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Whatcha Watching, Geekly? January 2026

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Happy Wednesday, 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 this past month in the comments. We’re all part of the Geekly Gang. I’ll get us started with what I’ve been watching this past month.

Kyra’s Movies

Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story marks the second or third time I’ve seen this story told. I’ll keep this off the cuff and not research the topic, so I may get details incorrect. There’s a reason Jodi Hildebrandt’s story has been told multiple times. It’s harrowing. Sporting countless injuries (like rope burns on his wrists and ankles), a pre-teen boy wanders the Utah desert barefoot. He approaches three houses before someone calls the police on his behalf. That’s a killer opening.

Turns out the titular Jodi Hildebrandt coaxed MomTube influencer Ruby Franke to abuse her two youngest children. Hildebrandt leverages Franke’s religion (she’s a member of the Church of Latter-day Saints). Franke does everything Hildebrandt tells her to do, and the result is two emaciated children, scared for their lives. Yeah. There’s a reason the 2023 story of Jodi Hildebrandt has gained multiple documentaries. But Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story glosses over several key details or omits them.

Again, I’m going off of memory, but Hildebrandt lived with the Frankes (Ruby and her husband Kevin) for months before Hildebrandt had Ruby kick Kevin to the curb. According to other documentaries, Hildebrandt has had past lesbian lovers, so most likely Hildebrandt and Ruby had a sexual relationship. They did sleep in the same bed for well over a year. Perhaps a previous documentary got hit with a lawsuit for stating that. But Hildebrandt as a self-hating queer makes sense. Her actions resemble those of someone who struggles with their identity. I’m not condoning Hildebrandt’s actions. She’s reprehensible. But this lens does make her actions more understandable.

And Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story glosses over Hildebrandt’s “possessions.” Again, I could see someone’s self-hatred manifesting into something akin to demon possession. This went on for months while Hildebrandt lived with the Frankes, and in interviews with Kevin Franke, he suggests there would be no reason for Hildebrandt to stop after he left the house. There was also a lot of drama between Hildebrandt and the older Franke children. We get neither of the older Franke children’s accounts of what happened.

To my recollection, the oldest Franke son reconnected with Kevin after several years. Evil Influencer is a brisk 80-minute watch. Perhaps that’s another reason why it skipped several talking points. While not the most comprehensive show on the subject, Evil Influencer was enjoyable to listen to and half-watch while working on a board game. Lol

I won’t go into too much detail with This is Spinal Tap. This was one of the movies Skye got for Christmas, and we watched it on her birthday. Happy belated birthday, Skye!

The first handful of times I watched This is Spinal Tap, decades ago (Yikes! I’m old), I missed a lot of the wordplay. Frankly, I found This is Spinal Tap boring. But that changed with this viewing. I saw the groundwork of what would become Christopher Guest’s improv comedy movies like Best in Show and A Mighty Wind. Many of the actors from those films make an appearance in This is Spinal Tap. Also, RIP, Rob Reiner.

Kyra’s Shows

I’m still in the middle of rewatching Grimm. The special effects continue to hold up, but the idea of “don’t tell fill-in-the-blank the truth about wesen” gets old fast. Nick hides his other life from Juliette for far too long. Hank learns about wesen the hard way, and once the gang allows the same to happen to Officer Wu, I got ticked. So much of the show’s early interpersonal tension derives from people needlessly keeping secrets. I mean, Wu goes to a psych ward because he doesn’t believe what he saw. You might want to tell him the truth.

Outside of pressing the misinformation button repeatedly, Grimm has a gripping storyline. The political intrigue of the royals making moves to shift the world’s power keeps me hooked. That may be why the I can’t tell so-and-so who I am plots are so frustrating. Grimm doesn’t need to use that cliche.

As you can guess, I’ve also been listening and half-watching to Grimm while I’ve been working on board game designs. It’s a good trip down memory. Grimm was one of the shows my late mom would watch. We’d talk about it over the phone, and it brings back good memories.

I’ve also been watching the Fallout series on Amazon Video. I won’t go into too much detail. You can check out my thoughts on the first four episodes by following this link. Hopefully, I remembered to link post. Eek!

That’s all I have for what I’ve been watching this past month. Let’s check in with Skye.

Skye’s Movies

After the release of the sequel last year (Spinal Tap II: The End Continues), I’ve felt the need to give This is Spinal Tap a watch since I hadn’t seen it before. I was lucky enough to experience Spinal Tap on my birthday and had fun. Most of Spinal Tap isn’t laugh-out-loud funny since it primarily focuses on representing a realistic depiction of a band touring through the United States. Despite that drawback, there’s a specific hilarious scene that justified Spinal Tap’s existence, and it didn’t overstay its welcome, unlike many modern movies. The whole thing fits neatly into an hour and a half runtime and manages to remain vivid weeks after watching. If you haven’t seen This is Spinal Tap before, I highly recommend it.

Salò is a testament to the most heinous, hedonistic desires of humanity. Given the alternate title, The 120 Days of Sodom, I’m sure you probably could’ve guessed that. Although, despite my existence on this planet as an asexual person, I still thought it was important enough to analyze. While most flicks you watch with your eyes and mind, I watched Salò with my entire body. If I could’ve recorded and posted a video of myself watching Salò, you would’ve seen me contort my body in feelings of discomfort I never knew existed. Unlike lesser exploitation films that revel in the worst of humanity, Salò stands out by conveying a distinct message. The whole thing takes place in Northern Italy at the tail-end of WWII. Salò outlines the true nature of fascism and what ultimately leads to its downfall. So long as you think you can handle it, feel free to take a look. Just make sure it’s on an empty stomach.

I’ve been in a weird mood lately. Given my last entry, that may have been assumed. I topped off last month with a movie I’ve been meaning to watch for a while: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Ever since I learned that Fear and Loathing was directed by Terry Gilliam, I wanted to see it. Gilliam is associated with abstract imagery and avant-garde styles. Fear and Loathing is trademark Terry Gilliam. Not only is it chock-full of insane situations and fantastic camera work, but you can also say it’s a commentary on American living. Fear and Loathing chronicles protagonist Raoul Duke’s massive drug trip, so it’s impossible to say what parts of the film are real. Duke’s excessive lifestyle, reckless choices, and insufferable personality are quintessential parts of the American ethos. “The Land of the free to do whatever you want at the expense of everyone around you,” that’s the motto of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

Season’s Show

Hey, Geekly Gang! It’s been a while since I’ve contributed to this series. Much has happened these past couple of months. We’ll save that for another update. I haven’t watched The Big Bang Theory since I was in high school, and I stopped watching around season six or seven. I can’t remember.
Anyway, The Big Bang Theory is stereotypical of geek culture, and Sheldon Cooper has varying degrees of appropriate autism representation. If you’d like to read more, follow this link to Kyra’s article about The Big Bang Theory and autism representation. I remember Sheldon made me laugh a lot when I watched the show initially, and I liked seeing things I enjoy (comic books) being represented in a show.

I’m still watching The Big Bang Theory with the intention of finishing it this time. Parts of it haven’t aged well (it’s a bit too stereotypical), but it’s fun to see two Harley Quinns (Kaley Cuoco and Melissa Rauch) share a screen.

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here again. That’s all our writers have been watching over the past month. Let us know what you’ve been watching in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) 2026 Preview

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Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. We covered the DCU earlier this month, and today is the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU’s) turn. Despite Captain America: Brave New World’s lukewarm reception and Thunderbolts* underwhelming box office returns, 2025 was a great year for the MCU. Superhero films–heck, films in general–don’t make as much money. Thank you, pandemic. 2026 looks to build off of last year’s success. We’ll see the return of multiple animated and live-action shows. The Marvel Animated Universe (MAU) and street-level television superheroes may be in full swing. And Marvel Studios may only have two films scheduled for 2026, but the two films on the schedule may be the biggest ones in years.

One little disclaimer: I wrote this post months before January 2026 because I limit my Geekly output the final four months of the year to write a new novel and edit older ones; I’ll try and remember to update this list if anything changes. Without further ado, let’s get to the shows.

Wonder Man (January 27, 2026)

I should be reviewing Wonder Man as it releases, and the show will most likely have already concluded its run as of this post. If you want to see my thoughts on Wonder Man, you can check out our review(s). Hopefully, I remembered to include a link. Lol

Okay. Wonder Man has been pushed back to January 27th, so I should begin reviews next week or the following week. Wonder Man has an interesting backstory. The MCU could go in multiple directions with him. Instead of talking at length as to why Wonder Man is an interesting character, I’ll leave a link to our Wonder Man Starter Stories post.

