Episode 185: Why-Men (Lesser-Known X-Men; Stacy X, Lifeguard, Slipstream, and Northstar)

Continuing to work towards completing the “Lesser Known X-Men” feature, we cover four characters this time; three short-term members, and one who is possibly well-known enough to not qualify, but is important enough to merit inclusion to make sure as many learn about him as possible.

That’s Iceman she’s talking to, before he came out of the closet.

Her New Warriors look.

Lifeguard as her powers originally manifested.

And her look after the Shi’ar DNA kicked in.

And this is how her brother reacted when he saw the “difference.” Um, overreact much?

Northstar in his John Byrne-y goodness.

Can you guess in what decade this issue came out (pun intended)?

Congrats, guys! You only get the wraparound cover for very special occasions!

Episode 181: Why-Men (Lesser Known X-Men; Thunderbird, Mirage, and Sage)

Continuing once again with the Lesser Known X-Men feature, we’ve reached the “aughts” or the first decade of the 2000s, where we find an Indian with a Native American codename, a Native American who gets tangled up with Norse Mythology, and a spy with a computer for a brain that wants to be a superhero.

There’s not even any bird symbology to his powers. I just don’t get it.

Mirage in one of her earliest appearances.

When she became a Valkyrie, she grew up!

An early Tessa appearance (yes, all the women in the Hellfire Club basically dressed like that).

Sage as the “Woman in the Chair” mode. (Did Jubilee say it was okay to borrow her jacket?)

Episode 179: Why-Men (Lesser Known X-Men; Joseph, Cecilia Reyes, Maggott and Marrow)

Wrapping up the 90s era of “Lesser Known X-Men,” we have the clone, the doctor, the sentient slugs, and the bone-wielding Morlock all joining the team, though few of them stay on the team for too long. What happened to them after? I discuss that and many other details of their lives in this episode.

You can tell he’s not the real Magneto. Erik would never look that surprised.

Welcome to the X-Men. Hope you…ow! Ow! Stop hitting me!

He’s eating for three. Actually, two are eating for him…

A little taste of Maggott’s South African accent.

Marrow’s first appearance.

And a more recent appearance. You can tell she’s the same, right?

Episode 178: Why-Men (Lesser Known X-Men; Bishop, Kwannon & Cannonball)

The 1990s was one of the best-selling eras for the X-Men comics.  But, if you didn’t read them, you might not know who Bishop, Kwannon, or Cannonball are.  Take a listen here to find out what makes each of those characters unique and what they brought to the team.

I think you might be overstating it there…A lot will be the same, trust me.

It’s not Betsy, I swear!

Revanche is a dish best served…confusingly.

Little Sam Guthrie. Not his best look…

Good idea. Cover the forehead with goggles.

Episode 176: Why-Men (Lesser Known X-Men; Dazzler and Forge)

Continuing our focus on the “Almost Famous” members of the X-Men, we wrap up the members who joined in the 80s with the Disco Queen known as Dazzler, and the Indigenous American inventor who goes by Forge.  But, before that, an important announcement about the future of the show.

Oh yeah, and she’s an expert roller skater. Just in case she wasn’t “Disco” enough for you.

Her first (but nowhere near her last) costume change.

Forge working on some Krakoan tech, showing off his cybernetic leg.

Episode 174: Why-Men (Lesser Known X-Men; Rachel Summers, Longshot, Psylocke)

Our fourth in a recurring series on the less famous members of the X-Men roster, we reach the 80s, with a alternate future child, a mullet-wearing alien clone, and a body swapped telepathic ninja.  Yes, the X-Men are weird.  Take a listen to find out exactly how weird it can get!

Rachel’s had a few different looks over the years, as she went from Hound to just Rachel, to Phoenix, to Marvel Girl, to Prestige to Askani. See if you can guess which costumes apply to which code name.

Business in the front, party in the back, pouches on the belt (a trendsetter both in hair and superhero costumes).

Betsy’s also gone through many looks. I’m grateful for the cover that shows them all in one image.

Episode 149: The Why-Men (Lesser-Known X-Men; Banshee, Sunfire, & Thunderbird)

Continuing our look at some of the less-famous X-Men roster, we’ve reached the Giant-Sized issue that reinvented the team, and the three members who never quite reached the fame of their compatriots like Nightcrawler, Colossus, Storm, and Wolverine.

