Kurt Onstad
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We answer geeky questions that non-geeks have!
Author
Kurt Onstad
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Podcast website
Latest episode
Aug 4, 2025
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Episodes
Episode 75: Who is Kamala Khan (aka Ms. Marvel)? 08.01.2021 19:08
Not counting the ones I’ve already talked about, of the upcoming Marvel TV shows, the one I’m most excited for is Ms. Marvel. But, who is this young woman and how has she become so popular so quickly? We dive into her history as well as what makes her unique in this episode.
Episode 74: Santa Claus in Comics - DC Edition 24.12.2020 20:32
Happy Holidays, everyone! As this releases on Christmas Eve, I thought it fitting to go over some of Santa’s appearances in various comic books, this time focusing on DC Comics (other companies may be featured in future years). Three team-ups with Superman and two other special Christmas stories are discussed. Warning: Ironically and unfortunately, this episode may not be good for kids.
Episode 73: How Does a Comic Book Get Made? 11.12.2020 18:47
You see the names and titles in the opening credits of every book: Writer, Penciler, Inker, Letterer, Colorist, Editor. But, what does each of these people do specifically, and in what order? In other words, where do comics come from? Kurt goes over each role and what they contribute to this art form we all love.
Episode 72: The Justice Society of America (and Thanksgiving) 26.11.2020 17:44
With this episode being released on Thanksgiving day (in America), I wanted to touch on the heroes that I most associate with the holiday, and that is DC’s first super team: the Justice Society of America. From the Golden Age up to today, we go over how they’ve changed over the years, while keeping true to their original vision, and touch on the two Thanksgiving stories that inspired this particul...
Episode 71: Death Becomes You - Alex DeWitt (from Green Lantern) 12.11.2020 16:54
Continuing a recurring feature, “Death Becomes You” looks at some of the more unusual deaths in comic books. This time, we look closer at the unfortunate demise of Alex DeWitt, a brief supporting cast member in the Green Lantern title in the 90s. While her death hasn’t had much in the way of repercussions in the DCU, it has led to a new term in this one, and helped bring a new professional comic b...
Episode 70: Vampire: The Masquerade Clan Primer 30.10.2020 16:41
Vampire: The Masquerade is one of the most popular role-playing systems ever, outside of D&D and its clones. However, if you’re just getting into it, there’s a lot of choices you have to make and a lot of lore to sift through. Probably the most important option is your clan, and Kurt is here to sum them up for you to make deciding easier.
Episode 69: Video Games to Movies and Vice Versa - What Goes Wrong? 16.10.2020 16:00
Since the early 90s, video games have been fodder for movie studios, but few of those adaptations seem to be successful. Why is that? Kurt goes over some of the possible reasons for that, as well as looking the other direction, and why few video games based around movies have been well-received.
Episode 68: The Replacements - Batman 02.10.2020 16:32
Last time we did a “Replacements” episode, we looked at the various Robins. This time, we dive deep in on his mentor, and look at all the people who have been the official Batman in the regular DCU. There’s a little crossover between the two, so if you haven’t listened to Episode 58, I recommend doing so first.
Episode 67: Comics to Movies - Fantastic Four 18.09.2020 17:35
The Fantastic Four have been in three movies so far, but haven’t joined the MCU just yet. But, a new piece of casting news points to that happening sooner rather than later, so now is a good time to see what past movies have gotten right, and what they got wrong in adapting Marvel’s First Family to the screen.
Episode 66: How Important is “Lore” in RPGs? 04.09.2020 17:00
We dive into another aspect of Tabletop Role-Playing Games this episode, and discuss the importance of world lore. How much should a player know before they start playing in that world, and how do they go about learning those details? Take a listen and find out!
Episode 65: Comic Captains and a COVID Conundrum 21.08.2020 14:34
Two questions are being answered this episode. First, is Wolverine a spreader of disease? Then, we look at various comic book Captains, Majors, Generals, and other characters named for military ranks to see who has earned those honors.
Episode 64: Heroes on the Clock - Peter Parker (aka Spider-Man’s Day Jobs) 06.08.2020 17:32
High school student, college student, photojournalist, teacher? Peter Parker, aka the Amazing Spider-Man has actually held a number of different jobs over the years. Going in chronological order, we look at the various career paths Peter has taken, starting all the way back at his first appearance to today.
