Secret Agent Man (Action Comics 348)

[00:00:00] Speaker A: Are you ready? [00:00:00] Speaker B: Yeah. Are you with it? [00:00:02] Speaker A: Yeah. Okay, let's go. [00:00:04] Speaker B: You know what to do. The whole world's watching and counting on you. [00:00:08] Speaker A: And all you people listening out there. [00:00:11] Speaker B: Everybody everywhere. [00:00:13] Speaker A: Hang on, hang on, hang on. Welcome to Checkered Past, a loving postmodern examination of the. Go. Go. Check. Branded comic magazines published by DC Comics between February 1966 and August 1960. I'm Dr. Bob, and each week I'll be your guide on this trippy tour through 535 mid century masterpieces of graphic noveldom. This Week, Action Comics 348. Cover date March 1967. Cover price $0.12. Cover artists Kurt Swan and George Klein. Edited by Mort Wisinger. Featuring Clark Kent Fighting Federal Agent Written by Jim Shooter. Art by Wayne Boring and the assistant Supergirl written by Leo Dorfman. Art by Jim Mooney. Are you ready? Are you with it? Then away we go. Go. [00:01:06] Speaker C: If you're walking in the shadows? Then it's time that you get wise? I just forget about your troubles? And open up your eyes? When you wear a smile? The world will shout hooray. You gotta turn on the sunshine? You're gonna flush the blues away. [00:01:34] Speaker A: When the Acid Master begins sabotaging America's space program, the FBI seeks outside assistance to stop the spy. Clark Kent is recruited as an undercover agent. Meanwhile, Linda Danvers meets her new roommate, Kent, Kara Strange. The new girl quickly reveals that she is a robot from the planet Denek sent to aid Supergirl. But Supergirl doesn't want the robot's help. Confused? Don't worry, I'll be right back with doctor Husband to explain everything. Whoever said Sunday was a day of rest was not in show business, I can tell you that. [00:02:37] Speaker B: You know, our vast media empire is very hard to keep up with. [00:02:42] Speaker A: Especially when you don't do any pre planning or scripting or editing or anything like that. [00:02:47] Speaker B: All made up on the fly, isn't it? But you wouldn't know the production quality, wouldn't you? [00:02:55] Speaker A: So we have started our annual Kitchmas cooking video series which you can find on drbob.com, dash O-C-T-O-R-B-O-B-B.com or on YouTube at drbob's kitchen, K I T S C H N. Or just follow us on social media because I'm putting all the posts everywhere. So for maximum visibility. [00:03:23] Speaker B: Right? [00:03:24] Speaker A: And yes, I did promise when we got 600 subscribers that we'd do an all musical episode. We now have 728 subscribers. [00:03:33] Speaker B: Oh God. [00:03:35] Speaker A: But refer back to the earlier statement of no pre planning or editing of any kind. We'll get to it. Yeah. [00:03:43] Speaker B: Like when you say musical episode, like. [00:03:45] Speaker A: The entire thing is the entire thing. [00:03:47] Speaker B: Wow. [00:03:48] Speaker A: Yeah. Okay. I'll get to work on that. I'll see if AI can write a score for us. [00:03:53] Speaker B: Okay. [00:03:54] Speaker A: We just have to move our lips. [00:03:55] Speaker B: Good luck with that. [00:03:56] Speaker A: If you recall, during our very first video Kitchmas series, we did videos. [00:04:06] Speaker B: We did videos. [00:04:06] Speaker A: We did videos and songs in every video. And I just announced out of the blue that I was going to do one recipe and one song for the 12 days of Christmas. And then we did it just day by day. [00:04:23] Speaker B: We did. [00:04:23] Speaker A: Yeah. Those were in our hungry days. Now that we're established, we could sort of rest on our laurels a little bit. [00:04:32] Speaker B: You think so? [00:04:32] Speaker A: No. [00:04:33] Speaker B: Okay. It doesn't feel like that to me. [00:04:35] Speaker A: I have at least two people a day, year round asking where the musical episode is. [00:04:42] Speaker B: Oh, my God, you're kidding. [00:04:44] Speaker A: No. [00:04:44] Speaker B: Wow. [00:04:46] Speaker A: I'm a paragon of disappointment to our fans. [00:04:49] Speaker B: Yes. Yes, you are. [00:04:51] Speaker A: But you're a big hit with your cocktail making. [00:04:54] Speaker B: Yeah, you think so? [00:04:55] Speaker A: What's happening, listener, if you're new here, is that we make 12 days of kitschy recipes from days of yore. [00:05:05] Speaker B: And I don't know what you've made. [00:05:07] Speaker A: And I don't tell Dr. Husband what the ingredients are until after he's tasted it. So that's the hook. [00:05:15] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:05:15] Speaker A: But this year I'm very lazy. And so Dr. Husband is taking alternating days making classic cocktails from the 1930s. Yes, 1930s. Because we're all poor as church mice and we have to. [00:05:28] Speaker B: We decided to focus on the Depression era. [00:05:29] Speaker A: Yes. It's fun, isn't it? Thinking about economic ruin, hilarious collapse, and things like that. I'm sure it won't happen this century. We'll be great. [00:05:43] Speaker B: We're fine. [00:05:44] Speaker A: Everything's going terrific in the country. Fine, fine. Yep. So we had church. Well, you had church. Full church. I just showed up for the choir practice afterwards. For Christmas Eve? [00:05:57] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:05:58] Speaker A: Refer back to earlier. And then I said I was lazy. [00:06:00] Speaker B: I went right from there to teach a lesson. [00:06:02] Speaker A: Good grief. [00:06:03] Speaker B: And you went there from there to the grocery store? [00:06:06] Speaker A: Yes, I came home and set up filming for our Kitchmas videos. We filmed two videos and I've been putting those together right now. [00:06:16] Speaker B: While you were editing and posting one. [00:06:19] Speaker A: Yes. [00:06:19] Speaker B: Did you post one? Yes, I was baking for we're going to answer Open House. [00:06:26] Speaker A: Yes. [00:06:26] Speaker B: And I was baking fresh baked pumpkin bread for that. Which Is just like something I keep doing this year. Baking pumpkin bread. It's good. [00:06:34] Speaker A: Well, everyone needs a hobby. [00:06:35] Speaker B: Yeah. So that's in the oven right now as we're upstairs in the studio recording this. [00:06:41] Speaker A: Yes. [00:06:42] Speaker B: And then after this we'll go to the open house. [00:06:44] Speaker A: Yes. [00:06:45] Speaker B: And then come home and film some more. [00:06:47] Speaker A: Yes. [00:06:47] Speaker B: Kitchmas videos. [00:06:48] Speaker A: Yes. [00:06:49] Speaker B: And then collapse. [00:06:51] Speaker A: Yes, yes. [00:06:52] Speaker B: But by collapse I mean sitting on the sofa and watch movies. [00:06:55] Speaker A: You're in luck. What? Because guess what came in the mail today? [00:06:58] Speaker B: What? [00:06:59] Speaker A: My Tom