The Audio File: Young Ben Franklin: Welcome to New York

Sometimes a great audio drama dies after only one season. Other times, an audio drama is specifically designed to be a limited series. Then, on rare occasions, there are shows that looked like they’d only last one season, but wind-up getting more seasons. We’re going to be taking a look at a show which falls in the third category. We’re taking a look at Young Ben Franklin: Welcome to New York. 

When we last left our hero, fourteen-year-old Benjamin Franklin was about to depart from Boston to either New York City or Philadelphia. I assumed it would be the later, but it would seem that I was wrong. New York is a vibrant, but also very seedy and corrupt, city in 1722. Ben’s going to need all of his wits and cunning if he’s going to stay out of trouble. Along the way, he’ll make some new allies, and several new enemies. There’s plenty of thrills and adventures to be had in the next exciting chapter of young Ben Franklin’s life.

Well, I have to be honest, I was not expect this to be the Gen-Z Media show to get a sequel. Don’t get me wrong, season one of Young Ben Franklin was absolutely fantastic, and I loved it. However, the ending felt like it tied everything together pretty well. There weren’t any dangling plot threads, or hints that a new season might be on the way. But then there’s been exciting things happen behind the scene at Gen-Z Media. Gen-Z Media was recently purchased by Wondery. They’re a podcast network that has help make several fantastic shows such as 1865, Imagined Life, Blood Ties, American History Tellers, and a pretty good adaption of The Handmaid’s Tale. To any parents reading this, I must here warn that most of the shows I just mentioned are decidedly not kid-friendly. 

Anyway, funnily enough, it wasn’t all that long ago that Wondery got purchased but Amazon. So, this means more money all around. And more money means more audio dramas. I wonder what other Gen-Z Media shows will be getting new seasons? I hope this means we won’t have to wait as long for season three of The Natureverse.

Some of you will probably note that Benjamin Franklin never visit New York City during his youth in real life. Old Ben notes, towards the end of the season, that this is one of the events that didn’t make it into the history books. So, you can view Young Ben Franklin in general as the untold story of the lost years of Benjamin Franklin. Well, assuming that Old Ben can be trusted, and isn’t embellishing/fabricating any details.

Ben makes new allies in the form of some local ne’er-do-wells called The Dirty Dogs. They’re pretty clearly a stand-in for Ben’s friends from season one, The Wharf Rats. Though, there are a few slight differences. The Dirty Dogs are headed by a charismatic Irishman named Danny Quinn, who doesn’t really have an equivalent within The Wharf Rats. Well, perhaps he parallels Ben himself to an extent. Danny is extremely quick-witted and can talk his way out of just about any situation. He also crafts incredibly intricate plans, often on the fly, but always manages to pull them off. I think my favorite member of The Dirty Dogs was Ruby. She’s the token girl of the group, but she’s streetwise and tough-as-nails. She’s can be a bit jerk at times, and is very snarky towards Ben, but is also kind of endearing. In fact, she’s the first person Ben encounters upon arriving in New York. She pretended to be in need of help, but then mugged Ben at knifepoint after she lured him into a back alley.

In other characters, there’s Hannah. She is a free person of color, and hopes to open the first school for black children in New York. Hannah is a fictional character, and thus, her plan is doomed from the start. Young Ben Franklin has its fun, and bends historical events slightly, but tries to be reasonably true to the historical record. But hey, her granddaughter gets to attend New York’s first school for black children in 1794, so, not a total bust. Overall, I thought that Hannah was reasonably well written. That being said, I found there were a few times the dialogue got a tad clunky. When Ben first meets Hannah, she sasses him around and launches into a lecture about how being a slave is very different from being an indentured servant. Okay, fair point, but it could have been delivered in a far more organically. I’m not a big fan of delivering messages didactically. I find to be lazy, and bad writing in general.

On the other hand, I liked how this season touched on more serious issues, such as the legacy of slavery in Early America. When we think of slavery, we tend to think of places below the Mason-Dixon Line, such as Charleston or New Orleans. However, many Northern states also practiced slavery prior to, and even several decades after, the American Revolution. Many streets of New York and Philadelphia were built using slave labor. The dockside of Manhattan used to be home to a fairly large slave auction. Quite ironic in the case of Pennsylvania, which later become a major stop on the Underground Railroad. New York granted gradual manumission starting in 1799. Full abolitions of slavery in New York was finally achieved in 1827.

Personally, I think that it is good that Young Ben Franklin touches on these issues. In many ways, America’s schools still don’t do a proper job teaching about slavery. Some people say that isn’t patriotic, but I disagree. It is perfectly patriotic to learn from the mistakes of our past. How else will we be able to build a truly better future for all Americans?

I won’t give away the villain of the season. However, I will say that the twist was both refreshing and genuinely surprising. I did not see it coming. So, hats off to Gen-Z Media for that.

There are four mini-episodes that preceded that main episodes of Welcome to New York. They are an interview with historian, and Benjamin Franklin scholar, Dr. George Boudreau. He talks about all sorts of interesting facts about the real Benjamin Franklin. For example Benjamin Franklin invented the world’s first swim fins. This fact winds up getting working into the main show. Swimming was one Benjamin Franklin’s favorite forms of exercise. Another fun fact is that printing presses required a lot of upper body strength to operate. As such, Benjamin Franklin was quite muscular in his youth. We also learn about some of Dr. Boudreau’s own escapades. For instance, he once discovered one on Benjamin Franklin’s original lightning rods at an excavation at Liberty Hall in Philadelphia. He was moved to tears by the thought that he was holding something that Franklin himself once touched. Some tourist were walking by, including a small boy who said “Daddy, a fat man fell into a hole in the ground, and now he’s crying.” ‘

Dr. Boudreau also educates listeners about Benjamin Franklin’s personal failings. Later in his life, Benjamin Franklin spoke out again slavery, and was the president of an abolitionist society. Despite this, he also owned five or six slaves over the course of his life. And yes, they were slaves, not freemen. Franklin’s letters to his wife make that very clear. It is certainly important to praise Franklin for his achievements. Indeed, there is much to celebrate about the man. At the same time, it is also important to acknowledge his shortcomings as an individual.

