00:04 – Justin kicks off the podcast with a new business idea, Jeff gives the word of the day, and Justin welcomes Ken back to the podcast. They reflect on the last time they hung out, Justin advises those that use a treadmill on the best way to use the machine, and Ken shares his love of Crypticon. They make plans to go to the event again next year, Ken talks about being at the Washington State Summer Con in Puyallup, and they talk about their booth at the upcoming Grit City Comic Show. They discuss ideas of making money during the convention, Ken shares the art he’ll have for sale at the event, and the different types of swag he’ll have there. He talks about his annual Skeletor art work, making it a birthday card, and Justin talks about Patrons getting a sneak peak of the t-shirts that they’ll have at the event.

15:03 – Ken talks about his newest Kickstarter campaign, the decision to release the 5th issue, and the new work he’ll have at the show. He talks about his latest drawings, what he loves about participating in the October ink drawing challenges, and Scott talks about how another artist they had on the show, Lee Moyer, drew a piece of art a day for a year and the benefits of doing it. Justin talks about the style Ken uses for Hellbound Slant 6, Ken explains how the comic books are all designed digitally, and the creativity behind salvaging the art he works on. Ken talks about the tools he used to develop his Wolverine drawing, the difficulty behind drawing hands, and where people can view his short Enter the Mind Dungeon.

30:36 – Ken talks about how he chose to cast Alyssa Kay as the Tiger Devil in Penny Palabras, how people can watch the show on the Fantasy Network, and they share their appreciation of the Taxi show that aired back in the day. Justin talks about the nostalgia in the current shows and they talk about the return of Beavis and Butthead. Justin encourages listeners to check out Ken’s Kickstarter, Ken talks about the issues he’ll have at the comic show, and how fans can get the other three comic books in the series. Ken explains the base of the story behind Hellbound Slant 6, the cameos in the comics, and Justin talks about the great success one of the listeners has had with Bad Life Advice. Justin gives Bad Life Advice to listeners attending the comic show, and the rest of the group chimes in with their advice.

48:27 – Justin talks about the different types of sketches he’s gotten from artists at various conventions, Jeff talks about getting a free drawing from an artist at a past comicon, and Ken talks about his favorite experiences at comicons. He talks about getting great deals during the convention, Justin gives listeners information about after-party plans where they get together at Camp Bar, and encourages listeners to attend the event. He talks about other businesses they know that will be there, how to support Ken, and Ken talks about the different local artists that will be at the show and the importance for people to get out and support them. The close-out talking about also supporting independent comic book stores.

Thanks Ken, for another great conversation; the guys are looking forward to hanging out with you at the event!

Special Guest: Ken Carlson.

Support The Grit City Podcast

Links:

• Hellbound Slant 6 #4 by Ken Carlson — Kickstarter — Hellbound Slant 6 NUMBER FOUR, is coming your way this fall! Continuing the story of Danielle's descent into the netherworld behind the wheel of her Panther Pink 1971 Dodge Demon! 
• Grit City Comic Show - Tacoma, WA Comic Book Convention — An Old School Style Comic Book Convention at the Greater Tacoma Convention Center
• Enter the Mind Dungeon - YouTube — Enter the Mind Dungeon
• Penny Palabras - Watch for Free on The Fantasy Network
• Ethan HD | Destiny City Comics
• The Grit City Podcast: Ethan HD
• KenzoFKC – I make stuff. — I’m Ken. I’m a dork who likes to make stuff. When not preserving the historic structures of Washington State’s Capitol Campus I make movies, write novels, draw comic books, play guitar, build things with my hands, play D&D, drink booze and contemplate the futility of existence. From the ether of my imagination to the digital or physical world, come take a peek inside my head!
• Ken Carlson (@kenzofkc) • Instagram photos and videos
• Ken Carlson (@KenzoFKC) / Twitter

02:44 – Justin kicks off the episode introducing their weekend voyage, them trying to bring back their old school con funness, and the types of drinks Brogan brought to the party. They do an inaugural shot to kick off the weekend, speak of blackout plans, and return the following morning to discuss the past night's excursions. Justin explains the rule to not go hard the first night of the convention, Brogan talks about past GCP con interviews, and Justin welcomes friend of the podcast Rusty. Scott talks about the night before, Brogan tells the story of PBR Coffee, and they reflect on karaoke the night before.

28:02 – Rusty tries the PBR Coffee, they talk about the marijuana-infused Rum Scott made, and their review on Justin's Everclear cherries. Justin talks about the celebrity guests at the con, Ken talks about making his mask, and introduces his friend, actor and producer, James Clark. He talks about his directing style, the short screening of his short film at GenCon, and Amelia Samson's recent popularity on TikTok. Ken talks about his favorite characters in the movie, Brogan talks about the hobbit house in Port Orchard, and Ken talks about filming act two.

54:08 - Ken talks about the most popular individual videos from Enter the Mind Dungeon they released, his challenge with filming, and explains the chef and sous-chef dynamics. He talks about other film ideas he's been working on, and James talks about the importance of getting critical feedback on scripts. James talks about the importance of processing the feedback he receives, the guys then return on the last day of the con, and the fun of exploring movie history.

79:48 – They shout out to the guys who run the Biohazard Party, plan for a future “Old People” party, and Brogan talks about running into a past GCP guest. Justin talks about the hursts on display, Scott talks about the Horror Clowns performing there, and they give reviews of the films they watched during the Shorts Block show. They share the key to surviving a hangover, Brogan talks about the VHS treasures he found, and they close out planning next years con visit.

Special Guests: Ken Carlson and Rusty.

Sponsored By:

• Die Cut Stickers: Use the code GRITCITY15 at checkout and get 15% off your entire order! · Insanely custom stickers crafted to survive the PNW and beyond! Promo Code: GRITCITY15

Support The Grit City Podcast

Links:

• PBR Hard Coffee
• Crypticon Seattle on Facebook
• Crypticon Seattle on Twitter — CRYPTICON is Seattle's premier horror convention.
• James William Clark - IMDb
• Enter the Mind Dungeon - IMDb
• Mockumentary | Enter the Mind Dungeon — An upcoming independent mockumentary.
• Enter the Mind Dungeon - YouTube
• Retro Emporium Kent | Facebook — A Vintage to Modern Pop Culture Shop! Specializing in vintage 80s /90s collectibles and toady's retro themed goods.
• Crypticon Exhibitors
• What Exactly Is Cottagecore and How Did It Get So Popular? | Architectural Digest — What Exactly Is Cottagecore and How Did It Get So Popular?
• Crypticon Film Festival — It’s going to be an exciting year with some amazing films!
• Northwest Pinball and Arcade Show — The 2022 Northwest Pinball & Arcade Show!

1:36 – Amber talks about what Finley Mimbles does, how long her and Nathan have been making films, where they met, where the name Finley Mimbles came from, and their mockumentary, The Village of Middlevale. Justin talks about various artists they’ve had on the podcast, Nathan talks about the amount of work behind making a movie, Amber discusses how people can see the film, and Nathan talks about Bronson Bragg handwriting the music for the film.

14:08 – Amber chats about her love for the Tacoma art scene, Finley Mimbles Backyard Theater Festival, Justin talks about their short film Dream Police, and Amber talks about making a movie in 72 hours. Nathan dives deeper into the discussion around the parameters they were given when making the movie in 72 hours and the importance of their process to have everyone in the group have a little bit of themselves in the script before they start writing.

25:09 – Talk goes to why Finley Mimbles have so long stuck with working with the 253 Film competition, how they’ve blended their normal jobs with making films, and their plans to make three films a year. Justin asks what aspect got them into the business, Nathan shares his love for making movies since he was in the 3rd grade, and Amber talks about being involved in the theater as a kid.

35:48 – Nathan talks about becoming weirdly intimate with the locations they’ve recorded at in the area, Justin talks about the history behind Stadium High School, Scott talks about the beautiful views in Tacoma, and Justin talks about not going to Puyallup when he was a kid because of the drive between there and Tacoma. They close out talking about what GCP has coming up in the next couple months and people breaking into The Nearsighted Narwhal only to steal one of the Shroom Brothers Shirts.

