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June 13, 2025 78 mins
What if one of the most iconic characters in pop culture wasn’t just a fictional hero, but a living archetype, an entity with its own will, forged in the minds of millions and fed by the imagination of its creators? Legendary comic book writer Alvin Schwartz thought his time with Superman was long over. But when a mysterious seven-foot-tall monk appeared at his doorstep claiming to be a tulpa, Schwartz was thrown into a mind-bending journey through the strange borderlands of reality and fiction. The monk, calling himself Thongden, insisted he was real… and fading. And he needed Schwartz to keep him alive. In this season finale, we explore the metaphysical memoir An Unlikely Prophet, uncovering Schwartz’s hidden memories of psychic events, spontaneous channeling, and paranormal influences that began the moment he took on the mantle of Superman’s writer. We hear bizarre tales of supernatural inspiration involving Jackson Pollock, mystic paintings of Hindu deities, and even a Hawaiian shaman who claims Tulpa Superman once saved the islands from volcanic doom. Then for our Plus+ members, we dive into the chilling Soviet archives of anomalous underwater encounters—where submariners report collisions with invisible crafts, stone spheres ramming hulls, and USOs that defy radar and reason. We follow the trail of Russian researcher Mikhail Gerstein into lakes and oceans where strange entities dwell beneath the surface, including terrifying run-ins from elite “hydronauts” who may have seen things no one was meant to survive. An Unlikely Prophet: A Metaphysical Memoir by the Legendary Writer of Superman and Batman Alvin Schwartz (comics) Fourth Wall Phantoms: Reflections on the Paranormal, Narrative, and Fictions Becoming Fact Walter Evans-Wentz Everett J. Nelson Paranormal Research Channel The Soviet Ufo Files: Paranormal Encounters Behind the Iron Curtain UFO Research in the Former Soviet Union Kikhpinych Volcano Industrial Facility Bay of Finland Encounter LinksPlus+ Extension The extension of the show is EXCLUSIVE to Plus+ Members. To join, click HERE. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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