This week on Geek Freaks, Frank and Thomas kick things off with Patreon updates, convention plans, and a quick catch-up before getting into one of the messier stories in animation right now: the leaked Avatar: The Last Airbender movie. From there, the episode turns into a big CinemaCon conversation covering Mortal Kombat 2, Street Fighter, The Hunt for Gollum, Godzilla Minus One, Resident Evil, The Mandalorian, Avengers: Doomsday, and more.

In the second half, Frank sits down with comic creator Allan Dunford to talk about Mostly Dead, a spooky and heartfelt new comic that blends horror, mystery, and all-ages charm. Allan breaks down the story, the inspirations behind it, and why books like this matter in the indie comics world. It's a packed episode with movie talk, industry conversation, and a strong creator interview all in one place.

00:00 Intro, Patreon, and Convention Updates
04:05 Avatar: The Last Airbender Leak Discussion
09:22 CinemaCon Reactions and Movie Talk
51:31 Allan Dunford Interview: Mostly Dead
1:12:30 Network Updates and Event Reminder
1:13:02 Recommendation of the Week
1:18:04 Outro

• The Avatar leak turns into a bigger conversation about how animation projects and their creators are valued.
• Frank and Thomas spend most of the episode reacting to major CinemaCon reveals and what they could mean for theaters and fandom.
• Mortal Kombat 2, Godzilla Minus One, Resident Evil, and Avengers: Doomsday are some of the biggest excitement points in the episode.
• Allan Dunford describes Mostly Dead as a spooky, fun, emotional comic with influences from ParaNorman, Monster House, and Evil Dead.
• The interview also gives a nice look at why indie comics still matter and how creators build something new from the ground up.

• "2D animation has a home. Trust it."
• "The only way to save face at this point is to put it in theaters."
• "No limits. You can make an idea as crazy or as tame as you want it to be."
• "Finding your audience."

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and share the episode with a friend. If you want early releases and extra content, support us on Patreon and keep up with everything happening across the Geek Freaks network using #GeekFreaksPodcast.

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Mostly Dead is available now, so be sure to check out Allan Dunford's new book.

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What was your biggest CinemaCon takeaway?
Which movie announcement are you most excited about right now?
Does Mostly Dead sound like a comic you'd pick up?

CinemaCon, Allan Dunford, Mostly Dead, indie comics, comic book interview, Avatar The Last Airbender, Mortal Kombat 2, Street Fighter, The Hunt for Gollum, Godzilla Minus One, Resident Evil, The Mandalorian, Avengers Doomsday, Geek Freaks Podcast, entertainment news, geek culture podcast

Frank and Squeaks are back with a packed episode covering the biggest movie, TV, and gaming stories making noise right now. They kick things off with a fast-moving CinemaCon roundup that hits Jumanji, Beyond the Spider-Verse, Zelda, Bloodborne, Resident Evil, anime in theaters, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day before shifting into a full trailer discussion for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. From there, they get into Daredevil: Born Again leak talk, Avatar movie reactions, Disney and Epic Games rumors, Mortal Kombat 2, Punisher: One Last Kill, and a long review-heavy discussion on The Boys. It is the kind of episode built for fans who want news, theories, and strong opinions all in one place.

Timestamps and Topics:

• 00:00 Intro, what they've been reading and playing, plus a tease for the upcoming Victor Barro interview about the Panels app
• 02:19 CinemaCon round-up featuring Jumanji, Beyond the Spider-Verse, Zelda, Bloodborne, Resident Evil, anime theatrical releases, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day
• 14:05 The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping trailer breakdown
• 18:21 Daredevil: Born Again leak talk, prison theories, and street-level Marvel speculation
• 23:26 Avatar: The Last Airbender movie leak reactions and animation discussion
• 25:22 Disney and Epic Games rumors, Fortnite, Disney Infinity, and what a merger could mean for games
• 29:57 Mortal Kombat 2 trailer reactions and why it already feels stronger than Street Fighter
• 35:06 Punisher: One Last Kill trailer breakdown and where Frank Castle fits in the MCU now
• 37:42 The Boys review, character arcs, likely deaths, and what is working best this season
• 50:29 Black Noir comic spoilers and whether the show could still pull off its biggest twist
• 53:52 Victor Barro interview begins, including the Panels app, DRM-free comics, indie creators, and the future of the platform
• 01:25:04 Quick Invincible thoughts and final reactions
• 01:25:54 Outro, review request, and Capital Creative Showcase plug

Key Takeaways:

• This episode moves fast and covers a wide range of major fandom topics without losing the personal back-and-forth that makes the show fun.
• The CinemaCon segment gives listeners a strong one-stop update on several high-interest movie and franchise stories.
• The Marvel section is one of the biggest hooks here, especially the Daredevil and Spider-Man speculation.
• The Boys conversation gives the episode a strong second half and should hit well with listeners looking for review-heavy discussion.
• Frank and Squeaks keep the tone casual, funny, and opinionated, which helps the episode feel more like hanging out than getting a news dump.

