Capes and Japes

Today we talk about Jamie Madrox, a guy who can create and absorb duplicates of himself, has a pathological need for attention, and is a certified Nasty Boy (the henchman group, to be clear.) Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Giant-Size Fantastic Four (1974) #4 - X-Factor (2005) - Fallen Angels (1987) - X-Factor (1986) #71 - Madrox (2004) - Multiple Man (2018) - X-Corp (2021) - Ne...

Today we talk about Jean-Paul Beaubier, a Canadian mutant with pointy ears who can go really fast, fly, and make bright lights. He's also gay and has a very buckwild coming out issue from 1992. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Uncanny X-Men (1963) #120 - Alpha Flight (1983) - Alpha Flight (1983) #106 - Northstar (1994) ( blog post with excerpts ) - Uncanny X-Men (1963) #414 - Unc...

Today we talk about Julio Esteban Richter, also known as Rictor, who is a mutant with earthquake powers who's been on X-Factor, X-Force, New Mutants, and Excalibur. Today, also, Briar makes a LOT of Richter scale jokes, fully forgetting until after recording the actual spelling, RIP. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - X-Factor (1986) #17 - X-Terminators (1988) - New Mutants (1983)...

Today we talk about Shatterstar, also infrequently known as Gaveedra-Seven and Benjamin Russell (that one time that he mind-melded with a man in a coma), an alien mutant who is a gladiator, a fashion disaster, and his own dad. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - New Mutants (1983) #99 - X-Factor (2005) - X-Factor (2005) #45 - Rictor saying he and Shatterstar broke up - Shatterstar (...

Today we talk about David Alleyne, a mutant called Prodigy who can telepathically gain knowledge and skills from other people. He joined the New Mutants, lost his powers, became disillusioned with the X-Men, joined the Young Avengers, and went to interdimensional college. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - New Mutants (2003) #4 - New X-Men (2004) - X-Men: Legacy Annual (2009) #1 -...

Today we talk about Daken, Wolverine's evil bisexual son. He was adopted, named Akihiro, meanly called Daken, became evil, tried to kill Wolverine, became Wolverine, and now he's just kind of around? Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Wolverine Origins (2006) #10 - Dark Avengers (2009) - The photo Briar sent to Olivia mid-episode - Dark Reign: The List - Punisher (2009) #1 - Dark W...

Today we kick off Pride month with Midnighter and Apollo, the night/day-opposites-attract superhero couple who adopted the literal spirit of the 21st century as their daughter, got divorced, got back together, and kinda did it all over again after being rebooted! Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - StormWatch (1993) vol 2 - The Authority omnibus - Midnighter: I know all your moves;...

Today we talk about Bane, a man who grew up in a prison, studied hard, was experimented on, and then decided when he got out of prison that he was going to go to Gotham and destroy Batman. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Batman: Knightfall (1993) - Batman: Legacy vol 2 - Batman: No Man's Land (1999) - Batman: Gotham Knights (2000) #33 - JSA: Classified (2005) #17 - Secret Six (2...

Today we talk about Talia al Ghul, an assassin who really epitomizes gatekeep, gaslight, girlboss. She's run the League of Assassins, raised a deadly child, ran LexCorp into the ground (on purpose), and killed and/or tried to kill just so so many people. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Detective Comics (1937) #411 - Batman (1940) #232 - Batman: Son of the Demon (1987) - Batman:...

Today we talk about Ra's al Ghul, a man who has decided to use his immortality for crime, a very brief stint of trying to save the environment, fighting Batman, and also trying to get Batman to marry his daughter. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Batman (1940) #232 - Batman: Birth of the Demon (1992) - Batman: Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul (2007) - Batman: Death and the Maidens (2...

Today we talk about Illyana Rasputina, Colossus's often-kidnapped younger sister who also is a member of the New Mutants by the name of Magik, can teleport, do magic, and also aged up a decade after forging a cool sword and becoming the ruler of Limbo. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Giant-Size X-Men (1975) #1 - Uncanny X-Men (1963) #145 - Uncanny X-Men (1963) #160 - Magik (1983...

Today we talk about Piotr Nikolaievitch Rasputin, an X-men best known as Colossus, who is a big strong guy who can turn into metal which makes him bigger and stronger. We also like him best when he's just a big nice guy trying his best. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Giant Size X-Men (1975) #1 - Uncanny X-Men (1963) #115 - Uncanny X-Men (1963) #284 - Uncanny X-Men (1963) #303 -...

Today we talk about Hank McCoy, a founding member of the X-Men known as Beast. He's gone from a pretty normal guy who was really smart and agile to a blue furry man who sometimes goes back in time to bring his teenage self and teammates to the future. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - X-Men (1963) - Amazing Adventures (1970) #11 - Avengers (1963) #137 - Defenders (1972) #104 - X-F...

Today we talk about Bobby Drake, best known as Iceman. He's one of the founding members of the X-Men and in his time since then he's become an accountant, been kidnapped by an island, been kidnapped by Loki, been possessed by Emma Frost, time traveled, and discovered he was gay. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Bobby Drake tumblr edit - X-Men (1963) - Champions (1975) - The Defen...

Today we talk about Roberto Da Costa, a mutant known as Sunspot. He starts out as a teen whose girlfriend died saving his life, and then he became an X-Men member, and eventually he used his inheritance money to buy AIM and make an Avengers team! Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - The New Mutants Marvel Graphic Novel (1982) - Some Robertos throughout the years - New Mutants (1983)...

Today we talk about Robert Reynolds, best known as the Sentry, except how everybody forgot who that was and when he remembered he had to go talk to all his superhero friends so they would remember him and his power of 1,000-1,000,000 exploding suns. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Sentry (2000) - New Avengers (2004) - Sentry (2005) - The Age of the Sentry (2008) - World War Hulk...

Today we talk about Vandal Savage, who was a normal caveman until a meteorite made him immortal, and over the many many years he's been alive he decided that he mostly just wants to be evil and do schemes. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Green Lantern (1941) #10 - Action Comics (1938) #552 - Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985) - Resurrection Man (1997) - Villains United (2005) - Se...

Today we talk about the Aqualads and Aquagirls and Dolphin, or as we like to call them: The Aquids. They have a really bad habit of being abandoned as babies, apparently. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Adventure Comics (1935) #269 - Teen Titans (1966) #1 - Teen Titans: Year One (2008) - Tempest (1996) - Blackest Night (2009) - Aquaman (2011) #41 New 52 - Titans (2016) Rebirth -...

Today we talk about Mera, who is the Queen of Atlantis usually, and Aquaman's wife, usually, except when comics retcons their marriage, or when she abolishes the monarchy. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Aquaman (1962) #11 - Aquaman (1962) #18 - Aquaman (1962) #57 - #62 - Aquaman (1989) - Aquaman (1994) #11 - Blackest Night (2009) - Blackest Night: Wonder Woman (2009) #2 , #3 -...

Today we talk about Arthur Curry, also known as Orin depending on the era, who is Aquaman and usually the King of Atlantis! He has a lot of water-based powers from either living underwater as a child (Golden Age) or his Atlantean heritage (every other iteration of the character). Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Aquaman: Rage of Atlantis - More Fun Co...

Today we talk about several heroes and villains who use Pym Particles to get very big or very small! Including some Ant-men, Goliaths, and Giant-men! Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Irredeemable Ant-Man (2006) - Avengers: The Initiative (2007) #8 - Thunderbolts (2006) #128 - Secret Avengers (2010) - The Amazing Spider-Man (2018) #17 - Avengers (1963) #32 - Power Man (1974) #24 -...

Today we talk about Cassie Lang, who used to steal her dad's Pym Particles and then joined the Young Avengers as Stature, died, was resurrected by Doctor Doom, and then joined Ant-Man to fight crime as Stinger. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Marvel Premiere (1972) #47 - Heroes for Hire (1997) #7 - Young Avengers (2005) - Civil War (2006) - Young Avengers Presents (2008) #5 - Av...

Today we talk about Scott Lang, a man who stole the Ant-Man armor from Avengers Mansion for what was supposed to be a one-time superhero gig and then Hank Pym said "actually you know what? be Ant-Man". Since then he's died, come back, and gone into space. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Billy on the Street - Marvel Premiere (1972) #47 - Iron Man (1968) #133 - Avengers (1963) #19...

Today we talk about Janet van Dyne, best known as the Wasp. She was a founding member of the Avengers, can get really small, fly (but only when she's small), and sometimes she even gets really big, but not that often. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Tales to Astonish (1959) #44 - Avengers (1963) #1 - Avengers (1963) #59 - Avengers (1963) #83 - Avengers (1963) #217 - West Coast A...

Today we talk about Henry "Hank" Pym, who discovered a particle he named after himself that can make him small, and then he made a helmet that can talk to ants, and then he decided to get big, and then he decided to make a robot, and then he had a rough time. Media specifically mentioned in today's episode: - Tales to Astonish (1959) #27 - Avengers (1963) #1 - This isn't the Smartest Characters li...