EPISODE 227 - ALL B.S. AND A LITTLE WW: VIEWS ON THE TRINITY PART 5

Episode 227 - All B.S. and a Little WW: Views on the Trinity Part 5

All B.S. and a Little WW: Views on the Trinity winds down this week and since I began things with my permanent semi-regular co-host Andy Leyland it feels right to close this series out with him.  Our subject?  Superman: For All Seasons by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale.  It is both fair and accurate to say that For All Seasons is one of my Top Five All Time Favorite Superman Stories Ever and even though Jeffrey Taylor and I will be eventually covering it over on From Crisis to Crisis: A Superman Podcast I have been itching to talk about this series for some time now.  Andy and I cover all four issues and when we're not gushing about the artwork we're talking about why we love this series so much.  After that we got off on a tangent about some of the deeper issues this series brings up as well as looking at the "sequels" that Loeb and Sale have done in this era.  

One of them will make you cry.  It made me cry.

Andy hosts or co-hosts a plethora of shows.  Hey Kids Comics, which he hosts with his son Micheal, puts out the occasional episode these days and during this conversation I mentioned that their Happy Birthday Superman series is one of the best examinations of the Man of Steel ever so be sure to download those episodes and give them a listen.  He also co-hosts a show called The Fantasticast with Stephen Lacey and as the title suggests they are discussing the Fantastic Four and have been doing so from the beginning.  Currently they are in the seventies and have just gotten to Marvel Two-In-One.   Then there is Listen to the Prophets: A Deep Space Nine Podcast, which he hosts with Paul Spataro and is about...well, Deep Space Nine.  Andy also has a mostly solo show called Palace of Glittering Delights where he talks about whatever he wants to talk about.  

Next Time: At some point, probably over the weekend, I'll be dropping an episode I recorded with a bunch of friends right after we saw Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.  The next standard episode will be an all feedback show where I go through the email I have received over the last month!

EPISODE 226 - ALL B.S. AND A LITTLE WW: VIEWS ON THE TRINITY PART 4

Episode 226 - All B.S. and a Little WW: Views on the Trinity Part 4

All B.S. and a Little WW: Views on the Trinity (you know, my series of episodes leading up to the release of Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice) continues this week with a trio of stories that are...a bit different.  In all honesty this episode was the idea of this week's special guest.  A few months ago Stella (she of Batgirl to Oracle: A Barbara Gordon Podcast over at the Batman Universe) suggested that we get together to talk about some Elseworlds stories.  I thought given her love of Barbara Gordon that maybe it would be fun to talk about a short series of back-up stories from the Bronze Age that detailed the adventures of Bruce "Superman" Wayne.  What if the rocketship carrying the baby Kal-El had landed outside of Gotham instead of outside of Smallville?  How different would his life have been?  Would be still become Superman?  The answer to that last question is answered in the strip's title but the other questions...well, they take a bit more explanation.  The road to this Bruce Wayne becoming Superman is odd and once he's in the role things get even weirder.  Want to find out how?  Listen to the episode already!

Stella has been kind enough to have me on Batgirl to Oracle on numerous occasions.  On episodes 26 and 27 we talked about some Bronze Age team-ups between Superman and Batgirl.  On episode 56 we talked about a fun Superman/Batgirl story in DC Comics Presents as well as one of the stories we covered on this episode.  Episode 79 was where Stella and I talked about Barbara Gordon's role in Crisis on Infinite Earths.  Finally I was part of an epic team-up involving Stella, myself, Josh Bertone, Donovan Morgan Grant and Tom Panarese on episode 111.  You like Batman: Knightsend?  How about Zero Hour?  How about Prodigal?  All of those stories get discussed on that jam packed episode.  I want to thank Stella for coming back to Views and for being so generous with my appearances on her show. 

Next Time:  If I can find the time there might be another interlude episode.  If I can't Andrew Leyland will join to talk about one of my favorite Superman stories ever...Superman: For All Seasons.    

EPISODE 225 - ALL B.S. AND A LITTLE WW: VIEWS ON THE TRINITY INTERLUDE

Episode 225 - All B.S. and a Little WW: Views on the Trinity Interlude

STOP!  Before you listen to this episode head on over to Superman Forever Radio and listen to Episode 98!  That is the first part of this epic crossover where a Pre Crisis Superman fan and a Post Crisis Superman fan get together to talk about one of the most divisive Superman stories ever!

Done with that?  Good.  Let's get started here.

