hank mccoy – Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men

As Mentioned in Episode 509 – No Fun Will Be Had

December 14, 2025 Jay 3 comments

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Everyone is just so jagged and wiry! (Spider-Man & Marrow #1)

No one ever invites us to clubs like this. (Spider-Man & Marrow #1)

Meet Sarah Rushman and her abs! (Spider-Man & Marrow #1)

You’re partied out, man. (Spider-Man & Marrow #1)

Daaaaaamn. (Spider-Man & Marrow #1)

Just a li’l Spidey-parkour! (Spider-Man & Marrow #1)

A very bouncy match-up! (Spider-Man & Marrow #1)

“The point is, we did some unethical stuff and it was awesome.” (Spider-Man & Marrow #1)

Peter Parker possesses the proportional good heart of a good-hearted spider. (Spider-Man & Marrow #1)

Alas, the main thing in Marrow’s future is more trauma. (Spider-Man & Marrow #1)

Hank McCoy, possessor of an amazing scientific mind and absolutely no chill. (Uncanny X-Men #390)

Beast x-plains nine years of the Legacy Virus. (Uncanny X-Men #390)

“Do NOT take that out of the fridge! It’s, like, super expired!” (Uncanny X-Men #390)

No surprise that Chuck is good at basketball – did you see his gymnastics routine an issue or two ago?! (Uncanny X-Men #390)

Aww man aww man (Uncanny X-Men #390)

As we are PLUNGEd into sadness. (Uncanny X-Men #390)

Hell of a callback. (Uncanny X-Men #390)

This cover has always stuck with us. (X-Men #110)

What a large teenager! (X-Men #110)

Leinil Francis Yu’s people look a little weird – and that just makes them look more normal. (X-Men #110)

This issue has such a quiet and contemplative feel. (X-Men #110)

Those are some very dramatic trees. (X-Men #110)

Just beautiful. (X-Men #110)

See you in Mekanix, Kitty. (X-Men #110)

Seems a little excessive, but I’m sure she appreciates the sentiment! (X-Men #110)

NEXT TIME: It’s our Winter Special and Cyclops is back!

If you’re in crisis and need someone to talk to, here are some resources (phone numbers are US specific):

988 is a national mental health crisis helpline.
741741 is a national crisis text line, reachable via text, online chat, or WhatsApp.
Trans Lifeline is a trans peer support hotline.
The Trevor Project offers round-the-clock phone and text support for queer and trans youth.
The Veterans Crisis Line offers 24/7 crisis support for veterans and can be reached directly or via 988.

509 – No Fun Will Be Had

December 14, 2025 Jay 11 comments

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In which Marrow just want to be left alone; Spider-Man remains hapless; S.H.I.E.L.D. is unhelpful; Colossus dies; Shadowcat leaves the X-Men; and we are all on board for Mutants to Watch Out For.

X-PLAINED:

How Magik caught the Legacy Virus
Marrow (again)
Spider-Man and Marrow #1
Uncanny X-Men #390
X-Men #110
A fancy club
A terrible plan
The Legacy Virus (more) (again)
Some deeply contrived “science”
A life-affirming display of social interaction
The death of Colossus
A very silly sound effect
Acceptable handwriting
Nostalgia
A double send-off
Closure
Mortality in Otherworld
Imaginary crossovers

NEXT EPISODE: Winter Special!

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!

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As Mentioned in Episode 508 – Destiny’s Doodles

December 7, 2025 Jay 2 comments

Listen to the episode here.

