Ep 132 - The Ethics of Thirst
Ashley Coffin joins us for a discussion on the ethics of thirst in fandom.
Jun 02, 2021•1 hr 4 min
Superhero Ethics
Exploring ethical questions from Superhero movies and TV shows, sci-fi, and everything else geeks love
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Episodes
Ep 131 - Daredevil on Page and Screen
What makes Matt Murdoch decide to become Daredevil? What troubles his conscience, and his faith, about putting on the mask, and how does the on screen version of those questions differ from that in the comic books. Will and Steve of the Hype is my Superpower join us for the first in our On Screen & Page series, in which we will look at characters and questions and compare how they are addressed in the comic books versus their on screen versions.
May 26, 2021•1 hr 36 min
Ep 130 - Ethically Invincible
Zuhair Ali of the Animation Deliberation Podcast joins us to discuss ethical questions from Invincible, Season 1, a show that takes many of the common superhero tropes, and turns them on them on their head. Whether or not you've seen the show, there is a lot of great topics for any fan of superheroes to enjoy.
May 20, 2021•1 hr 21 min
Ep 129: Warrior Mafias
Can you be a hero while part of a mafia, gang, tong, or cartel? Paul and I use the HBO show Warrior to explore that question and more.
May 12, 2021•1 hr 1 min
Comics History Pt 5 - The Bronze Age
Comics Code gets ignored, teen angst and diversity in our heroes and Wonder Woman on the cover of Ms. Magazine -The Bronze Age of comic books was a wild time. Jessica Plummer returns to talk with me about this fascinating chapter in comic book history.
May 07, 2021•1 hr 24 min
EP 128 Giant Animals Smashing Buildings
Proving that we can find an ethical discussion in any media, (and that we haven't forgotten how to talk about topics other than Falcon & the Winter Soldier) we're diving deep on the ethical questions of the monster verse. Are they monsters, titans, or animals, and why does the word we use matter? What are the dangers of humans seeing themselves as the rulers of nature, and how does nature fight back? Paul and I are joined by Stranded Panda regular Nate Muzzy to dive into these questions and ...
Apr 30, 2021•1 hr 20 min
Ethics of FATWS Ep 6
Ethics and Justice in Falcon and the Winter Soldier, episode 6! With guests Will Freeland and Paul Hoppe.
Apr 24, 2021•1 hr 42 min
Ethics of FATWS EP 5
This week Paul, Will, and myself dive into ethical questions raised by Falcon & the Winter Soldier, episode 5. Here are the links we mentioned Places to see discussion of disability, ableism, and Bucky losing his arm: https://twitter.com/leftistbucky/status/1380630711225491460?s=20 https://twitter.com/srogersfilms/status/1380578915559739394?s=20 https://ahscovenavengersalliance.tumblr.com/post/648025732653645824/there-are-a-couple-of-issues-with-this-scene-and FreddiesRoomate Tiktok: https:/...
Apr 17, 2021•1 hr 46 min
Ethics of FATWS EP 4
Would you take the Super Soldier Serum? Is Walker a murderer? Is Karli? Will Freeland joins Paul & Matthew again to talk about ethical questions from Episode 4 of Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Will Freeland is a Pod Cast Host and Marvel Nerd. Located in Southern California, he is the co host of the Hype is my Superpower podcast. He can also be found at the Facebook group and Instagram page of the same name.
Apr 11, 2021•1 hr 38 min
Ethics of FATWS EP 3
We examine ethical questions from Falcon and the Winter Soldier, episode 3, with guest Will Freeland. Will Freeland is the co-host of the Hype is My Superpower podcast. You can find it on most podcast apps, and join their facebook community at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1415184702155412 .
Apr 03, 2021•1 hr 7 min
Ep 127 - Successors, Sidekicks, and Batman Beyond
Batman has had many sidekicks over the years, but it's not until Terry McGinnis steals the Batsuit that Bruce Wayne finds a successor. What is the difference between successors and sidekicks, and how do age and agency factor into that? What responsibility did Bruce have towards his wards and sidekicks, and how is Terry different? How many parallels can Ashley, Paul, & I draw to Captain America, the Falcon, and the Winter Soldier? Spoiler alert: A lot! Contains minor spoilers for Falcon &...
