Miles

Visuals for Audio

April 30, 2026 Miles One comment

If you follow us on a feed, you may have noticed a change in the icon that appears beside the podcast. We’ve got brand new cover art for the Morrison run, by artist and friend of the show Ramon Villalobos!

We also thought this might be a good time to take a peek back through twelve years of X-Plain art, starting with its comic-book antecedent. Click through to watch us evolve! (By completely coincidence, we’ve changed the cover art every six years. Go figure.)

The iconic cover to X-Men #137!

Our original cover art, by Ming Doyle.

In 2020, we updated for the Age of Apocalypse with art by Peter Nguyen.

Six years later, Ramon Villalobos ushers us into the age of New X-Men!

As Mentioned in Episode 521 – Snowflakes

April 21, 2026 Miles Leave a comment

Listen to the episode here.

Illustration by David Wynne

Did those eyeballs come from a different jock or did he steal them between panels from this one? (New X-Men #118)

Telepaths must see a lot of weird fetishes. (New X-Men #118)

Onward, faculty! (New X-Men #118)

DAMMIT EMMA (New X-Men #118)

Mean or literal? You be the judge! (New X-Men #118)

Angel Salvadore is so gross and awesome! (New X-Men #118)

John Sublime remains the absolute worst. Also, hi Martha! (New X-Men #118)

I was always a little sad that Angel never got to wear the bumblebee helmet in the comics themselves. (New X-Men #119)

Sublime is awful, but that’s a great panel layout. (New X-Men #119)

Logan needs to work on his bedside manner. (New X-Men #119)

Explanations are not excuses. (New X-Men #119)

Kitty Pryde she isn’t… (New X-Men #119)

The tiniest morgue drawers! (New X-Men #119)

Just a kick-ass cover. (New X-Men #120)

Again: Kitty Pryde she isn’t! (New X-Men #120)

Aww shit. (New X-Men #120)

The Stepford Cuckoos. (New X-Men #120)

Effortless. (New X-Men #120)

This is fine. (New X-Men #120)

Martha’s revenge. (New X-Men #120)

Michael Jackson? (New X-Men #120)

NEXT TIME: Shh.

As Mentioned in Episode 520 – Head Like a (Black) Hole

April 10, 2026 Miles 2 comments

Listen to the episode here.

Illustration by David Wynne

To unlock Xorn, you’ll need the Lapis Eye key, the Purple Bull key, a code from carbon paper, and a number written in blood in a padded cell. (New X-Men Annual 2001)

X-Corporation Hong Kong has a pretty big headquarters for a staff of two… Well, now just one. (New X-Men Annual 2001)

Introducing John Sublime, tech-bro douchebag (and ancient/sentient bacteria). (New X-Men Annual 2001)

Grant Morrison: “I need you to draw a containment suit!” Leinil Francis Yu: *cracks knuckles* Every future artist: “DAMMIT LEINIL” (New X-Men Annual 2001)

Ninja business. (New X-Men Annual 2001)

Ao Jun’s flesh golems! Just… wow. (New X-Men Annual 2001)

Logan would be great at charcuterie. (New X-Men Annual 2001)

I’m still not over this kid dying. (New X-Men Annual 2001)

Just a hell of an action shot. (New X-Men Annual 2001)

Is Emma telling the truth about her powers or bullshitting us? Discuss! (New X-Men Annual 2001)

The New X-Men Story. (New X-Men Annual 2001)

Think about that third panel in the context of the eventual Xorn reveal… (New X-Men Annual 2001)

Hey, it’s Beak! Hi Beak! (New X-Men #17)

And then the Xavier Institute changed forever. (New X-Men #17)

DAMMIT TRISH YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO MAKE BEAST THAT SAD (New X-Men #17)

Seriously. (New X-Men #17)

…with letters by Richard Starkings and Comicraft’s Saida Temofonte. (New X-Men #17)

No no no no (New X-Men #17)

Poor… everybody. (New X-Men #17)

And the Academy Award for Best Secretly Body-Swapped Lead Actress goes to… (New X-Men #17)

What trim level is that? (New X-Men #17)

NEXT TIME: X-Men vs. U-Men

As Mentioned in Episode 513 – Eve of Destruction

February 1, 2026 Miles 4 comments

Listen to the episode here.

