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The Cromcast: A Weird Fiction Podcast

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Welcome back, Cromrades! We hope you are eagerly anticipating this episode of the big show, where we discuss Clark Ashton Smith's Mother of Toads.
One Things
Jon: Tom Scioli's Stan Lee biography "I Am Stan".
Josh: The D&D Adventure System board game, "Castle Ravenloft".
Luke: Murder City: Ciudad Juarez and the Global Economy's New Killing Fields by Charles Bowden.
Check out the upcoming Clark Ashton Smith Conference in Auburn, CA January 10, 2026!
Questions? Comments? Curses?
Call us at (859) 429-CROM!
Did you know that we're on Facebook?
We're posting photos on the Instagrams!
Or, check us out on Apple Podcasts! (or your podcast player of choice!)
Legal Mumbo-Jumbo
Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Themes by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. Outro: 'Bang Bang' by Jessie J, Ariana Grande, and Nikki Minaj. (This is all Josh's fault.) Music obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!
Hello there, Cromrades! We hope you are hale, healthy, and well rested! Pray, won't you join us on holiday? We are planning a visit to the island of
One Things
Jon: Mike Mignola - Drawing Monsters documentary
Josh: Mini Mork Manual - a Mork Borg Solo Experience.
Luke: Soundtracks for Reading - Remember the Future by Nektar, or maybe you'd be more interested in some cosmic banjo?
Here is the March 1933 issue of Weird Tales, where The Isle of the Torturers was first published!
Questions? Comments? Curses?
Call us at (859) 429-CROM!
Did you know that we're on Facebook?
We're posting photos on the Instagrams!
Or, check us out on Apple Podcasts! (or your podcast player of choice!)
Legal Mumbo-Jumbo
Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Themes by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. Outro: Vicarious by Tool from their album 10,000 Days. Music obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!
Welcome back, Cromrades! We are currently experiencing some difficulty posting our episode in the normal way. Archive.org is where we generally host our files, and they have had some great difficulties with hackers recently. We are trying to decide what to do. But in the interim, here is our second episode of the Howardian Film Festival, which also doubles as our Cromtober 2024 episode.
Edit 11/9/24: Here's the episode.
One Things
Jon: The Potato: How the Humble Spud Rescued the Western World
Josh: Mörk Borg
Luke: Mustard!
Questions? Comments? Curses?
Call us at (859) 429-CROM!
You know you want to follow us on Twitter!
Did you know that we're on Facebook?
Spool together a good time with us on Threads!
We're posting photos on the Instagram!
Subscribe to our feed on FeedBurner!
Or, check us out on Apple Podcasts or on Spotify!
Legal Mumbo-Jumbo
Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Themes by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. Outro: "Faith" by Ghost. Music obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!
Hile, Cromrades! We return with a new story, one from MARS! Herein we discuss 'The Dweller in the Gulf,' by none other than Clark Ashton Smith. You can access an open source version of the text here! Join us, won't you?
One Things
Jon: No Man's Sky, on a ton of gaming platforms!
Josh: Salt and Sanctuary, on a ton of gaming platforms!
Luke: Sinners, which is his fave movie of the year (so far)!
Also... Did you know there's an upcoming CAS Conference in Auburn, CA, in Jan? Check it out! Grassroots pulp lit conventions, FTW!!!!!!
Questions? Comments? Curses?
Call us at (859) 429-CROM!
Did you know that we're on Facebook?
We're posting photos on the Instagrams!
Or, check us out on Apple Podcasts! (or your podcast player of choice!)
Legal Mumbo-Jumbo
Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Themes by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. Outro: 'Debaser' by The Pixies. Music obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!
Behold listeners! A colossal Cromcast episode, stuffed with meat and bones and ready for your earholes. Join the crew as they dissect the Clark Ashton Smith tale, "The Colossus of Ylourgne". This tale of revenge and woe is our first foray into Smith's version of France known as Averoigne. Read it here if you dare: http://www.eldritchdark.com/writings/short-stories/27/the-colossus-of-ylourgne
One Things
Luke: "The Last of Us" on HBO
Josh: "LOST" a classic from the aughts
Jon: "The Old Man & the Gun" starring Robert Redford.