In this second part of what I am rightly calling the Epic Crossover Bob Fisher (of the previously mentioned Superman Forever Radio, Long Play over at the Two True Freaks network and the Giant Superman Podcast) comes back to Views to finish our conversation about John Byrne's Man of Steel.  We kick things off with the Post Crisis Superman's first encounter with the Post Crisis Lex Luthor in Man of Steel #4.  Then we move to the fifth issue where Byrne retells a classic Silver Age story featuring a certain imperfect version of Superman.  Finally it all wraps up in Man of Steel #6 where Clark learns his true origins and reunites with a childhood friend.  Mixed in with all of that are clips from The Adventures of Superman radio series produced for the BBC by Dirk Maggs because it seemed like a fun way to bridge the issues.

I want to thank Bob for asking me on to his show to talk about one of my favorite mini-series ever.  Man of Steel turns 30 this year and I wanted to do something to commemorate that, so the conversation we recorded some time ago fit that bill perfectly.  While this origin is no longer the "official origin" it was the start of "my" Superman and it was neat to talk to someone from a previous generation that had a completely different take on this story than I did.  

Next Time: Stella and I talk about the adventures (all three of them) of Bruce "Superman" Wayne!

EPISODE 224 - ALL BS AND A LITTLE WW: VIEWS ON THE TRINITY PART 3

Episode 224 - All B.S. and a Little WW: Views on the Trinity Part 3

This week I am not only hosting this bad boy all by my lonesome but also taking care of some unfinished business from the now defunct Bailey's Batman Podcast.  Back in September of 2015 I jotted down a bunch of notes for an episode that would feature a "mix tape" of Batman theme songs.  For various reasons that never happened but I still liked the idea so I decided to take those notes out of storage and use them here.  

After a plea for suggestions on the name for a new semi-regular feature here on Views I get into the music of Batman.  I start with the theme to the first movie serial and go all the way up to the more recent animated films.  Along the way I talk about the sixties live action series, the music from the four films in the original movie cycle, the various animated themes of the Dark Knight and even play a track from one of the Nolan Batman scores.  

During the show I recommended that y'all check out a couple of podcasts.  One of them is The Batcave Podcast, hosted by John S Drew.  It is a great show that explores the sixties Batman series and I was fortunate enough to be the guest on Episode 42 where Jim and I talked about Julie Newmar's last turn as Catwoman.  I also went on and on about a series of episodes Jim Moon did on the Hyponobobs podcast called The Natural History of the Batman.  It is a remarkable series that I will re-listen to every once in a while because it's that damn good. Start with Episode 28 (which is sort of a prologue but not really) and then continue here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.  

Next Time: Stella Bowman returns to Views to talk about the adventures of Bruce "Superman" Wayne! 

EPISODE 223 - ALL B.S. AND A LITTLE WW: VIEWS ON THE TRINITY PART 2

Episode 223 - All B.S. and a Little WW: Views on the Trinity Part 2

Welcome to the second installment of All B.S. and a Little WW: Views on the Trinity.  This series is designed to shamelessly tie into celebrate the three heroes that we'll be seeing in the upcoming film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.  The WW portion of the title takes center stage in this episode and once again I am not alone.  Joining me for her first time in the Views Guest Host Chair is Rebecca Johnson.  Rebecca is the co-host on the most excellent Supergirl Radio podcast (which focuses on the current CBS television series as well as covering all aspects of Kara Zor-El's history) and produces some fantastic videos over at her YouTube channel Duckmilk Productions.  

Our subject this time out is the first seven issues of the 1986 Wonder Woman series by George Perez, Greg Potter and Len Wein.  Like Superman and Batman before her Wonder Woman received an updated origin and revamp after the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths.  Rebecca and I devote the first part of the episode to the first issue of that series where we examine the new take Potter and Perez had on Paradise Island, the Greek Gods and how Princess Diana started on the road to becoming Wonder Woman.  After the break we talk about the next six issues which see Wonder Woman going up against the machinations of the god of war himself Ares.  Along the way she meets Steve Trevor, Etta Candy as well as Julia and Vanessa Kapatelis and battles Decay, Deimos, Phobos all in an effort to put an end to Ares' plan to plunge Man's World into a nuclear war.  Rebecca and I not only discuss how we felt about the story but also how we feel about this new Diana and her world.

I wanted to thank Rebecca for coming on to the show and encourage you to use the links above to check out her videos and podcasts!

Next Time: A rare solo episode where I go through the Music of the Dark Knight!