Bourbon & Barbarians, Season 3 Episode 7: A Pyre, and Portents of Days to Come

Greetings, brave wanderers! We continue our third season of Bourbon & Barbarians! Herein our adventurers visit the Burgomaster, and prepare themselves to enter the proper, actual, for-real-this-time classic AD&D module, I6: Ravenloft!

Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. "Gnarled Situation" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Likewise Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Our final track is an abbreviated version of "Epitaph" by King Crimson. All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

Bourbon & Barbarians, Season 3 Episode 6: Passage of Years, then a Letter on the Doorstep!

Hile, travelers! We return to our third season of Bourbon & Barbarians! Herein our adventurers have aged a couple years, learned a couple things, and now piece together the breadcrumbs that lead to STRAHD!

Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. "Gnarled Situation" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Likewise Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Our final track is an abbreviated version of "21st Century Schizoid Man" by King Crimson. All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

Announcing Season 11 - The Western Road Story List!

Howdy, Cromrades! Where do we turn after our jaunt off-world to Arrakis? How about the Wild West? Saddle up and join us on our trip through the plains for stagecoach robberies, gunfights at high noon, and adventure!

Season 11: The Western Road

1.    “Law-Shooters of Cowtown”- Robert E. Howard (Cross Plains 1974): An intro episode where we talk about our experiences with westerns and how REH started writing them as well. We’ll begin with a grim western that features Grizzly Elkins and a fist fight with a mob that is supposed to be quite memorable. (From End of the Trail (Bison Books)

2.    “Stage to Lordsburg”- Ernest Haycox (Saturday Evening Post 1937): Called by some “the greatest stagecoach story ever written” this short story also served as the inspiration for John Ford’s “Stagecoach”. Haycox was a pulp writer who published two dozen novels and about 300 short stories and was an early pioneer of the western. University of Arizona PDF

3.    “Old Garfield’s Heart”- Robert E. Howard (Weird Tales 1933): A focus on REH and his hand in creating the weird western. What has this genre offered us in pop culture. This story specifically focuses on an old Texas Pioneer gains immortality by replacing his heart with something from another world. Was adapted into a Conan story “Old Garrod’s Heart” in SSoC #203.

                The Horror Stories of REH (Del Rey)

                Black Stranger and Other American Tales (Bison Books)

                Project Gutenberg Link

4.    “A Man Called Horse”- Dorothy Johnson (Collier’s 1950): A rich Bostonian is enslaved by Crow Indians. While enslaved he eventually gains the respect of the tribe through cunning and bravery in battle. Eventually he takes the name “Horse” and falls in love with an Indian woman.  PDF Link

5.    “Trap of Gold”- Louis L’Amour (Argosy 1951): The master of the western, L’Amour was prolific in his production. How has the genre solidified 20-30 years after Howard was tinkering with it? This short story focuses on a prospector, Weatherton. Weatherton finds the dream of a lifetime, a vein richer in gold than he ever cared to imagine. He knew he had more than he needed, but he almost lost his senses - and his life - as the fever began to take control of him. PDF Link

6.    Western Film Fest: The Cromcast talks western movies with a classic “The Wild Bunch” by Sam Peckinpah and a modern western “The Proposition” by John Hillcoat.  

7.    “Mountain Man”- Robert E. Howard (Action Stories 1934): Breckenridge Elkins is a lesser known but extremely important Howard creation. With 26 published stories, he was actually Howard’s most commercially viable and longest published character. His stories are called “funny westerns” and feature tall tale structure with printed Texan vernacular. We will be reading and analyzing his first appearance.

Wikisource link

The Complete Action Stories (Wildside Press)

 Riot at Bucksnort (Bison books)

8.     “Vultures of Whapeton”- Robert E. Howard (Smashing Novels Magazine 1936): A conclusion to The Western Road, where we wrap up by talking about what is considered to be REH’s finest western story. Steve Corcoran, a Texas pistoleer, finds a job as deputy of the boom town of Wahpeton. At first, he doesn’t know that his boss is the secret head of the outlaw gang of “Vultures” who are preying on the town.

                Vultures of Whapeton (Zebra Books)

                Best of REH Vol 2: Grim Lands (Del Rey)

                End of the Trail (Bison Books)

                Project Gutenberg link

               

Season 10 Episode 4: "The Prophet"

Welcome back for one more episode this season, Fremen Cromrades! We wrap up our journey to Arrakis with a discussion of Book III of Dune entitled, "The Prophet."

