Episode 139 - Planetary with Jesse Galdston

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, and the subversion of classic superhero tropes. The hosts examine the artistic style of Cassaday, the series' critical commentary on comic book history, and its connections to the Wildstorm universe, as well as its influence on subsequent works and the ethical implications presented in crossover events like "Planetary JLA: Terra Occulta." J Mike, a newcomer to the series, is encouraged to explore more, while listeners are invited to join the Discord community for further discussions.

 

Notes

Introduction to Planetary (00:00 - 10:07)

• Discussing Planetary, a comic series from late 90s/early 2000s
• Planetary is a play on Fantastic Four setup, exploring comics, sci-fi, and fantasy genres
• John Cassaday, co-creator of Planetary, recently passed away
• Planetary shaped thinking about Superman analogs
• J Mike had not read Planetary before this discussion

Planetary Concept and Characters (10:07 - 20:22)

• Planetary is about recruiting a team of special people
• The team looks for objects of scientific nature
• The Drummer's powers: metahumanly connected to the Internet and all kinds of code
• The Four: evil version of the Fantastic Four, main antagonists of the series
• Elijah Snow: the fourth man, has temperature subtraction powers

Planetary's World and Themes (20:22 - 30:28)

• Planetary explores the Wildstorm universe
• The series deals with the concept of century babies (born on January 1st)
• Explores the idea of lost potential in the world
• Discusses the grotesque reality of superhero concepts
• The series tagline: "It's a strange world. Let's keep it that way."

Art and Storytelling in Planetary (30:28 - 42:08)

• John Cassaday's art style embraces modern technology
• Each issue explores a different sci-fi concept or genre
• The series uses repeated patterns and motifs
• Planetary questions how superheroes could make the world better
• The series balances internal conversation with visceral enjoyment of strange ideas

Superman and Batman Analogs (42:08 - 51:37)

• Discussion of Superman analog in Issue 10
• Exploration of the Green Lantern concept in Planetary
• Wonder Woman analog in the series
• Batman's role in Planetary/Batman crossover
• Comparison of Planetary's treatment of superheroes to other works

Planetary JLA Crossover (51:38 - 01:02:54)

• Discussion of Planetary JLA: Terra Occulta
• Planetary characters as antagonists in this story
• Exploration of alternate versions of DC characters
• Comparison to Tower of Babel storyline
• Discussion of the ethical implications of the story

Themes and Concepts in Planetary (01:02:54 - 01:12:10)

• Exploration of lost potential in superhero narratives
• Discussion of the nature of heroism and corruption
• Comparison of Planetary to other Wildstorm titles
• Exploration of the series' treatment of classic superhero tropes
• Discussion of the series' commentary on comic book history

Impact and Legacy of Planetary (01:12:11 - 01:21:27)

• Reflection on Planetary's place in comic book history
• Discussion of John Cassaday's artistic contributions
• Comparison of Planetary to other comic series of its era
• Exploration of Planetary's influence on later works
• Discussion of the series' treatment of superhero archetypes

Wildstorm Universe and Conclusion (01:21:28 - 01:30:52)

• Discussion of Wildstorm as a publication studio
• Comparison of Wildstorm to other comic universes
• Reflection on the integration of Wildstorm into DC
• Final thoughts on Planetary and its themes
• Wrap-up and podcast information

 

Action items

J Mike

• Read the rest of the Planetary series to gain a deeper understanding of its themes and characters (01:23:06)

Listeners

• Join the Discord server for ongoing discussions about Planetary and related topics (01:29:08)
• Follow the hosts on social media platforms to stay updated on future episodes and discussions (01:28:31)