Danielle Moonstar – Page 9 – Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men

As Mentioned in Episode 53 – Sometimes They Come Back

April 20, 2015 Jay 13 comments

Listen to the episode here!

Cyclops has mixed feelings about fatherhood. (Uncanny X-Men #201)

Rick Leonardi is so good. (Uncanny X-Men #201)

Let’s pause for a moment to admire Rachel’s super sharp outfit. Those yellow shoes! (Uncanny X-Men #201)

Not actually story-relevant. I just really like this panel. (Uncanny X-Men #201)

You do you, Rogue. (Uncanny X-Men #201)

Madelyne Was Right. (Uncanny X-Men #201)

Look at Magneto on the end, like, “I’m a supervillain, and I think these people are out of their damn minds.” (Uncanny X-Men #201)

Like the outcome was ever in question. Also, how awesome is Leonardi’s Storm? So awesome. (Uncanny X-Men #201)

Cyclops’s father issues are basically their own character in this issue.

Grey house break-in #1 of 2. (Uncanny X-Men #201)

Love, love, love the way Mary Wilshire draws contemporary fashion–and uses it as a subtle storytelling element. (New Mutants #35)

This is what happens when, between the inks and the colors, someone decides you can’t show characters in just their underwear. (New Mutants #35)

Lee Forrester has no time for your ridiculous superhero hijinks. Lady’s got a job to do. (New Mutants #35)

Fun Fact: This poppy-field environment first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #175, where Cyclops used it to take down Rogue. (New Mutants #35)

On one hand: poor Warlock. On the other hand: I LOVE THIS PANEL SO MUCH. (New Mutants #35)

THE MIRACLE OF MAGNETISM! (New Mutants #35)

Horses are fucking terrifying. (New Mutants #35)

Warloooooooooock. (New Mutants #35)

Sienkiewicz eyebrows are the best eyebrows. (New Mutants #35)

Magneto is the cool teacher. (New Mutants #35)

This is what happens when you flout FAA guidelines for the safe transport of Kirby dots. (Avengers #263)

GOOD QUESTION, Captain Marvel! (Avengers #263)

Spoiler: This entire plot line is a pointless red herring. (Avengers #263)

Bonus Namor abs for you. (Avengers #263)

WHAT A SHOCKING TWIST! (Avengers #263)

If no one sends in lyrics to “Like a Phoenix,” we’re going to be kind of disappointed. (Fantastic Four #286)

1) Those credits, man. 2) THAT EPIGRAM. (Fantastic Four #286)

Look at She-Hulk and Hercules being all charming in the background. (Fantastic Four #286)

Hi, Jean. We missed you, too. (Fantastic Four #286)

“Also, there’s no way any actual human being would get that haircut.” (Fantastic Four #286)

Grey house break-in #2. Doesn’t anyone ever think to call ahead? (Fantastic Four #286)

Beast X-plains the Dark Phoenix Saga. (Fantastic Four #286)

“I’m a retcon, Jean. Just run with it.” (Fantastic Four #286)

Aw. (Fantastic Four #286)

Classic X-Men #8 does the whole thing over again, somewhat more graphically.

Next Week: X-Factor begins (for real, this time)!

53 – Sometimes They Come Back

April 20, 2015 Jay 35 comments

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Rachel screwed up and accidentally gave David material for episode 54 instead of 53, so there's no illustration this week. Instead, we offer both our sincere apologies and this photo of Miles dressed up as Mister Sinister at a costume party. — Rachel screwed up and accidentally gave David material for episode 54 instead of 53, so there’s no illustration this week. Instead, we offer both our sincere apologies and this photo of Miles dressed up as Mister Sinister for a costume party.

In which Wolverine doesn’t care about your baby; Storm takes charge; duels are terrible bases for systems of government; editorial mandate is hell on a marriage; Magneto is a pretty cool teacher; Jean Grey comes back; and we have mixed feelings about the Phoenix retcon.

