Blog Posts – Page 2 – Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men

As Mentioned in Episode 437 – Dismember the Titans

January 14, 2024 Miles 3 comments

Listen to the podcast here.

“Hot Topic Rennfaire” was a somewhat controversial choice for X-Force’s prom theme. (X-Force #85)

I’m impressed Pandemonia is so well put-together after 600 years in captivity! I was wearing pajama pants by day three of the pandemic. (X-Force #85)

“I’ll never forget that day… Rusty was inexplicably blonde, I was in a costume I wouldn’t have for months, and all was right in the world.” (X-Force #85)

You can tell Sam and Dani are in great shape: they’re having a conversation about feelings and continuity during a run while most of us couldn’t manage more than “*wheeze* *cough*” (X-Force #85)

“This place seems different! Did somebody replace a lamp or something?” (X-Force #85)

…How long have they been posing like that? (X-Force #85)

Nice fight scene, Angel Unzueta! (X-Force #85)

As distinct from prolific video game voice actress Jennifer Hale! (X-Force #85)

Say it, Dani! Focused totality… you know the next part… (X-Force #85)

“We’re here to cast glamours and rock out for Satan, and we’re all out of glamours!” (X-Force #85)

Pictured: Hades in disguise, Hades’s girlfriend, and Hades’s surprisingly detailed and colorful statue of Hades. (X-Force & Champions Annual 1998)

It’s no Larry Stroman crowd scene, but still, pretty great! (X-Force & Champions Annual 1998)

Cannonball wants to axe Meltdown what she was thinking. (X-Force & Champions Annual 1998)

“Well, at least it’s not a, you know.” (X-Force & Champions Annual 1998)

To Meltdown’s credit, that lady does seem like she’s about to take a bite out of Cannonball. (X-Force & Champions Annual 1998)

“Why were we the members of this team? Well, we happened to all be free on a Tuesday.” (X-Force & Champions Annual 1998)

Magic! Flirtation! Fonts! (X-Force & Champions Annual 1998)

“Happy tenth high school reunion, everybody!” (X-Force & Champions Annual 1998)

Now THAT’S playing the long game. (X-Force & Champions Annual 1998)

Don’t feel bad, I always mix them up with the Defenders too. (X-Force & Champions Annual 1998)

NEXT TIME: A very Wolverine Wolverine story.

As Mentioned in Episode 436 – The Feel-Good Movie of the Summer

January 7, 2024 Jay One comment

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Never go on a commercial flight with Wolverine. (X-Men: Liberators #1)

They have fun. (X-Men: Liberators #1)

The Cockrum line-up! (X-Men: Liberators #2)

IT IS REALLY NOT LIKE THE TREES, KURT. (X-Men: Liberators #2)

Walls are for normies. (X-Men: Liberators #2)

Hi, Nikolas! (X-Men: Liberators #2)

I bet Charles Xavier spends a lot of money on landscaping. (X-Men: Liberators #3)

One way to start a fire. (X-Men: Liberators #3)

Kids love Nightcrawler. (X-Men: Liberators #3)

Nude in the snow: the Logan story. (X-Men: Liberators #4)

Omega Red sure is Omega Red. (X-Men: Liberators #4)

…wow. (X-Men: Liberators #4)

IT’S THE FEEL-GOOD MOVIE OF THE SUMMER! (X-Men: Liberators #4)

Aw. (X-Men: Liberators #4)

NEXT EPISODE: X-Force gets possessed!

As Mentioned in Episode 435 – Giant-Size Special #12 (feat. Kieron Gillen)

December 31, 2023 Jay Leave a comment

Listen to the podcast here! And stay tuned for details of our 10th birthday party, coming April 13 at Books With Pictures!

Illustration by David Wynne

Just look at that cover! (Longshot vol. 2 #1)

Strong Fantastic Planet vibes, no? (Longshot vol. 2 #1)

Meet the Thingee! (Longshot vol. 2 #1)

Heaven, sort of. (Longshot vol. 2 #1)

The Statler and Waldorf of Baum, Kansas. (Longshot vol. 2 #1)

Aw, Betty. (Longshot vol. 2 #1)

Bad times. (Longshot vol. 2 #1)

Residents of the Albony Avenue Sanitarium. (Longshot vol. 2 #1)

The true form of the Thingee. (Longshot vol. 2 #1)

And straight on ’til morning. (Longshot vol. 2 #1)

As Mentioned in Episode 434 – Return to Cape Citadel

December 31, 2023 Miles Leave a comment

Listen to the episode here.

