Episode 110: Slogging Through Horus Heresy & Dropping the Truth on Spider-Man Noir

Episode 110: Slogging Through Horus Heresy & Dropping the Truth on Spider-Man Noir

We hit Episode 110! This week on the Frantic Nerdcast, the boys are celebrating two and a half years of broadcasting by diving headfirst into a massive week of tabletop, book, and screen media. First up, Brock accepts a challenge and begins the notorious name-dumping slog of the Warhammer 40k Horus Heresy books, while simultaneously tearing through the back half of Dungeon Crawler Carl Book 8. Then, it's screen time. We share our thoughts on the premiere of Spider-Man Noir on Prime Video—explaining why it's gorgeous for cinema nerds but potentially a total snooze-fest for comic book fans. We also chat about our recent watch of Ready or Not 2, check in on a mid-2000s rewatch of Smallville, and discuss Jon Bernthal's return in The Punisher. On the tabletop front, we preview the massive Wheel of Time: War of the Dragon board game on Kickstarter, talk about a custom push-your-luck dice game called Biscuits, and highlight our upcoming gameplay video for the highly thematic Godzilla TCG. Finally, we run through the recent Crunchyroll Anime Awards triumphs (did My Hero Academia deserve the win over DanDaDan?) and lose our minds over the insane 2026 theatrical release calendar. Don't forget to check out our YouTube channel for our brand new Diddy Kong Racing playthrough starting this Monday!

Episode 109 - Devil May Cry Season 2 Review & The Boys Season 5 Finale Spoilers

Welcome back to another frantic episode! In Episode 109 of the Frantic Nerdcast, we are diving deep into the massive television finales, upcoming gaming news, and the latest drops in the Trading Card Game (TCG) world. First up, we are breaking down the action-packed release of Devil May Cry Season 2 from Adi Shankar. From the jaw-dropping Virgil vs. Dante fights to that incredible, heavy-hitting soundtrack featuring Papa Roach and Korn, we talk about why this show absolutely slaps (and our few gripes with the demon forms). Next, we shift gears to the chaotic and controversial series finale of The Boys Season 5. We look at how Homelander's ultimate showdown compared to the original comic book ending, Black Noir's fate, and what Butcher’s crowbar moment means for the franchise. Finally, we’re talking all things TCG and board games! We cover the launch of Pokémon: Chaos Rising and its wild pull rates, give our thoughts on the upcoming Cataclysm RK single-booster TCG, check out the free-to-play digital port of Altered TCG, and review a hidden $15 Kmart find: Catan on the Road. Plus, updates on our massive $500 Pokémon Card Giveaway ending soon! If you enjoyed the episode, make sure to Like, Share, and Subscribe to help get our numbers up! Drop a comment below letting AJ know what Pokémon he should paint next! Timestamps: 00:00 - Welcome back to Ep. 109 & Ocarina of Time Jump Scares 02:00 - Catan on the Road Review ($15 Kmart Board Game) 04:45 - Warhammer Horus Heresy Audiobooks Challenge 08:15 - PAX Australia News: World of Warcraft Executive Producer Holly Longdale 11:00 - New TCGs: Cataclysm RK Kickstarter & Altered TCG goes Free-To-Play 15:35 - Sydney Comic-Con & Carl Urban Rumors 20:00 - Pokemon Chaos Rising Pull Rates & Quality Control Drama 25:27 - Devil May Cry Season 2 Review (Adi Shankar, Dante vs Virgil) 37:00 - The Boys Season 5 Finale Spoilers & Comic Book Comparison 55:30 - AJ's Gengar Painting & Diddy Kong Racing vs Mario Kart 64 01:01:00 - Batman: Gotham City Crimes Board Game & Nerd News Rumors #DevilMayCrySeason2 #TheBoysFinale #PokemonChaosRising #CataclysmRK #BoardGames #AnimeReview #FranticNerdcast #TCG Support the Show: Follow us on social media! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553617388296 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553617388296] Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/franticnerdcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/franticnerdcast/] Ajs Insta - https://www.instagram.com/weirdartbyaj/ [https://www.instagram.com/weirdartbyaj/] Brocks Insta - https://www.instagram.com/franticbrock/ [https://www.instagram.com/franticbrock/] Zac's Insta - https://www.instagram.com/franticcaz [https://www.instagram.com/franticcaz] Discord - https://discord.gg/ajkTjBPRR2 [https://discord.gg/ajkTjBPRR2] Twitch - https://www.twitch.tv/franticnerdcast [https://www.twitch.tv/franticnerdcast] TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thefranticnerdcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@thefranticnerdcast] Listen to the podcast on Spotify & Apple Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0PcOw5lrrZrkFE1psICsqd?si=e7effe3496374408 [https://open.spotify.com/show/0PcOw5lrrZrkFE1psICsqd?si=e7effe3496374408] Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/sk/podcast/frantic-nerdcast/id1717767605 [https://podcasts.apple.com/sk/podcast/frantic-nerdcast/id1717767605]

Episode 108 - 2 Player Board Games, Rooster, Young Sherlock, Warhammer 40k books and much more

