking.

I’ve delayed talking about The Paladin’s side of the story for long enough. We discovered more about The Paladin this week. Fantastic. Despite being one of VisionQuest’s chief antagonists, I almost found myself rooting for him. The Paladin has a strange moral code and magnetic personality, but the addition of an inferiority complex (he’s not a Paladin by blood) makes him a more complex character. VisionQuest choses its flashbacks well and doesn’t slow down the narrative by throwing in too many. Easter Eggs may be a different conversation. Anyway, The Paladin gets fired by his employer. Something tells me he won’t stop hunting The Vision, and The Vision will have more bounty hunters on his tail. Not to mention the other synthezoid.

Yes! I’m almost certain the other synthezoid is Jocasta Pym. To save me from going through all the MCU’s potential synthezoids, let’s just say she is the bride of Ultron, Jocasta. In the comics, Jocasta is a brain copy of The Wasp. I don’t see that. VisionQuest has reestablished brain copies as a thing in the MCU, so Jocasta will definitely be a brain copy of someone, but the Wasp doesn’t fit. The MCU also wants to distance itself from Antman and the Wasp: Quantumania. So, who is Jocasta’s brain double? She’s an assassin, so a Black Widow (maybe the one from Agent Carter) would make sense. Taskmaster was unceremonially eliminated (in Thunderbolts*), so Jocasta could’ve been a copy of Taskmaster. Regardless of who she is, Jocasta (or the other synthezoid) left an impression.

VisionQuest “Reboot” ended on a great note. I struggled to rewatch “Reboot” before writing this post because I wanted to see what would happen next. Jocasta infiltrating The Vision’s internal world is compelling. The visual cues VisionQuest leading up to this invasion was spot on (the color palette changes, Ultron following the butcherbird killer and painting the end scene during “Reboot’s” opening scenes). I’ve said it multiple times. The Vision/Wanda Maximoff trilogy of mini series is the best MCU property this side of Avengers: End Game. All of these projects are baseline good to great.

Those are my thoughts on VisionQuest “Reboot.” What are yours? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Writing Brain Dump October 2026

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Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another writing brain dump. I’ll begin with a quick update with my progress. It is Ber season after all. I’ve reached 1,000 to 1,200 words per day. At this rate, I’ll easily reach my goal (between 50,000 and 70,000 words) by the middle of next month (November 2026). Who knows? If I finish early, I may write some of the prewritten Geekly posts for next year. If I get done really early, I may write some extra scenes for Gods and Dolls. Yay! I’ll hold off on editing until 2027. Gotta make sure the manuscript sits for at least a month, so I can look at it again with fresh eyes. If you begin editing too soon, you’ll find fewer flaws. You don’t want to be too close to the project.

With my personal update out of the way, let’s talk about something that may discourage writers from writing: Artificial Intelligence. That’s right. I’m talking about AI. If you’ve followed this site for a while, you’ll know that I don’t have a lot of nice things to say about AI. I’ve deleted more than a few board game and video game entries from our weekly round up of new releases (Geek News on Sundays) because the project used AI art. In short, AI art isn’t art. Art is an expression of the human condition. Artificial Intelligence is incapable of that because it isn’t human. With the exception of a handful of artists who give their permission for large language models (LLMs) to use their work, generative AI art is plagiarism.

One bit of good news: AI writing can’t replace human writers. AI writing is inferior to human writing, and I don’t see that fact changing any time soon. To better explain what I mean, let’s discuss how to spot AI writing and why the programs that produce it behave the way they do.

Em Dashes

First off, I’m going to stop saying AI writing. Artificial Intelligence has no intelligence. What tech bros call AI is a Large Language Model (or LLM). LLMs scrape as much content as it can from as many sources as it can, the more the merrier, and splices that content together into something that sounds original, but isn’t. This means LLMs behave in certain ways, ways that will always make human writing superior to text vomited by an LLM. The most documented way people spot LLM text is the model’s misuse and overuse of em dashes (–).

Technically, there’s nothing wrong with using an em dash, but you need to know how to use the punctuation. This goes for all forms of punctuation. Em dashes are used for abrupt changes of thought. The most common ways LLMs will misuse em dashes is replacing proper punctuation with an em dash. For instance:

I loaded my backpack–writing log, pens every color of the rainbow, and a granola bar for a snack.

In this example, an em dash was used instead of a colon. LLMs use em dashes whenever they don’t know the exact punctuation to use. Current LLM builds will misuse and overuse em dashes, but the punctuation the LLM will overuse and misuse may, and probably will, change in the future. Humans have figured out this tell. The next punctuation LLMs might overuse could be commas, semi-colons, colons, quotation marks, parentheses, or something else entirely. Who knows? But humans can learn which punctuation to use. Style books come in handy. Personally, I like Strunk and White’s Elements of Style, but any style book will work.

LLMs aren’t human. They can’t learn; they can only copy.

