cyclops – Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men

521 – Snowflakes

April 13, 2026 Jay 7 comments

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In which John Sublime sucks; Angel Salvatore rules; trauma does not justify evil; and you should never, ever, ever mess with Jean Grey.

X-PLAINED:

A horrifying revelation
The universe where Jay and Miles work for Cassandra Nova
New X-Men #118-120
John Sublime (more) (again)
The U-Men
Psychic energy, gender-reveal party-style
The Stepford Cuckoos
One way to disperse a mob
An uncivil conversation
The death and/or discomfort of many U-Men
An awakening of sorts
Squaring the phoenix
Hank McCoy’s “coming out”

NEXT EPISODE: The Shi’ar invade!

The visual companion to this episode will be up later this week.

Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!

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 520 – Head Like a (Black) Hole

April 10, 2026 Miles 2 comments

Listen to the episode here.

Illustration by David Wynne

To unlock Xorn, you’ll need the Lapis Eye key, the Purple Bull key, a code from carbon paper, and a number written in blood in a padded cell. (New X-Men Annual 2001)

X-Corporation Hong Kong has a pretty big headquarters for a staff of two… Well, now just one. (New X-Men Annual 2001)

Introducing John Sublime, tech-bro douchebag (and ancient/sentient bacteria). (New X-Men Annual 2001)

Grant Morrison: “I need you to draw a containment suit!” Leinil Francis Yu: *cracks knuckles* Every future artist: “DAMMIT LEINIL” (New X-Men Annual 2001)

Ninja business. (New X-Men Annual 2001)

Ao Jun’s flesh golems! Just… wow. (New X-Men Annual 2001)

Logan would be great at charcuterie. (New X-Men Annual 2001)

I’m still not over this kid dying. (New X-Men Annual 2001)

Just a hell of an action shot. (New X-Men Annual 2001)

Is Emma telling the truth about her powers or bullshitting us? Discuss! (New X-Men Annual 2001)

The New X-Men Story. (New X-Men Annual 2001)

Think about that third panel in the context of the eventual Xorn reveal… (New X-Men Annual 2001)

Hey, it’s Beak! Hi Beak! (New X-Men #17)

And then the Xavier Institute changed forever. (New X-Men #17)

DAMMIT TRISH YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO MAKE BEAST THAT SAD (New X-Men #17)

Seriously. (New X-Men #17)

…with letters by Richard Starkings and Comicraft’s Saida Temofonte. (New X-Men #17)

No no no no (New X-Men #17)

Poor… everybody. (New X-Men #17)

And the Academy Award for Best Secretly Body-Swapped Lead Actress goes to… (New X-Men #17)

What trim level is that? (New X-Men #17)

NEXT TIME: X-Men vs. U-Men

520 – Head Like a (Black) Hole

April 5, 2026 Jay 8 comments

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In which several individuals are not what they seem; John Sublime sucks; Cyclops talks Xorn down from a cosmic ledge; we meet the inimitable Beak; and Cassandra Nova makes herself (limitedly) known.

X-PLAINED:

John Sublime
Marvelscope™
New X-Men 2001 Annual
New X-Men #117
Xorn
X-Corporation
The U-Men
Ao Jun (and his super gross mutant power)
Synchronized heists
Psychometry vs. telepathy
A big eventual twist
Beak (Barnell Bohusk)
A kiss
Some really fucked up use of telepathy
Some Moira MacTaggert continuity nonsense

NEXT EPISODE: U-Men vs. X-Men

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

Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!

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 Dashery shop!

As Mentioned in Episode 519 – Beautiful People With Incredible Powers

March 29, 2026 Jay 4 comments

Listen to the podcast here!

Illustration by David Wynne

And so it begins. (New X-Men #114)

That is a damn stylish credits page. (New X-Men #114)

Cerebra. (New X-Men #114)

Well, fuck. (New X-Men #114)

Charles Xavier vs. Cassandra Nova, round 2 (although you won’t officially find that out ’til later). (New X-Men #114)

These covers! (New X-Men #115)

I really like the way Morrison writes these two. (New X-Men #115)

Alas, Ugly John, we hardly knew ye. (New X-Men #115)

She’s so evil, but also so fucking weird. (New X-Men #115)

The original Negasonic Teenage Warhead. (New X-Men #115)

So, that happened. (New X-Men #115)

It may be improbable, but I legitimately like the negative-space X as a statement. (New X-Men #116)

The return of Emma Frost. (New X-Men #116)

One of the most lingering images of the run. (New X-Men #116)

Oh. That’s bad. (New X-Men #116)

That’s not Charles Xavier. (New X-Men #116)

NEXT EPISODE: Beast has a bad day.

519 – Beautiful People With Incredible Powers

March 29, 2026 Jay 21 comments

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In which we start the Morrison Run; Professor X gets his hands on Chekhov’s gun; Cassandra Nova raises X-villains to a new level of weird; and humanity is running on borrowed time.

X-PLAINED:

No-Girl
New X-Men #114-116
Grant Morrison and their approach to the X-Men
Superhero fashion
Cerebra
Beast’s new look
Ugly John
Interpersonal dynamics
Cassandra Nova (somewhat)
Donald Trask
Master Molds
Wild Sentinels
Emma Frost (more) (again)
Negasonic Teenage Warhead (the original)
The fall of Genosha
Secondary mutations
The most strapless bra of all time
The Black Bug Room
Summers problems
Official X-Men and the designation thereof
Wonder Man and mutants

NEXT EPISODE: Beast has a bad day

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

Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!

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 Dashery shop!

