Uncanny X-Men leaks? *rumours*

[DearMachine]

Question: Why are they the "big guns"? Could someone else be a "big gun" with the right amount of development?

I ask because X-Men arguably has the best ensemble cast in all of superhero comics with an astoundingly deep bench. Yet, people keep going back to the same handful of characters. And overall, people often keep going back to the first two generations of X-Men. Why is that?

Yes, absolutely. Emma Frost would be the perfect example of a character who became a "big gun" with the right amount of development.

Ultimately, it's harder and more work to make people care about a new character, as opposed to telling stories with characters to whom they already have an emotional connection. It's also more of a risk if people don't develop that connection. You can see writers unsuccessfully trying to elevate the status of characters all the time; I'd argue that Guggs has been doing it with Ink in Gold.

Plus, I hate to sound cynical, but, for a lot of creators, work-for-hire is not their passion. They do it to make money and pay bills, and then they invest their time, energy, and creativity into their creator-owned work. You have many exceptions, of course. For instance, Kelly Thompson is clearly a huge fan of the characters she writes, and Scott Snyder is passionate about mainstream superhero comics as his writing about Metal shows. I would also put Morrison in this category, which is why his X-Men was so startlingly new.

So, the company doesn't have a lot of incentive to push new characters when old ones are a safer bet, and the creators don't always have, uh, the greatest creative passion and integrity that would drive them to innovate and advocate for something new.

On a less cynical note, popular characters usually become popular for a reason. It's because they resonate with the fans, and people want to read more about them. I hate to say it, but I would much prefer to read about my favorite characters, since I'm into them and their stories. I make exceptions if the book is stunningly good like Mister Miracle or Vision, but . . . generally, if I don't care about the character already, I don't pick up the book. I know there will be a low chance that the new book will change my perspective and make me care about them. Perhaps I'm part of the problem in that regard.

I guess to flip the question, what would be gained by digging deep into the bench?

[DearMachine]

Question: Why are they the "big guns"? Could someone else be a "big gun" with the right amount of development?

I ask because X-Men arguably has the best ensemble cast in all of superhero comics with an astoundingly deep bench. Yet, people keep going back to the same handful of characters. And overall, people often keep going back to the first two generations of X-Men. Why is that?

Yes, absolutely. Emma Frost would be the perfect example of a character who became a "big gun" with the right amount of development.

Ultimately, it's harder and more work to make people care about a new character, as opposed to telling stories with characters to whom they already have an emotional connection. It's also more of a risk if people don't develop that connection. You can see writers unsuccessfully trying to elevate the status of characters all the time; I'd argue that Guggs has been doing it with Ink in Gold.

Plus, I hate to sound cynical, but, for a lot of creators, work-for-hire is not their passion. They do it to make money and pay bills, and then they invest their time, energy, and creativity into their creator-owned work. You have many exceptions, of course. For instance, Kelly Thompson is clearly a huge fan of the characters she writes, and Scott Snyder is passionate about mainstream superhero comics as his writing about Metal shows. I would also put Morrison in this category, which is why his X-Men was so startlingly new.

So, the company doesn't have a lot of incentive to push new characters when old ones are a safer bet, and the creators don't always have, uh, the greatest creative passion and integrity that would drive them to innovate and advocate for something new.

On a less cynical note, popular characters usually become popular for a reason. It's because they resonate with the fans, and people want to read more about them. I hate to say it, but I would much prefer to read about my favorite characters, since I'm into them and their stories. I make exceptions if the book is stunningly good like Mister Miracle or Vision, but . . . generally, if I don't care about the character already, I don't pick up the book. I know there will be a low chance that the new book will change my perspective and make me care about them. Perhaps I'm part of the problem in that regard.

I guess to flip the question, what would be gained by digging deep into the bench?

[Grey]

So , from what I gather, judging from Bleeding cool, the line-up could be:

Jean Grey
Nightcrawler
Storm
Iceman
Psylocke
Bishop
Jubilee

is it? or am I whishfull thinking? They seem like an Uncanny team if that's the case.

While I’m totally fine with this roster (if it happened), it’s missing a straight white male power fantasy character for
The main comic base to live through... Which I perceive to be an essential part of book sales (please don’t misunderstand- I’m not sayin I PERSONALLY feel that way- just a trend I notice).

All this to say, I think marvel knows that such a character is needed which makes me skeptical that this is the uncanny roster.

Personally I’m just gonna wait and see. All of this info separately just seems too confusing for me. I don’t keep up with all the side info that’s being thrown around in here (twitter, interview, art teases etc).

[Tycon]

So , from what I gather, judging from Bleeding cool, the line-up could be:

Jean Grey
Nightcrawler
Storm
Iceman
Psylocke
Bishop
Jubilee

is it? or am I whishfull thinking? They seem like an Uncanny team if that's the case.