Unfortunately, the main show fails to do the latter. True, Old Ben does mention that he regrets that he didn’t speak out against slavery sooner. However, he also fails to mentions that he owned five or six slaves. I get why Gen-Z Media probably did this. It would be kind of hard to root for Young Ben if the listeners know he will grow up to be a slave owner. All of his speeches about liberty and freedom would certainly ring a bit hollow. It would also give the unfortunate impression that he got sick of Hannah bossing him around, and tried to get revenge on her by proxy.

Overall, however, I was very pleased with Young Ben Franklin: Welcome to New York. It would seem that Young Ben will be on many more adventures in the relatively near future. In fact, we’ve got a Halloween Special on the way. I wasn’t expecting Young Ben Franklin to be getting any sequels, but I’m excited to see where the story goes. We need more quality historical fiction aimed at kids. Young Ben Franklin is certainly doing its part to bring a quality historical fiction audio drama experience for the whole family to enjoy.

Well, I think that should do it from me for now. I will see you guys next time.

Flag of the Pueblo Sultanate

This is the flag of the Pueblo Sultanate. It comes from a world where the Ottoman Empire established colonies in the New World. The Ottomans began in the Caribbean, and soon went on to conquer Mexico. Eventually, the Ottomans made their way to the American Southwest, and subjugated the Pueblo peoples. Life was harsh for the Pueblo people under Ottoman colonialism. Pueblo people were forced to toil away in silver mines to feed the Ottomans’ hunger for precious metals. Several madrasas were established with the intent to convert the Pueblo peoples to Islam. In theory, the madrasas would provide aid, education, and social services to the Pueblo people. In practice, however, the imams often subjected their charges to horrific abuse. Despite this, Islam did manage to spread among the Pueblo peoples. The Pueblo peoples begged for a savior. But where could he be? 

The Pueblo people received their answer in the form of a charismatic preacher named Po’Pay. Despite the similar name, he is a separate individual from the Po’Pay of our world. This Po’Pay preached the highly syncretic religion that combined indigenous Pueblo beliefs with Islamic liberation theology. This was in sharp contrast to the Islam of the Ottomans, which frowned upon syncretism, and suppressed indigenous beliefs. Po’Pay teachings began to spread, and soon Po’Pay a revolt against the Ottomans. Though the fight was hard, at last the Pueblo peoples were free from the Ottoman yoke. The Pueblo peoples began to think of themselves not as a collection of disparate tribes, but as a united people sharing in a common destiny. 

 Po’Pay organized the tribes into a sultanate, with himself as the first sultan. However, the sultan would not rule alone. An assembly of tribes was created. Representatives of each tribe could voice the opinions and concerns of the tribe to the assembly. Thus, the Pueblo Sultanate became the first representative monarchy in the New World. The Pueblo Sultanate stretches over much of what would be he American Southwest.

The Pueblo Sultanate is famous for begin very tolerant, open-minded, and accepting of peoples with different beliefs. Most citizens practice Pueblo Islam, but don’t try to push it on other people. Most women do not veil, and most Pueblo citizen wear traditional indigenous-style clothing. to Po’Pay developed a written script based upon Arabic, and the Pueblo Sultanate is home to several libraries and other centers of learning. In fact, the Great Pueblo Library is world renown for its expansive collection of books. Qurans are written in the Pueblo script, and the call to prayer to announced in the various Pueblo languages. The Pueblo Sultanate is also quite famous for its cooking. Pueblo cuisine combines cooking techniques from the Eastern Mediterranean with spices and ingredients of the American Southwest. The Pueblo Sultanate has a noticeable minority of Greeks, Serbians, Bulgarians, and Amazighs. They are mostly descended from slaves brought over during the days of Ottoman colonialism. 

Also, the Pueblo Sultanate isn’t actually called the Pueblo Sultanate in-universe, but I couldn’t think of a better name.

The flag includes the sun symbol of the Zia people, and the crescent moon of Islam. This is a reference to the Sultanate’s mixed indigenous and Islamic heritage. The blue band represents turquoise, an important stone to many Pueblo peoples. The green band represents prosperity, and green is a color associated with Islam. The yellow band is there because it goes well with everything else.

The Audio File: Who is Cam Candor?

In many ways, we are living in a golden age of audio dramas. Dozens, if not hundreds, of new shows premiere every week. And it is a great time for independent producers. You can make a high-quality show from the comfort of your own home. Well, you can with a lot of hard work, and a little help from your friends. There’s no barrier for entry. Don’t like what you hear? Pick up a mic, and be the change you want to see. We’ve also seen major production companies taking an interest in audio dramas. Some of have teamed up with big names from the indie scene to help make shows.

Yes, these are some good times. And yet, many of us worry about how long it can last. What if the indie bubble pops? What if big name companies edge the little guys out of the market? The show we’re taking a look at today taps into many of these fears and anxieties. We’re taking a look at Who is Cam Candor? 

