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 130 - Ethically Invincible
May 20, 2021 13:05 - 1 hour - 73.9 MBZuhair Ali of the Animation Deliberation Podcast joins us to discuss ethical questions from Invincible, Season 1, a show that takes many of the common superhero tropes, and turns them on them on their head. Whether or not you've seen the show, there is a lot of great topics for any fan of superheroes to enjoy.
Ep 129: Warrior Mafias
May 12, 2021 13:00 - 1 hour - 55.4 MBCan you be a hero while part of a mafia, gang, tong, or cartel? Paul and I use the HBO show Warrior to explore that question and more.
Comics History Pt 5 - The Bronze Age
May 07, 2021 20:16 - 1 hour - 76.7 MBComics Code gets ignored, teen angst and diversity in our heroes and Wonder Woman on the cover of Ms. Magazine -The Bronze Age of comic books was a wild time. Jessica Plummer returns to talk with me about this fascinating chapter in comic book history.
EP 128 Giant Animals Smashing Buildings
April 30, 2021 13:05 - 1 hour - 73.7 MBProving that we can find an ethical discussion in any media, (and that we haven't forgotten how to talk about topics other than Falcon & the Winter Soldier) we're diving deep on the ethical questions of the monster verse. Are they monsters, titans, or animals, and why does the word we use matter? What are the dangers of humans seeing themselves as the rulers of nature, and how does nature fight back? Paul and I are joined by Stranded Panda regular Nate Muzzy to dive into these questions and ...
Ethics of FATWS Ep 6
April 24, 2021 16:36 - 1 hour - 93 MBEthics and Justice in Falcon and the Winter Soldier, episode 6! With guests Will Freeland and Paul Hoppe.
Ethics of FATWS EP 5
April 17, 2021 17:59 - 1 hour - 96.6 MBThis week Paul, Will, and myself dive into ethical questions raised by Falcon & the Winter Soldier, episode 5. Here are the links we mentioned Places to see discussion of disability, ableism, and Bucky losing his arm: https://twitter.com/leftistbucky/status/1380630711225491460?s=20 https://twitter.com/srogersfilms/status/1380578915559739394?s=20 https://ahscovenavengersalliance.tumblr.com/post/648025732653645824/there-are-a-couple-of-issues-with-this-scene-and FreddiesRoomate Tiktok: htt...
Ethics of FATWS EP 4
April 11, 2021 13:05 - 1 hour - 90.1 MBWould you take the Super Soldier Serum? Is Walker a murderer? Is Karli? Will Freeland joins Paul & Matthew again to talk about ethical questions from Episode 4 of Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Will Freeland is a Pod Cast Host and Marvel Nerd. Located in Southern California, he is the co host of the Hype is my Superpower podcast. He can also be found at the Facebook group and Instagram page of the same name.
Ethics of FATWS EP 3
April 03, 2021 17:58 - 1 hour - 60.9 MBWe examine ethical questions from Falcon and the Winter Soldier, episode 3, with guest Will Freeland. Will Freeland is the co-host of the Hype is My Superpower podcast. You can find it on most podcast apps, and join their facebook community at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1415184702155412.
Ep 127 - Successors, Sidekicks, and Batman Beyond
March 30, 2021 13:00 - 1 hour - 70.5 MBBatman has had many sidekicks over the years, but it's not until Terry McGinnis steals the Batsuit that Bruce Wayne finds a successor. What is the difference between successors and sidekicks, and how do age and agency factor into that? What responsibility did Bruce have towards his wards and sidekicks, and how is Terry different? How many parallels can Ashley, Paul, & I draw to Captain America, the Falcon, and the Winter Soldier? Spoiler alert: A lot! Contains minor spoilers for Falcon & the...
Ep 127 - Sucessors, Sidekicks, and Batman Beyond
March 30, 2021 13:00 - 1 hour - 89 MBBatman has had many sidekicks over the years, but it's not until Terry McGinnis steals the Batsuit that Bruce Wayne finds a successor. What is the difference between successors and sidekicks, and how do age and agency factor into that? What responsibility did Bruce have towards his wards and sidekicks, and how is Terry different? How many parallels can Ashley, Paul, & I draw to Captain America, the Falcon, and the Winter Soldier? Spoiler alert: A lot! Contains minor spoilers for Falcon & the...
