FW Presents: The Amazing World of DC Comics

Take a trip back in time and behind the scenes of DC Comics in the 1970s, as “Professor” Xum Yukinori makes his inaugural debut on the network to showcase THE AMAZING WORLD OF DC COMICS, DC’s self-published subscription-based fan magazine. In this special “Audio Book Audition… er, Edition”, Xum provides selected readings of a few of his favorite pieces from various issues throughout the run.

Be sure to stay tuned through the promo breaks to find out more about the official podcast series the good Professor is producing for the network later this year.

CONTENTS:

0:00:00 – “Chuckin’ It”. Music composed by Mal Waldron and Ike Yoshihiro.
0:05:45 – Opening and introduction. Music composed by Carl Johnson.
0:11:23 – Promo Break 1.
0:15:52 – Green Lantern’s Fantastic Foes. Music composed by Carl Johnson.
0:35:43 – Promo Break 2.
0:40:00 – Sheldon Mayer’s Sugar and Spike Retrospective. Music composed by Matsuura Yuuki and Kyouko Endou.
0:51:57 – Promo Break 3.
0:56:07 – The Birth of a Super-Villain. Music composed by Carl Johnson, Michael McCuistion and Ike Yoshihiro.
1:07:39 – Conclusion. Music composed by Carl Johnson.

Promo music by Nav Katze, Ike Yoshihiro, Samantha Fox, and the Manic Street Preachers.

Subscribe to FW PRESENTS on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/fw-presents/id1207382042

This podcast is a proud member of the FIRE AND WATER PODCAST NETWORK:

Thanks for listening!

13 responses to “FW Presents: The Amazing World of DC Comics

  1. Fantastic first episode Xum! Amazing World has always been a bit of a blindspot for me. I remember the house ads for it running in the earliest comics I bought, but of course I was way too young to convince my parents to subscribe. Now I’d love to have a complete run, but fat chance of that happening. DC should really reprint this series in an nice hardcover. Until then, this is a great way to experience it!

    The Bob Rozakis story was incredible. To think the man also drove the Comic Mobile as well! I seem to recall Dick Grayson having a van at old Hudson U…hmmm….

    Your narration and production were flawless. You hit the ground running…tapped into the Speed Force!

    If you’ll excuse me, I’m a quart low on my oil.

    Chris Franklin Robot Duplicate

  2. Er, AMAZING debut show, Xum! Welcome to the club!

    I had an issue of AWODCC when I was a kid–#5, the Mayer issue you highlighted. I don’t even remember how I got it, but I read it thousands of times, I loved the inside peek into the back history of DC Comics. It remains an interesting series to look at in total, you can sort of see how the young woodchucks were trying to make the whole thing sound loose and fun, while working at a company that what most people admit was a way more straight-laced, buttoned-up place than Marvel.

    Loved all the promos, though I’m not sure I liked being cast as a the bad guy. I should have read the script beforehand.

    Your whole approach has a late night Dr Demento vibe to it, which I think complements the network well. Can’t wait to hear what’s next!

    1. I’m not sure that I saw you as the villain, Rob. Anyone enforcing the letter of the fire and water podcast law is a hero in my book.

      Side note: Shag continually being stopped from saying his famous three letter catch phrase was the funniest part of this really humorous episode.

  3. Wow! Just such a stellar job, Professor. You definitely have a voice for podcasts, and the subject matter was perfect. The Sugar and Spike article made me anxious to read all of the issues of that series, and I am very envious that you own them all. I would love any of your “failed” podcast ideas, although I am most eagerly awaiting the One Shot wonders.

    I’ll certainly be keeping my eyes open for more information about future podcasts.

