Is X-men name outdated?

[ChristopherZero]

Except that X-men is an established brand name that goes WAY BEYOND Fox's X-men movies.

People seriously overestimate how much Fox's movies, particularly the recent ones, have on the popular notions of the franchise.

I'd argue that the 90's cartoon, and the two other animated series, also have a significant impact on the X-men brand even today.

And on the subject of Fox's X-men movies, some of them, most recently X-men Days of Future Past, have been beloved by audiences across the globe. Even if Dark Phoenix bombs as badly as people say it will (and sadly, the numbers do seem to be heading in that direction), the notion that it will prompt Disney to discard one of the greatest brand names in pop-cultural history is ABSURD.

Can you folks stop putting words in other people's mouths to prove your point? It's tiresome. I didn't say the reception to Dark Phoenix would prompt them to change the name. I just said I think a name change would be a great way to send a message that things would be different.

[jpmst17]

Can you folks stop putting words in other people's mouths to prove your point? It's tiresome. I didn't say the reception to Dark Phoenix would prompt them to change the name. I just said I think a name change would be a great way to send a message that things would be different.

but dark phoenix didn't even have x-men in the title. they removed it. The X-Men are a brand. said brand is very recognizable. it would be dumb to change it now. If this was a new book coming out next month, sure change it if you want, but it's been around since the 60's. a name change would not be great and probably put a bad taste in the mouths of many fans.

[ChristopherZero]

but dark phoenix didn't even have x-men in the title. they removed it. The X-Men are a brand. said brand is very recognizable. it would be dumb to change it now. If this was a new book coming out next month, sure change it if you want, but it's been around since the 60's. a name change would not be great and probably put a bad taste in the mouths of many fans.

To your point: it's still the X-Men brand AND people know it. A name change shouldn't be that confusing and again, would signal a change in approach. As for regressive fans for whom the core message is clearly lost, I really don't have two shits to give about what they taste. Sorry not sorry?

[JudicatorPrime]

But because at that time nobody knew what a mutant was.

Sure they did. It's not like Marvel Comics invented the term "mutant." Shame on you!

[Nicoclaws]

They called Wolverine's movie "Logan" and everybody liked it and recognized it.

[JudicatorPrime]

I think it would be a mistake to change it from X-Men to something else. I understand why the comment was made. I understand how some would rather have the team rebranded. I realize that optics of that name are pretty ridiculous, especially during those times when only the female members show up to deal with a crisis. When I'm dead and gone, sure, please change the name to whatever you want. (That's probably not as long of a wait as you think.) But for now, please let this old fart have one bass-ackwards pleasure and leave it as the X-Men.

[jpmst17]

To your point: it's still the X-Men brand AND people know it. A name change shouldn't be that confusing and again, would signal a change in approach. As for regressive fans for whom the core message is clearly lost, I really don't have two shits to give about what they taste. Sorry not sorry?

right. x-men is the brand and the name. changing it will alienate long time fans. there would most likely be boycots and the brand would suffer. hell, sales are pretty low now for the x-men and the films haven't been great financial successes either compared to the avengers, so...?

[yogaflame]

Honestly, in the grand scheme of things, hardcore comics fans are the extreme minority. Disney could rebrand the thing and go on to introduce it to more people than have ever loved it before. I still don't think the name should be changed, but let's not overinflate the value of the name itself. X-Factor, X-Force, New Mutants, Generation X, Wolverine, Deadpool, etc, etc, all show the name doesn't matter that much(and so do 20 years of Fox-Men films....).

[ChristopherZero]

Honestly, in the grand scheme of things, hardcore comics fans are the extreme minority. Disney could rebrand the thing and go on to introduce it to more people than have ever loved it before. I still don't think the name should be changed, but let's not overinflate the value of the name itself. X-Factor, X-Force, New Mutants, Generation X, Wolverine, Deadpool, etc, etc, all show the name doesn't matter that much(and so do 20 years of Fox-Men films....).

Right. The reality is the franchise is very likely going to be a massive successive regardless of what they call it. If they decide to choose a name that is more inclusive, it'll still do well. We saw how much the boycotts and misinformation campaigns hurt Captain Marvel and Black Panther.

[JudicatorPrime]

Right. The reality is the franchise is very likely going to be a massive successive regardless of what they call it. If they decide to choose a name that is more inclusive, it'll still do well. We saw how much the boycotts and misinformation campaigns hurt Captain Marvel and Black Panther.

Well, it's still important to give them a half-decent name. I mean you can't give them a name like "The Hoboken 6" and expect it to sell like ice in the Sahara. But fortunately integrating into just about anything works: X-Force, X-Squad, X-Ops, Force F(X), XSS: Xavier's Secret Service, Squadron eXtreme, etc., etc.

[Alan2099]

But fortunately integrating into just about anything works: X-Force, X-Squad, X-Ops, Force F(X), XSS: Xavier's Secret Service, Squadron eXtreme, etc., etc.

A lot of those name sound like what the Asylum would call their low budget X-men ripoff movie.

[ChristopherZero]

Well, it's still important to give them a half-decent name. I mean you can't give them a name like "The Hoboken 6" and expect it to sell like ice in the Sahara. But fortunately integrating into just about anything works: X-Force, X-Squad, X-Ops, Force F(X), XSS: Xavier's Secret Service, Squadron eXtreme, etc., etc.

I still think X-Corps is perfect. It’s established and is suggestive of their humanitarian mission a la the Peace Corps and Americorps.

[yogaflame]

I still think X-Corps is perfect. It’s established and is suggestive of their humanitarian mission a la the Peace Corps and Americorps.

Corps has negative connotations too, though. Like the marine corps. Or even short for corporation. Or even corpse, like a dead body.

[Devaishwarya]

Prior to that asinine, ill-considered response, we ALL never even once thought to call the X-Men anything other than X-Men.
Now...all of a sudden the band wagonists and soap boxers want to be 'woke'.
Anything they use would make it sound like an off shoot of the original...like X-Factor, New Mutants, X-Force were but...they weren't the original...or, just boring and derivative.

The X-Men as a title Is. Not. Broken. It. Does. Not. Need. Changing.

[Steroid]

Just leave the name as it is. There's nothing inherently offensive about the name and it is absolutely established. There's way more important battles to be fought than what the X-Men are called.