The Left Page

What's Next for Sci-Fi and it's Empires? w/ RevLeftRadio 29.06.2026 1ó 28p

We're back into Science Fiction, and with a great friend and comrade! As Breht from RevLeftRadio fame joins us to talk about the relationship of this genre and Empires. Talking the roots of imperial representation, how we can critique them, and how a lot goes back into colonialism, fascist projects and more. A wonderful dive into how this genre and this representation and structure connect, enjoy! Check out RevLeftRadio! https://revleftradio.com/ If you can and are interested in early episodes and our bonus content, soon to be plenty more, check out our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftpage Also! If you're not there already, feel free to join our Discord! https://discord.gg/J2wgG3yrPN Outro Music: Don't Leave! · El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe. From the Album: Zareef ℗ 2006 El-Funoun Episode cover art: Angus McKie, 1978 Our references and previous episodes: Memories of Future Empire: The Productive Effects of Imperial Imaginaries in Science Fiction – An Analysis of The Expanse - https://doi.org/10.1590/S0102-8529.20244603e20230058 The Course of Empire: A Survey of the Imperial Theme in Early Anglophone Science Fiction - https://www.jstor.org/stable/25746408?seq=1 Episode 44 - Postmodern Literature, Climate Chaos and Irony. On White Noise w/ RevLeftRadio - https://theleftpage.libsyn.com/episode-44-postmodern-literature-climate-chaos-and-irony-on-white-noise-w-revleftradio Warhammer 40k - The Horus Heresy: The Immaterium's Negative Dialectic & How to Read Warhammer - https://www.patreon.com/leftpage/posts/warhammer-40k-to-157369486 Episode 70 - The Expanse 1-3: Where Subtle Utopia Meets Responsible Dystopia -https://theleftpage.libsyn.com/the-left-page-episode-70-the-expanse-1-3-where-subtle-utopia-meets-responsible-dystopia

Lets Prattle # 3 - Help! I am Being Pathologized! 24.06.2026 2ó 50p

This time we go into how we think about Pathology in media and videogames, while still talking about gaming news and the Left Page Book Club, enjoy! itinerary: 00:00:00-01:03:21 - Intro + Summer Games Fest + Minute AI rambling 01:03:21-01:55:05: - The Broader Pathology of Media 01:55:05-END - The Left Page Book Club Our next set of chapters is from Catelyn VII to Catelyn VIII! (Another 16 chapters!) Article mentioned: https://thehaunt.blog/2026/03/29/on-moral-repugnance/ If you can and are interested in early episodes and our bonus content, soon to be plenty more, check out our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftpage Also! If you're not there already, feel free to join our Discord! https://discord.gg/J2wgG3yrPN Outro Music: Don't Leave! · El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe. From the Album: Zareef ℗ 2006 El-Funoun

Let's Prattle #2 - Fantasies of Power 29.05.2026 2ó 49p

We continue our travails this time with disecting the discourses around power fantasies and an interesting track through one of videogames largest franchises. Itinerary: 00:00:00 - 00:15:52 Intro (What are we up to) 00:15:52 - 01:03:28 Power Fantasies 01:03:28 - 01:40:00 AI in Music 01:40:00 - 02:16:50 AC 02:16:50 - END Book Club aGoT Jon II - Eddard V Essay mentioned: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dN2ElcTXr6Y&t=3915s

"Concerning" Men: The Patriarchy & Weaponized Media Illiteracy 25.05.2026 1ó 32p

We're talking about men this time. Using different media like Star Wars, American Psycho, and Blade Runner 2049, we develop some theory on this idea of "media illiteracy", on masculinity and its toxicity. Fundamentally considering what we mean when we talk about Patriarchy, how it exists and is historically defined, and what does it mean to consider and confront it today. Enjoy! If you can and are interested in early episodes and our bonus content, soon to be plenty more, check out our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftpage Also! If you're not there already, feel free to join our Discord! https://discord.gg/J2wgG3yrPN Outro Music: Don't Leave! · El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe. From the Album: Zareef ℗ 2006 El-Funoun

Let's Prattle #1 - AI in Video Games 21.04.2026 2ó 23p

A new kind of episode! Lighter and more current, as we talk about what we've been playing, some things we've been thinking about, and the new Left Page Book Club! Time stamps 00:00:00 - 00:40:40 Intro + What are we watching, reading, playing 00:40:40 - 01:27:45 AI In Video Games 01:27:45 - 02: 23:45 Left Page Book Club The article we talked about: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/new-research-shows-over-90-of-gamers-find-playing-with-ai-powered-npcs-to-be-enjoyable-and-rewarding

