1 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:16,600 Speaker 1: Novel. It was a cold, unusually windy evening in downtown 2 00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:19,599 Speaker 1: l A in two thousand and six. The hum of 3 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 1: the city was interrupted by a woman's screams for help. 4 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:25,599 Speaker 1: She was on the roof of a warehouse, running around 5 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:28,600 Speaker 1: in a pink skirt and flailing her arms. But on 6 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 1: the neighboring roof was a site that would make even 7 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:35,360 Speaker 1: the most jaded Angelino do a double take. A group 8 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:39,320 Speaker 1: of superheroes were assembled. They're dressed in colorful spandex costumes 9 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 1: and billowing caps. One of the heroes cried out, help 10 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:46,239 Speaker 1: is coming. At the edge of the roof was a 11 00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:50,239 Speaker 1: perfectly placed beam that spanned across the two buildings to 12 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:54,480 Speaker 1: create a precarious bridge. From this height, the people walking 13 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 1: along the street below looked like ants, We're gonna go 14 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 1: across two buildings on a beam, because that's the superheroes do. 15 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:06,640 Speaker 1: That's La Mauria. She's one of the heroes. She's wearing 16 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:09,919 Speaker 1: a gold spandex suit with no sleeves and a black cape. 17 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:13,679 Speaker 1: Her black hair is flowing in the wind. Gold lots 18 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:16,639 Speaker 1: and lots of gold, lots of gold like gold power 19 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:21,560 Speaker 1: and then I work gold pants well rap fans, super 20 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:26,520 Speaker 1: tight and um stiletto gold stiletto booths, because every superhero 21 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 1: should wear a s little boothe She stepped onto the 22 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:32,960 Speaker 1: beam towards the desperate woman. It's at night and there's 23 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:34,880 Speaker 1: a wind going, and I'm feeling my hair is kind 24 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:38,640 Speaker 1: of brushing against my face. I'm holding on to a beam, 25 00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:41,400 Speaker 1: just white knuckling it. Right, So I'm white knuckling this beam. 26 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:45,720 Speaker 1: I cannot see anything. With her face furrowed in concentration, 27 00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:49,600 Speaker 1: Lemuria and the other superheroes navigated the narrow space between 28 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:52,320 Speaker 1: the buildings. So here we go. So we're there, and 29 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 1: I literally no shape. I have no shame at all, 30 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:57,640 Speaker 1: no shape. I get on my hands and knees, and 31 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:00,400 Speaker 1: the wind is coming and I'm getting cold, and just 32 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:05,840 Speaker 1: one hit time, you know what I mean. This is 33 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:10,480 Speaker 1: like internal, ugly crying and just the fear of death. 34 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:15,840 Speaker 1: Midway across the beam, Lemuria thought it might be the end, 35 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 1: but after some hyperventilating, she saved the damsel in distress. 36 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:23,760 Speaker 1: At this point, I should add that while La Maria 37 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 1: thought she was defying death two above street level, she 38 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:31,400 Speaker 1: was actually blindfolded on a TV set, tiptoeing across a 39 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:34,280 Speaker 1: wooden beam. There was only a few inches off the floor. 40 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:37,240 Speaker 1: There was even a guy operating a wind machine to 41 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 1: simulate the gusty l a wind. I didn't realize it 42 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 1: wasn't real. We're on the set of a reality TV 43 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:54,160 Speaker 1: show like no other. Somewhere inside autous Welcome to Who 44 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:57,639 Speaker 1: Wants to Be a Superhero? Before Phoenix Jones and the 45 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 1: Rain City Superhero Movement started doing their ing. Who Wants 46 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:03,840 Speaker 1: to Be a Superhero was a reality competition show that 47 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:06,320 Speaker 1: aired on the Sci Fi Channel in two thousand and six. 48 00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:09,800 Speaker 1: It was like a cross between Big Brother and The Apprentice, 49 00:03:10,040 --> 00:03:13,440 Speaker 1: but with a whole lot more spandex. The premise was 50 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:16,359 Speaker 1: that comic book fans had to invent their own superhero 51 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:19,280 Speaker 1: persona and battle it out in a series of challenges 52 00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:26,359 Speaker 1: to see who possessed true superhero qualities compassion, courage, and kindness. 53 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 1: It's the church to make lifelong fetes. I'm a source 54 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 1: of life, i amdulous ball, I'm the last hero standing. 55 00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:40,840 Speaker 1: Would receive a prize that money can't buy. They'd have 56 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:45,120 Speaker 1: their character immortalized in an original comic book written by Stanley, 57 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 1: the mastermind behind Spider Man, The Hulk, the Fantastic Four, 58 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:52,160 Speaker 1: and some of the greatest comic book superheroes in history. 59 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:54,600 Speaker 1: When you look back at footage from Who Wants to 60 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:57,960 Speaker 1: Be a Superhero, it's can't be in pretty ridiculous. The 61 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:01,760 Speaker 1: contestants have names like the Iron and Forcer, cell Phone Girl, 62 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 1: or Nitro g and they carry homemade cardboard laser guns 63 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 1: or plastic bananas which supposedly transform into high tech weapons. 64 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:13,040 Speaker 1: It all looks pretty low budget. Who Wants to Be 65 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:16,039 Speaker 1: a Superhero air before the renaissance of all the superhero 66 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:19,719 Speaker 1: blockbuster movies, back when the real life superhero scene was 67 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:22,680 Speaker 1: just getting off the ground. In a way, the show 68 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:25,240 Speaker 1: laid the groundwork for the whole movement. I wanted to 69 00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:27,120 Speaker 1: get to know the people who played such a big 70 00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:30,920 Speaker 1: role in this weird subculture. I'm about to dive back 71 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:33,400 Speaker 1: into the comic book universe to find out what it 72 00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:37,200 Speaker 1: takes to triumph in the ultimate reality TV battle between 73 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:41,599 Speaker 1: real life superheroes. So don your capes, slip into your micra, 74 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:45,520 Speaker 1: and rehearse your cheesiest catchphrase, because things are about to 75 00:04:45,520 --> 00:04:49,280 Speaker 1: get ridiculous. I'm David Weinberg and from the Team's at 76 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:52,920 Speaker 1: Novel and I Heart Radio. This is the Superhero Complex, 77 00:04:53,120 --> 00:05:13,680 Speaker 1: Episode ten America's next top superhero. I'm such a nerd. 78 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:16,080 Speaker 1: You know. You're here in my house and it's just 79 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:20,520 Speaker 1: board games everywhere and swords and beholders and mind flares 80 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:25,680 Speaker 1: and dragons on the walls. And that's what makes me happy. 