cyclops – Page 22 – Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men

105 – Live from ECCC with Kris Anka, Al Ewing, Scott Koblish, and G. Willow Wilson

April 17, 2016 Jay 17 comments

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | RSS

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original.

In which continuity has its eyes on you; the multiverse is so complex that we have to drag Al Ewing out of the audience to X-plain it; the X-Men mean a lot of different (but mostly compatible) things to all of us; we will accept any retcons necessary to maintain Magneto’s history as a Holocaust survivor; and ECCC rocks our world.

X-PLAINED:

Secret Wars
Alternate universes vs. alternate timelines
Multiversal problem-solving
New Arcadia
Definitive alternate-timeline X-Men
The weird joy of reading comics out of order
That one alternate timeline where Storm has a leather jacket and is hooking up with Wolverine
The only happy Cyclops in the multiverse
What makes the X-Men the X-Men
Intersections we’d like to see explored in canon
The appeal of universe-hopping
Relative ratios of metaphors to punching
Proof of concept in comics publishing
Battleworld characters we’d like to import into the 616.1
Which X-Men should get solo series

NEXT WEEK: X-Terminators!

CORRECTION: During the panel, Jay claimed that Spider-Man had been married for their entire life. Jay was in fact five years old when Spider-Man got married. We regret the error, but maintain our stance that Spider-Man is totally married.

You can find links to all our ECCC coverage–as well as a live video of the Hamilton cold open, from the Phoenix Comics party–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!

Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

The Whole Cyclops Has a Good Day Sketchbook, as of April 2016

April 14, 2016 Jay 13 comments

Jay here! Because a handful of people have asked for them all in one place, here are the full current contents of the Cyclops Has a Good Day sketchbook, in chronological order.

(In the name of being precise about these kinds of things, I should note that these are not all of the Cyclops Has a Good Day drawings that I have–there are a good 6-10ish that are free-floating or digital–just the ones in the official sketchbook. I may add the others later, but they’re somewhat more scattered at the moment.)

Tyler Crook

Meredith McClaren

Dean Trippe

Steve Lieber

Doc Shaner

Pete Woods

Maris Wicks

Stephanie Lantry

Matt Grigsby

Ibrahim Moustafa

Katie Cook

Kris Anka

Bill Sienkiewicz

Joe Quinones

Art Baltazar

Scott Wegener

Janet K. Lee

Al Ewing

Alex Sanchez

Peter V. Nguyen

Jake Wyatt

Erica Henderson

Dylan Meconis

Ron Randall

Cully Hamner

David Wynne

Scott Koblish

Tea Berryblue

Jessi Jordan

As Mentioned in Episode 102 – Baby Race 2000

March 30, 2016 Jay 6 comments

Listen to the episode here.

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original.

Okay, then. (X-Factor #32)

I wanna hang out there. (X-Factor #32)

Please note that Boom Boom pauses to put on sunglasses before doing cool cool stuff. Boom Boom knows what’s up. (X-Factor #32)

MVP. (X-Factor #32)

Well, that’s certainly one way to do that. (X-Factor #33)

In Boom Boom’s defense, shopping is terrible. (X-Factor #33)

Go set something on fire for justice, kiddo! (X-Factor #33)

BEAST! We missed you! (X-Factor #33)

Y’know, most people would just send a C&D. (X-Factor #33)

Kinda answered your own question, there, buddy. (X-Factor #34)

Nanny and the Orphan-Maker walk the line between sad and terrifying SO beautifully. (X-Factor #34)

N’astirh got no time for your rationalizations, Hodge. (X-Factor #34)

Later, he’s going to go home and listen to Stabbing Westward in the dark. (X-Factor #34)

Aw. (X-Factor #34)

It’s okay. He’ll be back. (X-Factor #34)

Yes, Warren, we get it. (X-Factor #34)

Welcome to the State Home for Gaslighting. Hope you survive the… (X-Factor #35)

Worst. Orphanage. Ever. (X-Factor #35)

GAH. There is literally nothing in this issue that is not wildly unsettling. (X-Factor #35)

The orphanage is a metaphor that is also a real fictional orphanage. (X-Factor #35)

‘Kay. (X-Factor #35)

Sometimes you gotta prioritize. (X-Factor #35)

NEXT WEEK: Excalibur goes ongoing!

