Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men

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Rachel & Miles Review the X-Men, Episode 53

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Week of September 9, 2015:

In which if you don’t know by now whether you want to read Giant-Size Little Marvel AvX, nothing we say is likely to sway you much one way or the other; Rachel’s favorite Cyclops is notably absent; and you should totally come see us at Rose City Comic Con!

REVIEWED:

  • *Giant-Size Little Marvel AvX #4

*Pick of the week, but comes by it honest.

Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. These video reviews–and everything else here–are made possible by the support of our Patreon subscribers. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here!

You can find more information about our RCCC lineup over here, and more about the show itself here!

As Mentioned in Episode 73 – Evolving Evolution

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Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 9/6/2015 at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original.
Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 9/6/2015 at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original.

Listen to the episode here!

LINKS AND FURTHER READING:

  • You can watch all of X-Men: Evolution for free on YouTube, starting here! How cool is that? So cool.
  • The Unauthorized X-Men is a collection of essays about the X-Men from folks all over the creative/critical/fan spectrum, edited by Len Wein.
  • Artist Steven E. Gordon has a ton of process material about the X-Men: Evolution character designs on his blog. Go look!
  • Want to know more about what Rachel and Miles will be up to at Rose City Comic Con? We’ve got our whole schedule–including panel and party details–over here!

Rachel & Miles Review the X-Men, Episode 52

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Week of September 2, 2015:

In which X-Men ’92 and Star Lord and Kitty Pryde end; House of M is a better miniseries than event; Age of Apocalypse is a better event than miniseries; and we have big plans for Rose City Comic Con!

REVIEWED:

  • *X-Men ’92 Infinite Comic #8 (00:42)
  • House of M #2 (03:02)
  • Age of Apocalypse #3 (06:21)
  • Star-Lord and Kitty Pryde #3 (09:06)

*Pick of the Week (11:24)

Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. These video reviews–and everything else here–are made possible by the support of our Patreon subscribers. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here!

You can find more information about our RCCC lineup over here, and more about the show itself here!

 

Rachel & Miles at Rose City Comic Con

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R_and_M_at_RCCC

Our hometown show, Portland’s own Rose City Comic Con, is coming up on September 19 and 20! LET’S DO THIS THING!

TABLE DETAILS

LIVE EPISODE & PANELS

LISTENER MEETUP & PARTY

Click through below for the full details!
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September 2015 Shirt of the Month: I SURVIVED SECRET WARS

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Screen Shot 2015-09-01 at 10.01.18 AM

As yet another crossover event draws to a close, it’s time to count our longboxes, lick our wounds, and breathe a sigh of relief that we’ve lived to read another day. In that spirit, we present September’s shirt of the month, designed by the one and only Dylan Todd!

Secret-Wars

 

(Because, really, if there’s one single moment that sums up everything about crossover events, it’s the time Spider-Man had to teach the Beyonder to poop.)

As usual, the design is available on a whole mess of apparel–including kid and infant sizes, because if there’s any lesson you should take away from our podcast, it’s that continuity-heavy bathroom humor is for everyone. There are also tote bags and stickers!

NOTE: This is a limited-run shirt! It will DISAPPEAR FOREVER from the shop on October 1, 2015; get ’em while they last!

 

As Mentioned in Episode 72 – Thrown Under the Plot Bus

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Listen to the episode here!

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 8/30/2015 at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original.
Mutant X Cyclops is the best Cyclops.
Surprise Walter Simons cover! YAYBO! (Uncanny X-Men #217)
The Opening Gimmick Who Cried Wolf. (Uncanny X-Men #217)
Banshee is good at adulting. (Uncanny X-Men #217)
“Seriously, guys, it’s like the whole theme of the book. I mean, aside from fighting to protect a world that hates and fears us.” (Uncanny X-Men #217)
Whether Douglas the Gentle Freak is the Doonesbury-universe version of Cypher remains a mystery. (We’d like to think so, though.)
Damn, Callisto. That’s cold. (Uncanny X-Men #217)
You do you, Alison. (Uncanny X-Men #217)
2/3 of Juggernaut fights begin with some variation of this scene (kilt negotiable). (Uncanny X-Men #217)
Um. (Uncanny X-Men #217)
NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE (Uncanny X-Men #217)
I don’t know if there’s a word for what’s going on with Rogue’s hair, but it is AMAZING. (Uncanny X-Men #218)
AND THAT’S WHY YOU ALWAYS LEAVE A NOTE! (Uncanny X-Men #218)
“Y’all enjoy your group hug. I’m just gonna FLING THIS FUCKING ROCK INTO SPACE.” (Uncanny X-Men #218)
Aw, Longshot. (Uncanny X-Men #218)
I know this story is all about teamwork, but Rogue definitely wins MVP of Uncanny X-Men #218.
‘Kay. (Uncanny X-Men #218)
The really great thing about this reference is that there’s also a Brigadier Lethbridge Stuart running around UK-616. I bet they get each other’s mail all the time. (Uncanny X-Men #218)
Hope you enjoyed it while it lasted, Havok! (Uncanny X-Men #218)
Car Wreck Sex: The Alex Summers Story. (Uncanny X-Men #218)
This plotline will continue to dangle for like a year and a half. (Uncanny X-Men #218)
Take a drink. (Uncanny X-Men #219)
Damn, kid. (Uncanny X-Men #219)
Please let us know if you can work out the timeline here, because we’ve basically stopped sleeping, and it’s not pretty. (Uncanny X-Men #219)
I always figured Magneto would have way nicer penmanship than this. (Uncanny X-Men #219)
Lorna, you can FUCK WITH MAGNETIC FIELDS WITH YOUR MIND, AND ONE TIME YOU THREW AN ISLAND INTO SPACE. Are you really that surprised at a freak earthquake? (Uncanny X-Men #219)
If the X-line were a sitcom, they’d totally have cut from here to Scott arguing with hallucinations over in X-Factor. (Uncanny X-Men #219)
It’s okay. Everyone will be too distracted by your hat to notice the tights. (Uncanny X-Men #219)
Our heroes and yours! (Uncanny X-Men #219)
THAT. HAIR. (Uncanny X-Men #219)
NEXT WEEK: Origins of X-Men: Evolution, with Robert N. Skir!

