Brian Schroeder.

📚🧚 INDIE BOOKSTORE DAY 2026 💚🎼 Saturday April 25 KID’S PROGRAMMING ALL DAY LONG 2PM: STORYTIME WITH BRIAN SCHROEDER Nashville native and co-owner of Fairytales Bookstore We’re excited to have @schroedafly ’s loud theatre kid energy back on display for our 2pm storytime, one of several storytimes and other kids’ programming throughout the day on Indie Bookstore Day! Join us as we celebrate National Independent Bookstore Day on Saturday, April 25! We have storytimes and musical programming, crafts, and vendors all day long for your whole family so you can celebrate to all things indie, all things books, and all things fun! We’re bringing together booksellers, teachers, librarians, and musicians to celebrate the Kids’ Literacy Community of East Nashville! ALL DAY — Events and storytimes on the hour! — Free arts and crafts table for the kids! — Free giveaways and prizes, including Hootenanny board games, books, and a FULL YEAR of audiobooks from Libro.fm — Vendors for baked goods and dirty sodas — 1-3pm: Face painting (pay what you can!) EVENT SCHEDULE 10:00am — MUSICAL BRIDGES MUSIC THERAPY INTERACTIVE MUSIC CLASS An Interactive Musical Program you don’t want to miss! 11:00pm — TEACHER STORYTIME with Ms. Roeder from Dan Mills 12:00 Noon MUSICAL STORYTIME with Kelly Byrd, Fairytales Owner, and Alissa Lindemann, Local Musician/Writer 1:00pm LIBRARY STORYTIME with Lisa from NPL Madison 1:00pm-3pm FACE PAINTING (Pay what you can) with Betty Marsch 2:00pm STAFF STORYTIME with Brian Schroeder, Fairytales Co-Owner 3:00pm STAFF STORYTIME with Liz Clark, Fairytales Bookseller 4:00pm LIBRARIAN STORYTIME with Ms. Funk from ESN We are so excited to celebrate literacy, independent bookstores, Fairytales, and our talented Nashville community with all of you! #kids #eastnashville #nashvillekids #kidfriendlynashville

My most-read comic book writers of 2025. 1. Jack Kirby 2. Jonathan Hickman 3. Gerry Duggan — @digduggan 4. Benjamin Percy — @benjamin.percy 5. Kieron Gillen — @kierongillen 6. Anthony Oliveira — @meakoopa 7. Steve Foxe — steve_foxe 8. Chip Zdarsky 9. Al Ewing 10. Deniz Camp — @denizcampcomics Continuing the experiment of tracking creators I read the most from, it’s interesting to see what lines up between the artists and writers and what changes. Again, the majority of these writers — Duggan, Percy, Gillen, Foxe, and Ewing — helped bring the Krakoa era of the X-Men to a close with phenomenal work that I really loved. My first venture into Jack Kirby’s Fourth World dominated my reading as well, his first big dive into both drawing and scripting his work that has been so influential for decades. Hickman and Camp were highlights for their reimagining work both with that same X-Men era but also with the new Ultimate Universe titles. Anthony Olivieira’s work across the Marvel Voices Infinity comics was a huge breath of fresh air for characters who were mostly brand new to me but really made me fall in love with them. And Chip Zdarsky’s work on both Batman and Public Domain, which he also drew, kept me riveted.

My most-read comic book artists of 2025. 1. Jack Kirby 2. R.B Silva — @rbsilva_comics 3. Juan Frigeri — @juanmfrigeri 4. Chip Zdarsky 5. Stefano Caselli — @stefano_caselli_art 6. Peach Momoko — @peachmomoko60 7. Vincenzo Carratú — @vcarratu 8. Valerio Schiti — @valerio_schiti 9. Carlos Gomez — @carlosgomezartist 10. Mitch Gerads — @mitchgerads I thought it would be interesting this year to track my reading to make a list of my most-read comic book creators, both artists and writers. My reading was dominated by a few major things: catching up on the X-Men’s Krakoa era, the new Marvel Ultimate Universe, and the Fourth World by Jack Kirby. There was such a vibrant fun modern energy to the artists who gave to the X-Men’s climactic storyline—R.B. Silva, Juan Frigeri, Vincenzo Carratú, and Carlos Gomez the most prolific for my reading—that lent to the epic scale of such a fast-paced story. The Ultimate Universe allowed artists to lean into their styles and shine: Juan Frigeri (again), Stefano Caselli, and Peach Momoko developed bold visuals that dropped us into the rich new worlds being developed in the micro-line. But more than all those artists, my first dive into Jack Kirby’s Fourth World for DC Comics dominated my reading this year, a visual feast designing a full mythos of characters and concepts that have changed DC comics to this day. Rolling out of that, I couldn’t help but return to a favorite follow-up, Mister Miracle, beautifully translating trauma and mental illness into vidual superhero storytelling by Mitch Gerads. Reading Fourth World also led me to take up Chip Zdarsky’s Public Domain, with such a clean beautiful style that expresses human emotion and humor so perfectly, as well as the beautiful fantastical work of Valerio Schiti diving into a similar cosmic storytelling in Marvel’s G.O.D.S.

