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Imaginary Worlds — Arts
Imaginary Worlds

Imaginary Worlds sounds like what would happen if NPR went to Comic-Con and decided that’s all they ever wanted to cover. The host Eric Molinsky spent over a decade working in public radio, and he uses those skills to create sound-rich storytelling, pop culture analysis and cultural commentary about speculative fiction and immersive worldbuilding. Eric interviews sci-fi fantasy writers, creature makeup designers, comic book artists, video game and tabletop game designers and anyone who works in the field of make-believe about their creative process. He also delves into fandoms, asking why we suspend our disbelief, and what happens if the spell is broken. Fantasy worlds may be set on distant planets or parallel dimensions, but they are crafted here on Earth and they’re always about us and our lived experiences.

Imaginary Worlds is a Gold Winner for Best Arts & Culture podcast in the Signal Awards, and received an Ambie Award nomination for Best Indie Podcast. Episodes of Imaginary Worlds have been featured on the podcasts 99% Invisible, Twenty Thousand Hertz, Decoder Ring, Cautionary Tales, Science Friday, and The Allusionist.

Copyright: © 2024

Latest Episodes:

Making Up The Penguin Dec 04, 2024

Show notes

The Penguin series on HBO and Max has been one of the most critically acclaimed comic book-based TV shows in years. Much of the praise has gone towards actors like Colin Farrell, who plays the classic Batman villain. But the makeup and prosthetics designer Mike Marino has been singled out for his innovative and striking design of the main character. Mike sculpted an entire head and body for The Penguin, a.k.a. Oz Cobb, that obscured most of Colin Farrell while also liberating the actor to inhabit a role he might otherwise not have been cast. Mike and I go deep into his creative process working with Farrell and the director/producer Matt Reeves on The Batman film and the spin-off show The Penguin. We also talk about Mike’s mentors in the field like Dick Smith and Rick Baker, who created some of the most iconic makeup designs in cinema history.

This week’s episode is brought to you by Sol Reader and ShipStation

Go to solreader.com to and use the code IMAGINARY at checkout to receive 15% off your purchase of Sol Reader Limited Edition.
Go to shipstation.com and use the code IMAGINARY to sign up for your FREE 60-day trial.

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There's No Place Like Oz Nov 20, 2024

Show notes

In honor of the release of Wicked, we’re hitching a ride on a tornado to hear three different stories about Oz. We hear how the “rainbow chaser” L. Frank Baum failed at every career he tried until he sat down to write The Wizard of Oz. We learn about Baum’s frenemy W.W. Denslow, who illustrated The Wizard of Oz, and then tried to create a competing franchise. And we learn how the author of the Russian translation of The Wizard of Oz convinced the public (with the help of the Soviet government) that the story was written in the USSR. Featuring authors Michael Patrick Hearn, Robert Baum, and Olga Zilberbourg.

This week’s episode is brought to you by Henson Shaving, Sol Reader and Dragon Ball Legends

Go to solreader.com to and use the code IMAGINARY at checkout to receive 15% off your purchase of Sol Reader Limited Edition.
Visit hensonshaving.com/worlds to pick the razor for you and use the code WORLDS to get two years' worth of blades free with your razor – just make sure to add them to your cart.

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Why Marvel is Betting Their Future on Doctor Doom Nov 06, 2024

Show notes

All Hail Doom! The supreme ruler of Latveria has successfully defeated The Fantastic Four and The Avengers. Marvel Studios is bowing towards his will, casting Robert Downey Jr. as the iconic villain and betting their fortunes on Doctor Doom! But Victor von Doom is more than a classic bad guy. He is one of the most complex characters in Marvel history. I talk with comic book writers Mark Waid, Brian Michael Bendis and Ryan North about the ways they’ve depicted Doctor Doom, from noble intensions gone away to horrific acts of selfishness. And cultural critic Mark Hibbett discusses why he believes the history of Doctor Doom reflects America's ambivalence towards dictators and the role they play on the world stage.

This week's episode is sponsored by Sol Reader and ShipStation

Go to solreader.com to and use the code IMAGINARY at checkout to receive 15% off your purchase of Sol Reader Limited Edition.
Go to shipstation.com and use the code IMAGINARY to sign up for your FREE 60-day trial.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Who Gets to Survive: The Final Girls of Horror Oct 23, 2024

Show notes

Horror movies are best known for their monsters and villains – but there’s another half to the equation. The Final Girls who survive horror films and live to see another sequel have been fueling the genre for half a century. Freddie Krueger met his match in Nancy. Michael Myers can’t outwit Laurie. Ripley is the ultimate survivor of Alien movies. But the trope of the Final Girl has gone through an evolution in recent years. I talk with Robin Means Coleman, University of Virginia professor and author of the book Horror Noire, about the underlying issues of race and gender in who gets to be considered a Final Girl, and why she coined the term Enduring Women. Cultural critic Jenika McCrayer guides us through modern day Final Girls, who are more diverse and complex. And PhD student Morgan Podraza maps out the evolution of Jamie Lee Curtis’s character in the Halloween franchise, from innocent high schooler to gun-toting grandma.

