Podcast
Unpacking the Power of Power Pack
Hosted by Jeff and Rick Present · EN
We journey through each issue of the most underrated Marvel series of the 80’s while drinking beer. Please join us in rediscovering the joy of the Power Pack comic.
15episodes
Episodes
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Episode 211 Fantastic Four V5 #9: "East of Eden: Part One"
2w ago01:00:00Tap to summarizeWe are getting into the real meat of this Fantastic Four run. The team is torn apart, unhappy, and Reed may or may not be turning into a meth cooker. What is happening to our favorite family? And can Alex Power and Power Pack save them? Probably not the direction that the writers would take, but you never know. So, what is this issue about? It is about a family that is putting up a fight against a variety of forces. It is them against the world. A towering inferno of force against a wonderful family. Or something. OK, let's turn this thing upside down and talk about the rock in the room. The uncomfortable truth is that this is really bad. Everybody is not in a good way. One in prison, one with no powers, one with no children, and one doing science. Just bad, bad, bad. Sometimes we just need to watch what is going to happen. You need to guard against the inevitable onslaught of time. You need to protect against the truth. You need to secure the facts. Do you know what I am saying? You should fight and seize the day. You should gather your friends and become a mob for justice. That's right. Gather your powers and unleash them against the forces of the world. I dare you. And then, when the world starts to beat you down, take heed of this advice. Cover up and protect your privates. It is the best thing to do in these situations. And then, at the end of the day, you can celebrate with your friends. You can be pleased to know that you are alive and not beaten to a pulp. Or, if you are beaten up, you can shake it off and be happy with the fact that your nose is not bleeding anymore. Bravo, you have made it to the end of this rant. Here is to the next one. If you want to see some pictures, go to: https://jeffandrickpresent.wordpress.com/2026/04/17/fantastic-four-v5-9-east-of-eden-part-one/ We also have some merchandise over at Redbubble. We have a couple of nifty shirts for sale. https://www.redbubble.com/people/jeffrickpresent/?asc=u You can also subscribe and listen to us on YouTube! Our show supports the Hero Initiative, Helping Comic Creators in Need. http://www.heroinitiative.org/ Eighties Action by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3703-eighties-action License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "Mischief Maker" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Transcribe →Episode 210 Fantastic Four V5 #8: "Original Sin: The Faithful Four Part 3"
4w ago01:00:00Tap to summarizeThe Thing in prison!!!?? What dastardly devilry is this? Why would this happen? What is going to become of our ever-loving blue-eyed thing? Will he have to wear black and white stripes? is he going to shank someone? What will happen? Ok, we are not getting to the deep in prison stuff yet...but that is what is on the cover. I guess we do not need to wade into this yet. See what I did there...with the picture of Reed and his short pants. Well, it amuses me. It may not amuse you. In fact, it may anger you. I may make you so angry that you want to punch my head off. See, I did it again. I just cannot help making a dad joke now and then. Sometimes they come so naturally. Sometimes they do not. And sometimes they walk over and arrest me with a big, giant gun because the joke was so bad. Just like that. But I am not a big rock monster. I am not even a rock man. I am a rock dude. OK, I am not a rock dude. I am just a man, not a monster, so do not put me in the monster jail. See, I am a funny, funny man. Hey, what are you doing? Why are you coming over here? Don't push me to the ground! Don't take away my right to be not funny! Man, this is not funny. This is just like getting gassed by my own gas producing arrow. Why would you do that to me? Now I am going to cry. Sometimes I am just out of ideas, and you get these weird ramblings. We also have some merchandise over at Redbubble. We have a couple of nifty shirts for sale. https://www.redbubble.com/people/jeffrickpresent/?asc=u You can also subscribe and listen to us on YouTube! Our show supports the Hero Initiative, Helping Comic Creators in Need. http://www.heroinitiative.org/ Eighties Action by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3703-eighties-action License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "Rocket Power" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Transcribe →Episode 209 Fantastic Four V5 #6: "Original Sin: The Fateful Four Part 1"
