Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men

<figure id="attachment_23831" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-23831" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/X520.jpg"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="wp-image-23831 size-full" src="https://www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/X520.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="618" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/X520.jpg?w=1024&#38;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/X520.jpg?resize=300%2C181&#38;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/X520.jpg?resize=768%2C464&#38;ssl=1 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-23831" class="wp-caption-text">Illustration by David Wynne</p> <dd></figcaption></figure> <p>In which several individuals are not what they seem; John Sublime sucks; Cyclops talks Xorn down from a cosmic ledge; we meet the inimitable Beak; and Cassandra Nova makes herself (limitedly) known.</p> <p>X-PLAINED:</p> <ul> <li>John Sublime</li> <li>Marvelscope™</li> <li><em>New X-Men</em> 2001 Annual</li> <li><em>New X-Men</em> #117</li> <li>Xorn</li> <li>X-Corporation</li> <li>The U-Men</li> <li>Ao Jun (and his super gross mutant power)</li> <li>Synchronized heists</li> <li>Psychometry vs. telepathy</li> <li>A big eventual twist</li> <li>Beak (Barnell Bohusk)</li> <li>A kiss</li> <li>Some really fucked up use of telepathy</li> <li>Some Moira MacTaggert continuity nonsense</li> </ul> <p>NEXT EPISODE: U-Men vs. X-Men</p> <hr /> <p>The visual companion to this episode will be up later this week.</p> <p>Find us on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jay-miles-x-plain-the-x-men/id862258051">Apple Podcasts</a> or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3dB4KyeOeylfiIVImshFY2?si=ee5e912a53114820">Spotify</a>!</p> <p>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 <a href="https://www.patreon.com/xplainthexmen">right here</a>!</p> <p>Buy rad swag at <a href="https://xplainthexmen.dashery.com/">our Dashery shop</a>!</dd>

<figure id="attachment_23804" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-23804" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/0_X519.jpg"><img decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-23804" src="https://www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/0_X519.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="618" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/0_X519.jpg?w=1024&#38;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/0_X519.jpg?resize=300%2C181&#38;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/0_X519.jpg?resize=768%2C464&#38;ssl=1 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-23804" class="wp-caption-text">Illustration by David Wynne</figcaption></figure> <p>In which we start the Morrison Run; Professor X gets his hands on Chekhov’s gun; Cassandra Nova raises X-villains to a new level of weird; and humanity is running on borrowed time.</p> <p>X-PLAINED:</p> <ul> <li>No-Girl</li> <li><em>New X-Men</em> #114-116</li> <li>Grant Morrison and their approach to the X-Men</li> <li>Superhero fashion</li> <li>Cerebra</li> <li>Beast’s new look</li> <li>Ugly John</li> <li>Interpersonal dynamics</li> <li>Cassandra Nova (somewhat)</li> <li>Donald Trask</li> <li>Master Molds</li> <li>Wild Sentinels</li> <li>Emma Frost (more) (again)</li> <li>Negasonic Teenage Warhead (the original)</li> <li>The fall of Genosha</li> <li>Secondary mutations</li> <li>The most strapless bra of all time</li> <li>The Black Bug Room</li> <li>Summers problems</li> <li>Official X-Men and the designation thereof</li> <li><em>Wonder Man</em> and mutants</li> </ul> <p>NEXT EPISODE: Beast has a bad day</p> <hr /> <p>Check out the visual companion to this episode <a href="https://www.xplainthexmen.com/2026/03/as-mentioned-in-episode-519/">on our blog</a>.</p> <p>Find us on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jay-miles-x-plain-the-x-men/id862258051">Apple Podcasts</a> or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3dB4KyeOeylfiIVImshFY2?si=ee5e912a53114820">Spotify</a>!</p> <p>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 <a href="https://www.patreon.com/xplainthexmen">right here</a>!</p> <p>Buy rad swag at <a href="https://xplainthexmen.dashery.com/">our Dashery shop</a>!</p>