81 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:30,000 Speaker 1: I met Matthew Atherton at his house in the suburbs, 82 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:33,360 Speaker 1: about an hour east of Los Angeles. Back in two 83 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:36,320 Speaker 1: thousand and six, he was known as Feedback, a real 84 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:39,680 Speaker 1: life superhero, but not in the way that Phoenix Jones 85 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:42,719 Speaker 1: is a real life superhero. I'm not the guy who 86 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:45,000 Speaker 1: you know is going to put on a costume and 87 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:48,400 Speaker 1: go into dark alleys and look for wrongs that need 88 00:05:48,440 --> 00:05:52,640 Speaker 1: to be righted. Feedback is Matthew's superhero character, created for 89 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:56,000 Speaker 1: who wants to be a superhero. Before he was Feedback, though, 90 00:05:56,279 --> 00:05:59,560 Speaker 1: Matthew liked to role play as his favorite superheroes, in 91 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:03,679 Speaker 1: particular Spider Man. I made a Spiderman costume and dressed 92 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:06,360 Speaker 1: up as Spider Man and led the Halloween parade a 93 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:09,240 Speaker 1: Spiderman and stuff like that. And in college he even 94 00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:12,279 Speaker 1: made his own Spider Man movies. So the first one 95 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:15,599 Speaker 1: was called The Origin, and I sent a copy to 96 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:22,040 Speaker 1: my mom, and my mom sent it to Marvel, and so, uh, 97 00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:25,400 Speaker 1: I got this letter that said, we really love that 98 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:28,360 Speaker 1: you're excited about the character, but you can't do this, 99 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:31,360 Speaker 1: you know, getting this, I'm like, mom, why did you 100 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:35,520 Speaker 1: do that? And so I wrote back a letter that said, hey, 101 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:38,200 Speaker 1: you know, we're not charging any money for any of this. 102 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:41,280 Speaker 1: I said, we're just making fan films. And I got 103 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:43,479 Speaker 1: another letter back that's like, you know, it's tough to 104 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:45,839 Speaker 1: break into the comic book business. You know, try hanging 105 00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:47,839 Speaker 1: out at a comic bookstore and all this other stuff. 106 00:06:47,839 --> 00:06:51,320 Speaker 1: And I thought, this is worthless. Maybe Marvel knew something 107 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:53,800 Speaker 1: Matthew didn't at the time, because hanging out at this 108 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 1: local comic bookstore would change his life. One day, around 109 00:06:58,320 --> 00:07:01,560 Speaker 1: two thousand and five, many years after Matthew got in 110 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:04,240 Speaker 1: touch with Marvel, he saw an ad for an open 111 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:07,360 Speaker 1: casting call. It was for a show called Who Wants 112 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:11,520 Speaker 1: to Be a Superhero? Matthew raced home and forged a 113 00:07:11,560 --> 00:07:16,480 Speaker 1: brand new superhero persona feedback. Feedback had the power to 114 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:22,160 Speaker 1: draw energy from others. If I was with other heroes, 115 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:26,680 Speaker 1: I could enhance their powers, and if I were with 116 00:07:26,720 --> 00:07:32,000 Speaker 1: a villain, I could pull their power down. Feedback were 117 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:35,240 Speaker 1: a black iron man looking suit with electric blue detailing 118 00:07:35,400 --> 00:07:37,840 Speaker 1: and a big letter F in the middle. On the 119 00:07:37,880 --> 00:07:39,960 Speaker 1: day of auditions, Feedback took the day off from his 120 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:42,880 Speaker 1: job as a software engineer and drove down to Sunset 121 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:46,240 Speaker 1: Gower Studios in Hollywood. He parked his car and quickly 122 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:49,240 Speaker 1: realized he wasn't alone. There was a whole crowd of 123 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:52,680 Speaker 1: would be superheroes milling around, blinking in the rain and 124 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:55,240 Speaker 1: waiting to be told what to do. The battle to 125 00:07:55,280 --> 00:07:58,040 Speaker 1: become one of the show's contestants was clearly going to 126 00:07:58,080 --> 00:08:01,200 Speaker 1: be fierce, like how do you do this? And it's like, well, 127 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:06,960 Speaker 1: let's have an open casting call and we'll put it everywhere, Craigslist, everywhere. 128 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:09,680 Speaker 1: This is Rick tell Us, he's the director of the show. 129 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:12,080 Speaker 1: He was raging on the day of the auditions and 130 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 1: he was scared nobody would show up. But Rick definitely 131 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:18,280 Speaker 1: underestimated the number of would be superheroes in l A. 132 00:08:18,840 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 1: And then I remember going outside looking down the street 133 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 1: and there was this huge line of people and it 134 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:30,160 Speaker 1: just kept getting bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger. 135 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:32,880 Speaker 1: He had to open a second studio to house them all, 136 00:08:33,280 --> 00:08:35,840 Speaker 1: and they were all dressed up and I'm thinking to myself, 137 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:38,839 Speaker 1: how do you keep them entertained? Rick didn't have to 138 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:42,680 Speaker 1: do anything because these weren't regular people. They were superheroes, 139 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:47,079 Speaker 1: and it's just completely filled with spectacle, you know, people 140 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:50,720 Speaker 1: that are wearing huge wings and some people even like 141 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:53,520 Speaker 1: breathing fire, you know, and I'm like, how is that? 142 00:08:53,559 --> 00:08:55,720 Speaker 1: You probably should not be doing that in an enclosed space. 143 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:03,400 Speaker 1: Feedback and the other superheroes walked into a dramatic black 144 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:05,720 Speaker 1: room and took their place in a pool of light. 145 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:10,160 Speaker 1: Then they introduced themselves, told their superhero origin story, and 146 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:13,599 Speaker 1: explain their powers to Stanley, who's peering down from a 147 00:09:13,679 --> 00:09:17,720 Speaker 1: large screen. There was Monkey Woman who sounds exactly like 148 00:09:17,760 --> 00:09:20,600 Speaker 1: a monkey, and there was Ice Bitch, who has the 149 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:25,600 Speaker 1: excellent catchphrase of freeze motherfucker. There was Mulletman, who looks 150 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:28,400 Speaker 1: as you'd expect, and then there was also a guy 151 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:31,839 Speaker 1: who can unleash the powers of his quote Harry Ass 152 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:35,320 Speaker 1: when he puts on a yellow thong and healed white boots. 153 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:39,560 Speaker 1: Here's director Rick. There was one woman that came in 154 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:42,200 Speaker 1: and took off her top and we were like, oh 155 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:45,480 Speaker 1: my god, how are we going to show this on TV? 156 00:09:46,559 --> 00:09:49,480 Speaker 1: Stan was like shocked, and we were all shocked or like, 157 00:09:49,520 --> 00:09:52,920 Speaker 1: oh my god. Apparently she liked to fight topless to 158 00:09:53,040 --> 00:09:55,920 Speaker 1: distract her enemies. Sometimes you have to go to extreme 159 00:09:55,920 --> 00:09:59,720 Speaker 1: measures to combat evil. Some of the wanna be TV stars, 160 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:03,040 Speaker 1: it seemed more invested in their characters than others. The 161 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:06,400 Speaker 1: trick was figuring out who's the most genuine. Maybe it 162 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:08,600 Speaker 1: was the woman clad in a pink leotard over her 163 00:10:08,679 --> 00:10:12,080 Speaker 1: skin tight black suit with donuts hanging around her waist. 