Mar 30, 2021•1 hr 17 min
Ethics of FATWS EP 2
With all the ethical issues Falcon & the Winter Soldier is raising, we realized we are absolutely going to record on it every week, and no more minisodes. We had a lot to say, because this show clearly has a lot to say.
Mar 26, 2021•1 hr 14 min
Ep 126 - X-men & Queer and Disabled Identity
The X-Men have often been symbols for the civil and human rights styles of the day. Some of the movies, especially X2, X3, and Days of Future Past, have strong resonance as metaphors for queer and disabled identity. Brand Grinslade joins me to as we explore those connections. Brand Grinslade is a non-binary nerd living just outside of Chicago Illinois, they are a musician and graphic designer who was raised a nerd since birth, and have love dissecting all things nerdy to find the truths at their...
Mar 23, 2021•48 min
Ethics of FATWS Ep 1
We didn't plan on doing episode by episode recordings about the ethics of Falcon & the Winter Soldier, but the show raised so many great questions, Paul Hoppe and I wanted to drop a quick episode. Today we talk about racism, nationalism, Bucky's trauma, and Sam's relationship to the military.
Mar 21, 2021•27 min
EP 125 - Superhuman Public Radio
Imagine a world with superhumans. You’ve got heroes, you’ve got villains, you’ve got... an NPR style radio station aimed at supers? The creators of the Superhuman Public Radio podcast join me to discuss the gig economy for henchmen, the immigrant rights of extraterrestrials, and how their love for comic books as moral allegory drove this project. SPR is an independent, nonprofit media organization that was founded on a mission to create a more informed Superhuman public. Every day, SPR connects ...
Mar 16, 2021•1 hr 19 min
Ep 124 - Ethics of WandaVision
Is Wanda a hero, an antihero, or the MCU's version of a Batman Villain? Is sitcom jail a fair punishment for Agatha? And is the Ship of Theseus the most Star Trek moment to happen in the MCU? Matt Carroll and Paul Hoppe join me to discuss the ethical questions from WandaVision
Mar 09, 2021•1 hr 44 min
Ep 123 - Copies and Clones and Questions Oh My
Are you legally responsible for the actions of your clone? What is the self, and could it ever be uploaded, or copied? Rob McKenzie joins me for a deep dive into science fiction and the questions that surround digitized consciousness.
Mar 02, 2021•1 hr 7 min
Ep 122 - X-Men Dark Phoenix
Can Mutants win love and acceptance by being heroes? Can Magneto find peace in separation? Is Charles helping Jean, or himself, by trying to protect her from her powers and her past? Paul, Ashley, and Matthew, dive into these questions and more as we look at XMen: Dark Phoenix!
Feb 23, 2021•1 hr 18 min
Ep 121- The Fate of the Terminator
What is the role of fate in the Terminator movies? Do the later movies stay true to this idea? What can you do when you see the tragedy your current decisions are taking you towards? Becky Allen joins us for this episode. Becky Allen is the author of Bound by Blood and Sand and the sequel, Freed by Flame and Storm. She grew up outside Ithaca, New York, and graduated from Brandeis University with a major in American studies and a minor in journalism. She is the product manager for TheBody.com, an...
Feb 16, 2021•1 hr 17 min
EP 120 - Fire the Anti Canon
How would the Batman story change, if Bruce Wayne lived in the late 19th century? What ideals would Superman fight for, if he landed in the Soviet Union, instead of the United States? What happens when stories take our beloved characters and break canon by placing them in totally different times, settings, situations, or tones? Paul Hoppe ( https://twitter.com/zenmadman) takes the reigns, leading a discussion with Matthew Fox and Ashley Coffin. In the episode we mentioned the following previous ...
Feb 09, 2021•1 hr 52 min
Comics History Pt 4 - The Silver Age pt2
We know the X-men of today, but what were there origins? What questions did they explore that still hold relevance for us today? And what in the world was happening on Batman 66? Jess Plummer joins us for part 2 of our dive into Comics History- The Silver Age.
