

X-Ray Vision
iHeartPodcasts
Nerd-culture podcast X-Ray Vision takes listeners on a journey through the zeitgeist-iest (patent pending) films, TV shows, and comics. Join award-winning hosts Jason Concepcion and Rosie Knight for one-of-a-kin analysis, the latest news and show lore, and access to the writers, producers, directors, and stars who make your favorite pop culture shows, movies, and more!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 10, 2021 • 1h 9min
Spider-Man: No Way Homework - Villain Breakdowns, Classic Spider-Man Film Recaps, and Craziest Theories + Hawkeye Ep 4
On Episode 15 of X-Ray Vision, Jason Concepcion & Rosie Knight prepare for Spider-Man: No Way Home! First, in Previously On (2:29), Jason and Rosie recap episode 4 of Hawkeye, streaming on Disney+, and share how the series has embraced comics like no other. Then, in the Airlock (24:25) Jason and Rosie dive deep (deeeeep) into the Spider-Verse, recapping the seven previous Spider-Man films (Maguire, Garfield, & Holland) so you don’t have to watch them all, analyzing the possibilities of No Way Home’s villains, and offering tons of theories for No Way Home and the MCU Multiverse. Then, in The Endgame (1:08:17), Jason and Rosie play another round of Assembly Required, picking a character from the Spider-Verse for a randomly assigned mission (hint: wedding bells anyone?). Use #XRVEndgame and let us know what you think of their choices!Tune in every Friday and don’t forget to Hulk Smash the Follow button!Nerd Out Submission Instructions!Send a short pitch and 2-3 minute voice memo recording to xray@crooked.com that answers the following questions: 1) How did you get into/discover your ‘Nerd Out?’ (2) Why should we get into it too? (3) What’s coming soon in this world that we can look forward to?Plus, we got a mailbag episode coming so send your nerdy questions & queries to xray@crooked.com!Follow Jason: twitter.com/netw3rkFollow Crooked: twitter.com/crookedmediaPLUGS:Rosie’s IGSome of George Perez’s iconic comics work: New Teen Titans, JLA/Avengers Crossover, & More!The Listener’s Guide for all things X-Ray Vision!Secret Wars - A twelve issue series published in 1984, written by Jim Shooter with art by Mike Zeck and Bob Layton, featuring the Beyonder and Battleworld; essentially an opportunity for Marvel to cash in on a Mattel toyline. Available on Marvel Unlimited.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 3, 2021 • 1h 4min
Marvel's Hawkeye Episodes 2 & 3
On Episode 14 of X-Ray Vision, Jason Concepcion & Cody Ziglar dodge traffic (Pym arrow not included)! In Previously On (1:58), Jason and Zig recap episodes 2 and 3 of Hawkeye, streaming on Disney+. In the Airlock (37:42) Jason and Zig dive deep (deeeeep) into the theories and possibilities of Hawkeye’s upcoming episodes. For The Omnibus (54:17) Jason lifts the lid on organized crime in the Marvel canon. And in The Endgame (1:07:05), Jason and Zig play another round of Assembly Required, picking a character or item from Hawkeye episodes 2 and 3 for a randomly assigned mission (no hints this time). Use #XRVEndgame and let us know what you think of their choices!Tune in every Friday and don’t forget to Hulk Smash the Follow button!Nerd Out Submission Instructions!Send a short pitch and 2-3 minute voice memo recording to xray@crooked.com that answers the following questions: 1) How did you get into/discover your ‘Nerd Out?’ (2) Why should we get into it too? (3) What’s coming soon in this world that we can look forward to?Plus, we got a mailbag episode coming so send your nerdy questions & queries to xray@crooked.com!Follow Jason: twitter.com/netw3rkFollow Crooked: twitter.com/crookedmediaPLUGS:Zig’s The Dark Weeb podcastThe Listener’s Guide for all things X-Ray Vision!Savage Land - Created by Jack Kirby and debuting in Marvel Mystery Comics #22, a prehistoric land in the modern world of Marvel comics (right near Antarctica); picture Jurassic Park with even more dinosaurs and zero rules. Daredevil - Specifically the 2011-2014 Eisner-winning series by Mark Waid with eye-popping art by mainly Chris Samnee; the series was known for its humor, introducing the villain Ikari, and featured a team-up with Spidey himself. Available on Marvel Unlimited, Comixology, and more.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/xrayvision.. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 24, 2021 • 50min
Christmas Comes Early (Literally) with Marvel's Hawkeye on Disney+
On Episode 13 of X-Ray Vision, Jason Concepcion & Cody Ziglar grab a slice with Lucky the Pizza Dog! First, in the brand new recurring segment Nerd Out (1:41), in which nerds get to share what they love and why, Crooked’s own Kendra James (producer of Keep It & Lovett or Leave It) sits in the captain’s chair to give the latest on Trek as Discovery season 4 premieres on Paramount+. In the Airlock (15:25) Jason and Zig dive deep (deeeeep) into the first episode (and a sprinkling of the second) of Hawkeye, out now on Disney+. And in The Endgame (53:24), Jason and Zig play Assembly Required, picking a character from Hawkeye for a randomly assigned mission (Hint: pass the gravy boat). Use #XRVEndgame & let us know what you think of their choices!Tune in every Friday and don’t forget to Hulk Smash the Follow button! Follow Jason: twitter.com/netw3rkFollow Crooked: twitter.com/crookedmediaPLUGS:Zig’s Amazing Spider-Man #79, out now!Zig’s Twitter & IGThe Listener’s Guide for all things X-Ray Vision!My Life as a Weapon aka Hawkeye - Written by Matt Fraction with gorgeous art and covers by mainly David Aja, this is the series Disney+’s Hawkeye takes inspiration from and the series that redefined the character Clint Barton in the eyes of fans. Available on Marvel Unlimited, Amazon, etc.Avengers (2012) - This is the MCU movie that really made people sit up and notice (unless you were already sitting up, in which case it made you stand). We see the continued aftermath of the Battle of New York from Kate Bishop & Clint Barton’s perspectives in Hawkeye, revealing that, when it comes to war & loss, some wounds never heal. Available on Disney+ or for rent.Young Avengers - Created by Allan Heinberg & Jim Cheung before being relaunched by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie after the Marvel NOW! rebranding in 2012. Both series by the different writers and artists won GLAAD Media Awards (2006, 2014) during their respective runs. Available on Marvel Unlimited.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/xrayvision.. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 17, 2021 • 1h 25min
Disney+ Day’s Marvel News & a (Spoiler-Free) Primer on Amazon’s Wheel of Time
On Episode 12 of X-Ray Vision, Jason Concepcion & Rosie Knight jazzercise with She-Hulk! In the Airlock (0:02:09) Jason and Rosie dive deep (deeeeep) into the lore around the biggest announcements from the first annual Disney+ Day, including Moon Knight, She-Hulk, and Ms. Marvel. For the Omnibus, (0:49:42) Jason details the background and history of the character Moon Knight; in The Hive Mind (1:09:38), Jason is joined by writer and podcaster Preeti Chhibber for a spoiler-free primer on The Wheel of Time book series by Robert Jordan, the upcoming Amazon TV show (premiering November 19th), and how WoT is different (in a good way) from Game of Thrones. Finally, in The Endgame (1:28:34), Jason and Rosie play Assembly Required, picking a character from Marvel’s Disney+ Day releases for a randomly assigned mission (Hint: you can pick up some Swedish meatballs where we’re going). Use #XRVEndgame & let us know what you think of their choices!Tune in every Wednesday and don’t forget to Hulk Smash the Follow button! Follow Jason: twitter.com/netw3rkFollow Crooked: twitter.com/crookedmediaPLUGS:Preeti’s Tar Valon or Bust podcast & Wheel of Time ReviewRosie’s IGThe Listener’s Guide for all things X-Ray Vision!Moon Knight by Lemire & Smallwood - The collected volumes of Jeff Lemire & Greg Smallwood’s run on Moon Knight in which Marc Spector finds himself trapped in an insane asylum. Available on Marvel Unlimited.Patsy Walker, AKA Hellcat - Written by Kate Leth and illustrated by Brittney L. Williams, this 17 issue series started in 2015 and follows Walker after her comeback from hell and starting a super-folk temp agency. Available on Marvel Unlimited.Ms. Marvel (2015-2019) - Written by G. Willow Wilson & drawn by Adrian Alphona with tremendous creative input from Marvel editors Sana Amanat & Stephen Wacker and assistance from Jamie McKelvie. The series garnered critical acclaim and won a Hugo Award in 2015. Available on Marvel Unlimited. See Wakanda & Die - Set during Secret Invasion and written by Jason Aaron with art by Jefte Palo, all about how the skrull invasion very much does NOT go to plan once they hit Wakanda. Available on Marvel Unlimited.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/xrayvision.. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 10, 2021 • 1h 26min
Marvel’s Eternals + The History of Jack Kirby
On Episode 11 of X-Ray Vision, Jason Concepcion & Rosie Knight pack up & start an Amazonian mind-control cult! In Previously On…(1:34) Jason goes solo to recap Eternals, the latest in the MCU, out in theaters now. In the Airlock (24:56) Jason and Rosie dive deep (deeeeep) into the theories and characters of Eternals. For the Omnibus (49:06), Jason chronicles the work-life of Eternals’ creator Jack Kirby; in The Hive Mind (or rather, the Uni-Mind) (1:14:02), Jason is joined by comics journalist and author Abraham Riesman for a conversation around creators rights in the comics industry, especially involving Jack Kirby and Stan Lee. Finally, in The Endgame (1:26:21), Jason and Rosie play Assembly Required, picking their Eternal to go head-to-head in a randomly selected scenario (Hint: they’ll be swiping left & right). Use #XRVEndgame & let us know what you think of their choices!Tune in every Wednesday and don’t forget to Hulk Smash the Follow button! Follow Jason: twitter.com/netw3rkFollow Crooked: twitter.com/crookedmediaPLUGS:Abraham Riesman’s Twitter & website!Check out Comic Book Workers United & show your support!The Listener’s Guide for all things X-Ray Vision!Black Knight, Created by Roy Thomas & John Buscema, he’s a Marvel hero whose debut was The Avengers #47 in December, 1967; Dane Whitman is in fact the third character to hold that title. Black Knight has been a member of The Avengers, The Defenders, & MI13, Marvel’s equivalent of the famed real life MI6.Blade, Created by Marv Wolfman & Gene Colan, this half-man, half-vampire (aka dhampir)’s first appearance was 1973’s The Tomb of Dracula #10. Wesley Snipes played the character in a trio of films that came out from 1998 through 2004 (the second was directed & written by a budding Guillermo del Toro and available on HBOMax).She-Hulk’s Past with Eros (aka Starfox), Featured in She-Hulk Vol 2, #6-7, from 2006, written by Dan Slott and art by Will Conrad; the arc ultimately doesn’t really resolve the fate of Eros after his escape from court, so it’s hypothetically possible that the character is still wanted for his crimes on Earth.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/xrayvision.. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 3, 2021 • 59min
Comics! - Best Introductory Arcs For New Readers & All-Time Favorites
On a very special Episode 10 of X-Ray Vision, Jason Concepcion is joined by both co-hosts, Rosie Knight & Cody Ziglar, for an all hosts, all comics, all conversation! In Previously On…(1:10) Jason goes solo (and Soprano) to unpack the trailer of Disney+’s Boba Fett, Sony’s Morbius, and celebrate the formation of the brand new Comic Book Workers United union at Image Comics (link to support below!). In the Airlock (9:51) Jason, Rosie, and Zig dive deep (deeeeep) into the world of comics, offering entry points for eager new readers, some all time personal faves, and what they’re looking forward to in all things panel & page. In The Endgame (1:00:22), Jason, Rosie, and Zig play Some Assembly Required, picking their comics character to go head-to-head-to-head in a randomly selected scenario (Hint: stock up on Koopa Shells). Use #XRVEndgame & let us know what you think of their choices!Tune in every Wednesday and don’t forget to Hulk Smash the Follow button! Follow Jason: twitter.com/netw3rkFollow Crooked: twitter.com/crookedmediaPLUGS:Check out Comic Book Workers United & show your support!The Listener’s Guide for all things X-Ray Vision!Black Widow (2020) - Kelly Thompson & Elena Casagrande. Available here.Hawkeye (2012) - Matt Fraction & David Aja. Available here. Hellions (2020) - Zeb Wells & Stephen Segovia. Available here.Young Avengers (2013) - Kieron Gillen, Jamie McKelvie, & Matt Wilson. Available here.Infinity Gauntlet (1991) - Jim Starlin, George Pérez, & Ron Lim. Available here.Silver Surfer: Rebirth of Thanos (1990) - Ron Lim & Jim Starlin. Available here.X-Men: Grand Design (2018) - Ed Piskor. Available here.Ultimate Spider-Man (2000) - Brian Michael Bendis with Mark Bagley, Stuart Immonen, David LaFuente, & Sara Pichelli. Available here.Avengers Disassembled / New Avengers (2004) - Brian Michael Bendis with various, including David Finch & Steve McNiven. Available here.Saga of Swamp Thing (1984) - Alan Moore, Stephen Bissette, & John Totleben. Available here.Batman: Year One (1987) - Frank Miller & David Mazzucchelli. Available here.Hellboy: The Chained Coffin and Others (1998) - Mike Mignola. Available here.Invincible (2003) - Robert Kirkman with Cory Walker & Ryan Ottley. Available here.This One Summer (2014) - Mariko & Jillian Tamaki. Available here.Super Mutant Magic Academy (2015) - Jillian Tamaki. Available here.Very Near Mint (2011) - Justin Peterson. Available here.Scott Pilgrim (2004) - Bryan Lee O’Malley. Available here.Love and Rockets (1982) -The Hernandez Brothers, Gilbert, Jaime, & Mario. Available here.Akira (1982) - Katsuhiro Otomo. Available here.Fantasy Sports (2015) - Sam Bosma. Available here.We3 (2004) - Grant Morrison and Frank Quietly. Available here.Demon Days (2021) - Peach Momoko. Available here.Trial of the Amazons DC Event (2022) - Written with input by Becky Cloonan, Michael Conrad, Vita Ayala, Stephanie Williams, Joelle Jones, and Jordie Bellaire. Start with Nubia & The Amazons, available here.The Antagonists (2020) - Tyler F. Martin with Felipe Dunbar, Kelechi Nwaogwugwu, Kieran Jack, Giacomo Guida. Available here. Fist of the North Star re-release by Viz (2021) - Buronson & Tetsuo Hara. Available here.The Good Asian (2021) - by Pornsak Pichetshote & Alexandre Tefenkgi. Available here.The Department of Truth (2021) - James Tynion & Martin Simmonds. Available here.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/xrayvision.. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 27, 2021 • 1h 35min
Dune (2021) with Dune Pod's Jason Goldman & Haitch + A Special Endgame with Shea Serrano
On a very special Episode 9 of X-Ray Vision, Jason Concepcion fights for DESERT POWER! In Previously On…(2:13) Jason goes solo to recap the world of Frank Herbert’s Dune as brought to life in Denis Villeneuve’s new film. In the Airlock (32:48) Jason is joined by special guests Jason Goldman & Haitch of the Dune Pod to dive deep (deeeeep) into the cinematic sand dunes & rich textural history of Herbert’s novels. In The Omnibus (1:08:36), Jason explores the origin of the space empire trope and compares and contrasts Dune with Isaac Asimov’s Foundations. And in The Endgame (1:20:32) Shea Serrano drops by the pod to give his take on Dune, shout out his new book, and then Jason and Shea pick their Cafeteria Table (from Jason & Shea’s own The Connect) of Hot Cinematic Dads. X-Ray’s Rule of Thumb: you can never have too many Oscar Isaacs. Use #XRVEndgame & let us know what you think of their choices!Tune in every Wednesday and don’t forget to Hulk Smash the Follow button! Follow Jason: twitter.com/netw3rkFollow Crooked: twitter.com/crookedmediaPLUGS: Listen to Jason Goldman & Haitch on the Dune Pod & check out the other fantastic shows on the Tapedeck Podcast Network!Hip Hop (And Other Things) by Shea Serrano is out now & available wherever books are sold!The Listener’s Guide for all things X-Ray Vision!Enemy, a 2013 drama film directed by Denis Villeneuve and starring Jake Gyllenhaal in a dual role as men alike in appearance, but different in personality. The spider reference in question relates to the dreams shared by Gyllenhaal’s characters Adam & Anthony, including a dream of a naked woman with a spider head and a skyscraper-sized spider crawling through the city.Frank Herbert’s Dune (Sci-Fi), A 2000 miniseries on the Sci Fi Channel (before the ‘Y’ rebrand), written and directed by John Harrison, and followed up with a Children of Dune miniseries in 2003. Dune (’84), directed and written by David Lynch, and featuring Kyle Maclachlan in his film debut. Heavily criticized upon release for pretty much everything except its special effects, the film bombed at the box office and Lynch disowned it. Roger Ebert scorched the movie in his review and later named it the worst movie of the year. Available on HBOMax.Silent Spring, by Rachel Carson; first published in 1962, the book focuses on the adverse environmental impact (mostly on birds, hence the title) of excessive pesticides by chemical companies. The book prompted widespread outrage and an overall ban on the use of DDT for agricultural purposes. Available on Bookshop.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/xrayvision.. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 20, 2021 • 1h 31min
DC FanDome + HBO’s Succession Season 3 Premiere (& more Squid Game!)
On Episode 8 of X-Ray Vision, Jason Concepcion and Cody Ziglar have a latte with The Riddler! In Previously On…(2:56) Jason and Zig briefly discuss the release changes in upcoming Disney films and mourn the cancellation of FX on Hulu’s Y: The Last Man. In the Airlock (13:44) Jason and Zig dive deep (deeeeep) into the trailers that emerged from this past weekend’s DC FanDome, including The Batman, The Flash, HBOMax’s Peacemaker and more. In The Omnibus (42:36), Jason continues his exploration of the ‘deadly games’ genre to further analyze the economic and sociopolitical ideas behind Netflix’s smash hit Squid Game. Next, writer & podcaster Dave Schilling drops by this week’s Hive Mind (58:59) for an astute conversation around what makes HBO’s Succession the best show on TV & why we love the Roys despite their awful behavior. Finally, in The Endgame (1:24:48) Jason and Zig play Top Fives for their ‘favorite’ fictional billionaires. Use #XRVEndgame & tweet at Jason to let us know what you think of their choices!Tune in every Wednesday and don’t forget to Hulk Smash the Follow button! Follow Jason: twitter.com/netw3rkFollow Crooked: twitter.com/crookedmediaPLUGS: Dave Schilling & Jonah Ray’s Galaxy Brains & Dave’s LA Times article on why men should wear skirts.Zig’s twitter: twitter.com/yayforzig & his pod (co-hosted with Brodie Reed) The Dark Weeb: available wherever you get your podcasts!The Listener’s Guide for all things X-Ray Vision!Batman (’89), Directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton in the titular role with Jack Nicholson turning in a hammily deranged performance as the Joker; the film’s campy atmosphere and theatricality is both eye-catching and divergent from the gritty, more noir later Batman films of the 2000s. Available on HBOMax.Flashpoint, a 2011 crossover comics series, the bulk of which was written by Geoff Johns with art by Andy Kubert. As alluded to by Jason, this series radically shifted the landscape of the DC universe and led to the The New 52 reboot of DC’s ongoing series.1989: Bob Dylan Didn’t Have This to Sing About, by prominent cultural theorist and poet Joshua Clover originally published in 2009, which analyzes the year 1989 in popular music and the outgrowths (such as rap, grunge, acid house, etc.) that emerged in the following decade. Clover is currently a Professor of English & Comparative Literature at UC Davis. Available on Bookshop.com.Peep Show, a British sit-com that ran from 2003 to 2015 and was written by Jesse Armstrong, among others. Following the lives of two best friends, the show, with its offbeat humor, unconventional POV filming style (hence the name ‘peep show’), and voiceover narration offering the internal monologue of the characters’ thoughts, never achieved wide audiences but garnered critical acclaim across its run. Available lots of places.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/xrayvision.. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 13, 2021 • 1h 18min
In Squid Game, There's No Time to Die
On Episode 7 of X-Ray Vision, Jason Concepcion and Rosie Knight play Red Light, Green Light, otherwise known as What’s the Time Mr. Wolf! In Previously On…(3:50) Jason and Rosie celebrate DC’s announcement of Jon Kent (aka the Superman of Earth) coming out as bisexual as well as the revival of the iconic Image comics series Saga by Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples. In a mini-segment called The Editor’s Note (10:48), X-Ray Vision producer (and 007 superfan) Chris Lord joins to toast (with a vodka martini of course) No Time to Die and speculate on the future of the franchise. In the Airlock (26:30) Jason and Rosie dive deep (deeeeep) into the Netflix smash hit Squid Game to unmask why the show and its capitalist critiques resonate so strongly. Next, this week’s Hive Mind (59:50) features an insightful conversation between Jason and two of the producers behind Disney+’s anime anthology Star Wars: Visions. Finally, in The Endgame (1:19:50) Jason and Rosie select their own ‘Deadly Game’ in which to compete (and hopefully not lose). Use #XRVEndgame & tweet at Jason to let us know what you think of their choices!Tune in every Wednesday and don’t forget to Hulk Smash the Follow button! Follow Jason: twitter.com/netw3rkFollow Crooked: twitter.com/crookedmediaThe Listener’s Guide for all things X-Ray Vision!Saga, An iconic epic space opera in the truest possible sense; this comics fantasia tells the story of a wife & husband from warring planets, one highly technologic, the other magical, and their interplanetary adventures with their daughter and an ever-changing cast of oddballs, bounty hunters, & a robot-computer-sex-addict-prince (you read that right). Available in multiple compendiums, single issues, & more.Goldfinger, The 1964 third installment of the EON-produced 007 James Bond franchise, starring Sean Connery at the height of his prowess & charisma. While undoubtedly problematic for its portrayal of women and Koreans (specifically, characters Pussy Galore & Odd Job), the film also cemented the now trademark Bond formula of gadgets, close calls, & big action set pieces. It is considered by many to be the quintessential Bond film. Available on Hulu & more.Call of Duty: Warzone, Introduced on March 10, 2020, this free-to-play Battle Royale style game takes the incredibly popular Call of Duty FPS franchise in a slightly new direction by limiting game modes and utilizing large scale (shrinking) maps to give players room to collect cash, weaponry, and fight each other off.Battle Royale (2000), Literally the film by which most other works in this genre are named for and/or reference (see COD: Warzone above). Directed by Kinji Fukasaku and based on a book by Koushun Takami, the film follows the kill or be-killed antics of a group of delinquent school children. Highly controversial upon release for its violence & gore, it has gone on to such cult fame that it is essentially a widely popular film. Available here.Gambling Apocalypse: Kaiji, A Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Nobuyuki Fukumoto that has been ongoing since 1996 and chronicles the very misadventurous escapades of an inveterate gambler named Kaiji Ito. The series has garnered wide acclaim, both critically and commercially, in Japan and beyond.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/xrayvision.. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 7, 2021 • 1h 40min
Marvel's What If...? Finale + Venom: Let There Be Carnage
On Episode 6 of X-Ray Vision, Jason Concepcion and Rosie Knight go raving with a Symbiote! In Previously On… they discuss the absolute madness that is Sony’s Venom: Let There be Carnage as well as the MCU reverberations of the film’s stinger (1:12). Then, in The Airlock, they dive deep (deeeep) into the finale of the Disney+ show What If…? and the ongoing multiversal trials and tribulations of the MCU (34:21). Next, Jason cracks open the Omnibus to explore the origins and popularity of the symbiote suit that ultimately becomes Eddie Brock’s Venom (1:00:25). In The Hive Mind, Jason chats with What If…? head writer A.C. Bradley and series director Bryan Andrews about Zombie Wanda, writing and directing animation, the tragic loss of Chadwick Boseman, and drinking whisky while writing Darcy Lewis and Party Thor (1:19:33). In The Endgame, Jason and Rosie play Face Off, pondering the question of which characters (if any!) from across all franchises, properties, and universes could possibly defeat Infinite Ultron (1:39:28). Use #XRVEndgame to let us know what you think!Tune in every Wednesday and don’t forget to Hulk Smash the Follow button! Follow Jason: twitter.com/netw3rkFollow Crooked: twitter.com/crookedmediaThe Listener’s Guide for all things X-Ray Vision!Natural Born Killers, the controversial 1994 film directed by Oliver Stone with a heavily (emphasis on the word ‘heavily’) revised script by Quentin Tarantino, who later disowned the film. Stars Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis as a pair of traumatized mass murderers sensationalized by the media. Available on HBOMax.VEEP, the critically acclaimed HBO TV series, created by Armando Iannucci (as an adaptation of his earlier sit-com The Thick of It) and starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Selina Meyer, all about the foibles of an egoistic vice president. Available on HBOMax.Don Quixote, published in two parts in 1605 and 1615 by Miguel de Cervantes, and widely considered one of the foundational literary texts of all time; it follows a nobleman (Don Quixote) who deliriously desires to become a chivalric knight of yore and looks for prospective damsels in distress to rescue with the aid of his squire, a peasant farmer named Sancho Panza. Available everywhere you can get a book (go for physical if you can).Gorr, The God Butcher, To be played by Christian Bale in the upcoming Taika Waititi directed fourth installment in the Thor franchise of the MCU - Thor: Love and Thunder. Gorr first appeared in Thor: God of Thunder #2 in 2012 and his name pretty much sums it up for what he’s after. For a while in the comics, Gorr wielded the Necrosword, forged by Knull, the progenitor of the symbiotes, thus the symbiote/Thor connection.Venom: Lethal Protector, a 1993 six-issue series by David Michelinie and Mark Bagley that is the first to feature Eddie Brock and Venom as main characters and transformed the duo from villain to anti-hero.Planet of the Symbiotes, a 1995 five issue series by David Michelinie about the invasion of Earth by an army of symbiotes.Secret Wars, a 12-issue crossover series from 1984-85, written by Jim Shooter with art by Mike Zeck and Bob Layton, featuring The Beyonder, Battleworld, many heroes and villains, and the debut of the black Spider suit, which later became Venom.Kirby Krackle, an artistic convention created by legend Jack Kirby that utilizes black as a negative space to portray unexplained energy, like blasts from explosions, ray guns, etc. The earliest known use dates to 1940 in Blue Bolt #5.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/xrayvision.. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.