164 00:10:12,840 --> 00:10:16,720 Speaker 1: My name is Alison Wilson. I'm known as Neil Wilson. 165 00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:20,720 Speaker 1: I wasn't into superheroes and stan Lee and I didn't 166 00:10:20,760 --> 00:10:23,720 Speaker 1: really even know who he was. You know. Allison's daughter 167 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:25,760 Speaker 1: had come home one day after seeing a post about 168 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:28,440 Speaker 1: the audition on social media. She said, they were doing 169 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:32,079 Speaker 1: auditions for Who Wants to Be a Superhero? And so 170 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:35,240 Speaker 1: we were playing around and um, trying to think of 171 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:37,920 Speaker 1: what we would be if I was a superhero. So 172 00:10:37,960 --> 00:10:40,240 Speaker 1: I said, well, I'm fat and I'm a mama, so 173 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:43,360 Speaker 1: I'll be fat mama. And so I had these donuts 174 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:46,120 Speaker 1: and I put some donuts around my waist, and I said, 175 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:49,000 Speaker 1: I'll read the world of bullies so I would help 176 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:52,120 Speaker 1: people to accept themselves the way they are, and the 177 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:55,000 Speaker 1: producers loved her. They loved her so much that that 178 00:10:55,240 --> 00:10:57,480 Speaker 1: Mama already knew she was in by the time she 179 00:10:57,520 --> 00:11:02,400 Speaker 1: attended the audition. It was merely a normality. But not 180 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:07,160 Speaker 1: everyone was having fun. Another aspiring superhero, Major Victory, was 181 00:11:07,240 --> 00:11:09,920 Speaker 1: dressed in ballet tights and a red shirt with a 182 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:12,720 Speaker 1: letter V duct tape to his chest. He was fed 183 00:11:12,800 --> 00:11:15,360 Speaker 1: up at the endless hours of auditioning and waiting around 184 00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:18,560 Speaker 1: as the producers tried to whittle down their contestants. What 185 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:22,400 Speaker 1: am I doing. I'm dressed in spandex, I'm sopping wet 186 00:11:22,600 --> 00:11:24,840 Speaker 1: my hair that I had all like a bunch of 187 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:27,560 Speaker 1: hair spray and and stuff, and I just felt like 188 00:11:27,559 --> 00:11:30,720 Speaker 1: a wet dog. And I wanted to leave. But just 189 00:11:30,760 --> 00:11:32,280 Speaker 1: as he was about to give up and go home, 190 00:11:32,520 --> 00:11:34,560 Speaker 1: he got a tap on the shoulder that would change 191 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:37,360 Speaker 1: his life forever. And I was just about to leave, 192 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:39,520 Speaker 1: and the producer grabbed me and said, hey, I want 193 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:43,360 Speaker 1: to introduce you to somebody. This is Diamond Girl. So 194 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:46,719 Speaker 1: he introduced me to Diamond Girl. So I met Diamond Girls. Said, hey, 195 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:50,160 Speaker 1: you want to see my diamond said sure, I'll check 196 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:54,520 Speaker 1: out your diamond and and um Diamond Girl ended up 197 00:11:54,880 --> 00:12:01,079 Speaker 1: being my wife. While romance blossomed between these who masked adventures, 198 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:04,400 Speaker 1: their spandex clad rivals were being put through the wringer. 199 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:09,199 Speaker 1: After being grilled and grueling round of interviews, psychological tests, 200 00:12:09,400 --> 00:12:12,520 Speaker 1: and a final round of performing their superhero battle cry 201 00:12:12,679 --> 00:12:16,800 Speaker 1: to Stanley himself, the producers picked their final twelve contestants. 202 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:20,640 Speaker 1: It took a bit of extra persuasion for feedback, but 203 00:12:20,679 --> 00:12:22,800 Speaker 1: I knew that if I were on the show, then 204 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:26,400 Speaker 1: people who really loved comics and loved the stories, and 205 00:12:27,040 --> 00:12:29,839 Speaker 1: not just the great artwork and the funny parts of it, 206 00:12:29,880 --> 00:12:32,679 Speaker 1: but the parts where you care about it. You know, 207 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:35,520 Speaker 1: stories that resonate with you as a human being. I 208 00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:39,240 Speaker 1: wanted to represent those people who really appreciated it and 209 00:12:39,320 --> 00:12:42,040 Speaker 1: just said, I feel like this is my purpose. There's 210 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:44,400 Speaker 1: the reason why I'm on the planet. His speech to 211 00:12:44,440 --> 00:12:47,640 Speaker 1: the producers did the trick. Feedback, secured his spot on 212 00:12:47,679 --> 00:12:52,520 Speaker 1: the show, and perhaps unadvisedly quit his job that same day. 213 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:56,120 Speaker 1: On the first day of filming, the chosen twelve superheroes 214 00:12:56,240 --> 00:12:59,600 Speaker 1: arrived one by one on set to a luxurious mansion 215 00:12:59,800 --> 00:13:04,640 Speaker 1: with large staircases. Each character was profiled in true comic 216 00:13:04,640 --> 00:13:08,720 Speaker 1: book fashion in a majestic entrance hall, Fat Mama, Feedback, 217 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:12,280 Speaker 1: Major Victory, and Lemuria. We're all sizing each other up 218 00:13:12,320 --> 00:13:17,800 Speaker 1: over a welcome toast. Alongside them were Monkey Woman, Cellphone Girl, Creature, 219 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:23,880 Speaker 1: Iron Enforcer, Nitro g Tculus Levity, and Rode Art, who 220 00:13:23,960 --> 00:13:26,440 Speaker 1: was wearing a silver suit and a silver army helmet. 221 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:31,120 Speaker 1: At first, I was a little bit intimidated because, like 222 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:34,560 Speaker 1: I said, all I saw was these people, and they're young, 223 00:13:34,760 --> 00:13:37,920 Speaker 1: and you know, they looked like what America or people 224 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:40,800 Speaker 1: think a superhero supposed. It looked like we had no 225 00:13:40,920 --> 00:13:43,319 Speaker 1: idea what was going to be ahead of us. A 226 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:46,920 Speaker 1: party ensued. Monkey Woman was shaking her body wildly while 227 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:50,959 Speaker 1: cell Phone Girl danced the Robot Levity, an action figure 228 00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:54,000 Speaker 1: shop owner, discussed his plans to blaze a trail for 229 00:13:54,040 --> 00:13:58,040 Speaker 1: the LGBTQ community as a superhero with the added perk 230 00:13:58,120 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 1: of being able to cash in with his own act 231 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:03,439 Speaker 1: and figure. Creature, who could heal others with fruit and 232 00:14:03,640 --> 00:14:07,040 Speaker 1: raw foods, was flirting with the other heroes, and Iron Enforcer, 233 00:14:07,160 --> 00:14:10,280 Speaker 1: with his machine gun arm was bragging about his affinity 234 00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:14,400 Speaker 1: for killing people. Suddenly, Stanley interrupted them from a screen 235 00:14:14,440 --> 00:14:16,240 Speaker 1: in the corner that none of them had been paying 236 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:23,720 Speaker 1: attention to. He was wearing his iconic aviator glasses. He'd 237 00:14:23,760 --> 00:14:26,000 Speaker 1: been watching them for a while. I was appalled at 238 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:28,880 Speaker 1: the chaotic scene unfolding in front of him. This was 239 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:32,320 Speaker 1: serious business and not what superheroes were supposed to do. 240 00:14:35,360 --> 00:14:42,120 Speaker 1: Hero like that, he informed them that he was looking 241 00:14:42,160 --> 00:14:45,840 Speaker 1: for human qualities that make superheroes great. They were going 242 00:14:45,920 --> 00:14:48,480 Speaker 1: to move to a secret layer, because, after all, their 243 00:14:48,520 --> 00:14:52,040 Speaker 1: identities were supposed to be kept secret. The mansion was 244 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:55,960 Speaker 1: just a tease. They were ushered into an inconspicuous vehicle 245 00:14:56,120 --> 00:14:59,200 Speaker 1: to take