“Actionable” by Bensound.com Guest of the Week: Dr. Amy Lauters and Grant Austin ­ Welcome to another episode of the Super Movie Studies Podcast. A community of superhero movie fans, teachers and students. People looking to discover more about superheroes and the world because both are awesome ­ I’m your comic book cultured host Michael Maurer joined by the movie maestro ​
James Schuyler Houtsma ​
and scientific scholar ​
Ben Anderson ­ SMSP is your premiere movie discussion podcast. Every week we continue our journey exploring our favorite subject, Superhero Movies! Every fan sees the movies differently so we gather some amateur experts to discuss certain aspects of the movie. Whether it’s money, comic books, music or science, SMSP talks about it all in this week’s episode (dramatic pause) : And Yes, there will be spoilers First Opinions Money Production Budget: $58m Domestic Gross: $312.9m Foreign Gross: $362.1m Worldwide Gross: $675m Relativize it: The little R­rated superhero origin story that could! Biggest X­Men movie domestically, creeping up on worldwide. Destined to surpass Iron Man to become the third biggest superhero origin movie ever, behind Spider­Man and Guardians of the Galaxy (maybe even second). ● Biggest R­rated opening weekend ($132.7m) ● Biggest Valentines/ Prez Day ($150m) ● Largest January AND February opening ● Feb opening day ($47.5m) Comic Book Bob: Agent of Hydra. Cable & Deadpool #38. 2007. Fabian Nicieza. Reilly Brown. A guy berated by his Alison, (Not Gail) joins Hydra because it’s a steady job and believed they have a full dental plan. They didn’t. Having several run­ins with Deadpool they develop a dedicated friendship. ­­Fun fact: Fox doesn’t have Hydra rights. Angel Dust. Morlocks #1. 2002. Geoff Johns. Shawn Martinborough. A teenage runaway who found and joined the Morlocks in Chicago (Morlocks btw are mutants who live in the sewers because their mutations are physically disfiguring), Christina just wanted to make friends and be accepted by her parents. And she did that and that’s it. Her power specifically is increasing her adrenaline for super strength which malforms her face. ­­Morlocks are based on the antagonistic beings from H.G. Wells’ ​
The Time Machine (fun fact) Negasonic Teenage Warhead. New X­Men #115. 2001. Grant Morrison. Frank Quitely. Naming herself after the song Negasonic Teenage Warhead by Monster Magnet, Ellie Phimster was a student of Emma Frost on the mutant island haven of Genosha. She possessed precognitive telepathy powers which had her predict the Genoshan massacre of 16 million mutants (of which she was one) by Wild Sentinels. She dies that day in Emma Frost’s arms. She returns as a member of Hellfire Club’s Inner Circle in Joss Whedon’s extraordinary run on Astonishing X­Men vol. 3. Check it out. Blind Al. Deadpool #1. 1997. Joe Kelly. Ed McGuiness. Really bizarre relationship with Deadpool. They lived together but she was more of Wade’s captive because he would play obscene pranks on her (that preyed on her blindness of course). Torture her by making her go into a box filled with sharp objects and threatening to kill her if she ever left. But these antics rarely affected her. She was tough. She could dish back any ridicule and eventually became a mother­figure to Wade and his most trusted confidant. She truly is an old lady that just didn’t give a shit as long as she had food, a roof, and endless episodes of Matlock to “watch.” Fun fact, she dated Captain America in the 40’s. Weasel. Cable #3. 1993. Fabien Nicieza. Joe Maudureira. Originally a student at Midtown High (the same high school as Peter Parker and Jessica Jones), Jack Hammer was competing with Peter Parker for a prestigious internship under Norman Osborn. And he would have got it too if Deadpool hadn’t accidently teleported back in time and sabotaged his chances by informing Osborn that Jack was a drug addict (which he wasn’t). Hence Hammer used his brains to turn to crime, becoming an information broker and weapon supplier for mercenaries under the alias Weasel. Him and Deadpool have an off­again on­again relationship because Deadpool frequently needs Weasel’s help on his jobs but manipulates him every time and betrays him if it seems convenient. Weasel is considered Deadpool’s best friend. Vanessa Carlysle (Copycat). (As CC). X­Force #19. 1993. Fabian Nicieza. Rob Liefeld Started out her career as impersonating Domino on X­Force until Deadpool outted her. As is the dickish way, she eventually became attracted to Deadpool the same way everyone else does until he ditches her to pursue his feelings toward Siryn, Banshee’s daughter. Copycat is a blue­skinned mutant and dangerously precise metamorph. She can mimic anyone’s looks as well as their powers. She is currently running a chimichanga stand. Francis Freeman (Ajax). Deadpool #14. 1998. Joe Kelly. Walter McDaniel. Francis was a bodyguard/mercenary for a Hospice facility known as the Workshop that attended to Weapon­X washouts. This people were experimental fodder for a mad scientist named Killebrew. One of those prisoners was Wade Wilson. Francis actually triggered Wade’s healing ability by getting so annoyed with him he tore his heart out of his body. The stress and strain of this being the first thing his healing factor had to do caused him to lose his sanity and start his career as Deadpool hunting down Francis and snapping his neck. Ajax has the same powers that he had in the movie. Deadpool. New Mutants #98. 1991. Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld. His origin story is a convoluted mess that has been rewritten many a times. Some stories claim Wade Wilson isn’t even his real name and that he stole it from his nemesis T­Ray. Another more accepted is that he is Canadian and signed up for the Weapon X program after getting kicked out of the U.S. armed forces. Originally DP is just a wise­cracking cold­blooded killer meant to be Spider=Man/Deathstroke counterpart to Cable’s Wolverine archetype. But when Joe Kelly took over the series he used Wade’s insanity to make him self­aware of his existence as a comic book character. The choice was made because the book was always on the brink of cancellation and nobody seemed to notice what Kelly was doing with the project. This was the 90s. Deadpool’s rise to fame has been slow and strenuous. I have no idea what continued to push the character forward but as soon as new readers heard about him, he became a fan favorite for his unorthodox style and witty tropes. Deadpool is a post­post­modern character? It speaks a lot there is a movie made about him. ­­Fun fact: New Mutants #98 lists for up to $560 in near mint condition. Music Maximum Effort​
­ 0:51 ­ 1:39 Twelve Bullets​
­ beginning ­ 0:36 That Deadpool Song from his hunting down Francis Montage? Oh boy, the Deadpool rap… Deadpool Rap​
­ 0:15 ­ 0:54 Science Organic Metal skin. ­­Could have an organometallic polymer coating his cells. Flexibility would be an issue among other things. Not being able to feel pain. ­­CIPA and other HSANs, in real life this is more of a disability than a superpower Oxygen deprivation machine. ­­Fairly straightforward. They explain it in the film. Would need an EKG and an EEG both of which are common medical instruments Guest Section/Fun Facts Deadpool as a self­aware character The effect of comedy in modern cinema (fast paced in­jokes). Over Stuffed so no Drinking Game Rules. Maybe later though ;) Looks like that will wrap it up for today Superfans! Super Movie Studies is recorded and produced by TriopCop productions If you like what you hear, show us your support by rating us on iTunes. It doesn’t cost you a penny and means the world to us. TriopCop.com. The website should be up to date after our two­week spring break that will take place following our mailbag episode. So submit your questions to us on Twitter. This is where we always say we’ll use whatever you say on the air.n SMSP also keeps up an active Twitter feed @SuperMStudies so follow us and send us your questions, comments, and suggestions and we’ll use them on the air! That’s will do it today. I’m your host Michael, JSH, and Ben End Song: “Angel” ­ Juice Newton