Ethics of FATWS EP 2
March 26, 2021 21:32 - 1 hour - 68 MBWith all the ethical issues Falcon & the Winter Soldier is raising, we realized we are absolutely going to record on it every week, and no more minisodes. We had a lot to say, because this show clearly has a lot to say.
Ep 126 - X-men & Queer and Disabled Identity
March 23, 2021 13:00 - 47 minutes - 43.5 MBThe 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 t...
Ethics of FATWS Ep 1
March 21, 2021 15:30 - 27 minutes - 24.9 MBWe 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.
EP 125 - Superhuman Public Radio
March 16, 2021 13:45 - 1 hour - 72.1 MBImagine 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 conn...
Ep 124 - Ethics of WandaVision
March 09, 2021 14:15 - 1 hour - 95.6 MBIs 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
Ep 123 - Copies and Clones and Questions Oh My
March 02, 2021 15:25 - 1 hour - 61.4 MBAre 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.
Ep 122 - X-Men Dark Phoenix
February 23, 2021 17:12 - 1 hour - 71.7 MBCan 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!
Ep 121- The Fate of the Terminator
February 16, 2021 14:00 - 1 hour - 70.5 MBWhat 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, and graduated from Brandeis University with a major in American studies and a minor in journalism. She is the product manager for TheBody.co...
EP 120 - Fire the Anti Canon
February 09, 2021 14:10 - 1 hour - 102 MBHow 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 prev...
Comics History Pt 4 - The Silver Age pt2
February 02, 2021 13:45 - 1 hour - 77.8 MBWe 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.
Comics History 3- Silver Age Pt 1
January 26, 2021 14:00 - 48 minutes - 44.3 MBHow 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:...
Ep 119 - Dr. Doom and the Nature of Villains
January 19, 2021 14:00 - 1 hour - 64.4 MBDr. 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, burge...
Ep 118 - Cobra Kai S3 & Results Oriented Morality
January 12, 2021 14:00 - 1 hour - 96 MBWhen 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.
Ep 117 - Wonder Woman 84
December 30, 2020 16:40 - 1 hour - 108 MBThe 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?
Ep 116 - The Value and Danger of Canon
December 22, 2020 14:00 - 1 hour - 104 MBWhat 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.
Ep 115 - The Stand. The book and upcoming show
December 08, 2020 20:12 - 1 hour - 72.4 MBWhat 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...
Ep 114 - The Ethics of Endings- Supernatural
December 01, 2020 14:00 - 1 hour - 90.5 MBWhat 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 Su...
Ep 113 - Ethics By Stormlight
November 24, 2020 17:36 - 1 hour - 81.2 MBWhat 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? Agre...
Episode Delay Announcement
November 19, 2020 17:06 - 58 seconds - 901 KBSad news. Due to technical problems we don't have a new episode to post. We are working on it, and should be able to post in the next few days, but it may be we go a week without a new episode. In the meantime, please check out some of the other great content being posted on the Stranded Panda Podcast Network! https://www.strandedpanda.com/
Ep 112 - Escape Into Reality - Alex Trebek and the Value of Facts
November 12, 2020 14:00 - 1 hour - 76.5 MBAlex 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/zenmadmen To hear Alex Trebek teach us how to say genre, go to https://...
Ep 111 - Fandom with a Critical Lens
November 05, 2020 14:00 - 1 hour - 65.8 MBWhat 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 ...
Ep 110 - The Un-Tropes of Queen's Gambit
October 29, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 89.9 MBPaul 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 g...
Ep 109 - The Boys - Ethics of S2
October 22, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 62.1 MBSeason 2 of The Boys has wrapped up, and we’re diving in to some of the ethical questions it raised. When superheroes are the product, who holds the real power? How did this season hold up a mirror to questions in our own world? And what will AOC... I mean Congresswoman Neuman be an anti-hero, or the new big bad in season 3? 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 question...