Memorable Quotes:

• "Why is he not taking photos?"
• "Mortal Kombat is taking itself seriously in the right way."
• "This is going to be the bridge that pulls him from Netflix to MCU."
• "There's some really good stuff out there."

Call to Action:
If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe to Geek Freaks, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and share the episode with #GeekFreaksPodcast. Reviews help more listeners find the show, and your support really makes a difference.

Links and Resources:

Check out the Panels App: https://www.panels.app/

GeekFreaksPodcast.com is the source of all news discussed during our podcast. Check the episode description for links related to the Panels app, bonus reviews, and anything else mentioned during the show.

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Listener Questions:
Got thoughts on CinemaCon, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Daredevil, The Boys, or Punisher? Send us your questions and topic ideas for a future episode.

Apple Podcast Tags:
Geek culture, CinemaCon, Spider-Man Brand New Day, Daredevil Born Again, The Boys, Punisher One Last Kill, The Hunger Games Sunrise on the Reaping, Avatar The Last Airbender, Mortal Kombat 2, Beyond the Spider-Verse, Zelda movie, Resident Evil movie, Bloodborne, Marvel podcast, movie news, TV reviews, gaming news, pop culture podcast

Frank sits down with Aaron Cohen and Alex Schumacher to talk about Sticks and Stones: Holiday Special, a new comic centered on the Feynman family and their holiday misadventures. The conversation gets into how Passover, Hanukkah, and Purim shaped the book, why Ben makes such a strong lead, and how the team blends Jewish specificity with themes that feel familiar to anyone who grew up in a loud, loving family. Aaron and Alex also break down the book's comic strip DNA, the warmth behind its humor, and why this world has room to grow far beyond holiday stories.

• 00:00 Introduction and welcoming Aaron Cohen and Alex Shoemaker
• 00:37 What Sticks and Stones: Holiday Special is about, the Feynman family, and why releasing during Passover feels right
• 02:12 Representation, family traditions, and how the story connects Jewish identity with universal family experiences
• 03:29 Visual inspiration behind the book, including Sunday newspaper strips, classic cartooning, and old-school comic energy
• 05:41 Family memories, Passover traditions, and how real holiday experiences shaped the tone of the story
• 07:37 Why Passover felt like the perfect setup for a mystery story
• 08:09 Comic strip storytelling, all-ages humor, and the influence of books the whole family can enjoy together
• 09:45 Ben's deeper motivation and why wanting a seat at the adult table gives the story emotional weight
• 11:09 Ben's oversized suit, kid noir energy, and how his design reflects a child trying to act bigger than he is
• 12:18 Why Ben became the center of the story and how his imagination drives the whole book
• 15:03 Expanding the Feynman family, new characters, and future story possibilities
• 16:26 Protecting family, immigrant community parallels, and why the book feels relatable beyond one specific culture
• 22:38 Ralph's coloring, visual warmth, and how the page design supports the story's emotional center
• 28:47 Future plans for Sticks and Stones beyond holiday stories
• 32:30 Final thoughts on Ben and the larger story potential of this world
• 32:54 Rapid fire questions, favorite characters, and what holiday the family should tackle next

• Sticks and Stones: Holiday Special uses Passover, Hanukkah, and Purim to tell one connected family story.
• Ben works as a lead because he sees himself as the star of his own detective movie, which gives the book a playful inner voice.
• The creative team wanted the comic to feel deeply Jewish while still speaking to anyone who has experienced a big, chaotic family gathering.
• The visual style pulls from classic newspaper strips, animation, and old all-ages comics.
• Humor is treated as an act of love, not just a punchline, which gives the book its warmth.
• The team clearly sees this family as a long-term storytelling world, not just a one-off holiday concept.
• Future stories could move beyond holidays and into everyday family life, school stories, and more character-focused adventures.

"There's something universal in specificity."

"Ten people around a long table for two hours is a great place for a murder mystery."

"What he really wants ultimately is to be respected and be a part of the family and to be at the adult table and be taken seriously."

"You don't joke with someone and you don't gag with someone who you don't care about."

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, leave us a review, and share the episode on social media using #GeekFreaksPodcast. That support helps more listeners find the show and keeps these conversations going.

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This is the source of all news discussed during our podcast.

Check out Sticks and Stones: Holiday Special

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Sticks and Stones, Holiday Special, Aaron Cohen, Alex Shoemaker, comic books, indie comics, Jewish comics, Passover, Hanukkah, Purim, family comics, all ages comics, Geek Freaks Podcast