Superhero Ethics
301 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 months ago - ★★★★★ - 157 ratingsExploring ethical questions from Superhero movies and TV shows, sci-fi, and everything else geeks love
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Episodes
Ep 169 - The Dark Knight
March 08, 2022 14:30 - 1 hour - 79.5 MBPaul and I continue our trek through Batmans on screen with The Dark Knight
Ep 168 - Batman Begins
March 02, 2022 14:00 - 1 hour - 73.9 MBJust a few more days until The Batman, and we're talking about Christopher Nolan's vision of the caped crusader in Batman Begins! With Paul Hoppe
Ep 167 - An Animated Discussion of Batman
March 01, 2022 14:10 - 1 hour - 55.8 MBPaul and I continue our discussion of the different versions of Batman. Today we look at animated versions of the Caped Crusader, focusing on Batman the Animated Series, Red Son, and The Lego Batman Movie.
Ep 166 - Ethical Robot Overlods- The Matrix and AI
February 15, 2022 14:40 - 1 hour - 71.2 MBWas Karl Marx a sci-fi author? Should we fear or welcome the continued advances in AI? And will we ever get around to discussing the Matrix on this episode? Dan McCreary and Rob McKenzie join me for a discussion of the ethics around Artificial Intelligence. The book mentioned during the podcast was -A Thousand Brains: A New Theory of Intelligence, Jeff Hawkins To support either or both of the great non-profits working to help kids learn that were mentioned in this episode, please visit Co...
Ep 165 - Ip Man and Martial Arts in Media
February 08, 2022 14:05 - 1 hour - 87.2 MBCan the superiority of one school of martial arts over another be determined in single combat? What can one martial artist do in the face of a World War? How does this movie deal with the story of Ip Man? Paul and I dive into these questions and more. The video we referenced, How to Write Superman: Ip Man, by Accented Cinema, can be found here- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TP2KlkBgol4
Ep 164 - Batman Returns
February 01, 2022 15:00 - 1 hour - 63.9 MBCan a Tim Burton movie be TOO Tim Burton? Would Ashley Coffin have discovered blue eyeshadow if it weren't for this Catwoman? And why, oh why, does Bruce think you should bring up your ex on a first date? Paul and Ashley join me to discuss these questions, and ask, is this our Batman, as we talk about Batman Returns!
Ep 163 - Jaws!
January 25, 2022 14:10 - 1 hour - 83 MBWe're going way back to the summer of '75, when the biggest concern was being eaten by a shark at the beach! We talk about the ethical questions this movie raised, along with the crazy story of how it got made, with myself, Ashley Coffin, and two special guests who have a life long interest (obsession) with this movie and its story, Mark Garkusha and Steve French. When not lending his voice to various commercial products or dubbing international reality shows, Mark Garkusha writes, produces,...
Ep 162- Batman 89
January 18, 2022 14:00 - 1 hour - 56.5 MBWith a new Batman movie coming out, we're looking back at earlier portrayals of the Caped Crusader. With each movie we're looking at every aspect, talking about how this version addresses the ethical issues at the heart of Batman and asking of each portrayal- is this my Batman? In this first episode, Paul Hoppe and I dive into the first Tim Burton/Michael Keaton Batman movie, Batman 89!
Ep 161- Golden Ethics, Betty White Tribute
January 11, 2022 14:45 - 1 hour - 73.5 MBWhy has Betty White, and the Golden Girls TV show taken on such an important place in our hearts? What did she, and this show, have to say about issues of racism, sexism, ageism, animal rights, and sexuality, in the 80's and today? And what is more of a superpower than surviving in Miami on a (substitute!) teacher's salary? With Paul Hoppe Here are the articles I mentioned during the podcast: Betty White on "The Golden Girls" taught me queer self-acceptance By Savannah Sipple https://www.sa...
The Witcher S2 Ep 7-8
January 09, 2022 15:39 - 56 minutes - 51.8 MBWe're wrapping up our coverage of The Witcher, Season 2, with our discussion of episodes 7-8. With Ashley Coffin and Paul Hoppe.
