X Is For Comics: An X-Men Podcast

Since the inception of the X-Men, we've seen 15 Leap Days come and go. So, of course, the Social Council of Krakoa couldn't wait to get their hands on those stories and tour through the history of the X-Men! The team strolls through the early era of the 1960s and finds how some things never change. Then, the team turns to the inconsistent 1970s before the powerhouse of the 80s and 90s, and ends with a look at the last 20 years of X-Canon and how often it interacts with Leap Day. This is a fun one full of X-Favorites like Dazzler, Emma Frost, Destiny and Mystique, Magneto and Xavier, Dark Phoenix and Apocalypse, and way more... all brought to you by Dylan, Regina, Kyle, Jonah, and Nico as the Krakoa team takes on an evolutionary giant-sized game show on an all-new We Are Krakoa! Read along with the X-titles from February 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020!

In 1982, two comic powerhouses at the top of their respective games came together to tell a story that would take a successful character from popular-within-comic-circles to one of the most ubiquitous characters in the history of fictional heroes. The X is for Podcast guys deep dive into not just this legendary miniseries, but the Wolverine character as a whole. Nico and Jonah, a couple of sniktofiles (or sniktophiles; really, it depends on the artist) start armed for bear with Dylan, a longtime Logan-critic. However, this is no regular miniseries. In the first of three parts, the team discuss Logan the man, Logan the animal, and the landmark first issue of this critically hailed series. Read along with Wolverine (1982) #1.

Wolverine's back, the New Mutants are headed home, and things aren't looking so good for Kate these days. But first! Hasbro unleashes an unbelievable number of new X-Men Legends toys! Giant-Sized X-Men finds its fifth lead in Storm, and the British heroes of The Union begin to poke their heads out of the ground! Then: to a wild week of crazy titles! New Mutants broke the fourth wall and our five collective heads, WOW-erine had two stories (and maybe lacked a little punch!), and Marauders emotionally broke everyone involved with this production. Of course, there's still more! Like Gwenpool! Weird Sex Stuff With Sebastian! ...and, again, Nico pitches self-possessed, sex-work-positive X-Brothel. AGAIN. Seriously. All this and (of course) more, like Kyle, Jonah, Regina, Dylan, and STEFAN?! on an all-new X is for Podcast! Read along with New Mutants 7, Wolverine 1, and Marauders 8.

Chris Claremont was never content to let the X-Men spend any extended time on any single status quo, and every single page of these issues of Uncanny X-Men see transformation. Angel becomes the victim of a secret underground society of mutants, Storm unleashes a new level of violence and rage, and Rogue seeks help. But also... Kitty has to babysit? And the whole team finds the entire thing kind of illogical. But the core of the episode lies on the strength of these Uncanny issues; enter The Morlocks, behold Kurt's fear at the hate in Storm's heart, and prepare for the very worst that could happen to the X-Men: they have to take in the menace of the evil mutant who stole Carol Danvers's life... Rogue! The regular team of Nico, Jonah, and Dylan express their love of art, writing, and bravery of storytelling on an all new '80s Mutant Mania! Read along 80s MUTANT MANIA! READ ALONG with Uncanny X-Men #169-171, Marvel Team-Up #135.

Love was in the air last week, which convinced Marvel to clear the air on a few relationships, leading directly into the discussion for this week's books. The team discusses their rocky reaction to Excalibur, including what appears to be a bummer bum-rush to remove some high profile characters (and a HOT AF appearance by Cullen Bloodstone), then move onto Domino and the unending run of not-Dominos. Finally, the team gets a chance to discuss perhaps the most eagerly anticipated issue of the m'f'ing g'd'ing Krakoa'kating year, X-Men #6, where queen of mean and top traitor Mystique moves her plan forward. Plus, more news (X-Factor! The Union!), more stories, and more fun with Jonah, Kyle, Dylan, Regina, and Nico on an all-new X is for Podcast! Read along with X-Men #6, X-Force #7, and Excalibur #7.

There's childbirth everywhere! Well, okay. There's only the one, but it's so graphic that you can't blame the guys for being scarred. Miracleman draws closer to his "origin" (whatever passes for one, at least), which leads him, Mr. Cream, and Liz into the hands of Dr. Emil Gargunza?! And his plans to move into their baby. And then there's Miracledog. And again. The up-close-and-personal with Liz's ladybiz is a lot to take in, but Nico and Kevo brace for birth and do the thing on an all-new The Miracle of Marvelman! Read adlong with Marvel's Miracleman #5-10.

We Are Krakoa unites to talk about the newest newses to hail from Krakoa's social circles: Magneto's gonna be late, Nightcrawler's coming early, and finally Juggernaut and Fantomex show up! The group discusses the sudden boom in X-Men characters appearing in Marvel mobile games, as well as the impact that influence is bound to have. Then, the team turns their eyes to the hit of the week: Marauders; whether it's Duggan's inclusive writing or Casselli's massive art growth, the team is here for it. And FF/XM #1 plays out like an intro for both groups to the other, with limited pay-off for the crew. All this plus "Who's Missing on Krakoa?" (Dazzler! Monet! Nico says Doop, Dylan loses his mind, while Jonah, Regina, and Kyle laugh maniacally) on an all-new X is for Podcast! Read along with Marauders #7, Fantastic Four/X-Men #1 (with references to The Mutant Massacre, House of X #1, and X-Statix).

Dazzler struggled to receive mainstream respect despite an impressive array of guest stars, including a series of near-regular appearances from show-favorite-target-of-ridicule Warren Worthington III, the high-flying Angel! Beyond that paltry dowery, the title offers little beneath comic legend Bill Sienkiewicz's covers. The creative team churns out a full year of storytelling, wrought with a long-lost-mother hiding in plain sight, a ne'er-do-well sister with a death touch, the Fantastic Four, the Inhumans, Spider-Man, Daredevil, Rogue, Mystique, Destiny, and even villains like Doc Ock and The Absorbing Man. Nico, Dylan, and Jonah feel the churn on all new '80s Mutant Mania! Read along with Dazzler #17-28.

FIRST UP: NEWS ROUND-UP! She's back! And she's here to raise hell! Long-time X-Men major villain The Goblyn Queen returns to the X-Men, and it's got the team (mainly Regina) talking! Then, Nico really loves war comics. About man-things. Giant weapons. Gnarly-ass animals. He conned everyone into reading one... and they all really liked it? The badass animal people REALLY helped. Then: REVIEWS! Across five titles, the team finds themselves longing for the days when Beast was reasonable, celebrating the leadership of Tabby Smith, and following the new status quos for Kwannon, Synch, and more! Don't miss a complete history of the Weapons Plus program! All this, plus this this week's releases from Kyle in an all new We Are Krakoa! Read along with X-Force #6, Fallen Angels #6, New Mutants #6, X-Men #5, and Weapons Plus: World War IV.

After a tiring series of extended sojourns and endless travails, the X-Men and New Mutants finally find some quiet moments, some of which reveal the X-Men's strength (see Storm overtake darkness in Uncanny Annual #6) while others show the weakness in all of us (hate crimes and cowardice in New Mutants #4). Take a short trip through one of the mutants' messier quiet moments with Nico, Jonah, and Dylan in an all new '80s Mutant Mania! Read along with Uncanny X-Men Annual #6, Marvel Team-Up #124, New Mutants #4, and Marvel Team-Up Annual #2!