The Audio File: The Truth: Part 2

Well, it seems that Part 2 of my review of The Truth came sooner than expected. If you’re looking for Part 1, you can find it over here. Now, before we dive on in, I wanted to address something. There were a couple times in the last review I came across as a tad harsh. I intended for these reviews to be a warts and all look at The Truth. Where there is good, it shall be given due praise. Where there is lacking, this will be duly noted. Personally, I think, when you look at it as a whole, The Truth got more right than it got wrong. Every ax has a few speckles, as Benjamin Franklin famously said. 

So, with all of that out of the way, let us continue our review of The Truth.

The first episode we’ll be looking at in this part of the review is “They’re Made Out of Meat.” It is adapted from the short story of the same name by Terry Bisson. It follows two aliens who…well, actually, we don’t get any physical description of them. The only thing we know for sure is that they definitely don’t look human. You see, they have discovered a mysterious planet known as Earth. The local intelligent life isn’t made out of energy, or plasma, or gas, or anything sensible like that. No, Earthlings are made out of meat! And they stay meat their entire lives!

I was familiar with the original short story, but this episode was still a lot of fun. When you think about it, it is kind of amazing that a lump of meat and fat can produce our complex minds. Oh, and just so you know, you probably used that lump of fat and meat just then. I suppose this is a humor solution to the Fermi Paradox. Just where are all the aliens? Well, we do tend to be biased towards ourselves. We assume that E.T. and company will be carbon-based meat sacks like us. But what if they turn out to be different? Perhaps we’ve been looking in all the wrong places.

This episode also includes an interview between Terry Bisson and Jonathan Mitchell. Terry said that this episode was probably one of the best adaptations of the story. I agree; this story doesn’t lend itself well to the visual mediums. Though, he did mention a short play a university did. The aliens were represented by lights on a stage curtain. That sounds kind of fun and unique. Also, apparently Steven Pinker and Sam Harris have used this story in their university classes. There was the part where Terry apparently didn’t know audio dramas are a thing, and Jonathan tried to politely correct him. I thought “Mr. Bisson, I’d love to give you some recommendations!”

All in all, an excellent adaptation, and an excellent interview. Two great episodes for the price of one.

Our second episode will be “Possible Side Effects.” This episode follows a guy named Joel. He’s been having stomach pain, but his doctor has put him on a wonderful drug called Intestilax. It has helped it, but it does come with a few side effects. Chief among them is that Joel is hallucinating the disembodied voices of three women named Kimmy, Tina, and Scarlet. Kimmy is the sweet and cutesy one, Tina is the sensible one, and Scarlet is the sexy one. They all love Joel, and want him to be the best version of himself possible. And Joel is equally fond of his special ladies. Unfortunately, Joel no longer needs to take Intestilax. Long term use can result in kidney failure, and his doctor isn’t keen on the whole hearing voices thing. Joel refuses to be without his girls, and will do whatever it takes to get a supply of Intestilax.

There have been times in my life where I would have loved something like this. Well, maybe not the parts where Intestilax turns out to be detrimental to Joel’s health. Still, having some voices that only I can hear, and who like me for who I am, might be fun. Though, as I type this, I realize that this all sound kind of like schizophrenia, which is a decidedly not fun disorder. I’m also reminded of how Son of Sam claimed to hear his dog talking to him, and then he killed all those women. So, uh, yeah, maybe I should think twice before indulging in the fantasies of this episode.

On a lighter note, Kimmy, Tina, and Scarlet were a lot of fun. I find it interesting that they reminded me a bit of the three personalities from The Three Faces of Eve. It could have been coincide, and it probably was, but it was just something I noticed. I suppose there’s an anti-escapism moral in this episode. Escapism can be a good and even necessary thing, but eventually we must face our problems head-on. Retreating too far into our fantasies can have negative results.

Possible side effects of this episode include: laughing, smiling, and listening to another excellent episode of The Truth.

Our next episode is “Sleep Some More.” It follows a college student named Dan. He is taking a literature class, and is really struggling. Then, one night, he hears his roommate Tom talking in his sleep. Tom’s sleep talking provides deep and insightful literary analysis about the various works that Dan has to write essays about. The only catch is that Tom bleeds when this happens. The more Dan exploits Tom’s sleep talking, the more Tom bleeds, and the weaker he gets. How far will Dan go to maintain his grades?

I admit I always kind of struggled with literature class. There were some bright spots during middle school. I had a good English teacher. What finally clicked was eleventh grade American Literature class. I had an excellent teacher, and I really loved how she incorporated history into what we were learning. It made me interested in learning more about the various great novels. Naturally, I became a bit of a popular resource among other students. Though, nobody ever tried to pick my brain while I was sleeping. Well, to my knowledge, anyway.

It is interesting how the action of the episode paralleled Tom’s insights into Dan’s assignments. Like Macbeth, Dan is conflicted towards the start of the episode, but he quickly made his choice. Like Dr. Faustus, that choice is an, albeit metaphorical, deal with the devil. Like Victor Frankenstein, he is more concerned with whether or not he can do something morally questionable, rather than if he should. Like Dorian Gray, he wears a mask of civility in public, and uses it to hide a rotten soul. Like Rodin Rashkolnikov, he is laser-focused on his life’s goal. Dan’s only concern about Tom’s failing health is how it will impact his dream of becoming Secretary of Commerce. 

The parallel with Gregor Samsa is especially interesting. Tom is Gregor, and Dan is Gregor’s family. Tom, albeit unknowingly, sacrifices himself for Dan. And yet, Dan is completely ungrateful. He never even considers stopping for Tom’s sake. He never thinks of revealing the truth to Tom, and perhaps getting his permission to continue. No, all Dan cares about is what’s in it for him.

But this brings us to the most important question of all: how far are you willing to go to listen to this episode of The Truth? To your podcast app of choice, that’s how far!

For our forth offering we have “Salamanca.” Our protagonist reminisces about a trip he took to Spain back in the 1980s. He had a wonderful time in Salamanca, especially when he met a beautiful woman named Emilia. An old legend says that if he can find the frog carved into the Cathedral of Salamanca, you will have good luck all year. Our protagonist certainly felt quite lucky in those gentle summer days. A dream come true, you might say. But a dream, no matter how beautiful, must come to an end eventually.

I have never been to Spain. However, I really wanted to visit Salamanca after I listened to this episode. I never felt like a travel ad. Although, Spain's Ministry of Industry and Tourism probably should have commissioned The Truth. Audio dramas can do wonders for the tourism sector; just ask Blum. Anyway, this felt like a sincere love letter to Salamanca.

