Supercontext: an autopsy of media

A podcast autopsy of media: how we consume it and how it informs our everyday culture. Hosted by Christian Sager and Charlie Bennett

Supercontext 05/01/2020

Supercontext This podcast ran independently from 2016 to 2020. We reflect on our goals in creating it and how successful those were while trying to be transparent about the ins and outs of podcast production, marketing, and monetization. /episode/index/show/supercontextpodcast/id/14226404

From Hell 04/24/2020

From Hell This graphic novel by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell came out between 1989 and 1998, 100 years after the Jack the Ripper murders it's based on. We look at the meticulous research they put into this to try to understand how this story manages to be about true crime while indulging in deep themes like English identity, psychogeography, and the nature of time. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Additional Resources: Michael J. Prince (2017) The magic of patriarchal oppression in Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell’s From Hell, Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics, 8:3, 252-263 Vollmar, R. (2017). Northampton Calling. World Literature Today, 91(1), 28–34. Postimperial Landscapes "Psychogeography" and Englishness in Alan Moore's Graphic Novel"From Hell: A Melodrama in Sixteen Parts" Author(s): Elizabeth Ho Source: Cultural Critique, No. 63 (Spring, 2006), pp. 99-121 Published by: University of Minnesota Press /episode/index/show/supercontextpodcast/id/14124071

Heat 04/17/2020

Heat This 1995 film by Michael Mann is considered a quintessential cops-and-robbers epic. We look at Mann's attention to detail and his attempt at authenticity in light of the movie's influence on audiences, filmmakers, and real-life criminals. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Additional Resources: /episode/index/show/supercontextpodcast/id/14023637

Hounds of Love 04/10/2020

Hounds of Love This 1985 concept album by Kate Bush is split into pop songs and a suite of music about someone drowning. We look at Bush's career arc leading up to this record and how the support she received from those around her allowed to experiment and create this wholly unique music. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Additional Resources: Cowley, J. (2005). The Wow factor. New Statesman, 134(4726), 38–39. Sinclair, D. (1994). Dear diary: The secret world of Kate Bush. Rolling Stone, 676, 13. Moy, R. (2007). Kate Bush and Hounds of Love. Ashgate. /episode/index/show/supercontextpodcast/id/13928912

Hyperion 04/03/2020

Hyperion Dan Simmon's 1989 science-fiction novel is acclaimed for its unique structure, references, and style. We take a closer look at how it interrogates our expectations of genre to explore a complex host of themes. Thank you to Chris Marlton for coproducing this episode. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Additional Resources: Dan Simmons. By: Shindler, Dorman T., Writer (Kalmbach Publishing Co.), 00439517, Feb2001, Vol. 114, Issue 2 THRALL, J. H. (2014). Authoring the Sacred: Humanism and Invented Scripture in Octavia Butler, Kurt Vonnegut and Dan Simmons. Implicit Religion, 17(4), 509. Shea, B. (2015). Evolution and Neuroethics in the Hyperion Cantos. Journal of Cognition & Neuroethics, 3(3), 139. Senior, W. (2012). Dan Simmons's Hyperion Cantos: The Fantasy Within. Hungarian Journal of English and American Studies (HJEAS), 18(1/2), 213-226. /episode/index/show/supercontextpodcast/id/13827557

Withnail & I 03/27/2020

Withnail & I This 1987 film is celebrated as a cult classic for its depiction of self-destructive young Englishmen at the end of the 1960s. We discuss how creator Bruce Robinson got it made, and whether it congratulates its characters for their alcoholism or criticizes their generation and the end of that era of British culture. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Additional Resources: /episode/index/show/supercontextpodcast/id/13719143

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson 03/20/2020

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson This 1962 novel is being reappraised by critics and fans as a creeping meditation on 1950s housewives, agoraphobia, and good old-fashioned New England persecution. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Additional Resources: SILVER, M. (2013). Is It Real? On Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle. Southern Review, 49(4), 665–667. Savoy, E. (2017). Between as if and is : On Shirley Jackson. Women’s Studies, 46(8), 827. BOYD TONKIN. (2015, July 29). Her dark materials: how Shirley Jackson became the ‘sorceress at the sink.’ Independent (UK). Shirley Jackson. (2020). Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition, 1. /episode/index/show/supercontextpodcast/id/13632614

The Moomins and the Great Flood 03/13/2020

The Moomins and the Great Flood This 1945 children’s book by Tove Jansson began a publishing empire in Finland that is worth millions of dollars. We look at Jansson’s beloved allegory about a world where a family survives turmoil and everyone is accepted for who they are. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Additional Resources: Brown, Ulla (November 2004). "A Quest for What Lies Hidden" (PDF). Outwrite. 7: 8–12. /episode/index/show/supercontextpodcast/id/13474145

