Episodes

Mike Carey’s time writing the X-Men from 2006 to 2012 is the second longest consecutive run by any creator in Marvel history (trailing Chris Claremont), and despite a goldmine of concepts and character studies, the run is frequently overlooked in broader discussion of the best X-Men comics. Certainly, Carey’s work is referenced nowhere near as often as Grant Morrison’s time on New X-Men, or even the later run by Brian Michael Bendis. Today I’ll answer: What’s the legacy of Carey’s work on X-Me...

For my 32nd Birthday week, I decided to explore some of my favorite 32nd issues in comics, and that led me back to the Jonathan Hickman written Avengers #32. I wasn’t planning on the next episode of Krakin’ Krakoa centered around Hickman’s Avengers, but this issue, and the “Infinite Avengers” storyline is particularly compelling in connection with Hickman’s X-Men and the structure and approach to future timelines. Hickman’s Marvel Universe, dating back to 2008, is uniquely interconnected, and it...

For the 50th episode of Krakin’ Krakoa, I felt it was time to return to the source that inspired this X-Men deep dive project, and now that House of X and Powers of X are fully available to read on Marvel Unlimited, it’s the perfect time to explore what made the event so special, search for clues that take on new light in the wake of X-Men’s Dawn of X, and craft all-new theories I didn’t see the first time around. Today I’ll answer: + How the theme of “Breaking All The Rules” dominates House o...

While there are many fascinating aspects of the Jonathan Hickman era of Marvel’s X-Men, no one word sums up the shift in status quo quite like the following: Krakoa! One time little more than the mutant monster island that brought the All-New All-Different X-Men together, Krakoa is now the home to all of mutantkind, providing everything from sustenance to shelter to language and beyond. Today I’ll answer: + What’s the history of Krakoa in Marvel Comics, and how many different versions have we ...

Since Powers of X #4, some of the more tantalizing mysteries and riddles in X-Men comics can be found in Mister Sinister’s “Sinister Secrets” a gossip column found in the pages of various books. Today I’ll answer: + What’s the meaning behind every Sinister riddle released so far in the Dawn of X? + What do the Sinister Secrets mean for X-Men comics in 2020? + Why Sinister Secrets has continued in the pages of Marauders and not the Hickman written X-Men. Spoilers For Discussed Comics May Fol...

Hellions #1 by Zeb Wells and Stephen Segovia introduces the problem children of mutantkind, all under the steady gentle guidance of Mister Sinister. It’s a Suicide Squad meets Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. What could go wrong? Today I’ll answer: + Who are the Hellions? + What is Hellions role in the Dawn of X? + How does this oddball collection connect to Mister Sinister, Madylene Pryor, and possibly Inferno 2?! Spoilers for discussed comics may follow! Hellions begins with the X-Men tracki...

Giant-Size Nightcrawler by Jonathan Hickman and Alan Davis, with Carlos Lopez colors, & Clayton Cowles letters, is the second entry in the 5 issue Giant-Size X-Men series, and finds Kurt leading a team of mutants through a Krakoan gate into the deserted & seemingly haunted X-Mansion. Today I’ll answer: + What’s the secret of the haunted X-Mansion? + How does Giant-Size Nightcrawler connect to the themes of Hickman’s “Giant-Size” series so far? + What X-Men characters and concepts are introdu...

While he’s been laughably drunk and bombastic throughout the Krakoa era of X-Men, Gabriel Summers, aka Vulcan’s return to the world of X-Men brings with a huge mystery that extends from Hickman’s X-Men to Immortal Hulk to cosmic fallout from the 2009 event War of Kings. Today I’ll answer: + What is the mystery of Vulcan and why does it matter for X-Men? + What does this have to do with “The Death of Death” and War of Kings + How might this mystery connect to everything from “Sinister Secrets”...

Tini Howard and Marcus To’s Excalibur #9 is moving closer to the Multiversal Mayhem I’ve always wanted, and teasing a March towards the upcoming X of Swords event. Today I’ll answer: + Who is Saturnyne and what’s her role in the Marvel Multiverse? + What happened to the Captain Britain Corps? + How is Apocalypse confirming my X of Swords theories? Spoilers for discussed comics may follow! Full Dawn of X Reading Order All Krakin’ Krakoa X-Men Videos In Excalibur #9 we’re quickly tossed into...

Marvel’s Celestial Madonna and Celestial Messiah concepts are some of the most confounding in Avengers and Marvel cosmic history, mysteries wrapped inside enigmas made of questions. Today I’ll answer: + What or Who the heck is Marvel’s Celestial Messiah? + Why does the Messiah matter in 2020? + What does this have to do with Jonathan Hickman’s X-Men? + How Marvel’s cosmic prophesies are on a collision course! Spoilers for discussed comics may follow! The history of the Celestial Messiah b...

The parasitic alien Brood are back threatening the X-Men and unveiling more of Jonathan Hickman’s major cosmic plans for mutantkind. Today I’ll answer: + Who are the Brood and what’s their relationship with the X-Men? + How has Hickman been building towards these cosmic developments in the pages of New Mutants, and as far back as his post-War of Kings Fantastic Four? + How is Hickman using X-Men to integrate his own cosmic plans with Marvel’s upcoming Empyre event? Spoilers for discussed co...

In Cable #1 Gerry Duggan and Phil Noto reunite for only the second solo character ongoing in Marvel’s Krakoa era of X-Men, with the wildly controversial Teen Cable! It’s a fantastic, unexpected first issue to discuss. Today I’ll answer: + Who is Cable and what’s his history? + Will we survive Teen Cable? + How is Cable setting the stage for the X of Swords crossover? Spoilers for discussed comics may follow! Cable #1 opens with a day in the life of Teen Cable, beginning with Nate and Wolver...

