LATEST EPISODE

David and Jonathan are joined by returning guest Clare Clark for a lively deep dive into Hawks and Heroes. 

What happens when you place Howard Hawks’ classic western Red River (1948) alongside Marvel’s dazzling Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018, directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman)? You get a conversation about the very meaning of heroism across generations of American cinema.

Seventy years apart, these films reflect radically different visions of what it means to be a hero. John Wayne’s domineering cattleman in Red River embodies the myths of the American frontier—rugged individualism, manifest destiny, and patriarchal authority—but ultimately undermines his own leadership by disregarding his men and community. By contrast, Spider-Verse redefines heroism for a new generation through Miles Morales, a teenager whose strength comes from collaboration, diversity, and shared responsibility.

Together, the trio explores how these films mirror conservative and progressive ideals, the shifting shape of American hero myths, and what it means to move from the lone cowboy to the multiverse of heroes.

🎧 Tune in now.