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In Episode 126 of CEREBRO, the SEASON FIVE PREMIERE, Connor and returning guests Anthony Oliveira (Avengers Academy) and Khaliden Nas (Referential) drink deep of mutant marrow with Marius St. Croix, the execrable Emplate! Created by Scott Lobdell and Chris Bachalo for the 90s series Generation X, Emplate is a grotesque mutant vampire who uses the mouths in the palms of his hands to drain living things of their bone marrow, which he must consume to survive. Only the marrow of fellow mutants is capable of sustaining him for long — and keeping him in our dimension, as he is typically imprisoned in an extradimensional hell. The character was deeply complicated by retcons; first, one establishing him as the brother of Generation X member Monet St. Croix, and then a series of very confusing retcons about the nature of Monet herself. Perhaps as a result, Emplate never managed to be the big bad of the book as he was initially conceived, and after the end of Gen X the character has rarely appeared again. Most recently, the character was revived and somewhat reimagined by Anthony in the long-running digital comic Avengers Academy. This is Part Two of Two. Go back to Part One if you haven't heard it yet! Patreon subscribers now have exclusive access to the combined 10-hour Extended Journal du Voleur Mix. (Content Advisory: Marius is a deeply fraught character whose story metaphorically alludes to subjects like incest, sexual violence including child sex abuse, and torture. His story also features homophobia, racism, and Islamophobia. This episode features discussion of suicide. Proceed with caution!) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Hi everyone! Part 2 of the Emplate episode will be coming your way soon, now that my convention schedule is slowing down for a bit. In the meantime, though, I hope you'll enjoy this recording of the live panel my artist collaborator Josh Cornillon and I did at this year's FlameCon on 8/15/26, moderated by friend of the pod Anthony Oliveira! We talk all things Did You Hear About Mimi Green? and then answer some audience questions. SPOILERS for Did You Hear About Mimi Green? issues #1-3. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In Episode 126 of CEREBRO, the SEASON FIVE PREMIERE, Connor and returning guests Anthony Oliveira (Avengers Academy) and Khaliden Nas (Referential) drink deep of mutant marrow with Marius St. Croix, the execrable Emplate! Created by Scott Lobdell and Chris Bachalo for the 90s series Generation X, Emplate is a grotesque mutant vampire who uses the mouths in the palms of his hands to drain living things of their bone marrow, which he must consume to survive. Only the marrow of fellow mutants is capable of sustaining him for long — and keeping him in our dimension, as he is typically imprisoned in an extradimensional hell. The character was deeply complicated by retcons; first, one establishing him as the brother of Generation X member Monet St. Croix, and then a series of very confusing retcons about the nature of Monet herself. Perhaps as a result, Emplate never managed to be the big bad of the book as he was initially conceived, and after the end of Gen X the character has rarely appeared again. Most recently, the character was revived and somewhat reimagined by Anthony in the long-running digital comic Avengers Academy. The CEREBRO character file on Emplate begins at 1:45:36. This is Part One of Two. The second half is coming soon! When it drops, Patreon subscribers will also get exclusive access to the combined Extended Journal du Voleur Mix. (Content Advisory: Marius is a deeply fraught character whose story metaphorically alludes to subjects like incest, sexual violence including child sex abuse, and torture. His story also features homophobia, racism, and Islamophobia. Proceed with caution!) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In Episode 125 of CEREBRO, the SEASON FOUR FINALE, Connor and returning guests Josh Cornillon (Did You Hear About Mimi Green? — preorder now!) and Dr. Holly Raymond of Temple University microwave themselves stupid with Angelica Jones, the functional Firestar! Created by NBC executives for the 1981 Saturday morning cartoon Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, Firestar spent the next 40-odd years desperately trying to find a place in the Earth-616 continuity of Marvel Comics. While she had notable runs with the New Warriors and the Avengers in the 90s, Angelica never really made her way to the X-Men until the 21st century, first in Jason Aaron's Amazing X-Men, but then — a lot more explosively — under writer Gerry Duggan during the First Krakoan Age. After winning the second X-Men Vote, Firestar became a member of the flagship team, only to find herself entangled in a gruesome mission during the fall of the Krakoan state: infiltrating the anti-mutant genocidal apparatus Orchis to dismantle it from within. She's more interesting than ever now, in my opinion, and we're excited to dig into her whole crazy continuity with you! This is Part Two of Two. Go back to Part One if you haven't heard it yet! Patreon subscribers now have exclusive access to the combined 9-hour Extended Tidings of Joy Mix. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In Episode 125 of CEREBRO, the SEASON FOUR FINALE, Connor and returning guests Josh Cornillon (Did You Hear About Mimi Green? — preorder now!) and Dr. Holly Raymond of Temple University microwave themselves stupid with Angelica Jones, the functional Firestar! Created by NBC executives for the 1981 Saturday morning cartoon Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, Firestar spent the next 40-odd years desperately trying to find a place in the Earth-616 continuity of Marvel Comics. While she had notable runs with the New Warriors and the Avengers in the 90s, Angelica never really made her way to the X-Men until the 21st century, first in Jason Aaron's Amazing X-Men, but then — a lot more explosively — under writer Gerry Duggan during the First Krakoan Age. After winning the second X-Men Vote, Firestar became a member of the flagship team, only to find herself entangled in a gruesome mission during the fall of the Krakoan state: infiltrating the anti-mutant genocidal apparatus Orchis to dismantle it from within. She's more interesting than ever now, in my opinion, and we're excited to dig into her whole crazy continuity with you! The CEREBRO character file on Firestar begins at 1:29:44. This is Part One of Two. The second half is coming soon! When it drops, Patreon subscribers will also get exclusive access to the combined Extended Tidings of Joy Mix. (Content Advisory: Angelica battles cancer on-page in a manner rare for superhero comics. Her story also includes child abuse, animal abuse, substance abuse, torture, genocide, and sexual violence.) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Hey there, Zalagang! Today we've got something I haven't done in a while: a conversation about a brand new comic. I'm joined by Marvel writer Alex Paknadel to discuss his new Cyclops miniseries. This is ostensibly an interview about the first issue — and we do get there, I promise!  As is often the case with CEREBRO, though, we ended up having a lot of fun and going for a few hours in a broader dialogue I found really interesting. Here we chat about his earlier miniseries Sentinels, soap opera logic versus the mythic scale of the Classics, the heavy regard of fan expectation, the enduring appeal of Cyclops as a character, the tragedy of Robyn Hanover, writing the Reavers in the looksmaxxing era, fandom's own evolution on social media, the innovations of the First Krakoan Age, my own difficulties with the current line of post-Krakoa books, what we feel X-Men is really about at the end of the day, and much much more.  I'd like to do occasional long-form chats like this between the research-heavy official CEREBRO episodes, as it's somewhat more manageable for me to get something like this out quickly. Let me know what you think! Meanwhile, my debut comic DID YOU HEAR ABOUT MIMI GREEN? launches from Dark Horse this May. Please use the publisher's website to find your local comic shop and preorder! I will be eternally grateful. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In Episode 124 of CEREBRO, Connor and returning guest Patrick Sullivan swirl into space with the variable Amelia Voght! Created by Scott Lobdell and John Romita, Jr., Voght is one of the more memorable characters introduced to the X-Men franchise in the years immediately following Chris Claremont's departure. She's a member of the Acolytes, a sect of religious zealots who worship Magneto as a messianic figure — but has a tragic past with Charles Xavier, the man she once loved. While she plays a significant role in many 90s storylines, since the destruction of Genosha in 2001 the character has mostly been off page. More recently, though, a memorable turn as part of the SWORD space program on Krakoa brought Amelia back to some prominence. This is Part Two of Two. Go back to Part One if you haven't heard it yet! Patreon subscribers now have exclusive access to the combined 7.5-hour Extended Aunt Amy Mix. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In Episode 124 of CEREBRO, Connor and returning guest Patrick Sullivan swirl into space with the variable Amelia Voght! Created by Scott Lobdell and John Romita, Jr., Voght is one of the more memorable characters introduced to the X-Men franchise in the years immediately following Chris Claremont's departure. She's a member of the Acolytes, a sect of religious zealots who worship Magneto as a messianic figure — but has a tragic past with Charles Xavier, the man she once loved. While she plays a significant role in many 90s storylines, since the destruction of Genosha in 2001 the character has mostly been off page. More recently, though, a memorable turn as part of the SWORD space program on Krakoa brought Amelia back to some prominence. The CEREBRO character file on Voght begins at 1:56:32. This is Part One of Two. The second half is coming soon! When it drops, Patreon subscribers will also get exclusive access to the combined Extended Aunt Amy Mix. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In Episode 123 of CEREBRO, Connor and lawyer Scott Platton (a.k.a. cosplayer and podcaster Scott Free) disrespect their elders with Quentin Quire, the cavalier Kid Omega! Created by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely, Quentin is one of the most iconic figures from Morrison's then-polarizing and now-legendary run on New X-Men — Charles Xavier's young protégé, an omega-level telepath who becomes a threat to friend and foe alike when he's radicalized by the destruction of Genosha. Quentin's ill-fated scheme, the Riot at Xavier's, is one of Morrison's most memorable story arcs. Years later, Jason Aaron and Chris Bachalo's Wolverine & The X-Men dramatically reimagined Quentin as an antihero on a begrudging quest for redemption, a new kind of sidekick for Logan. This version of the character became enormously popular, ascending to A-list status in the franchise as a member of the X-Men and, on Krakoa, X-Force. It is difficult to square these two very distinct versions of the character. We're going to do our best. This is Part Two of Two. Go back to Part One if you haven't heard it yet! Patreon subscribers now have exclusive access to the combined 8.5-hour Extended Hostile Strength Mix. (Content Advisory: Quentin's story is about the radicalization of a teenager into a violent extremist, and thereafter a process of deradicalization. Lots of heavy topics discussed here.) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In Episode 123 of CEREBRO, Connor and lawyer Scott Platton (a.k.a. cosplayer and podcaster Scott Free) disrespect their elders with Quentin Quire, the cavalier Kid Omega! Created by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely, Quentin is one of the most iconic figures from Morrison's then-polarizing and now-legendary run on New X-Men — Charles Xavier's young protégé, an omega-level telepath who becomes a threat to friend and foe alike when he's radicalized by the destruction of Genosha. Quentin's ill-fated scheme, the Riot at Xavier's, is one of Morrison's most memorable story arcs. Years later, Jason Aaron and Chris Bachalo's Wolverine & The X-Men dramatically reimagined Quentin as an antihero on a begrudging quest for redemption, a new kind of sidekick for Logan. This version of the character became enormously popular, ascending to A-list status in the franchise as a member of the X-Men and, on Krakoa, X-Force. It is difficult to square these two very distinct versions of the character. We're going to do our best. The CEREBRO character file on Kid Ω begins at 42:13. This is Part One of Two. The second half is coming soon! When it drops, Patreon subscribers will also get exclusive access to the combined Extended Hostile Strength Mix. (Content Advisory: Quentin's story is about the radicalization of a teenager into a violent extremist, and thereafter a process of deradicalization. Lots of heavy topics discussed here.) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In Episode 122 of CEREBRO, Connor and DC writer Jadzia Axelrod (Hawkgirl, Galaxy) traverse the multiverse with the gregarious Gatecrasher and her temperamental Technet! Created by Jamie Delano and Alan Davis, this interdimensional, time-traveling cadre of bounty hunters are best known as foes — and sometime friends — of Captain Britain and Excalibur. They are an iteration on a similar earlier team, the Special Executive, which was created by Alan Moore with a succession of artists: David Lloyd, Steve Dillon, and then Davis. An oddball gang of alien misfits, Technet have become iconic despite their relatively scanty publication history because they're simply that memorable. If you grew up reading classic Excalibur, you're likely to throw Technet into a comic book at some point. The CEREBRO character file on Technet begins at 43:38. (Content Advisory: Gatecrasher and Technet are generally pretty lighthearted, but they are adjacent to stories involving sexual violence, substance abuse, and suicide.) You can support CEREBRO on Patreon! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In Episode 121 of CEREBRO, Connor and returning guest Justin Park consult the ancestors with Mariko Yashida, the stoic Scarlet Samurai! Created by Chris Claremont and John Byrne, inspired by the character Mariko Toda from James Clavell's 1975 historical novel Shōgun, Mariko is the daughter of an ancient Japanese noble house who becomes the great love of Logan, aka Wolverine. Over the course of Claremont's time with the character, she becomes the formidable leader of the politically powerful Clan Yashida.  After her tragic death in a 1992 story by Larry Hama, Mariko's memory haunted Wolverine for decades until her resurrection in a 2018 arc of Old Man Logan written by Ed Brisson. In the interim, a popular alternate universe version of Mariko — her world's version of Sunfire — was a regular cast member in Judd Winick's Exiles in the early aughts, making a sizable impact as one of Marvel's first prominent lesbian superheroes. Recently, another alternate version of Mariko — this one created by Japanese writer-artist Peach Momoko — was the protagonist of the celebrated series Demon Days and its sequel Demon Wars. The CEREBRO character file on Mariko Yashida begins at 1:23:36. This is Part Two of Two. Go back to Part One if you haven't heard it yet! Patreon subscribers now have exclusive access to the combined 8.5-hour Extended Study in Scarlet Mix. (Content Advisory: Mariko's story includes domestic violence. This episode features general discussion of racism. There's a lot to unpack.) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In Episode 121 of CEREBRO, Connor and returning guest Justin Park consult the ancestors with Mariko Yashida, the stoic Scarlet Samurai! Created by Chris Claremont and John Byrne, inspired by the character Mariko Toda from James Clavell's 1975 historical novel Shōgun, Mariko is the daughter of an ancient Japanese noble house who becomes the great love of Logan, aka Wolverine. Over the course of Claremont's time with the character, she becomes the formidable leader of the politically powerful Clan Yashida.  After her tragic death in a 1992 story by Larry Hama, Mariko's memory haunted Wolverine for decades until her resurrection in a 2018 arc of Old Man Logan written by Ed Brisson. In the interim, a popular alternate universe version of Mariko — her world's version of Sunfire — was a regular cast member in Judd Winick's Exiles in the early aughts, making a sizable impact as one of Marvel's first prominent lesbian superheroes. Recently, another alternate version of Mariko — this one created by Japanese writer-artist Peach Momoko — was the protagonist of the celebrated series Demon Days and its sequel Demon Wars. The CEREBRO character file on Mariko Yashida begins at 1:23:36. This is Part One of Two. The second half is coming soon! When it drops, Patreon subscribers will also get exclusive access to the combined Extended Study in Scarlet Mix. (Content Advisory: Mariko's story includes domestic violence. This episode features general discussion of racism. There's a lot to unpack.) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Hey there, Zalagang! Today I'm joined by returning guests Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing to discuss their new miniseries Giant-Size X-Men, a 50th anniversary celebration of the iconic 1975 Len Wein and Dave Cockrum classic. Spinning out of their recently-concluded title NYX, this series of one-shots follows Kamala Khan on a wild time-bending ride through X-Men history. After some NYX debriefing, we dig deep into today's Giant-Size X-Men #1, exploring what this new twist on an old story means for Ms. Marvel and for the world of X as a whole. This episode contains FULL SPOILERS for Giant-Size X-Men #1 (2025), so please read the issue before listening. You can support CEREBRO on Patreon! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In Episode 120 of CEREBRO, Connor and ComicsXF publisher Dan Grote light one up with the willful Pete Wisdom! Created by Warren Ellis and Ken Lashley, the cantankerous, chain-smoking Wisdom — a British secret agent and mutant assassin — was introduced as the unlikely new love interest for Kitty Pryde, whose time in Excalibur had seen her grow from the X-Men's teen sidekick into an independent young superheroine. Though the Pryde and Wisdom relationship was popular with many readers, it did not survive to the end of the 90s. Wisdom did, however, becoming a reliable supporting player for Marvel stories set in the UK — and a marketable leading man in stories by writer Paul Cornell. He most recently served as a major recurring character in writer Tini Howard's Betsy Braddock stories during the First Krakoan Age. The CEREBRO character file on Wisdom begins at 39:54. (Content Advisory: Pete's story includes torture and various other war crimes. He's a black ops secret agent. The vibes are not always great.) You can support CEREBRO on Patreon! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy