Imaginary Worlds - Law & Order Superheroes

Law & Order Superheroes

Explicit content warning

10/15/20 • 33 min

2 Listeners

Imaginary Worlds

You know the scene. A pair of muggers are in an alleyway when a superhero leaps down and beats them to a pulp. It’s a classic scenario, but in a year when we’re reassessing the role of law enforcement in the real world, is it time to reimagine the role of super-cops in fantasy worlds? I talk with prosecutor Patrick O’Connor and police officer Henry Wong about how Batman or The Punisher could better reflect the times. Matthew Westfox, co-host of the podcast Superhero Ethics, discusses the moral quandaries of Daredevil. Peter Nowak, author of “The Rise of Real-Life Superheroes,” explains why costumed crime fighters are no longer just in fiction, and we hear from The Grim and Violet Valkyrie, who actually patrol the streets of San Diego as their superhero alter-egos.

Today's episode is brought to you by EveryPlate, HelloFresh and BetterHelp.

Want to advertise/sponsor our show? We have partnered with AdvertiseCast to handle our advertising/sponsorship requests. They’re great to work with and will help you advertise on our show. Please email [email protected] or click the link below to get started.

Imaginary Worlds AdvertiseCast Listing

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today's episode is brought to you by EveryPlate, HelloFresh and BetterHelp.

Imaginary Worlds AdvertiseCast Listing

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Previous Episode

Fantasy and Fascism

1 Recommendations

Fascism is a common theme in fantasy worlds, especially the rebels vs. evil empire scenario. But what can we learn from stories about encroaching fascism? I talk with journalists Lauren Davis, Damien G. Walter, professor Jason Dittmer and podcaster Stefan Sasse – who teaches history in Germany – about Star Wars, Game of Thrones, superheroes and how fantasy itself can be a dangerous tool for authoritarians.

Stefan also hosts The Boiled Leather Audio Hour podcast.

Today's episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Want to advertise/sponsor our show? We have partnered with AdvertiseCast to handle our advertising/sponsorship requests. They’re great to work with and will help you advertise on our show. Please email [email protected] or click the link below to get started.

Imaginary Worlds AdvertiseCast Listing

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Next Episode

Adulting with Cowboy Bebop

1 Recommendations

The anime series Cowboy Bebop is currently being turned into a live-action series for Netflix, but Cowboy Bebop doesn’t need to be Americanized. The original series was already an homage to Western films and movies. Authors Roland Kelts and Matt Alt talk about how Cowboy Bebop fits into a very Japanese tradition of adopting and even improving upon aspects of foreign cultures. Evan Minto of Anime News Network explains why the show was groundbreaking. And Eric Vilas-Boas and John Maher of Dot + Line discuss how Cowboy Bebop had a huge impact on them as kids, even though it took them decades to understand the characters.

See You, Space Cowboy....

Matt Alt’s book “Pure Invention: How Japan’s Pop Culture Conquered the World.”

Roland Kelt’s book, “Japanamerica: How Japanese Culture Has Invaded the U.S.”

Today's episode is brought to you by Acorn TV and BetterHelp. Want to advertise/sponsor our show? We have partnered with AdvertiseCast to handle our advertising/sponsorship requests. They’re great to work with and will help you advertise on our show. Please email [email protected] or click the link below to get started.

Imaginary Worlds AdvertiseCast Listing

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices