Capes and Japes

109 John Constantine Today we talk about John Constantine, an occult detective and con man who has seen too much but still does his best. He's also the kind of man to have a threesome with ghosts. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Swamp Thing (1982) #37 - Crisis on Infinite Earths - tumblr post about witches having joint custody of a child - Polygon's Constantine Threeway article...

108 Zatanna Zatara Today we talk about Zatanna Zatara, whose superhero name is just her first name, and she can cast spells by saying words backwards! She's an extremely powerful magician--both on stage and in the Justice League. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Action Comics (1938) #1 - Hawkman (1964) #4 - Identity Crisis (2004) - Zatanna (2010) - Justice League Dark (2018) - Ha...

107 Doctor Fate Today we talk about Doctor Fate, who is mostly a Lord of Order named Nabu who empowers/inhabits the body of whoever puts on the Helmet of Fate. Typically this is Kent Nelson, but it has been many, many people. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - More Fun Comics (1936-1947) - Kent Nelson origin - Eldritch Blaest - All-Star Comics #3 (forming of the Justice Society of...

106 Michael Holt Today we talk about Mr. Terrific: a little bit of Terry Sloane but mostly Michael Holt, both men with no super powers but they're EXTREMELY smart and just REALLY GOOD AT EVERYTHING. Although, Michael Holt really should've been Dr. Terrific because he EARNED those 14 PhDs. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - CW Arrow's Mr. Terrific (Curtis Holt) - Terry Sloane's terr...

105 Yelena Belova Today we talk about Yelena Belova, the second Black Widow after Natasha Romanoff joined the Avengers. She gets her face swapped, quits spy work, gets sent to the Savage Lands, and ends up being both a cyborg and a clone (at different times)! Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Black Widow (1999) - Black Widow (2001) - I Want To Turn People Into Dinosaurs - Tales of...

104 Tony Masters Today we talk about Tony Masters, better known as The Taskmaster, a villain who can memorize any fighting style at the expense of his other memories, and he used this to open a school to teach people how to fight the Avengers. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - MCU Taskmaster in Black Widow trailer - Avengers (1963) #196 - Taskmaster (2002) - MCU Hawkeye Costumes -...

103 Nick Fury Today we talk about Nick Fury, who started out as a soldier, then became a spy after drinking some Infinity Formula, and then the director of SHIELD, but when he ran out of his infinity juice he retired to space and was replaced by his son: Nick Fury Jr. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos (1963) #1 - Strange Tales (1951) #135 - Ulti...

102 Natasha Romanoff Today we talk about Natasha Romanoff, or Natalia Alianova Romanova, or Natalie Rushman, or... well, she goes by a lot of names, but most people know her as the Black Widow, a Russian super spy turned Avenger! Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Black Widow trailer - Wonder Woman 1984 trailer - Tales of Suspense (1959) #52 - Tales of Suspense (1959) #57 - Civil W...

101 Virgil Hawkins Today we talk about Virgil Hawkins, best known as Static, who went into the middle of a fight between two gangs (on some very bad advice) and ended up getting electromagnetic superpowers! Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Static (1993) #1 (I can't find a place to buy it digitally, so this link is a Retro Review that does have some scans) - Static Shock (TV Show)...

100 Bruce Wayne Today we revisit Bruce Wayne for our 100th episode!! He's a very rich, very traumatized man who dresses up as a bat, and has done so since 1939 (although he has... changed a lot since then). Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Okay, we didn't mention this, but here's a trailer for a documentary about Bill Finger and Batman - Detective Comics (1937) #27 - Detective Co...

99 Jane Foster Today we talk about Jane Foster, who started out as a love interest for Thor, but then became a doctor for the Avengers, then Thor, and now Valkyrie. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Health to the Company (Brass Farthing) - Journey into Mystery (1952) #84 - Thor (2014) - War of the Realms (2019) - War of the Realms Omega #1 - The Witch Boy by Molly Knox Ostertag -...

Beta Ray Bill Today we talk about Beta Ray Bill, who is a genetically modified alien who fought Thor and was found worthy of Mjolnir, gaining all his powers and his outfit. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Welcome to the Go Support Ngozi Power Hour - The Mighty Thor (1966) #337 - Die #9 - Young Justice (2019) #10 - Batman (2016) #82 - B B Free #1 - Spider-Man & Venom: Dou...

