Tune Into All the Silly, Eccentric Digressions of Popular Gaming Podcast, Button Smash2024-03-18T07:14:06-04:00

Tune Into All the Silly, Eccentric Digressions of Popular Gaming Podcast, Button Smash

What Does Button Smash Mean? The term ‘button smashing’ refers to the motion of rapidly clicking or “smashing” the buttons on a game controller.

The Very First Video Game Was: Pong. Released in 1958, Pong was created by Physicist William Higinbotham and is similar to the popular 1970s game Pong. 

The Best Place For Gamers Right Now? Twitch! The online streaming platform first launched in 2011 and has given way to the biggest streamers today – Dr. Disrespect, Ninja, Pokimane, and more!

Meet: Button ‘Stache — Err, or is it Button Smash? While we’ll never hate on a well-groomed, manly mustache, the Button Smash is your frequency for all things video games, including new releases, pop culture influences, industry news, and more. 

So, who’s the epic duo that hosts the popular gaming podcast?

Say hello to “The BadCoyote” himself, Sergio. The geek culture enthusiast, Twitch streamer, and gamer is the Founder and host of Button Smash. All it took was a trip to daycare, a Nintendo System, and the epic classic, “Duck Hunt,” for this ‘90’s kid to fall in love with the world of gaming.

“Booster” Greg is also a Twitch streamer and co-host of the weekly podcast alongside BadCoyote. When he was just a little tike, his grandfather gave him a gift that would impact his life forever: a Nintendo Entertainment System. And the rest..well, it’s history. At the top of his list of favorites: narrative-based games, cinematic action & adventures, horror, and indie games. 

Geeks talking video games? We know you want in. Check out our livestream every Thursday night at 9 PM ET on twitch.tv/weareroguematter.

 

Treat Your Ears to Our Rogue Wav Podcast – On-Air Every Wednesday2024-03-18T06:06:49-04:00

Treat Your Ears to Our Rogue Wav Podcast – On-Air Every Wednesday

Does Rogue Wav have some kind of alter-ego or secret identity? You could say that — the popular podcast series used to go by the name, “Secrets of the Sire.”

Looking for a Podcast that’ll satiate your pop culture cravings? Co-Hosts Michael Dolce and Hassan Godwin provide entertainment, witty banter, and exclusive access to interviews with the creators, writers, and actors you love the most. 

Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon? It’s legit. Besides having a last name that makes our mouth’s water, Kevin Bacon was also one of the many amazing guests we had on our show. 

Rogue Wav is the frequency for all things Pop Culture and the Disruptors behind it. Our podcast covers comics, movies, TV, and pop culture – featuring exclusive guests and interviews. 

From the epic success of #ReleaseTheSnyderCut to reviews on popular shows like the Queen’s Gambit, Mike and Hassan tackle it all – every Wednesday at 8 PM EST during their live Facebook podcast.

 

Spotlight Series: Mark Kauffman2023-07-25T19:52:57-04:00

Spotlight Series: Mark Kauffman

Written by: Kelly Kantrowitz

Artistic expression that is inventive and original is a rare quality. It’s an intangible eccentricity shared by some of the most iconic names in history – Prince, Madonna, Frida Kahlo, Tim Burton – the list goes on. 

Mark Kauffman is one of those immensely talented individuals that stretches the boundaries of the imagination and invites us to reframe our perspective around the shades of grey between black and white, right and wrong, good and bad. He’s a man who embodies the renegade spirit of creativity – a genuine and inspirational rogue. As the writer of Rogue Matter’s original graphic novel, Making Markum, we wanted to find out more about the man behind the story.  

Created in the same vein as The Punisher and John Wick, Making Markum will satisfy your itch for rule-breaking, Italian crime bosses, and a protagonist with questionable morals. Think of our hitman anti-hero, Markum, as the boogeyman of the criminal underground. Most people think he’s just a myth, yet they all pray that their name never finds its way onto his ledger. Markum is a ghost, moving in the distance and the shadows, nobody has ever seen his face. If they have, they either didn’t know who they were seeing or they were dead within the minute. Semi-retired and a sloppy shell of his former self, he’s got a truckload of baggage and a permanent dark cloud over his head.

