The Marvel Super Heroes Podcast Begins!

I've been growing more bitter with and disengaged from DC Comics since the turn of the century. I like to think of myself as an amateur comics historian, but after setting up five DC-themed blogs and running them with widely varied regularity/quality, I'm rather put out that all that continuity I memorized and memorialized got tossed out with the rubbish. This blog has made a small blip in awareness about the minor lore that encircles the Manhunter from Mars, but my other efforts haven't even had a fractional benefit in comparison to that dubious accomplishment. I'm feeling terribly burnt by and burned out with the DC Universe, so for the most part, my blogging has contracted to my Martian Manhunter daily blog and semi-weekly reviews at ...nurgh... I don't have the energy or see the point of working beyond that anymore.



On the other hand, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has done wonders for revitalizing my early love of their comics, and while there remain considerable flaws in the narrative that have often worsened since I jumped ship for DC in the early '90s, I still find myself wanting to engage more with Marvel stories. I've also had an itch to try podcasting for a while now, so I recently enlisted my two best friends to do some heavy duty recording sessions. The result is our new weekly effort, The Marvel Super Heroes Podcast. I just want to explore other realms. I encourage readers to give the podcast a chance. Episode Zero reintroduces myself in audio form and my two best friends as we discuss our childhood favorites Captain America, Iron Man and the Hulk, as well as how we got into the comic book medium. The just released Episode #1 focuses on the first ever Marvel (anti-)hero, Namor the Sub-Mariner, as well as very recent Marvel news. It's fun hanging out with my buddies, reminiscing and opining without all the baggage of DC exclusivity I felt shackled to in blogging. Also, while we're trying to build a listener base with Marvel properties, the goal is to expand to other topics, not only from other comic publishers, but other entertainment mediums. Hell, I might even try some DC episodes, and I hope you'll be there listening and commenting!

Captain Marvel in Whiz Comics #3/4 (April, 1940)

"One day, Billy Batson receives an anonymous news tip." The eccentric Professor Xerxes Smith was planning to launch a rocket ship to Venus from his home in Belair. Clearly not in access to the Wisdom of Solomon, Billy wants to join the trip, and has to pester the professor to get a ride. That's not to mention how, aside from his wildly bushy black beard, Professor Smith bore a remarkable resemblance to Captain Marvel's archfoe Sivana.

Thirty million miles later, the pair were attacked by a fuchsia Venusian dragon, prompting Billy to call "SHAZAM!" Did he do this from hiding or in plain sight, and how did he know Shazam's power even reached Venus? Worst answers apply. Next, a giant eagle dropped an egg loaded with vicious little monsters near Captain Marvel, so he uprooted a tree and literally swept the things away. Finally, gigantic frogs wearing dhoti and dunce caps sprang out of the forest to capture the Earthlings. They were taken to the veiled Empress of Venus, Queen Beautia, who was revealed to be in cahoots with the disguised Sivana. Captain Marvel was securely fastened to 50-ton weights by the frogs, marking one of the most obscure bondage fetishes known to man.



Beautia unveiled before Captain Marvel, hoping to make him her Emperor of America, but he refused through his incredible strength of chastity. The peeved Beautia climbed into Sivana's rocket for the seeming downgrade of conquering America (and as an afterthought, the rest of Earth,) leaving Marvel to be licked to death in the second weirdest fetish of the story. The power of Shazam finally allowed our boy to break free to beat up all his freaky captors. Finally, that Wisdom of Solomon kicked in, allowing Captain Marvel to design and build his own rocket and escape from an erupting volcano. Come to think of it, Venus is a really crappy planet, so no wonder Empress of America seemed a better deal. Captain Marvel nailed a perfect landing near the wreckage of Sivana's ship in suburban Belair, but his foes were nowhere to be found.

