Episode 69: Comic Books and Superheros

Well, it's our last episode of the season and we're leaving you with a fun one! Comic Books and Superheros was such a fun podcast to research for and record! Each of us picked our favorite superhero and there may or may not be some heated debate on who's the best superhero of them all. 

In 1932 Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster created Superman, the first superhero to ever be created and put into a comic. They sold the character to DC Comics in 1938 which is when the first comic book was printed, it was called Action Comics 1 and to this day is the most expensive comic book ever sold ($2 million).

Batman was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, first appeared in “Detective Comics” in 1939.
Kane was inspired by Sherlock Holmes, Zorro, and a Leonardo sketch depicting a bat-wing-based flying apparatus.

Batman’s look, his symbols, and his enemies have all changed over time. Here’s a history of Batman in images.

In December 1940, Captain America Comics #1 goes on sale. It sold one million copies in the first month and remained close to a million issues a month in following. .The comic was EXTREMELY popular during WWII, after pearl harbor Captain America #9 even out sold time magazine!

Wonder Woman was created by psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston. She is considered a feminist icon and is depicted as a heroine fighting for justice, love, peace, and sexual equality.

Spiderman is a child of the Marvel Comics universe, slinging into the public radar for the first time in August 1962. His daddies were Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.

She-Ra is different than any of our other superheros because she was first created as an action figure by Matel who later had a cartoon made of her and her brother He-Man.

She-Ra makes her début in He-Man and She-Ra: The Secret of the Sword, a full length animated moviethat was created by compiling together the first five episodes of She-ra Princess of Power.

Thanks for sticking with us through Season 2! We'll have all new full length episodes starting August 7, but will be putting up Short But Sweets on Wednesday all summer long! All of us at Arts & Facts hope you have a fantastic summer!

Episode 67: Susanna and the Elders

Lauren and Megan discuss the different versions of “Susanna and the Elders” using feminist concepts to critique them. Allori, Rubens, Reni, Tintoretto, Caracci all provide a “male gaze” version of this timeless tale. We tie things up with our only female artist giving an alternative look at the true nature of Susanna.

Susanna and the Elders, Alessandro Allori (undated: between 1535 - 1607)

Susanna and the Elders, C. 1555, Tintoretto

Susanna and the Elders, Annibale Carracci

Susanna and the Elders,Guido Reni 1620

Susanna and the Elders, Rubens 1636-40

Judith Slaying Holofernes, Artemisia Gentileschi

Susanna and the Elders, C. 1610, Artemisia Gentileschi

Tune in next Wednesday for a new episode with Jo and Carrie about Monetary Art! 

Episode 66: Rembrandt

Chloe and Jo talk about Rembrandt.

The Stoning of Saint Stephen, 1625

The Night Watch, 1642

Jesus Healing the Sick, commonly known as 'The Hundred Guilder Print',

1649

Rembrandt with mustache and small beard, 1631

Flora, 1654-55

Return of the Prodigal Son, 1655

Tune in next Wednesday for a new episode with Megan and Lauren on Susanna and the Elders!

Episode 65: Poster Art: The Belle Epoque

The Belle Epoque was an era of influence in France and much of the world. We look back at that time now and refer to it as a "Golden Age". There was so much going on in the art world between 1871 and 1914 from Impressionism to Art Nouveau, it was an age of new ideas. In the design world color lithography had just been perfected making mass produced art work possible. Artists like Alphonse Mucha, Toulouse-Latrec, Jules Cheret and Eugene Grasset made a name for themselves creating posters for plays and advertising products. Color lithography brought prices down, and for the first time in forever the average Joe could purchase a piece of art. To this day poster from the Belle Epoque Era is still highly collectible.

Mucha

Mucha

Mucha

Toulouse-Latrec

Jules Cheret

Jules Cheret

Jules Cheret

Grasset

Grasset

Tune in next Wednesday when Jo and Chloe talk about Rembrandt! You can listen to all of our past episodes on iTunes U. The link can be found in the side bar. 

Episode 64: Northern Baroque: The Basics

This is the second installment of our "The Basics" Series with Lauren and Chloe.

After the Reformation instigated by Martin Luther's 95 Thesis, the Dutch Republic was predominantly Calvinist though there were still many Catholics in the country and grouped together and lived in what was called the Papist Corner of Delft.

The Protestant reformation brought on a wave of iconoclasm (the destruction of religious imagery believed to be a form of idolatry). And in the North, in the Netherlands at least, Protestants shied away from religious symbols. Because of this genre and interior scenes became very popular.

Unlike other parts of Europe at this time the Netherlands had a newly emerging middle class influencing the art of the day. Because of this Baroque art in the North was very different than Baroque art found in Italy.

Vermeer, Girl with a Red Hat, 1668

Vermeer, Woman with a Water Jug, 1662

Frans Hals, The Laughing Cavalier, 1624

Frans Hals, Regents of the St Elizabeth Hospital of Haarlem,1641

Pieter de Hooch, The Courtyard of a House in Delft, 1677

Pieter de Hooch, Women Drinking with Soldiers, 1658

Rembrandt, 

Aristotle Contemplating a Bust of Homer, 1653

Rembrandt, The Night Watch, 1642

And from the Flemish Baroque:

Rubens, The Elevation of the Cross, 1610

Rubens, The Three Graces, 1635

Check back next Wednesday for our newest podcast on Poster Art with Lauren and Julia. Also, join us on Facebook! You can also find all of our past episodes on iTunes U (link is in the side bar).

Episode 63: Zombie Art

Megan and Jo talk about Zombies, where they came from, how they evolved through history and where they are now.

Next Wednesday Lauren and Chloe talk about Northern Baroque. 

All of our previous episodes can be found on iTunes U.