Raven Darkholme – Page 3 – Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men

362 – Lazy Summer Day

February 13, 2022 Jay 4 comments

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

In which Chris Bachalo draws excellent critters; Bastion is a terrible boss; everyone fucks in the Danger Room; Jubilee fails a midterm; and humans were the real monsters all along.

X-PLAINED:

The worst mutant power
Generation X #20-21
X-Factor #127
Bachalo critters
Bastion (more) (again)
Daria (but not the one you’re thinking of)
Chevy the janitor (again)
Mean Cuisine
Harker the cat
A threatening salad
Yet another time-traveling Nate
Flirting
A movie reference
U.S.1 and Baron von Blimp
Several ways to fail a midterm
“Autism”
Miguela Torres
Trevor Chase
A series of interviews
Richard Starkings and Comicraft
Destiny’s absence from film

NEXT EPISODE: Baseball!

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!

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As Mentioned in Episode 338 – Chomp & Stomp

July 11, 2021 Jay 2 comments

Listen to the episode here.

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

And THAT’S how you get around a collar with a five-second shapeshift limit. (X-Factor #122)

The Hound, in all his dubious glory. (X-Factor #123)

Shard’s expression in the last panel is so delightful. (X-Factor #123)

Don’t mess with Polaris. (X-Factor #123)

“You can try back later, but it’ll just be cows.” (X-Factor #123)

The Uh-Oh Room. (X-Factor #124)

“This isn’t… awkward or anything, right?” (X-Factor #124)

NEXT EPISODE: Wolverine makes it weird.

338 – Chomp and Stomp

July 4, 2021 Jay 15 comments

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In which X-Factor’s lineup shifts further towards villainy; Wild Child is neither wild nor a child; bureaucrat Val Cooper > action Val Cooper; Marvel invests in Bastion; and foreshadowing works better in some titles than in others.

X-PLAINED:

How Wolverine got his adamantium back
A marriage of convenience
X-Factor #122-124
Amalgam comics
A clever workaround
Several new looks
Belle Fourche (again)
Several ways to fail to control supervillains
The Hound
The Hazard Chamber
Different titles’ relationships to dark futures
Statting up Beast in D&D
Characters with more narrative impact dead than alive

NEXT EPISODE: Wolverine makes it weird.

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!

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As Mentioned in Episode 326 – Son of a Gun

March 21, 2021 Jay Leave a comment

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

Fun times with holograms! (X-Factor #119)

Oh, THAT guy. (X-Factor #119)

If I had a dollar for every date that ended this way… (X-Factor #119)

Sir, your gun appears to be several cardboard boxes. (X-Factor #120)

Well, that’s going to be a problem. (X-Factor #120)

Okay, but seriously, why is Roma in this, again>? (X-Factor #121)

OH SNAP (X-Factor #121)

326 – Son of a Gun

March 14, 2021 Jay 20 comments

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In which it’s hard to be a hologram; the Internet is terrible and you should probably avoid it; we have no idea how Naze is still alive; this is not your mom’s Adversary (if your mom is Fall of the Mutants); Forge is an order muppet; and Sabretooth is not a great addition to most teams.

X-PLAINED:

Skrulls in American history
X-Factor’s attrition rate
The spirit spell (again)
The Adversary (again)
X-Factor #119-121
Hypercolor(TM) t-shirts
Oblivion vs. masturbation
Mark Trail (more) (again)
Forge’s complicated relationship with magic
The death of X-Factor
Several retcons
The resurrection of X-Factor
(Mis)representation of indigenous cultures in X-books
Jim Jaspers vs. the Adversary
The spirit spell (YET AGAIN)
The Feron of X-Factor
Val ‘n’ Victor
Dubious use of technology
A red herring
The lingering spectre of Days of Future Past
Our tech issues
Reasonable accommodations at the Xavier School

NEXT EPISODE: Cable vs. X-Force

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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 314 – Feelings, Alaska

November 16, 2020 Jay 3 comments

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

Of course, that’s also exactly what a hologram would say. (X-Factor #115)

