Dear Watchers: an omniversal comic book podcast

🔥 Rising from the Ashes (Goddess Edition)
This week the Phoenix Force skips Jean Grey entirely — and the weather will never be the same.

Ep. 180 What If Storm Had the Power of Phoenix?

from What If...? Vol. 2 #79 ("What If Storm Had the Power of Phoenix?")

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We're diving into Earth-9590, where the Dark Phoenix Saga's shuttle crash goes very differently: Jean Grey is knocked unconscious, Ororo Munroe takes the controls, and what walks out of the wreckage calls itself Storm — but is it? We explore a world ruled by a weather goddess turned benevolent dictator, why the Phoenix Force always needs a face to wear, and how Kitty Pryde becomes the unlikely key to the truth.

Along the way we talk Storm's icon status (and why the screen keeps failing her), the anatomy of a Phoenix story, and creators Sarah Byam and Franchesco's one-issue trip to a colder, stranger Earth. Then we wrap by pondering Jean Grey's blockbuster moment — Sadie Sink's mystery-shrouded debut in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, villain-era Jean, and what it means for the MCU's X-Men to begin with the most powerful mutant of all.

Reading / Watch List:

• What If...? Vol. 2 #79 — "What If Storm Had the Power of Phoenix?" (Marvel, Nov 1995)
• Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026)

Mentioned / Related Episodes:

• Ep. 7 — What if Storm stayed a thief?
• Ep. 172 — What if Jean Grey was resurrected instead of Colossus?

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Find us & support us at https://linktr.ee/dearwatchers

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👻 Welcome, Foolish Mortals…

This week we're checking into a mansion with 999 happy haunts — and a vacancy. We ask: what happens when the omniverse's most famous haunted house needs one more ghost… and you're the candidate?

Ep. 179 — What If You Became the 1,000th Happy Haunt of Disney's Haunted Mansion?

from Haunted Mansion (Marvel / Disney Kingdoms, 2016)

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We're swinging the creaking gates open on Marvel's Disney Kingdoms line — the Imagineer-and-Marvel collaboration that turns classic theme-park attractions into original comics — and stepping into Earth-52319, where fifteen-year-old Danny Crowe has always been curious about the dilapidated antebellum mansion near his home in New Orleans. No one agrees on its history — headless horsemen, cursed pirates, homicidal brides, psychic mediums — but everyone agrees the place is haunted. When Danny is drawn inside, he meets the residents… and learns that the 999 ghosts of the Haunted Mansion are looking for their 1,000th.

Along the way we talk about how a beloved dark ride becomes a singular comic-book narrative, the all-star roll call of haunts — Madame Leota, the Hatbox Ghost, Constance the Bride, and the Hitchhiking Ghosts — and the pirate captain's curse at the story's black heart. Then we wrap by pondering the Mansion's many lives across media, from the ride itself to the screen adaptations, and what makes “there's always room for one more” such a perfect omniversal hook.

Reading / Watch List:

• Haunted Mansion #1–5 (Marvel / Disney Kingdoms, 2016) — written by Joshua Williamson, drawn by Jorge Coelho, colored by Jean-François Beaulieu, lettered by VC's Joe Caramagna; covers by E.M. Gist

• (Ponder / Watch, optional) The Haunted Mansion attraction; the 2003 and 2023 Haunted Mansion films

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🎙 The Forbidden Door Is Open — and Nobody's Ready

Ep. 178 What If the Wrestlers of AEW Teamed Up with DC Heroes for the Ultimate Championship Brawl?

from AEW Origins: Special Edition #1 (DC Comics, January 2025) & DC x AEW #1–2: "The Forbidden Door Saga" (DC Comics, April–May 2026)

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The championship belt is broken. Element X is scattered across the universe. And the only ones who can recover it? A Justice League of DC heroes — and the All Elite.

In our first-ever wrestling episode, Guido and Rob share their origin stories as brand-new AEW converts — 44 combined years of indifference, undone in a matter of months — and unpack why pro wrestling is the ultimate genre crossover: drag queens plus comic books plus soap opera. From Hulk Hogan to NWO to finally falling for AEW in 2025, they trace the path that brought them to this Forbidden Door.

