Battle Of The Atom: An X-Men Podcast
Join Zack and Adam as they battle to decide the best and worst X-Men stories of all time!
Hot Knives
Episode Notes
Peter Alan Wisdom is everyone's favorite guy. He gives writers a real opportunity to do things that would make him feel new and fresh in a way. One of the outwardly physical manifestations of that is that now, from time to time, his knives— once they’re popped — they can heat up. They can get really hot.
Ranked This Episode:
Excalibur v1 #88-90 (The Dream Nails Trilogy) Captain Britain & MI13 #10-15 (Vampire State) Excalibur vol 4 #22Check out the Battle of the Atom Master Ranking List!
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Mesh Tank Top
Episode Notes
By listening to this episode, you commit not to be mad at these two who are trying their best and to not yell at them. When you yell at them this is who you are yelling at: (,,•᷄﹏‎•᷅,,).
Ranked This Episode:
Uncanny X-Men #329-330 (Warriors of the Ebon Night) Children of the Atom #1-6 Excalibur #8 (Excalibur's New York Adventure)Check out the Battle of the Atom Master Ranking List!
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Our theme mus...
Count Chocula
Episode Notes
It is Halloween and that means we are, yes, talking about the 2004 movie Van Helsing starting Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale, as well as the 2020 series Hellstrom starting Tom Austen and Sydney Lemmon. If people are looking for insights into those pieces of media instead of two dudes saying "lol remember that" turn elsewhere.
Ranked This Episode:
Uncanny X-Men Annual #6 (Blood Feud!) Wolverine vol 2 #11-16 (The Gehenna Stone Affair) Generation X/Dracula AnnualCheck out the Battle of the Atom Master Ranking List!
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NYCC 2026
Episode Notes
It's our NYCC 2026 Special featuring artist alley chats with Ben Percy, Dan Panosian, Matteo Della Fonte, Federico Vicentini, David Messina, Netho Diaz and Mario Santoro! You know who isn't in this episode? Zack, who was at home not at NYCC.
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Our theme music is Junk Factory from the X-Men Arcade Game by Seiichi Fukami, Yuji Takenouchi, Junya Nakano, and Ayako H...
Floor Babies
Episode Notes
This episode is dedicated to the memory of our friend Bobby Twoguys. He is still alive, but we're just thinking about him. Specifically thinking about how to get a rise out of that scoundrel.
Ranked This Episode:
X-Men Misfits Way of X X-Factor #250 - 256 (Hell on Earth War)Check out the Battle of the Atom Master Ranking List!
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Our theme music is Junk Factory from the X-Men Arcade G...
Marvel Nights With Jonathan Hickman
Episode Notes
This week writer Jonathan Hickman (House of X, Secret Wars, Ultimate Spider-Man, East of West) joins us to talk about Midnight X-Men, his new horror infused book out October 7th. He talks about his approach to Vampires, the horror of late-stage capitalism, the minimalization of X-Men, the unexpected ending of his Ultimate Universe, how him and Alan Moore are alike, the impending AI apocalypse, the "great man" theory, and (of course) the ending of his time on X-Men.
Y'all, it's a good one.
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A Thingee And A Nutt
Episode Notes
It's a Longshot one. We all like Longshot in theory but do we like him in practice? I oft ponder this. The man has an iconic, consistent pedigree but has it served him and the greater X-Men universe well? I don't know man, but it keeps me up at night.
Ranked This Episode:
Longshot vol 2 Marvel Fanfare vol 2 #4-5 Ultimate X-Men #54-57 (The Most Dangerous Game)Check out the Battle of the Atom Master Ranking List!
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Amuse-Bouche
Episode Notes
Please we are begging you, join the Patreon and listen to us talk about the X-Men movies. We're all out of ideas and shoveling things in front of you asking "do you like this?" It's been 9 years, we have no idea how to grow into a more commercially viable podcast. Possibly we should have made the show more accessible? But in reality, we are much like the comics we are discussing today, not for the consumption of mass audiences even if we desperately want to be.
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X-Men Movie Prequel ...Let's Talk Crystals
Episode Notes
This is not a new Twitter fan account for the messiest Inhuman, but instead just a podcast episode where we try and unravel which crystal is on Storm's shirt.
Ranked This Episode:
X-Men v2 #60-61 X-Men: Worlds Apart #1-4 X-Men v3 #30-37 (Proto-Mutants)Check out the Battle of the Atom Master Ranking List!
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Our theme music is Junk Factory from the X-Men Arcade Game by Seiichi Fukami, Yuji T...
Kevin Eleven
Episode Notes
The thing about Joe Casey is that he figured out how to make actual money so he can just make comics for fun. Would that all of comics be this lucky.
Ranked This Episode:
Uncanny X-Men #400, 407-409 X-Men: Children of the Atom #1-6 Weapon X-Men vol 2 #1-5Check out the Battle of the Atom Master Ranking List!
