I first became aware of SPR when I received a message on Reddit. I was messaged by John Dorsey, one of the creators behind SPR. It was around the time I posted by review of the superhero visual novel 1-800-SUPER; so, I assume that had something to do with it. He asked if I'd be willing to listen to the show and tell him what I thought. I told him I'd do one better: a formal review of SPR. And so, here we are now.
When I listen to SPR, I can't help but be reminded of one of my favorite comic book series: Astro City. I would say it is sort of an anthology, but has recurring characters and continuity. The premise of it is that it follows various characters who live in the titular city. You get to see what it is like to be an average person in a world of superheroes. You also get to see the lives of superheroes, and their various issues, when they aren't necessarily fighting crime and villains. It is an absolutely fantastic series; I can't recommend it enough. To be clear, I'm not accusing SPR of ripping-off Astro City. Great minds think alike, and both series take different approaches to their premises. That SPR reminds me of Astro City is a plus as far as I'm concerned.
SPR strikes a good balance between silliness and seriousness. Like Astro City, it takes more than a few cues from the Silver Age of Comics. It was a time famous for plots that seem a bit silly by today's standards. This is the era that gave us the Adam West Batman television series. However, it's also the era that gave us some of the most iconic comic book characters. Pretty much all the iconic Marvel heroes, minus Captain America, came from this era. On the DC end of things, though Batman and Superman were products of the Golden Age, the Silver Age produced some of the most iconic elements of their lore. Really, there very few original heroes being created in modern times. In a way, Marvel and DC are still recycling and drawing upon the Silver Age.
Honestly, I feel superheroes work best when they embrace the inherent absurdity of the concept. That doesn't mean you can't tell mature or emotionally engaging stories. Rather, you accept that absurdity, for superhero comics aren't the real world, and you roll with it. I would argue that the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is testament to this. Trying to make things realistic and grounded can backfire rather spectacularly. For an example of that, see basically every Zach Synder film ever. Besides, evoking the spirit of the Silver Age is just more fun. I feel that SPR really understands this. They embrace the over-the-top and absurd nature of superheroes, but also temper it with a bit of serious when needed.
Audio drama that parodies NPR are starting to became a dime a dozen. In fact, it's almost becoming something of a cliché. Oh, but don't worry, SPR knows how to stand-out from the crowd. You see, it doesn't just parody the news and reporting segments NPR is so famous for. It goes a step further and parodies the various programs you can listen to on NPR. We've got shows like These American Supers (This American Life), The Utility Belt (Car Talk), 100% Invisible (99% Invisible), and The Speech Bubble (Fresh Air). It's a little weird that there's no equivalent of All Things Considered, but I love the diversity of the line-up. Also, as a history enthusiast, especially of ancient history, I always feel compelled to stick a gratuitous Q in and make it SPQR.
There are even ads for in-universe products and services, such as ShieldSpace, a parody of SquareSpace. Of course, out of universe, SPR really is sponsored by Anchor.fm. The ad is incorporated into the episodes so seamlessly I didn't realize it was a genuine ad the first few times I heard it. Also, may I just say that the SPR website is excellently designed. I love that the in-universe shows have there own pages. The team went the extra mile for an immersive experience.
Why don't we talk about this individual segments? We'll start with the news segment. Apparently, this particular SPR station is based in Paradise City. It certainly sounds like one of those places you’d encounter in Silver Age DC Comics. One of the rescuing plot lines in the news segment is that the President of the United States has passed a harsh law targeting illegal aliens. By that, I of course mean space aliens who arrived on Earth without going through the proper immigration channels. This is a bit of a problem, as many of these aliens are refugees from planets that have been destroyed. Chief among these is the superhero Cosmos. He's a Superman-esque hero; arrived on Earth as a baby, last survivor of a doomed planet, raised by a loving American couple.
We eventually get mention of an island full of cloned dinosaurs. Apparently, they were supposed to be part of an amusement park that went horribly wrong. This is obviously a stand-in for Jurassic Park, meaning superheroes and comics aren’t the only source of parody and references for SPR. Although, in fairness, Jurassic Park wouldn't be out of place in a superhero comic.