Apr 501:00:00Tap to summarizeAngry friends make broken hearts. And broken hearts usually result in death. Nobody is going to die...yet...but I think the poetry of the moment may move us as we travel through these broken dreams and broken promises. So, let's break this open, shall we? Broken bones, or bone fractures, are a very common injury and can affect anyone at any age. Anyone can break a bone. But only Reed can stretch a broken bone. That is a horrible mental image, but that is what I am here for. To bring you horrible mental images to keep you up all night. A broken heart is a metaphor. It represents the feeling one has when great loss or deep longing creates intense emotional stress or pain. In brief, it sucks. All in all, I would not choose this service. But it happens. And how we deal with a broken heart says a lot about a person. I punch things. Don't judge. I love using broken rock in my landscaping projects. I just like the look aesthetic of pebbles, gravel, and stone around the yard. There is a satisfying feeling when you step on the rocky path and feel the crunch. It is clean, and pretty. And the more rock you lay down, the less mowing you need to do. A broken, or perforated eardrum, is a hole or tear in the thin tissue between the ear canal and the middle ear. This is caused by children yelling loudly in your ear. There is no other way that this happens. That is it. It must stop. "Broken Ground" is the name of a 2018 crime thriller written by Val McDermid. Apparently, it is the fifth in her Karen Pirie series. I know nothing about any of that. But I am sure that it does not feature a scene with Fantastic Four or the Avengers. But I could be wrong. I looked up what a broken MacGuffin was and tripped over a dismantled MacGuffin. That is where you break up the thing that runs the plot and make it a fetch quest. Interesting, but not relevant. But that is par for the course. Broken skin, including cuts, scratches, or chronic fissures, occurs when the epidermis is damaged, leaving it vulnerable to infection and moisture loss. Or it is when you get an ouchie. Sometimes a band aid works. Other times you need to cauterize the wound. Either way, you are probably gonna be crying. Suck it up!!! And there we go. I hope that this did not break you too much with our wacky random thoughts and off topic musings. If we did, let us know. Or don't. You just have to be you buddy. To see the pictures we talked about, see our website: https://jeffandrickpresent.wordpress.com/2026/03/18/fantastic-four-v5-6-original-sin-the-fateful-four-part-1/ We also have some merchandise over at Redbubble. We have a couple of nifty shirts for sale. https://www.redbubble.com/people/jeffrickpresent/?asc=u You can also subscribe and listen to us on YouTube! Our show supports the Hero Initiative, Helping Comic Creators in Need. http://www.heroinitiative.org/ Eighties Action by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3703-eighties-action License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "Boogie Party" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Transcribe →Episode 208 Fantastic Four V5 #5: "Fall of the Fantastic Four - Part 5"
Mar 2201:00:00Tap to summarizeOreder in the court, order in the court, there will be ORDER IN THIS COURT!!!! Do I have your attention now? I believe I do. It is time that we get down to the brass tacks and rusty nails. We need to know what these crazy kids did, why they did it, where they did it, and how they did it. Or something like that. It does not matter, there will be order! Let's start with the lawyer. Of course, it will be their friend and fellow fighter. She is the best of the best. She is the jolly green giant of law. She is the emerald fighter of justice. She is the pugilist of papers. And she is very cool. Some people would rather have Daredevil, or the blind Matt Murdock as he is sometimes called, as their lawyer. He is good and all, but I think that he is more of a red herring. Or he is a red devil. Or a crime fighter. Or something. I don't know, but it looks like he is an accomplice in all of this. We have the defendants, but why are they up here, why are they on trial. It may have something to do with the friends they keep. I mean, first off all, they like to hang around with Inhumans. Not even humans....IN-humans. What are these humans IN. Are they IN TROUBLE. I am guessing so. And this is the royal court. And they also let their daughter hang out with a guy who dresses in a green cape. Who does that? Who makes that fashion choice? Who wakes up in the morning and says, I want to dress like Robin Hood? A guy who gets shot by a guy with laser eyes, that's who. And the rest of the kids? What about them? They are the products of their parent figures. They are probably as unlawful as the rest. And they probably will want the same lawyers as the rest of them. Let's just object to this entire line of words. Let's put our fist through the table and find out who to really blame. Is it the heroes or the villains? Is it the table? Is it JUSTICE? Nope, we are going to blame the lawyers. Why not? That makes about as much sense as anything else in this crazy mixed-up world. It is all She Hulks fault. Does any of that make sense? I hope so. Cause I have nothing else to say. We also have some merchandise over at Redbubble. We have a couple of nifty shirts for sale. https://www.redbubble.com/people/jeffrickpresent/?asc=u You can also subscribe and listen to us on YouTube! Our show supports the Hero Initiative, Helping Comic Creators in Need. http://www.heroinitiative.org/ Eighties Action by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3703-eighties-action License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "Morgana Rides " Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Transcribe →Episode 207 Fantastic Four V5 #3: "Fall of the Fantastic Four - Part 3"