We kick off with AEW Origins: Special Edition #1, writer Steve Orlando's promo-style introduction to the AEW roster for DC readers. Timeless Toni Storm, Orange Cassidy, Darby Allin, Will Ospreay, Swerve Strickland, Dr. Britt Baker DMD, and more get their two-page origin moments — with the economy and absurdist charm that only a true wrestling fanatic writing comics could deliver. (Orange Cassidy's "origin": he found a pair of aviator sunglasses. Perfect.)

Then we step through the door into DC x AEW #1–2, where Orlando and artist Travis Mercer throw everything at the wall — and most of it sticks. Nightwing and Will Ospreay take on the League of Assassins. Guy Gardner and Jon Moxley clean up the Mutant Gang. Hawkgirl and Hangman Adam Page battle evil Puritans from Limbo (the skeptical cowboy very much not buying Hawkgirl's past lives story). Orange Cassidy and Harley Quinn trade deadpan one-liners while dismantling the Royal Flush Gang. Zatanna and Timeless Toni Storm face Johnny Sorrow — with Toni absolutely unable to stop flirting with Zatanna. Batman and Darby Allin confront the Joker, with Sting stepping out of the shadows to lend a hand. And in the climax, Kenny Omega becomes the God of Wrestling through the power of a Mother Box — before giving it all up to restore the universe.

Oh, and Mercedes Moné turns heel and sides with Lex Luthor. Because of course she does.

They wrap by pondering what comes next for the DC x AEW universe: more heels, a Don Callis and Lex Luthor team-up, a potential Lobo/Supergirl promotional tie-in, and whether Jason Momoa was always destined to step through the ropes.

Reading / Watch List:

• AEW Origins: Special Edition #1 (DC Comics, January 2025)
• DC x AEW #1 — "The Forbidden Door Saga, Part One" (DC Comics, April 2026)
• DC x AEW #2 — "The Forbidden Door Saga, Part Two" (DC Comics, May 2026)

Mentioned / Related Episodes:

• Ep. 173 — What happens when the Bat meets the Merc in the most meta multiverse ever? From Batman / Deadpool #1
• Ep. 175 — What if Spider-Man fought Superman for a moment before teaming up?
• Ep. 177 — What if the Joker hired Lobo to kill Batman (his own brother)?

Email: [email protected] Find us & support us at https://linktr.ee/dearwatchers

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🏍️ Fragging Around in the Multiverse

This week we're revving up the space hog and hauling across the omniverse to ask a very thorny question — what happens when the universe's most dangerous bounty hunter lands in Gotham City… and the Joker is his target?

Ep. 177 What if the Joker Hired Lobo to Kill Batman (His Own Brother)?

from Batman/Lobo #1 (DC Comics Elseworlds, April 2000)

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We're diving into the one and only appearance of an Earth where the Main Man himself rides into Gotham on a contract — hired by Scarface to take out the Joker, only for the Clown Prince of Crime to flip the script and redirect Lobo's chaos at the Batman. We begin by tracing Lobo's surprisingly obscure origins, from a blink-and-you'll-miss-it debut in Omega Men #3 to the 1990 miniseries where Simon Bisley gave him the iconic look the world came to know. Along the way we compare him to Deadpool and Wolverine, explore his strange staying power, and unpack why his strict personal code of honor makes him more interesting than he first appears.

Then we get into the Elseworlds itself — all fragging chaos, grotesque Bisley art, and a soap-opera twist that reframes the entire Batman mythology. We close out by looking at the brand-new 2026 Lobo ongoing from Skottie Young and Jorge Corona, and ponder what Jason Momoa's upcoming portrayal in Supergirl might bring to the character.

Reading / Watch List:

• Omega Men #3 (DC Comics, June 1983) — Lobo's first appearance
• Lobo #1 (DC Comics, 1990) — The miniseries that defined the character; written by Keith Giffen & Alan Grant, art by Simon Bisley
• Batman/Lobo #1 (DC Comics Elseworlds, April 2000) — Written by Alan Grant, art by Simon Bisley
• Lobo #1, Vol. 4 (DC Comics, 2026) — Written by Skottie Young, art by Jorge Corona

Mentioned / Related Episodes:

• Ep. 49 — Our first Elseworlds episode
• Ep. 173 — Batman/Deadpool (another Dark Knight meets an antihero!)

