Penny Men

Penny Men
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Penny Men is the podcast starring Ben, Tom, and Gregory: three experts on cartooning, storytelling, and having a good time! We give a penny for our thoughts, and throw in our two cents, as we tackle new topics and writing pitches every week!

  1. #119 - The History of Comics (Part 2) [Character Archetypes]

    4d ago

    #119 - The History of Comics (Part 2) [Character Archetypes]

    Part two of The Penny People Explain the History of Comics somehow begins with Andy Griffith, detours through Rebecca, and ends up mapping the entire DNA of superhero archetypes! Ben, Tom, and Greg set out to break down the Justice Society… and instead spiral into a loving, exhaustive taxonomy of comic book heroes: Alien strongmenLab-made science guysMagic artifactsAncient godsSpooky mystery menRobotsPulp vigilantesAnd everything in between!Along the way: John Carter vs. SupermanGreen Lantern’s “is it magic though?” problemHawkman’s eternal continuity nightmareBatman as a Shadow remixAnd why taking power pills maybe isn’t a great long-term plan!If you’ve ever wondered where superheroes actually come from—or how POGs, radio dramas, and Golden Age comics all connect—this is your people, explaining everything, enthusiastically, and slightly off the rails!

    53 min
  2. #118 - The History of Comics (Part 1) [The Ages]

    Jun 1

    #118 - The History of Comics (Part 1) [The Ages]

    It starts with a gripe! Ben doesn’t like variant covers—but connected covers? Those he can get behind! That complaint spirals into a full-blown comics epic as Tom, Greg, and Ben crack open Justice League Spectacular #1 (1992), debate the morality of selling the same issue five times, and relive the excesses of foil covers, second printings, randomized posters, and peak-’90s X-Men nonsense! From there, the conversation swerves into: Robins! Tim Drake vs. Dick GraysonTraining with Lady ShivaMiniseries confusionAnimated series betrayalsBatman’s ever-expanding familyCorporate mandatesWarner Bros. trademarksWhy Robin has to exist, who he’s really for, and whether Batman works better alone!Strong opinions are expressed! Damien is politely rejected! Then the scope widens—a lot! This is the Justice Society / Justice League / All-Star Squadron episode… but not the one you already heard! The Penny Men dig deep into the Golden Age origins of superhero teams, tracing DC’s lineage back through: PulpsRadio dramasDime novelsWartime paper shortagesAnd the accidental invention of the shared universe!They break down the original Justice Society lineup: Why some heroes were “honorary members” How multiple publishers shared characters before DC even existedAnd how kids writing letters helped shape comic book history!Along the way: Why the Justice Society is the blueprint for all superhero teamsHow archetypes like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman emergedThe evolution of comic book “Ages” (Golden, Silver, Bronze, Dark, Modern… whatever we’re calling this now)The rise and fall of genres like horror, romance, and WesternsThe Comics Code Authority and how censorship reshaped the industry foreverAnd why comics have always been “dying,” yet somehow keep surviving!It’s a sprawling, funny, occasionally argumentative tour through comic book history—from cheap pulp paper to mythological superhero pantheons—told the only way The Penny Men know how: loosely structured, wildly informed, and powered entirely by love for the medium! Connected covers optional! Deep lore mandatory!

    46 min
  3. #117 - You Can't Have These Comics (Part 8) [Justice League of America]

    May 25

    #117 - You Can't Have These Comics (Part 8) [Justice League of America]

    The guys go full comic-shop mode and trace the tangled history of the Justice League—from the original core lineup to Detroit-era experiments, International weirdos, and the underrated 2006 'Justice League of America' run that finally nailed the balance between icons and cult favorites! Along the way, they debate who really belongs on the A-list, defend B and C-listers like Vixen, Red Tornado, Black Lightning, and Speedy, and get lost in villain teams with confusingly similar names! Expect: Deep cutsForgotten mini-seriesCostume crimesMarvel knockoffsSuper Friends obscuritiesAnd the dangerous realization that reading “only 200 issues” is somehow reasonable!

    41 min
  4. #116 - The DC Comics Super Quiz (of Light!)

    May 18

    #116 - The DC Comics Super Quiz (of Light!)

