Episodes
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In Episode 117 of CEREBRO, Connor and fan favorite guest Jordan Blok go under the knife with Yuriko Oyama, the diabolical Lady Deathstrike! Created by Denny O'Neill and William Johnson as a brief love interest for Daredevil, the character was heavily reimagined by other writers (particularly Chris Claremont) as the ultimate woman of war, a key nemesis of the X-Man Wolverine and leader of the vicious cyborgs called the Reavers. A fan favorite character despite her evil history, in recent years Deathstrike has been portrayed as more of an antihero than a pure villain.
The CEREBRO character file on Lady Deathstrike begins at 1:10:00.
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 Mrs. Claws Mix.
Jordan's curated Lady Deathstrike playlist, FINGERCRIMES, is available now on Spotify as a complement to this episode.
(Content Advisory: Yuriko's story includes suicide, racism, child abuse, sexual violence, torture, and genocide.)
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Hey there, Zalagang!
Some scheduling issues have delayed the next episode of CEREBRO, but it should be in your ears for the holidays. Since it's been a minute — and a mysterious shadow early in the current run of Jed McKay's X-Men certainly looked like this beautiful weirdo — I've decided to release a CEREBRO Appendix episode publicly.
This episode was originally released as a Patreon exclusive on August 9th, 2023. It's a fun sample of the joy awaiting you for just $5 dollars a month in the House of Z — especially as Holly will soon be my co-host for Krakoa Revisited, a Patreon series analyzing the five-year Krakoan arcs of every character already covered on CEREBRO.
Thanks for your patience! More soon.
In the latest installment of the CEREBRO Appendix, Dr. Holly Raymond of Temple University returns to the pod to talk about Astra, an extremely strange character. Created by Alan Davis, Fabian Nicieza, and Leinil Francis Yu, Astra is a retconned-in founding member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.
She loves cloning Magneto, for reasons.
(Content Advisory: Astra's story includes torture, brainwashing, and Oedipal vibes.)
The CEREBRO Appendix is a bonus episode series spotlighting characters who do not have a full Zaladane of 12 appearances, or who never get the personal focus that would merit a full episode of CEREBRO.
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Missing episodes?
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In Episode 116 of CEREBRO, Connor and returning guest comedian Jay Jurden refuse to blend in with Victor Borkowski, the aggravating Anole! Created by Nunzio DeFillipis, Christina Weir, and Keron Grant, Victor is one of the more enduring characters from the Academy X generation. Devised for an 'issue story' about gay teen suicide that was ultimately nixed by Marvel editorial, in the decades since — like many in his age cohort — he has struggled to find a consistent role in the franchise. Things are looking up for the character, however, with his new gig as a regular cast member in NYX, written by Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly as part of the From the Ashes linewide relaunch.
The CEREBRO character file on Anole begins at 46:33.
(Content Advisory: Victor's story includes homophobia. This episode also discusses a storyline about suicide that was planned but never published.)
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Hey there, Zalagang!
Today I'm joined by beloved friend of the pod Spencer Ackerman for a very special bonus episode: a discussion of his new ongoing title Iron Man!
The first arc of this new run picks up from Gerry Duggan's finale, following Tony Stark as he struggles to recover from a catastrophic injury — while also fending off a hostile takeover by the nefarious board of directors Feilong appointed in his absence. It features stunning art by Julius Ohta and a cavalcade of glamorous supervillainesses. I loved it.
This episode contains FULL SPOILERS for Iron Man #1, so please read the issue before listening.
You can support CEREBRO on Patreon!
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Hey there, Zalagang!
Today I'm joined by Marvel writer Murewa Ayodele (I Am Iron Man) to discuss his new title Storm, which debuts today as part of the From the Ashes relaunch!
This new solo series follows Ororo Munroe as she attempts to establish herself as a local superheroine in Atlanta, Georgia, while juggling her obligations to both mutantkind and the Avengers. At the same time, she must assert herself responsibly as a global political figure after her time as Regent of Arakko.
This episode contains FULL SPOILERS for Storm #1, so please read the issue before listening.
You can support CEREBRO on Patreon!