Thanks Amber and Nathan for an informative and enjoyable conversation on Finley Mimbles!

Special Guest: Finley Mimbles.

Sponsored By:

• The Union Club: The Union Club is a coworking space contributing to Tacoma's growing artistic and entrepreneurial communities. It combines a maker studio, event hall, and office coworking space, in a 15,000 square foot historic building in downtown Tacoma, Washington.

Support The Grit City Podcast

Links:

• Finley Mimbles - Home — We make films.
• Finley Mimbles on Vimeo — Finley and Mimbles are two very professional professionals living in Tacoma where they make films.
• The Village of Middlevale

1:51 – Conversation starts around third breakfast, Matt talks about his screening at Norwescon, and tells the guys about his movie DRONE. Brogan talks about looking through Matt’s YouTube channel, the quality of the movie, the type of technology Matt used in the film, and Brogan's review of the story. Matt tells the guys what inspired him when creating the robot story, the reason why he had the robots wearing Converse, his budget for the film, and the resources he was able to use at no cost to him.

15:55 – Matt talks about his Blade Runner jacket, DRONE being his first big project, the skits he made before this film, and the awards DRONE has won so far. He talks about recently graduating from college, Scott shares how people can listen to past GCP episodes, they talk about the nerdom coming back, and the movie being a homage to the things Matt loves.

30:28 – The guys talk about their comfort movies, TV listings in the newspaper back in the day, reflections of Dune, and the different artists that live in the Tacoma area. Matt shares the official release of the movie in November on his YouTube channel, where people can find additional movie information online, and Brogan’s proposal of a new Dune movie. Brogan discusses the movie Pathfinder, Scott talks about his favorite Viking movie, and they chat about the recent reunion of the cast from The Big Lebowski.

42:44 – The guys give their props to the Higher Side Chats podcast, hollow earth, what Matt’s next projects are, and the Tacoma One Minute File Festival. Matt shares where people can find DRONE online, the streamlining of his branding, and his plans for posting more behind the scenes pieces of the film. He shares how he came up with the name of the business, they also talk about Dead Drift and Jeff’s review of the film.

Many thanks the Matt for joining the guys to talk about your movie, livelihood, and upcoming plans!

Special Guests: Billy and Matt Esteron.

Sponsored By:

• Wizard's Keep Games: Building Community Through The Power Of Games. Stop by and check out the weekly events. Commander, D&D, Friday Night Magic, It all happens at Wizard's Keep Games in Renton. 17148 116th Ave SE Renton WA, 98058

Support The Grit City Podcast

Links:

• MozaicStudios - YouTube
• Matt of MozaicStudios (@mozaicstudios) • Instagram photos and videos
• MozaicStudios - on Facebook

The show kicks off with Ken telling the guys about his new project Penny Palabras, an adaptation of a graphic novel. He explains that it was originally filmed as a web series that turned into a featured film that is close to being released. Deena, who plays Penny, tells the guys about what intrigued her to play the character and how she related to her. Emilie, who plays Valerie, Penny’s mom, then explains what brought her into the show and her appreciation of the well written it was. Justin then turns to Ken again and what his selling point was for the author to turn the graphic novel into a film.

15:05 – Conversation around the vlog that’s available to fill in the blanks for people that want to dive deeper into the story. Ken discusses the book 1,000 True Fans and how essential they are for people to sustain their art career. Talk then goes to Magic and Kens upcoming Magic Booster Draft for American Heart Disease, held at Little Creek Casino Hotel. Scott then tells the group about his love for growing pineapples and Deena talks about her first time playing DND and her first character as a Druid Dwarf. Emilie also tells the group about acting in Journey Quest.

29:41 – Ken talks about the darkness of Penny Palabras and his plans to work on a light hearted project after Penny Palabras is done. He covers how some of the lines were right out of his childhood and the emotional toll the show has taken on him. Deena and Emilie also talk about divining into the darker characters they played and the ‘survival skill’ of actors as they move into the character and then walking away when they’re done playing it. Justin then asks about what advice each one of them would give to people that are wanting to start out in writing, directing, or acting.

39:32 – The discussion turns to practical effects vs. computer effects and what it’s like for the actors to pretend and Ken going back and adding effects after the fact. Ken covers the scene with Penny lighting the book on fire in the bookstore, an example of when they were unable to pull the scene off without adding computer effects to it. Brogan talks about his recent visit to Mexico and his adventure with meeting the locals.

This show comes to an end on where people that are interested can find Penny Palabras online and their booth at the upcoming Crypticon. Ken talks about Deena’s dedication to recording the show from April – September and where people can find the actors individual website and social media.

Thank you Ken, Deena, and Emilie for joining the guys for a captivating conversation!

Special Guests: Deena Ingley, Emilie Rommel Shimkus, and Ken Carlson.

Sponsored By:

• Wizard's Keep Games: Building Community Through The Power Of Games. Stop by and check out the weekly events. Commander, D&D, Friday Night Magic, It all happens at Wizard's Keep Games in Renton. 17148 116th Ave SE Renton WA, 98058
• The Lindsay Jackman Group: We understand that buying or selling a home is more than just a transaction: it’s a life-changing experience. That’s why our team of highly-seasoned real estate professionals are dedicated to providing exceptional, personalized service for all of our clients. We take great pride in the relationships we build and always work relentlessly on the client’s behalf to help them achieve their real estate goals. Lindsay Jackman, Broker 253.857.3366 RE/MAX EXCLUSIVE 7201 Pioneer Way Ste A 101, Gig Harbor, WA 98335

Support The Grit City Podcast

Links:

• PENNY PALABRAS – THE STRAW MAN WAKES YOU. THE NIGHTMARES TAKE YOU. — Penny Palabras
• Penny Palabras - YouTube - YouTube — Penny Palabras on YouTube.
• Penny Palabras - Facebook — Penny Palabras on Facebook
• Emilie Rommel Shimkus – actor, singer, poet — Emilie Rommel Shimkus
• Dead Drift | An epic science fiction comedy adventure — Dead Drift - An epic science fiction comedy adventure.

This episode kicks off with Brogan’s quick chat about his choice to wear skinny jeans. They then dive into talking with Wade, creator of Weird Elephant at the Grand Cinema. He tells the guys about where the idea of Weird Elephant came from and his choice to show a movie weekly for Tacoma people to enjoy. He covers the movies they’ve played, how they choose the movies, and their upcoming shows.

14:00 – Wade talks about partnering with local businesses to offer customers a more in-depth Experience for the show. He then goes into what drew him into movies as a child and him taking his love for comics, sci-fi, and horror films to work at Stadium Video. He then dives into the first sci-fi and horror movies he watched.

Around the halfway mark, Kathly, Wades wife explains what she does for the cinema, how they encourage people to dress up to go to the show much like may Rocky Horror Picture Show attendees. Justin tells about a place that recently did a screening of Lady and The Tramp where people were allowed to bring their dogs and they had plates of spaghetti setup. They then turn to their plan to do a showing of The Big Lebowski at the end of March where they plan to offer WII bowling and encouraging people to cosplay.

42:20 – Kathlyn talk about movies she loved and shared with Wade and Wade discusses moved he’s shared with Kathlyn. Justin talks about the importance of people to go to the cinema for the full magical experience of watching movies in the cinema vs watching them at home.

This show comes to a close with discussion of other movies Wade is planning to feature in the upcoming months and where people can find them online. Wade also shares other plans The Grand Cinema will be doing in the upcoming months.

Thanks you both for joining the guys for an insightful conversation on Weird Elephant!

Special Guest: Wade and Kathlyn.

Sponsored By:

• Wizard's Keep Games: Building Community Through The Power Of Games. Stop by and check out the weekly events. Commander, D&D, Friday Night Magic, It all happens at Wizard's Keep Games in Renton. 17148 116th Ave SE Renton WA, 98058

Support The Grit City Podcast

Links:

• Weird Elephant | The Grand Cinema — Weird Elephant at The Grand Cinema
• Weird Elephant at The Grand Cinema - Home | Facebook — Weird Elephant on Facebook