On a scale of one to five, how much of the wider Marvel Universe do you like to see in X-titles and vice versa?
Here's the rating system I devised:
- Self-Contained - The stories are largely confined within the X-books, featuring X-related heroes, villains, and concepts, with little influence from the outside going in and vice-versa. Crossovers are often with each other.
- Minimal - Occasional elements pop up, such as S.H.I.E.L.D., and you might see an appearance from a general MU hero or villain in a fairly prominent fashion, but still largely reliant on the X-Universe.
- Moderate - The X-Men stand on their own, but also have a clear relation to the rest of Marvel. You might see them team up with the Avengers or Fantastic Four, or have another hero like Spider-Man be a guest star, and mutants show up in the wider universe. They take part in company-wide crossovers with their own stake in the event.
- Large - Mutants and non-mutants are seen prominently together, with crossovers having major impact across both sides of the continuity. It's common for non-mutants to show up in X-books, and vice versa.
- Synergy - The X-Universe is in perfect synergy with the wider world. They take part in massive crossovers, frequently appear in non-X titles, and non-mutants show up in their books as well.
I thought this would be interesting to ask. The X-Men and mutant's level of connection to the wider Marvel Universe has varied over time, and while they've always had those elements of the non-mutant side of the universe even during their '80s dominance, they also weren't as in-sync as they could be. Some have said they existed in a void, like they were an offshoot of Marvel rather than a true part of it. It's been used as a justification for them not joining the MCU (until a certain buyout...), and I am completely against the idea of them just being their own thing. It's also important to remember that the X-Men were largely the biggest franchise of Marvel alongside Spider-Man, ahead of the Avengers, and especially individuals like Thor and Iron Man. The idea that the Avengers are the core of the Marvel Universe is a very recent one.
As for me, I'd say 3 is good. I like the X-Men to stand on their own as much as they can, but I also like to see them working with the others part of Marvel, to demonstrate that they are a part of Marvel, all to show that yes, they share a world with the Avengers, Fantastic Four and Spider-Man and aren't just in their own void. I also like to see them interact with the other heroes, it's often interesting to me.