Email: [email protected] Find us & support us at https://linktr.ee/dearwatchers

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🎙️ Entering the Ring (and Taking a Fall)

This week we’re stepping into the spotlight to ask a very classic Watchers question—what happens to a hero when the moment that “forges” them… never happens?

Ep. 176 What If Daredevil’s Dad Had Thrown the Big Fight?

from What If…? #102 (“What If? Daredevil’s Dad Had Thrown The Big Fight?”)

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We’re diving into Earth-9711, where one choice in the boxing ring changes Matt Murdock’s entire destiny. We begin by revisiting Daredevil’s remarkably consistent origin (and why he’s a fascinating “almost breakout” character) before turning to a noir-framed What If story, told through Ben Urich’s reporting and a prisonhouse confession.

Along the way we explore fate vs. free will, the meaning of “taking a fall” (literally and morally), why Kingpin remains one of Marvel’s best arch-villains, and how this alternate Matt still can’t escape the gravitational pull of the Daredevil mythos—he just gets there by a different, darker route. Then we wrap by pondering what’s next for Daredevil on screen—and what kinds of street-level MCU stories we hope the future holds.

Reading / Watch List:

• What If…? #102 — “What If? Daredevil’s Dad Had Thrown The Big Fight?” (Marvel, Nov 1997)

Mentioned / Related Episodes:

• Ep. 8 — What if Bullseye had not killed Elektra?
• Ep. 154 — Daredevil teamed up with Batman (and we finally tackled his origin in depth!)

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🎙️ When Titans Collide: Spidey vs Supes?!

It’s Marvel vs DC in the ultimate clash of capes and quips!

Ep. 175 What If Spider-Man Fought Superman (Before Teaming Up)?

from Superman vs The Amazing Spider-Man: The Battle of the Century (Marvel/DC Treasury Edition, 1976)

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Today, we ask one of the most fantastic questions ever: What if Spider-Man fought Superman... before becoming buddies? We kick things off with the oversized crossover classic Superman vs The Amazing Spider-Man (1976), as Marvel and DC’s flagship icons trade punches and philosophies. Along the way, we uncover behind-the-scenes creator drama, explore the meta-multiversal Earths that allowed this union, and examine how this one-shot helped shape decades of intercompany collaborations. Then, we wrap by pondering the nature of these team-ups—should these icons always clash before camaraderie? And is Earth-7642 the ultimate crossover cosmos?

Reading / Watch List:

• Superman vs The Amazing Spider-Man: The Battle of the Century (Marvel & DC, 1976)

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🎙️ “I HAVE THE SEWER POWER!”

Two titans of toy aisles and pop culture finally collide in a radical, tubular, and power-packed multiversal crossover!

Ep. 174 What if He-Man teamed up with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to avert a universal crisis?

from Turtles of Grayskull #1–4 (Dark Horse Comics, 2024–2025)

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It’s morphin’ time—wait, wrong show! But the power is still on as we explore the brand-new crossover Turtles of Grayskull where two beloved 1980s franchises—He-Man and the Masters of the Universe and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles—join forces across dimensions.

We begin with the Turtles’ gritty comic origins from TMNT #1 (1984, Mirage Studios) by Kevin Eastman & Peter Laird before fast-forwarding to the Nickelodeon era and an animated introduction to Renet the Time Mistress. Then it’s onto the main event: the recent Turtles of Grayskull comic by Tim Seeley & Freddie E. Williams II, where interdimensional time-knots, ooze-infused heroes, and a power-hungry ninja villain bring Eternia and Earth crashing together.

Along the way we discuss nostalgia, collectible toys, how the Turtles and He-Man evolved over decades, the surprising depth of this crossover, and what future mashups we’d love to see next.

Reading / Watch List:

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (Mirage Studios, 1984)
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012) – Season 3, Episode 19: “Turtles in Time” (Nickelodeon)
• Turtles of Grayskull #1–4 (Dark Horse Comics, 2024–2025) – by Tim Seeley & Freddie E. Williams II

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🎙️ What happens when the Bat meets the Merc in the most meta multiverse ever?

One is the world’s greatest detective. The other talks to the readers more than his therapist. Together, they shatter the fourth wall and maybe the entire omniverse!

