Jonathan Hickman and C.B. Cebulski Talk "X of Swords" and Dawn of X's Future

[tuck frump]

comparing these interviews to his avengers time, he is clearly enjoying himself a lot more, it really seems like the x-writers are like a team with alll these meetings to set up the crossover.

Who wouldnt. Can you imagine having to write IronMan and Captain America and Thor and try to make them interesting for years? Thats the real crucible.

If Hickman had a choice, he wouldn't do any interviews, he wouldn't let the X-Office or other writers do interviews, he would exterminate previews, and he would put every reader in ballgags and fuzzy handcuffs until the next week of books was right in front of them.

Idk about that he's constantly spoiling stuff. He seems really excited.

[Devaishwarya]

I'm still waiting to hear more actual details before I get invested.

[hawkeyefan]

Who wouldnt. Can you imagine having to write IronMan and Captain America and Thor and try to make them interesting for years? Thats the real crucible.


Idk about that he's constantly spoiling stuff. He seems really excited.

The biggest flaw with his Avengers run seems to me to be editorial mandate. He had to incorporate all kinds of elements from other books that he had no say on.....old man Steve and Superior Iron Man from whatever Inversion storyline went on at the time. And of course, Thor not being Thor. He actually did a pretty good job, overall, although the main Avengers book felt a bit disjointed at times.

Certain elements of his run felt truncated...like certain concepts were introduced and would have been more important, but then everything was kind of wrapped up more quickly than I think was expected. I think they just felt the need to get to Secret Wars and get the associated boost in sales

This time, he's got creative input on all the books that can affect his plans. None of the characters have solo books that are outside of his influence, and they appear to be largely unaffected by more company wide initiatives.

I get the impression that he learned some valuable lessons from his time on Avengers, and that's helped him avoid a lot of those pitfalls here. He's dictating the pace, not having it dictated to him.

[tuck frump]

Unworthy Thor and Superior Iron Man sound like better mandate then the regular versions.

[hawkeyefan]

Unworthy Thor and Superior Iron Man sound like better mandate then the regular versions.

I thought he handled Unworthy Thor really well, actually. Gave him an awesome ending, too.

Superior Iron Man didn't really feel all that different, to me. I wasn't reading the Iron Man book at the time, but in Avengers he just seemed a bit more dickish, I suppose.

Edited to add: I just mean there were a lot of interruptions to his ongoing story, and most were not really worthwhile in the grand scheme.

[charliehustle415]

I wouldn't say it's the "end game," more like an important turning point.

Hickman's X-Men plans are too long range for the end game to start playing out after whatever revelation with Moira happens.

It's going to mark a big change, and a new phase in the storytelling, but I think we're a long way out from seeing the end game.

Of course, but an "end game" can take a long time. Think about Doom's plans in Avengers and Secret Wars that was like what 2 years? So if Hickman introduces Moira X in December we still have two years worth of storytelling, unless Hickman plans on staying The Head of X for more than 5 years

[AbnormallyNormal]

Nice to hear the hype about Moira being revealed to the bigger world

Obv. she / Raven / Irene are the core of all of this

Doug Ramsey with his T-O powers linking to Phalanx somehow, New Mutants exploring with Shi'ar... probably also tie together into the core plot

Excalibur/Marauders seem very side/ancillary and not too crucial to me although they're good enough books

We'll have to see about Hellions and XFactor. I guess exploration of the Res Proto is important but Hellions? The only importance I can think of right now for it would be Maddy Pryor/Essex and tying in with Arakko, which could help bring En Sabah Nur and Magik from two other books together.

Just trying to conceive of where he could be going with a lot of the threads

[CGAR]

Excalibur is the book that will possibly explore Arrako and Apocalypse's First Horsemen.

I just don't Tini is executing this well AT ALL.

[RD155]

Not sure how I feel about this huge mega event coming out. I’m still a bit drained from HOX/POX and plus DOX hasn’t been a complete hit to me either.

I agree with Hickman saying that it would take a while for people to find what they like. I ended up loving Marauders/X factor, Excalibur has been average and everything else got dropped. A huge event spanning through all the titles isn’t really something I’m crazy about.

That Moira solo series is overdue. Now that is something I’ve been heavily anticipating. Hopefully we get more Information on that soon. Doesn’t look like it though. I just feel as if everything in this Post HOX/POX world is just moving too slow....

[loke13]

Not sure how I feel about this huge mega event coming out. I’m still a bit drained from HOX/POX and plus DOX hasn’t been a complete hit to me either.

I agree with Hickman saying that it would take a while for people to find what they like. I ended up loving Marauders/X factor, Excalibur has been average and everything else got dropped. A huge event spanning through all the titles isn’t really something I’m crazy about.

That Moira solo series is overdue. Now that is something I’ve been heavily anticipating. Hopefully we get more Information on that soon. Doesn’t look like it though. I just feel as if everything in this Post HOX/POX world is just moving too slow....

I mean there no need to rush anything though. Like Hickman said they're still in the beginning stages of this new status quo. I'd say take your time build up the world and it's characters, chances are this will keep going for another 2+ years.

[myownlittleusername]

Another from the same occasion.

https://www.comicsbeat.com/c2e2-hick...e-cb-cebulski/

...
Hickman has a different perspective here, considering the financial aspects of relaunching the X-Line. He not only had to do his favorite characters justice, but also rake in enough cash to justify the feat and fix the canon’s systemic issues. Although they’re background issues to the narrative, he said they do make big waves in the future.
...

[spirit2011]

Another from the same occasion.

https://www.comicsbeat.com/c2e2-hick...e-cb-cebulski/

...
Hickman has a different perspective here, considering the financial aspects of relaunching the X-Line. He not only had to do his favorite characters justice, but also rake in enough cash to justify the feat and fix the canon’s systemic issues. Although they’re background issues to the narrative, he said they do make big waves in the future.
...

I really can see that

[CGAR]

So if you were a writer you wouldn't focus on your favorites?

You're really faulting Hickman on this subject like other writers don't do the same thing.

You loved X-Men Red. But everyone called that run the Jean Grey show.

[Omega Alpha]

So if you were a writer you wouldn't focus on your favorites?

You're really faulting Hickman on this subject like other writers don't do the same thing.

You loved X-Men Red. But everyone called that run the Jean Grey show.

Yep. It's only bad when other people's favorites get spotlighted.

Plus, Hickman mentioned Monet as one of his favorites, and she didn't have that much of a role. Xavier and Cyclops had arguably the most important roles despite not being in his top 5 list, and so on.

[spirit2011]

So if you were a writer you wouldn't focus on your favorites?

You're really faulting Hickman on this subject like other writers don't do the same thing.

You loved X-Men Red. But everyone called that run the Jean Grey show.

Put some focus on my favorites is ok, but not in detriment of others characters. Only writing faves would be boring too

I already criticize other writers who do the same, that is not a Hickman exclusivity.

Jean was the leader, but it was far away from being only her show. writer made sure everyone would had their moment

Yep. It's only bad when other people's favorites get spotlighted.

Plus, Hickman mentioned Monet as one of his favorites, and she didn't have that much of a role. Xavier and Cyclops had arguably the most important roles despite not being in his top 5 list, and so on.

Cyclops is still a favorite, even if not on his top 10