After Lunch

Back in Episode 165, we speculated what Marvel Comics might be like if they took a year off from publishing superhero comics and focused on other genres instead. In this sequel episode, Michael, Rob, and Jody Collins return to imagine how Marvel might reboot their most classic superhero series with brand new, completely different concepts and characters. Evan wasn't able to join us for this one, but stay tuned for an upcoming episode in which he reveals his own ideas for reboots of all eight series.

Michael and Rob continue their journey through the Mission: Impossible films with the fourth in the series, Brad Bird's Ghost Protocol.

Michael, Rob, and Karen Flieger take a detour from the main James Bond series to watch Italy's OK Connery (aka Operation: Kid Brother) starring Sean Connery's younger brother as a famous secret agent's younger brother who's pulled into a spy caper. Thanks to the super popularity of Goldfinger and Thunderball, lots of Bond spoofs and rip-offs came out around this time, but OK Connery is unique for including iconic actors from the actual Bond movies, including Lois Maxwell, Bernard Lee, Daniela Bianchi, Adolfo Celi, and Anthony Dawson. But is it any good? Our panel may not all agree.

Michael, Rob, Evan, and Pax talk about what they've been watching and thinking about. Topics include The Last of Us, Quantumania, Marlowe, Adam Driver vs dinosaurs, Bono and the Edge talking to Dave Letterman, Pumping Iron, Party Down, Creed 3, behind the scenes making a major Disney animated movie, villains as main characters, buying cars, engaging with ridiculous ideas, and the difference between openness and vulnerability.

A couple of episodes ago, Michael and Rob talked about JJ Abrams' Mission Impossible III and the TV show Lost came up. Michael mentioned an episode of the old Dragonfly Ripple podcast where Annaliese Trammel shared her thoughts on the first two seasons with her dad, Carlin. It was a wonderful bit of podcast history, but it's not easily available anymore, so we're rerunning it. Please enjoy.

Michael, Rob, Evan, and Pax talk about what they've been listening to and reading. Topics include teenage stupidity, pocket symphonies, which Enterprise we'd want to serve on, De La Soul and music licensing, annotated books, Barry Allen goes to Marvel, Batman: White Knight, The Big Sleep, and Nothing.

Michael and Rob talk about JJ Abrams' contribution to the Mission: Impossible series, starring Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Michelle Monaghan, Billy Crudup, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Maggie Q, Simon Pegg, Laurence Fishburne, and Keri Russell.

Michael, Rob, and Karen Flieger talk about Sean Connery's fourth adventure as James Bond in Thunderball. Lots of music discussion in this one, praise for Paula Caplan and Fiona Volpe, and awe at Largo's impressive sense of fashion.

Michael, Pax, and guest Noel Thingvall (with input from Evan as well) recall their favorite films of 2013 and how they feel about them now. And they might get into some of the big stinkers of 2013 as well.

Michael, Rob, Evan, and guest Jody Collins imagine a reality in which Marvel Comics takes a year off from publishing superhero comics to focus on other genres. What genres should they pick? What stories should they tell? And what creators should write and draw them?