X-PLAINED:

Kenji Uedo
Uncanny X-Men #201
New Mutants #35
Avengers #263
Fantastic Four #286
Classic X-Men #8
The post-Trial of Magneto status quo
Nathan Christopher Charles Summers
A small cross-section of Cyclops’s myriad issues
The wrong means to the right end
Magneto’s educational philosophy
The politics of creative credits
“You Know Who”
The Phoenix retcon
Several unrelated break-ins
The return of Jean Grey
Jean and the Phoenix Force
Alternate-timeline Madelynes Pryor
Jean Grey’s code names

NEXT WEEK: X-Factor begins! (for real, this time – sorry about that SNAFU!)

You can find a companion index to the material mentioned in 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!

As Mentioned in Episode 48 – Guitar Solos of the Gods

March 15, 2015 Jay 24 comments

Listen to the episode here!

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 3/22/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original.

X-Men! (X-Men Annual #9)

New Mutants! (X-Men Annual #9)

Check out the gorgeous John R. Neill homage going on in that title card. (New Mutants Special Edition #1)

Karma, transformed. Adams draws her very differently–both more realistically and more recognizably–than Sienkiewicz or Leialoha; and it would be awesome to see a superhero with this as their default shape. (New Mutants Special Edition #1)

Marvel Asgard is basically the land of metal album covers. (New Mutants Special Edition #1)

Aw, Doug. No one appreciates you. (New Mutants Special Edition #1)

Asgardian Wars is chock full of pop-culture cameos and references. (New Mutants Special Edition #1)

GET IT? Not if you weren’t reading Longshot as it was coming out! (New Mutants Special Edition #1)

Warlock in a nutshell. (New Mutants Special Edition #1)

Bobby has found his element. (New Mutants Special Edition #1)

AMARA, WHAT IS THE FIRST RULE OF DEALING WITH FAIRIES? (New Mutants Special Edition #1)

The hands-down most awesome variation on the Darkchylde design. If only this had stuck around. (New Mutants Special Edition #1)

No, seriously, Shan is literally on Arrakis. (New Mutants Special Edition #1)

THE WARRIORS THREE ARE THE BEST AND ANYONE WHO TELLS YOU OTHERWISE IS FULL OF WRONG. (New Mutants Special Edition #1)

Fire-elf Magma. (New Mutants Special Edition #1)

Throughout the nine realms, skalds sing of the masterwork fire extinguishers of Nidavellir. (New Mutants Special Edition #1)

The Dani-becomes-a-Valkyrie arc reminds me of the thing where literally everyone else realizes you’re queer before you do. (New Mutants Special Edition #1)

Another Darkchylde panel, because this costume is just so damn good. (New Mutants Special Edition #1)

IT’S STORM AND SHE’S A HAWK AND SHE HAS A TEENY MOHAWK. That’s all. Carry on with your business. (New Mutants Special Edition #1)

Those title cards, though. (X-Men Annual #9)

What, don’t you have a psychic link with your “roommate”? (X-Men Annual #9)

‘Kay. (X-Men Annual #9)

TOO SOON, RACHEL. TOO SOON. (X-Men Annual #9)

Because I was raised by bleeding-heart feminists in the ’80s, I now have “Free to Be… You and Me” stuck in my head. THANKS, CLAREMONT. (X-Men Annual #9)

Aw, man. (X-Men Annual #9)

I want to see a “What If” splinter story where Sam is an epic hero and also basically Carrot from Discworld. I mean, there kind of is one–“What if the New Mutants Had Stayed in Asgard”–but still. MORE. (X-Men Annual #9)

DANI LITERALLY NO ONE IN THIS ROOM HAS PHYSICAL POWERS. (X-Men Annual #9)

Art Adams draws awesome Warlock. (X-Men Annual #9)

WOLF MAKEOUTS! (X-Men Annual #9)

Subtext: Not just for the ladies! (X-Men Annual #9)

This isn’t directly relevant to the episode. It’s just awesome. (X-Men Annual #9)

NOW LET’S GO DEFEAT THE FRENCH! (X-Men Annual #9)

It’s no KRAKADOOM, but I guess it’ll do. (X-Men Annual #9)

Dani is THE BEST VALKYRIE. (X-Men Annual #9)

“Well, at least I have this 1/6-scale statuette to keep me company.” (X-Men Annual #9)

NEXT WEEK: Rachel and Miles get lucky.

LINKS AND FURTHER READING:

The Mighty Thor #362 is one of the best issues of one of the best runs in Marvel history.
For craft wonks, we recommend the hell out of the Thor Artist’s Edition, if you can get your hands on a copy.
Actually, you know what? Just go read the whole Simonson run, right now. It’s collected and available in a bunch of forms. You won’t regret it. we promise.
Once you’re done reading Thor, go watch Leverage, because it is wonderful.

48 – Guitar Solos of the Gods

March 15, 2015 Jay 36 comments

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Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 3/22/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original.

In which Asgardian Wars occupies the precise intersection of Miles’s favorite things; Marvel Asgard is your favorite metal album; no one appreciates Cypher; Wolfsbane gets some action; Warlock gets meta; Cannonball is a catch; Rachel Summers gets a new costume; Loki does Shakespeare; and Rachel overthinks Leverage.

X-PLAINED:

Various Mjolnirs and their attendant powers
Asgardian Wars
New Mutants Special Edition #1
X-Men Annual #9
The Surtwar
Art Adams
Amora the Enchantress
Lorelei
Several pop culture cameos
A really dubious beach party
The Viking Sorceress Asgardian Portrait of Dorian Grey
Ed Grimley
Hrimhari
Wolf makeouts
The Marvel version of Norse mythology
The Warriors Three
Rule #1 of dealing with fairies
A hawk ‘hawk
Valkyries
Einherjar
A costume in somewhat questionable taste
Interdimensional lightning-bolt mixology
Our favorite Thor story, ever
How to get your friends and neighbors into comics
Asgardian mutants (or lack thereof)
X-Leverage cross-casting

NEXT WEEK: Longshot!

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

Find us on iTunes or Stitcher!

Support us on Patreon!

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

46 – Shadows Over Cairo

March 1, 2015 Jay 24 comments

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Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available until 3/8/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original.

In which we bid a fond farewell to Bill Sienkiewicz; Secret Wars II continues to ruin everything; the New Mutants end up in an improbable number of gladiatorial arenas; Shadowcat’s secondary mutation is queer subtext; Magik gives no fucks about your crossover event; Warlock transcends storytelling conventions; and Karma rejoins the team.

X-PLAINED:

The chronologically inconsistent mobility of Professor Xavier
The Shadow King
New Mutants #29-34
Steve Leialoha
The Arena (more) (again)
Evil group projects
Easter eggs
Rachel Summers: butch fashion icon
Some major failures of positive size diversity in comics
Madripoor
Ashake
The incredible changing Guthries
The wickedest club in Cairo
Default X-teams
Cypher’s powers

NEXT WEEK: Miles and Elisabeth Allie X-Plain X-Men / Alpha Flight

No visual companion this week, because, reasons.

Find us on iTunes or Stitcher!

Support us on Patreon!

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

As Mentioned in Episode 44 – Assembling Legion, with Si Spurrier

February 15, 2015 Jay 7 comments

Listen to the episode here!

Art by David Wynne. Prints, cards, and travel mugs available until 2/22/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original.

Ruth and Luca Aldine. (X-Men: Legacy vol. 2 #5)

Our introduction to Legion. (New Mutants #25)

Legion has consistently inspired some of the best covers in Marvel’s lineup. (New Mutants #26)

DON’T WEAR FRINGED BOOTS TO THE GYM, TOM CORSI. DON’T DO THAT. (New Mutants #26)

That creepy laughter is so awesome. (New Mutants #26)

VVTOOOOM! (New Mutants #26)

Warlock is the best ever, forever. (New Mutants #26)

WARLOCK IS THE BEST EVER, FOREVER. (New Mutants #26)

Not gonna lie: watching the White Queen take Empath to task was pretty satisfying. (New Mutants #26)

Warlock is not super good at being human, and it is charming as hell. (New Mutants #26)

In which Charles Xavier owns some fairly heinous shit. (New Mutants #26)

No, seriously: Legion covers are pretty much always top notch. (New Mutants #27)

Next time you watch Pink Floyd’s The Wall, pretend it’s about Legion and Professor X. It works surprisingly well. (New Mutants #27)

Jack, Jemail, Cyndi–and David. (New Mutants #27)

Legion’s mindscape. It’s not a Demon Bear, but it’ll do. (New Mutants #27)

Does Jack Wayne scare you? He should. (New Mutants #27)

Cyndi: your angry teenager’s inner angry teenager. (New Mutants #27)

Who needs nuance when you can straight-up stab a dude instead? (New Mutants #27)

Love, love, love this title page. (New Mutants #28)

Lee Forrester contemplates consent, power dynamics, and maybe also Lovecraftian horrors. (New Mutants #28)

The last panel is, of course, a lie. (New Mutants #28)

The first time Legion broke the Marvel Universe. (X-Men vol. 2 #41)

The second time Legion broke the Marvel Universe. (X-Men: Legacy vol. 1 #248)

Legion’s mental prison, at the beginning of X-Men: Legacy vol. 2 #1…

…and after the jailbreak in X-Men: Legacy vol. 2 #2.

The Origamist. (X-Men: Legacy vol. 2 #4)

It is entirely fair to judge X-Men: Legacy vol. 2 by Mike Del Mundo’s gorgeous, brilliant covers.

Seriously, look at this. They are all this good. (X-Men: Legacy vol. 2 #6)

Professor Y. (X-Men: Legacy vol. 2 #6)

Next Week: We were going to cover a whole bunch of X-Men, but we ended up spending the whole time talking about Storm and Lifedeath II. WE REGRET NOTHING.

LINKS AND FURTHER READING:

44 – Assembling Legion, with Si Spurrier

February 15, 2015 Jay 18 comments

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | RSS

In which Legion grows from setting to protagonist; Rachel is a master of narrative rationalization; “Claremont” is a verb; Warlock befriends an airplane; Xavier owns a significant mistake; New Mutants does a deep dive into power dynamics; you should go read X-Men: Legacy already; and Si reveals the true secret nature of reality.

X-PLAINED:

Blindfold (Ruth Aldine)
Luca Aldine
Legion (David Haller)
Mental illness in fiction
New Mutants #26-28
Socialized medicine
Appropriate gym apparel
Rachel’s favorite scene from any X-book, ever
Claremonting
Jack Wayne
Cyndi
Jemail Karami
Roughly 20 years of condensed continuity
The Age of Apocalypse
Age of X
X-Men: Legacy vol. 2
Father issues
David Haller’s accent
The Origamist
Santi Sardina
A visual metaphor
The true secret nature of reality
Professor Y
The Franklin Richards Universe Hypothesis

NEXT WEEK: Spotlight on Storm

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

Find us on iTunes or Stitcher!

Support us on Patreon!

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

As Mentioned in Episode 39 – Forever Alone Together

January 11, 2015 Jay 17 comments

Listen to the podcast here!

Art by David Wynne. Prints and travel mugs available until 1/11/2015 in the shop, or contact David for the original.

