The X-Men evolve in 2017 with big changes. Marvel announced the team lineups and creators behind X-Men: Gold and X-Men: Blue.
After a year of fighing for survival against an extinction-level threat and the Inhumans, Xavier’s students are back to being super heroes for everyone.
Marvel revealed more information about the next stage for the Children of the Atom including new team leaders, returning X-Men, a classic character with a new code-name and old school villains.
Let’s go for the Gold first:
X-Men: Gold by writer Marc Guggenheim and artist Ardian Syaf welcomes Kitty Pryde back to Earth and to the mutants after her time in space with the Guardians of the Galaxy. Kitty will become team leader with Storm, Nightcrawler, Colossus, Old Man Logan and Rachel Grey.
Guggenheim is a co-producer of Arrow and veteran of X-books (Young X-Men, a Brood story in X-Men and Secret Wars: X-Tinction Agenda tie-in title) but this is this first time on a flagship X-book.
“I think what is fortuitous is that I’m coming on to the X-Men at a time when they are a crossroads. Without spoiling the end of IvX, they definitely come out of the IvX with a decision to make. What type of future are the X-Men going to carve for themselves?
Here you have Kitty coming in being a new leader. It’s the first time this group of X-Men has been led by someone who isn’t Storm or Cyclops. The story we are telling very much mirrors what all the X-Men are going through coming out of IvX. Who are we? What’s our purpose? What’s our mission statement?” Guggenheim told Marvel.
The writer revealed former Phoenix will have a new costume and code-name. Rachel will be called Prestige.
The first villains will be new version of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Guggenheim revealed Pyro and Avalanche will be on the team and confirmed fan questions that he realizes those are dead characters.
Back to Blue:
X-Men: Blue by Cullen Bunn (Deadpool, Magneto, Uncanny X-Men) and Jorge Molina stars the out of time X-Men: Jean Grey, Beast, Iceman, Cyclops and Angel who were brought into the present during the Brian Michael Bendis era.
Jean Grey will be team leader.
In a twist, the original X-Men are now allied with the first evil mutant they ever fought. Magneto will serve as a mentor.
“Magneto has some interesting reasons for relying on the original five. And he has some challenges in store for them. The X-Men, on the other hand, will have an agenda that sounds a lot like “keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.” Bunn told Marvel.com.
“Magneto has come to realize that his way doesn’t work. Mutants are heading into what could be a new golden era for them, and they don’t need terrifying guys like Magneto running around. The original X-Men, though, represent the best of the best, Xavier’s original dream in the here and now. So he’s going to help guide them to greater heights. Of course, he has other items on his agenda, but those will have to wait to be revealed.” he added.
ResurrXion will also feature brand new Jean Grey, Iceman, Weapon X, Cable and Generation X books. No official word on the creative teams yet.
X-Men: Gold and X-Men: Blue arrive in April 2017.
By Editor