Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men

427 – Standard Deviation

October 15, 2023 Jay 2 comments

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In which we have grown to love Adam Pollina; the Vanisher is delightfully awful; Ekaterina Gryaznova gets a new look; Domino rejoins X-Force; superheroes actually have a conversation instead of fighting; Cannonball rejoins X-Force; we don’t even remember recording this one; and something cool is coming (stay tuned).

X-PLAINED:

Arcadia DeVille
The Deviants
X-Force #81-84
What’s been up with X-Force
The goddess Pele and the heart thereof
Beachwear
An episode of The Brady Bunch
Krotok the Lava Man
Lava Men, in general
Gortokians
Jinku the Lava Man
A diabolical plan
Jesse Aaronson (Bedlam) (but not that one)
Terry and/or Christopher Aaronson
The Aguilar Institute
The Griffin (Ekaterina Gryaznova, again)
Infinite Guthries
Ulysses Dragonblood
Odysseus Indigo
Lucas Wyndham
M.U.S.E. (Mutant Underground Support Engine)
A very Summers situation
Foreshadowing
Whether Shard can (and should) be resurrected by the Five
Accidental foreshadowing

NEXT EPISODE: The end of Excalibur!

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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 426 – A Gift from the Lower Regions

October 9, 2023 Jay One comment

Listen to the episode here.

Karel’s planet may be far from Earth, but his people still appreciate a good Terminator 2 reference. (Uncanny X-Men #358)

Tu is a very Chris Bachalo character. (Uncanny X-Men #358)

Lookit this pulp hero-looking scallawag! (Uncanny X-Men #358)

They’re so dysfunctional. I love it. (Uncanny X-Men #358)

I TOLD YOU THE BEAR WAS CANON (Uncanny X-Men #358)

Deathbird is horny on main. (Team X 2000)

In the far future of 2018, it will be illegal to cover your navel. (Team X 2000)

It’s not Cable and Domino’s tub, but I suppose it’ll do. (Team X 2000)

Team X! (Team X 2000)

You know it’s a really dark future when Doom is fighting on the same side as the good guys (see also: Age of Apocalypse, the Summers Rebellion). (Team X 2000)

IT’S VERY SEXUAL (Team X 2000)

The more you know! (Team X 2000)

NEXT EPISODE: Domino rejoins X-Force!

426 – A Gift from the Lower Regions

October 8, 2023 Jay 6 comments

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In which the Shi’ar have zero chill; Bishop and Deathbird do space opera; we travel to the far-future year of 2018; Alanna Nerimani stretches the definition of “bird”; Deathbird is the cool aunt; Bishop needs a break from dark futures; and Bishop and Sauron have an intimate encounter.

X-PLAINED:

The current number of Summers brothers
Uncanny X-Men #358
Team X 2000
The Shi’ar Empire (more) (again)
Shi’ar voices
Parker Posey vs. Posie Parker
Sexual dimorphism in art
The Ursaa
Organs
The Chnitt
Karel
Several cameos
Nullifier charges
Tu
The first appearance of Cyclops’s Captain America teddy bear
2018
Alan Smithee
Gith
Deathbird’s terrible childhood
Shi’ar-occupied Earth
Alanna Nerimani
Your cool murder aunt
Earth-9922
Deathbird’s war journals
The Morlocks (but not those ones)
Team X (but not that one)
Bribery
A very sexual encounter
Explorations of disability and ableism in comics
Beast’s long, slow heel turn

NEXT EPISODE: Domino rejoins X-Force!

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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 425 – Shooting the Moose

October 8, 2023 Jay Leave a comment

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I get Hank, but why is Warren in disguise? (Uncanny X-Men #356)

Okay, that… actually makes a fair amount of sense. (Uncanny X-Men #356)

Bachalo does Kirby! (Uncanny X-Men #356)

“You know–the usual.” (Uncanny X-Men #356)

Meet Moon Wolf. (Uncanny X-Men #356)

Ahh, Bachalo does those nostalgia moments so well. (Uncanny X-Men #357)

Meet “Ananasi.” (X-Men #77)

Get ‘im, Psylocke! (X-Men #77)

OH SHIT (X-Men #77)

Damn, Psylocke’s shadow form is badass. (X-Men #78)

NEXT EPISODE: Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy…IN SPACE!