One Things:
Jon: Blurry Photos' episode on Creepy Cults!
Josh: David Fincher's Zodiac!
Luke: Luca Guadagnino's Suspira!

Where do we go from here? What road will we walk next? Lay your ear close to the ground, and soon you may hear a tale of a new season!

Questions? Comments? Curses?

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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. 

Outro: "Dune (Desert Theme)" by Toto. Music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

Cromtober 2019 - Tailypo & Others

We just can't quit you, Cromtober! We're back for one more episode, wherein we are just gathered around the fire and telling some spooky stories... Join us, won't you?

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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/ Music is "Ghost Processional - Alternate" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. 

Cromtober 2019 - Frightening Childhood Films with Wine & Witches!

At last, Wine & Witches is back! Ashleigh, Kara, and Liz have returned to discuss frightening films that left a mark upon their childhood! Up first, Ashleigh presents why Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) is actually a horrific movie. Then, Kara discusses The Brave Little Toaster, an animated film from 1987 and the frightful scenes contained within. Finally, Liz takes the show back to The Emerald City for the 1985 sequel Return to Oz.

Scenes of TERROR:

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

• The infamous Tunnel Scene. 
• The Oompa Loompas

The Brave Little Toaster

• The Air Conditioner Scene.
• The "Worthless" junkyard scene. 
• The "Brave Little Toaster Dreams of Hell" scene. 

Return to Oz

• Here come The Wheelers!
• Princess Mombi's collection of heads provides context for this terrifying scene!

Wheelers!

Tik-Tok does look a little like Wilford Brimley... 

One Things

• Ashleigh: A suite of creepy podcasts, including My Favorite Murder, Man in the Window, and Bardstown Podcast, but listen to Dolly Parton's America to get your mind away from dark thoughts!
• Kara: some entertaining shows, including Fleabag, Schitt's Creek, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel!
• Liz: TLC's 90 Day shows, including 90 Day Fiance, 90 Day Fiance: The Other Way, and 90 Day Fiance: Before The 90 Days. 

What movie scared you when you were a kid? Was it a children's film? Or were you watching horror films at a young age? Write in, and let the Witches know! 

Next time: Spooky Stories By The Fire - The 2019 Cromtober Coda!

Questions? Comments? Curses?

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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/ Intro theme: "I Put A Spell on You" by Bette Midler. Outro: "Pure Imagination" by Gene Wilder.  All works remain the property of the respective artists and are used without permission; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

Cromtober 2019 - Fear, Part III: Beyond the Light

Welcome back Cromrades. Cromtober continues, and finds your three intrepid pulp podcasting heroes trapped within The Witch's hut, where their own worst fears are being used against them! This week, Josh discusses his fear of the unknown - not the darkness itself, but what lies concealed within it - in the context of H.P. Lovecraft's story "The Outsider."

Join us, won't you?

One Things

Jon: The Big Book of the Unexplained by Doug Moench

Josh: Bazaar of Bad Dreams by Stephen King

Luke: Night Winds by Karl Edward Wagner

Next time: Wine & Witches returns! 

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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. 

Outro: "It Will Never Die" by Murder by Death from their album Big Dark Love.  All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

Cromtober 2019- Fear pt 2: Little Green Men

Welcome, Cromrades! Cromtober 2019 continues with the Witch using our fears against us! Today the wheel turns to Jonathan and his fear of being abducted by aliens. Instead of prepping with a story for this episode, you should check out this article on Betty and Barney Hill's alien abduction case.

One Things
Luke: Clive Barker's "The Hellbound Heart"
Josh: An examination of "IT" on the page and on the screen by Hypnogoria
Jon: "Kentucky Hauntings: Homespun Ghost Stories and Unexplained History"


Questions? Comments? Curses?
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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. Theme music is "Right Behind You."

Cromtober 2019 - Fear, Part I - Infinity

Welcome, Cromrades! It's our favorite time of the year, the season of Cromtober! This year, we go a little free-form with a discussion of our fears. For this first episode (click here) we use HPL's poem, "Nemesis," as a lynchpin for our discussion. Find it here!

One Things
Jon: Anthony Bourdain's 'Hungry Ghosts'
Josh: Final Fantasy Tactics
Luke: Shirley Jackson's 'We have Always Lived in the Castle'

Questions? Comments? Curses?
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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. Theme music is "Right Behind You."