MCU 2025 Preview Daredevil Born Again

Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 (March 2026)

While I still stand by Kingpin having the better storyline in Daredevil: Born Again’s first season, we may see Daredevil’s story take flight in the show’s second season. Daredevil: Born Again’s second season should center around Daredevil mobilizing an army of vigilantes to overthrow Mayor Fisk. Bullseye is still in play, and that should add some spice. With little left to lose, Daredevil may get desperate. While Jon Bernthal’s Punisher will most likely not return because he’ll star in his own Special Presentation later in 2026, Krysten Ritter’s Jessica Jones will join Daredevil: Born Again’s cast. I’m also holding out hope for Mike Colter’s Luke Cage to make a return.

Matthew Lillard makes his MCU debut in Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 in an undisclosed role, and The Conjuring actor Lilly Taylor joins the series in a supporting role. During the first season, Daredevil: Born Again was a solid, if uneven, series. Season two should build on a series that found its footing toward the end.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day (July 31, 2026)

Spider-Man films always do well at the box office, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day looks to continue that trend. Jon Bernthal’s Punisher will return in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and he’s joined by a villainous Hulk. Geekly reported several months ago that the fight scene between Spider-Man and Hulk will predominantly use practical effects, and that makes sense, considering director Destin Daniel Cretton of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings fame has taken over the reigns.

We’re still unsure which version of Hulk will appear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Will the MCU return Hulk to his savage self? Will they introduce an older Hulk from an alternate universe, and then Spider-Man will face off against Maestro? Or will the MCU choose a different option? No matter which direction the MCU chooses, I can’t wait to see this iconic fight scene hit theatres.

X-Men ’97 Season 2 (Summer 2026)

Marvel Television chairman Brad Winderbaum confirmed, “Season 2 of X-Men ’97 is going to be in 2026.” While I believe Winderbaum, X-Men ’97 Season 2 has slowly progressed. The first season aired in early 2024, but the wait should be worth it. X-Men ’97 ended on some great cliffhangers. Wolverine lost his adamantium, Apocalypse returns, and The X-Men in the past should all make for appointment viewing.

We’ve waited years for a follow-up season of X-Men ’97, but we may not need to wait nearly as long for Season 3 after Season 2. Season 3 is in active development simultaneously with Season 2. Originally, I put two quarters for X-Men ’97’s release, because we could see both follow-up seasons released the same year. If that happens, Season 2 could release in the summer, and then Season 3 could follow in the fourth quarter. I’m all for double the X-Men fun.

The whole cast is set to return for both seasons. However, Beau DeMayo was actively involved in X-Men ’97 Season 2’s development; he won’t return as showrunner or be involved with the show after Season 2. Despite DeMayo’s exit, X-Men ’97 should be in great hands. Winderbaum has stated that “The fact that we get to play in that universe (1990s X-Men Animated Series) with those actors is honestly why I went into this business in the first place.” Between Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man and X-Men ’97, the Marvel Animated Universe is poised for greatness.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Season 2 (Fall 2026)

Okay. I’m writing this months in advance, and we’re nowhere near an official release date for Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Season 2. My original guess of Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Season 2 was Second Quarter 2026. Okay. I was way off. Lol

Anyway, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man surprised me. While it had some flaws, it was a strong debut series for the Marvel Animated Universe (MAU). The art style grew on me. Norman Osborn and Peter Parker’s relationship shakes up the MCU’s version of Spidey and the comics’. Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man isn’t afraid to take risks. I can’t wait to see what the series does with Ghost-Spider, Gwen Stacey, and watch Lonnie’s transformation into Tombstone. I loved Lonnie’s storyline in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’s first season.

And fun news, like X-Men ’97, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man seasons two and three were worked on simultaneously. The year-long gap between MCU movies could serve to establish the MAU. I grew up on Marvel cartoons, so I’d be okay if the MAU dominated Marvel’s release schedule for a year.

Vision Quest (Late 2026)

Vision Quest has been a long time in the making. White Vision made his debut during WandaVision’s finale (2021). Since he left Westview, White Vision has most likely been trying to recover the original synthezoid’s memories or construct an identity of his own. While we don’t have any details, I could see Wonder Man factoring into White Vision’s story, if only as a nod to the comics. In the comics, Vision’s personality was a copy of Wonder Man’s.

But we do know that Ultron actor James Spader will reprise his role, so White Vision may reconnect with characters from the original Vision’s past. We don’t know if White Vision will meet his resurrected son Billy Maximoff (from Agatha All Along), or if Vision Quest will revisit Scarlet Witch. Vision Quest has the potential to further the Multiverse’s theme of magic versus technology.

The Punisher Disney+ Special (Late 2026)

As of the writing of this post, there’s still a chance The Punisher Disney+ Special could release before or after Spider-Man: Brand New Day, but it should release around the same time, so we’re giving it a third or fourth quarter release window, making The Punisher’s release date between July and November 2026.

We don’t know how The Punisher will play into the events before or after Spider-Man: Brand New Day. We do know that the special will build off of the original Netflix series and the events of Daredevil: Born Again Season 1. Frank Castle will most likely face a new street-level MCU villain. And The Punisher marks the first mid-length format for the MCU since 2022’s The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. I always liked the Werewolf By Night Special. The Punisher should be a great addition. Marvel Television chairman Brad Winderbaum described The Punisher as a “shotgun blast of a story” with plenty of “pathos and emotion.”

Avengers: Doomsday (December 18, 2026)

Earth’s Mightiest Heroes will look a lot different in Avengers: Doomsday. Sam Wilson’s Avengers, Bucky and Yelena’s New Avengers, and Earth-828’s Fantastic Four will join forces to take on one of Marvel’s greatest villains, Doctor Doom. Nuff said.

Okay. I will add that this major Marvel crossover film has seen plenty of snags, but that’s to be expected, especially after the unexpected firing of Jonathan Majors’s Kang as the central villain. Doctor Doom is the best possible alternative. This accelerated the Fantastic Four’s timeline, but Fantastic Four: First Steps did a great job of introducing Marvel’s first family to the MCU. Dozens, if not hundreds, of cameos are scheduled for Avengers: Doomsday.

Avengers: Doomsday should set the MCU ablaze. The events of Avengers: Doomsday will play directly into what happens during Avengers: Secret Wars, and after Avengers: Secret Wars, the MCU will receive a “reset.” Who knows what the MCU will look like after Avengers: Secret Wars?

That’s all we have for our MCU 2026 Preview. Which MCU project are you most excited for? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Geekly News: January 18, 2026, Spider-Man License Update

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Happy Sunday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another week of Geek News. We have more video game and board game releases to discuss, but first, let’s discuss another angle of the MCU’s future. The Spider-Man license between Sony and Marvel/Disney may soon change.

Rumors of a New Spider-Man License Deal

Almost three decades have passed since Marvel Comics sold the movie rights to Spider-Man and other characters within Spider-Man’s universe (Venom, Carnage, Kraven, and others). Since the deal, Sony has done what it can to hold onto every character it can. The last couple of years we’ve seen Madame Web, Kraven, Morbius, and Venom: The Last Dance release to less than stellar responses. Let’s be real. Most of those movies stunk. I don’t blame any actor, director, or anyone else involved in those movies for their quality or for being involved in those movies. Some of them— like the Venom movies — made money, but audiences and critics didn’t rate them highly. But change could be in the air. According to trusted industry insider DanielRPK, Sony’s Spider-Man embargo may soon come to an end.

Why is Sony open to a new deal? We don’t know for certain. The aforementioned Venom: The Last Dance concluded the Spider-Man Villain movie franchise. Even if Sony chose to relaunch, reboot, or rework the franchise, Venom actor Tom Hardy has retired from the role, and Venom was the franchise’s biggest box office draw. Then, there’s the news that the Black Cat solo film has been cancelled, and the fact that Sony has begun cancelling films within the Spider-Man Villain movie franchise raises red flags.

According to Nerd Tower (via Twitter/X), Black Cat has been in production since at least 2021. Here’s what Nerd Tower recently shared: “There was a Black Cat movie in production, I saw storyboards and in a specific sequence, she was dressed as a goth at a costume party, cries in the bathroom, smears her makeup and makes the ‘mask,’ BAMMMM Black Cat ready for action. It was awful.”

