Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men

**468 – Sasquatch Road Trip** Nov 17, 2024
In which St. Croix History reminds us of a Martian with a big butt; Penance’s escape is ambiguous; *Avengers Academy Infinity Comic* successfully reinvents Emplate; you should not learn to flirt from Vanilla Ice; Jubilee fires two fireworks blasts into the air whilst going aaahhh; and we go in through the ears.

X-PLAINED:

Apocalypse’s influence

The Big House (about which we are confused)

Generation X #58

Cartier and/or Louis St. Croix

Our college’s Dean, naked jogger

Things that are sharp in the woods

HUMP

Penance (Hollow)

Emplate, spoiled teenager

Generation X Annual 1999

Epistolary fonts

Jubilee’s pre-X past

Round Wolverine

Hunter Brawn (again, sigh)

Recognizing random dudes from pictures

Dad Things and Dad Pipes

Juggernaut and Black Tom as a relationship model

Jubilee, competent veteran

A murder mystery

Legault, cosplaying bodyguard

Taking notes on comics

Magneto’s telepathy-blocking (or not) helmet

NEXT EPISODE: Wolverine’s dead! And Wolverine’s back!

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**467 – Disorganizing Principle** Nov 04, 2024

In which Nightcrawler has a type; the Hill is a bad place to raise your kids up; Colossus introduces Marrow to art; we come out against autotrepanation; Mikhail Rasputin never learns; Destiny leaves clues from beyond the grave; and The Twelve looms.

X-PLAINED:

That one universe where Mystique raised Nightcrawler in an attic

An event in name only

Some shit that went down a while ago

The Hill (more) (again)

*Uncanny X-Men* #373-374

*X-Men* #93-94

Marrow as a child soldier

Rural Boston

Some asshole

Mikhail Rasputin (more) (again)

How to prove that you’re a god

The souls of furniture and some other things

The green psychic entity who’s been secretly controlling Mikhail Rasputin, I guess?

Ninja problems

B. Byron Biggs

Ronnie Lake

A Conspiracy

How Rogue and Destiny met

Compulsory heterosexuality

Destiny’s diaries

Prognostication vs. agenda-setting

Skrullverine’s power mimicry

How the Mannites could’ve been used in the Krakoan era

NEXT EPISODE: Secrets of Jubilee’s past!

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**466 – A Rogue’s Tale, feat. Lenore Zann** Oct 28, 2024

In which Lenore Zann joins us to talk Rogue, Canadian politics, and her upcoming memoir!

Lenore’s memoir, *A Rogue’s Tale*, will be out November 1! You can preorder it here.

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Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here!

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**465 – Right in the Fabric** Oct 20, 2024

In which “Astonishing X-Men” is something of a misnomer; Death has a good look; sometimes you just need a guy who swoops; Miles stops worrying and learns to love Nate Grey; Telekinesis is silly looking; “Wolverine” dies; and nothing really changes.

X-PLAINED:

*Astonishing X-Men* (miniseries)

Ambience

Nina (again)

Mannites (again)

The third-best way to get out of awkward conversations

The Hulkbuster base

Bastion (again)

Bastion’s worst nightmare

Death (a new one)

Fiddly bits

Cable’s Psimitar

Telekinetic snowboarding

Headcase

Darco

Glub

Beautiful Dreamer

Grace

Totem

Things to do with a severed head

The Changing

The (apparent) death of Wolverine

How to salvage this miniseries

Hypothetical X-crossovers

NEXT EPISODE: Lenore Zann joins us to talk all things Rogue!

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Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here!

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**464 – The Cigarettes of Damocles** Sep 30, 2024

In which X-Force is kind of silly; that really isn’t what “quantum” means; polite and lawful are two entirely different things, and Sam Guthrie is only one of them; Selene vogues; and the Hellfire Club plays the dead girlfriend card.

X-PLAINED:

Blackheart

The Damocles Foundation (more) (again)

Lucas Bartholomew Guthrie

The difference between prisons and jails

*X-Force* #98-98

Whether Dr. Octopus enjoys the literary stylings of Elmore Leonard

One way to get out of prison

The Glitterbox

An unsuccessful heist

Celestial cigarettes and/or golems

Thomas and/or Tyler Zebulon and/or Zeke Guthrie

Demon Bears as urban pests

Selene, Always Voguing

Gatherers

Various evil scientists

The Sword

Junkyard life

Lenny Delmonico

Psychic rodeos

Nightmare chambers

Bat sex

An offer Sunspot can’t refuse

Hank McCoy’s villain arc

New Mutant superlatives

NEXT EPISODE: *Astonishing X-Men*!

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Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here!

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**463 – The Fart Ghost That Walks Like a Manhattan** Sep 23, 2024

In which Gambit is fundamentally goofy; t’ieves love research; Magneto was ripped; Professor Xavier remains a jerk; Miles attempts to convey something very fundamentally visual in an audio format; Marrow is adorable; the X-Men pretty much disband (again); and a miniseries is the opposite of a vacation.

X-PLAINED:

Where Wolverine went

*Gambit* Annual 1999

*Uncanny X-Men* #372

*X-Men* #92

A lot of backstory

A very cute plastic goose

What Gambit does in his free time

Those weird fluid-filled tubes they put people in all the time for some reason

Gambit’s abs

The fart ghost (Mary Purcell)

Manhattan, Indiana

A very minor continuity error

Fart ghost metaphysics

A very bad idea

A muppetworthy death

Dream’s various ends

X-pajamas

Professional dinosaurs

Thinkers

Theoretical Cyclops-Daredevil team-ups

X-characters recognizable as civilians

NEXT EPISODE: The return of the Damocles Foundation!

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Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here!

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**462 – Angst and Continuity** Sep 16, 2024

In which the 1990s were very long; if you die in the simulation, you die in real life; Adrienne Frost is a bad person with good clothes; we judge the number 57; things just keep happening; and Penance somehow gets *even more* complicated.

X-PLAINED:

Bevatron

*Generation X* #55-57

The Hellions and their untimely demise (again)

*Uncanny X-Men* #281

A continuity conundrum

Many allusions and references

Cognitive dissonance

Dancing between the raindrops of continuity

Resolution

Emma Frost, triumphant

Fashion

Emplate (more) (again)

Propeller beanies

Feelings

Explosions

One way to solve a problem

Whether you should read *Dazzler: The Movie*

The worst possible power swaps

NEXT EPISODE: The secret origins of Gambit’s fart ghost girlfriend!

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**461 – Things to Do in Denver When You’re X-Force** Sep 02, 2024

In which Magneto may be right but is also wildly impractical; X-Force goes on a sneaking mission; Magneto isn’t mad, he’s just disappointed; Rictor and Shatterstar return; Strong is not a common surname in the Marvel universe; and being a mutant on TV doesn’t mean you’re one in the comics.

X-PLAINED:

How Jubilee became a vampire

The most X-treme youth of them all

*X-Force* 94-95

*X-Force* Annual 1999

Genosha

Butler disambiguation

Clown jobs

A team-up predicated on an awkward breakup

Hammer Town

Delphi

Memory boxes

Several potential continuity error

Names

Genoshan robots

Archie

A hierarchy of potential fates

Vershiagen Industries and/or Vershlagen Industries

V2

Hanrancha

Stronghold

Martin Strong

Freddie

Michelle Balters (Neurotap) (more) (again)

Communication with X-teams

A sudden and depressing resolution

Continuity across media

Why Gambit doesn’t (usually) throw tarot cards

NEXT EPISODE: The Return of the Hellions (kinda)

The visual companion to this episode will be up later this week!

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**460 – Setting Sons** Aug 26, 2024

In which Synch is better with your powers than you are; Generation X gets some actual training; Artie and Leech are fully feral; everyone gets the hots for Paladin; Zeus has probably fucked a motorcycle at some point; many countries have valleys; and Adrienne Frost is terrible.

X-PLAINED:

*Generation X* #52-54

Tristan Brawn (more) (again)

Grant Morrison on suspension of disbelief in superhero media

Honor vs. privilege

School dance themes

Artie and Leech’s habitat

Spider-Ham

Ducktor Doom

Role models

What Gaia is probably definitely up to

Paladin

The Rising Sons

Rollerblades

Dragon problems

Power emulation vs. reproduction

Pokémans

Cosplaying Emma Frost with a beard

Diamond Patch

Muir Island vs. Muir Isle

NEXT EPISODE: X-Force goes to Genosha!

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**459 – Waiting to X’Hal (feat. Devin Toohey)** Aug 19, 2024

In which Devin Toohey joins Miles to discuss X-Men’s DC Comics cousin Doom Patrol, and their bastard Amalgam child, X-Patrol!

X-PLAINED:

X-Men vs. Doom Patrol

Meet Your Doom

Doom Patrol

Amalgam

X-Patrol

Elasti-Girl (Amalgam)

Shatterstarfire

Beastling

Ferro Man

Dial H.U.S.K.

*X-Patrol* #1

*Exciting X-Patrol* #1

Niles Cable

Dr. Doomsday

Superhero aviation

Brother Brood

Raveniya

Niles Dayspring

Technoorganic lettering

Claw mechanics

Magneto on X-Force

Real-life Dazzler and Lila Cheney analogs

NEXT EPISODE: Generation X goes to Madripoor!

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Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here!

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458 – Quantum Stuff Aug 05, 2024

In which Tommy Lee Edwards draws a damned fine everything; death gods get taken a lot less seriously when their avatars are seagulls; warm and cool colors get in a fight; Domino has no time for this bullshit; Cable and Domino wait ’til the kids are asleep; Sunspot’s alibi is too complicated; X-Force forges a pouches path; Engines are nothing but trouble; and Ry’lor the Destroyer puts himself in time out. X-PLAINED: The Norse Pantheon of 2099 X-Force #91-93 One of the best X-covers ever Our favorite Siryn story Jesse Aaronson, penitent chef Sean Cassidy, penitent dad A realistically anticlimactic breakup Cassidy/Rourke history Bring Your Daughter to Crimes Day Napoleon Sanders An epistolary montage The dusty pink word balloons of Tom Waits A missed Manos-portunity The Chaos Engine Halloween Jack Domino’s varied musical tastes Ry’lor the Destroyer Kodo the Komodo Bedlam’s extremely situational powers Astarte and Electryon Horniness as a superpower The Temple of the Dying Sun Cable & Corsair’s (lack of) history Hope, Hope, Hope, Hope, Hope, and Hope NEXT EPISODE: Miles and guest host Devin talk X-Patrol, 1996's X-Force / Doom Patrol mash-up! Want to hire J&MXPtXM producer Matt Hunter to produce your podcast? Email him! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

457 – Stinking at the Moon Jul 29, 2024

In which the theme is too many inkers; Cecilia Reyes has no patience for your bullshit; Genosha’s going to be just fine (it’s not); we would watch a supercut of Fabian Cortez getting punched; we bid an abrupt farewell to Gaia; and comics are exhausting, yet captivating. X-PLAINED: Dazzler’s murder trial X-Men Unlimited #24 The past and future of X-Men Unlimited Doctor Cecilia Reyes Ghost Pirate Cap’n Bloodscream Wolverine and friends Pushing your kid out of a plane as a basic first aid skill Banter The Silver Samurai (Keniuchio Harada) Sunfire and the Big Hero Six Projectile-based wordplay Irene Adler, spoiler machine Genosha (again) The Cabinet of Doctor Lensherr Magneto’s panties Stupid metaphors Football stars and their football cars Magneto’s nuanced and baby-filled past Generation X #51 Hunter & Tristan Brawn Helicopter grandparents Artie & Leech, perpetual moppets Emma Frost, forever traumatized Generation X’s new costumes Gaia as the Bird Boy of Generation X Peach Momoko’s Ultimate Armor Sauron and the Lizard’s agendas and fashion Comic book collecting preferences NEXT EPISODE: Some damned fine X-Force. Want to hire J&MXPtXM producer Matt Hunter to produce your podcast? Email him! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

456 – Until/Unless Jul 22, 2024

In which there’s nothing inherently wrong with monster-of-the-week; Marrow’s makeover extends to her font; Red Skull gets a Power Glove; Marvel sets up a slate of spinoffs; and you should hire Matt Hunter to produce your podcast! X-PLAINED: What Danger’s been up to lately Uncanny X-Men #371 X-Men #91 X-Men Annual 1999 Crossover cover design Skrullverine Machine Man Dethlok vs. Dethklok Jack Truman (Agent 18) (to some extent) A nice dress An awkward reunion Gambit as a mentor Billy G. A daring but silly rescue Several upcoming series Marrow’s bone bikini and/or pubes Whether Rogue can absorb animals NEXT EPISODE: Cecilia Reyes returns from retirement! Want to hire J&MXPtXM producer Matt Hunter to produce your podcast? Email him! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

455 – Space, Geeks, and Galactus Jul 08, 2024

In which Roadhouse is basically a Wolverine story; Spider-Man does crimes; space names are derivative; there are lots of good reasons to yell at Professor Xavier; the X-Men do Doctor Who; Galactus is not interested in your puny human feelings; Marrow gets a new look; the Skrulls need a crash course in UI; and we overthink bones. X-PLAINED: The time the Skrulls did “A Piece of the Action” The trouble with benevolent dictatorships X-Men #89-90 Uncanny X-Men #370 A New York City that is not in fact New York City “Spider-Man” A ruse Faces Skrull problems Mar-Vell Adam Warlock Sass vs. joviality Skrull Cop City Disguises Nova (Frankie Raye) How Galactus eats planets Condiments Several melees Bone pubes Skrull UI Whether Moopsy could drink Wolverine’s bones X-Musicals NEXT EPISODE: The return of Douglock! The Roald Dahl short story whose title Jay couldn’t recall is “Beware of the Dog.” Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

454 – X-Men ’97, Part 2 Jun 30, 2024

SPOILER WARNING: ALL OF THEM, NONSTOP In which Barry Windsor-Smith is too sexy for television; we know what happens when unstable molecules get struck by lightning; X-Men gets political and does it spectacularly; this Captain America would not sew the cape; Magneto continues to throw things into space; and they kissed and we missed it. X-PLAINED: Fabian Cortez’s name X-Men ’97 episodes 6-10 Lifedeath I & II: a surprising adaptation Varying levels of going in blind A somewhat different and possibly better Forge The Adversary vs. the Owl Queen Stormiest and least-Stormy costumes Professor Charles Xavier, Official Space Boyfriend Colonialism vs. Identity Delayed catharsis The narrative power of altered opening credits What makes allyship effective (and not) Justified mutant anger The worst version of Nina DaCosta What makes Prime Sentinels scary Summers family feels The best damned fight scenes out there Bastion, robo-avatar of conservative white patriarchy Simultaneous crossovers A psychic gay bar A last boss arena Acolyte equivalencies Phoenix Ex Machina Crying Whether Magneto was right Apoca-futures and Apoca-pasts A bulletin board and our hopes for its contents Soft Serve Kitty Pryde’s coffee shop AU X-Men ’97 as the perfect gateway NEXT EPISODE: Skrulls! LINKS AND FURTHER READING: The Judgment of Magneto by Asher Elbein No visual companion this week! Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

453 – X-Men ’97, Part 1 Jun 24, 2024

In which we put the comics on hold to take a look at X-Men ’97; it is still always Inferno in here; Wolverine is best used sparingly; a Marvel show finally embraces politics; Wolverine is best in small doses; Madeylne Pryor still always deserves better; Jubilee grows up; and we are all in on this series.

452 – Hot Nothing Jun 10, 2024

In which Magneto is not full of mirth; nobody real or fictional likes Fabian Cortez; when you’re a speedster, every problem is a metaphorical nail; The Zealot makes some valid points; and when Quicksilver declares himself your conscience, it’s time to examine your life.

451 – Meanwhile in Another Dimension Jun 03, 2024

In which we remain fascinated by Magneto’s robot butler; murder is Logan’s love language; the Juggernaut punches a hole in reality; Professor Xavier makes it weird; and Storm lectures several gods.

450 – Live at the Clinton Street Theater May 27, 2024

In which we celebrate our tenth anniversary by X-Plaining what may be the most reviled X-arc; you should not try this at home; Mystique is so much better than this story; Azazel is a really boring devil; Nightcrawler should probably be missing a hand; the Xavier School definitely does not have an HR department; and we would prefer that you not pee on Iceman.

449 – Dressing the X-Men, with Russell Dauterman May 13, 2024

In which artist Russell Dauterman joins us to discuss super-powered costume design! X-PLAINED: Why it’s important to get a professional to design your superhero costume Why Miles doesn’t trust the government Russell’s history at Marvel Designing for the Hellfire Gala Mutant fashion The word “fashionize” Iconic looks Modernizing superhero costumes Powers vs. personality Punk goddess Storm Designing for drawability Magic hair Russell’s influences Definitive Rogue costumes X-Men ‘97 Best X-team costumes Jay’s holy grail cosplay Magic hair, cosplayed Costume retrospectives Where to find Russell online Evil twin trends of the 1990s Fuck You Pink NEXT EPISODE: Jay & Miles Live at the Clinton Street Theater! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

448 – Skamageddon May 06, 2024

Feral's back - just in time to wreck Jay's voice again! (And Siryn's, but we'll get to that later.) (X-Force #88) In which timeline math is almost never worth it; Tarot comes back from the dead (kind of) (maybe); Magma makes a heel turn; “King Bedlam” would be a great name for a ska band; not every nude man can turn into a bear; and you don’t have to talk to your supervillain relatives. X-PLAINED: The Triune Understanding Birthday party follow-up X-Force #87-90 Legacy and continuity Bedlam (Jesse Aaronson) Tarot (Marie-Ange Colbert) Goat Simulator King Bedlam (Christopher Aaronson) The New Hellions Perils of body-swapping Linear time Science Armageddon Man Paradigm Senator Owen Danville Family A fancy hat Madame Web Many natural disasters Early Genoshan history Longshot as a villain NEXT EPISODE: Dressing the X-Men with Russell Dauterman! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

447 – Minor Altercation of the Mutants Apr 29, 2024

In which everything is an event these days; Skin may or may not have a skeleton; everyone has a crush on Synch; we are intrigued by Integer; and it’s hard to be Emma Frost. X-PLAINED: War of the Mutants Generation X #50 X-Man #50 Nate Grey (again) Adrienne Frost Science Dark Beast (again) Gene Nation Vessel Hemingway Membrain Fever Pitch Dark Opsidian Iron Maiden Wynter Tattoos More science Integer Trauma Multiversal designations The Morlock Tunnels NEXT EPISODE: X-Force vs the New Hellions Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

446 – Live at the Magnetosphere Apr 15, 2024

Ah, the age-old question: would you scissor your clone while yelling? (Uncanny X-Men #367) In which the Magneto War comes to a close. X-PLAINED: X-Men #86-87 Uncanny X-Men #367 Quite a few other things, which we'll add to this post tomorrow! NEXT EPISODE: Nate Grey meets Generation X! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

445 – Dick War Apr 08, 2024

In which not every story needs to be an event; Alan Davis returns to the X-line; X-mansion security is not what it once was; Rogue needs some new fantasies; and Magneto wants a country.

444 – Damnit, Magnus Apr 01, 2024

In which it’s difficult to flee with soup; Miles may or may not be haunting the X-Men; Colossus collaborates involuntarily; Marrow is full of surprises; Magneto is a dick; Jay continues to carry a torch for Secret Wars: Siege; and you should totally come to our birthday party. X-PLAINED: Several rather pointed allusions X-Force #86 Uncanny X-Men #365 X-Men #85 Almost Reno, NM Where mutants come from The Aguilar Institute (more) (again) Abandoned towns Mary the telepathic moppet (more) (again) Odysseus Indigo The Damocles Foundation Sibling names The Fundamental Attribution Error A haunting Christmas beer Christmas ghost exquisite corpse Bill Jones A rescue mission Essential stories of the ‘90s Our weird favorites Siege Our upcoming 10th birthday party (more) (again) NEXT EPISODE: Magneto War begins! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! RSVP to our birthday shenanigans! Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

A Brief Update Mar 24, 2024

Jay is dealing with an ongoing family medical emergency, so episode releases may be somewhat unpredictable for the next few weeks. Thank you for your patience!

443 – X-Retail (feat. Katie Pryde of Books With Pictures) Mar 11, 2024

In which we walk down X-Plain Memory Lane; everyone needs Bitch Planet; HoX/PoX wouldn't stay on shelves; we learn how to make sure a comic doesn't get canceled; Marvel should have kept publishing those Krakoa-era anthology TPBs; X-Men is indeed a soap opera; and you can jump in here 'cause we're all confused. X-PLAINED: The most crowded X-year Books With Pictures, official best comics shop in the world Our upcoming 10th birthday party Katie Pryde’s X-history Prioritizing marginalized nerd identities Lapsed X-readers X-sprawl The Dawn of X books that worked (and the one that didn’t) The frustration of discontinued collection formats The perfect number of X-books (again) Drama and kissing What we want after Fall of X Readers’ single issue vs collection preferences The power of the preorder Katie’s (naming) origin story Readers versus speculators How to organize a comic book store Non-X recommendations for X-fans The glory of Judge Dredd X-Men who can be trusted to watch a comic book store NEXT EPISODE: Deviants, Christmas ghosts, and Magneto! LINKS AND FURTHER READING: Books With Pictures in Portland, Oregon The Books With Pictures Podcast RSVP to our birthday shenanigans! Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

442 – MimeQuest 64 Mar 03, 2024

In which Marrow remains a connoisseur of dead rats; Jay has opinions about the NYC Subway system; U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. are snazzy dressers; Doctor Doom gets excited about Onslaught; Magneto can have a rocket pack if he wants; villainous game recognizes villainous game; weird retcons are the best retcons; and you should totally come to our birthday party.

441 – Dracu-tastic Feb 26, 2024

In which Banshee should eat the rich; the real Monet is way more of a jerk than the fake one; the Marvel Universe is the world inside your brain-case; Maggott joins and quits Generation X at almost the speed of Sunfire; Dracula gives Chamber the D; and if Jay and Miles die in this episode, they die in real life. X-PLAINED: Dracula as a universal standard Earth-441 Generation X #48-49 The missed potential of 13,000-year-old teenager Gaia The Jay Faerber run of Generation X Emma and Banshee’s forgotten X-friendship That time that Moira ripped off Banshee’s skin and wore it like a Halloween costume (again) Cordelia Frost, Emma’s younger sister Adrienne Frost, Emma’s older sister Interpersonal arguments by way of Asgardian combat scenarios Jubilee, fox; versus M, scorpion Alaska, moping capital of the Marvel Universe Clever scene transitions Constantine Francis Slaughter IV and his mustache Puberty as body horror Husk’s breakup haircut Slug emulation Generation X / Dracula Annual 1998 The Council of Cross-Time Draculas Chamber’s goofy face Vampire fonts Jubilee’s bunny slippers Charlie Brown in Snow Valley Count von Count (again) Monsters as class metaphor What would happen if Synch synced with Legion Who would pronounce Cable like Britta Perry pronounces bagel NEXT EPISODE: Victor Von Doom X-Plains the X-Men. Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

440 – Fightin’ and Ballin’ Feb 12, 2024

From organic steel to organic... whatever that is. (X-Men #83) In which the Hunt for Xavier remains vaguely disappointing; Gambit is good with kids; nanomachines are the new unstable molecules; Marrow is a walking armory; and we recommend comics for babies. X-PLAINED: The Hunt for Xavier, Part 2 Babies and/or ghosts Chekhov’s repowering X-Men #83-84 Uncanny X-Men #364 Cerebro / Cerebro Prime Cerebrite Alpha Cerebrite Beta X-Men serial numbers What Gambit’s friends call him How Miles stopped worrying and learned to love Gambit Evil robot sperm Mary Purcell Multiple-monitor displays A computer with a computer AI The Florida facility Post Pile-Driver X A glimpse into the butt of all humanity Comics for babies Name-based powers NEXT EPISODE: Generation X has Dracula problems! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

439 – Fishfic Feb 04, 2024

In which we reach the beginning of an end; Jay totally forgot Gambit was there; we’re all living in the Mary Purcelliverse; the X-Men split the party; and we explore The Bay Area’s Bohemian Hotbed of Student Anarchy. X-PLAINED: Mary Purcell (sort of) The re-defaulting of the X-Men Uncanny X-Men #362-323 X-Men #82 Nebraska Pyro (Saint John Allerdyce) and his endless illness Legacy Virus variations Going home again Running back and forth in quarries Marrow, who’s come a long way The two forms of fire: skeleton monsters and sexy ladies Cerebro (the evil one) San Francisco and Tajikinistan Asphalt ball pits A topsy-turvy nonsensical impossible hell Nina the Mannite Desire, love, loss, and fear Skulls and spines The New (New) Brotherhood of Mutants Cerebrites Alpha and Beta A lost, smelly fish Ambiguous art Blood, sweat, and fears Which mutants would cause the most chaos at holiday gatherings Hopes for post-Fall society NEXT EPISODE: 2 Hunt 2 Xavier Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

438 – The Man of Harsh Business Jan 29, 2024

In which Gambit knows how to make an entrance; Rogue and Gambit only have relationship conversations during superhero fights; Wolverine fights a shark; and we have opinions on how to handle certain aspects of backstory.

437 – Dismember the Titans Jan 15, 2024

"Hot Topic Rennfaire" was a somewhat controversial choice for X-Force's prom theme. (X-Force #85) In which the overlap between Rocky Horror and ‘90s X-Force fans is probably pretty significant; Pandemonia has priorities; the warehouse gets an evil, sexy glowup; swears are great; Johnny Blaze’s motorcycle probably shouldn’t still be on fire; and there is no single definitive X-Men experience. X-PLAINED: Master Pandemonium X-Force #85 X-Force/Champions Annual 1998 What X-Force has been up to lately The regrettable absence of Doctor Doom Possession Community Cougars (euphemistic) The thrift cycle Rusty Collins on Krakoa Fashion An eons-old accord between the Houses of Chaos and the Lord of Valhalla Jennifer Kale The list Swears A statue of Hades Various appendages sticking out of the earth Hercules The mystic power of sarcasm The greatest fear of a Titan Monet St. Croix vs. the Count of Monte Cristo Good X-books for your fifteen-year-old niece NEXT EPISODE: Wolverine vs. Vampires (again)! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

436 – The Feel-Good Movie of the Summer Jan 08, 2024

In which Colossus has had a rough time of it; the X-Men are at their best in bar fights; Bronze-age Wolverine was a jerk; Ursa Major deserves more page space; kids dig Nightcrawler; and we imagine an X-Men newspaper comic strip.

435 – Giant-Size Special #12 (feat. Kieron Gillen) Jan 01, 2024

Illustration by David Wynne In which we have had an eventful year; Longshot is a classic folk hero; writer Kieron Gillen makes a triumphant and mildly terrifying return to the show; and you remain the best listeners of any podcast, ever. X-PLAINED: Our tenth birthday party! 2023 Longshot vol. 2 #1 Longshot as a folkloric archetype Longshot (more) (again) Dismal Nitch, Washington The Thingee Baum, Kansas Corn Betty Barrie, Kansas The Albony Avenue Sanitarium and several of its residents Innocence, broadly The Wuggly Ump, by Edward Gorey Love Immortal X-Men Nathaniel Essex and several significant clones thereof Defining Mister Sinister Making Charles Xavier sympathetic Reset phrases Eternals The 10th Annual Super Doctor Astronaut Peter Corbeau Awards for Excellence at X-Cellence Many people to whom we are grateful NEXT EPISODE: X-Men: Liberators NOTE: If you want to avoid Immortal X-Men spoilers in our interview with Kieron Gillen, you can skip to 01:38:50 for the Corbeau Awards! Special thanks to: Matt Hunter Dylan Higgins Al Kennedy Max Carleton Kieron Gillen Tea Fougner Anna Stokes All of our patrons All of you listening, always <3 "Sinister Is Cloning This Town" performed by Steve and Erin Pence Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

434 – Return to Cape Citadel Dec 18, 2023

In which the X-Men turn 35; we pause to celebrate the death of Henry Kissinger; Jay is a space nerd; Marrow hang-dries her delicates; space shuttles are not rockets; the band gets back together; and the Danger Room isn’t the first piece of X-tech to get sentience and a robot body. X-PLAINED How Excalibur got a Blackbird Uncanny X-Men #360 X-Men #80 Many callbacks The Benassi Rocket The Cassini Probe The All-New, Slightly Off X-Men The Grey King (Addison Falk) Chaos and/or Xhaos (Dan Dash) Mercury Rapture (Sister Joy) Crux (Cristal Lemiuex) Landslide (Lee Broder) The Founder Super Doctor Astronaut Peter Corbeau (again) The Mutant Defense Net Heroic narration Lack of spacefaring continuity Friendship Technology Costumes All-New All-Different Dungeons & Dragons NEXT EPISODE: GIANT-SIZE WINTER SPECIAL #10 Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

433 – Looking Back at Looking Back Dec 11, 2023

In which we take a retrospective look at X-Factor and Excalibur: where the series began, where they went, and what’s in store after the ends of their first volumes. X-PLAINED: What Rictor’s been up to X-Factor Excalibur NEXT EPISODE: A Corbeau cameo! The visual companion to this episode is scattered through the last eight years of visual companions, mostly under the X-Factor and Excalibur tags. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

432 – Weird Little Adventures Dec 04, 2023

In which we reach the end of Larry Hama’s run on Generation X; Gaia remains remarkably normal for someone who has spent millennia chained up alone in a citadel; Synch practices radical forgiveness; we ponder the nature of Emma Frost and Sean Cassidy’s relationship; and Forge is extra unqualified to lecture on ethics.

431 – Doctor Jennifer Murder’s Drop-In Deathatorium Nov 20, 2023

No notes. (Generation X Underground Special #1) In which Synch is a more versatile character than he originally got credit for; “eep” and “eek” are likewise underused; space makes everything better; Nate Grey is the proto-himbo; and if you can decipher the secret code in this episode, you, too, can win a Silver Surfer jet ski! X-PLAINED: Diablo Generation X Underground Special X-Men Unlimited #30 X-Man: All Saints Day Jim Mahfood Skin’s video-game preferences Strange superpowers Poster pirates Visual representations of the passage of time “Banshee’s Angels” Charlie’s Angels The infamous donut-day riots Perfect costumes Adequate restraints for small children The raw power of funk Generation X vs. the Beat Generation The greatest disco event in the universe Nate Grey Some kid named Jerome Countess Absynthia Von Mort Transylvania Dr. Cindy’s Castle The state of Phoenix affairs The color bar at the top of the page in ‘90s comics NEXT EPISODE: Generation X suits up! Check out visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

430 – The Bad Feelings Box Nov 13, 2023

In which birds have no business in sex dreams; feelings are complicated and allegories are imperfect; Mystique made some valid points; Psycho-Man is good at UI; Callisto was right; and the label “Omega-level mutant” actually kind of makes sense.

429 – Slightly Sticky Nov 05, 2023

Dracularmy (X-Men Unlimited #21) In which you should stop hatin’, there’s a big difference between fill-ins and filler, Snow Valley needs higher Ferris wheel standards, Todd DeZago must really hate video rental clerks, and we’re all monsters - some of us just smell better than others. X-PLAINED: Strong Guy’s hellacious history The nature and purpose of X-Men Unlimited X-Men Unlimited #20-21 Rock Trolls (Chambliss, Nettles, and Munson) What Asgard was up to in 1998 Magik vs magic The Snow Valley Harvest Festival Jubilation Lee, one of the guys Eagles vs Hats Fatman, Beardlady-o, Stickman-o, & Frogman-o Tic Tac Toe fundamentals Angry mobs Paige Guthrie, Angry Mom The many potential applications of Husk’s powers Falls Edge, VA vs Eagle Ridge, WV Payphones & video rental stores X-friends Rutland, VT (again) Melvin J. Weals Helen Back The Donnybrook Country Club Cat Fancier & Motorcycle Conventions The Shi’ar Wardrobe Transmogrifier Steel (the Shaq one) The worst pun we’ve ever seen in a comic Earth: the Hipster Planet Which X-Men throw the best and/or wildest Halloween parties Fan-casting X-voices NEXT EPISODE: The X-Men team up with the Fantastic Four! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

428 – Naked in a Cake Oct 23, 2023

Love and chaos. (Excalibur #125) In which you shouldn’t invite nazis to your wedding, there’s a lot of multiverse, Captain Britain and Meggan are pretty heteronormative but make it work, everybody forgot Feron, and the next husband will be Gatecrasher’s. X-PLAINED: Captain Britain varieties The history of Brian Braddock and Meggan Puceanu, abridged Excalibur #124-125 Mutants most likely to jump out of a cake The Crazy Gang (again) Meggan’s crush on Colossus Colossus’s guilt about Meggan’s crush on Colossus A surprise bridal shower The return of Captain UK Brian Braddock’s teetotaling techniques Mimic’s ever-changing facial hair Glorious, glorious chaos Poor, poor Feron Multiple awkward conversations The return of Widget and also everyone else Lightning Force (dammit) A lengthy but not exhaustive list of Captains Britain So many cameos ...Seriously, so many cameos Dai Thomas’s anti-iron Shockingly healthy communication Bouquet brawls and garter gar-nage A bittersweet ending Nightcrawler’s best outfit The universe where the X-Men X-Plain Jay & Miles Our hypothetical post-finale Excalibur lineup NEXT EPISODE: The return of X-Factor! Kind of! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

427 – Standard Deviation Oct 16, 2023

In which we have grown to love Adam Pollina; the Vanisher is delightfully awful; Ekaterina Gryaznova gets a new look; Domino rejoins X-Force; superheroes actually have a conversation instead of fighting; Cannonball rejoins X-Force; we don’t even remember recording this one; and something cool is coming (stay tuned).

426 – A Gift from the Lower Regions Oct 09, 2023

In which the Shi’ar have zero chill; Bishop and Deathbird do space opera; we travel to the far-future year of 2018; Alanna Nerimani stretches the definition of “bird”; Deathbird is the cool aunt; Bishop needs a break from dark futures; and Bishop and Sauron have an intimate encounter.

425 – Shooting the Moose Sep 26, 2023

In which moose are nothing to mess with; Cyclops requests a reality check; Bachalo does Kirby; Rogue absorbs a catchphrase; and the Shadow King needs a villain song.

424 – Times Change Sep 18, 2023

In which everything is Havok’s fault; Jay is a bad influence; Polaris makes some valid points; Jamie Madrox is the Bobby Drake of X-Factor; and X-Factor vol. 1 ends with a bang.

423 – Moby Dick Ice Cream Sep 11, 2023

In which subtlety is not Sabra’s strong point; Moira takes a vacation; Meggan broods; you should take care in referencing the Dark Phoenix Saga; Excalibur may or may not shave Mimic; and Captain Britain is a silly man. X-PLAINED: Ghosts Excalibur #121-123 The Mutant Underground Empathic recon An extremely disgruntled kiss Kitty’s new costume Several of Legion’s personalities A mysterious disk A very fancy trash can and/or ice cream maker Ice cream of Cloud City A good dog Remains of Operation Zero Tolerance The devolution of Douglock Mimic (Calvin Rankin) Mimic’s facial hair Some Prime Sentinels Wedding planning Liking parts of things Villains who want to marry Storm Maddy Pryor NEXT EPISODE: The end of X-Factor! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

422 – Cairn Touch This Aug 28, 2023

In which the X-Men’s membership is a complicated subject; not all angels know each other; we need to talk about Beast’s Wasp costume; Cecilia Reyes speaks for all reasonable folk; Storm gets a mysterious package; and reading comics day-and-date may not be for everyone.

421 – Dudleyworld or Bust Aug 21, 2023

In which one letter can make a big difference; it’s just not Arcade without giant pinballs; Colossus is nobody’s fool; Margali Szardos is not a relative you want to stay in touch with; Nightcrawler turns to the jerk side; and Jay and Miles pitch an X-Men kids’ show.

420 – The Legendary House of Wolverine, feat. Christopher Michael Roman Aug 14, 2023

In which Jay sits down with scholar Christopher Michael Roman to discuss his recent book, Queering Wolverine in Comics and Fanfiction: A Fastball Special; alongside queer theory, porous bodies, and nontraditional mentorship.

419 – Stuff Happens Jul 30, 2023

Run, Penance! The retcons are coming for you! (Generation X #40) In which the St. Croix family is constructed largely of retcons; Generation X adjusts surprisingly quickly to a massive status quo shift; Psi-War is coming soon to a podcast near you; Snow White - I mean, Bianca LaNeige - has an intriguing but exceptionally minimal backstory; and if you die in this podcast episode, you die in real life. X-PLAINED: Hellfire Club history Generation X #40-43 MillXnials Mercy General Hospital vs Our Mother of Mercy Hospital Ambiguous psionic overlap Nicole & Claudette & Monet & Marius St. Croix The Downtown Stomp Synch, agreeable and bland (for now) Vincent Adultman The nature of Penance A glacial but effective pace Bianca LaNeige, evil Snow White from space Warpy, Stinky, Spiky, Windy, Greasy, Brainy, and Blurry The Enchanted Forest of Oregon Claremont:Body Swaps::Hama:Getting Stuck In Other Dimensions Jay vs. Accents Terminal Dream Syndrome A surprisingly gruesome fill-in An underrated era for Emma Frost Betty & Veronica, presenting like mandrills Zak the Neutrino Albert & Elsie-Dee (briefly) The Dodsons vs Mike Allred Dr. Bronner’s uncredited Marvel career Our coverage of Ultimate X-Men (or lack thereof) Dr. Phil Zimbardo’s xplainthexmen study NEXT EPISODE: Queering Wolverine with Dr. Christopher Michael Roman! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

418 – Reignfirefighters Jul 24, 2023

Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men, Episode 418 - Reignfirefighters: In which S.H.I.E.L.D. agents are scarier in suits; Reignfire is the new Erik the Red; “background assets” would be a very funny euphemism; it’s always either time travel or clones; and you should probably not get a corporate logo tattooed on the side of your head.

417 – Pterodactyl with a Gun Jul 17, 2023

In which you, too, can use Cerebro; Jubilee is here, for some reason; the Xavier School should absolutely not be accredited; Hulk Hands would solve many of Rogue’s problems; Sauron gets a gun; Psylocke pulls a Lois Lane maneuver; you really shouldn’t spring a Phoenix costume on anybody; Joseph has (another) identity crisis; and Canada has problems.

416 – The Screaming Room Jul 03, 2023

In which we are incapable of X-Plaining the Great Lakes Avengers; Pete Wisdom evolves; Douglock hacks the island; Nightcrawler cosplays Nightcrawler; and we find ourselves bafflingly defensive of the Bamfs.

415 – Stardust Jun 26, 2023

In which Gambit does Stardust; Wilbur Weston holds no one’s redemption; Gambit is unequivocally bisexual; Lucifer is kinda goofy; and we still don’t know what’s in the box.

414 – Blackwater Boy Band Jun 19, 2023

In which Wild Child makes an unlikely Santa Claus; Sabretooth champions continuity; Random’s last name should’a been Violence; Forge doesn’t have to like you; and Mackie’s X-Factor run gets interesting—right before its untimely end.

413 – Convergence (feat. Douglas Wolk) Jun 05, 2023

In which X-Force goes to Exploding Colossal Man; Douglas Wolk may or may not have superpowers; Karma gets girlfriends; we are already tired of Reignfire; Meltdown and Sunspot initiate a love triangle; and Jay is writing some more X-Men.

412 – Yappin’ and Scrappin’ May 28, 2023

In which Kelly and Seagle's X-runs begin with immense promise; dark psychic residue gets just everywhere; Storm's past is literally buried; Wolverine is just saying is all; Cecilia Reyes's job doesn't deserve her, and Cyclops and Phoenix are the worst at being normal. X-PLAINED: The Grey family reunion X-Men #71-72 What counts as an Uncanny X-Men #138 cover reference Baggage and also suitcases Steve Seagle’s (scuttled) Phoenix plans Bone whiskers Telemarketer power moves Cecilia Reyes Marrow (Sarah) Sam Guthrie's tiny ponytail The ol’ wall-of-televisions trope The cost of one banana Sebastian Shaw vs the IRS (maybe) A mostly empty attic Wolverine’s etiquette lessons The dessert claw vs the salad claw The physicality of Carlos Pacheco’s art Cannonball, the grown-up in the room Magneto’s increasingly complicated past Magnus, Erik, and Max (again) Uncanny X-Men #351-352 Cecilia Reyes’s return-to-office Intersectionality Pyro, forever dying of the Legacy Virus Daredevil vs Cecilia Reyes’s bedside manner Kevin, Lord of the Jungle Ending conversations by turning into a bird A.I.M.* (*Advanced Idea Mechanics) Crows of Ill Portent A Box of Entity Condors and Cockatoos Logan’s denim proclivities Arcade vs. Mojo Special thanks to Dylan Higgins for edits and production assistance! NEXT EPISODE: X-Force goes to Burning Man! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

411 – Tearaway Pants May 22, 2023

In which we actually kind of like a Sabretooth story; we’re not asking for viscera, here; all pants on Earth-616 are tearaway pants; we’d like to see more Wolverine stories about bodily autonomy; Gambit’s hallucinations have hallucinations; and there are probably too many X-books.

410 – Jubilee, Don’t Eat That May 08, 2023

In which the M-Plate Saga continues; Jay gets into the spirit of the day; we briefly give up on our primary mission; the story is coordinated if not coherent; Miles is not allowed to continuity-shame about Tolkein; Gaia is extra chill; Dirt Nap discovers altruism; and Jubilee should absolutely not have eaten that.

409 – Lurid Malarkey May 01, 2023

In which nobody is sure what Emplate actually eats; airport food is not a good peace offering; Larry Hama writes a good Jubilee; the St. Croix siblings merge; and we honestly have no idea what a token is.

408 – Yabba Yabba Yabba Apr 24, 2023

In which Bishop gets another miniseries; splinter timelines make fun narrative sandboxes; the X.S.E. goes detecting; the Statue of Liberty never fares well in dystopian futures; “Booger” is not a name you give yourself; and we can’t believe it’s taken us this long to make a hanky code joke about Bishop.

HAWK TALK – Independent Comics Apr 17, 2023

This would usually be a skip week, but thanks to some generous donors to Equality Florida, Hawk Talk is back! This week: independent comics! X-PLAINED What makes a comic independent Superbutch Little Garden 44 Presidents and a Letter to a Cat Finder Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (again) Elfquest Nexus Prince of Persia Love & Rockets Jim Ottaviani's science comics Wet Moon

407 – Freshening Up Apr 10, 2023

In which X-Factor bounces from one rock-bottom to another; Sabretooth gets his (murderous) groove back; Dark Beast embraces the iMac aesthetic; the tip was righteous; Mystique multitasks like a pro; and Shard Bishop has come unstuck in time.

406 – The Most Dangerous Mini-Game Apr 03, 2023

In which we disagree about the value of Stan Lee intros; everybody wants Wolverine; Mister Sinister lurks; Haley Blanding deserves better; Thunderbird fights a tiger; and Xavier and Magneto do their usual thing.

405 – Morally Purple Mar 28, 2023

In which Jay returns; babies are bad at pretty much everything; continuity flies straight out the window; Cable should speak English with a Scottish accent; Harry Leland knows how to dress; Tanya Trask makes the same time travel mistake everyone makes; and we love Al Kennedy forever.