Season 10 Episode 3, "Muad'Dib"

Welcome back, Fremen Cromrades! We are continuing our sojourn through the hot and arid sands of Arrakis, ever in search of that spice which makes intergalactic travel possible! This week, we discuss Book II of Dune, titled "Muad'Dib". Let's catch up with Paul and Jessica, meet Stilgar, become better acquainted with the complex interactions between civilization and barbarism inherent to Fremen culture, and dig into the layers of humanism and cosmicism that Frank Herbert wove into his story of betrayal, revenge, heroes, and Messiahs! Also - knife fights!

Art by Nick Patterson, found here: https://www.instagram.com/p/BBNtsXyQGUd/

One Things:
Jon: Browsing "Imaginary Maps" on Reddit!
Josh: Blade Runner: The Final Cut
Luke: Deathbird Stories by Harlan Ellison

We will continue along the Road to Arrakis soon, and cover Book III: "The Prophet" shortly. However, we must take a break. The days are shortening. Nights are becoming longer. Leaves are changing color and growing sere on the trees. Moonlight shines down upon a hut, balanced upon a chicken leg, surrounded by a vast expanse of corn fields. Last year, we entered The Witch's Hut. This year, we'll tell you what we found there, or should we say -- what found us there.

Cromtober is at hand! What are you afraid of? 

Questions? Comments? Curses?

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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. 

Outro: "Poison" by Bell Biv DeVoe.  All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

Season 10 Episode 2: "Dune"

Welcome back, Cromrades! This week we go deep into the first section of Frank Herbert's Dune, from the standpoint of civilization and barbarism, unwanted power, drugs, factions vying for control of Arrakis, ecology, fathers and sons, mothers and sons, conservation, perceptions of native cultures as noble savages, space nuns, adapting to new environments, and more!

Need a copy? Here it is from Amazon.

One Things
Jon: Fables the comic book series
Josh: Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee
Luke: Mindhunter on Netflix

Next time - we wander further into the deserts of Arrakis in the second section of Dune, titled "Muad'Dib".

Questions? Comments? Curses?

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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. 

Outro: "Tomorrow's Dream" by Black Sabbath.  All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

Season 10 Episode 1: Dune as Pulp, Dune as S&S!

Welcome, Cromrades! We embark upon a new season centered on Frank Herbert's Dune! Please join us as we start down the Road to Arrakis! In this episode we talk about the Golden Age of SF, the 3 B's (Bims, BEMs, and Bums), and how Dune breaks that mold of foundational science fiction pulps!

One Things
Jon: Jonah Hex, by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti
Josh: The Iron Lords, written by Andrew J. Offutt
Luke: 12 Monkeys, directed by Terry Gilliam

Otherwise, if you are looking for some context for the correspondence and narrative outlined here, seek out the The Road to Dune by Herbert, Anderson, and Herbert.

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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.
Outro: "To Tame a Land" by Iron Maiden.  All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

Season 9 Episode 9: The Recapitulation – End of The Road of Revisions!

Welcome, Cromrades! We've reached the end of The Road of Revisions, and this week we reflect on what we've learned about Robert E. Howard's revision process and discuss the implications of posthumous collaborations.

One Things
Jon: The Helmet Project - an online index of the helmets worn by various American football teams at all levels of play throughout history.
Josh: My Father, The Pornographer: A Memoir by Chris Offutt.
Luke: Blue Oyster Cult - Fire of Unknown Origin

Robert E. Howard's bedroom as it might have looked as he wrote and revised his works...

Where do we go from here? How about setting sail across the gulfs of space to the desert planet of Arrakis?

Frank Herbert's Dune is a science fiction masterpiece that blends elements of fantasy to create a rich and fully realized fictional world.  At first it may seem like this is a substantial departure for us! But fear not (fear is the mind-killer!), because we think you'll see similar themes that we've explored in other stories unfold within this work in a unique way! 

This novel, first published in 1965, finds its roots in the pulps of the day. And that is where we will begin Season 10 - The Road to Arrakis, next time! 

Questions? Comments? Curses?

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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. 

Outro: "Astronomy" by Blue Oyster Cult.  All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

Season 9 Episode 8: The Expansion – "Nekht Semerkhet" by RE Howard and expanded by Andrew J. Offutt

Greetings, Cromrades! This week, we are reading "Nekht Semerkhet" as orginally written by Robert E. Howard and then expanded upon by Andrew J. Offutt. There's a lot to cover today, including barbarism v. civilization, Egyptian contact theories, and how tropes can become larger than life. Tune in if you dare!

