Episode 266 - X-Men Primer

·1 hr 26 min·5 clips

Hank and Benjelica dissect the 'worst backstory for Firestar' in a terrible Spider-Man cartoon episode.

The episode begins with Hank and Benjelica immediately critiquing a specific episode of Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, focusing on Firestar's backstory and humorous lines like 'You're too poor to play with me.' They explain this is an X-Men primer episode where they consumed early animated versions and comics. The hosts watched episodes of Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, which served as secret pilots for X-Men shows, and the Pride of the X-Men short, made with budget from Marvel's Robocop cartoon. They read Giant Size X-Men #1, introducing the international team, and X-Men (1991) #1, the best-selling comic due to the speculator boom. Benjelica shares his reactions, disliking Wolverine based on early portrayals but appreciating Professor Xavier's depth. Hank provides context on X-Men history, noting the Claremont run revitalized the series after it was dead. They discuss how many mutant characters are introduced only to fade into obscurity in later comics. The conversation shifts to broader media topics, including parenting strategies for children's TV, the longevity of shows like The Simpsons, and nostalgia for 90s cartoons. They compare X-Men adaptations, criticizing the 90s animated series for burning through comic stories too quickly. The hosts also mention plans for future podcast topics, including returning to Batman animated series and reading manga. The episode ends with promotional details and a humorous callback to Juggernaut.

As heard by us

A blunt, funny look at how X-Men continuity is both the draw and the headache.

Salt Circle treats X-Men Primer as a story about continuity doing double duty: the hook and the strain. Hank and Benjelica keep circling the same fault lines, from high school plots that feel punishing to the overload of new characters, and the review is strongest when it says…

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Why you'd press play

You want an X-Men talk that sounds like two fans arguing at full speed.

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