Mar 801:00:00Tap to summarizeWe have a new Fantastic Four series that we are covering! Hooray. Gotta love Alex Power being part of the Future Foundation. This means that we get to look at this good series. At least I hope it is good. It has a good start. It looks good. It smells good. MMMM love the smell of paper. Since the overarching theme of this series seems to be about deconstructing, or tearing apart, let's chat about destruction and wrecking. We can focus on the Wrecking crew if we like. The Wrecking Crew is the name given to a loose group of musicians who were in LA during the 60's and 70's. They played in a lot of studio recording sessions and were instrumental in a lot of great music. Sometimes, they would grab construction tools and rob banks...allegedly. These guys were a hot commodity, trained in jazz, classical music, and underwater mammal research. This allowed them to be versatile and useful in a variety of situations. Many people would think that a degree in marine biology would not lead to rock and roll, but they have never listened to the B-52's. Recently, a movie was released staring David Bautista and Jason Momoa called The Wrecking Crew. I have not seen it, but I believe that it is a screwball comedy about two construction workers who find a kitten at one of their work sites, and the antics that occur as they introduce it to their shared apartment. Of course, the new kitten runs into all kinds of mischief with the dog that the two guys already have. Oh, the comedy and hijinks that ensue are priceless. The dog chasing the kitten, the guys chasing the dog....the comedy just writes itself! I have also learned that there are mobsters who are sometimes called a wrecking crew. I am assuming it is because they like going out to play music or watch specific movies together. I am sure it is not for anything shady. That would be wrong. That is all I know about wrecking crews. I mean, I guess there could be people that say bad things about the Mission Impossible movies, but they would just be wrecking Cruise. Maybe I should stop while I am ahead. You can find our website at: https://jeffandrickpresent.wordpress.com/2026/02/10/fantastic-four-v5-3-fall-of-the-fantastic-four-part-3/ We also have some merchandise over at Redbubble. We have a couple of nifty shirts for sale. https://www.redbubble.com/people/jeffrickpresent/?asc=u You can also subscribe and listen to us on YouTube! Our show supports the Hero Initiative, Helping Comic Creators in Need. http://www.heroinitiative.org/ Eighties Action by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3703-eighties-action License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "Space Fighter Loop" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Transcribe →Episode 206 Avengers Undercover #10: "Going Native - Part Five"
Feb 2201:00:00Tap to summarizeSo, what ever happened to all of those kids from those other Not Avengers, Not Fantastic Four schools? Did you ever wonder about them. Sure, we all remember that some of them showed up on that Murder World Island, some of them died, but what about the rest? Did they make it off, did they have any side effects...are the kids alright? No...no the kids are not all right. They have some serious PTSD and relationship issues. They do not care about leadership and grown-ups. They do not like rules, or tea-time. They drive without licenses, and they only use Axe body spray. They are rebels. Apparently, teenagers only like donuts and they do not like baths. They prefer to grow a certain, pungent scent, something that has a physical presence. These kids want to use their funk to fight wars. I have to respect them for that. I guess we are going to have to force these kids to clean themselves. Maybe if we sent some supervillains in to catch them and pull them towards the running water. Maybe that will work. Maybe it won't. Kids are really willey and do not like being told what to do. Also, if they have superpowers, then we have got a problem. The only way to get kids to actually wash themselves is to throw a party for them at a stupid lake. But, you must have a boat and a giant lizard slash reptile. Hey, I do not make the rules. The kids are washed and having fun, and we have learned nothing. I cannot remember what I started to write about or how I got here. Does it matter? No, probably