WHY DOES FORGE HAVE ALL THIS STUFF SAVED IN HIS HOLODECK? (X-Factor #115)

I’m putting all three pages of this flashback in the visual companion, because, while this scene has been shown roughly a zillion times, this one is the gold standard. (X-Factor #115)

This scene is ALSO a pretty good thumbnail guide to how to write Alex Summers and why. (X-Factor #115)

And that’s that, folks! (X-Factor #115)

“I mean, why do YOU come to Alaska? (X-Factor #115)

HECK YEAH (X-Factor #115)

THESE DORKS I LOVE THEM (X-Factor #115)

*wipes away a single tear* (X-Factor #115)

MILES WAS RIGHT. I stand corrected. -J (X-Factor #116)

Shard is cool, but she’d be cooler if she weren’t a cop. (X-Factor #116)

WHAT?! Superheroes trying to TALK through a misunderstanding? Surely Alpha Flight will jump straight to the punching, at least. (X-Factor #116)

…NOPE. (X-Factor #116)

Uncalled for, Roma. (X-Factor #117)

Seriously, don’t sic a sentinel on your team *because you’re not sure one of its members can adequately control his powers.* (X-Factor #117)

I’m pretty sure Random mostly wants a Jolt Cola(TM) and a Sega CD. (X-Factor #117)

…THEY FIGHT CRIME! (X-Factor #118)

Seriously, Random, nobody cares. (X-Factor #118)

Ah, yes, the flaming chasms of… somewhere. (X-Factor #118)

Well, that’s Random. (X-Factor #118)

NEXT EPISODE: Gambit & Wolverine!

LINKS & FURTHER MISUNDERSTANDINGS:

Lauretta Jean’s makes the best pie on earth, and Jay misses it desperately.
Wanna make comics? Wally Wood’s 22 Panels That Always Work are an incredibly useful resource.
We watched so much Sealab 2021 in college.
If you’re interested in the intersections of psychology and superhero comics, check out The Arkham Sessions!
PREVIOUSLY ON JAY & MILES X-PLAIN THE X-MEN
- For more about Scott and Alex’s origin story and picking which versions of canon count, check out Episode 308 – No Story Is the Whole Story.
- Hear about Roma and The Adversary’s last fight in Episode 86 – Legends.
- Dr. Andrea Letamendi joined us to discuss representations of mental illness and therapy in X-Factor in Episode 216 – X-Amining X-Factor.
- Our coverage of the Age of Apocalypse starts in Episode 287 – Welcome to the Age of Apocalypse…
- …and we focus on Cyclops and Havok’s relationship in that universe in Episode 292 – Weekend at Sinster’s.

314 – Feelings, Alaska

November 16, 2020 Jay 7 comments

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In which Haven deserved better; Cyclops and Havok have a lot of feelings in Alaska; X-Factor is the cop team; breaking up with your girlfriend between issues is a massive faux pas; Haven got a bad deal; no one cares about Random’s feelings; Spiral is weird Twitter; and Alex Summers once again fails to finish his dissertation.

X-PLAINED:

Chaos (Daniel Dash)
Pie
Power suits vs. power suits
X-Factor #115-118
Haven (more) (again)
The Adversary (more) (again)
Naze (more) (again)
Several people who may or may not be holograms
One of Jay’s all-time-favorite single issues
Howard Mackie
Wally Wood’s 22 Panels
The Summers Family plane crash
Cyclops and Havok’s relationship
Havok’s Silver Age origins
Trans readings of Alex Summers
Shard (more) (again)
Canadian drama
A trap
The return of Random
Roma (again)
Mojoworlders on social media
Which X-teens should be audience surrogates in a new animated series

NEXT EPISODE: Wolverine & Gambit!

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!

As Mentioned in Episode 305 – The Sleep of the Wicked

August 23, 2020 Miles One comment

Listen to the episode here.

