Episode 509 - The Shadow Kingdom

Wait, how did Chad not jump all over the "If it bleeds, I can kill it" from Predator for his Weathers/Arnold buddy film jokes? How?

It's dumb fun, I watched five or six years ago. I cannot remember anything that happened apart from Eddie Tenpole of the band Tenpole Tudor (Swords of a Thousand Men) is in it. I think he's the bad guy. The details fell out of my brain immediately after watching.

I haven't seen "Kull the Conqueror", but while reading "The Shadow Kingdom" I was thinking that it's an incredibly cinematic story. You've got a triumphal procession, a feast, secret passages, shape-shifting monsters, and a big climactic sword fight. I would definitely watch an adaptation that didn't involve Kevin Sorbo in a bad wig.

Being authentic in a world that demands a lot of different masks? I wear no mask. No mask? No mask!

YithianHistorian

Thanks for all the shout-outs on the episode guys! This is one of my very favorite Howard stories and I've been waiting since the last Thew-ly back in 2017 for you to get to it, so thank you! And I'm really glad you enjoyed it. It was really cool that you remembered my recommendation for Underwater as well as that email I sent back in 2016 about the Necronomicon. I am still an Archaeologist (Registered Professional and everything) but I no longer work at the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World. I now work for the Federal Government so I can certainly confirm that that ssilly Reptilian consspiraccy is nonssenssssse.

I was also really, really surprised that the percentage of voters who believe that conspiracy theory is so low. It's not even the weirdest conspiracy theory I've encountered this week.

Topical quip: I never bought into that whole Reptilian conspiracy theory before, but now that the actual behavior of the snake people has been described to me, I can definitely see the similarities to the US congress. Heyooo! Thank you, I'll see myself out.

Nice to get a "Thank you" shout at the end of the episode in what i consider to be my month... Regards, Mat-THEW Thomas ;)

I should add that, if you can’t disengage with Conan and Howard’s worldview at the end of the story, you probably should seek professional help.

Peter Larsen

Good point, Pete; I won’t argue with that.

I guess Chad’sss ignorance proves that Dr. Brule may just be the hero this world needs to stop the reptiles.... And the panther-like warriors hold their broadswords over their head and cry ”Ya Dingus” before they charge into battle.

Jon Bunger

One man's dung is another man's high grade fertiliser.

Howard is shaky ground unless you’re willing to buy into his worldview for the length of the story. Like most D&D adventurers, Conan is essentially a sociopath; you sort of need to engage with him on his terms.

Peter Larsen

You know, following the podcast is like a marriage. In the words of the song: “I’ll take the good times, I’ll take the bad times, I love you just the way you are.” The good, there have been a few, but then again, far too many to mention. Howard? A huge pile of dung. So glad it is all over for now. I ate it all for you guys. And I still love you; your commentary almost made it worthwhile. Almost. Let’s keep on going. I know we can make it last forever, like we promised. But do keep the dung to a minimum, please?

Yes, seems to be the case. It makes more sense on how Conan lives his life, seizing the moment and living with intensity, convinced that there is nothing beyond that.

It occurs to me that Howard takes Lovecraft’s vast history and replays it on a human scale, turning millions of years into thousands, but keeping that sense of “the world has seen this before” and kind of mocking the pretentious of the characters. I mean, OK, Conan, Kull, and Kane are badasses, but they only live a short life, then history rolls over their bones. It’s not quite the male power fantasy it seems.

Peter Larsen

“A king does not accept the challenge of a nameless savage.” Am I alone in picturing Chad angrily dismissing comments? Pacing back and forth with pantherish grace muttering “Crom! These nameless patrons will feel the weigh of my booted heel!” while waving a sword about? No? Only me? I may have said too much.

Peter Larsen

Am I the only one who wants to see John Dingo fight Johnny Cougar?

Peter Larsen

Hitch gets hitched alright and this Summer the sequel came out ,The Entanglement was released. Who says no summer blockbusters.

He doesn't know "The Music Man." He doesn't know Dr Steve Brule. And he doesn't know "Hitch." Didn't realize Fifer was Unfrozen Caveman Gasface Lawyer.

Steve Brule, the "Spear-Slayer"... so is he a slayer of spears??

Wulf Mungus

That series was amazing! STAR-METAL!!! I wonder if that's taken from anything in Howard's fiction. The Witcher series has something very similar

Wulf Mungus

This story reminded me of the 90' Conan cartoon where the main villains were the Snake Men. They even used them as a device to avoid showing blood. Whenever a Snake man was in contact with a weapon (made of an special metal) the were cast off to another dimension intead of dying! Man, I loved that campy Conan...

It has been awhile since you guys have done a ransom. How much for a table read of Predator in which Chris voices Dutch and Chad voices literally everyone else?...except Anna. Andrew Leman could do Anna. If Leman is busy, I could also accept Matt Burriesci as Billy.

Joseph

I imagine that as long as there have been civilizations, there have been people with fantasies of exposing their leaders as evil others. It is, I suppose, easier to accept that your king isn't even human rather than just as human as you, but with very different values.

The Erotic Adventures of Solomon Kane sounds like one of Alan Moore's late period projects.

Richard Horsman

That is totally Judge John Hodgman reading.

Y'know, Brule using the words to reveal that serpent man may have been a gamble. He just startled the illusion off the guy.

Mandy Reznor (She_It)

The ORIGIN of the reptilians conspiracy? I thought the origin of the reptilians was anti-semitism?

Mandy Reznor (She_It)