Young Mutants/School Book

[Veitha]

So I am reading Boku no Hero Academia for the first time and I'm thinking that the Hero Academia format would do wonders for a book about the younger generation of mutants. All the recent or not so recent books about the school such as Wolverine & The X-Men and Bendis' run (kinda), Young Mutants (whathaver that was), Generation Hope and the more recent Generation X did nothing for me. The recent books that made the whole "training a new generation of heroes" experience more enjoyable for me were X-Men Legacy (and it was not always about that, but Rogue as a teacher was very nice) and New X-Men.

I would really like an approach like My Hero Academia to the format: a new class of students being taught how to be mutant heroes by adult X-Men or graduated former students (Hellion, Surge, Pixie, the Cuckoos etc. have already been in enough decimation events to be able to teach new mutants about that), with a big focus on their powers and how to improve them, but also how to be a nice hero while also including the mutant problem and discrimination into that.
I think some books have tried this approach or something similar (maybe) but they failed miserably, going into too much teen drama or turning it into yet another generic superhero book and I've failed to feel the sympathy for new characters since New X-Men or the original Gen X.

Do you guys think something similar to My Hero Academia could work for mutants? And how would you execute the idea?

[Filthy Mutie]

Maybe.

Thing is, there isn't really a market demand for books that focus on young mutants in training.

Creators also sabotage themselves by introducing their own uninteresting young mutants into the mix and sidelining a lot of the existing ones, creating this never-ending churn of background cameos and regurgitated "don't treat us like kids" stories.

Further, the "X-Mansion as a large school" bit has run its course for the time being. No where to run with it anymore--there were opportunities, but no one took them, and were content to retell the same stories.

Generation-X was great, because--for starters--it had the premise you describe, but it took the setting to another (familiar) location (Emma Frost's Massachusetts Academy), and anchored it with familiar characters (Jubilee, Banshee, and Emma Frost--plus some characters that were introduced in 'Phalanx Covenant'). It also told weird stories with the "teenage drama" sprinkled in, and enlisted a very creative, non-Jim-Lee-derivative artist in Chris Bachalo.

Oh, and it came out at a time when Marvel didn't need to, or necessarily want to, require a book be anchored with A-list characters--X-Men were very popular, and people would give the book a try based on the strength of its X-ness.

If I made a young mutant school book, it would use Generation-X as a template: Bold writing, bold art, takes place off-site with a fresh take on a familiar setting, anchored by familiar faces. I might introduce one character as the "new kid POV," but try to renovate an existing character to fill that role--otherwise would fill the remainder of the cast with the also-rans of the last 20 years.

[Havok83]

No more school books! Even if Marvel is to do a book of young mutants, it should take the ones that already exist and have them as an actual squad of X-men or breaking out and doing their own thing. The school thing is so played out as is getting a new crop of students every couple of years and then doing nothing with them

[Veitha]

No more school books! Even Marvel is too do a book of young mutants, it should take the ones that already exist and have them as an actual squad of X-men or breaking out and doing their own thing. The school thing is so played out as is getting a new crop of students every couple of years and then doing nothing with them

I think a good way to have characters like Surge, Hellion etc. become more relevant is to give them a tutor/mentor role like Dani and Rahne in New Mutants v2. Otherwise I don't really see Marvel wanting to use them as more than cameos. It's almost like they're scared of establishing new main characters.

Maybe.

Thing is, there isn't really a market demand for books that focus on young mutants in training.

Creators also sabotage themselves by introducing their own uninteresting young mutants into the mix and sidelining a lot of the existing ones, creating this never-ending churn of background cameos and regurgitated "don't treat us like kids" stories.

Further, the "X-Mansion as a large school" bit has run its course for the time being. No where to run with it anymore--there were opportunities, but no one took them, and were content to retell the same stories.

Generation-X was great, because--for starters--it had the premise you describe, but it took the setting to another (familiar) location (Emma Frost's Massachusetts Academy), and anchored it with familiar characters (Jubilee, Banshee, and Emma Frost--plus some characters that were introduced in 'Phalanx Covenant'). It also told weird stories with the "teenage drama" sprinkled in, and enlisted a very creative, non-Jim-Lee-derivative artist in Chris Bachalo.

