Justin Macumber – author of Haywire, co-host of The Dead Robots’ Society and The Hollywood Outsider, writer of a diverse spectrum of intriguing speculative fiction – rejoins us for an awesome Workshop episode. We are joined by Scott Roche, an accomplished author and podcaster in his own right, offering up a very cool YA superhero tale that generates an epic Roundtable Podcast discussion. (And Justin’s showcase episode is just as fabulous!)
PROMO: The Full Cast Podcast – http://www.fullcastpodcast.com/
Workshop Episode 8 (Guest Host: Justin Macumber)
[caution: mature language - listener discretion is advised]
Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:21:32 — 74.6MB)
Check out this episode on iTunes
References:
Justin’s Fabulousity…
- Haywire now available on Amazon!
- The Dead Robots’ Society
- The Hollywood Outsider
Scott’s Awesome Goodness…
- Scott Roche’s Awesomeness can be found at http://www.scottroche.com/omniverse
- Check out his 52 Weeks of Indie (http://52.scottroche.com)
- And definitely check out the great work going on at Flagship Magazine! (http://FlyingIslandPress.com/flagship)
(ADDITIONAL REFERENCES TO BE ADDED… but I’m really tired and it’s late)
About Dave Robison
I just listened to the episode and wanted to say this is a really great story idea.
I wanted to make a character suggestion. In a lot of stories, cartoons and anime, battles occurring in high schools often leave the building half wrecked with damage from gun fights, explosions or feats of super human strength, such as throwing someone through a wall. But, the next day the building is pristine with no evidence of the mayhem that had ensued. This is all due to the tireless efforts of the lowly janitor.
What if the janitor for the high school in this story was the person who possessed the supper uber tech both the bad guys and the MIB types were looking for. Perhaps the janitors tech bestowed two types of abilities, the ability to manipulate matter and precognition. Everyone wants the ability to tell the future but no one understands it only works for inanimate objects that don’t have the ability to make decisions or perform actions that change the future. For objects its a simple matter of “tomorrow there’s a fight and I get broken.” Perhaps the janitor is paranoid about being captured and does his dead level best to cover up the goings on at the high school so the MIB types or the bad aliens don’t come snooping around.
So glad you enjoyed it! I agree that consequences are often missing in these kinds of stories. I appreciate your suggestion and will give it some thought.
Great episode guys. I just got my wife hooked on listening.
I agree with Tracy’s analysis of how some anime and manga stories make it appear normal for destruction to clear up in a day, but I wonder if the janitor having clean up tech might be a little too contrived. People will still take notice unless his tech includes mass mind wipes, as well. Scott, I don’t know how much of the action you plan on using the high school as a backdrop for, or is the city where the big action happens, and the school is just the petri-dish?
I would take the “Big Guns” tech out slowly. Mark and Rose’s powers are subtle, and Maria’s moments of berserker attacks would be isolated. The quicker the violence rises the quicker law enforcement gets involved, and for a town this size the city police would quickly call for federal help if you have heavy artillery right away. Probably eventual, but I would give it a slow burn.
Could Rose be using illusion to try and keep things under wraps, as tension and violence mounts? This could be a tax on her and the price she pays for using her abilities. She wants to keep things under control, but eventually she taxes herself too much and the illusion falls in a big way. Even though the movie was cheesy, I have a guilty pleasure in “The Shadow” feature film (probably in large part because it co-stars Tim Curry). The way they used illusion was glorious.
Excellent suggestions, particularly the subtlety. Thanks!
Also, Dave, I really want to hear the drop in sound effect of “The Whip” become a regular staple. Tee has his bell and Pip gave you guys “The Whip”. Own it!