Red Panda Report

FULL SHOW NOTESThe Shadow 1-26 “The White Legion” – March 20, 1938Click here to listen to The White Legion now!OFFThe way Lamont and Margo stumble into the White Legion’s plot is silly, as there is no force of destiny at work leading him to these adventures.ONI like the idea of a Newspaper Man being the villain. It has been said that “the corporate press is the enemy of the people.”The twist of the White Legion’s high commander was exciting.ODDThe White Legion is involved in orchestrating kidnappings and murders. Abducting the DA was done to free one of their members from a murder charge. They call each other comrades and they are aligned with local, city politics to the point they are willing to kill to see their will done. It’s good that the story is anti-political, but I am surprised it is apolitical. All that matters in the conflict is that people are trying to use the machinery of politics to their own selfish ends, even going so far as to murder for their supposedly just cause. The abuse done is criminal and vile, it matters not what the abuser believes.LOREIt’s fun that Margo drive Lamont around. It makes sense that he would have a need to be driven around, so he could jump out as the Shadow from time to time.The Shadow is given an opportunity to claim the glory of the day and instead asks to be left alone to be just a voice who “that wakes the guilty conscience, brings terror to the wrong doer and comfort to the oppressed.” That is a lovely sentiment.LINKSRed Panda Adventures from Decoder Ring TheatreThe Shadow Radio Shows

FULL SHOW NOTESListen to the twenty-sixth episode of The Shadow, “The White Legion” which originally aired March 20, 1938!LINKSRed Panda Adventures from Decoder Ring TheatreThe Shadow Radio Shows

FULL SHOW NOTESThe Shadow 1-17 “Sabotage” – January 16, 1938Click here to listen to Sabotage now!OFFThe exposition conversation between Lamont and Margo would have been much better as a description from the narrator. Perhaps the dialogue could have been reworked. They came quite close to saying “As you know…”ONThe terror in the voices of the men dying to sabotage in the montage that started the episode is chilling. It felt so real.ODDOnheim and the Shadow have a stand off similar to that from the Temple Bells of Neban, but I find it exciting. There is tension in the scene. Is it because Onheim gases and threatens to shoot the Shadow himself? Is it because Onheim is affected by the gas, too? Maybe, that is a good detail, though.GADGETSMargot uses a short wave radio set up. Lamont mentions a frequency he uses as the shadow. It is unclear to me if he has a personal radio device or if her can somehow use his powers or natural magic, as he might call it, to communicate in a way that she can pick up on with said equipment.VILLAINSDr. Onheim is a doctor at a sanitarium and the head of a sabotage ring. I don’t think it is ever explained why he is sabotaging military ships, but Lamont and Margo speak of the Shadow working for his Country on this case. Is it possible Onheim was part of the German American Bund and working to undermine US forces? The GAB was established in 1936.LINKSRed Panda Adventures from Decoder Ring TheatreThe Shadow Radio Shows

FULL SHOW NOTESListen to the seventeenth episode of The Shadow, “Sabotage” which originally aired January 16, 1938!LINKSRed Panda Adventures from Decoder Ring TheatreThe Shadow Radio Shows

FULL SHOW NOTESThe Shadow 1-05 “The Temple Bells of Neban” – October 24, 1937Click here to listen to The Temple Bells of Neban now!OFFThis Shadow adventure was less-than-thrilling. I am not sure why. The stakes didn’t seem high enough or special enough. While the foe made a strong threat that Lamont and Margo seemed daunted by at first, the Shadow’s plan of attack seemed so laid back that I doubt the Shadow felt he was in any danger at all. The lady knowing his identity was a bigger threat than when he was with the deadly dame and her armed muscle. That threat was hardly given any attention.ONLamont’s resourcefulness and intelligence network are so robust that he knows what Margo wants help with and is working on it before she even brings it up to him.I like the fact that this lady villain from across the world is a threat to the Shadow, despite my complaints about the execution of it. It is a cool idea.LOREHow did Lamont make the Bells chime when he was with Margo?What exactly do the Temple Bells of Neban do?How long does the effect of the Temple Bells of Neban last?There are a handful of people scattered around the world who could piece together Lamont’s identity as the Shadow.A Yogi was one of Lamont’s teachers who helped teach him how to be unseenLamont seems to be able to use the Temple Bells of Neban as well. Maybe. It is unclear.LINKSRed Panda Adventures from Decoder Ring TheatreThe Shadow Radio Shows

