Capes On the Couch - Where Comics Get Counseling

We take a serious look at a not-so-serious topic: quipping! Why do characters do it? Why do WE do it? And can we stop, or should we? Listen now to find out!

SHOW NOTES:

• Intro
• • Thanks for donations to Extra Life - beat the puzzle in 6:19:44 - still taking donations - potential video game livestream coming in a few weeks
  • Last week for nominations - next week nominees will be announced for 100th episode
• Background (02:43)

• • Quipping in comics is as old as the medium itself
  • “It’s hailed as a sign of wittiness, but let’s call it what it is: a mechanism for covering up the manifestations of anxiety in high-stress situations… it’s still a problem screaming for attention, and there has to be better ways to deal with it”
  • Ramped up in the 60s - Stan Lee wrote almost all of his characters as witty jokesters, ESPECIALLY Spider-Man
  • Spider-Man is the patron saint, so much so that if he’s NOT cracking a joke, something is horribly wrong
  • Flip side is Batman - no joking, which gives his rogues gallery plenty of room to do so
• Issues (09:44)
  • Barry Allen’s words shouldn’t be able to be heard by anyone except other speedsters, and even then, it’s likely violative of physics in some way
• • Obvious point - time - it’s a function of the medium, but there’s a LOT of talking during fights that shouldn’t be happening
  • Wit as distraction vs Wit as humor - there is a difference between getting an opponent to respect your side or pause in debate, vs the (typical) comedic delivery in fictional prose (17:15)
  • Personality and situation are key (why quips backfire in the wrong crowd) (27:15)
• Break (45:03)
• • Plugs for Freudian Sips, Cage’s Kiss, and Al Ewing
• Treatment (46:58)
• • In-universe
• Ending (60:30)
• • Next episodes: Baphomet (with guest Jered from Fantom Zone), Killer Croc, Black Adam
  • Plugs for social

References:

• Talking is a Free Action - Anthony (10:06)
• Muhammad Ali - Doc (14:20)
• Armor Piercing Question - Anthony (22:20)
• But For Me, It Was Tuesday - Anthony (24:35)
• Wham Line - Anthony (26:45)
• "Things That Make You Go Hmm" by C+C Music Factory - Anthony (27:05)
• Jim Valvano/V Foundation - Doc (60:40)

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