The legend about the frog is indeed a real legend. It is also not the only notable site at Salamanca. There’s also a carving of an astronaut. Contrary to what the loonies on Ancient Aliens would have you believe, there’s a mundane explanation for this. The cathedral underwent renovations in 1992, and the astronaut was added as part of that. Along with other additions, such as a dragon eating ice cream.

This episode reminded me of a trip I took to Italy the summer before junior year of high school. I saw many wonderful things, but I also met Rebecca. She was another student on the trip, and we really hit it off with each other. We remained friends, and kept in touch. We thought about maybe being something more, but she had personal demons to sort out. In all honesty, so did I. Eventually, we got our shit together, but then she came out as lesbian. We still remained friends, and I did my best to be supportive, but things were always kind of awkward between us after that. Honestly, part of me wished we could be more than friends, even if I knew that could never happen.

Still, despite everything that happened, I’m grateful that I got to know Rebecca. I still treasure all the good times we had together. I’m reminded of what the protagonist’s Spanish papá says about the song at the end of the episode. I loved the bird, but if it was caged, it would not be a bird.

Come and take a wistful, slightly melancholy, auditory journey to Salamanca.

We’ll be changing gears as we take a look at “Justice Battalion.” Holy Silver Age, Truthman! This episode is an homage to Super Friends. We follow a noble group of heroes called the Justice Battalion. They are: Bright Star, Night Wolf, Captain Kilowatt, and Silicone Savior. The President is giving the State of the Union address. Among other things, he plans to ramp up the War on Drugs, repeal climate change legislation, and will increase production of fossil fuels. Bright Star has had enough, and murders the President on live television. The remaining members of the Justice Battalion must find a way to bring Bright Star to justice. But what does justice even mean in the modern world?

When I listened to this episode, I immediately thought of Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice. The first thing I thought after finish this episode was “Wow, The Truth told a better story in thirty minutes than Zach Snyder did in two and half hours.” I don’t think this was necessarily meant as a response to Batman vs Superman. I detected the DNA of quite a few comics. The idea of the Superman analog going rouge, and embracing vigilante justice, brings to mind Injustice: Gods Among Us. However, the bit about a superhero killing the President, and the question of how far is too far in the pursuit of justice, brings to mind Black Summer by Warren Ellis.

So, now let’s sort out who is who. Bright Star is Superman, Night Wolf is Batman, Captain Kilowatt is Wonder Woman, Crying Clown is Joker, and Silicone Savior…hmm, I guess he’s vaguely similar to Red Tornado. This also extends to the performances the actors gave. Erica Schroeder sounded almost exactly like the Super Friends version of Wonder Woman. Billy Bob Thompson was channeling Mark Hamill’s iconic take on Joker. Marc Thompson was going for Christian Bale’s raspy Batman voice. And, of course, Graham Rowat nailed the announcer role.

Look, up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s another excellent episode of The Truth!

Our next port of call is “Mark the Creep.” We follow a man named Mark who has been dealing with some intrusive thoughts. He frequently has hallucinations about people getting angry at him over the slightest mistakes. He also occasionally has fantasies about intimacy, but he worries that this means he’s secretly a pervert. We follow Mark as he tries to navigate life and come to terms with his intrusive thoughts, and gain a sense of self-worth.

This was one of those episodes from the final season of The Truth. It was the worst of times, but it was also the best of times. There were increasingly more misses, but when The Truth managed to land a hit, they really knew how to knock it out of the park. Case in point, this episode. It is rare to see a work of fiction that captures my own struggles so clearly. Like Mark, I also frequently deal with intrusive thoughts, and fear that everyone secretly hates me and resents me. I have a tendency to assume the worst about interactions if I’m uncertain. Such tend to be the case when you’re on the autism spectrum. And yet there are plenty of times, probably most of the times, in all honesty, when things turn out perfectly fine. The other person isn’t angry or appalled at me, and I simply catastrophized things in my head. It’s probably the result of my anxiety and low self-esteem. I sometimes wonder if I might have undiagnosed OCD. I’ve got pretty much every other mental disorder.

This episode was a surpassingly realistic take on someone with OCD. Contrary to popular depiction, OCD isn’t about obsessively ordering everything. Rather, it is dealing with repeated unwarned intrusive thoughts. Basically, you fear that if you think about something bad for too long, you’ll eventually do that bad thing for real. This often leads to various coping methods. You know they’re irrational, but they’re the only thing that feels like it brings relief. Perhaps I need to be more like Mark, and learn some more self-compassion, and to cut myself more slack.

Like I said, this episode was a bright star during a turbulent time for The Truth. Keep that in mind as we get into the next review.

Speaking of which, we will now turn our attention to “Journey into Kalanu.” It follows a man named Richard. He has a strained relationship with his sons Brian and Zach. Still, he’s trying his best. He has taken them to a theme park centered around Kalanu. It is a science fiction franchise that…well, it’s basically Star Wars, with a smidge of He-Man thrown in. The author of the Kalanu book is pretty clearly George R.R. Martin. Anyway, Brian and Zach are big fans, but Richard just doesn’t get it. Richard decides to try out the park’s latest dark ride, and has a surpassingly good time. Little does he know he’s going to uncover the dark underbelly of the Kalanu fandom.

You know, I actually had hopes for this one initially. At the start, it seemed like the episode was going to be about Richard coming to appreciate Kalanu. He enjoys his trip on the dark ride, gets to know a Kalanu fan named Christine, and perhaps even becomes a fan himself. Now, doesn’t that sound like a great episode?

Unfortunately, that’s now how things played out. You see, Christine does not like the recent changes that have been made to the Kalanu franchise. She especially isn’t fond of the new character Rey Palpatine…okay, that’s not really her name, but she’s clearly meant to be Rey. Also, the company that bought Kalanu is pretty clearly Disney. Christine belongs to a conspiracy theory group that claims that the creator of Kalanu is being held hostage, and is being forced to make these changes. And what do they decide to do about this? Why, to set fires across the park, and commit other acts of domestic terrorism. Also, Richard’s sons support the arson.

I mean, wow, where do I even begin? What we have here is a massive strawman argument. Basically, you can either blindly consume everything in a franchise without any criticism, or you can be a domestic terrorist. We never see a character who doesn’t like the current direction of Kalanu, but expresses it in a sensible way. Given the lack of nuance, it’s pretty clear what the message is here. Especially given the connection between Kalanu and Star Wars.

