As Mentioned – Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men

As Mentioned in Episode 492 – Brain Sharks

July 13, 2025 Jay Leave a comment

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Man, what a good opening image. (Uncanny X-Men #381)

Just, y’know, hanging out in Venice. (Uncanny X-Men #381)

BRAIN SHARKS! (Uncanny X-Men #381)

It does not, in fact, speak for itself. (Uncanny X-Men #382)

Well, then. (Uncanny X-Men #382)

Note: These are not the Goth. Those guy show up later. (Uncanny X-Men #382)

Go, Gambit! (Uncanny X-Men #382)

Damn, Storm. (Uncanny X-Men #383)

The Slash and its bouncer. (Uncanny X-Men #383)

These are not members of the same band. (Uncanny X-Men #383)

Sketch. (Uncanny X-Men #383)

Sketch at work. (Uncanny X-Men #383)

These guys. (Uncanny X-Men #383)

GUN ARMS! (Uncanny X-Men #383)

Is there Sketch fanfic out there? Probably not, but there should be. (Uncanny X-Men #383)

NEXT EPISODE: The first X-Men film turns 25!

As Mentioned in Episode 491 – Live from the Library

June 22, 2025 Jay One comment

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LINKS & FURTHER READING

Go read “Kitty Queer,” by Sigrid Ellis.
Done? Great. Next, read “The Judgment of Magneto,” by Asher Elbein.
If you’re looking for a jumping-on point to this podcast, you could do worse than the Age of Apocalypse.
Jay has some additional thoughts on identity politics, which you can read here.

As Mentioned in Episode 490 – Chekhov’s Angel Dust

June 15, 2025 Jay Leave a comment

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Our Father, who art in heaven, how the heck do all these doves keep getting into our church? (X-Men #100)

Meet the Neo. (X-Men #100)

An unlikely but stylish spacesuit. (X-Men #100)

Um. Well. (X-Men #100)

Rax in his inexplicable child form. (X-Men #100)

Phoenix callback! (X-Men #101)

I love how pissed off Charlotte is about this. (X-Men #101)

You know those paintings of the martyrdom of St. Sebastian that are basically a super thinly-veiled excuse to paint a nearly-nude hottie? This panel reminds me of those. (X-Men #101)

In Warren’s fantasies, Candy Southern is both alive and blonde. (X-Men #101)

Seriously. Trigun villain. (X-Men #102)

Love that goofy li’l sound effect. (X-Men #102)

NEXT EPISODE: Live from Washington, D.C.!

As Mentioned in Episode 489 – The Eyepatch of Love

June 15, 2025 Jay 2 comments

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I can suspend disbelief about a lot of things, but I just don’t buy Sexually Irresistible Pete Wisdom, eyepatch or no. (X-Force #102)

Alastair Stuart has not aged well. (X-Force #102)

Please enjoy these meatspore stormtroopers. (X-Force #102)

It’s not just me, right? This cover is sketchy. (X-Force #103)

Sam’s face in this panel is gonna haunt my nightmares. (X-Force #103)

It’s Dr. Niles Roman! (X-Force #103)

Wellp. (X-Force #104)

Definite Slimer vibes. (X-Force #104)

And that’s the end* of Pete Wisdom.

*nope

(X-Force #104)

NEXT EPISODE: X-Men!

As Mentioned in Episode 488 – There Goes the Moon (Mutant X May, Part 3)

May 31, 2025 Miles Leave a comment

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Color-coded Horsemen of Apocalypse! (Mutant X #19)

What’s the magic word? (Mutant X #19)

Someone let that flying aerobics instructor in! The rain is going to wreck her hair! (Mutant X #20)

That A on his belt stands for Ally! (Mutant X #20)

Note that Charles Xavier’s Evil Mullet is never seen outside of these two panels. (Mutant X #21)

Not a bad riff on the Phoenix costume, honestly. (Mutant X #21)

And then Professor X turned into Doctor Fate. (Mutant X #22)

“That’s right, my friends! We must strike Galactus with every color of the traffic light!” (Mutant X #22)

You ever have a dream where someone is mean to you and then you’re still mad at them when you see them in real life? (Mutant X #23)

Behold! Bargain-basement X-Man, with bonus moppets! (Mutant X #23)

Just a hell of a cover. (Mutant X #24)

Why would you put a portal to the Negative Zone in the goddamn FLOOR?! At least put up a guard rail or something! I’m calling OSHA! (Mutant X #24)

Spoiler: they all just go to a bar. (Mutant X #25)