This week's episode is sponsored by Sol Reader and Henson Saving

Go to solreader.com to and use the code IMAGINARY at checkout to receive 15% off your purchase of Sol Reader Limited Edition.
Visit hensonshaving.com/imaginary to pick the razor for you and use the code “imaginary” to get two years' worth of blades free with your razor – just make sure to add them to your cart.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Did Sci-Fi Get Aliens Right? Oct 09, 2024

Show notes

For a long time, imagining what alien life could look like was mostly the job of science fiction creators. But in recent years, the field of astrobiology has gotten a boost from the discovery of faraway exoplanets with atmospheres which could support life. In trying to imagine what aliens could look like, scientists have found that science fiction is a good jumping off point. Astrobiologist Michael Wong hosts a science of Star Trek podcast called Strange New Worlds, and biologist Mohamed Noor wrote a book called Live Long and Evolve about what Star Trek can teach us about science. They discuss the influence Star Trek has on the way they question what the building blocks of life could be outside Earth, and what would happen if you rewound the clock of evolution. Plus, Jaime Green talks about her book The Possibility of Life, where she interviewed scientists about which science fiction is asking the right questions about astrobiology. Featuring readings by actor Luke Daniels.

This week’s episode is sponsored by ShipStation and TodayTix

Go to shipstation.com and use the code IMAGINARY to sign up for your FREE 60-day trial.
Go to TodayTix.com/imaginary and use the promo code IMAGINARY to get $20 off your first Today Tix purchase.

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Introducing Between Imaginary Worlds Oct 02, 2024

Show notes

I'm excited to announce that we're starting a new Patreon-only ad-free show called Between Imaginary Worlds, which is a more casual chat show format. In each episode, I talk with different people about what they're excited about in sci-fi fantasy, what they're looking forward to, pet peeves and a lot more.

Between Imaginary Worlds is available to people pledging $10 a month or more on Patreon. New episodes appear in between regular episodes of the show in the ad-free feed that comes with a Level 3 or Level 4 Patreon subscription. You can also listen to Between Imaginary Worlds directly on the show’s Patreon page.

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Escaping Prison with Role-Playing Games Sep 25, 2024

Show notes

Role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder aren’t just played in game shops or living rooms. They’re also very popular in prisons – if the prison officials haven’t banned them. I talk with Joseph Krauter, who is formerly incarcerated, and David Annarelli, who is currently incarcerated, about the role that playing games have had on their mental health, personal development and socializing in prison. Plus, they discuss the ways they’ve had to MacGyver whatever they can find into makeshift gaming materials. Michelle Dillon, a board member at Books to Prisoners in Seattle, and Moira Marquis, founder of Prison Banned Books Week and lead author on PEN America’s report on book banning in prisons, explain how prisons have justified banning game books, and their efforts to get those books to incarcerated gamers.

This week’s episode is sponsored by Hims, Henson Shaving and TodayTix.

Start your free online visit today at hims.com/imaginary.
Visit hensonshaving.com/imaginary to pick the razor for you and use the code “imaginary” to get two years' worth of blades free with your razor – just make sure to add them to your cart.
Go to TodayTix.com/imaginary and use the promo code IMAGINARY to get $20 off your first Today Tix purchase.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

10th Anniversary Special Part 2 Sep 11, 2024

Show notes

In the second part of our retrospective on how Imaginary Worlds has covered sci-fi and fantasy since September 2014, we look at the world of gaming. I visit the game shop Sip & Play and talk with the owner Jonathan Li. Game designer and cultural consultant James Mendez Hodes returns to discuss the affect Stranger Things and Critical Role have had on the popularity of D&D, and why the last decade has been a golden age of indie tabletop games. Illinois Tech professors Carly Kocurek and Jennifer deWinter discuss the breakout video games in the last 10 years, and why it’s harder for indie video games to have the same success as indie board games.

This week’s episode is sponsored by GreenChef, ShipStation and Hims.

Go to greenchef.com/imaginaryclass for 50% off your first box and 50 free credits with ClassPass
Go to shipstation.com and use the code “Imaginary” to sign up for your free 60-day trial.
Start your free online visit today at hims.com/imaginary.

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10th Anniversary Special Part 1 Aug 28, 2024

Show notes

When I began my podcast in September 2014, I was mostly sticking with topics that I was familiar with like blockbuster movies and animation. I liked science fiction, but I was not as familiar with traditional fantasy, literature, tabletop games, and most anime. My understanding of the depth and breadth of imaginary worlds kept expanding, and when I thought I had reached the borders of the universe, I kept discovering more. This show has also become a historical archive of the development of sci-fi fantasy genres since 2014. I talk with journalist Rob Salkowitz and editor Diana M. Pho about how the film industry, comics, and publishing industry have been on their journeys in the past decade. Plus, we hear from listeners about some of the episodes that made an impact on them.

This episode is sponsored by Henson Shaving. Visit hensonshaving.com/imaginary to pick the razor for you and use code IMAGINARY to get two years' worth of blades free with your razor – just make sure to add them to your cart.

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Unlocking the Door Between Escape Rooms and Immersive Theater Aug 14, 2024

Show notes

I used to think escape rooms were gimmicky activities where everyone scrambled to solve puzzles while I stood around feeling useless. On the other hand, I love immersive theater, where an interactive play unfolds as you walk through a space. I thought they were very different types of live entertainment. Not anymore. I talk with David and Lisa Spira from the site Escape Room Artist and podcast Reality Escape Pod about how escape rooms are becoming emotionally resonant, sophisticated theatrical works. We go through the haunted escape room Ghost Light at MyssTic Rooms, and I talk with their co-founder and artistic director Gara Roda. Haley E.R. and J. Cameron Cooper of Strange Bird Immersive discuss the innovative ways they designed The Man From Beyond, their Houdini-themed séance escape room. Plus, Victor van Doorn and Francine Boon of the company Sherlocked explore how far they can go in creating a sense of authenticity from the feel of the props to the actors who won’t admit you’re entering an escape room.

This episode is sponsored by ShipStation and Hims

Go to shipstation.com and use the code IMAGINARY to sign up for your free 60-day trial.
Start your free online visit with Hims at hims.com/imaginary.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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