The Witcher S2 Ep 5-6
January 06, 2022 01:14 - 1 hour - 55.6 MBPaul, Ashley, and Matthew team up to talk about The Witcher, Season 2! In this episode we cover episodes 5-6 of the second season.
Ep 160 - Encanto Ethics - When Generational Trauma is the Villain
January 04, 2022 13:22 - 1 hour - 72.3 MBLet's talk Disney, and light happy topics like family and generational trauma! Why do so many of us find the mental health struggles of one or more of these characters so relatable? We're talking about Encanto with licensed therapist and Disney super-fan, Saron Bryan. Saron is a therapist in Athens, Georgia who primarily serves queer, polyamorous, and kinky clients. She also enjoys taking way too long to finish reading the Wheel of Time series and questing to find the most ridiculous and g...
Ep 159 - 2021 Wrap Up
December 28, 2021 18:46 - 1 hour - 87.4 MBPaul and I are talking about some of the content from 2021 that we didn't get a chance to cover, along with talking about 2021 overall. Below is a list of the content we talk about, and the times when we do each one, so you can skip the ones you don't want to be spoiled on. Squid Game 20:05 - 29:47 Harder They Fall 29:47 - 36:51 Kenshin (though no real spoilers 36:51 - 46:13 Kim’s Convenience - 46:13 - 1:10:07 Shitt’s Creek - 1:10:07 - 1:17:27 Rapid fire! 1:17:27 - end We talked about ...
Ep 158 - Webs of Ethics- Spiderman No Way Home
December 22, 2021 14:05 - 1 hour - 62.9 MBSpiderman No Way Home is out, and it just so happens that it raises an ethical question or two! Krissy Lenz and Nathan Blackwell from the The Most Excellent 80's Movies Podcast join me for the first of what will be a couple of different ethics episodes about this movie- there is just that much to talk about! But remember the most important ethical issue- no posting spoilers! We'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode, but if you post on our social media, please nest your posts/comments....
Witcher S2 Ep 3-4
December 20, 2021 01:19 - 57 minutes - 52.4 MBPaul, Ashley, and Matthew team up to talk about The Witcher, Season 2! In this episode we cover episodes 3-4 of the second season.
Witcher S2 Ep 1-2
December 18, 2021 00:22 - 1 hour - 55 MBPaul, Ashley, and Matthew team up to talk about The Witcher, Season 2! In this episode we cover episodes 1-2 of the second season. We'll have 3 more episodes coming soon, covering the rest of the season.
Witcher S1 Primer Pt 2
December 17, 2021 18:59 - 51 minutes - 46.7 MBThis episode was recorded for Pandavision, but we're having trouble uploading so I'm posting it here as well. Season 2 of The Witcher just went up, and we're helping you get ready for it! Ashley Coffin, Paul Hoppe, and Matthew Fox talk complete our primer on Season 1.
Ep 157 - BeBop 2
December 07, 2021 16:31 - 1 hour - 65.9 MBPaul and Matthew jump into ethical questions from the 2nd half of the live action CowBoy BeBop!
SW Rebels S2 Ep 1-2
December 02, 2021 14:00 - 1 hour - 64.4 MBWe're talking about Season 2, episode 1-2. SO many character reveals!
Ep 156 - Midnight Mass
November 30, 2021 14:05 - 46 minutes - 43 MBWhat happens when a pastor and a pastor's kid talk about the ethics of church leadership, using faith to justify terrible things, and vampires? Matthew and Matt Carroll get into all the ethical questions raised by Netflix's Midnight Mass
Ep 155 - MMMBop, Cowboy Bebop, ba duba dop...
November 23, 2021 23:27 - 1 hour - 66.8 MBLet's talk Cowboy BeBop, episodes 1-5. Are Spike and Jet heroes. anti-heroes, or something else? What's going on in this post earth society? Paul and I jump into these questions and more.
Ep 154 - Ethics of Anthills. Eternals
November 16, 2021 16:55 - 1 hour - 56.6 MBWould you disturb an ant-hill to build a garden or something else you needed? What if humanity was the ant-hill? Is it better to force people to do good things, or let them do terrible ones? Eternals raised some great questions, and Pete Wright of The Next Reel joins me to explore them.
