Kevin Schaefer, Evan Garcia, and Christian Ashley dive deep into the latest happenings in geek culture, focusing on the much-anticipated X-Men '97 Season 2 and the new Supergirl film. Kicking things off, they share their thoughts on Supergirl, examining its successes and shortcomings, particularly in how it diverges from the source material. The trio engages in a spirited discussion about the evolution of superhero narratives and the direction of the DC and Marvel universes, pondering their future amidst changing fandom dynamics. With a blend of insightful commentary and playful banter, they explore the nuanced storytelling of X-Men '97, celebrating its character development and intricate plotlines. Listeners can expect a relaxed vibe filled with witty humor as they unpack these iconic franchises while reflecting on their personal connections to the stories and characters.

A lively discussion kicks off as Kevin, Evan, and Christian dive into the latest geek culture happenings, focusing primarily on DC's 'Supergirl' and Marvel's 'X-Men 97 Season 2'. The trio is not just here to dissect plot points and character arcs; they're all about the experience, sharing a heartwarming story about a chance encounter at Disney Springs. Over some chicken bites, they discuss the ownership of creative works, igniting a conversation that draws in a fellow diner, blending their podcasting lives with real-world interactions. The hosts reflect on their recent viewing of 'Supergirl', weighing in on its pacing and character development, particularly how it diverges from the source material. They ponder the evolving landscape of superhero narratives, touching upon themes of trauma and identity in the characters' journeys. The episode is rich with insights, humor, and relatable anecdotes, making for a delightful listen that balances critique with camaraderie. As they transition to 'X-Men 97', the nostalgia kicks in, sparking debates about character portrayals and the implications of intertwining timelines, showcasing their passion for storytelling and character exploration.

With a laid-back vibe, Kevin, Evan, and Christian take listeners on a rollercoaster ride through the realms of superhero cinema, balancing their critiques with a hearty dose of humor and personal stories. Their conversation about 'Supergirl' is both reflective and analytical, with each host bringing their unique perspective on the film’s impact and execution. They examine the film’s pacing issues, exploring how character histories could have been better integrated into the narrative flow. The hosts appreciate the film's ambitious themes while acknowledging its shortcomings, particularly in editing and character depth. They emphasize the importance of character ownership and how audience engagement can shape the reception of creative works. The discussion seamlessly transitions into 'X-Men 97', where they revel in the nostalgia of the original series while praising the new season's storytelling and character development. They highlight how the series balances referencing the past with creating accessible content for a new audience. Through their witty banter and genuine enthusiasm, the hosts provide listeners with a comprehensive understanding of the evolving superhero landscape, reminding fans of the joy and complexity inherent in these beloved narratives.

As the episode unfolds, listeners are treated to a blend of thoughtful analysis and light-hearted exchanges, showcasing the hosts' camaraderie and love for geek culture. The discussion on 'Supergirl' serves as a springboard to broader themes of creative ownership and audience engagement, with the hosts urging fans to take an active role in the conversation about their favorite stories. They reflect on the film’s pacing and editing, diving into what makes superhero narratives resonate with audiences, while also critiquing the missed opportunities for deeper character exploration. The humor shines through as they share personal anecdotes, like the chance encounter with a fellow geek at Disney, adding a personal touch to their reflections. Transitioning to 'X-Men 97', the hosts express their excitement for the series, discussing its character arcs and the philosophical underpinnings of the storytelling. They appreciate how the new season honors the legacy of the original while providing fresh narratives that engage both longtime fans and new viewers alike. Through their engaging dialogue, the hosts create a vibrant tapestry of insights and laughter, inviting listeners to join in on the fun and reflect on their own experiences with these iconic characters.

Takeaways:

• The hosts explore the return of X-Men '97, highlighting its fresh take on beloved characters while maintaining continuity, making it accessible for new viewers.
• Kevin and Evan discuss their mixed feelings about the Supergirl film, praising its ambition but criticizing pacing and character development choices.
• The podcast emphasizes the cultural significance of the X-Men as a representation of marginalized voices, resonating with themes of inclusion and acceptance.
• They express excitement for future episodes of X-Men '97, particularly its ability to balance nostalgia with engaging storytelling that captivates both old and new fans.
• Christian shares insights on the complexities of character arcs, particularly Magneto's journey, and how the show explores the nuances of heroism and villainy.
• The conversation reflects on the evolution of superhero narratives, contrasting the depth found in X-Men '97 with the challenges faced by current superhero films in the industry.

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What did we think of Supergirl? What do we think of X Men 97 Season 2? Where are DC and Marvel headed right now? We are systematic ecology.

We are the priest of the geeks. And we're going to be talking about all this and more on today's episode of what's News, where we talk about all the latest things in geek culture.

And since we have two very big DC and Marvel topics to discuss, we're going to focus on those. But we'll also hit on some other geek stuff as well. And very excited to be here.

Am one of your hosts, Kevin Schaefer, here with fellow geekologists Evan Garcia and Christian Ashley. Guys, how are you doing today?

Fantastic, man.

It really is. It's relaxing. And, yeah, I'm good to be here. And Evan, this is exciting. Before we get to our usual stuff, I want to say because this was exciting.

So two weeks ago, we got to finally meet up in person.

That was two weeks ago already. Wow. Yeah.

And that's actually when we saw Supergirl. I was in Orlando for a disability conference recently that I go to every year, and. And it was perfect timing.

So Evan and I got to hang out in Disney Springs. And Evan, before we start with the. We have to tell this story. Can we, like, do you want to hit on. So we're having lunch, right?

Yeah. Chicken guy.

Yeah.

Yes. Yes. We're eating chicken.

And, you know, we're talking geek stuff and we're talking like, I think Evan, the question you asked was related to, like, ownership of a work. Like, if a creator puts out a work and, you know, is it okay for fans to feel some ownership of that or should be tired of the creators?

That was the question you asked. You want to talk about what happened next? Because this was so cool.