Oh, and it came out at a time when Marvel didn't need to, or necessarily want to, require a book be anchored with A-list characters--X-Men were very popular, and people would give the book a try based on the strength of its X-ness.

If I made a young mutant school book, it would use Generation-X as a template: Bold writing, bold art, takes place off-site with a fresh take on a familiar setting, anchored by familiar faces. I might introduce one character as the "new kid POV," but try to renovate an existing character to fill that role--otherwise would fill the remainder of the cast with the also-rans of the last 20 years.

Yeah the Mansion setting might be overused. Maybe after HoX and PoX the new status quo will allow to explore something different, like a more militaristic approach. I actually liked the idea of Dazzler and Northstar training the young students as vigilantes during the Utopia era.

I guess a new school book would need a writer on Hickman's level to give it a new flavour and make it really succesfull.

[Havok83]

I think a good way to have characters like Surge, Hellion etc. become more relevant is to give them a tutor/mentor role like Dani and Rahne in New Mutants v2. Otherwise I don't really see Marvel wanting to use them as more than cameos. It's almost like they're scared of establishing new main characters.

Been there, done that. We just had that with Generation X. Im over the school aspect and the last thing we need is more teenage students

[The Big G]

I think FM said it best about how each new writer that comes in creates new characters in an attempt to create the next big X-Men. And when that writer leaves that character fades into the background. And while I do think the "school" is apart of the X-Men's creative DNA....I do think its time to for it to rest for a bit and spread the younger X-characters across the books.

And I'll give Hickman props for saying there's enough neglected toys on the shelf to warrant not creating more

[CRaymond]

There should be multiple schools, like the Wizarding World.

There’s the Braddock Academy already, it would make sense for Wakanda to be a mutant refuge.

[Veitha]

There should be multiple schools, like the Wizarding World.

There’s the Braddock Academy already, it would make sense for Wakanda to be a mutant refuge.

I would read a Braddock Academy book. With magic, mutants and Otherworld students.

[Digifiend]

It would be good if a consequence of House of X is that everyone who was killed or depowered in Decimation and it's aftermath gets restored (the ones who died would not have aged, similar to when Thanos's snap got undone in the Avengers Endgame movie). However, the school wouldn't go back to how it worked back then. Instead, it would be open to everyone who wants to learn how to defend themselves and use their powers, not just children, and not just mutants (so, you could get Inhumans, or people who just got their powers in accidents, or extra-terrestrials - and turning 18 wouldn't mean getting kicked out). As others already suggested, past students could be teachers, like Dani, Karma, and Wolfsbane were in New Mutants vol 2 and New X-Men: Academy X. The generation who were there back then and never depowered are surely experienced enough to have graduated. So that's guys like Glob, Armor, Pixie, Rockslide, Anole, Dust, Surge, Gentle, and Kid Omega. Younger kids like Eye Boy, Nature Girl, Gabby Kinney, and Trinary would be students, but instead of being joined by brand new characters, some of the old ones would come back instead.

[Rnap22]

I much rather see a book that has any of the existing younger crowd and how they are settling in with Krakoa. Doesn’t have to be a devoted group of characters, but see their lives on the island and how they go about the normal days possibly as ambassadors.

[Havok83]

It would be good if a consequence of House of X is that everyone who was killed or depowered in Decimation and it's aftermath gets restored (the ones who died would not have aged, similar to when Thanos's snap got undone in the Avengers Endgame movie). However, the school wouldn't go back to how it worked back then. Instead, it would be open to everyone who wants to learn how to defend themselves and use their powers, not just children, and not just mutants (so, you could get Inhumans, or people who just got their powers in accidents, or extra-terrestrials - and turning 18 wouldn't mean getting kicked out). As others already suggested, past students could be teachers, like Dani, Karma, and Wolfsbane were in New Mutants vol 2 and New X-Men: Academy X. The generation who were there back then and never depowered are surely experienced enough to have graduated. So that's guys like Glob, Armor, Pixie, Rockslide, Anole, Dust, Surge, Gentle, and Kid Omega. Younger kids like Eye Boy, Nature Girl, Gabby Kinney, and Trinary would be students, but instead of being joined by brand new characters, some of the old ones would come back instead.

