Capes and Japes

Today we talk about Peter Quill, best known as Star-Lord, who runs around space usually with cool weapons, a sentient ship, and the Guardians of the Galaxy. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Marvel Preview (1975) #4 , 11, 14-15, 18 - Marvel Comics Super Special (1977) #10 - Marvel Spotlight (1979) #6 -7 - Marvel Premiere (1972) #61 - Starlord (1996) - Thanos (2003) #8 -12 - Annihilation (2...

Today we talk about Groot, who is a tree alien who typically can only pronounce a sound transcribed as I Am Groot, he's part of the Guardians of the Galaxy, and he's died and come back several times thanks to Rocket Raccoon's gardening skills. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Tales to Astonish (1959) #13 - Incredible Hulk Annual (1976) #5 - Nick Fury's Howling Commandos (2005) - Annihilat...

Today we talk about Rocket Raccoon, who was a regular raccoon until some experiments gave him sentience and a job, and then he forgot about his job, gained many guns, a criminal reputation, a friend who is a tree, and a space-faring team. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Marvel Preview (1975) #7 - Incredible Hulk (1962) #271 - Rocket Raccoon (1985) - Quasar (1989) #15 - Sensational She-Hu...

Today we talk about Tyrone Johnson and Tandy Bowen, best known as Cloak and Dagger, two teen runaways who were linked together by friendship, trauma, and the superpowers brought on by terrible experiments. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man (1976) #64 - Cloak and Dagger (1983) - Cloak and Dagger (1985) - Power Pack (1984) #7 - New Mutants (1983) #23...

Today we talk about Jennifer-Lynn Hayden, who has many nicknames but is most often called her superhero name Jade. Using her inherited Green Lantern powers, she's been part of Infinity, Inc., the JSA, the Outsiders, and the Justice League. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - All-Star Squadron (1981) #25 -27 - Infinity, Inc. (1984) - Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985) - Millennium (1988) - Ecli...

Today we talk about Todd Rice, best known as Obsidian, who after discovering he had a twin who ALSO had super powers, became a member of Infinity, Inc. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - All-Star Squadron (1981) #25 -27 - Infinity, Inc. (1984) - Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985) - Millennium (1988) - JSA (1999) #7 -9 - JSA (1999) #46 -54 - Manhunter (2004) #18 -20 - Justice League of America...

Today we talk about Artemis Crock, who initially was a villain who simply went by Artemis, before she decided to take up her mom's moniker of Tigress. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Infinity, Inc. (1984) #34 -36; 51-53 - Young Justice (1998) #23-25 - JSA (1999) #10 ; #16 -17 - Hawkman (2002) #1 -4 - JSA: Classified (2005) #5 -7 - JSA All-Stars (2010) - Young Justice cartoon - Teen Titan...

Today we talk about Albert Rothstein, a very tall boy who can get even taller, who used to go by Nuklon (on account of the radiation) but later called himself Atom Smasher (on account of... smashing? atoms?) Today's mentioned & relevant media: - All-Star Squadron (1981) #25 - Infinity, Inc. (1984) - Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985) reading order - Millennium (1987) reading order - Kingdom Come...

Today we talk about several characters who have gone by Wildcat: Ted Grant, Tom Bronson, and Yolanda Montez. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Sensation Comics (1942) - All-Star Comics (1941) #71 - Infinity Inc. (1984) #12 - Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985) reading order - Millennium (1987) reading order - Catwoman (1988) - Eclipso (1992) - Batman/Wildcat (1997) - JSA Returns (1999) - JSA...

Today we talk about Betsy Braddock, who has been both Psylocke and Captain Britain. We also talk about Kwannon because, well, how could we not. Note: Around the 30 minute mark Briar's microphone started having some... issues. Sorry. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Captain Britain (1976) #8 - Captain Britain (1985) - New Mutants Annual (1984) #2 - Uncanny X-Men (1963) #213 - X-Men (1991)...

Today we talk about Warren Worthington III, also known as Angel (and several variations thereof). He's one of the original X-Men and also a very rich white man with wings. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - X-Men (1963) - Champions (1975) - X-Factor (1986) - X-Men (1991) #29 - Archangel (1996) - X-Men: The Hidden Years (1999) - Hulk (1999) #106 -107 - Angel: Revelations (2008) - X-Force (20...

Today we talk about David Haller, also known as Legion, who is a very powerful psychic with what would currently be diagnosed as Dissociative Identity Disorder, but since he's a comics character created in the 1980's it's... not handled great. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - New Mutants (1983) #25 -28, 44 - Uncanny X-Men (1963) #278 -280 - X-Factor (1986) #69 -70 - X-Men: Age of Apocalyp...

