Pull up a chair, adventurer! Welcome to The Side Quest Tavern, where we’ve been saving you a seat.

October has brought us creepy horror stories, superhero shake-ups, exciting gaming releases, and plenty of nerdy news to talk about! This week, we’re stepping into the shadows with Crystal Lake and Clayface, checking the superhero notice board for the latest Marvel and DC updates, and heading into the gaming guild for some exciting new releases.

But this tavern isn’t just about escaping into fictional worlds. We’re also taking a moment to talk about mental health, why we turn to movies and games when life gets overwhelming, and how sometimes a little escapism can help us catch our breath.

So grab your favorite drink, settle in by the imaginary fireplace, and join us for another round of nerd culture, spooky-season chaos, and real-life conversation.

Because every adventurer deserves a place to rest.

The Side Quest Tavern is BACK!

It’s been a chaotic few weeks, but Melody is finally back behind the bar—and apparently the nerd universe decided to save all the good stuff for her return.

This week we're catching up on everything we missed: Avengers: Doomsday, Spider-Man, VisionQuest, DC’s Lanterns, the latest Marvel and DC comics, Marvel’s Wolverine, and more.

But this isn't just another nerd-news roundup. We're also talking about something the Tavern has always been about: escapism.

Sometimes life gets overwhelming. Sometimes the bills, work, family, and real-world chaos are just…a lot. And sometimes you need to sit down, grab a drink, play a game, watch a ridiculous superhero movie, and disappear into another world for a little while.

So pull up a chair, grab your favorite drink, and welcome back to the Tavern.

We've been saving you a seat.

And yes… the multiverse is officially getting WAY too crowded.

THE NERD NEWS IS GETTING OUT OF HAND!

Dragon Ball Super is coming back, September is absolutely DESTROYING gamers' wallets, Wolverine is finally here, and Star Wars might be getting a little… spooky.

Welcome back to The Tavern! This week we're cracking open the latest nerd news from anime, video games, consoles, movies, Marvel, Star Wars, and horror—and, of course, asking the important questions nobody else is brave enough to ask.

Is superhero fatigue actually real? Is Star Wars ready for horror? Why are there suddenly WAY too many games to play? And what the hell are we supposed to do with our wallets?!

Grab your drink, pull up a chair, and join us at The Tavern.

The nerd news is getting out of hand… and honestly, we're here for it.

Welcome to The Tavern.

What if escaping reality isn't always a bad thing?

Welcome back to The Side Quest Tavern, where tonight we're putting the nerd news aside and talking about something a little more personal: escapism.

Why do we disappear into video games, movies, comics, books, D&D, anime, and fictional worlds when real life becomes overwhelming? Is escapism unhealthy—or is sometimes getting away exactly what we need to come back stronger?

We'll talk about comfort characters, fictional worlds, horror movies, gaming, D&D, mental health, and why the stories we love can sometimes give us something real life can't: a place to rest.

Because maybe escaping isn't always about running away.

Maybe sometimes we just need somewhere to breathe before we continue the quest.

Pull up a chair. Your seat is waiting.

The Side Quest Tavern — where every story has a little bit of magic, a little bit of chaos, and hopefully a drink.

D23 just kicked down the Tavern door and dumped an entire bag of announcements on the table.

In this episode of The Side Quest Tavern, we're breaking down some of the biggest news from D23 2026 — from Marvel's newly announced X-Men cast and Avengers: Doomsday, to Ryan Gosling's Star Wars: Starfighter, Frozen 3, Incredibles 3, Coco 2, Kingdom Hearts IV, and everything in between.

But this isn't just a news recap.

We're talking about what actually has us excited, what has us asking questions, and whether Disney is giving these franchises stories worth telling... or just checking the nostalgia box.

And of course, we're talking Magneto — including the very important question:

Does Magneto actually need to be older?

Grab your drink, pull up a chair, and let's argue about Disney like we're all sitting around the Tavern table.

The Side Quest Tavern — there's always room for one more.

Welcome back to The Side Quest Tavern—where the fire is warm, the stories are endless, and there's always a seat waiting for you.

This week we're unrolling the Tavern Notice Board to talk nerd news, including Kevin Smith's incredible Marvel and Star Wars crossover story that almost was. Then we head Around the Hearth for an honest conversation about mental health, relationships, and why personal growth rarely follows a straight path.

Whether you're a lifelong geek or just looking for a place to relax after a long week, you're always welcome here.

Pour yourself a drink...your next side quest starts now.

New episodes every week. Pull up a chair; there's always a seat waiting for you at The Side Quest Tavern.

Welcome back to The Side Quest Tavern... we've been saving you a seat.

This week, we're diving into everything we know about Spider-Man: Brand New Day, why the title has comic fans talking, and why I think Marvel is missing the perfect opportunity to introduce one of Spider-Man's deadliest villains Morlun. We'll explore how the comics could shape the future of the MCU and why the original Spider-Verse storyline still deserves the spotlight.

Then we'll head over to the tavern notice board for some exciting upcoming video game releases, discuss the latest casting updates for Amazon's God of War series, take a break for our weekly mental health check-in, and finish the night with a few bartender-approved service industry tips.

So grab your favorite drink, settle into your seat, and let's embark on another side quest together.

Welcome back! This week we're diving into a little bit of everything—from one of the most important conversations I've ever had on the podcast to some of the biggest news in geek culture.

I open up about postpartum mental health, discussing the realities that many can new moms and dads face, why it's okay to ask for help, and why these conversations matter more than ever.

Then it's time to geek out! We're breaking down the latest Avengers: Doomsday trailer, the comic storylines that could inspire the movie, the latest buzz surrounding Knights of the Old Republic 3, Christopher Nolan's upcoming The Odyssey, and the newest updates on Henry Cavill's Warhammer 40,000 series.

To wrap things up, I'm taking you behind the bar to talk about different bartending styles, some unforgettable customer interactions, and the hilariously ridiculous questions bartenders hear every single shift.

Whether you're here for mental health conversations, Marvel theories, Star Wars, gaming, movies, or just a good laugh, grab your favorite drink and hang out with me for another episode!