Original Air Date
- July 4th, 2023
Part 1 Begins
Hero Song (3:43)
- “Billy, Don’t Be a Hero” by Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods
- This song does recognize the heroic efforts of our soldiers in armed conflict
- But it also helps us to remember that those who are lost in battle often leave loved ones behind
- So it’s our patriotic duty to support our troops but also to question whether any war is necessary
- And it’s the perfect song to kick of today’s Special Star-Spangled Superhero Smash episode for Independence Day!
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: Captain America (2:00)
- Captain America
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- Painting of Captain America holding the flag by Alex Ross
- Today is Steve Roger’s birthday and also America’s birthday!
Special Radio Guest Star
- Brian Sateriale
- IUP English Literature & Criticism Doctoral Student
- Studying the MCU
Instrumental Theme Music (1:06)
- “Captain America” by Alan Silvestri from Captain America: The First Avenger
- Cap of course was played by Chris Evans in the MCU films
Collector’s Item Classic Comic Book (3:00)
- Cap first appeared in Captain America Comics #1
- Publication Date: Dec. 20, 1940
- Publisher: Timely Comics
- Timely Comics changed its name to Atlas Comics in 1951 and then became Marvel Comics
- Martin Goodman was the publisher
- He had several comics publishing companies all operating out of the same offices
- As early as May 1944 he used Marvel Comics on Marvel Mystery Comics #55
- Goodman formally adopted the name Marvel Comics in 1961
- Writer: Joe Simon
- Artist: Jack Kirby
- Captain America #1 went on sale in December 1940, a year before the bombing of Pearl Harbor
- With Cap punching Hitler on the cover, the comic sold almost one million copies
- Value on eBay today: Someone is selling the cover only for $60,000
- In 2022, a copy sold for $3.1 million
- The end of the Golden Age of Comics for Timely Comics came with the cancellation of Captain America Comics in February 1950 with issue #75
- The last 2 issues (#74 and #75) were titled Captain America’s Weird Tales and issue #75 did not even have Cap in the comic
- Atlas restarted the title in 1954, but it only lasted 3 issues due to public anti-Korean War sentiment
- It took Cap a lot of work to get his own comic book back
- Cap kept having to jump from title to title
- Cap finally came back for good in Avengers #4
- He also appeared in Tales of Suspense #59-99 along with Iron Man
- Cap finally got his own comic book back in April 1968, with issue #100; the numbering was picked up from Tales of Suspense and was linked back to his original title’s numbering
Captain America Song 1 (2:53)
- “Star Spangled Man” by the Star Spangled Singers
- Again from Captain America: The First Avenger
- Cap is traveling the country in a vaudeville style show selling war bonds
- The song recalls the Golden Age in which Cap first appeared
Show ID: Superhero Smash (2:00)
- 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
- Cap expert Brian Sateriale is coming up, right after the break
PSA 1 (:30)
- Freedom of the Press
Part 1 Ends (@15 minutes)
Part 2 Begins
Special Guest Star: Brian Sateriale (5:00)
- We have a special guest today, Brian Sateriale
- Brain loves Captain America and will be writing about the character in his dissertation
- Brain is a doctoral student at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in the Graduate Studies in Literature and Criticism Program
- Brian, welcome to the show
- Tell us why you love the character of Captain America so much
Secret Origin Story (3:00)
- Captain America was born, on July 4th, as scrawny Steve Rogers
- During World War II, he wanted to serve his country, but the army rejected him because he was a “98 pound weakling”
- Fortunately, Steve was spotted by Professor Abraham Erskine
- Erskine brought Steve into Project Rebirth
- Injecting Steve with Super Soldier Serum, Steve’s body transformed into Captain America
- Unfortunately, a nazi spy tried to sabotage the experiment
- The spy shot and killed Erskine before Cap could capture him
- Cap goes on to fight nazis and his arch nemesis, the Red Skull
- The skull loads a bomb onto a plane and sends it rocketing toward Manhattan
- Cap forces the plane to crash into the Atlantic Ocean, but he disappears in the process
- His body freezes and Cap goes into suspended animation
- When Steve finally is revived by the Avengers, he is a man out of time
- Cap has missed so much, and in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, he meets Sam Wilson who tells him about a great Marvin Gaye album, Trouble Man, that pretty much covers the best of what he missed
- In the comics, Cap met Sam Wilson, the Falcon and his pet bird Redwing in Captain America #117 in September 1969
- Trouble Man was released only 2 years later, in 1972
Captain America Song 2 (3:49)
- “Trouble Man” by Marvin Gaye
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, English Doctoral Student Brian Sateriale
Special Guest Star: Brian Sateriale (5:00)
- Brian, talk to us about The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and how Cap was reimagined as a black superhero at last
- Falcon played by Anthony Mackie and Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier, played by Sebastian Stan
Captain America Song 3 (4:03)
- “Guys Named Captain” by Kenny Chesney
Part 2 Ends (@37 minutes)
Part 3 Begins
Final Thoughts from Our Special Guest (5:00)
- Brian, where do you see the MCU headed?
- Where do you hope it goes?
Long Lost Hero: Nomad (2:00)
- In Captain America #180, Steve becomes disillusioned with the U.S. government
- He learns that a high ranking U.S. official (the comic hints that it is President Richard Nixon) is secretly a member of the villainous organization called the Secret Empire
- In the film, this organization becomes Hydra and the corrupt official is Alexander Pierce (played by Robert Redford)
- Steve abandons his Captain America costume and becomes a new superhero called Nomad
- He starts out with a cape, but trips on it in one humorous scene, and we learn “that’s why Cap wasn’t born with a cape!”
Captain America Song 4 (2:48)
- “Nomad” by Jeremy Renner
- Yes, THAT Jeremy Renner A.K.A. Hawkeye from the Avengers!
Part 3 Ends (@47 minutes)
Part 4 Begins
Romantic Interlude (2:00)
- Steve and Peggy
- In Avengers: Endgame, Steve went back in time, after helping the Avengers defeat Thanos, to get the dance he had always wanted with Peggy Carter, his one true love
Romantic Melody (3:51)
- “Whatcha Gonna Do (It’s Up to You)” from Agent Carter sung by Hayley Atwell (Peggy Carter herself), Enver Gjokaj, and Hollywood Studio Symphony
- A classic 50’s swing dance number
PSA (1:00)
- Enjoy The Star Spangled Celebration 2023 all day today at Mack Park
- This annual event of Independence Day Celebration features food vendors, craft & vendor show, kids zone, basket raffle, wine & beer garden, ALL DAY music entertainment, a corn hole tournament, a veterans salute and, of course, Fireworks tonight!!
- A big Superhero Smash salute to all the active duty service men and women listening! Thank you for keeping us free and safe!
A Captain America Salute! (4:42)
- “Born in the USA” by Bruce Springsteen, the Boss!
To Be Continued Next Issue (1:00)
- Same Bat Time, same Bat Channel–The Sidekicks Save the Day!
- I’ll also have another Special Radio Guest Star for that show, English Professor Sandy Eckard
- Songs with Stephanie coming up at noon
- Contact me, the new Professor X, via email: SuperheroSmash2023@gmail.com
- And remember…
- 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.
End Credits Song (2:03)
- “The Avengers” by Alan Silvestri form The Avengers Soundtrack
Part 4 Ends (@60 minutes)