There's a reason they say you can't go home again—because sometimes, the crowd at your old college bar doesn't remember you, and your girlfriend has to shapeshift into your twin brother and shotgun a pint to convince the locals you're not a "sissy." All of which can only mean one thing—Anna, Mav, and Andrew are talking about Excalibur #28, "The Night They Tore Down the Gilded Lady" with specialist in gender & superheroes and newly minted Excalibur fan, Dr. Esther De Dauw! In which we’re each surprised by how much we enjoyed our date with Brian and Meggan’s surprisingly joyful date night

In this episode, Anna, Mav, and Andrew are joined by Connor Goldsmith, literary agent and host of the Cerebro podcast, to talk films inside comic books inside famous film studios in Excalibur #27, “Reel People.” We talk through some common Excalibur themes, including sex and gender transformations, reality-warping, and self-reflexivity, and debate good and bad marriages—between Excalibur and Larry Hama’s Nth Man: The Ultimate Ninja, and between Barry Windsor-Smith’s pencils and Bill Sienkiewicz’s inks. Also—who alters Kurt's pants? Our panel of experts investigates.

The Cross-Time Caper is still over... or is it? Resolution careens into crisis into conversations about both as Anna, Mav, and Andrew welcome author and critic Steve Sellers of Omen Comics and Comic Crusaders to talk loose threads and cosmic consequences in Excalibur #25, "Guess Who's Coming for Phoenix?" (Spoiler: it's Galactus!) When we're not getting lost in an extended rumination on the neglected psychological complexity of everyone's favourite herald Frankie Raye, we contemplate the Phoenix Force and Rachel's place in the cosmos and reflect on the Caper that was, wondering if we learned anything ricocheting across the multiverse—and whether it matters.

Anna, Mav, and Andrew are joined by professor, poet, literary and cultural critic, and friend-to-all-mutants Dr. Stephanie Burt to celebrate the not-so-epic conclusion of the Cross-Time Caper, plus Kitty turning 15 (again). We all swoon hard for an issue in which Kitty goes glam, Rachel becomes Kitty, Meggan becomes Kurt, and Brian... is just kinda there? We also bring to bear multiple gazes on the deeply problematic, but also deeply complex, relationship between Kitty and Sat-Yr-9.     

*Content warning: This episode features discussion of age-gap relationships, grooming, and sexual violence. 

Here comes the Judge Dredd homage you've been waiting for, with Scott Weatherly, editor of the recent anthology Judging Dredd, joining Anna, Mav, and Andrew to talk all things Mega-City One-inspired in Excalibur #23, "Here Comes the Judge." Defying the fascist rule of the Justicers, everyone finds something to do—and someone to love—in a jam-packed issue featuring action, heartbreak, comedy, and social commentary, plus AU Darkchylde Illyana Rasputin and Kurt's first confrontation with a too-human self. Oh, and did we mention Alan Davis is back? Because he is and we're SO HAPPY.  

Anna, Mav, and Andrew are joined by Dr. Safiyya Hosein, whose research focuses on representations of Muslim and Arab characters in superhero comics, to talk about those very things in Excalibur #22, "Shadows Triumphant?" When we're not working our way through deeply problematic Orientalist stereotypes and caricatures related to supervillain Amahl Farouk/Shadow King, we're doing a whole lotta griping about an issue where continuity, characterization, and cross-time capering all left something to be desired. Remember: we critique because we love. Specifically, we love well-crafted comics that don't feature harmful stereotypes. And unfortunately—this ain't one.      

Anna, Mav, and Andrew are joined by Dr. Martin Zeller-Jacques to tackle Excalibur #21, "Crusader X," which Mav describes as "definitely, technically a comic." The players and pencils are new, but the plot is intentionally—though not always enjoyably—familiar, as we revisit Rachel revisiting her trauma (again) in an issue that restages the Dark Phoenix Saga with new masterminds (but also the same old Mastermind). We also talk serialization, sexy Pietàs, and the further transformations of Nigel Frobisher, and unanimously declare evil Iron Man the best part of the issue. Plus, how a poster in the Albany Public Library ignited a lifetime love of comics!

It's out with the Claremont/Davis, in with the Higgins/Lim with Excalibur #20, “The Eye of the Beholder,” a flashback issue we’re charitably describing as “What If Excalibur was Set in the Silver Age?” Literature professor and recovering Gambit fan Dr. Asha Jeffers joins Anna, Mav, and Andrew to talk villains of the week, a suffusion of thought bubbles, Meggan’s hairy elbows, Kitty and Rachel’s witchy date, and Demon Druid’s luscious locks. Plus, we check in with the team’s sexy pajamas, Asha gives a hard yikes to Brian/Courtney, and Anna’s latest attempt to defend Nightcrawler goes horribly wrong.

We've pulled the strings of reality to create another epic podcast team-up as Justin and Alicia of The X-Wife Podcast join Anna, Mav, and Andrew to talk Excalibur #19, "Madripoor Knights!" But the team-ups don't end there! Chris Claremont teams up with celebrated penciler Rick Leonardi, Jamie Braddock teams up with Jamie Braddock, Kurt teams up with the Dirty Angels, Rachel teams up with Meggan, and no one teams up with the X-Men in a story about fraternal betrayal and finding new ways to win. Also, Kitty teams up with a pair of very tight jeans and everyone shuns Anna's questionable takes on Hamilton and Kurt's flirting. We only hope we've helped rather than hindered "one man's elaborate scheme to get his wife into X-Men comics!"