Who is Cam Candor? takes place in a nightmarish near future. Indie audio dramas have completely died out. The audio drama landscape is completely dominated by corporations and major companies. It is impossible to make a successful show without being attached to a major production company. The audio dramas that get churned out by these companies range from bland and forgettable to laughably bad. But in the days before the great indie collapse, there was a person who stood defiant. They are known as Cam Candor, but nobody knows if that’s their real name. They produced some of the most famous, and most mysterious, audio dramas. Cam Candor has became something of a folk hero to those who remember the glory days of indie audio dramas. But who is the real Cam Candor? B.K. Will, Cultural Obscurist and Archeologist, has created an investigative podcast in order to find out. But the question remains: Who is Cam Candor?

Who is Cam Candor? is created by Ann Sloan, creator of The Carlötta Beautox Chronicles. As regular readers of this blog will recall, I absolutely adore The Carlötta Beautox Chronicles. So, it was only natural that I would seek out Who is Cam Candor? Both shows are members of the Fable & Folly network, which includes many other fine shows such as Alba Salix, We Fix Space Junk, and Harlem Queen.

The Carlötta Beautox Chronicles does touch on serious subject matter, but with tongue planted firmly in cheek. Who is Cam Candor? takes a similar approach with issues concerning the indie audio drama community. As of late, a lot of big companies are starting to branch out into the world of audio drama. You got major audio drama production companies like QCODE and Realm, but you’ve also got places like Audible and Wondry increasingly dipping their toes into audio dramas. Even Marvel and DC have been trying their hand at audio dramas. Some members of the indie community welcome these shows with open arms, but other are more apprehensive.

I can see both sides of this. On the one hand, big-budget companies can help bring more people into audio drama, and get them interested in the medium. Pull the average person off the street, ask them what an audio drama is, and they’ll probably be scratching their heads. Many normies, for lack of a better term, have never heard of audio dramas. There’s a persistent myth that audio fiction died after television took off. Whenever I describe audio dramas to people, I say that they’re like the modern day version those radio shows from the 1940s and 1950s. The point is, the big-budget shows can help remind the unaware that audio fiction is very much still a thing. And once they’re hooked, there’s a chance that these new listens will seek out more shows, which will lead them to the indie scene.

On the other hand, there’s no guarantee that these new listeners will eventually seek out indie shows on their own. Moreover, the big-budget shows might set new listeners’ expectations sky-high. Most indie shows can’t afford to cast big-name actors. Creating a truly cinematic soundscape, while certainly not impossible for indie shows, is much harder when you’re working with less funds and a smaller team. It is also immensely frustrating when papers like the New York Times or the Washington Post publish yet another article saying “Creator X is Reviving Audio Fiction!” or “Company Y is Reinventing Fiction Podcasts!” Would it kill these journalists to do a five minute Google search?!

Big-budget shows have a much higher marketing budget. They also have built-in connections to the entertainment industry that indie shows lack. There is a fear that indie shows won’t be able to compete with big-budget shows, and will eventually get edged out. Big budget shows also typically don’t do much to promote smaller shows.

So, where do I stand? Personally, I take the middle ground. I think that it is a fair concern that normies won’t expand beyond big-budget shows. However, I wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss the possibility of them finding indie shows. I have seen several people who got into audio dramas from Realm, QCODE, or Welcome to Night Vale find their way to places like the r/audiodrama subreddit, and other places that indie creators and fans congregate. There’s a lot of insanely talented people working in the indie community. If they only had bigger budgets, and more resources, who knows what wonders they could create? Well, several big-budget audio drama companies have begun to recruit people from the indie community specifically to utilize their skills and expertise. So, I’m cautiously optimistic about the future of audio drama.

Having said all of that, I do very much understand the concern that big-budget companies might try to monopolize the audio drama market. Who is Cam Candor? taps into these fears, but does so in a humorous and satirical way. And hey, apparently the Great Purge that lead to the downfall of indie audio dramas happened in 2025. I am writing this in mid-2022, and indie audio dramas are very much alive a well. Also, part of that backstory mentions Facebook attempting to branch into podcasting. In the real world, Facebook did indeed try to branch into podcasting…but said attempt quickly died a swift death, and Facebook Podcasts discontinued not long after it was launched. So, I’d say we don’t have to worry about the dystopia of Who is Cam Candor? happening any time soon.

But Who is Cam Candor? is more than just a satire. It is also a celebration of the indie audio drama community. Cam Candor was, apparently, one of the most prolific creators of audio dramas. However, they only made one episode for each of their shows. I guess Cam Candor was unaware of what anthology shows are. Anyway, many of these shows are quirky and unconventional. For example, Mr. Fezziwhig Talks Crumpets follows a man from the Victorian Era who hosts a radio show about cooking. B.K. Will notes that this is rather odd, given that radio hadn’t been invented during the Victorian Era. Evidently, B.K. Will has never heard of steampunk or alternate history. Then there’s Filthy Nuns of the Holy Roman Empire. It follows a gender ambiguous friar named Adbo in Medieval Italy. Adbo is taking confessions from a group of religious prostitutes, who have sworn vows of silence, and is recording these confessions in a manuscript. Amusingly enough, Medieval monasteries and nunneries did have reputation for being incredibly rowdy places.

Then there’s Dante 10th. It follows a sociopath finical advisor named Dante Hen. He’s so bad he winds up in the tenth circle of Hell; as opposed to the nine mentioned in The Divine Comedy. Huh, guess Cam Candor was really trying to put the comedy in The Divine Comedy. Of course, the real star of that particular Cam Candor offering is Satan, and his very campy personality. There are more Cam Candor shows, but I’ll leave them for you to discover.