Ready to dive in? Kelly Kantrowitz sat down with Mark to pick his brain and talk about the graphic novel’s upcoming release. 

 

Kelly: Do you feel like living in Seattle has had any type of impact on your creativity?

Mark: What I’ve found is that – I don’t know if this is how you work – but it takes me a while to work out all the intricacies of a story. I like to go out for long walks. I like having these things percolating on the back burner. It’s like putting a puzzle together and you’re trying to make the puzzle pieces fit together – in terms of character arcs and story structure, whoever the antagonist is – and you’re toying with the idea of just smashing the thing – but then you find the piece that finally fits in. It’s like when you have a sneeze coming on – the build up is frustrating, but the release is gratifying. 

 

Kelly: You were a creative executive for studios like Warner Bros and Paramount. I’d love to hear about your experience working for traditional Hollywood studios and how it compares to what we’re trying to achieve here at Rogue Matter?

Mark: Completely different in that, as I’m sure you know, the way Hollywood was traditionally structured in terms of writers trying to break in – there were a series of locked doors and barriers you would have to navigate. You can’t just send your work to whoever. I mean you can, but when you send it to someone like Warner Bros, they’re just gonna send it back with a note saying, “We will not accept unsolicited submissions.” Unless you have a rep – you’ll have a great deal of trouble getting a submission through. 

That’s what’s cool about what Rogue Matter is doing – giving people the opportunity to submit original work straight to a studio that could potentially transform your idea into a reality. I think it’s really cool, there’s such a huge market for it – people love to write various kinds of fanfiction. How many people out there have written their own Star Wars universe-based fanfiction? Marvel or DC Universe? Those types of ideas. To be given the opportunity to potentially take characters you really like and speak to you and craft your own story seems like a wonderful opportunity to run with it. It reminds me of The New Yorker and their cartoons – whoever can come up with the most interesting caption gets featured…it seems very cool. 

Kelly: How do you balance your professional day job with your creative side?

Mark: I tend to work on that stuff when I’m outside, because the process for me is a lot more about working out plot points or character arcs and then getting them on the page is the easier part. I’ve kinda got everything lined up in my head. I tend to work on those things outside when I’m doing another activity that doesn’t require a lot of process. It opens up a different part of my mind that allows more of a creative pursuit. 

 

Kelly: I love the edgy, dark, gritty nature of Making Markum, can you tell me more about the story?

Mark: It’s a story about somebody who has a brokenness inside of them that they don’t realize is there. They’re always trying to find a way to compartmentalize it and look past it. There’s a duality in the brokenness inside of the main character. He’s really good at killing people and is naturally talented at it. It’s kind of really sad in some ways and it can potentially further damage him. It’s sort of gratifying because he’s really good at it. I think we all have different natural talents and his happens to be killing. 

 It’s exploring the – there’s a hollowness there – these things just don’t seem to weigh on him. I think that’s where the character has a lot of room for exploration. Over time, what will transpire from all of this? And is there still an opportunity for redemption? There’s a relatable quality here – unlike Superman – people have a hard time relating to that. We all have this conflict inside of us in terms of our morality and conscience versus our basic instincts. Markum gives into these instincts because he has a talent for these things. We’ll have to see if there’s a goodness that comes out of it. 

 

Kelly: What makes Markum different from John Wick?

Mark: At least on the surface, what he’s doing is colder and calculating. With John Wick or the Punisher – there’s an obvious connection in terms of the motivation behind their actions. We’re coming to Markum at a much earlier point in his character arc – before an epiphany that may lead him in a different direction. The seeds are there. We’ve sown the seeds where’s a redemptive quality to him. He is vocally denying that he’s doing any of these things out of friendship or personal obligation. There’s definitely a take that would suggest otherwise. He’s hanging in the balance and it could go either way. The difference between the hero and villain is sometimes just a matter of perspective.

