Season 6, Episode 02: Ill Met in Lankhmar pt. 2 and The Circle Curse

Best drink some coffee friend and try to beat back your drunkenness. There's sorcery afoot in the city of Lankhmar tonight. This thick smoke bodes ill for us and if you hold your breath, I believe you will hear the scurrying feet of five, ten hundred rodents...

This week - we conclude our look at "Ill met in Lankhmar" the tale that brings Fafherd and the Gray Mouser together. What started as a buddy cop-romp does seem to take a rather dark turn in these last few pages. We also get to see the immediate aftermath of this story when we delve into "The Circle Curse". So saddle up, tune in, and enjoy some Lieberian goodness!

One Things

Jon: Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri

Luke: Index Card RPG, with banana measurements
Josh: Castlevania, the anime!


Questions? Comments? Curses?
Email us! (thecromcast at gmail dot com)
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Or, check us out on iTunes!
We're also on Stitcher Radio and Google Play!
Finally.... Call us! (859) 429-CROM!

Legal Mumbo-Jumbo
Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Beginning theme: Sudden Defeat by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.

Closing theme: Rats by The Kinks

Season 6, Episode 01: Ill Met in Lankhmar ("Her Dad Was a Duke, He's Kind Of a...")

Shake the dust from your cloaks, travelers, though it shall not avail you. The City of Sevenscore Thousand Smokes is no place for those who worry about such trivial matters. Instead, keep your wits about you and your attention focused! The Thieves Guild loves to see new faces in our fair city, and there are those who will cut your throat as well as your purse if they take a notion! In fact, let us tell you about a time when two fools new to our city tried to take on the Thieves Guild directly...

The Dynamic Duo of Sword and Sorcery, Fafhrd & THE Gray Mouser, by Mike Mignola.

This week - we are beginning our journeys through Nehwon following Fritz Leiber's famous sword and sorcery duo, Fafhrd and The Grey Mouser! You can read this introductory story in the collection Swords and Deviltry. Or, there is an audio version available to stream on YouTube!  Finally, you can read a wonderful comic adaptation of a handful of Fafhrd & The Gray Mouser stories from Howard Chaykin and Mike Mignola. Ill Met in Lankhmar is the first story in the collection!

You might also want to get to know Fritz Leiber and read an overview of his fantasy world of Nehwon!

One Things

Jon: Visit scenic Rocky Mountain National Park, visit Mile High Comics (So many comics!) and search for your one missing issue of Marvel 2 in 1!
Josh: Appendix N - from the Dungeon Master's Guide. (NOTE: Did not know it at the time, but check out the wonderful podcast Sanctum Secorum which explores the stories in Appendix N and applies them to tabletop gaming, Dungeon Crawl Classics specifically. More info on the next episode!)
Luke: Joe Abercrombie's collection of short stories Sharp Ends, especially the stories featuring Shevedieh and Javre the Lioness!

Questions? Comments? Curses?
Email us! (thecromcast at gmail dot com)
You know you want to follow us on Twitter!
Subscribe to our feed on FeedBurner!
Or, check us out on iTunes!
We're also on Stitcher Radio and Google Play!
Finally.... Call us! (859) 429-CROM!

Legal Mumbo-Jumbo
Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Beginning theme: Sudden Defeat by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.

Closing theme: Spellbound by AC/DC, from their record "For Those About to Rock, We Salute You. (So long, Malcolm Young. Thanks for all the rock!) All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

Bourbon & Barbarians Episode 26: Season 1 Finale... Run to the Hills!

Greetings, adventurers! We return with the final episode for this season of Bourbon and Barbarians. Herein, two of our three adventurers return to the Keep, and depart on one final mission...

Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. "Black Vortex" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Likewise Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Otherwise, we round out this episode with Iron Maiden's "Run to the Hills," from the landmark The Number of the Beast. If you don't have any Maiden in your collection, then this is the place to start! Questions? Comments? Feedback? Email us! (thecromcast at gmail dot com)

Bourbon & Barbarians Episode 25: Embrace the Cold Shadow

Greetings, adventurers! We return with another episode of Bourbon and Barbarians, an actual play recording from your Cromrades!

Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. "Black Vortex" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Likewise Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Questions? Comments? Feedback? Email us! (thecromcast at gmail dot com)

Season Six: The Road to Lankhmar!

Hile, travelers! No doubt you too have noted the smoky there, low on the horizon? They don’t call Lankhmar the City of Sevenscore Thousand Smokes for nothing, eh?! If it pleases, allow us to pass ye, as we are trying to make the outskirts of the city by nightfall… I’d rather find my way behind a door before dark, if it is all the same to you!

The map of Lankhmar included in the 1985 AD&D supplement.

There are lots of sources for the Fafhrd & Gray Mouser stories by Fritz Leiber, but the misc editions from Ace Books in the '60's - '70's are pretty cheap and available secondhand from many sources. Considering this, our ‘Core Texts’ will be as follows:

TSA = The Two Sought Adventure (1957)

SAD = Swords Against Death (1970)

S&D = Swords and Deviltry (1970)

DHC = Dark Horse Comics Collection (2007)

Mignola’s depiction of the protagonists! His art is incomparable!!!

Our tentative Story List and plan for episodes follow here:

- Introduction to Leiber / Ill Met in Lankhmar, Part I (S&D, DHC).

- Ill Met in Lankhmar, Part II / The Circle Curse (S&D, SAD, DHC).

- Jewels in the Forest / Early Publication History (SAD, TSA).

- Thieves’ House (SAD).

- The Bleak Shore / The Howling Tower (SAD, DHC).

- The Sunken Land / Seven Black Priests (SAD).

- Claws from the Night / The Price of Pain-Ease (SAD, DHC).

- Bazaar of the Bizarre (SAD, DHC).

- Retrospection & Reflection

That should keep us busy! See you on the morrow; we'll look for you at the market square!

Cromtober 2017, Part III: Spooky Dreams

Welcome, Cromrades! Quick, inside! The moon still shines bright, but is beginning to set low on the horizon... We just have to hold out 'til morning! Until then, how about one more round of stories to pass the time? This time we're keeping it simple, and talking through some of the dreams that still haunt the recesses of our minds...

Van Gogh's Starry Night from 1889... But you knew that, right?

One Things
Jon: Haunted Heartland, by Michael Norman!
Josh: Spookiest Stories Ever... by Roberta Simpson Brown and Lonnie E. Brown!
Luke: Haunted Kentucky, by Alan Brown!

Next time... Where will we be? We'll be starting down the ROAD TO LANKHMAR!

Questions? Comments? Curses?
Email us! (thecromcast at gmail dot com)
You know you want to follow us on Twitter!
Subscribe to our feed on FeedBurner!
Or, check us out on iTunes!
We're also on Stitcher Radio and Google Play!
Finally.... Call us! (859) 429-CROM!

Legal Mumbo-Jumbo
Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Themes by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. Pop music includes "All I Have to Do is Dream" by the Everly Brothers, and "I Love the Night," by the Blue Oyster Cult. All music was obtained legally, and kicks ass. We hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

Cromtober 2017, Part II: Terrifying Tales by Ambrose Bierce and Laird Barron!

Welcome, Cromrades! Quick, inside! The rising full moon brings with it things no mortal man would wish to meet alone. We'll have to wait here for morning. Until then, how about some stories to pass the time?

The moon shed a ghostly light upon us as we recorded this episode... 

First, we have a terror of a tale by Ambrose Bierce, called "The Damned Thing." An invisible beast roaming the land? Surely you jest...

Ambrose Bierce, by J.H.E. Partington

Second, a yarn recounting a hunting competition, told as only Laird Barron can tell. But the quarry is no mere stag, friends. No, the hunters bite off more than they can chew in pursuing Blackwood's Baby.

