Dawn of Mantis: True Crime, Mysteries and More

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In our 200th episode, we discuss the life, career and strange death of television's original Superman- George Reeves. His official cause of death is listed as suicide, but other details at the scene have spawned several conspiracy theories suggesting he was murdered. We also go down multiple rabbit trails, such as "sex with superman" and "Joe's hatred for new Marvel movies", and we also treat you to a hilariously awkward 1942 Army training video warning of the dangers of sexually transmitted diseases. You're welcome. 

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Welcome to our 5th Annual Halloween episode. This year we decided to cover the life and death of one of our favorite 80s comedic actors- John Candy. We talk about his early life, introduction to acting, his amazing career and the fantastic movies it produced. 

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In our 198th episode we delve into part two of our Little Rascals series. In part one we covered the saga of Robert Blake- did he kill his wife or not? In our second and final episode we cover quite a long list of cast members who went on to face a horrific end. One was found dead in the desert near Las Vegas, another drank himself to death in a seedy hotel room in San Diego, one poor soul was struck and killed by a truck shortly after leaving the show and another was killed in a plane crash. (Subject Matter Begins @ 9:23)

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This episode begins a two part series on the "Little Rascals Curse". The "Our Gang"/"Little Rascals" franchise has been around since the1920s, and in the decades since, many have alleged a disturbing trend amongst the show's cast members. Many of the children from the show grew up to meet a gruesome end, or be charged with murder, or didn't get a chance to grow up at all. We begin the series with one of the only children who was able to break through and be taken seriously as an actor once he became an adult- Robert Blake. He was also accused and put on trial for killing his wife, Bonnie Lee Bakely. There was a lot to cover with Robert, so he got his own episode, but in part 2 we'll cover the many other "Little Rascals" alumni who encountered bizarre circumstances after leaving the show. Ivan was not available for this episode, but thankfully the lovely Jessica (Joe's wife) stepped up and joined us in studio to maintain the three-part dynamic you've come to know and love. 

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In our second and final episode on the unsolved murder of Bob Crane, we cover the last day of Bob's life and his gruesome murder. Then we cover the various theories as to who may have killed Bob and why, focusing mostly on our favorite suspect- Bob's "partner in grind" John Henry Carpenter. We also discuss regional dialects, delve into the great "Dean's vs Hiland" onion dip debate, and Ivan goes on a rant about the inability of police departments to keep track of cold case evidence. 

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On this episode we're talking about Bob Crane- an accomplished radio DJ in the 50's and the star of the 1960's sitcom "Hogan's Heroes". But we get a little naughty on this one folks, because ol' Bob had a severe sex addiction throughout his entire adult life. When asked "How many women would you like to sleep with?", Bob's answer was "Yes". In part one of this two part series we discuss Bob's upbringing, how he conquered LA radio and how he came to be the star of Hogan's Heroes. We also cover his career's steady decline throughout the 1970's and how his sex addiction aided in that decline. (Subject Matter Begins @ 4:40)

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Gig Young was a major supporting actor in Hollywood for decades, appearing in films alongside the likes of Doris Day, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Bette Davis and Humphrey Bogart. But in his later years, Gig's inner demons and vices contributed to a sharp decline in his career. Then in 1978, after only three weeks of marriage, Gig murdered his new bride and then killed himself. In this episode we cover his early life, rise to fame, career decline and his ultimate ending. (Subject Matter Begins @ 2:33)

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It's been a long journey, but we are finally to the last episode of our 9 part series! We discuss the NOMIS and FBI investigations into Ken's death, the impact the death had on his loved ones, the resolve the town showed to keep the shooter's identities a secret, and end the series by revealing what happened to all of the key players in the story in the years since. (Subject Matter Begins @ 9:54)

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In the next to last episode in our series, we cover the events of July 10th, 1981- the day Ken McElroy died. We also discuss the direct aftermath of his shooting, and the storm of controversy it created. (Subject Matter Begins @ 8:30)

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In our 7th episode on Ken McElroy, we introduce you to new Nodaway County Prosecutor David Baird, and cover Ken's trial for shooting Bo Bowenkamp. Then, despite what initially appeared to be a victory for Bo and the town, Ken and his attorney once again find a way to beat the system. True to form, Ken marches right back into town to further instigate the people, and this causes the already volatile mood of the townsfolk to go nuclear. 

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