Ep 153 - The Jedi need an HR Department
November 09, 2021 13:55 - 1 hour - 74.1 MBCould the Jedi have been saved? Was their downfall inherent in their structure, their rules, their repression? Did Anakin just need a good HR officer to take his complaints to? Rob and Jonah join me to talk about the fall of the Jedi, and how we might have rebuilt the order.
Ep 152 - Multiverse Multi Opinions
November 02, 2021 16:17 - 1 hour - 62 MBLet's talk multiverses! Paul Hoppe and I dive into the questions raised by telling stories in a multiverse. Note- this episode may be a bit controversial, as both of us are not as gung-ho as many others about the way the multiverse is playing out in the MCU. This episode is NOT an attempt to argue with people who are loving the multiverse, or to shame them or to in any way question that. If you're super excited to see how the multiverse plays out- that is awesome, and if you're not interes...
Ep 151 - Ethics of Dune
October 26, 2021 15:38 - 1 hour - 69.4 MBIs there such a thing as benevolent colonialism as Duke Leto tries? How does Dune explore the idea of a messiah, and the way those effect and are effected by Paul, the Bene Gesserit and the Fremen? My friend and former colleague from my days as a pastor, Chris McArdle, joins me to dive into these topics and more. Chris McArdle is an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ who serves the First Congregational Church of Anoka, Minnesota. He is a self-described lifelong geek whose par...
True Blood S1E5 8
October 19, 2021 13:43 - 1 hour - 68.2 MBAshley and I continue our discussion of True Blood, covering S1 Eps 5-8 on this 2nd episode of Superhero Ethics After Dark! 18+ only please.. This week I am on my honeymoon, so this will be the only Superhero Ethics episode. But most of the time, After Dark will be a bonus episode, not a replacement for the normal weekly episode. Superhero Ethics After Dark is a new series where Ashley and I will discuss shows that deal frankly with topics like sexuality or other themes the podcast gods w...
Ep 150 - Hollywood Labor and Ethical Fandom
October 12, 2021 13:10 - 1 hour - 64.7 MBHollywood Strike? ScarJo vs. DIsney? What's a fan to think and do? I'm joined by 3 friends from the The Next Reel podcast network, all of whom are industry professionals, to discuss what is happening and how it effects what we choose to watch. Here is the petition we discussed during the show: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/tell-amptp-to-make-a-deal-with-behind-the-scenes-workers Mandy Fabian was named "Best New Filmmaker of the Year" by NewFilmmakers LA, co-created/directed Lifetime...
Ep 149 - Krakoa and Mutant Seperatism
October 05, 2021 13:30 - 1 hour - 76.6 MBA homeland for the X-men and all mutants? Should mutants be thought of as their own nation? Does this mean Magneto won? Will and Steve from Hype is my Superpower Podcast join me to discuss these questions and more as we talk about the Krakoa story line in X-Men comics. Never read the comics- neither have I! We use them as a jumping off point to discuss the characters and issues on both screen and page.
Ep 149 - Krakoa and Mutant Separatism
October 05, 2021 13:30 - 1 hour - 76.6 MBA homeland for the X-men and all mutants? Should mutants be thought of as their own nation? Does this mean Magneto won? Will and Steve from Hype is my Superpower Podcast join me to discuss these questions and more as we talk about the Krakoa story line in X-Men comics. Never read the comics- neither have I! We use them as a jumping off point to discuss the characters and issues on both screen and page.
Ep 148 - Is Star Fleet a Military
September 28, 2021 19:00 - 1 hour - 71.3 MBWhat are the questions that come up when we militarize space? Is there a problem when you show up to a first contact in ship loaded with weapons? Who makes decisions when messages to the civilian oversight back home take days or weeks to be delivered? Rob McKenzie is back to talk about these issues and more in Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Stargate and sci-fi fiction. We recommend a number of books in this episode and you can buy many of them through The Ethical Panda affiliate! You ge...
