Done-in-One Wonders Episode #4: Who Xumed the Flash?

Everything goes topsy-turvy when Professor Xum reviews a comic story which completely surprised his ten-year-old self when it revealed the antagonist’s true identity. Note: No surprise guest villain co-host this episode.

 

Featuring: Superman’s Girl Friend Lois Lane #74

 

For those who skip the Done-in-One Wonders Electronic Mailroom (which begins at time index 1:18:45), be sure to at least scroll to the last few minutes (beginning at time index 1:49:22) to find out about the STARTLING NEW DIRECTION for the Podcast Wonder Show.

 

Images from this episode: http://fireandwaterpodcast.com/podcast/wondershow04-gallery

 

Music by Hoyt Curtin and the Manic Street Preachers.

 

With special thanks to Will Rodgers for providing the voice of Superman.

And most gracious thanks to Shannon Farnon for reprising her “Super Friends” role of Lois Lane.

 

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Learn more (than you need to know) about XUM YUKINORI at http://xum-yukinori.blogspot.com

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This podcast is an unabashedly conceited member of the FIRE AND WATER PODCAST NETWORK:

Thank you for listening! Until the next one, we’re done.

 

17 responses to “Done-in-One Wonders Episode #4: Who Xumed the Flash?

  1. Another excellent episode, Mr. Yukinori (and co-hosts).

    I’m glad to hear Terra-Man “feigning ignorance” to ask about cover dates on comics. I wish I had a Terra-Man around to educate me about such things when I first started reading comics.

    I loved the surprise guest! Or should that be “Me am hating very expected unwelcome person.”

    There’s a Grundy, Kentucky?! I think I have a roadtrip destination ahead of me.

    And thanks so much for the outtakes! Wonderful!! I’ll gladly listen to the 492 flubs blooper reel.

    Keep up the wonderful podcasting, sir(s).

  2. Well…I guess I better hold off on introducing my local Grundy to yours Xum. I think you have more than enough Super-Villains there at the moment.

    But Grundy, Kentucky explains A LOT. Now I know where he moved in from! I think that’s where the House of Mystery is…

    Great coverage of the story as always, and man, is this nuts. I always thought it odd that Wesinger seemed to use the Flash more than any other DC character outside of Batman. Maybe because he was really popular then, and of course he and Flash editor Julius Schwartz were old pals?

    Kurt Schaffenberger is severely underrated. I liked his stuff as a kid, and now I can really appreciate how slick and just “on-model” his characters were. From every angle, they just always looked perfect.

    Good luck with your villain infestation problem, Xum. Maybe we can send Shag over to do his Darkseid voice and scare them off?

    Chris

  3. After that wicked cliffhanger, I’m not sure if Xum will be able to read this, but regardless…

    Congratulations on another great episode. This story displays some of the best AND worst aspects of the Silver Age. I’m glad you didn’t shy away from calling out the problematic elements. Even by the standards of the era, the Weisinger-edited Superman stories have some pretty twisted gender politics. And yet, they also have so many clever and fun ideas, too. I guess it’s up to each reader to decide if the good outweighs the bad, or vice-versa. And as you point out, us modern readers can’t be too smug about it, since society still has so far to go.

    Pretty heady stuff for a silly old funnybook, but that kind of context and insightful observation is exactly why I keep tuning in. Thanks for all your hard work!

  4. Perhaps you can clear up something that has confused me for several episodes now. I understand why Grundy refers to a certain assistant as the “lame-o computer,” not least because every acronym the computer uses comes out to “LAMEO.” However, Xum himself seems to consistently pronounce the name as “Lanos” (that is, with a clear “N” sound rather than an “M”). What am I missing?

