Puny Pod | Season 1 Episode 0 - Introduction (AKA Legends)

[00:00:00] Hello and welcome to Puny Pod, a podcast that is doing an introduction episode. I'm your host Ryan and I'm joined by my co-host David. Hey Ryan, how are you doing? Oh not too shabby, not too shabby, have you ever yourself today?

[00:00:14] Doing well, doing well excited for that excited to kick things off with the first podcast. I know, I'm super excited. I can't wait for the listeners to get to hear this one so... This episode is going to be a little bit different than our main episode.

[00:00:30] So if you're going back and listening to this in the future times, you may notice a little different format here. Mostly we really want to introduce y'all to ourselves, both of the host here David and me Ryan.

[00:00:49] And we also want to set the stage for what the show will be and set the stage a little bit for how we got to where we are in the MCU. To kind of give you guys a timeline of where we are at the time of recording.

[00:01:06] We are through four phases of the MCU. So we are just after Wakanda forever. So if you're going back and listening to this in the future times, understand that's where we are today as we say it here.

[00:01:23] So if you talk a little bit about what the show is, the idea here is that the PewDiePie, our episode here, our podcast here, is really for both newcomers to the MCU, as well as those doing a rewatch. We wanted to kind of hit that middle ground.

[00:01:44] Every month we're going to watch a movie, David and I will watch a movie. We will be watching them in release order and we will be watching MCU movies. That means that as of recording, things like X-Men, the X-Men movies or the Samory Me Spider-Man movies.

[00:02:05] As great as they are, do not fit into the predisposition of this podcast. As we watch them, we'll break it down for you all.

[00:02:22] We've spent a lot of time with these movies and so we will make sure that we share all the things that you may have missed. We'll avoid spoiling movies that we haven't watched yet within the universe during our main show.

[00:02:40] The best way I can kind of describe this movie is it's like watching the MCU movies with your friend who knows everything. It's your friend who sits on the couch next to you usually and he's like, hey, pay attention to that little bit.

[00:02:54] That's kind of who we aim to be. During our episodes, we'll also cover all the Marvel news that has come up in the previous month. And you know, we do want to encourage everybody that as we go through this journey, you watch the movies right along with us.

[00:03:13] I think the best way to experience this podcast is with a fresh rewatch in mind. David, did you have anything to add to kind of what we're going to do? Sure.

[00:03:23] And going to what we mentioned before in terms of looking at the movies just within the MCU, one of the things we talked about before was.

[00:03:32] The difference between the movies that are pre-MCU and we're going to talk about how we got to this point in the Marvel movie timeline is that all the MCU movies.

[00:03:43] There's a there's a threat of connection between all of them that didn't exist with the Marvel superhero films were being produced. And we're focused on the MCU and we're really kind of pointing out how everything kind of builds and everything is kind of interconnected.

[00:04:08] And just what a great job they've done of laying out this the MCU as we know it today. Yeah, absolutely.

[00:04:17] For those of you who find that you really, really enjoy our content or if you just really want to get more into that connectivity right and and getting into some of the spoilers will be doing. I like to call it the super secret spoiler show.

[00:04:33] But it will be that that show will take up take off all the gloves. A little bit of cursing make her just just for worn any all on that one. Spoilers for future movies will happen and we'll really get into the interconnected thread.

[00:04:50] This will be published on the ears up Patreon at the five dollar level MB on so subscribing to the ears up Patreon. You get a lot of cool perks there. We'll talk about that a little bit later in the outro of the podcast.

[00:05:03] But if you want to hear us kind of talk about that interconnected thread while taking the spoiler gloves off, if you will. That that's a really great place and we really appreciate the support from everybody who jumps into that level.

[00:05:22] Anything else that you had David before we jump on to kind of talking about. I was going to say any if you really like it just call us right believe our numbers are home numbers on the. Eight five five. Just. You be me too well then.

[00:05:42] Dang it well let's let's jump in to kind of who we are right there there's a million Marvel rewatch shows out there. And I think what's really important about any of those rewatch shows is the personalities of the hosts that that's why you're here.

[00:06:00] That's why you want to listen to us so all kind of start off talk about you know kind of what my relation with Marvel is and the MCU and we'll kind of let it flow from there.

[00:06:19] So I started with comics at a very very young age some of my like formative memories were going to the comic book store with my dad and searching the the quarter quarter issue been.

