Heroes of Science Fiction and Fantasy: Sci fi, Sci fi podcast, Science Fiction, sci-fi tales, sci-fi podcast, science fiction movie, comics, fantasy book · Doc

E:40 Edge of Tomorrow (2014), Ben Ferrari's Carriers and Alex De Luca's Dragon Whisperer: Lodi Comic Con September 28, 2024: Sci fi, Science Fiction, Sci-fi, Science Fiction podcast, sci fi podcast, sci-fi podcast, science fiction movie

·28 min·2 clips

How did Reed Vertasky become the new hope in a global war against alien mimics?

This episode of Heroes of Science Fiction and Fantasy features host Doc reviewing the 2014 film *Edge of Tomorrow* and sharing experiences from the Lodi Comic Con. Doc also provides brief reviews of two independent comics acquired at the convention. The episode opens with audio clips from *Edge of Tomorrow* depicting a military propaganda broadcast and a tense confrontation between Tom Cruise's character and a general. Doc explains the film is loosely based on the Japanese novel *All You Need Is Kill* by Hiroshi Sakurazaka. He notes the movie's production involved Warner Brothers and nine visual effects studios, with filming in England. The plot summary establishes the alien Mimic invasion and the celebrated hero, Sergeant Rita Vrataski, played by Emily Blunt. Doc highlights the practical elements of the film, stating the powered exoskeleton suits worn by Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt weighed 85 to 130 pounds. The host shares that *Edge of Tomorrow* received a 91% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes and grossed $370.5 million worldwide. He then transitions to recounting his technical difficulties while recording at Lodi Comic Con on September 28, 2024, which resulted in losing most of his interviews. Doc details his new system involving red paint dots on his recorder to prevent future level-setting errors. He mentions speaking with C. Andrew Nelson, the actor who portrayed Darth Vader, for the third time. From the convention, Doc presents two short interviews with attendees named James Brown and Keith, who discuss ticket prices and their favorite sci-fi properties. He describes the Lodi Grape Festival Fairgrounds venue as having three large hangars and a wrestling ring. Doc reviews *Carriers* by Ben Ferrari, a comic about a team of weaponized pigeons defending New York City from various animal threats. He also reviews *Dragon Whisperer* by Alex DeLuca, a steampunk adventure story about a crew hunting for a dragon aboard an airship. Doc notes both comics are from Red 5 Comics and that second volumes were available at the convention. The episode concludes with a short installment of Doc's original audio drama, *Blackened Armor*, featuring a tense watch on a fortress wall and an attack by a monstrous creature. The tone is conversational and anecdotal, blending movie analysis with personal convention stories and comic book recommendations. Listeners interested in *Edge of Tomorrow*'s production or independent comics would enjoy this episode, while those seeking a focused, single-topic analysis might find the structure too meandering.

As heard by us

Sci-fi war talk and a partial convention report, with enough production context to keep it grounded.

Episode 40 keeps its main focus on Edge of Tomorrow, where the discussion stays with the Verdun setup, the new jacket technology, the limited training, and the military gear that makes the war feel concrete instead of generic.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Edge of Tomorrow with battle-suit trivia and a candid Lodi Comic Con snag.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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