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In Episode 115 of CEREBRO, Connor and returning fan favorite guest Sara Century double their fun(?) with Jeanne-Marie Beaubier, the audacious Aurora! Created by John Byrne and Chris Claremont, but primarily developed by Byrne, Aurora is the twin sister of her Alpha Flight teammate Northstar, from whom she was separated at birth. Unfortunately, her abusive upbringing in a cruel orphanage left her with a very soap opera-style split personality — and the endless struggle to integrate cold, prudish Jeanne-Marie and arrogant, irrepressible Aurora into a stable whole has dominated the character's stories over her long, often frustrating publication history.
The CEREBRO character file on Aurora begins at 1:00:47.
(Content Advisory: Jeanne-Marie's story includes child abuse including child sex abuse, sexual violence, domestic violence, attempted suicide, torture, and extreme ableism. This episode features frank discussion of exploitation cinema, including the rape-revenge horror/action subgenre. Aurora has a very distressing history. Please take care.)
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In Episode 114 of CEREBRO, Connor and returning fan favorite guest Spencer Ackerman live the life aquatic with Namor McKenzie, the studly Sub-Mariner! Created by Bill Everett in 1939, Namor is among Marvel's earliest characters, one of only a handful to be carried over from predecessor imprint Timely Comics. Arguably the first antihero in the superhero genre, the Sub-Mariner was reimagined in the Silver Age as a sometime foe of the Fantastic Four, a romantic complication for leading lady Sue Storm. In the 21st century, after many years of stories technically designating him as a mutant, Namor finally spent a stretch of time in the X-Men franchise in work by Matt Fraction and Kieron Gillen.
The result here is a strange, undersea adventure for which Connor is not entirely prepared.
First, though, a little chat about Spencer's new gig as the incoming writer of Iron Man!
The CEREBRO character file on the Sub-Mariner begins at 1:15:06.
(Content Advisory: Namor's story includes racism, colonialism, genocide, and sexual violence.)
You can support CEREBRO on Patreon!
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Surprise!
After some technical difficulties last year, last weekend for the third annual CEREBRO live show at FlameCon we did manage to pull the audio from the sound board. There are a few little hiccups, but overall I am really happy with the sound quality.
Here is a quick six-minute teaser of the full live episode, which has a runtime of 1:16:26 and is now available on the CEREBRO Patreon at the House of Zaladane tier ($5/month).
This year I was joined by friend of the pod Anthony Oliviera to talk about his new Marvel digital comic Avengers Academy, featuring the mutant character Escapade... and then generally tangent into other things, exactly as one might expect from me and Anthony Oliviera sitting on a stage together. At the halfway mark we pivot to a very fun Q&A segment.
This performance was recorded on August 17th, 2024 at the Sheraton Times Square in Manhattan.
Thanks to Tony for being my guest, to FlameCon for being my absolute favorite regional convention, and to everyone who attended the show. I wish the audience was more audible on the track! You were amazing.
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Hey there, Zalagang!
Today I'm joined by Marvel writers Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing to discuss their new title NYX, which debuts today as part of the From the Ashes relaunch!
This new volume of NYX follows a cast of young mutants, including Kamala Khan, Sophie of the Stepford Cuckoos, David Alleyne, Victor Borkowski, and Laura Kinney, as they come to terms with the traumatic loss of Krakoa and try to find a new way forward in New York City. It's a lot of fun despite the heavy themes, and I really dug this first issue.
This episode contains FULL SPOILERS for NYX #1, so please read the issue before listening.
You can support CEREBRO on Patreon!
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In Episode 113 of CEREBRO, Connor and returning guest Kieron Gillen meet their maker with the mutant messiah, Hope Summers! Created as an infant by Mike Carey and Chris Bachalo, then developed extensively by writer Duane Swierczynski, baby Hope was the first mutant somehow born after the Decimation eradicated the future potential of the x-gene, and her prophesied birth made her a target from her first breaths. Quickly orphaned in a massacre and spirited away to the future by her adoptive father Cable, Hope had a number of false starts on her long messianic journey, but finally achieved her cosmic purpose on Krakoa.
