Captain America: The First Avenger is the earliest MCU movie on Disney+’s official Avengers: Doomsday watch list and Marvel skipped Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, and Thor to get there. Vactor von Doom and MCU expert Tim Costello rewatch the 2011 film in 2026 and break down why Steve Rogers’ origin matters heading into Doomsday.

In this episode:
• Why Peggy Carter may be the reason this film made the list
• Alan Silvestri’s score and the Steve-and-Peggy musical cue that comes back in Endgame
• Chris Evans’ performance, the grenade scene, and Tommy Lee Jones as Colonel Phillips
• Hugo Weaving’s Red Skull and how the Super Soldier Serum amplifies who you already are
• The Howling Commandos, Howard Stark, and the first appearance of the Tesseract
• Three Captain Americas in Doomsday: Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson, and John Walker
• The silent teaser confirming Steve Rogers will return in Avengers: Doomsday

Before Doomsday is a This Comic Cooks podcast series reviewing every title on Marvel’s Countdown to Avengers: Doomsday list before the film opens December 18, 2026.

X2 might be more important to Avengers: Doomsday than you think.

For our second episode of Before Doomsday, Vactor and Tim Costello revisit X2: X-Men United — one of the most beloved superhero sequels ever made — and look at why this movie still matters more than 20 years later.

X2 took everything the first X-Men established and made it bigger. The world expanded, the action became more ambitious, and characters like Nightcrawler, Magneto, Wolverine, Cyclops, Jean Grey and Mystique all got major moments.

We also talk about:

• Why Nightcrawler's opening sequence still holds up
• Ian McKellen's incredible performance as Magneto
• The legendary Magneto prison-break scene
• Why X2 and X-Men (2000) feel like one big story
• The Weapon X storyline and Wolverine's growing popularity
• How X2 helped prove superhero team movies could become massive events
• The way superhero movies were becoming mainstream in the early 2000s
• Why X2 feels like a natural predecessor to the massive team-ups we're getting today
• Alan Cumming returning as Nightcrawler for Avengers: Doomsday after 23 years
• The return of the original Fox X-Men cast
• Why Avengers: Doomsday could be a love letter to the original X-Men universe
• And the surprising connection between X2's team-up and the massive crossover coming in Doomsday

In X2, the X-Men join forces with former enemies Magneto and Mystique to stop a threat bigger than all of them.

In Avengers: Doomsday, it looks like the Avengers, Fantastic Four, Thunderbolts and X-Men will have to do the same thing against Doctor Doom.

That's one hell of an escalation.

Next up: Captain America: The First Avenger.

Welcome to Before Doomsday, a This Comic Cooks series where we watch Marvel's essential movies (and a TV show) leading into Avengers: Doomsday, one film at a time.

#X2 #XMen #AvengersDoomsday #Marvel #BeforeDoomsday

Before the MCU, there was X-Men.

Released in 2000, X-Men helped prove that comic book movies could be taken seriously—and its impact can still be felt 26 years later. In this episode of Before Doomsday, Vactor and DoomsTim revisit the movie that introduced audiences to Hugh Jackman's Wolverine, Patrick Stewart's Professor X, Ian McKellen's Magneto, and an entire generation of X-Men characters.

We talk about why Marvel chose X-Men as the starting point for its Essential Viewing list before Avengers: Doomsday, how the movie helped launch the modern superhero movie era, why Wolverine became the center of the franchise, and why Cyclops deserved more to do.

We also look at what makes the movie's grounded approach work, its practical effects, the importance of the X-Men's mutant allegory, the first modern Stan Lee cameo tradition, and how much comic book filmmaking has changed since 2000.

And there's one huge reason to revisit X-Men now:

Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, James Marsden, and Rebecca Romijn are all returning for Avengers: Doomsday.

So 26 years after X-Men changed superhero movies, its stars are heading back to the big screen.

This is Before Doomsday, where we're watching Marvel's Essential Viewing movies one film at a time as we count down to Avengers: Doomsday.

Next up: X2: X-Men United.

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Is the MCU finally recapturing that 2019 Avengers: Endgame magic? In this episode of This Comic Cooks, Vactor is joined by Tim Costello to break down the latest buzz, footage clues, and rising anticipation for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.

We dissect what the TVA’s involvement means after the collapse of the multiverse, Doctor Doom’s strategy of neutralizing Earth’s greatest threats, and why a Doctor Doom and Bruce Banner dynamic creates the ultimate "Inverse Science Bros." Plus, we discuss the comic parallels between Doom and Tony Stark, fresh cast confirmations, and tease an upcoming special project: 12 Weeks to Doomsday.

