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https://nerdist.com/article/lost-odyssey-godfall-tabletop-rpg-geek-and-sundry/

It’s a team up of legendary proportions. Tabletop gaming celebrities are banding together for charity and merriment with the brand new actual-play special Lost Odyssey: Godfall. The latest one-shot special in the star-studded celebrity gaming series is available now on Geek & Sundry‘s YouTube channel. Presented by Pathfinder & Demiplane, Lost Odyssey: Godfall will showcase a new Pathfinder story set in War of Immortals. Pathfinder, by Paizo, is one of the world’s top fantasy role-playing game systems, and Godfall offers a cinematic journey unlike anything you’ve seen before. And who will you be taking this journey with? Why none other than Matt Mercer, Felicia Day, Deborah Ann Woll, Brandon Routh, Reggie Watts, and Game Master Bill Rehor! Talk about a dream team.

Watch the special below!

Lost Odyssey: Godfall reunites these tabletop icons in support of Extra Life for Kids, a program of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals that funds critical life-saving treatments, healthcare services, and more for kids across the country. Godfall charts a bold course amid the aftermath of cosmic, world-altering events in the Pathfinder universe, brought to life by Game Master Bill Rehor and showrunners DiMuccio & Miller. The edge-of-your-seat adventure stars Matt Mercer (Critical Role) as Ghentros, Reggie Watts (Comedy Bang! Bang!) as Bronwyn, Deborah Ann Woll (Daredevil: Born Again) as Audrey, Felicia Day (Supernatural) as Sylph, and Brandon Routh (Legends of Tomorrow) as Palanon, alongside Game Master Bill Rehor (Beadle & Grimm’s).

Of course, as we mentioned, the most important aspect of all is that the Lost Odyssey: Godfall campaign’s chief mission is to support Extra Life. You can help support the work Extra Life does by checking out Lost Odyssey’s Extra Life Superteam page, where you’ll find treasures in a collection of games, show exclusive props, tabletop gear, and much more.

Just to be clear, 100% of all proceeds benefit Extra Life for Kids, a program of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Whether or not you secure a fun treat, you’re welcome to donate to this good cause in celebration of Extra Life’s Tabletop Weekend. All weekend long, people are coming together to play their favorite board games, collectible card games, TTRPGs, and more to raise funds to support these critical healthcare services for children in need.

In addition to Pathfinder and Demiplane, Lost Odyssey: Godfall was made possible by in part thanks to Mythical Meats, Esoteric Ebb, Hero Forge, Volante Design, Rathskellers, Candle Qwest, Lynx, Moonlight Maps, Loot Studios, Pure Arts, Dispel Dice, and Beadle & Grimm’s.

If you want even more Godfall goodness, fans can also enjoy an exclusive VR experience preview from Light Sail VR–available now to watch— where for the fans can truly sit down with the players at the table and feel the magic of a home game, next to tabletop legends.

After you finish Godfall, if you’re craving even more adventure, you can watch other epic actual play stories like Critical Role, Relics & Rarities, and Sagas of Sundry: Goblin Mode on Geek & Sundry’s YouTube channel or wherever fine podcasts are served.

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The post Tabletop Legends Unite for Charity in LOST ODYSSEY: GODFALL appeared first on Nerdist.

https://nerdist.com/article/godzilla-destroys-the-marvel-universe-first-look-gerry-duggan/

Back in the ’70s, Godzilla had his own Marvel Comics series, running 24 issues. In the classic series, he fought everyone from the Fantastic Four to S.H.I.E.L.D. Now, after having fought DC’s Justice League, the King of the Monsters is about to take on Marvel’s heroes once more. Thanks to a new partnership between Marvel Comics and Toho International, this summer, Godzilla Destroys the Marvel Universe will arrive as a five-issue event series. It’s written by X-Men writer Gerry Duggan and artist Javier Garrón. You can see the wraparound cover by Mark Brooks, as well as read the official synopsis, below:

A previously dormant Godzilla has been angrily awoken and begun carving a path of annihilation as Earth’s Mightiest Heroes band together to try and stop its cataclysmic rampage! But when their combined efforts fail to slow the Bringer of Destruction, Earth’s heroes are forced to go to extraordinary lengths to try and bring Godzilla down – including joining forces with Earths most devious villains! But will this be enough to stop Godzilla as it tears straight through the Marvel Universe into the Dark Dimension and other realms? Plus, how is the King of the Monsters connected to the mysterious metal, Vibranium, and what does this mean for Wakanda? In the face of an unstoppable force of nature, the Marvel Universe must come together like never before in this earth-shattering fight for Earth’s survival.

