Supercontext: an autopsy of media

We turn to David Harper ( Off Panel, SKTCHD ) and Augie De Blieck, Jr. ( Pipeline Comics ) for expertise on what's going on in comics news. Are the struggles of this niche industry indicative of something broader going on in our media? Is news a trustworthy advocate that can help us make informed decisions? Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it...

This comic book from two of Europe's most legendary creators both presents and parodies white male themes in the 20th century. So what makes it compelling today? Should we embrace or reject its existentialism? Interested in the media we discussed this episode? Please support the show by purchasing it through our affiliate store: Madwoman of the Sacred Heart Sabbath's Theater Consider the Lobster a...

With a provocative book title, Laura Jane Grace is reclaiming a slur and repurposing it for her story of struggling with gender dysphoria and self-destructive behavior. Guest Alyson McManus helps us unpack this experience into something universal, with which we can all identify. Additional Resources: Lead Singer of Punk Band 'Against Me' Comes Out as Transgender in Rolling Stone Against Me!'s Laur...

Steven Universe creator Rebecca Sugar has developed a warm, well thought out approach to family cartoons. We look at her goals, Cartoon Network's business plans and the fight in fandom over how this show represents diverse identities.  Additional Resources 'Steven Universe' creator Rebecca Sugar is a Cartoon Network trailblazer Cartoon Network's 'Steven Universe' Premieres As Its Most-Watched Seri...

Past guest Swain Hunt (Sidebar, The Metronome) returns to discuss what makes movies hold up? We each tackle a film from the last 30 years of cinema and try to understand why they hold up for us: Bull Durham, Contact and V For Vendetta .

It's easy to connect with the symbol that is "Johnny Cash," whether you're a rebel, a wanderer, or even a Christian. But how do these contradictions come together as some kind of American identity? And how do these final recordings of a humble storyteller speak to our need for the man to come around? Additional Resources: Johnny Cash's American albums hit the heart and soul Why Johnny Cash's Ameri...

After viewing the blockbuster Disney princess film Frozen  with actual little kids, we look at all the cooks in this corporate cartoon kitchen. With this many people involved, how did they pull it off? And is this cartoon whitewashed? Too feminist? Not feminist enough? How is this fairy tale defining gender and ethnicity for an entire generation? Additional Resources: From the Heat of Royal Passio...

In the second part of our series on Dischord Records, we look at the politics of Washington D.C.'s music scene going into the 1990s... when art met commerce.  Additional Resources: Andersen, M. and Jenkins, M. (2009). Dance of Days: Two Decades of Punk In The Nation's Capital,  Akashic Books. Dischord on Bandcamp (Free Streaming)

In the first of our two episodes on Dischord Records we look at the punk community of Washington D.C. in the 1980s and its conflicting ethics of politics, violence and drug abuse. Follow along with the story of Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson's label until its redefining summer of 1985. Additional Resources: Dischord Records – History Thompson, S. (2001). Market Failure: Punk Economics, Early and Late...

Hellboy's a charming, working class hero, despite being a demon's spawn. We look at how creator Mike Mignola taps into the mythic simplicity of folk tales and how Hellboy itself has become a commodified franchise.

For our first coverage of a reality television show we go from beauty to camp, to joy and grief. This show simultaneously sells branded content that somehow doesn't feel sleazy, while also providing an extraordinary platform for LGBTQ culture. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: To come.

A novel that took Stephen King 12.5 years to write is now a major franchise. But what was it like when fans (and retailers) were rabid for more? Did King have a "responsibility" to them? And why didn't he plot his fantasy world... instead of writing it by the seat of his pants?  Additional Resources: Bev Vincent,  The Road To The Dark Tower Rereading Stephen King week 13: The Gunslinger So, what's...

All My Friends Are Funeral Singers  is a film (and record) by Tim Rutili of the band Califone. We interview Tim about his experience creating a project like this in multiple media and how that changed his process going forward. Additional Resources: All My Friends Are Funeral Singers (Vimeo) All My Friends Are Funeral Singers -- Film Review IndiePix Films Launches Subscription-Streaming Service wi...