• The Multiverse Collapses: What the TVA’s updated role reveals about the massive stakes in Doomsday.
• Inverse Science Bros: Comparing Tony Stark & Bruce Banner to Doctor Doom & Bruce Banner.
• Doom vs. Iron Man: Comic book inspirations and how the MCU connects the two icons.
• Loki & TVA Connections: Alternate endings and multiversal fallout.
• Is MCU Hype Back to 2019 Levels? Shaking off the post-Endgame slump with Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Doomsday.
• Announcement: A sneak peek at the upcoming 12 Weeks to Doomsday countdown!

📌 What We Cover in This Episode:

• The Multiverse Collapses: What the TVA’s updated role reveals about the massive stakes in Doomsday.
• Inverse Science Bros: Comparing Tony Stark & Bruce Banner to Doctor Doom & Bruce Banner.
• Doom vs. Iron Man: Comic book inspirations and how the MCU connects the two icons.
• Loki & TVA Connections: Alternate endings and multiversal fallout.
• Is MCU Hype Back to 2019 Levels? Shaking off the post-Endgame slump with Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Doomsday.
• Announcement: A sneak peek at the upcoming 12 Weeks to Doomsday countdown!

Everyone said Jubilee was the X-Men’s “fireworks girl.”
But what if that was never the real story?Behind the bright flashes was one of Marvel’s most overlooked powerhouses — a character with untapped omega-level potential, brutal losses, and a choice to hold herself back.This is why Jubilee deserves way more respect.
Not the joke.
Not the sidekick.
The hero.#Jubilee #XMen #MarvelComics #XMen97 #MarvelRivals #ComicsTok #ComicBookTok #MarvelFans #MutantPower #OmegaLevel

What were the best Superman comics in January 2026?In this episode of This Month in Superman, we break down Absolute Superman #15, Superman #34, Superman Unlimited #9, and the latest DC KO tie-ins — and pick the best Superman book of the month.We discuss:• Absolute Superman #15 (Jason Aaron)• Superman #34• Superman Unlimited #9 (Dan Slott)• DC KO #3 and DC KO Boss Battle• Supergirl movie 2026 hype & trailer reactionsIs Absolute Superman becoming the definitive version of Clark Kent? Has Dan Slott found his footing on Superman Unlimited? And what does DC KO mean for the future of the DC Universe?If you're looking for the best Superman comic to read this month, this episode is your guide.Subscribe for monthly Superman comic breakdowns and reviews.

In this in-depth conversation, Ben Mauro — legendary concept artist behind Halo, Elysium, and Chappie — joins This Comic Cooks to talk about the creation of HUXLEY, his deeply personal sci-fi graphic novel universe.

We explore why Mauro chose comics over film, how HUXLEY grew from a solo passion project into a global bookstore release, and what it means to create something physical in an increasingly digital world.

We are talking:

• How HUXLEY was built one page at a time

• Why physical books still matter in 2026

• The role of AI in modern science fiction

• Mauro’s influences (Akira, Moebius, Dune)

• How HUXLEY: The Oracle expands the universe

• What makes meaningful sci-fi timeless

If you love science fiction, graphic novels, worldbuilding, or thoughtful conversations about creativity and craft, this episode is for you.

📘 HUXLEY - https://amzn.to/3NhDu7a

HUXLEY: The Oracle - https://amzn.to/4pWyEdj are available worldwide in bookstores and online.

🔔 Subscribe to This Comic Cooks for more creator interviews and reader-first comic recommendations.

Honorable mentions:Supergirl #8Justice League Unlimited #14Justice League Red #5The Bat-Man: Second Knight #2Welcome back to This Month in Superman — the show where we celebrate the best Superman comics we read each month.This episode is our December 2025 Superman wrap-up (and the final episode of 2025!), featuring special guests Tim Tangent and Frank Ramblings from Beer with Geeks. We break down the standout reads of the month, why Mark Waid continues to write elite Superman, and which books you can hand to someone as the perfect “this is what Superman is” recommendation.📚 In this episode we cover:Action Comics and the young Clark / Smallville-era morality angleSuperman: The Kryptonite Spectrum and why it feels like an all-timerBatman/Superman: World’s Finest (The “Merger” arc, Joker/Lex madness, and pure Silver Age fun)Why Superman stories hit harder when you’re thinking about fatherhood, morality, and doing the right thingHonorable mentions + what we’re excited for in January 2026 and beyondIf you love Superman, Mark Waid, DC Comics, or just want a monthly reading guide from real fans — you’re in the right place.🎧 Follow / Subscribe for monthly Superman picks, deep dives, and reader-first recommendations.#Superman #DCComics #ThisMonthInSuperman #MarkWaid #WorldsFinest #ActionComics #ComicBooks #ComicPodcast #BeerWithGeeks