Frantic Nerdcast

The boys are back for Episode 120, coming to you in full monochromatic green style! 🟢 This week, we’re opening up with some high-stakes local bin chat before diving straight into the big pop culture releases.

We give our initial (mostly!) spoiler-free thoughts on Spider-Man: Brand New Day—is it truly the best MCU Spider-Man movie yet? We also dive into Ryan Murphy's The Beauty (and how it compares to the graphic novel), Netflix’s The Boroughs, Peacemaker Season 2, a nostalgic Mortal Kombat marathon, and early impressions of Silo Season 3.

Plus, Brock gets put on the hot seat for a blind Dragon Ball Z Character Ranking, we highlight how to play our game Monsters at War, cover huge news in the TCG and tabletop world (Universes 40k, PAX Aus, and Ready Player Two), and share details on an incredible community FU Cancer fundraiser.

We are shaking up the schedule this week with an early Tuesday recording because Thursday is reserved for Spider-Man: Brand New Day!

In this jam-packed episode, the boys dive into their early impressions of Palworld 1.0, recent progress on Diddy Kong Racing, and a fresh playtest report for our upcoming 3D printable skirmish game, Rift Chaos! Plus, we break down Christopher Nolan’s epic three-hour film The Odyssey, jump into Horus Heresy book chatter, and discuss big news for Dungeon Crawler Carl.

Finally, we react to all the massive SDCC drops—from Marvel’s big Avengers and Ghost Rider reveals to DC’s Lanterns, Blade Runner 2099, and the spoof-filled Spaceballs Cinematic Universe plan!

Head over to franticnerdcast.com to grab our card games or check out the latest miniatures! Stay Frantic!

We are officially back and fully legal to drink again for Episode 118! This week, the boys break down the internet-breaking trailer for Avengers: Doomsday. We discuss Gambit taking on Shang-Chi, comic-accurate Mystique, Thor's ominous warnings about Doom, and how Secret Wars is being set up.

Later, AJ takes on a blind ranking challenge of classic board games (Ticket to Ride, Wingspan, Carcassonne, and Game of Thrones), and we give an in-depth review of Stonemaier Games' asymmetrical standalone game, Duel of Meloch.

The lads are back for another rambling journey through the chaotic world of nerd culture. In Episode 117, Zachary recounts his trip to the brand-new Grindzone TCG brick-and-mortar storefront in Brookvale before the conversation shifts to the corporate blunder of the week: EB Games. The guys break down the retailer's baffling statement defending their inflated Pokémon 30th Anniversary pre-order prices as an "anti-scalping strategy".

Following a tragic, sudden loss in the local acting community, the crew pays tribute to the iconic New Zealander (whom Australia proudly claims), Sam Neill, sharing their ultimate favorite performances from Event Horizon to Merlin.

Finally, things get dark and moody as the team unloads a massive list of the most shocking, heartbreaking fictional deaths across pop culture history. Whether it's the heartbreaking exit of Gambit in X-Men '97, the traumatic execution of Ned Stark, the ultimate anime tragedy of Nina Tucker, or the brutal loss of Dom in Gears of War, no tear duct is left safe.

They wrap things up with quick thoughts on Enola Holmes 3, the Legally Blonde prequel series Elle, Absolute Batman, and a highly controversial debate comparing Heath Ledger's roles in A Knight's Tale and The Dark Knight.

To grab your physical copy of Monsters at War for $25 AUD, hit up store@franticnerdcast.com, and don't forget to join the community on the official Discord!

The boys are back for Episode 116, and Zach is kicking things off with a massive rant about the absolute disaster that was the Pokémon 30th Anniversary pre-order drop. From major Australian retailers testing the waters with scalper-level pricing to website crashes forcing collectors to check out one item at a time, it was a total mess.

Once the rage settles, the guys dive into a massive pop culture breakdown. They dissect the new Dune Part 3 trailer, theorizing on how the film will blend Dune Messiah and Children of Dune, before pivoting to the anime world to discuss the insane premise of Zombie Land Saga and the upcoming One Piece remake. The crew also reviews the new Supergirl movie, hits a frustrating storytelling wall in their Smallville rewatch, breaks down The Legend of Vox Machina season 3 finale, and chats about the latest updates to Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Wrap it all up with a lightning round of geek news—including a Lego Dragon Ball Z leak, a bizarre Fallout reality show announcement, and a massive anime piracy bust—plus updates on their own card game, Monsters at War.