Episode Summary:

This week, Peter and Eden dive headfirst into the high-octane world of Daniel Warren Johnson’s Transformers comic run, exploring its explosive art, emotional beats, and G1 nostalgia. Along the way, they unpack the pains of modern TV consumption, vent about doomed adaptations, and gush over goth rock albums and short-form sci-fi. It’s a heartfelt mix of media love, mild despair, and giant robots punching each other in the face—with feeling.

Show Notes:

• Peter kicks things off with a July 4th check-in and a quick rundown of what he’s been reading and listening to, including Atomic Habits and the debut album by High Parasite, a side project involving My Dying Bride’s Aaron Stainthorpe.
• Murderbot adaptation on Apple TV+ gets a thoughtful breakdown: Peter shares his appreciation for its tone, visuals, and how closely it mirrors Martha Wells’ novella All Systems Red, especially its deadpan view of humanity and delightful Sanctuary Moon cutaways.
• Discussion veers into TV trust issues—how shows like Paper Girls and Wheel of Time were abandoned too early by streamers like Amazon and Netflix, and why Apple TV+’s longer-term faith in its properties (Slow Horses) earns praise.
• Eden questions the fractured nature of modern TV popularity, riffing on Yellowstone’s massive reach despite their total ignorance of anyone watching it.
• A segment on Eden’s short-lived journey into the glitchy, chaotic world of gacha game Re Memento: White Shadow, complete with mistranslations and catastrophic layoffs.
• Peter shares exciting news about planning a trip to Japan for his 27th wedding anniversary—and the hurdles of learning Japanese through Duolingo.

For our main topic, we dive into the first arc of Daniel Warren Johnson’s Transformers comic:

• Eden provides background on the series and its creative team, praising Johnson’s gritty, wrestling-inspired action sequences and nuanced character work.
• Peter offers perspective as a lifelong fan reconnecting with the property, reflecting on the emotional impact of Optimus Prime, especially how the comic echoes the trauma of Transformers: The Movie (1986).
• Highlights include gruesome Starscream moments, human character development (especially Sparky’s sacrifice), and Optimus wielding Megatron’s blaster arm.
• Both hosts discuss the comic’s balance between fresh storytelling and homage to classic G1 design and lore.
• Closing thoughts touch on the excitement (and dread) around Robert Kirkman taking over the series soon, and how this arc was a rewarding, if nostalgia-heavy, entry point for fans old and new.

In this lively and irreverent episode of The Middle of Culture, Peter and Eden build a tier list ranking 29 DC movies, from the highs of Christopher Reeve's iconic Superman to the lows of Black Adam, which earns a new category all its own: "F*** You Forever." Along the way, they debate the merits of Nolan's Batman trilogy, praise Margot Robbie while trashing her material, and wax poetic about Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman and the ridiculous joy of Catwoman (2004). The episode also dives into recent reads, including the emotionally devastating Adachi and Shimamura 99.9, with Eden delivering an impassioned recounting that might just wreck you. Add in some heat-dome weather talk, tech-death music recs, and plenty of hot takes, and you've got one of the most entertaining episodes yet.

Episode Notes:

Welcome Back

• Eden shares weather misery and emotional tales of crying over Adachi and Shimamura
• Peter updates on his son's relentless swim meet schedule and praises the dedication of teen athletes

What We're Into

• Eden continues to love The Apothecary Diaries, now reading it aloud with Cassi
• Deep emotional dive into Adachi and Shimamura 99.9, including:
  • Cozy slice-of-life moments
  • Post-apocalyptic existentialism
  • A bittersweet afterlife reunion that left Eden in tears
• Peter shares his current reading on behavior change and playing Mario Kart with the kids
• Metal music recs from Peter:
  • Fallujah and Exocrine (tech-death highlights)
  • Sigh's re-recording of Hangman's Hymn (2007 → 2025 edition)

The Tier List Begins

• 29 DC movies ranked from S-tier to a newly invented bottom tier
• Immediate praise for Superman: The Movie -- the only true S-tier film
• Batman Begins and The Batman hold strong in A-tier
• The Dark Knight lands at a controversial B, Dark Knight Rises flops to D
• Surprising affection for Catwoman bumps it up to C, while Suicide Squad, Justice League, and Black Adam are rightfully trashed
• Eden passionately defends the joyfully chaotic Batman & Robin, despite its execution
• Zack Snyder's Justice League makes it to B solely for its absurdity
• Lego Batman wins hearts, even from Eden who has a Lego movie vendetta

New Tier Created: "F*** You Forever"

• Reserved exclusively for Black Adam, a film so despised that Peter stopped watching anything with The Rock afterward

Wrap-Up

• One clear conclusion: 1978's Superman stands unmatched
• Richard Donner hailed as the god-tier director James Gunn can't touch
• Gentle roast of MCU's decline vs DC's chaotic legacy
• Call to action: listeners encouraged to weigh in via feedback@themiddleofculture.com

Show Notes:

Life Updates & Pencil Parties

- Eden recounts a surreal Minneapolis trip to witness the "sharpening" of a 20-foot neighborhood pencil statue.

- Attendees included 1,500+ people, costumes, DJs, and a fake giant pencil sharpener hoisted into place.

- Cassi already has cosplay plans for next year.

Dollhouses, Gundams & DIY Projects

- Eden builds a full miniature room box to pose model kits like Gundams in.

- Explores the satisfying craft process of assembling furniture, windows, and baseboards in a modular design.

Music Corner

- New Katatonia album: promising with fresh energy, but Peter reserves judgment.

- Rivers of Nihil: cool influence from Black Crown Initiate, but repeated saxophone use is a dealbreaker for Peter.

- Vildhjarta: heavy, adventurous, and rewards deep listening.

Gaming Talk

- Peter's impressions of the Switch 2: improved Mario Kart experience with 24-player chaos, but still not a travel must-have.

- Thoughts on the cult of Nintendo vs. more versatile handheld platforms like the Steam Deck.

- Eden's attempt to play Synduality: Echo of Ada ends in a refund due to game-breaking texture issues.

Cult & Camp Cinema

- Eden attends a VHS screening of the awful-but-fun 1970s exploitation film White Fire with a themed drinking game.

- Peter is tempted by the trailer but is firmly advised: "Don't watch White Fire."

Reading Recommendations

- Eden finishes all 11 published volumes of Adachi and Shimomura, including volume 99.9 (sci-fi time-jump bonus stories).

- Enthusiastic recommendation of The Apothecary Diaries, a mystery series set in a fictionalized ancient China full of intrigue and clever deduction.

What We're Watching

- Peter enjoys Taskmaster Season 19 with Jason Mantzoukas, calling it chaotic, hilarious, and worth the YouTube binge.

Main Topic: The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)

- Eden loved it: tense, stylish, electric; Peter found it frustratingly flat in tension and offensively dated.

- Discussion touches on 70s NYC despair, racism and misogyny in period pieces, Walter Matthau's charisma, and how modern remakes miss the gritty charm of the original.

- Fun fact: Robert Shaw (Mr. Blue) also played Quint in Jaws.

- Finale: Walter Matthau's "Gesundheit" stare is iconic.