This is also the afterparty for Kieron's remarkable second tenure on X-Men, and a salute to the First Krakoan Age.
Kieron's new creator-owned book The Power Fantasy is coming soon from Image Comics, and the final order cutoff date for issue #1 is today, July 15th! Call your local comic shop and ask for it by name.
The CEREBRO character file on Hope begins at 43:19.
(Content Advisory: Hope's story includes genocide, suicide, and the mass murder of infants. You know. Messiah stuff.)
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In Episode 112 of CEREBRO, Connor and returning guest Alex Segura get down to business with Gloria Dolores Muñoz, the ravishing Risque! Created by Jeph Loeb and Luciano Lima in X-Force, Gloria is a half-Cuban half-Seminole mutant mercenary and thief from Miami, Florida, with the power to condense and implode inorganic matter.
When she's assigned to target James "Jimmy" Proudstar, the X-Force member Warpath, Gloria finds herself falling in love with him despite her best efforts. After an unceremonious off-panel death in Grant Morrison's New X-Men a few years later, Risque returned in 2021 as part of Al Ewing and Valerio Schiti's S.W.O.R.D., where she played a major role in Krakoan galactic diplomacy.
The CEREBRO character file on Risque begins at 49:54.
(Content Advisory: Gloria's story includes racism and torture.)
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In Episode 111 of CEREBRO, Connor and returning guest Karen Charm (a.k.a Karen Czap) jump through the timestream with Eva Bell, the tragic Tempus! Created by Brian Michael Bendis, Stuart Immonen, and Chris Bachalo, Eva is one of the signature characters of the Bendis era of X-Men. After some time away from the spotlight, the character found new purpose on Krakoa as part of The Five, the mutant circuit responsible for enabling resurrection.
The CEREBRO character file on Tempus begins at 48:31.
(Content Advisory: Eva's story includes the loss of a child.)
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In Episode 110 of CEREBRO, Connor and returning guest Patrick Sullivan get the scoop with the tenacious Trish Tilby! Created by Louise Simonson and Butch Guice, hard-nosed news anchor Trish debuted in the 80s run of X-Factor as Hank McCoy's love interest. While that relationship didn't survive the turn of the millennium, Trish and her broadcasts have remained a fixture of the broader Marvel universe.
In an unplanned and unexpected coup for this episode's timing, she recently had a memorable turn in the animated series X-Men '97.
The CEREBRO character file on Trish Tilby begins at 1:55:16.
(Content Advisory: Trish and her stories serve to represent the news media's treatment of marginalized people, which is discussed generally in this episode.)
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In Episode 109 of CEREBRO, Connor and Marvel editor Annalise Bissa hunt the most dangerous game with the arrogant Arcade! Created by Chris Claremont and John Byrne, spoiled brat Arcade never really grew up, instead becoming a whimsical assassin and creating Murderworld, a grisly amusement park of death.
The CEREBRO character file on Arcade begins at 58:02, after some hopefully soothing conversation about the new From the Ashes X-Men relaunch taking place this summer.
This episode is dedicated to the memory of Steven Attewell, featured in Episode 97 on Sebastian Shaw, who recently died of cancer. Steven was an essential part of the CEREBRO community and wrote in wonderful questions for nearly every single episode, including this one.
(Content Advisory: Arcade's story includes child abuse, domestic violence, and torture.)
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In the GALAXY-SIZE Episode 108 of CEREBRO, Connor and fan favorite guest Jordan Blok arm up for bird season with the marvelous Mam'selle Hepzibah! Created by Dave Cockrum and Chris Claremont, Hepzibah is the femme fatale of the Starjammers, the Shi'ar galaxy's most notorious space pirates and freedom fighters. An escaped slave who dedicated her life to rebellion against her former oppressors in the Imperium, Hepzibah is also the paramour of Corsair, Christopher Summers — long-lost father to Cyclops, Havok, and another guy it later turns out.
Also, she's a skunk person. She's Cyclops's sexy skunk alien stepmother. This is Connor and Jordan's nine hour skunkstravaganza.
This is Part Two! Start with Part One, or check out Patreon for the complete Extended Skunkery Mix.