A week later, Billy Batson was covering the "Empress of Beauty" contest, and saw something that made his antennae twitch. Beautia entered and won the pageant with Sivana's coaching. After yet another letter demanding the immediate resignation of the President of the United States went unanswered, a furious Sivana tried to unleash a paralyzing gas to enslave "every man, woman and child" in the nation. Captain Marvel arrived in time to beat up the goons turning the solitary valve intended to meet this end, but in the confusion, Sivana and Beautia escaped. The "Empress of Beauty" trophy was left behind with a note attached that continued the flirtation with the blushing Captain Marvel.

The April, 1940 issue of Whiz Comics was numbered 3 on the cover, 4 in the indicia. "Make Way For Captain Marvel," was written by Bill Parker and drawn by C.C. Beck with Pete Costanza

2014 Blue Beetle and Booster Gold Comicpalooza convention sketch by Nyssa Juneau

This is a detail from a "jam" piece involving many disparate artists and subjects. An unrelated image has been blacked out from this spotlight. Nice couple of figures for an excellent price that helped flesh things out. I especially like how she did Ted's goggles, a foreign interpretation that I appreciate.

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Steel in Super-Team Family: The Lost Issues

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I'm very fond of John Henry Irons, and remain disappointed in myself for not managing to get more Steel content on this blog (or, y'know, any content at all sometimes.) The blogger Ross at least has kept the guy busy in his series of fan fiction team-ups, with handy links below. I've long felt that Steel is like a calculated amalgamation of the "Big 3" Avengers, so I kind of wish there was a Captain America appearance in that list. Against Iron Man and Thor, Steel has a lot more of a problem with measuring up than he might in a frontal assault against the Star-Spangled Avenger...

Steel &...

• Forge
• Iron Man
• The Thing
• Thor

...More Lost Team-Up Issues...

• Captain Atom @ Power of the Atom
• Vibe and the Family Steel @ Justice League Detroit
• Wonder Woman and Captain America #219 @ Diana Prince
• Captain America vs. the JLA @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu

2011 Big Barda art by Simon Fraser

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Or, if you prefer, some Power Girl.

Simon Fraser

• New 52 Wonder Woman @ Diana Prince
• Martian Manhunter @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• Aquaman @ Justice League Detroit

2013 Animated Style Power Girl and Huntress commission art by Eric Guzman

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Eric Guzman

• Wonder Woman @ Diana Prince
• Martian Manhunter @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• Aquaman @ Justice League Detroit

2013 Steel “We Can Be Heroes: Sturdy” silhouette by Steve Garcia

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"He's underrated. Dude is like if Superman, Iron Man, and Thor had a baby. And he was black."

“We Can Be Heroes”

• Firestorm & Killer Frost @ Firestorm Fan
• Zatanna @ Justice League Detroit
• Wonder Woman @ Diana Prince
• Wonder Girl @ The New Wonder Woman
• Thor @ The Hammer Strikes!
• Swamp Thing @ The BLOG from the BOG
• Supergirl, Lois Lane & Vibe @ Supergirl Comic Box Commentary
• Red Tornado @ Red Tornado's Path
• Plastic Man @ Eeyow! It's Plastic Man!
• Martian Manhunter @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• Black Lantern Martian Manhunter @ Diabolu
• Hawkgirl @ Power of the Atom
• Green Lantern Corps @ The Indigo Tribe
• Gotham City @ The Riddle Factory
• The Flash Family @ Speed Force
• The Doom Patrol @ MGA80
• Daredevil, Hulk, & Captain America @ Dave's Daredevil Podcast
• Cyborg @ S.T.A.R. Labs Detroit
• Captain Marvel @ DC Bloodlines
• Captain Atom @ Splitting Atoms
• Booster Gold @ BOO$TERRIFIC
• Blue Beetle @ Kord Industries
• Black Canary, Green Arrow, & Huntress @ Flowers & Fishnets
• The Atom @ PotA
• Aquaman & Mera @ The Aquaman Shrine
• “Strange Tales” @ ...nurgh...