One Things
Jon: It was the War of the Trenches by Jacques Tardi- Graphic novel depicting the brutality of WW1
Josh: Paperbacks from Hell by Grady Hendrix- An examination of 70s/80s paperback horror books
Luke: Lean Times in Lankhmar and Swords in the Mist by Fritz Leiber- You know 'em and love 'em

Next time: We reach the end of The Road of Revisions! We will be recapitulating all we learned and our feelings about the stories, as well as revealing our next road!

Questions? Comments? Curses?

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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. 

Outro: "Walk Like an Egyptian" by The Bangles.  All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

Bourbon & Barbarians, Season 3 Episode 5: Casks of Oil!

Hile, travelers! We have returned with a finale of sorts for the 'prologue' for our third season of Bourbon & Barbarians! Never fear, our current party will embark on a much bigger adventure soon... RAVENLOFT! If you are interested, the entire prologue series of sessions for Season 3 is based on a 'creative commons' module that is free for the taking. See the first episode of the season for details!

Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. "Gnarled Situation" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Likewise Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Our final track is "Warrior" by Wishbone Ash from the Argus album. All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

Bourbon & Barbarians, Season 3 Bonus Episode with Planet X Games!

Hile, adventurers! We interrupt your regularly-scheduled Bourbon & Barbarians broadcast for this special release... We are joined by an old school friend from way back, Levi Combs, who is now spearheads Planet X Games!

Planet X has previously released their first D&D 5E module, Jungle Tomb of the Mummy Bride, and you may remember our previous discussion of that material. Well, Levi and Co. are back at it, and have a Kickstarter running for their new D&D 5E module, An Occurrence at Howling Crater! This is a legit sandbox module, so you'll get uber-playability out of the module. You can back the module and get in on the goodness at the $15 mark, so consider getting in on the action!

This was a fun episode. We didn't just talk about the Kickstarter. We spent way more time talking through our respective and shared histories with RPGs, and talk about RPGs in general! Hope you like it!

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. We close the episode with White Zombie's "Electric Head Pt. 1 (The Agony)." All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

Season 9 Episode 7: The Weirdification of "The Fire of Asshurbanpal" and The Dark Man Journal with Nicole Emmelhainz-Carney and Jason Ray Carney!

This is a big 'un! We were lucky enough to have Nicole Emmelhainz-Carney and Jason Ray Carney sit in with us for our discussion of "The Fire of Asshurbanpal," which progressed through a variety of iterations as written by Robert E. Howard. Beyond this, we have great discussions about this year's Howard Days, Jason and Nicole's contributions there, and spend some time talking about The Dark Man: Journal of Robert E. Howard and Pulp Studies. Jason and Nicole are taking over the reins from the most recent issue (10.1) onward, so there is a lot of discussion about where this journal is going! Tune in!

Misc. Things
- See here for the Facebook page for The Dark Man, where you can find about about submission deadlines and other info!

- See here for the Imaginary Worlds episode featuring Nicole Emmelhainz, alongside other REH scholars!

- See here for Ben Friberg's extensive video coverage of REH Days! Thanks so much for this continued service, Ben!

- See here for Jason Ray Carney's blog, which is loaded with all kinds of pulp and lit crit goodness!

- See here for the Pulp Studies section of the Popular Culture Association!

One Things
Nicole: The TV show, Longmire!
Jason: The Sorrows of Young Werther, and the Byronic Hero!
Jon: Lost Christianities, by Bart Ehrman!
Josh: Crusader Kings, which is easily accessible at Good Old Games!
Luke: The Books of Blood, by Clive Barker!

Next time... We get expansive when we tackle "Nekht Semerkhet," and get to talk about Kentucky's own Andrew J. Offutt!

Questions? Comments? Curses?
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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. Outro: "We Didn't Start the Fire" by Billy Joel. All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

Season 9 Episode 6: The Progression of "The Spears of Clontarf" by Robert E. Howard

The Cromcast crew dives into the progression of "The Spears of Clontarf" to "The Grey God Passes" and "The Cairn on the Headland" all by Robert E. Howard. 

