New Podcast Coming Soon!

Another month rolls by and we still haven't released a podcast? It's a good thing we have such loyal listeners, otherwise everyone would've switched over to the Ceiling Fan by now. However, we do have a podcast coming up this Saturday, so stay tuned to hear the results of our Ultimate Odyssey Fan Contest!

In other news, we have a new album cover to dissect and analyze - this time it's a new look for Album 31: Days to Remember. Of all the repacks they've done thus far, this one tops the list for me. Perhaps it's the simplicity of the cover or maybe it's the fact that Whit is wearing a Santa hat. Either way, this redesign marks the first time they've chosen to represent a variety of episodes rather than simply illustrating just one episode. I hope they choose to go this route for the remainder of the yet-to-be-designed repacks.



I'll admit I actually liked the original cover, mainly since it depicted It's a Pokenberry Christmas - one of my personal favorites. However, this cover more than makes up for it, as it portrays half of the entire album with this one photo. My only question is why they chose to include Marvin in this photo, as his character hadn't been introduced yet. It's worth noting that these are the four characters on the playing pieces for the Answer That! DVD game.

And is it just me, or does it look like Eugene is wearing goggles? ;)

Odyssey Repack Update

Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you all had a safe and healthy holiday.

It's been a while since we've had any major Odyssey news, so the updated cover art for Album 22: The Changing Times couldn't have come at a better time. As always, the new cover is a rather large departure from the original - and while I enjoy Gary Locke's style over that of the previous artist, I'm somewhat disappointed with the episode they chose to illustrate. I've always enjoyed Blackbeard's Treasure, but I never felt it was one of the "key" episodes from the album. It would've been interesting to see a depiction of the debate from Tom for Mayor or perhaps a scene from A Name, Not a Number. The only saving grace from the new cover art is the little tuft of hair on young John Avery's head. Haha.



Other random noteworthy tidbits to pass along:

* There are 460 Odyssey episodes available on iTunes
* We reached the 400 subscribers plateau last month.
* Tyndale has posted a promo video for the Novacom Boxed Set

We received sixteen entries for the Ultimate AIO Fan Contest - I was rather impressed with the diverse collections and unique displays. Sarah and I will be reviewing them over the next week and announcing the winner hopefully next weekend. Stay tuned!

Happy New Year!

To everyone on the east coast - Happy New Year! Many thanks to everyone who's submitted an entry in our Odyssey fan contest. For those who haven't sent one in - there's still time because we're extending the deadline for another week! You have until January 7th at 11:59 pm Eastern. But don't delay - no entries will be accepted after this date.

The Ultimate Odyssey Fan Contest

The Task
Show off your Odyssey collection to the world! Any AIO-related item is acceptable and you're welcome to arrange your collection in whichever way you'd like. The key to this contest is originality. Just because you may have the largest collection in the world doesn't mean you're automatically going to win. Conversely, even if you only have only a handful of Odyssey items, you still have a shot if you demonstrate some creativity. Photoshopping is permitted within reason - we want to see your collection, not a bunch of random photo effects. Once you've snapped your photo, email it as an attachment to aiofanpodcast@hotmail.com. Sarah and I will select the winner in early January.

The Prize
What's the incentive, you ask? First and foremost - bragging rights! Oh, and you'll also receive a free copy of The Truth Chronicles.

The Deadline
You have until December 31, 2008 at 11:59 pm Eastern to submit your photo. So stop twiddling your thumbs and get to work!

Unofficial Podcast Ep. 50

12.17.08. It's our fiftieth podcast and we couldn't have reached this milestone at a better time! In this episode, we read more of your letters, talk with Josh Shepherd from Focus' marketing team, and announce the Christmas contest. More details to follow later this afternoon. Merry Christmas, everyone!

Right-click and save here to download.

Running Time: 55:16

Unofficial Podcast Ep. 49

12.13.08. Seven weeks later and we're still alive... barely! Just a shorty this time, but we'll have a longer podcast for you guys on Wednesday. We hope you all are enjoying your Christmas holiday!

Right-click and save here to download.

Running Time: 6:25

Upcoming Contest

Yes, I know we're rather behind on our podcasts... due to scheduling conflicts and unforeseen technical difficulties, we've had some minor setbacks. But rest assured that we will be delivering two podcasts as promised. Thanks for your patience!

While there isn't much Odyssey-related news to report, it's worth noting that Focus on the Family Radio Theatre will be producing an adaption of C.S. Lewis' Screwtape Letters. In fact, Dave Arnold - executive producer for the show - is currently in London working on the project. Andy Serkis, voice of Gollum in The Lord of the Rings, will be lending his talent to play the role of the senior demon, Screwtape. As a longtime fan of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, I'm definitely excited about this latest announcement. Anyone else?

Oh... and one more thing. We'll be running a Christmas contest starting next Wednesday. Stay tuned for more details!

Adventures in Odyssey iPod Giveaway

I knew there was an advantage to being American.



Focus on the Family's Twelve Days of Christmas returns this month, as they are giving away three iPods each day from December 1-12. Each iPod is loaded with all sixteen Gold Audio albums, making for an extremely valuable prize. If you haven't entered already, I'd encourage you to check it out before it's too late!

Latest News

I heard a rumor that today was a U.S. national holiday?

Not too much to report on the Odyssey news front except for the latest Official Podcast which aired last week. Definitely check it out if you haven't seen it yet. It includes interviews with families who attend the birthday bash in August, a scene from an Indian adaption of "Mike Makes Right," and a clip from the live show! I was thrilled that they used the Powerboy scene with Wooton since that was one of the funniest moment in the entire show... who knew Nate Jones was so talented?

As we inch closer towards Christmas, one item in which you might be interested is Answer That! Adventures in Odyssey Edition, the DVD trivia game that originally released in late 2007. You can read my review or Sarah's review... or you can play two sample rounds of the game here.

In response to those of you who have asked us about our next podcast, I regret to inform you all that there will not be a podcast this month. Other priorities such as school and work have consumed most of our time, so we haven't been able to record as frequently as we would've preferred. However, we'll be making up for our negligence with two podcasts in December. We hope you'll stay tuned! In the meanwhile, go check out another totally awesome podcast.

Novacom Boxed Set: Full Details

Back in early October, I posted the artwork for what appeared to be the final cover for the 10-CD Novacom boxed set. We now have the real final artwork! This set will be sold with a cover sleeve highlighting the bonus features.



Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the boxed set will be the tenth disc, a one-hour behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the Novacom saga. This disc will feature interviews with cast and crew members such as Katie Leigh, Steve Burns, Jess Harnell, Marshal Younger, Paul McCusker, Rob Jorgensen, Kathy Buchanan, and many more. The bonus disc also includes a five-minute video feature of the actors recording "Exit," although this may be the same clip they aired in the Official Podcast's first video podcast.



Adventures in Odyssey: Novacom Saga will be available in April 2009 for $30-$40. While it's an amazing price for the fan who doesn't own any of the Novacom episodes, the value is definitely lessened for those who've already completed their collection. Still, the boxed set just might be worth getting for the bonus disc alone. What say you?