True blood S1E1-4
September 27, 2021 17:05 - 1 hour - 56.2 MBWelcome to our first episode of Superhero Ethics After Dark! 18+ only please.. Ashley and I are discussing True Blood, the HBO series about Vampires coming out of the Coffin in rural Louisiana, starting with Season 1, Episodes 1-4. We talk about the ethics of Vampires, is Sookie compassionate or naïve, all the ways this show is a metaphor for issues in our own world, and can Ashley talk about anything BUT her thirst for ER. Superhero Ethics After Dark is a new series where Ashley and I wil...
Ep 147 - Purple Man, Empath, and the Ethics of Total Control
September 21, 2021 13:05 - 1 hour - 61.6 MBWhat morality do you develop if no one ever tells you no? Do you learn not to hurt people, when you can always change their emotions? Will and Steve of Hype is my Superpower join me to discuss these issues on page and screen with a focus on Purple Man from Jessica Jones and Empath from the X-Men. Check out Will's twitch channel: http://twitch.tv/sylverdreamer
Ep 146 - Ethics of Shang Chi
September 14, 2021 13:15 - 1 hour - 106 MBWe dive into the ethical questions from Shang Chi! Is Wenwu a villain, an antagonist or just the best Anakin Skywalker ever?
Ep 145 What if we Talked about What If
September 05, 2021 17:32 - 1 hour - 57.9 MBWhat if raises so many great ethical questions and we're here to explore them! With Will and Steve of the Hype is my Superpower Podcast! https://hypeismysuperpower.podbean.com/
Ep 144 - Comics in the Classroom
September 01, 2021 13:20 - 1 hour - 60.6 MBBatman may face down the Joker, Cap was ready to take on Thanos by himself- but no hero is braver than the middle school teacher! Social Studies teacher and long time Panda Emily Cissell joins us to talk about how she uses comic books in her classroom. Emily Cissell is a middle school social studies teacher also known as a real life superhero. She has a borderline obsession with Captain Marvel, Loki, and her dog Hemingway. You can find her at: Instagram/Twitter: @emilyorlou Some of the link...
Ep 143 - When Robins Leave the Nest
August 25, 2021 13:10 - 1 hour - 87 MBWhat happens when Robin goes out on their own? Jessica Plummer joins me to discuss Tim Drake coming out as queer, Dick Grayson wrestling with the effects of growing up Robin and Jason Todd trying to find his way out of Dick's shadow. Jess has a new book out, and if you buy it through this link you get a discount, and help support the podcast! https://bookshop.org/books/sword-stone-table-old-legends-new-voices/9780593081891?sscid=71k5_dqqyo&utm_source=ShareASale&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_camp...
Ep 142 - The Suicide Squad
August 17, 2021 13:00 - 1 hour - 110 MBPaul Hoppe and Jessica Plummer join me to discuss ethical questions in The Suicide Squad! Jess has a new book out, and if you buy it through this link you get a discount, and help support the podcast! https://bookshop.org/books/sword-stone-table-old-legends-new-voices/9780593081891?sscid=71k5_dqqyo&utm_source=ShareASale&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=2805314&utm_term=1535322&fbclid=IwAR3hbVPAI_cVvXhwdBlmmM-HBtdWQu1PGYRQjQzzzDjWxyiU_y7mizzmv3U
Ep 141 - What Happens Next
August 10, 2021 13:05 - 2 hours - 111 MBThe evil king is dead, the empire has fallen, the story is over! But what comes next? On this specially-commissioned episode, Paul Hoppe and I explore that question and many others that go into the making of sequels and prequels. This episode was commissioned by the 50th follower of Paul's Twitch Stream, freecplad3454. You can find Paul at twitch.tv/zenmadman, and if you're interested in commissioning an episode yourself, email me at [email protected] to discuss it!
Ep 140 - Raya, Luca, and the Wisdom of Kids Movies
July 27, 2021 13:10 - 1 hour - 65 MBPaul joins me to talk Luka, and Raya and the Last Dragon! We dive into questions raised by each of these movies individually, as well as talking about why Kids Movies are so often dismissed, and the power that can be found in their version of storytelling. We go into questions like trust, identity, queer representation, and where legend and myth meet reality.
