December 11, 2020
On December 10, 2020, we, just as legions of fans across the world, were devastated by the news of the passing of Richard Corben. Corben was stated to have passed following heart surgery a week prior on December 2.
In tribute to this monumental creator, we wanted to re-present an episode dedicated to Corben from our archives.
Originally broadcast on April 17, 2015, this episode was for a segment that we called ‘Shine On’ spotlighting artists who may not have been widely appreciated and unsung as ‘household names’ so to speak.
And Corben was obviously beyond worthy.
Please enjoy our humble retrospective on Corben’s career and art that broadened, titillated and ultimately inspired the imaginations of generations of fans and artists worldwide.
For more episodes, be sure to subscribe to sidebarforever.com or wherever you get your podcasts.
SIDEBAR FOREVER ©2020 Dwight Clark, Swain Hunt and Adrian Johnson
![What We’re Thankful For | SIDEBAR FOREVER]()
November 25, 2020
It’s that time of year when we reflect on what we have, where we are and give thanks. Yes, today, it's a very special Sidebar Forever.
Just kidding.
But not really.
Dwight suggested the three of us sit down, take a look back at 2020, and make note of some things for which we’re truly grateful. He tells a story about a scene from 'Guardians of the Galaxy 2' that he relates back to his late father.
Adrian discusses losing his own dad earlier this year, as well as being there for his mom.
Swain celebrates mentors and surrogate parents via the films 'Antwone Fisher' and 'Jingle Jangle', the new Netflix Christmas special.
And believe it or not, amidst the deep reflection, we managed to get a few chuckles in there to lighten the mood.
Another thing we're thankful for is you, our listeners. We appreciate you checking in with us each episode and following us wherever you get your podcasts.
And if you live here in the States, please have a happy and safe Thanksgiving.
SIDEBAR FOREVER ©2020 Dwight Clark, Swain Hunt and Adrian Johnson
![We Option Our Favorite Comics Into TV Shows & Movies | SIDEBAR FOREVER]()
November 16, 2020
You’ve heard of fantasy football, right?
Today, we option our favorite comic book stories and turn them into television shows and feature films.
OK, let us explain. Back around 2008, Hollywood was optioning comic book IPs left and right. The success of shows like 'Smallville' and 'The Walking Dead' to movies like '300' and the 'X-Men' franchise had the suits champing at the bit for ripe comic properties. Out of that era, we got some good stuff (A History of Violence, Ghost World, RED) along with a few stinkers (The Spirit, Painkiller Jane, the Blade TV show).
So for sh*ts and giggles, the three of us each pick a story, cast it with actors, hire creative departments, and produce it into a film or television show.
So imagine a world with an 'Uncanny X-Men' movie starring Rutger Hauer as Magneto and Grace Jones as Storm? Or an 'Invaders' TV show featuring William Zabka as the original Human Torch and Ralph Fiennes as Baron Blood? Or an adaptation of 'Sandman Mystery Theatre' starring James McAvoy as Wesley Dodds and Emilia Clarke as Dian Belmont? We GO there.
*And hey, be sure to check out our Facebook and Instagram pages for original concept art created exclusively for this episode by Dwight and Adrian!*
As always, thanks for listening to Sidebar Forever. Don't forget to subscribe to the show here on sidebarforever.com or wherever you get your podcasts!
![“Stay Alive, Jessica Hyde!” - Review of Amazon Prime’s UTOPIA | SIDEBAR FOREVER]()
November 6, 2020
What have you done today to earn your place in this crowded world?
Dwight and Swain are here to do a short review of the Amazon Prime series ‘Utopia’, written and executive produced by Gillian Flynn of 'Gone Girl' fame.
‘Utopia’ is a story about a band of obsessed comic book fans knee-deep in a conspiracy theory-turned-real that could lead to a literal Armageddon. On the episode, Dwight and Swain explain how they came to the show, break down a few characters like Jessica Hyde, Arby, and the nefarious biotech engineer Kevin Christie (played by John Cusack), as well as comment on the "dangers" of putting out a TV show about a pandemic in the middle of a pandemic.
By the way, the version of ‘Utopia’ we're reviewing today is the American adaptation. The original cult favorite was created by Dennis Kelly and aired on Channel 4 in the U.K. back in 2013.
As always, thanks for listening and don’t forget to subscribe to the show on sidebarforever.com or wherever you get your podcasts.
SIDEBAR FOREVER ©2020 Dwight Clark, Swain Hunt and Adrian Johnson
November 2, 2020
On this episode, Dwight and Adrian pay tribute to Sir Sean Connery. Connery passed away on October 30, 2020 and we wanted to take the opportunity to reflect upon his imprint on cinematic history.
While most will forever regard Connery as THE definitive James Bond in beginning the titular franchise, his filmography is rich with other roles equally as memorable.
From James Bond to an aged Robin Hood to espousing ’The Chicago Way to commanding a Russian nuclear submarine, Connery will be forever remembered for the incredible charisma and authority that he brought to the screen.
As always, thanks for listening and don’t forget to subscribe to the show on sidebarforever.com or wherever you get your podcasts.
SIDEBAR FOREVER ©2020 Dwight Clark, Swain Hunt and Adrian Johnson
![Vampires: The Undead Over the Decades | SIDEBAR FOREVER]()
October 30, 2020
On this special Halloween-themed episode, we chose a topic we could truly ... sink our teeth into. Vampires have been a go-to in the horror genre since the 1922 silent film 'Nosferatu' and they show no signs of going to that eternal sleep.
From Bela Lugosi to Christopher Lee to ‘Fright Night’ and ‘The Lost Boys’ to ‘Buffy’ and ‘Blade’, all the way to modern day with things like ‘Twilight’ and ‘What We Do in the Shadows’, people dig these bloodsucking creatures of the night.
But as the writers and directors (and mediums) have changed, so has the popular image of the vampire.
Is this how the undead have managed to survive all these years?
Thanks for checking out the podcast and don't forget to subscribe to the show here on sidebarforever.com or wherever you get your podcasts.
Lastly, the pandemic has a lot of us keeping it close to the house this Halloween. And with good reason --it's scary out there. To our listeners and friends who do decide to venture out this Saturday, please be safe. And definitely wear your mask!
SIDEBAR FOREVER ©2020 Dwight Clark, Swain Hunt and Adrian Johnson
October 23, 2020
Hughie, Marvin, Frenchie, Kimiko and Butcher have returned for season two of Amazon Prime’s hit streaming series ’The Boys’. With more heroism (and carnage) at the hands of the vainglorious Supes, and more ingenuity (and infighting) from our ragtag squad of anti-Supes. And we three are here to chop up all of it!
On this episode, we start with major takeaways, do a short dive into new characters like Stormfront and Lamplighter, and praise Antony Starr’s nuanced portrayal of the powerful yet broken Homelander. Also addressed in the conversation are the elements of Nazism and racism that have come to the fore, as well as a few of our critiques of season two.
And of course, we couldn’t skip over that epic season finale beatdown! Girls get it done, right?
As always, thanks for listening and please subscribe to the show here on sidebarforever.com or wherever you get your podcasts.
SIDEBAR FOREVER ©2020 Dwight Clark, Swain Hunt and Adrian Johnson
October 16, 2020
Today, we start a new movie review series called Playback. This first episode looks at the cult classic action-fantasy ‘Highlander’ starring Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery and Clancy Brown as the menacing Kurgan.
Released to theaters in March of 1986, 'Highlander' is the tale of immortals warring across time for the ‘Prize’ - to become mortal. We discuss our favorite scenes, performances, cool trivia, and give praise to the film’s memorable score by composer Michael Kamen and the rock band Queen. Also, we delve into the franchise of sequels and spinoffs birthed by the film.
We've referenced ‘Highlander’ many, many times on past episodes, so this was a long time coming.
As always, thanks for listening and please subscribe to the show at Sidebar Forever.com or wherever you get your podcasts.
SIDEBAR FOREVER ©2020 Dwight Clark, Swain Hunt and Adrian Johnson
October 9, 2020
Let’s play a game, shall we?
On today’s episode, we resurrect a game we used to play on the previous iteration of the show. It's called "Either Or, Choose One No More" and it goes like this: You present the players with two pop culture options and they have to choose one or the other.
Simple, right?
But the object of the game is to create pain, if you will, in the choosing. To really make your players think about — and care about — their answers.
For example:
"Alien or Aliens? Either or, choose one no more."
or
"American Gods or Penny Dreadful? Either or, choose one no more."
Today, we play that game amongst ourselves and it could not have been more fun. We won’t give away the specific rules we played by here, but please know, there was a TWIST!
Thanks again for listening to Sidebar Forever and please subscribe on sidebarforever.com or wherever you get your podcasts.
SIDEBAR FOREVER ©2020 Dwight Clark, Swain Hunt and Adrian Johnson