 

Kelly: Markum is a hitman and not the typical hero – why is it important to show the grey area of a protagonist? 

Mark: I think it’s because it makes the protagonist more relatable and grounded. A shallow, one-note character lacks depth and the ability for people to relate on an emotional level. There’s a grey area between the line of right and wrong. If you look at the punisher, for example, I always thought there was a culpability, there’s such a reliance on the justice system, why can’t you see there’s failings here? The punisher is a good example of that. 

 

Kelly: Did you face any challenges during the creative process & piecing Markum’s story together?

Mark: There’s a challenge around writing a character that is inherently dark, because my instinct is to find that redemptive quality (and rush to it much quicker than what’s in the best interests of the character in the story). There are conversations I’ve had with Rogue Matter – it’s hard for me because I’ve been sitting with this character for a long time – you want to see that character be redeemed and you’re always looking for that opportunity or silver lining. That struggle and journey is what’s interesting and engaging to read/watch – and ultimately pulls the audience in. Everyone’s waiting to see if the coin is going to land heads or tails. 

 

Kelly: Are there any plotlines or scenes that didn’t make the final cut of the story?

Mark: Yes. We were gonna have his father make a brief appearance and we had talked about expanding that and having more material (because we have a good idea of his backstory and childhood and his relationships with his parents). We alluded to that in the story with the brief encounter – even that from an audience standpoint has a profound impact. There wasn’t enough space for that backstory in this. But it does a good job of informing Markum’s emotional state.

Stay tuned for more from Mark, who currently working on another project called Roman’s Rise with us!

Spotlight Series: Meet Renae Geerlings2021-10-22T12:11:30-04:00

Spotlight Series: Meet Renae Geerlings

By Tia Fabi

At Rogue Matter, we’re passionate about the power of ideas and their ability to ignite the imagination. We’re all about Rogue talent that goes against the grain and content that roars rather than whispers.

There’s no one that embodies the Rogue spirit more than Renae Geerlings. Multifaceted, with a creative spirit that will inspire generations to come, Geerlings has worked both in front of the lens as an actor and behind it in the roles of writer and producer. She has been a host and lead producer for Mountain Dew’s Twitch channel, has produced live events with Buffalo Wild Wings and drone racing events, has worked in the world of voice over, and even performed and recorded as a singer. But perhaps the most impressive is that, while doing all of those things, she has spent a quarter of a century busily working as an editor in the world of comics for companies including Top Cow Productions, Marvel, Image, IDW, Radical, and Darby Pop– on world-renowned titles like Battle of the Planets, Tomb Raider, Fathom and Witchblade and titles that became well-known films and video games like Wanted, The Darkness, Hercules, and Oblivion. 

As a true visionary, Geerlings’ innovation, artistic prowess, and experience help fuel the lifeblood of Rogue Matter’s growing and expanding universe. Tia Fabi had the pleasure of sitting down with Renae to chat about her life, experiences, and upcoming projects.  

Tia: Tell us a little bit about your background.

Renae: I’m a Michigan-born theater major who, after relocating to L.A., became immersed in the world of comics which led me to meet my husband who brought me back full circle into the world of film. 

Tia: What was the catalyst behind your desire to pursue an acting career?

Renae: I love storytelling. Growing up, film and TV became a way for me to share in experiences that I hadn’t had the opportunity to have yet. It made me feel hopeful, inspired, and like I was never alone. Now, these outlets have become a way for me to leave breadcrumbs for others. Whether you love a story or hate it, odds are that it affects you in some way and leaves you a little different than before you heard it.

Tia: You have been connected with several comic book publishing companies. What would you say has been your favorite project to be a part of so far?

