Message from Hickman regarding the X-Books

[Handsome men don't lose fights]

I just want to say, even if I think this whole Krakoa thing is creepy and weird, I'm having fun. These books are fun.

We have a winner.

[JB]

I just want to say, even if I think this whole Krakoa thing is creepy and weird, I'm having fun. These books are fun.

And fun, my friends, is a choice.

[Tycon]

The reality is that you don't need religion or nationalism to find connection with people. Having ideals is GREAT. Feeling the need to hold yourself, or god forbid others, to unquestioned dogma or statism is...dumb.

Ex: You can want mutants to have their own place to be and yet not have any love for Krakoa itself or its government. If I for instance, want to harp on Krakoa for going after the F4 if they deserved to be harped on, so be it. It's the idea of community that is needed, not a devotion to or unwavering support of the state.

It's like Americans who feel the need to say America is always on the up-and-up: pure nationalism and nothing to do with actual community or respect for the people who live here.

American nationalism isn’t harmful and idiotic just because it’s nationalism, it’s also because it celebrates a nation whose foundation is rooted in colonialism and slavery.

That’s also a stark difference between nationalism and patriotism. Patriotism is holding unquestioned dogma and statism, whereas nationalism isn’t literally only related to a landmass. Any culture of people who share aspects with each other whether that be shared pain or shared faith can be considered a nation. Blind devotion and nationalism don’t have to go hand-in-hand even though it can. We even see that in Krakoa. They have a national identity as a mutant community, but mutants like Wolverine and Bling! still don’t fully abide by every single decision that’s brought Krakoa to its current state. There is no unabashed patriotism througho it Krakoa.

[Kitty&Piotr<3]

American nationalism isn’t harmful and idiotic just because it’s nationalism, it’s also because it celebrates a nation whose foundation is rooted in colonialism and slavery.

That’s also a stark difference between nationalism and patriotism. Patriotism is holding unquestioned dogma and statism, whereas nationalism isn’t literally only related to a landmass. Any culture of people who share aspects with each other whether that be shared pain or shared faith can be considered a nation. Blind devotion and nationalism don’t have to go hand-in-hand even though it can. We even see that in Krakoa. They have a national identity as a mutant community, but mutants like Wolverine and Bling! still don’t fully abide by every single decision that’s brought Krakoa to its current state. There is no unabashed patriotism througho it Krakoa.

I consider patriotism and nationalism to be the same thing, and while they don't have to have negative connotations, they simply aren't needed if you are actually about respect and love for the people themselves, rather than whichever rock they are on.

I will root for my sports team because that's sports, and I will protect my home when attacked, but for me that's where it stops, and my commitment to support anyone or any group only lasts as long as they are doing the right thing.

For instance, I'd take a Frenchman, or whoever, as soon as an American, as long as they are of good character.

Say my country decides to go start some mess, they better make sure they have a good reason if they want me supporting, because I don't do the patriotism thing. They better be the good guys, or at the least, the better guys.

[stormphoenix]

Yeah, I can Agree with Hickman...

[Electricmastro]

Lol, he’s trying to tell X-fans to not be obnoxious. That’s all X-fans know how to do :x

An uphill battle.

Quite a number of people, whether it be on forums or not, have their own idea of how X-Men should be, who should be spotlighted more, and how interactions should go. To them, I suppose all I can say is that I wish the best in getting Marvel to listen to them, if not, getting a writer/editor job there, because Marvel definitely isn’t obligated to listen to them all them time.

[Tycon]

I consider patriotism and nationalism to be the same thing, and while they don't have to have negative connotations, they simply aren't needed if you are actually about respect and love for the people themselves, rather than whichever rock they are on.

I will root for my sports team because that's sports, and I will protect my home when attacked, but for me that's where it stops, and my commitment to support anyone or any group only lasts as long as they are doing the right thing.

For instance, I'd take a Frenchman, or whoever, as soon as an American, as long as they are of good character.

Say my country decides to go start some mess, they better make sure they have a good reason if they want me supporting, because I don't do the patriotism thing. They better be the good guys, or at the least, the better guys.

But you’re conflating two terms that have different definitions. There can be a love and appreciation for what Krakoa is as a mutant nation (created to give mutants a nationalistic identity because of shared oppression under humanity) without that bordering on patriotism.

[skyvolt2000]

Lmao, right.

I know they getting on his last nerve.

But he took the job.

Now we have 13-15 X-Men flooding the market. With folks falling into these slots-

1) I want to read all them but my BUDGET won't let me. This is the main complaint I hear. It's too many books at once.
Store owners who screamed over 1-2 unsold copies of Squirrel Girl or Moon Girl now have 5-15 unsold piles of X-Men books. With fans citing budget.

