Today we talk about Todd Rice, best known as Obsidian, who after discovering he had a twin who ALSO had super powers, became a member of Infinity, Inc. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - All-Star Squadron (1981) #25 -27 - Infinity, Inc. (1984) - Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985) - Millennium (1988) - JSA (1999) #7 -9 - JSA (1999) #46 -54 - Manhunter (2004) #18 -20 - Justice League of America (2006) #43 -48; 56-59 - Justice Society of America (2007) - Brightest Day (2010) #7 - Convergence: ...
Feb 07, 2023•55 min•Ep. 265
Today we talk about Artemis Crock, who initially was a villain who simply went by Artemis, before she decided to take up her mom's moniker of Tigress. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Infinity, Inc. (1984) #34 -36; 51-53 - Young Justice (1998) #23-25 - JSA (1999) #10 ; #16 -17 - Hawkman (2002) #1 -4 - JSA: Classified (2005) #5 -7 - JSA All-Stars (2010) - Young Justice cartoon - Teen Titans Annual (2012) #1 - Robin (2021) - Thunderbolts (2022) Thanks to Victoria Watkins for our icon! Sup...
Jan 31, 2023•48 min•Ep. 264
Today we talk about Albert Rothstein, a very tall boy who can get even taller, who used to go by Nuklon (on account of the radiation) but later called himself Atom Smasher (on account of... smashing? atoms?) Today's mentioned & relevant media: - All-Star Squadron (1981) #25 - Infinity, Inc. (1984) - Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985) reading order - Millennium (1987) reading order - Kingdom Come (1996) - JSA (1999) - 52 (2006) - Black Adam: The Dark Age (2007) #5 - The Justice Society of Ameri...
Jan 24, 2023•53 min•Ep. 263
Today we talk about several characters who have gone by Wildcat: Ted Grant, Tom Bronson, and Yolanda Montez. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Sensation Comics (1942) - All-Star Comics (1941) #71 - Infinity Inc. (1984) #12 - Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985) reading order - Millennium (1987) reading order - Catwoman (1988) - Eclipso (1992) - Batman/Wildcat (1997) - JSA Returns (1999) - JSA (1999) - JSA: Classified (2005) - Birds of Prey (1998) #81 - Justice Society of America (2006) - 52 ...
Jan 17, 2023•44 min•Ep. 262
Today we talk about Betsy Braddock, who has been both Psylocke and Captain Britain. We also talk about Kwannon because, well, how could we not. Note: Around the 30 minute mark Briar's microphone started having some... issues. Sorry. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Captain Britain (1976) #8 - Captain Britain (1985) - New Mutants Annual (1984) #2 - Uncanny X-Men (1963) #213 - X-Men (1991) - Excalibur (1988) #55 -56 - X-Men Annual (1991) #2 - X-Treme X-Men (2001) #2 - Uncanny X-Men (1963)...
Jan 10, 2023•49 min•Ep. 261
Today we talk about Warren Worthington III, also known as Angel (and several variations thereof). He's one of the original X-Men and also a very rich white man with wings. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - X-Men (1963) - Champions (1975) - X-Factor (1986) - X-Men (1991) #29 - Archangel (1996) - X-Men: The Hidden Years (1999) - Hulk (1999) #106 -107 - Angel: Revelations (2008) - X-Force (2008) #3 -7 - X-Men: Second Coming (2010) - Uncanny X-Force (2010) - All-New X-Men (2012) - All-New X-...
Jan 03, 2023•Ep. 260
Today we talk about David Haller, also known as Legion, who is a very powerful psychic with what would currently be diagnosed as Dissociative Identity Disorder, but since he's a comics character created in the 1980's it's... not handled great. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - New Mutants (1983) #25 -28, 44 - Uncanny X-Men (1963) #278 -280 - X-Factor (1986) #69 -70 - X-Men: Age of Apocalypse (1995) - New Mutants (2009) - X-Men Legacy (2008) #244 -253 - X-Men Legacy (2012) - Legion (2018)...