[00:06:34] So I read a lot of weird comics growing up because they were the stuff that no one else was buying. I have always kind of enjoyed the like techno heroes so a little bit of spider man, a lot of bit of Iron Man.

[00:06:55] In fact my dad actually recently be queathed unto me the first five Iron Man issues he owns them and they are now mine so. Definitely a big fan of Iron Man and the way he interacts in the comics and you know with the MCU side of it.

[00:07:20] I was really excited because Iron Man got his movie first right and so I was hooked from the get I was kind of predisposed to be hooked from the get but. I have I've seen every nearly every I hesitate to say every because I don't remember for sure.

[00:07:44] But nearly every MCU movie I've watched on its release night whether that's at midnight or nowadays it's like a six PM showing. Definitely a big fan of the MCU and a huge fan of. Of like.

[00:08:05] Easter eggs and that sort of thing I think whatever contents I'm watching whether it's MCU or anything else I really like the references that they build in kind of the if you know you know type of references.

[00:08:18] I think that's really fun and picking up on those is kind of something I really really enjoy outside of that.

[00:08:29] Really just like I say enjoy enjoy the MCU and everything that it has to offer how about you David but like you I I've started collecting comic books when I was pretty young I was trying to I was thinking back and I was trying to remember like how I was I want to see what I'm doing.

[00:08:46] I was like eight or nine or so and was and at the time you know you had the option you had was principally DC comics you know under woman Batman Superman Justice League any of Marvel comics and I started reading Marvel comics in the I'm going to say late 70s and was drawn to.

[00:09:13] I was really kind of drawn to the characters that artwork was great that you know the titles I started collecting I would read the X men and Avengers were probably my two favorites certainly Ironman certainly Captain America.

[00:09:27] I was a big fan of a comic book artist by the name of John Bern who drew it marvel and wrote a marvel for quite a long period of time and then.

[00:09:38] And then you get older in the new I stopped actively collecting but still loved all the stories and I loved even the terrible Hulk TV show and just the other terrible attempts to bring.

[00:09:51] I think these comic book characters to life and you know you could look back at the you know the early Captain America and some of the early stuff and it's just it's awful but.

[00:10:02] Super excited because it's stuff that you read about that's come to the screen and so when the first marvel superhero movies came out you know you're talking blade X men spider man I was I was just.

[00:10:19] Very excited to see X men I was probably my favorite comic book growing up and watch them all of them over and over again like you're saying I enjoy the little like Easter eggs the stuff that was put out by the other studios didn't have quite the connection to the comic books because they don't.

[00:10:38] You know they have the right to use that people they don't they're not trying to service the fans in my mind. You know and I watched them all some of them are really bad like tear devils not a good like he's not good.

[00:10:50] First Hulk 2003 man that I can't even hard to find a copy that anywhere. But when when they announced when marvel started getting back the right and we'll talk a little bit about the right stuff a bit.

[00:11:08] I was very excited for the MCU to begin I didn't know anything about Kevin five yet anyone about the folks the screen writers the folks were tasked with casting all the roles and they've done if you think about it done fantastic job throughout the throughout the whole MCU.

[00:11:29] And then in 2008 Iron Man came out it was it was pretty great and so since then I've seen every MCU movie rewatch them all.

[00:11:39] I'm in for the Easter eggs I stay through the end credits like watch them whenever they're on there something that I'm certainly more likely to watch all the way through than some of them but.

[00:11:51] It's it's a it's a it's hard to describe but it's like it's a it's a go to movie experience and every time I I don't know if it's the same with you run, but every time I see.

[00:12:02] I watch one of the MCU movies I pick up something new like there's this there's an Easter egg there's something that never before there's a character I ignored the first time and and that's the reason I went to the podcast by while why we are here talking to about it is because we have this love for.

[00:12:19] Marvel characters the comics and the MCU and just want to be a share our nerdiness I guess that's what I put it.

[00:12:28] Absolutely absolutely yeah and I think you know thinking about the rewatching it and seeing things I think that's what's really interesting and one of the things that drew me to this content and drew me to this idea is.

[00:12:45] The Marvel does a really good job as you've mentioned a few times with this interconnected thread that runs through everything even the things you didn't expect right.

[00:12:57] We'll talk about it in our iron man episode you know, Jinson comes back a few times or even the the engineer who obadized stain screams at.

