It’s the final issue of House of X! The X-Men have a major celebration, but did the HiX-Men Report think this was fully satisfying or just fan service?
The HiX-Men Report: Powers of X (2019) #5
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
- X^3
- 1:25:44: Final Reactions (before SPOILERS)
- 1:32:57: SPOILERS!!! The Quiet Council of Krakoa
The HiX-Men Report: House of X (2019) #5
HiX-Men Report is back with House of X (2019) #5, which is the issue that reveals everything about Xavier’s master plan in the present day.
This was a tough episode for me – and not only because we just moved into our new house 24 hours ago! I had a lot of problems with how this issue was constructed.
As it turns out, it’s also a controversial issue in the X-Men fan community due to the near-religious fervor shown by our beloved mutants. We spend some time digging into what’s so unsettling about new mutant rituals.
The HiX-Men Report: Powers of X (2019) #4
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
- 1:46:20 – Final Reactions
20 X-Men Questions with an X-Pert & a New Mutant – Part 4
It’s the grand finale of our game of 20 X-Questions, and we’ve saved some of the hardest questions for last.
Today we tackle mutant school segregation, if the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants is truly “evil” (or really a “brotherhood”!), and who would win the ultimate Omega Mutant Battle Royale!
The HiX-Men Report: House of X (2019) #4
It’s the most action-packed issue of House of X yet, with a shocking finale. To say any more would be a spoiler, but I can reveal that Zach and I have our first big disagreement of the HiX-Men Report!
Bumper Music: “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles
- 0:54 – Charts! Extinction! Wanda! Shade!
- 7:58 – Ground Control to Major Jean
- 17:59 – Major Jean to Ground Control – first casualties
- 26:25 – Monet’s heroic moment
- 32:18 – The “dunno” Saga (& pod people truthers)
- 35:19 – Is this a dynamic Cyclops?
- 39:39 – Mystique got “turned around”
- 47:31 – The Ballad of Nightcrawler & Wolverine
- 54:39 – “The Bad Gals”
- 58:43 – Mothermold’s Monologue / Zach’s Philosophy Corner
- 1:07:43 – Jean Grey vs. Marvel Girl (vs. Jonathan Hickman)
- 1:17:15 – The great “NO MORE” debate
- 1:31:46 – Final reactions