Strong Female Leads

After an amazing five years, the time has come for Strong Female Leads to hang up our capes for the forseeable future.   A combination of professional and personal changes means that availability to record and edit podcasts has become more or less impossible to maintain going forwards in 2023.   We couldn't be more grateful for such a wonderful audience willing to listen to our thoughts on nerd culture from a feminist perspective. And what a few years it's been! Captain Marvel, female Ghostbusters, Jodie Whittaker and so much more (not that we're taking the credit... but we're absolutely taking the credit).   Massive shout out to our Book Club readers (and Krissy!), everyone who chats to us on Twitter and all of our fabulous guests.   It's been a brilliant run. Our archive will remain in all the places you find podcasts and you can find the hosts in all the usual ways (we'll pin this to our Twitter feed as well, @strfemaleleads).   Peace out, nerds.

New York, New York! In this episode, Kate and Colleen are reviewing all of the news from New York Comic-Con, which at this point should probably be called New York TV-Con. Marvel! Star Trek! Velma's officially a lesbian now!   Plus, it's our book club review of 'The Echo Wife' by Sarah Gailey. What did they think of this twisty sci-fi summer read?   And RIP to Dame Angela Lansbury. She played a singing teapot and a witch who defeated Nazis, you best believe she was a Strong Female Lead.   Colleen: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/oct/11/angela-lansbury-star-of-tv-film-and-theatre-dies-aged-96   Kate: https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/first-black-adam-reactions-pour-in/   Colleen: https://gizmodo.com/my-neighbor-totoro-stage-show-london-studio-ghibli-1849655275   Main Feature New York Comic Con took place last week and it's become the peak autumn time for announcements for all the best things coming up in the world of geek. We've got some of the biggest announcements here... https://gizmodo.com/new

News Debs: Noteworthy Book review: https://gizmodo.com/disney-princess-beyond-the-tiara-author-interview-1849543164   Kate: Archie Comics https://gizmodo.com/archie-betty-cooper-alien-hunter-chilling-adventures-1849539948   Debs: https://www.themarysue.com/brie-larson-asks-if-anyone-wants-her-to-play-captain-marvel-again-and-yes-i-do-very-much     Main topic   There are miles-long queues here in the UK to mark the passing of Queen Elizabeth. Today we look at some of the monarchies that have mattered (perhaps more) to us in fiction!   Game of Thrones. A whole series about a battle for the royal seat. You watching House of Dragons?   Aragorn King Triton/Elsa/   Queen Momby   Pevensie Kids from Narnia   King Arthur   The Princess Diaries   Star Wars?   Fave? Worst/Best Why is the idea of monarchy so popular in fiction Which land would you like to rule?   Bonus Feature -- D23 Top Ten Debs, welcome to highlight ANY of the things you think are key. We'll do a dash through the top ten. Maybe 5 and 5 each? https://d2

News Colleen...this is basically an excuse for us to talk about She-Hulk https://www.themarysue.com/megan-thee-stallion-in-she-hulk/   Kate https://gizmodo.com/marvel-comics-monica-rambeau-photon-miniseries-1849465414   Colleen...https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/furiosa-mad-max-prequel-release-date-cast-story/   Academia in genre entertainment   Xavier Academy starfleet academy jedi academy praxeum Sunnydale/Buffy Battle School (Ender's Game) Miss Peregrine's Hogwarts/Durmstrang/etc... Riverdale Avalon (The Mists of Avalon) Avengers Academy Dance Academy from Suspiria Monsters University Springfield Elementary   Book Club: The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey  

Intro   Strong Female Needs Colleen: Strange New Worlds Kate:   News Colleen: https://gizmodo.com/nichelle-nichols-star-trek-uhura-actor-obituary-1849353418   Kate: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/aug/03/irredeemable-batgirl-movie-unexpectedly-cancelled-despite-being-in-final-stages   Colleen: https://screenrant.com/star-wars-andor-show-release-date-delay-updates/   Main Feature - SDCC reactions! SDCC is back as the biggest update in the geek calendar and we've been treated to a plethora of updates, trailers, fun panels and more. As we've said before, yay for conventions.   So what's - well, not hot, but lukewarm off the press?   Dungeons and Dragons trailer Marvel - phase 5! Avengers! Namor! Trailers for Wakanda Forever and an improved She-Hulk! Secret Wars! Daredevil! I'm so tired! https://www.polygon.com/sdcc/23272923/marvel-black-panther-2-ant-man-3 Sandman! Rings of Power versus House of Dragon Star Trek! DC https://www.polygon.com/sdcc/23272917/dc-panel-warner-bros-news-trailers-announc