them to their hideout, and by inconspicuous, I 246 00:14:59,280 --> 00:15:02,360 Speaker 1: mean a long and glaringly white limousine with disco lights 247 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:06,200 Speaker 1: blasting from the inside. We're driving around a limo, around 248 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:08,000 Speaker 1: and around, and we pulled up to kind of a 249 00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:11,320 Speaker 1: very nondescript building. And if you wouldn't have been able 250 00:15:11,360 --> 00:15:16,000 Speaker 1: to talent from outside, I remember that excitement of we 251 00:15:16,120 --> 00:15:17,920 Speaker 1: knew there was going to be a challenge, but we 252 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:22,600 Speaker 1: had no idea what it was going to be. They 253 00:15:22,680 --> 00:15:25,680 Speaker 1: arrived at a storage facility with dumpsters and barbed wire 254 00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:28,760 Speaker 1: lining the street. It took the contestants a while before, 255 00:15:28,800 --> 00:15:32,240 Speaker 1: they spotted stan Lee on another screen. Stanley had a 256 00:15:32,320 --> 00:15:35,160 Speaker 1: message for them, quote, I'm afraid one of you will 257 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:37,440 Speaker 1: not be allowed to enter. There happens to be a 258 00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:40,080 Speaker 1: spy amongst you. I've enlisted the help of one of 259 00:15:40,120 --> 00:15:42,880 Speaker 1: my assistants to infiltrate the group. I have to be 260 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:44,720 Speaker 1: sure that all of you are here for the right reasons. 261 00:15:45,360 --> 00:15:49,120 Speaker 1: They all started pointing fingers. Then Roti Art stepped forward 262 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:54,560 Speaker 1: spelled backwards. Is stradar. I've got all of you on 263 00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:58,400 Speaker 1: tape since the very beginning, watching all of your moves. 264 00:15:58,960 --> 00:16:02,360 Speaker 1: Pulling out footage from the party, rodi Art showcased multiple 265 00:16:02,440 --> 00:16:06,520 Speaker 1: examples of indecent superhero behavior. In a tense moment outside 266 00:16:06,560 --> 00:16:10,520 Speaker 1: the storage facility, Levity was eliminated. His plan to monetize 267 00:16:10,560 --> 00:16:13,400 Speaker 1: his superhero status with an action figure did not sit 268 00:16:13,480 --> 00:16:16,840 Speaker 1: well with the Great Stanley. One of the main qualities 269 00:16:16,960 --> 00:16:21,520 Speaker 1: of the superhero is selflessness. I understand you have a 270 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:25,480 Speaker 1: toy shop and you hope to make millions on your character. 271 00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:30,800 Speaker 1: Superheroes were not supposed to be greedy. Levity never got 272 00:16:30,880 --> 00:16:33,160 Speaker 1: his chance to fulfill his dream of becoming a gay 273 00:16:33,280 --> 00:16:37,040 Speaker 1: superhero icon. His sudden departure sent shock waves through the 274 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:41,080 Speaker 1: remaining heroes. Ship just got real. This probably would have 275 00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:43,520 Speaker 1: been a good time to remind everyone of the contracts 276 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:46,680 Speaker 1: they had signed, which allegedly included a clause that the 277 00:16:46,720 --> 00:16:49,840 Speaker 1: producers could lie to their faces. But I'm willing to 278 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:52,560 Speaker 1: bet that reading the fine print was not a superpower 279 00:16:52,760 --> 00:16:54,640 Speaker 1: that many in the group put to use on the show. 280 00:16:55,920 --> 00:16:58,360 Speaker 1: We walked through would look like a sweatshop. There was 281 00:16:58,440 --> 00:17:02,400 Speaker 1: these people sitting there, so seen, soing, and all factory going. 282 00:17:03,240 --> 00:17:06,840 Speaker 1: The remaining ten superheroes found a rickety old elevator. There 283 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:09,120 Speaker 1: was a warning sign on the door. After a few 284 00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:12,320 Speaker 1: moments of hesitation, they decided to go in. The elevator 285 00:17:12,359 --> 00:17:15,359 Speaker 1: took them up to a darkened floor. Then the lights 286 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:17,840 Speaker 1: came on and they were standing in a huge room 287 00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:22,000 Speaker 1: with tall ceilings lined with candle light. The furniture was 288 00:17:22,080 --> 00:17:24,919 Speaker 1: draped with velvet. There was even a hot tub. They 289 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:28,320 Speaker 1: had finally made it to their secret layer. Major Victory 290 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:31,800 Speaker 1: was psyched. When you got into it, you felt more 291 00:17:31,880 --> 00:17:34,600 Speaker 1: like a superhero, you know what I mean? Oh yeah, 292 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:37,200 Speaker 1: check this. Look at all the red brick kind of 293 00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:41,840 Speaker 1: goes with my outfit. Nice cool, But the heroes were 294 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:44,680 Speaker 1: also a bit wary. It wasn't just the production team, 295 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:47,800 Speaker 1: but the heroes were suspicious of They didn't trust each 296 00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:50,879 Speaker 1: other either. On the first night, Fat Mama overheard a 297 00:17:50,920 --> 00:17:53,359 Speaker 1: whole lot of superhero bitching going on in the layers 298 00:17:53,440 --> 00:17:56,520 Speaker 1: hot tub. I was on one side of the curtain 299 00:17:57,040 --> 00:18:02,399 Speaker 1: and Lamaria Nitro creature where in the hot tub, and 300 00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:04,440 Speaker 1: so they didn't know I was on the other side 301 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:06,840 Speaker 1: of the curtain, and they were saying, oh, Fat Boma 302 00:18:06,880 --> 00:18:09,560 Speaker 1: was definitely going first. You don't even need to be here. 303 00:18:09,760 --> 00:18:12,440 Speaker 1: He can't do nothing. But you know, all this stuff, 304 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:15,800 Speaker 1: I've never said that. That hurt my feelers, but at 305 00:18:15,880 --> 00:18:19,480 Speaker 1: the same time it gave me determination that I'm gonna 306 00:18:19,480 --> 00:18:25,640 Speaker 1: show them. You know, the superheroes hadn't even started competing 307 00:18:25,640 --> 00:18:29,159 Speaker 1: against each other, but already there were personality conflicts and 308 00:18:29,359 --> 00:18:33,119 Speaker 1: rivalries were simmering. After tiling off, it was time to 309 00:18:33,160 --> 00:18:35,720 Speaker 1: get some rest. The next day, the heroes would do 310 00:18:35,760 --> 00:18:38,960 Speaker 1: battle for real in a series of outlandish challenges that 311 00:18:39,040 --> 00:18:42,439 Speaker 1: would push their powers to the limit. That's coming up. 312 00:19:02,119 --> 00:19:05,359 Speaker 1: The superheroes were all assembled at Pershing Square, a paved 313 00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:08,320 Speaker 1: park in downtown Los Angeles. It was time for the 314 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:11,959 Speaker 1: first challenge. Their mission was to make it from one 315 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:14,480 Speaker 1: end of the park to the other as quickly as possible. 316 00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:18,359 Speaker 1: At the same time they do inconspicuously change into their 317 00:19:18,440 --> 00:19:22,200 Speaker 1: full superhero outfit. I think Clark can't turning into Superman 318 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:24,920 Speaker 1: and the telephone booth but while running at the same time. 319 00:19:25,680 --> 00:19:28,399 Speaker 1: It was cheesy from the get go. Monkey Woman scaled 320 00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:31,800 Speaker 1: a treat to change into her outfit, then somersaulted back 321 00:19:31,840 --> 00:19:35,080 Speaker 1: down to the ground. The Iron Enforcer sprinted through the 322 00:19:35,160 --> 00:19:39,040 Speaker 1: park brandishing a homemade laser gun. Then it was Fat 323 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:42,840 Speaker 1: Mama's turn. I though, I can't outrun these guys and 324 00:19:43,200 --> 00:19:45,920 Speaker 1: all the younger people and stuff, but I'll just go 325 00:19:46,080 --> 00:19:49,040 Speaker 1: through as they asked. She rounded a corner and saw 326 00:19:49,160 --> 00:19:57,840 Speaker 1: something unusual and so what does he look? Come on, 327 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:04,960 Speaker 1: I saw this little girl crying, and I stopped and 328 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:07,359 Speaker 1: asked her was she okay? And she was saying she 329 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:09,760 Speaker 1: lost her parents and stuff. And then there was a 330 00:20:09,880 --> 00:20:12,520 Speaker 1: sign over to the side that says security. So I 331 00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:15,000 Speaker 1: ran her in there and I ran, you know, took 332 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:18,240 Speaker 1: her to security. There was a trick at play that 333 00:20:18,359 --> 00:20:22,880 Speaker 1: Stanley didn't reveal. Here's director Rick tell Us. We put 334 00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:26,359 Speaker 1: a little girl next to a fountain who was lost 335 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:28,920 Speaker 1: and she needed her mom. And we wanted to see 336 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:33,680 Speaker 1: who would stop and throw the challenge and help that 337 00:20:33,760 --> 00:20:39,000 Speaker 1: little girl. And that was the real challenge. Major Victory 338 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:41,840 Speaker 1: also spotted the secret challenge and decided to ramp up 339 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:44,920 Speaker 1: the drama just a little. I think I said, who 340 00:20:45,080 --> 00:20:48,040 Speaker 1: is this child's mother? I did by d J Boys Blue. 341 00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:51,560 Speaker 1: He proceeded to carry the little girl heroically to security office. 