True. That origin for Felicia Hardy/Black Cat sounds awful. But it’s not the worst storyline Sony’s Spider-Man Villain movie franchise has released. The less said about Madame Web, the better. Change must be on the horizon if Sony heard a movie pitch they didn’t like for Spider-Man or his villains. We don’t yet know what this means for the MCU’s Spider-Man or if a deal will happen with enough time for it to affect Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Negotiations between Sony and Marvel/Disney are ongoing and predate Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s development. There’s a chance we could see Venom, Carnage, Kraven, or the Sinister Six in the MCU.

But I wouldn’t hold my breath. Unless a deal occurred under the table, the best Spider-Man: Brand New Day could do is hint at the Spider-Man Villain movie franchise characters joining the MCU. But the next Spider-Man film could feature any number of these characters. I’d love to see a Sinister Six movie.

Mountain Goats: Legacy Launches on KickStarter

In Mountain Goats: Legacy, players battle each other for top spot on the mountain. Each turn, roll and combine dice to race up the mountain. Get to the top to score, but don’t get knocked off! If you roll the goat symbol, activate new abilities—powers that rotate every mission. As your story progresses, you’ll unlock even more powerful abilities and face tougher challenges. The mountain itself might even transform beneath your feet.

I’ve never played the original Mountain Goats, but I’ve heard great things. I’m unsure how Mountain Goats lends itself to a Legacy game, a game that can be played over multiple gaming sessions, and the game changes after each session, but I’m here for it. I saw the original Mountain Goats when it was first released at Origins and have been kicking myself for not trying it out during the convention. But I didn’t get much of a chance. Gamers flooded the tables where Mountain Goats was on display. Mountain Goats: Legacy is among the highly anticipated games for 2026 on most other board review sites. You can back Mountain Goats: Legacy for $39-88. There’s even an Enchanted Ivy, a dedicated solo variant of Mountain Goats for $19. If you’re interested in Mountain Goats: Legacy, check out its KickStarter page.

Small-Time Heroes Returns to GameFound

Small-Time Heroes is another title I haven’t had the chance to play yet. It’s received high marks on BoardGameGeek. In this cooperative deck builder, you’ll take on the role of one of the Small-Time Heroes and work together to defend the town. With each battle, you’ll build up your deck of cards, choosing from a variety of cards that represent your hero’s unique abilities. As your power builds, you will defeat waves of minions and end with a final boss battle. Defeat the boss before they defeat you!

I love publisher Solo Game of the Month’s mission. Produce high-quality and accessible solo board games each month. Small-Time Heroes continues this trend. The original Small-Time Heroes is available for $39, and so is its first major expansion. Small-Time Heroes’ GameFound page offers several other add-ons, too. If you’re interested in Small-Time Heroes, check out its GameFound page.

Boktor Launches on GameFound

Boktor is a cooperative adventure game for 1 to 6 players, blending dungeon-crawling, tactical combat, and character progression in a world where elemental chaos threatens to consume everything. Each game is a self-contained mission in which players take on the role of legendary heroes sent to explore a dynamically generated dungeon. Their goal: survive waves of enemies, gather powerful abilities, and confront the final Tyrant before the Vortex obliterates the land. I like Boktor’s idea of quick level-ups for your heroes. Too often, dungeon-crawlers like these take too long for the leveling to happen.

I’m getting Betrayal at House on the Hill vibes from Boktor’s map, and that’s a good thing. I always liked Betrayal’s exploration, and Boktor looks to include exploration. And the biggest issue with dungeon-crawling board games is the time it takes to learn and play them. Boktor boasts a 5-minute teaching of the rules and 60-minute game sessions. If that’s true, sign me up. We don’t know Boktor’s price point as of this write-up (it will release early next week), but if you’re interested in Boktor, check out its GameFound page.

What you can’t see… doesn’t exist. Cassette Boy is a puzzle action RPG where you control the game’s perspective to change the world you see. Rotate a 2D pixel-styled 3D world, using disappearing obstacles and newly appearing paths to uncover the mystery of the vanished moon. Honestly, I knew little about Cassette Boy before researching for this post, but the premise has me hooked.

Cassette Boy’s aesthetic channel slightly beefed up GameBoy graphics, but no one’s planning on playing this indie game for its graphics. Cassette Boy’s gameplay may be one of the better puzzle action RPG conceits since Katamari Damacy. It builds its story through gameplay, and that has me stoked. And for its listed price of less than $15 dollars, Cassette Boy may be worth a look. Cassette Boy is available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, and Nintendo Switch.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon Releases

I sense a trend with the games (board games and video games) on this list. I’ve never played a game in the Trails series and have been meaning to for some time. If anyone knows where best to begin the series, let me know in the comments. The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon is not only a continuation of the Trails series of video games, but it’s the direct sequel to 2022’s The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak II. Okay. I may not begin Trails with this title, but look how pretty.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon looks like a game I’d enjoy. It features an updated combat system–from the rest of the Trails series. Mechs play a large role. Yes, please. And the previous games from this series within the larger Trails series have received favorable reviews. The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon is available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2.

That’s all the geek news we have for you this week. If you’ve made it this far, you’re fantabulastical. We all know it. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Fallout Season 2, Episode 5 “The Wrangler” Review

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Happy Saturday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. We moved our review day from Friday to Saturday this week, and during today’s review/reaction, I’ll share my thoughts on the most recent Fallout episode, “The Wrangler.”

I’ll begin with a sentiment I’ve shared multiple times before: Fallout has an amazing soundtrack. I’ve always liked The Mills Brothers’ “You Always Hurt the One You Love,” but to be fair, the first time I heard the song was a Spike Jones and His City Slickers’ cover. There was a lot of belching and gunshots during that version. Needless to say, I’ve been listening to The Mills Brothers’ “You Always Hurt the One You Love” on repeat ever since I finished watching “The Wrangler.” Fallout is to early 20th Century music what Guardians of the Galaxy is to 60s and 70s tunes. Ah! It’s so good.

If you haven’t noticed, I’m stalling with my “The Wrangler” reaction. I don’t know how to discuss the episode without spoilers, big and small. I’ll try my best to avoid them. If I include spoilers, I’ll warn you and try to keep them to a single paragraph that you can skip. Here it goes. “The Wrangler” answers several questions while posing new ones. Fallout Season 2 has done a great job with cliffhangers.

Speaking of cliffhangers, “The Wrangler” doesn’t pay off the previous deathclaw cliffhanger. But that isn’t too big of an issue. All The Ghoul and Lucy can do is run. It makes sense that they don’t engage with any deathclaws at this stage. The opening scene gives a nod to Fallout: New Vegas (no spoilers yet as to what), but it made me smile. And I suspect this won’t be the last time we’ll see these deathclaws. I don’t know how the deathclaws will factor into future episodes, but I’m certain they’ll return. The remainder of “The Wrangler” splits the difference among exploring The Ghoul’s past and how it mirrors what occurs in the Wasteland, progressing Norm’s Vault-Tec storyline, and throwing in some Lucy and Hank MacLean mayhem.

The episode’s name derives from the Atomic Wrangler Casino, introduced in Fallout: New Vegas. You can see someone in the picture above falling from one of the building’s high stories. Ah! It’s so easy to spoil the episode. Moving on, Fallout has done a good job switching between storylines. While jarring at first, the season has found a good rhythm of when to shift from one set of characters to the next. We don’t see Vault 32, Vault 33, or the Brotherhood in “The Wrangler,” and that’s fine. I’m sure episode six will weave in one or more of these elements into its narrative.

Okay. I’m done with spoiler-free stuff for now. Here comes the spoiler-filled paragraph. You’ve been warned. The deathclaws trapped inside New Vegas are none other than the ones players can find at Quarry Junction in Fallout: New Vegas. Yay! I don’t know how the deathclaws migrated from Quarry Junction, but I trust we’ll learn more later. I chuckled when the snake oil salesman met with Fully Integrated Security Technetronic Officer (FISTO from Fallout: New Vegas) and apologized for cheating on them. And I winced when the camera panned after the snake oil salesman was fitted for a mind control device (that blew off heads in the past). Great payoff. And while observant viewers would’ve caught the initials of Future Enterprises Ventures as being FEV, meaning something else, “The Wrangler” let everyone in on FEV’s true definition: Forced Evolutionary Virus. Bring on the Super Mutants.