Hey there Leaders,   New idea. Actual show notes...   Strong Female Needs Debs: English women's football team Colleen: Sea of Tranquility   Spoiler Alert   News   Debs: https://www.themarysue.com/harley-quinn-the-animated-series-season-3/   Colleen: https://variety.com/2022/tv/awards/emmys-nominations-list-2022-1235313788/   Debs: https://gizmodo.com/we-now-know-the-exact-crater-that-spat-out-a-famous-mar-1849170072   Main Feature - Conventions! Conventions are, perhaps inexplicably, back. Those of you who follow the Strong Female Leads twitter account will know that I was down at London Film & Comic Con this weekend and it was a BLAST but  there have definitely been some changes since 2019! So we were thinking - what does the future hold for this fundamental geek space?   Difference between virtual and in person Less merch now and feeling less specialised BUT ALSO a growth in independent operators Is there still a space for virtual cons? Lessons learned (or not) - news in the press about Joseph Qu

Hey there Leaders Do you read books? Do you like summer? Do you like lazing in the sun and reading a book either with your eyes, your ears, you fingers? #inclusive Then this show id for you as we have a very special guest to pick out some ace SFL summer reads just for you. Yes you there, the one trying to hide the it's too hot for a bra look.

Hey There Leaders, As Western civilisation slowly crumbles around us with war, famine, pestilence and death galloping across the wheat fields of Europe, the seas rise and the skies fall and prices threaten to tarnish our gilded cages, RELAX! We've got the answer to everything, everywhere all at once. Just bury your heads in the sands of popular entertainment as Kate and Colleen highlight the great stuff to look forward to this summer in cinemas and streaming services near you! So sit back, grab some popcorn and soda and enjoy the apocalypse live and in IMAX ratio or just watch Top Gun Maverick and Lightyear and keep believing it's all going to be ok. Love ya :D  

Hey there leaders, This time we look into those ladies in the pop culture world who are very good who they are good but when they're bad they're so much better... VILLAINS! Every hero needs one and the ladies as, of course, under represented. But those we have always steal the show and not just if they are animated by Disney.

Hey There Leaders, It's Easter! That holiday that really wants to be the new xmas! But hey! Chocolate right? This time we chat Dr Who, state of the game, the specials, what we can expect coming up and how excited are we are for the return of the Sea Devils. Kate Joins in for a review of our book club choice Piranesi. Enjoy!

Hey There Leaders The power of the ring is coming to Amazon. We look at the teaser trailer and give some background to the history of Tolkien's wider mythology.

Hey there Leaders, Thanks for your patience as we deal with some technical issues.   Here we go finally with a new episode where we look closely at Jennifer's Body and ask ourselves what makes a horror movie 'meta'. Tropes abound. Enjoy.

Hey There Leaders This week we are going into the fascinating subject of video game hardware... No really please don't switch off it'll be useful at least :D In our special feature we have a little preview of some comic book properties upcoming in 2022... IN COMICS!!

Hey there Leaders,   Happy new Year!! We're bigger, bolder and brasher than ever with guests and all your nerdtastic needs.   Hope you had a smashing yuletide in the meta verse. This time we are talking all things MCU Phase 4 and spoiling the Matrix Resurrections.    ENJOY!!

Hey There Leaders, If you like your dystopian cyberpunk apocalyptic futures you're in luck. You're living in one. However if you like utopian happy endings then this is the episode for you.   Happy Disney Plus Day

Hey there Leaders, Love a show? Had it cancelled before the end? Thought about a letter writing campaign or an internet crusade? This week we look at past efforts and how successful can they be.  What shows would you like to come back? And on top of the release of the amazing Guardians of the Galaxy game are there any properties yet to be given a video game treatment we would like to see.

Hey there Leaders This time CCG and ole Kate McCabe take a gentle wander through the autumn schedules, kicking over piles of leaves to unearth the gems coming soon.  

Hey There Leaders, This time out we bring season FIVE (I know right?!?) to a close with a look at reboots, remakes, sequels, prequels, pre-sequels, preboots and all the other bollocks these rights holders have of just making the same story over and over and over and over and over again. In our special we have an interview with Aliki Chappell and crew about their new play.

Hey There Leaders,   This time out we look at yet another resurgence of DC at what is left of the box office. Is it a second coming? Third? Fourth? Were they ever there at all?   

Hey There Leaders,   When we thought about who are the unsung women of pop culture, we realised the answer was, well, ALL OF THEM! But we managed to narrow down a few for our main section   Enjoy