“Work” (2017) – 0:52
Written by Jared Faber and Peter Rida Michail
Performed by Peter Rida Michail
(Teen Titans Go)
“Teen Titans Theme” (2003/2013) – 2:12
Written and produced Andy Sturmer
Remixed by Mix Master Mike
Performed Puffy Amiyumi
(Teen Titans Go)
“Christmas Lights” (2010) – 2:31
Written and performed by Coldplay
“Love is Christmas” (2011) – 6:33
Written and performed by Sara Bareilles
“It’s a Wonderful Life” (1940) – 9:50
Directed by Frank Capra
James Stewart as George Bailey
“You Will Be Found” (2015/2017) – 10:51
Written by Justin Paul & Benj Pasek
Noah Galvin as Evan
Kristolyn Lloyd as Alana
Will Roland as Jared
Performed by Broadway Cast
(Dear Evan Hansen)
“Burn” (2013) – 14:32
Written by Lin-Manuel Miranda
Phillipa Soo as Eliza
(Hamilton)
“My Silver Lining” (2014) – 17:42
Written and performed by First Aid Kit
Recorded July 22nd. “We don’t have anymore time.” Really rushed reactions on the 4-minutes of Justice League footage from San Diego Comic-Con 2017 Exclusive Trailer / Sneak Peek.
Recorded May 13th. Fantasy, faith, magic, & myth. J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, The Great War, and Wonder Woman. Middle Earth, Narnia, creating compelling fantasy, approaches to criticism, and overcoming disillusionment.
60 Year Old Spoiler Warning: Ending of The Lord of the Rings and portions of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.
[Note: Not really a Wonder Woman episode, a companion to the last episode. Next few episodes are more DC, less literary history.]
Answers, insights, and commentary on:
I. J.R.R. Tolkien (Life)
Orphan, Catholic, genius
Popular, rugby captain, acting
Languages, artist, marriage
World War I, Battle of the Somme
Philology
Beowulf scholarship
“On Fairy Stories”
II. Secondary World (Depth)
References condense information
Recall a dragon or a Robin, no citation
References are inherent and ubiquitous
Broken references organic and immersive
Irony, Immersion, or Identification
Tolkien reverse engineering patina of myth
Tolkien’s perfectionism
Superman as myth
DC Films epic depth in world-building
III. Outcasts Bond Over Obscure Interests (Friends)
Tolkien meets Lewis
Siegel meets Shuster
Lewis encourages Tolkien’s writings
Lewis’s life, atheism, studies, service
Connection, fellowship, encouragement
The Inklings
IV. Approach to Criticism (Reaction)
Critical response to The Lord of the Rings
Stigma of fantasy and superheroes
Creating stories with conscious purpose
Wonder Woman as psychological propaganda
Academic intellectual dishonesty
“An Experiment on Criticism”
Surrender, reading well, repeat readings
V. Disillusionment (Lies)
Tolkien & Lewis are counter-cultural and subversive
Unrealistic optimism at start of the war
H.G. Wells: “The War That Will End War”
Ways Wonder Woman could be disillusioned
Disillusionment after World War I
Fantasy as recapturing immaterial wonder
Good, evil, and corruption in fantasy
Eucatastrophe, Frodo fails, divine grace
Corruption in these DC films
Reality and realism as cure
Fantasy to represent magic of the familiar
Tolkien & Lewis believe in heroism
VI. Resonance (Truth)
Tolkien & Lewis differences didn’t divide
Tolkien & Lewis didn’t discriminate against works
Openness to Wonder Woman, picking at differences
Looking for truth and resonance over heresy and imperfection
Seeing unappreciated value, Planet Narnia
Imagination and emotions before intellect and allegory
Watchful Dragons
Applied to the Wonder Woman mythos
Secrets, Truth, Beauty, Subversion, War, Myth, Wonder
Recorded January 27th. “I don’t know how to lose.” Sports and football in these films and how it informs Clark’s character. Issues with Lex’s endgame and how it reflects his psychology. Learning how to lose.
Answers, insights, and commentary on:
I. Sports
Sports as a part of culture
Is Clark a sports fan? The cliché versus the evidence
Qualifications of a sports writer
Priorities over fandom, diversions, and leisure
How does Clark view sports given his abilities?
Is Zack Snyder a sports fan?
What was the Metropolis State vs. Gotham City fight about?