404 – Marvel UK, Yes? Mar 13, 2023

And now for something completely different. (Death's Head II #1) In which Death's Head gets around universes; AIM fails to recognize closed narrative loops; we need more huscarls in comics; time travel occasionally solves the problems it creates; and we bid a fond farewell (for now) to Al Kennedy. X-PLAINED: Death's Head Death's Head II #1-4 Marvel UK Death's Head I Minion Earth-8410 The far future of 2020 Dr. Evelyn Necker How to dress for time travel Reed Richards's mother's name Earth-12892 Robin Hood of Future Past Heavily armed nuns Tuck Spratt The Lord High Protector Huscarls Baron Strucker V Charnel A large number of deaths A deft solution to a complex problem Essential Marvel UK Marvel UK vs. Marvel US NEXT WEEK: Go outside and touch some grass! NEXT EPISODE: The return of Jay! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

403 – Sneaky-Peeky Stuff Mar 06, 2023

Did the Astral Plane used to be this cramped? (Kitty Pryde: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #3) In which Shadowcat gets a new miniseries; people don't talk that way (but probably should); holograms are magic; the Helicarrier gets possessed; Wolverine fights a computer; and Miles and Al pitch live-action X-series. X-PLAINED: Possession Shadowcat (Kitty Pryde) (more) (again) Kitty Pryde: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #1-3 A surprising helicopter Frictionless bed sheets S.H.I.E.L.D. vs. S.H.I.E.L.D. vs. S.H.I.E.L.D. The word "obstreperous" The nefarious doings of nasty transom peekers, envelope steamers, and door kickers Larry Hama dialogue Rigby Fallon Yet another return of Ogūn One way to get from the Brooklyn Bridge to a Helicarrier Yet another fight on the astral plane Wolverine vs. technology The intrinsic power of life, I guess Visibility of psychic powers Live-action X pitches NEXT EPISODE: Death's Head II! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

402 – What the Damn?! Feb 27, 2023

Captain Mustache, Part the Second. (Excalibur #115) In which Marvel UK was a wild ride; everyone has a definitive Kitty Pryde; Sari St. Hubbins studies her X-Men; Moira MacTaggert discovers contagion theory; ideas do not stories make; Meggan is the heart of the team; and Excalibur inches towards its finale. X-PLAINED: Marvel UK Digitek Excalibur #114-117 What Excalibur's been up to Tunnels vs. sewers An unexpected callback Slang The mutability of Kitty Pryde Friendship Sari St. Hubbins Fashion One way to get around a power inhibitor A frosted tips outline Viruses Phalanx love Greebling A substantial retcon Excalibur vs. the Sidri Marvel characters' musical associations Whether there have been more X-Men or Avengers NEXT EPISODE: Kitty Pryde goes to work for The Man Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

401 – True Tales of Double-Entry Bookkeeping Feb 13, 2023

And now for something completely different. (Generation X Holiday Special #1) In which Santa Claus makes problematic choices; we make good on a promise; Sebastian is the new Deadpool; Skrulls get stuck as animals more than you’d think; Nanny and Orphan-Maker celebrate; and Jubilee stops worrying and learns to love Christmas. X-PLAINED Santa Claus’s flirtations with villainy A new direction for Generation X Larry Hama Al vs. U.S. geography Generation X #32-33 Generation X Holiday Special New Mutants #92 Thing One & Thing Two St. Croix The Circus of Crime The Pirates of Dark Water (somewhat) Hacker T. Dog Why Wolfsbane is scared of clowns Skrull Kill Crew Carnie Voltron Chief Authier Phat beats A reality biscuit Emplate’s pocket dimension Chimera and Dirtnap Variant interiors Nanny & Orphan-Maker (more) (again) Santa Claus (in general) Benefits of inconsistent characterization NEXT WEEK: Break week NEXT EPISODE: Excalibur! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

400 – Loud Noises Feb 06, 2023

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which legacy numbering is best left alone; all roads lead to the Antarctic; we finally learn Gambit’s big secret; Erik the Red gets yet a third identity; no one soils the Juggernaut; Maggott saves the day; and we have somehow made (technically more than) 400 of these things. X-PLAINED Spat The tragic loss of the Cyber Comics How not to back up your work Uncanny X-Men #350 X-Men #70 A shambles What’s been happening since Operation Zero Tolerance A very fancy cover Insufficient outerwear Senses Justice as a decorating theme Baffling statuary The return of Erik the Red Erik the Red (again) Ferris Gambit’s big secret A large number of continuity errors A total dick move De-icing Untitled Marrow Game A big fight Living room surgery Legal documents Favorite anniversary issues Dangling plot threads NEXT EPISODE: Generation X vs. Christmas Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

399 – The Cybertronic Spree Jan 29, 2023

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which the X-Force road trip era begins; Team X takes on a new dimension; Dani Moonstar gets her subtext back; pointing out a stereotype doesn’t excuse using it; Tabitha Smith generally deserves better; platypuses are underrepresented in the superhero genre; Hell becomes Stryfe; and Domino gets back in the game. X-PLAINED A dastardly plot X-Men 2099 Road trips X-Force #71-74 Team X A Love & Rockets reference Stan and Ollie The Triplets of Belleville How not to fund your film Michael Whitecloud Project Stepladder Colossal Man Several references to X-Force -1 Platypuses Edwin Martynec Weaponized humming The death of Warpath Hell Blackheart Friendship A mysterious villain NOTE: Whoa, The Cybertronic Spree is actually a real band! NEXT WEEK: The return of Erik the Red! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

398 – Shanna the Wee Devil Jan 16, 2023

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which the rest of the X-Men return from space; Maggott is the new cool; Gambit's past catches up with him; Chris Bachalo takes over as regular artist on Uncanny X-Men; Deathbird flirts singularly aggressively; Eany and Meany eat a truck; dating a telepathic ninja is going to take some getting used to; and Havok predictably remains ABD. X-PLAINED Motormouth (Harley Davis) Motormouth and Killpower Uncanny X-Men #347-349 Grovel and Spat A horse guy who is actually a cat-frog-lizard guy An extraordinarily half-assed action figure Load-bearing backstory Landscape The other Nanny Elegant foreshadowing Beast's appearance as a mutant power Gambit's chest hair The end of playtime CCA-compliant foliage Deathbird and Bishop A vanity plate Eany and Meany One-off psychometry Psylocke vs. Maggott Decompression Havok's enduring lack of a Ph.D. NEXT EPISODE: X-Force hits the road! NOTE: In this episode, Miles theorized Grovel's voice as sounding halfway between Cable and Kermit the Frog without realizing that he was in fact just describing Sweetums. -Jay Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

397 – Mürdr at IKEA Jan 10, 2023

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Al Kennedy and Miles enter a somewhat post-OZT world, the art of Frank Teran (whose uncle built a jetpack) elevates an otherwise merely decent story, Puck is played by Bob Hoskins, Wild Child gets a chance to shine, Mystique and Forge are sitting in a tree, and Swamp Thing is amazing. X-PLAINED: Spider-Man's head cold Sabretooth: Back to Nature #1 Sabretooth (Victor Creed) Wild Child (Kyle Gibney) Horrible violence, expertly implied The ubiquity of sewers Saturday morning cartoons of R-rated movies Serial killers with G.I. Joe names Improbable tracking Bilingual crime Chekhov's waterfall DRUGS X-Factor #136-137 The Hound program Skeumorphism Doctor Valerie Cooper and Major Edmond Atkinson, excellent exes Questionable wound-dressing Holograms Government jobs The sad fate of the Chase family Nimrod disambiguation The Marvel Universe According to Doctor Seuss NEXT EPISODE: The X-Men return from space! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

396 – Giant-Size Special #11 Jan 02, 2023

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which we spend too long trying to place a time-travel miniseries in continuity, Al Kennedy does us a solid, Bernard Chang draws some excellent New Mutants young and old, Al Ewing x-plains X-Men: Red, Forearm and Random play Nintendo, and we reveal the winners of The Ninth Annual Super Doctor Astronaut Peter Corbeau Awards for Excellence at X-Cellence! X-PLAINED: Jay's spatial and temporal whereabouts Cannonball, Mirage, Magik, Sunspot, Wolfsbane, Karma, Magma, Cypher, Warlock, and Douglock New Mutants: Truth or Death Kitty Pryde and Illyana Rasputin, gal pals Triple-dog dares Nova Roma, or not Mikhail F**king Rasputin The arrogance of reality warpers How to write Magma The Technarchy and the Phalanx Hardee's X-Men: Time Gliders Farmboy chic Bernard Chang's 21 Panels Branching vs. overwriting timelines The effects of de-aging and history rewriting on immunology Found family She Who Swam With The Acanti Sleep-Eeze Mattresses Starring The Hulk Arrako Continuity synchronicity S.W.O.R.D. as a workplace drama The moral downfall of Abigail Brand The leadership styles of Storm, Magneto, and Sunspot Himbo disambiguation The fates of Armor, Risque, and Peeper Mysterium Clicker Santa Claus The Ninth Annual Super Doctor Astronaut Peter Corbeau Awards for Excellence at X-Cellence (Note: Our interview with Al Ewing contains spoilers for X-Men: Red!) NEXT EPISODE: Sabretooth betrays an X-team! Again! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

395 – Boxer Briefs of Humanity Dec 19, 2022

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Jay has exciting news, Rick Leonardo draws an impressively creepy mad scientist’s lair, the clouds are purple and so is the prose, Powers of X gets a subtle prequel 21 years early, Cable’s own tolerance has finally reached zero, and we summarize Bastion’s backstory way, way faster than Bastion does. X-PLAINED: Machine Man (X-51) (Aaron Stack) Operation Zero Tolerance (more) (again) Jay’s upcoming parental leave Bastion (Sebastion Gilberti) M-Tech Powerman 5000 Cable & Machine Man Annual 1998 Hobgits and their sound effects Street Fighter: the Roleplaying Game Batroc ze Lepair Jack Kirby’s 2001: A Space Odyssey X-51 / X-23 overlaps Classic Summers Family Bullshit Psionic soapboxes What makes Bastion a compelling villain The necessity of companions Master Mold 3.0 & Nimrod 2.0 Machine Man & Bastion Annual 1998 Terrible font choices ZORCH Cable vs. floors The carbon footprint of robotic fascism Marvel Comics Presents #17-24 (just a little) Incredible Hulk Annual #7 (just a tad) The Siege Perilous The future of Machine Man The hypothetical 2022 version of Bastion Historical events in which we’d love to see long-lived mutants take part NEXT WEEK: We take a break for the holidays! IN TWO WEEKS: The Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men 2022 Giant-Size Winter Special! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

HAWK TALK – Keeper Dec 12, 2022

This would usually be a skip week, but thanks to some generous donors to Equality Florida, Hawk Talk is back! This week: Dave Tomaine and Rho Sovia's graphic novel, Keeper! LINKS AND FURTHER READING You can buy Keeper digitally at BigCartel or physically at Studio Two Boys! Check out Dave's band Cave People! Find Dave on Twitter (twice)!

394 – We All Have to Go Sometime Dec 05, 2022

In which there’s always room for another X-cast; Cecilia Reyes wasn’t even supposed to be here today; Sabra has indestructible underwear; prime sentinels are probably even worse pets than quail; Marrow probably swears more than superhero comics allow for; and Operation Zero Tolerance comes to an end.

393 – Camping With Uncle Mustang Nov 28, 2022

In which Operation Zero Tolerance continues; the X-Men take over Wolverine; wolverine is the designated John McClane of the X-Men; torsos are confusing places; and we sincerely hope that Jean Grey got to do some off-panel dating.

392 – The Mullet of Leadership Nov 21, 2022

In which Chris Bachalo changes things up; we theorize about Prime Sentinel hierarchy; the headmasters go undercover; fictional characters spend a lot of time in sewers; M’s secret comes to light; J. Jonah Jameson is at his best in X-books; Jay pitches a video game; Marrow gets a makeover; and part of journalistic integrity is choosing what not to cover.

HAWK TALK – Lawyers Nov 14, 2022

This would usually be a skip week, but thanks to some generous donors to Equality Florida, Hawk Talk is back! This week, we talk about lawyers and law. LINKS AND FURTHER READING Follow Lyra Foster on Twitter! Check out the Trans Family Network!

391 – Mansion of Theseus Nov 07, 2022

In which the X-Mansion has unusually large vents; Cable’s hair should not be floppy; Nate Grey meets his maternal grandparents; and we would really like to know more about the Siege of the Vapor Ants.

390 – Corners and Conspiracies Oct 31, 2022

In which Danielle Moonstar quiet quits; a bunch of people regular quit; we are pleasantly surprised by the survival of a minor character; tough guys wear hearts; and X-Force once again takes its place as the best comic of the line.

389 – Wreck Gotta Recognize Oct 24, 2022

In which some puns are fundamentally visual; Jubilee is a really good kid; Bastion is a bad person but a good villain; Bachalo does Romita; Seagulls are assholes (but reasonably good narrators); Skin has no time for fantasies; Hitch does Cockrum; and Operation Zero Tolerance (unofficially) begins (again).

HAWK TALK – Basketball Oct 17, 2022

This would usually be a skip week, but thanks to some generous donors to Equality Florida, Hawk Talk is back! This week, we talk about basketball. (Kind of.) LINKS AND FURTHER READING Check out donor Dave Buesing's site, Comic Book Herald!

388 – Deceit and Death Oct 10, 2022

In which there’s a lot of good television out there; Shang-Chi says the title of the story at every possible opportunity; Wolverine is probably not a Deadhead; Sebastian Shaw thinks he’s a bigger deal than he is; and Operation Zero Tolerance officially begins.

387 – You’ve Got Vid-Mail Oct 03, 2022

In which Colossus is good at friendship; nobody notices when Amanda Sefton disappears; evil peaked in the disco era; and Pete Wisdom had hot claws before it was cool.

386 – No Puppies for Storm Sep 26, 2022

In which treading water isn’t always a bad thing; Storm remains an irresponsible leader; nobody should ever trust Dark Beast; we are befuddled by a large metal man; Maggott makes his debut; and we ship the heck out of Deathbird and Bishop.

HAWK TALK – Galaxy: The Prettiest Star Sep 19, 2022

This would usually be a skip week, but thanks to some generous donors to Equality Florida, Hawk Talk is back! This week: Jadzia Axelrod and Jess Taylor's graphic novel, Galaxy: The Prettiest Star!

385 – Super Whiny Adults Simulator 64 Sep 12, 2022

In which we make an omission; X-Factor’s concept of “underground” is somewhat unconventional; Trevor Chase turns uncanny moppet; and Strong Guy and Lila Cheney have some very stilly space adventures.

384 – The Banality of Evil Sep 05, 2022

In which it’s hard to be a mutant post-Onslaught; two Chrises make friends; X-Force goes to off-brand Disney World; we are Team Risque; and you can go to the punch dimension but probably shouldn’t stay long.

383 – A Dude and His Ninjas Aug 29, 2022

In which the Crimson Dawn is secretly a bad Daredevil arc; shadow-based transportation requires careful lighting; Dark Phoenix Saga references will not always do you favors; and Earth is big.

HAWK TALK – Ads Aug 22, 2022

This would usually be a skip week, but thanks to some generous donors to Equality Florida, Hawk Talk is back!

382 – Seven Swords Aug 15, 2022

In which Brian Braddock has grown as a person; we remain unimpressed by the Crimson Dawn; Marvel discovers email; seven swords to two people is a pretty good ratio; everyone hates Spiral; and love may or may not save the world.

381 – If We Told You, We’d Have to Kill You Aug 08, 2022

In which real life sucks; Havok may or may not be a bad enough dude to rescue mutantkind; X-Factor quits; CD-ROMs were never THAT cool; subtlety is for suckers; Val Cooper hates nothing more than she hates the U.S. government; and Jamie Madrox wants nothing to do with your nonsense.

380 – Arbor Day Aug 01, 2022

In which no one wants to be compared to Chris Bachalo; it’s always a holiday for Generation X; you may already be a Guthrie; M is a fascinating mystery; and Black Tom Cassidy (finally) makes his move.

HAWK TALK – Joy Jul 25, 2022

This would usually be a skip week, but thanks to some generous donors to Equality Florida, Hawk Talk is back! This week’s topic was chosen by Blindseer0.

379 – Stardate: Today Jul 18, 2022

In which what happens in space stays in space; a horse is imperiled; Joseph does some dubious science; Gladiator’s name is absolutely not Gary; everybody gets new costumes; and we learn where babies come from.

378 – The Unstoppable Huggernaut Jul 11, 2022

In which our favorite(?) fear lord returns; Sirocco Sprawls is an extremely unpleasant fictional town; the Juggernaut is not a subtle man; we really need to get our hands on the Generation X novels; Tarot gets a logo font; and Banshee is menaced by spectral leprechauns.

377 – Sam Hill Jul 04, 2022

In which Domino’s miniseries earns a grade of “present”; Miles gets to know Sam Hill; Domino trades pouches for boots; and we would prefer that you not sexualize Lady Deathstrike. X-PLAINED: Halloween Jack Domino (Neena Thurman) Domino #1-3 Milo Thurman The idiomatic Sam Hill Lady Deathstrike (again) The Reavers (again) Pico Boot pouches Puck (Eugene Judd) Dante’s Beatrice Several Skullbusters Robot tits The E.T. Atari game One way to get out of saying “I love you” Our unpopular favorites NEXT EPISODE: Giving in to D’Spayre! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here!

HAWK TALK – The Voyage of the Mimi Jun 27, 2022

This would usually be a skip week, but thanks to some generous donors to Equality Florida, Hawk Talk is back! This week’s topic was chosen by Chuck Reynolds.

376 – Moore of This Jun 20, 2022

In which we begin John Francis Moore’s run on X-Force; Latveria is less fun without Doctor Doom; there may still be a tiny clone of Meltdown running around; Forearm is a good pal; Marvel Asgard is a realm of crossover fan fiction; and you should totally watch both Our Flag Means Death and Doom Patrol.

375 – One Thousand Kicks to the Face Jun 13, 2022

In which there is definitely a wrong way to enjoy your comics; Storm could probably use a more secure storage system; the Externals need more camp; and Joseph makes some valid points.

374 – SMEK Jun 06, 2022

In which Frank Punisher is not a role model; Carl the X-Cutioner is not very good at secret identities; Miles tries his hand at poetry; and everything’s funny with a sidecar.

HAWK TALK – Doonesbury May 29, 2022

This would usually be a skip week, but thanks to some generous donors to Equality Florida, Hawk Talk is back! This week’s topic was chosen by Andy Bartholomew.

373 – Tainted Loins May 23, 2022

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which the Drake Roberts identity is retired; Gambit bonds with William Drake; Graydon Creed is evil but nondescript; tales of Pyro’s death have been somewhat exaggerated; and some mysteries resolve better than others. X-PLAINED: Damian Tryp X-Factor (more) (again) Uncanny X-Men #340 X-Factor #128-30 More Drake family dynamics The Sword of Shannara The general vagueness of Graydon Creed Several ninjas Hound stuff Val Cooper’s pajamas An unexpected return Shapeshifting Overextended plotlines Some unusually threatening dad jokes The anticlimactic death of Graydon Creed Some time travel bullshit Which series are ending and which are relaunching between Reign of X and Destiny of X How and when Colossus stopped being the Juggernaut NEXT WEEK: Hawk Talk NEXT EPISODE: The Adventures of Carl & Frank Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

372 – Monty Python’s Life of Magnus May 16, 2022

In which the first Magneto miniseries is actually a Joseph miniseries; Magneto lost a lot of nuance in the ‘90s; Fabian Cortez is friend to neither man nor bird; Joseph finds his inner supervillain; Marvel’s United Nations is unusually heavily armed; and bears are much cooler than guns.

371 – Beware of Psychodrama May 09, 2022

In which Douglock is Douglock; Kitty Pryde gets lost in nostalgia; it continues to suck to be Colossus; Professor Xavier is a jerk; the MLF makes one and only one valid point; Ben Raab’s Excalibur run begins; the Acolytes try to get the band back together; and the land mines are a metaphor that are also real land mines.

HAWK TALK – Online Communities May 01, 2022

This would usually be a skip week, but thanks to some generous donors to Equality Florida, Hawk Talk is back! This week's topic was chosen by Play Comics.

370 – The Sound of Evil (feat. Max Carleton) Apr 25, 2022

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Max Carleton and Miles take a trip back to the Silver Age, the origins of Marvel Girl's telepathy are questionable, the nature of Polaris's parentage is also questionable, and the quality of Sauron's origin story shall never be questioned. X-PLAINED: The Locust (Dr. August Hopper) Uncanny X-Men #46, 52, and 60 Genuine tragedy Funereal fashion Frederick "Amos" Duncan The Juggernaut (Cain Marko) (again) The Crimson Cosmos Energy globules Charles Xavier's telepathy lending library Jean Grey, spiteful seamstress Erik the Red (the first one) (Scott Summers) Lorna Dane, fashion icon Filially-obligated villainy Psychic-delia The sadly short-lived Roy Thomas / Neal Adams run Suspension of disbelief Pteranodons Sauron (Karl Lykos, fantasy nerd) Alex Summers, perpetual captive and/or villain battery Miles's favorite two-page spread How to choose the perfect supervillain name X-Men: The Animated Series, 1960s Edition Our Silver Age X-creator wish list Magnetism NEXT EPISODE: Excalibur! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

369 – Carly Askani Apr 17, 2022

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Storm & Joseph X-Plain the X-Men, Alex Summers is not brainwashed this time, he promises, Scott Lobdell writes better moments than stories, Ed McGuinness draws very large chins, and it’s Denver the Last Dinosaur, not Denver the Lost Dinosaur X-PLAINED: Uncanny X-Men #339 Spider-Man disambiguation A. Kubert disambiguation J. Jonah Jameson (again) (hooray!) Sneaking songs The history of smoking regulation on airlines Creed disambiguation Havok’s Brotherhood of Evil Mutants Bonding while falling out of planes X-Men #59 The copyright status of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Well-drawn Wolverines Hercules vs The Tick Wolverine Annual 1996 The tragic death of Mariko Yashida Silver Samurai (Kuniuchio Harada) Sunfire (Shiro Yoshida) and what he’s been up to since Fatal Attractions Josef Stalin, apparently? Red Ronin and its nemesis, a time-lost dinosaur who we assure you is not Godzilla Jedi and/or samurai vs. doors Our logo fonts James Howlett, guidance counselor Onslaught but not evil Whether Magneto could wield Mjolnir NEXT EPISODE: The Silver Age with Max Carleton! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

368 – Six Teenagers in a Van Apr 11, 2022

In which we return to Rutland, Vermont; Emma Frost faces her salad demons; Banshee is not even supposed to be here today; no one should ever have to drive in New York City; Fenris is both evil and obnoxious; and we’re still not over that one Senator Kelly action figure.

X-TRA – Fighting the Fight Apr 03, 2022

Sometimes when the world's a trash fire, it's hard to figure out where to start. We talk activism, figuring out how you can help, and what we're doing to fight back against anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in Florida. Click through here to find out more about our campaign to raise funds for Equality Florida!

367 – Jay and Connor X-Plain X-Casting Mar 27, 2022

In which Jay and guest X-Pert Connor Goldsmith explore approaches to podcasting about X-Men; difficult characters; costume preferences; our mutual mistrust of horses; owning our perspectives; and good on-ramps.

366 – Nine-Tenths of the Law Mar 21, 2022

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which the Beast miniseries is actually a cleverly disguised Karma miniseries; Gateway’s moral alignment remains a mystery; Cannonball rocks some sideburns; there are many reasons to dislike Viper; and every #1 is somebody’s first. X-PLAINED: An off-panel death X-Force #62 Beast #1-3 Karma’s family and backstory (again) Twin absorption MacGuffins and/or children Clearcut and Mindmeld Unconsciousness Spiral (again) Marios What to do (visually) with six arms Spiral’s mutates Some very impressive body horror MId-fight stalling Misplaced revenge Hank McCoy’s multiversal offspring The history of Karma’s sexual orientation NEXT EPISODE: Jay and Connor Goldsmith X-Plain X-Plaining! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

365 – A Whole Year of This Nonsense Mar 14, 2022

In which you can now listen to a unique episode of Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men every day for a year; Shi’ar tech support leaves something to be desired; Super Doctor Astronaut Peter Corbeau does not appear in a story; it’s Deathbird, not Dueprocessbird; Zenn-La gets destroyed a lot; and we shall never speak of this incident again.

364 – Department of Pareidolia Feb 28, 2022

In which we lie extensively about how comics schedules work; the Mystery School is clearly a backdoor pitch; the Wisdom family has a lot going on; red dyes fade fast; and we (roughly) calculate the odds of Cyclops having a good day.

363 – Licked by a Shadow Feb 21, 2022

In which standing in fields looking confused is a way of life; Psylocke gets a new superpower; when you gotta confess you gotta confess; Iceman’s dad stands up for justice; we mourn a Sentinel; and it’s probably a good thing that most companies don’t do mind melds as a team-building exercise.

362 – Lazy Summer Day Feb 14, 2022

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Chris Bachalo draws excellent critters; Bastion is a terrible boss; everyone fucks in the Danger Room; Jubilee fails a midterm; and humans were the real monsters all along. X-PLAINED: The worst mutant power Generation X #20-21 X-Factor #127 Bachalo critters Bastion (more) (again) Daria (but not the one you’re thinking of) Chevy the janitor (again) Mean Cuisine Harker the cat A threatening salad Yet another time-traveling Nate Flirting A movie reference U.S.1 and Baron von Blimp Several ways to fail a midterm “Autism” Miguela Torres Trevor Chase A series of interviews Richard Starkings and Comicraft Destiny’s absence from film NEXT EPISODE: Baseball! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

361 – The World’s Densest Eagle Jan 31, 2022

In which the 1990s were full of miniseries; Mystique and Sabretooth take a sabbatical from X-Factor; Mystique’s powers are wildly inconsistent; we meet a second Cypher; most secret agents are Mystique; and you should never tell Sabretooth about your girlfriend.

360 – Charging Forward Jan 24, 2022

In which history gets rewritten (again); Shatterstar definitely knows how to dance; and everyone gets extremely grumpy about Loeb’s final X-Force arc.

359 – Meanwhile in Britain Jan 17, 2022

In which Excalibur has a lot going on; Margali Szardos is never up to any good; Nightcrawler grows into leadership; we delve into the politics of superheroism; Pete Wisdom earns his keep; Miles catches a Prisoner reference; and we reach the end of Warren Ellis’ Excalibur.

X-TRA: Jay, Miles, and Jonathan Hickman Spoil the Hell out of Inferno Jan 06, 2022

Inferno #4 is out; and, as promised, we've got a bonus interview with Jonathan Hickman--unedited this time, so please forgive the audio--going into the gory details of the miniseries and its finale!

358 – Giant-Size Special #10 Jan 03, 2022

In which Hub & Lisa X-Plain Howard the Duck; Jay & Miles X-Plain Daydreamers; and Jonathan Hickman X-Plains his tenure on the X-line!

357 – The Semiotics of Regret Dec 27, 2021

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Professor X has no time for your sympathy; there are too many people in the bathroom; everything’s more fun with J. Jonah Jameson; psychologists dress better in the 616; the Rainbow Bears have your back; and Onslaught finally, actually, for-real ends. X-PLAINED: How Logan got his adamanitum back (again) Onslaught (briefly) Uncanny X-Men #337 X-Men #57 Onslaught Epilogue #1 What we wish Onslaught had been The anti-mutant agenda Alarm clocks Ruby quartz storage and cleaning Optic-blast sound effects Googol vs. google Breakfast A familiar cover homage The semiotics of regret Disappearance-montage photos Accountability Polychromatic world-building Prisoner M-13 Prisoner M-9 (Nina) The Manite Project The Rainbow Bears Renee Majcomb Getting through Operation Zero Tolerance Our favorite continuity tangles NEXT EPISODE: GIANT-SIZE WINTER SPECIAL (feat. Jonathan Hickman) Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! 7Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

356 – The Michael Bay-eux Tapestry Dec 20, 2021

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which it’s hard to be Joseph; we do our best to explain the inexplicable; Miles is full of feelings; Hulk smashes; and Onslaught finally (mostly) ends. X-PLAINED: Heroes Reborn Return Wild times with the Dreaming Celestial Onslaught so far X-Men #56 Onslaught: Marvel Universe Jay’s definitive Bond Joseph (more) The physical evolution of Onslaught Sense of scale Hawkeye (TV series) Onslaught’s goals, to what extent they exist The three genders A really big fight A miracle of magnetism The (nominal) end of the Age of Heroes Beast’s scientific career Chamber’s voice NEXT EPISODE: Several epilogues Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

355 – All Sentinels Are Bastards Dec 13, 2021

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which we take a break from X-Men to talk Onslaught tie-ins; Miles learns about coffee shop AUs; Sentinels are very large; there are no bystanders in a crossover event; we are really not Punisher people; and all the bad guys have plans. X-PLAINED: The Clone Saga (briefly) How not to dispose of a dead clone Ben Reilly Amazing Spider-Man #415 Spider-Man #72 Green Goblin #12 Punisher #11 Onslaught’s increasingly nebulous goals Sentinel timing Coffee shop AUs Sentinels in Manhattan Several fights with Sentinels Green Goblin (Phil Urich) Uncles Ben The Lunatic Laugh Punisher (Frank Castle) (briefly) Yet another helicarrier crash The happiest cannon fodder The Junkyard Dogs Rashid Hammer Jones The surprisingly exciting world of NYC maritime salvage Make-believe superpowers Deadlines NEXT EPISODE: A Big Fight Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

HAWK TALK – What A Long, Strange Hawk It’s Been Dec 06, 2021

This would usually be a skip week, but the world is still being a jerk, so we made you a bonus, entirely unedited, and almost entirely off-topic episode. This time, Jay and Miles talked about Hawk Talk.

354 – The Touch of Magneto Nov 29, 2021

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Onslaught is a party that goes on way too long; we are grateful that the Hand is mostly someone else’s problem; there’s always time to get hosed down by firemen; and Emma Frost should never, under any circumstances, cook. X-PLAINED: The Golden Archer Wolverine #104-105 Generation X #18-19 Portions of Elektra’s deal Stick Wolverine’s nose Gateway and Onslaught Several flashbacks The Onslaught goblin Retcons and character accountability A wet open A somewhat atypical plane flight Toad by way of Chris Bachalo The mysterious DL Emma’s Montreal mansion and its staff Cooking with Emma Frost Quasi-benevolent mind control Surgeon A bonus Shadowcat power Digital invisibility NEXT WEEK: Hawk Talk NEXT EPISODE: Onslaught tie-ins! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

353 – Scientists and Superheroes Nov 22, 2021

In which Dark Beast is an unlikely father figure; Wild Child remains low-budget Wolverine; X-Factor foreshadows the XSE; no one else thwarts Richardses on Doom’s watch; the cow goes “hate”; and Juggernaut fails to grow as a person.

HAWK TALK – Bugs Nov 14, 2021

This would usually be a skip week, but the world is still being a jerk, so we made you a bonus, entirely unedited, and almost entirely off-topic episode. This time, Jay and Miles talked about bugs (and Tea Fougner taught us about bees)! As mentioned in the episode: bee cute furry face

352 – Onslog Nov 08, 2021

In which Onslaught: Phase 2 does not live up to the promise of Phase 1; Hulk is not the most trustworthy individual; Miles is his own best audience; Sentinels know their continuity; and true heroism is scored by James Horner.

351 – His Mighty Hand Nov 01, 2021

In which we enter Phase 2 of Onslaught; Cable is a man of many purposes; Onslaught gets a makeover; Intentions only matter if you’re Longshot; and Sue Richards will pull over this crossover event right now if you don’t behave.

350 – The Xavier Protocols Oct 25, 2021

In which we celebrate a milestone with a special collectible episode; there may already be a Charles Xavier in your basement; Onslaught lacks subtlety; Bill Watterson may or may not have changed his licensing policy on Earth-616; guns should not have hair; and Jay once again exercises his questionable lyrical skills.

HAWK TALK – Sitcoms Oct 18, 2021

This would usually be a skip week, but the world is still being a jerk, so we made you a bonus, entirely unedited, and almost entirely off-topic episode. This time, Jay and Tina Carleton of Welcome to Television talked about sitcoms!

349 – Onslaught Secret Weapon Force Power Slammers Oct 11, 2021

In which Onslaught nomenclature has some consistency issues; electricity is the new magnetism; Nate Grey mopes; Sinister doesn’t care about your guns; the Xavier mansion blows up (again); and we track down an elusive Sentinel.https://www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/X349.mp3

348 – Onslaught Continues Oct 04, 2021

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which all the heroes fight each other, a lot. X-PLAINED: Teenage Iron Man Onslaught thus far What Onslaught wants Uncanny X-Men #335 X-Men Unlimited #11 Avengers #401 The rebirth of Apocalypse The Apocalocophagous The Age of Wonders X-Man vs. Professor X Nate Grey-sitting Humanity’s Last Stand Simon Trask Bastion Rogue and Joseph Avengers fashion Assumptions Other characters who could merge Onslaught-style Origins of the Angry Claremontean Narrator NEXT EPISODE: Yes, still Onslaught. Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

347 – Onslaught Begins Sep 27, 2021

In which we stop procrastinating and dive headfirst into Onslaught; Professor Xavier is a jerk; Dark Beast wasn’t even supposed to be here today; Onslaught declaims like it’s the Silver Age; Bishop gets some long-awaited closure; and we pitch alternate candidates for the X-traitor.

HAWK TALK – School Sep 20, 2021

This would usually be a skip week, but the world is still being a jerk, so we made you a bonus, entirely unedited, and almost entirely off-topic episode. This time, we talked about school.

346 – Romancing the Gehenna Stone Sep 13, 2021

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which we continue to avoid Onslaught with a jaunt over to the Wolverine solo series; Logan is terrible at both being a loner and secret identities; fake vampires are fundamentally hilarious; and Burt Corrigan is the hero we need. X-PLAINED Hyperstorm (kinda) Wolverine #11-16 A very full week What Wolverine has been up to Madripoor Several supporting cast members “Patch” Archie Corrigan Burt Corrigan Several things to do in San Francisco Vampire humor Ba’al The Gehenna Stone Penis bones The Hand of God Doomsday Mutual fratricide A midair brawl Secret identity problems Claw problems Other metals with which one’s skeleton might be bonded Bisecting Logan Team-ups we’d like to see NEXT WEEK: Hawk Talk! NEXT EPISODE: Onslaught, honestly, we promise. Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

345 – All of the Marvels (feat. Douglas Wolk) Sep 05, 2021

In which author and friend of the podcast Douglas Wolk joins us to discuss his upcoming book All of the Marvels; his epic quest to read all Marvel Comics, ever; and what he learned along the way.

344 – Where No Mutant Has Gone Before (feat. Tina Carleton) Aug 30, 2021

In which the X-Men cross over with two generations of Star Trek; your grandma invented slash fiction; Gladiator punches a starship; we designate a universe; Leonard McCoy gets bowdlerized; “Gary” is a silly name for a god; Elizabeth Dehner deserves better; a lot of things happen in space; Worf and Wolverine enjoy a brief but intense romance; the X-Men should have more to say about the ethics of “curing” mutation; and we successfully delay Onslaught by another week.

HAWK TALK – The Big Stuff Aug 22, 2021

This would usually be a skip week, but the world is still being a jerk, so we made you a bonus, entirely unedited, and almost entirely off-topic episode. This time, we talked about large things.

343 – The Water Cooler of Violence Aug 16, 2021

In which X-Force carries on the New Mutants’ tradition of property damage; a lot of people have infiltrated Helicarriers; G.W. Bridge makes it weird; Gamesmaster returns to no particular end; and we go back in time to cover the origins of Chris Bradley.

342 – Angry Birds Aug 09, 2021

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Miles does his best, birds are weird, some of the most dangerous villains are pink, and we are in the Onslaught Zone. X-PLAINED: Malibu Comics and Marvel Comics, sitting in a (multiversal) tree, KILLING Archangel: Phantom Wings Unorthodox artistic decisions Archangel (Warren Kenneth Worthington III) Angst, renewed Bird ichor Tuesday Bird and her Mad Max outfit How (not?) to flirt Uncanny X-Men #333 Various Roberts Kelly Graydon Creed, doin’ Mom proud Bastion, Nimrod, & Master Mold Operation Zero Tolerance X-Teams and their lanes A naked murder-uncle Pink villains Obscure callbacks Event synergy X-Men #53 Day to-day challenges of telepathy Super-Saiyan Magneto Phoenix (Jean Grey), actual adult Onslaught That scene from 1964’s X-Men #3 A surprisingly insightful look at Professor X’s dark side Logan’s assorted friendships with teen girls XMEN Disease NEXT EPISODE: X-Force gets, predictably, x-treme. Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

341 – Rainbow Connection Aug 02, 2021

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Chris Bachalo returns to Generation X; we briefly forget that Mondo exists; Synch is an extraordinarily good kid; not everybody gets a jetpack; Jubilee takes a turn as team strategist; Chamber has Onslaught problems; the X-Cutioner has no discernible dignity; the M does not stand for “metaphorical.” X-PLAINED: Jubilee’s aunt Hope Generation X #15-17 Generation X (more) (again) Emplates (more) (again) An instance of possession The Thomas family Intersectional bias Passing privilege Narratively-determined technology Giovanni the janitor Synch vs. Mimic An exceptionally slow-burn reveal Possession as a vehicle for character development The X-Cutioner (Carl Denti) (more) (again) Metaphorical DNA Fun times at the fair Ruby quartz adaptive technology Mutant names NEXT EPISODE: Fun with flechettes! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

HAWK TALK – What We Blew Up On Our Summer Vacation Jul 25, 2021

This would usually be a skip week, but the world is still being a jerk, so we made you a bonus, entirely unedited, and almost entirely off-topic episode. This time, Miles and guest hawk Anna Sheffey talked about playing too much Resident Evil during lockdown.

340 – Retconaganda Jul 19, 2021

In which the X.S.E. miniseries is future copaganda; Earth-1191 has no room for moral ambiguity; Bishop pulls a Marty McFly; Malcolm and Randall get distinct personalities; you really shouldn’t give officers a symbol of authority that there’s no way to revoke.

339 – Luck Be a Lady Jul 12, 2021

In which evil robots are fundamentally more optimistic than climate change; Ozymandias could probably use a new hobby; Wolverine goes full Kate Beaton; “Luck Be a Lady” would be a kickass hymn; Shard gets a body (kinda); and the X-Men definitely do that.

338 – Chomp and Stomp Jul 05, 2021

In which X-Factor’s lineup shifts further towards villainy; Wild Child is neither wild nor a child; bureaucrat Val Cooper > action Val Cooper; Marvel invests in Bastion; and foreshadowing works better in some titles than in others.

HAWK TALK – Pirates Jun 27, 2021

This would usually be a skip week, but the world is still being a jerk, so we made you a bonus, entirely unedited, and almost entirely off-topic episode. This time, Jay and guest hawk Tea Fougner talked about pirates. You can find Tea at @teaberryblue on pretty much all of the social medias!

337 – Wild Genes and Old Magic Jun 21, 2021

In which Excalibur is beset by shady organizations; Nightcrawler gets a new look; nobody hates Pete Wisdom as much as Lockheed hates Pete Wisdom; Brian Braddock should not be allowed to dress himself; Excalibur invades Black Air; and Onslaught continues to lurk.

336 – Serpents in Eden, feat. Si Spurrier Jun 14, 2021

In which writer Si Spurrier joins us to talk Nightcrawler, the unsustainability of Krakoa, bringing back Legion, the stuff growing on Dr. Nemesis’s head, Welsh accents, founding (and not founding) a mutant religion, and—yes—Onslaught.

335 – Bone Town Jun 07, 2021

In which we cover somewhat peculiar content under somewhat peculiar circumstances; nobody does it like Alan Davis; in this house, we appreciate Gracie Gamble; nominal errors are not what they appear; and you should probably not leave your children with most of the X-Men.

HAWK TALK – Wizards May 30, 2021

This would usually be a skip week, but the world is still being a jerk, so we made you a bonus, entirely unedited, and almost entirely off-topic episode. This time, we talked about wizards. Topics, roughly: Fantasy wizards Space wizards Beards and wizards and gender Vancian spellcasting Wizard taxonomy The Baal Shem Book learnin' Towers and Discworld wizards Dragonlance wizards Tolkien wizards Iceman with a wizard beard Which animals make the best wizards Magic: the Gathering Our wizardy D&D characters

334 – Genetic Nonsense May 24, 2021

In which William Stryker is exceptionally difficult to kill; the terminology around Emplate’s powers is absolute nonsense even by comic-book standards; inkers deserve more credit; we would totally read comics about Murmur the Softpoken Mummy; Bishop comes to the rescue; and nothing really resolves. X-PLAINED: What happened to William Stryker Gratuitous use of the adjective “genetic” Emplate (again) Generation X #12-14 Inks Penance’s original backstory Pining A really unpleasant reunion Accent problems Gayle Edgerton Vincente Bulwark D.O.A. A somewhat chaotic victory Mutant teams from non-anglophone countries X-characters Miles would like to write NEXT WEEK: HAWK TALK NEXT EPISODE: ClanDestine! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

333 – Fight Train May 17, 2021

In which Miles discovers owl legs; Iceman dwells in subtext; Dark Beast overperforms; Dardevil is a delightful trash fire of a person; Graydon Creed’s presidential run is somewhat less shocking in 2021; Rogue does not enjoy playing ‘Got your nose’; and Mister Sinister is not a friend to public transportation.

332 – Gideon Falls May 10, 2021

In which Swimsuit Catalog is not an actual style of martial arts; Onslaught dabbles in vandalism; Crule is a special guy; we identify briefly with X-Force; and Charles Xavier is the Keyser Soze of Onslaught.

HAWK TALK – Hack the Planet May 02, 2021

This would usually be a skip week, but the world is still being a jerk, so we made you a bonus, entirely unedited, and almost entirely off-topic episode. This time, in honor of the 1995 film's 1337-week anniversary, we talked about the finest movie about technology ever made, Hackers. Topics, roughly: Hackers Mister The Plague What David Bowie and Angelina Jolie have in common Razor & Blade The glory of Matthew Lillard Counterculture Queer (sub)text Focal characters Jay's sequel pitch In retrospect, we should have talked way more about Phreak, played amazingly by Renoly Santiago. Sorry, Renoly! That's what we get for doing Hawk Talk without our usual outlines.

331 – Surprised by Brood Apr 26, 2021

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which we take a break from the lead-up to Onslaught; Hannah Conover is the queen of dangling plot threads (and also of the Brood); Wolverine is the strangest angel; William Conover is the chillest minister in the Marvel Universe; and Excalibur writer Tini Howard gives us the inside scoop on Gambit’s trench coat. X-PLAINED: Mutant Brood The Brood vs. Brood X cicadas X-Men vs. Brood: Day of Wrath #1-2 Theological origins of John Ostrander Hair An unspoken motif in pin-up art Reverend William Conover (more)(again) Hannah Conover (more)(again) The Brood (more)(again) The Brood Empress The Firstborn Atypical Queen-Broodling power dynamics Brood of the future A strange angel What Gambit’s trench coat is made of NEXT WEEK: Hawk Talk NEXT EPISODE: The end of the Externals! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

330 – Suddenly, Ninjas Apr 19, 2021

In which the podcast turns seven; Matt has officially edited half the podcast; a lot of things are made by metal; Doctor Strange is a big weirdo; Gambit is a scoundrel, not a villain; Wolverine goes goth; Onslaught could probably use a better herald; Bishop fires two guns whilst going aaaaaaa; and we commit to making what sense we can of Onslaught.

329 – Scheming and Argument Apr 12, 2021

In which Nate Grey has the soul of a man in a mesh shirt; Black Air is somehow even worse than you thought it was; Hulk does not want to be x-treme teen from alternate dimension; we are excited as hell for the upcoming Frasier/Ewing Gamma Flight; and Moira MacTaggert is (sometimes) the adult we need.

HAWK TALK – Doctor Internet Apr 04, 2021

This would usually be a skip week, but the world is still being a jerk, so we made you a bonus, entirely unedited, and almost entirely off-topic episode. This time, we talked about the Internet. Topics, roughly: Blazing fast 28.8 Kbps dial-up AOL CDs Final Fantasy, MIDI-style Angelfire vs. Carrd The Gaming Intelligence Agency The Brunching Shuttlecocks The finest memes of the early 2000s Chaos Social media, as explained by Jay Social media, as baffles Miles Podcasts vs. the Internet

328 – Single Blue Male Mar 29, 2021

In which Sam Guthrie will take all your money; Gambit has exceptionally poor judgment; having friends who are couples means getting to be the big spoon AND the little spoon; Hank McCoy is the agrarian Rube Goldberg; and there are a lot of ways to appreciate a comic.

327 – The Sounds of Gravity Mar 22, 2021

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which nobody’s ages ever make sense; Sebastian Shaw catches up on villain speeches; nobody puts Louise Simonson in a corner; Tabitha Smith has a bad day; Gambit and Bat Manuel have a lot in common; and Warpath outruns Adam X. X-PLAINED: X-Force #49-51 Haircuts The return off Sebastian Shaw Stansfield A series of kidnappings Solar-powered superpowers Attempted murder Memories Cable as an audience surrogate Tabitha’s new codename The first Tick live-action series Warpath’s running speed Risqué What gravity sounds like X-leisure activities Magneto’s human name/s NEXT EPISODE: A Tale of Two Beasts Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

326 – Son of a Gun Mar 15, 2021

In which it’s hard to be a hologram; the Internet is terrible and you should probably avoid it; we have no idea how Naze is still alive; this is not your mom’s Adversary (if your mom is Fall of the Mutants); Forge is an order muppet; and Sabretooth is not a great addition to most teams.

HAWK TALK – Turtle Power Mar 08, 2021

This would usually be a skip week, but the world is still being a jerk, so we made you a bonus, entirely unedited, and almost entirely off-topic episode. This time, we talked about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Topics, roughly: Daredevil parodies The nature of mutation The four humors Archetypes of masculinity Legal status of mutant animal people Questionable toys Adaptations and adaptations of adaptations Miles's favorite Mirage comic story The excellently weird Archie comic series Girl turtles and naming conventions Movies good and bad Milesangelo

325 – Captain Bloodscream Mar 01, 2021

In which we recommend against having a birthday in the Marvel Universe; Shinobi Shaw was a proto-Quentin Quire; Lee Forrester returns under the best possible circumstances; Bloodscream lives his best unlife; Belasco is apparently master of the cat people now; and a former Marvel intern returns to solve a mystery.

324 – Snack Attack Feb 22, 2021

In which Cordelia Frost is a terrible friend; Mondo is better than the story arcs that surround him; and we’d really love to see a series about Sean Cassidy’s super groovy past.

323 – Baby Talk Feb 15, 2021

In which we spend a large amount of time on a group of small characters; X-Babies stories cover a wide range of quality; Mojo is relegated to public access; the ‘Vengers rebel against their creator; the X-Babies excavate Star Comics; we adjust our opinion of the mid-‘90s; and WandaVision is probably not connected to the Mojoverse.

HAWK TALK – Call Any Vegetable Feb 08, 2021

This would usually be a skip week, but the world is still being a jerk, so we made you a bonus, entirely unedited, and almost entirely off-topic episode. This time, we talked about vegetables. Kind of. Topics, roughly: Vegetables. Like we said. Is Apocalypse a fruit? Ghost vs. slime trees Dwarves in the rutabagas Ramen mishaps How to be less terrible at cooking Cherimoya, that weirdo

322 – Do More Crimes Feb 01, 2021

In which the X-Babies fail to charm; clones are people, too; Iceman doesn’t (quite) come out; Gambit and Bishop bond; Joseph comes into ambiguous being; and Principal Nezu and Charles Xavier would probably get along okay.

321 – Revolving Doors Jan 25, 2021

In which Sabretooth does not get effectively rehabilitated; nobody has the moral high ground; Val Cooper is the worst possible person to call in any emergency; Bishop needs a better support system; Jay knows several things about onions; and not everything has to be a mammal.

320 – The Accountability Wagon Jan 18, 2021

In which Pete Wisdom is the guy you love to glare at; Nightcrawler is right (and a delightfully complex individual); Colossus has a lot of issues; and Wolfsbane gets the confrontation we’ve been waiting for since the New Mutants graphic novel.

319 – Giant-Size Special #9 (feat. Vita Ayala, Tini Howard, and Leah Williams) Jan 04, 2021

In which Jay and Miles receive a mysterious missive and are visited by three of our favorite X-writers; Further Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix is a pleasant surprise; Nathaniel Essex is the most dramatic man in the Marvel Universe; the sewers of Victorian London were a happenin’ place; Apocalypse isn’t even French; Beast is the flip-side of Sinister; community is for everyone; the Internet is (kind of) Krakoa; and death is fixable, but trauma might take a little more work.

HAWK TALK – Surviving 2020 Dec 28, 2020

This would usually be a skip week, but the world is still being a jerk, so we made you a bonus, entirely unedited, and almost entirely off-topic episode. This time, we talked (exhaustedly) about This Freaking Year. Topics, roughly: This year was pretty rough Maybe next year will be better? Some things are cool, though NOTE: Miles watched Knives Out immediately after recording this episode, and Jay was right: it is delightful.

318 – Leprechaun Hill Dec 21, 2020

In which we are broken by leprechauns.

317 – Acquaintances of Humanity Dec 14, 2020

In which Nicholas Cage is more of a concept than a human being; Rogue’s angst-fueled road trip continues; Gambit and Sinister have complementary aesthetics; there are a lot of Guthries; the Trasks are never up to any good; and whether or not it is canon, Ghost Rider has definitely teamed up with Johnny Cash.

316 – Return to Megalopolis: At the Movies with the New Mutants Dec 07, 2020

In which we review the New Mutants' film debut.

