Mr. K’s Super Show

Let's take a trip back to the turbulent 70s, when a comic book dared to tackle the real life issues that plagued America! Of course, we're covering the legendary Green Lantern / Green Arrow run by Denny O' Neil and Neal Adams, which dared to take on such burning issues as bigotry, sexism, and an unflinching look at the perils of drug abuse. This would change the course of modern comics, making the comic companies realize they could balance super heroics with gritty realism. The comics world would never be the same...

For this change-of-pace episode we review one of the most interesting and challenging works of artist / writer Neal Adams, namely, his maxi series Batman Odyssey from the early 2010s. Describing this work is something that goes beyond mere words, as it's a challenging read from one of Batman's most famous creators and does not easily fit into any established genre, much less a traditional Batman story. But it did trigger a very interesting and involved conversation, as we try to puzzle out this um...enigmatic work. Your hosts are Brad Page and Chris Karam

In this episode, we remember Sal Buscema, the legendary veteran of Marvel Comics, whose work spanned over four decades. Known as a great storyteller, Sal's pencils and inks graced the pages of hundreds of Marvel comics over the years. Known affectionately to fans as "Our Pal Sal," Sal was an artist who consistently did great work, and drew most of the company's biggest characters, including The Avengers, Spider-Man, The Defenders, and too many more to mention here. Sal's artwork is indelibly stamped on the Marvel comics we grew up on and we celebrate his life, work, and career. Sal, your work will never be forgotten by the multitude of fans who grew up on it like we did. Hosted by Chris Karam and Brad Page

Back in 1972,  Marvel & DC published a crossover that was so secret, even they didn’t know they’d published it!Rogue Marvel & DC writers Steve Englehart, Len Wein, & Gerry Conway conspired to have a crossover take place between their three magazines, Amazing Adventures #15 (featuring the X-Men’s Beast and drawn by Bob Brown & Marie Severin), Justice League Of America #102 (drawn by Dick Dillin), and The Mighty Thor #207 (drawn by John Buscema)  without telling their respective companies they were doing so.The backdrop for this storyline was Rutland, Vermont’s annual Halloween festival, (a real-life event, by the way) which had many of the attendees decked out in superhero garb and Englehart, Wein, & Conway inserted themselves (and their respective wives and girlfriends) as characters who wind up as part of the adventure.  Scooby-Doo style, the gang helps the superheroes vanquish their foes and Marvel and DC saved Halloween...without either of them knowing it.  And it remained that way for years.Hosted by Chris Karam and Brad Page

In 1973, writer Steve Englehart decided to crossover the two titles he was writing for Marvel, The Avengers and The Defenders for a summer-long epic that has come to be known as The Avengers / Defenders War!With artists Bob Brown (Avengers) and Sal Buscema (Defenders), Englehart scripted an epic tale that crossed galaxies and pitted  hero against hero against villains for the ultimate contest.  This was during a time when crossovers of this scale were not common and this story has gone on to become a legendary tale of Marvel’s classic ’70s era!Your hosts, as always, are Chris Karam and Brad Page.

This episode, we delve into the final chapters of Spider-Man’s original Clone Saga from 1975 (Amazing Spider-Man #147 - 150, where Peter Parker has to face the uncertainty of whether or not he’s the real Spidey or just some clone of the Jackal’s.This saga also has Spidey dealing with his arch-foe Tarantula, who is in league with The Jackal in his insidious plot to get revenge on our webbed hero, in a saga written by Gerry Conway and drawn by Ross Andru.Who will win?  Who will die?  Only way to find out is to listen to this episode! (or actually read the books!]

With the recent release of the new Fantastic Four movie, we decided to explore one of the FF’s definitive sagas -- "The Galactus Trilogy" from Fantastic Four #48 - 50!We go back to the Marvel Age of comics for an epic saga brought to us by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and break it down issue-by-issue.  No plot point or soap opera subplot is too small to escape our analytical clutches!It’s always fun going back to the comics that started it all and this is an FF classic like no other and was partially the basis for the new movie!  Enjoy...and let us know what you’re thinking by posting a comment in our Facebook group!  You’ll be glad you did!Hosted by Brad Page and Chris Karam.

40 years ago, DC Comics released the revolutionary mini-series Crisis On Infinite Earths.  "Worlds will live!  Worlds will die!  And the DC Universe will never be the same!"  That wasn’t just mere marketing hype, it was what actually happened as DC decided to consolidate their multiverse of earths into one single earth.This series shook the DC Universe to its core and paved the way for new beginnings and directions and we have writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Perez to thank for that.We discuss this groundbreaking series in depth and analyze what worked and...what didn’t.Join us as we celebrate the 40th anniversary of a series that had a profound impact on DC Comics!

This episode, Brad and me pick 3 lame villains each and talk about why they’re...well...so lame!And while lame, they do provide a certain entertainment value.  Hey, they can’t all be winners, right?  While our writers and artists generally provide us with solid stories and art, sometimes fatigue or flights of fancy make them create these rather, um, questionable adversaries for our heroes!We had fun talking about these peculiar characters and it was a nice change of pace episode for us.Hosted by Brad Page and Chris Karam

It was Frank Miller’s year in 1986 and at the center of it was his seven-part return to Daredevil; this time with artist David Mazzuchelli to chronicle the epic saga known as "Born Again."This was such an epic task, we once again brought in our good friend Eric Miller (Pods & Sods) to break down this tale of destruction and redemption.  We had a lot of fun ruminating on the many aspects of this storyline, which redefined Daredevil during a year in which Frank Miller would demonstrate how deep his artistry and storytelling was and this story also brought the artwork of David Mazzuchelli to a level never seen before.This is a long episode, but necessary to chronicle this major turning point in the history of Daredevil.Hosted by Chris Karam and Brad Page.

This time, the rock and comic worlds collide as we tell the story of how Marvel’s KISS comics from 1977 turned two young lads into music fans via a super special issue that cast Gene, Paul, Ace, & Peter as superheroes battling Doctor Doom!A year later, a second KISS comic was also released, and this one further cemented our KISS mania!This canny bit of branding and marketing not only made for fun reading, but it turned us into KISS fans and was our gateway into the world of...ROCK AND ROLL!!!!!!!! (screamed, of course, in Paul Stanley’s inimitable wail).  So, get out that old, beat up KISS lunchbox, chow down on your Hostess Twinkies, and give this episode a listen!

We’re back with a Very Special Episode of The Pod Remains The Same!This time, we tackle the new documentary, Becoming Led Zeppelin.  This long awaited documentary delves into the origins of the band, from their upbringings in England, to how they came to be musicians, and finally, how they...became Led Zeppelin.The documentary is chock full of new interviews with John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page, and Robert Plant, as well as newly discovered audio interviews with the late John Bonham that tell the story of how this legendary band came together to conquer the rock world like no other.Hosted by Chris Karam and Brad Page

Once again, we go back to the 1970s for an obscure DC hero named...Manhunter!Manhunter (aka Paul Kirk) plays the world’s most dangerous game  -- hunting criminals -- amid international intrigue and machinations with all the twists and turns that you might see in a classic James Bond film.  With the exception that Manhunter dies and is resurrected, but with a major twist...he goes up against an army of his own clones!This series, which played out as a backup story in Detective Comics, was the work of veteran writer and editor Archie Goodwin, and was an early work by a young penciler named Walter Simonson.  Together, they crafted a saga that while short-lived, had an impact on comics fandom, and set Walt Simonson on the path to other things (Thor, etc).Your dangerous hosts are Brad Page and Chris Karam