The new Marvel Comics series will feature several geek-out moments that should make fans jump for joy. We’ll see a faceoff between Godzilla and an ancient Celestial, and a Venom symbiote bonding to the King of the Monsters. Of course, there’s also a brutal battle between the Incredible Hulk and Godzilla. We’re not sure what good Spider-Man is going to do against the big guy, but we’re excited to find out.

In a statement, writer Gerry Duggan said, “Godzilla was as important to me as Marvel Comics growing up. When I discovered that Godzilla had appeared in the Marvel Universe, I obsessively collected every issue. I can’t believe how lucky I am to be contributing to the tradition of Godzilla rampaging in the Marvel Universe. This is the very biggest event of the summer, and everyone is getting in on the action. Javier Garrón is doing the very best work of his career, and this will be an immortal comic book. Get ready to run for your life this July!”

Godzilla Destroys the Marvel Universe #1 hits comic shops and digital platforms on July 16.

The post GODZILLA DESTROYS THE MARVEL UNIVERSE Gives Us the King of the Monsters vs. Avengers and X-Men appeared first on Nerdist.

https://blackgirlnerds.com/lazarus-action-packed-escape-from-reality/

It’s 2025 and vaccines, advanced scientific theories, and breakthrough medicine have stirred up heated discussions nationwide. Staying healthy and maintaining health is a concept prioritized by many. However, negative commentary is abundant, as well as debate around medicine and what is truly needed to maintain good health. Individuals are willing to do whatever it takes to stay in good health, even if that may mean experimenting with the unknown. Not all medicine can be classified as “good medicine.” It was only a matter of time until the topic of medicine made way into animation, specifically speaking, in Shinichirō Watanabe’s anticipated new Adult Swim series, Lazarus.

Attention anime fans and Adult Swim viewers. A new action-packed series premiering April 5th is coming to Adult Swim. Picture this. It’s the year 2052, and the experiments and theories surrounding medicine are no different from 2025. However, in the year 2052, healthcare officials are experimenting with medicine to build a potent treatment to save mankind. How effective can a painkiller drug be that neuroscientists claim will free humanity from pain? Viewers are sure to find out when watching Lazarus. 

In the year 2052, a painkiller drug called Hapna was created by the neuroscientist Dr. Skinner (voiced by David Matranga). This drug seems to work wonders, with promises of eliminating all pain from humanity with absolutely no side effects. The concept of a potent drug with no side effects seems like a miracle until the creator, Dr. Skinner, suddenly disappears from Earth. It’s not until three years later that Dr. Skinner appears once again, but this time as a prophet.

If Dr. Skinner reemerges as a prophet, then things have to get better, right? Unbeknownst to viewers, Dr. Skinner becomes a prophet who brings death and ultimately the end of life. A miracle painkiller like Hapna was too good to be true because it was designed with a fatal effect that appears three years after ingestion. With 30 days remaining until all of humanity is doomed, there is only one way to save humanity, and that is through Dr. Skinner. 

Lazarus is centered on five agents from around the world who come together to ultimately save all of humanity. 

Creating Lazarus 

This series is well-crafted. Watanabe has done it again! It was genius to center an animated series on a topic related to current events to draw people to watch the show. In a time where prioritizing health has been a continuous topic in the media, it was sensible to make the focal point of this series on health and the scares that come with managing good health. I admire the approach Watanbe took with Lazarus. Watanbe allows the series to take several unexpected turns. At some point in the series, viewers will have their minds set that Hapna is a God’s send, only to realize that it was simply too good to be true.

A sudden change of events is what keeps viewers captivated in any series. In addition to a sudden change of events, there are multiple twists and turns in the plot. The storyline continues with Dr. Skinner’s disappearance, his reemergence as a Prophet, and the five agents gearing towards their effort to save humanity.  

The Importance of Plot Development 

Creating each character and allowing them to serve a relevant part of a storyline is crucial to creating an entertaining and action-packed series. In Lazarus, viewers are immediately drawn into the plot by illustrating the aftermath of a prison escape. Instead of jumping into the main plot with Hapna as a source of medicine, the viewer is glued to a high-speed criminal chase that doesn’t end as expected. After the chase, the viewer is introduced to the importance of finding Dr. Skinner and what it means to their fate. At this point, the characters are given an ultimatum to continue being imprisoned or find Dr. Skinner. They appear to choose the latter. 