Ep. 173 Batman/Deadpool: The Cosmic Kiss Caper

from Batman/Deadpool #1 (DC/Marvel, 2026)

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We’re diving into the unpredictable crossover chaos of Batman/Deadpool by Grant Morrison and Dan Mora! We begin with this record-breaking comic and unpack its surprising tone, before exploring the deeper themes of metafiction and DC/Marvel blending in related stories from The Amalgam Age 2026 event. Along the way, we trace the alternate universe legacy of fourth-wall-breaking storytelling, then wrap with speculation about what other mash-ups or media adaptations this might inspire.

Reading / Watch List:

• Batman/Deadpool #1 (DC/Marvel, 2026)
• Written by Grant Morrison; art by Dan Mora; colors by Alejandro Sanchez
• A Magician Walks Into a Universe (Amalgam Age 2026, DC/Marvel)
• Writers: James Tynion IV, Joshua Williamson, Scott Snyder
• Sticks & Snikts (Amalgam Age 2026)
• Writer: Tom Taylor; art by Bruno Redondo
• Harley & Hulk’s Amazin’ Saturday!!!!!! (Amalgam Age 2026)
• Writer: Mariko Tamaki; art by Amanda Conner
• New Friends in Old Places (Amalgam Age 2026)
• Writer: G. Willow Wilson; art by Denys Cowan & Klaus Janson

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🎙️ What if Jean Grey was resurrected instead of Colossus?

Mutant destinies collide as we revisit one of the X-Men’s most “astonishing” eras — and imagine a fiery twist to its resurrection storyline.

Ep. 172 — What If Jean Grey Was Resurrected Instead of Colossus?

from Astonishing X-Men #1–6 “Gifted” (2004, Marvel Comics) and What If? Astonishing X-Men #1 (2010, Marvel Comics)

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We’re diving into Joss Whedon and John Cassaday’s acclaimed Astonishing X-Men run — a fan-favorite relaunch that redefined Marvel’s mutants for a new era. But today we’re asking: what if the Phoenix rose again in place of Colossus?

We begin with the modern classic Astonishing X-Men: Gifted (2004), following Cyclops, Emma Frost, Kitty Pryde, Wolverine, and Beast as they rebuild the team amid a “cure” for mutation. Then we explore Jim McCann and Ibraim Roberson’s What If? Astonishing X-Men #1 (2010), where Ord’s experiment revives Jean Grey instead — igniting chaos, temptation, and tragedy across the X-Men.

Along the way, we discuss Whedon’s impact on the franchise, Emma and Jean’s ever-evolving rivalry, and how this alternate resurrection might have reshaped mutantkind — from Avengers vs. X-Men to the Krakoan age. Finally, we ponder future X-Men adaptations and whether Jean’s return is always inevitable.

Reading / Watch List:

• Astonishing X-Men #1–6: “Gifted” (Marvel Comics, 2004) — Writer: Joss Whedon, Artist: John Cassaday
• What If? Astonishing X-Men #1 (Marvel Comics, 2010) — Writer: Jim McCann, Artist: Ibraim Roberson
• (Optional follow-up) Avengers vs. X-Men #0–12 (Marvel Comics, 2012) — Writers: Multiple

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🎙️ What if Superman fought Frankenstein and Dracula?

It’s spooky season in the Omniverse, and we’re inviting two gothic horror icons into the DC Universe! Time to find out what happens when the Last Son of Krypton crosses paths with the Lord of Vampires and the Creature of Promethean Science.

Ep. 171 What If Superman Fought Dracula & Frankenstein?

from Superman Vol. 1 #344 (DC Comics, 1980)

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We’re diving into Superman’s horror-tinged team-up tale! We begin with Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1818) and Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897), two genre-defining novels that have influenced centuries of storytelling, including comic books. Then we visit Superman #344 from the Bronze Age of DC Comics, where the Man of Steel faces off against reimagined versions of Frankenstein’s Monster and Count Dracula. Along the way, we explore how public domain monsters fit into superhero mythologies, and wrap with speculation about the future of monster crossovers and Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein.

Reading / Watch List:

• Superman Vol. 1 #344 (DC Comics, 1980) – “The Monsters Among Us!”
• Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley (1818)
• Dracula by Bram Stoker (1897)

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Theme music is Space Heroes by MaxKoMusic (Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0)

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