Questions? Comments? Curses?
Call us at (859) 429-CROM!
Did you know that we're on Facebook?
We're posting photos on the Instagrams!
Or, check us out on Apple Podcasts! (or your podcast player of choice!)
Legal Mumbo-Jumbo
Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Themes by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. Outro: 'Giants Fall' by Miracle of Sound, from the game The Shadow of the Colossus. Music obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!
Hile, Cromrades! We return with another yarn from Zothique by one Clark Ashton Smith. You can access an open source version of the text here! Join us, won't you?
One Things
Jon: John Gwynne's 'The Shadow of the Gods'!
Josh: 'Grotten,' by Sunzenaut!
Luke: The Smith Circle, a CAS Conference coming 10 Jan 2026!
Questions? Comments? Curses?
Call us at (859) 429-CROM!
Did you know that we're on Facebook?
We're posting photos on the Instagrams!
Or, check us out on Apple Podcasts! (or your podcast player of choice!)
Legal Mumbo-Jumbo
Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Themes by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. Outro: 'Wings Wetted Down' by THE Blue Oyster Cult. Music obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!
The Cromcast is going down deep to its roots, but this time we're digging into the literature of Clark Ashton Smith. In this first episode of our 22nd season, we discuss the man and author himself and reveal our reading list. Tune in for weird tales fun!
Welcome back, all! We're rounding out our 21st season with a series of Howardian film selections from the Cromrades:
Jon - All the President's Men (1976)
Luke - Ladyhawke (1985)
Josh - Hidalgo (2004)
Where do we go from here, you may ask? You'll have to listen 'til the end to find out!
Welcome back, Cromrades! This week, we take on two combat sports movies that damage us right where it hurts - the emotions! We're talking Million Dollar Baby directed by Clint Eastwood, and starring Eastwood, Hilary Swank, and Morgan Freeman. Then, we enter the squared circle to face off against the Von Erich family in The Iron Claw, directed by Sean Durkin and starring Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, , Maura Tierney, Stanley Simons, Holt McCallany, and Lily James.
We're talking raw emotional damage, folks.
Would Robert E. Howard have found something to like about this double feature? Let us know!
One Things
Jon: Peaceful Neighbor: Discovering the Counter Cultural Mr. Rogers by Michael Long
Josh: On Boxing by Joyce Carol Oates
Luke: Surprise, Kill, Vanish: The Secret History of CIA Paramilitary Armies, Operators, and Assassins by Annie Jacobsen
Questions? Comments? Curses?
Call us at (859) 429-CROM!
Did you know that we're on Facebook?
We're posting photos on the Instagrams!
Subscribe to our feed on FeedBurner!
Or, check us out on iTunes!
We're also on Stitcher Radio and Google Play!
Legal Mumbo-Jumbo
Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Themes by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. Outro: Tom Sawyer by Rush! Music obtained legally; we hope our discussion of this content makes you want to go out and purchase the work!
Hile, Cromrades! Join us brave the dark solstice of the year and welcome in Old Man Winter... Herein we discuss Michael Mann's The Last of the Mohicans (1992) alongside Alejandro Iñárritu's The Revenant (2015)! We hope you have stoked the fire, and have a few blankets at hand.
Oh greatest of podcast listeners, indulge us in this friendly holiday game. Let whichever of you is boldest of blood step forth, take up headphones and try with honor to consider new fantasy films. If you choose to engage, seek us out yonder to the Green Chapel six nights to the north. We will return your thoughts with our own, and then in trust and friendship, we shall part. Who, then, who is willing to watch "Valhalla Rising" and "The Green Knight" with us?