Comics History Pt 2 - Comics Code Censorship
October 01, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 90.6 MBIn part two of our history of comic book superheroes, we round out the golden age with a discussion of the Comics Code Association, which tried to rescue America’s youth from the “10 cent plague!” 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/). Fi...
Ep 108 - Finn and the Charecter that Could Have Been
September 24, 2020 12:55 - 1 hour - 78.8 MB‘Do not market a black character as important and then push them aside.’ - John Boyega, GQ Magazine https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/culture/article/john-boyega-interview-2020 In a recent interview, John Boyega, the actor who played Finn expressed his frustration and anger at how the character was treated in the Star Wars postquels. Jared Sylva and Matthew Westfox use that interview as a jumping off point to discuss all the potential this character had and how they weren’t realized. Could we hav...
Ep 107 - Rob & Matthew's Excellent Time Travel Adventure
September 17, 2020 13:10 - 1 hour - 87.7 MBRob & Matthew’s excellent time travel episode! After months of ranting about the logical and ethical problems with time travel, Matthew invited OG Time Lord Rob McKenzie to explain it all. We look at different theories of time travel, and which movies and tv shows make the most sense. We look at moral questions such as human agency vs. a predetermined time line, who gets to decide what the timeline ‘should’ be, what is the responsibility of someone who can go back in time to make things ‘ri...
EP 106 - Mercy, Honor & Karate in Cobra Kai
September 10, 2020 13:00 - 2 hours - 133 MBMercy. Honor. Heroes. Bullies. Teen love triangles. 80’s music. Karate. Paul and Matthew dive into the Karate Kid ‘verse with hit TV show Cobra Kai. What does it mean to be a bully, or a hero, and how do we lock ourselves, and others, into those boxes? What happens when the victim gains enough power to become a bully themselves? Is physical violence an ethical response to verbal bullying? You can post questions, or respond to our episode threads in our Superhero Ethics Facebook Group (http...
Ep 105- Villains vs. Systems
September 03, 2020 17:15 - 1 hour - 77.1 MBYou’ve killed the evil queen - but what happens to the kingdom? Does the evil gang/company/movement just go away when you kill their leader? And if your goal is to kill that leader- is it your responsibility to come up with a plan for what happens next? Paul joins Matthew to dive into these questions and more. We use Avatar: Legend of Korra, as a jumping off point, and look at how the questions are addressed in a number of ‘verses. Want to continue the discussion with us? Agree or disagre...
Ep 104 - Black Widow
August 27, 2020 13:00 - 57 minutes - 52.5 MBWe don’t know when the movie is coming out, but we’re talking Black Widow! My cousin (to be) Ellie joins me to dive into questions like why this character is so important, to the team and to us fans, her death and how it was handled, our thoughts on the upcoming movie. Originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Ellie McCreary is a senior at Creighton University studying psychology and philosophy. She likes listening to true crime podcasts, contemplating the meaning of life, and baking. Want to...
Comics History - The Golden Age Part 1- WWII
August 21, 2020 14:23 - 2 hours - 133 MBComics History - The Golden Age, Part 1- WWII When talking about superheroes, and the choices they make or how they do what they do, a favorite topic is to wonder where they started, and how they've evolved from writer to writer, and from page to screen and back again. Today we kick off a special series in which Matthew will be joined by superhero history whiz Jess Plummer, as we trace the history and development of these caped characters. Look for new episodes about once a month. Today in ou...
Ep 103 Ethics of Immortality - Old Guard
August 14, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 70.3 MBHow do you value human life, when yours cannot end? What responsibility comes with the great power of (near) immortality. And is anyone left who is NOT in love with action star Charlize Theron? Special guest Fox Kaye joins Matthew for a discussion of the ethical questions raised by The Old Guard, on Netflix. Cleveland creative Fox Kaye spends most of their days as a data integration specialist, fantasizing about their next D&D session or video game adventure between queries. In their free t...
Ep 102 - Transforming Ethics
August 06, 2020 12:55 - 51 minutes - 47.2 MBWhat happens when the revolution ends, and its time to give up power? Is their value to fighting with honor? And what is a robot society like, when they are the only form of life? Paul and Matthew dive into these questions and more. Their conversation starts with Transformers, War for Cybertron, but no matter how much or little you know about Transformers, the discussion has lots to explore. Want to continue the discussion with us? Agree or disagree with what we talked about, or want to ...