My favorite movies released in 2025. 1. Sinners (Ryan Coogler, w. d.) 2. Wake Up, Dead Man (Rian Johnson, w. d.) 3. One Battle After Another (Paul Thomas Anderson, w. d.) 4. Superman (James Gunn, w. d.) 5. Friendship (Andrew DeYoung, w. d.) 6. Frankenstein (Guillermo del Toro, w. d.) 7. Griffin in Summer (Nicholas Colia, w. d.) 8. One of Them Days (Lawrence Lamont, d.; Syreeta Singleton, w.) 9. Thunderbolts* (Jake Schreier, d.; Eric Pearson & Joanna Calo, w.) 10. Avatar: Fire & Ash (James Cameron, w. d.) This year was an incredible year for film, and I don’t pretend to have seen everything others have labeled the best of the year.* To avoid spoilers and talking in circles, I’ll speak to theme. For me, the year presented timely stories of what happens when our desire outpaces goodness, when the horrors brought by our own ambition reveal our own limitations — and how our reaction to these limitation reveal true character. Stories of race, religion, and economic and political power being used to justify atrocities, and the toll it can take on those who dare fight back. The monsters that emerge from our attempts to prove our worth can wreak a great deal of havoc, but the creations are never as monstrous as the creators themselves. Our jealousy, shame, and hatred can overtake us, particularly when we isolate ourselves. Even the most powerful among us need help, and the bonds we hold are more important than any opportunity. Sometimes it’s as small as trying to make rent or put on a play, and sometimes it’s as big as facing supernatural creatures or saving the world. But at any level, we need each other to keep ourselves from losing sight of our humanity. We can become our own monsters, and it is only by leaning on our communities and friends that we can keep ourselves from devolving into our worst selves and remember what it really means to be who we are. * No, I didn’t see Marty Supreme — but from everything I’ve heard it fits right in with this list.

My favorite TV dramas* of 2025. 1. Andor 2. Pluribus 3. Severance 4. Fionna & Cake 5. I Love L.A. 6. The Bear 7. White Lotus 8. Pokerface 9. The Traitors 10. Your Friends & Neighbors The thrilling espionage epic that is “Andor” was one of the highest achievements of television I have ever seen, and it somehow did this without being sanitized despite being one of the biggest franchises in the world. “Pluribus” and “Severance” grounded some high sci-fi concepts with a remarkable humanity considering some of the unhuman things the actors were asked to embody. “Fionna & Cake” was a joy of animated fantasy exploring new mythologies and deeply emotional character journeys that I could not get enough of — even without having watched “Adventure Time.” “I Love L.A.,” “The Bear,” “White Lotus,” “Poker Face”, and “Your Friends & Neighbors” all delivered compelling, flawed characters hungry for success and willing to go to great, often dangerous lengths to get or keep it. They dove deep into the mental, social, and professional devastation that can come from that pursuit and the psychology at its core. And the U.S. version of “The Traitors” does the same with an odd mix of Bravo housewives, Survivor contestants, and celebrity siblings playing the highest-budget game of Mafia/Werewolf ever seen, all ring-led by Alan Cumming in the role of his life. * Lines between drama and comedy are thinner than ever, but for me the distinction comes down to my own emotional journey with the characters … and just vibes, man.

