Podcast
The Superhero Complex
Hosted by iHeartPodcasts and Novel · EN
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
12episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Introducing: Kingdom of Fraud
3w ago00:02:29Tap to summarizeIt’s the unlikeliest of criminal partnerships: a devout polygamist from an insular Utah sect joining forces with a shadowy Armenian tycoon from LA. The result - a billion dollar fraud conspiracy. In Kingdom of Fraud, investigative reporter Michele McPhee traces the origins of the extraordinary alliance between Jacob Kingston and Levon Termendzhyan. Together, the two men trigger the largest tax investigation in American history and weave around themselves a web of dirty cops, influential political relationships and transnational money laundering. All this is set against the backdrop of Jacob Kingston’s clan – The Order. A powerful and secretive polygamist organization in Salt Lake City. To whom Jacob is desperate to prove his worth. Kingdom of Fraud is produced by Novel for iHeart Podcasts. Listen here and subscribe to Kingdom of Fraud on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Introducing: The Girlfriends: Jailhouse Lawyer
Jul 1900:05:29Summary readyWhat does it mean to be a victim, or a villain? What happens when the line between the two starts to blur? On 7th July 2010, Kelly Harnett says her abusive boyfriend murdered a man right in front of her. So how did she end up in prison for it? Anna Sinfield - the journalist behind the global number 1 podcast, The Girlfriends, returns with her toughest story yet. This series isn’t a whodunnit. It’s not even really about what happened. It’s about how a woman who was a victim of domestic violence became a villain in the eyes of the law. Found guilty of murder and locked up for over a decade; Kelly Harnett taught herself the law. And as she battled to overturn her conviction, she became a beacon of hope, fighting for the freedom of the abused women locked up alongside her. Listen here and subscribe to The Girlfriends: Jailhouse Lawyer on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Introducing: The Fighty Pucks
May 30, 202300:02:11Summary readyThe Fighty Pucks is the story of the most violent hockey team on the planet. A team of lovable bad boys, misfits and bruisers, led by a teenage boy - AJ Galante. Together with his father, a powerful business man with a dark past, AJ ran the team as they went rampaging on a path to glory. But all the while, the team was being secretly watched by their toughest opponent of all - the FBI. The Fighty Pucks is produced by Novel for iHeartRadio. For more from Novel visit novel.audioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Introducing: Deliver Us From Ervil
Jun 21, 202200:01:50Summary readyIn 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-generational crimewave – the ripples of which are still being felt today. From bank robbery to drug smuggling, auto theft rings to multiple murders, a deadly cult evolved into a sophisticated organized crime family. In Deliver Us From Ervil, journalist Jesse Hyde tells the story of Ervil LeBaron and the unlikely ensemble of reporters, cops, survivors and family insiders trying to halt his bloody legacy. Deliver Us From Ervil is produced by Novel for iHeartRadio. Listen to Deliver Us From Ervil on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-deliver-us-from-ervil-96084334/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Summary10: BONUS EP - America’s Next Top Superhero
May 31, 202200:43:27Summary readyBefore 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. The Superhero Complex is produced by Novel for iHeartRadio For more from Novel, visit novel.audioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Summary
9: BONUS EP - Unsung Heroes
May 24, 202200:42:25Summary readyDavid 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 costumed crime fighters in New York. The Superhero Complex is produced by Novel for iHeartRadioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Summary8: The Hero We Deserve
May 17, 202200:59:16Summary readyAfter 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 redemption. The Superhero Complex is produced by Novel for iHeartRadio For more from Novel visit novel.audioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Summary7: From the Ashes
May 10, 202200:53:17Summary readyWhile Phoenix launches his comeback as a cage fighter, rumours swirl that some of his demons are catching up with him. With Phoenix absent, his former sidekicks struggle to pick up the pieces. The Superhero Complex is produced by Novel for iHeartRadio. For more from Novel visit novel.audioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Summary6: Kryptonite
May 3, 202200:49:46Summary readyTensions 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. The Superhero Complex is produced by Novel for iHeartRadio. For more from Novel visit novel.audioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Summary5: The Rogue Era
Apr 26, 202200:40:45Summary readyAfter 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. The Superhero Complex is produced by Novel for iHeartRadio. For more from Novel visit novel.audioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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