Feb 02, 2021•1 hr 25 min
Comics History 3- Silver Age Pt 1
How did Marvel change comics in the 60's? Who were Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and why did making superheroes relatable have such appeal? Jessica Plummer and I discuss those questions and more on the 3rd episode of our Comics History Series! Jessica Plummer lives in New York and loves Superman very very much. You can listen to just how much on her Superman podcast, Flights and Tights ( http://flightsandtights.libsyn.com/) . She also writes about comics and books in general at BookRiot.com ( https:/...
Jan 26, 2021•48 min
Ep 119 - Dr. Doom and the Nature of Villains
Dr. Doom is one of the most famous villains to grace the comic book page. But in some stories he plays the role of an anti-hero, a reluctant ally, or even sometimes a hero himself- all without losing the core of his identity and outlook. Special guest J. Scotty St. Claire joins me for a discussion of Doctor Doom, and what his numerous portrayals show us about the role that context plays in making the villain or the hero. J. Scotty St. Clair is a self-described media jack-of-all-trades, burgeonin...
Jan 19, 2021•1 hr 10 min
Ep 118 - Cobra Kai S3 & Results Oriented Morality
When you do the right thing and bad things happen- does it mean you did something wrong? Paul and Matthew take the concept of results oriented thinking, and look at how Johnny falls into that trap with morality and consequences in Season 3 of Cobra Kai. We also talk about the consequences of violence, why no one gets therapy in the Miyagi-verse, and how a show that was an interesting critique of 1980's action movies wound up just replicating them in Season 3.
Jan 12, 2021•1 hr 45 min
Ep 117 - Wonder Woman 84
The new Wonder Woman movie is out, and Jessica Plummer and myself have opinions! What did we learn about WW and what questions do we still have? What is the importance of a final battle fought with words, not weapons? And did a movie set in the 1980's need to draw on so many of the sexist and racist tropes of that time?
Dec 30, 2020•1 hr 58 min
Ep 116 - The Value and Danger of Canon
What makes canon and continuity such a vital part of modern genre media? What are the dangers of becoming too focused on canon? MCUCast co-hosts Matthew Carroll and Jeff Randle join me to discuss these questions.
Dec 22, 2020•1 hr 53 min
Ep 115 - The Stand. The book and upcoming show
What is it like to read a book about a world ending pandemic in the time of Covid? How do we find grey in a tale of a final battle between good and evil? And can you tell a story where the characters have almost no agency, and the plot is the least important part of the book. A new limited series of The Stand is coming in December and to help get us ready (and prep for our episodes about it on Pandavision), we’re starting with a deep dive into the book! Want to continue the discussion with us? A...
Dec 08, 2020•1 hr 19 min
Ep 114 - The Ethics of Endings- Supernatural
What did Supernatural have to say about found family & agency vs. determinism? Why did the ending of Castiel & Dean’s story cause so much controversy? And can Matthew, Jacob, & Ashley get through this episode without humming enough of “Carry on my Wayward Son” to get us all sued? Want to continue the discussion with us? Agree or disagree with what we talked about, or want to add your own thoughts? We’ve got options for you! You can post questions, or respond to our episode threads in...
Dec 01, 2020•1 hr 39 min
Ep 113 - Ethics By Stormlight
What are the ethical responsibilities of a king? When do the ends justify the means? And what does it mean to create a relatable disabled character in a world of magic? Rob McKenzie returns to discuss these questions and more as we get ready for Rhythm of War, the latest book in the Stormlight Archives. Whether you’re a huge fan of the books, or never heard of them, there is lots in this discussion to enjoy ( and no spoilers for Rhythm of War!) Want to continue the discussion with us? Agree or d...
Nov 24, 2020•1 hr 29 min
Ep 112 - Escape Into Reality - Alex Trebek and the Value of Facts
Alex Trebek has passed away and while trivia may not be a superpower, Jeopardy and trivia contests hold so much overlap with our various fandoms that we wanted to take this episode to explore the show and its importance in our culture. What is the value of objective fact? Why was a show about knowing facts so popular? And just how should we pronounce ‘genre’? To find Paul Hoppe’s stream, go to - https://www.twitch.tv/zenmadmen To hear Alex Trebek teach us how to say genre, go to https://www.yout...
Nov 12, 2020•1 hr 24 min
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