There’s certainly a double standard whenever fandoms do stupid shit. If it’s a fandom that skews male, the media immediately pounces on it, and declares a moral panic. If it is a fandom that skews female, completely crickets from the media. True, this episode does has Christine as the main fanatic. But just ask any woman who openly admits to not liking the Star Wars sequel trilogy about their experiences. Odds are, they’ve been called a pick-me, or get accused of having internalized misogyny. So, no, this episode ain’t off the hook.

So, what do I mean about the double standard? Well, there was that fan artist who got harassed by the Steven Universe fandom because she, supposedly, drew some characters too light-skinned and a smidge too thin. Poor girl tried to take her own life, and thankfully failed. Hell, even the Steven Universe creators had to step in, and tell people to knock it off. And what was the response from the media? Silence, complete and utter silence.

There was also the shipping wars within the Voltron fandom. Further proof about how hardcore shippers really need to get a life, and maybe some meds. Death threats being sent left and right, the creators having to tell everyone to knock it off. And then there was that one person who threatened to link storyboards of the new episodes unless their favorite ship became canon. Naturally, Studio Mir quit giving out tours of the studio after that stunt. But once again, nary a word from the media.

I could go on, but I’m sure you get the point. The message of this episode might as well be “Don’t ask questions, just consume product. And then get excited for next product.”

It isn’t like we can’t poke fun at fandom excess. William Shatner’s “Please Get a Life” sketch is one of my favorite Saturday Night Live sketches. The Animaniacs also had a similar sketch that I enjoyed. But both of those felt like they were coming from a place of good faith. It also help that they weren’t trying to lecture their audience. Both traits being something this episode sorely lacked.

What else can I say? Two thumbs way down. Easily one of the worst, if not the worst, episode of The Truth.

We shift gears slightly to have “Breakfast in Wartime.” We follow a struggling comedian named Liz. She’s been trying to break into the big times, but her fellow artists are being unsupportive. Liz wants to be apolitical, and just have a good time. However, the other artists think are should have important messages, and speak truth to power. In fact, they’re all involved in a protest for…well, actually, the episode never says why they’re protesting. So, Liz brushes them off, and lands a gig as a comedian for Fox News/The Daily Wire. She has to decide how long she’s willing to ignore the events around her.

There was an idea here, but it just never came together. I feel that this episode got yanked out of the oven too early, and didn’t have chance to bake properly. The biggest problem is that we never find out why exactly Liz’s friends are protesting. Now, granted, as we saw with “Journey into Kalanu” this could easily go rather poorly. On the other hand, it is very hard to care about them if we don’t know what they’re fighting for. I also felt Liz got a bit of an unfair shake. Not all art needs to have a profound message. Even the most seemingly trivial piece of art can have significance to everyone. It is easy to get emotionally burned out, and sometimes you just need an escape. There is nothing wrong or evil about that. It is important to have an emotional release valve. Doing that could be Liz’s supporting her friends in her own way.

So, while this episode had potential to be good, it just never came together. Perhaps another round of revisions was in order.

We’ll finish this installment with “Naughty or Nice.” It follows an elf named Spark. He works at the Naughty and Nice division of Santa's workshop. He and his coworkers sort all children onto either the Naughty or Nice list. Lately, however, more and more children are winding up on the Naughty list for misdemeanors. Something's going on, and Spark is going to get to the bottom of it.

This was a really fun episode. Of course, in order to discuss it we're going to have to talk about the twist. Why are so many children getting coal? Santa is in bed with the coal industry, that's why! You'd think he'd be concerned about global warming, due to living in the Arctic and all. Maybe he has enough magic where it wouldn't be a problem? In any event, Santa was well-written, and seemed believably nice before the big reveal. I love these stories that give a more technological edge to Santa's workshop and its employees. Also, great sound editing to make the actors playing elves sound convincing.

A fun, slightly satirical tale that I'm sure you'll enjoy. This one is on the nice list.

And with that, we wrap up Part 2 of our look at The Truth. Don’t worry, this is not the end of my review of The Truth. I fully intend to make a Part 3 at some point. I’ve got a feeling that there will also be a Part 4 sooner or later. So, be on the look out for both of those.

Well, I think that should do it from me for now. I will see you guys next time.

The Audio File: The Truth: Part 1

Where do I even start with this one? This is another review that has been long overdue. Perhaps a bit too overdue. This one was a true cornerstone of the audio drama community. Doubly so for those of us on the anthology side of things. It is still kind of surreal that they are actually gone. But we aren’t here to mourn their passing, but to celebrate their life. What else is there for me to say? I’m Sam McDonald, and today we’re taking a look at The Truth. 

The Truth is an anthology of nearly 200 episodes spanning a wide variety of genres. It billed itself as movies for the ears, and it certainly lived up to that description. Now, it is true that quite a few audio dramas fit that description, but you have to consider the context that The Truth occurred in. The first episode of The Truth premiered way back in 2011. The indie audio drama community was still very much in its infancy. Fiction podcasts tended to be short story readings like StarShipSofa or Lightspeed Magazine. If you were lucky, you might get something like The Drabblecast, with music and sound-effects added to the mix. The Truth was a full-cast show, performed rather than read, and with immersive sound-effects and music.

The Truth was an anthology in the purest sense of the word. Each episode was a new present to unwrap. It spanned multiple genres and styles. The early years did tend to be a bit more experimental in terms of material. I had the opportunity to chat with series creator Jonathan Mitchell. Jonathan described these early episodes as scenes rather than stories. True, they are certainly shorter than later episodes, but that’s hardly a bad thing. Each of them was like a snapshot into a different life, and they were certainly memorable snapshots. I’m not the only one who is of this opinion. Many episodes from this era of The Truth were featured on various programs such as All Things Considered, Weekend America, Planet Money, This American Life, and Studio 360. Eventually, the need to pay the bills came knocking. So, the episodes began to favor longer stories in order to provide more space for ad breaks. Now, some people say this was the era when The Truth went into decline. Personally, I strongly disagree. There were still many quality episodes being produced.

The real decline, ironically, was around the time The Truth celebrated its tenth anniversary. Well, maybe not entirely ironically. I have noticed that many anthology podcasts tend to start going stale around the ten year mark. It was at this point the misses started to outnumber the hit. Now, to be fair, there were still a few diamonds in the rough. That being said, it was clear that the writers’ well of inspiration was starting to run dry. The episodes also increasingly had the same feel to them. The decline of The Truth didn’t come with a bang, but with a whimper.