What Escapism Has Sown 13.04.2026 1ó 9p

We deploy Critical Harvest Theory in this episode, when we ask: What happens when we don't look critically at escapist fantasies? We then try to answer this question by looking at two video games: Stardew Valley (2015) and Citizen Sleeper (2022 & 2025) Going into the ways of how these games create their realities and end up surviving in or attempting to sideline capitalism, which will surely go well, right? Right? That, and more, in this episode about capital, land, time and space! Enjoy! If you can and are interested in early episodes and our bonus content, soon to be plenty more, check out our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftpage Also! If you're not there already, feel free to join our Discord! https://discord.gg/J2wgG3yrPN Outro Music: Don't Leave! · El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe. From the Album: Zareef ℗ 2006 El-Funoun

Wolfenstein: How to Kill Fascism? W/ TheLitCritGuy 20.03.2026 1ó 38p

Wolfenstein is a fascinating series of games, so let's talk about the recent Machine Games' iterations. Asking the fundamental question of how to properly kill fascism and how this game is presenting it, or not. Enjoy! Check out Jon's stuff: Horror Vanguard & The Haunt Blog Morris Rosenfeld's poem In The Factory from 1914 Intro song: Machine, Machine. Nits. 2019, Werf & V2 Records Outro song: Nazi raus. Marti Fischer. 2024, ContentView GmbH

The Left Page - Oddysscourse. The Tragedy of MAGA-memnom 13.03.2026 1ó 28p

Hello everyone!! Today we're starting off with our new kinds of episodes, as we discuss a more broad element... the discourse on the new Oddyssey film! We've often talked about historical representation, mythology, and what "historical accuracy" can mean, but not as directly as of yet. So this time we went full into some of the terrible ways those are all used, distanced from any interesting or useful cultural critique, and only a terrible weapon to brandish. So come along as we seek to prepare ourselves and others to not fall into those same pitfalls and traps that are misrepresenting and confusing all at once. Enjoy! Video Mentioned: https://youtu.be/O9KD3Xv7D1c If you can and are interested in early episodes and our bonus content, soon to be plenty more, check out our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftpage Also! If you're not there already, feel free to join our Discord! https://discord.gg/J2wgG3yrPN Outro Music: Don't Leave! · El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe. From the Album: Zareef ℗ 2006 El-Funoun

The Left Page 7 Year Anniversary! 20.02.2026 1ó 42p

Good lord! It's sure been a while, huh? Celebrating 7 years of running this podcast, Frank and Leon go over some of the changes, some of the achievements, how they see the pod, how they think of it moving forwards, and a couple of interesting things to come! Thank you all so so much for being here, for listening, and especially supporting the show, for as little or as long as you have! It means the world! Here's to the great things coming! Check out all the free stuff on Patreon and support us if you can there! https://www.patreon.com/leftpage And do join our Discord for more chats about games, books, and plenty more! https://discord.gg/J2wgG3yrPN Intro Music: All Along the Watchtower, Jimmy Hendrix; The Planets, Op.32 - 4. Jupiter, The Bringer Of Jollity, Gustav Holst; Gymnopédie n. 1, Erik Satie; Home, Karl Casey; I Would Never Have To Know, Samurai Drive; Ultralounge, Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Outro Music: Vistas - Downtime, Miracle of Sound Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Left Page - Episode 100 - Don Quixote: Jousting with Fiction 16.02.2026 1ó 30p

To celebrate the centennial Left Page we go to the start, the originator of the modern novel: Don Quixote de la Mancha! We go over the fantasies of Don Quixote, the way the two books deal with reality, fantasy, and primarily books and reading! All the while not forgetting the deep materiality involved in the depictions, and how there is still more than we think to it. Come celebrate our 100th episode with one of the greatest of all time! Enjoy! Check out all the free stuff on Patreon and support us if you can there! https://www.patreon.com/leftpage And do join our Discord for more chats about games, books, and plenty more! https://discord.gg/J2wgG3yrPN Intro Music: Ultralounge · Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Outro Music: Don't Leave! · El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe. From the Album: Zareef ℗ 2006 El-Funoun Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Left Page - Episode 99 - The First Law Standalones Pt. 2: The Heroes Journey 23.01.2026 1ó 53p

Hello everyone!! We continue with the First Law Standalone novels, now going into Heroes and Red Country! We talk about how these characters continue to be engagin, how the materiality of war and conflict continues, and how change, propelled by capital, can be such a dangerous thing the world over, fantasy world it might be. Enjoy! If you can and are interested in early episodes and our bonus content, soon to be plenty more, check out our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftpage Also! If you're not there already, feel free to join our Discord! https://discord.gg/J2wgG3yrPN Intro Music: Ultralounge · Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Outro Music: Don't Leave! · El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe. From the Album: Zareef ℗ 2006 El-Funoun Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Left Page - Episode 99 - The First Law Standalones Pt. 1: Back With a Revengeance 19.01.2026 1ó 21p