not. Should you go swimming? Sure. And don't forget to smile. Ok, let's move onto a new series, maybe like Fantastic Four? If you want to see the art, check out the webpage: https://jeffandrickpresent.wordpress.com/2026/02/05/avengers-undercover-10-going-native-part-five/ We also have some merchandise over at Redbubble. We have a couple of nifty shirts for sale. https://www.redbubble.com/people/jeffrickpresent/?asc=u You can also subscribe and listen to us on YouTube! Our show supports the Hero Initiative, Helping Comic Creators in Need. http://www.heroinitiative.org/ Eighties Action by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3703-eighties-action License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ "Hot Pursuit" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Transcribe →Episode 205 Young Avengers #15: "Resolution - Part Two"
Feb 801:00:00Tap to summarizeAll parties must come to an end, and this one has....but not our podcast. Oh no, we are still rocking and/or rolling for at least a couple more years. We have not even reached our Rubicon, our milestone of comics with Power Pack that have come out since we started recording. We have to make it that far. Now, back to this two-parter. Where were we? Something about dancing and letting the beat drop or something. Maybe about dancing queens or the availability to purchase clove flavored gum. Maybe dance clubs of the 90's. Man, I don't know. I am making this up as I go. Actually, I want to talk about costs and benefits. How much do you think it costs to really make a scene at a dance club? And by scene, I mean a visually arresting specimen of a person crashing onto the dance floor. Are you a three-bucks at a thrift store or are you more of a take-out a loan against your future perfection type of a buyer? After you put on your threads, snap a picture of yo'self. Spread that love. Be the impact in the world that you know you are. Don't forget to add glitter. And then, at the end of the night, take pride in the statement you have made. Walk out with your crew, head held high, dance into the street and continue to make a scene. Also, if you have had a few, make sure you have a designated driver. And then, later in the night, when no one is watching, make sure you take the moment to walk into the dark and be creepy and mysterious. You know why you need to do that. You know why you need to sneak into the night. Make sure you pay your tax. Now that we are done with that book, what is next, where will we go from here, tune in to find out. Check out the art from this book at our website: https://jeffandrickpresent.wordpress.com/2026/01/14/young-avengers-15-resolution-part-two/ We also have some merchandise over at Redbubble. We have a couple of nifty shirts for sale. https://www.redbubble.com/people/jeffrickpresent/?asc=u You can also subscribe and listen to us on YouTube! Our show supports the Hero Initiative, Helping Comic Creators in Need. http://www.heroinitiative.org/ Eighties Action by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3703-eighties-action License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 / Bingo Bongo by Sascha Ende
Transcribe →Episode 204 Young Avengers #14: "Resolution - Part One"
Jan 2501:00:00Tap to summarizeTime to put on that party dress, and the comfortable yet stylish loafers. Make the hair look nice and slather on the anti-perspirant. We are going dancing and partying and we are going to ring in the new year with some style. It is the final two issues of this series. Feels like we just arrived. There ain't no party, like a Young Avengers Party, cause a Young Avengers Party don't stop..... Of course, you need to dress up for a party. When I dress up, I wear clothes. This seems to make most people happy. Plus, while I am very warm most of the time, I find that being naked outdoors makes me cold. You can dress as a super hero. You should always dress for the party you want to be at, not the party that you are at. This is why Jeff usually dresses like a princess. Now you are dressed, and so you go to the party, and you get a drink. And then someone makes you drop your drink. That's it....party over...fight start. But that is just me. Of course, before you fight, you should take off any clothing that will interfere with your fight. If you are wearing a mask for a masquerade, you probably need to remove it. Unless you look fly. Then keep it on. Finally, no party is complete without a kiss. At least that is what I have been told. I have never been invited to those parties. I just go to fight parties. I am not allowed to go to parties anymore. Next issue, we will get the conclusion for the series. Are....you....READY!!!!! Do you want to see some images, check out our website: https://jeffandrickpresent.wordpress.com/2026/01/13/young-avengers-14-resolution-part-one/ We also have some merchandise over at Redbubble. We have a couple of nifty shirts for sale. https://www.redbubble.com/people/jeffrickpresent/?asc=u You can also subscribe and listen to us on YouTube! Our show supports the Hero Initiative, Helping Comic Creators in Need. http://www.heroinitiative.org/ Eighties Action by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3703-eighties-action License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Bingo Bongo by Sascha Ende