Yeah, so.

So we were going, we were doing our back and forth about it, and at the table over this, this, this, this, this, this, this young woman says, hey, excuse me, can I, can I jump in on this conversation? And we were like, yeah, sure. So she came over and she. I gave her. And she. I gave her take on it. And it turns out that she.

That she does some art on the side and she's in the Disney College program, so she's having a full Disney experience now at the Disney College program. And, and she. And we shared her details online. And. And she started following us.

We.

Oh, we. Oh, we.

Oh, we started following her and then we just had this really cool conversation that was as if we were creating a show together, you know, so they're in the middle of a guy for Aries chicken guy restaurant.

It was. It was just such a cool moment. I like. I love those. And Evan was repping us with his Systematic Ecology T shirt. It was just such.

It was such a cool experience. So I want to give a shout out to that person who met with us. Like, I really appreciate you stopping by, and that's really why we do what we do.

I mean, we, you know, we love having geek conversations. We love getting deeper on this stuff. And so that was just a really cool, kind of surreal meetup, you know?

So, yeah, we had to share that on the podcast, but I thought that would be it. Yeah, that was. And it was such a blast hanging out. I'm so glad we got to make it work. It was a great time. So it was cool to hang out.

With someone that understood my, my, my, my, my two great references.

Yes. Yes. Oh, yes, absolutely. Oh, we had. We had a lot of, like, references and sharing. So, yeah, I mean, and one.

One day we'll get all three of us in the same room because that's what like, Christian, I've met you in person. I would know. I met you in person. So we gotta make it happen.

One of our birthdays has to be.

Yes, yes, we'll make it happen. But, yeah, so awesome. Well, I had to share that story because I. That's really, you know, ties into what we do here at Systematic Ecology. And our.

If you are new to the show, thank you so much for joining us. Whether you're here on YouTube or you're listening to this later, we really appreciate you.

And hey, if you like what you hear or see today, give us a review wherever you get your podcast rate and review us. If you give us a like on YouTube. If we get up to 50 likes.

I think the challenge right now is that Will Rose, one of our fellow geekologists who is on sabbatical right now, maybe he'll dress up as Crypto. I'm going to say that as the next.

I just saw that they're making a. A real Rod of the Hut from the movie.

That's right.

Inflatable costume. But it's a weird one because you can still see the person's legs through the suit. So it's like, it's weird.

That makes it even more hilarious. And I. I have no doubt Will is going to wholeheartedly volunteer to wear that.

So if you think that's, you know, who goes surfing with it, it would be amazing. And if you think that's a great idea, then, hey, hit that like button. We really appreciate it.

And you can also find ways to support our show by clicking on the links here. Support us on fourth wall. And if you want to be a supporter of the show, you can get a shout out and we want to.

I want to shout out a couple of our supporters today. Aaron Hardy, Amber Riley, Justin Vaughn. I know we're all usually only do one, but I'm gonna, I'm gonna do a triple A supporter shout out today.

Yeah, we really appreciate you all. Thank you so much.

And you know, and again, you can click on the link, find out ways to support us, get free, get merchandise, all of the good stuff there. So. So, yeah, thank you for being here. And you know, we are going to talk about Supergirl, we're talking about X Men 97.

But before we get into our main topics, let us do our regular lightning round where we. Where we give us an a quick shout out to some of the other things we're geeking out on. So, Christian, we'll start with you.

What is your lightning round pick for today?

Yeah, my Adventures with Superman is. I think the last episode just aired last night. I haven't had a chance to watch it yet, but I'm really enjoying this season.

Introducing John Kent and some new machinations on that end with Lex and everything and Hank Henshaw as our cyborg. Superman could be the eradicator coming up. Who knows? It's been a lot of good fun.

Cool. I love that show. I know I've talked about it before and. Yeah. And they're also coming out with my adventures with Green Lantern, I think later. Yeah.

In one of the recent episodes.

Yes. So very excited for that. Yes. Great pick there. Evan, what about you?

I just started, I just started that series. I'm like five, six episodes in now and I'm really digging it.

Yeah.

Yeah. And I'm also watching. We are all as a family, we're all caught up on, on all the Spider man films.

So we've been catching up on that for the, For a brand new day that I saw the Bear, the season finale for that. That. That was. I'm still processing it. It's so, it's so it's. It's one of those shows. I'm like, I'm glad I'm alive to experience this show.

So good stuff.

I. It's on my list. I actually saw because I know I haven't watched the Bear yet.

I saw this, like there's this Pete Holmes a bit about like, he's like, yeah. Oh, he was like you know, if you don't watch the bear, the people who do judge you for it. And he was just like, I get. I'm a parent.

I get one hour to myself every day. I would rather spend it watching the Office for the 45th time, then stress myself out watching the Bear. I know, it's great. And I.

He's like, yeah, but. Yeah, so that's kind of where I'm at, too. I need to be in the right mood to really absorb that, like the.

New the Wire or Breaking Bad or what have you.

Like, in terms of, like, everyone else.

Is talking about it.

That's a fair comparison. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I mean.

And I mean, I. Heck, I was like, when Breaking Bad was coming out, I was reviewing the final season when I was back in college. And yeah, I probably fell into that camp, too. But yes, and.

And that's ironic because. Because that Pete Holmes clip, I saw that too, and I found it ironic because that's how I am with. On his show. With. With his HBO show crashing.

It's so I couldn't watch it because it was. It took me like three years to finally get in a spot in my deconstruction where. Where. Where I could watch it.

But once I watched it, like, it was everything to me. It was everything. Like.

But yeah, yeah, good recommendation. I need to check out because I've seen Pete Holmes live before, but I haven't watched the show.

I have yet to see him live.

Yeah, he's pretty great. Yeah. Yeah, awesome. Also, I see Will Rose is here. We were just talking about you, Rada the Hut himself, but awesome. And then. Great picks, guys.