Episode 63: Original Sin (What Happened to Nick Fury Sr?) 24.07.2020 18:09
Following up on Episode 51, where we found out how Nick Fury started looking like Samuel L. Jackson in the comics, we discuss the miniseries Original Sin, and how that led to a whole new status quo for the original Nick Fury. Warning: If you don’t like eyeballs by themselves, do not check out the show notes.
Episode 62: Board Game Rules - How Strict Should They Be? 10.07.2020 16:24
Board games are a more popular pastime than ever, but different people have grown up with their own house rules, and may want to go back and “redo” their turn from time to time. A listener asks how important it is to follow the exact rules and stick to player decisions, and Kurt (with decades of board game playing under his belt) gives his opinion on the subject.
RODE Microphones Contest Episode - Comic Book "Doctors" 26.06.2020 1:55
This mini-sode (it was required to be 1-2 minutes) was done for a podcasting contest. Joel L. wants to know if the heroes and villains who use "Doctor" in their codename deserve that title, and we find a surprising answer.
Episode 61: Serious Issues in the Comic Book Industry 25.06.2020 11:01
It has been a rough few weeks for the comic book industry, with news of abusers and other bad actors coming into (or back into) the light. I want to stand with and support those who were brave enough to come forward, and so this episode is a statement on that subject, as well as the ongoing issue of minority representation in comics, and its relation to Black Lives Matter.
Episode 60: D&D On-Screen - Community’s “Advanced Dungeons & Dragons” Episode 12.06.2020 24:55
Dungeons and Dragons has been seen played in many TV shows and movies. But, what did they get right, and what was totally wrong? A curious listener wants to know specifically about the “Advanced Dungeons and Dragons” episode of Community, and Kurt obligingly breaks it down for her.
Episode 59: What to Expect When You’re at the D&D Table (or any other RPG game) 28.05.2020 21:41
Let’s talk D&D Conventions! Well, not Conventions, but conventions, aka the social expectations one is likely to find when they first sit down at a table to play D&D, or other role-playing games. A new listener is afraid to start playing, and Kurt is here to assuage those fears, and let her (and you) know how you should behave at your first (and subsequent) session.
Episode 58: The Replacements - Robin 15.05.2020 19:25
In this recurring feature, we look at the various heroes that have replaced the original, and what happens to them after their tenure is over. Maybe it’s because he’s a sidekick and not (usually) a solo hero, but Robin is one of the few cases where the original never actually came back. Instead, we’ve had a parade of Robins, which we’ll discuss in this episode.
Episode 57: Interview with Evan Skolnick, Part 4 (Finale) 30.04.2020 24:26
In the fourth and final portion of this multi-episode interview, Kurt wraps up his talk with comic book writer/game writer and producer/college professor Evan Skolnick with some listener questions, mostly about the video game industry.
Episode 56: Interview with Evan Skolnick, Part 3 23.04.2020 45:31
In part three of this multi-episode interview, Kurt continues his talk with comic book writer/game writer and producer/college professor Evan Skolnick, getting into his video game work, after briefly discussing his time at Acclaim Comics and the comic boom and bust of the 90s.
Episode 55: Interview with Evan Skolnick, Part 2 17.04.2020 42:04
In part two of this multi-episode interview, Kurt continues his talk with comic book writer/game writer and producer/college professor Evan Skolnick, this time focusing on the comic book writing portion, with special emphasis on his two-year stint on The New Warriors, but we also talk about writing licensed books and running the company softball team..
Episode 54: Interview with Evan Skolnick, Part 1 10.04.2020 22:28
In the first part of this multi-episode interview, Kurt talks to comic book writer/game writer and producer/college professor Evan Skolnick about the earliest part of his career, up to his editorial stint at Marvel Comics.
Episode 53: Who Are The New Warriors? (Volume 1) 27.03.2020 19:20
For the first anniversary of the podcast’s release, Kurt’s favorite hero Speedball was introduced. On this 2nd-Anniversary episode, we introduce the rest of his teammates in the New Warriors, or at least the members of the team when it was first formed, plus a little bit about why the “Heroes for the 90s” continue to be re-read by fans 30 years later.
Episode 52: Fifty-Two (The DC Mini-Series) 13.03.2020 18:17
No, I’m not just repeating the episode number again, but spelling it out. 52 (or Fifty-Two) was an important work in the DC Universe, so much so that the number keeps popping up in DC Lore ever since. This year-long weekly series was the first in a few that DC did, but is the only one that really left a lasting impact. Because this is Episode 52, I decided to go into more detail on this story, int...
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