Inferno #4
This week, the last week, the guys discuss Disney+’s Hawkeye finale as well as MCU’s latest banger, Spiderman: No Way Home. After that the guys dig into Inferno #4. First, as an individual issue, and then, what it meant to the event as a whole, and finally, Inferno as a larger part of Hickman’s run. Was the issue good? Is the payoff there for the set up? What might this story have looked like if Hickman had full access? After that, the guys recap the end of an era. What characters and books meant something, the ups, the downs, just all of it. Finally, a short send off as the guys discuss the long run of the podcast as a whole before signing off one final time.
Thank you to everyone that has listened over the years.
Inferno #3
This week the guys discuss their interest level in No Way Home’s upcoming release, Dane waxes poetic for way too long on his love of Disney+’s Hawkeye, Spiderman in video games, and brief thoughts on Destiny of X. It wouldn’t be the eXaMENation podcast if we didn’t talk about Hellions and boy do we have a reason to this episode as the series comes to a close and, surprise, they all love it. Do you like Cypher spying on the man? Emma being a badass? Tensions between Xavier and Erik? How about time traveling robots from future timelines? Come on, you’re listening to an X-Men podcast, you know you do. Well, Inferno has it all, plus a promise to burn it all down. If you don’t want spoilers, probably skip over Quintin’s prediction because it’s too good not to be right. As the podcast nears a close, Kelsey and Dane step into the Danger Room again. But, will they be successful in the penultron episode? Find out in this week’s episode!
Inferno #2
This week the guys discuss the No Way Home trailer, specifically the villains teased and who everyone wants to round out a presumed Sinister Six, Quintin’s love affair with the new Guardians of the Galaxy video game, why Adam Warlock is more than just that kid from We’re the Millers, and expectations of the new Lives and Deaths of Wolverine event. Inferno keeps things blazing, this week focusing on the mystery of how Mystique got Destiny back, what Xavier and Magneto plan to do about this new betrayal, and the newest member of the council rounding them back out to 12. Once all that’s done, things wrap up with some impromptu discussions of why solicits suck, how costume colors matter to show intentions, and maybe accidentally recorded a recruiting commercial for Orchis. Enjoy!
This week, the guys discuss What If’s, What if Thor was a frat bro, the upcoming Venom movie and who is going to go see it, the next lawsuit in line for Marvel, who is going to pick up the Guardians of the Galaxy game, and the maybe reveal of Kieron Gillen joining the X-Team. Inferno pulls out all the stops in an extra large issue. What has Orchis been up to? Will Mystique burn it all down? How will the Council fill vacancies in War Captains and Council members? Find out this and more in this week’s episode!
X-Corp #5, X-Men #3, Onslaught Revelation #1
This week, the guys discuss what’s missing from What If’s Killmonger episode (and somehow Hellions comes up) and put out some hopes and predictions for next week’s Inferno debut. The first arc of X-Corp comes to a close with an action packed issue and more nazi hand holding powers. The X-Men face off with the High Evolutionary and only make it out after making a deal that will obviously come back to bite them in the future. Onslaught Revelation wraps up Way of X with some heavy, high concept...REVELATIONS!
Marauders #24, Trial of Magneto #2
This week, the guys discuss What If’s Marvel Zombies and where the show as a whole fits into the great MTVU, the new announcement of Insomniac’s Spider-Man and Wolverine video games, the newly released trailer for the Christmas spectacular Hawkeye series (warning: Dane’s excited), and the funeral pyre they are building with Hellion’s end in sight. Marauders takes a new step for the book itself, but a familiar step for Star Wars fans. Trial of Magneto continues to drop clues about what’s really going on. But are these clues or editorial mistakes? You’ll have to keep reading (and listening) to find out. Don’t let your attention phase out before Kelsey and Dane take on their own trials in the Danger Room!
X-Force #23, Excalibur #23
This week, the guys discuss the box office smash of Shang-Chi and what it means for Marvel and Disney+ moving forward, the rumored $100M Scarlett Johansson requested to even out her contract, and Hickman staying on an X-Men project exclusive to Marvel Unlimited (and then a little more about our thoughts on Unlimited). Mikhail moves his plans for a new Russia forward while Beast finds himself in another tiny problem in this week’s issue of X-Force. Meanwhile, Excalibur escorts Doom through Otherworld as he searches for something he left with his ex, Morgan la Fey. Finally, can Kelsey and Dane bear the obstacles of the Danger Room? Find out in this week’s episode!
