Class of X

Alternate timelines? Alternate realities? It's all the same to the X-Men. It usually just means they're getting a new team member with a gritty past and warning for the future. Let's talk about those dimension-hopping X-Men team members we all know and love.

27 years in the making, Paul Jenkins released in 2001 the 6-part mini series "Origin" that would final reveal to the world where Logan came from, what his real name is and when he was born. Let's break it down together and get saucy with some spicy canon.

An attempt at explaining Cable's time travel history and Hope's weird family lineage is attempted in this episode. The two messiahs of the X-Men travel through time, form a bond and attempt to bring about a new era of mutants in a post-House of M world.

5 years ago, X-Men fans moved to Krakoa, said goodbye to the sting of death thanks to the resurrection protocols, joined the Quiet Council and terraformed Mars. This week, we say goodbye to the first Krakoan Age for mutants and look back on the good and the bad since 2019. The Rise of the Powers of X and the Fall of House of X have concluded and the curtain has been called.

Season 1 of X-Men '97 is over and the question persists: did this show successfully serve as not only a sequel to the original Fox Kids 90's series and, more importantly, did it stay true to the comics? Answers to these questions and more in this season 1 reaction!

X-Men '97 has revealed Bastion and Operation Zero Tolerance with their hidden Prime Sentinels. But what is the true origin of Bastion and what does he have to do with Nimrod, Genosha and the future of mutants in the Marvel universe. Find out this and more in today's companion piece to X-Men '97 on Disney+.

Deadpool and Wolverine dropped their first trailer this week so there is no better time than ever to learn about where the character came from in the comics. Join me on a brief but moderately accurate attempt at unraveling the convoluted and interesting origins of this character that has been stealing hearts since the 90's.

X-Men '97 episodes 3 & 4 take huge swings at paying homage to Inferno, one of the biggest X-Men stories from the 80's involving a mysterious clone of Jean and a demonic assault on the team. As well as a pixelated take on the famous Konami X-Men game with the help of Mojo, the spineless other-dimensional overlord obsessed with ratings.

It's a glorious day to be an X-Men fan and even better if you're a 90's kid at heart. Disney+ has premiered X-Men '97 with the first two episodes and Professor Risinger is here to feed your minds with sweet knowledge on what the show is pulling from the comics. Let's talk about cartoons, comics and cool Cyclops moments. TO ME, MY X-MEN FANS!

Gambit didn't make his premiere with red eyes, Magik is a lot older than you think and Rogue didn't make her first appearance in X-Men comics. All facts we talk about in this special "first appearances" episode where I asked you the listened who your favorite characters were and then discussed what their first appearance in comics were. This episode we cover Shadowcat, Emma Frost, Magik, Gambit & Rogue. Who do you want in the next episode that I missed?

With the the Disney+ cartoon, X-Men '97, coming out this month I thought now is as a good time as any to walk y'all through what the X-Men were doing in the comics all throughout 1997. This episode we seek to answer questions like "Who is Joseph and why does he look like Magneto?" or "What is Gambit's big secret he can't tell anyone?" or even "Who is this Maggot dude and why does he have pet slugs?" All of this and more as we read through Uncanny X-Men #342-352.

The MCU has introduced the multiverse into the films but what is the history of alternate realities in Marvel comics and what lead them to creating a multiverse hopping team of mutants called the Exiles? Let me introduce you to Morph, Mimic, Nocturne, Thunderbird and the leader of their team, Blink. It's an excuse to talk about "What If...?, "Age of Apocalypse" and the X-Men cartoon. Get in kids, we're traveling the multiverse today!Reading for this episode includes: Exiles #1-6 (2001)

The world saw Cable assassinate Professor X at a live music concert. But was it really Cable? And what connection does the assassin have with Cyclops & Jean Grey? X-Cutioner's Song was the climax of the mystery behind Cable's origins and beginning of the worst pandemic mutants ever experienced, the Legacy Virus.Reading for this episode includes: Uncanny X-Men #294-297, X-Factor #84-86, X-Men #14-16 & X-Force #16-18 (1992.)

A church killed an X-Men team member and a priest is the father of another. Mix that up with a techno organic alien race and Nimrod's queer eye persona, Bastion, and you have the makings of a renaissance painting called "X-Force."Reading for this episode includes: X-Force (2008) #1-6.