Happy anniversary! Have a brand-new team! (Uncanny X-Men #360)

The first of a number of Giant-Size X-Men #1-style origin stories. (Uncanny X-Men #360)

In which the long-absent Excalibur mutants remind us of the first team they were all on. (Uncanny X-Men #360)

The All-New, Slightly-Off X-Men attack! (Uncanny X-Men #360)

Meanwhile: all that’s left of the X-Men. Err, the most recent team of X-Men. Not the returning ones. Or the fake ones. Look, there are a lot of different X-Men in this issue, okay? (Uncanny X-Men #360)

Hey, looks like Thomas Wolfe was wrong! (Uncanny X-Men #360)

Who needs panel borders when you’ve got layouts like this? (Uncanny X-Men #360)

Hey, it’s like the last issue’s cover – but with actual X-Men! (X-Men #80)

Comics’ greatest superhero soap opera. (X-Men #80)

Gotta admit, this is not Super Doctor Astronaut Peter Corbeau’s greatest showing. (X-Men #80)

A lot’s changed since you’ve been gone, Pete. (X-Men #80)

*raised heavy metal horns accompany a single heavy metal tear* (X-Men #80)

They’ve been back together for only a few hours and are already dramatically posing like champs! (X-Men #80)

“Hey, that’s not Professor X! He has a… you know!” (X-Men #80)

…rocket? (X-Men #80)

More couples’ therapy should include fastball specials. (X-Men #80)

I mean, I know they were kinda jerks, but… jeez! (X-Men #80)

NEXT EPISODE: Our tenth annual Giant-Size Winter Special!

As Mentioned in Episode 432 – Weird Little Adventures

December 10, 2023 Jay Leave a comment

Listen to the episode here.

This makes it look like one of them is about to die. (Generation X #44)

The weirdest thing about Polaroids was that they could all talk. (Generation X #44)

Aw. (Generation X #44)

Siryn knows how to dress! (Generation X #44)

A plot thread that dangles to this day. (Generation X #44)

I really enjoy this credits page. (Generation X #45)

I enjoy when Monet is mischievous. (Generation X #45)

What the HELL, Sean? (Generation X #46)

Of course, it would have EMTs, but, whatever. (Generation X #46)

One way to deal with traffic. (Generation X #46)

How fast is she running?! (Generation X #46)

“I mean, they’ll have a rough time at college, but whatever.” (Generation X #46)

Forge, no. (Generation X #47)

Did… did they HAVE to live in the treehouse before?! (Generation X #47)

Later he’s going to lecture on not pissing off your girlfriend. (Generation X #47)

YOU TELL ‘IM, PARADOX! (Generation X #47)

NEXT EPISODE: X-Factor and Excalibur post mortem!

As Mentioned in Episode 431 – Doctor Jennifer Murder’s Drop-In Deathatorium

November 19, 2023 Miles Leave a comment

Listen to the episode here.

Alright, who stuck their surprisingly awesome fan-zine on this comics rack? (Generation X Underground Special #1)

Do the extra-long fingers help or hurt? (Generation X Underground Special #1)

Triumphant walk! (Generation X Underground Special #1)

Cibo Matto! (Generation X Underground Special #1)

“I’m just not sure about this neighborhood. Let’s head over to Crime Alley instead.” (Generation X Underground Special #1)

No notes. (Generation X Underground Special #1)

(Former since the Donut Day Riots) Detective Lucas Bishop. (Generation X Underground Special #1)

Eat your heart out, Jack Kirby. (Generation X Underground Special #1)

You and me both, random gangster. (Generation X Underground Special #1)

And, in fact, that very funk will save the day. (Generation X Underground Special #1)

Chamber’s secondary mutation is to be more heavily inked when he’s depressed. (Generation X Underground Special #1)

