CEREBRO

In Episode 25 of CEREBRO, Connor and Harvard Professor of English Stephanie Burt sail the high seas with Captain Kate Pryde, Red Queen of the Hellfire Trading Company! Best known as Shadowcat or Kitty, Pryde is the protagonist of much of the classic Claremont run, and has endured as a fan favorite. As the first explicitly Jewish superhero at Marvel Comics, she has often been the lens through which the minority metaphor of the X-Men was most refracted.

The CEREBRO character file on Kitty Pryde begins at 1:01:48.

(Content Advisory: Kitty's story includes grooming of a minor, suicide, torture, antisemitism, rape of another character, a weird alien pregnancy plot, and genocides including the Holocaust.) 

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In Episode 24 of CEREBRO, Connor and bookseller Allison Senecal try to explain why you should like Havok! Alex Summers, Cyclops's volatile younger brother, has never quite managed to escape his elder's long shadow. Conflicted and insecure, he's a troubled man with an uncertain future.

The CEREBRO character file on Havok begins at 29:12.

(Content Advisory: Alex's story includes brainwashing, slavery, and parents grieving the loss of a child. This episode also discusses another character's suicidal ideation.)

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In Episode 23 of CEREBRO, Connor and filmmaker Patrick Willems face the inner darkness, the anti-self: the mummudrai! Created by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely, Cassandra Nova — Professor Xavier's diabolical twin sister — is one of the few post-Claremont X-Villains to truly stand the test of time.

The CEREBRO character file on Cassandra Nova begins at 1:07:06.

(Content Advisory: Cassandra's story includes genocide, miscarriage, stillbirth, brainwashing, suicide, and the murder of children. This episode also refers to the Holocaust, 9/11, and the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.)

The episode cover includes art of Cassandra Nova, Ernst, and No-Girl by Frank Quitely, Marc Silvestri, Carmen Carnero, and Phil Jimenez. 

Subscribe to Patrick Willems on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF1fG3gT44nGTPU2sVLoFWg

Here's our video from 2017: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVb1utdCNy0

And the X-TENDED CUT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIAKWrPWYcc

Here's our video from 2020: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5lQw1X60eE

And the X-TENDED CUT of that one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWQomA2QtDs

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In Episode 22 of CEREBRO, Connor and Marvel's X-Office Associate Editor Annalise Bissa hack into the history of Doug Ramsey, a.k.a. Cypher! Killed off in 1988 and not brought back til 2009, the omnilingual mutant is now an integral part of the franchise.

The CEREBRO character file on Cypher begins at 1:26:07.

(Content Advisory: Doug's story includes traumatic mind control. This episode also discusses characters with stories involving unequal power dynamics in romantic relationships, including relationships in which one party is underage, as well as the topic of child sexual abuse.)

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In Episode 21 of CEREBRO, Connor and comedian Tim Platt (Rude Tales of Magic) salute a classic 60s X-Men villain: Mortimer Toynbee, the sniveling Toad! Their analysis of the misfit superhenchman... somehow becomes an expansive dialogue on masculinity. Who knew! 

The CEREBRO character file on the Toad begins at 46:27.

(Content Advisory: Mortimer's story includes abuse, a suicide attempt, sexually predatory behavior, and alcoholism.)

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In Episode 20 of CEREBRO, Connor and Eisner Award-winning comics critic Corinne McCreery imagine a brighter future for Lorna Dane, the Mistress of Magnetism! Since her debut in 1968, Polaris has won many fans but also struggled to find her place in the franchise, even after she was revealed to be Magneto's long-lost daughter. 

The CEREBRO character file on Polaris begins at 44:02.

(Content Advisory: Lorna's story includes struggles with bipolar disorder, disordered eating, mind control, long-term possession, genocide, and a suicide attempt.)

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In Episode 19 of CEREBRO, Connor and artist Valentine M. Smith analyze the X-Men's living computer, Sage! Introduced in 1980 as Tessa, a mysterious Hellfire Club attaché, a major retcon in 2001 revealed her to be one of Xavier's original students, kept apart from the X-Men and deployed as a spy.

The CEREBRO character file on Sage begins at 1:12:36.

(Content Advisory: Tessa's story includes sexual violence, sex trafficking, and torture.)

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In Episode 18 of CEREBRO, Connor and author A.R. Moxon celebrate the mystical metamorph, Meggan! Introduced in 1983 as a supporting character in Captain Britain, the part-fae mutant Meggan (lately also called Gloriana) was a founding member of Excalibur and has always been a uniquely vibrant character in the X-Men mythos.

The CEREBRO character file on Meggan begins at 1:03:28.

(Content Advisory: Meggan's story includes antiziganism, unequal power dynamics in a romantic relationship, a romantic partner's alcoholism, and the rape of another character.)

The episode cover features art of Meggan by Alan Davis, Casey Jones, Mike Collins, and Marcus To.

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In Episode 17 of CEREBRO, Connor and fantasy author Cass Morris (FROM UNSEEN FIRE, GIVE WAY TO NIGHT) have their psyches absorbed by the raucous Rogue! Introduced as a supervillain in 1981, the woman known only as Anna Marie has become one of the most popular members of the X-Men.

The CEREBRO character file on Rogue begins at 48:25.

(Content Advisory: Rogue's story involves sexual assault.)

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In Episode 16 of CEREBRO, a HANUKKAH SPECTACULAR, Connor and returning guest Spencer Ackerman become masters of magnetism! Introduced in 1963 as the X-Men's archenemy, Erik Magnus Lehnsherr — best known as Magneto — became the most famously Jewish character in comics. Reimagined by writer Chris Claremont as a tragic hero with a haunting backstory, he has ranged from the X-Men's greatest foe to their most vital ally. 

The CEREBRO character file on Magneto begins at 52:35.

(Content Advisory: Erik's story revolves around genocide. This episode includes frank discussion of the Holocaust, antisemitism, and Israel-Palestine.)

The episode cover features art of Magneto by Jack Kirby, John Romita, Jr., Phil Jimenez, and Pepe Larraz.

Our Sponsors:
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