Ep 101- Avengers Accountability
August 01, 2020 19:14 - 2 hours - 113 MBWho should Tony Stark answer to for Ultron? What about Scarlet Witch, for the events in Nigeria? Who should the Avengers be accountable to, and were the Sokovia accords reasonable? Paul and I discuss issues of accountability across many of the Avenger movies and wrestle with the age old question- Team Tony, or Team Cap. 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,...
Westfox disconnected-Introducing Pandavision
July 30, 2020 18:18 - 1 hour - 82.4 MBMatthew is without an internet connection and so he asked to have this episode to the new show Pandavision dropped in the feed! It's about Amazon's The Boys. Check it out and go subscribe to Pandavision!
Ep 100 - All Star Guest Line Up
July 23, 2020 12:50 - 2 hours - 122 MBFor our 100th episode we had FIVE guests, join us for a panel discussion of some of our favorite ethical questions. Who should a hero be accountable to? What makes a good villain? And, would it be ethical for someone with mind control to force everyone to wear masks until the pandemic ends? Our all star lineup included former co-hosts Paul Hoppe and Jacob Milicic, and frequent guests Jessica Plummer, Becky Allen, and Matthew Carroll. You can also watch the (recorded) live stream of the ep...
Ep 99 - Were the Jedi the Villains? Ethics of the Clone Wars
July 16, 2020 12:55 - 1 hour - 91.9 MBThe Clone Wars TV show takes the well known stories of the fall of Anakin and the Jedi and gives them nuance, and moral complexity, and explores questions with relevance for our own world. What happens to peacekeepers when they become generals? What is the moral value of clones, and how were they treated? And what happens when people fight a war without asking why? Star Wars fans and former guests Paul Hoppe and Jonah Kellman join me to dive into these questions and more as we look at the e...
Ep 98 - The Rights of the Unpowered
July 09, 2020 12:45 - 1 hour - 76.6 MBEp: 98 - The RIghts of the Unpowered- Legend of Korra S1, and The Boys What happens to normal people, when others get powers? What rights do they have and are those rights respected? And when the people in power push the non powered around- what happens when the non powered push back? Paul and I talk about non powered people in powered worlds. We focus in particular on Avatar: Legend of Korra, season 1, and how it handles this question, but we broaden the topic, and cover a number of othe...
Ep 97 - Ozark. There be Ethics in dem der Hills
July 02, 2020 12:55 - 1 hour - 55 MBWhile Ozark is a bit outside our normal topic and doesn’t have many heroes- it certainly has a lot of villains with different ethical perspectives, all of whom are convinced they’re the good one! Stranded Panda extraordinaire Ashley Coffin joins me as we talk about each of the characters and difficult choices they have to make. Whether your love the show, or have no idea what’s going on, there is a lot here to dive into and enjoy. Ashley Coffin is a nerd girl hailing from Philadelphia, Pa w...
Ep 96 - The Ethical Color Pie- Grouping our Favs by an Ethical System
June 25, 2020 16:22 - 2 hours - 151 MBWhat’s more fun than taking an ethical system from one world, and trying to find how our favorite characters from other worlds fit into it. In this episode we start with the ethical color pie from Magic the Gathering, in which we look at ethics not in terms of actions, but motivations and mind sets. We explain the system and then focus on other characters- even if you know nothing about MtG, if you like talking about how Tony Stark, Malcolm Reynolds, and Han Solo, all have similar ethical fr...
Ep 95 - Ethical Espionage
June 18, 2020 14:30 - 1 hour - 103 MBWhy does James Bond keep getting women killed, and can you be a spy without it? Paul Hoppe is back to talk about the ethics of espionage, with a particular focus on the TV show, Burn Notice! Whether you’re a long time fan of Burn Notice, or never seen it, we dig into questions that apply across the genre, such as the ethics of getting others to do your dirty work for you, fighting for a client or particular mission vs. what may be ‘right,’ and how far into a secret identity you can go, befor...