A quick workout with Charles Xavier. (Uncanny X-Men #389)

At my funeral, I want a kazoo band. (Uncanny X-Men #389)

Joe Mactaggert is a jerk. (Uncanny X-Men #389)

Rachel’s actually okay, but Kitty doesn’t know that yet. (Uncanny X-Men #389)

DAMNIT. (Uncanny X-Men #389)

I wonder how weird and specific Destiny’s diaries get. (Uncanny X-Men #389)

Bad times. (Uncanny X-Men #389)

Is this a bit? (X-Men #109)

They’re gonna hook up, and then everyone’s going to forget that Thunderthird ever existed. Poor guy. (X-Men #109)

Ye Olde Hot Chocolate Hall. (X-Men #109)

Seriously, though, what the hell? (X-Men #109)

Oh, my. (X-Men #109)

I love that instead of making the holy family generally mutant-looking, they straight-up used X-Men statues. (X-Men #109)

Coming soon: X-Treme X-Men! (X-Men #109)

Based on size, maybe it’s a box of tissues? (X-Men #109)

Wellp. (X-Men #109)

BEHOLD YOUR LEGACY (X-Men #109)

NEXT EPISODE: Colossus dies!

508 – Destiny’s Doodles

December 7, 2025 Jay 9 comments

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In which Professor Xavier is a jock; all of Shadowcat’s friends are dead; Storm recruits a team; Bishop makes new pals; and everyone gets festive.

X-PLAINED:

Some of Mystique’s secret kids
Uncanny X-Men #389
X-Men #109
Charles Xavier’s workout routine
Two funerals
Rave (the drug)
The wrong necklace
Destiny’s doodles
A large knife
Charles Xavier/Moira MacTaggert backstory
A snowball fight
A very sketchy circus
A break-up
“Christmas cheer”
A mysterious package
An X-Men nativity
Sage (Tessa)
Origins of X-Treme X-Men
Several gifts, some more mysterious than others
Charles Xavier’s legacy
Warwolves (more) (again)
Archangel’s color vision

NEXT EPISODE: Colossus dies!

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!

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As Mentioned in Episode 503 – Dream’s Anticlimax

October 19, 2025 Jay 3 comments

Listen to the episode here.

No, seriously. (Uncanny X-Men #388)

Ouch. (Uncanny X-Men #388)

A nonspecific explosion. (Uncanny X-Men #388)

So large. (Cable #87)

no but seriously how (Cable #87)

Bye, Post. (Cable #87)

One of his teammates has to draw the tattoo on every morning with a sharpie. (Bishop: The Last X-Man #16)

Every time they watch a movie, Wolverine carefully explains to his teammates that it’s not real. (Bishop: The Last X-Man #16)

Mother of the year. (Bishop: The Last X-Man #16)

Now kiss! (X-Men #108)

This is not subtext, although it may be an anagram of subtext. (X-Men #108)

NEXT EPISODE: SKA!

503 – Dream’s Anticlimax

October 19, 2025 Jay 5 comments

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In which history repeats itself; Senator Kelly prevaricates (and then dies); Magneto keeps the cape on; Mystique does evil science; Post remains irrelevant (and then dies); Pyro saves the day (and then dies); Cable is a large man; Moira MacTaggert does the astral nasty (and then dies); and we really, really, really want to go to Froggy World.

X-PLAINED:

Moira MacTaggert’s mutation
A dubious plan
Evidence that we are in the wrong universe
Other crossovers named “Dream’s End”
A significant disclaimer
Uncanny X-Men #388
Cable #87
Bishop: The Last X-Men #16
X-Men #108
A surprise presidential platform
Sir Gordon Phillips and his guests
The new Brotherhood of Mutants
Cable’s hair
A lot of movie allusions
An ambiguous explosion
A deeply pointless retcon
An illusion
Cable’s psimitar
Pyro’s last stand
Dickalogue
Astral sex
The (apparent) death of Moira MacTaggert
A weird bonding moment in a cemetery
How to identify a time traveler
The (actual) death of Senator Robert Kelly
Mutant-free parts of the Marvel Universe
Froggy World

NEXT EPISODE: Generation X!

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!

Buy rad swag at our Dashery shop!

495 – The Goth

August 3, 2025 Jay 9 comments

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In which Rogue is beset with leadership; Psylocke’s telekinetic sword is narratively inconsistent; the Crimson Pirates are bad at their job; and you should not look to Frank Punisher as a role model.

X-PLAINED:

Whether Dani Moonstar is still a Valkyrie
X-Men #103-104
Uncanny X-Men #384-385
A crossover
Tessa (somewhat)
A test
The Goth (group)
Skulls
The Crimson Pirates
The mind of Tullamore Voge
Something “rough trade” does not mean
Visual representation of telepathy
Kymri (again)
The Goth (individual)
Skycycles
A ruse
How to get the X-Perts at a convention near you
What happened to the Massachusetts Academy

NEXT EPISODE: X-Men Forever

The visual companion to this episode will be up in the near future!

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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 494 – You’ve Got Evil Mail

July 29, 2025 Miles Leave a comment

Listen to the episode here.

Is Thunderbird cosplaying Colossus? (X-Men Unlimited #27)

Meet Neal Shaara! Or sometimes Neal Sharra, depending on who’s writing! (X-Men Unlimited #27)

In which Karima Shapandar literally jump-kicks her way into the issue. (See also the 1977 kung fu film The Invincible Armour.) (X-Men Unlimited #27)

And you haven’t even met Maggott yet! (X-Men Unlimited #27)

embarrassed_werewolf sounds like part of an auto-generated Reddit username. (X-Men Unlimited #27)

“Crap, instead of zapping them with the Robot Servant Ray, we zapped them with the Main Character Ray!” (X-Men Unlimited #27)

Aww, Sanjit. (X-Men Unlimited #27)

Hope you survive the experience! (X-Men Unlimited #27)

Check out Gambit’s sideways-Legion hair! And Beast’s Banshee disguise! (X-Men Unlimited #28)

Darkstar speaks for us all. (X-Men Unlimited #28)

This ain’t Beast’s first brainwashing rodeo. (X-Men Unlimited #28)

Listen, the Darkforce is just cool, okay? (X-Men Unlimited #28)

Dis not what Gambit had in mind. (X-Men Unlimited #28)

More like the Golden Death, really. (X-Men Unlimited #28)

Darkstar’s face is the same as Miles’s when he first discovered Cloud/Sephiroth slash almost 30 years ago. (X-Men Unlimited #28)

“No, my only weaknesses – rain and tasers!” (X-Men Unlimited #28)

Technology safety tip: if you get a suspicious email, blow up your computer! (X-Men Annual 2000)

Adorable downtime! (X-Men Annual 2000)

I love these goofballs so much. (X-Men Annual 2000)

Rogue learned a lot of things during her time with Magneto, like: if you have a problem, throw it into space. (X-Men Annual 2000)

The focused totality of her cutting your goddamn head off. (X-Men Annual 2000)

Everyone just looks really cool here. That’s the only significance. (X-Men Annual 2000)

GUN ARRRRRRMMMSSSSS (X-Men Annual 2000)

That’s some Claremont dialogue, alright (complimentary). (X-Men Annual 2000)

I guess that’s why Stryfe’s not too concerned with peripheral vision. Explains the helmet. (X-Men Annual 2000)

NEXT TIME: The Goth!

494 – You’ve Got Evil Mail

July 20, 2025 Jay 9 comments

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In which the X-Men zealously protect their trademarks; Cable can have as many moms as he wants to; not everyone should have to be a superhero; Lady Deathstrike knows how to handle unauthorized emails; and somehow there are still more gun arms.

X-PLAINED:

Lady Deathstrike
X-Men Unlimited #27-28
X-Men Annual 2000
One reason to recycle code names
Thunderbird III (Neal Shaara)
Sanjit Shaara and his electronic diary
Karima Shapandar
Bastion and the Prime Sentinels (again) (briefly)
Omega Prime Sentinels
Rebirth Island and what lurks there
Darkstar (Laynia Petrovna)
Unusual disturbances
Whether Gambit sleeps
The Black Death
Internet security training with Bastion
The genealogy of Nora Ephron romantic comedy You’ve Got Mail
Fashion
Stryfe (again) (briefly)
Psylocke’s telekinetic katana
Interactions between Madelyne Pryor and her large adult son
Spiral’s Body Shop

NEXT EPISODE: The Brotherhood targets Senator Kelly… again.

Check out the visual companion to this episode here!

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!