Episode 57

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Leaving the future of the DCAU in the dust, James and Mike finally return to the present to discuss Static Shock ("Shock to the System," "Aftershock," "The Breed," "Grounded" and "They're Playing My Song"). They also answer a slew of e-mails. [ 1:45:21 || 28.3 MB ]

The above is from: http://www.worldsfinestpodcast.com/episodes/wfp_057.mp3

[SteveJRogers]

Couple of things on the Once And Future Thing

-Yeah, at no time is JL Time Batman aware of Terry's face and name, as far as we saw on camera.

-You think Terry bought it there at the end? I just took it as the wiring got short circuited, cutting off comunications with Bruce and Bruce's soft "Terry" was just to underscore the lonliness, and helplessness of Old Man Bruce.

Eh, then again maybe its just me not wanting to believe that Batman, of any era, could be taken out that way, especially by the DDs.

[Koete]

After listening to this episode, the word that comes to mind in regards to Static Shock is sloppy.

[Missy]

Why do you think Static is sloppy?

[SuaveStar]

Are you sure you didn't mean shitty?

[Molly]

I like Jeph Loeb, too.

[Koete]

Why do you think Static is sloppy?

Not in terms of the concept or main characters, but a lot of the mistakes and errors brought up seemed to be quite simple compared to the more major plot holes in other episodes. Maybe sloppy is too strong a word.

[Guest DCAUFan1051]

to the email discussing where DCAU shows can be seen... well Boomerang shows Justice Leauge every night 11pm eastern. during the week.

[Koete]

That reminds me. Considering the reruns on Cartoon Network during the 90s, I don't think it's that much of a stretch for the target audience to catch a Black Vulcan reference.

[Guest DCAUFan1051]

seeing as I've been having audio issues over the last 2 days I'm not sure if it's on my end or the ep... I hear a static pop. No pun intended.

[Missy]

Yeah, I noticed that during the editing process, but there was nothing I could do about it.

[Guest DCAUFan1051]

Yeah, I noticed that during the editing process, but there was nothing I could do about it.

that's fine I was just making sure it wasn't my new headset arrgh

[Guest DCAUFan1051]

only 48 mins in... his sister's name is Sharon

[grahamvidger]

Is the hero who is Static just called Static or also called Static Shock (or is that just the name of the series)?

Also, there were Super Friends reruns on Cartoon Network while some of the DCAU series were on.

[dc20willsave]

Is the hero who is Static just called Static or also called Static Shock (or is that just the name of the series)?

Also, there were Super Friends reruns on Cartoon Network while some of the DCAU series were on.

The character's name is Static.

I know that The Character That Shall Not Be Named has ruined Cree Summers for you, Mike and James, but don't let one shitty role crush all expectations. She really is a talented voice actress who in this case was a victim of doing the voice for a character that was as annoying as all hell. Let's not forget that even good actors do the bad roles on occasion i.e. Meryl Streep did She-Devil with Roseanne Barr. Also, if it's any consolation, unlike TCTSNBN, Richie starts out on a good foot with you and doesn't really become all that annoying, especially from the third season on.

[James D.]

I've said numerous times on the forums that Summer is a great voice actress.

[Guest DCAUFan1051]

I've said numerous times on the forums that Summer is a great voice actress.

there are 2 roles that she portrays that drive me absolutely nuts... the voice for that BBeyond nameless character... and Elmyra from Tiny Toons! just makes my head explode when hearing them. I even mentioned Mike and James in ToonCast Episode 03: Tiny Toon Adventures when I realized that it was Cree Summer who played Elmyra.

[dc20willsave]

I've said numerous times on the forums that Summer is a great voice actress.

My bad.

[GoFlash]

I can't help it. There's things that I think are stupid. Mike and James point out that they're stupid. Yet my stupid brain immediately comes up with an explanation for how it could happen. I try to beat it down, but I just can't.

I can't believe I'm justifying this, but yes, hot dogs can explode. You superheat the water content, and it will explode outwards into very hot steam, explode the solid parts out (this is an extension of what happens with popcorn). Of course, to do this is going to raise the temperature of the organic parts of the hot dog (no jokes, please) well past their combustion temperature, so as they're thrown apart, they'll burst into flame. No argument, though, on the fact that actually DOING this means you have even less "street cred" than the geek who thinks up the way to EXPLAIN it.