342 00:20:51,920 --> 00:20:54,600 Speaker 1: Lemuria also decided to help the girl, but she had 343 00:20:54,640 --> 00:20:58,080 Speaker 1: a different problem. I just were running in these crazy heels. 344 00:20:58,359 --> 00:21:00,760 Speaker 1: I do not recommend that for any in the future, 345 00:21:01,240 --> 00:21:03,199 Speaker 1: and wants to create a superior costumers do not use. 346 00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:11,080 Speaker 1: Still let him feels, and then there was feedback. Things 347 00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:14,520 Speaker 1: were going wrong and the zippers were not going up 348 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:17,600 Speaker 1: and clasps were not clasping, and I was like, oh man. 349 00:21:18,119 --> 00:21:21,240 Speaker 1: After a struggle behind some porter parties, feedback was finally 350 00:21:21,280 --> 00:21:24,320 Speaker 1: suited up. As he was running, some straps from his 351 00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:27,720 Speaker 1: costume fell off in front of the girl. All I 352 00:21:27,800 --> 00:21:32,040 Speaker 1: saw was that archway and I flew past. After he 353 00:21:32,160 --> 00:21:34,680 Speaker 1: was done, the production team asked him how he thought 354 00:21:34,760 --> 00:21:37,800 Speaker 1: he did, and then they said, so, did you see 355 00:21:37,800 --> 00:21:42,639 Speaker 1: anything unusual? And I said unusual. No, they said, you 356 00:21:42,720 --> 00:21:48,000 Speaker 1: didn't see a little girl, and I thought, oh I missed. 357 00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:54,280 Speaker 1: Oh I'm done. Made me on the rooftop in time 358 00:21:54,600 --> 00:21:58,480 Speaker 1: for an elimination. All the contestants were called up to 359 00:21:58,480 --> 00:22:00,600 Speaker 1: the rooftop of their secret layer in the middle of 360 00:22:00,640 --> 00:22:04,040 Speaker 1: the night. They stood on glowing cubes with the lights 361 00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:06,640 Speaker 1: of l A glittering behind them. It was the first 362 00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:10,960 Speaker 1: of many supposedly epic game show eliminations. Stanley was peering 363 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:14,320 Speaker 1: down on them from a big screen. Once again, here's Lemuria. 364 00:22:14,920 --> 00:22:16,600 Speaker 1: So it's all very dramatic, and none of you know 365 00:22:16,720 --> 00:22:18,800 Speaker 1: who's leaving. You're all packed. I think we had to 366 00:22:18,800 --> 00:22:21,760 Speaker 1: pack up every single time. Stan was disappointed at the 367 00:22:21,800 --> 00:22:25,440 Speaker 1: six contestants that missed the little girl. This obviously wasn't 368 00:22:25,480 --> 00:22:28,920 Speaker 1: a test of speed. The girl was practically screaming for help. 369 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:32,560 Speaker 1: Stand calls on three of the failures to explain themselves, 370 00:22:32,840 --> 00:22:37,000 Speaker 1: and in the end, Nitro g gets sent home Nitrogen 371 00:22:38,480 --> 00:22:42,760 Speaker 1: Turn into your costume. He changed out in plain sight 372 00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:45,679 Speaker 1: and totally missed the girl. He was both the youngest 373 00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:48,480 Speaker 1: contestant and the biggest comic book collector of all of them. 374 00:22:49,119 --> 00:22:51,280 Speaker 1: When he heard the news, he solemnly pulled off his 375 00:22:51,359 --> 00:22:54,760 Speaker 1: gloves and threw them into a nearby trash can. Fat 376 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:58,400 Speaker 1: Mama felt relieved. I laughed so hard because I said 377 00:22:58,840 --> 00:23:00,840 Speaker 1: I thought I was gonna be the wanted to go home. 378 00:23:01,119 --> 00:23:03,880 Speaker 1: So I'm like, okay, so Fat Mama didn't go home. 379 00:23:06,920 --> 00:23:10,280 Speaker 1: Feedback took the results of the challenge to heart. I 380 00:23:10,480 --> 00:23:15,920 Speaker 1: was crushed. I felt like I had disappointed stand and 381 00:23:16,119 --> 00:23:19,800 Speaker 1: disappointed myself. I thought I knew the trick, and therefore 382 00:23:20,119 --> 00:23:24,840 Speaker 1: I closed my mind off to other things, and so 383 00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:30,040 Speaker 1: being authentic was really the right way to go. And 384 00:23:30,160 --> 00:23:37,400 Speaker 1: my most authentic self is Captain Oblivious. The contestants all 385 00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:40,080 Speaker 1: lived together in a house and were filmed intensively every 386 00:23:40,160 --> 00:23:43,400 Speaker 1: day for two weeks. Each episode took about three days 387 00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:46,080 Speaker 1: to film. There wasn't a huge budget for the show, 388 00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:49,720 Speaker 1: and the contestants suffered as a result. You go into 389 00:23:49,760 --> 00:23:51,639 Speaker 1: the bath room, it was like it's no white the 390 00:23:51,760 --> 00:23:55,840 Speaker 1: seventh Awards. There's these lines of twin side beds and 391 00:23:55,960 --> 00:23:58,440 Speaker 1: I'm like, we gotta sleep in here, all next to 392 00:23:58,520 --> 00:24:01,200 Speaker 1: each other. We all thought we would getting their own 393 00:24:01,320 --> 00:24:04,080 Speaker 1: bed room, so maybe two to a room. So you 394 00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:06,240 Speaker 1: never thought she was gonna be sleeping in a room 395 00:24:06,359 --> 00:24:10,120 Speaker 1: for growing the dope. You know, at night they say 396 00:24:10,240 --> 00:24:12,560 Speaker 1: good night John. You know you say good night to 397 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:15,960 Speaker 1: each person going down the line. As well as sharing 398 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:18,479 Speaker 1: a bedroom, there was only one bathroom between them all. 399 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:21,200 Speaker 1: They often slept with their shoes next to their beds 400 00:24:21,440 --> 00:24:24,000 Speaker 1: in case a challenge was sprung on them during the night. 401 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:26,840 Speaker 1: Living on top of each other for days and days 402 00:24:26,880 --> 00:24:29,840 Speaker 1: on end, the contestants started to get more and more tired. 403 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:35,320 Speaker 1: According to La Mauria, tensions were starting to build. Okay, 404 00:24:35,359 --> 00:24:38,919 Speaker 1: so fat Mama really got reality, Like she really understood, 405 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:41,120 Speaker 1: like she was gonna push buttons and kind of make 406 00:24:41,160 --> 00:24:44,600 Speaker 1: things happen and be in the middle of all the craziness. Right. 407 00:24:45,040 --> 00:24:46,760 Speaker 1: But she, oh man, she got so she would just 408 00:24:46,840 --> 00:24:48,600 Speaker 1: pick at me a little. She was just a little. 409 00:24:49,200 --> 00:24:51,040 Speaker 1: It was something you're like, Okay, cool, I can handle that. 410 00:24:51,160 --> 00:24:54,960 Speaker 1: That's fine. Just get on my nerves, Okay, she just oh, 411 00:24:55,000 --> 00:24:58,119 Speaker 1: I was getting pissed. There wasn't time for the contestants 412 00:24:58,240 --> 00:25:01,439 Speaker 1: to hold drudges for long. The filming schedule was packed 413 00:25:01,600 --> 00:25:05,320 Speaker 1: with challenge after challenge designed to put their superhero qualities 414 00:25:05,359 --> 00:25:08,920 Speaker 1: to the test. By the second week of filming, the 415 00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:12,840 Speaker 1: superheroes overcrowded bedroom was getting emptier and emptier. There were 416 00:25:12,880 --> 00:25:17,639 Speaker 1: only four superheroes still standing, Lemuria, Fat Mama, Major victory 417 00:25:17,960 --> 00:25:20,440 Speaker 1: and feedback. They had to battle it out in a 418 00:25:20,600 --> 00:25:24,680 Speaker 1: questionable challenge that would prove fateful for the ending. The 419 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:27,800 Speaker 1: remaining heroes were standing in the kitchen eating fruit before 420 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:31,280 Speaker 1: Stanley appeared on a screen. He said, very shortly, you'll 421 00:25:31,320 --> 00:25:34,840 Speaker 1: meet some hardened criminals. All of them are incarcerated as 422 00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:38,000 Speaker 1: we speak. They'll spend some quality time with them in 423 00:25:38,080 --> 00:25:40,600 Speaker 1: an effort to show them the error of their ways. 424 00:25:41,800 --> 00:25:45,480 Speaker 1: The challenge was to prevent these criminals from reoffending. The 425 00:25:45,560 --> 00:25:48,159 Speaker 1: superheroes were genuinely nervous as they got taken to the 426 00:25:48,240 --> 00:25:51,399 Speaker 1: prison to meet the convicts. It was a big sandy 427 00:25:51,520 --> 00:25:55,400 Speaker 1: yard surrounded by tall fences and barbed wire. The whole 428 00:25:55,400 --> 00:25:59,720 Speaker 1: setup was fantastically absurd. The spandex, the minivan, the orange 429 00:25:59,800 --> 00:26:03,600 Speaker 1: jump suits, and the camo clad prison guard brandishing liability 430 00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:08,280 Speaker 1: contracts that assumed any in all risks, including death. What's 431 00:26:08,320 --> 00:26:10,879 Speaker 1: more is that the superheroes had also been given secret 432 00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:14,280 Speaker 1: tasks to complete. In their encounter with the prisoners, La 433 00:26:14,320 --> 00:26:17,040 Speaker 1: Mauria had to sit on an inmates lap for ten seconds. 