As Mentioned – Page 26 – Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men

As Mentioned in Episode 204 – Naughty By Nurture

July 14, 2018 Miles Leave a comment

Listen to the podcast here.

See how much is happening on this cover? Yeah, it’s got nothing on what’s inside. (Captain America Annual #4)

Jack Kirby: master of action! And of basically everything else! (Captain America Annual #4)

“Morning, Ralph.” “Morning, Sam.” (Captain America Annual #4)

Eh, I’ve lived in worse places. (Captain America Annual #4)

Drunk-at-a-Party Magneto, with Real Ranting Action (TM)! (Captain America Annual #4)

Mister Two, you are two cool looking. (Captain America Annual #4)

“Jeez, man! I could have been… magnetizing in here!” (Captain America Annual #4)

The all-new, all-different Brotherhood of Evil Mutants! Note Shocker’s weird little crab claws. (Captain America Annual #4)

DRAMATIC ZOOOOOOM! (Captain America Annual #4)

Yeah, I know we posted this as our Next Time image last time – but I really wanted to post it again. (Captain America Annual #4)

Strangely, this part didn’t come up at Magneto’s trial in Uncanny X-Men #200. (Captain America Annual #4)

Kirby-Cap does not fuck around. (Captain America Annual #4)

I mean, I like Nuanced And Morally Gray Magneto as much as the next guy, but… I miss this! (Captain America Annual #4)

Mister One died as he lived: tiny and orange. (Captain America Annual #4)

“Quick! Everybody say everybody’s names!” (Rom #17)

Bronze Age Wolverine summed up in one panel. (Rom #17)

“Silas, we brought you here today because we love you and we’re concerned about you.” (Rom #17)

Man, private schools are messed up. (Rom #17)

Diagonal art in a horizontal panel: simple, effective, and creepy. (Rom #17)

HOLY FUCKING SHIT (Rom #17)

Oh, man… I really liked that guy. Dire Wraith. Dire guy. (Rom #17)

Kitty, that kid is a) clearly younger than 15 and b) clearly a GODDAMNED DEMON (Rom #18)

The whole fight is like this – disorienting and tense. Rom may not be a horror book, exactly, but it’s close. (Rom #18)

Sal Buscema, how did you make Rom’s character design look this cool? It’s like Walter Simonson and Archangel! (Rom #18)

You’re not wrong, Kitty. (Rom #18)

“I used to head to the target range after my Maritime Law classes!” (Rom #18)

Poor Kitty. Poor everyone. (Rom #18)

Hey, it’s Limbo! No, not that one. Or that one. The other one. (Rom #18)

NEXT TIME: X-Force gets awesome!

Bill Mantlo, Rom’s writer (and the writer of lots of other awesome stuff) was struck by a car in 1992 and severely injured. If you can, please help support him.

You can hear Hub’s wit and wisdom on his podcast, Titan Up The Defense! It’s all about the Bronze Age Defenders and New Teen Titans and it’s really good!

As Mentioned in Episode 203 – The X-Man’s Burden

July 1, 2018 Miles 3 comments

Listen to the podcast here.

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

Hmm. Well. (Uncanny X-Men #291)

Impressive pajamas! Ever-present shotguns! Sexy (not-quite-) dead girls! Extra-spiky Archangel Wings! Banter! This one’s got it all. (Uncanny X-Men #291)

I know you were in the Void Dimension for a while, Mikhail, but… did you forget how shirts work? (Uncanny X-Men #291)

I don’t know what it is about the astral plane being colored with highlighters that works for me, but man, does it ever. (Uncanny X-Men #291)

I go back and forth on Tom Raney’s art, but he draws a hell of a Callisto. (Uncanny X-Men #291)

This is a cool group shot and all, but PLEASE NOTE THE MORLOCK WHO IS VERY EXCITED TO EAT A ROCK. Or bash his buddy with it, I guess. But I’m pretty sure he’s eating it. (Uncanny X-Men #291)

But… the Morlocks were never trapped! Well, I guess now they’re extra not trapped. (Uncanny X-Men #291)

One of my very favorite 90s covers of all time, only improved by the confusing colorful party lights above the logo. (Uncanny X-Men #292)

In the next panel, Colossus and Bishop passionately kiss. (Uncanny X-Men #292)

I’ll give Mikhail one thing: he’s legitimately scary. (Uncanny X-Men #292)

Warren, you’ve been through a lot, but… you do know that this is the other place you were nailed to a wall in the Morlock tunnels, right? Right? (Uncanny X-Men #292)

Miles had so many nightmares about this guy 26 years ago. (Uncanny X-Men #292)

