NEW YORK (March 29, 2022) — Today iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, and Novel, the ascendant UK podcast studio behind the ambitious global Apple #1 Harsh Reality: The Story Of Miriam Rivera, announce their remarkable new podcast The Superhero Complex. The podcast tracks the enigmatic rise and fall of Phoenix Jones, Seattle’s real-life crime-fighting vigilante, as he goes from beloved local icon and leader of The Rain City Superhero Movement to a dejected and humiliated figure waiting for a verdict on a charge of selling cocaine to undercover cops. 

Was he a super villain all along? Host David Weinberg enters the unbelievable world of Phoenix Jones - and the universe of costumed crusaders – to find out the truth.

Listen to a trailer for The Superhero Complex here.

When Phoenix Jones first comes into the public eye, he seems a true American original: By day, he’s Ben Fodor: a semi-pro MMA fighter. By night, Ben slips through a secret door in the back of a comic book store and emerges, clad in a black and gold suit and mask, to patrol the streets of Seattle alongside a crew of fellow oddballs: former soldiers, ex-cops, recovered drug addicts and reformed criminals. 

But throughout The Superhero Complex, listeners will learn the complicated truth beyond the tall tales and myth-building: The challenges of running a real-life ring of wannabe superheroes, betrayals among friends, a failed return to MMA, and hitting rock bottom when he’s brought down on a drug charge. It’s a story of outsized ambition, the allure of unconventional charisma, and the unclear motivations of someone trying so desperately to be something bigger than themselves. 

Told with a balance of in-depth reportage and empathetic character study, The Superhero Complex interrogates not only the mysteries of Phoenix Jones but our society’s fascination with superheroes, and what it means to take the law into your own hands. With outsized personalities that would make Joe Exotic blush and a twisting narrative that confounds at every turn, The Superhero Complex is a daring new limited podcast series. 

The Superhero Complex launches with its first two episodes on April 5, with new episodes dropping every Tuesday on iHeartRadio and all other platforms.The Superhero Complex is distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network. Listeners can visit iHeart.com/apps to download iHeartRadio and listen to the premiere episode on their favorite device. 

About David Weinberg

Host and reporter David Weinberg’s work is a constant presence on ‘best of the year’ podcast lists with his character-driven stories for KCRW, All Things Considered, Press Play, Radiolab, Love+Radio and Unfictional. He is the producer of Below the Ten and Welcome to LA and he has won multiple journalism awards, including a national Edward R. Murrow award for feature reporting.

About iHeartMedia

iHeartMedia, Inc. [Nasdaq: IHRT] is the leading audio media company in America, reaching over 90% of Americans every month, and has a portfolio of unmatched consumer brands and industry-leading events. iHeart’s broadcast radio assets alone have more consumer reach in the U.S. than any other media outlet; twice the reach of the next largest broadcast radio company; and over four times the ad-enabled reach of the largest digital only audio service. iHeart is the largest podcast publisher according to Podtrac, with more downloads than the next four podcast publishers combined; has the number one social footprint among audio players, with seven times more followers than the next audio media brand; and is the only fully integrated audio ad tech solution across broadcast, streaming and podcasts.  The company continues to leverage its strong audience connection and unparalleled consumer reach to build new platforms, products and services. Visit iHeartMedia.com for more company information.

About Novel

Novel is the largest independent podcast production company in Europe. The company produces ambitious original podcasts and award-winning shows for brands like Spotify, Audible, Wondery and iHeart, including an Apple Global #1 (Harsh Reality: The Story Of Miriam Rivera), multiple UK Apple #1s (Fantasy Premier League Podcast, The Bellingcat Podcast), and successful forays into avant comedy (Futile Attempts), music (Charli XCX’s Best Song Ever), and LGBTQ+ culture (Call Me Mother).