Let's start 2024 by getting the record straight. Is Jean Grey the Phoenix? Who is Nightcrawler's dad? What exactly is coming out of Cyclops's eyes? A whole episode tackling misconceptions and myths about the X-Men to prep you for next week's trivia night. Happy New Year, you muties!a

The X-Men are no strangers to celebrating the holidays so this Christmas, Class of X is wishing you a Merry Christmas with a good ol' fashioned Holiday Special Episode! How does Wolverine get his Christmas shopping done? Does Santa looked good in blue fur? Why is Professor Xavier a jerk this Christmas? All of these questions and more will be answered as we discuss 3 fantastic Christmas issues of X-Men comics throughout the years.

To save mutantkind, the X-Men must save the mutant messiah. But Cable has his own plans, the Marauders are still on the hunt, Mystique is weaving webs, the Purifiers won't stop, Predator X approaches swiftly and Bishop himself has entered the arena. Can the X-Men save their kind and if so, at what cost?Reading for this episode includes: Uncanny X-Men #493-494, X-Factor #26-27, New X-Men #45-46 & X-Men #206-207.

It's been 2 years since the Scarlet Witch warped reality with three word, "Now More Mutants", and the first mutant baby since that day has just been born in Alaska. It's a race against the evolutionary clock as the X-Men seek to find and protect this baby while Mister Sinister, the bigoted Purifiers and a mysterious 3rd party all scramble to claim the child. This is Messiah Complex PART 1!Reading for this episode includes X-Men: Messiah Complex One-Shot, Uncanny X-Men #492-493, X-Factor #25, New X-Men #44 & X-Men #205 (2007).

What if the Weapon X in Wolverine's origin story was actually Weapon 10? What if Wolverine's origins were linked to Captain America's creation? What if all of this was revealed by a French mutant thief in a flying saucer? Let's talk about Weapon Plus, Wolverine's true backstory and our titular character of the episode, Fantomex! (This episode discusses New X-Men #128-130 and #142-145)

You wake up tomorrow and find you can split yourself into an infinite number of identical duplicates with a snap. What do you do? Jamie Madrox, the Multiple Man from X-Factor, X-Force & the X-Men, is opening a mutant detective agency and using his powers and friends to solve mutant mysteries in mutant town. It's time we talk about the 2005 film-noir style mini series, Madrox!

You've seen him in X-Men: The Animated Series! You've seen him HoX/PoX! But who is this pink robot from the future? And why does he hate mutants so much? And why is just so darn cute? All answers will be given in this character deep dive of Nimrod, the Great Hunter!

X of Swords, a massive crossover event of the Krakoan era, is heating up! Cypher, The Braddock Twins, Gorgon and Apocalypse himself are the remaining Krakoan swordbearers. Arakko has their fighters and we have ourselves a tournament! Let's discuss the thrilling conclusion to X of Swords and more importantly, let's spend a little more time talking about how awesome Saturnyne is. Deal?

Apocalypse, the ultimate 90's villain, gets his own historic retcon with X of Swords, the giant X-Men crossover event that proceeded after House of X/Powers of X. His connection to Krakoa and the mysterious partner island, Arakko, gets fleshed out by Tini Howard and Jonathan Hickman in this massive crossover event that spans more than 25 issues. Which is why I have split this discussion into our first ever 2-parter. Come for the swords, stay for the hot Apocalypse lore. I promise you'll love this one.

Why is Marvel Girl with the X-Men now? Who is Iceman's new boyfriend? Why is Rogue with the Avengers? This year, the Hellfire Gala was the opening salve to the next era of X-Men comics, the Fall of X. The community requested I do an episode on this year's Gala and offer up an explanation on all the crazy shenanigans that happened in it's 78 amazing pages. So here it is, the Jon Risinger exclusive deep dive on the X-Men Hellfire Gala of 2023! Enjoy!

In December of the year 2000, Mark Millar, after only having seen the X-Men film, launches a reboot of the X-Men franchise within the Marvel Ultimate Universe. New cast, new looks, new origins, new everything. And since James Willems did so well covering EXTREME X-Men, it felt right to bring him back to talk ULTIMATE as well. The episode covers Ultimate X-Men #1-6 (2000.)