102 – Baby Race 2000

March 27, 2016 Jay 30 comments

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | RSS

In which Beast’s DNA is basically held together with spit and baling wire; Boom Boom wins MVP; Angel goes full goth; Cameron Hodge loses his head; Cyclops is basically a Silent Hill protagonist; and the Nebraska Department of Social Services is probably not adequately equipped to deal with Mister Sinister.

X-PLAINED:

The Horsemen of Death
X-Factor #32-35
Xartans
Superheroic triage
A vague prophecy
Fake Avengers
Fake-band disambiguation
KiLLeR DWaRfS
Crippled Puppies
Audiophile Apocalypse
Shopping
Dubiously zealous trademark protection
Acronym disambiguation
The death of Candy Southern
The not-exactly death of Cameron Hodge
Nanny
Orphan-Maker
Baby Race 2000
An orphanage that is also a metaphor
Unreliable narration
The dubious partnership of Mister Sinister and Apocalypse
Best iterations of Boom Boom

NEXT EPISODE: Excalibur goes ongoing!

InfernoWatch

Malicious inanimate objects
Early signs of Marvel Girl’s returning telepathy
First clues of Cyclops’s connection to Sinister
First mention of Goblin Queen by name

You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog!

Find us on iTunes or Stitcher!

Hang out with us on Imzy!

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 prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

100 – Unexpected Wonder, with Chris Claremont

March 13, 2016 Jay 88 comments

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | RSS

In which Miles follows his heart; subtext becomes text; and we celebrate a very special milestone with a very special guest.

NEXT EPISODE: Gossamyr

For a comprehensive visual companion to this episode, we recommend reading Uncanny X-Men #94-279, 381-389, and 444-473; X-Men vol. 1 #59; X-Men vol. 2 #1-3, 100-109, and 165; New Mutants #1-54, 63, and 81; Excalibur vol. 1 #1-19, 21-25, 27, and 32-34; X-Treme X-Men #1-46; X-Men Forever #1-25; and dozens of additional annuals, miniseries, ongoings, one-shots, graphic novels, and more.

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!

Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

Jay Recaps X-Men: Evolution
S1E9: Survival of the Fittest

March 8, 2016 Jay 20 comments

I can summarize most episodes of X-Men: Evolution from memory, in a fair degree of detail; so it surprised me when, in reviewing the Season 1 roster, I realized I recalled almost nothing of “Survival of the Fittest” beyond the fact that it involved some kind of summer camp scenario. When I started to watch, I realized why: in a season where even the bad episodes are usually entertaining, this one is just boring as all hell.

On my first pass, I stopped taking notes five minutes in, because nothing was happening. By the halfway mark, I was actively fantasizing about watching paint dry.¹ But I am nothing if not committed, readers. I promised you a recap, and a recap you would have, come hell or high water.

Ah, well. At least I get to judge cartoon teenagers for their fashion choices.

Jay Recaps X-Men: Evolution
S1E8: SpykeCam

February 23, 2016 Jay 23 comments

Oh, Evolution Season One. You try so hard. And sometimes you hit your mark: sometimes it’s “Turn of the Rogue.”

And then, sometimes, it’s “SpykeCam.”

Here’s the thing about Spyke: he’s a character born of good intentions and just stunningly thin execution. He’s got a lot of potential, but the actual episodes that focus on him–which are fairly few and far between–and his eventual, deeply dubious fate are almost universally weak. I want to like this dude, and sometimes I really do–but often, it’s in spite of, not because of, the stories built around him.

