The FANtom Zone - Comic Books

The FANtom Zone - Comic Books episodes:

• 02.24.2021

  The FANtom Zone Farewell

  Well true believers this is it, after almost 3 years we have reached the end of our time at The FANtom Zone. We wanted to record one last episode to thank all of our wonderful listeners and our amazing supporters. ...

  
• 02.03.2021

  EP87 Deep Dive: Nightwing

  Most comic book heroes are based on pre-established tropes or character types. Very few forge their own. But Nightwing, the trailblazing subject of this episode, not only created the mold but broke it twice. Along with creating the model...

  
• 01.20.2021

  EP 86 Character Design in Comic Books

  Comic books are, it goes without saying, a primarily visual medium. While writers may craft the ideas for our favorite stories, pencilers, inkers, and colorists give these ideas life by rendering them on the page. Perhaps no other aspect...

  
• 12.30.2020

  EP85 Wonder Woman 84 Movie Review

  Wonder Woman's first film outing lit the box office on fire and raised the quality bar for superhero cinema. We discuss how well Wonder Woman 1984 stacks up to the original. Perfection is a hard act to follow, and this...

  
• 12.23.2020

  EP84 Deep Dive: Wonder Woman

  In comics often time the first is still the best, and the first major woman superhero is no exception. Since her inception Wonder Woman has not only been the premiere female superhero but a first among equals with respect...

  
• 12.09.2020

  EP83 Objects, Artifacts, & Items in Marvel Comics

  Christmas is in the air, and sure it’s about peace on Earth and goodwill towards men, but come on, it’s actually about getting cool stuff in your stocking! Well, the Marvel universe has magic hammers, iconic shields, mystical capes, and...

  
• 11.25.2020

  EP82 Indigenous Characters In Comics

  Indigenous Americans have been unfortunately underrepresented in comics, but despite their frequent exclusion from mainstream comics, Native American characters and creators have had a significant impact on the comic book landscape. We spotlight our favorite Indigenous American characters and...

  
• 11.11.2020

  EP81 Marvel Cosmic

  While most superhero stories take place on good old terra firma, in the Marvel Universe, some of the most compelling tales occur beyond the stars. That's right, no one does cosmic comics quite like the House of Ideas. On...

  
• 10.28.2020

  EP80 Deep Dive: Swamp Thing

  Beware Listeners! Because something slimy this way comes! On this episode we Deep Dive Swamp Thing, the one of a kind body horror hero whose stories straddle the divide between Gothic tales of terror & superpowered melodrama. We retrace the...

  
• 10.14.2020

  EP79 Villains Who Scare Us In Comics

  Contrary to popular belief the bloodthirsty killers and terrifying monsters in the world of comics aren’t just confined to horror stories. In fact, there are plenty of things that go bump in the night populating every corner of the...

  
• 09.30.2020

  EP78 Deep Dive: Doom Patrol

  If you’re looking for the most delightfully bizarre and wonderfully unorthodox collection of rag-tag misfits whose hearts are in the right place and at the end of the day they get the job done… then the Doom Patrol is...

  
• 09.09.2020

  EP77 Objects, Artifacts, & Items in DC Comics

  In the world of superheroes if you aren't born with alien powers and you don't own a few billion dollars you might still be fortunate enough to get your hands on a special bauble or gadget that bestows upon...

  
• 08.26.2020

  EP76 Deep Dive: Catwoman

  They say that curiosity killed the cat, but curiosity also makes for a killer podcast episode, especially if what you’re curious about is Catwoman! That’s right, it’s our Catwoman deep dive! This episode has everything you might want to...

  
• 08.19.2020

  Let's Talk Spider-Man with Mac Blake

  Superheros and comic book culture generally have had a tendency to bleed into other media and genres. They've been adapted into videogames, they've practically dominated the cinema, and they've even found their way into the material of stand up comedy....

  
• 08.12.2020

  EP75 Schools & Academies in Comics

  Some heroes are made, some heroes are born, but all heroes need schoolin’. Not only are sidekicks and young heroes a fixture in superhero stories, but by now so are the institutions that train and educate them. This week...

  
• 07.29.2020

  EP74 Let's Talk Faith with Julie Murphy

  This week we chat with New York Times bestselling author Julie Murphy about her book Faith: Taking Flight! Julie Murphy wrote the best selling and now Netflix movie Dumplin'. Faith: Taking Flight, is a coming of age novelization of the...