The Rule of Three

Three is a magic number. I use the rule of three in my writing. Heck, I have a short story collection of literary triptychs, the same short scene shown through three different lenses. The Rule of Three is a powerful literary tool. One or two might be too few. More than three may be too many. Three is just right. Just ask Goldilocks.

Despite the power of three, it can be abused. LLMs abuse the power of three aAll the time. A couple of months ago, I googled the definition of “business” to see what I’d get as a result. You see, Google added a Gemini AI assistant to its search engine. The website places its “AI” overview at the top of every search result. Basically, Google’s LLM scours the internet and compiles answers for what you searched against, so you don’t have to read an article a human wrote on a website. Who wants to do that? How do you think the Gemini AI assistant defined business?

A business is a corporation, organization, or workplace that produces a product, services, or professional services.

You might not need “workplace,” and Gemini said “services” twice. Wouldn’t professional services fall under the blanket category of services? Gemini did this because it had to have three items. There is no one or two or four.

LLMs will never be able to fix this issue. The only logical way to address this would create more problems than it would fix. Theoretically, LLMs could use a random number generator that picks a number between 1-5, weighing the time each number can be rolled (like on a twenty-sided die) with three being the most common number rolled. Again, LLMs don’t think; it’s nothing but programming. With this hypothetical “fix,” what happens when the LLM rolls a five twice? Would the Gemini AI assistant redefine a business like this?

A business is a corporation, organization, workplace, enterprise, or association that produces a product, services, professional services, individual services, and special services.

The above would be far worse than the previous LLM text vomit. The best course of action for LLMs is to stick with The Rule of Three.

Humans can sense when they need one or two or three or four or even thirty-something items. Tim O’Brien listed around thirty-something items that Vietnam War soldiers stored in their backpacks in his short story, “The Things They Carried.” Listing those thirty-something items served an artist function. Humans can write better stories and sentences. Humans can make art. LLMs can’t make art.

Transition Words

LLMs love transition words like however, consequently, and furthermore. (I had to list three transition word examples because three.) Humans will use transition words, too, but we don’t use them that much outside of technical essays. LLMs LOVE transition words. Large Language Models are trying to find connections between words and exploit patterns. Transition words can help with forming connections when used correctly. Of course, LLMs seldom use transition words correctly. Consider the following:

San Diego is a city in southern California. Furthermore, it’s on the Pacific Ocean.

The above example sounds correct, because both sentences state facts about San Diego. But “furthermore” is used to support or add to a previous statement. Those two facts above have little to do with each other. The following would make more sense if you needed to use the word, furthermore.

San Diego is a city in southern California. Furthermore, it is the farthest south of any of California’s major cities.

In this example, you’re building on San Diego and how south it is with the second statement. Many human writers wouldn’t bother with using “furthermore” in the instance above; we’d rewrite it. LLMs will always want to use transition words because they’re trying to create connections according to its programing, but LLMs will fail to use these transition words correctly because they don’t know why a human writer would use these words. Either don’t use these words or use them correctly. Style books are your friend.

Not X, But Y

At their core, LLMs are computer programs. While computer language has changed in the last several decades, “if/then” statements remain at their core. (“If/then” statements are used in programming like so, if X is true, then go to line Y or perform the Y function.) Or at least some variant of “if/then” statements remain in computer programming today. “Not X, But Y” statements are similar in structure to “if/then” statements, so this removes the language barrier between a computer and humans. As a result, LLMs overuse “Not X, But Y” statements. You may not know what I’m talking about with “Not X, But Y” statements, but you’ve definitely read them or heard them. I’ll give you a common, overused example of a “Not X, But Y” statement.

It’s not a job, but a calling.

When you see this tell, you won’t be able to not see it in LLM text vomit. LLMs love this structure. Here’s a writing sample I saw from a published work that was totally not written by an LLM.

It’s not a job, but a calling. It’s not a workplace, but a family. It’s not a desk, but a throne.

Three! They used three in a row. Three is the magic number. That series of three “Not X, But Y” statements almost makes sense. I love it when LLMs go off on a tangent, like the following:

It’s not a job, but a roast beef sandwich.

Was the statement above written by an LLM, or was someone off their meds, or was a human trying to sound like an LLM? Hey! Three more lists of three. Oh, yeah! Three!

LLMs use “Not X, But Y” statements because it mirrors “if/then” statements, and these can sound profound. “It’s not a job, but a calling” may have sounded deep when it was first uttered, but LLMs will spam this crap. Don’t spam “Not X, But Y” statements.

Closing Thoughts

Human writers matter. Keep writing. You’re better than any LLM now and unless corporations perform some zero gravity moon leaps with their programming, you’ll be a better writer than any LLM in the foreseeable future. Your writing has value. You have value.

Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Whatcha Watching, Geekly: October 2026

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Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here! Today, our writers share what they’ve been watching over the past month. Feel free to share what you’ve been watching over the past month, because we’re all part of the Geekly Gang. I’ll get this post started with what I’ve been watching over the past month.