I dont see that ever happening bc then Marvel/JDW would have to admit that the kids have aged and for all intents and purposes, those kids are still teens and in many cases, still students

[BroHomo]

I would read a Braddock Academy book. With magic, mutants and Otherworld students.

YASS!!
but only if Apex returned to the school.
or maybe ut takes place before Avengers Arena??

[Killerbee911]

Maybe.

Thing is, there isn't really a market demand for books that focus on young mutants in training.
.

Yet we see Harry Potter, Legacy, My Hero Academia, Umbrella Academy and more doing well. The worst part of about it is that you can see the X-men influence in some of these things. It is not a matter of there isn't a demand for the books. The biggest handicap is the X-men higher ups don't want the X-men to age and Teen stories you need some progress forward. So the X-men have a bit of self sabotage for teens book success that need to solve from the Marvel office level not a sales level. And you can't put out Generation X book and go see young X-men don't sell because that was nowhere even close to a best effort. I think I have 3 suggestions

1. Higher Learning- If you are going to focus on "X-men school" then it should be senior of high school/college level. Which means everything an adult can do is in play and storylines can be as mature as a regular X-book.

2. Xavier is a School for Mutants it is not academics a part but is not that is important, It is superpowers and training how to use them. So remember now that is college level the meat of this books should be older X-person mentor a young X-men in the field doing missions. The book is basically would popular X-man ala Wolverine or Storm team up with the young group basically Champions with supervision sometimes.

3. Lastly every mutant is not a X-man. That is where the MHA angle comes in Class A and Class B are the superhero class. Or in X-men terms future X-men. The rest of the students are there to general train their powers for other areas. More importantly that means even the people in Class A and B are locks for the X-men either. The student book is farm system for the X-men.

You can't sell me that a book about young adult (17 to 21) group of X-men training to become "official X-men" can't work and you can sneak stories of younger one coming up to this level. So that when class eventually moves on they will be one waiting to be used. I almost forgot other big reason young X-men books don't work the X-men actually to be heroes not running for their lives or being enemy of the state.

[Stormultt Divine]

I think FM said it best about how each new writer that comes in creates new characters in an attempt to create the next big X-Men. And when that writer leaves that character fades into the background. And while I do think the "school" is apart of the X-Men's creative DNA....I do think its time to for it to rest for a bit and spread the younger X-characters across the books.

And I'll give Hickman props for saying there's enough neglected toys on the shelf to warrant not creating more

Agreed x10.

[Factor]

I think there's still demand for a school book, or at least something focused on the popular younger characters.
The problem is that Marvel never really tried once they cancelled New X-men for no reason.
Young X-men was just atrocious and replaced several fan favorites with less popular characters... and freaking Ink.
Generation Hope was Gillen's worst book by far. The characters were all very derivative and yet again Marvel failed to focus on the characters fans wanted them to.
WATXM and Legacy both sold well, but they were more about the older X-men and the kids were just part of the supporting cast.
Then came the new Generation X. Very well written, but it didn't have "commercial" art and the cast was as far from the ones fans wanted to see as possible. I probably missed some random titles in between those, but the overall problem is pretty simple. Marvel never really tried following fan demand. They always relaunch the kids book with a new cast of mostly unknowns and leavethe more popular teens as wallpaper.

I think they should pick the more popular characters from each recent new generation (like Armor, Pixie, Rockslide, Anole, X-23, Oya, Genesis, Surge etc) and make them a real X-men team. In my head cannon they'd be the ones responsible for rescuing and training new mutants on the use of their powers. The classic X-men have moved on on from that, but it's a cool niche for a new team.
Heck, I'd use this book to bring back Synch as well. He'd be a real example to the others and I can already imagine the great chemistry he'd have with someone like Armor.