PODCASTS | 13th Dimension, Comics, Creators, Culture

Mar20

SUPERMAN A MURDERER? 13 Jurors Debate the TV Classic THE STOLEN COSTUME

Posted by Dan Greenfield on Mar 20, 2023

SUPERMAN A MURDERER? 13 Jurors Debate the TV Classic THE STOLEN COSTUME

We’ve convened a jury of 13 to deliberate over the (in)famous Adventures of Superman episode… Dig this, folks: Our pal Anthony Desiato, host of the podcast Another Exciting Episode in the Adventures of Superman, had me on to discuss what is perhaps the George Reeves series’ most notorious episode — Season 1’s “The Stolen Costume.” (Thanks, Anthony!) You know the ep. It’s the one where Superman — SPOILER ALERT for a 71-year-old episode from 1952 — strands two criminals who have discovered his secret identity at the top of a snowy mountain, only for them to die trying to escape. On the whole, it’s one of Adventures of Superman’s most compelling episodes and Anthony and I went to town discussing it, from beginning to end. Naturally, though, we spent a decent time debating (tongue-in-cheek) whether Superman had committed any crime — in particular, murder. Click here for a listen or check out the YouTube version on Monday (or both!). But that’s not all! For kicks, we’ve convened a jury of 13 Superman experts, who give their own verdicts below — including 13th Dimension columnist Paul Kupperberg, who has written dozens of Superstories across the decades, as well as the top Superpodcasters on the web. (Links to everyone’s podcasts, latest published works or whatnot are included!) Court is now in session. Read on! — Paul Kupperberg, author of Direct Conversations: Talks with Fellow DC Comics Bronze Age Creators and 13th Dimension columnist: When I originally saw “The Stolen Costume” as an 8- or 9-year-old, I didn’t have any trouble with the resolution. It was a pretty open and shut moral situation: Ace and Connie were criminals trying to blackmail the ultimate good guy. It made sense that Supeman would shut them away somewhere until he could think of a way to handle them, but he certainly didn’t mean them any harm. To my eyes, Ace was a crook and, worse, a bully, who deserved anything he got; I think I even took satisfaction in his death being his own fault for defying Superman’s orders, even if I was too young to know how hubris worked and not sophisticated enough to recognize how morally reductive the whole situation was. But outside of the black-and-white ethics of 1950s TV kids’ shows, there’s nothing right, ethically, or characteristically, about Superman’s behavior leading up...

Sep19

13 REASONS Warner Bros. Discovery Needs to Stream ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN

Posted by Dan Greenfield on Sep 19, 2022

13 REASONS Warner Bros. Discovery Needs to Stream ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN

PODCAST ALERT: A new George Reeves Superman rewatch podcast begins… By ANTHONY DESIATO On September 19, 1952 — 70 years ago today — Adventures of Superman starring George Reeves took flight with “Superman on Earth,” a punchy, efficient telling of the classic origin story that rocketed across Krypton, Smallville and Metropolis in 25 minutes. From the unheeded warnings of a desperate scientist, to the kindness of a Midwestern couple, to a daring midair rescue by a “red and blue streak,” the episode featured all the hallmarks of that familiar tale. Curiously, the second episode aired was the Jimmy-centric: “The Haunted Lighthouse,” where Clark does not even appear until deep into the episode! However, by the show’s third outing, the show established its formula. While the atmosphere of the series would change, becoming far more colorful (both figuratively and literally) as the seasons wore on, its impact on generations of fans – including late converts like yours truly and 13th Dimension’s E-i-C — is undeniable. In fact, I have just launched a rewatch podcast called Another Exciting Episode in the Adventures of Superman (a title borrowed, of course, from the iconic opening narration). Every episode, my guests and I break down another installment of the Reeves show, discussing each scene as well as examining the episode’s place in both the series and the larger Superman mythology. Check out my “Superman on Earth” discussion with Always Hold On To Smallville host Zach Moore right here. Unfortunately, despite the show’s influence and milestone anniversary, it remains frustratingly absent from HBO Max’s streaming lineup. Back in the glory days of the DC Universe app — you know, the non-Infinite version that had comics AND television shows and movies — Adventures of Superman was among its offerings. All six seasons stood side by side with the Superboy television series and the first Kirk Alyn movie serial, all of which failed to make the leap to HBO Max when the DC app became solely a comics reader. In the interests of fairness, perhaps there is truly a technical, financial or legal issue that precludes adding AOS to the DC hub on HBO Max. Or perhaps the corporate assumption is that there isn’t an appetite for this 1950s series. And that, frankly, would be a damn shame. (As far as other ways to watch: Currently, the...

Home » PODCASTS