HAWK TALK – Surviving the (Holiday) Experience Nov 29, 2020

This would usually be a skip week, but the world is still being a jerk, so we made you a bonus, entirely unedited, and almost entirely off-topic episode. This time, we talked about holidays, winter and otherwise. Topics, roughly: Time, which used to make sense Several holidays and feelings, media, and traditions related thereto Flash Gordon Mixed-faith families A New York Christmas Wedding (the lesbian time travel gay dead baby angel movie) Gingerbread Secular rituals Night in the Woods: Lost Constellation The Dark is Rising (again) The Spirit of Christmas (which is to say, exploding) J. Michael Strazynski's The Real Ghostbusters Community's first three holiday specials Justice League: Comfort & Joy Passover and that time Moses gave Pharaoh a frog Passover and Miles trying very hard to play it cool Chocolate bunny funerals Easter basket comics Being excellent to each other and partying on Links and further reading: In Defense of Humbug by Jay Smooth

315 – Theater Is Dead Nov 23, 2020

In which Jay and/or patriarchy ruin everything; Archangel is dubiously aspirational; we need a moratorium on Jack the Ripper stories; there are a lot of Masterminds; and Arcade is a whole bundle of psychosexual weirdness.

314 – Feelings, Alaska Nov 16, 2020

In which Haven deserved better; Cyclops and Havok have a lot of feelings in Alaska; X-Factor is the cop team; breaking up with your girlfriend between issues is a massive faux pas; Haven got a bad deal; no one cares about Random’s feelings; Spiral is weird Twitter; and Alex Summers once again fails to finish his dissertation.

313 – Iguanafall Nov 09, 2020

In which sky pirates are the best pirates; Wolverine eats chicken in the woods; Xavier’s area loses its status as our least favorite panel; Cable is suspiciously credulous; we search in vain for a consistent metaphor; Storm has a thing or two to learn about restorative justice; and this entire miniseries should probably have been an annual.

312 – Something Amazing Had to Be Done, feat. Bob Proehl Oct 26, 2020

In which author Bob Proehl joins Jay to discuss the Resonant Duology and what it means to write original work rooted visibly in the X-universe!

311 – Love Makes a Super-Team Oct 19, 2020

In which we decide to stop recognizing the nominal difference between X-Men and Uncanny X-Men; time travel may or may not wait for you; Mister Sinister has probably appeared in at least one Ed Wood film; we are a pro-Tingle podcast; X-Men is about family; the Braddock twins catch up; Sailor Moon > Shinobi Shaw; Generation X is inducted into the baseball tradition; and Storm does what she does with Morlocks in sewers.

310 – Attack and Dethrone God Oct 12, 2020

In which we take a substantial detour; Minipax is no Raul Julia; Corsair tries (and fails) to retire; everything is cooler in space; vengeance is more of a vocation than a career; the Starjammers win an intergalactic war with a slide show; and we pitch some television.

HAWK TALK – Hawktober Oct 04, 2020

This would usually be a skip week, but the world is still being a jerk, so we made you a bonus, entirely unedited, and almost entirely off-topic episode. This time, we talked about our current, and Jay's favorite, season. Topics, roughly: Beatni(c)ks Spoopiness vs. Spookiness Fat bears Seasons (and hemispheres) Symbolism and secular ritual Jay's very specific Halloween costumes Disappointing bats Asymmetrically recognizable couples' costumes Inaccurate TMNT journalism Over the Garden Wall Costume Quest MediEvil Silent Hill playthroughs The Adventures of Pete and Pete Corn and/or mud mazes Knitting Ginger Snaps (and elaborate homages) Curious chickens Vincent Price Internal hairdo buttresses Flannel and layers and warm drinks

309 – Excellent Turtle Sep 27, 2020

In which ballistics get weird; Black Air is no W.H.O.; we have surprisingly mixed feelings about Pete Wisdom and Kitty Pryde as a couple; there is an actual creepy clown bar in Portland; blood eagles are excessively ostentatious; the Uncreated just want to be cool; and Rory Campbell continues his descent into supervillainy.

308 – No Story Is the Whole Story Sep 21, 2020

In which writing X-books requires a somewhat different approach to continuity than writing about them; time is weird; Jay overthinks fictional publications; Scott Summers is (at least sometimes) Autistic; Sinister is not subtle; and no story is the whole story.

307 – Ugly Mootants Only Sep 14, 2020

In which Cable has clearly inherited his father’s inability to go on a date that doesn’t end disastrously; Husk is a lightweight; we are very taken with a turtle; you really don’t want to run into the other Hemingway in an elevator, either; Jubilee can speak in logos; and Wolverine gives some fatherly advice.

HAWK TALK – Playing With Super Power (feat. Matthew Hunter) Sep 07, 2020

This would usually be a skip week, but the world is still being a jerk, so we made you a bonus, entirely unedited, and almost entirely off-topic episode. This time, our producer Matthew Hunter subbed in for Jay and he and Miles talked about the video games they grew up on! Topics, roughly: Crystalis Power Blade Fighting robots (in general) Super Mario World F-Zero Final Fantasy II (which is to say IV) Street Fighter II Rockin' Kats Shatter Hand Battletoads Lemmings The Incredible Machine The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Turtles in Time Mario Paint Doom Secret of Mana Mega Man X Disney adaptations Final Fantasy III (which is to say VI) Donkey Kong Country Super Punch Out Illusion of Gaia BioForge DWANGO (Dial-up Wide-Area Network Game Operation) Full Throttle, Quest For Glory, Gabriel Knight... Wild ARMs Wipeout Stun Runner Resident Evil Final Fantasy VII Fallout Parasite Eve Xenogears Baldur's Gate Tetris DX Pokémon (Blue) LUNAR Silent Hill You can find Matt on Twitter and his music on Bandcamp!

306 – Between Here and There Aug 31, 2020

In which we continue our ongoing tour of the post-Age of Apocalypse X-Universe; Onslaught gets a name; nobody’s sure what Noah Dubois is doing there; Iceman gets to be the practical one, for once; T&A should not generally appear on the same visual plane; someone needs to talk to Cannonball about kink safety; and Emma Frost lets a call go to voicemail.

305 – The Sleep of the Wicked Aug 24, 2020

In which X-Factor gets its own roster shakeup; most bartenders will look at you funny if you order a flight of superheroes; Kaboom is a great name for a nightclub; we lack significant feelings about the clone saga; Yukio probably sends love to everyone’s girlfriends; Forge has terrible coping mechanisms; and Jay’s current life is not conducive to consistent acoustics (sorry!).

304 – Explosive Ops Aug 17, 2020

In which Jay discovers a continuity loop; phonetic spelling reaches a new level of implausibility; it’s always already Onslaught; X-Force’s roster gets shaken up; Siryn goes undercover; and the Upstarts remain vaguely plot-relevant despite our fervent wishes.

HAWK TALK – Video Renaissance Aug 10, 2020

This would usually be a skip week, but the world is still being a jerk, so we made you a bonus, entirely unedited, and almost entirely off-topic episode. This time, we talked about the movies we grew up on! Topics, roughly: The glories of VHS Flight of Dragons Fantastic Planet Star(s), both Wars and Trek The Princess Bride, which is objectively perfect The Dark Crystal My Dinner With Andre (again) The Crow Barbarella, Queen of the Galaxy Help Yellow Submarine Wayne & Garth & Bill & Ted Defending Your Life Ghostbusters Various musicals

303 – No Simple Answers, feat. Laura Hudson Aug 03, 2020

In which writer and editor Laura Hudson joins us as we take a break from X-Men comics to discuss the complicated ethics of consuming and covering comics by creators we’re not comfortable promoting. LINKS: Read more of Laura's work! We were going to discuss this very germane Orwell essay but ran out of time. CW: Description and discussion of abuse and harassment: So Many of Us An overview of some of the Lobdell allegations and Jay's response to 2013 discussion of same. No visual companion to this one, for obvious reasons; see the links listed above. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

302 – Space Junk Jul 27, 2020

In which you should probably not mess with space junk; Exodus is terrible at many things; Rusty Collins deserved better; X-Men #100 references are dirty (but effective) pool; Magneto goes through a lot of orbital bases; Nate Grey makes things worse; Frenzy is generally the most competent member of any team she’s on; and we sincerely regret not making more Satellite of Love jokes about Avalon.

301 – Can’t Beat the Real Thing Jul 20, 2020

In which we enter our fourth century of podcasting with brand new theme music; we have both Wolverine questions and wolverine questions; it is extremely rough to be Bishop; the creator of Garfield may or may not live in a sewer on Earth-616; Rogue needs better coping mechanisms; bigotry is depressingly timeless; and everything is Onslaught now.

HAWK TALK – Attack of the Franchise Cartoons Jul 12, 2020

This would usually be a skip week, but the world is still being a jerk, so we made you a bonus, entirely unedited, and almost entirely off-topic episode. This time, we talked about the television shows we grew up on (and a few current ones)! Topics, roughly: Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood Masters of the Universe She-Ra The Real (vs. non-Real) Ghostbusters Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Little Shop of Horrors Beetlejuice Toxic Crusaders Attack of the Killer Tomatoes The Adventures of Pete & Pete (and the not-so-secret origin of this podcast) Les Schtroumpfs (and the time they maybe fought Satan) Batman: The Animated Series X-Men: The Animated Series X-Men: Evolution Wolverine & the X-Men The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour The X-Files Star Trek: Voyager Earth 2 VR5 M.A.N.T.I.S. The Simpsons Daria Tuca & Bertie Gravity Falls Over the Garden Wall You can check out Waiting for October, our zine based on The Adventures of Pete & Pete, on Gumroad!

300 – Götterdämmerung Jul 06, 2020

In which the Age of Apocalypse comes to an end; Angel briefly lives up to his potential; Bishop was sometimes right; It’s not a climactic ending without an X-Men #137 reference; Colossus breaks our hearts; X-Men: Marvels Snapshot will be out in September; and somehow we have made 300 of these things.

299 – Toaster Ovens of the Gods Jun 29, 2020

In which some universes are more pleasant than others; Havok is basically a Care Bear; Wolverine is a P.R. nightmare; Nate Grey tries; stealth is not among the Silver Surfer’s strengths; Night Thrasher ascends to godhood; Jay and Miles dive down the What If rabbit hole.

298 – Unlikely Avengers Jun 22, 2020

In which the moments of X-Universe are better than the whole; the code name “Dirigible” carries some inherent risks; Tony Stark is often more interesting without Iron Man; Clint Barton is no James Rhodes; there is somehow a Matt Murdock who makes even worse choices than the one from Earth-616; nobody should ever trust Mikhail Rasputin; and the baby’s name really doesn’t matter.

297 – Blood Is Compulsory Jun 08, 2020

In which Nate Grey is a drama kid; Forge-295 is the hero we need; Mister Sinister is a graduate of the Danielle “Moonstar” Moonstar school of secret identities; and we really, really, really wish that the theater troupe had gotten the ongoing series.

296 – Hard Choices Jun 01, 2020

In which Magneto doesn’t really do work/live divide; Amazing X-Men is a bit of a misnomer; Exodus is the lawful evil to Fabian Cortez’s chaotic evil; smoking is bad for you; moisture molecular inversion is fairly definitely not a real thing; Earth-295 Quicksilver and Earth-616 Cyclops would probably get along; OSHA would probably like a word with the Madrii; Gambit had ONE JOB; and there are no superheroes in the Age of Apocalypse.

HAWK TALK – Florida Mans May 24, 2020

This would usually be a skip week, but the world is still being a jerk, so we made you a bonus, entirely unedited, and almost entirely off-topic episode. This time, we talked about a whole bunch of random topics suggested by you! Topics, sorta: Good birds Dinosaurs Florida Nostalgic video games Booze Avatar: The Last Airbender Probably some other stuff I'm forgetting

295 – The Nuclear Naked May 18, 2020

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which this episode may or may not be a temporal aberration; Gambit is bad at marketing; Jubilee’s sixth birthday was probably worse than yours; Earth-295’s chronology doesn’t make that much more sense than 616’s; Super Doctor Astronaut Peter Corbeau wears this timeline well; Rictor makes a terrible Javert; Jubilee has no time for your makeouts; superheroes are basically preschoolers; there is only one Jahf; babies are bad at stealing; and Apocalypse is not a tactician. X-PLAINED: How Magneto got his own country A numerical convergence Earth-295 Gambit and the X-Ternals #1-4 X-Ternals The human resistance The Temple of Human Redress A terrible way to celebrate your birthday Lila Cheney of Earth-295 The Nuclear Naked Super Doctor Astronaut (mermaid) Peter Corbeau of Earth-295 Julio Richter (Earth-295) Mudir Homage Cross-timeline vocabulary Cosmic peril The state of the Shi’ar Empire in Earth-295 The Starjammers of Earth-295 Varyingly versatile energy absorption Jahf An exchange Some fancy sewers Guido Carosella’s devil’s bargains Earth-295... IN SPACE The nominal justification for Apocalypse’s society Which Apocalypse is currently running around Earth-616 NEXT WEEK: Hawk Talk! NEXT EPISODE: “Amazing” might be pushing it. Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

294 – The Infernal Gallop May 11, 2020

In which a whole lot of things burn; Nightcrawler gets gritty; it’s hard to be Dead Man Wade; Apocalypse’s IT department has some explaining to do; Mystique is the most mom of all moms; Doug Ramsey dies (again); and Jay will fight anyone who says comics can't be "real" literature.

293 – The Monster Under the World May 04, 2020

In which not all Mondos are created equal; the kids are only rarely all right; the Age of Apocalypse is not Magneto’s fault; Sugar Man is the stuff of universal nightmares; “cartoonish” is not necessarily a plus; and the Age of Apocalypse is not particularly sustainable.

HAWK TALK – Formative Novels Apr 27, 2020

This would usually be a skip week, but the world is still being a jerk, so we made you a bonus, entirely unedited, and almost entirely off-topic episode. This time, we talk about the (non-comic) books we grew up on! Books we mentioned, alphabetical by author: The Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series by Douglas Adams Start with: The Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander Start with: The Book of Three The Magic of Xanth by Piers Anthony Start with: A Spell for Chameleon Incarnations of Immortality by Piers Anthony Start with: On a Pale Horse Letters to Jenny by Piers Anthony Lots of stuff by Dave Barry Start with: The World According to Dave Barry or any other book Midnight Hour Encores by Bruce Brooks The Shannara series by Terry Brooks Start with: The Sword of Shannara The Magic Kingdom of Landover series by Terry Brooks Start with: Magic Kingdom for Sale - SOLD! Ender’s Game series by Orson Scott Card Start with: Ender’s Game The Dark is Rising Sequence by Susan Cooper Start with: Over Sea, Under Stone (But you might want to start with the second book The Dark Is Rising instead and then go back) Bored of the Rings by Harvard Lampoon The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey Start with: Dragonflight, or Dragonsinger works too The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley Lots of stuff by Cristopher Moore Start with: Island of the Sequined Love Nun or any other book He, She, and It by Marge Piercey Lots of stuff by Tom Robbins Start with: Another Roadside Attraction or any other book Sophie's Choice by William Styron Dragonlance series by Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman, etc. Start with: Chronicles, Book 1: Dragons of Autumn Twilight

292 – Weekend at Sinister’s Apr 20, 2020

In which it is probably not actually possible to be too nasty for Earth-295; Sinister is on nobody’s side but his own; Vulcan is still the worst Summers in the multiverse; the Bedlam Brothers are too delightful for the EMF; Heaven is just straight-up Rick’s Bar now; Polaris of Earth-295 is the saddest Polaris; Scott Summers and Jean Grey make a good team in most universes; and the metaphors of 1995 read very differently in 2020.

291 – Eat Malarkey and Die Apr 13, 2020

In which we celebrate a birthday; nuclear war is never a good Plan A; every Logan is Old Man Logan; we are underwhelmed by the Pretty Boys of Earth-295; Jean Grey is one hell of a pilot; there are so many reasons not to like Donald Pierce; teleporters are the narrative nuclei of the Age of Apocalypse; and Gateway of Earth-295 deserves significantly more in-depth exploration than we can provide.

290 – The Obvious, the Silly, and the True Apr 06, 2020

In which it’s kind of a relief to be talking about a fictional apocalypse right now; Joe Madureira defines the look of the mid-late 1990s; Sunfire is less cheesecake than crepes Suzette; it all comes back to capes; Wild Child is more than he seems; Holocaust sucks about as much as you’d expect of someone who picked that code name; Jay has surprisingly strong feelings about Morph; Miles is all about judging some babies; resistance is fundamental to the X-Men’s identity within a superhero-universe paradigm; nobody deserves to be quarantined with Quentin Quire; and our two-week lead is making proofing these podcasts an increasingly surreal experience.

HAWK TALK – Social Distance Special Mar 30, 2020

Normally, this would be a skip week and there wouldn't be an episode - but things are pretty weird in the world right now. Let's talk X-Men comfort reads - with bonus complete lack of editing!

289 – Unsolved Mysteries Mar 23, 2020

In which this episode is way more topical than it was when we recorded it; Apocalypse makes a terrible Statue of Liberty; there are no reliable narrators; Robbie Robertson and Carmen Sandiego are your new OTP; Emplate is creepy in any universe; lawful evil is still evil; and partial universe reboots come with some fairly silly problems.

288 – Cape Citadel Remix Mar 16, 2020

In which Magneto is a drama llama in any universe (but a remarkably decent parent in at least one); the soap opera hits the Age of Apocalypse; Weapon X is a man made of red flags; Gambit has an OT3; the better man wins; some blanks are better left unfilled; and we would probably not fare too well on Earth-295.

287 – Welcome to the Age of Apocalypse Mar 09, 2020

In which we enter the Age of Apocalypse!

286 – Family Before Continuity Feb 24, 2020

In which Sunspot is a bad enough dude to save the president; Black Air is nowhere near as fun as WHO; we reach the end of Fabian Nicieza’s X-Force run; Rictor and Shatterstar talk about feelings; Gambit does not go gently into that good night; Scott and Jean choose family over continuity; Legion Quest comes to a close, along with Earth-616; the heart of Dawn of X is its margins; you should come see us at ECCC; and we announce a new schedule.

285 – Immediately if Not Sooner Feb 16, 2020

In which Goldballs is still a better name than Egg; we continue our progress towards Earth-295; Legion pulls a Stryfe; we’re still pretty shaky on how to pronounce “M’Kraan”; Xavier and Magneto were absolutely and unquestionably doing sex in the 1970s; it’s time time; the Watcher is watching you masturbate; and what happens immediately before the end of the world is often as important as what happens immediately after.

284 – Precious Baubles, feat. Chip Zdarsky Feb 10, 2020

In which we sit down with writer Chip Zdarsky to talk crossovers, continuity, metaphors, and X-Men/Fantastic Four!

283 – Legion Quest Quest Feb 03, 2020

In which Jay is writing a Cyclops one-shot; It is honestly truly almost Legion Quest; Mystique plays the long game; sometimes filler is a good thing; Havok is a geophysicist, not a geographer; Lila definitely stole it; and more stories should be set in space junkyards.

282 – The Tide Takes the Castle Jan 27, 2020

In which the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning should really be the setting of a stoner comedy; Garrabed Bashur’s brain is probably 90% porn by now; the tide always takes the castle; William Drake remains terrible; Adam X the X-Treme deserved better; Jay pitches a series; disability is not a boolean and exclusively medically-defined state; and we are all about some weird X-Men tie-in products.

281 – Memories Jan 20, 2020

In which Warpath and Colossus should start a support group; X-Force gets a new HQ; we make an unprecedently large number of musical-theater references; Cable is a highly qualified individual; tranq darts don’t work like that; Emma Frost gives fairly decent advice; the malls of Boston will never be the same again; and we need mutant body diversity now.

280 – Business-Casual Basilisk Jan 13, 2020

In which the future is not great at codenames; spot foil is cool as hell; Mountjoy is bafflingly business-themed; Bishop goes full Point Break; Jean Grey and Lorna Dane should absolutely be friends; and Jay & Miles are heading to ECCC 2020!

279 – Giant-Size Special #8 Dec 30, 2019

In which Jay would absolutely fight Christmas; we welcome guest X-Perts Christina Strain and Chip Zdarsky; a gift arrives; we consider the relationship of Generation X to Generation X; it is really not okay to leave your discarded skins lying around; D.O.A. is inordinately delightful; Chamber is the punk Shadow; Gateway goes to school; the Generation X TV movie is very, very bad; telepathy is free; the grown-ups are all right; home sucks; freedom rocks; Mondo deserves better; Matt Frewer did most things first; Kevin McNulty has appeared in literally everything; and you remain our favorites, ever.

278 – A Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing Dec 23, 2019

In which Moonstar really wasn’t fooling anybody; Bird Brain is somehow still alive; Cassidy Keep is weird; Gene Ha draws excellent Storm; Reeva Page makes her sole comics appearance; and Shinobi Shaw is wrong about everything.

277 – Hedgehogs of Cairo Dec 16, 2019

In which Sauron is a huge nerd; the Savage Land is where Marvel stores the weird stuff; an etymology detour does not come from the X-Pert you’d expect; and Storm will straight-up stab you.

276 – Wizard Problems Dec 09, 2019

In which Excalibur gets a regular writer again; we judge a book against against its covers; nothing good ever comes from being sexy on Muir Isle; and the soul sword’s real power is cutting through continuity.

275 – End of the Summer Dec 02, 2019

In which Professor is too cool for the Phalanx; fatphobia is significantly more dangerous than Fred Dukes; Strong Guy catches a plane; Emma Frost will not let you coast; Jubilee says goodbye to the X-Men; and it’s probably for the best that we have avoided corporate advertisers.

274 – The Red Shoe Prophecies (feat. Chris Eddleman) Nov 25, 2019

In which Chris Eddleman joins us for a close look at House of X and Powers of X; Doug Ramsey is highly relevant; resurrection is problematic in a universe with a documented afterlife; there is no reasonable in-continuity justification for the lack of trans Marvel characters; and your OT3 is canon.

273 – The Back-End Creep (The Phalanx Covenant, Part 3 of 3) Nov 18, 2019

In which we have been on All the Podcasts; Full Shred Thrash is easier to say that it sounds; the Phalanx uses dial-up; Cable is a very large man; Larry Hama writes excellent banter; Cyclops has been progressively desensitized to plane crashes; Cameron Hodge is never graceful in defeat; and Final Sanction is actually about family.

272 – Children of the Phalanx (the Phalanx Covenant, Part 2 of 3) Nov 11, 2019

In which Ship was inside Cable all along; Life Signs is the Two Towers of the Phalanx Covenant (but only in the bad ways), it’s lucky that the Phalanx doesn’t have WiFi; Nightcrawler embraces chaos; and we promise the crossover gets better next chapter.

271 – Abs for Days (The Phalanx Covenant, Part 1 of 3) Nov 04, 2019

In which we’re finally both back in the virtual studio; Generation X is the new Inferno; the Phalanx Covenant begins; we’re not talking about Hickman in our coverage of this story; Banshee is the adult in the room; the Phalanx is pretty sexist; and gross powers are cool.

270 – X-Ray Goggles and Mail-Order Lizards (feat. Steve Stokes) Oct 27, 2019

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which we hear from two generations of Stokeses for the price of one, buying comics for your son is a great way to rationalize reading them yourself, you should probably be reading The Immortal Hulk, and a 30-year comics hiatus ain’t stopping Steve. X-PLAINED: A well-loved copy of Fantastic Four #1 Marvel vs. DC in the Silver Age Requirements for an acceptable Doctor Doom The perils of competitive newsstand shopping Comics conventions: the days before Hall H The Long Game Bill Sienkiewicz: best of the best The Worst Comic Book Guy What makes the X-books special The experimental storytelling of New Mutants The Original Five The Long Box (and the Easter basket) Contagious enthusiasm Returning to the Marvel Universe as a lapsed reader Art styles over the years Tragic tales of mail-order chameleons The joys of the mainstreaming of nerddom Superhero movies as message pill pockets Fin Fang Foom HoX/PoX freakouts as father/son bonding Acid in vampires’ faces and other childhood traumas NEXT EPISODE: The Phalanx Covenant (finally) begins! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

269 – NYCC 2019 Sofa Special: Double Dactyl, feat. Seanan McGuire Oct 21, 2019

In which Seanan and Jay break down their favorite X-Villains; technically everyone is always cosplaying Mystique; Magneto remains the gold standard; and we have some concerns about Eye Boy.

268 – Disquettes Oct 14, 2019

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Excalibur addresses a number of dangling plot threads, Britanic finally gets (somewhat) interesting, Kitty really wants Douglock to be Doug, Professor Xavier and Moira MacTaggert are the best exes, and the future has peculiar priorities. X-PLAINED: The life and death of Jamie Braddock Excalibur #81 Douglock (more) (again) Inker ambiguity Britanic and Meggan’s Christmas costumes The Excalibur Lighthouse’s sudden and inexplicable resurrection Mo’ time travel, mo’ problems 20,097 rocks on a shoreline Douglock: overly literal, dryly funny, or just plain thirsty? The Emotional Beat of Damocles The problems with crunch time Princess Diana: Excalibur vs. X-Statix Language and time Excalibur Annual #2 Appropriately bombastic narration Fashions of the future Psychic psychotherapy Sibling rivalry Mr. Poo Braddock moppets Oversimplification vs. ambiguity Spooling chambers (more) Excalibur as an X-leftovers book Air travel: leg-room vs. sorcerous doom Hannibal King: vampire detective and/or penciler Shadowcat and the pain of hope A Doug’s-eye view of New Mutants Emma Frost and aging Dazzler and roller derby NEXT EPISODE: Jay and Seanan McGuire talk villains! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

267 – The Saddest Joyride Oct 08, 2019

In which Emma Frost is a better Iceman than Bobby Drake; Generation X is aggressively foreshadowed; Malcolm and Randall are the Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to Bishop’s Hamlet; and we launch a campaign for our own Multiversal designation.

266 – They’re Good Dogs, Miles Sep 30, 2019

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Havok goes surfing; Malice eats a poodle; Strong Guy’s ex is a big jerk; Sinister’s gotta Sinister; and Miles learns about a meme. X-PLAINED: The Puppet Master X-Factor #103-105 Comparative Summers brooding Perks of being a mutant geologist and/or geophysicist Malice and Polaris’s complicated history A somewhat convoluted plan Several reasons to go to Rhinebeck, NY Friendship The extended Carosella family Candy stripers Mary, who is a big jerk A Sinister entrance The Nasty Boys (more) (again) Karate pants 14-year-old Chris Gethard’s feelings about Jamie Madrox Ionic vampirism Misguided vengeance Pushing back against whitewashing in comics NEXT EPISODE: Emma Frost takes a joyride Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

265 – Rude Awakenings Sep 23, 2019

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Glen Danzig was the most popular Wolverine fancast for a weirdly long time; breasts have physical mass; the Shi’ar empire is not your friend; Deathbird should not be left in charge of anything alive; Jubilee learns about privilege; Sinister is not subtle; plasma is the new magnetism; Scott and Jean return from the future; and Nick Fury probably sews his name into the waistband of all his underpants. X-PLAINED: Some guy from Earth-1610 X-Men: Unlimited #5 X-Men #34-35 Shi’ar sexting A rude awakening (literal) Rococo Stryfe Some uncomfortable fashion choices X-pajamas Definitely nude Charles Xavier Breasts Shi’ar imperial bullshit A very impressive headdress Reality TV... in space! A rude awakening (metaphorical) Shi’ar childhood Negotiation A total dick move Another total dick move Beast’s brief tenure as field leader of the X-Men The return of Threnody The titles of several sex tapes High-tech spelunking Sinister’s secret DNA library Controversial outfits Nick Fury’s stuff Sunset Grace The racism inherent to Evan Sabahnur’s background A question we’ve answered before and will probably answer again NEXT EPISODE: Malice! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

264 – Autotune the Phalanx Sep 16, 2019

In which we celebrate our 100th episode with producer Matt Hunter; you should always be kind to robots; Stryfe has a lot of very petty contingency plans; Britanic is bad at helping; we explore a peculiar pairing of book and arc; Charles Xavier has his moments; and Zero and Douglock defiy destiny.

263 – The Oldest Teens of Them All Sep 09, 2019

In which Cable and Domino may or may not be very old teenagers; disguises are not Dani Moonstar’s strong suit; Empath remains awful; Shatterstar probably talks exactly like a telenovela; X-Force needs an office manager; Mothra is larger than most things; and if you get to choose between being an External or a Guthrie, always be a Guthrie.

262 – Science Fiction Double Feature Sep 02, 2019

In which the Phalanx would make pretty fun novelty candy; “B-Plot” implies that we only have 26; nobody will take Jubilee to the movies; Repo Man and Repo: The Genetic Opera are in fact two entirely different films; Storm is a fashion icon; Sabretooth is the monster in the basement; it’s really rough to be the kid on the X-Men; Yuko gives Gambit a shovel talk; and a number of familiar faces return to the page.

261 – Out of the Subtext, Live from FlameCon with Vita Ayala! Aug 26, 2019

In which we return to our favorite convention; writer Vita Ayala remains an absolute legend; everything was always already queer; and nobody should ever have to wait 37 years for a kiss.

260 – Professor Power’s Prodigal Podcast Aug 19, 2019

In which we explore the aftermath of Multiple Man’s death; X-Factor has a lot of feelings; it probably sucks to grieve with Charles Xavier; neither power nor responsibility is particularly fun; we finally find out who was trying to kill Polaris; Professor Power makes it to the big leagues; and the ‘90s were one long leg day.

259 – Kwannon Leap Aug 12, 2019

In which fix-it fic goes canon (or vice versa); Psylocke is a complicated individual and/or individuals; assassins have complicated personal lives; it is probably ethical to tell your teammates about your camera eyes; Beast takes over Blue Team; we get our first tease of Generation X; Sabretooth is a surprisingly fun narrator; that Hickman fellow seems to know what he’s doing; and you should totally come see us at FlameCon!

258 – True Believers, Opportunists, and Crooks (feat. Lisa Winters) Aug 04, 2019

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Lisa Winters pinch-hits for Jay, we take a trip to the newspaper funnies and back, Spider-Man and Beast are natural BFFs, nothing good ever happens at the Brand Corporation, and "mutant" can be a pretty fuzzy concept. X-PLAINED: Bessie the Hellcow Spider-Man: Mutant Agenda (the newspaper strip storyline) Spider-Man: Mutant Agenda (the comic book miniseries) Spider-Man: Mutant Agenda (the cartoon episodes) Four-color hoards Three-panel newspaper comic structure Sunday strips (and their Mark Trail deceptions) Hero Jaws - a breakfast-based theory Spider-Man (Peter Parker) The Brand Corporation The Beast (Henry McCoy) Narratively convenient Spider Sense Hobgoblin (Jason Macendale Jr.) Goblin gliders Picket signs (*air horn sound*) Finger blasters (heh) Laser cages Arcade’s superpower flowcharts Mutants: newspaper versus comic continuity Coming home to the 90s Lisa’s favorite X-Man Beast’s versatile character design Spider-to-X ratios Dark, tortured heroes Herbert Landon’s selective memory Confirmation bias Anti-mutant cancer goo Ironic reversals Wolverine, the most marketable mutant Evil British accents The most adaptable Spider-Man / X-Men crossovers The X-Men and the newspaper funnies NEXT EPISODE: X-Factor mourns and moves on. Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

257 – The Adventures of Rachel Summers in the 37th Century Jul 22, 2019

In which Rachel Summers’ continuity somehow becomes even more complicated; X-Men: Phoenix is pretty much a Star Wars (minus the stars); cultural appropriation remains a problem in the distant future; we are surprisingly into the origins of the Askani; and you should totally come see us at FlameCon!

256 – Mullets of Time and Space Jul 15, 2019

In which you raised a lot of money for Trans Lifeline; we continue to miss Alan Davis; Rory Campbell should not be narrating a climactic event; Daytripper needs to dial up her eldritch patter; the universe is dubiously self-correcting; Britannic is not nearly weird enough; and we have ongoing concerns about the anatomy of incarnate concepts.

255 – Rules of the Game Jul 08, 2019

In which the Upstarts are the worst at Calvinball; Moonstar remains a non-mystery; Speedball gets a new costume; Shinobi Shaw never gets to finish a bath; Gamesmaster comes perilously close to getting context; Cable gets a new superpower; and Rahne Sinclair is too good for your crossover.

254 – Carry Each Other Jul 01, 2019

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Nicole Miller is fashion designer to Earth-1218 and Earth-616, Jay rejects the word “bestest”, we kind of want to just read every word of X-Men #30 aloud, One is a perfect wedding song for Scott and Jean, and you save the last dance for who brought you. X-PLAINED: The perils of animated weddings X-Men: The Wedding Album Nonstandard trim sizes Misattributed Oscar Wilde quotes Shatterstar’s favorite Olympic event Jean Grey’s short-lived modeling career Computo, Commander of the Robot Hive A most excellent wedding dress Cursive fonts in comics Jean Grey and Jubilation Lee, ambiguously excellent chosen family X-Men #30 An event decades in the making Wolverine, Master of Penmanship Charles Xavier, reader stand-in The largely forgotten Madelyne Pryor The understandably tentative Rachel Summers The bow-tie scene A phenomenal two-page spread A set of perfect vows A bittersweet song for a bittersweet couple Victor Creed, vengeful kitty-cat Rogue and Gambit, best worst wedding guests Video albums vs. Instagram Beast and Banshee, jazz combo Scott and Jean as a couple vs. individuals The necessity of Scott and Jean’s relationship context NEXT EPISODE: Goodbye, Phoenix. Hello, Britanic. Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, or your favorite podcatcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here!

253 – Autumn in the Uncanny Valley Jun 24, 2019

In which an engagement begins; Jean Grey’s Walden Puddle counterpart is definitely Nicole; Cyclops is the telepathic equivalent of a pit trap with spikes at the bottom; Charles Xavier’s subconscious is very dialogue-heavy; nobody ever has appropriate professional boundaries; Cable dabbles in passive aggression; and the best is yet to come.

252 – Snakes on a Trolley Jun 17, 2019

In which Miles invokes Freddie Mercury; Polaris is more competent than the rest of X-Factor put together; Armageddon theology does not intersect well with superpowers (or politics, or anything else); Val joins a cult (kind of); Random joins the team (kind of); Haven is a surprisingly nonviolent mass-murderer; Havok is confused by women; and good guys don’t have orbital lasers.

X-TRA – Jay and Miles Spoil the Hell out of Dark Phoenix Jun 14, 2019

We had a long conversation about Dark Phoenix; and we have uploaded it here for your edutainment! WARNING: CONTAINS A WHOLE LOT OF SPOILERS FOR DARK PHOENIX.

251 – Triple Word Score Jun 10, 2019

In which Jay proposes a new way of comparing superheroes; Beast faces an ethical dilemma; Mister Sinister has an Xavier moment; Sabretooth is a terrible houseguest; Cyclops totally gets what you see in Wolverine; Psylocke would absolutely be into hunting humans for sport; Sage probably vapes; rich people are definitely not like us; Shinobi Shaw is his own best friend; and Classic X-Men backup stories are canonical as hell.

250 – Minding the DNA, feat. Fabian Nicieza Jun 03, 2019

In which writer Fabian Nicieza joins us to talk ‘90s crossovers, narrative legacies, and what Adam X’s word balloons really sound like!

249 – The Parent Trap May 27, 2019

In which Sabretooth is weirdly ubiquitous; Maverick is a terrible guest; not all second chances are equivalent; Graydon Creed is the red delicious apple of people; Mystique is the master of murder monologues; and the Darkholmes give the Summers family a run for its dysfunctional money.

248 – Destructo Woman May 20, 2019

In which Tom Cassidy and Cain Marko may be the most stable couple in the Marvel Universe; Rory Campbell is no Super Doctor Astronaut Peter Corbeau; Siena Blaze remains a big jerk; the Cassidy family has some issues; and we are dismayed by an inexplicable dearth of leprechauns.

247 – The Butt-Kick Scale May 13, 2019

In which the Hand probably doesn’t even offer dental; literally everyone is less creepy than the Joker and Harley Quinn; toxic masculinity is Sabretooth’s adamantium; Mark Trail is a wild ride; Wolverine trashes the dress code and gets funky; Larry Hama is your god now; and Sabretooth: Death Hunt scores a solid six on the butt-kick scale.

246 – Foreshadow Puppets May 06, 2019

In which Danielle Moonstar is not a master of disguise; the MLF are bad enough dudes to kidnap a guy who works near the president; Tempo wasn’t even supposed to be here today; Reignfire is no Magneto; we now desperately want X-Force matryoshka dolls; Feral quits the team; Henry Peter Gyrich fails to learn from experience (or anything else); small children are bad at everything; Shatterstar gets a tagline; Sam Guthrie REALLY needs a vacation; and it’s surprisingly difficult to choose a favorite resurrection.

245 – Natural Causes Apr 29, 2019

In which Rogue flouts air traffic regulations; Jay is very sorry for how badly he butchers Gambit’s accent; stealth is directly proportionate to how loudly you dress; Rogue and Gambit win the gold in Pairs Punchin’; Candra is a big jerk; you should ABSOLUTELY NOT remove an impaled object; Rogue busts through some tropes; and we have complicated feelings about the Ultimate universe.

244 – Terminal Nudity Apr 22, 2019

In which X-Men don’t get to take vacations; Jay makes a somewhat belated announcement; sometimes Gambit is legitimately pretty cool; the assassins get a day-glo-up; The Crow holds up surprisingly well; Gambit gets exiled again; and Artie and Leech damn well better get to live happily ever after.

243 – And Now We Are Five Apr 15, 2019

In which we celebrate a red-letter birthday with a look back at five years of milestones, favorite moments, dubious headwear, and our own convoluted continuity!

242 – Spider-Mansfield Park Apr 08, 2019

In which we encounter one of comics’ greatest rarities; Spider-Man cannot actually do whatever a spider can; Flash Thompson subscribes to the X-Factor school of child endangerment; alliteration is the source of a very specific sort of powers; Spider-Man is not Phil; guilt is Spider-Man’s greatest motivator; we root for the antagonists; Guido Carosella would be an epic Twitter monster; a lot of people have hung out with the X-Men; and Glob Herman is a lovable, gross mystery.

241 – Conducive to Moral Subversion Apr 01, 2019

In which Quicksilver wants you to know that he’s not cool; X-Factor gets a new government liaison; a danger room on a jet is a terrible idea; this team is bad at feelings; Forge is a pretty okay boss; and it remains exceptionally difficult to be Rahne Sinclair.

240 – Live at ECCC 2019, feat. Vita Ayala, Seanan McGuire, & Leah Williams Mar 25, 2019

In which we sit down live at Emerald City Comic Con with writers Vita Ayala, Seanan McGuire, and Leah Williams to talk Age of X-Man, the intergenerational legacy of X-Men, and telling stories in the pauses.

239 – Rap and Rumble (feat. Max Carleton) Mar 19, 2019

In which we enter the era of bomber jackets; the covers are the cards; Genosha remains neither green nor pleasant; the A is for “Avengers,” not “A-list”; Henry Peter Gyrich is the straightest of men; Cyclops sets an important precedent; Exodus is a huge jerk; we speculate about movies we have definitely not seen; Stephen Strange is not a qualified OBGYN; the Avengers are really weird even by our standards; and Max manages to connect two of Marvel’s most complicated family trees.

238 – Meet Them Where They Are Mar 11, 2019

In which X-Force is the new New Mutants; Professor is what Cable has instead of a burn book; Cable develops emotional literacy; Jay has a lot of feelings about Shatterstar; Cowboys can be wizards, too; you really shouldn’t call adult people “child”; privilege is truly the greatest superpower; Cameron Hodge remains improbably difficult to kill; Candy Southern gets to write the ending to her own story; and Emerald City Comic Con is coming up REALLY fast!

237 – X-Treme Mar 04, 2019

In which there is only one Big Pine Key; Empyrean is actually a pretty sensible dude; the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants are ride-or-die; you should probably avoid setting X-Men stories in Phoenix, Arizona; Adam X the X-Treme is the Longshot of the 1990s; Miles adopts a ship; and heteronormativity is why we can’t have nice things.

236 – Baggage of Traumas Past (Fatal Attractions, Part 3) Feb 25, 2019

In which Decimation was kind of sketchy; you should definitely come see us in Seattle; Wolverine has a rough day; Colossus has yet another rough day; Excalibur plans for the future; and Fatal Attractions comes to a close.

235 – Fatal Extractions (Fatal Attractions, Part 2) Feb 18, 2019

In which Magneto may or may not own a Namor body pillow; Cyclops probably doesn’t color-code his files; Colossus is Not Okay; bats are nature’s flashers; there are a lot of reasons to be mad at Fatal Attractions; Charles Xavier is surprisingly durable; the X-Men know their Aeschylus; Jean Grey goes in through the face; and bringing Wolverine to fight the guy who controls metal was probably not a great idea.

234 – Magnetic Feels (Fatal Attractions Part 1) Feb 11, 2019

In which the Acolytes are pretty terrible; Exodus considers his options; Val Cooper is not wildly trustworthy; Cable uses his words; and people with significant metal implants should probably stop confronting Magneto.

233 – Electromagnetism Unlimited Feb 04, 2019

In which X-Men Unlimited begins; Cyclops’s powers remain wildly inconsistent; electromagnetic fields are the gamma rays of the early ‘90s; Siena Blaze should probably take some science courses; Magneto is a complex dude; and the Marvel Universe could really use adequate mental healthcare.

232 – Careful With That Axe, Cerise Jan 28, 2019

In which we’re still not over Into the Spider-Verse; Excalibur becomes an official X-book; Feron tries to help; Butts are fundamental; we care about the weird stuff; threats are unnecessary; and we were all always already Erik the Red.

231 – Life Bites Jan 21, 2019

In which DC is out of our bailiwick; Random gets around; someone finally makes an explicit reference to disability politics; death has not improved the Chalkers; Strong Guy can’t catch a break; we’re all whole other people; Sienna Blaze has a crayon name; we totally want to play D&D with Evan Skolnick; a trading card does not a memorable character make; and we are 100% here for the mutant episode of Sesame Street.

230 – Touchstones Jan 14, 2019

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which tragedy strikes; leisure suits are underappreciated; Jubilee is fundamentally opposed to feelings; that MCU joke would definitely have been hilarious; we have trouble accepting Beast as a 20-something; when Gambit and Rogue work, they work; Wolverine makes an unlikely agony aunt; Dr. Strange was the mentor Illyana Rasputin really needed; and What If: Magik is pretty much a perfect comic. X-PLAINED: The Human High Council Many terrible things that have happened to the Rasputin family Uncanny X-Men #303 X-Men #24 What If: Magik A tonal disconnect Leisure Suit Larry A prospective movie marathon Insecurity Molecular Cohesion Unit The death of Illyana Rasputin (and its aftermath) Death in America A dubious idea for a theme park A reunion Papa Gumbo’s Cajun Cookout Illyana Rasputin and Dr. Strange Navigating vs. erasing trauma Why What If: Magik is absolutely amazing How to cite X-Men volumes Earth-242 (Earth on Fire) NEXT EPISODE: The other X-Cutioner! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

229 – Giant-Size Special #7 Dec 31, 2018

In which we are beset by festivity; Scott Summers still can’t take a vacation; the Daysprings are a really good family; “G’journey” is a really good greeting; Stryfe is his own namesake; retcons have served Cable well; illustrator David Wynne makes his X-Plain podcast debut; and you should probably go ahead and get a shelf for all these awards.

228 – Thinkin’ Shorts Dec 24, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which it still sucks to be a Rasputin; John Romita Jr. has a solid, if muscular, grasp of anatomy; Jay and Miles are better exes than Forge and anyone; and Cannonball’s many younger siblings have almost prepared him for running X-Force. X-PLAINED: Peters Parker The Merry X-Men Holiday Special Comic book release schedules vs. J&MXPtXM Uncanny X-Men #301-302 Trevor F**king Fitzroy, possibly the worst Upstart Comics Code Authority closeting versus real-life closeting 21st Century Torture Devices Risky mood fonts Robert’s Rules of Upstart Order (this week) Gamesmaster vs. the Isolationist Shinobi Shaw: Good At Sex Russian tragedy (more, again) Charles Xavier and his poor decisions Shi’ar tech support Pants and villainy Racist jerks vs. rhetorical questions TIME PARADOX Weirdly specific contingencies Piotr Rasputin and his justified fury X-Force #24 Meaningless (but fun!) timestamps The Friends of Humanity (who are not our friends) Rusty and Skids’ latest arrest Disappointed Dad Sam Guthrie Action vs. public perception Vinz Clortho Domino’s continuing quest to figure out what exactly an X-Force is The dramatic return of… well, you know Spacesuit logistics Numerical universe designations Plastic Warlock NEXT EPISODE: Our Fifth Annual Giant-Size Winter Special! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

227 – Wolverine, Killing Dec 16, 2018

In which Cowboy Poet Wolverine is the best Wolverine; the Masters of the Universe basically had Internet Cat names; Miles has an Early Metallica moment; Wolverine: Killing is just ludicrously excellent; and the hawk joke is somehow still going.

226 – Les Mutants Dec 10, 2018

In which Havok actually used to be pretty great; there are at least four attorneys in the Marvel Universe; Genosha continues to be wildly problematic; Hieronymus Bosch was not Comics Code-compliant; Quicksilver goes on vacation; Polaris has no time for your love triangle; Wolfsbane can maul as many magistrates as she wants; and Multiple Man makes a choice.

