If You Wrote Comics: The X-Men

[The Dying Detective]

That would've been nice. If I were writing X-Men I would like to use people like Silk and Vance Astro.

I was thinking more on the lines of bringing in people with special talents that people look down upon. I'm not sure why but I think that was what Morrison wanted to do. Like those who want to write and draw on the grounds that they don't actually make money. But using more characters outside of the X-Men franchise would be a welcome change I'd include Synapse and Ms. Marvel who are some of the more likable Inhumans.

[Hizashi]

This is going to get some flake but I am in favour of Grant Morrison's scrapped plan to open the school to gifted humans and explore what that would mean. Not sure how but it would be something of a game changer for the Institute.

I keep pitching the idea that siblings, one mutant one human, attend the school.

[The Dying Detective]

I keep pitching the idea that siblings, one mutant one human, attend the school.

Any thoughts on the qualification though for both siblings?

[Hizashi]

Any thoughts on the qualification though for both siblings?

The human would be a boy, the older sibling to his mutant little sister. He would be kinda scared of mutants in general, but fiercely protective of his sister. Not sure what power she would have.

[The Dying Detective]

The human would be a boy, the older sibling to his mutant little sister. He would be kinda scared of mutants in general, but fiercely protective of his sister. Not sure what power she would have.

Sounds interesting and it could work though I mean what sort of talent should the boy have that would make him gifted?

[CRaymond]

Scott Summers as Captain America.

[Carabas]

It's a metaphor, if I wanted to see real life discrimination in my face I'd turn CNN or fox

Maybe CNN. Fox not so much.

[FUBAR007]

Drop the continuity bomb, and start over...

...but not at the beginning.

Approach the franchise as "X-Men: The Next Generation." Broadly similar to Claremont's Genext, but much more expansive and developed. I'd retroactively place the times of the core X-Men we know--Xavier, Scott, Jean, Storm, Wolverine, etc.--around 15-20 years in the past and focus instead on their kids and their kids' peers. The history of this timeline would have some broad similarities to 616 as well as some major differences. The important bits of history would be fleshed out as needed as we tell the story.

The first core cast member we meet? A precocious, redheaded 15-year-old named Rachel Summers. She's hit puberty, and her mutant psychic powers are flaring up. Fortunately, her parents were prepared for that. It also doesn't hurt that they teach and live at the Xavier Institute. Retired from the X-Men, Scott trains new teams of X-Men, identifies potential leaders, and advises the current active team leadership. Jean is the head counselor at the institute's School for Gifted Youngsters under headmistress Emma Frost.

Xavier, meanwhile, is rarely seen these days, busy as he is running a network of dozens of Xavier Institutes set up across the world, each with its own covert X-Men team. (The X-Men's identities remain secret in this timeline.)

Magneto, Apocalypse, Sinister, Bastion--all long gone. But, new threats have risen to take their place. Mutants have gained a measure of acceptance in the world, but not in the way Xavier had hoped. Rather than seen as people with special gifts, they're viewed as commodities to be exploited. By governments, corporations, terrorist groups, organized crime. On the other side, newer, younger voices have filled the void left by Magneto. But, rather than attack humanity like he did, or covertly integrate like the X-Men, they're out and proud, demanding recognition and respect in the public square. And some among them refuse to take no for an answer. Still others nurture dreams of wiping humanity out.

As ever, Xavier and his X-Men find themselves smack in the middle, trying to keep peace in a world that doesn't want it.

Compared to the original franchise, the flavor of this version of the X-Men would be much more international and political to reflect current times. Less traditional superhero fantasy and more genre-blending action-adventure. Branch out into different kinds of stories: using mutant powers for scientific research and exploration, mutant crime drama, erotic thrillers with mutant powers, teenage mutant romance, mutant sports, and more. Endless possibilities.

[Sutekh]

Uncanny X-Men Young mutant school, based in Westchester.

X-Men X-Men hero training academy, based in Alcatraz.

X-Force Global mutant underground, Xavier-affiliated operatives and rescue squads

Excalibur Xavier-adjacent semi-retired superbuddies and crosstime adventurers

X-Factor Lower East Side of Manhattan, Mutant Town community policing

Wow, I want to read four out of the five of those, right now! Love the idea of a mutant underground scattered around the world, and an Alcatraz-based group of reformed villains (including Unuscione! Yay!).

I like that you've found places for favorites like Dust and Madrox and Nightcrawler and Frenzy and even Bedlam!

[wano]

Maybe CNN. Fox not so much.

I think CNN is too biased and full of fake news , to get the full picture I gotta go to the other extreme and then evaluate both sides to which one is right

[Harpsikord]

I think CNN is too biased and full of fake news , to get the full picture I gotta go to the other extreme and then evaluate both sides to which one is right

I'd rather we not wax political but if you want to talk about biased 'fake news,' then you don't get much worse than Fox News, who literally changes the facts to suit their needs when they see fit. I'd call CNN pretty unbiased when it comes down to it, and if you wanted to watch either extreme I'd say to go for NBC or Fox. CNN is rather middleground.