and Jerry golden age anthology on Blu ray. [00:07:03] Speaker B: Oh. [00:07:04] Speaker A: Every Tom and Jerry theatrical short restored and unedited. [00:07:10] Speaker B: Wow. Yeah, wow, that sounds like fun. [00:07:13] Speaker A: We've got six discs of entertainment. [00:07:16] Speaker B: Maybe we can just, you know, parse them out over the holidays. [00:07:20] Speaker A: Okay, well, agree to disagree. [00:07:21] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:07:22] Speaker A: Hey, you know what we can't disagree on? [00:07:25] Speaker B: What? [00:07:26] Speaker A: That Clark Kent is a slam bang FBI agent. [00:07:29] Speaker B: Yes, he sure is. [00:07:32] Speaker A: This is the FBI of the past. Of course. Current day, he'd have a lot to clean up. [00:07:38] Speaker B: Yes, he would. [00:07:39] Speaker A: This is Action Comics Number 348, March 1967 where you listener can hear how our quote unquote mild mannered comma timid Daily Planet reporter is trained to become Clark Kent Fightin Federal agent. It's actually spelled out fighting on the COVID but it sounds manly. Or if you say fightin' Fightin Federal Agent. [00:08:10] Speaker B: Right. Was I supposed to say something? [00:08:12] Speaker A: I don't know. It seemed like you checked out for a minute. [00:08:15] Speaker B: I was trying to figure out where you were. My eyes were all on the COVID page. Okay. [00:08:19] Speaker A: Are you inside the COVID now? I am on the splash page. [00:08:23] Speaker B: Superman. Okay. Bringing a halt to the deadly sabotage of the acid Master is no easy task. The top US counterspies have tried and failed. As it is a job for Superman. No. This time the government calls on the least likely suspect. The mild manner reporter no one would ever dream was really Clark Kent. [00:08:46] Speaker A: Kent fighting federal Agent. [00:08:50] Speaker B: There we go. [00:08:51] Speaker A: Late one night, a lone figure attempts to breach the defenses of the world's most heavily guarded missile base, Cape Kennedy. Okay, it's fine. Yeah, I just. I don't think they store missiles. Kate Kennedy. [00:09:10] Speaker B: They made. They made rockets and rocket thrusters. [00:09:13] Speaker A: Rockets, yes, but missiles implies that it's has weapons, weaponry. Right. Space exploration. [00:09:20] Speaker B: To the best of our knowledge, NASA was not focused on manufacturing weapons. [00:09:25] Speaker A: No, right. I mean, I don't know, because I am not involved with the FBI or NASA other than my good friend who was the lead engineer on the New Horizons probe. [00:09:38] Speaker D: Right. [00:09:38] Speaker A: And gave me a sticker to prove It. [00:09:40] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:09:41] Speaker A: The intruder crosses the base's outer defense perimeter and approaches the vab, that's Vertical Assembly Building. [00:09:49] Speaker B: Now, if you've never been to Cape Canaveral to the Kennedy Space center, as I have, and as you have, Dr. [00:09:54] Speaker A: Bomb. Yes. [00:09:55] Speaker B: The Vertical Assembly Building is where they would build the rockets vertically, very simply said. But they would build them on platforms and then the platforms were huge. Imagine the space shuttle, which is a massive, massive thing, would be assembled or put together or. Yeah, assembled on a giant platform with 2.2 huge. What are those called? [00:10:22] Speaker A: Tank treads. [00:10:23] Speaker B: Tank treads, yeah. Yeah. And they would slowly, slowly, slowly be rolled from the VAB to the pad. [00:10:30] Speaker A: Yes. I went down there once to watch a launch, a shuttle launch, and it was scrubbed at the last minute. [00:10:36] Speaker B: Yeah, well, that was happening. [00:10:38] Speaker A: So from then on we just went out there at Juanita's condo because she had perfect view down the beach where she could see the. [00:10:45] Speaker B: Oh, I grew up watching, you know, shuttle launches all the time. [00:10:49] Speaker A: Well, sure, but I didn't grow up there. [00:10:51] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:10:52] Speaker A: The closest I came was John Glenn. Lived down the street in the Summit Chase Apartments. [00:10:56] Speaker B: We'd just go outside our house and watch him in the sky. [00:10:58] Speaker A: Well, we'd go outside our house and watch John Glenn jog. So fair is fair. [00:11:03] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:11:04] Speaker A: All right. The guards approach this gentleman. What's his name? Captain Acid. [00:11:10] Speaker B: Acid, what's his name? Captain Acid. [00:11:12] Speaker A: Acid Master. [00:11:13] Speaker B: Acid Master. I can't. With a name like that, I cannot help but say it like that. Acid Master. [00:11:20] Speaker A: He's. Yes. [00:11:21] Speaker B: It's a rather unfortunate weapon that he has. [00:11:23] Speaker A: It's a gun that shoots acid. [00:11:25] Speaker B: Yes. [00:11:26] Speaker A: Now he's got darts which contain a protein organic acid which will paralyze the soldiers. [00:11:34] Speaker B: Well, at least it's organic. [00:11:35] Speaker A: Then they won't. Then they won't be able to stop him or even yell for help. [00:11:41] Speaker B: Apparently they can't close their eyelids either, which means their eyeballs will dry out. [00:11:45] Speaker A: Yeah, they literally just are paralyzed in place. Yeah. His objective is what you were describing, Dr. Husband, the huge crawler which is used to transport the missiles. He's calling them missiles which are constructed in the VAB to their launch pads. He just sprays some acid on these giant. On one of the giant tank treads on the right side. And he's going to let time do the rest. And upon completing his task, he makes his escape. The guards paralysis won't wear off for hours and then apparently drug side effect will make them forget the whole incident and no one will know about the sabotage until it's Too late. Next morning, they are wheeling the new Achilles missile out on the crawler. Well, that's a little bit deceiving because it takes days and days, doesn't it, for the thing to get. It moves like a half mile from. [00:12:47] Speaker B: The VAB to the. [00:12:48] Speaker A: Not a half mile an hour, half foot an hour. [00:12:51] Speaker B: Well, I don't know if it moves that slowly, but it is very slow. [00:12:54] Speaker A: Because if you go fast, it'll topple over. All right. They get it out to the launch pad. It's the world's largest, most powerful booster. It's going to put America months ahead in the space race. [00:13:07] Speaker B: Now, they don't actually fuel it inside the vab, they fuel it on the launch pad. [00:13:12] Speaker A: Yes, and just as predicted, the missile starts to sway. The whole right half of the crawler starts falling apart. The Achilles missile is toppling and is going to fall over. Acidmaster is there in the crowd with