Episode 142 - The Incredibles with Doug Lief
Men of Steel
Case and Jmike are joined by Doug Lief (from the Nostalgium Arcanum podcast) to talk about a family that's pretty super, The Incredibles! Overview In Podcast episode 142 of Men of Steel, hosts Case Aiken and Jmike Folson, alongside guest Doug Lief, delve into a comprehensive analysis of Disney's The Incredibles through the lens of Superman fandom. They explore the film's connections to other superhero media, notably its references to 60s Batman and Fleischer Superman, while debating the film's overall tone, which Case describes as having an 'angry' directorial...
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Episode 141 - Supreme: The Story of the Year with Micah McCaw
Men of Steel
Case and Jmike are joined by Micah McCaw to assess the Symbolism Supreme in Alan Moore's Supreme Story of the Year. Overview In episode 141 of the Men of Steel podcast, hosts Case Aiken and Jmike Folson, alongside guest Micah McCaw, delve into Alan Moore's influential 12-issue run on Supreme, titled "Supreme: The Story of the Year." They highlight the comic's groundbreaking nature upon its release in the mid-90s, reimagining Supreme—a character initially created by Rob Liefeld and akin to Superman—by incorporating innovative storytelling techniques, such as in-universe...
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Episode 140 - The Shadow Meets Superman in “The Searing Silhouette” by P. Case Aiken III
Men of Steel
Years ago, Case wrote a radio script that crossed over Superman with The Shadow. Now, he's gathered a host of actors to read it with full orchestration and foley! Overview In the Creative Collaboration and Script Reading meeting titled "The Shadow Meets Superman in The Searing Silhouette," hosted by Case Aiken and Jmike Folson, participants including Rachel Quirky Schenk, Geoff Moonen, Olivia Gilliatt, Ben Goldsmith, Peter Coleman, and Sarah Moonen engaged in a collaborative reading of the script. The meeting began with introductions and role assignments, followed by...
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Episode 139 - Planetary with Jesse Galdston
Men of Steel
Case and Jmike are joined by Jesse Galdston to excavate the deepest secrets of the Wildstorm Universe in the landmark series, Planetary. Overview In this episode of the podcast, the hosts delve into "Planetary," a groundbreaking comic series from the late 90s to early 2000s, paying tribute to its co-creator John Cassaday, who recently passed away. The discussion covers the series' unique approach to superhero narratives, its complex characters—including Elijah Snow and the Drummer—and its exploration of themes such as lost potential, the grotesque realities of heroism,...
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Episode 138 - The Superman / Flash Races with Austin Funk
Men of Steel
Few questions inspire as much debate as "Who is faster, the Flash or Superman?" Case and Jmike are joined by Austin Funk, from the Rolling with Difficulty podcast ( , to take a closer look at the photo finish that is the various races between Superman and the Flash. Overview The Discussion/Analysis meeting centered around the iconic races between Superman and The Flash, covering their historical significance in comics from the first race in Superman 199 to contemporary depictions in animated series and live-action adaptations. Key topics included the power dynamics and...
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Episode 137 - DC Super Powers with Rick Lee James
Men of Steel
There's nothing more important to developing creativity than play, so let's look at the toys that featured the Man of Steel. In particular, back in thew 80s, DC put out a line that distilled the raw power of their characters into figures that punched and kicked without the need for buttons or levers! That's right, Case and Jmike are joined by guest Rick Lee James to discuss the venerable DC Super Powers line! Overview In the latest episode of the podcast, hosts Case Aiken and JMike Folson welcome guest Rick Lee James for an engaging discussion about the impact of action figures on...
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Episode 136 - Superman in Zero Hour with Grant Richter
Men of Steel
Can the Man of Steel weather a Crisis in Time? Grant Richter from the Truth, Justice, and Hope podcast joins Case and Jmike to look at Superman's tie ins with Zero Hour! Overview In episode 136 of the podcast, titled "Superman in Zero Hour," hosts engage in a comprehensive discussion with guest Grant Richter about the influential 1994 DC Comics event, Zero Hour. The conversation begins with an introduction to the event and its significance for key characters like Superman and the Legion of Superheroes, before delving into the context of Superman comics at that time, including the...
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Episode 135 - Batman / Superman: World's Finest # 1-6 with Jim Fetters
Men of Steel
There are few pairings that can rival the acclaim of Batman and Superman, but the teaming of Mark Waid with Dan Mora may be a solid challenger! Jim Fetters is back to chat with Case and Jmike about the first arc in DC's Batman / Superman: World's Finest. Overview: ● In episode 134 of the Podcast Discussion meeting, hosts Casey Aiken and Jmike Folson, joined by guest Jim Fetters, delve into the intricacies of the "World's Finest" comic series, focusing on the first arc encompassing issues 1-6. They commend the creative efforts of Mark Waid and Dan Mora,...
