Monstrology

Will and Madryn uncover the power of Liches! We look at the history that created these highly skilled undead sorcerers, and the origin events or soul binding contracts that grant them immortality. Then we explore the pop culture of this modern monster, from wizarding or pig-owning movies, to a variety of video game big bads. Finally, we’re joined Parax:)xus the Soul Ripper (Daniel Yaworsky). Who c...

Happy Halloween!!! Enjoy this very special LIVE 3rd anniversary episode of Monstrology, recorded at Bampot Tea House! With fan favourite special guests Cupid (Brandon Knox), Nessa (Tamlynn Bryson), Polaris (Brianna Love), and Glorbisclorblius a.k.a. King Blob (Christopher Seeney).

Will and Madryn place a call to Cthulhu! We study the history and epic construction of this horror fantasy favourite, and discuss why this grotesque godlike creature struck such a terrifying chord in modern mythos. Then we look at Cthulhu and it’s star-spawn’s appearances in pop culture, and delve deeper into the movies and madness it inspired. Finally, we’re joined by Cthulhu himself (Dewey Stewa...

It’s official spooky season! And we’ve got some special Halloween podcast programming this year… This week we’re doing a re-release of our 13 Slashers to die for episode, which was a lot of fun. We dig into what makes a great slasher movie, and talked through our top slashers. So if you’ve looking for something to watch this year, we’ve got that covered. Unrelenting killers, iconic outfits, creati...

Will and Madryn shake some dust (and sand, and ice) off after our summer vacation, and get into the wild and wrigley world of Giant Worms! We cover worms from all over the world, including the Mongolian Death Worm, and study the mythological and more modern appearances of this slimy subject. Then we carefully walk over some pop culture appearances of this basic behemoth, from this planet and beyon...

Will and Madryn go full geek for the X-Men Franchise! We look at the comic origins of these long running time-bending X-factors, original titled The Mutants, and talk about our favourite films in Lauren Shuler Donner’s 20th Century Fox continuum. We talk about the core story elements that make the X-men work, the best performances, and our fav quotes. We also share our top moments in the movies, t...

Will and Madryn switch things up with a study of Changelings! We learn about the best ways to prevent changelings from stealing your children, the ideal ways to get them back, and the dark historic origins of this folkloric fantasy monster. Changelings have popped up in crib swapping card games, Canadian horror anthologies, blasphemous books, family friendly fae fare, and their tropes have been su...

Will and Madryn uncover our oldest monster ever… Dinosaurs! We discover the origins of human interest in dinosaur fossils, the evolution of what dinosaurs really looked like, and the epic eras of dinosaur history! Then we dig into dinosaur pop culture, from theme parks, sitcoms, breakfast food, sports teams, 90s video games, and more! Finally, we’re joined by an actual dinosaur, Andy Faris Schwarz...

Will and Madryn study the machinations of Robots! We uncover the duck that started it all, the evolution of modern computing, Rossum's Universal Robots, a variety of trailblazing (and sometimes chain-smoking) prototypes, Asimov’s Laws of Robotics, and the future of AI companionship. Plus, robots have a ton of pop culture! We talk iconic robot DJs, Killbots, Scifi classics, Apex-machines, and more....

Will and Madryn look up to Giants! We study the massive historical footprints of this super-sized classic creature through its history as a primeval beast, apocalyptic world breaker, folkloric foe, and brute builder. This mythical monster has inspired a ton of pop culture, ranging from family friendly giants, 13 foot tall burger enthusiasts, cannibalistic titans, and many sizes between. Finally, w...

Will and Madryn take a look inside the mind of Tim Burton, in this special edition Creature Feature episode! We look at his history as an animator and concept artist, the defining works of his early career, his German Expressionist influences, and the tropes that make him so “Tim Burton-esque.” Then we go through our favourite quotes, designs, and moments, before awarding our Creatchie Awards! So...

Will and Madryn warm up our creative brains with questions for each other, then answer YOUR questions on the podcast! Do we have a monster classification system? What’s the best Cronenberg film? Who rules the hollow earth? Are monsters hot or not!? We’ve got the answers to all your questions from the human and monster community. Thanks for listening!  

Will and Madryn seek balance in Elementals! We look at the 16th century history of this powerful nature-based monster. We discuss the original bombastic manifestations of earth, air, fire, and water, and the “star sign” interpretation of each variant. We also study elemental binding, summoning, and hybrid elementals. We unearth a range of pop culture for these expansive entities, moving through El...