    Welcome to the only game show brave enough to be powered by an Excel spreadsheet! Ben hosts Gregory and Tom in the DC Super Quiz of Light, Peace, and the Quickening, a hyper-competitive trivia showdown built around one bizarre discovery: the Justice Society, Justice League, and Super Friends each have exactly 23 pre-Crisis core members. Coincidence? Destiny? Spreadsheet magic? The rules are simple and ruthless. Name a hero correctly and score points based on how exclusive they are: One team only? Big points.Two teams? Respectable.All three? Congratulations, you played yourself!Along the way: Old quiz beefs resurfaceFace and heel turns are declaredDetroit-era Justice League members get their dueAnd deep-cut DC lore flies fast and loose!Expect: Arguments over honorary vs reserve membersTitle-card technicalitiesAnd just how powerful Dr. Fate and the Spectre are allowed to be before the story breaks!It’s brother vs brother! Threes vs ones!

    1h 4m
  5. #115 - 'The Life and Times of The Super Mario Bros.' Pitch (Part 7) / Shared Video Game Universe (Part 4)

    May 11

    #115 - 'The Life and Times of The Super Mario Bros.' Pitch (Part 7) / Shared Video Game Universe (Part 4)

    What starts as a debate over Koopa Troopas quickly mutates into a full-blown Mario cosmology breakdown! This episode includes: Whether Koopa Troopas are a species or Bowser’s first conquered armyThe reptile family tree linking Koopas, Troopas, and YoshisDinosaur canon confusion across the Mario timelineBowser’s empire-building through propaganda and assimilationMario Party’s Koopa Kid identity crisisToy clones, magic creations, and generic species chaosThe WarioWare cinematic universe invading Luigi’s downtimeNintendo crossovers and dimensional leaks everywhere!…and then the real topic takes over: Stars as wish-granting cosmic beingsWhy invincibility is literally Mario’s wish powerStar Road as the backbone of the universeStar Spirits, Star Rod, Geno, and celestial interventionBowser weaponizing star magic like every villain before him!By the end, the Penny Men accidentally uncover the truth!

    56 min
  6. #114 - 'The Life and Times of The Super Mario Bros.' Pitch (Part 6) / Shared Video Game Universe (Part 3)

    May 4

    #114 - 'The Life and Times of The Super Mario Bros.' Pitch (Part 6) / Shared Video Game Universe (Part 3)

    Is Mario from Brooklyn… or from beyond reality itself? This week, The Penny Men descend head-first into warp pipe cosmology as Tom unveils a unified theory that finally reconciles every layer of Mario canon — the cartoons, the arcade origins, Odyssey’s Metro Kingdom, Captain N, WarioWare, SimCity, and even Presidents shaking hands with plumbers! Gregory, Tom, and Ben break Mario’s universe into three stacked planes of existence: Earth Reality (our world, where Mario is a video game)Earth Prime (the cartoon Brooklyn where Donkey Kong kidnaps Pauline and Bowser attacks cities)The Mushroom Dimension (a Narnia-like fantasy world accessed only through pipes)!Along the way they uncover: Why Pauline barely remembers Mario in OdysseyHow Diamond City and WarioWare fit into Mario’s real-world aftermathBowser and Wario as corrupted reflections of royal lineageHow Nintendo accidentally created a Kingdom Hearts-style multiverseWhy Mario exists as legend, hero, and video game simultaneously!This isn’t just lore speculation — it’s a full multiversal framework that turns decades of contradictions into one epic, coherent mythology! The pipes don’t just connect worlds! They connect realities!

    44 min
  7. #113 - 'The Life and Times of The Super Mario Bros.' Pitch (Part 5)

    Apr 27

    #113 - 'The Life and Times of The Super Mario Bros.' Pitch (Part 5)