By becoming a more vulnerable frontman, Nick Cave has transformed after a major tragedy. To understand this better, we cover his latest album  Skeleton Tree , the companion film One More Time With Feeling  and the Bad Seeds' latest North American tour. Additional Resources: The Love and Terror of Nick Cave Nick Cave Finally Tells His Most Painful Story Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds x Hingston Studio –...

As part of the big four bands breaking out of the Seattle "grunge" scene in the early 1990s, Soundgarden was a combination that was not quite metal or punk. We look at why their record Badmotorfinger  acts like such a strong signifier of meaning in the wake of Chris Cornell's death.

With a comparison of their staff rosters, we try imagining a television show that idolizes the White House today, the way The West Wing did in 1999. Believe it or not, Aaron Sorkin's fantasy of public service let some people admire civics again.

Donald Glover once described his FX sitcom Atlanta  as "Twin Peaks for rappers." As residents of the eponymous city, we were doubtful. But this show came through with a weird, wondrous take on our local African-American culture. Special guest Swain Hunt (Sidebar, The Metronome) joins us to discuss.

China Miéville's novel Kraken  is a meandering fantasy comedy full of political themes and a love for weird monsters. How does this author manage to weave together so many themes and genres into one book? And why does he think J.R.R. Tolkien is a "wen on the arse of fantasy"? Additional Resources: Reveling in Genre: An Interview with China Miéville Kraken: China Miéville interview A Category Unto...

Fed up with humanity? Does it seem like everyone is an asshole lately? Macon Blair's I Don't Feel At Home In This World Anymore may be just the film you need to watch. But... does Netflix's distribution make it less likely that a movie like this will be seen? Additional Resources: I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore Is a Dark, Goofy Neo-Noir Murder, Nunchucks and the Trump Era: Inside 'I Do...

David Lapham's crime comic Stray Bullets demonstrates the challenges of working independently on creative art. Why did it take almost 20 years for this book to get the attention it deserves? We look into the economics of the comics industry to find out. Additional Resources: Interview: David Lapham Talks About The Guts of STRAY BULLETS STRAY BULLETS by David Lapham 'Stray Bullets': Number One With...

  Paste Magazine was a victim of its time, facing a bad economy and competing pressures between physical and digital media. But what changes were its founders willing to make to keep it alive as a website? And in the process, did they betray their loyal audience?   Additional Resources: Paste Magazine Is Dead Paste Magazine Freelancers Are Getting Screwed My (Re)generation: Paste's Nick Purdy on t...

With the many changes to the music industry, it doesn't seem possible for a band to rise to success after their first studio album like R.E.M. did with Murmur . We look at what made this artsy, floppy, jangle rock band tick and how The Police and MTV supported their rise to popularity. Additional Resources: Bennett, L. (2013). Discourses of order and rationality: drooling R.E.M. fans as 'matter ou...

For our one-year anniversary, we look at Sir Ridley Scott's thematic threads with Alien , Prometheus and the upcoming Alien: Covenant . Is it all about commercial appeal? Or is Scott reflecting on old age, legacy and death? Additional Resources: Lodge, G. (2015). From Dystopia to Valhalla, Scott's Future Visions Endure. Variety, 329(17), 73-78. Newman, K. (2012). PROMETHEUS UNBOUND. Sight & Sound,...

How does one man find himself at the center of modern myth making? David S. Goyer's written and directed superhero comics, films and television, but his public persona suggests something larger and more conflicted about superhero storytelling.  Additional Resources: (To come)

  Looking at David Bowie's final record Blackstar we ask, "Was he saying goodbye?" The public's treasure hunt for meaning in both this record's lyrics and art seems to say so. But how do people's grief for dead celebrities invite such deeply personal connections?   iTunes direct link   Google Play direct link   Additional Resources: How We Grieve Our Famous Dead Producer Tony Visconti Talks David...