CEREBRO

Hi everyone! Some scheduling issues with the recording of Episode 99 will be delaying it a little while longer, so I wanted to provide a little extra content this week while I get that sorted. First published on June 16th, 2022, this is the first episode of the CEREBRO Claremont Marathon, a readalong series I do on the Patreon. I read each issue aloud with my best funny voices and provide commenta...

To celebrate the launch of  Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain #1 today, Tini Howard stops by CEREBRO for a page-by-page breakdown of this entire 30-page oversized issue! This is the dazzling debut of a new series AIPT says is "set to be the best part of your pull list every single month." Please make sure you pick up  Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain  #1 this week, and preorder #2 at your loc...

In Episode 98 of CEREBRO, Connor and Dr. Holly Raymond (Professor of English at Temple University) have their strings pulled by Jamie Braddock, the mercurial Monarch! Created by Chris Claremont and Herb Trimpe, Jamie is the famous racecar driver brother of aristocratic superhero twins Brian and Betsy. Originally a helpful supporting character in Captain Britain , Jamie shifted over time into an in...

In Episode 97 of CEREBRO, Connor and Dr. Steven Attewell (Adjunct Professor of Public Policy at CUNY, writer of Race for the Iron Throne ) get down to business with the unscrupulous Sebastian Shaw! Created by Chris Claremont and John Byrne, billionaire industrialist Shaw is best known as the Black King of the Hellfire Club, a political player who for many years concealed his own mutant status whil...

In Episode 96 of CEREBRO, Connor and DC/Marvel writer Josh Trujillo ( Blue Beetle: Graduation Day , Wiccan and Hulkling ) get creative with the formidable Forge! Created by Chris Claremont and John Romita, Jr., Cheyenne shaman Forge rejected his people to use his mutant power of invention in the service of the American government. After devising a power nullifier, Forge became one of Storm's m...

In Episode 95 of CEREBRO, Connor and Marvel writer/artist Jason Loo ring in the New Year with the jocular Jubilation Lee! Created by Chris Claremont and Marc Silvestri, teenage orphan Jubilee used her firework powers to become Wolverine's sidekick, a member of the X-Men, and then the anchor of the book Generation X. Wildly popular with younger readers in the 90s, the character has struggled to...

In Episode 94 of CEREBRO, Connor and returning guest Nola Pfau test their luck with the lovable Longshot! Created by Ann Nocenti and Art Adams, Longshot is an amnesiac rebel slave from the Mojoverse, an alternate dimension derived from twisted interpretations of American film and television. After his solo miniseries concluded, he was brought to Uncanny X-Men , where he became Dazzler's love i...

In Episode 93 of CEREBRO, Connor and TTRPG writer/MENA scholar Khaldoun Khelil ascend to the astral plane with Amahl Farouk, the Shadow King! Introduced as the ultimate evil telepath, the Shadow King was steadily developed into the grand antagonist of the franchise until Chris Claremont's abrupt departure in 1991. After a few decades of haphazard publication, the character recently found unexp...

In Episode 92 of CEREBRO, Connor, journalist Eoin Higgins, and Connor's laryngitis toast to Thomas Cassidy, the bombastic Black Tom! The black sheep of Clan Cassidy and devoted partner of the Juggernaut, Tom has been a constant thorn in the side of his cousin Banshee. After decades as an antagonist, he has found new heroic purpose on Krakoa in Ben Percy's X-Force . The CEREBRO character fi...

In Episode 91 of CEREBRO, Connor and aerospace engineer Kaetun Khlynne spotlight two related characters: Eden Fesi, the magnificent Manifold, and his mysterious mentor — the cleverman known only as Gateway! Aboriginal teleporter Gateway was an essential part of the 80s Outback Era during Chris Claremont's X-Men run, but his opaque nature meant he was always relegated to the role of supporting...

In Episode 90 of CEREBRO, Connor and returning guest Jordan Blok mourn for Melody Jacobs, the theatrical Threnody! Created by Fabian Nicieza and Richard Bennett, tragic Thren's mutation attunes her to death around the world, driving her dangerously insane. After a memorable arc in early 90s X-Men , she became Nate Grey's love interest in the ongoing series X-Man — until her cruel power dra...

In Episode 89 of CEREBRO, Connor and Marvel writer Leah Williams ( X-Factor, X-Men: The Trial of Magneto , X-Terminators ) toast to Tabitha Smith, the bodacious Boom-Boom! Created by Jim Shooter and Al Milgrom, explosive street kid Tabby quickly became a mainstay of the X-Men franchise, most notably with a long run on X-Force in the 90s. The CEREBRO character file on Boom-Boom begins at 1:32:45. (...

In Episode 88 of CEREBRO, Connor and returning guest Spencer Ackerman ( Reign of Terror , Waller vs. Wildstorm ) combine their powers to roast Andrea and Andreas von Strucker, the foul Fenris! Created by Chris Claremont and John Romita, Jr., the remarkably evil Fenris twins are Nazi siblings who fuck each other. This one's dark! The CEREBRO character file on Fenris begins at 1:13:38. (Content...