Today we talk about Charles Xavier, also known as Professor X, the most-often leader of the X-Men and a man with... questionable ethics. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - X-Men (1963) - Giant-Size X-Men (1975) #1 - Bizarre Adventures (1981) #27 - The New Mutants Marvel Graphic Novel (1982) - New Mutants (1983) - X-Men: Spotlight on Starjammers (1990) - X-Men (1991) - X-Treme X-Men (2001) -...

Today we talk about Herbert Edgar Wyndham, best known as the High Evolutionary, a guy whose whole thing is just ethics violations and making animals and people """more evolved""" while wearing a silver exoskeleton. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Thor (1966) #134 -135 - Tales to Astonish (1959) #94 -96 - Marvel Premiere (1972) #1 -2 - Warlock (1972) - Fantastic Four (1961) #172 -175 - Av...

Today we talk about Michael Moran, who has a bit of a convoluted publishing history, but is recently back in the saddle as Miracleman. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Marvelman (1954) Mick Anglo - Marvelman's Family Finest (2010 collection) - Young Marvelman Classic (2011 collection) - Miracleman (2014 reprint) Alan Moore - All-New Miracleman Annual (2014) #1 - Miracleman (2015 reprint)...

Today we talk about Boston Brand, best known as Deadman, who was an acrobat but then he died and became a ghost who helps to fight crime by possessing people. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Deadman Collection (1960's-1980's) - Deadman (1985) - Deadman (1986) - Deadman: Love After Death (1989) - Deadman: Exorcism (1992) - Deadman (2001) - Deadman: Dead Again (2001) - Deadman (2006) - Bla...

Today we talk about Madame Xanadu, who has also been known as Nimue Inwudu. She's a psychic and a magic user who frequently helps people solve supernatural problems. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Doorway to Nightmare (1978) - DC Comics Presents (1978) #65 - The Spectre (1987) - Suicide Squad (1987) #8 - Hellblazer (1988): The Devil You Know (contains Annual #1) - The War of the Gods (1...

Today we talk about Vic Sage, best known as The Question, a guy who covers his face with fake skin who has followed wildly differing philosophies over his iterations, but over all of them he does a lot of violence. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Watchmen (1986) - Blue Beetle (1986) #5 -7 - The Question (1986) - L.A.W. Living Assault Weapons (1999) - Batman/Huntress: Cry for Blood (2000)...

Today we talk about The Spectre, who, despite starting as the ghost of Jim Corrigan, has been several different human men possessed by the spirit of (the christian god's) holy vengeance, as well as a pretty literal deus ex machina. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Golden Age Spectre Archives vol. 1 - Showcase Presents: The Spectre - All-Star Comics Archives Collections - The Spectre (1967...

Today we talk about The Phantom Stranger, who has many possible identities and backstories, but he's been cursed, somehow, to walk the Earth and cryptically help solve problems without getting fully involved. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Phantom Stranger Omnibus - The Phantom Stranger (1969) - Justice League of America (1960) #103 - The Brave and the Bold (1955) #89 - Secret Origins (...

Today we talk about Bizarro, who is usually a failed clone of Superman who always says and does the opposite of what he means. He's made his own Bizarro World, been a nuisance to multiple heroes, and joined Red Hood's Outlaws. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Superman in the Fifties (Includes Action Comics (1938) #254-255) - Showcase Presents: Superman vol. 2 (Includes Action Comics (1938...

Today we talk about Starro, a big starfish-shaped creature from outer space who keeps trying to take over Earth. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - The Brave and the Bold (1955) #28 - Justice League of America (1960) #189 -190 - JLA (1996) #22 -23 - Teen Titans (2003) #51 -54 - Booster Gold (2007) #14 -15 - R.E.B.E.L.S. (2009) - Justice League: No Justice (2018) - Justice League (2018) #10...

Today we talk about Quentin Beck, best known as Mysterio, who is a guy with a lot of skills that make him very good at gaslighting Spider-Man, and Daredevil that one time. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #13 - Amazing Spider-Man Annual (1964) #1 - The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #24 - The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #66 -67 - The Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #141 -...

Today we talk about Eclipso, who has gone from a scientist who accidentally became evil for a bit, to a manifestation of the Wrath of Christian God, to a powerful being from Gem World. He possesses people with black diamonds and anger. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - House of Secrets (1956) #61-80 - Eclipso: The Darkness Within (1992) reading order - Eclipso (1992) - Spectre (1992) #14 -...

Today we talk about Abigail Brand, the morally-grey half-unknown alien-half-human mutant pyrokinetic commander of S.W.O.R.D. who is truly a woman of many mysteries. Today's mentioned & relevant media: - Astonishing X-Men (2004) - Secret Invasion (2008) - Secret Invasion: Who Do You Trust? (2008) #1 - S.W.O.R.D. (2009) - Spider-Woman (2009) #1 - Uncanny X-Men (2011) #1 - Avengers vs X-Men: Cons...