425 – Shooting the Moose

September 25, 2023 Jay 3 comments

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In which moose are nothing to mess with; Cyclops requests a reality check; Bachalo does Kirby; Rogue absorbs a catchphrase; and the Shadow King needs a villain song.

X-PLAINED:

Uncanny X-Men #356-357
X-Men 77-78
The Cable Principle
Corvid disambiguation
An aborted narrative
Moose
Sherrif and/or Officer Chris
Stacy’s sister Melissa
Cul-de-sacs
Ptarmigan Creek
Dubiously credible lies
Nostalgia
Bad times in Westchester
Bad times in space
Punching birds
Moon Wolf
An absolutely inappropriate theatrical reference
Ainet
Ananansi vs. Anansi
The Shadow King (more) (again)
Psi-War
Temptation
Shadow powers
Hair swaps
Solo Disney+ series for X-Men
How to make Gambit work onscreen

NEXT EPISODE: Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy… IN SPACE!

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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 424 – Times Change

September 17, 2023 Jay One comment

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Looking for a stand-alone file of the muppet opening? Here you go:

Fixx just wants to be friends. (X-Factor #146)

Seriously, what the hell is going on with that facial hair? (X-Factor #146)

Havok’s powers look so good in this whole arc. (X-Factor #146)

Aw, Shard. (X-Factor #147)

I really enjoy this scene. (X-Factor #148)

Again: Havok’s powers, looking cool. (X-Factor #148)

It really is a terrible sweater. I should probably knit it someday. (X-Factor #149)

“Have fun in Alaska!” (X-Factor #149)

Madrox doesn’t betray anyone in that future, at least. (X-Factor #149)

And that’s that. (X-Factor #149)

Narrator voice: It was, in fact, the end. (X-Factor #149)

NEXT EPISODE: Psi-War!

424 – Times Change

September 17, 2023 Jay 5 comments

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In which everything is Havok’s fault; Jay is a bad influence; Polaris makes some valid points; Jamie Madrox is the Bobby Drake of X-Factor; and X-Factor vol. 1 ends with a bang.

X-PLAINED:

Muppet rules
X-Factor, vol. 1, in general
X-Factor #146-149
Sense of place
Jude Black and his inexplicable facial hair
Boundaries
Edible Arrangements
A different kind of sports bar
Kevin
Nostalgia, I guess?
Several confrontations
Temporal insanity
A very specialized course
What happens next
The universe where Dazzler replaced Jean Grey in the original X-Factor
Characters we would like to have seen more of

NEXT EPISODE: Psi-War!

Special thanks to muppets Michal Richardson, Bilal Dardai, and Matt Hunter!

(You can find an mp3 of just the muppet opening in the visual companion.)

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

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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 423 – Moby Dick Ice Cream

September 10, 2023 Jay Leave a comment

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Probably not even the fanciest trash can on Muir Island. (Excalibur #121)

She’s fun. (Excalibur #121)

It’s no SMEK, but it’ll do.

What’s doubly interesting about this is that David’s personality isn’t actually there. (Excalibur #121)

And off they go. (Excalibur #121)

Hmm. (Excalibur #122)

That’s a lot of hair. (Excalibur #122)

Spoiler: Not actually the X-Men. (Excalibur #122)

The Mimic and his beard. (Excalibur #122)

The sound of love. (Excalibur #122)

Aw, those wacky kids. (Excalibur #123)

The now-beardless Mimic. (Excalibur #123)

NEXT EPISODE: X-Factor explodes.

423 – Moby Dick Ice Cream

September 10, 2023 Jay 6 comments

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In which subtlety is not Sabra’s strong point; Moira takes a vacation; Meggan broods; you should take care in referencing the Dark Phoenix Saga; Excalibur may or may not shave Mimic; and Captain Britain is a silly man.

X-PLAINED:

Ghosts
Excalibur #121-123
The Mutant Underground
Empathic recon
An extremely disgruntled kiss
Kitty’s new costume
Several of Legion’s personalities
A mysterious disk
A very fancy trash can and/or ice cream maker
Ice cream of Cloud City
A good dog
Remains of Operation Zero Tolerance
The devolution of Douglock
Mimic (Calvin Rankin)
Mimic’s facial hair
Some Prime Sentinels
Wedding planning
Liking parts of things
Villains who want to marry Storm
Maddy Pryor

NEXT EPISODE: The end of X-Factor!

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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