Flowers for Beast-gernon. (Yes, yes, we know Algernon is the mouse.) (Mutant X #25)

ah jeez (Mutant X #25)

It’s cool, Bloodstorm. We’ve all been there. (Mutant X #26)

The Marauders! (Mutant X #26)

Meet Dagger. And also sorta Cloak. (Mutant X #27)

Awwwwww (Mutant X #27)

Okay, that kid is way too chill. (Mutant X #28)

That’s way better than Evil Xavier’s mullet! (Mutant X #29)

Why, it’s the brand new Sabre-Roaster 3000, as seen on TV! (Mutant X #29)

Plus Iron Giant Man, but he’s too big for this panel! (Mutant X #30)

(This caption intentionally left blank) (Mutant X #31)

After this, they blow up the moon! (Mutant X #31)

The Beyonder x-plains Mutant X! And also eats Captain America. (Mutant X Annual 2001)

It’s really hard to pick a favorite! (Mutant X Annual 2001)

Benjamin E. Yonder, you put the population of New York City down right now! (Mutant X Annual 2001)

Well, I would have said “WHAT?!” (Mutant X #32)

Dracula dies not with a bang, but with a PFFFT. (Mutant X #32)

*sniffle* (Mutant X #32)

Goodbye, Earth-1298. It’s been a hell of a ride. (Mutant X #32)

NEXT TIME: Black ops in black leather!

As Mentioned in Episode 487 – The Only Well-Adjusted Cyclops in the Multiverse (Mutant X May, Part 2)

May 18, 2025 Miles Leave a comment

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…the 2025 story. (Mutant X #9)

The Morlocks! (Mutant X #9)

A damned fine Magneto indeed. (Mutant X #9)

Polaris from X-Factor meets Terra from Final Fantasy VI. (Mutant X #10)

Nightcrawler-1298 can buckle our swashes anytime. (Mutant X #10)

The rest of the X-Men! (Mutant X #10)

The weather is wild today. (Mutant X #11)

I think this might be a big deal, you guys. (Mutant X #12)

Drama! (Mutant X #12)

The Goblin Queen falls. (Mutant X #12)

The secondary theme of Mutant X is the relationship between Ororo Munroe and rodents. (Mutant X #13)

Someone missed the memo about Diaphanous Romper Fridays. (Mutant X #13)

Ninja versus vampire: a tale as old as time. (Mutant X #13)

The most well-adjusted Cyclops in the Multiverse (and friends)! (Mutant X #14)

Bros! (Mutant X #14)

Meet Katherine Pryde, Black Queen of the Hellfire Club; Sebastian Shaw in an iron lung; palette-swapped Captain America; and Sunfire! (Mutant X #15)

De T’ieves Guild. (Mutant X #16)

A thief and a t’ief. (Mutant X Annual 2000)

“Dear Diary, only you understand me.” (Mutant X Annual 2000)

The origin of Gampire/Vambit. (Mutant X Annual 2000)

That first panel is just adorable. (Mutant X Annual 2000)

What a great guy, that Cap! Hope he doesn’t blow up the moon or anything later. (Mutant X #17)

And again: bros! (Mutant X #17)

Seems fine. (Mutant X #18)

Hey, that’s our podcast’s schtick! No swiping! (Mutant X #18)

NEXT TIME: The end of Mutant X May!

As Mentioned in Episode 486 – Welcome to Earth-1298 (Mutant X May, Part 1)

May 12, 2025 Jay 3 comments

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Welcome to Earth-1298! Hope you survive the–wait, did you survive the experience? I’m not sure the cliche applies if you’re already dead. (Mutant X #1)

Bannerman Castle, headquarters of The Six. (Mutant X #1)

Madelyne goes Goblin Queen. (Mutant X #1)

This issue sets Scotty up to be Creepily Prescient, which he’s really not. (Mutant X #1)

Meet the Six. (Mutant X #2)

Fun times with the Fantastic Four. (Mutant X #2)

Well, THAT can’t be good. (Mutant X #2)

And then: NUDE CANADIANS! (Mutant X #3)

Gothic horror heroine Maddy. (Mutant X #4)

The Fallen is fucking terrible. (Mutant X #5)

Creatures of the night! (Mutant X #7)

Cerebro! (Mutant X #8)

Stingray and Yellowjacket. (Mutant X Annual 1999)

Dr. Strange, Man-Thing. (Mutant X Annual 1999)

As Mentioned in Episode 485 – The House of Correction

April 30, 2025 Miles Leave a comment

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Being the boss means you get the yellow pouches! (Generation X #63)

Teenagers! (Generation X #63)