In this weeks Episode, the team talks 2 Player Boardgames and which ones you should get. Aj Chats the new HBO Show Rooster, starring Steve Carrell and also the new Prime show Young Sherlock. Aj Shows of his latest Pokémon painting, which is part of his 151 Pokémon painting challenge. Support the Show: 🛒 Grab a copy of Monsters at War by emailing: franticnerdcast@gmail.com. [franticnerdcast@gmail.com.] 🌐 Visit our website for game dev blogs: franticnerdcast.com. 💬 Join the conversation on Discord (link below)! Follow us on social media! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553617388296 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553617388296] Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/franticnerdcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/franticnerdcast/] Ajs Insta - https://www.instagram.com/weirdartbyaj/ [https://www.instagram.com/weirdartbyaj/] Brocks Insta - https://www.instagram.com/franticbrock/ [https://www.instagram.com/franticbrock/] Zac's Insta - https://www.instagram.com/franticcaz [https://www.instagram.com/franticcaz] Discord - https://discord.gg/ajkTjBPRR2 [https://discord.gg/ajkTjBPRR2] Twitch - https://www.twitch.tv/franticnerdcast [https://www.twitch.tv/franticnerdcast] TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thefranticnerdcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@thefranticnerdcast]

Episode 107 - Dungeon Crawler Carl Obsession, 151 Pokemon Painting Challenge & Daredevil: Born Again Review

Welcome back to the Frantic Nerdcast! In episode 107, the crew dives deep into the addictive world of audiobooks (or "audio plays"), a massive new art project, and the latest from the MCU on Disney+. We start with a heavy discussion on Dungeon Crawler Carl and the unmatched voice acting of Jeff Hayes. We also explore the difference between standard audiobooks and full-scale audio dramas like The Sandman. AJ reveals his ambitious new creative goal: painting the original 151 Pokemon on individual canvases, starting with Charmander and Diglett. Plus, we give our honest, mixed reviews on Daredevil: Born Again, discussing whether it lived up to the hype and that "weird" bromance ending. In this episode: 00:00 - Welcome back to the Nerdcast! 00:31 - Dungeon Crawler Carl: The "Audio Crack" Addiction 03:00 - Audiobooks vs. Audio Plays: The Sandman & Horus Heresy 12:44 - The 151 Pokemon Painting Challenge: Charmander & Diglett 26:27 - Monsters at War: Our Original Card Game 27:13 - Development Update: Escape from Mars Solo Game 31:30 - Movie Review: Sinners (Vampires & Cinematography) 41:20 - Smallville Retrospective: Checking in on Season 3 50:50 - Solo Storytelling Games: Be Like a Crow & Castle Games 1:06:30 - Daredevil: Born Again & The Defenders Future

Episode 106 - Pax Aus, Scrubs, Pokemon Master Sets, Collector Con, Anime, TCGs and more

Welcome back to the Frantic Nerdcast! In episode 102, the crew returns after a short break to dive deep into everything nerdy. We kick things off with an exclusive look at a brand-new solo survival board game prototype set on Mars—featuring astronauts, monoliths, and oxygen hazards. If you're an anime fan, we’ve got you covered with deep dives into Hell’s Paradise Season 2, the world-building of Jujutsu Kaisen, and a look at the new Digimon Liberator. We also revisit the nostalgia of the Scrubs revival and discuss why it still holds the original magic. For the TCG collectors, we recap the highlights from Collector Con Newcastle. Hear the journey of completing a Pokemon Surging Sparks Master Set, the struggles of "infinite ant" snipers, and a discussion on the current state of One Piece TCG scalping. Plus, we touch on Gundam TCG Phantom Aria pulls and the latest drama in the tabletop world, including the discontinuation of Descent: Legends of the Dark. In this episode: 00:00 - Welcome & Life Updates 02:20 - New Game Reveal: Solo Mars Survival Prototype 04:40 - Anime Round-up: Hell's Paradise, JJK, Frieren, and Digimon 08:15 - TV Talk: The Scrubs Revival & Malcolm in the Middle Rumours 14:10 - Invincible Season 3 Discussion (Spoilers!) 18:40 - The Incredible Voice Cast of Invincible 25:20 - Collector Con Newcastle Recap: Pokemon Master Sets 33:00 - Gundam TCG & One Piece Market Drama 42:30 - EB Games Australia Big Announcement Speculation 48:00 - PAX Australia 2026 Plans & Cosplay Land 55:30 - Board Game News: Descent Discontinued & Warhammer 40k 2nd Ed Revival 1:01:45 - Nerd News: Three Body Problem, Avatar Leaks, and Star Wars Rumours   Support the Show: 🛒 Grab a copy of Monsters at War by emailing: franticnerdcast@gmail.com. [franticnerdcast@gmail.com.] 🌐 Visit our website for game dev blogs: franticnerdcast.com. 💬 Join the conversation on Discord (link below)!   Follow us on social media! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553617388296 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553617388296] Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/franticnerdcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/franticnerdcast/] Ajs Insta - https://www.instagram.com/weirdartbyaj/ [https://www.instagram.com/weirdartbyaj/] Brocks Insta - https://www.instagram.com/franticbrock/ [https://www.instagram.com/franticbrock/] Zac's Insta - https://www.instagram.com/franticcaz [https://www.instagram.com/franticcaz] Discord - https://discord.gg/ajkTjBPRR2 [https://discord.gg/ajkTjBPRR2] Twitch - https://www.twitch.tv/franticnerdcast [https://www.twitch.tv/franticnerdcast]   Listen to the podcast on Spotify & Apple Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0PcOw5lrrZrkFE1psICsqd?si=e7effe3496374408 [https://open.spotify.com/show/0PcOw5lrrZrkFE1psICsqd?si=e7effe3496374408] Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/sk/podcast/frantic-nerdcast/id1717767605 [https://podcasts.apple.com/sk/podcast/frantic-nerdcast/id1717767605]