Lateralus by TOOL 03/06/2020

Lateralus by TOOL This 2001 record is praised as being metal for the thinking man. We peel back the lyrics and the time signatures to understand why this band inspires an almost-religious devotion in its fans. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Additional Resources: /episode/index/show/supercontextpodcast/id/13424027

Paper Girls 02/28/2020

Paper Girls This comic book series by Brian K. Vaughan and artist Cliff Chiang started in 2015 as a story about four preteen girls coming of age in the 80s. We look into how the creators produced the comic while examining their skepticism of nostalgia in a post-Stranger-Things world. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Additional Resources: /episode/index/show/supercontextpodcast/id/13335527

I Cut The Big Five From My Life 02/21/2020

I Cut The Big Five From My Life This 2019 series of Gizmodo articles and videos by Kashmir Hill look into how difficult it actually is to stop using The Stacks: Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple, and Microsoft. We place Hill’s research within our larger understanding of Big Tech and media literacy while listening to arguments for tech regulation or simply scaling back. Additional Resources: /episode/index/show/supercontextpodcast/id/13236623

Lone Wolf and Cub 02/14/2020

Lone Wolf and Cub This epic 1970s manga series is celebrated for its influence on other stories. We look at the conditions that produced it and how the comic represents Japanese history, revenge, gender, and the irredeemable hero on the road to Hell. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Additional Resources: /episode/index/show/supercontextpodcast/id/13140914

Fly By Night 02/07/2020

Fly By Night This 1975 rock album began to define Rush’s identity after the late Neil Peart joined the band on drums and lyrics. We look at how they treated their band as a business to try to understand the particular blend of instrument solos and libertarian ideology that later defined them. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Additional Resources: Flohil, R. (1975.) Rush: living the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle. The Canadian Composer (97). /episode/index/show/supercontextpodcast/id/13053164

The Goldfinch 01/31/2020

The Goldfinch This 2013 novel generated a cantankerous debate in the world of literary criticism over the quality of fiction and how we define it. We look at Tartt's writing process and themes to try to understand whether this book deserved the praise and awards it received. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Additional Resources: /episode/index/show/supercontextpodcast/id/12966254

Trout Mask Replica 01/24/2020

Trout Mask Replica This 1969 double-album has been described as both “unlistenable” and “one of the greatest albums of all time.” We discuss its volatile production while trying to understand its composition and how it influenced another fifty years of weird music. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Additional Resources: Some notes came from secondary sources listing Mike Barnes’ ‘Captain Beefheart’ and Bill Harkleroad’s ‘Lunar Notes: Zoot Horn Rollo’s Captain Beefheart Experience’ /episode/index/show/supercontextpodcast/id/12863444

Ravenous 01/17/2020

Ravenous This 1999 cannibal-horror-comedy film went through three directors in a troubled production. We discussed how it successfully critiques American consumption and Manifest Destiny despite its financial failure. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Additional Resources: DiMarco, D. (2011). Going Wendigo: The Emergence of the Iconic Monster in Margaret Atwood’s “Oryx and Crake” and Antonia Bird’s “Ravenous.” College Literature, 38(4), 134–155. /episode/index/show/supercontextpodcast/id/12770621

Batman Odyssey 01/10/2020

Batman Odyssey This comic book series by Neal Adams is a strange combination of talent and narcissism, along with the realization that its lead character and its creator aren't as in control as they want to be. We discuss gun violence, Expanding Earth theory, and generational conflict to try to make sense of this one-of-a-kind experience. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Additional Resources: Petit, Z. (2014). Stubborn. Aggressive. Positive. Print, 68(5), 18–21. /episode/index/show/supercontextpodcast/id/12670367

Basquiat 01/03/2020

Basquiat This 1996 film is a purported biopic about a famous painter by another famous painter, Julian Schnabel. We ask whether the narrative this movie presents is an inaccurate portrayal of its subject because it exploits him or because the director is commenting on his own place within the world of fine art. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Additional Resources: /episode/index/show/supercontextpodcast/id/12600950

Repost of M.R. James, Ghost Stories of an Antiquary 12/27/2019

Repost of M.R. James, Ghost Stories of an Antiquary This is a repost of a 2016 episode. In our 2016 holiday episode, we looked at the forgotten Christmas Eve tradition of telling ghost stories. M.R. James' work from over a hundred years ago best represents this Victorian trend, so in his honor we brought horror to academia and safe spaces. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Additional Resources: /episode/index/show/supercontextpodcast/id/12535601

Doctor Sleep by Stephen King 12/20/2019

Doctor Sleep by Stephen King This 2013 novel is a sequel to The Shining. With guest Emily Lewis, we consider how King continues his own redemption arc through these stories about alcoholism and parenting. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Additional Resources: /episode/index/show/supercontextpodcast/id/12471971

Exit, Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles 12/13/2019

Exit, Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles This 2018 comic series by Mark Russell and Mike Feehan reimagines the cartoon character as a gay playwright at odds with 1950s American politics. We examine Russell's writing goals while considering a critical debate about the book: is it formulaic award-bait or character-driven commentary on our present circumstances? Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Additional Resources: /episode/index/show/supercontextpodcast/id/12384827

