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Welcome back pixel pioneers and comic crusaders to another electrifying episode of Play Comics! This week we’re donning our high-tech armor and jetting off into the world of The Invincible Iron Man on the Game Boy Advance, a game that might just be the hidden gem in Tony Stark’s treasure trove of adventures.

Joining us on this iron-clad journey is the one and only Zach Tonack, a first-time guest with insights sharper than Iron Man’s repulsor beams. Together we’ll dissect this pixelated powerhouse, exploring how it stacks up against its comic book origins and whether it truly captures the essence of everyone’s favorite billionaire genius playboy philanthropist.

Prepare for a whirlwind of witty banter, nostalgic nods, and perhaps a few arc reactor puns as we dive deep into the mechanics, storylines, and sheer fun of The Invincible Iron Man. So grab your GameBoy Advance, polish up your armor, and get ready to blast off into an episode that’s as thrilling as a high-speed flight over Stark Tower!

Suit up listeners because this episode is going to be a blast!Continue Reading

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Brace yourselves comic connoisseurs and gaming geeks for an episode that will have you questioning reality itself! In this multiversal misadventure we delve into the depths of X-Men Next Dimension, a game that dared to challenge the boundaries of the comic book universe.

But wait, there’s more! We’ve got a special guest star joining us on this cosmic crusade – the one and only Lex W from the Wednesday Toast podcast! Prepare to be dazzled by his wit, charm, and encyclopedic knowledge of all things mutant-related.

As we navigate through the Operation Zero Tolerance storyline, we’ll uncover the secrets behind this dimension-hopping extravaganza. From mind-bending plot twists to jaw-dropping gameplay mechanics, no stone will be left unturned in our quest for truth, justice, and the ultimate gaming experience.

So grab your controllers, strap on your adamantium seatbelts, and get ready for a wild ride through the annals of X-Men history. This episode is sure to leave you questioning your own reality – or at least wondering why you didn’t invest in a Cerebro helmet sooner.

Excelsior, true believers! The adventure awaits!Continue Reading

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Ahoy, landlubbers! Prepare to set sail on a high-seas adventure through the annals of gaming history, as we dive into the depths of the 1992 Game Boy classic, Popeye 2. This episode we’ve got a special guest aboard – Matt Storm from the podcasts “Fun” and Games and Screen Snark. They’re a veritable treasure trove of knowledge when it comes to all things retro gaming, so batten down the hatches and get ready for a wild ride!

In this episode we’ll explore the pixelated world of Popeye, the legendary sailor man who’s always ready to dish out a can of spinach-fueled justice. From navigating treacherous levels to battling Bluto’s dastardly schemes, we’ll uncover the secrets behind this beloved game that captured the hearts of gamers and comic book fans alike.

But that’s not all, me hearties! We’ll also delve into the rich history of the Popeye comics, tracing their roots back to the early 20th century and exploring how they’ve influenced pop culture over the decades. Prepare to be regaled with tales of Olive Oyl’s escapades, Wimpy’s insatiable hunger for hamburgers, and Popeye’s iconic catchphrases that have become part of the cultural lexicon.

So grab your Game Boy, load up on spinach, and get ready to set sail on an adventure that will have you laughing, reminiscing, and maybe even singing a few sea shanties along the way. Anchors aweigh, mateys!Continue Reading

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It all comes back to Spider-Man doesn’t it? The cultural saturation of the character in a lot of English speaking societies. The relatable nature of the character (and to be perfectly honest, most of the Spider people characters). The fact that the first Spider-Man trilogy was the first thing since the 90s Batman movies to really hit such a mainstream audience is no coincidence.

So how do we get a look at what Spider-Man means to people? Oh, I don’t know, maybe get a guest like Keifer from Select and Start to come and give us a look at what both this 2004 game and the movie that it ties in with? Yeah, that seems like a good idea. I should pat myself on the back for doing exactly that.Continue Reading

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You’ve got a giant sprawling set of lore with the X-Men. You’ve got a huge villain, in multiple ways, in Apocalypse. You’ve got the last regular episode of Play Comics for a while because I don’t know how to plan things, which is huge news. 

And of course you’ve got all of it on a Gameboy Advance screen. Listen in as Jessika and Mike  from Ten Cent Takes come on the show to help us take a look at this bite size taste of the mutant experience.Continue Reading

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Wolverine is everywhere and there’s nothing we can do about it because he’s popular and makes money for Marvel and why wouldn’t they keep using a character that’s popular partly because he’s used so much and always in front of consumer’s faces?

That’s what we explore this week with Didge from Geekset Podcast. Listen in as we discuss the prevalence of Wolverine and some surprising omissions from the villains in the Game Boy Color game Wolverine’s Rage.