Renae: Midnight Nation with J. Michael Straczynski was a particularly satisfying project to be a part of. Also, Fathom with Michael Turner. And, more recently, the Bruce Lee: The Dragon Rises series with Bruce’s daughter, Shannon Lee, that was published by Darby Pop.

Tia: Tell me about the entertainment company you own with your husband, Tyler Mane.

Renae: We have produced two features, one, Compound Fracture is a supernatural thriller, and the other, Penance Lane, is an action thriller with horror elements. You can find them at maneentertainment.com along with news about our upcoming projects!

Tia: What brought you to Rogue Matter? Can you give us a sneak peak of some of the projects you’re working on?

Renae: I worked with some of the higher ups at Rogue Matter during my time at Top Cow Productions. We’ve always had a fun banter and enjoyed working together, but it was always in a more tangential form. When they introduced me to RM, I was excited to be a part of something new and unique. It’s an opportunity for me to roll my sleeves up and dig into the world of multiple mediums like podcasts and prose and audiobooks and short films that I’ve always wanted to work on, but the opportunity didn’t arise in companies with a smaller focus—like comics. It’s also a chance for me to do my very FAVORITE thing, which is to find new voices and give them opportunities. I will admit that the most satisfying moments of my life have come when artists have approached me at conventions, or where ever our paths cross later, and commented that I gave them their break into comics. It really does fill me with the most joy. 

Tia: Do you have any acting projects coming up?

Renae: With COVID shutting everything down, it’s pretty slow here circa summer 2020. So, I’m busying myself with writing episodes of Mane Entertainment’s next project (television) and I am in the pre-production process for a short film with some friends of mine here in Atlanta that we hope to shoot in the spring when COVID (fingers crossed) is under better control. I did just have some auditions this past week, though, so fingers crossed that the world of film/TV production starts cranking again soon!

Tia: How has the outbreak of COVID-19 affected your part in the entertainment industry?

Renae: Like everyone, it has shut things down completely. People are starting to come up with creative ways around it though with ZOOM projects and similar outlets. So THAT’S exciting!

**

Join us in welcoming Renae Geerlings to the Rogue Matter family. Stay up-to-date on her latest work by following her via Facebook and Instagram. 

For more amazing interviews and content, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Plunge Into Stories of Fears, Triumphs, and Magical Realism in “Key to the City”2024-03-18T07:20:21-04:00

Plunge Into Stories of Fears, Triumphs, and Magical Realism in “Key to the City”

What does Washington Heights, Brooklyn, and Greenwich Village all have in common? They’re all iconic spots located in the Big Apple.

They say anything is possible in NYC –– So, what about an entity that wakes up every morning in a new body with a new mission?

Every morning Andy wakes up in a new body. Why? Andy hasn’t quite figured that out yet, but don’t you want to know?

How often do you get the opportunity to change someone’s life? Unless you’re The Fray belting out the chorus of How to Save a Life, we’re gonna guess you’re like a bulk of New York City Dwellers. Your life is one fast-paced grind – wake up, grab a cappuccino, and high-tail it to work after a delay on the N Train.

We’ve already released several chapters featuring artwork by Sebastian Sanchez, and will continue debuting new stories every Wednesday. Take a peek at what’s dropped so far:

Chapter One: Marilyn: Andy wakes up as Marilyn Moretti – a talent agent visiting New York from the sunny state of LA! What’s more New York City than Broadway? Follow Andy as Marilyn as they explore a historic and somber day in the city and figure out what the mission of the day is.

Chapter Two: Charlie: Every day Andy wakes up as a different person and looks to save someone within 24 hours. What happens though when Andy wakes up as Charlie – an elderly man confined to a bed? How is Andy supposed to complete their mission if they can’t get out of bed? 

Chapter Three: Cooper: We all want to be kids again, but being an 11-year-old isn’t really ideal when you’re trying to save the day! Andy wakes up as Cooper – who tries to help a single mother from making a big mistake. It’s hard being taken seriously as a kid, but Andy’s gonna try in chapter three!