My favorite TV comedies of 2025. 1. The Rehearsal 2. The Chair Company 3. Everybody’s Live 4. Demi Adejuyigbe is Going to Do One (1) Backflip 5. Game Changer 6. Righteous Gemstones 7. Very Important People 8. Taskmaster 9. English Teacher 10. Adults This was a great year for comedy, both scripted and unscripted. (And those shows that fell in the confusing middle) “The Rehearsal” and “The Chair Company” continued their creators’ Lynchian prying open of our daily lives until the absurdity left me slack-jawed and losing my mind. “Everybody’s Live” with John Mulaney was such a good, weird hang harkening back to the off-beat talk shows of the 90s. Demi Adejuyigbe’s one-man show is the only special on my list and it absolutely deserved it, the perfect blend of absurdity, pop culture, and existential crisis that I live my life trying to attain. Dropout’s improvised shows had me hooked with “Game Changer” and “Very Important People” in particular continuing to top themselves season after season. “Taskmaster” also fulfilled the same crazy itch that “Game Changer” does, just (mostly) with a British accent: comedians competing in absurd trials that nearly drive them to insanity. And more traditional (-ish) scripted comedies also had their place; the final seasons of “Righteous Gemstones” and “English Teacher” both kept the quality as high as ever, while newcomer “Adults” scratched an itch that only the lovechild of my beloved “Broad City” and “Happy Endings” could scratch.

My favorite podcasts of 2025. 1. Worlds Beyond Number 2. Off Panel by SKTCHD 3. Ideas Don’t Bleed 4. The Kibitz / Cerebro 5. Ranger Danger 6. The Weekly Planet 7. StanLand 8. House of R / The Ringer-Verse 9. Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men 10. The Weekly Show / The Ezra Klein Show Nerdy pop culture content ruled the day this year like every year. Narrative podcasts jumped into my top favorites this year — “Worlds Beyond Number” had some of the most satisfying storylines in any media this year, while “StanLand” was a scripted series that played on the corporatization of our childhood whimsy. Comics of course remain my greatest source of childhood whimsy, which is why comic creator interview shows like “Off Panel by SKTCHD” and “Ideas Don’t Bleed” stayed some of my favorite listens. “Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men” and “Cerebro” delved deep into the X-Men comics, while “Cerebro”’s sister show “The Kibitz” brought me all the pop culture news and gossip I needed. “Ranger Danger,” a watch-along podcast of Power Rangers and Tokusatsu media engaged the campy content with a similar fascination, earnestness, whimsy, and criticism as I do. “The Weekly Planet” and The Ringer network’s sister shows “House of R” and “The Ringer-Verse” did a great job as fans and critics engaging nerd media and news. And on the more serious news front, Jon Stewart and Ezra Klein’s shows felt like a single force that, at their best, kept me grounded and sane with interviews that investigated the macro level of so much going on in our world, our country, our economy, and technology.

My most listened-to songs of 2025. 1. “TV Off” by Kendrick Lamar 2. “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar 3. “Spring Breakers” by Charli xcx featuring Kesha 4. “Squabble Up” by Kendrick Lamar 5. “Beach House” by Carly Rae Jepsen 6. “To Live And Die In L.A.” by Wang Chung 7. “Diet Pepsi (Live)” by Ben Platt 8. “Save It For Later” by Eddie Vedder 9. “Got to Be” by Childish Gambino 10. “Big Guy” by Ice Spice I contain multitudes, and they span the chasm between Kendrick Lamar and Ben Platt. Pop songs and rap anthems I could put on and jam out to on repeat really won out this year — I could measure drives in how many “Beach Houses” it took to get there. Eddie Vedder and Wang Chung let me relive some of my favorite TV of the year (more on that later), while Ben Platt’s silly earnest cover of Addison Rae really did something for the musical theatre kid inside me.

My most listened-to musical artists of 2025. 1. Kendrick Lamar 2. Dave Matthews Band 3. charli xcx 4. CHVRCHES 5. Sufjan Stevens 6. Childish Gambino 7. Beyoncé 8. Carly Rae Jepsen 9. The Decemberists 10. Frank Ocean There are no surprises here if you know me — all of these have been mainstays for the past several years. The most recent additions to the rotation are charli xcx and Carly Rae Jepsen, whose pop sensibilities have really won me over the last few years. But otherwise, it’s me: the artistic thoughtful hip-hop, the aughts-indie rock, the genre-spanning R&B, and, well, Dave. Always Dave.

December 2025.

November 2025.

October 2025.