The Amazing Nightcrawler, drawn by The Amazing Sienkiewicz! (New Mutants #22)

Nightcrawler is a pretty awesome teacher; it’d have been cool to see more of him in this capacity. (New Mutants #22)

Aw, Rahne. (New Mutants #22)

Well, that escalated quickly. (New Mutants #22)

AW, RAHNE. (New Mutants #22)

The villains of Rahne’s fairy tale look awfully familiar. (New Mutants #22)

Back to those guys shortly. First: Cats! (Marvel Team-Up Annual #6)

Ohhhh, hey, it’s Cloak and Dagger! (Marvel Team-Up Annual #6)

Spider-Man spends a lot of this issue lurking around and providing exposition. (Marvel Team-Up Annual #6)

“I mean, dude, the title of the book is Marvel Team-Up, not Marvel Let’s Fight in a Church.” (Marvel Team-Up Annual #6)

“How did you guess you were on a butcher block? I mean, aside from that it’s a big square table and you’re in a slaughterhouse and everything probably smells like blood and… NOPE! DEFINTELY SUPERPOWERS AT WORK!” (Marvel Team-Up Annual #6)

What?! Dude, it’s not even addictive. That’s the stupidest evil plan ever. (Marvel Team-Up Annual #6)

This isn’t really relevant to the episode; it’s just hilarious. (Marvel Team-Up Annual #6)

NONE MORE GOTH (Marvel Team-Up Annual #6)

Wait, what? (Marvel Team-Up Annual #6)

‘Kay. (Marvel Team-Up Annual #6)

Spider-Man’s “Yeah.” in that last panel, though. (Marvel Team-Up Annual #6)

THAT COVER. (New Mutants #23)

“On Wednesdays, we dress glam.” (New Mutants #23)

Harry’s Hideaway is basically the Heartbreak Hotel of Salem Center, but like a million times less awesome. Still awesome, mind, but the Heartbreak Hotel sets a high bar. (New Mutants #23)

It’s really easy to forget that the X-Men are also kind of officially students? Maybe? Sometimes? (New Mutants #23)

At this point, New Mutants is basically the Sam and Dani Show, and we are 100% down with that. (New Mutants #23)

Aw, Rahne. (New Mutants #23)

WELL, THAT CAN’T BE GOOD. (New Mutants #23)

That is… an awfully Demon Bear-looking Sunspot on that cover. Not that we’re complaining, mind. (New Mutants #24)

Now you don’t need to read Marvel Team-Up Annual #6! You’re welcome! (New Mutants #24)

Indulge us in a momentary digression to make note of Magneto’s fancy hair. (New Mutants #24)

Like Rogue, we are firmly on Sam’s team on this one. (New Mutants #24)

Oops. (New Mutants #24)

We’re not sure whose fault they are, but we’re really, really into the way some combination of Claremont, Orzechowski, and Sienkiewicz uses captions and arrows in this book in general, and this spread in particular. (New Mutants #25)

GIANT BLUE XAVIER HEAD! (With some paradoxically good advice, but still. GIANT BLUE XAVIER HEAD!) (New Mutants #25)

‘Kay. (New Mutants #25)

I really want them to just yell “NONE MORE GOTH” every time they teleport away. (New Mutants #25)

Illyana may be sleepy, but she’s not wrong. (New Mutants #25)

NONE MORE GOTH! (New Mutants #25)

NEXT WEEK: We talk to G. Willow Wilson! She talks to us! ALSO: X-MEN!

Links and Further Reading:

Information and links to donate toward Bill Mantlo’s ongoing care
(You can also send physical donations–and cards and letters–addressed as follows:
Mike Mantlo
26364 East Pintail Road
Long Neck, DE 19966
Please make out any checks to “Michael Mantlo” — Bill’s legal guardian.)
The Hero Initiative
Waiting for the T is absolutely delightful, and if you’re not already reading it, we acutely envy you the experience of going back through the archives for the first time.
- (Specifically apropos of the Maximoffs: 1, 2)

39 – Forever Alone Together

January 11, 2015 Jay 8 comments

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | RSS

In which Miles and his Doom voice return triumphant; we reach an understanding regarding Lila Cheney; Mob science is pretty shoddy; Magneto has fancy hair; New Mutants Xavier is Best Xavier; no one is more goth than Cloak and Dagger; and you can have Rachel’s Speed Racer references when you pry them from her cold, dead hands.

X-Plained: