Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. Our videos–and everything else we do–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!
In which there are suddenly a lot of books; stuff goes down in Secret Wars; Giant-Size Little Marvel remains delightful; and Doc Sampson trumps noir Wolverine.
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!
Can we take a moment to acknowledge how rad this cover is? Because it is pretty darn rad. (New Mutants Annual #2)
It really, really sucks to be Psylocke a lot of the time. (New Mutants Annual #2)
I’m gonna go with “because you are absolutely delightful,” Doug. (New Mutants Annual #2)
TELEVISION IS BAD FOR YOU. (New Mutants Annual #2)
It also sucks to be Captain Britain fairly frequently, although still generally less than it sucks to be Psylocke. (New Mutants Annual #2)
Illyana is the best at chores. (New Mutants Annual #2)
Mojo is the best at being TERRIFYING. (New Mutants Annual #2)
Well, then. (New Mutants Annual #2)
No, not THAT Jubilee. The other Jubilee. (New Mutants Annual #2)
Warlock has some parent issues. (New Mutants Annual #2)
Subtext: not just for the ladies! (New Mutants Annual #2)
Somewhere in this, there’s a metaphor about unprotected sex. (New Mutants Annual #2)
Dang, Psylocke. (New Mutants Annual #2)
“Aw” or “Ew,” depending on your vague guess at Betsy’s age at this point in continuity. (New Mutants Annual #2)
While X-Men and New Mutants will shortly start crossing over in the series proper, this was the second consecutive year they had interconnected annuals. (X-Men Annual #10)
Danger Room open. Take a drink. (X-Men Annual #10)
VALID QUESTIONS. (X-Men Annual #10)
Welcome to the X-Men, Longshot! Hope you survive the experience! (X-Men Annual #10)
Teen Magneto always looks super smug, presumably because of his excellent hair. (X-Men Annual #10)
Meet the proto-X-Babies! (X-Men Annual #10)
Fun fact: For a long time, Wolverine’s claws were believed to be–and written as–technology rather than an aspect of his mutation. (X-Men Annual #10)
These graduation costumes look like things you would make someone wear as part of some kind of oblique punishment. (X-Men Annual #10)
The second round of graduation costumes weren’t much better. (New Mutants #61)
Darla is inexplicably dressed as Li’l Orphan Annie, which might make this a meta cameo. (X-Men Annual #10)
These costumes are not okay, but Magneto’s is 100% less okay than any of the others. (Note: in other panels, the arm band is generally colored red.) (X-Men Annual #10)
I am totally willing to believe that the Simonsons can comprehend the language of beasts, or at least of Thor’s frog bros. (X-Men Annual #10)
The X-Men are uncharacteristically bloodthirsty throughout this issue. (X-Men Annual #10)
ART CHALLENGE: Design a new graduationcostume for one or more of the New Mutants! Send your designs to xplainthexmen(at)gmail(dot)com, with the subject line GRADUATION, and we’ll collect ‘em on the blog at the end of the week!
In which cartoon logic is terrifying; it’s immensely frustrating to be Doug Ramsey; Psylock gets evil robot eyes; queer subtext is not just for the ladies; Danger Room cold opens are the new Kitty’s costume changes; Mojo predicts reality TV; Longshot joins the X-Men; and we answer what may be the best question we have ever gotten.
X-PLAINED:
Captain Britain Corps
Alan Davis
New Mutants Annual #2
X-Men Annual #10
Captain Britain (Brian Braddock)
Psylocke (Betsy Braddock)
Slaymaster
Mojo
Why cartoon logic is terrifying
Animal Man vol. 1 #5, “The Coyote Gospel” (Incorrectly described as “The Ballad of Wile E. Coyote” in episode)
Wildways
Robot eyes
Template
Snitch
Straight Arrow
Jubilee (but not that Jubilee)
The trouble with determining character ages in superhero comics
The stated mission of the New Mutants
The proto-X-Babies
Longshot’s X-Men debut
The New Mutants’ graduation costumes
A really charged costume choice
Tonal shifts in New Mutants
X-Men vs. geese
NEXT WEEK: APOCALYPSE NOW!