<p><a href="https://www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X518.jpg"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-23782" src="https://www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X518.jpg" alt="" width="522" height="558" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X518.jpg?w=522&#38;ssl=1 522w, https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X518.jpg?resize=281%2C300&#38;ssl=1 281w" sizes="(max-width: 522px) 100vw, 522px" /></a></p> <p>In which Dr. Jey McCreight joins us to discuss all things X-Genetics!</p> <p>X-PLAINED:</p> <ul> <li>The genetics and taxonomy of Marvel’s merry mutants</li> </ul> <p>NEXT EPISODE: The Morrison run begins!</p> <hr /> <p><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/jeymccreight.bsky.social">Follow Dr. Jey on Bluesky</a>, and check out <a href="https://beyondxandy.org/">Beyond X and Y</a>!</p> <hr /> <p>Find us on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jay-miles-x-plain-the-x-men/id862258051">Apple Podcasts</a> or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3dB4KyeOeylfiIVImshFY2?si=ee5e912a53114820">Spotify</a>!</p> <p>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 <a href="https://www.patreon.com/xplainthexmen">right here</a>!</p> <p>Buy rad swag at <a href="https://xplainthexmen.dashery.com/">our Dashery shop</a>!</p> <p>&#160;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X517.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-23757" src="https://www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X517.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="1014" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X517.jpg?w=1024&#38;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X517.jpg?resize=300%2C297&#38;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X517.jpg?resize=150%2C150&#38;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X517.jpg?resize=768%2C761&#38;ssl=1 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></p> <p>In which we totally forgot to record a cold open (sorry); a lot of characters die (but not in Earth-616); Vampires may already be in command of America’s atomic arsenal; and we revisit a favorite.</p> <p>X-PLAINED:</p> <ul> <li><em>What If</em> vol. 2 #9</li> <li><em>What If</em> vol. 2 #24</li> <li><em>What If: Magik</em> #1</li> <li>Rahne Sinclair (moppet stage)</li> <li>The deaths of the Silver Age and All-New-All-Different X-Men</li> <li>Fancy television</li> <li>Sliding-scale ransom</li> <li>Then Ani-Men, somewhat</li> <li>The Living LASER, somewhat</li> <li>An orgy of satiation</li> <li>Wolverine, Lord of the Vampires</li> <li>Several highlights of <em>Tarot: Witch of the Black Rose</em></li> <li>Vampire nonsense</li> <li>The Darkhold</li> <li>The Montessi Formula</li> <li>Some alligators</li> <li>August 5</li> <li>Frank Punisher, Vampire Hunter</li> <li><em>What If</em> vol. 2 #37 (briefly)</li> <li>A kinder alternate history</li> <li>A singularly beautiful montage</li> <li>The Soul Staff</li> <li>Summers family connections</li> <li>How Wolverine climbs</li> </ul> <p>NEXT EPISODE: Unspooling the X-Gene, with Dr. Jey McCreight!</p> <hr /> <p>Check out the visual companion to this episode <a href="https://www.xplainthexmen.com/2026/03/as-mentioned-in-episode-517/">on our blog</a>.</p> <p>Find us on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jay-miles-x-plain-the-x-men/id862258051">Apple Podcasts</a> or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3dB4KyeOeylfiIVImshFY2?si=ee5e912a53114820">Spotify</a>!</p> <p>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 <a href="https://www.patreon.com/xplainthexmen">right here</a>!</p> <p>Buy rad swag at <a href="https://xplainthexmen.dashery.com/">our Dashery shop</a>!</p> <p>&#160;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X516.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-23748" src="https://www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X516-1024x260.png" alt="" width="900" height="229" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X516.png?resize=1024%2C260&#38;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X516.png?resize=300%2C76&#38;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X516.png?resize=768%2C195&#38;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X516.png?resize=1536%2C390&#38;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X516.png?resize=2048%2C521&#38;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/www.xplainthexmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/X516.png?w=1800&#38;ssl=1 1800w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></a></p> <p>In which Asher Elbein joins us to discuss the complicated intersections between Magneto, big feelings, and international politics.</p> <p>X-PLAINED:</p> <ul> <li>Some complicated intersections between Magneto, big feelings, and international politics.</li> </ul> <hr /> <p>Check out links to some of what we discuss in this episode <a href="https://www.xplainthexmen.com/2026/03/as-mentioned-in-episode-516/">on our blog</a>.</p> <p>Find us on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jay-miles-x-plain-the-x-men/id862258051">Apple Podcasts</a> or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3dB4KyeOeylfiIVImshFY2?si=ee5e912a53114820">Spotify</a>!</p> <p>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 <a href="https://www.patreon.com/xplainthexmen">right here</a>!</p> <p>Buy rad swag at <a href="https://xplainthexmen.dashery.com/">our Dashery shop</a>!</p> <p>&#160;</p>