(Content Advisory: Hepzibah's story includes racism, slavery, genocide, sexual violence, torture, and a lot of other very heavy stuff.)
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In the GALAXY-SIZE Episode 108 of CEREBRO, Connor and fan favorite guest Jordan Blok arm up for bird season with the marvelous Mam'selle Hepzibah! Created by Dave Cockrum and Chris Claremont, Hepzibah is the femme fatale of the Starjammers, the Shi'ar galaxy's most notorious space pirates and freedom fighters. An escaped slave who dedicated her life to rebellion against her former oppressors in the Imperium, Hepzibah is also the paramour of Corsair, Christopher Summers — long-lost father to Cyclops, Havok, and another guy it later turns out.
Also, she's a skunk person. She's Cyclops's sexy skunk alien stepmother. This is Connor and Jordan's nine hour skunkstravaganza.
The CEREBRO character file on Hepzibah begins at 1:36:46.
This is Part One of Two. You can check out Patreon for the complete Extended Skunkery Mix.
(Content Advisory: Hepzibah's story includes racism, slavery, genocide, sexual violence, torture, and a lot of other very heavy stuff.)
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In Episode 107 of CEREBRO, Connor and Kat Driscoll offer up their tithes to the capricious Candra! Created by Howard Mackie and Lee Weeks, Candra of the Floating Spires is one of the Externals, part of a secret coterie of immortal mutants who have shaped world politics for hundreds of years. As the Benefactress of the Thieves' and Assassins' Guilds of New Orleans, Candra has been a notable foe to Gambit and Storm in particular.
She's fun! She lives in a jewel.
The CEREBRO character file on Candra begins at 1:52:05.
(Content Advisory: Candra's story includes child abuse, and features the general bad vibes one might expect of a centuries-old French imperialist.)
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Happy New Year, Zalagang!
Today, for a special interview, Director Rand Hoppe and President Tom Kraft of the Jack Kirby Museum & Research Center join the show to talk about their new crowdfunding project at Zoop: a hardcover collection of Jack Kirby and Wally Wood's full-color Sunday strips for Sky Masters of the Space Force (with writer Dave Wood).
A syndicated newspaper strip that launched in 1958, shortly after Sputnik 1 launched the space race in earnest, Sky Masters imagines the near future of the American space program.
Regular CEREBRO programming will resume soon. In the meanwhile, you can support the podcast on Patreon!
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In Episode 106 of CEREBRO, Connor and returning guest Alex Abad-Santos just want to be popular with Laurie Collins, the wilting Wallflower! Created by Nunzio DeFilippis, Christina Weir, and Keron Grant as one of the new students in the 2003 relaunch of New Mutants, which evolved into New X-Men: Academy X, Laurie is a shy and reserved teenage girl terrified of social contact because her mutant pheromones make her feel like a predator. An interesting arc takes shape as she develops more control over her powers, but sadly she's swiftly killed off when the writing team changes in 2005.
But now, thanks to Krakoa, she's back!
The CEREBRO character file on Wallflower begins at 49:15.
(Content Advisory: Laurie's story hinges on the premise of sexual violence through mind control. This episode also discusses at length the student-teacher romance plot at the core of New Mutants vol. 2.)
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In Episode 105 of CEREBRO, Connor and returning guest Anthony Oliveira become huge and unstoppable with Cain Marko, the jealous Juggernaut! Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Cain is the elder stepbrother of Charles Xavier, empowered by an ancient occult artifact and bent on destruction. One of the most famous X-Men villains, over time Cain became a fairly reliable ally, particularly under the character's signature writer Fabian Nicieza. He won the fan vote for this year's X-Men roster before the tragedy at the Hellfire Gala that launched Fall of X.
Cain is often teamed up with Black Tom Cassidy, whom many readers — and some writers, including Nicieza — have interpreted as his romantic partner, but to date this remains subtextual.
This episode is very long, very silly, a little spicy, and features a weirdly lengthy tangent about Broadway legend Julie Taymor.
The CEREBRO character file on Juggernaut begins at 3:22:45. (¯\_(ツ)_/¯)
(Content Advisory: Cain's story includes child abuse, including potential implications of sexual abuse.)
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