2) Readers are not happy with what they are seeing-13-15 X-Men books is not a green light to showcase 5-6 of the same folks. Who have forever hogged the spotlight while back grounding folks who found better success OUTSIDE X-Men (Sunspot & Storm).
Or seeing new folks pop up (Vita's book) when old favorites are still looking for a home (SYNCH).

3) Readers who question the story-we seen complaint threads here. Folks do not want to read about Nazi X-Men especially after the backlash of "being too political" Ms Marvel that set after a nasty reaction to books with POC, females & Inhumans as the leads.

What he is saying is you don't have to buy every book unless there is a reason (crossover) for it.

Now he did make comic book store owners mad by saying that but it's a reality. Nobody should have to buy books that they are not interested in under the guise of having to do it.

I am sure Marvel didn't like it either. Because how many folks lose their books for those slots like Moon Girl & Squirrel Girl?

If he was going to do this much world building-maybe different formats should have been done.

Couldn't Vita's book be a OGN? What about Leah's?

This is an quantity not quality issue.

[Handsome men don't lose fights]

But Skyvolt, a bunch of extraneous (X-traneous) x-titles alongside a divided fanbase is a glorious return to the 90's!

[Electricmastro]

I consider patriotism and nationalism to be the same thing, and while they don't have to have negative connotations, they simply aren't needed if you are actually about respect and love for the people themselves, rather than whichever rock they are on.

I will root for my sports team because that's sports, and I will protect my home when attacked, but for me that's where it stops, and my commitment to support anyone or any group only lasts as long as they are doing the right thing.

For instance, I'd take a Frenchman, or whoever, as soon as an American, as long as they are of good character.

Say my country decides to go start some mess, they better make sure they have a good reason if they want me supporting, because I don't do the patriotism thing. They better be the good guys, or at the least, the better guys.

I think the more research one does, the more you start to realize that just about every country that has had an an empire or a big, long-lasting civilization in general has partially depended on someone in power ignoring/neglecting/treating innocent groups like crap to get ahead and stay on top, whether it be in antiquity, the Middle Ages, or even in the 21st century. It’s rare to find a person in a considerably high position of power be consistently kind and not fall into some level of corruption with said power. But despite that, I still see people of different colors, religions, etc. being proud of being of American, British, German, or Egyptian descent, recognizing the bad history their countries were involved in, while also being proud of the good aspects of their countries that are worth being proud of.

I suppose it just makes me wonder how Krakoa will look in one year, or even 10 years time.

[FIGHT]

Dawn of X is not having the kind of reception he was expecting.
And he can't blame anyone besides himself. Because fans gave a chance to all the titles, but some of them haven't show quality consistency.
So it's natural people not recommend them to other readers.

I don't know if that is how he feels but its a tad bit how I feel. Quality can be a lot better. I prefer quality over quantity tbh.

Take a look at X-Men and how how the first 4 issues ranged from bad to good in terms of the writing. Also since Hickman is in charge of the X-men maybe he should of got a better artist for the flagship book. Sort of like how his Avengers run had artist Jerome Opena doing illustrations.

[Tycon]

I’m pretty sure the same amount of books are coming o it month to month, now it’s just spread throughout different titles. Beforehand, we were getting books doubl and triple shipping. Now we’re getting all these books monthly, divided by four and sometimes five weeks...

recognizing the bad history their countries were involved in, while also being proud of the good aspects of their countries that are worth being proud of.

I suppose it just makes me wonder how Krakoa will look in one year, or even 10 years time.

pffffffft it isn’t just “bad history”, there’s actively bad stuff happening now because the history is never properly addressed and dealt with. so pray tell, what are those good aspects are???

[Dthirds3]

So we have to buy 10 copys of every book right ?

[Tycon]

So we have to buy 10 copys of every book right ?

You MUST or else you won’t get the special code that’s different in every floppy that’ll eventually make sense to Hickman’s Master Plan.

[PrezValentine]

I don't know if that is how he feels but its a tad bit how I feel. Quality can be a lot better. I prefer quality over quantity tbh.

Take a look at X-Men and how how the first 4 issues ranged from bad to good in terms of the writing. Also since Hickman is in charge of the X-men maybe he should of got a better artist for the flagship book. Sort of like how his Avengers run had artist Jerome Opena doing illustrations.

I think one problem is that someone, either Hickman or someone above him, wants a recognizable/old school name as the flagship artist and they just grabbed Yu to go with it. Coipel is busy drawing penises for Instagram, McNiven can't do two issues in a row, Cassaday is on the same level as Yu currently, Cheung is at DC, Immonen retired, Bachalo is doing Deadpool. They should have picked Larraz, but I'm guessing he's doing the upcoming Moira book or one of the Giant Size issues. Or Dauterman, God help me. Here's hoping they wake up and get one of these two (or Silva/Caselli) later this year.