Plus Beast, who was also teased in the Yu cover snippets.

While I’m totally fine with this roster (if it happened), it’s missing a straight white male power fantasy character for
The main comic base to live through... Which I perceive to be an essential part of book sales (please don’t misunderstand- I’m not sayin I PERSONALLY feel that way- just a trend I notice).

All this to say, I think marvel knows that such a character is needed which makes me skeptical that this is the uncanny roster.

Personally I’m just gonna wait and see. All of this info separately just seems too confusing for me. I don’t keep up with all the side info that’s being thrown around in here (twitter, interview, art teases etc).

Looks like Jamie might fit that role:

[Grey]

its nothing wrong with it being one if it was was called jean red. however it's a solo book and in an attempt to prop up jean other characters powers and relationships established well before her return has been virtually ignored. I don't want jean to become another kitty and xmen books didnt use to be like that where a team book was lowkey a solo book.

Be completely honest - if this book was called “jean grey”- but otherwise the story was exactly the same...would you or would you not have the issues that you currently have with the book?

To be transparent, I do agree that this is book is a “jean show”. Its just that, based on your responses here, your problem with the book originally seemed to be that the book title is misleading - which I can understand and see the issue. But as you’ve continued commenting it doesn’t seem like it’s just a title mislead that’s bothering you, but rather that jean is having interactions that you feel storm should be having interscttions with. Why can’t they both have these interactions?

I’m trying to turn this around in my head so I can relate or understand. If jean were in a “team book” (which was basically a solo of someone Else) that had the main character interacting with people I felt jean had more of a connection with (cyke, Wolverine, Rachel, cable, to make a few) ... I wouldn’t say “good riddance” about the idea of the book ending. I’d just not read it, or, I’d choose to see how these relationships I’m familiar with unfold with a new character.

Help me understand.

[butterflykyss]

Be completely honest - if this book was called “jean grey”- but otherwise the story was exactly the same...would you or would you not have the issues that you currently have with the book?

To be transparent, I do agree that this is book is a “jean show”. Its just that, based on your responses here, your problem with the book originally seemed to be that the book title is misleading - which I can understand and see the issue. But as you’ve continued commenting it doesn’t seem like it’s just a title mislead that’s bothering you, but rather that jean is having interactions that you feel storm should be having interscttions with. Why can’t they both have these interactions?

I’m trying to turn this around in my head so I can relate or understand. If jean were in a “team book” (which was basically a solo of someone Else) that had the main character interacting with people I felt jean had more of a connection with (cyke, Wolverine, Rachel, cable, to make a few) ... I wouldn’t say “good riddance” about the idea of the book ending. I’d just not read it, or, I’d choose to see how these relationships I’m familiar with unfold with a new character.

Help me understand.

1. of course I will always be honest. if it were just a jean book those issues would probably still exist however I would be more forgiving and understanding as it is a solo. A team book I expect the stories to be well rounded enough to where I cant distinguish that the writer has a certain fave in the story.

2. I think they could both have these interactions but Taylor hasnt written the stories in that fashion. He could have ororo recommending that she reach out to her boyfriend for help with building the mutant nation, he could have wrote a scene with ororo encouraging nehzno to be as open and honest with jean as he can because jean is like a sister to her. but we didnt get any of that. we just got jean interacting with people like she knew them her entire life and that was extremely problematic for me as a reader.

3. and beloved all I can I say is that ororo has played second, third, fourth, fifth fiddle to some other character since her marriage ended. she gets the best treatment and most develpment outside of her franchise and I'm personally fed up with it. it's nothing personal against jean she deserves all the shine should get but not at the expense of ororo.

[Sam Robards, Comic Fan]

I think a big problem with a lot of team books is that the writers simply don't know how to write a team book. They'll latch onto one or two characters, put all the focus on them and make everyone else wallpaper in the process.

Whoever the next Uncanny writer turns out to be and whatever the roster, I just hope that they have arcs planned for each and every recurring character. You can have other characters jump in and out of story arcs as needed, but each member of your main cast needs to have a planned arc. Just putting a character in for their powers or, worse, nostalgia does nothing to improve the book or the character.

I mean, look at Gabby in X-Men Red: is there a point to her being there, other than comedic relief? I know we're only 6 issues in, but give us something to indicate that she's there for some reason other than "the lulz."

Regarding my dream Uncanny roster, it'd be:

• Cyclops (adult)
• Jean Grey
• Psylocke
• Spiral (Yup, went there)
• Deathbird (Yup, went there, too)
• Archangel
• Bishop

I made it so that each character has some sort of connection or history with at least one other character on the team while also maintaining my love for fairly off-the-wall rosters.