There’s also a meta joke when B.K. Will discover that one of the signatures of a genuine Cam Candor show is that it includes the sound of a snare drum between breaks in the action. Joke is, this is one of Ann Sloan’s signature sound inclusions in all of her shows.

I see the shows of Cam Candor as symbolic of the indie audio drama community. You get a lot of very quirky and off-the-wall shows. Many of them take the form of comedies, but there’s also serious shows. The fact that most Cam Candor show end after only one episode could be a reference to how several indie shows end after one or two seasons. Hey, sometimes life gets in the way, and unforeseen consequences happen. Let us take a moment to mourn the fact that Lights Out and The Hermes & Hekate Road Show only lasted for one season each.

The quirky and unconventional nature of the indie community is one of the things I love best about it. Sure, not every show can be to everyone’s taste, but there’s always so many great shows to discover. I’ve always found that, for all their flash and cinematic soundscapes, the big-budget show tend to be a bit lacking when it comes to plot. It always feels like something is missing in those big-budget shows. I guess it’s like the differences between eating at a local mom and pop restaurant vs eating at a chain restaurant. You can certainly find tasty food at a chain restaurant, but maybe it won’t hit he spot like your favorite local family-run restaurant does.

However, fictional podcasts, as in ones that only exist in-universe, aren’t the only shows to be found on Who is Cam Candor? Shannon K. Perry, the creator of the audio drama Oz-9, appears as a fictional version of herself. Apparently, Oz-9 got adapted into a theme park attraction and a series of movies. Sounds pretty good, but it is mentioned that the corporations started executing a lot of editorial control over the audio dramas they snatched up. Said control was always to the detriment of what made the shows great. I was vaguely familiar with Oz-9 prior to listening to Who is Cam Candor? However, this cameo peaked my interest, and made me want to check out Oz-9 for myself. I hope that other audio drama creators get to make appearances in future seasons of Who is Cam Candor? 

We also meet a formed audio drama critic who is now a wine/mattress critic. Well, guess I know what I’d be doing in this scenario. 

Now, let’s talk about the voice acting. Ann Sloan takes on not just writing duties, but also voices B.K. Will. She has previously done voice acting, of a sort, in The Carlötta Beautox Chronicles. Though, that was mostly bickering with Siri during the commercial segments. Still, she does a fantastic job here. Really captures that investigative podcaster feel. Samantha Gordon, who plays Carlötta from The Carlötta Beautox Chronicles, appears briefly as a receptionist in one episode. And it goes without saying that the voice acting in all of Cam Candor’s in-universe shows is really great. So, points all around for the voice acting.

The about section on the Who is Cam Candor? website is written in the style of the in-universe podcast. I thought that it was a fun touch.

Okay, all well and good, but what do I think about Cam Candor’s identity. Well, to be perfectly honest, I’ve got nothing. This is an Ann Sloan show, so anything goes. Given the limitless possibilities, I have no idea where this show is heading. However, I can’t wait to find out.

Well, there you have it. Who is Cam Candor? is a a satirical look at the fears and anxieties of the indie audio drama community. At the same time, it is also a celebration of the boundless creativity of the indie community. I don’t know where this show is heading, but I’m eager to find out.

Well I think that should do it from me for now. I will see you guys next time.

Flag of the Federation of China

This is the flag of the Federation of China. It comes from a world where the Long March failed, and Chinese Communist forces got completely massacred by the Kuomintang. This was a crippling blow to Chinese Communist. Things only got worse once Japan invaded China. The Japanese managed almost completely eradicate the remaining Communist forces. World War II still ended in an Allied victory. However, the Nationalists now stood as the uncontested rulers of the now liberated China. 

China, fervently anti-communist, sided with America during the Cold War. China intervened during the Korean War rand the Vietnam War, resulting in Vietnam and Korea being united under the governments of South Korea and South Vietnam respectively. China remained a one-party authoritarian dictatorship for the first few decades of the Cold War. Starting in the 1970s and early 1980s, following the death of Chiang Kai-shek, China began to reform and liberalize. Genuine opposition parties were allowed to run in elections, and the Kuomintang no long held sole power. It was during this time that China’s economy took-off in earnest. China became a Tiger Economy along side other East Asian nations such as Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, and Singapore.

By the late 1980s and early 1990s China had transitioned into a full democracy. China is a federation that allows considerable autonomy for ethnic minorities. The Federation of China comprises the territory of China, Mongolia, and Taiwan in our world. Tibet, Mongolia, Xinjiang, Guangdong, and Taiwan are semi-autonomous republics within the Chinese Federation. They are allowed to use their own constitutions, rather than the Chinese constitution. They’re also allowed to use languages other than Mandarin as their official language. However, the federal government of China handles matters of national defense, international relations, and diplomacy. Hong Kong and Macau were returned to China slightly earlier than in our timeline. They’re currently designated as semi-autonomous territories to ensure things go smoothly as they integrate into the Chinese Federation.

America remains one of China’s closest allies. This is not merely an alliance of convenience, but an alliance of genuine friendship. There is less racism against Asian-Americans as a result of the Sino-American Alliance. Traditional Chinese Culture has both survived and thrived in the absence in the Cultural Revolution. China also maintains good relations with the other nations of East Asia. There’s currently talk of a join Chinese-American mission to Mars, with possibly a few astronauts from other East Asian nations as well. China is projected to overtake America economically, but most Americans aren’t concerned. The future looks bright for China, and East Asia in general.