Ah, well. We’ll always have Dracula: The Rock Musical.

As Mentioned in Episode 96 – Horsemen of the Playground

February 14, 2016 Jay 4 comments

Listen to the episode here.

Art by David Wynne. Prints, cards, and travel mugs available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original.

How you know a psychic event is a big deal: the cross-franchise reaction montage! (X-Factor Annual #3)

Well, that’s certainly one way to stage an intervention. (X-Factor Annual #3)

These delightful scamps. (X-Factor Annual #3)

Warlock, never change. (New Mutants Annual #4)

Can we have a moment of rapt silence for how well June Brigman draws body language? (New Mutants Annual #4)

The High Evolutionary’s head scientist, Stack, appears to be dual-wielding a cane and a staple gun. Because, evolution. (New Mutants Annual #4)

“On Wednesdays, we wear pink.” (New Mutants Annual #4)

Hell, yeah, equal-opportunity battle lingerie! (Well, except for Magneto, but he marches to the beat of his own fuchsia drum.) (New Mutants Annual #4)

Horses: totally the worst. (New Mutants Annual #4)

The scene that blew tiny Miles’s tiny mind. (Uncanny X-Men Annual #12)

AND THAT’S WHY YOU ALWAYS LEAVE A NOTE. (Uncanny X-Men Annual #12)

Man, if we had a dollar for every time that happened… (Uncanny X-Men Annual #12)

POIT: Definitely the cutest sound effect. (Uncanny X-Men Annual #12)

In which Alex comes *this close* to the realization that Charles Xavier is totally a supervillain. (Uncanny X-Men Annual #12)

SURE, WHY NOT? (Uncanny X-Men Annual #12)

Remember the time Storm had adventures on pirate space city on the back of a flying wolf? Because that was definitely a thing that actually happened. (Classic X-Men #22)

Oh, THAT guy. (Uncanny X-Men Annual #12)

I’m not actually certain they ever followed up on this. (Uncanny X-Men Annual #12)

It’s kind of a shame this logo didn’t stick around, because it’s pretty sweet. (Uncanny X-Men Annual #12)

NEXT EPISODE: Captain Britain!

96 – Horsemen of the Playground

February 14, 2016 Jay 63 comments

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | RSS

In which we play Evolutionary War Mad-Libs; it’s probably a bad sign when Apocalypse decides you need an intervention; Dani is (briefly) the new Doug; horses are jerks; it’s probably really dangerous to be Longshot; Storm has the coolest friends; the High Evolutionary is very high indeed; and we make a (very token) nod to Valentine’s Day.

X-PLAINED:

Secret Origins of the High Evolutionary
Evolutionary War
The actual history of eugenics in America
X-Factor Annual #3
New Mutants Annual #4
Uncanny X-Men Annual #12
Classic X-Men #22
Purifiers (but not those purifiers)
Stack
Purge
How to tell when an event has major psychic repercussions
A Silver-Age callback
An Apocalypse-style intervention
Toga Steve (Val-Or)
The return of Bulk and Glow Worm
Equal-opportunity Hellfire lingerie
Mirage’s power upgrade
Miles vs. puberty vs. Uncanny X-Men
The coolest civilization ever
Colossus’s illegitimate kid
The cutest sound effect
Origins of the Scott/Jean/Logan love triangle
Stuff Jay likes and Miles doesn’t
The Elle Collins Theory of Podcast Roles

NEXT EPISODE: Captain Britain!

You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog!

Find us on iTunes or Stitcher!

Rachel 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 prints (or travel mugs) of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

As Mentioned in Episode 94 – WELCOME TO DIE!

January 31, 2016 Miles 13 comments

Listen to the episode here!

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original.

Pryde of the X-Men‘s character designs are pretty damned comics-accurate, if slightly pastel. (I guess Kitty would have gotten her Shadowcat costume later?)