Who are the core X-Men? Who would you build the X-Universe around?

[Sin Nick]

Wasn't Iceman just on the one episode with X-Factor?

He also had a "guest" spot on an episode of Family Guy, something not even Wolverine can make a claim to.

[MechaJeanix]

When I think of the X-men I think of Professor X, Cyclops, Storm, Wolverine, and Jean Grey. However, there are so many other X-men that I love: Iceman, Beast, Archangel, Psylocke, Emma Frost, Kitty, the list goes on. The central X-men to me do include the Blue/Gold team characters from the 90's, but I would be ok with media versions (tv, movies, cartoons) using other X-men characters. There are so many great characters that deserve the spotlight.

[Gray Lensman]

Wasn't Iceman just on the one episode with X-Factor?

Something like that. Angel was in a multipart Apocalypse episode, maybe more (My local cable company refused to carry Fox back then so I can't be 100% sure). Corsair was in the Dark Phoenix Saga and an episode titled Orphan's End at least.

[TheFallen]

To be a bit different from the constant nostalgia fest these boards seem to be:

1. Magik and the new mutants
2. X-23 and x-force
3. Monet and gen-x
4. Dead pool
5. Cable
6. Legion

That is an interesting concept to build the X-Universe around. Taking out the X-Men Trinity (as mentioned in this thread) of Storm, Cyclops and Wolverine would be a tough sell don't you think?

[AdamFTF]

Jubilee was the POV character from the animated series - and cartoons tend to reach a much larger audience than the comics they are based on.

She was the POV character for the cartoon, but also for a good chunk of the comics in the '90s. And while people can argue that those comics are not objectively good, it's impossible to argue that they were unpopular during their time. She was also built up as being "The Last X-Man" in Bishop's timeline, which was being used as a major plot thread during those days (though, it didn't really pay off in the end). Plus, she was the familiar character most people were following over to the new spin-off Generation X in 1994, which had spun out of a pretty major event for the time "Phalanx Covenant". I first got attached to her during the lead-up to Generation X when she was still dealing with Logan leaving after "Fatal Attractions" and she was getting some heavy duty character development under the pen of Scott Lobdell. I would have followed her over to Generation X but I had no comic shop at the time, I was getting Uncanny X-Men through a mail-order subscription.

[King_Thor13]

The X-Men have always revolved around Wolverine, Cyclops, Jean Grey, and Storm. They're the foundations of the X-Men. Then followed by Magneto, Beast, Angel, Iceman, Rogue, Gambit, Psylocke, Nightcrawler, Emma Frost, Colossus, and Kitty. From there, we have Gen X, New Mutants, X-Factor, X-Force, New X-Men etc. that have spun out of the core X-Men. I wouldn't say Prof X is a core element anymore as the X-Men have long since grown beyond his ideals, and have survived and at times flourished without him.

[lucius121]

That is an interesting concept to build the X-Universe around. Taking out the X-Men Trinity (as mentioned in this thread) of Storm, Cyclops and Wolverine would be a tough sell don't you think?

I think it would depend on who you are selling to, introducing the x-men to a newer audience would benefit from using x-men who are popular from other media.

But more than anything it would be fresh, we’ve read so many stories about the characters you mentioned that it’s difficult to come up with things they haven’t done before.

[CRaymond]

Jubilee, Iceman & Rogue.

[FUBAR007]

If you could rebuild the X-Universe back to prominence who and what titles would you build around?

Who is the core foundation of the X-Men?

Xavier plus what I call the "Magnificent Seven": Cyclops, Jean Grey, Storm, Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Colossus, and Shadowcat

Tier 2: Archangel, Beast, Iceman, Havok, Rogue, Dazzler, Longshot, Psylocke, Gambit, Jubilee, Bishop, Emma Frost, Magik, Cable

Tier 3: Polaris, Banshee, Sunfire, Forge, Sage, Prestige, Cannonball, Dani Moonstar, Wolfsbane, Sunspot, Cypher, Warlock, Rictor, Boom-Boom, Warpath, Shatterstar, Siryn, Multiple Man, Strong Guy, Darwin, Cecelia Reyes, Chamber, M, Husk, Blink, Domino, Fantomex, Pete Wisdom

Tier 4: Mimic, Morph, Karma, Magma, Skids, Thunderbird (Shaara), Lifeguard, Slipstream, Stacy X, Frenzy

Four monthly core titles: Uncanny X-Men, Astonishing X-Men, Extraordinary X-Men, and Wolverine & the X-Men plus one giant-sized quarterly title: X-Men Unlimited. Each monthly would have a fixed cast of 2-3 Mag7/Tier 2 characters who serve as the leaders along with a rotating, grab-bag cast pulled from Tiers 2-4 as each arc demands. Scott and Jean plus Xavier, who'd appear in a supporting role in the other titles, would lead Uncanny. Storm and Nightcrawler would lead Astonishing, Rogue and Gambit would lead Extraordinary, and Wolverine, Kitty, and Peter would lead Wolverine & the X-Men. Unlimited would have a different cast each issue. For big events every few years, the Mag7 would pull together for a story arc.

A fifth monthly title, X-Men: Children of the Atom, would serve as an anthology title with a rotating cast from across the X-Men mythos that would change with each issue/story arc.

Running parallel to the core titles would be a bi-weekly title, New X-Men, focusing on the school's students with Xavier, Jean, and Emma in supporting roles as headmaster and counselors, respectively.

Other titles that could work either as monthly anthologies or "brand names" for mini-series:

--X-Men Classic: stories set in past continuity. For example, if a writer pitches a really cool story idea set during the Claremont/Byrne era (or the Silver Age, or the Morrison run, etc.).

--X-Men Forever: What If stories set outside mainstream continuity.

