How much history does GRAND DESIGN cover?

[Yohei72]

Hi, X-perts. I just checked out all three volumes of Ed Piskor's X-MEN: GRAND DESIGN from the library, partly inspired by my jumping on the Dawn of X bandwagon and wanting some more background, as someone who hasn't read much X-material before.

I can't easily find anything online that tells me clearly just how far into the characters' history Piskor goes. What are the last issues that his story covers? The back cover blurb for Volume 3 mentions "the radical '90s," but doesn't make clear if it ends there or goes into the 2000s.

Thanks in advance for helping me get my bearings.

[yogaflame]

Grand Design is an elseworld essentially. It is not canon, nor a good way to learn the mythos. He changes a LOT, and while it was serviceable when trying to make sense of the horrible 60's run, it derails completely by the time he starts aping Claremont's run. Just take your time and read the actual comics, it will be worth it.

[Triniking1234]

Hi, X-perts. I just checked out all three volumes of Ed Piskor's X-MEN: GRAND DESIGN from the library, partly inspired by my jumping on the Dawn of X bandwagon and wanting some more background, as someone who hasn't read much X-material before.

I can't easily find anything online that tells me clearly just how far into the characters' history Piskor goes. What are the last issues that his story covers? The back cover blurb for Volume 3 mentions "the radical '90s," but doesn't make clear if it ends there or goes into the 2000s.

Thanks in advance for helping me get my bearings.

Piskor mostly uses stories he liked so some stuff will be missing like Jean's return but then he shows stuff like Carol Danvers. The end of each issue tells you which original stories he took inspiration.

[Yohei72]

Grand Design is an elseworld essentially. It is not canon, nor a good way to learn the mythos. He changes a LOT, and while it was serviceable when trying to make sense of the horrible 60's run, it derails completely by the time he starts aping Claremont's run. Just take your time and read the actual comics, it will be worth it.

Interesting, I've never heard that Elseworlds comparison before.

To be honest, I have an extremely low tolerance for the typical writing style of older-school comics, and that goes double for Claremont. I've read a little of his X-Men and... I couldn't read any more.

But thanks for recontextualizing Piskor's work for me - that's useful.

[Yohei72]

The end of each issue tells you which original stories he took inspiration.

Aha! Thanks.

[Purplevit]

I was really dissapointed with it.

[DanMad1977]

Interesting, I've never heard that Elseworlds comparison before.

To be honest, I have an extremely low tolerance for the typical writing style of older-school comics, and that goes double for Claremont. I've read a little of his X-Men and... I couldn't read any more.

But thanks for recontextualizing Piskor's work for me - that's useful.

I can feel you about the writing style of older comics. Even though I grew up with them, I cannot stand to read caption boxes that are telling me what I already see. and most word balloons are worthless overwritten and redundant.

So, when I read an older book I just don't read any caption boxes, and it works perfectly. You can almost ignore them ever. Erik Larsen never puts them in his Savage Dragon and it reads fluently.

[Nevets]

It was so very, very disappointing.

[Ferro]

it says the maximoffs are mutants so its basicaly an over promoted antalogy book witout much to it

[Askani's Flame]

Reading it felt like watching a retelling of the X-Men via "Drunk Uncle" or "Drunk History". Overall bits are right but lots of liberties taken in Piskor's version.

[pandafarmer]

I
To be honest, I have an extremely low tolerance for the typical writing style of older-school comics, and that goes double for Claremont. I've read a little of his X-Men and... I couldn't read any more.

Just remember that Claremont doesn't appear till Giant Sized X-Men. So really most X-fans don't even reference anything that happened before that (the 60's stuff). I would recommend picking up Marvel Unlimited for a few months and crash course. It's what I did when I returned to the universe after 20 years and it was great to catch up and focus on the areas that mattered to me most. Also allows you to read crossover books or things you might not have read buying individual issues. House of X just started on there, so it's a great time to catch up.