Superhero Comics are a uniquely American artform that have intertwined with US history since their inception. Hosts Hollis Thompson and Kelly Guentner explore the ways that superhero comics both mirror what’s going on in the history of their era and even influence that history. Superheroes have become our modern mythology, and the way the stories have evolved with US society is fascinating from a sociological standpoint.
Hollis is an English Professor who specializes in studying stories, and Kelly is an all-around geek girl who has been fascinated with superheroes and the power of storytelli
ComicStorians Kelly Guentner and Hollis Thompson discuss physical disability representation in comics through the lens of Barbara Gordon and her Oracle storyline arc.
7 Aug 2026
Jewish Comic Characters
Comic books have a deep history of Jewish creators and stories. In this episode, our regular comicstorians welcome Sasha Kaplan, an expert on Jewish representation in comics. Check out her Kickstarter for Chutzpah here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/americandreamscomic/chutzpah-a-jewish-celebration-in-comics-issue-2 (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/americandreamscomic/chutzpah-a-jewish-celebration-in-comics-issue-2?fbclid=IwcGRvZgVleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFMWFZHdm5pNnRPc2FZVWpNc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHrC2lzHzPeSPsE_Nu2lpMXi7j7uGhZTqxpjH-KqBdejhkBwlkQCoaaRObYNE_aem_THvwSDeqzvcUO0Yps0IznQ)
You can also follow Sasha here: Insta: https://www.instagram.com/jewishcomicsqueen/ (https://www.instagram.com/jewishcomicsqueen/)
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@jewishcomicsqueen (https://www.threads.com/@jewishcomicsqueen)Stan Lee article: https://www.heyalma.com/the-complicated-jewishness-of-stan-lee/
9 Jun 2026
Bonus Episode: Naked Between the Pages
Comicbook art often leans on over-sexualization and even graphically violent sexual imagery to tell the story.
ComicStorians Hollis Thompson and Kelly Guentner explore this topic.
Editor's note: After recording this episode, the editor of the International Journal of Comic Art, Dr. John A. Lent, passed away. He was a great scholar and mentor to multiple generations of comicstorians and theorists. He will be greatly missed in the field of comic studies. The issue of that journal that would have contained Hollis's article is indefinitely suspended, and he is seeking other journals to consider it for publication.
Comic Journaling: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sh15Rh9frF0
22 Dec 2025
Don't Mess With the CCA!
Hosts Kelly Guentner and Hollis Thompson discuss the Comics Code Authority's origins, implementation, and impact on the comic industry in this season finale.
8 Oct 2025
The Comic Industry on Trial
Kelly Guentner and Hollis C. Thompson analyze the US Government's exploratory hearing on comic books following "Seduction of the Innocent," revealing the key players and their motivations.
26 Aug 2025
Frederic Wertham & Seduction of the Innocent
Comicstorians Kelly Guentner and Hollis Thompson interview each other about Frederic Wertham's controversial book, "Seduction of the Innocent," exploring the complex truth behind its impact on comic history.
28 Jun 2025
Bonus Episode: WWII and the Comic Industry
Historians Kelly Guentner, Hollis Thompson, and John B. Pyka examine comic books' significant function during World War II, highlighting their political influence and the evolving portrayal of women in the industry; this is an interview.
28 Jun 2025
Brr! Women in Refrigerators
Hollis Thompson and Kelly Guentner analyze the "Women in Refrigerators" trope in comics, exploring its origins, popularity, and decline in modern comics, offering insights into the portrayal of female characters; this is not an interview.
30 Apr 2025
Kirby, Simon, and Cap Vs. Fascism
Captain America joined WWII 9 months before the US did. If you don't think comics were political back in the Golden Age, ComicStorians Hollis Thompson and Kelly Guentner are about to change your mind and show you how Captain America has always been used for political statements.
1 Apr 2025
Hedy Lamarr and Catwoman
Hedy Lamarr was once known as 'the most beautiful woman in the world.' She was one of the greats of Hollywood's Golden Age, but most people didn't know that she also had a great scientific mind and invented several things, including the technology that became the foundation for Wi-Fi and password encryption. Many people also don't realize that she and Jean Harlow were the inspiration for Selina Kyle/Catwoman.
Comicstorians Kelly Guentner and Hollis Thompson discuss Hedy and Catwoman and the connections (both intentional and unintentional) between the two.
Sources: DC Villains-Catwoman: The Feline Fatale (Documentary)
American Masters: Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story (PBS)
17 Mar 2025
Wonder Woman Meets the 1970s!
Special Guest Shannon Farnon drops in to talk about voicing Wonder Woman on Hanna Barbara's Super Friends, Wonder Woman becoming the face of new wave feminism in the 1970s, and why the character has lasting importance today.
Additional Reading:
https://psmag.com/social-justice/ms-magazine-helped-make-wonder-woman-a-feminist-icon/
25 Feb 2025
The Death of the Silver Age
ComicStorians Hollis Thompson and Kelly Guentner discuss the pivotal Spider-Man storyline, "The Night Gwen Stacy Died" and how it heralded the end of the Silver Age and the beginning of the Bronze Age of comics and set the tone for darker stories.
9 Feb 2025
Superman Vs. The Klan
In 1946, human rights activist Stetson Kennedy teamed up with the producers of the Adventures of Superman radio show to strike a powerful blow against the KKK. This is the shockingly true story of how Superman helped combat organized racism in the post-WWII USA.
28 Jan 2025
Bonus Episode: X-Men and Minority Groups (Continued)
Comicstorians Hollis Thompson and Kelly Guentner, along with special guest Anthony Vernon aka Pally Kashra, continue the conversation about X-Men and the Civil Rights movement as well as the allegory for other oppressed groups as part of the Multiverse FunRaiser.
20 Jan 2025
X-Men: Fighting for Civil Rights Since '63
Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created the X-Men as an allegory for the Civil Rights movement of the 60s, and your ComicStorians Hollis Thompson and Kelly Guentner are here to discuss all the ways that X-Men have embodied this movement and even had an impact on it through the decades.
ComicStory is part of the Phoenix Sisters Entertainment Network. For more about our shows, visit us at www.phoenixsistersentertainment.com
15 Jan 2025
ComicStory: Intro
Superhero Comics are a uniquely American artform that have intertwined with US history since their inception. Hosts Hollis Thompson and Kelly Guentner explore the ways that superhero comics both mirror what’s going on in the history of their era and even influence that history. Superheroes have become our modern mythology, and the way the stories have evolved with US society is fascinating from a sociological standpoint.
Hollis is an English Professor who specializes in studying stories, and Kelly is an all-around geek girl who has been fascinated with superheroes and the power of storytelling for her entire life. They both seek to examine this topic and all of its many facets in an entertaining way.
ComicStory: Edutainment for those who love superheroes and history!
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Spotify
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 25 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
50
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
0
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Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Questions about ComicStory
Who hosts ComicStory?
Kelly Guentner and Hollis Thompson host the show. Published by Phoenix Sisters.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes monthly, based on its RSS feed.
Does ComicStory take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
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