a kerchief around his face, and he's gloating because he has set the space program back months. [00:13:37] Speaker B: Yes. [00:13:39] Speaker A: Meanwhile in Metropolis. I know who lives in Metropolis. [00:13:43] Speaker B: Superman. [00:13:44] Speaker A: Superman. Mm. [00:13:45] Speaker B: He says I'd better check with my telescopic vision, make sure everything's a. Okay at the cape. Uh oh, an accident. But can I reach there in time? [00:13:55] Speaker A: Can he? [00:13:56] Speaker B: Superman can travel faster than light, but it takes a few seconds to reach that speed. And he has only one second. This calls for one of my fastest starts in my life. And from a dead standstill. [00:14:07] Speaker A: Well, guess what? He does make it. [00:14:08] Speaker B: He makes it, of course. [00:14:09] Speaker A: A nick of time rescue by the man of Steel. Acid Master is not happy because he's furious. Rescued, furious. And not only that, he just lifts it up and sets it right down on the pad for them. [00:14:26] Speaker B: Then he inspects it, he said. Apparently the entire right side of the crawler seems to have crumbled away. Obviously sabotaged. My microscopic vision detects faint traces of chemicals. Acid components. But who put them there? And how. [00:14:41] Speaker A: Later. [00:14:42] Speaker B: Oh, didn't we enjoy seeing Knives out last night? Knives Out? [00:14:45] Speaker A: Yes, the new Knives Out. [00:14:46] Speaker B: Is it called Dead Man? [00:14:48] Speaker A: Wake Up, Dead Man. [00:14:49] Speaker B: Wake Up, Dead Man. [00:14:50] Speaker A: Guess what? [00:14:51] Speaker B: What? [00:14:51] Speaker A: That lead actor, Josh o'. Connor. We need to investigate him because apparently he's one of us. [00:14:57] Speaker B: Really? [00:14:58] Speaker A: Yes. And he did a movie called the Ears of Eyes. No. [00:15:06] Speaker B: He has rather big ears. [00:15:08] Speaker A: He does have big ears. Yeah. He played Prince Charles in the Crown. [00:15:13] Speaker B: Oh, that's where I've seen him before. [00:15:16] Speaker A: Yes, but he did a movie called God's Own country, which is about a closeted sheep Farmer in New Zealand or something. Or Wales someplace. Yeah. Sounds good. Well, yeah, he's a good little actor. [00:15:29] Speaker B: Yes, he is. [00:15:30] Speaker A: Very good. [00:15:30] Speaker B: That Daniel Craig's not bad at all either. [00:15:32] Speaker A: Daniel Craig. [00:15:32] Speaker B: Don't care for that accent. [00:15:34] Speaker A: Just. He's not a great American accent now. [00:15:37] Speaker B: No, no. And he's doing some sort of Southern accent. I don't know what the hell that accent is. [00:15:43] Speaker A: And who else is in it. Josh Brolin and Glenn Close. Mila Kunis. [00:15:47] Speaker B: That's fantastic. [00:15:49] Speaker A: Honestly, Renner and I think. [00:15:50] Speaker B: Was it just released on. [00:15:52] Speaker A: Yeah, just yesterday or two days ago. [00:15:54] Speaker B: And not. Not put into the movie theaters? [00:15:56] Speaker A: No. [00:15:57] Speaker B: Wow. Netflix is trying that strategy. [00:15:59] Speaker A: They are. Because they want to ruin movie theaters. That's too bad. Buy up everything. [00:16:03] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:16:04] Speaker A: You know what? I'm fine if I don't ever have to go to a movie theater again. Are you kidding? No. I mean, I'll go to like a superhero movie or the big stuff for. [00:16:14] Speaker B: The spectacle of it. [00:16:15] Speaker A: Spectacle. And they're bringing Star Wars. The original theatrical cut of Star wars is coming back to theaters in 2027. Lord of the Rings stuff is coming back. [00:16:24] Speaker B: I can't. Don't get me started on that. I'm so upset. I'm so upset. [00:16:27] Speaker A: Why? [00:16:28] Speaker B: I cannot believe it's been 25. It's been 24 years. [00:16:32] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:16:32] Speaker B: Since the first Lord of the Rings was released. So next year they're going to re release them in the theaters. I just, like, I have a really hard time believing that 25 years has passed since Lord of the Rings came out. But it hasn't. 24 years has. But it's just hard. It's hard to. I mean, I remember when we saw them. Obviously I do, too. [00:16:52] Speaker A: And I remember all the. You know, this was before you got every bit of news on the Internet at every moment. And we would sit there in the grad student lounge at the University of Maryland, and everybody was obsessed with Lord of the Rings. And we all had it on our. All made it our screensavers on our little computers. Thrilling days. Yeah, it was all right. Acid Master is none too happy. However, the wrecked crawler will hold up the moonshot for a few weeks. Yes. Anyway, back at the Daily Planet, Clark Kent hands a story to editor Perry White, telling him it's a scoop that he got from Superman. [00:17:37] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:17:39] Speaker A: Perry is astonished that there was sabotage at the Cape. Nobody knows who it is. Especially since Superman did not observe anyone coming close to the Crawler. Yeah. But. [00:17:51] Speaker B: Well, the answer to Perry's question. We're gonna go to The FBI headquarters in Washington. Right. [00:17:57] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:17:57] Speaker B: So I don't know who this guy is. [00:17:59] Speaker A: Is this J. Edgar Hoover? Is he still. [00:18:01] Speaker B: Is he wearing women's underwear? [00:18:03] Speaker A: Well, that's him. Yes, he is. [00:18:05] Speaker B: Our sources behind the Iron Curtain have given us information on the saboteur. Gentlemen, we have here the full report. [00:18:12] Speaker A: Oh, God. A PowerPoint. First slide, please. Here on the dossier we have compiled on the saboteur, all pertinent data is listed. [00:18:22] Speaker B: Philip Henry Master, alias Acid Master. [00:18:25] Speaker A: Background. [00:18:26] Speaker B: Go ahead. [00:18:27] Speaker A: Born USA analytical and research chemist specializing in acid. Defected to Iron curtain countries in 1965 after being convicted of selling research secrets to the enemy. Now employed by them as saboteur. Height, 6, 2, weight, 180 pounds. Eyes, blue, hair black. Age 35. Remarks as the world's greatest authority on acids. Master is the. Oh, I get it. His last name is Master. Master is the nation's foremost saboteur. Threat photo courtesy hidden camera at VAB Air Assembly Building. [00:19:06] Speaker B: Assembly building. [00:19:07] Speaker A: Thank you. [00:19:08] Speaker B: So the Director of the FBI continues. This is not. This is not Master's first sabotage mission. Evidence also links him on. Links him with the destruction of one of our early warning radar stations. And then the same MO Was used. [00:19:21] Speaker A: As modus operandi, or method of operation. [00:19:23] Speaker