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In which we celebrate a red-letter birthday with a look back at five years of milestones, favorite moments, dubious headwear, and our own convoluted continuity!
NEXT EPISODE: It Gambit time!
You can find a full list of the episodes we mentioned here over on our blog!
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Jay and Miles Survive the Experience.
my ultimate, ultimate favorite series ever is all new wolverine!! anyone reading this comic: please pick it up. It’s got sibling shenanigans! It’s got clone nonsense! It’s got trauma healing! It’s got so much good stuff! Read All New Wolverine Please.
one problem with the jetpack hypothesis: cyclops is seen using one on several occasions during the utopia era
he totally would use a New (and Possibly Unstable) form of flight though! he’s a super competent pilot (esp considering that his vision issues would probably be something that needed to be counteracted) aaaaand during the arc where he was zipping around on the jetpack it was a) kind of a do or die sorta thing and b) he was absolutely POWER POSING (his little glib “take me to your leader!” line. ahh i love him.)
He also has zero self-preservation instinct, which is another point in favor of my jetpack theory.
I was very lucky to stumble upon you guys so early in the process. Having just bought my first smartphone I searched the installed podcast app for my favorite thing.
X-Men.
And there you were.
But the best part about the last few years with you has been the non-X-related stuff, from picking up phrases from you guys (Miles’ “I like liking stuff” to Rachel/Jay’s early and often use of “godamn delightful”) to being reminded of large chunks of my childhood like Voyage of the Mimi & Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends, to being exposed to your other interests like Thor and Silent Hill and Speed Racer. I’ve also really appreciated that even the loves we have in common – The Outback Eight and Scott Summers (my spirit animal) chief among them – are loved for completely different reasons. I travel from state to state, hours at a time alone for work and it’s good to have you guys there with me. I’m surprised you didn’t mention Secret Crisis on Infinite Podcasts amongst the highlights tho. It was such a unique concept and mind-broadening experience, even if it was more Acts of Vengeance-y in it’s crossoveryness. It directed me toward a lot of other podcasts to try, but honestly I didn’t stick with them long. The difference between you guys and most others I’ve tried is a combination of content prep and production quality. ESPECIALLY production quality. So to you and especially your producers… thank you for being such a huge part of my life even if I’ve been unable to return the favor. Here’s to many many half-decades more! Excelsior!
When I first started listening to podcasts (which was something I did because my job was unbearable without some mental stimulation), a friend suggested I check out yours. I think you were at about 30 episodes at the time.
Now, 4+ years later, I can safely say that you have ruined me for any less well-researched fancasts. Also, you have provided me with many hours of enjoyment, made me think about things I wouldn’t have otherwise, and even got me to go back and re-read things I would’ve told you five years ago that I’d probably never read again.
Thank you so much.
So this podcast made me cry. AGAIN.
I could write that I love the bits and recurring gags (and I do) and I could write how wonderfull it is to re-live old comics I only read in swedish (it is!) Bu the best thing about this podcast is the emotions.
Everything from Miles enthusiasm and Jay’s dry wit, to making me cry re-listening to the “god loves, man kills” episode.
Also, the community. A safe space to discuss things. Some people I am really happy that I now know.
Thanks! And keep it up!
Happy Quinquennial chaps!
You’ve been consistently interesting, entertaining, and have made me see old stories with a new appreciation which is all I can ask of a podcast.
I have to agree with other posters that you’ve spoiled me for some other podcasts, as good though they are, I now have a benchmark of sustained conversational geekery that must be attained, and it’s a high benchmark indeed. (That and your appreciation for classic New Mutants and Doug and Warlock in particular. I can see why #91 The Saddest Story Ever Told might not have made it to your list, but it remains on mine 🙂 )
Thanks to all involved in the shows creation, and here’s to as many more years as you can manage without requiring some sort of counselling for “superheroic soap-opera” overexposure.
