Capes and Japes

Today we talk about Siobhan McDougal, the Silver Banshee, who's a Superman villain who uses magic and screaming to commit crimes. Also for some reason they change her name to Siobhan Smythe in the New 52, and she has a cute friendship with Supergirl. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Action Comics (1938) #595 , 662, 804-805, 820, 839 - Superman (1986) #17 , 23, 28, 96 - Supergirl (1996) #1...

Today we talk about Lilith Clay, who also goes by Omen, who as the name implies can see the future and read minds. She's used this ability to have Donna Troy break up with her boyfriend, send the Teen Titans to prevent disasters, and set up a therapy practice with Power Girl. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Teen Titans (1966) #25 -52 - New Teen Titans (1984) #2 -10 - Tales of the Teen Ti...

Today we talk about Ben Reilly, who is a clone of Peter Parker, which comes with a lot of responsibilities such as: being Spider-Man, dying multiple times, sacrificing yourself for the greater good, and becoming a Demon King. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #149 - Clone Saga (1994) reading order - Amazing Spider-Man (1999) #608 -610 - Free Comic Book Day 201...

Today we talk about Miguel O'Hara, Spider-Man 2099, who got his spider-powers from a malicious lab "accident" in a "dystopian future" where corporations are in charge of the country. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Spider-Man 2099 (1992) - 2099 Unlimited (1993) - Thor Corps (1993) #2 -3 - Fall of the Hammer (2099 arc) reading order - One Nation Under Doom (2099 arc) reading order - Spide...

Today we talk about Hobart Brown. Two versions of him, actually! One that was the Prowler and a friend of Spider-Man, another that was an alternate universe Spider-Man affectionately named Spider-Punk! Today's mentioned & relevant media: - The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #78 -79, 87, 93 - Deadly Hands of Kung Fu (1974) #21 -22, 24 - Defenders (1972) #62 -64 - Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider...

Today we talk about Shanna O'Hara, who doesn't like guns, does like leopards, and lives in the Savage Land where she got married, got plant powers, and got possessed multiple times. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Shanna the She-Devil (1972) - Ka-Zar (1974) #1 -2 - Daredevil (1964) #109 -113, 117 - Ka-Zar (1981) - X-Men Annual (1970) #12 - Marvel Comics Presents (1988) #68 -77 - Namor th...

Today we talk about Kevin Reginald Plunder, who changed his name to Ka-Zar when he was adopted by a Sabre Tooth Tiger in the Savage Lands, which he has now sworn to protect. Sometimes he fights heroes, sometimes he fights villains, and sometimes he goes back in time and ends up in space. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - X-Men (1963) #10 - Daredevil (1964) #12 -14, 24 - Marvel Super-Heroes...

Today we talk about several Amazons that have been around enough to be important but haven't been around enough to fill a whole episode! The moral of this story is that we love warrior women. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - All-Star Comics (1941) #8 - Wonder Woman (1942) #1 -8, 13, 21-33, 196, 237 - Sensation Comics (1942) #24 , 29, 37, 42, 71, 76, 78 - Wonder Woman (1942) #317 , 323, 32...

Today we talk about Artemis of Bana-Mighdall, an Amazon warrior who has fought Wonder Woman, been Wonder Woman, died then escaped hell, and helped unite the Amazon tribes. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Wonder Woman (1986) #90 -226 - Artemis: Requiem (1996) - Genesis (1997) - Wonder Woman: Our Worlds at War (2001) #1 - Batman/Superman/Wonder Woman: Trinity (2003) - Superman/Batman (2003...

Today we talk about Hippolyta, who is Wonder Woman's mother as well as the Queen of the Amazons in Themyscira, though in a rare reversal of a comics theme she took on her daughter's mantle several times. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - All-Star Comics (1941) #8 - Wonder Woman (1942) - Sensation Comics (1942) #26 - The New Teen Titans (1980) #11 -13 - The Legend of Wonder Woman (1986) - W...

Today we talk about Nubia, an Amazon who depending on the timeline, has been Wonder Woman of the Floating Island, Diana's twin, and the Queen of the Amazons! Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Wonder Woman (1942) #204 -206 - Supergirl (1972) #9 - Wonder Woman (1986) #154 -155 - Wonder Woman (2016) #75 -76, 81-82 - Infinite Frontier (2021) #0 - Wonder Woman: Black and Gold (2021) #2 , 6 - Wo...

Today we talk about the remaining and less-often seen members of the Inhumans Royal Family: Gorgon (powerful fighter with hooves), Karnak (extremely perceptive monk), and Triton (fish man). We also mention Lockjaw because he deserves to be counted as part of the family. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Fantastic Four (1961) #44 -64 - Sub-Mariner (1968) #2 -3, 18-22 - Amazing Adventures (1...

