July 7, 1938. Superman has the villain in his grasp. They soar through the air, then slam into the ground. This villain wants to start a war. Our hero won’t let that happen.
At this point, Superman only has two comic book appearances. And yet, his legend is already beginning to grow. Kids read about heroics at the community pool, sitting on their stoops, la ... Show More
Nov 17
Ken Burns Reimagines the American Revolution | A Conversation with Ken Burns & Sarah Botstein
November 16, 1776. George Washington rows toward Manhattan to inspect the fort that bears his name, only to meet a full-scale British assault already underway. By afternoon, Fort Washington has fallen, and General Washington is forced to abandon New York City.
The Continental A ... Show More
38m 45s
Nov 10
The Grinnell 14 Take On the Bomb (feat. Peter Coyote)
November 16, 1961. Fourteen college students from Iowa have driven nearly a thousand miles to the White House. They’re fasting, protesting, and calling for an end to nuclear bomb testing. These students, later known as the Grinnell 14, will help ignite the student peace movement ... Show More
27m 56s
Nov 3
The Forgotten Life & Tragic Death of President James Garfield | A Conversation with ‘Death by Lightning’ Creator Mike Makowsky
November 3, 1880. Congressman James Garfield wakes up on his quiet farm in Ohio to learn that he’s been elected President of the United States. He never campaigned to be on the ticket. He never wanted the presidency. But the nation, weary of corruption and hungry for reform, has ... Show More
36m 10s
Apr 2025
It's Superman!
Action Comics #1, published on April 18th, 1938, featured the first ever appearance of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster’s iconic superhero, Superman.
The character already boasted invincibility, had a hopeless crush on Lois Lane, and an inexplicable penchant for wearing bright red u ... Show More
11m 49s
Jul 2025
Batman, or Bat-Man? A Ridiculously Comical Feud For The Ages
The Dark Knight. The Caped Crusader. The terror of all criminals and ne'er-do-wells in Gotham... that's right, folks: today's episode is all about Batman. As Ben and Noel discover in today's episode, this superhero's origin story is a surprising tale of beef, ego, conflict and co ... Show More
45m 31s
Apr 2025
Look Up! It’s Superman Day
Celebrate Superman Day with hosts Frankey Smith and Tyler Coates and Comics Correspondent Coy Jandreau as they explore Superman’s legacy, cultural impact, and what’s next from DC Studios. From creator origins to new adaptations, this deep dive honors why the Man of Steel still in ... Show More
57m 58s
Sep 2019
That Time a Major Studio Intentionally Made a Crappy “Fantastic Four” Movie and Why Superheroes Wear Their Underwear on the Outside
In this episode of The Brain Food Show, we start off looking at why superheroes wear their underwear on the outside.
Next up, we have a brief message from our sponsor, Jeremy Scott, perhaps best known for his work on CinemaSins, but also the author of the books “The Ables” and t ... Show More
1h 2m
Jul 2024
Season 3, Episode 9: Monika Wiesak, America's Last President: What the World Lost When It Lost John F. Kennedy
Join Professor Jeffrey Sachs and Monika Wiesak as they discuss one of America's most iconic leaders in, America's Last President: What the World Lost When It Lost John F. Kennedy. Listen in as they delve into the thrilling saga of a young, audacious visionary who dared ... Show More
40m 22s