Meltdown was definately my favorite episode. I’d otherwise completely forgotten I’d taken a field trip to a nuclear reactor in 5th grade. My favorite bit was “zz105 smooth jazz” – I’d listen to that all the time and I don’t like jazz. Finally I did read all of new mutants because of you. So yay! Many more episodes I hope
This podcast was a consistent and wonderful part of some terrible, rough years I had. I’m glad is still here, and still awesome as always.
Congratulations on being Very Young. Soon you will be Six.
I’ve listened to most of the episodes at least twice. When I have some major project (moving, driving across the continent, IKEA, anything like that) I load up a bunch of older episodes, skipping interviews — because while interviews with other people are nice and all, I’m basically here for Jay and Miles and their views on the X-Men.
I’ll second Kelvin’s thought that you might have mentioned Secret Convergence on Infinite Podcasts, which must have been this spreadsheetabulous logistical nightmare to execute so flawlessly.
But what really impresses me, maybe the most, is how enthusiastic about and engaged with this material you manage to be, every single episode. I imagine that, seeing as you are human beings, there must have been days when reading something and making notes for the podcast felt like a chore, but even when you say that what you’re covering isn’t good, you still always to find something interesting to observe about it.
Add to your list of fan favorites episodes 35, especially its coverage of Dazzler the movie, and episode 62, the Giant-sized with the Australia era rpg. Both are loads of fun.
However, I’m sure my true favorite hasn’t been recorded yet. Phalanx was my first event. We’re about to hit JoeMad, who I was sure had to be one of the coolest people within 5 years of me.
I love that you both kept this up through life’s changes. Not doing so would have been a totally legitimate personal choice, but I’ll be bummed out when the day comes. I feel like I’ve learned a lot from the show, and most important bits aren’t really about the X-Men. They’re about people.
A couple months ago, my favorite show was celebrating its 100th episode, and midway through announced that it was also its last. The Wednesday Club had been my port in a storm largely because of its carefully cultivated community. I think I’ve been cuddling down here a little harder since then. I appreciate that extra step so much.
You actually haven’t gotten even close my favorite X-Men yet. I’m a huge fan of the Messiah trilogy/SF era. I love the Cyclops/Emma relationship then, one of the only times the mutant metaphor feels updated for modern times, Magneto and Namor as Cyclops’ henchmen, and Dad Cable! Also Rogue-centric Legacy, the incredible artwork of the 2008 X-Force, Vampire Jubilee… I’m really looking forward to hearing your take on this stuff. You know, in 2027.
I actually only started getting into comics at all around the first dozen or so episodes of your podcast, so you’ve been a constant companion as I’ve basically binged as much X-Men as I could get a hold of. Thanks for five incredible years!
Thank you for 5 amazing years of consistent amazing content creating and being a safe and comfort zone for hundreds of people (including me). Thank you for being so great and setting such a good example for positivity, constructive thinking, empathy, generosity, solidarity and overall friendliness. Thank you for being yourself and teaching me how to grow as a human being. Thank you for creating a place of gathering for a community of such amazing people like the listeners of the podcast, which are another miracle by themselves.
Thank you for everything, dear Jay and Miles!
Hope to be seeing you around for some time more. 😉
Congratulations on the anniversary! Lots of A-list episodes, but the one I’m most grateful for was the Louise Simonson interview because it was so cathartic.
Teenage Me was so angry with Simonson for a long time, if only because her name was on some of my favorite books when things happened to them that I couldn’t stand. I never agreed with the Phoenix retcon — but didn’t actually pick up an X-Factor until several issues in, so I assumed she was the original writer and that it was all her idea. And I loathed the change in tone and art that accompanied Claremont’s departure from the New Mutants, and blamed her for that, too.
I dropped the anger a long time ago, but through the podcast I’ve learned that I’d had it wrong all this time. And it was so valuable to encounter Simonson as a regular, sweet person — even if it was only through a podcast interview — and get a more complete grasp of her role as a creator and caretaker of this world that means so much to so many. Original X-Factor is still not for me, I think, but she’s great.
