Podcast

In Country: Marvel Comics’ “The ‘Nam” — Episode 99

IC 99 Website Cover One episode and a wake-up is left!

In the penultimate episode of In Country, I take time out from comics, movies, and the Vietnam War to talk about the war’s aftermath and Vietnam itself. The episode begins with the history of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. along with descriptions of two other Vietnam War memorials that I’ve been to on Long Island and in Charlottesville. I then talk about the postwar history of Vietnam and U.S. relations with Vietnam as well as look at the country in the present day via season 8, episode 1 of Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown. Plus, listener feedback!

You can download the episode via Apple Podcasts or listen directly at the Two True Freaks website

In Country iTunes feed

In Country Episode 99 direct link

Some extras for you.

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In Country: Marvel Comics’ “The ‘Nam” — Episode 98

IC 98 Website Cover Two episodes and a wake-up are left!

This time around, I take one last trip to Vietnam at the movies by looking at the final film in Oliver Stone’s Vietnam trilogy, 1993’s Heaven and Earth. I review the film and also take a look at its source material, two memoirs by Le Ly Hayslip, When Heaven and Earth Changed Places and Child of War Woman of Peace.

You can download the episode via Apple Podcasts or listen directly at the Two True Freaks website

In Country iTunes feed

In Country Episode 98 direct link

Some extras for you.

First, a link to Thrive Networks, Le Ly Hayslip’s charitable organization that began as the East Meets West Foundation: Thrivenetworks.org

The trailer for the film …

Heaven & Earth

In Country: Marvel Comics’ “The ‘Nam” — Episode 97

IC 97 Website Cover.jpg Three episodes and a wake-up are left!

This time around, I look at The ‘Nam #83, the final issue of Wayne Vansant’s longtime run as artist and the last part of our look at Ed Marks’ time working with Bulldog and Dai-Uy in Vietnam. I also take a look at historical context for the end of the war, describing what happens throughout all of 1974 before looking at the events of January-April 1975, with a special focus on the fall of Saigon on April 29 and 30, 1975.

You can download the episode via Apple Podcasts or listen directly at the Two True Freaks website

In Country iTunes feed

In Country Episode 97 direct link

Some extras for you. A YouTube video featuring NBC News’ reporting of the fall of Saigon …

A scan of my copy of The ‘Nam #83, which is signed by Wayne Vansant …

Nam 83 signed cover

In Country: Marvel Comics’ “The ‘Nam” — Episode 96

IC 96 Website Cover Four episodes and a wake-up are left!

This time around, it’s one final look at The Punisher and his experience in the Vietnam War. We’ve seen him “invade The ‘Nam” three times already, but what about how it was told through one of the most acclaimed runs featuring Frank Castle? I take a look at how Garth Ennis told the story of Frank Castle in Vietnam through three connecting storylines: “Born”, “Valley Forge, Valley Forge”, and “The Platoon.”

You can download the episode via Apple Podcasts or listen directly at the Two True Freaks website

In Country iTunes feed

In Country Episode 96 direct link

In Country: Marvel Comics’ “The ‘Nam” — Episode 95

IC 95 Website Cover Five episodes and a wake-up left!

It’s back to our regular comics coverage with The ‘Nam #82. In “Hue”, we see more of the Tet Offensive and the story of Dai Uy, the ARVN soldier who has been telling Ed Marks about his experience in 1968. It comes courtesy of Don Lomax and Wayne Vansant. I also spend time looking at the rest of 1973, which includes events surrounding Watergate and the New York Mets.

You can download the episode via Apple Podcasts or listen directly at the Two True Freaks website

In Country iTunes feed

In Country Episode 95 direct link

Also, in case you want to watch it for yourself, here is the Brach’s Rocks commercial featuring Rocky D, Dinosaur Extraordinare:

Nam 82

Pop Culture Affidavit Episode 100: Deeds Not Words

Episode 100 Website Cover After nine years of blogging and 99 podcast episodes, it’s time to take another look at the movie that started it all: MEGAFORCE! In this episode, I take a look at the 1982 Hal Needham film, which stars Barry Bostwick as Ace Hunter, the commander of a super-elite international military unit. I give a summary of the movie, talk about my Megaforce origin story and re-evaluate my opinion of it.

You can listen here:

Apple Podcasts: Pop Culture Affidavit

Direct Download

Pop Culture Affidavit podcast page

Some extras for you …

(more…)

In Country: Marvel Comics’ “The ‘Nam” — Episode 94

IC 94 Website Cover Six episodes and a wake-up!

It’s time to do another tour with Frank Castle as I look at two separate Punisher storylines from the 1990s. First up is the trade paperback The Punisher in The ‘Nam: Final Invasion, a post-cancellation publication of what was supposed to be issues #84, 85, and 86 of the series. In it, Frank re-ups for another assignment and takes on a mission to rescue a group of POWs from a NVA camp called “The Death Hole.”

The second storyline is a five-parter from Punisher: War Zone #26-30 where Ice has to rescue Frank when he is captured by a powerful gangster who runs a cartel on an island nation in Latin America.

You can download the episode via iTunes or listen directly at the Two True Freaks website

In Country iTunes feed

In Country Episode 94 direct link

Pop Culture Affidavit Episode 99: Livin’ Well in 1999

It’s the second of two “milestone year” episodes as Amanda sits down with me once again for a talk about 1999!

Over the course of our (much shorter this time) conversation, we talk music, movies, and television, but also delve into news, politics and culture. We’ll look at the rise of and importance of Millennials, Woodstock ’99, teen pop, The Blair Witch Project and The Sixth Sense, Office Space, the dawn of the age of reality television, Who Wants to Be A Millionaire?, the Food Network, and MTV’s Undressed, among other things.

Plus, we talk about what it was like to graduate from college in 1999 and how we somehow survived our early twenties, and we also talk about how the issues and serious events of 1999, such as Columbine and the Bill Clinton impeachment still affect our culture and politics today.

Apple Podcasts: Pop Culture Affidavit

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Pop Culture Affidavit podcast page

In Country: Marvel Comics’ “The ‘Nam” — Episode 93

IC 93 Website Cover Seven episodes and a wake-up!

This time around, I take a break from my regular coverage of the comic to bring you one of the landmark films about the Vietnam War, 1978’s The Deer Hunter, which stars Robert DeNiro, Christopher Walken, and Meryl Streep. For my look at the film, I’m joined by fellow TTF podcaster, Luke Jaconetti. We talk about Michael Cimino’s Best Picture winner by looking at the plot and characters but also its symbolic/metaphorical meanings; and its reputation and resonance as a film about Vietnam, war, and America.

You can download the episode via iTunes or listen directly at the Two True Freaks website

In Country iTunes feed

In Country Episode 93 direct link

Some extras for you …

A trailer for the film:

The theme to The Deer Hunter, which was composed by John Williams:

Deer Hunter

Pop Culture Affidavit Episode 98: Tales of the Dark Knight

Episode 98 Website Cover

In celebration of the 80th anniversary of Batman and the 30th anniversary of the release of Tim Burton’s first Batman film, I am taking a look at my own Bat-fandom, focusing specifically on Mark Cotta Vaz’s 1989 book Tales of the Dark Knight: Batman’s First Fifty Years, 1939-1989. I cover what’s in the book as well as talk about my Batman origin story and why this book was so important to my fandom.

You can listen here:

iTunes: Pop Culture Affidavit

Direct Download

Pop Culture Affidavit podcast page