But Why Tho? The Podcast

.Self is a brand new ComiXology Original series written by Christopher Sebela, artist Cara McGee, colorist Rebecca Nalty, and letterer Aditya Bidikar. In a near future, new technologies allow humans to upload their every memory and emotion to a cloud that can be downloaded into a blank body after your death to let your family have closure. But what if that server was hacked? What chaos might ensue? Author Christopher Sebela joined But Why Tho? to discuss .Self, what makes the series tick, and whether trust is worthwhile or just a trap. The following interview is lightly edited for clarity and brevity. The full interview with Christopher Sebela can be heard above or on the But Why Tho? Podcast feed.

Specter Inspectors was an unexpectedly pivotal moment in my queer journey this year. It was quite literally the moment I first truly came out to myself. But, it turns out, even the authors' sense of self and identity were shaped by creating this comic series from BOOM! Studios' imprint BOOM! Box. I sat down with Bowen McCurdy and Kaitlyn Musto to discuss Specter Inspectors, queerness, and finding your own identity.

New Zealand-based comedy trio Viva La Dirt League has been making people laugh for a decade now with thoughtfully hilarious takes on gaming. Their series Epic NPC Man, Game Logic, PUBG Logic, and more have been able to connect with gamers and non-gamers alike. Now, the comedy group has a new live-action D&D-focused series set for 10 episodes. I got the chance to sit down with Adam King and Robert Hartley about scripting the series, their hopes with it, and even get their recommendations for playing your first D&D game.

Last year, there was no shortage of content based on Greek mythology. Whether it was Netflix series, webtoons, or video games, 2020 was perfect for fans of the Greco-Roman mythological world. And while each title put its own spin on the myth, Supergiant Games' Hades emerged as the most beloved. Not only did Hades build up a loyal fanbase with its stunning use of roguelike mechanics and its hot gods, but it also showcased mythology that we don't usually see. We got to see Nyx, the Furies, and of course, the son of Hades. I got the chance to sit down with Greg Kasavin, Creative Director at Supergiant Games whose past work includes Transistor and Pyre. We discuss Hades's storytelling, inspiration, and ultimately how the game adapts Greek mythology by looking at the classic interpretations, not the modern ones.

In 2017 Anthony Griffin, better known as his online persona LongBeachGriffy, took the world by storm with his original comedic sketches rooted in observational humor. The California native has made his fame from his short skits that range from everyday occurrences such as "when they call you by accident" to topics like race and politics.  Despite many of his videos being provocative by nature, LongBeachGriffy has had an uncanny ability to bring realness and perspective to his content. Whether he is talking about politics or dubbed vs subbed anime, the comedy is nearly always accompanied by underlying commentary that brings light to the ridiculousness of the times we live in.

Dream Con has always made it a point to bring in the best voice actors in the business. In 2019, the convention saw various Dragon Ball Z voice actors including Linda Young (Frieza), Chuck Huber (Andriod 17), John Burgmier (Tien), and Kyle Hebert (Adult Gohan). Post-COVID, it was unclear what kind of guests they would have as Naruto English voice actor Maile Flanagan was announced to only be participating virtually. However, Dream Con 2021 was able to book one of the godfathers of shonen anime, Sean Schemmel.

Dream Con would not be complete without hearing from the minds behind the convention, RDCWorld1. From a YouTube channel started nearly ten years ago to put on one of the most diverse conventions in the country, the RDCWorld1 team has accomplished more than anyone would have thought in such a short time. They truly are a manifestation of their namesake, Real Dream Change the World as these content creators of color aim to bring other people of color together in a convention all its own.

We're back from some much-needed rest and relaxation - or moreso just catching back up with life. And to kick it all offer Adrian and Kate dive into a spoiler-filled review of Black Widow, the latest edition to the MCU from Disney and Marvel Studios.  We talk Taskmaster, why it's better than the MCU's first female superhero solo, and how much better it could have been if we had only gotten it sooner - and you know, not when Nat was already "retired." We dive into it all!

This week we cover one of the defining heist films of the 2000s: Oceans 11 — and the franchise it launched. Oh, and Kate talks Oceans 8, and it doesn't go like you think. We dive into how this launched heist films of the 2000s while embracing the film it's based on which starred the Rat Pack. We talk about the way the film evolved into a franchise, how influenced American heist films after the fact, and how we just really want to go back to a good heist film. 

This week, we're celebrating the release of the Mass Effect Legendary Edition by diving into why Mass Effect Matters. We talk its history, its controversy, but the most important elements – the impact that this franchise has had on video games, pop culture, and beyond. And we do it all with the help of Josh, founder of Bear Punch Media and host of Massively Affected. 