B: Was used when the destroyer Scott was wrecked while in harbor. As you can see, gentlemen, with his complete mastery of acids, any metal structure in the United States is fairly prey to this man. Very easy prey. He could demolish a whole city if his employer so desired. So our tightest security measures haven't stopped him. Any ideas? [00:19:46] Speaker A: Sorry, I was just looking up J. Edgar Hoover to see if that actually was supposed to be him. [00:19:51] Speaker B: This would be 1967. [00:19:55] Speaker A: It could. I don't know. I can't tell. It could be. I mean, he was not an attractive man, but he had less hair than this gentleman appears to have in this comic. So the FBI is going to put their best counter espionage men on the case, which the Director says will not work. Because last week Master broke into this very building and stole our personnel security files. He could recognize any of our men at a glance. [00:20:24] Speaker B: Well, this Acid Master really gets around. [00:20:26] Speaker A: I should say so. [00:20:27] Speaker B: He broke into the FBI building. [00:20:29] Speaker A: Well, how many people work for the FBI? He's going to recognize every single one. [00:20:34] Speaker B: He must be a master of memory, too. [00:20:36] Speaker A: Also memory Master to the FBI. Don't put photographs of your personnel in files where they could be stolen. Come on. [00:20:45] Speaker B: Well, come on. This is written by comic book writers. They're not the brightest people in the world. [00:20:49] Speaker A: All right. So the FBI has to get an outsider to do the investigation. And after careful deliberation, J. Edgar Hoover has selected the perfect agent. One the saboteur would never suspect. Clark Kent. The reporter who's a friend of Superman's. [00:21:06] Speaker B: Yes. And he has a reputation for timidity. [00:21:09] Speaker A: He also has a reputation for being a friend of Superman. And he's a nationally known figure. So I'm not sure their logic is sound. [00:21:17] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:21:18] Speaker A: However, who would suspect a newsman covering government installations? Especially one with a reputation for timidity? So we go back to Metropolis. Yes. [00:21:28] Speaker B: And a gentleman comes up and says, clark Cat. [00:21:32] Speaker A: Yes. [00:21:32] Speaker B: FBI. Now, come with me. We're going to Washington. Never mind your job. We've arranged with your editor for a leave of absence. [00:21:38] Speaker A: I wish somebody would come to me in a morning and say, never mind your job, just come with me. I can dream, can't I? [00:21:51] Speaker B: Sure. But what if the job was that you'd be driving out to people's houses and detailing their cars in the weather, like today, where it's 23 degrees outside. [00:22:01] Speaker A: No, but I do like to drive, if that was my job, to just drive around and look at people's houses. Oh, sure. [00:22:08] Speaker B: Like, sort of like a real estate voyeur. [00:22:12] Speaker A: Yes. Yes. [00:22:12] Speaker B: Is that a job? [00:22:14] Speaker A: It's gotta be. Or like a Zillow photographer or something. [00:22:17] Speaker B: Oh, yes. [00:22:18] Speaker A: Oh, I'm gonna investigate that. [00:22:20] Speaker B: Photographer to the stars. [00:22:21] Speaker A: Yes. I love that job. All right. Clark makes his way to Washington. Wants to know what he's there for. The mission is explained to him that he's to be a temporary undercover agent. And Clark says, b. But me, I've never had any training. I'm only a reporter. [00:22:42] Speaker B: Precisely. That's why we chose you. I'll brief you on the mission. [00:22:48] Speaker A: So Clark now learns that it was the Acid Master who caused the Crawler to collapse. And he pledges to do anything in his power to help. [00:22:58] Speaker B: Good. We can start with a week of intensive training. [00:23:01] Speaker A: Training Montage. Training montage. [00:23:04] Speaker D: Right into the danger zone. [00:23:11] Speaker B: You're supposed to talk over this. [00:23:13] Speaker A: Oh, it's tough to rack up good grades in these courses. But I must and still keep up my meek, timid masquerade. The dangers are now he's shown here in a boxing ring. [00:23:28] Speaker B: Yeah, well, he takes these punches. [00:23:29] Speaker A: This is before the days when anyone bothered to explain why meek, timid reporter Clark Kent was so jacked. [00:23:38] Speaker B: Yeah, he is jacked. [00:23:41] Speaker A: John Byrne did explain it in the. Or try to explain it in the 80s when he took over man of Steel after the crisis on Infinite Earth. He just, you know, had showed that Clark had a big home gym in his apartment on Clinton Street. Oh, that sort of explained that. Yeah. Didn't explain why he was so timid, but. All right. He's in karate training. It's not easy for Clark to look like he's doing the real thing when he can barely tap his opponent because a full strength chop by him could split a mountain. The instructor does punch Clark in the side and almost breaks his hand because, of course, Clark's invulnerable. But if anyone discovers that he's invulnerable. Bye, bye. Secret identity. [00:24:28] Speaker B: Yeah. Later. [00:24:33] Speaker A: Oh, this is my favorite scene. They're on the shooting range and with a bunch of other students. But Clark discovers with his X ray vision that one of the students has an actual real loaded gun. So he makes a sort of awkward tripping move and catches the bullet that is fired in his mouth. And then gets in trouble for having gum in class. [00:25:09] Speaker B: By his coach. He's got a bullet in his mouth, not a gun. Gum. [00:25:12] Speaker A: Well, I know that's what I said. He's got the bullet, but he's chewing it up. And they think he has gum. Finally, at week's end. [00:25:19] Speaker B: Congratulations on your graduation, Kent. I'm James McDonald, in charge of your ARVA weapons. I have your own little arsenal right here. [00:25:27] Speaker A: Hmm. A pencil, a pad, a camera and a jacket. [00:25:31] Speaker B: Yes, but each is really a powerful weapon. The flash attachment on this camera is 100 times brighter than normal. It'll temporarily blind any adversary. And the buttons on your new jacket are made of strong alkali which can counteract any of the master's acids. This pad contains a hidden radio. The spiral wire is really an antenna. [00:25:52] Speaker A: Now, he's given a tan jacket, which is very unusual because I don't know if you've noticed that Clark Kent always wears. [00:25:59] Speaker B: Always wears blue suit. [00:26:01] Speaker A: Do you know why? [00:26:03] Speaker B: No. [00:26:04] Speaker A: Because his Clark Kent clothes are specially treated with chemicals so that he can super compress them when he changes to Superman. Because he's got a secret pouch in his cape where he puts his Clark Kent