What starts as historical fiction featuring Brian Boru and Ireland vs. Brodir of Man and a bunch of Vikings becomes a Cthulu mythos tales featuring an Odin with tentacles! We pick apart why Howard loves Clontarf and what the vicious cycle of Ragnarok might mean for these stories. Tune in!

Odin is a bad mamma jamma

One Things
Jon: Spider-Man: Life Story- What if Spider-Man aged in real time?
Josh: Transmetropolitan and Spider Jerusalem by Warren Ellis- What is journalism?
Luke: Barry on HBO- Bill Hader is a hitman who takes acting classes! What's not to love?

Next time: Get your marshmallows ready because we're lighting up ""The Fire of Asshurbanpal"

Questions? Comments? Curses?

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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. 

Outro: "The Grey God Passes" by Manilla Road.  All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

Bourbon & Barbarians, Season 3 Episode 4: Fire & Ice!

Hile, travlers! We have returned with another episode of Bourbon & Barbarians! Herein the party anger more kobolds, and uncover some loot!

Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. "Gnarled Situation" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Likewise Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Our final track is "Warrior" by Wishbone Ash from the Argus album. All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

Season 9 Episode 5: The Adaptations of "Queen of the Black Coast"!

Greetings, Cromrades! This week we set sail yet again, aboard The Tigress this time and with a different captain! We return to the Hyborian Age to discuss "Queen of the Black Coast", focusing on the original text and two comic book adaptations of the story; one from Marvel by Roy Thomas and John Buscema, and the other from Dark Horse by Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan! We also dig into the philosophy of adapting materials from one medium to another. Get ready, this one's an adventure!

Cover for Weird Tales, May 1934
Art by Margaret Brundage

One Things
Jon: Aquaman, Vol. 6 from ca. 2003.  (Water hand? King Shark? Sub Diego? Pure comic book fun!)
Josh: Civilization V (The Ultimate Time Sink!)
Luke: HBO's Game of Thrones! (Ever heard of it?)

Next time: We face Viking armies on the eastern coast of Ireland in the year 1014!!!

Questions? Comments? Curses?

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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. 

Outro: "Queen of the Black Coast" by Manilla Road.  All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

Bourbon & Barbarians, Season 3 Episode 3: Spider Fight!

Hile, travlers! We have returned with another episode of Bourbon & Barbarians! Herein we jump straight into a spider fight!

Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. "Gnarled Situation" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Likewise Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Our final track is "Warrior" by Wishbone Ash from the Argus album. All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

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

Season 9 Episode 4: The Transformation of "The Black Stranger" with Rusty Burke!

Yo ho Cromrades! We sail still on the Road of Revisions! In this episode, we engage with "The Transformation"! How does Robert E. Howard's "The Black Stranger" become two other pirate tales- "The Swords of the Red Brotherhood" (also by Howard) and "The Treasure of Tranicos" (by L. Sprague de Camp)? To find out, tune in and join us as we meet up with Howard scholar Rusty Burke for a rousing discussion!

Yarr! Our One Things!
Rusty: Some Notes on a Nonentity: The Life of H.P. Lovecraft by Sam Gafford and Jason Eckhardt.
Jon: Jeremy Wade's Dark Waters! 
Josh: No free time lately - only work, so teaching Entomology.
Luke: Veep on HBO

Next time, it's even more pirates as we tackle... "THE ADAPTATION"!

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/ Themes by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. 

Outro: "Don't Talk to Strangers" by Dio.  All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

Season 9, Episode 3: The Inspiration – "The Striking of the Gong" by Howard & Carter

Welcome back, Cromrades! We're chugging along The Road of Revisions! In this episode, which we term 'The Inspiration,' we tackle "The Striking of the Gong," which you can find in the Kull collection by Del Ray or perhaps a used copy of King Kull.

A graphic interpretation of the story from The Savage Sword of Conan comic!

Here's the One Things!
Jon: Stardew Valley!
Josh: Harvest Moon - Friends of Mineral Town!
Luke: More gardening! Specifically his zinnia planting!

NEXT TIME.... THE TRANSFORMATION!

Questions? Comments? Curses?
Email us! (thecromcast at gmail dot com)
You know you want to follow us on Twitter!
Did you know that we're on Facebook?
We're posting photos on the Instagrams!
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. Outro is "Do You Realize" by The Flaming Lips. All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

Season 9, Episode 2: The Extension – "The God in the Bowl" with Mark Finn!

