Apparently, Marvel is cancelling all of the X-Men titles and re-launching the X-Universe with Jonathan Hickman at the helm. Hopefully they will streamline the line - I gave up a long time trying to follow along, with so many team variations, offshoots, and multiple versions of characters running around. It will be interesting to see what he does with the team, he's a talented writer. With the X-Men coming to the MCU at last, I can understand Marvel wanting to make the comics more reader friendly for fans just beginning to discover them.
24 comments:
Marvel doesn't have a good track record for reboots, the Ultimates line notwithstanding. Do you think they're actually going to chuck the X-Men's rich, although confusing, history, or just cancel all the books and resume from #1?
Grant Morrison's JLA is a good example of a soft reset: it starts with new events and only occasionally refers to old continuity, more as flavor than vital plot points. As, indeed, was Morrison's run on X-Men, and come to think of it, Doom Patrol. They should Morrison it!
Since the Ultimates became the movie universe's Avengers, and companies like to create their own versions & new characters for merchandising, the Merry Mutant Marchers might come from any universe including an unknown one or an exiled one.
Elsewhere, the female Dr Light is going up against Circe, then made into a bird. Will she be able to fight back when the hero's Light as a feather?
@Ross: yeah, I've already seen the first TV trailer for DARK PHOENIX. I don't know who's taking over, for Famke Jansen, in the title role. But, I'm still going to attend the version shown in my hometown, just to satisfy my curiosity.
As for "streamlining" the X-books? They needed that the moment Marvel introduced characters like Strong Guy! Which, if I recall correctly, was around the same time DC started adding new members to their revival of the Doom Patrol in what was apparently an attempt to out-popularize the X-men...by copycatting them!
Thereby begetting a secret b.t.s. rivalry between the two teams.
Unfortunately, "streamlining" was also the stated motivation for C.O.I.E. So, I'm justifiably dubious about any success by Mr. Hickman and whatever team of writers and illustrators he handpicks. Such an achievement would be more than marvelous. It'd be miraculous!
On a lighter (and shorter-winded) note?
I can't wait to see what you post for #2600 on Memorial Day! :-)
That is a FANTASTIC cover! I love the idea, I love the "active" art, and I am an all day sucker for Jim Aparo art! This combination is GORGEOUS, Ross! Especially the heads' expressions - just brilliant. This'll keep me smiling all day!
I think Steve has the right idea. If you need to streamline a franchise, either streamline what's already there or give the entire universe a new start. What's about to happen with Batman in the DCEU will be a mixed bag: returning him to his "World's Greatest Detective" style is a good idea, but suddenly making him younger and newer on the scene with no explanation (if that's indeed what happens) will be a disaster.
Not knowing the specifics of what's been going on in the X-Titles, I can't offer specific ideas, but hopefully Mr. Hickman will know how to manage it.
On another note, I too am impressed by this cover, particularly noting the essentially perfect match of Kitty Pryde's phasing through the wall at Batman's back. The angle of the pose, the shadows, and everything else makes it look like it was all done together in the first place. I'm not clear on why (in story terms) Storm is hitting Metamorpho with lightning, but I'd expect to get the explanation inside the comic. (It could be that that's how she's helping him pull himself together, as it were.)
@Anon: The Ultimates didn't "become" the MCU Avengers; the latter were merely strongly influenced by the former. If the Ultimates were directly the MCU Avengers, the Wasp would have intrinsic powers, Hank Pym would have a very different personality, Bruce Banner would be played by a much smaller actor, and many other things would line up with Earth-1610 more than Earth-616.
@Cary: Sophie Turner played Jean Grey in X-Men: Apocalypse, and is reprising the role in Dark Phoenix.
@Cary: Actually, the Patrol / X-men rivalry goes all the way back to the original "X-Men #1" (Sept. 63), when DC purists complained that "a group of freaks, set apart from humanity, led by an old guy in a wheelchair" was a rip-off of the original Doom Patrol, which had already come out in "My Greatest Adventure #80" (June. 63).
@Bob & Jay: thanks for the clarification, guys. :-)
P.S.---I'm guessing either that's Lady Clayface, disguised as Storm, attacking Metamorpho on behalf of Kobra. Or a shapeshifting Dire Wraith from the Marvel era of ROM:SPACEKNIGHT.
signed-Carycomic*
*Had to take this round-about route because of a stupid "verification" code!
@Anonymous- No that is Storm. She is recreating the scene from Batman & the Outsiders #2 where Black Lightning had to do the same thing to reanimate Metamorhpo after being cut apart by a wire gun used by one of Baron Bedlam's soldiers.
Thanks for that clarification, as well, Scott. :-)
Scott & Cary: I suspected something like that, given how the motion lines on Rex indicate that his pieces are coming together, not apart.
Having Kitty coming thru the cape rather than Bat's body was a nice touch. Ross, how long do you generally spend on designing a cover?
I like the suggestion of Aunt May with Alfred, and include Jarvis and H.E.R.B.I.E. along with Kelex from Superman. They are The Enablers!
She's in front of the cape not through it. Covers generally take 4-5 hours depending on difficulty
I wonder if Storm was trying to do to Rexie-boy what Callisto once tried to do Warren Worthing III. Specifically; have a kind of shotgun wedding. It would certainly explain why Batman was chained up. To prevent him from ritually objecting!
As in: "if any Batman here has just cause to object why these two should not wed..."
@Anon: Nope, sorry, Scott explained it earlier. Thanks for playing, though! 🙂
Clearly not clearly enough, though. This is a two-pronged rescue? Shadowcat picking the locks on Batman's shackles while Storm energizes Metamorpho's reassembly?
You beat me in replying to the other anonymous. If I remember properly, Metamorpho exclaimed Holy Blue Hannah, I needed that".
Is "Holy Blue Hannah" the most ridiculous catch phrase in comics? Does anyone know where it came from?
@Anonymous 754: She used to be Sam Hill's girlfriend...up until she joined a convent.
@Anonymous 638: apparently, yes.*
*Although, you know what THEY say about appearances. ;-)
I'm pretty sure Hickman's run will not be a reboot like Ultimate Marvel. I think it will be a soft reset like Morrison's New X-Men.
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