225 – Class Reunion (feat. Austin Gorton) Dec 03, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which we check in on Firestar and the New Warriors; superheroes often celebrate Bring Your Mom To The Amazon Day; Fabian Nicieza employs only the finest of lampshades; and Emma Frost still doesn’t apologize for blowing up that pony. X-PLAINED: Vance Astro(vik) Penance (but not that one) Austin Gorton's X-Aminations New Warriors #10 Firestar (Angelica Jones) The New Warriors Visual representations of invisible mutant powers The Hellions (more) (again) Tarot and her Morrisonian powers Bevatrons Oxy-cution The inevitably increasing complexity of superhero origins The Miracle of Microwaves New Warriors #31 Nova Roma Magma (Amara Aquilla) (or Allison Crestmere, I guess) A brief and futile attempt at Roman soldier disambiguation Empath and his large collection of red flags Gender-based intuition A massive, stupid, and quickly undone retcon Super-nature versus super-nurture The hypothetical psychological roots of Emma Frost’s fashion phases NEXT EPISODE: X-Factor finally makes it to Genosha! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

224 – Fix the Future Nov 26, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Alan Davis performs his pièce de résistance; the personification of Death is surprisingly supportive; Rachel Summers is the One True Phoenix; Kitty Pryde goes full '90s; syntax saves the world; and the first Excalibur series should really have ended with #67. X-PLAINED: Origins of Phoenix mythology Excalibur #61-67 The Phoenix Force (more) (again) Rachel Summers (more) (again) Earth-811 (more) (again) Phoenix vs. Galactus A pep talk from Death The One True Phoenix The dark, distant future of 2013 The dark, even more distant future of 2015 The extremely complicated future of Kate Pryde Rory Campbell / Ahab What may or may not be Ahab's theme song Moby Dick, kind of That one time Widget was a car Resistance Coordination Executive Dark Angel Killpower Albion Grace Tangerine Arthur An Excalibur #54 callback Excalibur (the gun) Kitty's new image How to hack the robot apocalypse Saved by the Bell: The College Years Where Excalibur should have ended Tactical use of Magneto's hat Anti-assimilation stories in X-Men NEXT EPISODE: The Passion of Butter Rum (feat. Austin Gorton) Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

223 – Live at Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival Nov 19, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Dracula probably doesn't drink his blood from a World's Greatest Dad mug; Miles massively underestimates the cultural ubiquity of Sexy Dracula; Bill Sienkiewicz may or may not have ever seen a bat; Kitty gets possessed; and Dazzler is singularly well suited to a Vegas residency. X-PLAINED: Dracula's ungrateful children Marvel Dracula A fortuitously named writer Rachel Van Helsing X-Men #159 (again) (briefly) Sexy Dracula The secret origin of sexy Draculas Fastball Special body mechanics X-Men Annual #6 A nightmare "Bats" Yet another Castle Dracula The Montesi Formula Sound effects, spoken or otherwise Lilith Chairs The relative efficacy of holy symbols against Dracula X-Vegas Characters we have grown to love as a result of the podcast NEXT EPISODE: Fix the future! Check out the visual companion to this episode--along with Jay's convention sketches--on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

222 – A Tale of Two Betsys Nov 12, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which it has been a pretty intense month; there is a lot to unpack about Psylocke; we are confused by hip teen lingo; Cyclops definitively lacks game; organized crime is anything but; and the mystery of the third Summers brother officially begins. X-PLAINED: How the Maximoffs joined the Avengers X-Cutioner's Song fallout An X-ceptionally convoluted set of retcons X-Men #20-23 How not to repair an airplane One way to get out of an awkward conversation Several Betsys Braddock Revanche Dubiously organized crime Kwannon Nyorin's diary Awkward family conversations Mike Milbury Twin Peaks Season 3 Akira Yoshida NEXT EPISODE: Dracula in Vegas! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

221 – Better Than LEGO Nov 06, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Miles stops worrying and learns to love X-Force; you should absolutely not google the phrase "face jam"; the kids take a field trip to Graymalkin; Jay reverse-engineers Shatterstar's hair; Donald Pierce gets a new job; Sam Guthrie is the most trustworthy man in the Marvel Universe; Cable is your guns grandma; Professor earns its name; X-Force really only has one setting; and not every Sluggo is lit. X-PLAINED: A bunch of stuff Quicksilver did Several cats X-Force #20-23 The Externals (more) (again) A deeply unlikely hairstyle Graymalkin / Ship / Professor A somewhat one-sided reunion Yahoos Inaccurate arithmetic Why Feral sounds like that Neither Tom, Dick, nor Harry War Machine (James Rhodes) Salvage Sam Guthrie's long trail of dead father figures Shatterstar How to fight an External The seventh plague What Domino's been up to Hammer's mom Tigerstryke (more) (again) Sluggo (but not that Sluggo) Learning to appreciate the '90s NEXT EPISODE: Psylocke Vs. Revanche! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

220 – On Your Bike Oct 29, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which we approach the end of Alan Davis's Excalibur run; "duopenultimate" is not actually a word; Captain Britain pops the question; we do in fact (kinda) get follow-up on Alysande Stuart's death; Miles needs to get a little less credulous about bureaucrats' good intentions; Shadowcat engages in espionage; Nightcrawler and Cerise are tactically saucy; and the sun definitely ought to set on the British Empire. X-PLAINED: Warpies Excalibur #61-65 The Jaspers Warp (more) (again) The RCX (more) (again) Agents Gabriel and Michael What happened to Jay's mom's Hypercolor™ T-shirt What not to do with a dead parrot Several Hamlet references Scott Wright (MicroMax) The Cherubim Cloud Nine Agent Peter (Nigel Orpington-Smythe) Warpie naming conventions Beetroot Screen tone An idiom Evasive makeouts A specific thing on The Gifted Why Kitty Pryde tends to go by her given name NEXT EPISODE: Space Fight! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

219 – Brutal Hearts: An Appreciation of Emma Frost (feat. Seanan McGuire, Leah Williams, Tea Fougner, Kel McDonald, and Diana Fox) Oct 22, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Jay recruits X-writers Seanan McGuire and Leah Williams, cosplayer Tea Fougner, and innocent bystanders Kel McDonald and Diana Fox, for a night of Emma Frost appreciation. X-PLAINED: Why Emma Frost is amazing; why we love her; and why you should, too. NEXT EPISODE: Return of the RCX! WHITE QUEEN COCKTAIL RECIPE: Combine: 1.5 oz gin .5 oz rose elderflower syrup Splash of elixir vegetal Prosecco to fill glass Top off with: Smoke bitters No visual companion this week! Go read some comics about Emma Frost! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

218 – Careful What You Lick Oct 15, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which X-Cutioner's Song may be over, but its repercussions continue; Uncanny X-Men hits a major milestone; superhero comics are and always have been political; Bishop learns to banter; the X-Men gain an unlikely ally; and Magneto remains exceptionally difficult to kill. X-PLAINED: Jay & Miles at VVCBF Uncanny X-Men #298-300 The Acolytes (more) (again) The Upstarts (more) (again) Several important lessons A very fancy room A very fancy brain The unpleasant fate of Sharon Friedlander The all-new, all-different Acolytes Carmella Unuscione The return of one of our favorite antagonists A sick burn The fate of Asteroid M Molting A debate Graydon Creed (more) (again) The tentative redemption of Robert Kelly How to lose a debate with Joe Biden A large number of prescient political references Friends of Humanity How to engage with a fascist in a televised debate Noah DuBois Fatale A generic rural mob Milan A narratively convenient superpower Amelia Voght Seamus Mellencamp Neophyte The gospel of Magneto A joyous reunion The helmet that wouldn't die Ponytail ethics Timelust Several accents The current state of Rogue's powers NEXT EPISODE: All Emma All Episode (feat. Seanan McGuire, Leah Williams, and more)! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

217 – Piotr the Obscure Oct 08, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which it sucks to be a Rasputin; X-Men and Uncanny X-Men muddy the waters; Cyclops and Psylocke's weird flirtation somehow manages to get even more awkward; Colossus has a long series of bad days; and you should totally come see us at Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival. X-PLAINED: An atypical curriculum Jay & Miles at Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival X-Men #17-19 What Colossus and Magik have been up to X-Men title disambiguation The terrible fate of the town of Neftelensk Blind Faith (Alexi Garnov) Darkstar (Laynia Petrovna) Darkstar Beard auras Cathartic interdimensional landscaping Flagwatch 113 Red Flag 113 An awkward encounter The Soul Skinner The tactical value of cute little ears Dubious cold-weather apparel Jude the Obscure Weaponized angst An inopportune coloring error Lack of pants Whether Pyro could control Jubilee's "fireworks" How to enjoy dated comics NEXT EPISODE: Uncanny X-Men hits a major milestone! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

216 – X-Amining X-Factor (feat. Dr. Andrea Letamendi) Oct 01, 2018

In which Dr. Andrea Letamendi of Arkham Sessions joins us to analyze some analysis; Doc Samson has major scope-of-practice issues; Ren & Stimpy references continue to fail to age well; it's hard to be Quicksilver; Val Cooper is not your friend; Polaris pretty much always deserves better; Charles Xavier should not be allowed to inhabit positions of power; and labels are often not the best tools for good representations of mental illness and neurodivergence. X-PLAINED: A very high-stakes 3-D puzzle X-Factor #87 Doc Samson Making talking heads interesting Wolfsbane's relationship to pop culture Appropriate boundaries Several remarkable fashion choices Pietro Maximoff in perspective Therapeutic assessment vs. intervention The extremely tragic backstory of Jamie Madrox Imposter syndrome A brief history of Polaris's brushes with possession A really poorly planned and presented sequence Consequences of armchair diagnosis Interactions of telepathy and psychology Legion as a portrayal of mental illness Writing mental illness in fiction NEXT EPISODE: Rasputin Family Reunion! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

215 – Mon de Orb Uno Sep 24, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which we finally emerge from the other side of X-Cutioner's Song; rich people are different from us; Brian Braddock is probably not comfortable with menstruation; Dai Thomas cleans up pretty well; someone FINALLY remembers Sat-Yr-9; Psylocke knows how to defend herself from a man armed with a banana; the (non-Internet) trolls return; and we are fairly sure that Gambit does not actually speak French. X-PLAINED: Winzeldorf Excalibur (so far) Excalibur #55-58 Lip massage The death of Alysande Stuart A banana fight Alchemy (again) Many trolls A fairly joyous reunion The Brussels Sewer Museum A fake heel turn Our hopes and worries for the New Mutants movie Comics covers NEXT EPISODE: X-Factor vs. Therapy, with Guest X-Pert Dr. Andrea Letamendi! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

214 – Stryfe’s Burn Book Sep 17, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which "wolves" proves a remarkably broad category in the 616; we at least nominally wrap up X-Cutioner's Song; Stryfe could really use a style guide; we issue our first-ever music challenge; Jubilee is an agent of chaos; Gambit's powers are a metaphor; Charles Xavier has a complicated relationship to disability; the quality of Jay's penmanship is a matter of official record; Boom Boom is a remarkably good costume designer; Cannonball comes into his own as a leader; and every "WHAT?!" you hear on this show is fresh and original. X-PLAINED: Wolves, to a very limited extent Jay & Miles (kinda) at NYCC Transcripts X-Cutioner's Song Stryfe's Strike File Uncanny X-Men #297 X-Force #19 A gentle bird caught in a swirling tornado of lust and desperation Shades of me Shades of you Shades of them Our first-ever music challenge Some foreshadowing Nostalgia A very nice hug The one good side effect of Stryfe's technoorganic virus Charles Xavier vs. disability politics Several practical jokes in very poor taste Teacher-student bonding An excellent epithet Some lettering choices An extended Hail Caesar riff The Clooney Scale An enduring mystery Clone powers Exclamatory logistics NEXT EPISODE: Hey, remember Excalibur? MUSIC CHALLENGE: Write and record a song based on or using text from Stryfe's Strike File (or any of his rants from X-Cutioner's Song)! Send your masterpieces (or links to 'em) to xplainthexmen(at)gmail(dot)com, with the subject STRYFE SONG! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

213 – Live from FlameCon, feat. Sina Grace, Magdalene Visaggio, and Leah Williams Sep 10, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Leah dives headfirst into the world of con panels; Magdalene will burn down your idols; Sina is a fashion icon; none of the X-Men are straight (but they do share a sweater); you can't spell "gay sex" without X; and we are all very, VERY in love with FlameCon. Special thanks to Sina, Mags, Leah, Matt, Maya, Tea, Anna, the Discord crowd, and all our amazing listeners and patrons! NEXT EPISODE: Stryfe's Burn Book! Check out some of our FlameCon photos and sketches on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

212 – Drumbeats of Despair: X-Cutioner’s Song (Part 3 or 3) Sep 03, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which nobody but Stryfe's diary understands him; Apocalypse is the best at what he does (and what he does is remarkably versatile); Scott and Jean weaponize their clichés; Jae Lee does his best Patrick Nagel; Apocalypse is poisonous; Cable goes full T-800; nothing good ever happens to Cyclops on the moon; Stryfe dies as passive-aggressively as he lived; and X-Cutioner's Song finally concludes. X-PLAINED: How Cable dies The Story So Far Still more trading-card taxonomy Uncanny X-Men #296 X-Factor #86 X-Men #16 X-Force #18 An AU we'd like to read The not-Stüssy S How to effectively reference X-Men #137 A decoy baby An abortive escape Moon gravity Revelatory vandalism A trip to the moon A probably excessive number of hawk facts Various daring rescues How to kill time in space Cathexes A very fancy moon base The cavalry, kind of Stryfe vs. Cable An X-Cellent epilogue Several Silent Hill 2 references Stryfe's Legacy Pawnee, Indiana vs. Marvel Sexy high-security prisons of the future NEXT EPISODE: Live from FlameCon, featuring Sina Grace, Magdalene Visaggio, and Leah Williams! Special thanks to Matt for the subject of this episode's cold open; and to the Protomen for use of their cover of "Total Eclipse of the Heart." Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

211 – A Cornucopia of Mayhem: X-Cutioner’s Song (Part 2 of 3) Aug 27, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Jubilee is underwhelmed by X-Force; Havok and Gambit make weirdly good buddy cops; Department K is a hot vacation destination; Cable is secretly a Coen Brothers protagonist; you can cancel Community but you can never take away Jay's gratuitous Community references; Rusty goes full cultist; nobody is Stryfe's real dad; smoking on a space station is a REALLY bad idea; Apocalypse is here to help; and Miles lies at length about music. X-PLAINED: Kuurth Various Juggernauts The Story So Far More trading-card taxonomy Uncanny X-Men #295 X-Factor #85 X-Men #15 X-Force #17 Varyingly hilarious misunderstandings Wire Mothers: Harry Harlow and the Science of Love What happened Good Cop / Sleazy Cop A deal A tragic absence of Draculas The Coen Brothers' X-Cutioner's Song Thanksgiving with Cable Miles's summer camp hijinks Murderbots in space (again) A dubious strategy MLF Redshirts The second time someone force-fed superheroes baby food in space A dropped plot thread Things you shouldn't do on space stations Additional awkward reunions Whether Stryfe is a Summers The X-Cutioner's signature karaoke song NEXT EPISODE: Dang, this event is long. Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

210 – The End of Tomorrow: X-Cutioner’s Song (Part 1 of 3) Aug 20, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which you may or may not have your own Black Bug Room; FlameCon was in fact every bit as wonderful as we projected (and more); Caliban hates true love; no one will ever be as extra as Mister Sinister; X-Cutioner's Song is secretly a farce; we achieve Peak Cable; and the quintessential '90s crossover event begins! X-PLAINED: The Black Bug Room A good deal of pre-event status quo Uncanny X-Men #294 X-Factor #84 X-Men #14 X-Force #16 Trading card taxonomy The opening strains of a crossover event A concert that worked out better in theory than in practice An abduction Several attempted murders A large number of awkward reunions An even larger number of inter-team brawls Two villains pretending to be other villains Cape logistics Peak Cable Many pouches Many guns The origin of Hope Summers Our hopes for mutants in the MCU NEXT EPISODE: Aw, Stryfe, no. NOTE: At one point in this episode, Miles said "X-Force" when he actually meant "X-Factor." If you can tell us where, you win the prize of eternal smugness (not as much smugness as Sinister, but still a lot). Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

209 – To Me, My X-Books; feat. Jordan D. White Aug 12, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which we welcome Marvel editor Jordan D. White to the podcast to talk about the current state of the X-Universe! X-PLAINED: The cosmic luck balance Mr. Dapples A remarkable concurrence of luck Our FlameCon live show lineup What an X-Men group editor does How X-books happen Longshot Saves the Marvel Universe Shatterstar Jordan's history with X-Men Uncanny X-Men: First Class Wolverine: First Class Whether Deadpool is an X-Man (No.) Mercurial mutancy What defines the X-Men Queer X-characters (and their absence) Problematic namesakes Sailors X Drawing lines on social media Why to read modern X-Men Uncanny X-Men NEXT EPISODE: X-CUTIONER'S SONG BEGINS! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

208 – The X-Patriots Aug 06, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which nobody wears the pants in the X-Plain family; Havok is a remarkably okay boss; Polaris may want to find a new doctor; Quicksilver has no time for your nonsense; we are very conditionally okay with resurrections; and if you spoil Season 5 of Steven Universe for Miles, we will never ever ever forgive you. X-PLAINED: Jay & Miles at FlameCon Advantages of recording remotely X-Factor #81-83 What Genosha's been up to Prodigal An impassioned speech An unfortunate accident Yet another return(ish) of Sauron Chain of command Lukas Pirouette Yet another justification for the name of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants Phantazia (again) Immovable vs. unstoppable What you do on a boat Taylor When Havok still cared "The Mutant Rap" Adventures in New York How to bond with Quicksilver An angry mob A derailed storyline The ignominious death of Rick Chalker Our opinions on the revolving door of death X-Men vs. electronics Superheroes from the Balkans Theoretical X-Men and Steven Universe team-ups NEXT EPISODE: X-Editor Jordan D. White! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

207 – Blood and Metal Jul 30, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Miles has a Dracula problem; we are really, really excited about FlameCon; Fabian Nicieza is the unsung hero of the early '90s; Jay doesn't explain the Iranian Hostage Crisis; Cable does not have a good history with trademark disputes; Cable: Blood and Metal is secretly an allegory for the X-books of the early 1990s; friendship and explosions don't have to be mutually exclusive; and history evokes but doesn't quite repeat itself. X-PLAINED: Dracula disambiguation One way to stop a vampire invasion Wang beams Cable: Blood and Metal #1-2 The continuing miracle that is Fabian Nicieza Cable (as established in 1992) Stryfe The Wild Pack and/or Six Pack The ongoing evolution of John Romita, Jr. Tolliver Several heists of varying quality Numerous patches and their contents How the Wild Pack became the Six Pack An idiom, examined A total dick move Muscles-and-guns power creep Guns of tomorrow The McNinja point A brief flirtation with Magic: The Gathering A typo that became canon The new She-Ra The new, improved Garrison Kane European nipple lasers Mr. Richter The evolution of Cable NEXT EPISODE: X-Factor gets political. Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

206 – Anatomy of a Phoenix Jul 23, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which you should all come see us at FlameCon; all lizards are good lizards; we recap a recap; the Phoenix force is really complicated; Earth-99476 may or may not be the secret history of Earth-616; Alan Davis takes on continuity; the X-Men fail to save the day; the Phoenix says its piece; Rachel takes a vacation in space; Captain Britain doesn't like to be psychoanalyzed; and the Crazy Gang gets a happy ending. X-PLAINED: Evil Shadowcats Jay & Miles at FlameCon Excalibur #51, 52, and 54 A brief history of Excalibur The Phoenix Force A recap of a recap What this episode isn't covering Lizard Excalibur The most meta t-shirt in the multiverse Several long-ago Halloween costumes Dinosaurs of Earths-616 and -99476 National Lampoon Vacation apocrypha Earth-99476 and its Savage Land The Fantastic Five A vow of vengeance Feron as an antecedent to Kubark Alan Davis's modern authorial counterpart A telepathic journey The full history of the Phoenix Force (as established circa 1991) Inherited vs. inherent mutant powers (and a No-Prize explanation thereof) The rehabilitation of Rachel Summers Several retcons yet to come Jean Grey's inconsistent relationship to the Phoenix Force A mysterious disappearance What the Crazy Gang has been up to The nicest kind of twist A very easy way to make Kitty Pryde textually queer Differentiating X-teams The X-Plain Discord Strong Guy's new hobby NEXT EPISODE: Cable: Blood & Metal UPDATE: Not only can birds see color, but they can see a wider spectrum than humans. THE MORE YOU KNOW! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

205 – Back to Basics Jul 16, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Jay returns from Latveria; Sabretooth is significantly less menacing in French; Fabian Nicieza takes the reins; X-Force wins our hearts and minds; Gideon plunders Flash Gordon's wardrobe; Crule does not actually rule; Rictor was right; Ship is the friend who helps you move, but better; the X-Force kids strike out on their own; and it's probably impossible to explain Joseph too much. X-PLAINED: The secret origin of Gideon How to get deported from Latveria Marvel en français X-Force #11-15 Some gratuitous posturing Pico What the actual Domino has been up to One hell of an outfit Peacock powers Crule A comical mix-up A somewhat radical cosmology A very dramatic strike force Tygerstryke X-Force post-Liefeld Weapon P.R.I.M.E. A four-page spread A fight for one is a fight for all Vance Astro The death of Copycat Things only Cable and Domino could do Joseph (more) (again) Marvel style and its evolution NEXT EPISODE: Fire, life, and backstory! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

204 – Naughty By Nurture Jul 09, 2018

In which Jay runs away to Latveria (but Hub is here to save the day!); you shouldn't eat the brown promethium; Magneto and Cap fight over the world's tiniest man; Rom is somewhat set in his ways; all anyone in the 616 really wants out of a disguise is plausible deniability; and Hub was inside your heart all along (and you might want to see a doctor about that). X-PLAINED: Several Limbos Captain America Annual #4 Captain America vs. Magneto The return of the theoretical Magnetostache The Great Mutant Massacre (but not that one) Drunk-at-a-wedding Magneto Mister One Mister Two Ghost Writer Peeper Lifter Burner Slither Shocker Skin suffocation Rom #17-18 The Toy Collector Dick Warlock, revisited, more, again Bill Mantlo Rom: Spaceknight Dire Wraiths The secret lives of inanimate objects Brandy Clark and Steve Jackson Jacob the Dire Wraith and His No-Good Son Jimmy The smell of evil Swiss army eyeballs Sidekicks for the Transformers NEXT EPISODE: The Return of Rictor! Special thanks to Emergency Back-Up Cohost Hub of Titan Up the Defense! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

203 – The X-Man’s Burden Jul 01, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which the Morlocks used to have more agency, we have a surprising amount to say about the Rat King from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Archangel receives some exceptionally disturbing news, and 90s comics are all about finding the parts you love. X-PLAINED: Marrow’s internal organs The post-Image Exodus era Judging books by their covers Uncanny X-Men #291-293 Sexy dead girls (again) The Morlock leadership vacuum A significant Callisto personality retcon Failures of leadership due to own-death-faking The magical life and magical death of the Morlock Sewer Wizard Science Made Stupid Storm’s claustrophobia (again) MeMe, scourge of Miles’s childhood 90s Jean Grey: cartoon vs comic The Br’er Rabbit Technique Some unfortunate and significant continuity errors Professor Xavier’s impressive upper body strength Mikhail Rasputin’s genuinely terrifying mutant powers Bobby Drake’s potential Morlock organizational techniques Mikhail Rasputin’s very bad plan Jean Grey’s real talk The Home for Infinite Losers Piotr Rasputin, tragedy collector Copyright law and Fair Use Queer headcanon X-beards NEXT EPISODE: Hub from Titan Up the Defense joins Miles to talk Bronze Age X-weirdness! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

202 – Rhapsody in Blue (and Gold) Jun 25, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which music is dangerous and confusing, Jamie Madrox has a weakness for femmes fatale, the term "f-holes" makes Miles turn 12, and we bid a fond farewell to Larry Stroman. X-PLAINED: That time Havok was the nexus of all realities How to get to Florida, Magneto style X-Factor #79-81 Lesser-used applications of super-speed Rhapsody (Rachel Argosy) Mutant late bloomers The surprising convenience and safety of fictional shop windows Excalibur-weird vs. X-Factor-weird Tiny cellos The worst kid in the neighborhood A creative use of mutant powers Whether Madrox creates duplicates during sex (again) Astral wheat fields Musical manslaughter Sean Young (who is decidedly not Catwoman) Hell's Belles Rahne's World Polaris's body image issues Beefiness disambiguation Wolfsbane's conditional poker face Cyber (Silas Burr) Strong Guy, who just works here, man Alex Summers, inspiring and/or deceptive authority figure Bringing back the classics (and when not to) The surprisingly homogenous Multiverse NEXT EPISODE: Mikhail Rasputin ruins everything. Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

201 – Pump Up the Jam Jun 18, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which we begin our third podcast century; Cyclops is bi-inclusive; we have high standards for Mojoworld; Dazzler can survive your big-budget horror show; Jim Lee makes his exit; video games that involve Protomen are better than video games that don't; and plasma is the new magnetism. X-PLAINED: Carter Ryking and his Very Durable Underpants Fontanelle Jay & Miles Town Cry ye X-Men An upcoming event X-Men #10-13 A somewhat disappointing Wizard of Oz pastiche Those who like to go both ways A mysterious, shadowy figure; revealed Several of Cyclops's uncoolest Dad moments Zima Moist Alley Mojo II: The Sequel The Image exodus Mojonium™ An announcement Longshot in the Mojoverse vs. Longshot in the 616 A Maverick adventure Alexander Ryking The other Xavier File Warhawk The Ryking Hospital for Paranormal Research A poorly defined power set Technicolor skeletons When and where paper was invented A likely-irrelevant pattern The devil who haunts Stryfe's dreams Some non-X Marvel recommendations Rusty Collins's codename NEXT EPISODE: A musical interlude with X-Factor! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

200 – Lightning in a Bottle, with Louise Simonson Jun 03, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which we celebrate a major milestone with the coolest person ever to work on the X-books and look back at the last four-plus years of the podcast; and nobody ends up on trial at the Hague. NEXT WEEK: Jay & Miles take a much-needed vacation. NEXT EPISODE: The X-Men take the fight to Mojoworld! Check out our blog for links to the stuff we discussed in this episode! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

199 – Space, Geeks, and Gaveedra Seven May 28, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Shattershot is definitely better than the Cold War; Beast X-plains the X-teams; Cyclops is a tired babysitter; sustenance is not frivolous; Jim Henson is the hero that Mojoworld needs; Shatterstar is not a great head of state; it's hard to be Val Cooper; and Cable has definitely figured out how to take you (yes, YOU) out. X-PLAINED: Astra Content-to-story ratio The Mojoverse (more) (again) Longshot Shatterstar (Gaveedra Seven) Spiral (Ricochet Rita) Arize X-Men Annual #1 Uncanny X-Men Annual #16 X-Factor Annual #10 X-Force Annual #1 A pivotal battle Mujahideen A callback Several denizens of Mojoworld X-Team disambiguation The Death Sponsors A dubious solution to the Kobayashi Maru scenario Whether Arize is a mutant Telepathic favoritism Spiral's origin story A new regime Earth-84309 Powerpax (Frankie Power) Darkchild Cyberlock A metasingularity A large number of back-up features The X-Men's top ten enemies Amalgam (but not that one) Darick Robertson's juvenilia The return of Taki The Cable Protocols Brazilian Marvel characters Our feelings about Laura Kinney's backstory NEXT EPISODE: Louise Simonson CORRECTION: BonziBuddy was not released until 1999. We regret the error. Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

198 – How to Destroy the Universe Without Really Trying May 20, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Excalibur goes 16-bit platformer; Alysande gets new threads; Shadowcat should probably just change her code name to Ripley; Captain Britain may or may not destroy the universe; Doctor Doom tries his hand at human resources; Excalibur is at home with weirdness; and no lizard needs breasts. X-PLAINED: Invisible Boy Human heralds of Galactus Excalibur Special Editions Excalibur: Air Apparent Excalibur: XX Crossing Dr. Jonothon Cayre Norm the LMD Lava pits of Scotland Some dubious herpetology Eric the Cyborg (Coldblood-7) Robert Cop Special Man Air-Walker and/or Gabriel Lam A cosmic explosion Captain Britain's extra costume Sidestep An exceptionally awkward job interview A counterintuitive plan The other time-displaced X-Men The best version of Angel Angel's third-greatest nemesis Gladiator Hank A very fancy vest The best Excalibur Special Edition The Phalanx vs. the Technarchy Warlock vs. gender Our thoughts on Avengers: Infinity War Note: according to the letter column from Excalibur #54, at least some of the art credits for Excalibur: XX Crossing were incorrect, so some of our descriptions of who drew what in this episode are wrong. See the comments below for more information! NEXT EPISODE: Shattershot! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

197 – Wolverine and the Honker of Doom May 14, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Wolverine is an eternal teenager; most of what Jay knows about Hawaii comes from Lilo and Stitch; Shiv is a complicated fellow; Nightcrawler represents an unattainable beauty standard; the Easter Bunny flies at dawn; Wolverine: The Jungle Adventure is delightful; Logan inadvertently starts a cult; Gahk does as she pleases; Jay and Miles are going to FlameCon; and we are all now Honkers forever. X-PLAINED: What Bloodscream and Roughouse have been up to Albert and Elsie Dee An unorthodox vocal warm-up Wolverine: Bloody Choices Wolverine: The Jungle Adventure The Wolverine formula Kamehameha Day (which Jay mispronounced; sorry!) Mr. Bullfinch Mr. Kapeland Shiv Doc Corbel Nick Fury's penmanship How retail works Secret agents, maybe A stimulating combination Karate pants A darker, grittier version of the Easter bunny Wolverine's apocryphal childhood Characters who can pull off the Wolverine hairstyle Don Adams as Wolverine Win/win murder scenarios Two adult men discussing their feelings Honkers Cargo cults The Tribe of Fire Gahck Some romance A Spiny Honker The Honker of Doom Pit traps, with and without shallow holes A dastardly but ineffectual plot Apocalypse, kind of One of Wolverine's many kids (who may or may not be Erista) Jay & Miles at FlameCon 2018 How to get us at your local convention Reading comics with Miles's dad Seriously, though: honkers NEXT EPISODE: Even more Excaliburs Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

196 – The Power Is Yours May 07, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which space bugs break time; you may already be a member of Excalibur; Earth-616 remains somewhat baffled by basic telecommunications technology; you should absolutely not order monkeys from an ad in a comic book; Widget gets a new look; Excalibur gets a new logo; Merlin X-Plains everything; and Rachel gets in touch with her roots. X-PLAINED: The Timebroker Excalibur #48-50 What "fair use" doesn't mean Penis bones, revisited Feron Prophylactic levitation Several inaccurate flashbacks Someone who is neither a Nazi nor Charles Xavier Necrom (again) The art of heroic exposition Monastic population maintenance Mail-order monkeys Widget's new look Kylun's mutant power Several alternate Excaliburs The True Secret Purpose of Excalibur The new Excalibur logo Fighting weird with weird A whole lot of history Phoenix vs. Anti-Phoenix Some very epic thwarting The end of an era Alan Davis's Excalibur How we work alternate timelines into coverage Bishop and Deathbird as a couple NEXT EPISODE: Wolverine: The Jungle Adventure and Bloody Choices! UPDATE: Apparently the dead mail-order monkeys were apocryphal, although we were able to dig up some fairly nightmarish accounts of live mail-order monkeys. ...Yay? Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

195 – Johnny Got His Robot Arm Apr 30, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Jay may have Stockholm syndrome; Nick Fury is objectively sillier than G. W. Bridge; we get a brief artistic reprieve; Cable's legal expertise does not extend to trademarks; our favorite Ship returns; Miles's grandmother calls it like it is; Sauron is bad at taxonomy; and Garrison Kane is basically a very violent Inspector Gadget. X-PLAINED: Brother Mutant X-Force #8-10 X-Force (again) A protracted flashback The Wild and/or Six Pack A heist A trap Yet more Ed Wood references A future The Professor (Ship) Gratuitous face shadows A mystery Cable casting Several misplaced word balloons The logistics of tentacle arms The High Lords (Externals) Michael Bay's Johnny Got His Gun General Clark and his diving suit Good Magneto stories How to get your dad into X-Men NEXT EPISODE: Excalibur vs. the Anti-Phoenix! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

194 – Brood Trouble in the Big Easy Apr 23, 2018

In which Ghost Rider has some fairly serious medical issues; you should probably never invite Bishop to a picnic; Gambit's past catches up with him; it's always Mardi Gras in Fictional New Orleans; Wolverine is thrilled; and Jay swears a solemn vow. X-PLAINED: The Tithe The Momentary Princess The T'ieves Guild Why real New Orleans doesn't have catacombs X-Men #8-9 Ghost Rider #26-27 The abstract idea of Nicholas Cage Genesis The last of the X-Men A sick burn A picnic Boundaries Bella Donna Boudreaux and her many apostrophes Ghost Rider Psegway Julian Boudreaux How not to respond to a speeding ticket The Bootie Man Horse names vs. katana names Cathartic excess X-holidays Doomsday Good characters from awful events NEXT EPISODE: The Externals, for our sins Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

193 – Sewers of Tomorrow Apr 15, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which we pour one out for Malcolm and Randall; Cyclops is the worst at fun; Storm is better than you and always will be; Bishop forgets his first name; the X-Men can't tie bow ties; Iceman's dad is spectacularly awful; Mikhail Rasputin may have some lingering issues; and Doug Ramsey would probably have been pretty entertained by Hackers if he had survived long enough to see it. X-PLAINED: Whether Professor Xavier is dead Marvel time vs. podcast time Uncanny X-Men #287-290 The Wit and Wisdom of Henry McCoy A dance of death and destruction Styglut Future flashbacks Sewers of tomorrow The Witness "Fun" Blood math A mysterious letter A terrible date Several capes The return of the cyburai A theoretical Hackers crossover NEXT EPISODE: Brood trouble in the Big Easy! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

192 – Meet the N-Men Apr 09, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Alan Davis's Excalibur is a spiritual sibling to The Muppet Show; Captain Britain gets a Captain Britain lesson; Opal Luna Saturnyne has no time for your nonsense; Meggan and Rachel take a brief detour into a Hammer film; Earth-148 is extra heroic; no member of Excalibur will ever use a bathroom in peace; Cerise joins the team; Technet embraces the future; and the end of the world is nigh. X-PLAINED: Pixie's powers and parentage Several eccentricities of Jay's apartment Excalibur #45-47 Earth-148 (Ee'rath) Comics pacing vs. podcast pacing Technet (more) (again) Amelia Witherspoon and several references related thereto The N-Men How to Captain Britain The multiversal significance of the lighthouse A portentous chess game A particularly aggressive retcon The return of the Neuri The real Meggan Necrom A heroic death The true curse of Excalibur Some very specific citations A reunion Kylun (Colin McKay) A blessed event Cerise Whether Rogue can control Cyclops's powers Laura Kinney's upcoming reversion to X-23 NEXT EPISODE: Bishop joins the X-Men! ENTIRELY IRRELEVANT UPDATE: The wall on which Jay was attempting to mount a desk turned out to be plaster over sheetrock. Office plans are being revised accordingly. Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

191 – Unconscionably Sexy (feat. Kelly Thompson) Apr 01, 2018

In which writer Kelly Thompson joins us to talk Rogue and Gambit; Antarctica is Earth's answer to the Blue Area of the Moon; Kelly unfreezes one of the great X-romances; Rogue has walked a mile in everyone's shoes; you should probably not take romantic cues from fictional characters; Gambit should always wear hot pink; and continuity is fundamentally messy. X-PLAINED: What happened in Antarctica The Trial of Gambit Rogue and Gambit Narrative tension vs. growth Dueling accents Kelly's defining Rogue and Gambit stories The cool-versus-creepy line Making deep cuts accessible The evolution of Rogue The future of the X-line Favorite costumes Equal-opportunity objectification Fundamental contradictions of continuity Hawkeye team-ups Date night with Rogue and Gambit MTV's Are You the One RomCom hybrids NEXT EPISODE: Meet the N-Men! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

190 – Local Yokels Mar 26, 2018

In which the term "bloodlust" shows up a lot in popular culture; Wolverine pees between panels; Michael Higgins has a lot to answer for; Jay wants to fight a comic book; Nightcrawler's limbs have never seemed more potent; Florida kids don't understand basements; and Doug Ramsey didn't die for this. X-PLAINED Chaos War Destiny's diaries Wolverine: Bloodlust Excalibur: The Possession Bloodlust Several approaches to sound effects The greatest sound effect Perfect binding Several men who may or may not be Santa Claus The Christmas spirit Saskia The Hair Some varyingly graphic murders The Alshra The Neuri Wendigo rules Adamantium vs. healing factor Where Wolverine pees A statement of enmity Potent limbs Mr. Kaplan Weird happenings A man who is very obviously Merlin Some pedagogy An unfavorable Ed Wood comparison The Changeling (again) X-Force P.R. Space bros NEXT EPISODE: Romance and Banter with Kelly Thompson! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

189 – How Do You Solve a Problem Like Nate Summers? Mar 21, 2018

In which Jay's mom broke the Internet; correct credits are important; everyone has a Danger Room; no one needs that many teeth; there are so many reasons to laugh at Stryfe; the Watcher is probably affiliated with Pepperidge Farm; Boom Boom is the Rogue of X-Force; and Cable's pouches are definitely full of menstrual products. X-PLAINED: The Franklin Richards of Earth X The One True Cable X-Force #5-7 Pocket-Size Juggernaut A novel approach to trauma surgery A moment of intersectionality Teeth of the early '90s Soft pink bags of rice-paper flesh A villain speech X-Force's bathtub Several Shel Silverstein poems that may or may not be about superheroes Cooking with Boom Boom Why the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants keeps the "Evil" in their name Thornn (Lucia Callasantos) Phantazia Writers vs. Scripters Sex Ed at the Xavier School The Worst Twitter Thread NEXT EPISODE: BLOODLUST! (But not inquiry.) Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

188 – Live from ECCC, feat. Bret Blevins, Rachelle Rosenberg, and Ramon Villalobos Mar 12, 2018

In which Jay makes a sartorial switch; Hope Summers is less confusing than you might expect; we are very happy to present our first all-artist convention special; Ramon kills his idols; Rachelle deciphers the past; Bret (re)defines New Mutants; a long-time mystery is resolved; colorists deserve more respect; the Xavier School probably has an actual curriculum; and a lot of X-Men have really cool hair. X-PLAINED: The adventures of Hope Summers Several Phoenix hosts The time Quentin Quire became a Shi'ar god Jay's mom Our panelists' definitive X-Men E for Extinction Killing your idols Coloring as archaeology Visually defining the X-Men New Mutants that might have been Favorite costumes The actual color of Storm's '90s costume Editorial direction vs. editorial mandate Practical considerations in costume design Actual education at the Xavier School Wolverine's assorted children The best hair in the X-Men NEXT EPISODE: Cannonball dies (briefly)! No visual companion to this one, but check out the first part of our ECCC gallery over on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

187 – Mermaids at the Center of Time Mar 05, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Lee Forrester deserved better; we have somehow made 187 of these; Bizarre Adventures is accurately named; the Grey sisters do not steal a yacht; trite jerks are doubly offensive; Black Panther is everything and you should go see it right now; Namor has a type; Attuma reads like an import from Game of Thrones; Florida is the Australia of North America; Iceman has a good weekend; half of the Vanisher materializes in Poughkeepsie; and Jay's mom is the best Cable. X-PLAINED: What Lee Forester has been up to How this happened Bizarre Adventures #27 The not-particularly-secret lives of the X-Men Jay's Book of Irrelevant Headcanon "The Brides of Attuma" Sara Grey Several incidents in the life of Jean Grey A plan as ineffectual as it is dastardly "Winter Carnival" "Titan Up the Defense" The peculiar predominance of ice sculpture in the Marvel Universe Bubba The Apple Profile Festive bandits A heist A very fancy cane "Show Me the Way to Go Home" Nightcrawler's favorite movie The Count Duckula theme song Some very friendly ladies ECCC cosplay Sev the Oracle Whether Buffy is a Summers sibling Whom we would merge with cosmic forces The Queen of Nevers NEXT EPISODE: Live at Emerald City Comic Con! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

186 – Right in the Melee Feb 26, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which you are the wind beneath our wings; Sunfire doesn't quit the team even once; the X-Men do "Judgment War," kinda; Iceman's clothes are mostly incidental; Mikhail Rasputin is a surprisingly accomplished vintner; Colossus has a bad day; Super Doctor Astronaut Peter Corbeau is a core value; and we are REALLY excited about our plans for Emerald City Comic Con! X-PLAINED: Colossus vs. Breakworld Jay & Miles at Emerald City Comic Con Uncanny X-Men #284-286 "Judgment War"-Lite Byrne burns The collective noun for Edidins Sunfire's new threads The evolution of Whilce Portacio Emma Frost's dropped plot threads Iceman fashion (or lack thereof) Sha-har-a-zath The Savior A mysterious vintner Archangel's hair Mikhail Rasputin Space-Person disambiguation Peril and the vanquishing thereof The continuing adventures of the XSE Chuck Cherkle Sara Gray's unrealized potential The Great Excalibur Bake-Off NEXT EPISODE: Bizarre Adventures #127 COME SEE US AT EMERALD CITY COMIC CON, MARCH 1-4, IN SEATTLE! Find links to the stories mentioned in this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

185 – Becoming Wolverine (feat. Tom Taylor) Feb 19, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which All-New Wolverine and X-Men Red writer Tom Taylor joins us to talk friendship, heroism, pelican statues, and how to build on legacy without being bogged down by it. X-PLAINED The epic awesomeness of Gabrielle Kinney All-New Wolverine The evolution of Best Wolverine Character-first story Family X-Men Red Finding Jean Grey's voice Gentle (Nezhno Abidemi) Transcending the Silver Age Laura Kinney in Logan Wolverine-style brain surgery Editing down to the bones Tom's comfort reads Secret origins of Tom Taylor Writing like a street performer Koalas vs. reavers NEXT EPISODE: The Boringest Rasputin Find links to the stories mentioned in this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

184 – Sweetcakes Feb 12, 2018

David is still on vacation. Please enjoy this reasonable gentleman and his fancy accoutrements! In which the 616 was inside Age of X all along; everyone is very sassy; an attempt at political commentary falls very flat; Wolfsbane kills a straw man; everything is better with Larry Stroman; the Rule of Cool is not transitive; X-Factor Quicksilver is the best Quicksilver; and some allegories are subtler than others. X-PLAINED: How to hide a universe Bees "War and Pieces" X-Factor #76-78 The Incredible Hulk #390-392 Open-ended vs. trade pacing Rick Jones, professional tag-along Trans-Sabal The Eisenhower Doctrine The Reagan Doctrine The ethics of cannibalism Fictional pigeon aficionados As story that isn't about abortion but is definitely about abortion X-Factor vs. due process A very hazardous game of tug-of-war Gratuitous X-planation An unnecessary but well-intended rescue attempt The death of Vic Chalker Irresponsible parenting The second generation of mutants NEXT EPISODE: Tom Taylor talks X-Men Red and All-New Wolverine! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

183 – Mutant Death Factor Feb 05, 2018

David is on vacation this week! We hope you enjoy this substitute illustration of two gentlemen enjoying each other's company. In which Miles is almost caught up on The Gifted (but still hasn't seen The Prisoner and should be very ashamed of himself); Omega Red is a cool action figure but a boring character; Professor Xavier definitely knows what you did last night; Fenris remains delightfully trashy; Weapon X had an improbably high survival rate; Sabretooth cleans up pretty well; we need to work some new rules for dividing up character voices; the Mojoverse has terrible employee benefits; and mongoose blood will definitely not give you superpowers. X-PLAINED: Refugees from the Age of Apocalypse Creative use of teleportation X-Modifiers Jay & Miles at Emerald City Comic Con X-Men vol. 2 #4-7 The sitcom model of creative logistics One way to bring someone back to life Mutant Death Factor Omega Red (Arkady Gregorivich) Wolverine's school pictures Gambit's ponytail and the logistics thereof Sex at the X-Mansion Fenris fashion Ritualistic facepalming Moira MacTaggert's nightmares Formalwear and motorcycle safety An elegantly choreographed cockblock Retracting tentacle logistics Carbonadium synthesizers Dr. Pepper Twizzlers Ponytails as moral compasses Sabretooth's excellent taste in formalwear Ornithology Those big, weird tube handcuff things Cyclops and Wolverine's eventual friendship The return of Longshot What would happen if you gave a human a transfusion of mongoose blood Some X-Cellent fanfiction X-details we'd change NEXT EPISODE: X-Factor Meets the Hulk! Special thanks to consulting X-Pert and Actual Scientist Dr. Lauriel Earley! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

182 – Lunch With Technet Jan 29, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Alan Davis spins dangling plot threads into gold; comics artists are storytellers; Technet is a feature, not a bug; Brian Braddock's issues reach their boiling point; if you're going to learn about Earth from TV, you should probably stick with PBS; and our Lila Cheney t-shirts are officially canon! X-PLAINED: An unlikely alliance Jay & Miles at Emerald City Comic Con Alan Davis's return to Excalibur Excalibur #42-44 Breakfast with Excalibur Hard-Boiled Henry Horatio Cringebottom Bert Earth-148 (Ee'rath) Kylun (Colin McKay) Unlikely houseguests A romance A fracas The trial of Captain Britain Multiversal moral relativity Micromax (Scott Wright) Lunch with Technet Why public television funding is important How Shadowcat's phasing interacts with extreme temperatures Our opinions on X-Men: Gold Annual #1 NEXT EPISODE: Omega Red! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

181 – Badgers Everywhere Jan 22, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which X-Force is the cotton candy of comics; Jay & Miles overanalyze; eye spots are not the new domino masks; Feral is all about some murder; Black Tom and Juggernaut remain a delightful criminal power couple; Siryn's costume is on point; over the edge is where we live; Jay gets briefly and intensely into Todd McFarlane; nothing will convince us that Fabian Nicieza did not know exactly what he was doing; and Kelly Thompson is a national treasure. X-PLAINED: Rumekistan X-Force #1-4 Spider-Man #16 Leaping, both literal and metaphorical Cannonball Boom Boom Cable Domino Warpath Feral Shatterstar Siryn (Theresa Cassidy) (again) MLF The second and third-best-selling issues of all time The Profit$ A very violent catchphrase Chalet Shwartzkopf Power Poses™ with Gideon™ The All-New, All-Different Weapon X (Garrison Kane) 6-Pack Good vs. Awesome George Washington Bridge A moment so dramatic that it produces a second Shatterstar in a single panel Some sports stuff, kind of Uncomfortable anachronism The stylistic necessity of healing factors Marvel Unlimited view options Rogue and Gambit NEXT EPISODE: The not remotely triumphant return of Technet! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

180 – Lawful Badass Jan 15, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Jay is deeply invested in The Gifted; Trevor Fitzroy is generally inexcusable; there are a lot of reasons to be uncomfortable in the Hellfire Club; the mix just got altered in this little clambake; Jean Grey (kind of) dies (again); Earth-1191 gives the Age of Apocalypse some glam competition; Lucas Bishop is a pretty decent metaphor for fan culture; everyone is probably Kang the Conqueror; and now Miles really has no excuse for not watching The Prisoner. X-PLAINED: The Chronomancer and his Chronobots The Gifted Lucas Bishop's creative origins Trevor Fitzroy Goatee Theory X-Factor #67 Uncanny X-Men #281-283 Dapper Lesbian Shinobi Shaw A briefly useful mnemonic Cybernetic fuckboys The return of Warren Kenneth Worthington III's hair Beef and Bevatron The deaths of the Hellions Warhammer Some of the challenges of X-Plaining the '90s Bringing a knife to a Sentinel fight Bantam A bunch of bad guys from the future Bishop Randall Malcolm Earth-1191 The Gamemaster X-Men we'd like to see come out as trans (revisited) Whether either or both of us are Kang the Conquerer NEXT EPISODE: Pouches and Guns Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

