moira mactaggert – Page 10 – Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men

44 – Assembling Legion, with Si Spurrier

February 15, 2015 Jay 18 comments

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

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

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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:

Spider-Man crossovers
Cats
Marvel Team-Up Annual #6
New Mutants #22-25
Phone calls with bears
Glam day at the Hellfire Club
Rahne’s fairytale
Cloak & Dagger
Drugs
Eldritch curtains
A seriously flawed evil plan
Harry’s Hideaway
The Sam and Dani Show
Magneto’s hair
Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch’s parentage
Waiting for the T
Whether Cloak and Dagger are mutants
How to buy original art

NEXT WEEK: G. Willow Wilson!

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 26 – The Other Team America (featuring Chris Sims)

October 14, 2014 Jay 5 comments

Listen to the episode here!

Art by David Wynne!

Bobby is so very Bobby. (New Mutants #1)

Yeah, so, Dani, maybe get a handle on that. (New Mutants #1)

Remember, at this point, as far as everyone on Earth knew, the X-Men were dead. (New Mutants #1)

Oh, Storm. (New Mutants #1)

Meanwhile on Muir Island, REVELATIONS! (New Mutants #1)

“You’re not the X-Men. You’re just, um, wearing their original superhero costumes. Because, stuff.” (New Mutants #1)

OH, SHIT. THOSE GUYS. (New Mutants #1)

Well, that’ll end well. (New Mutants #2)

Gyrich realizes that part of the price of appearing in an X-Men book is occasionally having your conversation partner drop out for an extended inner monologue. (New Mutants #2)

“Son, I know Peter Corbeau, and you’re no Peter Corbeau.” (New Mutants #2)

Mostly including this to point out that FANDOM ZONE is a great name for a comics shop. (New Mutants #2)

FORESHADOWING. (New Mutants #3)

OH, NO! (New Mutants #3)

Aw, Illyana. (New Mutants #3)

Remember that time Bob McLeod drew a full page of a teenager and casual nudity and there was no sexualization whatsoever? Because that was RAD. (New Mutants #3)

Oooh, clever! (New Mutants #3)

Reinforcing the case for X-Men watching Star Trek. (New Mutants #3)

Aw, bros. And Magnum, P.I. For more on what happens next, see Episode 20. (New Mutants #3)

The more things change… (New Mutants #4)

That one time Professor Xavier wasn’t a jerk. (New Mutants #4)

And then the New Mutants just straight-up broke into a school dance. (New Mutants #4)

AW, SAM. (New Mutants #4)

WHY WOULD YOU PUT ALL THAT TNT THERE? WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? (New Mutants #4)

… (New Mutants #4)

ETHICS. (New Mutants #4)

For more on these baffling gentlemen, see the links below.

Well, hello, Viper and Silver Samurai. (New Mutants #5)

Oh! Of course! Team America! Because, um, right, those guys. (New Mutants #5)

‘Kay. (New Mutants #5)

Xavier X-Plains the A-plot. (New Mutants #5)

Wait, what? (New Mutants #5)

Aw, Shan. (New Mutants #6)

Aw, Shan. (New Mutants #6)

Not that Black Mesa. (New Mutants #6)

Well, I think we can all be pretty excited that Team America have finally learned to control their dangerous power of making an extra good motorcycle dude. Dodged a bullet there. (New Mutants #6)

Next Week: NYCC Special, with Russell Dauterman and Kris Anka!

Links:

26 – The Other Team America (featuring Chris Sims)

October 12, 2014 Jay 17 comments

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In which Danielle Moonstar is the Wolverine of the New Mutants, Henry Peter Gyrich is the Walter Peck of the Marvel Universe, Michael Rossi is no Peter Corbeau, Xavier is a Brood Queen (who is a jerk), Bob McLeod draws really good teenagers, the New Mutants do an after-school special, Chris Sims drops in for some emergency X-Plaining, Elsie Carson is the Harvey and Janet of Hydra, and Team America is generally sort of baffling.

X-Plained

Viper
Brood stuff
The original New Mutans (more) (again)
The New Mutants #1-6
Denial
Dani vs. the Danger Room
Mall stories
Neighborhood kids
Henry Peter Gyrich
Sebastian Shaw (again)
Project Wideawake (sort of)
Michael Rossi
A poorly-timed crossover
Gabrielle Haller
A profoundly unethical relationship
A Very Special Episode
Overkill
Magnum, P.I.
Team America (but not that one)
Elsie Carson, middle manager of Hydra
The Girl With the Silver Eyes
X-Men reading order

The visual companion for this episode will go up mid-week, due to New York Comic-Con generally kicking our asses (Among MANY other things, Rachel is tweeting–mostly cool X-cosplay pics–from the show floor, and Miles is working at the Dark Horse booth. Come say hi!). Meanwhile, for further supplemental material, we recommend reading Chris’s in-depth history of Team America:

Find us on iTunes or Stitcher!

