Superhero Smash Season I—Audio Issue #12: Supervillains — Bring on the Bad Guys and Bad Girls!

Original Air Date

July 25, 2023

Part 1 Begins

Hero Song (3:39)

“Heroes and Villains” by the Beach Boys
A bit of a sad song for this great band in which a guy loses his lover to gang warfare
“Heroes and Villains” Lyrics
A shout out to my son Loughlin who loves the Beach Boys and told me about this song
A little different tone for this special feature today on Supervillains
Yes, it’s time to Bring on the Bad Guys (and Girls)!
A phrase I’m grabbing from Stan Lee’s 1976 book on the Origins of the Marvel Comics Villains

Superhero Smash (0:30)

Featuring the best in “Superhero Music and Comic Book Lore”
Focusing on current superhero movies and popular culture events
I’m your host, Dr. Gian Pagnucci, a.k.a. The New Professor X
Playing great music about superheroes as well as music that is featured in superhero movies and shows
Also talking about comic book history and heroism
But no matter what cool stuff I discuss on the show, you don’t have to worry because this is a NO SPOILERS show!

Audio Episode Theme: Supervillains–Bring on the Bad Guys and Girls! (2:00)

The United Underworld
Featuring Catwoman (Lee Meriweather), The Riddler (Frank Gorshin), The Penguin (Burgess Meredith), and The Joker (Cesar Romero)
One of the earliest supervillain team-ups in a movie
From Batman: The Movie released in 1966 and staring Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin

Special Radio Guest Star

Dr. Sandra Eckard
Dr. Eckard is Professor of English and Writing Studio Director at East Stroudsburg University
She is an expert on Lois Lane and has published many books on comics and super heroes
She’s also a big Harley Quinn fan, so that’s who we will be featuring next

Instrumental Theme Music (2:03)

“The Fabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn” by Daniel Pemberton from the Birds of Prey soundtrack

Collector’s Item Classic Comic Book (3:00)

We don’t get Harley Quinn without first having The Clown Prince of Crime: The Joker
The Joker first appeared in Batman #1
Publication Date: April 25, 1940
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Bob Kane
Artists: Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson
Value on eBay today: $198,000 CGC 7.5 out of 10.0

Supervillains Song 1 (3:38)

“The Joker” by The Steve Miller Band on their Greatest Hits, 1974-78 album
Steve Miller went to the University of Wisconsin Madison just like Dr. Pagnucci
It’s worth noting that two actors won Best Actor Academy Awards for playing the Joker
Heather Ledger who won posthumously for playing The Joker
in The Dark Knight Rises
And Joaquin Phoenix who won for starring in the title roleT
the film Joker by Todd Philips

Show ID: Superhero Smash (1:00)

WIUP FM 90.1
Alternative music for the MCU, the DCU, and our U too!
Check out pagnucci.org and click the big Superhero Smash button
Or email Professor X using the address superherosmash2023@gmail.com
Lots of great shows coming up
I would love to get your input
English Professor and superhero expert Sandy Eckard is coming up next

PSA 1 (:30)

Freedom of the Press

Part 1 Ends (@15 minutes)

Part 2 Begins

Superhero Smash Guest Stars: Dr. Sandy Eckard (5:00)

We have a special guest today, Dr. Sandy Eckard
Sandy has explored Lois Lane across the long span of her career
She also has edited The Comics Connections series of books about how to teach using comic books and popular culture
I was pleased to write an article on “Who Is the Greatest Superhero?” for the first volume in the series, Comic Connections: Analyzing Hero and Identity
Sandy, the superheroes are great, but talk to me about some of your favorite supervillains and the role they play in these stories

Secret Origin Story (3:00)

Harley Quinn is an interesting character because her first apperance was not in a comic book but in Batman: The Animated Series
She appeared in the episode “The Joker’s Favor” (Season 1, Episode 7) which aired on September 11, 1992
Harley was voiced by Arleen Sorkin
Harley was originally Dr. Harleen Quinzel, a psychologist trying to treat The Joker in Arkhum Asylum who ends up falling in love with him
The Joker repaid Harleen’s love by shoving her into a vat of acid just like he had fallen into, turning her into a bleach white skinned supervillain
“The Hidden Story of How Harley Quinn Became the Superhero World’s Most Successful Woman” by Abraham Josephine Riesman

Supervillains Song 2 (3:35)

“Harley Quinn” by Anna Murphy from the Cellar Darling album

Station ID: WIUP FM 90.1 (1:00)

Alternative music for Indiana County and beyond
Check out pagnucci.org and click the big Superhero Smash button
Or email Professor X using the address superherosmash2023@gmail.com
I’m back with our special guest, superhero expert Dr. Sandy Eckard

Special Guest Star: Sandy Eckard (5:00)

Sandy, tell me about Harley Quinn and the Birds of Prey
Google search Margot Robbie Harley Quinn as I did last night and you will get a special pink surprise

Super Villain Song 3 (2:44)

” Poison Ivy” by The Coasters

Part 2 Ends (@35 minutes)

Part 3 Begins

Final Thoughts from Our Special Guest Star: Sandy Eckard (5:00)

Sandy, there’s supposed to be a Harley and Ivy movie in the works, right?

Part 3 Ends (@40 minutes)

Part 4 Begins

Romantic Interlude (2:00)

We have a two love triangles, of sorts, one involving The Joker, Poison Ivy, and Harely Quinn and the other involving Harley, Ivy, and Kite Man
It’s a lot to keep up with
But Harley is one special woman

Romantic Melody (3:51)

A problematic love triangle for bad guys
“Bad guy” by Billie Eilish from her 2019 album, When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?

PSA (2:00)

Since we’ve been talking about Margot Robbie, we certainly have to give a shout out to her new Barbie movie which opened along with the 3 hour Openheimer movie this past weekend
And on August 2 the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem animated film opens

To Be Continued Next Issue (1:00)

Same Bat Time, same Bat Channel–No show next week, but in 2 weeks on August 8 I’ll be doing a special Netflix Defenders show, hopefully with my co-author of Enter the Superheroes, Dr. Alex Romagnoli
Songs with Stephanie is coming up at noon
Contact me, the new Professor X, via email: SuperheroSmash2023@gmail.com
And remember (even though we’ve been talking about supervillains)…
“You don’t need superpowers to be a hero. The only thing it takes to be a hero is the courage to do what’s right when someone needs your help.”–Gian Pagnucci

End Credits Song (3:15)

“Heathens” by Twenty One Pilots from The Suicide Squad

Part 4 Ends (@60 minutes)