Welcome back, Cromrades! We're picking up steam as we head down The Road of Revisions with our guest, Mark Finn! In this episode, which we term 'The Extension,' we tackle one of the earliest-written Conan stories, "The God in the Bowl," which didn't see publication until 1952 when it appeared in Space Science Fiction.

An illustration by Mark Schultz in The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian (Del Rey, 2003). 

Mark Finn is a long-standing REH and weird/pulp scholar. You may have heard of his biography, Blood and Thunder? Mark continues to blog at both 'Finn's Wake' and 'Confessions of a Reformed RPGer.' Do yourself a favor and jump over to some of his written material; it is well worth your time!

Beyond Mark's writing, we spend some time in this episode talking about the ongoing series of articles at The Black Gate entitled 'Hither Came Conan,' and discuss some of the points made by Bob Byrne in his article, 'Robert E. Howard Wrote a Police Procedural? With Conan?? Crom!!!'

Anyway, 'nuff with the jibba-jabba... Here's the One Things!

Mark: Red Dead Redemption 2

Jon and Josh: Avengers Endgame! Now showing at a theater near you :)

Luke: Fred Saberhagen's The Broken Lands / Empire of the East

NEXT TIME.... THE INSPIRATION!

Questions? Comments? Curses?
Email us! (thecromcast at gmail dot com)
You know you want to follow us on Twitter!
Did you know that we're on Facebook?
We're posting photos on the Instagrams!
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. Outro is "Crawling King Snake" by The Doors. All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!

A Grave Night on the Borderlands - A One Page Dungeon Submission!

Hail, Cromrades! Looking for a quick bit of fun around the game table? Well, you're in luck! Below is Luke's submission to this year's One Page Dungeon contest. This 'Borderlands' one-shot is system-agnostic, and is designed to be a spooky little investigation!

If you have an idea yourself, submit it to this year's contest before May 1st! Entering is free, and past years' submissions are collected and available via Shattered Pike Studio. These past compendiums are chock full of ideas, and you absolutely can't beat 'em!

A low-res image of the dungeon is below; you can download the free PDF here!

Season 9, Episode 1: The Initiation - Kull and Conan with Karen Joan Kohoutek!

Welcome back, Cromrades! We're excited to get rolling down The Road of Revisions, and we go big with our first episode! Here we tackle the roots of Robert E. Howard's brand of sword and sorcery by going deep with the Kull/Conan dichotomy, and we call in our friend and Howard Scholar Karen Joan Kohoutek to provide us with her insight into this topic. Karen authored an insightful essay comparing "By This Axe I Rule!" and "The Phoenix On The Sword" which was published on On An Underwood #5  July 22, 2018. Read that, and prepare for an epic exploration of these two stories!

The text analysis we discuss toward the end of the episode is below.

Fig. 1 - The Phoenix on the Sword - Most Common Words

Fig. 2 - By This Axe I Rule - Most Common Words

Fig. 3 - Most Frequent Words in "Axe" and "Sword" Combined. 

Fig. 4 - Frequent Word Pairs - Arrows Point to Second Word of the Pair, Increasing Shade of Arrow = Increasing Frequency of the Word Combination

Fig. 5 - Sentiment Scores by Section of "Axe" and "Phoenix"

Fig. 6 - Words Contributing Most Heavily to Sentiment Analysis in "Axe" and "Phoenix". 

One Things
Karen: Star Wars Celebration in Chicago!
Jon: Monster - The Zodiac Killer podcast
Josh: Joining The Appendix N Book Club Podcast for a series of episodes! Luke joined in for a discussion of L. Sprague De Camp's The Goblin Tower on Episode 41, Jon was up next for Conan The Wanderer on Episode 42, and Josh joined in for a Leiberian conversation about Swords Against Wizardry on Episode 43.
Also, we joined Trick or Treat Radio for Episode 350 and discussed The Head Hunter.
If you haven't subscribed to these great shows, you absolutely should!
Luke: Death Metal Gardening! Spring renewal, green growth, and renewal by raiding the soil's nutrients for your crops!

Growth and Graves

Next: A long-awaited story, and an old friend returns... 

"In Mitra's name what is in that chamber?"

Questions? Comments? Curses?

Email us! (thecromcast at gmail dot com)

You know you want to follow us on Twitter!
Did you know that we're on Facebook?
We're posting photos on the Instagrams!
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. 

Outro: "Steel and Silver" by Visigoth.  All music was obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!