Who’s Hot and Who’s Not? Ep.7: Automan to Baron Bedlam

A robot for hire. An alien angel. A giant baby. A World War I ace pilot. The reason we got the Outsiders. Which are hot, which are not? The Girls of the Hot Squad take on Who’s Who #2 as their dissection of DC Comics’ biggest stars becomes an annual tradition!

Featuring permanent panelists Elyse, Isabel, Nathalie, Josée, Shotgun, and Amélie.

Listen to Episode 7 below (the usual mature language warnings apply), or subscribe to the feed on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!

Relevant images and further credits at: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not ep.7 Supplemental

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8 responses to “Who’s Hot and Who’s Not? Ep.7: Automan to Baron Bedlam

  1. Hey, I think I guessed every Hot Squad response right on this one! Do I get my card punched? If I get five, do I get a free sandwich?

    I always thought it was weird that Automan was created while DC was publishing Doom Patrol. He looks a LOT like Cliff Steele aka Robotman. They’re the same color, even!

    Azrael was awful. No one brought him back because despite the JLGL (PBHN) design, he was a crap character. HE should have been the Crisis cannon fodder, not Kole.

    I don’t think I remembered Babe would eventually become a mountain. I can’t help but think of the Disney/Pixar Lava short now.

    Balloon Buster retroactively reminds me of Owen Wilson. I don’t think I made that connection, I think someone else said it on a podcast, or I read it somewhere, but I can’t get it out of my head. Girl’s “hot”-age may vary, based on that.

    Holy Crap, Baron Bedlam DOES look like Lord Farquad! And how did they get way with that name, anyway?

  2. Another excellent episode!

    It was interesting to hear about the reaction from Bob McLeod and his wife to the show’s premise. At DragonCon last year, I got some of my issues of OHOTMU signed by Carl Potts (though I didn’t request “Hot or Not” on the signatures), and got a similar reaction from him when I tried to explain the show to him, although he wasn’t quite so vehement in his response.

  3. Another great episode with great laughs.

    A couple of things:

    Boy, Azrael was a clunker of a character. The first time I saw him was in a half page house ad with him weeping. The ad asked if I was ready to know who Azrael was. And I said to myself ‘no’. I thought there might be an outside chance he would be a hot. Again, majestic wings, abs like a washboard, flowing locks … But the unhealthy obsession with Lilith and the crying … oh the crying … made me realize he would probably veer not.

    Balloon Buster is such a hoot. I love the ‘I’m the gun!!’ tag line! I am also more of a WWI person than other wars, having taken a couple of college courses specifically on the history and art/literature of the time. So I have a fondness for him and Enemy Ace.

    I’ll keep looking for OHOTMU pages to get signed. Love the stories as much as sharing. Starting to wonder how many I have sent on now. Maybe 10?

  4. Who’s Hot and Who’s Not is back! YAY! I love Marvel but DC is where my heart is.

    I checked the DC Database wiki, and Balloon Buster survived the war! He returned to America and opened an airfield where he performed aerial stunts for exhibition. But then he disappeared in southeast Asia in 1924 under mysterious circumstances.

    Also he happened to be the son of Brian Savage aka Scalphunter, one of DC’s Old West heroes!

  5. Another amazing show, everyone! Whether Marvel or DC, the Hot Squad is a welcome relief to the work day. The giggles were infectious so I’m glad I’m working from home to I don’t get any weird looks. Now on to the entries…..

    Automan – I’ll echo Chris Franklin and say it’s funny how close this guy looks to Robotman, while also publishing Doom Patrol. But considering how much DC is trying to make more Batmens, Jokers, and Harley Quinns these days, maybe they thought Robotman was going to be the next big thing at the time?

    Azrael – I feel either Hot or Not, Azrael would cry at the result.

    Babe – Babe is one of the best parts of Atari Force and the ladies reaction is one of the best parts of oHOTmu!

    Balloon Buster – “Do you want to pierce my Zeppelin?” is not a good pick up line.

    Baron Bedlam – I don’t want to besmirch the greatness of Jim Aparo, but I can’t stop staring that Baron’s right epaulette is in his armpit. I would think those tassels would be tickling his armpit while he’s cursing the gods. How can he be so grim when he’s getting tickled?

    Thanks for all the entertainment, Hot Squad! Keep up the great work!

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