Oh. And I’m sure The Ghoul will find a way to pry himself from being impaled. Yikes!

End of spoilers. Overall, “The Wrangler” does a lot of heavy lifting while allowing for emotional weight. “You Always Hurt the Ones You Love” is a fitting song for this episode. I can’t wait for next week’s release. What are your thoughts on Fallout “The Wrangler?” Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Game Design Brain Dump: January 16, 2026

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Happy Friday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another game design brain dump. Our first of the year. Yay! Recently, I watched Netflix’s Delicious in Dungeon. I even shared it during one of our Watcha Watching posts. And instantly, I had a new idea for a board game. Well, Dungeon Chef is a variant of an old game design idea I had years ago. Let’s dish. Great. Now, I’m hungry.

Above is an image of Food Court Hustle’s most recent iteration. Yes, Food Court Hustle was the game’s original name. Food Court Hustle was a card-drafting game where players manage restaurants in a food court. It played quickly, had plenty of Take That elements, and never took itself too seriously. I liked the concept and loved the name. But food courts are a little dated. That was the biggest complaint I heard from playtesters. The concept for Food Court Hustle’s game mechanisms was to give players more control during card drafting. Each round, players would choose one card to play (for its effect) and then choose a card to discard for its ingredients, only every player–not just you–gains the ingredient.

Like most card-drafting games, Food Court Hustle plays swiftly. Simultaneous play helps with game speed. Seriously. This was one of the few games I never felt the need to incessantly time. And that’s a good rule of thumb when designing games. Always time your games. You want to waste as little of your players’ time as possible. I’m not saying you can’t design a two-hour or longer epic board game, but the game should earn its play time. Getting back to Food Court Hustle, something beyond the theme was missing.

Tangent: the image above is Dungeon Chef’s player board, and the previous image was of a Food Court Hustle player board. The scale of these two images is almost what it should be, so I managed to shrink the player’s space while ditching customers. Yes. The original game included customer cards that wouldn’t always appear when players wanted to make a dish. Another gameplay gripe. You could have the ingredients and not be able to make a meal. Dungeon Chef gets rid of that layer of randomness. I also got rid of a lot of the Take That mechanisms and replaced them with global effects.

Above is a sample Dungeon Chef card. The top half is the action you may choose to play. The number indicates the player’s initiative for that turn. All cards in the three day decks are numbered 1-50. The higher the number, the quicker the action. I’ve seen players choose a card for its initiative, which is wild. The bottom half is the monster parts you may add to the communal ingredients. You wouldn’t be the only one gaining a man-eating plant. Everyone at the table gains a chunk of man-eating plant. And returning to the action on this card, you can turn up the temperature of the communal stove. That’s right. Most game elements in Dungeon Chef have global effects. Half the game is steering the game state in your direction.

Players can select a recipe by spending the ingredients on the recipe card. Then, they add the recipe to their player board, lining up the wok with the flame. And near the end of each turn, move the recipe card up the number of spaces indicated by the communal stove’s temperature. Players can take their active recipe off the stove and claim the victory points indicated on the card at any time. But beware, if a player leaves their meal on the stove too long, they could burn their meal, and it goes into the trash, costing them 10 points at the end of the game. Whoever has the most points at the end of three days wins. There’s little more to Dungeon Chef. I tried to keep it short, easy to understand, and stick to the Delicious in Dungeon theme as best I could.

We’ll see where this design goes. And who knows? Perhaps I’ll be at a gaming convention near you. Let me know which convention I should attend. If you made it this far, you’re awesome. We all know it. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Whatcha Reading, Geekly: January 2026

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Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. During today’s post, our writers share what they’ve been reading over the past month. Feel free to share what you’ve been reading in the comments. We’re all part of the Geekly Gang. I’ll start off with what I’ve been reading this past month.

Kyra’s Nonfiction

I don’t think I included reading a tabletop game (board game) design book in my New Year’s Resolutions, but I meant to add reading at least one board game design book this year (there aren’t that many, to be honest). Building Blocks of Tabletop Game Design: An Encyclopedia of Mechanisms is required reading for anyone wanting to design board games. Geoffrey Engelstein set the groundwork for the game mechanisms mentioned on boardgamegeek.com, so it makes sense he cowrites this encyclopedia. And Building Blocks of Tabletop Game Design reads like an encyclopedia.

I’ve found multiple game mechanisms I didn’t know had an official name, and seeing all the terms in one spot inspires me to try designing games with mechanisms I’ve never tried. Heck, Building Blocks of Tabletop Game Design offers ideas on how to use each mechanism. Hmm. I may have some game designs to steal. I mean, create.

Kyra’s Poetry

I love Come on All You Ghosts by Matthew Zapruder. The poems within this collection manage to pack a literary punch while delving into geek culture. Come on All You Ghosts was the first poetry collection I read that proved one could embrace their inner geek, and poetry can be approachable. Don’t be surprised if you find references to Blade Runner, Lovecraftian Horror, or the Seattle Seahawks’ quarterback of the 1970s Jim Zorn. All the while, Come on All You Ghosts shows Zapruder at his poetic best. He uses startling imagery, and his enjambments are second to none. You can’t finish Come on All You Ghosts without wanting to play with words. And yet, Zapruder remains direct, which makes the poems within this collection easy to understand and digest. If you’ve ever been intimidated by poetry, give Come on All You Ghosts a read.

I’ve been reading other books, but I haven’t finished any others–yet–so I’ll save them for a future month. Let’s check in with Skye.

Skye’s Fiction

I’ve never read Maus. While I’ve been meaning to read Maus for a while, and I anticipated reading it since grade school for an assignment, it never happened. So, I decided there’s no time like the present. Let’s be fair; I probably don’t even need to introduce Art Spiegelman’s Maus to y’all. Either you’ve heard about Maus on account of its impressive accolades (the first graphic novel to earn a Pulitzer), or (unlike me) your teachers were cool and went over it in class. Despite the heavy themes contained within Maus, now might be the best time to re-examine the horrors of what took place in fascist Germany. It might shed some light on our current political climate.

Skye’s Nonfiction

Writing Arguments (Twelfth Edition) makes my list this month. Be you didn’t see that one comin’, huh? I didn’t either. I’m taking English Composition II this semester. This might be cheating, but you can’t deny it’s also funny. At least I thought it was. Despite being a general education course, I’ve enjoyed reading through my assigned chapters and already learned a lot. Writing Arguments isn’t just about solving disputes for the sake of passing a class; Writing Arguments takes these ideas to the next level and expands one’s understanding of perspective. So far, Writing Arguments has done a fantastic job. I look forward to learning more. You know, I might be a nerd. Aren’t we all nerds? At least I’m in good company. 😉

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle back again. That wraps up what our writers have been reading over the past month. What’ve you been reading? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Updated: Top 10 Live-Action Television Shows Based on Comic Books 2026

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Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. We’ve tackled the idea of live-action television shows based on comic books over a decade ago with Top 5 Live-Action TV Shows Based on Comics. It’s a good idea to update this post. Our reasoning is three-fold: 1, it’s been long enough and more shows have been produced since 2015; we increased the number of shows on this list from five to ten; and Geekly forgot about a few shows inspired by comic books in the previous list. Whoops! Before we get into the shows, let’s set down some ground rules for this list.

1: Cultural relevance will play a role, as will the show’s overall quality.

2: Some of these shows don’t stack up in cinematic quality even with their contemporaries, but they’re outstanding just the same.

3: We’ll have to stick with one show from a franchise (or specific character) because we wouldn’t want a list that includes only Batman and Spider-Man.

Without further ado, let’s get to the top 10 live-action television shows based on comic books.

Honorable Mention 2) iZombie (2015-2019)

I’ll admit it. I have a soft spot for iZombie. Geekly covered the show when it first aired, and I like the combination of zombies and weekly detective work. Throw in some ongoing drama and a heavy dose of comedy, and you have one addictive show. iZombie won’t be too many people’s first choice for live-action television show based on a comic book, and that’s why I wanted to mention it here. It doesn’t hurt that iZombie’s intro theme, “I’m Already Dead” by Deadboy & The Elephantmen lives rent-free in my head.

Honorable Mention 1) Sandman (2022-2025)

Sandman adapts the source material in a fresh way that also remains faithful to the comic book. Tom Sturridge does the unthinkable and captures the essence of Dream. Kirby makes a great Death. Mason Alexander Park is Desire. I could go on. Sandman has a stellar cast, but it misses our list for a couple of reasons. 1) The Netflix effect. Netflix used to be The Place for creative freedom; now, it’s a place for rehashed ideas, and any original show is likely to get canceled too soon and have little chance of another streaming platform picking up the franchise. 2) The Neil Gaiman effect. I have yet to watch Sandman’s second season because of the ick associated with Gaiman. Still, Sandman deserves a mention.

10) The Umbrella Academy (2019-2024)

The Umbrella Academy had a brilliant five-year run on Netflix. As one of the more recent entries on this list, I struggled to place it any higher on this list. The other thing going against The Umbrella Academy is that it’s a Netflix show. The Netflix effect claims another victim. Time could see The Umbrella Academy rise in the standings, because there’s a lot to love.

The Umbrella Academy blends quirky humor, bizarre storylines, balls-to-the-wall action, and pitch-perfect character development. The third season incorporated Elliot Page’s gender identity respectfully and made it work for the show’s story. It also doesn’t hurt that the show is based on the comic book of the same name by My Chemical Romance lead singer Gerard Way. That gives The Umbrella Academy an extra layer of cool.

9) The Walking Dead (2010-2022)

The Walking Dead made our last list over a decade prior, but the show may have hung on for too long. Those early seasons of The Walking Dead were some of the small screen’s best. Despite any flaws, this show focused on interpersonal relationships. The drama within The Walking Dead stemmed from its human characters. And let’s face it. The Walking Dead ignited zombie-mania. You can’t take a breath without huffing on a walker.

The Walking Dead started an empire. I’ve lost track of how many spinoff series this show spawned: Fear the Walking Dead (2015-23), The Walking Dead: World Beyond (2020-21), Tales of the Walking Dead (2022), The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (2024), The Walking Dead: Dead City (2023-present), and The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon (2023-present). The Walking Dead became so popular that a secondary character from the original series, Daryl Dixon, got his own spin-off. Talk about cultural relevance.

8) The Penguin (2024)

Despite bearing the name of one of Batman’s iconic villains, The Penguin doesn’t even feel like a television show based on a comic book. The Penguin borrows a lot from Breaking Bad and The Sopranos. Watching Oz Cobb ascend–or descend, depending on the lens you use to view his story–to mafia royalty was a joy to watch. Cristin Milioti’s turn as Sofia Falcone was excellent. Sofia Falcone (from The Long Halloween fame) was another comic book character I didn’t expect anyone to pull off well, but Milioti is fabulous in The Penguin.

When I first learned The Penguin got greenlit, I wondered what more there was to say. Apparently, a lot. The Penguin took an interesting enough character from 2022’s The Batman and built a mythos around a character that didn’t receive enough love on the big or small screen. Penguin is one of my favorite Batman villains, and The Penguin captured a certain slimy iteration of the character. The Penguin is well worth watching.

7) Arrow (2012-2020)

Arrow is another show that stayed a little too long. It suffered the fate of many CW shows and descended into melodrama. After a season, Olicity (the shipping of Oliver Queen and Felicity Smoak) turned my stomach. But Arrow started strong. Manu Bennett may still be the definitive Slade Wilson/Deathstroke, and the “You have failed this city” and Ollie’s time on the island storylines of the first few seasons proved that a lesser DC Comics character like Green Arrow could anchor a show. Not just a show, an entire franchise. Arrow began the Arrowverse.

The Flash may have taken over as the flagship title for the Arrowverse, but Arrow led to The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, Black Lightning, Batwoman, and the web series Vixen and Freedom Fighters: The Ray. I don’t know when or if I’ll return to Arrow, but I have fond memories of early Arrow seasons. And with Arrow’s cultural impact, no one can deny its place among the top 10 live-action television shows based on comic books.

6) Smallville (2001-2011)

We go from Arrow, which spawned the Arrowverse, to Smallville, which introduced a wider audience to Green Arrow in the first place. Justin Hartley’s Green Arrow guest-starred in numerous Smallville episodes. In fact, Smallville introduced numerous DC Comics Universe characters to television viewers in the early 2000s. I’m still waiting for another actor to take on the role of Booster Gold.

Smallville’s premise wore thin for some people. The show features a Clark Kent before he becomes Superman. In fact, Smallville had the mandate “No Tights, No Flights.” Viewers had to wait a decade for Superman to make his first flight, and by that time, Smallville had seen Aquaman, Green Arrow, and even Booster Gold have a turn in full costume. Even if the “No Tights, No Flights” mandate rubbed you the wrong way, you can’t deny Smallville’s significance.

5) Batman (1966-1968)

We go way back in time for this next entry. Batman may not have aged the best, but that was never the point. Batman was pure camp. It resurrected characters in the comic book. The Riddler hadn’t been seen in a comic book since the 1950s. The 1960s Batman made The Riddler relevant. Few live-action television shows based on comic books can make that claim.

The Batman-mania of the 1960s proved there was an appetite for comic book media beyond the page. And Batman featured a lot of A-list actors. Cesar Romero, Burgess Meredith, Frank Gorshin, Vincent Price, and many others read like a who’s who of character actors. Batman rejuvenated and launched numerous acting careers. Be honest. When you saw the picture of Batman above, did you not hear Batman’s theme?

4) Doom Patrol (2019-2023)

Doom Patrol. Doom Patrol? How is Doom Patrol this high? I didn’t expect to like Doom Patrol as much as I did, but it’s easily one of the DCEU’s best projects. Doom Patrol may have released just before The Umbrella Academy, but the source material, the Doom Patrol comic book, inspired The Umbrella Academy, so that’s one of the reasons Doom Patrol makes it this high on the list.

The other reason is Doom Patrol resurrected Brendan Fraser’s career. Fraser’s turn as Cliff Steele/Robotman was fantastic. Fraser’s final scene in Doom Patrol never fails to turn on the waterworks. I bawl every time I watch it. The rest of Doom Patrol’s cast is top-notch. I like Matt Bomer in most things, and Timothy Dalton is an acting legend. But I need to give Diane Guerrero’s performance as Crazy Jane some praise. It may be a low bar, but Crazy Jane may be the best representation of dissociative identity disorder I’ve seen in a television show or movie. And I hope Joivan Wade gets another chance to portray Victor Stone/Cyborg. He was another stand-out. Everyone was. I liked April Bowlby’s portrayal of Rita Farr/Elasti-Woman. Doom Patrol is one of the few shows on this list that I’ll happily rewatch.

3) WandaVision (2021)

Marvel’s Disney+ shows had so much promise after they leapt off the screen with WandaVision. Sure, WandaVision is a continuation of the MCU, but the exploration of Wanda Maximoff’s mental state can’t be overstated. Kathryn Hahn had a star turn as Agnes/Agatha, and the rest of the cast was a joy. WandaVision is another show I’ll rewatch. Its use of sitcoms through the decades felt organic; it was more than nostalgia.

But there were plenty of call-outs to sitcoms and MCU properties. Evan Peters, pseudo-reprising his role as Pietro Maximoff was a nice touch. WandaVision did the source material proud. Hints of House of M (comic books) lead into Vision Quest (also from the comics), which will become another WandaVision spinoff Disney+ series. Vision Quest will mark two spinoffs to date. The first was Agatha All Along. I cringe at Wanda’s descent into madness, but I can’t look away.

2) The Boys (2019-present)

The Boys is the rare television show that’s better than its source material. The Boys comic book was okay. A bit gory and over-the-top, but okay, and let’s not get this twisted, the original comic book was written at the height of the Bush Administration, and it shows. The world has changed. The Boys television show adapted with it. And despite that, The Boys didn’t lose sight of what made the original comic book fun. That and Homelander scares the poop out of me. Seriously, Antony Starr’s Homelander haunts my dreams.

Writing on The Boys strikes a delicate balance of mixing over-the-top violence, black humor, deft plots, and character work. The Boys can be a big, dumb superhero show, but it also be a nuanced look at humanity and how we deal with trauma.

1) Daredevil (2015-2018)

Daredevil rises above the Netflix effect to claim the top spot. I can’t believe it, but Daredevil hadn’t yet released its first episode when we posted our original Top 5 Live-Action Comic Book Shows. My goodness, Geekly’s been around for some time. Daredevil claims the top spot in part because it’s been revived and will resurrect other Netflix Marvel shows with it on Disney+, like Punisher, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage. Except for a few moments, Daredevil’s writing was on point. Charlie Cox embodied the role so much that I can’t see anyone else portraying Daredevil. And the action sequences and filmography made me feel every punch through the screen. I’ve never felt that before or since Daredevil.

