How would you consolidate the X-Books?

[Kingdom X]

I've seen a lot of discussion recently about there being too many x-titles, so I've been thinking of ways the line could be consolidated. I ended up getting it down to eight titles by combining the books with similar themes or premises. With books that haven't been released yet like X-Corp and Way of X I'm obviously going off of what we've read in interviews. How would you go about consolidating the line? Do you think 12-13 books is too many or that we should simply enjoy what's being given to us?

1. X-Men: Since this is the flagship title I didn't try to combine it with anything else.
2. Marauders + X-Corp: Both titles deal with the business side Krakoan relations and I don't think the pirate angle of Marauders is that necessary.
3. X-Force + Hellions: Both titles deal with violent mutants operating in states of gray and they also both touch upon how criminal justice is dealt with in Krakoa.
4. Excalibur + SWORD: Both titles with deal with exploration of new realms and the expansion of mutant power through collaboration. I think it would take a really good writer to balance sci-fi and fantasy concepts, but if done well it could be amazing.
5. New Mutants + Children of the Atom: Both titles deal with how young people are reacting to the new Krakoan status quo and finding their place in the world.
6. X-Factor + Way of X: Both titles seem to be mystery focused and I think the premise of X-Factor focusing on the resurrection protocols could easily be expanded to an examination of the other major parts of Krakoan society.
7. Wolverine: I don’t care for his solo titles but the man sells.
8. Additional solo series: I think this should be a Storm series hands down, but I can see the argument for a revolving door of limited series like Cable, Moira X, etc.

[jwatson]

I've seen a lot of discussion recently about there being too many x-titles, so I've been thinking of ways the line could be consolidated. I ended up getting it down to eight titles by combining the books with similar themes or premises. With books that haven't been released yet like X-Corp and Way of X I'm obviously going off of what we've read in interviews. How would you go about consolidating the line? Do you think 12-13 books is too many or that we should simply enjoy what's being given to us?

1. X-Men: Since this is the flagship title I didn't try to combine it with anything else.
2. Marauders + X-Corp: Both titles deal with the business side Krakoan relations and I don't think the pirate angle of Marauders is that necessary.
3. X-Force + Hellions: Both titles deal with violent mutants operating in states of gray and they also both touch upon how criminal justice is dealt with in Krakoa.
4. Excalibur + SWORD: Both titles with deal with exploration of new realms and the expansion of mutant power through collaboration. I think it would take a really good writer to balance sci-fi and fantasy concepts, but if done well it could be amazing.
5. New Mutants + Children of the Atom: Both titles deal with how young people are reacting to the new Krakoan status quo and finding their place in the world.
6. X-Factor + Way of X: Both titles seem to be mystery focused and I think the premise of X-Factor focusing on the resurrection protocols could easily be expanded to an examination of the other major parts of Krakoan society.
7. Wolverine: I don’t care for his solo titles but the man sells.
8. Additional solo series: I t. I hink this should be a Storm series hands down, but I can see the argument for a revolving door of limited series like Cable, Moira X, etc.

I wouldnt. I want as many choices as possible.

[Glio]

There is always going to be someone crying because their favorite character is not the leading role in a series so there is no real way to do it.

[ChronoRogue]

There is always going to be someone crying because their favorite character is not the leading role in a series so there is no real way to do it.

*raises hand shamelessly* That would be me.

But seriously, there are still mutants that I would love to see on a regular title (Sunspot, Shatterstar, Sabra, Sunfire, Neal, Anole, Indra, Surge, etc...) most of them C or D list mutants but still; so I'm open to as many titles as the franchise can feasibly support. I don't personally pick up a lot of other Marvel or DC titles so my wallet can take it.

That said, most of those look like reasonable suggestions Kingdom X. The only one I might want to separate are SWORD and Excalibur, to me they are a bit too contrasting to be put in one title. I want my fantasy and scifi fix separated lol. well technically the mixing happens all the time with marvel but...

[Killerbee911]

I wouldnt. I want as many choices as possible.

This, Also some fans need to realize you aren't meant to pick up every book.

[Kingdom X]

*raises hand shamelessly* That would be me.

But seriously, there are still mutants that I would love to see on a regular title (Sunspot, Shatterstar, Sabra, Sunfire, Neal, Anole, Indra, Surge, etc...) most of them C or D list mutants but still; so I'm open to as many titles as the franchise can feasibly support. I don't personally pick up a lot of other Marvel or DC titles so my wallet can take it.

That said, most of those look like reasonable suggestions Kingdom X. The only one I might want to separate are SWORD and Excalibur, to me they are a bit too contrasting to be put in one title. I want my fantasy and scifi fix separated lol. well technically the mixing happens all the time with marvel but...

Thank you! Yeah SWORD+Excalibur was definitely the biggest stretch.

I'm also open to as many titles as possible, but this was a fun hypothetical to think through as I was procrastinating lol.

[Ra-El]

Excalibur + SWORD should be given to Ewing, the guy would know what to do, mostly.

Honestly, I'm a Cyclops fan way before a X-Men fan, so if a character should have a solo is Scott Summers, imo. Probably would be the only X-Men book I would read, maybe SWORD+Excalibur too.
But they should do a anthology comic, around 60 pages that would mostly deal with solo and more personal stories. Something like DC is making with Batman: Urban Legends, someone suggested it in other thread and it's a good idea.

