Frantic Nerdcast

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.

In Episode 115, the boys sit down to rant about the state of next-gen gaming and celebrate the golden era of cinema.

We kick things off by venting our frustrations over Sony and the push toward disc-less, all-digital consoles. Between inflated store prices, mandatory multi-gigabyte day-one updates, and upcoming AI-driven hardware shortages, are modern consoles shooting themselves in the foot? We break down why the plug-and-play magic of old consoles is officially dead.

Next, we open up the vault for a massive nostalgia trip through the best (and most obscure) movies of the 80s and 90s. We bypass the massive blockbusters to highlight the cult classics that defined our youth—ranging from The Mighty Ducks trilogy, The Sandlot, and Priscilla Queen of the Desert, to left-field horror-comedies like Idle Hands and Puppet Master 4.

Plus, we celebrate some massive wins for the Monsters of War universe, give a shoutout to our mates at Grindzone TCG in Sydney, and check in on AJ's elusive fifth canvas.

Want to play our home-grown card game? Order your copy of Monsters of War for $25 AUD by emailing store@franticnercast.com.

With Brock out traveling the wilderness this week, the dynamic duo teams up to deliver a jam-packed episode of nerdy deep dives. The guys kick things off with a countdown to PAX Australia before losing their minds over Stonemaier Games' newly announced title, Duel of Melok—an ambitious asymmetrical game allowing Scythe and Expeditions systems to battle head-to-head.

Then, they step into the designer shoes to pitch how iconic anime IPs like Dr. Stone and One Piece could naturally fit complex resource management and dungeon-crawling board game systems without just being cheap reskins. Finally, they step into the screening room for a massive retro discussion on the greatest animated feature films that have absolutely zero affiliation with Disney or Pixar. They cover everything from the brutal heartbreak of The Land Before Time and the legendary rock soundtrack of the original Transformers movie to absolute anime milestones like Akira, Ninja Scroll, and Evangelion.

Plus, get an update on Zach’s Diddy Kong Racing streams and find out how you can buy the crew's homegrown tabletop game, Monsters at War!