97 Thor Odinson Today we talk about Thor Odinson, who is sometimes a Doctor named Donald Blake but mostly he's Thor, a super powerful alien from Asgard that the Norse god is based off of. He has a very powerful magic hammer and he has a... strained family dynamic. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Journey Into Mystery (1952) #83 - Avengers (1963) #1 - Thor (1966) - Civil War (the...

96 Venom Today we talk about Venom, who is an alien symbiote who has had multiple hosts, most notably Peter Parker and Eddie Brock. Together with Eddie he antagonizes Spider-Man and eats criminals. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Spider-Man: Birth of Venom (collects relevant issues of secret wars, spider-man & fantastic four) - Secret Wars (1984) - why is venom Like This - V...

95 Pamela Isley Today we talk about Pamela Isley, better known as Poison Ivy, who was a botanist who got plant powers and uses them for crime sometimes and ecological betterment other times (though her methods are usually through crime). Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - that Lore episode about Egyptian artifacts - Secret Origins (1986) #36 (the Ivy part is in the second half of t...

94 Victor von Doom Today we talk about Victor von Doom, better known as Doctor Doom, who is a scientist who also uses magic, ruler of Latveria, and enemy of Reed Richards specifically (and the Fantastic Four and Avengers by proxy). He wears a mask and wants to take over the world but that's not technically a crime? Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Doctor Doom first appearance - C...

Mystique Today we talk about Mystique, who mostly goes by Raven Darkholme, but we don't know her given name. She's a rad shapeshifter who mostly does crimes, but she did help raise Rogue with her long-time girlfriend Irene Adler. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Mystique first appearance - Ms. Marvel (1977) #16 - Raven and Destiny - Foxx trying to seduce Gambit - Then being confr...

92 Darkseid Today we talk about Darkseid, the Lord of Apokolips and one of the New Gods. We're kicking off Villaintober with one of The Big Men, and this guy is looking for the Anti-Life Equation to take over the universe! Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Jack Kirby's Forever People (1971) - The New Gods by Jack Kirby (1971) - Darkseid first appearance - Mister Miracle (2017) - S...

91 M'gann M'orzz Today we talk about M'gann M'orzz, also known as Miss Martian or Megan Morse, who was sent away from the Martian civil war, then came to Earth because she heard of the Martian Manhunter and even though she had zero experience fighting crime, she joined the Teen Titans. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Goblin! Valley! Utah! - Teen Titans (2003) #37 - M'gann vs Evi...

90 J'onn J'onzz Today we talk about J'onn J'onzz, the Martian Manhunter, who started out in comics as a detective, but then became a superhero, especially working with the Justice League. He's also incredibly powerful and he loves Oreos. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - J'onn's first appearance - Justice League International (1987) - Martian Manhunter (2018) - Justice League Cart...

89 Black Adam Today we talk about Black Adam, originally Teth-Adam, who is a hero turned villain turned hero turned villain?--it's complicated, but he misused his Shazam! powers to do some murders and Shazam (the wizard) got very upset with him for it. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - This is the image Eliane was remembering Black Adam from - Black Adam First Appearance - Infinit...

88 Freddy Freeman Today we talk about Freddy Freeman a.k.a. Captain Marvel Jr. or Shazam Jr., a boy who was severely injured during one of Captain Marvel's fights by Captain Nazi, and Billy Batson decided to give him some magic powers to save his life. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Freddy and his Grampa attacked by Capt. Nazi - Captain Marvel Jr. (1941) #1 - Elvis/Capt. Marvel...

87 Mary Bromfield Today we talk about Mary Bromfield who depending on the origin, is either the separated twin sister or the foster sister of Billy Batson, who gains the same powers whenever she yells SHAZAM! becoming Mary Marvel and later Lady Shazam. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Mary Marvel first appearance - Lieutenant Marvels wiki - Mary Marvel (1945) - Evil Mary Marvel (...

86 Billy Batson Today we talk about Billy Batson, a 12-year-old boy who runs into a wizard who gives him powers whenever he yells SHAZAM! which also turns him into an adult man. Originally published as Captain Marvel, he eventually switched to Shazam! to avoid confusion. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Whiz Comics (1940) #2 - Marvelman (wiki) - android Captain Marvel (wiki) - Sh...

85 Jimmy Olsen Today we talk about Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen, who is a young journalist and photographer for the Daily Planet who has the terrible luck of getting in all sorts of weird situations. For example, turning into a large turtle man or switching bodies with a gorilla. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Action Comics (1938) #6 - Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen (1954) - Superma...