[Kingdom X]

Honestly, I'm a Cyclops fan way before a X-Men fan, so if a character should have a solo is Scott Summers, imo.

I figured most people would have an argument for their faves taking the last solo spot, which is why I kept it open lol.

But they should do a anthology comic, around 60 pages that would mostly deal with solo and more personal stories. Something like DC is making with Batman: Urban Legends, someone suggested it in other thread and it's a good idea.

100% agree. It could do a lot of good for a franchise this expansive.

[Rang10]

X-force should be paired with Wolverine. That is very obvious

Sword should be paired with Hellions, as they are the best books. Unite the best could help both get better sales

[Devaishwarya]

Eventhough I'm only interested in/buying/reading 6 titles I do appreciate that there are many books from which to choose that many readers can enjoy based on their preferences and faves.
That said...
I whole-heartedly agree with KingX's consolidated list. Even the SWORD/Excalibur combo...for decades across the MU writers were able to write both high fantasy and Sci-Fi elements in their singular books, like FF, Alpha Flight, Avengers and X-Men...the one does not have to be mutually exclusive of the other.

[cranger]

I guess that works kind of in the sense it spotlights the overlap in some of the titles, but to me the real cutting is about demand and quality. I think the X-Men needs less consolidation and more focus. I do not feel most of these 'need' a book. Does it make sense in the given set up that these teams exist and are doing something? Sure. Do they warrant a book? No. These are concepts that the few books that are in demand and have good talent on can use for their stories when needed.

So, to me, the consolidation is look at the top 4-5 books, cut the rest, and if anything needs to be consolidated it is the better artists and writers.

[DragonPiece]

I honestly don't understand your ideas, when you say book a + book b do you mean the the actual teams should just become one or should one book just cover both teams? Neither idea makes much sense, if it was truly a issue I'd rather Marvel just cancel some books rather than just make a book covering 2 different teams(whichh is what the current x-factor seems to be doing.)

[rcaguy]

5. New Mutants + Children of the Atom: Both titles deal with how young people are reacting to the new Krakoan status quo and finding their place in the world.
.

Umm ...these books pretty much have nothing in common. The New Mutants in the comics aren't the posers from the moive....

[MYCMTSC]

I've seen a lot of discussion recently about there being too many x-titles, so I've been thinking of ways the line could be consolidated. I ended up getting it down to eight titles by combining the books with similar themes or premises. With books that haven't been released yet like X-Corp and Way of X I'm obviously going off of what we've read in interviews. How would you go about consolidating the line? Do you think 12-13 books is too many or that we should simply enjoy what's being given to us?

1. X-Men: Since this is the flagship title I didn't try to combine it with anything else.
2. Marauders + X-Corp: Both titles deal with the business side Krakoan relations and I don't think the pirate angle of Marauders is that necessary.
3. X-Force + Hellions: Both titles deal with violent mutants operating in states of gray and they also both touch upon how criminal justice is dealt with in Krakoa.
4. Excalibur + SWORD: Both titles with deal with exploration of new realms and the expansion of mutant power through collaboration. I think it would take a really good writer to balance sci-fi and fantasy concepts, but if done well it could be amazing.
5. New Mutants + Children of the Atom: Both titles deal with how young people are reacting to the new Krakoan status quo and finding their place in the world.
6. X-Factor + Way of X: Both titles seem to be mystery focused and I think the premise of X-Factor focusing on the resurrection protocols could easily be expanded to an examination of the other major parts of Krakoan society.
7. Wolverine: I don’t care for his solo titles but the man sells.
8. Additional solo series: I think this should be a Storm series hands down, but I can see the argument for a revolving door of limited series like Cable, Moira X, etc.

ITA with these choices (although we don't really know what Way of X, CotA, or X-Corp is about yet...but X-Corp def needs to differentiate from Marauders).

I don't mind there being a ton of books, but I don't want books that just exist to spotlight fan favorites and the premise/story is weak or redundant.

Imagining Otherworld being a facet of SWORD's mission or Hellions...basically acting as X-Force. Most books that came after Dawn of X's first wave feel like better versions of the original six titles IMO.

[Adam-X]

Honestly - if Marvel can afford to dish it out, the more the better.

This coming from someone, who admittedly, ceased collecting a few years ago.

Aside from it getting too expensive, and stories, generally not headed in a direction I enjoyed - I hung up my collecting days, and just re-read older stuff. (Currently started re-reading Avengers from #1, thanks to the Marvel Unlimited, and on issue #85 or so)...

Now I say this - about the more the better - because it increases the chance that folks are going to see a character they enjoy in one of these books.

This brings out the potential of other characters, normally not highlighted - getting some spotlight. And that's always good.

Now that said...

This, Also some fans need to realize you aren't meant to pick up every book.

... while, mostly true - the problem lies when there's events that cross over multiple titles. And the more "X" books there are, the greater the chance that it's going to go through every X-Book currently published.

Which means in a series you collect, it ends with CHARACTER_A lunging at Magneto. The following issue, all the characters are at the funeral of CHARACTER_A.

This can be confusing, obviously - so you end up picking up one offs of several titles you normally are not interested in - just so you can still enjoy the series you DO collect.

This is why I hate(d) cross overs.