Choice Media Pod

Before Peter Jackson brought Middle-earth to the big screen, Rankin/Bass introduced a generation of viewers to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien with their 1977 animated adaptation of The Hobbit.

For many of us, this charming made-for-TV movie was our first journey into Middle-earth. It was the beginning of my lifelong appreciation for Tolkien's writing.

On this episode of the Choice Media Podcast, we're revisiting this beloved adaptation and exploring why it continues to hold up nearly 50 years later.

We'll look at what the movie gets right about Bilbo Baggins' journey. We'll also discuss some of the material left on the cutting-room floor, including the important Arkenstone subplot, and why a shorter, more focused adaptation might actually serve the story better than Peter Jackson's sprawling trilogy.

Along the way, we'll explore the fascinating animation connection to Topcraft and Studio Ghibli, share some behind-the-scenes production history, and revisit the impressive voice cast, including Orson Bean, John Huston, Don Messick, and Thurl Ravenscroft.

Is it a perfect adaptation? No. But it's still a wonderful introduction to Tolkien for youngsters, and a nice shot of nostalgia for fans like myself.

What happens when an army-men-robots cartoon takes a detour into Lovecraftian horror?

This week on the Choice Media Podcast, I take a closer look at The Dweller in the Depths, a memorable episode of the original Transformers animated series written by legendary comics author Paul Dini.

Featuring ancient threats, mysterious Trans-Organics, energy vampires, and zombified Transformers, the episode offers a surprisingly dark adventure for a children's cartoon. But it's also a lot of fun.

I also take a step back to consider how the Transformers movie changed the franchise's character dynamics. What was lost when Megatron became Galvatron? Why were the original Decepticons' rivalries and personalities so entertaining? And what makes the classic series worth revisiting decades later?

Join me for a journey into the depths!

After ten weeks of chaos across Gotham City, Batman: Bad Seeds reaches its conclusion! In this episode I review the three issues that bring the crossover to a close: Harley Quinn #67, Poison Ivy #49, and Batman: Bad Seeds: Sunrise.

Harley Quinn's psychedelic journey through Gotham becomes an unexpectedly moving reflection on her relationship with Ivy, complete with hallucinations, wild imagery, and a beautiful vision of growing old together.

Meanwhile, Poison Ivy brings Pamela Isley's long-running conflict with the Parliament of Trees to a head, forcing her to confront the consequences of her ambition and the people she risks losing.

Finally, Batman: Bad Seeds: Sunrise delivers a dramatic showdown between Poison Ivy, Batman, and Vandal Savage. As Gotham struggles to survive, the finale explores the difference between power and responsibility, the importance of ordinary people who refuse to give up, and the possibility that even someone as complicated as Ivy can learn from her mistakes.

Along the way, I offer personal perspective on following a major DC crossover in real time for the first time since Knightfall in 1993!

The Bad Seeds crossover is hurtling toward its conclusion, and Gotham is running out of time! This week on the Choice Media Podcast, I dive into four issues as Poison Ivy’s plan to transform Gotham pushes the city toward catastrophe.

In Batwoman #8, Kate Kane and Huntress must put aside their differences to survive a deadly encounter with Vandal Savage’s mercenaries. Catwoman #92 finds Selina Kyle juggling a heist, a dangerous plant invasion, and the desperate effort to get a child home safely. In Nightwing #143, Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne reunite to take on the Ventriloquist and Mr. Scarface, reminding us why their partnership works so well. And in Detective Comics #1114, Batman joins forces with Victor and Nora Fries in a desperate race to save Gotham—with an icy solution that changes everything.

Beyond the action, this week’s comics explore family, trust, reluctant alliances, and the choices people make when everything falls apart. I reflect on what makes the Bat-family tick, compare Huntress to the Greek goddess Artemis, revisits his own Batman and Robin nostalgia, and pick my favorite cover of the week: the striking Javier Fernández variant for Batwoman #8.

With Gotham caught between a prehistoric green apocalypse and a new ice age, this chapter of Bad Seeds delivers fireworks!

Reviewed this week:

• Batwoman #8
• Catwoman #92
• Nightwing #143
• Detective Comics #1114

Listen in as the Choice Media Podcast gets ready for the final showdown in Bad Seeds!

Indiana Jones may be the hero of Raiders of the Lost Ark, but is Marion Ravenwood the secret ingredient that makes the adventure so memorable?

On this episode of the Choice Media Podcast, I revisit Steven Spielberg's 1981 classic and discover a new appreciation for Karen Allen's terrific performance as Marion. From his childhood memories of seeing the film in a Vermont movie theater to watching it again with his son, Nathan explores what makes Marion special.