It is certainly sad that the curtain has finally fallen on The Truth. No show can last forever. Eventually, if you smolder well past your time, you will see a steady decline in quality. In the immortal words of Harvey Dent, you either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain. I certainly hope that The Truth is always remember for what it was, rather than the decline it saw during its final season.

And that, my friends, is what this review is all about. We are going to celebrate The Truth in all its myriad ways. From those early “snapshots of a life” episodes, to the more full-length episodes. We will also look at a few less than stellar episodes. They can make for a good teaching moment about what not to do.

Now, a bit of clarification before we move forwards. I’m doing what I did with my review of Campfire Radio Theatre. I’m going to give it a good start, and then periodically update it with more reviews. Anthologies always take more out of me than serialized shows do. I have to analyze and weigh the merits of each individual episode. This can take a fair bit of time, and you might imagine. I will also not be reviewing the episodes in chronological order. One of the beauties of anthologies is that you can listen to the episodes in any order that you please. As such, I apply the same principle to this review.

With all of that being said, I’m Sam McDonald, and this is The Audiophile’s review of The Truth.

The first episode we’re taking a look at is “Moon Graffiti.” We start things off with an alternate history piece about the Apollo 11 mission. In this story, The Eagle comes in for a crash landing on the Moon. The lander’s capsule is damaged in such a way that it can’t launch into orbit. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin are stranded on the Moon until their oxygen runs out. After that, they will go down in history as the first men to die on the Moon. They take their remaining time to chat and muse about the nature of life and mortality.

This was the very first episode of The Truth ever, and they certainly started out of the gate strong. As you might imagine, the alternate history premise piqued my interest. This scenario was very much a concern during the real Apollo 11 mission. In fact, President Richard Nixon had a speech prepared just in case Armstrong and Aldrin became stranded on the Moon. The speech is actually read at the very end of the episode. The actor sounds nothing like Nixon, but he certainly captures the emotion of the speech. Ironically, there was a memorial to the victims of the Apollo 1 fire included with the other equipment on the lander.

What would it be like to experience such a stroke of bad luck? You are stranded hundreds of thousands of miles from home with no hope of rescue. You can see death slowly, but surely, creeping towards you. I try my best not to think too much about death, but the thought proves rather intrusive. I don’t know how I would like to die, as I would very much not like to die at all. But I’m also keenly aware that the reaper will claim me sooner or later.

Yeah, there are a lot of implications on how such a disaster would impact the Space Race. However, this episode is presented as a very intimate story about two men complimenting their own imminent mortality. I am of the opinion that this was absolutely the right move.

“Moon Graffiti” was an excellent start for The Truth.

Our next episode is “Eat Cake.” It follows a woman named Elizabeth who is participating in her favorite Valentines Day tradition: baking a coconut cake for herself and going to a movie of her choice. It's been a thing with her ever since she broke-up with her boyfriend a few years ago. She's just received a phone call from a mysterious man named Brian. Apparently, he calls random people in hopes of having someone to talk to. He's sweet, if a tad socially awkward. So, they decide to meet at the movies.

So, what's the trick? Where is the twist? No trick here, and no twist either. Brian really is exactly what he seems to be. He's a genuinely kind-hearted guy, and he and Elizabeth have a great time. They initially hit it off over their shared love of coconut cake. Elizabeth's former boyfriend didn't like coconut cake, so she rarely got to eat it. A true pity; not enough people appreciate coconut cake. Still, at least she has Brian now.

What else can I say? “Eat Cake” is really cute and I utterly adore it.

The third episode we’ll be looking at is “That’s Democracy.” Jeffery Mohr is a high school social studies teacher. He’s going through a rough patch in his life. Still, he’s determined to give his students an excellent lesson on Direct Democracy vs Representative Democracy. He has brought a gun with him to class. He challenges the students to elect a representative. This representative will select one person from the class to be killed. The students will have the opportunity to debate and persuade the representative about who to pick. They must choose wisely. For if the students fail to pick someone, Mr. Mohr will kill them all, and then kill himself.

A lot of people say “That’s Democracy” is the best episode of The Truth. I’m not sure if that is the case. There’s simply too many great episodes to choose from. However, it is certainly one of the most memorable episodes. The episode started off as a part of a Halloween episode that The Truth made for PRX. However, due to the rise in high profile school shootings, PRX got cold feet about the plot. However, the team behind The Truth didn’t want their hard work to go to waste. And it was thanks to that hard work that we got an excellent episode.

In a way, this episode is about the classic thought experiment of The Trolly Problem. Of course, it is easy to act moral when everything is hypothetical. It is quite another story when the knife’s literally at your throat. Or the gun at your head, in this case. I’m a bit reminded of the classic Twilight Zone episode “The Shelter.” It isn’t as well known as other classics, such as “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street”, but it is very much worth looking into. It hits on many of the same themes as “That’s Democracy.”

“That’s Democracy” is also notable for having been adapted into a short film. It is the only episode of The Truth to hold this distinction. The short film follows the plot of the episode almost exactly, baring a couple minor differences. It is an excellent short film. It was certainly interesting to see an audio drama be adapted into a different medium.

No matter the medium, “That’s Democracy” is very much worth experiencing. If you haven’t done so already, of course.

Next up, we have “Do You Have a Minute for Equality?” This episode follows a young woman named Kate. She’s a professional activist of a sort. She goes around collecting donations for various social causes. And yet she doesn’t really give too much thought at the causes themselves. One day, while collecting donations, she meets a prosthodontist named Arnold. He doesn’t have any money right now, but he’ll be sure to give her a big donation if she comes to his house. What could possibly go wrong?

I have many social causes I feel strongly about. I admit I could be a bit of a firebrand in my younger days. And yet, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve also grown more cynical towards activists. Particularly, those who make a career of being professional activists. I sometimes feel such people do fare more to harm the causes they claim to support. I also often feel there are those who are only in it for the attention. That, or so they can claim unearned moral superiority over others.

Kate claims to be fighting for voters' rights, but is totally unfamiliar with the major cases relating to that cause. To their credit, the writers certainly make Kate flawed, but not a strawwoman. I will say, however, that I felt that the ending was darkly comedic in a way. Suppose I related to Arnold somewhat. Oh, and remember that Halloween special I mentioned earlier? Well, “Do You Have a Minute for Equality?” was one of the segments included in that special. And don’t worry, we shall get to the other segments in due time.

No, I don’t have a minute for equality. But I do have a minute to say that we’re four-for-four when it comes to great episodes of The Truth.

