Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men

Rachel and Miles Review the X-Men, Episode 31

Week of March 25, 2015.

In which Nightcrawler comes to an end, Rachel finally learns to appreciate Black Vortex, we have some feelings about Cyclops and Havok, and you should totally come to the ECCC meetup this Saturday.

REVIEWED:

  • Nightcrawler #12 (0:55)
  • Amazing X-men #18 (2:22)
  • Wolverines #12 (3:14)
  • *Uncanny X-Men #32 (5:02)
  • All the Black Vortex Tie-Ins (7:30)

*Pick of the Week (10:36)


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9 comments

  1. Hey, I tried listening/watching on both Youtube and the site here. There is no sound on the video. Perhaps an issue with the upload or volume?

  2. Uncanny was a great issue, and also, fantastic cover.

    As to Black Vortex, I think there is a lesson here: if you are going to do a big crossover for Marvel, do it right before they have a big, continuity-destroying event, because then you can get away with things like putting Spartax into a state of living death, smashing Hala, and killing the Supreme Intelligence. Because, you know, it’s all getting broken during Secret Wars anyway, so why not?

    Also, I love the lack of respect the Living Monolith gets, even when he’s the Juggernaut and 800 feet tall.

  3. I knew that would be the panel of the week. It was mine as well.

    I’m curious now as to why people hated this week’s Uncanny. Great character stuff.

  4. I know that Uncanny X-Men really hits a lot of great notes and that those are kind of tailored to your interests, but I would’ve liked more of a discussion about the very real problems with his conversation with Emma. The slut shaming as a way of blaming of her for a fight that ends with him choking her bleeding on the ground and then going from that to “Haha Summers Pizza amirite?” was wrong.

    1. So I looked back and I’m not sure what part of the conversation you’re reading as slut-shaming. Are you talking about the “I wouldn’t touch with you with Namor’s trident” line? I didn’t read that one that way at all. Are you thinking he’s saying that she slept with a bunch of guys after they broke up so now he doesn’t want her back? If so, that’s a pretty weak definition of slut-shaming unless he was also sleeping with a bunch of people after the break-up. But I don’t recall her having any other relationships depicted since they’ve broken up. So if he is accusing her of having sex with anyone, he’s referencing her dalliance (don’t believe they ever consummated on the page) with Namor, which took place while her and Scott her still together. It’s hardly slut-shaming to call someone out for cheating on you.

      And when did Scott choke Emma while she was bleeding on the ground? I don’t remember that at all.

      1. > And when did Scott choke Emma while she was bleeding on the ground? I don’t remember that at all.

        Avengers vs X-Men #11. He killed Xavier right after, so he wasn’t 100% in his right mind.

  5. Uncanny X-Men #32 is so good. Honestly, I think I could just read a whole series of various X-Men characters talking to each other. There’s just so much potential there.

    I feel like this issue shows really well the person Scott has become after all these years of being an X-Man. Even despite not having read as much as you guys have, the character development is understandable. I really hope it goes in a good direction for the conclusion of this volume and issue #600. And though you guys know more than I do, I dearly hope they don’t kill him off as you’ve predicted.

    Regarding the whole “Inverted Alex” situation, that’s one of the (many) things I really resented about Axis. Alex was actually beginning to get his own story/character development in the beginning of Uncanny Avengers. It was nice to see him come into his own. Then, the story went off in this absurd direction, ignoring all the characters except him (even ignoring Janet, who was still technically in the story and one of the few characters were were not dead). Then, Axis happened and made things worse. So, yeah, while him becoming magically better after sleeping for a long time is a too-convenient retcon, I’ll take it if it’ll get rid of Axis after-effects/hangover.

  6. Great week! I probably would have picked Amazing #18 over Uncanny, if only for the absolute delight of Storm making the executive decision to sit down and chill while the Living Monolith walks away. “I’m a joyful person!” That whole fireside chat is, like, most of the my favorite X-Men panels of the year. “How do you beat the Juggernaut? / Call Spider-Man.” “You’re martyr-prone.” “If we survive, I will buy you dinner.” Non-stop giggles and smiles over here.

    Uncanny was great too, though. That series in general has been strongest when Bendis approaches it as a Cyclops solo-series. (Excepting, of course, the Emma/Ben Deeds training issue, which is my favorite forever and ever.)

    Wolverines continues to be insane fun. I know (SPOILERS, I guess?) Deadpool is supposed to be overexposed and whatever, but I can’t help but smile when he pops up. Mondays!

    As someone who’s followed quite a bit of modern Cosmic Marvel, I was legitimately shocked by the destruction of Hala. I guess with Secret Wars coming up everything is on the table, but still, wow. Also, I’ll be seriously impressed at Marvel’s planning if somehow Beast is responsible for the incursions in New Avengers.

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