Superhero Ethics

What happens when social media and public opinion rule the world? How does an all-male species react to the birth of female child? And can Seth McFarland leave behind the problems of much of his earlier writing. Like the Star Trek shows it pays homage to, The Orville uses science fiction to hold a mirror to our own world. Matthew and Jacob explore this show, the questions it raises, and some of th...

Jacob and Matthew take a look back at 2017, talking about our favorite characters and ethical questions from the year, and where we think we dropped the ball. We also look ahead to 2018, talking about what we are most excited about and what we are most concerned about, in terms of movies and TV coming to us in the next year. As we wrap up the year, here are some of the other content creators we th...

Thor: Ragnarok is pretty and fun, but there’s nothing here that we can dive into for an episode, right? Challenge accepted! This week we explore a number of from and about Thor. We talk about Odin’s revisionist history, and the evolving relationship between Thor and Loki. We also talk about the value of movies that don’t hit us with deep ethical questions, and how that balances with our love of he...

From the Justice League to the Avengers, we know that heroes work best in teams. And sometimes the obnoxious brilliant guy does have the best idea. But both of those things can also go wrong.  Join us as we dive into questions from the Magic the Gathering storyline, tying them into larger questions that are pervasive in geek literature and culture. Jacob and I are joined by Lee Henderson. Lee is a...

All three of our hosts, Matthew, Jacob, and Paul, come together to talk about Avatar: The Last Airbender. We take a deep dive into a number of characters, including Aang, Toph, and Uncle Iroh, examine the way the show  portrayed martial arts and alternatives to violence, and why this such is beloved by so many.  ************************************************************************** This episod...

This week, I'm joined by special guest Matt Carroll as we take a deep dive into the character of Tony Stark. What responsiblity does he hold for Ultron, and what lessons has he learned? Did he have a point in Civil War? And is mentoring Spiderman his way of working out his daddy issues?  Matt Carroll is one of the co-hosts of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Podcast. You can find them on any podcast...

For some time, we have been given villains whose actions need no explanation-- they're just "crazy." The aftermath of the Vegas shooting reminds us how strong the stigma against mental illness still is in this country. ************************************************************************** This episode is a production of Superhero Ethics , an Ethical Panda podcast and part of the TruStory FM En...

What can Captain America teach us about Kapernick, and vice versa? Are heroes just on screen, or can we have heroes in our own world? And what happens when our heroes fall from grace? Note- we added a brief addendum to address an issue that came up in our discussion. Thank you again to our fans for your feedback, both when we do well and when we stumble.  ******************************************...

Is Data a person? What about C-3P0 or Aida? Jacob and Matthew explore the ethical questions around artificial life. ************************************************************************** This episode is a production of Superhero Ethics , an Ethical Panda podcast and part of the TruStory FM Entertainment Podcast Network . Check out our website to find out more about this show and our sister pod...

Would Daredevil share information about Nazis? Would Superman or Captain Mal? How would our heroes react  to Charlottesville and what can that teach us? ************************************************************************** This episode is a production of Superhero Ethics , an Ethical Panda podcast and part of the TruStory FM Entertainment Podcast Network . Check out our website to find out mo...

Babylon 5 is almost 20 years old, but the questions it raises about telepathy, fear, and how we treat the 'other' are still relevant. Jacob Milicic is our guest. ************************************************************************** This episode is a production of Superhero Ethics , an Ethical Panda podcast and part of the TruStory FM Entertainment Podcast Network . Check out our website to fi...

The Hero's Journey is one of the strongest tropes in literature, and Star Wars its clearest example. How does this troupe limit our stories, and the messages we can take from it?  ************************************************************************** This episode is a production of Superhero Ethics , an Ethical Panda podcast and part of the TruStory FM Entertainment Podcast Network . Check out...