For our fifth outing, we have “Brain Chemistry.” This one follows a man named Richard. He was cryogenically preserved, but he’s been revived. The future isn’t quite what he expected. Oh, climate change is a bit of an issue, but the people are nice enough. Unfortunately, Richard, and others like him, could only be revived as a brain in a jar. He spends his days as an exhibit in a museum. He tells visitors, usually kids on field trips, about what the 21st Century was like. One day, he meets another cryonically preserved brain named Casey. Richard hasn’t had much to look forward to in a long time, but Casey lights up his world. They might be a couple of brains in jars, but they’ve got serious chemistry.

We already discussed how I often have morbid thoughts about death. I have entertained the idea of cryogenics as a way to cheat death. It sounds nice in theory, but is there any hope that it could actually work? I’d like to think so, and yet I can’t help but feel that is far too optimistic. Still, I suppose you never know. What would it be like to awaken in a brave new world of the future? There are many people who choose only to have their heads frozen. The thinking is that future science will be able to provide entirely new bodies for them. Of course, what if the future isn’t a better place? Even if not dystopian, perhaps the future is different in a way you might find enjoyable.

I do value my mind, but I’m not sure if I could handle being a brain in a jar. It is nice to take a stroll around the neighborhood every now and again. It is especially hard on Richard. He used to be a mountain climber. Still, any hardship is easier to shoulder when you have people you love and care about you.

The ending was absolutely fantastic. I won’t give it away, but I loved how Richard gains a new perspective on life. The ending where he asks the kids to tell him about their lives, rather than the other way round, and the way the music was woven in so beautifully. It was just such a wonderful ending.

And yet I’d be lying if I said this episode wasn’t somewhat tainted for me. The Truth wanted to do something special during their tenth anniversary. So, they allowed listeners to audition to be interviewed about an episode they loved. I picked “Brain Chemistry” because it was the first episode of The Truth that I ever listened to. I poured my heart out in the application. There were only five slots, but I was selected. I did my best to be extra sure I was prepared for my interview with Jonathan Mitchell. We had a really good time chatting, but wouldn’t you know it, Jonathan forgot to press record. So, we had to do the whole thing all over again. I was mentally exhausted from giving it my all, and as a result, I sounded like a total dumbass the second time round. But I was assured that all was well. So, I patiently waited for the big day to come. It felt like I was going to get some validation for helping to promote quality audio dramas.

Alas, this was not to be. The big day came, and I received an email. The Truth couldn’t make my interview work, but they hoped I understood. I was crestfallen, but I listened to the episode…which featured five interviews. Apparently, Jonathan had done seven interviews. It would seem there was a lack of planning with the tenth anniversary special. He says he wanted to include them all, but he wanted things to flow well. And if that meant cutting interviews, then so be it. In his view, it would be no different than cutting an actor’s scene from an episode. 

Well, in my view, I felt like The Truth was spitting in my face, and didn’t even have the decency to call it rain. But I bit my tongue, and wished everyone a happy tenth anniversary. But I’m not holding my tongue anymore. I would expect a certain degree of professionalism, or at the very least planning, from an audio drama like The Truth.

Look, I get that Jonathan was probably being sincere. I get that he had good intentions, but you know what they say about the road to Hell. What The Truth did was an absolutely shitty thing to do. Especially how they waited til the day of to let me know. It didn’t completely ruin The Truth for me, but it was still a pretty serious black mark against them. If there was a possibility that the interview would be cut, well, you should have been more upfront about that. You could have at least tried to schedule a do-over. Just saying.

Well, anyway, let’s move right along.

The next episode is “Fish Girl.” It follows a girl named Win who has the ability to talk to fish. She befriends a porcupine pufferfish named Jane. Jane lives at an aquarium store, but longs to see the ocean. Win can’t do that, but she can take her down to the pond. Safely in a plastic bag, of course. It’s sure to be the adventure of a lifetime for them both.

Many of you know that I work as an edutainer at the Shreveport Aquarium. I inform and entertain the public about the animals; especially the touch pool animals. As it happens, we also have porcupine pufferfish. His name is Potato, and he is very cute. We also have a green spotted pufferfish named Bean. He is also extremely cute, if a bit shy. As such, this episode has become entertaining in a whole new way. I loved how real fish fact got woven into the story. Pufferfish have extremely powerful jaws, and can snap snail shells and clam shells in half like crackers. And yes, most fish will happily eat themselves into obesity if given the opportunity. Also, Eddie the store owner is right, don’t tap the glass. It sounds very loud to the fish. I admit that I don’t have the ability to understand fish. However, I do often talk to the fish as though they were people. That’s pretty common among aquarium workers.

Now, “Fish Girl” is all in good fun. However, I should point out that, in real life, it is important not to anthropomorphize animals. Don’t worry, the fish you see in aquariums are not longing to be in the wild. In fact, they have no clue they aren’t in the wild, and are most likely being well cared for. Their biggest concern is about what’s for lunch. I only mention this due to having dealt with my share of loony animal rights activists while on the job. It’s an occupational hazard, but thankfully they tend to be few and far between.

This was an episode that has gotten even better with age. It is also one that I happily recommend.

Our seventh episode is “Mall Santa.” It follows a longtime mall Santa named Al. He's growing increasingly disillusioned with the cheeriness of the holidays. However, he's about to have an encounter with an amateur Santa that just might help him rediscover the magic of Christmas.

It is cliche, but true, that giving is better than receiving. There is a certain magic that can be found in helping your fellow man. This magic isn't exclusive to the holidays. It can be found any time of the year. I think that's really the take away from this story. You don't have to move mountains to make the world a better place. Spare some time for those who need someone to talk to, and perhaps could use a few kind words.

This episode might be Christmas themed, but it plays well no matter the time of year.

Like I said before, this is just the initial foundation. I will be returning periodically to review more episodes of The Truth. In fact, I think I’ll have to split things off into a part two. So, be on the lookout for that at some point. But until then, I hope you have enjoyed our little look at The Truth. I certainly hope I’ve inspired you to check it out. It was movies for the ears, it was a shining star to other anthologies, it was a tapestry of genres. Above all else, it was The Truth, and it will be missed.

I think that should do it from me for now. I will see you guys next time.

The Audio File: Superheroes

Superheroes have certainly become big in recent years. Every year seems to bring even more movies, and television shows, featuring character once found only in the pages of comic books. However, one medium where superheroes are still somewhat underrepresented is prose fiction. That is where this latest edition of The Audio File comes in. We're taking a look at short stories that feature superheroes and supervillains. These stories are brought to us by the folks at Escape Pod, PodCastle, Drabblecast, Lightspeed Magazine, Clarkesworld Magazine, Cast of Wonders, Tales to Terrify, The Overcast, The Truth, and Earbud Theater.