This week, we revisit Game of Thrones to celebrate its 10th anniversary. We specifically dive into Seasons 8, the records and hearts it broke, and the future of the franchise. With two years of distance from one of the most talked-about and arguably hated finales to a series in television history, we take the time to talk about what we loved about the series, and ask ourselves: did the finale ruin the whole journey there? And, we do it with the help of Danny from Next Issue Podcast. So listeners, Game of Thrones still matters? Plus we talk about what's next, the series we want to see and the ones that we don't.   DannyFrom — Next Issue Podcast Follow him @EckospiderFollow them @NextIssuePod

Castlevania is a phenomenon. It's a favorite for anime fans, gamers, vampire fans, and more. As one of the standard-bearers for Netflix Original Animations, Castlevania has come a long way from a four-episode first season. Bust just as the season episode length has been slowly increasing, so have the character arcs. Now, just two weeks out from the release of Castlevania Season 4 –which is also the series' final season– we got the chance to sit down with Samuel Deats (Director) and Adam Deats (Associate Director) to discuss the series' journey. In this interview, Sam and Adam discuss their extensive roles as directors, how they came on board the project all those years ago, and how the series found its unique aesthetic.

Iconic mangaka Akira Toriyama turned 66 this month, and to celebrate, we're diving into why he matters. While we dig deep into the creative process and how the Dragon Ball franchise came to be, we also map out how Akira Toriyama actually played a big role in some of the games you love. We talk about our love of his work, the critiques some of it has received, and how his character design style came to be the standard for 90s shonen and well, Japanese RPGs. From Dragon Quest to  Dr. Slump and Dragon Ball, we discuss it all! And we even talk about that time he designed a car, all with the help of Alex Paterno from Frightday.com.

Mortal Kombat is getting it's next live action film later this week and to celebrate, we're diving deep into why Mortal Kombat Matters to gaming, culture, and well, court cases. This episode we talk about how MK became one of the largest fighting games in the world, competing directly with Japanese fighting games and how it rose to outselling long-lasting franchises Street Fighter and Tekken. Made by a four-person team, Mortal Kombat Matters because of it's palette switches (and roster), it's unique take on game art by digitizing real actors,  and of course the fatalities. And we do it all with the help of CJ from Into the Spider-Cast.

So I Was Thinking is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Kate and Matt. In it, they choose different topics they've been thinking about and discuss them. Think of this as a peak into how the two discuss topics in their kitchen. With little editing and even fewer notes, the two talk about working from home. In this episode, the two discuss how they used to work from home and how that's changed now that it's forced instead of wanted. They talk work-life balance, company expectations, and wonder if we'll ever go back to old work models. Other So I Was Thinking topics include "Director's Cuts," "Scooters in the City," "Friends After the Pandemic," "Anime," and more! Like what you're listening to? Subscribe on Patreon for 20 other episodes, with new episodes every other Friday. patreon.com/butwhytho

Four years ago we reviewed Justice League - and y'all loved it. And for whatever reason, we're back here again to review Zack Snyder's Justice League. With the help of Alex. We talk about the length, ancient lamentations, why The Flash slowly touching the face of a woman he just met is beyond creepy, large music video shots of people standing, water bubbles, and at least why this one is better than the Joss Whedon's version.  It's not all bad though, we talk about what the Snyder  Cut does with characters that improve them, like with Cyborg and Wonder Woman, and about why the Amazon scene still slaps. At clocking in at just over two hours, this version of our review isn't ALL of it. If you want to hear the But Why Tho Cut of this review - which is about 45 minutes more of content we cut out, head on over to our Patreon. You can subscribe and listen to the audio version OR watch our video - and get to see Adrian making his ancient lamentations in stunning definitely not 4k. 

This week to celebrate the release of Monster Hunter Rise we're devoting episode 172 to talk all about why Monster Hunter matters. In this episode, with the help of Techniq, we dive into this history of Capcom's best selling property, it's impact on RPGs, and why it took so long to take off in the United States. Don't worry, we talk about Monster Hunter World.

In this episode we break down the beloved shonen manga and anime series: Hunter x Hunter. Whether you pronounce the “x” or you don’t, we talk all about the series’ long history, the hiatuses, and ultimately why the fandom around the series only keeps increasing despite having no new media since 2019 in the United States and even longer in Japan. Plus, we talk all about what separates this shonen from others, including the protagonists, the villains, the themes, and of course the sprinkle of murder from every character – including our hero Gon.  And, we do this all with the help of DataDave, content creator, voice actor, and Twitch Ambassador.

With the recent release of Tom and Jerry on HBO Max, it's time to dive into one of the oldest cartoons still kicking around today.

On Episode 169, we're looking at the whole company, good, bad, and ugly. From Warcraft to Overwatch, even if you've never played their games, you have probably heard of them, and if you've played any RTS or MMO, you've certainly felt their lasting effect. Blizzard is an often problematic fave, but they are also firmly among the most influential and popular video game companies ever.