179 – Sincerely, An Evil Individual Jan 08, 2018

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which X-Factor gets a revamp; Larry Stroman is the best part of 1991; Havok used to have principles; Multiple Man is his own worst enemy; Jay's Doonesbury knowledge finally becomes relevant; Strong Guy breaks the Washington Monument; and Val Cooper may or may not have married Mister Sinister. X-PLAINED: The Madrox who got away Alan Disambiguation The X-Factor that might have been X-Factor #71-75 Banter™ A small selection of a gratuitously large volume of pop-culture references An evil individual One of the many deaths of Multiple Man Larry Stroman extras Professor Vic Chalker A Sinister scheme The iteration of X-Factor most likely to end up naked on television Your real-life Jamie Madrox reference GeeCees A canonical Doonesbury reference One way to get out of writing a term paper The proper plural of Madrox Ricochet The Nasty Boys Death by irony The evolution of Magik's Soul Sword Why female superheroes rarely date civilian men Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

178 – Giant-Size Special #6 Dec 25, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which we enter a new era of X-Men; Magneto reluctantly returns to villainy; Jay tries to like X-Men volume 2; when in doubt, you should open your story with a space fight; Nick Fury has so many pouches; experimenting on babies unsurprisingly backfires; psychic powers are pink; Claremont deserved better; Producer Matt makes his on-air debut; and you (yes, you!) are once again the recipients of a Super Doctor Astronaut Peter Corbeau Award for Excellence in X-Cellence. X-PLAINED: Loa The 1991 relaunch of X-Men X-Men vol. 2 #1-3 Chris Claremont's departure from Marvel X-Men vs. Uncanny X-Men Blue Team Gold Team Why Magneto is emblematic of Claremont's vision for the X-Men Why there are so many copies of X-Men #1 How comics sales are counted Our very different perspectives on X-Men #1 A space fight Revision vs. reversion What may or may not be in Nick Fury's pouches Daring loungewear worn well Fabian Cortez Flatscans Disproportionate escalation The Acolytes Delgado, kind of, maybe Several notable absences The Magneto Protocols That one time Magneto got turned into a baby Some dubious science A semi-invisible plane Code Silver Further miracles of magnetism Producer Matt Hunter Chiptunes Podcasting about video games The Fourth Annual Super Doctor Astronaut Peter Corbeau Awards for Excellence at X-Cellence Best X-Toon holiday episodes NEXT EPISODE: Havok gets a job! Special thanks to Cordelia for her help on the episode opening! Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

177 – The Less You Know Dec 18, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which we discuss several Very Special Issues; the real cautionary tale is not to trust Hank McCoy; horses are vehicles of lies and heartbreak; the X-Men shill for a state fair; whatever you're doing, Cyclops is here to stop you; smoking is a gateway to some really weird vices; and we want YOU to design the latest X-Men PSA! X-PLAINED: The alternate-timeline terrible choices of Hank McCoy Our wholly unfounded theories about Spongebob Squarepants Be X-Tra Safe With Blockbuster KidPrint and the X-Men VHS tapes Blockbuster KidPrint Mariano Nicieza Some Fundamental Problems With Superhero PSAs A man who may or may not be D-Man Terrence Why Cable should deliver more PSAs Why D.A.R.E. doesn't work Varying coherent cautionary tales The Uncanny X-Men at the State Fair of Texas A tragic lack of carnies Danny the centaur and his very intense feelings about horses Several exciting attractions at the State Fair of Texas Big Tex Activities Smokescreen Bret Jackson Some of the lesser-known danger of smoking Whether Danny Rand can turn into a centaur Hanging out and other gateways to delinquency The South Side Social Club Jake Etiquette of following teenagers around A villainous plan so ineffective that it's actually kind of sad X-Men you should hire for your PSAs Our thoughts on the Disney/Fox merger Where to find Bloodstorm Baby Jumping NEXT EPISODE: Giant-Size Winter Special! LISTENER CHALLENGE: Send your X-Men PSAs to XPlaintheXMen@gmail.com with the subject PSA by December 27! You can find the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

176 – My Flashback With Andre Dec 11, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which we were on public radio; it's probably best just to ignore Romulus; Miles still hasn't seen the Prisoner and should be very ashamed of himself; toy licensing is the stuff of nightmares; you can upgrade your bloodbath for an additional $1.25; Jay may or may not have family ties to Weapon X; we are suckers for die-cut covers; Wolverine knows how to commit to a gag; and you have some pretty remarkable dreams. X-PLAINED: Wolverine's CIA contacts Murder-related birthday traditions Wolverine #48-50 The ship Righteous Indignation and the 'ship Righteous Indignation Wolverine size creep Injudicious footwear Serial sidekicks Miles's continual failure to watch The Prisoner The Summers Crash model of flashbacks Panties and/or grenades Several varyingly reliable flashbacks How memory works Mastodon Andre How memory doesn't really work Kids' toy licensing Quasimodo's hangout Women in Refrigerators Secret agent skills The Dalton school of argument A legitimately cool cover gimmick Wolverine vs. the Helicarrier Adamantium handicrafts Shiva (but not that one) Silver Fox (again) (kind of) A cataclysmic memory backlash Antarctic X-Hijinks Jay & Miles's adventures in YOUR DREAMS NEXT EPISODE: Centaurs of Texas CORRECTION: Kyle Rayner's girlfriend was the source of the Women In Refrigerator's trope--not Hal Jordan's, as Jay stated in this episode. You can find the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

175 – Lady Windermere’s Fan Club Dec 04, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Gambit is transatlantically terrible; Rick Leonardi is the poor man's Alan Davis (but in a good way); we try and fail to care about British royals; Miles should probably read some Oscar Wilde already; Jay has a lot of feelings about The Rocketeer; Shadowcat gets a genuinely stylish costume; and we would read the hell out of a series about Destiny, Mystique, and Wolverine's WWII adventures. X-PLAINED: Why Gambit isn't welcome in the United Kingdom X-Men: True Friends #1-3 The poor man's Alan Davis Trad night Laird Alasdhair Kinross and his nonthreatening but convenient heterosexuality Inexplicably absent familial relationships Queen Lilibet the Second Lady Regina Windermere Several notable British fascists of the 1930s A snazzy airplane Several nefarious plots Formal pajamas The mystery of the Hypercolor™ kilt A large number of strong feelings about The Rocketeer Kitty Pryde's best costumes Weaponized cosmic queerness (again) Power, agency, and the Dark Phoenix Saga How characters end up with their specific mutations. NEXT EPISODE: Wolverine, again. You can find the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

174 – Ed Piskor’s Grand Design Nov 27, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Jay sits down with cartoonist Ed Piskor to talk about the upcoming X-Men: Grand Design! NEXT EPISODE: X-Men: Gal Pals! The visual companion to this episode can be found in X-Men: Grand Design #1, available from your local comics shop this December! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

173 – The Muir Island Saga, Part 2 Nov 20, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Abs-lantis will not be denied; "slightly traumatized" is basically the default state of Xavier's original students; we pick up the slack for Nicieza; Banshee and Moira MacTaggert probably have an active and varied love life; Xavier miscounts the X-Men; we look back over the Claremont/Simonson era of the X-Universe; and Jay makes a case for the re-resurrection of Jean Grey. X-PLAINED: X-Men: Red Namor's beard The conclusion of the Muir Island Saga Uncanny X-Men #280 X-Factor #70. Cool orange spacesuits that make you immune to telepathy Off-brand Magneto hats Literary terrors of our childhoods Agents DeMarco & Heacock (R.I.P.) Casual use of nuclear weaponry The cavalry The end of the Shadow King The most dysfunctional timeline Uncanny X-Men #200-278 The case for an eclectic X-Universe X-Campus Resurrections, and when they do and don't work NEXT EPISODE: Ed Piskor's Grand Design The visual companion to this episode will be up sometime before the end of 2017, by which point Jay's lungs will hopefully be working again. Yay? (Seriously, though, fuck this cold. Fuck this cold so much.) Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

172 – The Muir Island Saga, Part 1 Nov 13, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which you are probably more familiar with this show than Jay and Miles are; Paul Smith makes good art; the Shadow King is so extra that his narration has its own narration; Evil Sexy Moira is a fashion queen; there are absolutely no circumstances in which it is appropriate to use the phrase "fist-o-rama"; Legion gets possessed; and we know absolutely nothing about Pokémon. X-PLAINED: Universes where people are other people What Miles thought of Thor: Ragnorok (spoiler-free) The Muir Island Saga (Part 1) Uncanny X-Men #278-279 X-Factor #69 Teflon continuity Our (lack of) favorite episodes of Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men The Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men wiki An alternate timeline Corpse telepathy A diabolical plan, sort of Topicality Theft Sci-Fi Warlord Moira MacTaggert Improbable aerodynamics The greatest thing The death of Peter Nicholas The uncanny genital valley Interesting ways to expand Cyclops's powers X-Pokémon NEXT EPISODE: The Muir Island Saga concludes! ART CHALLENGE: Send us your horrifying X-Pokémon! (Note: We were not kidding when we said that we know absolutely nothing about Pokémon, which means that we will probably believe anything you tell us about canon. Have fun!) You can find the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

171 – Badly Punctuated Equilibrium Nov 06, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which 1991 runs right into 2010, X-Factor: Endgame (and everything after it) never happened, Jay covets the hell out of Cyclops's X-Factor: Forever jacket, Apocalypse’s alternative universe motives are actually pretty fascinating, and Miles will never call his junk Traitorous Unit. X-PLAINED: The Strucker siblings (and the Strucker siblings) X-Factor Forever #1-5 Earth-TRN237 What makes a good Forever comic The best jacket in the X-universe (and some other redesigns) MaXimum pants Ship the ship The Celestial Host Dan Panosian’s Smug Apocalypse The Master Meld variations Force versus heat (and art versus word balloons) En Sabah Nur, thoughtful employer Gammenon the Gatherer and honey-related implements Combat (and podcasting) maneuver names The Apocalypse Journal Eternals versus Deviants versus Inferior, Shitty Humans Slow, crappy science and adorable mutant rats Mutant fertility Arishem the Judge and his magic space-thumb Definitive versions of characters and their relationships En Sabah Nur and Your Changing Body That time X-Factor threw a baby at a robot to save the world DC Comics’s Hellfire Club Trans X-Men But no seriously that jacket NEXT EPISODE: The Muir Island Saga, part 1 You can find the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

170 – Minor Punitive Heart Attacks Oct 30, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Miles speculates about superheroes' sex lives; Doctor Doom is an incorrigible scamp; the Lady of the Lake visits California; Captain Britain lacks basic superheroic social skills; Jay has strong feelings about doggerel; the warwolves know how to commit to a bit; and Excalibur and the X-Men continue to have terrible communication skills. X-PLAINED: One aspects of doombot functionality Excalibur #37-41 The Soul Sword's origins and current status Promethium Semantic disambiguation with regards to Limbo The West Coast Avengers The Lady of the Swimming Pool Doctor Doom's personal demons Several team-ups The heart of Limbo Phoenix science Darkoth the Demon (Desmond Pitt) The Trial of Lockheed A long-awaited reunion that isn't actually a long-awaited reunion A theoretical Frost-Summers wedding What happened to Jen Askani post- "Endgame" NEXT EPISODE: X-Factor Forever You can find the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

169 – Bad Kansas Oct 23, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Justin Thyme is a forgotten superstar of comics; Nazis should pretty much never be used as a metaphor; Charles Xavier is somehow even worse than usual; Excalibur may lack object permanence; Phoenix defeats Hitler with the power of gayness; we may have hit Peak Nocenti; Brett Blevins should draw Boom Boom forever; and the New Mutants get a taste of media theory. X-PLAINED: The exact nature of Shatterstar and Longshot's relationship Excalibur: Weird War III New Mutants Summer Special: A Mutant in Megalopolis Justin Thyme Bad Kansas Nazi Charles Xavier Kinda-Nazi Moira MacTaggert The Reichsmen Lightning Squad (again) Naked Space Xavier Largely unsuccessful denouement The Wobbly Sneaker Gang Megalopolis Media theory and several of its anthropomorphic personifications Socially conscious comics The Gifted The New Mutants trailer NEXT EPISODE: Lockheed X-Plains Excalibur! You can find the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

168 – Live at NYCC, feat. Chris Claremont and Louise Simonson Oct 16, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which X-Legends Chris Claremont and Louise Simonson join us for our first-ever live show on the East coast! NEXT EPISODE: Bits 'n' Bobs No visual companion this week, but keep an eye out for our NYCC gallery! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

167 – Full Circle Oct 09, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which things are not as they were; "yaybopunk" is definitely our aesthetic; Cable is officially foreshadowed; and the NYCC live show did in fact go really well! X-PLAINED: Cable's childhood Some ECCC plans X-Factor #65-68 The Riders of the Storm "Riders on the Storm" Some X-Factors that might have been Babies as drawn by Whilce Portacio Medieval cats Yaybohunk vs. yaybopunk A red herring Jen Askani A kidnapping Visual representations of hacking How to effectively evoke the Dark Phoenix Saga The plural of "Apocalypse" Rad fights on the moon Something you should definitely cosplay Cyclops narration A psychic duel A choice Resets vs. returns The Apocalypse Manifesto The Crafters of Apocalypse NEXT EPISODE: Live at New York Comic Con, with Chris Claremont & Louise Simonson! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

166 – Proteus Has Two Mommies Oct 02, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which we finally announce our NYCC panel lineup; Boom Boom is the Gina Linetti of X-Force; we don't actually know very much about the New Warriors; Cable grows as a person; Cyclops makes an ethically dubious call; Warren Kenneth Worthington III is a jerk; Jay gets very angry at a fictional character; no one gets a happy ending and the skeleton was inside you all along. X-PLAINED: Penance (but not that Penance) Our actual, for-real NYCC panel details "Kings of Pain" New Mutants Annual #7 New Warriors Annual #1 Uncanny X-Men Annual #15 X-Factor Annual #6 The Alliance of Evil Harness Piecemeal Genetech IDIC Symbolic chess The New Warriors The Clean Plate Club from Hell The Pec Twins ReBoot A really screwed up debate Magneto vs. Human Nature Privilege and Callouts NEXT WEEK: Summers Family Bullshit on the Moon! COME SEE US LIVE AT NEW YORK COMIC CON, WITH SPECIAL GUESTS CHRIS CLAREMONT AND LOUISE SIMONSON! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

165 – Pop Rocks Sep 25, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Charles Xavier returns to the pages of Uncanny X-Men; Storm is out of our league forever; Miles would be a terrible president; Psylocke picks up the frequent-shower torch; everyone gets possessed; Gambit acts more Sinister than he is; and our NYCC panel is definitely on THURSDAY, not Friday. X-PLAINED: The Pantheon Uncanny X-Men #275-277 Dinosaurs in space A very impressive cover Several kinds of manacle Small children we'd like to see beat up Gladiator Varying levels of Evil Charles Xavier A nefarious plan Double death FailCat Logan Two bad, beautiful babes with really big guns Some excellent sound effects Awesome space fights Shopping with Deathbird Mall vs. maul X-archenemies NEXT EPISODE: The Kings of Pain! NOTE: Seriously, the NYCC Panel is on THURSDAY. Not Friday. THURSDAY. It's official now. You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

164 – This Is the Mutant Revolution: Live at Rose City Comic Con Sep 18, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Jay and Miles finally sit down for an in-depth discussion of the political weight of superheroes and what the X-Men mean to us in America's current political climate. Correction: In the episode, we said that Kyle Yount produced this one. In actuality, Kyle recorded the episode and Kurt Loyd produced it. Sorry, Kurt! You can find our photos from Rose City Comic Con on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

163 – Shut Up, Conscience Sep 11, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Rose City Comic Con was in fact pretty awesome; we return to Marvel Presents; Colossus has a bad day; Ann Nocenti engages in some bipartisan satire; Cyclops has a bad day; Moira MacTaggert gets possessed again; Master Mold is really hard to kill; you should absolutely not send Jay naked leprechaun pictures; sentinels are basically rationalization engines; and that is really not how consciences work. NOTE: In this episode, we said that the U.S.S.R. dissolved in 1989. That actually happened in 1991. ADDITIONAL NOTE: THE NYCC PANEL HAS BEEN MOVED. IT IS ON THURSDAY, NOT FRIDAY. X-PLAINED: Sentinel Aesthetics Prime Sentinels "Colossus: God's Country" Butt physics The Cold War Colossus's feelings about porn The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library Some varyingly dubious politics The Cold Warriors Alexander, who is probably not actually either Colonel Sanders or Howard Hughes Bipartisan satire Jay's grandfather An uncomfortable picnic Limbs Number Six (but not that one) Terrible neighbors "Cyclops: The Retribution Affair" Bobbie and Mary Campbell Master Mold (again) Stephen Lang (again) Servitors A well-honed lobster alert system The Retribution Virus Conscience A terrible party Kitty Pryde's Gal Pal Squad Community Organizer Magneto NEXT EPISODE: Live from Rose City Comic Con! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

162 – Naked In Canada Sep 04, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which almost everyone is better than Romulus; Barry Windsor-Smith continues to draw the best naked X-Men; Jay has strong feelings about Wolverine's origins; Miles still hasn't seen The Prisoner; when in doubt, it's probably Kang the Conqueror and/or Mystique; we remain unqualified to give bear-fighting advice; you should not hide out in a nuclear reactor; and the Coffee-a-Go-Go has probably been turned into a new-wave sushi bar or something. X-PLAINED: The Professor (Truett Hudson) Romulus Jay & Miles at Rose City Comic Con Marvel Comics Presents #72-84 "Weapon X" Backstory attrition A really good opening montage Some very effective use of color Healing hair The original villain behind Weapon X A retconned origin of Wolverine's claws Dr. Abraham Cornelius Carol Hines Terry Gilliam's Weapon X Audio vs. text-based mind control An action figure in dubious taste The Milgram Experiment An adaptation we'd like to see A bad place to hide Subsequent "Weapon X" retcons How Cyclops's powers have (and haven't) developed Jay's general failure at X-tourism NEXT WEEK: More MCP, featuring "The Retribution Affair" and "God's Country"! You can find the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

161 – Do You Even Howl, Bro? Aug 28, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which we return to Excalibur, and Excalibur returns to form; "Girls' School from Heck" is way better than we remembered; Jay has strong feelings about penmanship; we examine the semantics of field hockey; the band gets back together; Dai Thomas has no time for your comic-book bullshit; and you should never, ever install a good/evil switch in your technological abominations. X-PLAINED The first appearances of Colonel Vazhin Perks of home recording FlameCon 2017 Jay & Miles at Rose City Comic Con Excalibur #32-36 "Girls' School from Heck!" St. Searle's School for Young Ladies St. Trinian's and a large number of references thereto Regional variations in boarding school hijinks Miss Rutherford A poorly staged panel Phoebe Huntsman Kitty Pryde's penmanship Margaret Thatcher's weirdly wholesome fantasies The kinda-reformation of Mesmero The end of Chris Claremont's run on Excalibur Some complicated contradictions related to the ethics of consumption An abduction The ethics of psychic interrogation (kinda) Mariner disambiguation A rescue An unlikely partnership Darkmoor Research Center Dr. Walshe A somewhat convoluted plot Whether the Danger Room could function as a bathroom The physics of Asteroid M NEXT EPISODE: Weapon X! You can find the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.) Special thanks to Gavia Baker-Whitelaw for helping us assemble the St. Searle's marginalia!

X-TRA – FlameCon 2017 Sofa Special, feat. Sina Grace, James Tynion IV, and Niki Johnson Aug 23, 2017

Thanks again to James and Sam for letting us use their hotel room for this ridiculousness! WHAT?! Less than a month back, and it's a brand new mid-week bonus episode! In which Jay, Niki, Sina, and James drink fancy Scotch and talk FlameCon; what X-Men means to us as queer readers and writers; the difference between the bat family and the X-Men; mutant metaphors; favorite 'ships; and more! GUESTS: Sina Grace Niki Johnson James Tynion IV This episode comes courtesy of our rad Patreon subscribers. If you want to join their ranks and help keep us on the air and ad-free–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here!

160 – Hank McCoy and the Hickey of Destiny Aug 21, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which the ladies love Hank McCoy; feelings are terrible; wereStarlins stalk the night; Stan Lee is definitely trying to sell you a car; Iceman has a lot to prove; we bid a reluctant farewell to Louise Simonson's tenure on X-Factor; and yes, video reviews will be back eventually. X-PLAINED: The Intelligentsia Jay & Miles at Rose City Comic Con and New York Comic Con Prestige Format comics X-Factor: Prisoner of Love X-Factor #63-64 A possible cameo Synthia Naip Several ways to identify individuals from outer space Visual conceits of supernatural noir A deeply unhealthy relationship The mysterious wereStarlin The hickey of destiny Whether Starfox would fuck a crystal Cyburai and/or cyberpunks What makes for good team costumes Post-Iceman cleanup The secret origins of Opal Tanaka Tatsu'o Hiro The Gal Pal Squad Assorted macho bullshit The end of Louise Simonson's involvement with the central X-line Where to find Dr. Nemesis Magneto's D&D alignment Whether and when video reviews will return NEXT EPISODE: Girls' School from Heck! You can find the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

159 – Childhood’s End Aug 14, 2017

***NOTE: We're aware of the audio issues in this episode. We're still troubleshooting our cross-country setup. Thank you for your patience!*** Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which Stryfe is the Jan Brady of the Summers family; Miles's dreams are trampled beneath tiny, delicate feet; Rictor goes on an unnecessary rescue mission; Cable is Washington to Cannonball's Hamilton; the New Mutants may or may not time travel; Boom Boom scarfs up some chow for the bohunk; you should definitely not mess with Feral's pigeons; Liefeld fights are pure rule-of-cool; Jay is absolutely not qualified to give legal advice; and we bid a bittersweet goodbye to New Mutants. X-PLAINED: Zero Production transitions The end of New Mutants New Mutants #98-100 Plotting vs. scripting The most valuable issue of New Mutants Gideon Liefeld butts (more) (again) The very dramatic death of Emmanuel da Costa Tolliver Some Spider-Man looking jerk Domino (Neena Thurman) A specific and likely inaccurate timeline Feral (Maria Callasantos) The signature Liefeld Kick™ The Tavern on the Green Five or six kinds of mutants A sad goodbye Shatterstar (Gaveedra Seven) Cadre Alliance Nesting habits of the urban bohunk Some rad moves A prologue that is also an epilogue The Stryfe that might have been How Logan fits into the X-Men movie timeline X-Men mostly likely to watch Yuri!!! On Ice Jay at FlameCon!! NEXT EPISODE: Beast has a sexistential crisis! You can find the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

158 – No Focus, Less Direction Aug 07, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line! In which we return triumphant from hiatus; it's still always Inferno in here; no one should ever under any circumstances date Cameron Hodge; Kenneth is a fundamentally hilarious name; Magneto's family gets retconned to death; Pterosaurs are still the absolute worst; and Magik totally deserves a sidekick. X-PLAINED: Ka-Zar's real name Shanna the She-Devil Our new production set-up What we did on our summer vacations Previously on X-Men Further limits of the mutant metaphor Uncanny X-Men #273-275 A crisis of leadership A comic that is a metaphor that is also a comic Cable's OkCupid profile Changing creative dynamics on the X-line Archangel's middle name Gambit vs. Wolverine Censorship Steam The protean X-bathroom Magneto's retconned family Colonel Semyanov A perhaps ill-conceived team-up The Self-Styled Mistress of Magnetism Some remarkably lucky timing The semantics of heel turns Gender and sidekicks Mr. Sinister's powers NEXT EPISODE: The end of New Mutants! You can find the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

157 – Melted to Slag May 01, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Contact David to purchase the original! In which the X-Tinction Agenda reaches its Return of the Jedi; Wolverine is a weaponized nuisance; HR would like a word with Gambit; Havok gets framed; Cameron Hodge is the great unifier; Genosha is revolting; you don't get to make a threatening speech about someone else's powers; Jean Grey is tired of your bullshit; and Jay and Miles may or may not dive into the Siege Perilous! X-PLAINED: The Law of Conservation of Plot Elements Uncanny X-Men #272 New Mutants #97 X-Factor #62 The Story So Far Glasses fashions in comics The difference between Batman and the Punisher How to tell that something has gone terribly wrong Acceptable pants Some really sketchy judicial process A ruse Several retcons concerning Wolverine Consequence-free impaling Chekhov's genetic engineering Louise Simonson's final issue of New Mutants The relative durability of mutants A number of prescient threats This one time Jay and Miles got paid to throw a bunch of printers down a flight of stairs Summers Brothers team-ups A very cathartic fight Thoughts on books as physical artifacts and collecting comics Places to jump into long X-series on Marvel Unlimited Our plans for the hiatus THE PODCAST WILL BE ON HIATUS DURING MAY, JUNE, AND JULY, 2017! SEE YOU IN AUGUST! You can find the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

156 – Genosha Strikes Back Apr 24, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Contact David to purchase the original! In which we hit the Empire Strikes Back of X-Tinction Agenda; it's hard to be Laura Kinney; the psychic knife makes its debut; Evil!Sexy Moira retains some moral high ground; if your society is built on slavery, your society deserves to crumble; words mean things; Havok would be a terrible housecat; the mutants do not have the patent on stupidity; the opposite of blades is cotton; we give Cameron Hodge's severed head a pep talk; and Cyclops goes full Peralta. X-PLAINED: Uncanny X-Men #271, New Mutants #96, X-Factor #61 Laura Kinney's brief babysitting career Our upcoming hiatus Dramatis personae A figurative battering ram Focused totality Best insults of the 1990s A debate Ethics of rhetoric Housecat Havok Skittering Mutate numbering systems The Prisoner vs. Les Miserables The slow disintegration of reality as we know it Sneaking with Cable A singularly anticlimactic cover A lushly illustrated report Increasingly petty revenge S.H.I.E.L.D.'s most advanced bald cap A rising storm Art teams What we'd like to see out of an X-Men cinematic reboot NEXT EPISODE: Return of the Revenge of the X-Men You can find the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

155 – X-Tinction Event Apr 17, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Contact David to purchase the original! In which the X-Tinction Agenda begins in earnest; Jim Lee rocks our world; Cable doesn't need any Mickey-Mouse schedules; Jean Grey is not paid by the word; Havok makes a heel turn; Boom Boom's pretext of self-interest fools no one; Cameron Hodge is STILL the worst; and Jay and Miles make an announcement. X-PLAINED: Warlock across the multiverse Uncanny X-Men #270, New Mutants #95, X-Factor #60 X-Tinction Agenda The first modern crossover The creative state of the X-line Limitations of Marvel Unlimited Dramatis Personae Mickey-Mouse schedules The X-Men, who do not die the old-fashioned way One-way nude teleportation Magistrate Summers The return of Cameron Hodge's angry severed head Wipeout (again) Mutates The death of Warlock The esoteric paraphernalia of war Silver Age misogyny What we'd do differently if we introduced the X-Men in 2017 Our upcoming hiatus NEXT EPISODE: It gets worse. You can find the visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

154 – Leaning into the Metaphor (feat. Sina Grace) Apr 10, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Contact David to purchase the original! In which incoming Iceman writer Sina Grace joins us to talk about the coolest X-Man; Adult Bobby Drake gets the spotlight; no one looks too closely at the jokester; the mutant metaphor works both globally and personally; and we are all a little horrified by how long ago Grant Morrison's New X-Men run happened. X-PLAINED: The Apocalypse Seed What ice powers sound like Ice puns and Memento-style tattoos Adult coming-out stories Intersectionality and representation Iceman on his own The most Sinister of teases Cargo shorts Bobby's assorted ex-girlfriends Omega-level ice powers vs. anxiety Mike Carey’s X-Men Bobby’s buds Cannonball and Rogue Yas Northstar Respecting continuity, avoiding overwhelm Advice for your younger (and older) self Find Sina Grace on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook! NEXT EPISODE: The X-Tinction Agenda begins! No visual companion this week! Check out Iceman in June! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

153 – Mermaid Parade Apr 03, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Contact David to purchase the original! In which Miles gets an etymology lesson; Nightcrawler is the most dateable guy in the X-Universe; Meggan is basically all the cryptids; Michael Higgins must be stopped; Alistair Stuart is terrible at adulting; we really hope Brian wasn't too attached to that airplane; and in retrospect, there probably should have been a Spalding Gray joke in there somewhere. X-PLAINED: The Montesi Formula Excalibur #28-31 The Gilded Lady The quintessential post-college experience The word "cooter" Relative gullibility A generally unacceptable issue Loungewear Vampires, kind of Some uncomfortably colonial imagery Krakoa, Jr. The Vega Men The aftermath of Axis Colossus's probable politics NEXT EPISODE: Talking Iceman with Sina Grace! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.) Share this:

152 – Ghosts of Future Present Mar 27, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Contact David to purchase the original! In which Franklin Richards makes everything more complicated; Reed Richards is a terrible parent; Days of Future Present is a surprisingly good ghost story; Valeria Richards is awesome (but does not appear in this crossover); everyone's got hounds these days; Banshee is your sad cyborg dad; Phoenix has a lot of feelings; and X-Factor once again manages to up the ante for child endangerment. X-PLAINED: Nightcrawler's brief clerical career Days of Future Present Annuals, in general Some extraordinarily specific Namor headcanon Fantastic Four Annual #23 New Mutants Annual #6 X-Factor Annual #5 Uncanny X-Men Annual #14 Franklin Richards Several statuses quo The reproductive potential of Doombots Ms. Marvel (Sharon Ventura) Ahab A Code Red Time Emergency One of Jay's dream pitches Your sad cyborg dad The worst tea party One hell of a kiss Robocop vs. Terminator NEXT EPISODE: Excalibur gets eclectic! The visual companion to this episode will be up later this week. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

151 – Czars of Kung Fu Mar 20, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Contact David to purchase the original! In which Laura easily is worth a dozen Old Mans Logan; Charlotte Jones is the EveryCop; Genosha remains a fairly versatile allegory; Hydra are totally Nazis; Jubilee gets the best sound effects; Rogue has a bad day; and it'll take more than a sun to stop Lila Cheney. X-PLAINED: Graydon Creed Logan oversaturation (more) (again) Uncanny X-Men #264, 268, 269 A somewhat convoluted status quo Death by Derrida New York's sewers (kind of) (maybe) The Misty Knight rule Jackets of the '90s Cap's cape Mustache metaphysics The Press Gang (again) VR.5 The Doctrine of Hot Pursuit Dazzler, in handy grenade form A prescient scenario Jim Lee signature cocktail dresses A dubious approach to first aid Wolverine's sexy friends Nazi ducks Seraph Ivan Petrovitch Sexy subversion Rogue vs. Carol Danvers Mutants vs. the Terrigen Mists TaXonomy of ambiguously X-characters NEXT EPISODE: Days of Future Present! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

150 – Live at ECCC, feat. Dennis Hopeless and Charles Soule Mar 13, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Contact David to purchase the original! In which writers Dennis Hopeless and Charles Soule join us for a live episode at Emerald City Comic Con, Age of X is the world's worst morale boost; Charles and Dennis X-Plain the Marvel Universe; we still can't get Hieronymus Bosch's X-Men out of our heads; and apparently somehow we've recorded and posted 150 of these things. X-PLAINED: Age of X Evil Moira MacTaggert Disambiguation The post-Secret Wars Marvel Universe Major X-Men turning points ResurrXion Planning events A profoundly unexpected crossover Namor's definitive qualities Our dream X-creators Where to find Havok in current comics Earned deaths The pronunciations of several words Teams we'd like to see revived or revisited NEXT EPISODE: The road to X-Tinction Agenda continues! No visual companion this week, but wait 'til you see our ECCC photos! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

149 – Panning for Callbacks Mar 07, 2017

Art by David Wynne. href="http://particlefiction.bigcartel.com/">Contact David to purchase the original! In which Old Man Logan is probably better than it deserves to be; Steve McNiven is magical; the post-apocalyptic future probably belongs to the LARPers; Miles's dad may or may not secretly be Hawkeye; all babies are supervillains; every movie should have a dinosaur chase scene; Emma Frost is our queen forever; and you should never trust a Hitler cosplayer. X-PLAINED: Wolverine: Lord of the Vampires Mark Millar Wolverine vol. 3 #66-72 Giant-Size Wolverine: Old Man Logan The Hooded Man "Old Man Logan" vs. Old Man Logan The difference between Logan and Wolverine Old-timey apocalypses The Hulk Gang Old Man Hawkeye The Spider-Buggy Moloids Hammer Falls Ultron-8 Several generations of supervillains How the world fell under darkness President Red Skull Some very cathartic violence Narrative functions of the rampage NEXT EPISODE: Live from Emerald City Comic Con, with Dennis Hopeless & Charles Soule! Special thanks to the Protomen. The visual companion to this episode will be up when Jay has a working computer charger again. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

148 – That’s So Ravens Feb 27, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Contact David to purchase the original! In which Archangel falls in with the LARP crowd; all yuppies are (probably) vampires; Beast is kind of a jerk; there are a lot of reasons to be mad at Forge; and you should totally come hang out with us at ECCC! X-PLAINED: A peculiar scheme X-Factor #54, 56-59 Crimson The Ravens A gallery opening Several varyingly tortured souls Charlotte Jones (more) Archangel vs. Archangel's wings Ethical reporting An accidental bank robbery The return of a long-lost villain Timmy Jones NEXT EPISODE: Old Man Logan! Special thanks to Lillian Cohen-Moore! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

147 – The Beginning of the End of the Beginning Feb 20, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Buy prints at Redbubble, or contact David to purchase the original! In which the New Mutants get a new status quo (and new costumes); we have deeply mixed feelings about Rob Liefeld; Cable is the comprehensive sex-ed to Xavier's staunch denial and Magneto's abstinence-only; Rictor gets a new dad by right of arms; and you should totally come party with us at Emerald City Comic Con! X-PLAINED: Feral Wolverine Jay & Miles at Emerald City Comic Con New Mutants #90, 91, 93, and 94 Early Rob Liefeld Caliban vs. Sabretooth Vertical spreads Stately Xavier Ruins How to confuse Freedom Force Imaginary fashions of the early '90s How Rictor's father may or may not have died The New Mutants' new uniforms A lovingly-rendered butt Improv with Apocalypse The mystery of Rictor's shirt Seismic weaving The Japanese branch of the MLF (Kamikaze, Sumo, and Dragoness) The Mutual Liberation Front Diana, Warrior Princess (again) Several kisses Sleet NEXT EPISODE: X-Factor Fights Yuppie LARPers or Something CORRECTION: In this episode, Jay referred to Bob Harras as Editor-in-Chief of Marvel in 1990. Tom DeFalco was in fact Editor-in-Chief; Harras was the X-Men line editor. The visual companion to this episode will be up later this week! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

146 – Asshole Factor (feat. Elisabeth Allie) Feb 13, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Buy prints at Redbubble, or contact David to purchase the original! In which Elisabeth plans for her reign as Omniversal Majestrix; Hulks and moons are two great tastes that go great together; Nightcrawler takes the lead; Alastair gets a new gadget; it's just not a cosmic event without Alan Davis; Mastermind is still the absolute worst; Excalibur fixes problems by playing dress-up; Moira MacTaggert desperately needs to hire some staff; and Jamie Braddock is legitimately terrifying. X-PLAINED: M’gubgub Nth Man Excalibur #25-27 Nova (Frankie Raye) The continually poor decisions of Brian Braddock A convergence of cosmic forces Lumberjack Death Character growth both literal and metaphorical A cosmic snit Asshole Factor A villainous ruse Several rounds of reality warping Definitive incarnations of characters NEXT EPISODE: Rictor has issues! You can find a visual companion to this episode on the blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

145 – Remy and ‘Ro Feb 06, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Buy prints at RedBubble, or contact David to purchase the original! In which Val Cooper remains the club queen of U.S. Intelligence; the Shadow King is a huge jerk; Storm is a badass at any age; Gambit gets off to a surprisingly good start; "flesh and spirit" is the new "body and soul"; and we are guardedly optimistic about an upcoming release. X-PLAINED: Unconventional evidence of nefarious influence Uncanny X-Men #265-267 Storm's early origins The Shadow King Deb Levin A kind of pointless revenge plot Trouble in space A great deal of larceny Counterintuitive costuming The debut of Gambit An unnecessarily complicated plan Charm, and charm Regrets Our thoughts on the upcoming Legion series NEXT EPISODE: Excalibur meanders, with guest X-Pert Elisabeth Allie! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

144 – Giant-Size Special #5 (feat. Kid Apocalypse) Jan 30, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Buy prints at Redbubble, or contact David to purchase the original! In which we get a visit from Kid Apocalypse and debut a track from his upcoming album; Jay No-Prizes Community; Rahne of Terra is pretty damn delightful; Cable is an armchair editor; we finally release the unexpurgated version of Dennis Hopeless's version of the Noodle Incident; and you remain--to nobody's surprise--the best listeners of any podcast, ever. X-PLAINED: Kid Apocalypse (Quinn Allan) Portland Snowpocalypse 2017 "Return of the King" Rapping in character Beats in the gutters A vehement defense of Nate Grey Wolverine: Rahne of Terra Earth-1991 Geshem Many puns of varying quality EiC Cable A definitely 100% true and accurate explanation of the Noodle Incident The Third Annual Super Doctor Astronaut Peter Corbeau Awards for Excellence at X-Cellence NEXT EPISODE: The debut of Gambit! In retrospect, we should totally have made reference to the song "Beards Going Nowhere" during our discussion of surfing the timestream on glam hair. We regret the omission. You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

143 – Seduction of the Innocent Jan 16, 2017

Art by David Wynne. In which the Cross-Time Caper has finally outstayed its welcome; we bid a reluctant farewell to Alan Davis; Inferno may or may not finally actually be over; Evil Doug Ramsey rocks our socks; the Shadow King is not a particularly nuanced villain; Kitty Pryde celebrates a birthday; and Courtney Ross represents an awful lot of dangling plot threads. X-PLAINED: Nocturne Excalibur #21-24 The end of the Cross-Time Caper Post-Alan Davis Excalibur Chris Wozniak Crusader X Earth-2122 How to track Excalibur Phoenix-related telepathic idiosyncracies Our general indifference to the Shadow King An alternate history of Earth-811 Earth-23238 An extended Judge Dredd riff Puberty Another John Byrne cameo Several variations on Courtney Ross Kitty Pryde's 15th birthday Nightcrawler's beard The Siege Courageous NEXT EPISODE: Giant-Size Winter Special, featuring Kid Apocalypse & Dennis Hopeless! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

142 – The Monster at the End of This Comic Jan 09, 2017

Art by David Wynne. Buy prints at Redbubble, or contact David to purchase the original! In which Jay and Miles make a personal announcement; moles (probably) don't lay eggs; Angel is full of angst and flechettes; there's always room for cello; and no matter how complicated our personal lives get, X-Factor's will always be worse! X-PLAINED: The Tanaka family business Jay & Miles vs. time travel Some personal stuff that's going on Our definitive Iceman artist A whole lot of child endangerment Two reasons not to eat cereal from the 1980s X-Factor #51-53 and 55 Cable's first word Slightly dubious zoning Charlotte Jones Opal Tanaka Mole Chicken Wings Grover, but not that Grover B-grade Sabretooth A double date Giant bugs The Locust (August Hopper) A walk in the park A failed proposal What we talk about when we talk about retcons NEXT EPISODE: Happy Birthday, Shadowcat! You can find the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.) Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

141 – Reason to Go to the Devil Jan 02, 2017

Art by David Wynne. No print this week, but you can contact David to purchase the original! In which we ring in the new year with Cable's on-page debut; it's really the '90s now; we enter the third major era of New Mutants; what Liefeld lacks in craft he makes up for in energy; we pitch a new "What if--" line; Rusty and Skids are terrible superheroes; X-Factor has probably given up on a lot of things; we speculate at gratuitous length on the content of Cable's pouches; you have reason to go to the devil; and Cable makes a lot more sense when you realize he's of, by, and for teenagers. X-PLAINED: How the Legacy Virus got loose New Mutants #86-89 Cable's on-page debut Rob Liefeld The third major era of New Mutants A shift in the balance of power A comics shop to probably avoid if you time-travel back to the mid 1990s The stupid adventures of Rusty & Skids Yet another Acts of Vengeance tie-in Nitro An accidental prison break Cops, or maybe protestors The Mutant Liberation Front Feet A goody two-shoes man-stealing redheaded werewolf Wildside Reaper Strobe Thumbelina Tempo Forearm Zero Stryfe Stryfe's armor Spooning with Cable NEXT EPISODE: X-Factor kicks it Silver Age. You can find the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.) No prints this week. Contact David Wynne to purchase the original illustration!