434 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:21,679 Speaker 1: This challenge felt particularly gross to me, especially the use 435 00:26:21,720 --> 00:26:26,720 Speaker 1: of prisoners comic relief. Unsurprisingly, Lea Maria felt uncomfortable with 436 00:26:26,800 --> 00:26:29,560 Speaker 1: the situation that the producers had put her in. I 437 00:26:29,720 --> 00:26:32,800 Speaker 1: was really tired. I was so tired, and I hadn't 438 00:26:32,840 --> 00:26:35,119 Speaker 1: been sleeping. I tried to give people a great deal 439 00:26:35,160 --> 00:26:38,200 Speaker 1: of respect for their personal space, for their personal body. 440 00:26:38,560 --> 00:26:40,560 Speaker 1: So for me personally, I kind of felt a little 441 00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:43,560 Speaker 1: bit weird being in somebody's personal space that had already 442 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:46,920 Speaker 1: been in prison, that had already been um it was 443 00:26:46,960 --> 00:26:51,040 Speaker 1: already paying their dues. I didn't want to be more disrespectful. 444 00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:52,879 Speaker 1: It doesn't matter if I'm on a TV show, it 445 00:26:52,920 --> 00:26:55,600 Speaker 1: doesn't matter if I'm you know, in a really cool costume. 446 00:26:55,760 --> 00:26:59,160 Speaker 1: It does not give me the right to invade another 447 00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:01,879 Speaker 1: human being space, and especially a human being there's a 448 00:27:01,960 --> 00:27:04,920 Speaker 1: point in their life that they're not doing great. But 449 00:27:05,040 --> 00:27:07,800 Speaker 1: in the world of Stanley, all is not as it seems. 450 00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:11,960 Speaker 1: It turns out the prisoners were all actors. Lamuria was 451 00:27:12,000 --> 00:27:14,639 Speaker 1: actually talking to dot Marie Jones, who would go on 452 00:27:14,760 --> 00:27:17,840 Speaker 1: to play Coach Sheldon on Glee. She was sitting on 453 00:27:17,920 --> 00:27:20,440 Speaker 1: a chair with an angry demeanor, legs sprawled out in 454 00:27:20,480 --> 00:27:23,000 Speaker 1: front of her. Her red hair was messy and unkempt. 455 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:26,320 Speaker 1: In a desperate attempt to complete her challenge, La Mauria 456 00:27:26,359 --> 00:27:29,280 Speaker 1: abruptly tried to sit on the coach's lap without consent. 457 00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:33,480 Speaker 1: The actress shoved her away and angrily stormed off again. 458 00:27:33,520 --> 00:27:35,760 Speaker 1: I'm sorry if I disrespected you in anyway. I really, 459 00:27:35,840 --> 00:27:42,560 Speaker 1: I really are. Feedback, on the other hand, had to 460 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:45,639 Speaker 1: hug an inmate three times. I don't think being phony 461 00:27:45,760 --> 00:27:48,920 Speaker 1: has any part of being superhero. So the only way 462 00:27:48,960 --> 00:27:50,800 Speaker 1: that I'm going to hug that person is if I 463 00:27:50,920 --> 00:27:54,920 Speaker 1: feel a genuine response to hug. The fake convict asked 464 00:27:55,040 --> 00:27:57,840 Speaker 1: to have his handcuffs removed. The man was apparently in 465 00:27:57,960 --> 00:28:01,600 Speaker 1: jail for four counts of murder. Feedback asked if he 466 00:28:01,680 --> 00:28:04,560 Speaker 1: felt any remorse for his victims families, and the man 467 00:28:04,720 --> 00:28:09,040 Speaker 1: replied no, because my own father was murdered. In return, 468 00:28:09,520 --> 00:28:12,920 Speaker 1: Feedback opened up with his own story. He revealed, and 469 00:28:12,960 --> 00:28:15,720 Speaker 1: when he was a kid, his father took his own life. 470 00:28:16,680 --> 00:28:20,040 Speaker 1: I don't know what your life was like, but I 471 00:28:20,119 --> 00:28:23,600 Speaker 1: know what it's like to leave to dad when my 472 00:28:23,800 --> 00:28:28,320 Speaker 1: dad died. I started getting back into the Spider Man 473 00:28:28,760 --> 00:28:32,600 Speaker 1: comic books, but for me. I was searching for father 474 00:28:32,720 --> 00:28:36,240 Speaker 1: figures and the character of Peter Parker, the decisions he 475 00:28:36,280 --> 00:28:39,520 Speaker 1: would make. I took that and was integrating that like 476 00:28:39,640 --> 00:28:43,200 Speaker 1: a father figure almost. But it wasn't Peter Parker that 477 00:28:43,240 --> 00:28:44,960 Speaker 1: I was looking at as the father figure. It was 478 00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:48,160 Speaker 1: the creator of the stories, the writing, and that was 479 00:28:48,240 --> 00:28:52,760 Speaker 1: stan Lee. The producers had no idea. This emotional exchange 480 00:28:52,880 --> 00:28:55,920 Speaker 1: turned into a big hug, and Feedback managed to complete 481 00:28:56,000 --> 00:29:00,360 Speaker 1: his secret task. Later, at that night's elimination ceremony, Stanley 482 00:29:00,400 --> 00:29:02,680 Speaker 1: announced that he'd won a place in the next round. 483 00:29:03,400 --> 00:29:06,160 Speaker 1: Feedback thanked his father figure with tears in his eyes. 484 00:29:07,080 --> 00:29:10,120 Speaker 1: The episode was a real emotional roller coaster and reminded 485 00:29:10,160 --> 00:29:11,960 Speaker 1: me of a lot of the time I spent with 486 00:29:12,040 --> 00:29:15,560 Speaker 1: the real life superheroes, especially those moments where one minute 487 00:29:15,600 --> 00:29:19,040 Speaker 1: I would be thinking this is all so ridiculous, and 488 00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:21,400 Speaker 1: then the next moment I would be so moved by 489 00:29:21,480 --> 00:29:24,480 Speaker 1: the work the superheroes were doing and by their dedication 490 00:29:24,800 --> 00:29:27,560 Speaker 1: to bettering their community, even if it was in this 491 00:29:27,720 --> 00:29:32,040 Speaker 1: really bonkers way. Unfortunately for Lemuria, she was the only 492 00:29:32,080 --> 00:29:35,400 Speaker 1: one who failed to complete the prisoner challenge. Stan told 493 00:29:35,440 --> 00:29:37,960 Speaker 1: her it was time to pack her bags. I was 494 00:29:38,040 --> 00:29:41,400 Speaker 1: incredibly sad to leave from outside. It's kind of like 495 00:29:41,480 --> 00:29:44,000 Speaker 1: this wacky show, I think, but for inside and being 496 00:29:44,040 --> 00:29:47,480 Speaker 1: with the people that were on it and doing these challenges, 497 00:29:47,600 --> 00:29:50,240 Speaker 1: and we got to go in an amazing adventure and 498 00:29:50,960 --> 00:29:55,400 Speaker 1: experiencing that adventure. And then when stance like, well, you're done, 499 00:29:55,560 --> 00:29:57,360 Speaker 1: and then these other people get to keep on going, 500 00:29:58,360 --> 00:30:00,480 Speaker 1: you kind of you just just want a little our taste, 501 00:30:00,520 --> 00:30:02,480 Speaker 1: a little half. And you know, I think I cried 502 00:30:02,480 --> 00:30:04,040 Speaker 1: a lot because I wasn't going to be able to 503 00:30:04,120 --> 00:30:07,160 Speaker 1: do that. In the Battle of the Real Life Superheroes, 504 00:30:07,400 --> 00:30:13,600 Speaker 1: there were now only three contestants remaining. Superheroes can lonely 505 00:30:13,640 --> 00:30:17,520 Speaker 1: get harder from here, but I suspect the three of 506 00:30:17,600 --> 00:30:22,400 Speaker 1: you will be up to it. Yes, sir, Yes, sir. Sleepwell, 507 00:30:22,600 --> 00:30:44,360 Speaker 1: Tomorrow is a new day that's coming up. As Who 508 00:30:44,440 --> 00:30:47,840 Speaker 1: Wants to Be a Superhero reached its climax, the challenges 509 00:30:47,920 --> 00:30:53,160 Speaker 1: got even more absurd. The three remaining contestants, Fat Mama, 510 00:30:53,400 --> 00:30:56,280 Speaker 1: Feedback and Major Victory had to win over a tough 511 00:30:56,400 --> 00:31:00,360 Speaker 1: jury of fourth graders with their origin stories and super hours. 512 00:31:01,080 --> 00:31:03,840 Speaker 1: Then they hunted for a super villain and a shopping center. 