Would you read “Secret X-Men”?

[donpricetag]

With Charles Soule promising something new for the X-Men following issue #12 of Astonishing, I got to thinking; “X-Men has been around for more than 50 years now. What ground haven’t they covered yet?” We still have several main characters not being used namely; Emma and Havok. They of course have a connection through Scott, and both have lots of story to work out. So why not run with that? Two rogue X-Men pseudo anti-heroes trying to do right by Scott’s memory, but not having the support of the X-Men.

What if they began secretly conscripting members of the X-Men to run missions so undercover and off the books that they people running them don’t even know? I know, sounds a lot like Secret Avengers. Well, that’s basically what it is. Emma and Havok taking it upon themselves to pull X-Men out of their everyday lives (typically as they sleep), using Emma’s powers to swap their personalities with artificial one, run the op and then reverse the process with none the wiser (probably with assistance from a high-level healer to patch them up, possibly persona-swapped as well). An ongoing issue with the persona-swap could be a bleed-through effect of left over emotions and/or memories, like “cookies” from a web browser. An idea to further stir the pot, after the first mission is wrapped it’s revealed that Cyclops is alive. The details of his resurrection and condition being revealed as we go… or just all at once to save time and nerves. The story in of itself is finite, eventually it’s going to hit the fan, so it should have a beginning, middle and a detailed end.

Would you read that? Does it sound viable? What other idea do you are possible to for Astonishing following #12, despite not having read #1 yet…

[Kal-El Summers]

Isn't that basically Remender's Uncanny X-Force?

[Master of Sound]

I wish the 'new' hints to a new New X-Men book. Time the youngsters like Hellion, Anole, Rockslide, Indra, Surge, Dust, Gentle and Trance become more than wallpaper. Let's hope I'm right.

[Sutekh]

I wish the 'new' hints to a new New X-Men book. Time the youngsters like Hellion, Anole, Rockslide, Indra, Surge, Dust, Gentle and Trance become more than wallpaper. Let's hope I'm right.

I want this, so it probably won't happen (or, if we ever do see any of these folk again, they'll be scattered throughout a team including people like Glob Herman, Primal and Broo, that I don't want to see).

[JustAnotherFan]

I don't know about the idea as presented in the OP. I feel like we've seen the hidden super-secret black ops wetworks x-team multiple times already with the most recent incarnations of X-Force. The brainwashing aspect of it feels like the only thing that's remotely new about it and I'm not sure it's enough for me. I think in time it can be a very interesting story but maybe now's just not the right time since we've had it done so recently. I'd also rather read about NXM kids in a Young X-Men book or something. Come on Marvel! I need my teen mutant fix!

[The tall man]

Not really feeling that direction for an x-book. First and foremost it's treats the xmen as lackeys being minipulated by Emma for her own agenda and makes them nothing more than tools, the xmen deserve better than to be pawns of the White Queen. And besides what would be the consequences for Emma and Alex once their actions were revealed? Would they get away with it, would they feel guilt or remorse, would the xmen deliver payback, would Emma even care; how would the xmen feel about being used against their will. Of course the Emma fans would love this idea because anything that has Emma minipulating and scheming others for her own purposes is heavenly. If there are severe consequences for Emma and Havok actions then I might be interested in a secret xmen book but if they get away with it then no interest.

[Sutekh]

A variation involving a group of X-students and more or less forgotten characters taking it upon themselves to go on missions and do stuff without anyone on the main X-teams having any idea they even exist could be interesting. Characters like Forget-Me-Not seem ideal for such a team.

There's a number of X-folk with very stealthy powers, like Anole, Cipher, Dust, etc. that could be interesting in this role.

Layla Miller would be an interesting leader for such a group, anticipating problems and sending the team out to nip them in the bud with her fuzzy 'I know stuff' knack.

[Vegan Daddy]

Why couldn't Emma and Havok just do the covert operations themselves?

[DurararaFTW]

Why couldn't Emma and Havok just do the covert operations themselves?

Havok is the one that alerted the Inhumans to Emma's deception. He saved her once for Scott's sake, they aren't pals anymore then she is with any other X-Men.

[Digifiend]

Isn't that basically Remender's Uncanny X-Force?

That's what I was thinking. X-Force is the X-Men counterpart of Secret Avengers.

[donpricetag]

That's what I was thinking. X-Force is the X-Men counterpart of Secret Avengers.

Not this version... I dont recall any incarnation of X-Force being like Secret Avengers... Every X-Force thus far were characters choosing to push the limits of being a hero, to get the "right thing" done. This incarnation I thought up is more like Secret Avengers because the X-Men involved are not willing participants. Probably wouldn't work with Emma at all and ever take part in these types of missions. Emma and Havok would be doing this more to suit their needs because they couldn't do it alone and they wouldnt be able to find anyone to fall in line. The fallout following these decisions would be part of the over arching story.

In this scenario, your dealing with characters having to eventually come to terms with knowing their bodies were used without their permission, but not just that. They had entire lives cooked up and implanted in their heads, a name, a past. They were, in part, completely different people with different outlooks. As far as those "other personalities" are concerened they were people and formed relationships with each other, interacted with the world. What if they fell in love, or became mortal enemies. What if these feelings bleed into their every day lives? What if emotions that weren't on the surface suddenly, perhaps even violently emerged? I guess in a way it's much like AoX, for those that wished to keep their memories. Instead of coming to and realizing it was all basically a harmless dream, the subjects would have to deal with their bodies actually going through the paces of a life not their own in a world they have to deal with (I would assume they'd be wearing masks of some sort and using their abilities in less conspicuous fashions). You guys are seeing X-Force, but this wouldn't be any X-Force I'm familiar with... And if it was, who cares? There's always going to be a X-Force like book. Right now that's Weapon-X, before that it was Uncanny X-Men.

What are some other ideas? I doubt it's going to have anything to do with the New X-Men or X-Men other than the ones we see in this book.

[Rising7]

I could see myself enjoying it. Incidentally, Cyclops being alive in secret ended up being what Magneto has been doing (and is more or less inevitable to get revealed down the line). To go back a bit further, I could see something like Secret Defenders with regular rotations of X-characters, though that might end up at a cost to consistent character development.

[Tycon]

Eh. I'd only like it if it were the New X-Men being run by a secretly-not-so-dead Cyclops.

[jpmst17]

if adult cyclops is alive, i would read it. i'd read anything where he's alive

[Michael Watkins]

only if Shortpack and/or Tessa are in it.