clothes. Oh, okay. Cool, cool, cool. [00:26:18] Speaker B: So he holds up a pencil to him and he says, the pencil's your hole card. Your hole card hole. Not W, H O L E. Your hole card. [00:26:26] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:26:27] Speaker B: In case you're caught. Just unscrew the lead and you release a knockout gas. And you'll find the nose filters to protect you from it are concealed under the eraser. [00:26:35] Speaker A: As if Clark needs nose filters. [00:26:37] Speaker B: They're strictly defensive weapons. You're to trail the Acid Master to his lair, then call on us. Don't try to capture him yourself. Good luck. [00:26:46] Speaker A: Yeah, thanks. Well, Clark's already formed a plan. So next day, he travels to an obscure government research lab under the guise of writing a story. [00:26:58] Speaker B: Mr. Kent, I thank you for the publicity you gave our lab, but our research isn't that important. [00:27:04] Speaker A: True, but I want someone to think it is. [00:27:08] Speaker B: Now, if Master bites of my lure, trailing him will be a cinch for me. I'll get everything kick rigged. Yeah, that looks like K. It's the R's lettering. Yeah, I'll get everything rigged up right away in case he makes his strike tonight. That was a really. That wasn't a good Clark Ken. [00:27:25] Speaker A: No. Evidence shows that he uses. What's happening? Oh, it's snorting snow. Flurrying snow. Snow, snow, snow. Evidence shows that Acid Master uses some kind of dart gun to paralyze guards. Of course, nothing can penetrate Clark Kent's skin. But he's going to wear the bulletproof vest to give himself an alibi. He will feign paralysis and then tail asset mast. [00:27:54] Speaker B: Now, I'm leaving nothing to chance. In case my plan takes a flop. I'll set these automatic movie cameras to gr. What? To grind out a record of everything that happens here tonight. Grind out? [00:28:06] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:28:06] Speaker B: I've never heard that slang before. [00:28:08] Speaker A: All right. Now, Clark is working on a quote unquote story on the night guards at this metallurgical lab. He insists that he can get a great story out of it. Even though the guards protest. Suddenly the door starts melting. [00:28:28] Speaker B: Oh, my gosh. The rat has taken the bait. [00:28:31] Speaker A: Yes. [00:28:32] Speaker B: So in walks Acid Master. My acids took care of. I'm sorry, that's really loud. [00:28:37] Speaker A: Sorry. [00:28:38] Speaker B: My acids took care of the door. And these darts will take care of the guards. [00:28:42] Speaker A: So he shoots darts at the guards. [00:28:44] Speaker D: Pew, pew, pew. [00:28:45] Speaker A: He aims at Clark. Clark tries to duck. [00:28:48] Speaker B: Yes. [00:28:49] Speaker A: But he is hit in the arm. Mm. Well, there goes. He had that bulletproof vest on, but. [00:28:55] Speaker B: He has to pretend to be paralyzed. [00:29:00] Speaker A: Had he been shot in the chest, he could have said, well, the vest protected me. But now he's shot in the arm, so he has to act paralyzed. Acid master sprays one of his delayed action acids on some beakers or something. Clark can't stop him without giving up his secret identity. He can't even move his head to track him because he's got those movie cameras on. [00:29:23] Speaker B: Right. [00:29:24] Speaker A: He doesn't dare wink an eye. [00:29:25] Speaker B: Nope. [00:29:27] Speaker A: Next morning, the guards wake up. They remember nothing. But Clark Kent is On the case, making sure he's not being watched, he turns toward the previously sabotaged equipment, uses his heat vision to evaporate the acid, which will prevent it from eventually causing the equipment to crumble. And now just sit back and wait for Acid Master to make his next move. And some flunky bursts in to say that the films from the automatic cameras, they show. [00:30:08] Speaker B: Quiet. I had the situation at hand. [00:30:11] Speaker A: Later. [00:30:12] Speaker B: What are they going to show? I don't remember. [00:30:13] Speaker A: I don't either. Later, at a press conference in the lab. [00:30:17] Speaker B: Now, gentlemen, I will demonstrate the metallurgical process. [00:30:22] Speaker A: That's how he says. Okay. Yes. Clark is sure that Acid Master is there. In fact, he is in his kerchief. [00:30:28] Speaker B: The only one in the room. [00:30:30] Speaker A: The only one with a kerchief over his kerchief. On. Now he starts getting nervous because Neil. [00:30:36] Speaker B: Gaiman, the Acid Master, he does look a little bit. [00:30:41] Speaker A: Acid Master expected this equipment to all collapse, but it hasn't. And so he's getting antsy. Jumpy is a flea on a hot stove, as Clark observes. So he suspects that must be Acid Master. And Clark's X ray vision confirms his hunch. Outside, Acid Master doffs his kerchief and his civilian clothes hops into a helicopter, which he had on the roof. Clark has to catch him, but he can't switch to Superman. [00:31:12] Speaker B: No. So he just hangs on. [00:31:14] Speaker A: So he just jumps on, helicopter, jumps. [00:31:16] Speaker B: Onto the helicopter and sits on the. [00:31:17] Speaker A: Rides it like a horse. [00:31:19] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:31:21] Speaker A: Back they go to Acid Masters headquarters, which is a large complex of buildings in an abandoned chemical plant. Clark tries to hide, but he has to radio the FBI and he's too loud. Well, the. Clark's not too loud, but he had the volume of the radio turned up. Yes, which is stupid because he's got super hearing. He could have had it at zero and still hear Acid Master and his henchman, C. Clark, starts shooting. Clark pretends that he's a fraidy cat, puts himself in fist range of one of the big thugs and fakes being knocked through the window, out of the range of the guns. [00:32:10] Speaker B: Right. [00:32:10] Speaker A: He encounters then more henchmen, but he's got his super flash camera, which blinds them. And while they're blinded, he contacts HQ, which is, we learn, 10 miles south of Elm City, Acid Master comes to, gets his eyesight back, dumps a huge vat of acid on the floor. Nitric acid, which is going to dissolve Clark's street clothes and reveal he's Superman. Luckily, he remembers that the coat buttons on his new Jacket are alkali, which forms harmless salt and neutralizes the acid. Well, these fellows have acid grenades which they start throwing. [00:33:00] Speaker B: Acid's a pretty dangerous thing to be throwing around the room, isn't it? [00:33:07] Speaker A: This is acid with stinging vapors which will destroy Clark's eyesight, But of course it can't because he's Superman. So now the henchmen assume that he's got specially coated eyeglasses which are protecting his eyes. He still can't openly use his powers. Right. He's got to stumble through, pretend to be