Dec 27, 2022•54 min•Ep. 259
Today we talk about Charles Xavier, also known as Professor X, the most-often leader of the X-Men and a man with... questionable ethics. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - X-Men (1963) - Giant-Size X-Men (1975) #1 - Bizarre Adventures (1981) #27 - The New Mutants Marvel Graphic Novel (1982) - New Mutants (1983) - X-Men: Spotlight on Starjammers (1990) - X-Men (1991) - X-Treme X-Men (2001) - New X-Men (2001) #114 - Astonishing X-Men (2004) - Excalibur (2004) #14 - X-Men: Deadly Genesis (20...
Dec 20, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 258
Today we talk about Herbert Edgar Wyndham, best known as the High Evolutionary, a guy whose whole thing is just ethics violations and making animals and people """more evolved""" while wearing a silver exoskeleton. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Thor (1966) #134 -135 - Tales to Astonish (1959) #94 -96 - Marvel Premiere (1972) #1 -2 - Warlock (1972) - Fantastic Four (1961) #172 -175 - Avengers (1963) #186 - Marvel Two-in-One (1974) #61 -63 - Incredible Hulk (1962) #266 - Evolutionary W...
Dec 13, 2022•48 min•Ep. 257
Today we talk about Michael Moran, who has a bit of a convoluted publishing history, but is recently back in the saddle as Miracleman. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Marvelman (1954) Mick Anglo - Marvelman's Family Finest (2010 collection) - Young Marvelman Classic (2011 collection) - Miracleman (2014 reprint) Alan Moore - All-New Miracleman Annual (2014) #1 - Miracleman (2015 reprint) Neil Gaiman - Timeless (2021) #1 - Miracleman (2022) #0 - Miracleman (2022) - Guardians of the Galax...
Dec 06, 2022•52 min•Ep. 256
Today we talk about Boston Brand, best known as Deadman, who was an acrobat but then he died and became a ghost who helps to fight crime by possessing people. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Deadman Collection (1960's-1980's) - Deadman (1985) - Deadman (1986) - Deadman: Love After Death (1989) - Deadman: Exorcism (1992) - Deadman (2001) - Deadman: Dead Again (2001) - Deadman (2006) - Blackest Night (2009) & Brightest Day (2010) reading orders - Justice League Dark (2011) - Secret O...
Nov 29, 2022•48 min•Ep. 255
Today we talk about Madame Xanadu, who has also been known as Nimue Inwudu. She's a psychic and a magic user who frequently helps people solve supernatural problems. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Doorway to Nightmare (1978) - DC Comics Presents (1978) #65 - The Spectre (1987) - Suicide Squad (1987) #8 - Hellblazer (1988): The Devil You Know (contains Annual #1) - The War of the Gods (1991) - The Spectre (1992) - Day of Vengeance (2005) - Countdown (2007) #50 - Madame Xanadu (2008) - ...
Nov 22, 2022•46 min•Ep. 254
Today we talk about Vic Sage, best known as The Question, a guy who covers his face with fake skin who has followed wildly differing philosophies over his iterations, but over all of them he does a lot of violence. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Watchmen (1986) - Blue Beetle (1986) #5 -7 - The Question (1986) - L.A.W. Living Assault Weapons (1999) - Batman/Huntress: Cry for Blood (2000) - The Question (2005) - 52 (2006) - Blackest Night: Rise of the Black Lanterns (2010) - Justice Lea...
Nov 15, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 253
Today we talk about The Spectre, who, despite starting as the ghost of Jim Corrigan, has been several different human men possessed by the spirit of (the christian god's) holy vengeance, as well as a pretty literal deus ex machina. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Golden Age Spectre Archives vol. 1 - Showcase Presents: The Spectre - All-Star Comics Archives Collections - The Spectre (1967) - Wrath of the Spectre (1974) - Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985) reading order - The Spectre (1987...
Nov 08, 2022•58 min•Ep. 252
Today we talk about The Phantom Stranger, who has many possible identities and backstories, but he's been cursed, somehow, to walk the Earth and cryptically help solve problems without getting fully involved. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Phantom Stranger Omnibus - The Phantom Stranger (1969) - Justice League of America (1960) #103 - The Brave and the Bold (1955) #89 - Secret Origins (1986) #10 - The Phantom Stranger (1987) - The Books of Magic (1990) - Vertigo Visions: The Phantom S...