This is the one where we talk about the finer things:
New Mutants & Hellions
Midnight Suns
Shang Chi
What If 3 & 4
You know... the finer things.
Wolverine #15
This week, the guys discuss episode 2 of What-If as T’Challa takes over the mantle of Star Lord and Thanos is just misunderstood, their thoughts on the new No Way Home teaser trailer, and where they land on the hype meter for Midnight Suns. Wolverine continues in top form as the hunt of Solem heats up and we learn a little more about the past of the adamantium skinned playboy. It’s the 100th episode. A milestone. An achievement. But all good things must come to an end as the guys discuss what the podcast has meant to them in the last two years and their plans to wrap things up in the coming months. But they’ve still got time for the Danger Room. Are Kelsey and Dane’s knowledge enough to overcome the Danger Room’s weapons? Find out in this week’s episode!
This week, the guys discuss some alternate covers based on the early MCU movies and what those films mean to them, a potentially leaked first look at Moonknight and who is excited for that, a brief recap and discussion of episode one of Disney+’s ‘What If?’, and with a real burying of the lead, first take reactions to the news that Hickman will be leaving the X-Team. In the comics, how does X-Corp handle its first PR disaster and then how did it get even worse? Marauders uses a motley crew roster to handle some issues in the Krakoan pharmaceutical distribution (i.e. drug trade). Way of X keeps pushing the limits of the philosophical and moral questions that build Krakoa but things are coming to an action packed head. Finally, the new event Trial of Magneto kicks off with X-Factor’s initial investigation and the titular character suspect going rogue on the island nation.
This week, the guys discuss Marvel’s new ‘What If?’, but only briefly, with no spoilers. That comes next week. Also on the docket is the state of Krakoa’s future with the recent announcement of Jonathan Hickamn’s newly announced 3 Worlds, 3 Moons and Substack. Children of the Atom wraps up by exploring what it means when one of their team is revealed as mutant and how that affects the dynamics of the team and their relationships. X-Force continues revealing what Xeno is up to in its quest to manipulate floronic life. The Danger Room is back and running, but it’s put up or shut up for Kelsey and Dane, there are no alternatives. Do they make it out alive? Find out this and more in this week’s episode!
X-Men #2, Hellions #14
In part two of a double feature, the guys discuss the upcoming Marvel What-If and a surprising amount of Suicide’s King Shark. In the Crucible each member defends a ‘lesser’ book and why they think it can rise up the ranks. X-Men picks up right where it left off with classic X-Men team stories, drawing on the past to create the present and power the future. Hellions continues to test the number of ways we can compliment the book. Just read it. If you’re not reading it, you’re making a mistake. The Danger Room makes its return as Kelsey and Dane come out the gate like some savages. Will it be enough? Find out this and more in this week’s episode! (Stick around to the end if you’re a fan of talk about outdated search engines!)
Wolverine #14, S.W.O.R.D. #7, Cable #12
We’ve had technical difficulties (both personally and with our podcast services) so it is late. But the good news is, that means you guys are getting a double feature. This episode the guys discuss the full slate of upcoming Marvel TV shows and movies. What made the shows so far great? What are we most excited about in the next slate of TV shows? How about movies? What needs to happen to make these new properties really stick? Scarlett Johannsen sues Marvel for breach of contract regarding her incentives for a theatrical release and the fact that Black Widow was the first Marvel product to be streamed with its release. Stepping into the Crucible the guys discuss the most punchable face on Krakoa. Wolverine gets back to basics and reminds us why he is the best at what he does as he investigates mutant threats in Madripoor. S.W.O.R.D. takes place in space, but feels like it gets a little hijacked by the Annihilation tie-in story. Cable gets his swan song as the team takes on Stryfe one more, or last, or the first time (time travel is hard!). Where is the character of Cable when all of this is over and where can he go from here? Find out this and more in this week’s episode!
Marauders #22, New Mutants #20
This episode some guys discuss Loki episode 6 and the lasting effects on the MCU, the Loki and Wandavision finale sync ups, and Henry Cavill taking a very British MCU meeting. In the Crucible the team is faced with the haunting reality that we haven’t had a good X-Men video game in over 15 years. Hellfire Club, sorry, Marauders, reveals a long ago plot of Emma’s proving she’s been betraying Shaw for a lot longer than Krakoa has been around. New Mutants continues good heartfelt stories about young mutants on the island. But how long can things stay wholesome with the Shadow King, murder, and the youthful bucking of authority? Find out this and more in this week’s episode!