As to the microorganisms in "Grounded", the square-cube law is going to hit (this actually was first used in comics back when Henry Pym first figured out how to grow, rather than shrink). It would collapse under it's weight as one cell. Maybe what they thought was one cell was actually a synctium - multiple cells merged together with connected cell membranes. This is seen in some diseases in humans, but could both explain how this grew so fast and why there aren't billions of them - there are, but they're all clumped together. Again, I can't believe my brain is wasting my time coming up with these explanations instead of something more useful, like planning for the next big blizzard to hit here in Hawaii.

As to what Static can or can't do, the first thing I would say is that Aperture Boy (F-Stop) probably is not a great authority on the limits of Static's powers. When Terry McGinnis (spoiler warning) refers to him as "one of our greatest heroes, with the power to change the world" in season 4, I can believe it, because he's definitely building to the DCAU's equivalent in power (if not temperment) of Magneto, just more electrically oriented. I think a lot of his limitations are going to be relative rather than absolute - some things are easier to work with than others, but he can work with quite a broad range of things as he learns how.

Another not quite comic book reference that I definitely see with the big bang - I don't know if anyone else here ever read the Wild Cards series of books, where an alien virus is dropped on New York after WWII and kills most, disfigures some, and gives powers to a few, but the big bang, especially early on, seems very similar to Wild Card Day in the books.

One final note - this actually was CC Pounder's second appearance in the DCAU, but the first was brief. She was credited in "Rebirth" as on of the talking heads (literally) giving the news in the subway.

Chris

[Dread]

Yep, I've blowed up hot dogs real good in the microwave before.

Great episode. Feels great to actually care about the content being reviewed again and you guys did admirably, though I think I've only seen the first two episodes, my memories were pretty spot on with your reviews. Loved the first one, not so much on the second.

Is it just me or were there some pretty loud pops in the mp3? I thought it might be my headphones but none of the other podcasts or music on the iPod had it happen. It was the worst in the left channel. Had to take that earbud out to listen. The effort taken to listen should tell you how glad I am that Zeta is over.

Well done fellas. And congrats on the celebrity email.

[James D.]

I cannot believe just how much voiceover work Nathanson has done. Check out her website. It's nigh-unfathomable how busy the lady is.

Clicky

[KnightWing]

So I just now got around to listening to this episode, and Mike's "BTAS has more spin-offs than any other show" statement bothered me.

Altogether, Mike listed Superman, TNBA/Gotham Knights, Batman Beyond, Justice League, JLU, Static, Teen Titans, and Zeta as spin-offs of BTAS.

I don't agree with that.

Superman, Justice League, and Batman Beyond are definitely spin-offs, but the rest are very iffy.

-Static wasn't created originally to be a DCAU show; it was only later folded into continuity. It's a "partner show" to BTAS, not a spin-off.

-At most, Zeta is a spin-off of Batman Beyond. It has almost nothing to do with BTAS, and really didn't need the DCAU in order for it to exist on its own. (but it apparently needed ratings! Ha!)

-Teen Titans isn't a spin-off; it's another take on superhero animation. It doesn't stem from BTAS; it stands alongside it. Another "partner show."

-TNBA was created after WB wanted more Batman episodes, but mandated certain changes. It's technically a continuation of BTAS, and not a separate series.

-JLU is just Justice League after the powers-that-be decided "from this point forward, let's continue the show in a slightly different format."

That only leaves 3 spin-offs.

I believe Star Trek might be the ultimate spin-off master, as its series include Star Trek: The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise. (and eleven movies if you want to count them)

[grahamvidger]

So I just now got around to listening to this episode, and Mike's "BTAS has more spin-offs than any other show" statement bothered me.

Altogether, Mike listed Superman, TNBA/Gotham Knights, Batman Beyond, Justice League, JLU, Static, Teen Titans, and Zeta as spin-offs of BTAS.

I don't agree with that.

Superman, Justice League, and Batman Beyond are definitely spin-offs, but the rest are very iffy.