FULL SHOW NOTESListen to the fifth episode of The Shadow, “The Temple Bells of Neban” which originally aired October 24, 1937!LINKSRed Panda Adventures from Decoder Ring TheatreThe Shadow Radio Shows

FULL SHOW NOTESThe Shadow 1-01 “The Death House Rescue” – September 29, 1937Click here to listen to The Death House Rescue now!OFFThere were times when some of the dialog felt needlessly drawn out, almost like they were being told to slow down to hit commercial break at the right time.ONThe Shadow has a fascinating duality. His help to the Gordon family is utterly humanitarian, while his treatment of Lefty and Red is almost as cold and callous as how they treated Paul Gordon. Lamont and Margo ensure that the Gordon family gets the financial help they need and Paul gets his freedom, his life back. On the other hand, it seems like the Shadow relishes driving these criminals into a frenzy that leads them to put themselves in the cross hairs of the police. He gleefully turns their trap back on them. His actions are overall heroic, but there is a dark edge to it all that is part of what makes him so compelling.Grace and Paul Gordon’s dramatic struggle is a perfect start to the Shadow’s adventures. The scene with them at home before Paul gets in trouble feels so personal and intimate. They are utterly sympathetic, with their sick baby, who could die without money for medical treatments. Paul is earnest and desperate and not sure why Grace married him. When Grace rebuffs Paul’s self-effacement and insists things will be OK, that she believes in her husband the family’s doom is made certain and the stakes are set high. It isn’t the end of the world that will happen, but it’s the end of one family’s world of the Shadow can’t overturn the death warrant placed on a simple, down on his luck man. The petty criminals aren’t especially bright or competent, but evil need not be to make the good suffer.ODDThere are 5 or 6 times where people end a dramatic statement with a phrase like “it was only a shadow.” It’s a bit hokey and fun and cool all at the same time.Grace let Margo in only because she said she was a friend. I may be cynical because it is 2023, but it seems wild to trust someone so easily like that, especially a stranger in the city.LOREThe Shadow has been at work in the city for about 5 years. It is unclear how long he and Margo Lane have been working together. It is also unclear if they are a couple or not.Lamont traveled around Europe and the ancient world to become the master of the mind he is now. He refers to psychology, natural magics that have been forgotten by modern man and unnatural magics as the tools of his trade. He guards these secrets from falling into the wrong hands, in part by being the Shadow only in secret.Not only can the Shadow cloud men’s minds to make himself invisible to them, but he can seemingly alter his appearance at will. He disguised himself as on of the guards to get close enough to Gordon to see through his minds to find the clue that could save Gordon.The Shadow can see other people’s memories, seeing through their eyes, via some form of mind to mind connection.LINKSRed Panda Adventures from Decoder Ring TheatreThe Shadow Radio Shows

FULL SHOW NOTESListen to the very first episode of The Shadow, “The Death House Rescue” which originally aired September 29, 1937!LINKSRed Panda Adventures from Decoder Ring TheatreThe Shadow Radio Shows

FULL SHOW NOTES

RSS and Distribution

The collection will live permanently on MJMunoz [dot] com, but I will publish on Odysee, YouTube and other audio podcast platforms. I am excited about getting plugged into Podcasting 2.0 apps like Fountain. Look for the show there. It’s a win-win kind of app.

SUBSCRIBE- COMING SOONIs there anywhere else I should publish RPR?

LINKS

Red Panda Adventures from Decoder Ring Theatre

The Shadow Radio Shows

FULL SHOW NOTES

Fun

You should listen to RPA because it is a blast. It is one long well-made story, honestly, it rivals the MCU for quality and is just about as long as the Infinity Saga. The leads are fabulous, as is the secondary cast and the performances are excellent. Seriously, if you like good superhero fiction, it’s probably a great fit for you.I am listening to it again for all these reasons, and one other thing…

Craft

I want to dissect the shows and closely examine what Taylor did, so I can identify what was most effective and emulate those practices for my own sprawling superhero yarns that start out with pulp-era heroes.

LINKS

Red Panda Adventures from Decoder Ring Theatre

The Shadow Radio Shows