Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men

404 – Marvel UK, Yes?

March 12, 2023 Miles 7 comments

And now for something completely different. (*Death’s Head II* #1)

In which Death’s Head gets around universes; AIM fails to recognize closed narrative loops; we need more huscarls in comics; time travel occasionally solves the problems it creates; and we bid a fond farewell (for now) to Al Kennedy.

X-PLAINED:

Death’s Head
Death’s Head II #1-4
Marvel UK
Death’s Head I
Minion
Earth-8410
The far future of 2020
Dr. Evelyn Necker
How to dress for time travel
Reed Richards’s mother’s name
Earth-12892
Robin Hood of Future Past
Heavily armed nuns
Tuck
Spratt
The Lord High Protector
Huscarls
Baron Strucker V
Charnel
A large number of deaths
A deft solution to a complex problem
Essential Marvel UK
Marvel UK vs. Marvel US

NEXT WEEK:

Go outside and touch some grass!

NEXT EPISODE:

The return of Jay!

Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog!

Find us on iTunes or Stitcher!

Jay 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!

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As Mentioned in Episode 403 – Sneaky-Peeky Stuff

March 5, 2023 Miles One comment

Listen to the episode here.

Not a single pouch! Being an intern sucks. (Kitty Pryde: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #1)

How did they not hear that coming a mile away? (Kitty Pryde: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #1)

ASAB (Kitty Pryde: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #1)

A transom is a crossbar at the top of a doorframe that separates it from an above-door window. I had to look that up! (Kitty Pryde: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #1)

Kitty Pryde is banned from half the department stores in the UK. (Kitty Pryde: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #1)

Face ID was still working out the kinks in 1997. (Kitty Pryde: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #1)

You can tell Rigby’s the love interest – look at that hair! (Kitty Pryde: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #1)

This is pretty much what Miles’s day job looks like. (Kitty Pryde: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #1)

“Type ‘cookie’, you idiot!” (Kitty Pryde: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #1)

AWOOOOOGA! (Kitty Pryde: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #1)

I mean, Kitty’s had worse looks. (Kitty Pryde: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #1)

Medication, lip gloss, spare underwear, dragon… Kitty just packed the basics. (Kitty Pryde: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #2)

Welp, I guess Logan’s new name on the podcast is Wooferino. (Kitty Pryde: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #2)

New Yorkers, amirite? (Kitty Pryde: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #2)

“I feel like I’m going meshugge!” (Kitty Pryde: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #2)

It’s a silly comic, but damn if the pacing isn’t genuinely effective. (Kitty Pryde: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #2)

“God, Dad! Knock before you come in! (Kitty Pryde: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #2)

Logan x-plains Kitty Pryde & Wolverine. (Kitty Pryde: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #2)

That’s handy work! (Kitty Pryde: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #2)

I kinda wish it was a Hello name is sticker instead. (Kitty Pryde: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #2)

Still less embarrassing than dating Pete Wisdom. (Kitty Pryde: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #3)

Well done, Ogun. You kept up the deception for almost five full seconds. (Kitty Pryde: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #3)

Did the Astral Plane used to be this cramped? (Kitty Pryde: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #3)

Lockheed’s helping! (Kitty Pryde: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #3)

I… I mean… sure, fine. Let’s just go with it. (Kitty Pryde: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #3)

Every IT department has to deal with that user. (Kitty Pryde: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #3)

Spoiler: Ogun does not try. (Kitty Pryde: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #3)

NEXT TIME: Death’s Head II!

LINKS AND FURTHER READING:

We talked about Kitty and Ogun’s first meeting way back in Episode 28!

403 – Sneaky-Peeky Stuff

March 5, 2023 Miles 7 comments

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In which Shadowcat gets a new miniseries; people don’t talk that way (but probably should); holograms are magic; the Helicarrier gets possessed; Wolverine fights a computer; and Miles and Al pitch live-action X-series.

X-PLAINED:

Possession
Shadowcat (Kitty Pryde) (more) (again)
Kitty Pryde: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #1-3
A surprising helicopter
Frictionless bed sheets
S.H.I.E.L.D. vs. S.H.I.E.L.D. vs. S.H.I.E.L.D.
The word “obstreperous”
The nefarious doings of nasty transom peekers, envelope steamers, and door kickers
Larry Hama dialogue
Rigby Fallon
Yet another return of Ogūn
One way to get from the Brooklyn Bridge to a Helicarrier
Yet another fight on the astral plane
Wolverine vs. technology
The intrinsic power of life, I guess
Visibility of psychic powers
Live-action X pitches

NEXT EPISODE:

Death’s Head II!

Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog!

Find us on iTunes or Stitcher!

Jay 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!

Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

As Mentioned in Episode 402 – What the Damn?!

February 26, 2023 Miles Leave a comment

Listen to the episode here.

