453 – X-Men ’97, Part 1

June 23, 2024 Jay 21 comments

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SPOILER WARNING: ALL OF THEM, NONSTOP

In which we put the comics on hold to take a look at X-Men ’97; it is still always Inferno in here; Wolverine is best used sparingly; a Marvel show finally embraces politics; Wolverine is best in small doses; Madeylne Pryor still always deserves better; Jubilee grows up; and we are all in on this series.

X-PLAINED:

“Beyond Good and Evil”
X-Men: The Animated Series and our respective feelings about it
X-Men ’97, episodes 1-5
Watching X-Men ’97 with and without context
Making animated Cyclops work
The Magneto’s-hair-length morality index
Politics
Voices
Adaptation pacing
Agency
Abcissa
Foreshadowing
Time compression
Horniest Rogue
Death in cartoons
A metaphor
Nonbinary identity in 1997
Character evolution

NEXT EPISODE: Episodes 6-10

No visual companion this week!

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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!

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As Mentioned in Episode 449 – Dressing the X-Men, with Russell Dauterman

May 12, 2024 Miles Leave a comment

Listen to the episode here!

The Marvel Art of Russell Dauterman!

Storm’s X-Men Red design.

The Scarlet Witch’s new design.

Nightcrawler’s original design by Dave Cockrum.

Hellfire Gala redesigns!

And some close-ups.

Jean Grey costume variant cover for X-Men #1.

Rogue costume variant cover for Excalibur #18.

Gambit costume variant cover for Gambit #5.

Thor costume variant cover for Thor #31.

Speaking of Thor – Russell’s wraparound cover for The Mighty Thor #1.

More covers! Here’s Marauders #1.

Scarlet Witch #3.

Giant Size X-Men: Jean Grey & Emma Frost #1.

Variant cover, X-Men Legends #1.

Variant cover, X-Men ’97 #1.

NEXT EPISODE: Jay & Miles live at the Clinton Street Theater!

LINKS AND FURTHER READING

You still have a few days to be part of The Marvel Art of Russell Dauterman Kickstarter campaign!
Hear Russell and Kris Anka talk Adam X and more on Episode 27 – NYCC 2014 Special!
Russell’s website!
Russell on Instagram!

449 – Dressing the X-Men, with Russell Dauterman

May 12, 2024 Jay 6 comments

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In which artist Russell Dauterman joins us to discuss super-powered costume design!

X-PLAINED:

Why it’s important to get a professional to design your superhero costume
Why Miles doesn’t trust the government
Russell’s history at Marvel
Designing for the Hellfire Gala
Mutant fashion
The word “fashionize”
Iconic looks
Modernizing superhero costumes
Powers vs. personality
Punk goddess Storm
Designing for drawability
Magic hair
Russell’s influences
Definitive Rogue costumes
X-Men ‘97
Best X-team costumes
Jay’s holy grail cosplay
Magic hair, cosplayed
Costume retrospectives
Where to find Russell online
Evil twin trends of the 1990s
Fuck You Pink

NEXT EPISODE: Jay & Miles Live at the Clinton Street Theater!

Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog!

Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!

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!

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As Mentioned in Episode 442 – MimeQuest 64

March 3, 2024 Miles One comment

Listen to the episode here.

A story in four parts. (X-Men Unlimited #22)

They have fun. (X-Men Unlimited #22)

In a world of clean-lined cartoony art, Logan is craggy. (X-Men Unlimited #22)

#roasted (X-Men Unlimited #22)

Any of the X-Men could wear that map as a dress! (X-Men Unlimited #22)

(New) Girl Talk (X-Men Unlimited #22)

A well-armed mime-litia. (X-Men Unlimited #22)

Patrick Gleason, master of visually engaging conversations. (X-Men Unlimited #22)

And you told your math teacher you’d never need to know this stuff in real life. (X-Men Unlimited #22)

Shadowcat and Marrow miniseries now, please! (X-Men Unlimited #22)

See, it’s funny, because normally MetroCards charge you! (X-Men Unlimited #22)

Space Ghost: “Dames are like mustard: they taste great on a sandwich. But when you’re not eating a sandwich… they just sit there in the fridge… on a shelf… in a jar… labeled… mustard.” (X-Men Unlimited #22)

1963! (X-Men / Doctor Doom Annual 1998)

1969! (X-Men / Doctor Doom Annual 1998)

1978! (X-Men / Doctor Doom Annual 1998)

1980 (but in the future of 2013)! (X-Men / Doctor Doom Annual 1998)

Back to 1975! (X-Men / Doctor Doom Annual 1998)

1980 again, but not in an alternate future this time! (X-Men / Doctor Doom Annual 1998)

1982! (X-Men / Doctor Doom Annual 1998)

1985! (X-Men / Doctor Doom Annual 1998)

1999! (X-Men / Doctor Doom Annual 1998)

1993! (X-Men / Doctor Doom Annual 1998)

Still 1993, but we had to include the Hate Goblin. (X-Men / Doctor Doom Annual 1998)

More 1993. Doom needs a bigger vacuum cleaner. (X-Men / Doctor Doom Annual 1998)

NEXT TIME: Miles talks X-Retail with Katie Pryde of Books With Pictures!

LINKS AND FURTHER READING:

RSVP for our live episode and 10th birthday party on April 13th in Portland!
Follow us on Bluesky!
Jay’s Voice of Latveria episode about X-Men / Doom Annual 1998!
And a Mutant: Intersectionality in Marjorie Liu’s Astonishing X-Men by Stephanie Burt!