As Mentioned in Episode 514 – Plan 9 From Westchester

February 8, 2026 Jay Leave a comment

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Fun in the sewers! (X-Men #112)

Amelia Voght, fancy version. (X-Men #112)

Saint Sebastian got nothin’ on Charles Xavier. (X-Men #112)

Those rare moments when masks make sense! (X-Men #112)

Heh. (X-Men #112)

He gets things done. (X-Men #112)

Northstar X-Plains Eve of Destruction. (X-Men #112)

Poor Frenzy. (Uncanny X-Men #393)

This panel was a mistake. (Uncanny X-Men #393)

The Age of Apocalypse X-Babies. (Uncanny X-Men #393)

DAMNIT, WOLVERINE. (Uncanny X-Men #393)

Whoops. (Uncanny X-Men #393)

When in doubt, yeet your problems into space. (X-Men #113)

Wolverine has been trying for this moment for how long now? (X-Men #113)

Me, too, thanks. (X-Men #113)

NEXT EPISODE: Wolverine’s secret and oft-retconned origins!

LINKS & FURTHER READING:

If you’re interested in getting involved in community activism, here are some good places to start:

Indivisible is a decentralized national organization with a ton of local branches.
Let This Radicalize You by Mariame Kaba and Kelly Hayes is a terrific introduction to organizing.
Kelly Hayes’s writings are also a great jumping-on point.
Interested in whistles and ICE-watching? This’ll get you started!
You can download a local guides to reporting ICE for a lot of different states here.
If you’re in or near New York City, check out Hands Off NYC!

514 – Plan 9 From Westchester

February 8, 2026 Jay 4 comments

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In which we provide some inroads to resisting fascism in your community; pacifism has amazing abs; Cyclops and Wolverine play revolutionary chicken; Amelia Voght fails to live up to her narrative potential; Jean Grey continues to make spectacularly bad choices; Polaris deserves better; and Wolverine finally gets to stab Magneto.

X-PLAINED:

Community action and aid
X-Men #112-113
Uncanny X-Men #393
Genosha (more) (again)
Northstar (more) (again)
Dazzler (more) (again)
Sunpyre (more) (again)
Hector Rendoza (more) (again)
Paulie Provenzano (more) (again)
Frenzy (more) (again)
Amelia Voght (more) (again)
St. Sebastian thirst traps
Sewer adventures
Post-Apocalypse Cyclops (more) (again)
Awkward conversations about feelings
Implausible knitting
The Age of Apocalypse X-Babies
A protracted confrontation
Bad strategy
A confusing ruse
Some stabbing
What happens to the unlikeliest X-Men
Jean Grey as Charles Xavier’s heir
Best potential uses of Hector Rendoza

NEXT EPISODE: The secret (retconned) origin of Wolverine!

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

Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!

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 Dashery shop!

As Mentioned in Episode 513 – Eve of Destruction

February 1, 2026 Miles 4 comments

Listen to the episode here.

Scott Summers, sharply dressed in (morally) gray! (Uncanny X-Men #391)

“Geez, Dad, can you say midlife crisis??” (Uncanny X-Men #391)

Summerses gotta Summers. (Uncanny X-Men #391)

“You must be thinking of the me from Earth-10005 or Earth-13122.” (Uncanny X-Men #391)

Exposition in the front, party in the (flash-)back. (Uncanny X-Men #391)

Scott’s face in that second panel… (Uncanny X-Men #391)

*sniffle* (Uncanny X-Men #391)

Anyone have ideas about the significance of the text on that gravestone in the foreground? (X-Men #111)

A purple and unpleasant land. (X-Men #111)

Muscles and shadows. (X-Men #111)

“Here with us is Doctor Henry McCoy, who’s really good with his… uh, science.” (X-Men #111)

Hey, she’s being nicer than she was back in her Alliance of Evil days! (X-Men #111)

A picture is worth – and includes – a thousand words. (X-Men #111)

Now that’s how you end a prologue. (X-Men #111)

The All-New, Mostly-Untrained X-Men. (Uncanny X-Men #392)

Jean recruits Jean-Paul Beaubier, Northstar! (Uncanny X-Men #392)

Jean recruits Hector Rendoza, AKA Wraith! (Uncanny X-Men #392)

Jean is about to recruit Paulie Provenzano, AKA Omerta! (Uncanny X-Men #392)

Jean recruits Leyu Yoshida, AKA Sunpyre! (Uncanny X-Men #392)

They’re… they’re gonna do fine. (Uncanny X-Men #392)

Jean recruits(?) Joanna Cargill, AKA Frenzy! (Uncanny X-Men #392)

Jean accepts the coincidental timing of the arrival of Alison Blaire, AKA Dazzler! (Uncanny X-Men #392)

NEXT TIME: Eve of Destruction concludes.

LINKS AND FURTHER READING:

Relevant once again: The Judgment of Magneto by Asher Elbein

513 – Eve of Destruction

February 1, 2026 Jay 15 comments

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In which Jay and Miles make an announcement; the X-Men are down to bare bones; Cyclops and Corsair are stunningly bad at feelings; Trish Tilby is stunningly bad at journalism; Magneto says goodbye to nuance; and Jean Grey assembles a team.

X-PLAINED:

X-Corps vs. X-Corp
A thing that will be happening in a few months
The story so far
Uncanny X-Men #391-392
X-Men #111
The state of the X-Men
A short-lived Cyclops costume
A reunion
A sorry excuse
Resolution, somewhat
Genosha (more) (again)
Conflict of interest
Several excellent villain speeches
Joanna Cargill (Frenzy) (again)
Jean-Paul Beaubier (Northstar) (again)
Hector Rendoza
Yet another angry mob
Paulie Provenzano (Omerta)
Leyu Yoshida (Sunpyre)
Ice skating in Rockefeller Center
Our picks for a new Brotherhood of Evil Mutants

NEXT EPISODE: Eve of Destruction concludes!

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

Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!

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 Dashery shop!