Superhero Ethics

Catherine Rae joins us to discuss the Twilight story, its toxic understandings of relationships, and her reading habits at age 14. We talk about why these books and movies are both so toxic and so popular, the ways we dismiss the things that young girls love, and what it means to have a problematic fav(orite).

Catherine Rae is a thirsty and proud member of the Stranded Panda Embarrassment. She is a reader and writer and runner living in the smallest state. Please send her pictures of your pets.

We're wrapping up our coverage of Moon Knight, and talking about Episode 6! With Paul and Will

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We're diving into some heavy topics as we talk about Moon Knight, episode 5!

This episode is made possible in part by Manscaped!
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Is The Batman a Hamlet story? The Joker an Iago? I’m joined by Austin Tichenor (he/him), artistic director of the award winning Reduced Shakespeare Company as we talk about the Bard’s approach to villains, and storytelling in general, and how we see those same themes in the stories we love today.

Austin Tichenor (he/him) is an actor, playwright, and the artistic director of the award winning Reduced Shakespeare Company. An intellectual welterweight, Austin remains disappointingly average despite three expensive degrees (two from UC Berkeley and one from Boston University). An intellectual welterweight, Austin remains disappointingly average despite three expensive degrees (two from UC Berkeley and one from Boston University).

He blogs monthly for the Folger Shakespeare Library (where you can find his article on The Batman and Hamlet) and since 2006 has produced and hosted the world’s longest running weekly theater podcast, the Reduced Shakespeare Company Podcast. Recent directorial credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream for Starling Shakespeare Company, Twelfth Night for Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, William Shakespeare’s Long Lost First Play (abridged) for the Folger Shakespeare Theater, and Much Ado about Nothing for Pacific theater. As an actor, Austin has logged many hours on episodic television, playing recurring roles on 24, Allias, Felicity, Ally McBeal, and The Practice as well as guest starring as Guys in Ties on The West Wing, Gilmore Girls, The X-Files, E.R., NYPD Blue, and shoes like them. He also offers his services as a writing and acting coach at The Shakespeareance.

He collaborated with Reed Martin on Pop-Up Shakespeare (illustrated by Jennie Maizels) and the definitive compendium of Shakespearean scholarship Reduced Shakespeare: The Complete Guide for the Attention-Impaired (abridged).

Co-Artistic Director, Reduced Shakespeare Company https://www.reducedshakespeare.com/

Creator, The Shakespeareance https://www.theshakespeareance.com/

Producer/Host, Reduced Shakespeare Company Podcast https://www.reducedshakespeare.com/podcasts/

Monthly Contributor, Folger Shakespeare Library https://shakespeareandbeyond.folger.edu/author/austin-tichenor/

Plays at Broadway Play Publishing - https://www.broadwayplaypub.com/?s=Tichenor&post_type=product&order=desc

Austin on Twitter https://twitter.com/austintichenor
Austin on Facebook Austin on Facebook

Support The Shakespeareance on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/austintichenor?fan_landing=true

Will joins Paul and myself to talk about episode 4 of Moon Knight!

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Our long road to Gotham has come to an end- we're talking about The Batman! Paul and I talk about the nature of vengeance, the relevance of this version of the Riddler to our own world, and ask the age old question- is this our Batman?

This episode is made possible in part by Manscaped!
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Paul and Matthew continue our coverage of MoonKnight, as we talk about episode 3!

Can a sword bring about a new era? Can a former assassin find peace? Can a beloved anime translate to live action? Whether you've seen all or none of the Kenshin movies or shows, the discussion focuses on ethical and historical questions with relevance today.

Does a person have to actually do a bad thing in order to be punished for it? Why does it matter that Steven ate the steak? And what in the world is this new music? Will Freeland of Hype is my Superpower join Paull and Matthew to discuss episode two of MoonKnight.

Can villains be saved? Can they be forced to change, even if they don't want to? Does Peter have trouble respecting the agency of others? And is Dr. Strange the worst babysitter in the MCU?

Paul and I get into all these questions and more as we discuss Spiderman: No Way Home.