Will and Madryn go hunting for Witches! We uncover this humanoid’s relatively peaceful start, the enormously popular Malleus Maleficarum book, and the deadly hysteria that took over Europe in the 1400’s. We also touch on the Salem witch trials, before breaking down the many types of more modern witches, and their appearances in pop culture! We talk about spellcasting Spellmans, emo phases, necroma...

To celebrate the magic of Easter weekend, Will invites Madryn to the Monstrology bunker for a special format episode with the Easter Bunny! We talk about the Pagan, Christian, and commercial origins of this egg-laying mammal, and hop around some pop culture inspired by our furry friend. To fill out the party we bring back a variety of our monster guests, including Finnigan Clover, Neville the Man-...

In this special Creature Feature episode, Will and Madryn step into the family business of the Ghostbusters franchise! We break down the origin of this classic Ivan Reitman comedy, and how Dan Aykroyd’s personal life shaped the ideas and technology behind the original Ghostbusters. Grab your proton packs, pick up a NYC hotdog, and get ready for a deep dive into the paranormal! We’ve loaded up on o...

Will and Madryn embrace the darkness of ghouls! We dig into their pre-Islamic Arabian demon origins, some ghastly Lovecraftian horrors, and your standard variety undead flesh-eater. This hungry non-human entity has popped up in poetry, graveyards, multiple anthology series, video game wastelands, tabletop terrors, and more! Finally, we’re joined by Hugh Mandonald (Daniel Entz) who tells us about h...

Will and Madryn explore the enchantment of the Elves! We unpack the history of this mischievous and mystical monster, and study their role in creating nightmares and crafting an ideal society. We break down the origins and subcategories of elves (high elves, dark elves, wood elves, Christmas, SPACE!?) and find a wealth of pop culture in the process. Looking for campy elvish blood ritual gun fight...

Will and Madryn hack away at the Hydra! We double down on this Greek monster, and get into its deadly details, their battle with Hercules, and the danger they might pose to your aquarium. This writhing weapon of a monster has inspired multi-elemental damage in video games, easy listening rock music, and top secret tv terrorist organizations around the globe! Finally, we’re joined by Thermeculous (...

Will and Madryn cross timelines with the Gartbage Podcast to create a Terminator Franchise Creature Feature Crossover Extravaganza! With Special HUMAN guests, Nick Davis and Erin Rose Macleod. Join us as we discuss James Francis Cameron’s fever dream, and all 6 film entries in this fantastic Tech Noir franchise. We cover original influences, our favourite terminator designs, and the best moments o...

Will and Madryn tune our dial from a 2 to a 10 in pursuit of first contact with Aliens! We break down the first alien sightings, the secrets of Roswell and Area 51, and what famous couple sparked the widespread phenomenon of Alien abduction. We also briefly look into the science of extraterrestrials, before flying into an enormous black hole of Pop Culture. We’ve got mon-stars, radio mayhem, missi...

We’re catching up with Krampus! Madryn lures Will and Krampus (Jim Armstrong) to the Monstrology bunker to attempt a reconciliation just in time for the holidays. Will the two patch things up after their fight in the Muskokas? Or will their miscommunication over stick emojis end in terrifying tragedy? Listen, find out, and enjoy our very first re-play of Episode 5: Krampus! A Holiday Special with...

Will and Madryn spot the differences between Yetis and Sasquatch! We look at the Tibetan origins of the Yeti, and the crazy cryptid sightings of the North American Sasquatch. These elusive icons are known by many names: Bigfoot! Abominable Snowman! Yahoos! And they’ve certainly left their powerful prints on pop culture. This episode, we’re joined by TWO monsters, Snow (Christopher Seeney) and Bigg...

Will and Madryn study the unique qualities of Unicorns! This long running equine beast has used its exceptionally sharp and sturdy horn to carve its own path, originating not from myth, but a fierce word of mouth! Approach with caution. This monster is only for the pure of heart. We talk about this creative creature’s dreamy appearances in pop culture, and find its magical influence in healing tro...

Will reveals the results of the Golden Creatchies to Madryn live on the pod! Congrats to all the winners and runner ups! Monsters, the interns have your awards and are on the way... PLUS, in honor of winning best format in the Golden Creachies, we present a Creature Feature on award winning director, Guillermo del Toro! We look at his personal and professional influences, his extraordinary imagina...