To be fair, Callisto keeps all of her clothing in pots. Storm, having played Zelda>, does not. (Uncanny X-Men #292)

Sure, Professor Xavier can be a jerk – but every once in a while, we remember why he runs the school. (Uncanny X-Men #292)

We’ve all got that family member. (Uncanny X-Men #293)

The advantage of being drawn in a 90s superhero comic is that you can do this. (Uncanny X-Men #293)

Everything about that last panel is solid gold. (Uncanny X-Men #293)

I know we say that Cannonball is the best kid or that Warlock is the best kid, but Colossus is kind of also the best kid. (Not that his judgment is necessarily all that great…) (Uncanny X-Men #293)

God, right in the heart. (Uncanny X-Men #293)

NEXT TIME: Miles and Hub talk travel back to the Bronze Age!

The rad lawyer we mentioned in the episode is Katie Lane – check out her website for all kinds of good stuff!

As Mentioned in Episode 202 – Rhapsody in Blue (and Gold)

June 24, 2018 Miles 3 comments

Listen to the podcast here.

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

Man, that cover. (X-Factor #79)

Learning at super-speed! It doesn’t work… (X-Factor #79)

…until it does. (X-Factor #79)

Pietro Maximoff: not just a jerk, but a smart jerk. (X-Factor #79)

Only in X-Factor. (X-Factor #79)

I had the same dream! (X-Factor #79)

You got your 90s in my 90s! (Did you ever feel like a page was written and drawn especially for 10-year-old you?) (X-Factor #80)

Those Stroman crowd scenes, though. (X-Factor #80)

I’m pretty sure that’s not how you fix a broken jaw. Then again, in a universe where Jack Kirby designed most early technology, I guess all bets are off. (X-Factor #80)

And sometimes, when I’m feeling frisky… (X-Factor #80)

This is pretty much what happened the one time I tried to play a harmonica. (X-Factor #80)

Not only did the Genegineer lock Rahne into her transitional wolf form and genetically bond her to a guy she’d barely met, but he made her really bad at poker! Dammit, dude. (X-Factor #80)

“And after this fight, Archangel and I have a shopping date!” (X-Factor #80)

Yep, totally a Sam Keith design. (X-Factor #80)

There are so many ways to make Havok’s powers look cool. (X-Factor #81)

I feel pretty bad for everyone here. Well, not Pietro. (X-Factor #81)

When Guido isn’t busy referencing Murphy Brown, dude can be pretty scary. (X-Factor #81)

Most people think the ubiquity of cell phones was responsible for the death of the pay phone. Nope: it was this guy. (X-Factor #81)

Respect, man. Wait… it was all a trick? Okay, different respect.(X-Factor #81)

To be honest, I’m just including this one for Titan Up the Defense listeners. (X-Factor #81)

NEXT TIME: Man, screw you, Mikhail.

As Mentioned in Episode 201 – Pump Up the Jam

June 17, 2018 Jay One comment

Listen to the podcast here.

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

Damn, that’s a nice cover. (X-Men #10)

I mean, one of them is definitely not playing a part. (X-Men #10)

I know, buddy. I know. (X-Men #10)

Wait for it… (X-Men #10)

*snicker* (X-Men #10)

Throwing this in mostly because it’s a gorgeous panel. (X-Men #10)

Not even the end of the issue, really. (X-Men #10)

Wait, wasn’t Jon Bon Jovi blond in 1992? (X-Men #10)

That is some choice sideeye. (X-Men #11)

A little bit louder, and a little bit worse. (X-Men #11)

“Hey, wanna see if we can make the Psylocke/Cyclops sexual tension even MORE uncomfortable?” (X-Men #11)

TFW you’re just thankful the control booth is lined with Mojonium(TM). (X-Men #11)

Toxic masculinity saves the day! (X-Men #11)

Mojo directing his own murder is a little bit creepy. (X-Men #11)

YOU’D THINK ONCE WOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH, BUT NO. (X-Men #11)

“Know what would be the worst, though? If we were all characters in a comic book.” (X-Men #11)

I don’t understand what’s happening around Maverick’s crotch; and frankly, I don’t care to. (X-Men #10)

This guy. (X-Men #10)

Can we get a close-up on that caption, though? (X-Men #10)

GOD FUCKING DAMNIT, HARRAS. (X-Men #10)

Thaaaaaat’s our Maverick! (X-Men #11)

It really, really looks like Professor X’s head isn’t attached to his body. (X-Men #12)

Carter Ryking has come unstuck in time, but not really. (X-Men #12)

