Choice Media Pod

Nathan Lamb

This is podcast dedicated to the great stories, the ones that really mattered. You know, comic books, literature, movies, video games, and everything in between. Your host, Nathan, is a writer/media professional who earned a degree in literature a billion years ago, and loves examining great stories through that lens. I'll also have guests sometimes too! This is also the home of the Amazing Gamers podcast, my original show that was focused on video games (but constantly went off topic, hence the change)... Also, if you like the show, please consider dropping a couple of bucks to buy me podcast beverage through the Support the Show tab on the Choice Media Podcast page.

  1. 5d ago

    Bad Seeds Week 9: Family, Frost, and the Fight for Gotham

    The Bad Seeds crossover is hurtling toward its conclusion, and Gotham is running out of time! This week on the Choice Media Podcast, I dive into four issues as Poison Ivy’s plan to transform Gotham pushes the city toward catastrophe. In Batwoman #8, Kate Kane and Huntress must put aside their differences to survive a deadly encounter with Vandal Savage’s mercenaries. Catwoman #92 finds Selina Kyle juggling a heist, a dangerous plant invasion, and the desperate effort to get a child home safely. In Nightwing #143, Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne reunite to take on the Ventriloquist and Mr. Scarface, reminding us why their partnership works so well. And in Detective Comics #1114, Batman joins forces with Victor and Nora Fries in a desperate race to save Gotham—with an icy solution that changes everything. Beyond the action, this week’s comics explore family, trust, reluctant alliances, and the choices people make when everything falls apart. I reflect on what makes the Bat-family tick, compare Huntress to the Greek goddess Artemis, revisits his own Batman and Robin nostalgia, and pick my favorite cover of the week: the striking Javier Fernández variant for Batwoman #8. With Gotham caught between a prehistoric green apocalypse and a new ice age, this chapter of Bad Seeds delivers fireworks! Reviewed this week: Batwoman #8Catwoman #92Nightwing #143Detective Comics #1114Listen in as the Choice Media Podcast gets ready for the final showdown in Bad Seeds!

    Bad Seeds Week 9: Family, Frost, and the Fight for Gotham

  2. Oct 21

    Raiders of the Lost Ark: Why Marion Ravenwood was the Essential Co-Star

    Indiana Jones may be the hero of Raiders of the Lost Ark, but is Marion Ravenwood the secret ingredient that makes the adventure so memorable? On this episode of the Choice Media Podcast, I revisit Steven Spielberg's 1981 classic and discovers a new appreciation for Karen Allen's terrific performance as Marion. From his childhood memories of seeing the film in a Vermont movie theater to watching it again with his son, Nathan explores what makes Marion special. Drawing on Roger Ebert's writing about the film, I examine what makes Raiders such an enduring adventure, from its unforgettable action sequences to its compelling central characters. I also consider Steven Spielberg's remarkable run of filmmaking and asks what the Indiana Jones series may have lost by leaving Marion out of the second and third movies. Join me for a nostalgic return to an iconic adventure and a fresh look at the woman who deserves to share the spotlight.

    Raiders of the Lost Ark: Why Marion Ravenwood was the Essential Co-Star

  3. Oct 16

    Ares: The Bringer of War — George O’Connor’s Epic Retelling of the Iliad

    What happens when you take one of the most famous stories in Greek mythology and tell it through the eyes of the god of war? On this episode of the Choice Media Podcast, I explore Ares: The Bringer of War, George O’Connor’s graphic novel from his Olympians series. What began as a look at one of my least favorite Greek gods became perhaps my favorite retelling of Homer’s Iliad. Building on my previous episode on Aphrodite and the Judgment of Paris, this story centers gods’ personal grudges and divine interventions in the Trojan War. The discussion also examines the contrast between Athena’s strategy and discipline and Ares’s chaotic bloodlust, the tragic fate of Hector, and the devastating consequences of pride and vengeance. But there may be more going on behind the scenes. Connecting this volume to O’Connor’s Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, I consider whether Zeus was manipulating events all along. With a prophecy threatening his power, the king of the gods may have had good reason to keep the Olympians divided—and he may bear more responsibility for the Trojan War than his son, the god of war himself. Can a 66-page graphic novel capture the epic scale of the Iliad? I think George O’Connor makes a compelling case.

    Ares: The Bringer of War — George O’Connor’s Epic Retelling of the Iliad

  4. Oct 14

    Bad Seeds Week 9: Ordinary People in an Extraordinary Crisis

    Gotham City is being overrun by Poison Ivy's killer plants, but what happens to the people who aren't Batman or members of the Bat-family? On this episode of the Choice Media Podcast, I explore Gotham Central #2, where Jim Gordon and his fellow officers are caught in a nightmare as Gotham's plant invasion turns a subway into a death trap. With serial killer Victor Zsasz on the loose, corrupt cops worrying about stolen money, and Vandal Savage willing to sacrifice hundreds of innocent lives, Gordon has his hands full trying to keep people alive. I also look at Batman: Bad Seeds — The Streets of Gotham, an anthology of stories. . From a rooftop cookout that brings strangers together to a desperate journey across an overgrown city, these vignettes explore how ordinary Gotham residents respond when disaster strikes. We meet people who discover the value of kindness, children who rise to the occasion by playing superheroes, and rescuers who refuse to abandon their fellow citizens. It's a solid anthology that adds texture to the larger Bad Seeds storyline while reminding us that what makes Gotham interesting isn't just its heroes and villains—it's the people who live there. Tune in as I explore the stories, artwork, and unexpected moments of humanity in a city under siege!

