Best Josephine Riesman Podcasts (2025)

1
Episode 14: Planet X (feat. Asher Elbein) (New X-Men 146-150) 1:21:22

Play Pause

1M ago1:21:22

1:21:22

Magneto is back? Xorn isn't real??? You better believe it, kids! It's a scary new world in New York City, but luckily, Josie and Becca are joined by a real Magneto expert: writer Asher Elbein! This is an important X-Men run that redefined what Magneto could be, for good or for ill, and that means the girls have a lot to talk about. You won't want t…

1
Episode 13: Assault on Weapon Plus (feat. Tegan O'Neil) (New X-Men 142-145) 1:22:02

1M ago1:22:02

1:22:02

We're entering the home stretch of New X-Men and things are getting intense. This week, Josie and Becca break into The World as they launch an Assault on Weapon Plus. Luckily, they're joined by longtime comics critic, Josie's good friend Tegan O'Neil, who is here to guide our girls through the perilous journey. Did this comic change Wolverine forev…

1
Episode 12: Murder at the Mansion (feat. Evan Narcisse) (New X-Men 139-141) 1:25:32

2M ago1:25:32

1:25:32

It's time for Grant Morrison to ask "whodunnit?" and your hosts to ask "why do we care?" That's right, it's Morrison's cooldown arc from the past few heavy-hitting storylines, Murder at the Mansion! But don't skip this one, listeners, because Josie and Becca are joined by an incredible guest: Marvel comics writer Evan Narcisse! Evan joins the girls…

1
Episode 11: Riot at Xavier's (feat. Jay Edidin) (New X-Men 134-138) 1:26:19

2M ago1:26:19

1:26:19

New X-Men is a comic about the new vs. the old, and Riot at Xavier's is that theme at its most relevant. Which is why Josie and Becca needed a very special guest: Jay Edidin of Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men! That's right, it's the crossover you've all been waiting for! There's so much to discuss about political and cultural frustrations as we dis…

1
Episode 10: Dust (feat. Doc) (New X-Men 133) 1:30:50

2M ago1:30:50

1:30:50

It's time for Josie and Becca to wade into the most infamous New X-Men issue of all: Dust, 2002's post-9/11 Islamophobia whirlwind tour. So yeah, first of all, check the content warnings for this one. But secondly, and more excitingly, the girls are joined by Doc, a friend of Becca's from her Fantastic 4 blogging days. Doc is a Palestinian hijabi w…

1
Episode 9: Ambient Magnet Fields (feat. Alana M. Vincent) (New X-Men 132) 1:12:59

2M ago1:12:59

1:12:59

By this point in New X-Men, it's been one year since Cassandra Nova attacked Genosha, and more importantly, one year since the real-world attacks on September 11. So it comes as no surprise that Marvel and Grant Morisson released a comic on September 11, 2002 grappling with both of those anniversaries. Josie and Becca are joined by Professor Alana …

1
Episode 8: Some Angels Falling (feat. Stephanie Burt) (New X-Men 131) 1:38:59

3M ago1:38:59

1:38:59

1
Episode 7: Weapon Twelve (feat. Charlotte Fierro) (New X-Men 128-130) 1:20:06

3M ago1:20:06

1:20:06

Et maintenant, vos filles préférées se rendent dans la belle France pour discuter de Fantomex, le groupe de cellules qui pense qu'elles sont un ninja pervers. Er-hem. Thanks, Google Translate. Anyway! Josie and Becca are joined in their intercontinental journey by French comic fan Charlotte Fierro from My Marvelous Year. I'm sorry for my bad French…

1
Episode 6: Of Living and Dying (feat. Rui Zhong) (New X-Men 127) 58:50

3M ago58:50

58:50

The only constants in life are death, taxes, and Xorn, so it's time for us to meet up once again with the man in the iron mask for this one-shot Xorn story! Josie and Becca are joined by journalist Rui Zhong to discuss Xorn's backstory, whether Xorn's backstory exists at all, and what the tragedy of Mutant Town has to say about subcultures and ethn…

1
Episode 5: Imperial (feat. Jamelle Bouie) (New X-Men 122-126) 51:28

3M ago51:28

51:28

Cassandra Nova's last stand is a massive arc, full of important things to consider about the rise and fall of empires. So it should come as no surprise that Josie and Becca enlisted a massive guest: political columnist Jamelle Bouie (jamellebouie.net)! What does this arc teach us about American politics, friendship, and how to run an open school ni…

1
Episode 4: Germ-Free Generation & Silence (feat. Nola Pfau) (New X-Men 118-121) 1:15:47

4M ago1:15:47

1:15:47

Expanding on last week's U-Men discussion, Josie and Becca dive into Germ-Free Generation and the one-shot "Silence: Psychic Rescue in Process." Luckily, they don't have to brave Charles Xavier's mindscape alone, and are joined by Eisner-winning comics critic Nola Pfau (WWAC)! What did Grant Morrison predict about nerd culture? Why is Frank Quitely…

1
Episode 3: The Man in Room X (feat. Tiffany Babb) (New X-Men Annual) 52:00

4M ago52:00

52:00

Josie and Becca are joined by comics critic Tiffany Babb (The Comics Courier, The Fan Files) to discuss The New X-Men Annual, titled The Man in Room X, which introduces Xorn and the U-Men! Our quest to understand Xorn does not begin well! Does Grant Morrison understand China? What are the U-Men a metaphor for, anyway? And is Logan hot...or not? Lis…

1
Episode 2: E is For Extinction (New X-Men 114-117) 1:06:55

4M ago1:06:55

1:06:55

Josie and Becca dive into New X-Men with the four-part tragedy "E is For Extinction," which spans issues 114-117 of New X-Men. Join them for a discussion of this influential story arc about mutant genocide, depression, and psychic twins. What was it like reading this comic in August 2001, one month before September 11? Listen and find out! Plus: wh…

1
Episode 1: The New X-Men Manifesto 1:06:27

4M ago1:06:27

1:06:27

Welcome, homos...sapiens and superior, that is! In their debut episode, trans comic fans Josephine Riesman and Becca Petunia set the scene for their journey into Grant Morrison's New X-Men. Join them for a discussion of their histories with comics and the X-Men in general as well as a close look at Grant Morrison's pitch document for the series, or…