Hello everyone!! We continue with Joe Abercrombie's First Law series, now talking about the 3 standalone novels: Best Served Cold, Heroes, and Red Country! Because these books are great and there is a lot to talk about, we split these episodes in 2 parts, both already available for Patrons! First we talk about Abercrombie and the setup to these books, then Best Served Cold and how to write a phenomenal revenge story indeed. Enjoy! If you can and are interested in early episodes and our bonus content, soon to be plenty more, check out our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftpage Also! If you're not there already, feel free to join our Discord! https://discord.gg/J2wgG3yrPN Intro Music: Ultralounge · Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Outro Music: Don't Leave! · El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe. From the Album: Zareef ℗ 2006 El-Funoun Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here Be Media - Episode 64 - Hades II: The Pitfalls of Chronic Therapy 16.01.2026 1ó 27p

Hello everyone!! We visit the sequel of our very first Here be Media episode, coming alongside a very special announcement in the first 10 minutes about the future of this podcast. We set out to explore the pitfalls of exclusively centreing psychology in your familial narrative, that is therefore ot able to grapple with the existential conflict it seeks to portray. Please enjoy! If you can and are interested in early episodes and our bonus content, soon to be plenty more, check out our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftpage Also! If you're not there already, feel free to join our Discord! https://discord.gg/J2wgG3yrPN Intro Music: I Would Never Have To Know - Samurai Drive. From the Album: Samurai Drive ℗ 2020 Daniel Riederauer Outro Music: Don't Leave! · El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe. From the Album: Zareef ℗ 2006 El-Funoun Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here Be Media - Episode 63 - Superman: Fortress of Imperialism w/ André 22.12.2025 1ó 25p

Hello everyone!! We're wrapping up the year in serious fashion, diving once back into Imperialism everywhere, with the 2025 Superman, and bringing our superhero liasion along, André! This was a film really well talked about for being positive, and progressive and... things which it isn't. It's still imperialist and still very much on the US' side when thinking about anything. So come along as we look at this at first, maybe good superhero film, and yet, rather vile film, regardless of its liberal good intentions. Enjoy! And do check out André's text on superhero films and his interview with good friend Jon from Horror Vanguard: https://operamundi.uol.com.br/cultura/filmes-de-super-heroi-e-possivel-escapar-do-cinismo/ https://youtu.be/-KFmOxZ1-z4?list=LL If you can and are interested in early episodes and our bonus content, soon to be plenty more, check out our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftpage Also! If you're not there already, feel free to join our Discord! https://discord.gg/J2wgG3yrPN Intro Music: I Would Never Have To Know - Samurai Drive. From the Album: Samurai Drive ℗ 2020 Daniel Riederauer Outro Music: Don't Leave! · El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe. From the Album: Zareef ℗ 2006 El-Funoun Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Left Page - Episode 98 - The Hobbit: Hobbitual Fantasy 19.12.2025 1ó 9p

Hello everyone!! We're finally tackling Tolkien! And so here we are, at the beggining... In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit. We go into Tolkien's role in fantasy, how The Hobbit still holds up as both a monument of fantasy and still an excellent book, and the resonance that this work has to fantasy still. Thus we close off 2025 on The Left Page, by beggining Tolkien, with more to come! Enjoy! If you can and are interested in early episodes and our bonus content, soon to be plenty more, check out our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftpage Also! If you're not there already, feel free to join our Discord! https://discord.gg/J2wgG3yrPN Intro Music: Ultralounge · Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Outro Music: Don't Leave! · El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe. From the Album: Zareef ℗ 2006 El-Funoun Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Left Page - Episode 97 - Golden Harvest: Abolish the Present State 28.11.2025 54p

Hello everyone!! We're back talking about Brazilian Literature, with a long overdue request! It's "Golden Harvest" or "São Jorge dos Ilhéus", by Jorge Amado! The horrors of capitalism are everywhere, and none less here, where the forces of empire and capital seek to make Brazilian cocoa production their own, with no regard for people and their lives. So come along in this historically inspired novel to further deepen the obviousness that we must abolish the present state of things. Enjoy! If you can and are interested in early episodes and our bonus content, soon to be plenty more, check out our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftpage Also! If you're not there already, feel free to join our Discord! https://discord.gg/J2wgG3yrPN Intro Music: Ultralounge · Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Outro Music: Don't Leave! · El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe. From the Album: Zareef ℗ 2006 El-Funoun Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here Be Media - Episode 62 - Arrival (2016): Posadist Aliens Show Us the End of History 24.11.2025 1ó 22p

