Ancient Geeks

Ancient Geeks episode 17: The John Byrne era of the X-Men

We continue our coverage of the classic era of the X-Men with John Byrne's iconic run on the series. Some of the biggest moments in not just the X-Men, but comics in general, happened. The tragedy of the Dark Phoenix saga! The horror of Days Of Future Past! We also talk about why John Byrne is one of the best comic artists ever, why he was perfect for the X-Men, and how he captured the attention and admiration of our younger selves. We even get into Byrne's alternate version of the Dark Phoenix story, which is available online for all to read.
 
Ancient Geeks is a podcast about two geeks of a certain age re-visiting their youth. We were there when things like science fiction, fantasy, Tolkien, Star Trek, Star Wars, D&D, Marvel and DC comics, Doctor Who, and many, many other threads of modern geek culture were still on the fringes of culture. We were geeks before it was chic!
For feedback, contact someancientgeeks@gmail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Reddit, and Bluesky. And if you like what you hear, please tell a friend. Also, reviews on your podcast platform of choice are always appreciated.
© 2025 Tom Grant and Steven Taylor

Ancient Geeks episode 16: The Uncanny X-Men!

In the mid-70s, the X-Men were a largely forgotten team of teenage mutants, relegated to the back issue section of the comics store. With the release of Giant-Sized X-Men #1, that all changed. The revamped X-Men were a powerful mix of old and new that became the colossus of comics, taking the world of super-heroes by storm! 
Journey back with Steven and Tom to this first wave of X-mania, during the initial collaboration between Chris Claremont (writer) and Dave Cockrum (artist). Even if you're not a comic book fan, there are great lessons for all forms of popular culture in this classic period of the X-Men, which remains popular to this day.
 
Ancient Geeks is a podcast about two geeks of a certain age re-visiting their youth. We were there when things like science fiction, fantasy, Tolkien, Star Trek, Star Wars, D&D, Marvel and DC comics, Doctor Who, and many, many other threads of modern geek culture were still on the fringes of culture. We were geeks before it was chic!
For feedback, contact someancientgeeks@gmail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Reddit, and Bluesky. And if you like what you hear, please tell a friend. Also, reviews on your podcast platform of choice are always appreciated.
© 2025 Tom Grant and Steven Taylor

Ancient Geeks episode 15: The Star Wars Holiday Special and other 70s geek-based variety shows

Geek culture and schlocky variety shows collide! When you watched Star Wars or read superhero comics, you probably didn't think, "Why isn't there more singing and dancing? And how about some comics doing schtick?" But the producers of 1970s TV variety shows thought that would be a good idea. It wasn't, and in this episode, we show you why.
Of course, we talk about the infamously cringey Star Wars Holiday Special...But there's so much more. Do you think you're ready for Donnie and Marie doing Star Wars? Or how about Legends of the Superheroes, starring among others, Adam West and Burt Ward returning as Batman and Robin, in one of the most painfully unfunny, un-entertaining efforts to bring superheroes to the small screen? Star Wars on The Muppet Show! Paul Lynde's bizarre Halloween special! 
And you don't dare miss William Shatner doing acutely Shatneresque "interpretations" of classic rock hits, such as "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" and "Rocket Man"! Or Leonard Nimoy's crooning through "The Ballad Of Bilbo Baggins"!
 
Ancient Geeks is a podcast about two geeks of a certain age re-visiting their youth. We were there when things like science fiction, fantasy, Tolkien, Star Trek, Star Wars, D&D, Marvel and DC comics, Doctor Who, and many, many other threads of modern geek culture were still on the fringes of culture. We were geeks before it was chic!
For feedback, contact someancientgeeks@gmail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Reddit, and Bluesky. And if you like what you hear, please tell a friend. Also, reviews on your podcast platform of choice are always appreciated.
© 2025 Tom Grant and Steven Taylor
 

Ancient Geeks episode 14: Monster movies of the 50s and 60s

During the 1950s and 1960s, a combination of big ideas from science fiction, Cold War paranoia, and the sheer coolness of monsters inspired a generation of monster movies. Godzilla was only the start. Thrill at the rampages of giant atomic mutations (ants, birds, spiders, you name it), ready to wipe humanity from the face of the earth! Shiver as alien invaders walk among us! Plunge into the unknown corners of the world, and the mysterious realm of the human mind, to discover – what else? – monsters!
In this episode, we discuss how our younger selves, Tom especially, became monster movie fans. We break down a few examples, both good and bad, and also talk plenty of other movies as well. The verdict: even when they were bad, they were still lots of fun!
We also discuss monster movie fandom, centering around late-night TV hosts and magazines like Famous Monsters Of Filmland. 
 