In Episode 87 of CEREBRO, Connor and returning guest Luke Ruddick approach lightspeed with Pietro Maximoff, the questionable Quicksilver! Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Pietro and his twin sister Wanda were founding members of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants but went on to become Avengers, rarely appearing in X-Men titles despite the discovery they were Magneto's long-lost biological chil...

In Episode 86 of CEREBRO, Connor and Sam Guido roar into battle with the courageous Kylun, Hero of the People! Created by Alan Davis, little Colin McKay was a mutant child on the run when he was transported to the mystical world of Ee'rath. After growing into the warrior Kylun, he returned home and joined Excalibur. Most recently, he was a regular cast member in Tini Howard and Bob Quinn's...

In Episode 85 of CEREBRO, Connor and tabletop game developer Margot Mutter STEAL THIS PLANET with the lively Lila Cheney! Created by Chris Claremont and Bob McLeod, punk rock superstar Lila was introduced as the unlikely love interest for Cannonball of the New Mutants, but became a reliable friend to the X-Men... when she isn't moonlighting as the galaxy's premier interstellar thief! The C...

In Episode 84 of CEREBRO, Connor and cartoonist Darryl Ayo sharpen their claws with Maria Callasantos, the feisty Feral! Created by Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza as one of the founding members of X-Force, Maria is an antagonist within the team, the problem child who has friction with her teammates. Nicieza quickly wrote the character out by making her a villain, and she's been something of a...

In Episode 83 of CEREBRO, Connor and returning guest Anthony Oliveira ( Young Avengers: Paradox Lost ) camp it up with St. John Allerdyce, the poetic Pyro! Created by Chris Claremont and John Byrne as an implied gay character, in the 90s Brotherhood of Evil Mutants henchman St. John became the tragic face of the Legacy Virus. Resurrected in the Age of Krakoa, he most recently featured as a regular...

In Episode 82 of CEREBRO, Connor and returning guest Alex Abad-Santos try to fix Amara Aquilla, the mediocre Magma! The most aggressively mid of the classic New Mutants, Selene's flop granddaughter has a great, iconic design... and that's about it. We promise the episode is funny. The CEREBRO character file on Magma begins at 1:15:53. (Content Advisory: Amara's story includes racism, s...

In Episode 81 of CEREBRO, Connor and fantasy scholar Rebecca Gault howl at the moon with Rahne Sinclair, the wailing Wolfsbane! Introduced as the ingénue of the classic New Mutants, repressed religious Rahne would go on to become one of the X-Men franchise's absolute messiest characters. The CEREBRO character file on Wolfsbane begins at 1:14:18. (Content Advisory: Rahne's story includes ch...

In Episode 80 of CEREBRO, Connor and science writer Jordan Blok spin with Spiral, Mistress of the Wildways! Best known as Betsy Braddock's nemesis and Longshot's biggest hater, the wicked time-dancing sorceress was eventually revealed via retcon to be the tortured future self of a decidedly sympathetic character: Longshot's first love, the plucky human stuntwoman Ricochet Rita. The CER...

In Episode 79 of CEREBRO, Connor and contemporary comics legend Al Ewing ( X-Men Red, S.W.O.R.D. , Immortal Hulk ) survey the schemes of Abigail Brand! The mysterious director of S.W.O.R.D., charged with protecting Earth from extraterrestrial threats, half-alien and half-mutant Brand has always been a prickly ally to the X-Men at best. Now she has secretly betrayed mutantkind entirely, becoming on...

In Episode 78 of CEREBRO, Connor and returning guest Steph Williams ( Nubia and the Amazons ) scrub in for surgery with Dr. Cecilia Reyes! Created by Scott Lobdell and Carlos Pacheco, Cecilia is a young Afro-Puerto Rican resident hiding her mutant power, with no interest in being a superhero. After a brief tenure with the X-Men she's mostly been relegated to a supporting role, but recently has...

Happy Pride, Zalagang! As a special treat for the season, I'm publicly releasing last year's most popular CEREBRO Secret File — a deep dive with CEREBRO's Official Lesbian Correspondent Sara Century on Marvel's first lesbian hero, Dr. Vicki Montesi of the Darkhold Redeemers. Hope you love! Created by writer Chris Cooper and introduced in 1992 as the protagonist of Darkhold: Pages f...

In Episode 77 of CEREBRO, All Elite Wrestling star and former Women's World Champion pro wrestler Nyla Rose joins returning guest Steve Orlando ( Marauders ) to rejoice in the resurrection of John Proudstar, the thorny Thunderbird! Memorialized by his teammates and his younger brother Warpath, fallen X-Man Thunderbird became more iconic to the franchise dead than alive. Now, in the age of Krak...