clumsy. Even as one of the henchmen hits him over the head with lead pipe, which bends in half. They tie him up. And they're just going to sit here and wait for the FBI because Clark has called in reinforcements. [00:33:49] Speaker B: Well, yeah, because Clark, he said he really. He's tied up, he said, and he could snap the threads, but then it would blow his cover. He says, oh, there's that pencil. He says he's just going to unscrew the lead nearly all the way and drop it to make a big fuss over it. So then the thug with no hair grabs the pencil and he inhales the gas. Yeah, and falls asleep. So then Clark makes easy work with those ropes. [00:34:17] Speaker A: I wonder how Clark in the first panel. Oh, no, I dropped my pencil. I must read it. [00:34:26] Speaker B: You wonder what his voice sounded like? [00:34:28] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. All right. He snaps the ropes. He goes back into the main lab where Acid Master and his men have a huge acid cannon aimed at the door, waiting for the FBI and dozens of other weapons. What can Clark do to help protect the FBI? He can hear them outside. No way to stop Acidmaster unless. [00:34:54] Speaker B: Clark. [00:34:54] Speaker A: Can tip over this giant vat of acid. And if this fails, he's going to have to go into action. Secret identity or no. [00:35:04] Speaker B: He'S got to save the guys from the FBI. [00:35:06] Speaker A: The FBI bursts in the front door. Just then, the acid that Clark dumped on the floor does its work. The floor collapses. [00:35:16] Speaker B: Floor. [00:35:16] Speaker A: Yeah. The Acid Master was beaten by his own weapon. Nice. Acid. [00:35:23] Speaker B: Acid. [00:35:24] Speaker A: Acid. Later in Washington, Clark is congratulated for capturing Master single handed. Single handedly? [00:35:32] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:35:34] Speaker A: Uh, maybe for once in my life, Clark thinks Clark Kent will get the glory. Wait a Lois hears about this? [00:35:42] Speaker B: Well, the director says, of course we can't release your name to the press. It would make you target enemy for target for enemy assassins. Excuse me. [00:35:52] Speaker A: And then back in Metropolis, this witch. [00:35:54] Speaker B: This witch. [00:35:55] Speaker A: Back from your leave of absence already, Clark? Look what's in the headlines. Unknown civilian trapped saboteur. I wonder who he Was. [00:36:03] Speaker B: I know one thing, though. Whoever he was, you could take a few lessons of courage from him. [00:36:10] Speaker A: Get over yourself, Lois. Right. We had a thing last week, and I think the same thing is happening here. What? This art is credited to Wayne Boring, which I recognize his style immediately. He's the one that shows Superman flying like a triple. A mannequin being chucked through the window. [00:36:28] Speaker B: Right. [00:36:29] Speaker A: But look at Lois's face. I don't think that's Wayne Boring drawing her face. I think that's Kurt Schaffenberger, which I mentioned last week was somewhat common that they would have artists more associated with whatever character would come in and just pencil over the faces or whatnot. [00:36:48] Speaker B: Really? [00:36:48] Speaker A: I don't know. I don't have any proof for this. It's just my. You know, I was an art major for one semester, so I've got pretty good instincts. All right, all right. You think that's the end? No, it's not. We got Supergirl. [00:37:05] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:37:06] Speaker A: Coming up. Have you seen the Supergirl teaser trailer? [00:37:11] Speaker B: No, Is it good? [00:37:16] Speaker A: Of all the trailers I've ever seen, it certainly is one. [00:37:20] Speaker B: Oh, dear. That's not good. Does not bode well for Supergirl. [00:37:23] Speaker A: Well, you know, my Supergirl is happy and cheerful and in love with what's his face. Who's that actor, you know, from the Supergirl movie with Helen Slater. Oh, you used to have a crush on him. [00:37:42] Speaker B: Yeah, I can't remember. [00:37:47] Speaker A: It doesn't matter. Anyway, this Supergirl is the Supergirl from the end of the Superman, when she's drunk as a lord and she's got problems cursing. Yes, She's a troubled, troubled gal. [00:37:59] Speaker B: Is she? [00:38:00] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:38:00] Speaker B: Huh. [00:38:03] Speaker A: Get a brief glimpse of Lobo. He's in the movie. Jason Momoa playing Lobo now instead of Aquaman. Good riddance. Because I never liked him as Aquaman. [00:38:16] Speaker B: He looked filthy. [00:38:19] Speaker A: And Crypto's in it, of course, but I didn't even like what they showed of Crypto. If that tells you anything. Yeah. For Pete's sake. Will the real Supergirl please stand up? Where did the second Girl of Steel come from? [00:38:37] Speaker B: What is she doing here on Earth? And how does she know Linda Supergirl Danvers identity. One thing we can tell you, there's trouble in store for the world's greatest heroine when she gets a helping hand. [00:38:49] Speaker A: From the assistant Supergirl at Stanhope College, Linda Lee Supergirl. Supergirl Danvers awaits the start of a new term. She's on pins and needles, wondering who her new roommate will be. [00:39:04] Speaker B: Oh, here she comes now. [00:39:06] Speaker D: Oh, you go Ahead. [00:39:06] Speaker B: You go ahead. [00:39:08] Speaker D: You must be Linda Danvers. I'm Kara Strange, your new roommate. [00:39:13] Speaker B: Kara? That's my Kryptonian name. The one I had before I came to Earth. She's thinking to herself. [00:39:20] Speaker A: The puzzle deepens as Kara Strange unpacks. [00:39:23] Speaker B: But where are your clothes, shoes and dresses? All you have are these tools and cans of lubricating oil. [00:39:30] Speaker D: Believe me, they'll come in handy, Linda. [00:39:34] Speaker B: Then even more amazingly, those heavy suitcases. [00:39:39] Speaker A: You're flying with them. [00:39:40] Speaker D: Then you're super. [00:39:41] Speaker B: As super as you are in your Supergirl identity, Linda. I'll clear it up all for you in a minute. [00:39:48] Speaker A: I'm a robot. [00:39:49] Speaker D: A super robot. This fake bracelet marks my controls. [00:39:54] Speaker B: But where did you come from? How do you know so much about me? [00:39:58] Speaker A: Well, I'm from the planet Denek. Years ago, it was ravaged by a ghastly blight. Well, this blight wiped out all their food bearing plants. [00:40:11] Speaker B: Oh my God, that's terrible. Now what did she do? Supergirl helped. [00:40:17] Speaker A: She can help them. [00:40:19] Speaker B: She came to their rescue with disease resistant plants from faraway worlds. [00:40:24] Speaker A: And the leaves of the fungus which she planted are as nourishing as beef steaks. The multicolored fruits will give you all the vitamins you