140 – Unto Us a Retcon Is Given (feat. Dennis Hopeless) Dec 26, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which writer Dennis Hopeless returns to the show for an informal introduction to the (first) mutant messiah; Cable is the best-case retcon scenario; Summerses don't get to retire; calculating relative character age remains functionally impossible; Cable is Marsha to Stryfe's Jan; and there's probably already a Gilbert & Sullivan operetta about all of this. X-PLAINED: That one time Cable and Stryfe shared a body Cable (Nathan Christopher Charles Summers) Spinning nonsense into gold Cable and X-Force Cable's controversial creative origins Collaborative character creation Cable origins that might have been A whole lot of time travel A whole lot of Summers family nonsense Professor (Ship) Tyler Dayspring (Tolliver) Hope Summers How to make Cable interesting What to do after you save the world Still more time travel Look, there's a lot of time travel, okay? Old-man strength Stryfe David Willis's theory of Batman humor (and Jay's derivative theory of Stryfe humor) Muscle March Cable's role on teams Stryfe vs. Hope Cable's theoretical legal career Quantum operetta theory NEXT EPISODE: Cable's on-page debut! There is no visual companion to this episode! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.) Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

139 – Starjammed Dec 19, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints, cards, and coffee mugs available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which Spotlight on Starjammers is basically a RPG module; Jay may or may not have developed superpowers; artfully tattered clothing is a Summers family tradition; the Starjammers kill a planet; Raza may or may not be super progressive; and Professor X dies (again). X-PLAINED: The T-Bomb Spotlight on Starjammers #1-2 The Starjammers (more) (again) Phlazers Keel-hauling The space plank Phalkon The Groff System Vam & Mer Cr'eee's dubious past Several really on-the-nose planets Doki-Doki Universe A critical comma The expected endurance of the Starjammer A Shi'ar imperial poop fight Zenith Many cameos An entirely gratuitous superhero slugfest Death Phoenix Bald Phoenix Several dropped plot threads Our thoughts on ResurrXion Creative teams vs. characters NEXT EPISODE: Christmas with Cable (feat. Dennis Hopeless)! You can find the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.) Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

138 – What Would Dazzler Do? Dec 12, 2016

Art by David Wynne In which we continue to follow the post-Siege Perilous X-Men; Dazzler finally makes her big-screen debut; Callisto gets a day job; Colossus gets a ponytail; still more X-Men fake their deaths; Jean Grey gets tentacles; Professor Wolverine is a jerk; and Jay overthinks Community. X-PLAINED: The new-new Howling Commandos Hit-Monkey Uncanny X-Men #259-263 Dazzler: The Movie (again) Freddie Stanacheck Eric Beale What Dazzler would do Peter Nicholas Jenny Ransome and Phillip Moreau (again) Twin Peaks references, canonical and otherwise Genoshan foreign policy The value of allegory Some regrettable X-costumes That time Jean Grey got tentacles Molly the cat Dubious medical ethics Hardcase and the Harriers An unlikely pizza party A theoretical Community/X-Men costume party NEXT EPISODE: Spotlight on the Starjammers! You can find the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

137 – Kicky Kinko Killers (feat. Sarah Kuhn) Dec 05, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints, cards, and coffee mugs available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which author Sarah Kuhn joins us to talk about Asian-American and Asian-British representation in superhero comics; Psylocke is the literal embodiment of British imperialism; Jubilee speaks for us all; representation isn't a Boolean state; Wolverine fails at pop culture references; and somewhere there's probably a really dark alternate universe where Betsy teamed up with Jamie instead of Brian. X-PLAINED: Crimson Dawn Sarah Kuhn Uncanny X-Men #256-258 A proactive approach to career advancement Matsuo Tsurayaba The Mandarin A highly symbolic dream sequence A controversial transformation Kwannon What badass looked like in 1990 Several varyingly successful Batman references Rose Wu A fairly novel approach to hallucination Some high-quality invective Psylocke as a villain NEXT WEEK: What (almost) everyone else is up to! You can find the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.) Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

136 – Fill-In Frenzy Nov 28, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints, cards, and coffee mugs available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which we find the idea of Jack Kirby as G-d deeply comforting; "Jercules" is our new favorite insult; the difference between camp and divinity is good backlighting; Zeus does not have the moral high ground; Ron Lim's Captain Britain is the definitive cad; the Demon Druid is the saddest supervillain; Archangel broods like it's his day job; and Jay gets to do all the fun voices for once. X-PLAINED: The Upstarts An inflatable Batman New Mutants #81 Excalibur #20 X-Factor #47 Our favorite Magma story The best insult Pugilistic impunity A context-inappropriate oath The worst film festival Fighting fire with Magma The Demon Druid A Satanic pirate tavern Reactorhenge The depths of fuchsia Archangel's deeply weird comfort mechanisms Some dude named Greg Publishing delays NEXT WEEK: Lady Mandarin, feat. Sarah Kuhn You can find the visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We're in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven't moved yet at Redbubble.) Buy prints (or mugs) of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

135 – Kurt Wagner, Warlord of Mars (Cross-Time Caper, Part 2) Nov 21, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which the Cross-Time Caper continues; alliteration is awesome; someone else's geopolitical conflict is not an appropriate place to play out your pirate fantasies; we are definitely not actually going to eat Alan Davis's brains; Jamie Braddock is Evil Rex Racer; Widget eats a car; Rick Leonardi is the definitive fill-in artist; the problem is patriarchy; and everything's sticky in Madripoor. X-PLAINED: X-Manga Excalibur #16-19 Crosstime A John Carter riff A mysterious and dubiously reliable narrator A terrible pick-up line Kymri Anjulie Gender-neutral fantasy armor Implicit fellatio in several media Space Fred Savage An alternate Jean Grey (and her untimely demise) Tullamore Voge A grand tourney A deeply disappointing pastiche ORZ-1 Dirty Pair (and a sustained riff thereon) What makes a train sexy Wolverine's table manners Jim Jaspers vs. Jamie Braddock vs. Jamie Jeffers NEXT EPISODE: Fill-In Frenzy! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

134 – Live at Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival (feat. Scott Koblish) Nov 14, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which Deadpool and X-Men '92 artist Scott Koblish joins us to present the Summers Family Tree as you've never experienced it before; the X-Men go to Dante's Hell; Dr. Strange gets his Virgil on; Wolverine sniffs snakes; Iceman has probably killed a lot of people; and X-Men fans have remained remarkably consistent over the years. X-PLAINED The Summers family Birthdays at the Xavier mansion A package as sinister as it is stylish Uncanny X-Men King-Size Annual #4 One version of Hell A demon who is also a sorting hat Another X-Men crossover conspiracy theory The X-Men's religious affiliations and lack thereof Nuance of self-narration Snakes with arms, and the vocalizations thereof Dangers of encasing people in ice The death of Stefan Szardos An overly complex revenge plot The origin of that one angry mob from Giant-Size X-Men #1 Kinda-incest Reader responses to the Dark Phoenix Saga X-Men vs. board games The appeal of the Outback X-Men Artist-character associations NEXT EPISODE: Kurt Wagner: Warlord… of our hearts! DEAR MISTER SINISTER lyrics by Jay Edidin & music by Tea Fougner. Performed by Scott Koblish. You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

133 – Feisty Little Fellow from the Stars (Judgment War, Part 2) Nov 07, 2016

In which the plot thickens; Jay and Miles fix Avatar; Ship is a good bro; you are in space right now; the Beginagains go full This Island Earth; Cyclops weaponizes love; voting is really important; and you're listening to ten straight hours of soft jazz and subversion on ZZ-105 X-PLAINED: The other Dazzler (Bertram Worthington) Our newest t-shirt X-Factor #48-50 A metaphor within a metaphor, in space The first half of Judgment War (briefly) (again) A prisoner exchange Hairstyles of the possessed and famous Proper use of Cable A case for retcons Iceman vs. Archangel A feisty little fellow from the stars The secret origin of Ship The Celestials The core of Iceman's personality Several kisses Beast and the Rejects Some terrible hats An unfair fight A nefarious plot Contagious heroism Arishem The power of love Why we use the word "queer" Several theoretical and unlikely crossovers NEXT EPISODE: Live at Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival, with musical guest Scott Koblish! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

132 – Nornheim Lemonade Oct 31, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which Rusty is an honorary Bluth; we bid a sad farewell to Bret Blevins; Hogan the Grim is probably the best at bedtime stories; Asgard has really tight hat game; Hela is a remarkably competent supervillain; there are some sound effects you have to earn; Rusty and Skids fight the Vulture; and Miles has so many feelings about Thor. X-PLAINED: Cortex Damian Tryp Our weird 2016 recording schedule Jay & Miles at Vegas Valley Comic Book Fest 2016 Recent ResurrXion announcements The second half of the Asgard Adventure The end of Bret Blevins' New Mutants run New Mutants #82-85 The Odinsleep A fairly upsetting board game Volstagg's awesome kids Tiwaz of the Wastes Many excellent hats Ula and the Savage Swarm Garm Miles's favorite Fenrir story A remarkably clever villainous plan A signature sound effect Karnilla the Norn Queen Cable's relationship to Longshot Recommendations for a comics newcomer NEXT EPISODE: X-Factor vs. Celestials, as Judgment War concludes! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

131 – The Reaver Bunch Oct 24, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which Jubilee is the sassiest Xenomorph; Lady Deathstrike is way too good for the Reavers; Wolverine gets a sidekick; Forge arm wrestles the Shadow King; Moira takes a cavalier approach lab safety; Magneto's motives get kind of reconciled; Legion is a chaos gamer; Mystique and Destiny break our hearts; queer erasure in fiction reflects erasure in life; and the Shadow King is not even a little bit subtle. X-PLAINED: That one time Donald Pierce pretended to be Cyclops for like a year The post X-Men X-Men What may be our deepest cut yet Uncanny X-Men #252-255 Where's Wolverine? The Reaver Bunch Major-League lumpoids Robot dingoes A prescient vision Trouble at sea Several significant deaths Subtext and queer erasure The key of agony Smile noises Non-mutants we'd team up with the X-Men NEXT WEEK: Back to Asgard! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

130 – The Soule Protocols (feat. Charles Soule) Oct 16, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which writer Charles Soule joins us for a (spoiler free) discussion of Death of X and how to make mortality matter in universes where death is a revolving door. X-PLAINED: Fang Who's really trying to kill off the X-Men Death of Wolverine Death of X Charles Soule's favorite death scenes Several reasons to care about the Inhumans Unpacking Cyclops The correct pronunciation of "ResurrXion" NEXT EPISODE: The Makeshift X-Men of Muir Island There's no visual companion this week! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

129 – They Don’t Allow Dragons in Here (The Cross-Time Caper, Part 1) Oct 10, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which "Cross-Time Caper" is something of a misnomer; Excalibur is an awful lot of fun to summarize; none of us will ever live up to Oscar Wilde's expectations; Captain Britain secretly derives his powers from genre; sometimes things turn out to be simple; Kitty Pryde is better at everything than you; manipulation and murder are the new flowers and candy; context may or may not ruin everything; Meggan gets a new outfit; Technet takes Brighton; and some universes are just too silly to survive. X-PLAINED: Rick Jones, Sidekick Supreme The Cross-Time Caper Excalibur #12-15 Three love triangles Jay's mom's late iguana Captain Marshall, Lord Champion of the Realm Prince William Butch the ogre Princess Kate Fisticuffs Instant air conditioning, Excalibur-style Bagpipe Vader An anticlimactic solution to a protracted problem Sorcery 101 Several profoundly unethical ways to initiate a relationship Arrested Excalibur The Campsite Rule of relationships The logistics and social history of tarring and feathering A protracted parody A very large number and several names for it A theoretical team-up Ultimate Hunger An unidentified comic that is not Ultimate Hunger Some less-than-ideal creative choices A multiversal montage Jamie Braddock (more) (again) A duck The unenviable fate of Doctor Crocodile Pairing mutants with metal genres Inconsistent flight safety measures NEXT EPISODE: Killing the X-Men, with Charles Soule You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

128 – A Stupid Way to Die (Judgment War, Part 1) Oct 03, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which X-Factor goes to space; Miles gets judgmental about spelling; Paul Smith returns to an X-title; Celestials are a pain; Judgment War is the Star-Trekkiest story that doesn't actually involve Star Trek; monster ladies are super important; if you can be a green dude, you should be a green dude; and Cyclops gears up to fight some gods. X-PLAINED: One way to kill a Celestial Judg(e)ment War Drunk Mark Trail X-Factor #43-46 Walls you should maybe not bust through even if you're X-Factor A completely inappropriate show pitch Celestials The true secret purpose of Ship The Chosen The Rejects Dualers Perfect Seera Rask Zarka Monster ladies in cultural context Lev A stupid way to die Jammers Plot-relevant amnesia The Most Perfect ZZ-105 Baby theft (more)(again) Ryest The Beginagains Whether and when there'll be another all-question episode The current status of the Jean Grey school NEXT EPISODE: The Cross-Time Caper begins! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

X-TRA – Sofa Special (feat. Al Ewing) Sep 30, 2016

We're celebrating International Podcast Day with a bonus mid-week episode! In which Jay and Al settle down in the living room to talk about cats, conventions, X-karaoke, Summers Brothers road trips, and what Al has planned for those New Mutants he's been collecting in New Avengers! SOME RELEVANT LINKS: You can find all of our RCCC minicomics right here! Here's the original SPLINK PSA! David Malki's Magneto voicemails are a gift to the world. You can find the full collection here. This episode comes courtesy of our rad Patreon subscribers. If you want to join their ranks and help keep us on the air and ad-free–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here!

127 – Disaster City Sep 26, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which we get back on the continuity train; everything is the aftermath of Inferno forever; you should never fight a tractor or a horse without first putting on some damn pants; Vincent Price would've made a terrific Doctor Strange; Rusty Collins never really gets a fair break; Boom Boom is in over her head; and Brett Blevins takes his place as the definitive New Mutants artist. X-PLAINED: Mirage's on-again-off-again Valkyrie career Asgardia The New Mutants' previous Asgard adventures The best single issue of all time The Naglfar A proposal for a new calendar New Mutants #77-80 The Ust-Ordynski Collective (again) (more) There's Stuff Going On: The Doctor Strange Story A very bad decision Why unicorns are the worst Doctor Stephen Sanders / Doctor Strange / Doctor Dad Let's Make a Deal Whether arson counts as a personality trait Several nefarious plans Creative growth Disaster City Fun with the Technarchy Mindful representation Miles's dad's comics collection NEXT EPISODE: Judgment War! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

126 – Live at Rose City Comic Con, with Greg Pak Sep 19, 2016

Art by David Wynne. No prints this week, but you can contact David to purchase the original! In which we return to Rose City Comic Con and somehow manage to one-up last year's Stryfe cold open; Greg Pak has secretly written all of the X-books; Cullen Bunn may or may not be watching you RIGHT NOW; the X-Men distill down to murder and kissing; Toshiro Mifune should be everybody; Miles swears first (for once); and we can't wait to see all of your X-Men roller derby names! X-PLAINED: Cold open escalation Onslaught Greg Pak Continuity exegesis Marrying history and narrative Murder and kissing X-Treme X-Men vol. 2 Reimagining characters across the multiverse Governor-General James Howlett Magneto: Testament Where superheroes should and shouldn't intersect with geopolitical events Our X-Men buddy-cop duos of choice X-Commencement speakers X-Men roller derby names Contemporary vs. retrospective representations of current events NEXT WEEK: The New Mutants go to Asgard! There's not exactly a visual companion to this episode, but you can find a Rose City Comic Con gallery on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! No prints for sale this time, but you can still contact David Wynne for the original of this week's illustration!

125 – Giant-Size Special #4 Sep 12, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which Logan Bonner, Max Carleton, and Crystal Frasier hike up their boxers and join us at the gaming table for an X-Men: Evolution tabletop adventure; what happens in virtual reality stays in virtual reality; Shadowcat is great at boats; Jubilee and Boom Boom blow up everything; Havok tries; and Team Reckless Endangerment wins the day! FEATURING: Logan Bonner as Writer and Gamemaster / Erik the Rad Max Carleton as the Shadowcat / Pirate Kitty Crystal Frasier as Jubilee / the Genie Jay Edidin as Havok / the Corsair Miles Stokes as Boom Boom / Boomavara NEXT EPISODE: Live from RCCC, with Greg Pak! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

124 – The Cruelest Planet Sep 05, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which everyone dies (or something); every Summers is miserable in their own way; we are pretty done with Nanny and the Orphanmaker; Lady Deathstrike is a surprisingly astute art critic; the X-Men's digital invisibility does not extend to the White Pages; we venture into slightly less charted territory; Wolverine has a really bad day; and you should totally come hang out with us at Rose City Comic Con! X-PLAINED: Origins of Lady Deathstrike Jay & Miles at Rose City Comic Con X-Ray party etiquette Uncanny X-Men #248-251 The precise inverse of an anticlimax The Siege Perilous (more) (again) Dramatic parallels Summers tragedy disambiguation Jim Lee's first X-issue The apparent death of Storm (this time) The merged Reavers What it takes for Jay to play a sidescroller An X-band Longshot's departure A really ineffective rescue Art-critic Deathstrike Administrative assistant Jubilee Zaladane An unconventional approach to genealogy The ickiest method of mind control Dark Claw NEXT EPISODE: GIANT-SIZE SUMMER SPECIAL! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

123 – Mojo Mayhem Aug 29, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which Jay and Miles return to Rose City Comic Con; "Having a Wild Weekend" is the mash-up t-shirt of Excalibur stories; swears are for everyone; Arcade is not a subtle villain; we love Art Adams a lot; Minor-Domo is the Harvey and/or Janet of the Mojoverse; Kitty gets another new costume; and the X-Babies carjack their creators. X-PLAINED: The Agent Jay and Miles at Rose City Comic Con 2016 What Excalibur has instead of annuals Competing theories of Eriks Larsen "Having a Wild Weekend" (Marvel Comics Presents #31-38) The Community reference that keeps on giving How to fight on the Internet without being a dick A large number of thinly veiled TV references The X-Babies Excalibur: Mojo Mayhem Ricochet Rita (again) Psychonauts Exploding children (more) (again) The House of Ideas The New Universe Major Domo Minor Domo Jay's dream vacation Cats Laughing (more) (again) Cosplay you should totally do Why you should always read the EULA The classic X-Men spirit Some of our favorite cameos The return of Judith Rassendyll One fairly specific way to ruin a wedding Where to find Havok in comics X-Men we'd like to see as wizards NEXT EPISODE: Death in the Outback You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

122 – Boom Boom Von Doom and the Ontology of Monsters Aug 22, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which the back-up stories of Atlantis Attacks are way better than the main event; the Serpent Society is hilarious; Longshot finds a rock; the S.U.R.F.E.R.S. are no Neutrinos; our volume of digressions is inversely proportional to our investment in this crossover; Jay overthinks sunglasses; and somehow we still aren't entirely done with Inferno. X-PLAINED: Leonard McKenzie Princess Fen Tiger Shark A dubious crossover event and three splendid backup stories The best thing in Marvel Puzzle Quest Skateman Atlantis Attacks Uncanny X-Men Annual #13 New Mutants Annual #5 X-Factor Annual #4 Ghaur Llyra Homo mermanus The Serpent Society Boomslang Why snakes don't wear vests The Maple Hill Farm books The Horn of Doom (again) Namorita Impractical swimwear Surf, or S.U.R.F.E.R.S., or whoever the hell they are Zak and the Neutrinos The trouble with mobile landmarks A case of mistaken identity The true meaning of something, probably Ralph Macchio, but not that Ralph Macchio Circumstances in which it is acceptable to throw a small child down an elevator shaft The definitive Boom Boom Eligible gentlemen of the Marvel Universe Boom Boom Von Doom A false dichotomy Sally Pashkow A really great outfit Presidencies rated by X-Books Best and worst moral inversions NEXT WEEK: Mojo Mayhem! ART CHALLENGE: Send your best Boom Boom romance stories, covers, and pin-ups to xplainthexmen(at)gmail.com by SEPTEMBER 15, with the subject line BOOM BOOM RULES. NOTE: In this episode, Jay briefly confused two Marvel villain teams: the Serpent Society (snake-themed villains); and the Sons of the Serpent, also known as the Serpent Men (hate group). We would like to offer our apologies to the Serpent Society, who are ridiculous but not, as far as we know, racist. You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

121 – Two Sides of a Narcissistic Coin (feat. Ben Acker) Aug 15, 2016

Art by David Wynne. In which Jay may or may not have sold their voice to a sea witch; Gambit and Deadpool are somewhat lackadaisical superheroes; everything Fat Cobra does is amazing; Miles is a prepared gentleman; Gambit is there to look pretty and throw something; and there is now a Ben Acker vocaloid hovering around the studio. X-PLAINED: Acker & Blacker Thrilling Adventure Hour X-Men #214, but not the real one Deadpool v. Gambit As-needed approach to continuity The ontology of Deadpool The time the Absorbing Man turned into cocaine Wolverine Season One What makes Gambit creepy The roadtrip miniseries you didn't know you needed A theoretical poker game and its theoretical outcome NEXT EPISODE: Atlantis Attacks! There is no visual companion to this episode! Go read Deadpool v. Gambit! It's great! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Contact David Wynne to inquire after the original of this week's illustration.

120 – Observed by a Family of Lizard People Aug 08, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which everything is worse with Nazis; Excalibur gets its groove back; Meggan has an identity crisis; Kitty gets a crush; a dragon gets interdimensional sanctuary; and the Cross-Time Caper starts not with a bang, but a foomp. X-PLAINED: The death of Lilandra Neramani Excalibur #8-11 The best name in Hollywood Still more of Inferno's aftermath A basketball game Blackbird disambiguation Several long-delayed reunions and one subsequent resolution Alastaire Stuart (and his banana) Tourists who are also lizards Lightning Force A number of unfortunate encounters The difference between Errol Flynn characters and Errol Flynn The fall of Nigel Frobisher The switch that turns the engine invisible What may be the world's least subtle euphemistic use of the term "roommate" How the discourse around comics has changed since the '80s Jubilee vs. power creep NEXT EPISODE: Deadpool v Gambit, with Ben Acker! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes, Google Play, or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

119 – Red Night of the Soul (feat. Elisabeth Allie) Aug 01, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which Elisabeth hacks the Matrix; Magneto is the worst at small talk; Hela overreaches; parents just don't understand human speech; everything is better with super-rings; Selene has a Xena moment; almost anything can be solved with a kiss; and even if you transform Doug Ramsey into a giant red murder monster, he'll still be a huge nerd. X-PLAINED: The S-Men New Mutants Forever #1-5 Magma's revised family tree Updating the New Mutants The delicate balance of the Forever line The web Idiom confusion A flawed cultural analogy Tiberius the Generic Several profoundly dubious costumes Family resemblance Skull v. Skull The dearth of canonically asexual X-characters NEXT EPISODE: Different Nazis Miles here - in one of the questions for this episode, I conflated asexuality and aromanticness. Those are totally two different things. Apologies - I’m still learning! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes, Google Play, or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

118 – Extrude the Grappling Arms! Jul 25, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which you really can't compete with Cable; the X-Men may or may not ditch a funeral; Nanny extrudes the grappling arms; Boom Boom is more responsible than she looks; Jean Grey is the cool stepmom; we posit an alternate explanation for Brexit; and ravens are the best dinosaurs. X-PLAINED: What happened to the Inferno babies X-Factor #40-42 Madelyne Pryor's funeral Post-Inferno X-Factor Archangel's inconsistent appearance Secret origins of Nanny and the Orphanmaker Teenagers (more) (again) Tom Jones (Alchemy) Conversations we probably shouldn't have with Neal Conan Trolls of London Dubious super-parenting Phy Phay Phee Phough Phumm Troll economics A grocery list The Ravenmaster Miles's mom NEXT EPISODE: Miles and Elisabeth X-Plain New Mutants Forever! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes, Google Play, or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

117 – How to Pee Like a Supervillain Jul 18, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which Gossamyr definitely probably doesn't get blown up; we engage in a long and surprisingly canon-based exploration of Hellfire Club bathroom etiquette; the New Mutants break up with Magneto; you should probably never go swimming in the Marvel Universe; and it is possible (but unlikely) that Jay yells "IMPERIUS REX" more than is strictly necessary. X-PLAINED New Son/New Sun Post-Inferno New Mutants New Mutants #74-76 Babies Ship shipping Inanimate objects Warlock has attempted to befriend Hellfire Club bathroom etiquette A long-anticipated showdown Magneto's on-again-off-again children The Mutant Wars The Grey King (but not The Grey King) Undersea creatures that have no business near New York An Atlantean artificat of dubious provenance How to deter a giant and possibly supernatural octopus Recycled powers Friendly sentinels NOTE: The Dispossessed is in fact by Ursula K. Le Guin. NEXT EPISODE: Trolls! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes, Google Play, or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

116 – The Pooper of This Party Jul 04, 2016

Art by Marc Silvestri from Uncanny X-Men #244. David Wynne's art will return next episode! In which Jubilee makes her fabulous debut, the X-Ladies visit Hotbods, the X-Dudes accidentally (and drunkenly) save the world, Longshot is Sexy Johnny Karate, the only thing worse than one anti-mutant super-robot is two, and we say goodbye to a quarter of the team. X-PLAINED: Hellfire Club leadership Uncanny X-Men #244-247 Team-relative Inferno after-effects Jubilation Lee Teddy girls The surprisingly not-dead M Squad Chaos (but not KAOS) Dazzler, heart and/or steamroller of the X-Men Miles's alternate career as alien archivist DC's Invasion Logan's Guide to Kissing Etiquette Havok & Wolverine: Meltdown continuity disambiguation Sexy dead girls Perils of the Siege Perilous Sharon Kelly Rogue, Carol Danvers, and relative (im)maturity The MTV Generation Wolverine's hair X-(misc.) Forever Storm's threads NEXT EPISODE: The New Mutants drop out. You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes, Google Play, or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! No illustration this week, but David Wynne's art will be back next episode!

115 – So Many Teeth (feat. Max Carleton) Jun 27, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which Jay and Max brave the X-Men anime; the problem isn't in Wolverine's pants; Xavier is for once less villainous than he seems; Emma Frost gets ruffly; Cyclops wasn't even supposed to be here today; and we both really want to hang out with Scott Porter. X-PLAINED: Billy Kaplan and Tommy Shepherd Waiting for the Trade The X-Men Anime Marvel Anime Scott Porter Jay's ongoing attempts to assemble a coherent X-Men/Speed Racer conspiracy theory Floating Hands Theater Wolverine An unlikely T.A. Several recurring flashbacks The U-Men The other U-Men Armor (Hisako Ichiki) Emma Frost, but ruffly Evil Moira MacTaggert (Yui Sasaki) The Sasaki Institute The other Inner Circle Marsh Rat Neuron Takeo Sasaki Potluck night at the Hellfire Club Living vs. dead Jean Grey NEXT EPISODE: Jubilee! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes, Google Play, or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

114 – Meltdown (feat. Susan Beaver) Jun 20, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which Havok and Wolverine head to Mexico; Havok tries his hand at noir; Wolverine gets serious about hair gel; Meltdown is probably not actually a common Russian surname; Susan X-Plains nuclear reactors; and we are pretty thoroughly besotted with Havok & Wolverine: Meltdown. X-PLAINED: Age of Apocalypse Corsair Epic Comics Marvel Comics Presents #24-31 Leila O'Toole (Plasma) The Cold War Samantha Smith Havok & Wolverine: Meltdown #1-4 General Meltdown Dr. Neutron The varying deadliness of vices Scarlett McKenzie (Quark) Some exceptionally gorgeous artwork Why we love Havok Chernobyl How nuclear reactors do and don't work Other characters we'd like to see in Meltdown-type stories Adamantium vs. vibranium NEXT EPISODE: The X-Men Anime Special thanks to guest reactor X-Pert Susan Beaver! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes, Google Play, or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

113 – Play It Again, Patch Jun 13, 2016

CONTENT NOTE: Episode 113 contains fairly extensive discussions of fictional violence, including gun violence. If you don't want to listen to that right now, that is absolutely okay. If you want to listen to it later, it'll still be here. And if you never want to listen to it, that is absolutely okay, too. We were on the fence about whether to post this episode today. We ultimately decided to go ahead, for two reasons: There's value in routine in the face of tragedy. There are times when continuing to exist visibly and publicly is itself an act of defiance. Love and solidarity to everyone who's grieving right now, and especially to our Florida friends and family, and to fellow members of the queer community. -Jay & Miles EPISODE 113: PLAY IT AGAIN, PATCH Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which Wolverine gets an ongoing series; the constitution of Madripoor is probably just a list of pulp noir genre conventions; Tyger Tiger is a kinder, gentler crimelord; Jessica Drew gets possessed a lot; the Silver Samurai and Lindsay McCabe are our dream team; Joe Fixit is a font of endless delight; and someone should probably sit Wolverine down and explain how disguises work. X-PLAINED: The Murasama The other Murasama Life after Inferno Madripoor Wolverine #1-10 The Princess Bar O'Donnell The hierarchy of Casablanca references Roche Razorfist The Inquisitor Sapphire Styx Tyger Tiger What makes a good solo series Lindsay McCabe Wolverine's signature drink Possession pants Silver Samurai (again) Patch Bloodsport & Roughouse Archie Corrigan and his plane Landau, Luckman, & Lake Chief Tai General Nguyen Ngoc Coy Prince Baran and His Remarkable Pants Joe Fixit The worst possible way to celebrate someone's birthday NEXT EPISODE: Havok & Wolverine: Meltdown! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes, Google Play, or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

112 – Embers of Inferno (feat. Sam Humphries) Jun 06, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which we cover (almost) all of the Inferno tie-ins with the help of writer Sam Humphries; the Marvel Universe used to be really X-Centric; Jarvis is unstoppable; Daredevil fights a vacuum cleaner; it's probably best not to ask about the whole Celestial Madonna thing; Power Pack gets incredibly upsetting; working in comics makes you appreciate crossovers on a whole new level; and we'd all really have liked to have seen Guy Davis's Inferno. X-PLAINED: Peter Quill's brief music career Widget The Amazing Spider-Man #311-313 Spectacular Spider-Man #146-148 Web of Spider-Man #47-48 Avengers #298-300 Power Pack #42-44 Daredevil #262, 263, 265 Cloak and Dagger (vol. 3) #4 Fantastic Four #322-324 Inferno, as a whole The fate of Madelyne Pryor Jay's Madelyne Pryor song How working in comics taught us to appreciate crossovers Our ideal Inferno artists NEXT EPISODE: So. Much. Wolverine. You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes, Google Play, or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

X-TRA – Jay and Miles Overthink X-Men: Apocalypse Jun 01, 2016

In which we release a mid-week bonus episode and generally spoil the hell out of X-Men: Apocalypse! This episode comes courtesy of our rad Patreon subscribers. If you want to join their ranks and help keep us on the air and ad-free--and unlock more cool stuff--you can do that right here!

111 – You’ll Have to Look Inside for That May 30, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which Wolverine gets a wolverine; the Crazy Gang meets their match; Inferno is business as usual for Excalibur; Alan Davis covers are the best covers; David Wynne makes his on-air debut; Courtney Ross is more competent than you; Murderworld operates on a dubious economic model; Nightcrawler is the anti-Nice Guy™, and everything basically works out for the best. X-PLAINED: Wolverine's wolverine A subtle but critical spelling difference Excalibur #4-7 The greatest comic-book cover of all time Dialogue on covers Courtney Ross Edwardian power suits Arcade (again) The dubious economics of Murderworld The Looney Toones school of sexploitation Search terms Fashion in Excalibur A mundane but useful superpower The death of Courtney Ross Perils of transatlantic flight The Goblin Princess A really excellent gargoyle Several cinematic references A very revealing outfit Brigadier Alysande Stuart Sinister fashion Still more Limbo disambiguation NEXT WEEK: Infero Post-Game, with Sam Humphries Special thanks to David Wynne. You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes, Google Play, or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

110 – Lights, Camera, Apocalypse! May 23, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which the X-Men cinematic universe is a really mixed bag; Kang the Conqueror ruins everything; everyone wants a Sphinx hovercraft; Elle was right; and we bring you up to speed on all things En Sabah Nur--just in time for X-Men: Apocalypse! X-PLAINED: How Chamber got his torso back (and then lost it again)(twice) Several ways to count X-Men movies X-Men X2: X-Men United X-Men: The Last Stand X-Men: First Class X-Men: Days of Future Past Adaptation anxiety Distillation vs. dilution Apocalypse (En Sabah Nur) Rise of Apocalypse #1-4 Akkaba Dubious survival tips Fantastic Four #19 Doctor Strange #53 Ozymandias Various horsemen of Apocalypse Age of Apocalypse (Earth-295) The Twelve Cinematic X-costumes Cast Party NEXT WEEK: Excalibur joins Inferno! CORRECTION: In this episode, Jay states that Kieran Shiach explained Kang in the Secret Convergence on Infinite Podcasts. It was, in fact, the amazing Paul O'Brien. Mea culpa. You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes, Google Play, or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

109 – The Passion of Madelyne Pryor May 16, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which you should not presume to judge Madelyne Pryor by your standards; we wrap up the core plot of Inferno (but still somehow have two episodes left to go); sympathetic is not the same thing as right; Storm and Jean use friendship and it's super effective; Iceman is basically incorruptible; Angel gets a new codename; Cyclops gets a backstory; Sinister is aptly named; and Inferno makes retcons into retconade. X-PLAINED: Limbo vs. Limbo Hel vs. Hell Uncanny X-Men #242-243 X-Factor #38-39 A moment that does not speak eloquently for itself Several extended misunderstandings The difference between sympathetic and right N'astirh's sweet ride A false binary The Goblin Prince Yet another reason Havok should have finished his dissertation The power of friendship The Rube Goldberg approach to combat Superconductivity, kind of Our least favorite retcon in Inferno The Summers brothers summed up in a single scene Clone ethics Why we like it when characters screw up Our favorite retcons How to prep for X-Men: Apocalypse NEXT WEEK: Apocalypse for Beginners You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes, Google Play, or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

108 – What Price Glory May 09, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which we recap nearly 200 issues in under three minutes; Madelyne Pryor is the Medea of X-Men; Mister Sinister takes the stage; Dazzler is basically an '80s movie refugee; Scrambler may or may not be an exchange student from the Riverdale Marauders; Marc Silvestri is excellent at some things and less so at others; nothing good happens in Nebraska; Trish Tilby is the April O'Neil of X-Factor; and we swear that it was a total coincidence that this episode went up on Mother's Day. X-PLAINED: One solution to the existential conundrum of the Carol Danvers who is also kind of part of Rogue Pretty much everything that's happened since the Dark Phoenix Saga The structure of Inferno Uncanny X-Men #239-241 X-Factor #36-37 The rise of the Goblin Queen Several deaths in elevators Mister Sinister and his amazing action-figure collection The evolution of Mark Silvestri Madelyne and Alex A very symbolic dress The Rainbow Room M-Squad That damn costume 1989 in outfit form Jay's favorite Marauder Rats-R-Us Wolverine vs. a mail box The X-Men, but evil The secret origin of Madelyne Pryor A long-anticipated reunion Objects we'd demonically animate Which X-Man should do your taxes NEXT WEEK: The Passion of Madelyne Pryor You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes, Google Play, or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

107 – Fairy Tale Ending May 02, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which everyone's got Inferno issues; Brett Blevins makes it work; Belasco is conspicuously absent from Inferno; you should never go into Hell barefoot; the greatest X-Men stories are about loss; and Illyana Rasputin finally gets a fairy tale ending. X-PLAINED Tempus (Eva Bell) Storm and Illyana: Magik #1-4 (briefly) The two major Inferno plotlines New Mutants #71-73 The best of Brett Blevins The rise and fall of Magik The ethics of time-travel interventions A weaponized retcon N'astirh Guy™ A chair that is also a moral event horizon A significant soul-armor upgrade Several variations on a chapter title Possessed New York An overly complex conspiracy theory A bittersweet reunion The Kobayashi Maru scenario as applied to X-Men An even more bittersweet victory (of sorts) The eventual return of Magik (sort of) Why it's really irresponsible to affiliate your school with a superhero team Our favorite versions of Wolfsbane's transitional form NEXT WEEK: The Rise of the Goblin Queen! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes, Google Play, or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

106 – The X-Terminators Apr 25, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which Nextwave is both canon and not-canon; Inferno officially begins; X-Terminators is basically a cartoon; Bill Gaines cannot catch a break; Artie and Leach are superbabies; Takeshi Matsuya is fantastic; you should probably never take our advice about anything; Boom Boom is pretty good at superhero costume design; Walter Peck was right; Miles still won't stop saying that one line about stealing a baby; N'astirh is no pigeon; and "No Mutant Is an Island" is a patently inaccurate statement. X-PLAINED: The Beyond Corporation The Defilers X-Terminators #1-4 The first 35 issues of X-Factor, briefly Two teams with the same name Fredric Wertham Bill Gaines Crotus Babies A boarding school that may or may not be Phillips Exeter Academy Muffy Saint Simon's Academy Wiz Kid (Takeshi Matsuya) Nuprin Medical advice from goblins The Goblin Buster Metareferential snack food RadSport Sport Fashion Outfitters An exceptionally specific Ghostbusters reference Helen and Tim Dubious spell semantics How not to incorporate a crossover into a miniseries, and vice versa "No Mutant Is an Island" A brief history of Magneto's helmet Definitive Magnetos NEXT WEEK: The fall of Magik. Special thanks to multiversal metacontinuity wizard Al Ewing for the last-minute assist on the cold open! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes, Google Play, or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

105 – Live from ECCC with Kris Anka, Al Ewing, Scott Koblish, and G. Willow Wilson Apr 17, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which continuity has its eyes on you; the multiverse is so complex that we have to drag Al Ewing out of the audience to X-plain it; the X-Men mean a lot of different (but mostly compatible) things to all of us; we will accept any retcons necessary to maintain Magneto's history as a Holocaust survivor; and ECCC rocks our world. X-PLAINED: Secret Wars Alternate universes vs. alternate timelines Multiversal problem-solving New Arcadia Definitive alternate-timeline X-Men The weird joy of reading comics out of order That one alternate timeline where Storm has a leather jacket and is hooking up with Wolverine The only happy Cyclops in the multiverse What makes the X-Men the X-Men Intersections we'd like to see explored in canon The appeal of universe-hopping Relative ratios of metaphors to punching Proof of concept in comics publishing Battleworld characters we'd like to import into the 616.1 Which X-Men should get solo series NEXT WEEK: X-Terminators! CORRECTION: During the panel, Jay claimed that Spider-Man had been married for their entire life. Jay was in fact five years old when Spider-Man got married. We regret the error, but maintain our stance that Spider-Man is totally married. You can find links to all our ECCC coverage--as well as a live video of the Hamilton cold open, from the Phoenix Comics party--on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

104 – The Noodle Incident (feat. Brett White and Dennis Hopeless) Apr 11, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which Brett White joins us for a look at the current state of the X-line; Dennis Hopeless helps shed some light on a persistent mystery; Brett has a lot of feelings about the Dark Riders; All-New Wolverine is our everything; All-New X-Men is the new New Mutants; X-Men '92 is the prize at the bottom of the continuity cereal box; we speculate on potential fatalities in the upcoming Death of X; and everything is probably going to be more or less okay. X-PLAINED: Why everyone is mad at Cyclops The Noodle Incident How we variously define X-titles The current state of the X-line The 8-Month Gap Secret Wars Earth 616.1 Extraordinary X-Men (Current series) Uncanny X-Men (Current series) All-New Wolverine Old Man Logan (Current series) All-New X-Men (Current series) X-Men: Worst X-Man Ever X-Men '92 (Current series) The Dark Riders Being personally invested in characters you don't own Favorite formats The mystic end of the X-Men cinematic universe Mysteries and mysteries NEXT WEEK: Continuity Has Its Eyes on You: Live from ECCC with Kris Anka, Al Ewing, Scott Koblish, and G. Willow Wilson! EDITED: NOODLE INCIDENT SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW CLOSED. We'll be announcing the winners sometime between 4/18 and 4/22. Thank you to everyone who participated!!! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

103 – Warwolves of London Apr 04, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which Excalibur is x-tra x-ceptional; we once again gush at length about Alan Davis; Kurt Wagner is reliable with the ladies; nothing in Excalibur is ever perfectly normal; Warwolves are regular folks; Brian Braddock still doesn't get to take a bath; Jay overthinks a question; and there's more where that came from! X-PLAINED: The Unstoppable Juggernaut Earth-10724 Jay & Miles at Emerald City Comicon Excalibur #1-3 Fun The Crazy Gang (again) The somewhat ignominious death of Ray Mulholland Warwolves Nigel Frobisher A somewhat dubious ploy Bathroom etiquette Widget A kid named Colin Rupert Holloway Friendship, kind of The Lighthouse Courtney Ross Excalibur vs. the Juggernaut Kitty's powers An exceptionally specific theoretical crossover NEXT WEEK: Checking in on the current state of the X-line, with guest Brett White! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

102 – Baby Race 2000 Mar 28, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which Beast's DNA is basically held together with spit and baling wire; Boom Boom wins MVP; Angel goes full goth; Cameron Hodge loses his head; Cyclops is basically a Silent Hill protagonist; and the Nebraska Department of Social Services is probably not adequately equipped to deal with Mister Sinister. X-PLAINED: The Horsemen of Death X-Factor #32-35 Xartans Superheroic triage A vague prophecy Fake Avengers Fake-band disambiguation KiLLeR DWaRfS Crippled Puppies Audiophile Apocalypse Shopping Dubiously zealous trademark protection Acronym disambiguation The death of Candy Southern The not-exactly death of Cameron Hodge Nanny Orphan-Maker Baby Race 2000 An orphanage that is also a metaphor Unreliable narration The dubious partnership of Mister Sinister and Apocalypse Best iterations of Boom Boom NEXT EPISODE: Excalibur goes ongoing! InfernoWatch Malicious inanimate objects Early signs of Marvel Girl's returning telepathy First clues of Cyclops's connection to Sinister First mention of Goblin Queen by name You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Hang out with us on Imzy! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

101 – Not Bad, Just Drawn That Way Mar 21, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which it's pretty much always terrible to be Magik; Y is a sometimes vowel; Wolfsbane is a secret Disney Princess; feelings ruin everything; and Gossamyr may or may not be an allegory (but is pretty interesting either way). X-PLAINED: What Lila Cheney is up to these days New Mutants #67-70 Gratuitous space spelling Gossamyr Spyder The Accountants Magneto's ongoing slide into supervillainy A few fairly specific elements of teen-girl social dynamics Wolfsbane's greatest desire Practical logistics of teleporting aliens into a sun Approaching the X-books as a new writer Who we'd put on an all-X-Men trivia team NEXT EPISODE: BabyRace 2000; and Archangel vs. Cameron Hodge Special thanks to Kieron Gillen for the X-pert consult; and to Arvin Bautista for the use of "I Will Steal Your Heart." InfernoWatch: Illyana's descent continues S'ym gains near-complete control of Limbo First instances of possessed machinery and architecture You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

100 – Unexpected Wonder, with Chris Claremont Mar 13, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which Miles follows his heart; subtext becomes text; and we celebrate a very special milestone with a very special guest. NEXT EPISODE: Gossamyr For a comprehensive visual companion to this episode, we recommend reading Uncanny X-Men #94-279, 381-389, and 444-473; X-Men vol. 1 #59; X-Men vol. 2 #1-3, 100-109, and 165; New Mutants #1-54, 63, and 81; Excalibur vol. 1 #1-19, 21-25, 27, and 32-34; X-Treme X-Men #1-46; X-Men Forever #1-25; and dozens of additional annuals, miniseries, ongoings, one-shots, graphic novels, and more. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

99 – Those Who Walk Away from Genosha Mar 07, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which the podcast gets a new name; Jay starts (another) imaginary band; mutant issues break away from the metaphor; Genosha's leading industry is cognitive dissonance; invisibility to electronic surveillance is not always a plus; Rogue and Wolverine are the X-Men most likely to find themselves nude in a fight; Carol Danvers is awesome even when disembodied; and we both have a lot of feelings about Mad Max: Fury Road. X-PLAINED: The Havok dilemma Our new name Uncanny X-Men #235-238 Genosha Jenny Ransome The Press Gang A really good bit of vintage slang The downside of electronic invisibility Naked teleportation The Genegineer (David Moreau) Philip Moreau Mutates The (sort of) return of (sort of) Carol Danvers The portmanteaus of Genosha Moral binary in superhero comics Possible antecedents of Sterling Archer The only good reason to bring Logan back N'astirh Several versions of Madelyne Pryor "Gone to America" Off-page baby theft How to have fun re-reading InfernoWatch: This week, it's all about Madelyne Pryor: her first contact with N'astirh and escalating romance with Havok; the first hints of her connection to Mister Sinister; her oblique connection to the Phoenix Force; and her first foray into baby theft! NEXT EPISODE: Chris Claremont CORRECTION: In this episode, Miles mentioned Those Who Walk Away From Omelas as having been written by Margaret Atwood. It was, of course, actually written by Ursula K. LeGuin. Miles blames the Jaspers Warp for this mistake. You can find a visual companion to this episode–and links to recommended reading–on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

98 – Between Alien Visitations and Drunken Sulks Feb 29, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which we continue our coverage of pre-Excalibur Captain Britain; S.T.R.I.K.E. is D.U.C.K. is W.H.O.; the R.C.X. is one lapse in judgment away from on-the-job cosplay; Meggan levels up; your name will never be as cool as Doctor Crocodile's; Technet writes their own cold opens; and we announce the upcoming debut of Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men! X-PLAINED: A large number of acronyms Irony Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men Mighty World of Marvel #14-16 Captain Britain #1-14 The aftermath of the Jaspers Warp Inspector Dai Thomas How to work out a superhero's secret identity The Crazy Gang (more) (again) Slaymaster Captain Britain's costume Sidney Crumb Gatecrasher's Technet (more) (again) Earth-794 Kaptain Briton Sat-Yr-Nin The R.C.X. Agents Gabriel & Michael The Warpies The Cherubim Meggan (more) (again) Doctor Crocodile Jamie Braddock Betsy Braddock's short and calamitous tenure as Captain Britain Women in Refrigerators Our thoughts on the X-movies Mutant heredity NEXT EPISODE: Genosha Is for Lovers You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

97 – The Crooked World Feb 22, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which we venture out of our wheelhouse; Contest of Champions is ridiculous in any medium; Captain Britain would like you to unhand that elf; the Fury is legitimately terrifying; the Special Executive is the best at heists; Brian Braddock knows exactly what he's getting into; Merlyn is the multiversal Charles Xavier; and this is really just the tip of the iceberg. X-PLAINED: Various Contests of Champions ISO-8 Marvel UK Marvel Superheroes 377-388 Daredevils 1-11 Mighty World of Marvel 7-13 Captain Britain (Brian Braddock) Jackdaw Earth-238 Mad Jim Jaspers The Crazy Gang Algernon the Rat Omniversal Majestrix Opal Luna Saturnyne Life-Enhancing Fluid The Fury Alan Moore juvenilia The (first) death and rebirth of Captain Britain How to make a retcon work Mastermind (but not that Mastermind) Emma Collins Pre-Psylocke Betsy Braddock S.T.R.I.K.E. Vixen Slaymaster The Trial of Saturnyne The Special Executive Mandragon The Captain Britain Corps Captain U.K. (Linda McQuillan) Marvelman vs. Miracleman Future Traumatic Stress Disorder NEXT EPISODE: But wait! There's more! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

96 – Horsemen of the Playground Feb 15, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints, cards, and travel mugs available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which we play Evolutionary War Mad-Libs; it's probably a bad sign when Apocalypse decides you need an intervention; Dani is (briefly) the new Doug; horses are jerks; it's probably really dangerous to be Longshot; Storm has the coolest friends; the High Evolutionary is very high indeed; and we make a (very token) nod to Valentine's Day. X-PLAINED: Secret Origins of the High Evolutionary Evolutionary War The actual history of eugenics in America X-Factor Annual #3 New Mutants Annual #4 Uncanny X-Men Annual #12 Classic X-Men #22 Purifiers (but not those purifiers) Stack Purge How to tell when an event has major psychic repercussions A Silver-Age callback An Apocalypse-style intervention Toga Steve (Val-Or) The return of Bulk and Glow Worm Equal-opportunity Hellfire lingerie Mirage's power upgrade Miles vs. puberty vs. Uncanny X-Men The coolest civilization ever Colossus's illegitimate kid The cutest sound effect Origins of the Scott/Jean/Logan love triangle Stuff Jay likes and Miles doesn't The Elle Collins Theory of Podcast Roles NEXT EPISODE: Captain Britain! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints (or travel mugs) of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

95 – Earthfall Feb 08, 2016

Art by David Wynne In which the X-Men finally follow up on a dropped plotline; you should probably not mess with abandoned star sharks; "Dawn of Blood" is a sometimes food; The Goblin Queen makes her first appearance; we debut a new podcast feature; and there may or may not be a frozen woman in the Xavier School basement. X-PLAINED: The Providian Order Uncanny X-Men #232-234 The Brood (again) Several ill-fated campers Harry Palmer The Brood as horror antagonists Why John Doggett is the best X-Files agent Psylocke's armor Why Nestor Carbonell should play Gambit Some deeply dubious codenames Red Bee Michael the Bee Reverend William Conover and his Glory Day Crusade The Mile High Diner The strange case of Hannah Conover One hell of a nightmare A deal with a devil InfernoWatch The direct market Ways to approach an endless serial INFERNO WATCH: Madelyne meets and strikes a deal with S'ym First appearance of the Goblin Queen costume NEXT EPISODE: Evolutionary War CORRECTION: In this episode, Jay recalled the direct market as having been conceived in significant part by Carol Kalish. It was, in fact, the brainchild of Phil Seuling. You can find a visual companion to this episode--and links to recommended reading--on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

94 – WELCOME TO DIE! (feat. Elisabeth Allie) Feb 01, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which Miles and Elisabeth X-Plain Pryde of the X-Men; Magneto is somehow even worse at branding than Mystique; the X-Universe is in desperate need of responsible adults; Wolverine hates kids; everybody's mean to Lockheed; and the Sentinels represent your feelings. X-PLAINED: Wolverine's Australian accent Pryde of the X-Men X-Men / Muppet Babies analogues The Brotherhood of Mutant Terrorists How not to comfort scared teenagers The X-Cessible X-Men The Mutant Power Circuit Terrible parenting A MacGuffin A Really Dubious Evil Plot Several Additional MacGuffins THE POWER! One of many reasons to be nice to animals Space The X-Men Arcade Game Ground Kontrol X-Men: Madness in Murderworld The Uncanny X-Men (game) Metaphorical sentinels Mysterious lizards Video game mechanics vs. superhero ethics Pryde of the X-Men vs the '90s animated series vs. X-Men: Evolution Alternate animated series hooks NEXT WEEK: The Brood go to a revival meeting You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

93 – The Discreet Charm of the Brood Jan 25, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which airplanes are really dangerous if you’re a mutant, Magik remembers that time she dreamed about remembering a dream, those who live by mystically bad judgment die by mystically bad judgment, It’s Always Mystique (TM), and everything leads to Inferno. X-PLAINED: Forge’s moral compass New Mutants #62-63 and #65-66 Empath and irredeemable vs. sympathetic villains Magical postal eagles Nova Roma Jag-u-ars Art as era signifier Time travel nightmare logic Sharpiemancy The “last” Brood Jerk headmasters who won’t even let you commit murder A long-awaited roomie reunion Bret Blevins’s mad Limbo skillz Claremont / Simonson character maturity equilibrium Astrally furry pants Loyalty to the living versus loyalty to the dead The Ultimate Darkchilde Wolverine’s surprisingly non-metallic teeth Partying with the New Mutants NEXT WEEK: Pryde of the X-Men. You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

92 – Living in Ship Jan 18, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which X-Factor loves press conferences, Archangel provides many opportunities for terrible puns, Cyclops gets to be happy for a whole five pages, X-Factor learns how doors work, the X-kids are generous (except Boom Boom), Infectia makes monsters to fight the patriarchy, Ship is your cool aunt, and Destiny accidentally predicts Cable. X-PLAINED: Apocalypse versus Ed Wood X-Factor #27-31 Superhero mortality Star-crossed mugger romance Marvel Girl as, and not as, Team Mom The greatest line in all of X-Factor Ship’s anatomical resemblances Combat and relationship discussion multitasking X-Men Evolution Syndrome Iceman as joker-by-necessity Infectia and the Anti-Bodies Rambo Nukes Commando In Nicaragua Wacky sitcom humor Warren Worthington, PI Earth 13122 and LEGO optic blasts Musical careers of the X-Men NEXT WEEK: Magik versus Forge. You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

91 – The Saddest Story Ever Told Jan 11, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which New Mutants #64 is the saddest single issue of any X-book ever; the New Mutants have to grow up fast; Warlock comes to terms with mortality; The Last of Us is harder to play the second time; Tattoo Tales: X-Men: Masquerade is delightfully unhinged; animated Cyclops is totally the worst; Beast probably has a terrible garage band; Jean starts a kitchen fire; and Wolverine saves Jubilee's birthday. X-PLAINED: The saddest issue ever New Mutants #64 The only okay way to watch Grave of the Fireflies The aftermath of Doug Ramsey's death Several unhealthy coping mechanisms The Last of Us Tattoo Tales: X-Men: Masquerade Some varyingly impressive costumes General irresponsibility Why Wolverine is wearing a clown suit Douglock The New Mutants' D&D alignments NEXT WEEK: You never forget your first Ship. You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

90 – Ghosts of the Outback Jan 04, 2016

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which the X-Men move to Australia; O.Z. Chase is definitely not a werewolf; Dazzler is a smart, glittery laser cookie; Gateway falls into some uncomfortable tropes; Havok remains the king of terrible hats; Madelyne Pryor hacks the planet; Rogue makes a friend; Rick Leonardi draws the definitive Magik; Colossus' secondary mutation is allegory; and there are a lot of great places to donate your old backissues. X-PLAINED: Gateway's probable origin Wintry mix Miles's definitive X-era Uncanny X-Men #228-231 O.Z. Chase Vladimir Zaitzev The Reavers (No, not those Reavers) Bonebreaker Skullcrusher Pretty Boy Children Jessan Hoan (Tyger Tiger) Gateway Teamwork (more) (again) The Siege Perilous Cooterman's Creek Jay's favorite mythic figure (and long-term career goal) The best brother in the Marvel Universe A really sad team-up Favorite X-science moments Where to donate comic books NEXT WEEK: The saddest story ever You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

89 – Giant-Size Special #3 (feat. Kyle Yount, Logan Bonner, Elle Collins, and Chris Sims) Dec 28, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which Jay and Miles finally X-Plain some Excalibur; Kyle interviews the X-Perts; Logan gets up-close and personal with the X-Men; Elle casts Excalibur; Chris X-Plains Santa Claus; and you are still the best listeners of any podcast, ever. X-PLAINED: Excalibur: The Sword Is Drawn Christmas at the X-Mansion The best hair in the Marvel Universe The not particularly secret origins of Excalibur Mojoverse anxiety dreams Warwolves Meggan Captain Britain (Brian Braddock) Sexiest Nightcrawler Technet (and several of its members) Gatecrasher Yap Omniversal Majestrix Opal Luna Saturnine The Special Executive Mutant intersectionality Why we chose the X-Men Favorite X-Spinoffs Our podcast-guest wish list The theoretical cast of an Excalibur movie Our ideal X-lineups Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men The Second Annual Super Doctor Astronaut Peter Corbeau Awards for Excellence in X-Cellence Marvel Holiday Special 1991 Santa Claus The true meaning of Christmas You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

88 – …Just Before Dawn (Fall of the Mutants, Part 3 of 3) Dec 21, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which X-Factor finally comes out ahead; Jay and Miles weigh in on the X-Men: Apocalypse trailer; En Sabah Nur is better at theater than tactics; no one does scale like Simonson; Iceman pulls an Xavier; Cyclops and Marvel Girl totally do it; and we conclude our three-part coverage of Fall of the Mutants. X-PLAINED: A potential (but unlikely) vector for resurrecting Cyclops-616 Events vs. crossovers Our thoughts on the X-Men: Apocalypse trailer X-Factor #24-26 Power Pack #35 Incredible Hulk #340 Captain America #339 Fantastic Four #312 Daredevil #252 Newsletters of Apocalypse Some deeply dubious immunology The fall of Caliban Sense of scale The kiss we've been waiting for Teen Titans Wasteland A recognizable ruse A thematically significant crash landing Some long-awaited resolution How to judge an original-5 book Sweatsuits of Apocalypse The iconic X-Factor costumes Fall of the Mutants tie-ins Emus The best-dressed X-Men NEXT WEEK: GIANT-SIZE WINTER SPECIAL #2! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

87 – It’s Always Darkest… (Fall of the Mutants, Part 2 of 3) Dec 14, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which the New Mutants learn that they are not, in fact, immortal; Louise Simonson finds her stride; the Ani-Mator makes Cameron Hodge look downright reasonable; hating humans is Magneto's security blanket; Doug Ramsey dies; and we continue our coverage of the Fall of the Mutants. X-PLAINED: Sugar Man New Mutants #59-61 Bird Brain The Ani-Mator The Ani-Mates Stylistic whiplash Why you always leave a note The death of Doug Ramsey Black Condor's amazing origin story Interpersonal dynamics in New Mutants Parsing ongoing series Why Doug died 616 characters we'd trade for their Battleworld counterparts Storytelling trends and the decline of though balloons NEXT WEEK: …Just Before Dawn You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

86 – Legends (Fall of the Mutants, Part 1 of 3) Dec 06, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which we begin our 3-part coverage of Fall of the Mutants; Roma is very good at her job; strange things are afoot in Dallas; Mystique's parenting skills are somewhat lopsided; Neal Conan is awesome; Havok gets a soapbox; Storm and Forge flirt with godhood; Rogue's costume exists in a state of quantum uncertainty; Colossus is the organic steel wrench in the gears of chaos; and the X-Men die for real (but get better). X-PLAINED: Crossovers vs. events The Fall of the Mutants Uncanny X-Men #225-227 A really great marketing campaign The Adversary (again) Roma The Starlight Citadel Retcons as applied pareidolia A metaphor that is also a real chess piece A sort-of stabbing Neal Conan & Manoli Wetherell Literally hard-hitting journalism A whole new world Another variation on the Rogue's-costume drinking game A really improbable plan The death and resurrection of the X-Men Mutant metabolisms NEXT WEEK: It's Always Darkest… You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

85 – Secret Convergence on Infinite Podcasts, Part 9: Complex Continuity, with Paul O’Brien and Kieran Shiach Nov 29, 2015

Art by James Stokoe In which Miles finally makes it to Battlepod; we delve into our favorite continuity snarls for the benefit of the Beyonder; Kang is everyone; we're really grateful that the D.C. Multiverse is out of our usual scope; someone gets a new costume; and the Secret Convergence on Infinite Podcasts reaches its shocking conclusion! Featuring Paul O'Brien of House to Astonish and Kieran Shiach of Journey Into Misery; with Greg Rucka as the voice of the Beyonder! X-PLAINED: Kang The Third Summers Brother The D.C. Multiverse Cable This is the final episode of the Secret Convergence on Infinite Podcasts, a nine-part crossover event featuring the bravest and boldest of comics podcasts. You can find a list of the previous #SCOIP episodes--and where to jump into participating podcasts--on our blog! ART CHALLENGE: Miles apparently came home from Secret Convergence with a snazzy new costume that may or may not be a hostile alien symbiote! What does it look like? Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here!