[00:13:09] You know famously Tony Stark built this in a cave with the box of scraps you know that that engineer comes back later on down the timeline and so I think what's really interesting about these rewatches is.

[00:13:22] You're watching it in a you know the light of a new day essentially right you're you're watching. The version of iron man that you watched in 2008 when it released is very different.

[00:13:36] And then essentially the iron man the version of Iron Man if you will that you're watching this week to prep for you know spoiler alert episode one is going to be on Iron Man. But it's almost a different movie because of the extra connections that have been developed.

[00:13:58] Yeah, totally great totally great and and and for those reasons that you know I'm really excited to do the show with you I think it's going to be a lot of fun.

[00:14:09] As we said for our our goals to share each movie and show how they're why that film is important and how they build upon.

[00:14:18] One another a few else so obviously the early ones are not going to have very much in terms of looking backwards but as we talked about before we are going to different points time drop a little pin save something for later we'll talk about it in the after show.

[00:14:32] And then as we get into future episodes we'll we will do callbacks to those as well. Yeah, yeah, keep an eye on out for those pins will definitely maybe I'll have to create a sound effect or something to go along with them but.

[00:14:46] But yeah and as far as kind of how David and I know each other right I think that's also important to hear David and I met through the years up podcast network through.

[00:14:58] The the game night that the guys over on the T.S.R. side of the world put together and so we're I'm really excited to have David on board with this one.

[00:15:10] May this is coming as a surprise I didn't put this in the show notes that I was going to do this so. But yeah, definitely really excited to get to talk with a fellow nerd as well as you know somebody who.

[00:15:26] Who's who's a good time and really excited as we go through this podcast kind of together with this rewatch so.

[00:15:38] And so I think that's a little bit more than that I will hand it over to David. I'll let you say anything you wanted to say to wrap up who we are and then let you jump into the section of the show that we are naming how we got to the MC.

[00:15:49] I like to use the term comic enthusiast but no, okay, no, but it is it we you know we are it is.

[00:15:58] It's that kind of comic book passion that enthusiasm that we have you know we call nerdiness but wanted to do I thought one of the things that we really helpful is we.

[00:16:08] Talk about the show as we talk about how we got here I think that if you just crank up Disney plus and you started the very beginning you think that Marvel movie started in 2008 with Iron Man.

[00:16:22] And that's not true and how we got these super hero characters how we got here how we almost didn't get here is a pretty wild story I'm going to I'll provide a little detail as to the comics.

[00:16:36] A little bit of the history and then how we how that morphed and how the business and the company morphed into licensing out it's super characters and then eventually producing its own film so.

[00:16:50] We're going to go way way back because you kind of early beginning in comic books 1938 what is then now known as DC comics it was detective comics published the first edition of Superman action comics number one and this kicked off what is called the golden age of comic books.

[00:17:07] And Superman's popularity help make comic books an important arm of publishing companies which would produce various paraticals and magazines every month if you will. So in 1939 a publisher by the name of Martin Goodman created the company which is later known as Marvel comics under the name timely publications.

[00:17:28] And time list first superhero publication marvel comics number one include the first appearance of human torch as well as name or the submariner. And March 1940 when the company's editor writer Joe Simon teamed with Marvel.

[00:17:46] Artist Jack Kirby to create one of the first patriotically themed superheroes captain America so within the first two years three major Marvel superheroes were created. There was a dispute between Simon and Kirby with with the with the publisher won't get into the nitty gritty details but basically.

[00:18:09] They felt they weren't being a well paid a large enough percentage of profits they left to join DC comics in 1941 to earn you know.

[00:18:17] Five times what they're making before DC this will one of the underlying themes and currents of comic books and I know that you know this pretty well-rine. Is it there's oftentimes disputes between the creatives and the companies.

[00:18:31] With the creatives are not necessarily paid the kind of their fair share if you will there was a lot of jumping around a lot of freelancing if you will but but Joe Simon Jack Kirby are kind of legends within the marvel.

[00:18:42] Superhero world having created so many it's amazing characters that we'll see and talk about. Yeah, I would argue that those two guys with a little bit more charisma to them probably could have surpassed annually.

[00:19:00] As far as like importance to the comics and maybe are a do as far as importance goes but as like a face of the comics I think if they had a little bit more charisma.