My lightning round pick is. I know I've talked about on the podcast before, and I was actually kind of worried it was canceled because I hadn't seen in a while.

But the DC Studios showcase podcast, which is. It airs on HBO Max, and then you can get it on YouTube and Spotify as well. But, like, it was.

They were releasing all throughout last year, building up a Superman and then throughout the year. And I mean, I knew they were going on break, but. But it had been a while and I was wondering when it was going to come back.

So now they're back in full swing.

They've released four new episodes of the new season and they interviewed Millie Alcock and Greg Gillespie Jason Momoa and then just recently, Kevin Smith. So, of course, that was an hour episode, you know, longer than the others. You can't. You can't. Kevin Smith, Transcopan himself.

You can't have Kev on there for a short one. But. But I love that show. It's just a delightful. I would. I would say similar to ours in that, like, it just really highlights the.

The joy of being into geek culture when there are a lot of, you know, like, more toxic online spaces. It's a nice, like, counterbalance to that. So really love that show again. You can get it on all those platforms, so. Awesome.

Well, guys, I know we've got some big topics to talk about today, so let's get to it. We'll talk first about Supergirl. So leading right in there with the. With dc.

So, yeah, as I mentioned earlier, Evan and I got to see this when we were met up in person. It was kind of fun. We saw a Supergirl Warner Brothers movie right in the heart of Disney.

But, you know, I mean, Spider man wasn't playing then, so, you know, but it was great. We got to see it at the big AMC theater. Great spot. The AMC theater right there in Disney Springs.

Nice and loud and bright.

Oh, it was. It was so really good.

Popcorn.

Yes. Oh, and just like. And perfect seating. Yeah, that was a good time.

So, yeah, and Evan and I actually, we did a quick, like, coming out of the theater reaction, sharing our thoughts. We put it on our social media channels for systematic ecology.

So, actually, Christian, I want to hear what your initial thoughts were first, because mine have changed a little bit too. Like, like, I. I came out of the movie really enjoying it. I'd say. I've, you know, I still have, like, issues with it, but I.

But it's kind of like, right in the middle for me. If, like, I liked it overall, but I do have, like, issues with mainly editing and pacing. But, Chris, but I have not heard your thoughts at all.

So I want to hear yours first and then we can kind of go around and then we'll get a little deeper after.

My issues are more with changing and nerfing her. Overall, I did enjoy the film. It is a huge step down from Superman. I think she works great as Supergirl.

Yeah, they do a little too much of the drunken antics, blah, blah, blah. That's part of the original comic.

But it also feels like they didn't read it because they changed the things I'm not particularly happy about because they kind of kill the message of what that was trying to do. And also remove some of the more fantastical elements. That Gun can do it. Why can't the rest of the directors do the same?

Like, as someone who would definitely approve of that being there, I'm kind of curious why they're not there, whether they just wanted to be more gritty, which we already had. Snyderverse. We don't need that. Again, I don't know. But once again, I think Millie Alcock.

Millie. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

It's right in front of my face on the screen that I should be reading. Yes. She did a wonderful job. Jason Momoa was terrific as Lobo.

It's kind of like, obviously, that's who he should have been from birth, like, playing this role. The others, they exist.

It's fair. I mean, I, like, I, I, I would echo a lot of those thoughts, honestly, because, again, I came out of the movie like, really enjoying it.

And I think part of that was through the experience. Like, we were having a great day there.

I was coming out behind the conference, so, like, I. I honestly wasn't thinking too much from a critical lens coming out of it, and I did so. And, like, I. And Evan. And I had the experience of. Evan had not read the comic before. I'm a big fan of it.

And so I was, you know, I thought the, like, I came out of it like, yeah, there were definitely changes there, but I thought it would, you know, it's cool to see that they were basing it directly off, like, one comic instead of, like, an amalgamation of things. Like, this was very much, like, based on Woman of Tomorrow. Like, I compared it to.

In the same way, the Winter Soldier movie is very much based on the Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting run of Captain America. That said, like you said, Christian, this does change major things in the comic, which, I mean, I. I wasn't expecting a direct adaptation.

I would say, for me, though, you know, reflecting on the movie and again saying, like, I, you know, I liked it fine. I didn't, you know, hate it or really love it.

I agree that it was a big step down from Superman, because people on this podcast especially know how much I love that movie. But, you know, the big thing was some of.

I usually try not to go into a movie with too many expectations, but this was one where, like, James Gunn was saying, this is, like, one of the best scripts he's ever read. And it was just, like, building it up so much. And so I did have really high expectations going in because they were building this up.

It's based on a great comic, so I know. I like, I would kind of put it at middle of the road, like, entertaining superhero movie, but, you know, not like, oh my gosh, amazing.

Evan, what about you? Like, I know I got your thoughts, like, coming out of the theater, but have that. Has that changed at all in the.

Two weeks since it's been more fleshed out? It hasn't changed. Like, I still. I still like what I liked about it, and I still so don't like what I don't like about it.

But there's some things that come to mind. Our friends over at a Popcorn Theology, you can find them on Instagram and all that, but they're. They're. They are friends of the show. They did a.

They did a part of their show and they talked about what good looks like in the Superman movie and how. And how that looks like in this movie. And they did a great comparison on. On the. On the cynicism and the process of. Of. Of.

Of trying to become good in that sense and how. And how the different movies show that. And so I thought that was pretty cool. But yeah, the. The pacing still stands out to me. Like, it's. That.

It's that cliche of like, it's. It's really slow in the middle type of thing. It's like, yep, that. That kind of applies to this movie still, but.

But this was one of those movies where I could. My wife really liked it too. She's not.

She.

She has experience with it as much as that she likes to see the CW ver. And she liked this one enough where we. Where we could talk about the differences on it.

So it's always good that I can kind of honor that with my wife like that too. So.

But yeah, I do love that. And, you know, I mean, and that's cool too, because I was also a fan of the CW series.

Actually, I have a poster of that on the wall over there behind me. But. And obviously this is a very different version. And, you know, in the.

