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...
info_outlineMen 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...
info_outlineMen 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...
info_outlineMen 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,...
info_outlineMen 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...
info_outlineMen 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...
info_outlineMen 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...
info_outlineMen 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,...
info_outlineMen 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...
info_outlineMen 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_outline
- Case Aiken and Jmike Folson host the Men of Steel podcast with guest Micah McCaw
- The episode discusses Alan Moore's 12-issue run on Supreme, also known as 'Supreme: The Story of the Year'
- The comic was published in 1995-1996 and was considered groundbreaking at the time
- Supreme is described as a thinly veiled Superman analog with similar powers and characteristics
- The hosts discuss how the book remained cutting edge for 20 years but now feels more commonplace
- Supreme was originally created by Rob Liefeld as part of Image Comics' launch
- Before Alan Moore, Supreme was an amoral, extremely powerful character (a Superman analog)
- Moore took over with issue #41 and completely reimagined the character
- The comic features regular flashbacks to different eras of comics, parodying Superman's timeline
- The art style shifts between contemporary and classic/retro depending on the time period shown
- Joe Bennett was the main artist, who would later work on Immortal Hulk
- Rick Veitch created the flashback sequences with distinct period-appropriate art styles
- Chris Sprouse joins as artist later in the run (only one issue in this collection)
- Alex Ross created promotional art and cover designs for Supreme
- The hosts note that the art quality is inconsistent throughout the series
- The comic introduces 'revisions' - an in-universe explanation for continuity changes
- Supreme visits the 'Supremacy' where all previous versions of himself exist after being revised out
- The concept explains why comic characters change over time
- The hosts discuss the meta-narrative of comics existing within a comics universe
- Ethan Crane (Supreme's alter ego) works as a comic artist in his civilian identity
- The Citadel Supreme is Supreme's Fortress of Solitude equivalent
- The Allied Supremes of America is the Justice Society/Justice League analog
- Supreme has his own version of supporting characters like Lois Lane (Diana Dane)
- The book features extensive flashbacks to previous eras of comics history
- Issue #44 features EC Comics-style horror hosts challenging superheroes, explaining why heroes fell out of favor
- Supreme's origin involves exposure to a radioactive meteor (Supremium)
- The League of Infinity includes heroes from throughout time periods including Achilles, Bill Hickok, and Aladdin
- The book includes various dimensions including the Hell of Mirrors and Amolinth (a photo world)
- The creative use of Supreme's powers includes his 'consciousness expanding' rather than using telescopic vision
- Goral the Living Galaxy serves as a Galactus-type cosmic entity
- Issue #50 explores Supreme's dating life and potential relationships
- Three scenarios show why relationships don't work for superheroes: domestication, exploitation, or conflict
- Diana Dane is positioned as Supreme's potential love interest
- The issue offers meta-commentary on why superheroes rarely maintain stable relationships
- Chris Sprouse's art in this issue is praised as superior to earlier issues
- Darius Dax is Supreme's Lex Luthor equivalent and main antagonist
- The comic features various counterparts to Superman's rogues gallery
- Shadow Supreme serves as a negative version of the hero
- Optilux is a living light being with significant powers
- The heroes face challenges they can't simply punch their way through
- ⏳ Time Loop Concept (01:26:08 - 01:36:03)
- The comic features a time loop where Darius Dax becomes the meteor that gives Supreme his powers
- Supreme sees his past self, creating a stable time loop
- The hosts note that while time loops are common now, this was innovative in the mid-90s
- The League of Infinity adds to the time travel elements
- The hosts discuss how Moore keeps continuity coherent despite complex timeline issues
- The comic constantly references and comments on comics history
- Characters discuss the structure of comic books while living in one
- The book reconstructs superhero tropes rather than deconstructing them (unlike Watchmen)
- Alan Moore is described as being on an 'apology tour' for how Watchmen changed comics
- The series acknowledges and pokes fun at comic book conventions while embracing them
- Judy Jordan and her 'granddaughter' Hilda visit Citadel Supreme
- The drawing created by Hilda is revealed to be part of Darius Dax's plan
- Dax transfers his consciousness into Judy's body through nano-dust
- Supreme is trapped in the Hell of Mirrors as Dax takes control of the Citadel
- The plot twist reveals the 'child's drawing' had been a Chekhov's gun throughout the series
- The hosts discuss the significance of Supreme in comics history
- The comic is positioned as a reconstruction of Superman after the deconstruction era
- The series is praised for its humor, creativity, and meta-approach to comics
- The hosts recommend other Alan Moore works like Tom Strong
- The podcast ends with contact information for the hosts and guest Micah McCaw