Episode 234

full
Published on:

20th Jan 2026

The Post-Crisis MILTON FINE Brainiac — PANIC IN THE SKY & Beyond!

Host Anthony Desiato and guest Sweet-Sweet Bernie Gerstmayr (Aw Yeah Comics - Skokie) dig into the Brainiac of the Post-Crisis era — in which the alien mind of Coluan scientist Vril Dox possesses the body of circus mentalist Milton Fine.

Anthony and Bernie track this incarnation of Brainiac across his debut, physical rebirth in Roger Stern's "Brainiac Trilogy," starring turn in "Panic in the Sky," return appearances in "Dead Again" and "Identity Crisis" (no, not that one), and transition to Brainiac 13. They also address Milton Fine as adapted on SMALLVILLE and SUPERMAN & LOIS.

PLUS: In a special prologue, Anthony and Bernie address recent reports that "Panic in the Sky" will serve as the basis for James Gunn's forthcoming MAN OF TOMORROW film!

Support the show and receive exclusive podcast content at Patreon.com/AnthonyDesiato, including the spinoff podcasts BEYOND METROPOLIS and DIGGING FOR JUSTICE!

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Digging for Kryptonite is a Flat Squirrel Production. Theme music by Dan Pritchard. Key art by Isaiah Simmons.

Mentioned in this episode:

Always Hold On To Smallville

Single Bound Podcast

Aw Yeah Comics

Fat Moose Comics

This Podcast Will Never Die

Hang On To Your Shorts Film Festival

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About the Podcast

Digging for Kryptonite: A Superman Fan Journey
From the Host of My Comic Shop History
Host Anthony Desiato (My Comic Shop History) takes flight with an ongoing podcast series exploring Superman! Digging for Kryptonite is an examination of Krypton's Last Son across time and media, with deep dives into the creative visions, character elements, eras, and individual stories that have shaped the Man of Steel and the larger DC Universe since 1938. New episodes every Tuesday.
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About your host

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Anthony Desiato

Anthony Desiato, owner and founder of Flat Squirrel Productions, is a lifelong comic book fan, documentary filmmaker (MY COMIC SHOP COUNTRY), and podcaster. He hosts a network of podcasts, including: DIGGING FOR KRYPTONITE, LIGHTING THE BAT-SIGNAL, MY COMIC SHOP HISTORY, and more.