Why Spiral and Deathbird? For Spiral, I was so disappointed that Humphries did nothing with her during his Uncanny X-Force run and thought there was a ton of potential there, especially given the history between her and Psylocke. With Deathbird, she used to be involved with Bishop (I'd probably reunite them) and was Cyclops's sister-in-law for a while there. So, yeah, lots of potential for character interaction and development.

[Shadowcat99]

I'd kind of like it if all the heroes in the X-Universe were on the team and just let the focus go to characters that have a story to tell. Like, it's starting to become silly that every time a writer takes a character like Dazzler off the team, she disappears and then comes back a few years later and every time we learn during her absence that she's gone back to performing in nightclubs in between. That story has been told so many times, it's ridiculous. Just have them all on the team and when a villain becomes a threat, whoever is available goes on the mission. And then let there be stories in between missions where characters develop.

[Sundowhn]

While I’m totally fine with this roster (if it happened), it’s missing a straight white male power fantasy character for
The main comic base to live through... Which I perceive to be an essential part of book sales (please don’t misunderstand- I’m not sayin I PERSONALLY feel that way- just a trend I notice).

All this to say, I think marvel knows that such a character is needed which makes me skeptical that this is the uncanny roster.

Personally I’m just gonna wait and see. All of this info separately just seems too confusing for me. I don’t keep up with all the side info that’s being thrown around in here (twitter, interview, art teases etc).

You make a very good point. I'm guessing they'll have to add some more well known version of that for an Uncanny line up.

[Anthony Shaw]

I think a big problem with a lot of team books is that the writers simply don't know how to write a team book. They'll latch onto one or two characters, put all the focus on them and make everyone else wallpaper in the process.

Whoever the next Uncanny writer turns out to be and whatever the roster, I just hope that they have arcs planned for each and every recurring character. You can have other characters jump in and out of story arcs as needed, but each member of your main cast needs to have a planned arc. Just putting a character in for their powers or, worse, nostalgia does nothing to improve the book or the character.

I mean, look at Gabby in X-Men Red: is there a point to her being there, other than comedic relief? I know we're only 6 issues in, but give us something to indicate that she's there for some reason other than "the lulz."

Regarding my dream Uncanny roster, it'd be:

• Cyclops (adult)
• Jean Grey
• Psylocke
• Spiral (Yup, went there)
• Deathbird (Yup, went there, too)
• Archangel
• Bishop

I made it so that each character has some sort of connection or history with at least one other character on the team while also maintaining my love for fairly off-the-wall rosters.

Why Spiral and Deathbird? For Spiral, I was so disappointed that Humphries did nothing with her during his Uncanny X-Force run and thought there was a ton of potential there, especially given the history between her and Psylocke. With Deathbird, she used to be involved with Bishop (I'd probably reunite them) and was Cyclops's sister-in-law for a while there. So, yeah, lots of potential for character interaction and development.

Damn, that is a crazy roster, but I would read it, provided the creative was good. You could get a lot of great stories from that line-up.

Scott, Lucas, & Warren are three of my favorites.

[GallowGlass]

Betsy's Asian body is gone because of Cebulski's background? I highly doubt that.

[Killerbee911]

Betsy's Asian body is gone because of Cebulski's background? I highly doubt that.

Would it be gone solely because of it his Akira Yoshida incident? Probably not. Is going to be brought up every time Psylocke does some major? Yes I am sure he will be happy it will be when it is gone tho

[MentalManipulator]

While I’m totally fine with this roster (if it happened), it’s missing a straight white male power fantasy character for
The main comic base to live through... Which I perceive to be an essential part of book sales (please don’t misunderstand- I’m not sayin I PERSONALLY feel that way- just a trend I notice).

All this to say, I think marvel knows that such a character is needed which makes me skeptical that this is the uncanny roster.

Personally I’m just gonna wait and see. All of this info separately just seems too confusing for me. I don’t keep up with all the side info that’s being thrown around in here (twitter, interview, art teases etc).

Yeh. I know what you mean. Maybe Logan will fit that role in the future. Could Beast or Nightcrawler fill that role also? They're Blue.

[Jackraow21]

I’d prefer a character not currently on any current roster...*cough*Cable*cough*. He fills both a Wolverine (badass) and Beast (brains) role on the team. Mike Carey handled this brilliantly when he had him as an X-man on Rogue’s team with Iceman, Cannonball, Sabretooth, etc.

He would satisfy my “straight white male power fantasy” itch on this team with a dash of “testosterone-fueled toxic masculinity” to boot.

[Hi-Fi]

I’d prefer a character not currently on any current roster...*cough*Cable*cough*. He fills both a Wolverine (badass) and Beast (brains) role on the team. Mike Carey handled this brilliantly when he had him as an X-man on Rogue’s team with Iceman, Cannonball, Sabretooth, etc.

He would satisfy my “straight white male power fantasy” itch on this team with a dash of “testosterone-fueled toxic masculinity” to boot.

I miss Karima and Lady Mastermind.