Support us on Patreon!

As Mentioned In Episode 23 – Meet the New Mutants

September 20, 2014 Jay 6 comments

Listen to the episode here!

Art by David Wynne

Nova Roma. It’s probably best not to ask.

These kids!

It’s really convenient that Rahne landed in that particular position. (Marvel Graphic Novel #4)

In which Moira MacTaggert is a stone cold badass. (Marvel Graphic Novel #4)

Roberto da Costa is so very much Roberto da Costa. (Marvel Graphic Novel #4)

He’s also Sunspot! (Marvel Graphic Novel #4)

Meanwhile, a disembodied hand has some opinions to share. (Marvel Graphic Novel #4)

Sam Guthrie is such a good kid. Also nigh invulnerable when he’s blastin’! (Marvel Graphic Novel #4)

Danielle Moonstar is the best, and anyone who tells you otherwise is probably trying to sell something. (Marvel Graphic Novel #4)

Xi’an Coy Mahn actually been around for a few issues–and made her debut in another title altogether–so she’s an old hand at this. (Marvel Graphic Novel #4)

Aw, Bobby. (Marvel Graphic Novel #4)

Sam is the nicest henchman ever, and we love him very much. (Marvel Graphic Novel #4)

Donald Pierce knows he has standards to meet when it comes to villainous exposition. (Marvel Graphic Novel #4)

Remember how Sam is the nicest henchman? (Marvel Graphic Novel #4)

Yeah. Sam is the nicest henchman. (Marvel Graphic Novel #4)

Let’s break this down: Bobby’s room contains a pinup calendar and a framed photo of Wolverine; and his idea of heaven is a place where his dead girlfriend can watch him put on tights. Headcanon: Bobby’s secondary mutation is being the most 14-year-old boy of all the 14-year-old-boys, ever. (Marvel Graphic Novel #4)

“It is time… FOR A CALLBACK TO MY FIRST APPEARANCE!” (Marvel Graphic Novel #4)

Danielle Moonstar is still the best, and Xavier is not actually a jerk in this book. (Marvel Graphic Novel #4)

Aw, Sam. (Marvel Graphic Novel #4)

Over nearly a decade, the New Mutants will go from this… (New Mutants #21)

…to this. Marvel, this is why you can’t have nice things. (New Mutants #100)

In her first appearance, Lila Cheney steals and fences Earth. She is the interstellar bandit Joan Jett of the Marvel Universe, and she is wonderful. (New Mutants Annual #1)

The Hellions. They’re all super doomed. (New Mutants #17)

Next week: The X-Men do Barbarella.

23 – Meet the New Mutants

September 20, 2014 Jay 22 comments

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In which Rachel and Miles return triumphant, the X-Men get a second ongoing series, we hit peak Moira MacTaggert, R-A-H-N-E is definitely pronounced “rain,” Sam Guthrie is the nicest henchman, Claremont is hit-and-miss on cultural diversity, and Bobby da Costa is the teenageriest teenager of them all.

X-Plained:

Nova Roma
The New Mutants and The New Mutants
Marvel Graphic Novels
Greenberg the Vampire
call-backs
Karma
Wolfsbane
Sunspot
Cannonball
Mirage
Whitewashing in superhero comics
The mercurial Guthrie family
Xi’an the Obscure
The Dr. Claw Effect (and why Dr. Doom and Arcade are exceptions)
Donald Pierce
Eras of New Mutants
Lila Cheney
The Hellions

Next Week: The X-Men do Barbarella

You can find a visual companion to the episode – and links to recommended reading – on our blog.

Find us on iTunes or Stitcher!

Support us on Patreon!

As Mentioned In Episode 10 – Not All Mandroids

June 15, 2014 Jay 9 comments

Listen to the podcast here!

Multiple Man’s powers essentiall make him a retcon elemental.

Punching pterosaurs is the gift that keeps on giving. (X-Men #114)

Best Worst Reveal (X-Men #114)

“Robes” (X-Men #114)

We really can’t fault Cyclops for giving up on trying to explain Sauron. (X-Men #115)

The final fight of X-Men #116 Dark City.