Shadowcat, Douglock, and… Hard-Boiled Harry?! (Excalibur #114)

Sari St. Hubbins, Fashion Plate: Part 1. (Excalibur #114)

Colossus would have bought a hat too, but then where would he keep all that hair? (Excalibur #114)

Captain Mustache, Part the First. (Excalibur #114)

I’m a firestarter, twisted firestarter (Excalibur #114)

Katherine Pryde, experienced superhero. (Excalibur #114)

Sari St. Hubbins, Fashion Plate: Part 2. (Excalibur #114)

Captain Mustache, Part the Second. (Excalibur #115)

Banshee is so muscly! And his cape is so foldy! (Excalibur #115)

Mel Rubi’s Douglock. (Excalibur #115)

Miles’s average day in IT looks pretty much like this. (Excalibur #115)

“Plus some Externals, but… I don’t think any of us really want to spent the time to talk about them.” (Excalibur #115)

He is so sweet. (Excalibur #115)

“Freakin’ last boss of Ninja Gaiden sends me all the way back to the beginning of the level even when I still have lives left..!” (Excalibur #115)

When Meggan’s happy, I’m happy. (Excalibur #115)

Aww jeez you two (Excalibur #115)

It’s been an honor, Shepherd. (Excalibur #115)

Check out that sweet shadow-invisible hand! (Excalibur #116)

Mel Rubi does Paul Smith. (Excalibur #116)

Where did that costume end up? You should break it out again, Captain Kate! (Excalibur #116)

So that mutagenic agent made the Sidri… swole? (Excalibur #116)

“It’s-a-me, Stereotype!” (Excalibur #116)

Pete Wisdom in: Terminator 2. (Excalibur #116)

Triple-wielding! (Excalibur #116)

Additional swordplay – this time, in callback form! (Excalibur #116)

They pulled his collectivism out through his belly button..? (Excalibur #116)

Hey, that’s not what Kitty wears in her SHIELD miniseries! Kinda wish it was, though. (Excalibur #116)

NEXT EPISODE: Kitty Pryde goes to work for The Man

402 – What the Damn?!

February 26, 2023 Miles 7 comments

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In which Marvel UK was a wild ride; everyone has a definitive Kitty Pryde; Sari St. Hubbins studies her X-Men; Moira MacTaggert discovers contagion theory; ideas do not stories make; Meggan is the heart of the team; and Excalibur inches towards its finale.

X-PLAINED:

Marvel UK
Digitek
Excalibur #114-117
What Excalibur’s been up to
Tunnels vs. sewers
An unexpected callback
Slang
The mutability of Kitty Pryde
Friendship
Sari St. Hubbins
Fashion
One way to get around a power inhibitor
A frosted tips outline
Viruses
Phalanx love
Greebling
A substantial retcon
Excalibur vs. the Sidri
Marvel characters’ musical associations
Whether there have been more X-Men or Avengers

NEXT EPISODE: Kitty Pryde goes to work for The Man

Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog!

Find us on iTunes or Stitcher!

Jay 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!

Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

As Mentioned in Episode 401 – True Tales of Double-Entry Bookkeeping

February 12, 2023 Miles 2 comments

Listen to the episode here.

“Jack, I served with Cannonball, I knew Cannonball, Cannonball was a brother of mine. Jack, you are no Cannonball.” (Generation X #32)

smek (Generation X #32)

David Bowie and Hacker T. Dog. (New Mutants #92)

I’ve missed 80s Boom-Boom. Yeep! (New Mutants #92)

The character find of 1990. (New Mutants #92)

“This haunted house is nuts, especially that broccoli guy! We need to tell Jean Grey about it and make sure she wears that Phoenix outfit when she comes to visit!” (New Mutants #92)

Did we cover this issue mostly for 80s Boom-Boom? Yes. Yes we did. (New Mutants #92)

And you thought Ship was cool, kids. (New Mutants #92)

Speaking of things Boom-Boom would do… (Generation X #33)

Keep an eye on this guy. (Generation X #33)

Miles totally would have stuck with hard science in college if the labs had looked like this. (Generation X #33)

No, no… The WHAT goes at the end, not in the middle! (Generation X #33)

Welcome to a dimension of pure CHAIR. (Generation X #33)

And now for something completely different. (Generation X Holiday Special #1)

Now I want to see Adam Pollina draw Mystique’s creepy nephew from X-Factor. (Generation X Holiday Special #1)

I believe Danish armored mother-and-son murderers refer to this as hygge. (Generation X Holiday Special #1)

1 pet robot. (Generation X Holiday Special #1)

Random stuff piled up outside the panels – this must be an issue of Generation X! (Generation X Holiday Special #1)

Mutant, mutant, angst, angst. (Generation X Holiday Special #1)

What an obituary that would have made. (Generation X Holiday Special #1)

It’s easy to forget how legitimately terrifying the Orphan Maker can be. (Generation X Holiday Special #1)

So that happened. (Generation X Holiday Special #1)

Better or worse than the kids that wet their pants on Santa’s lap? (Generation X Holiday Special #1)

Oh, kiddo. (Generation X Holiday Special #1)

Well that’s just lovely. (Generation X Holiday Special #1)

NEXT TIME: Doctor Moira MacTaggert versus the Legacy Virus.

401 – True Tales of Double-Entry Bookkeeping

February 12, 2023 Miles 8 comments

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In which Santa Claus makes problematic choices; we make good on a promise; Sebastian is the new Deadpool; Skrulls get stuck as animals more than you’d think; Nanny and Orphan-Maker celebrate; and Jubilee stops worrying and learns to love Christmas.

X-PLAINED

Santa Claus’s flirtations with villainy
A new direction for Generation X
Larry Hama
Al vs. U.S. geography
Generation X #32-33
Generation X Holiday Special
New Mutants #92
Thing One & Thing Two St. Croix
The Circus of Crime
The Pirates of Dark Water (somewhat)
Hacker T. Dog
Why Wolfsbane is scared of clowns
Skrull Kill Crew
Carnie Voltron
Chief Authier
Phat beats
A reality biscuit
Emplate’s pocket dimension
Chimera and Dirtnap
Variant interiors
Nanny & Orphan-Maker (more) (again)
Santa Claus (in general)
Benefits of inconsistent characterization

NEXT WEEK: Break week

NEXT EPISODE: Excalibur!

Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog!

Find us on iTunes or Stitcher!

Jay 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!

Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

As Mentioned in Episode 400 – Loud Noises

February 5, 2023 Miles One comment

Listen to the episode here.

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line!

Marauders to the left of me, X-Men to the right, and I’m stuck in the middle with you… (Uncanny X-Men #350)

Listen, Gambit, it was either this or a Tupperware(TM) for that chunk of your brain. (Uncanny X-Men #350)

Their relationship seems healthy. (Uncanny X-Men #350)

Eh, it’s still in better shape than the car Miles drove in high school. (Uncanny X-Men #350)

Where? Oh, there. (Uncanny X-Men #350)

“He’s here again, Professor.” (Uncanny X-Men #350)

Speaking of different eras of the X-Men – check out Julian Totino Tedesco’s decade variant covers! Here’s the 60s… (All-New X-Men #18)

The 70s… (All-New X-Men #18)

The 80s… (All-New X-Men #18)

The 90s… (All-New X-Men #18)

…and the 2000s. (All-New X-Men #18)

After this, it’s off to the Justice Exhibit through the Justice Hall and then to the Justice Shop. If anyone needs the Little Justice’s Room, it’s on the left. (Uncanny X-Men #350)

Thunderbird, sure… but a version of Blink from an alternate universe? (Uncanny X-Men #350)

NOOOOORM! (Uncanny X-Men #350)

I’ve never been picked during jury selection, but I’m pretty sure this is how trials work, right? (Uncanny X-Men #350)

Rogue x-plains Gambit’s dark secret. (Uncanny X-Men #350)

As little sense as Rogue’s decision makes, damn if Joe Madureira (or Andy Smith?) doesn’t make it work anyway. (Uncanny X-Men #350)

Erik the Red was really Erik the Red and Purple! (Uncanny X-Men #350)

Okay, okay – they’re no Cyclops, Wolverine, Storm, Colossus, Nightcrawler, and Thunderbird, but I like them anyway. (X-Men #70)

Dig that speech bubble transition. (X-Men #70)

Cecilia Reyes and Marrow, best of friends. (X-Men #70)

Why don’t more artists work in the telekinetic Phoenix flare? (X-Men #70)

Cecilia takes charge. (X-Men #70)

And you know Sam will 100% pay them back later. (X-Men #70)

I love these three. (X-Men #70)

The cavalry arrives. (X-Men #70)

For once, too much dialogue is a good thing. (X-Men #70)

Gross mutant powers are the best mutant powers. (X-Men #70)

Maggott 2.0, courtesy Joe Kelly. (X-Men #70)

The X-Men: often at their best when their lives are at their worst. (X-Men #70)

NEXT TIME: Generation X vs. Christmas.

NOTES & FURTHER READING:

All that remains of Gambit Cyber Comic: The Hunt for the Tomorrow Stone

400 – Loud Noises

February 5, 2023 Miles 18 comments

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In which legacy numbering is best left alone; all roads lead to the Antarctic; we finally learn Gambit’s big secret; Erik the Red gets yet a third identity; no one soils the Juggernaut; Maggott saves the day; and we have somehow made (technically more than) 400 of these things.

X-PLAINED

Spat
The tragic loss of the Cyber Comics
How not to back up your work
Uncanny X-Men #350
X-Men #70
A shambles
What’s been happening since Operation Zero Tolerance
A very fancy cover
Insufficient outerwear
Senses
Justice as a decorating theme
Baffling statuary
The return of Erik the Red
Erik the Red (again)
Ferris
Gambit’s big secret
A large number of continuity errors
A total dick move
De-icing
Untitled Marrow Game
A big fight
Living room surgery
Legal documents
Favorite anniversary issues
Dangling plot threads

NEXT EPISODE: Generation X vs. Christmas

Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog!

Find us on iTunes or Stitcher!

Jay 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!

Buy rad swag at our TeePublic shop!