Kyra’s Shows

I started watching Atypical on Netflix. I was reluctant to watch the show because of its lack of actors with autism. From what I’ve heard, Atypical correct that shortcoming by hiring actors with autism in future seasons. Yes! Looks like we may have another addition to the Autism Representation series of posts. I won’t go into too much detail here; I’ll have to save something for that future post (which will probably post some time early next year, 2027). Like many shows that feature neurodivergent characters, Atypical doesn’t get every detail right. I just started watching, but hiring actors on the spectrum in future seasons is a step in the right direction.

Despite seeing some of the tropes presented in Atypical on more than one show featuring an autistic character, the show manages to hold my interest. And some elements of Atypical ring true. Honestly, the first season (I’m early on in the show) does a good job portraying Sam’s family and friends. For now, Atypical does a good job showing how family struggles to accommodate someone on the spectrum, even when that person has lower support needs. I do like how Atypical makes the distinction of people with autism having different needs. Atypical is listed as a comedy drama. I’d argue it’s more of a drama than comedy (at least for the first season), but it has some moments that made me giggle.

This won’t be the last time I mention Atypical on the site. Beware! I see an Autism Representation post in the future.

Animal Control TV Series Logo

I write my section of these posts a month ahead (usually), and Animal Control season four dropped on Netflix. At this moment, I’ve been rewatching the previous season in preparation of Animal Control season five releasing at the end of September. By the time you’re reading this, I’ll be watching the new season. It took me a while to warm up to Animal Control’s characters. I’ve discussed the danger of short episode seasons for sitcoms in the past. I won’t belabor the point here. In short, short episode seasons don’t work for sitcoms. Shows struggle to retain an audience. The characters don’t have time to develop. Animal Control had the will they, won’t they romcom couple get together at the end of season three, which seems like a lifetime, but it’s the same number of episodes as Ross and Rachel on Friends getting together. Short episode season kill a sitcom’s momentum.

Short rant over. I like where Animal Control left its characters at the end of season four and can’t wait to see what shenanigans the gang gets into in season five. I started watching Animal Control because of Joel McHale. I’m staying for the adorkable characters.

Signs of a Psychopath

By this point, you know I’m a true crime fan. I’ve watched every episode of Signs of a Psychopath. The latest season released over the past month, and I’ve caught up in the series. I’ve watched enough of Signs of a Psychopath that I know what psychological jargon the subject matter experts will say before they say it. I could make a drinking game out of it. Flat affect. Drink! Okay. Maybe I shouldn’t make a drinking game out of this show.

Lanterns TV Show Banner

Lanterns‘ first season wrapped up this past month. I won’t say much about this show. If you want my thoughts on Lanterns, Geekly has reviews of each episode. In short, I’m hoping for a second season. I may have some issues with Lanterns, but the show is entertaining and worthy of a second season. If it does return, I want more alien planets. And aliens! We need more pink-skinned beings.

Kyra’s Movie

I’ve always liked Daniel Johnston’s music; expect to see a Daniel Johnston entry in next week’s Geekly Tunes post. Daniel Johnston is the most popular outsider artists. Outsider art is art made by self-taught individuals who are untrained and untutored in the traditional arts with typically little or no contact with the conventions of the art worlds. While Daniel Johnston fits this definition, he’s so much more than that. Daniel Johnston’s music strips away the production you’ll find on studio albums. His art has an earnestness you won’t find in mainstream music. Songs like “Story of an Artist,” “Somethings Last a Long Time,” and “Life in Vain” aren’t afraid to get to the song’s emotional center. Daniel Johnston’s voice adds vulnerability.

Daniel Johnston was more than a musician. He drew cover art for his albums. The picture above is one of Daniel Johnston’s original works. He had a thing for drawing a guy missing the top part of his skull. And The Devil features in a lot of Daniel Johnston’s work. He grew up in an ultra-religious household. Johnston often thought about The Devil. So, The Devil and Daniel Johnston works as the title of a documentary movie about Daniel Johnston. The movie itself interviews a lot of Johnston’s friends and family, and on occasion, Johnston himself. He fought numerous personal demons. He created a unique world. The Devil and Daniel Johnston did a good job of presenting that world.

I’ll briefly talk about two highlights from this movie. The Devil and Daniel Johnston interviewed Gibby Haynes (of the Butthole Surfers) while he was at the dentist. Excellent! At the very end, Daniel Johnston’s parents talked about how they tried to find a place for him, but nothing worked besides their home. Johnston’s father worried about his son. He wanted to know that his son would be okay after he passed. This moment hits a lot different now than it would have in 2006 (when the film was first released). Daniel Johnston would pass of a massive heart attack. His parents would pass away shortly afterwards. Right as the tears fall, cue “Somethings Last a Long Time” and the credits.

The Devil and Daniel Johnston won’t be for everyone, but if you like Daniel Johnston’s music and art, it’s available for free with ads on YouTube.

That’s all I’ve watched this past month, and it looks like I’m on my own for this month. What’ve you been watching, Geekly Gang? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.