Ancient Geeks is a podcast about two geeks of a certain age re-visiting their youth. We were there when things like science fiction, fantasy, Tolkien, Star Trek, Star Wars, D&D, Marvel and DC comics, Doctor Who, and many, many other threads of modern geek culture were still on the fringes of culture. We were geeks before it was chic!
For feedback, contact someancientgeeks@gmail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Reddit, and Bluesky. And if you like what you hear, please tell a friend. Also, reviews on your podcast platform of choice are always appreciated.
© 2025 Tom Grant and Steven Taylor

Ancient Geeks episode 13: Batman in the 80s and 90s

Our first real episode discussed how Batman in the 60s and 70s played a big role in our early geek lives. Now, we jump ahead to the 80s and 90s, a golden age of Batman in the comics and on the screen. In now-classic series like The Dark Knight Returns, Batman: Year One, A Death In The Family, Batman: The Cult, the writers and artists pulled out all the stops. Batman in a dystopian future! Robin dies! Batman loses his mind, repeatedly! This was an extraordinary period for both writing and art featuring the world's greatest detective.
We also discuss Tim Burton's Batman movie in the 1980s. To absolutely no one's surprise, we both loved it. What made this movie so very good? And how did it shape the future of the character?
The Batman we know today emerged during this Bat-Renaissance. Hear what it was like to read and watch all this Bat-goodness for the first time, and hear why it had an impact on not just future incarnations of Batman, but also superheroes in general. 
Ancient Geeks is a podcast about two geeks of a certain age re-visiting their youth. We were there when things like science fiction, fantasy, Tolkien, Star Trek, Star Wars, D&D, Marvel and DC comics, Doctor Who, and many, many other threads of modern geek culture were still on the fringes of culture. We were geeks before it was chic!
For feedback, contact someancientgeeks@gmail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Reddit, and Bluesky. And if you like what you hear, please tell a friend. Also, reviews on your podcast platform of choice are always appreciated.
© 2025 Tom Grant and Steven Taylor
 

Ancient Geeks episode 12: Superhero TV shows of the 70s

Put on your polyester shirts and bellbottom jeans, because it's time for Steven and Tom to journey back to the 1970s, when superhero TV shows were popular. You'd think that we would have been excited to see our beloved comic book characters translated to the small screen...But the results were mixed, at best. Wonder Woman, The Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man, Captain America, The Six Million Dollar Man, and even Doctor Strange -- they're all here, kinda sorta.
See the world's greatest superheroes sandwiched into the TV tropes of the 1970s! Gasp at the avocado carpets and gold wallpaper! Be amazed at the extremely sub-par writing and acting! Thrill at all the vans! (So many vans...) 
Ancient Geeks is a podcast about two geeks of a certain age re-visiting their youth. We were there when things like science fiction, fantasy, Tolkien, Star Trek, Star Wars, D&D, Marvel and DC comics, Doctor Who, and many, many other threads of modern geek culture were still on the fringes of culture. We were geeks before it was chic!
For feedback, contact someancientgeeks@gmail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Reddit, and Bluesky. And if you like what you hear, please tell a friend. Also, reviews on your podcast platform of choice are always appreciated.
© 2025 Tom Grant and Steven Taylor

Ancient Geeks episode 11: Dungeons & Dragons

Dragons and beholders and owlbears, oh my! During our geek formative years, we both discovered Dungeons & Dragons, and were instantly hooked. A sandbox where we have freedom to create our own heroic fantasy characters and stories, and we get to roll really cool-looking dice as well? Sign us up! In this episode, we cover the early years of D&D, from the white box edition through the first edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. Grab your character sheet and painted miniature and join us at the gaming table!
Ancient Geeks is a podcast about two geeks of a certain age re-visiting their youth. We were there when things like science fiction, fantasy, Tolkien, Star Trek, Star Wars, D&D, Marvel and DC comics, Doctor Who, and many, many other threads of modern geek culture were still on the fringes of culture. We were geeks before it was chic!
For feedback, contact someancientgeeks@gmail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Reddit, and Bluesky. And if you like what you hear, please tell a friend. Also, reviews on your podcast platform of choice are always appreciated.
© 2025 Tom Grant and Steven Taylor

Ancient Geeks, episode 10: The Empire Strikes Back and Return Of The Jedi

The Empire strikes back, and so do we! In this episode, we discuss the rest of the original Star Wars trilogy. What was it like to await another Star Wars movie after the original smash hit? How did The Empire Strikes Back exceed expectations? Why were we less impressed with Return of the Jedi?
It's all here. Characters with actual arcs. High-paced excitement. Fantastic practical effects. The biggest plot twist ever. An expanding universe. Everything that made the original trilogy iconic, seen from the point of view of the 70s and 80s, when it was all new.
Ancient Geeks is a podcast about two geeks of a certain age re-visiting their youth. We were there when things like science fiction, fantasy, Tolkien, Star Trek, Star Wars, D&D, Marvel and DC comics, Doctor Who, and many, many other threads of modern geek culture were still on the fringes of culture. We were geeks before it was chic!
For feedback, contact someancientgeeks@gmail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Reddit, and Bluesky. And if you like what you hear, please tell a friend. Also, reviews on your podcast platform of choice are always appreciated.
© 2025 Tom Grant and Steven Taylor