  4. Wonderful work, Professor Xum! Like Chris, I was always intrigued by the ads for AWoDCC. They helped me to understand much of DC’s history. Who was the hero with the bucket on their head sitting with the Justice Society? Who were Sugar and Spike? Why do the futures of the Legion, Kamandi, and the Atomic Knights have to fit together? Who are the Atomic Knights? Alas, I never ordered an issue. I never sent away for anything! I remember seeing an issue or two at conventions and being surprised at how “cheap” they appeared! I wish I had bought them, though! I thoroughly enjoyed your approach to the material. Your voice is well-suited for reading aloud. You chose great pieces, too! I would like to hear more of Xum’s Stories from AWoDC!
    I also liked the promos! Sometimes I think I could do a “science in the comics” critique, especialll about the phases of the moon! (In the Wonder Woman free comic this month, the moon in the sky at nighttime is a waning moon, which would only be visible during the day, or just before dawn, but low on the horizon.) I’ll believe a man can fly, but not a waning moon on the middle of the night!
    Your approach to podcasts is refreshingly different than others on the network. Your cool baritone is a nice complement to Rob’s Ira Flatow-like matter-of-factness, the Franklins’ drawls, and Shag’s effusiveness. In fact, to play on your nom-de-podcast, I think of you as Professor Xum, the Reverse Shag.
    I am anticipating the show on one-and-dones! Are you accepting suggestions?

  5. Great idea for a show, Professor! Just today, coincidently, I discovered an email I sent to John Morrows in 2008 suggesting his TwoMorrows company printed all the Amazing World of DC comics in a special. He liked the idea and said that If DC were up for it maybe they could do that. I live in hope!

    That Bob Rozakis story was amazing, I had no idea where you were going with that. I hope you start every episode with a Junior Woodchuck tale (I wonder if this is why Bob called his son Chuck…).

    I like your various voices, Xum, but not too many British accents, we aren’t all evil. I am, obviously.

    That’s Green Lantern enemies piece was imaginative, just wonderful. It reminds us of how many brilliant enemies Green Lantern had in the Silver Age – people mention Flash baddies all the time without crediting Hal’s. Of course, the last 20 years have really downplayed them as the Green Lanterns fought among themselves, like a box of crayons gone mad. I got so sick of the Crayola Corps.

    The Green Lantern villain footnote was truly above and beyond, wow!

    You won my heart by bringing Sugar and Spike to this podcast so early – my S&S Archives is one of my most treasured possessions, along with my precious plushes.

    The running joke about what show you’re going to do regularly was a hoot. The reveal has me salivating. Mind, I look forward to more of this F&W Presents segment.

    Did you know your surname sounds like the title of a BBC children’s show from the Sixties on, Jackanory. It was stripped through the week, with various luminaries telling stories to kids, with their interstitial illos. It was a simple format that just worked. The title came from a rhyme:

    I’ll tell you a story
    About Jack a Nory;
    And now my story’s begun;
    I’ll tell you another
    Of Jack and his brother,
    And now my story is done.

    It’s not terrifically relevant, but got storytelling skill brought it to mind.

  6. Just catching up on past podcasts.

    I only have the Legion issue of Amazing World. They tend to be between $15-20 at conventions as I don’t know if the content will be worth it, I am always a bit gunshy. This show will help me figure out which issues I should try to buy!

    Smooth styles and great content Xum! Can’t wait to hear more!

  7. Despite my sketchy knowledge of DC of the ’70s, or maybe because of it, this was a fascinating show, and well presented. I’ve picked up enough about Marvel to recognize the “Deadline Doom” no matter what word precedes it; was that a problem at DC, too?

    Whatever your next project, I’ll be sure to tune to Xum!

  8. Great episode Professor Xum! I had a weird experience while listening to your podcast. There was a portion of the show that you were reading about a writer that delayed going on the F train early to pitch a story to his editor. I heard this while I was on the F train! Probably the same time the writer would have gotten onto the F train I suspect.

  9. Loved this show! I’m fairly new to the FW network, and I skip over some episodes that don’t interest me (like I’m sure other people do) but this one grabbed me from the beginning! Great concept and WONDERFUL ‘radio’ voice! I listened intently beginning to end!

    And then coming here and seeing the ‘logo’ – nice! Being a fan of DC Comics Presents the logo really looks cool. 🙂

  10. I enjoyed hearing the Sinestro interview reenacted, since I’ve misplaced our original taped interview with the rogue Green Lantern. (I do recall that Sinister had more of a pompous sneer in his voice than was present in the reenactment … and also a decidedly Korugarian accent.) For anyone interested, I conceived the original idea of the interview and blocked out the basic structure and ideas (with some help from my then-roommate, Ken Gale), then enlisted Nelson Bridwell for the final dialogue since he was much better at humor than I was, being a veteran MAD writer and the creator of the INFERIOR FIVE. Nelson and I did the Sinestro interview a year or two before I began my 18-year run as regular GREEN LANTERN colorist.

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