With all of that out of the way, grab your capes and suit up, because it's story time..

Escape Pod

"Nemesis" by Nathaniel Lee
Narrated by Mat Weller
An Escape Pod Original

This story follows high school student Quentin, whose best friend Adam is the superhero Atom Boy. He does he best to help out Adam and be supportive, but secretly he’s always been a little jealous of Adam’s powers. One day Quentin discovers a ring that transforms into a suit of power armor. This could be the chance he’s been waiting for, but what path will he choose?

I liked how this story showed the world of superheroes from a non-superhero perspective; in this case, from the best friend/sidekick’s point of view. I enjoyed Adam’s happy-go-lucky personality and how that contrasted with Quentin’s more down to Earth and conflicted view of things. I shouldn’t give the ending away, but I can say it’s very heartwarming. Nathaniel is one of my favorite writers from Escape Pod, and this story was no exception.

I thought that Mat did a great job with the narration. All in all a great story about superheroes from an average person’s point of view. Very much recommended.

"Origin" by Ari Goelman
Narrated by Veronica Giguere
Originally published in Strange Horizons

Being a expectant parent is always a stressful time, but especially so when you’re a superhero. This story follows Margret aka Ice and Fire, a superhero who has unexpectedly become pregnant, as she and her alien partner Carter do their best to prepare for the baby. Margret finds unexpected help in the form of one of her villains, Dr. Ambrosius Urbinski. However, Dr. U’s assistance might not be an innocent as it seems.

As someone with various potentially genetic issues this story really spoke to me and my fears of what might happen if I ever have kids. It was also interesting how this story examined the potential problems pregnant superhero might encounters; as well as the whole getting pregnant in the first place issue. I also liked how it knowingly winked at some of the more absurd elements, like how Carter, whose eyes lack irises and pupils, can somehow still see even though logically he shouldn’t be able to.

As for the narration, I thought Veronica did an excellent job. It’s another great story I happily recommend.

"Observer Effects" by Tim Pratt
Narrated by A Kovacs
Originally Published in Diet Soup

This story follows a former supervillain who has joined a team of heroes. The team’s leader, Liberator, thinks he can bring world peace by creating machines to allow everyone on Earth to view any one they want any time they want. However, our protagonist isn’t so sure, and before long things go to hell in a hand basket. The protagonist soon finds herself wondering if maybe she should have stayed a villain.

This story is a really great example of capepunk. What is capepunk? Capepunk is a somewhat new punk that explore how superheroes might play out in the real world. It’s unofficially been around since works like Spider-Man and Watchmen, but it’s become something of a trend in prose superhero fiction in recent times.

Anyway, Tim Pratt is the undisputed king of the Escape Artists podcasts, and this was yet another great story of his. He always does a really good job writing strong female characters. Just generally Tim does a really great job. You probably suspect that I’m going to say I liked the narration…and you’d be right.

All in all a great capepunk story from a great writer. Very much recommended.

"Astromonkeys" by Tony Frazier
Narrated by Norm Sherman
Originally Published in Jim Baen’s Universe

This story follows a superhero named Digger bringing his friend Dave to a bar for Dave’s first beer. Digger also recounts how he and Dave first met. A tale that includes chili burgers, green space monkeys, superheroes and much more.

Okay, maybe that sounds a little crazy, but I promise this is a good story. Maybe it is a little crazy, but that’s half the fun. I enjoyed how Digger was something of a working class superhero. I also enjoyed the green space monkeys in this story; because how many other times am I going to be able to write a sentence like that? Norm’s the host of The Drabblecast, more on them momentarily, and obviously he did a top notch job.

A fun little story. Give it a try.

"Origin Story" by Tim Pratt
Narrated by Serah Eley
An Escape Pod Original

This story is told as a one-sided conversation between the narrator and another person. The narrator is the brother of the superhero The Aerialist, and at one time was a big supporter of his brother’s crime fighting. Now, however, he’s out for revenge against The Aerialist.

It’s easy to this story as a meta commentary on the history and movements of the comic book industry. The Aerialist’s adventures start out idealistic and lighthearted, much like comics’ Golden and Silver ages, before getting progressively darker and more cynical. I really enjoy these sort of one-sided conversation stories, and Serah did a great job with the narration. As a bonus, you get to hear the song Skullcrusher Mountain in its entirety after the story.

Another great capepunk story from Tim Pratt. Very much recommended.

PodCastle

"Stranger vs. The Malevolent Malignancy" by Jim C. Hines
A Full Cast Production
Originally Published in Unidentified Funny Objects 2

In this story we follow a superhero named Stranger as he comes to terms with his terminal cancer. Stranger recounts these events to his fellow hero Jarhead. Due to Stranger’s ability to communicate with inanimate objects, his own tumor often cuts in with snarky comments.

Okay, this is another story who’s summary doesn’t do it nearly enough justice. When I listened to this story I was very much reminded of All-Star Superman, both due to the theme of a superhero confronting his own mortality and Stranger being something of a Superman analog. It might seem like some pretty heavy stuff, and the story doesn’t shy away from those themes, but there’s still plenty of humor and lighthearted bits. Hey, it was published in Unidentified Funny Objects 2 after all. One of the things I liked was how Stranger stuck to his morals even we he could have taken the easy way out. True heroes do what’s right even when there’s little to no reward after all.

A full cast production always has an advantage over a single narrator, and that was certainly the case here. It’s a humorous and touching story that I couldn’t recommend more.

"Super-Baby-Moms Group Saves The Day" by Tina Connolly
A Full Cast Production
Originally Published in Unidentified Funny Objects 3

This story is told as a series of emails from an online group for moms, and a few dads, with superpowered kids. At first it’s just typical advice and apologizes, but then things start to get serious when the number of superpowered kids dramatically spikes at the local pre-school. The kids throw a collective temper tantrum and the moms have to intervene to save the day.

Again, the summary doesn’t make it sound like much, but I swear it’s a good story. I liked how this story was presented as a series of emails; it was a nice twist on the short story format. I also enjoyed how this story examined how unpowered parents might deal with their superpowered kids. It’s another one of those funny with a touch of heartwarming stories. As for the narration, the full cast, this one slightly different than the last time, has done it again.

It’s another story I happily recommend.