[00:19:16] They they I think they're they're the guys who the comic folks the people who know comics know those names but the people who only don't know the comics don't know those names so cool to hear them you know like like you said their legends right there they're absolutely.

[00:19:33] So it's 1941. They leave. Joe Simon and Jack Kirby leave they joined DC Comics. Stan Leiber who was goodman's cousin by marriage was promoted interim editor just shy of his 19th birthday. And that same year Leiber wrote his first story which appeared in Captain America comics number three.

[00:19:54] Because of the low social static social status of comic books at the time he was so embarrassed that he used his pen name Stanley so nobody would associate his real name with the comics.

[00:20:09] Another side another thing that is a not really a pin but it's something to also notice that. The relationship between Stanley and some of the creatives was a bit rocky Jack Kirby was.

[00:20:24] And he literally convinced that it was Stanley who told goodman that he and Simon were leaving DC Comics. And then Kirby would later go to work for Marvel even though he's still harbored negative feelings towards Stanley and the the the like you're saying the relationship was such that.

[00:20:42] You know, Stan eventually became the face of Marvel right seem in the movies we know you know we know him from his face in the comic books.

[00:20:50] And you're saying could have been could have been Jack and Joe it's just they were just they didn't have that quite that. Quite that kind of charisma that we're not that seen in the forefront.

[00:21:02] After World War II comic books went into the decline movies TV we're taking off. And then we re-branded itself as Atlas comics and then published a variety of magazines paperback books principally horror westerns talking animals crime war adventure dramas etc.

[00:21:22] The pure articles were all successful but the comics except for those early those early titles were a really till the small part of the business and the end goodman threatened shutting it down.

[00:21:34] Almost lost Marvel comics back in the in the 50s at the beginning of around 1957 marvels one of the top publishers behind a company called western dalle and national.

[00:21:44] But it was mostly due to the number of titles they were cranking out 40 to 50 titles per month which is pretty wild. That's quite a few.

[00:21:55] That same year goodman shipped switch distributors to another company called american news company which basically discontinued its business after lost it just as department lawsuit.

[00:22:08] So Alice was left without a distribution so you create and draw the comic books we have no way to print them and distribute them to the comic book stores.

[00:22:16] So they were forced to turn to independence news which was the distribution arm of its biggest rival DC comics and not surprisingly independent news and post pretty harsh restrictions on goodman's company.

[00:22:29] As Stanley later recalled in the ninety eight interview quote we've been turning out 40 50 60 books a month maybe more and suddenly went to eight or 12 books a month with all that they would accept from us so.

[00:22:43] Again DC comics almost putting marvel out just because they were not putting out superhero titles at all at that point in time.

[00:22:53] Yeah, starting in the nineteen but DC comics did something which actually worked to their detriment they revive the superhero archetype and experience success in reviving superheroes particularly with flash.

[00:23:07] Green Lantern Batman Superman Wonder Woman Green Arrow and the new Justice League of America and in response marvel what is now called marvel the publisher Marty Goodman signed Stanley to come up with his own superhero team.

[00:23:22] So thinking that there can be success in this lane that was previously dormant for quite a period of time.

[00:23:29] Now if you remember Stanley did not he is probably this point in time he's in his late twenties this is not like this is not a serious full-time gig he wanted to be a writer.

[00:23:41] And as wife just said hey just experiment with stories you prefer you know you're going to you're going to change careers at any point in time at some point in time so you have really nothing to lose.

[00:23:51] So in 1961 Atlas comics was rebranded as marvel comics the and this was the marvel superhero as we know it now began in June 1961 with the launch of the fantastic for.

[00:24:04] And others superhero titles created by Stanley Jack Kirby Steve Ditko who's another fantastic artist in others and the marvel brand which had been used only occasionally over the years because again they had. And the four to fifty sixty titles was solidified as the company's primary brand.

[00:24:21] Now the thing which drew me to marvel comics were the characters and the character types marvel comics would capitalize in this revived interest in superhero storytelling but focused on.

[00:24:36] So Stanley taking acting on his wife's advice he gave his superheroes a flawed humanity which was a huge change from the ideal archetypes typically written for preteens.

[00:24:51] You you look over at like DC comics most superheroes are idealistically perfect people with no serious issues other than Batman some some issues marvel is chew this and then they and other comic book tropes and.