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Episode 134 - Superman: Secret Origin with Alex McConnell
Men of Steel
It’s time to look at what just might be technically the current origin of Superman, Geoff Johns and Gary Frank’s Secret Origin miniseries! Alex McConnell joins Case and Jmike to look at this retro reboot of the Man of Tomorrow’s earliest adventures! Find Alex: ADMcConnell.com Overview In the latest episode of the podcast, the hosts delve into the intricate world of Superman through a detailed discussion of the "Secret Origins" comic, featuring a guest expert, Alex McConnell. They explore the nuances of Superman's character evolution, particularly how Geoff Johns tends to revert heroes to...
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Episode 133 - The Dark Knight Returns with Duke!
Men of Steel
What is this? A podcast or an operating table? Duke is back to join Case and Jmike into the legendary book, The Dark Knight Returns… from the perspective of Superman fans. Meeting summary: ● In the recent Podcast Recording meeting titled "The Dark Knight Returns," the hosts engaged in a comprehensive discussion about the iconic comic "The Dark Knight Returns." Starting with episode art options, they settled on a dynamic design featuring Superman above Batman. The conversation delved into various facets of the comic, analyzing its commentary on 1980s society,...
info_outlineFew questions inspire as much debate as "Who is faster, the Flash or Superman?" Case and Jmike are joined by Austin Funk, from the Rolling with Difficulty podcast (https://rollingwithdifficultypod.transistor.fm/) , to take a closer look at the photo finish that is the various races between Superman and the Flash.
- Discussed various races between Superman and The Flash in comics
- Mentioned the first race in Superman 199, written by Jim Shooter
- Highlighted the time-honored tradition of these races in DC Comics
- Noted that these races serve as a snapshot of Superman and comics at different times
- Explored the first race in Superman 199 and its details
- Discussed the science explanations and power differences between Superman and Flash
- Highlighted the gambling subplot in the first race
- Mentioned the introduction of different types of Kryptonite
- Discussed the post-Crisis races, focusing on Wally West as The Flash
- Explored the power level changes and character development in this era
- Mentioned the involvement of Mr. Mxyzptlk in one of the races
- Discussed the introduction of Crimson Kryptonite
- Explored races involving different members of the Flash family
- Discussed the legacy aspect of The Flash character
- Mentioned races involving Jay Garrick and Superman
- Highlighted the emotional depth in some of these stories
- Discussed Superman's legacy compared to The Flash's
- Explored the similarities and differences between Superman and Flash as characters
- Mentioned the concept of legacy in Superman's story
- Discussed the impact of Barry Allen's return as The Flash
- Explored races between Superman and Flash in animated series and live-action shows
- Discussed the challenges of depicting super-speed in various media
- Mentioned specific episodes from Superman: The Animated Series and Smallville
- Highlighted the importance of these races in establishing shared universes
- Discussed the difficulties of illustrating races in comic books
- Mentioned various artists' approaches to depicting super-speed
- Explored the evolution of how races are depicted in comics over time
- Highlighted standout artistic interpretations of Superman vs Flash races
- Discussed the scientific explanations (or lack thereof) for super-speed in comics
- Explored the concept of the Speed Force and its implications
- Mentioned the philosophical questions raised by characters with limitless abilities
- Discussed how these races reflect broader themes in superhero comics
- Highlighted some of the most memorable Superman vs Flash races
- Discussed the story "Up in the Sky" as a standout race narrative
- Explored the impact of these races on the larger DC universe
- Mentioned how these races often serve as milestones in comic book storytelling
- Discussed how the relationship between Superman and Flash has evolved over time
- Explored the changing power dynamics between the characters
- Mentioned how these races reflect broader changes in comic book storytelling
- Discussed the impact of various comic book eras on the Superman vs Flash dynamic
- Explored the cultural significance of Superman vs Flash races
- Discussed fan reactions and debates surrounding these races
- Mentioned how these races have become a staple of DC Comics lore
- Explored the impact of these races on the broader superhero genre
- Conducted deeper analysis of Superman and Flash as characters
- Explored recurring themes in Superman vs Flash race stories
- Discussed how these races highlight core aspects of each character
- Mentioned the broader implications of these races for superhero storytelling