Superhero Ethics

Just 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

Paul 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.

Was 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 grea...

Can 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

Can 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!

We'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 var...

With 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!

Why 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: Bett...

We're wrapping up our coverage of The Witcher, Season 2, with our discussion of episodes 7-8. With Ashley Coffin and Paul Hoppe.

Paul, Ashley, and Matthew team up to talk about The Witcher, Season 2! In this episode we cover episodes 5-6 of the second season.

Let'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...

Paul 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...

Spiderman 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...

Paul, Ashley, and Matthew team up to talk about The Witcher, Season 2! In this episode we cover episodes 3-4 of the second season.

Paul, 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.

This 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.

Paul and Matthew jump into ethical questions from the 2nd half of the live action CowBoy BeBop!

We're talking about Season 2, episode 1-2. SO many character reveals!

What 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

Let'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.

Would 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.

Could 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.

Let'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...

Is 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 F...

Ashley 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...