need. And the milk, like SAP, of that pitcher vine, will make your children grow strong and tall. [00:40:40] Speaker B: Well, it's a good thing that she is so clever. That she knew that taking plants from one planet to another planet to feed a population that is not familiar with that chemistry of those plants would be everything that they would need to survive. [00:40:57] Speaker A: Sure, sure, sure. [00:40:58] Speaker B: Yeah, because that's highly improbable. [00:41:01] Speaker A: Well, we call that invasive species in our neck of the woods in gratitude. The Dinekians used their advanced science to create a gift for Supergirl. Their Mark VI super robot. Which passed all tests. [00:41:17] Speaker B: And they covered the circuits with plastoid skin. [00:41:22] Speaker D: That robot was myself. [00:41:27] Speaker B: They decided to call her Kara. Yes, the real name of Superglue. [00:41:30] Speaker A: Take these fake Earth identity documents. You'll need them when you register at the school which Supergirl attends as Linda Danvers. [00:41:38] Speaker B: As Tara ends her story, she goes. [00:41:40] Speaker D: But. But I don't need a. I don't. [00:41:42] Speaker B: Need a robot here at Stanhope. [00:41:44] Speaker D: Please, I was built to serve you. I can substitute for you in either identity. See what happens when I press these buttons? Click. They activate my physiogn. Fizz. Physio. Physio. Pneumatic circuits which can switch my appearance from Linda to a Bizarro Supergirl. Or the real Supergirl. [00:42:06] Speaker A: Why would she need to Become a Bizarro Supergirl. [00:42:08] Speaker B: I was thinking the storylines with this would be endless. You know, she could just be anything she wants to be. [00:42:15] Speaker D: Well, I'll wear this costume whenever I double for you. If I fail to do anything you can do, you may send me back to Denek. [00:42:23] Speaker A: Geez, brother. A robot roommate. I need this like I need a Kryptonite charm bracelet. [00:42:28] Speaker B: Well, if you know Supergirl, you know, that's a really funny thing. Because Kryptonite is dangerous. [00:42:33] Speaker A: Deadly. He can kill her. But I can't send her back without trying her out or the Dinekians will be insulted. [00:42:40] Speaker B: Well, that's true. She is a diplomat, isn't she? [00:42:42] Speaker A: She is. But at least I don't have to worry about her discovering my secret identity. She already knows it, right? This was new information to me. What? That Supergirl in her dorm room apparently has a trick bookcase which opens, I guess, into some secret room where she can change costumes. [00:43:05] Speaker B: I didn't know that either. [00:43:06] Speaker A: I didn't either. Does she have the same dorm room for all four years of college? Because she'd have to build this out whatever dorm room she's in, right? Sure. Well, if she does have the same dorm room all four years, that's lucky for her. [00:43:24] Speaker B: Yeah, of course. [00:43:25] Speaker A: Yeah. But she has to get a different roommate each term. I don't understand. You're the academic in the family. Why don't you explain it to students? [00:43:34] Speaker B: Don't often stay in the same rooms. [00:43:37] Speaker A: So never. [00:43:38] Speaker B: Your. Your puzzlement over. This is accurate. [00:43:43] Speaker A: One time I switched rooms in the middle of the year. [00:43:46] Speaker B: You did not. [00:43:48] Speaker A: No, that was actually my roommate moved out because he hated me so much, I stayed in the same room. [00:43:52] Speaker B: Why would anyone hate you? [00:43:54] Speaker A: I was not always kind. I was kind of a bitchy queen. Honestly. [00:44:02] Speaker B: You weren't out. [00:44:04] Speaker A: That's the point. [00:44:05] Speaker B: Oh, you were just mean. [00:44:06] Speaker A: I was just mean. And nobody could understand because, of course, I presented as perfectly straight. I couldn't even get through that story. No. I don't know. He just wanted. Had someone else he wanted to live with. Oh. High school friend something, buddy. [00:44:22] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:44:22] Speaker A: Yeah. All right. Linda switches to the Girl of Steel to go do her patrol. And what does she think she sees? Oh, and also, apparently this whatever bookcase room goes into, it goes into some kind of empty power plant chimney. And that's how she gets out of the room in secret. Yeah. All right. She sees another Supergirl flying in the sky. If someone spots both of them together, they'll know that she's got a Double in the neighborhood? Why that would be bad. I don't know. [00:44:56] Speaker B: Soon afterwards, as the rule. But emerges from the secret door. [00:44:59] Speaker D: Oh, Linda, you don't have to go out on your evening patrol. I covered it for you. [00:45:04] Speaker B: So I noticed. She's angry. But why didn't you warn me? I started out in Patrol 2. Suppose someone had seen two of me. [00:45:12] Speaker A: Yeah, Kara, why don't you leave a note? Or you're in college. Tie a sock around the doorknob or something. [00:45:20] Speaker D: I'm sorry. I was only trying to help. Help? This is built into my circuits. [00:45:25] Speaker A: I shouldn't be angry. She's trying so hard to please me. But I hope this electronic eager beaver doesn't short circuit my super career. [00:45:35] Speaker B: Next morning, as Linda arises. [00:45:37] Speaker D: Good grief. [00:45:37] Speaker B: I must have overslept. Kara has left the room already. I better dress in a super hurry or I'll miss my math class. [00:45:44] Speaker A: First of all, everyone knows that Supergirl doesn't have to sleep. Only occasionally in order to dream. Keep her psychology. But sound. That's true, yes. Linda arrives at the classroom and sees that Kara's done it again. Making the scene as Linda taking a. [00:46:03] Speaker B: Math quiz in her place. [00:46:05] Speaker A: Jeez. [00:46:06] Speaker B: Oh, no. [00:46:07] Speaker A: Talk about close calls. If my math instructor had spotted two Linda's, the fat would really be in the fire. Or, I don't know, maybe he doesn't know everything about your life. He'd think, oh, Linda's got a sister. [00:46:19] Speaker B: Well, Linda's gonna have it out with a robot when she gets to the room, isn't she? [00:46:23] Speaker D: But Linda, you were asleep, so I helped out by assuming your identity. And look, I got 100% on your math quiz. [00:46:31] Speaker B: Kara, you're impossible. [00:46:32] Speaker D: You goofed. [00:46:34] Speaker B: I'm careful to keep my grades average. High marks might reveal my super intelligence. [00:46:39] Speaker D: Besides, girls aren't good at math, right? [00:46:42] Speaker A: Oh, sorry. That was Kara's voice. [00:46:43] Speaker D: Oh, I'm sorry. We robots are programmed to function at peak efficiency. Well, so long. I have my own classes to attend now. [00:46:55] Speaker