Ep 139 - Ethical Varients Loki Pt 2
July 21, 2021 12:35 - 1 hour - 92.1 MBDid he who remains have to die? Did Loki miss the mark on queer representation? And how did the phrases Thank you Daddy Disney, and Schrodinger's Kang, make it into our episode? Paul Hoppe and Fox Kaye join me to discuss these questions and more.
Ep 139 - Ethical Variants Loki Pt 2
July 21, 2021 12:35 - 1 hour - 92.1 MBDid he who remains have to die? Did Loki miss the mark on queer representation? And how did the phrases Thank you Daddy Disney, and Schrodinger's Kang, make it into our episode? Paul Hoppe and Fox Kaye join me to discuss these questions and more.
Ep 138 - Black Widow Ethics
July 13, 2021 15:03 - 1 hour - 74.4 MBPaul and Ashley join me to discuss ethical questions from Black Widow! We talk about character agency, the importance of this movie, and falling fortress fight fiascos.
Ep 137 - Shadows and Bones and Anti-heroes, Oh My!
July 06, 2021 13:25 - 1 hour - 104 MBReturning Guest Becky Allen joins us to discuss Shadow & Bone- the TV series, and the book it was based on. Even if you haven't seen the show or read the movie, there's lots to enjoy!
Ep 132.5 Thirst Feedback
July 01, 2021 13:00 - 34 minutes - 31.6 MBOur thirst episode, and the ongoing discussion of thirst and queerness has brought a lot of feedback and Ashley joined me to go over it. We talk about all the great support we've gotten, some of the negative comments that have come in and, amazingly, we kept our conversation under 35 minutes! (a bit longer with ads)
Ep 136 - Burdened with Glorious Ethical Questions
June 29, 2021 13:10 - 1 hour - 72.3 MBPaul and I are talking about deep ethical questions like- is it bad to genocide entire civilizations when they make choices you think are bad? What was the importance of Loki becoming canonically bi, and has the show addressed his gender fluidity? And no discussion of Loki would be complete without one of our old favorites- redemption arcs.
Ep 135 - Queer Heroes & Representation
June 22, 2021 13:10 - 1 hour - 77.5 MBIts Pride month so we're talking queer representation in our sci-fi/fantasy/superhero stories. Why does representation matter? Why is it particularly important for the queer community, and why does Hollywood consistently do it so badly. We are joined by special guest Shiri Sondheimer. Shiri is a pansexual crone who rants about books and comics on Book Riot and the Roarbots. Her own short stories can be found in Unlocking the Magic: A Fantasy Anthology and Women In Horror 2016. She has an a...
Ep 134 - Feedback!
June 15, 2021 13:00 - 1 hour - 106 MBMail Bag! Paul and I dig into your feedback. Spoiler Warning- because we're answering specific questions about different stories we've covered and there are a lot of spoilers, below are the different topics we cover, with the time it starts and when the next one starts, so you can skip ahead to not be spoiled. 3:20 Invincible 28:46 Who can be a guest 45:06Avatar the Last Airbender 54:28: The ethics of thirst 1:02:20 Godzilla vs Kong movies 1:14:44 Warrior
Ep 133 - Jupiter's Lethality
June 08, 2021 17:49 - 1 hour - 88.4 MBShould Superheroes promise to never kill? Is killing in the heat of battle the same as killing a supervillain so they cannot do harm again? We look at these questions and more in a discussion of Jupiter's Legacy and other stories. If you haven't seen Jupiter's Legacy, don't worry- neither has one of our guests! We use the show as a jumping off point, to focus on the topic itself. With Paul Hoppe and Jessica Plummer. During the show we mention an earlier episode where we discussed the Superm...
Ep 132 - The Ethics of Thirst
June 02, 2021 13:15 - 1 hour - 58.8 MBAshley Coffin joins us for a discussion on the ethics of thirst in fandom.
Ep 131 - Daredevil on Page and Screen
May 26, 2021 13:05 - 1 hour - 87.9 MBWhat makes Matt Murdoch decide to become Daredevil? What troubles his conscience, and his faith, about putting on the mask, and how does the on screen version of those questions differ from that in the comic books. Will and Steve of the Hype is my Superpower join us for the first in our On Screen & Page series, in which we will look at characters and questions and compare how they are addressed in the comic books versus their on screen versions.