My guest this week is JP Fairfield, of the Nerdgasm Noire Network and Operation Cubicle podcasts. Together we explore the latest season of Arrow, Oliver’s bad choices, and why long suffering Quentin Lance deserves a break. ************************************************************************** This episode is a production of Superhero Ethics , an Ethical Panda podcast and part of the TruStory F...

Krystal Kara joins us to discuss Wonder Woman, the Be Super project, and how we can use Superhero stories to teach about justice in our own world. ************************************************************************** This episode is a production of Superhero Ethics , an Ethical Panda podcast and part of the TruStory FM Entertainment Podcast Network . Check out our website to find out more abo...

"First you have to realize that it's not just a game, it's a community... In the end it’s each of us making the choice, not the character, of what’s going to happen; what we’re going to say, how we’re going to do it." ************************************************************************** This episode is a production of Superhero Ethics , an Ethical Panda podcast and part of the TruStory FM Ent...

What is the value in fighting fair? Paul and Matthew explore the trope of the Fair Fight, looking at its value and its problems. What does a hero do, when the opponent refuses to follow the rules?  ************************************************************************** This episode is a production of Superhero Ethics , an Ethical Panda podcast and part of the TruStory FM Entertainment Podcast N...

If aliens and superpowers were real, would we need SHIELD? Are Lex Luthor and Amanda Waller right to be scared of Superman? Why do government agencies dealing with powered people have to work in secret? ************************************************************************** This episode is a production of Superhero Ethics , an Ethical Panda podcast and part of the TruStory FM Entertainment Podc...

Logan the guest comes back, to discuss Logan the movie! He joins Matthew for a discussion of violence, the value of seeing the flaws in our heroes, and the movie's implications for our own world. ************************************************************************** This episode is a production of Superhero Ethics , an Ethical Panda podcast and part of the TruStory FM Entertainment Podcast Net...

Paul and Matthew discuss Iron Fist, exploring questions of identity, martial arts, and who to blame when a piece of an extended universe goes wrong. ************************************************************************** This episode is a production of Superhero Ethics , an Ethical Panda podcast and part of the TruStory FM Entertainment Podcast Network . Check out our website to find out more a...

Is Magneto a villain, or a hero? Can we agree with his goals, even if not his methods? How does the fight for mutant justice echo similar discussions in our own world? Paul and Matthew talk about Magento and the X-men. ************************************************************************** This episode is a production of Superhero Ethics , an Ethical Panda podcast and part of the TruStory FM En...

Captain America punched a lot of Nazis - does that mean we should too? We are pretty pro Nazi punching, but we want to explore the questions around it. On this episode, Paul and Matthew explore the ethical issues involve ************************************************************************** This episode is a production of Superhero Ethics , an Ethical Panda podcast and part of the TruStory FM...

Did Galen Erso make the right choice, helping to build the Death Star, but adding a fatal flaw? What lessons can Rogue One teach us about rebellion, and what it means to find your own way to combat tyranny. Paul and Matt ************************************************************************** This episode is a production of Superhero Ethics , an Ethical Panda podcast and part of the TruStory FM...

Paul and Matthew talk about Gotham's Clown Prince of Crime. Does he need Batman, or does Batman need him? And who was the best Joker? ************************************************************************** This episode is a production of Superhero Ethics , an Ethical Panda podcast and part of the TruStory FM Entertainment Podcast Network . Check out our website to find out more about this show...

This week, Rebecca Rose Vassey joins Matthew for a discussion of the Chosen One trope in superhero media. Does a hero need to be chosen? Who gets to choose and who gets to accept or reject being chosen? ************************************************************************** This episode is a production of Superhero Ethics , an Ethical Panda podcast and part of the TruStory FM Entertainment Podc...

This week, special guest Robin Gee joins Matthew to discuss balancing ethics with story as a writer. They talk about Robin's webcomic, Pin Porter, as well as Supergirl, Calvin & Hobbes, and Lord of the Rings. ************************************************************************** This episode is a production of Superhero Ethics , an Ethical Panda podcast and part of the TruStory FM Entertai...