A: But wait. Linda remembers that Kara said if she fails to duplicate any of Supergirl's feats, she could send her back. [00:47:04] Speaker B: That evening, Linda escorts Kara to a remote wooded area. [00:47:07] Speaker D: And there are no people for miles around, so it's safe to switch to Supergirl. You do the same. [00:47:15] Speaker A: But what's this all about? [00:47:16] Speaker D: But what's this all about? [00:47:19] Speaker A: I'm sorry. I'm sorry, girl is a snippy voice. I'm so confused. All girls look the same to me. [00:47:26] Speaker B: Okay, now this first one talking is Supergirl. [00:47:30] Speaker A: Yes. [00:47:30] Speaker B: Since you're supposed to be a substitute for me in emergencies. I want to test her superpowers under all adverse conditions. [00:47:37] Speaker D: A splendid idea, Supergirl. Don't worry, I can take it. [00:47:41] Speaker B: I'm going to put you through a super obstacle course. Follow me, and remember everything I do at lightning speed. Oh, sorry. Go ahead. [00:47:48] Speaker D: Lead the way, Supergirl. [00:47:49] Speaker A: I'll follow at lightning speed. [00:47:51] Speaker B: The Maid of Might streaks through the canyon country. And these obstacles may jolt Kara's circuits out of coordination. She's duplicating my every move. [00:48:00] Speaker D: This is a rugged test, Supergirl, but my circuitry is designed to take maximum stresses. [00:48:06] Speaker B: Here we go. I have it. I'll take her back into the past, through the time barrier. There's one test that should foul her up. Choosing the exact place and time. Supergirl emerges at a climactic moment in history. The first H bomb blast at in a wattok. [00:48:23] Speaker A: I don't know any we talk any. [00:48:25] Speaker B: We talk in the Pacific. This should rock that robot. If anything can. So she's literally taking her back in time to the first hydrogen bomb explosion to destroy the robot? [00:48:38] Speaker A: Yes. [00:48:41] Speaker B: The sentient robot. [00:48:43] Speaker A: Yes. Well, the robot survives, but she's acting as confused as a chameleon on a crazy quilt. Whoa. [00:48:51] Speaker D: I don't know what I'm doing. [00:48:52] Speaker A: This is kind of a dick move. I'll leave her here in the past and be rid of her once and for all. [00:48:57] Speaker B: Is that all awful? [00:49:00] Speaker A: To take futuristic technology and leave it in the past? During World War II, yeah. And the technology broken. [00:49:10] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:49:13] Speaker A: But as the Girl of Steel returns through the time barrier. [00:49:17] Speaker D: An excellent test, Supergirl. But my auto repair relays corrected the radionic damages to tenuously. Then my discriminator circuits analyzed your flight path, and here I am. [00:49:30] Speaker B: Competing with you is fun. [00:49:32] Speaker A: Wait, wait, wait. [00:49:33] Speaker B: So that's the other girl's voice? It's hard because they look exactly like. [00:49:36] Speaker D: Competing with you was fun, Supergirl. My superpowers matched yours every time. [00:49:41] Speaker B: I must admit, they did, Kara. Come on, let's get back to our room. As Supergirl and the super robot resume their everyday identities. [00:49:50] Speaker A: But how do I get rid of that pesky robot? [00:49:54] Speaker B: She's thinking in multiple voices. [00:49:56] Speaker A: Though I can't send her back to Dent Unless she fails to do something I can do. But so far, she's passed every test. A. [00:50:06] Speaker B: Okay, what's she gonna do, Bob? [00:50:10] Speaker A: Well, she just thought of a perfect assignment. [00:50:13] Speaker B: She sure did. [00:50:15] Speaker A: Next. Morning, Kara, I want you to take my place today. You're to attend all my lectures and do everything my class does. Well, we forgot to mention that when Kara was outside. When Supergirl was outside the math class, she was looking at the bulletin board. We know that there's a dance Friday in Mill hall. And we also know that tomorrow, meaning today, is blood bank collection. All classes will report to the bloodmobile near the library building at 10am Is your Browning low Freddy? [00:50:53] Speaker B: I can give it a couple of minutes. [00:50:55] Speaker A: Okay. Within the hour, however, the robot returns. [00:51:03] Speaker B: Kara, what's wrong? You're supposed to be substituting for me. [00:51:07] Speaker D: I'm sorry, but I failed you. I must return to Denek immediately. [00:51:12] Speaker B: Soon. A forlorn figure zooms upward in space. [00:51:15] Speaker D: I'm a flop. A reject. I must return. I must return to my creators for disposal. [00:51:24] Speaker A: Jesus Christ. [00:51:26] Speaker B: Where did Kara fail? What task proved her downfall? Reread the story carefully. We've given you the clues. [00:51:33] Speaker D: Later, Kara Strange. [00:51:35] Speaker A: You've got your luggage with you and you're flying through space with it. Don't go back to Denek for disposal. [00:51:41] Speaker B: I know, right? Good God. [00:51:45] Speaker A: Go to the planet with the fungus and milkweed. [00:51:48] Speaker B: Do anything, but go report back to your death. [00:51:54] Speaker A: Later. In the school corridor, Supergirl is reading the bulletin board and muses to herself. Kara didn't realize that there was a blood bank drive today. And giving blood is one thing a robot can't do. Dick move alert. [00:52:13] Speaker B: Really big dick move alert. [00:52:14] Speaker A: But ironically, Kara didn't really fail, because with my invulnerable skin, I can't donate blood either. So I'd better report in with a phony case of the Snivels as my alibi. You've just sent a robot, a sentient robot, to its destruction for a trick. [00:52:37] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:52:38] Speaker A: Maybe this upcoming movie is accurate after all. [00:52:45] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:52:46] Speaker A: I don't know who signed off on this, but I don't like it. [00:52:51] Speaker B: I don't either. [00:52:55] Speaker A: Well, anything else to add? [00:52:57] Speaker B: No, I've got to run. My loaf is browning. [00:53:00] Speaker A: That's what she said. You can find us on social media, ogocheckpod. You can rate and review us wherever your podcast is from. You can find us on our sister podcast, Nerd Orchestra. And you can find us this holiday season on YouTube at Dr. Bob's Kitchen. Bye. Bye. [00:53:19] Speaker C: You don't have to be at politician. You can change it all with a sin and dispositions of a heavy and spread it all around. If you find yourself a frowning, Just turn it upside down. When you wear a smile, the world will shout hooray. You gotta turn on the sunshine. You gotta give in one time. You gotta turn on the sunshine. Push those blues away. [00:54:05] Speaker A: Man. [00:54:05] Speaker C: This dialectic's too much.