ART CHALLENGE: Design a new graduationcostume for one or more of the New Mutants! Send your designs to xplainthexmen(at)gmail(dot)com, with the subject line GRADUATION, and we’ll collect ‘em on the blog at the end of the week!
You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog!
Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here!
Special thanks to Ryan Hill for this week’s art, and to Claire Miller for the research X-Pertise!
In which the fact that we’re biased doesn’t mean we’re not also right; we disagree about which Silent Hill game makes the best metaphor for E is for Extinction; and Miles probably does not actually have the Legacy Virus.
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!
If you want to try your hand at the adventure we played through in Episode 62, Logan’s given us a PDF of the whole shebang, along with a full complement of character sheets!
It’s worth noting that Logan originally designed this a) as a two-part story, and b) for a slightly different party than we ended up playing; so what you see in the written version won’t match up exactly with what you heard on the podcast. This module was written for the 1998 Marvel Superheroes Adventure Game, and to play it properly, you’ll need a set of the cards from that game, as well as either a working understanding of the rules or a core sourcebook.
Have you seen David Wynne’s awesomeX-Men vs. D&D illustration from the Summer Special? We are pretty darn in love with it. And as it happens, David also sent us a blank-background version, which I’ve been having wayyyy too much fun crudely modifying:
THIS IS WHERE YOU COME IN: Add your own caption or dialogue to the image below, and send it to XplaintheXMen(at)gmail(dot)com by MONDAY, JUNE 29 with the subject NATURAL20. We’ll post your edits to the blog–and send a whole mess of fancy dice and other goodies to our favorite!
Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 6/28/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original.
Because we are gluttons for punishment, we let you choose which characters Rachel & Miles would play, and the makeup of the party.
Logan Bonner (Writer, Gamemaster, BS&P) is a game designer, writer, and editor. He works at Paizo, Inc. as a designer on the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, and has previously contributed to Dungeons & Dragons, Marvel Heroic Roleplaying, and the Mistborn Adventure Game. His name does not include, and has never included, the word “Howlett.”
Tina Abate (Wolverine) splits her time between an office job; working administration for Rachel & Miles X-Plain the X-Men; and blogging about the adventures of Jennifer Walters, the world’s greatest lady lawyer, at jenniferwaltersesq.tumblr.com. She lives in Portland and wishes there was a way to monetize atrocious Wolverine impressions.
Mikey Neilson (Storm) is the founder and co-host of the Chronicles of the Nerds podcast. For the past 6 years he’s been yelling his opinion about everything from X-Men to Power Rangers on a weekly basis. Mikey is also the Programming Director of the Rose City Comic Con, which will be having it’s 4th year on September 19th and 20th. When not talking nerd, Mikey can be found in a dark room writing comics no one will ever read.
Rachel Edidin (Cyclops) was really hoping to play Beast, but acknowledges that this is a hole she dug for herself.
Miles Stokes (Rogue) has seriously been talking in that accent all week.
Attacking the darkness. (Photo by Kyle Yount)
THESE NERDS. (Photo by Kyle Yount.)
NEXT WEEK: Get ready to walk the Wildways!
LINKS:
We are playing the Marvel Superheroes Adventure Game, modified by Logan Bonner for the Animated Series. (The full module and character sheets will go up later this week!)
Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 6/28/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original.
In which we welcome Logan Bonner, Mikey Neilson, and AdministratriX Tina to the gaming table for an original X-Men Animated Adventure; the real enemy is BS&P; Australia is kind of terrible; Rogue is concerned about kangaroos; Wolverine taps into the power of love; Storm makes a long-distance call; and Cyclops plans for failure (but not color-coded labels).
FEATURING:
Logan Bonner as Writer, Gamemaster, and Broadcast Standards & Practices
Tina Abate as Wolverine
Mikey Neilson as Storm
Rachel Edidin as Cyclops
Miles Stokes as Rogue
NEXT WEEK: Walking the Wildways!
You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog!
Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here!
In which force lightning is probably gratuitous, Old Man Logan continues to be intriguing, and we continue to be huge dorks.
REVIEWED:
Magneto #19 (00:26)
Old Man Logan #2 (03:37)
Pick of the Week: Thors #1 (05:12)
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!