Scott Summers, sharply dressed in (morally) gray! (Uncanny X-Men #391)

“Geez, Dad, can you say midlife crisis??” (Uncanny X-Men #391)

Summerses gotta Summers. (Uncanny X-Men #391)

“You must be thinking of the me from Earth-10005 or Earth-13122.” (Uncanny X-Men #391)

Exposition in the front, party in the (flash-)back. (Uncanny X-Men #391)

Scott’s face in that second panel… (Uncanny X-Men #391)

*sniffle* (Uncanny X-Men #391)

Anyone have ideas about the significance of the text on that gravestone in the foreground? (X-Men #111)

A purple and unpleasant land. (X-Men #111)

Muscles and shadows. (X-Men #111)

“Here with us is Doctor Henry McCoy, who’s really good with his… uh, science.” (X-Men #111)

Hey, she’s being nicer than she was back in her Alliance of Evil days! (X-Men #111)

A picture is worth – and includes – a thousand words. (X-Men #111)

Now that’s how you end a prologue. (X-Men #111)

The All-New, Mostly-Untrained X-Men. (Uncanny X-Men #392)

Jean recruits Jean-Paul Beaubier, Northstar! (Uncanny X-Men #392)

Jean recruits Hector Rendoza, AKA Wraith! (Uncanny X-Men #392)

Jean is about to recruit Paulie Provenzano, AKA Omerta! (Uncanny X-Men #392)

Jean recruits Leyu Yoshida, AKA Sunpyre! (Uncanny X-Men #392)

They’re… they’re gonna do fine. (Uncanny X-Men #392)

Jean recruits(?) Joanna Cargill, AKA Frenzy! (Uncanny X-Men #392)

Jean accepts the coincidental timing of the arrival of Alison Blaire, AKA Dazzler! (Uncanny X-Men #392)

NEXT TIME: Eve of Destruction concludes.

LINKS AND FURTHER READING:

Relevant once again: The Judgment of Magneto by Asher Elbein

As Mentioned in Episode 510 – Giant-Size Special #14 (feat. Alex Paknadel)

January 4, 2026 Miles One comment

Listen to the episode here.

Well backgrounded, Tom Raney! (X-Men: The Search for Cyclops #1)

And then Jean holographically re-traumatized herself. (X-Men: The Search for Cyclops #1)

And then Cable holographically re-traumatized himself. (X-Men: The Search for Cyclops #1)

That monkey is INTO THIS. (X-Men: The Search for Cyclops #1)

Time to switch lip balm brands, my friend. (X-Men: The Search for Cyclops #1)

Scott Summers: great at boats. (X-Men: The Search for Cyclops #1)

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. (X-Men: The Search for Cyclops #1)

Okay, this doesn’t literally happen in this issue, but it looks pretty rad. (X-Men: The Search for Cyclops #2)

Angry mobs: a core feature of any historical period or geographic locale! (X-Men: The Search for Cyclops #2)

Bad kitty. (X-Men: The Search for Cyclops #2)

As if his day couldn’t get any worse… (X-Men: The Search for Cyclops #2)

It’s easy to forget how well Apocalypse rocks that heavy metal haircut. (X-Men: The Search for Cyclops #3)

“I’m not even supposed to be here today! (X-Men: The Search for Cyclops #3)

“Hey, who turned out the lights?” (X-Men: The Search for Cyclops #3)

(Cue goofy Hanna-Barbera chase music) (X-Men: The Search for Cyclops #3)

“Your butt was really different the last time we hung out!” (X-Men: The Search for Cyclops #3)

<3 (X-Men: The Search for Cyclops #3)

“Sorta-mom, didn’t your sorta-daughter wear that same color when she was old in the future that is my past?” (X-Men: The Search for Cyclops #4)

Now that’s how you enter a panel! (X-Men: The Search for Cyclops #4)

Jean is having a day. (X-Men: The Search for Cyclops #4)

Jean Grey and her weaponized feelings. Hell yeah. (X-Men: The Search for Cyclops #4)

Okay, that’s legit cool. If also a little silly. (X-Men: The Search for Cyclops #4)

“…at least until our relationship falls apart in New X-Men.” (X-Men: The Search for Cyclops #4)

NEXT TIME: Gambit and Bishop get their own series!

Find Alex Paknadel on Bluesky and Instagram!

As Mentioned in Episode 505 – The Amulet of Ass

November 9, 2025 Miles One comment

Listen to the episode here.