[00:25:08] Created characters that were of the time so think about this in 1960s Cold War culture they created is revised the super conventions of previous era's to better reflect this the spirit of their age and they broke convention depicted what is referred to superheroes in the real world.

[00:25:31] So you have the fantastic for who squabbled and held grudges and a student anonymity were secret identities in favor of celebrity status. You have I have the amazing spider man who suffered from self doubt and mundane teenage problems something which the breed just got identified with.

[00:25:52] And then marvel just would would create just flawed superheroes freaks misfits unlike the perfect handsome.

[00:26:01] You know super man and others and traditional comic books so you have some heroes that look like the Hulk and the things it looked like monsters you have the X men who had like freakish looking characters.

[00:26:13] And then the other thing which marvel did which even when you go back and really jump to the page.

[00:26:20] As they focused on then current real world topics like war politics communism in the space race civil rights movement gender equality and pop culture and the way it was described.

[00:26:36] And it was in a in a in a 2009 writer Jeff Boucher wrote Superman and DC comics instantly seemed like boring old Pat Boone marvel felt like beetles in the British invasion.

[00:26:49] It was Kirby's artwork with its tension and psychedelia that made it perfect for the times or was it leaves bravado and melodrama which was somehow insecure and brash all at the same time.

[00:27:00] And so that was really in my mind the the the difference between the marvel and the DC characters and what drew me to the me to the measure reader.

[00:27:11] By the mid 1960s marvel things are turning around marvel's humming along but remember they're stuck at that eight title limit until around 1964 when the males when the sales of marvel comics just too high in independent news couldn't hold them back anymore.

[00:27:26] And so they went up to one or two titles every month every six months or so until the contrap for the contract ended they were at about 16 and in 1968 they're selling 50 million comic books a year. And then you know marvel is flourishing pretty well creatively.

[00:27:43] In 1968 goodman told marvel comics and its parent company magazine management to the perfect film a chemical corporation later renamed cadence industries.

[00:27:51] And in 1973 by this time Stanley as you mentioned earlier right he is the face of marvel he served as its publisher editor chief and for while he was company president. In 1981 so fast forward about 15 or so years.

[00:28:11] In 1981 marvel productions was the television and film studio subsidiary of the marvel entertainment group which is based in Los Angeles and that same year Stanley moved to California to develop marvel's TV and movie.

[00:28:23] So 1981 Stanley is out of the comic book business and he's he's into the Hollywood business. He was named vice president creative fairs and executive producer for various marvel film adaptations and other movies.

[00:28:38] There was a series of corporate transactions we'd thrown it into on this show but basically in 1986 marvel was spun off liquidated it was sold to a copper corporate groups resold again. And in 1981 what is now known as marvel entertainment group was taken public.

[00:28:58] But even though it was a public traded company marvel was marvel was struggling they were on the verge of going out of business. In 1996 it filed for five for bankruptcy.

[00:29:09] So it wasn't it wasn't the financial position to make its own movies they had these great characters but they didn't have the financial wherewithal to to to make the film.

[00:29:21] So marvel then sold off all the screen sold off the screen nights to various marvel characters for ridiculously low prices. In 1990 Iron Man writes for sold universal studio in 1994 Fox secured the rights for Xman for one million dollars.

[00:29:43] One million why it also circulated secret deals for Daredevil, Electra, Fantastic Four for Total 2.6 million. 1999 Sony signed up for the entirety of this spider-man character base which again another move which I'm sure that they regret to this day.

[00:29:59] Universal pictures had the production distribution rights to the Hulk when they produced English 2003 film Hulk. Similarly title but when they failed to find it the sequel within the contract with deadline marvel entertainment group. Now Disney regained the production rights and produced the 2008 film The Amazing Hulk.

[00:30:19] Universal actually still holds the right to distribute any standalone Hulk film which is why we probably want to see a standalone Hulk film but where Hulk is like a secondary character then Disney has the rights if it to distribute there.

[00:30:36] Anyway we have all these movies that are being created you know when we start talking about you know being a young kid reading comic books and then you start to see the superheroes on screen.

[00:30:51] That's when we got really excited so you know Xman first Xman movie came out in 2020 Century Fox.

[00:30:57] You have blade blade to spider-man Daredevil some of these were pretty good some of them were not so good but they all made the all made a good chunk of money and so in prior to 2008.