    Hour five of "The Life and Times" is where the Penny Men stop politely theorizing and just start building a Mario cosmology with power tools! Ben, Greg, and Tom lock in the multi-era, master timeline, stretch it all the way to 1996, and finally explain why Mario ends up living in a house instead of a castle! This is the episode where everything snaps into place! ERA THREE: The Rebellion Era: Everybody is a young adult. Everybody hates their destiny.Mario → wants to be a plumber, not a princeLuigi → anxious, snarky, accidentally heroicPeach → adopted alien princess, burdened with responsibilityBowser → rejects marriage politics, wants total conquestPauline → Mario’s emotional foilDonkey Kong → circus gorilla prince in exileWaluigi, Stanley, Spike → lurking in the background, waiting to become problems!It all ends when: Bowser starts torching citiesTurtles invade EarthMario and Luigi fall down the drainEveryone forgets the Mushroom Kingdom like it’s Oz! ERA FOUR: The Mushroom Saga The classic quest eraMario Bros.Super Mario Bros.The Lost LevelsSuper Mario Bros. 2 (the war + dreams)Super Mario Land 1 (Sarasaland + Tatanga)The Super Mario Bros. Super ShowSuper Mario Bros. 3 (game + cartoon)This is the full “save the Mushroom Kingdom” arc — kings turned into animals, wands, warp pipes, and Koopalings everywhere!Ends when: The Mushroom Kingdom is finally safeThe heroes are sent to defend Dinosaur Land!ERA FIVE: Dinosaur World Yoshi’s time to shineSuper Mario World (game + cartoon)Yoshi's CookieYoshi's SafariStar Road loreYoshi PrimeEgg cursesDino Kingdom politicsThis is the “sprites have no dialogue” era, where we fill in all the emotional blanks!Ends when: Mario goes homeHis castle is goneWario has moved in!ERA SIX: The Wario Wars This is where it gets petty, pirate-y, and deeply sadThe Castle SagaSuper Mario Land 2: Six Golden CoinsWario takes Mario’s castleTatanga becomes his henchmanMario Land 3 / Wario Land 1Captain Syrup steals Peach’s golden statueWario steals it from herMario steals it backA genie gives Wario a castleWario Land 2Captain Syrup steals all Wario’s moneyWario’s WoodsWario builds a castle in fairy landToad, Birdo, and a fairy blow it upWario finally becomes a king……and loses it to Toad!🕰️ Why It All Ends in 1996 - Because 1996 is when: Mario goes 3D (Mario 64)Donkey Kong goes 3DMario lives in a house, not a castle (Mario RPG)The royal wars are overThe lineage drama is doneEveryone loses the throne!The Star Frame - All of this is being told by Rosalina to the Seven Star Children — a cosmic Scheherazade story that admits: Nintendo canon is messyMemory is unreliableProphecy is flexibleThe truth is always a little warpedSeven childrenSeven destiniesRoyal bloodlinesAdopted heirsForgotten worldsLost castlesEggsStarsPlumbers!This is Mario as dynastic tragedy, cartoon epic, and generational trauma — and it somehow still makes sense! Welcome to Hour Five! 🍄✨

    43 min
  8. #112 - 'The Life and Times of The Super Mario Bros.' Pitch (Part 4)

    Apr 20

    #112 - 'The Life and Times of The Super Mario Bros.' Pitch (Part 4)

    Hour four of "The Life and Times " is where things officially get unhinged! The Penny Men pick up exactly where they left off and begin reinforcing the Mario timeline with fresh cartilage, connective tissue, and possibly forbidden star magic! Using Tom’s original 12-issue framework as the skeleton, Ben arrives with a week’s worth of lore research to rebuild Mario history by eras, not just games! In this episode, we tackle: The Seven Star Children: MarioLuigiPeachDonkey Kong (and yes, Cranky)Bowser (surprise!)Yoshi (which one? several!)Wario (the odd man out)!Yoshi Discourse (Brace Yourself) Adult Yoshi vs. Baby Yoshi vs. Egg YoshiStar Child Yoshi vs. Tribe of YoshisDe-aging, egg imprisonment, and disappearances“Mama Luigi” finally makes sense (kind of)!Royal Bloodlines & Power Plays Mushroom Kingdom politicsKoopa ambition and arranged marriagesMario as secret nobilityPeach as an alien/star princess/adopted monarchDK, Yoshi, and Bowser as rival kings-in-waiting!The Real World Era Why Mario, Luigi, and Wario grow up outside the Mushroom KingdomStorks, adoption, and Italian familiesForeman Spike: worst dad, best villain originCement factories, pie jobs, and resentment arcs!Big Lore Questions We Absolutely Try to Answer Why Bowser is hunting babiesHow time works in the Mushroom KingdomWhy Cranky ages and Mario doesn’tWhether Paper Mario counts (jury’s out)How to turn all of this into a coherent comic series!It’s Mario lore as epic fantasy, dynastic tragedy, and workplace comedy! Stars fall! Eggs hatch! Princes gets sent to Brooklyn! Welcome back to the cartilage bucket!

    43 min
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About

Penny Men is the podcast starring Ben, Tom, and Gregory: three experts on cartooning, storytelling, and having a good time! We give a penny for our thoughts, and throw in our two cents, as we tackle new topics and writing pitches every week!

Information

  • Creator
    Penny Men
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    119
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Penny Men
  • Show Website
    Penny Men