Episode 88 - SPIDER-MAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES

Among the many superheroes who strengthened their foothold in the cultural consciousness via animated avatars, is there any tale more fortuitous than that of our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man? In his '90s cartoon, Spidey confidently leaned into his sprawling comic book mythology (recently energized by a badass symbiote named Venom), and re-introduced the world to a sympathetic, wisecracking do-gooder whose popularity would only soar higher in the coming decades.

Bona fide web-head Daniel Borders-Ashe swings by to discuss the defiantly nerdy series that faithfully re-created the structure and the spirit of the comics. Also, we sling suggestions for Spider-Man's (and Stan Lee's) future adventures.

Spider-Man: The Animated Series (1994-1998)
Produced by Bob Richardson
Based on Spider-Man created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko
Starring Christopher Gary Barnes, Linda Gary, Julie Bennett, Sara Ballantine, Jennifer Hale, Gary Imhoff, Rodney Saulsberry, Roscoe Lee Browne, Hank Azaria, and Ed Asner

Episodes featured in this podcast:
"The Alien Costume, Part 3" (aired 5/13/1995)
"Shriek of the Vulture" (aired 2/17/1996)
"The Return of the Green Goblin" (aired 7/12/1997)
"Spider Wars, Chapter II: Farewell, Spider Man" (1/31/1998)

Episode 87 - BABE

A surprise Best Picture nominee at the 1995 Oscars, Babe presents an idyllic portrait of country life comprised of modest living, cross-species cooperation, and a perpetual magic hour. Thanks to its cast of cute critters (both real and animatronic), as well as the gentle stoicism of James Cromwell, this rural fable is preceded by its very amiable reputation.

But after years of more nuanced views on animal rights--and considering all the activities that must occur at the Hoggett farm--what do we think of this particular piglet and his friends, both two and four-legged?

Babe (1995)
Directed by Chris Noonan
Produced by Bill Miller, George Miller, and Doug Mitchell
Written by George Miller and Chris Noonan
Based on The Sheep-Pig by Dick King-Smith
Starring James Cromwell and Magda Szubanski, and the voices of Christine Cavanaugh, Miriam Margolyes, Danny Mann, Miriam Flynn, Russi Taylor, and Hugo Weaving

Episode 86 - THE MUMMY RETURNS

Believe it or not, there was a time when The Mummy franchise felt like the second coming of Indiana Jones. Or so a teenage action junkie was likely to think, circa the summer of 2001, when The Mummy Returns announced its presence as a bigger, faster, and louder version of its hit predecessor.

But where gains are made through massive visual effects and breakneck pacing, something else (Retro chic style? Tongue-in-cheek humor?) is inevitably de-emphasized, or perhaps even lost. Put on your pith helmet and find out The Mummy Returns avoids the curse of sequel excess!

The Mummy Returns (2001)

Written and directed by Stephen Sommers

Produced by Sean Daniel and James Jacks

Starring Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, Arnold Vosloo, John Hannah, Oded Fehr, Patricia Velasquez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Freddie Boath, and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson

Episode 85 - THE PIRATES OF DARK WATER

Part of the Fox Kids television block's splashy debut in the early 1990s, The Pirates of Dark Water is a showcase for the artists, animators, and linguists of Hanna-Barbera. Fearsome creatures and nonsense phrases abound in this high seas fantasy that draws from a variety of global maritime traditions. The result is a truly expansive alien world that's especially appealing to fans of horrifically transmogrified beasts.

Yet like many a swashbuckler, this aesthetically daring series was cut down in its prime. Join us as we examine our enduring fascination with buccaneers, while diving into Dark Water's mythology and imagining if the show had been given the opportunity to reach its natural conclusion.

The Pirates of Dark Water (1991-1993)
Created by David Kirschner
Starring George Newbern, Brock Peters, Roddy McDowall, Frank Welker, Jodi Benson, Tim Curry, and Héctor Elizondo

Episodes featured in this podcast:
"The Quest" (aired 2/25/1991)
"The Game Players of Undaar" (aired 11/29/1992)
"The Living Treasure" (aired 5/23/1993)

Episode 84 - STAR WARS: SHADOWS OF THE EMPIRE

Priming the public for the return of Star Wars in its special edition and prequel forms, George Lucas cranked up the old hype machine for Shadows of the Empire, an ambitious storytelling experience spread out across multiple media platforms. The project encapsulated all the promise and pitfalls of the creative potential embedded in the so-called "expanded universe," leaning heavily on the film trilogy's distinct atmosphere and iconography to peddle franchise arcana.

We depart from our typical format in this very special episode, as guest hosts Brian Rudloff and Sam Stovold help us divide and conquer a book, a graphic novel, a video game, and a soundtrack that (theoretically) combine to create a single Star Wars story.

Shadows of the Empire (1996)
Novel written by Steve Perry
Graphic novel written by John Wagner and illustrated by Kilian Plunkett
Video game produced by LucasArts and directed by Mark Haigh-Hutchinson
Soundtrack composed by Joel McNeely

A bonus panel of swoop gang leader Gizman aka 'Big Gizz' from the Shadows comic book:

Swoop! (There It Is)

Check out the rest of our series on the Star Wars saga:
Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Episode IV: A New Hope
Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Episode VII: The Force Awakens
Episode VIII: The Last Jedi

Solo: A Star Wars Story
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Star Wars: Clone Wars
Star Wars Holiday Special
Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire
Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure

Episode 83 - PUFF THE MAGIC DRAGON

Gentleness is a virtue in Puff the Magic Dragon, a touchy-feely cartoon special inspired by what's either one of the most anodyne pop music hits of all time, or a devious Trojan horse planted by the counterculture. That's a pretty unfair legacy for a short film that explores concepts like anxiety and alienation, though its deeply 1970s sensibility doesn't exactly discourage the double entendres.

So with that being said, grab a few buds and enjoy this high flying episode posted on the innocuous date of April 20!

Puff the Magic Dragon (1978)
Directed by Charles Swenson and Fred Wolf
Produced by Charles Swenson, Peter Yarrow, and Romeo Muller
Written by Romeo Muller
Aired by CBS on October 30, 1978
Starring Burgess Meredith, Philip Tanzini, and Robert Ridgely

Episode 82 - 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU

To an American high school student, few writers seem as imposingly archaic as William Shakespeare. Yet ol' Billy Shakes understood, perhaps better than anyone else, the romantic warfare that is a quintessential part of the teenage experience. That feisty, melodramatic spirit animates the backbiting and bon mots of 10 Things I Hate About You, a memorable part of the Bard's cinematic renaissance in the 1990s.

Guest host Lindsay Marie Mead is our prom date for this lighthearted story of accidental infatuation adapted from The Taming of the Shrew, which updates the timeless tale with prescient casting, wacky interpretations of high school clichés, and a healthy dose of rock 'n roll girl power.

10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
Directed by Gil Junger
Produced by Andrew Lazar and Jody Hedien
Written by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith
Based on The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare
Starring Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larisa Oleynik, Andrew Keegan, David Krumholtz, Gabrielle Union, Susan May Pratt, Allison Janney, Daryl Mitchell, and Larry Miller