In which our Juggernaut/Deadpool team-up starts showing severe signs of decompression... and, hoo boy, does it like pointing out that Arnim Zola is a Nazi! Don't make that into a drinking game... you'd never survive the x-perience! Plus - Bobby Drake rings in the New Year by kissing himself and delivering some of the cringiest dialogue your humble host has seen in years! It's a trip! Also - Some babbly and rambly personal asides and anecdotes... that hopefully make a modicum of sense! -- https:/...
Jan 03, 2022•32 min
A descent into absolute MADNESS... in all the wrong ways! Here's a collection I've been wanting to (re)share for a long time... when Reggie and I were covering the entirety of DC's Young Animal boutique pop-up imprint (the first go-round, from 2016-2018), one of the titles... or, more accurately, THE title we were most excited for was: Doom Patrol (vol.6) -- and, boy did we start off optimistic! That is, until the writer of the thing stopped giving a crap about whether or not it ever came out! T...
Jan 02, 2022•6 hr 45 min
A bit of a shorter MasterworX compilation this time out in order to compile all three of our "Off the Beaten Path" Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D./Mentallo episodes into the next bunch... but, a fun group of issues all the same! Today we'll see the torch passed, as Stan Lee makes his exit as the writer of our merry Mutants, welcoming Rascally Roy Thomas who'll take over the chore for the next few years! We're going to tangle with Magneto, meet The Mimic... and get a bit more Luciferian gobbledy...
Jan 01, 2022•2 hr 56 min
Closing out 2021 with a high-octane buddy-cop action movie sorta issue of Wolverine! Watch as our titular hero teams up with his pal, Jeff Bannister to take on Maverick, and the goons from the Legacy Auction House. Also, Dolores Whatsherface from the X-Desk shows up long enough to be shot in the chest! It's a fun romp of an issue... with only one thing your humble host gets stuck on! Beware, continuity cops, there's an INFO PAGE in here that will make your skin crawl! I want to thank you all for...
Dec 31, 2021•20 min
Surf or Die, Muties! For this milestone 25th issue, we spend... well, most of it, watching Wolverine trying not to be a "Barney", while making time with a gill-necked surfer girl! Also, Quentin Quire and Phoebe Cuckoo's relationship takes the next step. Well, that is, if we define "breaking up" as a next step. It's an issue filled with highs and lows... but, one that gives us plenty to talk about! Plus: An Astonishing Mailbag, Shout-Outs, and much more! -- https://www.patreon.com/xlapsed X-Lapse...
Dec 30, 2021•40 min
Wherein your humble host is still literally spitting fire, as a result of Holiday overindulgence... but, let's not let that distract from our given task of chatting up all of these X-Books! Today's episode is focused on Wiz-Kid... our, sorta-kinda-but-definitely-not-turncoat, as revealed last issue. We're going to actually get to know him a bit better... which only makes me even more bummed out that so much of this S.W.O.R.D. volume has been co-opted into various "crossovents", and has spent suc...
Dec 29, 2021•23 min
Into the Astral... wherever the hell -- and into the most cliche bits and bobs of "surrealism" and "the abstract" that you could imagine! Thankfully, Rod Reis absolutely kills is here... otherwise, this'd be quite the pedestrian little story. What's it about? Well, we're finally getting around to wrapping up the interminable Shadow King story that's taken over this title for, what feels like, the past several years! At least I think we're wrapping it up... it's not all that clear. Not much in th...
Dec 28, 2021•24 min
X-Lapsed is back after our Holiday (and DCBS-not-shipping-me-the-books) break... and, we're kicking off our #Roadto300 with... X-Men Unlimited! Today's chapter features a heart-to-heart... or, maybe fist-to-head conversation between our two feature characters... and liberal (ab)use of the finger-flickin' gimmick of the Infinity Comics format. Also: In lieu of a mascot-backup, we're taking a look at the X-Centric Wolverine Holiday Special... which, sadly is a product more interested in making "lo...
Dec 27, 2021•21 min
Compiling four classic episodes of Chris and Reggie's Cosmic Treadmill, wherein we discussed and gave the full "Treadmill-Treatment" to the first issues from the "Big Four" Image Comics launch titles from 1992 - Rob Liefeld's Youngblood , Jim Lee's WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams , Erik Larsen's Savage Dragon , and Todd McFarlane's Spawn ! As a special "Bonus", I'm also including our "Real Comics History" Episode, during which we talked about the comics fandom (our own as well as widespread) du...
Dec 26, 2021•6 hr 13 min
Inviting you to spend a couple hours of your Christmas with me... and the X-Men! Closing out our Holiday Week by collecting the five "Merry X-Lapsed" episodes from 2020! -- TIMESTAMPS: (00:00:00) X-Men #98: "Merry Christmas, X-Men - The Sentinels Have Returned!" (00:28:52) Uncanny X-Men #341: "When Strikes a Gladiator!" (00:57:08) Uncanny X-Men #143: "Demon" (01:25:40) X-Men (vol.2) #109: "Ceremonies" (01:57:41) Generation X #4: "Between the Cracks" -- https://www.patreon.com/xlapsed X-Lapsed Vo...