The flag came about during the early 1990s. Most Chinese people decided that you can’t beat the classics. So, they combined first flag and seal of the Republic of China. The five bands represent the five major races of China: Han (Red), Manchus (Yellow), Mongols (Blue), Uyghurs (White), and Tibetans (Black). The dragon and phoenix are traditional symbols of China. They also symbolize Yin (Phoenix) and Yang (Dragon). They are equal and opposite, a subtle reference to the opportunities women have in the new China. The seal also includes other references to good fortune and prosperity.

The Audio File: Main Street Mythology

When we think of mythology, we typically think of ancient times, and days long since past. But what about our modern world? Oh sure, we have science to help explain the world, but that’s not the only thing myths are good for. Mythology can reveal truths about ourselves, and our world, that a more conventional narrative might obscure. But this begs and obvious question: what sort of myths and legends can you spin out of the modern world? Well, as I’m sure you’ve guessed, this is the question posed by the audio drama we’re taking a look at today. We’re taking a look at Main Street Mythology from Newton’s Dark Room. 

As I stated in the preamble, Main Street Mythology reimagines our modern world through the lens of mythology. It crafts an entirely new pantheon of gods and heroes to explain the ways of the modern world. You will meet figures such as Cale, the goddess of streetlights. In her tale, you shall learn where streetlights came from, and how Cale uses them to communicate to her followers. You will learn of how wild cars were tamed by brave humans. You will see how the rivalry of the gods Abad and Webi lead to the creation of cities. You will witness all these things, and more, as the mythical and the modern combine in Main Street Mythology.

I had been aware of Newton’s Dark Room for a while. They followed me on Twitter last year around…hmm. Was it before or after I did the audio drama parade for International Podcast Day? Well, in any event, I’d known about them for a while, and I listened to a couple episodes of Newton’s Dark Room Presents, but didn’t really give them too much thought. Then one day, on a whim, I looked at the Newton’s Dark Room Twitter account, and I saw a post about Main Street Mythology. The premise sounded interesting, so I decided to give it a listen. It didn’t take long before I fell in love with Main Street Mythology.

Mythology has historically been used to explain how the nature world came to be, and how it functions. In our modern times, we have science to do that. Main Street Mythology seeks to apply that original mythological worldview to our modern world. So, you get answer to question like where did streetlights come from? How were roads made? Why do people drive around in cars?

There are very few shows that I would describe as truly mythopoetic. Main Street Mythology, however, is one of those rare shows where the term mythopoeia absolutely applies. There have been other works of fiction that attempt to craft a mythology for the modern world. However, most of these series create stories that are reskinned version of preexisting myths and legends. Otherwise, they might draw clear parallels to history. This is not the case with Main Street Mythology. The myths do not, for the most part, have any obvious parallels in preexisting mythology or folklore. Some of the character fit into broad mythological archetypes; such as the trickster, the folk hero, the blacksmith. However, even then, there’s still plenty of gods who don’t fit snuggly into any category. The series does occasionally reference real world event, but not overtly so. Crafting a completely new and original mythology is no small task, so I applaud Main Street Mythology for its creativity and originality.

And this is a very heartfelt effort. There’s no winking subversion, or humorous attempts to comment on the nature of modern life. That’s not to say that there aren’t elements of humor in some of the myths. However, in comes across, for lack a better word, more organic. That is, humorous in a way you might expect from actual myths and legends. Main Street Mythology made a sincere effort to create stories that felt like they could be from a real mythology. And it is all the better because of that.

So, why don’t we talk a bit about the stories themselves? Well, actually let’s first talk about the audio. The stories are accompanies by very calming, meditative, but also rather epic sounding music. That is, I would say, a very fitting soundtrack for a mythology-based series. The audio has a bit of a hiss to it; almost like what you’d hear on an old recording. The framing device at the opening claims that the stories were collected Julia Sawbone, a members of the Newton’s Dark Room Collective. She was traveling across America to find the stories. As such, I’m inclined to believe that this is by design. The narrators of the stories manage to bring the proper awe and gravitas that myths and legends both deserve and require.

Also, it might seem like the myths are episodic and disconnected, but don’t be deceived. The stories gradually build upon one another. As such, it pays to listen to the series in sequential order. There are only five episodes total, so, Main Street Mythology makes for quick listening.

Okay, now we can talk about the content of the stories. One of my favorites is the story of Cale, the goddess of streetlights. She was fascinated by the night sky from a young age, even though it didn’t give much light. She is eventually gift a star by Mesec, the god of satellites. Cale pulled off tufts from the star and put them in glass bulbs, thus creating the first streetlights. At last, there would be light, true light, even in he darkness of night. Cale watches over humans, and the emotional distress they endure. When someone has hit their darkest hour, Cale will turn out a streetlight the person is standing under. They will be reminded of the light behind them, and the light in front of them. Cale is telling them that, though things are dark now, they will soon be bathed in light once again.

I also enjoyed the story of how humans tamed cars. In the world of Main Street Mythology, cars and other vehicles are living creatures with animal-level intelligence. So, humans had to domesticate them, like horses and other livestock. Though, originally, humans and cars mostly ignored each other. The legend tells of one brave woman who sought-out the cars, and offered gasoline to them in exchange for transportation. And thus, that is why cars require gasoline to work. This is one of those instances were you can kind of see the influences from real mythology, but the story also goes in its own direction.