[00:31:15] Marvel did not have the financial wherewithal they entered into an agreement with Marilynge they planned on getting a line of credit to which against which they were going to start making the various Marvel movies so in the case of Iron Man.

[00:31:34] I know he was and is a character favorite of Ryan's from the from the parlance the view of. I think of the industry Iron Man was kind of a be kind of a be-list character he was not he's not your a-list superstar and so.

[00:31:55] Marvel made the decision hey we're going to kick off the MCU with this. Character um before that universal studios had the right to develop it for a bunch of years. Um, uh, uh, transferred to 20th Century Fox.

[00:32:11] Um, you know they're kicking around and idea would it would it would've um in 1997 I kind of like this word surface that a young actor fresh off a big Hollywood film the rock. Was was interested in playing the hero.

[00:32:25] So Nicholas Cage who could have been Iron Man who also auditioned for Batman. Um, later ended up as Hellwriter. Um, expressed in its tongue cruise was that was attached to it at one point in time. Quentin Ternetino was approached to write and direct the film.

[00:32:41] It's 2000-2004, uh, New Line Cinema, uh, was commissioned. Um, they had the rights to create Iron Man. Um, Josh Weedon was in at that point in time was in the go-shades in the director film. He later got to write and direct Avengers age of all-tron and shield.

[00:32:59] Um, eventually with the studios main prospect being gone though, uh, New Line Cinema ended up really in creatures and rights to Iron Man back to Marvel studio. So this is where, um, Marvel was had which had never produced a movie until on its own until now.

[00:33:14] Like I said, a range for financing $5 and $25 million, mine accredit to borrow against in order to create movies amongst its 10 comic book characters including Captain America. Um, so it's 2005 Iron Man is finally home. Uh, 2006 John Favreau was hired as director.

[00:33:36] Uh, Favreau was originally going to direct Captain America, the first vendor. But he wanted to, to direct this film and give it a more serious tone.

[00:33:45] Um, one of the things I would also point out is John Favreau had, um, a very strong opinion to cast Robert Danny Jr. for the role, which we will, um, get into in two moments.

[00:34:00] But other characters who, other actors who were considered Hugh Jackman was offered the role, uh, Timothy Olivephant. He actually screened test at the same day as Robert Danny Jr. I think he would actually have been pretty good. Um, Sam Rockwell was actually originally, itch by John Favreau. Yeah.

[00:34:17] And then obviously, uh, showed up in Iron Man too. I'm sorry, running, running, going to go ahead. Oh no, no, I was just agreeing. I think, um, Timothy Olivephant would have been great, um, especially, you know, seeing, seeing him take on some of those more, uh,

[00:34:38] like action oriented roles that he's taken on in the last few years. It would have been cool to see him as, uh, Iron Man for sure. Yeah, I'm not really feeling Nicolas Cage, but, um, Tom Cruise would have an interesting to me, all of a,

[00:34:52] all of a, well, it's been a good Sam Rockwell's great actor. So, you know, there were the, I think one of the things that Disney did very well is, um, and I will get the person's name, but it's been the same casting person since the beginning.

[00:35:09] And slightly Robert Danny Jr., which was a risk at the time, um, as the title character. Uh, John Fravo really wanted Robert Danny Jr. because he felt like the, again, remember,

[00:35:22] this point time, you know, down he's been in and out of rehab, he was not considering a list, uh, actor anymore, you know, considered to be difficult to work with, um, but he was cast, and, uh, uh, Favreau had to fight for him.

[00:35:39] Uh, but he felt like his, the actor's past was right for the part because, you know, Favreau felt like, uh, Danny could make Stark what he was in the comic books, which was kind of a likable,

[00:35:51] like a likable jerk, right? And so, and then, um, and then also to depict this, this journey, that we see from the first episode that we'll see, which wins of the audience. Favreau, he was quote, quote, Danny wasn't the most obvious choice, but he understood what makes

[00:36:06] the character tick. The best and worst moments of Robert's life have been in the public eye. He had to find an inner balance to overcome obstacles that went far beyond his career. That's Tony Stark. Robert brings depth goes beyond a comic book character having trouble in high school.

