Wolverine and the X-Men: Alpha and Omega #3 courtesy Marvel
With the announcement of Brian Wood’s all-female X-Men book I started thinking of a favorite female mutant who has kind of fallen on the back burner. Jubilee will be the center of the new series that will feature Storm, Psylocke, Rogue, Kitty Pryde and Rachel Grey.
What about Armor? Hisako Ichiki was created by Joss Whedon and John Cassaday during their Astonishing X-Men run. I recently “watched” the entire Whedon/Cassaday era now on motion comics.
Brian Wood used Armor in his excellent limited series: Wolverine and the X-Men: Alpha and Omega. Hisako and Logan were trapped in a world created by Quentin Quire. Armor’s power is similar to many other Marvel women (Susan Storm, Cecelia Reyes) but Hisako in the right writer’s hands is magic. Here’s hoping Hisako may Armor up in a future arc of Wood’s or Jason Aaaron’s X-Men series.
The Women of the Atom star in a brand new X-Men #1 by Brian Wood and Olivier Coipel. Jubilee, Storm, Psylocke, Rogue, Kitty Pryde, and Rachel Grey will face an evil blast from the recent past. Brian Wood told Comic Book Resources why Sublime (from the Grant Morrison New X-Men era) turns to the mutatns for help.
“Without giving too much away, Sublime surrenders to the X-Men because he has a serious problem of his own that he can’t handle, and the X-Men, being his most formidable opponents, are his best source for help. We get right into that, as he walks onto the grounds of the Jean Grey School and surrenders to Rachel and Psylocke.
Elsewhere, the others are picking up Jubilee who calls in a panic, having travelled halfway around the world to make it back “home” to the X-Men, and yeah, she’s got a baby with her. How these two story lines connect is what I’m not getting into just yet, as well as the cosmic thing and the threat to the planet. And the baby, I promise you, the baby is not evil nor does it die.”
“I was simply having a look at villains, early on in the pitch process, and he seemed interesting to me. I devised this story around him, this first arc. He won’t be the only villain in the book, and he’s actually not the only villain in this first arc. At the end of issue #1 there’s something of a reveal, exactly what this problem is that Sublime needs the X-Men’s help with. No other villain could work in this story, and I’m looking forward to adding a few more layers to his character.”
Brian Wood also said having Storm on the team was a must. Wood’s 2012 X-Men: Proto Mutants storyline was one of my favorites of the year. No creator had written Ororo that good since Chris Claremont.
Sublime was a major threat to mutants during Grant Morrison’s run. Sublime is a sentient bacteria that took a human host and become Dr. John Sublime – a scientist with connections to the Weapon X project that created Wolverine. Sublime diverted itself into the drug known as “Kick” that mutants abused to enhance their powers. Quentin Quire – under kick’s influence – led the riot at Xavier’s.
An all X-women X-Men book! Brian Wood told USA Today he’s writing a new X-Men book with artist Olivier Coipel. Jubilee will be the headling character with Storm, Rogue, Kitty Pryde, Psylocke and Rachel Grey.
“I feel like as far as the X-Men go, the women are the X-Men,” Wood told USA Today. “Cyclops and Wolverine are big names, but taken as a whole, the women kind of rule the franchise. If you look at the entire world as a whole, it’s the females that really dominate and are the most interesting and cool to look at. When you have a great artist drawing them, they look so amazing and always have.”
Wood says the title begins with Jubilee bringing home an orphaned baby that may be key to the survival of humanity. Wood is bringing back Sublime but this time the villain is asking the X-Men for help. Sublime is an evolved bacteria that can take human form that was created during Grant Morrison’s New X-Men run.
Brian Wood also talked with Marvel.com about the team including his plans to build upon the history of Storm and Kitty but don’t expect a certain dragon.
“No plans for Lockheed. And if that’s the sort of stuff Jason Aaron’s getting out of the character, I’m not going to get in his way.
As far as Storm and Kitty goes, yeah, they have that bond but it’s not something I’m going to single out as a point of focus. I think there’s going to be a lot of great moments with Storm and everyone else, since she’s definitely in a leadership role and has history with everyone. Look for some Jubilee/Storm moments, actually. Storm was there when Jubilee was [first] rescued—so was Rogue, come to think of it—and there’s something very similar that’s happening in this first arc that will make for a then-and-now contrast.”
Psylocke was a member of Wood’s previous X-Men team. Elizabeth is getting a new look (as you can see from this cover and from the Uncanny X-Force cover) and new powers.
“I’m tweaking some aspects of their powers—not in a way that changes what they are, but more of an elaboration. Psylocke, for example, will have a larger arsenal of psychic weapons than just her katana. Jubilee, while still a vampire, is going to be handling those supernatural traits as if they were superpowers and not just hindrances. That’s as far as we’ve gotten, but I’m sure they’ll be other tweaks along the way. Nothing too major; this book is designed to be a sort of classic X-Men with core characterization that hits the sweet spot.”
Wood was asked about Psylocke’s role on this team given her promotion to leader of Uncanny X-Force.
“In this case, she’s the military wing of the team, as well as Storm’s informal second in command and confidant. Because of what she went through in UNCANNY X-FORCE, she sort of has an emotionally distant/emotionally overwrought thing going on; she’s dealing with a lot just under the surface despite her seeming cool and calm on the outside. That’s really meaty stuff for a writer to get into. I don’t want to say that’s the “proper” way of writing her, but I think that’s the way she should be written here.”
Brian Wood wrote an acclaimed X-Men run last year. I called Wood’s portrayal of Storm as the best since Chris Claremont in the 1980’s. The current volume of X-Men ends with issue 40 this week.