Aw, man, it’s nice to have a reminder of why I sometimes really like these two together. (X-Men #12)

I mean, Gambit and Rogue are doing okay, so the dysfunction had to go somewhere… (X-Men #12)

ART CHALLENGE: What’s in the file? Fill in those empty pages! (X-Men #12)

And the skeletons are like, “Dude, we’re RIGHT HERE.” (X-Men #12)

While these are all valid concerns, they’d be alleviated somewhat if anyone ever bothered to draw Professor X with a decent wheelchair. Seriously, X-Men artists, DO SOME BASIC RESEARCH ON THIS. (X-Men #12)

Now there’s a guy who knows how to put the “fun” in “funeral.” (X-Men #12)

Yeah, Logan, don’t get into a feels-off with Rogue. You won’t win. (X-Men #13)

Nicieza’s Beast is really, really good. (X-Men #13)

Aw, Jubilee. (X-Men #13)

Show him what he’s won, Rusty and Skids! (X-Men #13)

NEXT EPISODE: A musical interlude with X-Factor!

As Mentioned in Episode 200 – Lightning in a Bottle, with Louise Simonson

June 3, 2018 Jay 3 comments

Listen to the episode here.

LINKS & FURTHER LISTENING:

For the beginning of Louise Simonson’s X-Factor run, check out Episode 64 – Ski Lodge of Apocalypse.
We started covering Simonson’s New Mutants run in Episode 82 – Birds and Boys.
Hear about the aftermath of Doug Ramsey’s death in Episode 91 – The Saddest Story Ever Told.
For a close look at Havok & Wolverine: Meltdown, click over to Episode 114 – Meltdown.
You can learn more about the Judgment War arc in Episode 128 – A Stupid Way to Die, and Episode 133 – Feisty Little Fellow from the Stars.
Louise previously appeared on the show–along with Chris Claremont–in Episode 168 – Live at NYCC.
(We interviewed Chris at more length in Episode 100 – Unexpected Wonder.)
And we talked a lot about the mutant metaphor and current politics in Episode 164 – This Is the Mutant Revolution: Live at Rose City Comic Con.
The new Power Pack podcast we mentioned this episode is Unpacking the Power Pack. Go give ’em a listen!

As Mentioned in Episode 199 – Space, Geeks, and Gaveedra Seven

May 27, 2018 Jay 4 comments

Listen to the episode here.

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

It’s weird, but it could be SO MUCH WEIRDER. (X-Men Annual #1)

These two really have their battle banter down to a science. (X-Men Annual #1)

Well, this is awkward in retrospect. (X-Men Annual #1)

Hi, Retrieval Team. (X-Men Annual #1)

Again: I want these characters to be SO MUCH WEIRDER. (Uncanny X-Men Annual #16)

Stop trying to make “bohunk” happen. (Uncanny X-Men Annual #16)

GOOD LORD JOE QUESADA DRAWS A TERRIFYING MOJO (Uncanny X-Men Annual #16)

This comic does not include a countdown of enemies, but if it did, #1 would definitely be condiments. (X-Factor Annual #7)

This actually explains a depressing lot about Mojoworld. (X-Factor Annual #7)

SPIRAL IS SO COOL. (X-Factor Annual #7)

Spiral X-Plains Spiral, Part 1. (X-Factor Annual #7)

Spiral X-Plains Spiral, Part 2. (X-Factor Annual #7)

Okay, getting marginally weirder, but still not quite there. (X-Force Annual #1)

You can tell he’s a big deal now because he wears his hair down. (X-Force Annual #1)

I just realized that the good Spineless Ones are named after Borscht Belt comedians. (X-Force Annual #1)

Behind every Facebook meme about positivity is this panel. (X-Force Annual #1)

Powerpax! (X-Force Annual #1)

Darkchild! (X-Force Annual #1)

Banshee! (X-Force Annual #1)

Cyberlock! (X-Force Annual #1)

Sunspot, but with a mullet! (X-Force Annual #1)

You’d think a guy who grew up on a media-saturated world would know better than to trust an administrator in a fancy hat. (X-Force Annual #1)

Kill your television. (X-Force Annual #1)

I feel really good about the fact that Longshot aged into Estelle Getty. (X-Force Annual #1)

Ignore these blueprints; they will never be followed consistently. (X-Men Annual #1)

SELF-FRIEND (X-Men Annual #1)

Remember the good ol’ days, when comics NEVER dabbled in politics or even direct allegory? *snort* (X-Men Annual #1)

“I can also cross over with DC properties, but that’s not really gonna be on the table for a while.” (Uncanny X-Men Annual #16)

Val Cooper’s subconscious is an appropriately frightening place. (X-Factor Annual #7)

NOPE. (X-Factor Annual #7)

Taki! We missed you! (X-Force Annual #1)

We’re only posting one of the many pin-ups; but DANG, it’s a good one. (X-Force Annual #1)

NEXT EPISODE: Louise Simonson!

LINKS & FURTHER READING:

For more background on Longshot and Mojoworld, listen to Episode 49 – Of Mullets and Miracles.
Get Bishop’s backstory in Episode 180 – Lawful Badass.
The Kobayashi Maru is a really fun book, if you like that kind of thing (which Jay does).
If you happen to end up in New York, the Jim Henson exhibit at the Museum of the Moving Image is AMAZING.
“Send the Marines” is Tom Lehrer’s tribute to American interventionism, and also a very catchy song.
Aside from this Onion article, I could find no information about the alleged Stretch Armstrong recall, so I suspect that story may in fact be apocryphal. -J

As Mentioned in Episode 198 – How to Destroy the Universe Without Really Trying

May 20, 2018 Jay 2 comments

Listen to the episode here!

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

Alas, the Walter Simonson cover is a false alarm. (Excalibur: Air Apparent)

Sweet threads, Brigadier! (Excalibur: Air Apparent)

Life Model Decoy life is hard. (Excalibur: Air Apparent)

At this point, she should really just change her code name to “Ripley.” (Excalibur: Air Apparent)

Thiiiiiiiiis guy. (Excalibur: Air Apparent)

“Maybe, like, a buck fifty?” (Excalibur: Air Apparent)

And that’s why we don’t experiment on ourselves, Dr. Cayre. (Excalibur: Air Apparent)

Air-Walker is a cyborg who loves his work. (Excalibur: Air Apparent)

And now, a whole bunch of Lockheed making really good shifty faces! (Excalibur: Air Apparent)

Seriously, it’s basically just this for like six images. (Excalibur: Air Apparent)

What, you thought I was joking? (Excalibur: Air Apparent)

I was not joking. (Excalibur: Air Apparent)

(Okay, fine, I also threw in a Captain Britain suit on fire.) (Excalibur: Air Apparent)

But here’s one more Lockheed, for good measure! (Excalibur: Air Apparent)

“Remember when I basically destroyed the universe? Good times!” (Excalibur: Air Apparent)

Well, it’s no Excalibur #41 or 52, but I guess it’ll do. (Excalibur: XX Crossing)

He’s got style, I’ll give him that. (Excalibur: XX Crossing)

Doom is a tough audience. (Excalibur: XX Crossing)

Scott Summers: hopelessly uncool in just about any time period. (Excalibur: XX Crossing)

World War II Angel may in fact be the best Angel. Dang! (Excalibur: XX Crossing)

But what could it be?! (Excalibur: XX Crossing)

IT’S A HONKER OF DOOM! (Excalibur: XX Crossing)

Sure, why not? (Excalibur: XX Crossing)

This is one of those costumes that really only works in specific art styles; but this is one of them. (Excalibur: XX Crossing)

I mean, he is kind of a notorious dick… (Excalibur: XX Crossing)

He died as he lived: crushed under a tower of word balloons. (Excalibur: XX Crossing)

That Kitty and Bobby briefly dated later makes this much funnier. (Excalibur: XX Crossing)

NEXT EPISODE: Shattershot!

LINKS & FURTHER READING:

How to Snakes is one of the best things on YouTube. Watch, listen, and learn.
Our RoboCop Remake is amazing and ABSOLUTELY NOT SAFE FOR WORK. You’ve been warned.
This Monty Python sketch may clarify a few of Jay’s more bizarre moments in this episode.
To learn all about Honkers, listen to Episode 197 – Wolverine and the Honker of Doom.

As Mentioned in Episode 197 – Wolverine and the Honker of Doom

May 13, 2018 Jay 6 comments

Listen to the episode here.

“Just follow your heart,” Jay told David.

We have no idea how accurate this depiction of Kamehameha Day is; but from what we’ve read, it sounds like a really cool holiday. (Wolverine: Bloody Choices)

Our villains. (Wolverine: Bloody Choices)

Also a villain. (The doctor, not the kid. The kid is just super doomed.) (Wolverine: Bloody Choices)

Nick Fury writes like a twelve-year-old girl, and that makes me so happy. (Wolverine: Bloody Choices)

Wolverine rising from bodies of water: never not rad. (Wolverine: Bloody Choices)

Meanwhile in a history that might have been… (Wolverine: Bloody Choices)

“Turtleneck Dracula” doesn’t quite have the same ring to it, bro. (Wolverine: Bloody Choices)

I really legitimately love this dude’s design. (Wolverine: Bloody Choices)

Seriously. Wolverine. Moonlight. Bodies of water. It’s a thing. (Wolverine: Bloody Choices)

Despite evidence to the contrary, Shiv’s head is neither exploding nor severed in this panel. (Wolverine: Bloody Choices)

It’s hard to be a grown-up, Wolverine. (Wolverine: Bloody Choices)

“I’m ALSO sorry that S.H.I.E.L.D. never figured out a less passive-aggressive way to apologize.” (Wolverine: Bloody Choices)

“Dear Diary, nobody understands me.” (Wolverine: Bloody Choices)

The second-best time Wolverine blew up a helicopter. (Wolverine: Bloody Choices)

And they all lived happily ever after. (Wolverine: Bloody Choices)

Damn, Fury, get some better mementos. (Wolverine: The Jungle Adventure)

Dude sneaking up behind Wolverine is about to have the most anticlimactic day of his life. (Wolverine: The Jungle Adventure)

Gahck is awesome. In other news, I’m really upset about the vertical spacing in that third balloon. (Wolverine: The Jungle Adventure)

SPINY HONKER (Wolverine: The Jungle Adventure)

Once more for the back row: THE HONKER OF DOOM! (Wolverine: The Jungle Adventure)

I’m really just including this panel for the phrase “great rogue honker.” (Wolverine: The Jungle Adventure)

THE HONKER OF DOOM! (Wolverine: The Jungle Adventure)

Gahck has no time for your nonsense. (Wolverine: The Jungle Adventure)

He looks so happy! (Wolverine: The Jungle Adventure)

Probably feasible? Maybe? Ehh, it’s Wolverine, we’ll allow it. (Wolverine: The Jungle Adventure)

I feel you, Robopocalypse. (Wolverine: The Jungle Adventure)

“Once you’re one of my horsemen, of course, you’ll have access to an excellent Employee Assistance Program, as well as paid time off!” (Wolverine: The Jungle Adventure)

Wolverine has a LOT of semicanonical kids floating around the Marvel Universe. (Wolverine: The Jungle Adventure)

NEXT EPISODE: Excalibur vs. the X-Men, kind of!

LINKS & FURTHER READING:

Come see us at FlameCon!
We covered Wolverine: Bloodlust in episode 190 – Local Yokels.
Glen Danzig was in fact briefly in the running for the role of Wolverine. (Don Adams, alas, was not.)
Dirty chai is chai tea with a shot of espresso. And now you know.
Sorry about that, Chief!
Here’s the Hawkeye fan film Miles mentioned!
Cargo Cults are really interesting.

As Mentioned in Episode 196 – The Power Is Yours

May 6, 2018 Jay 2 comments

Listen to the episode here.

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

Look at these heroes being all heroic! (Excalibur #48)

Feron. (Excalibur #48)

Poor Rachel; like her *actual* memories aren’t traumatic enough on their own… (Excalibur #48)

Kyluun is a serious hero with serious skills… (Excalibur #48)

…mostly. (Excalibur #48)

Meet the new Widget. (Excalibur #48)

Aw, man, I LIKED that logo. (Excalibur #49)

The cross-time incursions in this issue are really fun. (Excalibur #49)

No, seriously. (Excalibur #49)

I like to imagine them all getting together and drinking tea and just sort of looking shell-shocked in quiet sympathy. (Excalibur #49)

“Quick, check for pouches!” (Excalibur #49)

Meanwhile in the multiverse… (Excalibur #49)

Ugh, THAT GUY. (Excalibur #49)

Props to introducing the new logo as a punchline to the previous cover. (Excalibur #50)

Kitty Pryde running into walls: never not funny. (Excalibur #50)

‘Kay. (Excalibur #50)

And in that moment, we were all Alistaire. (Excalibur #50)

His hands are huge and they can touch anything but themselves. (Excalibur #50)

HELL, YEAH. (Excalibur #50)

And THAT’S how you do an epic space battle. (Excalibur #50)

So there. (Excalibur #50)

UGHHHHH, THIS JERK. (Excalibur #50)

If I could remember the episode where I’d first made the “shoddy capitalist workmanship” joke, this caption would definitely be a callback to that. (Excalibur #50)

*Rimshot* (Excalibur #50)

NEXT EPISODE: Wolverine is pretty short.

LINKS & FURTHER READING

Apparently the dead mail-order monkeys were apocryphal, although we were able to dig up some fairly nightmarish accounts of live mail-order monkeys. …Yay?