Let Me Know How It Is

Why Didn't This Get Made?! – Animation Edition

For every one of the numerous animated classics that have been released over the years, there are countless animated ideas that never come into fruition. It's amazing to think of how many would-be-classics might have happened if development had continued on so many projects. In a follow up to last week’s How Did This Get Made?! – Animation Edition, the panel is discussing some fascinating animated projects that never quite came to be.

How Did This Get Made?! - Animation Edition

Generally speaking, in animation, if you can dream it and draw it, you can make it. Cartoons have so many examples of unexpected, daring creative ideas that become classics. Sometimes, however, an occasional cartoon comes along that can be a bit of a head-scratcher. Maybe it is based on something that doesn’t have a clear cut story, or it is adapted from a property that in hindsight might not be the most kid-friendly. The panel has assembled a list of cartoons, that might make one wonder, “how did that ever get made in the first place?”

Best Movie Year: '84, '89, or '99?

Each year, literally hundreds of movies are released in the United States, and any one of them has the potential to become a favorite for movie lovers, and perhaps even one day come to be considered a bona fide classic. With so many movies being produced each year, every so often you just get a particularly good year of movies.  And some years the slate of movies lines up in a way that an abundance of great films emerge from their release year to join the timeless ranks of classic films. So which year had the most? The panel selected three movie years with personal and pop cultural significance: 1984, 1989, and 1999. And they will discuss which of those they believe was the best movie year. 

March Sitcom Madness! – Part Three

It's time for Part 3, and the exciting conclusion of Sitcom Madness is here! In our second edition of the Let Me Know How It Is March Madness style tournament, we will collectively crown our favorite sitcom of all time! We are down to the final three rounds in this episode, and the time has come to crown the ultimate winner. Here it is, according to us, the best sitcom of all time!

March Sitcom Madness! – Part Two

Sitcom Madness Part 2! In our second edition of the Let Me Know How It Is March Madness style tournament, we will collectively crown our favorite sitcom of all time! The tournament started with 64 of the best sitcoms ever. Now we’ve narrowed it to 32, and we’ll continue to eliminate until only one survives as the best sitcom of all time! See what shows makes it past the sweet 16! 

March Sitcom Madness! – Part One

It’s March, and that means one thing: March Madness! In our second edition of the Let Me Know How It Is March Madness style tournament, we will collectively crown our favorite sitcom of all time! The panel will match up 64 of their favorite sitcoms throughout the ages until there is only one Sitcom Champion remaining.  This is Part One and showcases all of the first round matchups. Stay tuned for the second and third parts over the next couple of weeks.

Superman: Family, Friends, and Foe

The world of Superheroes is made so much stronger by the supporting cast they host, and the world of Superman is no different. Appearing in literally thousands of stories across comic books, radio, TV, and film, Superman has been one of the most dominant pop culture properties since his creation in 1938. And yet, despite the iconic nature of the character, it’s hard to imagine what a Superman story would be without the people at the Daily Planet or without the villains that threaten the values of truth and justice that Superman defends and holds dear. The panel will examine some key characters from the Superman mythos: Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, Jimmy Olson, and the Kents and decide, who is most important to the world of Superman.  

Chosen Ones

The archetype of the hero can come in many different forms, but a common one is the troupe where a character is deemed the Chosen one. The idea of the “Chosen One” is most typically found in fantasy fiction; usually a character that is destined for greatness. Destined to be the heroic savior who will one day return the world back to a more peaceful state. In this episode, the panel will examine the idea of Chosen One characters to find commonalities and deconstruct when they work, when they don’t, and what they enjoy about this trope in media.

Definitive Five: Our Favorite Versions of Characters Across Media

Often there can be variations for characters depending on which form of media you encounter them in. Sometimes the differences in these variations can be slight, while other times they can, of course, be very big. The panel will look at a list of characters prepared by Frank, and each person will decide if the definitive version for them can be found in either comics, movies, TV, animation, or in video games. Some of the panel's choices are actually quite surprising.

Spotlight: Dwayne McDuffie

Dwayne McDuffie is one of the most important creators in the modern era of comics. Probably best known, and most importantly, as the co-founder and one of the architects of Milestone Media, a comic book company focused on better representing minorities in comics. There he would create or co-create titles such as Static, Icon, Blood Syndicate, and Hardware.  Elsewhere, his work includes seminal runs on Fantastic Four, Deathlok, Firestorm and creator of the abundantly clever Marvel Comics series Damage Control. In addition to his work in comics McDuffie was a prolific writer, story editor, and producer of fantastic animated programming including Ben 10 Alien Force, Static Shock, Justice League, and Justice League Unlimited.  The panel is honored to shine the spotlight on the one and only Dwayne McDuffie.