Remember when we didn’t know everything about Wolverine? (X-Men #118)

Sadly, this story is really low on Sunfire Sass. Misty Knight, however, is AWESOME. (X-Men #118)

Mandroids. (X-Men #118)

Moses Magnum, P.I. (X-Men #118)

Heist stories are the best stories. (X-Men #119)

That’s Mariko Yoshida. She’s going to be really important later. (X-Men #120)

And that’s why you always leave a note. (X-Men #118)

Spoiler: Nope. (X-Men #109)

Alpha Flight. (X-Men #120)

Vindicator is a thoughtful antagonist. (X-Men #120)

Not actually episode-relevant. We just think these panels are hilarious. (X-Men #120)

Wolverine, we are pretty sure the APA would not approve of your approach to therapy. (X-Men #122)

Don’t fuck with Storm. (X-Men #122)

Ugh, THIS guy. (X-Men #122)

Based on the graffiti, this apartment was previously occupied by the 1970s Marvel bullpen. (X-Men #122)

Cyclops comes to terms with dynamic storytelling. (X-Men #125)

This is an awesome reunion, and notable as one of the only times Cyclops has ever successfully completed a hug. (X-Men #125)

Well, that’s portentous. (X-Men #104)

Angus McWhirter has REALLY STRONG FEELINGS about hovercraft. (X-Men #119)

Moira MacTaggert does science in a superhero uniform, because, comic books. (X-Men #125)

Proteus’s secondary mutation is superhuman levels of creepiness. (X-Men #127)

Well, damn. (X-Men #128)

10 – Not All Mandroids

June 15, 2014 Jay 14 comments

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In which Phoenix has nothing on Jamie Madrox when it comes to retcons, Pterosaurs have super punchable faces, Colossus gets laid, we are uninterested in the Savage Land, Wolverine and Storm are both pretty interesting, smiling costs extra if you’re Doctor Doom, Banshee saves the day, Alpha Flight tries, Angry Hovercraft Guy comes back, and Proteus is fairly upsetting.

X-Plained:

X-Men #109, 114-16, 118-122, and 125-128
Multiple Man
Metacontinuity
The Savage Land
Pterosaurs
Shi’ar mustache technology
Karl Lykos
Misty Knight
Colleen Wing
Wolverine in Japan
Mandroids
Moses Magnum
A Heist
Angus McWhirter, disgruntled hovercraft rental guy
Alpha Flight
Team Dynamics
Why you always leave a note
Proteus

You can find a visual companion to the episode – and links to recommended reading – on our blog.

Find us on iTunes or Stitcher!

Next week: Secret origins, shipper wars, the Siege Perilous, and which of us would win in a fight.

As Mentioned in Episode 9 – Leprechaun Surprise Party

June 8, 2014 Jay 4 comments

Listen to the podcast here!

Cassandra Nova: The worst evil disembodied parasitic sister ever.

Cassidy Keep (X-Men #101)

Nightcrawler is just ridiculously charming. (X-Men #101)

I keep trying to think of a Monster in a Box joke to make about X-Men and vacations, but no matter where it goes, it’s not going to be in good taste. (X-Men #101)

Page 3 of Storm’s origin flashback. Can we talk about Dave Cockrum splash pages and how they are AWESOME? (X-Men #102)

After the “Cyclops Has a Good Day” sketchbook is full, Rachel’s going to move on to “Cyclops tells Professor X to go fuck himself.” (X-Men #102)

And then, Leprechauns. (X-Men #103)

Here, Nightcrawler. Have a new mutation. And also I guess some more Leprechauns, because, why not? (X-Men #103)

Even fake Charles Xavier is kind of a douche. (X-Men #103)

“We also know what you think about when you masturbate.” (X-Men #103)

The rad bromance of Cain Marko and Tom Cassidy. (X-Men #103)

“Whaddayamean, ‘roll diplomacy’? I put all my points into claw weapons!” (X-Men #104)

Secondary mutation: awesome villain speeches. (X-Men #104)

So, that happened. (X-Men #104)

Cockrum is REALLY into this layout. (X-Men #105)

Fun fact: Misty Knight is the only one of these characters alive in the modern Marvel universe. (X-Men #105)

Phoenix wants you heralds of Galactus off her damn lawn. (X-Men #105)

Shi’ar Trek. (X-Men #105)

AND THEN THINGS GOT AWESOME. (X-Men #107)

“While you guys were fighting the functionally omnipotent Superboy clone, I beat a guy up and stole his clothes.” Wolverine: Chaos gamer. (X-Men #107)