The comic, you know, was very much moving the character in a different direction of. You know, Tom King has said, like, in interviews, you know, Kara is someone who watched her planet die.

And, you know, and not only that, but she really saw her people destroyed twice because she saw Argo City destroyed as well. And so she carries much more trauma than Superman because Superman didn't really witness any of that.

I mean, he still wrestles with the identity crisis, but he also had a very safe, you know, upbringing. And, you know, I like that, you know, that somewhat.

So much of what I love about the comic is that it really explores that and it's a really grounded portrayal. Now, one thing.

Well, actually so with editing and pacing, because this is something even in reviews you don't typically talk about, but because I think editing is one of the. It's an art form in film that when it's done well, you don't really notice it. Like, that's the good.

Like good editing is like it becomes seamless even though there's an incredible amount of work that goes into it. It's. But then when there are editing issues or it's poor, that's when it becomes more noticeable.

So for here in this movie, for instance, I think it would have been improved greatly with even just some rearranging of scenes.

So I actually, I came out of the theater saying in our little mini review there that one of my favorite scenes was seeing Krypton destroyed in the Origin of Cara play out. Not because I wanted to see people suffer, but. But I just like, I did really like the exploration and how that was done.

I think some of that should have been at the beginning of the movie and sprinkled throughout instead of kind of thrown there all at once. Because if you start the movie with stakes of, you know, where. Who Cara is and where she's from instead of just her, like, we.

We get the differences between her and Clark right away. But, you know, just starting with a music drop and a drinking scene, I don't think was like the most dramatic way to kick off the film.

Because, like, I think about it like Guardians of the Galaxy, for instance. I know again, Gunn did not direct this, but there's still a lot of his identity in the film.

But Guardians of the Galaxy, yes, it's an action comedy and Star Lord is, you know, playing music and everything and kind of not take himself too seriously. But this, the movie opens with the death of his mother and it has this really heartfelt emotional connection right there from the get go.

And I think this film could have benefited from that right at the beginning. And also, you know, actually, Christian, I wanted to see your thoughts on this. So the comic is from Ruthie's perspective and.

And like, and it makes it so well. And I don't think it was necessarily a bad thing to switch it to Supergirls, but. But it all.

I do think Ruthie was way more underwritten in the movie and I like. And there were, you know, it suffered from that.

But I. I'm just curious, having read the comic, do you think it would have been better to still maintain Ruthie's POV for the movie, or do you think it worked to have Supergirl in the front and center?

Well, shout out real quick to Will Rose, because last time I was at his place is when I read this graphic novel for the first time. Well collected paperback and really enjoyed it. But, yeah, it is written primarily from her point of view.

And you know what that would have done, made her a character in the film, more than likely. Ruthie. Everything happens around her. Yeah. At the start, it's like, yeah, I need to go out and do stuff.

But then after she teams up with Supergirl, it's like, why do you even bother existing? I. It. It's really frustrating seeing the differences and wanting better because, yeah, the whole thing at the very end there.

And yeah, we're going to talk spoilers, by the way.

I should have said that at the beginning.

But yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, the whole thing is like journeying together. The quest for revenge, you know, you killed my father. Which is. They also do it differently.

And, like, everyone's killed off in the movie versus, I think just her dad in the comic. I can't remember every.

It's been a minute, but yes, I think, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Okay.

Her father, she's out for Ren for. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

They also change Crim and his bad guys. And instead of being like this gang, they're almost like a race that goes beyond what they do in the comic.

Yeah.

And, yeah, Vikings.

And.

And even though they're like a bunch of murderous Vikings, they also have to make them sex slavers, too, which is something that wasn't in there. It's like I was trying to figure out why did that need to change. He's already a bad guy. We already hate him from the beginning.

You don't need to make him worse. Yeah. But then you get to the very end, this whole climax supposed to be, do you seek revenge, the guy who killed your father or not?

You know, she decides not to. Supergirl decides not to. We get to the film instead. The same at the initially, same thing, but then Kara goes and kills him instead.

And I'm not against certain heroes killing villains off. You know, Superman had his moment before Zod. You know, it was, I either kill Zod or. Or he kills me and kills everyone I ever love.

Versus, well, I beat him up, I beaten up his gang. He can kind of live. Yeah, he'll still be a terrible person, but, like, I don't know what passes for Spacekill here. Where the lanterns at?

I can throw them their way. Like, instead, she. She murders him, and that's not Supergirl.

And also, it would. Like, Evan, I was telling you this too. The comic spans decades. Like, I mean, great. I mean, the actual time of the main story is fairly short.

They make it shorter here, but. But they do a big time jump in the comic at the end, and they make the ending a little more ambiguous, too. It.

I actually think it lends itself to multiple interpretations what happens in the last few panels. But. But. Yeah, but. But in that case, it's like, okay, they. You see Krem imprisoned for a long time, and then Kara and Ruthie reunite as older beings.

And so, like, there are, you know, and you go on this, like, whirlwind of an emotional journey there. But, yeah, here it was just like.

I mean, on the one hand, like, yes, clearly, Crim has no redemption arc at all because, like, okay, he's just debated. He's still a murderous scumbag. So I get it. And also, it's kind of the Wild west, but I agree.

It's like, I'm not sure what they were trying to go for there in terms of Kara's development, you know, by killing him and what that did. I'm glad that, you know, she saved Ruthie from that fate, but by putting it on her own. Yeah, I'm still kind of mixed on that.

Like, I. Yeah, I've come around to.

It because, yeah, I thought of it as just like you said. Like, I don't have the context of the previous lore, but I saw it as kind of a weak, just, you know, good guy defeats bad guy.

But then I thought about it, and I looked at some other opinions, and I kind of. I kind of like the idea that Creme was the way she could stop grieving about her planet because she couldn't.

Ah, interesting.

Because for her. What's the little girl's name?

Ruthie.