And Daredevil showcased some amazing acting. Cox’s Daredevil was fabulous, while Vincent D’Onofrio was menacing. You know what? I can’t see anyone else portraying Kingpin other than D’Onofrio. Woll’s Karen Page and Henson’s Foggy Nelson rounded out a stellar main cast. And just when I’d think Daredevil would take too many leaps by adding Bernthal’s Punisher or Yung’s Elektra or Bethel’s Bullseye, the actors would turn in character-defining performances. There’s a reason why Daredevil: Born Again was 2025’s most anticipated comic book series. It had some huge shoes to fill.

That’s our list of the top 10 live-action television shows based on comic books. I’m sure yours differs from ours. Let us know which shows you’d add or take away from this list. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Geekly News: January 11, 2026, MCU X-Men Reboot Updates

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Happy Sunday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with the first Geekly News of the year. The year is still ramping up, so we only have a few new releases. We’ll get to the new board games and video games, but first, let’s check in with the MCU and the upcoming Mutant Saga. There’s a lot to discuss.

MCU Reveals Its Blueprint for The X-Men

We’ve been radio silent about the MCU for a while, not because the MCU had few updates, but because those updates didn’t feel large enough. Black Panther had a recasting rumor. We still don’t know for sure if Shuri (Letitia Wright) will remain as the Black Panther beyond Avengers: Doomsday. Heck, a new Black Panther could reveal themselves during the next Avengers film. Ryan Reynolds is working on a new Deadpool or Deadpool and Wolverine movie. Hugh Jackman will return as Wolverine for at least the next Deadpool film and potentially a new Wolverine solo film. But the biggest MCU news may be Marvel’s direction for the X-Men.

According to trusted industry insider Daniel RPK, Marvel will release solo projects for the core X-Men members, leading up to an X-Men team movie. Marvel wants to avoid the errors they made during the Multiverse Saga. Going back to what made people care about the Avengers during the MCU Phase One is a step in the right direction. Unlike Avengers actors (who were in their forties and fifties), Marvel intends to cast younger actors in X-Men roles, even a younger Wolverine. Speaking of Wolverine, rumors suggest he won’t be included in the first X-Men film. That may be for the best.

We still don’t know how Marvel plans to introduce the upcoming X-Men characters. My guess is that we may see more Marvel Studios Special Presentations. Disney/Marvel will want to cash in on The X-Men as soon as they can, and some sources suggest the first MCU X-Men film will release a year or two after Avengers: Secret Wars. That doesn’t leave the studio too much time to introduce these characters. Several 1-hour specials could help.

And speaking of Marvel Studios Special Presentations, the Punisher Special will build off of the second season of Daredevil: Born Again and should also tie into Spider-Man: Brand New Day. This news, added with the rumors of upcoming X-Men character solo projects, makes it appear that the MCU may require viewers to–once again–do some small homework in preparation for upcoming movies and shows. I’m torn. I’ve liked the MCU’s recent trend of not requiring a lot of homework ahead of watching a movie or show. On the other hand, I’d love to see more Special Presentations. And there was a time when Marvel fans didn’t mind doing a little homework. Hopefully, the X-Men will find a good balance.

Yokai Forest Duel Launches on Gamefound

Bring on the games. Two to eight players face off in fast-paced tournaments or league-style matchups. Outsmart your rivals through clever strategy, deduction & bluffing with mind games as you fight for victory in intense best-of-three duels. Be careful though: investing too much time in your current match and your opponent might crush you before you even reach the finals.

Yokai Forest Duel’s concept reminds me of a character-driven version of Challengers!, and if that’s the case, Yokai Forest Duel will be loads of fun. Godot Games claims Yokai Forest Duel can be learned in under three minutes but offers plenty of strategic choices. Again, this reminds me of Challengers!. Yay! The artwork and game graphics differ, and so does the fact that players assume the role of a specific character. I don’t know how any of the characters work, but Yokai Forest Duel features eight different 80-card decks. Yokai Forest Duel’s pledges range from $27 to $74. If you’re interested in Yokai Forest Duel, check out its Gamefound page.

The Last in the Woods Launches on GameFound

Forget comfort. The Last in the Woods is about survival. You’ll have no safety net. As the game’s name suggests, you’re handed a few tools, and you compete against the other players to be the last in the woods. I’m unsure if The Last in the Woods includes direct player versus player combat. Typically, I don’t care for direct combat between players. But I love the idea of a competitive survival game, and if that involves a little PVP combat, I’m all for it.

Variable player powers (like the one for George, who only needs one stone to craft a knife, pictured above) should give The Last in the Woods a little spice. But this isn’t the only element The Last in the Woods uses to shake up the gameplay of each game. Random events and equipment allow for diverse strategies during each playthrough. As of writing this post, The Last in the Woods hasn’t listed their pledge rates. I can’t imagine the game costing more than $40. It could cost as little as $20. We’ll see. If you’re interested in The Last in the Woods, check out its GameFound page.

Code Violet Releases on PlayStation 5

During Code Violet, players uncover the secrets of the Aion colony, who use time travel technology to kidnap women in the past. These women are then used as surrogate mothers in an attempt to save humanity from destruction. I love this hook. Code Violet combines story elements of Children of Men and The Handmaid’s Tale with a time-travel twist. Excellent! Add in the fact that Code Violet is a third-person action-horror game and the spiritual successor to Dino Crisis, and Code Violet may be a PlayStation 5 title to place on your radar.

And that’s a great thing because Code Violet is our only new video game release for this week. I wasn’t kidding when I mentioned 2026 hasn’t yet fully launched. Plenty of great board games and video games are on the horizon. We just may need to wait another week or two. Or even a month or two.

That’s all the geek news we have for you this week. Which MCU project are you the most excited for? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Getting Into Comics: Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) Starter Stories

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Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. I’m writing this post months in advance (in preparation for writing/editing novels during the final months of 2025), and Geekly doesn’t yet know when Lanterns will release on HBO Max. We only have a release date of First Quarter 2026. It doesn’t matter. Lanterns will feature at least three Green Lanterns (Hal Jordan, John Stewart, and Guy Gardner), so we’re releasing Green Lantern Starter Stories for all three characters over the next few months, just in case you want to get started reading Green Lantern comics. We’re starting with Hal Jordan.

Green Lantern is somewhat of a special case. We’ll be seeing Geoff Johns’s name show up a lot on this list. Johns did a lot for Hal Jordan as a character, but other writers contributed to Jordan’s mythos, so I listed a handful of Johns’s storylines, and then did my best to show some of the other amazing writers who have worked on the character. The result is an extra-long list of Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) starter stories. If you’re lucky, you can find the 2020 Green Lantern one-shot 80th anniversary, Green Lantern: Will. It collects a lot of incredible Green Lantern stories that may or may not have made this list. Let’s get to the stories that did make this list.

Single Issue

“S.O.S. Green Lantern” (Showcase #22; written by John Broome/art by Gil Kane; October 1959)

Per usual, we begin with Hal Jordan’s first appearance in “S.O.S. Green Lantern.” It’s a simple story. Abin Sur lands on Earth. As the alien lies dying, he commands his Green Lantern ring to find a worthy successor (one who is fearless and strong-willed). The ring finds Hal Jordan. It transports Hal to Abin, and Abin Sur grants Hal Jordan his power as the Green Lantern.

Not going to lie, “S.O.S. Green Lantern” could refer to Hal Jordan’s problematic relationship with Carol Ferris. She rejects his advances (because she needs to prove herself as a worthy successor to her father Carl Ferris, and that she can run Ferris Aircraft), but Hal pushes the issue. You’re coming on a little strong, Hal. Still, “S.O.S. Green Lantern” sets up Hal Jordan as a character, and this origin story has seen few tweaks over the decades. Maybe with less misogyny.

Storyline

“Green Lantern/Green Arrow” (Green Lantern/Green Arrow #76-89; written by Denny O’Neal and Neal Adams; 1970-1972)

“Green Lantern/Green Arrow” was my first introduction to Hal Jordan as a character. Denny O’Neal’s team-up story revolves around Hal Jordan losing any concept of what being an Earthling is. As a Green Lantern, Hal serves as an intergalactic cop (something we’ll see with Grant Morrison’s take on the character later). Green Arrow serves as a pseudo-Robin Hood. It makes sense, both characters use a bow and arrow. “Green Lantern/Green Arrow” may have done the most to show me the world is nuanced.

The first issue in our collection shows Green Lantern stopping poor people protesting outside a slum lord’s mansion. Green Lantern breaks up the demonstration, only to have Green Arrow tell him he’s misguided. The world isn’t black and white. My favorite moment must be the iconic panel where a poor black man approaches Green Lantern. He says, “I been readin’ about you how you work for the blue skins, and how on a planet someplace you helped out the orange skins, and you done considerable for the purple skins! Only there’s skins you never bothered with, the black skins! I want to know how come? Answer me that, Mr. Green Lantern!”

Hal can’t, but he spends the rest of this series figuring out how he can help the Earth become more equitable.

“Emerald Twilight” (Green Lantern Vol 3 #48-50; written by Ron Marz/art by Bill Willingham, Fred Haynes, and Darryl Banks; 1994)

We go from one iconic Green Lantern storyline to another. “Emerald Twilight” is the storyline where Parallax possesses Hal Jordan and turns him into an ultimate super villain. Hal destroys his home, Coastal City, with a smile on his face. He single-handedly dismantles the Green Lantern Corps. Dozens of familiar faces perish in Hal’s rampage through the universe.

“Emerald Twilight” introduces us to Kyle Raynor as the new Green Lantern. Kyle picks up the pieces and brings honor to the Green Lantern name. After Hal’s actions, can you blame anyone for not trusting anyone with a Green Lantern ring? DC Comics intended to uphold Ron Marz’s vision. Hal snapped. But fan backlash forced the creative team to retcon Hal Jordan being possessed by a separate entity named Parallax, instead of naming himself Parallax. Despite losing some of the story’s original bite, “Emerald Twilight” showed a different side of Hal Jordan, and ultimately, introduced one of Green Lantern’s greatest villains, Parallax.

“Rebirth” (Green Lantern: Rebirth #1-6 and Green Lantern Vol 4 #1-4; written by Geoff Johns; art by Ethan Van Sciver, Jesus Merino, and Carlos Pacheco; 2004-2005)

“Rebirth” is where Geoff Johns made his mark on Green Lantern. The Green Lantern Corps is in a state of disrepair, but Johns fixes Hal Jordan’s backstory. Johns is the one who retconned Parallax as one of the Green Lantern Corps’ greatest enemies. Ironically, Green Lantern: Rebirth did as much to rewrite Hal’s history and keep all the remaining Green Lanterns relevant. Without this story, the Lanterns television show wouldn’t be possible.

Before “Rebirth,” only one Green Lantern was allowed to exist at one time. “Rebirth” changed that. This story turned the Green Lantern character into the Green Lantern Corps.

“Secret Origin” (Green Lantern Vol 4 #29-35; written by Geoff Johns; art by Ivan Reis; 2008)

As the name may suggest, “Secret Origin” recontextualizes Hal Jordan’s origin. You may even decide to skip reading the 1959 issue and read “Secret Origin” instead. “Secret Origins” features one of Hal Jordan’s earliest starts as a Green Lantern. Abin Sur and (modern classic Green Lantern villain) Atrocitus play a role in turning Hal Jordan into the hero we know today.

Not only does “Secret Origin” manage to say something new with Hal’s origin, it sets up the next story on our list, “Blackest Night.” Geoff Johns was on a roll with Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps as characters. This almost decade-long run may be the best Green Lantern run.

“Blackest Night” (Blackest Night Vol 1 #0-8; written by Geoff Johns; art by Ivan Reis; 2009-2010)

“Blackest Night” resurrects Nekron, the Lord of the Unliving, and watches him create the Black Lantern Corps. During Johns’s run of Green Lantern, he established the Emotional Spectrum of the DC Universe. The emotional spectrum, based on colors of the rainbow, added a unique twist. The Black Lantern Corps is an extension of the Emotional Spectrum. The Black Lantern Corps resurrects heroes and villains across the galaxy and consumes their still-beating hearts.

“Blackest Night” combines zombie elements with the Green Lantern mythos. This storyline brought an underused DC Comics villain, Nekron, back into the spotlight. This DC Comics crossover event was epic. It may be one of the greatest crossover events DC Comics has ever seen, and Hal Jordan is at its center.

“Green Lantern: Earth One” (Green Lantern: Earth One #1-2; written by Gabriel Hardman and Corinna Bechko; art by Hardman; 2018-2020)

In a world where humans have made their way to space, Hal Jordan is a space miner for Ferris Industries when he runs across a spaceship that changes his life forever. “Green Lantern: Earth One” is a major departure from what we think of Green Lantern. I struggled with including this story in this list, but “Green Lantern: Earth One” is a phenomenal stand-alone story. DC Comics offers plenty of Elseworlds stories (stories that diverge from the main storyline), and “Green Lantern: Earth One” is a must-read. It may be one of the best.

“Green Lantern: Earth One” recasts the Green Lantern Corps in the role of freedom fighters, battling against the more powerful Manhunters (the same ones who would slaughter Atrocitus’s people, leading him to a path of mayhem). The Manhunters have all but conquered the universe. “Green Lantern: Earth One” is a gripping tale from beginning to end. While I can only see elements of this story used in the DCU, it’s worth the read, and with any luck, DC Studios will give us a version of this story.

“Intergalactic Lawmen” (The Green Lantern #1-12; written by Grant Morrison; art by Liam Sharp; 2019-2020)

Writer Grant Morrison has a knack for taking characters in bizarre directions. Handing him the reins of Green Lantern could only lead to some of the craziest Hal Jordan stories. “Intergalactic Lawmen” brings Hal Jordan back to his roots. Jordan travels from case to case (like a space cop), across the multiverse as he takes down criminals, fighting against conspiracies, and taking powerful cosmic threats head-on. Composed of two volumes and an interquel miniseries (of the main Green Lantern line of comics), “Intergalactic Lawmen” is for Green Lantern fans who want cosmic fun.

This Green Lantern universe feels strange in the best ways. “Intergalactic Lawmen” reinvents Hal’s adventures, the Green Lantern Corps, and the planet Oa. Yes, few of the storylines on this list tackle the idea of the Planet Oa (home world and base of operations of the Guardians of the Universe). “Intergalactic Lawmen” pulls away from the rigid rules of the Geoff Johns era. The Green Lantern ring was once again capable of the impossible, like storing an entire universe.

Those are the Hal Jordan Green Lantern stories that made our list. We’ll be covering John Stewart and Guy Gardner’s starter stories in the next two months. Are there any Hal Jordan Green Lantern stories you would add to this list? Let us know in the comments, Geekly Gang. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Fallout Season 2 (Episodes 1-4) Review

Published on by KyraLeave a comment

Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. I’m late to the action, mostly because I didn’t know if we would retain Amazon Prime Video long enough for me to watch the end of Fallout Season 2 (scheduled for the beginning of February 2026). But hey, turns out we will keep Prime Video just long enough to watch Fallout Season 2, so I have some catching up to do. Let’s begin with my reaction (or review) of the first episode, “The Innovator.”

Fallout Season 2, “The Innovator”

Thank you, Todd Howard, for making an announcement everyone knew before Fallout Season 2 dropped: the Fallout series is canon and will affect future games in the franchise. Did the sarcasm come across? I don’t much care for Todd Howard. Why does he still helm Bethesda? Anyway, I love it when the Fallout series builds on the video game’s lore, and episode one, “The Innovator,” does just that. It opens with a bang. A bar airs a news report with Mr. House, but there’s another Mr. House (who doesn’t quite look like the television Mr. House) in the bar. Could there be more than one?

Before I answer that, I need to address one amazing line, “Every dollar spent is a vote cast.” Chef’s kiss, fantastic. Canonically, there is more than one Mr. House. Robert House has a brother, Anthony, who ran H&H Tools Company, which gets a shout-out in this opening scene. There is a chance Anthony is somehow involved, and what we see in this opening scene, where “Mr. House” injects a construction worker with a mind-control device, could play into a missable storyline (via journal entries one can read) in Fallout: New Vegas. In the game New Vegas, Anthony appears to have schizophrenia or paranoia. He’s worried his brother intends to use mind control on him and constantly wears foil hats. The device used in this scene would make me paranoid, too.