Be sure to visit Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men to see how you can help support people effected by Florida’s recent passing of HB1557, commonly known as the “don’t say gay” bill.Continue Reading

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Movie tie in games get fun. Do you have someone play the movie and they know everything that should be happening? Or do you have a movie tie in game that tries to go beyond the movie and risk making something that people don’t like? And does it matter if it’s a super successful everyone in the world has seen it movie vs more of a niche film?

We’re taking a stab at those questions and more when Adam Reck from Battle of the Atom stops by the show to talk Blade 2 for the PS2 and Xbox.Continue Reading

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Time to get this one out of the way. This podcast exists because of X-Men. The most requested game for people to be a guest for are X-Men games. Specifically it’s this one. What some people would say is “the perfect X-Men game” and I’ve heard this from many many people.

Listen in as Zack Jenkins from ComicxXF comes to finally talk about the game that everyone has been waiting for. X-Men Legends 2.Continue Reading

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The early 2000s were an exciting time. X-Men had the start of a feature film franchise and I’m sure there isn’t anything that could go wrong with that at all is there….. But for real people were really starting to get the hang of this PlayStation thing. And this was right at the start of every movie having a game to go with it.

Listen in as Billy comes back to help take a look at this game that certainly isn’t a Capcom vs title, but is still nothing to sneeze at. Mostly because that’s a rude thing to do.

This Episode is brought to you in part by Pocus Hocus, a Kickstarter comic that takes a look at what happens when someone sells their soul to the devil and then decides that they want their soul back.

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X-Men. It’s the reason I started this podcast. It’s the comic series that people ask me about the most for coming on the show. And they just never disappoint because there are about a billion different reasons why people have gotten into them and why they love them. So what’s wrong with another look?

If you ask Kevin Newburn, nothing at all. Which is great because that would have made for a really awkward episode if he didn’t think that these mutants were worth another look.

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Well it’s been a nice run of bonus episodes, way more than I ever intended to run back to back to…. well you get the idea. So to get back to the regular episodes I feel like it’s best to go with on of my first loves, our friendly neighborhood wall crawler Spider-Man.

Good thing today’s guest David Gallaher likes Spider-Man too because otherwise this could have gotten weird. Not that it didn’t anyway but at least it’s the kind of weird that we’ve gotten used to on this show.

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It all comes back to Spider-Man doesn’t it? There’s a good reason for that, he is one of Marvel’s premier characters for a reason. We’re just going to have a Spider-Man game for every console aren’t we?

Tune in this week as Aaron Weiss from Weisscast joins the show to help break down why Spider-Man gets so much love in the gaming sphere.

This Episode is brought to you in part by the wonderful Play Comics Patreon Supporters. 

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How do you follow up what is possibly the greatest comic book video game of all time? Or at least was probably holding that spot when it came out. Easy, you just pick the story up right there and start going again. Enter Spider-Man 2: Enter Electro. More like Enter Awesomeness.

Enter Anthony Gramuglia to help break down this not as iconic but equally as good in its own special way sequel, Spider-Man’s place in pop culture, and the Spider-Man comics that were coming out at the time.Continue Reading

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Does anyone else think it’s weird that I got an American guest last time to look at Judge Dredd, a British comic that’s clearly riffing on American ideals? I kind of think it was, even though I wasn’t thinking about that at all the first time around.

Listen in as real life British person Andrew Young from 4 Panel comes on the show to give us a more nuanced perspective on where Judge Dredd comes from and what makes it something worth exploring today.Continue Reading

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The Marvel cinematic universe might have only existed since 2008, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t Marvel movies before. And I’m not talking about that quack of a Howard the Duck movie either.

Listen in as TJ Johnson from Voice from the Underground and Lakers Fast Break comes to talk about the awesomeness of Blade, being a fractional vampire, and the joys of early 3D gaming.Continue Reading

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One of the things that I really love about Spider-Man is how big the cast of other characters is, especially the crossover with other Marvel heroes. Maybe some of that is because he’s the first place I really saw that.

And maybe some of why the first Spider-Man game for PS1 is my all time favorite Spider-Man game in the whole world no question is because it’s the first one I really got to play through over and over and over. Listen in as Paul Csomo from Varmints joins the show to finally talk about what is possibly the game that I get asked about doing the most. Easily top 3 worst case.Continue Reading

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Spider-Man, we just can’t get away from him can we? Not that I’m complaining, he’s a popular character for a reason. This time around joing Chris and Kieran Shiach as they talk about the second Toby McGuire Spider-Man film and the game that came out alongside it. Yeah, we’re cheating a bit and jumping ahead. I think we’ll survive just this once.Continue Reading