[wano]

I'd rather we not wax political but if you want to talk about biased 'fake news,' then you don't get much worse than Fox News, who literally changes the facts to suit their needs when they see fit. I'd call CNN pretty unbiased when it comes down to it, and if you wanted to watch either extreme I'd say to go for NBC or Fox. CNN is rather middleground.

I'll leave the discussion to the politics forum, since we won't agree, peace out

[Sundowhn]

Dislike absolutely the idea of scrapping the sliding time scale. That would screw over the bulk of long term fans.

Something that has to be accepted is that the core X-Men crossed over into the territory of iconic long ago.

A book about Spiderman's future kid Joey Webface isn't going to replace Peter Parker Spiderman. Lady Thor hasn't taken over the Thor mantle, no matter how much it has been hyped. Likewise, there are irreplaceable X-Men, whatever Claremont's original vision may have been. It's probably about 25 years too late for that to not come at a huge cost that Marvel comics can't afford to pay.

Laura got her chance. Marvel killed off Wolverine, even gave her the title and a movie to back her, and they still didn't get the numbers they wanted. It's not to say Laura isn't an interesting character, she is (I personally like her very much), she's just not a replacement.

They tried with Pixie in the books. She couldn't manage to replace Nightcrawler after death, or even Illyana, who didn't have the same following. They tried with Jubilee and Kitty. Where are they now?

Claremont probably didn't intend to create mutant versions of Captain America or Wonder Woman or whatever, as far as people following characters, rather than a conceptual idea, but he did.


As far as what I'd do with the X-men:

One team to bridge the gap between mutants and the rest of the world. They'd do PR, they'd work with the authorities, run the school, do anything to save face. That last bit would be a key story point. How far will they go to be accepted? What deals would they make?

A natural offshoot of this book is a young X-Men group. I wouldn't have them isolated in the school. I'd want them mixing and mingling with the world on a regular basis.

I'd do a street level team with a slightly different approach. They get into it and don't care about PR. I like the mutant underground idea, would tie them up with that concept, and have the overall attitude of "acceptance would be great, but what do we do in the meantime?"

An offshoot of this team is a black ops or vigilante group.

I'd create a European team and have it deal with unique situations found there, apart from the rest of the X-Men save occasional communication about mutant related issues.

I'd probably start off the whole thing with a catastrophic culling, to the tune of about 75% of mutant characters. Maybe that's what sets them off.


I'd also do a side line book in an alternate universe, to encompass some different character ideas and concepts. If it's successful, then I'd consider broadening it.

[Ambaryerno]

Laura got her chance.

No, she really didn't. They gave her the title...and that was it. Old Man Logan got the flagship book and all the events. She got stuck in Hopeless' godawful shipping fic. And then they took THAT away from her. And that's not even getting into the botched hand off of the cowl in the first place.

[Hizashi]

Drop the continuity bomb, and start over...

...but not at the beginning.

Approach the franchise as "X-Men: The Next Generation." Broadly similar to Claremont's Genext, but much more expansive and developed. I'd retroactively place the times of the core X-Men we know--Xavier, Scott, Jean, Storm, Wolverine, etc.--around 15-20 years in the past and focus instead on their kids and their kids' peers. The history of this timeline would have some broad similarities to 616 as well as some major differences. The important bits of history would be fleshed out as needed as we tell the story.

The first core cast member we meet? A precocious, redheaded 15-year-old named Rachel Summers. She's hit puberty, and her mutant psychic powers are flaring up. Fortunately, her parents were prepared for that. It also doesn't hurt that they teach and live at the Xavier Institute. Retired from the X-Men, Scott trains new teams of X-Men, identifies potential leaders, and advises the current active team leadership. Jean is the head counselor at the institute's School for Gifted Youngsters under headmistress Emma Frost.

Xavier, meanwhile, is rarely seen these days, busy as he is running a network of dozens of Xavier Institutes set up across the world, each with its own covert X-Men team. (The X-Men's identities remain secret in this timeline.)

Magneto, Apocalypse, Sinister, Bastion--all long gone. But, new threats have risen to take their place. Mutants have gained a measure of acceptance in the world, but not in the way Xavier had hoped. Rather than seen as people with special gifts, they're viewed as commodities to be exploited. By governments, corporations, terrorist groups, organized crime. On the other side, newer, younger voices have filled the void left by Magneto. But, rather than attack humanity like he did, or covertly integrate like the X-Men, they're out and proud, demanding recognition and respect in the public square. And some among them refuse to take no for an answer. Still others nurture dreams of wiping humanity out.

As ever, Xavier and his X-Men find themselves smack in the middle, trying to keep peace in a world that doesn't want it.

Compared to the original franchise, the flavor of this version of the X-Men would be much more international and political to reflect current times. Less traditional superhero fantasy and more genre-blending action-adventure. Branch out into different kinds of stories: using mutant powers for scientific research and exploration, mutant crime drama, erotic thrillers with mutant powers, teenage mutant romance, mutant sports, and more. Endless possibilities.

I’d be down for this. In fact, I wish we had gotten this instead of the Ultimate X-Men.