Superhero Ethics

The X-Men have often been symbols for the civil and human rights styles of the day. Some of the movies, especially X2, X3, and Days of Future Past, have strong resonance as metaphors for queer and disabled identity. Brand Grinslade joins me to as we explore those connections.Brand Grinslade is a non-binary nerd living just outside of Chicago Illinois, they are a musician and graphic designer who was raised a nerd since birth, and have love dissecting all things nerdy to find the truths at their core.

We didn't plan on doing episode by episode recordings about the ethics of Falcon & the Winter Soldier, but the show raised so many great questions, Paul Hoppe and I wanted to drop a quick episode. Today we talk about racism, nationalism, Bucky's trauma, and Sam's relationship to the military.

Imagine a world with superhumans. You’ve got heroes, you’ve got villains, you’ve got... an NPR style radio station aimed at supers? The creators of the Superhuman Public Radio podcast join me to discuss the gig economy for henchmen, the immigrant rights of extraterrestrials, and how their love for comic books as moral allegory drove this project.SPR is an independent, nonprofit media organization that was founded on a mission to create a more informed Superhuman public. Every day, SPR connects with millions of Superhumans on the air, online, and in person to explore the news, ideas, and what it means to be Superhuman. Through its network of member stations, SPR makes local stories national, national stories local, and global stories personal.To learn more about Superhuman Public Radio go to https://www.superhumanpublicradio.com/ or subscribe to their podcast on your favorite podcast app!To support this awesome project, go to https://www.patreon.com/sprpodFollow them on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/sprp

Is Wanda a hero, an antihero, or the MCU's version of a Batman Villain? Is sitcom jail a fair punishment for Agatha? And is the Ship of Theseus the most Star Trek moment to happen in the MCU? Matt Carroll and Paul Hoppe join me to discuss the ethical questions from WandaVision

Are you legally responsible for the actions of your clone? What is the self, and could it ever be uploaded, or copied? Rob McKenzie joins me for a deep dive into science fiction and the questions that surround digitized consciousness.

Can Mutants win love and acceptance by being heroes? Can Magneto find peace in separation? Is Charles helping Jean, or himself, by trying to protect her from her powers and her past? Paul, Ashley, and Matthew, dive into these questions and more as we look at XMen: Dark Phoenix!

What is the role of fate in the Terminator movies? Do the later movies stay true to this idea? What can you do when you see the tragedy your current decisions are taking you towards?Becky Allen joins us for this episode. Becky Allen is the author of Bound by Blood and Sand and the sequel,Freed by Flame and Storm. She grew up outside Ithaca, New York, andgraduated from Brandeis University with a major in American studiesand a minor in journalism. She is the product manager for TheBody.com,an online HIV resource, and loves New York, brunch, and feminism.

How would the Batman story change, if Bruce Wayne lived in the late 19th century? What ideals would Superman fight for, if he landed in the Soviet Union, instead of the United States? What happens when stories take our beloved characters and break canon by placing them in totally different times, settings, situations, or tones?Paul Hoppe (https://twitter.com/zenmadman) takes the reigns, leading a discussion with Matthew Fox and Ashley Coffin. In the episode we mentioned the following previous episodes:Our episode on Red Son- https://theethicalpanda.wordpress.com/2018/11/08/ep-58-red-son-zenith/Our episode on Canon - https://theethicalpanda.wordpress.com/2020/12/29/the-value-and-danger-of-canon/

We know the X-men of today, but what were there origins? What questions did they explore that still hold relevance for us today? And what in the world was happening on Batman 66?Jess Plummer joins us for part 2 of our dive into Comics History- The Silver Age.

How did Marvel change comics in the 60's? Who were Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and why did making superheroes relatable have such appeal? Jessica Plummer and I discuss those questions and more on the 3rd episode of our Comics History Series!Jessica Plummer lives in New York and loves Superman very very much. You can listen to just how much on her Superman podcast, Flights and Tights (http://flightsandtights.libsyn.com/). She also writes about comics and books in general at BookRiot.com (https://bookriot.com/author/jessica-plummer/). Find her on Twitter @jess_plummer.Her obituary of Stan Lee can be found at https://bookriot.com/stan-lees-real-legacy/

Dr. Doom is one of the most famous villains to grace the comic book page. But in some stories he plays the role of an anti-hero, a reluctant ally, or even sometimes a hero himself- all without losing the core of his identity and outlook. Special guest J. Scotty St. Claire joins me for a discussion of Doctor Doom, and what his numerous portrayals show us about the role that context plays in making the villain or the hero.J. Scotty St. Clair is a self-described media jack-of-all-trades, burgeoning content creator and contributor to the Stranded Panda Network. In addition to comic books and podcasting, his passions and talents include drawing fandom-centric cartoons, discussing film/TV and singing karaoke.Twitter- @JScott4ReelInstagram- @JScotty4ReelTwitch.tv/strandedpandatv

When you do the right thing and bad things happen- does it mean you did something wrong? Paul and Matthew take the concept of results oriented thinking, and look at how Johnny falls into that trap with morality and consequences in Season 3 of Cobra Kai. We also talk about the consequences of violence, why no one gets therapy in the Miyagi-verse, and how a show that was an interesting critique of 1980's action movies wound up just replicating them in Season 3.

The new Wonder Woman movie is out, and Jessica Plummer and myself have opinions! What did we learn about WW and what questions do we still have? What is the importance of a final battle fought with words, not weapons? And did a movie set in the 1980's need to draw on so many of the sexist and racist tropes of that time?

What makes canon and continuity such a vital part of modern genre media? What are the dangers of becoming too focused on canon? MCUCast co-hosts Matthew Carroll and Jeff Randle join me to discuss these questions.

What is it like to read a book about a world ending pandemic in the time of Covid? How do we find grey in a tale of a final battle between good and evil? And can you tell a story where the characters have almost no agency, and the plot is the least important part of the book.A new limited series of The Stand is coming in December and to help get us ready (and prep for our episodes about it on Pandavision), we’re starting with a deep dive into the book! Want to continue the discussion with us? Agree or disagree with what we talked about, or want to add your own thoughts? We’ve got options for you!You can post questions, or respond to our episode threads in our Superhero Ethics Facebook Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/superheroethics/) or talk to us on the podcast’s Twitter (https://twitter.com/SuperheroEthics) account, or email us at superheroethics@gmail.com. Support this podcast through our Patreon page! Patreon is a great way to support creators like us through donations, and get great rewards for yo

What did Supernatural have to say about found family & agency vs. determinism? Why did the ending of Castiel & Dean’s story cause so much controversy? And can Matthew, Jacob, & Ashley get through this episode without humming enough of “Carry on my Wayward Son” to get us all sued?Want to continue the discussion with us? Agree or disagree with what we talked about, or want to add your own thoughts? We’ve got options for you!You can post questions, or respond to our episode threads in our Superhero Ethics Facebook Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/superheroethics/) or talk to us on the podcast’s Twitter (https://twitter.com/SuperheroEthics) account, or email us at superheroethics@gmail.com. Support this podcast through our Patreon page! Patreon is a great way to support creators like us through donations, and get great rewards for your help. You can even pick a topic for an upcoming episode! https://www.patreon.com/superheroethics Want to show your love for Superhero Ethics with a t-shirt, hoodi

What are the ethical responsibilities of a king? When do the ends justify the means? And what does it mean to create a relatable disabled character in a world of magic?Rob McKenzie returns to discuss these questions and more as we get ready for Rhythm of War, the latest book in the Stormlight Archives. Whether you’re a huge fan of the books, or never heard of them, there is lots in this discussion to enjoy ( and no spoilers for Rhythm of War!)Want to continue the discussion with us? Agree or disagree with what we talked about, or want to add your own thoughts? We’ve got options for you!You can post questions, or respond to our episode threads in our Superhero Ethics Facebook Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/superheroethics/) or talk to us on the podcast’s Twitter (https://twitter.com/SuperheroEthics) account, or email us at superheroethics@gmail.com. Support this podcast through our Patreon page! Patreon is a great way to support creators like us through donations, and get great rewards for your help.

Alex Trebek has passed away and while trivia may not be a superpower, Jeopardy and trivia contests hold so much overlap with our various fandoms that we wanted to take this episode to explore the show and its importance in our culture. What is the value of objective fact? Why was a show about knowing facts so popular? And just how should we pronounce ‘genre’?To find Paul Hoppe’s stream, go to - https://www.twitch.tv/zenmadmenTo hear Alex Trebek teach us how to say genre, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmNK8R-YuEc&ab_channel=whoisalexjacobTo hear Matthew on trivia podcast The Geek Bracket, go to - https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-geek-bracket-a-trivia-podcast/episode/episode-27-oh-youre-a-monster-77742801Want to continue the discussion with us? Agree or disagree with what we talked about, or want to add your own thoughts? We’ve got options for you!You can post questions, or respond to our episode threads in our Superhero Ethics Facebook Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/superheroethics/) or

What does it mean to be a fan with a critical eye? How do we relate to the stories we loved as kids, as we come to see some of their problematic aspects? How do we balance our values with the desire to be entertained in an imperfect world? Logan Grendel returns to the podcast as we talk about these questions and more.Logan Grendel is a Dog guru, photographer, activist, urban gardener, magick practitioner, artist, musician, and Nonbinary Black leftist rabblerouser, who discuses all that and more on the Focused on Infinity podcast and Twitch stream. A lifelong fan of comics, fantasy, and dystopian tales of all kinds, Logan’s own photo/graphic novel creation Harlequin’s Song was completed in 2006, and has never seemed more timely. Click here for the many places Logan's work can be found online. https://linktr.ee/FoILGWant to continue the discussion with us? Agree or disagree with what we talked about, or want to add your own thoughts? We’ve got options for you!You can post questions, or respond to our episode th

Paul and I talk about tropes in our favorite movies and shows, using the Netflix show The Queen’s Gambit as our launch point. What makes a trope annoying or problematic, and where can they be helpful to a story, especially a superhero one? How does Queen’s Gambit both embrace and subvert tropes in ways that make it such an engaging story? And is Chess a superpower?Want to continue the discussion with us? Agree or disagree with what we talked about, or want to add your own thoughts? We’ve got options for you!You can post questions, or respond to our episode threads in our Superhero Ethics Facebook Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/superheroethics/) or talk to us on the podcast’s Twitter (https://twitter.com/SuperheroEthics) account, or email us at superheroethics@gmail.com. Support this podcast through our Patreon page! Patreon is a great way to support creators like us through donations, and get great rewards for your help. You can even pick a topic for an upcoming episode! https://www.patreon.com/super