--X-Men Max: mature readers stories (i.e. adult themes, sex, violence) featuring X-mythos characters. Continuity is optional.

--X-Nation: stories dealing with mutants in the MU outside the superhero/supervillain realm. More sci-fi drama than action-adventure. Vertigo-esque in flavor if not in explicitness.

[CRaymond]

Xavier plus ....

I cosign this. This is well all very well considered.

[TheFallen]

Xavier plus what I call the "Magnificent Seven": Cyclops, Jean Grey, Storm, Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Colossus, and Shadowcat

Tier 2: Archangel, Beast, Iceman, Havok, Rogue, Dazzler, Longshot, Psylocke, Gambit, Jubilee, Bishop, Emma Frost, Magik, Cable

Tier 3: Polaris, Banshee, Sunfire, Forge, Sage, Prestige, Cannonball, Dani Moonstar, Wolfsbane, Sunspot, Cypher, Warlock, Rictor, Boom-Boom, Warpath, Shatterstar, Siryn, Multiple Man, Strong Guy, Darwin, Cecelia Reyes, Chamber, M, Husk, Blink, Domino, Fantomex, Pete Wisdom

Tier 4: Mimic, Morph, Karma, Magma, Skids, Thunderbird (Shaara), Lifeguard, Slipstream, Stacy X, Frenzy

How did you determine who should be in what tier?

I do agree with the concept of the "Magnificent Seven" or as I called it earlier in this thread, the Justice League of the X-Men. There are a core of X-Characters who are the X-Men just like there is a core of DC characters who are the Justice League

A fifth monthly title, X-Men: Children of the Atom, would serve as an anthology title with a rotating cast from across the X-Men mythos that would change with each issue/story arc.

This is definitely what the X-Men need to appease all fans. We all have our own favourites that don't get a push in certain titles so they can be featured in an anthology title. It also allows writers to do _____'s POV in certain epic fights/crossovers as an aside to the main story it was featured in.

--X-Men Max: mature readers stories (i.e. adult themes, sex, violence) featuring X-mythos characters. Continuity is optional.

I would love to see a gloves off approach to X-Men. That is basically what X-Force was all about but making it out of continuity would allow them to put down threats permanently. Imagine a no holds barred God Loves, Man Kills type story line with the Purifiers as a much more vicious threat.

[FUBAR007]

How did you determine who should be in what tier?

My off-the-cuff, subjective gauging of characters' popularity, longevity, and level of importance in the X-Men mythos. Also, whether they've appeared in other media (i.e. the movies, cartoons, TV shows, etc.) and whether they've been able to sustain an ongoing or a mini at some point. I admit who goes in Tier 2 vs. Tier 3 is highly debatable. Tier 4 is for characters who I think have interesting back-stories, visual designs, and/or power sets. The list I put there is a representative sample, not comprehensive.

I do agree with the concept of the "Magnificent Seven" or as I called it earlier in this thread, the Justice League of the X-Men. There are a core of X-Characters who are the X-Men just like there is a core of DC characters who are the Justice League

Yep.

This is definitely what the X-Men need to appease all fans. We all have our own favourites that don't get a push in certain titles so they can be featured in an anthology title.

Exactly.

I would love to see a gloves off approach to X-Men. That is basically what X-Force was all about but making it out of continuity would allow them to put down threats permanently. Imagine a no holds barred God Loves, Man Kills type story line with the Purifiers as a much more vicious threat.

That's one possibility. Another would be "R-rated" action-adventure stories starring Wolverine, Cable, and the other, more anti-hero type characters. Psylocke is practically tailor-made for an erotic thriller. Same for Emma and the Hellfire Club. Mutants in war zones, political dramas, crime capers, adult comedies--the possibilities are endless. The challenge from an editorial perspective would be making sure the stories are actually good and interesting, not just gratuitous violence and T&A.

[FUBAR007]

I cosign this. This is well all very well considered.

Thanks.

When bored at the office, I have on more than one occasion sat back and thought about what I'd do if given editorial control of the X-Men titles.

[Xelossik]

My off-the-cuff, subjective gauging of characters' popularity, longevity, and level of importance in the X-Men mythos. Also, whether they've appeared in other media (i.e. the movies, cartoons, TV shows, etc.) and whether they've been able to sustain an ongoing or a mini at some point. I admit who goes in Tier 2 vs. Tier 3 is highly debatable. Tier 4 is for characters who I think have interesting back-stories, visual designs, and/or power sets. The list I put there is a representative sample, not comprehensive.



Yep.



Exactly.



That's one possibility. Another would be "R-rated" action-adventure stories starring Wolverine, Cable, and the other, more anti-hero type characters. Psylocke is practically tailor-made for an erotic thriller. Same for Emma and the Hellfire Club. Mutants in war zones, political dramas, crime capers, adult comedies--the possibilities are endless. The challenge from an editorial perspective would be making sure the stories are actually good and interesting, not just gratuitous violence and T&A.

Colossus was more in movies or animations or had longer ongoings than Rogue? shadowcat also?
that's very debatable.

you also put in tier 2 Gambit and Cable both x-men who were able to sustain long ongoings...

[TheFallen]

Colossus was more in movies or animations or had longer ongoings than Rogue? shadowcat also?
that's very debatable.

you also put in tier 2 Gambit and Cable both x-men who were able to sustain long ongoings...

It is always going to be debatable as to who should be where. The only thing thing I have seen agreed is the main core X-Men are Cyclops, Wolverine and Storm with maybe Jean Grey. The rest are all interchangeable based on preference.

I am of the opinion that Kitty Pryde is not worthy to be top tier because she isn’t overly exciting and her power set is limited as far as being a threat. She is a product of nostalgia for those who grew up reading her. I could replace her in the top tier with multiple other characters based on multiple different criteria and they could all be debatable.