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Artwork for Superhero Ethics

Superhero Ethics

Superhero Ethics
Ethics
Marvel Cinematic Universe
Cobra Kai
Superman
Superheroes
Daredevil
Andor
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Child Soldiers
Wonder Man
Star Trek
Racism
Anime
Artificial Intelligence
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Identity
Star Wars
Poker
Tuvix
Mental Illness

Exploring ethical questions from Superhero movies and TV shows, sci-fi, and everything else geeks love

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes421Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
TV & FilmSociety & Culture

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Artwork for Superhero Ethics

Latest Episodes

Does Peter Parker vote? Steve Stormoen put that to the group on election day, and it set the tone for a Spider-Man conversation about everyday power. Matthew Fox and Paul Hoppe welcome back Will Freeland and Steve Stormoen of the Hype Is My Superpowe... more

YouTube

Matthew Fox offers Paul Hoppe an alien’s button that would end meat-eating, and Paul has pressed it before the offer is done. Matthew and Paul, a professional poker player and writer, continue the Superhero Ethics wrap-up series with the benevolent a... more

YouTube

Amanda Waller has no superpowers, just the government’s AmEx card and a mandate nobody voted on. Matthew Fox and Paul Hoppe continue their wrap-up series with DC’s best-known government operative, following her through “Justice League Unlimited,” “Ar... more

YouTube

Who should answer when a hero’s save goes wrong, and to whom? In Lagos, Scarlet Witch pulls a bomb away from a crowd and it kills Wakandan students in a building nearby. Matthew Fox and co-host Paul Hoppe, a poker player and writer, stay inside that ... more

YouTube

Key Facts

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Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Paul Hoppe
Professional poker player and writer
Episode: Wrap Up 4: Benevolent Overlords
Paul Christopher Hoppe
Author and commentator introduced as a guest, affiliated with Zen Madman
Zen Madman
Episode: Profiling
Adam Kemezis
Professor, specialist in Greek and Roman literature
University of Alberta (U of Alberta)
Episode: The Odyssey: Myth on Film
Mandy Kaplan
Host of Make Me a Nerd podcast, frequent guest on Superhero Ethics
Episode: Dolly Parton and 9 to 5
Jessica Plummer
DC Comic Book Expert extraordinaire
DC Comics
Episode: Lanterns and the Ethics of Adaptation
Steve Stormoen
Co-host from Hype Is My Superpower
Hype Is My Superpower
Episode: Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Will Freeland
Co-host from Hype Is My Superpower
Hype Is My Superpower
Episode: Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Pete Wright
Author of Lattice, podcaster
TruStory FM Family of Podcasts
Episode: Lattice and Writing
Becky Allen
Author and online tech/communications professional; returning guest
Independent
Episode: Pride (2014): When Thatcher Made Allies of Queers and Miners

Hosts

Matthew Fox
Host with a central role in driving ethical discussions across episodes; often leads analysis and debates.
Paul Christopher Hoppe
Co-host and poker expert; contributes practical ethics frameworks and cross-cutting perspectives.
Jessica Plummer
Co-host and returning guest with comic knowledge; adds cultural and gender-dynamics insights.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 244 ratings
  • Thought Provoking!

    Update 5/27- I still love the content but Matthew needs a new/better mic. It’s incredibly difficult to hear them.

    I love this podcast! Always a great, thought provoking discussion about ethics in different movies. I’m a big Marvel fan but the movies deal with such huge ethical quandaries and it’s great t hear smart, nerdy people discuss them.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Jb.216
    United Statesa year ago
  • LOVE!!

    I’ve been listening to Superhero Ethics since 2020 and absolutely love this podcast. It’s unique from other superhero podcasts in that’s it doesn’t just say “I loved/hated this movie because…” and instead dives into the real world implications behind these pieces of superhero media. It’s insightful and honestly has made me a more thoughtful and overall better person in my day-to-day life. Matthew (the host) and all their guests are great and I would highly recommend!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    sophia weasley
    United States3 years ago
  • VERY interesting content, but not accessible to listeners with misophonia. Host clears throat on mic.