Chapter Four: Edgar: Andy gets to meet someone from their past when they wake up in the body of Edgar Murietta – a family man who enjoys his daily work. Andy gets the opportunity to save a guardian angel and help renew the spirit of giving. 

Say hello to Andy. Or better yet, experience the cultural melting pot of the infamous Empire State through Andy’s eyes in our new anthology series: Key to the City. 

 

“Making Markum” Will Satisfy Your Itch for a Rule-Breaking, Amoral Anti-Hero2024-03-18T07:42:46-04:00

“Making Markum” Will Satisfy Your Itch for a Rule-Breaking, Amoral Anti-Hero

What do you get when you combine a protagonist with questionable morals with Italian crime bosses and one bloody good time? The world of Making Markum. 

Who is Markum? Is he a hero? Hitman? All we know is the crime world isn’t as black and white as it seems.

What does Markum have in common with The Punisher & John Wick? They all know how to expertly handle a gun.

Who doesn’t love a good anti-hero? A character who does the right thing (whatever that means), and refuses to color between the lines. Meet our hitman hero and Boogeyman of the underground world: Markum. 

If you’ve seen his face, you’re probably dead. If you’re looking for a page-turner that isn’t afraid to get its hands dirty, you’ll be instantly drawn into this world. 

The 86-page graphic novel was brought to life by an insanely talented writer, Mark Kauffman, and illustrated by Gregory Scott. For more on the brilliant mind of Mark Kauffman, check out our Spotlight Series – where one of our own, Kelly Kantrowitz, got to sit down and pick his brain. 

With an evocative plotline that’ll give you Sin City vibes, Making Markum is all about a vigilante looking for trouble & to make a quick buck. Mark your calendars, as it’ll be released right here on Rogue Matter on January 13th, 2021. 

OH, and we promise, you won’t even want to come up for air.

Meet Rogue Wav’s Extraordinary Host, Michael Dolce!2024-03-18T06:14:48-04:00

Meet Rogue Wav’s Extraordinary Host, Michael Dolce!

In 2020, there are so many podcasts to listen to out there. Podcasts designed for any niche that you can think of. With such a wide array of options, it’s hard to choose which one to tune into.

This is the challenge that every podcaster faces, but Michael Dolce knows that he has something special with Rogue Wav. The host of Rogue Matter’s flagship podcast, Dolce comes from a long background of being an on-air personality. And, he was kind enough to sit down to answer some of the burning questions I had for him.

Continue reading to learn more about why Rogue Wav is the podcast you need to listen to on a weekly basis:

What is Rogue Wav? How did it start and what sets it apart from other podcasts?

Rogue Wav is the flagship podcast for the Rogue Matter podcast network. We talk comics movies TV and pop culture every Wednesday at 8 PM Eastern debuting on Facebook first. After that, it’s available on all major podcasting apps including Apple podcast Spotify speaker and more.

My cohost Hassan Godwin and I started a podcast called Secrets of the Sire four years ago based out of a New York City radio station and it grew from there to the point where we were brought over Rogue Matter to host their flagship podcast. I always like to say I bring the sports radio feel to pop culture,  something that I don’t think you can necessarily find anywhere else. And as the higher ups from Rogue Matter likes to say that there is no one more rogue than Hassan and I – basically taking a show, starting it from scratch and developing it into something where celebrities like Kevin Bacon, Paul Reiser, Christy Carlson Romano, Jackie the Joke Man, Chris Cornell, Billy Corgan and more would want to come on and participate. Either way, we make sure to bring you a unique perspective on all things people love to talk about.

How did you begin your career as a podcaster and what made you want to become one?

