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Artwork for The Black Variant

The Black Variant

RNC Radio
Marvel
Batman
Daredevil
DC Comics
World Cup
Fantastic Four
Hip Hop 2004
The Wire Season 3
Marvel Comics
Knights Of the Old Republic
James Gunn
DC Universe
Star Wars
Marvel Studios
Galactus
Fashion 2004
Doom
Billboard Hot 100 2004
DC Extended Universe
The Black Variant

Excelsior B*tches! Welcome to The Black Variant! A podcast focused on nerd culture—spanning the universe of comics to the silver screen, hosted by the unfiltered, irreverent duo of X and Van. Every week a new deep dive into the world of comic books and super hero movies.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes314Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Animation & MangaLeisure

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Black Variant

Latest Episodes

Van & X talk the Macons, love for married women and more in the latest episode of Lanterns. Plus - Wolverine game nears release date, Amazon cancels Spider-Noir as it wins 5 Emmys, The Batman - Part II set pics, and more on Black Variant. Tap in!Subs... more

Van & X talk the origin of John Stewart in the latest episode of Lanterns. Plus - Spider Man: Brand New Day, latest on the Warner Bros/Paramount Merger, The Batman - Part II set reveals, Avengers: Endgame reshoots and more on Black Variant. Tap in!Su... more

Van & X talk John "Birdman" Stewart and Lanterns. Plus - the latest on the Warner Bros/Paramount Merger, The Batman - Part II set reveals, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II speaks on Wonder Man's cancellation, Spider-Man: Brand New Day surpasses Avengers: Endgam... more

Van & X return for a jam-packed, D23 edition of The Black Variant as the X-Men cast is revealed. Plus - Spider-Man: Brand New Day passes $2B, HBO and DC Studios clash, D23 goodies like the Ahsoka S2 trailer, Vision Quest with James Spader returning a... more

Key Facts

Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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People also subscribe to these shows.

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Recent Guests

Detective Timmy McNulty
Guest, discussed on show
Police/Drinker of Jamison
Episode: Shotgun Confessions S3 Episode 1 (The Tall Tee Era) (Patreon Preview)
DJ Larry
DJ Larry from Show Your Network Network
Show Your Network Network
Episode: Issue #259 (Soulja Rag Frank with DJ Larry)
Daddy Dom Griffin
Rotten Tomato Stamp, Armchair Auteur
Baltimore Beat
Episode: Issue #250 (Part One)
Murjani Rawls
Proprietor of Wednesday Night Wrestling War; author and reviewer
New Jersey.com
Episode: Issue #250 (Part One)
Joe Lewis
Friend of the show and guest on the episode
Episode: Issue #247 (4 Da Fam)
Derek Calls
Returning guest on The Black Variant
Episode: Issue #245 (Man Of Tomorrow)
Donny Lucheir
Incomparable guest on this episode
Episode: Issue #245 (Man Of Tomorrow)
Mahmood Mamdani
Writer and academic guest introduced during the episode
Episode: Issue #243 (600 Riri)

Hosts

X the Exile
Primary host known for unfiltered, high-energy takes on nerd culture, comics, and superhero media; part of the duo that leads most episodes.
Van Redd
Co-host with a bold, banter-driven style; frequently participates in rapid-fire discussions on comics, film, and gaming.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 27 ratings
  • “Bat”tastic

    Great show love to listen when I get the chance.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Senor Jon
    United States4 years ago
  • Goat

    This show is straight 🔥🔥🔥🔥

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Sailorgainz18
    United States5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Fans appreciate the nerd-culture focus and candid conversations that feel like a lively group chat.
Listeners describe the show as high-energy and entertaining, with bold takes and strong personalities.
Some episodes feature uncensored language and provocative takes, which appeals to long-time fans but may be off-putting to more conservative listeners.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Issue #250 (Part One)
Q: How do the guests see Gunn's Superman shaping the franchise?
They feel Gunn's version could offer a more approachable, emotional Superman that still respects the mythos, potentially restoring engagement by focusing on relatable themes like immigration and responsibility.
Issue #250 (Part One)
Q: What does fan buy-in look like for these new films?
Fan buy-in is about audiences seeing themselves in the story and wanting to follow a world across multiple films, not just chasing the biggest opening numbers; it's about momentum and emotional connection.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Black Variant

What is The Black Variant about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A high-energy, irreverent roundtable focused on nerd culture, comics, and superhero cinema. Episodes blend fast, blunt banter with deep dives into current movie, TV, and game news, plus insider-style industry chatter and fan-focused plugs. Listeners likely appreciate unapologetic takes, broad pop-culture discourse, and a strong community vibe built around Patreon and social channels. The show stands out for its no-holds-barred hosts, rapid-fire tangents, and a consistent emphasis on comics-centric and film/television gossip, making it a go-to for fans who want personality-driven discussions alongside industry buzz.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Black Variant?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Black Variant. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Black Variant and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Black Variant get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Black Variant, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Black Variant?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Black Variant, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Black Variant have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Black Variant has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Black Variant?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Black Variant:

1. The BlkPrint
2. The Right Time with Bomani Jones
3. The Joe Budden Podcast
4. The A Show on RNC RADIO
5. Club 520 Podcast

How many episodes of The Black Variant are there?

The Black Variant launched 5 years ago and published 314 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Black Variant?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Black Variant?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Black Variant from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Black Variant?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Black Variant. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Black Variant?

Recent guests on The Black Variant include:

1. Detective Timmy McNulty
2. DJ Larry
3. Daddy Dom Griffin
4. Murjani Rawls
5. Joe Lewis
6. Derek Calls
7. Donny Lucheir
8. Mahmood Mamdani

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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