442 – MimeQuest 64

March 3, 2024 Jay 5 comments

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In which Marrow remains a connoisseur of dead rats; Jay has opinions about the NYC Subway system; U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M. are snazzy dressers; Doctor Doom gets excited about Onslaught; Magneto can have a rocket pack if he wants; villainous game recognizes villainous game; weird retcons are the best retcons; and you should totally come to our birthday party.

X-PLAINED:

A peculiar side effect of Wolverine’s healing factor
Jay & Miles on Bluesky (and other social media)
Our upcoming 10^th birthday party and live show (and related announcements)
X-Men Unlimited #22
X-Men/Doctor Doom Annual 1998
An unpleasant way to wake up
That’s so Kraven
Avengers and transit cops
U.L.T.I.M.A.T.U.M.
Flag Smasher
Some miscellaneous New York Subway trivia
Audience stand-ins (and how the reading experience changes when the audience stand-in isn’t human-passing)
Additional New York Subway trivia
Premonitions of Onslaught
An X-Men highlight reel
A delightful little retcon
One way to ruin X-Men #137
Healing factor preferences

NEXT EPISODE: Miles and Katie Pryde X-Plain Comics Retail!

Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog!

RSVP to our birthday shenanigans!

Find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!

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 rad swag at our TeePublic shop!

As Mentioned in Episode 430 – The Bad Feelings Box

November 19, 2023 Jay Leave a comment

Listen to the episode here.

It’s always awkward when you run into someone you know out of context. (Uncanny X-Men #359)

I don’t know why Rogue palming Mystique’s face like a basketball is so funny, but it really is. (Uncanny X-Men #359)

Aw, these two. (Uncanny X-Men #359)

Spoiler: They do not actually fight each other. (Uncanny X-Men / Fantastic Four Annual 1998)

Every supervillain, ever. (Uncanny X-Men / Fantastic Four Annual 1998)

It’s Bring-a-Twink night at the poker game! (Uncanny X-Men / Fantastic Four Annual 1998)

Psycho Man may have his issues, but you’ve gotta hand it to his UI design. (Uncanny X-Men / Fantastic Four Annual 1998)

I love that Kirby armor. (Uncanny X-Men / Fantastic Four Annual 1998)

INVISIBLE BEAR TRAP (Uncanny X-Men / Fantastic Four Annual 1998)

By this point, half the superheroes in the Marvel Universe are anxiously awaiting their turn to toss Wolverine. (Uncanny X-Men / Fantastic Four Annual 1998)

OH NO (Uncanny X-Men / Fantastic Four Annual 1998)

Callisto looks so cool in this issue. (X-Men #79)

She knows how to flirt like a pro. (X-Men #79)

They’re spooning. (X-Men #79)

NEXT EPISODE: Miles and Al Kennedy X-Plain the Generation X Underground Special!

430 – The Bad Feelings Box

November 12, 2023 Jay 8 comments

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In which birds have no business in sex dreams; feelings are complicated and allegories are imperfect; Mystique made some valid points; Psycho-Man is good at UI; Callisto was right; and the label “Omega-level mutant” actually kind of makes sense.

X-PLAINED:

Psycho-Man
Malice (but not that one)
Hate Monger (but not that one)
Finding good comics from the ‘90s
Uncanny X-Men #359
X-Men / Fantastic Four Annual 1998
X-Men #79
The dead man’s hand
Dr. Aubrey Agee
Psi-War fallout
Dr. Bradley Beynon
Hadley the robot
Poker twinks
La Bludgeon
Psycho-Man’s Bad Feelings Box
An invisible bear trap
Marvel’s floating poker game
Officers Aguinal and Cleveland
Antagonists vs. villains
Omega-level mutants

NEXT EPISODE: The Generation X Underground Special, feat. Al Kennedy!

Check out visual companion to this episode 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!

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As Mentioned in Episode 425 – Shooting the Moose

October 8, 2023 Jay Leave a comment

Listen to the episode here.

I get Hank, but why is Warren in disguise? (Uncanny X-Men #356)

Okay, that… actually makes a fair amount of sense. (Uncanny X-Men #356)

Bachalo does Kirby! (Uncanny X-Men #356)

“You know–the usual.” (Uncanny X-Men #356)

Meet Moon Wolf. (Uncanny X-Men #356)

Ahh, Bachalo does those nostalgia moments so well. (Uncanny X-Men #357)

Meet “Ananasi.” (X-Men #77)

Get ‘im, Psylocke! (X-Men #77)

OH SHIT (X-Men #77)

Damn, Psylocke’s shadow form is badass. (X-Men #78)

NEXT EPISODE: Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy…IN SPACE!

425 – Shooting the Moose

September 25, 2023 Jay 3 comments

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In which moose are nothing to mess with; Cyclops requests a reality check; Bachalo does Kirby; Rogue absorbs a catchphrase; and the Shadow King needs a villain song.

X-PLAINED:

Uncanny X-Men #356-357
X-Men 77-78
The Cable Principle
Corvid disambiguation
An aborted narrative
Moose
Sherrif and/or Officer Chris
Stacy’s sister Melissa
Cul-de-sacs
Ptarmigan Creek
Dubiously credible lies
Nostalgia
Bad times in Westchester
Bad times in space
Punching birds
Moon Wolf
An absolutely inappropriate theatrical reference
Ainet
Ananansi vs. Anansi
The Shadow King (more) (again)
Psi-War
Temptation
Shadow powers
Hair swaps
Solo Disney+ series for X-Men
How to make Gambit work onscreen

NEXT EPISODE: Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy… IN SPACE!

Check out the visual companion to this episode 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 rad swag at our TeePublic shop!