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Happy New Year, ya'll! We're kicking 2021 off with a bang as this week we had the absolute pleasure of chatting with the founder of - Bradly Halestorm! I case you're not familiar, Bradly and his team at LionWing specialize in localizing Eastern tabletop games for gamers in the West. In other words: they specialize in one of the most challenging and meticulous jobs in the industry. One might think it's as simple as asking the Google to translate some words into English and calling it a day. And one would be wrong. So very, very wrong. There's so much more to it than simply translating text verbatim and in this episode Bradly gave us the inside scoop on all the work that goes into localizing Japanese board games. LionWing Kickstarted three different games in 2020 alone and, despite the ongoing pandemic, they have no plans of slowing down. They're charging full-steam-ahead into 2021 with their first campaign of the year launching next month. Check out the landing page for to learn more! Huge thanks to Bradly f

This pandemic sucks. I think we're all aware of it and we can all agree the last 10 months have just straight up sucked. I could write about 5,000 words just off the top of my head listing off all the sucky things about pandemics but I'm not going to do that. What I'm going to do is hype up our friend Babs because unlike me, she has spent her pandemic time being productive. Specifically, she has spent her pandemic time logging literally hundreds of hours as virtual Dungeon Master in multiple D&D games and is showing no signs of slowing down. In fact, in a way it almost feels like she's just getting started? (Listen to the episode, you'll get what I'm talking about once you hear how good she is at this stuff.) I have played the role of Dungeon Master one (1) time in my life in a one-shot that lasted maybe 4 hours and it was exhausting, stressful, confusing, ...and an absolute blast. So when I'm casually scrolling through my Twitter feed and I see countless tweets from Babs and what she's been doing with an

That's right, folks. It's just us and this week we're getting festive. The holidays have always had a special place in my heart. Growing up, Christmas was always the best day of the year and my parents did everything they could to make sure that me and my two siblings enjoyed every moment of it. Now, many moons and 10 years of holiday retail later......you'd be surprised to learn that not much has changed. I still love the holidays and everything that comes with them and even though this year is going to be a little different, I'm still looking forward to "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year". With that said, we thought it would be fun to get festive and take a trip down memory lane as we talk about past holidays and the things that meant most to us. Also presents. Mostly presents. It's not that presents mean the most to us, but my initial pitch to Alex was I guess if we dive deep into my subconscious it was just an excuse to talk about toys. But overall, the episode ended up being about more than just pre

Reddit is the ultimate time waster. I can't begin to count the amount of hours I have spent scrolling on that damn site and for the most part it's full of things that make me smile, laugh, or want to happy cry. There is some garbage there, like any other site (and long time listeners know I've been critical of Reddit in the past) but it's mostly full of things I enjoy seeing. Now rewind to a little over two years ago. A young and innocent Jayare casually scrolling through his various subreddits suddenly comes across this beautiful barbarian dragonman and it's love at first sight: You see, for the last couple of years I have been playing my own dragonborn barbarian in an ongoing D&D quest and of all the fan art and commissions that I have seen, this is without a doubt the closest representation of what I've been picturing in my head when it comes to how my guy would look. As it turns out, this piece was a commission for someone and their character named "Krivgar Vuldrear" and it was brought to life by ill

And we're back! Jumping right into things, I'm going to start off by just saying toys are rad. Yes, I'm in my mid 30s. Yes, I have little-to-no use for toys these days besides displaying them on a shelf. And yes, I'm stuck in the past when it comes to my bias towards certain brands. But toys are rad and talking about toys with someone who designs them for a living is even more rad. And that's where this week's guest comes in. Len Nicholas is a designer and concept artist who has worked for brands like Fisher Price, Hasbro, Spin Master, Honda, and Toyota to name a few. From GI Joe to Paw Patrol, presentation rendering to mechanical design, Len has seen and done just about everything in his 20+ years in the business. He's also a huge Pokemon and LEGO fan so needless to say he fits right in with the OMV aesthetic. Check out our chat with Len and browse his while you're at it (we reference it a bunch so it'll be a handy resource); it's jam-packed with robots, toys, LEGO creations, and Otters. What more could you

Happy Halloween, everyone! We're closing out the spooky season in style by visiting one of our favorite topics to talk about every year: haunted houses. This one is extra special because we've gathered five (5!!) of our closest haunt friends to discuss the dream scenario: Create the perfect haunted house. Create a reasonable, realistic house. And create the ultimate, no-holds-barred, sky is the limit, dream house. The combined haunting experience between everyone who took part in this episode probably clocks in at around 75+ cumulative seasons. That's a whole lotta screaming, shocking, scaring, and spooking and all of that experience certainly makes for some amazing haunted house ideas. Enjoy! -Jr.

Well, it's October and the spooky season is here. It goes without saying that this year's season is a little different with there being a massive pandemic and all. But, even though haunted houses are closed and trick or treating is on standby, Alex and I still wanted to bring you your yearly doses of spooky to try and fill the void. We've practically covered it all over the years: haunted houses, special effects, makeup, cryptozoology, UFOs, videogames, theater. The list goes on and on. But there are a few things we have yet to cover and this week, we're going to do our best to tackle one of them. That's right, folks.  Buckle up because we're dipping our metaphorical toes into the uncharted waters of true crime. Enjoy! -Jr.   Sources:

I learned a lot this week. In addition to learning that I'm hopelessly outnumbered when it comes to the "how to tape your comic bags" debate, I learned that Mike and Nick of the podcast are two of the raddest people we've had the pleasure of interviewing. I also learned that being interviewed is a whole different ballgame when it comes to the pressures of recording a show. You might be questioning that last sentence and we wouldn't blame you. But you'll be surprised to learn this episode is actually just one part of a collaboration between IRCB and OMV and if you take a peek at their you might see some familiar names and voices associated with it (Hint: It's Alex and me). That's right, sportsfans, not only were Mike and Nick our guests this week but Alex and I were guests on their show as well! We're thrilled that the IRCB crew was kind enough to have us on their show and it goes without saying that Alex and I had a blast chatting with them about what comics we've been reading, what books we're looking forw

It's been a minute since we talked comics. So let's talk comics. Specifically with someone who makes comics. Literally takes ideas out of his brain and, with the help of some artists/letterers/editors, brings them to life for others to enjoy on a monthly basis. That someone is ! Johnnie is the #1 New York Times Bestselling artist of Margaret Atwood's Angel Catbird, the writer of ComiXology's Crema and currently he's on writing duties for his new book Tartarus from Image Comics. Check out our chat with him as we take a dive into his world building process and his experiences publishing comics both online and in print. The first collected volume of Tartarus hits shelves on September 30th (yes, that's next week!) so if you haven't been snagging the floppies over the last few months, now is your chance to hop on board this wild space opera that Johnnie and his team are putting together. Enjoy! -Jr.

This year has certainly been...a year. I don't think it's unfair to say we've gone through an unprecedented amount of change and adjustment over the last 6 months with little sign of things returning to "normal" any time soon. There is some light on the metaphorical horizon, though. While PAX West and PAX Aus were both cancelled this year, we are getting something in their place: . And even though Alex and I aren't covering the show in any formal capacity, we figured talking with some people involved with it would be a great way to kick off the groundbreaking festivities. First up is game developer Chris McQuinn! Chris is one half of the creative team behind WashBear Studio and their game "" has been selected as one of the titles to be featured in this year's PAX Online Indie Showcase! In other words, the PAX team reviewed over 350 indie games on Steam and picked 20 that they considered original and compelling. This year, they decided the was worthy to be one of those 20 games. Check out the first portion of

Are you a fan of fine art? How about pins? Mythology? Do you frequent cemeteries? Are you looking for a new tarot card set? Maybe you're fascinated by the Salem Witch Trials? You might not believe it but if you answered "Yes!" to all of those questions above then I have to tell you: You're in for a treat because in our chat with artist Sara Richard we managed to touch on every single one of those topics in just over an hour's time. For those not "in the know", Sara is a fine artist and illustrator who has done work for companies like IDW, Marvel, Oni Press and Dynamite Comics to name a few. She was nominated for an Eisner for her work on Kitty & Dino and was nominated for two Ringo Awards last year in the Best Cover Artist and Best Original Graphic Novel categories! Like I mentioned above: this episode takes a bunch of turns but in the end it was a blast to talk with Sara about her creative process, her style, and her volunteer work that she does alongside her mother with . Check out her , , and to keep

(You have no idea how excited I am to use that image that made for us.) It's just Alex and me this week. The last 5 months have been rough. You probably don't need me to go into details. But it's been rough. Many of our past "justice" episodes focus on news and various tidbits from around the comic, TV, and gaming world and it would have been real easy to just dive into that format and discuss all the awful things currently going on throughout those mediums. But we didn't feel like doing that. We wanted to try and be positive. So we went with a different route. This week Alex and I sat down and went through all the various ways we've been keeping ourselves busy over the past 20-ish weeks. From videogames, to TV shows, to thousands upon thousands of plastic building bricks; we've been doing our best to keep calm, occupied, and most importantly: stay healthy. This has without a doubt been one of the strangest and most challenging times of our lives with no real end in sight but we've made it this far so I gues

It's been a while since we dove into the world of designer toys so why don't we just go careening head first into the deep end and talk with a designer we had the pleasure of meeting at ? Sound good? Good. Because joining us this week is artist and designer Brandon Leach of Motley Miscreations! For those unaware, Brandon is the man behind the 2019 Designer Toy Award finalist "Belfry" and he's currently crowdfunding his latest design "The Kraken" right this very minute. Despite his humble beginnings in the designer toy world, Brandon showed us that with enough determination and raw talent, wonderful things can happen. Like 12" tall tentacle monsters. Check out Brandon's to see what I'm talking about and consider taking a peek at his Kickstarter if there's still time left. If this is your first glimpse into the world of designer toys, you really couldn't have picked a better project. I ramble at length during the episode but I mean it when I say that Brandon really does provide something for everyone. Enjoy!

We went a little longer than usual between episodes but I promise this one was worth the wait because this week we were joined by one of my favorite people in comics: Daniel Warren Johnson! Daniel is the writer and artist of Image Comics' Extremity and Murder Falcon and currently he's pulling double duty again on DC's Wonder Woman: Dead Earth as a part of their Black Label line of books. I've been a huge fan of Daniel and his work ever since picking up issue one of Extremity a few years ago and after having the chance to chat with him at last year's New York Comic Con, it was clear that not only is he a fantastic writer and artist; but he's also kind and generous to his fans. Needless to say we're thrilled to have had the opportunity to talk with him this week! Recently, Daniel launched his own and has started giving fans a look behind the scenes at his processes, tools, and thoughts. He's done live Q&A, pencilling & inking sessions, and even tours of his old sketchbooks. It's the perfect blend of in

Hey everyone, Alex here shooting out a quick reminder to please fill out this survey I put together for "The StarWell Foundation". The pilot episodes dropped earlier this year and if you haven't checked them out already, do us a favor and a . Over a dozen different voice actors lent their talents to this project alongside the countless people who helped with tech support, feedback, and sound/music design. Now that the pilot is out and you've had some time to digest it, I'm looking to you for your feedback so I can plan out the future of "The StarWell Foundation" accordingly. Check out this quick clip I put together, listen to the pilot episodes of StarWell if you haven't already and let us know what you think by clicking the link below! https://www.poll-maker.com/QSGYGED -Alex

Sometimes I'll sit here and stare at the screen for what feels like hours just trying to figure out how to word a single sentence so that it doesn't seem like a child wrote it. It usually doesn't end well. Today, I'm trying to figure out a sophisticated way of saying "Making something for a really long time is actually really hard" but the words aren't coming to me. They're in my brain somewhere, but I can't find them...must be because my vacation is almost over. Anyway. You might've noticed we just released an episode last week (which was great, btw. Check it out if you haven't already) and we have another episode for you this week. No, we're not going back to the old weekly schedule. But we figured since this episode and last week's were on the shorter side, we'd just say screw it and make 3 episodes this month. Why not? This week, we have the return of Jason Ginsburg! You might recognize the name from the in 2019 or you might just know him as the creator of the amazing @FakeThemePark. We heard through the

Having the desire to create something can be equally as stressful as it is exciting. It's a wild ride of motivation and determination with a bit of self-doubt sprinkled in and the process of creation is almost always going to be riddled with speed bumps. One of the most common bumps is simply having the space or resources to bring your idea to life. Take it from two guys who have spent plenty of time recording out of their respective parents' basements with equipment bought off of Craigslist: having a space to make your thing is important. That's where people like Ian come in. Ian is the co-owner and marketing director of the newly launched content creation studio in Springfield, Massachusetts: Alongside his partners, Ian has created a space for people to come and bring their ideas to life whether it's photography, video, editing, music videos, wedding photos, parties, or events. You name it, they can probably help you create it. You never know when the next idea to create something might hit. And having a s

We got some a few weeks ago when they announced that EVO 2020 had been cancelled and while it was expected, it was still sad nonetheless. Despite being absolute trash at almost every fighting game I've ever attempted, EVO is still one of the best weekends of the year full of tense matches, hype comebacks, and stunning upsets. I've said for years that going to EVO is near the top of my Bucket List but as someone who is painfully afraid of being 30,000 feet in the air for extended periods of time, it's been difficult to commit. So like most things, I live through my friends and their experiences. We've talked with our pal Ken's about his past trips to EVO at length before and he's discussed them on as well (new episodes!??). So we figured it would be the perfect time for his return so we can recap the news and drama surrounding EVO 2020 and how despite the bleak headlines, there's still a light at the end of the tunnel. Enjoy! -Jr.

We have an extra long episode for you this week as we get down to business and back to basics with some good, old fashioned disagreements. Despite the namesake we've chosen to use for the last 8 years, it turns out Alex and I don't disagree on too many things worth talking about (aside from The Last of Us but honestly we'd probably need an entire separate podcast just to chew through everything there). Fortunately, we have friends. And some of those friends have opinions on things that might....vary from our own. See where I'm going with this? Our very good and spooky friend Kyle of Decimated Designs kicks off the episode with us because it turns out that Kyle isn't a fan of professional wrestling. We've talked a decent amount of wrestling in the past and I'm somewhat of a born-again fan so we figured this might be a good starting point. After duking it out with Kyle for much longer than expected, we were joined by KT and Babs to talk about the smash hit Canadian sitcom Letterkenny and the potentially problem

I have been playing tabletop games for a handful of years at most. Despite my limited experience, the impact it has had on my life has been substantial to say the least. It has provided me forms of live entertainment both in person and digital, it has introduced me to people and friends whom I otherwise probably wouldn't have had the opportunity to meet, and it has also provided me an outlet to escape in times of stress and uncertainty. It is safe to say that tabletop gaming has changed my life. But enough about me and my sappy introductions. This week we're here to talk about an organization called . For those unfamiliar, Game to Grow is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the use of games of all kinds for therapeutic, educational, and community growth. They can also be found at various conventions throughout the country, most recently at PAX East a few months back where they had a variety of panels as well as a presence within the tabletop area. We were joined by two representatives of Game to G