Dec 25, 2021•2 hr 20 min
Merry X-Lapsed 2021 wraps up the same way 2020 ended... with Generation X ! And, just like 2020, the Generation X Holiday Issue we're discussing... really doesn't have much to do with the holidays themselves! Instead, the ladies of the crew head to Monet's family home in Monaco, to play a game of "Skeletons in the Closet" -- sharing tales of how and when their mutant powers manifested. It's a bunch of largely-retconned... or contradicted stories, that almost make me want to launch a program call...
Dec 24, 2021•30 min
Let's celebrate Christmas with X-Factor and those *other* New Mutants... The watchword for today's installment of Merry X-Lapsed is... exposition, so do your humble host a favor and do NOT take a sip of spiked eggnog every time I say it! The Simonsons work their hearts out to keep any X-Factor looky-loos who may've just popped their heads in to keep up with The Fall of the Mutants... and, well... it doesn't make for the easiest read... or, synopsis-writing experience! -- https://www.patreon.com/...
Dec 23, 2021•24 min
The Mutant Who Stole Christmas! Merry X-Lapsed takes a step... err, giant-size leap off the beaten path today, to check in with a one-off Mutant knock-off of The Grinch, who crossed paths with the Eric Masterson Thor this one Christmas Eve! What will we have to say about one of Thor's Lamest (in Marvel's own words) Enemies of all time? Well, you'll have to tune in to find out... and I don't think you'll be sorry if you do! This is a fun one! -- https://www.patreon.com/xlapsed X-Lapsed Voicemail:...
Dec 22, 2021•25 min
Welcome back to Merry X-Lapsed, where we're going to pop in on the criminally (?) short Kelly/Seagle era to dig into a Christmas Carol riff with a Russian twist! Colossus is back in the mansion after a time away... and is being haunted by both stilted dialogue, and a Ghost of XMas Past! Who could it possibly be? Oh, yew know... We'll talk a little bit about this era of X-Books (without context) and discuss the power of Guilt as story motivation! It's tons of fun for everyone... I hope you'll joi...
Dec 21, 2021•30 min
Kicking off Year Two of "Merry X-Lapsed" by checking in with the Outback Era! Longshot is haunted by inanimate objects via his psychometric powers, which force our heroes to play Santa Claus, on... of all nights, Christmas Eve! Also: Dazzler wishes she was dead, and Havok dresses like a janitor! It's a fun, heartwarming... if perhaps a little too syrupy sweet, story -- but one that's definitely worth your time! -- https://www.patreon.com/xlapsed X-Lapsed Voicemail: 623-396-5375 (or, 623-396-JERK...
Dec 20, 2021•22 min
Continuing on our trek from #EcksofTens to the Hellfire Gala... and, killing an entire trade collection with some B and C tier titles! You want Hickman? Sorry 'bout that. You want the actual X-Men book? Better luck next time... Here's a collection for the completionists... we'll have fun with it all the same! -- TIMESTAMPS: (00:00:00) New Mutants (vol.4) #16: "One Step Behind" (00:25:43) X-Force (vol.6) #18: "Shadows of the Mind" (00:49:04) Cable (vol.4) #9: "Bargaining" (01:15:52) Children of t...
Dec 19, 2021•2 hr 55 min
For the first time ever, Chris and Reggie's three-part Marvelman/Miracleman Weird Comics History deep-dive (originally featured in episodes 27-29 of that series), compiled in one over-stuffed episode! Part One: You ever have a Dream of Flying? Join Chris and Reggie as they dive deep into the world of Marvelman . From his humble beginnings as a British replacement for a certain Big Red Cheese, to the stories people actually care about (ie. those written by Alan Moore, err... we mean "The Original...
Dec 18, 2021•2 hr 55 min
Back to the flagship... but still with Magneto! A wildly convenient little ditty today, which starts at Professor X's somber memorial... and ends up on the electrified floor of Island M. The hows and whys are part of (if not ALL of) the fun... Also: A backup strip to shut up some of the more annoying... err, prolific... letterhacks, finally explaining how Cyclops' powers work! Speaking of letterhacks, we'll be covering 7-8 of those, then hopping into the Bullpen Bulletins to talk about the 1968 ...
Dec 17, 2021•32 min
Wrapping up our three-issue stint with Earth's Mightiest to discuss the return of Magneto. Today, he continues attempting to convince Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch into putting the Brotherhood Band back together... with unexpected results. He also approaches the United Nations Security Council in hopes of... get this... establishing sovereign nation-hood for Mutants! Wow, where have we heard THAT before (or since)? Plus, we wrap up our Roy's Recollections feature from Alter Ego #24 (2003), w...
Dec 16, 2021•38 min
Continuing our sidebar into Avengers, where we're following the grand return of Magneto! Today's episode answers the question "Is that a microphone down your pants, or are you just happy to see me?", and sees the All-New, All-Different Black Knight take flight! Also, the Avengers are verrrrrrry sloppy without the guidance and leadership of Captain America! Plus: We discuss a portion of an essay written by Roy Thomas in 2003 wherein he reflected on his first go-round with Marvel's Merry Mutants. ...