If you’re ever this heavily inked, please talk to someone. (Generation X Underground Special #1)

Al made a shirt and so can you! (Generation X Underground Special #1)

Man vs. Man, Man vs. Nature, Beatniks vs. Hostess Fruit Pies… (Generation X Underground Special #1)

Nate is such a good dude sometimes. (X-Man: All Saints Day #1)

What an oddly relevantly helpful old woman! (X-Man: All Saints Day #1)

Downtown Transylvania circa 1998, I assume. (X-Man: All Saints Day #1)

Hey, your face isn’t even all that bony! (X-Man: All Saints Day #1)

See, kids? This is why you shouldn’t smoke. (X-Man: All Saints Day #1)

She had to wait days for a lightning storm epic enough for her to make her entrance properly. (X-Man: All Saints Day #1)

How has no one brought this delightful villain back since this issue?! (X-Man: All Saints Day #1)

Didn’t see that one coming… (X-Man: All Saints Day #1)

NO NOTES. (X-Man: All Saints Day #1)

Doctor Von Mort’s home office is way cooler than mine. (X-Man: All Saints Day #1)

Abysnthia Von Mort x-plains Absynthia Von Mort. (X-Man: All Saints Day #1)

“Help! We’ve been filed!” (X-Man: All Saints Day #1)

I’m not crying you’re crying (X-Man: All Saints Day #1)

NEXT EPISODE: Generation X suits up!

As Mentioned in Episode 430 – The Bad Feelings Box

November 19, 2023 Jay Leave a comment

Listen to the episode here.

It’s always awkward when you run into someone you know out of context. (Uncanny X-Men #359)

I don’t know why Rogue palming Mystique’s face like a basketball is so funny, but it really is. (Uncanny X-Men #359)

Aw, these two. (Uncanny X-Men #359)

Spoiler: They do not actually fight each other. (Uncanny X-Men / Fantastic Four Annual 1998)

Every supervillain, ever. (Uncanny X-Men / Fantastic Four Annual 1998)

It’s Bring-a-Twink night at the poker game! (Uncanny X-Men / Fantastic Four Annual 1998)

Psycho Man may have his issues, but you’ve gotta hand it to his UI design. (Uncanny X-Men / Fantastic Four Annual 1998)

I love that Kirby armor. (Uncanny X-Men / Fantastic Four Annual 1998)

INVISIBLE BEAR TRAP (Uncanny X-Men / Fantastic Four Annual 1998)

By this point, half the superheroes in the Marvel Universe are anxiously awaiting their turn to toss Wolverine. (Uncanny X-Men / Fantastic Four Annual 1998)

OH NO (Uncanny X-Men / Fantastic Four Annual 1998)

Callisto looks so cool in this issue. (X-Men #79)

She knows how to flirt like a pro. (X-Men #79)

They’re spooning. (X-Men #79)

NEXT EPISODE: Miles and Al Kennedy X-Plain the Generation X Underground Special!

As Mentioned in Episode 429 – Slightly Sticky

November 5, 2023 Miles 2 comments

Listen to the episode here.

A goofy and fun cover for a goofy and fun comic. (X-Men Unlimited #20)

Poor Maxie… (X-Men Unlimited #20)

Poor Maxie!!! (X-Men Unlimited #20)

? indeed, Nettles. ? indeed. (X-Men Unlimited #20)

STOP HATIN’ (X-Men Unlimited #20)

I don’t think this Ferris wheel passed inspection. Or was ever inspected in the first place. (X-Men Unlimited #20)

Generation X’s greatest nemesis: a runaway Ferris wheel. (X-Men Unlimited #20)

Paige Guthrie would make a terrible babysitter. (X-Men Unlimited #20)

What was Penance doing in that closet? We’ll never know! (X-Men Unlimited #20)

And then a cop gaslit a child. (X-Men Unlimited #20)

A goofy and fun cover for a goofy and fun comic… again! (X-Men Unlimited #21)

Video rental store clerks: truly the absolute worst of humanity, apparently. (X-Men Unlimited #21)

HE’S HUGE! (X-Men Unlimited #21)

Friendship! (X-Men Unlimited #21)