Keep up the good work!
Yay! Most of my favorites made the list! Thank you, Jay and Miles, for going back and revisiting some of my favorite stories, in-jokes, and standout moments from the past five (!!!) years.
Thank you a thousand times also to David Wynne for his amazing art. I’m still grateful that the art for Episode 48 was available on his website, and I’m happy to report that The Woman Who Could Fly stands proudly on my living room wall, overlooking the horizon, in one of the first and only custom frames I’ve ever bought (‘cause Storm is worth it).
I’m also grateful that you brought up Havoc & Wolverine: Meltdown again in this episode. What you said about listeners getting really into looking at stories on different levels struck a chord. That episode came out at a really rough time for me and for a lot of queer listeners (it was very shortly after the Orlando shooting). I can’t speak for anyone else, but having Susan as a guest for that episode to talk about the physics of nuclear reactors gave me something to channel my anxious energy into that *wasn’t* obsessively scanning Google and social media for news reports and think-pieces related to Pulse.
(Incidentally, Episode 114 may have also kind of sort of possibly sparked a mild summer-long obsession of men where I read every primary source document and oral history transcript I could find about the Chernobyl disaster and its aftermath, which made for some, um, interesting conversations for my IRL friends, I’m sure).
The only other episodes I’d add to my list of favorites are Episode 19: Acorns and Swords (the Magic mini-series), Episode 56: Death by Crossover (the New Mutants Secret Wars tie-in and subsequent PTSD), and Episode 61: Even Horses (in which Dani Monster challenges Death to a duel, wins, and then still has to learn that death is an inevitable part of life). Also Episode 91, which IconUK already mentioned. (Um, there might be a bit of a thematic pattern surrounding my favorite episodes.)
I came for the X-Men coverage, but really, to my surprise and delight, New Mutants ended up becoming the episodes I looked forward to most.
Oh! And the first two Summer Specials with the role playing and the BS&P-friendly adventures are also delightful. It’s also neat to go back and listen to old cold opens that have since been X-Plained in the podcast’s continuity. Now, instead of joining Miles in yelling “WHAT?!” I go, “Oh, yeah. No, that makes sense.” (Never thought I’d say THAT about anything X-Men related, I tell you what.)
Thank you for five years of x-planations, laughs, and thoughtful commentary. Here’s raising a cup of tea to the next half-decade and beyond.
Who did/where can I find the Voyage of the Mimi remix at the beginning of this episode?
Favorite X-Plain the X-Men episodes include:
79, Bear on a Boat
– The start of maritime lawyer Logan
– “The helmet makes him Silver Age Magneto!”
– “Who is Doctor Anthony Druid?!”
62, Giant-Size Special 2
– Logan Bonner’s recap of X-Men: the Animated Series, including Morph’s laugh
– Miles’ amazing grasp of Rogue, other than where the voice actress came from.
– If Larry Houston doesn’t successfully revive X-Men: the Animated Series, I still want to try animating this.
26, The Other Team America
– Frigi-beam
– Elsie Carson, “…is not a Nazi. She works for Hydra because they have health care.”
– Learning about Stevie Hunter, whose dance studio was in the background of Academy X.
64, Ski Lodge of Apocalypse
– Has my favorite opening.
85, Secret Convergence on Infinite Podcasts
– Kang the Conqueror
– The D.C. multiverse
52
– The attempt to keep the show’s continuity from preventing it from being a barrier to entry.
– So many “What?!” recordings.
190, Local Yokels
– Jay’s whispers are very creepy.
94, WELCOME TO DIE!
– I realized “Pryde of the X-Men” was the source of the plot for the first X-Men: Legends video game.
– Thank you to Elisabeth Allie, too, for her contributions to this podcast and for The Lightning and the Storm.