513 00:31:04,920 --> 00:31:07,960 Speaker 1: They were also shown their potential comic book covers a 514 00:31:08,080 --> 00:31:12,320 Speaker 1: k A their passport to immortality. When our first side 515 00:31:12,400 --> 00:31:14,560 Speaker 1: to be honest, I was like, why do you make 516 00:31:14,640 --> 00:31:19,120 Speaker 1: me look so mean? The face was so mean. Fat 517 00:31:19,200 --> 00:31:21,920 Speaker 1: Mama wasn't sure about her own comic book, but she 518 00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:25,280 Speaker 1: could see from Feedback's face how much surprise meant to him. 519 00:31:26,320 --> 00:31:29,640 Speaker 1: Back in the Secret Layer in between challenges, Fat Mama 520 00:31:29,760 --> 00:31:33,200 Speaker 1: was worried. She had a bad feeling that Feedback was 521 00:31:33,280 --> 00:31:36,880 Speaker 1: going to be eliminated. The fourth graders had been confused 522 00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:39,640 Speaker 1: by the explanation of his powers, and he lost out 523 00:31:39,720 --> 00:31:41,480 Speaker 1: in the race to hunt for the super villain. At 524 00:31:41,520 --> 00:31:44,880 Speaker 1: the mall, Fat Mama and Major Victory, we're going to 525 00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:48,640 Speaker 1: be finalists. The producers had already planned to fly Major 526 00:31:48,720 --> 00:31:51,960 Speaker 1: Victory's daughter out for an emotional finale. He wanted to 527 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:54,320 Speaker 1: be a hero in her life, and the producers could 528 00:31:54,360 --> 00:31:58,040 Speaker 1: smell the tears. Fat Mama locked herself in the bathroom 529 00:31:58,320 --> 00:32:01,320 Speaker 1: and asked to speak to the production team. I told 530 00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:03,640 Speaker 1: them to eliminate me and let the two boys do 531 00:32:03,800 --> 00:32:06,520 Speaker 1: it and have it because they really wanted it, and 532 00:32:06,600 --> 00:32:09,720 Speaker 1: I couldn't see taking that from someone. When I came 533 00:32:09,800 --> 00:32:12,680 Speaker 1: in and I wasn't really even into the prize, and 534 00:32:12,720 --> 00:32:15,320 Speaker 1: when I look at Feedback, it was like I couldn't 535 00:32:15,360 --> 00:32:17,760 Speaker 1: do it to him, you know, I was like, I 536 00:32:17,920 --> 00:32:21,560 Speaker 1: need to go fat. Mama wasn't even into comic books. Now, 537 00:32:21,680 --> 00:32:24,040 Speaker 1: maybe if it was two or three million dollars, we 538 00:32:24,240 --> 00:32:28,640 Speaker 1: might be talking something something totally different. The producers were 539 00:32:28,640 --> 00:32:32,040 Speaker 1: in a difficult position. Feedback didn't want to go home, 540 00:32:32,520 --> 00:32:36,960 Speaker 1: but he understood their dilemma. It made sense for her 541 00:32:37,000 --> 00:32:39,200 Speaker 1: to win this show. As an audience member, I would 542 00:32:39,200 --> 00:32:41,880 Speaker 1: have wanted her to win the show because then it 543 00:32:41,880 --> 00:32:44,760 Speaker 1: would send the message of everybody can be a superhero. 544 00:32:44,760 --> 00:32:47,240 Speaker 1: It's about how you treat other people and how you 545 00:32:47,480 --> 00:32:51,920 Speaker 1: face different challenges. There was another complication too. Before his 546 00:32:52,000 --> 00:32:55,360 Speaker 1: Superhero days, major victory was in a dance group called 547 00:32:55,400 --> 00:32:58,720 Speaker 1: the California dream Men. They were a bit like an 548 00:32:58,760 --> 00:33:02,760 Speaker 1: off brand Chippendale's. Apparently they were huge in Italy stand 549 00:33:02,800 --> 00:33:07,240 Speaker 1: and the producers were conflicted about major victories dancing days. Apparently, 550 00:33:07,320 --> 00:33:11,360 Speaker 1: according to them, stripping didn't qualify as a heroic activity. 551 00:33:12,360 --> 00:33:17,640 Speaker 1: I'm noticing a pattern with you. No matter what I say, 552 00:33:18,360 --> 00:33:21,840 Speaker 1: no matter what I do, you just can't see to 553 00:33:21,960 --> 00:33:25,960 Speaker 1: keep your clothes up. Personally, I think it takes a 554 00:33:26,000 --> 00:33:28,240 Speaker 1: lot of courage to get naked in front of strangers. 555 00:33:28,640 --> 00:33:30,160 Speaker 1: It also seems like a skill that would come in 556 00:33:30,240 --> 00:33:33,560 Speaker 1: handy if you wanted to, I don't know, seduce a supervillain. 557 00:33:34,320 --> 00:33:37,960 Speaker 1: But ultimately Major Victory's fate was in the hands of Stanley, 558 00:33:38,640 --> 00:33:43,640 Speaker 1: known skeptic of male strippers. Up on the roof of 559 00:33:43,680 --> 00:33:47,040 Speaker 1: the layer stand, summoned the three remaining superheroes for one 560 00:33:47,080 --> 00:33:50,400 Speaker 1: more elimination ceremony. They took their places on the glowing 561 00:33:50,480 --> 00:33:53,280 Speaker 1: cube shaped podiums to face the music one more time 562 00:33:53,400 --> 00:33:56,280 Speaker 1: before the grand finale. From up on a giant TV 563 00:33:56,440 --> 00:33:59,440 Speaker 1: screen disguise as a billboard, Stanley glared down at them 564 00:33:59,600 --> 00:34:03,560 Speaker 1: and now that one hero would be eliminated, Major Victory, 565 00:34:04,600 --> 00:34:07,720 Speaker 1: the whole thing surreal because you're up there, They're trying 566 00:34:07,800 --> 00:34:12,279 Speaker 1: to dissect everything you did wrong, you know what I mean, 567 00:34:12,360 --> 00:34:16,440 Speaker 1: to justify you leaving, and you just felt, wow, this 568 00:34:16,640 --> 00:34:21,560 Speaker 1: is coming to Then Stanley told him it accomplished his mission. 569 00:34:22,040 --> 00:34:25,040 Speaker 1: He had become a hero to his daughter. The producers 570 00:34:25,200 --> 00:34:28,920 Speaker 1: handed him a phone and they put my daughter on 571 00:34:29,000 --> 00:34:32,600 Speaker 1: the line, and I lose it and it just feels 572 00:34:32,680 --> 00:34:38,960 Speaker 1: so final, and it felt good um to connect with her. 573 00:34:39,840 --> 00:34:44,080 Speaker 1: It was cathartic and I really grew from it, and 574 00:34:44,320 --> 00:34:46,600 Speaker 1: I got to connect with my daughter. I got to 575 00:34:46,680 --> 00:34:49,920 Speaker 1: meet some amazing people, do some really fun things, to 576 00:34:50,080 --> 00:34:53,000 Speaker 1: meet my wife. It's like one of the best experiences 577 00:34:53,040 --> 00:34:57,120 Speaker 1: I've ever had in my life. It was time for 578 00:34:57,160 --> 00:35:00,600 Speaker 1: the final showdown between Fat Mama and Feedback. Okay, my 579 00:35:00,719 --> 00:35:03,560 Speaker 1: money was on Fat Mama. For the next challenge, our 580 00:35:03,600 --> 00:35:06,799 Speaker 1: two remaining heroes were sent to stunt school to learn 581 00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:10,120 Speaker 1: the action packed moves that any self respecting superhero should 582 00:35:10,160 --> 00:35:12,719 Speaker 1: be able to perform with ease. We're going to teach 583 00:35:12,760 --> 00:35:20,200 Speaker 1: you to flaw using that green screen over there. Under 584 00:35:20,239 --> 00:35:23,440 Speaker 1: the watchful eye of a Hollywood stunt coordinator, Feedback launched 585 00:35:23,520 --> 00:35:26,879 Speaker 1: himself again and again onto a crash mat. Fat Mama 586 00:35:26,920 --> 00:35:30,360 Speaker 1: traded punches with an instructor before flooring Feedback with a 587 00:35:30,480 --> 00:35:35,320 Speaker 1: right hook and a kick to the stomach. Here we go. 588 00:35:37,480 --> 00:35:40,640 Speaker 1: Then they were grilled by Stanley in a final interview. 589 00:35:41,480 --> 00:35:44,239 Speaker 1: This is the last chance I'll have to speak with you, 590 00:35:44,400 --> 00:35:48,160 Speaker 1: and I want to learn more about you, not your character. 591 00:35:48,640 --> 00:35:51,279 Speaker 1: And finally, Fat Mama and Feedback were taken to the 592 00:35:51,360 --> 00:35:54,640 Speaker 1: Universal Studio CityWalk shopping center. They were greeted by a 593 00:35:54,719 --> 00:35:58,480 Speaker 1: cheering crowd and Stanley beaming down from his giant screen. 594 00:36:00,239 --> 00:36:07,080 Speaker 1: We wrote around the World's Next Grade. High up on 595 00:36:07,160 --> 00:36:11,080 Speaker 1: a balcony podium, overlooking the crowd, Fat Mama reflected on 596 00:36:11,200 --> 00:36:14,200 Speaker 1: what she and Feedback had shared. Me and him are 597 00:36:14,280 --> 00:36:17,279 Speaker 1: the only two that went through every single task, and 598 00:36:17,400 --> 00:36:20,680 Speaker 1: we got to experience everything. We got to see the 599 00:36:20,800 --> 00:36:25,000 Speaker 1: heartache and the laughter and the joy. Feedback's heart was pounding. 600 00:36:25,560 --> 00:36:28,520 Speaker 1: I had no idea what was happening. They told us 601 00:36:28,560 --> 00:36:31,640 Speaker 1: to write two different speeches, one as a winning speech, 602 00:36:31,680 --> 00:36:35,640 Speaker 1: one is a concession speech. And I didn't spend any 603 00:36:35,719 --> 00:36:38,719 Speaker 1: time on the winning speech because I completely convinced that 604 00:36:38,800 --> 00:36:41,759 Speaker 1: Fat Mama was gonna win. For the final showdown, the 605 00:36:41,800 --> 00:36:44,600 Speaker 1: producers rolled an action movie sequence of the two heroes 606 00:36:44,719 --> 00:36:48,000 Speaker 1: dueling and evil villain called dragon Breath in the Last 607 00:36:48,080 --> 00:36:51,200 Speaker 1: Chance to prove their super credentials. Well, if it isn't 608 00:36:51,280 --> 00:36:56,400 Speaker 1: Mr dragon Breath, we're going down, Fat Mama. The producers 609 00:36:56,440 --> 00:36:58,839 Speaker 1: through in all the special effects that a mid tier 610 00:36:58,920 --> 00:37:03,120 Speaker 1: reality TV show could forward. There were meteors, fire breathing dragons, 611 00:37:03,360 --> 00:37:07,960 Speaker 1: and even a giant chicken rampaging Godzilla style through skyscrapers. 