John Henry Irons he ain’t. (X-Men Unlimited #21)

Gently punched by nostalgia. (X-Men Unlimited #21)

Halt, you men! (X-Men Unlimited #21)

Wolfsbane’s like the kid who clearly put together their science fair project the night before the science fair. (X-Men Unlimited #21)

Party one… (X-Men Unlimited #21)

…party two. (X-Men Unlimited #21)

And then Jay exploded. (X-Men Unlimited #21)

The hero we need! (X-Men Unlimited #21)

It’s a Dracularmy! (X-Men Unlimited #21)

Guido’s going to be telling this story for the rest of his life. (X-Men Unlimited #21)

The X-Factor denouement we never got. (X-Men Unlimited #21)

NEXT EPISODE: The X-Men team up with the Fantastic Four!

As Mentioned in Episode 428 – Naked in a Cake

October 22, 2023 Miles Leave a comment

Listen to the episode here.

So who is that in the cake? (Excalibur #124)

A bridal shower! (Excalibur #124)

A bachelor party! (Excalibur #124)

Seriously, why is this a thing (Excalibur #124)

Yep, we’ve missed the Crazy Gang. (Excalibur #124)

Awk-ward (Excalibur #124)

To answer Suzy Eddie Izzard’s question: cake and death! (Excalibur #124)

And then Feron’s life got even worse. (Excalibur #124)

And a good time was had by all… especially Captain UK and Mimic, I assume. (Excalibur #124)

Love and chaos. (Excalibur #125)

Cameos! (Excalibur #125)

More cameos! (Excalibur #125)

I have questions about this pipe organ. (Excalibur #125)

Healthy… communication? Is that a thing in the Marvel Universe? Is that allowed? (Excalibur #125)

WHO INVITED THE NAZIS (Excalibur #125)

And have they ever earned it. (Excalibur #125)

Gatecrasher has the weeds! (Excalibur #125)

Lockheed, I know you want Piotr and Kitty to get together, but I assure you this will not work out. (Excalibur #125)

Nobody does wedding receptions like the Starlight Citadel of Otherworld. (Excalibur #125)

Man, that really is a shockingly tiny invitation. (Excalibur #125)

See, Feron? Just because everyone forgets about you doesn’t mean you have to jump out of a cake to try to murder people! (Excalibur #125)

Saturnyne, this is literally the worst possible time. (Excalibur #125)

Kurt, this is… also not a great time. (Excalibur #125)

Dammit, now I’m tearing up. (Excalibur #125)

And that, as they say, is that. (Excalibur #125)

NEXT TIME: X-Factor is back! Kind of!

As Mentioned in Episode 427 – Standard Deviation

October 22, 2023 Miles Leave a comment

Listen to the episode here.

Why doesn’t Adam Pollina draw all the mythology? (X-Force #81)

Just another day for X-Force. (X-Force #81)

You could take away the word balloons and we’d still know so much about these characters just from their outfits and body language! (X-Force #81)

This panel doesn’t have much to do with continuity, but it sure is pretty. (X-Force #81)

Again: JUST ANOTHER DAY FOR X-FORCE (X-Force #81)

Siryn flirts. (X-Force #81)

“Your first clue should have been the rad halo-thing Adam Pollina drew behind me.” (X-Force #81)

We’ll miss you, Adam Pollina. Thanks for the memories. (X-Force #81)

Hi, Jesse Aaronson AKA Bedlam! Hi, Cait Sith! (X-Force #82)

I enjoy how “rebuilt from the brink of death” also translates to “wearing a super-cool set of insectoid armor.” (X-Force #82)

Pollina may be gone, but the action scenes are still pretty awesome. (X-Force #82)

Jesse, that is not how you give a massage. (X-Force #82)

“Sorry we’re late, it took us a while to adequately rip up our clothes.” (X-Force #82)

Yeah, okay – we love this guy. (X-Force #82)

Sam Guthrie X-Plains (his time on) the X-Men. (X-Force #83)

I think your guts may actually be tied up in abs, Sam. (X-Force #83)

Just enough of that yellow and purple left to still make them look like a team – and just enough folks without that uniform to make it clear how long it’s been since those days. (X-Force #83)