Next Spring The Publisher Revamps Its Entire X-Line Along Familiar Lines
The early 90’s were a good time for the X-Men and their fans. In 1991, Marvel split a brand new title off of its best-selling series The Uncanny X-Men, simply titled X-Men. The first arc was written by legendary X scribe Chris Claremont and drawn by comics’ legend Jim Lee (fellow heavyweight Marc Silvestri, handled the art chores on Uncanny X-Men) and the first issue sold over six million copies. It still stands as the highest selling comic book issue in history. The respective titles followed two separate rosters of X-Men-the Blue and Gold teams-tackling separate missions while both were based out of their Westchester Mansion and were under the supervision of Professor Charles Xavier. Fans have long considered it the best era in one of the most popular comics franchises in the world.
And next spring, Marvel will be reaching back to those days when they re-launch the entire X line.
Following the X-Men Vs. Inhumans event, Marvel will be launching what it calls RessurXion, a complete revamping of its mutant books. New titles X-Men Blue and X-Men Gold will form the heart new lineup while Generation X (described as a “spiritual successor” to another fan favourite 90’s book) will be the third team book. Iceman, Jean Grey and Cable will all have ongoing solo titles while the monthly Weapon X will examine the darker side of the mutant universe.
Marvel hasn’t announced any creators yet and has been pretty tightlipped about which characters we’ll see in the new titles. They have confirmed that original Gen X’er Jubilee (now a mutant-vampire hybrid) will be part of the new Generation X title, though fans shouldn’t expect to see Cyclops on either roster (he’ll be part of the Champions series scheduled to begin this month). Nor has Marvel said what will happen with current ongoing books like All-New Wolverine.
During a time when many fans have been critical of the current X titles, Marvel hopes the new books will return the X-franchise to its creative roots. The X-Men Vs. Inhumans event is expected to remove the threat of extinction that the X-Men have been facing for the past few years (the Terrigen mists, a vapour cloud which unlocks Inhuman powers, proves toxic to mutants, either sterilizing or killing them upon contact) and will focus on what the X-Men will do without that shadow hanging over them.
X-Men RessurXion is scheduled to begin sometime this spring.
Picture: Marvel Comics