"Doctor Diablo Goes Through the Motions" by Saladin Ahmed
Narrated by Roberto Suarez
Originally Published in Strange Horizons

This story follows a supervillain named Doctor Diablo as he goes through the motions of a supervillain meeting, and his internal monologue snarks all the way.

Sometimes time is not kind to a story. Case in point, this story. When I first read it I liked it. Upon revisiting it, however, I've noticed several flaws. The main character is pretty much just a mouthpiece for Saladin Ahmed's views. The whole story basically boils down to Dr. Diablos whining about how he became a supervillain because society is racist against minorities, and thus society is to blame. I will concede that certain aspects of America society, such as the War on Drugs, do often unfairly target minorities. I would add the caveat that is an unintentional consequence and not by design.

However, it is also true that many minority communities all too often point the finger at society, rather than accept responsibly and accountability for their own well-being. I've known blacks who grew up in absolute poverty, busted their asses, and made better lives for themselves. Now, I will concede that poverty often does force people into breaking the law. It would have been nice to see this reflected in the story. It would be nice, but that requires nuance and tact; two things Saladin Ahmed lacks in his stories set in the present day. There's also a swipe at superheroes like Iron Fist being "cultural appropriation." That's fairly judgmental coming from a mixed race man, just saying.

What's sad is that I usually enjoy Saladin's work, but tins really is best when he keeps is political opinions to himself. Thumbs down, don't waste your time with this one.

"How to Survive in Room 105" by T. Jane Berry

Narrated by Jen R. Albert

A PodCastle Original

This story follows a superhero who has been sentenced to community service for damaging historical landmarks. She is serving as a substitute teacher for a kindergarten class. Ah, but this isn't an ordinary kindergarten. This is a school for young superheroes. The story is told as a series of directions about how to handle the different students.

This story pairs quite well with "Super-Baby-Moms Group." It was a fun twist to present the story as a series of directions. If you're a teacher, and you feel your students are getting to be a bit much, just listen to this story. You'll feel much better about yourself. Jen's narration also pairs quite well with this story.

Another superhero school story that you won't want to miss. I recommend it.  

The Drabblecast

"Captain Confederation" by Jim Robb
Narrated by Rich Fish
Originally Published in AEscifi.ca

Captain Confederation is one of the top superheroes in Canada. He’s faced many enemies in the path, but now he’s about to take on his great foe yet: government bureaucracy! Various government agency have been putting increasingly stricter regulation on him, and Captain Confederation finds himself considering a move to America.

Superheroes are often thought of as a quintessentially American concept, and it was nice to get a non-American perspective on them. Okay, so maybe Canada isn’t that different, but still. You could easily see this story as an metaphor for all those Canadians who chose to move to America for various reasons. As a bonus you get to hear the song "Magneto and Titanium Man" in its entirety after the story is over.

Rich Fish (yes, his real name) did a spot on job with the narration. A Canadian take on superheroes that I happily recommend.

"The Heroics of Interior Design" by Elise R. Hopkins
Narrated by Veronica Giguere
Originally Published in The Colored Lens #1

This story follows a woman who’s superpower is…the ability to turn anything blue into yellow. She lives in a world filled with heroes possessing more impressive abilities. A protagonist must come to terms with who she is and find her place in this world.

This story is very much about finding your place in the world and coming to terms with who you are. Maybe the protagonist doesn’t have the most impressive powers, but she does her best to make her life meaningful in little ways. That doesn’t mean there isn’t doubts along the way, and by the end she’s done some boarder line illegal things. Still over all it was a pretty good story.

A story about finding meaning in mundane life. I recommend it.

"A Matter of Size" by Robert Jeschonek
Narrated by Norm Sherman
A Drabblecast Original

This story follows Manchild, a member of the Small Wonders superhero team. Someone has been kidnapping members of the team and using them to make snuff film porn. Everyone of them could be marked men, but Manchild, who has the power to turn into a seven year old, has personal interest in this case.

This story is something of a superhero noir, and it was nice to see the mixing of the styles. Though, word of advice, this story contain some potentially heavy subject matter so you might want to listen with the headphones on. The Drabblecast always does such a great job incorporating sound effects and music into their stories, and this one was no exception.

A hard boiled superhero noir that I very much recommend.

"Morton" by Adam Carvin

Narrated by Norm Sherman

A Drabblecast Original

This story follows a man who is picking up his wife's cousin Morton. Morton is a fat, lazy slob with an addiction to anime porn. He's the last person you'd want to receive superpowers, but fate has other ideas.

This story is pretty much an extended joke of sorts. The idea being, what if a complete loser, someone totally unworthy, got superpowers? It certainly makes Morton sound unpleasant. He's basically a walking stereotype of the worst aspects of weeaboos. That is, those who glorify Japan to the detriment of their own nations, and base all their knowledge of Japanese culture on anime and manga. Still, for what this story is, it isn't too bad.

This was one of the earliest Drabblecast episodes, so Norm's narration isn't quite up to the usual standards. Still, all things considered, not too bad. Not the best story, but also far from the worst. It is worth checking out.

Lightspeed Magazine

"Tonight We Fly" by Ian McDonald
Narrated by Paul Boehmer
Originally Published in Masked

This story follows an older former superhero named Chester Banres, formerly Captain Miracle. He longs for the days before he spent most of his time yelling at kids on his lawn. Fortunately, he receives a letter from an old villain of his, Dr. Nightshade, asking to meeting him in the park and fly one last time.

First of all, I have no relations to this Mr. McDonald. Anyway, Ian is from Northern Ireland, and that means more of than non-American perspective on superheroes. It was an interesting choice to make the protagonist an older superhero. It thought that Paul did a great job narrating, as he usually does.

Another non-American take on superheroes that I recommend.

"Origin Story" by Carrie Vaughn

Narrated by Gabrielle De Cuir

This story is set in the same world as Carrie Vaughn's After the Golden Age duology. It follows a woman named Mary who finds herself in the middle of a supervillain bank robbery. She's incredibly shocked to discover that her old boyfriend Jason is now the supervillain Techunter. The story follows them as they reconnect with each other.

Okay, first of all, you don't have to know anything about After the Golden Age in order to enjoy this story. Now then, as I've said before, I always enjoy these stories that examine what it's like to be an average person in a world of superheroes. It had the feel of an Astro City story. That's good, as Astro City is one of my favorite comics. I also liked some of the more mundane details. For example, Mary always dreamed of being an edgy fashion designer and bucking the system. Yet she wound up working for the system instead. Sadly, that's how it goes sometimes. At least she finds new opportunities with Jason.