Hile, Cromrades! Join us as we embark on our 21st Season... A Howardian Film Festival! For our first episode, we start out with some 'historical' films... Specifically, we discuss 1975's The Wind and the Lion, directed by John Milius and starring a cavalcade of familiar faces that includes Sean Connery! After that, we discuss 2011's The Eagle, directed by Kevin Macdonald and starring
Hile, Cromrades! Here we wrap up our discussion of the first Elric paperback, Elric of Melniboné (or perchance entitled The Dreaming City). This one's a banger! Join us won't you?One ThingsChristopher Rowe (The More You Know): Open Road Media for all your F&SF needs!Jon: Maus by Art SpiegelmanJosh: Mage Knight, and otherwise note that it's a hot time buying some secondhand boardgames!Luke:
Welcome back Cromrades! Join us for an eventful mid-section to our first foray into the tales of Elric. In this episode we can guarantee you'll see a boat you won't believe, a deal that can't possibly go wrong for Elric, and a turning of the tables that will spin your head. Join us won't you?One thingsLuke: Hijinks in Oklahoma territory with Reservation DogsJosh: Escapades in the north
Welcome back, Cromrades! This season has been a long time in the making - we finally are diving into the world of Michael Moorcock's foundational sword and sorcery work, Elric of Melniboné. This episode focuses on the first third of the book, wherein we discuss what we know about Melniboné, Elric, Yrkoon, and Cymoril, and the greater world of the book. Join us!One ThingsJon: Dan Carlin - Boxing
Greetings, Cromrades! We are back to put the final touches on our coverage of The Broken Sword by Poul Anderson, and transition to our next story - Elric of Melnibone by Michael Moorcock! We set up some of the similarities and differences between these two stories, and set the stage for Elric as our next sword and sorcery protagonist. One ThingsJon: A24's Civil War movie.Josh: Victorinox
Welcome back to The Cromcast's dive into "The Broken Sword" by Poul Anderson. We've been through heck and back with these characters, but if Odin's presence is any indication, things aren't about to get better! Join us for the final turn with this fantastic tale and learn what fate befalls Skafloc and Valgerd!One ThingsJonathan: "The Wager" by David Grann, British naval chicanery Josh: "
Welcome back to the big show, Cromrades! This week, we discuss chapters 11 - 20 of The Broken Sword by Poul Anderson. Check back in a few weeks for the exciting finale!One ThingsJon: Love Lies Bleeding, a movie!Josh: Fargo, season 1 and 2, a television show!Luke: Nuclear War, A Scenario by Annie Jacobsen, a book!
Questions? Comments? Curses?Call us at (859) 429-CROM!You know you want to follow us
Hile, Cromrades! Here we delve into the first 10 chapters of Poul Anderson's The Broken Sword! We had a ton of fun with this discussion, and hopefully you enjoy it too! We'll return with the next discussion in the coming weeks!One ThingsJon: Devolution and other things by Max Brooks!Josh: From : Master Edition by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell!Luke: The Armies of Elfland by a certain Poul
An eerie mist shrouds the podcast waves, it's plain to hear that the faeries and elves must be about. They are stalking for a new podcast season to steal away before its named. Alas for them, The Cromcast knows exactly what their next season is all about. Tune in and hear about our plans to read "The Broken Sword" by sci-fi and fantasy author Poul Anderson. One ThingsJon: The
"CoNaN is sCareD of thE DArK BecauSE he'S a BARBarian." So anyway he faces this giant demon snake, is followed by a shadow person, almost falls prey to a mimic squid, and meets a insanely powerful wizard that's been tortured for a decade -and that's just in THIS story... yeah, no. Conan is scared of the dark because he knows his world is full of horrors. Love the podcast though, which is why I'm listening and commenting seven years after the episode came out.
Great show as always! I want to start out by saying that Howard never wrote a story I didn't like, but his humorous westerns are my least favorite. His work on his traditional westerns, on the other hand, like Vultures of Whapeton (Wahpeton) is fantastic! It would have been great to see him go on to write more westerns or "Regional stories". I agree with the idea that had he lived, he might have went on to write for comics or even television. Early in Louis L'amours career he wrote some televsion treatments; an early episode of Maverick used one of his short stories for one of the earlier shows. Both Howard's and L'amours writing careers took similar paths to a certain extent and I believe Howard's career would have paralleled L'amours. Adios for now and I'll see you on the trail ;)
Congratulations. It was the best episode I've ever heard. You guys show so many layers of the book, that now I need to read again. And if I can suggest something, I believe you will like the House Atreides book. It shows how was the beginning of Leto and Jessica's relationship.