Podcast: The Mystery of Nubia

By all indications, 2017 needs a podcast dedicated to Queen Hippolyta's  "second," "other," "dark" daughter who debuted on November 7, 1972 in Wonder Woman #204, so we're "Introducing Nubia!" The soul sister of the Amazing Amazon went on to appearances in Wonder Woman #205-206, including a solo back-up story, plus cameos in Supergirl #9 and The Super Friends #25 before vanishing from comics entirely for twenty years (and  actually closer to a quarter century if you discount a single page of  one of those comics.) Despite barely escaping 1973 in comics, Nubia  managed to make appearances on television and in toy form when that was  an extremely rare accomplishment, and her origin has a massive impact on  Wonder Woman's own. Nubia was a contender, and we argue that she still  matters 45 years later on this episode!

After slipping to an unintentional monthly schedule with some  uncomfortable elements and unfortunate timing, the DC Bloodlines Podcast  returns for a thirteenth episode set on breaking its unlucky streak  (and nearly broke Diabolu Frank with all the editing it required.) In  this novel edition, special guest Pekita Trotamundos helps produce a  two-person radio drama in the style of ABC-TV's 1979 Saturday morning  favorite, The World's Greatest Super Friends. This is meant to  reflect the early appearances of Brazil's premier super-heroine in the  DC Universe, Beatriz da Costa, originally known as The Green Fury! Later  known as Fire, she was created by E. Nelson Bridwell and Ramona Fradon  for the comic book tie-in Super Friends #25, cover-dated October,  1979. After that brief cameo battling Superman, The Green Fury went on  to appear in issues #42-44, with her origin finally revealed in a full  length starring role in the series' final issue, the August 1981  cover-dated #47. Foregoing the usually biting commentary and  contemporary music soundtrack, this episode is a loose adaptation of  these stories featuring scores culled from numerous cartoon favorites of  the era. However, there is a political subtext that's hard to miss. For  a peek at the early Beatriz da Costa in action, here's a look at sample  pages from The Super Friends #43 at Scans_Daily.

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Podcast: DC's Wonder Woman 75th Anniversary Special (2016)

Along his way to covering DC Comics' special issue released to  commemorate the Amazing Amazon's three-quarters of a century in action,  Diabolu Frank lost his way and stumbled into so many outtakes from the 75 Birthdays-- The Secret Origins of Wonder Woman episode recording sessions that it became a second special its own self.

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This episode looks at Nik Mayak, a New Blood with extraordinary body  regeneration powers, supplemented by great agility and uncanny accuracy  with blowing blades. Debuting in 1993's Green Lantern Annual #2, we give an overview of the rest of his career in Eclipso Annual #1 & Bloodbath #1-2,  the Blood Pack mini-series, Guy Gardner: Warrior #29 & 39, Deathstroke the Terminator #49, Infinite Crisis #7, Final Crisis: Superman Beyond 3D #1-2, and finally 2010's Adventure Comics #4-5. You can follow along with our reading of the annual at Scans Daily.

The Guardians of the Universe chose Hal Jordan to be their Emerald  Gladiator for Space Sector 2814, wielder of a Power Ring that could  create jade energy constructs limited only by the bearer's willpower and  a necessary impurity that rendered it ineffective against anything  colored yellow. However, the day would come when Hal Jordan would  falter, and on that day his successor would rise to command the energies  derived from the Master Power Battery on Oa, and that man's name was  John Stewart...

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Podcast: The Ironically Iconic Wonder Woman

This episode, Frank offers a rebuttal to Brigit McCone's "Unpopular Opinions" week article for the site B**** Flicks,  which took the character of Wonder Woman to task for the "revolutionary  banalities" of her "male-authored feminism," especially within the  context of the 1970s TV show.

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This episode, we explore comics' first mutant super-hero, a prototype  from the Atomic Age who was a mental marvel and physical dynamo! Explore  his Strange Adventures from the June 1951 cover-dated ninth issue through the twelfth, plus comparisons to 1987's Secret Origins Annual #1. You can follow along with our reading at Pappy's Golden Age Comics Blogzine.

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Podcast: The Second Coming of Robert Kanigher

This episode we look at the brief return of writer/editor Robert  Kanigher to the Wonder Woman series following a campaign by Gloria  Steinem to return the Amazing Amazon to her roots. Kanigher decided what  that meant was that he could recycle his own decades old scripts, so we  get to simultaneously cover 1973's Wonder Woman #207-208, but also the original presentations from Wonder Woman #37 (September-October 1949) #33 (January-February 1949) and #55  (September-October 1952) of "The Riddle Of The Chinese Mummy Case!" "The  Four Dooms" and "The Chessmen of Doom" by Robert Kanigher, Harry G.  Peter, Ric Estrada & Vince Colletta.

This episode looks at the New Blood Myriad and the Cyborg Superman, neither of whom debuted in 1993's Superman Annual #5 (the only instance of that occurring in the Bloodlines annual event  that was specifically created to introduce new characters.) Getting to  know Hank Henshaw means going back to 1990 to cover Superman #42, Adventures of Superman #465 and especially Adventures of Superman #466, followed by Sasha Green's first (and technically last) appearance in Superman #77. Next we get to the actual story "Myriad!" followed by her cameo in Bloodbath Special #2 and her quasi-posthumous mentions in 1994's Action Comics #696 & 700 plus 1997's Superman: The Man of Tomorrow #7. Finally, an overview of Frank's reading of Superman comics overall,  as well as the career of Hank Henshaw specifically. This one gets  political, so if you're still hypersensitive about the concept of  President Trump, take heed. Bonus: Our podcast's debut appearance of the  most successful New Blood, Hitman! You can follow along with our  reading of the annual at Scans Daily.

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Podcast: The 2016 Wonder Woman Trailers

This episode Frank looks at the teaser and first full trailers released for the 2017 feature film starring Gal Gadot.