Once again, Gabrielle does an excellent job with the narration. A story about what it's like to be an average person in a superhero world. I happily recommend it. 

Cast of Wonders

"Random Play All and League to Awesome" by Shane Halbach

Narrated by Justin Thomas James

Originally Published in Oomph: A Little Super Goes aLong Way, and collected in Year's Best YA Speculative Fiction 2013

This story follows a boy named Cyrus and his friends Milo and Rudy. They all have low level superpowers; Cyrus receives premonitions from his MP3 playlist, Milo is good at finding information, and Rudy has the power to never be bored. They're teaming up to investigate Cyrus' mom's business partner, and the strange activity he's been getting up to.

This story was fun from start to finish. It had the feel of those kid hero stories, like the Hardy Boys, but with slightly older protagonists. Admittedly, you could write off our hero's powers as being merely coincidence. Then against, some of Cyrus' playlists certainly seem a little too convenient. Still, not all heroes need powers. Batman for example...was trained in martial arts, has a bunch of gadgets and money. Okay, Batman's not the best example, but the point still stands. Like I said, this story was a joy to listen to from start to finish.

Justin Thomas James' narration was also a joy to listen to. Do I really need to say that I recommend this one?

Clarkesworld Magazine

"Cassandra" by Ken Liu
Narrated by Kate Baker

This story follows a reluctant supervillain with the ability to predict the future. She’s tried to get others to understand her, especially the local superhero Sup…er, I mean, Showboat. At the same times she wonders if she’s actually making a difference or if the future is set in stone.

Ken Liu is one of my absolute favorite writers, and it is always a joy to find a new story of his. So, he’s written a story featuring a superhero with blue tights, a red cape, has the letter S on his chest but the word Superman never appears anywhere in the story. Nice legal gymnastics there Ken. There’s been a few Ken Liu stories questioning if we truly have free will, and I liked that this one didn’t give any solid answers to that tricky question. Also, love the mythology reference in the title; never a bad time for a mythology reference. This story is another great example of the capepunk sub genre.

Now, Clarkesworld is one of those podcasts that only has one narrator, and so things are always a bit hit and miss. Fortunately, thought, Kate did a pretty good job narrating this story. It’s a Ken Liu story, so I kind of new this was going to be great, and it goes without saying that I give this a hearty recommendation.

Tales to Terrify

"Letter to the Editor" by David D. Levine

Narrated by David D. Levine

Originally Published in The Mad Scientist's Guide to World Domination

This story is told in the form of a letter to a newspaper. It is written by a mad scientist named Dr. Talon. He is convinced that the superhero Ultimate Man isn't all that he seems. In fact, he argues that Ultimate Man is putting the world in serious danger simply by his mere existence.

So we've got a story with thinly-veiled versions of Lex Luthor and Superman. Not a complaint, just an observation. It is certainly an interesting twist to see a superhero horror story. I will say that Talon certainly does make a pretty convincing case that Ultimate Man really is an inhuman monstrosity. Still, I wonder if it is a sign of how cynical society has grown that we can't assume someone like Superman really would be all he appears to be, and with no hidden agendas.

David also does an absolutely fantastic job with the narration. A deconstructive superhero horror story that I happily recommend.  

The Overcast

"Stand Up" by Josh Roseman

Narrated by J.S. Arquin

This story follows an autistic boy who has decided to be a superhero. He doesn't have any superpowers, but he has decided to stand up for those in need. The story follows him through his day, and helps a fellow autistic student in need.

I felt that this story captured the mind of an autistic person especially well. As someone who is on the autism spectrum, I always appreciate when stories do that. The protagonist describes things in a very detailed and matte-of-fact sort of way. I've said before about how not all superhero have powers, and I certainly liked the down to Earth feeling of this story. The slice of life aspects were really nice. Don't get me wrong, I do love speculative fiction short stories, but I do wish we had more diversity of genre in the podcast space. Gets some slice of life and down to Earth type stories in there as well.

J.S. Arquin did an exceptionally good job with the narration. A slice of life superhero story that I happily recommend.

The Truth

"Justice Battalion" by Casper Kelly

A Full Cast Production

This story follows a team of superheroes called the Justice Battalion. They fight for Truth, Justice and the American Way. Recently, America has elected a new, and highly controversial, president. Bright Star, the team leader, believes that the president must be stop by and means necessary. He's evening willing to kill the president and overthrow the government. The other members must stop him before it is too late.

This episode had some strong Silver Age vibes to it. In particular, you can tell that Super Friends was a pretty big influence. The main characters are also thinly-veiled stand-ins for the Justice League. Bright Star is Superman, Night Wolf is Batman, and Captain Kilowatt is Wonder Woman. They even fight a Joker analogue named Crying Clown. The only member without an obvious counterpart is Silicon Savior. Though he is a robot like Red Tornado.

Still, even amidst the silliness, there is a deeper message. The message seems to be, even if you disagree with the current government, that doesn't justify killing or resorting to drastic measures. The humor and parody help the message go down smoother. I also appreciated that the humor never got too self-referential or self-indulgent. It was like Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, but with much better writing.

The voice acting is absolutely phenomenal. Erica Schoeder does a pitch perfect rendition of the Super Friends version of Wonder Woman. Likewise, Marc Thompson gives a great performance as Night Wolf. Kind of a combination of Christian Bale and Diedrich Bader's takes on Batman. Billy Bob Thompson sounds exactly like Mark Hamill's take on Joker. Great performances all around.

A fun and humorous story complete with a deeper message. I can't recommend it enough.

Earbud Theater

"Pete the Creature" by Nicholas Thurkettle

A Full Cast Production

This story follows two girls named Mala and Evel. They are students at a school for supervillains. They're competing in the school's upcoming mad science fair. They're planning on creating a creature, but the strains of competition may also strain their friendship.

This was the first episode of Earbud Theater that I ever listened to, and is still one of my favorites. They're great juxtaposition in this story. One second it sounds like a typical school story, and then you get a reminder that the main characters are at a school for supervillains. There's also a great message about how winning isn't everything, and you shouldn't let competition consume you. This is slightly underminded given the nature of the twist at the end, but I won't spoil that for you.

Great performances all around from the cast. Another fun story that I'll happily recommend to you.

Conclusion

So here we are at the end of the list once again. My schedule has cleared and I should be able to get these to you more often. I know I say that a lot, but still. Like always, I hope you're all enjoying this as much as I am. Without anything else to say, I will see you all next time.