So in the "This isn't quite news, but some minor details have been announced" department, Marvel has been dropping hints as to the future of the X-Men line all week. There's another upcoming event (isn't there always) after the current event, Death of X, and the event that follows
that event, IVX (Inhumans vs. X-Men), called ResurXion. Presumably that is supposed to be pronounced like Resurrection, but I can't decide if it's really Rezerkshun or Ressur-zion.
Anyway, 7 "ongoing" X-Men titles have been announced this week, though nothing has been specified as to what current X-books they may be replacing (if any), what creative teams will be on these new titles, or even what versions of the characters may be featured in the titles.
Cover art teasers behind the spoilers, but the books announced this week have been: Iceman, Weapon X, Jean Grey, Generation X, Cable, and then just today: X-Men: Blue and X-Men: Gold.
An interview at Marvel.com with the group editor and assistant editor on the titles teases some more info. Excerpts below.
Quote:
Marvel.com: What is the mission statement of ResurrXion?
Mark Paniccia: Easy. X-Men are heroes. Of the Marvel Universe. These mutants have saved the world enough times they deserve to be called what they are.
Daniel Ketchum: Without spoiling too much about the ending of INHUMANS VS X-MEN, the X-Men have been living with a cloud hanging over their heads—literally. The current roster of X-Men titles has been defined by this pervading sense of doom, the fact that mutantkind is on the brink. Well, one way or another, the impending threat of extinction subsides, and this is the story of what happens next. The X-Men have a future. Now what are they going to do with it?
...
Marvel.com: Why give solo books to Iceman and Jean Grey?
Mark Paniccia: These are characters rich with stories to tell. And characters readers want to read about. We’ve given a lot of face time to other characters and felt it was time to put the spotlight on two of these beloved cast members.
Daniel Ketchum: Because it’s about time, isn’t it?
...
Marvel.com: What can we expect from the new books with old names, GENERATION X and WEAPON X?
Mark Paniccia: With GENERATION X we’re tapping into the demand for the school book. The school is such a big part of the X-Men mythos it feels wrong not to have a series devoted to it for this long. And I think readers will like the cast and the creative team. This will be a book that will seem familiar but it’s going to have a very fresh vibe to it and I can see it being a very endearing run for fans of this kind of book.
WEAPON X is our darkest book and that’s an understatement. I’m asking my writer to push the boundaries on this, go as far as we can take it in the rating. I haven’t done a lot of dark books in my career at Marvel. I’ve always had that itch I wanted to scratch. This is going into the abyss. Visceral. Shocking. You’ll step back and for a minute and be like “What the [expletive] just happened? Did they really do that? I’m loving this!!!”
Daniel Ketchum: GENERATION X and WEAPON X follow in the footsteps of their predecessors in terms of tone and spirit, but otherwise they blaze their own trails.
So, GENERATION X will bring you plenty of teenage drama, school uniforms, awkward kissing, and young X-Men being thrown into peril that would test the mettle of even the most seasoned veterans. And—of course—Jubilee. Because how could you do a GENERATION X book without Jubilee?
|