The Superhero Complex
By iHeartPodcasts and Novel
When darkness falls over Seattle, a masked crusader emerges from the shadows. His name? Phoenix Jones - a charismatic cage fighter, hell-bent on ridding the streets of criminals.
Welcome to the world of real life superheroes - ordinary people who put on outrageous costumes and head out to fight crime.
Phoenix’s team of superhero sidekicks have all turned against him. They say he’s no hero and in 2020, it’s Phoenix who finds himself on the wrong side of the law.
So is Phoenix a model citizen fighting for a better world? Or is he a fraudster who used a superhero identity to disguise his own crimes? Journalist David Weinberg sets out on a wild journey to find out.
The Superhero Complex is produced by Novel for iHeartRadio
For more from Novel visit Novel.audio
Latest episode
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Introducing: The Fighty Pucks
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Introducing: Deliver Us From Ervil
In the 1940s, a group of Mormon dreamers started a town in the Mexican desert. But what began as a utopian vision quickly turned sour when the founding family’s son, Ervil LeBaron, struggled for control of the community and unleashed a multi-generati… -
10: BONUS EP - America’s Next Top Superhero
Before Phoenix Jones, there was Major Victory, Fat Momma and Monkey Woman. David delves into the weird world of ‘Who Wants to Be A Superhero,’ a reality TV show in which comics legend Stan Lee searches for the ultimate real life superhero. -
9: BONUS EP - Unsung Heroes
David fires up the batmobile again, for a whistle-stop tour of the wider real life superhero universe. We meet superheroes and villains from Mexico City to the Netherlands, and hear from journalist and broadcaster Jon Ronson about his time with costu… -
8: The Hero We Deserve
After a final showdown with the police, it seems like Phoenix has fallen from grace once and for all. But in the world of real life superheroes, all is never quite as it seems. As protests erupt in Seattle in 2020, Phoenix Jones has one last shot at … -
7: From the Ashes
While Phoenix launches his comeback as a cage fighter, rumors swirl that some of his demons are catching up with him. With Phoenix absent his former sidekicks struggle to pick up the pieces. -
6: Kryptonite
Tensions are brewing in the Rain City Superhero Movement. After a disastrous patrol, things boil over. David picks through the rumors, betrayals and grudges, to figure out who’s to blame for the breakup of Seattle’s super-squad. -
5: The Rogue Era
After a run-in with the law, Phoenix’s superhero antics start to have consequences for his civilian life. When tragedy strikes in downtown Seattle, things begin to unravel for Phoenix Jones. -
4: Under the Spotlight
Phoenix and the Rain City Superheroes hit the big time. But fame comes with a price. Phoenix starts to make some powerful enemies. -
3: We Can Be Heroes
What’s a superhero without sidekicks? David meets the ragtag recruits who became Phoenix’s crime-fighting supergroup, the Rain City Superheroes.