Raised on the Radio

Here’s a couple of great podcast links for your enjoyment:

I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere with Scott Monty and Burt Wolder is “The podcast for those interested in the life and times of Mr. Sherlock Holmes – where it is always 1895”. This episode features an interview with David Ian Davies, the super-talented voice actor who recorded by favorite unabridged audiobook collection of the entire Sherlock Holmes canon, which I did the cover art for. It is fascinating to hear David’s thinking behind how he creates the many unique characterizations and their differences. They also plug the Sherlock Holmes pen I helped design, as well as say some nice things about me.

Of course, that was not Holmes speaking in that clip from “The Blanched Soldier” but the character of James Dodd, who was telling Holmes the story of his visit with Colonel Emsworth while looking for his friend Godfrey Emsworth.

Had I called in, I would have said that one of things I appreciate the most about David’s readings as opposed to some, is that he does not try to update the language and vernacular of the era like some do. I’ve listened to other narrators do Holmes stories occasionally who might change, for example, the term “rubber” to “card game”, apparently because they don’t think people will be able to understand the Victorian era terms in context. That’s a great deal of the fun for me… I enjoy getting a taste of the history of the era.

Don’t stop listening after the interview is over, however. They go on to play a fun clip from a 1945 radio program in which Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, the actors who have done arguably the best known portrayals of Holmes and Watson on the big screen, do a funny short segment in which Rathbone plays Watson and Bruce plays Holmes.

Oh, and for you non-Holmesians out there, the title of the podcast is from a line uttered by Sherlock’s brother Mycroft to Dr. Watson in “The Greek Interpreter”.

In this episode of Tom Racine‘s fantastic cartoon/comic podcast Tall Tale Radio, Tom interviews Chris Sparks about his Team Cul de Sac book project. Great to hear the history behind Chris’s great project to support the Michael J. Fox Foundation which in turn supports research into Parkinson’s Disease… I am so looking forward to seeing the final book! Also, some great discussion of the advent of the digital age and its effect on the printed comic.