Foolish by Superchunk 12/06/2019

Foolish by Superchunk Thank you to our Co-producer patron Kevin Wetter for selecting this week's topic! This 1994 indie rock album means a lot to its fans as proof positive that you can survive a romantic breakup. We look at the small business that drove its creation and try to put ourselves in the shoes of the listeners who cherish it. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Additional Resources: /episode/index/show/supercontextpodcast/id/12292031

Aeon Flux 11/29/2019

Aeon Flux This animated series was an MTV oddity, televised between 1991 and 1994 in a blur of non-linear, ambiguous chunks. We talk about how creator Peter Chung got this made while inserting symbolic references to the limits of 1990's storytelling. We also wonder why we're so nostalgic for a simpler time when our entertainment was more nebulous and weird. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Additional Resources: Marin, R., & Gegax, T. T. (1995). Holy Akira! It’s Aeon Flux. Newsweek, 126(7), 68. CRAIG MATHIESON. (2006, June 23). Will the real Aeon Flux please stand up. Age, The (Melbourne), p. 9. Atkinson, M. (1996). Inside aeon. Film Comment, 32(1), 20. /episode/index/show/supercontextpodcast/id/12175901

Danny, The Champion of the World 11/22/2019

Danny, The Champion of the World This 1975 children's book by Roald Dahl is about class conflict and an idealized relationship between a child and their parent. We talk about Dahl's notoriously disagreeable personality while trying to reconcile it with this genuinely joyful story. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Additional Resources: Roald Dahl. By: Kelleghan, Fiona, Salem Press Biographical Encyclopedia, 2018 Words & pictures. Creative Review, 02621037, Mar2012, Vol. 32, Issue 3 THE CANDY MAN. By: Talbot, Margaret, New Yorker, 0028792X, 7/11/2005, Vol. 81, Issue 20 Roald Dahl. By: Lee, Stephan, Entertainment Weekly, 10490434, 10/10/2014, Issue 1332 Worlds of WONDER. By: DORN, JENNIFER, British Heritage, 01952633, May2014, Vol. 35, Issue 2 /episode/index/show/supercontextpodcast/id/12118526

Spinning by Tillie Walden 11/15/2019

Spinning by Tillie Walden This 2017 graphic novel is a memoir about growing up, figure skating, and coming out of the closet. We talk about how Walden approached the project with guidance from her editor while we look at the comics industry as a whole and the tensions between the book market and the direct market. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Additional Resources: /episode/index/show/supercontextpodcast/id/12035246

Dirty Computer by Janelle Monáe 11/08/2019

Dirty Computer by Janelle Monáe This 2018 concept album is about reckoning, celebrating, and reclaiming what it means to be American. We discuss how Monáe uses her platform to advocate for queer and black women while working with big record labels to also produce commercial success. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Additional Resources: /episode/index/show/supercontextpodcast/id/11954204

Brian De Palma's Carrie 11/01/2019

Brian De Palma's Carrie This is a special repost of the first episode of our series, SuperKINGcontext. Stephen King's first novel was adapted into this 1976 cautionary movie about adolescence, bullying, and female representation by a team of middle-aged men. How does the male gaze impact this story that is so often referred to as "feminist"? Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Additional Resources: /episode/index/show/supercontextpodcast/id/11843292

Chapo Trap House 10/25/2019

Chapo Trap House This political comedy podcast makes over a million dollars a year from its Patreon subscribers alone. We try to unpack how it gets made while learning more about the personal values associated with the "dirtbag left." Additional Resources: SOCIALISM IS BACK, AND THE KIDS ARE LOVING IT. Reason. Aug/Sep2019, Vol. 51 Issue 4, p55-52. 4p. 2 /episode/index/show/supercontextpodcast/id/11774489

Injection by Warren Ellis, Declan Shalvey, and Jordie Bellaire 10/18/2019

Injection by Warren Ellis, Declan Shalvey, and Jordie Bellaire This 2015 comic mixes folklore and magic with science and technology. We discuss how each creator brings their own experimentation to the project, and how it's been received by the comic book industry and its more philosophical readers. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Additional Resources: Haug H. The Alchemical Singularity: Magic and Technology in Warren Ellis’s Injection. Foundation: The International Review of Science Fiction. 2019;48(132):22 /episode/index/show/supercontextpodcast/id/11685872

The Weird and the Eerie by Mark Fisher 10/11/2019

The Weird and the Eerie by Mark Fisher This collection of non-fiction essays attempts to define two modes of storytelling by providing examples of each from popular culture. We talk about how Fisher's argument fits into our larger discussions of horror stories and how his definitions may be useful for considering the end of capitalism. Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Additional Resources: /episode/index/show/supercontextpodcast/id/11604110

Supercontext: an autopsy of media

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