Nov 01, 2022•52 min•Ep. 251
Today we talk about Bizarro, who is usually a failed clone of Superman who always says and does the opposite of what he means. He's made his own Bizarro World, been a nuisance to multiple heroes, and joined Red Hood's Outlaws. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Superman in the Fifties (Includes Action Comics (1938) #254-255) - Showcase Presents: Superman vol. 2 (Includes Action Comics (1938) #263-264 and Superman (1939) #140) - Superman: Tales of Bizarro World (Adventure Comics (1938) #28...
Oct 25, 2022•49 min•Ep. 250
Today we talk about Starro, a big starfish-shaped creature from outer space who keeps trying to take over Earth. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - The Brave and the Bold (1955) #28 - Justice League of America (1960) #189 -190 - JLA (1996) #22 -23 - Teen Titans (2003) #51 -54 - Booster Gold (2007) #14 -15 - R.E.B.E.L.S. (2009) - Justice League: No Justice (2018) - Justice League (2018) #10 - Justice League (2018) #29 - Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands - Werewolf by Night on Disney+ Thank...
Oct 18, 2022•53 min•Ep. 249
Today we talk about Quentin Beck, best known as Mysterio, who is a guy with a lot of skills that make him very good at gaslighting Spider-Man, and Daredevil that one time. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #13 - Amazing Spider-Man Annual (1964) #1 - The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #24 - The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #66 -67 - The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #141 -142 - The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #198 -199 - Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) #50 ...
Oct 11, 2022•57 min•Ep. 248
Today we talk about Eclipso, who has gone from a scientist who accidentally became evil for a bit, to a manifestation of the Wrath of Christian God, to a powerful being from Gem World. He possesses people with black diamonds and anger. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - House of Secrets (1956) #61-80 - Eclipso: The Darkness Within (1992) reading order - Eclipso (1992) - Spectre (1992) #14 -18 - JSA (1999) #46 -52, 56-58, 73-75 - Action Comics (1938) #826 , Adventures of Superman (1987) #6...
Oct 04, 2022•51 min•Ep. 247
Today we talk about Abigail Brand, the morally-grey half-unknown alien-half-human mutant pyrokinetic commander of S.W.O.R.D. who is truly a woman of many mysteries. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Astonishing X-Men (2004) - Secret Invasion (2008) - Secret Invasion: Who Do You Trust? (2008) #1 - S.W.O.R.D. (2009) - Spider-Woman (2009) #1 - Uncanny X-Men (2011) #1 - Avengers vs X-Men: Consequences (2012) #4 - X-Men: Legacy (2012) #19 -#24 - Guardians of the Galaxy (2015) #8 - Captain Mar...
Sep 27, 2022•54 min•Ep. 246
Today we talk about the Bloodstone family, started by Ulysses Bloodstone who was an immortal monster hunter until he died and was succeeded by his daughter Elsa, who found her lost brother Cullen in another dimension, and then they discovered their sister Lyra! Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Marvel Presents (1975) #1 - #2 - Bloodstone (2001) - Marvel Monsters: From the Files of Ulysses Bloodstone & the Monster Hunters (2005) - Nextwave (2006) - Astonishing Tales: Boom Boom &am...
Sep 20, 2022•49 min•Ep. 245
Today we talk about Ted Sallis, most commonly known as Man-Thing, who accidentally super soldier serum-ed himself into becoming a magic swamp creature. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Song for Ted Sallis by The Mountain Goats - Savage Tales (1971) #1 - Adventure into Fear (1970) #10 - Man-Thing (1974) - Giant-Size Man-Thing (1974) - Man-Thing (1979) - Infernal Man Thing (2012) - Man-Thing (2017) - R.L. Stine Man-Thing (2017) panels - Curse of the Man-Thing (2021) - Briar's diagram on D...
Sep 13, 2022•52 min•Ep. 244
Today we talk about Rac Shade, a guy who originally came to Earth to clear his name in his own dimension but was turned into a poet tasked with astral projecting to Earth to discover a cure to a problem on his own plant. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Steve Ditko Omnibus starring Shade the Changing Man - Suicide Squad (1987) #16 - Shade the Changing Man (1990) - Hellblazer (1988) #268 - Flashpoint (2011) / Flashpoint: Secret Seven (2011) - Justice League Dark (2011) - Shade the Changi...