Dec 15, 2021•30 min
Shifting gears slightly from our flagship X-Men title, we're beginning our three-part detour into Avengers , where we will bear witness to the return of Magneto! How did he manage to escape the barren world of The Stranger... and what role did Dane Whitman, the eventual Black Knight play in it? Also: For Silver-Age Avengers fanatics, Captain America resigns from the team, the Wasp buys an airplane, Herc finds Olympus deserted, and Hawkeye feigns a headache to get out of being intimate with the B...
Dec 14, 2021•29 min
Not a Dream! Not a Hoax! Not an Imaginary Story! Not a... good story either! Today we celebrate... wait, that's not the right word for it... we commemorate the passing of the Mentor, Trainer, and Tormenter of the Uncanny X-Men: Professor Charles Francis Xavier! We will almost certainly never see him ever again. Plus: We wrap up Cyclops' origin in our Origins of the X-Men backup, we chat up the letters pages, go through the Bullpen Bulletins - have a brief aside about the Somerton Man, check out ...
Dec 13, 2021•39 min
Today - we begin the healing process! After skatey-eight weeks of horrendous X-Men Green, X-Men Unlimited moves on with... what we might be able to refer to as the follow-up to the very fun Juggernaut "Unstoppable" miniseries from last year! It's still Fabian Nicieza... which is a very good thing indeed! Also, taking the place of It's Jeff! in the "Infinity Comics back-up" slot, it's... Lucky the Pizza Dog ! Today we check out his first outing, where he and Hawkeye-Girl tangle with the dread Por...
Dec 12, 2021•37 min
In today's compilation of the X-Men's Silver Age X-Ploits we wrap up their first run-in with the Juggernaut, discuss all three part of the initial Sentinels/Master Mold storyline, and bring back their most dread foe! Perhaps most importantly, however, we take a look at the Original Five's highest profile guest appearance to date... what might be the most vital Marvel Comic of its day -- the star-studded, shared-universe confirming, Fantastic Four Wedding of Sue Storm and Reed Richards! It's a gr...
Dec 11, 2021•3 hr 28 min
80% of Michael Morbius is still too much Morbius for your humble host! Luckily, there's a lot more to discuss about this issue than one of my least favorite vampires (and that's saying something)! Today we're going to spend a good deal of time talking about scientific ethics as Maxine Danger takes center stage (at least in my mind), also the Daughters of the Dragon give us a sorta-kinda shoe-drop reveal... and a pervy game hunter watches Spider-Ben and Mary Janine kiss in the park! -- https://ww...
Dec 10, 2021•24 min
Spider-Man: Beyond rolls on... and the "Beyond Baton" is passed from Zeb Wells to Kelly Thompson! Will she be able to run with it? Absolutely! Today's chapter prompts your humble host to talk a bit about Flowers for Algernon , and kvetch about spoiler images on the internet... so, ya know, the usual! This Beyond run, to this point, has been great fun... and, I encourage anyone out there who can keep up with all skatey-eight hundred issues of Spidey Marvel's pumping out every month to give it a g...
Dec 09, 2021•20 min
Righting the wrong of... forgetting to discuss this Marvel's Voices one-shot back in October! Today's a "Just the X, ma'am!" look at Marvel's Voices: Identity ... covering three stories that are... kinda just there! Plus, we right a second wrong when I go back to Marvel's Voices: Pride #1 to discuss the Jesse Drake story that I didn't even realize I missed! Plus, we've got Destiny of X and X-Men Unlimited news... and, as this is the "November Finale", we're deep-diving the Sales of X for August,...
Dec 08, 2021•32 min
It's a bittersweet day here at X-Lapsed, wherein I discuss the penultimate chapter of the always amazing Hellions ! Before we say goodbye to our team of misfits, we get a stunning shoe-drop issue, which prompts your humble host to speculate as to x-actly how this series will come to a close next month! As always, if you're not reading Hellions ... do yourself a favor and give it a try! Plus - An x-cellent Mailbag section, and much more! -- https://www.patreon.com/xlapsed X-Lapsed Voicemail: 623-...
Dec 07, 2021•41 min
Kicking off our look at the 2022 (cover-dated) X-Books with the milestone 25th issue of Excalibur ... which, I'm sad to say feels just as pointless as most of the non-milestone issues of Excalibur ! Who's ready for some more fighting in Otherworld? Me neither... but, this is an all-or-nothing sort of show. Listener Warning: I'm fairly down on this book... not to the depths of an X-Men Green or X-Corp ... but, I did NOT care for it. If that opinion offends you or rubs you the wrong way, you may w...
Dec 06, 2021•50 min
The difficult "sophomore episode" of the Action Comics Daily Appendix opens with some Christorical information about what led to the shift to ACW over at Chris is on Infinite Earths, and some of the concerns and worries I had about that shift! From there, we talk all about the second chapters of our original six features! We witness a Green Lantern funeral, we nearly sacrifice Deadman, we blow up a bookstore and an airplane, and we almost see Janos Prohaska's li'l Blackhawk! It's been a blast re...
Dec 05, 2021•50 min