Today we talk about Crystalia Amaquelin, best known as simply Crystal, who is an Inhuman with elemental powers, who has been on the Fantastic Four and the Avengers, and also has some questionable taste in men. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Fantastic Four (1961) #45 -105 - Avengers (1963) #110 , 127, 188 - Inhumans (1975) - Vision and the Scarlet Witch (1982) #4 - Thing (1983) #3 - Visi...

Today we talk about Medusalith Amaquelin, best known as Medusa, who is an Inhuman with prehensile hair who was a villain for a bit, a hero for a bit, but mostly the Queen of the Inhumans. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Fantastic Four (1961) #36 -62 - Amazing Adventures (1970 - Fantastic Four (1961) #129 -159 - Inhumans (1975) - Atlantis Rising (1995) - Fantastic Four (1961) #411 -416 -...

Today we talk about the Inhumans and their king Blackagar Boltagon, who mostly goes by Black Bolt. Boy howdy are the Inhumans a... society.... Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Fantastic Four (1961) #45 -62 - Thor (1966) #148 (backup story) - Sub-Mariner (1968) #2 - Marvel Super-Heroes (1967) #15 - Fantastic Four (1961) #82 -83 - Amazing Adventures (1970) 1-10 - Avengers (1963) #95 - Fanta...

Today we talk about Jakeem Williams, also known as JJ Thunder or Jakeem Thunder, who inherited the Thunderbolt genie in the form of a pen, and made friends with it. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - The Flash (1987) #134 - JLA (1996) #26 -31 - JSA (1999) #19 -87 - Infinite Crisis (2005) #6 -7 - JSA: Classified (2005) #6 , 8, 28 - 52 (2006) #49 -51 - Justice Society of America (2007) - Blac...

Today we talk about Johnny Thunder, who was kidnapped as a child and as a result has control over the genie Thunderbolt. He ends up wishing himself onto the Justice Society, adopting some kids, sacrificing himself, and merging with the genie to create a single guy. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - All-Star Comics (1941) - Justice League of America (1960) #29 (Occasional) - Adventure Comic...

Today we talk about Anissa and Jennifer Pierce, also known as Thunder and Lightning, the two retconned-in daughters of Black Lightning who, despite their matching names, don't really team up very often. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Outsiders (2003) - Teen Titans/Outsiders Secret Files (2003) #1 - Justice Society of America (2006) #12 - Checkmate (2006) #13 -15 - Outsiders: Five of a K...

Today we talk about Jefferson Pierce, also known as Black Lightning, who teaches children by day, and fights crime with electricity powers by night, and sometimes he's on the Outsiders, and these all seem like full-time jobs to us. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Black Lightning (1977) - Detective Comics (1937) #490 -491, 494-495 - World's Finest Comics (1941) #256 -261 - Justice League...

Today we talk about an alien man named Arnus who was turned into a baby and raised on Earth as Augustus Freeman, and a human woman named Raquel Ervin who saw his powers and convinced him to become the superhero called Icon, with her as his sidekick Rocket. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Icon (1993) - Steel (1994) #7 - Superboy (1993) #7 - Superman: The Man of Steel (1991) #36 - (Worlds...

Today we talk about Beatriz da Costa, best known as Fire, who has been a model, a spy, a Global Guardian, a Justice League Member, and a member of Checkmate, all while pretty much sticking to a whole green aesthetic. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Super Friends (1976) #25 - DC Comics Presents (1978) #46 - Justice League International (1987) reading order - Invasion! (1989) reading order...

Today we talk about Tora Olafsdotter, who goes simply by Ice and is probably best known for being on the Justice League International. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Justice League International (1987) reading order - Invasion! (1989) reading order - Armageddon 2001 (1991) reading order - Eclipso: The Darkness Within (1992) reading order - Death of Superman (1992) reading order - Showca...

Today we talk about Gamora, who was adopted by Thanos to be an assassin, decided she didn't like his overarching plan, and eventually joined the Guardians of the Galaxy. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Strange Tales (1951) #180 -181 - Warlock (1972) #9 -11 - Avengers Annual (1967) #7 - Marvel Two-in-One Annual (1976) #2 - Silver Surfer (1987) #46 -48 - Infinity Gauntlet (1991) #1 - Docto...

Today we talk about Drax the Destroyer, who technically was a guy named Arthur Douglas until he died and his soul was put into a new body with no memories and only the need to destroy Thanos. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Iron Man (1968) #55 - Captain Marvel (1968) #27 -34, 41-44, 58-62 - Marvel Spotlight (1979) #1 -2 - Thor (1966) #314 - Avengers (1963) #219 -220 - Silver Surfer (1987...

Today we talk about Mantis, who is (was?) a human martial artist who has some psychic powers, joined the avengers, married a tree, had a prophesized baby, joined the guardians of the galaxy, and has generally been very badass in space. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Avengers (1963) #112 - Captain Marvel (1968) #31 -33 - Giant-Size Avengers (1974) - Silver Surfer (1987) #3 -9 - West Coas...