Imaginary Worlds sounds like what would happen if NPR went to Comic-Con and decided that’s all they ever wanted to cover. The host Eric Molinsky spent over a decade working in public radio, and he uses those skills to create sound-rich storytelling, pop culture analysis and cultural commentary about speculative fiction and immersive worldbuilding. Eric interviews sci-fi fantasy writers, comic book artists, creature makeup designers, video game and tabletop game designers, historians and anyone who works in the field of make-believe about their creative process. He also delves into fandoms, asking why we suspend our disbelief and what happens if the spell is broken. Fantasy worlds may be set on distant planets or parallel dimensions, but they are crafted here on Earth and they’re always about us and our lived experiences. The show's assistant producer is Stephanie Billman. 

Imaginary Worlds is a Gold Winner for Best Arts & Culture podcast in the Signal Awards, and received an Ambie Award nomination for Best Indie Podcast. The show has been written about in The Guardian, Vulture, Wired, Business Insider, iO9, The Verge, The Christian Science Monitor, Book Riot , Pod Bible, Mashable, PC Magazine, and City AM. Episodes of Imaginary Worlds have been featured on the podcasts 99% Invisible, Twenty Thousand Hertz, Decoder Ring, Cautionary Tales, Science Friday, and The Allusionist. 

If you're not sure where to start, just input your favorite SFF subject in the search bar and see what pops up. Each episode has multiple tags, although the search bar is case sensitive in terms of proper names and titles. 

Before creating Imaginary Worlds in 2014, Eric spent 10 years working primarily with the arts and culture show Studio 360 from PRI. He also produced and reported stories for Morning Edition and All Things Considered on WNYC and NPR, Marketplace, The New Yorker Radio Hour, 99% Invisible, Radio Diaries, KCRW's UnFictional and the audio drama podcast The Truth. His works in public radio have won a Gracie Award, an AP Broadcast Award, a Los Angeles Press Club Award, and an Edward R. Murrow Award. 

Here are some examples of pieces he produced for other shows. 

Eric also used to sketch New Yorkers on the subway using an iPhone.