It's interesting, as there was a somewhat similar plotline in volume two of Astro City. That includes the big reveal about the President, but I'll leave that for you to discover. I'm also vaguely reminded of that time Lex Luthor, somehow, was elected president. It is a very exciting plotline, and I can't wait to see where it goes in future seasons. Meanwhile, the Heroic Legion, the SPR equivalent of the Justice League/Avengers is looking for a new city to host their headquarters. This is proving difficult, as most cities are wary of increased supervillain attacks. That, and many think the money should be spend on other things, like roads.
These American Supers chronicles the lives of interesting or notable people within the superhero and supervillain communities. One installment follows a reporter who goes undercover as a henchperson in the army of Croc Commando. He appears to be a stand-in for COBRA Commander from GI Joe. There are those who joined because they believe in Croc Commando's ideology. However, many more joined because they were just average people looking for a job. If that meant putting on a silly costume, and working for a guy who is more than a little nutty, then so be it. This particularly story actually get revisited. A woman who was, basically, a house mother for the henchmen gets interviewed. I really liked that the story of Croc Commando's henchmen got revisited.
Now let's talk about The Utility Belt. It is hosted by Stan the Henchman and Billy the Wiz Kid. They're both under the watchful eye of Producer Bot, who keeps them from getting too silly or off-topic. Stan and Billy help heroes and villains with various tech issues they encounter. Issues such as, what to do if your grappling hook gun jams while you're scaling a skyscraper. Or what to do if you're driving your car and accidentally hit Goatman’s Goatmobile. It's a fun little segment.
100% Invisible goes into the interesting history of everyday aspects of superheroics. Host Ares Greco takes us on a tour of the hidden history of things like supersuits or the design of heroic secret lair. One particularly interesting episode was where he chronicles the history of a book of prophecy that was discovered in Germany. This eventually lead a prophecy arms race. Of course, as with most prophecies, the wording of the book was a bit vague, which lead to...interesting results. Another fun episode was where Ares interviewed the daughter of one of the top heroic lair architects. 100% Invisible is produced by SPRX, Superhuman Public Radio Exchange. This is a nod to PRX, help produces 99% Invisible, as well as many other fine shows such as The Truth and Timestorm. Next to These American Supers, I would say that 100% Invisible is probably my favorite segment from SPR.
Also, the host is named Ares Greco? Given how many comic book and superhero tropes SPR uses, I'm tempted to believe he might be the Greek god Ares in disguise. Granted, beyond the name there is no evidence for this thus far. Still, I'm going to keep an eye out for any hints of this in future episodes. Thought, more likely, this is a nod to the fact the the host of 99% Invisible is named Roman Mars.
The Speech Bubble is something of a talk show. It is hosted by Kelly Close, who interview a variety of interesting people. She's a Ditko Award winner, a clever nod to Steve Ditko, co-creator of Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, and The Question. One interview I particularly liked was with a person who can talk to birds. Turns out, it isn't as much fun as it sounds, as many birds are apparently pretty big jerks.
As an April Fool's Day special, we get to hear an episode of VLN: Villain League News. They're the premier radio station for supervillains and other evil doers. They pride themselves on their perfectly balanced news coverage. Obviously, this is a reference both to Thanos and to Fox News, who claim to be Fair and Balanced, despite being blatantly biased to the right. They're home to numerous programs such as Wait, Wait, Don't Kill Me. It's a game show where kidnapped civilians answer trivia questions to avoid getting dunked in a pool of sulfuric acid. It's an obvious parody of Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me. VLN also has its own talk show, which features guests such as Zombie Stonewall Jackson, and Jessica Simpson...for some reason. It was a fun episode, and I hope this isn’t the last we’ve seen of VLN.
According to the SPR website, there are several other shows that have yet to appear on the podcast. There's Sequential, a true crime show clearly spoofing Serial. There's also Eerie Home Companion, a parody of Prairie Home Companion. There's even a show focused on superhero music called Sound Barrier. I certainly hope that this shows pop-up eventually in future seasons of SPR.
Well, I think that covers just about all the news that's fit to print. SPR is a fantastic loving superhero spoof of NPR, and all the shows you can find on NPR. Give it a listen today. Trust me, you'll be glad that you did.
Well, I think that should do it from me for now. I will see you guys next time.
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