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Our theme music is Junk Factory from the X-Men Arcade Game b...
Reverse Reverse
Episode Notes
Cormac McCarthy was quoted writing All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes. But he didn't use quotation marks because he wants to be difficult.
Ranked This Episode:
Wolverine: Weapon X #16 Nightcrawler Vol 4 #7 X-Men Unlimited vol 1 #36Check out the Battle of the Atom Master Ranking List!
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Our theme music is J...
Adam Finally Reads Civil War
Episode Notes
In this episode, Adam finally reads Civil War
Ranked This Episode:
Civil War: X-Men Wolverine vol 3 #42-48 (Vendetta) X-Factor vol 3 #8-9 (Civil War)Check out the Battle of the Atom Master Ranking List!
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Our theme music is Junk Factory from the X-Men Arcade Game by Seiichi Fukami, Yuji Takenouchi, Junya Nakano, and Ayako Hashimoto.
Cover art is by Adam Reck after Dave Cockrum with logo design b...
Kokomo
Episode Notes
Man that song sucks, I'm listening to it right now. Possibly this is the only time I've deliberately listened to Kokomo. This is what happens when you get into a fight with Brian Wilson.
Ranked This Episode:
X-Men '92 #5 Uncanny X-Men #356 - 357 Colossus # 1Check out the Battle of the Atom Master Ranking List!
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Our theme music is Junk Factory from the X-Men Arcade Game by Seiichi Fukami, Yuji T...
Looney Tunes Stuff
Episode Notes
There's a new Spider-Man and we are an X-Men podcast, therefore we are doing an episode about all the cameo's in Spider-Man and how they relate to X-Men. Sometimes when I write this copy I put a lot of effort into it, this is not that time.
Ranked This Episode:
Amazing Spider-Man #282 World War Hulk: X-Men #1-3 Punisher vol. 6 #16-17Check out the Battle of the Atom Master Ranking List!
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Apocalips
Episode Notes
Warning, this episode contains hot Beak. If you don't want hot Beak, and I do not, please find a different podcast.
Ranked This Episode
Wolverine & The X-Men: Alpha and Omega New Warriors vol 4 #1-6 (Defiant) New Mutants vol 4 #31-33Check out the Battle of the Atom Master Ranking List!
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Our theme music is Junk Factory from the X-Men Arcade Game by Seiichi Fukami, Yuji Takenouchi, Junya Nakano, and A...
Based Barbarian
Episode Notes
Dungeons and, perchance, some dragons? That's what this BotA is all about!
Ranked This Episode:
Excalibur Annual #1 Uncanny X-Men Annual #3 Savage Avengers #17-19 (King In Black)Check out the Battle of the Atom Master Ranking List!
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Our theme music is Junk Factory from the X-Men Arcade Game by Seiichi Fukami, Yuji Takenouchi, Junya Nakano, and Ayako Hashimoto.
Cover art is by Adam Reck after Dave Cockrum w...
Helping (Sort Of)
Episode Notes
Charles Francis Xavier is one of the most important leaders in mutant history. He's... not great with people.
Ranked This Episode:
Uncanny X-Men Annual 2000 X-Men #2 (Vanisher)Â Marvel Team-Up #118 (Spidey & Prof X)Check out the Battle of the Atom Master Ranking List!
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Our theme music is Junk Factory from the X-Men Arcade Game by Seiichi Fukami, Yuji Takenouchi, Junya Nakano, and Ayako Hashimoto.
Cover art is by Ad...
Bowie Baja Blast
Episode Notes
Jeph Loeb probably enjoys a Mountain Dew Dark Berry Bash, the blue raspberry and blackberry variant exclusive to Applebee's Cosmic Wings ghost kitchen. David Draiman probably enjoys Hard Mountain Dew Black Cherry, the most embarrassing way to get drunk. David Bowie would never touch the stuff.
Ranked This Episode:
Hulk #14-17 (Code Red) Avengers: X-Sanction Wolverine #310-313 (Sabretooth Reborn)Check out the Battle of the Atom Master Ranking List!
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Sour Grapes Scott
Episode Notes
Cyclops is one of the greatest characters in comics, and that's because he screws up so often that it is funny. Like, every time, it's funny how he makes a bad decision.
Ranked This Episode:
Uncanny X-Men v1 #96 (Night of the Demon) X-Factor v1 #13-14 (Master Mold) Uncanny X-Men v3 #32 (Cyclops & Havok)Check out the Battle of the Atom Master Ranking List!
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Our theme music is Junk Factory f...
What Time Is It?
Episode Notes
There's a lot of things that we talk about in this episode, including the New York Knicks and Grunt Squad shirts and more importantly Ben Grimm.