Transcribe →Episode 203 Young Avengers #13: "Young Avengers - Part Two"
Jan 1101:00:00Tap to summarizeIt's the final BATTLE. Dee dee dee deeeeee.......Ok. you get the joke. We are in the thick of it as the Young Avengers take on Mother and her cohort of evil Ex's. We have drama, we have chaos, we have god powers. We do not have cake, and that makes me sad. But we do have an emotional speech by Alex Power so.....thumbs up! Before we begin, you should have a seat and get comfortable. I would suggest a comfortable chair, like a lazy boy or a bean bag chair. Maybe your favorite seat in your car or bus as you are listening to the podcast. Maybe a pole, if that is your thing. Do not sit on someone's boyfriend....unless that is their thing. Now that you are comfortable, I need you to look into my eyes. Are you looking, good. You will listen to me, you will obey me, you will follow my orders. You must tell all your friends about this podcast. You will promote our podcast. Obey me. Do not worry about feeling alone. There are many, many people under my control. So many people. some are green, some have wings. some are giant heads with metal spider legs. I control them all. My control is so complete that I control all pages and all images. BWHAHAHAHAHA!!! I control all....look at me!!! Wait. Why is everyone fighting. I just said that I was in charge. Why is everyone so mad and angry. It is like you all are annoyed that I took over your minds. Jeez. Fine. Let's change the tone and try a little bit of love and peace. Let's go and look at the young couple and their cute teenage romance. Ahhh....romance. Ok. Enough of that junk. I just want violence. So, let's go and head for the uprights. oooooh.....That hurts. If you want to look at some images from the comic, check out: https://jeffandrickpresent.wordpress.com/2025/12/26/young-avengers-13-young-avengers-part-two/ We also have some merchandise over at Redbubble. We have a couple of nifty shirts for sale. https://www.redbubble.com/people/jeffrickpresent/?asc=u You can also subscribe and listen to us on YouTube! Our show supports the Hero Initiative, Helping Comic Creators in Need. http://www.heroinitiative.org/ Eighties Action by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3703-eighties-action License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Prosecution, action, trumpets by Sascha Ende
Transcribe →Episode 202 Young Avengers #12: "Young Avengers" - Part One"
Dec 2801:00:00Tap to summarizeNow we are in the thick of it all. New betrayals, broken love, angst, agony, achny....It is all here and it is all teen drama all the time. But will they succeed, will they untangle the knots Loki has tied, ill their playlists be appreciated? Who knows. Fashion is really important, especially when you are going to try to kill someone. Trust me about this. I have had to do this ritual multiple times....at least in my head. When you prep for murder, you must make sure to brag and show off as well. Some people would have you believe that you should go for quiet and stealthy when you are about to bring the murder. Those people are wrong. Dial up the color and speakers and make a show. You should also bring friends when you go a killing. First off, they will help you bury the bodies. Always a plus. Additionally, they bring other skills to the table, and usually there is someone that has a deck of cards. A good way to kill time while waiting to....kill. Now, there is a limit to the number of people that you should bring with you on this excursion. Four to five is a good number. Multiple dozens are too much. First of all, a tour bus is very obvious when you are driving around. Trust me. It is up to you and your mob about how loud you want to be when you go taking on the innocent. Yelling and throwing flashy lights around is a choice, and could be good camo when you are at an EDM concert. Let's face it, you are not going to go murdering. You are probably going to go fighting. In that case, have fun, but make sure you are stylin. You can check out the artwork at: https://jeffandrickpresent.wordpress.com/2025/12/10/young-avengers-12-young-avengers-part-one/ We also have some merchandise over at Redbubble. We have a couple of nifty shirts for sale. https://www.redbubble.com/people/jeffrickpresent/?asc=u You can also subscribe and listen to us on YouTube! Our show supports the Hero Initiative, Helping Comic Creators in Need. http://www.heroinitiative.org/ Eighties Action by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3703-eighties-action License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Podcast Music Vol. 17 [Minimal Tech Background] Sascha Ende
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