Episode 10: Podcast Team-Up with The Geek Speak Show!

Back when we were at Creatures Con in August, we were able to sit down with fellow podcasters Henry San Miguel and Annie Yang (well, Annie was on camera duty!) from the Geek Speak Show and have a great discussion about how we all got into podcasting, our favorite Star Trek series, what we thought about Star Wars VIII: The Last Jedi,  - you name it! Henry and his fellow Geek Speakers have been running their podcast since 2010, so they're veterans. We hope you enjoy some behind the scenes talk and some plain old geeking out! You can find the Geek Speak Show at http://www.thegeekspeakshow.com/home.html

Annie, Larry, Karen (on iPad), Henry, and Bob at Creatures Con

We hope to team up with the good folks of Geek Speak again soon! Perhaps they can come visit the command center at Planet 8? Stay tuned...

This episode, we also wanted to give a few shout outs to some listeners who we've had interactions with. We really appreciate all of you who take the time to let us know what you think. Hearing from you and knowing our signal is not just getting lost in the vast reaches of intergalactic space makes this all worth it. So many thanks and keep those messages coming! You can leave comments here, or at our other outlets:

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8Cast
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Thanks for Listening!

Episode 9: Darth Vader Conquers Planet 8

Darth Vader...the Dark Lord of the Sith. One of the greatest villains in cinema history. From his fearsome look to his commanding voice to his dangerous mastery of the dark side, everything about him screams 'ultimate bad guy.' He's been impressing audiences since his first appearance in Star Wars in 1977 and now generations of fans have grown up with him through movies, animated shows, games, books, and toys. Join your Planet 8 crew as we discuss this legend - our earliest memories of Vader, favorite moments, and other thoughts.

Then, join us as we talk to... Darth Vader! Of course, fans know that David Prowse played Vader in the original trilogy (and James Earl Jones has provided the iconic voice of the character). But Prowse has not been the only actor to portray Vader. At Creatures Con in San Ramon, California, we had the good fortune to interview C. Andrew Nelson. Nelson has had an extensive career in the motion picture industry, beginning in visual effects with LucasArts and ILM. It was there that he was tapped to play Darth Vader! Nelson has played Vader in games, commercials, TV shows, and in the Special Edition. We got to talk to him about what it was like putting on that costume, and the many amazing experiences he has had! He's a fantastic storyteller. You can find out more about him at his site: http://candrewnelson.com/

Larry, C.Andrew Nelson (applying Force choke), Karen (on ipad), and Bob

For our Sensor Sweep, Karen looks at Marvel's Darth Vader comic series. She recommends the first 25 issues, by Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larroca, which picks up with Vader right after the destruction of the Death Star (the first one!). It's a great glimpse into the personality of the Dark Lord. These comics have been collected into trade paperbacks and can be found in stores, libraries, or at Amazon or sellers like In-Stock Trades.

That's all for this time! We hope you enjoy the show. Please share your thoughts in the comments section, or head over to Twitter or Facebook: 

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8Cast
• Facebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8Podcast

Thanks for Listening!

Episode 8: Mad about Universal Monsters

Who doesn't love the Universal Monsters? Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, the Wolfman, the Mummy, the Creature from the Black Lagoon - if you're like us, you grew up spending Saturday nights glued to the TV screen, watching these classic horror films. On August 28th, Universal will release a 30 film collection with all films in blu-ray format! Yeah, OK, they did release an 8 film set a few years ago...but this has got everything!

In celebration, your crew has sought out renowned horror film host, Lord Blood-Rah, to discuss our favorite Universal monsters! This is a topic near and dear to all of our twisted little hearts.  So grab some popcorn and tune in. We'll discuss the monsters, the films, the actors, you name it. Who was your favorite monster? Favorite film? Which actor did you enjoy the most as the Frankenstein Monster? Listen in and share your thoughts with us here or on our Twitter or Facebook pages.

Larry, Lord Blood-Rah, and Bob in the Monster Garage

Our guest Lord Blood-Rah has some great events coming up. On Saturday, September 1st, you can catch Lord Blood-Rah's Nerve Wrackin' Theater live at the Chouinard Winery in Castro Valley, CA for a classic monster double feature: Universal's Dracula and Frankenstein. The films will be shown outdoors when the sun sets, so bring a picnic basket, and enjoy some of the fine wines available.