Luke's pre-show sketch.

Perhaps some whiskey will calm your nerves as these tales unfold... And perhaps a silent prayer that the sun will rise and cleanse the land of its devils, or at least provide a temporary reprieve...

And if morning never comes? Banish the thought! Focus instead on One Thing.

Jon: Phantom Encounters, a Time Life book. Get information that could save your life! Or your afterlife..?
Josh: Universal Monster movies - Perfect for this time of year!
Luke: Prime Evil, a top notch horror anthology! Read something scary!

Next time... Traversing a Dreamscape, trapped in a Nightmare... What is the scariest dream you ever had? Tell us!

Questions? Comments? Curses?
Email us! (thecromcast at gmail dot com)
You know you want to follow us on Twitter!
Subscribe to our feed on FeedBurner!
Or, check us out on iTunes!
We're also on Stitcher Radio and Google Play!
Finally.... Call us! (859) 429-CROM!

Legal Mumbo-Jumbo
Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Beginning theme: Night Break, then Sudden Defeat by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. Closing theme: Old Number Seven by The Devil Makes Three. All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

Cromtober 2017, Part I: Howard's Werewolf Stories!!!

Hail there, wayfaring stranger! We travel down this darkened road on this crisp Cromtober evening! For this first horror-filled episode we're discussing a couple interrelated werewolf stories by Robert E. Howard, In the Forest of Villefere and Wolfshead. The art included in this blogpost comes from the contributions of Greg Staples to The Horror Stories of Robert E. Howard.

One Things
Jon: Batman Beyond!
Luke: The Horror Hall of Fame!
Josh: Kubo and the Two Strings!

After this stint of horror content we'll begin our journey on the Road to Lankhmar!

Questions? Comments? Curses?
Email us! (thecromcast at gmail dot com), You know you want to follow us on Twitter!
Subscribe to our feed on FeedBurner!
Or, check us out on iTunes!
We're also on Stitcher Radio and Google Play!
Finally.... Call us! (859)429-CROM!

Legal Mumbo-Jumbo
Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Beginning theme: Night Break, then Sudden Defeat by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. Closing theme: Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon from Stand in the Fire. All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

Season 5, Episode 16: Sluggers of the Beach (The Final Round)

Welcome sport's fans to the final episode of season five! The road of champions is ending and to send it off, we meet up with Sailor Steve Costigan in "Sluggers of the Beach"! This one has treasure maps, pirates, boxing, and of course the lovable humor of Steve! We also discuss the boxing season as a whole and unveil where we are headed next!

One Things
Jon: Jack Kirby 100 by TwoMorrow's Publishing
Luke: Mr. Robot on USA
Josh: William Gibson's cyberpunk tales

Beginning next month it's the spooktacular tradition you all know and love, CROMTOBER!

After that we begin our journey to the Road to Lankhmar!

Questions? Comments? Curses?

Email us! (thecromcast at gmail dot com), You know you want to follow us on Twitter!
Subscribe to our feed on FeedBurner!
Or, check us out on iTunes!
We're also on Stitcher Radio and Google Play!
Finally.... Call us! (859)429-CROM!

Legal Mumbo-Jumbo
Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Beginning theme: Sudden Defeat by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.

Closing theme: The Hand of John L. Sullivan by Flogging Molly.
All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

Season 5, Episode 15: Vikings of the Gloves (Steve's in a Pickle!)

Welcome back, Cromrades! We are closing in on the last of our journeys with Sailor Steve Costigan, at least for a while. But first things first! This week, Costigan sneaks into a "Scandinavians Only" boxing tournament, only to find himself in a "durned if I do, durned if I don't" situation! Will Steve lose the match to save The Sea Girl at the risk of losing his reputation as the fightin'est sailor on the Seven Seas? Or will he will he win, and lose The Sea Girl in so doing? Find out, in "Vikings of the Gloves!"

