Untold Origin -- A Comic Book History Podcast
Untold Origin is a podcast that explores comic books through the lens of American history. Hosted by a historian and lifelong comic book fan, each episode traces how the funny books we read reflect the real world conflicts, triumphs, philosophies, and flavor of the real world we inhabit. From Cold War fears to Civil Rights debates, from psychedelic trips to board room villains, we reveal historical forces that shape the stories, and heroes, that shaped us.
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Untold Origin -- A Comic Book History Podcast
Atomic Monsters: Hulk, Spider-Man, and the End of the Atomic Hero
The Atomic Age marked not just a turning point in geopolitics, but a sea change in the American imagination. In popular culture throughout the age, mystery gave way to wonder, and eventually to the stark reality of potential nuclear annihilation. In this episode, we explore the atomic origins of comic book characters beginning in the Silver Age, and see how evolving understanding of radiation and nuclear capability was reflected in the characters that owed their origin to that powerful phenomenon.
Show image: Bagel Boy Arts -- https://bsky.app/profile/bagelboyy.bsky.social
Music sourced:
Track: The Last Fight by MelancholicBird
Track: Feeling of the End by Anton Kramar
Track: Timelapse by Abstract_Solar
Track: Last Warrior by VensAdams
Media sourced:
The Incredible Hulk (1978) -- television series
Them! (1954)
Spider-Man (1967) -- cartoon
Spider-Man the Animated Series (1994)
Cosmos (1980) -- television series
Watchmen (2009) -- film
Dredd (2012) -- film
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