Excalibur volume 2! But actually more like Captain Britain volume 2. (Excalibur #1)

Pretty sure we’ve all had that dream. (Excalibur #1)

What a sciencey science machine that is! (Excalibur #1)

You’d think Betsy’s face tattoo would remind Brian of the Crimson Dawn… But honestly, who remembers the Crimson Dawn? (Excalibur #1)

Where’s Waldo? (Or, this being a British story: Where’s Wally?) (Excalibur #1)

Some friend. (Excalibur #1)

Captain UK’s mullet remains sweet. (Excalibur #1)

Hi, Crusader X! (Excalibur #2)

Meggan didn’t get the memo that this was a crotch-first mission. (Excalibur #2)

…as played by Viggo Mortensen. (Excalibur #2)

I do love a good Team Hero pose. (Excalibur #2)

“It’s… probably one of these things on my back… Hang on…” (Excalibur #2)

The Brit-Cave! (Excalibur #2)

Subtlety! (Excalibur #3)

The greatest hero in history, chosen primarily for his… sperm? (Excalibur #3)

“Not, like, literally Excalibur. That thing’s in the next room.” (Excalibur #3)

An evil science machine! (Excalibur #3)

You guys used to be cuter. And less murderous. (Excalibur #3)

Gahhh, this panel is referencing a specific past panel from a specific past comic, but we can’t remember which! (Excalibur #3)

Sword of Omens, grant me sight beyond sight! (Excalibur #3)

Best trope best trope! (Excalibur #4)

Mastermind wields the blade Excalibur! Brian Braddock wields an especially dangerous word balloon! (Excalibur #4)

With the powers of elemental magic, telekinesis, and… sword! (Excalibur #4)

It works way better to sacrifice your queen when your queen is immune to death. (Excalibur #4)

“Hey, I liked my spikes, ya jerk!” (Excalibur #4)

The chamber would be filled with old familiar faces, but they’re all dead. (Excalibur #4)

…and no one ever spoke of this again. (Excalibur #4)

NEXT TIME: Rachel Summers is back!

As Mentioned in Episode 504 – One Day, Four Ways

November 7, 2025 Miles Leave a comment

Listen to the episode here.

Ooh, that Arthur Adams texture. (Generation X #71)

SKA! (Generation X #71)

Steve Pugh: master of body language, even when part of that body is psionic energy. (Generation X #71)

New (new) costumes! (Generation X #71)

That guy hates Animal Magnet. (Generation X #71)

I wish I could look half this cool. (Generation X #71)

Surprise telepathy! (Generation X #71)

And they lived happily ever – DAMMIT JONO (Generation X #71)

Fashion! (Generation X #72)

Note the “Cool shoes” box in the corner. Way better than the “horrible shoes” box just a little off-panel. (Generation X #72)

I’m gonna miss these kids. (Generation X #72)

It’ll be longer than that, Jubes, at least in the US. (Generation X #72)

Kids, amirite? (Generation X #72)

It’s kinda like that one scene from Fury Road… (Generation X #73)

Miles is feeling runner envy. (Generation X #73)

Oh, Sean. (Generation X #73)

I respect a dude who course-corrects. (And I don’t mean the almost-missed exit.) (Generation X #73)

For all your reaction image needs. (Generation X #73)

Not continuity-related, just fun. (Generation X #73)

Now that is how you show an off-panel injury. (Generation X #73)

That idiot brought a car to a finger-fight! (Generation X #73)

Another great cover! (Generation X #74)

“Glad I already pre-spiked this coffee.” (Generation X #74)

Husk in the Husk-Cave. (Generation X #74)

This is what happens when the teacher forgets to say “class dismissed”. (Generation X #74)

Spooooky. (Generation X #74)

Opinions vary on what those marks came from… (Generation X #74)

We don’t get to read it either. (Generation X #74)

NEXT TIME: Fast times in Otherworld!

As Mentioned in Episode 501 – A Bag of Cloacae (Maximum Security, Part 1 of 2)

October 12, 2025 Miles Leave a comment

Listen to the episode here.