Then there is the story of Doti, the goddess of waste. She lives on an island made out of discarded materials. Everything will eventually belong to Doti, for everything gets discarded sooner or later. I guess, in a way, that also makes Doti the goddess of entropy as well. Doti’s island being located in the Pacific Ocean might possibly be a reference to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. It is a massive collection of plastic garbage that is twice the size of Texas; or three times the size of France, to put it anther way. It stays together as a result of ocean currents. Doti and her followers lead a hard life. Their clothes are full of holes, their technology is always out of date, they spend their days fishing things out of the ocean. And yet, despite all the hardships, they are happy in their own life. They have turned their island of trash and discards into a home of sorts.

The story of Doti and her followers also relates to the story of garbage trucks. You see, in Main Street Mythology, garbage trucks were fearsome beasts that consumed everything in their path. They then brought their loads to the west coast and dumped them into the ocean. However, a brave girl named Maria fought back by pelting the trucks with garbage. The garbage satiated the trucks’ hunger, and from then on, people left offering of garbage on the curbs. As long as the trucks had a constant supply of garbage, which the humans were more than happy to get rid of, they would remain peaceful.

I could keep going all day, but I don’t want to summarize all the stories. Suffice it to say, there’s a lot of great myths and legends to discover in Main Street Mythology. Also, be sure to listen to the episodes all the way through to the end of the credits. There were plenty of gods and myths that didn’t make it into the final show, but Newton’s Dark Room wanted to preserve them in some small way. For example, you’ll hear about the god of skateboards, who makes a habit of annoying the older gods.

As I listened, I kept thinking about how nice it would be if the gods and goddesses had some visual representation. Well, as luck would have it, they do. You can finds sketches of the gods and goddesses on the Main Street Mythology page of the Newton’s Dark Room website. Originally, there was only a transcript for the first episode. However, after I pointed this issue out to Newton’s Dark Room, it was swiftly resolved. There are full transcripts for all five episodes. There’s a surprisingly high number of hard of hearing and/or deaf individuals in the audio drama community and fandom. Yeah, I know, it surprised me too. Point being, transcripts are essential for them to be able to enjoy the fun along with the rest of us. Also, transcripts are very helpful for people who write reviews.

I don’t have any complaints about Main Street Mythology. Part of me wishes there had been more episode, but I think the series is exactly as long as it needs to be. Main Street Mythology ultimately turns out to be set mostly around Los Angles. It made me wonder what sort of myths and legends could be told using other cities. Specifically, I made me wonder about what story of myths and legends could be told about my home city of Shreveport, Louisiana. I guess I’ll have to get on that at some point. I only hope I’ll be able to measure up to the high standard that Main Street Mythology has set.

So, there you have it. Main Street Mythology reimagines our modern world through the lens of mythology and folklore. It is five episodes long, and more than worth your time. Don’t sit on this one like I did. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

Well, I think that should do it from me for now. I will see you guys next time. 

Flag of the Dominion of Manchukuo

This is the flag of the Dominion of Manchukuo. It comes from a world where the World Wars never happened. There were still tension between the major colonial powers, and occasional flare-ups, but no major wars ever occurred. Thought, it wasn’t all fun and games. The Austro -Hungarian Empire suffered a rather nasty collapse. Russia still suffered a civil war, and the royal family were executed, but the Whites came out on top. Still, a major worldwide war thankfully remains only a hypothetical scenario.

Japan sought to expand its empire much as it did in our world. Korea still became a Japanese colony, as in our world, but Japan didn’t try to suppress Korean culture to the extent that it did in our world. In fact, forced assignation programs were officially ended by the late 1920s. As in our timeline, the Qing Dynasty of China was overthrown and replaced by a republic. However, Japan acted as a peacekeeping force to ensure stability within the fledgling Republic of China. Japan also invested money into joint economic ventures within China. However, in return, Japan requested preferential treatment in all trade agreements with China. Japan also requested that Manchuria be ceded to them, which China readily agreed to. Thus, the province of Manchukuo was born.

Manchukuo provided raw materials for Japan’s growth and expansion, as well as new living space for Japanese citizens. Manchukuo provided a launch pad for the next phase of Japan’s expansion. Japan would not just expand outwards across East Asia, but also upwards into space itself. However, this could not be a task that Japan could accomplish on its own. Japan courted the United States of America as a partner by appealing to the economic opportunities a space program would create. Manchukuo served as the heart of Japan’s rocket production and launch facilities. The other major colonial powers initially didn’t pay the Japanese-American space program much mind. Then the first artificial satellite was launched, and then the first manned space flight. The nations of Europe really sat-up when Japan and America made major advances towards the Moon. Japan and American intended to set-up settlements to mine resources from the Moon. Britain, France, and Germany soon established their own joint space program to compete with Japan and America.

The 20th Century was marked not by wars and totalitarianism, but by progress and optimism. The major powers of the world achieved major advances in spaceflight and technological innovation. America and Japan added other nations to their space alliance. China was first, but Mexico and Cuba followed soon as well. Mexico and Cuba enjoy a standard of living equal to that of America, and are largely free of corruption. The Philippines, upon receiving their independence, also joined the alliance, and enjoys economic prosperity equal to that of Japan and America.

By the present day, numerous permeant colonies have been established across the solar system. The nations of the Pan-Pacific Co-Prosperity Sphere are particularly well represented. Still, the members of the London-Berlin-Paris-Rome Axis are certainly no slouches when it comes to space colonization. Nuclear fusion reactors, running on helium-3 from the lunar mines, provides clean and cheap power for much of the world. Advances have also been made in the efficiency of solar panels, and floating wind turbine balloons capture the strong breezes of the upper atmosphere. Artificial intelligence and the Internet are even more advanced than in our own timeline. Decolonization still occurred, but the former colonial powers made sure to invest in the economies and infrastructure of their former colonies. Most former colonies still have strong ties to their former rulers. Some colonies opted to become incorporated into their parent nations. For example, Gabon opted to become part of the French metropole.