I’ll tell anyone who will listen that DC’s Dark Nights: Metal is one of my favorite comic book events of all time, and creators Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo are back for round two in 2020 with Dark Nights: Death Metal. On today’s Road to DC Death Metal I’ll investigate: How did we get here and what comics should you understand prior to the event? My theories, predictions, and hopes for Death Metal And whether Death Metal can save DC Comics from its current malaise! The opening issue of the...

The highly anticipated follow-up to Tom King and Mitch Gerads all-time great Mister Miracle arrives today with Strange Adventures #1, a 12 issue DC Black Label limited series bringing in artist Evan “Doc” Shaner on an Adam Strange story. It’s without question one of the most anticipated comics of 2020. Today I’ll answer: + Who is Adam Strange? + Why are King, Gerads, and Shaner following Mister Miracle with this character? + What is Strange Adventures doing that sets itself apart from standa...

At this week’s 2020 Chicago Comic Con (aka C2e2) Jonathan Hickman and the X-Men team announced the X-Men’s first Dawn of X crossover, “X of Swords” pronounced “Ten of Swords.” Starting in May’s Free Comic Book Day special, “Ten of Swords” is a 15 part crossover primarily running through Hickman’s X-Men and Tini Howard’s Excalibur. Today I’ll answer: + What is “Ten of Swords” + Why does it make sense that X-Men and Excalibur are the focus comics? + Predictions and theories about the event, in...

X-Men #7 delivers a major update to the state of mutants on Krakoa and in the Marvel Universe, in easily one of the biggest issues since House of X ended! Today I’ll answer: + What is “Crucible” and what does it mean for the X-Men’s resurrection protocols? + How does X-Men #7 tie heavily into House of M and X-Men “Decimation” stories from the mid 2000’s? + Why Nightcrawler is the perfect guide to introduce us to the new Crucible practice on Krakoa Related Reading: X-Men: Dawn of X reading o...

Few power players in the world of X-Men are as essential to Krakoa with as much baggage between them as Jean Grey and Emma Frost, two of the world’s most powerful telepaths and members of Krakoa’s quiet council. ​ Today I’ll answer:​ + What does this Giant-Size special mean for Jean and Emma in the Krakoa era?​ + What’s the big picture role of the 5 Hickman written Giant-Size specials in Dawn of X?​ + What do you need to know about the history between Jean and Emma?​ In our first of five Gi...

Looking back at the entire first wave of X-Men Dawn of X to discuss what’s working, what’s not, and where we think X-Men comics are going in 2020! Thanks to Zack Quaintance (@comicsbookcase) for joining me for a great conversation about all things X-Men! Related Reading: X-Men: Dawn of X reading order You can also find more of my thoughts and theories on all things 2020 X-Men over on the Comic Book Herald Youtube channel! ——————————————————————————————————- Music for Best Comics Ever by Anth...

News broke on Friday (Feb 21, 2020) that Dan Didio, Co-Publisher at DC Comics since 2010, is leaving the company. It’s a huge change for DC, and provides an opportunity to reflect on a legacy that includes The New 52, DC Rebirth, and a lot of complexity. Thanks to Zack Quaintance (@comicsbookcase) for joining me for an impromptu discussion about Didio’s legacy as DC co-publisher, and what it might mean for DC Comics moving forward. We talk about the good and bad of Didio’s time as the figurehe...

An all new Wolverine comic series launches today for the first time in six years! Today I’ll answer: + Where’s Wolverine been in the Marvel Universe, and why hasn’t he had a comic series since 2014? + Where the new Wolverine series fits in the X-Men: Dawn of X! + Who are the villains of the new Wolverine ongoing? Wolverine #1 is an over-sized, excellent (and $7.99) special with two full stories written by Ben Percy. The first, with art by Adam Kubert and colors by Frank Martin, is an extende...

Thor #3 follows the cliffhanger appearance of Beta Ray Bill, cosmic powerhouse, frequent player in the Donny Cates cosmic Marvel universe, and oath-brother to Thor. The story by Donny Cates, Nic Klein, Matthew Wilson, and Joe Sabino is an all out action issue fixating on a brawl between Bill and Thor. Beta Ray Bill views Thor’s work with Galactus as an absolute breach of his worthiness to hold Mjolnir, and initially seeks to attack the devourer in order to free Thor from what Bill assumes is som...

X-Men #6 by Jonathan Hickman, Matteo Buffagni, Sunny Gho, and Clayton Cowles is a much-needed flashback to Mystique’s role in the House of X event, offering present day insights into the apparent strong return of Orchis, those sentinel obsessed humans the X-Men gave their lives to stop. The issue’s effective at connecting back to the celebrated event that birthed the Krakoa era, while also suggesting the victory was not nearly as certain as mutantkind previously thought. For the full Dawn of X ...

X-Men/Fantastic Four #1 by Chip Zdarsky, Terry Dodson, and Laura Martin follows up on a thread first teased in House of X #1, when Cyclops told the Richards family he’d always have a home on Krakoa. In addition to major ramifications for the Marvel Universe, X-Men/Fantastic Four #1 combines elements from my favorite Fantastic Four series of the last 5 years (Marvel Two-In-One written by Chip Zdarsky) and my favorite ongoing Dawn of X title, Marauders, for a very strong opening issue. The issue o...

With East of West wrapping up its seven year journey into the Apocalypse, John and I are taking a look back at the Jonathan Hickman, Nick Dragotta, Frank Martin, and Rus Wooten series from Image Comics! You can check out part one here covering East of West #1 to #29 (the first two in-universe years of the Apocalypse), and in part two we’re covering East of West #30 to #45, the final year of the Apocalypse! For previous Deep Dives: For more, check out the full guides on Comic Book Herald: Bes...