Show notes
X-Men '97 Season 2 is here, and Frank and Thomas break down the first three episodes with the kind of comic book receipts only a guy who has read nearly every 90s X-Men run can bring. From Mother Askani and the Summers family timeline chaos to Storm's god-tier power up, X-Force's return, and the Rise of Apocalypse, they dig into what the show nails, where episode two stumbles, and whether Kang is being set up as the season's secret villain. Then Frank sits down with Bill Bernhardt, author of over 60 books, to talk about The Superman Wars, his narrative nonfiction account of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster's decades-long fight with DC over the rights to Superman. Bill shares stories from his interviews with Siegel's daughter, the heartbreaking letters Jerry wrote in the 1950s, why Clark Kent is really just a taller Jerry, and hard-won advice for writers protecting their work today. Timestamps and Topics 00:00 Intro and What's on This Episode 01:43 X-Men '97 Season 2 Review Begins: Episode 1, Days of Future Past 13:11 Episode 2: A Force to Be Reckoned With 23:13 Episode 3: Rise of Apocalypse Part One 24:57 Kang Theories and MCU Connections 34:31 Interview: Bill Bernhardt, Author of The Superman Wars 55:06 Rapid Fire Superman Questions with Bill 01:02:24 Wrap-Up, Network News, and What's Coming to Patreon Key Takeaways X-Men '97 Season 2 juggles three timelines and decades of convoluted comic lore, yet keeps the emotional core clear, especially Jean's relationship with Nathan and the Summers family dynamic. Storm's solar-powered upgrade and the synergy-style team attacks are standout moments, with animation and editing that continue to elevate the series. The Kang-style technology in episode three hints at a bigger villain reveal, and the hosts suspect the season was written while Jonathan Majors was still central to the MCU's plans. Bill Bernhardt's The Superman Wars tells the true story of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster's fight for Superman, drawn from court records, family interviews, and a 100-page autobiographical fragment Siegel typed himself. DC removed Siegel and Shuster's credits from Superman stories after the 1947 lawsuit, and the 1975 pension deal was only the middle of a legal battle that stretched decades further. Bill's advice for new writers: build a community, get a second opinion before signing anything, and stay alert, because the predators that took advantage of Siegel still exist in new forms. Quotes "Our old man bodies said no, but our heart said yes." – Thomas, on staying up for the premiere "The X-Men created Apocalypse. He's a leader because of the influence the X-Men put on him." – Frank "It's a taller, slender Jerry, but it's Jerry." – Bill Bernhardt, on Clark Kent "His origin story is basically Moses in outer space." – Bill Bernhardt, on Superman "Taking somebody's name off their work, that's immoral." – Bill Bernhardt Call to Action Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe so you never miss a show, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and share this one with a fellow X-Men or Superman fan on social media using #GeekFreaksPodcast. Every share helps the show grow. Links and Resources GeekFreaksPodcast.com: the source of all news discussed during the podcast The Superman Wars by William Bernhardt: available at your local bookstore and all online retailers Check out the WriterCon Podcast Weekly X-Men '97 episode reviews on the Geek Freaks YouTube channel Follow Us Website: https://geekfreakspodcast.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegeekfreakspodcast Threads: https://www.threads.net/@geekfreakspodcast Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GeekFreakspodcast Frank: @franklourence79 Thomas: @thomascraigviii Listener Questions Got a hot take on X-Men '97 Season 2, a question for a future guest, or a topic you want us to cover? Send your questions, reactions, and ideas to [email protected] and we might feature them on a future episode.