Only one of the three we discuss even makes the cover. That’s got to hurt.

Banshee in one of his early villainous appearances.

…and what he looks like after joining the good guys. Amazing how much more attractive heroes are.

Sean in his “Horseman of Death” aspect.

And now as “Vox Ignis.”

Welcome to the team!

Well, that was quick…

The always pleasant to be around John Proudstar…

Welcome to the X-Men, John! Hope you survive the…Oh. Never mind.

45 years later…finally back!

Episode 106: Santa Claus in Comics - Marvel Edition

Happy Holidays, everyone!  Like last year’s episode, I thought it fitting (considering the timing) to go over some of Santa’s appearances in various comic books, this time focusing on Marvel Comics (other companies may be featured in future years), as he meets the X-Men, Spider-Man, and Howard the Duck (twice!), among other appearances.  Warning: Ironically and unfortunately, this episode may not be suitable for kids.  (Mostly due to the topic.  Language-wise, it’s safe)

🎶I saw Hitler shooting…Santa Claus…🎶

We never do find out when/how they got turned back from action figures…

Back when Howard was always an angry duck. He’s mellowed over the years…

Ho Ho Ho, now I have a handgun.

No, Shulkie, we’re not kidding.

This cover is misleading, but what we do get is equally (if not more) disturbing…

Episode 87: The Why-Men (Lesser Known X-Men; Mimic, Changeling and Havok)

If you ask people to name X-Men, basically everyone can come up with Wolverine, and most will be able to remember Professor X, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Storm and maybe a few others.  However, who are the X-Men that nobody talks about?  In the first of this new recurring series, Kurt dives into the history of the mutant team to find the lesser-known characters that deserve some additional attention.

Go ahead. Name them all…I can wait.

Mimic could actually control his optic beams, but wore the red shades anyways. Calvin Rankin: Fashion icon.

Changeling’s original appearance. You can see why he…changed it.

Wolverine’s claws with Colossus’s strength behind them. A one-man Fastball Special.

How’d he recognize him without that helmet?

Morph…the sacrificial lamb of the X-Men cartoon.

Finally, the Morph of Age of Apocalypse/Exiles. Just a little shift in appearance here.

I am…Magnetrix! No, wait, I changed my mind…No, stop calling me that!

With her multiple times being mind-controlled/possessed, she has some issues about people “getting in her head,” among others…

Episode 86: Familial Power Immunity and Is the Winter Soldier also Super?

Two questions being asked this week.  One is about what causes certain heroes to be immune to each other’s powers when they are on the same family tree.  The other question is about the MCU version of Bucky, and if and when he got powers.

You can keep blasting…it’s not going to do anything.

The “s” that launched a thousand characters…(Okay, just two)

Can you tell he was created in the 90s?

“Zzark” and “Fzzshak” just don’t have the resonance of “Bamf” and “Snikt” when it comes to X-Men power noises.

The (slightly) more serious Summers brother.

The moment Bucky becomes a Super Soldier, even if he doesn’t realize it.

Episode 48: Marvel Around the World (Marvel Characters based outside the United States)

Although most Marvel comic book stories are based in United States (and even more specifically New York), there are heroes in many other countries in the Marvel Universe.  We take a look at a few of them, trying to avoid the ones completely based around a stereotype of that country (except maybe Kangaroo).  Let’s romp around the world and check out the international heroes of Marvel!

Do you know this hero? If so, please email to be on the show!

Wakanda’s not real, so we don’t talk much about Black Panther, but he’s still gets a picture!

Not pictured: Banshee, but he does get added in soon after.

Just a few characters featured in Contest of Champions. Black Knight ends up as an Avenger down the line! The rest…not quite as successful.

Snowbird has reallllly long hair, apparently.

Captain Britain’s original costume on the left, the new costume on the right. What’s your preference?

We’ll get to Silk when we do the “The Replacements: Spider-Man” eventually.

Episode 18: Stan Lee History and Tribute

This week’s episode, instead of answering a question, is a history of and tribute to Stan Lee, who died recently.  We look at his beginnings in the industry, and some of the important contributions he made throughout the years.

Stan “The Man” Lee. ‘Nuff Said.