[00:36:22] Um, that having trouble in high school or can't get the girl. So, you know, down he is viewed as what is effectively his version of Johnny Depp for the pirates. So a lead actor who could elevate the quality of the film and increase the public's interest in it,

[00:36:38] and a main character that we will see in numerous MCU movies. So that is how, that is how we got to 2008, 2009 as we all know, Disney Aquires The Rights to Marvel, and for 4.5, I'm sorry, $4 billion. And then release the first Disney Produce Marvel movie in 2012, which was Avengers,

[00:37:05] which grossed $1.5 billion. In some sense, Disney has made 2,000 MCU movies, which have grossed around $26 billion. So that, the $4 billion investment is more than paid for itself. And that's how we got here. Yeah. Oh, that's crazy. Well, thank you for that research that was really, really great David.

[00:37:26] And I think we'll talk probably in episode 1 here when we talk about Iron Man, you know, really like you mentioned Robert Downey Jr. is to some degree Tony Stark, like in life. And so really cool to see that for Vrout made that argument there.

[00:37:49] Cool. Anything else to add before we wrap up this intro episode, David? My question for you, Ryan, is where does the name Pune Pod come from? Absolutely. Pune Pod. So as we'll get down the line to Marvel's The Avengers, there's a scene that shows up actually later on,

[00:38:17] also in Endgame, where the Hulk is taking on... Finding Loki? Yes, Loki. Thank you. And smash an M-around, smash him around and he walks away and Hulk remarks Pune God as he walks away. And so the idea of Pune Pod is a slight pun on that line.

[00:38:48] So not that there's anything Pune about the podcast per se, but it call back to a fun quote and a fun scene in that first Avengers movie. Yeah, it should be mentioned if you are trying to get into this podcast listening to a quick 15-minute hit review,

[00:39:06] this is not the podcast for you. We are going to deep dive, you know, some episodes are going to take us an hour or more to dissect the movies that we're talking about. So definitely not Pune and Stature by any means.

[00:39:26] But this has been a really great episode. We can't wait to bring you all along with us on this journey through the MCU. As you start to interact with us, as you find us, please, please, please remember to check out our socials, Ron Facebook, Pune Pod.

[00:39:47] That's PUNY, POD, Instagram, Pune, underscore pod, Twitter while it's still around. We are Pune Pod, all one word, TikTok, all one word. If you have any suggestions and any feedback, any insights that you want to share that you'd like us to share on the show,

[00:40:11] send us an email at punypod at earsup-hifinpodcast.com. Remember to like us wherever you're listening to us. Make sure that you leave us a really great review. We definitely will appreciate that as we go along and subscribe on all your various platforms.

[00:40:34] Also, make sure you check out the rest of the earsup podcast universe or the EUPU as I like to call it. We have the earsup main show. They cover Disney Parks primarily Disneyland. Earsup in death, they cover all the news from across the Disney sphere.

[00:40:54] Supreme resort, as I mentioned, that's kind of the show that connected David and I. They go park by park, land by land determining which park reign supreme.

[00:41:05] And also I will say in the springtime, they have a bracket challenge and so far, David and I are the two winners. So if you want to take us on in their bracket challenge, come at us.

[00:41:22] And then scraping the vault straight to video Disney sequels also straight to streaming as they start to get a little bit long in the tooth. They have to expand that a little bit. We also have our friends, the Banta Milk Boys. They cover all things Star Wars.

[00:41:44] They currently as of recording are gearing up to start watching Badbatch. Any new show that comes out they kind of cover week by week. Otherwise in between those shows, they have some really great Star Wars content.

[00:42:00] And then as I mentioned earlier, make sure that you take a look at the ears up Patreon.

[00:42:08] There's a secret show for the ears up main show where they do a little bit of drink in, you get a drink recipe and you get to hear them kind of take their gloves off about the Disney parks.

[00:42:21] And it's also a monthly walkabout where usually it's myself and Jason from the main show, we watch YouTube videos of and kind of hang out, talk with the chat. It's a really good time.

[00:42:36] And then like I mentioned at the $5 level or more, you also get our secret show. Title and progress but right now we're calling it the super secret spoiler show. We'll workshop it. Yeah, we'll work on that one.

[00:42:51] But yeah, thank you guys for listening to our intro episode in your feed. It's going to be called the Marvel Legends or Legends something. But in your feed today should also be our first review episode.

[00:43:06] It's on the very first MCU movie. The only sort of started talking about a little bit in there. Iron Man. And remember, PewDiePie will return.