Dave, Erik, and Matt fight their way through one of the most debated stories in Marvel canon. They break down the full nine-issue saga and argue over what makes it legendary: the slow corruption of Jean Grey, the emotional devastation for Cyclops, Wolverine's defining badass moments, and the story's lasting moral weight. They also get into the controversial editorial choice to kill Jean, the impact of Claremont and Byrne's writing, and how much of the book's power comes from its tragedy.

By the end, the conversation is about more than one comic arc - it's about what makes an X-Men story emotionally unforgettable versus just historically important.

Links:

• Read The Dark Phoenix Saga
• Fandom Entry
• NYCC 2026
• Exquisite Corpses
• Mezco Toys

Dave, Matt, and Erik are back in the DC Animated Movie Universe with sharp takes on Terra, Deathstroke, Nightwing, Starfire, Beast Boy, Damian Wayne, and Brother Blood. They discuss the movie’s most uncomfortable relationship, and zero in on the action scenes, family dynamics, and comic lore that make this one feel more like reading a comic book than watching an animated movie.

Key discussions:

• Why this movie feels more brutal and more sexually charged than its rating suggests
• How the team compares this adaptation to the original comic story and other DCAMU entries
• Why Beast Boy, Starfire, and Nightwing stand out here
• The panel’s thoughts on Brother Blood, Damian Wayne, and the movie’s most uncomfortable scenes

Links:

• Watch Teen Titans The Judas Contract
• Read the comic story the movie is based on
• Brother Blood (comic book history)
• Titans (current series Dave references)
• Kevin Smith's Podcast

Dave, Matt, and Erik revisit Chris Claremont and John Byrne’s X-Men: Days of Future Past, along with the surrounding issues in the collected edition. They discuss the dystopian future ruled by Sentinels, Kitty Pryde’s role in the story, and how this classic two-parter helped shape X-Men time-travel stories. The conversation also gets into what still works—and what doesn’t. The hosts praise the story’s influence and fast-moving plot, while debating its heavy narration, the extra material in the collection, and character choices that feel uncomfortable today.

Links:

• Bobby Drake's Sexuality
• Read Days of Future Past
• Watch Days of Future Past (it's the only good Fox movie)
• Chris Claremont's X-Men Run Reading Order