We discuss Excalibur, Way of X, and X-Corp. Loki is killing it too!
Children of the Atom #5, X-Force #21, Hellions #13, X-Men #1
This episode the guys discuss Loki episode 4 and what it means for Loki being in the Simpson Cinematic Universe, expectations for the upcoming Trial of Magneto and Inferno and which event comics in Marvel have done the best job of laying out and tying in issues. Children of the Atom is starting to wrap up with its final character focus issue and some good old fashion superhero action. X-Force continues dealing with its telephonic problems but things get a little more complicated when Xeno returns into the fold. Hellions continues the never ending hot streak as the team dynamic continues to evolve as they discover the Sinister who lead them into Arakko was not the Sinister who brought them out. Finally, Krakoa is a weird new world so it is nice when something feels like home. X-Men, much like its name, gets back to the classics of what makes mutant superheroes great. The Danger Room finally makes a return but can Kelsey and Dane evolve their strategies fast enough to keep up? Find out in this episode!
Wolverine #13, S.W.O.R.D. #6, Way of X #3, X-Factor #10, Cable #11
This episode the guys discuss Loki episodes 2 and 3 and its introduction of new take on a classic Asgardian character, some of the review information on the soon to be released Black Widow and whether or not Kelsey will watch it opening weekend (spoiler, he will, but semi-involuntarily), and if Marvel making small changes to its streaming content is an interesting or even good thing. Wolverine grows from the seeds planted by X-Force and blooms into a full force Terra Verde conflict at the gala (and other plant based puns). S.W.O.R.D. follows the intergalactic fallout and follow-up to the Planet Sized moves of the X-Men. He may be drunk, but that doesn’t stop Nightcrawler from asking the tough questions, but tough questions can lead to tough answers. Oh, and Onslaught. X-Factor is a book about a chosen family and solving mysteries and it wraps up with a chosen family solving some heavy mysteries and uncovering one more. The 80’s action movie that is Cable introduces a ‘new’ ‘old’ character as it ramps up to a finale we have to assume is going to be full of some quality one-liners. Where have we been (The Gala) and where are we going (The Trial of Magneto? While Quintin couldn’t make it, he couldn’t go a whole two weeks without being heard so stick around to the very end for his hot takes on the last five issues!
This episode the guys discuss what grabbed them about the first episode of Marvel’s Loki TV show on Disney+ and what they think about the promise of SquareEnix’s newly announced Guardians of the Galaxy game and the promise of no DLC or microtransactions. Planet Sized X-Men brings the big global (well...bigger than global) scale change from mutants on the 616 universe. New Mutants drops emotional hammer after emotional hammer. Whether you're a friend, lover, or sibling, there is a heart string pulled for everyone. Angel and Monet mean business as they use the gala as an opportunity to find the rest of their corporate board.
This episode the guys discuss Kelsey’s mostly spoiler free takes on episode one of Loki! Q and Dane haven’t seen it yet, so look for more in depth (and spoiler ridden) discussion next week. The gala continues first with Excalibur. Rictors is very grumpy but the team has bigger problems as Britain wants out of the alliance with Krakoa and ends that treaty with mutant blood. The X-Men are announced with a 4th wall breaking (5th wall breaking?) appearance by Kevin Feige. Children of the Atom continues giving each character the chance at perspective, this time hearing from Marvel Guy, Ben Thomas. Are the wannabe mutants going to be able to make it to the gala themselves? Find out on this week’s episode!
Marauders #21, X-Force #20, Hellions #12
This episode the guys discuss next week's release of Loki, who’s going to watch and what’s expected and whether the all-star creative team for the new run of Venom is enough to excite a bunch of mostly X-readers. Marauder’s kicks off the much anticipated Hellfire Gala. While we get answers as to how the night starts and ends, what happens throughout the night is left to the remaining books to come. X-Force works security for the event but Beast has other, more nefarious plans. Does that sit well with the rest of Krakoa? Plus, a guest appearance from a fan favorite honorary mutant. Hellions is as Hellions does. What, did you expect them NOT to get drunk and crash the party with fun and violence? In the Danger Room Kelsey and Dane use more than four questions, but how many more is yet to be seen. Find out how many on these week’s episode!