2012 The Huntress “Cacadora” art by Marcelo Mueller

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Bonus Art!

2014 "Fan-Casting DC's DOOM PATROL" by Ryan Daly

Ryan "Count Drunkula" Daly of the Black Canary blog Flowers & Fishnets has played casting director for a Warner Brothers Doom Patrol film! I mostly like his picks, though I did successfully talk him into recasting Steve Dayton. Check out the heroes and villains casting sheets!

Count Drunkula Casting Department

• Superman Family
• Superman Supporting Cast
• Superman Foes 1
• Superman Foes 2
• Batman Family
• Batman Supporting Cast
• Batman Foes 1
• Batman Foes 2
• Batman Foes 3
• Wonder Woman
• Flash Friends
• Flash Rogues 1
• Flash Rogues 2
• Firestorm Fans
• Firestorm Fiends
• Green Lantern Core
• Green Lantern Corps
• Green Lantern Cretins
• Green Lantern Corpses
• Green Arrow
• Hawkman & the Atom
• Martian Manhunter
• Shazam!
• Teen Titans
• Young Justice
• Titan Terrors
• Justice League
• JLA villains
• JSA 1
• JSA 2
• JSA 3

2012 Strong Suits: Superhero Playing Cards Plastic Man art by Craig Bostick

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"I’m working on a personal project, illustrating a deck of playing cards using characters found in DC comics between 1957-1967 — the height of the kitschy Silver Age of comics. I’ll be posting one illustration every weekday for 11 weeks, which will take us just about until the end of May. 55 posts = 52 regular cards, 2 jokers, and the design for the back of the cards. It’s an ambitious project for sure and I welcome any feedback and constructive criticism."

Craig Bostick

• Zatanna @ Justice League Detroit
• Wonder Woman @ Diana Prince
• Martian Manhunter & Zook @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• Batman Family @ Bat-Blog
• The Atom @ Power of the Atom
• Aqualad (Garth) @ The Aquaman Shrine

2014 DCU Movie Fan Casting: Vincent Kartheiser as Captain Comet

I'm quite fond of Adam Blake, but as with the Justice Society of America, Captain Comet is a concept that works best within the context of a specific point in history. He was the most evolved man as envisioned by the 1950s-- super intelligent telepathic/telekinetic spacefarer. Starlords are a dime a dozen in comics, but the tinny atomic age spaceman flavor of Captain Comet set him apart. Guys like Adam Blake were in, but those special powers that set him apart did not secure him sales. He was fading out as super-heroes were strolling in, and even if those powers gave him entry into the long underwear set as a 1970s revival, his roots in mid-century sci-fi simultaneously distanced him. In a world with Superman and Luke Skywalker, what place is there for Adam Blake?

It reminds me of poor Pete Campbell, who having taken on the American James Bond and failing miserably, had to make due with being as Pete Campbell as he could be. However, Vincent Kartheiser is not Pete, even if typecasting might begin telling us otherwise. Kartheiser seems like a rather cool, humble, intelligent guy, as far from Pete as game goofball Jon Hamm is from the vicious, petty, manipulative Don Draper. I wanted an atypical actor for the role of Adam Blake-- someone who could stand out more for his mental prowess and a unique aura than his time in the gym. Evoking the McCarthy era through ongoing if indirect association wouldn't hurt. Kartheiser is a handsome guy when not playing up his dorkiness, but even his receding hairline evokes Blake's original looks and abilities. In a world where Henry Cavill is our Superman, I think a lot of us would rather cleave Captain Comet to our nerdy, doughy breast.

Regardless, you know Ken Cosgrove is just going to come riding in on a Zeta Beam with his jetpack and raygun to steal the show.

Diabolic Movie Fan Casting

• Donna Troy @ Diana Prince is the New Wonder Woman
• Vibe @ Justice League Detroit
• Nightshade @ Power of the Atom
• Zook @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu

2007 Green Lantern John Stewart SD vector art by Kleyner Kopavnick

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