Join us on today's pod as we dive into the murky waters of fan service or ‘Stan’ service to paraphrase one Marshall Mathers.

From comic book adaptations to controversial casting choices like Hugh Jackman as Wolverine to artistic liberties taken such as the racially-diverse Norse gods in the Thor films, we explore where fandom expectations clash with creative vision.

Should creators prioritize fan loyalty or forge their own paths? Don't changes have to be made when adapting 50 to 80 year-old IPs?

Plus, we dissect the buzz around the Fantastic Four's 1960s revival and eagerly anticipate upcoming adaptations like Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips' Criminal series starring Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy, The Gentlemen). 

On this episode, Adrian recorded audio from a panel featuring writer/artist/raconteur Howard Chaykin at HeroesCon 2024 this past weekend. 

Moderated by Chris Brennaman of Infinite Realities Comics in Tucker, GA,  the panel follows Chaykin discussing his career, the true origin of his series ‘Black Kiss’, Gil Kane, personal transformation and much more.

And hey, stay until the end to hear Howard’s impromptu performance of ‘Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)’ by Jack Yellen.

Audio recorded on June 15, 2024 with permission.

When it comes to creativity, inspiration is often taken from the works of others. But where do we draw the line between influence and outright copying? Join us on this thought-provoking episode as we ponder the age-old debate: When do imitation and homage become stealing? From comic book artists like Todd McFarlane and Rob Liefeld, to filmmakers such as Brian De Palma and Quentin Tarantino, to musicians like Beyoncé and Pharrell, our conversation navigates the gray areas where creativity intersects with ethics. Was Picasso right when he said, "Good artists copy. Great artists steal?" Is imitation truly the sincerest form of flattery, or does it cross the boundaries of artistic integrity?

In the third installment of our ‘5 Comics That Explain’ series, we G-ride to the 1990s.

The conversation includes Spawn #1 and the meteoric rise of Image Comics, the death (and inevitable return) of Superman in issue #75 and the ‘Bad Girl’ craze led by scantily-clad characters such as Lady Death and Shi.

We also cover the landmark mini-series DC’s ‘Kingdom Come’ with the sterling art of Alex Ross; as well as give the nod to Neil Gaiman’s ‘Sandman’ and becoming the bedrock of DC’s late imprint, Vertigo.

Lastly, we give honorable mention to the 8 million selling ‘X-Men’ #1 by Chris Claremont and Jim Lee, the reality-bending ‘Maxx’ by Sam Kieth and the breath of diversity from Milestone Comics.

As always, thanks for listening.

On this episode, Dwight and Adrian review WRESTLEMANIA XL! As longtime wrestling fans, we totally ‘mark’ out on the Grandest Stage of Them All!

Titles change!

Heroes and villains return!

And will Cody Rhodes survive the onslaught of the Universal Champion Roman Reigns, The Rock and the combined might of the Bloodline faction?

Be it aliens, clones, or dystopian futures, we love us some science fiction. On today's podcast, we take inspiration from movieweb.com by compiling a list of nine underrated sci-fi movies. Terrific films like The Brother From Another Planet, Soylent Green, The Hidden, Equilibrium, and The Girl with All the Gifts are a few of the overlooked gems that make up our final list. We also ask questions on the pod: Are big budgets critical to the success of good sci-fi movies? Do the themes and concerns in these films often reflect the decades in which they were released? Is sci-fi as a genre better at telling cautionary tales?

Check out the movieweb.com article by Brian Accardo: https://movieweb.com/cult-classic-sci-fi-movies/#beyond-the-black-rainbow

This week, we travel to a galaxy far, far away and ask the question: With all the films, TV shows, animated shows, comics, novels, and video games out there, is there too much Star Wars? Don't get us wrong, of course, we love the Star Wars Universe to pieces. But depending on which adaptation or spinoff you're talkin' about, mileage can vary. The Mandalorian and Andor were well received, but Obi-Wan and Ahsoka, not so much. And no one in fandom seems super excited after seeing The Acolyte trailer. We also discuss other movies that have been adapted for television like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Westworld, The Karate Kid (Cobra Kai), and What We Do in the Shadows. The conversation ends with a Highlander tangent based on the original films, the '90s TV show, and the recently-announced reboot starring Henry Cavill. 

With our second installment in this series, we jump to the 1980s. In the conversation, we discuss massive crossover events such as Crisis and Secret Wars, the rise of X-Men Mania, and the British Invasion in the form of anthologies like Warrior and 2000 AD. We also cover the phenomenon that was and is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, as well as books that led us into the next decade like Alan Moore's run on The Saga of the Swamp Thing. 

Frank Castle a.k.a. The Punisher debuted in February 1974 in the pages of The Amazing Spider-Man #129. Almost 50 years to the month, we celebrate Castle as a figure, not just within comics, but one who has also been adapted to film, TV, and animation. On the pod, we discuss Don Pendleton's The Executioner who was the original inspiration for The Punisher, actors who have portrayed the character like Dolph Lundgren, Thomas Jane, and Jon Bernthal, and how in modern day, The Punisher’s iconic skull symbol has been co-opted by far right groups. We also chop up other antiheroes and "likeable" villains in popular culture such as Harry Callahan, Walter White, Arya Stark, and Deadpool.

In the wake of this year’s Super Bowl, we have our first ever Superhero Movie Draft!

We’ve prepared our 1st Round Picks in the categories of Sequels, Teams, Non-Marvel/DC, Solo and the Billion Dollar Club!

It promises to be a humdinger with steals, surprises and alley-oops!

As always, thanks for listening!