Ruthie. For her, Creme was her closure for her family. And Cara didn't want. It's the irony of, like, yeah, you. You are. You are gonna kill your.

Your oppressor, but will that ever really satisfy you? Type of thing. And then. And then Ankaro, well, was able to be that for. For a Ruthie, but she was able to take the death of Krem as her closure.

So it's kind of a. A. A reversal of what she taught Ruthie, but it was still closure for. For. For the both of them, and I found that kind of powerful. What do you guys.

What's your guys's take on the music choice for that Final battle there. The, the, the rope. The rope drop. The needle drop.

The needle drop. The COVID of the middle.

Yeah.

By Jimmy. We're all like, this is one where I liked that cover. Do I think this is why.

Okay, this kind of ties into a larger point about and I've been watching videos on this of because it, and, and there's been, there's a Hollywood Reporter article that came out about a week ago saying that like there were.

Even though James Gunn was like praising this movie in the last year and all that like apparently there was a lot of behind the scenes drama and disputes over him and Craig Gillespie. I don't know how much of that is true. There were still some unnamed sources here.

But I just bring that up because this definitely felt like some studio meddling because there was apparently a studio cut they showed and a Gillespie cut to audiences though apparently both of them had a needle drop in there.

But I again I bring this up because this just feels like a little too James Gunn esque and not different enough because again this for this being more of a space opera than a digital superhero movie.

And also Superman did a really good job of not of being more score driven and more costumes other than the I, I it was, and it was a good placement with the song during the Mr. Terrific scene and then punk rocker at the end. But, but I like that it avoided that the typical needle drops for the most part.

This one like again, good song. But it also I, it was, it felt a little just like do we really need this in middle Another big slow mo fight with the big needle drop. I don't know.

I, I, I, I wanted something. I, I think a score or something like that would have been better there. That's my personal feeling. But I did like the song itself.

Yeah. Unless John Williams was behind the orchestral score, I don't remember any music from movies for the most part.

There was some part of it.

Yeah, I, I remember the scene but I, I'm struggling to remember how the music was played there. It's, that's not my grandfather memories.

Like the Middle by Jimmy World is classic millennial anthem and this was like sort of an indie cover of it. But it was another like very soundtrack heavy movie, much like a lot of James Gunn ones, you know.

And like, and Cracking Last week has done that too because he directed Cruella and that also has like a sound effect throughout. So I guess they're both similar in that regard.

My point is that I think it would have been better to just have, you know, more score, less Needle drops here.

I was obsessed with that track, man.

I was.

Yeah, I think it worked for me so hard. You know, it. Because it spoke to both of the characters in their own way. It's. And. And having a daughter, you know, it's like, don't worry.

You are just in the middle of it. And it just spoke to me. And I was like, yeah, I get it that it might be too literal, but I. It. It just worked for me. And it made me.

And it made me remember there's a artist I like, Audrey Assad, that she made a version of it too. Good God. I had those two versions on a repeat for, like, the whole week.

It's a great song. I mean, again, millennial anthem. I very enjoyed it. And, like, I like the COVID of it, but that's cool that it spoke to you.

I mean, and again, it does, like, very much tie into the themes of the movie, but I get it.

It's. It's very literal.

Yeah, sure, sure. And I had to think, like, a. It depends on how much you want. If you want the, like, kind of, like, right in your face kind of themes. And.

Yeah, that's okay. If you're, like, more allergic to that then this, then I can see it being like, oh, God, this is too much. But.

But, yeah, so, yeah, I mean, overall, I mean, there were like. There's no parts of the movie I really liked. And overall, like. I mean, I had good time.

I would watch it again, but I think it just could have been a lot better. I'll also say too, like, I actually. I wasn't expecting Superman to be in as much.

Like, I mean, I. I didn't think it was like, overused or anything, but I really did like the scene of how they met for the first time. Not that it was like, you know, his movie or anything like that, but I just thought that that worked really well.

Which is again, why I wanted more of her origin spread throughout the movie instead of being kind of one montage kind of sprinkled in there in the middle. But I did. I did like that scene a lot.

Yeah, the. I'm trying not to hold it against it, but I was kind of disappointed when the end where Kara says that she's gonna live with him and.

And she's, you know, she's. She's changed her ways and finally accepted and processed all her grief and everything. I was expecting Superman Clark to the.

To be that kind of, like, giddy, innocent, excited that he was kind of previously, but he kind of took it downstream, you know, it's like, oh, okay. I was expecting something else.

No, for sure, for sure. Yeah.

Yeah. And then I agree. Sorry, Kevin.

Oh, no, go ahead. You're good.

Okay. Yeah, I agree with you now that you said it out loud.

Like, the flashback scenes on Krypton were great as far as I'm concerned with setting up what could have been good emotional impact later on.

But since it was one continuous scene, instead of being interspersed over like this just happened, maybe I could think about this part of, what, my backstory or something like that. Yeah, it gets a little disjointed. And it also confirms the idea that the Kryptonians are the bad guys that came from the last film.

I know you're laughing.

I was so hoping it was a misdirect this whole time, and it was still Luthor who had managed to trick even one of the smartest people on Earth with his stuff, but apparently that's not true. I still hate that reveal with every fiber of my being outside of a really good film. Yeah, yeah, I'm done.

No, it's okay. I mean, like, I, I think he knew that was going to be a controversial, controversial decision, but, but, yeah, I.

Haven't seen that, like, brought up in some, in some of my discourse online.

Yeah, people have been focusing on other things more, but. But that was what, you know, I also. Oh, did you know that the. The guy who played Bernard in the Santa Claus was Supergirl? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

That was cool. Yeah, yeah. A little, like, millennial Easter egg there, but.

And then I know we gotta get into our next topic, but one thing I did want, you know, is that, like, I am sad that the movie did so poorly. It makes me a little concerned about the, the franchise going forward, especially with, like, the Paramount buyout being inevitable.

There's a lot of uncertainty. I know we don't have time to get into it right now, but I don't.