The cover of Fight Stories, February 1932

 Check out our friend Michael McHenry's project, Gathering Storm Magazine! Short fiction, poetry, and odds and ends to "tickle the mind!" You won't be disappointed!

One Things
Jon: Hunter S. Thompson Hell's Angels book
Luke: The Very Bad Wizards podcast
Josh: Elder Sign the board game. And friendship.

Next Week: We close out the Road of Champions on the coast! It's "Sluggers on the Beach!"

Questions? Comments? Curses?
Email us! (thecromcast at gmail dot com), You know you want to follow us on Twitter!
Subscribe to our feed on FeedBurner!
Or, check us out on iTunes!
We're also on Stitcher Radio and Google Play!
Finally.... Call us! (859)429-CROM!

Legal Mumbo-Jumbo
Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Beginning theme: Sudden Defeat by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.

Closing theme: Rush - In The End. (A song by which to hold your lover.)
All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

The Cromcast S5E14: The Apparition in the Prize Ring

In today's episode we read the tale "Apparition in the Prize Ring" or "The Spirit of Tom Molyneaux". As boxing story this REH production is in tip top shape, but there are some issues with it that we discuss at length!

One Things
Jon: Dynamite Comics' SHAFT series!
Josh: The oldschool gaming podcast Graveyard Duck!
Luke: Metal band Mountaineer!



Next up: The Vikings of the Gloves, it's Steve Costigan somehow fighting against and for the pride of Scandinavia!

Questions? Comments? Curses?
Email us! (thecromcast at gmail dot com), You know you want to follow us on Twitter!
Subscribe to our feed on FeedBurner!
Or, check us out on iTunes!
We're also on Stitcher Radio and Google Play!
Finally.... Call us! (859)429-CROM!

Legal Mumbo-Jumbo
Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Beginning theme: Sudden Defeat by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.

Closing theme: Jackie Wilson; (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher
All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

Bourbon & Barbarians Episode 24: (The Party Enters) the Shrine of Evil Chaos

Greetings, adventurers! We return with another episode of Bourbon and Barbarians, an actual play recording from your Cromrades! Next stop... The END GAME!

Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. "Black Vortex" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Likewise Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Questions? Comments? Feedback? Email us! (thecromcast at gmail dot com)

The Cromcast S5E13: The Breed of Battle!

Who ever thought that stealing Steve Costigan's dog Mike was a good idea? Why, everyone knows Sailor Steve and Mike are more like brothers than anything else. The man who'd come between them, well... We'd hate to see what might happen to him! In fact, that reminds us... let us tell you about this time a feller tried to do that very thing, in The Breed of Battle. This Robert E. Howard tale was first published in the November 1931 issue of Action Stories, but you can read it on WikiSource.

Yessir, Mike and Costigan really are the fightin'est pair you'll see anywhere!

One Things
Jon: The legendary run on Teen Titans by Wolfman and Perez! Check it!
Josh: Been busy trying to learn how to play the mandolin!
Luke: Stephen King's treatise on horror, Danse Macabre!

Also be sure to check out Beyond the Ice-Fall, a viking adventure for use with Swords & Wizardy: WhiteBox. Old school gaming goodness! Here's a link!

Next up: Ace Jessel gets a helping hand during a boxing match from an unexpected source! It's The Apparition in the Prize Ring (AKA The Spirit of Tom Molyneaux). (Read it on Project Gutenberg Australia!)

Questions? Comments? Curses?
Email us! (thecromcast at gmail dot com), You know you want to follow us on Twitter!
Subscribe to our feed on FeedBurner!
Or, check us out on iTunes!
We're also on Stitcher Radio and Google Play!
Finally.... Call us! (859)429-CROM!

Legal Mumbo-Jumbo
Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Beginning theme: Sudden Defeat by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.

Closing theme: Hey Sandy by Polaris from the Nickelodeon TV show The Adventures of Pete and Pete.  All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

Bourbon & Barbarians Episode 23: Staying Out (After Dark)...

Greetings, adventurers! We return with another episode of Bourbon and Barbarians, an actual play recording from your Cromrades!

Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. "Black Vortex" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Likewise Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Questions? Comments? Feedback? Email us! (thecromcast at gmail dot com)

The Cromcast S5E12: Texas Fists! (We crave NUTRIMENT!)

Greetings, all! It has been a while! We hope you enjoyed the trips to the cinema with El Goro, and Johnny Wolfenstein and Dynamo Marz! We're back on the road, and heading toward Galveston, TX to meet up with Steve Costigan. He said there was some trouble with some banditos down that way, but we're sure it's nothing he can't handle...This week's story is Texas Fists, by Robert E. Howard! (Read it on Project Gutenberg Australia!) It was originally published in the May 1931 issue of Fight Stories. 

You might be interested in learning more about Occult Detective Quarterly. Check it out and if you do, tell them The Cromcast sent you!

One Things

Luke: A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. LeGuin

Jon: Rock Candy Mountain from Image Comics by Kyle Starks with variant cover art by Chris Schweizer.  Also, the Four Roses Bourbon label legend.

Josh: The Lightning and the Storm podcast (now complete!) If you haven't read Walter Simonson's run of The Mighty Thor, we recommend it!

Next time: A dognapper learns that the only kind of luck that stealing Mike brings him ain't the kind he wants, in The Breed of Battle! (Read it on Project Gutenberg Australia!)

Questions? Comments? Curses?
Email us! (thecromcast at gmail dot com), You know you want to follow us on Twitter!
Subscribe to our feed on FeedBurner!
Or, check us out on iTunes!
We're also on Stitcher Radio and Google Play!
Finally.... Call us! (859)429-CROM!

Legal Mumbo-Jumbo
Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Beginning theme: Sudden Defeat by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.

Closing theme: Glen Campbell tells you about love and loss in Galveston from the album of the same name.  All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

Bourbon & Barbarians Episode 22: 'I Slept on My Head Wrong...'

Greetings, adventurers! We return with another episode of Bourbon and Barbarians, an actual play recording from your Cromrades!

Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. "Black Vortex" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Likewise Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Questions? Comments? Feedback? Email us! (thecromcast at gmail dot com)

Season 5, Episode 11: Serving up Some Bare-knuckle Boxing Cinema with El Goro (Hard Times 1975)

Welcome back, Cromrades! No need to don your fighting togs,  just come as you are and leave the gloves at home because this week it's bare-knuckle bouts only! Joining us for this bout of cinematic pugilism is our friend El Goro from the excellent Talk Without Rhythm Podcast. We catch up with our favorite luchador/film scholar, discuss Hard Times from 1975 (Alternative title: The Streetfighter), directed by Walter Hill and starring James Coburn, Charles Bronson, Jill Ireland, and Strother Martin, and dig into a host of other hard boiled topics.

We're pretty sure that Bob Howard would have enjoyed this movie. But what did you think? Join in on the conversation! Call us at (859) 429-CROM, or attach an mp3 of your sultry voice to an email directed to thecromcast at gmail dot com! And, if you haven't already, subscribe to TWoRP! You'll be glad you did! Tell El Goro that The Cromcast sent you!

One Thing
El Goro: The Alamo Drafthouse. Purveyors of fine cinema experiences. Look for one near you!
Jon: The Admiral (Roaring Currents), a South Korean film directed by Han-min Kim, about the 1597 Battle of Myeongryang during the Japanese invasion of Korea. Check it!
Josh: Superman: American Alien by Max Landis. Vignettes from Clark's early days in Metropolis. Some of the stories are better than others, but Landis has some unique takes on The Man of Steel! If you like Superman, you'd probably like this!
Luke: Mountain! Specifically Nantucket Sleighride. Mountain is one of the underappreciated rock bands from the 70's, and are worth checking out if you're not familiar with their work! They rock hard!