-Static wasn't created originally to be a DCAU show; it was only later folded into continuity. It's a "partner show" to BTAS, not a spin-off.

-At most, Zeta is a spin-off of Batman Beyond. It has almost nothing to do with BTAS, and really didn't need the DCAU in order for it to exist on its own. (but it apparently needed ratings! Ha!)

-Teen Titans isn't a spin-off; it's another take on superhero animation. It doesn't stem from BTAS; it stands alongside it. Another "partner show."

-TNBA was created after WB wanted more Batman episodes, but mandated certain changes. It's technically a continuation of BTAS, and not a separate series.

-JLU is just Justice League after the powers-that-be decided "from this point forward, let's continue the show in a slightly different format."

That only leaves 3 spin-offs.

I believe Star Trek might be the ultimate spin-off master, as its series include Star Trek: The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise. (and eleven movies if you want to count them)

I totally agree with everything, except that I wouldn't even count Superman TAS as a spin off. it wasn't a spin off because when it first started it didn't mean to be in the same continuity. It was made by the same people, but they switched to a different company for Superman. Then in the middle of the series, they bought the rights for BTAS, so they made Gotham knights and they mad Gotham Knights and Superman TAS in the same continuity, which means BTAS is in the same continuity as Superman. But its still not a spin off cause it was in a different continuity at first and made by a different company and it was a different hero and story. So its kind of like Static, cause Static wasn't in the DCAU in the first season.

[KnightWing]

I totally agree with everything, except that I wouldn't even count Superman TAS as a spin off. it wasn't a spin off because when it first started it didn't mean to be in the same continuity. It was made by the same people, but they switched to a different company for Superman. Then in the middle of the series, they bought the rights for BTAS, so they made Gotham knights and they mad Gotham Knights and Superman TAS in the same continuity, which means BTAS is in the same continuity as Superman. But its still not a spin off cause it was in a different continuity at first and made by a different company and it was a different hero and story. So its kind of like Static, cause Static wasn't in the DCAU in the first season.

I was considering making that point, but wasn't entirely sure about all of it. I wasn't aware of the company-switch; that makes a lot of sense. There was that comical reference to Batman in the Superman pilot, but mere references aren't quite solid enough.

[dc20willsave]

So I just now got around to listening to this episode, and Mike's "BTAS has more spin-offs than any other show" statement bothered me.

Altogether, Mike listed Superman, TNBA/Gotham Knights, Batman Beyond, Justice League, JLU, Static, Teen Titans, and Zeta as spin-offs of BTAS.

I don't agree with that.

Superman, Justice League, and Batman Beyond are definitely spin-offs, but the rest are very iffy.

-Static wasn't created originally to be a DCAU show; it was only later folded into continuity. It's a "partner show" to BTAS, not a spin-off.

-At most, Zeta is a spin-off of Batman Beyond. It has almost nothing to do with BTAS, and really didn't need the DCAU in order for it to exist on its own. (but it apparently needed ratings! Ha!)

-Teen Titans isn't a spin-off; it's another take on superhero animation. It doesn't stem from BTAS; it stands alongside it. Another "partner show."

-TNBA was created after WB wanted more Batman episodes, but mandated certain changes. It's technically a continuation of BTAS, and not a separate series.

-JLU is just Justice League after the powers-that-be decided "from this point forward, let's continue the show in a slightly different format."

That only leaves 3 spin-offs.

I believe Star Trek might be the ultimate spin-off master, as its series include Star Trek: The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise. (and eleven movies if you want to count them)

All in the Family is the ultimate in Spin-Offs. All in the Family spawned Maude, The Jeffersons, Gloria, 704 Hauser, and Archie Bunker's Place. All ready we're up to five spin-off's, four if you consider Archie Bunker's Place a continuation rather than a spin-off. That said, The Jeffersons spawned Checking In and Maude spun off Good Times. It gets worswe when you consider that the last episode of Fresh Prince related the two with The Jeffersons buying the family's house. However, if we count that, then Star Trek turns into a crossover with Knight Rider, Heroes, as Vegas, and Lost and Jean-Claude Van Damme is dead in all of them.