  5. Man, oh man, what a story. It could be used as the ideal example of just how completely mad Silver Age DC could get. I have to say, though, I love the Bizarro sort-of Flash costume, especially the chest emblem. Too bad that wasn’t used for an actual hero – he could have been called the Golden Gavel.
    Anyway, another good show, Xum – or am I supposed to say Zoom now?
    And speaking of Zoom, I’m wondering what just what, in fact, he offered that couldn’t be refused by the gang. Perhaps a crime spree in the nearby Home Depot?

  6. Xum-

    By talking about this issue, you spotlighted something I always thought was odd when it came to the LOIS LANE series. DC expressly marketed this book to girl readers (running ads for it alongside WONDER WOMAN and whatever title Supergirl was in that month), and yet the writing was still so geared to the “Girls are so silly!” mentality of the time. Not that we could have expected the book to be an avatar for the Women’s Lib movement, but you’d think DC would have tried to steer the book’s content towards its intended audience. Or maybe they figured LL was mostly read by Superman fans, which were mostly male?

    I had to chuckle at your comment about whether your show is worthy of the network. I would say the opposite is the only thing up for discussion.

    I started a drinking game with this show, where I took a swig every time you said “JLGL (PBHN)”. I am now dead.

    This show continues to amaze with its loopy creativity, depth of commentary, and audio dexterity. An amazing (world of DC Comics) achievement.

  7. Thank you, Solomon Grundy, for reading Tim Price’s comment on the last episode. It made Tim Price smile from ear to ear.

    Tim Price is glad that Grundy is teaming up with Professor Zoom. He may do an even better job with the show than Little Professor Man. Imagine, a co-host for Grundy who gives an even more intelligent and eloquent analysis of Silver Age stories in all their wacky glory. And with even more classic villains helming the show, it can only reach new heights from here.

    Maybe Tim Price is biased, but in spite of Schaffenberger’s iconic design of Lois Lane, Tim Price thinks Schaffenberger’s Lana Lang is even more fetching. What does Grundy think?

    Well done, Grundy and Little Professor Man’s crew. Tim Price can’t wait for the next episode!

  8. Regarding pull dates for unsold books: when these issues went unsold, the retailer returned the covers, or a part of the cover to the distributor—not the publisher—for credit, rather than an actual refund. The retailers were then expected to destroy the unsold comics. Often, they did not. The vast majority of issues covered on my Podcast, ‘Comic Reflections’ have been coverless ‘return’ copies that survived their expected destruction. Another great show, Xum! Love the inclusion of Bizarro 🙂

  9. Another fun episode Xum! I thoroughly enjoyed it.

    I missed whether or not Grundy, Virginia was mentioned, but I’ll throw in a nod to it since it is located near where Ruth and I grew up.

    I also want to applaud Bizarro for his excellent reading of our iTunes review. It was word for word perfect!

    Already waiting for the next episode!

    Darrin

  10. Thanks for the commentary on Kurt Schaffenberger’s artwork. I confess that, when I was buying comics, I thought his work looked cartoony and old-fashioned. However, that is just an opinion. There is nothing at all wrong with his art. You are right in that his lines are clear, and economical. There is no confusion in his story-telling. Lois looks like Lois and Lana looks like Lana, and the reader can tell the difference between the two!
    As to the podcast, well now we’ve got a cliff-hanger! Will the innovations never cease? I hope that Professor Zoom will prove to be faster than Professor Xum in producing podcasts! (Say, if the Reverse-Flash was exposed to the Bizarro ray, would the Bizarro Reverse Flash be…The Flash?)

  11. Absolutely wonderful show, with the exception of the ending – the ingrates! Take away their Home Depot membership cards, Xum.

    I’ve not read this issue for years, but loved it for its typical wackiness and the fact it played fair with the readers, dropping clues along the way.

    Kurt Schaffenberger was an artist I loved from the first, his rounded finish is so wonderfully reassuring. I know he worked outside of DC on mystery tales, probably pre-Lois Lane, but did he ever work at Marvel or its forebears? That would be something fascinating to see.

    Is Solomon perhaps related to Miss Grundy?

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