I, I, But I want to bring that up because I don't think it's all doom and gloom either.

Like, I mean, yes, it was a bit of a sophomore slump in terms of reception and box office, but we also have to remember, like, the MCU second movie after Iron man was the Incredible Hulk. So it's not like this is like it's dead, but I, I mean, but I have seen some good commentary on, like, just, like, like, good.

Not, like, the toxic kind of fandom, but, like, good ideas of, like, okay, here are my thoughts on what D.C. can do going forward. So. And, And I have lots of my own Too.

Like, I, I mean, and ultimately, I. I watched the video earlier basically saying, like, James Gunn kind of needs to decide whether he wants to commit fully to being a studio ad or being a creative and filmmaker, because it is really hard to do both. And, And I mean, I agree with that. As a big James Gunn fan. I agree. I mean, it's really hard to write and direct movies and run a studio.

Is he supposed to be directing?

He's doing man of Tomorrow, and then. And then Creature Commando Season 2 is next year. So he wrote that. So, yeah, he's. I mean, he's not.

Like, this is, like, the only year where he didn't write and direct any of the projects, but. Because, like, this. Lanterns and Clayface, all of other creators.

But, but, yeah, man of Tomorrow is next summer, so he's writing and directing, so it's not. But, yeah, but I want to bring that up, though, of, like, yes, it's. It does suck that this one bombed.

And, like, you know, it's not being well received. But I also want to, like, you know, that's not doom and gloom for dc.

And, like, I, I just, I don't really like it when people, like, proactively go to, oh, it's all over. They're gonna have to reboot again. Calm down. Yeah, Like, I mean, yeah, I made.

Memes kind of about this, about, about the box office and, and, like, the person crying and then, and then, and then they were using the song the middle to comfort them because. Because, because we're just in the middle of the ride.

Right, right, right. Yeah. And it's, I mean, there. Yeah, we've still got a lot of good stuff look forward to, but I guess if you are worried, then go support the projects.

Go see playface when it comes out. Go see, you know, like, man of Tomorrow or, I mean, you. Hey, you guys, Supergirl is still in theaters.

Still go see it, you know, before it gets taken out. So, yeah. Awesome. Well, I thank you very much, guys. Now let's get on to. Let's transition to the Marvel Universe.

Very exciting project to discuss right now, and that is X Men 97 Season 2. So as of recording right now, the first four episodes have dropped. Are we all caught up on them?

Yep.

Perfect.

Yes.

Awesome. So, yeah, I mean, I like, I, I, I really love this show. I, like, I grew up on the original 90s series.

I cannot say that I've seen every episode or I don't know if I've ever watched it all in order, but I like, I, I mean, I Maybe I've seen them all at some point, but.

But I, I usually go back and re watch like ones here and there on Disney plus, but, but what I really like about X Men 97 is that while it builds on the continuity of the original, you can also watch it never having really watched that show or not, being like a super fan and know every reference. Like it's just really good storytelling. But, but yeah, this. So the first four episodes, so we've got the Rise of Apocalypse arc.

We also had an episode centering on the X Force and then the, the opening episode of the season kind of like showcased where kind of each of the characters were following the season one finale where a lot of the heroes are sent back in time and Apocalypse is introduced. All good stuff going on. So. Yeah. Well, I would start off with what do we think of these first four episodes? Evan, we can start with you.

Yeah, it was it I had to do. Well, I didn't have to, but I wanted to do a quick like recap of, of, of of season one.

So I watched one and that was a good refresher and I think that helped me a little bit because it jumps right in there. There the cable and, and, and, and, and Bishop. They lay down some exposition, but then you're just there. Boom.

You, you jump into the story with everyone. No, not, not no Cable and Bishop. Fortune. Bishop. Yeah, they are talking about it and just overall I, it the only. I just liked it so much.

These four episodes were just like a really solid film. They were so heavy on their philosophy, on their exposition. They've just character just.

They were firing on all cylinders and I just don't like the, the only thing that can summarize my feelings about these is this hyperbolic statement that now I, I kind of, I kind of don't care what the MCQ does with the X Men because we have this now. It's just like, dang, this was so good. I, I, yeah, I don't know.

I just like, I actually saw a commentary on that where like these were on screen Crush. They were talking about like what they want to see from the MCU X Men.

And one of them was just like, I just want them to just make x men 97 like more, you know, like, I mean, they're like make that live action. I mean they're like, it's just, it really is. It's like, I mean they've set the bar so high here.

And that's why I put as if you're on YouTube, you can see my Little like subheading is higher.

The X Men 97 writers to do more because this is just brilliant storytelling and to handle this many characters and have not only a million Easter eggs, but also just have a really cohesive story. It's impressive. It's just the juggling act here of. And I'm also not the biggest fan of time travel.

I mean, I like a good time travel story when it's done well, but ultimately it can just get too convoluted. And that's why I like, to be honest, I've never. I haven't read a lot. A lot of apocalypse stories.

And I don't think the character has been handled well in a lot of media, especially a certain movie. But.

But here they made him so interesting and they made him like, you know, this concept of Xavier and Magneto trying to change him because they're like, okay, we've tried to defeat him multiple times. What if, you know, while we're.

We're in this timeline where it's before he's become apocalypse, what if we could change him and, you know, a thing to do. Yeah.

Magneto taking Xavier stance and try to convince him. That blew my mind.

How it was, how.

How they're. How they're.

A relationship was so tight that he was able to be like, yeah, I. I don't agree with you, but I respect your viewpoint and I see it and I want to change the world with your viewpoint. That means so much.

Yeah, it was beautiful. But Christian, what about you?

Yeah, I'm in it to win it for this series. They know exactly what they're doing. They're the X Men as a property is one of those convoluted things in the world.

And as somebody loves convoluted things that can be very great or very terrible, depending on how you adapt. And they're adapting things that are intensely convoluted. The origins of Apocalypse, the Iscani Cable X Force. Working with, you know, excuse me.