  
• 07.15.2020

  EP73 Comic Book BFFs & Duos

  While you might be tempted to think of the superhero as a lone figure in an outlandish costume waging a solo crusade against crime, the truth is comic book vigilantes often need someone to lean on when the chips are...

  
• 07.01.2020

  EP72 Deep Dive: X-Men's Storm

  Batten down the hatches because it's going to be quite a gale! This week we deep dive Marvel's Mistress of the Elements, Storm! We tell you everything you'd care to know about Ororo Munroe, breaking down her powers, her personality,...

  
• 06.17.2020

  EP71 Rewind Review: Justice League

  When the greatest superheroes and comic book legends DC has to offer come together on the panel they form the Justice League, but when Zack Synder and Warner Bros brought them together on the silver screen were they able to...

  
• 06.03.2020

  EP70 #Podcastblackout

  We will not be releasing a regular episode in support of #podcastblackout. We aren’t going to contribute to taking your attention from what’s going on in the world. As content creators, we feel this is the right decision and better...

  
• 05.20.2020

  EP69 Omega Level Mutants

  This week we dive into the world of some of Marvel's most powerful mutants! Topics include the history of omega level mutants, Jonathan Hickman's current list, its different meanings and iterations, and if the list has any actual barring. Join...

  
• 05.06.2020

  EP68 New Characters in Comics

  New Characters are the lifeblood of stories and new characters often drive stories. But what gives them staying power? This week we cover making new characters and some of our favorite standouts since 2010!

  
• 04.22.2020

  EP67 Plagues, Outbreaks, and Epidemics

  We discuss the most notable stories about plagues, outbreaks, and epidemics in comic books. While the world being frozen virtually in place by COVID-19 is a harrowing and bizarre circumstance, we find that stories about diseases are hardly rare and...

  
• 04.09.2020

  EP66 The Cosmos of DC Comics

  Some superhero adventures are so bombastic that they’re literally out of this world.  When comics get cosmic they can’t be contained by a single planet, and instead, they span the stars. On this episode we dig into the DC Universe’s...

  
• 03.25.2020

  EP65 Marvel Phase 3 Part 1

  We break down Marvel's first 6 movies of Phase 3. As the end of the Infinity Saga draws closer did the MCU knock it out of the park or was it just the same stuff we have seen before? Let's...

  
• 03.11.2020

  EP64 Weaknesses In Comics

  Whatever doesn't kill you only makes you stronger, and if what kills you is a glowing green rock, then you might be a superhero of some kind. And while a superhero is defined by their powers, they're no less defined...

  
• 02.26.2020

  EP63 Birds of Prey Movie Review

  EP63 Birds of Prey Movie Review OUT NOW! Did we fall in love with DC’s latest movie or did fail to set flight? Let us know if you agree with what we thought and what you thought! Available anywhere podcasts...

  
• 02.12.2020

  EP62 Deep Dive: Birds of Prey

  We deep dive into the world of DC Comics Birds of Prey! From Oracle to Huntress, Black Canary to Lady Blackhawk and more! We take a trip to the clocktower to discuss what makes them tick, how important Gail Simone...

  
• 02.05.2020

  EP61 All Things Locke & Key

  With the upcoming Netflix show, we decided it was a good time to visit the world of Locke & Key. Joe Hill's masterpiece is a terrifying whimsical ride and is peak comic book storytelling. Grab your Omega key and join...

  
• 01.22.2020

  EP60 Antiheroes

  In the world of cowls and capes, when danger strikes and lives are in jeopardy you need a superhero to save the day, but sometimes the hero that shows up doesn't conform to the typical idea of the beloved boy...

  
• 01.08.2020

  EP59 Rogue Galleries

  If it’s true what they say, that a hero is only as good as their villain, then a superhero is only as good as their rogues gallery. It’s not important whether a hero’s enemies come from another planet to wage...

  
• 12.25.2019

  EP58 Green Lanterns of Sector 2814

  EP58 Green Lanterns of Sector 2814 There’s no real format for the superhero. Sometimes the superhero is an alien escaping from a dying world or a divine being who’s come to Earth to protect humanity from powerful threats it could...

  
• 12.11.2019

  EP57 Animated Movies DC Edition

  While Marvel may have become the dominant force with respect to superhero adaptations at the box office, many fans argue that they've come up short in other forms of media. For instance, when it comes to the...

  
• 11.26.2019

  EP56 Villains Breaking Good

  Courageous and morally upstanding superpowered heroes thwart the nefarious schemes of sinister super villains, that's the tried and true formula that structures the intrepid superhero narrative.  Well, at least most of the time. Much like the real...

  
• 11.13.2019

  EP55 Deep Dive: Daredevil

  While some superheroes fly to other planets and punch alien warlords with their rocket-powered fist, others patrol the gritty streets of Hell's Kitchen leaping from rooftop to rooftop smacking crime with a billy club. Our Daredevil Deep Dive! For your...

  
• 11.06.2019

  EP54 Dick, Jason, Tim & a Damian. Mantle of Robin.

  Holy 54th episode, Batman, this entire episode is dedicated to Robin!  Or more accurately, Robins. The brightly colored half of the Dynamic Duo, more a mantle than any single character, the Boy Wonder has defined what it means to be...

  
• 10.30.2019

  EP53 Monsters, Vampires, & Ghosts in comics

  Hello kiddies! Halloween approacheth! 'Tis the season to make mischief, honor the dead, and pay our respects to those morbid and macabre creatures who among other things go bump in the night.   And, as it happens the barrier between...

  
• 10.27.2019

  EP52 Anniversary Special!

  We did it! One year of the FANtom Zone! We have covered so much and you listened! For this episode, we asked our listeners to ask us anything! You guys delivered! Thank you to everyone who made doing this crazy...

  
• 10.16.2019

  EP51 Marvel Phase Two

  One of the greatest achievements in comic book adaptation is undoubtedly the creation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Whether it was keeping the narrative momentum of the original Avengers story arch rocketing forward, or expanding its universe into bold new...

  
• 10.09.2019

  EP50 Joker Movie Review

  The Joker movie currently burning up the box offices is, perhaps surprisingly, one of the most controversial of the decade. The conventional wisdom about comic book movies these days is that they have more in common with amusement park rides...

  
• 10.02.2019

  EP49 Deep Dive: The Joker

  Why would a podcast discuss one of the most charmingly deranged and deadly comic book villains of all time? Because some podcasts just like to watch the world burn. That’s right, this episode is our Joker Deep Dive! There’s a...

  
• 09.25.2019

  EP48 Deep Dive: The Flash

  The Scarlet Speedster, The Crimson Comet, The Human Whirlwind, The Sultan Of Speed! It's finally here our Deep Dive on The Fastest Man Alive, THE FLASH! We cover the origins of Barry Allen, his sidekicks, supporting characters & of course the Dastardly Rogues! 

  
• 09.18.2019

  EP47 All About Saga

  After having been mentioned so often on the podcast it could no longer be avoided, this week The Fantom Zones plunges headfirst into the pages of Saga!  Perhaps the pound-for-pound best currently published comic series today, Brian K. Vaughn and...

  
• 09.11.2019

  EP46 Marvel Phase One

  We look back on Marvel Studios Phase One! The good, the bad and the Incredible Hulk. From Iron Man to The Avengers, Marvel created a connected Universe that changed the game of Comic Book Movies forever. Tune in as we...

  
• 09.04.2019

  EP45 All Heart No Powers

  The world of the superheroes is populated by men and women who can shatter diamonds with their bare hands, run around the globe in a nanosecond, and move mountains with their mind. That's why it's really something to encounter a...

  
• 08.28.2019

  EP44 Super Pets In Comics

  The world of animal friends in superhero comics is far from being limited to Krypto the Super Dog. It ranges from smelly feral cats to flying goats, to crazy feral dragon bat monsters that defy description. On this episode of...

  
• 08.21.2019

  EP43 Physical Disability in Comics

  What with all the preternatural powers, logic-defying physical feats, and uncanny abilities, it often feels like comics are exclusively about the amazing things superheroes can do. But sometimes superhero stories are about what a hero can’t do, and the heroism...

  
• 08.14.2019

  EP42 Favorites of Batman the Animated Series

  Some people are fans of the Dark Knight Trilogy, while others insist Tim Burton's take on the Caped Crusader is best, but every real BatFan agrees, you don't get closer to perfection than Batman the Animated Series. Never before has...

  
• 08.07.2019

  EP41 Alien Villains in Comics

  From Superman to Silver Surfer, some of our favorite super-powered heroes originate from beyond the stars, but every ray of light has its shadow. As often as interstellar visitors to Earth are here to help, they’re as often here to...

  
• 07.31.2019

  EP40 Boy Scouts in Comics

  Superman, Cyclops & Captain America....Trustworthy? Check. Loyal? Check. Leader? Check. It must be an episode about Boy Scout characters! We dive into what makes these types of characters tick and spotlight a few of our favorite lesser-known boy scouts!