    Bad Seeds Week 9: Ordinary People in an Extraordinary Crisis

  5. Oct 12

    The Olympians Aphrodite: The Eternal Struggle Between Love, Wisdom, and Power

    On this episode of the Choice Media Podcast, I explore Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, George O’Connor’s 2014 graphic novel about one of the most fascinating figures in Greek mythology. Aphrodite may be the goddess of love and beauty, but her stories are about much more than romance. They explore jealousy, obsession, rivalry, and the sometimes irrational choices people make when desire takes hold. I look at O’Connor’s interpretation of the Judgment of Paris, examining how Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite represent competing forms of power: authority, wisdom, and desire. I also explore Aphrodite’s more tender side, from her role as a champion of lovers to her relationship with her son, Eros. The ancient Greeks understood that love could be both wonderful and dangerous. Thousands of years later, Aphrodite still has plenty to teach us about human nature.

    The Olympians Aphrodite: The Eternal Struggle Between Love, Wisdom, and Power

  6. Oct 10

    The Night Sting Played Vermont: Remembering the 1991 UVM Concert

    In 1991, a young Police fan from rural Vermont got the chance to see Sting perform live at the University of Vermont Gymnasium. More than three decades later, that concert remains an unforgettable memory. On this episode of the Choice Media Podcast, I look back at Sting's Soul Cages tour, recalling a night filled with memorable performances, psychedelic visuals, and a spectacular closing stretch that featured Police classics like “Walking on the Moon,” “Every Breath You Take,” and “Message in a Bottle.” Sometimes, you don't realize how extraordinary an experience is until you look back on it years later...

    The Night Sting Played Vermont: Remembering the 1991 UVM Concert

  7. Oct 8

    Bad Seeds Week 7: Resilience and Choices that Define Us

    This week on the Choice Media Podcast, I look at Batman #14, “Home Invasions,” and Batgirl #24 as the Bad Seeds crossover event pushes its characters to their limits. In Batman #14, Batman turns to Mr. Freeze as he searches for a way to stop Poison Ivy's transformation of Gotham. Meanwhile, Verity Pennyworth faces an invasion of her own at Pennyworth Manor, as she continues establish herself as Batman's new partner. Then it's over to Cassandra Cain in Batgirl #24. Injured and exhausted, Cassandra fights through Gotham to save a poisoned child while facing Vandal Savage's forces and Ivy's monstrous plants. This was a focused exploration of resilience, fear, heroism, and the choices that define us. At one point I compare her to Zhou Yun from Three Kingdoms; I think I'm becoming a Cassandra Cain fan. There was a lot of action in Week 7. Let's discuss.

    Bad Seeds Week 7: Resilience and Choices that Define Us

  8. Oct 7

    Poison Ivy: House & Garden and the Making of a More Human Antagonist

    In this episode of the Choice Media Podcast, I look back at “House & Garden,” the classic Batman: The Animated Series episode written by Paul Dini and directed by Boyd Kirkland. This was one of the most intriguing Poison Ivy stories: Gotham is experiencing a series of crimes involving poisonous plants and wealthy bachelors, but Ivy insists she has been rehabilitated, married, and living a happy family life. As Batman investigates, the story gradually reveals that Ivy’s idea of happiness is more complicated than it first appears. I examine the episode’s “copycat Poison Ivy” mystery, Ivy’s plant children, and the emotional ending that reveals a surprisingly human side of Pamela. I also look back at Ivy’s evolution throughout Batman: The Animated Series, from “Pretty Poison” and “Eternal Youth” to “Almost Got ’em” and the landmark “Harley and Ivy.” Finally, the discussion turns to the Comics Code Authority and some of its restrictions on how villains, sexuality, and female characters could be portrayed. What does the old Comics Code tell us about how much comic-book storytelling has changed—and the lasting impacts of that era?

    Poison Ivy: House & Garden and the Making of a More Human Antagonist
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About

This is podcast dedicated to the great stories, the ones that really mattered. You know, comic books, literature, movies, video games, and everything in between. Your host, Nathan, is a writer/media professional who earned a degree in literature a billion years ago, and loves examining great stories through that lens. I'll also have guests sometimes too! This is also the home of the Amazing Gamers podcast, my original show that was focused on video games (but constantly went off topic, hence the change)... Also, if you like the show, please consider dropping a couple of bucks to buy me podcast beverage through the Support the Show tab on the Choice Media Podcast page.

Information

  • Creator
    Nathan Lamb
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    66
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Nathan Lamb
  • Show Website
    Choice Media Pod