Now that we look at them again, the D’Bari were really more Asparagus People than Broccoli People. (Uncanny X-Men #387)

What’s wrong with this picture? (Uncanny X-Men #387)

…I mean, Corsair does make some good points. (Uncanny X-Men #387)

In honor of Cerise: lip massage time! (Uncanny X-Men #387)

“C’mon, mess with us – make our day!!” (Uncanny X-Men #387)

Hey, it’s a Darkmantle! And also yet another instance of a character getting swallowed and slimed! (Uncanny X-Men #387)

That panel reference, though. (Uncanny X-Men #387)

In which Max Power discovers raves. (Iron Man #35)

In which Max Power improves raves. (Iron Man #35)

It’s magic dirt. (Iron Man #35)

What I love is that this scene implies that the spore of Ego the Living Planet has a detailed understanding of retro-idyllic middle America. (Iron Man #35)

PORCH GUY MOUTH (Iron Man #35)

Ego, the Living Town. (Iron Man #35)

Babies always look cuter to their parents than to anyone else. (Iron Man #35)

Welcome back, Bishop! (Bishop the Last X-Man #15)

He’s about to say “Micro Machines.” He’s missed them in his time away. (Bishop the Last X-Man #15)

I don’t know how to say this, man, but I don’t think your girlfriend is good for you. (Bishop the Last X-Man #15)

“If you’d like to know more, son, just listen to Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men episodes 387 through 500.” (Bishop the Last X-Man #15)

“And your nose.” (Bishop the Last X-Man #15)

Man, I missed this guy. (Bishop the Last X-Man #15)

I feel like Deathbird played the “I’m not touching you” game a lot as a kid. (Bishop the Last X-Man #15)

Aww, these two. (Bishop the Last X-Man #15)

NEXT TIME: Maximum Security concludes!

As Mentioned in Episode 499 – Light Me, Boy!

September 14, 2025 Miles One comment

Listen to the episode here.

We just want them to be happy! (X-Force #110)

That Jorge Lucas sure can draw. (X-Force #110)

GUN ARMS GUN ARMS (X-Force #110)

“The dishes… are done.” (X-Force #110)

“I mean, I’m going to space to get married and have a kid eventually, but not, like, yet.” (X-Force #110)

Next up is the PowerPoint presentation. (X-Force #110)

That shirt is held together by the sheer power of the Comics Code Authority. (X-Force #111)

X-FOOOOORRRRRCCCEEE (X-Force #111)

I guess they take after their dad? Kind of? (X-Force #111)

Deep (cerebral) tissue massage. (X-Force #111)

Listen, Valentina, the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb! And I guess the green liquid in those lady-tubes is maybe somewhere in between! (X-Force #111)

In which the link between SHIELD and OSI from The Venture Bros is even more obvious than usual. I think it’s the inking. (X-Force #112)

Timely… (X-Force #112)

Racal x-plains his extremely belated remorse. (X-Force #112)

I guess those lava lamp babies actually had it kind of good. (X-Force #112)

X-Force has always been a subtle book. (X-Force #113)

Yep. Subtle. (X-Force #113)

Half a world away, Cable smiles and doesn’t know why. (X-Force #113)

Awesome x4 (X-Force #113)

Striptease speedrun! (X-Force #113)

NEXT TIME: Somehow we’ve made 500 of these?!

Jay’s X-Major Arcana

0 Fool – Wolverine (Logan)
1 Magician – Forge
2 High Priestess – Storm
3 Empress – Emma Frost
4 Emperor – Cyclops
5 Hierophant – Charles Xavier
6 Lovers – Gambit and Rogue
7 Chariot – Magneto
8 Justice – Bishop
9 Hermit – Mystique
10 Wheel of Fortune – Destiny
11 Strength – Mirage with Wolfsbane
12 Hanged Man – Havok (alt. Iceman)
13 Death – Archangel
14 Temperance – Nightcrawler
15 Devil – Sebastian Shaw
16 Tower – Quentin Quire
17 Star – Hope
18 Moon – Magik
19 Sun – Shadowcat
20 Judgement – Phoenix
21 World – Krakoa

As Mentioned in Episode 498 – Home Depot Ossuary

September 14, 2025 Miles Leave a comment

Listen to the episode here.

The Twisted Sisters: “Never heard of ’em.” (X-Men #105)

Torque. Pretty sure that’s not the Invisible Woman in there. (X-Men #105)

Dun dun dun dun dun, Inspector Coil (X-Men #105)

More Logan backstory! MORE! (X-Men #105)

Does Nightcrawler teleport out of his clothes at the end of the day? (X-Men #105)

Psylocke should have worn her unstable cocktail dress. (X-Men #105)

A building sealed with the impenetrable perfection of boards. (X-Men #106)

I submit that if the Neo losing their powers for a few weeks could do this, there maaaaaay have been some flaws with their civilization. (X-Men #106)