The new and… improved… Emma Frost. (Generation X #63)

DEAR GOD THOSE PANTS (Generation X #63)

Remember, this issue came out before we knew what happened to Synch… (Generation X #63)

NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE (Generation X #64)

Fashion? (Generation X #64)

Fashion! (Generation X #64)

Jubilee, you are the worstbest. (Generation X #64)

The most dangerous game! (Generation X #64)

Super-speed, part one! (Generation X #65)

Super-speed, part two! (Generation X #65)

I see no flaws with this plan. (Generation X #65)

We have our complaints about this era, but… man, it can just be so charming! (Generation X #65)

I have so many questions, and yet I do not want them answered. (Generation X #66)

Miles just saw Eraserhead at a David Lynch retrospective, and you know that mix of revulsion and pity you feel toward the baby in that movie? …yeah. (Generation X #66)

Banshee, you rule and we’re sorry everyone always forgets you exist. (Generation X #66)

An only slightly less abrupt ending than that of X-Factor #149. (Generation X #66)

NEXT TIME: Yes, really.

As Mentioned in Episode 484 – Hell Tuba

April 20, 2025 Miles 2 comments

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A miniseries based on a miniseries! (X-Men: Magik #1)

What are we looking at? Not sure. Is it rad? Definitely. (X-Men: Magik #1)

To paraphrase: it doesn’t have to be practical if it’s AWESOME. (X-Men: Magik #1)

Not the most efficient way to blow up a bunch of Teslas, but certainly stylish. (X-Men: Magik #1)

Only one of them got the note about the dress code. But which? (X-Men: Magik #1)

The Battle for Hell’s Deep. (X-Men: Magik #1)

So, like, what if the sky broke and then cut off your goddamned head, is my question (X-Men: Magik #2)

Everyone’s outfits are very long. (X-Men: Magik #2)

Did we mention that this series is in a hell dimension? (X-Men: Magik #2)

(Pushes up Norse glasses:) Technically, Surtur’s sword Twilight would only be on fire if he’d entered Asgard upon the day of Ragnarök, and… (X-Men: Magik #2)

And then sometimes the art is suddenly beautiful. (X-Men: Magik #2)

(wailing guitar solo) (X-Men: Magik #2)

I now pronounce you Hell-Lord and Sorceress! (X-Men: Magik #3)

Hey, tell us more about Lord Militant Phemous and his Huscarls! (X-Men: Magik #3)

Meanwhile, in the Hell-actic Senate… (X-Men: Magik #3)

You get out of the sky and finish your evil-chrome-skeleton-god dinner this instant, young man! (X-Men: Magik #3)

All hail the Hell Tuba! (X-Men: Magik #4)

Welp, there you have it. (X-Men: Magik #4)

Hey, it’s Death’s Head II! Hi, Death’s Head II! (X-Men: Magik #4)

I’m pretty sure Judas Priest has a song about this. (X-Men: Magik #4)

We need to start a metal band just so we can use this as an album cover. (X-Men: Magik #4)

The last day of summer camp is always bittersweet. (X-Men: Magik #4)

NEXT TIME: Generation X versus that thing!

As Mentioned in Episode 483 – Piotr Lovely Locks

April 13, 2025 Miles 2 comments

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I appreciate that Shadowcat’s new costume involves her perpetually flipping the (very sharp) bird. (X-Men: Black Sun #1)

I mean, it could be worse – you could be Colossus. (X-Men: Black Sun #1)

[Epic metal begins] (X-Men: Black Sun #1)

Is Nightcrawler trying to distract from his awful new color scheme by diving at the reader crotch-first? (X-Men: Black Sun #1)

A different look than usual, but I’m not mad at it. (X-Men: Black Sun #1)

SEEMS FINE. (X-Men: Black Sun #1)

Except that one time! And kind of that other time! (X-Men: Black Sun #1)

Chekhov’s removable skeleton. (X-Men: Black Sun #2)

I mean, we’re not not going to show the shattered-moon-and-mountain-of-skulls every time it comes up. (X-Men: Black Sun #2)

Magik x-plains the miniseries. (X-Men: Black Sun #2)

After this, Warren will be required to take a Defensive Swooping class. (X-Men: Black Sun #2)

Oof – right in the outfit! (X-Men: Black Sun #2)

(bonk) (X-Men: Black Sun #2)

A warm welcome back to Polaris’s chest-skull! (X-Men: Black Sun #3)

“Listen, it’s not my fault I’ve been a terrible boyfriend to every woman I’ve dated! And it definitely doesn’t imply anything!” (X-Men: Black Sun #3)