    Podchaser
    3
    istillneedausernamequestionmark
    4 years ago
  • This is the place for deep dives on all your favorite geek media! Awesome hosts, awesome guests, awesome topics!!!

    Podchaser
    5
    Mark Garkusha
    5 years ago
  • Thought Provoking!

    I love this podcast! Always a great, thought provoking discussion about ethics in different movies. I’m a big Marvel fan but the movies deal with such huge ethical quandaries and it’s great t hear smart, nerdy people discuss them.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jb.216
    United States5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Production quality and consistency are generally good, with room for mic improvements.
Guests bring strong expertise and diverse perspectives.
Thought-provoking and consistently deep ethical discussions on superheroes.
Listeners appreciate the balance of nerd culture and philosophical analysis.

Top TV & Film Podcasts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Wrap Up 4: Benevolent Overlords
Q: If the alien comes to you and says, okay, look, right now there's an awful lot of ignorance in your world, especially in your country or country that you are physically in. ... They said, you press this button, we're going to immediately mind control all those people and show them in a way that they will accept. ... You press that button.
Paul finds this more difficult because changing someone's beliefs may fundamentally change who they are, even if it could prevent harm. He considers whether the scale of lives saved could make such an intervention more defensible.
Wrap Up 4: Benevolent Overlords
Q: An alien shows up to you tomorrow and hands you a button and says, if you press this button, all humans will immediately become completely unable to digest any form of meat product whatsoever.
Paul says he would press it, reasoning that preventing the mass killing of animals can justify limiting people's choices. Matthew notes that the hypothetical becomes more complicated when the intervention changes beliefs or identity rather than simply preventing an action.
Wrap Up 2: Civil War
Q: Is that even a fair way of framing the questions that we're talking about here?
Paul agrees that the questions include how to define the good being pursued and what methods or collateral damage the public should accept, while noting his distrust of government institutions and their claim to legitimate force.
Wrap Up 2: Civil War
Q: The Lagos incident has happened. What's your thoughts on what kind of response there should or shouldn't be?
Paul argues that different affected parties should have a say, but rejects a single obviously correct answer. He emphasizes the need for an investigation into what happened and what alternatives were available, while remaining skeptical of institutions that claim authority to regulate force.
Dolly Parton and 9 to 5
Q: Is it ethical to do an ad to help listeners avoid ads if the goal is to improve the listener experience?
The host frames ad-supported models as a trade-off between accessibility and revenue, noting that offering an ad-free option via a paid membership can enhance user experience while supporting the show.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Superhero Ethics

What is Superhero Ethics about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful discussion-driven show that examines ethics through superhero, sci-fi, and pop culture narratives. Episodes routinely unpack moral questions about power, responsibility, risk, and justice using examples from comics, films, and TV, often pairing philosophical analysis with real-world context like politics, economics, and social issues. Distinctive strengths include rigorous ethical framing, a willingness to cross franchises and genres, and engaging debates with guest experts who bring domain-specific insights from comics, gaming, and media critique. Fans tend to appreciate a blend of nerdy analysis and practical takeaways, plus a network of recurring guests and a posture that treats popular media as a serious lens for worldview ... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Superhero Ethics?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Superhero Ethics:

1. Multiverse News
2. Always Watching
3. Marvel Cinematic Universe Podcast
4. DC on SCREEN | DC Studios News & Reviews
5. House of R

How many episodes of Superhero Ethics are there?

Superhero Ethics launched 10 years ago and published 421 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Superhero Ethics?

Recent guests on Superhero Ethics include:

1. Paul Hoppe
2. Paul Christopher Hoppe
3. Adam Kemezis
4. Mandy Kaplan
5. Jessica Plummer
6. Steve Stormoen
7. Will Freeland
8. Pete Wright

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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