612 00:37:12,120 --> 00:37:15,719 Speaker 1: Then the dust settled, intense music ramped up up on 613 00:37:15,800 --> 00:37:19,680 Speaker 1: his godlike TV screen, Stand bowed his head solemnly and 614 00:37:19,800 --> 00:37:22,160 Speaker 1: declared the time had come for him to make the 615 00:37:22,280 --> 00:37:26,160 Speaker 1: ultimate decision. After evaluating all the challenges over the course 616 00:37:26,239 --> 00:37:34,759 Speaker 1: of the season, the winner was Feedback. And then stan 617 00:37:34,840 --> 00:37:37,279 Speaker 1: Lee comes out, and so my my mind was just 618 00:37:37,480 --> 00:37:41,120 Speaker 1: jumping up to different levels que the big fake explosions. 619 00:37:41,200 --> 00:37:44,200 Speaker 1: As Stand the manly strolled over to meet Feedback in 620 00:37:44,320 --> 00:37:47,080 Speaker 1: real life. They shared a big hug, which was a 621 00:37:47,160 --> 00:37:50,040 Speaker 1: dream come true for the nerd of all comic book nerds. 622 00:37:50,680 --> 00:37:54,279 Speaker 1: Then Feedback literally flew off into space in a big 623 00:37:54,400 --> 00:37:58,040 Speaker 1: flurry of bad c g. I. There were a lot 624 00:37:58,120 --> 00:38:01,040 Speaker 1: of people that thought I was just this attention seeking 625 00:38:01,280 --> 00:38:04,040 Speaker 1: crazy guy. But it wasn't about getting attention. It was 626 00:38:04,080 --> 00:38:08,279 Speaker 1: about fulfilling something inside of me. And at that moment 627 00:38:08,360 --> 00:38:12,719 Speaker 1: of winning, I felt validation. I felt a purpose fulfilled 628 00:38:13,680 --> 00:38:15,640 Speaker 1: After blowing all that money on the giant c g 629 00:38:15,800 --> 00:38:18,480 Speaker 1: I chicken, maybe the producers didn't have any budget left 630 00:38:18,560 --> 00:38:21,160 Speaker 1: or stands appearance fee because he didn't stick around to 631 00:38:21,239 --> 00:38:24,720 Speaker 1: explain what exactly the superhero qualities were that made Feedback 632 00:38:24,760 --> 00:38:27,359 Speaker 1: a winner. If you ask me, it seems like kind 633 00:38:27,400 --> 00:38:29,640 Speaker 1: of a cop out considering that it was meant to 634 00:38:29,640 --> 00:38:32,080 Speaker 1: be the whole point of the show. But talking to 635 00:38:32,160 --> 00:38:36,720 Speaker 1: his fellow contestants, they had some theories. An incredibly humble, 636 00:38:37,160 --> 00:38:39,959 Speaker 1: loving human being that would literally you could see himba 637 00:38:40,000 --> 00:38:42,600 Speaker 1: a fireman that would just save people's lives without any 638 00:38:42,680 --> 00:38:45,240 Speaker 1: thought of their own. That is that man. But Feedback 639 00:38:45,280 --> 00:38:49,640 Speaker 1: sees it differently. It was Fat Mama's competition. In my mind, 640 00:38:49,719 --> 00:38:52,759 Speaker 1: Fat Mama is the one, you know who won, and 641 00:38:53,760 --> 00:38:57,120 Speaker 1: I'm still runner up to her because I think she's amazing, 642 00:38:57,760 --> 00:39:00,319 Speaker 1: and I still think the only reason why she didn't 643 00:39:00,320 --> 00:39:02,960 Speaker 1: win this because basically she said she didn't want to win. 644 00:39:04,800 --> 00:39:07,400 Speaker 1: As for me, I was happy for Feedback. Being a 645 00:39:07,440 --> 00:39:10,160 Speaker 1: superhero clearly meant a lot to him. After all, he'd 646 00:39:10,160 --> 00:39:12,200 Speaker 1: been dressing up like Spider Man since he was young, 647 00:39:12,760 --> 00:39:15,480 Speaker 1: and Fat Mama seemed perfectly happy to let Feedback have 648 00:39:15,600 --> 00:39:18,800 Speaker 1: all the glory. After the show, many of the contestants 649 00:39:18,840 --> 00:39:21,239 Speaker 1: remained friends, and some went on to make appearance as 650 00:39:21,239 --> 00:39:24,600 Speaker 1: at comic book conventions and gigs within the superhero community. 651 00:39:25,120 --> 00:39:27,960 Speaker 1: Some of them used their superhero characters to become real 652 00:39:28,040 --> 00:39:30,560 Speaker 1: life superheroes who went out on the streets and patrolled, 653 00:39:30,760 --> 00:39:34,400 Speaker 1: just like Phoenix Jones. As for feedback, he never became 654 00:39:34,440 --> 00:39:38,560 Speaker 1: the next Spider Man. Despite overcoming six episodes worth of obstacles, 655 00:39:38,840 --> 00:39:42,440 Speaker 1: his character faded into obscurity. He was even promised a 656 00:39:42,560 --> 00:39:44,800 Speaker 1: role in a TV movie on the Sci Fi Channel, 657 00:39:45,160 --> 00:39:48,000 Speaker 1: but all he ended up getting was a cameo. At 658 00:39:48,040 --> 00:39:50,000 Speaker 1: one point, he was asked to do a new TV 659 00:39:50,120 --> 00:39:53,640 Speaker 1: show with our old friend Phoenix Jones. In true Phoenix 660 00:39:53,719 --> 00:39:56,440 Speaker 1: Jones style, he was mid crisis on his way to 661 00:39:56,520 --> 00:39:59,240 Speaker 1: the hospital one night he gave me a call because 662 00:39:59,280 --> 00:40:01,520 Speaker 1: he had been He had like a shaft of a 663 00:40:01,560 --> 00:40:04,319 Speaker 1: knife like stuck in his leg. The show they talked 664 00:40:04,320 --> 00:40:07,080 Speaker 1: about never came to fruition and the two heroes never 665 00:40:07,160 --> 00:40:11,239 Speaker 1: spoke again. But for feedback, it was never about the 666 00:40:11,280 --> 00:40:15,600 Speaker 1: TV deals. They offered this prize of immortality and getting 667 00:40:15,640 --> 00:40:18,200 Speaker 1: your own comic book and stuff like that. But for 668 00:40:18,360 --> 00:40:21,400 Speaker 1: me then end now, the prize was always being on 669 00:40:21,480 --> 00:40:24,880 Speaker 1: the show. And I think what the show is about 670 00:40:25,080 --> 00:40:30,120 Speaker 1: is identity, you know, finding your people and making them 671 00:40:30,200 --> 00:40:33,320 Speaker 1: feel like, wow, there's some validation there. This It's not 672 00:40:33,440 --> 00:40:36,120 Speaker 1: just me who likes this stuff. It's enough people where 673 00:40:36,120 --> 00:40:40,040 Speaker 1: they're going to make a TV show about it. We 674 00:40:40,200 --> 00:40:42,560 Speaker 1: live in the age of the slick, six pack filled 675 00:40:42,640 --> 00:40:46,520 Speaker 1: superhero industrial complex, where a new Marvel or DC movie 676 00:40:46,600 --> 00:40:49,480 Speaker 1: gets pumped out every couple of months. It's easy to 677 00:40:49,560 --> 00:40:51,840 Speaker 1: forget there was a time not so long ago and 678 00:40:52,040 --> 00:40:56,200 Speaker 1: being into superheroes wasn't that cool to me? Who wants 679 00:40:56,239 --> 00:40:58,480 Speaker 1: to be a superhero? Feels like an extension of the 680 00:40:58,560 --> 00:41:01,320 Speaker 1: real life superhero movement. It's one of the few places 681 00:41:01,400 --> 00:41:04,880 Speaker 1: in popular media that represented regular folks who created their 682 00:41:04,880 --> 00:41:09,000 Speaker 1: own original superhero personas. In the years following the show, 683 00:41:09,320 --> 00:41:13,400 Speaker 1: superheroes became a dominant force in popular culture. But strangely, 684 00:41:13,760 --> 00:41:16,759 Speaker 1: the rise and popularity of comic book superheroes was not 685 00:41:16,840 --> 00:41:21,000 Speaker 1: accompanied by a rise in real life superheroes. I've always 686 00:41:21,000 --> 00:41:24,640 Speaker 1: found that puzzling. Maybe it's because we are increasingly living 687 00:41:24,680 --> 00:41:28,200 Speaker 1: our lives online so there's less actual real life happening 688 00:41:28,239 --> 00:41:30,680 Speaker 1: in general, or maybe he was always going to be 689 00:41:30,719 --> 00:41:33,880 Speaker 1: a fringe movement. But even if they are small in number, 690 00:41:34,320 --> 00:41:37,880 Speaker 1: I'm glad they're out there suiting up and patrolling their neighborhoods, 691 00:41:38,200 --> 00:41:40,960 Speaker 1: helping people in need, and making the streets a little 692 00:41:41,000 --> 00:41:44,520 Speaker 1: more exciting. I do wonder what Stanley would think of 693 00:41:44,560 --> 00:41:47,560 Speaker 1: the real life superheroes who were inspired by his writing 694 00:41:47,800 --> 00:41:50,879 Speaker 1: to take on the real world problems dressed as superheroes. 695 00:41:51,800 --> 00:41:53,920 Speaker 1: I did come across a quote of his and which 696 00:41:53,960 --> 00:41:56,880 Speaker 1: he talked about why he created characters like the X 697 00:41:56,960 --> 00:42:00,960 Speaker 1: Men and the Fantastic Four. He said, vote we were 698 00:42:01,000 --> 00:42:04,279 Speaker 1: fascinated by science and awed by the mysteries of the 699 00:42:04,360 --> 00:42:10,759 Speaker 1: great beyond. Today we consider a nearer, deeper, unknown one 700 00:42:10,840 --> 00:42:15,640 Speaker 1: inside ourselves. We asked, what is more real a world 701 00:42:15,960 --> 00:42:19,480 Speaker 1: that we were born into or the one we create ourselves. 702 00:42:31,960 --> 00:42:35,560 Speaker 1: The Superhero Complex is hosted and written by Me, David Weinberg, 703 00:42:35,760 --> 00:42:40,360 Speaker 1: and reported by Me, Amalia Sortland and Caroline Thornham. Production 704 00:42:40,400 --> 00:42:44,480 Speaker 1: from Amalia Shortland and Caroline Thornham. Sean Glenn, Max O'Brien 705 00:42:44,560 --> 00:42:48,720 Speaker 1: and David Waters are executive producers. Fact checking by Andrew Schwartz, 706 00:42:49,040 --> 00:42:53,600 Speaker 1: Production management from Shari Houston, Frankie Taylor and Charlotte Wolf. 707 00:42:54,120 --> 00:42:58,320 Speaker 1: Sound design, mixing and scoring by Eli Block and Daniel Kempson. 708 00:42:59,040 --> 00:43:03,839 Speaker 1: Music supervision by Nicholas Alexander and David Waters. Original music 709 00:43:04,040 --> 00:43:08,280 Speaker 1: is composed by Paul Housden. Special thanks to Peter Tangent, 710 00:43:08,560 --> 00:43:14,480 Speaker 1: Willard Foxton, Matt o'mera, Katrina Norvelle Beth and Macaluso, or 711 00:43:14,560 --> 00:43:18,320 Speaker 1: In Rosenbaum, Shelby Shenkman, and all the team at U 712 00:43:18,480 --> 00:43:22,680 Speaker 1: t A. For more from Novel, visit novel dot audio