Questions? Comments? Curses?
Email us! (thecromcast at gmail dot com),

You know you want to follow us on Twitter!
Subscribe to our feed on FeedBurner!
Or, check us out on iTunes!
We're also on Stitcher Radio and Google Play!
Finally.... Call us! (859)429-CROM!

Next time: What's Steve Costigan been up to? Well, he made a trip home during the time he's been away, back to Texas for a little R&R! Let's find out how that went in "Texas Fists" by Robert E. Howard! (Read it on WikiSource!)

Legal Mumbo-Jumbo
Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Beginning theme: Sudden Defeat by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.

Closing theme: Let Johnny Cash tell you about "Hard Times", from the Unearthed collection.  All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

Bourbon & Barbarians Episode 21: The Road to Cold Field...

Hile, faring folk! We have returned with yet another episode of Bourbon and Barbarians, an actual play recording of The Cromcast! In this episode our adventurers uncover an interesting scroll at a recent bivouac on the path to Cold Field...

Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. "Black Vortex" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Likewise Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Questions? Comments? Feedback? Email us! (thecromcast at gmail dot com)

Season 5, Episode 10: Talking The Set Up (1949) with Johnny Wolfenstein and Dynamo Marz from Trick or Treat Radio!

Welcome back Cromrades! This week we're podcasting in monochrome from a smoky boxing gym, where we met up with two monster hunting, championship belt winning, podcast producing, electroshock song singing badasses to discuss all matters of things. They are Johnny Wolfenstein and Dynamo Marz from the Trick or Treat Radio podcast! We get into boxing noir, wrestling, the athlete vs their inner expectations, comics, pulps, and The Set Up from 1949. This film was directed by Robert Wise, with a screenplay by Art Cohn, based on a long form poem by Joseph Moncure March. The film stars Robert Ryan, Audrey Totter, George Tobias, Alan Baxter, and Wallace Ford. We enjoyed the film, but what did you think? Let us know!

You can find a copy of the original poem here. Josh referenced an article from The Hudson Review (not The Atlantic) by Jefferson Hunter comparing the original source material and the film, which you can read here. Want to learn more about Joseph Moncure March and his works? Check out this New York Times article about him.

Thank you to Johnny and Marz for joining us for this episode! Everyone, go check out Trick or Treat Radio, live every Wednesday night at 9pm or via your favorite podcast app every Friday. If you do, tell them The Cromcast sent you! While you're there, check out Dynamo's band The Deadites. You can pick up a copy of their EP "The Big Scary Monster Hunts at Midnight" on Bandcamp.

One Things
Johnny: Mixtape Massacre (Get your old school horror fix during game night!)
Dynamo: The current run of Iron Fist comics. (Old school kung fu in the Mighty Marvel Manner!)
Jon: Stardew Valley, pick it up on Steam! Watch for the summer sale!
Luke: One Page Dungeon 2017 (Need a dungeon to crawl through? Get it here!)
Josh: The Void (2016) (Get a booster of cosmic horror here!)

Questions? Comments? Curses? Email us! (thecromcast at gmail dot com),
You know you want to follow us on Twitter!
Subscribe to our feed on FeedBurner!
Or, check us out on iTunes!
We're also on Stitcher Radio and Google Play!
Finally.... Call us! (859)429-CROM!

Next week: Another hard boiled boxing crime film, and another excellent guest host! We'll discuss Hard Times from 1975 starring Charles Bronson with El Goro from the Talk Without Rhythm Podcast! Dig it!

Legal Mumbo-Jumbo
Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Beginning theme: Sudden Defeat by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.

Closing theme: "The Attic" by The Deadites from the album Dough for Dynamo. Pick this excellent compilation up for $7 (or donate more!) and all proceeds go to help our friend Dynamo cover part of some sudden medical expenses. All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

Bourbon & Barbarians Episode 20: Curses & the Pyre...

Hile, faring folk! We have returned with yet another episode of Bourbon and Barbarians, an actual play recording of The Cromcast wherein we play some old-school D&D!

'Tis a dark time. In this episode, we begin as the first rays of sunlight begin to creep over the walls of the Keep on the Borderlands...

Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. "Black Vortex" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Likewise Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Questions? Comments? Feedback? Email us! (thecromcast at gmail dot com)

Season 5 Episode 9: His Brother's Keeper by Dashiell Hammett

The Man Himself, Dashiell Hammett

Welcome back, fellow fans of pulp pugilism and nihilistic noir! We have a doozy of a story this week, courtesy of Mr. Dashiell Hammett. We briefly get into the fascinating details of Mr. Hammett's life, and if you're not familiar with the man a short exploration of his bio is in order! He worked as a detective for the Pinkerton agency, was a veteran of both World Wars, created several enduring characters such as The Continental Op and Sam Spade and helped lay the foundation for the "hard boiled detective" genre, was involved in politics, and spent some time in prison for his involvement with the communist movement in the US during the 1950's.  Now it's time to dive into one of Hammett's boxing short stories, "His Brother's Keeper" (read it on Project Gutenberg Canada, eh?), originally published in the February 1934 issue of Collier's Magazine. We really enjoyed this story, but rather then delve deeply into the details here, we'll provide a brief prelude in Hammett's words:

"Explaining Kid Bolan, his brother—and a woman: The story of two battles, one of which was fought in the ring."

One Things Jon: The Dollop podcast, an entertaining look at history. We recommend the Cassius Clay episode! Josh: The Sword's live album Greetings From... Luke: New Big Dragon Games Unlimited, old school RPG accessories, particularly The Creature Compendium, D30 DM Companion, and D30 Sandbox Companion.  Note: The Sword, Lucero, and Clutch put on a killer concert in Louisville! It was a good time! Catch them if they're coming through your area! Questions? Comments? Curses? Email us! (thecromcast at gmail dot com),
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Next week: A boxing crime-noir from 1949: The Set Up, with special guests Dynamo Marz and Johnny Wolfenstein from the excellent Trick or Treat Radio Podcast!

Legal Mumbo-Jumbo
Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Beginning theme: Sudden Defeat by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.

Closing theme: "Subtle Hustle" by Clutch from their album Blast Tyrant. All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

Bourbon & Barbarians Episode 19: Another One Bites the Dust...

Well met, brave adventurers! We have returned with yet another episode of Bourbon and Barbarians, an actual play recording of The Cromcast wherein we play some old-school D&D! In this episode, our PCs push the envelope with another expedition before nightfall... Does it pay off? Listen and see!

Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. "Black Vortex" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Likewise Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Questions? Comments? Feedback? Email us! (thecromcast at gmail dot com)

Season 5 Episode 8: The Destiny Gorilla (or Who in the Heck is Dennis Dorgan?!)

Welcome back, Cromrades! Today's episode features "The Destiny Gorilla" a rollicking, comedic, and romantic tale if there ever was one. We open by meeting up with Sailor... Dennis Dorgan? That can't be right, who's he? Tune in to find out what's up with the switcheroo and what sort of fate awaits our new friend!

Quick Wikipedia entry on Dennis Dorgan


One Things
Jon: In a Lonely Place, a 1950 film noir starring Bogart
Josh: Story Wonk, a group of podcasts; in particular check out There and Back Again and We Can do this All Day
Luke: The Leftovers from HBO!


Questions? Comments? Curses? Email us! (thecromcast at gmail dot com), You know you want to follow us on Twitter! Subscribe to our feed on FeedBurner! Or, check us out on iTunes! We're also on Stitcher Radio and Google Play! Finally.... Call us! (859)429-CROM!

Legal Mumbo-Jumbo
Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Beginning theme: Sudden Defeat by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.

Closing theme: "Is She Really Going out with Him?" by Joe Jackson. All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

Bourbon & Barbarians Episode 18: Of Cyclorcs and Whispering Axes...