FURTHER LISTENING:

  • 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!

Episode 73 Call for Questions – X-Men: Evolution with Robert N. Skir!

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Rachel here!

As some of you know, Miles is up at PAX this week, so I’m flying solo on Episode 73. I’ve lined up a super cool guest: Robert N. Skir, who–in addition to writing a handful of episodes of the ’90s X-Men cartoon–is one of the folks responsible for developing X-Men: Evolution, and co-author of the show’s series bible.

If you’ve got questions for Bob–or Evolution questions in general, NOW’S THE TIME TO SEND ‘EM IN! Drop them in the comments here or over at the Tumblr askbox any time today.

ETA:

While I appreciate that people are so excited, the episode was recorded on Saturday, 8/29. You’re welcome to keep posting questions if it makes you happy to do so, but understand that at this point you’re yelling into the void. -R

Rachel & Miles Review the X-Men, Episode 51 (feat. Katie Moody)

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Week of August 26, 2015:

In which Katie Moody saves the day; Magneto ends with a bang; E Is for Extinction continues to be one of the most interesting books to come out of Battleworld; and you should really read Hank Johnson, Agent of Hydra.

REVIEWED:

  • Magneto #21 (00:47)
  • E is for Extinction #3 (1:59)
  • Old Man Logan #4 (3:27)

Pick of the Week: The Protomen (4:12)

Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. These video reviews–and everything else here–are made possible by the support of our Patreon subscribers. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here!

The Protomen are the best band ever. You can find out more about them–and listen to a bunch of their music–here.

Special thanks to the amazing Katie and her amazing hair!

Rachel Recaps X-Men: Evolution
S1E7: Turn of the Rogue

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AND WE’RE BACK! Hi, Evolution! I’ve missed you!

Not only am I back recapping X-Men: Evolution, but I get to jump back in with my hands-down favorite episode of Season 1.

Remember back in Episode 3, when I told you that a lot of the best stuff in Season 1 revolves around Rogue? This is what I’m talking about, right here. “Turn of the Rogue” is a great showcase of my favorite aspects of X-Men: Evolution: the balance and interaction of the superheroic and the personal; emotionally resonant coming-of-age stories; and some of the strongest writing and performances of the season.

Also, Mystique turns into an eagle.

LET’S DO THIS THING.

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As Mentioned in Episode 71 – The Once and Fuchsia King

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Listen to the episode here!

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 8/30/2015 at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original.
Spoiler: They will be back next issue. (New Mutants #51)
“If they’d learned anything from me, they’d be faking their own deaths!” (New Mutants #51)
DRAMA! (New Mutants #51)
No, the OTHER Plan Omega. (New Mutants #51)
Kevin Nowlan draws a rad Hepzibah. (New Mutants #51)
PROFESSOR XAVIER IS A JERK. (New Mutants #51)
“Well, I should probably see what the study group thinks, but I’m thinking fuchsia.” (New Mutants #51)
Sebastian Shaw takes dress codes seriously. (New Mutants #51)
She even LOOKS like she stepped off a power metal album cover. (New Mutants #52)
HE’S NOT WRONG. (New Mutants #52)
Aw, kiddo. (New Mutants #52)
Fighting xenomorphs, from the look of it. (New Mutants #52)
Love the body language on this page. (New Mutants #52)
We keep saying that this whole era feels like an inexorable escalation toward Inferno, and, yeah. That. (New Mutants #52)
I was gonna make a “subtext: not just for the ladies” joke, but I’m pretty sure it’s just text at this point. (New Mutants #53)
Aw, man. (New Mutants #53)
TWIST! Don’t worry, this’ll come back up eventually. (New Mutants #53)
“…But can you take them anywhere?” Spoiler: NO. No, you can’t. (New Mutants #53)
Magik intimidating Empath is the gift that keeps on giving. (New Mutants #53)
Make good choices, Cypher! (New Mutants #53)
Or, y’know, not. (New Mutants #53)
Sam Guthrie: Everyone’s best big brother. (New Mutants #54)
“I love you, but I have to leave the team because your costumes are SO BAD.” (New Mutants #54)
SO, THAT HAPPENED. (New Mutants #54)
Has anyone else noticed that Doug’s superhero career is basically a series of dress rehearsals for his eventual death. (New Mutants #54)
I genuinely can’t tell if this is a good burn or not: on one hand, the New Mutants’ costumes are objectively way worse; but on the other hand, the Hellions’ costumes are way more circus-y. (New Mutants #54)
NEXT WEEK: It’s hard to be Havok.

LINKS:

  • If you’re curious about the Starjammers, go listen to Episode 7 – Cyclops Has a Good Day, in which we discuss them at length with Greg Rucka.
  • The podcast where two dudes watch and review Grown Ups 2 every week is an actual, real thing, which you can listen to here.