Stay Tuned!

The pilot episode is just the beginning, literally! Whether you are new to the anime world and are looking to explore what this genre offers, or are a seasoned anime viewer, you are in for an action-fueled adventure. Lazarus delivers all elements of anime in a small Adult Swim series. What makes a compelling anime is unique styling, bold imagery, and detailed characters. This is what Lazarus provides for fans.  

Each episode will keep your curiosity piqued and will lure you into becoming an overall anime fan. This series delivers. Watanabe does an excellent job showcasing a diverse cast with every member serving an integral part of the plot. As the series starts, you’ll most likely have your mind set on which characters you believe are working for good, and those who are working for evil. As the series progresses, viewers will have their preconceived notions tested. It’s a surprise what will happen next in each episode, when the first episode begins with a prisoner given the opportunity to escape both physically and mentally. 

It would be an understatement to say that Lazarus is an Adult Swim series with potential. Lazarus 

Lazarus premiered Saturday, April 5 2025, at midnight on Adult Swim.

The post ‘Lazarus’: Action-Packed Escape from Reality appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.

https://www.blackenterprise.com/tips-for-national-self-care-day/

April 5 was National Self-Care Day and it is never too late to share a vital reminder for African Americans to think about ways to implement self care each and every day. In fact, self-care isn’t something you take out the toolbox and return after a few hours of use. Self-care doesn’t have to be just a short break or rest to address emotional healing or personal development. It can be incorporated into our lives as a lifestyle. To help you out with this journey, here are 8 authentic and practical tips to cultivate love, compassion, and self-care daily.

Meditation/Mindfulness

Meditation and mindfulness are self-care techniques which are valuable for learning to slow down, reduce stress, and be present. Meditation is the concentration of the mind, often focusing on the breath, or a mantra; while mindfulness is the state of being fully aware of the moment without judgment. These can be practiced in just a couple of minutes per day and will benefit your mental and emotional health.

Pamper Yourself With A Bathing Routine

The act of soaking in a bathtub is one of the most effective means of self-care because it includes physical, emotional, and hygienic wellness. Bathing is a calming ritual that allows you to decompress and be present with yourself in the moment. 

Journal Your Thoughts

The act of journaling is not just a way to recapture moments, but also a great form of self-care that provides emotional release, mental clarity, and stress relief. The technique frees your mental space through listing worries, swimming emotions, and scattered thoughts. It even brings you to new destinations by showing some patterns and beliefs that you never noticed before. 

Enjoy Nature

Indulging in nature is a widely practiced self-care technique that restores mental, physical, and emotional balance. The outdoors improve your mental focus and that helps restore a good state of mind. Getting outside is a healthy way to decrease blood pressure. It is an avenue for artistic inspiration and contemplation, offering a space to breathe out and restore to your factory settings. All in all, nature is a good, inexpensive, and simple option.

Unplug From Social Media

Disconnection from social media is a kind of self-care because it favors mental consciousness, Nixing social media allows time to spend on other meaningful activities. It enhances sleep and it also helps to build relationships that are deeper and more genuine. On the emotional side, it promotes balance, by removing repetitive triggers , and it reaffirms the healthy limits that focus on your well-being.

Enjoy A Healthy Comfort Meal

Meals are not only a source of energy for your body but also a healer for your soul. Cooking and eating a comfort meal is believed to be self-care because of the sensory experience engaged in the moment. Including healthy options ups the ante. Consider a charcuterie board, fun fruit salad, or nutritious, rich meal. 

Surround Yourself With Positive Affirmations

Keeping positive affirmations around is an accessible way to tap into self-care. Positive affirmations contribute to making our inner dialogue a more encouraging and supportive conversation. Consuming positive affirmations regularly can transform your mood, recast negative thoughts, and cultivate an emotionally safe environment. Affirmations are a good way to improve your mental health because they give you the power to believe in your own strengths and growth. Seeing them every day on mirrors, phones, or notebooks is a way to keep reminding you of your self worth. 

Read Empowering Books

Reading — and even listening — to motivational books is a significant self-care practice, as it stimulates mental and emotional well-being. Reading books that empower also helps change the attitudes toward oneself and teaches self-compassion. Empowering books offer comforting and reassuring messages that can change negative thinking patterns. They are, therefore, a substantial part of any self-care regimen.

RELATED CONTENT: Black Girl Vitamins Encourages Wellness With ‘Sisterhood In Self-Care’ Campaign