Fighting against some stuff like X Factor, like loving what they're doing there.

And the whole, like, as you guys were mentioning thing with Magneto trying to change the past, trying to make in Saba Noah into a good man who could be the future of mutant kind.

You know, if he had just had better teaching, if he had trusted people in the right way or they had been more forthcoming with information, maybe things would have gone off.

Or we're just dealing with a stable time loop in that you already did this and that already made him in the man that you knew, even though it Would take you going back into the past to make him the man that you knew. Like, yeah, it's all very Terminator, very all over the place there. But it's still a lot of fun.

And they're engaging with characters that you normally don't see with X Men. Like Rama Tut Kang.

But still, you know what they're doing here. Like, that's a great casting gag. As a Star Trek fan, I love that.

And you know, Gates McFadden was funny. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

I think there was going to be someone else. I can't remember if they've announced him or not. Who will be showing up. Already has. From the Star Trek cast of tng.

Yeah, it's just so much fun because they care about the source material, but also care about delivering a story in their own way based on the storylines that came before in their show, while, like showing love and affection for what inspired them to be able to tell these stories. Like a plus.

Oh, it's brilliant. And the animation is just so spectacular. I was. Because like my caregiver came in asking about it. He's like, wait, Is this the 90s show?

It's like it's continuation. But just look at how much the animation is improved and, and, and he was pretty blown away. But. But yeah, I mean, it's just great storytelling.

And again, I love the callback series on the series. But also, again, it's very accessible to new audiences. It does feel like almost like Next Generation in a way or that.

And you are just so drawn into the characters here. Now, do we think spoiler. But is Magneto definitely dead or do we think they're gonna do some kind of like resurrection at some point?

I mean, I know it's comic since Marvel.

I've heard rumors they might go the Krakoa era at some point in time and that could easily bring him back. So maybe he is dead. But you know, this is X Men. Nobody ever dies.

Yeah, I like.

And well, and I was also looking at something too, because the weird thing about watching this show is if you know anything about the behind the scenes, drama. But the creator, Bo Demayo, was fired right before season one aired, literally a couple days before.

But he had already written season two before the firing, because the animation, especially of this quality, takes a long time to produce. And so he had already overseen that before the season went into production.

So he's still credited not only for his scripts in this season, but as an executive producer. So it was kind of weird there, but. But I also then, like, I, you know, I wonder if.

If he were in charge going forward still, he might, you know, want Magneto dead to still. But, like, the new showrunners, maybe they'll want him back. It's hard to tell, but. But yeah, I've been. I've been following a little bit about that.

I read, like, a Vanity Fair article about him. It's still kind of ambiguous in terms of, like, the reasons why he was let go, but. Yeah.

So my son wanted to show you guys his.

Yes.

His little. His little mutant Lego guy here. Come in, buddy.

Oh, I love it. I love it. A guest on the podcast today. Yeah, dude, show it. I love it. Yes.

What's his name?

This one's Gerald. Gerald. Right on.

Gerald the mutant.

I love it. I love it. They.

They, they, they. They really like it. But, dude, who.

Who's your favorite X Men character? Who.

Who's your favorite X?

He's mine, too. Excellent choice.

Okay.

I am a Hank McCoy fan. Excellent choice. Yeah, I love it.

Always been a Nightcrawler guy.

That's awesome.

Nightcrawler is great, too. I. I like the blue ones. Yeah, he had.

He had a line in this one. I think I forgot what it was, but it was. I think it was Magneto trying to change his mind or something, and he had a line that was so poignant.

Wow, that was. That's a noted line.

I remember what you're talking about, but,.

Yeah, I was just like, woof.

Like, good.

They. They were saying something with that line. I want to go back and see what it was.

Yeah. Yeah.

Like, the whole, like, the whole just. It was. Yeah.

No, I mean, I, like, I sometimes I try not to just, like, gush about a series or movie, but.

Yeah, but that's all you can do.

That's all I can do here. Like, I don't really have any notes on this. It's been. I cannot wait for this week's episode, especially because it's going to be.

It looks like Weapon X focused, so that's going to be a ton of fun. But I. If I. If I had to say like, any criticism, it would be that, like, like most shows, they're. They're too short.

I think this season's only nine episodes. But that, you know, is a symptom of just, like, TV in general today.

Yes.

And that, you know, it's unfortunate, but I realized something like this, you know, the animation takes a long time.

Oh, but still, I liked how. Because at least for me, I was forced to just be like, okay, shut up. This is how they're going with it. Because, because, because. Because of the end.

It showed. It showed the end of season one. I vividly that, that, that. Sorry, that.

That's a visual of Wolverine getting his adamantium sucked out was very powerful. I was like, holy cow. But now he just comes back and I'm like, oh, wait a minute.

And then snapping his phone claws.

Exactly. That was just a touche. Just a beautiful little. Just a little, like, I see you. I see you. It's like, whoa, curious.

Like, I want to know what you guys think of the X Factor stuff real quick as far as, like, them working with the government, because I have opinions on how that could have been done.

I mean, I like the introduction of a, like, government sanctioned mutant. Like, I think that adds a little more conflict. I'm curious what they'll do with it going forward.

Yeah, it was. They were. I think they were making a statement. They were making a statement. I. I want to get.

I want to get Andy Walsh's take on it, because this is multiple men there, so.

Yeah, that's right.

Yeah.

Yeah. I'll say this too, as, like, go ahead. Well, just like, it's like, you know, we talk about this a lot.

Like, how X Men relates to it speaks really to a lot of marginalized communities and minorities. And, like, I see it like, I view X Men a lot through a disability lens.

And, like, when I see something like that of, like, you know, mutant siding with the government.

Speaking as someone in the disability community, like, I've seen that in, like, disability communities where, like, there are plenty of disabled people who kind of like, this is not just, like, us applicable, but, like, just in general, they'll side with, like, organizations or politicians or whatever that are not in your best interest at all. So that definitely happens in, you know, and so I think it's a cool storyline to explore and how a Jubilee.

