comic books

After a contentious week last week, The HiX-Men Report returns to a more harmonious state with Powers of X (2019) #5.

This episode was a lot of fun to record! We were in a more cheerful disposition in general, plus how can you go wrong with an issue centered on a few of these deliciously snarky characters. Also, I got to deliver a “Peter’s Art History Corner” about my favorite work of art in the entire world! Plus, Fangirl gave us a major history lesson.

Oh, and I found a reason to unpack my electric guitar…

Bumper Music: “Killer Queen” – Queen

• X^0
  • 2:58: Xavier & Forge (and where can we place it)
  • 10:06: A “Very Dumb” and “Extraordinary Useful” Power
  • 12:40: Xavier Getting $#!% Done (IN SPACE)
  • 14:10: The Fashionable Forge: Cheyenne & Shaman
  • 20:20: Charts! Notes on Cerebro (back up your phones, people)
  • 22:42: Dirty Little Secrets AKA Lack of Informed Consent
  • 25:15: Rebooting Yourself AKA Xavier Legacy
  • 29:34: Moira’s Hand That Rocks the Five Cradles
• X^1
  • 32:05: Emma & The Boys in The Louvre
  • 34:43: Emma Does It All For the Children
  • 36:30: Peter’s Art History Corner: Winged Victory of Samothrace
  • 41:18: Fariha’s World History Corner: East India Trading Company
  • 47:47: Lightning Round: Silent Negotiation, Krakoa Inferno, Silva’s Capes, & Recurring Towers
  • 51:26: Charts! (or: Why we’re NOT talking about this chart yet)
• Present Day
  • 53:58: Xavier Brings On The Bad Guys (and Namor)
  • 56:39: Interlude: Sinister’s Murder Orgy
  • 59:20: Connections with Chip Zdarsky’s Invaders
• X^3
  • 1:02:24: HOXers, POXers, and HOXPOXees (or: Why we love X^3)
  • 1:07:30: The All-Consuming Singularity(/ies)
  • 1:12:12: Mutants in the Galactic Idiom
  • 1:15:33: Xavier’s Recipe for a Stronghold
  • 1:19:57: Charts! Categorically Godlike Levels of Society
  • 1:22:27: Two Flavors of Abyss Final Thoughts
• 1:25:44: Final Reactions (before SPOILERS)
• 1:32:57: SPOILERS!!! The Quiet Council of Krakoa

There is something very sinister going on with the HiX-Men Report this week, as we return to Powers of X to delve into one of the most nuanced issues yet. This episode’s discussion of colonialism is one of my favorite sequences from all of our panels to date!

Bumper Music: “Origin of Love” – Hedwig and the Angry Inch

• X^0
  • 3:02 – WHEN is the Island of Mr. Sinister? (in continuity & in lives)
  • 10:40 – WHO is the Island of Mr. Sinister? (mutant or not?)
  • 13:07 – WHEN is the Island of Mr. Sinister? (a rebuttal & NOT Life #11)
  • 17:05 – WHY is the island of Mr. Sinister? (good works, mnemonic triggers, & Moira)
  • 26:34 – The Canonical Cloning of Mr. Sinister (comics’ best troll)
  • 30:33 – Clones at/as Liberty (the Return of Martin Buber)
• X^1
  • 32:15 – Sassy Ramsey Takes a Field Trip
  • 36:22 – The Many Levels of Xavier’s Sartorial Selections (Krakoan Colonialism, part 1)
  • 45:33 – Krakoa’s Origin (of love)
  • 50:00 – The Limbo Connection
  • 53:09 – The First Horsemen (& Marvel Comics #1000)
  • 54:42 – Zach’s Mythology Corner & The Twilight Sword
  • 1:04:15 – Charts! Krakoan Systems
  • 1:07:23 – Krakoan Colonialism (The Sequel)
• X^3
  • 1:12:50 – The Looming Phalanx
• Bonus Feature: 1:21:49 – Trashy Sinister Gossip
  • #1 1:24:20
  • #2 1:26:17
  • #3 1:28:10
  • #4 1:30:02)
  • (Revealed #1 – Proudstar 1:31:50)
  • #5 1:33:36
  • #6 1:36:19
  • #7 1:38:45
  • #8 1:39:17
  • #9 1:40:37
  • (Revealed #2 – Inferno 1:42:11)
  • #10 1:44:08)
• 1:46:20 – Final Reactions