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Excalibur #6

“Goblin Night”

Writer: Chris Claremont

Pencils/Plotting: Alan Davis

Inks: Paul Neary

Colours: Glynis Oliver

Lettering: Tom Orzechowski

Editor: Terry Kavanagh 

Original Publication date: March 1989

In this episode, Anna, Mav, Andrew, and special guest Laura Grafton (@llgrafton) of Masked Mom Review enter the Inferno with Excalibur #6, “Goblin Night.” We talk temptation, seduction, demonic fashion, sexy pajamas (and when Kurt became the police of them), and why Kitty needing to pee is an all-time great moment in comicdom. Also, Laura coins a sexy new catchphrase for the pod.    

This episode has an enhanced video version! Watch here:

On Meggan’s demons:

“Her transformations can reflect the context of abuse she finds herself in with Brian. She becomes what she needs to be in every situation because she’s always wanting to get on her toxic partner’s good side.”-Laura

On Meggan’s agency:

Anna: “Given that Meggan has expressed doubt about her ability to control her powers—maybe, this once, she did need Kurt to save her. Maybe he was being a good friend, instead of a prospective lover.”

Mav: “But he doesn’t become upset when she turns into a blue elvin woman.”

Anna: “Fair.”  

On Rachel’s demons:

“Both the wall and the bridal imagery speak to Rachel’s subconscious desire for community, and to be ‘normal’ in a way she so clearly isn’t, both because she’s a mutant, and because of the queer subtext we’ve seen before.”-Laura

“Rachel is a refugee from a future that can never come to pass. So when you see this wall, that’s enveloping her, made of people who want her there—it’s horrifying for us, but appealing for her. It’s asking her to be part of something, both emotionally and physically.”-Mav   

On Nightcrawler’s incorruptibility:

“Kurt chooses to put his physical health at risk instead of putting his mental wellbeing at risk. It speaks to his status as a leader on the team that he sacrifices himself and resists the pull of the Inferno.”-Laura

“I like that incorruptability as a feature of Kurt. There’s been other times when demons have tried to seduce him, and he’s just been like, ‘nah, I’m good.’”-Anna  

“Kurt is able to resist the Inferno because he’s constantly dealing with his demons. That’s part of his character. He’s always trying to be more human.”-Mav  

On the significance of baby imagery:

“This is a very famous kink, with deep roots in comics. William Moulton Marston, the creator of Wonder Woman, wrote a thesis on sorority baby parties, which have lots of queer subtext.” -Andrew

On Kurt Wagner, sexy pajamas police:

“Kurt could be projecting his idea of Meggan onto her. But it also reflects his emotional intelligence. He’s seeing the emotional subtext the other members of the team don’t.”-Anna

On Kurt Wagner, sexy pajamas wearer:

Laura: “The way Nightcrawler is rendered is… impressive. You talk about having a crush on him  and in this issue I get why. He’s here with that low-button shirt, his abs fully showing half the time… I’d totally hit that monster.”

Anna: “I think we have a new catchphrase for the pod.”

On the importance of Kurt *having* sexy pajamas: “When Kurt’s in costume and the other X-Men are in civilian clothes—which happens a lot in comics that aren’t Excalibur—that dehumanizes Kurt in a way that’s very unproductive.”-Anna

On an iconic Kitty Pryde moment:

Mav: “This is literally my favorite Kitty Pryde moment of all time.”

Laura: “I think it’s my favorite moment in comics, period.”

Want more?

Want more?

For more on what Laura Grafton gets up to, you can find her at Masked Mom Review. And be sure to check out her essay “Harley Quinn’s Sexuality: A Tale of Three Lusts,” co-written with Andrew, which was The Middle Spaces’ most-read post of 2020! 

Also mentioned on the pod: Anna’s recent essay for Shelfdust“A Queer Beer with the Devil: Revisiting the Sensual Subversions of Daredevil #266.”

And as usual: 

You can find Anna on Twitter (@peppard_anna) and on her podcast with Andrew and Michael Hancock, Three Panel Contrast (@3PanelContrast). 

You can find Andrew on Twitter (@ClaremontRun).

You can find Mav on Twitter (@chrismaverick) and on his podcast, VoxPopcast (@VoxPopcast). 

Enjoy!

-GGW Team