Hello everyone!! We're talking about a great Sci-fi film, going into language, history and time. As we discuss some of Ted Chiang's short story "Story of Your Life", but primarily, the Denis Villeneuve film "Arrival"! Why are aliens here? How can our understanding of reality changing help us confront the horrors of capitalism? How is time's linearity a simplistic way to confront capital's victories over past, present and future? Come along as we answer those questions and more, in our more Posadist episode yet! Enjoy! If you can and are interested in early episodes and our bonus content, soon to be plenty more, check out our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftpage Also! If you're not there already, feel free to join our Discord! https://discord.gg/J2wgG3yrPN Intro Music: I Would Never Have To Know - Samurai Drive. From the Album: Samurai Drive ℗ 2020 Daniel Riederauer Outro Music: Don't Leave! · El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe. From the Album: Zareef ℗ 2006 El-Funoun Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Conversation #0004: Star Trek, The Original Series - Continuities of Empire 13.11.2025 1ó 39p

In our latest Conversation, Frank has something special for us! Following attempts at bringing together all their academic work, Frank goes into Star Trek proper for the first time in the podcast, surprisingly. In an attempt to articulate how the original 1966-1969 run articulated a certain version of the future that, while utopian, was still entrenched in Liberalism and certain elements of Empire from which it could not imagine a different outcome. So follow along as we dive into proto-Q, liberal visions of race, a mining colony, and the Cold War all over again! Enjoy! Episodes discussed: S1E17 - The Squire of Gothos S1E21 - The Return of the Archons S1E25 - The Devil in the Dark S1E26 - Errand of Mercy S2E19 - A Private Little War S2E23 - The Omega Glory S3E15 - Let That Be Your Last Battlefield Some bibliography from Frank's own current research into the topic: GOLUMBIA, David. "Black and White World: Race, Ideology and Utopia in Triton and Star Trek." Cultural Critique v. 32, Winter 1995-1996. pp. 75-95. MCKAGEN, E. Leigh. "45. Colonialism and Imperialism" GARCIA-SIINO, Leimar; MITTERMEIER, Sabrina; RABITSCH, Stefan. (Ed.) The Routledge Handbook of Star Trek. New York: Routledge, 2022. pp. 332-339. RIEDER, John. "Chapter Two: Fantasises of Appropriation". ______. Colonialism and the emergence of Science Fiction. Middletown: Wesleyan University Press, 2008. pp. 34-60. SPIEGEL, Simon. "60. Utopia" GARCIA-SIINO, Leimar; MITTERMEIER, Sabrina; RABITSCH, Stefan. (Ed.) The Routledge Handbook of Star Trek. New York: Routledge, 2022. Utopias in Star Trek pp. 471-472. STEPHENSON, Anders. Manifest Destiny: American Expansion and the Empire of Right. New York: Hill and Wang, 1996. WORLAND, Rick. "Captain Kirk, Cold Warrior" Journal of Popular Film and Television. Los Angeles, 16, n. 3, 1988. pp. 109-117. For more, keep an eye out on: https://www.patreon.com/leftpage Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here Be Media - Episode 61 - Titane: Liberté, égalité, Peugeot Coupe w/Jay 31.10.2025 1ó 23p

Happy closing of the spooky season Listeners Jay and I are talking about Titane, and subsequently Queer relations and cars. Enjoy! Find more of us at: https://www.patreon.com/leftpage Find Jay at: www.librarypunk.gay https://bsky.app/profile/wildeatheart.bsky.social Intro Music: I Would Never Have To Know - Samurai Drive. From the Album: Samurai Drive ℗ 2020 Daniel Riederauer Outro Music: Don't Leave! · El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe. From the Album: Zareef ℗ 2006 El-Funoun Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Left Page - Episode 96 - Berserk (Golden Age): Revitalizing Your Resolve w/ Horror Vanguard 24.10.2025 1ó 24p

Hello everyone!! We're finally talking about one of the big ones for our special Halloween collab with Horror Vanguard, it's Berserk! Focusing on the Golden Age Arc, we talk about how this manga so effectively depicts despair and hope, how it can have ultraviolence and still have one emotional gutpunch after another. And, of course, about fighting fascism in all its forms. Enjoy! And check out Horror Vanguard wherever you get your podcasts! https://soundcloud.com/user-317910500 https://www.patreon.com/c/horrorvanguard/posts If you can and are interested in early episodes and the Here Be Extras, check our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftpage Also! If you're not there already, feel free to join our Discord, as we have been more talkative than usual, and plan to do so more and more! https://discord.gg/J2wgG3yrPN Intro Music: Ultralounge · Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Outro Music: Don't Leave! · El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe. From the Album: Zareef ℗ 2006 El-Funoun Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.