On October 13th, in Peoria, IL, Lord Blood-Rah will present his Nerve Wrackin' Theater Halloween Horror Show at the Landmark Cinemas. His Lordship will present a variety of shorts followed by the classic Horror Express.  For more information, please see Lord Blood-Rah's page, http://www.lordbloodrah.com/events.html. 

As always, you can find us at:

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8Cast
• Facebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8Podcast

Thanks for Listening!

Episode 7: Going Where Monsters Walked

Have you ever watched a classic sci-fi or monster movie and wondered, "Where the heck did they film this?" If so, this is the podcast for you! This episode the crew -Larry, Bob, and Karen - have a sit down with Gail and Ray Orwig, authors of the terrific book, Where Monsters Walked: California Locations of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, 1925-1965. Gail and Ray discuss what drove them to write the book, the secrets to finding so many filming locations, and the many adventures they had along the way! What was the hardest, but most fulfilling movie location to find? You'll have to listen to find out -but it involved some enlarged critters...

Ray, Gail, Bob, and Larry

To get your copy of this marvelous book, check out Amazon or the publisher, McFarland.

Ray and Gail will be appearing at Creatures Con, on August 12th, in San Ramon, California. For more information, visit https://www.creaturescon.com/home.html. Be sure to stop by and say hi, and get a copy of the book!

Your Planet 8 crew -at least Commander Larry and Engineer Bob - will take some shore leave and  also attend Creatures Con! Come by their table and get some goodies, and you may wind up on a future episode!

As always, you can find us at:

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8Cast
• Facebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8Podcast

Thanks for Listening!

Episode 6: Robots Invade Planet 8!

It's all about robots in this episode! Yes, robots, helpers or horrors? Will mankind wind up with friendly assistants like R2-D2, or are we more likely to create the Terminator? Join your Planet 8 crew Larry, Karen, and Bob as they discuss some of their favorite robots and androids from movies, TV, animation, and comics. We'll look at Data from Star Trek, a number of super-robots from Japan, The Vision from Marvel Comics, and well, a few more obscure characters. As usual, don't be surprised if the crew goes off on some tangents...including a discussion of Popeye? Be sure to tell us about your favorite robots in the comments section, or come over to our Twitter or Facebook pages:

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8Cast
• Facebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8Podcast

For our Sensor Sweep, Larry looks at the 1000th issue of Action Comics, featuring 11 stories about Superman by a virtual who's who of comics creators. Larry particularly enjoyed "Never-Ending Battle" by Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason, where the Man of Steel travels through time -and the different incarnations of Superman in comics and other media - to  return home to Lois. This special 80-page issue was released in June with at $7.99. It may still be available at your local comic shop. A number of variant-cover editions were published. 

Thanks for listening!

Episode 5: Ant-Man and the Wasp Get Small and Go Infinite

Good things sometimes come in small packages. Is that the case with the new entry from Marvel Studios, Ant-Man and The Wasp?  Hear what your Planet 8 crew thought of the movie, as well as how it fits into the larger context of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. How does this connect with Avengers: Infinity War? As always, it's a SPOILER-FILLED discussion, so make sure you see the movie before you hop into the podcast! Then share your thoughts in the comments section, or head over to our Twitter or Facebook pages:

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Planet8Cast
• Facebook: www.Facebook.com/Planet8Podcast

This episode's Sensor Sweep is presented by Chief Engineer Bob. He reviews a fascinating book, Where Monsters Walked: California Locations of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, 1925 - 1965 by Gail and Raymond Orwig. It is a must-have for anyone who is a genre film buff that always wondered where classic and cult movies were filmed. The Orwigs tracked down scores of locations in California, and the book has photos comparing then and now. Famous sites such as Bronson Caves and Vasquez Rocks are included, along with many lesser known gems. It's a perfect companion for a California road trip. This book can be found at Amazon.com or from the publisher, McFarland Books.

Thanks for listening!

Episode 4: It's Incredible, Too

It only took 14 years, but Pixar is back with the next amazing entry in the life of the Parr family. Tune in and hear what your Planet 8 crew thought about Incredibles 2! Be warned, Larry, Karen, and Bob will engage in a spoiler-filled discussion.

This week, Karen performs a Sensor Sweep on Hot Toys' Thor: Ragnarok Thor Gladiator Sixth Scale figure! Known for their amazing detail, this Hot Toys figure looks like it stepped right out of the Marvel film! Get all the details in this episode.

Thor hanging out with some friends.

Gorgeous psychedelic box.

Once again, thanks for listening. Please share your thoughts in the comments below, or join us on Facebook or Twitter:

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