Drawing on Roger Ebert's writing about the film, I examine what makes Raiders such an enduring adventure, from its unforgettable action sequences to its compelling central characters. I also consider Steven Spielberg's remarkable run of filmmaking and ask what the series likely lost by leaving Marion out of the second and third movies.

Join me for a nostalgic return to an iconic adventure and a fresh look at one of the great action heroes of my youth.

What happens when you take one of the most famous stories in Greek mythology and tell it through the eyes of the god of war?

On this episode of the Choice Media Podcast, I explore Ares: The Bringer of War, George O’Connor’s graphic novel from his Olympians series. What began as a look at one of my least favorite Greek gods became perhaps my favorite retelling of Homer’s Iliad.

Building on my previous episode on Aphrodite and the Judgment of Paris, this story centers gods’ personal grudges and divine interventions in the Trojan War.

The discussion also examines the contrast between Athena’s strategy and discipline and Ares’s chaotic bloodlust, the tragic fate of Hector, and the devastating consequences of pride and vengeance.

But there may be more going on behind the scenes. Connecting this volume to O’Connor’s Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, I consider whether Zeus was manipulating events all along. With a prophecy threatening his power, the king of the gods may have had good reason to keep the Olympians divided—and he may bear more responsibility for the Trojan War than his son, the god of war himself.

Can a 66-page graphic novel capture the epic scale of the Iliad? I think George O’Connor makes a compelling case.

Gotham City is being overrun by Poison Ivy's killer plants, but what happens to the people who aren't Batman or members of the Bat-family?

On this episode of the Choice Media Podcast, I explore Gotham Central #2, where Jim Gordon and his fellow officers are caught in a nightmare as Gotham's plant invasion turns a subway into a death trap. With serial killer Victor Zsasz on the loose, corrupt cops worrying about stolen money, and Vandal Savage willing to sacrifice hundreds of innocent lives, Gordon has his hands full trying to keep people alive.

I also look at Batman: Bad Seeds — The Streets of Gotham, an anthology of stories. .

From a rooftop cookout that brings strangers together to a desperate journey across an overgrown city, these vignettes explore how ordinary Gotham residents respond when disaster strikes. We meet people who discover the value of kindness, children who rise to the occasion by playing superheroes, and rescuers who refuse to abandon their fellow citizens.

It's a solid anthology that adds texture to the larger Bad Seeds storyline while reminding us that what makes Gotham interesting isn't just its heroes and villains—it's the people who live there.

Tune in as I explore the stories, artwork, and unexpected moments of humanity in a city under siege!

On this episode of the Choice Media Podcast, I explore Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, George O’Connor’s 2014 graphic novel about one of the most fascinating figures in Greek mythology.

Aphrodite may be the goddess of love and beauty, but her stories are about much more than romance. They explore jealousy, obsession, rivalry, and the sometimes irrational choices people make when desire takes hold.

I look at O’Connor’s interpretation of the Judgment of Paris, examining how Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite represent competing forms of power: authority, wisdom, and desire. I also explore Aphrodite’s more tender side, from her role as a champion of lovers to her relationship with her son, Eros.

The ancient Greeks understood that love could be both wonderful and dangerous. Thousands of years later, Aphrodite still has plenty to teach us about human nature.

In 1991, a young Police fan from rural Vermont got the chance to see Sting perform live at the University of Vermont Gymnasium. More than three decades later, that concert remains an unforgettable memory.

On this episode of the Choice Media Podcast, I look back at Sting's Soul Cages tour, recalling a night filled with memorable performances, psychedelic visuals, and a spectacular closing stretch that featured Police classics like “Walking on the Moon,” “Every Breath You Take,” and “Message in a Bottle.”

Sometimes, you don't realize how extraordinary an experience is until you look back on it years later...

This week on the Choice Media Podcast, I look at Batman #14, “Home Invasions,” and Batgirl #24 as the Bad Seeds crossover event pushes its characters to their limits.

In Batman #14, Batman turns to Mr. Freeze as he searches for a way to stop Poison Ivy's transformation of Gotham. Meanwhile, Verity Pennyworth faces an invasion of her own at Pennyworth Manor, as she continues establish herself as Batman's new partner.

Then it's over to Cassandra Cain in Batgirl #24. Injured and exhausted, Cassandra fights through Gotham to save a poisoned child while facing Vandal Savage's forces and Ivy's monstrous plants. This was a focused exploration of resilience, fear, heroism, and the choices that define us. At one point I compare her to Zhou Yun from Three Kingdoms; I think I'm becoming a Cassandra Cain fan.

There was a lot of action in Week 7. Let's discuss.