The Quarterback Kneel controversy
What does that controversy illustrate?
II. Lex’s Endgame
Was Lex just a fanatic in the end?
Lex’s doomsday perspective and plan
Why the Doomsday plan has holes
Lex putting his life at risk to Superman, military response, and Doomsday
Why Lex uses his blood to create Doomsday
Why Lex doesn’t try to get away with his endgame
The Origin of Lex Luthor
Lex has hope in his last scene
III. Losing
Illustrating a few principles
For anyone trying, failure is inevitable not identity
Embrace iteration instead of a God Complex
Review your endgame and have others check it
Persistence and resilience
Expect setbacks, embrace the journey with patience, anticipate tomorrow hopefully
UCLA Coach John Wooden
Examples of Superman lacking omniscience:
Lois can’t get information to him in time
Lois can’t find him after the bombing
Lois can’t summon him at will in Nairomi
Lois can hide the bullet from him
Lois doesn’t whisper under her breath behind the barricade
Lois doesn’t call out for him on the helipad
Lois is surprised that he catches her
Lois explicitly says he couldn’t see the bomb
Lois uncovers the plot he didn’t know
Martha doesn’t cry for him while kidnapped
Martha doesn’t scream for him in the warehouse
Lex knows he can kidnap Lois & Martha
Lex knows he can keep them from Superman’s senses
Batman relies on the element of surprise in his attacks
Clark learns of the hearings from Lois
Clark learns of Kahina and Keefe from the news
Clark learns of the factory fire from the news
Clark learns of the Batman’s brutality from the news
Clark learns what the talking heads are saying from the news
Recorded October 8 and 21. The breath powers: history, science, and creative implications.
Answers, insights, and commentary on:
History:
Is super breath its own power?
First instances of super breath in the comics
First instance of cold breath in the comics
Adoption in adaptations
Science:
How breathing works
Basics
Applying strength
World record techniques
Does super breath implicate cold breath necessarily?
Extinguishing fire
Fire triangle / tetrahedron
Vapor as fuel
Cooling hot stuff
Thermodynamics
Cold is not a property
Blowing on your hand
Unreliable sensation
Alternative explanation
Gas cooling catch-all
Mathematical limitations
Absolute Zero
Absolute Hot
Freezing air
Gas heat transfer
Creative:
Magical Thinking
Story reasons for the power
Story reasons against the power
Is it okay to question stories?
Investing in reality for stories
Truth catching up to fiction
Science in fiction
Teachable attitudes and interactions
Magic and fantasy another time
…and much more!
Sources:
Science of Superman (2006) | Warner Home Video
Nonexistent Objects Imaginary Worlds- Crash Course #29
Breathe! | Glenn Wolkenfeld
Great Wakkorotti | Animaniacs
Brian Jackson | Stan Lee’s Superhumans
Circular Breathing | Wikipedia
Only Vapors Burn 1947 Chemistry of Fire | US War Dept.
Liquid Nitrogen Grease Fire | Cody’s Lab
The Physics of The Impossible (2008) | Michio Kaku
First and Second Law of Thermodynamics | Flanders & Swann
Why does heat transfer from hot to cold? | Fact Tap
Substance of Silence | Stuff to Blow Your Mind
How Entropy Powers The Earth | Minute Physics
Misconceptions About Heat | Veritasium
What Is One Degree? | BBC
Why Is My Breath Hot? | Ask Science
Absolute Zero – Absolute Awesome | SciShow
What Does Liquid Nitrogen Do To Your Face | Grant Thompson
The Physics of Heat- Crash Course Physics #22
How Iceman Is Actually a Bomb! | Nerdist
Magical Thinking | Imaginary Worlds
Supergods | Grant Morrison
26 Facts on Family | Mental Floss
No. of questions kids ask daily | Duck Quacks Don’t Echo
Testimonials | Science & Entertainment Exchange
Aesthetics- Crash Course Philosophy #31
Superman The High Flying History (2012) | Larry Tye
Thermodynamics of Love (2009) | David Ng
Negative Temperatures are Hot | Sixty Symbols
Superman Memory Crystals | Physics World
The Science of Superman (2002) | Mark Wolverton
The Science of Superheroes (2002) | Gresh & Weinberg
The Science of Supervillains (2005) | Gresh & Weinberg
The Physics of Superheroes (2005) | James Kakalios
Superhero Powers Explained | University of Leicester
Merry Christmas!
