Episode 145 - Thunderbolts* with Joe Mastropiero

Marvel's Most Wanted are here to deliver some Justice like Lightning! Case and Jmike reflect on the latest MCU entry, Thunderbolts*, with friend of the show, Joe Mastropiero.

Overview

In the latest episode of the podcast, hosts Case Aiken and Jmike Folson, along with guest Joe Mastropiero, delve into Marvel's Thunderbolts movie, connecting its themes to the recently released Superman trailer. They discuss the film's characters, including Yelena, Bucky, and the controversial Sentry, addressing how the characters' darker backstories lend themselves to a redemption arc that deviates from their comic origins. The hosts explore the movie's structure, its exploration of trauma through the lens of the Void character, and the significance of the Superman archetype in modern storytelling, highlighting a potential cultural shift towards more hopeful narratives. The episode concludes with updates about the podcast, including upcoming episodes and ways for listeners to engage through Discord and Patreon, while emphasizing the importance of community interaction in discussing these themes.

Notes

Introduction and Superman Trailer Discussion (00:00 - 15:45)

• Hosts Case Aiken and Jmike Folson welcome guest Joe Mastropiero to discuss Marvel's Thunderbolts movie

• The hosts explained the Superman connection to Thunderbolts: the Sentry character is a Superman analog

• The group discussed the recently released Superman trailer featuring David Corenswet

• Logan Crowley provided audio commentary praising the trailer's rural American portrayal of the Kents

• The trailer shows Lois Lane interviewing Clark Kent and Superman's moral conflict with authority figures

• Group discussed potential Justice Society appearance and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor

Thunderbolts Team History and Setup (15:46 - 29:34)

• Original Thunderbolts comic (1996) featured villains disguised as heroes after mainstream heroes disappeared

• The comic team was led by Baron Zemo with members including Moonstone, Atlas, Mach 1, and Songbird

• The team evolved over time from redemption-seeking villains to government ops team (similar to Suicide Squad)

• The movie roster differs significantly from comic versions, causing initial fan confusion

• The Sentry character is a controversial Superman analog with bipolar disorder and a dark alter ego called 'The Void'

• The Sentry has extreme power levels that create storytelling challenges in the Marvel universe

Movie Characters Review: Part 1 (29:35 - 49:41)

• Yelena (Florence Pugh): Burned-out assassin who serves as the audience viewpoint character

• Bucky (Sebastian Stan): Former Winter Soldier, moved away from his congressman storyline

• Red Guardian (David Harbour): Soviet super-soldier who brings enthusiasm and comic relief

• Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen): Character with phasing abilities who had plot elements removed

• Taskmaster: Briefly appears in the film but is killed early to establish stakes

• All characters are government-created weapons now without masters, seeking purpose

Movie Characters Review: Part 2 (49:42 - 01:00:08)

• US Agent (Wyatt Russell): Portrayed as a physically powerful but unlikeable douchebag

• Val (Julia Louis-Dreyfus): Manipulative politician/spymaster who brings the team together

• Mel: Character who unexpectedly survives despite seeming setup for death

• Bob/Sentry (Lewis Pullman): Mild-mannered man who transforms into the golden-costumed Sentry

• The Void manifestation was effectively portrayed through shadow effects and 'Hiroshima-style shadows'

• The film effectively handles Sentry's extreme power levels by keeping him sidelined for most of the story

️ Movie Structure and Themes (01:00:10 - 01:10:23)

• Film has strong setup and payoff elements with well-structured action sequences

• Team is brought together when 'they are the evidence' that needs to be eliminated

• The movie differs from expectations of being a Suicide Squad-type government contract story

• The Void serves as vehicle for showing characters' trauma and psychological issues

• Despite differences from comics, film maintains core theme of redemption for characters with dark pasts

• Characters take on 'New Avengers' name by the end, connecting to comic history

Superman Archetype Discussion (01:10:26 - 01:21:42)

• Discussion about why both dark and hopeful Superman archetypes resonate with audiences

• Joe highlighted importance of Superman's moral compass coming from supportive family/community

• Dark Superman versions explore 'what if' scenarios without those support structures

• The group noted a possible cultural shift toward desiring more hopeful superhero stories after a period of darker interpretations

• Century briefly shows Superman-like qualities before reverting to darker nature

• Film effectively portrays the burden of power on someone with mental health issues

Show Updates and Promotion (01:21:43 - 01:27:49)

• Case announced upcoming Men of Steel episodes (#146-150) including Hulk vs Superman and Supergirl from Krypton

• The hosts promoted their Discord community as the best way for listeners to interact with them

• Men of Steel now has a Patreon at patreon.com/certainpovmedia with various support tiers

• Case thanked their first ten executive producer-level supporters by name

• Carter Hallett

• Sean Muir

• Lee Greger

• Memento Young

• Logan Crowley

• Joe Mastropiero

• Casey Aiken

• Nancy Aiken

• Adam Samtur

• Keith Lehtinen

• Case mentioned writing essays for Patreon subscribers (even at free tier)

• Final promotion for 'We Have Issues' podcast reviewing weekly comic releases

Action items

Listeners

• Join the Men of Steel Discord to interact with hosts and discuss the Superman trailer and Thunderbolts (01:21:42)

• Check out and possibly support the show's new Patreon at patreon.com/certainpovmedia (01:23:07)

Case Aiken

• Schedule essay releases more consistently on Patreon going forward (01:25:57)

• Complete and release the Naomi episode that was previously mentioned