Well met, brave adventurers! We have returned with yet another episode of Bourbon and Barbarians, an actual play recording of The Cromcast wherein we play some old-school D&D! In this episode, our PCs consider their recent bounty, and skirt around an encounter with a new type of monster!

The guest appearance by cyclorcs this session was brought to you by New Big Dragon's Creature Compendium (CC1). Seriously, this is one of the best (if not THE BEST) pdf resources you can bring to your gaming table. If you wanna fight some monsters, this is legit OSR material, is substantive, and is ONLY $3!

Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. "Black Vortex" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Likewise Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Questions? Comments? Feedback? Email us! (thecromcast at gmail dot com)

S5E07: Men of Iron Essay and Rocky (1976)

Welcome back, Cromrades! On this episode we take a deep dive into REH's views on "Iron Men", those boxers who have uncanny tolerance for pain! The "Men of Iron" essay is difficult to track down, but you can find it in the 1976 Donald Grant publication "The Iron Man" and a few other sources. One of those Iron Men that Howard found interesting was Joe Grim. This article by Ron Jackson should give you more of an idea about Grim and his boxing style and approach.

 Then, we visit the cinema to dissect Rocky (1976) directed by John G. Avildsen and starring Sylvester Stallone (who also wrote the screenplay), Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, and Burgess Meredith, with music composed by Bill Conti. The score is brilliant, and the theme "Gonna Fly Now" has become iconic - just try to think of this movie without calling to mind the scene where Rocky triumphantly surges up the steps as the music swells! It's mythic. In fact, a deeper delve into this film reveals more of its mythic nature - with themes of redemption, renewal, and last chances. We get pretty deep on this one, folks! Let us know what you think!

Jon mentions a New Yorker article that covers the Rocky saga. It's titled "A Unified Theory of the Rocky Movies", and you can find it here.

One Things
Jon: The Fix, a comic from Image, by Nick Spencer and Steve Lieber.
Josh: The Real Ghostbusters cartoon on Netflix.
Luke: The OA, a Netflix original science fiction series. (Not affiliated with the Green Lantern Corps or Sector 2814).

We'll be back soon with a Sailor Steve Costigan Dennis Dorgan story, "The Destiny Gorilla."

Questions? Comments? Curses? Email us! (thecromcast at gmail dot com), You know you want to follow us on Twitter! Subscribe to our feed on FeedBurner! Or, check us out on iTunes! We're also on Stitcher Radio and Google Play! Finally.... Call us! (859)429-CROM!

Legal Mumbo-Jumbo
Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Beginning theme: Sudden Defeat by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.

Closing theme: "Gonna Fly Now" composed by Bill Conti. All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

S5E06: The TNT Punch!!! (DYNAMITE!!)

Welcome back, Cromrades! You're just in time to join us on a voyage to South Africa, to witness a story of kindness and conniving. Steve Costigan is a stand up guy, we reckon, and he'd do whatever he could for a friend, and even a countryman who isn't his friend. But there are those who'd take advantage of that kindness. Not to mention the fact that old Steve is a sucker for a pretty face. This here story is a prime example of those qualities of our boy Steve Costigan... it's The TNT Punch!

Art by Clayton Hinkle

We mention on this episode that our feed has grown, and older episodes are going to begin dropping from it. Don't worry! You can find them at our Archive.org page!

One Things

Jon: Samurai Jack. The new season is ongoing on Adult Swim.
Josh: Hellboy. Time for a re-read!
Luke: Jack London's classic The Call of the Wild. Take a walk on the wild side!

We'll be back soon with a discussion of Rocky and REH's unfinished essay "Men of Iron!"


Questions? Comments? Curses? Email us! (thecromcast at gmail dot com), You know you want to follow us on Twitter! Subscribe to our feed on FeedBurner! Or, check us out on iTunes! We're also on Stitcher Radio and Google Play! Finally.... Call us! (859)429-CROM!

Legal Mumbo-Jumbo
Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Beginning theme: Sudden Defeat by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0.

Closing theme: TNT by AC/DC from their album High Voltage. All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!