Was able to kind of change her mind. Change. Oh, what's her face's mind?

Laris.

But, yeah, I thought that was a.

A.

It spoke to some of the tensions of our current. Of our current time.

I Think.

Yeah, See, I would agree if they hadn't ever had the reveal that they knew that they were putting, you know, like collars on people and suppressing their powers and abilities and all that. Like, if that had been like a reveal to them, it's like, oh, no, no, no. We were work with you, so protect and all this.

Now it just makes them bad guys. And that doesn't make me feel good about anything they're doing because I love these characters.

I know Andy will say more things, you know, when he gets his time to shine, about the multiple man. Like that doesn't sound very in character for him, you know, for, for Jamie to do that.

I guess maybe they just did that for the sake of simplicity and all that. Because, you know, we're supposed to be cheering for X Force primarily in that episode.

I think so. Right?

Yeah. But yeah, I agree. Jubilee being the fact of being like adding rationality to both teams is really great.

I just wish they hadn't made them like shills in this sense because that's not who they are.

Yeah, that's fair.

And I think again, if this, maybe if that had been like a two parter, like I can make the season a little longer, they could have explored that in more depth. I feel like they had to cram a lot into, you know, 25, 30 minutes, whatever.

Yeah. But I think that's really my only criticism of this season so far.

Yeah, I mean, that's pretty good if that's all. Yeah, yeah, yeah, awesome. But no, overall, I mean, very high rating on this. I would say at least 9 out of 10. 9, 5. It's pretty spectacular.

So definitely check out X Men 97. If you haven't already. Even though we are. If you, if you haven't.

We already spoiled like major things from the first four episodes of the season, but I think it's still very enjoyable. So. Awesome. Well, guys, this has been great. And before we go, do you guys have any recommendations you want to share?

Either one of these topics or something totally different? I can start because I do. I just thought of one.

So, like, obviously One Woman of Tomorrow is a great Supergirl comic, probably the best, but one that I think is also really worth mentioning and maybe a little underrated. I don't hear enough talk about it, but it's called Supergirl Being Super.

It's an original miniseries graphic novel, I think, just graphic novel by Mariko Tamaki and Joelle Jones. It's very. It's Kara in high school. It's a very coming of age story.

So it's a much more, Much more optimistic, a little more light hearted than one with tomorrow. It's a different type of story, but I absolutely love that one. I read that a few years ago. It's gorgeous art, great creative team.

So that's one I would really recommend seeking out at your local comic shop or finding on the DC app or whatever.

Yeah, I mean, hard not to say. X Men 97 Season 2. They've got like four or six episodes left in this season as far as I'm aware. We're getting a next season next year.

You know how things used to be. Yeah, it's still the shorter seasons, but at least they're going to be a year's wait.

Yes.

Instead of two or three or four or five with or whatever it is of modern Hollywood. I will complain about it as many times as I have to, as you said, until you do what you do here. Because thank you for actually caring.

What is your ideal season like?

Really?

Yeah. I mean that's there, that's your take.

On, on like on the bottle episodes or the filler episodes. What do you think about that?

I mean for live action tv, they're done for the sake of saving budget and I totally get it. Yeah. Like sometimes you can do it extremely well other times. Right. It's kind of obvious.

Speaking of tng earlier, most of the body bottle episodes early on, the first couple seasons suck. And the first couple seasons aren't the best either. They. They get their legs eventually.

Yeah, but.

And that's one of the constraints of doing that many is getting to the point where you need a bottle episode like that to save on budget because you're paying people this much and you're making new sets and all that. Like, I get it. But yeah, go ahead.

I think for the big dramas and like big factors, you know, like instead of 8 to 10, I think like 13 to 15 is good. Like, like the pit was 15 episodes seasons and it's great.

I'm like, there's no reason for. And I would have loved filler episodes that, that kind of like explored the characters more. But I just.

When that scene ended I was like, come on, this is not. I mean yes, I'm. You know, they get some big names in it, but there's no reason why this couldn't be at least 15, but like closer to 20. Yeah.

12 Is my favorite.

12 Or 13.

Yeah.

I'll give you my real answer. It's a vague answer, but it's as many as you need to get your story done.

I mean get your characters.

Like as far as the Ms. Marvel series was six episodes, but it felt like they didn't. They needed more time to develop stuff.

Right.

Versus the Kenobi series was way too long. It should have been a movie movie.

Yes.

Acolyte was basically half a season.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Alien Earth felt like a mid season finale.

Yeah, exactly, exactly. Just like two or three more episodes would have been perfect.

Yeah.

I think.

And sometimes the 8 to 10 does where like Monarch work on Apple. I think it, I mean. Yes, you have to wait a while in between seasons. Good. But it is like big budget movie quality and.

Yeah, like the, the 10 episode seasons. Yes, it works and they do really good to where it like, like to your point, it tells the full story there. Sorry, that was a little side.

We need a whole episode. Well, I mean you're gonna get us to go off on tangents, but Evan, what's your recommendation for this?

I'm gonna go with if you're looking for some.

A good new music and you're in that, in that scene, the post deconstruction scene of your Christianity and I would say that that artist Audrey Assad, she's got some. She's got some banger Christian music. So check that out.

Nice.

Awesome.

Awesome guys. Well, this was a blast as always. Really appreciate you both being here and it was. Oh, this was great. And again, if you're watching, listening.

Hey, thank you so much for being here again. Click on the link in description to find out ways to support us and connect with us on social media.

You can see all the memes that Evan posts on our social media. They're delightful and you know, and hey, we want to hear from you too on your thoughts on Supergirl X Men. Anything we missed. Oh, absolutely.

Tag us, you know, let us know where you're geeking out on. We would love to hear from you all, so thank you so much. And remember, we are all a chosen people. A victim of priests. Take care everyone.