Japan allowed Manchukuo to receive increased autonomy over the years. Eventually, Manchukuo became a self-governing dominion of the Japanese Empire. Manchukuo even has its own royal family, via a cadet branch of the Qing royal family. Manchukuo is reasonably happy with its relationship to Japan. Recently, however, several revelations have shaken this good will. It has come to light the Japan used slave labor from Manchukuo and Korea at several of its rocket facilities during the early days of the space program. These slave laborers were typically poltical dissidents, and those deemed undesirable by the Japanese government. The 21st Century has a general feeling of optimism. And yet, many wonder what other skeletons Japan is hiding in its closet.

The flag features the color gold, a traditional symbol of Manchuria. It features the imperial seal of Manchukuo in the center. The white is to offset the gold bands, and pairs well with the gold. The flag ratio is a Canadian Pale, though in the world of the flag, the term is instead known as the Manchukuo Pale.

Book Review: Space Academy Dropouts by C.T. Phipps and Michael Suttkus

I'm more than willing to review any works of audio fiction that are requested. However, as I have stated many times before, I maintain a policy of strict honesty. Where there are things worthy of praise, I shall give praise. However, if anything doesn't work I will not hesitate to call it out. With all of that having been said, this brings us to the book that we're going to be reviewing today. We're taking a look at Space Academy Dropouts by C.T. Phipps and Michael Suttkus. 

Space Academy Dropouts takes places 300 years in the future. Humanity has taken to the stars and spread to countless worlds across the galaxy. Vance Turbo is a member of Space Fleet Academy. His Aunt Cathy is one of the galaxy’s greatest heroes, and Vance has much to measure up to. However, Vance has grown disillusioned with Space Fleet, and is doing what he can to get expelled from the academy. Ah, but fate has other plans for him. Vance is assigned to a highly classified mission into Neutral Space. A shipment of Sun Killer bombs has gone missing, and The Community need to covertly recover them. That is where Vance and his fellow misfits come in.

I had previously reviewed volume one of The Supervillainy Saga at the request of C.T. Phipps. He asked me if I’d be willing to review Space Academy Dropouts. I said yes, and here we are.

This is a C.T. Phipps books, so of course there’s going to be a lot of pop culture references. The biggest one is that Space Academy Dropout is one big Star Trek pastiche/homage, with a bit of Guardians of the Galaxy Thrown in. We’ve got an interplanetary federation that outwardly presents itself as utopian, and advocates for cross-cultural cooperation and understanding. There is an academy that trains cadets to explore strange new worlds, and boldly go where no one has gone before. Space Fleet is an obvious stand-in for Star Fleet. The Notha Empire oppose the Alliance, and build their society around uber-militarism and authoritarianism. This makes them stand-ins for the Klingons, but only in terms of function within the plot. Physically, the Notha look like a cross between lemurs and badgers. Though, their worldview isn’t too dissimilar to that of the Daleks from Doctor Who. Vance passed a supposedly unbeatable simulation test by hacking the simulation. This is a reference to how Captain Kirk beat the Kobayashi Maru simulation.

However, Star Trek isn’t the only source of pop culture references. Aunt Cathy’s physical description bares more than a passing resemblance to Honor Harrington, from the series of the same name. It is mentioned that Cathy once saved a planet named F-Sharp Bell. This a reference to the Green Lantern comics. One of the Lanterns is from a part of the universe that is totally devoid of light. So, they believe themselves to be part of the F-Sharp Bell Corps, because I guess that’s as close to the color green as they can imagine. There’s mention of a popular television series called Space Cadet Sally. It is aimed at adolescent girls, but is quite popular with men, to the point you can buy Space Cadet Sally sexbots. There’s some influences of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, and the Brony fandom. Sally’s catch praise is “Friendship is Space Fleet.” However, the main heroine getting sexualized by the fandom brings shades of Sailor Moon.

Some humans dislike the Community, and have struck out to found their own colonies in Neutral Space. Many of these colonies evoke the old west with their supposed rugged individualism. However, they’re also home to many extremist ideologies. You’ve got Neo-Confederates, Neo-Nazis, Neo-Apartheid Afrikaners, and Anarcho-Capitalist Libertarians, among other things. These lunatics loosely identify themselves as Independents. This is a reference to Firefly, and how Joss Whedon got the inspiration for Firefly after reading a book about Confederate veterans in the Old West. Granted, Firefly was actually pretty apolitical overall. Yeah, there is some anti-government messages, but that’s because it is part of Mal’s character. He’s a bitter former solider who fought against a government he considers evil…hmm. Well, actually, when you put it like that, it does kind of sound like the sort of thing Lost Causers would say. So, I guess you could see the Independents as a deconstruction of the Confederate subtext within Firefly.

Though, I still maintain that the lack of Asian characters with speaking roles was a far bigger problem for Firefly. And I say this as someone who is a huge Firefly fan. It never made sense from a worldbuilding perspective. Chinese influence is everywhere from language, to clothing, to entertainment, but where are all the Chinese people?

Most of the aliens are genuinely alien. Most of the humanoid characters are descended from humans who were subjected to genetic tinkering. Apparently, the Ancient Aliens people were right all along. Advanced aliens came to Earth in ancient times, abducted humans, and seeded them on other planets. These lost colonies consider Earth important from a historical perspective, but tend to look down on Earth humans. The planet Albion is one such seeded world. Based on the name, it’s humans must have come from Medieval England. There’s a point where it is mentioned they were founded 1000 years ago, but then it say they’re celebrating Centennial, which is a 100 year anniversary. Apparently, the Centennial was the celebration of Albion’s independence from the Elder Races, so that wasn’t a typo. Albion has a royal family, who conspiracy theorists claim are space lizards. So, yeah, that just makes it even clearer that they are Space Britain. Albion even somehow created their own version of the Star Trek television show, but Vance considers their version inferior.

The planet Thor is another seeded world. Thorians look like humans with blue skin. There’s a Thorian on Vance’s team, and he is somehow Jewish. Well, blue is a color traditionally associated with Judaism. There’s a lot of franchises that use the concept of aliens abducting humans and then seeded them on other planets. However, the one that sprang to my mind was Stargate. There’s another race of seeded humans called Etherials. They are basically space elves, and their Elder Race was actually nice to them, unlike the Elder Races of most other seeded humans. The Etherials are an obvious reference to The Eternals.

There’s also mention of a channel called The Geology Channel. Unfortunately, they hardly ever play anything relating to geology anymore. These days, its all reality shows and conspiracy theory shows. Obviously, this is a reference to channels like Discovery Channel and History Channel that have largely abandoned their original educational content. Such is life. On the other hand, considering that Ancient Aliens turned out to be correct, perhaps Vance shouldn’t be so quick to dismiss the conspiracy theory shows.

Okay, enough with the reference hunting. I’ve been putting this off for as long as I can, so I’ll get straight to the point. When I reviewed The Supervillainy Saga, I said that I liked it, but I felt that I got my fill. I bring this up because Space Academy Dropouts is basically just The Supervillainy Saga in Space. Let’s see, our main character gets in trouble by hacking into his university database. He’s very snarky, and very knowledgeable about pop culture. In fact, at times he practically speaks in nothing but pop culture references. Despite being dorky, and not all that special, numerous women are lining up to have sex with him. Well, they do rib him and poke fun at him, but they still want to have sex with him. Yeah, Vance is pretty much just Gary Karkofsky, but as a space cadet rather than a supervillain.

The pop culture references also got very grating. As I noted when I review The Supervillainy Saga, C.T. Phipps has a bad habit of going way overboard with pop culture references. It felt like, whenever he couldn’t think of how to move a scene along, he’d insert another pop culture reference. Moreover, as the filmography of Aaron Seltzer and Jason Friedberg demonstrates, pop culture references alone do not a plot make. They also didn’t make any sense. Space Academy Dropouts is set 300 years in the future, but Vance in obsessed with pop culture from the 20th and 21st Century. That would be like someone from the present day being obsessed with pop culture from the 18th Century.

As for the supporting cast, well, I don’t really have much to say. They range from one-note to, at best, two-dimensional. You got the horny robot girl, the blue Jewish guy, the literal-minded space lizard, the wise space elf, the cute and sexy catgirl, and the snarky scientist. I know it sounds like I’m being a jerk, but that really does encapsulate their entire personalities. I feel that the cast was too big, and as a result, none of the characters got properly fleshed out.

Well, there was one character who stood-out. Vance’s former girlfriend Leah is a snarky Eurasian woman who is described as cute, and wears thigh-length boots. So, basically Mandy from The Supervillainy Saga. You know, come to think of it, in retrospect, the characters from The Supervillainy Saga weren’t all that fleshed-out wither. The main difference is that, since the characters from Supervillainy Saga are based on preexisting characters, my mind kind of filled in the blanks. So, it was less noticeable in their case. In Space Academy Dropouts, however, the characters don’t have any preexisting templates, so their lack of depth is more readily apparent.

I didn’t want a rehash of The Supervillainy Saga, I wanted something different. Any differences that Space Academy Rejects has are ultimately purely aesthetic and only skin-deep, if that. This made Space Academy Rejects have a very cookie cutter feel to it.

There’s a lot of interesting ideas in this book, but they aren’t explored as much as they could be. One of the planets in Neutral Space is called Rand’s World. It is a planet founded on the principles and teaching of Ayn Rand. It even has its own Galt’s Gulch. Just what would a world founded on Objectivist ideas be like? Perhaps it could be deconstructed along the lines of what Bioshock did. Science fiction is the literature of big ideas. Unfortunately, the authors mostly just take potshots at their political opponents, and don’t provide any interesting insights. Their critique, if you can call it that, basically amounts to “LOL! Libertarians are a bunch of inbred, low IQ, redneck hick freaks!”

The concept of humans being seeded on alien planets is also interesting. What time periods and cultures do they come from? What are their cultures like? In what ways do they differ from Earth humans? What was their technological and scientific progress like? How does their religion work? In fact, what is their history in general? Well, beyond a few tantalizing off-hand remarks, we get no answers.

The voice in Space Academy Dropouts is very similar to that The Supervillainy Saga. Not just in that it is told in first-person, and Vance is pretty much Gary in all but name. You see, Jeffery Kafer returns as narrator for the audiobook of Space Academy Dropouts. He has previously narrated The Supervillainy Saga. Unfortunately, that made the similarities to The Supervillainy Saga all the more glaring. At times I had to reminds myself that I wasn’t listening to get another entry in The Supervillainy Saga.

Ultimately, your enjoyment of Space Academy Dropouts will come down to if you enjoy The Supervillainy Saga, and if you want more of the same. I did not want more of the same, so I was rather disappointed. But perhaps you will feel differently.

So, there you have it. Space Academy Dropouts aims for the stars, but crashes and burns on the launch pad. I didn’t care for it, but perhaps you’ll feel differently.

Well, I think that should do it from me for now. I will see you guys next time.