52 Pick Up is a podcast about the strange and wonderful DC Comics series 52. Every other week, join Gita Jackson of Aftermath and Alex Jaffe of the podcast Insert Credit as we take you on an issue-by-issue journey through a comic book series that explains everything about the DC universe, if you only look hard enough.
52, which ran from May 2006 to May 2007, was an almost miraculous feat: a weekly series, written by some of the biggest talents then at DC, that didn’t feature Batman, Superman or Wonder Woman. Instead, it followed the tale of the other heroes of the DC universe, the ones who take care of business when the big names are out of commission. Looking back, the series feels like a trial run for the now ubiquitous “shared universe” concept that is now inescapable in superhero movies. Whether you hate or love the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Extended Universe, 52 shows how we got here.
In this first episode, Jaffe and I explain our comic book fan origin stories, and how they brought us to the series 52. Before I could get there on my journey through the world of comics, I first had to make my way through Justice League Unlimited and the LiveJournal communities that turned me on to these lesser known characters.
The episodes covering each issue of 52 and the secrets they contain are free, and you can subscribe through iTunes. The bonus episodes we’re planning will only be available to Aftermath subscribers. Some of our planned pods will have Alex Jaffe and me talking about the movies in the DC extended universe, alongside some very cool guests. We hope you’ll subscribe and join us!