84 – The Fourth Horseman Nov 23, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 11/29/2015 at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which Franklin Richards is the center of a disproportionate number of X-Men specials; Quicksilver without powers is comedy gold; Luna is the best little girl on the moon (but it's kind of a low bar); Jay accidentally cares about the Inhumans; Jean Grey may or may not be the Wesley Willis of X-Factor; Cameron Hodge's exit interview is weirdly professional; Boom Boom is the best reluctant hero; and Archangel makes his debut. X-PLAINED: Quicksilver's team associations Knights of Wundagore Chthon X-Factor Annual #2 X-Factor #21-23 The Inhumans Black Bolt Medusa Crystal Lockjaw QWOP Quicksilver Leech's wildly inconsistent powers Gorgon Luna Headbutting ghosts, or, why sentence structure matters Maximus Several methods of mind control A really terrible place for a date Cameron Hodge: Bureaucrat Supervillain The last will & testament of Warren Worthington III Another superpower pet peeve A theoretical team-up we would love to see The Arlington Interactive Museum of (evil) Science Some really dumb armor Archangel Our preferred third Summers brothers NEXT WEEK: Secret Convergence on Infinite Podcasts! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

83 – Live at Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival Nov 16, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 11/22/2015 at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which we travel back in time to 1979 for our second live convention special; X-Men Annual #3 desperately needs a Queen soundtrack; George Perez draws great Banshee; Polemachus is kind of a bullshit planet; we dream of a world without Funky Winkerbean; Cyclops's costume does not mix and match well; if you can be someone else, you should probably be Brian Blessed; Colossus gets a dragon; and Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival is awesome. X-PLAINED: X-misadventures in Las Vegas X-Men Annual #3 Arkon the Magnificent Isadore and Irmagarde Uhman The Comical Books Polemachus the planet vs. Polemachus the person Funky Winkerbean Several logistical problems with the Danger Room MVP Cyclops Some very good visual counterpoint to dialogue Paperboard lightning bolt disambiguation Jay's favorite Starman story X-title and music pairings Imperions Visual perspective in grand melees How to order a meal on Polemachus One specific variation on Cyclops's powers The X-Men as Spinal Tap Space-barbarian eyewear The annual cabinet The most appropriate X-team placement for Funky Winkerbean Best worst characters Our favorite X-Force teams Secret Convergence on Infinite Podcasts NEXT WEEK: Somehow, Cameron Hodge manages to get even worse. You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

82 – Birds and Boys Nov 09, 2015

Art by David Wynne. In which Louise Simonson's New Mutants run gets off to a rough start; drugs are not a reliable way to impress your space girlfriend; Magma gets a character arc; Tarot's powers are kind of iffy; it'll take more than a few illegal fish to stop Magik; and Bird Brain thoroughly fails to live up to his potential. X-PLAINED: Sunspot's brushes with villainy The de-aging of the New Mutants New Mutants #55-58 A memorable dress Raek A cautionary tale The New Mutants as a Saturday morning cartoon Bird Boy / Bird Brain June Brigman A romantic dilemma Several alternative foci for Tarot's powers Redemption and humanization of villains in X-books Undignified birds The best and worst of Bret Blevins Non-comics writers we'd like to see write X-books Other teen time travelers we'd add to All-New X-Men NEXT WEEK: Live in Las Vegas! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We'll have prints of this week's illustration up at our shop later this week. As always, you can contact David Wynne to inquire after the original!

81 – The Kids Are All Right, with Dennis Hopeless Nov 02, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 11/8/2015 at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which we sit down with one of our favorite writers to talk about his upcoming series; the X-teens take to the road; Season One is kind of Friday Night Lights; good relationships make good stories; and we are really excited for All-New X-Men. X-PLAINED: Genesis (Evan Sabahnur) Dennis Hopeless Secret origins of X-Men: Season One All-New X-Men, vol. 2 How to write Jean Grey Building a team Why Quentin Quire isn't in All-New X-Men All-New in the larger X-line, and the X-line in the larger Marvel Universe Definitive X-eras Cable & X-Force What makes Cable tick Boom Boom Colossus and Domino The narrative case for solid relationships Favorite villains Mark Bagley Character evolution across multiple creative teams X-teen hobbies Vegas Valley Comic Book Fest NEXT WEEK: The New Mutants meet Bird Boy, with mixed results. There's no visual companion this week, but you can find a list of links mentioned in this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

80 – For the Mutant Who Has Everything Oct 26, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 11/1/2015 at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which we go back in time to take a look at two annuals; everyone is really excited about Excalibur; Claremont ups his illusion game; Horde should probably not be allowed to dress himself; Rachel fires the X-Men; Havok needs better role models; Psylocke's secondary mutation is femme power; Kyle X-Plains giant monsters; we check in with Super Doctor Astronaut Peter Corbeau; and you should totally come see us at Vegas Valley Comic-Book Festival on November 7! X-PLAINED: Dazzler's powers Uncanny X-Men Annual #11 Uncanny X-Men Annual #7 New Mutants Annual #3 The Hostage, by Brendan Behan Wolverine vs. Historical Fiction Horde and his amazing outfit The Citadel of light and shadow The fantasy lives of X-Men Things to do with a shed human skin The secret origin of Wolverine's overactive healing factor The Impossible Man (and how to defeat him) The Shogun Warriors What happened to Super Doctor Astronaut Peter Corbeau Powers we don't like Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival NEXT EPISODE: All-New X-Men with Dennis Hopeless! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

79 – Bear on a Boat Oct 19, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 10/25/2015 at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In no one trusts Magneto; Dr. Druid is the comfiest superhero; She-Hulk wants to punch a meteor; Rachel and Miles are really bad at both nature and maritime law; boat fights are the best fights; everyone makes terrible choices; and James Jaspers should really have been disbarred by now. X-PLAINED: Darkstar vs. Dark Star X-Men vs. Avengers #1-4 Magneto's narrative milestones Dr. Anthony Druid A most peculiar meteor The Soviet Super Soldiers Vanguard Darkstar The Titanium Man / Gremlin Ursa Major Floridian vs. Australian fauna Crimson Dynamo Dock parties with the X-Men Secrets of Asteroid M Cartoonish pursuit The drinking rules of costume semi-destruction The Laws of the Sea Why you should put your multi-team brawls on a boat An abrupt creative shift The Light Several miracles of magnetism An ethical dilemma The (other) trial of Magneto Magneto heel turns Picking which tie-ins to read The Secret Convergence on Infinite Podcasts NEXT EPISODE: Warlock vs. the Impossible Man! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

78 – The Eye Killers and Other Cautionary Tales Oct 12, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 10/18/2015 at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which we persevere in the face of adversity; Storm goes on a quest; Mr. Sinister makes his first appearance; Dazzler learns about teamwork (again); it still sucks to be Havok (but not as much as it sucks to be Madelyne Pryor); you should probably put down that cactus; the Murder Grampas join Freedom Force; Storm's life is a metal-album cover; and the X-Men are doomed as hell. X-Plained: The Mr. Sinister / Summers family time loop Uncanny X-Men #220-224 Actual and potential origins of Mr. Sinister's name How Longshot's powers work in combat Teamwork (again) Representing sound and silence in a visual medium A protracted fight Forge (again) Naze (kind of) The Adversary Eye Killers One of many reasons not to masturbate with a cactus The X-Men in San Francisco Madelyne Pryor vs. fate Storm vs. Forge Character names vs. code names X-Makeovers NEXT WEEK: X-Men vs. Avengers You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

77 – Die Hard With a Lobster Oct 05, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 10/11/2015 at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which we relax our definition of X-book; we really want Sunspot to grow a mustache; Miles gets an excuse to say "shillelagh"; Bill the Lobster goes on a rampage; and Fallen Angels is really, really, really wonderful. X-Plained: Devil Dinosaur Moon Boy Fallen Angels #1-8 Jo Duffy Assembling a team Sunspot as a point-of-view character Compassion as a superpower Da Costa's Devils vs. Ma Guthrie's Gorillas Goat Simulator An unfortunate incident Somewhat harsh student evaluations The moral compass of Magnum, P.I. Warlock and Sunspot as mutual foils Chance Ariel Multiple Man (Jamie Madrox) and several notable duplicates Siryn (Theresa Cassidy) Gomi Bill Don The Fallen Angels The Vanisher The Marvel Girl Fan Club Lobster feelings Kirby monsters Doris Danger Dinosaur World Fallen Angels as a spiritual antecedent to Runaways The tragic death of Don the Lobster Fallen Angels II How to party like Dr. Doom Doom Patrol vs. X-Men NEXT WEEK: A Sinister debut. You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! (Thanks for your patience!) Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

76 – Live at Rose City Comic Con, with Ann Nocenti, Jeff Parker, and Chris Yost Sep 28, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 10/4/2015 at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which we record our first live episode; Rose City Comic Con is AMAZING; Ann tells us how to torture the X-Men; Jean Grey needs more friends; Chris survives an encounter with an angry vampire; Squirrel Girl sets the high bar for questions; everyone has opinions about Longshot's hair; Jeff gets meta; Cyclops is the best at fighting Sentinels; and Rachel ALMOST gets through an entire panel without swearing. X-PLAINED: Cable (Nathan Summers) Stryfe (Also Nathan Summers) Rose City Comic Con Christopher Yost Jeff Parker Ann Nocenti The X-Men Superheroes vs. soap operas Continuity vs. evolution Updating the Silver Age What defines an X-book All of our iconic X-eras Close encounters of the fan kind The Continuiteens Marvel Girl and Squirrel Girl team-ups Narrative regrets How we'd end the X-Men X-Men best suited to professional wrestling Our personal mutant metaphors Which of the X-Men is best at fighting Sentinels NEXT WEEK: Fallen Angels! There's no visual companion this week, but you can see photos from the panel, party, and more in our Rose City Comic Con roundup! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

75 – By Their Deeds You Shall Know Them Sep 21, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 9/20/2015 at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which Masque is the worst Morlock; makeouts are a good reason to learn to control your powers; Cyclops and Marvel Girl are terrible role models; Iceman is the heart of X-Factor; Cameron Hodge finally shows his hand; the kids are all right (and probably the only ones who are); and we’ve basically given up on X-Factor ever learning to use doors. X-PLAINED: The Right The Ani-Mator X-Factor #16-20 Training with X-Factor Skids’ backstory Motivational makeouts Miles’s Thor-ner Thor #377-378 Why you don’t make deals with frost giants The mystical realm of Pittsburgh Redundant funeral graffiti A totally rad villain speech The evolution of Iceman Dubious flight safety precautions Rictor (Julio Esteban Richter) Some really epic gaslighting A probably-inevitable confrontation Supervillain team-building exercises Park maintenance NEXT WEEK: Rachel & Miles Live at Rose City Comic Con; with Ann Nocenti, Jeff Parker, and Christopher Yost! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

74 – This Dumb Rumpus Sep 14, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 9/20/2015 at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which Franklin Richards is definitely a normal human meat child; Thing’s code-name is delightfully ambiguous; your kids are probably robot sailors; it’s always a Doombot; Rachel accidentally identifies with Reed Richards; all dramatic roads lead to Latveria; and superheroes are terrible at conflict resolution. X-PLAINED: Franklin Richards Rachel & Miles at Rose City Comic Con Rachel & Miles X-Plain the X-Men LIVE Fantastic Four Versus the X-Men #1-4 The best hugs in the biz The Fantastic Four Mr. Fantastic (Reed Richards) Invisible Woman (Susan Richards) Human Torch (Johnny Storm) Thing (Ben Grimm) The Fantasticast Special dreams (but not that kind) Alicia Masters (sort of) Dubiously informative cover art The doomed frenemyship of Reed Richards and Victor von Doom Varyingly competent parenting An awful lot of incidental nudity Ethics of super-science Robot sailors Latveriandroids Agency Dubious conflict-resolution skills Human Torch costume logistics Dr. Doom’s history with Magneto Relative roles and themes of Marvel teams NEXT WEEK: X-Factor still hasn't really gotten the hang of doors. You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

73 – Evolving Evolution, with Robert N. Skir Sep 07, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 9/6/2015 at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which Rachel holds down the fort; Robert N. Skir X-Plains several cartoons; teenagers are basically mutants; Southern goths are the best goths; and you should really just watch X-Men: Evolution already. X-PLAINED: Bad parenting choices Rachel & Miles @ Rose City Comic Con Secret origins of Robert N. Skir The development of X-Men: Evolution The Unauthorized X-Men Point-of-view points of entry The Evolution series bible Spyke (Evan Daniels) Mutants in society Rogue variations Brushes with fandom NEXT WEEK: Fantastic Four vs. X-Men There's no visual companion to this episode, but you can find links and further reading on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

72 – Thrown Under the Plot Bus Aug 31, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 9/6/2015 at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which Dazzler is not a team player; Longshot is the Zonker Harris of the X-Men; Juggernaut is That Guy; Rachel and Miles channel Statler and Waldorf; and Alex Summers is seriously never, ever going to finish grad school. X-PLAINED: Mutant X The only well-adjusted Scott Summers in the Multiverse The Goblin Entity Uncanny X-Men #217-219 The evolution of the X-Men’s lineup Standards for a good twist Doonesbury Several Dungeons & Dragons analogies A dubious literary allusion Flying jeeps CrimeBros The fundamental tragedy of Longshot Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart and several homages thereto Geordie and Rupert Havok (more) (again) Car-wreck sex An unfortunate end to a camping trip The Plot Bus Several ways to stat Rogue up as a D&D character Narrative-friendly power sets Special thanks to: The wonderful Adam Warrock, for letting us sample his song “Teamwork” in this episode! You can listen to the full track here, and find more of Adam’s work at adamwarrock.com. Harrison Barber for his X-Pert D&D advice (not to mention nearly fifteen years of tolerating our nonsense at the gaming table)! NEXT WEEK: X-Men: Evolution with Robert N. Skir! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

71 – The Once and Fuchsia King Aug 24, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 8/30/2015 at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original. In which the New Mutants return from space; Professor Xavier ruins everything; Magneto is the Craig Pelton of X-Men; Cypher carouses shamefully with Hellfire tramps; Karma quits the team; and we wrap up Chris Claremont's New Mutants run. X-PLAINED: Leong and Nga Coy Manh New Mutants #51-54 The Starjammers (again) The paradox of Professor X Several dramatic speeches The Hellfire Club for Creative Anachronism Plan Omega (but not that one) A fairly epic dress-code violation Magik vs. Limbo A very specific bit of fancasting Best Magneto What X-fans (may or may not) live for A well-wrought nightmare Hellion disambiguation Doug Ramsey’s Fancy Hair New Mutants X Frank Zappa Wacky teen hijinks at the Hellfire Club Carousing shamefully with Hellfire tramps A heroic challenge A counterintuitive heart’s desire Claremont’s New Mutants run. Libraries Emma Frost’s accent The sounds of blastin’ NEXT WEEK: It's hard to be Havok. You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

70 – Forget It, Jake; It’s X-Factor Aug 17, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 8/23/2015 in the shop (also pencils skirts, ‘cause, why the hell not?) or contact David for the original. In which everything is terrible; miscommunication triangles are way more awkward than love triangles; Boom Boom is universally delightful; Miles has feelings about ‘80s fashion; Apocalypse is judging your band posters; X-Factor still hasn’t gotten the hang of doors; Cyclops’s life continues to be an anxiety dream; the Twelve are better in foreshadowing than practice; and Angel dies as he lived: half-naked, at an airport. X-PLAINED The evolution of Angel Cold opens rachelandmiles.com X-Factor so far X-Factor #12-15 A miscommunication triangle Boom Boom (Tabitha Smith) Rachel’s Marc Silvestri causality loop Boom Boom vs. Jubilee Cameron disambiguation Famine Master Mold (more) (again) The Twelve Tanya Trask Caliban NEXT WEEK: Technoorganic blues! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

69 – Weird Science, with Elle Collins and Graeme McMillan Aug 10, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 8/9/2015 in the shop (once Redbubble’s uploader starts working again, anyway), or contact David for the original. In which Elle and Graeme save the day; Hank McCoy joins the real world (sort of) (briefly); Carl Maddicks may or may not be undead; academic discourse in the Marvel Universe leaves a few things to be desired; Steve Englehart is an unsung hero of X-Men; Mastermind lives up to his name; Warren Worthington has a good attitude about mutation; and Avengers Beast is the best Beast; and Graeme has strong feelings about Moira MacTaggert. X-PLAINED: The complex romantic life of Patsy Walker The increasingly terrible life choices of Hank McCoy Amazing Adventures #11-17 Incredible Hulk #161 Captain America #173-175 Avengers #137, 144, & 178 Marvel Team-Up #124 Life after the X-Men The Brand Corporation Carl Maddicks (again) Vampire Secret Agent Linda Donaldson The dubious chemical cause of mutation Beast as proto-Wolverine Steve Englehart The high price of passing Several unusually realistic latex masks Norman Mailer’s Handbook for Unliberated Women Sad clowns Buzz Baxter Hellcat (Patsy Walker) Someone who might be Carole King, Indira Gandhi, or your sister (but isn’t) Questionable corporate practices Quasimodo (but not that one) Semantics of fur color The Griffin The Secret Empire Actual supervillain Richard Nixon Mimic (Cal Rankin) Avengers Auditions Best Beast stories Scotland Special thanks to guest hosts Elle Collins & Graeme McMillan! NEXT WEEK: Everything is terrible. You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

68 – The Most Dangerous Game Aug 03, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 8/9/2015 , or contact David for the original. In which we catch our breath after the Mutant Massacre; Miles’s taste is both epic and adorable; Dazzler’s Achilles heel is fame; Madelyne Pryor; it’s hard to be a teenage ghost; Crimson Commando is not actually Frank Borman (but we wish he were); Wolverine may or may not make truck noises; Heroes for Hope is profoundly baffling; and Sunspot would definitely be way into Leslie Knope. X-PLAINED: Several untimely deaths Uncanny X-Men #214-216 Heroes for Hope The post-Mutant Massacre X-Men Malice Another set of Phoenix callbacks The Murder Grandpas Crimson Commando Super Sabre Stonewall Actual superhero Marsha P. Johnson Priscilla the jerk Wolverine SFX Some fairly spectacular misunderstandings One hell of a jam comic X-costumes A Thomas Magnum for 21st-century X-kids NEXT WEEK: Elle Collins and Graeme McMillan X-Plain Beast’s solo adventures! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

67 – Shadow of the Technarch Jul 27, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 8/2/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original. In which the New Mutants get unstuck in time; Robert the Bruce is surprisingly shallow; Sentinels dabble in decoupage; Rachel pitches a comic; there’s no such thing as a happy Magneto flashback; you should probably respect teenagers more than you do; the seeds of Inferno are sewn; and Doug Ramsey hacks the planet. NOTE: Rachel and Miles are moving this week. Expect everything to be late. X-PLAINED: Messing with the past New Mutants character themes You Can’t Do That on Television New Mutants #47-50 Constructive stabbing Sad Darin Morgan Magneto Adventures in time and space Tactical retreat Several dark alternate futures Earth-8720 Decoupage of Future Past A singularly evocative Sentinel Earth-87050 Magneto’s terrible, terrible life The New Mutants vs. Magus Peak Magma Karma's codename Soul Sword continuity NEXT WEEK: Hunting humans for sport! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

66 – The Mutant Massacre, Part 2 Jul 20, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 7/26/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original. In which we wrap up our first official two-parter; Gambit ruins everything; Rachel has a theory about Mister Sinister; Marvel communication technology is behind the times; Trish Tilby is tired of your bullshit; Walter Simonson is the best of the best; X-Factor pulls it together; Power Pack gets uncomfortably dark; Miles has Thor feelings; and even more mutants die. NOTE: This episode is the second of a two-parter! If you haven't listened to Episode 65, where we cover the first half of the mutant massacre, you should probably do that before you listen to this one! X-PLAINED: Masque Tentacle disambiguation More of the Mutant Massacre A Sinister hypothesis Several Marauder-related retcons X-Factor #9-11 Power Pack #27 The Mighty Thor #373-374 Trish Tilby Artie & Leech Several awkward reunions Walter Simonson The fall of Angel Apocalypse’s horsemen Yet another crossover that will probably scar the Power kids for life Franklin Richards Thor, Donald Blake, and Sigurd Jarlson The best issue of any comic, ever. The Tunnelers Ongoing repercussions of the Mutant Massacre Rachel & Miles’s horseman identities Which X-Men could and should wield Mjolnir NEXT WEEK: The New Mutants party like it’s 1299! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

65 – The Mutant Massacre, Part 1 Jul 13, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 7/19/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original. In which we hit the first big X-centric crossover; a lot of Morlocks die; X-Factor is a dark farce; Kitty Pryde talks down a mob without using racial slurs; when Doug Ramsey tells you there’s a problem, you listen; and Callisto should be one of the iconic leaders of the Marvel Universe. X-PLAINED: Death by intellectual-property dispute The Mutant Massacre Mutant Massacres that might have been Uncanny X-Men #210-213 New Mutants #46 The Marauders The best way to guarantee the New Mutants’ involvement in a storyline Limbo fashion The responsibility of leadership Wolverine vs. Sabretooth Psylocke vs. Sabretooth The evolution of crossovers Characters we’d like to see more of post-Secret Wars NEXT WEEK: The Mutant Massacre, Part 2! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

64 – Ski Lodge of Apocalypse Jul 06, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 7/12/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original. In which Louise Simonson saves X-Factor; Apocalypse gets off to a rough start; Cyclops is bad at people; Apocalypse should be the Kingpin of X-Men; Jean Grey is sick of your bullshit; you should totally cosplay Skids; and Mystique fundamentally misunderstands branding. X-PLAINED The Maximoff family tree The Whizzer X-Factor as sketch comedy Louise Simonson X-Factor #6-8 Apocalypse Bulk Glow Worm Skids (Sally Blevins) Weaponized fashion Trish Tilby Favorite Claremontisms X-Finance NEXT WEEK: The Mutant Massacre! Special thanks to Master of Maximoffs Max Carleton of Waiting for the Trade. A very happy birthday to the Consulting X-Pert Kestrel! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

63 – Wildways Jun 29, 2015

Guest art by Ryan Hill! In which cartoon logic is terrifying; it’s immensely frustrating to be Doug Ramsey; Psylock gets evil robot eyes; queer subtext is not just for the ladies; Danger Room cold opens are the new Kitty’s costume changes; Mojo predicts reality TV; Longshot joins the X-Men; and we answer what may be the best question we have ever gotten. X-PLAINED: Captain Britain Corps Alan Davis New Mutants Annual #2 X-Men Annual #10 Captain Britain (Brian Braddock) Psylocke (Betsy Braddock) Slaymaster Mojo Why cartoon logic is terrifying Animal Man vol. 1 #5, “The Coyote Gospel” (Incorrectly described as “The Ballad of Wile E. Coyote” in episode) Wildways Robot eyes Template Snitch Straight Arrow Jubilee (but not that Jubilee) The trouble with determining character ages in superhero comics The stated mission of the New Mutants The proto-X-Babies Longshot’s X-Men debut The New Mutants’ graduation costumes A really charged costume choice Tonal shifts in New Mutants X-Men vs. geese NEXT WEEK: APOCALYPSE NOW! ART CHALLENGE: Design a new graduation costume for one or more of the New Mutants! Send your designs to xplainthexmen(at)gmail(dot)com, with the subject line GRADUATION, and we’ll collect ‘em on the blog at the end of the week! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Special thanks to Ryan Hill for this week's art, and to Claire Miller for the research X-Pertise!

62 – Giant-Size Special #2 Jun 22, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 6/28/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original. In which we welcome Logan Bonner, Mikey Neilson, and AdministratriX Tina to the gaming table for an original X-Men Animated Adventure; the real enemy is BS&P; Australia is kind of terrible; Rogue is concerned about kangaroos; Wolverine taps into the power of love; Storm makes a long-distance call; and Cyclops plans for failure (but not color-coded labels). FEATURING: Logan Bonner as Writer, Gamemaster, and Broadcast Standards & Practices Tina Abate as Wolverine Mikey Neilson as Storm Rachel Edidin as Cyclops Miles Stokes as Rogue NEXT WEEK: Walking the Wildways! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

61 – Even Horses Jun 15, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 6/21/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original. In which the band gets back together; Dani faces down Death; Sam takes Lila home to meet his mom; revenge is a dish best left unserved; there is nothing sadder than Warlock confused by the concept of death; Kitty Pryde has a some opinions about identity politics; and X-Men has not been great with textual representations of neurodiversity. NOTE: Given some of the material covered in this episode, we wanted to link a few resources below, for anyone who might need them: National Suicide Prevention Line (U.S.): 1-800-273-TALK (8255) www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org A fairly comprehensive list of suicide prevention hotlines outside of the U.S.: http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html Advice for intervention if you suspect that someone you know may be suicidal: http://www.helpguide.org/articles/suicide-prevention/suicide-prevention-helping-someone-who-is-suicidal.htm Autistic Self Advocacy Network: http://autisticadvocacy.org/ X-PLAINED: The rotating members of the Guthrie family New Mutants #41-45 One way to end a friendship A respectable number of dubious decisions enacted over several issues An epic showdown with an anthropomorphic personification Additional Guthries The Xavier Institute PTA The worst Hellion (more) (again) Legion (more) (again) The second-saddest issue of New Mutants The life and death of Larry Bodine A somewhat bleak recurring continuity error Depression and mental illness in X-canon Care and storage of comic books Autism in X-canon NEXT WEEK: GIANT-SIZE SUMMER SPECIAL SUPER TABLETOP TEAM-UP! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

60 – Rachel Summers and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day Jun 08, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 6/14/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original. In which Rachel Summers went to sleep with Wolverine’s claws in her dreams and now there’s claws in her lungs and when she got out of bed this morning she tripped on her traumatic backstory and by mistake she dropped the Phoenix Force in the sink while the water was running and she could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. X-PLAINED: Freedom Force Supervillains’ day jobs Uncanny X-Men #206-209 The X-Men’s first brief tenure in San Francisco Terrible house guests Lindsay McCabe David Ishima Bree Morrell A metaphorical ghost story Lycanthropy, but dumber The crossing of several ethical lines Death by narrative stasis (and also impaling) Craft night at the Hellfire Club Death by costume satin (and also heart failure) One way to write someone out of a book Our favorite Summers kids X-Music Special thanks to Elle Collins NEXT WEEK: The New Mutants break your heart. You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

59 – X is for Xtinction, with Chris Sims and Chad Bowers Jun 01, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 6/7/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original. In which Chris and Chad teach us to stop worrying and love the ‘90s; the line between parody and homage is thin and flexible; everything happens at the mall; no one wants to play volleyball with Cyclops; and we totally fail to resolve the question, “Does a mall babe eat chili fries?” WARNING: This episode contains minor spoilers for X-Men '92 #1. X-PLAINED: The Westchester Wars Battleworld X-Men ’92 #1 Digital vs. print pacing A continuity error Narrative restrictions of Battleworld The actual X-Men of 1992 (and the post-Claremont X-Universe) X-Men Adventures X-Men Collector’s Edition Mutatant Genesis X-Cutioner’s Song Early Deadpool Piecing together the Marvel Universe from trading cards The X-Men animated series Concurrent and complimentary adaptation Cassandra Nova ‘92 The fine line between homage and parody Definitive story arcs of the 1990s NEXT WEEK: Rachel Summers and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

58 – Miniseries Mayhem May 25, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 5/31/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original. In which Nightcrawler does Weird Tales; Iceman does Back to the Future; we want a vacation home in Dave Cockrum’s brain; Bamfs are terrible; the 1983 Iceman miniseries is straight-up bananas; parents just don’t understand; and Rachel will take literally any excuse to talk smack about John Ruskin. X-PLAINED: Vanisher Nightcrawler #1-4 Bizarre Adventures #27 Iceman #1-4 The Well at the Center of Time The downside to hanging out with pirates A shark wizard in a tiny loincloth Better living through sound-effect awareness Boggies The key to a classic Nightcrawler story Earth-5311 Bamfs The full extent of Rachel’s Smurfs knowledge Cretaceous Sam Sehv Illyana Rasputin’s porn collection The Drake family An exceptionally unlikely girl next door The definitive Miles’s Mom anecdote Marge Smith / Mirage White Light Idiot Kali (but not that one) Two generations of Officers Ratchit Pornography no one wants to see Death by time travel Oblivion Night Man (kinda) Our ideal cross-media adaptations NEXT WEEK: X-Men '92, with Chris Sims and Chad Bowers! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

57 – Apocalypse Soon May 17, 2015

Art by David Wynne. We're not selling prints of this one, but you can still hit David up for the original! In which Miles tries to find things to like about Bob Layton’s X-Factor run; Cyclops’s life is literally an anxiety dream; X-Factor is very Leverage; Layton’s Angel is just godawful; Rachel is all about the Red Scare; Frenzy is awesome; and we bid a fond farewell to producer Bobby Roberts. X-PLAINED: An Apocalypse that might have been Mid-80s X-title thematic disambiguation The limited value of nostalgia Creative history of X-Factor X-Factor #2-5 and Annual #1 The baffling reinvention of Vera Cantor Tower (Edward Pasternak) Dubious didactic strategies Carl Maddicks Artie Maddicks Muffin the kitten Bad timing Soviet mutant policy Soviet robot disambiguation The Doppelganger (Wolfgang Heinreich) A ruse Alexei Garnov, Mentac the Living Computer, Concussion, Iron Curtain, and Siberian Tiger The worst phonetic accent we have ever seen. The Alliance of Evil Frenzy (Joanna Cargill) The color of Beast’s fur Our favorite X-Men toys NEXT WEEK: Miniseries Mayhem! Many thanks to Bobby Roberts for 57 spectacular episodes of production, advice, and boundless patience. You are the best, and we love you forever. You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! We're not selling prints of this week's illustration, but you can contact David Wynne for the original!

56 – Death by Crossover May 11, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 5/17/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original. In which nothing comes between Sam Guthrie and his classic sci-fi allusions; Sunspot tries; the Beyonder is really scary; you can have Danielle Moonstar’s agency when you pry it from her cold, dead hands; Empath remains the worst kid; Tom Corsi and Sharon Friedlander just cannot catch a break; Emma Frost gets nuanced; Magneto does the wrong things for the right reasons; Rachel and Miles like liking things; and we finally wrap up Secret Wars II. X-PLAINED: Soulsword custody New Mutants #36-40 The best Secret Wars II tie-in Several Beyonder-triggered crises of confidence A literal derailment in the midst of a metaphorical derailment The Greek tragedy of Illyana Rasputin Personal personifications of death Counting coup The death of the New Mutants Crossover-related PTSD A pep talk from a frog Art style as a component of narrative The Hellions (again) Sadneto Madneto A completely avoidable fight Rachel’s definitive Emma Frost moment Emma Frost, Charles Xavier, and moral culpability NEXT WEEK: The dubious debut of Apocalypse! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

55 – How Nightcrawler Got His Groove Back May 03, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 5/10/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original. In which Secret Wars II ruins everything (more) (again) (forever); Rachel Summers hates the Beyonder almost as much as we do; Miles gets mad at comics; Nightcrawler does not do gritty well; Lady Deathstrike gets wired; and we consult our favorite 3-year-old for book recommendations. X-PLAINED: Rogue vs. Carol Danvers Life before social media Uncanny X-Men #202-205 Alpha Flight #33-34 Phoenix II vs. the Beyonder (twice) The Reverse Gwen Stacy Still more miracles of magnetism Kitty Pryde disambiguation SFLANNG! Good times in Murderworld The third-worst honeymoon Lady Deathstrike (Yuriko Oyama) Spiral’s Body Shop The Reavers One way to build a Wolverine antagonist Skirting the Comics Code Sound-effects lettering as a narrative device Good X-books for a 3-year-old Special thanks to Katie and Kestrel P. NEXT WEEK: The Beyonder kills the New Mutants! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

54 – Who You Gonna Call? (feat. Elle Collins) Apr 26, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 5/3/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original. In which the X-Men get their third ongoing series; Elle drops in to x-plain the Defenders; the band gets back together; rich people are not like the rest of us; Cyclops is in desperate need of some kind of intervention; and X-Factor is basically Ghostbusters. X-PLAINED: Cameron Hodge The fairly spectacular secret origins of X-Factor The Champions The New Defenders The evolution of Hank McCoy X-Factor #1 The death throes of Scott and Madelyne’s marriage Rusty Collins A really bad first date The increasingly dubious life choices of Scott Summers The worst job interview Sushi-a-Go-Go How not to have an intervention X-Factor The X-Terminators The Phoenix Force on Earth-811 (and its relationship to Rachel Summers) NEXT WEEK: The Beyonder ruins everything. Again. You can find a companion index to the material mentioned in this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here!

53 – Sometimes They Come Back Apr 20, 2015

Rachel screwed up and accidentally gave David material for episode 54 instead of 53, so there's no illustration this week. Instead, we offer both our sincere apologies and this photo of Miles dressed up as Mister Sinister for a costume party. In which Wolverine doesn’t care about your baby; Storm takes charge; duels are terrible bases for systems of government; editorial mandate is hell on a marriage; Magneto is a pretty cool teacher; Jean Grey comes back; and we have mixed feelings about the Phoenix retcon. X-PLAINED: Kenji Uedo Uncanny X-Men #201 New Mutants #35 Avengers #263 Fantastic Four #286 Classic X-Men #8 The post-Trial of Magneto status quo Nathan Christopher Charles Summers A small cross-section of Cyclops’s myriad issues The wrong means to the right end Magneto’s educational philosophy The politics of creative credits “You Know Who” The Phoenix retcon Several unrelated break-ins The return of Jean Grey Jean and the Phoenix Force Alternate-timeline Madelynes Pryor Jean Grey’s code names NEXT WEEK: X-Factor begins! (for real, this time - sorry about that SNAFU!) You can find a companion index to the material mentioned in this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here!

52 – Previously on Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men… Apr 13, 2015

Art by David Wynne. In which we recap a year’s worth of podcasts--and 23 years’ worth of X-Men--in under an hour. X-PLAINED: Rachel & Miles X-Plain the X-Men, Episodes 1-51 Uncanny X-Men #1-200 & assorted annuals Giant-Size X-Men #1 The New Mutants New Mutants #1-35 & assorted annuals and specials The Uncanny X-Men and the New Teen Titans God Loves, Man Kills Wolverine vol. 1 X-Men/Micronauts Storm and Illyana: Magik Kitty Pryde and Wolverine Dazzler: The Movie Beauty and the Beast Firestar Secret Wars vol. 1 Secret Wars vol. 2 Longshot Several other assorted X and X-relevant stories Our pipe-dream pitches Multiversal designations NEXT WEEK: The return of Jean Grey! Special thanks to R. Pawson for the WHAT?! supercut! You can find a companion index to the material mentioned in this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Help us keep making cool stuff on Patreon! We’re not selling prints of this week’s illustration, but you can still contact David Wynne to inquire after the original!

51 – The X-Istentialists, Featuring Kris Anka, Marguerite Bennett, Kieron Gillen, and Peter Nguyen Apr 06, 2015

Art by David Wynne. We're not selling prints of this one, but you can still hit David up for the original! In which Rachel and Miles go to Emerald City Comicon; six people try to share one microphone with varying success; you will never love anything as much as Kris loves Broo; Marguerite may or may not be a time-traveling supervillain; Peter is Laser Guy; Kieron joins an X-team; Hell is other X-Men; everyone lies egregiously; and it all comes back to Namor’s abs. Special thanks to Jean, who let us borrow her mic and pop filter at the very last second when we realized we'd left ours in Portland! <3 X-PLAINED: Namor’s last name Several Secret Wars titles Wiz Kid Favorite characters Lady Deathstrike’s new look Seanan McGuire’s cats Machetes of Future Past Emily Aster Asteroid P Secret origins Points of entry Headcanon The Wolverine and the X-Men Season 2 that might have been The pros and cons of an isolated X-universe The X-Istentialists Hela’s Angels Namor’s abs What defines the X-Men Mr. Sinister Our X-movie wish lists Wes Anderson’s X-Men (both of them) NEXT WEEK: Previously on Rachel & Miles X-Plain the X-Men... You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Help us keep making cool stuff on Patreon! We're not selling prints of this week's illustration, but you can still contact David Wynne to inquire after the original!