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

That logo! That art! If this era was as good as the cover that started it, we’d be in great shape. (X-Factor #112)

Half cyborg. Half samurai. All toothy. (X-Factor #112)

Wild Child: like Wolverine, but stylish! (X-Factor #112)

“I walked here all the way from Havok & Wolverine: Meltdown, and boy, are my legs tired! And also very long!” (X-Factor #112)

Aww, Random. (X-Factor #112)

Mystique is actually laughing her ass off three blocks away. (X-Factor #112)

How else is someone in an X-Factor comic supposed to enter a room? Through the door? (X-Factor #112)

Havok’s woozy-bubbles are the best woozy-bubbles. (X-Factor #112)

Speaking of Polaris, did you see what her actress from The Gifted said on Twitter? (X-Factor #113)

As an information technology professional, Miles can confirm that BLAMPF (X-Factor #113)

Seriously, what the hell did Fatale build that thing out of? (X-Factor #113)

Yukio is reminded of her first date with Storm. (X-Factor #113)

Bad cop, worse cop. (X-Factor #113)

Havok is reminded of his first date with Polaris. (X-Factor #113)

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (X-Factor #113)

…and neither will we, because Scarlett hasn’t shown up since this panel. (X-Factor #113)

Mystique is the only one happy about this arrangement. Well, maybe not happy, but smug. (X-Factor #114

It’s like Banshee and Emma Frost if they hated each other way more! (X-Factor #114)

I mean, it’s pretty much Freedom Force with all of the pretense removed. (X-Factor #114)

Dig that panel layout. (X-Factor #114)

What did I mention about smug? (X-Factor #114)

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, Part Two (X-Factor #114)

And here I thought X-Force was the only comic using romance comic panels in 1995. (X-Factor #114)

Poor bastard doesn’t stand a chance. (X-Factor #114)

Why yes, I do subscribe to World Wide Web! (X-Factor #113)

NEXT TIME: Buckle up.

LINKS & FURTHER BACKSTORY

We covered the Cyburai’s first appearance in Episode 160 – Hank McCoy and the Hickey of Destiny.
You can learn more about Scarlett McKenzie (and Jay’s favorite X-related miniseries) in Episode 114 – Meltdown.

305 – The Sleep of the Wicked

August 23, 2020 Jay 17 comments

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In which X-Factor gets its own roster shakeup; most bartenders will look at you funny if you order a flight of superheroes; Kaboom is a great name for a nightclub; we lack significant feelings about the clone saga; Yukio probably sends love to everyone’s girlfriends; Forge has terrible coping mechanisms; and Jay’s current life is not conducive to consistent acoustics (sorry!).

X-PLAINED:

Mystique’s powers
X-Factor’s new roster
X-Factor #112-114
The word “wreak”
The issue that made Miles stop reading X-Men
Wild Child (Kyle Gibney)
Wolverine as a role
Cyburai (more) (again)
Unethical management practices
One way to be drunk on power(s)
Scarlett McKenzie (again)
Club Kaboom
Yukio (again)
Fatale
Summers Problems(TM)
Marvel’s 1996 reader survey
A bondage harness that may or may not be made out of dryer tubing
Alex Summers vs. his own powers
Sugar Man in the 616
Several potential but unexplored story hooks for Scarlett
An implausible implant
Mystique’s new costume
A deeply dysfunctional but narratively plausible ship
A Random tangent
RPF on Earth-616
Forge vs. Tony Stark

NEXT EPISODE: Things get Uncanny!

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!

As Mentioned in Episode 301 – Can’t Beat the Real Thing

July 19, 2020 Jay One comment

Listen to the episode here.

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

This is in fact an ENTIRELY REASONABLE position under the circumstances. (X-Men Prime #1)

Dennis is his own disparaging narrator. (X-Men Prime #1)

I don’t know why John Constantine is here to question Trish Tilby’s ethics, but SOMEONE needs to. (X-Men Prime #1)

Why is Val here? WHO KNOWS? (X-Men Prime #1)

Pretty sure this is supposed to be Onslaught, but it’s not going to be confirmed, so… (X-Men Prime #1)

“I repurposed all the brain parts that would normally go to fashion sense. On one hand, I can keep track of every team in play. On the other hand, this is how I dress myself.” (X-Men Prime #1)