Detective Comics #16 While the Joker has been attacking the Batman family a smoother criminal has made his power play in Gotham City. Batman forms an alliance with the Penguin? Is the fowl rogue an endangered species?
Mars Attacks KISS Big brained evil aliens versus the Rock and Roll legends in 1970’s New York in a tale inspired from the original 1976 KISS comic book.
Star Wars #1Rebels on the run. The Empire ruled. Go back in time for a new stories set before the destruction of the Death Star! The Force is with fans of the original trilogy in this new Dark Horse series from Brian Wood.
Superior Spider-Man #1 After the shocking events of Amazing Spider-Man #700 there’s a brand new Spider-Man vowing to be superior to Peter Parker!
Wolverine and the X-Men #23 Wolverine vs. Frankenstein!? Yes, Wolverine vs. Frankenstein! Will one of Logan’s students become a victim of the Murder Circus?
Ok you had me with Brian Wood but then Olivier Coipel! I’m giddy!
Marvel shared a teaser in USA Today of what is sure to be a huge new series. Given the XX and DNA strand of the image – all evidence points to a new X-Men book.
Brian Wood (Ultimate Comics X-Men, The Massive, Star Wars, Mara) wrote a phenomenal X-Men arc in 2012 featuring Storm, Psylocke, Domino, Colossus and Pixie that introduced the concept of Proto-Mutants. I called it the Torchwood of X-Men team. One of those Proto-Mutants turned out to be alive and so maybe this potential new X-book could star the oldest living mutant on Earth?
Remember when the Empire ruled and Rebels were on the run? This week a brand new series takes you back to the classic period before the destruction of the Death Star.
Brian Wood (The Massive, Northlanders, X-Men, Ultimate Comics X-Men, Conan) is the master of a new comic book series set during the original trilogy for Dark Horse Comics. Alex Ross captures that classic spirit on the cover for Star Wars #1.
Since I’m a huge fan of Star Wars and Brian Wood I wanted to share some of his exclusive interview with The Nerdist about writing in the galaxy far, far away.
“The biggest challenge is actually writing it under the shadow of reader expectation. And doing right by Randy Stradley, my editor, who has written a fair share of Star Wars himself, and that can be intimidating. When I started the job, I had this idea that Star Wars fans would be really hardcore and nitpicky and, to be frank, ready to challenge my work. Then I went to Star Wars Celebration, this convention, and I had one of the most positive experiences of my professional life. Everyone was super nice, very receptive to what I’m doing, and I felt like I belonged in a way that comic book conventions don’t. I came home from that show determined to write 10x on this title.
And I’m more of a fan of Star Wars than I was aware. Thirty-five years of exposure to it, I guess, creates an impression as well as a huge about of information stored in my brain that is only just now proving its worth.”
For the entire interview and a first look inside here’s the link on the always enjoyable Nerdist.
The Force is strong with Brian Wood. The acclaimed writer (The Massive, Northlanders, X-Men, Ultimate Comics X-Men, Conan) will take on a new comic book series set during the original trilogy for Dark Horse Comics. Check out the cover to Star Wars #1 by Alex Ross!
Being a huge Star Wars and Brian Wood fan I wanted to share some of his exclusive interview with The Nerdist about writing in the galaxy far, far away.
“The biggest challenge is actually writing it under the shadow of reader expectation. And doing right by Randy Stradley, my editor, who has written a fair share of Star Wars himself, and that can be intimidating. When I started the job, I had this idea that Star Wars fans would be really hardcore and nitpicky and, to be frank, ready to challenge my work. Then I went to Star WarsCelebration, this convention, and I had one of the most positive experiences of my professional life. Everyone was super nice, very receptive to what I’m doing, and I felt like I belonged in a way that comic book conventions don’t. I came home from that show determined to write 10x on this title.
And I’m more of a fan of Star Wars than I was aware. Thirty-five years of exposure to it, I guess, creates an impression as well as a huge about of information stored in my brain that is only just now proving its worth.”
For the entire interview and a first look inside here’s the link on the always enjoyable Nerdist.
Watch out for the collection of Wood’s X-Men run with artist David Lopez – one of my favorite storylines of the year and the BEST portrayal of Storm since Claremont – yes I just said that!
Brian Wood and David Lopez deliver their final issue of X-Men this week. I hate to see this end of this creative team. They have crafted one of my favorite Storm stories of all time. Wood writes her as the strong, decisive leader that Chris Claremont made her.
Storm and her unit (Colossus, Psylocke, Domino, Pixie) discovered the remains of a race of proto-mutants that lived on the planet before modern mutants. The team’s search for the truth led to a ruthless scientist, a deranged cult and finally to the one proto-mutant left alive on Earth.
Storm felt this discovery was so powerful she kept it from Cyclops and Wolverine. The tension between Ororo and a disapproving Colossus has been building. In each previous issue you can feel the confrontation building. In this issue the tension explodes into a bitter, violent confrontation between the old friends.
Pixie confronts Gabriel hoping he can give her answers missing links in mutant evolution. In a masterful exchange the young mutant tries her best to argue with this ancient solitary ancestor.
David Lopez’s art is beautiful and powerful. He conveys the shifts of confidence and conflict in Storm, the hope and desperation in Pixie, the anger and pain in Colossus.
I’ve said it before – this storyline reminds me of the classic Chris Claremont/Paul Smith era with generous twists of a Torchwood or X-Files case to create a compelling mystery of corrupted science, the burden of secrets and search for answers about the origin of mutants.
I hope Brian Wood and David Lopez will soon be added to a Marvel Now book. The revamp is about new ideas and new takes on Marvel characters – they already delivered this year in a big, creative and satisfying way.