Ranked This Episode:
Clobberin' Time #2 X-Man #59 Siege vol 2Check out the Battle of the Atom Master Ranking List!
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Our theme music is Junk Factory from the X-Men Arcade Game by Seiichi Fukami, Yuji Takenouchi, Junya Nakano, and Ayako Hashimoto.
Cover a...
Pure Beautiful Stupid
Episode Notes
Much like the band Arcade Fire, the X-Men villain Arcade knows that more is more. Also we talk about Dawn, a thing that will only entertain my friend Robert.
Ranked This Episode:
Excalibur #4-5 Claws NorthstarCheck out the Battle of the Atom Master Ranking List!
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Our theme music is Junk Factory from the X-Men Arcade Game by Seiichi Fukami, Yuji Takenouchi, Junya Nakano, and Ayako Hashimoto.
Ghost World Daria
Episode Notes
I have a hard time believing that Daniel Clowes would want his "comix" confused with Marvel's "What If?" series featuring the X-Men. And yet, that's what we are presupposing in this week's Battle Of The Atom.
Are we the smartest podcast out there? No. But we are the best place to learn about the video game series Primal Roar. A video game I think Daniel Clowes would like.
Ranked This Episode:
Hero Initiative: Mike Wieringo #1Â What If v2 #-1 (Bishop)Â What If v2 #92 (Josh & a Sentinel)Check out the Ba...
All Dogs
Episode Notes
ATTENTION ALL MEMEMBERS OF THE BOTA FEDERATION. ZACK HAS BECOME ALL DOG. REPEAT. ZACK HAS BECOME ALL DOGS. THIS WILL IMPACT YOUR PRECEPTIONS OF REALITY FROM THIS POINT FORWARD.
Ranked This Episode:
X-Men: Millennial Visions #1-2 GeneXt Marvels Comics: X-Men #1Check out the Battle of the Atom Master Ranking List!
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Our theme music is Junk Factory from the X-Men Arcade Game by Seiichi Fukami, Yuji Takenouchi, Junya Nakano, a...
Will Not Go Meekly
Episode Notes
Look, I was going to write something else here but I just found a copy of the unmade Magneto movie so I'm going to be over here reading that. Thematically appropriate.
Ranked This Episode:
Uncanny X-Force #9 Magneto #13-17 Uncanny X-Men #161Check out the Battle of the Atom Master Ranking List!
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Our theme music is Junk Factory from the X-Men Arcade Game by Seiichi Fukami, Yuji Takenouchi, Junya Nakano, a...
Nude Tane
Episode Notes
How funny is it that Tim Heidecker is the new Alex Jones? Anyway here's an episode about Wolverine with a lot of good art and also a nude Tane.
Ranked This Episode:
Wolverine: Bloodlust Wolverine: Inner Fury Wolverine: KillingCheck out the Battle of the Atom Master Ranking List!
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Our theme music is Junk Factory from the X-Men Arcade Game by Seiichi Fukami, Yuji Takenouchi, Junya Nakano, and A...
The Wedding Special
Episode Notes
Adam & Dr. Anna Peppard got married. Well they got married a year ago but anyway we're celebrating it how. Say happy wedding to them.
Ranked This Episode:
Black Panther #14-18 (Wedding Of The Century) Excalibur #124-125 X-Men: The Wedding Special vol 2 #1Check out the Battle of the Atom Master Ranking List!
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Our theme music is Junk Factory from the X-Men Arcade Game by Seiichi Fukami, Yuji Takenouchi, Junya N...
Resurrected
Episode Notes
In this episode, Zack proves the one guy from 7 years ago who made a comment about how this podcast is too religious correct.
Ranked This Episode:
X-Men: Hope #1 New Mutants v2 #5-6 Astonishing X-Men v4 #7-12 (A Man Called X) https://www.patreon.com/BattleOfTheAtomCheck out the Battle of the Atom Master Ranking List!
New content every week on ComicsXF.com
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Our theme music is Junk Factory from the X-Men Arcade Game by Seiichi F...
Hey Arnold
Episode Notes
Gail Simone is the current writer of Uncanny X-Men. But what we posit is that she wrote X-Men related things before this. Would you believe that's what we are covering on the podcast this week?
Ranked This Episode:
Deadpool #65-69 (Healing Factor) Domino: Hotshots Marvelous Adventures of Gus Beezer: X-MenCheck out the Battle of the Atom Master Ranking List!
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Our theme music is Junk Factory from the X...
Jessica Rabbit
Episode Notes
Sometimes superheroes get new clothes for no reason other than the fact that it sells variant convers and maybe could be a microtransaction in a video game. This is call the Spider-Man sales plan.
Ranked This Episode:
Astonishing X-Men: Xenogenesis X-Men vol 2 #35 (Sunset Grace) X-Men #37-39 (Factor Three)Check out the Battle of the Atom Master Ranking List!
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Our theme music is Junk Factory from the X-Men Arcade G...
The World's Smallest Man
Episode Notes
At the start of the 1970s crumbling relationships with Iran led to shocks in the global energy market, shooting up prices at the pump while the X-Men meandered aimlessly with Marvel not having a clue what to do with them. This is not commentary on current events.
Ranked This Episode:
Marvel Team-Up #4 Avengers #110-111 Captain America Annual #4Check out the Battle of the Atom Master Ranking List!
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Our t...
Matsudasode
Episode Notes
In this episode, Zack spends a frustrating amount of time just reading Jeff Matsuda's LinkedIn page. Is it more entertaining than Howard Mackie comics? You be the judge (because we can't rank LinkedIn pages on this podcast, otherwise we are the judges).
Ranked This Episode:
X-Factor v1 #-1Â X-Factor v1 #132-134 (Underground) X-Men v2 #48-49Check out the Battle of the Atom Master Ranking List!
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Our theme music is...
How Solitaire Works
Episode Notes
Ultimate Gambit don't care about your rules. Ultimate Gambit play solitaire how he want.
Ranked This Episode:
Ultimate X-Men #13-14 (Gambit) Ultimate X-Men #50-53 (Cry Wolf) Ultimate X-Men Annual #1Check out the Battle of the Atom Master Ranking List!
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Our theme music is Junk Factory from the X-Men Arcade Game by Seiichi Fukami, Yuji Takenouchi, Junya Nakano, and Ayako Hashimoto.
Cover art is by Adam Reck a...
Wish Fulfillment
Episode Notes
Marvel, many times, will tell you that nothing will ever be the same again, when many times, not only will it be the same, but you will forget that they ever said that things would be different. This is that but with character.
Ranked This Episode
X-Men Unlimited #8 (Bolt) X-Men Unlimited #27 (Thunderbird III) Marvel Voices Pride 2021Check out the Battle of the Atom Master Ranking List!
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Our theme m...
Wolverine and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Episode Notes
There's a certain person who hates birthdays, but normally for shame based reasons. Wolverine? He has better reasons.
Ranked This Episode:
Wolverine Vol. 4 #5.1 Amazing Spider-Man: Extra! #2 Wolverine First Class #2Check out the Battle of the Atom Master Ranking List!
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Our theme music is Junk Factory from the X-Men Arcade Game by Seiichi Fukami, Yuji Takenouchi, Junya Nakano, and Ayako Hashimoto.
Cover art is by Adam Reck a...
Running Up That Hill
Episode Notes
If I only could, I'd make a deal with God. Have Paul Smith draw less Morlocks. It would fix a lot of things, make a bit more sense, but then we would miss these stories.
Sing it, it tracks.
Ranked This Episode:
X-Factor #21-23
Storm vol 1
Uncanny X-Men v4 #6-10 (Apocalypse Wars)
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Funny Books
Episode Notes
The X-Men have often been cartoons, but what if they tried to be funny? Would that be good?
History says "no".
Ranked This Episode
The Uncanny X-Men: Days of Future Fun
What The--?! #3-4 (Mutant Beach Party)
Not Brand Echh #4
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Our theme music is Junk Factory from the X-Men Arcade G...
Real Freaks Know
Episode Notes
I wonder if people know the burden of being an X-Men fan and having to keep all these stories in facts straight when, SOMETIMES, the comics don't put in the same effort to remember unimportant stuff.
Ranked This Episode:
Kitty Pryde: Agent of SHIELD
X-Men True Friends
X-Men Forever 2 #7-10
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Our theme m...
Baked In
Episode Notes
Some have called us the Cheech & Chong of X-Men podcasts. I've never seen those movies but I can say that if one of them is constantly suffering from bits that only the other person thinks is funny, then the descriptions fits. This is the weed number episode.
Danked This Episode:
Kissnation #1
Uncanny X-Men #417-420 (Dominate Species)
X-Force #121-122 (Laccuna)
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New content every week on ComicsXF.com
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Inscrutable Cyclops w/Alex Paknadel
Episode Notes
Alex Paknadel comes on the show to chat about his upcoming Cyclops series, the Punch Dimension, and what it's like writing X-Men in this last year.
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New content every week on ComicsXF.com
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Our theme music is Junk Factory from the X-Men Arcade Game by Seiichi Fukami, Yuji Takenouchi, Junya Nakano, and Ayako Hashimoto.
Cover art is by Adam Reck after Dave Cockrum with logo d...
Mall Santa
Episode Notes
There is an epidemic striking our country, that is an epidemic of running out of holiday themed stories to cover at Christmas time. Therefore I want no complaints at what Santa brought you.
Ranked This Episode;
Marvel Holiday Special 1996
Marvel Holiday Magazine #1
Marvel Holiday Tales To Astonish #1
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Our theme music is Junk F...