To be honest, and I do consider this a fun question LOL, I started it because I was prolific Comic book Creator in the 2000s, First, starting at Wizard magazine in the early 2000s, before releasing my flagship creator-owned superhero book The Sire in 2006. From there I did work with companies like Zenescope and Image Comics, releasing my first creator-owned Image book, Descendant, in 2009. After doing a couple of Kickstarter books, I found that my network has dried up and I need a way to reignite myself within the industry. So in 2015, I left my full-time job and decided to use the podcast to help put myself back into the industry that I love. I just didn’t realize it would take off to the level that it has. So in a way, very accidental, but I love it. I was in a band in the 2000s as well, so I love performing. So I get to scratch both a creative and a performance itch at the same time doing podcasts.

Stepping away from a stable nine to five job is always difficult, especially when the future from there is unknown. It’s one of the many reasons we love having Dolce representing Rogue Matter. Here’s a man who knew that he needed to break away from the societal norm in order to pursue his passions and honestly, he’s damn talented.

Now, the background information was great, but we wanted to ask Dolce some really fun questions, which you can find the answers to below:

If a movie were to be made of your career, what would it be called?

The accidental truth ha, ha.

What’s the career highlight you’re most proud of?

This one’s easy. It was summer 2009, and my Image book, Descendant, had just been released. Image was celebrating Image United, where all the original seven creators who started the company were doing signings together at different conventions. At San Diego ComiCon, I ended up signing copies of my debut issue at the Image booth next to the seven creators who inspired me to break into comics, to begin with. I cannot name a single greater highlight than that. A close second would be when I released my first comic book, The Sire and a guy came up to me with an unsigned copy. At that point, it was the first book I’d ever had in stores, and previously anything I had released was only available at ComiCons. So I assumed I had just forgotten to sign his issue. But he told me, “no, you’re on my list of people I wanted to meet. I bought this in a store and I brought this specifically for you to sign”.

How would your 10-year-old self react to what you do now?

Considering Podcasts didn’t exist back then, I think he’d be a little confused, haha. But no, I’ve been working for myself for the past five years, and ultimately allowed to just wake up every morning and be creative on my own terms every day since then. So I think he’d be pretty happy with that. I’m basically doing what I set out to do with my life, just not the way I ever thought possible.

What’s the worst career advice you’ve ever received?

I don’t know. That’s a good question. Because I’ve gotten advice, but at the time I received it, it just wasn’t the right time for me to hear it. I’ve been told I need an editor, and at the time I kind of laughed and said no, I know what I’m doing. But then a few years later I reread some of that stuff and I say, yeah I guess I did need an editor. Or, new technology or a social media platform is coming out, I should jump on that, and at the time I’d say I don’t need that, I know what I’m doing. But a few years go by and I go, you know what, that was pretty good advice. So all advice has some merit at some point. It just doesn’t always line up with where you are in life. 

Who do you admire most in the world? Why?

I have my risk-takers, the people that refused to stay in the box. There are several creative’s that I love, Erik Larson, David Lapham, but ultimately anyone that does something daring.

Describe your personality using three words

Everyone gets along.

Which famous person in history would you want to spend the day with?

Anyone that could tell me if UFOs are real or not, ha ha.

No, but I’m a big music guy, so I’ll go John Lennon. That guy was a true rogue and creative genius. But also very down to earth and practical. That would be a fun lunch.

And, finally, the MOST important question of all:

Was Thanos right?

Nah. He’s the bad guy 😁👍.

Whew! Thank God Dolce gave that answer or else we would have to call the Avengers. Hopefully, you have gathered a well-rounded idea of who Dolce is and what he looks to achieve with Rogue Wav. If you are still curious, well; there’s only one thing left for you to do. Tune into Rogue Wav weekly and see why Dolce stands out from the rest. 

Fall Release Sneak Peek: Making Markum2021-09-22T12:42:54-04:00

Fall Release Sneak Peek: Making Markum

Forged by pain and hardship, Making Markum is the story that explains the genesis of the world’s most feared assassin. The journey to the planet’s most exclusive spots and elusive people starts in dark and dirty alleys of a city where a young man fights for food… and on another level, his life. In this case, it’s not a question of whether greatness is born or made — it’s both.

 

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