Love Thy Nerd

1961: Fantastic Four (The Fantastic Four #1)​ Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s “The Fantastic Four #1” hit the stands on August 8, 1961, introducing the world to Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and The Thing. This comic is often credited with launching the Marvel Age of Comics, bringing a new level of complexity and realism to superhero storytelling.

This is the ninth part of a series examining the 12 Steps of Recovery through the lens of nerd culture, all of which will be collected as part of our Mental Health resource. Step 5 of Recovery | We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. There is something strangely comforting about a mask. A mask lets us decide what people see. It lets us hide the parts of ourselves we are ashamed of, afraid of, or not ready to explain.

1992: 3 Ninjas (Theaters) “3 Ninjas” follows the story of brothers Rocky, Colt, and Tum-Tum, who use their martial arts skills to thwart a gang of criminals and save their family. The film blends comedy, action, and family dynamics, making it a hit among young audiences. Nerdy Facts: Ninja Brothers: The three brothers’ real names are Samuel (Rocky), Jeffrey (Colt), and Michael (Tum-Tum).

7 This is what the Lord God showed me: behold, he was forming locusts when the latter growth was just beginning to sprout, and behold, it was the latter growth after the king’s mowings. 2 When they had finished eating the grass of the land, I said, “O Lord God, please forgive! How can Jacob stand? He is so small!” 3 The Lord relented concerning this: “It shall not be,” said the Lord.

2021: The Suicide Squad (Theaters) James Gunn’s “The Suicide Squad” hit theaters on August 6, 2021, bringing a fresh and chaotic energy to the DC Extended Universe. The film follows a team of supervillains forced to undertake a dangerous mission in exchange for reduced sentences, blending dark humor, action, and heart.

4 “Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to your husbands, ‘Bring, that we may drink!’ 2 The Lord God has sworn by his holiness that, behold, the days are coming upon you, when they shall take you away with hooks, even the last of you with fishhooks. 3 And you shall go out through the breaches, each one straight ahead; and you shall be cast out into Harmon,” declares the Lord.

Episode Hosts Hector is the co-host of the Pull List Podcast for Love Thy Nerd. He is a semi overzealous geek about most things, but to the core is a big fan of a good story. He is the primary writer behind the book series "Faith & Fandom" and travels to dozens of comicons throughout the year with the books. He is married to a medical nerd named Danyelle and has helped co-create 3 small humans with her that resemble him in appearance and passions.

1 The words of Amos, who was among the shepherds of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.

2022: The Sandman (Netflix) “The Sandman,” based on Neil Gaiman’s acclaimed comic book series, premiered on Netflix on August 5, 2022. The show follows Dream, also known as Morpheus, as he navigates the world of dreams and reality, bringing Gaiman’s complex and fantastical universe to the screen. Nerdy Facts: Long-Awaited Adaptation: Fans had been anticipating an adaptation of “The Sandman” for years.

Taking a look inside the packaging of one of 2026’s most anticipated games The hobby of board gaming is an interesting one. At the heart of the hobby you will find a community of people who enjoy gathering together to compete, play and socialize around the table. The games purchased are directly connected to the central goal of playing with friends, both new and old. Yet, there is another side to the hobby that is equally important to a portion of the community.