50 – The People Vs. Erik Lehnsherr Mar 30, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 3/29/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original. In which Magneto makes an official alignment shift; Claremont does a court drama; Professor Xavier makes poor choices; Rachel Summers comes by her communication skills honest; the Strucker kids are the evil Wonder Twins; and the podcast hits a major milestone! X-PLAINED: Xorn Uncanny X-Men #196, 199, and 200 The X-Men status quo circa 1985 Magneto’s alignment shift Beyonder-related existential crises A hypothetical murder mystery Minor vandalism as a harbinger of dark futures Psi-scream Brood classified ads A thematic parallel The tipping point in Scott and Madelyne’s relationship The new, improved Magneto The Professor Who Cried Wolf Phoenix II Earth-811/Earth-616 disambiguation Freedom Force The Trial of Magneto NPR-616 James Jaspers The best editor’s note The mystery of Magneto’s age Andrea & Andreas Strucker What not to wear to court A super icky sword Phoenix morality Sponsorship & conflict of interest NEXT WEEK: Emerald City Comicon special with Kris Anka, Marguerite Bennett, Kieron Gillen, and Peter Nguyen! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

49 – Of Mullets and Miracles Mar 23, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 3/29/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original. In which we meet Miles’s favorite X-Man; Longshot is Secret Wars II done right; we are fairly committed to the idea of Ann Nocenti as a post-apocalyptic daredevil superhero; Longshot is patient zero of the ‘90s; Ricochet Rita is the best; luck is a zero-sum commodity; Mojo is legitimately terrifying; and nuance is Longshot’s secret weakness. X-PLAINED: Spiral The Body Shop Several ill-advised body swaps Longshot Longshot Rachel Summers Syndrome The evolution of Art Adams The metaphysics of luck The secret origin of pouches A large number of pop culture allusions Glam survivalists Psychometry Moral complexity Gog’n’Magog Ricochet Rita The social economics of jetpacks A whole lot of social satire and commentary Star Slammers Mojo The Mojoverse Luck as a zero-sum commodity Arize Quark Longshot and Dazzler’s star sigils Finding (or creating) your comics community NEXT WEEK: The Trial of Magneto! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

48 – Guitar Solos of the Gods Mar 16, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 3/22/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original. In which Asgardian Wars occupies the precise intersection of Miles’s favorite things; Marvel Asgard is your favorite metal album; no one appreciates Cypher; Wolfsbane gets some action; Warlock gets meta; Cannonball is a catch; Rachel Summers gets a new costume; Loki does Shakespeare; and Rachel overthinks Leverage. X-PLAINED: Various Mjolnirs and their attendant powers Asgardian Wars New Mutants Special Edition #1 X-Men Annual #9 The Surtwar Art Adams Amora the Enchantress Lorelei Several pop culture cameos A really dubious beach party The Viking Sorceress Asgardian Portrait of Dorian Grey Ed Grimley Hrimhari Wolf makeouts The Marvel version of Norse mythology The Warriors Three Rule #1 of dealing with fairies A hawk ‘hawk Valkyries Einherjar A costume in somewhat questionable taste Interdimensional lightning-bolt mixology Our favorite Thor story, ever How to get your friends and neighbors into comics Asgardian mutants (or lack thereof) X-Leverage cross-casting NEXT WEEK: Longshot! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

47 – The Price of Power (feat. Elisabeth Allie) Mar 09, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 3/15/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original. In which Emergency Backup Co-Host Elisabeth Allie saves the day; the Berserkers are not the breakout hit you’ve been waiting for; Paul Smith continues to be awesome; nothing good ever happens in the Danger Room; Charles Xavier dabbles in cosplay; Nightcrawler has serious hat game; Rachel Summers lacks healthy coping skills; your life would be way more epic if Claremont narrated it; Northstar is a surprisingly good prom date; Loki is a total dick; and Longshot is totally Miles's favorite. X-PLAINED: Madelyne Pryor X-Men/Alpha Flight vols. 1&2 The Berserkers An unconventional model of family therapy Aggressive foreshadowing NPC dialogue Jazzercise superheroes Superhero color theory Sasquatch Aurora Those Who Sit Above in Shadow Norse fashion of the ‘80s Very specific superpowers Some sweet boots The price of power A deus ex machina squared Kitty and Piotr’s first date Snowbird’s powers Miles’s favorite X-Man NEXT WEEK: Asgardian Wars! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

46 – Shadows Over Cairo Mar 01, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 3/8/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original. In which we bid a fond farewell to Bill Sienkiewicz; Secret Wars II continues to ruin everything; the New Mutants end up in an improbable number of gladiatorial arenas; Shadowcat’s secondary mutation is queer subtext; Magik gives no fucks about your crossover event; Warlock transcends storytelling conventions; and Karma rejoins the team. X-PLAINED: The chronologically inconsistent mobility of Professor Xavier The Shadow King New Mutants #29-34 Steve Leialoha The Arena (more) (again) Evil group projects Easter eggs Rachel Summers: butch fashion icon Some major failures of positive size diversity in comics Madripoor Ashake The incredible changing Guthries The wickedest club in Cairo Default X-teams Cypher’s powers NEXT WEEK: Miles and Elisabeth Allie X-Plain X-Men / Alpha Flight No visual companion this week, because, reasons. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

45 – A Woman Who Could Fly Feb 22, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints, cards, and travel mugs available until 3/1/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original. In which we discard our regularly scheduled programming to focus on Storm and Lifedeath II; no one draws motion like Barry Windsor-Smith; Storm goes up to eleven; and we really wish we had the frame of reference to place this story in the larger context of diaspora literature. X-Plained: Forge The Adversary Uncanny X-Men #198 (Lifedeath II) Storm The narrative impact of sexualization Barry Windsor-Smith Extreme weather in comics Hallucinatory X-Men Storm in adaptation The Storm elevator pitch Our Storm dream casting Mjnari Artist editions Colonialism Storm as a liminal figure NEXT WEEK: The New Mutants Go to the Arena! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

44 – Assembling Legion, with Si Spurrier Feb 16, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints, cards, and travel mugs available until 2/22/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original. In which Legion grows from setting to protagonist; Rachel is a master of narrative rationalization; “Claremont” is a verb; Warlock befriends an airplane; Xavier owns a significant mistake; New Mutants does a deep dive into power dynamics; you should go read X-Men: Legacy already; and Si reveals the true secret nature of reality. X-PLAINED: Blindfold (Ruth Aldine) Luca Aldine Legion (David Haller) Mental illness in fiction New Mutants #26-28 Socialized medicine Appropriate gym apparel Rachel’s favorite scene from any X-book, ever Claremonting Jack Wayne Cyndi Jemail Karami Roughly 20 years of condensed continuity The Age of Apocalypse Age of X X-Men: Legacy vol. 2 Father issues David Haller’s accent The Origamist Santi Sardina A visual metaphor The true secret nature of reality Professor Y The Franklin Richards Universe Hypothesis NEXT WEEK: Spotlight on Storm You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

43 – It’s Not a Secret If It’s in the Title Feb 09, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints, cards, and travel mugs available until 2/15/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original. In which we cover 21 issues in one episode; Secret Wars is a toy commercial; Jim Shooter’s X-Men are not the X-Men to which we are accustomed; Doctor Doom makes a surprisingly benevolent god; Secret Wars II is neither secret nor a war; The Beyonder learns to poop; and Boom-Boom is the best thing to come out of Secret Wars. X-Plained: Secret Wars The not-particularly-secret origin of Secret Wars Binary morality Battleworld The Wrecking Crew Klaw The Beyonder Molecule Man Doki-Doki Universe Titania and Volcana Zsaji Secret Wars II The Passion of Jim Shooter Stewart Cadwall What people do Tie-ins Pooping What it means to be Spider-Man Boom-Boom (Tabitha Smith) The time a bunch of superheroes saved the universe by killing a baby NEXT WEEK: Legion, with Si Spurrier! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

42 – A Firestar Is Born Feb 01, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 2/1/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original. In which Miles has a brush with nostalgia; Angelica Jones is secretly a Thomas Hardy protagonist; it doesn’t need to make sense if it’s awesome; and Emma Frost really needs a mustache to twirl. X-Plained: Trevor Fitzroy Firestar (Angelica Jones) Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends Nostalgia X-Men, if sometimes the main characters were bears Inexplicably Australian Wolverine Ms. Lion Marvel Divas Sudsy fun Superhero sitcoms Firestar #1-4 Basic palmistry Generic mean girls Coen Brothers YA The reinvention of Emma Frost Some epic gaslighting Butter Rum Mutivac Miles’s favorite star-crossed ‘ship Why Thunderbird I has stayed dead Contextual definitions of “organic” NEXT WEEK: Secret Wars You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

41 – Hated and Feared Jan 25, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 2/1/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original. In which Nimrod is probably an honorary Summers by this point; Claremont hits a centennial; it’s probably pretty hard to get an unconscious person into tight leather pants; the X-Men finally encounter a world that actually hates and fears them; and the Power Pack fits somewhat uneasily with the grown-up Marvel Universe. X-PLAINED: Nimrod Uncanny X-Men #193-195 Thunderbird II (James Proudstar) Situation-inappropriate attire The worst Hellions Firestar (Angelica Jones) Why you call ahead before breaking into NORAD Leadership Public opinion Juggernaut fights How the X-Men wake up Nazgûl Tyranny of the Masses: The Robot The Voltron Special The Power Pack Navigating crossovers NEXT WEEK: Firestar! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

40 – Give Them Something to Punch (With G. Willow Wilson) Jan 19, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints available until 1/25/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original. In which writer G. Willow Wilson joins us to talk about her new run on X-Men; the Future is really confusing; we consider the many iterations of Rachel Grey; Storm probably has strong feelings about climate change; and writing for a shared universe takes some seriously fancy footwork. X-Plained: Jubilee Shogo (a little) The future vs. the Future X-Men vols. 1-4 The logistics of stepping into a book mid-series Pigeonholing and “girl” books The proper pronunciation of Kamala Storm (again) Psylocke M Rachel Grey (again) Cross-title coordination Writing in a shared universe Super-powered ecology The gender politics of telepathy Writing and dialogue across media Marginalization, intersectionality, and the mutant metaphor Next Week: Pink robots from the future! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

39 – Forever Alone Together Jan 12, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and travel mugs available until 1/11/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original. In which Miles and his Doom voice return triumphant; we reach an understanding regarding Lila Cheney; Mob science is pretty shoddy; Magneto has fancy hair; New Mutants Xavier is Best Xavier; no one is more goth than Cloak and Dagger; and you can have Rachel’s Speed Racer references when you pry them from her cold, dead hands. X-Plained: Spider-Man crossovers Cats Marvel Team-Up Annual #6 New Mutants #22-25 Phone calls with bears Glam day at the Hellfire Club Rahne’s fairytale Cloak & Dagger Drugs Eldritch curtains A seriously flawed evil plan Harry’s Hideaway The Sam and Dani Show Magneto’s hair Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch’s parentage Waiting for the T Whether Cloak and Dagger are mutants How to buy original art NEXT WEEK: G. Willow Wilson! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

38 – Welcome to Murderworld (Feat. Chris Sims) Jan 05, 2015

Art by David Wynne. Prints and travel mugs available until 1/11/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original. In which we welcome back Emergency Backup Co-Host Chris Sims; comics writers are basically supervillains; Cyclops is not here to have fun; Spider-Man flirts with objectivism; Murderworld is probably not financially sustainable; you should totally cosplay the Proletarian; Arcade may or may not secretly be the Archie Andrews of Earth-616; and Doctor Doom remains absolutely delightful. X-Plained Captain Britain Arcade Francisco Scaramanga The vastly inferior Arcade of Earth-1610 Uncanny X-Men #123-124, 146-147, 197 Chris’s first X-Men A really sweet truck Spider-Man’s brief flirtation with objectivism What the X-Men do on their night off Hella nipples Murderworld Miss Locke Mr. Chambers Marvel comics in the Marvel Universe A large number of elaborate deathtraps Soviet Nick Fury The Proletarian Hostage-wrapping Phil and Tobe One way to celebrate your birthday Avengers Arena Miss Coriander The best non-X Arcade stories The end of Axis Sixis Arcade at the Arcade NEXT WEEK: Cloak and Dagger! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

37 – Giant-Size Special #1 Dec 28, 2014

Art by David Wynne. Prints available until 1/15 in the shop, or contact David for the original. In which we launch our first-ever giant-size special; God Loves, Man Kills is the definitive X-Men story; Bobby makes his R&MXtXM on-air debut; we repopulate the world with X-writers; Rachel is really excited about x-plaining X-Cutioner’s Song; Miles takes a strong stance on Wolverine’s mask; we award some awards; and it’s all your fault. X-Plained God Loves, Man Kills (Marvel Graphic Novel #5) William Stryker An inappropriate analogy Keeping it interesting Favorite episodes Bridging the fan/critic divide Our ongoing obsession with bit characters The challenge of keeping Charles Xavier relevant X-Planation Curation Several stories we’re really looking forward to covering X-Writers on a desert island Internet fights Favorite stories vs. best stories Stupid hats of the Marvel Universe Dr. Doom as Tim Gunn Havok vs. ceiling fans Educational standards of the Marvel Universe The First Annual Super Doctor Astronaut Peter Corbeau Awards for Excellence in X-Cellence NEXT WEEK: Rachel and Chris Sims X-Plain Arcade CORRECTION: In this episode, Rachel claims that there is only one Super Doctor Astronaut Peter Corbeau in the Marvel Multiverse. This is patently untrue. There are numerous versions of Super Doctor Astronaut Peter Corbeau in the Marvel Multiverse, who may or may not be able to combine Voltron-style into a giant Corbeau Singularity. You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

36 – Steal This Podcast Dec 21, 2014

Art by David Wynne. Prints available in the shop until 12/28, or contact David for the original! In which we play Six Degrees of Lila Cheney; Cannonball gets a makeover; Earth does not in fact blow up; the X-Men like their s’mores with thinly veiled allegories; and Magik dabbles in erotic friend fiction. X-Plained: Strong Guy Annuals New Mutants Annual #1 (Steal This Planet) Lila Cheney Both versions of Cats Laughing The Vrakanain Chris Claremont Book Club Uncanny X-Men Annual #8 (The Adventures of Lockheed the Space Dragon and His Pet Girl Kitty) Some dubious campfire games Illyana’s Space Opera Space pirate X-Men Some long-awaited resolution NEXT WEEK: Rachel and Miles’s Giant-Size Special #1, featuring God Loves, Man Kills! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

35 – Post-Disco Panic Dec 15, 2014

Art by David Wynne In which literally every character in Dazzler: The Movie is the absolute worst; Beauty and the Beast is secretly kind of awesome; Ann Nocenti is an editorial war-bard; Rachel issues a hat-related retraction; and we would read the hell out of Tales from the Heartbreak Hotel. X-Plained: The many mutations of Hank McCoy Alison Blaire Dazzler: The Movie Dazzler’s corporate origins The original plans for the actual unmade Dazzler movie Severely off-model Storm Ziggy the Butler Several frankly horrifying courtships Roman Nekoboh Eric Beale Beauty and the Beast (but not that one) The correct way to open a miniseries Ann Nocenti Alexander Flynn The importance of voice in writing Beast Max Rocker The Heartbreak Hotel (but not that one) and its residents Nocenti narration Some really dubious underground theater The worst hat What Dazzler’s been up to lately NEXT WEEK: Rock'n'Roll Annuals... IN SPACE! ART CHALLENGE: Join us in a world where Beauty and the Beast spinoff Tales from the Heartbreak Hotel is a real, published comic--and send us your fan-art from that series! You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog! Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

34 – Mordenkainen’s Marvelous Mutants Dec 08, 2014

Art by David Wynne. Prints available here through Sunday, December 14! In which we venture forth into an age undreamed of, there are so many reasons to have Northstar on your team, Selene is the worst guest, Rachel X-Plains Conan, Cyttorak is the Mordenkainen of the Marvel Universe, Miles loves Doctor Strange, we have some fairly serious Captain America feelings, the X-Men completely fail at hide-and-seek, and we make more D&D references in one episode than in the previous 34 combined. X-Plained Northstar Beard privilege X-Men 189-192 Anachronistic timeline markers Hounds The Culture Shock Class An Age Undreamed of Conan disambiguation Red Sonja vs. Red Sonya Kulan Gath Marvel Team-Up #79 Barbarian Avengers Why we love Captain America Several haircuts WiFi sorcery A really good inspirational speech The inevitable cephalopod revolution Why Hank Pym is the absolute worst Claudication Hide-and-seek How Rachel Summers actually traveled back in time Magus Warlock, Adam Warlock, and their respective Magi Politics, religion, and Nightcrawler Edited to Add: In this episode, we answered a question from a listener looking for textual evidence that Nightcrawler isn’t homophobic (we pointed them to Amazing X-Men #13). We also discussed that question from a different angle--and at considerably more length--on the blog. Next Week: Dazzler: The Movie! You can find a visual companion to the episode on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon! Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

33 – Crossoverload Dec 01, 2014

Art by David Wynne! Prints here, or contact David for the original. In which we dive into two crossovers; our DCU is the DCAU; the Greys just cannot catch a break; Darkseid is basically Santa Claus; the Phoenix Force has Cyclops feels; Baron Karza is the sonic screwdriver of supervillains; and the Enigma Force is aptly named. CONTENT NOTE: The Micronauts portion of this episode involves not-particularly-graphic but still fairly involved discussions of sexual violence. If that’s not something you want to listen to, we’d recommend stopping the episode after the Teen Titans portion at 26:26, and fast-forwarding to 47:52 for conclusions, questions, and outro. X-Plained: Crossover Earth Amalgam Crossovers The Uncanny X-Men and the New Teen Titans The Teen Titans The One True Flash Cosmic Kirby Darkseid Metron The Source Wall Deathstroke the Terminator Ravok Butte sex Cyclops and the Phoenix Force The X-Men and the Micronauts #1-4 Bill Mantlo The Hero Initiative Micronauts The Microverse Baron Karza Evil Xavier (more)(again)(seriously, how is anyone still surprised when this happens) Several moral event horizons crossed in quick succession Female protagonists in X-books Next Week: Captain America in a loincloth! You can find a visual companion to the episode on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon! Buy prints of this week’s illustration here, or contact David Wynne for the original!

32 – Off the Map Nov 24, 2014

Art by David Wynne In which we hit the definitive arc of New Mutants; Bill Sienkiewicz blows our minds; Rachel gets choked up over a credits spread; Rahne gets a makeover; Doug Ramsey is justifiably flustered; and Warlock is a friend to household appliances. NOTE: This episode includes a lot of art talk. While doing so is not strictly necessary to follow the discussion, we recommend listening with the visual companion open. X-Plained: Warlock The transmode virus New Mutants #18-21 The Demon Bear Saga Bill Sienkiewicz Task leaders vs. social leaders Page layout as a storytelling tool Soul armor The Demon Bear and its shadow One of the best covers of all time Makeovers The deeply problematic fate of Tom Corsi and Sharon Friedlander What the New Mutants are up to these days Next Week: Crossovers! You can find a visual companion to the episode on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon! Buy prints of this week's illustration here, or contact David Wynne for the original!

31 – Chekhov’s Raygun Nov 16, 2014

Art by David Wynne In which there is a whole, whole lot going on; we continue to have no use for Michael Rossi; Wolverine should be an advice columnist; Forge makes bold fashion choices; the health of a timeline is directly tied to the awesomeness of Storm’s hair; and the X-Men get their first dark-future refugee. X-Plained: Dire Wraiths ROM Tailoring Uncanny X-Men #182-188 Just how much story can be shoehorned into seven issues A dubious Silent Hill metaphor The people in Rogue’s head Inexorable momentum Several profoundly uncomfortable conversations Parallel narrative in comics Being friends with Wolverine Casual enmity Forge Miles’s X-doppelganger Tiny shorts Chekhov’s Raygun Rachel Summers (again) Timeline disambiguation Rachel disambiguation “Lifedeath: A Love Story” Feelings Storm, powers, and identity X-Men Mad-Libs Hound marks X-Men: The End Next Week: THE DEMON BEAR SAGA! You can find a visual companion to the episode – as well as links to recommended reading and the winners of the stealth / plainclothes cosplay contest – on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon!

30 – New-Wave Superteens in Love Nov 09, 2014

Art by David Wynne In which the New Mutants are the Bobbsey Twins to the X-Men’s Sam Spade; Nina da Costa is Ms. Frizzle; New Mutants does a Rachel-and-Miles cold open; Selene is the Elizabeth Bathory of lava; Rahne likes Sam, Sam likes Amara, Dani likes Bobby, and Bobby likes everyone; Gil and Art are no Harvey and Janet; Miles has a Del Preston moment, Magma is a Horta; and if something super happens, you should tell a super adult. X-Plained: Selene Externals New Mutants #7-17 The da Costa family Axe Some really dubious cosmetic choices Nova Roma Amara Aquilla (Magma) Op-art as a superpower Doug Ramsey’s hair The Massachusetts Academy New-Wave Superteens Deflection The Hellions Not-Particularly-Secret Origins of the Hellfire Club Publishing schedules Next Week: Lifedeath, time travel, and Forge's tiny shorts. You can find a visual companion to the episode – as well as links to recommended reading and the winners of the stealth / plainclothes cosplay contest – on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon!

29 – Mutant in a Box Nov 03, 2014

In which Cyclops is the worst at vacations, Mystique is your favorite MurderMom™, Havok is eternally ABD, Kitty Pryde does science, Callisto doesn’t give a damn about her bad reputation, Xavier has a Troy Barnes moment, Miles may be the only person with fond memories of Secret Wars, and Rachel finally gets to make Spalding Gray references. X-Plained: Fantomex Uncanny X-Men #176-181 Reset issues Scott Summers’s second-worst honeymoon Cephalopod disambiguation Project Wideawake (more) (again) Valerie Cooper Foreshadowing Public displays of affection Leech How X-Men age A sewer wizard Doug Ramsey Secret Wars Japan Mystique’s kids Douglock Mystique’s powers The other X-Men Forever Next Week: The New Mutants gets weird! You can find a visual companion to the episode – and links to recommended reading – on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon! Send us your submissions to the Stealth / Plainclothes Cosplay Contest until the end of the day on Friday, November 7!

28 – What’s New, Shadowcat? (Featuring Greg Rucka) Oct 27, 2014

Art by David Wynne. In which we welcome back Greg Rucka, Rachel makes a valiant effort to read Secret Wars, Earth-200500 is still the best Earth, Kitty Pryde and Wolverine is kind of dodgy, Ogūn is low-rent Mister Sinister, Miles talks about empathy, Greg has an Edna Mode moment, and we all love Kitty Pryde. X-Plained: X-Men #153 Kitty’s Fairy Tale Earth-5311 Earth-200500 (again) Kitty Pryde and Wolverine #1-6 Samurai eyefucking Ogūn Special cuddles Some really dodgy stuff The best Kitties Pryde Professor K. Smart kids in fiction Why we love Shadowcat Point-of-entry characters and gender Costume theory Our favorite new podcast Next Week: Cyclops is the worst at vacations. You can find a visual companion to the episode – and links to recommended reading – on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon! Like this weeks' art? You can get prints here until 11/2, or contact David to inquire after the original!

X-TRA – Greg Pak at New York Comic Con Oct 23, 2014

Storm #1 cover art by Victor Ibañez Rachel caught up with Greg Pak during NYCC--on no sleep, and on the con floor, so apologies in advance for the sound--to talk about Storm, Storm, team vs. solo titles, post-colonial X-Men, and more. Note: This was recorded on October 9, so the "last issue" referenced in the interview is Storm #3.

27 – NYCC 2014 Special with Kris Anka and Russell Dauterman Oct 19, 2014

Adam X the X-Treme, updated by David Wynne! In which we sit down with two of our favorite X-artists for an hour of continuity, character design, and a lot of wine; Corsair is the coolest; Emma Frost is a secret viewpoint character; Bishop is the anti-Booster Gold; Adam X the X-Treme gets a new hat; and none of us know how to pronounce “Bachalo.” X-Plained: The secret X-origins of Kris Anka and Russell Dauterman Definitive books and artists Favorite characters and series Mephistoid spacesuit logistics Emma Frost as a reader stand-in The secret origin of Psylocke’s pants Uncanny X-Men The best flashback montage ever Underappreciated / underdeveloped characters All the Rogues Plot twists Bishop Dream teams Sexy dudes with sexy abs How to update Adam X the X-Treme Next Week: What's New, Shadowcat? You can find a visual companion to the episode – and links to recommended reading – on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon!

26 – The Other Team America (featuring Chris Sims) Oct 12, 2014

Art by David Wynne. In which Danielle Moonstar is the Wolverine of the New Mutants, Henry Peter Gyrich is the Walter Peck of the Marvel Universe, Michael Rossi is no Peter Corbeau, Xavier is a Brood Queen (who is a jerk), Bob McLeod draws really good teenagers, the New Mutants do an after-school special, Chris Sims drops in for some emergency X-Plaining, Elsie Carson is the Harvey and Janet of Hydra, and Team America is generally sort of baffling. X-Plained Viper Brood stuff The original New Mutans (more) (again) The New Mutants #1-6 Denial Dani vs. the Danger Room Mall stories Neighborhood kids Henry Peter Gyrich Sebastian Shaw (again) Project Wideawake (sort of) Michael Rossi A poorly-timed crossover Gabrielle Haller A profoundly unethical relationship A Very Special Episode Overkill Magnum, P.I. Team America (but not that one) Elsie Carson, middle manager of Hydra The Girl With the Silver Eyes X-Men reading order The visual companion for this episode will go up mid-week, due to New York Comic-Con generally kicking our asses (Among MANY other things, Rachel is tweeting--mostly cool X-cosplay pics--from the show floor, and Miles is working at the Dark Horse booth. Come say hi!). Meanwhile, for further supplemental material, we recommend reading Chris's in-depth history of Team America: Part One Part Two Part Three Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon!

25 – The Best at What He Does Oct 06, 2014

Art by David Wynne, after Katsushika Hokusai. In which Wolverine gets his first miniseries, Yukio is still (and forever) the best, we categorically reject the classification “manic pixie dreamgirl,” everything is noir as hell, Wolverine gets an Iron Giant moment, Storm is too cool for your dress code, and we finally made “Probably a Summers Brother” t-shirts. X-Plained: X-23 The 1982 Wolverine miniseries Uncanny X-Men #172-173 Rachel’s Wolverine feelings An auspicious road trip Early Frank Miller A really epic team-up Plug’n’play storytelling How to tell a good Wolverine story Mariko Yashida Honor Shingen Yashida Yukio The Inverse Law of Ninjas The Forty-Seven Ronin Silver Samurai Viper A Ninja meet-cute The Cyclops / Wolverine double standard The secret origins of Wolverine’s mask and hair Next Week: The New Mutants meet Team America! You can find a visual companion to the episode – and links to recommended reading – on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon!

24 – Ororo, Queen of the Galaxy Sep 28, 2014

Art by David Wynne. In which Professor X is (canonically!) a jerk, Miles has Sidrian Hunter feelings, Kitty Pryde is Clarissa Darling with a dragon, we introduce a drinking game, the X-Men do Barbarella, Rachel has a ‘shipper moment, Rogue joins the team, Storm gets a haircut, Mastermind is still the worst, and Madelyne Pryor is underrated. X-Plained: Lockheed Uncanny X-Men #168-175 Reset issues A one-sided rivalry The lowest-drama X-romance The Cream of Wheat box as a metaphor for infinity Kitty’s Kostume Korner Rachel’s questionably-canon ships The Morlocks Class privilege and the mutant metaphor Callisto Caliban Sunder Plague Masque A dubbing error Gender dimorphism in superhero media Storm’s first major character arc Our single favorite superhero artist Rogue Rogue’s accent A Charles Xavier we can believe in Yukio Punk Storm Madelyne Pryor Closure Cyclops vs. formalwear Art Challenge: Send us your Kitty Pryde costume redesigns--any era, any codename--to xplainthexmen(at)gmail(dot)com Next Week: Claremont and Miller’s Wolverine! You can find a visual companion to the episode – and links to recommended reading – on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon!

23 – Meet the New Mutants Sep 21, 2014

Art by David Wynne. In which Rachel and Miles return triumphant, the X-Men get a second ongoing series, we hit peak Moira MacTaggert, R-A-H-N-E is definitely pronounced “rain,” Sam Guthrie is the nicest henchman, Claremont is hit-and-miss on cultural diversity, and Bobby da Costa is the teenageriest teenager of them all. X-Plained: Nova Roma The New Mutants and The New Mutants Marvel Graphic Novels Greenberg the Vampire call-backs Karma Wolfsbane Sunspot Cannonball Mirage Whitewashing in superhero comics The mercurial Guthrie family Xi’an the Obscure The Dr. Claw Effect (and why Dr. Doom and Arcade are exceptions) Donald Pierce Eras of New Mutants Lila Cheney The Hellions Next Week: The X-Men do Barbarella You can find a visual companion to the episode – and links to recommended reading – on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon!

22 – Through Death and Through Life Sep 07, 2014

Art by David Wynne In which Rachel and Miles celebrate an anniversary with a retrospective of one of the great romances of the Marvel universe; the Summers/Grey family tree is more of a transdimensional strawberry patch; the X-Men play some football; Professor Xavier is not a jerk; and Scott Summers and Jean Grey are the power couple of existentialism. X-Plained Summers kids Scott and Jean Feelings X-Men #32 The worst date ever Madelyne Pryor Plot-relevant prosopagnosia Three proposals X-Factor #53 Uncanny X-Men #308 “Fatal Attractions” That one panel that gets us every time X-Men vol. 2 #30 Some really excellent wedding vows The best kiss in X-Men Cats Laughing Why “One” is actually a pretty decent first dance Existential ramifications of fictional romance Next week: Rachel and Miles take a much-needed vacation. Week after next: The New Mutants! You can find a visual companion to the episode – and links to recommended reading – on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon!

21 – Kurt Busiek at the Coffee-a-Go-Go Aug 31, 2014

Art by David Wynne In which special guest Kurt Busiek is the J. Robert Oppenheimer of X-Men, Rachel and Miles learn to love the Silver Age, Cyclops gets a job, Bernard the Poet falls from grace, we really wish X-Men: The Secret Years was a real book, everyone recites poetry, and we still don’t get around to Marvels. X-Plained: METOXO, the Lava Man The true, secret purpose of Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men The Phoenix retcon Archival pocket dimensions Enid Blyton’s X-Men Early-to-mid-20th Century American Jewish Socialism Why the X-Men are terrible mutant P.R. Band names of the Silver Age An X-Men series that might have been. Why Cyclops should be the Rachel Maddow of Marvel Quicksilver’s childhood dreams The Coffee-a-Go-Go Bernard the Poet Zelda Kurtzberg The Barefoot Beats Next week: The wedding of Scott Summers and Jean Grey! You can find a visual companion to the episode – and links to recommended reading – on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon!

20 – The Brood They Carried Aug 24, 2014

In which Claremont levels up; the Brood are legitimately scary; Colossus is an ethical dude; Nightcrawler and Wolverine share beers in the face of certain death; Storm turns into a space whale; we are Carol Corps for life; New Mutants are really into Magnum, P.I.; Kitty meets a dragon; and Xavier dies (again). X-Plained: Broo The Brood Saga (X-Men #161-167) Paul Smith Space fashion A really terrible awards ceremony Tim O'Brien's X-Men The Brood How to tell a good Wolverine story Rocket sharks The single most badass magical-girl transformation sequence of all time Binary The X-Men's Kobayashi Maru Friendship (more) (again) The Acanti Whether Cyclops watches Star Trek The New Mutants Cloning Our secret cold-open formula Cosmic crossovers Next Week: Kurt Busiek! We would have words with thee! You can find a visual companion to the episode – and links to recommended reading – on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon!

19 – Acorns and Swords Aug 17, 2014

In which we continue our delve into the eldritch end of the X-Universe, Illyana Rasputin has a rough childhood even by X-Men standards, Kitty Pryde is a Niven fan, Limbo is way metal, Vincent Price is our Belasco, and Rachel and Miles have feelings about female friendships in Claremont's X-Men. X-Plained: Mikhail Rasputin Hell dimensions, including but not limited to The Void The Dark Zone The Hill Limbo The other Limbo Yet a third Limbo Reincarnation Illyana Rasputin Magic vs. Magik Uncanny X-Men #160 Octopusheim Stepping Disks Otherplace Belasco Emergo S'ym Storm and Illyana: Magik #1-4 Bloodstones Yet another set of alternate X-Men Friendship The Soulsword Podcasting You can find a visual companion to the episode – and links to recommended reading – on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon! Next week: In space, no one can hear you snikt.

18 – You’ve Got a Dracula Problem Aug 10, 2014

In which Dr. Nemesis is delightful, Bill Sienkiewicz foreshadows himself, Dracula hits on absolutely everyone, Blade Godwins a crossover event, Jubilee get a jet ski, the X-Men do Castlevania 2, Rachel and Miles pick a vacation destination, and Cyclops wants you to follow your heart. X-Plained: Dr. Nemesis A very good page of a very good comic Dracula variations X-Men #159 Appropriate use of holy symbols "The D" Tomb of Dracula Bloodstorm Carrotstorm Curse of the Mutants Jubilee Crossover events Why we can't have nice things Some really sweet weaponry The Dracula Reassembly Machine Phone sex with Gambit The point of being Lord of the Vampires X-Club Authorial voice in comics Why there probably won't be a Starjammers movie Next Episode: Rachel and Miles go to Hell (kind of)! You can find a visual companion to the episode – and links to recommended reading – on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon!

17 – The Island of Dr. Corbeau Aug 04, 2014

In which we make our Comics Alliance debut, Cyclops makes a startling discovery, Carol Danvers joins the team (sort of), Chris Claremont calls out some bullshit, Havok still has terrible taste in hats, and Peter Corbeau gets his own theme music Content note: In this episode, we spend a lot of time talking about a rape that occurs in a previous Avengers arc, the community and narrative response thereto, and the larger landscape and ethics of portrayals of sexual violence in superhero comics. X-Plained Mystique's mercurial alliances Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men Uncanny X-Men #154-158 Avengers Annual #10 Bollywood Starjammers The dread Psi-Scream Shi'ar Fashion Technology Dr. Peter Corbeau (more) (again) Rogue Carol Danvers The Whole Marcus Thing Chris Claremont vs. rape culture Computers Gender politics of the Dark Phoenix Saga Next week: Dracula! Clarification, since we neglected to specify in the episode: Avengers #200 was written by James Shooter, George Pérez, Bob Layton, and David Michelinie; Avengers Annual #10 was written by Chris Claremont. You can find a visual companion to the episode – and links to recommended reading – on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon!

16 – The Official Unofficial Not-at-SDCC (Rachel and Miles X-Plain the) X-Men Panel Jul 28, 2014

In which we correct a startling omission, explore the current state of the X-Universe, and speculate wildly; Quentin Quire has excellent fashion sense; Rachel gets a new accessory; Miles goes off-brand; the X-Men are somewhat complicated; Iron Man has poor decision-making skills; Charles Xavier dies for real; Beast might be a supervillain; we briefly forget Marc Guggenheim's first name; and the future remains a relative mystery. For purposes of continuity, it's probably worth noting that this episode was recorded before the SDCC Marvel panel. X-Plained: Quentin Quire Patreon A startling omission from the official SDCC lineup The current state of the X-Men Decimation Dark Reign Utopia Schism Avengers vs. X-Men Mutant politics Hope Summers The Phoenix/P.E.N.I.S. five (again) The (real) (this time) (we think) death of Charles Xavier Teenager hijinks Crossover events Battle of the Atom Semantics of supervillainy How Wolverine is 100% definitely going to die Jumping-on points Current X-books Jubilee You can find a visual companion to the episode – and links to recommended reading – on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon!

15 – The Ballad of Harvey and Janet Jul 20, 2014

In which we announce exciting new developments, the ASPCA should probably have a word with Emma Frost, Kitty Pryde gets a new costume, Lee Forrester is still the best, Cyclops has an octopus on his chest, Magneto has a change of heart, and Wolverine embraces transhumanism. X-Plained: The Thomas Hardy novel of superhero comics Friendship X-Men #148-152 Unstable Denim Disco Dinner Clubs Caliban (a little) Kitty Pryde's amazing fashion sense Garokk the Unremarkable Atlantean couture Why Magneto is Interesting The Massachusetts Academy The Persona Exchange Gun Harvey and Janet How to win $2500 in 1980 Editorial Outsourcing You can find a visual companion to the episode – and links to recommended reading – on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Support us on Patreon!

14 – Look Upon My Man-Thing and D’Spayre Jul 14, 2014

In which Canada is complicated, the X-Perts join Twitter, Rachel cares about a Wolverine story, Angel had one job, Kitty Pryde is pretty cool, Cyclops gets a hat, neither of us knows how to pronounce "Aleytys," Doctor Doom is a terrible date, and the X-Men have an awful lot of signature moves. X-Plained: Department H Department K Director X The Weapon Plus Program Weapon P.R.I.M.E. Weapons I-XVI The Death-Defying Doctor Mirage The new normal Stevie Hunter The Wendigo Berserker rage Yard work Wolverines Angel's one move The N'Garai (again) Lee Forrester D'Spayre Magic-Feather villains Man-Thing Doctor Doom Arcade Why it sucks to be Havok The X-Perts' relative areas of X-pertise Cyclops vs. Storm Signature moves CORRECTIONS: Lee's dad's house is in Florida, not Louisiana; Doctor Doom is not in Europe but in New England, where has taken over Toad's theme park, because that was definitely a thing. If you're looking for our coverage of X-Men 141 and 142—"Days of Future Past"—you can find that in Episode 6, "Days of Future Whatever." You can find a visual companion to the episode – and links to recommended reading – on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher!

13 – Last Stand on the Moon Jul 06, 2014

In which Jean commits genocide, the Shi'ar are total dicks (again), we have feelings about X-Men #137, Claremont and Byrne do what they do best, shit gets real on the moon, Kitty joins the team, and the Dark Phoenix Saga concludes. X-Plained: Inhumans The Kree The Terrigen Mist Teamwork The Dark Phoenix Cameos with cosmic implications The Phoenix event horizon Establishing scale Psychic battles The winged never-nudes of the Marvel Universe Danger-room exposition The Shi'ar's really dubious justice system Why X-Men #137 is the definitive issue of X-Men Pacing The power of friendship Quiet moments The blue area of the moon The best last stand Moon vandalism The Phoenix Retcon You can find a visual companion to the episode – and links to recommended reading – on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher!

12 – Inner Circle Jerk Jun 29, 2014

In which we wade into the first arc of the Dark Phoenix Saga, Rachel does not like Sage, the Hellfire Club are the mean girls of the Marvel Universe, Cyclops and Phoenix have a Moment, Mastermind ruins everything, Emma Frost is a force to be reckoned with, Wolverine gets awesome, and we meet the Dark Phoenix. X-Plained: Sage The Hellfire Club The Inner Circle Jason Wyngarde (again) Sebastian Shaw Harry Leland Emma Frost Donald Pierce Hegemony and social politics of the Hellfire Club 18th Century bondage cosplay Kitty Pryde The worst disco ever Alison Blaire Tiny shorts How to make Wolverine work Sexual politics of the Dark Phoenix Why Magneto's powers are broken post-AvX The P.E.N.I.S. five You can find a visual companion to the episode – and links to recommended reading – on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Next week: Showdown on the Moon

11 – Who Would Win in a Fight Jun 22, 2014

In which we answer 45 straight minutes of your questions and alienate everyone with our answer to Jean vs. Emma, Miles is probably too nice to win in a fight, we are really into The Adventures of Pete & Pete, Rachel is the Vega to Miles's Shepard, Excalibur is awesome, you should stop punching the DNA, Wolverine is Rogue, Longshot is the prettiest man, and Professor X is a pufferfish. X-Plained: Who would win in a fight The Rachel & Miles Fastball Special Cycloptometry Backissues, collections, and where to find them Podcaster 'shipping Spinoffs Rachel Summers (more) (again) Five tattoos Non-X stuff we're into X-Force versus the Comics Code Authority Ultimate X-Men How to keep track of crossovers Textual queerness The Siege Perilous Jean vs. Emma Some good Nightcrawler and Iceman stories Dream teams The Glammest Timeline Best and worst code names Bendis's X-books X-animals You can find a visual companion to the episode – and links to recommended reading – on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Next week: The Dark Phoenix Saga

10 – Not All Mandroids Jun 15, 2014

In which Phoenix has nothing on Jamie Madrox when it comes to retcons, Pterosaurs have super punchable faces, Colossus gets laid, we are uninterested in the Savage Land, Wolverine and Storm are both pretty interesting, smiling costs extra if you're Doctor Doom, Banshee saves the day, Alpha Flight tries, Angry Hovercraft Guy comes back, and Proteus is fairly upsetting. X-Plained: X-Men #109, 114-16, 118-122, and 125-128 Multiple Man Metacontinuity The Savage Land Pterosaurs Shi'ar mustache technology Karl Lykos Misty Knight Colleen Wing Wolverine in Japan Mandroids Moses Magnum A Heist Angus McWhirter, disgruntled hovercraft rental guy Alpha Flight Team Dynamics Why you always leave a note Proteus You can find a visual companion to the episode – and links to recommended reading – on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Next week: Secret origins, shipper wars, the Siege Perilous, and which of us would win in a fight.

9 – Leprechaun Surprise Party Jun 08, 2014

In which Rachel refuses to back down from a challenge, we reject a point of canon, Leprechauns know Wolverine's secrets, Erik the Red is (still) awful, Professor X is (still) a dick, the X-Men are your D&D party, the Shi'ar do a Star Trek riff, Phoenix is kind of a big deal, the circus comes to town, and Magneto gets creepy. X-Plained: Cassandra Nova More early Claremont Sound effects Cassidy Keep Seneschals Shillelaghs Image inducers Black Tom Cassidy Supervillain bromance Bronze-age pacing Leprechauns Hovercraft rental Muir Island The Shi'ar Imperial Guard The M'Kraan Cyrstal Phoenix 101 Secret volcano lairs Magneto's mercifully short-lived age-play fixation The (dis)continuity of mutant powers You can find a visual companion to the episode – and links to recommended reading – on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Next week: Wolverine punches a pterosaur, Cyclops grows a mustache, and everyone gets possessed!

8 – What We Talk About When We Talk About Claremont Jun 01, 2014

In which Chris Claremont defines the X-Universe; Sunfire quits the team (again); Nightcrawler is the best; the narrator is nobody's friend; Colossus is a good kid; Cyclops has a long series of bad days; everyone is a bondage Viking; Rachel is a space pedant, we meet the Phoenix, and Wolverine is the Batman of Marvel. X-Plained: Polaris's kinda-powers Our first crossover event How much we love you Chris Claremont, and why he's the definitive X-writer Comics In Focus: Chris Claremont's X-Men Why Nightcrawler is the best point-of-view character The long game Tom Orzechowski's dimension-folding lettering skills Claremontisms The malicious narrator Count Nefaria Sliding-scale ransom The life, death, and occasional reanimation of Thunderbird Friendship The care and feeding of cairns Erik the Red Quiet moments Sentinels and X-Sentinels Steven Lang The (first) death and return of Jean Grey Accents You can find a visual companion to the episode – and links to recommended reading – on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Next week: Leprechauns!

7 – Cyclops Has a Good Day May 25, 2014

With guest Greg Rucka! In which death is a revolving door, we really liked Days of Future Past, space pirates are the best pirates, Vulcan is (still) the worst, Miles has a Corsair costume, Lilandra has lovely plumage, no one knows how to pronounce "M'Kraan," we studiously avoid discussing the Phoenix force, Saurids speak Hebrew, Raza Longknife's name is a bit on the nose, Rachel is the worst at hugs, Greg has a 'ship, and we all kind of identify with Cyclops. X-Plained: The Starjammers (and how to pronounce their names) The Shi'ar The Neremani Dynasty Plumage Apostrophe abuse Corsair The secret origins of the Starjammers Why Hepzibah talks like that The Rule of Cool Visor iterations Summerstaches Cyclops's dubious deductive skills Hugs The All-New, All-the-Same X-Men Teenagers, again Cyclops #1 Cyclops vs. Scott Space-parenting Rachel's convention sketchbook Greg's Kitty Pryde feelings An exceptionally vivid threat Intergalactic fashion Corsair's pecs Key parties in space The greatest romance of the Marvel Universe You can find a visual companion to the episode – and links to recommended reading – on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Next week: Welcome to the Claremont era, listeners—hope you survive the experience!

6 – Days of Future Whatever May 18, 2014

In which we more or less prepare you for the upcoming feature film; Rachel Summers is a black hole of continuity; Kitty Pryde breaks the Danger Room; Earth 200500 is clearly the best earth; even the X-Men have no idea what's going on; First Class Emma Frost is so boring that we forget she exists; wolverines are definitely not wolves; and you can have Rachel's Community references when you pry them from her cold, dead hands. X-Plained: Rachel Summers "Days of Future Past" Gravestone engraving standards of 2013 The Mostly-New, Mostly-Different Brotherhood of Evil Mutants Another unfortunate hat Causality in the Marvel Multiverse Earths 811, 1191, 295, 311, and 200500 Hall monitors with laser rifles How to fix a broken timeline The X-Men cinematic universe, and points of divergence from the comics The one thing X-Men: The Last Stand does right The Xavier Index of Cinematic Continuity The difference between Canis lupus and Gulo gulo A Days of Future Past cinematic cram course Fix-it fic Blink, Bishop, and dark-future mash-ups The enduring appeal of Earth-811 The significantly less enduring appeal of Earth-242 The Nazi Excalibur of Earth-597 You can find a visual companion to the episode – and links to recommended reading – on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher! Next week: Greg Rucka, Cyclops, and Starjammers!

5 – The Retcon That Walks Like a Man May 11, 2014

In which the Bronze Age begins; Dave Cockrum is your god now; the band gets together; Sunfire joins the team; cultural sensitivity is not Marvel's strong suit; Sunfire quits the team; it sucks to be Cyclops; Professor X crosses a moral event horizon; Sunfire joins the team; Ed Brubaker channels Thomas Hardy; you are probably a Summers brother; and Sunfire quits the team. X-Plained: Bamf-Voltron Nightcrawler Giant-Size X-Men #1 The worst hat of the Marvel Universe The Mostly-New, Mostly-Different X-Men A business-casual angry mob The limits of creative good intentions Tractor punching on the Ust-Ordynski Collective The correct spelling of "fine" Canada Sunfire's utter disdain for everything, including you Krakoa: The Island That Walks Like a Man! Characteristics of good X-fights Yet another miracle of magnetism X-Men: Deadly Genesis Summers Family Continuity (Introductory) More hats The Muir-MacTaggert Research Facility Summers Family Continuity (Intermediate) The Charles Xavier Scale of Supervillainy Relative immunity Wolverine's ubiquity AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION: What would you do with thirteen X-Men? Help us find all-ages-friendly Marvel Girl stories! You can find a visual companion to the episode – and links to recommended reading – on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher!

4 – American History X-Men May 04, 2014

In which Rachel finally gets to say "WHAT?!," we examine three variations on the Silver Age, Twin Peaks is reality TV, we can't believe you hired Hitler, Angel is not Batman, even the most sympathetic Xavier is still pretty creepy, Cyclops has a good day, Marvel Girl is not going to throw a dinosaur for you, Iceman is the Troy Barnes of the X-Men, and we say a fond farewell to the Silver Age. X-Plained: The X-Axis X-Men: Children of the Atom Hard-sell noir How to party like it's sometime between 1986 and 1991, as filtered through 1999 The perils of over-referencing Why Marvel is in the Tommy Westphall Universe The worst guidance counselor ever Villain speeches X-Men: First Class (but not that one) Fun, and several places to find it Angst-free X-Men Gender politics of superheroism X-Men: Season One Teenagers The solution to the Silver-Age-Jean Grey problem Why Iceman matters The Silver Age cram book You can find a visual companion to the episode – and links to recommended reading – on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher!

3 – Cartoons, Lies, and Video Tape Apr 27, 2014

Featuring Emergency Backup Co-Host Chris Sims! In which Rachel and Chris X-plain three cartoons and track a disagreement to its source; Gambit is definitely the worst person you know; Broadcasting Standards and Practices is tired of your death ceremonies; Storm doesn't have an inside voice; and we finally get around to mentioning that one dude with the claws. X-Plained: Weaponized creepiness The evolution (and Evolution) of X-Toons Why you hate Cyclops (and Rachel doesn't) Adaptation overload Broadcast standards, practices, and laser rifles How to order pizza like a weather goddess A paramilitary after-school club G-Rated Wolverine Comics based on cartoons based on comics Morph The Batman Standard The Wolverine and the X-Men trifecta of perfection Why the Mojoverse works better on TV Dazzler's secret second job Basic jacketry CORRECTION: In this episode, Rachel mentions that Morph's first comics appearance is in Exiles. It's not: he's in Age of Apocalypse. Mea culpa. You can find a visual companion to the episode – and links to recommended reading – on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher!

2 – Sentinels in the Mist Apr 20, 2014

In which we introduce the villains of the Silver Age: Magneto makes some valid points, Mastermind is a Nice Guy of OkCupid, the Scarlet Witch predicts Cat Breading, the Trasks should really have known better, and the Comics Code Authority is down with pterosaurs. X-Plained: Common characteristics of enduring X-villains Mutant identity politics and moral relativism Context-agnostic Juggernaut flashbacks An unorthodox approach to anthropology Cyclops's greatest diplomatic achievement Silver-Age haberdashery An innovative modification to vampire mythology Cultural assimilation The propaganda-and-sweater-vest machine Hex bolts Supplemental reading You can find a visual companion to the episode – and links to recommended reading – on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher!

1 – The Strangest Podcast of Them All Apr 13, 2014

In which we begin at the beginning: everything clicks with #3, Professor Xavier is a jerk, Magneto is a fearless fashionista, Cyclops gets a name, Jean Grey has a chronic case of the Silver Age, and allegorical diversity is not enough. X-Plained: Mutant genetics and taxonomy Practical semantics of "X-Men" Charles Xavier's equally dubious ethics and decorating choices Superhero couture of the Atomic Age Why Cyclops can't control his powers The miracle of comic-book magnetism A problematic analogy X-books for beginners Snow grenades The word "yaybo" The mystery of the ubiquitous plaid suit You can find a visual companion to the episode – and links to recommended reading – on our blog. Find us on iTunes or Stitcher!

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