Sep 06, 2022•52 min•Ep. 243
Today we talk about Perry White, who is (and has been for a while) the Editor of the Metropolis newspaper The Daily Planet, and also Clark Kent's boss. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - The Adventures of Superman (1940) Episode 2 radio show - Superman (1939) #7 - World's Finest Comics (1941) #80 - Superman (1939) #233 - The Man of Steel (1986) - World of Metropolis (1988) #1 - Adventures of Superman (1987) #470 - Superman: The Man of Steel (1991) #38 - Superman (1986) #131 - Bruce just t...
Aug 30, 2022•47 min•Ep. 242
Today we talk about all the people and combinations of people that have made up the nuclear powered (but fire-themed) superhero Firestorm, but mostly Ronnie Raymond, Martin Stein, and Jason Rusch. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Firestorm: The Nuclear Man (1978) - The Fury of Firestorm (1982) - JLA (1996) #69 - Identity Crisis (2004) - Firestorm (2004) - Infinite Crisis (2005) - 52 (2006) - Justice League of America (2006) #32 - Blackest Night (2010) - Brightest Day (2011) - The Fury o...
Aug 23, 2022•47 min•Ep. 241
Today we talk about the Red Tornado, who is an android who has 1) had the memories of Ma Hunkel the golden age Red Tornado, 2) been possessed by the spirit of a sentient tornado from Rann, 3) been transformed, briefly, into a human man. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Justice League of America (1960) #64 - Red Tornado (1985) - Crisis on Infinite Earths reading order - Firestorm: The Nuclear Man (1982) #90 -93 - Young Justice (1998) - 52 (2006) - Justice League of America (2006) - Red T...
Aug 16, 2022•54 min•Ep. 240
Today we talk about Alec Holland, who was Swamp Thing for a long time, and a few other Swamp Things including his daughter, who is kind of his wife and John Constantine's daughter? Things get weird when you're made of plants. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Swamp Thing (1982 film) - The Return of Swamp Thing (1989 film) - Swamp Thing (2019 series trailer) - House of Secrets (1956) #92 - Swamp Thing (1972) - Challengers of the Unknown (1958) #82 -87 - Swamp Thing (1982) - Swamp Thing (2...
Aug 09, 2022•51 min•Ep. 239
Today we talk about Bernhard "Buddy" Baker, best known as Animal Man, who is a wife guy, an animal lover, and sometimes an avatar of the energy field that connects every animal on earth. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Strange Adventures (1950) #180 - Action Comics (1938) #552 - DC Comics Presents (1978) #77 - Crisis on Infinite Earths (1988) reading order - Animal Man (1988) -Buddy turning into a leech in Injustice #18 panel 1 panel 2 (briar originally said limpet and meant lamprey bu...
Aug 02, 2022•59 min•Ep. 238
Today we continue to talk about Hawk and Dove, with more focus on the Hawks. This episode is mostly about Hank Hall because he... made some Choices, but we also discuss Holly Granger and mention the 1997 Hawk and Dove duo Sasha Martens and Wiley Wolverton. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Showcase #75, Hawk and Dove (1968) 1-6, Teen Titans #21 - Teen Titans (1966) #25 - Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985) #12 - Teen Titans Spotlight (1986) #7 - Hawk and Dove (1988) - Hawk and Dove (1989) -...
Jul 26, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 237
Today we talk about the superheroes Hawk and Dove, with the main focus on the Dove half of the duo, Don Hall who was succeeded by Dawn Granger. It doesn't get confusing at all in an audio medium. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Showcase #75, Hawk and Dove (1968) 1-6, Teen Titans #21 - Teen Titans (1966) #25 - Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985) #12 - Hawk and Dove (1988) - Hawk and Dove (1989) - Secret Origins #43 - JSA (1999) #45 - Teen Titans (2003) #22 - Blackest Night (2009) #2 - Blac...
Jul 19, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 236