Do you know what happens when you let Rogue pick her own X-Team to serve as an independent strike force from the school? She ends up using Sabretooth, Lady Mastermind, an Omega Sentinel and her mom, Mystique! Also Cable, Cannonball and Iceman can come too. Let's learn who the Children of the Vault are with guest host, Laurel Rothamel.

30 years after the historical release of Giant Size X-Men #1 comes X-Men: Deadly Genesis, the biggest retcon yet in Marvel history! Professor X had a secret other team? There is a third Summers brother besides Cyclops & Havok? All will be revealed with our guest, Mikey Neumann!

Inferno is the culmination of years of stories leading to a giant hellish brawl in Manhattan between the X-Men and demons and Mr. Sinister and the Goblin Queen. Possibly the biggest event in X-Men history and a delightful story to talk through with my guest from The Horror Virgin podcast, Mikey Randolph!

Wolverine is living in an alternate timeline where the villains have won, super heroes are no more, and our protagonist goes simply by Logan now. Mark Millar wrote this dark, western epic and years later it would be used as the inspiration for possibly the greatest X-Men film ever, Logan! Also, Diction returns to the show as our first returning guest!(Issues covered: Wolverine #66

Emma Frost, the White Queen of the X-Men, wasn't always the platinum chic goddess known for telepathically wrapping everybody who crosses her path around her little finger. Her origins are much more complicated, timid and interesting than you could ever imagine. Let's talk all things about young Emma Frost with voice actress and content creator Barbara Dunkelman, as we read Karl Boller's 2003 solo title, Emma Frost. Happy pride, y'all!

For almost 60 years, writers and editors alike kept Iceman frozen in the closet and it wasn't until 2017, with the help of Brian Michael Bendis, that we finally saw Bobby Drake out and proud. So we're reading the 2017 solo run that immediately explores his new queer life, dating apps and all. Joining us this week is Twitch celebrity, Blizzb3ar, who brings his own queer story along to compare and contrast against our very own Robert Drake. Chill out everyone, it's basically Pride and we're allowed to get a little extra this episode.

Smosh let me borrow my good friend Joel Rubin for the night so that we could cover the death of the X-Men in The Fall of the Mutants. But more importantly, it gave us time to talk about why the X-Men are in Dallas, does NPR exist in the Marvel Universe and who is Spiral, the 6 armed mutant witch with the fur boats everyone wants? For all episodes of Class of X plus special features, please check out Patron at patreon.com/classofx

We're going to space! In Uncanny X-Men 107 & 108 means we're in the beginning of the epic Phoenix Saga and we get to see what Jean Grey can really do with power on a cosmic level. Join our guest, Jacob Fullerton, in heading into unknown space to meet the Starjammers, the Shi'ar alien race, the Imperial Guard and whatever the heck an M'Kraan Crystal is! Plus, the secret of Cyclops and Havok's dad is revealed? Do you like Star Wars? Star Trek? Doctor Who? Then this is the story for you to get into reading X-Men once and for all!

X-Treme X-Men, as the title would lead you to believe, is the exciting story of Storm and her independent team of X-Men seeking the diaries of the preognitive mutant Destiny, told through the words of Chris Claremont and art of Salvadore Larroca. The team, including Rogue, Bishop, Beast, Psylocke & Thunderbird, travels to Spain to search the home of Destiny for clues as to the location of her diaries. They are met in force by not just the Spanish Action Force who capture and imprison them but also my a mysterious new villain who goes by the name of Vargas who also seeks to gain power through the diaries. This episode we're joined by James Willems and are reading X-Treme X-Men #1-4, 2001.

The sister of Colossus, Illyana, has died of the mysterious Legacy Virus and Magneto has decided that her funeral is where he will recruit the X-Men to abandon Xavier's dream and join him on his new satellite base, Avalon. Things don't go well, Wolverine gets the biggest boo boo of his life and one of the X-Men actually decides to join Magneto in the end. Bruce Greene joins us this week to talk about this 90's epic of a masterpiece. Class is in session!

After the New Mutants die at the hands of the Neyonder, only to come back to life with the memories of their demise intact, Professor Magneto is grappling with how to break his students out of this funk! Emma Frost, the White Queen herself, offers to lend a hand. Also at some point, the Avengers show up and fight Magneto. This book is wild. Join me with my guest Elyse Willems as we try to tackle a more than full cast of characters.

You've read House of X/ Powers of X and you want more? Good news! X-Force, X-Factor, Hellions, Cable, Wolverine and more are ready for you to read! And this episode is your prerequisite guide so you can jump into those issues with no issues. Read more comics, it's your homework.

Mystique has been a spy, an assassin, a terrorist, and a freedom fighter. But how will she fair as an agent of Professor X himself? In Brian K Vaughan's 2003 solo title, Mystique, we get to explore some one on one time with my favorite blue shapeshifting queer icon and I'm joined by a queer icon herself, Griff. Let's dig into this immortal changeling, class!

So you've read House of X and Powers of X, now what? Have no fear, my readers guide for Dawn of X is here! Dawn of X is the title given to all of the X-books released after HoX/Pox and this is part 1 of my guide on what to read and, as always, what you need to understand about them beforehand. This is a different episode than usual but I hope y'all enjoy it.

The foundation of what became WandaVision, the House of M tells the story of the Scarlet Witch's world changing attempt to bring peace between humans and mutants forever. By changing reality into a world run by her father, Magneto. With special guest Blaine Gibson we explore the story of how Wolverine and the resistance of humans right reality but not without a dire cost in the end. Time for more alternate reality shenanigans, it's the X-Men at their best, y'all!

Continuing the rich history of new students at Xavier's school, New X-Men: Academy X introduces to the next generation of mutants and who better to dissect this slice of life "school drama" than the queen of anime and waifus, Black Krystel. Join us as we meet Surge, Elixer, Wind Dancer, Prodigy & more! Welcome to the new year and the next semester of class, students!

If Chris Claremont defined the X-Men from the 70's to the 90's then Grant Morrison defined them for the new millenium. New X-Men #1-3 and New X-Men Annual 2001 are the reading materials this week and our guest is the king of podcasts himself, Geoff Ramsey. Let's talk secondary mutations, extinction events and leather costumes, shall we?

You've seen her in "Logan", you've seen her in X-Men Evolution, but have you ever wondered what is the true origin story of Wolverine's daughter, X-23? Join me and my friend Alanah Pearce, video game writer at Santa Monica Studios and online content creator, as we read Craig Kyle & Christopher Yost's 6 part mini series, Innocence Lost. Learn with us who Laura's mother is, why she was made in a lab and how she eventually found her way to the X-Men and her father, Wolverine. Everyone loves a good clone story, and this is definitely one of the greatest of all time.

Ever wanted to know what would the world be like without Professor X? Age of Apocalypse answers that question with an alternate timeline that took over 8 X-Men titles in 1995 for 6 months and became so popular its been returned to multiple times. Tim Gettys joins us this week from Kinda Funny and is more than a delight to listen to. The required reading this week is just Age of Apocalypse: Alpha but feel free to read any of the Age of Apocalypse books from 1995, they are extremely 90's.

The year is 1975, it's been 5 years since there has been a new X-Men comic when all of a sudden, this behemoth hits the newsstands and changes the course of X-Men and comics overall forever. Wolverine's first appearance in an X-Men comic as well as the first ever look at Storm, Nightcrawler & Colossus. The new X-Men are saving the old X-Men and I'm talking about it with Steven Spohn as we dive into Giant S-ze X-Men #1 (1975).

The year is 2013 and the Sentinels are in charge, mutants are outlawed and most of the X-Men are dead. Kate Pryde must go back in time to 1981 and change history for good! This episode we're reading "Days Future Past", Uncanny X-Men #141-142 by John Byrne & Chris Claremont and we're joined by the amazing Lawrie Bird, local Austin drag queen and Twitch Streamer.

We time travel back to 1991 where Chris Claremont is ending his 26 year run on X-Men and handing the reigns to Jim Lee. Magneto is vibing in space, Professor X is in his hoverchair and everyone keeps kissing everyone for some reason. Welcome back to the 90's, class!

In the first episode we cover Jonathan Hickman's 2019 soft reboot, House of X/Powers of X. Moira MacTaggert is a mutant, Krakoa is now the home of all mutants, Magneto and all the X-Men villains are good guys and Professor X has a fancy new hat. The Dawn of X is here and it's a good thing.