The Novac scene with the Khans serves as a great callback to Fallout: New Vegas. It’s a testament to how much has changed since the video game. The Khans were nowhere near Novac. Yikes! And the Fallout series does a great job of reestablishing two of its main characters, Lucy and The Ghoul, during this scene. The Ghoul devised a plan to kill all the Khans, while Lucy breaks away from the plan and attempts to persuade the Khans to let them go. Perfect! I almost wouldn’t need to watch the recap to gain my bearings. And again, I love how Fallout incorporates the game’s lore into the show. The Ghoul makes a comment about a store that used to exist in Novac about 25 years back. Evidently, The Ghoul bought a soda pop from the Dino Bite gift shop. I wonder what Cliff Briscoe is doing. Wait. He’s probably dead.

The Ghoul also mentions a woman named Darla behind the counter. There is a Darla in Fallout 4. She’s a gun lover and gun moll of Triggerman boss Skinny Malone. It’s possible she could’ve been in New Vegas at the same time as The Ghoul. And I smiled when Marty Robbins’s “Big Iron” played. Oh, and how The Ghoul healed his rope burn (by hanging) with radiation. Nice nods.

I don’t want to go into too much detail with each scene. We have three other episodes to get through, so I’ll pick up the pace.

“The Innovator” continues to do a great job of weaving in threads from last season’s flashbacks and recontextualizing them. Seriously, I’m unsure if a recap was necessary. We get a lot of the same information sprinkled through the narrative of this first episode. I like the mind control device throughline and Lucy’s quest to find her father, which is a very Bethesda-flavored Fallout storyline to showcase. How many people are searching for a family member in Bethesda Fallout games? Lol.

Anyway, I am concerned with the number of storylines Fallout attempts to juggle at once. Brotherhood of Steel Knight Maximus doesn’t even make an appearance during the first episode. I can’t imagine Fallout sporting too many episodes where every character gets time to shine. It’s not a problem yet. Since most characters reside in vastly different locations (similar to Game of Thrones), it is easier to keep track of who’s doing what. But some characters could become lost in the shuffle. Ultimately, “The Innovator” is a solid opening episode for Fallout season two. I can’t wait to see what Hank MacLean does with Mr. House’s experiments.

Fallout Season 2, “The Golden Rule”

Aw! I’ve always loved Jo Stafford’s “You Belong to Me.” The Fallout series (television and video games) features amazing music. And I love the glimpse we get of Maximus’s life before the bombs fell.

Not going to lie. Maximus falls short of his parents’ example in “The Golden Rule’s” opening scene. I don’t have an issue with Maximus joining the Brotherhood and following Elder Cleric Quintus. This season’s Brotherhood doesn’t land the same in this episode. They’re less like a military operation and more like a gussied-up raider gang. The showrunners/screenwriters threw in too many jokes. I chuckled the first time or two I saw the Brotherhood make a goof, but there were so many included (especially when the Brotherhood discovers Area 51) that it undermined the organization’s stature. The pelvic thrusts were a step too far.

The scene from Maximus’s past is fantastic and heartbreaking. I don’t want to spoil it here, but it’s well worth the watch, and the way Hank MacLean’s backstory ties into Maximus’s past is amazing. Fallout Season Two’s first two episodes have some banger cold opens. As far as the Brotherhood of Steel is concerned, I have hope their interpretation improves deeper into the season. I like the idea of a potential Brotherhood of Steel civil war. That can drive Maximus’s story and should affect the Mojave Wasteland.

We get our first glimpse of radscorpions in the Fallout TV show. Yay! Note: I watched with subtitles on and found they called bark scorpions “baby radscorpions.” Ah. No. We see two different species of radscorpions. Bark scorpions and radscorpions seldom play nice together in Fallout: New Vegas. It was a fun nod when the radscorpion eats the bark scorpion. Nice!

Overall, “The Golden Rule” makes for another strong entry. Hank MacLean furthers his “scientific” research, we catch our first glimpse of Caesar’s Legion, and I like where Norm’s storyline is headed. And “The Golden Rule” does a great job of juggling its various plotlines. It balances heart-wrenching storylines with lighthearted ones. The pacing is on point. And while I may not care for the current portrayal of the Brotherhood of Steel, there’s time for improvement.

Fallout Season 2, “The Profligate”

Thaddeus (pictured above) is a nice guy, but he’s running a sweatshop. Sam Cooke’s “Chain Gang” fits for “The Profligate’s” opening. I love the one kid asking Thaddeus for water, and Thaddeus replying with just drink the soda. And I squeed when I saw Sunset Sarsaparilla.

I’ll briefly mention the number of POV characters. Again, this could become a problem. It’s not one yet. Some major characters won’t feature for an episode or two, but if a major character disappears for five or more episodes, that could become a problem. And at the risk of small spoilers, I did like how Thaddeus and Maximus’s stories merged.

I also like the use of “The Profligate” as a title. The word occurred in the previous episode, and Macauley Culkin’s Legate drops the episode’s title after we meet him. Profligate is a perfect antiquated term Caesar’s Legion would use. I love how New Vegas is a mess. The Legion has splintered. That makes sense, especially in the manner the Fallout series suggests. The New California Republic (NCR) is all but gone. Even Victor (Mr. House’s pet Mr. House’s pet Securitron) has gathered dust. Throw in some Brotherhood of Steel shenanigans, and you’ve got yourself a party.

Overall, I like how most factions are depicted. I still think the Brotherhood isn’t the same one we got from the previous season. Lucy and The Ghoul taking jabs at The Legion made me guffaw more than once: Lucy with her knowledge of history books (Caesar’s Legion doesn’t adhere to the Ancient Romans), and The Ghoul’s line that the Legion dislikes soft Cs. And I love The Ghoul’s backstory and how it interplays with what occurs in the present day. Fallout has done a great job fleshing out most of its characters.

Fallout Season 2: “The Demon in the Snow”

I don’t believe I mentioned this in the previous episode’s write-up, but Maximus has redeemed himself. I had few doubts. But the past two episodes are a return to form, and the Brotherhood of Steel thread within “The Demon in the Snow” drives this episode. Minor spoiler: I worried that the scene of the Brotherhood airship crashing into the Mojave Desert wouldn’t be earned; “The Demon in the Snow” assuaged my worries. While I’ll miss Scribe Dane (they really grounded Maximus), they get a great send-off, and I love the scene they share with Maximus.

I’m glad we lost Knights Bevis and Butthead. Seriously. The two unnamed Brotherhood Knights playing with grenades made little sense. Like I said above (for episode two), they were funny the first time or two, but it got old. Conversely, Lucy makes for better comedic relief. We’re going into spoiler territory again. You’ve been warned. Lucy gets addicted to Buffout, and she’s equal parts PSA and junkie. Hilarious. This works because Lucy has no experience with any wasteland drug. I wonder how The Kings (a gang of Elvis impersonators in Fallout: New Vegas) transformed into ghouls (pictured above). But the Fallout series does take place twenty years into the future. A lot can happen in twenty years. Watching Lucy headshot each of The Kings was fun.

The Ghoul does little to help her. I loved how he laughed at her handiwork and how that contrasts with the pair running across their first living Deathclaw by the episode’s end. Lucy doesn’t think much of whatever is making the growling from within a casino (Buffout brain), and The Ghoul (who experienced a Deathclaw before the bombs fell) knew to fear the beast. Lucy even sobered up a little after the Deathclaw emerged. What is it with Fallout sticking Deathclaws inside buildings? This issue persists within the video games. I didn’t buy the Salem museum still standing in Fallout 4, and I don’t buy this building remaining intact during “The Demon in the Snow.” Deathclaw don’t turn doorknobs.

Finally, we see some progression with the vaults. Norm will find out more about Vault-Tec’s pre-war plans. He won’t discover anything pleasant. Vaults 32 and 33 are about to go to war. Yes! Bring on the chaos. “The Demon in the Snow” has a knack for ending each story thread on a good to phenomenal cliffhanger.

That’s all I have for the first four episodes of Fallout Season Two. From this week forward, we should be keeping up with the series weekly, but these reviews/reactions should be released on Saturdays instead of Fridays. I need to get back to my writing and game design diaries on Fridays. Our next Fallout episode review should occur on January 17, 2026. See you there. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.